Chap. 42. an Expefition open the Book of j o a. Verf.ry. But.I (hall give three other Reafons for ir, and from each a Note. Firíi, Eliphaz was the elder man, the graverperfon, as all a- gree, and therefore God reproved him perfonally. Note this from is ; The elder and reater anyare, the greater is their offence, when they ond, though others offendwith them. When many are in a fault, the chiefs or heads of them are mofi faulty, anddeferve chiefly to hear of it. When Ifrael had committed that great fin in Baal-peer (Numb.2 Ç. 4.) The Lord laid, Hang op thebeads of the people beforeme, that is, thechiefs of the people. So, in proportion, when the Lord came to deal with there three, he fell uponEliphaz firfi, as the more eminent orfirftof the three. Secondly, as Eliphazwas the elder or fir(( of the three, fo he began firfiwith fob ; he wasnot only the firft and chief in perfon, but he was the firfi and chief fpeaker. Hence note Theywho are fir/t on a fault, (hall befirfiin reproof. It isdangerous to follow, or be a fecond in a badmatter, but more,to begin and be leader. Thirdly, Eliphaz was more (harp with, and violent againfi yob, than the other two, and therefore the Lord began with im. Hence note ; The deeper any are in afanit, of any kind, and the more of the heart appearetb in it, the worfe it is, the moreblame. worthy are they, and theyPA bemore blamedfor it. All the three friends of fob did much mifiake him, but the fpiritof Eliphaz was hottes(, therefore the Lord culled him out ñrfi. The Lordfaid toEliphaz the Temanite. What laid the Lord ? Mywrath is kindledagainfi thee, and againfi thy two friends. Rrrrr My 857
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=