Chap,i 5. ,fin Expofition upon the Book of J O B. Verf.4, 15; the Queftion, not becaufe he totally forbore prayer himfelf; Or petfwaded others to forbear it , but becaufe Job's affertions were fuch as might yeeld thofe confequences, and caufe many to fufpend Prayer , or give over calling upon the Name of God in the day of trouble. We may be charged to fay or doe that which flows fromwhat we doe or fay , though we nei ther fay nor do the thing it fell. Many are guilty of thole errors confequentially, which yet they never affirmed thetically or direc`fly. We may be fo far from affecting , that we may profefledly abhor an opinion which yet lieth fecretly under Tome of our aflertions. We fay juftly, That the Pope is Antichrift, and that pure Popery is Antichriftianifm, yet the Pope doth not deny Chrift , fox the Pope thinks himfelf Chrifts Vicar upon earth, and there- fore mutt needs acknowledg him to be come in the fefh, yet by confequence, the Pope is an oppofer both ofthe Perlon and Offices of Chrift, and popith Dofrine fights again( the truth of Chriff..,Asprofane men Profit's they knowGod, yet in their worlds they deny him ( Tit. a .16. ) So many erroneous perlons profefs they love and honour thole holy Truths and fpiritual duties, which by confequences they indeed deny , as Eliphaz (though unduly) fuppofed lob had done,the duty of Prayer.. Thou reflraineftprayer before God. Taking the wordsabftrac$ly , they yeeld us this ufeful ob. fervation, That it is an argument of an evil heart,to fhorten, or Hie proponituP refirain, to leffen, or togivepff Prayer in times of trouble. That tanguam in- King fpake to the height of prophanefs , when he Paid (2 gem piarutuot, Kings 6. )7his evil is of theLord, andwhyfhould Iwait on the guodhomo Lordany longer ? W hen wehave done waiting, we have done °r` r" re- praying, No man will ask for that which he doth not ex- n"cctac arßndà, fludium. pet` to receive. How long foever afli}ion laffeth , fo long prayer-feafon lafteth ; if the Winter -day of our trouble, be a Summer day in length , if it be continued many days, yea, many months, and years, prayer lhould continue (Pfalm, 50. a 5,) Call uponmein the day of trouble,and I will bear,and` thoot fhattglorifie me ; Let the day of trouble be fhort or long,. God look, to hear of us all that day. Is any , let him ray, faith theApofile PINS it is a duty to pray , when we are
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=