324 Chap: 5. An Expafition upon the Book of J O B. Vid. 17. defpife not chaftnings, as ufelefs or unprofitable. Thirdly, theword is applied often to the rejectingof a thing or perfon, as low, dißhonourable and difgracetul; In this fenfe alto it is appliable here. Defpifc at Chafb ings ; That is doe not thinke thy felt difgrac'd when thou art chaftifed : the heart of man is naturally lull of pri _ie, Man is a proudpee offlefh. Nor doth he relent any thingmore then his own difhonour ; many canbeare the paine of the crofs, better then the flume of the trots. It is very obferveable to this purpofe, how the'Apoftledefcribes the Lord Chrift in his fufferings,Heb.r2. 2. He eneloretb thecroJs,defpi- fing the /hams : as noting,that his being above the flume of the crois, bore up his fpirit udder the crois. To defpife flame, is to look upon that, which the world counts fhamefull, not only as defpicable in it felfe, but as not hurtful! to us. Whena man de- fpifes an enemy, asGoliab difdained David (r Sam. 17.42. ) he prefumes himfelfabove his enemies power to hurt him : So to defpi(e flame is to make nothingof it, or to think our ¡elves no whit the worfe for it,yea rather to think ourfelves honour'dbyite And untill in thefenfe we can defpife fhame, we (hall defpife cor- rection and the crofs. Who is it almoft, that finds not this the hardefl text in all the chapter of afflictions ? Zedekab was more afraid tobe mocked by the fugitiveJewes,then to be a prifoner to the King of Babylon, fer. 3 8. t 9. If a man be poor, prefently he thinks he is difgráced : If he beweak he doubts he fhall be con- temned:Ifhe loofe his eftate,he fears hefhall Mofe his credit in the worldihewas a man ofplace,fome body among hisnieghbours, but now he (hall be flighted. Suffering fer well doing is our crewney fufering for evilldoingos ourPam, but it is our Marne to Puffer. Fourthly,To defpife a thing, notes the Plightingof it as if we did not think it worth while,to take any notice of iv,and fo this will be the fenfe,Defpife not thou the chafinings ofthe Lord; that is,doenot flight the chaftnings, doe not lightly pats them by, doe not look upon them as inconfiderable, as not caringwhat God doth with thee or thine. .When God !ayes bit bandupon a:s,be wouldhave us lay it to our hearts. As it is our dutyto be affected with mercies,fo likewife with chaftnings.If a malefactor fhould fay to the judge,do what you will with me,I care not;or a child to the parent,corect me as long as youwill, I care not,how unnatural were this?This is pro- perly todefpife affliflions.Som are like Leviathan M this(job 41. 27.)They ether iron as ftraw, and brafs,ae rotten wood : They make'
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