Chap.4z. -!n Expotitian upon the Book of J o B. Verf.lz. 98, the fubjea of this blefsing, The latter end of Job, or Job in his Inuline] latter end, togetherwith the quantity and abundance of this bief- Pr`e tnitaoejus^ fing, More thanhis beginning. The Lord bleffed The latter end of Job. That is, Job in the latter part of his life ; and he bleffed it more than bis beginning, that is, than the former part of his life. God bleffed, and greatly bleffed the former part of Jobs life, for be was thegreatti man of allmen in the Ea(t;but now Job [hall be greater than Job, he [hall be greater than himfeff. His affli6}ion ra- zed down his houle, and all he had, to the very foundation ; but when God would hold the plummet in his hand, ana rebuild him, to what an amazing height did hishoufe arife ! The Lord bleffed his latter end, more than his beginning. The wordsare plain, and need no comment. From themwe may obferve, Firft, The latter part of a goodmans life, is the best part of bis life. Ir is often fo, I do not fay, it is alwayes fo, in outward things, God deals not with all alike ; but it is often fo, God gives them their belt at laff, even in the things of this life. As the Gover- nour of theFeaa faid to the Bridegroom (John 2.) Thou ball kept the beg wine till now. So the Lord often keeps the bell wine of outward comforts, to the very left of our lives. Bildad pur it only as a fuppofition to Job (Chap. 8. 7,) If thou were pare and upright, furely then be would awake for thee, and make the habita- tion of thy righteaufnefs pro(porous ; though thy beginning was finali, yet thy latter end fhouldgreatly increafe. But we may refolve it as a Pofirion concerning Job ; furely he was pure and upright, for God did awake for him, and made the habitation of his righteouf- nefs profperons ; his beginning was (comparatively) (mall, but his latter end'did greatly encreafe, or he had a great encreafe at his latter end. And though this be not alwayes true, as to out- ward things, that the Lord bleffeth the latter end of a good man more than his beginning;yetit is always true,as tcfpiritual things, it is always true, as to the befl things. The Lord gives his peo- ple their belt foul-blefsings at lafU ; though they have great good before, yet greater good, or their good in a greater meafure then; he gives them more grace, more of his Spirit, moreof his Kkkkkk com-
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