966 ' Chap, 4a, an Expofstion upon the Boot¿ of J o B. Verf. a r; of his troubles ; fo that his tears were then fcarce wiped away,or dryed up, and the forrow of his late adverfity was even forced to interminglewith the joy of his newly begun profperiry : The re- membrance of his affii&ion was, daub:lefs, yet very Ilrong upon him, and the painof it fcarce cif him ; he had, as yet, a tali of the vvo -mwood and gall of that mofi bitter cup, of which he had, a little before, drunk fo deeply ; his wound was but in healing, not quite healed ; and therefore they might well bemoan him, as tohis former affliaions, in that morning or day - break of his mer- cies. Joyand forrow ufe to confli& together, and flrive for ma- fleries, whether the one (hall keep, or the other get the ground,at the beginning of all great changes. Secondly, This a& of robs friends in bemoaning of him, might refpe& not only the abiding fenfe of his former afili &ion, but the fharpnefs, and forenefs of it,while it was upon him ; fo that, as his own remembrance of his former fufferings might ftill hang upon him , fo while his brethren, and other vihtants, remembred how grievous and tedious his fufferings hadbeen,it might well fir their companions, and caufe them tobemoan him. Thirdly, Pi, had none to bemoanhim, while the affli&ionwas a&ually upon him ; Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, faid he in the t 6th Chapter, yet found little or no pity from any : Now that being a great part of his fuffering, that he had none topity him while he fuffered ; the Lord Pent his brethren to him, when he was new come out of his fufferings, to perform that duty to him,which fhouldhave been done him whilehe fuffered. Further, Becaufe we ought not only to pity and bemoan our friends in adverfity, but co help them our, and make a perfe& cure ; therefore jobs friends proceed to thatduty alfo : For, hav- ing bemoaned him, the text faith, They comfortedhim. That is, they ufed all the meathey could to comfort him, they gave him comfortable words, cordial confolations. Yob himfelf had been a great comforter of others (as Eliphaz. acknow- ledged in the 4thChapter) and now he bath his comforters ; even they comforted him concerninghis former miferies, who former- lyhad been miferable comforters. From
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