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…

Here Job chiefly intends the first, He is not a man as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgement, that is, that I should plead, argue and debate my matters with him before any other Judge. God and man cannot come together to be judged; for all man-kind must receive their judgement from God.¹ Or nearer the Hebrew (which suits the former clause better) He is not a man as I am, that we should come alike to judgement; No, we should be very unlike, very unequally matched in judgement. Man and man, who are upon even terms in their nature, may yet ⟨p. 384⟩be upon such uneven terms in their condition, that they cannot come alike to judgement. A poor man cannot grapple with a rich man, nor a mean man with the honourable. Now, if they who are of the same nature cannot come alike in judgment, because of a disparity in their condition; How shall they who differ not only in condition, but in nature? Can God and man? Can poor wretched and miserable man, come alike in judgement with the great and glorious God? And so the meaning of Job may be thus conceived, If I had only a man (like my self) to deal with, then I would venture a trial with him, at any seat of judgement, or Court of Justice; but he is not a man as I am, much less such a man as I am. How shall I set my self with him to be judged, when as himself is the Judge of all, and is himself judged of none?

Here Job chiefly intends the first, He is not a man as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgement, that is, that I should plead, argue and debate my matters with him before any other Judge. God and man cannot come together to be judged; for all man-kinde must receive their judgement from God.¹ Or nearer the Hebrew (which sutes the former clause better) He is not a man as I am, that we should come alike to judgement; No, we should be very unlike, very unequally matched in judgement. Man and man, who are upon even terms in their nature, may yet ⟨p. 384⟩be upon such uneven terms in their condition, that they cannot come alike to judgement. A poor man cannot grapple with a rich man, nor a mean man with the honourable. Now, if they who are of the same nature cannot come alike in judgment, because of a disparity in their condition; How shall they who differ not only in condition, but in nature? Can God and man? Can poor wretched and miserable man, come alike in judgement with the great and glorious God? And so the meaning of Job may be thus conceived, If I had only a man (like my self) to deal with, then I would venture a triall with him, at any seat of judgement, or Court of Justice; but he is not a man as I am, much lesse such a man as I am. How shall I set my self with him to be judged, when as himself is the Judge of all, and is himself judged of none?