484 Chai 9, .An Expoftion thron theBook,of Jo B. Vert. 8. to : fo that it was God who fubdued the fpirits of his own tub- jc&s tohim (Pjal, 144. r, 2. ) For having faid (y. I,) Bleffed be the Lord myJtrength, who teachetb my bands to warre, and my fingers to fight ; he prefently adds in the clofe of the fecond verte, who fubduetb my people under. me; . It is aswear a work of God that millions of men quietly fubmit to the Magifiratical Sword of a tingle perfon, as that a potent Armyofenemies are conquered by his militarySword. ( Prow, zo.8. 26.) A. King thatfttetb in the<Throne.of judgment, fcattereth away, all evil with his Eyes. The wicked dare not code before a just and righteous Prince, they are caH down with a caHof his eye ; . as they cannot bear the pretence of God, fo nor theirs who Hand among men in the place and power of God.Princes are not defpifed of men till themfelves prove defpifers of.God. Them that honour me ( faith the Lord, I Sam, 2. 3o. ) twill honour, ( that is, I will honour them, and caufe others to honour them ) and they that defpife me (hall be ligbrly:efeemed,: bothby my felt and others.. Thirdly, From this a&ton of young men. hiding themfelves at the appearance of a MagiHrate palling to the place and feate of Judicature, we may conceive what hiding there will be when. Chriff (halt appear in the Gloryof his Father with all his holy,. Angels toJudg.the World. O what hiding will there be when hrif1 (hall come to the gate thorow the City, and prepare his feate in the flreet ! then howwill young men full of vanity and vo- luptuoufnefs, how will old men full of earthlineffe and covetouf nelfe, howwill.thofe mighty men who are fullof ambition andop- prefon, even laden with the fpoyls of the helpleffe and inno- cent, hide themfelves ( as'tisfaid,Rev.6.s ,16, .)in theslew, and in the Rocks of the Mountains ? howwill they fay to the Moun- tains and to the Rocks, fall on au, and hide to from thefaceofhim thatfstteth on the 7hrone, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the Great day ofhiswrath is come, and-who fhall be able toRand ? How can theyHand before the Judge of heaven and earth, who hide themfelves from the face of an earthly Judge ? This is a profitable and an awakeningmeditation upon the Text; yet 1 conceive, it was not fomuch the guiltinefs of thefe young men as their (flame- faHnefs, meeting with the gravity and integrity of this reverend Judge, which caufed them tohide themfelves, and fo theirhiding was not their fault, but their commendation. Whence Fontthlye
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=