Chap9. A?t: xpoftion*pot theBookof JOB. Vert i ß. -2 2} fever befel him from Gods hand. Let God afflid with his power, yet a gracious heart rejoyccs iu it.A gracious heart will lift up that power which weakens and throws it down. Let the Lord imploy his wifdom to undo, to impoverifh f ch a man, to bring him into fuclì (traits that he cannot get out,. yet he bath enlarged thoughts of that wifdom, Hefees God is as wife in troubling ut,as he is indeli- vering. That language ofSpira, is the right language of Hell ( I judge not his perfn, but his fpeech) who in a great temptation, fpake thus, I Would Ihad morepower. then God; or,0 that t were a- hovve God. He was angry that God had fo much power, bccaufe God ufed his power againft him. A carnal man would be above God:efpecially,ifGodat any time puts forth his poweragainíi him. Whenhe is hard beheadand hungry, hefrets himfelf andcurfs his Kingand4is God, looking ipward(jfa.8.2I.) to murmur at God, Tertullian. not to pray unto him, or (peak good ofhim. It isobfcrved by one Vied eflimrio. of the Ancients concerning the Heathen, That ifGocl did notpleafé ru'aingenium, them, hefhouldbe no longer God. Suchare our hearts by nature, if ut I)e.7non God do not ufe his power,wifdom, mercy for us, we prefently with blanr,liamcum he had no power, wifdom, nor mercy for any in the world ; we benerarfr, Fer. would be above God, milers God will ferve us : but an holy heart faith thus,Let God improve his power and wifdom which wayhe pleafeth; if to affli1 and chatlen me, yea to deftroy and call me to hell, his be the power for ever, I extoll his power. Nature can on- Iy pralle God,and fpeak good ofhim,when he is doing ofus good : But grace prompts the Mart to indite a good matter, and bids the tongue be as the pen ofa ready writer to advanceGod,when fente feels nothing but finart,and fees nothing but forrow -round about. 7-bengrace is in her heights, whenthe can lift up God higheft, while he is calling to down, and laying us lowest : When we can honour God frowning, as well as finiling upon us ; finiting and wound- ing, aswell as killing and embracing us; then we have learned ta, honour God indeed, JoB
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