Exposition of Job, Title page – Errata
AN EXPOSITION Of the BOOK of JOB: Being the Sum of CCCXVI Lectures, Preached in the CITY of EDENBURGH.
BY George Hutcheſon, Miniſter of the Goſpel.
JAMES V. 11.
Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the Patience of Job, and have ſeen the end of the Lord: that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy.
LONDON, Printed for Ralph Smith at the Bible in the firſt Court, entering into Greſham-Colledge out of Biſhopſgate-ſtreet, 1669.
TO THE READER.
Chriſtian Reader,
IN this Eſſay, I do offer unto thee a further proof of my willingneſs to contribute my Mite toward the Opening up of the Senſe of Scripture ſo briefly as I could, and the pointing at the Principal Doctrines contained therein, for the benefit of thoſe who delight in the Law of the Lord, and who deſire to converſe with God ſpeaking thereby unto his Church.
That this Book of Sacred Scripture (which treats of a Subject, the ſtudy whereof is very neceſſary, in all the times that paſs over the People of God) doth need, in a ſpecial manner, the aſſiſtance of a Guide and Interpreter, for the right underſtanding thereof, will be denyed by none who do peruſe the Scriptures with any meaſure of attention; and is evidenced by the endeavours of many Learned men, who (upon the account of difficulties occurring in this Book, as well as of the excellency of the Subject-matter) have taken great pains to open it up. After whoſe elaborate Writings it might ſeem altogether needleſs that I (who do acknowledge my ſelf fitter to ſit at the feet of many of thoſe eminent Worthies) ſhould attempt any thing toward the Explication of it, were it not that the moſt of their Writings are wrapped up in a Language not underſtood by them whoſe Edification I chiefly deſign by this Piece; and thoſe I have ſeen in Engliſh are either ſo very brief, that ordinary capacities will not be able to deduce and enlarge what they have compared in a ſuccinct Paraphraſe; or ſo large and copious (far beyond the bulk of this, which yet I could not contract in ſo little bounds as I deſired) that I know not if many, at leaſt among us, have been at the expenſe to purchaſe, or can have ſo much ſpare time as to peruſe thoſe Helps.
Having alſo had occaſion for full eleven years (from 1649. to 1660. to ſearch into this Scripture, in order to my Lecturing upon it at ſome ſpecial times in the ordinary courſe of my Miniſtry, I found ſomewhat to be adverted unto in the Explication of the greateſt part thereof (namely, Job's complaint, Chap. 3. and the Debate betwixt him and his Friends) which needs not at all be regarded in explaining any other Dogmatical Book of Scripture, unleſs it be ſome infirmities and tentations of Saints, recorded in the Book of Pſalms and elſewhere. For, beſide the pointing at the Literal Senſe of the Sentences here recorded, and the Obſervation of the Scope of thoſe who ſpake them, it is neceſſary that the Interpreter act the part of a Preſident in the Diſpute, by examining every Argument adduced by either Party, and paſſing judgment thereupon according to the tenour of the Scripture. Which if he neglect to do (as ſome have altogether neglected it, and others have but rarely touched it) he will put himſelf to much needleſs pains, in forcing an Orthodox ſenſe of contradictory Aſſertions, and of Aſſertions which God himſelf condemns in the cloſe of the Diſpute; and he may well gather together many ſound General Truths, worthy to be made uſe of, whether by Miniſters in Preaching, or by People in their private Meditation; but he will not prove an exact Interpreter of this Book, nor will he point out what God principally intends thereby; which is to inſtruct us concerning the infirmities of eminent Saints, renowned for Patience, as well as concerning their graces; and concerning their miſtakes about Providential diſpenſations toward Good and Evil men, and other the like eſcapes: which being cleared and refuted (as they are, by Elihu and by God Himſelf) they do afford moſt uſeful Inſtructions to Believers in all ages.
