Chap. 3i. Expofstion upon the Book! of J o B. Veri. 33. 661 _ but love covereth allfins ; That is, the love of roan to man pre vents wrath by covering fin for the finners good not to cloake' and harden him in his fin,but towinne himout of it; or love co- vereth, that is, pardoneth all the fins of others fo farce as they concerne any injury done to us ; thus Chrift teacheth us to for- give thofe that trefpaffe againfl su (Math: 6. 12, i5.) yea love cauleth others to forgive us the wrongs which we have done them; whereas hatred (that is,asey expreffion ofhatred eyther by words or aaiorts) loth bat ftirre up irife, and make the breach wider. Hatred alwayes encreafeth Wife where is is, and often be- gins it where it is not; love alwayes lookes upon great wrongs as fmall, and upon knall ones as none at all. The Church hifto- ry reports of Confantine the Great and firft Chriftian Emperor, that when feverall acculerions were brought againft forne of the Bithops effembled at the Councel of Rice, He would not fuffer them to be urged in publicke, bar profit lied he would rather co- vet them with his royall robes, then let therm breake our to the hindrance of the whrke, and the fcandall of chofe perlons who were concerned in them. Fourthly , Man alío is fayd in Scripture to cover fin by the converfion of the firmer (7ame.t 5. 19, 20.) Brethren, ifanyof you doe errefrom the truth, and one convert him, let Kira knoin, that he which converteth the fannerfrom the error of hie rimy, Jhhali fave a fettlefrom death, and/ball hide a multitude of fenet; That is, if any one among you who bath made an outwardprofeffion ofthe truth, fhall turne afide from the rule ofthe Gofpel, whether in matters offaith or of a holy life, in this cafe take notice thae whofoever Octal! be blefTed as an infirument in Gods hand, by prayer or reproofe,bycounfels or any endeavours to recover him, out of that wandering and backfliding condition, This manfhall have the honour (behe who hewill Minifter or brother) toPave afoulsfrom death, and hide a multitude of fine. Some, I know, . underftand there words ofthe Apoftle, as referring to the falva- tioa of the perfon who is the inftrurnent of this converfion ; his foule fhall be faved and his fins {hail be hidden how many foever they are ; and the Apoftle Taal joynesboth for the encourage- ment of Timothy in his Miniftry (r Tim. 4.16.) Info doing, . thou/bait fave thy felfe and them that beare thee. But the current ofthis text runs clearely to the perfon reduced from the error of hiss
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