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
man here did See Isa 6.5 5. It is not enough that men receive gifts from the Spirit of God unless they receive also continual influences to quicken and excite those gifts and keep them fresh and in vigour For there must be a Spirit in man and the inspiration or breathing of the Almighty to give understanding See Cant. 4.16 Without this most eminent gifts yea and habitual graces will soon wither and fall into a decay 6. As Gods bounty in giving gifts to men doth proclaim his All-sufficiency So those to whom these gifts are sanctified will have high thoughts of him and his fulness Therefore is he called the Almighty or All-sufficient here to intimate that this gift proclaims him to be such and that he to whom it was sanctified esteemed of him as such From v. 9. Learn 1. Albeit men generally have a great conceit of their own Wisdome and readily they have most conceit who have least of wisdome yet it is not a gift given in common to all men For here some have it not 2. Albeit ordinarily God blesseth the use of means yet in some cases it is verified that wisdome and sound judgement doth not follow upon greatness and good education nor is attained by age or by men who might have had much experience For Great men are not alwayes wise or are not wise that is there are great men found who are not wise neither do the aged understand judgement There are great men who have had much pains taken upon them in their education and aged men who yet have not been wise men And what wisdome they had it did not slow principally from their greatness and age but from the gift and inspiration of God This point doth more particularly import 1. When men have any wisdome they must not sacrifice to their own net as if they had acquired it of themselves by the improvement of their means and time but they should ascribe the glory of all to God 2. Because this is much forgotten by men and God little seen and acknowledged by them therefore God makes it visible that he is the Author of all they enjoy by with-holding wisdome from great men and men of years which stroak is the just fruit of the want of self-denial 3. Which is the case in the Text When men are indeed other-wayes wise and great men as Job and his Friends were yet in some things and cases they may be found destitute of wisdome and in an errour and mistake As all of them were in this debate This the Lord ordereth not only that he may declare that he is tyed to no condition or age of men but that we may not take things upon trust from any men or pin our faith upon their sleeve but may be careful to try and examine all that men say or do by the rule laying aside the consideration of their persons And as we should not reject truth though it be offered by obscure young and unexperienced persons so we should not implicitely give credit to men in every thing because they are known to be wise and holy persons For that may be our very tryal and that whereby God takes proof of our sincerity and respect to his Word if we will call no man Rabbi Only in this case men should walk in much sobriety as hath been formerly marked For as God is not tyed to great able and experienced men so neither is he tyed to others Farr less are men to be cryed down by their inferiours in parts and experience upon this account that great men are not alwayes wise when yet they are never able to refute them as Elihu solidly refutes both parties here From v. 10. Learn 1. When God hath given abilities to men they should communicate their Talents to others for their edification and clearing of mistakes For saith he I also as well as ye will shew mine opinion As it is a sin for men to be idle and not put forth their Talents to use especially when there is great need of them as here there was So no bashfulness and modesty which were ready to hinder him being a young man will warrant them to lye by from that work to which they are called 2. Such as undertake to clear controverted truths and particularly to contradict holy able and experienced men themselves being young had need to be well grounded fitted and called to such a work For this resolution to shew his opinion comes in with a Therefore or by way of inference from what he hath said That being inspired and excited by God as he hints in general v. 8. and having noted their mistakes as he also insinuates in general v. 9 therefore he may well hazard to take his turn having the call and assistance of God and being able to instruct wherein they had erred This young men had need to advert unto in debates For however it may encourage men to stand for truth if it be on their side that the gifts of God are free to bestow them upon whom he will and in what particular exigents and controversies he pleaseth Yet as it is a sin to have a partial and implicite respect to the persons of great and experienced men as hath been marked So it is a double sin for young men to engage against them without cause and to cry them down and the truth which they maintain 3. Whoever they be that speak having a calling to matters in controversie they ought to be heard with attention without stumbling through prejudices at their persons till what they say be tryed For even this young man when he is speaking to old and grave men bids them hearken unto him 4. Then do men hear aright when every one doth not pass what is spoken to many together as nothing concerning them but is careful to apply to himself what is spoken as if none else were present Therefore is this exhortation directed in the singular number as hath been explained 5. It evidenceth wisdome in speakers when they single out those to deal with who stand in greatest need of help and when they are careful to speak what may tend most to edification On this account also it may be conceived that he will not insist to deal with the three Friends but singles out needy Job in particular to whom it was to good purpose to speak And this is indeed an evidence of a man who is guided by the Spirit of God in speaking when he minds edification and the need of Souls much Verse 11. Behold I waited for your words I gave ear to your reasons whilest you searched out what to say 12. Yea I attended unto you and behold there was none of you that convinced Job or that answered his words The second Reason of Elihu's interposing to speak which is more special and particular is the insufficiency of what they had spoken to convince Job So that having marked all that they had said and searched out all that long time
considering his sympathy and interest Hereby anticipating that calumny ver 4 5. that Job was but little concerned in what had hitherto befallen him 2. The motive and rise of this trouble Thou movedst me against him to destroy him This doth not import any imputation upon the blessed God as if he were moved by Satan to do any thing especially without cause as it after followeth But the borrowed expression doth only intimate thus That as God purposing to do good unto his people makes way for fulfilling of his purpose by their Prayers to him which he is pleased to say do move and prevail with him So purposing to try his people he takes occasion of the wicked calumnies cast upon them by Satan and his Instruments to manifest this his purpose 3. The causlessness of this trouble Thou movedst me without cause Albeit it be true thaâ— God did thus destroy Job to no purpose or in vain which the word will also signifie as to Satans great design who gained not his point by it Yet that is not the chief thing intended in this expression of destroying him without cause Neither doth it import that God afflicted him without any cause of reason having nothing before his eyes but only to vex him For he had holy purposes in it to try his graces refute calumnies afford a singular ground of experience for all after-ages c. But it is to be understood of the procuring cause or quarrel that God did thus afflict him without any quarrel at him Which yet must not be understood absolutely For Job had Original sin and many actual infirmities and those of themselves did not only deserve great temporal afflictions but eternal death also if God should have proceeded in justice against him But the meaning is that as to Satans accusation there was no such hypocrisie in Job as he alleadged he was guilty of to procure this stroke For he had endeavoured to serve God sincerely and did not sin maliciously or wilfully which are the faults at which God is specially angry in his peo Deut. 32.5 1 Joh. 5 18. In sum Job was no hypocrite as Satan did insinuate and the Lords chief end in afflicting him was not to punish his sin but to try him Wherein notwithstanding the Lord was just and holy even when he thus afflicted without cause For he hath soveraign power over the Being which he hath given to inflict upon it what he pleaseth And there is so much also in the most innocent as may stop their mouths under greatest tryals All these considerations put together tend to the heightening of Jobs commendation That he held fast hâ—s integrity not only in prosperity or when God was sending a light touâ—h of afflictâ—on but when he was destroying and swallowing him up and when the Lord was doing this not in pursuance of any quarrel but was destroying an innocent man to refute the calumnies cast upon his integrity To omit what hath been already observed on Ch. â— 8 we may here gather some further Instructions And First The Lâ—rds repeating of that commendation of Job being now in an afflâ—cted condition which formeth he had given him in his prosperity doth teach That the Lords estimation of his people and of his grace in them doth not alter with their external condâ—tion But true grace hath the same lustre in the Eyes of God upon the Dunghil that it hath upon the Throne Foâ— now in Jobs low estate he gets the same commendation whâ—ch he got before My Servant Job there is none lâ—ke him in the Earth c. Secondly The addition to his commendationâ— and still he holdeth fast his Integrity notwithstanding his tryal may teach 1. Constancy in Piety notwithstanding the sharp tentations of an afflicted condition is a singular commendation in Gods esteem For hereby Job so acquiâ—â— himself that the old Characters of his Piety are not sufficient without this new addition to his commendation See 1 Pet. 1.7 And the reason of this is insinuated in the word holding fast which in the Original imports a retaining and holding of a thing firmly and with our whole strength because of difficulties and opposition as the traveller keeps his garment in a windy day Implying Not only That when Gods people are assaulted with tentations it is their duty and their practice when in a right frame to put forth their strength that they may hold fast their integrity and what they have received from the Lord Heb. 4.14 Rev 2.13.25 3.11 But That it is an hard task to stand fast in tryal and therefore the more commendable to bear out in such a tempest 2. Whatever it be in Religion wherewith men please thâ—mselves yet nothing pleaseth God better than sincerity and upâ—ightness especially when it is preserved in under affliction and in a trying condition For this is the Lord commends that Job still holdeth fast his integrity And he doth as it were glory over Satan in this Hast thou considered my servant Job and still he holdeth fast his integrity The Question doth not only import that God had an eye upon him and did notice him now when he was in the furnace but that he did delight to vex Satan with thâ— sight of his constant integrity See Revel 2.13 3.10 3. As God is especially pleased with mens sincerity so it is against that that Satan plants his cheif Engines and Battery For the thing which Job had chiefly to hold fast in this tryal was his integrity Satan did not assault Jobs outward prosperity but to barter his integrity thereby Nor is it mens Formality or outward Profession that he doth so much malign if he can keep them from being sincere in â—hat they do And Saints may be helped to know their own sincerity if it were but by Satans great opposition unto them wherewith Formalists are not acquainted 4. Albeit it be no small dâ—fficulty to stand fast and to continue streighâ— and upright in sharp tryals Yet the truly sincere are by the grace of God â—â—le to do it and to abide never so many and sharp assaults For hereof we hâ—ve an experience in Job still he holdeth fast his integâ—iâ—y Greate is he who is in Believers than he that is in the world 1 Job 4.4 and even weak grace suppoâ—ted by God is a party too hard for all opposition 5. It is an act of Divine Wisdom when kâ—ngs of the world are going to ruine not to cast away Piety also and a good Conscience oâ— because God strips us of outward contentments therefore to turn our back upon that which ought to be a Cordial under all pressures For this is commended as act of great wiâ—dom in Job that when other thing wâ—re pâ—lled from him still he hold fast his integrity To take another course will nothing bâ—ne â—t men or ease their griefs but doth indeâ—d double their losses Thirdly The amplification of this commendation though thou movedst me against him to destroy him without cause
