John Trapp on Job 13:3

Verſe 3. Surely I would ſpeak to the Almighty] It were far better for me to ſpeak to God, then to you, and much fairer dealing from him I might expect; a God of truth, and without iniquity, juſt and right is he, Deut. 32.4. But ye are Jorgers of lies, and ye load me with falſe accuſations, depraving my ſpeeches, as thou Zophar eſpecially haſt done, wiſhing withall that God himſelf would ſpeak with me face to face; which, if it ſhould come to paſſe, thou ſaidſt my miſery and affliction would be redoubled. But oh that I might commune with the Almighty! ſurely and ſeriouſly I would rather do it, then with you my friends, and ſhould hope ſo to defend mine innocency againſt your ſlanderous accuſations; yea, to maintain Gods juſtice againſt you, in the preſence and judgment of God himſelf. O the confidence of a good conſcience! ſee it in Abimelech, Gen. 20.5. but much more in David, Pſal. 7.3, 4. And Pſalm 139.23, 24. In Jeremiah, chap. 12.1. in every ſtrong believer, 1 Pet. 3.21. Thoſe that walke uprightly, and ſpeake uprightly, Iſai. 33.15. Not ſo every [illegible: 1 word] Chriſtian, or profligate profeſſor, verſe 14. The ſinners in Zion are afraid, fearfulneſs ſurprizeth the hypocrites, &c. but good Job was none ſuch; and God knew it to be ſo: what if to the wicked he be a devouring fire? yet to thoſe that fear his name he is a reviving Sun, Mal. 4.1, 2. And upright Job feareth not to reaſon with him: upon the ſame ground John Hus, and other Martyrs cited their perſecutors to anſwer them by ſuch a time before Gods tribunal.

And I deſire to reaſon with God] If he pleaſe; So the Septuagint adde,Sivo[illegible: 2 letters]erit. and make out Jobs meaning: as if he had uſed the like modeſty and humility,Neh. 2.4. Eſth. 5.4. as Nehemiah, and after him Eſther did in their ſuits unto the King of Perſia, when they ſaid, if it ſeem good to the King, and if I have found favour in his ſight. Others think that Job here deſireth to plead with God as with a party that had dealt too hardly with him &c. that he challengeth God into the ſchools, as it were, there ro crack an argument with him, and by reaſon to reduce him to milder dealing. And indeed, the Hebrew word here uſed, ſignifieth to diſpute [illegible: 1 word], and from it the Rabbines call Logick the Art of arguing. This boldneſſe is that, ſay our large Annotations, which both Elihu and God blame Job for in the end of the booke, though neither of them condemn him for an hypocrite: and that ſhewes that Job did ſpeak amiſſe of God in his paſſion, and is not altogether to be excuſed; much leſſe in every thing to be commended.