42.2 Chap. s9. Expoftion upon the Bookof J o B. Verf. z, loct111 uam ad temps q place ; and therefore the Eaflern part of the world is expreffed tur,undrefer. rient by it : but here 'tis taken for precedency of time, O that Iwere ú°t7 vo atur, a.s in the North: that arepaft, or have been before. But it may be demanded, was Job for eager, was his llomack fo fharpe fet after earthly delights and delicacies, that he defired their return as in former times ? er isit becoming a godlyman, to hunger after his former fulnefs,and todeclare adifcontent or dif- fatisfaelion with his prefent ;,emptinefs ? O that Iwere as in the ÿpsorxvot months before. The Apof}les rule is (Heb. a 3, S.) Letyour con- r as fú071, verfation be without - covetoufnefs., and be content withfilch things enttenti pre- asye have, or (as theGreek test bath it) with things re ent fent:bur. Bez. we ought to be content though at prefent we have nothinf So the Apcffle (peaks of hitirfelf ( Phil, 4, a a, t2.) Ihave learned in wkatfoever flare Iam,therewitb tobe content. Iknow 6otb how to be abafed,and I know how to abourd,every where and in all things Iam irftruited, both to be fulland to be hungry, both to abound and fdfer need. Doch not Jobs fpiric feern very different from Faqir, wbile he is thus imporcunady calling for his former fulnefs and abounding flare ? Ianfu er , firlf, all godly men are not alike eminent in the r &ìngs of the fame grace, thoughall have the fame grace. Se- condly, 'cis natural to man (Imean it not in reference to (info!, but common nature) to delre that-which isgood, and to avoid that which is hurtful, grievous, and troublefcme tohimfslc, fo that Tb (submitting his defire to the will of God) might (with- out any impeachment either of his piety or of his patience) ex- prefs fech a delire as this, O that God wouldref lore me tom for- merprofperit y ! O that be would make up thole breaches which he bath made in my comforts ! .It is as lawful for a man to delire the refloring of that good which he had, as the continuance of that which he hatb. We may pray for the return of our comforts, as wel as for the eflablifhm nt of them, efpecially when we have and propale sight ends in fuch petitionings. Indeed to delire the reffotingofat,brle.lygood, becaufe we are in love with or doe but love the world, argues a worldly mind; but we may delire the reflo; inn of a worldly good, F : t , 'Thar -.God . may be glorified in hip a ednt Es to us, or that from our own experiences, as well as fxctrï the promifes, we tray magnifie the compaf3ïons- and loving kindnefs of the Lord, This is lawfu!,wthhi; was Jobs fcope. So-
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