Thou searchest for mine iniquity, saith Job. Job supposed that the Lord came to try him, and to find out the bottom of his heart: when God smites our bodies or our estates, he searcheth our hearts, and maketh enquiry in our lives. The Prophet threatens the Jews (Zeph. 1.12.) That God would come and search Jerusalem with candles; That is, as some interpret, he would cause the Chaldeans to search for their most hidden treasures, and find them out. Others understand it of God himself, searching Jerusalem. But God is not like the woman in the Parable, who had lost her groat; he needeth no candle-light to find out the lost groat, or to find out the filthiness that is in the most secret corners of the heart. The meaning then is, that God would search Jerusalem, that is, the people of Jerusalem, as exactly, as if they were searched with a candle;1 he would bring forth their secret sins, and all their hidden abominations. This search was made by those terrible and sore judgements brought upon Jerusalem. God kindled a fire of affliction, and searched them by the light of that fire, Troubles are as so many candles lighted up to search our selves by, and they will be as so many fires kindled to consume us with, if we search not our selves. At this time God is searching England with candles. The Prophet describing the great sorrows of the Jews in their captivity, directs us what to do (Lam. 3.40.) Let us search and try our ways. When God is searching us, it is high time for us to search our selves. It is sad, when God is searching for our sins, if we are not searching for them too; and it is more sad, if when God cometh to search for our sins, we be found hiding our sins. These are searching times God is searching, let us search too: else we may be sure (as Moses (Numb 32.23.) tells the people of Israel) our sins will find us out. They who endeavour not to find their sins, shall be found by their sins, Our iniquity will enquire after us; if we enquire not after it. But what if iniquity enquire after us? What? If iniquity enquire after us, it will find us; and if iniquity find us, trouble will find us, yea, if iniquity find us alone without Christ, hell and death will find us. If iniquity find any man, he hath reason enough to say unto it (what Ahab said to Elijah without reason) Hast thou found me, O my enemy.
Thou searchest for mine iniquity, saith Job. Job supposed that the Lord came to try him, and to finde out the bottom of his heart: when God smites our bodies or our estates, he searcheth our hearts, and maketh enquiry in our lives. The Prophet threatens the Jews (Zeph. 1.12.) That God would come and search Ierusalem with candles; That is, as some interpret, he would cause the Chaldeans to search for their most hidden treasures, and finde them out. Others understand it of God himself, searching Ierusalem. But God is not like the woman in the Parable, who had lost her groat; he needeth no candle-light to finde out the lost groat, or to finde out the filthinesse that is in the most secret corners of the heart. The meaning then is, that God would search Ierusalem, that is, the people of Ierusalem, as exactly, as if they were searched with a candle;1 he would bring forth their secret sins, and all their hidden abominations. This search was made by those terrible and sore judgements brought upon Ierusalem. God kindled a fire of affliction, and searched them by the light of that fire, Troubles are as so many candles lighted up to search our selves by, and they will be as so many fires kindled to consume us with, if we search not our selves. At this time God is searching England with candles. The Prophet describing the great sorrows of the Jews in their captivity, directs us what to do (Lam. 3.40.) Let us search and try our waies. When God is searching us, it is high time for us to search our selves. It is sad, when God is searching for our sins, if we are not searching for them too; and it is more sad, if when God commeth to search for our sins, we be found hiding our sins. These are searching times God is searching, let us search too: else we may be sure (as Moses (Numb 32.23.) tels the people of Israel) our sins will finde us out. They who endeavour not to finde their sins, shall be found by their sins, Our iniquity will enquire after us; if we enquire not after it. But what if iniquity enquire after us? What? If iniquity enquire after us, it will finde us; and if iniquity finde us, trouble will finde us, yea, if iniquity finde us alone without Christ, hell and death will finde us. If iniquity finde any man, he hath reason enough to say unto it (what Ahab said to Eliah without reason) Hast thou found me, O my enemy.
- 1Quùm minutatèm cognoscam de peccatis potuli, & cum eo inibo rations meas accuratissimè, ut solent qui adhibitis lucernis perlustrant omnia. Jun.Quùm minutatèm cognoscam de peccatis potuli, & cum eo inibo rationes meas accuratissimè, ut solent qui adhibitis lucernis perlustrant omnia. Jun.