Therefore (following the example of Merlin, and of Mercer who broke the ice to him) I have made it my great buſineſs in thoſe Debates (after the Reſolution of the Context, and the Explication of particular Sentences ſo far as I judged needful) to take notice of what is Orthodox or Cenſurable in their Argumentations; and from their very miſtakes (as well as from the General Truths hinted by them) have deduced Inſtructions and Cautions for our admonition. In which undertaking how ſucceſsful I have been, I leave to the conſideration of the candid and judicious Reader.
I need inſiſt the leſs, here, upon this or the like purpoſes, that in the Introductory Diſcourſes to Chap 4. & Chap. 32. and in explicating Chap. 38.4. I have given a brief view of the ſcope of the ſeveral parts of this Book, of the Diſpute betwixt Job and his Friends, and of the Cenſure paſſed upon it, firſt, by Elihu, and afterward by God Himſelf; where the judicious Reader will find ſome directions for regulating of his thoughts concerning the Diſcourſes of all thoſe ſeveral Parties. He will find the Queſtion ſtated betwixt Job and his Friends, with a brief account of the miſtakes on either hand; He will find it determined what Principles Elihu makes uſe of in his cenſure of Job, and whether he did erre, as the other Friends did: And the ſcope of Gods cenſure, paſſed upon Job's diſcourſes and carriage, will be laid briefly before him.
What I have ſaid elſewhere concerning the method of my writing upon Scripture (with which the method here is the ſame, ſo far as the Subject-matter would permit) may ſave me the trouble of repeating it here. And my former Apologies, concerning the frequent repetition of Doctrines, muſt have place here alſo upon this ſpecial account, That the Subject-matter of the Debate betwixt Job and his Friends (not to ſay that Elihu inſiſts much upon the ſame things, and that Gods Cenſure conſiſts but of one Argument, confirmed by an Induction of many Inſtances) being but one principal Theſis, which is managed (eſpecially by his Friends) with very few Arguments, often repeated and ſet off with many Rhetorications; I could neither explain them, nor deduce Instructions from them, without falling upon the ſame things again and again. And therefore I have often judged it convenient to omit thoſe Cautions, to be gathered from their miſtakes, which I had frequently marked before.
I did not judge it neceſſary to inſiſt upon every ſentence in Job's paſſionate complaint, Chap. 3. eſpecially toward the beginning thereof; as judging that, whatever a pregnant ſpirit may collect from his great artifice in contriving of his bitter imprecations; yet, the ſcope of the Spirit of God, in recording thereof, is only to point out his weakneſs and tranſport through paſsion: the evidences whereof I made it my work to collect and obſerve. Likewiſe, when Job ſpeaks of Minerals and Jewels, Chap. 28. I did not judge it ſuteable to digreſs in diſcourſing upon them; ſeeing his ſcope (which I did mainly tend) led me to look to ſome other things. And when Elihu, and afterward God Himſelf do largely inſiſt upon many acts of Providence to be ſeen in the courſe of Nature, and in the governing and ordering of divers particular creatures (whereof Job and his Friends gave ſome hints in their Diſcourſes;) I was not willing to attempt an exact and large Natural Hiſtory in explaining of thoſe inſtances. Any who deſire ſatisfaction in that will find more in the laborate and learned Writings of others than my poor ſtore can afford. And I judged that thoſe for whom I chiefly deſign this Piece will be edified, rather by minding them what is the ſcope of all thoſe inſtances (what is narrated concerning them, being firſt a little explained) than by ſuch diſcourſes, could I afford them. The ſcope alſo of thoſe Inſtances being to point out the Incomprehenſibleneſs of the Counſels of God, evidenced by many things among the Creatures which ſurpaſs the skill and conduct of man; I judged it moſt fit, in order to this ſcope, to forbear dipping too much upon them.
