198 Chap. 3o. An Expofition spots the Took of Jo a. Val.. 2I. In tiara° oft to that word Satan, which lignifies an adverfary ; and is one of vincumvelbum the Devills names : He is ;ifilly calledSatan, becaufe he is a pro- ' m mu a Elul/ ,f. felt enemy to man, an implacable enemy. He is contrary to us, 1,11.1 he lets himfelfe quite Crolfe tous, and loves ro lye croffe in eve sisal oft aaver' ry bufines which tends to our good, and the glory of God. The fari. Pifc: a,7,06.,eni, word is fometimes rendred to hate, becaufe oppofition ufually rifeth from and is the effeft of hatred. (P/al. log,. 4. ) For my 111;;Iserspes. love they are my adverfaries ; or,fr my love they hate mee. And Fro bore ma- thus force tranflate here, with thy jinn& hand that, doefi exercife 71,0 lugonclii- inwardhatred againft mee . nun, odium (x- Thus we fee how chis good mans fpirit was tranfported ; and met adver- it may be very much queftion'd how it could Confift with the Tarn me. lun. Te Ofa. grace of766, or with his reafon, tocall God crudl, and to fay, rem offenduha that he oppofed or hated him. agifr I answer ; Firft, lob 1Pake this, not to accule God eyther of se"' "fi nie tinrighteoufneffe, or ofchangeableneffe, but he was carried out eilffes. Mac. inextravagant language, by the extreamity of his mifery and paine ; he conceaved himfelfe in luch acondition as worfe could not be, and ro fence God appeared fo leyere to him, as ifhe had been cruel tohim, and oppotedhim with hatred. Secondly I anfwer, Though 74 fpake thus as being over- borne by his prefent :offerings, yet he cannot altogether be ac- quitted of impatience and paffionatenes. And he had fayled thus more then once before (Chap. 16. 13. Chap. to. 8, 9, /0. ) in all which texts he fpared not to Complaine that God had decla- red himfelfe as an enemy, or had carryed himfelfe like an enemy towards him. We are not to reckon there palTages among his graces, but his faylings, nor doe they thew, what he ought to have done, but what he did and ought not, or they enforme us, what apprehenfions a good man may have of God , not what the affedions of God are towards good men. Than art cruel to me, &c. Hence obferve ; ThoughGod be afrillSea ofmercy in his own naturr, andbath nothi,g but mercy in bra thoughts and purpofes towards his own people; yet hie outward ailings doe often appears exceek log fevere andcruel. As it is faid of the enemies ofthe people of God ; They may doe -=111N
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