Chap. 9. AnExpofition upon the Book, of J O B. Nerf. 34. 3 cruelty. A rod is not for deflrudion, but for correction. There are indeed defiroying rods, which God will deflroy, and fave his people who are deflroyed by them, /will deffroy the rod of the op- pref"our(Ifa.9.4.) Nebuchadnezzar the rod ofGods anger,wasade- liroying rod, yet they among the Jews, whoBared God,were on- ly corrected, while they were deflroyed. The Lordmeans no hurt to thole who are good, when he makes them finart and die under the rod of thofe who are evil. If ever any man might think he had a fword in his bowels, rather then a rod upon his back, Jobmight, yet even he calls it a rod, while he calls to God for the removing of it, Remove thy rod away fromme: And feeing he calls to have it removed, we-may obferve, That it it lawfni for topray againff afJíiîtion. We may'pray to be cafed of that, which we mud bepatient under. To be difcontented with affliction is finful,but it is no fn (it is a duty) to defìre the taking of it away. For 1. wemay pray for the preventing of afflictions, therefore we may pray for the removing of afflictions, we may pray, Lord,keep thy rod offfrom w ; therefore we maypray, Lord, take thy rodoff from nc. 2. Afflictions themfelves are evil. There is no good in them, nor can they do us any good of themfelves. The good comet!: from a fuperiour work, from thofe admirable influences and con- .currcnces of God upon, and with corrections. The rod is an evil in it fell; and will make us worfe, unlefs the Lord make it a bleff ling to us. Some are Hubborn under the rod : and their hearts are hardened, while themfelves are melted inthe fire ofaffliction. Asman lives not by bread alone: So man mends not by the rod alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 'Tis little lets then a miracle that this dry rod (as that of Aaron did natural) fhould bloffom andbring forth fpiritual fruit, the fruits of righteoufnefs. 3. We maypray for the removing of afflictions, becaufe the Lord often fendsafflidions upon thismeffage, to befpeak prayer. Many a foul is fluggifh in prayer till awakenedby the voice of the rod. When the rod makes the fleih fmart, then the Spirit (in whom anything of the Spirit is) cries mightily unto God, and atnong the many thingsabout which the foul exercifes prayer 'under afflictions, this isone, that the affliction may be removed. As they alwayes Lin, who -n urmur at and quarrel wit God, be- saufc
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