Baal 1 King 18.40 But these are not to be imitated and we are to take heed to wild-fire instead of true zeal And particularly well managed and sober zeal hath those properties which may be gathered from the Text. 1. It will nor drive men rashly and in an headlong way to engage in quarrels and debates which they can avoid For he waited long to see if these mistakes might be cleared and rectified without him This rule is transgressed by all who do precipitantly rush and engage in debates and particularly by private men when they do needlesly engage in Controversies and Church quarrels which lye out of their way See Prov. 26 17 2. Right and sober zeal proceeds according to knowledge see Rom. 10.2 and will not pass judgement upon any thing but after a fair hearing and serious tryal of the matter For before his anger was kindled and brake forth he had waited and heard them patiently that he might take up the business well as he professeth v. 11. See Prov. 13.10 and 18.13 This is little observed by an any whose wit is all in their fore-head and their heart at their mouth And therefore they rush upon courses before they ponder them they are beguiled with fair masks and pretences and they look not to the consequences of courses before they do engage in them 3. True and sober zeal will never lead men to seek themselves but makes them content that a good turn be done though they be not seen in it For he waited upon them as minding if the matter were otherwise cleared not to appear Hence it may be concluded That boasters of themselves and extollers of themselves do reflect upon their own zeal as not found 4. True zeal teacheth men to reverence those with whom they have to do for their age parts and experience For he waited and heard them patiently and reverently because they were elder than he Of this afterward Only it argues passion and not zeal when men leave the defence of their cause to reflect upon persons and do behave themselves unsoberly toward them Doct. 2. Though true zeal ought to be managed with sobriety as hath been said yet it is no evidence of sobriety or of a right temper of zeal for men not to see the errours that are in the best of men and not to defend truth were it even against never so many godly men For Elihu marks errours in Job and here also and v. 3. in his three Friends and argues against them all 3. It is also no kindly mark of zeal for men to be furious at a fit and then to cool if they be not taken at first but true zeal is constant in its heat and fervour For here after all his long waiting his wrath is kindled 4. Men and even good men may have that opinion of themselves and their way which differs very farr from truth For v. 1. they judged they had said enough and that Job was obstinate and yet Elihu finds there was no answer in their mouth as hath been fully cleared v. 3. 5. They are justly censurable in the judgement of all zealous men who deserts cause of God and either in a neutral way or otherwise lye by from defending it For this kindles his wrath that they had no answer to Job especially on Gods behalf Verse 6. And Elihu the Son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said I am young and ye are very old wherefore I was afraid and durst not shew you mine opinion 7. I said Dayes should speak and multitude of years should teach wisdome The rest of this Chapter contains Elihu's general Preface directed to both parties but chiefly to Jobs three Friends And he insists the longer in Prefacing Partly because he was a young man in which case it was necessary to clear that he appeared not in this cause out of any arrogance or impudence but meerly out of love to truth and to plead that it was equitable they should lay aside all extrinsick advantages of age experience wit c. which they had on their side in this debate and that none of these should pre-judge his cause but let naked truth carry it Partly that he might here once for all condemn and lay by the three Friends with whom he deals no more after this Preface but leaves them to see the errour of their proceeding by taking notice of that right way which he followed whereby also he might insinuate into Jobs affection and invite him to hearken more patiently to what he was to say seeing he did not take part with his Friends against him In these Verses we have the first branch of this Preface wherein he gâ—â—â— a reason why he had kept silence so long and had not interposed sooner to end this difference Namely That the conscience of his own youth and his respect to their age and opinion of their wisdome made him afraid to speak in so grave an audience upon such a subject v. 6. As reckoning and judging within himself for so this phrase I said is to be understood here as Gen. 20.11 where it is said and not thought in the Original that it became such aged men and they were only fit to speak to such a matter seeing their long experience should teach them more wisdome which they might communicate to others v 7. In general Learn 1. Albeit zeal should be managed with sobriety yet that zeal is not approved which burns only in mens breasts against an evil course or errour unless it break forth also as need requires in their station For he whose wrath was kindled v. 2 3 5. now answered and said c. and spake when he was called to it Not as many who dislike evil courses if men may trust their professions and discourses and yet they never appear to do any thing against them in their stations 2. Zeal in defending of a good cause may yet suffer prejudices in mens opinions by reason of disadvantages in the person who manageth it As here his youth might readily cause them mistake his zeal and frequently we find many ready to except against and reflect upon the persons of men that thereby they may render their cause suspicious And therefore men who would find out truth had need to try a cause impartially abstracting from the consideration of persons who manage it 3. Albeit real disadvantages in mens persons do not warrant them to desert a good cause yet they should teach them to manage it with soberness and fear As here Elihu doth considering his youth wherein he is imitated but by very few young men who have any thing of zeal and honesty in them In particular Learn 1. Youth considered in it self is attended with many weaknesses For so doth Elihu grant That his youth gave him cause to fear lâ—st he run into mistakâ—s in speaking of so weighty and grave matters and that their age gave them many advantages which he wanted Who so will consider the heat of young
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
the tryal is not only continued but growing upon him CHAP. II. This Chapter contains yet more of the first Part of the Book Or a further account of the change of Jobs prosperous case into an afflicted and calamitous condition Now the Tentations wherewith Job was assaulted being partly by Afflictions and partly by Suggestion As in the former Chapter there is an account of some part of his Affliction on his Children Servants and Goods So here there is further recorded a more near and sharp Afflâ—ction on his body a suggestion from his Wife and a remote occasion of many vexations to his spirit in his Friends coming to visit him So the Chapter may be taken up in these 1. Jobs tryal and affliction upon his Body the Original and rise whereof is recorded ver 1. 6. the tryal it selfe ver 7. and his carriage under it ver 8. 2. His Wifes suggestion to drive him from his integrity with his refutation thereof ver 9 10. 3. His three Friends coming to visit him which occasioned much trouble to him ver 11 12 13. Vers 1. Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD 2. And the LORD said unto Satan From whence comest thou And Satan answered the LORD and said From going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and down in it THe Original and rise of this further tryal of Job which is the holy Providence of God permitting Satan to afflict him yet more for the further evidencing of his integrity is expressed to ver 7. in the same terms that formerly were made use of Chap 1.6 7 c. with some alterations sutable to the present purpose So that it is not necessary to insist on what is already explained but it will suffice to point at what is here added as it occurreth in the several verses In these two verses there is represented unto us a second view of the Lords Sovevaign Dominion and holy Providence over and about all things even Angels who continually attend him and Satan whom he calls to an account The purpose is the same with that Chap. 1.6 7. only where it is there said that Satan came among or in the midst of the Sons of God here it is added that he came among them to present himself before the Lord as they also did Though the expressions concerning both be alike yet it is not to be conceived that they appeared on alike terms But on Satans part for what it signifieth in respect of Angels hath been cleared upon the former Chapter it imports only his necessitated subjection unto God before whom he must present himself and his watching all advantages to vex the godly As for the time when divine Providence let this further tryal break forth expressed under the name of a day we cannot determine how long time intervened betwixt the former day wherein Job had been so sharply afflicted and this day wherein Satan is again let loose Only it seems the time hath not been so short but that the former tryal had leisure to work upon him and to search the frame of his spirit more narrowly And this seems to be imported in that expression ver 3. he still holdeth fast his integrity And yet it appears also that the time hath not been so long as to make the memory of his former tryal wear out But that the matter was so ordered as it might be an addition to the bitterness of the present stroke and the present tryal might make his old sores to bleed afresh Doct. 1. God is unchangeable and still the same in power and glory in all times and vicissitudes For here upon a new discovery of his Dominion he is described as formerly by his State and attendants and the subjection of Devils to him 2. Gods Providence is also uniform and still the same and universal as to all times and as having a supreme hand in all Occurents For here on this other day the Supreme Providence of God is described in the same terms as formerly 3. As new tryals do require renewed furniture to bear them even by those who have been supported in former tryals So in particular it is necessary that Saints in every new difficulty take a renewed look of the Suprem hand and Providence of God which doth not weary to attend them in six troubles and also in seven though they do oft times weary and cease to look up to it Therefore when this new tryall is to come upon Job a new sight of Gods Soveragin Dominion and Providence is here premitted to it 4. It ought also to be firmly beleived by the godly that the Lord doth not only take notice of some one or moe of Satans actings but that he hath an eye upon and over-rules all of them So that in all assaults from him they may be assured that they are still in Gods hand For this repeated calling of Satan to an account from whence comest thou doth import Gods constant over-ruling of him in all times 5. Such is the malice and restless cruelty of Satan that no success in his attempts doth satisfie him but he is still at worke to project further trouble against the Saints so long as they are within his reach For notwithstanding Job is now brought very low yet he not only appears this second time to catch all advantages to get him more troubled seeing he could proceed no further without a new Commission but he professeth his continued activity in going to and fro in the earth c. to prosecute his malicious designs Such as do take notice of this insatiable cruelty will find themselves called to draw near unto and to make sure an interest in the Lords pity and compassion Vers 3. And the LORD said unto Satan Hast thou considered my servant Job that there is none like him in the earth a perfect and upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evil and still he holdeth fast his integrity although thou movedst me against him to destroy him without cause In this verse we have the Lords Interrogation concerning Job containing not only the commendation formerly given before his tryals Chap. 1.8 but a new addition to it from his integrity in the late tryal Job being so tryed as none but a righteous man could keep his feet under such dispensations of Providence the Lord is pleased to commend him not only as a godly man but as a tryed godly man who still holdeth fast his integrity And this his commendation is further amplified from an account of his trouble which might have tempted him to miscarry Wherein we are to remark 1. The greatness of his trouble Though Satan Chap. 1.11 call it but a touch yet the Lord calls it a destroying or swallowing up as it is in the Original and that not of his Children Servants and Goods only but of himself also to destroy him
he declares that not only when the Spirit or Angel passed by before him and first appeared ver 15. but even when it stood still he could not discern its shape and form wherein it appeared distinctly only some image or confused representation of it was before him ver 16. The reason whereof was partly the splendour and brightness wherein the spirit appeared partly his sudden surprizal and the astonishment of his spirit thereby This did insinuate 1. That Divine Truths were not then so clearly known and manifested but kept up in a mystery 2. That within time we are but little capable of more immediate manifestations of God which would dazzle our eyes and confound our judgements And therefore they are in great wisdom suspended till we come to know as we are known 3. That the Lord would hereby keep those who got those manifestations from doating on the Vision or external representations in it that so they might take heed to the message Hence we find Elijah wrapping his face in his Mantle when God spake to him 1 King 19.13 and Moses hiding his face Exod. 3.6 To intimate that though these extraordinary Sights and Visions served to assure them of the presence of God yet gazing thereupon was not the great benefit to be reaped by them but their great care was to hearken to what was said Which teacheth us That no glorious manifestation or operation of God will profit us if we neglect his voice in his Word Lastly He recounts how after all this God did communicate his mind to him by an audible voice ver 16. There was silence and I heard a voice after the tumultuous distempers of his mind were calmed and put to silence he heaâ—d the voice Or as some read it he heard a still calm voice So did he also speak to Elijah 1 Kings 19.12 and because of this it is said ver 12. that it came secretly to him And this way of uttering divine Revelations silently or in a calm voice was imitated by Satan in some of hâ—s Oracles Isa 8.19 29.4 Hence learn 1. Gods humbling dispensations toward his people will all come to a good issue and the close of all his dealing will still be sweet For after all his humbling and fear preparing him for the Vision and assuring him that God was present the voice cometh which bringeth the refreshful light 2. The composing of our spirits from the confusions and tumultuous disorders incident to them is a necessary antecedent to Gods revealing of his mind Foâ— when there was silence as our reading hath it I heard a voice 3. As for this way of the Lords speaking by a still or calm voicâ— as the Original will also bear albeâ—t we nâ—ed enquire after no reason why he mâ—kes use of it who doth all things after the counsel of his own will yet without wresting we may observe these in it 1. The Lord hereby did teach that these supernatural Truths were Mysteries not blazed abroad throughout the world but so to say whispered amâ—ng somâ— few Believers And as the Oracles of God were thus confinâ—d during all the time of the Old Testament Psal 147 19 20 Rom. 3.2 So in all ages thâ—y are but few to whom they are savingly revealed Matth. 11 25. 2. The Lord hereby did press attention on these to whom he revealed his mind as was marked on v. 12. while he spake not so loud as might reach them whether they attended or not but in a still voice which might excite them seriously to hearken 3. Hereby also the Lord declared that he will not be a terrour to such as delight to converse with him in his Word For to such he would not appear in Wind Earth-quakes or Fire 1 King 19. though those were necessary for preparation but in a still sweet voice which needed not affright them 4. Hereby also may be pointed out That however men ought to speak the Truths of God so audibly as they may be heard and with that zeal and fervency that becometh yet it is not the clamorous voyce that makes the word effectual but the weight and importance of the matter seriously pressed home by the Spirit of God For even by this still voice God communicated his will and made it to be obeyed in the world See Eccl. 9.17 Vers 17. Shall mortal man be more just then God shall a man be more pure then his maker Followeth the Revelation it self or the Doctrine which God revealed to him by this still voice consisting of an Assertion or Challenge v. 17. and a confirmation thereof ver 18 21. In the Explication whereof we need not insist to remark any false Principles or mistakes such as we find in Eliphaz's former Arguments For as we said before this is a divine Oracle sent by God to clear this case and according to which God himself deals with Job at last Only Eliphaz mistaking it doth press it upon Job as an argument and proof of his wickedness in which sense Job rejects it with the rest of his doctrine till God cometh to calm his passion and tell him more fully his fault and then he takes with all that is here asserted by way of reproof of his miscarriage Hence in the entry we may Observe 1. It may please God to suffer Saints to meet with no smaller tentations then if God in his Word or speaking from Heaven were condemning them For here Eliphaz chargeth Job as a man condemned by God in this Vision And this is no small tryal if we consider either that Gods sentence in his Word is unrepealable not to be rescinded nor contradicted by our dreams and delusions or the tenderness of Saints whose property it is to tremble at the Word of God 2. A chief cause of raysing groundless tentations and fears from the Word is when men do not distinguish betwixt the standing state of their person and their present condition or carriage Seeing they may be faulty in this last when their state of Reconciliation stands firm And therefore when faults are reproved men ought not to conclude that their persons are condemned which doth hinder repentance and amendment of faults by crushing discouragement For herein did Eliphaz wrest this Vision and render it a tentation and tryal to Jobs faith that he mis-applyed this reproof of his fault to the condemning of his state and person 3. It is a commendable exercise of faith when Saints have made sure their peace with God through Jesus Christ as not to hearken though even a voice from heaven should seem to contradict the Word on which they have builded 2 Pet. 1.18 19. Gal. 1.8 9. So not to hearken to every sentence of Scripture which may seem to brangle that confidence which they have founded upon Christ as he is revealed in the Covenant and general current of the Scriptures As knowing That Satan can wrest Scriptures as he did in tempting Christ Matth. 4. That he can abuse our weakness in a time of tryal
humbly submissive to what he shall dispense For this also is found in a seeker unto God that he commit his cause to God or lay his words and matters as the Original imports before him that he may do therein as pleaseth him and make his requests known to God Phil. 4.6 let him give what answer he will See 2 Sam. 15.26 This submission imports 1. That a Supplicant should be free of bitterness and anxiety resting on God by humble confidence For the Prayers of anxiety are full of dross 2. That he ought to submit to what dispensations it pleaseth God to allow so long as he finds grace to seek on and is not driven from God as that wicked man was 2 King 6 33. 3. Though a godly man be not called to deny the truth of the grace of God in him or the Conscience of his integrity yet he ought not to build his expectations upon it but to commit all to Gods mercy from which he may expect more then he can promise himself upon the account of his integrity in it self considered Doct. 4. Albeit sin be the cause of trouble and we ought to be most sensible of sin under trouble yet no sight of God nor of God as a party in trouble ought to discourage us from seeking in to Him For the contrary is argued Because of these considerations concerning the cause of trouble ver 6 7. he infers here I would seek unto God or Surely I would seek unto God as it is in the Original For whether else can a man go or what amends can he make to God by his running away See Chap. 7.20 Yea Gods stroke is a call to come with our bleeding wound Hos 6.1 and he strikes for sin that we may bring both our wound and our sin to be cured by him Hos 5.15 5. Exhortations ought to be very tenderly and warily given to afflicted persons so as they may be cherished in duty And particularly Such as would press duties effectually ought to essay and commend them by their own practice As here Eliphaz recommends his counsel as a thing himself would follow in the like case I would seek to God c. Untender applications do oft-times â—ar good doctrine and it would be well remembred that it is hard to speak to afflicted broken minds That so men may deal prudently and tenderly with them and they themselves may remember they are in a distemper and therefore ought not to reject every thing as unwholesom which is unpleasant to their taste 6. Men at ease do readily think it a more easie task then indeed it is to prescribe a rule to the afflicted and that they would do far better under trouble then the afflicted do For Eliphaz doth here evidence his weakness no less then his tenderness even as to what is found in his counsel He thinks it easie to seek to God and calmly to submit and not to fret as Job did But had his soul been in Jobs souls stead and if these waves and billows which assaulted Job had passed over him he would not have found it so easie to avoid bitterness and submit to Gods dealing See Chap. 16.4 Vers 9. Which doth great things and unsearchable marvellous things without number This Exhortation is pressed by a motive taken from a due consideration of God as he is manifested in his works of Providence He had insinuated that God is the supreme cause of all trouble ver 6 7. and had pressed Job to seek unto God ver 8. Now he declareth that God hath so manifested himself by his works in the world as may encourage men to seek to him and may terrifie them if they will not For this end he doth first speak of Gods works in general ver 9. and then doth instance this general in some particulars such as Gods common Providence in the earth ver 10.11 and his more special Providences toward men both wicked ver 12 13 14. and the poor who are oppressed ver 15 16. In this verse God is described by some general properties of his works Such as 1. Greatness His works of Creation and many works of Providence are great in themselves and so is his work of Redemption Yea the meanest thing that he is about as he is about all things is great in this respect that a great God doth it and much of him may be seen in it 2 Unsearchableness A property of Gods works whereby God himself convinceth Job of ignorance and presumption Chap. 38 c. For not only is the nature of things wrought by God unsearchable but the manner also of working and bringing many things about Psal 92 5 6 7. And the reason and end of doing them as Joh. 13.6 3. Admirableness or that they are marvellous things As the former two properties may be referred to the works of Nature and the ordinary course of Providence which are great and unsearchable because the power and wisdom of God shine in them Rom. 1.20 So this third property may relate to those rare and marvellous Providences above or contrary unto the ordinary course of nature wherein God appears for his people Such as those recorded Dan. 3.27 6.22 and many the like Or it may rather be understood more generally that this is an effect of the other two Because they are great and unsearchable therefore they are marvellous things 4. That they are Innumerable the whole earth being full of his glory and riches Isa 6.3 Psal 104.24 and these kind of works being ordinary with him See further of these properties Job 9.10 Psal 72.18 Rom â—1 33 In general we may from these properties Learn 1. Such as would seriously draw near to God ought to study what he is that so they may know how to approach and what to believe and expect Therefore doth he subjoyn this description of God as necessary to be taken along with his purpose of seeking to him See Psal 9 10. Hâ—b 11.6 2. Albeit God can be fully taken up only by his Word yet so much of him doth shine in his working as may both invite sinners to come to him and discover their hazard who are rebellious Therefore he presseth him to seek unto God by an argument taken from his works or what he doth For here seekers of God will find that there are as great wonders daily wrought as any they shall need to be done for them and despisers of God may see by what God daily worketh that he can easily reach them 3. Gods works even in ordinary are so great and like himself that we must not expect to see through the riches of his glory shining in them but should look upon them as unsearchable For they are great and unsearchable So that when we see most in his working we should be humbled that we see no more And if this be true even of his ordinary works how much less are we able to sound the depth of his more special Providences about his people 4.
