Ifa. 57.15

Ifa.312.

Hide the word in thy heart, be not like a leaking veffel,to lee it out as fast as it is poured in.

Take heed of the cares of this life and voluptuous living, leaft they choak the good feed of the Word, when it cometh up.

In thy whole carriage at Church, confider that the fervice is publick; hoc age, do all thou doft at Church according to the oc cafion, feparate not thy felf from the body of which thou art apart, by reading praying, or any other meditation, which may divide thee from the Congregation.

Tarry it out to the end, and depart not without Gods bles fing pronounced by his Minifter, to whom he hath given power from above to bleffe in his name.

2.God is in his holy Temple, Let all the earth be filent before

him.

This ferveth for the direction of our whole life; for

1. This dwelling of God declareth his Omnipotency. The Lord is in heaven,he doth whatsoever he will. The earth is but as the drop of a bucket, compared to the unbounded, unfounded ocean of his fulnes of power and ftrength.

2. This dwelling declareth the graciousneffe of God; for every good and perfect gift cometh from above; and unleffe the hea vens heare the earth, the earth perifheth utterly.

3. This dwelling declareth the Omniscience of God; there God ftandeth in the Congregation of God as upon a watch-tower, and from the heaven the Lord beholdeth the earth: the eye of the Lord is over all the world.

4. This declareth the eternity of God; fo he faith, The high and lofty that inhabitetb eternity, which makes his purpose esta blished with ftedfaft decree, without variablenesor shadow of change, a God that repenteth not, his gifts and calling are without repent-

ance.

5. This declareth the wifedome of God; for the Mafter of that houfe is the wifeft; as the Prophet faith of him, He that ruleth that house well where the Angels dwell that excel in strength, The Lord of Hoafts is his name, and they are his miniftring (pirits; how can it be but his wifedome is incomprehenfible,and his ways past find· ing out?

6. This

6. This declareth his juftice; for there is the throne of judgement; heaven is his Throne, and all the holy ones give him that glory,

Even fo Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judge- Rev.16.7

ments.

To conclude.

1. Tremble earth at the presence of God who hath fuch power, tempt not, provoke not this power against thee, he can rain fnares; but if he be thy father, fear not; there are more with thee then against thee.

2. Love the Lord, who is fo rich in goodneffe and mercy,who dwelleth in the ftorehouse of bleffings, and who giveth liberally with an open hand, and filleth, &c.

3. Be jealous of thy words, works and thoughts before the eye of jealoufie, which feeth all things.

4. Be ftrong, and God fhall establish thy heart; for he is unchangable,whom he once loveth,he loveth to the end,that is finis fine fine.

5. Let his wifedome guide thee, and feek that wifedom which is from above, ask it of him; for he giveth it liberally, and never upbraideth thee.

He upbraideth many with his gifts, never did he any with the gift of his wifedome, for that cannot be abufed, his grace

may.

6. Remember that for all that thou haft done in this life, God fhall bring thee to judgment, every man fhall give an account unto God of himself; Felix trembled to hear this.

Let all the earth keep filence before this God.

A

Hide the word in thy heart; be not like a leaking
it out as faft as it is poured in."

Take heed of the cares of this life and volup
they choak the good feed of the Word, whe
In thy whole carriage at Church, conf
publick; hoc age, do all thou doft at Ch
cafion, feparate not thy felf from th
part, by reading praying, or any

divide thee from the Congrega

Tarry it out to the end, an fing pronounced by his Mini'. from above to blesse in hig 2.God is in his holy

him.

This ferveth for t'

1. This dwellin

Lord is in heaver
the drop of a bi!
cean of his f
2. This
good an
vens h

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upon HABAKKUK.

his Throne, and all the holy ones give him that areth his juftice; for there is the throne of judge

347

Almighty, true and righteous are thy migen Rev 2kg°

Ifa

A Prayer of Habakkuk the Prophet upon Sigionoth.

Hefe wordes are the title of this Chapter, fhewing the contents thereof.

It is called a prayer, and it is a Pfalme or Hymne,fuch as Davids Pfalms;the Heathen Poets call them Odes, or Songs.

It is called the prayer or fong of Habakkuk, both as compofed by him,and used by himself; and addreffed to the ufe of the people of God in their captivity in Babylon.

It is a fong upon Sigionoth.

The Hebrews affirm this fong to be one of the hardest places to interpret in all the old Teftament, because it is full of dark Parables, fuch as could not be well understood till he came, Who hath the key of David, who openeth and no man shutteth.

Aaa

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