doth teach 1. When any do sincerely cleave to God in trouble God will not think lightly of their trouble but will look upon it in all the aggravations thereof that he may take occasion to let out more of his compassion and may heighten their commendation who endure such sharp assaults For thus doth God describe Jobs tryal as a destroying or swallowing of him up both to testifie his own tender compassion and to commend Job who had held fast his integrity when he had so many tentations to discover his weakness being so destroyed and swallowed up 2. When God afflicts his people he doth it not willingly Lam. 3.33 or as taking pleasure in their miseries So much is importâ—d in this Thou movedst me to destroy him Where the borrowed phrase may intimate in a sound sense That as mâ—n may be moved by solicitation to do that whâ—ch otherwise they have no pleasuâ—e to do So God goâ—th about this work of afflicting Saints not as one pleased with their pressures though he be well sâ—tâ—â—fied with their behaviour under them He is the Lord who taketh pleasure in the prosperity of his servants Psal 35.27 And therefore he doth afflâ—ct thâ—m only when it is necessary for trying of their graces or for correcting of them for their faults and purging of their corruptions 1 Pet. 1.6 7. Psal 89 30 33. Isai 27.9 And this will easily appear to the godly by his readiness to be reconciled unto them by his tender usage and kindness under trouble Psal 31.7 and by his bringing of them out of trouble when their tryal is perfected 3. Whatever God intend in afflicting his people yet such as have any hand therein shall bear the blame in whole Therefore is it all laid over upon Satan Thou movedst me c. as only guilty in this matter having done all he could to get Job ruined Hence it is that Gods afflicting of his people is so to sâ—y a blowing of the bâ—llows to kindle his displeasure against wicked Instruments Psal 47 5 6. Zech. 1.15 4. Albeit the most perfect of Saints upon earth have so much sin as of it self deserves not only temporal afflictions but eternal wrath Yet the Lord is pleased sometimes to afflict them without respect to their sin only that his grace may shine in them and that the calumnies of Satan may be refuted For so much is imported in this Thou movedst me to destroy him without cause as hath been explained See Job 9.2 3. It is true as Saints are sinful creatures so their sincerity will not be a Saviour to expiate or cover their failings nor yet ought they to omit in every tryal how cleanly soever to become thereby more acquaâ—nted with their own sinfulness and to make use of the Rod to purge it out Yet they are allowed to look out also toward Gods more high purposes in their tryals than only to chasten them for sin 5. Albeit the Lord will not respect such as come to him under justly procured strokes Yet a good Conscience under trouble is a great advantage For it is no small advantage to be destroyed without cause and not to have an evil Conscience to heighten the affliction And this the Lord noticeth and speaks of not only as heightning Jobs commendation but as being an advantage in it self See 1 Pet. 4.15 16. 6. It is a special commendation and proof of integrity to bear cleanly tryals with much submission and when mens hearts do not accuse them of dishonesty and yet they stoop and cleave to God For this is Jobs commendation Still he holdeth fast his integrity though thou movedst me against him to destroy him without cause It is true we ought so much the more to stoop and to bless God when our tryals are cleanly and not dipped in our own provocations Yet seldom do we abstain from judging of God when he judgeth except when sin stops our mouths Psal 51.4 with Rom. 3.4 Vers 4. And Satan answered the LORD and said Skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his life 5. But put forth thine hand now and touch his bone and his flesh and he will curse thee to thy face In these verses we have Satans answer to the Lords Interrogation containing a new and further accusatino against Job as an hypocrite notwithstanding all that God had said to the commendation of his constancy under affliction Having before slandered Jobs actions and course of life during his prosperity he doth now slander his behaviour under his sufferings And though he did at first speak of those tryals which had already come upon Job as a plot which would discover his unsoundness when he desired God to try him therewith Chap. 1.10 11. Yet now he speaks diminutively of these sufferings as no sufficient tryal of his honesty Asserting that it was not any love to God made him carry so fair but meerly love to himself as not caring how many skins and bodies too were lost so himself were preserved and as desiring by his continuance in an hypocritical profession of godliness to prevent any trouble that might be sent upon his own person This Assertion he holds out and offers to clear by a common Proverb usual in in those times wherein the exchange of Commodities was the usual way of Traffick as yet one slave or captive useth to be exchanged for another Skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his life Which signifieth in general that nothing outward is so dear to a man as his own life Whence he would infer that it was no wonder Job did hypocritically stoop under his former losses that God might spare the Rod from off himself And for further confirmation of this Assertion he appeals to a new tryal desiring to have that link of the Chain loosed whereby he was restrained from touching Jobs person Avouching that if God would touch his bone and his flesh or smite him in his person so as might reach him to the marrow he would maliciously and desperately curse God even to his face Which in the Original as also Chap. 1.11 is propounded by way of tacite imprecation against himself or of an Oath importing an imprecation If he curse thee not c. This as to the form of speech is the same with that Chap. 1.9 10 11. where it was observed That it is Satans design in trouble to tempt men to curse God and How malicious a slanderer Satan is not caring how falsly he calumniate so he get Saints vexed As here not only doth he reflect upon Jobs integrity but upon his tenderness and sympathy as if he regarded not the stroke upon his Children Servants and Goods when the contrary did appear from his practice Chap. 1.20 But the subject-matter here may further teach 1. Satan is so incessant in his attempts against Saints that he will not give over when he hath got the soil but is ready to assault a fresh upon every occasion As here
with him but to comfort him albeit they joyned in the one yet they not only missed of the other but run a contrary course as may not only appear in the following Debates but even in their present unseasonable silence for so long a time which did minister occasion to many tentations when their behaviour spake them so much astonished and declared that they looked on his condition as desperate since they did not so much as speak one comfortable word unto him Which long silence being added to Jobs other troubles did at last over-drive him to break forth in the following bitter complaint 7. When God hath his people to try and exercise they may expect that every promising mean will disappoint them and rather augment then ease their trouble As Job found by experience in the person of dear Friends who had come so great a length to visit him CHAP. III. Hitherto we have heard of the change of Jobs outward Prosperity into a deluge of Adversity upon his Goods Servants Children and Body all which redoubled assaults he hath sustained with invincible courage and patience notwithstanding all suggestions and tentations to the contrary Now we are led a step further to see some change in that calm of his mind which being pressed and over-charged with the greatness and continuance of his affliction the unseasonable silence of his Friends and belike with some desertion also doth breath out a little of humane Infirmity and Passion Not against God but against his own being that ever he was or that now he was not taken away by death By all which not only was there an occasion presented of the future Debates betwixt him and his Friends which are so specially useful to the Church of God in all Ages But withal the Lord doth thereby make it appear that it was by grace that Job had hitherto stood it out there being no little infirmity in him if grace had not kept it at under Besides The Lord will have the experience of this eminent Saint so mixed as infirm Believers whose weaknesses are ready to break forth in times of tentation and tryal may not be discouraged For if nothing had appeared in Job all the time of his tryal but that undaunted courage and patient submission recorded in the former Chapters how might it have weakened the hands of Christs weak Lambs whose Passions and Infirmities under tentation are their humbling burthen But now when they shall find such an eminent Worthy renowned for his Patience so much foiled by his own Impatience it will encourage them not to please themselves in these Infirmities but not to cast away their confidence because of the dross which appeared in them when they are in the furnace Considering that when God appears to try his people not only the grace of God in them but their nature will appear in its own colours As appears not only in Job but in David Psal 116.11 and othâ—r Saints So that Believers may not only reap Edification by the discoveries of Gods grace in Job but even by the breakings out of his infirmities recorded in this Book The Chapter contains a very sad lamentation of an afflicted man set forth with much Eloquence and as the Learned in the Original language observe in Poesie which continues from ver 3. of this Chapter to Chap. 42.7 And it pleased the Spirit of God to cause write it in Verse as other choice Scriptures are because of the gravity and sublimity of the Subject-matter and that it might the more easily be learned by heart and retained in the memory The Lamentation and Complaint may be summed up in a threefold wish 1. That he had nâ—ver been born which being propounded ver 1. is prosecuted at large to ver 11. 2. That he had died so soon as he was born ver 11. 19. 3. That he were now dead and that now at last he might get free from his troubles by death ver 20. 26. Vers 1. After this opened Job his mouth and cursed his day IN this Verse we have a Proposition of the first Branch of Jobs Complaint Wherein Consider 1. The time of it was after this Some while after those seven days wherein his friends sate silent beside him Chap. 2.13 Now his first heat under the tryal being over and getting leisure to ruminate upon and aggravate all his grievances and his Friends from whom he expected comfort being silent he breaks forth and opened his mouth Which phrase doth here import not so much to speak with a loud voyce or upon deliberation and boldly as simply this that he now at last brake off that silence for which he had been commended Chap. 2.10 or interrupted that long silence of himself and his Friends Chap. 2.13 2. His lamentation and complaint He cursed his day or his Birth-day as the sequel cleareth though it may be extended also to the day of his present trouble wherein his troubles were continued upon him This day he cursed that is being dâ—ssatisfiâ—d that ever he was born he pronounceth that a most vile and miserable day as the word imports which fell to be his Birth day And his passion not knowing whereupon else to wreak and avenge it self pours it self forth in wishing many strange things to befal that day as he enlargeth himself in the following verses Though it must be granted that it had been no sin in Job if he had simply lamented under so sad afflictions For Nature cannot but cry out when it is over-charged Yet this language doth indeed flie very high and is unquestionably spoken in passion as being some sparks of that which was in him by nature And this complaint is not free from indirect limiting of the Wisdom and Dominion of God of unjust fretting that he being a righteous man should be so afflicted though himself afterward yield that righteous men may be afflicted and of much rashness in expression Yet as his speeches are not to be justified so they are not to be strictly examined as being the language of a Child raving in a Feaver And we are to consider 1. That Satan doth not reach his design by all this For those speeches are not directed as Satan alledged he would against God not yet simply against the day as it is Gods creature But they chiefly hold out his impatience and discontent at his present being repenting that ever he was born or died not from the womb or was yet alive All which discontents he vents to ease himself upon the day of his birth in so far as upon it he came into the world to suffer these things And so these words are to be understood as other lamentations of the like nature such as Davids cursing of the â—ountains of Gilboah 2 Sam. 1.21 and Jeremie's passionate fits Jer. 20.14 18 Now the queâ—â—ion betwixt God and Satan was not whether Job had sin or not but Whether he was an Hypocrite or not nor yet Whether Jobs frailty would appear in the furnace but
