Chap. 22. An Expofition upon the Book of J O B. Verf. I. 5 That which is our duty to do, cannot merit when we have done it. We cannot oblige either God or man by performing our own obligation. Thus Chr1ft argues, Luk. 17.7. Which ofyouhaving afervant ploughing or feeding (awl!, will fay unto him by and by when be is comefrom the field, geear, d fit down to meat ? ..9nd willnotfay unto ;sins, make ready wherewith Imayfup, andgird thy felfe, andferveme, till I have eaten anddrunken, and afterward thou flalt eat anddrinke. D .,th he thanke that fervant becaufe he did the things that were commandedhim ? 1 trove not. So likewile yee, whenyee have done all theft things which are commanded you, fay, we are unprofirable fervants, we have done that which wa.t our duty to doe. Where hrift proves, that becaufe the fervant had doneno more then was his duty to doe, therefore he did not me- rit in doing it. whenyou have done all that is commanded you, fay yee are unprofitable fervants. He that doch all thofe things that arc commanded him, is a man indeed, a man ofworth, a manofmen, yet ( let that begranted that he reachech to the utmon line ofthe Command) he is anunprofitable fervaur, hebath but done his duty. There is another parable in this Gofpell ofLuke that Teems to be fomewhat oppofite to this ( Chap. 12. v. 36, 37,) emend ye your [elvesbe likeunto men that wait for their Lord when he will returnfrom the wedding, that when be comethand knocketh,they may open to him immediately. Blefedare theft fervanes, whom when the Lord cometb, he/hallfindfo watching, that is, at their worke. Watching is not meant here ofa bare waking,or not being afleep, fora man may watch, in that fenfe,and yet be as bad as a fleeper Tobe found awake,and yet idle, to be found awake yet doing no- thing, is as blameable as to be found afleepe So that to be found watching is to be found intent upon, and labouring in the worke of the Lord. Ble,((ed be tholefervants whomwhen their Lord come etbAall be find fo watching) what will he doe ? Verily Ifayun- toyou, that he (hallgirdhimfelfe, andmake them tofit down tomeat, and will come forth to ferve them. In the 17th Chap. Chrift faith ; if a fervant have been hard at worke in the fervice ofhis tord, even as a man that is come from Plow, or from feeding his Cattell, yet his Matter doch not fay tohim, fit downe tomeate, but firft bids him gird, himfelfe and ferve him, and af- terward got to meare. But here 'cis laid, the Lord pre- fently.
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