418 Chap.' 7. AnExpoftion upon the Book of JO B: Verf.2 They hang about the mind, and are not eafilygotten off. Good words dwell much upon the Spirit,and fo do ill words, when a man hathonce gota word of promife from God, a- bout any mercy fet home uponhis heart, the eye continues in that confolation : O it is a fweet word, the foul lies flicking at it night and day: And when a man hath once got a word of Comna;e1d from God about any Duty fet home upon his Spirit , his Eye continues in the direb}ion ofit. 0 bow Ilove thy law, faith David, Pfa.l. a i9. 97. It is my meditation all the day ;, He could not beat his thoughts off from it, when love had fattened on it. As thefe good words cleave to a gracious foul, 2,..d dwell with it ; fo it is hard even for a gracious foul to.dillo.dge hard words : O how doth the Eye . continue in thofe provocations ? And doth not experience teach us,that vain thoughts thrown in the mind bySatan will not eafily be driven out ? How often doth the eye continue in his provocations? The fpirit of a man hath a firong re- tentive faculty, it will hold the Object clofe., and as it were live and lodge in it. How nïany, make their abode in provo- cations, and refide upon bitter words, received from their bred thren ? Howmany lyedown with them at night , and rife with them in the morning ; yea, and walk with their eye upon them all the day long. And here it may be quefli- oned. Was not this a fin in Job ? That rule of love then was in being, which is nowexpreffed, Epbef4, 36. Beye angry and fin not,let not thefun go down uponyour wrath. Then, how could Job fuffer his eye to confine in tbefe provocations ? I anfwer, There was an infirmity in this; 'tis our duty, as to forgive, fo to forget, or lay afide the thought of injuries and wrongs received :. And it is the Charac`er of wicked men, They fleepnot unlefs they have done mifchief,Prov.4.16.Their eye continues in their own corruption, or in the temptation of Satan till theyhave brought it forth. For as when good men have thong impreflions untogood upon theirfpirits, theycan- not fleep till they have done good : their eye continues in that holy provocation, Pfol. 132. 4> 1 will not (faith zelous David) givefleep tomy eyes, nor 'lumber to my eyelids, until I find out a placefor the Lord, an habitationfor the mightyGod ofJacob : Sowicked men give no flcep to their eyes till they hay'
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=