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ANNOTATIONS.

CHAP XLII.

7. You haue not spoken right, as my seruant Iob.) Holie Iob being thoroughly tried in the fornace of tribulation, & by diuine instruction confirmed in perfect patience, and other vertues, God at last gaue sentence, condemning the guiltie, and iustifying the innocent: in plaine termes pronouncing that Eliphaz, Baldad, & Sophar had not spoken right before him, as his seruant Iob. And so these three being conuinced, that notwithstanding their former pretence of defending Gods cause, they had erred, and Iob had maintained the truth, they submitted themselues as faultie, and humbly did penance, bringing their oblations for sacrifice to Iob, as they were commanded. v. 8. & 9.

As for Eliu the last disputer, persisting more vehement in his errour when the others ceassed from contention, he was sufficiently condemned in his felowes. And the rather for that true point of his owne doctrine (ch. 33. v. 14) that God speaketh once, and repeateth not the same the second time. For it was euer a general rule, that when God once reueiled anie thing by publike fact, or vnto competent witnesses, it sufficed for euer, to al reasonable men, and so Eliu might applie the sentence to himselfe, which God had denounced to his three freinds, in the same cause. Much lesse are Protestants excusable, which not only persist in errors condemned in their owne felowes, as in Luther, Caluin, Beza, and others, but also in other old heresies: as their doctrine of iustification by only faith condemned in the Apostles time: their denying the cerimonies of Baptisme, and the Sacraments of Confirmation, and of Penance, condemned in the Nouatians: or that patient sustaining of worldlie losses, and other afflictions, such as Iob suffered, are not satisfactorie, or meritorious workes.

8. Take seuen oxen, and seuen rammes.) In the number of seuen is a mysterie of perfection and fulnes, often vsed in holie Scripture. For God creating the world and al things therin in six dayes, rested the seuenth. Seuenfold punishment was required for Cain. Seuen payres of cleane beasts were conserued in Noes arke. And in the law the ground rested from tillage the seuenth year with innumerable the like. As S. Gregorie in this place, and other Fathers note in their workes. Also twise seuen victimes offered in sacrifice, import the greatnes of these mens offence in accusing Iob, and in auouching their false opinion.

8. Iob shal pray for you.) Neither had so manie sacrifices sufficed, as S. Chrisostom obserueth, Orat. 5. in Iudæos, vnles Iob also had prayed for the offenders. Where we see that both Sacrifice, and the deuotion of him that offereth it, haue their effects: where of commeth the distinction vsed in Schools, of Opus operatum,and Opus operantis. As it is manifest likewise, that mediation of one man for an other, did not derogate from Gods benigne mercie, in the law of nature, wherein these men liued. Nor now from Christes mediation, in the law of Grace. 2. Cor. 1. v. 11. Rh