f Either 1, Tam perfeQaly righteous. ' But this Jeb did not ſay, bur the contrary, Job 9g. 2, 3.& 14. 4. Or,2. I am afincere Perſon, no Hypocrite, as my Friends make me. But this El/hu doth nor deny. Or 3- I am 1o far righteous, and have been ſo holy and blameleſs in my life, that I have not deſerved, nor had any reaſon ro expett ſuch hard uſage from God. And this Job had oft inti- mated, and Elihu doth juſtly blame him for ir, that he blazoned his own righteouſneſs with tacit refle&tions upon God for dcaling ſo ſeverely with him- g& For ſo Jeb had ſaid, Ch. 27.2. «, e. Redenies me that which is but juſt and equal, to give mea fair hearing, to ſuffer me to plead my Cauſe with, or before Him, ro ſhew me the reaſons of his contending with me, and whar fins beſides common Infirmities, I have been guilty of, whereby I have deſerved ſuch
, and | I have profited me nor 2. , med, &c, # Either, 1. the ſick Man ſhall look upon, and converſe with F Mankind, his Friends, or others, as he did before, and ſhall ſay ( as the following word is, and may be rendred ) Thave ſinned, &Cc. 7. e. He ſhall confeſs to them that God was not to be blamed, but that he, by his own fin and folly, did bring thatevilupon himſelf And then he ſhall acknowledge God's great goodneſs to him,and ſhall add what follows in the next Verſe, He hath delivered my Soul, &c. and my life, &c. as they render it. Or rAther, 2. God diligently obſerves all Mankind. and their ſeveral carriages,eſpecially in ſickneſs and diſtreſs. x If there be any Man thar ſincerely ſaith thus, God hears it,and will pardon, and heal him, 2sit follows. y Either 1. I have judged perverſly of the juſt and right ways of God, cenſuring his proceedings againſt me as too ſevere and rigorous, whereas intruth I only was to be blamed. Or, 2. I have perverted God's righteous Law by bending it, and making it comply with my crooked ways, Or,l have ſwerved from the right and good way of God's commands: or, I have made crooked paths» So he repeats in other words what he ſaid in the former branch of the Verſe, 7 have ſmned. z I got no ood by ſo doing, as I vainly promited my ſelf, but I got much nc by it, even diſeaſes, and Griefs, and extream Dangers. This was the juſt. fruit of my fins. Iris a Meiofis whereby leſs is ſaid, and more is underſtood, of which we have' ſeen many examples before. TOR F Or, Þ» © 28 || He @ will deliver his ſoul þfrom oufpany : pit, and his life c ſhall ſee the lighe 4.
Se ite; bis life. © See on v. 18.
which is oft called light, as darkneſs is put for afflicton,or 2. the l:ght | - of the living, as it follows,v. 30. the light of this World, z. e. his Life, [ .-which was endangered, ſhal! be reſtored and continued. This is op- | -\pofed to his going down into the Pit, in the former branch
T Heb. . "twice and. wich man f.
| thrice. - (All theſeways and methods doth God uſe to awaken, and con- "vince, 2nd ſave ſinners. f Either ſeveral'y, one way with one,and anather way with another, or with the ſame Man, trying ſeveral
going into the
him for deliverance. | : *PC.56.13; -.. 30. * To bring back his ſoulfrom the pit, to be en- | | lighened- with the light of the living g. - £5. 4 That he may enjoy the light of life, and continue in the Land of the Living, out of which he was going. 31, Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me, hold chy - peace þ,. and I will ſpeak. © þ Attend to whatT have further to ſay to thee with patience and ſilence. . -. 32 If thou haſt any.thing toſay ;,anſwer me: ſpeak, for þ deſire to juſtifie thee k.
; Forthy own Juſtification, or in anſwer to the charge that I have already breughr againſt thee. k To wit, as far as may con- fiſt with Truth and Juſtice. I do not ſpeak with evil deſign, or a bitter mind, or as one reſolved to condemn thee whatſoever thou ſayeſt, and I ſhall be glad to hear any thing from thee, which may make for thy juſt vindication.
33 If nor hearken unto me : hold thy peace, and I {hall teach thee wiſdom /. I is e. What thy wiſdom and duty is in thy circumſtances? CHAP. XXXIV. ; He aceuſeth Fob for charging God wich injuſtice, 1----9. God, the Almighty
D:iſpsſer, Governour, and Judge of the World, cannor be unjuſt, 10s --17,
Ir us nct fit to ſay of Kings and Princes they are unjuft, much leſs of God ;
His power over, and obſervance of Man, who cannot hide from God,
184---22. He exerciſeth hs Power and Juflice over them, 23---=30.
Man's Duty under God's Affiitions, 31, '32. He reprovath Job's words
againff God, 33--==- 37.
\Urthermore Elihu anſwered, and ſaid, 2 Hear my.-words, O ye wiſe men «, and eive ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.
s Who are here preſent : do you judge of the trurh and reaſon of what have ſaid, and am further to ſay : for I am willing to ſub- mir all to the judgment of the truly wiſe.
* Ch.6.30. 2 * For the eartrieth words b, as the + mouth taſteth & 12.11. meat.
4 i.e. God, whoſe work alone this is. 6 Himſelf, or as it follows, | d ive. Shall enjoy either 1+ Proſperity, |
29 Lo, all theſe things worketh God e F oftentimes.
" means one after another, to bring him to repentance, and prepare |
extraordinary Judgments. Which Elhu juſtly taxeth' him with as a very irreverent and preſumptuous expreſſion. 6 Should I lie againſt my right þ ? F my wound 3s incurable without tranſgreſlion 7. i +h So Job hadfaid in effe, Ch. 27. 4, 5, 6. Should I falſly ac- ; cuſe my ſelf of ſuch fins of which Iam no way conſcious to my ſelf? Should I betray mine own Cauſe, and deny my Integrity, and ſay ' that I deſcrved worſe thanT have dons? 7. e. Without any great,or hainous, or crying ſin,as this word commonly ſignifies, which mighr | reaſonably bring down ſuch terrible Judgments upon my Head. 7 What man 7s like Job, who drinketh up ſcorning ' like water &?
{ & 7.e. Abundantly and greedily: who doth ſo oft and fo eaſily | break forth inro ſcorntul and contemptuous expreſſions, not only | againſt his Friends, but in ſome ſort even againſt God himſelf, | whom he fooliſhly and inſolently chargeth with dealing rigorouſly ; with him. The words may be thus read, What Man, being like Job, ; would ar;nk up, &c, Thata wicked or fooliſh Man ſhould do thus, is | Not ſtrange ; but that a Man of ſuch Piety, Gravity, Wiſdom and Authority, as Jeb , ſhou'd be guilty of ſuch a ſin, this is wonderful.
8 Which goeth in company with the workers of inl- ' quity, and walketh with wicked men /?