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Which doth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number, &c.
THis context unto the 17 verse, containes the second argument, by which Eliphaz strengthneth his former Exhortation, To seeke unto God and to commit his cause unto him. The argument may be thus formed.
He is to be sought unto, both in duty, and in wisdome, and unto him our cause is to be committed, who is of absolute, infinite power, wisdome and goodnesse.
But God is of absolute, infinite power, wisdome and good∣nesse.
Therefore it is our duty and our wisdome to seeke unto God, and unto God to commit our cause.
That, God is infinite in power, wisdome and goodnesse, Eli∣phaz proves by an enumeration or induction of divers effects and works, which call for infinite power, wisdome and goodnesse to produce and actuate them.
These effects are laid down, first in generall, v. 9. Who doth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number.
Then, these works or effects are given in particulars, and the first particular instance of Gods mighty power, is in naturall things, or his preservation of the world, at the 10 verse, Who giveth raine upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields.
The second instance is given in civill things, or his administrati∣ons in the world, at the 12, 13, 14. verses. And that we may consider two wayes.
1. In destroying the counsels and plots of the wicked, in the 12, 13, and 14. verses, He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot performe their enterprise, &c.
2. In delivering those who are in trouble, at the 15. verse, He saveth the poore from the Sword, &c. These are works of Power.
Further the goodnesse of God shines forth in two things.
1. By the present intendment, or end aimed at, in these mighty works, ver. 11. To set up on high those that be low, that those which mourne may be exalted to safety
2. By the future benefit of these works, and that in two respects, verse 16.
1. The raising up of their spirits who are oppressed, So the poore hath hope.
2. The confounding and shaming of their oppressours, exprest in their silence, at the latter end of the 16 verse, And iniquity stoppeth her mouth.
Thus you have a briefe account, of the severall points contained in this argument, and the disposition of the whole context. For the better understanding thereof, we will first consider what might be the aime or scope of Eliphaz, in making so accurate and large a description of God, in his great and marvellous works, and then survay these works in order as they are digested.
To the former, we may take notice of a foure-fold aime, which Eliphaz might have in describing these works of God.
First, plainly to assert the providence of God, in ordering or dis∣posing all actions and events here below: and so it is in prosecution of what he had said in the 6 verse, Affliction commeth not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground.
Or secondly, his intent might be, to humble Job, to bridle and take downe his spirit, which he conceived over-bold with, and too much heightned towards the Almighty; A discovery whereof himself made in his extravagant speeches before noted, in the third Chapter. The remembrance of God in his greatnesse is one of the readiest means to humble man: And God himselfe tooke this way to humble Job, in the latter end of this booke, even, by a large dis∣course of his owne power, exemplified in many great acts and pee∣ces of the creation.
Or thirdly, the intent of Eliphaz might be, to support and com∣fort Job in his afflictions, by shewing him a God, that had done such wonders, and therefore able to worke another wonder in de∣livering and raising him up againe: A God, who could provide medicines for all his diseases, heale all his breaches, repaire all his losses, supply all his wants, and resolve all his doubts. To con∣sider God in himselfe and in his works, who he is, and what he doth, is a mighty encouragement to seeke unto God in our greatest extremities, in the saddest and cloudiest day of our afflictions. Nei∣ther can we doe any thing more prevalent, for the support and reliefe of our owne spirits in a time, when we are lowest, than to spread before the eye of our owne thoughts, the power, greatness, and goodnesse of the high God, in his works and wonders.
A fourth intent in probability was to stop Jobs curiosity, in en∣quiring so much into the reason of Gods dealing with him; which Eliphaz it seemes observed in the complaints of the third Chap∣ter, where Job expostulates, Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in? Job was troubled, be∣cause he could not see the bottome of Gods dealings with him, he could not see through them, either what the cause was, why he came into those troubles, or by what issues, and out-lets, he should escape those troubles. Now, to stop Jobs curiosity in pry∣ing too far, or too boldy, into the secret workings of God. Eli∣phaz tels him, That God doth great things and unsearchable, no marvell therefore, if his wayes were hid; That he doth marvellous
things without number, no marvaile then, if he could not measure his dealings, by the line of humane understanding, or summe up their account, by the best of his Arithmetick.
This in generall, for the common tendency of his discourse, about those noble acts of divine Providence in earthly things. I come now to open the words in particular.
Which doth great things and unsearchable, marvellous things without number.
Which doth. He speakes in the present tense, he sayes not, which hath done great things, or, which will doe great things; but which doth great things. And that notes not only a present act, but a continued act, or an everlasting act; or, as if the workings of God were but one act past, and to come, all included in the present, He doth. As in his Nature and Essence, though God was from all eternity, and shall be unto all eternity, yet his Name is, I am. So in his works, though he hath done great things, and shall doe great things for ever, yet all are comprehended in this, I doe, or He doth great things. Christ (Joh. 5. 17.) speakes this language, My Fa∣ther worketh hitherto; worketh; All that which God had done, and all that he should doe, is to be looked upon as his present act, My Father worketh hitherto..
