Kob Chap. 17. An Expofition :Ion the Bookof J O B. Vert, r 1, purpofes were not executed. In there times ofpublick ¡hi- king, howmany purpofes have we feen go to wrack : They who have been long laying their defignes,and brooding upon their counfels have had their eggs broken in a moment, and their thoughts blown away like Chaffe before the wind, or the lighteildufl before the whirlewind:Now as the purpofes of many about gathering riches,about raking their plealure, about advancing themfelves to, or efiablifhing themfelves in honourand highplaces, have perifhed before they dyed ; fo when fuch dye, all their purpofes (hall certainly perith And as the purpofes ofall about worldly things perith in the ap- proachesofdeath;fo do the purpofes of Come about fpiritual and heavenly things,Howmany have had purpofes to repent, to amend their lives and turn to God, which have been pre- vented,and totally broken off, by the extremity ofpain and ficknefs, but chiefly by the ftroak ofdeath ; when they have (as they thought)beet abou=t to repent,and as we fay)tvtrn over a new leaf in their liver;they have been turned into the Grave by death,and into Hell by the jufl wrath ofGod. Some interpret this Text, as Jobs complaint of the unfet- tlednefs of his thoughts about heavenly things,and the brea- king of his purpofes in the purfuit ofeternity :-He could not make his thought about Heaven,hold or hang together, even thole thoughts were full ofgaps and empty fpaces, or rather like Ñles of Sand. Many honeft and gracious foules have found work enough upon a deathbed, or a fick-bed to at - tend the pain and infirmity of their bodies. When they have purpofely fet themfelves, (the habitual bent of their hearts Nonparera Ju being alwayes let that way) actually to feek. God,to medi- wicontemplatio tate Upon the precious promifes, to put forth frefh lively in serum drve. workings of Faith upon the Lord Jefus Chrif, they have naum ut got,. dvm flabct in, been fuddenl Y recalled,yea even forcibly fetcht back b Y fone tendere propret violent affault of pain, or a previous charge ofdeath : So vim doloris. that thofe thoughts which fhould be (and they defired that Phil, they might be) like their objets, moll durable and fleady were yet more like Come odd ends or broken fheards, more like vanifhing (lathes, or wandring fanfies,then that beautiful frame of heart, or thofe well combined and fafined medita- tions which they intended. For {-hough all the troubles of this life, and the approaches ofdeath it fell cannot break_ dif..
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