Exceeding sinfulneß ofSim. to God, 1 remember anexcellent Obfervation Gregory hath on the Book of Yob, ( faith he ) What is the reafon when God gave upYob to the Devil, andbidhim do what he would, but fpare his life ? ( faith he ) What is the reafon the Devil didnot poffefs himwhenhewas given up tohis hands, for fo the words are, He is in thy Hands, only#are his iife 2 So that it appears, he was inhis power topoffefshim, but yet he did not; and what is the reafon? this is the Anfwer that Ancient gives, the reafon is this, Becaufe ifhe had pof eft him, then thoughYob had fret- ted, and frowned, and torn himfelf, it had not beenhis Sin, his impatiency, fo as it was when he wasnot poffefled : Now becaufe the Devil envied job, the Devil would bring that upon Yob which he knew tv be thegreatefl evil as much ashe could; for fo all envydoth. One that en- viesanother, labors tobring thegreateffevil on him that he can. Socertainly theDevil envied job, and thereforehe labored tobring the grea- teuevil on him that he could. Now it feems pofièfhon was not the greateft evil; but the Devil wouldgo fo to work, as ifhe couldpoffi- blyhe would get job to be impatient, and make hob curie God, and fin againft God. 1fjoh íhould ave curfed God in word by poflèífìon ofthe Devil, theDevil curfed God in him, it had not beengobs fin fomuch as if he had got him to curie God otherwife : Now the Devil would have him focurie God, as to be a fin to him ; and therefore the Devil would not poüfèfs him becaufe that was the leder evil : So that to be X x given . T
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