I shall note but one or two Instructions from this That the works of God are innumerable. First Then, what God hath ⟨p. 256⟩done, he can do it again a second time, yea a third, a fourth time, ten times, yea ten thousand times over, if our necessity and his good pleasure meet together, for his works are innumerable: Eliphaz speaks not only of what God had done, but of what he can do, yea of what he is a doing; he doth innumerable marvels. Some men can do great things, many have done great things, but they cannot do them without number; even a child may write all that any man can do, and at most it needs but a man to reckon all the great things, which all men have done. The hand of God shortens not in an eternity, but the hand of man shortens every day, sometimes in a day, and therefore he cannot do things innumerable: Man cannot do that to day which he could yesterday, whether we respect his civill abilities, or his natural. As old Barzillai said unto David, 2 Sam. 19. when the King invited him home with him, and offered him all the pleasures of the Court, Can I any more hear the voice of singing men and singing women? or can I any more taste what I eat and what I drink? As if he should say, It is true, Sir, I have known the time when I could have made use of this royal favour, and have taken in the pleasures of your Court; I once delighted in music, and my ear could taste a sweet voice; I once delighted in rich fare, and my pall at could taste meat and drink, but can I any more do thus? my natural strength is gone, my senses cannot renew innumerable acts of pleasure: if grace doth not wean us from the abuse, yet nature will tire, in the use of worldly comforts. But the civill abilities of man wither sooner then his natural; you may see a man, that hath done great things in a State or Common-wealth; come to him a while after, and he may say, Can I any more do those things? I am not what I was, my power is gone: But come to God, after he hath done this or that, and a thousand great things, he will not say, can I help you any more? can I deliver you any more? can I destroy your enemies, can I discover their plots and counsels any more? yes Lord, as thy works are unsearchable, so they are innumerable, and thou canst do them for evermore. The Lord saith sometime to a people, as he did to Israel (Judg. 10. 13.) in anger, I will deliver you no more?
I shall note but one or two Instructions from this That the works of God are innumerable. First Then, what God hath ⟨p. 256⟩done, he can doe it againe a second time, yea a third, a fourth time, ten times, yea ten thousand times over, if our necessity and his good pleasure meet together, for his works are innumerable: Eliphaz speakes not only of what God had done, but of what he can doe, yea of what he is a doing; he doth innumerable marvels. Some men can doe great things, many have done great things, but they cannot doe them without number; even a child may write all that any man can doe, and at most it needs but a man to reckon all the great things, which all men have done. The hand of God shortens not in an eternity, but the hand of man shortens every day, sometimes in a day, and therefore he cannot doe things innumerable: Man cannot doe that to day which he could yesterday, whether we respect his civill abilities, or his naturall. As old Barzillai said unto David, 2 Sam. 19. when the King invited him home with him, and offered him all the pleasures of the Court, Can I any more heare the voice of singing men and singing women? or can I any more tast what I eate and what I drinke? As if he should say, It is true, Sir, I have known the time when I could have made use of this royall favor, and have taken in the pleasures of your Court; I once delighted in musick, and my eare could tast a sweet voice; I once delighted in rich fare, and my pall at could tast meate and drinke, but can I any more doe thus? my naturall strength is gone, my senses cannot renew innumerable acts of pleasure: if grace doth not weane us from the abuse, yet nature will tire, in the use of worldly comforts. But the civill abilities of man wither sooner then his naturall; you may see a man, that hath done great things in a State or Common-wealth; come to him a while after, and he may say, Can I any more doe those things? I am not what I was, my power is gone: But come to God, after he hath done this or that, and a thousand great things, he will not say, can I helpe you any more? can I deliver you any more? can I destroy your enemies, can I discover their plots and counsels any more? yes Lord, as thy works are unsearchable, so they are innumerable, and thou canst doe them for evermore. The Lord saith sometime to a people, as he did to Israel (Judg. 10. 13.) in anger, I will deliver you no more?
