Chap. t8. An Expefstion atpoa the Book, of JOB. Verf. 8. did this but God, yee thought otherwife , but God bath brought good out of it ; fo God over-rules the,actions of evill men to their own hurt, when awicked man carts himfelfe into a net by his own feete, it is not he that doth it, but God, he intended no- thing but good, and advantage, not mifchiefe or mifery, not a Snare or a net to himfelfe, but Godwas too hard for him, and beatehimboth at And with his own weapon ; he brought him in- to the net Hence obferve ; Firft, That no man is Ad fter ofhis owndefignes or aciions. Man intends great things, his head is full ofdevices, but he can- not carry his worke through to the end which he intends ; wic+ked men cannot perfect their own purpofes and propofals ; neither can, thegood. This is a common truth; The wayofman is not in him- :Rife, neither is it in him that goes to direFt his ownfteps,, faith the Prophet, ( ver. t o. 23. ) That is, he bath not fuch a command of his Way, or ofhis fleps,'as to be lure to reaeb or attaine unto his end ; men 'would never come into fnares, if 'thedominion of their wayes were in theirown hand. A mans `heart devifeth his way, bnt the Lord direEteth hisReps, (Pro. t 6. i .)Not that the heart lyes Moreout of the command and government ofGod, then thefate doe ; for he faith, (verf. t . The preparations of the heart in man, and the anfwer of the tongue is from the Lord. But when Solomon faith; Amans heart devi/eth his may, &c. I conceive his meaning to be this,that the Lord permits mena greater libertyof thinking, then he dothof ading, ( not that it is lawfull for them to thinke any thing which it is not lawfull for them to act but) he gives themfcope to lay .their plots and devife their devifes to imagine ítrange things, and ñe never checkes or takes them off; but when once they come toac4ing and working, then he comes forth and flops them. God hath fuffered many to take compleate counfels againfi his counfels, and to lay devilifh plots againtt his divine plots; but he never fuffered any to compleate their actions againft his Counfels. When once wicked mencome to pradtifing,let them looke to thernfelves God never troubled thofe first menof the fecond world, while theywere drawing the Scheame making the rune or platforme of their Babel; but when they fell to build- ing, he quickly came downe and confounded them. Secondly,. 45
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