Chap. 3. An Expofition upon the ßookof JOE. VerC j. X333 and relatively, namely witk refpe6t to what nun flrould do, hath done,or fufyered. Firfi, in reference to what man fhould do fo Chrift surfed the fig-tree , to teach man either the duty of fruit- fìtlnefs to the glory of God, or of faith in the power of God. Sc- condly, in reference to what man bath dóne, the fir_of tear,,, thus God curled the ferpent and the ground : The ferpent was curled both foradmonition to man, and for a punifhtnent onman, God to admonifh man, how much he hated fin, punitheth an irrational infrument of fin , and by that enmity planted in the ferpent as a curie, punifhesmans too much familiarity with the ferpent. And as the enmity of the ferpent was mans fcourge,fo alto was the bar- rennefs óf the earth: That barrennefs in bringing forth good fruit, that fertility in bringing forth bryars and thorns, were both as rods for the backof man.Thirdly, the irrational or f nfelefs crea- tures are curled in reference to that, whichman fuffers. Thus Da- vid curfed the mountains of Gilboa, 2 Sam. I. 21. becaufe there Saul, and his beloved Jonathan, were "lain by, the fword of the Philitlines, becaufe there the fhield of the mighty was vilely. calf away, the fword of Saul, as if he hadnot been anno;rated with oyl. In this fenfe,(as David curled a place)lo Job curies a time,his day; the daywhich either gave occafion to his fitfferings, or the day in which he actually fuffered fuch a world of evils. Thus alto je- emy curies his day with a vehement curie, J'er.ao.1 g.. Curfedbe the day wherein Iwas born , let not the day wherein my mother barenine blefed : And not only fo , but he curfes the man who fief% reported his birth verle 15, i6. Curled be the man who brought tidings to my father , faying, a man-child is born unto thee, making him very.glad. And let that man be as the Cities which MaTerütere;e- the Lordoverthrew and repented not : and let him hear the cry in bus ìrratiensli- the morning, and the fhooting at noon-tide, &c. Aiid why to bitter b fuñ a curie ? was it againft the day for it (elf, or againfl the man him' turn;Li pena, fell ? Jeremy (hews it was not, verfe IS'. Wherefore _came I out of tom blafhe- the womb to fee labour and f arrow, that my days fhould be confie. mi,ntte1ice- medwith fhame ? To curie any thing under the notion of a crea -'roes iu,recon ture, or as it is the work of God, is toblafpheme God ; to curie "ier °rirefl ort- efiim 1a. any unrcafónable or infenfible creature in themfelves, or to take nun. revenge on them, is to be,if not fenfelefs, yet (I am fore in that Aquinas ubi ad ) unreafonable; So far of this curling his day in general. It fupra- follows, n.0 3
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