34 ' Chap.' 5 AUExpof tzou upon the BoòkáfI O B. Y`erf. g i, confolations of God. Any, man who reads his fìorymay won. der why he thould : Surely fob was not in cafe to refufe corn, fort, confidering how he was fiript'of all comfort The full Soul indeed'lóatheth the honeyCombe, but''ta the hungry Soul, everybitter thing iefiveet -; thatis, thofe things which dainty palates diftafle, he eats very favourly. Jobwas kept fhort and low enough, he had nothingof confolation left, either with- outor within ; he was poor and fore without , he was full of horrour and terrour within : the arrows of the Almighty had given drunk up his fpi it,and laid all his comforts walk , and doth he yet negledor undervalue comforts 'Tis true, he had real confolations, as appears by that prolLifion ofhis affurance of God's favourtowards him, I know that IJhall be juftifed; yist he had no feníble confolations ; his frequent complaints thew he had not. So then , the confolationsof God ( for efie wing which little he isreproved )' were thepr©mifes of conflation made to him in thename of God by the Minifiry of his Friends. Are the c oaffolations of Godfmall unto thee ? Hence oblèrve l ir(t; at cohflhtion is the gift;atndproper workof Cod.Thou f,with David, Pfeil. 71.21.')lhalt'encreafe my greatnefs andcom- rt me on every fide : The Lod[hall comfort Sion, hewill comfort all her ivafte places (1f5 .3. ) And again,As onewhom his Mo- ther comforteth,fo will Icomfortyou, andyou (hall be comforted in ferufalem. God comforts as a Mother, tenderly , and he com- forts as a Father ; yea, as a Mailer , elféíïstally , I will comfort you, and ye (hall be comforted. As the corrections of God are elfeEtual, and profper in the workfor which they are Pent, foalfo are his confolations, Ephraim Paid ( fen 3t. 180 Thou haft chaftifed me, and1 was cbaflifd. So every Soul whomGod comforts, (hall fay, Thou haft comfortedtne , and I' was comforted. This the Apofile fpeaksout to the praifeof God ( Cor,r.3;,y.)B1effedbeGodtheFather ofour Lord JefusChri(t; the Father ofmercies,andthe Clodofall confolations ; all confo- lation belongs to God ; he hath all comfort in his own pow- er, anddifpofe ; there is not any creature in the World can giveout the leafl dram ofcomfort tous without the commit"- fion or leave of God ; ' it is pofhble for one man to give ano- ther man riches, but he cannot give him comfort ; man may give
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=