only do they in so doing bear testimony for God and his Truth in that particular but they retain that which will be a strong Bulwark against many other assaults which Job expresseth well Chap. 10 15. If I be wicked wo were unto me For further clearing of this Point It may be enquired 1. What course shall we take to be clear off the truth of our integrity and righteousness when it is cryed down by men and sad dispensations seem to condemn us Answ In Job's case where the only thing in question was his Piety the matter may be cleared by these many Characters of true godliness recorded in the Word But for more general satisfaction in all cases those rules would be observed 1. Men may be righteous as to the state of their persons being justified by faith when yet some of their actions may be faulty Every thing that we ought to mourn for as a sin doth not alter the state of our persons but our feet may need to be washed when our body is already clean Joh. 13.9 10. This consideration may contribute to solve many doubts arising upon the sense of guilt and if well improved will advance and not hinder our repentance 2. Men ought to beware of turning such Scepticks as to question whether there be righteousness and unrighteousness a right and a wrong in the courses of men in the world or to be so unsettled as to quit and abandon every course as wrong which is crossed and borne down No dispensation of Providence condemneth any thing as sinful which the word accounts integrity It is a woful way of being above Scriptures when Providences thrust the Bible out of our hands and do hinder us to go to the Law and the Testimony thereby to judge of our own and others cause and way 3. Men may be heinously guilty of many sins before the Lord and because of them justly punished by him immediately or mediately And yet may be innocent as to the instruments afflicting them and as to the cause of their tryal by men David when he is lying in the dust before God because of his folly and sins of his youth yet croweth over Saul as an innocent man in the matter of his tryal and suffering And when God sent Judah into captivity yet he pleads their cause against the Chaldeans Thus the Church distinguisheth betwixt her case before God and before men in her suffering Mic. 7.9 and we ought not to confound them 4. Men may be righteous both before God and men in the main point of their tryal and yet may sin in many accessories and in the way of managing that which is right As here in this case Job bears all the strokes and God pleads more against his carriage then the carriage of his Friends and yet the issue of all is Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my servant Job hath Chap. 42.8 It may be enquired 2. How they who under sufferings have a testimony of their integrity in any of the forementioned respects shall improve it or adhere to it in a right and acceptable way Answ Here Job's errour who managed a good cause sinfully may give us warning that we are apt to miscarry in this And therefore these rules are to be observed 1. Men are then right and do in a right way adhere to their integrity when they are so fixed as they are ready to suffer and abide a storm for their adherence thereunto It is a dangerous case when men are confirmed in their way meerly because it prospereth in their hand for what will they do when that Argument fails them or when let a cause be never so just men cannot suffer any thing for it And when I speak of suffering I do not only mean that men in a righteous cause do act in their stations amidst many hazards or do resolve to endure trouble from implacable men who bring them at under But that they do not accept deliverance albeit it were offered upon their forsaking what is right Heb. 11.35 2. Right maintainers of their integrity ought to be no less tender and zealous for it when sin would assault it within and so wound the Conscience then when tryals and outward dispensations would decry it 3. In this case also the Conscience of our integrity ought not to imbitter our spirits against God who exerciseth and afflicteth us which was Jobs fault Chap. 40 8. For albeit the Conscience of uprightness may help a man to courage and confidence in trouble yet we ought to be humble before God making as good use of cross dispensations as if we were unrighteous and mourning for any thing that God may have to say against us And this seems to have been Job's way at sometimes Chap. 9.15 10.15 though his passion did at other times ouer-drive him 4. Is there iniquity in my tongue c ver 30 The sum whereof is They ought to hear him for he will speak right things and if it were otherwise his judgment and experience would â—s easily discern it as his taste doth discern meat and having a tender Conscience he would abominate any unsound Principles as his taste would disrelish unsavoury meats In this matter he is so confident that he believes themselves are perswaded of it and therefore propounds it by way of question posing them if they judged otherwise of him And yet he did mistake himself for in some respects there was iniquity or sin at best in his tongue nor did his taste discern the perversity or sinfulness that was in his passionate desire of death upon which he insists so much in the next Chapter Hence Learn 1. It is duty of godly men and their property when in a right frame that their Consciences are very tender touch-stones of their Principles and way either to prevent their engaging in an evil way or to cause them relent it if they be engaged For so is here supposed that there should not be iniquity in their tongue and that their taste should discern perverse things Thus Joseph's Conscience broke the snares laid by his Mistriss Gen. 39 9. Thus David's reins did instruct him Psal 16.7 and his heart smote him when he had faln in an appearance of evil 1 Sam. 24 5. Hence it is a challenge that men are not ashamed when they do evil Jer. 6 15. This may give a check to men who bear down this light in themselves the doing whereof may soon lead them to do evils which even Pagans would be ashamed of Ezek. 16.27 2. Whatever be the duty of Gods people or their practice at sometimes in this particular Yet there may be great hazard in the best of men their leaning to their own discerning and spirits For Job missed his mark here in venturing too much on this Our own light spirits or impulses are dangerous guides seeing we have the Word wherewith we may consult in every thing and not only are all men lyars but many
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
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
speaks in this matter Partiality among men is when corrupt Lawyers and Judges having to do with a potent Client or party before them do not ponder nor respect his cause but only his person whose favour they desire to conciliate or keep and therefore they do say plead or pronounce what may please him or be for his interest without respect to Truth or Justice And thus did Job's Friends in this debate They did not search out nor pronounce according to the truth and justice of the cause but spake only what they thought was for God and against him in this matter 2. Job saith of their thus accepting Gods person in their contending for him that it was a wicked and deceitful talking for God and that both in respect of himself whom wickedly and with deceitful and cunning discourses they did condemn that they might justifie God who had afflicted him And in repect of God For it wronged him and put a lie and trick upon him as Job after clears to say his justice in afflicting Job could not otherwise be maintained then by their lies and deceits or false Doctrine Yea whatever were their intentions it reflected wickedly upon God and his Providence For under a pretence of giving him glory they said upon the matter that God could not be just if he afflicted and exercised godly men with the same outward calamities that befel the wicked 3. That we may yet further understand Job's mind in this challenge we are not to conceive that he doth challenge them for condemning him against their Light and Conscience For it is not to be doubted but their principles led them thus to judge of him whatever charity they had for him that he was a godly man before which made them astonished when at first they came to him and saw him so afflicted Chap 2.12 13. Far less is it his mind to challenge them that they would not pronounce that he was in the right and God in the wrong in this cause or in what he done to him Nor doth he at all quarrel them that they justified and commended God as holy and righteous in all his works and ways For himself labours to out-strip them in such commendations of God But the true fault which he challenges may thus be conceived Upon the one hand they judgâ—ng that God afflicted none as he did Job but only wicked men did conclude that God who had afflicted him could not be just if he who was afflicted were righteous as himself alleadged he was And therefore judging themselves bound to stand for Gods Righteousness as was indeed their duty if they had done it by lawful means and upon sound Principles they studyed by all means to condemn him never regarding his defences or the evidences of his grace that God might be glorified as just Upon the other hand Job maintained both that himself was righteous and that God was just who afflicted him though neither he nor they could reconcile these two And that therefore they were sinfully partial on Gods behalf who could find no other way to justifie God but by condemning him which God neither allowed nor needed And so in this challenge Job chargeth them with a true fault though as they were culpable on the one hand he was also faulty on the other hand in his bitter complaints about Gods dispensations because he could not see a reason why the righteous God should thus deal with him who was a reconciled man Having cleared the words From v. 6. Learn 1. Men are naturally impatient of contradiction and a plausible wrong cause begets such prejudices against Opponents that men will hardly hear them For he must exhort them in the very midst of his Discourse to bear and hearken It is no good symptome when men are irritated because any thing they do or say is spoken against 2. Albeit many personal wrongs and injuries be best answered and refuted by silence And albeit a fool should never be answered according to his folly or in his own terms Prov. 26.4 Yet when men do wrong God his Truth and themselves they ought to be opposed take it as they will and not suffered to live in an opinion that they only are in the right Prov. 26.5 For Job will have them hear his reasoning and hearken to the pleadings of his lips From v. 7 8. Learn 1. Even the worst of courses and ways are ordinarily masked with the fairest pretences and particularly that they are for God For so they pretended that by their erroneous doctrine they were pleading and contending for God and his Righteousness So oft-times oppression is commended as a following and acknowledgement of Providence Zech. 11.5 and an executing of his righteous judgments Jer. 50 7. Persecution is accounted good service to God Joh. 16.2 and a glorifying of him Isai 66.5 And every Errour fleeth to some such cloak and pretence Some entertain unworthy thoughts of Gods Providence pretending to free him from being the Author of sin Some will have Christs Body everywhere pretending his glory against the Arian Errour Some plead for Universal Redemption pretending to exalt Christs Sufferings which yet they enervate in the efficacy of it by making him die for those who never get benefit thereby Some cry up mans Free-will pretending that thereby they vindicate the Justice of God in punishing sin Some decry the obligation of the Law as to Believers pretending to exalt Christ and Free-grace c. In a word it may very generally be averred Totus mundus exercet Histrioniam The world of men who go wrong study nothing more then the art of Stage-players that they may appear to be any thing rather then what indeed they are And though this be a great tryal to honest and sincere hearts yet this may encourage them that such do so much the more make God their Party as they pretend to be for him when indeed they are nothing so but against him 2. Such pretexts will not justifie Errour nor should they hide it from men nor deterr them from appearing against it and from detecting the falshood of those pretexts For though they pretend to speak talk and contend for God yet Job will not admit of their opinion but tells them it is an accepting of his person an injury to God and to him also So Robbery will not be justified because men pretend to make a burnt-offering of it Isai 61.8 This General Doctrine may be branched out in several Rules and Instances wherein it is to be observed 1. In matters controverted we ought not to be swayed with what seems at first view to be most for God as his Friends gave out their opinion was but opinions are to be throughly searched to the very bottom till we find what really is and what only appears to be for God as Job doth here search and find out the cheat 2. If even Gods person ought not to be accepted when men pretend his glory in their Doctrine to wrong that
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
wounded by an arrow at a distance his Enemy approacheth nearer and draweth out his Arrow and woundeth him again with his Sword So God shall never cease to pursue the wicked man by one mean or other till those weapons be drawn out of his very gall or leave him with a bitter and deadly wound v. 25. wherein he seems to allude to what Job had complained of Chap. 16.13 3. That being thus left in the pangs of death he shall be haunted and tormented with terrours v. 25. From this according to the General Rules Learn .. 1. As wicked men must be fought with and their stubbornness crushed before they will stoop to God So God is provided for them having deadly weapons and instruments of destruction at command For here are the Iron Weapon the bow of steel and the glistring sword wherewith God is provided to bring down stubborn man See Psal 7.11 12 13. 2. Though wicked men have the stoutness to resist when God pursueth and are more careful to avoid than to improve plagues yet all will be to no purpose for they cannot escape nor stand out under Gods hand For here it is assured that let them flee as they will they will be reached 3. Though wicked men escape one plague it is only because they are reserved for another and for a more sudden and unexpected stroke like an arrow coming out of a Bow at a distance For he shall flee from the Iron Weapon and the Bow of steel shall strike him through See Isa 24 17 18. 