Chap, 34. An Expoftion upon the Bookof J o B. Verf. !. 5 23 fo "lands fo much uponhis owne rightesufisefs, that ifbe fhould but IN pa, cJl su acknowledge himfelfefaulty , he thinkes he fhould li e, or wronghim- m tliar fuper felfe by"peaking againfl has knowledge and con.fcienc n e. And indeed .,y abh yob( Chap: 27.4, 5, 6. ) fpake fully to this effei ,That it would be a wrong to or a lie againft ,himfelfe, if he should not "rand up to the uttermoft inhis owne right, and defend his innocency; and 'tis probableElihts hits atthat paliage, while he chargeth him with this pallìonate expofiulation, What ! Should I lie apingmy right ? Would youhave me fay as you fay,and fo bearetalfe wit- nefs, orbe a falfe witnefs againfl my felfe ? What ever comes of it, I will not doe that. Iwill nit lie againfl my right , nor let goe my integrity ; Iwill not in civility to anyother mans underftand- ing of me, fubfcribe tomy owne wrong, or fay I am , what I am not, or have donewhat I have not.. Eliba brings this as a flrong proofeof the height of lobs fpirit, as if toconfeffe his fault were tofall below himfelfe, yea tobelie himfelfe ; Should I lie aging my right ? Hence note. Firfl , 7.e acknowledge we havedone that ÿ which we have not done, or that we are what we are not, is to lieagainft dew owne right, or towrong our [elves. As many lie,by fpeakingmore good of themfelves then is true, orby denying that evill which -in truth they are guilty of; fa he that submits to that guilt which he is free from , or confeffeth more evill of himfelfe then is true, lieth againft his owne foule. So did that Amalekite ( 2 Sam: r . i o. comparedwith 2 Sam: 31. 4.) charge himfelfe falfely with killing Send inhope of a reward from `David for his good newes. Asno manought to lie againll another,much lefl'e againft himfelfe ; And as that man dorh wic- kedly belie himfelfe, who faith he is, better then he is, (for that's, horrible hypocrite ; all fuch God will unmaskone time or other, who thus cover themfelveswith lyes, and fay ( like chafe in the Prophet) theyhave dreamed when they have feene nothing, but the vaine phanfies of their ownbraines, nor felt any thing but the prefumption of their falle-hearts ; Now(I fay ) as he dorh wick- edlybely himfelfe who faith he isbetter then he is) fo for any man ro deny that good which'God harkdene for him, or wrought in him, or what he bath done orwrought in the feare and power X It x 2 of
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