in debates As 1. The Friends being already engaged as hath been said hindered the discovery of their Errour by any thing he said 2. Job considered not that his necessity furnishing him with Oratory and Eloquence might make a lie very plausible as may be seen in his endeavour to justifie his desire of death Parts and Passion if Conscience do not over-rule will manage a bad cause strangly So that parts are a plague when men imploy them in an ill cause 3. Interest is very prevalent to hinder the fruit of Conference and debate No argument or debate could bring Jeroboam and his Successours to see the ill of the Golden Calves till the captivity discussed it It had been powerful light indeed which would have perswaded them to quit or hazard a Kingdom which they had usurped from the house of David This as it may teach us to lament the perversity of men who are ready to detain the truth in unrighteousness So also not to stuâ—ble albeit debates do nor decide differences among men till God come and determine where the lie is as he did in this debate 2. Let it not be iniquity ver 29. Some read it There shall be no iniquity That is if ye will hear me I freely forgive you all ye have wrongfully said hitherto Or do not fear that your hearing of me speak in my own defence shall be your sinâ— as if ye were faulty in not pleading for the holiness of God who afflicts me Others thus Let there be no iniquity That is when ye hear me let no iniquity which ye can mark in my discourse pass without a challenge But the Translation to which I adhere gives us this sense of the Argument That they should quit their prejudices and hear him lest as they had sinned in what they had done already So continuing therein it proved iniquity or an heinous sin and so it presseth the second branch of the Exhortation This teacheth 1. That the same action which in some respects and considered in it self may be accounted an infirmity yet being considered as vested with some circumstances is before God iniquity Thus Job accounts their persisting to oppose him iniquity This point may be true 1. In respect of the Principles of a course It is infirmity when men depart from God yet they do it not wickedly Psal 18.21 when they fall in a snare but through frailty when they err but it floweth simply from tenderness of the Conscience though erring But the same evils may be wickedness when followed wickedly malitiously with an high hand to serve an interest and reap advantage 2. In respect of perseverance An infirmity persisted in becomes iniquity it being incident to mâ—n to fall but devilish to lie still to fall and not arise to turn away and not return 3. In respect of the consequences of persevering in sin An infirmity faln in and persevered in doth not only draw on new sins but more obduration in the same sin A backslider turns an hater of such as persevere yea a persecuter of them Thus it was with Peter though mercy prevented the worst from denying his Lord and Master he comes to deny him with an Oath there after with an Oath and Curse And thus also Jobs Friends afterward turn more bitter in the debate and do witness little tenderness by their frequent reflections on him This may dash the Idol of mens credit and perswade them speedily to return from an evil course notwithstanding any disadvantage Doct. 2. Though men do ordinarily think light of sin if it be not followed with sad plagues yet sin in it self is very grievous to a godly man And if even infirmity ought not to be tolerated How much more will gross wickedness be hateful to right discerners For this is a strong Argument in Jobs account Return let it not be iniquity And thus did David judge when he esteemed so much of the pardon of the iniquity of sin Psal 32.5 3. My righteousness is in it v. 29. This presseth both parts of the Exhortation That they should hear him and consider the matter again and again notwithstanding their being engaged Considering how much it concerned him his righteousness which was his only prop and support being at the stake in the debate We need not inquire Whether Job speak here of the righteousness of his person by imputation of Christs Righteousness and of his way by Sanctification wherein he was Evangelically righteous or of the righteousness of his cause in debate betwixt them For both these were conjoyned here it being the very question debated betwixt them whether he was a righteous and godly man or not And for the strength and soundness of this Argument albeit Job looked so much to this his righteousness as made him forget his miscarriages in other particulars yet in this he is assoiled by God and declared a righteous man and being so it was his duty to maintain it Hence Learn 1. The Conscience of Integrity and Righteousness is a soveraign Cordial and support to a man in trouble For Job speaks of it as a thing of so great moment as he may not quit it My righteousness is in it So did Hezekiah find proof of its worth when he was threatned with death Isa 38.1 2 3. and David in his tryals and persecutions under Saul as appeareth from several of his Psalms This helps men to hold on their way Job 17.8 9. For such do walk surely Prov. 10.9 and have the testimony of their Consciences and consequently Gods approbation to comfort them Which should perswade us to a frequent use of that Prayer that integrity and uprightness may preserve us Psal 25.21 2 When men are under trouble they may expect that the testimony of their Consciences in the matter of their integrity will be assaulted whether by inward tentation or outward misconstruction or both For Job supposeth his righteousness is at the stake here This may not only be expected from the weakness of mens own spirits being broken with trouble from the malice of Satan who is not satisfied with any outward trouble upon Saints unless he disturb their peace and weaken their faith thereby and from the weakness prejudices and corrupt Principles of friends and observers But even the Lord hath an holy hand in it for the further tryal and exercise of his Children So that every thing which is quarrelled in a Saint under trouble must not therefore be cast as naught But 3. It is commendable in the people of God to maintain and cleave to their integrity when it is called in question by tentation from within and opposition and dispensations from without For so doth Job here notwithstanding he was afflicted by God and mistaken by his Friends It argueth great weakness when men subscribe to the truth of every doubt that tentation raiseth And they may approve themselves to God in defending their righteousness and integrity against tentation and under greatest disadvantages Psal 44.17 18 19. For not
this study when he would vindicate Gods Righteousness and guard against contending with him We are apâ— to judge of his working by our sense which we should rather read according as his Attributes represent it And if we were more mindful what he is our behaviour before him would be more reverent Eccl 5 1 2. 2. As the Lords being wise and powerful may teach them who would not miscarry to lean to him for direction and strength so it may assâ—â—e us that he is righteous in all his works and doth not wrong to any As hath been explained 3. As the wisdom and power of God do prove his righteousness So also that there is no dealing with him in a way of contradiction whether by policy or by force but he will be infinitely above the contradicter Therefore is he asserted to be wise in heart and mighty in strength in opâ—â—sition to them who harden themselves See Exod. 18.11 Job 5.13 Psal 5.10 Prov. 21.30 Isa 43.13 This may comfort the godly over all their fears of politick and powerful Enemies and may teach them humble submission in bearing their own lots to stoop being their only safety and way to prevail 4. Among many others who not only walk contrary to God but harden themselves in their opposition as namely Those who engage themselves in gross and crying sins Those who resolve to sin let God lay what he will and so deny the truth of his Word or sleight his justice Jer. 5.12 13. 17. â—5 Those who are incorrâ—gible under judgments Lev. 26.18 21 23 c. Isa 26.11 1.5 Jer. 5.3 Those who â—et themselves in opposition to Gods people Jer. 48.26 27. and many the like Even those fâ—ll under some degree of obâ—uâ—â—tion and bidding a defiance to Gods power and wisdom who do so contend for their own righteousness as they quarrel Gods dealing about them and his righteousness in it and who are not so satisfied with what God doth as to give him glory in it For it is of such that the scope leads us to understand Job's sâ—â—ech that they harden themselves against God And indeed such words and complaints are saiâ— to bâ— stout against God Mal. 3.13 14. and â—very man that wants the sense of his own unrighteousness and of the righteousness of God is in so far an hardened man This they have need to consider whâ— because of the righteousness of their person or cause will not humbly stoop under afflâ—ctions but have so much stout-heartedness as to dare to quarrel even when the rod is upon their back and not tremble when the Lion is roaring Job 36.18 Such have reason to bless God that he giveth them not an humbling proof of himself when they so put him to it 5. Albeit obdured sinners may prosper during the time of Gods patience and forbearance Psal 73 3 4 c. Mal. 3 14 15. Yet never man helped his affliction by struggling with it and with God because of it And as Gods Children so miscarrying will not escape a temporal correction if they prevent it not by repentance So the wicked will smaâ—t for it in hell if not here also For such hardeners of themselves do not prosper as hath been verified by experience in all ages Who hath hardened himself against him and hath prospered And though the wicked may escape for a time yet their prosperity is dear bought and it will be sound so when they shall smart for ever in Hell 6. Examples of Gods judgements upon obdured sinners should warn others not to follow their steps For Job will not contend against God for Who hath hardened himself against him and hath prospered And it must be the height of madness to run on courses which have been essayed before us and had such sad effects 7. Albeit Job do here argue from his experience that since none prospered by contending therefore he would not essay it And it is true he was much under the power and command of his light in his calm days so that he durst not do that which his light condemned and discovered to be dangerous Job 31.1 2 23. Yet it would also be remembered That not only unrenewed men will not be convinced by their own or others experience discovering the evil or folly of their way Psal 49.13 But even the light and experience of godly men will not command them in 〈◊〉 fiâ—s of tentation For Job might and did somâ—â—hâ—â— miscarry in his passion by contending with God though his light and experience tell him it is 〈◊〉 and to no good purpose We have need to take 〈◊〉 that we take it not for granted that we closely follow all that our light approveth as good nor are we to lean to sound Principles as if our practice were always conform thereunto See Rom. 7.15 Vers 5. Which removeth the mountains and they know not which overturneth them in his anger 6. Which shaketh her place out of the earth and the pillars thereof tremble Followeth to ver 11. a confirmation of this Argument as it relates to the power of God especially though not secluding his wisdom which is illustrated and cleared by several instances and proofs thereof in the Earth and Heaven in the Seas Sun and Staâ—â—s ver 5 6 7 8 9. and then all is summed up in a general and comprehensive Commendation of this his power ver 10. From all which in general we may Learn 1. It is the duty of the people of God to be well versed in the Book of Nature and in the study of the Works of Creation and Providence For so was Job here So also was David Psal 8. 104. and elsewhere if the very Heathen may learn so much of God by this study as leaves them without excuse Rom. 1.20 How much more may we profit thereby seeing we are helped to read these works by the Scriptures This study is a notable help to sweet meditation and joy Psal 104.34 to lead us to understand Gods loving kindness shining especially in his works of Providence Psal 107.43 and to entertain spiritual mindedness Psal 139.15 16 17 18. 2 There is no right study of the Works of Creation and Providence except when without resting on the works themselves the power and wisdom of God is seen to shine in them and we learn a lesson of humility and self-abasement before God in them For so much doth Job's scope in this his study teach us which is to demonstrate thereby that God is wise and mighty and that to contend with him and not to stoop before him will never prosper in any mans hand ver 4. See Psal 8.1.3 4. This condemns the proud conceit that men have of their own contemplations and speculations about these things when yet they are neither helped to know God nor themselves thereby 3. Here both ordinary and extraordinary works of God are recorded To shew that much of God may be seen in both and some extraordinary works are first spoken of To shew that
God thou shalt plunge me whereas before and after he is speaking to his Friends Vers 32. For he is not a man as I am that I should answer him and we should come together in judgment 33. Neither is there any days-man betwixt us that might lay his hand upon us both 34. Let him take his rod away from me and let not his fear terrifie me 35. Then would I speak and not fear him but it is not so with me Job's second proof that he is righteous is his humble offering if he might to justifie himself before God that he was sincere and free of that hypocrisie wherewith his Friends charged him In this discourse he both gives a further reason of his declining to pretend to sinlesness and therefore it is connected with what precedes by the particles For by shewing that as the matter stood he could not noâ— durst debate the matter with God considering the inequality of the parties in themselves v. 32. and that there was no superior Judge to whom recourse might be had v. 33. And yet he proves his sincerity by offering to plead his cause on more equal terms v. 34 35 In sum the purpose and his offer may be thus conceived That albeit there can be no pleading against God as unrighteous nor any contending with him according to the strict rule of justice For God is Supreme Lord and he being but a poor creature could not answer nor defend himself against his challenges who knew him better then himself did nor were they equal parties to engage in a debate v 32. Nor yet is there any Superiour Judge or aâ—guer or reprover that is to reprove him who did wrong his party â—n pleading and by his sentence reprove him that had the wrong cause who might lay his hand upon them both or use his power to bring both parties together to judgment to ordain a Law and enforce the parties to stand to the sentence But God is Supreme having dominion over him at his pleasure and by the rigour of the Law might condemn him v. 33. Yet if God would take away the present rod that was upon him and remove his terrour which confounded him he would plead his cause without fear and maintain that he was sincere according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace and no hypocrite v. 34 35 This reasoning whatever sound truths be in it is not handsomely expressed For it speaks an indirect challenge that he was put to a disadvantage in maintaining of his integrity Nor can it be denyed but this way of offering to maintain his integrity savours of too much height of spirit though he haâ— a good cause And as this began his ill humour of complaining which breaks out Chap. 10. So it is at this and the like speech Job 13.20 21 22. which Elihu hinâ—s in his offâ—r Job 33.6 7 And God himself gives him the check for these and the like speeches when he calls him to dâ—bate with him Job 38.3 40 7 Hence we may be warned how hard it is to keep a right frame of spirit toward God under trouble and to bear and manage a good Conscience when we are afflicted so as it may be a support to us and not an occasion of challenge against God that such as we are afflicted But laying aside this weakness in his discourse we may Observe these Truths in it 1. However vain man swell high in his own eyes and do carry so as if he had no equal or Superiour and Lord over him yet there is an infinite distance betwixt God and Man For saith he He is not a man as I am but the great Lord. See Eccl. 6.10 Jer. 49.19 This distance both in respect of his dreadful Majesty and blessed perfections we should mind in all our ways when we are presumptuous in sinning Psal 50.21 when we approach to God Eccl. 5.1.2 when we expect good things from him according to his promise Hos 11.8 9. Num. 23.19 c. 2. When God is rightly taken up in his Majesty and Holiness man will see that he cannot answer God nor defend himself before him or abide his strict enquiry and judgment who seeth more of man then he can see of himself and who judgeth not only on words and actions but on a mans nature and inclinations For He is not a man as I am that I should answer him See 1 Cor. 4.4 Psal 143.2 3. As the man who knoweth God will see that he cannot abide his strict judgment So far less will he dare to quarrel so Supreme so Holy and All-seeing a Party or deal with him as if he were his equal For He is not a man as I am that we should come together in judgment as equal Parties who have liberty of mutual accusations Every quarreller would make God but his equal but they dare not attempt that who know that all they have is of him 4. God ought also to be acknowledged to have supreme and absolute dominion and to be accountable to none For neither is there any days mâ—â— betwixt us that might lay his hand upon us both And the study of his Soveraignty is enough to silence all our reasonings against him 5. Afflictions may give a sore daâ—h to mâ—ns câ—urage in maintaining their integrity even according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace For saith he let him take his rod away from me before I dispute my honesty Saints ought not to stâ—mble albeit sorâ— afflictions shake their confidence and courage not a little 6. That which makes trouble so apt to shake Saints is their apprehending God as terrible and dreadful through that Perspective of 〈◊〉 Therefore he addeth being under the rod and let not his fear terrifie me God may seem to be terrible to them whom he loveth dearly And albeiâ— it be the Saints weakness â—ot to sâ—e love under that yet it iâ— an evidence of their tenderness that they are apprehensive of iâ— when afflicted and can bear it woâ—â—t of any other ingredient in their cup. 7. Integrity as it hath sâ—â—ll to do with God as its Judge and Witness So it will not decline his Judgment on a Mercy-seat and looks fâ—â— best quarters at his hand As knowing that he sâ—eth infirmities in his sincere servants to cover and â—mend them Psal 139.23 24. For on these terms formerly mentioned Then would I speak saith he and 〈◊〉 feaâ— him Where though the height of his spirit in this offer cannot be justified yet he seems â—o mean no other thing by this not fearing but that he would speak without fear of perturbation not without fear of reverence 8. Whatever disadvantage integrity meet with yet it will never quit its claim For then would I speak saith he He is ready to dispute though as mâ—â—â—ers stand he dare not So that they who have a good Conscience and want these disadvantages may be bold As for that which is subjoyned in the end of v 35. by way of regret But
it is not so with me Some read it as a reason of his offer Because I am not so with my self as if he had said I would debate my cause with God upon the terms propounded because I am nothing such in my own Conscience as your misapprehensions and aâ—â—ersions would represent me which yet do not move me sâ—â—ce I have a witness in my self to the contrary But the best reading according to the Original is But or because not so I with my self And so it contains both a regret and a resolution As if he had said seeing I am not so as I desire to be that I might plead my cause I have not that advantage to be delivered from Gods rod and terrour that I might get such an heaâ—ing of my cause Therefore I will give over to propound or make the offer and will do the best I can to digest all my grievances with my self in my own bosom A further account of which resolution is subjoyned in the next Chapter Whence Learn 1. Saints may be under disadvantages which God will not remove when they please and yet may remove them when they look upon them as past remedy For saith he But not so I. He obtained not now his desired liberty to plead his cause though afterward he did both with Elihu and God himself albeit the issue was not altogether such as he expected 2. Silent submission under hard dispensations is better then any disputation and quarrelling For so doth he resolve Because not so I with my self CHAP. X. Job having hitherto answered to what Bildad had said Partly concerning Gods Righteousness by acknowledging and magnifying of it Partly concerning his own righteousness by asserting and proving that without any prejudice to the Righteousness of God who had afflicted him he was a righteous man He cometh now to obviate what was insinuated in Bildad's discourse Namely That Job considering Gods Righteousness who had afflicted him and his own unrighteousness should seek to God and give over his complaints To this Job answers by his practice falling upon and renewing his wonted complaints Yet so as he indirectly labours to justifie his practice before his Friends in that he was so hard put to it before he began ver 1. And he more directly labours to justifie it in that he quits them as unfit Judges and dare go to God with his complaints and in that he presseth them home in his own judgment upon so strong and convincings grounds Some of which grounds are indeed sound Truths and clearly and positively asserted by him yet not sufficient to bottom his Conclusions or his Inferences from them proceed upon a mistake Others of them discover him to be brought to a great conflict betwixt faith and his tentation and present sense wherein he owns Truth but with a great debate And others of them declare him to be overpowred with his passion though he calm a little toward close of his discourse The Chapter may be taken up in two Parts In the first whereof to v. 20. we have his complaint or his endeavour to ease his sorrows by complaining This might be taken up in the rise of his complaint v. 1. The Proposition of it v. 2. and the prosecution of it v. 3 c. But I shall sum it up thus There is a complaint carried on in this Discourse which may be summed up in an expostulation with God that he did so sharply afflict him breaking him with present trouble and threatning him with more trouble yea even to cut him off with trouble This sum of his Expostulation may be gathered from ver 2 3 8 9 16 17. And his expostulating about this doth imply a request that God would not deal so with him This being scope of Job's Discourse the whole of it may be taken up in so many Arguments tending not only to justifie his complaints before his Friends as hath been said but chiefly to enforce his complaint and press his desire before God For as he judgeth there was no reason why his Friends should censure his complaint and much reason why God should regard it and change his dealing toward him Considering that he was put hard to it before he did complain ver 1. That it is hard measure if he be condemned before he be convinced of the cause and crime ver 2. That it doth not beseem God by dealing so hardly with him to oppress and sleight his own creature and servant and to seem to favour the wicked ver 3. That Good needs not this way of torturing him to find out what he is ver 4 5 6. That God knew he was not wicked and yet that would not avail him unless himself withdrew his hand ver 7. That God had made and preserved him and therefore he cannot but regret that he should so violently destroy his own workmanship ver 8.9 10 11 12 13. That he can see no cause of Gods dealing thus nor what God meant or intended by all this severity ver 14 15. That his trouble had put him in great confusion and therefore he thinks God should look to the greatness of his trouble which so confounded him ver 15 16 17. And that his trouble was so great it made him repent his being born and wish he had died from the womb ver 18 19. In the second part of â—he Chapter Job calming a little doth suâ—joyn to his former Expostulation a short Petition for respite and leave to breath a while before he died ver 20 21 22. Vers 1. My soul is weary of my life I will leave my complaint upon my self I will speak in the bitterness of my soul THis verse contains an account of the rise of Job's Expostulation and complaint which is the first Argument pressing his Friends not to misconstruct him and pleading with God that he would regard it and not deal so sharply with him For when he had resolved to smother his griefs Chap. 9.35 yet he could not but they made his life a burden to him And when again he laboured to suppress his complaints because of such a case yet he could not prevail But at last after many resolutions to the contrary his bitterness by reason of much affliction burst forth in a complaint and made him â—ry if he could find ease by so eloquent a way of pouring out his sorrows before God From which he leaveth it to be inferred That it beseemed God to respect such a complaint and the afflictions which pressed it out of him which were so great that he could not refrain from that way of it which was so contrary to his frequent resolutions and desires And That it was his Friends duty not to judge hardly of him though he complained when he was so pressed and put to it In general Obs 1. Gods Children while they are within time are made up of Flesh and Spirit Nature and Grace which under trouble will have strong wrestlings one with another taking resolutions time about
hath Job here Thou markest me and thou wilt not acquit me Whereas it is an evidence of an interest that God takes so much pains Amos 3.2 and moderation may be seen in the sharpest of it Ezra 9.13 and that God doth not alwayes chide Psal 103.9 3. Though Job while he abhorreth the state of the wicked and supposeth himself to be righteous do yet stoop before God yet there may be more pride in righteous men then they are aware of and Gods after-proceedure proved it was so in Job Corruption may lurk under much good and our own Testimony concerning our humility deserveth but little credit which were better proved by our jealousie and exercise and our opposition to pride within us Vers 15. I am full of confusion therefore see thou mine affliction 16. For it increaseth thou huntest me as a fierce Lion and again thou shewest thy self mervellous upon me 17. Thou renewest thy witnesses against me and increasest thine indignation upon me Changes and war are against me The Eight Argument is taken from his great confusion of mind and his great trouble which drave him to it or from his great trouble causing great confusion in him So the greatness of his trouble is pointed out in the effects of it that it filled him with confusion of mind whereof the former Argument was an instance in that he knew not how to judge of Gods dealing with him and therefore he desires God to consider of his case and not deal so with him v. 15. And for this end he aggravateth this confusing trouble by laying it cut before God in its parts and sad ingredients 1. That it was increasing and growing 2. That God was his party who in a fierce and marvellous manner did again and again pursue him v. 16. 3. That his growing afflictions were sent of God as so many witnesses pleading against him and witnessing Gods indignation 4. That the hosts of his troubles succeeded one another as new Armies there being variety and that of strong difficulties which assaulted him v. 17. 5. All those aggravations of his misery as they are proper and pressing Arguments pleading for pity and moderation in Gods time and way So Job in laying those before God is not to be too sharply censured save in so far as his discouragement weakness and present sense did make his apprehensions of them sadder then what God purposed by them and in so far as by poring upon them he falls into a sit of distemper v. 18 19. Doct. 1. The Lord by afflictions may not only fill his people with contempt and ignominy and by debasing and making them vile fill them with shame and confusion of face But may also as a fruit of that fill them with perplexity and confusion of mind and make them void of judgment light or discerning of their case or what they should do For saith he I am full and that to satietyâ— as the word is of confusion The word confusion properly signifieth an eminent degree of shame and blushing or being vile and contemptible which makes men to be ashamed And so it may point out Job's low and vile condition to which he is redacted and his being ashamed of it and reproached for it But seeing though Job oft-times resented and was reproached for his vile condition yet we find not that he was ashamed of it and any way disproving his Piety the context wherein it followeth upon his uncertainty about Gods mind in afflicting of him and is premitted to his suit that God would see his affliction may lead us further to understand it here of the effect of such a degree of shame that it confounds a man and so that degree of shame is often called confusion Psal 44.15 Ezra 9.7 though the word be different in the Original from what is here that he is not able distinctly to consider his case or duty And this effect seems to be that which Job resents here whatever was the cause of it in him And indeed it is an humbling rod to be smitten and left in the dark which should warn men to beware of delighting in confusion through security and to beware of too much restlessness and want of submission under trouble for it seems Job's complaining wakened his sorrow and drew on this confusion 2. The proper remedy for confusion is Prayer and an appealing to Gods pity and it is sanctified when it tends to that Thus Job being full of confusion prayeth therefore see thou mine affliction 3. As God will not regard Prayer but where sense of need instructs our seriousness in it so a confused sensible soul looking to God may expect that he he will regard its distress and that he will read those suits in its case which it self cannot express For so runs the plea I am full of confusion therefore see thou mine affliction and what it callâ— for at thy hand which I cannot utter 4. Trouble may be growing when Saints are already under much of it and as this is sad when trouble seems to grow insolent as the word also signifieth and swell upon a man who is already trampled upon or whose courage and resolution fails him So it pleads for pity and the disadvantage is our advantage when we go to God with it For it is both Job's complaint that his affliction increaseth or lifts up it self and acts proudly and it is an argument of pity See thou mine affliction for it increaseth 5. As God should be seen to have the chief hand in trouble so a sight of him in distress may seem very terrible and affrighting even to a Child of God For it is Job's complaint Thou huntest me as a fierce Lion Though indeed it be comfortable to faith in trouble especially in cleanly tryals to know that we are in Gods hand yet sense will readily be affrighted to see him an adversary especially in great and sharp troubles such as Job's were wherein his sense suggested that God was armed with cruelty and indignation again him as a fierce Lion roaring for his prey This as it warns the godly not to judge of Gods heart by his stroke So it points out that if God may seem so terrible even to his own Children in their afflictions how much more will he appear to be so in his plagues upon the wicked who do lightly regard him when he is a party against them in his Word 6. God hath an exquisite way of afflicting and pursuing the Sons of men when he is pleased to shew his power For Thou huntest me saith he so that I can have no hiding place wherein I may be sheltered from thee or get leave to take my breath And albeit Job's own mind contributed much to this his disquiet and restlesness yet it is still true that when God pursueth his Children they will find no true comfort nor safe shelter but in fleeing to him Nor need any expect that when he is to afflict them they will find any hiding for their
able to make it convincing to others nor though his light were convincing as to that point of Truth is he able to search out and discover all these idols and lusts which imbarque men in ways of Errour and against Truth And though he could discover all these yet he is not able to over-awe man nor put him from his pride which will not suffer him to be convinced or to retract what he is engaged in for another man All this lets us see what a Tyrant Eâ—â—our is when men once give up themselves slaves to it And how much need there is of humble self-denyal and humble dependance on God in those who would effectually oppose it Job 32.13 2 Cor. 10.4 5. 2 Tim. 2.25 26. 2. God is able to convince and argue a man out of his Errours were he otherwise never so stiffe and obstinate in them For he puts it upon God to speak and open his lips against him as knowing he could effectually convince He can hold out light clearly and make it convincing He can turn mens idols and lusts which do engage them into dâ—ttays which their Consciences cannot refuse and he can cause his terrour drive men from their Errours This sheweth that matters are not hopeless in times when Errour prevaileth though mens abilities and diligence prove ineffectual And it warneth these who will not be convinced of their Errours by others to beware of making God their party 3. The wisdom of the Lord is a secret a great and unsearchable depth and his footsteps in his proceedings are not easily traced For there are the secrets of wisdom See Psal 147.5 This calls for sobriety in our inquiries about the counsels of God and that we avoid presumption and conceit of our knowledge and wisdom 4. God himself is the only discoverer of his deep counsels to men in so far as is for their good and behoof For He must shew the secrets of wisdom He must not only give us his Word whereby we may understand so much as is needful of his working but must open our eyes to take up what is revealed there Psal 119.18 And therefore we must not go about this search in our own strength 5. It is in particular one secret of the wisdom of God that he knows much more of us then we can know of our selves For in this the secrets of wisdom are double according to the Law to that which consists in our own soundest judgment and knowledge as hath been explained His Law is spiritual Rom. 7.14 And the best sight of our selves cannot bring us up to know the truth of our selves according to the sentence of the Law beside that we are oft-times blinded with tentation desertions lusts self-love c. and so cannot discern what otherwise might be obvious enough unto us This tells us that in our best estate within time we should be far from any conceit of perfection 1 Cor. 4.4 And that we should rather beside our laying to heart our known failings be bewailing our hid and secret Errours which we cannot comprehend Psal 19.12 6 God can do no wrong in afflicting the most righteous man For beside that God may by reason of his absolute Dominion afflict the most innocent every son of Adam though regenerate hath sin in this life which deserves all his afflictions and much more according to the rule of strict justice Ezra 9.13 And therefore in stead of quarrelling what God doth when he afflicts him he is bound to admire that God doth not prosecute him with greater severity considering his deserving Lam. 3.22 Therefore saith he Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less then thine iniquity deserveth Besides these Truths Zophar's mistakes in this way of Reâ—utation are useful to be observed And 1. He is earnest in his wishes that God would appear in this cause expecting certainly that God would approve of his sentence and opinion And yet he was deceived for God condemned him among the rest when he determined in the Controversie It teacheth That even godly men should be sober and cautious in their appealing to God in the matter of their opinions And should take heed that their self-love do not blind them and cause them dream of Gods approving of that which indeed he abhors So also tentation may represent God as a pâ—â—ty as Zophar suggests to Job here when he is none 2. He doth here assault Job by laying before him such found Truths of Gods knowledge of man mans ill deservings c. which had they been as pertinent as they are true in themselves the debate had been at an end yet Job is not convinced by them as concluding nothing against him to prove him wicked It teacheth That a sincere man who hath fled to Christ for refuge may in his affliction look upon and acknowledge the Omniscience of God the perfection of his Law his Justice in afflicting the desert of sin and his own impurity and yet all those not discourage him nor prove him wicked because afflicted For 1. Albeit all that be true yet such a man hath fled to Christ in whom he is hid and his sins covered And so God deals not with him according to all these faults which he by his Omniscience findeth in him nor according to strict Justice or the rigour of the Law which are satisfied in Christ but according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace 2. Albeit there be sin in godly men beyond what they know of themselves yet all their afflictions are not chastisements for sin but some are sent only for the tryal of their faith patience and other graces 3. Albeit God be pursuing sin in his Saints by afflictions and might pursue them yet more yet it followeth not that they are wicked For he pursued David for his further humiliation and for the vindication of his own glory whom yet he had pardoned 2 Sam. 12.9 14. Thus ought we to joyn the Law and the Gospel acknowledging the just sentence of the Law and yet having recourse to Christ in the Gospel to be secured against the execution thereof Otherwise such as make not use of Christ must be at the poor shift to turn Atheists Psal 14.1 2. to pervert the sense of the spritual Law and mince their own sins to procure to themselves security and stupidity in stead of true peace Vers 7. Canst thou by searching find out God canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection 8. It is as high as heaven what canst thou do deeper then hell what canst thou know 9. The measure thereof is longer then the earth and broader then the sea In the third place that he may inculcate this Doctrine of the Wisdom and Justice of God upon Job he subjoyns to v. 12. several amplifications and considerations concerning God and his Attributes And First in these verses he commends the unsearchable wisdom of God shewing that although he had wished God might shew Job so much of it as might convince him that God
judged by their fits of passion in an hour of tentation which though they are not to be approved yet do not alter their state For herein Zophar wronged Job judging of his state by his passionate fits of complaining Vers 11. For he knoweth vain men he seeth wickedness also will he not then consider it The last amplification of this Doctrine and a confirmation of the former as appears by the particle For is That God knowing more of mans sinfulness then he knoweth of himself doth therefore upon his knowledge put forth his absolute and irresistible power to punish him because his Knowledge is accompanied with Justice Holiness and Purity which cannot away with sin For saith Zophar seeing God seeth and knoweth the vanity and wickedness of man which possibly man himself or others see not it is not to be expected but so holy and just a God Hab. 1.13 Psal 5.4 5. will consider it to punish it This is sound General Doctrine to be admitted with little caution though ill applyed to Job's case It teacheth 1. Many attributes of God do shine and ought to be seen and observed in his works in the world For beside his wisdom and irresistible power formerly commended here his Holiness and Justice which consider sin to punish it are also commended 2. Man both in his dispositions and actions is naught before God by nature For he is both vain and hath wickedness which may be thus distinguished Man is vain and sinful in his condition and state by nature and wicked in his actions vain in his hypocrisie and wicked in his prophanity Those two Characters take up the most of men in the world And we should not be satisfied because we want gross wickedness if yet we be plagued with this vanity 3. More particularly Man is vain by nature his best perfections by nature are but vanity and naught before God and as to attaining happiness thereby He is addicted to vain and empty shews and though he be a frail and mortal creature as his name here imports yet he vainly glorieth in those as if he were somewhat and as if they added to his excellency and worth He is rash and inconsiderate vain and not solid in his judgment little considering what he doth or whether his course tends so it please his present humour and fancy And though man little consider all this yet the vanity of his outward condition being a miserable mortal creature declareth what he is All this doth testifie how little cause man hath to glory in himself 4. Man is also wicked For he supposeth both those to be in Job whom he looks upon as a grosly wicked man or at the best an hypocrite As mans inward vain disposition is wicked in it self so it produceth wicked effects His very vain hypocrisie such as he suspected to be in Job is wickedness and that so much the more abominable as he would cover his naughtiness with that vail And his hypocrisie will at last be discovered and plagued by his being given up to open wickedness as he supposeth it was now with Job and that by his wicked complaints he was taking off the mask of hypocrisie which formerly he had put on This warns men not only to look to their own courses but to aggravate them by considering the wickedness that may be in them 5. God knoweth man in his disposition and practice his vanity and wickedness as here we are taught God is not ignorant what man is but knoweth him better then himself doth His knowledge is certain and infallible For he not only knoweth but seeth which in men is an act of sense and of the most certain and sure sense far beyond hearing Gen. 45.12 Here it imports that Gods knowledge even of that which is most secret and hid in men is no less sure and exact then a man is sure of what he seeth with his eyes And for further proof hereof His knowing and seeing imports that he seeth what men are notwithstanding all their fair pretexts He seeth vanity under a fair shew and wickedness under vanity and hypocrisie This calls on men to trust Gods verdict of them and to tremble when they consider what God may know of them Jer. 17.9 10. 1 John 3.20 6. Such as consider Gods Omniscience Holiness and Justice will see that he cannot in justice but punish sin in his own time and way For so doth Zophar conclude that if he see wickedness he will consider it or so seriously lay it to heart as to punish it As this consideration and seeing of sin is held out as previous to punishment 2 King 9.26 Psal 10.13 14. 7. His propounding of this by way of question Will he not consider it imports 1. Man would gladly shift all thoughts of Gods Knowledge and Justice For it must be put home in a serious way of questioning with man about it as being a thought the would gladly shifâ— or deny So poor shifts are sinners put unto to keep themselves from vexation See Psal 10.11 13. Ezek 9.9 2. Whatever shifts sinful man make yet he hath a witness within himself against all these vain refugeâ— and his own Conscience can tell him they are but vain Therefore it is put to a mans own Conscience by this question as a thing man will not get denyed And withal it intimateth that the wickeds own Consciences will in due time suggest those things more effectually and dreadfully to them then any other creature can do Notwithstanding these Truths in this Discourse We must admit it with some caution and must remember that there is a mistake in the Application of it to Job who was neither vain nor wicked though he had seeds of both in him by nature Nor was God considering or pursuing either of them by those afflictions Therefore to clear the mistake and add a needful caution to this Doctrine Consider 1. Though man be vain and wicked by nature yet God doth not see them to be such who are hid in Christ as Job was See Numb 23.21 Isa 38.17 Micah 7.9 2. Though God by his Rod saith to the wicked and impenitent that he seeth him to be wicked and is requiring it Yet the godly reconciled man is allowed by the Word to judge otherwise whatever his lot be 3. Albeit God were seeing vanity and some wickedness in his own Children and by chastisements were requiring it or correcting for it that he might reclaim them or vindicate his own honour 2 Sam. 12.13 14. which yet was not Job's case yet that would not prove them to be wicked as to their state which is the thing he intends to conclude against Job See Psal 89.30 31 32 33. 4. Though Gods perfect knowledge of sin in wicked men his holy indignation against it and his strict justice do indeed prove that he will in due time require sin and punish it in all these who flee not to Christ for refuge Yet neither doth this prove that the godly may not
their zeal for truth that thâ—y do not over dâ—ive themselves nor wrong Gods cause by mingling of their spirits and passions with zeal in managing it 4. It is arrogant folly to think that God hath granted a Monopoly of wisdom to any But as wisdom hath been bâ—fore we were so it will live after us For Job refutes such a conceit with a taunt No doubt wisdom will die with you This beside what is already marked gives ground of confidence that God can supply his Church with sit Instruments when such as have been eminent in their generation are taken away Vers 3. But I have understanding as well as you I am not inferiour to you yea who knoweth not such things as these Here Job refutes their conceit of wisdom by shewing 1. That he had wisdom as well as they and that for the measure of it he was equal to them in knowing that which they boasted of as singular and whereof they judged him ignorant Chap. 11.6 12. Nor will he yield or as it is in the Original fall beneath them in knowing and adoring the Providence of God and his Wisdom and Power shining therein For that is it wherein he doth here compare with them as appears from v. 13 c. with Chap. 13.1 2. 2. That what they propounded and boasted of a rare and singular notions were in effect but obvious and common and known to men of weakest capacities who had any sense or knowledge of God Hence Learn 1. Whatever be the seat of knowledge or understanding according to the Principles of Naturalists Yet knowledge of things divine ought to be in and make an impression upon the heart of a man For understanding here is called an heart in the Original And sanctified knowledge gets the name of an heart to point out that it must be solid and not fleeting in the brain or phancy that it must be joyned with prudence to draw it into practice and that it must be accompanied with affection warmth and tenderness 2. Albeit self-commending be ordinarily sinful and of no use or advantage 2 Cor. 10.18 Prov. 27.2 And albeit men are bound to prefer one another in love Phil. 2.3 Yet in some cases it is lawful to commend our selves and compare our selves with others As Job doth here I have understanding as well as you I am not inferiour to you See also 1 Cor. 15.10 2 Cor. 11.5 12.11 Men ought not to lift up and exalt themselves by vain boasting yet they may lawfully study to prevent that the honour of God and his Truth which they maintain do not suffer through any imputation cast upon them and they may let it be seen that Sophistry will not drive them from the Truth nor will they let Truth suffer by mens crying up of themselves and decrying of others without cause See Phil. 3.4 c. Thus albeit men ought not to cry up themselves before God but even in their thankfulness for mercies to them which is their duty they ought to beware of the Pharisees arrogance Luk. 18.11 c. Yet before men they may vindicate their integrity and wipe off imputations and reflections which might tend to the prejudice of Truth which they own Only this ought to be gone about with needful caution Not only ought men to be humble and even nothing before God Ephes 3.8 2 Cor. 12.11 But they ought to perform this task of commending themselves with a loathing of it if it could be helped and they were not put to it as Paul calls himself a fool in glorying 2 Cor. 11.11 And they should season it with modesty and humility For Job here doth not prefer but only make himself equal to his Friends and that but in obvious and common things 3. Arrogant self-conceited men are really but silly And do prove themselves to be such by their conceit For Job tells them that whereas they conceited that they were singular the things they brought forth were but common 4. As there are common Principles and plain Truths in Religion which it were a shame for any to be ignorant of Heb. 5.12 14. with 6.1 So in particular even in Job's days the knowledge of the Wisdom and Power of God shining in his works of Providence was obvious and common to them who had any Religion For saith he Who that hath any the least saving knowledge of God knoweth not such things as those which you have made so great a noise of about the Wisdom Irresistibleness and Power of God Vers 4. I am as one mâ—cked of his neighbour who calleth upon God and he answereth him the just upright man is laughed to scorn The second challenge respects chiâ—fly their carriage Wherein he accuseth them that they were very inhumane toward him And in this verse First He asserts their inhumanity I am as one or I am one mocked of his neighbour or I am he that is a scorn or laughter to his neighbour That is if ever a man was mocked by his neighbour I am he I am as much mocked as ever man was by his neighbour And in this challenge Job reflecteth upon their vilipending of all his defences and their decrying of himself and his confidence when they should have comforted him It Teacheth 1. Afflâ—ctions are sent not only to try the afflicted but their Friends Relations Neighbours c. also For so Job supposeth when he reflects upon their neglect of duty to him in his distress This warns men to look to their carriage toward others in affliction and the more nere their relation to the afflicted be by kinred acquaintance or other obligations their account will be the sadder if they fail in their duty See Psal 38.11 55.12 13 14. 88.18 2. Scorn and contempt is a sharp tryal especially when coming from friends and when trysting with other afflictions upon the party suffering For so Job regreteth it and challengeth for it I am as one mocked of his neighbour See Psal 69.20 123 4. Heb. 11.36 3. The people of God being once broken with trouble are very easily hurt and a little addition of trouble will peirce very deep For Job in his afflicted condition accounts their sleighting speeches to be a very mocking of him Secondly He amplifieth this assertion Who calleth upon God and he answereth him The relative who may be referred either to the neighbour who mocks or to him that is mocked In the first sense it relates to his Friends who though they mocked him were answered of God in the wishes of their heart as is said of the wicked Psal 73.7 and is insinuated of his Friends v. 5. or were godly men calleâ—s upon God and answered by him and yet did not pity him in his trouble This was indeed true of his Friends whatever be the meaning of this place that they were pious men and yet not tender of Job's afflicted condition because they had no experience of it themselves by reason of their prosperity And it points out 1.
