An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

I answer (to clear this Scripture) Man is righteous in a double opposition. Righteous; first, in opposition to the wicked: and these may be taken in three ranks, either, First, the abominable and profane: Or, secondly, hypocrites and unsincere: Or thirdly, oppressors, and such as are unjust in their dealings toward men. As righteous is opposed to wicked in these three, profane, hypocrites, or oppressors, so Job was a righteous man. Job was not profane, he feared God: Job was not an hypocrite, he was perfect and upright: Job was not an oppressor, the loins of the poor blessed him. And that's the peculiar sense of the 29th Chapter, I put on righteousness, that is, righteousness in all my dealings with men.

I answer (to clear this Scripture) Man is righteous in a double opposition. Righteous; first, in opposition to the wicked: and these may be taken in three ranks, either, First, the abominable and profane: Or, secondly, hypocrites and unsincere: Or thirdly, oppressours, and such as are unjust in their dealings toward men. As righteous is opposed to wicked in these three, profane, hypocrites, or oppressours, so Job was a righteous man. Job was not profane, he feared God: Iob was not an hypocrite, he was perfect and upright: Iob was not an oppressour, the loins of the poor blessed him. And that's the peculiar sense of the 29th Chapter, I put on righteousnesse, that is, righteousnesse in all my dealings with men.

Secondly, Righteous is opposed to imperfect, or that which hath any failing or want in it. And in this sense Job was not righteous; and that's his meaning here, Though I were righteous; that is, though I had the uttermost perfections which a creature is capable ⟨p. 262⟩of, yet I would not stand upon them, and plead it out with God. The testimony which the Lord gave concerning Job (Chap. 1.1.) is in words of an inferior sense: this in the text is above them both. The Lord there certifies, that Job was perfect and upright. But though he was perfect and upright, yet he was not righteous. He was perfect in opposition to insincerity, and he was upright in opposition to injustice, but he was not righteous in opposition to imperfection, If I were righteous; as I know I am not.