3 Lo Chap. 9. An Expofition upan theBoek of J O B. Verf.22. This job affirms againft Bildads a(fertion ( Chap. 8. 2O.) who there gives his judgement thus. -God mill not cafi away a righteous man ; which (t!aough it may have a true fenfe, yet Bildads mean- ing being,that God will not call agodly man away in this life, or totally defiroy him in temporals) Job:denyes, affirming that a godlyman may not only be afiéted, but affliûed all his life, and die under that afiEtion, which in Bildads fenfe is to becalf away. For though Bildad did not hold (as Eliphaz) that every man who isaffliacd, isafflidcd for wickednefs (he thought a good man might be aflil,dted for the tryal and exercife ofhis graces)yet he was very confident, that God never futfered a righteous man to beoverwhelmed with affliction : but after fome (hurt, though (harp affaults, reftored him again. And therefore Bildadnumbred them alto with the wicked, who weredeftroyed as well as aftli- dted. This Job refutes and argues againft all along, conflantly holding the contrary principle, that a godly man may be fo aßiia- ed, as to be deft royed,that he may be utterly and for ever ftript of worldlycomforts. Hence obferve, Good andbad, righteous andwicked,are often involved in thefame outwardevils. The fpiritual eftate.ofa.righteousman is fo.ftrong,and ordered in all things,that he can neither totally nor finally fall from ,or lofe it,Grace it abovethefe buzzards. But the temporal eftate ofa righteous man may be loft, both totally and finally. Ri_hes and health,and honour,are like themfelves, whoffoever is their matter,, fading and perilhing. A righteous man hath a higher tenure of things below, and holds them upon better terms then a wicked man doth ; yet he holdsthem but for a term, they are not endu- ring:fubftance to him,as not to others. A little that a righteous man bath is better then the riche' ofmany wicked(Pfal.37.16.)But the righteous may be deprived of what he hath, as loonas any of the wicked. (Ecclef. 9. I.) No man kjtowetb either love ar hatred by all that is beforehim;all things come alike to all, there ir one event to the righteous andto the wicked;as is thegoodfo is the fanner, and be that jmeareth as hethatfeareeh ax oath.Externalsdillinguifh not internals. Nomans fpiitual elate is knowable by the viewof his temporal. Say to the Land ofIfrael,thus faith the Lord, Behold, I am againft thee, and Iwill drat,forth my fivord out of his fhc rah, (ezek. 21.3.) And what will the Lord do with it ? will he not bathe it in the blood ofhis euemies,and (heath it in the bowelsof wicked
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