Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 4 · Chapter 35
CHAP. XXXV. Verſe 1. Elihu ſpake moreover, and ſaid.]
HIs ſpeech was for God, as before; and therefore he ſpake moreover: For, as Auſtin faith of the Feaſt of Pentecoſt, Gaudet produci haec ſolennitas; ſo we may ſay of a Diſcourſe of this nature, Gaudet produci haec ſerm…cina…io; the longer it is, the better; ſith of God and his righteous dealing, Non ſatis unquam dici poteſt, as Lavater here hath it; never can enough be ſpoken. For although we all yeeld that God is juſt, yet if any croſſe befall us, we are apt to queſtion it, and to think our ſelves hardly dealt with.
Verſe 2. Thinkeſt thou this to be right?] Heb. Reckoneſt thou this to be right? q.d. I appeal to thine own conſcience. This is a ſigne of great confidence in the Appealer, yet may it be done by men of corrupt minds, deſtitute of the truth: Witneſſe that bold Anabaptiſt,Scult. Annal. that in a ſolemn Diſpuation at Tigure, appealed to Zuinglius, as if convinced in his own conſcience, he had inwardly favoured Anabaptiſm. And thoſe impudent Papiſts,Gagge of the New Goſpel. Preface. that report themſelves to our conſciences, to tell them, Whether our condemnation be not ſo expreſly ſet down in our own Bibles, and ſo clear to all the world, that nothing more needs thereto, then that they know to read, and to have their eyes in their heads at the opening of our Bible: To tell them more-over,Idem ibid. whether England hath not brought forth within theſe few yeares paſt, to the number of twenty ſeveral ſorts of Bibles, farre different one from another.
That thou ſaidſt, My righteouſneſſe is more then Gods] Heb. My righteouſneſſe is before Gods. Diodate rendreth it, My Righteouſneſſe is from God; that is, I am ſure God will juſtifie me, though men condemn me. But it is better to render it, Prae Deo, more then Gods (ſee a like expreſſion, Heb. 12.24.) underſtanding it of the juſtice of his Cauſe, and not of his Perſon. But taking it ſo too, when and where did Job ever ſay that his righteouſneſs was more then Gods? No where ſurely in ſo many words, for then doubtleſſe Satan, and not Job, would have carryed away the victory in this conflict. Neither ſurely could this be rightly gathered out of Jobs words, but detorted and miſconſtrued. Elihu therefore reproved him with two great auſterity, neither can any thing be pleaded for him but this, that he pleaded for God; of whoſe glory he was ſo very tender, that he could not brook or bear with any ſyllable of a word that ſeemed to detract from it.
Verſe 3. For thou ſaidſt, What advantage will it be unto thee?] Here he indeavours to prove the charge, grounding upon ſome words of Jobs, as chap. 9.22. and 10.15. which ſeem to hold out thus much, that no good was to be gotten by leaving evil wayes, ſith good men and bad ſuffer and periſh together. But we muſt know, that Job herein reaſoned not of thoſe things that fall out after death, but only of the proſperous or unhappy eſtate of this life preſent; denying, and that rightly, that we are hereby to judge of Gods love or hatred, or of any mans honeſt or diſhoneſt converſation; Neither yet did he ſtand in defence of his own righteouſneſs againſt God, but only appealed to God as a moſt wiſe and juſt Judge, againſt the falſe accuſations of his fo-friends, who by powring oyle into the fire, as it were, very much vexed and diſquieted him all along.
Or what profit ſhall I have if I be cleanſed from my ſin?] Or, What profit ſhall I have by it more then by my ſin? This, if Elihu could have proved that Job had ſaid, he might very well have juſtified what he had wiſhed to him, and affirmed of him in the two laſt verſes of the precedent Chapter.
Verſe 4. I will anſwer thee and thy companions with thee] Thy three friends, (who have not ſo well quit themſelves in this Controverſie, as having anſwered little or nothing to this unſavoury ſaying of thine) and to the reſt of the by-ſtanders, which approve of thine opinion, as people are apt to favour the weaker ſide (as it is reputed) and to encourage them. Thus it befel Luther, when he began firſt to reform.
