An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-eighth, thirty-ninth, fortieth, forty-first, and forty-second,…

But why did the Lord enquire of Job here, whether he knew the time, the exact time of their bringing forth? is that a secret? I answer, doubtless it is a secret, and such a secret as few are acquainted with. Wild Goats come little under the eye or sight of men in that work; they bringing forth upon inaccessible place•, craggy rocks and mountains, men cannot without much difficulty reach that piece of knowledge. And therefore the Lord might well ask of Job, Knowest thou the time when the wild Goats of the rock bring forth? I may say also, the Lord puts this familiar question to Job, that he might the more awaken him into the consideration of his own weakness, and utter inability to find out the secret of his other works. As if the Lord had said, thou canst not discover so much as the birth of the wild Goats, how then canst thou find out the births of my wonderful providences? My providences bring forth wonderful births, and much more unknowable by thee than the birth and bringing forth of the wild Goats. Thus the Lord would check his curiosity; he who was unable to give him an account concerning the state of those poor creatures, must not think himself able to pry into the great and unsearchable works of God, in the amazing products of his providence towards the children of men.

But why did the Lord enquire of Job here, whether he knew the time, the exact time of their bringing forth? is that a secret? I answer, doubtless it is a secret, and such a secret as few are acquainted with. Wild Goats come little under the eye or sight of men in that work; they bringing forth upon inaccessable place•, c•aggy rocks and mountains, men cannot without much difficulty reach that piece of knowledge. And therefore the Lord might well ask of Job, Knowest thou the time when the wild Goats of the rock bring forth? I may say also, the Lord puts this familiar question to Job, that he might the more awaken him into the consideration of his own weakness, and utter inability to find out the secret of his other works. As if the Lord had said, thou canst not discover so much as the birth of the wild Goats, how then canst thou find out the births of my wonderful providences? My providences bring forth wonderful births, and much more unknowable by thee than the birth and bringing forth of the wild Goats. Thus the Lord would check his curiosity; he who was unable to give him an account concerning the state of those poor creatures, must not think himself able to pry into the great and unsearchable works of God, in the amazing products of his providence towards the children of men.