846 Chap. 34. An Expo)tion upon the Book of J p s. Verff.35 and his wordswere without wifdome. When the Lord comes to decide this great Controverfie in the fail Chapter of this Book, he tells fob's three friends, that their words had not been righr,as the words of fob ; and yet here El;u faith , fob's words were without wifdome, or, not he wifdome. WhenGod faid , the words of fob were right ; we may under- Rand it, that they were fo according to their general tenour, or they were focomparatively to what his friends, Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad had faid in his cafe,or at leaf+his 'aft wo ds(after God had throughly convinced and humbled him ) were fo, though in many things he had fayled in fpeech,or fpoken thofe things which were not right before. Yet here Elihu fpake truth, while he fayd, bis words were without wifdome in the fpeciall poynt he had to doe with him about ; and fo much Job himfelfe acknowledged , I havefpoken once,yea twice,bat Iwill (peaknomore ; I will no more fet my wifdome againfl the wifdome of God, nor prefume to have things goe according to my mind, let God doe what he will with me hereafter. Confider, how well this good man tooke the plain - dealingof Elihu; It might be expeófed that Job would quickly have rifen up in patlìon, efpecially when heheard himfelfe thusurged ; But being convinced, with what Elihu fpake, he gave him not a word, much leffe an angry word. Hence note. eA good manwhere be is faulty, will hears reproofe with pa- tience. Agracious heart, will foone be angry with himfelfe for (peak- ing or doing amiffe , but he can take it well to heare himfelfe reproved , when he hach indeed either fpoken or done amiffe. Nor are there many greater and clearer arguments ofa gracious heart then this. To beare a reproofe wel is a high pc) nt ofcom- mendation. Gracemay be chewed as eminenly by our patience when we are rebuked for doing that which is evill, as by our for- wardnefs and zeale indoing that which is good. When Nathan the Prophet applyed the parable home to David after he had not only committed but continued long imoenirenrly in his grie- vous fins of adultery andmurder, telling him to his face, Thom art the
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