Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37. v1

230 Vert'. 3 An zxpofition upon the lìool¿of JOB. Chap.ti finfulnefsof them, that they will hold fait their fins in the midtt of judgements. The Prophet Amos with much elegancy of fpeech and velum_ncy of fpirit urgeth this againft the Jews, Chap. 4. I havegivenyou cleannefs ofteeth, yet haveye not 'returneduntome : 1 have with-holden therain,yet haveye not returnedunto me :1havefmit- tenyou with blaffing,yet haveye not returnedunto me : Ihave fent a- mongyou the Peftilenceand the Sword,yet haveye not returned unto me, faith the Lord. The Prophet Jeremiah takes up the fameargument,having before fpoken of judgments fent upon them, Yet (faith he) they holdfall deceit and refufeto return (Cap. 8. 5.) they held fait deceit, though they were afflicted, that aggravated their finfulnefs. Now (I fay) as it makesfin out of meafisre finful, to hold it fait when God af- flideth;fo it makes grace out of meafisre gracious, putteth a won- derful fplendor and glory upon it, ifwe hold fait our grace when troublesand afflictions meet us in the holding ofit forth 5 and God will put an Emphafis upon fuch a one for grace, as he did upon A- haz for his fiu, 2 Chron. 28. 22. In the time of his dillrefs did he trefafeyet more againft the Lord,This is that KingAbaz,that brand is put upon him. So there is an honour ítamp'd on Job in this teiti- mony,that in the timeof his diffrefs he didyet more good, This is that job. To rave, beleive and love God more in difirefs, this is inte- tegrity to a wonder, this drawes the heart ofGod toward fuch, and makes them truly glorious in the eyes ofall godly men. That which follows in the Text , doth yet more advance the honour oflob in this vitltory,(fill he holdethfàff, &c. Though thou movedff the againft him to deftroy him without caulë. ,rl.crv, Though thou movedff me 1 The word here ufed to move figni- fieth more then abare motion, it carries in it a perfwafion ; and me r: then a bare perlwafion, it carries in it a vehement inftigati- on : As when a man doth perfwade a thing by arguments and .strong reafuns ; that is the force. of the word ; as in that place, a King. 21.25. There was none like Ahab which did fill himfelf to worm wickednefs in the fight of the Lord, whom Jezabel his .wifeflirted asp : ffirred up" is the word in the Text, Thou movedfi n e ; Jezabel moved Ahab, incited him, never gave him over, by arguments and rea'fons,lby this confederation and that confrde- ratio;n, to do wickedly in Ifrael: So here, Satan did as it were Ply

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