Chap. ti. Arz- .Z'.xpofziion upon the Book, of JOB. Verf . Wemay as lawfully dig pits, that is, let counfels to take fome men as wee may dig pits to take wilde beafts Foxes and \Volves, or any hurtfall creature that would annoy mankinde. But the wicked man who digs a pit for the innocent, who pre- p.ires mitchiefe for thofe that have done him no wrong, fhall fail into the pit himfelfe. And he that rols a Bone ; That is, he that would roule a ftone upon a juft man ( for you may roule a ftone upon a wicked man, and bring the wheele over him; but he that rouis a floue, or that moves every ftone to bring evill upon a righteous perfon, this man) thail feeie the ftone returning upon him , that-is, his own counfels fhall calf him downe. Someof the Ancients have obferved from the phrafe of mil- ling a {toneand digging a pit, that every wicked man digsa pit, and rouisa {tone ; he digs a pit downe tohell, and he rouisa{lone up againft heaven. Every adof fin, is the digging ofa pit down- ward, and the roulingofa {tone upward. He at :once makes his grave in hell, by finning, and throws a flone of defiance and re- bellion againit heaven.- That's a profitablemeditation, though I cannot give it for the proper meaningofthe Text; Who fo diggeth apitfhatlfall therein, &c. And yet it is not the fame hand that digs which thrufts him into the pit ; nor the fame hand that routes the {tone that cau- feth it to returne. The hand of wickecineffe digs the pit ; the hand of malice roules the ftone, but it is the hand of Jultice that puts him into the pit, and caufeth the ftone to returne up- on him. And as( Mat. io. 13. ) Chrift fpeaks to his Difciples whomhe fent forth to preach theGofpei ; When you come to any houfefalute it, and ifthe bottle be worthy, let,your peace corne upon it. But theynight fay, what if the houfebe not worthy, fhall we lavifh out our peace at adventure ? were it not belt to try firlt whether the houle be worthy or no, before we falute it, and offer them peace. No, faith Chrift, venture a peace upon it, worthy, or aaworthy and ,if they be worthy, your peace thall come upon them, and if they be ¡not, what then ? be not trou- bled, your peace (hall not be loft ; If they be not worthy, your peacefbali returne to you. Thus it is with Saints and thofe that are upright; we may fay to fuch, be not afraid to bellow peace, or beftow a prayer upon thofe that are unworthy ; for if it mif- carry
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