572 Chap. 20. AnExpofstion upon the Book of J O B. Vet( 24. but when he faith, The la(f'hall be floine, the meaning is, I will flay them all, or all of them (hall be (lain. But will there men Rand till the fword come to them, will the IAman Rand who fees the (word deftroy thofe fofaRthat were before him ? No ; it may be he will fl yet faith God,/ will flay the lafl;for, He thatpeth fhall not flee away, that is,he fhall not deliver him- felf, nor efrape by fl,ght. The fame Prophet fpake as much be- fore (Amos y. 18, 19.) pro toyou that defre the day ofthe Lord, to what endes itforyou? Theday ofthe Lord ie darknef fe, andnot light ; As if a may did flee from aLyon, anda Beare met hirer, or went into the houfe, and leanedhid handon the wall,anda Serpent bit him. It will not be eyther unprofitable or befides the poynr, toopen this Text a little. Wo to you that delre thedayofthe Lord.Why doth the Prophet thunder out wo againft them than defired the day ofthe Lord ? Was there fin in that delire ? was it a fault towith for theday of'the Lord?The day ofthe Lord, of which he there (peaks, is a day ofjudgement,or a day oftry- all; why Bloats! the Prophet denounce a woe againi thofe who defire that day? It is a part of the charaaer of the Saints in the New Teftament, To love the appearing of Chrifi (i Tim. q.. 8.) Saints long for theday of the Lord, theypray for it; and O that the day of the Lord would come ; why then dothAmos fay ; Woe to you that defire the day of Lord ? I anfwer ; The Prophet may be underf000d. Pirff, Of thofe who in a kind ofprophaneboldneflede; fired the day of theLord, as tome will dog calling God to judge them, or wifhing that God would come to judgement not that they have ground or confidence in theday ofJudg- ment, but only to clear themfelves in the judgment, and from thecenfure ofmen. The Prophet might well fay, Woe to you who thus dcfire the dayofthe Lord; you think you are hard- lydealt with now byman ; But it will beworfe withyou in the dayof the Lord. Secondly, As there are tome who in abold prophaneffe of fpirit feem to delre the day of the Lord, fo there are others who call for and invite it impudently in (corn and mockery, Such are defcribedby the Prophet ( I¡a. 5. 19.) we to them that draw iniquity with Boards of vanity, and fin, ac vqitha Cart rope. Thatfay, let him make fpeed, andhaflen his. work
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