Chap. 3 I. An expolitiox upon the Boot, of J o a. Vera. 37. was chaffe. He,furely,fearched himfelfe to purpofe,who (wept & digg'd and fann'd all his words and workes, yea the very Ames, ends, and intentions of all his workes ; and it was high time for him to doe to,when the providences of God wrought fo ftringe- ly and unwontedly towards him, that he was put to ehofe trem- bling queftions ( v. 7.) Will the Lord tuft offer ever ? mill be be favourable no more ? 'Tisno time for us to favour our (elves by a floathfu!l non- animadverfion upon our wayes, when the favour ofGod and the light ofhis counten!nce begins to be over-caft and clouded towards us, Then ifever we fhould refolve with the Church ( Lam: 3.40. ) tofearch and try our wayes, and turne a- gaine to the Lord. And as for the man, who ( though he bath had hisfaylings) yet hath not perverfely turned from the Lord, he may fay with an acceptable boldnes (as?obdid) 1 would de- clare to him the number ofmy flaps ; As a Prince would Igoe Hoare unto him,. The word ftridly fignifies, a Leader or a Captaine, marching -p..l dax qua- before his company. faire figacnw. Some render, iwouldgee neere to him as to a Prince ; that I would befpeakeor entreatehis favour, I would honour him as a Prince, or as forne great one. Here againe it is quettioned,who is meant by the Hine in the text, towhom yob would goo as ifhe were a Prince. Firft, Some underftand the antecedent to be the Adverfary, As if he had fayd, I would goo to him and thew him Heberem eton refped, even as if hewere a Prince," thoughhe be my Adverfary, ur princieern Secondly,we may rather referre it to Godhimfelfe ; I would goe o''ur, rrj sd toGod and feeke his favour. Men ufe ambitioufly to feeke the Nr: favour ofa Prince ; eyther ofthefe references faire wet with that reading But our tranflation feemes more freebie to the fcope of the test ; Ias a Prince wouldgoe to him, that is, I would goe,or apply my felfe to the Almighty with a Princely ¡pirit ; I would not .Quaff prinrepr Rand as a guilty wretch at the barre, unable or afraid to holdup b a t Brsnrà myhead I would not fray till I was cited, and fubçcena'd to ap peare by myAdverfary, but I would come freely ofmy owne ac- cord ; as a Prince wouldIgoe neere him, or I would (as the Apo, file fpeakes, Heb: 4. 16.) come boldly to the throane ifgrad, with the fpeeft and nobleft ftraine offpirit imaginable; As a Prince 1 would come neere 743
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=