An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of…

There are afflictions which strike quite through; and there are afflictions which are only skin-deep: As there is a filthiness of the flesh, and a filthiness of the spirit properly so called (for though every sin of the flesh, or outward man defile the spirit, yet there are many filthinesses of the spirit, which are never acted by the flesh, or outward man.) Thus the Apostle distinguisheth (2 Cor. 7.1.) There are also some filthinesses which strike quite through flesh and spirit, body and soul. Thus there are some afflictions which are merely upon the flesh; there are other afflictions which are purely upon the spirit; the skin is whole, the body is in health, but the soul is wounded, an Arrow sticks within: And there ⟨p. 248⟩are a sort of afflictions which strike quite through body and soul; as old Simeon tells the Virgin Mary, a Sword shall pierce through thy soul (Luke 2.35.) or as the Psalmist speaks of Joseph (Psal. 105.18.) according to the letter of the Hebrew, Whose feet they hurt with fetters, his soul came into Iron, or the iron entered into his soul: Such afflictions are like the Roll spoken of by the Prophet Ezekiel (Chap. 2.) Written with lamentations, mourning, and woe, within and without; Some woes are written only without, some woes are written only within, others are written without and within. Their Characters are legible upon the flesh; and their effects descend and sink into the spirit. Jobs afflictions were of this extension, he was smitten all over, and written quite through with woes and lamentations.

There are afflictions which strike quite through; and there are afflictions which are onely skin-deep: As there is a filthinesse of the flesh, and a filthinesse of the spirit properly so called (for though every sin of the flesh, or outward man defile the spirit, yet there are many filthinesses of the spirit, which are never acted by the flesh, or outward man.) Thus the Apostle distinguisheth (2 Cor. 7.1.) There are also some filthinesses which strike quite through flesh and spirit, body and soule. Thus there are some afflictions which are meerly upon the flesh; there are other afflictions vvhich are purely upon the spirit; the skin is whole, the body is in health, but the soule is vvounded, an Arrow sticks vvithin: And there