Chap. zd.- sln ExpoJirio+s upon ¡the Boot of J o B. Verf. 4. 629 hinofedfq.and feak.out by the:aseanefl of his meffengers, natwith- finding allyour eppcfatins s andcontradal ions ? Or, Is thefpirit ofthe Lordftraitned? that is, is thefpirit ofthe Lord fo weakned that he.cannot make his word t ffetluall ? fo it follows in theclofe of the fame verle ; Doe not my words do good to him that walketh :, pright ly ? As if he had.faid, Is thefpirit oftheLord ffroitned from.doing good to the( that receive the word ? And if the word threaten you with evill, you may thanke your (elves for ir: you fliould not heare of evill frommy word,were it not for fin,nor fhould you feele ir, did you not continue and perfft impeni- tently in your fins, therefore know that the Spirit of the Lord is not ftraitned, eyther indoing good to thole who accept and obey the word, nor in bringing evill upon thole who reject and di fobey ir. In fob's Text the word is applyed to gtiefe or forrow, ,. this fhortneth the fpirit every way. Sorrow fhortneth the fpirit ofman, as fpirit. is taken for life : forrow cuts afunder or breakes the thread oflife.The forrow of the worldcaufeth deaths (fait j the Apoftie >z Cor. 7 io.) 'Tis a killing forrow. 'Tis a fhorther of the Spirit alío, bccaufe we cannot doe that good we might forrow over-a&ed, weakens the whole man, and leaves himunable to put himfelefe forth in aâion. Joy is the . dilatationor wideningof the heart, a heart full of joy, is en- larged, much joy makes the fpirit free to a&. Therefore the Sunne is faid to rejoyce as a f rong man to run a race (Pf. t 9.5.) A ftrong man rejoyceth, and joy makes him run itrongly,and put himfelfe forth mightily. Now as joy enlargeth andopen- ed) the heart, fo forrow is a ftaitner of it, it makes a man nar- row, hearted, and narrow-handed, it flops him in his a&ings, or flays him from a&ing. Therefore when the Pews wereover- preffed with forrow, away with it faith Nehemiah(Neh.8.1 o.) Thejoy of the Lord isyourflrength ; and I may fay, the forrow ofman is his weakneffe and the fhortneffeof his fpirit. Why jbould not nsyfpirit be troubled, or fhortned ? lob fpeakes paffionately and appeales to their judgement. Canye fhewme any reafon why I fitould not be troubled un- der my arîli &ions, yea though theywere but loch as mendu- ally infi&, whereas mine (peak the arme ofGod. Being thus preffed you will confeffe, that it is as hard for menot tocorn- plaine, as it is to keepe dice bounds in co'nplaining. Having':,
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