Againe, there is some what to be considered in the naturall em∣phasis of the word it selfe, as well, as in the circumstantiall of the time. The word which we translate, Doth, signifies more than an ordinary Doing; which doth great things. The Criticks observe, that in strictnesse and propriety of the Hebrew, it signifies to doe a thing compleatly, perfectly and exactly, or (as we say) the set∣ting of our last hand to a worke. Hence Esau (Gen. 25. 25.) had his name. When Jacob and Esau were borne, Esau came forth first, and the text saith, they called his name Esau, and why? be∣cause he was borne, made up, in greater perfection, than an ordina∣ry child. Esau signifies, adorned and perfected, because he came into the world hairy, or with haire upon him, which is both a na∣turall ornament, and an argument of naturall strength activity and heate of spirit, &c. Hence they call'd him, Esau: So then, the word [doth] imports doing, not by way of essay or inchoa∣tion, but doing compleatly, or to carry a thing on, or up to an ex∣traordinary degree of perfection. I shall give one Scripture to il∣lustrate that significancy of the word, Isa. 43. 7. where the Lord
by the Prophet, shewing the abundant increase of the Church, speaks thus, Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; even every one that is called by my name, for I have crea∣ted him for my glory, I have formed him, yea I have made him. Observe, here is a plaine gradation in those three words, Created, formed, made; I have created him, signifies the bringing of a thing from a not-being, to a being. But, saith God, I have not only given him a being, but, I have formed him; which notes the lim∣ming proportioning and polishing of a thing: And not only have I done so, but, in the third place, (which is the word of the text) I have made him. There is more in this word, than in the former two, and therefore we translate it with an emphasis, yea, I have made him; that is, I have not only given him a being and a shape, but I have put upon him all the perfections of nature, yea, and the perfections of grace, the impressions of my speciall love and favour; I have lifted him up to the top of all; and so some ren∣der the word, I have magnified or made him great; I have exalted and set him upon the highest pinnacles of perfections, and moun∣taines of holinesse, Hence observe,
When God begins a worke, he compleats and carries it through. He doth not only Create, and give a being: Forme, and give pro∣portion, but He doth, or he makes, giving beauty and exactnesse to his works. Whether we consider the works of God as naturall, civill or spirituall; in this sense God doth them. Deut. 32. 4. Moses speakes in generall, concerning all the works of God; He is a rock, and his worke is perfect: The works of Creation are ad∣mirable to the eye; the works of Providence, how often doe they fill the heart with admiration: That which he spake to Samuel concerning the house of Ely, is appliable both to his works of Mercy and of judgement; When I begin, I will also make an end, 1 Sam. 3. 12. that is, I will doe it fully, there is nothing shall take me off, or stay me in the mid-way; I will not worke to halves, I will also make an end. And so it is in spirituals, when once God hath begun, he carries on his work of grace, when once he hath laid the foundation stone of mercy, he never leaves, untill he hath set up the the top stone, the highest stone of glory. Hence the Apostles (Heb. 12.) entitles Christ, The author and finisher of our faith; that is, the beginner and ender, Alpha and Omega, first and last about our faith. It shall never be said of any work of God (as Luk. 14.) That, he began to build, but could not finish it.
And as he finishes, so he beautifies: all his works are full of or∣der and comelinesse: He doth his work exquisitely (or as we say) artificially; yea, those works that we look upon, as full of confu∣sion, are full of order; and those works, in which we see no form, or nothing but deformity, even these will one day appear (now they are) admirable in beauty and comelinesse. That which the Apostle speaks in his exhortation to Timothy, 2 Tim. 2. 15. bid∣ding him doe the work of an Evangelist, bidding him shew him∣selfe a workman, that needeth not to be ashamed, is most true concerning the great God of Heaven and earth, He shewes him∣selfe a workman, or a worker that needeth not to be ashamed: When he works, he doth the work of a God; He works like himselfe: Man cannot so much as be suspected to have done such things: The Name, that is, the wisdome, power and goodness of God, is writ∣ten upon them in so faire and clear a letter, that it must be said, by way of assertion, This hath God wrought: And by way of admi∣ration, what hath God wrought? Numb. 23. 23. A man (sc. a meer naturall man beholding these things) shall say, verily he is a God that judgeth the earth, Psal. 58. 11. Man cannot judge, or doe like this. The Lord needs not engrave or subscribe his Name to his works; His words, like so many Capitall letters, spell, and like so many Heraulds, proclaime his Name.
Which doth great things.
To passe from the act or manner of doing, we will consider the object; He doth great things. Some men with a great deal of paines doe nothing; and others with a great deal of art, doe a thing of nothing, a trifle, a toy, a meere fancy; at least some mean or inferiour work takes up their time, skill, and study: But when God goes to work, we may expect a noble work, He doth great things. The works of GOD, answer the stile or Attributes of God. He is a great God, and His are great works. The works of God speak a God. And here are foure things spoken in this one verse, of the works of God, which speak aloud, This is the finger of God: I will first bundle them together, and then, both take and weigh them asunder.
No works of man or Angel, are capable of such a foure-fold stampe as this: no, nor any one work of all the creatures put toge∣ther, could ever be stamped with any one of these characters, in any comparison, with the works of God. Some, in a sense, have done great things but none have done things unsearchable: Man may fathome the works of man, his closest wayes are not past finding out. As there was never any thing made so strong by the strength of man, but there was some other strength in man, that could match, yea overthrow it; so there was never any thing so wisely, so artificially or mysteriously contrived, by the skill, know∣ledge and deepest understanding of a man, but that the skill know∣ledge and understanding of another man, hath, or might have rid∣led and searcht it out. The works of most men, are wrought above ground, and their intentions flote and swimme upon the face of their actions: And although some, as the Prophet speakes (Isa. 29.) worke deepe to hide their counsels (as they hope, not only from men but) from God, yet God gives other men a light, to discover the very lowest hell of those counsels, even, all the depths of Satan, The master-Engineere of those mines and subterranean contrivances. Further, Though some men doe that, which makes other men (especialy fooles, or men weake in knowledge) won∣der, yet no (Thaumaturgas, or) wonder-worker ever did that, which makes all men wonder. Or, if it should be granted, that any have done things great, unsearchable, wonderfull, yet I am sure, none have done these things without number; one great, unsear∣chable, wonderfull work, is taske enough for one mans life: And a little skill in numbers will serve the turne, to cast up, and give us the totall summe and number, of all the works of all men, which deservedly beare (as mans may) the title and superscription of great, unsearchable, wonderfull.
