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A35535 An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and the thirty fourth chapters of the booke of Job being the substance of forty-nine lectures / delivered at Magnus neare the Bridge, London, by Joseph Caryl ... Caryl, Joseph, 1602-1673. 1661 (1661) Wing C774; ESTC R36275 783,217 917

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determine the Question under debate Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken Hence note First As it is alwayes our duty to waite on God so sometimes on men We should waite First to see what men will doe for us we should waite Secondly to heare what men have to say to us we should waite for counsell for comfort for instruction● for conviction We should waite Thirdly to performe duty and to doe good to men Thus God is pleased to waite upon his creature man Isa 30.18 Therefore will I waite to be gracious As God waiteth to bestow acts of grace on man so man should waite to performe offices of love and respect to man or to give him advice helpe and assistance as his case and needs require Secondly Consider Elihu who had waited long as a hearer was afterwards a great speaker Hence note They that will speak to any mans case rightly must first heare him patiently They must be hearers who would be learners Paul sate at the feete of Gamaliel there he waited as a learner And if they must waite as hearers who would be learners how much more ought they who would be reachers reprovers or reformers Thirdly Elihu waited that he might speake opportunely or in time Hence note Due times and seasons of speaking must be observed and taken Ecclesiastes 3.7 There is a time to speak and a time to keep silence The providences of God po●nt wise men to both And usually times of silence fit us for times of speaking Every thing is beautifull in its season words spoken in their season are not only more effectuall but more beautifull they are like apples of gold in pictures of silver And therefore as the wise man gives us caution Eccles 5.2 Not to be rash with our mouths to utter any thing before God So we should not be rash with our mouths to utter any thing before men but well to consider what we have to say and waite our time to say it The Apostle James Chap. 1.19 would have us swift to heare slow to speak and probably the slower we are to speak the surer we speake Hasty speaking hath given men more dangerous stumbles and falls then ever hasty going did The Prophet represents our Lord Jesus Christ thus be speaking his Father as to his preparation and furniture for the exercise of his Propheticall yea of his whole Mediatoriall office Isa 50.4 Thou hast given me the tongue of the learned that I might know how to speake a word in season As there is much wisdome in hitting the matter what to speak and the manner of speaking how to cloath and dresse the matter of our speech so there is much wisdome in hitting the time and season when to speake And as to time a thing well in acting so to time it well in speaking is the better halfe of it Elihu waited till Job had spoken What I have now touched may be one reason of his waiting But the speciall reason of it follows in the text Because they were elder then he and good reason that he should waite upon his elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat non tantum fenem sed senia confectum non tantum senem aetate sed sapientia The Hebrew is They were elder for dayes they were not only old men for dayes but elder for dayes then he The word strictly taken imports a man more then old even one that is worne with age Further it denotes a two-fold eldership First an eldership in time dayes or yeares Secondly an eldership in wisdome and understanding They are our elders indeed who are wiser then we eldership in time deserves respect but eldership in wisdome commands it And as such are exprest by this word in the Hebrew so both the Grecians and Romans expresse their wise men by a word of the same force Senators were elders not alwayes in time there was no Law much lesse necessity that every Senator should be an old man but in understanding every Senator ought to be a wise man though not an old man They who are to governe others wisely had need be furnished with wisdome themselves Gray haires alone cannot make a good Magistrate We read the word applyed both to Church-Elders called Isa 37.2 The Elders of the Priests and to State-Elders called Elders of the people Exod. 17.5 or of the Land Gen. 50.7 The Elders of the Land of Egypt went with them 'T is said Psal 105.21 22. Pharoah made Joseph Lord of his house and ruler of all his substance to binde his Princes at his pleasure teach his Senators wisdome Young Joseph made Pharaohs wise men wiser and gave counsel to his counsellers Here Elihu calls Jobs friends Elders and we may take him either speaking strictly that they were his Elders in time or speaking modestly that they were his Elders in wisdome knowledge and understanding and therefore he was not hasty to speake but gave them their scope waiting till Job had spoken Because they were elder then he Hence note First in General Young men should shew respect and waite upon their Elders The Apostle would not have Timothy slighted though young 1 Tim. 4.12 Let no man despise thy youth He chargeth the people not to despise Timothy because young and he chargeth Timothy to carry it so that none might have the shew of a cause to despise him though young Let no man despise thy youth let not those that seeke occasion finde it Now as young men especially young Ministers should be so holy and grave in their conversation as not to draw disrespect or contempt upon themselves and as no man ought to despise the young meerly because they are young so all men ought to honour old age The old Law was expresse for it Levit. 