Verſe 5. Look unto the heavens and ſee] Yea, look into them, if thou couldſt, as did Steven the Proto-Martyr, Act. 7.56. and as our Saviour Chriſt, as man, could do (ſay ſome) with his bodily eyes; and as a believer by the eye of his faith, through the Perſpective glaſs of the Promiſes, may do doubtleſſe. The further we can look unto heaven (or into it) the better ſhall we conceive of that infinite diſtance that is betwixt God in heaven, and men on earth. God is far above the higheſt heavens, therefore higher then any mortal can attain to him, much leſſe contribute any thing unto him by his righteouſneſſe; or aſſault him by his wickedneſs. Herodotus writeth, That the Thracians once were ſo mad againſt their god Jupiter, for raining downe upon them when ready to joyn battle with the enemy, that they threw up their darts againſt heaven, which ſhortly returned upon their own heads. And of Caligula the Emperour it is ſtoried that he thundred and lightned with certain Engines he had; and if at any time a thunderbolt fell from heaven, ipſe contrà jaci…bat lapidem, Dioin vit. Calighe on the other ſide threw up a ſtone, and uſed that Hemiſtich in Homer, foreign Either do thou kill me, or I'll kill the…, if I can. And what leſſe then this upon the matter do thoſe monſters and miſcreants amongſt us, who ſet their mouthes againſt heaven, when things go croſſe with them eſpecially; and their tongues walk through the earth, Pſal. 73.9? As Hacket did, who lifting up his eyes to heaven▪ and grinning againſt God, blaſphemed him, and threatned him, even when he had the rope about his neck, Anno 1591. Now, as in the water face anſwereth to face,Cambd. Eliz. fol 403. ſo doth the face of a man to a man. And as there were many Marii in one Caeſar, ſo there are many Caligula's and Hackets in the beſt of us all, if God reſtraine us not from ſuch horrid outrages. But Elihu would have us here to know; that God is far above our reach, neither can we throw this high and lofty one out of his throne, utcunque fremamus & ferociamus: for how ſhould any thing that wee ſilly. Creatures can do, reach to God; when as we cannot reach up to the viſible heavens?
And behold the clouds which are higher then thou] Eminent prae te. The clouds are Gods Chariot whereon he rideth, and wherein he manifeſteth much of his Majeſty. Theſe Elihu would have Job to contemplate in their height, even ſuperiores nub…s, as Tremellius rendreth it, the upper clouds; or, as others, the Starry Heaven, Heb. The thin of heavens. So Bildad before had called upon him to behold the Moon and the Stars, chap. 25.5. And ſurely the very ſight of heaven over us (to the which all that we are or can, can bring no help or hurt at all) ſhould admoniſh us of our meaneſſe, and make us think moſt modeſtly of God, whom we are ſo infinitely below; and not dare either to complain of him, or to boaſt us before him; &c. For this cauſe it is that Elihu ſo preſſeth Job here with this heap of words, that he may henceforth know and keep his diſtance; and not ſo preſumptuouſly call God (as it were) to reckoning, touching expences and receipts.
Verſe 6. If thou ſinneſt, what doſt thou againſt him?] What more then ſhew thy teeth? or ſhoot at a rock, where the Arrow rebounds upon thee? In the ſack of Conſtantinople, the Image of the Crucifix was taken down by the Turks, and a Turks Cap put upon the head thereof, and ſo ſet up, and ſhot at with their arrowes;Turk hiſt. 347 and afterwards in great deriſion, carried about in the Camp, as it were in Proceſſion, with Drums playing before it, rayling and ſpitting at it, and calling it the God of the Chriſtians; But what was all this to Chriſt? He that ſitteth in the heavens (extra jactum) laughed at them, the Lord had them in deriſion, Pſal. 2.4.Etſi navitès peccas. Do wicked ſinners, when they work hardeſt againſt God (as the word here ſignifieth) and take greateſt paines to go to hell; do they, I ſay, provoke the Lord to anger? Do they not provoke themſelves to the confuſion of their own faces? Jer. 7.19 And may we not well ſay to ſuch, as Ʋlyſſes his companions ſaid to him, when he would needs provoke Polydamas. foreign.Hom. Odyſ. God can eaſily get him a name in the utter overthrow of a rabble of rebels conſpiring againſt him, as at the Flood, tower of Babel, Sodom, Egypt, Moab, &c. who were trodden down under him, as ſtraw is trodden down for the dunghil, Iſai. 25.10. And in the next verſe, The Lord ſhal ſpread forth his hands in the midſt of them, as he that ſwimmeth ſpreadeth forth his hands to ſwim, (that is, with greateſt facility; for violent ſtroaks rather ſink then ſupport a ſwimmer) and he ſhall bring downe their pride, together with the ſpoiles of their hands: And the fortreſſe of the high fort of their wals ſhall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the duſt, Iſai. 25.11, 12.
