306 Chap. 23. An Expofition upon the BookofJO B. Verf. z, fecond expofition of the words) for calling or accounting his complaint rebellion: Observe ; That we are apt to mifurtderfftandand wrongfully interpret the complaints of others. Many are ready to milinterpret that which we fpeakdelibe- rately,much more what we fpeake paffionately and complaining- ly ; yob ípake forrowfully, and hewas prefently judged to fpeak rebellioufly :he wasbat humbling and bemoaning himfelfbefore God, yet he was efteemed as a man citing up againft and warring with God. While Hansawas making a prayerful! complaint to Go1,Eli a good ma» thought fhe was overgon with wine(' Sam. r . i 4.) How longwilt thou be drunk, put away thywinefrom thee. When the Apoftles wereuttering the great things of God, as font were amazed, fo others mocked, laying, There men arefull of new wine (Ads 2. 13.)There are two forts ofwordsand adions moil liable to mu -interpretation. Firft, Whenwe ador fpeak highly inholineffe ; for then the world looks upon thofe offoundeft minds as mad,or vaine, as di- ftraded or drunken, there men ( faith the world ) are full ofnew mine ; whereas indeed (as Teter makes anfwer in the Ails) they are not drunken, as isfuppofed, butfilled with the Spirit. Feflue told Paul, that he was betide himfe f that much learning hadmade him mad, when he heard thedifcourfe ofhis wonderfull converti- on to Chrift,and holyconverfation in Chrif#(e4tts 26.24,)And it feems that fame among the Corinthians had no better nor o- ther opinion ofhim,elfe he would not have made fuch an Apolo- gy for himfelfe and fellow fervants in Gapeworke (2 Cor. 5. i 3.)Whether we be befzdes our'elves it is to god. &c. that's a lober rnadneffe indeed which is to God. But thusfill we fie they who ad or fpeake higheft in grace,are cenfured as ailing and fpeaking belownature., And as there whole graces are moving aloft, are often fufpcded ofmadneffe, So, fecondly,they who lye below complaining under the pref. faresofnature by.affiidion,areas often fufpeded ofand charged with impatience. A troubledfÿirit can hardly judge aright ofit felfe, and is feldome rightly judgedby others. I will end this poynt with two Cautions. The firft toall,concerning thofe that are af% Aided ; The fecond to all that are affliced< To
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