but cut off but he reasons solidly against hâ—s Friends when they spake of temporal prosperity as the reward of piety and maintains that God may cut off a man who yet is truly godly and approved of him Chap. 9.22 13.15 16. And here we see a man of such a temper restored When men have too high an esteem of worldly enjoyments they do thereby declare that they are their Idols and therefore it were no kindness to bestow them upon them Secondly Consider the time of his Restitution As for the time of the continuance of his Trouble and Trial some of the Jews have limited it to a year Others have made it three others seven years But without any grounds for their Assertions This is certain that at the very beginning of the Dispute there had moneths of Vanity already passed over him Chap. 7.3 But how long time was spent in the subsequent Debates betwixt all parties is not determined in Scripture Here it is certain that his restitution trysted with his praying for his Friends And it teacheth 1. A time of blessed and sanctified deliverance is a praying time as here it was with Job See Zech. 12.9 10. Ezech. 36 37. And when God prevents our prayers with his Mercies we should be he more busie afterward that they may be blessed unto us 2. As even godly Friends may be ready to act unfriendly toward a godly man in his trouble that his trial may be compleat as they did to Job So it is an evidence of Grace especially marked by God to pass over these Injuries as here God marks that Job did so to his Friends who are called his Friends notwithstanding their miscarriages toward him See also Chap. 6.15 19.21 Not only because they were of his Kindred but because he in love thought them Friends and because they minded to express friendship in all they did however they mistook the way 3. It is not enough that men seem to pass over injuries that so they may more closely pursue a revenge but they should pray for them who have injured them as here Job prayed for his Friends See Mat. 5.44 Rom. 12.14 If Conscience wâ—re made of this duty it might be a mean to reclaim those who wrong us from their evil courses and however it would bring much peace to our selves Psal 35.13 4. As our forgiving of others is an evidence that our selves are pardoned by God which malicious vindictive spirits do little mind Mat. 6.14 15. So when men are in a tender frame and ready to pardon Injuries it is a pledge that their deliverance is near and that it is blessed to them when it cometh For the Lord turned the Captivity of Job when he prayed for his Friends So that as those who have done wrong to others should imitate Jobs Friends in taking with their faults so they who are wronged and would evidence that they are approved of God and that their deliverance is blessed to them should imitate Job in their tender passing over of injuries which also was not only the practice of David 2 Sam. 19.21 22 23. but even of Saul before the Lord departed from him 1 Sam. 11.12 13. Thirdly Consider the measure of Jobs prosperity now when he is restored it was twice as much as he had before And albeit this be instanced only in his goods v. 12. where a remark like to this is premitted to the particular account of his substance and there we may speak to it yet the Original hath it God added to all that Job had to the double Where the Universal All may be restricted to all of that kind or to all the particulars of his wealth mentioned v. 12. Or it may also be further extended and taken more absolutely What was verified of this in the matter of his Children will come to be considered on v. 13. Only here it may safely be extended both to his body and mind That the Gifts and Graces of his mind were notably improved by this trial and such Gifts of body and mind as he had before and he was now repossessed of were double mercies in his esteem And so it teacheth 1. Saints restitution after trouble will be with advantage as here Job â—ound So that they shall have no cause to repent or to quarrel that they were in trouble See Psal 1 19.71 Isa 61.7 2. Whatever other advantages men reap by trouble yet they are great gainers if they learn to prize mercies as double mercies when they are restored and if the Gifts and Graces of their minds be thereby improved In which respects Jobs mercies were now double to him Verse 11. Then came there unto him all his Brethren and all his Sisters and all they that had been of his acquaintance before and did eat bread with him in his house and they bemoaned him and comforted him over all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him every man also gave him a piece of money and every one an ear-ring of Gold Followeth to the end of the Chapter a more particular account of his prosperous condition after his restitution By which is intimated That the Providence of God toward his people ought not to be superficially viewed but distinctly marked Here this account of his prosperity is branched out in five particulars the first whereof in this v. is his restitution to his Honour and Reputation among his Friends and Kinsmen Where it is declared that all his Kinsfolkes called Brethren and Sisters and his Acquaintance who had formerly forsaken him either because of his poverty or their suspitions of his Hypocrisie do now flock unto him and do eat and drink and sympathize with him and comfort him over all his sorrows They do also give him some money which hath its name from a Lamb which it seems was stamped upon the Coin as we call some pieces of Gold Angels for the like reason and Jewels which they did both in testimony of their Love and Kindness and it is likely also toward the reparation of his ruined estate For albeit we read not that in lost what Gold or Wealth he had in the House yet that could not so soon have purchased so much wealth as he had again v. 12. And if he had many Friends every ones Mite might contribute somewhat to set him up again It is further here to be considered 1. This eating of Bread with him doth not only import that they were familiar with him but hath some hint also of those Feasts of Consolation which of old Friends were wont to give to the afflicted Jer. 16.7 8. 2. If it be enquired what need there was of their sympathy and comfort now when the Lord himself had appeared for him Answ However it was now with Job yet they testified their good will and what they did might help to confirm him and heal any scars that were left especially when they confessed their fault in abandoning him in his trouble Doct. 1. Godly men may expect to
yea sometime in a fit Nature getting the upper hand As here Corruption and Grace wrestle for it and at last Sense and Corruption carry it Afterward we will hear more of this conflict betwixt his Faith and Sense in this complaint And we find it was Paul's exercise to be tossed betwixt the law of his members and the law of his mind Rom. 7. This may teach us to have a jealous eye over our selves even in our best frame For trouble may discover much dross which doth not then appear And it teacheth us not to stumble when we find dross in trouble not only with our good but over-flowing it for a time We have as little reason because of that to say we have no good in us as we have to say we have no corruptions when they are borne down and disappear in our good condition Obs 2. As for the strength of his Argument That not only his Friends ought not to censure but it beseemed God to respect his extorted complaint and give him ease we may consider 1. God may justly take a proof of what is in man and how weak any inherent grace he hath is to resist tentation as it proved here in Job And therefore the Argument is faulty as to concluding that God should altogether forbear to put him to it to give this proof of himself which was so needful for him 2. Were Saints never so pressed with tentation and over-powred with infirmity in their failings as Job here was not malicious nor wicked in his complaints but forced to them through weakness and tentations yet even those their failings which flow meerly from infirmity and tentation are real sins which need a Mediatour to expiate them and a pardon for his sake upon their closing with him by faith and their renewing of their repentance And therefore his Argument cannot at all conclude that God or his Friends should look upon it as no fault in him thus to complain when he is put to it Yet 3. There is somewhat of an Argument in it both in reference to God and to his Friends In reference to God Albeit he may try what is in Saints and they ought to flee to Christ for the pardon of their infirmities Yet it is an Argument pressing that God should pity them when they do not run wilfully to sin but are driven out of the way through the power of tentation and they are sensible of their failings in such a case For God is a tender considerer of a willing spirit even when it is under the power of weak flesh Matth. 