Wiſdom and Condutt. c z. e. Fills them with confuſion, and un-
certainty, and perplexity of mind, ſo that they know not how to
govern themſelves or their People. X
25 They grope din the dark without light e, and he
maketh them w + ſtagger like a drunken man f.
d Like men that cannot fee their way. e Two Phrales expreſſing the tame thing, empHarically to expreſs their profound darkneſs. f Who ree's hither and thither wit'.out any certainty. $So they ſometimes take one courſe, and ſometimes another, as reſolving to try all Experiments, and indeed not knowing what to do.
FO Os. lar ers XIII.
Fob's friends not wiſer than he ; he would reaſon with Gid ; b lyars, and talked deceitfully for God, who arty ſearch 6 _— hoy for acc. pting perſons, 1 ——- 10. God's excell-mcy, and they as aſbes and clay, 11, 42. He t reſolute, being inextream miſery, and having confidence in G1d, before whom he n ould ſpeak, ana Goa ſhould ſave hum ; not ſo with an hypocrite, 13 - 16. He ordereth his cauſe to plead with God, only deſireth a removal of God's hand upon hm, 19 —- 22. His requeſt, to know his ſins and Goa's pmwrpoſe, ſmce God delighteth not in our miſery, 23 28,
ES mine eye hath ſeen all :5;s, mine ear hath heard _ underſtood it «4.
# Aiithis which either you or I have diſcourſe 7 | Infinite Power and Wiſdom of God, I know, i pe ening che my own Obſervation and Experience.and by hearing it from my An- ceſtors ; ſo that Idid not need your tedious and impertinent difſ- courſes concerning thoſe matreis.
2 * What ye know, he ſame do I know alſo: I am not inferior unto you.
3 * Surely I would ſpeak tothe Almighty b, and I de- ſire to reaſon with God. | |
b According to thy wiſh, Ch. 11: 5. T had rather debate the mat- ter with Gol than with you. I am not afraid ofpretenti. gmy Pers ſon and Cauſe before him, who is a Witnets of my Integrity, and would not deal ſounmercifully with me as you do.
4 Burt ye are forgers of lies c ; *ye are all Phyſicians of no value 4.
c i.e, Authors of Falſe Do&rine, to wit, that great Affiiftions are peculiar to Hypocrites and wicked Men. d Unfait!:ful and Un- skilfu), preſcribing bad Remedies, and milapplying good ones. | 5 Othatye would altogether hoid your peace, and it tbould be your wiſdom e. | e For then your Ignoratice and Folly had been concealed, which is now manifeſt, Compare” Prov. 17: 26. :
6 Hear f now my reaſoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my Lips g.
done. g #. e. To the Arguments which I ſhall produce.
7 * Wiil ye ſpeak wickedly for God b ? And talk de- ceicfully for him ?
h Will you utter Falſhoodsupon pretence of pleaſing God, or of maintaining God's Honour or Juſtice? Noth ie need tuch defences?
s Will ye aCcept his Perſon ; 2 Will ye contend& for God/?
z Not judging according to the right of the Cauſe, but the quali- ty of the Perſon, a» corrupt Ju: ges do & i e.Wrangle and quarrel with m-, and cavil at my Speeches, and pervert my meaning./ "I That you may gratifie him, or defend his Rights ? |
91s it goud » that he ſhould ſearch you out »? or as one mocketh another, do ye /o mock him o ?
m Will it be to your Credit and Comfort ? n 5. e. Narrowly exi- mine your Hearrs and Diſcourſes, whether you have uttered Truth or Fa ſhood, and whether your Speeches proceed from true Zeal for God, or from your own Prejudices and Paſſions, and from a deſire to curry Favour with him- oTo wit, by covering your uncharitable- neſs and corrupt affettions with prerences of Piety, a+ if God could not diſcern your Arti'.ces; or by pleading his Cauſe with weak and foolith Arguments, which is a kind ofmock-ry to-him, and an Inju- ry to his Cauſe ; or by ſecking to flatter him with falſe Prailes, as if he did diftribure the i hings -t this World » ith exa& Juſtice proſ- pering onl» the good and :everely affliting none bur wicked Men.
10 He will ſurely reprove you p, if ye do ſecretly 9 accept Perſons.
p 7. e Puniſh you; as this word is ofruſed,as hath been once and again obſerved, 4 Though it be concealed in your own Br-aſts andno Eye ite it ; yea, though it be ſo cloſe thar your ownMinds and Conſciences, through Ignorance, or Ina.ivertency,or Slothful- neſs, do not perceive it, yet He, who is greater than your Conſci- ences, lces and knows it.
11 Shall not his Excellency r make you afraid 5? and his dread fall upon you ?
Juſtice and Power, which can and will puniſh you for it. 5s OF
r His infinite Wiſdom which ſees Jour ſecret Falſhnods, and his
fpeeking raſhly or falſly of his Ways and Counſels. 12 Your remembrances 7 are like unto afhes ; your Bodies & ere like to Bodies of Clay, |
4 F 2 - f Eicher
Chap.
23 * He encreaſeth the nations, and deftroyeth *Pſal.rof
them * : he enlargeth the nations y and iſtraitneth them 3% ! apain %L. T Heb. | | ': » leadeth it
* fi e. Attend toit, and conſider it more ſeriouſly than you have .
bil
uy ! 1þ i
f Heb. heads. \ * Pfal.
107» 49!
|
= + Heb. k wander *
*Ch.12:4
* Ch.23. l
* Ch.6.4 & 16. 25
*Ch. 17.8 & 32. 21 & 36. 4
4 -
nap. XII. | + Either 1; Affively, Z. e. your Memorials, or your Diſeourſes and Arguments by which you deſign to bring things to my remembrance, So he might poſſibly allude to that paſſage, Chap. 4. 7- Remember pray thee, &c. That, and all your other Memento's are like unto aſhes, 7. e. contemptible and unprofitable: Heb. as Parables, or Speeches of duft, or aſhes. Or 2. Paſſively, all that which 1s moſt excellent or memorable in you 3 your Wealth, and Dignity, and Wait, and Reputation, or whatſoever it is for which you expett or deſire to be remembered, it is all but poor deſpicable duft and aſhes : And therefore you have juſt reaſon to abhor your ſelyes, and to dread the Divine Majeſty, as I now adviſed you, # Though they be not full of Sores and Boils as mine is, yet they are but Duſt, and to Duft they ſhall return as well as mine. Heb. 7our backs, which, be- 1ngthe ſtrongeſt part of the Body, is put for the whole Eody, Or, Tour Eminencies, or Excellencies, as this word moſt properly fignitics, as Hebricians obſerve, ſo it anſwers to their memorables. All thoſe things wherein you do," or think that you do excel others, are but like Emioencies, or Lumps, or Heaps of Clav, vain and utelcfs - things, if compared with the Excellencies of Gods Or, Tour heights, z. e. your lofty Diſcourſes are like Clay, 7. ce. without ſolidity and ſtreogth. | | \ 12 + Hold your peace x, let me alone that T may
ha ſpeak y, and let come on me what will z.