Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v6

Chap.i8. e."4s Expofitìon upon the Boch` of J o B. Verf. 1o. 55 gems or ambuskadoes in warre, iris one thing to meete an enemy in the open field, and it is another thing to he in ambuth and ufe f}ratagemsto take him. Snares take unawares. Solomon ( Eccl.9. i 2. ) fpeaks ofthis mifery of man ; Alan knavesnot his time , as the grI7 s that, are taken inanevillnet ,. and as the birds that are caught is the frsare;: fo are thefans-ofmenfeared in anmill time, when it fallethfuddenly upon them ; thefnare takes. hiddenly, it gives no warning, there is no prevention, no fenceaggintt it. Secondly , Obferve ; Wicked men are ufually takenwhen their hopes are highefl, when they think:themfelves in 'the very'errj.yment oftheir own de fires and thepoJrfon ofthegeodthey havea long time lookt for, thenGod takes them away, sandde,royes them. Theground of this obfervation is, becaufé fnares, grinner, and traps are bayted withmeare or force thing that is pleating to the creature; to be catcht in a trap;, is to be catcht with a pleafant morfell. Thebird lookes to be well fed elfe-hewould not.been- fnared ; he feekes for meate where he finds a trap. As the Table of forcewicked men becomestheir fnare, fo many run into a fnare while they thinke they are coming to a full and well-fiirnifhed Table. Hence it is that when wicked men are neerefl their hopes, a *in eff quod nos. then good men may be furtheft from feares;, or their hopes or terreant impro- the things that they hope for, are but as ba3 tes to entice them in- boron infolentes to'a fnare ; they are catchingat thebayte, and thinke nothing of mrwa omn á the fnare. when they /ball fay peace andfafety, thenfudden de-- fibi poflicentur f#ruflioncommeth upon them (t Thef 5. 3. ). Opon the wicked he & aperto ritFu /hall rainefnares ( Pfal. u 6 ) When it raines we:expe& plenty, iamiang p+'ahea- the clouds ufually drop fatneffe. The wicked mans cloud drops enturg en nca:- leaneneffe,and raine a (bower offnares upon his head Thus when pi.tur, c. men are lifted upwith-hopes of great worldlyenjoyments . when Med.. they fay the day is their owne, they are but running into the net, and the grinnewill catch them. TrueScripture-hopesnever make us dimmed, but pure Creature-hopes ever leave us difappointed, and while theyoffer us.a baite, leave as in the.trap. Thirdly, Note; When wickedmenareonce catcht,they cannot deliver themfelves; Snares are fer for fuch .creatures as cannot eatìly 'be. taken, . they

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