Chap. u. aan expofitiess upon the Bookof J o s. Verf. 18. though they be ftraw'or it ubble, yet they (hall beare up the care, and minifter fotne wayor other to their help. Though wicked men are in themfelves as that chaffe threlhed out ofthe rare which the ftorme carrieth away; yet they often are to the people ofGod, as the chaffe in the care which binds and holds in the corne, fo that theRome-cannot carry it away. From the proper fcope of the fimilitude as here applyed. Obferve ; Firft, It id an eafie thing withGodat any time to deliro, zeit t ked men. Secondly , That e411 the preparations and power ofwicked men to refifi the wrathof god,or to fave themfelvesfromkid tono puzpofe. All their power is no more then the chaffe to the formes and the Rubbleto thewinde. Though the wicked flatter them- (elves in their power and greatneffe, as ifthey wereout ofdan- ger, yet they are but Rubble and chaffe, God can quickly blow thew away. Howmany experiences have we frene ofwicked men, who thought their mountaine fo ftrong that it fhould never be removed, which yct hath appeared but as chaffe be- fore the winde, and the forme hath carried them away. And ifGod joyne with the weakeft, they are too thong for the mightieft (Ifa. 41. 15.) Behold, I will snake thee a new fharpe thrething infirument having teeth. Who was this ? The former verle anfwers, it was the worme acob; God did not make an inftrument for/the worme ?acob, but he made the worme Jacob his inftrument ; 'Behold 1 will make thee ( not for-thee) a new threfhing inftrumént. Ml men are wormes compared with God, and no man is fo fic an inftrument, for God to doegreat things by, as he who looks upon himtelfe(fo Jefus Chritt did, by whomGoddid the greateft worke that ever was done) at a worme and ne man. But whatfhall this worme 7acob doe? Thewords following anfwer, He ¡ball threjh the mountainer and breaktbem fatall,and ¡hail make the /oils as cka f The moun- taines andhits to be th refhed and fann'd, are the mighty ones ofthe earth, even all- earthlymight riling up againft the wayes and defignes of the God of heaven, riefe the worme j aceb Z Z Z Z fttal '723
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