466 Chap. 3 3, A4 Expo/titian upon the Book of J o B. Verf. zq " time to carry his wgrke thretegh with. hi,rti. 'Tis a mercy that God will fpéake once. , or ufe any means once with us, 'ris mercy that he will fpéake any one word in any, one way, to bring us otffrom (in ;'cis mercy that he will fend one vilion, or one affliction, toawaken us out of our fecurity, or one meflenger to inttru& us once inour duty; but when the Lord is pl;.afedtoufe feverall manes, and thofe feverall,meanes,feverall: tiines,how doch the aboundant mercy and gracioufnefs of God ap peace in this'. And as the mercy of,God in- generall , fo the pati- ence ofGod in fpeciall ,appeareth. aboundancly in it. The Lord waives to be gracious,he wanes the workingof this or that means, of a fecond and thirdmeanes, and he wakes the working ofthem al! over a-gaine and again, or oftentimes ; here is patience with lop;fufferance. Secondly , Obferve. God. will perfect his worke, andbrim it to an:foe with.fsnfol man. God would forgiveover working tohumble Jolr,', till he had . fully humbled him ; And this made job almoa amazed at Gods dealing with him t Chap: 7.. z 7i. i8, 19. ) what is man that thon fhouldeft magm(iehim ? and that thou fhouldeft.fet thy heart upon, him'? AO that thon fhoasldeft vi fit him every morning,and tryhim every moment. TobTeemed much troubled at this initancy ofGod with him,and therefore expoftulated in the next words,How long:. aailt thonnot deportfrom,me,, nor let me alone till I fwallow down ; myfpittle ? But, for all his crying, Gad would not depart from . him, nor let him alone for amorning, nonet fora moment till he had finiíhed his work and accomplished his- will both in him and uponhim ; till he had brought his heart into a due frame and temper under his mighty hand. Ifonce or twice will not doe it,'. he will doe it.thrice;The Lord is-not weary either ofworking or- waiting ; God is a rocke ( faith ikfofes Deur: 32.4.) and his works - isperfetî; andof all his wotkes,that of grace is mat pedal. His viable providential! works are perfeEi or (hall be before he hath done with them, or put his la(t hand to them, but his- inviable, fpirituall workes are molt, perfea;as God worketh Often tobring nun out of theElate of fin to grace ; fo he will not ceafeworking till,gracebe,perfe led, heWill .wQrie till that wor.kes-, wrought Cp.;
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