42._6 Chap. 13- ilia Expoftionupon the Book of Jos. Verf. 14 ---- ---..,.. flefh, becaufe through (loath and the neglect of his calling he is brought into want, and into fuch want, that if he will ear,he :nut} eat his own fled, for he hath got neither boyld nor miff, neither wetnor dry to fuflain his Iife. Or laflly, hemay be faid neat his fleíh, while he foldeth his hands, becaufe hegrows vext and paflionateagain(( himfeif, when hefees into what ilraits and bonds his lazy foldedhands have brought him. He is a fool in- deed that thinks folded hands will either fill his belly with meat, or his mind with content. So (Ifa. 9.20.) when the Prophet defcribeth the trouble of a people under the wrath of God, he. (hews that at laft they (hail grow cruel to themfelves, 7heyfhall` eat everyman the fiefh of his own arm, that is, they fhall be fo forgetful of all the laws of nature and friendship, that they (hall either vex their nearerfriends, as he fpeaks in the former verfe, No man(hallfpare bis brother, or they (hall vex themfelves, who are nearer than any friend ; no man (hall fpare his own fle(h. Thusthe Lord threatned the oppreffours of his people, that he would at IAmake them feed upon their own fletti, and drunken with their of n blood (!fa.4p. 26.) They who have been cruel againff his fervants (hall be unnatural to themfelves they (hall either deffroy and vex one another, or everyman shall delfroy and vex himfelf, till theyareall utterly confumed. l'ob fees no reafon why he fhould do what fuch as thefe do for want of faith. Wherefore fhould 1 take my f efh inmy teeth ? I know my duty is to love and take careof my felf, and I know God loves and takes careofme too. Some felf-love is a vertue in all,a grace in fome, it being the meafureof that love we owe unto others, Thou(halt love thy neighbour as thyfelt. And as a man is bound to take a fpecial care of all thofe ( within his compafs) whom God loves, fo he.ought to be much more careful of himfeifwho hath received anyevidence that God loves him And hence it is ( according to this exgo(ition) that Job faith , wherefore do I, or, fhould I takemyfefh inmy teeth? Shall I who have received fo much kindnefs from God , and ( notwithtfanding thefe wounds) (hall_ receive more, (hall I, (hall fuch a one as I be un- kind to my felf ? Lally, Thefewords ( Iconceive) carry in them a felf-reproof: As ifJob perceivinghis fpirit growing fomewhat unquiet andun- fetled, and himfeif ready to break out intopalfionategenres, ender the prelfüre of his continual troubles did thuschide and rebuke
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