with God and his service as Isai 33.14 2. From this it followeth That they prove themselves honest men who in the height of trouble will abide by it and go to God and keep his way and will not cast away confidence and dependance come what will For this is Job's proof of his honesty that he will come before God which an Hypocrite will not do Thus honesty is proved in troubles by waiting and desires Isai 26.8 by cleaving to Gods way Psal 44.17 c. by persevering in Prayer Psal 88.13 14 15. and by confidence in these Prayers expecting wonders to be shewed to the dead ere the honest seeker of God be utterly forsaken Psal 88.10 11. In a word when Saints blush and are ashamed to come to God Ezra 9.6 when they are affrighted with trouble or whatever their disadvantages be yet to come to God and cleave to him is good and a proof of honesty Vers 17. Hear diligently my speech and my declaration with your ears 18. Behold now I have ordered my cause I know that I shall be justified Unto all these commendations of his confidence and evidences of his sincerity Job subjoyns an inference and conclusion wherein he wisheth they would diligently attend to what he was to say to God both by way of declaration of his sorrow to plead for pity and especially by way of pleading his own integrity being confident as one who had considered and examined his own cause exactly that God would justifie and absolve him not approving every escape in him especially in the way of managing the debate but declaring him a righteous man in a Mediatour and that he had better cause in this debate betwixt him and them Hence Learn 1. Men in trouble should have much liberty and allowance to speak their mind and what they say should be well attended to as not being rashly spoken but from real pressure of mind For saith he hear diligently my speech and my declaration either of my sorrows or integrity or both with your ears This he presseth that so they might see what Truth is in what he said and what his case was that made him speak as he did Men get pressures to teach them to speak solidly and not at random and what such speak should not be sleighted but albeit all they say cannot be justified yet their pressures should plead for much allowance and compassion as in another case 2 King 4.27 2. Even good men when themselves are unconcerned are ordinarily but little sensible of the condition of others and do little regard their complaints Therefore he must double Exhortation that they would hear and hear diligently and with their 〈◊〉 The neglect of this duty is an ordinary presage â—f trouble to come upon our selves as Reuben observed Gen. 42.21 22. And the Disciples who were little tender of the multitude who crowded after Christ to enjoy his company which themselves had without interruption are sent away to Sea without him that they might learn to pity others who could not at all times be with him Matth. 14.15 22 c. 3. Saints may attain to assurance of Gods approbation As here Job knoweth he shall be justified This assurance hath been attained even in sad distresses Rom. 8.35 38. And for godly men to doubt of it is their sin though every doubting be not inconsistent with faith nor even with some degree of assurance And therefore such ought not to habituate themselves to unbelief and doubtings which may have sad fruits But they should study to attain assurance that they may manage their approaches to God with hope and confidence 4. Such as would maintain their confidence assurance and integrity ought to try and examine their own estate well For saith he Behold now I have ordered my causes or taken notice of all I have to say for my self Not only is a delusion in the main matter dangerous but even in every particular evidence of our sincerity and ground of confidence For if we build upon any unsure Principle the discovery of that may readily cast all loose when yet there is no cause why we should do so seeing one may be truly honest who yet may be mistaken of some evidences of it And therefore we ought to be very exact and cautious 5. Albeit men having searched themselves never so exactly cannot conclude that they can abide Gods search and judgment as he is a severe Judge nor yet that they are perfect according to the tenour of the Covenant of Works which is the meaning of Paul's words 1 Cor. 4.4 Yet it is of Gods great mercy that upon mens impartial search of themselves and finding things right they may believe God will absolve them and approve them as sincere according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace For so Job having ordered his cause knows that he shall be justified If our hearts do condemn us upon just grounds and not upon a mistake the thoughts of Gods Omniscience may indeed affright us 1 Joh. 3.20 But if our hearts upon solid grounds condemn us not thoughts of his Al-seeing eye need not weaken our confidence 1 Joh. 3.21 Vers 19. Who is he that will plead with me for now if I hold my tongue I shall give up the ghost In this verse Job concludes his first Argument upon which he hath so long insisted taken from his confidence professing that since he know of such a Judge as God was and had so studied his cause he would gladly know his party being ready to enter the lists with any of them in this quarrel Unto whâ—h 〈◊〉 subjoyns the Second Argument confirming and 〈◊〉 his resolution to plead his câ—use with 〈…〉 is taken â—rom his great pressure and dis◠〈◊〉 He dâ—clares that as his assurance to be 〈…〉 of which he hath already spoken is not â—mall so his pâ—nt pressure to speak was not little 〈◊〉 if he should hold his peace as they judged was his duty it would cost him his life Not only was he to dâ—e shortly hâ—ng in such a weaâ— condition and so if he spake not in time he would leave his integrity unclear'd under all the bloâ—s they had cast upon him and Gods severe dispensations seemed to charge him with But unless he got a vent to his grief by speaking and complaining it would crush him and hasten his death And this Argument is so pressing upon Job's own spirit that having once named it without more ado he betakes himself to God and begins his address to him in the following verses Doct. 1. Saints must resolve that they will not always get their assurance held up in confident assertions not contradicted by any person or thing but must lay their account to have it questioned with pleadings and fightings As Job here supposeth 2. They must not resolve to cast away their assurance when it is ooposed not only by temptations from within but by misconstructers from without But they ought valiantly and resolutely engage against whatsoever
argue our blindness for he cannot be unreasonable in what he doth Vers 5. Seeing his days are determined the number of months are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass 6. Turn from him that he may rest till he shall accomplish as an hireling his day The third Argument enlarging the first is taken from the certainty of his death at the time appointed by God He shews that his life is bounded by God even how many days and months he shall live that he must die at the time appointed by God and cannot pass those bounds and limits which are set to him and that in the mean time his life was but short and troublesome like the time of an hireling Whence he argues That seeing death is the appointed punishment of sin which he had acknowledged to be in himself v. 4. Gen. 2.17 And seeing God had fixed the time of that at his pleasure and had made life short and troublesome he thinks that God needs not add a new sentâ—nce to the former and bring man into judgment of new And therefore he pleads that God would not abandon him by turning altogether from him but forbear to pursue him with such rigour and let him take some breathing and respite from these extraordinary afflictions till he accomplish his course in his ordinary toil and labour whereof he will be content to see an end whensoever God will as the word imports The substance of the grounds of this Argument being made use of Chap. 7.1 2 c. to prove another conclusion that he might lawfully desire death I shall here shortly Obs 1. Mans life and days are bounded so that Man must come to a period and must quit life whether it be sweet or sowr bitter or comfortable For so is here held out His days are determined he hath bounds that he cannot pass See Psal 49.10 Eccl. 2.16 Heb. 9.27 Obs 2. God is the infallible and irresistible bounder of mans life even to months and days For his days are determined the number of his months are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds c. See Act. 17.26 This Truth 1. Doth not contradict other Scriptures which speak of the lengthening and shortening of mens days 2 King 20.1 6. Eccl. 7.16 17. Psal 55.23 For these speak of shortening or lengthening the days of Man in respect of what otherwise they might be according to probability or considering the course of Nature and second Causes but speak nothing of Gods altering the periods of Man's life which are set by himself Nor 2. Doth this warrant men to neglect lawful means which God hath appointed in order to his end as Paul reasons Act. 27.22 23 24. with 31. But it teacheth us 1. To adore the Universal Providence of God which extends it self to all persons and things See Matth. 10.24 30. Our not observing of this in common things makes us so Atheistical in greater matters 2. It teacheth us to submit to his will in all those turns and lots that befal us and in the use of all means of life to submit to live long in trouble or short while in ease as he pleaseth 3. It teacheth his people to rest confidently on him who hath Times and Seasons in his hand both of particular persons Psal 31.15 and of Nations also Gen 15.13 14. Jer. 29.10 Obs 3. Mans life till he come to his appointed end is but like a hirelings day For so is held forth v. 6. that he must accomplish as an hireling his day Not only is his life short like a day wherein the hireling is conduced to work But 1. Man ought not to be his own nor at his own work but his Masters For so it is with the hireling And if Man will not voluntarily do duty and what is commanded him Yet he shall be made to serve Providence whether he will or not And his most irregular enterprises shall be made subservient to Gods holy purposes Psal 76.10 2. Man is but an indigent empty creature standing in need of continual uninterrupted supply from God As an hireling must have wages if not meat also from his Master to maintain him at his work 3. Man must resolve to have much toil in the service of his Generation For he is like a toiled servant or hireling And this is the lot even of greatest Undertakers and Conquerours in the world Hab. 2.12 13. 4. Man is a servant who must be accountable for his work that he may be rewarded accordingly as it is with hirelings All this may teach men not to stumble if they find their life to be such as is here described And since it is thus they who sell Heaven for a Portion in this life make but a poor bargain and will get but sober chear for it Obs 4. Job's plea and desire in this Argument v. 6. hath somethings in it very commendable and imitable As 1. Turn saith he that is take away thy hand and displeasure evidenced by these severe afflictions Which Teacheth That it is only God who giveth a being or putteth an end to afflâ—ctions As this desire supposeth Also That as God appears to the afflicted to be angry when trouble is on So this affects a godly man most and the removal of this is more to him then the taking away of the affliction For he desires the cross to be removed under that notion of Gods turning frâ—m him and ceasing to pursue him in anger 2. Turn saith he from him in the third Person with an eye to what he hath spoken of all mens life and toil v. 5. and to shew that he would be content of the common lot of hirelings of Adam's posterity It Teacheth That it is an evidence of a subdued spirit when men do not seek to be singular in their lots and allowances but are content patiently to bear the common lots that befal mankind 3. Turn saith he that he may rest or have a cessation righteous and the wicked Christ will be glorified and admired in them 2 Thes 1.10 all clouds and mistakes will be cleared and when he raiseth their bodies he will raise their good Name also Vers 13. O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave that thou wouldest keepe me secret until thy wrath be past that thou wouldest appoint me a set time and remember me 14. If a man die shall he live again All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change câ—mâ— 15. Thou shalt call and I will answere thee thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands The fourth Argument propounded in these verses and amplified and enlarged to the end of the Chapter is taken from the great perplexities and strange wishes to which his trouble drave him in so much that though he see somewhat of a black cloud in death in the foregoing verses yet here he would be content of something like it for a time The sum of the Argument whereof the Antecedent is expressed in
wind and prejudicial to himself so long as he would not grant that he was a wicked hypocrite and that God was pursuing him in anger as is clear from the following part of the Chapter Having premitted this caution for clearing the words I come to observe somewhat upon these verses And First This Reply considered in General may Teach 1. Controversies once started are not soon quieted and composed again For after all the three have assaulted him they again fall to it afresh Gods quarrel for which he sends Debates and Controversies is not soon seen nor laid to heart and the discovery thereof made use of as it ought Mens lusts interest and credit which do engage and being engaged entangle them in debates are not soon compesced and mortified and right use is not soon made of these debates nor are men fully tried and truth cleared by them and therefore it is no wonder they continue to be an exercise to men Hence times of contention and debate are very humbling times and will produce growing and if mercy prevent not endless toil 2. Their order in dealing with him is also remarkable For though they were in passion and it may be did sometime interrupt him yet they do not fall upon him all at once but one by one See 1 Cor. 14 31. This may condemn the confusions and disorders practiced by those who pretend to defend Truth For though these men be eager enough to defend what they account Truth yet they will do it in an orderly way 3. Mistakes of good men may be started and heightened in debate even by good men For he doth mistake Job here And here we are to consider these particulars 1. Good men who have a just cause may yet give too much occasion to others to mistake them when they are sharply tryed and exercised As Job said much that was not justifiable though Eliphaz and the rest drew wrong conclusions from it 2. Debates among sinful mortal men cannot but raise passions and breed alienations which are a false Perspective misrepresenting them and their cause one to another 3. Personal reflections resented will blind mens judgments that they cannot see things as they are As they cannot let pass his undervaluing of their knowledge Chap. 12.2 3. without a taunt retorted that his knowledge was but vain and wind Mens Credit and Reputation is a great Idol and apt to blind-fold them when it is touched upon 4. Ignorance and want of experience of the case of others may cause us construct hardly of their carriage As Eliphaz judged thus of Job because he considered not his distress which drave him to speak as he did See Chap. 16.4 5. It is dangerous when we look upon the distempers of others in tentation from thence to conclude concerning their state For Job's Friends judged him wicked because of his failings in trouble All these considerations may warn men to look well about them and to be a fraid and wary in judging of others in times of contention wherein mistakes are so apt to be predominant More particularly This challenge considered abstractly and without his misapplications to Job may Teach 1. Albeit passion and reflections be never lawful Yet when men are indeed wrong they who have a calling to it ought to be very full and free in reproving of them as Eliphas here was supposing Job to be wrong Real faults are but cherished by bâ—unt reproofs See Tit. 1.13 1 Sam. 2.22 23. with 3.13 2. The best way to get reproofs made effectual is to put the Conscience of the guilty person to it and study to have that on the reprovers side For so doth he here as those many questions posing the Conscience do teach There is much need that Conscience be put to it to do its office in debates For that alone will bind and silence men whereas otherwise their will and parts may stand it out long enough 3. There is a vanity in knowledge wherewith men oft-times are much taken up as Eliphaz here supposeth that there is vain knowledge or knowledge of wind Thus imaginations or reasonings are said to become vain Rom. 1.21 and some use of Philosophy is explained to be a vain deceit Col. 2.8 This vanity omitting many other tryals may be discovered if we press a little the metaphor of wind here made use of It is but vain knowledge which is unprofitable and doth not feed or edifie the man that hath it but is empty and notional like wind That is also vain knowledge which like wind makes a great noise but doth not produce any solid effect And which puffs up and swells the man that hath it as with wind making him unsober in mind or in expressions Such knowledge is but vain even albeit the subject matter which the man knoweth were good 1. Cor. 8.2 4. As vain knowledge is ill in any so especially it is unbeseeming a wise man or him that would be accounted wise For saith he Should a wise man utter vain knowledge and so of all the rest See Eccl. 10.1 A mans conceit of himself doth agreage his fault and folly and prove him to be nothing Gal. 6.3 5. Men notwithstanding all their wit are ready to run on unprofitable hurtful and pernicious courses in trouble For he supposeth that not only there is wind but the East wind in this knowledge breaking forth boysterously against God and them who were his Friends and tending to undo himself And albeit he did mistake Job yet the General Doctrine serveth for caution to all 6. A special mean to drive men on hurtful courses and ways in trouble is the suffering of violent passions to arise and harbour in their hearts For saith he he fills his belly with the East wind or pesters his affections with it and then it breaks forth 7. As much evil cometh by the tongue James 3. So in particular it is an evil when men do not propound this end in discourse that it may be profitable to themselves or others For he supposeth it a fault for a man to utter vain knowledge to reason with unprofitable talk or with speeches wherewith he can do no good Even idle speeches are censurable Math. 12.36 37. as being an evidence of the heart and disposition Math. 12.33 34. Psal 37.30 31. and multitude of words are also condemned Eccl. 5.3 Jam. 1.19 Prov. 10.19 Which teacheth us that care should be had to observe Scripture-cautions in our speeches Eph. 4.29 Col. 2.6 and elsewhere 8. In particular It is an addition to mens fault in trouble when to their vain knowledge and tentations and passions within they add the venting and uttering thereof to others As here he chargeth upon Job that having vain knowledge and the East-wind he did utter it and had such a conceit of it as to presume to reason and argue therewith Thus to speak and utter tentations addeth to the guilt of entertaining them Isai 40.27 Vers 4. Yea thou castest off fear and restrainest prayer
will glory in it over all misconstructions from men For saith he by way of admiration and gloriation Behold my witness is in Heaven c. 7. Such as do rightly value this approbation of God will be careful also to feed much upon the thoughts of it as a soul-refreshing subject to be much considered meditated upon and tenderly cherished that it be not over-clouded especially when they are misconstructed in the world For these causes doth he twice mention it in divers terms My witness is in Heaven and my record on high 8. Such as do seek to have this testimony of God will be careful to entertain high thoughts of God that thereby they may be excited to sincerity that so they may not be deluded in boasting of it Therefore doth he mention this witness as being in heaven and on high or in high places not only to express how sufficient a witness he is but to shew what thoughts he had of him when he endevoured to approve himself unto him 9. Gods approving of sincere Saints will not make them insolent before him nor diminish their reverent and high thoughts of him Therefore also when he claims to this testimony doth he look on his witness as in Heaven and on high Vers 20. My friends scorn me but mine eye poureth out tears unto God The Third Argument confirming the Assertion and the former Arguments also is taken from his practice and carriage under trouble That however and even while they were scorning him yet he was humbly mourning to God and continued in that practice notwithstanding that discouragement As for their scorn we need not restrict it to what is said Chap. 15.4 where he is challenged for casting off of Prayer though he was very tender in going about that duty Nor need we search their discourses to find any express and palpable way of mocking him But the thing he points at in this is That with much Oratory and fine Expressions as the word also signifieth they set themselves to undervalue him and decry his integrity and piety and all the defences whereof he made use to justifie himself and they were so far from using him tendeâ—ly that they grated upon his sores and reflected upon his piercing afflictions as badges of his wickedness all which he looks upon as an insolent and scornful deportment Doct. 1. Scorn is a very sad tryal especially when it is added to other afflictions For Job resents it as such Thus David often complains of it Psal 35.21.40.15 70.3 and God looks upon it as persecution Heb. 11.36 Gen. 21.9 with Gal. 4.29 2. Saints under affliction must not expect to get through without contempt and scorn That this may be as it were the sharp point to carry in the dart of afflictions to wound the spirit and so their tryals may be complete For Job was here essayed with it See Psal 123.4 3. Men may be guilty of scorning the afflicted who yet seem to be very serious And all those are guilty of it who by prejudices and misconstructions weaken the hands of afflicted godly men and do sleight their afflictions and under-value them and their Piety because of their afflictions let them conveigh it under never so specious pretences and in never so fine and eloquent terms For Job finds scorn in their deportment toward him 4. Albeit scorn and contempt be a sharp tryal to godly men in affliction come from whom it will Yet it heightens the tryal when it comes from friends and godly friends who should be tender and compassionate to friends in affliction For it added to his tryal that his Friends scorn him or were his scorners 5. As afflicted Saints ought to be well exercised before God that they may be approved of him So this will aggravate their guilt who scorn them whom God approves For Job in his affliction was pouring out tears to God and this heightens their fault that they scorned him who was thus exercised See Ps 69.10 11. 6. Scorn and discouragements should not deter Saints from Prayer but rather to excite them to go about it For so is here implied that not only they did scorn him who was praying but he prayed on notwithstanding their scorn To do otherwise gives Satan great advantage 7. Men ought to be very tender in Prayer especially when afflictions and injuries are let loose to drive them to it For in this case Job did not only pray but his eye poured out tears or dropped unto God And albeit tears which are external evidence of tenderness are not always at command yet tenderness it self would not be wanting Thus David was so to say only Prayer in trouble as it is in the Original Psal 109 4. 8. To continue in Prayer and tenderness notwithstanding trouble scorn and discouragements is a sure evidence of honesty and will prove a sweet Cordial though others do not notice it For it is a proof of Job's honesty that when his Friends scorn him his eye poureth out tears to God and he comforts himself in this against all their scorn 9. A sincere and tender man persevering to seek God under all disadvantages may yet be suspended from comfort and from getting an answer For though Job was thus exercised yet his tryal went on Which teacheth us not to judge of supplicants or their supplications by their present success Vers 21. O that one might plead for a man with God as a man pleadeth for his neighbour Followeth the Third Part of the Chapter wherein Job prosecuteth his former desire and wish that he might plead his cause with God in this verse And presseth it from the consideration of his present condition being as he thought near unto death v 22. And though this desire be another Argument confirming his Assertion v. 17 taken from his confident undertaking if he could to plead his integrity before God himself and therefore it is joyned with the former Arguments by the copulative and which is expressed in the Original Yet I have taken it up as a new purpose and part of his discourse because it is so largely insisted on and prosecuted in the following Chapter As for his desire in this verse There is a difficulty how to understand his way of expressing it that one might plead for a man with God This some understand not of his pleading for himself because of that which followeth as a man pleadeth for his neighbour where the word pleading which is not in the Original is repeated from the former part of the verse but of the pleading of some other for Gods approbation to him in this debate And indeed it is a special work of Charity to help a distressed man in his Prayers and Desires to God But this Interpretation agrees not with Job's practice elsewhere where he desires to plead his cause himself Others do understand it of Christ the Intercessour and do read the end of the former verse and this whole verse by way of confident Assertion from the
notwithstanding all the troubles and assaults he had endured Namely That not only himself should be confirmed but other Saints also comforted by such a determined experience of a godly man who had been afflicted and traduced and yet was found to be righteous and godly For he being thus afflicted and reproached by his Friends and yet maintaining his integrity and being approved of God in so doing as godly men would be astonished at his lot and exercise so they might also admire at the support of a good Conscience and they might from his experience learn not to be driven from the testimony of their integrity whatever hypocrites blaspheme against them or whatever be their real afflictions from the Lord but having seen him wade this foord so deep they might be encouraged to go on in their way and to gather strength against every difficulty they meet with in it This Argument should be the more narrowly pondered that by it it appears Job had at least at sometimes some transient sight given to him of the use God intended to be made of his tryal and exercise to the end of the world Namely that his experience should strengthen other godly men in the like exigents Jam. 5 11. And that I may a little dip into the sense and use of the words I shall in them Consider First Job's scope in this Discourse and the force of the Argument in it which is not only to reprehend his Friends ignorance to which he speaks v 10 who could see no other cause or end of his afflictions and exercise but only this that God was plagueing him for his wickedness and hypocrisie whereas all this that befel him was otherwise very useful to clear up a precious experience for the good of others But his scope further is upon this ground and consideration to plead that God would determine and clear this case concerning his being afflicted and his Friends mistakes that so others might come to reap this benefit from his experience which could not be till God cleared the matter Whence Learn 1. Very gloomy and bitter dispensations may be attended with sweet and refreshful Cordials For Job seeth much good to flow out of this affliction exercise and debate God hath meat to give when he will even out of an eater and can make the fruit and remembrance of affliction as sweet as the feeling thereof is bitter Heb. 12 11. And in the height of our troubles we should remember that we may yet reflect upon those our sad hours with refreshment 2. Not only may sweet fruits grow out of the bitter root of trouble but a right discerner in the throng of his affliction and of exercise about it may see its usefulness and it is his duty to study it For here Job doth not only feel his present case what it is but he seeth also what rich advantages are in it This would be more easily attained If 1. We were not peevish to refuse encouragements and dwell only upon the thoughts of our troubles but would make this also a part of our study to see what mercy is in them 2. If we would not trust in our own senses as if we of our selves were sufficiently able to discern what is our condition and what it will tend unto but would seek light from God in those things being suspitions of our selves 3. If we would not eye so much what our condition of it self promiseth as what God can and by his Promise hath undertaken to make out of it 4. If we were not selfish as if nothing were really useful but what is satisfactory to our sense or good to us in our apprehension though otherwise it honour God and tend to the good of others Of this afterward Only such a selfish disposition may misrepresent that unto us which is most really useful Doct. 3. How bitter soever dispensations be yet as the sight of Gods hand in them should allay our bitterness at them so it should calm our minds when we see our lot is in any way useful or bringeth forth any good fruit For Job is so taken up with the thoughts of the usefulness of this dispensation toward him that he desires to have that premoved by Gods appearing to clear the whole business Saints may lie under a tentation that their affliction is useless and to no good purpose nor will have any good issue Isa 26.18 But this is but a tentation and is sent to make them prize the usefulness of it the more when they find it They may also hinder and obstruct the use and fruit of their trouble by want of exercise under it Heb 12.11 And yet even in that case the continuance of their trouble is useful to break their stubbornness which declines affliction and makes them mind the satisfaction of their humour more then their profit In opposition to all those tentations we ought to believe that the godly are afflicted for their profit Heb. 12.10 And should make use of the faith of this as a Cordial under trouble Remembering that the fruit of trouble it self when it cometh will be sweet and satisfactory and in the mean time that it speaks mercy that God will take such pains on us and will convey his mercies even by such unexpected means and fraught his most bitter dispensations with such proofs of his love 4. Sincere Saints are so publick minded that if their afflictions and exercise prove useful to others they look upon it as a singular encouragement and refreshment to themselves For Job is here refreshed with looking to the fruit which the godly in all ages might reap by his exercise As the Lord is pleased oft-times so to order matters that some do sow and others enter upon their labours as Christ speaks of the Ministry of the Prophets and his Apostles Joh 4.37 38. so this ought to be well remembered in times of affliction wherein we should be content to sow in tears if so be others do reap the harvest in joy And it is a sad matter when trouble rendereth men selfish without any respect to the publike or the good of others 5. When sad dark cases are cleared by God in the experience of others it concerns such as come after to walk the more cheerfully and profitably under such dispensations and lots For so Job supposeth other godly men will improve his experience and Gods clearing of his case For when some have thus broken the ice and paved the way it becometh others not to shrink nor stumble Heb. 12.1 Secondly We have to consider who the persons are that will get this use of his exercise carriage and issue They are the godly who are described to be upright Innocent Righteous and men of clean hands Whence Observe 1. True Piety is a very comprehensive thing So much in general is implied in all those Names and Characters Piety comprehends so many duties toward God and Man and that in several relations capacities and conditions and doth engage
