48z Chap. 3 i. An Expof:tion upon the Book! of J o B. Verf zo; bleffeth.To bleffeunerringly andefUtually is only in the power, or 'cis the prerogative ofGod alone. But why is it laid here ifhis loynes have not bitffed mee ? Are ourloynes the instruments of bleflìng ? I anfwer, Firfi Some take the words figuratively , as if lob had fayd, If there had been a tongue in the poore mans loynes, had his loynes been vocal!, be would have fpoken a bit Bing with his loynes We find frequently in Scripture fpeech afcribed to fpeech- Irffe things, to things which have no power of fpeaking. Thus Chri$ rebukes the envious importunity of the Pharifees for the Silencing of his Difciples , who cryed Hofannah, bleffed be the King that cometh in the name ofthe Lord (Luke 19.4o. ) I tell y u that if tbefe fh.uld bold their peace, the tonet would imme- diately cry out. Sccondly , Rather the loynes are here put fynechdochically , for the perlon, if hie loynes have not bleffed wee, that is , if the poore whole loynes I covered have not bleffed me. 'Tis ufuall in Scripture to put a part for the whole, and a member molt con- cerned for the man. Here lob reprefents the poore mans acknow- ledgement or thanks, becaufe his loynes were clothed and war- med with the fleece of his fheepe. Thirdly , Which further heightens the fence, when `lob faith, If lair loynes have not bleffed mee: It may imply the ftrong, hear- ty, and affe tionate delires ofthe poore for a bleffingupon lob as ifhe had fayd, the poore man bleffed mee with all his might, and ftrength. The ftrengthofaman (as it is Paid of Behemath, ?ob d.o. i 6.) is in his loynes. And therefore as a man is faid to doe that with his heart which he doth very fincerely , or todoe that with his foule which he doth very affeetionately; So a man is laid to doe that with his loynes wherein bee puts forth his ftrength to the utmoft. The loynes are the feate of ftrength ; and hence among the Latines, a weake man is thus expreffed e/1 man without !oynes. And Scripture to have our lapses girt, is, to doe a thing with readineffe and with all our might (Luke i2. 35.) to here, ifbic loynesdidnot bleffe me; as,if he did not bleffe mee feelingly and ftrongly. Fourthly, ( Ifhis laynes havenot blefffednue) may lignifie, that 'obs worke ofcharity in clothing the naked, did it felfe (as it were) fpeakefor, or befpeake a biefìing at thehand of God for hum
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