Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v4

88 Chap. i z . An 6xpofition upon the Bo& of J OB. Vert i z. 2. Man is like a beafl, or like that bealf.here expreffed,for wan- tonneffe loft and vanity. Thechurch of the Jews in her defati- on to idolatry is compared to a dromedary and a wilde affe (fer. 2.23,24.) Thouart afwift dromedary, traverfing her waies,awilde affe (or, Owilde affe, fo Tome tranflate it) ufed to thewilderneffe, that f offeth up the winde at her pleafuri, in her occafon who can titra her away C All they that feekher will not weary themfelves, in her moneth they (hall finde her. The Prophet defcribeth the fpiri- tuai wantonneffe of that people in their idolatrous and fuperfli- tious mixtures by the natural wantonneffe of the affe, In her occa. (ion who can turn her away? the is not to be medled with , when the fit's upon her. Ill they that feekher will not weary themfelves, they delft from purfuing her, knowing they maytire themfelves, but not take her with all their travel, till fomewhat bath tamed her Then, In her moneth theyfhallfinde her. Not that the wilde affe (as an old Rabbin dreams) ufeth to fleep one whole moneth of the year,and then the hunters ufed to catch theionapping.I (hall remit this among Jewith fables. But the month the is tobe found in, may be the moneth near her forrows, when her burden takes offher (peed , and makes her more eafie to be brought to hind. S'orne reade the text differently, yet the fenfe is the fame. all they thatfeek,her need not weary themfelves ,In her moneth they(hall finde her. As if he had laid. A little labourwill ferve to catch her, the is to be had with cafe , when or where her luft is to be fatisfi- ed. Like this wilde affe were the people of Ifrael in fpiritual wantonneffe , fofet upon it that none could turn them from it : The prophets wearied themfelves in vain to reclaim them from that lewdneífe ; Soprone to it , that none needed towea-ry them; (elves to get their good-will , they did evenprevent wooing, and went up to thebed of love , or of myfticall fornication with the Nations round about, as loon as they did invite, but with a glance of the eye. Aad as they were like the wilde affe for piritual, fo they, together with the moil of mankinde , have undergone as mean a companion for their proneneffe to, and violent purtuit of corporal wantonnes and uncleannes. 3. Man is like awilde affe , In regard of ílubbornnefs and un teachablenefs. Wilde affes are asuntrahtable, as almofl any crea- ture. Naturalills tell us, They are all for liberty. The wilde 'affe is not ufed to burthens or brought to hand ; he or the are not fed at rack and manger they eat what, the wilderneflè affords, and

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