4. God will at last conquer and triumph over all the stubbornness of wicked men For it shall not be a sleight hurt but shall strike him through and he shall wound him as often as he pleaseth and draw his weapons out of his body 5. Since wicked men will not amend or turn to God under afflictions as the godly do God doth justly pursue them with deadly plagues For the wounds here given him are deadly 6. The strokes that come upon wicked men will prove bitter and terrible to them For the Sword cometh out of his very gall the seat of bitter humours and terrours are upon him It is no wonder the wicked man dies alwaies violently because he hath never will to die and he wants the peace of God which might secure his heart against the terrour of such sad dispensations Vers 26. All darkness shall be hid in his secret places a fire not blowen shall consume him it shall goe ill with him that is left in his tabernacle In this verse we have a further account of the means of the wickeds ruine wherein is declared 1. That when the wicked man it terrified and deadly wounded as hath been said in the former verses he will seek to all hiding places and refuges as a wounded and pursued man seeks to secret and obscure corners but in vain for darkness shall meet him there 2. That he shall be consumed by a fire not blown that is by plagues sent upon him suddenly and from God without the hand of any creature 3. That this ruine shall not only reach himself but his family Whence Learn 1. Wicked men will be known by the refuges to which they betake themselves when they are terrified or plagued For the wicked man hath his secret places 2. Terrour discouragement and want of peace will meet a pursued wicked man even in his hiding places and refuges For darkness is hid or reserved and laid up for him in his secret places 3. His dark and dâ—eery condition is not such in part only but wholly and altogether to him For it is all darkness or every kind of it without any light of counsel or direction of comfort for the present or hope of Issue for the future 4. God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 and will especially prove such to incorrigible wicked men For a fire cometh from him to consume them 5. God delights much to appear against wicked men by sending judgments upon them whereof their is no apppearance in the second causes For it is a fire not blown by men but such as was rained down upon Sodom and upon Job's cattle Chap. 1.16 Not that every plague upon wicked men comes so immediately from God as second causes have no hand in them For the contrary is asserted in the preceding and following verses But the meaning is that though there were no second causes which could reach them yet God would reckon with them And beside all these plagues wherein he makes use of second causes he is oft-times pleased to appear more immediately against them 6. Wicked men are causes of misery not only to themselves but to all that are theirs For it shall go ill with him that is left in his Tabernacle and then his stately habitation appears to be a Tabernacle only Vers 27. The heaven shall reveal his iniquity and the earth shall rise up against him In this verse we have an account of the witnesses led in the process against this delinquent Not simple witnesses to depone and give their testimony only but means of his destruction also with those formerly mentioned or such witnesses as having given their testimony had their hands first upon the delinquent to execute the sentence to confirm the truth of their Testimony See Deut. 17.7 So the meaning of the verse is that Heaven and Earth and all the creatures in them shall conspire the wicked mans ruine thereby to convince him how wicked he is In this he doth reflect upon the various strokes from Heaven and Earth that had been inflicted upon Job's substance and family and upon Job's appeal to Heaven and Earth Chap. 16.17 18. but very unjustly seeing the word had not born witness against him However the General Doctrine teacheth 1. Iniquity will not be got hid so long as either men have Consciences which God can force to tell out what they are or so long as there are insensible creatures to be witnesses against the ungodly For the Heaven shall reveal his iniquity Sin will find men out Numb 32.23 And God hath oft-times by strange means found out notorious delinquents 2. God can imploy all the creatures to speak to a wicked man by plagues who otherwise will not notice what he is For thus they are witnesses to reveal his iniquity by rising up against him 3. All Gods Creatures are Enemies to wicked men and will prove so if they get a Commission from God for that effect For Heaven and Earth are ready to rise up against him if they be imployed Which sheweth that wicked men dwell among more Enemies than they are aware of Vers 28. The increase of his house shall depart and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath All the procedure against this delinquent is here summed up in the effects thereof Namely the ruine of his Children and Prosperity in that day of divine displeasure Whence Learn 1. When God pursueth wicked men the effects of it will be
or else Job must be wicked who was afflicted which is a great mistake and errour as hath been often cleared 2. That he sets himself to prove that which Job denied not For his Argument tends only to prove that no man can be perfect or legally just before God And Job did never justifie himself as free of all sin though his expressions were sometimes rash and inconsiderate In the Chapter we have to consider 1. That Bildad did answer v. 1. 2. The answer it self Wherein his scope being to prove that Job did falsly arrogate Righteousness to himself and did presumptuously desire to plead his purity before God He makes use but of one Argument for this end taken from Gods soveraignty and dreadfulness compared with Mans baseness and polluted Original In which Argument he propounds Gods dreadful Dominion v. 2 3. then he gives an account of Mans baseness because of which he cannot be righteous and clean before such a God v. 4. And to confirm this Argument he amplifieth Mans impurity before God by comparing Man with thâ— bright Moon and Stars which yet are not pure in Gods sight v. 5 6. Verse 1. Then answered Bildad the Shuhite and said IN this Verse it is recorded that Bildad did yet answer which being now the last of their discourses if we consider that he answered and the way and manner of answering it may put us in mind of several things which have been formerly here and there hinted at As 1. Debates once started will not soon close among men of parts even albeit they be godly For here the ball of contention is yet kept up after all that hath been spoken before God who maketh peace in his high places v. 2. must also make peace and put an end to debates here below Otherwise flesh being once warmed and waxing hot even in the best men their parts and abilities will be ready to second it And beside specious pretexts and mistakes of which afterward which do much evil in such a temper men will think truth a poor prize unless they carry the victory also be their cause what it will So that we have need to pray against contentions among learned and able men and when they fall forth men should watch over their own spirits in the managing thereof 2. Were a cause never so bad and false yet men by their abilities can make it plausible For here he propounds his opinion in a specious way as if he stood only in defence of Gods dominion and designed to abase men There is no corrupt opinion but able men will thus disguise it under one specious mask or other So that men have need in their enquities after truth not to judge by these appearances 3. Gods people may for a long time lie under mistakes and be loaded with prejudices As here befell Job who after all he hath said doth not yet satisfie his Friends Their own escapes not wisely and tenderly judged of may give some occasion to to those mistakes as Job's rash expressions were so severely censured by them as evidences of his wickedness and mens erroneous principles may obscure truth very long from them were it never so clearly and convincingly propounded As their fixed opinions suffered them not to admit of any truth which Job asserted and proved contradictory thereunto 4. It is a shrewd evidence that men have not truth on their side when they shift their ground in debates and being put to silence in one thing they will not cede but do start aside to some other As here Bildad saith nothing to that part of the debate wherein Job had spoken so clearly Chap. 24. But betakes himself to that wherein he thought he had some advantage Only this may be said for him that it was a part of the question in controversie though managed by him with a mistake whereupon he insisteth which may condemn them who go further wrong and start new questions to cast a mist before the eyes of the simple in stead of debating the true question in debate 5. When men have indeed a wrong cause and are stiff in the maintenance thereof it is to no purpose to keep up the ball of contention in debating with them but men having exonered themselves may let them alone and cease from any further dispute For so Bildad upon supposition that Job was erroneous and stubborn doth give up with him after a short word of conviction See Chap. 32.1 A fool is not to be answered according to his folly when so much is spoken as in reason may give a check to his presumption Prov. 26.4 5. And some opinions are best refuted by contempt and sleighting of them after that men have exonered their own consciences Verse 2. Dominion and fear are with him he maketh peace in his high places 3. Is there any number of his armies And upon whom doth not his light arise Bildad's Argument whereby he labours to refute Job may be taken up in this short summ God is most high and absolute and man is a base miserable and sinfull creature Therefore man ought not to plead his purity and righteousness with God The Antecedent contains upon the one hand a commendation of God in his supreme and absolute Dominion in these Verses and on the other hand a debasement of man considering his misery and sinfulness which is brought in with the conclusion of the Argument v. 4. In these Verses we have the first branch of the Antecedent or a Declaration of Gods Soveraignty Which is First Propounded v. 2. Dominion and fear are with him That is supreme and absolute Dominion is so proper and essential to God that he never wants right to it and never ceaseth from the actual exercise of this right in ruling all things And because of this dominion which is attended and armed with dreadful majesty fear and reverence are due unto him And for our taking up of this assertion a right Consider 1. Though he name not God in it yet the subject matter clearly evinceth that it must be understood of him And his way of speaking of God without naming of him which had been done by Job also before serveth to shew how much God was in his thoughts 2. Although it hold true of some creatures that they possess a dominion and ought therefore to be feared yet this belongs to God in a peculiar and super-excellent manner and to them only in subordination to him 3. This assertion doth indeed strongly conclude That the supreme Lord is to be submitted unto and not quarrelled as doing wrong in whatsoever he doth That he is to be reverenced and feared because of his supreme dominion and dreadfulness So that none can contend with him without hazard of ruine And That seeing he who is thus dreadful and might be terrible to all his creatures if he pleased as Zeph. 2.11 doth moderate his terrour therefore there is no cause to complain of him Yet all this contributes nothing to prove Job
before Elihu interpose may point out 1. A mans integrity is a very grave and weighty business wherein he is not a little concerned For Job judgeth it so weighty that he may very lawfully take an oath about it 2. A man should guard not only that he really be not but that he seem not to be vain-glorious Therefore Job speaks all upon oath when he speaks to his own commendation to avoid that imputation 3. Men in matters of controversie betwixt them and others ought to speak seriously and not out of spleen or passion Therefore also he takes an oath in this matter to shew that he will speak truth exactly and will not condemn them and their opinions in passion 4. Men had need to be fixed in tryals against all tentations and assaults Therefore doth Job by this oath fix himself against all tentations which might assault him to cause him quit his integrity 5. As men upon oath ought to keep themselves within the bounds of truth as here is insinuated and some Heathen States appointed no punishment for Perjury as supposing none durst hazard upon that sin and sad will be the account of them who swear falsely So an oath should put an end to controversies Therefore doth Job take an oath to put an end to this debate See Heb. 6.16 Doct. 4. His swearing As God liveth doth teach That God liveth most certainly and to live is proper to him in a peculiar way And this as it sheweth that he liveth for â—ver to avenge perjury So further 1. It distinguisheth him from all dead Idols whom men serve 1 Thess 1.9 Jer. 10.8 9 10. 2. It sheweth that all hold their lives of him and therefore should employ them for him 3. It may encourage dead souls to go to him who is the fountain of life and may comfort godly men in all their troubles Ps 18.46 4. It calls for living service Rom. 12.1 Heb. 9.13 14. Secondly in this Verse also unto his oath he subjoyns a description of God by whom he sweareth where he describes him from what he had done to him that he had taken away his judgement and vexed his soul or made his soul bitter as it is in the Original By which we are not so much to understand that God had taken away his sweet way of walking with him imported in his judgement or composed and well ordered frame of spirit and in stead thereof had filled him with bitterness which is a sad change and matter of sad complaint Lam. 3.9 11 15. Job 9.18 As that God had not righted him in his quarrel by judging his cause and delivering him from misconstructions nor had he eventually cleared his integrity by removing the rods that were upon him But by all those calamities misconstructions and other tentations had vexed his spirit and made him bitter of soul This is an expression which is challenged as irreverent and passionate Chap. 34 5. yet not as proving him to be wicked Doct. 1. The best of Saints get not readily through their tryals without some discoveries of weakness which may humble them as here Job's experience may teach who stumbles often by the way though the close of all was sweet So was it also with David Psal 31.22 and 73.1 2 c. and 116.11 12. This teacheth That any good we have received should not hide our miscarriages in managing thereof That we should resolve so to get through tryals as we shall have no ground of gloriation Psal 73.1 with 2. That our corruption defiles our best things as it did Job's necessary defence of his Integrity That humility must be very needful that in all conditions God keeps us so at the study of it and inculcates it upon us from the consideration of our failings and That such as do fail in an hour of tryal may yet get a good issue of all though God humble them by the way as it befel Job 2. Mistakes and hard thoughts of God and of his dealing are the ordinary failings of godly men in affliction For in those Job failed here We should guard especially against that evil in a day of tryal neither carping at his dispensations Psal 22.1 2. with 3. Neh. 9.33 nor looking upon his service as unprofitable Mal. 3.14 15. Psal 73.13 with 28. For right constructions of God will keep our souls in life and cherish hope