352 Chap.t3.An Expoftion upon the Book of job. 'Verf.3 all thefe we fpeak to the Almighty, and he hash promifcd to give us anfwer to our doubts, cafe and fatísfa&iön to ourSpirits. Though God doth not appear vifib y tous, or make anfwer au- dibly, yet when we fpeak in Faith, and with fincerity, he an- fwers us really, and the effe& is often made as clear to our experience, as if God had condefcended to a freeconference face to face. Secondly, Forafmuch as Job after all thefe arguings with his friends, beingRill unfatisfied, defires to reafon wth God. Obferve, That whenwecannot get fatirfallian frommen, we may yet expel it from Gad. The reafon of all things is in God, and though we mill not reafon with him, as contenders, yet we may andought, as Learn- ers. As it is the honour of thrift, that we fhould go to him for falvation, fo for inftru&ion. He is our Prophet, as well as our Prieft, our Oracle as well as our Advocate. He (peaks to us; as well as for us. What man cannot teach us, he will : We may carry our doubts from friend to friend,fror Preacher to Preach- er,andyet remain. unrefolved. As force fickneffes of thebody are the Phyfitia;nr reproach, he cannot remove them : fo fotne Diftempers and trouble of mind are in that fence) the .Preach- ers reproach, he cannot cure or ;quiet them yet , both body and mind may find remedy in fpearing unto the Almighty, dad in reafoningwith God. 'Tis a fault in many that they are fo flow in asking God, and fo forward in askingmen. We fhould ask God before men, and make him not our refuge only but our choice; we fhould fpeak to the Almight, not only when men give us noanfwer, but before we leek theiranfwer. It becòm- eth us upon any doubt to enquire, firft, of God by prayer, and to hearken what he will fay to us in it. Many have had their fcruples and troubles taken away by an immediate workor mo- ving of God upon their hearts ; and 'cis fweeteft and molt re- frefhing when we have it fo. It is the will of God that we fhould ufe means, and take advice, both of Chriftian friends, and of the Minifters of Chrift ; God often goeth fourth with their counfels, and.makes them profper : But if he withdraw his help from men, and appear not in their teachings, it is to draw us out yet more in feeking to be taught by him, and in defiring that he would give us our comforts with his own hand, and tell usgood tidings of peace and mercy with his own mouth. So he may
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