Vert. 7, $7Z Chap. 42. An Expoftion upon the Bookof Jos. job had his failings; but the Lord took no notice of them, but made a determination in hiscafe, as if he had fpoken right in all things. The Lord will not flatter his fervants when they .fail, . yet he is very favourable to them, even when they fail ; he told fobplainly enough, that he had darkned counfel by words with- out knowledge, while heasked him, whodid it ? (Chap. 38. z.) He intimated alfo, that yob had contended with him, and repro- ved him, that he had,(confcquentially) attempted to difannul his Judgement, and condemn him (Chap. 40. z, 8.) yet here when the Lord came to make up the matter between Joband his friends, he fpake as if he had forgot both his own cenfures of him, and the occa(ion of them. Holy Davidacknowledged (Pfal, 13o.3.) If thou Lordfhouldff mark onryrities, OLord, whofha/l Rand ! The Lord doth not mark iniquity where he feeth much integrity ; the Lord dothnot mark every arrow that flies betide the mark, when, he feeth the mark was honeflly aimedat.Wc fay,he may be a good Archer that doth not hit the white, if he come but fomewhac near it ; he indeed is a bungler that mifleth the Butt. Jobaimed at, and came neer the mark, though he did not alwayes hic it. The Lord will give a good teflimony of us, if we aim right at, though we fometimes mifs the mark. It is faid of Zechariah and Eliza- beth (Lul¿e z. 6.) Thly were both righteous. There'snot a word fpoken of their failings, though doubtlefs they had their failings, both as to the Ordinances and Commandements of God. Eighthly, The Lords wrath being kindledagainfl Jobs friends, we might expe& he would thunder upon them; yet he only faith, Ts havenot fprkenof me the thing that is right. Hence obferve ; The Lorddealeth mildly with inners. He did not give wrathful words, though his wrathwas kindled; he did not call Elipbaz, and his friends Hereticks, nor tell them they had belyed bim, and flandered hisproceedings ; he did not aggravate their fault by grievous words, he did not upbraid them pa-rticularly : but, without bitternefs or hard reflexions, com- prehended their all faults in one general foft word, Te:have notfpoken of me the thing that is right. This fhould be our pat- tern in dealing with an offending brother : whereas many, if a bro-
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