Chap. a r. ef4ra Expofition capon the'Book of JO B. Vere i z. ga punifh and chaflen them ;. What of that ? So (hall vain man be made wife, &c. As if he had laid , The end of the cha- flening of God upon man., is to make him wife , or. (as the Prophet fpeaks, Ifa. 27.9.) By this (hall the iniquity of man be purged, and this i. all the fruit to take away his finne, his vanity , that the wilde affes colt may be born a man, or re- born. This interpretation gives us the very languageof the new Tellament, about the grace of regeneration, or a newbirth; Job. 3.5,6. In which this wonder is continually wrought, 4Wilde affe is born a man. Hence obferve, That apt-lion;blefd andmade effectual by god, make agracioua change in man. How many ignorant men havewith correCtion received inflru.: &ion ? How many proud men' have been made humble, and of carnal fpiritual ? Howmany unruly fpirits have been brought in compaffe,and ftubborn ones fubdued with a rod ? The rod and the Word workmiracles,when God works with them. If God fpeak to a dry rod, it (hall bring forth thefe Almond bloffoms;and hea- venly' fruits; and unleffe he fpeakwith the Word,we continuedry,' yea dead , earthly and unfruitful. Before Iwas afjáifledIwent a- firay, faith David.; David wander'd Jike a Iheep, and was as a beaft ; af$i&ion made him a man, and turned himhome, Ephraim crieth out, ler.3i. x 8. Thou haft chaflifedme , and I was.chaftifed, importingeither the firength of the affliction : when Godwill af- llia, no man can flay his hand, or take ofhis blow : Or the effect of the afll. uion, Thou haft chaftifed me, and Iwas chaftifed, that is, I was bettered by my chaflifements. The Lord-chaíleneth forre, who are not.chaflifed; there is no change made,they do not mend with beating. This I rather pitch upon,as the meaning of Ephraims bemoaningacknowledgement , Thou haft chaftenedme , and I was chaflened: and obferve how he fpeaks ofhimfelf under the noti- on of a beall , I was a a bullock. unaccuflomed to the yoke , I could not endure to come under difcipline , I could not a- bide the yoke , or fubmit unto thy will , Turn thoume , and I (hall be turned, for thou art the Lord my god ; But is this the language of a beaft ? No, when once the Lord had .cha- flened him , he fpake like a man , whereas before he fpake and did like a beaft , even like a bullock unaccuftomed to N the
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