19.32 Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head and honour the face of the old man and feare thy God I am the Lord. See how these two are joyned together Thou shalt honour the face of the old man and feare thy God As if he had said honour old men in the feare of God or shew feare to God in the reverence and honour which thou givest to old men who having lived a long time or many dayes in the world bear at least a shadow of the eternity of God who is The anciant of dayes who lives and abides for ever There is a two-fold stampe of God upon old men more then upon other men First their very age hath a stamp of God upon it for though all ages put together are not a moment to eternity yet as to our computation and reckoning old age beares the fairest image of eternity Secondly old men bear a resemblance of God in their wisdome 't is to be supposed that the oldest are wilest as Elihu speaks v. 7. So then old men are to be reverenced not only for their precedence in time but for their experience wisdome knowledge and prudence Seris venit usus ab annis all which represent
the abused patience of man will turn to greater anger and he groweth the more passionate by how much he hath been the more and the oftner deceived Thus Elihu is still described acting angerly yet in the very next verse we shall find him speaking soberly plainly and to purpose Vers 6. And Elihu the son of Barachell the Buzite answered and said When Elihu saw these three men gravel'd and that after all the outcry they made against Job they were forced to leave him as they found him unconvinced of those crimes of that hypocrisie which they had layd to his charge he hereupon saw himselfe engaged to undertake the matter and offer his opinion Concerning Elihu his name his fathers name Barachel his tribe or stock a Buzite I have spoken at the 2d verse and shall not adde any thing of it here only take notice That here Elihu begins his own preface The former part of the Chapter contained the report of the divine historian concerning Elihu but these are the words of Elihu himselfe here he begins like an Orator to gaine favour with and attention of his hearers or to prepare the minds of his hearers to receive what he had to say And upon this subject or piece of Rhetoricke making Prefaces he spends the whole that remaines of this Chapter And Elihu c. answered and said I am young and ye are very old that is it which he said therefore I was afraid and durst not shew mine opinion As if he had said I am conscious to my selfe of the weaknesse which accompanieth youth I very well know my own incompetency for such a worke I am young Parvus secundum dies Heb The Hebrew is I am few of dayes or little according to dayes if you should reckon or measure me by dayes I am very little And is not every man so If you measure any man by dayes is not he very little Thou hast made my age a span long said David Psal 39.7 that 's quickly measured Job spake thus Chap. 14.1 Man that is borne of a woman is of few dayes and full of trouble He saith not this or that man but man take old men the Elders take all men the oldest men are but few of dayes in themselves considered and comparatively to the age or rather the eternity of God their utmost age is but as a drop to the ocean Thus all men even ancient men are few of dayes which is here the description of a young man I am young saith Elihu or few of dayes but compare one man with another so some have few dayes and others many dayes young men have few dayes and old men have many dayes compared with one another I am young and ye are very old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 decrepitus The word notes decrepid old age the very dregs of age the utmost line of life old age like a heavy burden bowes the back and criples the limbes of the strongest and stoutest sons of Adam See more of this word Chap. 15.10 Hominis aetates in septem partitur Hippocrates 1 Parvulus ad annum 7 mum 2 Puer ad An 14. 3 Adolescens ad An 21. 4 Juvenis ad An 28. 5 Vir ad An 50. 6 Senex ad An 56. 7 Decrepitus post quamdiu vivit There are severall divisions of the life of man some cast it into foure parts sutable to the foure seasons of the yeare some into five alluding to the Acts of an Interlude or play others into seven in allusion to the Planets now what ever division you make of the life of man this decrepid old age is the last I am young and ye are very old wherefore I was afraid and durst not shew mine opinion What effect that sence which Elihu had of his youth or fewnesse of dayes produced in him is set forth in these words 't was feare I saith he was afraid c. There is as to this poynt a twofold feare First a cowardly feare Secondly a modest feare when Elihu saith he was afraid he doth not meane the feare of a coward but of a modest man it is not not cowardize to be afraid of doing many things to feare to doe those things which are unlawfull or which are uncomely is no part of cowardize This latter feare surprized or rather composed Elihu he was a man bold spirited enough but modesty made him afraid to shew his opinion There is a great elegancy in