Eliphaz put a question of a near import with this (Chap. 15.7.) Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills? Here the Lord speaks the same language, Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the Earth? Wast thou made before the World?1 There was a sort of men spoken of by the Ancients, called (Proselunes) Men made before the Moon, who boasted that they were a people before the Moon was made: others said they were before the Earth. The Scripture tells us that man was made out of the Earth; well then might the Lord demand, Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the Earth? Wast thou before the Earth? Or before the Moon? Where wast thou? Surely thou wast no where, thou wast not in being, when I laid the foundations of the Earth; forasmuch as ⟨p. 45⟩thy foundation is of the Earth, thou art but dust of the Earth; therefore where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth? Thou hadst no Being then, unless in my decree and purpose for the bringing of thee forth in thy season and generation. We may say, every man was somewhere, when God laid the foundations of the Earth; he was in the Purpose, Decree, and Counsel of God, which was from Eternity. Every man had a being in the mind of God, when God laid the foundations of the Earth; but where wast thou or any man, as to any existence, when I laid the foundations of the Earth? Now if this be thy case, thou hast no reason to be so high and big in thy own thoughts, or to speak so discontentedly about my dealings with thee. Do I need thy counsel in governing the World, who needed it not in making the World? Where wast thou? &c.
Eliphaz put a question of a near impo•t with this (Chap. 15.7.) Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills? Here the Lord speaks the same language, Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the Earth? Wast thou made before the World?1 There was a sort of men spoken of by the Ancients, called (Proselunes) Men made before the Moon, who boasted that they were a people before the Moon was made: others said they were before the Earth. The Scripture tells us that man was made out of the Earth; well then might the Lord demand, Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the Earth? Wast thou before the Earth? Or before the Moon? Where wast thou? Surely thou wast no where, thou wast not in being, when I laid the foundations of the Earth; fo•asmuch as ⟨p. 45⟩thy foundation is of the Earth, thou art but dust of the Earth; therefo•e where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth? Thou hadst no Being then, unless in my decree and purpose for the bringing of thee forth in thy season and generation. We may say, every man was somewhere, when God laid the foundations of the Earth; he was in the Purpose, Decree, and Counsel of God, which was from Eternity. Every man had a being in the mind of God, when God laid the foundations of the Earth; but where wast thou or any man, as to any existence, when I laid the foundations of the Earth? Now if this be thy case, thou hast no reason to be so high and big in thy own thoughts, or to speak so discontentedly about my dealings with thee. Do I need thy counsel in governing the World, who needed it not in making the World? Where wast thou? &c.
- 1Antelunares.
