Chap. ;5. AnExpofetion upon the Book of J O B. Vert. q, and yet have no evidenceof Gods love to him ; a man may flou- rith in knowledge, be deeply rooted in learning, may have extra- ordinary branches of parts, and wonderful fruits ofgifts,yet not- withhanding all thiswhile, his habitation and his perfon too un- der a curie. And therefore, be lure that you look for your evi- dences of the love of God in the right boxe, do not look for evì- ences of the love of God in your chats, or in your purfes, but look into your hearts, and fee what Chrift hath done there, look into your lives, and fee what light (hines there from the Spirit ofChrift ; Look whether graceHowes from the Spirit ofChritl, and is rooted in your fpirits. If grace be rooted in thee there, if it fpringup and bring forth fruit in the life, this is an evidence indeed. They that are thus rooted, God never curfeth, grace and holinefs were never under any curie. Obfcrveone thing further,As thefe words hold forth the judg- ment or opinion of a godly man, concerning the wicked in prof. perity. Ihave feen thefoolijh taking root, and prefently I curfed bfr habitation. A godly manfees the wicked of theworld to be miferable in their left andmof}ffourifhing condition. When thoufands hand about the great ones of the earth,adni- ring;,applauding, making little gods of them, envying their hap- pinefs, and thinking none happy but they, or fuch as they are ; then a godly man pitties them, mournes over them, fees thern,and all fuch as they are, miferable ; He looks through all their out- ward glory and beauty, riches and honours, and fees them curb through all, hatedof God through all;He fees nakednefs through their cloathing, emptinefs and want through all their plenty and aboundance r neither is this unhappinefs confined to their own perlons, but derived to all, to whom they derive life, or hand re- lated. So it folIowes; His children are far fromfafety, and they are cruflied in tergate; S;cundsm ge neither is there any to deliver them, &c. nsrr calamita- Thefe words contain a further effed of this curie. I turfed has t;A guod l eus rrproi+ im- habitati,n, and what then ? was it an ineifeelual curie ? was it mime pilled- but wind andwords, returning and doing nothing? or did it fpcnd tats+ exitium all its flrength upon this foolifn man in his own perfon ? No H doplora an, & children arefar from et the are cru bed in doe gate &c. Oue "tem tech_ f f 3 f .y, }' J' ga msr,tC ptlbiifa of the Rabbins conceives that thefe words and the verfe follow- cot+fenfu. C c _á ing, 195
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