those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est serpere denotat timorem serpentum latebras quaerentium videri metuentium Aben Ezra I durst not shew mine opinion They imply he hid his speech as Serpents hide themselves when men approach Micah 7.17 Serpents which are a terrour to men and make them afraid are also afraid of men their appearance causeth them to run and hide their heads The Rabbins take much paines in their Criticismes about this word to expresse a vertuous modesty As it is a duty to be as Christ exhorts his Disciples to be especially in times of persecution Math 10.10 wise as Serpents so it is a vertue to be fearefull as Serpents even to feare as much to be heard by some men as Serpents feare to be seene by any man Reptilium more dimisi me unde vulgatus reddit Demisso capite veritus sum Drus Thus Elihu held downe his head he was afraid and durst not shew his opinion suddenly nor declare his judgement in the case for the reverence he bare to those graver and elder heads Note hence First Young men are apt to run into mistakes their heat usually exceeds their light Youth drives furiously and commonly carrieth presumption with it or is it selfe hurried by presumption Though God hath given a young man a good understanding quick parts and a ready tongue yet he wants much because he hath not seene much and so is very liable to miscarriage He cannot look through nor see to the end of things for as it is the great and sole priviledge of God to cast an eye quite through all intermediate both actions and revolutions and to see the end from the beginning so it is more peculiar to those that are aged and long experienced to see much of the end of things in their beginnings or to see what is like to be as well as what is 'T is the part of a wise man to consider what may come and whether things tend there is much weakness and deficiency in young men as to this As most young men want sences exercised as the Apostle speakes of all un-improved Christians of what age soever Heb 5.19 as I say most young men want sences exercised to discerne what is good or evill so they want sences exercised to discerne what good or evill is like to be they rarely see effects in their causes or events in their prognosticks Therefore Elihu might well say I am young therefore I durst not venture to shew mine opinion Paul giveth Timothy
the poynt The aged speak like children when they speak foolishly or unfruitfully He only is a good speaker who speaks that which may doe others good or make them better We say proverbially and truly both of saying and doing As good never a whit as never the better I said dayes should speak and multitude of yeares should teach wisdome Elihu reckons the age of aged men by multitude of yeares this he doth only to highten the matter what wisdome might he not expect from a multitude of yeares that is from such as had lived a multitude of yeares Certainly thought Elihu they will Teach wisdome There is a twofold wisdome First that which is meerely rational Secondly that which is spirituall or there is first a common secondly an holy wisdome Elihu expected wisdome of both sorts but chiefely of the latter from multitude of yeares He expected they would teach the wisdome which the Spirit of God had taught them Sapientiam intelligit quae in vera dei nostri cognitione sita est cujus author sit spiritus dei non hominis animus non anni non usus non experientia Merl that wisdome which consists in the true knowledge of God and of our selves that wisdome which is from above that which man hath not from himselfe nor is taught him by dayes or yeares by use or experience only And it was very probable that they who from their youth had been instructed in the things of God being growne old should also be growne further in this wisdome and riper in this sort of knowledge And therefore Elihu spake according to the rule of right reason when he judged that those three aged men had attained to a very high degree of divine light Such is the goodnesse of God to his people that usually they grow in grace and knowledge as they grow in yeares For though God is Debror to no man but Creditor to all men and though old age in it selfe considered deserves nothing of God yea is not only undeserving but because sin multiplyes as our dayes doe ill deserving yet as Christ saith To him that hath that is who useth and improveth what he hath more shall be given And therefore though true wisdome be a free gift and is infused and wrought by the Spirit of God yet we may in probability and ought according to charity judge that they who have most dayes have also most wisdome Though wisdome be not entayled upon old age yet there we are most likely to finde it I sayd multitude of yeares should teach wisdome Hence observe first We may well expect they should be very wise and knowing who have had much meanes and many opportunities of obtaining knowledge and wisdome And therefore we have reason to expect much wisdome from those who have had a multitude of yeares past over their heads It is a common rule in Logick Causis sufficientibus positis in a●tu necessario sequitur effectus When sufficient causes are put in act the effect must needs follow And so where probable causes are in act probably the effect will follow Old men having been well brought up in youth and having had faire opportunities to attaine knowledge and wisdome are rightly presumed and judged well stor'd and stockt with both Where shall we finde