"This is an instance in natural things that man cannot resist God.

"The waters are at God's command; and he withholds them, as with a bridle, at his pleasure, till the earth is parched and dried

up.

"And he overturneth the earth by sending immoderate rains, for when the fruits of the earth are destroyed, the earth may be said to be overturned for that season. From the same creature being made either a mercy or a scourge to us, we see the difference between the things of nature and grace. Spiritual things, in the least degree, are a blessing, and the greater the degree, the blessing is the more increased.

"Verse 16. With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.'

"This shows the providence and power of God acting mightily in civil things. Strength and wisdom here signifies not only the quintessence of wisdom, but being and existence, God is the measure, the reason of all things.

"He knows the deceiver and the deceived, and will bring both to an account.

"He will bring about his counsels, and promote his own glory by them both. It proves an infinite sovereignty in God when he doth his work by that which seems to work against him. To try his people, and prove their zeal for the truth, he sends out some to oppose it. It is just in God to blind their eyes against his truth who harden their hearts against his fear; and because they received not the love of the truth he leaves them under

the power of strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.

"We may well conclude that wisdom and strength are his, whom the craft of men to deceive cannot circumvent; and whom the silliness and folly of men in being deceived cannot disappoint.

"Job now specifies several degrees of men whom the Lord, by the wonderful administration of his power and wisdom, sets up or casts down.

"Verse 17. He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.'

But

"It is a special gift of God to be able to give good counsel, or to be willing to take it. Many can give good counsel who will not receive it. He in mercy gives good counsellors to establish and preserve kingdoms. when they abuse their wisdom, or when people abuse the blessings that God gives, they thereby prepare the way for their removal. The ruin of kingdoms is not from chance, but by a divine power. As wisdom is the gift of God, so is the continuance of it. We need daily wisdom for our daily work, as much as we do daily bread for our daily wants. God, for the punishment of a nation, may give up judges and rulers to folly and tyranny.

Verse 18. He looseth the bonds of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.'

"God by his mighty power breaks, or by his wisdom dissolves, those bonds of oppression with which kings attempt to enslave their people.

"When the Lord punishes the pride and sin of kings, he looseth the bonds of their authority, of their riches and revenues, of their people's love and affection, and also the bonds of leagues and alliances with foreign powers. All those bonds that the kings of the earth make, either to support themselves or oppress their people, are snapped asunder by the pow er of God at the appointed season.

"A girdle and girding with it signifies a servile or captivated condition; the royal belt is laid aside, and a girding of sackcloth taken up by the mightiest earthly god, when the God of heaven manifests his displeasure.

"Let the great men of the earth hear and fear, and do no more presumptuously. Let them show their regard to Christ's authority by taking his counsel, as stated in the second Psalm.

"Verse 19. He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.'

"Princes are called the shields of the earth; but they cannot defend themselves against the assaults of heaven. Faithful nobles are the bars of a kingdom. It is their duty to bolt out impiety and unrighteousness, and thereby keep out evils. When princes bar up the liberty of the people of God, their power and arrogancy will be no bar against their own misery.

"Those who trust God need not fear their most powerful and crafty enemies, for he overwhelmeth the mighty.

"Verse 20. He removeth away the speech

of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.'

"The word trusty is derived from a root that signifies fidelity, truth, stability in word or deed. Men so qualified, and they only, are worthy to be trusted.

"God changes or removes the speech of the trusty, not by making them inconstant and unfaithful, but by leaving them to the inconstancy and unfaithfulness of their own hearts. Changes in the providence of God make the changeableness of men's minds visible in their actions, and audible in their speeches, which arise sometimes from fear or from hopes and gifts. Deut. xvi. 19. There is no depending upon the most faithful man, we must judge of what is spoken by a standing rule, not by the person speaking; there is neither wisdom nor safety in taking any thing upon

trust.

"When the Lord will destroy a people, he takes away the understanding of the ancients. No wonder then if God put this among his marvellous judgments. Isa. xxix. 14. Behold I will proceed to do a marvellous work, &c. for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent shall be hid.'

"Verse 21. He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.'

"This is a continuation of the former argument, as understanding is most proper for the aged, so is honour for princes, and strength

for the mighty. God punishes them in that which is peculiar to them. He poureth contempt upon princes; that is, he makes them very contemptible.

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Liberality or munificence is the virtue and honour of princes. God expects from the meanest of his people a free princely spirit in his service, Exod. xxxv. 5.

"The same word is used, Psalm li.

Uphold me with thy free spirit.' The Lord gives the spirit freely and liberally, and it makes his people free. They who have received the spirit serve the Lord freely, and esteem his service freedom.

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Worldly princes have in their name that which the saints have in their nature; and because they have so little of a free spirit to do good, and to defend those who are good, therefore God pours contempt upon them, and weakeneth the strength or girdle of the mighty.

"There is a girdle of strength, or an alliance of one king with another, by leagues of amity and mutual aid. But the Lord will weaken this strength also, and make them, instead of helps, hurtful to each other, as Isa. viii. 9. Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces,' &c.

“Verse 22. He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.'

“The infinite knowledge of God makes a darkness to hide his ways and counsels, and so does the knowledge of man; they keep their projects and purposes under vails of