The.I NT KO PVCTION. The friends ofjob maintained the fir(i gueflion negatively, the latter affirmatively. They denyed that God in Juftice could afflift a righteous and a holy man. They affirmed, that any man fo affli ted. is unrighteous, and may fo be judged, becaufe aflited. And fo the whole argument and difpute, which the friends of Job brought, may be reduced to this one Syllogifm. He that is afi'iílled, andgreatly affliCiied,is certainly a great open finner,or a notorious 1}po Brice: But Job,thou art afiiCied,and thou artgreatly afflifed;Therefore certainly thou art, ifnot a great open fanner, yet a notorious hypocrite./ job as conftantly and as vehemently maintaineth both thole quettions in the contraryfence. He acknowledged himfelftobe a finner,yet he fliffly denyed that he was an hypocrite ;he difclaimed his own rightebufnefs in point of Juilifcation,yet hejuftified him- Ielf in point ofuprightnefs. And as for the finfulnefs ofhis ravine`, and ofhis life, he was willing (except known or wilfirl(in finceri- ty);to ownboth,'and chargehimfèlf fatter thenhis friends could., - appealing to,atad triumphing in free-Grace, for full pardon. This one Syllogifm, I fay,is the fum ofall the Difpute,between jòbandhis three friends; this is,as it wçrc, the hinge upon which the whole matter turned. But betides theCe, there are many difcourles falling in collateral 4y, which concur to make up the- fubjed-ofthis Book : Tor, as it is with thole that fludy thePhilofophers 'tone , the great thing they aimat, is tomake gold, &c. that's the principal, the chiefend: yet collaterally they find out many excellent things , many profitable . experiments have been made , many rare (cerets have been difco vered in profecuting ofthat great defign. So although this be Cie principal fubjeft of the Book, yet collaterally for the carryingön of thefè difputes,many other rare and excellent, heavenly, fpiritu- al and ufeful Truths are handled and difcovered. As to give_you fotneparticular Inftances. Firn,- We have the Charaeler ofa difcreet and faithful Matice and Father ina Family,and the fpecial Duties which concern thole relations ; the Doftrine; of the Oeconomicks is often touched in this Book. Secondly, We have here the Character of a faithful,zealous,and junMagifirate in the Common-wealth , howhe ought to behave himfelf,and what his duty is, fct down'alfo plainly and clearly by occafon ofthis difpu_te, Thirdly, 7
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