Chap. 20. ovin expofitioni upon the Took,of J o s. Vert. I9. vanitie an d theirdeleitable things 'hall not profit. It is this word, their defireable things.Which youmay underftand either by their gold or by their Gods, eyther by their riches, or their Idolls Which were their delire, as they fuppo fed, their fafety.Micab in the book ofYudges,'when he had got an Idol to worfhip,and a Levite tohis Prieft,concluded ; Now know I that the Lord will doe tne good (?ud. r7. I 3.) But their delectable things fhould not profit them, or be their fafety, whether they be things de- fired fuperftitioufly or covetuoufly, whether they be things of the world, or an Idol, which ù nothing inthe world, as the A- poftle fpeakes (i Cor. 8. 4.) chat is, it is of no worth or value, it hath nopower or vertue to doegood or deliver from evil!. Thefedeleitable things (hall not lave them when Godwill de- froy them. Thongh a wicked man had his choice ofall that he delires for his proteftion, yet he cannot be fafe. His delires rife not above the creature, which cannot fave it felfe, much lefTe be fafety to others. There is no fafety but under the fha- dowof the Almightie ; we are never hid till we hide our felves in his pavilion. The wicked come not under that fhadow, nor fall they ever enter that pavilion. Their delires never carry them indeed that way,and-therefore they 'hall not befafe by that which they defre. Secondly, As his defireable thi=-gs cannot fave him(accord- ing to the former reading) fo (according to ours) he (hall not fave of that which he defired ; that is, he (hall fave nothif;g of it.All (hall be wafted &vanifhed away upon which he built his felicity ; though he have it, yet he (hall not beable to hold or keep it;not fo much as a bit or fherad ofit, not fomuch as the gleanings or parings of ic. That's the meaning of, Hefhallnot laveof that which he defired. All will efcape, get out, and break prifon. He thought he had layd uphis goods,his goldand filver fafe enough, evenas prifoners within Iron grates,under lock, & key,yet thefe will efcapeandbe gon. Thus Mr. Calvin renders, JI (hallnot keep bis define, or that whichbe bathfo muchdefired Hence obferve when awicked worldling bathgotten all that be deftres, yet he cannot holdit. When hebathwhat he would,he cannot keepwhat be h Aaaa0a, There 547
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