35o Cht.p.t3. 'Ali Expufit,on upon. thí bookof Jcb. Vetf.3, But I p}, fe GOd fhu Id have heapker +eo roJob, and granted him thi: requeft, could Job makeany my e :a ut it ? is it pt flìole for out} and afhes,fui flelh and blood co profper in a con- tention with the Aimicnty,or to reafon the ca tie with God,and carry it ? Yea, is it poffibie for man to (peak at all with theAl- miguty, or to reaton with God ? 1 arifwer, Job peaks thus,not as if he thour.ht that God and he could peafonally, or as we fay, hand to hand (peak together, and reafon out the cafe. ' l is true, God forced rues h., *.h Token with man ; but then it was ina humanegape' Gen 18. &c.) Arid when it is laid that he (-pake with Mofesface to face,as a tnan fpecakethto his friend,Exod.33.11. yet lkiofes Jiu .,or,nor Indeed c.-ajd he, fee theface of God (verf.zo.) G,,tt manifefled ftimfelt familiarly and plainly to him, this was pe -'kingface to face. So, all that Job de- fires, is but a liberty to open his mind r, ee;y toGod, and to re- ceive anfwer from God in tvh t. way he fit) dd ar.point. As if he Fan ipj;tsr ac- had faid, I had rather (peak withGod hi 1r(elf, than with you my c.fardi fedcri- friends, andI doubt not but Ifballfind at lait amore favourable hear minatìor st ve in om him.. than !have et had rom au. Jtra nfèllendi mg _ f J grat a,caujam Rgain, Job doch riot dchre to rzafon or (peak with God as an teamapud ejits adverfory,but as a Judge : He had no controverfie with God,but tribunal agore he applies himfelf to God for the determining and ending of the dìfidero: non ut contto'erfie which he had withhis friends. ejus judiciadi- Laftly, nape& did not fuÍ c`ïr chat there was any the leaf} errour in jpu;arevetìm, fed ur eel }ros the proceedings of Godwith him. but his hope was tomake it ap- errores defru- pear, eben before the tribunal of God (if he could be admitted um. Aquin. thither) that his friendshad erred in their proceedings with hirn3 and opinion cf him, Hence Obferve, Fi:ít, That man naturally fee&s refuge, when he finds himfelf oppre!f. Job found himfelf oppreft upon earth, therefore he bath re coorte to heaven. This Text is Jobs appeal. When the i\pofile Paul bond himfelf overbocn by the clamours cf the Jews, he faith, Iappealunto C Oar : We, in iucn a condition, may appeal to Chrift. When we are, pinched br men, Faith turns to God. And,that is one of the advantages which the Saints gain by their hard ufage in the world,and the troubles of this life ; they con- ver fc more with, and draw nearer untoGod,' who is the com- fort
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=