26.41 It is also an Argument pleading for pardon in a Mediatour and such infirmities will more easily obtain it then other sins Rom. 7.24 with 25. And further such a condition doth also plead for moderation of Gods dealing which yet ought to be pressed with much sobriety and submission and staying of his rough wind in the day of his East wind Isa 27.8 seeing God is a tender Shepherd who â—as Jacob Gen. 33.13 will not over-drive his flock Isa 40.11 1 Cor. 10.13 and who is tender in preventing his peoples being driven to sin Psal 125.3 In reference to his Friends the Argument may hold out this great truth That it is not just to be too rigid in judging of Saints or to judge of them and the state of their person though of their condition they may by their violent fits to which they are driven through affliction and tentation and wherein there is a conflict betwixt the flâ—sh and the spirit and the whole man consents not For however Job's Friends might have censured his complaints as passionate which yet in his weakness he would not admit yet there was no reason they should judge by his complaints which he could not suppress that he was a wicked man In particular If we look to the several parts acted by the flesh and the spirit in him in the rise of his complaints each of them may afford us useful instructions and cautions And 1. The flesh or his present sense speaks first My soul is weary or I am heartily or very weary of my life or my soul is cut off with wearying of my life or is cut off that it is in life All those readings come to one purpose That he did very earnestly and affectionately with his soul weary of his life he would very gladly be rid of it and was even killed that he was alive To this issue came his resolution Chap. 9.35 When he had resolved to smother his griefs they did so press and overcharge him that he was not only wearied of them but even of his very life because of them desiring to get an end of these miseries by the end of his life And this he must speak out before them Whence Learn 1. Gods people will not be always Masters of their own passions and resolutions under trouble For Job Chap. 9.35 had thought to digest all his sorrows with silence but now he is forced to speak them out My soul is weary or cut off And especially when men do digest their grievances but with a grudge as Job grudged and regreted that he could not be heard to plead his cause Chap. 9. 35. it will prove a boil that will break out at last 2. Albeit life be Gods gift and benefit and men do oft-times doat much upon it yet God when he pleaseth can make it one of their greatest burdens For saith he My soul is weary of my life It ought to be acknowledged as a mercy of God when he makes our life tolerable or in any measure comfortable to us 3. Men in their desires after death under trouble do oft-times discover much weakness as Job doth here For albeit it be mens duty to be ripening dayly for death and the duty of Saints to eye and long much for that end of their course considering the glory and happiness that abides them after death Phil. 1.23 2 Cor. 5.1 2. and considering their own sinfulness to which they are obnoxious in this life and the sins of the time wherein they live which may make them many a sad heart 1 King 19.14 2 Pet. 2 7 8. yet it is a sin even in those cases to weary and not submit to Gods pleasure as Elijah was faulty in his desires of death 1 King 19. Far more is it a sin when men out of desperation rush upon death or even when because of trouble or discontentment or diâ—â—idence of Gods help they weary and are not contenâ— to have their graces exercised as God pleaseth or when they look on death as their only issue from present trouble And here Job failed both in his aversion from the real advantages of his being tryed and in his fixing of his expectations too much upon death 2. Grace steps in to correct sense and what had flowed from his weak flesh I will leave my complaint upon my self The meaning whereof is not that he will complain at his own peril and take
duty God may cure one by the addition of another and may add a new exercise to all that they have though they seemed insupportable that the Fever may come to an height and so to a cool One tryal added to many before may work and help the rest to work upon us Yet that this may be the case of godly men may afford some profitable Instructions 1. That none ought to complain of trouble so long as they can hold more For here it is supposed they may be so low as no superadded trouble can affect them 2. Gods Wisdom toward many is to be adored in this that he carries them through many afflictions upon their Relations otherwise very intolerable in such a throng of inward exercise and bodily pain that they cannot get leisure to think upon these sorrows which otherwise would be ready to sink them This burning is cured by holding the burnt finger to the fire 3. They who are in this hard case ought not to doubt of Gods pity For it is Job's scope in all this Narration to plead for pity from the consideration of his intolerable condition Those dumb superadded strokes will plead so much the more as they have not leisure to resent them 4. Since even Parents and godly Parents may be made useless to their Children in their afflictions and friends to friends let those in affliction learn to acquaint themselves with Christ who had leisure enough in the midst of his own sufferings to mind the necessities of his friends as witness his care of Mother when he was on the Cross Joh. 19.25 26 27. Much less now can he be diverted from tendering them in their distresses CHAP. XV. Job having been now assaulted by all his three Friends and having answered them one by one there followeth to Chap. 22. a second conflict with them all wherein as before Eliphaz begins first And it is observable that in all their discourses they bring no new purpose or Arguments but do repeat the same matter they had formerly spoken in new words and that they are more vehement passionate and bitter then formerly Neither do they as formerly make use of any perswasive encouragements to invite him to Repentance but do reflect upon him with all the sharpness they can as judging him to be very stubborn and incorrigible In this Chapter Eliphaz's discourse is recorded wherein he labours to maintain his own and his Friends cause And First He reprehends many faults in Job's former discourses and proceedings Namely that his discourses were but unprofitable empty and hurtful ver 1 2 3. That both his way and his discourses were full of Impiety ver 4 5 6. And of arrogance and presumption both toward them ver 7 8.9 10. and toward God ver 11 12 13. And that he was erroneous in seeking to justifie himself before God ver 14. which very Angels could not do ver 15 16. This being the point in controversie he proceeds in the second part of the Chapter to prove that Job could not be righteous by shewing that none but wicked men were afflicted as he was In pursuance whereof after a preface exciting to attention and clearing how he would prove his point ver 17 18 19. He gives an account of the miserable estate of the wicked Chiefly in respect of their inward vexations and fears ver 20 21 22 23 24. and of the cause of this and their other miseries namely their presumptuous wickedness because of their prosperity ver 25 26 27 28. Unto which he subjoyns an account of the outward Plagues that God sends upon them ver 29.30 And draws a conclusion from his whole discourse wherein he warns deluded souls that they deceive not themselves with vain confidences otherwise they will meet with disappointments and Plagues ver 31 32 33. as their sins of hypocrisie oppression and maliciousness do deserve ver 34 35. Vers 1. Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite and said 2. Should a wise man utter vain knowledge and fill his belly with the East-wind 3. Should he reason with unprofitable talke or with speeches wherewith he can doe no good THe first fault reprehended in Job's discourses is general that they were but unprofitable empty and hurtful This is expressed in borrowed terms v. 2. That his knowledge which he uttered was but vain knowledge or knowledge of wind that is that it was empty and airie did puffe him up and make him unsober and was unprofitable like windie meat or feeding upon wind Further he is said to fill his belly with the East wind which was both turbulent and noxious Isai 27.8 that is he filled himself with unruly passions and pestered his heart with them which made him break forth in those violent and hurtful speeches The first of these Metaphors is explained in proper terms v. 3. That he made use of discourses in his reasonings that were no way profitable nor could do good to himself or others As for the other Metaphor of the East wind it is explained and inlarged in the following challenges wherein he tells Job how violently and how much to his own prejudice he had expressed himself In sum He layeth to Job's charge that his speeches were not only unprofitable to others and violent and boisterous against God and thâ—m as if he would overturn and bear all down before him Bâ—t in respect of himself also they were such as could not profit him nor help his cause but on the contrary like the East-wind made it worse by disturbing himself and provoking God to make it worse with him And this he chargeth home upon Job by way of question as very sinful and as unbeseeming a wise man such as he gave out himself to be when he contemned them as knowing but common things Chap. 12.2 3. Concerning this and other of the censures which Eliphaz passeth upon Job's discourses and way of proceeding it must be granted 1. That the General Doctrine is sound and the faults challenged are in themselves real faults whatever mistake be in the application or his charging them upon Job 2. That in some of these challenges and but in some he guesseth better at the truth of Job's miscarriages then in the General Controversie For Job's discourses were not all to be justified as hath been shewed in explaining of them and will further appear from the censures which are passed by Elihu and by God himself upon them Yet 3. Eliphaz's discourse is full of prejudices mistakes and reflections For partly he mistooke Job and his doctrine particularly concerning mans purity as may be marked upon ver 14. Partly while he is made hot with passion because of supposed reflections upon their abilities v. 9 10. he speaks more unadvisedly then he ought Partly he considered not Job's distress and tentations whence his ill-ordered expressions flowed and so judged them to be evidences of wickedness rather then of weakness And hence lastly it came to pass that all Job spake was in his account but
