2$: Chap. r. A`ñ Expofition upon the Hookof J O B. Verf. h ia fear towardme is taught by the precepts of men. They wor(hip me according to the precepts of men , faith Chriff. Their, feare is taught by the precepts of men, faith the Prophet :. So that fear and worfhip are the fame : Fearing Goddoth include both theof fedion ofa worfhipper, and the duty or act of worthipping. The fourth part or line. of jobs character, is, his efchewing evil ilvvil, is here taken for the evil offin before fin came into the world, there was no evil in the world , God faw everythingthat he had made, and behold it was verygood. But when fin came, which was the fîrft, and is the chided evil, it brought in with it all other evils : Sin bath in it the whole nature ofevil, and all the degreesof evil, and from it proceed all evil effects. Hence 'tise- minently called evil. Sicknefs, and Death, and Hell, are called e- vil ; howmuch rather that, but for which thefe evils had never been ? how much rather that yvith'which thefe compared may be calledgood ? Further, evil is put here indefinitely ; He was one that efchewcd evil, not this or-that'evil, but evil, that is, all e- vil, this indefinite is univerfal And then further, we are to take evil here, as himfelf afterward expounds it in his practife,not on- ly for the acts of evil, but all theoccafious, the appearances, the provocations and incentives of or unto evil, for whatfoever might lead him into evil ; for thus he inítanceth in one particular, I made a covenant with mine eyes, why then Jhould I think upon a maid Chap. 3r. r. EJchewed.1 In this word, the prudence of job (nines as bright as his holinefs, who having received a great (tockand treafure of grace, nowwatches to preferve it, and oppofes whatfoever was defirueive to the+lifeor growth of the inner man.That man thews he hath both money and his.wits about him,who fufpects andpro- vides againft Thieves. Job efchewed evil. There is much in that expreffion. It is more to fay a manBoth efcbew evil, then 'to fay a man doth not commit evil: Ithad been too bare an expreffion, to fay, jobdid not com- mit evil but whenit is faid, yob efchen'ed evil ; this thews, that not only the hand and tongueofJobdid not meddle with evil,but that his heart was turned fromevil. For efchewing is a turning a- fide with reluctancyand abhorrency,fo the Hebrew (Sa.)imports; job did abhor evil, as well as not commit evil. As there is a great deal of difference between thefe two, the doingof good, and a delight
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