79-6 Chap, 34. An Expoftion upon the Book, of J 0 B. Verf.31, Firfi, Tobe much in fearching our own hearts, and wages,' or how'tis.withus, and what hathbeendone by us, (Ecelef, 7,14.) In the dayofadverfity conEder, that is, bethinkyour felves, 'Firfi, What God is doing.Secondly,What youhave been doing.Thirdly, What becomes you to do in fuch aday. The prophet points us to the two latter Duties of fuch a day in one verfe, (Lam, 3.4o.) Let aufearch and try our wayes, and turn again to the Lord. Tofearch our wales, is to confider what we have been doiiig ; to turn to theLord, is the great thing tobe done, in a day of adver- fity Secondly, As this exercife of the foul confifis in fearching our own hearts; fo in fearching the heart of God (if I may fofpeak) that is, in anhumbleenquiry CO the utmofi, what God meaneth by any affliction, what bath movedhim to afflict us ; and we have as much caufe to fearch Gods heart, as our own inthis cafe. Thus in that National affliction (aSam. 21. 1.) when the famine conti- nued three. years, year after year, it is faid, Davidenquired of the Lord,wby ïs it thus ? he fearch'dGods heart by defiring an an`'wer from the Lord, what fin it was which provoked him to that fad difpenfation. And thus we (hould be enquiring ofGod by pray- er what fin he firiketh at, or what grace he fpecially calleth us ro a66 by any aflíi&ion which he fendetheither upon our families or perfons. Thirdly, There is an exercifing ofour felves in fearching the affliction it feff ; _ fir(i, in-o the nature of it. Secondly, into the circum(lances ofir, how timed, and meafured, by what hand,and in what way the Lord dealswith us ; this is a great exercife, and . unlefs we are thus exercifed under affli'tion, weget fmarr, and lofs, andbitternefs, but no good at all by it. So much for the firfi counfel given job by Ehlas, It ismeet to be faid unto God, I have born chafifement. His fecond counfel as it lies here in theorder of the Text, is about the reformation, or the amendment of what is amifs. Iwill not offend anymore, 1,21 t tiL1 It is fit the afflicted fhould fay miróGod1wilnet offend,The root aitt1 of the word here ufed, fignifieth fomtimes the pains of travel in figniicat atagna nacendicupiditate ardereftcut mulieresardent deftderia contipiendiftetum;tranffer- turinfecunda conjugattons,vel ad parturientium dolorer,vel adconcupifcendi libidinetn.Moller in Pfal 744. Childs-
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