34S Chap. t6. AnExpofttiott upon the Bookof J O B. Merl ì 8. my bloody fufferings; what I have endured, let it be remem- bred. But we cannot well accommodate this interpretation to the Text : For, firti, there may be as much vanity in deli, ring the evils we have fuffered, as the good we have done . fhould be known : we mutt let God alone toere& the mono. ment ofour fufferings; that mull benone ofour care. Secondly, We cannot fo much as fufpe& that job would maintain the memory ofhis fufferings againit God ; yet it was he who {mote job, though by the hand of Satan, and wicked men : This yob had acknowledged more then once , with much humble fubmißtpn, and thereforehe doth not defire that his blood might be forthcomming in a. way of conteflation with him Further, If we lookonely to thufe infiruments of his aflli6tion, who had indeed done him wrong : Surely the fpirit of this good man, as it was far frommeditating revenge, fo his (cope and bufinefs here, wasrather to bring himfclf to a tryal then them, rather to have his own innocency cleared, then their guilt proved : And therefore we have called thefc wards, an imprecation upon himfelf, in cafe he were guilty, not an accufation of their guiltinefs. Inpurfuance of which general fenfe, we mull expound blood under another notion.. And therefore, Secondly, Blood may be taken adtively, and [bit falls un- der a threefold con[iideration. Firti, Blood is put for the general finfulnefs or corruption ofmans nature, as altofor any particular fin, as it is wrapt up in mans natural corruption. One oftheAncients interprets Davids prayer, Pfalm 5r.14. Deliver mefrom Blood, or Bloods, or (as we render) fromBlood guiltivtefr, O God; not of that fpecial fin, or not of that onely, the death of Vriafo, but of all 6n, which (faith he) therefore bears that title, becaufe it fiowes from the polluted nature ofman, which the Scripture calls flak and blood. That of the Prophet is more proper to this point, .peek 16, 6. When thou waft in tby Blood, d faid unto thee live : that is, When thou was wrapt in, anddefiled with thy fin and mifery_, then I had pity on thee, and fpake life into thee. Every foul tumbles in blood till it is fprinkled with blood; our blood is our filthinefs, and the blood ofChrift i s our.holíneffe, freeing us at oncefrom the guilt, and from the ftain:offin. This corruptionof nature, together with that iitue of
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