Chap. 21. An ExpoMon upon the Book of J o B. Verf. 27. 795 as engaged men, toRudy arguments how they might oppofe him rather then refolve & fettle him. or as ifthey had let their wits aworke, like them who contend for viEtory, rather then for truth, and defire rather to p`eafc a Partie,then to maintain that which is right ,. I know the devices whichyou wrongfully imagine againfi mc. Note hence ; Firft, wrong doing beginseu wrong devifing. Thus wicked men combined againft the Prophet ( ver. i8; ,8) Come, let us devife devices againfi him. They did not find him guiltie, but they refolved to make him fo : and becaufe theyknew of no evil) hehad done, he muff be as evili as they could devifeor think him. Thoughts are the moulds of our actions, whether good or bad. And they who intend nogood to aman, can eafily think evils enough of him. Note fecondly Some rather then they will not wrong others, force away to doe it. So much the word Imports, you force devices againft me : you put your felves hard to it; that you may deale hardly with me. As Saul laid to Samuel (t Sam. 13. 2.) 'hen Ifay thou cameft not within thedayesappointed,!forced myfelfthere- fore and offered a Burnt- offering. As ifhe had done a kind of . violence to himfelfe , before he could bring his heart to do that>fervice.Thus many a man forces himfelfe to vex another, not becaufe he wants a minds to doe it, but becausehe wants matter to doe it,becaufe nothing appears naturally, he forceth every thing. And ifno fault cari be forced and fa(tr,ed on him, his very innocency (hail be his fault,and his not guiltineffehis accufatior.. The Apoltlefpeaks of forne { z Tet. 3. 16.) who offer violence to the wordofGod : "Unlearned and unftable men wrefi the Scriptures :they put the Scriptures upon the rack & torture them, to make them coefe& that fence or meaning which they have nos at all inthem, :hey studiedlydraw fortis interpretations which the Spirit of Godnever put into them, And thus fome who are uncharitable a.nd cenforious wreft the Beeches Se anions ofinen, or the dealings ut God with them, Arai . .
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