412, Chap. Ig. s,4n expofition upon the Book of J o B. Verf. 28. word 9 of fuch the Prophet fpeakes , as appeares in the next claufe ; They lay a fnareforhim that reproveth in thegate.: they ?vi tnwofudie get a word from him, and make that matter ofoffence. That is benè prorata au- alto themeaning ofthe Prophet whenhe fayth, All myfamiliars diunt,quíd aliad matchedfor myhalting. They would be glad to fee him halt that Tram éónna m a they might accule him for his halting. It s a dutie to reprove Trquera radice Y i g g i P verbi Taring, him that halteth, that is, him that finneth, and it is a greater exqua loquendi duty to watch over another to keepe him from halting. But it erigtnem fu- is awickednefTe to watch for a mans halting, in hope that he- niant & ramos will halt and that we may have anoccation or ground to re- prava toquaci- Y g Loris ïn accnfa- prove him ; filch reproofes proceednot from a fpirit of love, but tione dilatent, ofrevenge, as theProphet difcovers them ; Peradventure he will Greg, be enticed (into force fin orfnare) and we 1hall prevaile againf him, and we 'hall Babe our revenge onhim. Theywere glad to fee him halt, that they might fay fomewhat againft him for halt- ing. This was the difpofition of the perfecuting Pharifees ( Mat. 22. r 6.) They feat fame to entangle Clarift in his take. They had nomatter readie, but they fought it. Another Gofpel faith ( Mark; iz. i 3.) Theyfeat certaine Pbarifees to catch him in his words ; Clarift fpake the word; that he might catch men to . fave them ; Thefe men laboured. to catch Christ in his words,, that they might accule and deftroy him. This force would fa- flen upon robs friends, but I forbeare them. Secondly, The rooteof the matter according to that read- ing is, Some fecretfin ; let us follow him hard , let us but con- tinue with him in difpute, and we (hall make him difcover his bofome, and heart at raft; we fhall finde that hidden under- ground evil) which is the root of the matter ; even ofall his diflempered fpeeches and pallions agáinft us, and of all the judgements and rods of God that have been upon hire. Some one fecret'ftn is indeed often the mote of many open ones , and though we may conclude, that any fin may be the root ofmife- ry andafiaion,yet ufually it is force fpeciall fin, that gives fuck; and lap to the fpeciall troubles that either afilia the godly, or render the lives of wicked men miferable. For though God might make every infull fayling, beare galland wormwood, yet he doh nor, but (pares his people after many faylings. And though death ( which containes all penall evills) be the wards of every fin, et in this world God rarely payes it to wicked. 1
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