Chap. 22. An êxpofrtion upon the Book of J o B. Verf. 2° notes a man in his health, ftrength, and glory ; a man in the flower and perfection not onlyof his naturali abilities, but in the richeft furniture and array of his acquired, yea infpired abilities. Take this man,lamanof thefe attainments, a man thus acçom- phi1 t, and Cabe profitable to God ; For as when the Plafmilt faith ( `pal. 3 17. ) ell Herfe t a vain thing to fave a mash By the Hore there, we are not to underfiand a lean, poor, week, flow-pac'd borie, or a firong, fwifc borie unman'd ; Such a hone is indeed a very vain thing to fave a man by,Such a hone maydo a man more hurt then help when he comes into danger; but the pfa°m'ft means a horte ofthe greatest ftrength, courage, and swift. neffe : A horse exactly man'd, and taught ail ';is pollutes, even filch aho fee is a vain thing to lave a man. Again, when the Scrip- ture faith, . Cell came to lave finny rs, ce nfuft rot underftand it of leffer, lower, or ofthe ordina y to; t of finners only, but even of the h.gheft and the greateft, for loch fetus Christ carne to fave as well as the !eat; of finners. So here when'ris raid, Can a manbe profitable to God ? we muff expound it ofthe highelt of the liar- ndit, of the holieft, of the belt ofmen; Canaman be profitable unto god? The word is El, Thestrong god ; Can the firongeft rnan be profitable unto the ftrong, the Ifghty, the Omnipotent, the AlmightyGod? Can be 6c profitable? Can he bring any ad- vantage, gain, or profit to God ? Should he reasonwith unprofitar ble talke(faith Elipbaz Ch.r 4.) or with words that bringin no profit? Awordofthe fame root, figaifies aTreafurer, who is a keeper ofpublick profits (Efay22. 15. Goe, get theeunto this 7reafurtrevenunto Shebna. Can a man be profitable ? Thus Eli- pbaz reproves 74 for infifting fo often upon his own innocency, as if that were anadvantage toGod ? As ifhe had faid, how ho- ly or righteous foever any man is,the Lord receives no advantage by him. So that Elspbat (it feemes) apprehended yob trotting or boafting of fomewhat in.himfelfe,as if he had thought Godhis debtor,or that he had done fómewhat for wh`ch Godwas behold- ing to him. And upon this grourd, that God is debtor, or be holding to noman ; Sliphaz undertakes lob ; And though his fuppoi:tionwas false, yet his pofition was true, and gives us this profitable obfervation, That the be, ofmen.cannot oblige gods or Merit any thing at his hand. That
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