And as the ordinary works of Creation, in making, so of Providence, in governing the world, are full of wonders, though they pass unobserved, Such Eliphaz takes notice of, in the words following, The disappointing of crafty oppressors and the deliverance ⟨p. 252⟩of the poor. When God shall destroy Babylon, the Song prepared is, Great and wonderful are thy works; and (Exod. 15. 11.) from whence that is taken, Who is like unto thee, O God! Who is like unto thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders! The wonder was, a deliverance, the wonderful deliverance of his people from Egypt, and through the red Sea. Works of judgement are often called works of wonder (Deut 28. 59.) I will make thy plagues wonderful; and Isa. 28. 21. The Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, bis strange act: What act was this? An act of judgement upon his, and his peoples enemies, as is clear 2 Sa. 5. 20. and Josh. 10. 12. where we may read, what God did in Mount Perazim, and in the valley of Gibeon; strange works indeed. And these works of God are called marvellous, not only, when God is in them alone, and acts without the intervention of the creature, but when he act▪ with the creature, above the strength of a creature, so that little of the creature appears in the act: this also is a marvel. What God doth more by a man, then man can do, whether in strength or wisdom, ordinarily assisted, so much of a wonder shows it self, in what man doth. And therefore no man is ordinarily to attempt any thing beyond his strength, for that is to tempt God, and call him to work a miracle, at least a wonder for us, Lord (saith David, Psal. 131. 1.) Mine heart is not 1haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; neither do I exercise my self in great matters, or in things too high for me; The word is, in things too wonderful for me; that is, I do not ordinarily put my self upon things which are extraordinary, or beyond my strength and parts. I measure-my undertakings and my abilities together, and would keep them even. I do not put God upon doing wonders every day; therefore I set my self to those things, which are according to the line of man. If God call us to it, we may expect a miracle, but we must not call God to work miracles for us, or with us.
And as the ordinary workes of Creation, in making, so of Providence, in governing the world, are full of wonders, though they passe unobserved, Such Eliphaz takes notice of, in the words following, The disappointing of craftie oppressors and the deliverance ⟨p. 252⟩of the poore. When God shall destroy Babylon, the Song prepared is, Great and wonderfull are thy works; and (Exod. 15. 11.) from whence that is taken, Who is like unto thee, O God! Who is like unto thee, glorious in holinesse, fearefull in praises, doing wonders! The wonder was, a deliverance, the wonderfull deliverance of his people from Egypt, and through the red Sea. Works of judgement are often called works of wonder (Deut 28. 59.) I will make thy plagues wonderfull; and Isa. 28. 21. The Lord shall rise up as in Meunt Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may doe his worke, his strange worke, and bring to passe his act, bis strange act: What act was this? An act of judgement upon his, and his peoples enemies, as is clear 2 Sa. 5. 20. and Josh. 10. 12. where we may reade, what God did in Mount Perazim, and in the valley of Gibeon; strange works indeed. And these works of God are called marvellous, not onely, when God is in them alone, and acts without the intervention of the creature, but when he act▪ with the creature, above the strength of a creature, so that little of the creature appeares in the act: this also is a marvell. What God doth more by a man, then man can doe, whether in strength or wisdome, ordinarily assisted, so much of a wonder shewes it selfe, in what man doth. And therefore no man is ordinarily to attempt any thing beyond his strength, for that is to tempt God, and call him to worke a miracle, at least a wonder for us, Lord (saith David, Psal. 131. 1.) Mine heart is not 1haughty, nor mine eyes loftie; neither doe I exercise my selfe in great matters, or in things too high for me; The word is, in things too wonderfull for me; that is, I doe not ordinarily put my selfe upon things which are extraordinary, or beyond my strength and parts. I measure-my undertakings and my abilities together, and would keepe them even. I doe not put God upon doing wonders every day; therefore I set my selfe to those things, which are according to the line of man. If God call us to it, we may expect a miracle, but we must not call God to worke miracles for us, or with us.
- 1Non mae ex•uli ad ea, quae maeas vires aut ingenium su•eraret. Eleganter Th•odoretus, Meipsum me•• eba•, & quae me excedunt, non aggrossus sum.