More distinctly. First, He doth great things. There is a great∣nes upon every thing God doth: The great God leaves (as it were) the print of his own greatnesse, even upon those things which we accont little; little works of nature, have a greatnesse in them, considered as done by God, and little works of providence, have a greatnesse in them, considered as done by God; If the thing which God doth, be not great in it selfe, yet it is great, because he doth it. As there is no sin of man little in it selfe (though comparatively it be (because committed against a great God: So there is no work of God little (though comparitively it be (because acted by the
great God. Further, if God doth a thing, which in it selfe consi∣dered, or considered according to the line and rule of the creature, is unjust; yet because God doth it, or commands it to be done, his very doing or commanding stamps justice upon it; as is clear in the case of Abrahams call to sacrifice his son, and the Israelites carrying away the jewels of the Aegyptians. If then the act of God (whose will is the supream law) makes that lawfull, which ac∣cording to the common rule, is unlawfull; how much more doth the act of God make that great, which in ordinary proportion is accounted small.
Againe, When it is said, God doth great things, we must not understand it, as, if God dealt not about little things, or as if he let the small matters of the world passe, and did not meddle with them: Great in this place, is not exclusive of Little, for, he doth not onely great, but small, even the smallest things. The Heathens said, their Jupiter had no leisure to be present at the doing of small things, or it did not become him to attend them. God attendeth the doing of small things, and it is his honour to doe so: the fal∣ling of a Sparrow to the ground, is one of the smallest things that is, yet that is not without the providence of God; the haires of our head are small things, yet as not too many, so not too small for the great God to take notice of; Christ assures us this, The very haires of your head are all numbred, Mat. 10. 29, 30. We ought highly to adore and reverence the power and inspection of God, about the lowest, the meanest things and actions. Is it not with the great God, as with great men, or, as it was with that great man Moses, who had such a burthen of businesse in the government of that people upon his shoulders, that he could not bear it; there∣fore his Father in law adviseth him, to call in the aide of others and divide the work: But how? The great matters, the weighty and knotty controversies must be brought to Moses; but the petty differences and lesser causes, are transmitted and handed over to in∣feriour judges; And it shall be, that every great matter, they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge, Exod. 18. 22. But God, the great Judge of Heaven and earth, hath not onely the great and weighty, but small matters brought unto him; the least motions of the creature, are heard and resolved, disposed and guided by his wisdome and power.
You will say, What is this greatnesse, and what are these great things? I shall hint an answer to both, for the clearing of the words.
There is a two-fold greatnesse upon the works of God. There is (so we may distinguish) First, the greatnesse of quantity; Se∣condly, the greatnesse of quality or vertue: That work of God which is greatest in the bulk or quantity of it is the work of Crea∣tion; How spacious, huge and mighty a fabrique is Heaven and earth, with all things compacted and comprehended in their cir∣cumference! And in this work, so vast for quantity, what admirable qualities are every where intermixt! Matter and forme, power and order, quantity and quality, are so equally ballanced, that no eye can discerne, or judgement of man determine, which weighes most in this mighty work.
Yet among these works of God, some are called great in regard of quality, rather then of quantity. As it is said (Gen. 1. 16.) That God made two great lights, the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night. (Sunne and Moone) these are great lights, not that there are no lights great but these, or that both these are greater, then all other heavenly lights; for many Stars are greater then the Moon, as the doctrine and observation of A∣stronomers assures us; but the lesser of these is great in regard of light and influence, excellency and usefulnesse to the world.
And as to these works of creation, so the works of providence, are great works: When God destroyes great enemies, the greatnesse of his work is proclaimed. When great Babylon, or Babylon the great, shall be destroyed, the Saints song of triumph shall be, Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty, just and true are thy wayes, thou King of Saints (Rev. 15. 3.) Great and marvellous works, why, Because thou hast destroyed great Ba∣bylon, and hast executed great judgement, and powred out great wrath. So, great works of mercy and deliverance to his people, are cryed up with admiration, And hath given us such a delive∣rance as this, saith Ezra, Chap. 9. 13. when the Jewes returned from their captivity out of Babylon; That mercy was a kind of miracle, that deliverance a wonder, and therefore he mentions it in termes of admiration. Such deliverance as this! How great: So great, that he had neither words to express, nor example to paralell it, but lets it stand nakedly by it selfe, in its native glory; Such deli∣verance as this!
The Spirituall works of God, are yet far greater; the work of redemption, is called a great salvation, the conversion and justifi∣cation of a sinner, the pardon of our sinnes, and the purifying of
our nature, are works as high, above creation and providence, as the Heavens are in comparison of the earth. Take two or three Coro∣laries or Deductions from hence: As first;
It is the property of God to doe great things: And because it is his property, he can as easily doe great things as small things.
Among men, Great spirits count nothing great; A great spirit swallowes and overcomes all difficulties: Much more is it so with the great God, who is a Spirit, all Spirit, and the father of spirits; To the great God there is nothing great: He can as easily doe the greatest as the least: 1 Sam: 14. 6. 2 Chron. 14. There is no restraint to the Lord, to save with few or by many, or it is no∣thing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power; It is not so much, as the dust of the ballance with God, to turne the scale of victory in battell, whether there be more or lesse: Seeing all Nations before him, are but as the dust of the ballance, as nothing, yea lesse then nothing. So that whether you put him upon any great work or small work, you put the Lord to no more stresse, to no more paines in the one, then in the other, for he doth great things; and to doe them, is his property, not his study, his nature, not his labour. He needs not make provisions or preparations, for what he would have done, the same act by which he wills the doing of a thing, doth it, if he wills. What great things hath the Lord done in our dayes. We may say as the Virgin (Luke 1. 49.) He that is Mighty, hath done to us great things, and Holy is his Name; and as they, Acts 2. 11. We have both heard and seen the great things of God done amongst us; and I believe grea∣ter things are yet to be done. It was a great work at the begin∣ning of time, to make Heaven and earth, and will it not be a great work, to shake Heaven and earth? That God hath said he will doe, before the end of time. Yet once it is a little while, and I will shake the Heavens and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land, Hag. 2. 6. The words following, seem to interpret this earthquake, and Heaven-quake, I will shake all Nations. Againe, It was a great work, to make the old Heaven and earth? and will it not be a great work, to make a new Heaven and a new earth? That is the businesse, which God is about in these letter days, as he promised, Isa. 65. 17. Behold I create a new heaven and a new earth; what is that? Jerusalem a praise, and her people a joy. When God reformeth the face of his Church, and settles the affaires of King∣domes and Common-wealths, he makes new Heavens and a new Earth.
