Chap. 4. An Expofition upon the Boekof J O B. Verf. 3 , 4. a 5 difpofífít fo many places of the Kingdom of thefe wicked fpirits. Further, taking thofe other parts of his inftrudion, as they re- fpef# perlons arllifted, who arc here defcribed by weakbandt, and feeble knees, ready tofall, unable to}land. Oblcrve first, That fore affliEtions doe exceedingly indifpofe for duty. Sore affluions make weak hands and feeble knees . The weak hand and the feeble knee are (as I Paid before) em- blemsof one unfit for any bufinefs y unfit to work, unfit to walk; when the hard is weak and the knee is feeble, what is a man fit for? Great fufferings unfit usfor action. Hence it is that the Lord moderates the arflidions ofhis people,fweetens the bitternefs,atd takes off the oppreffìng weight of them. God prarnifeth to come Ifa, g7, t6. with reviving, and that he will not contend for ever with his peo- ple. Why? A principal reafon is, Leff their fpirittfhouldfail be- fore me, and the f toles which I bave made. Left the fpirit fhould faile; that is, left they (hould fail in their duties : the fpirit can- not fail in the cffence of it, the fpirit is oían eternal conflitution; but it faileth in the duty often. And ifaf IiC ions lie too hard and too long upon a people, their fpirits fail,their faith fails, their courage failes, their labours cannot be laborious, to carry on & carry out their work.Therefore when job law any under afíii- fttions,, he endeavour'd to put courage into their hearts, and fo ftrength into their hands. Secondly, In the general we may note further, That the words of the wife have a-mighty power, f}rength, andprevalence in theta:. You fee how effteatious the words ofjob were; jobs inflrufions were ftrcngthnings, thou hail ffrengthned the weak hands& fee ble knecs;his wordswere as flays to holdthem up,that were ready to fall:Eiiphaz doth not only lsy,thou didit inilpuc many,& in iaffruding thou diditintend,ít was thy defìgn&aim to ffrengthen the weakhands,but he fpeaks of whatJob had etfeTted&wrought;. thy words put linews into the hands and knees ofmen that were weak and ready to fall, thy words were as props to hold and bear up the fpirits of thofe that were finking.Words wifely difpenfed, and followed with the bleffing ofGod, what can they not doe.? God doth the greateft things in the World by a word fpeaking ? as at the firff he made the world it felf by a word fpea king; fo he hath done the greateft things, & wrought the greateft changes in the World by a word fpeaking.When a word goes forth cloathcd with theauthority and power of God, it workes'wonders. How bath
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