Chap. 6. An Expofition upon the Book of J O B, Vert r2. ¢ r to exchange a fuit offlefh,a fuit offackcloth,and forrow,for a fait ofglory, for a cloathing of immortality,and garments of everla- flingpraife. Verf.12..Is my f rength the ffrengtb ofj}ones ? Oc is myflefh ofbrafs? Thefe words may refer to the former part of the eleventh verle, De eis- xèui. What is my ffrength, that Ifbould hope ? What is it ? Let us Teri- out Calybaus oufly examine and confider what my ilrength is, Is my ffrength nonfum. Lag_ the ffrength offfones ? or is my fleJh of brafr ? Am I made of fuch des corpora hard mettle, think you, that I am able to endure any thing ? Only funt,nonfelura a body of brafs and finewes ofIron, are thong enough to endure bua i aura, this. tryal. Stoncs and brats are hard bodies and heavy bodies, q non ladle they can bear blows and knocks without breaking ; They yield ce iunt ails not eafily to the hammer ? It is hard to make an impreflìon upon eorporibus,un- them, with many, and thole violent firokes. To fay a man is dè robur lapi- as prong as (tones, or that, he bath a body ofbrats, is to give him ,e pro dpi íirength, which isnot mans, and to let him two degrees below himfelf. Beafis are ftronger, and can endure more hardfhip theca man.' Trees are fronger, and,can endure more than Beats. Stones are yet fironger, and can endure more then Trees. There- fore, while he asks, whether his íirengtla be not only, like that of beafis, who have to reafon, or like that of trees, which have no fenfe ; but like that offiones and brats, which have no vegetation or growth, heputs it to the utmoft, as if he had faid, If a man had as much f rength as a ñeaft, or a Tree, be muff needsfall at th f ftrokes and troubles,but itfeemes,yeput me lower thenfenfelefr beaffr or trees,& that I canland it out againft all formsand batteries, like a ffony rockor a brazen wall. I confefs, though the oxe loweth, when he wants fodder, and the wilde Als brayeth, when he hath no grafs, yet the (tones complains not, when you give it no food, nor doth brafs cryout, when you melt it in a Furnace: unlefs you can find, that 1am in nature, like (tonesor brais, you have no rea- fon to find fault with me. Allowme tobe either man or beaft,and you mutt allowme to be fenfible of mylforrows, and defiroyable by them. Only ftones can be thus trampled on) and brats thus hammer'dwithout pain and dying. As when man (in his fpiritual capacity ) is laid in Scripture to havea heart of 'tone, an iron finem, a brow of Brafs, It notes him refolved, againft all threats, and thong, againfl all oppofitions of. Qq q the
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