316 Chap: V An .Expofttion upon the Book of 'JO B. Verf. r 7- take vengeance on them. Secondly, to fatisfie cffeuded juilic;` juflice cries aloudagainst thcm,8c they have nothing to interpole but their bare backs or naked foules.The Lord comes as a fcvere Credicor,and bids thempay that which they owe,orfuff:er and to prifon, becaufc they cannot pay.Sccondly,obferve. A child of Gcd is in a happy condition under all correliisrs. As man ( in anatural or civil capacity ) at bis bef efiate together vanity, Pfal. 39. 5 . So in a fpiritual capacity, he is al- together happinefs, in his worfl outwardeflate ; Happy is the man whom God correas ; he is a gainer by corieEtion t If he Ioofeth Lfa. :7. 9. any thing, it is but the drofs of his corruptions , By this therefor" (hall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his fn Correí ions arc not fcnt to take away his com- forts, but to take away his corruptions. That fire which Cod kindles uponhis children shall burne only(as it did °the material bonds of the three children in Daniel)the spiritual bonds of their iniquity, that they may be more free to rightcoufucfs Againe Corrc'cionsare not manifeflations of wrath, but au evidence of his love,and of their fon-(hip : Whom //tae i challije, Rev.3.2 I. And if ye endure chafining, God dealetb wieh you as with font, Erb. t 2.7. The love of God is better than life, and ;.o bea fon of God is the higheflpriviledge of his love. Where flail we be hap, py if not in that which afiitres us offuch love, andof love in fuch a relation ? Hence the Apoflleconcludes (i Cor.4. 12.) So then, deathworketb in us death, that is,. our daily fufcrings and en durings. , He fpeakes (indeed ) efpecially of kffcrings for the truth, from the cruel hand of man : but it is truc likcwife of all; {offerings under the corre&ng hand of God : thole flroakes which are deadly. to our bodies, mayyet werke for ut. And what worke they ? The feventeenth verfc atufwers the queflion, air light afiElions which are but for a moment , worlte for us a Farr more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. The fufferings of the Saints are alive, and their paflions orperative : But how doe they workc ? Not by wayof merit or earning ( Ourblood cannot oblige Clod) but by wayof preparation. The Lord fends affliflions, to fafhion8t cleanfeour hearts,as fit veffels to hold an exceeding weight of glory : Our bearing the heaviefl affli&ions Both not xa ttpu weigh fia much as the leafl grain of glory, vet they fit our hearts ;r g; der, for an exceedingly ìxcellent weight of glory. We cannot fay pro perly,that they workc any glory, but by an Hyperbole in ¡peech, WC
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