(bap. 36. as Expsfition upon the Book of ]o S. Veil'. $. words following ipeak of tranfgrefjîon and iniquity, conceive, that furely it muff be meant of wicked men,_or Of t he ungodly ; but E- 1 La comes not upon that ftíbjet til the x 3th verfe;theie he turns his fpeech to fuch , but the hypocrites in heart heap tip wrath, &c, "Therefore here he doth not (peak of, or to,wicked,but righteous men, falling into trouble and afTliaion ; they, that is, the righte. cart, &c. Again, Takingrighteous men to be the Antecedent(as the text plainly carries it ) yet there is a difference in opinion, whether we are to underfland El,ha fpeaking of righteous men in that Cpeciaí dignity defcribed at the 7thverfe, fuch as are with Kings on the Throne, or of righteous men in general : I conceive we may un- derfland the text of either. And therefore, Firil, \Vhan Eliha faith, If they be bound infetters, he may in- tend thofe righteous men who were fo highly exalted in the for- merverle, fuch a change may come upon them ; even they who were-ivith Kings on the Throne, may come to b b..waud in fetters, and holden in the cords of apt-lion, Secondly , He may intend it of righteous men in any other condition ; for Elehu having Chewed how gracioully God dealer:h in exalting Come righteous men, cheweth that God is gracious aí- foounto thöfe that are not exalted; even unto thole that are great- ly aflii6lecl, and brought very low. lltiefly, as in the former verfe he fpake of righteous men lifted up , Co here of righteous men call down : As if he had laid , If any of the righteous are at any time fo far frombeing exalted with Kings on the Throne, that they are cafl upon thedosnghill,and àre brought into reat flreiohts, yet at is not besaufe God takesno care of them, or besaufe hebath cafl them out of liisfavour ; but it is thus with righteous men for many 6leffed ends and purpofer, rohich God bath capon them, or to- wards them, to Phew them theirfin, to fit themfor injirxíhen, and to bring themofffrom their iniquity. Thus the words prevent an ob- jedlion ; for Elihu having faid, ¡as arithdrátreth not his eyes from the righteous, but with Kings are they, on the Throne , tome might fay, You can Chew-us very few lush hghrs, you can (bey us few righteous men withKings on the Throne.o: exalted hi hlvin this world; and we can (hew you many, righteous men in great trouble, in fetters andcords of afflicaion. Well, faith Elihrs, foppofe it be_ fo, fuppole you find many righteous men in fuch a low corditiort, F a yet 219
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