And if it be the property of God to doe great things, then, it is a duty in us, to expect great things. We ought to look for such things, as come up to, and answer the power and greatness of God; we dishonour, and as it were, humble God, when we look onely for low and meane things; Great expectations from God, honour the greatnesse of God. As the Lord expects to receive the greatest services from us, because he is a great King, Mal. 1. 14. So we ought to expect, that we shall receive the greatest mercies from the Lord, because he is a great King; It dishonours God as much and more, when we believe little, as when we doe little. A great King thinks himselfe dishonoured, if you aske him a petty suite; he looks more what becomes him to give, or doe in bounty, then the petitioner to aske in necessity. The Great Alexander, could tell his suiter (whom he had more astonisht, then relieved with his favour) That though the thing might be too great for him to re∣ceive, yet it was not too great for Alexander to give. If dust and ashes can speake and think at this rate, O how large is the heart of God! Then, it is not onely our priviledge, but our duty to aske and believe great things; we ought to have a great faith, be∣cause God doth great things; Is it becomming, to have a great God, and a little faith? To have a God that doth great things, and we to be a people (his people) that cannot believe great things? nay, To have a God who can easily doe great things, and we a people, that can hardly believe small things? How unbecom∣ing! if some small thing be to be done, then usually faith is upon the wing, but if it be a great thing, then faith is clogg'd, her wings are clipt, and we at a stand; why should it be said unto us, as, Christ said unto his Disciples, O ye of little faith. It may be as dangerous to us, if not as sinfull, not to believe the day of great things, as to despise the ••ay of small things. Why should not our faith in a holy scorne, baffle the greatest difficulties, in that language of the Prophet (Zech. 4. 7.) Who art thou O great Mountaine? before Zerubbabell thou shalt become a plaine.
There is another usefull consequence from this truth. He that doth great works, ought to have great praises. As, we ought to have great faith, that he will doe great things, so, he ought to have great acknowledgments, when he hath done great things. Shall God doe great things for us, and shall we give him some poor, leane, star∣ven sacrifices of praise? It is very observable, that, as soon as the Prophet had described the Lord in his greatnesse (Isa. 40. 15.)
he adds in the very next verse, And Lebanon is not sufficient to burne, nor the beasts thereof, sufficient for a burnt Offering. That is, no services are great enough, for this great God. Lebanon a∣bounded in spices for Incense and perfume; it abounded with cat∣tell for Sacrifice and burnt offerings; To say that Lebanon had not spice enough to burne for incense, nor beasts enough to burne for Sacrifice, shews the Lord far exalted in greatnesse, above all the praises and holy services of his people.
Lastly, seeing God doth great works for us, let us shew great zeale for, great love unto the Lord. We should aime at the doing of great things for God, seeing God indeed doth great things for us. So much of the first Attribute of the works of God. Who doth great things.
And unsearchable.] The Hebrew is, and no search. The word imports the search of those things which are most abstruce and se∣cret. As the heart, which the Lord onely can search, Jer. 17. 15. The heart lies too low, not onely for the eye, but for the understan∣ding of man. Hence it is used, Psal. 95. 4. to note the Foundati∣ons, or deep places of the earth, because they cannot be known, but by deep searchings, or rather, because they are beyond the dee∣pest search of man. And the same phrase we find, Psal. 145. 3. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised, and his greatnesse is unsearchable; or according to the letter, of his greatnesse no search; as when the Psalmist speaks of the greatnesse of God, in his nature and essence, presently he adds, and of his greatnesse there is no search; so here, when Eliphaz speaks of the greatnesse of God, in his works, the next word is, they are unsearchable. As God in himselfe is great, and of his greatnesse there is no search; so many of the works of God are so great, that of their greatnes there is no search, that is, you cannot find out their greatnesse by any search. God is in working (and so are men, the hand cannot act be∣yond the head) as he is in understanding. There is no searching of his understanding (Isa. 40. 28.) Therefore there is none of his working.
This unsearchablenesse of the works of God, may be considered two wayes.
There are some works of God, which are not to be searched into, they are to be adored by believing, not to be pryed into by sear∣ching; and in that sence they are called unsearchable (Rom. 11. 33.)
O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdome of and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements! Many of his judge∣ments, that is, his works of judgement, are so unsearchable, that it is not industry or duty, but presumption, to search into them. As those unspeakable words, which Paul heard in the third heavens, were such as (2 Cor. 12. 4.) is not lawfull for a man to utter; so un∣searchable judgements may be interpreted such, as is not lawfull for a man to search. Great Princes will not have all their actions scann'd, at least, not by all, They keep state in their works. If all a mans actions be levell to the lowest, his person will be so too. The reason why the works of Antichrist were to be so mysterious and miraculous, is, because he was to be adored and Godded, to be exal∣ted above all (in man) that is called God, or that is worshipped, 2 Thes. 2. 4. They who aspire to divine honour, have, or at least pretend to have many secrets. Because secret things belong unto God, things revealed unto man (Deut. 29. 29.) And as the Angell at once answers and reproves Manoah (Judg. 13. 18.) Why askest thou after my name, seeing it is secret, or wonderfull? As if he had said, thou must not enquire after my name, for it is a secret. Such prying into the works of God, is as dangerous, as prying into the Arke of God (1 Sam. 6. 19.) It were more profitable for us, and more honourable to God, if we did search our own secret wayes more, and Gods lesse.
