Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v9

204 Chap. 30. 4n Ëxpobtion upon the Book! of J o a. Verf;22. Sunt g+i ea re- forum, atfe di- cat exaltatum a deo ut gravius deijceretur, ut Jelemus resquas tiehemantis confringnt vo- lur.us, And tome put anaggravation upon-thisexpolition, as if ?ob had f fpeÌed,that God did lift bimup on high with a purpofe to call himdowne. But that is too hold an impofitionupon the holy Man,unkffe we underfiand it moderately ; That God lifted., him up on purpofe tocaft him d,>wce, that in his casting downe he might haveadvantage both to try7o6s grace, and to glorifia his own power and goodnef%e in railing,bien up againe to a grea- ter bight then he had been at. For as God faith, of l'haroáb ( Ex.d. 9. 16. ) In verydeedfor this caufehave I railed thee up, for to thew in thee my power, and that my name maybe declared in all the earth ( Now (I fay) asGod railed pharoab, and bath.: doubtleffe in the cour.fe of his providence railed many other wic- ked men very high, with a defigne to manifeft his power and his juftice in casting them downe anddcftroying them,) fo he bath railed up many godly men,, with a purpofe to glorifie his power and his goodneffe , both in their caning downe and reftoricg, And in this fence we may as fafely fay, that God lifted him up to the wind op purpofeto calf himdowne, as wee may trucly fay, that God did calf him downe after he had lifted him up to the wind of worldly honour, and caufed him for many yeares to ride peaceably upon it. But I (hall a )tttle further exemplifie this notion of riding ; which frequently in Scripture notes great felicity , with outward pompe and dignity. Solomon faith, ( Ecelef. 10.7.) I faro fer- vants riding on borfeback, andPrinces walking asfervtits upon the earth ; That is, I lawmanemen railed to great glory, they rid, while Princes (or fuch as once werePrinces) tent on foote, that is, were reduced to a low condition. And as riding iignifies an honourable ítate, fo efpeci.ally riding upon the Clouds, upon the winder, upon the heavens, fuch riding: is an argument of higheft dignity; And 'cis often reported of God himfelfe, to let forth his excellency andglory. (Plal.18..20,) He,rode upon a Cherub, and did fy, yea he did fly upon the wings of the winds, Thus ( Pfal. 3 3.34. 68.32.) Sing unto godyee kingdomes of the earth : O fing praifes to the Lord, Selab.. 7o him that rideth on theheaven ofheavens which were of' old, lo, be doth fend sot kU vyce, and that a mighty voce., Afcribe yet ffrength unto God, bit excellency is over ïfrael and hisfrengtb is in the Clouds. So Mofes in his Song, (Deut. 33. z6.) There is none ltkt unto the

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