Chap.9. .tIn,Expofrtion upon the BookofJ OB. Vert z o. Solomon refolves this query (Prov. 27. 2.) Let another man praife thee, andnot thine own mouth, afiranger and not thineorris lips. Man must not fpeak theeyil he knows by others, unlcfs called, nor the good he knows by himfelf: Ta fpeakgood of our felves with our own mouths, is much like doing good by other trams hands. We mutt not at things praife worthy byproxie, but it is bell to be praifed by proxie for our good ads. Nowas man may not praife himfelf, though other men may praife him : So he must not praifehimfelf though God praifeth him. Not be that commendeth bimfelf isapproved, but he whom the Lord cotsr- mendeth, a Cor. i o. IS. Secondly, Why doth Job fay here, I will not juflifiemy Pelf, I will not fay I am perfect ? Whereas in other places he jut-lines himfelf,and faith that he wasperfe&;ifyou read the 29th and3oth Chaptersof this book, you fhall find them to be but a continued ¡unificationofhimfelf,or a manifefl'ofbis own innocency. There he proclaims how holy he had been, and how righteous in all his wayes,that he had put on judgement asa robe, and juftice as a di- adem,that he had delivered theoppresfed, and diftributed ofhis fulnefs to the neceffrties of the poor. Thofe two Chapters being a profeffed Catalogue ofhis good deeds,why is he fo (hie and ruo- delt here ? I anfwer, In this and the like expre(lions, while job faith, he will not justifie himfelf, or fay, he isperfet, hedeclines the plea L'ite'fonfutpu. ofperfonal righteoufnefs or perfehion in the fight of God , as chrè expre,/f, hath frequently appeared in this argument. But in thofe Chapters ¡n ac iebnun-- and in other places where he is upon his defence, he fpealts only pnatum foam in reference to the charge ofhis friends ; As ifhe had raid, reac- e con i. cufe mefor an hypocrite,and cenfureme deeply, Ican juftifte myPelf, tenth., nu tic andpleadmy innocency withyou,tbough Ihave not a word to fayfor juflitiamfuera myfelfbefore the Lord;I will berr any thing at his bands,let himfay derFi cuerrime Merl. of me, anddowith mewhat hepleafeth, Iwill take fhame to myPelf, andgive him glory; but asfor youmyfriends, I willjuffifle myfey inyourfight, Iam not the man ye takeme for. Thefe fpeakings are not crois to each other, but helps us to un derftand of j fobs fenfe in this argument.He stands much upon his integrity, but it into his friends; he humbles himfelf in the fight ofhis own vilenefs, lint it is to God. Paul (Rom. 7. 24.) bee wails his faarfulnefs, Qwretchedman that Iam, whofball deliverme from tbi bodyoffin and ofdeath ! Ifinda law inmy members, re- _ Q,q belling z97
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