Chap.17. An Expojtion upon the Book of J OB, Verf4, +33 i Pet.3 i6. Now as there is an afIliFion in it, not tobe able tounderhand any truth which God hath revealed for our ufe, fo there is much wrath and judgement in it, when God hides underfiandingfrom the heart in any of thole things which he bath revealed for our ufe, but efpecially in thofe things which are neceffary , either toour future, or our prefent peace. Thus the Prophet IJaiah was fent to preach that people blind, and deaf , and ignorant, Chap. 6. 9, ro. Go sell thispeople, Hear ye indeed, but underhand not , and fee ye indeed, but perceive not:Make the heart of thispeople fatandmake their ears heavy , andPhut their eyes, left theyfee with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and underhand with their hearts , and convert and bs healed : As ifthe Lord had laid , This people (hall want neither Meansnor Minatiers, neither Word nor Light; but they (hall reap no benefit neither by Means nor Minitiers , neither by Word nor Light; yea, all thefe means (hall pro. duce contrary effeas, they (hall be hardened and not foftned, blinded and not enlightned, their ears thall be deafned , not bored by the Word. They would not hear, therefore they Chill not ; they would not underhand , therefore they (hail not be able to underhand. They who refufe the offers of Mercy, thall be de(troyed with the offers of Mercy. And as God doth often take away the Gofpel in wrath , fo he fometimes fends it in wrath. It is a great mifery to have the Gofpel hid from a people for want of Revelation , but it is lowett mifery to have it hid in the Revelation. Jerufalem, fignifies,The Vifion or fight ofpeace , and this was the glory of 3erufalem; yet at latì this glory was taken from Jerufalem , though her name continued ; Jerufalem(i the fight of peace ) could not fee her peace , Luke r9.41, 42, 43. When Chritt came near to Jerufalem , He beheld the City , and wept over it, faying,/f thou hadit known, even thou, at leaft in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace : What then ? Chritt lup- preffes the happinefs which they ( hould have enjoyed by loch aftght,with a filent admiration; and only tells them weep- ing, But nowaheaFe hid frorn thine eyes ;How hid? Was thereno more preaching in Jerufalem , no publick Mini(try after that day ?the whole Colledge of Apofiles preached there, and they preached the things which belonged both to their temporal, and to their eternal peace ; yet as the things which belonged K k k , to
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