516 Chap. 3 z, .Pt Exp,a:ition upon the Books of J o I. Verf.àa,. O B 3i. Verf. 2, , 25. _t`h,,ue made goldmy hope, or have field to the f ise gold , ihon art my confidence 5 If I reioyced becattf my wealth was great; andbe- caufe mine hand had gotten much. N the former context fob cleared hitnfelfe ( which afpetfion had been cart upon him by his friends more then once) from any,unlawful or oppreffi,,g wayesofgaine; He had not lift up hie handagainft thefatherlrfe, though he fay his belpe in the gate. Iñ this 2.1h and 25th verfe, he cleares FNMfelfe from any undue frame of ipiritin reference to what he had gotten lawfully, or was lawfully poffeffed Of Now, he that can profeffe before God and men that he bath not ufed any undue meanes to get riches, and that his heart is not in any undue frame towards riches duely gotten,This meal is a man ofmen, A man alter the heart of God. And this f0b doth, in the words before us, three wayes. Firil, He profeffeth that he had not made worldly things, no not the bell of them (Gild) his hope. Secondly, He protcifeth that he had not made the belt of (;gld,(fsne Gold) his confidence. The fineft Gold was not the ob- äa-1 ofhis croft. Thirdly He profeffeth he had not made the aboundance of GoIS his joy, nor the muchnes air the matter ofhis rejoycing ; If I rejgeedbecaafe my wealth was great,andbecaufe my handbad gotten much, &c. Thus 766 difclaimethjoy, hope, and confidence in the creature, therefore as his hand was cleane in the getting of it, fo his heart was cleare in theufingof it. Verf. 24. IfIkave madegoldmy hope, &c. That's the firti thing. He doth not fay, if1 have hopedforgold, But ifI have made goldmyhope. Gold is the choyfeft of earthly things,'tis that refined earthwhich molt men hope for, and very many covet after. And here gold is put (by a Synecdoche of the part for the whole) for all earthly things.So that,when lob faith, If Ihave madegoldmy hope, his meaning is If I have made any good
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