and love in hardest lots whereas contrary apprehensions breed alienation Zech. 11.8 And for attaining right thoughts of God and his dealing We ought to study his absolute Soveraignty to which we ought to submit in every thing without any debate or contradiction We ought to mind much our guilt and ill deservings which will justifie God in all he doth Psal 51.4 with Rom. 3.4 Lam. 1.18 We ought to judge of his dealing not by our humour or according as it is pleasant to our sense but by its profitableness though it be bitter and we ought to be sensible of our own blindness that cannot discern the depth of wisdom which ordereth our lots whence it cometh to pass that oft-times we forsake our own mercies and quarrel these lots whereby God communicates greatest advantages to us 3. It may please the Lord to suffer the righteousness and integrity of his children to be over-clouded for a time that so both themselves and others also may be tryed For so Job's Judgement or the righteous decision of his cause and the matter of his integrity was with-held for a time and he lay under sad imputations This tryal is supposed in that promise Psal 37.6 and is expressed in that lot of Paul 2 Tim. 2.9 And it should warn others to beware of putting others to that tryal by rash censures especially of the afflicted So godly men should arm themselves against such a tryal which may be the more easily born so long as the truth of their good condition is cleared by the word of God and it may be even in the consciences of these who are most ready to traduce them 4. As God is the orderer of this tryal so it is not for want of power but for other wise reasons that he suffers his children to lye under such a cloud in the matter of their integrity For Job acknowledgeth that he is the strong God as his name in the beginning of the Verse imports and the Almighty though he leave him under this tryal As sin obstructs proofs of Gods power for the good of wicked men Isa 59.1 2. So it is good for Saints to see themselves in Gods hand in this tryal that so they may adore his wisdom in the continuing of it when he could easily remove it And if they were walking tenderly and shunning guilt Is 59.1 2. and were studying his power and love they might have sweet exercise about the saddest of their lots and a comfortable look of them 5. Albeit in many cases godly men are fortified to bear reproaches and misconstructions yet if they be hard put to it and be not
in it 4. It is not sufficient to understand it thus that all wicked men do deserve all this and will be made to suffer these or the like calamities here or hereafter For neither can it be cleared what Job's scope should be in asserting these things in that sense nor will the words bear such a large interpretation seeing they do expresly speak of calamities that befall them in this life Therefore 5. This part of the discourse which is contained in the rest of this Chapter is to be understood by way of concession and that Job grants such things to befall some of the wicked at sometimes though not all of them and at all times as his Friends asserted Thus the summ of his whole answer in this and the following Chapter will amount to this That though he had spoken much of the prosperity of the wicked yet all that was without prejudice to this truth That God dealt otherwise with some of them as here he declares and concedes Only this concession and truth could not militate any thing against him his opinion or lot seeing whatever God do at sometimes yet his wisdom in governing the affairs of the World is so unsearchable and his dispensations of providence are so various that there can be no rule fixed for them but his will nor can any reason be sought beside his soveraign good pleasure why he doth afflict a godly man and spare a wicked man In a word though some of God's providential dispensations and the causes and reasons thereof be clear and obvious yet those must not be made a Standart or Rule by which men may measure and cognosce upon all his deep and unsearchable counsels And from all this we may observe How much debates in God's providence do contribute to clear truth For Job both Chap. 21. and here more at length doth speak more clearly to the matter of the wickeds calamities than he seemed to do in his other discourses And withall this discourse together with what he had spoken Chap. 21. doth warrant us to interpret his Friends doctrine upon this subject as we have done upon every occasion For it is clear from Job's concessions that he and they did not controvert whether the wicked deserved all they spoke of or whether some of the wicked felt it but only whether such plagues did so universally befall the wicked and them only as every man must be concluded to be wicked who smart under the like dispensations In these Verses we have First An introduction to the following Narration v. 13. or a particular preface the same in substance with Zophar's conclusion of his discourse Chap. 20.29 though with some little difference to that part of the Narration which is contained in the following part of this Chapter Wherein he concedes that what he is to speak of is the portion which wicked men and oppressours shall receive from God not all of them though they all deserve it but some only in this life Secondly A begun account of the several sorts of calamities which do befall some of the wicked in this life The first whereof v. 14 15. are calamities which befall the wicked in their children and in their off-spring or posterity which may take in more than their next and immediate issue These though they may multiply for a time shall suffer by sword and famine v. 4. And if any of them remain after these strokes or escape these judgements formerly mentioned they shall be buried in death v. 15. Whereby is not meant their everlasting death and that they shall never have that comfortable morning Ps 49.14 however they shall rise again for Job is speaking here of visible judgements But the meaning is That they shall dye as overwhelmed by some infamous death where they shall lye rotting in forgetfulness and buried under ignominy and contempt This is further amplified from this that his widows shall not weep v. 15. where he speaks of his widows in the plural number which may be taken distributively that the widows of every one of these buried persons who remain of the wicked mans posterity shall forbear to weep for them Or it may be every one of them had many Wives and yet none of them shall weep when they are made widows by their death This is sometimes verified in publick calamities Psal 78.64 Ezek. 24.16 17. But here it seems more especially to import That they have been so wicked and cruel and shall be so remarkably plagued that they shall not be lamented when they are gone even by their nearest relations Or that they shall want publick funeral solemnities and lamentations by their widows and other hired mourners as was an ancient custome Jer. 9.17 18. And so that they are buried in death may further import that they are presently buried after death without waiting for any solemnity as being cut off by some singular judgement and beloved by none In summ they shall be so cut off as shall bury their memory or make it rot above ground and they shall dye unlamented of their dearest relations because of their wickedness and inhumanity and for an evidence of all this they shall be presently buried when they dye without any funeral pomp or solemnity From v. 13. Learn 1. Oppression under whatsoever pretext it be committed is an evidence of wickedness For the wicked man is here instanced in the Oppressour as evidencing himself to be wicked by his oppression 2. It pleaseth the Lord at some times visibly to plague some wicked men as here Job concedes to his Friends It is true he will not still plague and cut off all wicked men For then the World should soon be consumed wicked men would want a stumbling block upon which they stumble to perdition if wickedness were still plagued and did not sometimes prosper they would also be free of many an aggravation of their sin in that they continue to provoke an indulgent God and the godly would wanâ— much exercise of their faith and patience Yet he is pleased by plaguing of some at some times to declare his hatred and manifest his justice against sin that so he may confirm the truth of his threatenings to deterr others who are lying under the same lash and therefore have cause to tremble if they goe on in these courses against which God doth so signally manifest his displeasure 3. Men in judging of Gods dealing or favour toward them should not so much look to their casual or accidental enjoyments as to what is their portion and heritage For here Job layeth the stress of all upon mens portion and heritage intimating that if this be not comfortable it is little matter what men enjoy for a time It evidenceth mens great madness when instead of choosing God for their portion they take the things of this life for a portion which are of no worth nor are they suitable to be the happiness of rational and immortal Souls Psal 17.14 And it speaks no less
a godly mans esteem For here Job reflects on this as a desirable coâ—dâ—tion when he had darkness and Gods light whereby he might walk through it when he had humbling steps and God remembring him in his low estate as Ps 136.23 Such a trade as that is the most enriching trade that a Saint can drive and far beyond ease and idleness with whatsoever refreshment it seem to be attended 9. Gods people must not expect that they will alwayes get easily and comfortably through their difficulties or that they shall have a life-time of these sweet proofs of Gods favour which they sometimes finde For now Jobs case is altered He may wish for the Dayes when by his sight he walked through darkness but doth not enjoy them In those dayes see got easily through his difficulties and could see through a thick cloud but now he sticks in the mire and is involved in the clouds of thick darkness Thus we finde the people of God walking in darkness without any light Is 50.10 groping like blinde men Is 59.10 yea foolish and ignorant like very beasts Ps 73.22 This other life is no less necessary and needfull in its season as contributing to squeeze out our lusts and corruptions to pluck up these weeds in us which are apt to abound when we receive showres of refreshfull influences to discover us to our selves and exercise our faith and to fit us for proofs of Gods care and love when we are emptied Ps 73.22 23. And particularly Saints are not to mistake if after they have got easily through trials for a while they finde them stick faster afterward For hereby the Lord trains them on in his service till they be so engaged that they cannot retire and then he ministers strong Physick which will be more operative upon them As they grow in grace so their trials may grow in sharpness and continuance Whereas their Spirits were fresh and vigorous at first they may crush them afterwards by discouragement and then difficulties which were easie before become unsupportable burdens and their Spirits growing peevish and bitter they may make themselves an uncomfortable life And besides instead of lively tenderness security and lazyness may creep upon them and then they will take worse with disquiet and exercise than formerly they did All which should be adverted unto in this change of Saints lot and exercise Verse 4. As I was in the dayes of my youth when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle In the third Branch of this Description to Verse 18. Job gives an account of the parts of his former prosperity And first to verse 7. of his prosperity as a Parent and Master of a Family wherein also he continues to point out the presence and favour of God as the fountain and cause of his good Condition The good condition of his Family is generally propounded in this Verse and instanced in two Particulars v. 5 6. In the general Proposition he wisheth to be as he was in the dayes of his Youth when the secret of God was upon his House and Family Where consider 1. By the dayes of his youth we are to understand the time of his former prosperity which began early in his youth and was very sweet then unto him Some instead of youth read winter as the word will also bear And it points out that these dayes of his prosperity in his youth were dayes of case like a Souldier in his winter-quarters Or the words may also be read the dayes of my reproach or These dayes of his Prosperity for which he was now reproached by his Friends as if he had been a wicked man in them but he would be content he had them again All these Readings come to one purpose but that which we have in our Translation is clearest in this place 2. By the secret of God which was upon his tabernacle we are to understand both that special favour of God which the World knoweth not wherewith he was made acquainted in his youth when God dwelt in his Family as in his Church and the providence of God which protected his Family and made it to prosper Ps 91.1 3. He calleth his House and Family his Tabernacle not so much because these Arabians dwelt sometimes in Tents for we finde here a City where he dwelt v. 7. and his Sons had Houses chap. 1.18 19. as because he looked upon his House as but a Tabernacle that might easily be pulled down when God would and as the place of his pilgrimage his constant Dwelling-place being above Doct. 1. Acquaintance with God in youth is a great mercy and will prove comfortable to men when they come to old age For Job reflects upon the dayes of his youth as desirable dayes not onely for the prosperity thereof but because of the favour of God from which that flowed See Eccl. 12.1 Many have sad reflections upon the sins and follyes of youth who did not begin to look toward God in time 2. Rewards of Piety will begin as early as men can begin to be godly For these dayes were desiâ—able also upon the account of prosperity that flowed from the favour of God And albeit these temporal advantages do not alwayes accompany Piety yet men when ever they begin to seek God shall finde they do it not in vain Is 45.19 And they who are long a beginning to seek God do lose many precious opportunities and advantages they might have enjoyed especially when they had youth and vigour to have improved them 3. Prosperity accompanying Piety is a mercy especially when men have youth and health to make use of it and it should be improved as such For Job accounts his former prosperous condition in his youth desirable However Prosperity in it self be still a Mercy yet to the wicked who want piety it proves a snare and though it be a mercy at any time yet especially in youth and when old age hath not taken away mens pleasure in their dayes Eccl. 12.1 And therefore such as are made partakers of this mercy ought to remember the account they must make to God for it 4. Such as do make right use of Prosperity they do look upon it as an uncertain passing thing As Job calls it here his Tabernacle See 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. Undervaluers of Gods bounty in a prosperous lot do proclaim their ingratitude and their immortified lusts and that they are seeking happiness in temporal enjoyments which because they cannot finde they are therefore discontented and deprive themselves of that good which is really to be found in the good things of this life As Solomon missing of happiness and finding only vanity as to any felicity the creatures can bring to man in his pursuits after pleasure and delights falls a dispairing and hating of all his labour and hates his very life till he recollect himself and acquiesce in that good thing which God allows in the use of the creatures though they cannot make man happy Eccl. 2.1
