Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v8

6 r4 Chap.z9. "In Expoftien upon the Rode cf , ; L. Vtrf.2 4. we are citnc r ¡cproved by others fo: our fauns, or dllappointed of our hopes.Thus when Plod had no refpea to Cam and to br' offer- eng., the text faith (GM. 4. 5.) Cain was very wroth, and his countenancefell ; and (v. 6,) The Lord ¡aid sent oCain, why art thou zeroth l and why is tby countenance fallen ? Cain: countenance fell, becaufe indeed God had call it down.The Lord jufily pur a flight upen his perfon, and upon his performances, and then he could nor hold up his head. Now as God can quickly call down the countenance of the moll lefty and high-!coke men ; fo one man may cif+ dawn the countenance of man, and he Both it, that puts mother either to flumeor forrow. So then we may ga- ther up the fence of the whole verfc into this briefer paraphrafe. As if Job had laid, I alwayes lived in fxcbgood repues aver. mypee- ple,and maintained my honour in fuck an evenrefs with them,tbaät they did never thinkmevain, becaufe I fometimes laughed or was free with them, nor did they ever call down the light of my counte. 'lance, as ifmy chearfulnefs had proceeded from ligbtnefs, or was unfuitable to myplaceand dignity, for they knew reell enough that it was only to (hew the content which I tools in them, and the favour which bare them 9 yea,they knew that my mirth was daily allayed rr'tbgravity, and that I had integrity enough to bear me out con- -fluently in it ; and therefore they took no ombrage or offence, nor fhewed they any di,fiike at it, much left did they contemn andflight me for it,or give me any caufe after fuch entertainments of my fell among them to bolddown my bead,as if1had forgotten wbo,andwith whom, I was. All this (and 'cis very like femewhst if not much more then this fence hath reicht) we may conceive as Jobs in- tendment in this clofe and darkfome paffage; IfI laughedon them, they didnot beleive it, and the light ofmy countenance they call not down, Hence note ; Fir fl, Laughter or mirth is not finfeel in itsfelf, nor unfattaPe. to a Godly Magifirate. Job had his laughing time, his times of refrefhing and unbend. ing himfelf from bufinefs. Solomon tells us (Eccl, 3.4) There is a time to weep, and a rims to laugh, thefehave their interchange- able feafons ; yea the Gofpel tells as, that our whole time is for laughter, Rejoice manor (t The%g. i6.) Grace loth not deny but

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