366 Chap. 33. An Expofition upon the Book of J o B. Verf. 22. pie for their murmurings and unbeliefe, for their ten-fold pro- vocations in the wildernefs,might fay fromhis owne experience more then molt men to that poynt ofmans mortali y. Andas ú64 turned that people to deftruction,and iayd according to that irre- vocable fentence ( Gen; 3. 19. ) Bourne yechildren of men to your originali and firfi materiali , dui ; fo he faith the fame to menevery day, whoas they are duff, fo we fee them re, urning to their dust. Every difeafe, if fo commiilion'dby God, is death, and every paine (ifhe fay it) the period of our lives. Againe , Elihu is here fpeakingof a man whom the Lord is but crying, teaching, and inftruLing upon hisfick bed ; yet he faith, .Hso- foule is drawing neere to the grave, and his life to the de- /troyerr. Hence obferve. Thole a f il'tions which are butfor infruffion, may looke like theft which arefor deftruition. When the Lord bath apurpofe only to try a man, he often aEls towards him as if he would kill him. Ifany shall fay, this is hard, I anfwer; A ruffehorfenaafi have arufe rider. Ruffe wood will not cleave without a beetle and wedges. We put God to ufe extremities, that he may bring us to a moderation. Our fpi- rits are often fo rurfe and head-ftrong, that theymuff be kept in withbit andbridle ; they are fo tough and knotty that thet e no working, no cleaving of them till theLord fets his wedges to us, and layes on with his beetle of heaviefl and hardeft aíilic'lions ; In a word , we even compel! him to bring us to deaths-doore, that he may teach us' to live. Now Peeingpaines and fickneffes (of which Elihu fpeakes as the way and meanes by which God fpeakes to finfull man) are accompanied with fuch dreadful! fymptomesand effeEs, loathing and lofe of appetite, confuniptionof the flea), and the breaking ofthe very bones, the foule drawingneere to"the grave, and life to the deftroyers; feeing I fay, there are fuch fad effeCts of tiick- neife, remember, Firff, Health is worth the praying to Godfor. Secondly , Health is worth the prafing of God for; and that cnnfidered, either, firíi, as continued, or, fecondly, asreftored. 'Tis a mercy not tobepained; not tobe ficke ; 'tiea mereCenci- ble
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