¿hap. 14 eflnExpoftion upon the Book,of J O B. Vert. 2 t . 66,9 priviledge, that in heaven we thall not. The Authour to the He- brews exhorts us, to remember thofe that are in bondi as boundwith them,andthem thatdeer adverfity, as being ourfelves on the body : (Heb.i 3. 2.) 'Tis our being in the body which makes it either a duty or pofi'ibility for us topartake in the fufferings of other men. . We may hence cònfute the popilh doearine and practice of praying toSaints departed. Vv' hen they are Pent away,they know neither our fpiritual nor our temporal eflate, why then fhould we pray to them about either? The Saints cannot fee from heaven to earth, nor can they hear from heaven to earth, 'tis God whole name is the God hearing prayers, and therefore to him flail all.Ìlef7 come : if all flelh are obliged to come to him,where is our warrant tocome to.Saints departed s and if we doe,where is our hope to receive their help when they are ignorant that we want help though we are made low, they perccive itnot. A fecond interpretation tels us that jrob (peaks not here ofa man in the flare of death, but ofa man about to die, or upon his death-bed : fuch a mans fons come to honour and he knòweth it not, and then we muff expound knowing in the fecond fenfe,for regard- ing or being affeeted with what we know. Great perfonal affliltions . make usforget all worldly relations together with the comforts and forrows which attendthem.Arickman,efpecially a dying man,takes. no pleafure in his life, and is ufually fo buried with his own pains_ that he takes little or no notice of the pain or pleafure of others. Aman in fuch"a condition can hardly be perfwaded to take in fpi- ritual comforts, or to refl.& his foul with a tafte of that fweet wine, with a model of that marrow and fatneffe which the pro- mifes ofeternal life prefent unto him much leflé can he delight himfelfin fenfitive, leaft ofall in fenfual objeets. Conte, and tell himhis fons are advanced and his eflate thrives, he regards it nor,., alas (faith he) I am going out ofthe world, what's all this to me! Mr. Broughtons trantlation anfwers this fenfe with much clear- neffe : Only his iefh isgrievedfer itfelf, andhis foul will mourn for himfelf, as if he had laid , his own grief will fpend out all his poffibilities ofgrieving, he will have none in;llore to bellow elfe- where Our Ions are our own flefh and blond , and if any thing would affect} a man,it would be to hear ofhis fons,and ifany thing concerning his fons would affeûhim, to hear of their welfare or affliaion would. How do parents rejoice when their Ions come to honour,how are they afïliefed when their Cons are made low! As
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=