Verſe 7. If thou be righteous, what giveſt thou him?] Nothing, ſith he is ſelf-ſufficient, and independent. He needeth us not, neither doth our righteouſneſſe reach him, Pſal. 16.2. The Phariſees dreamt of an over-doing the Law, and making God beholding to them. The Papiſts alſo, thoſe modern Phariſees, talk of works of ſuper-erogation, and of merit of congruity and merit of condignity. But theſe are mere fictions, Chimaera's, abſurd Doctrines, ſuch as Elihu never heard of. He that doth righteouſneſs is righteous, 1 John 3.7. but he addeth nothing thereby to God, let him do his utmoſt. Indeed whoſo offereth praiſe, glorifieth God, Pſal. 50.23. ſo he is pleaſed to account it, and call it: but his glory is as himſelf is, eternal, infinite, immenſe. The Sun would ſhine in its own brightneſſe, though all the world were blind, and ſhould wilfully wink: ſo here. God accepts not our perſents, but to returne them us back with intereſt, as the raine aſcends in thinne vapours, but comes downe againe in thick ſhowres.
Or what receiveth he of thine hand?] If any thing, it is of his own, as David thankfully acknowledgeth, 1 Chron. 29.14. and beſides that, our ſweeteſt Incenſe ſmelleth ſtrong of the hand that offereth it.
Verſe 8 Thy wickedneſs may hurt a man as thou art] Wicked men are many wayes miſchievous to others; and have much to anſwer for their other mens ſins. How many are undone by their murders, adulteries, robberies, falſe teſtimonies, blaſphemies and other rotten ſpeeches, to the corrupting of good manners, &c? What hurt is done daily by the Divels factours, to mens ſouls, bodies, names, eſtates? Beſides that they betray the land wherein they live into the hands of divine Juſtice, whiles they do wickedly with both hands earneſtly, Mic. 7.3. That I ſpeak not of the manifold miſeries, they pull upon themſelves.
And thy righteouſneſſe may profit the ſon of man] Thy ſelf and others: for the Juſt liveth by his own faith, he maketh a living of it, and a good one too. And as for his Charity, it is the mother of all manner of good works, whereof others have the benefit. Papiſts, and ſome as ſilly, have ſhrunk up charity to an hands breadth, to giving of Almes: But beſides that, a good man draweth out, not only his ſheaf, but his ſoul to the hungry.1 Theſſ. 5.14. He alſo warneth the unruly, comforteth the feeble minded, ſupporteth the weak, and tradeth all his talents for the good of others: He is a common bleſſing to all that art about him. As Plutark ſaid of the neighbour-Villages of Rome, in Numa's time, That ſucking in the aire of that City, they breathed foreign, Righteouſneſſe; ſo may it be ſaid of the City of God, and her Citizens.
Verſe 9 By reaſon of the multitude (or magnitude) of oppreſſions, &c.] Or, Of the oppreſſed, whom they (that is, whom the Oppreſſours, not worthy to be named, as neither is that rich glutton, Luke 16.) make to cry. Job had ſaid, chap. 24.12. Men groan out of the City, and the ſoul of the wounded cryeth out; yet God layeth no… folly to them; He puniſheth not the wrong-dealers according to their deſerts as Elihu interprets Job; and here refuteth him, as one that accuſed God of injuſtice, becauſe he heareth not the cryes of the oppreſſed. But this is meerly their own fault, faith Elihu; becauſe they cry not to God with truth and devotion: They ask and miſs, becauſe they ask amiſs. For God never faileth to be with his afflicted, Pſal. 91. to preſerve the ſimple, as David found by experience, Pſal. 116. to hear thoſe that call upon him in truth, Pſal. 145. &c. he requireth nothing of them but lawful petitions, and honeſt hearts, and then they are ſure to have out their prayers, either in money, or moneys worth; either the ſame thing they ask, or a better.
