b i- & Many times. A certain number for an uncertain. So this "4inſt phraſe is oft uſed, as Gen- 31- 7. Nunb, 14 22, && c Thar you | carry your ſelves like Strangers'to me, and are not concerned not affefted with my Calamities, and condemn me as if you had never known my former Pity and Integrity.
4 And be it indeed, 7hat { have erred 4, mine errour remaineth with my ſelf e.
4 Tf my opinion in this point be feulty and erronequs, as you pretend it is. Or, if I have ſinned, (for Sin is oft called Error in Scripture) and am therefore puniihed- e Either x. Ir is likely to continue, I fee no cauſe from your r-aſons to change my Judge- ment. Or 2: I ſuffer deeply tor my $ins, and therefore deſerve your pity and help, rather than your reproaches, whereby you add affliction to the AffMflited: ;
5 If indeed ye will magnitie your ſelves againſt me f, and plead againſt me my reproach g.
f re-Uſe lofty,and imperious,and conremptuous'ſpeeches againſt me : Or, ſeek Praiſe and Honour from others, by your conquering or out-reaſoning of me- g Either 1- Your Reproaches of me : If your reproachtul and cenforious ſpeeches muſt paſs for ſolid Ar- guments- Or 2. My wickedneſs, which, if true, were juſt matter of reproach, and the cauſe of all my miſeries. Or 3+ My con- remptible and calamitous condition, for which you reproach and4l condemn me as an Hypocrite and wicked man.
6 Know now h that God hath overthrown me 5, and hath compaſſed me with his net &.
h Conſider what I am now ſaying. # Hath grievouſly afflited me 1n all kinds: Therefore it ill becomes you to aggravate my mi- ſeries; and if my Paſſions, hereby raiſed, have broken forth intro ſome extravagant and unmect Expreflions, I might expe& your Pi- ty and favourable Conſtruftion, and not ſuch ſevere Centures and Reproaches. Heb. God hath perverted me, i. e. Either my State'or Condition, as was now ſaid, or my Right and Cauſe. He oppref- ſeth me with power, and will not give me a fair Hearing, as it fol- lows, verſe 7, He giveth me very hard meaſure, and dealeth worſe with me than I might in Reaſon and Juſtice expe& from ſo wiſe and gracious a God: This is an harth refle&ion upon God ; bur ſuch paſſages have ſometimes come from good Men, when under ſore Affficftions and Temptations, which was Job's caſe. kie-Wairth Afflictions on every ſide, ſo that I cannot eſcape, nor get any free- dom to come to him and plead with him, as I deſire. Y
7 Behold, I cry our J of || wrong », but I am not
heard: Icry aloud, but rbere ;s no judgment ».
I To wit, unto God by Prayer or Appeal. 9 That I am op- prefled, Either 1.By my iriends: Or rather 2+ By God, who deals with me according to his Soveraign Power, andexa&@ and rigor- ous Juſtice, and not with that Equity and Benighity which he theweth to the generality of Men, and hath promiſed ro good Men, ſuch as he knoweth me to be. » God will not hear my Cauſe, nor paſs Sentence; which Imight reaſonably expe& from him ; But he quite neglets me, and hath utterly forſaken me, and left me in the hands of the devil and wicked men. See the like Complaints of other good Men in the like caſe of Deſertion, Pſal. 13+ 2- and 22. 2, and 88- i5. Lament» 3- 8+ Habak. 1. 2
8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot paſs o, and he hath ſet darkneſs in my paths p,
0 1. e. So that I know not what to ſay or do, and can ſce no means nor poſſibility of getting out of my Troubles. p So that I cannor diſcern my way, or what courſe I ſhould take.
9 He hath ſiript me of my glory q, and taken the' crown r from my head. | |
q 1, e. Of my Eſtate, and Children, and Authority, and all my Comforts. r 1. e. All my Ornaments.
10 He hath deftroyed me on every fide 5s, and I am gone #: and * mine hope « hath he removed like a trec Xx.
5 1. e, In all ReſpeQts, and to all Intents and Purpoſes, my Per- ſon, and Family and Eſtate. & i.e. Iam a loſt and dead Man, Ge- ing is oft put for dying, as Gen. 15. 2. Pſal. 39.13, « i.c. All my hopes of the preſent Life, as he oft expreſſeth ir; but-not of the Lite to come, as appears from Job 13. 15, !6. and 19- 25, &cs * Which being once plucked upby the roots, never groweth again.
11 He hath alſo kindled his wrath againſt me z, and * hecounteth me unto him, as'ee of his enemies z. *Ch-13.
y He hath ſtirred up his Wrath againſt me of his own accord, Lam. without any provocation of mine. Humane Infirmity excepred.
z i.e. He uſcth meas ſharply as ifI were an invererate Enemy of God and ofall Goodneſs, though he knoweth I am and have ever been an hearty Lover and Servanc of him:
12 * His troops & come together, and raiſe up their way b againſt me, and encamp round about my ta- *Cha. 6 bernacle. | |
2 1 & My Afflitions, which are but God's Inſtruments and Sol- dicrs marching under his Condu&, . 6 Either 1. Caſt a Bank or Trench round about me, .asan Army doth when they go to beſfiege a place- Or rather 2, Make a Cauſey or raiſed Path, as ?ioneers uiually do in low and wateriſh Grounds for the march of an Army: God removes all Impediments out of the way, and lays me open to all manner of miſchief. |
13 * He hath put my brethren c far from me 9, and *pg;;1.x mine acquaintance verily are eftranged from me. & 38. tx
c i-es My Kindred and Priends, who might and ſhould have ſup- & 69 8
[Or,
lences
*Ch 2
| becauſe they f-ared or diſdained, or at leaſt negle&ed to viſit or
ported and comforted me in my Diſtreſs. 4d Either t. In place ; & 88.8,
ſuccour me: Or 2. Intheir Affe&ions which are tar from me,when their Bodies are preſeat with me, as I find in you: Bur this alſo I aſcribe to God ; he hath alienated your Hearts from me-
4 & 2 14 My
ap. XIX. 7 v 14 My kinsfolk have failed me e, and my familiar
friends have forgotten me f. +. ; e To wit, to perform the Offices of Humanity and Friendſhip which
they owe to me, f 7, e. Negic& and diſregard me as much as if they
had quite forgotten me. ; | 15 They that dwell in mine houſe g, 2nd my
maids þ count me for a ſtranger ;: I amanalienin their
ſight k. : | S ficb. The ſojwurzers of my houſe 3 i. e. ſuch as had formerly ſojourned