88 Chap. 3S. .nExpfition upon the Book of Jo H. Verf. 12. comes from a man but a cry,there is nothing in the cryer,butwhat is meerly of man ; but ro be found liming againfi God, while we ae crying out in ous affl&ìon is moli fad, that's the faddeft and worft condition of man in afili&ion. The Lord teacheth his peo- ple better, let us flew our feives better taught, than only to cry in our afflìoliions; and let it be the abhorrence of our fouls for e- ver to fin at all, much more to fin up ro rebellion againft God in our affliction, that it (hould be faid of any of us as óf that wicked King Ahaaz., (2 C hron. z8. z a. ) that in the time of any difirefs, we have trefpaffed more againft the Lord. Thirdly , Whereas thofe opprefled ones cryed,yet (accord- ing to the fecond interpretation) continued proud and naught. Obferve, Thegreateft opprejon and worldly trouble, cannot break, the power offin, nor bring down the proudheart ofman. Neither oppreflion from Iran, nor r affli&ion from God , can break the pride of mans fpirir. Thefe were oppreffed, yetproud Ail!. Our elates may be broken, our relations broken, our com- forts broken, yet our hearts remain unbroken. The oppreffed are many times, as proud as their oppreffors, and they who are un- juflly dealt with, are as bad as they that deale unjufily with them. Oppreffors (tho-ugh not all who opprefs ) are alwayes bad , and the oppreffed are many times fo too, evenas bad as their oppref- fors. There is no proof of any mans grace or goodnefs by this, that he isoppreffed, or wronged ; for he may be wronged, and ground ro powder with oppreflion, yet his heart as hard as a ne- ther Milftone, and his fpirit as high, and as much Iifted upas Lu- cifers. There isnothing in affii &ion, trouble, or oppre(lìon, that can humble the heart of man ; the Spiritof God, God himfelf muff do ir. Outward changes work no inward change ; we may be emptied from veflel toveffel, from one condition to another, yet have our fin-fent remaining in us.It was,indeed,faid ofMoab, (fer.48. s .)He loath not been emptied from veffel to ve,el,neither loath he gone into captivity, (that is, he bath not been troubled much inhis own Land, nor carried into orange Lands, as Ifrael bath been) thereforehis tag remained in him , and his feat is not changed ; that is, as he Hill retains his civil flare and firength, fo his fpiritual vanity, impiety, and impurity, even as Wines that have
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