They cry out by reaſon of the arm of the mighty] Magnatum. Such as was Pompey, of whom the Romans cryed out, Noſtrâ miſeria … …o Magnus. We rue by thy greatneſſe, and are ruined. The greater any man is, unleſſe gratious alſo, the more he thinks he may oppreſs the meaner ſort. They eate up my people,Videri poſſu… magnates non… alio loco habe… tenuas quam minutos piſcic… los, quos confe… tim & pleno o… pro deliciis eſ… tent. Merl. as they eate bread, Pſal. 14. as ſo many Canibals; and as the bigger fiſhes devour the leſſer: they lay load upon them without mercy or meaſure, they beat them with a ſtrong arm, and make them cry aloud, filling the air with their complaints, as nature teacheth even bruit beaſts to do when they are hurt. It was not patience but pertinacy, an obſtinate ſtiffeneſs of mind, that made ſome Heathens, as Mithridates, Marius, Epicurus, &c. forbear crying, when grievouſly tormented.
Verſe 10. But none ſaith, Where is God my maker?] Heb. My makers: to note the Trinity, ſay ſome: others think, that he ſpeaks of God in the plural number only for honours ſake. They call not upon God as their Creator, they praiſe him not as their Preſerver and Benefactor, ſaith Elihu in this and the next verſe: but expreſs a g…eat deal of pride and vanity, verſe 12, 13. and thence it is, that their prayers are unanſwered, and themſelves unrelieved. The oppreſſed ſhould not only make moan and fill the air▪ vagis clamoribus, with bruitiſh out-cryes (the fruit of the fleſh for eaſe, rather than of the ſpirit for grace) but beg help of God by faithful prayer,Qui nos fecit, idem ille eſt qu… nos fovet, co…ſervat ae ſuſtentat, &c. Brent. Englands Elizabeth. and ſay, Where is God my maker? as Eliſha once ſaid, Where is the Lord God of Eliah? Did he not make me, and will he not maintain me? built he not the earthly houſe of this tottering Tabernacle, and is not he bound to repairs? will he caſt off the care of his own handywork? Is he not my Maſter, as well as my Maker? and ſhall other Lords beſides him have Dominion over me, and do with me at their pleaſure? Lord, look upon the wounds of thy hands (ſaid Q Eliz. whiles ſhe was a Priſoner at Woodſtock and had like to have been burnt in her bed, one night) and deſpiſe not the work of thine hands. Thou haſt written me down in thy book of Preſervation with thine own hand: Oh read thine own hand-writing, and ſave me, &c.
Who giveth ſongs in the night] As the oppreſſed pray not, and therefore are not eaſed, (they are deſervedly miſerable, that might, but will not make themſelves happy by asking) ſo they praiſe not God for former deliverances by day and night conferred upon them. Thou haſt compaſſed me about, ſaith David with ſongs of deliverance, Pſal. 32.7. that is, Thou haſt given me plentiful matter of praiſing thy name. So here, Qui dat Pſalmorum argumentum de n…cte as Tremellius tranſlateth it: who giveth cauſe to praiſe him with Pſalms by night, as David did Pſal. 119.62. and as Paul, and Silas, Act. 16.25. and as Mr. Philpot and his fellows did in the Biſhop of London's Coal-houſe. In the night-ſeaſon it is,Act. and Mon. that God giveth his beloved ſleep; and keepeth them and theirs then in ſafety. Or, if he hold them waking, he filleth them with many ſweet meditations, (their reines at that time eſpecially, inſtructing them, Pſal. 16.7.) ſhineth upon them by his Moon and Stars (which praiſe God in their courſes, and twinkle as it were at us to do the like) and inmindeth them by the melody made by the Nightingale, which ſingeth for fifteen nights and dayes together without intermiſſion,Plin. l 10. c. 29… Luſcinia diciu… quia ante lucep… canit. Nec quantum luſciniae dormiunt. Proverb. In En…hir. if Pliny may be believed: putting a thorn to her breſt to keep her waking, for that purpoſe. Hereupon Epictetus hath this ſavoury ſaying, Si luſcinia eſſem, facerem quod luſcinia; Cum antem homo rationalis ſim, qui… faciam? Laudabo Deum, nec ceſſabo unquam; Vos verò ut idem faciatis hortor: that is, if I were a Nightingale, I would do as the Nightingale doth; But ſince I am a man endued with reaſon, (ſith God hath taught me more than the fowles of heaven, as Elihu hath it in the next verſe) what ſhall I do? I will unceſſantly praiſe God; and I exhort you to do the like. But this is not done, ſaith Elihu here, or very ſlenderly; and hence it is that men complain of their many and mighty oppreſſions, without remedy from God, who ſeeth that his favours and benefits would be even loſt and ſpilt upon them; according to that of the Philoſopher, Ingrat… quicquid donatur deperditur; All is caſt away, that is conferred upon an ungrateful perſon.
