Chap. 3 3. An Expofii'ion upon the Book of o u. Verf. 9. 2ßg then can roanbe juftified with god? or how canhe be cleane that is borne of awoman ? We fee then, this was not the firít time by three, thatfob hadheard this charge, and hadmade anfwer for himfelfe. And as thefe charges, fo fob's anfwers have been o- pened heretofore upon thofe former paffages, -and therefore I fhall not flay much upon the poynt here. Yet becaufe Elihu re- affumes this argument, yea makes_ it his ftrongeft argument a- gaina fob; I shall a-little confider whether he did rightly or no in this thing. Tocleare ( which we mutt remember) that job's innocency had received a three -fold teftimony in this booke. Firft , He received a teftimony fromGod himfelfe, and that a very notable and glorious one (Chap: a. 8.) Haft thou conf:- dered myfervant fob, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfea and an, upright man. Secondly , He received a further teftimony from the pen- man of this book, who having recorded the feverall affli&ions of yob, and his behaviour under them, repeats it twice (Chap: a. 2 1. Chap: 2.10. ) In all this yob finnedrat , nor charged God foolifhly. The teftimony which God gave him, referred to his former actions or converfation before his aflti&ion. The tefti- mony which the writer gave him, referred fpeciallyto his latter words or fpeeches under his affil ion. Befides thefe teftimonies which are not at all queftioned nor canbe ; we find a third te- ftimony, and that he gives of himfelfe. Now though Elihu did highly reverence the teflimony which God had given (if we may fuppofe he had notice of it ) and would aifo'the teftimony of the pen-man of the booke, had it then beenwritten; yet he que- ftioned the teftimony which ph-give of himfelfe..Nov, that there was force feverity in this charge uponthat fufpirion, may appeare byconfidering it in a few ,particulars. Firft , . It muff be fayd on fob's part, or in favour of him, ac- cording to truth, that he never affirmed, he was not a fnner. Nay we fhall find hinìtmore then once, twice, or thrice, confer fing the finfulnefsof hisnature, and the fins of his lit; . We rind him alto confelling that notwithftanding all the righreoufnefs and integrity in him, yet he would owne none of it beforeGod ; and that ifhe fhould juftile himfelfe, his owne cloaths would ab' horse him. Therefore yob was far from flying he had no fin in him, inafiria reuse. Se-4
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=