at some times only but very often and habitually as their condition required It is good not to weary in well-doing or to sit down and please our selves with doing some few acts only of charity or justice 3. It is not sufficient that Magistrates do good to the poor in their righteous cause if they do it out of vain-glory or give them surly looks or checks though they do their business But they must do for them with fatherly affection For Job was a Father to the poor He owned their cause affectionately and with that same solicitude that a Father hath for his Child As men are bound to do all acts of charity not by constraint but willingly and from a principle of love 2 Cor. 9.7 So Magistrates owe this affection to all their subjects especially to the poor as being bound to be Fathers and Mothers to them which is the common designation of all Superiours as well as of Parents Exod. 20.12 4. As Magistrates ought to know causes well before they give out sentence in them for the Law requires that men should hear before they judge Joh. 7.51 though many even of all ranks are ready to condemn that out of prejudice or respect to the opinion of others which they understand not and others are ready to speak of things when they neither understand what they say or whereof they affirm 1 Tim. 1.7 So there is need of narrow search and enquity to find out the truth in causes if either they be dark or intricate of themselves or darkned through the subtilty of Adversaries Therefore Job searched out the cause which he knew not See Deut. 13.12 13 14. Prov. 25.2 and 29.7 And though this seem to be the genuine interpretation of this place yet the other interpretations formerly mentioned may put us in mind also of other duties oâ— Magistrates which are elsewhere commended in Scripture Namely That Magistrates should be careful to prevent Contentions and Law-suits so far as may be by looking into and studying to compose these differences which are not yet brought before them That they should be careful to try if there be any so crushed with oppression that they dare not have recourse to Magistrates for redress through fear of their potent Oppressours And they should have a care that judgement proceed not according to their acquaintance with persons and that justice be not wrested to gratifie their Kindred Friends or Allies See Deut. 33.9 Verse 17. And I brake the jawes of the wicked and pluckt the spoyl out of his teeth In this Verse Job gives an account how he took course with these Oppressours who had wronged the poor and made â—hem restore their ill purchase and disabled them that they should not oppress afterwards Doct. 1. Oppression of the poor is a beastly bruitish wickedness and the Oppressours are more like ravening beasts than like men For Job describes them that not only they are wicked but that they are like beasts tearing and devouring a prey with their teeth See Ps 58.6 2. It is the duty and will be the care of faithful Magistrates to protect the poor against Oppressours and to cause the poor be restored to their right not turning Oppressours themselves Zeph. 3.3 Nor colluding with Oppressours for a part of the spoyl Mic. 7.3 For Job pluckt the spoyl out of the wickâ—d's teeth and gave it to the righteous owners See Rom. 13.3 1 Pet. 2.13 14. 3. Not only should Oppressours be made to restore what they have unjustly taken but they should be punished and cut short of their power that they may not be able again to oppress For Job brake the jawes of the wicked when he pluckt out the spoyl that so they might tear no more And where this duty is neglected by these in Authority as ordinarily petty Thieves are punished and great Oppressours and grinders of the faces of the poor goe free God interposeth by his own hand to destroy these Oppressours and root them out Verse 18. Then I said I shall dye in my nest and I shall multiply my dayes as the sand In the fourth and last branch of this description of Jobs former prosperity he gives an account of the apparent stability thereof and of the confidence he had it should continue it being so great and well fixed In this Verse he declares what his confidence was unto which he subjoyns the grounds of his confidence in a new account of his prosperity Shewing That it was well rooted and spread abroad and watered with the blessing and influences of God v. 19. And that his honour and power were in the prime and still growing upon his hand v. 20. All men having a great opinion of his wisdome v. 21 22 23. And keeping a great distance even when he conversed familiarly with them v. 24. And his Authority being very eminent among his people v. 25. His assertion of his confidence in this Verse contains this in summ That being so setled he expected that after a contented life and a life of long continuance or of many dayes like the sand without number he should have dyed quietly and peaceably at home in his own house as a Bird in its nest and not have been made a prey of as he was Concerning which confidence and expectation it may be enquired First Was not this a fruit of his carnal disposition thus to please himself with the thoughts of a long continuance of his prosperity Answ As Job is not altogether to be condemned in this his confidence For he is not only thinking on death when he is at the height of it but he might justly be free of distempering slavish fears of a change having laid so good a foundation of peace and security through Gods blessing in Gods favour and a good Conscience yea it proved thus with him in the end Chap. 42. And no doubt Job would never have mentioned this in this so calm an Apology for himself if he had not been certain that at least there was somewhat justifiable in it So he is not altogether free of excess in it and his confidence was mixed and had some tincture of the flesh and unrenewed part in it For his very complaint about the disappointment of his hopes and the encouragements he looked to as supports of this his confidence v. 19 20 c. do evince so much Especially if we compare this with a parallel practice of David for which God did chasten him Ps 30.6 7. Secondly It may be enquired How this assertion that he had been confident of the continuance of his prosperity doth consist with his own profession Chap. 3.25 26. that he had feared what was come upon him and was not in safety nor quiet even before trouble came Answ This difficulty hath been touched on Chap. 3. And it will not suffice to clear it that we assert That Job might have been looking out for some trouble and yet have expected to dye in his nest for all that as never
but do rush into them upon all hazards Which may be a document to us of the corrupt nature of man who will hazard upon sin though he purchase his imagined satisfaction at never so dear a rate unless the grace of God renew and restrain him Verse 13. If I did despise the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant when they contended with me 14. What then shall I do when God riseth up and when he visiteth what shall I answer him 15. Did not he that me in the wombe make him and did not one fashion us in the wombe The fifth Vertue whereof he maketh profession is meekness and his moderating of his power and authority in the exercise thereof He hath asserted Chap. 29. That he was just in the exercise of his Office as a Magistrate Here he asserts more particularly his justice and moderation in his carriage towards his very servants and hand-maids whereby he refutes in part that charge of injustice which was fastened upon him Chap. 22.5 6 7. The summe of his assertion v. 13. is That however servants were then bond-slaves who had no power to enter into judgement with their masters yet he would not deal as he pleased with them but did give them free liberty to plead their cause against him when at any time they thought he wronged them This is not necessary so to be understood as if Job had at any time wronged his servants or they did ever conveen him who was a supreme Magistrate before an inferior Judge But that when at any time they desired himself to hear them make their complaints of his carriage towards them though it was not required by God that he should endure their saucy gainsayings Yet he meekly heard what they had to say and did endeavour to satisfie them as justice and equity required Unto this assertion he subjoynes an account of the reasons perswading him to this meek and moderate carriage which were 1. His fear of Gods judgements to whom he and his servants were equally subject and who was more high above him than he was above his servants v. 14. He considered when God should arise to visit him whether by death and judgement following upon it or by some tryal and affliction in this life he could expect no favour from his supreme Judge if he because of his eminency should sleight these his inferiours nor could he stand in judgement if God should visit him for his neglect of duty 2. His consideration of his Original and way of conception common to him with his meanest servants v. 15. When he considered that both he and they were formed by one God in the wombe and that in one womb as the Original may read not the same individual wombe but the same for kinde When I say he considered this he durst not abuse his power to hurt them how mean soever they were From Verse 13. Learn 1. Distinction of stations and degrees as betwixt other Superiours and Inferiours so also betwixt Masters and Servants hath been in all ages of the world as here Job had man-servants and maid-servants who were subject to him and so it still continueth though the condition of servants be not so servile and low in many places as then it was And as this distinction of estates is for the good of human society and the low condition of some is a document of mans misery and matter of humiliation to all seeing God might have lay'd others low as well as those with whom he so deals So all ought to keep their stations 1 Cor. 7.20 Considering that it is in so doing they are allowed to expect a blessing that they may do service to Christ in the meanest station as well as if it were more eminent Eph. 6.5 6 7. Col. 3.22 23 24. And that every station is blessed to these who are in Christ 1 Cor. 7.21 22. 2. Even godly men when they are in eminency may expect to meet with provocations and irritations from very mean persons For it is supposed here that these his servants were ready to contend with him Not so much because he was apt through infirmity to do them wrong though godly men have need to take heed how they walk especially in their families and toward their inferiours and how they manage any power they have as because that might be his lot which is common to others that the humours of some servants may prove sharp tryals to godly Masters and Heads of Families Yea they may take the more liberty that they have to do with masters who are tender walkers Hence godly men had they never so much power must resolve not to want tryals but that some will be raised up even within their own doors if others be wanting to scowre and exercise their graces And servants should take heed how they walk that they disturb not the peace of families especially if they profess piety themselves and have to do not with froward Masters to whom notwithstanding their frowardness they owe subjection but with godly men who are unwilling to interrupt their own peace and the peace of their families by meddling with them Sâ—e 1 Pet. 2 18. 3. Grace will teach men to walk tenderly even where usually men take most liberty as in their families and retirements as considering that God especially remarks what their carriage is there For so was Job here 4. Grace will teach men to walk tenderly in their families not only by studying to have their servants acquainted with the wayes of God but by avoiding insolency in their families among their Inferiours not doing them wrong or refusing to hear their complaints because they are under their power For Job would not despise the cause of his very servants and slaves as being sensible of his own proneness to miscarry toward them And not being willing to persist in it if it were found to be so and desiring to satisfie them with reason if they complained without cause rather than to bear them down with authority A tender conscience will not suffer a man to oppress the meanest by his power and will be a strong bond upon him when no other can reach him See Gen. 42.18 Neh. 5.15 From Verse 14. Learn 1. Godly men do avoid evils upon religious accounts and motives and with an eye to God and his approbation and condemnation and are not carnal Politicians in their walk For Job here was restrained from this evil by the fear of God 2. Godly men are taught to entertain serious thoughts of being called to an account by God and of an enquiry to be made what their wayes have been either in this life or at death For Job is put to think of Gods rising up and visiting him See Eccl. 11.9 and 12.14 The consideration whereof may excite men to call themselves frequently to an account and to judge themselves that they may not be judged 1 Cor. 10.31 3. Piety also teacheth men to consider that their miscarriages unless they
