172 Chap. lo An expof:ion upon the B00%ef j O B. Verf. S. red ; andthat mineerreur retrainethwith myfelfe;willyou plead my aÍiffions again? me as an argument that 1. am in,or romaine in an srrour ? So Mr. Broughton renders it ; Youbr ingmy wretchedcafe an argument againft me. AlTh ions are oftencalled in Scripture, reproacher : becaufe they are charged, on the affliaed as a re- proach. Thus Rachel fpeakes ( Gen. 30. 23.) God bath taken away my reproach; That is, my alTh ion ofbarrenneffe, which was obleted agar& me as a reproach. The fame faith Elizz- beth (Luk 1.25.) She having conceivedhid her felfe fivemonths, and f:id, God loath taken away my reproach. So (Eze-k. 36. 30. ) theLord promifeth his people, that they null receive no more the reproach of famineamong the heathen ; For when the heathen few the people of God in outward wants, and eaten up with famine,. they at once blafphemed the holy name of God and reproached them ; See what a Godye ferve, you that would be` e.ffeernod thedarlingsof heaven , fee your condition,your God Mrs -rs you toffarve,to be hunger-bitten. Therefore they are comforted with this word ; You fhall not fufter the reproachof famine among the heathen . in-plyirg that the heathen dually reproached them in times offamine a d adiic`fion, Hence no.e; Aff?iftion layeth us open to reproach. And that is one of thegreate& burdens of affliâion. The old Poet could fay, That povereit had nothingmoregrievous in it thin this, that it leaves menunder difgrace, andex pofes them tofcorne. Worldymen efleeme others, by their lands, and riches, not by theirgoodneffe, or the graceofGod. Note fecondly. We are apt to pleadthe evill which any man fuffeersas anargu- ment ofhisfin. The reproach or aliêion which robfuffered, was all the argument and proofe which his friends could produce again(* him. They brought no witnefles to accule him, but what they found upon him, his poverty and difeafes. Yob's uprightnes had never been qu$&ioned by them, if he had not loft his riches. C ther paffages ofthis Booke, have yeelded the like obfervati- and therefore I onely touch it here, and as ?ob't friends in- fift
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=