588 Chap. 40. an Expofition upon the Book of Jos. Verf. t §k, There is no middle elate among men , between good and bad, converted and unconverted ; yet here the wicked are not to be taken onely in a large fence, for tanners in common , but flrickly, Firit, For the proud before fpoken of , There the Lord faid, abate the proud, here he faith , Treaddown the wicked; that is, the wicked who areproud. To be wicked and tobe proud are the fame : For as moti wickedmen are proud, fo all proud men are wicked; for pride it felf is a great wrckedneffe : and it is pride that caufeth moli men to do wickedly, even to rebel againti God and his righteous laws , to rife up againft his wayes and truths. When we have faid of a man he is proud , if we have not Paid all evil , we have faid one of the worft evils of him ; and that which layes him open,as to fuller theworfi penal evils, to to do the worll: finful evils, Secondly, If we take the words diflin&ly (as we may) then by the wicked are meant grolle and flagitious fnners , notorious finners ; for though,as I faid before, any one that hath not grace, may be called wicked , yet properly, and in Scripture fenfe, wicked ones are notorious, prefumptuous, and flagitious flatlets, fuch as inwitha high hand , and with a fiiffe neck. Thirdly , By the wicked we may efpecially underiandop- preffors, who are troublefome and vexatious to others. As tome are wicked in taking their own plealure , and in farisfying their vain delires ; fo many are wicked in vexing afl3i&ing, and op- prefling others. TheHebrew word for a wicked man, lignifies fuch a one as is both unquiet himfelf , and will nor fuller others tobe quiet.lnanyof,or in all thefe three notions,we may expound the word wickedhere ; the wicked are proud ones , or notorious evil ones,or oppreffors of others. Treaddown thewicked In theirplace. The Hebrew is, Wider them. The word allo fignifieth (as we render) a proper place ; and that's confiderable. Tread them down in their place. The Lord doth not fay in the place,but is their place ; which may note thefe two things. Firft , Wherefoever thou findel} them, tread themdown. Secondly, In theirplace, that is, where they flourifh molt, where theyare bell rooted, or móft ftrongly fccured ; where they have the greateft advantages and firengths to fave them harm- leffe
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=