226 Chap.3o. An Expofition upon the Eook of J o s. Verf.24, though there be never fo greata cry, never fo fnaisy prayers or interceffions made for me by my friends, when God is defiroy- ing me as to my flelb , or taking away this life fromme : God will not ftretch out his hand to helpe or fuccour me, to relieve or refcue me out ofthe hand of the grave, let men mostrne and take on in my. behalfe as much as they will. Thus the words feeme to carry a fence like thofe of the Lord in the Prophet, (7er. a S.`I. ) Then fail the Lord ante mee, tbotgh tArofes and Samuel ftaod before mee, ( that is,praying and crying that I would (pare this people) yet my mind could not be toward chie people, caft them out of qty fight, and let them goeforth, fucka are for death to death, &c. As if the had fpoken in the language of 74, Tho! ! h they whohave hod greareft favours fromme, and have greater} rower with me, fhouid tnterpofeand mediae even with ftronget cryes, and molt melting entreaties, that I would ftrerch out my hand to Death, to the Sword, to the Famine, to the CIp'iviry, to deliver tbik people from those ovillo, w eì, I am about to bring.them upon them, yet I would nor. And thus here, He will notftr etch out hts hand to the Grave, though they cry in hú deftroElton. From thofe words, He will not 'ketch forth his band to the grave. Note; God can doe, thegreatejt, and hardeft things with eafe. What is moreeafie then for a manyto ftretch or to put out his hand;lfCodwould but ftretch out his hand to the grave,hecould helpe up thófe who are ready tO linke into it, yea thole who are in it. A word fromGod gave all t sings their being,ánd ttae very intjmation ofan aet fromGod, ( the ffretching our of the hand is no more) reftoreth any man to his wel- being. We may take the Obfervation in both fenfes of itretchi:Fgout the hand God can doe the greateft thing= tor our helpe or for our hurt, by putting out his hand. All the plagues of Egypt, were wrought by the ffretchingout of Gods hand, and ail the deliverances that God wrought for hi people, werewrought by ftretching our his hand, A ftretchedout herd. implyes both the ftrengthof God to deliver, and how tafie a thing it is for God toworke our de. five
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