'Ciap. i. An Expoftion upon the I3oòkof J O B. Vérf: i i. the Apoftle writes-to his Corinthians,that he was not glad,becaufe hehad made them forrowful by an Epifile, but that they farrow- cd fo, as they might rejoyce. How was that ? They furrowed to repentance, their forrow wrought repentance untofalvation, not to be relented of. But is there no more in true repentance, but only this, that it is not to be repented of? Surely yes. For ifthere belay in Haven (Luk. 15.) over a repenting 'inner , then. doibt- lcis, there is abundant groundof joy on earth. If Angels rejoyce when a sinner repents , much more may the repenting finn.r re- joyce. So then repentance, not to be repentedof, is repentance greatly to be rcjoyced in. Repentance that brings not forth joy,is to be repented of. We muff mourn for all forrows which end in forrow ;-for forrow is not good for its own fake, but for comforts fake : Jobs friendscame not to mourn with him, that he might mourn, but they came to mourn with him, that hemight be com- forted : To add forrow unto farrow, is to be fwallowed up with farrow:he forrows rightly,that would be fwallowed upwith joy : You fee the ends which there men propofed in coming to 7ob, to mourn with him, and to comfort him. Excellent ends both, and without all queflion they did propofe and purpofe them iìncerely. They came to mourn withhim, and they mourned ; they came with hearts refolved to comfort him, but they did not comfort him, they did not attain that end, they could not attain it Then Obferve, that as the wayof a man is not in himfelf, fo much left is the endofa man in himf. lf. The way ofa man is not in himfelf, faith the Prophet Jeremy ,Cap. i o.i3.that is,a matis ad ions are not in his own power,he is not malter ofhis own will,or ofhis own way. If a mans way be not in himfelf, much lefs is his end m himfelf, that is, in his own power, to havewhat cod he pleafèth and propofeth:. Manpropofeth, but God difpofetv. Thefe friends came to comfort yob, but they did nothing lefs then comfort him : fnficad of comforting, they afflicted him ; which forced him to complain, Mifecable comfortersareye all : And yet their errand was to com- fort him. Some indeed are of opinion , that they were fake friends , that they came upon himwith prejudic'd and imbitter'd f pirits: but the preparatory circumflances, and manner of their coming, clears the uprightnefs of their intentions , and confutes that llander. Doubticfs theycame really to cOmfort him, and cafe his f crows; arteL 311
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