Chap. 2. In Expofition upon the Bookof J.0B. Vert. io. 289 werewife women,aswell asfoolifh,fuch Sálomon defcribcs,Pro.3 1. 26. She openeth her mouth with wifdom ; and we know Abigail the wife was wife, and her husband was Nabal, a fool. Job,dothnot lay it upon women in general, he falleth not out with all, becaufe he knew there were fbme foolijh ones, and becaufe he law his wife in that at imitating thrift faolifh ones, There is.a third thing mitigating the fharpnefs of the reproof; jobBoth not fall out with,or difguft the ordinanceofGod, bccaufe his wife fpaketht s ; he faith not, who would marry to be_yóak't with fuch a one as you? It is enough to make one fòrfwcar mar- riage, to have or hear offuch a wife ; better be in any condition then in a married condition. How often do husbandsdifcover this folly ? if their wives difpleafe them,prefently the ordinanceofGod difpleafeth them, who would be married ? It is very fad, when mans mifcarriage makesus queltion, or difrelith the inilitution of God. In the fourth place, job is not only not angry with the ordi- nance of God in general, but he isnot angry with the fpecial at of Gods providence, in his own particular choice. Thereare ma- ny will fay, if their wives trouble them, I with we had neverfeen the faces oneof another, we may curfe the hour we ever met to- gether. jobs fpirit was far from this ; he was indeed angry with his wife, but he was not angry becaufe this woman was his wife He doth not reje t her becaufe the was bad, but labours tomake her better. 20 convinceanother o f folly,io the readieft way to make him wife. Thus we fee, though there were fharpnefs in the reproof to fearch the wound, yet there wasnone to exafperate the perfòn s This reproofwas anexad compoundof love,aud anger,of zeal and knowledge. From the ground of her counfel, and this reproof compared together,wemayobferve ;'That it is an argument ofa low, andofa foolifhfpirit,to judgeof any mans condition by Gods outwarddealings with him : For, this was it, that the grounded her counfel upon feting his outward condition , the thought him as a miferable man, and therefore advifeth him to curfe God and die. Thou fpeal{- eft (faith he) as one of the foolifh women. It is an argument of folly and madnefs,to judge a man mifèrable becaufe poor,or unhappy,or unhealthy. Againobferve, That unworthy and low thoughts ofGovt, argue a low and a foe* fpirit. Thou fpealkeff as one of the Nabaleffes : P p Thou
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