day 2. An afflicted spirit is so restless that it will deprive the wearied body of rest so that such would esteem sleep a mercy For saith he They change the night into day or keep me as busie and throng as if it were day-light and not the time appointed for mans rest 3. However men in trouble and vexed in mind are ready to wish a change of what is present as expecting some ease thereby Yet no chage of their outward condition will change their exercise till their minds be cured For albeit persons that are troubled by night may long for the day Deut. 28.67 yet neither night nor day brought any ease to Job But as his vexations changed the night into day so they made the light short or near to wit to go down For so the word near signifieth that which is of short continuance Chap. 20.5 in the Original 4. Godly men may have some taste of the wickeds vexing lots for their exercise and tryal of faith and that they may be made sensible by experience how great the misery is from which they are delivered For Job here hath some taste of that restlesness which is threatned against the wicked Deut. 28.67 5. The condition of Saints may be very dark in trouble and that is it which makes it so sad and vexing to them that it deprives them of rest For it is because of darkness that he is thus anxious and restless The meaning whereof is not only that the darkness of the night and his toil in it took away all the comfort of the light of the day and made it short Though it be likely that however neither night nor day afforded him ease yet comparatively the night was more troublesome then the day which makes him complain that it was short in comparison of darkness as the words also may bear But also that his dark and involved condition did vex him both by night and day This tells what a mercy it is to see through a thick cloud of trouble and how necessary the Word is for that end 6. Saints may be assaulted with continual restlesness even till they be made to despair of life who yet may come thorow and get a good issue For so was it with Job here who by reason of these vexations laid his account to die and yet was preserved Vers 13. If I wait the grave is mine house I have made my bed in the darkness 14. I have said to corruption Thou art my father to the worm Thou art my mother and my sister In the second place Job having given an account how low and hopeless his condition was in it self doth now declare how hopeless also he was of it and what he was expecting to follow upon it Namely That should he wait never so much as they desired for restitution in this life yet he was sure to go to his grave ere it came where he should have a dark bed and rottenness and worms in place of all his dearest Friends Relations and Acquaintances Here Job seems to point at somewhat spoken by Eliphaz of the wicked man or hypocrite Chap. 15.22 as nothing doubting of his own integrity though he were like them in not expecting any restitution in this life And albeit he did mistake in his certain expectation of death and the grave For though it followed probably on his afflicted and vexed condition v. 11 12. that he might die yet he ought not certainly to have concluded that he would die seeing God might interpose as he did Yet the General Doctrine teacheth 1. When mens actual enjoyments are gone their hopes are left to uphold them As here is supposed that when for present he is low his next work is to see if he may hope and wait for any better lot to come 1 Cor. 15.19 2. Hopes exercise is patient waiting for the performance of what we hope for For here he that hopes is said to wait The word may signifie both waiting being the fruit of hope 1 Thes 1.3 Rom. 8.25 And here we are to take heed of refusing to tarry Gods leisure who hath times and seasons in his own hand and knoweth what is best for us We ought also to beware of being angry at our afflictions or at God for afflicting us and of distrusting his power to perform what we have warrant to expect and in the mean time to make our waiting useful to us For all these distempers will interrupt our patient waiting 3. Death will at last cut off all our temporal hopes by cutting the thread of our life upon which they all hang For so he argues that his approaching death proved all waiting for temporal restitution to be vain 4. It is a very sad exercise when men are filled with hopes and expectations and then are disappointed For so he imports it would be to him if he waited for restitution and then the grave came in stead of it See Jer. 14 19. This should teach men to be sober mortified and well grounded in their expectations lest otherwise they add to their own miseries 5. Death brings a man to a low condition outwardly For then he gets the grave for his house his bed and then a bed only or a place wherein his body lieth sufficeth him is in darkness and corruption or rottenness and worms are in place of all his Friends and Relations of Father Mother or Sister This may teach men how little cause they have to glory in their worldly pomp and splendour whereof this will be the result at last See Psal 49.11 12 13 14. 6. Albeit death in it self be an Enemy and albeit godly men may have tentations to fear death Heb. 2.15 and in some cases they may desire to live for a time till their condition be cleared Psal 27.13 39.13 Yet they are allowed not to fear death but to be familiar with it when it cometh and their happiness is so sure that they may undervalue and reject all the comforts of time and triumph over the wrack of all their worldly hopes As here Job gives over all expectations of what they suggested to him and hath familiar thoughts of death 7. It is the duty of Saints before death come and when they are alarmed with it to become familiar with it before hand As here Job turns his back upon his hopes and resolutely looks upon death and what it would bring him to I have made my bed saith he I have said to corruption c. as a man that is resolved before hand 8 It commends the power of grace that Saints are made so familiar with death and yet it hath nothing beautiful or desirable in it self For it is darkness worms and corruption and yet it is lovely to him even in those its worst colours Vers 15. And where is now my hope as for my hope who shall see it 16. They shall go down to the bars of the pit when our rest together is in the dust In the last place from what
as evidences of his glorious dominion See Psal 104.24 25 26 and 107.23 24 c. 6. Gods providence reacheth even to the depths of the Sea as here we are also taught There providence can find out a Rebel Amos 9.13 There the bodies of Saints will find a resting place till he call for them Rev. 20.13 And there Jonah will find a Whale to preserve him Jon. 1.17 7. Gods providence is to be seen and adored not only in living but in lifeless creatures even in even in every pile of grass and in those dead things which are formed from under the waters We need no wonders to demonstrate the glory of God which is obvious in every even in the meanest thing And he is so glorious in riches that as it were he casts away Pearls and other precious things into the depth of the Sea and waters and buries Minerals in the bowels of the Earth Whereby also he tells us that our hearts should not lust so much after these things which his providence hath set out of our way Verse 6. Hell is naked before him and destruction hath no covering The second evidence and effect of Gods Dominion is his omniscience and that he knoweth and consequently ordereth what is most obscure and remote from the knowledge of men So that hell and the place of destruction whether we understand it of the grave and horrid station of the dead and under that comprehend all things that are in the deepest bowels of the Earth and hid under gross obscurity and darkness or of the place of the damned is no less naked before him than if it wanted a skin or covering For so the latter part of the Verse is an explication of the former Doct. 1. Hell and destruction are but one thing For here the one is explained by the other See Prov. 15.11 If we understand this of the grave death and the grave do not only destroy and cut off all our temporal enjoyments as to us but do destroy our persons and dissolve our bodies into dust And therefore nature looks upon it as a destruction and no wonder Saints sometime look so upon it also So that we have no cause to do at upon our bodies which will be brought to this issue at last and if men place their happiness in their temporal enjoyments and life the day will come wherein they will have done with all of that See Psal 49.16 17. Is 10.3 and 14.9 10 11. But the godly may rejoyce in God who out of that eater brings forth meat unto them and doth warrant them to take a more comfortable look of death If we understand it of the place of the damned that is a place of everlasting destruction 2 Thâ—ss 1.9 without any redemption or hope of recovery as there is in other sad conditions and then misery will triumph over these who have long insulted over it So that nothing should be looked upon as a ruine where this is away Mic. 7.8 1 Cor. 11.32 2. God is omniscient and seeth the most secret and hidden thing were it even in Hell or the bowels of the Earth For hell is naked before him that is before God and destruction hath no covering See Psal 139.8 c. Heb. 12.13 Hence 1. If these things be naked before God much more are men and their hearts known to him See Prov. 15.11 So that though men dig deep to hide their counsels from the Lord and seek many coverings of secrecy denial extenuations and pretences yet all these will serve in no stead before him but will only render their courses more odious to him who hates dissimulation and who is provoked to give men a sad proof of his omniscience when they would attempt to deceive him Jer. 2.35 See Is 29.15 and 30.1 Job 31.33 2. If God know all things so well we are bound to trust his verdict concerning us in his word and not our own deceitful hearts Jer. 17.9 10. 