764 Chap. 21. An Expotition upon the Bookof J o B. Vert. I'6, rende this firft_ part of the verfe without a negative particle, x`Pot y P whereas we from the Hebrew ) reade, Theirgood is not in their "> "uròti" zz hand, they fay, Their goods were in theirhaneb.Which forne ex- yx9x' Sept. plaine ; As if7ob in there words affigned the reafonwhence it comes to paffe, that wicked men fpake with fomuch bold- neffe and impudency in the verfe before, What is the Almigh- t -? And what prifit is it that Ive pray to him?Why are they thus bold with God ; why doe they flight the Almightie ? O (faith yob) their good is in their hand, that is, they have.eooughalrea- dy, they are full of the world, and they carenot how ernptie they areofGod, they have as much as theydefire,rhry are fa- tisfied with the creature, therefore they have no defile to the Almighty, the Creator : they have their portion, and inch will not p. ay for more,who think they have all in poffeffion. What need they beg anygood thing at the hand ofGod, when they haveall good in their owne hand ? Theirgood is intheir band, therefore theyfay,Yr'hatprofit is it that we pray to theAlmighty? This is a truth, but I will not profecute this reading, becaufe it is not cleare from the originall Text. We render,according to the letterof the Hebrew,Theirgood is not in their hand.;That is,Say" fume, they have many worldly good things, yet theyufe none ofthem. They have good in their houfes, good in their chef's, but they have none in their hand. The righteous mart bath outward good things in his hand, he is readie to ufe, and imploy them, he is matter of them, he makes them ferve him , but meere carnal mein ferve their goods, orare Haves to them ; their goods have them in their hand, their good is not in their hand, they are ruled ty what they have, they doe not rule what they have, Lo, their goad is not in their hand. They are not matter of their owne. There is a truth in rhis expofition; and thereforeSolomon in Eclefiaftes dittinguifheth the poffeffion of the things ofthe world from the ufe ofthem" It is one gift ofGod toput the things of the world into our hand, and another to giveus a heart to nfe them, (fccle, : 5. io.) Everyman to whomGodkath given riches, andwealth: (there is one gift)andgiven him power toeat thereof, and to take his portion, and rejoj'ce in his labour, this is thegift ofGod,there is another gifr.Many receive the firft gift from the hand ofGGod who are deayed the latter. But neither
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=