254 Chap. 30 An Ëxpoftion upon the Book of J o a. Verf. 26. looked for good(Ezek, 16. 49. ) Pride, fnllnesof bread, anda- b>aoodance ofIdleneffe was in her neither did Thee firengthen the hand of the pore andneedy. But it was not thus with holy rob; hedid not drowne himfelfe incarnal pleafures, he did not feepe his fpirit in earthly en;o}ments ; Nor did fob looke upon himfelfe as unconcern'd in the troubles, and (traits of the diffref- fed and necef itous. Sobs heart was not ftii'd with his riches and poíleffions, but with pity and compaflion to the pore. Now though fob was a man ofthis admirable temper, both as to his owne aboundance, and the wants of others, both as to the good which himfelfe once had, and as to the evills which others endu- red, yet when he looked for good, evill came, and he was not onlydifappointed of his hopes, but affected greatly. Some have met with fufferings, which ( though as fìnriers they have defer- ved, yet) they have not procured by their fones. God afflifts none of his people Eut for holy ends, hut he °filets many of them without any refpeâ to their unholitaes. Thirdly , Confider theword, when, which referrs to the cir- cumflanceof time, wherein evill befell fob; when I!oohed for good, then evill carne. This when, may have a double reference. Firft, to the timeof his profperitie, and lo to his looking for good, was the continuance or prolongation of it. Now com- pare the fcopeofthis verfe, and this fcafian wherein rob looked for good, with the former verfe ; Did not Iweeps with kiln that was in trouble; and We may obferve; They that are pitifull and charitable to others in their for - rowes, may with a hopeful{probabilitie lookefor the continua- tionof theirowns comforts. Our condoling withand fuccouring thole who are in trouble, is a faire argument that we (hall keeps our peace. Secondly , when, may referre to the time of his afï=iidion; And that, both as he looked for pity in anal deliverance out of his afflielion, or the renewingof his profperity, when Ilooked for good, that is, when I in my afflieted finte, waked for emod,for pi- ty from men, and for the repaireof thofe fad breaches,. which were made upon me by the handofGod, thenevill came, and I was more wraps up inor entangled with trouble then before. Hence
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