Verſe 11. Who teacheth us more then the beaſts of the earth?] This many wretched people never conſider; and are therefore heavily, but worthily, vexed by oppreſſours, ut vexatio det intellectum, that ſmart may make wit; and that they may not bellow as beaſts do, when they feel pain: but flie to God by well-prepared prayer, not ſo much for eaſe, as for the uſe of what they ſuffer. Now, bleſſed is the man whom God chaſteneth, and withal teacheth him out of his Law: that he may give him reſt from the dayes of adverſity, Pſal. 94.12, 13. Hereunto, not only Reaſon is required, (the Mercy here mentioned, and celebrated) but Religion alſo; which is the true Philoſophers ſtone that makes golden afflictions, 1 Pet. 1.7. and as Moſes his hand, turneth a Serpent into a Rod. The truth is, Religion is the higheſt reaſon, (neither is any thing more irrational than irreligion, 2 Theſſ. 3.2) and this alſo God alone teacheth. For, Cathedram habet in coelo qui corda docet, ſaith Auſtin. And again, Quando Chriſtus Magiſter, quàm citò diſcitur quod docetur? It is God above, who teacheth the heart: and this if he once undertake, it is ſoon diſpatcht. All this, if ſinful men would well weight, and be thankful for, as they ought, God would ſurely help them, and not ſuffer them ſo to be held under.
And maketh us wiſer than the fowles of heaven] Sapientificat. Some Birds are very ſilly,Plin. l. 10. c. 1. as the Struthiocamelus, that having thruſt his head into a thicket, and ſeeing no body, thinketh that therefore none ſeeth him, and ſo maketh himſelf a prey. Doves ſit in their dove-cotes, and ſee their neſts deſtroyed, their young ones taken away and killed before their eyes: neither ever do they offer to reſcue, or revenge. Mention is made by Writers, of a certain nameleſſe little Bird, which for fear leſt the Heavens ſhould fall upon her,Cael. Rhod. puts alwayes, when ſhe ſleepeth, one foot upon her head: How much better the Bird Onocrotalus? of whom it is reported, that out of expectation of the Hawk to grapple with her, ſhe ſleepeth with her beak exalted, as if ſhe would contend with her adverſary. Something there is that the wiſeſt may learn from the fowles of the air, to whom therefore they are ſent and ſet to ſchoole, Mat. 6.26. Jer. 8.7. yet generally God hath put more underſtanding into men: ſo that as he ſhould not do like them by preying upon others, ſo he ſhould not cry unto God only in diſtreſſe, as the young Raves do when hunger-bit: but pray alwayes, and in every thing give thanks; for which purpoſe it is, that God hath given us reaſon, ſpeech, and much matter and meanes, far above the unreaſonable Creatures. Vae igitur ſtupiditati hominum in calamitatibus torpentium.
Verſe 12. There they cry, but none giveth anſwer] Cry they do, but not to the true God, Jon. 1.5. The Papiſts have their he-ſaints, and ſhe-ſaints, for ſeveral uſes. Or if to the true God, yet not in a due manner: not in faith, and with remorſe for their miſdoings. And hence it is, that either they are not heard and helped: or not in mercy, but for a further miſchief, and to furniſh out their indictment at the laſt day: and on their death-beds, God will not come at them, or be intreated by them, Prov. 1.28. Pſal. 18.42.
Becauſe of the pride of evil men] i. e. Becauſe theſe oppreſſed ones that thus cry, are not ſo poor as proud; humbled they are, but not humble; low, but not lowly. Plectuntur, ſed non flectuntur: they have loſt the fruit of their afflictions, and are not a button the better for all that they have ſuffered.
