3 t e) Chap. 23 . An Expoftion upon the Book of J O B. Vert 2 ftroakes ofnot a few are heavier then their groanes. So me aim_ more forrow then they have, and others have more forrows then they can thew. I, faith lob, cannot tell yeano not f o much at by the language ofmy groaning; how heavy my jiroake is. As there oe a peace ofGod,a peace which he giveth to many ofhis people in this life which pafeth all undemanding ( Phil. 4. 6.) they have a fence of Inch peace fometimes upon their fpirits as their under- ftandings know not what to makeof it, they are fo farre from being able to tell you what it is,that they are not able to conceive what it is, but muff confeffe that their peace is gr, a ter and larger then their underftanding, now (I fay) as the peace which God gives his paffeth their underftandings)fo the troubles and forrows ofmanywho are deare to God, exceed, or furpaffe all their ex. preffions, they cannot declare, norcan any for them, how it is with them. Again, as there is in this life joy in beleeving, which is unfpeakable (t Pet. i.8.) fo there is a forrow in fiefferingwhich is unfpeakable. And ( which is verywonderfull) thefe two meet fometimes in the fame perfon, who at the very inftant while his forrow is fogreat that he isnot able to exprefre it, bath altofweet and ravitbing joysbeyond expreffion. Yet, Iconceive (as to Yobs cafe) his fpirit was darke, and his minds troubled, as well as bis bodywas pained, and his outward eRate torne and ruin'd. Sixthly, From thefe words ; My f#roake is heavier then my groaning. Obferve ; That, it isfinfull togroaneandcomplaine beyond theflroakethat is upon su, or to complain more then we havecaufe. yob Teems here to yeeld it, and confeffe, that ifhis `ftroake had not been fo heavy, his grammeshad not been innocent; and if it be finfull togroane,and complaine more,orbeyond ourftroakes, how finfull is it to complaine without any (troake at all ? Some complaine without caufe, and groane, before they are fmitten, yea, fome are ready to complaine whenthey are incompaffed a- bout with many mercies, and are not fatisfied when they are fil- led ; they complaine, becaufe they have not what they would, or becaufe others have more then they, though themfelves have enough, ifthey knewwhat is enough. The Ox and the Alre are a rebuke to filch ; Foraslob fpeaketh (Chap. 6,) Will the Afe bray
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