An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…

When Job complained, God hath taken away my Judgement, we are not to understand him, as if Elihu intended it in the first or grossest sense, that God had subverted his judgement, or had done him wrong. Elihu could not suspect he had any such blasphemous opinion of God; for, that had fulfilled the Devils prophecy of him, He will curse thee to thy face. But when he said, God hath taken away my Judgement; he meant it according to the two latter interpretations, either that God deferred long to restore him, and answer his prayer, or that God had hid from him the reason of his dealing with him, so that he could not make it out, how, or why he was so sorely and grievously handled. Job knew well his own innocency, but he did not well consider Gods sovereignty, which alone answers enough for him, how much soever he in this world afflicts the innocent. And therefore for as much as God held him long in that sad condition, and in the mean time hid his judgement, or the reason of it from him, this was Jobs grievance, and the burden of it pressed him to cry out, God hath taken away my Judgement. In this he was too bold with God, and therefore he justly fell under this censure of Elihu: As if he had said, It doth not at all become thee, O Job, as a creature, as a man, much less as a new creature, or as a godly man, to cry out (as thou hast done) that God hath taken away thy Judgement; because he doth not give thee an account, nor tell thee, why he judgeth thee; therefore humble thy self that ever thou hast said (and take heed thou say it no more) God hath taken away my Judgement.

When Job complained, God hath taken away my Judgement, we are not to understand him, as if Elihu intended it in the first or grossest sence, that God had subverted his judgement, or had done him wrong. Elihu could not suspect he had any such blasphemous opinion of God; for, that had fullfilled the Devills prophecy of him, He will curse thee to thy face. But when he sayd, God hath taken away my Judgement; he meant it according to the two latter interpretations, either that God deferred long to restore him, and answer his prayer, or that God had hid from him the reason of his dealing with him, so that he could not make it out, how, or why he was so sorely and grievously handled. Job knew well his owne innocency, but he did not well consider Gods soveraignty, which alone answers enough for him, how much soever he in this world afflicts the innocent. And therefore for as much as God held him long in that sad condition, and in the meane time hid his judgement, or the reason of it from him, this was Jobs grievance, and the burden of it pressed him to cry out, God hath taken away my Judgement. In this he was too bold with God, and therefore he justly fell under this censure of Elihu: As if he had sayd, It doth not at all become thee, O Job, as a creature, as a man, much lesse as a new creature, or as a godly man, to cry out (as thou hast done) that God hath taken away thy Judgement; because he doth not give thee an account, nor tell thee, why he judgeth thee; therefore humble thy selfe that ever thou hast sayd (and take heed thou say it no more) God hath taken away my Judgement.