178 Chap.27., An Expofition opon the Book, of Jos. Verf.2o Cull Colas where florms and tempeas are bred,and from thence fent out either for the trial of the Godly,or the punifhment of the wicked. a tempej't Stealeth him away. It might feem more proper, to a tempea, to fay it hurrieth Mm away ; But the Lord can order things fo, that thofe Judg- ments which as to their force and irrefiaible violence are like Tempeas, yet in regard of their (ilent and uncxpeaed coming, [hall be like thieves; who as they come to Real,fo they fieale io privately and unfeen if they can , where they come. It is faid of .d4bfolom, that heßole thepeoples hearts fromDavid his Father by his flattering inínuations ( 2 Sam. 15.6.) He did it cunning- ly and clofely. The Apof1le implyeth that the Great day of Judgment (hall Real upon the world veryunexpeaedly, while be faith ( Tbeff S. z. ) That the day of the Lord fo cometh as a thiefe (and that not as a thiefe in the day, but as a thief) in the Bright. This circumLaoce of the time or feafon is inaanced by job alfo in thisplace. A rempeft jtealetb him away In the night. TheCircumaances ofan af(lietion doe greatly encreafe the af- flietion ; and among circumaances,the time of it is as confideca- ble as anyother.And thereforeChrift having prophefied the fad calamities which fhould fall upon jertsjalem within a few yeares after his afcention ro heaven, counfels them to pray, that their flightmight not be in the winter, neither on the S4boath elay(Math. 24.40.) for either of them wouldbe an hightning addition to all then other calamities. To thofe two circumfances of time, the winter, and the Sabath day, we may well reckon that of the text,as a third, The night. For the night being it felfe (compara- tively to the day) an uncomfortable time, mua needs augment the difcomfort of any affli&ionwhich comes upon us in ir. The night or darknefs is terrible in it fclfe,and therefore when a tern- pefl comes in the nîght,ir muff needs bemere than ordinarily ter- rible.The Ninthplague which Godbrought uponEgypt topunitls thebardnefs of Pharaohs heart in not letting gm/goonsdark- smite ( Lod: 10.21.) Andthe Lord faiduntoMofet,Stretcb eat *ye beua !wordbtvrn,sbat tint way dodorkntfi á!or tbgLand of
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