Chap. 22. An Expofition upon the Book of J OB. Verf z8. thedecree is from one,the ettablifhrnent is from another;and who is that other ? Eliphazdoch not expreffe who by name, but we may eaf ly underftand who it is, even God himfelfe. For as it is God alone who bath givena being to all things, fo he alonegives all things_their eftablifhme t,whether they be things wrought by him, or wrought by us, GodJhali eftablifh it,or it (hall be eftabliJli- ed by thefiat, and confent of god. Hence obferve ; Thefeicceffe of our Councellsand decrees ùfromGod. Thereandmany who take wife, yea honeft Councels,which yet are not eftablifhed, bacaufe the Lord is not pleafed to efìablifh them, and the Lord loth often overthrow evil( and malitious Counfels, We read (Efay 7 5, 6,7,) ofCouncells and Decrees made ; Syria, Ephraim, and theJon ofReonaliah, have taken ovill Councell againft thee, faying (they decree a thing what was it ) dot usgoe up rtgai ft ?udah to vex it ( therewas the decree) let to makea breach thereinfor tu, andjet a King in the midit ofir, even the Son of Tabeal. Here was their decree; we will vex this people, wewill fet aking among them, the Sonof ideal. But what faith the Lord to this? Thou faith the Lord God ( 7 ver.) it ¡hall not Rand, neither/hall itcome to paffe. It is thisword in the Text, it 'Ball not be efiablifhed. You have madea decree, but you have not my 'content for the Bftablifhment of it, and therefore it (hall not ftand, it 'Chad not come topafre. Take another Scripture(Ffay 8. ro ) The Lord loth as it were give them leave tomake decrees: make as many decrees as you will, and fir together in Councell, lay your Councells as deep as you can, take Councell together, and it 'hall come to nought (youmay take Councell, but it is in my power whether it (hall fucceed or no, and I have decreed con- cerning your decree, that it 'halt come to nought) ¡peak the word and it ¡hall not fland.The ftanding or not ftanding, the fruftrating or the fulfilling of our Decrees and Councells, it is from the Lord. Thirdly, When he faith, Thou ¡halt decree a thing,and it¡hall be eftablifhed unto thee. We may obferve, TheCouncells of the Godly areunder apromife ofgoodfrsccefe. Theyhave.akindof Afl'arance that what they fay flail come to 279
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