962 Chap.4a. Expofition upon the Book o f J o s. VCrf, I t They had a Tong time, evenall the time of his long affui6liora, negled3ed, or at leaf{ flackned this duty of vifiting Job ; yet they did not reafon thus with themfelves ; It is in vain to vi(it him now, or our vifiting him now may be thought but a flattering with him, or a fawning upon him a No, though they had negle&- ed himbefore, they would not add new to their old incivilities. We fay of repentance Oa is a coming to God)Late repentanceio feldom trese,yet true repentance is never too late;Nonefhould think it too late to come toGod, though they have long negledled him ; nor fhould finners,who have long negleaed God,be difcouraged: Though it be bell for us, and our duty, to repent betimes ; yet God will not refufe a firmer at any time, who indeed repents. Now as late repentance, fo any lateduty, is better than none, or than a total negle k of ìr, Jobs friends came to him, though late, and were friendly received. But what came they for ? or what did they when they came ? That's fet forth in four things, as was (hewed in opening the Text. Firfl,The Text tellsus,They did eat breadwithbim in his bottle., I (hall not flay upon that nicety which force take notice of, that when bread andwater are named together, they alwayes lignifie poor fare (t Kings 18. d..) Qliadiah fed the Prophets whom he fecured from the furyof Jezabel in Caves, with bread and water r He could not feaft them there, but gave them what might keep them alive, So that threatning ( Ifa. a .c. ) imports they Ihould not haveneceffaries. But when bread is put alone, that fignilieth ( fay they ) a full, or at leaf+, a very competent and comfortable provi ion (z SPom. 9 7.) And fo CO eat bread together is ro feed liberally together. Yet I find there two, bread and water, put together,and fignifying a full Table in one place of Scripture. When that Syrian Army,fmitten with blindnefs, was led by Eli- gra into Samaria, the Prophet laid (a Kinóe 6, za. ) Set bread and water before them,tbat theymay eat anddrink; then it follow- eth,he(thar is,theKing of Ifrael)preparedgreat provifonsfor them. The greatnefs of the provi(ion which the King prepared for them, isnot fpoken of only with refpea to their number ( an army being many,cannot be fed with a little)but with refpei t to the noblenefs of their entertainment ; which yet I conceive was but anCwerable to what the Prophet defined , when he laid , fee bread and water before them. As if themeaning were, Make them good shear
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