And albeit men may pretend many excuses why they should not pity such even in a just cause such as their multitude unworthiness ingratitude c. Yet it is the will of God that men who have wealth skill to advise power or authority do help them in what is right and as they need For so did Job here satisfie the desires of the poor and the expectation of the widows Men ought to consider that they are advanced not for themselves only but for the good of others also as Mordecai said to Esther Est 4.14 And as it is an evidence of the grace of God in them to be helpful to those whom God doth compassionate Ps 68.5 So the neglect thereof is a cause of Gods controversie against great men especially Is 1.23 And doth provoke him to cause themselves smart under the like difficulties Pro. 21.13 4. It is not sufficient in Gods account that men do somewhat for the poor widows or others in distress unless as the desires and expectations of the indigent are earnest and pressing so it be chearfully and speedily done For Job was so active in doing good that he caused not the eyes of the widdows to fail or did not out-weary them with expecting and looking for relief before he gave it for so this phrase signifieth in Scripture Ps 69.3 and 119.82 123. Lam. 4.17 nor did he cause them weep out their eyes with complaining of his backwardness See Pro. 3.27 28. 5. Men should walk so streightly and deal so ingenuously in the matter of their carriage as if they were to give an Oath upon it that they are what they declare themselves to be and as if they were to undergoe a present curse and judgement if it be otherwise For so much is imported in this taciâ—e Oath and Imprecation If I have with-held c. whereby he confirmeth this assertion and many others in this Chapter Which is both a tacite Oath and appeal to God that he speaks true and implyes a consenting to what God shall please to inflict if he do lye though he do forbear to express it as elsewhere he doth Mens want of seriousness and their putting of an evil day farr from them make them very loose in their walk and professions But if they would look upon Nadab and Abihu consumed by fire Lev. 10. Zimri and Cozbi cut off by Phinehas Num. 25. Jeroboams hand withering 1 King 13. Uzziah smitten with leprosie 2 Chr. 26. All of them in the very act of their sin If I say they would look upon these as beacons warning all what they deserve and for ought they know what they may meet with they might see cause to look better to their way Verse 17. Or have eaten my morsel my self alone and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof 18. For from my youth he was brought up with me as with a Father and I have guided her from my Mothers womb 19. If I have seen any perish for want of cloathing or any poor without covering 20. If his loyns have not blessed me and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep The next branch of this profession of Humanity confirmed also by a tacire asseveration is That he was a liberal Communicator of his own substance to the indigent both in food and apparel As for his meat he professeth not only that he did not eat it alone but Orphans shared with him in it v. 17. But that he had been habituated from his youth to tenderness and fatherly care of Orphan boyes and had also been a Guide Conducter and Patron to Orphan maids whose weak Sex exposed them to many hazards even from his infancy v. 18. Where it is to be considered that Job speaks of persons of both Sexes of whom he had been tender and careful He was brought up and I guided her Which some understand thus That by the first are meant the fatherless spoken of v. 17. and by the second the widow of whom he had spoken v. 16. And it is not to be doubted but Job was liberal to all those and many others in distress But the words run more smoothly if we understand them of fatherless boyes and girls who were poor and that having spoken in general of the fatherless v. 17. here he points out more particularly his tenderness to every sort and sex of them It is further to be considered that while he professeth he was thus tender not only from his youth but from his mothers womb the meaning of that hyperbolick expression is only this That as the grace of God began early to work in him and which probably was a mean of that his parents began soon to instruct him in the principles of piety compassion and charity so the fruits of his tenderness appeared very early as if it had come into the world and been born with him As for his humanity and liberality in the matter of cloathing he professeth that he gave apparel to the naked and poor who were ready to perish through want v. 19 So that they had cause to bless him being warmed by the apparel that was made of the fleece of his sheep v. 20. It is said the loynes of the poor blessed him where the loynes are put for the whole body that was cloathed possibly because their garments were girded upon their loynes and the meaning is that the poor man was excited to bless him when he found his loynes or body warmed with the apparel he had given him Or whatever the poor man did the very covering of his loynes and body spake Job to be a blessed man who had done that act of compassion From Verse 17. Learn 1. It is not enough that men be liberal of their power credit and authority to do good thereby unto others unless they expend of their wealth and meat also as need requires without which neither professions of love Jam. 2.15 16. nor of piety Isa 58.5 6 7. will avail Therefore beside what is professed v. 16. Job addes this that he had not eaten his morsel alone 2. As it is the commendation of great men if they be sober in their diet So albeit men had never so little they are bound to communicate of it to others as their need requires In both these respects he calls his allowance his morsel because he was sober in his diet and because he was charitable Not onely because he was a great and rich man who might well spare somewhat to others but he was ready to have given a share even of a little Nature needs but little to maintain it and charitable men will straiten themselves much that they may be beneficial to others And if men would indeed be sober their very supersluities might relieve many who are in distress 3. As hospitality is a commanded duty Rom. 12.13 and ought to be performed to these who are really indigent not to the rich onely who are able to requite us Luâ—e 14.12 13 14. far less to sturdy vagrants
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
calling them what they are not or not clearly and plainly what they are This teacheth 1. It is not sufficient that men do right things for the matter of them unless also they be done in a right way and manner So much in general are we taught by his example who would not only debate for God but he will do it in a right manner Hence we find in the Scriptures frequently that not only duties are prescribed and enjoyned but the qualifications of duties and performances also That Love be without dissimulation and flow from a pure heart with fervency That men do give chearfully what they bestow in charity That Faith be unfeigned c. Thus the Lord distinguisheth hypocrites from others not so much by the substance of external duties performed by either as by the manner of doing them and the end for which they do them Mat. 6.1 2 c. Yea saving grace is not simply necessary for the simple performing of many external duties For they may be gone about by unrenewed men and by the strength of common gifts yea their very corruptions such as self-seeking and the desire of applause may fill their sayls to let them on work But to perform them in a right manner necessarily requires saving grace This may check them who silence their consciences with the external performance of duties only while yet they have never employed Christ for grace to goe rightly about them 2. It is the will of God that men be ingenuous plain sincere and down-right in the matters and cause of God and in dealing with men and their condition when they have a calling thereunto whereby they do indeed witness that they respect the honour of God and the weal of their Neighbour For this in particular was his resolution here and is the positive assertion included in that negative that he will not give flattering titles to man For further clearing whereof Consider 1. The meaning is not that titles of honour should not be given to those to whom they are due or that due respects should not be paid to men even when we reprove their faults or that reproofs should not be dipped in love For the contrary is enjoyned 2 Thess 3.14 15. 2. Nor is it the meaning that men should not use prudent insinuations to get in upon men with their reproofs Such as Nathan used in reproving David 2 Sam. 12. But 3. The meaning is that for the fault it self it should be plainly and sincerely reproved without mincing and without flattering of the person guilty And men need to be thus faithfully and freely dealt with because their own interests passions self-love c. do oft-times hinder them from dealing faithfully with themselves And as it is the duty of some by reason of their office thus to give a certain sound So all are obliged by the Law of love not to suffer sin upon their Brother Lev. 19.17 Yea and to rebuke them sharply as they have a calling and opportunity if it be needful Tit. 1.13 See Gal. 2.11 Hence 1. They are culpable who make no conscience of free dealing in admonishing one another As if as Cain said they were not their Brothers keepers But do either choose to talk of mens faults behind their backs rather than admonish themselves or harbour prejudices and alienations from their Neighbours and do intend them a mischief upon the account of some faults real or supposed which they never labour to clear or remove by admonitions See 2 Sam. 13.22.28 Or do reprove them but bluntly as Eli did his Sons 1 Sam. 2.23 24 25. with 3.13 Or which is worst of all do flatter men in their sin to their hurt if not to their ruine See Prov. 28.23 and 29.5 2. They are also culpable who cannot endure to be freely dealt with by others but do make it a quarrel if men freely admonish and reprove them Gal. 4.16 It is an evidence of love to admonish where there is cause and of grace to admit of it Psa 141.5 Prov. 17.6 Secondly Consider the impediment to this duty or that which might if he dâ—d not avoid it tempt him to give these flattering titles which is the accepting of mans person or face Job complained that his Friends had thus wronged him in their pleadings for God Chap. 13.7 8. But Elihu is resolved against this and intimates That in the debate he will not look to their age abilities goodness for they were good men nor any other adjunct extrinsick to the cause but would consider the matter abstractly and in it self and rather speak to the advantage of truth than to please and gratifie man It may be taken up in this one Instruction That in speaking to truth or errour right or wrong in persons Men ought as to pay all due respects to mens persons and other qualities so to abstract from all things in the person extrinsical to the cause and deal with it singly and abstractly As considering that otherwise mens authority and other by respects may be a great tentation to hinder mens faithfulness For here Eâ—ihu will not accept any mans person that he may not give flattering titles to man Thus dealt Paul with Peter at Antioch Gal. 2.11 c. And did not think it inconsistent with his being in his own esteem less than the least of all Saints and not worthy to be called an Apostle to withstand such a Pillar to his face And as truth should be dearer to us than our nearest relations and it should be owned against whatsoever opposers So on the other hand it is a character that men are declining in their love and zeal for truth when they have mens persons in admiration in judging of Doctrines or courses as is fore-told Jude v. 16 And men may be thus swayed in matters of Opinion or Doctrine by their respect to persons Either upon the account of good or evil that they may receive from persons of such an opinion and way and so they will be on their side and flatter them who have power to do them good or evil which seems to be that admiring of persons because of advantage Jude v. 16. See Prov. 29.26 Or they are thus swayed out of their ignorance and simplicity And therefore when they look upon men who are godly and it may be streight in other things they resolve to follow them implicitely in all things and do conclude that what they do must be right because they do it which is in effect to put them in Gods room Thus Barnabas and others were carried away with Peters dissimulation till Paul removed that undue respect that way paid to his person and eminency Gal. 2 11 12 13. To clear this point a little further Consider 1. Wrong is wrong in any person be who they will yea mens wrongs are the greater because of these respects of eminency piety experience c. which they usually doat upon who are misâ—led by their example God hath given that Prerogative to
