Chap. 42. 4.1n Expofition upon the Book of j.n s. serf.- t 3. 993 fpoken doubtfully, at leafl, of fobs former children, as if (though good, yet) not very good ; and they give two reafons for it out of this book. Firfi, Becaufe, when they went to feel at each others houfes Job ufed to offer facrifice, fearing his children had cutfedGod in their hearts. Secondly, Bildad(chap. 4.)feems to lay a blot uponhis former children, 1f thy children (faith he) have finned againff him, and he have cafe them away for their tranfgrejion, &c. which may intimate the finful miscarriages of his former children in the courfe of their lives, as well as that dreadful accident by which they dyed. Yet, I conceive, we need not cafi any fuch blot upon them ; they might be good, though there were better, and fo a double mercy to their father. He had alfo (even fogs, and three daughters. Hence note Children aregreatblefngs. When the Lord told Abraham (Gen. r ç. 2 ) 1ant thy (hield, and exceeding great reward, Abraham faid, Lordwhat wilt thou giveme feint 1 go childlefs ? As if he had faid, what is an in- heritanèe without an heir ? Children are a bleffing which God many times denieth his own children: God denied Abraham that biding long, yet gave it him at lafl. Abrahams fervant re- porting the bleflngs of God bellowed upon his mailer, put this as chief (Gen. 24. $ 5.) The Lord hash bleffed my mailer great- ly, he is become great, be barb given him flocks and herds, flyer and gold, men fervants and maid fervants (what follows ?) and Sarahmy matters wife, bare a fon to my matter, when Me was old. Abrahams fervant counted this the complement of all hismailers outwardbleflìngs, that as the Lord had given him a greateElate, foa fon to inhent and poffefs it after him. And if children be a blefling ? let all who have them take heed of looking upon them as a burthen. And Icing they are a bleflìng of the Lord, feing they come from him, let all who have them be admonifhed to bring them up for him , or, as the Apoffle direóts , In the nurture and admoni- tion of the Lord. Whatever we receive fromGod we fhould ufe for him, and return to him ; our elutes fhould be ferviceable to theLord, and above all we fhould labour,to make our children ferviceable to him. L1111/ Thtis
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