*co Chap. zz. An Expofation upon the il3eokofJ® B Verf zo. of the Covenant) found him in Bethel, that is, 7ao,b. e4nd there he.Fßake with its. It fhouldaccording to Grammar be read thus; And there hefpake with hirxs. Having found 7acob in Bethel, he 'fpake with him in Bethel. But we fee both the perfon and number are varied, the former words running in the third perfon singular (being meant particularly ofyacob,) the latter in the °fïrft perfon plural, There he fluke with us ; The. Spirit of God thereby figni- Eying, that, what God fpake at that time to 1acob petfonally,he fpake to all the fpirituall feed of 7acob, whether of the Circurr,ci- f on or Uncircumcifion,virtually.He fo fpake to facob as that the fublianceand of a of his fpeech reacheth downe to and hath an influence upon eu, heleevers, who are his pofterity according to the Spirit. Befìdes this, other Scriptures hold ont'che l ke variati- tonof the number, as in the Text, which is the firft anfwer. Secondly, Eliphaz might purpofely vary the number, that himfelfe might put in for a fh.re, and be numbred among thole, who had obtained that fearing mercy, not to m cut downwhile others were confumed. And fo this reafon of the change is purely . fpirituall, much like that Iait openedout of He%ea. Whence note ; That the righteous are often preferved incommon calamities. (Tfal. 20. S.) They are brought donne, and arefallen, kart Ire . are rifen and(land nprigkt, ourfubflance id n t cut downe ; God rakes fpeciall care ofhis own people ; they are under a prornile; there can be nogreater fafety, no better fecurity then to be under a promife : the prornife is the bet (heiter in a ftorme, and the belt fhield againft the dart. The Apoille Peter gives us two famous examples of this, (z`Pet. 1. y; 6.) Gcd flared not the old world, ,butlaved Noah, &c. bringing in theflood upon the world ofthe ttn- g6dly. And having turned the Cities ofSodome and ( osnoorrah into allies, condemned them sarith an overthrow, &c. and delivered jnfl Lot, &c. From both which examples he concludeth ( v. 9. ) The Lordknowethhow to deliver the Godlyout of temptation, and. tore- frve the unjuft unto the day of3udgement to be prsni¡hed. when judgement begins at the houfe ofCod, what !hall the end of them be that obey not the gefpel ofGod ?as the fame Apollle fpeaks (a Pet. 4. 17.) It is a lute argument to the wicked that they (hall be judged, when they fee God bringing judgements upon his own hou fe
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