3. His eye upon us is still to be remembred and that as was said to â—â—hazi by Elisha 2 King 5.26 his heart goeth with us wherever we go See Psal 44.20 21. and 139.7.8 c. Job 31 4. and 34.21 22. So that if our own hearts condemn us much more may he condemn us who is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things 1 Joh. 3.20 4. When at any time the word of God fines us out we should not look upon it as falling forth by chance but as directed to us by his all seeing eye and providence For therefore is the Word quick and powerful to discern the thoughts and iâ—tents of the heart because all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do Heb. 4.12 with 13. See 1 Cor. 14 24 25. 5. This also may comfort the godly under afflictions Psal 31.7 and 142.3 when they are slâ—ndered by men Job 16 19. and secretly plotted against Psal 94 7 8 c. 2 King 6 11 12 31 32. Is 29.15 16. Verse 7. He stretcheth out the north over the empty place and hangeth the earth upon nothing The third evidence and effect of Gods powerful dominion and providence is his fixing of Heaven and Earth As for the first part of the Verse He stretcheth out the North over the empty place it may indeed be understood thus that he spreads that part of the Heavens which is near the North Pole over the empty or uninhabited place of the Earth as that part of the Earth under the Pole is uninhabited But it is clearer to understand the whole Verse thus That the Lord stretcheth out the whole Heaven which here he denominates from the north or Northern Hemisphere thereof under whâ—ch himself lived like a curious vault above that void and empty space which is betwixt the Earth and it and he hangeth the globe of the Earth and Water upon nothing causing it hang as a ball in the air And for further clearing of the words consider 1. He calls that interjacent space betwixt the Heaven and the Earth the empty place because though there be no vacuity in Nature yet the Air which fills that space to common sense seems to be nothing and sure it is an empty place of any thing which might support that fabrick of the Heavens 2. Though the Earth be elsewhere said to have foundations upon which it is setled Psal 104 5. yet that is to be understood of the deepest placeâ— of the Earth near the center thereof which are as foundations to these parts of it which are above them not that the whole Earth hath any foundations Or it may be thus understood that the Earth is no less fixed than if it were setled upon the firmest foundations And whereas it is said Psal 24.2 That the Earth is founded upon the seas and established upon the floods the word rendred upon may in that place be more fitly rendered above to point out the great power of God who hath made the dry Earth stand
before Elihu interpose may point out 1. A mans integrity is a very grave and weighty business wherein he is not a little concerned For Job judgeth it so weighty that he may very lawfully take an oath about it 2. A man should guard not only that he really be not but that he seem not to be vain-glorious Therefore Job speaks all upon oath when he speaks to his own commendation to avoid that imputation 3. Men in matters of controversie betwixt them and others ought to speak seriously and not out of spleen or passion Therefore also he takes an oath in this matter to shew that he will speak truth exactly and will not condemn them and their opinions in passion 4. Men had need to be fixed in tryals against all tentations and assaults Therefore doth Job by this oath fix himself against all tentations which might assault him to cause him quit his integrity 5. As men upon oath ought to keep themselves within the bounds of truth as here is insinuated and some Heathen States appointed no punishment for Perjury as supposing none durst hazard upon that sin and sad will be the account of them who swear falsely So an oath should put an end to controversies Therefore doth Job take an oath to put an end to this debate See Heb. 6.16 Doct. 4. His swearing As God liveth doth teach That God liveth most certainly and to live is proper to him in a peculiar way And this as it sheweth that he liveth for â—ver to avenge perjury So further 1. It distinguisheth him from all dead Idols whom men serve 1 Thess 1.9 Jer. 10.8 9 10. 2. It sheweth that all hold their lives of him and therefore should employ them for him 3. It may encourage dead souls to go to him who is the fountain of life and may comfort godly men in all their troubles Ps 18.46 4. It calls for living service Rom. 12.1 Heb. 9.13 14. Secondly in this Verse also unto his oath he subjoyns a description of God by whom he sweareth where he describes him from what he had done to him that he had taken away his judgement and vexed his soul or made his soul bitter as it is in the Original By which we are not so much to understand that God had taken away his sweet way of walking with him imported in his judgement or composed and well ordered frame of spirit and in stead thereof had filled him with bitterness which is a sad change and matter of sad complaint Lam. 3.9 11 15. Job 9.18 As that God had not righted him in his quarrel by judging his cause and delivering him from misconstructions nor had he eventually cleared his integrity by removing the rods that were upon him But by all those calamities misconstructions and other tentations had vexed his spirit and made him bitter of soul This is an expression which is challenged as irreverent and passionate Chap. 34 5. yet not as proving him to be wicked Doct. 1. The best of Saints get not readily through their tryals without some discoveries of weakness which may humble them as here Job's experience may teach who stumbles often by the way though the close of all was sweet So was it also with David Psal 31.22 and 73.1 2 c. and 116.11 12. This teacheth That any good we have received should not hide our miscarriages in managing thereof That we should resolve so to get through tryals as we shall have no ground of gloriation Psal 73.1 with 2. That our corruption defiles our best things as it did Job's necessary defence of his Integrity That humility must be very needful that in all conditions God keeps us so at the study of it and inculcates it upon us from the consideration of our failings and That such as do fail in an hour of tryal may yet get a good issue of all though God humble them by the way as it befel Job 2. Mistakes and hard thoughts of God and of his dealing are the ordinary failings of godly men in affliction For in those Job failed here We should guard especially against that evil in a day of tryal neither carping at his dispensations Psal 22.1 2. with 3. Neh. 9.33 nor looking upon his service as unprofitable Mal. 3.14 15. Psal 73.13 with 28. For right constructions of God will keep our souls in life and cherish hope and love in hardest lots whereas contrary apprehensions breed alienation Zech. 11.8 And for attaining right thoughts of God and his dealing We ought to study his absolute Soveraignty to which we ought to submit in every thing without any debate or contradiction We ought to mind much our guilt and ill deservings which will justifie God in all he doth Psal 51.4 with Rom. 3.4 Lam. 1.18 We ought to judge of his dealing not by our humour or according as it is pleasant to our sense but by its profitableness though it be bitter and we ought to be sensible of our own blindness that cannot discern the depth of wisdom which ordereth our lots whence it cometh to pass that oft-times we forsake our own mercies and quarrel these lots whereby God communicates greatest advantages to us 3. It may please the Lord to suffer the righteousness and integrity of his children to be over-clouded for a time that so both themselves and others also may be tryed For so Job's Judgement or the righteous decision of his cause and the matter of his integrity was with-held for a time and he lay under sad imputations This tryal is supposed in that promise Psal 37.6 and is expressed in that lot of Paul 2 Tim. 2.9 And it should warn others to beware of putting others to that tryal by rash censures especially of the afflicted So godly men should arm themselves against such a tryal which may be the more easily born so long as the truth of their good condition is cleared by the word of God and it may be even in the consciences of these who are most ready to traduce them 4. As God is the orderer of this tryal so it is not for want of power but for other wise reasons that he suffers his children to lye under such a cloud in the matter of their integrity For Job acknowledgeth that he is the strong God as his name in the beginning of the Verse imports and the Almighty though he leave him under this tryal As sin obstructs proofs of Gods power for the good of wicked men Isa 59.1 2. So it is good for Saints to see themselves in Gods hand in this tryal that so they may adore his wisdom in the continuing of it when he could easily remove it And if they were walking tenderly and shunning guilt Is 59.1 2. and were studying his power and love they might have sweet exercise about the saddest of their lots and a comfortable look of them 5. Albeit in many cases godly men are fortified to bear reproaches and misconstructions yet if they be hard put to it and be not