wisdome if not among the Ancients where if not among a multitude or throng of yeares and dayes where else should we look for it shall we goe and enquire among the greene heads and young beginners for it shall we goe to novices and children for it We may say surely they who have been long taught have learned much surely they who have heard many soule-searching Sermons and continued from day to day under the droppings of divine truths are full of fruit and very fruitfull whether shall we goe for fruit else if not to these shall we goe to those that live as upon the mountaines of Gilboa where David prayed no raine might fall shall we goe for Gospel-fruit to the wild naked untaught Indians and Barbarians or to the rightly instituted and plentifully instructed Churches of Christ may we not more then say conclude surely these are wise and full of spirituall understanding Quanquam te Marce Fili Annum jam audientem Cratippum idque Athenis abundare oportet praeceptis institutisque philosophiae c. Cic de Offi lib. t. The Roman Orator Cicero took it for granted that his son Marcus was well grounded in and plentifully furnished with the principles of Philosophy because he had been at Athens a whole yeare and there heard Cratippus a famous Philosopher read many excellent Lectures about things natural and morall And may we not say to many thousands of Gospel-hearers and professors what you that have heard such and such able Ministers you that have had the word so long preached and that at London more famous for Gospel knowledge then Athens for philosophy surely you are filled with all knowledge in the mystery of Christ and with all goodnesse in the practice of go●linesse And doubtlesse the Lord will argue it with those that have had time and opportunities as a rich price in their hand to get wisdome as Elihu did with his friends being aged men Who can imagine but that they are full of wisdome that they abound in knowledge and spirituall understanding who abounding in dayes and yeares have abounded also in meanes of knowledge Note Secondly As old men should abound in knowledge so they should approve themselves ready to teach the ignorant I said dayes should speak and multitude of yeares should teach wisdome 'T is a duty incumbent upon them who have learned much to teach much To conveigh wisdome and knowledge to others is most proper to such as well as most ornamental and honourable To be knowing our selves is a great mercy and to helpe others to the knowledge of what we know is a great duty we loose one speciall end of knowing if we know only for our selves To communicate and diffuse our knowledge to others is the noblest way of using it and the best way of improving it and that in a double respect First it is the best way of improving it as to encrease Secondly it is the best way of improving it as to reward The more we give out our knowledge the more we shall have of it and the more we shall have for it both from God and men The Apostle saith of a Gospel Minister 1 Tim. 3.2 He must be apt to teach not only able but apt that is ready and willing to teach now what the Apostle speaks there of an Elder by office is true of those that are elders in time they also should be apt to teach not only able but ready and willing to teach in and according to their spheare and power I said dayes should speak c. Thirdly Note 'T is a reproach to old age not to be knowing and w●se not to be able and apt to teach wisdome That old age
shoulders to them Secondly passionateness of spirit and of speech must be avoyded That which hinders reason had need be shut out while we are reasoning What a contradiction in the adjunct is it to heare of an angry moderator or to see a man set himselfe to compose differences between others with a discomposed spirit of his owne Thirdly partiality in speaking or the favouring of a party must be layd aside for as Elihu did not spare to tell Jobs friends their owne so neither did he spare to tell Job his owne he was not partiall on either side What can be imagin'd more uncomely then that he who stands between two should leane to any one or that he who comes to be an umpire or a Judge should make himselfe a party or an Advocate Fourthly he must avoyd timorousnesse and not be daunted with what man shall say or can doe against him while he is doing his duty The feare of man is a snare saith Solomon That man had not need be in a snare himselfe whose business it is to bring others out of the snares of error whether in opinion or in practise Fifthly he must beware of an easiness to be drawne aside either by the perswasions or applauses of men A Judge between others must keepe his owne standing Thus farre concerning these two verses wherein Elihu is still carrying on his Preface to prepare Job to receive attentively what he had to say In the next place Elihu turning to the standers by signifies to them in what condition he found Jobs friends JOB Chap. 32. Vers 15 16 17 18 19 20. They were amazed they answered no more they left off speaking When I had waited for they spake not but stood still and answered no more I said I will answer also my part I also will shew mine opinion For I am full of matter the spirit within me constraineth me Behold my belly is as wine which hath no vent it is ready to burst like new bottles I will speak that I may be refreshed I will open my lips and answer ELihu had spoken of his friends silence before and here he returns to it againe with a further addition and