Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v4

Chap. i i n Expofition upon the Bookof J O B. Verf. t 3. 109 Secondly, Amen mull not be maimed, that is,without the pro- fecution and inflance of our fpirits, we mull liretchout our hearts after it, and be fwallowed up in God. Thirdly, Amenmuff not be alone or an orphan, that is without faith, love, and holy confidence : for when we fay Amen , we fay Let it be done, and (hail we fay to God, Doe all, and have no faith that any thing fha11 be done ? Let not Amen 'land alone as a poor orphan which bath neither father nor mother , faith nor love to fupport and carry it on to the objet ofprayer , to the God hearing prayer. Some interpreters give it, as Zophars fpecial aim, to remember lob that his prayers had been faithleífe and flat ; that the fpirits of his petition were exhal'd and gone. For whereas Eliphaz. and Bildadhad exhorted him tohumility and patience, fob an- Ewers, he had prayed for both , as allo that God would either end his pains or him, remove his forrows,or thew him the reafon why they were continued. Zophar ilepps in upon this advantage : Thou hat beenpraying indeed (faith he) but thyheart bathnot been right, nor thy #iritfervent,thou haft not prayed with aprepa- red heart, nor with afiretcht out handunto God ; thou haft prayed rather out ofthe bitterne, thanout ofthebolineffe ofthy(ßirit;Thy fates are thefruit ofprefumption, not offaith , ofunwarrantable boldneffe with God , not ofanholy confidence in him ; now 1 would have thee pray indeed. Trepare thine heart and firetchout thine hands, pray with all thymight, andthen hearken what the LordClod will lay. This check (as force conceive) catifed lob in his anfwer to Zophar, to complain , /am as one mocked ofhis neighbour , who calleth upon God, and he anfwereth him : (chap.rz.) as ifhehad faid, Zophar you have mockedandupbraidedme with my prayers,you thought Ididnot preparemine heart norftretcb out my hands to God in prayer : youfpeak tome as ifyou hadfelt me inaceldfweat at duty, or badfeen the imageofpale deathfitting upon all my addrefes unto God. But Iamflare Ifeelyou too hot at reproofs, andfee the image ofan unfriendly jealoufie,fittingupon°thisyour addreff to me. You doe but mock me whileyoufay unto me, prepare thine heart and flretch out thine handto gad. Yet (in my thoughts) this couníel of Zophar is fo holy and grave, that I fee not how a gracious heart (fuchPs was) could interpret it as a mock, efpecialiy con- Tittered in its,connexion with the next verle. P 3 Verle

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