Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v12

1036 Chap. 42. an Expofition upon theBook of J o E. Verf. 17. holyScriptures. Firfl, for caution, To the intent we fhould not luf$ after evil things, ae they alfolufled. Secondly, for imitation, To the intent wefboulddogood things, which they al,o did ; and fnffer evil things, with the fame mind, and in thefame manner, as they likewife fuffered. Holy jobmay be to us an example of caution in force things, for even he had (and whohash not) his failings : He albmay be an example in many things, how both to dogood, and foaffer evil. And among all imitable examples (except that of our Lord Jefus Chriff, of whom in fome refpe&s jobmay be called a type,and the things whichhap'ned to him in his fufferings, may be called (as the Apod}le ufeth the word inanother cafe, z Cor. ro. r r.) types of what hap'ned to Chriff in his; t fay, a- - mong all imitable examples, except his) this of fob is one of the moil eminent in doing,& the mod} eminent of all in fuffcring.Let him Therefore be our pattern to do and fuffer by, our copy in both to writeby, our mirror or lookinggiafs to oblerve the difcom- pofures, and compofe the featuresand motions, both of our out- ward and inward man by ; let us admire and follow his unfpot- ted integrity inmorals, his fervent zeal about fpirituals, his un- fhaken faith, and hope for eternals; let us admire and follow his moderation in a high efface, his contestation in a low elatc, his fiedfaflnefs with,and for, God, inevery efi ate. He that (layeth in the bare fpeculation of what is written by in1piration from God in the Text, or of what is written through the helpof God, by the Rudy of man in the Expoficion of this Book, is like unto a man, beholding his naturalface in aglafs Cris the ApoRle fames his comparifon, in the ñrI Chapter of hisEpi- . file to the Cowered Tribes) for be beboldeth himfelf and goetbhis way, andfa?raightwayforgetteth what manner of man be was, that is,he forgetshis own fpors & deft&s, and fullers them to encreafe CO more ungodlinefs : But he that reduceth or brings down his fpeculat ion to action at all times, and CO a preparation for fuffer- ing, and free fubmifsion to the will of God, without any hard thot$hts of God, in hard times, and- fo conforming himfelfto what he fetch in this glafs, continueth in irç this man (hall be blef- fed (as yob was, though not in the fame manner as Tod was) both in doing and fuffering ; and after he bath fuffered a while, (hall be perfeeted and lifted up far above the reach of fuffcring, and (which is far better) above the fear of finning anymore for ever. FINIS,

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=