C-hap. _a o. AnExpofitian uponthe Book of J "ÓB. Vert t. 427 Whatjoever agodly manfufferetb, be will not charge Godwith it, but himf. elf.. He is more careful-of the honour of God, then of his trivia peace, and had rather die then the gloryof God fhould'fuffer. O Lord (faith Daniel, chap. 9.7.) righteoufnefs belongethunto thee, but unto tes canfitfion of face ; A+td (verf. 14.) the Lord is righte- ous inall his works which he doth, for we obeyed not his voice. When the Angel was Inviting Ifrael with the plague ofpeftilence, David befpeaks the Lord in reference to the people, Loeb I have finned, and I have done wickedly ; but thefe fheep, What have they "done ? Let:thine hand.Ipray thee be agaielf me,&c. (2, Sam.24.17.) I take theblame to my fell, Lord, uponme let thy (croak be, even upon me,not uponlfrael.: So faith the foul,in reference unto God, up- on me b.: the blame of all the troubles and afi Lions which I feel,not upon God; What hath God done ? All that he hath done isright, and juft, and good. It is an argument of a holy frame of beart,so be often judging ourfelves,andalwaye: acquitting of God -r To be often complaining of our felves, and to beever exalting God ; to be alwayes thanking him for our comforts, and al- wayes Paying, wemay thank our felves for our forrows. What- foever the Lord faith or doth concerning us, we fihould not only fay with.Hezekiah(when a fad mefagevas'brought him, 2 King. ao.19.,Good it the Word of the Lord,hut alío,'Goodare the Works ofthe Lord. Many men are ready to lay their fins ('muchmore their furrows) upon God. So the Apoflle reprefents them (Rom. 9.19.) Thou wilt fay unto me, Why doth he then findfault ? Why cloth God complain of us ? wehave more xeafon to complainof, and charge our faults on God. If he hardeneth whom he will, Why are we blamed for being hardened ? For who hash reftfiedbis will Thus they queftion God, Who hath refitted thy will? whole lives are nothing elfe but a continued war againft, and re fittance ofhis will.They who strive moti to comply with the will of God,complain often of themfelves for refitting it. And though they know God hardenethwhom he will, yet they will not leave: the hardening ofanyupon God,as his fault, but as hisprerogative. They eonfefs it to be as great an aft of holinefs inGod, to har- den force men in fin, as it is to foften others by his grace : Mercy appearschiefly in the one, juflice appears chiefly in the other, but holinefs equally in both,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=