Verſe 13. Surely God will not hear vanity] Prayer without Faith, is but an empty ring, a tinkling cymbal. Neque enim omnes qui citharam habent, ſunt citharoedi; Every ſound is not Muſick, neither is every complaint and out-cry of men in extremity, an effectual Prayer. Thoſe in Hoſea, when pined almoſt, howled as Dogs, growled as Swine, bellowed as Bulls, ſcreeched horribly as the Ravens of Arabia, Hoſ. 7.14 but becauſe they cryed not to God with their hearts, he heard them not. It is not the labour of the lips, or the loudneſſe of the voice, but the travel of the heart, and truth in the inward parts that he regardeth: Pſal. 51.6. Wilt thou not know, O vain (or empty) man, that Faith without Works is dead? ſaith St. James chap. 2.20. ſo that prayer without faith is to no purpoſe? Men may cry aloud in diſtreſſe, and make their voices to be heard on high; they may chatter out a charm when Gods chaſtening is upon them, yea, be with child, as it were, of a prayer, yet bring forth nothing better than wind, work no deliverance at all in the earth, Iſai. 26.16, 17, 18. God may turn them off, and juſtly, with Depart ye workers of iniquity; get you to the gods whom ye have choſen, let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation: for I will deliver you no more, Judg. 10. verſ. 13, 14.
Neither will the Almighty regard it] Heb Look intently into it. It is other, and better fruit of affliction that he looketh for. Whereof miſſing, he looketh another way, as it were, and taketh no notice of their prayers, or preſſures. Hence they deny, or at leaſt doubt of the divine providence: and are ready to let fly at God, as the Chineſes whip their gods, if they help them not at a call.
Verſe 14. Although thou ſaieſt thou ſhalt not ſee him, &c.] This is that tertium Jobi pronuntiatum, Jobs third ſpeech, which Elihu taketh upon him to reprehend and refute: It is taken out of chap. 23.8, 9. and the ſenſe is, that God would never appear to do him right. But although thou ſaieſt ſuch a thing, and ſo ſeemeſt to chime in with thoſe wicked ones who deny Gods providence; yet thou oughteſt to be better preſwaded of his preſence with thee, and providence over thee: for judgement is before him, and he will certainly do right; only thou muſt give glory to God, and wait his time.
Yet judgement is before him] Or, Judge thy ſelf in his ſight; give glory to God, and confeſſe thy ſin: and then, ſtepping from the Bar to the Bench, judge thy ſelf worthy to be deſtroyed, 1 Corinth. 11. verſ. 31. This do, and then
Truſt thou in me] For ſafety here, and ſalvation hereafter; acting thy Faith upon the precious promiſes,Pia & ſalubris adhortatio. Mercer. and hopefully expecting the performance thereof in due time. This was excellent counſel indeed, and worthy of all acceptation.
Verſe 15. But now, becauſe it is not ſo, he hath viſited in his anger] Becauſe thou haſt not yet done as I have preſcribed, God is forced thus to treat thee, and to encreaſe his plagues upon thee in great diſpleaſure at thine incorrigibleneſſe. Thus is good Job miſcenſured, whom God ſuffered ſo to be afflicted for his tryal, and not for his puniſhment; though there wanted not in him cauſe enough, if God ſhould have taken advantags. But know now, that his anger hath viſited thee but a little; (this is Beza's tranſlation of the whole verſe) neither hath he made any great inquiſition. Piſcator readeth this and the next verſe thus; But now, because his anger hath not viſited, neither hath he taken notice of the multitude of his ſins very much: therefore doth Job open his mouth with vanity, and heap up words without knowledge. Tremellius thus, For now, becauſe there is nothing of theſe, doth his anger viſit thee: viz. becauſe thou neither rightly judgeſt thy ſelf, nor waiteſt upon God: but lookeſt upon thy ſelf as utterly undone, caſting away all hope of better, therefore art thou yet held under.
Yet he knoweth it not in great extremity] Job perceiveth not (ſo blind he is) though he have his back-burden of afflictions, and knows not how to be rid of them. This, Elihu ſpeaketh to the company, by an angry Apoſtrophe.
Verſe 16. Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain] Dilarat, divaricat, rictum diducit ut bellua. An open mouth is oft a purgatory to the Maſter: digito compeſce labellum.
He multiplieth words without knowledge] Eliphaz had charged Job with malice and blaſphemy, chap. 22. Elihu only with vanity, and ignorance. We may not make the worſt of things, but give a favourable interpretation.