a i.e. Unto God, either by way of Apology for thee: or rather by way of debate anddiſpuration with him abour his Counſels and Ways ; about which we know not what to ſay, and therefore are willing to be taught by thee who prerendeſt to ſuch exquiſite know Jedce of theſe macters. So is is a reproof of his preſumption and ar- rogance. 6 We know neither with what words or matter, nor in what method and-manner, to maintain diſcourſe with him, or plead againſt him. The words our ſpeech, are eafily underſtood our of the former Clauſe of the Verſe. c Both becauſe of the dark- neſs ofche matter, Gods counſels and ways being a great depth,and far out of rezch ; and b:cauſe of the darkneſs or blindneſs of our minds.
20 Shall it be told him that I ſpeak d? I a man ſpeak e, ſurely he ſhall be ſwallowed up f-
a4 Heb, that I will ſpzak. Shal I ſend, or who dare carry a Chal- lenge from me to God, ora Meſhge that 1 am ready and defirous to debate with him concerning his proceedings? This indeed thou haſt done in effe&, but far be ſuch preſumprioa from me. e If a
B,
and not preſme to quarrel or diſpute with him,as thou, O 70b,haft done. 3 Heb. He aoth not, or will nor behile,to wit, with rel} pe& or approbation: he beholdeth them afar off with ſcorn and conrempt- 2 2:e, Huch asare wile in their own eyes,that lean to their own un- derftandings,and deſpiſe all other men jn compariſon of themſelves and icorn all their Counſels;thar are ſo puffed up with the opinion of their own Wiſdomythat they dare contend with their Maker and
timares to be Jobs fault,and to be the true reaſon why God did net reipeCt nor regard him, nor his Prayers and Tears,as Job complain= ed. Ando this is allo atacit advice and exhortation ro Job to be humble and little in his own eyes,if ever he expeCted or delited any favour from God.
C H AP. XXXVIII. ;
The Lerd anſwers Job, 1 —= 3, declareth his works of Creation ; the foundation and the meaſures of the earthy 4 ———- 6. the Stars, rhe Sea and its bounds, T-——11, , the morning and its fight, 12-—- 15. the deprh of the jea:the gates and ſhadow of death : the breadth of the earth, 16 -—- 18, theplaceof light and darkneſs ; the treaſures of ſnow and hail for battel, 19— 23+ the eaſt-wind, ſprings, and rain for the earch, 24— 30* the planets, ordinances of heaven, and their deminion on the earth : clouds and lightning, 41— 735. Wiſdom and underſtanding
Chap. XXXVIII
preſume to cenſure his Counſels and Attions. Which he hereby in-.
Man ſhould be ſo bold and venturous to enter the Liſts with God.
f V'Vith the ſenſe of Gods infinite Majeſty and ſpotleſs Purity, 21 And g now þ men ſee not 3 the bright light which
7sin the ciouds &, but the wind paſſeth /.and cleanſerh
them 22. : s Or, For, as this Particle is oft rendred ; the following words
containing a reaſon of thoſe which go before. þ This Parricie 15 et-
ther 1+ A note of time, and ſo it intimates aſudden change which then was in rhe Weather, which having been very dark, began now to clear up ; Or rather, 2. A note of inference to uſher in the Ar- gument. # Either 1+ do not obſerve ( as ſeeing it oft uſed ) nor con- ſider theſe glorious works of God ; or 2. cannot behold, or ar leaſt not gaze upon it. k Or,zn the Skies ; For the Hebrew word ſignifies both Clouds-and Skies. This is to be underſtood, either 1- of Erighr and lightſome Clouds : or rather 2,of the Sunz which is oft and emphatically called Light, as was noted before, and here rhe bright Light : which men oft times cannot behold, either when 1t 1s cove- red with a black and thick Cloud ; or when, as it follows, the Skie is very clear, and conſequently the Sun ſhine is very bright. And therefore it is not ſtrange if we cannot ſee God, who dwelleth in darknels, 1 Kings 8. 12. nor diſcern his Counſels and ways which are covered with grear obſcurity ; and if we dare not approach to him, with whom is, as it here follows, terrible Majeſty ; and if we pre- ſame to do ſo, we muſt ne:ds be ſwallowed up, as was faid v. 20. 1 Or rather, when ( as this Particle is oft uſed ) the wind paſſeth. m Ei- ther theClouds. :.e.cleanſerth the Air from them;or the Skies by dri- ving away thoſeC!ouds which darkned it-
22 +Fair weather » cometh out of the north s : with God 5s terribie Majeſty p.
x Or, »hen ( which Particle may be well underſtood out of the foregoing verſe ; and ſothis may be a further deſcription ofthe rime when men cannot ſee or gaze upon the Sun,namely when) fair Weather, &c. Heb. Gold, either 1. properly. And to this may be no- ted asa wonderful Work of God, that the choiceſt of Metals, to wit, Gold ſhould be found in and fetched out ofthe bowels of cold Nor- thera Countries. Or, 2. Metaphorically, as this word is oft uſed of bright and ſhining things ; as we read of golden Oyl, Zech. 4.12.and we call happy times golden days. And ſo bright and fair Weather may well ve called golden, becauſe then rie Sua gilds the Air and Earth with ics beams, which alſo are called by Poets golden Beams, ei. e From the Northern Winds which ſcatrer the Clouds, and clear the Ski-, Prov. 25. 23+ þ And therefore weneither can nor may approach too nezr to him nor ſpeak preſumptuouſly or irreverent - ly to him, orofhim. Andſo this is the Application of what he had now ſaid, that we could not ſee the Sun,&c. much leſs God and withal it is an Epiphonema or Concluſion of the whole forego- ing Difcourſe. Thoſe glorious Works of his which TI have deſcribed arc Teſtimonies of that great and terrible Majeſty whici is in him ; which ſhould cauſe us to fear and reverence him,and not to behave
_ ourſelves ſo infolently towards himzas Jeb hath done.
23 Touching the Almighey,* we cannor find him out gq;
. he * ;s excellent in power r, and in judgment 5, and ' in plenty of juſtice z ; + he will not aftlict «,