Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v7

20 Chap. 22. ion Expofition upon the Backe e J o. B. Verf. ;, An obteffationi eß emnipotenri gurd ju(fificat te ? Jun. 5e jufffiesre non tam e;i ja- [hem eire pint? contendere e,na7i adverfA calumnias dy- federa libi eb- jeíia ,r ex ra atone carom ju dice refporrdere. may be expounded in this place. Is it anypleafure to the Almigh- ty chart thou art righteous, that ís, that Thou doff jufiifie thy felfe or (asMr. Broughton) pleadeft jra/lice. Doff thou juttifie thy felf, or (land upon thine on integrity, and then think to pleafe God, or to carry theday again(( man, upon chore rearmes ? Is it- anypleafure to the. Almighty ? That word fully hits the defign of Eliphaz, it lignifies both Almighty and All-fufficient, one that hath all inhis own compaffe, that needs not goe out of himfelfe to fetch in any fupplies or aid from abroad. He is felf fufficient, and he bath a fufficiency for all others. Is it any pleafure to tbre Almighty one, that thon do$'shers jrefli f e thy felfe r Or id it anygaine to him that thou neakert thy may perfeft? As it is no pleafure, fo nogaine. The fecond Verfe before o= pend clears the miede of this claufe. What there he caaleth profit, is here called gaine, in different words : And the word here ufed is rendred indifferently both gaine and profit. (gene 37. z6.) When ?efeph was cart into the pit, fsadah Paid, what profit is it to flay our brother; let acs fell him ; let us make gaineof him that way, flayinghimwill be no profit to us.And as it figni. fies gain, fo covetoufneffe, and the reafoa is becaufe cuvetonines hath gain for its objedt,covetoufneffe provokes men to leek gain. 5ethro .( Exoe1. i8.21.) gives cnunfel that Magiftrates fhould beMenfearing god and bating Covetoufnefs, or hating gain,that is not only all covetous pra&ices, but inordinate delires of gaine, for there lead into unlawful( wayes ofgaine, even to the perver tingofJuftice. is it anygain to him that thou snaltefi [thy way] ;per, feti ? That is, thy life, thy converfation, thy courfe; what though thou, ftriveft after the higheft attainmentsof grace, the pureft purity of life, is this any gaine to the Lord ? The Septuagint render, That than makeflthy way timple. The fimple, fincere, plaine way is the perfect way. The perfe&ion of our way is the fimpiicity, fincerity, and uprightneffeof it. Anothet reads, Is it any pleafure to the Almighty that thj way is undefiled, Or cleane, that thou doeft . (weep and wafh thy way, fo that there is no fpot tobe feene upon it. (Tfal 119. 71 ) Bleffed are the r idefiled orperfect in the rnay. The.feverall parts,

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