Chap. I 3. AflExpofitionupon the BookofJOB,, - Verf.25, Verfe 25. Wiltthou break 4 leaf driven toand fro ? andwilt than purfue the dry Hubble ? There is a twofold confiderationof this verfe ; Firfi,as it bands i'n its own bounds. Secondly , As it relates to the words follow- ing. I Thall here open it in its own compafs, and onely explain themeaningof this manner of fpeaking. Both parts of the Verfe are proverbial: and are nearly allied Fo i propulr in fence to that proverbial fpeech ufedby theProphet (4;44.2 .3.) concaatit, Pecan_ repeated by Chrilt (Matth.13.2o.) He will not break the brrnfed drìm volgare reed, or quench the fmoakingflax. To break the bruifed reed,and dictum, qui to quench the fmoaking flax, is as much as to break a leaf driven a a0O Iruo to and fro, and to purfue the dry Rubble. 'So that both thefe fimilitudes exprefs fuch as areweak and unable to refill, or the adding of affliaion to thofe who are already overburdened with aífíi+rïion That for the general. wilt thoet break,? The word which we tranflate, to break, lignifies tobreak ter- y`lp Eft ribly, or to beat a thing to powder : to break with power, or to tenere, confrt`n_. Phewmuch power in breaking. Sandi& the Lord in yourhearts, gere,aut ratio_ and let him beyour dread. He is to be dreaded who can breakpotentiam all power, and whofepower nonecan break (Luk, 12.4.) Fear oftendere in himwhich after he hat hkilled, hath power to cerfl into hell; yea,1fay aliquo coafrinm. :untoyou, fear' him. The mighty man is expreffed by this word, ,, % becaufe men of mightare able to break oppofers. But wilt thou porenees diets mightilybreak that which bath nomight? What's that? qui potentia f a A leaf driven to andfro ? alasfrsnt foran:: dabilcs. Mere.. Wilt thouput out thy power againft him that is but weaknefs ? A leafupon the tree is a weak thing,but a leafshaken offthe tree, driven to andfro upon theground, is contemptible: Wilt thou break a leaf ? and Wilt thou ?rope the dryRubble? Tobreak a leaf, and -co purfue the dry flubble are one thing. Ferè dent g fententicaa, nisi And as there he fpeaks not barely of a leaf, but of a leaf drivenfortè (tißala toand fro, fo.here he compares himfelf, not only to tiubble,but aliq'uiel ignob _ to dryftnbble. Stubble will confume quickly, but dry Hubble is 1ias inu'iliva at once flame and aches. Such a poor thing, fuch a nothing am I,rg "-f`'at. and 519
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