Speeches being uſual in the Scripture ; as, Gen. 50: 26, Luke 12: 20 and x6: 9. where the aRions are *xpreſſed but the Perſons or Things ating arc underſtood, And by the Deſtroyers, he moſt probably deſigns the Worms which do this work -n the Grave) deſtroy or cut off, or deveur this ; 5: ez all this which you ſee left of me, this which
now point to, all this which is contained within my Skin, all my Fleſh and Bones, this which I know not what to call, whether a living Body, ora dead Carkaſ+, becauſe it is between both; and tt:erefore he did not ſay, this bor, becauſe it did ſcarce deferve that name, r For the Particle and is oft uſed adyerſatiyely ; Or, then, as it is oft ren-
root or truth'of the thing debated by us is with me; i. e is on my ſide. Your Diſcourſes and Arguments have no truth nor ſolidity in them, as mine have. You ſpeak whatever cometh into your mirds anda meuths 3 but my Diſcourſes are rooted and grounded upon ſound Knowledge and deep Confideration. But this was . no convincing an- ſwer ; for they could cafily retort the ſame thing upon him again,” and their Affirmation might feem as g-0d as his; for it was only a begging of the thing in queſtion. Orrather, 2 a defence of them- {elyes and of their former ſharp and ſevere Diſcourſes, which ÞS
, 4G3 called
the ſenſe is, It would become you, or, It is your duty upon this ac- is found in count toſay. Or, you will ſay ; 4: e: Either, I. | hope you wil ſay ſo, me ?
|
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called Perſecution, wv. 22+ And having made a ſhort;but vehement and important digreſſion, v-23, &c. he returns to the main queſtion between them here: And the ſenſe of this Verſe ( with ſubmiſſion to better Judgments ) ſeems to me to be plainly this ; Bur ye wil Jay ; z. e. I know will obje& againſt my Charge ; How or wherein, or why do we perſecute him ? Why doth he charge us with ſo black a Crime ; ſeing or for ( as Yaz is oft uſed ) the rot. 3. e. the Foundation or Cauſe, or occaſion of the word; 3. e. of thoſe words or paſſages of ours Which are ſo ill taken, or of the matter ; 7. e. of the thing now debated among us, 7 in me ; i.e. Fob = the occaſion to it by his boiſterous Paſſions and wicked Expreſſions againſt God, which we - neither can nor ought to endure, but are to be ſharply reproved. And ſo this Verſe contains their ObjeQion or Apology which Job © puts into their mouths,to which he makes a ſharp and ſuitable reply in the following Verſe. 29 Be ye afraid of the ſword e ; for wrath bringerh
the puniſhment of the ſword f,that ye may know g that
* -* #bere 45 a judgment þ. |
: . ere. Of CO dteceble Jullgment to be inflitted on you which is called the ſword ; as Peut. 32.41, and oft elſewhere. Do nor pleafe
. _. yourſelves with ſuch pretences and crafty evaſions, as if the blame ' Were whollyin me, not in you: God will not be mocked by you; He ſees and will puniſh your moſt unrighteous and uncharitableJudge- ment of me, and dealing with me. f For that wrath or fury which is in your hearts,and breaks out of your lips againſt me,doth deſerve, and will certainly bring upon you zhe puniſbment ( Heb.puniſbents or zniquities : but iniquity 1s oft put for pun;ſhment ) of the ſword ; i e. a dreadful Judgment God. Or,without any Supplement,except that which is generally underſtood, for wrath ( that fin of Wrath or Rage againſt a Man.eſpecially againſt one in AffiQtion)is an iniquity (Heb.iniquities,the Plural number being uſed by way of aggravation;
as Pſal.73.22.and elſewhere : Or,of the iniquities ; the Hebrew prefix Mem being here underſtood, as it is in many other places) of the ſword; 7. e+ one of thoſe iniquities whichule to be, or are fit to be iſhed by the ſword ; 3. e. by ſome eminent Judgment ; as Job 31+
19. An iniquity of the judges 1s an iniquity to be puniſhed by the judges, as our Tranſlation hath it- g The ſenſe is either, 1» This Admonition
] now give you, that you may know itin time,and for your good, that you may ſeriouſly conſider and prevent it. Or,2. This Judg- ment will come upon you,that you may be taught by your own fad and coftly Exp?rience what you would not learn without it. hk ;.e. That there will be a time of Judgment when God will call Men to an account for all their hard Speeches and Miſcarriages, and parti- cularly for their raſh and uncharitable Cenfures of their Brethren, Mat. 7. I. Rom. Ito 4+ James 4. 11. either in this life, or at that laſt and dreadful Day of the general ReſurrefQion ( of which he ſpoke w. 25, &c. )and Judgment. God ſees and obſerves,and will judge all your words and ations, and therefore do not flatter your ſelves
IS with vain hopes of a Ix" 4
.
THT H A P. XX. | Zophar's Anſwer : The fate and portion of the wicked natwithfanding for 4 time he may proſper and flouriſb, 1 29, : : ; Hen anſwered Zophar the Naamathite, and ſaid, 2 Therefore a, do my thoughts cauſe me to an-
ſwer b, and for this I make haſte c.
# For this thy ſevere Sentence and Denunciation of God's Judg- ments againſt us,Chap«19.29.which much more juſtly belongs to thy ſelf,and is aQually executed upon thee;and becauſe of thy Reproach- es, as it followeth, v. 3. 6 I thought to have troubled my ſelf and thee with no further Diſcourſes,conſfidering how exccptious and in-
| corrigible thou art, but my thought; or conſideration of thy reproach.
| ful words, force me to break ſilence, and fo anſwer thee as the mat-
ter requires, c I ſpeak ſooner thanT intended, becauſe I am not able to contain my ſelf longer, and fear leſt I ſhould forget whar is in my mind. Poſlibly he interrupted Job, when he was proceeding further in his Diſcourſe, Or, be prevented ſome of his Brethren who made an offer to ſpeak.
2 I have heardd the check of my reproach e and the ſpirit f out of my underſtanding g cauſeth me to an-
WET Y8.