C}7áp,3 . An Expof tion upon the Bookof J O ú. Vèrf. r3.° 407 me nt oflfrael ; Things are carried, as if there were none deputed to hear or rcdrefs the wrongs amen.. O. that Lwere madeJudg rf the World, goat eve>y man which bath anyfait., or caul:, night come to me; ánd I would do him ju/tice : Things fhould not go thus 29arn.rg.3,go ifi had the ordering ofthem; Inch boldnefs is highelt blalphetny. And yet with caution of due reverence to the Name .of God , he rives us leave to debate t.'ae matter with him, Loth con- cerning the hate of things in publicly', and our own perfonal E- Itates: Fielt thus, If we,whil we are debating, adore his fecret juflice and unfearchable wifdome , in that which we neithèr fee nor are able to underfrand. Thus while the Prophet Jeremy took liberty to plead with God about the Adminiftrations of the World, he humbly premifes , Ìiighteous art thou 0 Lord when I plead with time ; yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments ; whyBoth the zz ey t hicife'mPc e. of the wicked profper ? We may ask Got the quetiion , and ue ?v plead with him about his Judgments, but we mult not have the . leaft jealoufie or fufpicion of his Riglrteòufnefs or of his judg- ments. Secondly, Wemay fit down and bewail the flate of things, or Our private Ellates ; in that fence we may with things not to be that are, fo as to bewail that fuch things are; and this is it which job efpccially Both in this Chapter , he fits'. down bewailing his condition ; and fo may we while we keep within our bounds, and:, duly regulate our lamentings. The bounds and rules may be filch as rhefe.Firil,Deal.not too much with theCreature ;either in com- plaining ofthe Creature, or in-complaining.to the Creature. Let! Iètond Caufe.s pats, or look-upon them but in the fecond place: pour your complaints into the_boforr ofGod. Secondly,Conlider from- whence your bewailings move s take heed they fpring not . from delicacy of fpirit, or an unwillingnefs to lie under the crois, becaufe it fpoyls yourfairfbeev in the flefb : While we bewail our.Gal.6.i2. own erofs or publick croifes , we fhould be working our hearts to a willing and cheerful fufferance of the crofs. Though a man loth not love that which be bears, yet let him lóve to boar : It is an high firain of fpiritualnefs in bearing, waena Chriftian can fay, olertre a,`í k.love_not that which I Czffer, yet I lova to fuller; I love not that vsa;an::á ne- which I bear;yet Hove to bear.. To bear is -the patience of necef- gbrit. ti,,ama,ct Pity, to love to bear isthe patienceofVertue : to love to bear,i;ath cothrore e» pa- int it the higheft affection and the loweft fub;eftiosa unto Chrift. tientilviTu" The
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