An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him.

Elihu had reprehended two of Jobs sayings before in this Chapter; here he reprehends a third; Although thou sayest this, thou shalt not see him; although thou sayest it, either secretly in thy heart, (the fool saith in his heart there is no God) or although thou sayest it with thy mouth, and hast openly declared thy despair of seeing him. Some passages in the discourse of Job ⟨p. 102⟩do more than intimate and imply, that he had said, he should not see God. And we may conceive that Elihu aimeth at that passage specially (Chap. 23.8, 9.) where Job seems to say this thing; Behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive him; on the left hard where he doth work, but I cannot behold him; he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him. Now, Elihu gives answer in this 14th verse, showing, that although God would not give him a present hea•ing upon his importunate call for it, yet he might rest assured, that God would do him justice, and therefore adviseth him quietly to rest upon him. Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, or canst not see him, yet Judgement is before him, therefore trust thou in him. In that 23d Chapter, Job made a sad complaint, that though he much solicited and desired to see God (in what sense I shall open presently) yet he could not be admitted, he could not find him, nor come near him; I (saith he) cannot perceive him, I cannot behold him, I cannot see him; we have all these words negatively expressed there; as here, Although thou sayest thou shalt not see, (or contemplate) him.

Elihu had reprehended two of Jobs sayings before in this Chapter; here he reprehends a third; Although thou sayest this, thou shalt not see him; although thou sayest it, either secretly in thy heart, (the fool saith in his heart there is no God) or although thou sayest it with thy mouth, and hast openly declared thy despayre of seeing him. Some passages in the discourse of Job ⟨p. 102⟩