2 Tim. 4.2 For thus did Bildad fall short in charging Job with impatience Hence we may inferr 1. That when men are called to reprove others even for real faults they should not look upon it as an easie task to get them well charged home 2. That upon the other hand though men be able to avoid challenges as they are given them by men and upon their grounds yet they should try narrowly whether God may not have the fault it self to charge upon them upon another account And for this end every imputation just or unjust should be looked on as saying somewhat from God And it should be considered that God oft-times le ts men pitch upon false challenges or false grounds of accusation wherein we may hold up our face that we may the more seriously take with true challenges upon true grounds before him Herein Job was deficient who looked so much to the unjust grounds upon which his Friends charged him with passion that he forgot to take with the fault at all till God came and put him to it Obs 2. Though Bildad speak soundly in the General that Gods fixed way of Providence should not be altered to gratifie the humours of men yet he erred in the Application thinking that which he asserted that God afflicts only the wicked as he did Job to be the fixed course of Gods Providence unalterable as a Rock It is true Gods order is firm so as not to be altered at mens pleasure yet it is not true that this is Gods order It teacheth That Errour may be very powerful and effectual upon men and may cause them to look upon that as a very certain truth which is indeed a very gross mistake and errour Such as is Bildad's Opinion here Which warns men to try and examine their Opinions well even those wherein they think they have a firm perswasion Having thus cleared these mistakes if we look upon this purpose in general and in it self abstracting from his mis-applications and from his particular Opinion concerning Gods Providence it may afford us these sound Instructions 1. The ordinary result of sharp afflictions is passion and impatient fretting at our lot For Bildad supposeth that anger was Job's frame whereof too many are guilty under afflictions as he was also in part Pride want of submission and unwillingness to be afflicted fulness of lusts carnal discouragements and even weakness in Saints and the irritations they meet with are apt to breed much passion instead of other exercise and to break the spirit when it should stoop and bow Thus was it with Jonah Jon. 4.1 9. and thus is it especially with the wicked as is foretold Rev. 16.9 and implyed Rom. 9.20 and therefore we would especially guard against this distemper in trouble for it is an exercise easily attained whereas right exercise under the Cross is not attained without difficulty and wrestling 2. Passion and Impatience is an evil very hard to deal withal and they who would oppose and cure it in others will hardly know to what hand to turn them or where to begin For in this challenge Bildad begins with complaining of Job to his Friends Ho teareth c. and then turneth to complain of this fault to himself Shall the Earth be forsaken for thee as hardly knowing what course to take or how to get in upon him See Chap. 4.2 It is true Bildad mistook Job in part yet this is a certain Truth That men in passion should consider that they are under a distemper and therefore when any thing spoken to them pleaseth them not they should consider that the cause of it may be their own distempered taste They likewise who have such to deal with would remember that it is a task too hard for them till they put themselves in Gods hand 3. When men look aright upon their lots and conditions they will find that the sting and bitterness of their crosses lieth in their own impatience which distempereth their souls and spirits For saith he He teareth himself or his soul in his anger Many things we fret at in our impatient fits and distempers which are not real afflictions but how ill soever we relish them real mercies tending to our own and others good and which it would be in so far a misery to want Thus Jonah is angry at his own lot and Gods dealing with Niniveh when yet it wa◠〈◊〉 singular mercy that so many souls were perserved from the stroke of justice and his mercy that he was imployed as an Instrument in that Preservation Further Such things as are real afflictions and sad would be most easie if Pride Impatience and Murmuring were laid aside and Humility stooping and meekness studied as Psal 39.9 Withal Whatever use or fruit the Lord call for or intend in our affliction impatience hinders it all like a boisterous wind that brings no rain and so we prolong our own tryal A man that is impatient possesseth not his own soul Luke 21.19 and so cannot rationally improve his tryal Yea thereby he makes shipwrack of more then trouble could deprive him of If this were well studied we would find that Patience and Submission is a compendious way to get ease and a remedy of all that ails us And for attaining thereof the following Instructions concerning the Providence of God will afford some help and direction 4. God hath a Providence in the Earth As here is implied That he forsakes not the Earth See Acts 17.28 Men should still remember and fix their eye upon this Providence in all things which may keep them from barking at God in their impatience as indeed impatience reflects upon God whatever we pretend in it Exod. 16.2 3 7 8. Isa 45 9. And being at peace with him may secure us of all Providential Dispensations be what they will that they shall do us no hurt 5. The Providence of God is Universal on the Earth See Matth. 10.29 30. and 6.26 28 29. and constant and perpetual The Earth is not forsaken as Atheists reckon Ezek 9.9 This teacheth us to see God in every thing and not in things which please us only and to acknowledge his mercy who though he be provoked ceaseth not to uphold and govern the Earth yea and to bring about that which may be for the good of his people And if he have an hand in all things we are bound to believe that the most cross dispensations do very well beseem his Goodness Holiness Justice Wisdom c. seeing he doth nothing but what is like himself and that when he hath tryed purged and humbled his people he can bring about good out of the bitterest of them even meat out of the eater Such Principles as those being fixed and seriously studied may prevent many mistakes and fears 6. The Dominion and Providence of God is ordered and fixed at his own pleasure and not to be altered at the pleasure humours and arbitrement of ment of men whose passions are very inconstant and
God lead them to prove comfortable For Job's Friends intended no such thing and yet they vexed his soul and brake him in peices From v. 3. Learn 1. It is not sufficient that men accuse and challenge others hard unless they be able to instruct and prove their challenges Therefore doth Job here instruct what these words were which brake him Ye have reproached me 2. Men ought to look upon their way with others not only as it is in it self or as themselves may judge of it but as those may feel and apprehend it to be who are already broken with trouble For in this respect it was ten times to Job that they had reproached him though possibly it was not so much in it self 3. Reproach is one of mens carriages whereby the afflicted are apt to be crushed and broken For he instanceth the former Challenge in the matter of reproach Ye have reproached me See Psal 69.20 4. It is mens duty not to be strange to Friends or to harden themselves against them and especially against godly Friends in trouble and it is a shame when they do so Therefore he chargeth it upon them as a fault they might be ashamed of that they make themselves strange to him or harden themselves against him never considering his trouble and grief when they spake so sharply to him See Psal 38.11 2 Tim. 1.16 5. It is a great fault and aggravation of sin in men not to be ashamed when they do evil as here he chargeth it upon them you are not ashamed c. See Phil. 3.19 Jer. 6.15 8.12 11.15 Vers 4. And be it indeed that I have erred mine errour remaineth with my self Follow the Arguments pressing and bearing in this Challenge upon them The first whereof in this verse is diversly interpreted and taken up Some conceive Job's meaning to be this That if he had erred in judgment or practice himself and not they should have the worst of it and smart for it and therefore they might let him alone to take his own hazard Or it was a secret Errour betwixt God and him for his practice and way in the view of the world had been blameless and therefore not to be cast up by them As it were nothing strange to admit of such an escape as this in Job when he is in the heat of dispute and passion so such reasoning could not be justified For grant those Errours should not break forth to infect others yet his godly Friends in such a case were bound to be more tender of him then to suffer even himself alone to continue in an Errour But I take the force of the Argument to lie rather in this That supposing he had erred in the point controverted yet it would lodge as the word is and remain with him for ever for any thing they had done to convince him of it And so the meaning of the words is They were far in the wrong and very cruel in that they railed upon him as unsound in judgment and practice when yet they had taken no pains solidly to convince him of any Errour Neither could he be edified by such a procedure nor would it make him quit an Errour if he were overtaken with any This Interpretation agreeth with what Job had said Chap. 6.25 and what Elihu afterward censureth in those three Friends Chap. 32 3. It Teacheth 1. It is possible the soundest of men considered in themselves may be overtaken in an Errour For though Job grant not that he erred in this Debate yet the Supposition Be it indeed that I have erred importeth the case be possible 2. Among other causes Ignorance is a great help to Errour For the word signifieth a failing through Ignorance as it is Numb 15.28 Not only is there an Ignorance of Truth in every Errour but many are led into Errour through their weakness simplicity and ignorance 3. Railing and calumniating will never prevail with rational and conscientious men to cause them change their Opinions But as honest men will not therefore quit Truth because others rail at it and call it Errour So oft-times Errours are the more rooted in men because they are ill refuted For in such a case Job saith My Errour remaineth with my self or shall lodge with me Vers 5. If indeed ye will magnifie your selves against me and plead against my reproach 6. Know now that God hath overthrown me and hath compassed me with his net Followeth to v. 23. the second Argument pressing this Challenge The sum whereof is that they were cruel and inhumane to deal so sharply with him whom God had afflicted so sadly It may be branched out in those three 1. He propounds in General that if they would insult over him and take advantage of his afflicted condition they had indeed ground enough to go upon v. 5 6. 2. To instruct this more particularly and to ease himself by complaining he takes occasion to enumerate his miseries wherein he gives eight proofs or instances of his afflicted and miserable condition v. 6. 20. 3. Upon all this he inferrs that they were in the wrong who dealt as they did with a man in his condition v. 21 22. In the General Proposition If indeed ye will magnifie your selves know now that God hath c. in a sharp but oblique way of reprehension he tells them that if they would insult over him and still make use of his afflicted condition to cry him down they had advantage enough of that kind against him though as the way of propounding imports and he tells them expresly afterward it was but a poor trade they drave Whence Learn 1. Some men and even good men when they are in an Errour and under Tentation are so stiffe that there is no reclaiming of them at least for a time from their evil course For Job supposeth that they will indeed go on notwithstanding all he had said to reclaim them 2. It is hard for men who are exâ—mpted when others are afflicted not to be puffed up and tempted to undervalue those who are afflicted For they magnifie themselves against him 3. The reproach of affliction is a great seeming advantage in debate to bear down those who are under it For they pleaded against him his reproach and that God had sadly afflicted him to bear down all his defences in behalf of his own integrity 4. God may give much seeming advantage of this kind even against a godly man not only to try his faith and patience and submission toward God but to add to his tryal from men who make use of the crosses of the godly that they may reproach them and their integrity For so doth Job acknowledge that if they will plead that then they may know that God hath overthrown him c. 5. It is but poor gallantry to run down afflicted men For Job intends this concession as a sharp reprehension as is after cleared It is great folly not to consider that the afflicteds condition may
record A desire which is repeated much to the same purpose Chap. 31.35 c. and which sheweth how confident he is of being in the right in that he cared not into whose hands this debate came or who cognosced upon it For further clearing of this purpose a few things would be considered And 1. For the matter which he would have written my words some restrict it to the following confession of his faith v. 25 26 27. Others extend it to the whole discourses in this cause and Chap. 31.35 he extends his desire further wishing that what they opposed to him were written also It is most safe and clear to understand it here of all that he had said in these debates and particularly in defence of his integrity Consider 2. His scope in this desire to have his words written It needs not to be extended nor yet restricted only to that time of the Resurrection v. 25 26 27. as if his meaning were that he would have his defences kept on record till that time to be discussed there For there will be no need of such Books for clearing of processes in that day But his scope is this Being confident that he was in the right and that he would carry his cause in that day of the Resurrection and General Judgment and therefore he subjoyns his assurance of that joyning it to this desire by the causal particle for v. 25. to point out the grounds he goeth upon in this desire He desires that his defences may be recorded that all Ages present and to come might know and judge of them as being sure that however his Friends were not moved with what he spake yet he should carry his cause and all impartial Judges would take his part Consider 3. As for the way of recording his words which he so passionately desires there is a gradation in it 1. He would have them written 2. Not only so but he would have them printed in a Book Not after the way in use among us which was not then known nor long after But as the Original word imports he would have them recorded as publick Statutes use to be that is engraven in fair and legible Characters that all might easily read them and the writing not be obliterated and that they may be kept safe as Statutes use to be secured and that not in loose Schedules but in a Volume Book or Register 3. Because Books may be eaten by moths or worms and so what is written in them may be lost Therefore he desires that his words may be graven upon a Rock to be kept for ever as publike monuments are and that with an iron pen of which Jer. 17.1 whereby the letters were cut in the Rock and with lead which was poured into the letters thus cut in the Rock to make them more legible By all which he evidenceth his desire to have his Doctrine perpetuated that it might bear witness that he was an honest man though afflicted by God and traduced by his Friends Consider 4. As for the validity of this way of proving his integrity by such a desire Albeit Job had his weaknesses and passions in his debates which upon better advisement he would wish deleted or that they had never been And albeit this his desire to have what he had said perpetuated do not necessarily or of it self prove his integrity For men may stiffely enough cleave to Errours yet if we restrict his desire to his defences in the main cause wherein he was sound and will consider that his desire is grounded upon his confidence after-mentioned v. 25 c. and that it is uttered by him when to his his own apprehension he is ready to die we may safely conclude that his confident desire in such a case speaks much for his honesty From the verses thus cleared Learn 1. Saints may be strangely frustrated in their desires for satisfaction and case under trouble As Job here desiring pity from his Friends v. 21. doth not obtain it but must row to some other shore and seek some other way of case Till a tryal be perfected whatever we look to for ease may not only disappoint us but augment our grief Which teacheth the afflicted to be sober in their expectations to look for disappointments when they essay lawful means of case and to fix upon God who only can command refreshment and case though even in so doing we may also meet with an humbling tryal Psal 77.3 2. It is the very sad and humbling lot of Saints under trouble that they are under a cloud of mistakes and prejudices from others so that to be cleared of those were much to them yea or to have hope of being cleared afterward For this is Job's tryal that under his afflictions he is mistaken by those who are present with him and that it would be a great comfort to him if there were a probability that he should be cleared afterward When-ever Saints come to be in affliction they may expect many tentations will be fastened upon their lot and in particular that they will be mistaken by men and it may be by their dearest friends and have their integrity and approbation with God under and because of thir afflictions questioned This as it is a sad tryal shaking the very foundations upon which they must stand in a storm and great cruelty in men to pluck this from them as Job insinuates Chap. 6.29 So when it is the lot of any Saint it should make them sober and to be content with little were it but to have hope to be cleared even when they are dead which Job longs after here 3. However the integrity of Sains be questioned under tryal yet it is their duty not to quit it For Job here doth still cleave to it and when for the present he could not get it cleared he doth propound other ways of being vindicated afterward See also Chap. 27.3 6. And though in this his passion and excesses are not to be justified for which he is checked Chap. 34.6 Yet it is certain that tentations and assaults with the continuance thereof are let loose upon Saints under trouble of purpose to try if they cleave to God and the testimony of a good Conscience and therefore they discover their weakness and their dross in the furnace if they quit it Yea having the command of God to maintain their integrity they sin if they do otherwise 1. This may teach Saints their duty both in debates from without and conflâ—cts from within 4. Such as have a good Conscience and Truth on their side need not seek to corners for shelter For Job cares not who in all ages cognosce upon his cause and way Yea he would have it recorded for that end Truth is a strong Second which will support and vindicate its maintainers And men should study so to walk and act as if not only all the present Generation throughout the world saw them but all their actings and discourses were
eternal confusion For saith he I shall see him for my self or for my behoof 4. Believers shall see God in the same individual bodies they have here For mine eyes shall behold him and not another or a stranger The qualities of the body will then be different and glorious above what now they are 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. yet the substance will be the same And as the dayly decays and reparation of our bodies in this life do not make them cease to be the same bodies which we bring into the world with us So neither will the changes they undergo by death make them other bodies when they are raised again 5. Faith must look over many impediments to believe this wonderful restauration and take Gods Word for all For so doth he look over the consuming of his reins within him 6. Under present wasting of our bodies and the future consumption thereof by death and in the grave Saints should comfort themselves in the hope of a blessed Resurrection and that Christ will gather their dust again and raise it up in glory For so Job triumphs both over his present decay and over death when it shall come and consume his reins within him See 2 Cor. 5.1 Vers 28. But ye should say Why persecute we him seeing the root of the matter is found in me In this verse is contained the Conclusion of Job's Third Argument the same in substance with that Conclusion v. 22. that considering what he hath said for himself they should not thus persecute him Only further 1. He subjoyns a sum of what he hath argued concerning his integrity as a ground of the challenge That the root of the matter is found in him or he was solidly rooted in true grace and notwithstanding any frailties he had the substance of Religion and the Word also as the word rendered matter signifies also the Word whereby it was begotten and cherished were fixed and rooted in his heart And he was not an hypocrite who had only some external shews And therefore they should not thus persecute and reproach him and add to his sorrows 2 He amplifieth the challenge That not only they should not persecute him but should condemn such a practice themselves and so either prevent it or not need his reproof if they did it For it was a fault to be so cruel and a double fault that they did not censure themselves most severely for it Doct. 1. Religion and Piety is the great matter and concernment of men about which they should be busied above all things Therefore here it is called the matter or thing by way of excellency See Mark 8.36 Luke 10.41 42. 2. It is not enough men have fair flowers of Profession unless Religion be well rooted in their hearts For Job claims to a root of the matter in opposition to shews only That men may attain to this they should be careful that the Word take deep root in their hearts and so it may be rendered the root of the Word or a root fixed in them by the Word Psal 119.11 And that by this Word faith closing with a Mediatour be wrought in them for that was Job's root here v. 25 26 27. See Col. 2.6 7. and that they be sincere having the heart stored with solid and sound Principles not as the temporaries who want a root Matth. 13 20 21. 3. It is not enough that men pretend they are thus rooted in Piety unless it be really so and unless it be able to abide a tryal For this root of the matter must be sound after the most serious search See 2 Cor. 10.18 4. Where this root of Piety is it will remain and afford a testimony even where there are many failings For Job asserts and comforts himself in this root of the matter even when he confesseth he was not sinless yea and had more failings than he descerned See 1 John 3.9 This truth ought not to be abused to foster presumption or to embolden decliners while they are turning away and not returning yet it may comfort Saints who are humbled with their dayly failings that such weaknesses do not alter the state of their persons and it may encourage backsliders in their returning that a seed in them through Gods blessing may soon revive again 5. It is great cruelty and injustice to persecute an afflicted man who is solidly pious and rooted as to the state of his person and right in his cause For he argues that they should not persecute him who had the root of the matter in him Here Consider 1. It is dangerous to be found in opposition to what is right or to a good man in his right cause Whatever mens interest may seem to plead which ordinarily is more minded then what is right or wrong yet they should be able to do nothing against Truth 2 Cor. 13.8 For God is a party against the opposers of Truth and Truth and its Friends will be found too hard for any Creatures 2. As it is a sin and unbeseeming Saints to be cruel to any seeing the sense of mercy to themselves should make them merciful to others Matth. 18.23 35. Tit. 3.2 3 4. So in Particular It is an heinous sin not only to be against godly men in what is right but even to be violent and bitter and persecute them And readily this followeth upon the former any opposition to Truth tends to persecuting of it if there be a tentation 3. That favourers of Truth are afflicted by God is the great disadvantage of those who oppose and persecute them For if we joyn the former Argument with this we will find that their fault was so much the greater that they persecuted a righteous man who was already afflicted Doct. 6. Albeit men ought not to spare any sin yet they may be cruel in persecuting men for real faults so long as the root of the matter is found in them For so much may be here gathered that though Job had failings yet since the root of the matter is found in him they should not thus persecute him This should not he abused to excuse men who it may be have this root in them when either they maintain a wrong cause or turn loose in their conversation yea no good that is in any should excuse any of their faults Yet when men are righteous both as to the state of their person and their cause as Job was his cause relating to the state or his person and they fail in the way and manner of maintaining their cause it must be great cruelty violently to persecute them especially when they are under the hand of God And though their miscarriages he real sins yet they should not be charged upon the state of their person as altering it and they should be meekly dealt with as Brethren in reproving them 2 Thess 3.14 15. 7. It is a sin and shame for men not only to fail in their duty but that they should need admonition to set about
had been so largely enumerated in the former Chapter Nor doth he regard Job's ample confession of his faith Chap. 19.25 c. Nor the intimation of the hazard of wrath which he had made unto them Chap. 19.29 But the more Job spake of those things he falls the more fiercely upon him Whence Learn 1. It is not easie to change learned and witty mens Opinions when once they are engaged in dispute For Job's Friends have still somewhat to say and answer And therefore God should be much imployed in such cases who ends this Controversie by his Word Chap. 42. and without whose presence and operation disputes will not put a close to Controversies 2. Afflicted Saints ought not to build upon most rational and likely means for ending of their tryals till God come and interpose For albeit Job had said so much for himself as might make men in reason think it were a thousand pities to use him harshly any longer yet all this is but Oyl cast into the flame with his Opponents who deal the more harshly that he pleads pitifully and yet confidently under his pitiful case And herein 1. Men ought to look to God who hath the inflicting continuance and ending of tryals in his hand and will permit none to sacrifice to their ownner in this business But in the use of all means will have them submit intirely to his will and will have them see that he may justly continue that tryal which they can shew just reasons why men that are his Instruments should not continue it 2. Men ought also to look on this as a great part of their tryal if they will continue to hold fast by their Grounds and Principles after they have asserted them and yet God permits men to continue unjustly in opposition to them For every new Reply of Job after these unjust assaults of his Friends is a further tryal and proof his constancy and integrity and a mirrour wherein his patience and faith do shine for the Edification of others in all ages 3. Men should look what God may have to say in the unjust continuance of their tryals from men For in all this long debate though Job had the better cause and the better of them in the dispute yet he failed much toward God And therefore an exercise of one kind or other never left him till he took with these and was humbled for them 4. Men should also read in this instance how far passion kindled through the heat of contention especially when joyned with ill Principles may mislead them For Zophar's unsound Principles and his Passion did necessarily ingage him to condemn Job let him say for himself what he would Which should warn men to take good heed to their Principles what they are and to the frame of their spirits Observe 2. In the next place we are to consider the manner and way of his going about to answer My thoughts saith he cause me to answer or cause me to return and bring me back into the lists again and make me interrupt my resolved silence and I make haste or my haste it in me The word here rendered thoughts doth properly signifie the branch of a Tree and is figuratively applyed to signifie the clefts of Rocks and mens cogitations or thoughts And so it may import high unsettled and turbulent thoughts like branches tossed with the wind as accordingly we find it made use of to signifie unsettled Opinions 1 Kings 18.21 thoughts and fancies in a mans sleep Job 4.13 and ill and vain thoughts Psal 119.113 But It is not to be conceived that Zophar makes use of this word to express any bad opinion of his own thoughts conceptions but only that they were his thoughts issuing from his heart as branches from a tree This is certain that by those words he intimates that his thoughts were burning within him he was in so great haste to get a vent to his conceptions that he had no patience to hear Job any longer And albeit his design in all this haste and perturbation of mind was to vindicate the Righteousness and Justice of God and to reclaim Job whom he supposed to have miscarried grossly in this matter yet the sequel cleareth that he was wrong in this which he is so hasty to see about It teacheth 1. Mens spirits when they suffer themselves to be over-driven with haste and perturbation do readily miscarry For Zophar in this his haste is found to be in an Errour Thus David's expressions in his haste prove to be unsound and such as he finds cause to retract them in cold blood And ordinarily mens haste and passion which is but a short madness furnisheth them with matter enough of sorrow and repentance when they seriously reflect upon it And therefore in all actings mens first and chief care would be ever their own spirits which are their chief opposites in doing duty and particularly in managing Controversies as they ought 2. Men even when their designs and intentions are good may yet miscarry in the prosecution of them through haste and passion For Zophar had a good design in this his hastie undertaking to reclaim a man whom he judged to be in an Errour and yet his haste made him to miss his mark so that he was not able to discern what was right or wrong in Job nor to hit upon his real miscarriages in this Controversie Even a good Cause may be marred by mens managing of it with passion and haste and therefore much less are men to make use of a pretence of zeal or good intentions to break out in passion for who so give way to that distemper of spirit cannot readily but go wrong Observe 3. As for the General account of his Reasons moving him to answer and to make haste in it Therefore my thoughts cause me to answer and for this I make haste Though this therefore and for this may be looked on only as a General which is particularly expressed and instanced in the next verse Yet if we consider more narrowly there may be more found in it For in the former Chapter Job had closed his discourse with a threatning of Judgments against them because of their miscarriages towards him And Zophar begins and possibly interrupts Job with this Therefore I answer and for this I make haste as if he had said The fear of that same wrath wherewith thou threatenest us for speaking as we do causeth me speak yet more to the same purpose lest by my silence and suffering thee to go in in thy course I should indeed draw on that wrath upon me It teacheth 1. Men should be well advised and maturely ponder the grounds upon which they speak and particularly upon which they either engage or persist in a debate they should first think well and then speak For so much doth his pretending to this ground and reason of speaking teach in general though he â—â—red in the particular Therefore do I answer c. 2.
