Chap. I. An Expofition uponthe Book( fJ O B. Ver% 7. give a confedlion out ofhis own mouth concerning thole things. Scà he queftioned Cain, Gen. 4. Where it Alel thy brother ? It was a queftion only to draw a coati-lion from Cain of what he had doi . There is a like queftion of Elifha to his fervant Gehazi when he had run after Naaman, and had got a reward from hito, 2 King. 5. 25. Elifha faith to him, Whence cotrteff thou ? or where haft thou been?He askedhim this only to draw a con fdíion from him ; for faith he afterward, Went not my fpirit vith thee when the man turned again,from his chariot to meet thee ? He knew before where his fervant had been. God had revealed the thing unto him, only hequeftions him, to make him acknowledge it. So here the Lord queftions Satan, Whence comeft thou? that he might have a confeflion from himfeif. Though the Lord doth know all the anions, ways and thoughts of every Creature, yet God at thelafi- will queftionevery man, that he may judge every man upon his own confeffion. Secondly,This queftion may be underftood, as intimating a dif- liké of the thing, or ofthe bufnefs that Satan had been about. Queftions are many times put, not out of ignorance or nefcience of what bath been done, but.)ut of a diflike or abhorrence of the thing done. When theinanor the thing is not approved,then God carrieth himfelf toward him and his aEtion,asif he knew not what he had been doing, and he mull have it out by confeffon. Thus Hiram, r King. 9. 13. puts the queftion upon Solomon, What Cities are thefe which thou haft given me my brother ? He fûw and knewbeforewhat Cities they were, but thus he queftioned, becaufé they pleafed him not, Ver(. r 2. In Flofez S. q.. God is Paid not to know that they fet up Kings : They havefet up Kings, but not by me; they have made Princes, and I knew it not : that is I did not like them, I took nonotice of them byway of appro - bation.So God queftions about things,as if he did not-know them, when he doth not like them ; and we may conclude that this que- Ilion holds Out to us, Gods dillike of the wayes and works of Satan. Thirdly, Queftions, and this queftion may be underftood in a way of objurgation or chiding. Satan whence comeft thou ? Thouhaft been a tempting, thou art come now from Murthers, and Thefts, and Adulteries, and Blafphemies,from provoking men to all thefe' wickedneffes. As that queftion, fonah 4. 4. was a chi- ding of Jonah, Doff thou well- to be angry ? So, Whence comelt thou?
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