As soon as ever Job was described in all his perfections, it is added he had so many sons and so many daughters, though he had so many children to look to, and provide for, yet he omitted neither duty toward God, nor duty toward man. There are many who think it some excuse, if not excuse enough for their neglect, for their slighting holy duties, or slightness in the holy duties of hearing, praying and the like; oh, they have a great many children, and they must rise early and they must work late, they can spare no time or but little for the public or private or secret worship of God; specially for any thing that is extraordinary: so that these cares steal away, not only those times that might be bestowed in an extraordinary manner upon their souls, but even the ordinary times are stolen away by them also. Further, some think themselves by this in part excused for their injustice toward men, they have a great family, and if they deal somewhat hardly, and stick as close as they can in all businesses, they may be borne with, for they have a great many children; and they must look to provide for them, they else were worse then Infidels, and hence they take liberty to do what honest Infidels were ashamed of. Job you see was upright, though he had so many sons and so many daughters to provide for. It is ill with those whose gain for their children is any loss to their souls; but woe, when any to gain for their children loose their souls: doing like those in Na. 2.12. The Lyon did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with rapine. By the Lyon there is meant those oppressors, that lived in Nineveh, and by their whelps are meant their children, and by Lionesses their wives; they had wives and children, and they must have means and estates for them. Job as I may say had whelps and a lioness, wife and children, yet he doth not tear for them. Nay though he had so many to provide for, yet he rather giveth out to others. What hungry belly was not filled with his meat? And what naked back was not clothed with his wool? He did not say I have children to feed and to clothe, and therefore you can ⟨p. 37⟩have nothing.
As soone as ever Iob was described in all his perfections, it is added he had so many sonnes and so many daughters, though he had so many children to looke to, and provide for, yet he omitted neither duty toward God, nor duty toward man. There are many who thinke it some excuse, if not excuse enough for their neglect, for their sleighting holy duties, or sleightnesse in the holy duties of hearing, praying and the like; oh, they have a great many children, and they must rise early and they must worke late, they can spare no time or but little for the publike or private or secret worship of God; specially for any thing that is extraordinary: so that these cares steale away, not onely those times that might be bestowed in an extraordinary manner upon their soules, but even the ordinary times are stolen away by them also. Further, some thinke themselves by this in part excused for their injustice toward men, they have a great family, and if they deale somewhat hardly, and sticke as close as they can in all businesses, they may be borne with, for they have a great many children; and they must looke to provide for them, they else were worse then Infidels, and hence they take liberty to doe what honest Infidels were asham'd of. Iob you see was upright, though he had so many sonnes and so many daughters to provide for. It is ill with those whose gaine for their children is any losse to their souls; but woe, when any to gaine for their children loose their souls: doing like those in Na. 2.12. The Lyon did teare in peeces enough for his whelpes, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with rapine. By the Lyon there is meant those oppressours, that lived in Nineveh, and by their whelpes are meant their children, and by Lionesses their wives; they had wives and children, and they must have meanes and estates for them. Iob as I may say had whelpes and a lionesse, wife and children, yet he doth not teare for them. Nay though hee had so many to provide for, yet hee rather giveth out to others. What hungry belly was not filled with his meat? And what naked backe was not cloathed with his wooll? He did not say I have children to feed and to cloath, and therefore you can ⟨p. 37⟩have nothing.
