It puts that out of sight which was seen, and it brings that in sight which was not seen; This holds true, not only as to that which is natural in man, his flesh and bones, of which this text treats in the letter; but 'tis true also as to that which is moral and spiritual in man, his virtues and his vices, his graces, and his lusts or corruptions. How often is the flesh (in a moral sense) that ⟨p. 359⟩is, the outward profession of a hypocrite consumed in sickness, and no more seen; will the hypocrite always call upon God? (Job 27.10.) He will not. He that doth all to be seen (that's the character of a hypocrite (Math. 6.5.) will in a little time do such a little or rather such a nothing in Religion, that it cannot be seen at all. His profession is sick, when he is fickle; and then also that which was not seen sticks out; the hypocrite covereth many of his corruptions, his impatience, murmuring, and unbelief, in a day of prosperity with the skin at left or fair show of faith, but in a day of trouble those dead bones appear, and stick out. A day of sorrow, sickness, and trouble is a great discoverer; it occasions the appearance and sticking out of many base lusts that were not seen before. 'Tis so also in the better way with godly men, their corruptions, that appeared upon them before, are abated, wasted, and consumed by affliction, and many of their graces which lay hid and unseen, stick out and appear gloriously in a day of trouble, or upon a sick bed. Their patience & submission of spirit under the hand of God, their long-sufferance and sweet self-resignation to the will of God, which lay hid, show themselves. Sickness and affliction make wonderful changes and discoveries both as to the outward and inward man; 'tis seldom seen or known either how good or how bad any man is, till he is in pain or reduced to some extremity; till his very bones are vexed, or till, as Elihu further describes the sick man in the next verse.
It puts that out of sight which was seen, and it brings that in sight which was not seen; This holds true, not only as to that which is naturall in man, his flesh and bones, of which this text treats in the letter; but 'tis true also as to that which is morall and spirituall in man, his virtues and his vices, his graces, and his lusts or corruptions. How often is the flesh (in a morall sence) that ⟨p. 359⟩is, the outward profession of a hypocrite consumed in sickness, and no more seen; will the hypocrite alwayes call upon God? (Job 27.10.) He will not. He that doth all to be seen (that's the character of a hypocrite (Math. 6.5.) will in a little time doe such a little or rather such a nothing in Religion, that it cannot be seen at all. His profession is sick, when he is fick; and then also that which was not seen sticks out; the hypocrite covereth many of his corruptions, his impatiency, murmuring, and unbelief, in a day of prosperity with the skin at left or fair shew of faith, but in a day of trouble those dead bones appear, and stick out. A day of sorrow, sicknesse, and trouble is a great discoverer; it occasions the appearance and sticking out of many base lusts that were not seen before. 'Tis so also in the better way with godly men, their corruptions, that appeared upon them before, are abated, wasted, and consumed by affliction, and many of their graces which lay hid and unseen, stick out and appear gloriously in a day of trouble, or upon a sick bed. Their patience & submission of spirit under the hand of God, their long-sufferance and sweet self-resignation to the will of God, which lay hid, shew themselves. Sicknesse and affliction make wonderfull changes and discoveries both as to the outward and inward man; 'tis seldome seen or known either how good or how bad any man is, till he is in paine or reduced to some extreamity; till his very bones are vexed, or till, as Elihu further describes the sick man in the next verse.
