Chap. 38. a n Expoftion upon the Book of Jos. Vzrf. 2. 23 Lord ? What YS the Almighty that we could ferve him ? they (peak contemptuoufly and flightingly of God a So when God fpeaks thus to man, who is this ? he may be faid to (-peak flight- in;ly of man. Again, as whenman., (peaking of himfelf, faith (as F jal, 8. q.) What is man that thora art mindful of him ! he flights or vilifieshirnfelf ; fo when the Lord faith,. whois this ? or who is the other ? it carryeth the fame fenfe. Interrogations are quick f})arp fpeeches, and ufoaliy thole fpeeches are quick'andTharp which begin with an Interrogation ; and doubtless this Interro- gation hash a double fharpnefs, or two flings in ir. Firfl, Ofrebuke or reprehenfion. Forma ;pp in. Secondly, Of a flight or diminution. rob, though indeed a terroósrionu, than of an excellent fpirir, had been too bold with God, and prm;Ú Pmrof" therefore no wonder if God fpake ( though he contemned him prism noen not) contemningly to him, who is this ? pet ad con. Yet here it is quefltoned who the perfonwas, whetherJob or tenpzun parrt. no, that is aimed at or intended in this rebuking or contemning Pere (7 expr. brationen, Quueflion. There are two opinions about it, and the matter iscarried on both fides (as one exprefieth it) by no inconfiderable Argu- ments. Firf}, Some conceive, Elihu was the perfon concerned in this Quueflion, Who is this ? and theygive feveral reafons for it ; I' Chaff only mention two. Firfi, becaufe he was the man that fpake laft; we had him fpeaking fix Chapters quire through, while Job fpakenot a word ; and therefore fay they,it feems muff probable, . that when God came to fpeak,he would undertake him that fpake lafl. Who is this Secondly, Becaufe Elihu had not carryed the matter foclear- ly and fully with Jobas he fliould, but had failed, though not as Jobs three friends had done before;and that therefore as the Lord reproved and taxed them by name in the 42d Chapter, fo here Elrhu is taxed more covertly, for obfcuring his Counfel, Who is this that darkeneth counfel by words without knowledge ? There are the twochief Arguments which fallen the rebuke upon Elihu; and there are many learned Tnterpreters who carry it fo, affirming that the whee difcourfe from the beginning of this 38th Chap- ter to the end of the 39th is direered to Elihu ; and that God fpake not to Job till the 4th Chapter. Yet fume others fay. God:'
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=