Matthew Poole and continuators on Job 37:23

23. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out , he is excellent in power , and in judgment , and in plenty of justice , he will not afflict .

To wit, to perfection, as it is expressed, Iob. 11. 7. We cannot comprehend him: his Being, Power, Wisdom, Justice, and his counsels proceeding from them are past our finding out: and therefore it is most absurd and intolerable that thou, O Iob, presumest to censure what th[illegible: 1+ letters]u dost not understand.

And therefore as he doth not need any unrighteous action to advance himself, so he cannot do it, because all such things are acts and evidences of impotency or weakness.

i. e. In the just and righteous administration of judgment, as this word is oft used, and [illegible: 1+ letters]s the thing it self, and the following words plainly evince. And this he adds to intimate that although God had indeed a Power to crush Iob or any other Man, yet he never did nor can exercise that power unjustly or tyrannically, as Job seemed to insinuate.

In great and perfect Justice, such as no Man can justly reproach.

To wit, without just cause, and above measure: as it may and must be limited both from the foregoing words, and from Iob's complaint which was of that very thing; and from the nature of the thing, because otherwise this Proposition that God will not afflict, is not simply and universally true. Or these last words may be joyned with the former; and so some render the place, He is excellent in Power, and or but, or yet, [illegible: 1+ letters]e will not [illegible: 1 word] any Man with judgment and much (i. e. too much) justice, i. e. with extremity or rigo[illegible: 1+ letters]r of Justice.

Marginal references: 1 Tim. 6. 16.; Ch. 36. 5.; Lam. 3. 33.