Chap. 33. An Expofition upon the Book, of J o B. Verf. 22. 359 is, the outwardprofeflionof a hypocrite confumed in ficknefs, and no more feen ; will the hypocrite"alwayes call uponGod? (Job 27.10. ) He wilinor. He that doth all to be feen (that's the charatler ofa hypocrite (Math. 6. S. ) will in a little time doe fuch a little or rather fuch a nothing in Religion, that it can- not be feenat all. His profeflion is lick, when he is tick ; and then alto that which was not feen flicks out ; the hypocrite covereth many of his corruptions, his impatiency,murmuring, and unbelief, in a day of profperity with the skinat left or fair Phewof faith, but inaday of trouble thofe dead bones appear,and flick out.A day of forrow, fickneífe, and trouble is a great difcoverer ; it occafions the appearanceand flicking out of many bate lulls that were not feenbefore. 'Tis foalfo in the betterway with godly men, their corruptions, that appeared upon thembefore, are abated,wafted, and confumed by affli&ion, and many of their graceswhich lay hid andunfeen,flick.out and appear glorioufly in a day of trouble, or upon a liickbed.Their patience & fubmiflionof Spirit tinder the hand of God, their long-fufferance and fweet felf-refignation to the will of God, which lay hid,. Phew thernfelves. Sieknef e and afflictionmakewonderfull changesand difcoveries both as to the outward and inward man 'tisfeldomefeenor knowneither howgood or how bad any man is, till be is infaine er reduced toforeextrea- mity; till his very bones are vexed, or till, as Evils, further de- fcribes the fick.man in the next verfe. V rf. 22. Hisfoul draweth nigh to the grave, and his life to theeleflroyer. When the difeafe isat the height (as Phyfitians fpeak,) then the lick mans foul draweth nighuntoand is ready to goe downe into the grave. But doth the foul goe to the grave ? I anfwer, . the foul, here, as frequently in Scripture, is put for the perfon ; - as if he had faid,themandraweth .nigh tohisgrave; The foul being, the nobleft and moll princely part ofman, is honoured with the denomination of thewhole man ; or, becaufe all the world is no, thing tous (as Chrifltoldhis Difciples ( Math. 16. 26.) if we lofe our fouls, therefore man is fpokenof as ifhe were nothing bat a foul (gen. r4.. 21.) The King of. Sodom faid unto tA- kram,givomethe fouls,,and take.thegoods,to thyfelfi we tranllate, gve.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=