f 7:e: If God reſolve not to withdraw his Rod and Stroak, the Effe& of his Anger. Or, without if, which is not in the Hebrew, God willnit withdraw his anger, i: enot forbear to puniſh, neither be- cauſe any man can over-power and reſtrain him; nor for fear leſt he ſhould rebuke him for proceeding to puniſh, as is implied by com- paring this Verſe with the former. # 7: e. Thoſe men who ſhal un. dercake to uphold and defend him whom God intends to puniſh and deſtroy;who are fitly called proud helpers becauſe this is a moſt proud and inſolent,and preſumptuous at ro oppoſe themſelvesto theLord God Almighty and to his Counſeis and Courſes; or ( as it is in the Hebrew ) Helpers of pride, becauſe they give affiſtance to that man who carries himſelf proudly and ſtoutly towards God, under his correCting hand : Or ( as ſome tranſlate it } che helpers of Egyps,or the Egyptian helpers ; i: e; the moſt potent helpers : for Egypr was in Jobs time powerful and flouriſhing Kingdom, and not far from Jobs Countrey. And the werd Rahab here rendred pride,is elſewhere put for Egypt,as Þſal: 87: 4: Iſa; 51:9; and ( as ſome take it ) Job 26: 52: h i; e: Shall fall and be cruſhed by him;and conſequently they who are helped hy bim muft fall with him.
14 How much leſs ſhall ;I anſwer him |, #»d chooſe
Out my words #0 reaſon with him /?
_ # Since no Creature whatſoever can reſiſt his Power,and no man living can ſearch out or comprehend his Counſels and Ways ; how can I, who am a poor, contemptible, diſpirited Creature ; contend
* Gen:1:6, +} Heb. heights.
- FChap:38
_
© 8+ -
Or ſhall I contend with him,and expeCt to ger the better of him þ
another ? 15 Whom, though I were righteous mw, yet would ]
judge o,
ſelf of any lin. = i: e: I durſt not undertake to plead my Cauſe x. gainſt him ; or maintain my Integrity before him becauſe he knows me better than I know my ſelf,8& becauſe I am wholly in his hands and at his mercy. o To wit that he would hear me meekly, and judge favourably of me and my cauſe, and not according to the ri. gours of his juſtice. | 16 If ] had called p, and he had anſwered me, ye: would I not believe, that he had hearkned unto my VOICE 9. Þ ie, Prayed, as this word is commonly uſed ; to wit, unto m Judge, for a favourable Sentence,as he now ſaid,and therefore it was needleſs here to mention the Obje& of his Calling or Prayer. 9 F could not believe that God had indeed granted my deſire though he had done it;becauſe I am fo infinitely below him, and obnoxious to him, and ſtill full of the tokens of his diſpleaſure ; and therefore ſhould conclude that it was but a pleaſant Dream or Fancy,and not a real thing; Compare Plal: 126: 1.
17 For he breaketh me r with a tempeſt s,and mul-
tiplieth my wounds without cauſe 7.
r This is the reaſon of his foregoing Difftidence, that even when God ſeemed to anſwer him in words, yet the courſe of his Aions toward him was of a quite contrary nature an& tendency. s As with a Tempeſt ; 7: e. unexpe&ed]y, violently, and irrecoverably. # Not ſimply withour any deſert of his or as if he had no fin in him for he ofc declares the contrary; but without any evident or ſpecial cauſe of ſuch {ingular affliQions; 7: e.any peculiar and extraordinary guilt, ſuch as my Friends charge me with.
18 He will not ſuffer me to take my breath «, but
flleth me with bitterneſs x.
# My Pains and Miſeries are continual, and I have not ſo much aS a breathing time free from them. x My AfMiQtions are not only long and uninterrupted,but alſo exceeding ſharp and violent,contra- ry to the common courſe of Gods Providence. .
I9 It I ſpeak of ſtrength y, lo he is ſtrong z : and if of
judgment 4, who ſhal fer me a time to plead þ ?
» If my cauſe were to be decided by power. z ::e: ſtronger than I. a If I would contend with him in a way of right. b There is no ſuperiour Judge that can ſummon kim & me together,& appoint us a time of pleading before him,and oblige us both ro ſtand to his Sens tence ; and therefore I muſt be conrented to fir down with the loſs.
20 If I juſtifie my felt c, mine own mouth (hall con- demn me 4: if I ſay,l am perfect e, itf ſhall alſo prove
me perverſe.
c If I plead againſt God mine own Righteouſneſs and Innocency, a Gol 1s fo infinitely wiſe and juſt that he will find ſufficient mat- ter of condemnation from my own words, though ſpoken with all poſſible care and circumſpe&ion;or he will oiicover ſo much wick- edneſs in me of which I was not aware,rhat T ſha] be forced to joyn with him in condemning my ſelf, e If I were perfe&t in my own opinion ; IfI thought my ſelf compleatly righteous and faultleſs: f 2. e. My own mouth, as he now ſaid. Or, he, i: « God, who is eaſily underſtood by comparing this with the former Verlſes,where the ſame he 1s oft mentioned.
21 Though 1 were pertect, yet would I not know my
ſoul : I would deſpiſe my life g.
Z 7; e. Though God ſhould acquir me inJudgment,and pronounce me perfe& or righteous, yet would I nit know, 7: e: regard or value ( as that word is oft uſed ) my ſoul,;: e. my life; as the ſoul frequently fignifies,as Gen. 19. 17. Jo# 2:6. John 10: 15, x7.and as it is explained in the following branch, where {fe is put for ſoul, and deſp:fing for not knowing: ind ſo the ſame thing is repeated in differing words, ard the latter Clauſe explainsthe former, which was more dark and doubrful, according to the uſage of Sacred Scripture. So the ſenſe is, Though God ſhould giveSentence for me,yet I ſhould be ſo over=- whelmed with the dread and terrour of the Divine Majeſty, that I ſhould be weary of my life. And thereforeT abhor the thoughts of contending with my Maker,whereof you accuſe me; and yetT have reaſon to be weary of my life, and to defire death. Or thus, If I /ay I amperfe&,as the very ſame Hebrew words are rendred,v:20:::e.1f T ſhould think my ſelf perfe&, yer I would nor know, i: e: not acknows ledge my ſoul; T could not owne nor plead before God the perfe&ion and integrity of my Sou), but would only make Supplication to my Judge,as he ſaid, wv: 16: and flee to his Grace and Mercy: 1 would ab- hor, or rejef, or condemn my life, i: e.my Converſatioa : So the Senſe is, I would notinſiſt upen,nor truſt in the integrity either of my Soul and Heart,or of my Life,fo as to juſtifie my ſelf before the pure and piercing Eyes of the All-ſeeing God. |
22 This zs one zhing b, therefore I ſaid it 3, he de-
ſtroyeth the perfect and the wicked &,