There are other works of God, which cannot be searched, yet we may and ought to search them. It is our duty to stu∣dy them, though we cannot finde them. We may search and finde many of the workes of God, with our sences; there are others which we cannot finde, though we search for them, with our reason and understanding. As some parts of the word of God (2 Pet. 3. 16.) So some part of his works are so hard to be understood, that unstable men wrest them to their own destructi∣on. The minde of God is legible in very many of his works, and we may read them without a Comment or Interpreter. Other of his works are mysterious and aenigmaticall, very riddles, insomuch, that if an ordinary man looking on them, should be questioned, Ʋnderstandest thou what thou seest; he must answer, as the Eunuch did Phillip, How can I except some man teach me. And these works are unsearchable, two ways.
First, in regard of the manner of doing; we cannot finde out the wayes and contrivances of Gods work. His wayes are in the
deep, and his foot-steps are not known, saith the Psalmist, that is, the way which God goes to the accomplishing of his ends, are oftentimes like steps upon the water, which leave no impression or track behind them.
Secondly, his works are unsearchable in their causes or ends; what it is which God aimes at, or intends, what moves or provokes him to such a course, is usually a secret. He doth such things, as no man can give an account of, or render a reason, why. Peter knew not how to construe or expound that work of Christ, John 13. when he took a Towell with a bason of water, to wash his feet. Therefore Christ tells him, What I doe thou knowest not (that is, thou know∣est not, what moves me to doe this, for his eye taught him what Christ did) but thou shalt know hereafter. In due time this shall be interpreted to thee, and thou shalt know the reason, why I did this.
But it is said (and that may be an objection against both text and Exposition) Psal. 111. 2. The workes of the Lord are great, sought out of all those, that have plesure therein. To seek out, notes a full discovery. And in Psal. 106. 7. Failing in this, is charged upon the fathers, and confessed by the children, as a fault, Our fathers understood not thy wonders, that is, the great things which God did for them in Aegypt. How then is it said here, The works of the Lord are great and unsearchable.
To clear this, First, I say there are some great works of God, which are easie and plaine; And it is our duty to be acquainted with, and learned in these works of God, as well as in the word of God.
Secondly, those works whose text is hard, we must search and labour to expound them, so, as to further duty, but not to feed our curiosity; We may search them with submission to the mind of God, not for satisfaction, onely, to our own minds. We may search with desire to honour God, but not to humour our selves. We may search them to make us more holy, though not barely to make us, more knowing. Take two Corolaries from this.
First, if the works of God are unsearchable, then how unsearch∣able are the counsells of God; the deep and secret counsels of God! The works of God are the cousells of God made visible. Every work of God is the bringing of some counsell of God to light. Now if we are not able to find out his counsells when they are made visible in his works; how shall we find out his counsells, when they lye hidden in his breast?
Secondly, If the works of God are unsearchable, then, we are to submit unto the dispensations of God, whatsoever they are, though we are not able according to reason, to give an account of them; though we cannot search out either the manner how, or the cause for which they were done, yet we must reverence them; And what we cannot believe by knowing, we must know by be∣lieving. It is our duty, not onely to winke and believe, shut our eyes and believe, or believe when we cannot see; but, we must of∣ten believe, where knowledge is shut out, believe when we can∣not understand. Abraham by faith followed the call of God, not knowing whether he went, Heb. 11. 8. It is dangerous to follow men blind-fold (how seeing soever those men are) but it is safe, and our duty to follow God blindfold, how seeing soever we think our selves to be. We must not be displeased (as Joseph was at Jacob his Father, Gen. 48. 17.) when we see God laying his right hand upon Ephraim, and his left upon Manasses, doing things crosse to our thoughts; much lesse may we take upon us to direct the hand of God, as Joseph would Jacobs, where we please. The Lord knows (as Jacob answered Joseph) what he doth, and it becomes us to acquiesce in what he doth, though we know it not. Some Romish Parasites, have said of the Pope, That if he should carry thousands to hell along with him, there is no man must say to him, Sir, why doe you so? They adore him so in the unsear∣chablenesse of his wayes and doings, that it is enough for them, if he doth them.
This abominable flattery of that Man of Sin, is a sober truth concerning the holy God; Though God east thousands of soules into hell, no man may say to him, what dost thou? And though God turne Kingdomes upside down, though he send great afflicti∣ons upon his own people, and make them a reproach unto the Heathen, though he give them up unto the power of the adversary and make all their enemies to rejoyce, yet no man may say unto God, why doe you thus; His works are unsearchable. It is be∣yond the line of a creature, to put any question, A why or A where∣fore, about the work of the Greatour. Shall the thing formed say unto him that formes it, why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the Potter power over his clay?
Some think they could doe things better then God hath done, or at least that God might have done better; if they had the pow∣er in their hands, things should not goe thus and thus; What an in∣sufferable
indignity is this, to the wisdome and power of God, that He whose works are unsearchable should be made accountable for his works? That of Augustine, when he was in a deep medita∣tion about the nature of God, may well be applied to the works of God, who walking by the sea side in deepe thoughts of God, ei∣ther heard this voyce, or was filled with this thought, That he might as soone empty the sea with, or comprehend the Ocean in one of those little cockle-shels, which lay on the shore, as with the narrow vessell of his Spirit, comprehend the infinite greatnesse of the God of Spirits.
Marvellous things.] Unsearchable things and marvellous, dif∣fer thus; Those things are unsearchable, which lie hid, and cannot be found: that is a marvell whose cause cannot be found, though it selfe be not hid. This is the third adjunct or attribute of the works of God. The word is derived from a root, which signifies, Seperated, Disjoyned or Divided. And marvellous things are exprest by that word, because marvels or wonders are seperated or removed from us three degrees at least. They are seperated
First, from our knowledge or reason.
