Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v9

i Chap. 30. An Expofition upon the Book of Jos. Verf. t9.. which a little ficknes and weaknes will bring us to whether we will or no. The heft of Saints are, in their own opinion but duff and Ales, when 'cis'bell with them in the world, efpecially then when they draw neare to and converfe withGod; and the greatell of men might fee them(elves duff and afhes, would they but awhile lay downe the thoughts of their worldly greatneffe, and in their thoughts convene with death. Iam become like daft and a/ht;. ?ob was in his own epprehen,ion as if he had indeedbeen re- folved intohis fi&R principle duft,even the duft ofdeath ; yet 7,6 was renewed and r Bored, as the event proved afterwards, com- paring that event with his then prefent Rate and opinion. of imfelfe. Note. We cannever be brought fs low byany offliftion or difeafe , but Clodcanbringue up againe. Who canbe lower then duft and afhes; there's little proba. 'bilitie,and therefore fcarce anyhope ofa reftauration when once we are brought thus low ; yet though lob was thus low brought, he was reftored though he gave himfelfe up for a ç!cad man, and judged his bones as fcattered upon the graves mouth ; yet God raifed him up againe. Hannah in her Fongwas full of fuch a faith, ( a Sam. 2. 8. ) He raifeth up the pore out of the dug, and lifteth up thebeggar from the dsorgbill,tofee them amongPrix- ces, and to make them inherit the throne rf.glory : for the pillars of the earth are the Lords, and he barb ,let the world arm them ; as it is thus in regard ofour civil dare, God raifeth us, when we are in the duff and upon the dunghill, ft in regard of our natural!, when man is duct and athes, ready to be fhovel'd into the grave, God raifeth him up. TheLord killeth and snaketh alive ; he en- livens thofe whoare numbred among tt;e dead. -fix Rate ofthe ?ewes in captivitie was like a ftate of death , therefore the Pro- phet (Ezei 37 ) is brought iota a valley whe a he had a vifion ofdry bones, andit was a,ked Faint Can thefe dry hones live? Lord thou knowsf ( laid he) though that people were in their captivitieas dry bores, God railed them up againe ; Thin faith the Lord God unto thefe bones, behold I will caufe breath to enter intoyou, andjeflail live : andI will layfine's upenycv, andwill 'bring

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