202, Ohap.30. An Expóiiticn upan the Book of J a. Verf.2r, We are hard put to it, if we finde not an Income of mercy when we cry toGod ; but if we finde an inundation of feverity, Ohow ftrong is that temptation l It puts a goodman hard to it, if whenLe cryes to God, his troubles doe not decreafe, how much more when his troubles enc,eafe ; or when he gets nothing by pra er but blows,as if prayer did only put God in mind to lay more load upon him. If when a poore foule asketh bread he bath nothing but {tones throwne at his head ; If when he asketh ígfh, Goddoth (as it were) fling himwith fcorpions : This is an unfpeakrable temptation. wee know prayer is the afli;fted foules firft and lafi-, that is, his belt refuge, indeed all his refuge ; and when a mar, lothnot finde any reliefe in his fail refuge, how fadly mu{t rl.,is fn upon his fpirit? thus it was with 106, not only was he neglected; not heard, not regarded when he cryed, but God preft afiefion more andmore upon him when he cryed. The appearances of God in angry difpenfations whenwee are praying, Pecking, begging, knocking , wrefling for mercy, are very burdenfome to the be ofmen,and cut the foule exceeding- ly. M Igivings ofmind, that God is again{ë us, are our greateft miferies, in a time ofmifery. Laftly Confider againe how this good man fpake, Thoa art ;rued t' me, with thyftrong hand thou oppo e fl me, 706 is Pet up lot. a snirrour ofpatience, and we have heard.of the patience of Job, yet here we may fee the impatienceof ?ob. Hence note They who haveffrongefgrace, have not their graces alwaje: in thefamefrength. Their bet graces are [onetime' worms fled andget afoyle. That particular grace which is their Crowne, is not alwayes . crowned or conquering: the Crowne of fobs graces was his pa- tience ; that's the grace for which he is cryedup in Scripture, yet he did not alwayes Phew forth patience, nor aft the patient man, ceibrahamwas ftrong in faith,yet he was not alwayes in the fame ftrengrh of faith ; we finde his fears too lard for his faith in the cafeofhis wife, therefore he called her lifter and durft not tuft God in owning his relation ; Abrahams faith hod ebbings and declinings. He that bath much humility, may fometimes aft proudly: and he that bath much felfe-deniail, may fotnerimes
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