An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…

First, To open the words, as they are an assertion, Thou hast said, I am clean without transgression, I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me. Some distinguish the three terms used in the text, as a denial of three several sorts of sin. First, That, by being clean without transgression, he intends his freedom from sins against sobriety, or that he had not sinned against himself. Secondly, that, by being innocent, his meaning is, he had not done impiously against God. Thirdly, that, by having no iniquity in him, he clears himself of wrong done to man. These three sorts of sin, contain sin in the whole latitude of it. All sin is either against our selves, strictly called intemperance, or against God, strictly called impiety, or against man, strictly called unrighteousness. But though this hath a truth in it, as to the distinction of sins, yet it may be over-nice to conclude Elihu had such a distinct respect in these distinct expressions; And it may be questioned whether the words will bear it quite through. Therefore I pass from it and leave it to the readers Judgement.

First, To open the words, as they are an assertion, Thou hast sayd, I am cleane without transgression, I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me. Some distinguish the three terms used in the text, as a deniall of three severall sorts of sin. First, That, by being cleane without transgression, he intends his freedome from sins against sobriety, or that he had not sinn'd against himselfe. Secondly, that, by being innocent, his meaning is, he had not done impiously against God. Thirdly, that, by having no iniquity in him, he cleares himselfe of wrong done to man. These three sorts of sin, containe sin in the whole latitude of it. All sin is either against our selves, strictly called intemperance, or against God, strictly called impiety, or against man, strictly called unrighteousnesse. But though this hath a truth in it, as to the distinction of sins, yet it may be over-nice to conclude Elihu had such a distinct respect in these distinct expressions; And it may be questioned whether the words will beare it quite thorow. Therefore I passe from it and leave it to the readers Judgement.

Further as to the verse in general, we may take notice, that the same thing is said four times; twice affirmatively, I am clean, I am innocent; And twice negatively, I am without transgression, There is no iniquity in me.