46 Cha p.to. .4n Expofition upon the Book of j 0 B. Verf. 6.. Jacobs ftuii: that there are force who make excufes and apologies- for them : to thefe the Lord comes with a fecret fearch for their iniquity The word in Jeremy figuifïes digging; I have not found it by digging : Come put their Gus under ground; only deep dig- ging can find thefe oat. Yoh enquires ofthe Lord, why he made. inch fearching after his iniquities, why he was fo curious, in look- ing into every corner ,and behind every door, to find out the. Sementiaplana rubbith of his life, teeing he clofefrfin is as open tohis eyeas ell urìñpee- the Sun at noon-day ;. and betides, God knew hat job had no corn men cur:. clofe fins, no darling beloved fin in his bofom, no fweet morfels !Rs inquirat, of any forbidden fruit under his tongue. He tells the Lord as cum drus jit much in plain terms in the next words, Thouknoweji that I amp tut nota nt et not wicked. As we a fe to fa to a man that makes a butìe fearch er!pe£7a amnì- y a, errant ìnte- after any thing, either in a place or about a perfon, where there tiara coressai. is no probability that it (hill(' be found ; or when we fuppofe BOO, the party feaskh.ing cannot yave the leafl ground ofperfwafiony that the thing is there, or with him In fuck a cafe (I fay) a man will anfwer, why do ye make filch a fearch ? ye know what ye look for is not here, ye know well enough I have it not, ye have force other ends in. this. Thus job (peaks here, Lord, whyy eft tbon fearchfor mine iniquity. Thou knowelf well enough that I am t wicked,there iscertainly fomewhat elfeittthe winde:Shewme wherefoos v thou contendedwith me. Take a note or two from thefe words, That thouenquireft after mine iniquity &c. Firíl, God knoweth us before he fearcheth us. Job profeffeth of himfelfas a Judge (Chap.z6..t 6.) The cast re which Iknow not Ifearchedout,but God fearches out thofe calks which he knows. God Both not fearch us that he may know us, or to infirm himfelf but to make us know hirn and ourfelves. There are not many, who know themfelves at all, there are none who know themfelves enough. The Lord fearches us, that we may fearch our felves. There are not many who know God at all, there arc none who know God enough ; God fearches us that we may leek afterihim. By every adliftion the Lord would make us know our felves, and himfelf better. It is Paid of Manafeb,when. he was in the bryars, That, then Manaffeh knew the Lo I,and then doubticfs ) he began to know himfelf. The fame light that brings us to the knowledg ofwhat God is, brings us alto to the know ledge ofwhat our film are, Secondly,
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