Secondly from our sense: not that marvels are invisible, mar∣vels and miracles, are wrought to be seen, and the use of them lies in this, from the sence to confirme faith, or to convince of un∣beliefe. Which (by the way) quite overthrowes the Popish re∣fuge of a miracle, in their supposed transubstantiation of the bread at the Eucharist, who tell us of a miracle, but can shew us none. But though in all miracles and marvails the thing wrought is plain to the sences, yet both the power and manner of doing it, are re∣moved from the sences, The marvell wrought is seene, but the working of the marvell is not seen.
Thirdly, Marvels are seperated or removed from our imitation; we cannot doe such things. The Lord stands alone working won∣ders. They are seperated part and portion for God himself. The Egyptian Sorcerers seemed to doe by their devillish inchant∣ments, what Moses did by the command and power of God: But at the best they did but seeme to doe like Moses, and presently they could not so much as seeme, Exod. 8. 18. And the Magicians did so, (that is, they attempted to doe so) but they could not. They that worke by the devils art or power, cannot worke long, They will quickly be at A Could not. Both their religions and their miraculous workes are at best but in appearance, at last they will
not so much as appeare. In these three respects marvels are right∣ly called, separate.
Further, the word also signifies sometimes, A hard or a difficult thing, because those things that are very hard and difficult have somewhat of wonder in them, and cause us to wonder at them, Deut. 17. 8. If a matter come which is too hard, the word is, which is too marvellous and wonderfull for thee, &c. And Gen. 18. 14. Is any thing too hard for me (saith God) the word is, Is any thing wonderfull to me? Nothing is wonderfull to us, but that which is too hard for us. There is nothing wonderfull to God, who doth all wonders, and is himselfe all Wonder. It hath beene said con∣cerning those lovers of and searchers after secret wisedome, called Philosophers, that it doth not become a Philosopher to wonder: For admiration is usually the daughter of ignorance; we marvell at most things, because we know the causes of few things. It was therefore a shame for a Philosopher to wonder, because it betrayed his ignorance; who would be thought studied in, yea a master of all causes, and able to give a reason of all things in nature. But it is most certaine, the great God never marvelleth at any thing; For is any thing too hard for me, saith the Lord. Wonders are things too hard for us, and the same word signifies a wonder and a thing, too hard.
There are three words of neare alliancec in the Hebrew, Signes, Miracles and Mervails. And they may be distinguisht thus, A Signe is the representation of a thing present, or before us: A Mi∣racle or Portentum (as contra-distinct from the former) shews forth somewhat future, or, that is to come. A Mervaile, as dif∣fering from both, is any act of providence, secret or separate from us in the manner of doing or producing it, a thing to us unsearch∣able; so (Exod. 33. 16.) Wherein shall it be knowne, that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight (saith Moses) Is it not in that thou goest with us? So shall we be separated, I and thy people; So we translate it, or made wonderfull; that is, if thou goest along with us, thou wilt doe such marvails for us, as will make a difference betweene us, and all the people in the world: we shall be a people marvell'd at, all the world over, or a spectacle to the world, Angels and Men. The presence of God with a people, is their difference, or will make them differ, from all people with whom God is not (under the Notion of Favour and Protection) present.
Againe, Marvels are taken sometimes for Miracles, which are meerely and purely supernaturall. For in ordinary accep∣tation of the word, a Marvell is only the heightning and sublima∣ting of nature, or acting in the highest Spheare of nature; but a Miracle is a crossing or a contradicting of nature. A worke alto∣gether above, yea against Nature. Now we are not to take mar∣vels here in that strict sense, for miracles; for the great works of God are call'd marvels or wonders which yet are but either the ordinary constitutions of Nature, or the extraordinary motions of nature, as Psal. 136. 4. O give thanks to the Lord, to him, who alone doth great wonders: What are these? In the 5, 6, and 7. verses, instances are given in naturall things, as making the hea∣vens and stretching out the earth above the waters. The making of those great lights the Sun and Moon . One of the Ancients dis∣coursing upon that miracle in the Gospell, The multiplying the loaves, observeth, that in naturall things there are very great won∣ders, though we lightly passe them by; They were astonished to see the loaves multiplying, while they were eating: To see bread grow upon the Table or between their Teeth, made all wonder: but there is as great a miracle wrought every yeare, and no man takes notice of it: That is, when Corne cast into the ground, mul∣tiplies thirty, sixty, a hundred-fold, It is (saith he) a greater miracle for corne to multiply in the earth, then for loaves to mul∣tiply on the Table. And he makes a like Conclusion in his Booke of the City of God, Whatsoever is wonderfull in the world, is not so great a wonder, as the world; Yet men rarely wonder at the ma∣king of the world, the Earth, the Heavens, the Sea, the Aire, every creature in them exceed in wonders▪ the things we wonder at. Ordinary works of Nature are marvellous. First, because they proceed from a divine power. 2. Because man is posed to give a reason of most of them, Canst thou tell how the bones grow in her that is with child? saith the Preacher. The bringing of an Infant alive from the Wombe is a wonder, as well as the raising of a man from the dead: And the budding of a Tree, as well as the budding of Aarons Rod †. The usualnesse of the one, and the rarenesse of the other is, though not the only, yet the greatest dif∣ference. 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 deli∣verance
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, do∣ing 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 in∣deed. 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 won∣der for us, Lord (saith David, Psal. 131. 1.) Mine heart is not haughty, 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 accor∣ding 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. I doe not exercise my selfe in matters too high for me, Miracles or marvels are not every dayes exercise. We ought ra∣ther to be above our worke, or any of our designes, then below them: but we must be sure they are not above us. It is the safest and holiest way for man, in all his actions to be upon a levell. We cannot but displease God and hurt our selves by clambering: It is but sometimes that rhe Lord will work wonders to releeve our
necessities and help our faith, but he will never (unlesse in wrath) work wonders to please our humors, or comply with our ambi∣tion. Hence observe. First,
When we see marvels done; we must acknowledgc the hand of God. Marvels are proper unto God, Psal. 75. 1. In that thy Name is neere, thy wonderous works declare: Wonderous works are an argument that God is neere: When wonders are among us, we may know, who is among us, and if so, then, this is a time wherein God is seene among us. We may well apply that of the Psalmist to our selves, Marvellous things hath the Lord done in our sight, in Ireland and in the Fields of England, Psal. 78. 12. Mervails are rare things, things seldome done, or seene.
