Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v5

430 - 01ap.17. An Exlsoftionupon the`Béok, of J OB. Verf, 4 Thirdly, God hides the heart from underftanding, as by not giving,foby withdrawing the light which he hathgiven. Many have forfeited their-eyelïght and their light, and God hash taken the forfeiture ofthem : Whichhe doth lull, when mete are proudof the light , and puft up with knowledge. Secondly, when men are unthankful for the light, and will not acknowledge God the giver of it. Thirdly , when men grow wanton or vain in the light, when they abode it , and 'having the light walk in darknefs. All which reaCons Gods withdrawing light, as many Scriptures tellifie,;fo they are tefliñed in that one Scripture, _ om,1,2 t, 22. Fourthly, As God may be laid to hide the heart from un- derilanding, by a total withdrawing of light, fo by with- holding it for a time, or in part, by clouding or eclipfing it. Godhides the heart of tome men from underftanding, only in fuch a point, or at fuch a feafon, giving them light in other things, yea and in that thing too at another feafon. This fourth way I conceive moli proper to this Text of Job ; for, his friends were not under that terrible judgement of a total hiding their hearts from underftanding ; only the light was with-held from them in and about that tranfa `c,#ion, As when Chrill after his refurreiion appeared to thofe Difci- pies, Luke 24., 26. the Text faith , Their eyes wereheld, that theyfhouldnot know him : And Verde 31. Their eyes were o- pened, and they knew him : Thus God at one time holds the intelletual eyeoffome good men, that they cannot difcern fuch or fuch a Truth, yet afterwards he opens their eyes and 'they difccrn it. Hence Obferve. Firft, The zvife)f men do notfee all truth, nor are theyable to judge ofall matters. Thefe were wile men, very wife men; they fpake Excel- 'lent things, and very underttandingly about God, they gave yob very good counfel, but yet they failed here. Elihu,Ch: 32. 9. faith, Great men are not alwayes wife ; we may fay wife men are not always wife : andas no man is wife at all timer,(® there is noman wife in all sbings.We cannot conclude, thatbe, caufe a man hath given a right judgment in Come onie,orin Ma- nypoints,thaçtherfore we may truft his decifions inall points. As God hides all wifdom from force men, fo he very rarely, if

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