o6 Chap. 33. An Expofition upon the Book,of J o B. Vert', 9. Secondly , Mott of thofe paifages wherein he fpeakes of him- felfe as cleane and righteous, may be underflood of his imputa- tive cleannefs and righteoufnefs, as a perfon juflihed in the re- deemer, of whorl he fpake with fuch a Golpel ipirit and full af t- rance of faith , that he might well aflèrt this of himfelfe, I know that beingjuJhfied, I am cleane and without fin. Tt is no fault for abeliever to fay, I am cleane without tranfreJon, through free Grace,in the righteoufnefs ofJefuoChrifi, Much ofwhat Job fpake in this matter is to be taken that way. Thirdly, When Job affirmes there things of himfelfe, we may fay this in favour of him, he meanes it of great tranfgreilionso The words in the textnote defection and wilful! fwerving from the right way. His friends charged him with hypocrifie, with oppreflion, with taking the pledge for nought, with (tripping the naked of their clothing. 'thine iniquity is great (laid Eliphaz. ) and thyfin is infinite. Now faith yob, Iam cleane, I have no fuch tranfgreffons. And he might well anfwer his friends charge of impiety again(t God, and iniquity towards raven, with a flat de- nial!, yeawith an affirmationof the contrary ; There is no fuch iniquity in me, prove it if you can. He was unblameable in the light of man. Fourthly, In favour of yob this may be fayd ; what he fpake of himfelfe and ofhis owne righteoufnefs, was uponmuch provo- cation, or whenhis fpirit was heated by his friends, who fo con- flantly urged thefe crimes again(t him. In thefe heats he fpake highly ofhimfelfe, and though it doth not excufe any mans fin when he hath fpoken finfully, to fay I was provoked ; yet it doth abate the greatnefs of the fin. Good Mofes ( who was the meek- eft man upon the earth) when through provocation he fpake un- advifedly withhis lips, felt the fmart of it, and God reckoned forely with him for it : Yet tofpeake amiffe upon provocation, is not fo much amiffe, "as to fpeake fo in cold blood, or unpro- voked. Fifthly , Elihu might have put a fairer interpretation and con- ftrr&ion upon thefe fayingsof fob ; He might have taken them in the bell fence, as Job meant them, that he was righteous, cleane and innocent in all his tranfa&ions with men, and had not wickedly at any time departed fromGod. And then ther had not been fuchmatter of fault inwhat he laid, as wasbroughe aainfi him. Yet
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