First,1 What if God will use his absoluteness, and prerogative,2 in this his dealing with his child? and proceed therein according to no ruled case or president? This he may do, and (as it is thought) in Jobs case he did; who is thought by some, to be set up as a type among the Gentiles, of Christ at his crucifying, who was to be left by his Apostles, and all, forsaken of God, &c. and though Jobs desertion began but with his estate, children, and body, yet it pierced further in the end, and seized upon his ⟨p. 119⟩spirit, (though not so far as to question Gods love to him, this we read no where of him, yet was) seen in Gods withdrawing himself in the comfort of his presence, and Satan's making him a Butt to spend his arrows upon. And yet though the Lord had cause enough against him, yet no cause (as I remember) is pleaded, but it is resolved into an extraordinary dealing; wherein God took a liberty to glorify himself, by singling out one of his stoutest, valiantest champions; and setting him hand to hand to wrestle with the powers of darkness; and because Satan was (as it were) not hard enough for him, he turned enemy himself, Job 13. 24. None more just then he before: The Lord you know glories in him: None ever led a stricter life, read the 31. Chapter; no man kept more in awe, and that by fearing such a desertion aforehand; which was the only way to prevent it; for what a man fears, he prays much against: which he expresses, when complaining, he says, Chap. 4. 25. That though he feared it, yet it came: Implying that it was not ordinary, nor indeed is it so: and though Job justifies himself too far, yet this was it which made him so stoutly to plead his own cause, that he could find no president, no ruled case of the like proceeding. And therefore Elihu, who took both Gods part and Jobs, and stepped up as a moderator, and as one in Gods stead to decide the matter, resolves it most of all into Gods prerogative, though not without Jobs desert; (yet not such as according to which ⟨p. 120⟩God ordinarily proceedeth, not so severely with others;) as appears by the 34. Chapter: and to that end he set forth Gods greatness, in the 36. and 37. Chap. And thus God himself when he came to plead with Job about it, and to show him a reason of it, he only tells him how great a God he was, and therefore might do as he pleased;
First,1 What if God will use his absolutenesse, and prerogative,2 in this his dealing with his childe? and proceede therein according to no ruled case or president? This he may doe, and (as it is thought) in Iobs case he did; who is thought by some, to be set up as a type among the Gentiles, of Christ at his crucifying, who was to be left by his Apostles, and all, forsaken of God, &c. and though Iobs desertion began but with his estate, children, and body, yet it pierced further in the end, and seized upon his ⟨p. 119⟩spirit, (though not so farre as to question Gods love to him, this we reade no where of him, yet was) seene in Gods withdrawing himselfe in the comfort of his presence, and Satans making him a Butt to spend his arrowes upon. And yet though the Lord had cause enough against him, yet no cause (as I remember) is pleaded, but it is resolved into an extraordinary dealing; wherin God tooke a liberty to glorifie himselfe, by singling out one of his stoutest, valiantest champions; and setting him hand to hand to wrastle with the powers of darknesse; and because Satan was (as it were) not hard enough for him, he turned enemy himselfe, Job 13. 24. None more just then he before: The Lord you know glories in him: None ever led a stricter life, reade the 31. Chapter; no man kept more in awe, and that by fearing such a desertion aforehand; which was the onely way to prevent it; for what a man feares, he prayes much against: which hee expresses, when complaining, he sayes, Chap. 4. 25. That though he feared it, yet it came: Impliing that it was not ordinary, nor indeed is it so: and though Iob justifies himselfe too farre, yet this was it which made him so stoutly to plead his owne cause, that he could finde no president, no ruled case of the like proceeding. And therefore Elihu, who tooke both Gods part and Iobs, and stept up as a moderator, and as one in Gods stead to decide the matter, resolves it most of all into Gods prerogative, though not without Iobs desert; (yet not such as according to which ⟨p. 120⟩God ordinarily proceedeth, not so severly with others;) as appeares by the 34. Chapter: and to that end he set forth Gods greatnesse, in the 36. and 37. Chap. And thus God himselfe when he came to plead with Iob about it, and to shew him a reason of it, he onely tells him how great a God he was, and therefore might doe as he pleased;
- 1§. 1.
- 21. Out of Gods sole prerogative.
