Chap. 26. An Expofition upon the Book ofJ OB. Verl. r t 7S9 of heaven are the (trongett pill :rs.W'hen ghat Pent Letters to Sa- maria unto the rulers of 7, zreel, advi;,ng them to fer up one of the Ions of.Abab King& fight for him,the text faith (z Kin t o. 4.) they were exceeding!, ofraid,and /aid B,bld two Kings Lod not before him, bow then can wefland?And thus may the itrongeft pillars on earth cry out with fear at the dirplrafure a<d reproofs of God,Behold the pillars of heaven tremble and are aftonithed at his reproofs, how then can we be etiablifhed ? Some even are or are efteemed to be like ramea, Cepkou and 7.hn, pillars in the Church (Ga1.2.9.)and others are pillars in States and Common- wealths;So we may expound that of Hannah in her (Ong(rSam. 2: 8.) The pillars of the earth (that is, earthly powers or M firates) arï the Lords, and he loath fit the world upon than, for,in- deed, the world would loon fall into confufion, and (hatter to peices(as to its civil capacity)if the Lord had not founded it up_ on pillars of Government and Magiftracy, or let up Magifirates &Governours as the pillars of it.And yet how often have there pillars ofthe earth trembled? how many ofthem have tailcoat d been broken at the rebukes of God There is a fort of pillars that (hall never be moved;How great an honour is it to be Blade Nell a pillar, and (Thrift bath taught us who (hall be made inch a one (Rev: 3. sa.) Him that overcometh will 1 make a pillar in tier Temple of my Ged;Such pillars fhall not tremble,thev fhalinot be aftonifhed, when all the pillars of the world are cart down with trembling and ationifhment, David hach a ftrange exprffíon (Pfa1.75.3.) The earth and all the inhabitants ofit are eh:Caved, (if fo, whencewas it that they were not utterly ruin'ci, and de- ltroyed, He anfwers)Ibeareup the pillars of ir. But how could David beare up the pillars of the earth, when all was diffolved? he means it not of a natunll but civil diffolution;things were out oforder, thebands & ligaments ofgovernment were forely bro- ken, men were divid: d into parties and fac`iions.Thus the earth, and inhabitants thereofwere diffolved, which is the faddeft con- dition a people can be in;whenit was thus,when there was fah a rupture among the peop'e, Then David thechiefe Governeur (underGod) laboured toheal the breaches, and to be a pillar co thofe (baking pillars He by his great wifdome, Juftice, modem, tion,and faithfulneffe,boreup the bearers of the people,and fop ported their fupporters,, whether perfons or things; As ifhe had faid0,
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