440 Chap.z.3. An Expofation upon the Book of JOB. Verf. t 5 God laid he fhall dye. Now, as Abraham ( the Fatherof be- lievers ) was perfwaded, that God loved him when hebid him flay his fon : So though God himfelf flay a believer, yet he be- lieves that he lives in the love of God. While a believer is all overas it were in gore blood, whilfhe is all wounds,and wound- ed (he fees) by the hand ofGod, yet he cannot be beaten out of this hold, God is good to him, yea, that truly God isgood to all his ¡frac!. Chrif had faid to his Difciples (Job. i I. Ir.) Our friend Lazarus fleepeth, but when Marthaheard him give order to takeaway the tone from the Sepulchre (v. 3 ) Lord (faithThe) by this timeheftinketh,forhe bathbeendeadfour days. Chrift anfwers her, ¡aid I not unto thee, that ifthou wouldeft be- lieve, thou fhouldeft fee the glory of God ? Though I was not le friendly tomy friend as to come and keep him alive when hewas only lick, or to raife him up as foon as he was dead, yet do not think but I am a friend to him fill; Did not I fay, that if those wouldeft believe, thouflouldeftfee thegloryof God ? I havenot neglectedmy friend. Though I nave let him lie four daies inthe grave, yet he bath lain in my heart all this while. We may fay in all our extremities,though God lets us die,and lie in the graveei- therof death or affliction, till we fink, that yet we arehis dead friends, asad he isoar living friend, in whofe bofome and embra- ces we have lain all the while. See how Paul exulteth in the love of God in the rnidfl of all troubles andperfecutions : Sup- pole fword and famine fhould compafs him about,Rom.8. 38,39. I am perfwadedthat neither life nor death, &c.norany other creature fhould be able toJeparate usfrom the loveofGod which is in C'hrift Jefas our Lord. Holy David of old rejoiced in this affurance, (r Sam. 23.5.) Although my houfe be not fowith God, yet ( I know God is my friend, for) hehash made with me an everlafting covenant,ordered in allthings, andfUr tfor this is all myfalvation and all my delre although he make it to grow , that is, though my houfe fhould not flouriíh in worldly dignity and outward pomp, yet he is my falvation, andIcan defile no more. Sixtly, Obferve, Job had Paid before, wherefore do I takemy flefh inmy teeth, andput my life inmine hand? why fhould I take fuch courfesas thefe to eafe my prefent trouble ? though heflay me, I will croft inhim;as ifhe had Paid, my remedy is in God, not in tearing my flesh, or in impatient gefures : thefe would prove as miferablecomforts as my friends arecomforters, the neareli
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