Chap. 3 3. An: &xpofitian upon the Book, of j o B. Verf. 30., 469 be delivered from his afflictions and have not only his life con- Linueiti, but the comforts of it reffored to him. As ifhe had fayd, ¡le nói afraid, sloe not lookypon thycondition as hopelefs , or that the humiliation of thyfelfe will be frnitleJfe,for I dareafore thee, God bath gracious purpofer and intendments towards thee in'w#rring chefs things. And herewe have a two-fold gracious purpofe of God ex- prel.fed ; Firfi-, to deliverhim from evil1, tobring back his footle from the pit., Secondly, to doe himgood, or to beflow pofitivo bleffings uponhim (aswas Mewed at the 28th verfe) even to be ent htned with the light of the living ; As if he had fayd, god in all this aymes only at mans good that his fin ur repentedof benot his death and defruè=tiox, and that under a fenceof Divine favour to- w04, him, he may lead a comfortable-hfèhere, andbe happy for ever; To bring backbit foulefrom thepit. It is faydat the 28th verfe, Hewill deliver hisfamefromping, into the pot ; in both places the pit is the fame. But feeing the Lord there promifed to deliver his fomle from' going into the pit, how is he faydhereto bring back,his foule from' the ? A man being delivered from going to the pit, cannot be fayd to be brought bark fromthe pit. I anfwer iwtwo things; the words rendred to bring backhis- foulefrom the pit, may be read thus ; to:turne away his foulefrom thept'; thatis,to preferve him from death. So the Hebrew-word is ufed ( Chap: r 5. t 3.) as alfo (Mal: 2.6.) Ike walked with me inpeace and equity,,and did : turne away many from iniquity. If we take that rendringof the word, then the exorefliois in bath places beare the fame fence: But taking it according toour read- ing, in which to bring back hisfoulefrom the pit, founds, as if the man had been in the pit already ; and it may well be fayd fo, be caufe a man ingreat affli bon, whether of foule or body, is,, as it were, dead, or buried alive. For as when God converts a frnner; he ( upon the matter )brings him back from hell; fe when he de- livers him frernanygrievous frcknefs, lie cloth ( upon the matter) bring himback from the grave. Homan in fpirituall affli &ionsand foule-defertions, the terrours of the Lordbeing upon him, called higafelfefree-among the dead, like theflaine that.lye :in thsgravel. whom
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