552 Chap.' 6. 4n Expofition upon the Bookof JOB. Verf.ig Firtl, When,wepray with earneflnefs. Secondly, When we pray with continuance, or perfeve. rance.; 1`Te In calm We find Davidoften crying toGod in prayer; fo that, when efferarur fu/ct fob faith, Let my cry have no place, his meaning is, Let not God piarurve cla hear my molt earneft prayer : A dreadful imprecation ! When mor 7726141 /ò we who have no help on earth, (hall with that we may have Jim jufmode. none in Heaven neither; what can we with wgrfe to our felves then this Froth the words in general, Obferve. It is lawful to ufe Imprecations. job did not fin in this; There are Imprecations of two forts. Fiat,Upon others, when we with them evil[, or curie them; this in Tome rare cafes may be done, David ufeth imprecations againft the incorrigible enemies ofthe Church, and fomay we, but in reference toperfonal injuries, the Gofpel rule is, Tarts them that eurfe you pray for them that deßittefully ufeyou, Math 5, 44, Secondly, Upon our felves ; fuchare the Imprecations in, tended in this point. Job calls down mifchief upon his own head, in both parts ofthe Verfe, Let all my fins bedifcovered, let all myprayers be refufed, ifever 1 have done this thing. Im- precations, or willies ofevil upon our felves may proceed upon a double ground. Fir(l, For the affuringof what we protrsife, or engage our felves to do : As to fay, I will dofuch a thing, or Ipromife to do it ; ifI do it not, Iwith evill may befall me : This is to put our felves under a curie, which we do at leaf[ implicitely in taking any promiffory Oath. There are two forts of Oaths. Firfl, Affertory Oaths, when we affirm fuch a thing to be true. Secondly, I`rornifforyOaths, when we promife to do fuch a thing, calling God to witnefs, and laying our felves undeta penalty, if we do it not. This is expreffed in fome, and imply- ed in all folemne Oaths and Covenants. The prefent point ex- tends not to this fort of Imprecations. Secondly, Imprecations of penal evills may beufed for the fironger denial, or difavowing of any fìnfull evil[, of which we are fufpeaed, or with which we are direaly char- ged
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