Chap. 3 An Exptftion"upon the Bookof J o B. Verf. 3. fider him at force particular time, and the -child may abate, the child may not only be ftronger , but much weaker their he was a year or a moueth before. So it is with us from the hrft hour of our fpiritual life , till we attain full ftature of it in Chrift ; Only this is our conlfort,that in Heaven our Souls (hall be fet up in filch a fratrie of holincfs, as shall never be moved nor abated in the leafi degree : Look inwhat frame the hand of God lets us up in that day,we [hall continue fo to all Eternity,and that will be the high- eft and molt exquifite frame both of holincfs and of delight. L' ut now we are up and down ; one day patient, and another day' impatient ; now believing,and another daydifirutling ; now the heart melts and is very tender, anon it is very hard and relentlefs. -How meek a man was Motes , not fuck a man for meeknefs up- on the face of the whole Earth, and yet at one time pa(Ìionate, and at another Il) angry, that he Cpake unadvifedly with his lips. How full of faith was Peter at time ? how refolv'd to flick clofè to Chrift ? yet Ihortly after, how full of rear ? and for fear denying Chrift. We Who receive good gifts and perfect gifts , are fhb- jest, to turns and variations., only he from whom every good and perfetigift comes, is without variablenefs or fhadov of term- ing. Secondly obferve , Thot great fuferlags may fill the mouths of holieji perfiins' with great coinplainings. lob was not only af- fli ed, but affliEted greatly ; Iob did not only complain, but he .complained greatly : You fee what complainings Davidmade in his, great troubles, Pfal. 77. 1. In the day of my trouble Ifatzht the Lord , my fore ran in the night and ceofedn.ot, my Soul refif to he comfirted. So Ham.zn, Kai. 88. 3. My Soul is full of troubles , andmy life draweth nigh unto the grave : and verfc 15. I ant afjlibtedand ready to dye front myyouth up , rabile 1 fnfftr thy terrors I am diftraferi. Hezekiab under the greatnefs of his afliiUion (Ifni. 38. 14.) faith, Like a Crane or Swallow, fo did I chatter; I dad mourn asa Dove, &c.Iereuiy, a holy Pro- phet, fpeaks,if not out -(peaks Iob in his complaint; Chap.2o.i4,,,.. Curfed be the .day .wherein I was born , let not the day wherein my mother bare. me be Welled. Cu : fd.be tie man who brought ty.lings tamy father, faying;_a mzn-ebild'is. born ;onto thee: He Both not only curie his birth-day, but the mcffenger of his birth ; and he curfes both with a word of deeper detestation then Iob imploy ed to cafe. or ,empty his troubled fpirit by ; Iob's words fignitied but-: 31-5__
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