Wesley Corpus

Chapter XXII Eliphaz, checks Job for his complaints of God, ver. 1 - 4. Charges miseries on his sins, ver, 5 - 14. Compares his case to that of the old world, ver. 15 - 20. Assures him, that if he would return to God, he would shew him mercy, ver. 21 - 30. Can, &c. - Why dost thou insist so much upon thy own righteousness, as if thou didst oblige God by it. Is it - Such a pleasure as he needs for his own ease and contentment. Nay, God needs not us, or our services. We are undone, forever undone without him: but he is happy, forever happy without us. Reprove - Punish thee. Because he is afraid, lest if he should let thee alone, thou wouldst grow too great and powerful for him: surely no. As thy righteousness cannot profit him, so thy wickedness can do him no hurt. Evil - Is not thy evil, thy affliction, are not thy calamities procured by, and proportionable to thy sins. Surely - He speaks thus by way of strong presumption, when I consider thy unusual calamities, I conclude thou art guilty of all, or some of these crimes. Brother - Of thy neighbour. Nought - Without sufficient and justifiable cause. Stripped - By taking their garment for a pledge, or by robbing them of their rights, all other injuries being comprehended under this. Dwelt - Either by thy sentence or permission, he had a peaceable and sure possession of it, whether he had right to it, or no. Arms - Their supports, and rights. Or - Either thou art troubled with fear of further evils or with the gross darkness of thy present state of misery. Waters - Variety of sore afflictions, which are frequently compared to water. Heaven - And from that high tower looketh down upon men, to behold, and govern, and recompense all their actions, whether good or bad. How high - Yet God is far higher than they, and from thence can easily see all things. Walketh - His delight is in heaven, which is worthy of his care, but he will not burden himself with the care of earth: which was the opinion of many Heathen philosophers, and, as they fancied, was Job's opinion also. Old way - Heb. the way of antiquity, of men living in ancient times, their end or success.