428 Chap. 3. 4,. Expofition unrn the Book of' jon' Verf,r4 . moretotake our own;, every man is nearer to himfelf than to anyother,therefore a fin committed againft our felves is greater, iîeçaufe we fin againft a nearer engagement. Weought to fuffer chearfully from the handof God or man, but we mutt not fuffer from our own. No man mull be his own carver, either in his comforts or in his forrows. We must let God alone tocut out and meafure our portion of both. whereto? e do I take my flefh inmy teeth? Fourthly, Obferve, 4godly man will not take his own part, Dior bear rofrh himfelf whenhedoth cm'l,or,oe bef :des the rule, whether in active orpafve obedience. He is willing to receive counfel or reproof from others, and he is upon all- difcoveries of the aughtinefsof his heart, his own reprover ; he ufually cafts . the fiat ftone at his CM with his own hand,, and blames himfelf more than anyother man can for his own fecret diftempers oroutward mifcarriages. A carnal heart dothwhat it can to excufe its fin, or toflatter himfelf in it: but a holy heart doth both aggravate and rebuke its own fin ; Wherefore am I fo vain, fo earthly ? why am I fo proud, and îo impatient ? David -needeth no man to accufe him of his finful envy at the,profperiry of the wicked, he layes,on toad upon him- felf (Pftl.7s.za.) So: foolifhwas I, and ignorant, even as a beají' before thee. Heonce indeed (being under a defertion) wanted a Nathan tobring his fin home to his confcience ; but when he was come to himfelf, hecould be his own Nathan : 4s for me (faith he,ver.x.) myfeet were'almoflgone :Why was I thus foolilh ? So job here, why am I thus urquiet? wherefore do I takemy fle(h in my teeth, &c ? Andput my "life inmine hand? A imam meæm Thefe words have the fame meaning, in general, with the for- (nlíeitns tujto- met'. 1 fhallonly open the importanceof the phrafe. di l01, nonfecut'at Firit,., Putzing the life into thehand, is interpreted for a folici- rem - pretiofi9 tous care of life : : As if he -had Paid, wherefore do I keep lifefo mam, quam clofe, asifIwere loath topart with it'? If God flay me I will truft nufquam tut?, in, him ; what need I take fo much care of this life to hold it in deponerr, nee my hand? Let it go, I utti credere, au know it fhall be well enoughwithme;if I demur, I';nedo lofe this life,I shall find a better,for Ibelieve in God.When amaid wouldpreferve and keepa thing fafe, he carries it in his.hand,he will
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