c If Ido not defend my Cauſe with ſolid and convincing Argu= ments, go on 1n your ſcoffs if you p'eaſe.
4 As for me; is my complaint to man 4? and if is were ſo e, why ſhould not my ſpirit be + troubled
and of : And this queſſion implies a Denial, or that his Complaintis not to,or of man; tro wit,on'y, but to, or of God ; as is here ſuffici= ently implied, and oft elſe where expreſſed by Job in this Book. So the ſenſe ſerms to be either 1. this, I do not make my moan Or Com= plaint unto, or expect relief from you, or from any men,but from God only : and therefore you have reaſon patiently to hear "me when I am pouring forth my Complaints ro God. Or rather 2. this. Do I only complain,or have Treaſon to complain only of you,and your uumerciful carriage to me z or of men who have dealt barbarouſly with me ? Chap 1. and 3o. 1.9. &«. Surely no: But my Complaint is of God,and of his hard and ſevere dealing with me. Tris he who hath alienated my Friends affeQions from me, and ſtirred up mine enemies againſtme., , And though it hath been my chiet care and buſineſs ro pleaſe and ſerve him, ver he hath alſo ſethimſelf againſt me, and ſhor all his Arrows into me. And therefore my Expoſtu«
Jarions with him (which here follows,v 7.) is the more reaſonable ;
and if you will hear me calmly and patiently, you will find that L have cauſe of complaining.z.e. Ifmy Complaint were only of Man I have cauſe to be troubled. Or,if it be ſo,z.e: If Ido not complain of Man, but of God,it is no wonder if mySpirit be greatly oppreſſed
lheweth that the Wound was both deep and deadly, as they are in j and you ought to allow me the Iiberty of eaſing my troubled mind,
+ G4 and '
Chap. Ad
treaſured up for him,and is kept as in a ſure place,and thall infallibly |
bour, and employed for the uſe ofhis Family. c Shall be loſt or ta-
f Heb 4 His decree from God.
*Ch:16410 b Wirhout ſuch interruption as you have giveri me, Chap. 20; 3 & 17+ 2-
2 _ Ff Heb. d Or, of man ; for the prefix Lamed commonly ſignifieth 4. to ſbortnedi
*Ch. 1 18, 19.
*Ch.27.1
ap. XXI. and modeſtlypleading my Cauſe before God. f Heb, be ſbortned or fraitned;; i. e. either grieved, or vexed, as this word ſignifies, Exoa- 6 9. Numb. 21. 5. Judges 10. 16. & 16+ 16. The heart 1s enlarged by joy, and contrafted by ſorrow ; as appears by Philoſophy and Experience. 8
-þ.lzok 5 f Mark me, and be aſtoniſhed g, and lay your
me. hand upon your mouth. h.
g Coniider what Iam about to ſay concerning the wonderful Pro- ſperity of the worſt of Men, and the intolerable Preflures of ſome good Men, ſuch as I have manifeſted, and ſhall prove that Tam,and it is able to fill you that are but SpeRators, with aſtoniſhment and horrour at the Grange and myfterious courſe of Divine Providence herein: and therefore it is no wonder, if I who ſuffer ſuch things from that God whom I have fo faithtully ſerved, am overwhelmed with the ſenſe of it. þ z. e Be filent, as this Phraſe is oft uſed, as Chap. 40. 4. Prov. 10. 32+ Mich. 7. 16. for ſhame forbear to vex me with your words: Or, you will lay, &c. the Imperative being pur for the Future, as is uſual, I am perſwaded you will be filenced and cenvinced by what I hall fay.
6 Even when I remember z, Iam afraid, and trem-
bling taketh hold on my fleſh. # What I have partly obſerved,and-partly felt of theſe things. The very remembrance of what is paſt, fills me with dread and horrour.
ch. 12:6. we * Wherefore & do the wicked live /, become old »»,
17-10 yea, are, mighty in power ? 73*3-12 þ He expoſtulares this matter partly with his Friends ; if things Er 12: 5* be as you {ay, how comes this to paſs,&c.partly with God himſels; 12Þ.1:16. \yhercfore doth the righteous God diſtribute things ſo unequally? I TowitJong and happily ; as living is ofttaken,as Lev. 18.5. r Sam, 10. 24. & 45.6. Pſal. 38.19- 4 painful and afflicted life being a kind of death, and oft ſo called. as Peur. 3o. 15, 19. Prov. 15. 10. & 19. 16. x Cor. 3. 22. & 15. 31. 92 To wit, in their proſperous eſtate.
8 Their ſeed » is eſtabliſhed » in their ſight q with
them, and their off-ſpring before their eyes. = Either 1. the Fruits of their Ground : Or,rather 2. their Chil- dren ; asit is explained in the next Branch of the Verſe, the words both here and there uſed, being commonly ſo underſtood.s i e. They multiply and proſper greatly. p Which is a greataddition to their ppineis. FHeb. are 9 Their houſes + are ze from of God upon them 9. | h 9g They neither fear nor feel any diſturbance. : to Their bull gendreth and faileth not,their cow cal-
veth, and cafteth not her calf. 1x They ſend forth their lictle ones like a flock r,and
their children dance.
'» Of Sheep or Goats, as the word ſignifies; in great numbers,and with ſweet concord : which is a ſingular delight to them and to their Parents, ;
12 They take the timbre] and harp; and rejoyce at
the ſound of the organ. 13 They ſpend theirdays || in wealths, andin a mo- ment # go down to the 7 grave.
s In good; 5. e, in the enjoyment of all the good things of this life, without any mixture of evil. # They do not die of a lingring and tormenting Diſeaſe, as I now, and many other good Men die, but ſuddenly and ſweetly like Lambs ; as is uſually faid in ſuch caſes. . 14 * Therefore x they ſay y unto God, Depart from
Ch 22176 for we deſire not the knowledge of thy laws z. ' x Becauſe of their conſtant Proſperity. Heb. 41d : or Jer. Tho' God be ſo gracious to them, yet they ſay and do thus to him. 9 Sometimes in words, but commonly in their thoughts and affeEti- ons, and the language of their lives: See Plalm 14. 1, & 36. r, 2. Mal. 3. 14, +5, Tit. 1.16. 2 Much leſs the Praftiſe. | 15 What 5s the Almighty 4 that we would ſerve '*Ch.35:3-him? and * what profit ſhould we have, ifwe pray un- *3:14- to him ? | | a Whart excellency is there in him ? and what advantage have
we, or can weexpet from him? : 16 Lo, their good js not in their hand 5 : the coun-
ſel of the wicked is far from mec. F