298 Chap. i 9. An Expofitionupon the Book of J OB. Verf. 22; pound them as a reprehenfion of their former feverity. As if he had fayd : Tea need not askwhat ayleth me thus to cry, pitie, pitie;for is there not a caufe ? and have notyougiven me caufe ?do I complaint before I am hurt ? is here net at much reafonas compafflon in my petition ? have notyou provoked me to it ?unlefe Iwerefenfe- 1.ffe as a Rene, how can Iforbear to fpeak ? and unit-fieyou are fenfe- leßJe asflow, you will nowat lafiforbeare toffrike ; Why doeyeper- fecuteme as god, and are notfatisfled with my f efh ? To perfecute is more then to affbâ, every aft ofperfecution bath many atflic`tions in it, but many affli&ions may have no perfecution at all in them affliftion may rife from irrational', yea from inanimate creatures; any thing may be an affii6tion. to us, but perfecution is the aft ofa rationall creature ; reafon Feefè atio eu abJed or clouded is the fpring of perfecution, and he that athtaIis qua.'am perfecuteth thinks he bath reafon todoe fo. We may take the cc/Oratto to picture of a perfecutor from that defcriptidn of Saul (after- in.ridco ex Z- wards Paul Nis 9. i. AndSaul et breathingout threatnin s r- , ni proe- ) 1 g . dens. and flaughter againft the Difciples of the Lord, &c. While a perfe- cuter bath in him the breath of his own life, he breaths nothing but death against ethers ; and thofe others agaìnf} Whom he breaths death, are fuch as are moil worthy to live, theDifci- pies of the Lord. Nothing will latisfie him but the death and deftruftion of Inch. One wicked man may vex and oppofe another even to d-ath, but he perfecutes none but Saints. Evill men are punned, but good men only are perfecuted : or if they who are indeed evil) are perfecuted, 'cis becaufe they make force profeffionor thew ( at leaft ) of goodneffe. Why doeyeperfecute me. Perfecution is the hardeft tryali which Saints are put to. There are many promifes to fuch as endure any kind of af- fll ion from thehand of God, but there are more fpeciall pro- mires. to Chafe that endure perfecution from the hand of men ; Where we as amolt comforted, we are moft affaulted, ( Mans; To.) Bleffed areye whenye are perfecutedfor righteoufnes fake, &c. rcjoyce and be exceeding glad,for great isyour rewardin heaven: See a Pet. 4. 12, 13, 14. Rev. 2. io &c. But did lob's friends perfecute him ? Perfecution may be cocadered two wayes.. irff,
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