to which it belongs, but uſual in the Hebrew Language, as Exo. 2. 6. Prov. 5” 22. & 14. 33. andelſewhere. 4 One whole Office and : Workit is to declare the Mind of God unto the 1ickMan,and where- ' fore God contends with him, and what God would have him to do. e A perſon rightly qualified for this great and hard work, ſuch as ' there are but very few, ſcarce one of # thouſand. ; which expreſſion is ' uſed to denote the rarity and fewneſs of Perſons, Eccleſ. 7. 28. + , which Words he doth covertly refle& upon 7ob's three Friends, and imply that they werenot ſuch Perſons, though they had undertaken to perform this Office or Work to Job ; and withal, modeſtly inti- mates, Thar a!though he was in himſelf mean and inferiour to all | ofthem( as heacknowledgeth ) yet he was ſele&ed by God for this work ; which he faith, nor out of a deſire of vain boaſting of him- ſelf, but to diſpoſeJob to a morediligent attention unto,and 2 more ready entertainment of his preſent Diſcourſes. f Or, ReQirude, or Righteouſneſs. Hi, 7. e. either r. Gods : To convince a Man that God is juſt and right in all his dealings with him, thongh ne. | ver ſo ſevere ; of which Job was not yet convinced. Or rather 2. ; Man's ; to teach Man his Duty, or to dire& him to the right way and method how he may pleat: God, and procure that mercy and ; deliverance which he thirſts after; which is not by quarrelling ; with God, as Job did, but by an humble confeſſion, and hearty de- ' teſtation and forſaking of his ſins, and ſupplication roGod for mercy ! In and through Chriit the Redeemer, of whom Job ſpoke before.Or ; thus, To diſcover to Man, that although he be afMlted; yer he is » an upright and righteous Perſon, and conſequently in God's favour; abour which good Men oft doubt, and need the help of a skilful M-- niſter to ſatisfie them therein. Bur this ſeems not ſo well to ſuir Job's caſe, who was ſufficiently, and more than enough perſwaded of hisown Integrity, and needed no Miniſter to preach that Do&- rine to him. : : EY : 24Then g he h1is gracions unto him z,and ſaith, De- liver him / from going down into the pit, I have found -.. . [].a ranſom », ” _ o RfOrendo £ In thatcaſe, or upon the ſick Man's knowledge and pratice 7 em. J his duty. h Either r. the Meſſenger or Interpreter laſt mentioned, who is pitiful unto the fick Man, and in compaſſion to him doth all that he can for him, counſelling and comforting him, and praying to God for his Recovery in the following words, Deliver him, &c. for the ſake of that Ranſom which thou haſt revealed, and I have | diſcovered to him. Or rather 2. God, who is oft 1n this Book de- ſigned by this Particle ke, or him; whoſe property and prerogative it iS tÞ be gracious unto Man, and who alone can ſpeak the follow- ing wordsfwith power and authority. #i Pardoning hisſins,and de- livering him from his dangerous Diſeaſe, and from Death,and from the Hc!l which attendsupon it. -& To the Angel or Meſſenger. I To wit, miniſterially and declaratively ; in which Senſe the a&s of forgiving Sins, and reconciling Sinners, and ſaving Souls,are aſcri- bed to God's Miniſters ; as John 20. 23. 2 Coy, 5. 19, 20. I 7/me 4. 16, Declare to him thatT have pardoned and will heal him- » Al- though 7 might juſtly deſtroy him, and ſhould do it ifI were ſevere to mark whatis amiſs in him, yer I will ſpare him, for I have found our an expedient anda way of ranſoming & redeeming Sin- ners from Death, both temporaland eternal,. which they by therr fins have deſerved, which is by the Death of my Son the Redeemer ofthe World, which ſhall be in the the fulneſs of time, and with re- ſepe& to which I will pardon this ſick Man, and others that ſhall repent and ſue to me for mercy,: as he hath done.
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. 25 His fleſh ſhall be freſher + than a childs »: he ſhall return to the days of his youth o. . 2 i. e, More found and tender : Theſe joyful tidings delivered to
Clildebood,
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ore his former health and vigour. #7. . To the ſame healthful and ſtrong conſtitution of Body which he had in his youth.
26 He p ſhall pray unto God 9: and he will be fa- vourable unto him r, and he ſhall ſec his face with joys:
for he will render unto man his righteouſneſs 7. |
p Either, 1. the Meſſenger, orrather, 2. the fick Man. 9 being engaged and encouraged to do fo, either by the foreſaid gracious Mcflage ; or by his miraculous recovery through God's goodnels. 7 In h-aring and anſwering his Prayers, which before he ſeemed to negle&. 5 Either, 1. God will look upon the Man with a ſmiling or well-pleaſed Countenance ; 'whereas before, he either hid his Face from him, or frowned upon him.Or, 2. The Man ſhall then be em- boldzned and encouraged to look God in the Face with comfort and joy , which before he was, not without cauſe, afraid to do : but now he ihall find that God is reconciled to him by the bleſſed effe&ts of it, both in his Body, and in his Conſcience. 7 7. e. According to his righteouſnes, or the fruit ofhis righteouſneſs, as on the con- trary Iniquzry is oft put for the puniſhment of iniquity. The Senſe is, He will deal with him as with one reconciled to him through the Mediator, and ſincerely repenting of, and turning from his former ſins unto the ſerious practice of righteouſneſs and true holineſs, and therefore muſt needs be favourable to him, as he hath declared and engaged himſelf to be in ſuch caſes.
dr,beſbal © 2 || He looketh upon men «, nd if any ſay, I have #9" ſinned x and perverted that which was right y, and it
B. | Chap. XXXIV. 4 Let us chooſe to us judgment ec : let us know & a- mong our ſelves what is good e :
c 7.8. Juſtice and Equity, Judgment being oft ſynecdochically uſ- cd for juſt Judgment, as Job 8. 3. & 19. 7. & 32- ge Pſal. 37. 28. Let us not contend for viftory,but only for Truth and Juſtice. This ſhall be my only care and buſineſs. Let us lay aſide all prejudices and animoſities, which I perceive have had too great an influence upon thee and thy Friends,and impartially conſider the naked truth and right of the cauſe. &d #, e. Let us diicover or make it known one to another. e Who hath the beſt cauſe.
5 For Job hath ſaid, IT am righteous f: and my God hath taken away my judgment g.