Chap. I. 1ln Expoftionupon the BookofJ O B. Verf. That no man can poftively conclude what it wreright in the heart of another. The heart is Gods peculiar ; as he only hath the lock and keyof the heart,to Phut or open it, fo he only hath a window to look in- to it ; we mayguets at the heart,we may fay it may be, further we cannot go. The hearts ofmen often come forth at their mouths, and appear in their anions,& then indeed we may conclude their heartsare naught; For out of the abundance ofthe heart the mouth fpealth, andthebandworke,th; but unlefs we have that tefiimo- ny, unlefs the heart gives that witnefsagainft it felf, we can only fufpet it ; it may be thus or thus : God alone can tell when we curfe him in our hearts, and (ifwe go on impenitently in thein) irreverent thoughts will be interpreted a curling of God. Thus did Job continually. This is the third thing to be opened in this verfe, to wir, the couftancy offob. We have teen the Aas of his fpiritual care, and .. the ground ofit,his fear left his. foes had finned.Nowwe have the conffancy ofthis duty. Thus did Job centinually. Continually] The Original is, gill the days ; thus did. Job, Gunelis diebus, all days, that is, all thedays that this occafion did offer it fell. When his Ions went to feafting, then ever fob went to praying and to facrificing. Continually,or all the days,doth not import that lob did offer facrifice every day;This continually is to be underftood in the renewed feafons; All thedays, are thofe days whereinoccafion was given.We are then faid to do a thing con- tinually whenwedo it feafonably, fo thofe places of Scriptureare -(lief. 5 17. to beunderftood ; Pray without ecafing ; not that a man fhouldEFh. 6. 18, - do nothing elfe but pray, but that he should labour to have his heart in a praying frame always,and fhould aó ually pray as-often as duty requires ; fuch anoneprays always. So here jobs "offering facrifice continually, noteth only the conftancy and perfeverance ofJob in the duty,that fo often as there was an occasion renewed, job renewed this fervice and holy care concerning his fons,for re- conciling them unto God. Job had many other things to do in the `world, he had a calling, yet he offered facrifice continually. It is an excellent point offpiritual wifdorn, to drive the two Trades forHeaven andearth fo,as that one thall not intrench upon another;for a man topray fo as that it maybe faid he prays c;,ntì- L2 noaiy
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