John Trapp on Job 13:22

Verſe 22. Then call thou, and I will anſwer &c.] Here Job gives God his choice, offering to be either Defendant or Plaintiffe; Reſpondent or Opponent: Hoc multum erat, ſaith Lavater, this was much, and indeed too much: for if God ſhould enter into judgment with his beſt ſervants, no man living ſhould be juſtified in his ſight; Pſalm 143.2. The beſt may bear a part in that ſong of mercy, Aſperge me Domine, purge me with hyſop, and I ſhall be clean; waſh me, &c. Pſalm 51.7. Job is confident of his innocency, and he might be for that particular wherewith his friends charged him (viz. that he was an hypocrite) but yet in defending himſelf, and charging God ſo highly, as he doth in this and the next Chapter, he cannot be excuſed; what though he knew himſelf juſtified by Chriſts righteouſneſſe, imputed according to the Covenant of Grace; Omnino tamen ſemper eſt Job immodicus, ſaith Merce[illegible: 1 letter] here, yet ſurely, he paſſeth the bounds of moderation, and is over-bold in this offer of his, laying the reins in the neck of his paſſions, Fertur equis auriga &c. Cajetan ſaith, theſe words are arrogant and ſcandalous; and Eliphaz is ſuppoſed for this paſſage to tax Job as he did, chap. 15.4. yea, thou caſteſt off fear.

Or, let me ſpeak and anſwer thou me] i. e. I will be plaintiffe or Opponent, I will be bold to ſay, it is not ſeemly to handle him as an enemy, who knowes nothing by himſelf. If there bee any thing more then involuntary and unavoidable infirmity in me; Shew me what, and how many my ſins are, that require ſo many and great puniſhments.