| x Do notnow interrupt me in my Diſcourſe; which peradyenture F he obſerved by their geſiures, ſome of them were now attempting. y That I may freely utter my whole mind. x For the event of my Diſcourſe with God, wherewith you threaten me, I am willing to ſubmit my ſelf to Him, to do with me as He pleaſeth : For I know He will 'not judge ſo ſeverely and paitially of me, or my words, as you do, but will accept what is good, and paſs by any circumſtantial de- feRts in my Perſon or Speech, as knowing that I ſpeak from an upright
Heart, 14 Wherefore doT take my fleſh in my teeth, and
put my life in mine hand (('z ) ?
Cz ) According to this Tranſlation the Senſe ſeems to be this, If you ſpeak truth, and God puniſheth none but wicked Mcn, why doth he bring me ( whom he knows to be no Hypocrite, as you flan- der me ) to that extremity of pain and miſery, that I am almoſt conſtrained to tear, ard eat my own Fleſh ( which is mertioned as the Charater of Men in great anguiſh, 2/a. 9. 20, and 49. 26, J) and am ready to lay violent hands upon my ſelf ? Is it fo gicat a crime to complain in this caſe, or at leaſt to erqui c into the cauſe of this unwonted ſeverity: But this ſenſe ſeems not well to (uit either with the foregoing orfollowing Verſes, but to come in abruptly. Others therefore render the words thus; Why ſhuld I take my fleſh in »y teeth, &c. And ſo this may be either x, A reaſon of this ardceuc deſire of liberty of Speech, becauſe he could hold his Tongue no long- er, but muſt needs tear hin.ſelf to pieces, if he had not ſome vent for his grief. So this agrees well both with v. 13. where hedefircd this f;eedom, and with v- 19. where the ſame Senſe is expreſſed in plainer words. Or, 2. An Antidote againſt Deſpair. I perceive, O my Friends, by your Diſcourſes, that you intend to Grive me to utter Deſpair, if I do not turn to God in another manner than yet I have done. Which if it were true, T ſhould certainly tear my Fleſh, and violently take away my own Life : But I ſce no reaſon why I ſhould give way to any ſuch deſpair or deſperate Ations ? And this alſo hath a good dependapce upon the foregoing words , Let come on me what will, ( q. d. Bur I have no reaſon to fear ſuch Conſequences as you ſuggcſt, nor to deſpair of a mercitul Audict cc ard Relicf from God; ) and a good connexion with thoſe which fol- low, v. 15. where he declares his Hope and Contidence ip God, The Phraſe of haying one« Liſe in his hand, notes a condition extreamly dangerous, ahd almoſt deſperate, as Judges I2* 3 1Sanm. 19. 5. and 238, 21. Pſal. 119, 10g. :
*PCſ. 23:44 15 * Though heſlay mes, yet I will cruſt in him 56: Pro.14.32. but c I will + maintain mine own ways 4 before him e. He a Though God ſhould yet more and more encreafe my toriments, {Prove ar a+ {9 that I could bear them no longer but ſhould perceive my ſe:f to be &#% at the point of Death, and without all hopes of Recovery in this World. 6 Or. ſhall I not truft in him ? Shouid I deſpair 3 No, I will not, I know he is a juſt, and a faithful, and merciful God, aud he knows that mine Heart is upright before him, and that I am no Hy- Pocrite, c Though I will truſt io him, yet I will humbly expoſtulate the matter with him. d I will argue, or prove, or demonſtrate my ways, 7. e. I will make a full free Confeſfion of the whole courte of my Lite, and I will boldly, though ſubmiſfiv:ly, aſſert mine own Integrity, which he alſo will, { doubt not, acknowledge. And what I have dore » ' amifsI will as freely conteſs, and make Supplication to my Judge for = _—_ of it, e Before his Tribunal : for I defire ne other judge ut 1m.
16 He alſo hall be, ( or is) my ſalvation f: forg an
hypocrite ſhall not come before him,
FI reft Mured that he will fave me out of theſe Miſeries ſooner or later, one way or other, if not with a temporal, yet with an eternal Salvation after Death ; of which he ſpeaks, Chap. 19. 25, &c. g Or, but. as this Particle commonly fignifiesz for this Clauſe 1s put by way of oppoſition to the former ; and the ſenſe is, But if I were an Hypo-
: my Cauſe with him, as now I deſire to'do, nor could I hope for any = Salvation from, or with him in Heaven. | 17 Hear diligently my ſpeech h, and my declaration z with your ears. | h This he defired before v, 6. and now repeateth, either becauſe they manifeſted ſome neglc& or diſhke of his Speech, and ſome defire tointerrupt him: Or, becauſe he now comes more cloſely to his bufi- neſs, the foregoing Verſes being moſtly in way of Preface to it. 7 7. ec. The words whereby I declare my Mind. | |
18 Behold now, I have ordered my | cauſe &; I know that I ſhall be juſtified /,
To wit, within my ſclf. 1 have ſeriouſly and fincerely conſi- dered the ſtate of my caſe, and what can be ſaid either for me, or a- eainfſt me, and am ready to plead my Eauſe. / i e. Acquitted by God from that Hypocritie aud Wickedneſs wherewith you charge me, anddeclared a righteous and ianocent Perfon, humane Igficmities cx- Cepted,
Lo. —_—
5 0 B
4 crite, as you alledge, I durſ} not preſent my ſelf before him to plead |
19 Who zs he that will plead with me »»? for now if
I hold my tongue, I ſhali give up the ghcft x.
m Where is the man that willdo it? Nay, O that God would do it: which here he implies, and preſently expreſſeth. n My grieffor Gcd's heavy Hand, and for your bitter Reproaches would break my Heart it 1 ſhouid not give it vent, Ts
20 Only do not two things unto me vo; then will I nor
hide my elf from thee p. |
s Which two he expreſſcth, v. 21. p Then ſhall I boldly preſent my ſelf and cauſe before thee,
21 * Withdraw thine hand far from me q: and let *Ch.g.34,
not thy dread make me afraid r, 35.633.7, q 7. e. Suſpend my torments during the time of my pleading with thee, that my Mind may beat Liberty. » Do not preſent thy telf to me 19 terrible Majeſty, neither deal with me ic rigorous Juſtice ; but hear me meckly, as one map hearcth another, ai.d plead with me Up« on thoſe gracious terms, wherewith thou uſeſt to deal with Markind,
22 Then call thou, and I will anſwer: or let me
ſpeak, and anſwer thou me 5.