Thus (Chriſtian Reader) thou haſt a brief account of the ſcope and nature of this undertaking, wich, without ſeeking after any other Patrociny (though I ſtand eſpecially obliged to many whom I do much honour upon the beſt accounts; and while I was Lecturing upon this Subject, I had a purpoſe concerning the choice of a Patron, which I know not if it would be convenient to proſecute, as my caſe now ſtands) I recommend to thy favourable acceptance and peruſal. It pleaſed the Lord (to whoſe praiſe alone I mention it) to make the Lecturing upon this Subject not altogether unfruitful in a very difficult time. And thoſe who remember what were our exerciſes then, will find ſeveral hints relating thereunto ſcattered in this Piece. Now having reſolved to publiſh this Summary of what was more amply delivered (the Subject-matter being of general and conſtant uſe in all ages and times) I do accompany it with my hearty Prayer to God, that he will bleſs the peruſal of it unto thee, and that it may contribute to clear ſome of thy dark ſteps toward thy everlaſting reſt. I am
Thy Servant in Chriſt Jeſus, George Hutcheſon.
ERRATA.
Courteous Reader,
Having received many ſheets of this Copy, I do find (notwithſtanding the great care of the Printers, eſpecially in the progreſs) ſome miſtakes which may readily retard thee. As for the miſprinting of Books of Scriture (as Pſal. is ſometime put for Iſai. and Gal. for Eccleſ.) or the Chapters and verſes, thy acquaintance with the Scriptures will (I hope) correct that. Neither ſhall I trouble thee with literal miſtakes, or with the defect, redundancy or permutation of particles and words, where the ſenſe will eaſily lead thee to be a Corrector thy ſelf, or runs ſmooth enough with the words as they ſtand. Only I deſire thou wilt correct theſe few with thy Pen; where (a) ſignifieth the firſt, and (b) the ſecond column of the page.
Page 11. (a) line 26. for poſterity read proſperity, p. 15. (a) l. 39. for living r. lying, p. 18. (a) l. 46. for preſerved r. perſevered, p. 19. (a) l. 14. for reſpect r. reject, l. 48. for plot r. lot, (b) l. 39. for immediately r. undenyably, p. 77. (b) l. 38. for now r. nor, p. 86. (b) l. 33. for heat r. heart, p. 92. (a) l. laſt ſave ſeven, for he ſpake r. we ſpeak, p. 93. (a) l. 45: for greatneſs r. gentleneſs, p. 115. (b) l. laſt ſave two, r. their motions, p. 126. (b) l. 37. r. hold them, p. 135. (a) l. laſt ſave eight, for to him r. by him, p. 146. (b) l. laſt ſave ten, for could r. would, p. 149. (b) l. 32. r. that as, p. 162. (b) l. 3. r. his own, l. laſt ſave twelve, for any r. my, p. 163. (b) l. 1. r. that he might, l. laſt ſave nine, for might may r. many might, p. 169. (b) l. 8. for Truths r. Tricks, p. 177. (a) l. 18. for to God r. for God, l. laſt ſave five, for Truth r. God of Truth, p. 179. (a) l. 28. for could r. would, p. 181. (b) l. 41. for may, r. God may, p. 202. (b) l. 43 for This r. Thus, p. 206. (b) l. 45. for like r. likewiſe, p. 217. (a) l. 12. for There r. Therefore, p. 229. (a) l. 24. r. well managed, p. 363. (b) l. 28. for fryſt r. tryſt, p. 365. (a) l. 33 for yet r. got, p. 378. (b) l. 33. r. many may, p. 379, (a) l. laſt ſave one, for taste r. task, p. 400. (b) l. 6. r. to come, p. 401. (b) l. laſt ſave fifteen, r. as little, p. 410. (a) l. 10. r. make men, p. 423. (a) l. 32. for Gods r. Jobs, p. 449. (a) l. 52. for refuſed r. refuted, Ch. 37. p. 8. (b) l. laſt ſave fourteen, for yet r. get, Chap. 38. p. 12. (b) l. laſt ſave twelve, for Anſwer r. Anſwerer.
If thou find any material eſcapes in the ſheets which I have not ſeen, the correcting thereof is remitted to thy own care.