Chap; 3 3. An Expofition upon the Bookof J o s. Verf. to. SI3 But why ? he anfwers ( v: 1 z. ) What I doe 1 will doe,that Imay cut off occafionfrom them whichdefine occafìon,Some did,it feems, defire an occafion ro charge him with covetoufneffe and worldly mindednefle, that he preached theGofpel for filthy lucre there- fore, faith he, I will doe this, that I may cut off occafion from them that defire occafion to charge me with. The heart of man is full of evil( delires, and this is one of the worfl of them,tode- fire another might be found doing that, which might minifler an advantage to render him odious or blame-worthy. Fourthly , Which is yet higher, force even purfue and hunt for occafions CO calumniate and Bandertheir brethren. Thegood Prophet feremie had flore of thefe ill neighbours (fer: zo. to.) Ihave heard the defamingof many ; feare is on everyfide ; report, fay they, and we will report it ; all my familiars watched for my halting, Paying, peradventurehe will be inticed , and we (hall pre- vaile againfl him, andwefhall take our revenge on him. As if he had faid, Howglad would not only my openfamiliarsbat clofe ene- mies be, ofan occafion againfl me, it would make them leapt for joy to fee me halt. By his halting they meant his finning, his do-, ing that which was uncomely, or not fuitable td his profeffion ; they watched, they lay at catch for his halting, not to hold him up, but tocall him downe. They fayd, report,andwe will report it ; we will make fomethingor other of ir, though in truth there be nothing. They had ( which maybe a fifth flep of this wicked- neffe, a fecret hope that he would halt and give them occafionof infulting. Peradventure ( fay they) hewill be inticed, peradven- ture we (hall catch him in thisfnare ; this was their hope, and, if attained, their joy. Which makes a 6th flee of this wickednefle ; For fo David defcribes his enemies ( Pfah 38. 16,17.) They re;oyce when my foot ftippeth ; for I am ready to halt, or ( as we put in the mar- gin ) for halting. There is a double halting, a halting by tranf greflìon, and a haltingby affiklion ; that I conceive Davidchiefly fpakeof in that place, becaufe he prefently adds in the clofe of` the 17thverfe,Andmy forrow is continually before me. He fhewe enemies poffeffed with the fame evill fpirit, and in the fame po- ilure (Pfal: 3 5.1 s. ) In mine adverfity, or, in my halting, they rejoyced. The fame word is ufed in this Pfalme for adverfiry which we had in the 38th for lealting. This is as true of evil( 40 men,
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