468 `Chap. 24: An Exrofition upon the Book of JO $.- 'Ver . Fourthly, Upon this, he egair;e revives the mention of their. linne; firft,againft the poor, ver. zt. Secondly, againft the rich, ver. za.Togethcrwith their punifhment, though late,yet at lift, vor.23,24, Fifthly, He re- alerts alithathe had faid, by challenging all men to difprove him (if they could) hi what he had faid,ver.2S. So muchof theRate and generati (cope of the whole Chapter. Vert t. whyfeting times are not bidden.from the e.41lmighty, doe they that knowhim, notfee.bte dales ? ^ca r Abdif7- This (as a learned interpreter gives his opinionof ít) is a hard cif & fa!ebrc- Text, and there arevarious rendrings ofit. I (hall touch upon f..r. Mac. them, and then draw out that which may be futabie for obferva- tion. Fir(t, The whole - verfe may (as force conceive)be rather read thus; Whyare mot times hiddenfrom the Allmighty,feeing they that know him doi. not fee his dayes ? The meaning ofwhich tranflation is this ; it might make a man that is not well infiruc&edin the wayes and providences ofGod, to thinke that God takes nono- tice of the times that paffe, nor ofthe things done here below, feeing the belt ofhis fervants could never yet make it out, that he punifheth ungodly men according to their deeds in this world. surely then we may fay, That times are hiddenfromGod, for were it not fo, godly men could not but fee his dayes, his judge- ment-dayes upon the wicked.& things would not be in futh con- fuGon, and diforder as they are. So that 7 b either (hews what men doe ordinarily conclude fromGods indulgence and patience towards the wicked, and his feeming flacknes and flownes in a- venging the wrongs ofhis owne people, even that as God is in heaven, fo thicke clouds are a covering tohim there, and that he lath not what is aced on the earth.As ifeither the Lords eye did not reach this inferior world, or that he would not trouble him- felfabout it.Surely timesare bidden fròm the Allmighty, or Secondly, that yob fpeakes his owne paflions, and temptations about this poynt ; As ifhe had laid, I am tempted to thinke that timesare hidden from the Allmighty,becauJe he dotb not fend prefent releife to his po ple, nor prefent wrath upon his enemies. Such temp- tations are difcgvered in other Scriptures, (Pfal. 73.2.)11My feet (fath
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