We have things amongst us, which were never done or seene be∣fore in our Nation.
A Parliament, which cannot be legally dissolved but by its own Vote.
An Assembly, where neither Diocesan Bishops nor Deane (as such) can Vote.
The three Kingdomes of England, Scotland and Ireland, entred into a solemn Covenant, approved by the Assemblies, and authori∣zed by the Parliaments of two Kingdomes. May we not conclude of these in the language of the Prophet, Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Isay. 66. 8 Surely we may say as Moses to Israel (Deut. 4. 34.) Hath God assayed to goe and take him a Nation, from the middest of another Nation by temp∣tation, by signes and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arme, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord our God doth for us in England, before our eyes. To take a Nation out of the midst of a Nation, is our case. If England finding (as now it doth) her children strugling in her wombe, should goe enquire of the Lord as Rebecca did; (Gen. 25. 22.) why is it thus? The Lord may answere, as he did to her, Two Na∣tions are in thy wombe, and two manner of people shall be separa∣ted frem thee. A Nation fearing God, and a Nation blaspheming God, a Nation seeking Reformation, and a Nation opposing Re∣formation.
Secondly, If God work mervailes and we believe him not, hath he not reason to marvell at our unbeliefe; Christ having wrought miracles to gaine the beliefe of his country men, marvailed at their unbeliefe, Mark. 6. 2, 6. Unbeliefe is a great sin at all times,
but in a time when mervailes are wrought for the cure and healing of it; unbeleefe is a marvellous sin. Will not Christ, think you, marvell at our unbeleefe, if we beleeve not after all these marvels? Ye will not beleeve (saith Christ, and he rebukes the Jewes for it, Joh. 4.) except you see signes and wonders: Surely if they were so charged, because they would not beleeve, except they saw signes and wonders, how shall they be charged, who will not beleeve, when they see signes and wonders, especially when God seemes to work a wonder a purpose, that they might beleeve? God loves and prizes the faith of man so highly, that sometimes he bids a miracle for it, rather then goe without it. And surely now, as God hath wrought marvels, to abate the marvellous pride of the Adversary, so, to overcome the marvellous unbeleef of his own people: As hath been observed concerning the Lords swearing, As I live I desire not the death of a sinner, &c. O happy man, for whose sake the Lord sweares; but O most unhappy, who doest not beleeve the Lord, when he sweares. So, we may say of the Lords-wonder-workings: O happy people for whom the Lord works wonders; but O most unhappy people, who beleeve not the Lord, when he works wonders.
Thirdly, Seeing God works extraordinary things for us, let not us stay in ordinary duties. Let our works have somewhat of a marvell in them too? Let our repentance, and the change of our lives be marvelous; let our zeal & courage for Christ be marvelous; like that of the Apostles, who carried themseves with such heroi∣cal magnanimity, in the work of the Gospel; that when the High∣priest and Councel (who had convented and threatned them) saw their boldnesse, They marvelled, saith the text, Acts 4. 13. Let our love and thankfullnesse be marvellous, let us pray marvel∣lously, and believe marvellously; marvels don by God, should ever work faith in man: And faith in man, doth sometime work mar∣velling in God. Christ speakes with a kind of admiration to the woman of Canaan, O woman great is thy faith, Mat. 15. 28. O that his people in this Nation, would set Him, thus a wondring once more, O England great is the faith in me! O England great is thy love to me! O England, great is thy zeale for me! O Eng∣land, great is thy repentance, exceeding glorious thy Reformation.
I will close this point with this one word. God hath begun to doe so many marvels amongst us, that I verily believe, the work he
is about, will end in a marvel too: and we in the close shall be made either a wonder of mercy, or a wonder of judgement to all the Na∣tion's round about.
The fourth Attribute of the works of God, raises the glory of them all. They are innumerable.
He doth marvellous things without number. The Hebrew word for word is; Ʋntill there be no number: Without number may be taken three wayes.
First, Strictly and absolutely, for that which is without number; and thus there is no number innumerable: Things absolutely with∣out number would be infinite; but there cannot be two Infinits: As God is so One, and without number, that he is Infinite; so what∣soever could be so many, that it were without number, would be infinite too.
Secondly, Without number, is that which man cannot reckon or cast up the summe of it. (Rev. 7. 9.) John speakes of a great multitude, which no man could number: As a small number is said to be such, as a child may write, Isa. 10. 19. So such a multitude as a man cannot write, notes the greatest number. And Heb. 12. 22. there is mention made of an innumerable company of Angels: So God calleth Abraham out, and saith Look now towards Heaven, and tell the Starres, if thou be able to number them, Gen. 12. The Starrs are innumerable, that is, beyond mans Arithmetique.
Thirdly, Things are said to be without number, or innumerable (in a more common sense) when they are a very great number; and so we find it frequent in Scripture: As that which is very high is said to be as high as heaven: Thus the discouraging Spies, de∣scribe the Cities of the Canaanites, to be Cities walled up to Heaven, Deut. 1. 28. And when Sea-men or Marriners are tossed upon the waves and billowes of the Sea, they are said, to mount up to the Heaven, and to goe downe againe to the depths, Psal. 107. 26. So here a very great number, is said to be innumerable or without number: In this third, and in that second sense, the great works of God are innumerable: God hath done so many marvel∣lous things, as are inpossible for man to reckon. His mighty works are not only beyond the writing of a child, but of the wisest men: The man who numbers most dayes, cannot number the wonders of God.
