Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v7

-,..-a.. 786 Chap. 22. tebtExpofitiontspentbeBookcf JOB. Verf. 19. but becaufe of thy judgements, and thofe were dreadful! ones (ver. 3.) A fire goeth before him andburneth up his enemies round about. Confounded be all they that fervegraven Images, &c. ver. 7. Sion heard ofit, andw&glad. Once more (Pfal. 58. ro.) The righteous fball rejoyce whenhe feetb the vengeance, heföall wafh his feete in the blood of the ungodly. Not that the righteousdelight in blood, or proudly infult over the worff of enemies; the Plalmitt dothonly in hyperbolicall ftraines of Eloquence, bor- rowed from the language of triumphant conquerers, expreffe a compleate and glorious vi.gory. The (tile is of the fame fig- nification with that (Prat 68. z3.) That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of the dogs in the fame.When fo much blood is (bed that the foot may be diet and wafhed in it. thatdoggs may lap it up like water, this argues a great deftru&ion, and when the wickedare thus defroyed ,., the righteous (hall rejoyce. But here it may be queried, What matter of joy is this ? why fìiould the righteous rejoyce in the forrowes of the wicked ? is it not alike finfull to be troubled at the joyes, and to rejoyce at the troubles of our brethren? The light of nature con- demns reoycing over thofe who are in milery ; and we have an expreffe Scripture againft it (Pro. 24. i7.) Rejoyce not when . thine enemy falleth, let not thy heart be glad when bef#umbleth. And David puts it among the fins ofhis enemies (Pf.3 5. r 5.)In: myadverfity they rejosced. And he profeffed (ver. 13.) that when they were ficke hie cloathing was fackecloatb, andthat be bumbled hie joule withfailing. Davidwas fo far from rejoycing when, his enemies were ruined, of dead, that he mourned when they were but fick, and would not cate, when they could not. And as Da- yids holy praáice depyed ir, fo Both Solo ions divine precept; Rejoycenot when thineenemyfalleth. How then (hall we reconcile thefe Texts ?. I anfwer, there maybe a rejoycingat theaffliFtions and trou- bles ofothers, which is not only unbecoming and unfeemly for therighteous ; but very finfull. As Fiat, To reoyce, and be glad, meerely becaufe an enemy is fallen into mifery, is both enfeemly and finfull. And fo we are to underftand..Solomons Proverb; Rejoyce not lackeys thine ene- my falleth, Some underhand this of falling into fanne. He makes 4

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