Chap. 29. an Expofotio.n upon tbe Book of O B. Verf. 18. ìng mutable) as alfo with refpeet to the will and foveraigncy of God. And therefore we mud be cautioned, not to take fuel) pro- miles without exception of the Crofs,as if they did<obliege God to below and continue outward comforts without any interrup- tion. There's no word that gives us any fuch affurance. The Lord bath not tyed up his own hands from affliC`ting us, by any promife whatfoever ; yea aftli8tions are a parr of the promife, or of the thing promifed, they beingmany wayes needfull and expedient for the people of God,as bath been Chewed from feveral paffages of this book.And if fobs confidencewas faulty in any thing,it was in chis, that he did not well confider that exceptionof the Crofs is the promifes about outward things.Thus far it bath been Chew- ed,that a godly man may have a well-grounded confidence of the continuatce of his worldly profperity,or that he (hail dye inhis net+. Yet it cannot be denyed, but there is a great deal of rueful confidence; yea the confidences which molt men have about worldly things,are like thofe of Ifrael (Jer. 37.) Such as the Lord bath rejefted, and in which they(hall never profper. David (Pfal. to. 5,6.) defcribing the wicked man, faith thus of him:, His wayee are alwayst grievous. Thy julgments (meaning the Lords judgments, both as commanding and punithing) are farr above out of bisfight. 4,1s for all bis enemiesbe puffs at tbem;be bath fail in bis heart,!(hall never be move!, I (hall never be in ad- ver/Ity. Jobs words were fomewbat like thofe, and David (all (hall touchby and by)fpake the fame almof'c in found, but neither of them fpake with this fpirit,though both fpake too much. For, Firf},The manof whom David there fpeakes,as alto many o- cher wicked men, are confidenr,and fay in their heart, they (hall never be removed, relying upon their own firengtb, wit,''and po- licy, prefuming upotethefe to efiabli1h their greatnefs, andmain- tain their flea spina all hazards and oppofitions. Look what opinion men have of their getting, the fame they have of their holdingworldly things. They think they get them by their own power and policy, as that .Affyrian prince did Ufa.' o. a 3.)He faitb,by the firengtb of my band I bavedone it, and by my wfdom, for Iam prudent ; and as that other Prophet bath it (Hab, Lid.) Theyfacrifice unto their net, and burn incenfe to their dragg.r, be- califs by them their portion is fat(thatis,they think it is fo)& their C c c c 2 meat 563
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