Chap.28. eíl expoltion upon the Book of J o B. Verf.21. 293 fowls of the ayr here fpoken of, refpe&may be had to the fuper- flitiouspra&ife of the Heathen; who as they were wont to con- fult with their Aurifpices or cunning men, who gave them anfwers concerning things co come, both publick and private, of goodor bad fuccefs in their Wars, of the fiare and changes of Kingdoms andNations, of Cityes and familyes, as alfa of particular perfons by certain figns appearing to them in the intralls ofbeafls offe- red in facrifice to their Idol Góds.Of which abominable divinati- onwe find mentioned in the Prophet(Eze.21.21)when ATebuchael nezzar intending a War both with the Yews and the Ammonites, was refolved which to attempt HI by opening the belly of the fa- orifice, and looking into the liver fo they fought refolution in doubfull cafesor importance from their Augures,by the chattering and flying of birds,whether on the right hand or on the left, whe- ther high or low,whether crois and overwhart them,or direly a- gain(i them,as is notorioufly known to all who haveany acquain- tance with the Roman Hifiories and cufloms. Thefe Heathenifh Augurs had a greatopinion that three birds hadakind of forelght of events by force natural inflin&,beyond all men, fo that by them they looked for informations and predi&ions by certain tokens, which through their vain credulity and curiofity they hadphan- cied to themfelves. And pofiibly the Spirit of God might at once point at and rebuke that wickednefs, in flying wijdom io kept cleft from the fowls ofthe ayr. They (how much foever men did Idolize them) do neither know what (hall be hereafter, nor the reafon of any thing that is. There three interpretations have each of them a fair probability in them ; And are not diffonant e either from the fcope of fed in this place, or from any othe qua Sim dtrcrus neq; in Scripture truth. Yet Fourthly, I rather pitch upon that,which as it hath more plain- mo ne n1n nefs in it, fo it comes up) every way as fully to the General fence turanii ali a- of this context. That when fob faith,. Wìfd¢m is kept dhje from , ienid_e Nam. the fowls of the ayr, his meaning is only this , That as it is hid qpa votucruat from the eyes of all men living and converfing on the face of the occutù cumfa. earth, fo if it were poflible for a. man to live ïnrhe ayr and con- Vent,aquate- verfe as near Heaven as the birds and fowls do ; vet he fhould nuseavoxfig not be able to find out the ferrets of providence. Not only they in ve umJive who live at as great dance from the throne of God,as earth di,,,,arumfve: is from heaven,, but if any of , the Ions of men were admitted as hQ anarum neat G.
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