An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…

God would not give over working to humble Job, till he had fully humbled him; And this made Job almost amazed at Gods dealing with him (Chap: 7.17, 18, 19.) What is man that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thy heart upon him? And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment. Job seemed much troubled at this instancy of God with him, and therefore expostulated in the next words, How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle? But, for all his crying, God would not depart from him, nor let him alone for a morning, no nor for a moment till he had finished his work and accomplished his will both in him and upon him; till he had brought his heart into a due frame and temper under his mighty hand. If once or twice will not do it, he will do it thrice; The Lord is not weary either of working or waiting; God is a rock (saith Moses Deut: 32.4.) and his work is perfect; and of all his works, that of grace is most perfect. His visible providential works are perfect or shall be before he hath done with them, or put his last hand to them, but his invisible spiritual works are most perfect; as God worketh often to bring man out of the state of sin to grace; so he will not cease working till grace be perfected, he will work till that work is wrought ⟨p. 467⟩to the height, till the top-stone of it is set up, or as the Apostle phraseth it (Eph: 4.13.) Till we all come to a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Though a man hath been once truly humbled, yet God humbles him again, that he may be humbled gradually as well as truly to his own mind. They that are humbled by affliction, may need more afflictions to humble them. The same means by which faith and repentance are wrought at first, do also increase and strengthen faith and repentance. Those means by which a man is at first purged, are very proper for his further purging (John 15.2.) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

God would not give over working to humble Job, till he had fully humbled him; And this made Job almost amazed at Gods dealing with him (Chap: 7.17, 18, 19.) What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him? and that thou shouldest set thy heart upon him? And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment. Job seemed much troubled at this instancy of God with him, and therefore expostulated in the next words, How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow downe my spittle? But, for all his crying, God would not depart from him, nor let him alone for a morning, no nor for a moment till he had finished his worke and accomplished his will both in him and upon him; till he had brought his heart into a due frame and temper under his mighty hand. If once or twice will not doe it, he will doe it thrice; The Lord is not weary either of working or waiting; God is a rocke (saith Moses Deut: 32.4.) and his worke is perfect; and of all his workes, that of grace is most perfect. His visible providentiall works are perfect or shall be before he hath done with them, or put his last hand to them, but his invisible spirituall workes are most perfect; as God worketh often to bring man out of the state of sin to grace; so he will not cease working till grace be perfected, he will worke till that worke is wrought