The I NTR0DvCTION fuming. And becaufe the way to Heaven is not firèwed with Rofes, but, like the Crownof Chrift here upon Earth , let with thorns ; becaufe not fmiles and loving imbracements from the world, but wounds,and firokes,and temptations,do await all thofe that have received the prefs-money ofthe Spirit, andare enrolled . for the Chriftian warfare : becaufe every true Ifraelite mutt ex- peGt that which Jacob upon his death-bed fpake of Jofeph , that the Archers willjhoot at bim, hate him, andgrieve him : In a word, Gen,49.a3: becaufe many are the troubles of the righteous ; therefore the Scripture doth prefent us with fundry platforms of the righteous vonflihing with many troubles. Now thefe Confiderations that are fcattered feverally' through thewhole Scripture, feem all concenter'd, and united together in this Book of Job : which if we confider in the flile and formof writing, is in fomepart of it Profe , as the two firft Chapters,and, part of the laft, and the rat is Verfe. Ifwe confider it in theman- ner ofdelivery, it is both darkand clear. Ifwe confider the fub- jeéï ma tter of it,it is both Hiftorical, Prophetical, and DoClrival.. In it is a mixture of mercy tendred unto, of judgments threatned againft, and inflicted upon the wicked. In it is a mixture of the greatefl outwardbleflings, and the greateít outward afflictions up on the godly, concluding in the greatef. deliverances ofthe godly from affliction. In this lait the Book is chief: there'was neverany . man under a, warmer Sun ofoutward profperity then,o? w .s neither was there ever any man in a hotter fire ofoutward at-Id-i- on then Job was,God kerning to give charge concerning this tryal ofJob, as King Nebuchadnezzar did concerning the three chil- dren, to have the furnace beat: d fevers times hotter then, ordinary,. This is the general concerning theBook. Nowmorepartirularly. I will not detain you inthat Proemial Difquifition about the Author and. Penman of this Book : there is great varietyof Judgment about it ; fome fay it was one ofthe Prophets, but they know not who : fame afcribe it to Solomon, fome to Elihu, not a few to Job himfelf ; but mofi give it to-Mo- (0) irti6rr' fes. That refolution ofBeza ill the point fhall ferve me, and may jcriptor f it fatisfieyou. (a) It is veryuncertain who was the Writer of this Ceetumefl, net Book(faith he)and what foe., er can. bePaid concerning it,is ground- ed but upon very_ light conjecture. And therefore , where the tur quicyutd et Scripture is filent, it can be ofno great ufe for us to fpeak, efpeci- eo diet potsji, . allyfeeing there is fo much fpoken as will find ùs work, and be Beza. of.
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