21 Let menot, Ipray you, accept any mans per- ſon « , neitherlet me give flatering titles unto man xz: # Do not expe that I ſhould out of tear or reſpe@t to any of you ſpeak partially, but bear with my free and plain dealing with you all. 'z AsT ſhall not cenſure and reproach Job as an Hypocrite or profane perſon, which you have done, ſo neither ſhallI flatter him, _ . faithfully reprove him for his exorbitant Speeches of (0) (1 ” . 22 ForIknow not to give flattering titles y : in /o doing 2%, my maker would ſoon take me away. yt. e, I have neither kill nor wil! to flatter Joþ or any Man ſo as . to debauch my Conſcience, or corrupt the Truth, or ſpeak falſly for his ſake. 27. e, If ſhould be guilty of that fin, God would quick. ly and ſorely puniſh me for it. Or, without this Supplement, My Maker" will quickly take me away ; to wit, out of this World. IT Garc not flatter any Man, becauſe I conſider I muſt ſhortly die, and go to, Judgment, to give an account of all my Words and Ai-
_ ONSs | _CHAP. XXXI. He offereth bimſelf in God's Slead to reaſon with Job, Yanwrnms 2, who had two hard thoughts of God, who by his greatneſs giveth no account of his
| ell.
Kebs Gs net oÞc1*
with him: b Not only to what may pleaſe thee, but al may convince and reprove thee.
2 Behold, now I have opened m
tongue hath ſpoken} inmy mouth d. e Now I have begun to ſpeak, and intend with thy good leave to proceed in my Diſcourſe with thee. &d Heb; in or with my palate, for both Tongue and Palate are Inſtruments of Speech ; and that * oTeks ould ſpeak plainly and diſtinly ( which he deſigned to do) it is neceſſary that his Tongue ſhould oft times touch the Palate or Roof of the Mouth. 3 My words ſhall be of the uprightneſs of my heart :: and my lips ſhall utter knowledge clearly 7.
e I ſhall not ſpeak paſſionately or partialiy, as one reſolved to defend what I have once ſaid, wkether true or falic, but from an honeſt mind, or what I verily believe to be true, and from 2 fincere defire to do thee good, Ff I ſhall not ſpeak my own fancies or devices but only that which by diligent ſtudy, and divine inſpiration, 7 know tobe true, and this I ſhall do pliinly and clearly. :
4 The ſpirit of God hath made me, and the breathof the Almighty hath given me. life g.
£ I am thy fellow Creature, made by God's Spirits Gen, 1. 2, and qu:ckned by that Soul which God breathed into Man, Gen. 2. 9. and therefore fit and ready to diſcourſe with thee upon even and equal terms, according to thy defire. | FEWN 5 If thou canſtanſwer me b, * ſetthy words in axder before me ; ſtand up z. | h 1 ſhall allow thee all freedom of Diſcourſe,l cannot terrific: thee as God would ; I ſhall not reproach thee, nor cavil at thee, 1s thy Friends have done, 7 To contend with me as thine Adverſary jin this Cauſe. * Ch.g
6 * Behold, I amTaccording to thy wiſh in Gods & 1z. ky ſtead &:1 alſoam + formed out of the clays « 21.
k 1 will plead with thee in God's name and tiead, and on his be- T fieb.ac half, which thou haſt oft wiſhed that God would do upon equal cording tg terms, and laying a fide his terrible Majeſty, ©. Or, I am as thou *Y mth: art with or towards Ged; 3, e. God's Creature like thy ſelf, as the F Heb: cut next words explain it, | ont of the
7 Behold, * my terrour ſhall not make thee afraid; 4 / ch.rgai neither ſhall my hand be heavy upon thee /.
1 Which was the Condition of that Diſputaction which thou didſt offer to undertake with God, Chap. 9. 34. & 13. 21, —_
8 Surely thou haſt ſpoken Fin mine hearing »s, and rn _ . ISy I have heard the voice of thy words, ſaying, |
# I ſhall not charge thee with Hypocrifle as thy Friends do,” which Ged only can diſcern, but with thoſe words which I have heard from thee,
9 * T «wclean without tranſgflireon, I am: innocent . EM neither #s here iniquity in me ». | mw
ſo to what
n Not ſimply and abſolutely none, for he oft confeſſeth himſelf to > - = be a finner, as Chap. 9.2,2,0«& 14-4 but no ſuch tranſgreſſion or ini- | i&27:s quity, as might give God juſt occafion to puniſh him ſo ſeverely, as is & 29, 14- implied inthe next verſe, where he blameth God for finding occaſions a- &; T9 ainſt him iroplying that he had given him none 'by his fins. And thus far Elihy's Charge was juſt and true, and hereip it differs from the Charge of Fob's three Friends, who oft accuſe him, and that in words much 1:ke theſe. for aſſerting his own Righteouſneſs and Inno- , cency 3 although they did ir, becauſe they thought him a ſecret Sin- ner and an Hypocrite, whereas Elihu doth it upon other grounds, <- ven becauſe Job's juſtification of himſelf was accompanied with Re- fie&ions upon Ged as hath been ſaid. |
Io Behold he findeth occafions againſt me o; * he «(9
counteth me for his enemy p. o He picketh quarrels with me, and wateheth over and ſearcheth after all my Errours and Fra1lt:es, as Job (aid, Chap. 10. 6: & 14. 16, 19. ſeverely marking what is amiſs in me, that therice he may take occaſi- on to puniſh mejworſe than mine Iniquities deſerve. p Though I have endeavoured to be his Friend and faithfull Servant all my days, yet he treats melike an Enemy, This Job ſaid, Chap, 13: 24: and 19:11, 11 * He putteth my feet in the flocks, he marketh all my paths 9. *ohi1p? q He narrowly pries into all my aQtone, that he may find matter for & 14 further Severitics againſt me, 12" Behold, in this thou art fot juſt ry; Iwill an- {wer thee, That God is greater s than man. | x I do notaccuſe thee of hvpocrifie, gor rip up the former Errour of thy Life ; but in this thou art unjuſt and much to blame, that thou boaſteſt ſomuch of thine own Integrity, and chargeſt God with ri- orous dealing, and calleft him to an account before thy Tribunal, and aud offereſt to diſpute the matter with him. s Not ovly in Power and Majeſty, which thou acknowledgeft, but alſo in Juſtice, aud Wiſdon), and Googneſs, and therefore thou doſt very fooliſhly, and preſump* tuouſly, and wickedly in confending with him, and ceoſuring his Judgments : thou forgetceſt thy diſtance from him, and cafteft off thatawe and reverence which thou ſhouldſt conſtantly maintain to« wards thy Soveraign Lord.