42z Chap. 3 3. An Expofition upon the Book of J o B. Verf.26. fend, come againe unto its, &c. Fearing they might not fully fol- low the inf ructions given his wife for the education of their fon, he earnefflybegged of the Lord further direóion in that natter. That prophecy either of the Gentiles to be converted,or of the return of the difperfed Jewes, exprefíeth them by this word ( Zeph: 3. io.) From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, myfaoppliants ¡hall come , even the daughter ofmy di#erfed'hall bringmine offer- ings. As if the Prophet had fayd ; They ihali fpend themfelves in fupplications at their retu:ne, they (hall come with ffrongpe- titions, with mighty prayers, as making prayer their buflnefsa They (hall not come with frozen affeéfions and cold requeffs,but with hearts flaming up in the ardency of theirdefires,and urgen- cy of their fupplications to the Lard. .That's the force ofthe word ; He(hallpray ; As if Elihuhad fayd, He (hall not come with dead-hearted prayers and petitions, (asmany doe in their fickneffeo and forrowes ) nor with a formal Lord havemercy upon me, and helpe me; but he (hall make a bufinefs of it, he (hall pray to purpofe, he (hail pray with his whole ffrength. In which fence the Lord bid Ananias goe toSaul,afterwards Paul(Ads 9. xi. ) For behold heprayer; ; intimating that he hadnever prayed all his dayes.before nor indeed had he ( though being brought up a aria Pharifee, he was much in the forme of prayer) ever prayed in power before. He 'hall pray, Some underhand this, He, relating to the mef anger praying for the Fickman, He 'hall pray, andGodwill be favourable to him. That's a truth,'ris the worke and duty of the mef;fengertopray for,as well as'.advife the-lick man. But Iconceive rather the per- fon here intended praying, is the Fick man for himfelfe, who after he bathbeen counfelled, direeced, and advifed by the meffen- ger what to doe, applyeth himfelfe to the doing of it. Further, Soine,who agree that the fick man is the perfon pray- ing, yet underhand it of prayer after his recovery ; who finding hiinfelf healed and ffrengthened prayeth untoGod for grace, or fora right.ufe of his health & ftrength. But I rather underhand it ofhis prayer untoGodin the time of his afllic`Iion_ ; whowhen his - fnsand trancgreiTons have been laid beforehim by the meffenger, and his foul-roars fearched to the b©ttome, and faithfully .creak with,
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