cleared and vindicated they may be ready to take it ill As here Job complains that God had taken away his judgement or had not given him an hearing to silence the reproaches and mistakes of his Friends See Psal 69.20 and 120.3 4. Men should acknowledge it a mercy when they are born out under this tryal and though it do prove sharp unto them yet that is not a mark of wickedness for godly men have been afflicted with it before them and withall others should take heed that they inflict not such a tryal which may prove so sharp and vexing to an afflicted godly man 6. Beside misconstructions and other outward tryals under which godly men may be continued and God not interpose to vindicate and deliver them godly men should resolve to be exercised with soul-trouble by their outward troubles breaking in upon their spirits to distemper them and Gods hiding of his face under it For when Job is not delivered from misconstructions nor his cause cleared he is also vexed in soul Here we are to consider 1. Godly afflicted men may meet with more trouble instead of being delivered from what they are under As Job iâ— not only not delivered and cleared but his soul is also vexed 2. Troubles are never sharp and searching till they get in upon mens spirits and souls For Job complains of this as a sad addition to the former tryal Then tryals will become insupportable Prov. 18.14 and they will readily discover any scum of corruption that is within us So that men have cause to bless God if they be free of this whatever their lot be otherwise Hence 3. Men should look well to what their souls are doing under trouble for if they be not vexed with sin Jer. 2.19 they are justly made to smart under other vexations Doct. 7. Bitterness is ordinarily the result of soul-trouble For here his soul is made bitter as it is in the Original See Chap. 9.18 Troubles are of themselves grievous and bitter Heb. 12.11 and when they break in upon our spirits they work upon our bitterness and we represent them to our selves as more bitter and grievous than indeed they are And therefore we should be upon our guard that we may possess our souls in patience and meekness Luke 21.19 And for this end we ought to remember that it is our distance from God our pride our hearkning to every tentation and our aversion from exercise that breed us all our bitterness 8. Soul-bitterness is the great distemperer and misleader of godly men under affliction For this bred all his resentment here and whatsoever is afterward censured in this discourse flowed from this beginning of it with a reflexion upon his soul-bitterness Which may tell the afflicted where to find a cure of their own distempers even in wrestling against their bitterness 9. It is but a tentation and fruit of bitterness to father our distempers upon God or to reflect on him in what he doth As here Job complains of him that by his dispensations which were most cleanly and justifiable he had made his soul bitter when it was indeed the result of his own weakness See Prov. 19.3 Yea by calling God the Almighty in doing of this he insinuates a sharp reflexion that God had employed his power thus against him who was a weak afflicted man See Jer. 20.7 10. Godly men notwithstanding their weaknesses under affliction are yet giving proofs of honesty and integrity which may be seen by right discerners As here may be seen in Job who notwithstanding all these distempers 1. Seeth Gods hand in all and never takes his eye from off his providence which was commendable though he fathered his own distempers unjustly upon him 2. By his swearing by God though he thus dealt with him he gives proof that he will still worship him and reverence him as the supreme Iudge the witness to the conscience and maintainer of truth and so will cleave to him and appeal to his Tribunal and will not suspect any prejudice from him whatever his sense may say of him for present 3. He loves integrity and will still abide by it yea he will swear himself Gods servant and that he will not deal deceitfully And so he gives proof that he loves piety and integrity even when he thinks God deals hardly with him which may condemn them who are wicked when they are well dealt with Verse 3. All the while my breath is in me and the spirit of God is in my nostrils Thirdly unto his oath and description of God he subjoyns an account of his constancy in the resolution after-mentioned wherein he swears that he will persevere all the dayes of his life Whence Learn 1. Mans life is but in his lip and nostrils and continues but for a while For it depends upon the breath in his nostrils See Psal 146.3 4. Isa 2.22 So that we ought not to set up our rest upon time or the enjoyments thereof Psal 49.11 12 c. Luk. 12.19 20. 2. Our life and breath are from God and consequently at his disposal For it is the spirit or breath of God given by him in his nostrils See Psal 104.29 30. Act. 17.25 28. The consideration whereof 1. Obligeth man to glorifie God upon this very account Dan. 5.23 2. Is an argument why man should â—ender his life as the gift of God not cutting it off by intemperance neglect of the body wearying of it under trouble or otherwise 3. It may secure us in troubles that our times are in Gods hand Ps 31.15 and 66.8 9. 4. It is an argument perswading us to live in a continual dependence upon God Jam. 4.13 14 15. Doct. 3. Godly men ought to be constant and persevere to the end in good resolutions not being shaken by vicissitudes at length of time For Job swears that all the while his breath is in him c. he will abide at his resolution See Matth. 24.13 4. When men consider the uncertainty of their life and that it is at Gods disposal it should make them very serious and ingenuous in the maâ—â—eâ— of their integrity For that his breath is the breath of God and that but in his nostrils may be looked on also as an argument and reason why he will be sincere in what he hath sworn to declare concerning his integrity Verse 4. My lips shall not speak wickedness nor my tongue utter deceit Fourthly In this and the two following verses he subjoyns the resolution it self which he swears to abide by so constantly and that is to maintain his own integrity which is the state of the controversie betwixt him and his Friends In this verse he gives an account of this his resolution in general termes That he will not speak wickedness nor use deceit to see off his cause as men use to do when they have a bad cause Whence Learn 1. It is a great proof of piety to take heed to the tongue For Job begins his resolution to maintain
to send those tossings to awake such sleepers 2. They should be carefull to rest and acquiesce much in God when they have case lest otherwise this restlesseness be made their lot and exercise 3. They should also avoid idleness and vanity of minde the bitter dregs whereof may prove to be terror and restlesseness Somewhat also is to be spoken here to these who are vexed with these tossing terrours And 1. It is their advantage not to slee before them but to set their faces against them and sleight them in God For when men flee they pursue the more eagerly 2. They should be looked upon while they are their lot as needfull to keep them going and to purge them from their folly and vanity of minde And to improve them is an effectual mean to take off their edge 3. It must be their care while they are thus tossed to see if they can rest as a Ship rests an Anchor keeping their grip however they be tossed though they cannot rest so quietly as an House rests upon its foundation 4. Even in this tossed condition they are bound by faith to bless God who will guide them through this storm to a safe Harbour Doct. 6. It is not onely a cause but another humbling fruit of terrours also that the Soul can finde no welfare where they are For saith he my welfare passeth away where by his welfare we are to understand especially his Health and Prosperity As it is very suitable that all things look sad and desolate upon a Childe of God when God seems to be a terrour So here we may also observe the emptiness and vanity of all worldly contentments which will faile us when we have most need and when God cometh to deal in severity with us Onely we ought to be carefull even in the midst of terrours to observe and acknowledge the mercies that are continued with us and not to undervalue them 7. When terrours get place and prevail upon men ordinarily there is a little hope of what is to come as there is contentment in what is present For Job looks upon his welfare not onely as passed away and gone for the present but that it is passed away as a cloud which being once scattered can promise no rain for the future Mens fears and terrours do not onely make them a sad life for present but do bring up an ill report of all that may befall them for the future Yet such reports are not to be trusted for Job was mercifully disappointed 8. If we consider Jobs case we will finde that these two things adde much to the disquiet of troubled Souls 1. When they have too high an estimation of what they want For Job in his tossed condition accounts his former prosperous and healthfull condition his welfare or Salvation And it is true it was a great mercy which he formerly enjoyed yet probably in this his distress he esteemed more highly of it then when he did enjoy it and that addes to his trouble But we should learn to live without all that which God is pleased to take from us and should reckon that to be our welfare which we have whatever it be if we guide and improve it well 2. When their expectations are too much fixed upon the things of time and upon recovery out of trouble For sometime his condition looked like a cloud promising rain so that when it passed away the disappointment rendered his condition the sadder Sober expectations would free us of much toyle and vexation From Vâ—rse 16. Learn 