An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-eighth, thirty-ninth, fortieth, forty-first, and forty-second,…

God can put such questions, and make such objections, as no man is able to answer. Thus spake Job at the 3d verse of the ninth Chapter; If he (that is, God) will contend with him (that is, with man) he cannot answer him one of a thousand: Which implieth, that not only not one among very many men, but that not one among all men, or that not any man is able to answer, if God will contend. The Apostle saith of all men in a state of sin (Rom. 3.19.) We know, that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. If the Lord should make objections against, or charge sinners, according to the strictness and severity of the law; the best, the holiest of men could not find an answer, or no answer would be found in their mouths: how much less could any answer him, who not only were altogether born in sin, as all are, and as the proud Pharisees told the poor man in the Gospel he was (Joh. 9.34.) but abide and continue in sin? How will the mouths of all such be stopped with a sense of their self-guiltiness? how mute, how answerless will they stand before God? or say, as Job in the Text (but in a ten thousand times sadder plight than he) What shall we answer? It is the happiness of humbled sinners that they have Christ to answer for them, seeing in that case no sinner can answer for himself. And ⟨p. 521⟩such is the Majesty and glory of God, when it breaks forth in any case to a poor creature, that it leaves him quite answerless, and takes away not only all matter of dispute, but of speech; and therefore Job resolves upon silence, as appears by what he saith in the last clause of this verse.

God can put such questions, and make such objections, as no man is able to answer. Thus spake Job at the 3d verse of the ninth Chapter; If he (that is, God) will contend with him (that is, with man) he cannot answer him one of a thousand: Which implyeth, that not only not one among very many men, but that not one among all men, or that not any man is able to answer, if God will contend. The Apostle saith of all men in a state of sin (Rom. 3.19.) We know, that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. If the Lord should make objections against, or charge sinners, according to the strictness and severity of the law; the best, the holiest of men could not find an answer, or no answer would be found in their mouths: how much less could any answer him, who not only were altogether born in sin, as all are, and as the proud Pharisees told the poor man in the Gospel he was (