An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters…

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.