Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsJob 2

Job's three friends.

For better intelligence of these conflicts between holy Job and his friends, it may here be observed, that they were indeed his friends, ^[1] as the text simply calleth them: that they believed rightly in God Almighty, and were not idolaters: that they came of friendly good affection to comfort him, though they fell into words of reproving him ^[2] (as S. Gregory teacheth:) they alleged also many excellent divine sentences very truly, which therefore Job reproved not. But they erred in their illations against Job: ^[3] and that of ignorance rather than of set malice, concluding that Job was guilty of some enormous sins, because they saw him so grievously punished, and heard him complain thereof; his own conscience known to him and hid to them (whereof they rashly judged) testifying that he was innocent, in respect of so great crimes. And in this their particular error, though they were not heretics, being not obstinate after that the truth was sufficiently revealed unto them, yet they prefigured heretics, ^[4] endeavouring by one truth to destroy another, and by arrogating knowledge which they had not: promising also new things and unheard of, rather to draw others to admire them, than to edification. ^[5]

• 1 These visiters of Job were indeed his friends, & professed true religion.
• 2 li. 3. 6. 24.
• 3 They erred in Job's particular case.
• 4 And prefigured Heretics.
• 5 Li. 5. 18.