864. Chap. 42. ,AnExpofstion upon the Book of J o B. Verf. 7. power of God, but they did not hic fobs cafe right : They thought and concluded, that if Job had not beena great (inner, God would not haveafffiaed him at all, at leaft, not fo greatly They fuppofed God could not justly affi&c fob as he haddone, had fob been a juft man. This was not right ; they did not well confider, Fir ft, That God may afflict a juh man out of Soveraign- ty. Secondly, They did not well confider, that God bath other endsand reafons inafflitiing than for iniquity; and therefore they knew not, how to juftifie the proceedings of God, but by condemning Job, which there was no neceffity to do. So then, their great errour and miftake was in refolving this queflion affir- matively, Whether be that is greatly afiEfed, be a great ftnner ? or whether the fevere judgments of God light only upon ungodly -men ? Their affimation of this, was enough to make Job defpair, and did provoke him toutter feveral very paffïonate and unfitting fpeeches. For though fob fpakemany things right, yet not all right. God judged him according to the tendency and (cope of his fpirit and fpeech, not according to the accidents and fuddein extravagancies of either. fob fpa1: right, Firft, In affirming conftantly, that God did not afilia him for his fin. Secondly, That his affli&ions were no rips of Gods difplea- fure againfi him, nor of his wickednefs agarnli God. Yet fobdid not fpeak all nor always right : He failed, Fir(}, When he fpake impatiently of his own fufferinga. Secondly, When he fpake foboldly to God,asking(as it were) an account of his doings and dealings with him. Thirdly, He fpake not right ( though that was right which he fpake) when he fpakefo much of his own righreoufnefs, thereby (though not purpofely , yet) according to the apprehenfion of others,refieEting upon the righceoufnefs of God. In there things and more (which have been noted in opening this book) fób fpake not right of God ; yet righter than Eliphaz and his two friends, and therefore the Lord told them , 7'e have not fpolten of me the thing that is right, as my fervant J -)b bath. Further, To anfwer the queRion, and to clear the whole mat- ter, we mutt take notice. Firft, In what job, and his three friends agreed. Secondly, In what they difagreed. They
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