Chap.16. AnExportion upon theBookof JOB. Vert 20. 379 of his fpirit, and his faith in prayer : The Angel underllood them fo, and he prevailed. Sixthly, There are tears of compaf lion for the miferies of others, Weep with them that weep , is the Apoflles rule, Rom, 12.15. When Nehemiah heard the report of Jerufafems ruin and of the fad condition of his Brethren there, Hefatedown andwept, Nehem. 1.4. His tears fpeakpitty to his Country= men, and zeal for God. Seventhly, There are the tears of pafon, in reference to our own affliEtions: Such tears fpeak humane frailty, or the common infirmity of the fl,fh. Eighthly, Thereare the tears ofdamnation ; Hyppocrites and their affociates in Hell are defcribed, Weeping andwailing andguaibingof teeth for evermore Their tears fpeak defpair, or mifery without hope of remedy. The tears which Job poured forth, were of the feventh fort, tears ofpa(lion, or forrow , caufed by the afflicting hand of God, but efpecially by the unkindnefs ofhis Friends : My friends(cornme, but mine eyepoureth out tears unto God. yob knew that as God had a Book for his prayers, fo a Bottle for his tears ; Yea, he knew tears thould be heard as well as pray- ers. Tears are powerful Orators : God reads our hearts in thole lines which tears draw onour faces. One of the An- cient Phylofophers hath adjudged weeping unworthy a man, and tells us it is only for Women and Children to weep : Ld`hryinx a But as there are tears of effeminate and childith pufillanimi- ferndafueu ty, fo there are tears- of heroical and holy importunity. multeribur au- To weep for fear of fufferings frommari, is indeed below ten relinquen. man, but to weep to God when we fuff r, either under the da. Plat, de hand ofGod or man, doth well become the bell of men ; not r`P Dial.3, to weep to God, when we either fuller or have finned , pro- ceeds not fromcourage , but from fullennefs, and is not the argument of a noble fpirit, but ofa hard heart. Who focou- ragions as David ? who feared not a Lyon nor a Bear, who would not be afraid though an Hoafi of men encamped a- gainfi him, and though he walked in the valleyof the fhadow of death, yet how often do we read him weepingand crying to God, Pfal. 39. 12. Hold not thy peace (faith he) at mxy tears : David in that cafe, could not hold his peace from cry- ing to God, and he was perfwaded that God would not hold C c c z his
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