Chap.r7. An Expoftot upon the Bookëf J OB. Verf;i it 279 who are not at all purged from their Corruptions. Foul hands. may Cerve to wa(h that clean which is foul , and they who are but drofs, may fetch off the ruft which cleaves to the pureft mettal. Thirdly, Note. It is an aggravation of afflielien to be given up to wicked men. It is an affliecion to be in their company, what it is then to be under their power? Woe is me,faith David,that I dwell ocin jud. in Mefbec, how woful then is it to be a Prifoner in Mefhre ? (.,,, Damini While God keeps 'the Rod inhis own hands , the Cmart is not gravífmurn fo grievous : We learn thisia Davids Choife(2 Sam.24 1 .) quod adverfa when three evils were offered him, he refolves, Letmefall now rvrv,derur pars into the hand ofthe Lord (for his mercy is great ) and let me Fati'ere, z d. e eori m notfall into the hands of man. A good man can eater dye by (lore, coníìl;o the hand ofGod, then receive a Height wound by the hand of canarufque ;a an Enemy,: As thofe comforts are fweeter, fo thofe fufferings b rum contra are not to bitter which Believers receive immediately from Brent, erando God. It is hard to fuffer from equals, much more from inferid ours, but moll of all whin we fuffer the fatherly difpleaCure of God, from chofe who are the objefts of his difpleafure as a Judge. Let the righteousfinite me ( faith David, Pfal. 141.) a reproof from them is Oyl, but a reproof from the wicked is Gall and Vineger to a godly heart : The reafon why a godly man chufes rather to be fmitten by the righteous, then the wicked, is, becaule they have fomewhat, poflibly, much of God in them ; therefore much more doth he fay, Let the righteous God (mite me. It is a mercy, if we muff needs be chaftiled, when God will chaftife us himfclf, and not give us into the hands ofmen whole mercies are cruel. There are two things !which make it fo grievous to the people of God,, when they are delivered up into the handsof the ungodly. Firft, Their cruelty: Their mercies are cruel, how uns, merciful then are they in their cruelties ? As they know no meafure in finning againfl God, fo they keep none in vexing mani The Lord promifeth (Pfal. 126.2.) Tke Rodofthe wickedfball not refl upon the lot of the righteous; implying,. that by the good will ofevil men it fhould rots there; they would never takeit off, if God did tact, Secondly,
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