jovialâ—y They die in a moment peaceably and without any bands in their death v. 13. This whole Discourse tending to one purpose I need not insist upon every word of it but shall reduce the whole to these Heads First This question Wherefore do the wicked live c being considered abstractly from the scope and as spoken to God might import Job's stumbling at this dispensation and his desire of solution about the causes of it as Jer. 12.1 Hab. 1.13 And the Answer to such a Question might be That God suffers them thus to prosper not because he loves them or minds their good in it or cannot reach them but because he would witness his long-suffering Rom. 2.4 would try the faith and patience and other graces of his Children would teach them to imitate him who is good to his very Enemies Mat. 5.44 45. and would suffer the wicked to discover themselves more and more and run upon snares c. But Job doth not here stumble at this lot v. 16. and he propounds the case not to God but only to his Friends to refute their Opinions As if he had said If that be true which ye assert concerning the ruine of wicked men How cometh it to pass that dayly experience lets us see so many wicked men prospering This being Job's scope in the Question it teacheth 1. Men once engaged in an Errour may be so blind and so be misled with prejudices and mistakes that they will not see clearest Refutations of it as they could not remark constant at least frequent Experiences witnessing against them Some men being once engaged think themselves so interessed as they will not see what may reclaim them and there are so many delusions and strong delusion and some are so given over to them that it is no wonder they cannot see the Truth 2. The more obvious and clear that light be against which men sin by their Errours their sin is the greater and the more inexcusable As when men sin not only against Divine Revelation in things which are above the reach of Reason or against sound Principles of Reason in things that may be proved thereby but even against sense and experience whereof Job makes use here to refute and aggravate the Errour of his Friends Thus men are said to become unreasonable or absurd 2 Thess 3.2 and natural brute Beasts 2 Pet. 2.12 And men are given up to such dispositions not only for the tryal and exercise of the Lovers of Truth who oppose them and cannot get them convinced by any means or arguments and to excite us to pity Adam's faln Posterity when left to themselves and to cause all men read their own dispositions and inclinations by nature in their way But that this may be a warning unto and if they persist a punishment of these who see not the evil of more refined and polished Errours Secondly The gale of the wickeds prosperity in their Persons Children Family and Wealth within and without doors v. 7 8 9 10. may teach this Truth That the doctrine of Zophar and his Companions is not true of all the wicked But many of them have a constant and full portion of prosperity A Truth which the Lord in this Book doth inculcate for guarding of the hearts of the godly who because they need rods to mortifie their corruptions and have many Enemies are exercised with another lot And it is a Truth which may hold out these Instructions 1. Prosperity is not of so much worth and excellency as many think nor is it the conduit whereby God conveys and communicates his special love to all to whom he gives it For if it were so it would not be dispensed as it is And it is because the godly think so much of it that they want it so much And God is more gracious to them than to it give to them when they are in such a frame as makes them ready to abuse it 2. Though dispensations both of prosperity and adversity be not dumb and say nothing nor should be useless Yet they alone and of themselves say nothing to clear the state of a mans soul before God nor can a man judge thereof by any such lot The highest gale of Prosperity here mentioned may consist with Gods hatred and all Job's Adversity may consist with love 3. The godly should not envy the wickeds prosperity as the Psalmist did Psal 73 3 c. but should rather pity them seeing they will get no more Nor should they quarrel much with the wicked about these things which are their only portion and not theirs 4. The godly should not be stumbled at adversity nor cast down with the want of prosperity If there were no more to be considered but the will of God who ordereth all these things it were enough But much more ought they to be satisfied when they consider That their portion is secured whatever befal them in the world That they are only separated a little sooner from the contentments of time for they will part with them at last as the wicked must also do That whatever their lot be they are supported and provided for and have food and rayment though possibly not to their carnal hearts desire That in their adversity they are called to bring up a good report of the riches of the grace and favour of God wherein all their wants are made up and not to mourn over these Idols whereof they are deprived but to let see that they can be crucified to the world as well as it is crucified to them That they are but fitted to move toward their Countrey being delivered from many impediments of a prosperous condition which clogged them And in a word That there is a blessedness even in adversity to them Psal 44.11 We will never attain the right use of our present lot nor are we fitted for any issue from adversity till we come to under value prosperity and to rejoyce in the love of Christ in the want of other things Rom. 8.35 39. And till we be more mindful and careful of the blessing of our sad conditions than of an issue of them For without this if we were delivered we would but run mad in seeking to satisfie our unsubdued and long starved lusts 5. When the godly look upon all these particulars of the wickeds prosperity in their persons children family wealth c. they may also on the contrary see how many doors God hath whereby to let in trouble upon them by afflicting them in any of these Whence may be gathered partly how frail man is and how God hath him at an advantage to make him miserable if he please by many means Falling upon him either in his Person or his Children or within or without doors Partly How many things the wicked need to patch up some shew of happiness to themselves seeing they will not delight in God Partly That the godly ought to remember what tryals in all or any of these enjoyments
with a sight of somewhat that is humbling and when it is so we ought not to look upon any such discovery as an impleading of our sincerity Verse 6. My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live In this Verse Job goeth on to give an account of this his resolution in two other expression One is that he will not let go his righteousness or his claim that he is an honest man oppose it who will The other is that so long as he liveth his heart shall never reproach him either that he is an hypocrite or that now he hath quit his claim of being an upright man by reason of their importunities or other tentations that assaulted him In both these expressions he speaks that which was right and his duty though he miscarry in the way of it as Elihu tells him From the first expression Learn 1. A mans righteousness is no small prize though sometime it be ill managed which if a godly man quit he loseth all his labour and comfort and cuts off all his hopes for the time to come seeing he can attain to no other righteousness than such as he had before Therefore Job stands so firmly to the defence of his righteousness though with too much pride and passion See Chap. 6.29 2. A mans righteousness and integrity may meet with much opposition for his tryal For here Job hath it to hold fast in opposition to many assaults and endeavours to pluck it from him And this sheweth that it is no sufficient cause why we should suspect or cast away any good in our selves because it is quarrelled For if any thing ought to be suspected it is rather that which Satan quarrels not 3. It is acceptable service in truly godly men not to quit their righteousness or the testimony of their consciences that they are righteous whosoever or whatsoever oppose it and let them be never so much reproached for their so doing For Job is peremptory say of him what they will my righteousness I hold fast Thus Jacob wrestled even with God and the Woman of Canaan with Christ and yet he came off an Israel or Prince with God and she with high commendations O woman great is thy faith 4. In maintaining of our righteousness we ought to have an especial eye upon our selves and our discouragements which being once given way unto will make way for other enemies to give us the foil Therefore he adds I will not let it go or become remiss as the word is and let my hands fall down as befell Moses hands Exod. 17.11 From the second expression Learn 1. The heart hath a reproaching and condemning power as being a register witness and Judge against a man when he goeth wrong For so Job supposeth here that in some cases the heart will reproach See Job 3 20. Rom. 2.15 2. The most tender walkers are most obnoxious to these heart-smitings when they goe wrong whereas others are not moved except when they commit some gross evils As here Job implyeth that he a godly man might readily be reproached by his own heart if he went wrong 3. Godly men are afraid of the checks and upbraidingâ— of their own consciences and therefore labour to prevent the causes and occasions thereof For Job is careful so to walk as his heart may not reproâ—ch him 4. Where sincerity is not the heart may justly reproach and condemn men let them profess what they will and so much the more as they have pretended to sincerity when they had it not For so Job supposeth that if he should renounce his integrity and grant he had been an hypocrite his heart might reproach him See 2 Cor. 1.12 Is 38.3 5. It is just cause of a conscience-reproach if men contradict the testimony of their consciences and belye their own integrity For Job also implyes that his heart might reproach him as a lyar if to gratifie them he disavowed his own integrity whereof he was assured in his conscience 6. Men should choose to let any other creature be their enemy rather than their own consciences For here Job resolves to endure all their ill usage rather than give occasion to his own heart to reproach him for letting goe his righteousness It cost that Prophet dear when he quit the light of his own conscience which he had from God to follow the pretended light of another 1 King 13. As Judas found no relief among his new friends when his conscience wakened upon him Matth. 27.3 4 5. 7. Men who have the testimony of a good conscience in their way have enough and that which may satisfie them For here Job will endure whatsoever may befall him so long as his heart doth not reproach him See 1 Job 3.21 A good conscience is sweet company and they undervalue their own mercy who are not satisfied with the testimony thereof if they be not countenanced in the World also Verse 7. Let mine enemy be as the wicked and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous Followeth to v. 11. the second part of the Chapter Wherein by some Arguments he proveth that he was not a wicked man nor an hypocrite As for this Verse whatever may be said of his reflecting upon his Friends in what he speaks here not by way of Imprecation as wishing that their lot may be the same with that of the wicked and unrighteous but by way of intimation that they dealt like wicked men in their opposing of him and so exciting them to consider how wicked and unrighteous a way they walked in toward him And so it would teach 1. That good men such as they were may do wicked and unrighteous acts 2. Particularly That they may condemn the righteous oppress an honest mind and oppose a righteous cause as they did to him all which are wicked acts 3. That it is no breach of charity to speak home even to godly men and to tell them of it when they do wickedly as he doth here See Gal. 2.11 Yet it is much clearer to understand this Verse as containing an Argument proving that he was not wicked as they judged For however when he spake much of the prosperity of the wicked they might be ready to think that he favoured their cause Yet here he tells that he hated the course of the wicked so ill that were he to wish evil to his greatest enemies he could wish them no worse than the state and lot of the wicked be what it will Which is a strong Argument that himself was none of them seeing he abominated their condition at its best See Chap. 21.16 Psal 141.4 2 Sam. 18.32 1 Sam. 25.26 Dan. 4.19 Where we have the like form of speech tending much to the same scope Doct. 1. To be unrighteous by the want of imputed righteousness and by unrighteous dealing is a wicked estate For here the one explains the other He is wicked who is unrighteous 2.
prevent them or repent of them will not only meet them in their greatest straits and take them at a disadvantage but may provoke God to arise and visit them with judgements Therefore Job mentions Gods rising up and visiting in case he had failed in this and puts a perplexing question What he shall do or answer if God do rise up To intimate not only that such a miscarriage might sadly trouble him when God riseth up to visit Jam. 2.13 but that it might justly provoke God to arise and plague him Ps 12.5 4. It is also seriously to be studied that however some men be set on high above others yet God is infinitely more high above them and able to reach them For so much doth the scope of Gods argument import that though he needed not regard what his servants could do to him though he wronged them being so eminent above them Yet he durst not grapple with God above him when he should arise to plead their cause See Eccl. 5.8 No eminency of men should make them forget the super-eminency of God or cause them say Who is the Lord Exod. 5.2 But they should abase themselves daily before him lest he make them know upon their own expences that these that walk in pride he is able to abase Dan. 4.37 5. Such as do rightly study the super-eminent Majesty of God will tremble to do wrong to the meanest as considering that all sinners and particularly Oppressours will be at their wits end when he calls them to an account For this perswaded Job not to despise the cause of his man-servant c. v. 13. For if it had been otherwise What then saith he shall I do when God riseth up And When he visiteth what shall I answer him See Is 10.1 2 3. Eph. 6.9 Col. 4.1 From v. 15. Learn 1. God is the curious framer of man in the womb as well as he created man at first For saith Job He made me in the womb This doth demonstrate the perfection of God this little World Man pointing out what a God he is who made him as well as the greater World is full of his glory Ps 139.13 14 15 16. is a ground upon which we may claim an interest in him when other grounds do disappear Ps 22.9 and 119.73 Job 10.8 c. and an argument why we should not employ what he hath made as weapons wherewith to fight against him 2. God is the framer of all mankind the small as well as the great and that equally of the same kind and in the same way whatever difference of state there be afterward For He that made me made him and one did fashion us in the womb or in one womb The meanest have favours of this kind which they should acknowledge albeit they want other things See Pro. 22.2 3. The greatest of men if they be gracious will not forget their Original common to them with others though they differ in degrees of Civil dignity from them For so did Job here and propounds it by way of question as a certain truth and a truth which he seriously thought upon Humility is the Ornament of Eminency and it is sweet to see men a base themselves when God exalts them and not swelling up with pride because they are raised out of the dust and set above others 4. Such as do seriously consider their Original common to them with others will bear a low sayl toward the meanest as considering they are their own flesh Is 58.7 That by sleighting or wronging them because they are mean they reflect upon God who made them and who carved out their lot Pro. 14.31 And that God can soon cause those who are insolent because of their eminency know themselves and that they are but men Ps 9.19 20. Ezek. 28.9 For this was an argument disswading Job from sleighting or wronging of his servants Did not he that made me in the womb make him c. Verse 16. If I have with-held the poor from their desire or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail The sixth Vertue whereof he maketh profession whereby also he refutes that challenge of injustice Chap. 22.6 7. is Humanity toward all distressed and indigent persons and that he was so farr from wronging any of them that he was helpful to all of them This he instanceth in several particular branches to v. 24. according to the several sorts of distressed persons and their several necessities which he supplyed Confirming those several assertions by tacite asseverations intimated in the form of expression If I have done so and so which imply an Imprecation or submission to Gods judgements if it were not as he said and subjoyning to the last an express Imprecation and Argument In this Verse we have the first branch of that Humanity whereof he professeth to have made conscience That not only he appeared for the righteous cause of the poor and of widows but having promised to assist them in their cause he did not disappoint and kill them with delayes but chearfully and speedily performed what he had promised Or it may be understood more generally That whatever were their lawful desires whereof rationally they might expect satisfaction from a man of his piety wealth prudence or authority or wherein he had promised to give them satisfaction he chearfully and readily satisfied them Whence Learn 1. Mens Consciences in a day of distress will find as much peace in their humanity and tenderness toward others as in any other fruit of faith and act of piety Therefore doth Job insist so much upon that here See Jam. 1.27 When men are thus tender and compassionate it evidenceth that they are humble and have a sense of the common miseries of mankind that have entred by sin and that they do read their own deservings in the sad lots of others It is also an evidence that they are sensible of Christs kindness to them which kindleth these bowels of compassion Yea this is the touchstone whereby men will be tryed in the last day Mat. 25.54 55. And therefore it cannot but be refreshful when men find this fruit of the Spirit in themselves 2. The Lord hath so ordered that poverty widow-hood accompanied with distresses and other miseries will not be wanting among the children of men both for the tryal and exercise of those who are under these lots and to be a tryal to others also and a touchstone of their sympathy and humanity For so were there poor and widows in Jobs dayes who were afflicted with their miseries and driven to seek relief from others and who gave Job occasion to give proof of his disposition See Deut. 15.11 Crosses of all kinds will not be wanting in any time and who so are free of these particular afflictions here mentioned may yet look for others no less searching and trying to them 3. Albeit poverty or widow-hood or any other affliction doth not warrant any to countenance men in an ill cause Exod. 23.3 Lev. 19.15
righteous and godly men Ps 34.21 3. Wicked men and particularly such as do oppose godly men may expect to be surprized with destruction and that they shall not be able to shift or avoid it when it cometh For this destruction and evil finds him when he little dreams of it 1 Thes 5.3 and finds him out in all his hiding places whether he thinks to flee for refuge See Num. 32.23 To be thus surprized with trouble is a sad addition to it and however wicked men seem confident enough before trouble come yet all refuge will fail them when it seizeth upon them Is 10 3. 4. Albeit the Pharisees thought that men might lawfully hate their enemies Mat. 5.43 And albeit some do look upon that injunction to love our enemies c. Mat. 5.44 as a Counsel only and not a Command Yet even in Jobs dayes a vindictive Spirit or to thirst after private revenge was looked upon as a sinful transgression of the Law of God For therefore doth Job purge himself of it as such in this and the following Verse where he sheweth That whatever the Lord was pleased to inflict upon his enemies yet he was not malicious nor revengeful against them See 1 Sam. 24.12 13. We find Christ and his followers very exact in this Luk. 23.34 Acts 7.60 And when the Disciples gave evidence of such a malicious frame of spirit they are very severely rebuked by Christ Luk. 9.54 55 56. Men might see the evil of such a disposition if they considered That thereby they encroach upon Gods Prerogative to take vengeance Rom. 12.19 and do take their cause out of his hand who can give them a better account of it than they can make to themselves Pro. 20.22 That they obstruct their own success with God in prayer by it Mat. 6.14 15. That they evidence they will be but cold in Gods matters while they are so hot in resenting injuries done to themselves and That they declare that they little consider Gods hand in their trouble and are little careful to improve it while they are so much taken up with thoughts about the instruments employed in it See 2 Sam. 16 1â— 11. 5. Not only to seek or procure the ruine of our particular enemies but even to rejoyce and insult when God brings them down is an evidence of maliciousness and of a vindictive Spirit For Job would not rejoyce at the destruction of him that hated him nor lift up himself or express his inward joy by any insulting speech or carriage when evil found him It is true godly men may rejoyce at the ruine of the publick obstinate and incorrigible enemies of God and his people Ps 52.5 6 7. and 58.10 Not at their destruction simply but because God is glorified in his justice and the Church of God fares the better that they are destroyed Yet it is unlawfull and an act of revenge to rejoyce at the destruction of mens private particular enemies Pro 24.17 18. Obad. v. 10 11 12 13. Withall it is to be considered that Job by asserting only that he did not rejoyce nor lift up himself doth not deny that he had these other evidences of a Spirit that is not vindictive which God requireth in his Word Such as mourning for enemies in their distresses as David mourned for Saul 2 Sam. 1.17 c. See also Ps 35.13 14. which may be comprehended under his not rejoycing and relieving of them when they are in misery and distress Rom. 12.20 Exod. 23.4 5. But he mentions this especially to shew that men are apt to fall in that evil of rejoycing upon such an occasion Mic. 7.8 Even albeit they should palliate it with some specious practices which might seem to speak the contrary and to shew that he made conscience of ordering his passions and affections as well as his external conversation From Verse 30. Learn 1. It is not enough that men pretend to sobriety and moderation when their tryal is over unless also they be sober when the tryal is incumbent and pressing For as Job did not rejoyce when evil found his enemy v. 29. So he did not wish him evil before it came Both of these are times wherein mens sobriety and meekness is tried 2 It is an evidence of maliciousness and an act of revenge for men to curse or wish the ruine of their particular enemies whom they ought to bless and to do them good and pray for them Mat. 5.44 Rom. 12.14 For Job durst not wish a curse to his soul or person or he durst not desire his soul or his life to be taken away by a curse or imprecation Whatever he thought such deserved yet he durst not use curses and imprecations as desiring them to be cut off We finde indeed many imprecations of godly men in Scripture But these are directed against the wicked courses of publike incorrigible enemies and flow from a prophetike spirit and so are prediction rather than prayers and consequently are not to be imitated by men in reference to their private enemies 3. As these who curse and wish evil to their enemies do sin against God as here Job intimates So the consideration of the sinfulness of a course is the most cleanly motive to disswade men from it For this was an argument which prevailed with Iob He would not sin by wishing a curse to his soul If men make not conscience of sin as sin abstracting from their interests or the consâ—quents that may follow upon it they will not be sufficiently armed against every evil course 4. Godly men want not corruptions pressing them to sinfull courses and particularly to maliciousness In which case it is their duty to resist their own inclinations and suppress them For Job would not suffer or give up his mouth to sin which is contrary to the practice of many who instead of wrestling or resisting what they might through grace avoid do suffer every tentation to carry them away Do tempt tentations by rushing upon snares do give themselves to evil Ps 50.19 Yea and fell themselves to work wickedness 1 King 21.20 5. Whatever boylings of corruption there be within Yet it is good if it be kept from breaking forth And particularly it is a great mercy if passion be not let loose to break forth in bitter and malicious speeches For Job did not suffer his mouth to sin in this whatever stirring of passion were within See Ps 39 1. 141.3 Not that men should approve themselves in any sinfull frame of heart so long as it breaks not forth in practice But that having mourned for and wrestled against that which they finde within them if they cannot get it totally subdued their care should be that it break not out publickly to the dishonour of God and the scandal of others And particularly men should take heed to their mouth or tongue Jam 1.26 3.2 c. as being the instrument of much evil in idle discourses Mat. 12.36 unseasoned and unsavoury language Coll.