1. As trouble in its time is very sad now saith he my Soul is powred out of which see v. 1. So Saints are not complementers in the matters of their exercise But the grievousness of what they complain of is seen in the sad fruits thereof For he proves that his Soul was puâ—sued v. 5. by very sensible effects And now my Soul is powered out 2 VVhatever the spirit of a man be able to do as to bearing of common insiâ—mities and troubles Prov. 18.14 Yet Soul terrours will overcome all his spirit and courage For saith he my Soul is powred out not in prayer as the phrase sometime importeth Ps 61.8 but become faint and weak through irresolution and other pressures The allusion is to waters powred out or to wax melted as Ps 22.14 As natural courage it 's alone will never do well in acting for Christ as the issue of Peters Resolution to dye with Christ doth witness So they who have no more but that for bearing of trouble and especially Soul-trouble will finde that trouble will press the life out of it 3. A crushed Spirit in stead of being a supporter under terrours doth it self become an heavy burden For saith he it is powâ—ed out upon me or lyeth upon me as an heavy pressure and burden when it is powred out and becomes faint Thus a wounded Spirit is so far from being able to sustain a mans infirmities that self becomes a burden which who can bear Prov. 18.14 And a man thus perplexed becomes the heaviest burden to himself Job 7.20 VVhich shews how good God is who yet supports such crushed one Ps 73.26 4. As Afflictions have their time and day and may sometime continue long and for many daies So albeit men naturally desire to shift trouble yet when it hath God's Commission it will seise upon the stoutest and greatest Shifter and arrest and keep him as it were in bands For saith he the dayes of affliction have taken hold upon me To seck to decline trouble either the feeling of it or making use of it when we must feel it and to be as bullocks unaccustomed to the yoke is the ready way to augment our sorrow and trouble 5. Men never knew pressing trouble whatever they have endured who know not Soul-terrours and perplexities and where they are other troubles will easily get in upon Spirits to vex them For in both these respects Job saith Now being under terrours v. 15. the dayes of affliction have taken hold upon me because those terrours were in themselves a pressing trouble and because they made his other troubles become pressing upon him Verse 17. My bones are pierced in me in the night-season and my sinewes take no rest 18. By the great force of my disease is my garment changed it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat 19. He hath cast me into the mire and I am become like dust and ashes In these Verses we have the fourth Head or Branch of Job's present miseries Namely the great Infirmities and pain of his Body occasioned by the terrours of his Soul and the loathsome disease of his Body And 1. He points out the vehement pain he had in his Body v. 17. That not onely his flesh but his very bones were so pained as if they had been pierced insomuch that not onely in the day but in the night when men should rest he was afflicted with exquisite pain and his sinews being
of affliction prevented him Not only had he frequent expectations that it should be otherwise v. 26. Chap. 29.18 But even notwithstanding all these apprehensions Chap. 3.25 26. he was surprized with finding that sharpness in his affliction which he had not dream't of 8. It is also an humbling effect of trouble that it shuts up all passages and hemms in the minds of men and keeps them poreing upon it self only So that they can look out no where for case but some thought of their sad case is ready to interrupt and take them up For thus also the dayes of affliction prevented him as hath been explained Verse 28. I went mourning without the Sun I stood up and I cryed in the Congregation Though some as hath been said understand this Verse also of his Sympathy That he went mourning for the affliction of others and that so uncomfortably as if the Sun had never shined upon him and so seriously that he continued it in the night when the Sun was down and that though he be now forsaken of all yet he never met with company or assemblies of people but he complained of the sorrows of others Yet it is more clear to understand it as another evidence of the sad change of his condition And in this sense some understand the first part of the Verse thus That he was black and his skin parched and burnt up with trouble though without the Sun or albeit the Sun did not scorch him as it contributes to make people black in hotter Climates But this interpretation doth not suit with his walking mourning or in black as it is here expressed and withall that of the blackness of his skin is expresly mentioned afterward v. 30. Therefore I take Jobs scope in this Verse to be to point out the vehemency of his afflictions and sorrows from two effects One That they made him walk in a mournful habit and posture even without the Sun that is in the night season as well as in the day and in retired places whether he went to shun the light of the Sun and all company The other is That when he came into any Congregation or company out of his retirement or rather when multitudes flocked about him to behold him he behoved to cry out of his sorrows before them all whereas gravity modesty and natural courage would have prompted him to keep silence if it had been possible Doct. 1. The sense of Gods afflicting hand will cause men and even stout men mourn and cry and walk in a mournful posture For so it was with Job here See Ps 42.9 and 43.2 2. Common comforts such as the light of the Sun nights rest company c. will prove but poor cordials to persons in trouble whatever lawful use may be made of them to divert or abate the violence of trouble For Job went mourning without the Sun being deprived of rest when the Sun was down and shunning the light and all company So that men ought to acknowledge it a mercy if they find case by any of these means 3. An over-charging measure of trouble may so press men that neither gravity modesty nor courage can cause them smother the same even before others For Job stood up and cryed in the Congregation or his pain made him that he could not lye but he behoved to rise up and roar or when he rose up from his mournful posture when multitudes came to see him that he might endeavour in civility to keep company with them he was forced to roar and cry out before them all Thus also Christ was made to cry out of Soul-trouble before a multitude Joh. 12.27 with 29. So that they have a great advantage and ought to acknowledge it as a mercy who get their sorrows kept secret and hid Verse 29. I am a Brother to Dragons and a Companion to Owls This Verse is not so to be understood as if these were the very formal words which he cryed out in the Congregation v. 28. But it contains an amplyfication of both these effects of his vehement pains and sorrows mentioned in that Verse Wherein he sheweth That as to his walking without the Sun his solitude was great being deserted by all his friends and relations and himself shunning all company like Dragons and Owls which live solitary in desolate places and wildernesses Ps 102.6 and 44.19 Is 13.21 and 34.13 14 15. And that as for his cryes he breathed out sorrows in doleful and hideous screechings and howlings as Dragons and Owls do cry oâ—t in their solitary habitations Mâ—c 1.8 In a word he was become more like a wild man or those wild creatures than any thing else Doct. 1. God may exercise his people with extreme solitude in their troubles partly while God takes away their nearest relations as he cut off Jobs children or they do all abandon them in their affliction partly while they themselves do affect solitude which is but one of Satan engines to help forward their sorrows For here Job complains that in respect of solitude he was a brother to Dragons and companion to Owls 2. The mournful note of the afflicted people of God may be very doleful and sad as here also is imported Their own sense may make their condition very bitter and God may leave them to their own weakness till they charter like a Crane and Swallow and mourn like a Dove Is 38.14 And yet all these sad notes may end in a song as Job found and Hezekiah also Is 38.19 Verse 30. My skin is black upon me and my bones are burnt with heat In this Verse we have another evidence of the sad change of his condition taken from the effects there of upon his body Where he sheweth That his skin which in his prosperity and health was white is now dryed and become black and that his bones are burnt up with heat arising from the sorrows and pains both of his soul and body Whence Learn 1. It is not the way of Saints to cry out or complain without weighty cause and when they do otherwise it is an evidence they are in an high distemper For here Job sheweth that the cause of his cryes and howlings v. 28 29. might be seen upon his body 2. Vexation and pain of body especially when joyned with or flowing from vexation of mind is very intollerable As here he complains of his bodily pains and distempers especially because they were accompanied with such a surcharge of Soul-troubles and the effects of them in part 3. Even strong and robust bodies of men will not be able to bear out under Gods afflicting hand For Jobs body here succumbs 4. God when he pleaseth can so universally reach mens bodies that no part shall be free of a stroke For both his skin and bones are affected here Verse 31. My Harp also is turned to mourning and my Organ into the voice of them that weep In this Verse he summeth up the account of this sad change in his
