568 Chzp.29. An Expofition upon thr Book, ofJo B. Verf, a 8 1 fhall multiplymy layes as thefand. VVhich as it clearly expreffeth the Hebrew word,fo themat- ter ofit is more exprefliveof fobs meaning theneither of the two former for what's the number of the years of aPalm Tree,or of the Phanix,to the number of the fandsof the Sea, which arc (as to man) fiupendioufly innumerable. So that, this is the nighea proverbial of the three. To multiply ar the land, is not only to multiply exceedingly much, but cis to multiplybeyond all poflrbility of mans arich- metick or account. VVhen the Lord would make apromife of the greatefi multiplication imaginable toAbrahams concerning his feed, he faid (Gen. 22. a7,)1nblefsing 1 willbiefs thee, andmud. tiply thy feedas thefßars,and at the fand whickis on the Sea-fhoar, This promife was renewed to Jacob in termes equivalent (Gen. 28.14.)Thy feed (hall be as the dull ofthe unbindwhen he fear- ed that Efate would comeand finite him,and the mother with the children,he urgedClod inprayer with that promife'in terms(Gen. ;2,12.) And thou faidll, I tollforay do theegood, andmake thy feed as the fendof the fea, that cannot be numbred for multitude. When Jofepb before the time of the great dearth in Egypt, flored up abundance of corn, it is faid (Gen. 41. 49.) He gatheredCorn ar thefand of the Sea,very much, till be left numbring, fer it was trishaw number. The Prophet having denounced that fad threat- ning of the Lords difpeopiing the ten Tribes,Cail bù name loam- rd,for ye are not my people,and Iwill notbe your God ; he prefently comforts them with apromife of their refforing(Haf. r. ao.) Tea thenumber ofthe people ofIfrael (hall be as the fand of the Sea. When David would thew that he was much in the meditation of God,or that he had a multitude of delightful thoughts in God, he alludesto the innumerablenefs of the fand, Pfal. a 39. s7,at8.) How precious are thy thoughts untome 0God l Howgreat té the fum ofthem ? If I mould count them, they are more in number then the fand. I need not multiply Scriptures to prove that this phrafe of Scripture implyeth the greater+ imaginable multi pli- cation, I (hall multiply mydays as theland. Hence Note ; Long life is agreat blefsing, hile Job reckoned upmany outward blefsings,he reckoned upon
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