Chap. i. t4n Expofition upont the Bookof J O B. Vert: 21. 203_ onesneither : Why ! With nothingbut the cloaths upon thy back ? Know O man thou waft born with nothing but thy skin upon thy back. Confider this, and leave complaining ; this was one thought which helped job to bear this burden,the want ofall.And the pòftle Paul ufeth this argument to the very fame purpofe,a Tim. 6, 6. having faid,Thatgodlinefs with contentment is great gain,he fub- joyns prefcntly this argument ofjob, for faith he, zie brought no. thing into this wprld,andit is certain we_Pall carry siothin~ out ; To confider what (not long agoe) we were, and that very fhortly we muff be, will mightily work to the foul, contentation in what c Efate fòever we are. It followes, The Lordgave and the, Lordbath taken away. This is the fecond argument which jobulth tdboth the former purpofes,and it is a more fpiritual and fublime argument than the former. A man who bath nothing in him but nature, may fay as much asjob did before,thoughhe couldnever fay it withjobs 1pi- rit ; for though godly perfons ufe natural argumentsand 'common reafótas,yet being concocted in their fpirits, they become heavenly and fpiritual : Natural men (I fay) or Heathens have taken up fuch an argument as that ; as when word was brought to a Hea- then Philofòpher, that his fon was dead,/know (faithhe)that ¡be- got a fon mortal, and[tibial to death ; he did but look back to the Sciome Inca a- common condition ofmananfupported himfelf. But now I fay tçmócnugf-, this fecond argument is higher, t is not an argument bottomed up- on the frailty of nature, but ujon the fòveraignty of God ; this argument is grounded upon the equity of divine providence and difpenfation. The Lord (faith pie) hash given, and the Lord bath ta- ken away. The Lord.hathgiven. Everygoodgift and every perfeïlgift isfrom above, James T. 17. What gifts Both job here mean ? He meanes good and per- fedgifts in their kind; but not the bed and molt perfect kindof gifts. The Lord once gave me thofe Oxen, thole Sheep, all thefe outward things that now I amdripped of, The Lord bath given , SA gift, is any good freely beftowed ; when we ¡receive a thin; which, another was not engaged to.beftow, that is a gift. Now God:loth not onelygiveus thiofe tranfcendents, graceand glory, D d 2 faith
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