1992' Chap. 33'. An Expofrtion upon the Boob, of J o B. Verf.7. Our hand is heavie uponothers, not onlyby outward violence 'upon the body, but by any prelfure upon the mindor inward man ; our vexing or troubling another, whether by doing or fay, ing that which afflicts him, is the laying of a heavie hand upon him. That's the meaning ofElihu ; ,My hand (hall not be heavie upon thee; that is; I will doe nothing, nor will I fay any thing, which (in it felfe) (hall begrievous and vexatious to thee. We fndeDavid complaining ( Pfd: 32;4.) that thehandof Gadwas k,eavie "upon, him day andnight ; that is, Godappeared as difpleafed with him, he could not get evidence of his love in the pardon of his fin ; This preffed his foule like an inrollerablebur- then. Great afflictions of any-kinde are a heavie hand upon us. Elihu who law the heavie hand ofGod upon fob already, given# him this comfortable promife, That he would not adde griefe to his forrow ; Myhandfhall not be heavie upon thee I know thou hail thy load already. Thefe latter words are of the fame gene= rail importance with the former ; And we may Note further from them. . Meeknefi andgentle dealing becomes us while wewould reduce _ othersfrom their error, or reprove them for it Myhandfhall not be heavieupon thee. -The .A pale called God to record concerning the Corinthians ,< 2 Cor: i. 23, 24.) that it was to fpare them that he had not come as.then toCorinth. As if he had fayd, I was loth to lay fo heavie a hand upon you, or deale with fuch feverity, as your cafe required. And yet he adds, what feverity foever I or others (hall ufe towards you, We (hall ufe it, Not for that we have dominion over yourfaith, but as helpers ofyour fey. We (hall not come with Lordlypower upon you,we purpofenot to carry it by meere authority and command, but of entreatyand love ;- we Will not Lord it over your cónfciences, but only.regulate,them, that your comforts may flow in more freely. Hard words are oftentimes :;more preffing then the haraeft blowes. Words may weigh much more -upon the fpirit , then a heavie burthen upen the backe. I grant--a heavie hand mull be layd upon forne, there is no other way to deale with them. The word is a hammer and a fire. But as I. intimated before, we muff diflinguifh ofperlons andof caufes, and accordingly -lay, eur hand.- God bath not made his Miniflers
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