I shall note but one or two Instructions from this That the works of God are innumerable. First Then, what God hath
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 in∣numerable: Man cannot doe that to day which he could yester∣day, 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 wo∣men? 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 innume∣rable, 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? But he never saith to any people out of weaknesse, I can deliver you no more: Psal. 78. The people provoked God by making a question of this (ver. 20.) Behold (say they) he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streames overflowed, (we acknowledge that God hath done a
marvell) but can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people? surely he cannot doe this marvell also: what saith the text? The Lord heard this, and was wroth, so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel: What doe you think that I can doe but one great thing? that I have but one blessing, but one deliverance, but one wonder? Know that I who smote the rock, can provide you flesh; I who gave you water, can give you bread, I who have discovered one wicked plot of the enemy, can discover all; I who have given you one victory, can give you a thousand; I who have given you one deliverance, can give you innumerable deliverances; Therefore take heed of setting bounds to God, of limiting the Holy one of Israel: Men love not to be limited, but God ought not. We at once provoke and disho∣nour the Lord by thinking, that our wants can renew, faster then his supplies: or that our innumerable evills, shall not find innume∣rable good things to ballance or remove them, from the hand of God. We weary men, when we come often to them, to doe great things for us, yea to come often for small matters, will weary men. But we never weary the Lord by comming often, we weary God, only, when we will not come often. How doth the Prophet, not only complaine, but expostulate, because that unbelieving King wearied God (take it with reverence) by not setting him aworke, and that about the hardest and most knotty peece of work, that can be, the working of a miracle, and that as hard a one as him∣selfe would aske, either in the depth beneath; or in the height above. Is it a small thing with you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also, Isa. 7. 13. It is no wearinesse to God to doe innumerable mi∣racles for us, but he is weary when we will not believe he can doe them. To be distrusted the doing of one, is more laborious to God, then to doe a million of Miracles.
To conclude this, take heed above all, that you limit not God in works of spirituall mercy; As, to feare, to aske pardon of sin, be∣cause ye have asked it often. His great works of forgivenesse are as much without number, as any of his works, He multiplies to pardon, saith the Prophet, Isa. 55. 7. And when the people of Israel had committed a new sin, it is admirable to reade, by what argu∣ment, Moses moves the Lord for pardon. It is not this (as usual∣ly with men) Lord this is the first fault, Lord thou hast not been often troubled to signe their pardon: But pardon I beseech thee,
the iniquity of this people, as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt untill now, Numb. 14. 19. as if he had said, Lord, because thou hast pardoned them so often, therefore I beseech thee pardon them now. It is a most wicked argument to move our hearts to sin, because God will pardon often; but when we have sinned, it is a holy argument to move God to pardon againe, because he hath pardoned often before: For he pardons without number.
Secondly, Seeing God doth innumerable great things for us, let not us be satisfied in doing a few things at the command, and for the glory of God: Let us continue in acts of holinesse, charity, humility, zeale and thankfulnesse, without number: Let us never stand reckoning our duties, when we heare the mercies of God are beyond reckoning. It is a noble rule in our friendship with men, That curtesies must not be counted: I am sure it is a holy rule in our obedience to God, That duties must not be counted: God, hath no need of any one of our good works, but he will not beare it if we think we have done enow, or can doe too many. Let out hearts be like the heart of God as he doth great things for us, let us doe (in what we are able) great things for God and good things for one another, without number.
So much in generall of the proofe of Gods power, by the Greatnesse &c. of his works.
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Aptè concinne, & exq••isi••è facit. E••a•• vocatus, quia cum nas∣ceretur. suit f••∣ctus. & perfe∣ctus pilis. Esau sonat per∣fectum & or∣natum, nam perfectior pue∣ris, ie instru∣ctus pilis in lu∣cem venerit. Jun. in loc.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Produxit ad esse 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Constituit rem in forma su•• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Perfecit, dis∣posuit.
Non vacat ex∣ignis rebus ad∣esse Jovi.
Animo mag•••• nihil magnum.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Mag∣nalia Dei.
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Penetralia ter∣rae, ut Aben Ez∣ra explicat, quae sci••i nequeunt, nisi exquisita per scrutatione, vel potiùs quòd homini minimè sunt perscuta∣bilia, Deo autū in prepatulo. Buxtorf.
Arcana imperij.
Inscrutabile & mirabile differunt; in∣scrutabile est, qued la••et & perquiri non po∣test: Mi••abile est, quod ipsum q••idem apparet sed causa ejus perquiri non potest. Aquin. in loc.
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Separatus, dis∣junctus. Hinc significat, mira∣b••lia quia talia sunt à nobis se∣parata, & cap∣tum su erant, ita ut ratione quis asse qui, aut re praestare ••e∣queat.
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Mirabilior est grani in terra multipl••catio, quam illa quin∣que Panum. August. T••act. 24 in Joh in. Quicquid mi∣rabile fit in mundo, profectò minus est, quàm totus hic mun∣dus. Qua ••vis ila{que} miracula visibiliū natu∣ra••um videndi assiduitate vi∣le scunt, tamen cum ea sapien∣ter intuemur, inusitatissimis ra••••ssimis{que} majora sunt. August. l. 5. de Civ Dei, cap 12.
Per multa sunt quae admi∣rari nonsolemus propterea quod vulgo quotidi∣e{que} fiunt. Reno∣va & in solita commovetur animus.
Non mae ex••uli ad ea, quae maeas vires aut inge∣nium su••eraret. Eleganter Th••odoretus, Meipsum me••••∣eba••, & quae me excedunt, non aggrossus sum.
Amicitia non est reducenda ad ealculos. Obediantia non est reducenda ad calculos.