blood which makes young men rash and precipitant and their zeal to out-strip their knowledge and light their youthful lusts want of experience c. will easily perceive that youth is not easie to manage aright Whereas to men of age many of these snares are broken Time and experience will let them see many things to be but folly and vanity which youth will not believe that they are such Those strong passions which do oft times master and over-power even true grace in younger persons may be more subdued and cooled in them c. This may let us see that it is a great mercy to be helped well through a time of youth and to be kept from the snares of it and the sad effects of these disadvantages which attend it 2. One great advantage of age above youth is in the matter of wisdome gathered by study and experience and in the cooling of their heat and passions which usually represent things to men through false Perspectives For this is the advantage intimated here On his own part he was afraid and durst not shew his opinion considering that he was young and they old Not only was he afraid lest he should goe without the bounds of his station in offering to speak before them but lest being but a young man he should miscarry in speaking to the matter it self And on their part he reckoned this their advantage That dayes or men of dayes should speak that is Not only is it their priviledge to speak when young men should be silent and hear but it is expected they should be able to speak to purpose on such weighty subjects and that multitude of years should teach wisdome that is their long life should be so improved as they may be taught much experimental knowledge by living long in the world which also they should teach and communicate to others It is true this difference betwixt age and youth doth not universally hold as Elihu afterwards tells them yet many times it proves true that age out-strips youth in these things as Rehoboam found by experience in the matter of his Counsellours 1 King 12. And however it hold eventually yet the characters here assigned of youth and old age do point out that it is a great defect in young men not to be well acquainted with their own precipitancy and want of experience And that it is a great shame for aged persons if as they have place to speak so they be not wise and able to speak to purpose and if the long time they have had hath not so taught them as makes them both able and willing to communicate their light to others who possibly are not so able or sensible of the good and evil of courses as themselves are But they themselves are no less rash and head-strong than if they were still children 3. It is an evidence of grace and a great mercy to young persons when they are made to discern and take notice of the disadvantages they lye under For so is Elihu sensible here of what might rationally be expected from his youth and their age Thus Solomon is sensible of the disadvantages of his youth 1 King 3.7 8 9. When young men are not sensible of their disadvantages they cannot but run headlong on snares while they think themselves wise enough and so prove in effect but mad fools Whereas these who are afraid lâ—st they do miscarry and so are not rash to do or speak any thing they prove themselves to be most able and do seldome miscarry 4. When God gives young men a blessed sight of their own disadvantages it will produce much sobriety As here it doth in Elihu See Tit. 2.6 And if we consider the words we will find these evidences of sobriety in young men 1. They who are sober will have no conceit of themselves For Elihu here is free of that And where conceit is it is an evidence that the weaknesses of youth are not well studied 2. Sober young men will have a good esteem of aged men and their opinions till they find very clear cause to judge otherwise For he judged that such should speak and teach wisdome 3. They will still be modest and respect age even when they are dis-satisfied with their opinion As here he waited till they had spoken out and reckoned that dayes should speak or had place to speak before him 4. They will be farr from presumptuous boldness and full of humble fears in their undertakings especially when they are called to oppose others who are elder than themselves As here he enters with much fear upon this undertaking Verse 8. But there is a Spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding 9. Great men are not alwayes wise neither do the aged understand judgement 10. Therefore I said Hearken to me I also will shew mine opinion Followeth to v. 21. the second branch of this Preface wherein he gives five Reasons why he now interposeth to speak in this cause The first Reason in these Verses is more general containing this in summ That the fountain of wisdome not being in man himself but from God who giveth it to whom he pleaseth v. 8. And who doth not always give it to great men and men of experience v. 9. Therefore though he be a young man yet they having given over he will hazard to speak somewhat in that cause v. 10. Which he might well undertake being indeed inspired by God as he tells them v. 18 19. though here he speak of that inspiration only in general and abstractly v. 8. which might supply his want of years and experience For clearing of this purpose Consider 1. These tearms of Wisdome understanding and Judgement are here to be taken promiscuously for a gift of discerning to judge betwixt right and wrong and truth and errour in matters and opinions together with a gift of prudence or ability to speak rightly and pertinently to a cause For these are the particulars of which Elihu is treating which he expresseth by all these words 2. As for that Spirit which he saith is in man Some understand it of the reasonable Soul of man and take up the purpose thus That all men have a reasonable Soul which by the special inspiration of God may be so elevated that even young men by that assistance may comprehend these things which aged and experienced persons cannot know without it Others understand it of the Soul of man yet they take up the scope of the Verse thus That though there be such a Spirit in man yet it is not that but the inspiâ—ation of the Almighty which makes truly wise But it is clearer to understand it of the Spirit of God and so the latter part of the Verse is exegetâ—ke and explains the former That it is by that Spirit in man even by the inspiration of the Almighty that any attain to this understanding here spoken of 3. As for this Spirit or inspiration as it is not
are most willing to be taught and helped to promove in knowledge Therefore also when he is to teach wisdome Chap. 33.33 he calls unto wise men and them that have knowledge as persons who would most readily hear and give ear 5. Even when men are about most grave and serious matters and among grave and wise men there is such a dulness that they need to be seriously excited to give attention For therefore doth Elihu make use of this Preface exhorting the Auditors to hear and give ear at the beginning of every one of his Speeches and sometime repeats it also in the midst of his discourse as we will hear 6. It is their duty who are called to deal with others to carry respectively toward them that so they may prepare the way for their message Therefore also albeit some of those to whom he speaks had erred yet he doth call them wise men and they that have knowledge that thereby he might conciliate their affections and make them willing to hearken unto him From v. 3. omitting what is marked upon Chap. 12.11 Learn 1. Men receive great benefit particularly in sacred and holy things by the ear For so is here imported that the ear receiveth words or instructions from others particularly concerning the things of God such as he is now treating of As the truths of God depend upon Divine Revelation so our own observation of what he reveals is not sufficient to take it all in without the assistance of information and instruction from others And therefore they who employ not their ears to hear do no less prejudge their own souls than they do wrong their bodies who make not use of their mouths for eating Yea the very constitution of their bodies and the ear which God hath made for that use Prov. 20.12 will bear witness against their negligence 2 As God requireth that we do hear so also that we try and discern of what we hear with a consequent approbation or rejection of it as there is cause For so the ear tryeth words as the mouth or palate tasteth meat and it is swallowed down or cast out again according as the palate relisheth it ill or well 3. Whatever defect there be in others in the matter of discerning Yet men of experience and knowledge should have their senses exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5.14 For therefore doth he appeal to these wise men seeing their ear could try words c. From v. 4. Learn 1. It is the duty of such as would prosper or do good to others to aim singly at truth For in his disquisition and enquiry about this matter he would be at judgement or an equitable and just determination of this controversie and what is good 2. Men ought not to follow or enquire after truth upon any carnal or crooked design but because it is their delight and they esteem it only good and worth the knowing For because it is judgement and good and so worthy the knowing therefore he would have it chosen affectionately and with delight 3. It is mens duty and will be the practice of sober men as to aim at truth so also to study to bring up others in a calm and friendly way to the acknowledgement thereof without insulting over or derogating from them or affecting emicency to themselves Therefore albeit some of them were wrong yet he is content to goe about this work in a friendly way and as it