of the whole matter And so here we have his verdict of the whole preceding debate and his thoughts of what was faulty in it whereby as hath been said in the entry we are helped to understand his scope in the following discourses In this Verse we have to consider First A description of this Umpire which is â—aken 1. From his Name Elihu which signifieth My God is He or the same that is My God is that only excellent One to whom that Name is due 2. From his Parentage he was the Son of Barachel which name signifieth One blessed of God And by the imposition of these names it would appear that Elihu was descended of a pious race whose Father had given him a name favouring of piety as the like had been given himself before 3. From his Progeny and Kindred His Father was a Buzite of the Kindred of Ram. As for Buz from whom he is denominated a Buzite we find a Country bearing that name Jer. 25.23 lying amongst those Arabians and Idumeans It seems to have that name from Buz the Son of Nahor Abrahams Brother Gen. 22.20 21. Of whom in all probability Elihu was descended While it is said that his Father and he were of the Kindred of Ram this Ram cannot be that Son of Judah Judg. 4.19 for he lived after Jobs dayes nor suppose he had lived before is it likely that he would have left his own County and Nation to goe dwell he and his Kindred among these Idumeans It can with little shew of probability be alleaged that Ram is to be taken appellatively for Aram or Syria and that he was of that Country For though it be granted that Ram may be the same with Aram of which afterward yet it cannot in propriety of speech be said that a man is of the Kindred or Family of such a Country It is with as little probability asserted that Ram is the same with Abraham who they say was first called Ram signifying High before he got the name of Abram an high Father which afterward was changed into Abraham Therefore it is most probable that this Ram was some Kinsman of Elihu and Barathel who was famous in these times and places and therefore mention is made of him in this description And we find mention of one Aram who may as well be called Ram as Ram the Father of Amminadab 1 Chro 2 9 10. is called Aram Matth. 1.3 4 the Son of Kemâ—el who was Brother to Buz Gen. 22.21 who it may be was the person here mentioned and a person famous in these dayes Though it be more probable and agreeable to the Scripture-way of reckoning Progenitours in the direct line that this was another person of the posterity of Baz though mentâ—oned no where else in Scripture who was a famous man and therefore mentioned in this description of Elihu and his Father who it seems were descended of him However there is no necessity to determine any thing positively in these circumstances if we take up a right the reasons of this so exact a description of Elihus which are partly to assure us that this is a true History and not a Fiction or Parable and a very ancient History and partly because Elihu was younger and more obscure than Job and his three Friends and therefore his descent and pedigree is more fully described than theirs was who were so eminent men in these times and places I shall only in the close of this description pass in a word their groundless conjecture who say this Elihu was that Balaam of whom mention is made in the Book of Numbers and else-where in Scripture who say they was a Prophet of God and had these Revelations here recoâ—ded before he came to Balak where he made so soul Apostacy and was cut off amongst the Midianites Numb 31.8 It is easie to multiply conjectures where the Scriptures are silent which may with the like facility be rejected But this is not to be admitted that a Child of God and a Prophet also may make so total and final a defection as he did for any thing we can find in Scripture Secondly In this Verse we have to consider Elihu's verdict and censure of Jobs part in the debate and of his carriage under his trouble He is angry at Job not that he asserted himself to be a righteous man or that he justâ—fied and vindicated himself in the cause debated betwixt him and his Friends But that he justified himself rather than God or more than God that is He not only pleaded his righteousness and integrity before God which may lawfully be done if it be gone about in a right way Isa 38.3 and else-where but pleaded it even against God expostulating with him that he should deal so severely with a righteous man and so reflected on the righteousness of God in defending his own righteousness As God also telleth him Châ—p 40.8 And he was more careful to defend his own righteousness in his debates with his Friends than to acknowledge and ascribe unto God the glory of his righteousness in afflicting him by submâ—tting to his Soveraign good pleasure stooping under his hand in the sense of his own baseness and sinfulness and by making use of his corrections improving them to his own spiritual advantage From all which Elihu doth justly conclude That however Job never said expresly that he was more just than God or just rather than God neither did Job ever mean or intend any such thing by any thing be uttered in his complaints and defences Yet upon the matter it was imported and by necessary consequence it might be interred from what he said that he â—ustified himself rather than God Thirdly We have to consider Elihu's resentment of this injury that was offered unto God and the measure of his displeasure and zeal against it It is said in the beginning of the Verse that his wrath was kindled which is relative both to Job and his Friends And for Job in particular it is again repeated that his wrath was kindled against Job upon this account Whereby we are not to understand that he was over-powred with any carnal passion but that he was filled with a large measure of zeal and indignaâ—ion against Job because of this his fault From this Verse Learn 1. The grace of God is not confined to persons or places but he can raise up to himself servants in any place or among any people he pleaseth For here beside Job and his Friends we have another godly man amongst these Arabians whose name and his Parents name do intimate that a stamp of the fear of God had been in that family for some Generations Of this see on Chap. 1.1 Only however after the Covenant made with Israel at Sinai salvation was of that people as is said of the Jews when the rest of the Tribâ—s were gone Joh. 4 22. and they were the only people of God and visible Church in communion wherewith salvation was to be expected till
word for word from the Original They found no answer and they condemned Job And so they will contain his censure of a double fault whereof they were guilty One is that already mentioned That they had unjustly condemned Job And the other is That by their finding no answer to Jobs Apologies they had quit Gods cause which he is now about to maintain against Job as overcome And by their silence in what they might and should have spoken in answer to his discourses they had condemned God no less than they had unjustly condemned Job by what they had spoken Though the former reading be most agreeable to the scope here yet both may very well be joyned together For as they were faulty in condemning Job without a reason and without answering his defences for himself So they were no less guilty in finding no answer such as he afterward produceth on Gods behalf against Jobs complaints and quarrellings From this Verse Learn 1. It is an evidence of a truly sober and gracious Spirit so to be taken up with one evil or errour as not to be blind in discerning others also upon another hand For Elihu discerns exactly the errours of both parties and on both hands in this debate and passeth his censure upon both And did not as the three Friends who to avoid the errour upon the one extreme of impeaching the righteousness of God who had afflicted Job do run to an errour on the other extreme and conclude Job to be wicked because afflicted As it is too usual for men while they are eagerly opposing one errour to rush into another on the other hand 2. As mens light should be universally clear in discerning errours and mistakes So their zeal ought to be uniform and against every one of them For against his three Friends was his wrath kindled for their errour as well as against Job for his Not as many who in their heat of opposition to one errour which it may be is their present exercise and in so farr it is commendable that their zeal is most bent against it do look with more indifferency upon another which seems to be opposite unto it as being upon the other extreme 3. It is a very great and yet a very usual fault in many to condemn men and bury them and their opinions and way under imputations and calumnies which neither are nor can be proved and made out For this was their practice and Elihu is angry because of this that they condemned Job when they had found no answer to his discourses proving his integrity as he tells them v. 12. Malice prejudices serving of designes c. as well as ignorance and errour which were the cause of their miscarriage may drive men to take such courses whereby they commit great cruelty and do justly provoke the anger and zeal of godly men against them As Elihu is hereby provoked to anger against Jobs Friends 4. Though it be a fault at any time or in any case to condemn men unjustly yet this fault is much aggravated and true zeal and indignation is provoked thereby when men deal so with afflicted men and so add to their affliction For this was an addition to their fault and helped to kindle Elihu's anger that they had so condemned Job who was now so sadly afflicted as himself states the case in this very particular Chap. 19.5 6 c. It is very sad when men are so cruel as to give a godly man a load above a burden See Psa 69.26 5. Albeit a multitude of words and fine discourses may blind many who think they have the best cause who talk most and who are easily deceived with good words and fair speeches Rom. 16.18 Yet that will not satisfie consciencious and rational men For these Friends spake enough as themselves thought to purpose and seemed to plead much for God and against impiety and yet Elihu discerns that they found no answer even to clear these things they intended to conclude against Job farr less did they hit upon the true answer which should have been returned to Job See Prov. 18.17 Men have need of solid wisdome that they may discern what is truth or errour in well-busked discourses and they who would speak to purpose in a debate ought to beware that unsound principles and heat in dispute do not blind-fold them and so cause them miss their mark as befell these Friends 6. In whatever case silence be lawful in some debates yet it is a great fault in any case to desert a cause of God when it is controverted and opposed For thus according to the other reading it is a fault by it self that they found no answer for God as well as that they condemned Job Verse 4. Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken because they were elder than he 5. When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men then his wrath was kindled The third Antecedent and a more near occasion of Elihu's speech which explains and enlargeth that Antecedent v. 1. is That having patiently kept silence so long as they spake however they spake not right as reverencing their age now he must break off his silence with indignation considering that they gave over without any reply to Job which was to purpose and particlarly without speaking a word to his last discourses It is said only He had waited till Job had spoken but it imports also that he had waited and hearkned to what all of them had spoken all the while of the dispute For when a reason is given of this his silence they are all of them spoken of in the plural number They were elder than he to intimate that he had waited on them all Only it is here said that he waited till Job had spoken or expected Job in his words because Job spake last and because this is spoken more particularly with a reference to that last discourse which closed that debate upon which he is now to pass a judgement And so it importeth That he waited patiently in hearing Jobs long discourses and waited also after Job had spoken to see if they would say ought in answer to him And finding them silent his zeal breaks forth in the following discourse This purpose will come to be spoken of afterward when Elihu himself mentions it Here Learn 1. True zeal is not furious but bounded with sobriety and drives not a man without his station For such is Elihu's zeal here who silently waits all the time they spake however he was dis-satisfied and le ts not hâ—s zeal and wrath break forth till they have all given over whereby a call is given him to interpose It is true there are some heroick acts of zeal which fall not under ordinary rules As when Phinchas a Priest slew Zimri and Cazbi Numb 25.7 8 12 13 14. Samuel then only a Prophet slew Agag whom the Magistrate had spared 1 Sam. 15.32 33. And Elijah slew the Prophets of
that the dispute continued he finds that none of them had convinced Job or convincingly proved what they had asserted against him that he was a wicked Hypocrite Nor yet had they answered his words which imports not only that they had not refused his arguments and repelled these evidences of his integrity which he had produced in his own defence â—ut further that they had not made that reply to Jobs miscarriages in his discourses which was necessary for his humiliation and casting down as he speaks v. 13. And so Job is declared to be Victor in the debate betwixt him and his Friends concerning the calamities of godly men of which v. 3. And yet somewhat remained to be answered to Jobs words which they had not hit upon From these two Verses Learn 1. When Debates are once started they may continue very long For not only have there been long discourses among them but it seems they have taken time to study this controversie and search out words or what to say whereby the debate was much lengthened Debates may be soon begun but they are not so easily composed again For mens wilfullness may continue debates long And God in his holy providence may permit them to continue that men may be fully tryed 2. It is mens duty to search into Controversies and to be well advised in what they speak to a weighty cause For in so farr they did right that they searched out what to say Men do sin hainously when they engage in debates before they understand them and before they consider to what they may tend 3. When men are once engaged in Debates if they be non plust they are ready to bend their wits to maintain their cause rather than they will yield and quit the plea For thus also they searched out what to say when Job put them to it but it was but words as it is in the Original and somewhat wherewith to flourish and make a shew that they studied or found Thus when men are once engaged and grown warm with passion they will readily seek victory rather than truth 4. It is mens duty when Debates are started and agitated not to be idle spectatours but diligent observers that thereby they may be edified and may be able to know what is truth For Elihu professeth he was not sleeping but diligently attending all the while of the debate and no doubt this debate did edifie many Auditours as well as him 5. It is a duty also to let men say their minds to the full before we judge of their Doctrine and Opinion For he heard them out and did not halve their discourses by interrupting them 6 It is also mens duty to ponder well what is said that they do not wilfully nor negligently mistake the discourses of them who speak For Behold saith he inviting them to consider how seriously he had proceeded I waited I gave ear yea I attended unto you 7. It is a clear and determined case and a truth to be much remarked and improved That a man may be afflicted and yet righteous For here the Controversie is determined in Jobs favours who had maintained this truth constantly against his friends and that with a Behold Not that every man may claim to this that he is righteous when afflicted if he want evidences of his integrity For a wicked man may be plagued as well as a godly man afflicted in this life Nor yet doth this warrant godly men not to be sensible of their failings when in affliction because their persons or cause are righteous But that which it imports is That godly men may see love in rods and that they are consistent with love and That they ought not to suffer the weight of their afflictions to light upon their state and personal reconciliation with God to call that in question because they are afflicted 8. Not only may men think they have refuted their Adversary when it is nothing so as they gave Job over as an obstinate man v. 1. when yet Elihu tells them they had neither convinced nor answered him but God may sometime be pleased to raise up some to own them who are for a right cause when they are over-powred with multitude of opposers and lye under many disadvantages As Elihu here takes part with Job who had so many godly men against him Let men abide by truth though they were even left alone in that quarrel and God will send them friends at last when their tryal is perfected 9 Men may be very able and express great abilities in what they say who yet do erre For he acknowledgeth they had reasons or as it is in the Original understandings and gave proof of their great abilities and yet they did not convince nor answer Job 10. So weak are men that before they be convinced they must not only have an assertion proved but their objections against it answered otherwise they will not heartily embrace a truth how clearly soever it be proved For he desiderates both these in their dealing with Job and intimates that they ought both to have convinced him by strong arguments and answered his words or objections if they would have brought him to be of their opinion 11. Men may prevail against men and have the righter cause and the better of them in debate who yet are faulty before God even in that cause and deserve a reproof from him For here Job is assoiled and declared Victor in the debate with his Friends and yet Elihu intimates there was an answer which should have been given to his words but they had not touched upon it as he resolves afterward to do v. 14. Men had need to look to this that their righteous cause and the errours and miscarriages of their Antagonists do not blind their eyes that they see not their own failings Verse 13. Lest ye should say We have found out Wisdome God thrusteth him down not man In this Verse the former Reason is amplyfied from the consideration of Gods end and design in ordering this business which also was his end in passing so free a censure upon their Doctrine This is propounded in general in the beginning of the Verse That whatever were Jobs failings yet God had so ordered the matter that Job had got the victory in the debate and they had succumbed in their undertakings against him that they might not glory in their wisdome nor might ascribe it to their abilities and experience that they had found out what was sufficient to put an end to this Controversie And he had freely told them so much v. 12. that they might no longer entertain that good opinion of themselves As for that which followeth God thrusteth him down not man Some take them to be the very words whereby they might be ready if not prevented to express their thoughts of their own wisdome to this purpose That they by their wisdome had found out so much for convincing of Job that they had left him nothing wherewith to
defend himself but only his wilfull obstinacy in persisting still to adhere to his own opinion from which only God and no man by any Arguments could drive him And therefore as they had dealt wisely in their disputes against him so they had dealt no less wisely in that when they found him obstinate they had given him over v. 1. concluding that they had done what man could do to convince him and what remained to be done even the cure of his obstinacy behoved to be performed by God himself I do so farr agree with this interpretation as to conclude that Job was to be indeed humbled by God which I take to be the sense and scope of these words though not upon the account they imagined because he was a wicked man and obstinately persisted in his opinion after that he was sufficiently convinced And therefore they ought to have been farr from such an opinion of their doctrine and abilities as the scope of the interpretation carrieth it But most part of Interpreters do loâ—k upon these words as containing their account of that principle of wisdome in the finding out whereof they might be ready to glory to this purpose He had freely told them the truth concerning their Doctrine and how God had left them to themselves to give proof of their weakness that they might not glory of their wisdome in finding out that Maxime which they so frequently insisted upon Namely That it was God and not man who had afflicted Job and therefore he behoved to be wicked seeing God was righteous who had afflicted him According to this interpretation as in the former Verses Elihu had condemned their opinion in general so here he repells their great and almost only Argument taken from Jobs afflictions whereby they endeavoured to prove their opinion And it is indeed a truth as hath been frequently marked That Gods hand in afflictions doth not prove the Sufferer to be wicked and the righteousness of God who afflicts and the â—ntegrity of the person afflâ—cted are not inconsistent The word rendred To thrust down doth not contribute much to determine the Interpretation It signifieth To cast down or to drive a thing from its place and that with violence as the wind drives smoak or chaffe Ps 1.4 and 68.2 And so it will very fitly express how Job was violently hurried and tossed by his trouble But it may also as well be applyed to the casting down of Job from his passionate humour and distemper which was done with violence and tossing enough Elihu reproving and tossing his expressions very sharply and God himself appearing in a Whirl-wind to abase and humble him and affrighting him with sad challenges and refusing at first to take his submission off his hand till he is brought to abhorr himself in dust and ashes Therefore when I consider That many Supplements in the Translation are required to make out that other Interpretation from the Text That however God have a hand in all afflictions and was eminently seen in Jobs tryals and many of them were inflicted by his own immediate hand yet it cannot so universally be said that God had thrust him down and not man For the Sabeans and Chaldeans beside others of whom Job complains in his discourses were eminently active in some of his afflictions And That the word is in the future time though indeed in the Original language one time is frequently put for another God shall thrust him down When I say I consider those things I incline rather to understand the words of Jobs being afterward humbled by God for what he had really said amiss in his discourses Thus the whole Verse will run very smoothly to this purpose They had no cause to talk of their wisdome for as he had told them they had mistaken all along and had never hit the mark or touched upon that for which Job was to be humbled And God had ordered it so and reserved the humbling of Job to be done by himself that they might not boast and glory as if their wisdome and experience had done it And for further clearing of the words while he saith God thrusteth him down not man the meaning is not That what himself was to say did not tend to cast him down also but that was to be done only by God when himself appeared Chap. 38. For it is not certain that Elihu knew God would afterward visibly appear when he spake this But he speaks this because he was employed by God and appeared in his stead to do this work as he tells Job Chap. 33.6 And he ascribes all to God partly out of his modest and low esteem of himself who could contribute nothing of himself to this great design and partly to point out the great odds that should be betwixt their doing of that work and his being employed in it For he was not a man of eminency parts and experience as the name here given to man signifieth oft-times an eminent and great man and therefore if he were assisted to find out that which might humble Job or to point at his real miscarriages for which he ought to be humbled it should clearly be seen that it was God and not he who had done it Whereas if they had done the business God would readily have been less seen and their wisdome abilities and experiences more cryed up in it This Interpretation affords us these following Instructions most of which beside what is already marked in expounding the words may also be gathered from the other Interpretation 1. Men who are in trouble being righteous in their person and cause may yet expect to come off the Stage humbled especially if they miscarry in their tryal For as Job had been afflicted though righteous so it remains yet that he be thrust down and that with some violence and sharpness before he be delivered and that even albeit he defended a righteous cause against his Friends Whatever men be or how just soever their cause be yet God will not wink at their miscarriages and their dross which appears in the furnace nor will he have any to come off the Stage of tryal but in an humble posture and lying in the dust 2. Much wisdome is required either in refuting of mens corrupt principles as the Friends looked upon the business or in humbling them for their miscarriages For he supposeth that wisdome was necessary for this thrusting down and such a wisdome as must be found out by much search however they had not succeeded in the search they made after it v. 11. And it is indeed a truth whether men have to do with erroneous persons or with persons who have miscarried through passion under trouble That much wisdome is necessary to discover and drive them from all their subterfuges and defences to humble them and yet not to crush them and so to reprove their errours and miscarriages as they do not thereby alienate their affections from the truth or the wholesome counsels they
matter and such a fervent inclination to speak that he could not without grief and trouble forbear And while he saith his belly is ready to burst like new bottles he means not new bottles for these are not so ready to burst Mat. 9.17 but bottles filled with new wine which by its working is ready to burst the bottles wherein it is put if they be not very strong From this we may not only gather that this Doctrine of Elihu slowed from the Spirit of God but further Learn 1. It must be the Spirit of God in men furnishing them with light and accompanying what they say that will clear Controversies and bring them to an happy close For the Spirit is given him here for that end 2. As men may certainly know that it is the Spirit of God and not a delusion that acts them So they have need to make it sure that it is so especially in debates wherein it is not easie for men to know of what Spirit they are In both these respects he confidently asserts That it is the Spirit of God and not the fury of a rash young man which moveth him to speak I will answer v. 17. For I am full of matter the Spirit within me constraineth me 3. Such as have the Spirit of God may without vanity assert that it is so in the maintenance of truth and of what is right For so doth Elihu assert of himself though a young man when he is to deal on Gods behalf with so eminent parties See 1 Cor. 7.40 4. Albeit the Spirit of God where he dwells keeps men humble and empty in themselves yet he doth not make an empty sound and noise only but supplyeth men with furniture for the work he calls them unto For saith he I am full of matter or of words that is of words pertinent to the purpose and not empty words only And he expresseth his furniture by being full of words to shew that the Spirit of God did not only furnish him with pertinent matter but with fit words whereby to express it As he must do to all those whom he assists 5. Though the Spirit of God do not lead men to be rash and furious yet he fills them in whom he dwelleth with an holy fervour in the cause of God and with an earnest desire and zeal to appear for it especially when others have wronged it For this is the Spirit within him or the Spirit of his belly that is the Spirit which hath taken his seat in and hath wakened up his zeal and affections which in Scripture-phrase are said frequently to be seated in the belly or bowels in behalf of God and his truth so much wronged by them And so this Spirit constrained him that he must appear and speak as wine in a bottle seeketh a vent See Psa 45.1 6. The Spirit of God leads men to look upon the want of an opportunity to serve God as their greatest burden and on his service as their greatest delight and refreshment For so much doth this similitude import Behold my belly or affections moved and excited by the Spirit of God is as wine that hath no vent it is ready to burst like new bottles I will speak that I may be refreshed or may breath as the bottle gets air when it is opened See Jer. 20.9 7. Whatever fervour men have yet it must not be their own case only farr less the setting out of their gifts in a way of ostentation but edification they should mind Therefore unto his own being refreshed he adds I will open my lips and answer or speak to the cause and on Gods behalf so as ye may be edified Verse 21. Let me not I pray you accept any mans person neither let me give flattering titles unto man 22. For I know not to give flattering titles in so doing my Maker would soon take me away These Verses contain the third branch of this general Preface relating chiefly to Job wherein he gives an account of the way he resolves to follow in managing this cause Some do take up the words as Elihu's wish and prayer to God that he may be helped to manage that cause well and impartially But it seems rather that he expresseth his resolution in a desire to Job and to the whole Auditory that he may have liberty and allowance to deal freely as in a cause of God and a cause concerning mans salvation And that it be not expected that he should yield to any mans humours and affections or authority in this matter but that he will faithfully and freely speak what he thinks of the whole cause or of any man concerned Which course he resolves to take not only because it is not his custome to flatter nor doth he approve of it but because he was restrained from such courses by the fear and awe of God As for the two expressions to accept mans person or face and to give flattering titles to men they may be taken for one and the same thing for the one is repeated for both v. 22. Yet it may be gathered from the same repetition that the giving of flattering titles is the evil he would avoid and the accepting of mans person is the cause or tentation which might drive him to commit that evil And so for clearing and applying this purpose I shall consider four Particulars in the words First Consider the evil which he declines and is careful to avoid he will not give flattering titles to men The word is only used in these Verses and Isa 44.5 and 45.4 and it signifies to give Titles Epithetes a By-name or Sir-name to things And so it is translated a Sir-name in the fore-cited places of Isaiah where it is taken in a good sense But here it is taken in a bad sense for flattering titles or designations which he declines not only in reference to their persons that he will use no Rhetorical or flattering compellations or insinuations to them by way of Preface to conciliate their attention to what he is to say but will fall roundly to his work But in reference to the matter it self he will not goe about the bush as we speak nor mince the truth but speak it out plainly and freely and give things their right names without flattery or circumlocution And in this respect also they are said not to be given to man because regard to their persons did not cause him flatter them in their sin And if he had done otherwise he had spoken rather to their persons to please them than to their condition as it was in it self Of which more will be spoken on the next word Some Learned men do take the word to signifie the naming of a thing obscurely as by some Enigmatical By-name or Epithete and not by its usual proper and known name And this notion suits well to this purpose That as he would not flatter them so he would not give a By-name to things nor change their names either by
to the Souls of others which he will severely and speedily pursue as he easily can For he reckons that by giving flattering titles he should not only wrong these whom he flattered but he should also run upon his own ruine in so doing my Maker would take me away or cut me off and he would do it soon both speedily without delaying to execute vengeance and easily without any difficulty Thus we find that Watchmens Souls are laid in pawn to be answerable and smart for it if they deal not faithfully Ezek. 33 7 8 9. The study of this may not only be an antidote against the slavish fear of great men whom men may be called to deal with as Christ speaks in the matter of confessing the truth Mat. 10.28 But may perswade men to be faithful when they consider how much it concerns them to be so for then they will not dare to daily in so important a business And others may see that they have no cause to be offended at men for their freedome and faithfulness when they consider their hazard if they do otherwise 5. Though such as have a calling to speak to others should flatter them and gratifie theirâ— humours yet that would tend nothing to the advantage of those who are so flattered seeing God would not approve of what is said to them and would witness his displeasure by punishing the flatterer For this is not only an argument perswading himself to deal faithfully but perswadâ—ng them also to admit and allow of his freedome As considerâ—ng how little it would avail them that he flattered them since God was ready to witness how ill pleased he was with them and their way by punishing him for flattering them in it 6. While he calls God his Maker in this business 1. He points out that God for whom he and all faithful men do speak freely is on high 〈◊〉 the highest of men against whom they may be called to speak and therefore there is no cause to fear them if men keep his way and bâ— in his service 2. He points out how easily God can â—â—â—â—h unfaithful men who are but his own creatures and have their beeing of him So that stately wiâ—l â—ind no shelter against him even under the wings of the greatest of men 3. He points out this as an Argument why he should not be unfaithful to God were there no more but that he had his beeing of him So his being a Creatour is a motive to piety Eccl. 12.1 And it aggravates mens faults that they sin against their Maker Hos 8.14 Though the word may import more than his giving them a simple beeing even that he made them his people However it is certain that such as are willing and affectionate to do well will not want arguments to presâ— them to it if they do but consider their very beeing which they have from God For God having maâ—e all things for himself Prov. 16.4 Our beeing should not be employed against him but in his service CHAP. XXXIII After the former general Preface Elihu comes now to deal more particularly with Job without medling any more with his Friends This he doth in four speeches in the first three whereof contained in this and the two following Chapters he more particularly reprehends some of Jobs rash expressions And in the last Chap. 36. and 37. he more generally taxeth his complaints powred out against God In all which discourses as he doth not quarrel the state of Jobs person but only his faults especially his impertinent language under trouble so he divides what he hath to say in so many speeches not only that he may draw his breath between them but also because he gives Job leave at the end of every one of them to answer for himself if he had any thing to say as appears expresly from the close of his first speech v. 31 32 33. In this Chapter which contains his first speech his scope is to instruct that Job had unjustly taxed the Dispensations of God toward him a righteous man The Chapter may be taken up in three Heads First A particular Preface to this speech directed to Job wherein he craves his attention v. 1. And that for weighty reasons and considerations v. 2. 7. Secondly The Speech it self wherein we have 1. An Accusation or a rehearsal of those discourses of Job which he is to refute v. 8. 11. 2. A refutation of those his discourses by two Arguments One taken from the Soveraignty of God who is greater than all and accountable to none v. 12 13 The other taken from Gods condescendence to instruct men by various means whereof they make but little use Which is generally propounded v. 14. Instanced on Gods part and as to the means he useth and the end for which he useth them in visions and the like extraordinary wayes of revealing his mind v. 15 16 17 18. In afflictions and particularly sickness v. 19 20 21 22. And in the ministry of men accompanying those afflictions v. 23. 28. And summarily recapitulated v. 29 30. Thirdly The Conclusion of the speech wherein he again craves Jobs attention v. 31. Being willing to hear if he had any thing to say for himself v. 32. And if he had not to instruct him yet more v. 33. Verse 1. Wherefore Job I pray thee hear my speeches and hearken to all my words AFter the general Preface in the former Chapter Elihu being to take Job to task doth yet premit a particular Preface to him craving in this Verse not only simple audience but attention and that not to a part only but to all his speech and till he had ended what he was to say Which request he presseth by several Arguments to v. 8. This course of prefacing Elihu insists upon to prepare Job for what he is to say lest otherwise being a great Prince he should slight him who was but a young man and having to do with an afflicted man who had been already irritated by his Friends he deals thus warily and circumspectly lest otherwise he should be suspicious also of him in the very entry Doct. 1. There is a godly prudence required in managing thorny debates so as may tend most to edification For of this Elihu gave proof here in that albeit the three Friends vented many errours in their condemning Job yet he will rather spend his time in rectifying Jobs mistakes than in debating with them because it was more for edification And therefore he betakes himself to deal with Job here 2. As it is a great mercy when God sends a seasonable word to needy men especially after they have been irritated and unskilfully handled by others as here Elihu is sent to Job so audience is due to such a message For Wherefore Job seeing I am sent to thee to speak as I have promised Chap. 32.14 21. hear my speeches 3. It is not sufficient that men hear only what is said especially if it concern them unless also they be
