280 Chapa;. !in expofiit óit 'upon the Bookaf 3 -0 B. Vetl:i7. Fourthly, Obferve, That afffiCtions continued cazrfetotofeleil that one peayers are not anfivered. \Vhy doth Jab think that God hcarkned not to him ? Iwould not beleive (faith he) that God hadhearkned unto my voice ; why? P rey Deus ve- becaufejlill be continues to breakme. Faith is put hard to it at filch r exaudiat, a'tire ;and this is the thingwhich tumbled Job,he,could not tell tornP- how im how tomake it out,thatGod had heard his prayer for him,becaufe serfiii;''cofli- he heard fo great a noife of tempefis and forms again( him. It is tutu, feesau °, very difficult for faith to fee mercy thorow clouds of trouble. It diránon credit. . is a hard thing for faith to look upon the pleated face ofGod tuo- row a lowring rempeft, or to beleive the call-mice ofGods heart to us in troublefòme difpenfations. Therefore he (peaks here as if his faith were even mafter'd.The providences ofGod are often too hard for man. And with this temptation Satan helps on unbelief. Ifhe come to a foul in-afflifaion,which kcepeth dole tohis inte- refts irr Chrift; Yea (faith"he)youmay drrfo thiugh afiî-ions were áiponyois, butyur1 are more thenafietions, yours are tempefts and ftorms: Goddealeth withyou as with an enemy,yoters areno ordinary, matters,yours are like theportion he gives to thofe he hates, I would not .weakenyourfaith, becaufe ofa chaftening rod,but youare beaten withfco,pion.r,andwill you(till beleive?Can God loveyou and deal thus with you ? Thus the ferpent whifpers in thole louder tan- pets ofafHi Lion. Fifthly, Obferve, That Affi'iftions continued caufus tofulled that our prayers (hall not be anfwererl. And fo I find fome rendering the former verle in connexion with this, IfIhave called,andhe loath anfweredme,yet will Inot be- leive that he will hearken to my voice.As if hehad faid,I know God bath heardme heretofore,but I fear he will hear me no more ;be- caufe I findhis hand foheavy upon me. Surely then he hath for- gotten to be gracious, and bathPhut up his tender mercies. For- mer experiences can hardlykeepfaith whole, while we are under pre- feat breaking:. Lafly,-Ifwe take the words, as importing a calling to God for anfwer in a way of provocation (as was (hewed before) them the fenfe is;IfI had an ambition io contendwithGod,andhe hádan- fweredme;by condefcending to that caurfe,yet I could not beléihe he had.hearktted to my voice, that is, I' couldnot beleivcthat fie had yielded the caule to me.; why ? becaufe he goes on fill tobreak nie
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