58 Chap. s7. An Expeftion upon the Book,?of J o s. Verf. d conceive this is not theproper interpretation of this place. The word which we tranflate, I boldfait, doth not fomuch imply per- feverance in doing righteoufly,as thedefence and maintenance of what he had done, tobe righteous, or of the right which he had done ; my righteoufnejs Iboldfait, I maintain it, I Hand to it ; and he freaks in the prefent tenfe noting a continued a& through all time. He dothnot fay, Ihave bold it faf1, or will hold itfait, but I hold it fall, aswithmy very teeth. fob is not treating of his perfeverance in righteous wayes, but affirming that his wayes bad been righteous, though his fufpitious friends fuggeftedother- wife. t../14y righteoufneff°e I bold f41. The Emphafis of the word here rendred, Hold faf1, reaches a little further than bath yet been fignified, even to hold with a kind of obftinacy or pertinacy of fpirit ; it notes fuch a holding as takes incouragement by oppofition : which the more itis afafaul- led to let goo, themore it is engaged to hold. That fpeecb of Chritt ( Luke 19. i 5.) attains this fence fully. And it came to paffe (faith the Evangelic) thatwhen thetimewas come that Chrifl iartiipe or. , fkiould be received up, be f eelfaflly fet bis face to got to ferafalem ; 3P11äPr'epa- theGreek is, be hardened or firengtbened his face; The Syriack rasa, í. c.cer. faith, He prepared bimfelf togoe , ( that which we firmly purpofe ills amino todoe, we prepare todoe) Chrift would not be diverted by any P ) Y Y notuitullometu advife, counfel, or perfwafion, but the time being come, that he ab illopropofito fhould be received up, that he fhould fuffer,and enterinto glory, revocari, mag- be f eelfafllyfit his face, be was irrevocably fee to go to ferufalem, Le; erefla a- He prepared hìmfelf, though he knew what a bitter cupwas pre- grew `eor ag- paring for him, and that he muff paffe through the valley of the cf1. p a p Y oi1 fhadowof death. Thus fob hardened his face, and was invincibly refolved ro Rand to histackling, my righteoufnefs Iholdfall, And will not let it got. That's the Negative of the former Affirmative ; when a man is refolved to hold any thing fat+, be willnot let goo ; there isan ele- gancy in the expreflion. The original word fignifies to be weake or infirme. To let ts thing go, or to remit lit, thewsa weakneffe inhim that doth fo, and Ifothis word is properly oppofed to that in the former claufe , to holdingfaft. In this fence we read it ( `Pro. l L® rim alit a r1á-, lenes flebitis remit fat.
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