Chap. to. An Expofttiion upon the Book, of J O B. Vert. i 2. 523 iary prifon, and ,to force a grave.; It is favour to have thofe ates unlockt, and the little prtfoner'fet Cafe at liberty. Secondly, We may interpret it as an ádjursa, or an adverb, [hewing how theLord granted him life;It is an ufual Hebraifine Heiraifmuseß to put the latter of two Subûantives adverbially, Jq/h. z. t 1.: YYe quando ex duo - will deal kindlyand truly witb thee,fay theSpies to R2bab.The O - bus, Jsmul poft. riginall is, We will deal kindnefs and truth to thee, which is alto an bodant ivis rendred kindners in truth, or kindnefs truly, that is, thou may- hio7iter jumi_ ell troll us : we do not flatter thee, and we will not deceive thee tuer otrrunrq; So here,Tbou ha i granted me life andfavour ; That is, life by fa- vour, or life favourably ; importing, that the reçeit of life is the receit of a great mercy ; as if fob had laid,/ couldnot defer v e that tb eJhouldeji bellow life upon me : When Iwasformedandfafbioned in the womb , it ryas thyfavour to quicken me : Mercyput breath in- s o tbif e tender principles, andfirji rudiments of my body. And tee- ing not only fenfeand motion, are brought in by life, but reafott altb, and all the noble operations ofit, fob had reatou enough to fay, Thou halfgrantedme life, as a great, or withabundant favour. Hence obferve, Life is afpeciall favour of God. There are divers forts ofcreatures which have not the favour of life bellowed on them, no not the toweddegree oflife. The Lord hath given mannot only life,but the higheli degree of life this isa high favour. It was Satans argument (Chap. 2 .) Skinfor skin, andall that a man bath, will be give for his life ; As ifhe had faid, What is a mans body to his life? what are bat eftate, his lands, his gold and filver ? what are all theft dead commodities to his life ? Life is the moftpreciousofnatural! biding:. A worm (under this confderation) is a more noble creature then the Sun, becaufe a worm bath life,which the Sun hathnot.Tbe loeveft of a Superiour order,is better then the higheft of an inferiour ; Though the Sun be the excellentell ofall animate creatures, yet, it moves ( though in heaven) in a lower orb, then any thing that lives groveling on the earth. A leafis more gxcellent then a Pearl or Diamond, becaufe a leaf bath life in it, which thefe have not ; That opini-. on of voluptuous Atheifls,orEpicures,delivered us by the Preach- er,hath a truth in it,A living dog is better tben a dead l y )n (Eccl. 9. 4.) 1.4r though (as that voice fpake from heaven,Rev. r4. i3.) Bleffedare the dead that dye in the Lord, and though turfed are ihe,living that live without the Lord: In which fenfe the pooreit X x x dead
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=