Chap. 34. An Expofition upon the Book, of j o B. Verf. r 5. So for grace, one is fayd tobe a patient man, andanother an bum- ble man, and a third, aPelf-denyang man. Though where any grace is all graces are, yet a godly man is known by that grace which a&s moll eminently and vigoroufly in him. In this notion man is fayd to be of the dull, and to returne to dull , as if he were no- thing but dull, becaufe dull is the predominant Element in the naturall confiitution of man. And if fo, then this is an humbling confederation. Some walke as if they thought the ground or earth not good enough for them to goe upon. Mots letting forth the dreadfullnefs of famine, asa punifhmenc threatned.the JewiÑt nation in cafe of disobedience, tells us it Chat! fall on all forts , both of men and women ( Deut: 28. 56. ) The tender and delicate woman among you , which would; not adventure to fet thefoie of her foot upon the ground for delicate.. nefs and tendernefs, &c. Some are loth to put their feet to the ground,.whereas.the befl foote that ever trod upon the ground, is dull as wet as the ground trodden on,. and 'tis but duff to dug when they are in the dull,and dirt to dirt if they fall' into the dirt,_ The Apoflle, among other reafons,for this alfo, calleth'the body ofmanavile body:(ihi.l:3.2i.) Wholimachange our vilebody that . it may befafhioned like untohisglorious body. Our bodiesare vile,' chiefly from the contagion of fin,that bathmade them moil vile; But they are comparatively vile,with refpe&.to the very matter out of which they were all roprefentatively made when the firfi, man was made,without the leaf+ taint or touch of fin. Manatbell.. as to the body is but a little breathingdull ormoving clay. And dial we fpiritually look upon thematter of our bodyes, itwould exceedingly humble our fpirits, andkeep them low even when . like fordan they are ready to over-fldwall the banks ofmodefly, and moderation. We heare of a bird, who priding himfelfe fpreading and perufing his fine feathers, is prefentlyas it were, afliamed by Iooking cowmupon his owne black feeteï Surely did' man often confider that his whole body is of the earth , it would be an excellentmeanest° keepehis heart in a lowly frame, how r highly'föever himfelfe is-exalted in the earth.' And as man, while he lives is from thedull;, fo when he dyeth ( that's another humbling confideration) his- body not only re- turneth unto'duft, but turneth into dull. David, as the figure of Chrifl: cryed out (Pfol: 22. r 5.. ) Thin haft brought me into. the, 599
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=