of that clay of which Adam's body was formed and a parcel of that breath which was breathed into him For saith he pointing at a special motive of humility I also as well as thou and others am formed or cut out of the clay as v. 4. he had spoken of his Soul and Life in tearms taken from the creation of the first man 6. Such as study their base Original well will not abuse their eminency in any Office to deal untenderly with persons or to be terrible to those who are of the same Original with themselves Therefore he subjoynes Behold my terrour shall not make thee afraid whereby as he intimates that Job would get satisfaction to his desire when he wished to plead with God So he gives an account of his own resolution to manage his employment equitably and tenderly 7. It is the will of God that no greatness power or dreadfulness of one party in a debate do prejudge truth or the freedome of the other party in managing their defences For so much is intimated beside his reflexion on Jobs proposals when he desired to plead with God in this promise My terrour shall not make thee afraid neither shall mine hand be heavy upon thee Verse 8. Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing and I have heard the voice of thy words saying 9. I am clean without transgression I am innocent neither is there iniquity in me 10. Behold He findeth occasions against me he counteth me for his enemy 11. He putteth my feet in the stocks he marketh all my paths Followeth to v. 31. the Second part of the Chapter or the Speech it self to which Elihu hath prepared the way by the preceding Preface And in these Verses we have the first part of the Speech containing an accusation of Job or a rehearsal of some of his discourses which he is to refute Where if we speak of his accusation negatively what it is not he declines to quarrel the state of his person or to accuse him of any gross faults before his afflictions as his other Friends had done Nor doth he censure him for any thing he had said of the greatness of his afflictions or to the commendation of God Only he censures him for some unsavory expressions of his own integrity and Gods dispensations toward him And having told him that he is to accuse him of those expressions which himself had distinctly heard v. 8. he propounds the summ of Jobs words which he is to refute in an excellent method For 1. He propounds how Job had asserted his own integrity both negatively and possitively That he was clean and innocent and free of transgression or wickedness v. 9. 2. He adds how Job complained that notwithstanding he was thus righteous and innocent yet God sought and took all occasions and advantages against him to deal with him as an enemy or in an hostile way v. 10. The word rendred Occasions signifieth also Breaches or breakings off and it imports That God picked quarrels at him and took advantages of any breach or failing he could find in him to break off his friendship and wonted favour and that he might deal with him as an enemy He alludes to the practice of uncharitable men who contrary to the Law of Love do seek all occasions and advantages against others that they may ruine them See Gen. 43.18 2 King 5.7 Dan. 6.5 3. He subjoynes how Job to prove this his complaint had produced evidences taken from Gods arresting of him by painful and disgraceful afflictions like as a Malefactour is put in the Stocks and his marking of all his paths to punish him for what should be found amiss in him v 11. For further clearing of this purpose Consider 1. This is but a part of his accusation and of that which he hath to lay to Jobs charge for afterward he produceth more and sharper accusations against him Yea his desire to argue his cause with God himself which Job joyned with these his complaints here mentioned is here also to be understood as afterward we will find And so under those expressions here recorded all other the like expressions are to be understood as comprehended 2. We are not to conceive that Elihu cites these expressions of Job concerning his purity and integrity v. 9. as minding to charge Job that he looked upon himself as sinless and meant so by these expressions For Job had professed the contrary both of himself Chap. 7.20 and of all men Chap. 9.2 and 14.4 And we will not find that Elihu did charge any thing falsely upon Job He only cites those as the words whereby he had expressed and maintained his integrity which albeit it was a truth that he was righteous yet these expressions being joyned with the following complaints did sound too high of perfection as if he had not so much sin in him as might silence all his complaints of Gods severe dealing 3. In these citations Elihu doth not stick close to Jobs words or repeat all those very same expressions which Job had used He only repeats the summ and sense of them And which is to be well marked whatever was Jobs meaning in them yet he repeats them so and in that sense which an ordinary hearer might put upon them Thus an ordinary hearer hearing Job speak so much of his righteousness and against God who afflicted him might be ready to interpret his words so as if he had said he was sinless And albeit Jobs meaning was good yet his expressions were unhappy both in his asserting his integrity and in his complaints subjoyned whereof Job himself is convinced and therefore doth not quarrel Elihu for mis-citing his words or mistaking his meaning in them 4. As for those Speeches which he citeth they will be found for the substance of them in Jobs discourses We find that Elihu v. 6 7. alludes to a proposal of Jobs Chap. 13.20 21 22. Where in the complaint immediately subjoyned v. 23 27. we will find the substance of what is here repeated His avowing of his purity here repeated v. 9. is there propounded by way of question v. 23. His complaint against God here produced v. 10. is there deduced at large v. 24 25 26. And his resentment in confirmation of his complaint here challenged v. 11. is there set down v. 27. And beside we will find those or the equivalent expressions scattered throughout his other discourses For what is here charged upon him v. 9. See Chap. 9.17 and 10.7 and 13.18 and 16.17 and 19.7 and 29.14 and 27.5 6. In all which and divers other passages he asserts his integrity and purity to aggravate his complaint against God who had dealt so severely with him For what is here challenged v. 10. See Chap. 16.12 14. and 19.11 12. And for that v. 11. See beside what is already marked from Chap. 13. Chap. 14.16 17. 5. It is also to be remembred that however Jobs three Friends did challenge him for all those speeches and particularly
impediments removed For the day is coming wherein all men even the most stubborn will be made to hear whether they will or not And that wofull comfort of hardening ourselves against what the Word can say will fail the most stubborn and stout-hearted at last Nor need men entertain prejudices at the Word because it speaks alwayes sad things to them For if they would hear and improve what is unpleasant it would speak comfortably to them at last 5. As God can remedy this evil of a stopped ear in man and must be the Physician to cure it Act. 16.14 Is 50.4 5. And doth sometime employ sharp means to cure it in his Children Job 36.10 15. and therefore is to be looked unto for what we want and acknowledged in what we have of this mercy For so much doth this phrase of opening the ear import when it is made use of to express Gods effectual operation upon his people So God hath given to his people sufficiency of external means to cure this evil and the more singular the means are they should hear the better For so much doth this phrase import That God afforded this as a sufficient mean to open the ears of men and that that extraordinary mean contributed to that end When God speaks to the Creatures he should find patent doors and albeit we want those extraordinary means yet the Word preached ought to be no less effectual Luk. 16.29 30 31. And when God comes to speak by his rods of which after to press home his Word or when he makes his Word more lively than is usual in the mouths of his Servants or continueth his Word with us in sad times it should rouze us up so much the more 6. It is not enough that men hear and understand and be affected for the present unless what they hear leave a constant impression upon them For as God seals his doctrine by his authoritative publishing thereof so this instruction should be sealed and leave an impression upon us See Heb. 2.1 Jam. 1.23 24. 7. When God reveals his mind especially in a more singular and eminent way men have sufficiency of means to cause what God saith take impression upon them For those means are here held out as sufficient to seal mens instruction Thus did Daniel's Visions affect him And albeit men have not now extraordinary Revelations yet as hath been marked from Luk. 16. the consideration of Gods Authority speaking in his Word is sufficient in its own kind as a mean to cause men tremble Ezra 10.3 Is 66.5 For men will not readily slight what a Prince saith unto them farr more should the Word of the great God have impression upon us And where the Word prevails not he is provoked to write his mind in deep and sad characters of affliction Chap. 36.8 9 10. Verse 17. That he may withdraw man from his purpose and hide pride from man In this and the following Verse Elihu gives a more particular account of what God saith by dreams and visions and what is the scope of that instruction which he seals thereby v. 16. In this Verse we have an account of the more immediate scope thereof Namely to humble man and bring him to repentance As for the first part of the Verse if we take the word Purpose in a strict sense it will import That man naturally is a purposing projecting Creature who would lay down his own setled way which he means to follow and prosecute neglecting dependance upon God That man chooses this way that he may exalt himself in pride as is supposed in the latter part of the Verse as Master and Orderer of his own affairs and That God doth overturn all these fine projects of proud men Not only do the messages of his Word speak against this evil and his rod doth actually overturn these projects if the Word be not obeyed but even the variety of wayes whereby God then manifested his mind all which are comprehended under these mentioned v. 15. served to abase man and keep him in a continual and humble dependance upon the pleasure of God in his purposes But the word must be taken in a larger sense for Work as it is in the Original or some evil work and undertaking from which God withdraws and calls men by his Word which was then revealed in dreams and visions Thus mans work is all one with his transgression Chap. 36.9 And as for the latter part of the Verse And hide pride from man To hide pride here is to take it away and withdraw man from it so that it becomes as a thing that is hid and lost which appears not and cannot be found or by taking away that which pride feeds upon to prevent mans pride and so to hide it from him that he shall never find it nor any thing whereof to be proud And this is added to the former either as a particular instance of that general of mans work which is to be abandoned Pride being an especial evil work whereof God would have his people free or as Gods end in instructing man to abandon his evil work and that by letting man see his work to be mourned for and amended he layeth his pride and lets him see there is no cause for it In summ the meaning of the whole Verse is That the messages of Gods Word even when directed to godly men tend to lead them to renew their repentance daily and by what they see of their own evil works to make them have a low esteem of themselves To clear this yet a little more Consider 1. The first part of this Verse is concisely expressed in the Original For the words From his are a Supplement and the Original hath only word for word To withdraw or cause to remove mans work Hence some render it thus That man as the Agent may remove work and so the purpose will run very smoothly That God instructs man v 16. that may remove work or abandon evil courses But as in the following part of the Verse it is God who hides pride so it seems clearer to understand the first part of the Verse of him also That he by instructions withdraweth man c. And as for the Supplements required to this reading the Particle From is here brought from the latter part of the Verse as is not unusual in this language to clear the reading that he withdraws man from work as well as he hides pride from man And as for the relative His which must be supplyed also in the other reading it is not only expresly added Chap. 36.9 their work but the subject matter necessarily implyeth it For that God withdraws man from work is not to be universally taken that God turns men idle from duties of a lawful calling or from good works but only from these evil works which are not the works of God but their own as they are corrupt men 2. It being Elihu's scope as hath been cleared and otherwise he could not
and provoke God to take away all their excellencies If I say they did consider these things they would find how little cause they had to be puffed up with pride 10. It is the will of God and the scope of his instructions by his Word that men do not pretend to abominate pride while yet their practice declareth that they hugg it in their bosomes But that they endeavour to remove it and rid themselves of it For Pride must be hid from man Which doth not import that it is sufficient that pride be hid and lurking though it be not mortified and subdued but that it must be so hid from man as he shall not find it The phrase to hide signifieth sometime to take a thing quite away as Job 3.10 It seems to be a Metaphor taken from mens burying of these things which they desire not to be seen as Moses hid the Aegyptian whom he slew Exod. 2.12 Thus that is said to be hid which is destroyed and brought to nothing Is 29.14 with 1 Cor. 1.19 Now mens sin is said to be hid two wayes One is by a free pardon when a sinner hiding himself under Christs shadow gets his sins pardoned and covered Neh. 4 5. Psal 32.1 and 85.2 And it is certain that such as repent of their pride must have pardon for their by-gone pride whatever reformation there be for the futuâ—e But this is not principally meant here For by a pardon sin is properly hid from Gods revengeful eye not from man save in so farr as a pardon hides him from the penal effects of his sin The other way of hiding sin is when it is hid from the man himself not by keeping him from seeing his guilt and inclinations to sin but by removing of the sin from him And in this sense it is taken here and it imports That the man who heeds the instructions of the Word concerning his pride will 1. Not satisfie himself with claiming to a pardon when he is convinced of his guilt in it but will endeavour to have it removed from him that the mortification of the evil may be a comfortable evidence of the pardon of â—t 2. He will endeavour to remove it from him with detestation as an evil which he cannot endure to look upon but it must be hid out of his sight as is said of the Idols of penitents Is 30.22 3. Being sensible of his own propensity to that evil he will study to prevent it by hiding from himself all causes and occasions of it and tentations to it He will not study his graces and his privileges without studying his infirmities which may be a counter-ballance to him he will be sparing to reflect upon his afflictions at least he will be careful not to aggravate them lest his corruption and pride be thereby irritated and in studying of his sad lots he will be careful also to study his ill deservings and the mercies which are continued with him and the mercies remembred in wrath which may keep his Spirit sober 4. That all these endeavours may be effectual it should be his care to abide under Christs shadow that vertue from him may prevent the budding of that evil Doct. 11. It may encourage men to hearken to the voice of God in his Word if they consider that his quarrel is not against their persons but their sins that he intends not their destruction or to crush them but only their humiliation and reformation and that the only loss they will sustain if they manage his instructions well is the hiding of pride and the causes and occasions thereof from them For this is declared to be the scope of his instruction which he seals unto and upon man To withdraw man from his work and hide pride from man and men do wrong themselves when they make another use thereof Verse 18. He keepeth back his Soul from the pit and his life from perishing by the sword In this Verse Elihu gives an account of a further and more mediate scope of the Lords dealing with his people by dreams and visions and a result of the former Namely That the Lord leads them to renew repentance and to be humbled that so he may prevent their further hurt if they do it not even the pit and some violent death by the sword or the like violent means The words Soul and Life being different in the Original the first part of the Verse may be understood of the Souls going to Hell at death and the latter part of the manner of their death that it shall be violent And albeit godly men of whom Elihu's scope is chiefly to speak will not actually goe to Hell nor doth Elihu say that here but rather on the contrary that God prevents it yet their failings of their own nature do deserve it and therefore God makes use of the Word here to prevent it and if that succeed not he hath the rod c. as after followeth to effectuate it Or the phrases may be taken promiscuously the latter explaining the former That God keeps their Soul or Life from the pit or grave and death and that not an ordinary but a violent death which otherwise they would incurr if they hearken not to the Word or lesser rods As we find God dealt with Josiah whom he cut off in his presumptuous attempt against Pharaoh Necho and thus did he chasten some of the Corinthians for their miscarriages 1 Cor. 11.30 From this Verse Learn 1. The people of God do therefore run on in their miscarriages and follies and do neglect the renewing of their repentance because they consider not the hazards which they run by these courses Therefore are they informed of their danger here 2. Albeit the eternal state of the godly be secured by Christ yet their failings and particularly their pride do deserve the pit and albeit God prevent that hazard to the godly yet beside the fears of their eternal destruction they may be sharply chastised and even taste of a violent death For so much is here intimated That by their miscarriages and particularly by their pride they run the hazard of the pit and of perishing by the sword 3. It is one great cause of mens mistaking Gods dealing towards them that they can easily feel and resent the want of some mercies which they have enjoyed but they do not study and remark preventing mercies Therefore here lest men should mistake Gods disquieting of them with visions and dreams and his putting them to the unpleasant task of humiliation and repentance Elihu lets them see what hazards are prevented thereby and that he keepeth back the Soul from the pit and the life from perishing or passing namely out of the body by the sword by these means 4. There is nothing so sad which befalleth the people of God but it tends to prevent somewhat that is sadder which otherwise would befall them For here all this trouble by visions and dreams and the toyl of repentance and humiliation
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
every step in their journey and every lot which may befall them by the way All which if we do believe may encourage us to entrust our selves to him and to sleep in his bosome in our sad and dark lots 8. That it is Gods glory and prerogative to have the sole guiding of his people So that either we must commit and resign all to him or do all our selves for he will not share it with us The belief whereof will perswade us to resign our selves intirely to his will as we would not be wholly left to our selves and so become a burden to our selves 9. That it is the will of God we never cast out with him but believe his love whatever he do Psal 77.7 8 9 10. Job 10.13 The faith whereof will make us shut our eyes upon whatsoever would breed mistakes and quarrells with God These are some few of the common principles which may feed Faith in most dark and sad conditions Doct. 2. Our Discouragements ought not to give a check unto nor impede our Faith in relying upon God in dark and sad conditions Therefore saith be Even although thou sayest thou shalt not see him yet trust in him Faith is still a commanded duty whatever difficulties and discouragements interpose and therefore Christ pressed faith upon the Ruler of the Synagogue even albeit his Daughter did dye while he is employing him to recover her of her sickness Luk. 8.49 50. And Faith is called to step over all improbabilities Psal 46.1 2. Hab 3.17 18. Yea difficulties serve to stirr us up to believe Faith being given us for such a time as that and then especially called for Psal 56.3 Rev. 13.10 and the want thereof at such a time being especially culpable Prov. 24.10 Thirdly Consider The Ground upon which he presseth this Direction and encourageth to believe Judgement is before him therefore trust thou in him Some read it Do judgement and trust in him or expect him But if we take the phrase To do judgement strictly for judging and dealing righteously with others as it is 1 King 3.28 and 10.9 Prov. 21.3 though the words in the Original be different from that which is here that cannot be the right reading here For whatever was the opinion Jobs Friends had of him yet I find not that Elihu ever judged that he had been an unjust man that he needed advise him to amend that fault Others read it thus Judge to wit thy self which they adde before him and trust in him that is repent and believe And it is true That none can warrantably believe but those who are self-judgers and who do abase and condemn themselves before the Lord in the sense of their sinfulness And That even those who find cause thus to judge themselves have yet a warrant to believe and trust But beside that the word here is rather a Noun Judgement than a Verb to judge which makes against both these readings and that this last reading requires a Supplement to make out the sense all this self-judging may be imported and pre-supposed in trusting as hath been cleared And therefore according to our own Translation I take the words to hold out this ground of encouragement to trust in God That Judgement is before him as his scope and design is in all his dealing especially toward his people and that which he will be careful to have observed Where by Judgement we are not only to understand his strict justice and that he is a righteous Judge and will prove so at last to Job in deciding of his cause and in the mean time will do him no wrong But his tender moderation in his dealing with his people and that he tenderly considereth their condition to deal moderately with them as there is cause as he speaks of Jobs lot in the next Verse Thus the phrase though the word in the Original be different is used Is 30 18. Psal 99.4 See also Job 34.23 and 37.23 Doct. As the sound knowledge of God is a sure bottom for Faith to rest upon Psal 9.10 So particularly it encourageth Faith to know that he is not only righteous but full of tenderness and moderation in all his dispensations toward his people So that no sâ—verity takes away his tender consideration of his peoples condition For saith he Judgement is bâ—sâ—â—â— him therefore trust thou in him Hence he is said to know our mould and frame Psal 103.13 14 15. Is 57.16 to remember mercy in wrath Hab. 3.2 Judg. 10.13 16. to pity even our sinful disposition if our selves be sensible of it Gen. 8.21 to make use of the stroaks which he hath inflicted in displeasure as arguments of his sympathy and pity Jer. 31.20 and to measure our burdens by our strength and ability Is 28.27 28. 1 Cor. 10.13 Hence Gods people are to blame when they complain of his severity to the weakening of their own confidence The causes whereof are their inordinate love to ease which makes them to be vexed when they get not leave to sleep securely their love of their lusts which imbittereth their Spirits when those are crushed their want of spare strength which dissatisfieth them and rendereth them still jealous even notwithstanding that they are supported and their not looking in to his tender heart when his hand is sad upon them nor considering that as a faithful Chyrurgian he may wound with the wound of an enemy and the chastisement of a cruel one Jer. 30.14 when yet he minds nothing but love to them Verse 15. But now because it is not so he hath visited in his anger yet he knoweth it not in great extremity This advice and remedy of Jobs evil is here further pressed from the sad fruits of the want of it and that because of his despondency and neglect of faith he was chastened in displeasure though yet moderately Whence Learn 1. It is nothing strange to see Saints deficient in their duty especially in the matter of trusting in God For here it is not so as he hath advised As we come alwayes short in duty especially in times of trouble and tentation So there is no duty wherein we are then more deficient than in believing 2. Want of humble trust in God in trouble is so great a sin before God that it is just cause of a quarrel against these that are guilty of it For Because now it is not so he hath visited This they ought to advert unto who think they do well and have a call and warrant to distrust because they are in trouble 3. Gods quarrel against his people for their unbelief may be prosecuted and appear in sad stroaks and chastisements For because of this he hath visited or chastened Few do read their condition thus and that their diffidence may have an hand in bringing on or continuing of their stroaks 4. The want of trust in God doth provoke God to displeasure which should be read and observed by Saints in their most cleanly tryals when they are
added Only remember that they who become poor in affliction will relye on God on whom they are left and will be tender in their walk Psal 40.17 Zâ—ph 3.12 13. And it will not a little humble them that they needed such a mean to bring them up to that disposition Doct. 4. Men are never right nor will become poor under trouble nor will they be fitted for any good issue till their ears be opened to hear Gods mind in affliction and it be not a dumb rod For their ears are opened or revealed in oppression Of this see on v. 9. Only as frequently the deafness of our ears to the admonitions of the Word draweth on afflictions so rods will never humble us and make us poor till we hear from God what we are and what he mindeth by them And till we not only hear but learn our lesson we are not fit to be delivered from our Schoolmaster So that they have a poor and unprofitable life who are kept toyling only under the rod but have never a lesson inculcated by it 5. However God make use of the rod as a mean in his hand yet it is his own hand and blessing accompanying it that teacheth us any thing thereby For he openeth their ears Of this also somewhat hath been spoken before Only our afflictions are oft-times barren that we may know who doth us good and may eye him when they are barren and acknowledge him when they are made fruitful 6. When God hath humbled and instructed his people under the rod then they are in the way to get deliverance For he delivereth the poor in his affliction and openeth or when he openeth their ears in oppression It is true the counsel of the poor may be shamed and scorned by men Psal 14.6 while they wait upon God and are not delivered Yet they have the promise Psal 12.5 They are left upon God who will give a good account of his dealing about them Psal 10.14 and who deviseth concerning them as the Original phrase is Psal 40.17 to do that which is best for them It is a part of the commendation of God that he is good to the poor Psal 35.10 Yea his kindness to them may invite Kings to seek to share with them Psal 72.10 14. And it is frequently pleaded by Gods people that they are poor and needy Psal 69.29 and 74.19 and 86.1 and else-where More particularly as for the way of his dealing with the poor we are to remember that he doth actually deliver some of them out of their troubles and will deliver all of them at last And till that be brought to pass the rod changeth its nature They are delivered in trouble though they be not delivered from trouble by his supporting and comforting them under it by his sanctifying and mitrigating of it and by faith patience and mortification of lusts which make it easie And however it goe with them yet they may be convinced that deliverance would not be a blessing without this previous opening of the ear 7. It is the usual way of truly godly men to get good of their crosses and when it is otherwise and mens miscarriages provoke God to cut them off though that do not prove them graceless yet it should humble them as testifying that they have gone out of the road way wherein Saints use to walk For this issue of trouble on godly men is repeated from v. 11. as the usual way wherein they walk and no mention is made of that supposition of their rebelling under the rod and their being cut off for it v. 12. because real Saints do not usually run that hazard Verse 16. Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place where there is no straitness and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness 17. But thou hast fulfilled the judgement of the wicked Judgement and justice take hold on thee Followeth to v. 22. the fourth Head of this first part of Elihu's Discourse containing a particular Application of the former general Doctrine to Jobs present case Wherein from what hath been said 1. He layeth the true state of Jobs case before him v. 16 17. 2. He gives him his counsel relative to his case as it stood v. 18 19 20 21. In these Verses Jobs case in pursuance of the former general Doctrine is laid before him in these two First What it might have been v. 16. Namely That if he had followed that course which is usually observed by godly men v. 11.15 he might have been in a prosperous condition which he illustrates by two similitudes One of a large bounds to dwell in opposite to these straits pressures and stocks he had so often complained of Another of a plentiful table opposite to his poverty and his sighing coming before his meat which he had also regrated And if it be enquired Quest How Elihu doth so positively speak to Jobs restitution seeing that is not so absolutely promised to godly men as Job hath all along disputed against his Friends Answ It may be he knew by special Revelation that Job was to be restored upon his repentance and therefore he speaks so and so earnestly presseth him to repent But seeing that cannot make a general and common Rule for others in the like afflicted condition Therefore it would be considered that albeit God may afflict a godly man yea and suffer a penient to come to outward ruine yet such as improve their afflictions aright have the promise of restitution and do oft-times get an out-gate and alwayes they get that which is as good for them Secondly He layeth before him what his case indeed was for present v. 17. Namely That since he had fulfilled the judgement of the wicked justice and judgement had taken hold on him in the present tryal For clearing whereof Consider 1. By the judgement of the wicked here we may understand Either Metonymically those sins for which God inflicts judgements or righteous punishments upon wicked men Or as the word also will read that sentence cause or principles which wicked men maintain and which they persist in and endeavour to bear out against God And so to fulfill their judgement is only to follow their steps and way of it whereby he had not only confirmed them in their proud and insolent carriage and so fulfilled or ratified their sentence and determinations but had drawn himself under the hand of an angry God And so while he chargeth Job with fulfilling of the judgement of the wicked he doth not assert him to be a wicked man but only as he had done before Chap. 34.8 affrights him from his way by letting him see how like some of his pranks were to the practices of the wicked 2. While he asserts that judgement and justice take hold on Job he means not that Job was under a dispensation of pure wrath nor doth it import that Jobs afflictions came not upon him at first only for
wrath he would have him looking well to his carriage 5. It may excite men under trouble to be watchfull over their own Spirits and carriage if they consider that when God is once provoked and hath begun to contend he will readily cut them off who continue stubborn under corrections For because there is wrath beware lest he take thee away with a stroak 6. Though men in passion be ready not to regard any hazard so they may get a vent to their humours Yet they will soon relent when it cometh to a peremptore For so he supposeth that Job would seek to be delivered if God were about to take him away 7. It may affright men from provoking God to cut them off if they consider that when God is once provoked to proceed to that he will not readily turn back and the stroak when it cometh is irrecoverable Psal 49.7 8 9. For then a great ransome cannot deliver thee neither can it prevent cutting off if once he set about it as there may be such irrevocable sentences concernâ—ng outward stroaks even within time 2 King 23.26 27. Zâ—ph 2.1 2. nor recover thee to lâ—fe again when once thou art cut off 8. It may discover the vanity of wealth and strength and all mens other temporal enjoyments that they can do them no good in their greatest distresses and when they have most need of help and relief For Will he esteem thy riches No not gold nor all the forces of strength Verse 20. Desire not the night when people are cut off in their place In the second branch of the counsel he gives a check to Jobs passionate desire of death and enforceth the former counsel by obviating an Objection For whereas Job might be ready to reject the former advice as being a man who was so farr from being afraid that he should be taken away with a stroak that he did earnestly desire death Elihu forbids him to desire it in that way wherein people or many wicked men meet with it who are violently or suddenly cut off or made to ascend like the light of a candle dying out as men surprized by night in their very beds or place of rest Doct. 1. Death in it self is a dark passage to Nature For it is like the night wherein the Sun of those delights which deceive fools goeth down Men had need to prepare for it and to have much of the light of Faith not alwayes expecting Sense whereby they may see to goe through it 2. The darkness of Deaths passage is many times augmented by the way of mens death when they are violently surprized and cut off in a dark hour of trouble like men cut off by Murderers upon their beds in a dark night For so is death here described to Job Men should not refuse or be unwilling to dye when death comes in an ordinary way since God can make it much sadder 3. Godly men have need to be very suspicious of their own inclinations and desires in a time of trouble considering that they are then in a feaver For Elihu adviseth Job to abandon his desires We are ordinarily least sober in our desires when we have greatest cause of sobriety and that is a sad conjunction 4. In particular Albeit Saints especially ought to be ready for death at all times nor ought they to stumble though God cut them off in common calamities or in some odde way Yet such a way of death ought not to be prayed for or desired by them For saith he Desire not the night c. Yea all their longing after death when they are under a cloud ought to be suspected and well tryed Verse 21. Take heed regard not iniquity For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction In the last branch of his counsel he summs up his advice in this general That he should not be more taken up with affliction than with sin under it and that his miseries should not tempt him to impatience Whence Learn 1. Whenever trouble cometh on as God layeth trouble and sin before us to try us which of them we will choose So it is not our misery that Satan so much designes as our sinning Therefore he adviseth Job to have his eye chiefly upon iniquity 2. Present pressing trouble is so strong a tentation to sin that even godly men may be over-driven with the tentation For he regarded iniquity and choosed it rather than affliction See Ps 125.3 3. This miscarriage of Saints flows from their inadvertency and their not considering how poor a choice sin is and how unfit a mean to ease them of trouble but rather to augment it Therefore he bids him take heed that so he may not make this choice intimating that his inconsiderateness made him run to impatience to get ease by complaining but in vain 4. Whatever be mens thoughts in an hour of tentation yet the greatest of troubles should be chosen rather than the least sin nor doth any trouble warrant them to sin either as they think to get ease or to bring actual deliverance to them For saith he Regard not iniquity or look not to it as an ease or mean of help so as to choose it rather than affliction Verse 22. Behold God exalteth by his power Who teacheth like him Followeth the second part of Elihu's Speech begun in this Chapter and continued till v. 23. of Chap. 37. containing a commendation of the greatness of God which cannot be comprehended nor ought to be quarrelled by any Creature This greatness of God is here to be taken in a large sense as comprehending his infinite Wisdome his absolute Dominion and infinite Power whereby it is confirmed and proved in the following discourse And he doth instance and prove it from the very common works of Providence whereof God also makes use afterward to prove the same conclusion that he may reprehend Job who was ignorant of what was so obvious and withall may in divers of them point at such things as reflect upon Jobs weaknesses The summ of this part of the Discourse is That God is a great and absolute Lord and therefore ought not to be quarrelled but submitted unto in his dispensations Of this Proposition there are three general Proofs in this Chapter Whereof the first in this Verse is taken from the singular monuments of his power and wisdome In that he is not only exalted himself as the words may be read and understood and set on high by the demonstrations of his great power in the government of the World but exalteth others who are humble and low by this his power And in that he is so infinitely wise as he is a singular Teacher Hereby Elihu would insinuate that it was Jobs duty to stoop more patiently to God in whose power it was yet to exalt him and to adore and lean to his wisdome and set about to learn those lessons which God was teaching him by his dispensations toward him In general from this part of the Discourse and
