A35439:1253
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of the book of Job being the sum of thirty two lectures, delivered at Magnus near the bridge, London / by Joseph Caryl ...An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of the book of Job being the summe of thirty two lectures, delivered at Magnus neer the bridge, London / by Joseph Caryl ...
London: printed by A. Miller for Henry Overton, 1647
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly, Righteous is opposed to imperfect, or that which hath any failing or want in it. And in this sense Job was not righteous; and that's his meaning here, Though I were righteous; that is, though I had the uttermost perfections which a creature is capable ⟨p. 262⟩of, yet I would not stand upon them, and plead it out with God. The testimony which the Lord gave concerning Job (Chap. 1.1.) is in words of an inferior sense: this in the text is above them both. The Lord there certifies, that Job was perfect and upright. But though he was perfect and upright, yet he was not righteous. He was perfect in opposition to insincerity, and he was upright in opposition to injustice, but he was not righteous in opposition to imperfection, If I were righteous; as I know I am not.
Secondly, Righteous is opposed to imperfect, or that which hath any failing or want in it. And in this sense Iob was not righteous; and that's his meaning here, Though I were righteous; that is, though I had the uttermost perfe•tions which a creature is capable ⟨p. 262⟩of, yet I would not stand upon them, and plead it out with God. The testimony which the Lord gave concerning Iob (Chap. 1.1.) is in words of an inferiour sense: this in the text is above them both. The Lord there certifies, that Iob was perfect and upright. But though he was perfect and upright, yet he was not righteous. He was perfect in opposition to insincerity, and he was upright in opposition to injustice, but he was not righteous in opposition to imperfection, If I were righteous; as I know I am not.
1Further, Righteousness is two-fold. There is a righteousness of the person, and a righteousness of the cause, Though I were righteous: Job doth not forsake the righteousness of his cause, he only disclaimeth the righteousness of his person. I acknowledge I am not righteous in my self, and I will not yield that my afflictions and sufferings argue me unrighteous.