Chap.r2. An Expoititzon upon the B00%of JOB. VerC.q.. 183 cedent to him,to be the Lord, and fo make the oppofition thus He that walketh in his uprightnefs,fc. reth the Lord,but he that is perverfe in his waits defpifeth him,that is,defpifeth the Lord. But the meaning of theproverb is this , A man walking in his up_ rightnef:c feareth God , but a perverfe man will defpife that wal1eth in his uprightnefs; you arefo precifeyou gof ò gingerly, as if yea were piling a narrow .bridge over a deep precipice, yea will not tarn afide or fiep awry,notyott:thtts he is defpifed. The Apoílle reports us a great exampleof this unholy (corn, (Gal.4. 29.)He that was born after the fief', ,. did perforate him that was .. born afterthefpirit. Ifhmael p_rfecuted Ifaac. Mofes tells us the manner how, and the weapon wherewith; 1fhinael did not lift up his hand againn Ifaac(as Cain did againft 4bel)bnt his tongue; He mocked him.;( Gen,21.9.) Thofe greaten differences in di -- vineHeraldry of being born after the flefh andafter thefpirit,, thew where the quarrel lay, it was the fpiritualnefs of Ifitac.,, which rendered him fo obnoxious to his carnal brother Ill sael, Ifaacwas born after the.fpirit,& doubtlefs he (hewed force fruits of the fpirit, which Ifhmael didnot refill), and therefore mocked him. Even fo it is-now(faith the Apoftle there) &we may now fay, even fò it ù now : the reafon ofit is that oftheApoftle,. (a Cor. 2. 14,) Thenatural man receiveth not the things ofthe fpirit of God , for theyarefoolifhnefs unto bin:. A rational man laughs at, and (corns a foolilh thing; Nòw the natural man bath reafon enough (he may be a man of themolt fublimated reafon) but having no grace, he underftands not the things ofthe fpirit of God, therefore they arefooliflmefs unto him ; Thofe things which are fulleft ofDivine wifdome , are counted molt foolith by him that underftands them not. As they are fools.who can- not underftand , fo force wife men count many things foolifh which yet are above their underltanding. No marvail then, if they ufe them as fooliíh things, ifthey mock and fcorn them;no- marvail, if they deride thofe who trouble themfelves with fuch baubles and toyes as they conceive the things ofGod to be. No marvail, ifthey count them a companyofhairbrain fellòws,who are molt confcientious about them. Hence it is that Gofpel fini- plicity is mockt as Ginplenefs , punctual obedience , as fcrupu-- loufne`s, forrow for fin, as dumpifbnefs, zeal, as madnefs, con tempt of the world as ignorance_ ofthe worth of it, felt.deni- al, as a wronging of our felves. It is recorded in the life. o .
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