were with common consent Let us choose c. Let us know c. Verse 5. For Job hath said I am righteous and God hath taken away my judgement 6. Should I lye against my right My wound is incurable without transgression These Verses contain the second part of the Chapter or a Proposition of these expressions of Job which he intends at this time to refute The challenge is the same in substance with what was propounded in the former Chapter Namely That Job had wronged God by his complaints but this is more sharply refuted and spoken to He chargeth him to have said First That though he was righteous yet God had taken away his judgement or he got not a fair hearing and decision of his cause v. 5. As for that part of the Charge That Job said he was righteous he hath had it so frequently in his mouth in his discourses that it is needless to instance any particular place for it See Chap. 13.18 and 23.10 11 12. and 27.6 and 31.5 6 7. And for the second part of the Charge That God had taken away his judgement we find it expresly spoken by Job Chap. 27.2 Secondly He chargeth him with obstinacy in those complaints and that he said That it was no less than a lying against his own right to say any other thing of his condition than that his affliction caused by those arrows of the Almighty Chap. 6.4 as the word here is was mortal and incurable even though he was a man free of transgression v. 6. This Charge seems to be the same in substance with what Job had said Chap. 27. 2 3 4 5 6. though it may be gathered also from his frequent complaints of the fad stroaks which had befallen him an innocent man Chap. 9.17 and 19.7 and 16 13 17. For clearing of this Charge Consider 1. As Job did never assert his sinlessness as may appear from his frequent confessions of sin but only that he was righteous as to the state of his person and the cause debated betwixt him and his Friends and consequently that phrase v. 6. to be without transgression will import no more in Jobs sense but that he was free of gross wickedness So Elihu doth not charge it upon him as a crime that he had simply seen and asserted his righteousness but that he took occasion thereby to aggravate his complaints 2. He doth not charge him that he had directly taxed God as unrighteous but only that in his passion and being put to it by his Friends he spake too much of his own righteousness without a due remembrance of what sinfulness yet remained in him and what it deserved and so complained too bitterly of God that he did not vindicate and clear him when he was not only sore oppressed with trouble but unjustly censured by his Friends Thus albeit Job was sound in the main cause and his expressions upon some accounts pleaded for pity Yet they were not so suitable and reverent as became him And therefore Elihu gathers together what he had spoken at several times and chargeth him therewith that he may be convinced of his rashness and folly in them Those expressions have been spoken to in their proper places and the subjoyned refutation will discover more particularly his failings in them And therefore I shall here only observe a few things 1. The dearest Children of God when they are hard put to it by troubles and tentations may discover more weaknesses and fall into more faults than one As here he finds faulty
and other injuries as here he hath guarded Leviathan with Scales formerly united together Hereby he sheweth that he is the Preserver of man and Beast Psal 36.6 And so delights not in their destruction however men be often apt to quarrel and that we ought to admire and commend him who makes up that to other Creatures in strength beauty c. which man can hardly reach with all his Art and Industry See Mat. 6.26 28 29. 2. Pride is an evil very incident to the Creature as here is said by way of Analogy of Leviathan that his Scales are his pride or he glorieth in them as we may observe also in other Creatures And though irrational Creatures do not sin yet in that their way they are a Document to man 3. Excellencies though never so poor or mean as the Scales of Leviathan are apt to beget or occasion pride so that it is hard to have any excellencies and not to be proud of them Verse 18. By his neesings a light doth shine and his eyes are like the eye-lids of the morning 19. Out of his mouth go burning lamps and sparks of fire leap out 20. Out of his nostrils goeth smoak as out of a seething Pot or Caldron 21. His breath kindleth Coals and a flame goeth out of his mouth In the third Branch of the Description is pointed out How his appearing any way above the Water is full of Majesty his neesings or casting up of water into the air appear bright as light to observers and his eyes appear bright and sparkling like the morning-light or Day-star v. 18. His mouth casts out Vapours or Waters so commoved and broken that they are like Lamps and Sparks of fiâ—â— especially by the irradiation of the Sun as broken waters in Tempests appear as if they were all on fire v. 19. Sometime his Nostrils cast out waters or Air and Vapours so gross and plentiful that they appear like the smoke of a boiling Pot or Caldron v. 20. Yea his very Breath is so hot as fire and as a wind that is able to kindle coals v. 21. By all which may be pointed out 1. Gods glory in his working is sometime hid from our â—ight that it may be the Object and Exercise of our Faith as Leviathan is oft-times under water and then those Sneezings c. appear not 2. However God do thus sometime cast a vail upon his working and upon his Glory shining therein yet at other times it is made convincingly to appear to silence the Atheism and confound the pride of men as sometime Leviathan appears above water with all those actings and qualities which do demonstrate the glory of God who made him 3. When God at any time manifests the glory of his working it should be improved to make his glory be remembred and believed at another time as the use of those appearings of Leviathan should last longer than the sight of him or of his Sneezings c. do continue 4. If Leviathan even when he appears but a little above the water be so terrible how much more terrible is God when he appears but a little displeased Psal 2.12 And if his Neesings and what appears at his eyes and mouth be so dreadful how much more dreadful is it when God threatens and testifieth that he is angry Psal 18.8 c. Verse 22. In his neck remaineth strength and sorrow is turned into joy before him 23. The flakes of his flesh are joined together they are firm in themselves they cannot be moved 24. His heart is as firm as a stone yea as hard as a piece of the nether Milstone 25. When he raiseth up himself the mighty are afraid by reason of breakings they purifie themselves In the fourth Branch of the Description is pointed out his firmness and strength in all his parts His Neck being strong v. 22. His Flesh firm and solidly joined v. 23. And his heart full of courage and firm as the nether Mill-stone v. 24. This his strength is amplified from an effect v. 22. which though it be subjoined to the strength of his Neck yet flows from all the rest also that sorrow is turned into joy before him or as it will read better sorrow skippeth out before him that is at the sight of him men do skip as they do in dances and are made to start for sorrow and fear This is further explained v. 25. That when he is seen in the Sea by such as sail there the stoutest are afraid and when by the Breakin gs and commotions of the waters they know he is near they purifie themselves that is not that Nature caleth it self and they purge and empty their Belly through fear for the word here will not signifie that but they run to be cleansed from their Offences and Sins and to have them expiated as fearing to be overwhelmed This may point out 1. God can furnish Creatures with multitudes of advantages which yet are but his Creatures and can be reached by him as here strength and courage are added to the rest of the Properties of this Creature whereby we may be helped to consider how infinite these Excellencies are which are in God 2. If men will not fear God as he reveals himself in his Word he hath wherewith to affright them as here he doth affright some with the sight of Leviathan 3. God can make the most stout-hearted of men afraid by a Creature as the Leviathan makes the mighty afraid Yea he can make Lice and Worms terrible to them if he please as Pharaoh and Herod found 4. Fears and sorrows are so much the sadder when they come by a surprize upon men as sorrow skips out or suddenly starts out and makes them to start upon the unexpected sight of Leviathan So that it is good for men to be upon their guard and to know what they may expect 5. It is good especially when men are in hazard that they make their Peace with God as here they purifie themselves 6. Men who are graceless and have no Religion may yet set about it in straits as here these Mariners do when they apprehend hazard And this unquestionably proves the worth of Piety that its greatest Enemies and Neglecters of it in ordinary are forced if they be not mad to see the worth of it in a strait Verse 26. The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold the spear the dart nor the habergeon 27. He esteemeth iron as straw and brass as rotten wood 28. The arrow cannot make him flee sling-stones are turned with him into stubble 29. Darts are counted as stubble he laugheth at the shaking of a spear 30. Sharp stones are under him he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire In the fifth Branch of this Description we have an effect of the strength of his Scales and of the firmness of his body and an aggravation of the cause of mens fear because of him In that no Habergeon for defence can secure against him nor any