Chap. t 3. An Expofationupon the Book of Jo$. Verf. 13. clay,Job. 4. 19. Other Scriptures call it, an earthenvefel (a Corr. 4.7. ,) Wehave this creature(faith the Apoffle,but it is) to earthen vefels.They had the treafure ofall Gofpel truths,of GofpeIgraces andof Gofpel gifts ; thefeprecious treafures theycarried about with them, but all inearthenveffels : Yea,the bodyofman is not only called earthen,but thewhole man is called earth; and as ifhe couldnever be called earth enough,he is called earth three times over inone verfe(Jer.2.a.29.)O earth,earth,earth,hearthe wordof the Lord : Which words,though they may well,and(poflìbly)moff properly in that place be taken as ari appeal (ufual inScripture) to:the whole body of the earth, yet they have a clear truth,as ap- plied to the bodies of men made of earth ; all men on earthhave earthen bodies, and moff men have earthen minds too, and fo very earth, or earth, earth, earth, nothing but earth. It is re- ported in the French Hiffory,that when anold Counfellor would needs depart the Court, and retire himfelf to a private life, the king defiredhim to leave him his advice in fotne general rules, what to do in the government of the kingdom ; at whichmotion he took a fair paper, and wrote upon the topof the leaf,modera- tion and in the middle of the leaf moderation, and at the bot- tomof the leaf, moderation : His meaningwas,as if he had laid to that King, Sir, ifyou would keepyour kingdom quiet, carry the reins of your government moderately quite through. So here, if the quellion íhould be,what is man? and a blankpaper werepre- fentedme to fet down Jobs opinion of him, I muff write on the to of the leaf, earth, in the middle, earth, at the bottom earth : H:s remembrances are like unto a(hes, and his body to ;body of clay Job having taken his friends down by thefe arguments, and cooled their fpirìts, thinksnow they may be dealt withal!, and therefore concludes, Verfe 13. Holdyour peace, let me alone that 1mayfpeak, andlet comeonme shat will From the conneeti.onof thefe words, we may Obferve, That aman when he is humbled, is in a good temper tohear counfel. Tour bodies arebodies ofclay, now, Let me alone, bald yearpeace that I nsayBeak; 1f you attend your own condition, you will the better attend my counfel Pride of heortJioppeth the ear. hh They 417
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