pointing out the causes effects and signes thereof Which may teach us in general That many things may concurr in one work of God to demonstrate his glory shining in it In the Verses Consider First The Causes and Antecedents of this rain v. 29 30. Which are 1. The Clouds a proper material cause of rain 2 The noise of his Tabernacle or of the Clouds which are called his Tabernacle Ps 18.11 and his Chariot Ps 104.3 whereby we are to understand either the high winds which sometime goe before rain or rather because of that which followeth of Lightning v. 30. the Thunder which is an antecedent going before rain at some-times and a cause thereof in so farr as by bursting through the watery cloud it breaketh it and causeth it dissolve in rain 3. Light or Lightnings which accompany the Thunder and are antecedents to the rain Of these he saith That none can understand the spreading of the clouds how they cover the Sky sometime very speedily and are hurried here and there or the noise of thunder which is made in the clouds Or how the lightnings having broken through the clouds do not only spread themselves upon them as if they were all covered therewith but do even cover the Sea and that with such impetuousness as if they would dive into the very roots and bottom thereof Doct. 1. The vâ—ry dark clouds are bright documents of Gods incomprehensible majesty and his glory shines in spreading them out and driving them here and there and yet keeping them from breaking For here the spreading of the clouds is a document of his greatness which none can understand fully and as it points him out So that even a dark cloudy day may be a speaking Preaching to those who have discerning and a spiritual mind 2. Thunder and lightnings coming before rain are another document of the greatness of God which none can fully comprehend For this is another proof of his assertion Can any understand the noise of his Tabernacle Behold he spreadeth his light upon it or upon his Tabernacle c. The noise of thunder before rain doth not only point out the glorious majesty of God whose voice it is as is at length prosecuted Ps 29. But doth further shew that every thing that is terrible is not hurtful to all who are ready to be affrighted therewith As thunder doth but rarely destroy any and but few of those who hear its dreadful noise The lightnings comming from the place where rain is and upon which the rain followeth may teach us How little we need to look to probabilities in what we want since men may expect rain even whence fire cometh And the lightnings being spread upon the clouds and darting down to the very bottom of the Sea may let us see How God can enlighten our darkness Psal 18.28 even by a light brought out of our dark cloud Psal 112.4 How immense and omnipresent he is who can not only spread his light upon the cloudy Sky but cover the Sea with it and that very suddenly How infinite and effectual his knowledge is who can make his light spread so farr as even to lighten the World Ps 77.18 even the Sky and Sea and can make it cover the very bottom or roots of the Sea and penetrate thither And How much of Gods glory is manifested in the World which man cannot overtake to comprehend seeing he not only fills the Earth and Sky with his glory but doth manifest it in the Sea where men do not so frequently converse to see his wonders in the deep Ps 107.24 and that to the bottom thereof where man cannot dive to see it 3. Then are the works of God rightly studied and God rightly seen in them when men do not drown themselves in nature and in the study of the second causes but do see God in them whose works they are As here it is called his light And when they look upon Gods revealing of himself by them as but an obscuring of himself that he may reveal himself to their capacity As the clouds are called his Tabernacle where in manifesting himself to men he involves and hides himself that he cannot be seen as he is in himself Thus also the very brightness as well as the dark clouds is but the hiding of his power Hab. 3.4 Secondly The Effects of rain which cometh out of these clouds after the thunder and lightning or the Ends for which it cometh upon the Earth v. 31. Namely to plague some and give plenty to others It is said he doth these things by them in the plural number that is not only by rain but by thunder and lightning which may have influence upon the Earth either for hurt as when they destroy and blast the Creatures or for good as when they scour and purifie the Air that the influences thereof may be more benign And they have also a more mediate influence upon the effects of the rain they way whereof they prepare by bursting through the cloud This teacheth 1 Means and second causes will prove unto men even according as God employes them for judgement or mercy as here we see See Deut. 8.3 2. Even that which is a judgement to some may prove a mercy to others For by rain and thunder c. he judgeth the people and giveth meat 3. Tempestuous and terrible-like things may do good to whomsoever God pleaseth As by thunder lightning and rain he gives meat So that men need not be afraid of improbable-like things if God interpose 4. As meat is a great mercy being so necessary daily and a mercy wherewith if we have raiment also we should be content 1 Tim. 6.8 So God is to be acknowledged as the giver of it who employeth second causes to produce it and blesseth them for that effect and puts his blessing in it when it is produced without which it would do us no more good than the Earth from which it cometh Deut 8 3. Therefore it is marked as his great mercy to some that he giveth meat See Psal 104.27 28. 5. God when he pleaseth can give proof that he is not close handed in his dispensations bâ—t can give meat in abundance as here we are taught See Act. 14.17 So that when we are straitened in these thâ—ngs we are not to quarrel or question his fulness but should look to another cause Thirdly The Time and Way of this preparation for the rain v. 32. Namely That God when he pleaseth covereth the light of the Sun and Sky with these clouds and hindereth the bright shining thereof upon the Earth by the interposition of the clouds The Original Text in the latter part of the Verse is very concise but the Supplements which make it clear are necessarily understood in it For his command upon it that is upon the light or against it which is the reading of the Original imports an interdâ—ction that it should not shine and that which cometh betwixt or occurreth which is
sheweth what light he can cause arise unto his people even in darkness how God hath so disposed all things and ballanced them as he makes us dwell safely under such a weight of Clouds which hang over our heads in the thin air whereby he sheweth that he is able to preserve his people when they are kept under the hazard of eminent perils how much of God doth shine in warm seasons whence we may gather some Documents concerning the refreshful warmth of the light of his countenance lifted up upon us after cold blasts especially in our heavenly Countrey Also concerning the emptiness of all temporal enjoyments and the Mercy that is in their being moderated evidenced in this that however we desire hot seasons in cold weather yet we can no more endure the extremity of heat than of cold and that our Cloaths which sometimes we find comfortable do at other times prove a burden through heat And how much of his Glory shineth in the stately Canopy of the Firmament Psal 8 19. Whence we may gather how much more glorious those upper Mansions are But passing all these I shall only take a few Observations with an eye to Elihu's scope in these Instances And 1. All things in the world whether more permanent or transient are of Gods sole making As here we are taught Which affords much ground to Faith upon which it may lean in greatest difficulties See Rom. 4.17 2 Cor. 4.6 1 Pet. 4.19 2. Not only Gods power in making but his Wisdom in ordering all things ought to be observed For he disposed them So that there is not so much as an hot day but his Wisdom shâ—nes in it 3. As all things are ordered by God so they are at his Command and in his Hand to sâ—cure his People As he causeth the light of his Cloud to shine when he wâ—ll ballanceth the Clouds c. 4 As Gods Gâ—ory shineth in every one of his particular works so it shines yet more illustriously if we consider many of them together For which cause they are here represented to Job together 5. Not only singular and extraordinary works of God but even those which are ordinary and obvious are full of deep and unsearchable things For here he goeth no further than to the Sky Clouds Heat c. to convince Job that God is incomprehensible in his works 6 Gods works being all so incomprehensible it is the duty of those who would contemplate them aright to raise their thoughts of them As here they are called his wondrous works v. 16. which he again repeats from v. 14. 7. In studying of the works of God we should ascend up to high thoughts of himself As here he subjoyns to his sight of those wondrous works that he is perfect in knowledge 8. Whatever else we see in Gods works we should be careful to observe his perfect and infinite Wisdom to be adored and trusted by us therefore doth he point him out as perfect in knowledge and declared to be such by the operations of his hand 9. Whatever may be the frame of men unconcerned or how easie soever they think Lessons are yet men under tentation are not easily brought to adore God in his working or to learn these Lessons which are inculcated thereby Therefore must this counsel v. 14. be so much pressed upon Job by so many new Instances For men are then peevish too confident of their own opinions and apprehensions apt to pore too much upon their own case c. All which do darken their understanding 10. When men are disordered and mistake in their thoughts of God he hath not one only but many witnesses to convince them and even to overwhelm their stiffness as here he heaps up instances to refute Job 11. Whoso study Gods ordinary works well will find cause to stoop to him in his singular dispensations as here we are taught For if no man be his Counseller in his ordinary working nor will he give an account of it nor should any murmure at it much less will he give an account of his special dispensations about man but man must acquiesce and submit to his pleasure And we who are but of yesterday and ignorant of what is most obvious as here he confounds Job by enquiring what he knoweth of these works must not think to pry into his deep counsels Verse 19. Teach us what we shall say unto him for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness 20. Shall it be told him that I speak if a man speak surely he shall be swallowed up In the second branch of this Application Elihu checks Job for his desire to plead with God the reproof whereof he coucheth in a counsel or desire by way of sharp Irony v. 19 That if Job desired to plead with God or would have them Elihu or any of his Friends to plead or interpose for him he would give them inâ—ormation how to go about it and furnish them with some of those Arguments wherewith he said he was well stored Chap. 23.4 This in effect imports that however Job was so daring as to desire to plead yeâ— he could satisfie no impartial and unconcerned man that he had a just ground of Plea or valid Arguments to produce This is further confirmed from their experience and observation that God could not be so pleaded with 1. Because it is impossible mans darkness and ignorance and the mysteries in Gods dispensations being so great that none can order their pleas or defences before him v. 19. 2. Because of the hazard that is in such an attempt v. 20. Where he alludes to the customs of those times wherein men did record their Names in a Book or otherwise gave publick notice that they were to plead such a Cause as they did also write all their disputes in the Cause Chap. 19.23 31.35 Now Elihu professeth that he durst not make any intimation to God that he was about to speak in these terms that Job desired to plead with him seeing he could not plead but he was in hazard to be swallowed up From v. 19. Learn 1. It is mens great fault that they presume to quarrel with God as this check given to Job imports 2. It heightens mens faults when they are not satisfied to harbour inward thoughts of secret murmurings and resentments against God which yet are their sin but they presume to utter and speak them out For this check imports That Job was about to say somewhat unto him 3. How high soever mens resolutions fly in their passions yet they will not know how to follow them out in cold blood for he supposeth that Job cannot teach what to say nor convince even the Auditory who were but men that he had any valid Arguments or defences 4. However men will not be convinced of their irrational presumption in offering to plead with God as a party while they are in their fits of distemper yet it may help to calm them if they consider that no
in any as he will have for them for he calls not this fault of Job Blasphemy c as his Friends had done when he reproves it but only a fruit of his Weakness and Ignorance So that they who are sensible of their own infirmities may very confidently go to him who knoweth their frame In particular Learn 1. Gods dispensations in the world are not ordered at random but are full of deep wisdom for there is Counsel in them See Psal 104.24 And this is our mercy that such wisdom is employed about us and that we may trust it when we cannot comprehend it 2. The counsels of God are so deep in ordering the Affairs of the world and particularly the Lots of his people that men are ignorant thereof and cannot take them up for here men are without knowledge not only enemies Psal 92.5 6 7. Mich. 4.11 12 13. but even the godly Psal 73.21 22. And yet men are more ready to tax God of Imprudence than themselves of Ignorance and hence flow their manifold mistakes and quarrellings Psal 77.7 8 9 10. 3. Hence it cometh to pass that when men take upon them at any time to speak of Gods counsels they may be humbled because they do but obscure them especially when in their passions under trouble they do presume to pass a censure upon them For then they darken Counsel by words without knowledge Men may tremble at any time when they begin to study Gods dark dispensations especially when themselves are in a Feaver and whatever thoughts may be boiling in their hearts yet it is dangerous to vent and speak them 4. No Honesty in men nor good intentions do warrant them to think or speak amiss of God nor free them of a fault when they do so for Job is checked for his fault albeit he was a godly man and meant well in what he said yea and sometime did speak very highly to the commendation of God And therefore godly men should not justifie themselves in such failings as Jon. 4.9 but should rather mourn for them 5. Whenever a man doth miscarry in his thoughts or expressions of God or about his dispensations he bewâ—ales ignorance of himself and that he doth not consider what he is or what he is doing for Who is this c. imports that Job had forgot himself and was lifted up in pride See Rom. 9.20 6. Whoever mistake God it beseems Saints who are formed for his praise Isa 43.2 to be tender of his glory for Who is this may reflect also upon Job that it was not to be expected that he would have been so foolish and presumptuous 7. Whatever men think of themselves when they dare carp at God and censure him yet God thinks meanly of them in so doing and will make them know so much for Who is this doth also import that God thought but meanly of a person in such a frame and following such a course His esteem of thâ—se who humbly stoop to him is great but he knoweth the proud afar off Psal 138.6 And the contentioâ—s will gain nothing at his hand Verse 3. Gird up now thy loyns like a man for I will demand of thee and answer thou me In the second branch of the Introduction God provokes Job to the Dispute upon this subject and sheweth him that since he was so bold as to pass his censure upon his deep Counsels and to desire to debate with him he was now content to speak for himself Here Consider 1. The provocation to the Dispute Gird up thy loins like a man Where he alludes to the Custom of those Countries where people had long Garments which they girded up with a Girdle fastened about their Loins when they went about any work or on a Journey And the meaning of this provocation here is only this That God would have him fit himself for the Dispute and if he had any thing to say let him take courage and produce it Yet herein also an Irony is couched and God indirectly intimates that he little considered what he did when he sought to enter the Lists with him 2. The terms of the Dispute I will demand of thee answer thou me or make me know and inform me Where he alludes to Job's own Offer that if God would debate the Cause with him he should have Liberty to chuse the Weapons and to be either Plaintiffe or Defendant as he pleased Chap. â—3 22 Here God accepts the Offer and chuseth to be Plaintiffe or Pursuer and Questioner and leaves it to Job to give a proof of his abilities in answering and discovering whether he had knowledge in all those things he shall propound to him which in effect as the sequel cleareth containeth an Assertion that in stead of his being able to inform God God could easily puzzle and non-plus him From this v. Learn 1. General Convictions and Challenges will not do men good unless they be particularly instructed and born in upon them therefore doth God subjoin this Dispute to that general Reproof v. 2. 2. God will not suffer Presumption especially in his people to pass without a reproof and check as here he gives a check to Job's presumption by this indirect reflection upon his attempt to dispute with him 3. God is not bound to give any account of his matters far less is he bound to stand at our Bar and defend himself till man once prove that he is a competent Judge of his Actions and that he hath ability and knowledge to comprehend them Therefore he declines to turn an Answer as Job had also offered for his diâ—pensations or to vindicate them from Job's exceptions till Job first answer him and prove that he hath ability to pronounce righteous Judgment 4. Albeit God be great and man be not his equal yet he condescends to give him fair play and will not overthrow any right he hath by his might and power For by this invitation Gird up now thy loins like a man he offers him free liberty to take courage and to say all he can 5. How wise or experienced soever a man be or seem to be yet God is able to puzzle and confound him for if he demand man cannot answer And so Job himself thought in cold blood Chap. 9.3 6. When all things are well considered man will be found to be ridiculous in his attempts to grapple with God for so much doth the scope of this Proposition and provocation import that God by accepting Job's offer would discover his folly in it Verse 4. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth declare if thou hast understanding 5. Who hath laid the measures thereof if thou knowest or who hath stretched the line upon it 6. Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastned or who laid the Corner-Stone thereof 7. When the morning-stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy Followeth the Dispute it self which is begun in this Chapter And for taking up of Gods scope
in the Cause Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my Servant Job hath Where the Sentence is pronounced 1. Absolutely Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right Not that they had not spoken any thing right of God but that their Principles which they managed in the dispute were injurious to God as Job also had told them Chap. 13.7.8 For they set limits to his Soveraignty prescribed rules to his Justice in his proceedings with men judged amiss of his dispensations represented him as terrible and dealing in wrath with an afflicted godly man asserted that God did always in this life visibly reward men according to their ways c. In all which they spake not of God the thing that was right as hath been cleared in the progress of the Dispute Doct. 1. Right Thoughts and Interpretations of Gods ways and proceedings are good in trying times so here they are missed 2. Those right thoughts of God should be spoken out as we have a calling and opportunity for glorifying of God and edifying of others for they should have spoken of him the things that are right 3. They may seem to be much for God and for his Holiness and Justice whom yet God will find to be otherwise employed for these Friends made it their chief Plea to plead for God against Job and yet saith he Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right So that fair pretences if there be no more will not avail before God 4. In particular we may from this censure conclude That such Principles as are maintained by these Friends wherein Job opposed them and which have been marked in the progress will never be approved of God let men set them off as they will for of these God saith Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right 2. The Sentence is pronounced comparatively Ye have not spoken as my Servant Job hath Whereby an Objection is obviated for they might be ready to say If we be wrong so also may Job be In answer to which he asserts that they had not spoken right as he did The Comparison is not instituted betwixt Job and them with an eye to what Job had lately spoken in his Confession to convince them that they had not repented of their Errours and Mistakes as he had lately done But it is instituted betwixt Jobs Principles and theirs in the dispute wherein albeit Job be not simply assoiled for he had spoken rashsy of God in his passion yet in the main cause he is declared Superiour and that his Principles concerning God were sound in what he had maintained against them Doct. 1. Godly men are right at all times when they cleave to God and his love and an interest in him whatever befall them for in this Job is assoiled and approved 2. Mens being in the right ought not to be called in question notwithstanding any stream of Providence or opposition from godly men against them for here Job is approved in speaking out his interest in God against all these 3. Men may be right in their main cause who yet have their own failings as Job also had who though he be commended above them and declared to have spoken right of God in the main cause yet he is not simply assoiled as may be seen in Gods challenging of him in the preceding Discourses God would have us to look not only to faults but to degrees of our accession to them that we may neither please our selves in gross evils because others are some way involved in them nor yet satisfie our selves that we are more right than others when yet we are not right as we ought to be 4. When we do rightly consider and compare faults we will find that unsound Principles such as the Friends had are worse than sinful and rash expressions in a Fit of Passion which were Jobs fault wherein he is assoiled in comparison of his Friends For unsound Principles are like a corrupted Fountain which doth send forth corrupt waters whereas rash Expressions do only evidence weakness and not a corrupt disposition and mens sound Principles will help them to retract them 5. Whatever be the failings of Gods poor people and whatever God do or say to them for their faults yet the reconciled estate of their persons is not altered thereby as they will find when they take with their faults for Job here is his Servant still as at the beginning Chap. 1.8 2.3 and this is again thrice repeated here v. 8. Fourthly Consider how God pronounceth in the merits of the Cause or how he relisheth this their miscarriage My wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two Friends for ye have not spoken c. Whence Learn 1. It is not enough that men know their way what it is and whether it be right or wrong unless they ponder also the hazard of it which here is intimated to them 2. It is sad enough and imports hazard enough in a way if God be angry at it whatever he do further upon it for however ordinarily men regard this little yet God propounds it as a certification sad enough that his wrath is kindled against them for their fault See 2 Sam. 11.27 3. Even Gods Children may fall in miscarriages whereby they will incur his displeasure though their persons be justified for his wrath is here kindled against those godly men 4. It is a mercy when God by his Word doth evidence that he is displeased and doth not keep it up till some Judgment intimate it as here he tells them that his wrath is kindled against them and so doth he by his Word daily to them who hear it if they would be attentive 5. It is also a mercy when God distinctly points out and makes his people know the sin he is angry at and doth not leave them under displeasure and confusion at once as here he tells them the quarrel Such distinct Convictions are a singular mercy 6. Maintaining of Errours and particularly Errours concerning God and the crushing and discouraging godly men under their troubles are evils which provoke God to anger for here his wrath is kindled because of these faults in Jobs Friends Verse 8. Therefore take unto you now seven Bullocks and seven Rams and go to my servant Job and offer up for your selves a burnt-offering and my servant Job shall pray for you for him will I accept lest I deal with you after your folly in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right like my servant Job In the second Branch of this Part of the Chapter we have God prescribing a way to these Friends of Job for preventing the hazard which they incurred by their sin namely That they should bring Sacrifices to Job as a Priest whom he would accept in his sacrificing and praying for them as a godly man and especially as a Type of Christ Here we have to consider First The general
agreed all in one opinion to condemn him and it may be the rest of the Friends gave some signs of their approbation of what any one of them spake In this Discourse he partly debates the matter in controversie with themselves to Chap. 13.20 And partly expostulates and pleads his cause with God from thence to the end of Chap. 14. The whole Discourse may be be summed up in these Heads 1. Having insinuated in his Preface that the godly may be in adversity ver 1. 5. he proves also that the wicked may prosper ver 6. 12. 2. He clears himself of the imputation of ignorance of Gods Power and Wisdom by commending thereof ver 13. 25. 3. He makes use of this Doctrine not only to prove that he was not ignorant but also that he had just cause to decline them who had wronged him and pleaded so poorly for God Chap. 13.1 12. 4. Having quit them he applies himself to make his moan to God He justifieth his own practice in it Chap. 13.13 mdash 19. And then falls about his complaint from Chap. 13.20 to the end of Chap. 14. So in this Chapter we have those particulars 1. A Preface wherein he accuseth them of an arrogant conceit of their own wisdom ver 1 2. when yet himself was their equal and the things they propounded were but obvious ver 3. And of inhumanity towards him a godly man now under affliction ver 4 5. Whereby also he contradicts them in one branch of the Controversie betwixt them concerning the prosperity of the godly which Zophar had so strongly asserted Chap. 11.13 14 15 c. as the rest before him had done 2. He prosecutes the debate further concerning the lot of the wicked asserting contrary to Zophar's doctrine Chap. 11.20 wherein the rest also had gone before him that the worst of them may prosper and that God in his Providence did order it to be so v. 6. and proves that they may prosper from what is obvious among the creatures ver 7 8. and that God doth it because nothing can be done without him ver 9 10. To which he subjoyns a conclusion that he could not receive their doctrine upon trust having so much to say against it ver 11. And that they who were men of age and gloried so much in Antiquity should be more wise then rashly to condemn him ver 12. 3. Whereas Zophar had cryed him down with a discourse of Gods Wisdom and Power Chap. 11.5 6 7 c. and had reflected upon him as if he were but a wild Asses Colt Chap. 11 12. He clears himself of that imputation of ignorance and highly commends those Attributes of God He asserts the Wisdom and Power of God ver 13. giving some instances thereof in the various dispensations of Providence in the affairs and concernments of Men and in things natural ver 14 15. And again repeats his assertion ver 16. Commending those Attributes as they shine in ordering the deceits that are among men ver 16. in overthrowing and overturning most eminent persons for power and policy ver 17. 21. in discovering most dark and hidden things ver 22. in increasing and destroying Nations at his pleasure ver 23. and in order to the destruction of Nations in taking away of wisdom from the Heads and Rulers of a people ver 24 25. Ver. 1. And Job answered and said 2. No doubt but ye are the people and wisdom shall die with you JOB minding to reply before he enter upon the cause he doth in the entry give them a check for their miscarriages in the debate in the prosecution whereof he insensibly falls in upon the question agitated betwixt him and them His first challenge in these verses is chiefly personal wherein he reproves them that they had an arrogant conceit of their own wisdom as if they had been the only wits in the world and as if wisdom had been born with them and would die with them so that if they were gone there would be no more wit in the world No doubt saith he ye are the people or the only people for wisdom as he after adds in the world ye are as good for that as many people or a whole Nation oâ— as the word usually signifieth when opposed to Heathen Nations without the Church ye are as able as all the Church or the select people to whom God imparts his counsels ye are ingenuous and well bred and I and such as I but slaves fools and beasts as Zophar had insinuated Chap. 11.2 12. This challenge he propounds by way of bitter taunt or Ironie No doubt but ye are the people to check them for their conceiting so of themselves that they disputed so acutely and that they cryed him down as an ignorant while it was nothing so as he clears v. 3. From this challenge we may Learn 1. Arrogancy and a conceit of being singular particularly in the matter of wisdom and knowledge is an ordinary and vile sin For Job supposeth them as indeed in part they were guilty of it and speaks to it as an abominable sin worthy to be derided Albeit it be our duty to be best acquainted with our infirmities Yet man naturally affects a singularity and to be a non such above others And there is nothing wherein this humour appears more then in a mans conceit of his own wisdom above others when he esteems too much of his own judgment notions and opinions And this his conceit doth especially appear in his insolency in maintaining of an ill cause when he hath many as they were many against Job on his side All those are implyed in the Text. And it warns men who would be kept from the snare to study more their own infirmities to see the excellencies which God hath conferred upon every member of the body that some are able for light and can say well others do well some do well but others suffer better and that they be not self-willed and such as will not be advised in their opinions nor insolent in debates 2. Mens conceit deserveth to be sharply dealt with and checked So much doth this Ironie teach us No doubt but ye are the people c. So are Idolaters taunted 1 King 18.27 the arrogantly proud Isa 14.9 10. and such as conceit of their own singular excellencies 1 Cor. 4.8 9 10. 14.36 37. God will deal with it as an intolerable sin and men ought not to cherish it in any Yet 3. Debates and contention are ordinarily attended with passion and reflections For how faulty soever they were yet Job's passion is up in this bitter reflection accounting them but fools contrary to Christs rule Matth. 5.22 It is true men who maintain a right cause may have strongest tentations to passion and reflectâ—ons when they meet with unreasonable and insolent opposition Yet they ought to be upon their guards Not only that they start not debates needlesly but when they are started and they are in the height of
these times Chap. 2.8 It teacheth 1. Manifestations of God when they are in mercy will be practically improved and not gazed upon or plaid with only as here appears in Jobs practice 2. When God is indeed seen the most holy of Saints become loathsome and vile in their own eyes so that they will not get leisure to be puffed up because of the manifestation For when Jobs eye seeth God it followeth wherefore I abhor to wit my self as is added in the Translation So was iâ— with Isaiah Isa 6.5 And so did God prevent Paul 2 Cor. 12.7 3. Abhorrency of our selves upon a sight of God ought to be more eminent when we have miscarried through our ignorance and mistakes before for that was Jobs fault for which he now abhors himself when his eye seeth God Whatever we think of these faults in the heat of tentation yet they will lay us low in our own eyes when God appears and they ought then to be looked upon as very sinful and not as ordinary failings 4. Iâ— is not enough that men be convinced of their follies and mistakes of God unless they also repent of them for Job adds that here I abhor and repent 5. Repentance particularly for such faults ought to be very deep and serious and lay the penitent very low for he repents in dust and ashes wallowing himself there in his sorrow and covering himself therewith according to the custom of those times Mat. 11.21 And it is no wonder that convinced men do thus repent of these sins when they reflect upon the injuries thereby offered to God and what persons they are who commit them 6. Whoever see God aright and most clearly they will not run away from him with their guilt but will humbly and penitently run to him which is an act of Faith for so doth Job here when he gets the clearest sight of God and of his own vileness See 1 Sam. 12.20 No sight of God in his Holiness Justice Dreadfulness c. nor of our own sin in his injuriousness to God warrants us to run away for that were in stead of seeking a remedy to adde that sin to all the rest whereby the remedy is neglected and they become incurable Verse 7. And it was so that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite my wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two Friends for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my Servant Job hath Followeth to v. 10. the second part of the Chapter wherein God having now ended what he had to say to Job about his particular miscarriages the great controversie betwixt Job and his Friends is decided in Jobs favours and upon these terms which were premitted in the Introduction to Chap. 4. and so the Dispute ends And this decision of the Controversie may in the entry teach us That albeit God suffer Controversies and Debates to arise and continue even among his people yet in due time they will be cleared in Truths favours Psal 94.15 And so the truth will at last set its asserters free John 8.32 This part of the Chapter may be taken up in three Branches the first whereof in this v. is the decision of the Controversie held out in a Charge against Eliphaz and his Companions wherein God testifieth his displeasure against them for their unsound Doctrine concerning Him Here for more distinct handling of the words we are to consider First The time when this Sentence cometh forth After the Lord had spoken these words unto Job Where no mention is made of Jobs speaking to God recorded in the former Verses not because God did not accept it or because that while Job is preparing to repent and to make that Confession mentioned in the preceding Verses God had in his audience sent this Message to Eliphaz to encourage him yet more to repent But this doth also take in his Repentance as a fruit of Gods speaking to him wherein the power and efficacy of his Word did much appear And this Circumstance doth teach 1. It is a sweet property of godly men that they are not ill to convince but are soon brought to â—â—e and be sensible of their faults for this immediate connection betwixt Gods former Speech to Job and this decision of the main cause doth intimate that Job was not long from setting about the duty of Repentance and from bringing forth the former confession after God spake to him 2. When God doth most sharply reprove his people he is not seeking their ruine nor yet that they should make an amends for the wrongs they have done but only to humble them for after his former words unto Job which he improves by humbling himself before him he speaks no more against him 3. When the Godly have cleared what is betwixt God and them they will soon get a comfortable account of their trials from others for It was so that after and not before the Lord had spoken these words to Job and he is humbled thereby the Lord said to Eliphaz c. and began to clear his cause with his Friends Whence the people of God may observe how far they sit in their own light by their neglecting of this Method 4. Whatever change be wrought in Gods people antecedent to his appearing for them in their trials yet the glory of all that is done to them or for them is to be ascribed to God only so much may be imported in this that no mention is made of Jobs confession but only of Gods speaking to him antecedent to Gods passing sentence in his favours Whence we may gather that his Confession and Repentance were no cause of Gods appearing for him but the glory of all is to be ascribed to God whose free love prevented him by speaking to him when he was in his passionate and stiffe humour whose efficacious grace and power made these words work upon him and whose graciousness in a Redeemer appeared in taking that Confession off his hands Secondly Consider the persons who are challenged Eliphaz and his two Friends who are also expresly named with him v. 9. Where it is to be observed that Elihu is not comprehended in this Charge as having spoken amiss of God So that his Doctrine may be admitted without any scruple as hath been cleared in the Introduction to his Discourses It is also to be observed that though all the three Friends were guilty yet the Lord directs his speech to Eliphaz concerning them all and that because he was as appears the oldest and most eminent among them and had first breached those Errours in the Dispute wherein the rest did follow and concur with him This teacheth That however all be guilty who engage in an ill course yet the more eminent persons be in themselves and the more eminently they appear in that evil course their fault is the greater for which causes Eliphaz is here chiefly spoken unto Thirdly Consider the sentence past