Ghap.t5. An Expofition upon the Book of J O B. Ver,20, work, in which folic, he may well be faid, toEat the labour of his hand: On the other fide, the labour of a wicked man eats him, the labour of his hand, and the labour of his head, eats him out. The way of tin is a wearifome way (fer. 9. 5.) They weary themfelves to commit iniquity (Ezek. 24. r 2.) She bath wearied her felf with lyes : A lye is not taken (lrid ly there for an untruth told to deceive others : A lye is any fin, for every fin is a lye. Sin tells us a fair tale, but it will de- ceive us atlaft. Again Ufa. 47. 13). Thou hallwearied thy felt. in the multi- lade of thy counfels (Ifa. 57. so.) Thou art wearied in the greatnefs of thy way. Thole counfels were finful counfels, and thefe ways were finful ways, both were a wearinefs, and tired their undertakers. TheLord challenges the Jews (r4ic. d . 3.) To thew wher, in he had wearied them ; Omy people what have I done unto thee, andwherein bave Iwearied thee, te- fiifte againjt me. God is very tender in laying burthens upon us, but we are very cruel in overburtheningour (elves. And whereas the pain cf a wicked man is compared to the pain of a woman in travel ; it is not onely like it, but ex- ceeds it : For though when her pain comes upon her, the bath forrow becaufe her hour is come, yet when the is delivered,fhe re- tnembreh her anguifh no more, for joy that a man is born into the world (John 16. 2t.) The womans pains end in joy, but the pain of a wicked man is fo far from ending in joy, that it bath no end at all, and therefore he is laid to travel in pain all his days. A wicked man hath the pain, but not thedeliverance of a travelling woman ; a fon (hall not be born to him. And though he fometimes Teems to profper, and attain his end, yet there is fomewhat or other, that flicks (fill in the $firth, and paineth him in the midi} of all his profperity.. The Author of that ufeful Hifory,The Tra- vels ofthe old Patriarchs,KingsandProphets, when he comes to write the motibns of flntiochus Epiphanes, who was a g eat King, but of a moil malicious fpirit againlu the people of God, he obferves that this Mftiochus, in purfuance of his bloody defigns, had run more hazards, and taken more to-' dious journeys to fatisfie his malice, and reach his ambitious ends, than any of the Saints had done, upon any command or fervice of God ; upon which confideration, he makes this N excel- 89
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