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

I answer,

First, Some indeed charge Elihu deeply, as if he had feigned all these things against Job, or formed them up in his own Imagination, rather than grounded them upon any of his assertions; but we need not thus wound Elihu, to get a salve for Jobs sore.

Therefore Secondly, I answer, that although Job had not spoken this in so many words, or syllabically, yet he had spoken that from which Elihu might gather such a sense, or of which he might make such an interpretation. And therefore he seems to say at the third verse, If thou thinkest this a falsehood, or too hard a charge, and shouldst deny that thou hast said, My righteousness is more than Gods; I'll tell thee what thou hast said, which hath given me ground (I think just and sufficient ground) for this accusation: Thou hast said, What advantage will it be unto me? and what profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin? And is not this to make thy righteousness more than Gods?

Therefore Secondly, I answer, that although Job had not spoken this in so many words, or syllabically, yet he had spoken that from which Elihu might gather such a sence, or of which he might make such an interpretation. And therefore he seems to say at the thi•d verse, If thou thinkest this a falsehood, or too hard a charge, and shouldst deny that thou hast said, My righteousness is more than Gods; I'le tell thee what thou hast said, which hath given me ground (I think just and sufficient ground) for this accusation: Thou hast said, What advantage will it be unto me? and what profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin? And is not this to make thy righteousnesse more than Gods?