Chap. 33. An Expoftion' open the Book,.of J o B. Verf. 2Y. by the fife ofany external! rite, he was not Iuflified by his Own righteoufnefs, or obedience to theLaw. The fame Apotile á1íò calls the very wortuipof the Gofpell, a to the outwardpartof ir, ( Phil. 3. 3.) For we are the Circamcifton, whichworfhip God in the Spirit, and t ejoyce in Chrift plus, and have no confidence in the fiefh: That is,in anyoutward wo:k,or priviledge which we have in our Gofpell fíate. All this Beth likewife ought to becon- fumed in our apprehenfions, that is, we mutt make nothing of ir, norreckon it any thing in our account for juflification in the fight ofGodor acceptance with him. Secondly, Fle(h properly taken is that integrali and fimilar part of the body,which is oppofed to blood and bones, toveins and fi- news. WhenElihu faithhis f efh i9confumed,we are to underltand it either in this proper fence, or in the fècond figurative fence -lire named, as Beth is put for the whole body ; i flefh is con- famed, that is,his flea-) in oppofition tohis bones fpoken of before, orhis flefh that is his outward mane 35t Is confamed.. TheOriginali word liignifies towax old ; for awhen aman re- 71.17 fenuit covers from fickneffe, his flefh is faid to returne like the Bella ofconfenúit inpig a child. Sowhen he isunder the extreamicy of any fickneffe, his etconfumfit. flefh,as it were, waxeth old, or withereth like the Beth ofanold man. Thus 'tis tranflated (Lamen. 3.4.) Myiefhandmy skin bath he made old ;; that is, though I amnot old in yeares, or how young foever I am, yet God, by many fufferings, bath made me look likean old man ; I am decayedand weake. Davidfpeaking of wicked worldly men, tells us, ( Pfeil. 49. 54. ) Their beauty /hall confume in thegrave ; As death and the grave make a totali and finall confumption of the beauty of bad men, that is, of all that fplendour and bravery wherein they lived, while they lived in the body ; fopaines and ficknelfesdo exceeainglyconfume the body, and eate out the flesh. As a tyrannicall oppreffor eases out the people under hisgovernment, in ', .ence this word is applyed ( Dan. 7.2 5.) Or as a garme orn out by time and ufing. TheBeth is often in Scripture red toagarment, and dying touncloathing ; becaufe when we dye we put off the flefh. The garment of the fiefh;thatbeautifull garment waxeth old and wearesoutapace ona tickbed.Sickneffe_nor only flaineth and
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