Chap. 17. An Expofition upon the Bookof J OB. Verf.¡$. 469 Some providences of God put the wifeft toa thud ; not only are Fools and wicked men, but men of the greaten ex- perience and underftanding in the wayes of God, Co puzzled that they know not what to fay, or how to anfwet ? The Lord is pleafed to give as hard Texts and Chapters in his works as he doth in his word ; many outward adminiftra- tions lye fo dole.,_ yea fo crois to his ordinary proceedings, that we know not what to make of them: if we feea wicked man of lidcd, we (hall fee a godlyman afflic$edmuch more: Ifwe fee agodly manprofper,we (hall feea wicked man pro- fper double to it; thefe are firange things,at which not a few . are amazed, and at their wits end , fhould we judge ofall the dealingsofGod by humane reafon, we fhould conclude Come of them without, oragainft reafon, though indeed they are only above our reafon, or have a height of reafon in them, which we cannot reach and thereforemuff admire. Noman wonders at that for which he can give a reafon, and therefore we fay it altogether unbecomes a Philofopher (who would be thought knowingaboutthe reafon ofevery thing)to wonder : There are depths in the providences of God which no man is able to reach or fadome, elfe upright men neednot beaftonied at them The Preacher gives a eau. tion, that we should not be over curious in prying into fuch fecrets ( as tome make the connexion of thole two verles Ecclef.7. 15, 16. j All things have lfees: in the dayes of my vanity : Solomon was a man ofa vat} oblervation,and though he had not feen all things in their particular exiflence , yet he had feen all things in their general nature ; and he gives inftance in two things which he had feen,There is ajuft man that perifheth inhis righteoufnefs (Job was a. righteous man and he peri(hed outwardly) and there is a wicked mantbat prolongs his life in wickednefs, Amongall his obfervations,he thought noneofgreater moment then thefe two: Nowwhen Godputs the righteous into a perithing condition, and.fets up the wicked in worldly glory ; this is matter ofmuch ad- miration and inquifìtion, therefore he fubjoynes (according to this interpretation) his caution (Vert, i6.) Be not righ- teous over-much, neither make thyfelfover .wife ; that is,be not anxious in fearching out every particular, or every little littleabout this administration ofGod ;. make not thy fell over
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