33 If I covered my tranſgreflions g, || as Adam b ; by hiding mine iniquity in my boſom z : £ This he adds to prevent or anſwer an Obje&tion. So the ſenſe is, either 1. And whereas amongſt theſe and other Virtues it may well be preſumed, that I had divers failings, as I do not now deny them, ſoI never covered them, but was forward to confeſs them to God or to Men, as I had occaſion. Or ( which 71 propoſe with ſubmiſſion to better Judgments. ) 2. If I uſed all this care and caus tion in my carriage towards Strangers and Enemies,and others,only as a Cloak to any ſecret and ſubrile way of wickedneſs, ſuch as you accuſe me of, and did nor ſeek to purge out all fin as in God's ſight, but only to hid my fins from men, and to have the better opportu- nity for oppreſling others, or indulging my ſelf in any other cloſe ſin, under a colour, and with : reputation of Juſtice and Holineſs. þ Either r. as Adam did in Paradiſe ; Which Hiſtory is recorded by Moſes, Gen. 3. 7, &c and was doubtleſs imparted by the godly Patriarchs to. their Children before Moſes his time. Or 24 like # man, or after the manner of men in their corrupt eſtate. Com- pare Hoſea 6. 7, # In my own breaſt, and from the ſight of all men
' &- but
of faniilies terrifie me : that I kept ſilence, 9nd went not out of the door & ?
k This Verſe eithr 1. contains new Matter and another Argu- ment, or evidence of his Integrity taken from his Courage an
faithfulneſs in the diſcharge of his duty as a Magiſtrates The Inter- rogation implies a denial, and ſo the ſenſe is, either 1. This, 1 4's not for fear of @ great Muitztude, or for any Contempt, Or Rv”, atk
0:her
or whether it be a natural and moral Duty, and a part and a& of
See [| Orgotif
Way. 9 | Or,of# the mano of man,
24 Did I fear a great multitude,or did the contempt |
29 * If I rejoyced at the deſtruction of him that hateq * Prov. I7.5.
*Mat.5.4h
OM, 12,
14
15 put for another, or for all the reſt. The ſenſe is, If any 1ecret T Heb.
Palate.
*Rom1:.
a Heb.13.t 1 Pet.4.9
x Sa
Chap. XXX, L
(XI,
roOV,
at.5.4h Mm. 12,
1b. my late,
4+ w_n——_"
'Rotb1e, \ TR Jeb.13.% |; Pet 49 | Orgotit pay.
| Or, he mand f min,
Top. XXXI1
o - XS
other inconvenience which might Þefall me from great and nume/0us Familizs, or combinations of People, who were ingaged for him, who had an unrighteous Cauſe, forbear to ſpeak for the poor oppreſied ane injured Perſon whom they a!l oppoſed, or deny to go ont of the Dr of my heuſe to plead his Cauſe, as a timerous and man-pleaſing Jade would have done. Or, 2. This, Though I could hav? terrified,or, w?i2l:ntly oppreſſed « great multitude, becauſe of my great power and 10- rercſt, yer did the moſt contempt:ble Perions, or. Families terrifie me 5 LE, 1 was afraid to do them any injury, not for fear of them 25 2ppears from the former Clauſe, but for fear of God 3 therefore T kept ſilence, and went nat out of the Door, 1. e. I durſt neither move Toague, nor Hand, Por Foot againft them, Or, 3. It contains an Amplification or Cor.firmation of what he ſaid, v: 33, Either thus, did i cover, or conceal my Tranſgreffions becauſe I was afraid of the raze of tte Multitude, or of the contempt of Families, which would be brouzhe upoa me by the confeſſion of my wickedneſs ? Did [ therefore berp ſilence, i. e. Forbare to confeſs my fin, and no? go out of my Dear? But keej> at home as one in that caſe athamed or afraid to be ſeen a» broad 2? No, the fear of ſhame or contempt from men, did not hin- der me from giving glory to God by confeſfing my faults. Or rather thus, di 1 I therefore cover all my oppreſfions, and frauds, and other wicked1 :effes ( wherewith you tax me )with the Mask of Virtue &Picty and uſe all poſſible caution and cunning inmy evil Courſes, becauſe] feared & he great Mulritude, Cwho were my Friends and Admirers, but in caſe of the diſcovery of my wickedneſs, would have hated and perſecuted me 3 ) Or becauſe the contempt of fo many Families ( whole favour and good opinion I needed or deſired ) terrified me 4 Then ( as the Particle Vay is oft uſed, 7. e, If that werereally my caſe : J) 1 ſhwld i" filent ( 1 ſhould ſilently and patiently bear all the ftroaks of God ar | all the reproaches of my Friends ) and net go out of the der: of my 1 hauſe, as one aſhamed to ſhew his face before men. But my con dition being through God's mercy far otherwiſe, and my Conſcicn ce bearing me witneſs of my Integrity in theſe and many 0- | ter thir igs, I dare now lifc up my Head and open my Mouth to plead my cauſe, and [defire nothing more than a fair hearing; 0 that ine would ' hear me / As it follows in the next Vere. [0r,b-hld ,- () that one would hear me /! || behold, my de- m—_—_ fire is that the Almighty would anſwer me z, and that mbty pill mine adverſary » had written a book o. EP aſwer me. | © that I might have my Cauſe heard by any juſt and impartial Judge? mi. e. anſwer my deiire herein, either by hearing me him {cIf: or by appointing ſome indifferent Perſon tojudge whether I be ſuch an Hypocrite as my Friends make me, or an upright Perſon,and whether { have nor cauſe tocomplain n Whoſoever he be that ſhal contend wich me, or accuſe me, God himſelf not accepted, nay. pol- ſibly being chiefly intended, though for reverence to him he for»ear to expreſs it.So this is another of Job's irreverent &preſumptuous Ex- preſſi>::5,forwhich he is ſo ſhirply reprovedafterwards. 04.c. Had given ine t1s Charge written in a Book or Paper, as the manner was inJu dicial Proceedings, that 1 might put in my Anſwerinto theCourt, which Yam ready todo.
26 Surely I would take it p upon my ſhoulder q, avd
bind it as a crown to me. : | þ i, e. That Book containing my Charge or Accuſation, q As 2 Trophy or Badge of tlonour. [1 'nould not fear por {morcher it, but glo'y in it, and make open ſhew of it as that which gave me the hap- py and long deſired occaſion of vindicating my ſelf which I doubt not fully to do. ; 27 I wouid declare unto him r the number of my
ſteps 5; as a prince # would I go near unto him #.