Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v12

4,0 Chap. 38. AnExpofitionupon doe Book ofJon. Vert. 3, Sunt pedant informed by him , but only to convince him that he could not interrogariones, anfwer him,as heconfeffed at the fifth verfeof the fortieth Chap- gut, non fitmt ter ; Oncehave lfpokers , but twill not anfwer ; not indeed could utfciaturveri he. To all thedemands which the Lord made afterwards , he tar ab interro genre, fed ut made no anfwer at all ; fo that thefe words, Anfwer me, or !n». extorquearura fïrub} and informme , are a gentle irony , whereby the Lord reftondentevol would make him knowhimfelf, or be fenfible ofhis own ignorance coma prodarur or fmall attainments inknowledge ; and thereby convince him, fgnorantM re- that he had done rafhly, in defiring andwithin for fuch a debate fpondentmcu- Y a a jufmodi effefo- or hearing of his caufe. The Lord was pleated to rebuke him lent magifiratu- thus fectetly,or in a figure,and not to fall upon him in plain down-- um &magi. right terms. O thou teak and ignorant creature , who hall pre - Jirarum inretro0 fumed to appear before me, and try thy caufe with me : Now,Go gationes. to, Let me fee what thou cant} do, thew thy bell skill ut forth Ironia cantina- Y p atur. Non e- thy utmofi firength ofargument, in reafoning about or againfl my nit!: eo inter- dealings with thee. Thus the Lord might have confounded him; rogatursu erat but hewas pleated to carry it in a milder way , yet in a way as utdteeter,fed efectual to humble and meeken robs fpiric. God needs nor ut deceret, vet ut7 bintelli- prefs man by power, he cando it by reafon or force of argument , geretYfate- and fo flop his mouth for ever. The Apofile faith (Rom. 3. 19.) returfeignora- All the world (hall becomeguilty before God; and in the fame Chap- re. Coc. ter he faith , God /hall be jufftfied in hie fayings , and overcome Ironiafed ami h ot d es i when he s fudged. The Lord alway things with fo much ea,sua7obuet y a vult insiam juflice , and ipeakswith fo much reafon, that no man is able to reducere.merc..anfwer aword, or reply upon him. And though he might filence or flop any mans mouth,by his meet Command and Authority,yet he condefcends to do it rather by reafon and demonflratioe, left any fhould fay, or complain, they were rather over- powered by the grearnefs of his Majefly , than caf+ by the right and equity of hisCaufe. Thos we fee how the Lord in this Preface prepares job to hearken to thole demands that he had to put to him, and to anfwer them if he could ; but Tot, ( alas poor man ! ) had not a word to anfwer any one of chafe demands, which the Lord put to him , either in the following part of this Chapter, orin the next, Jo B.

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