4'16 Chap. 29. An Expofition upon the Book of j o a. Verf. Z. More particularly, lob; (cope {in this parable or Apologetical Narration, which he makes for himeif, may be threefold, or it bears a threefold refpea, Ertl, Toconvince his friends furtherof the wrong which they had done him , and of the wrong courfe which they took with him,in judging him the ;reatefl of Iinners,becaufehe was fo great a sufferer. `secondly, To purge and clear himfelf of that imputation of Smpatience under his change, by (hewing how fad a change God had made in his condition. To fall from fuch a bight of outward happinefs, as bedefcribeth in this Chapter, into fuch a depth of outward affli&ion, as he defcribeth in the next, would put the patienceof any man to it, and therefore they might incharity and compaffton bear withhim, if fometimes his fpirit were a little un- quiet, and his fpeeches tin&ur'd withimpatience. Thirdly, His fcope might be to thew that hehad retained his integrity, and conflantly walked inthat fear of the Lord, of which he fpake in the Chofe of the former L;hapter, And untoman be Paid, Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wifdom, and to depart from evil is under/tanding, yob, I fay, to give a teflimony of his integrity that he had walked in this fear of the Lord, andde- parted from evil, even in thofe times of his greatefi fullnefs and worldly felicity, makes this large profeffion ; though Godhad af- #li&ed him, yet his confcience told him he did not affki him for the ill management of his power and profperity(as his friends fug- gefled again({ him) by tyrannizing over and opprefling the poor, by vexing the widdow and the fàrherlefs, or by denying or delay- ing right to any, for be had all along kept dole to the rule of rigbteoufnefs, juflice and judgement ; and when he !night have done what hewould, had no will todoe any thing but what he ought ; and therefore faith he, I am not afraid to lookback up- on what I have been, nor to takeanaccount of whir I have done, as many in fuch cafes are, whole pra&ifes teliiñe untoothers, and whole confciences teflifie agaitsfl themfelves, that they have per- verted juflice,and caufed judgement to fpring up as hemlock in the furrows of the field. Bút (faith lob) asfor me, I am ready to, tell you the flory of my whole life, in the exercife ofmy place and power. And as I have reafon tobe acquitted, yonr Selves being judges, fo I am lure to beacquitted beforeGod. The righteous, the
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