Chap. 20. An Expofstion upon the Bookof J O B. Verf. 19. 539 They declare theirfin as Sodome, they hide it not. Thefe are the Nimrods of theearth, mighty hunters. They violently take away, &&c. There is a twofold interpretation of the words ; Home make the latter part of this ciaufeas the punifhment ofthe finne fpokenof in the former part : He F.ath violently taken away a houle, and be ,(hall not build it. That is, he thall not have ability or opportunity to build. He tooke away a houle intending to fit it for himfelfe, but before he could doe it, God took himaway, He tooke away a houle, therefore he (hall not build it. His op. preffionofothers (hall be punifhed with his owne difappoynt- ment. Againe , O.hers reade thus ; He pulls downe oonens houfes, but he never thinbes ofrepayring theta : He is fo farre from retto- ring four - fold, that he would not rettore a fourth, no nor a farthing. But rather, as we render, the whole claufe is a defcrip- tion of his finite ; He bath violently taken awaya houle which he buildednot ; That is, he hathby force invaded and feia'd upon that which he had no title to, upon that onwhich he never be- flowed either paines or colt ? Houle, is here expreffed by a Sy- necdoche for any thing, whether lands, or goods, or money, which belong.properly to another man. Hence note, It isa cryingfin to take that whichothers have labouredfor. The idle fervant( Mat. 25. 24. ) layee( this afperfion upon his Matter, I know thee that thou art a bard tnaf(er; how proved he that ? Thou reapefi where thouhaft notfowne ; if a man low heought to reape, and he that bath $rowed should alfo gather, What the idle fervant charged Godwith, is indeed the temper ofmany earthly mindedmen let who fo will build the houle, they will take it ifthey can ; if power Rand not between them and their neighbours houle,between them and their neighbours eftate, their own confciencedoth not. As to doe this to any man is a great fin, fo for a man to have this done to him is a great affliftion. God threatens it as a fore judgement upon his ownpeople ( Deist. 28.3o.) Thou (halt build an houfe,andshot Jialt notdwell therein. Then who !hall ? An enemy fhall,He (hall take away the houfewhich thou haft builded,and turne thee out ofhoufeand home. Many rich men gatherin the labours ofthe poore, loch feemeto at by that rule ( which will beno Z z rule Denton rypuit d9' non adifira vJ:,
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