aggravation Vers 15. They were amazed they answered no more they left off speaking c. There are two opinions concerning the person who spake these words First Some referre them to the writer or penman of this Book but I rather take them as the words of Elihu himselfe They were amazed The root signifies to be affected with a very passionate and strong feare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum pavorem affert quo affici solent qui ab hoste potentissimo superantur even such a feare as they are arrested with who flee or fall before their Enemies in battel So the word is used Jer 50.26 A sword is upon her mighty men and they shall be dismayed Dismay or amazement is the displacing at least the disturbing of reason it selfe Elihu shews how unable and unfit Jobs friends were to argue with him any further seeing upon the matter they had lost the use of their reason and were as men crack-brain'd or broken in their understanding They were amazed They answered no more they left off speaking or Speech was departed from them there is a two-fold Exposition of that speech they left off speaking Some understand it passively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. d ab illis ablata sunt verba like that Luke 12.20 This night shall thy soule be required or taken from thee thou shalt not freely deliver it up but it shall be snatcht from thee So here their speech was taken from them or by an unanswerable conviction silence was imposed upon them Mr Broughton renders They doe speake no more speeches be departed from them How can they speake from whom speech is departed We translate actively they left off speaking as implying a voluntary act they gave a stop to themselves either they were not able or it was not fit for them to say any more The Hebrew is They removed speech from themselves and so became as silent as if they could not speake at all They were as mure as fishes The following verse being of the same sence I shall open that before I give the observations from this Vers 16. When I had waited for they spake not but stood still and answered no more Job waited hoping they would speak somewhat worthy of themselves worthy of that opinion and reputation which they had in the world for wisdome Stare pro tacere but they deceived his expectation He could not have nor heare a word more from them This Elihu puts into a parenthesis for they spake not but stood still and answered no more He useth many words to the same purpose to shew that there was somewhat extraordinary in their silence They spake not their tongues stood still As speech is the image of the mind and from the aboundance of the heart so it is by the motion of the tongue If the tongue stand still discourse is stayd Their mouths were stopt as being either unable or ashamed to urge their accusations and arguments any further They stood still and answered no more It is said of those forward accusers of the women taken in adultery John 8.9 That being Convicted by their owne Conscience they went away one by one they shrunke away having not a word to reply And so did Jobs friends who while they stood still carried it as men unwilling to be heard or seene any more upon the place They were amazed c. First Hence note Amazement unfits us for argument Where wondering begins disputing ends They were amazed they answered no more Secondly Note The same men are sometimes so changed that they can scarcely be knowne to be the same men Eliphaz sayd Chap 4.2 Who can withhold himselfe from speaking He was so forward that he could not be kept from words but now he had not a word in his keeping speech was withheld or departed Thirdly Note False grounds or positions cannot be alwayes maintain'd God will supply both matter and forme arguments and words to confirme his owne truth they who are in the right shall not want reason to back it but they who are in the wrong may quickly find a stop and have no more to say The Apostles were weake because unwilling in a bad cause 2 Cor 13.8 We can doe nothing against the truth but for the truth and they who are willing to be against the truth shall be weake and not able long to doe any thing against it They spake no more As God gives a banner that is outward power to them that feare him that it may be displayed because of the truth Psal 60.4 So he gives wisdome and understanding that is inward power for the maintaining of the truth In thy majesty ride prosperously because of the truth Psal 45.4 As Christ who is truth and the giver forth of truth so they who are undertakers for
keepeth silence because he hath borne it upon him When God layeth his yoke or crosse upon us 't is our duty to be silent and submit Zach 2.13 Be silent O all flesh before the Lord for he is raised up out of his holy habitation that is the Lord begins to worke therefore let all men or men of all sorts and degrees be quiet and say nothing either discontentedly or complainingly In all these Scriptures holding our peace is called for and commanded or shewed at the workes of God Secondly There is a holding of our peace at the word of God or at what God speaketh Thus 't is when not only the tongue but the heart is silent and every thought is brought into subjection or captivity to the obedience of Christ The heart of man often speakes much and is very clamorous when he saith nothing with his tongue That 's to hold our peace indeed when the heart is quiet let God say or doe what he will 'T is not more our duty to resist the Devill