An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters…

The fifth Conclusion is this, and it is the principal point which we are to receive and attend from this Text. God is so just, so pure in himself, that he nether doth, nor can do wrong to any creature: In this truth, Eliphaz aims to instruct Job chiefly; for he supposed, that Job had complained of God, as if he had done him wrong, wherefore he speaks reprovingly and chidingly, shall mortal man be more just than God? as if he should say, art thou so gross as to charge God with doing thee an injury? It is impossible that God should do any man wrong? (de Facto) he doth no man wrong, and, (de Posse) he cannot wrong any man. The power of God is seen most in this, that he cannot do any evil; This impotency (if we may so call it) is the strength of God; yea the omnipotency of God consists in this, that he can do no wrong. We have a Maxim of state amongst us, (and it is the glory of the Kings of this Nation) we say, The King can do no wrong; but it is not to be understood as this, God can do no wrong; we know Kings are men, and that's enough to prove they may do wrong: As to say, the Lord is God, is enough to prove, that he cannot. Princes have a natural power to do evil, but (which is his glory) God hath not. The meaning then is, the King hath not any civill power to do wrong; the Law hath so bounded, ordered and directed him; The constitution of the Kingdom hath given him the advice of Parliaments and Counsellors, the assistance of Judges and Officers, he acts by others: so that The failings of his Ministers do the subject wrong, the regal power doth it not. But when we speak thus of God, we mean it of his natural power, which being essentially and infinitely just and good, as well as sovereign and supreme, there is not the least imaginable seed in him, which should be procreative of the least injustice: Therefore the Scripture describes the Lord, just and holy, not only in his nature, but in all his works and ways, Psal. 145. 17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. And this implies, not only that all the ways, wherein the Lord walks, are righteous, and the works he doth, holy: but that he can go in no way but a righteous way, nor do any work in the creature, but a work of holiness.

The fifth Conclusion is this, and it is the principall point which we are to receive and attend from this Text. God is so just, so pure in himselfe, that he nether doth, nor can doe wrong to any creature: In this truth, Eliphaz aimes to instruct Job chiefely; for he supposed, that Job had complained of God, as if he had done him wrong, wherefore he speakes reprovingly and chidingly, shall mortall man be more just than God? as if he should say, art thou so grosse as to charge God with doing thee an injury? It is impossible that God should doe any man wrong? (de Facto) he doth no man wrong, and, (de Posse) he cannot wrong any man. The power of God is seene most in this, that he cannot doe any evill; This impotencie (if we may so call it) is the strength of God; yea the omnipotency of God consists in this, that he can doe no wrong. We have a Maxime of state amongst us, (and it is the glory of the Kings of this Nation) we say, The King can doe no wrong; but it is not to be understood as this, God can doe no wrong; we know Kings are men, and that's enough to prove they may doe wrong: As to say, the Lord is God, is enough to prove, that he cannot. Princes have a naturall power to doe evill, but (which is his glory) God hath not. The meaning then is, the King hath not any civill power to doe wrong; the Law hath so bounded, ordered and directed him; The constitution of the Kingdome hath given him the advice of Parliaments and Counsellours, the assistance of Judges and Officers, he acts by others: so that The failings of his Ministers doe the subject wrong, the regall power doth it not. But when we speake thus of God, we meane it of his naturall power, which being essentially and infinitely just and good, as well as soveraigne and supreme, there is not the least imaginable seed in him, which should be procreative of the least injustice: Therefore the Scripture describes the Lord, just and holy, not only in his nature, but in all his works and wayes,