I ſay. ; bis Shall even he that haterh right c, T7 govern d? 2nd wilt thou condemn him that is moſt juſt'e ?
c i- & That is unrighteous: Bur this he expreſſeth in a moſt em- pharicall manner, the reaſon: and we! ghr whereof ſeems to me to be this: If God beunjuſt, he is not ſo from fear of any Superiour (as inferiour Magiſtrates do many unrighteous chings againſt their Conſciences to pleaſe their Prince or chief Ruler, or to avoid his diſpleaſure) but meerly from an intrinſical hatred of Juſtice, or love of unrighteouſneſs : Which being moſt abſurd to imagine concern- ing God, therefore he cannot poſſibly be unjuſt,or do any unjuſt aftion. d So this word, which properly ſignifies to bindg 1s fitly rendred by moſt Interpreters, and ſo it 15 uſed 1/3. 3- 7. becauſe Go- vernours have a power to bind their Subjet&s by Laws and Penalties, and they are as it were the Ligaments by which Societies are bound and kept together, which without them would be difſolved and broken to pieces. Elibu's Argument here is the ſame with that of Abraham's, Gen. 18. 25. and that of St Paul's, Rom, 3- 5,6. If God
be unrighteous, how ſhall he judge or govern the World? And the Argu- ment is undenyable; If God were unjuſt, there would be nothing bur injuſtice and confuſion, and miſchief in the World, whereas we ſee there is a great deal of Juſtice adminiſtred .by Rulers in the World, and all this muſt proceed from him who 1s the Fountain and Author of all Juſtice and Rule, and Authority. Andas the Pſ[almiſt faith, Pſalm 94+ 9+ He that formed the eye. ſhall not he ſee ? SoſayI; He that makes men juſt, ſhall he be unjuſt? # te. God, who hath given ſo many clear _ unqueſtionable RO of I in giving juſt and holy Laws, in encouraging and reward r ay pk Perfonerin this life, and 1n inflifting dreadful and remarkable Judgments upon Tyrants and Oppreſſours. Or, him that is juſt and mighty ; for the next verſe ſpeaks of ſuch who were generally in thoſe times more conſiderable for their Poker and Au- thority, than for their Juſtice. So hers 1s a double Argument a- gainſt Job's cenfures of God's Juſtice, He 1s juft, and therefore giveth thee no cauſe to condemn him, and withal- porent, and therefore can puniſh thee yer far worſe for ſo doing,
18 Is it fi to ſay to a King, Thou art | wicked f; and
F to Princes, ye are ungedly ? | f Or, thou = gr a Son of Belial. Though a King may really be unjuſt and wicked, yetthelir Subje&s neither may nor dare preſume to call them ſo, Exod. 22. 28s And therefore if ſome evi] thought did ariſe in thee, yet how waſt thou not afraid toutter fuch unworthy and almoſt blaſphemous expreſſions againſt God ? "Deutz1o. 19 How much leſs to bim that * accepteth nor the per-
xi ſons of Princes g, nor regardeth the rich more than che
if he gather (4].104-
qHeb.up07 me
together 8, and Man
hear this 6:
(Heb;bind
T Heb: Be.
g
Eph: 6 V . Cil-3. 2 -commonly proceeds from reſpe& of Pertons, Perry Whom therefore thou didſt owe more _— — : have exprefſed- + And therefore of equal worth and price Wit
him, and equally lubje& to his power and pleaſure.
: . ty _— l
Chap. XXXIV.|
B.
# Whenſoever God doth but give the word, and ſend his Sum« mons for them. &k 1. e. The Rich and the Prince, no leſs than the Poor, muſt ſubmit to the Law of Death which God hath impoſed upon all men, without exception, and they cannot charge God with injury therein» { Whole Nations or People are no leſs ſub- je& to God's Power than any particular Perſons: Their Numbers cannot ſecure them from God's hand. » i- e. Diſturbed and ter- rified with thoſe Calamities which God ſhall bring upon them» x» Suddenly, and when they are molt ſecure. o Either, 1. Go in- to Captivity, or run, or fly away, they know not whether for their lives. Or, 2. Perith or die, as he taid before, and as this word is oft uſed, as Job 14. 20. Pſalm 37. 36. Eccleſ. 1.4. So the ſame thing is faid of the People, which in the firſt branch of the verſe was faid of the Princes. p Either from their place or power; Or out of this life, q Withour any hand or help of Man, by ſome ſeciet and ſtupendious Work and Judgment of God ; which he oft inflits upon thoſe who are out of the reach of Mens
21*For his eyes are upon the ways of man r, and he ſeeth all his goings. |
r This is added as the reaſon of the Judgments mentioned in the foregoing verſe, God doth not affli&t nor deſtroy either
16: Lo
ſible arts and tricks to hide them from him. Therefore po ma hath cauſe, to complain of God, but of himſelf, for all that he may ſuffer in the World.
where the workers of iniquity may hide themſelves s.
their wicked ations with plauſible pretences and profeſſions, bue 3- his ſight. 23 For he will not lay upon man more than right t:
that he ſhould f enter into judgment with God «.
: More or heavier Puniſhments than they deſerve, or than are proportionable to their fins, which he accurate'y obſerves, as was now faid, and therefore can ſuit Puniſhments to them. « There= by to give him any pretence or occaſion of catring into Judgment with him, or condemning his proceedings ; For whith there might ſeem ro be ſome colour, if God did Jay upon Man more thanrighr. And therefore thou, O 706, hadſt no cauſe for thy Com- plainrs againſt God-
24 He ſhall break in pieces mighty men + without number x, and ſer others in their ſtead y.
x Neither their greatneſs, nor their numbers can ſecure them our. from the ſtroke of God's Jcſtice. y 1. ce. Give away their power and dignity roothers who ſhall come in their place. .
.,25 Therefore he knoweth their works =, and he overturneth them in the night a, fo that they are 7 de- deſtroyed 6b. | |