496 Chap. 13, AnExpofition upon theBook of Jos, Vetf,z3 many are mine iniquities and myfins ? make me to knowMy tranf_ greffion andmy fin. As if he had faid, 1 am willing to hear, and know the worfl ofmy felf. Some conceive thatJob having madethat motion,/et himfpeak, and Iwill aiefwer, &c. flood waiting a while to fee what God would do . But receiving no anfwer, he thus breaks out; Hoar manyare mine iniquities ? And thefe put avery harfh conftru&ion upon this Interrogati- on, as if jobhad Paid, What ? am I fo wicked and fnful," that f am not worthy unto whom thou fhouldefl (hew my wickednefs and my fin ? i f I am fo vile, let it appear how vile Iam, andfhew me afdeonc fiagiti_ thofefins whichhave rendred me (it feems) not only unworthy of olas ego, ut ne acceptation, but ofan anfwer. I likenot this glofs, neither Both &gnur baker it bear the image of a gracious fpirit, Each as, jobs alwaies was, ein improbitate though it was fon etimes a little muddy and tumultuous. exprebes. Salle Rather thus, job havinga purpofe todefend his caufe, askes ilitur redeye mea oftendt mi- at once,from the griefof his heart, and from the clearnefs ofhis bi confcience, Howmany are mine iniquities ? as if he had faid, I am fufpelled ofgreat crimes, and Iam in the eye ofmyfriends a.r a perfon condemned already, but I would' thofe crimes were brought forth,andfurely theyought,before Iam either cenfuredor condemned: therefore Lord, Howmany are mine iniquities andmy fins ? make me to know my tranfgrelien andmyfin. So the words carry a ftrong delire, which this affiieted foul had difcovered more then once before, to fee the bottom of his condition, and to find out the reafon why God did thus af- fIi&him: and if it were for fin (about which he had nofear upon his confcience) O that God would but {hew him his fin ! His fin ( under that notion) was a fecret tohim, but he was willing to know it There are two queftions which would be refolved before I proceed further to the openingof this. How many are .mine iniquities ? Firft, Seeing Job, at the 9th chapt. ver.2a. laid down this con- clulion, He flayetbthe wicked and therighteous;and upon that bot- tom grounded all his anfwers, that the difpenfations of God are alike inoutward things to good and bad; Hence the queftion rifeth, why he labours fo much to clear"himfelfoffin, as if his af- fliions muff needs argue him wicked, whereas he before had argued, that theLord Both as much afflit the 'righteous as the wicked. _ I
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