The Major or first Proposition, is not expressly in this text, but it is plainly supposed, and logically to be understood. The Minor or the Assumption, lies in the 6 and 7 verses, where he proves that God is the efficient cause or sender of afflictions; And his proof is grounded upon a denial, or a removal of all other efficient causes. As, if he should say, there must be some efficient cause of affliction, but no efficient cause can be assigned or named, except God: therefore God is the efficient cause, the sender and orderer of afflictions. That, no other efficient cause can be assigned, he proveth plainly in the sixth verse, thus; Affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground, yet, man is borne to trouble &c. As if he should say, our eyes teach us, we see plainly man is full of trouble; man is no sooner borne, but he is afflicted; these afflictions must have some efficient cause, some hand or other doth frame, form, and fashion them, they come not alone; and if they come not alone, then, we must find out this cause either in earth or in heaven: we must find it, either in the Creator or among the creatures, but from the earth, or from creatures, they come not. Affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground, that is, it rises not by or from ⟨p. 216⟩the creatures in themselves, and alone considered; and if so, it must needs come from heaven, from the hand of God, who dwelleth above, and disposeth all things according to the pleasure of his own will. It is such a kind of speech, as often falls from us, when a thing is lost; we say, some body must have it; Sure it is not gone into the ground, You or You must have it, for there were none else in the place. So, Eliphaz seems here to argue about the afflictions, which he saw upon Job: here are heavy afflictions upon thee, these afflictions must come some way upon thee, They come not out forth of the dust, neither do they spring out of the ground, they come not up alone; Either then they must come from God or man; and from man, they come not; they spring not out of the earth: therefore he leaves it as a clear inference, that God is the efficient cause or sender of affliction.
The Major or first Proposition, is not expresly in this text, but it is plainly supposed, and logically to be understood. The Minor or the Assumption, lies in the 6 and 7 verses, where he proves that God is the efficient cause or sender of afflictions; And his proof is grounded upon a deniall, or a removall of all other efficient causes. As, if he should say, there must be some efficient cause of affliction, but no efficient cause can be assigned or named, except God: therefore God is the efficient cause, the sender and orderer of afflictions. That, no other efficient cause can be assigned, he proveth plainly in the sixth verse, thus; Affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground, yet, man is borne to trouble &c. As if he should say, our eyes teach us, we see plainly man is full of trouble; man is no sooner borne, but he is afflicted; these afflictions must have some efficient cause, some hand or other doth frame, forme, and fashion them, they come not alone; and if they come not alone, then, we must find out this cause either in earth or in heaven: we must find it, either in the Creatour or among the creatures, but from the earth, or from creatures, they come not. Affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground, that is, it rises not by or from ⟨p. 216⟩the creatures in themselves, and alone considered; and if so, it must needs come from heaven, from the hand of God, who dwelleth above, and disposeth all things according to the pleasure of his own will. It is such a kind of speech, as often falls from us, when a thing is lost; we say, some body must have it; Sure it is not gone into the gound, You or You must have it, for there were none else in the place. So, Eliphaz seems here to argue about the afflictions, which he saw upon Job: here are heavy afflictions upon thee, these afflictions must come some way upon thee, They come not out forth of the dust, neither doe they spring out of the ground, they come not up alone; Either then they must come from God or man; and from man, they come not; they spring not out of the earth: therefore he leaves it as a clear inference, that God is the efficient cause or sender of affliction.
