whole Word of God, as Pſal: 1: 2. and 119.,*70, &ce Jr. 8: 8. Mal. 2, 6, tothe Plalms, as Jobs 10: 34. and 15; 25. Compare with . P/al; $2: 6. and 35«19- and to the Wrirings of the Prophers, 1 Coy, 14. 211 Compare with 7a. 28, 11. 'yea even to the Goſpel it ſele* * as I[4;2. 3, and 42, 4; and 51+ 4; 7+ Rom; 3: 27" Gal. a. 21. Ang” 403 | in
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Ing, and deſpiſing or neglecting the Directions of Gods word, be-
in this general Senſe it muſt be here underſtood,becauſe the Effets here fojlowing do not flow from one but from all the parts of ir, Precepts and Counſels, and Threatnings, and Promiſes and Gods gracious Covenant made with man therein revealed. Having diſ- ' couvſed hitherro of the Glory of God ſhining forth in, and demon- ſtrated by, the viſible Heavens, and the Heavenly Bodies, he now proceeds to another Demonſtration of Gods Glory, which he Com- pares with-and prefers before the former. Which he doth partly to prevent that Exceſſive Admiration of the ſplendour and beauty ofthe Sun and Srars by the Contemplation whereof tie Heathens were brought ro adore them, an Error which the Jraehtes were not free from the:Danger of Dcut: 4. 19- partly, to make the Jraelires ſenſible of their ſingular Obligationsro God, who beſides thar com- mon Light and Influence of the Heavenly Bodies, had given them a peculiar and a more neceflary and beneficial Light ; and partly, to awaken and provoke the Gentiles ( into whoſe hands theſe Pia/ms might come) to the ſtudy and love of Gods Law, by reprefenting thole excellent Advantages, which they no lefs than rhe Jews might obtain by ir- z Withour faulror defet, fully and compleatly dil- covering both the Nature and Will of God and the whole Duty and Buſineſs of Man, whom and how he is to Worſhip and Serve, what he is to believe and praftiſe, and whatſoever is neceffary to his preſenr and eterna} Happineſs. Wherein there ſeems to be a ſecret Reftz&ion upon the former and natural diſcovery of God, by his wotks of Creation as that which is defeQtive and infufficient for the great and glorious ends here following, which alchough ir did declare f6- much of Gods Beeing and Nature as left all men with- out excuſe,Rom 1. 20.yetdid nor fuily nor clearly manrfeſt theMind and Will of Go4,nor dire& & bring Men to eternal Salvation.s To wit; fromthe Errors of Mind and Converſation, in which Men without this Light do generally wander and periſh, unto God,from whom all men are naturally revolred. Or. Comforting, or Reviving as this Word is uſed, Ruth 4:15. Pſal; 23. 3. Lam: 1: 11, 16, Heb: Roftoring or bringing back the Soul, which was drooping and even go- ing outof the Body, through grievous Troubles of the outward Man, and Terrors ofthe Mind and Conſcience. f 1. e. His law fo called becauſe it is a Witneſs between God and Man, what God re- n,and what upon the performa::ce ®fthat Condition, he will do:for Man. g Heb. Jauchn orirue, which is moſt exccllent and proper, and neceſlary in a Witneſs. It will not muſ-lead or deceive any. man. that rruſteth ro it orfolloweth it ; But will certainly and infallibly bring him to Hzppineſs. + Unto Salvation as is expreſ- ed, 2 7im. 3; 15- Which is the only true Wiſdom, # This is added Either x. By way of Commendation, or asa qualification of the per- ſon whom Gods Word.wiil make wiſe, he muſt be humble and fooliſh, and little in bis own Eyes, and willing ro be taughr : See Mat. 11, 25. 1Cor. 13 25, ©. For God refiſtech the proud and ſcorn- ful, and will not give tais Wiidomto them ; or rather 2. By way of Contempr, which ſeems moſt agreeable both to the uſe of the Words, Prov: 1, 4. and 9: 6. and 14. I5. and 22. 3.andto the Scope of the place, which is ro fer forth the Excellency and Efficacy of Gods "pp in the general. withour any Reſtriftion ro this or that ſort.of Men.. So it may note the weak and fooliſh even perſons of the loweſt Capacities, and ſuch areaprt to miſtake and are eaſily ſc. duced, x5 the Word implies. And yet theſe, if they will hearken to the Inſtryctions of Gods word, ſhal become . Wiſe, when thoſe who profels i hemſeles wiſe, thal by leaning to their own underſtand-
come and prove themſelves robe Fools Rom. 1. 22. But this is not ſpo- ken excluſively, as if no Men of better Abilities were thus made Wiſe, but by way of Amplification. to ſhew the uſefulneſsof Gods Word to Men of all forts znd fizes.
8 The ſtatutes & of the LORD are righs /rejoycing the heart m: the commandment of the LORD » is
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k Another word ſignifying the ſam- thing with Law and Teftimo nies; IBoth in themſelves; as being freefrom Crookedneſs or Er- ror ; and in-their Effect, as guiding and directing Men ia the righe and ready way to eternal Happineſs. Which alſo reflects upon thar knowledge of Divine things, which Men have by the light of Na- ture and works of God, or by the Doctrines of the Philoſophers or others that wanted or neglected the light of Gods word, wherein there is a great deal of darkneſs and uncertainty, and Error and Danger. m Partly by thar clear and certain knowledge of Divine things which it gives; for knowledge is pleaſant to rhe Soal, Pro, 2: 20,
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| are not here intended ; and that Alteration alſo was foretold in the O1d Teftament, and conſequently, the : ccompliſhment of ir did not deſtroy,butconfirm the certainty and conſtancy of Gods word, This alſo 15 oppoſed to humane Laws,wherein there are,and ought to be manifold Changes, according to the ditterence of Times and ji, e. Gods Laws frequently called his Judgments, beczuſe they are the Declarations of his righteous Willand as it were his legal or judicial Sentence by which he ex.
. and People and Circumſtances.
peQs that Men ſhould govern . themſelves, and by which he wilt
judge them ar the Jaſt day. Io More to be deſired are they than gold,* yea, than
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and which freely flows from them;whichis ſweeter than the reſt,
in keeping of them b there js great reward c.