3 to Chap. t9. AnExpofition upon the Booke of j OB. Verf. 23. This affumption is laid down in the 23 and 24 Verfes, in much variety of high expreffions,- all concurring in this, that he did not only not feare, nor decline the judgement of the prefent age, or ofany mortali man then living, but alto that he did neither feare, nor decline the judgement of pofteritie, who ufe to be more leyere and critical! in their determinations, be- ing freedfrom all perfonall refpec`ts and ingagements, which of- ten byes the judgement; and blind the urderftanding, in refe- 'rence_to thofe who are prefent and alive. And though this be only a probable argument, not conciutive, or demonftrative of the finceritieof lob, ( for many arc fliffe enough to their errors, and are not afraid to commend them over to the cenfure of pofteririe by writing) yet confidering that lob looked on him felfe as a dying man, and that he had much more to fay for himfelfe, then this his bare lay-fo, or verball affeveration, therefore the argument carries weight in it, and a faire ground that he was fincere, in what hefpake anddid, becaufe he cared not who heard what he had fpoken, orexamin'd what he had done ; Gasiltie confciences love not to examine or try themfelves, much lef]'e to be examinedandtried by others, Thus we may be led into the general! fcgpeofthe 2,3d and 24th Verfes ; I !hall nowbriefely open the parts. Verf. 23. 0 that my words were nowwritten. As if hehad Paid ; For u much ae after all there difcourfet Ifind that there is littlewill and lefecare inyom to tender my condi- tion, and to doemegood, there romaines only this laßdefre which I put up untoyou,that what Ihavebothfpoken anddone,may befaith- fully regifired and recorded, that fame Scribe would now appeare while we are in difpute, andfaithfully note andlet down all thepaf- [ages whichhave been between sus. Thus he (peaksalto in theclofe ofthisdifpute ( Chap. 3 i. 35. ) O thatonewould heareme, behold my defire is that the Almighty would anfwerme, andthatmine ad- verfary had written aBook: let a Book be written of there dif putes,I carenot who writes it, I would truft even an adverfary to write it; O that mine adverfary would write a Book, I would take it upon my !boulder, and bind it as aCrown to me ; Iam lure, mineadverfary could fay nothing juftly concerning me, but what I,may-glory in, and make myCrowne.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=