53$ Chap.ro. An Expofision upon the Book of J OB. Verf. 14. have prevented my felf from, falling into that fin which I was molt fubjed to, and in danger of, both in regard ofmy conf}i. tutionand temptation. Taking this meaningof the word , are whole verfe is rendred. thus, If, or, when Iam ready to fin thou (ftoppeft, or) preventeft me, Why then doll thou not acquit mefrom mine iniquity? As if he had Paid,. Lord, wilt thou deal withme,as with a wicked man ? Thou knoweft that Iam not wicked,for by thy preventinggrace, thouhaft kept me from all wickednefs, and ftopt me from many fins. Whence note, That the remembrance of thepower of God in keeping us pure fret» greater fins, is an argument that be willfpare us, though we have (through infirmity)fallen into fin. He that holds us from iniquity,will not deftroy us for iniquity. Some are ftopt from fn , and ftorm when they!a.re fiopt ; thefc haveno reafon to think, God will fpare them, becaufe he hath flopt them. Thou fands are ftopt from fin, who neither know what it is to fin,nor that they have been flops from tin. Thefe can- not plead this point : As it is no vertue to endure what is not grievous to us : fo no grace not to do what is not joyous to us, when wedo it. But to knowwe are floptfrom a pleating fin, and rejoyce at it,to fee how our corruptions have been prevented,and to biefs God for it ; this is a great degree of grace. As there isa preventing grace,whichbeginneth with us,while we are grangers from God, andare walkingon in the wayes offin ; fo there is a preventing grace, watching over us after we are turned to God, left we fall into fin.Experience of this may be a fwect fupport un- to the foul udder the faddeft aftiehions,and in the darkeft night offpiritual defertions; 1t1178,6 Thirdly,The word fignifieth to keep in prifon, or in fafe culto- H.21 dy.,The Noun is prifon in Hebrew. And thus the fcnfe is given Ejuiarudedu- three wayes, as an Af ertion, as an Interrogation, as an Impreca- ?writ. Eta&.i Lion. Fir1t, as an Altertion,IfI havefinned thou wilt, or thou may. trioG türichi.' ef( imprifon me, andnot acquit mefrom mine iniquity. Whence note, That the befi and dear$ ofGodsfervantsmay look for traits, if they r'alkloofjy. TheLord will (hut them up, if they prefume and lake undue liberty, ut grow licentious. They (hall be either humbledor de- ftrdy,d) wiio turn the grace ofGod (that is, the mauif-itation of
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