Chap.27. .fln Expofition upon the Book, of J o B. Verf. 7. with the wicked,yea deferve to bedealt with as the wicked,tobe wrapped upunder the fame reproofes, and in the fame Common Calamities, Wemay quickly bring the rod of God upon our felves, by being a rod upon the backes of others ; and may fooner orlatter, feele hard blowes of corre&ion fromGo 1, for the hard words of Cenfure which our brethren have felt from us. So then, whenJob faith, Let mine Enemy be as the wicked, he cloth not imprecate Evil' upon his friends, becaufe they oppofed him to havedone fo, hadbeen fnful and diffonant to the rules of charity;and it were as uncharitable for any to conceive he did fo, as for himfelfe to have done it. And for proof that nothing of re- venge was upon his Spirit, he makes anopen prorefiation to the contraryaccompanied with afecret and revere imprecation upon himfelfe, in cafe it were fo ( Chap. 3 t . a9.) If I rejoycedat the defiruttionofhim that hatedme, or lift up my (elfe when Evilfound bins ? Then &c. He that really wifheth Evilto his Enemy, cannot butrejoyce when evill finds him.joy arifech from theaccomplifl4- meat of defire. But though Yob did not wïfh evill tohis friends, yet he wouldnot fpare them in what they did ill, their ill dealing with him. Hence , Note; It isno breaoh of Charity tofpeake home, and tell them who op- pofethetruth, that they dos wickedly, though othertvife they be goodmen. Truth is a friend to be preferred before all friends. We muff take heed of Cowingpillowes under their armes, who maintaine a bad Caufe ; They who flatterand fpeake them faire, doe fo.Such lenitivesencourage errour,and fuckgentleneffe is deadly to chofe whoerr,There isa tinfoil provocation in fpeaking,efpecially in dif- puting;yet wemay fpeake plaine, &tellmen theirown,without any jufi provocation. To maintain love & unity is good, but to main- taint purity is better. Wemuff rather be againfi all men, than doe any thing againfi the truth. Thus Paul dealt with Peter ( Gala. I I ,) I witbfloodhim to thefacebecaufe he was tobe blamed. His holy zeal for God was not fiopt by the refpe& and reverence which he bare to man. Such was fobs courage according to this interpretation, while he faid, Let mine enemy be as the wicked. I Can give nobetter Judgmentof him in this cafe. L z Verfe S. 75
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