Chap, 22, An `Expojition upon the Book ofJOB. Ver.f.28. 2£1 He it is that confirmeth the wordofhis/truant, andperformer& the Ccuncell ofIsis llleffengers ; thatfaith to 7erufalerve, thou (bait be Inhabited, and to the Cities of ?tidal, et Ilsall be built, &c. God confirmed; the wordofhisfervant ; which may be underflood not only of the word ofProphefîe (though that be the fcope of that place, as if it had been faid, when the Lord fèndeth forth his Pro- phets and holy Diviners;tis not with them as with falle Prophes and heatherifh Diviners, who making prnmifes from the Starres of heaven, not from the God of heaven, are frufira_ed and di(ap. pointed ; 'cis not thus with the Lords holy Diviners, for he cera- firmeth the word ofhieServants. Now, I fay, we may underft.and thatText not onlyof that word ofprophecywhich the Lord puts into the mouths ofhis Servants by an immediate infpiretion) but alle ofthat word ofprophecy, or decree, which any one ofhis faithful! fervants fpeaketh or makethaccording to his already re- vealed will. This word ofhis fervants the Lord confirrneth allo, and performed; the Councell of his Mffengers. And the reafon is (as was touched before about prayer) becaufe there is a h itable- neffe between fu.ch words and decrees ofhis fervants, and his own D trees ; for the defignes of his fervants falling in with his own defignes, and fo their decrees with his decrees, he in etlabhifhing their decree,,dothindeed but eitablífh his own. For the fervants of God defiring that their decrees may be fuitable to the written or revealed will of God, they feldorne mille ofa fuitablenefle to the decrees of his hiddenand fecret will. So that their decrees are (as it were) the Duplicate or Counterpane of the Drcrces of clod; and therefore no wonder if they be under fuch a promife offuc- ceff and eftablifhment. The Lord faith concerning his ownDe- crees or thoughts;Surely as Ihave thought, fo (hall it cone topaffe (I/a, 14. 24.) ( Now ifwe thinke as God thinketht then what we thinke (hall come to palle too) and as I have purpled fo /h.11 it (land; Ifwe purpofe as God purpofeth, then our purpo- les (hall Rand too. Againe (Efay 46. t o.) I am the Lordand there is none elfe, lamGod, and there is none like me : declaring the Budfrom the beginning, andfrom ancient time the things that are not yet done, faying, my Coonoell/hallffand, and 1 will dae all n j oleafure.If then the Councellsof Saints,be the Councells of God, he will doe all their pleafure, That's the femme ofthis promife to lob ; Thou1644 decree a thing. and it (hall be cfiaAfl ed :orto O o theca
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