that is all his hellish whisperings and temptations to the doing of evill then 't is to submit to God in all his speakings and dispensations Elihu speaking in the name of the Lord faithfully adviseth Job in this sence to hold his peace Hence learne We ought to submit and keep silence when the truth of God is spoken Or when the minde of God is brought unto us there must be no replying but obeying no disputing but submitting They have learned much who know how and when to say nothing Solomon saith Eccl 3.6 There is a time to keep silence and a time to speake but this kind of silence is in season at all times we ought alwayes to be silent thus that is alwayes submit to the minde of God We need to be minded of this because the pride and over-weening of man is great We have need to put a bridle upon our tongues much more upon our hearts it is hard to bring our wills and our understandings under we are apt to strive and struggle when truth comes neere us yea to kick at it when it comes very nee●● and home to us though indeed the neerer it comes the better nor can it ever come too neere The Apostle James apprehended this when he gave that admonition Chap 1.21 Receive with meeknesse the ingraffed word which is able to save your soules Meeknesse is that grace which moderates anger a passionate or fierce spirit receiveth not the word but riseth up against it turnes not to it but upon it and which is worst of all turnes it to evill not to good turnes light into darknesse and so the word of life becomes a savour of death for want of a due submission to it Therefore hearken and hold your peace when the word of God is spoken Do not say it is but the word of man because delivered by man God speaks in and by his faithfull Messengers ye oppose the authority of the living God not a mortall dying creature when you reject the word And remember it is not only our duty but our liberty to give up our selves prisoners to the truths of God we are never so free as when bound by it or to it And as we should hold our peace at or submit to all the truths of God in all cases so especially in these three First When we are reproved for our sins in practice then we should not stand excusing what we have done but repent of it Secondly When we are shewed our errour in opinion then we should not stand disputing and arguing for what we hold but recant it 'T is time to hold our peace when once it appeares to us that we doe not hold the truth To erre is common to man but to persevere in an errour to the defence and patronage of it is more then inhumane devilish Thirdly We should hold our peace when our duty is plaine before us then we should not stand questioning it but doe it Whatsoever thy hand findeth to doe saith Solomon Eccl 9.10 that is whatsoever appeares to be a duty doe it with all thy might Hold thy tongue but doe not withhold thy hand when once thy hand hath found what must be done Elihu at this time was dealing with Job upon all these three poynts He told him his sin that he had been too querious and impatient he shewed him his error that he had been too bold with God because inn●cent towards men And he pressed him to duty both that and how he ought to humble himselfe before the Lord. The Apostle treating about that great poynt of justification tells us God will at last cause all men to hold their peace Rom 3.19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith it saith to them who are under the law that every month may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God that is man will have nothing to say but sit downe silent and hold his peace or only say I am nothing I have deserved nothing but death and condemnation when he once understands the holiness and strictness of the law together with the unholiness and looseness of his owne heart and life Hence note It speakes yea proclaimes a gracious prudence to know how and when to hold our peace and say nothing When men insist upon their owne conceit and reason when they logick it unduely with God or men and will needs seeme to know more then the word teacheth them what doe they but give evidence against themselves that as yet they know nothing as the word teacheth or as they ought to know and themselves least of all 'T is pride and presumption not prudence and understanding which opens such mens mouths We never profit by what we heare till in the sence opened we have learned to hold our peace The counsel which Elihu gave Job was to hold his peace yet he layd no constraint upon him to refraine necessary speaking but put him upon it in the next verse Vers 32. If thou hast any thing to say answer me speake for I desire to justifie thee Lest Elihu should be interpreted to have taken too much upon him or to have denied Job his liberty of speaking when he sayd hold thy peace he here calls him to speake This is a full proofe that his intent was not to barre him from speaking but only that he should forbeare unnecessary speaking As if he had sayd Now that I have gone thus farre if I have spoken any thing that thou at unsatisfied in and dost desire I should explaine my selfe about speake thy minde freely for though I have more to say yet I will not hinder thee from saying what thou canst fairely say for thy selfe neither will I ever-burthen thy memory with too much at once therefore come now and answer if thou wilt or canst to what is already spoken The Hebrew is If thou hast words answer me that is if thou hast arguments to defend thy selfe with or to