speak to Jobs case and complaint whom he acknowledgeth to be a godly man to give an account of the instructions which God gives to godly men by his Word which was then revealed in these extraordinary wayes We are not to conceive that this is all and the only instruction which Gods Word affords to such that they should repent and be humble For his Word is sent also to comfort godâ—y men But the meaning is Partly that whatever else Gods Word speak to godly men this lesson of daily humiliation and renewing of repentance is still to be taken alongst with it Yea the more God speak of comfort and things refreshful they should learn this lesson the faster as we find Saints have done in their familiar addresses to God Gen. 18.27 and in Gods special manifestations to them Is 6.5 Job 42.5 6. Partly and especially when good men are in Jobs temper complaining that God should afflict them who are righteous then this lesson is most proper for them to silence and put them from their clamours 3. I see no cause to apprehend that Elihu in propounding this instruction to Job doth intend to charge Job with any particular evil work such as Abimelech Gen. 20. and Lâ—ban Gen. 31. were upon when God restrained them by a dream or vision But his scope is more generally to point out that this holds true of all the godly and so of Job that they have daily works or out-breakings from which they need to be withdrawn and if Job had minded this he would not have swelled so high as he did in his complaints and resentments about his condition From this Vese Learn 1. Even the best of men within time have corruptions their crooked byasses works and projects which are not good For so is here supposed even of godly men to whose condition Elihu is speaking Godly men should mind this much and study their filthiness notwithstanding their privileges which will let them see that they are Adam still as he is here called or have somewhat of old Adam in them They should also remember that this is their own work as hath been explained They can neither charge it upon God Jam. 1.13 nor doth Satan though a busie tempter deserve all the blame that oft-times is cast upon him but the true rise of mans miscarriage is from his own lust Jam. 1.14 2. Not only have Saints Original corruption to look to but out-breakings and works also which should be grievous to them when their weakness comes out and above ground For here a godly man hath even a work which is not good which though it may be extended to signifie mans inward projects and machinations also yet most properly it signifieth those visible fruits which flow from that inward root of corruption 3. It is the will of God that his people do daily renew their repentance for their infirmities and miscarriages and that they goe daily to the opened Fountain to be cleansed from them For Man should be withdrawn from this work and should remove it from him and turn from it by repentance Where this is neglected and we do not call our selves daily to an account it may tend to great confusion in a day of distress and may even bring our reconciled estate into question 4. It is the great scope of the Word whereby God speaks to his people to draw them to this daily renewing of their repentance For God instructs by dreams and visions to withdraw man from his work The Doctrine of God approves of no sin even in Saints but teacheth them so much the more to aggravate them as they are committed by them And as the saddest messages tend not to drive us away from God but rather to invite us to him So most comfortable messages should quicken and promove our repentance Therefore we should try our profitâ—ng by the Word by our frequency in the exercise of repentance and when messages are any way odd and singular as here it was extraordinarily revealed they should speak the louder to invite to this exercise 5. Repentance for failings should be joyned with reformation and abandoning of those evils for which men are grieved For this dispensation tends to withdraw man from or cause him remove his work It is sad when this reformation follows not upon convictions and yet it may be so with Saints either because their convictions are not deep and solid enough or because they do not put them in Christs hand who only can gâ—ve a good account of them 6. Among other evils incident to the people of God Pride is a special evil as here is instanced This is an evil which in others feeds upon empty shadows such as their birth riches honours bodily perfections successes natural or acquired endowments c. But in Gods people it is ready to feed upon their best things their gracer privileges singular mercies and deliverances See Jer. 7.3 4. 2 Chron. 32.24 25. 2 Cor. 12.7 1 Cor. 4.7 7. Whosoever are not daily calling themselves to an account for their failings and renewing their re-repentance daily but possibly are murmuring and complaining because of their sad lots they are not free of pride how much soever they are crushed For so much may be gathered from the connexion and scope that till men be withdrawn from their work Pride will not be hid from them and that Jobs complaints evidenced that he was not free of this evil and that he neglected the better work of repenting daily which would have kept him humble And this is a certain truth that no afflictions will humble a man however they crush him unless he be exercised with the conscience and sense of sin 8. God is a great enemy to pride and his Word hath sufficiently declared how ill he is pleased with it For the scope of this instruction is to hide pride from man See Psal 138.6 Dan. 4.37 Jam. 4.6 Prov. 6.16 17. It is a sin which in it self is a folly 2 Cor. 12.11 a sin for which there is no cause seeing we do but our duty in our highest attainments yea not so much as our duty Luk. 17.10 and an evil which declares men to be nothing in reality Gal. 6.3 It robs God of his glory Rom. 11.36 and crosseth his great design of abasing all flesh before him 1 Cor. 1.29 30. And therefore must be hatâ—ful to him 9. Albeit proud men bulk much in their own eyes and great men are much subject to this evil of pride Yet no greatness real or imaginary doth warrant men to entertain it For even Geber as it is in the Original the mighty or great man ought to have pride hid from him If even greatest of men consider that they are vanity at their best estate Psal 39.5 that they will not long continue what thâ—y are but death will level them with others Psal 49.10 11 12. that the more they have received they have the stricter account to make Luk. 12.48 and that pride doth blast
even of his people is admirable Considering that man is nothing to him Psal 8.4 and that his dispensations toward them are wonderful For Loe saith he God worketh all these c. 4. It is in particular admirable that God should condescend so frequently to be at pains about his people and that after they have abused mercies and slighted means yet he will follow them For this heightens the admiration that God worketh these oftentimes with man that when Visions succeed not he will send Affliction and a Messenger with it and will repeat every one of these so often as need requireth 5. Gods dispensations should be studied and looked upon not only in themselves but with an eye to his end and design in them Therefore he subjoynes for what end God worketh all these things 6. Whatever the godly may apprehend yet God by all his dispensations minds their good and they will find that it is so if they improve them well For such is his end in all his working here subjoyned v. 30 See Rom. 8.28 7. God may bring about his peoples good by means that are not very likely For all that working tends to bring back from the pit Not only visions but even deadly afflictions are sent to prevent not only eternal but temporal death 8. Gods kindness to his people and his designes in strange dispensations would be better seen if men would study preventing as well as delivering mercies For here God not only delivers out of trouble but brings back from the pit and prevents his death 9. As the mercies whereof the godly are deprived by trouble are restored to them with advantage So those mercies should be more precious in their eyes when they are thus restored For man recovered out of deadly trouble is enlightned with the light of the living He gets as it were a new life and he esteems it so and it is very comfortable and lightsome to him See Is 38.18 19. 10. It is a fault when godly men complain of their lot as singular and so make it bitter to themselves when it is but ordinary or to be ignorant of what ordinarily befalls godly men and to quarrel when their lot is but ordinary For thus doth he shur up his Argument refuting and quarrelling Jobs complaints and his professing of his ignorance of Gods mind in his tryal by shewing that God worketh these things oftentimes for these ends and therefore he needed neither have been ignorant of it nor ought to have quarrelled it Verse 31. Mark well O Job hearken unto me hold thy peace and I will speak 32. If thou hast any thing to say answer me Speak for I desire to justifie thee 33. If not hearken unto me Hold thy peace and I shall teach thee wisdome These Verses contain the Conclusion of Elihu's first Speech after which it seems he was silent awhile to see if Job would make any Reply and a preparation to his second Speech Wherein 1. In general he craves that Job would seriously remark what he had said and attend to what he was yet to say v. 31. 2. He explains this his desire Shewing That he desired not by speaking on to hinder him from saying what he could in his own defence as the rest had done For he was neither engaged in this quarrel out of any malice against his person nor was he a contentious man but desired to justifie and absolve him if he could shew him good grounds for it v. 32. But if he had no more to say he craves audience and promiseth to teach him wisdome v. 33. And so Job finding that he spake to purpose keeps silence and he proceedeth in the following Chapter From these Verses Learn 1. It concerns men so much to see how they entertain what men say unto them from God wherein they have taken much pains Therefore doth Elihu so often in the beginning and close of his discourses put Job to this task 2 Afflicted men have need especially to look how they entertain those messages which touch them nearly and do point out their faults For afflicted Job is called to mark and hearken unto what he had told and would tell him concerning his miscarriages 3. Simple audience is not enough but serious attention and observation are required when God by his Messengers speaks to us particularly in affliction For saith he Mark well and heaken unto me 4. Such as make conscience of right hearing will not in passion interrupt them who speak For saith he Hold thy peace and I will speak It is not very certain that Job was interrupting him till he forbad him For in the next Verse he gives him free leave to speak Yet as it is certain that Job was not yet fully convinced or satisfied and therefore so much is said to him after this So it may be that Job was offering to except or propound somewhat till Elihu desire him to hear him out offering notwithstanding to hear if he had any thing to say to the purpose as being his true friend Which kindness among other things possibly did so work upon Job that he gave over his purpose and choosed rather to hear than to speak However passionately to interrupt the Messengers of God is a very great sin And however men do forbear that practice yet they may interrupt their own edification if they keep not their own Spirits composed and be not as men dumb and deaf as the word Hear signifieth as to any thing they think irritating in the message 5. They who would refute and convince men who are in an errour ought to give them a fair hearing however they interrupt their impertinencies For though he desire he will hold his peace yet saith he If thou hast any thing to say answer me either now if thou please or after I have spoken all my mind 6. Men will never give others a fair hearing nor speak a right to a cause so long as they are contentious and do entertain prejudices against persons or being once engaged do strive more for victory than for truth and so do cast iniquity upon men Psal 55.3 For saith he giving a reason of his offer for I desire to justifie thee in so farr as is possible or if there were ground for it 7. As men should thus give a fair hearing to those with whom they deal So upon the other hand when men have no solid answer they should not jangle in their own defence but hear and take reproof For saith he If not hearken unto me hold thy peace 8. It is their duty who deal with others especially those in distress who give them an hearing to teach them solid wisdome and not empty notions For saith he I will teach thee wisdome 9. As there is no man so wise but he needs to be more wise and may need instruction to know God and himself when he is in trouble So a just cause gives a weak man great advantage of a stâ—â—ng party For in all these
wherein we presume to prescribe to him he may justly put us to care for all that concerns us were it even to order the Light which we need when it should come and shine 3. That Job could let God order and guide common things such as the light of the day c. without him and will not quarrel God for longer or shorter colder or hotter days but he will not pay him that submission in his own particular concernments Which sheweth That our Self-love is the cause of all our quarrellings God by our own confession doth still well enough till it come to our particular and we can construe well of he lot of any other but not of our own which is an evil for which we ought to be humbled Doct. 5. It is an useful study to ponder how the Lord hath ordered a variety and vicissitude in time and that Light should succeed Darkness for the morning light and day-spring import so much here And by this the Lord would teach us to expect changes and not to settle upon flâ—eting time for we will find it but vanity he would have us seeing a beauty in every thing in its time Eccl. 3.11 as the darkness of the night hath iâ—s own usefulness as well as the light of the day and would teach his people not to cast away their confidence in a dark hour as if a morning would never succeed to a dark night See Psal 71.16 8. 6. It is also to be observed that this vicissitude and the coming of light after darkness is at Gods command not at our disposal nor any others nor to be impeded when he will have it come for he commandeth the morning and causeth the day-spring to know its place All things are aâ— his disposal so that till he command nothing will be effectual but we may look for peace and behold trouble Jer. 14 19. And when he commands nothing will hinder neither hâ—s peoples fears nor their enemies will be able to obstruct their mercies Isa 49 13 14 15 24 25. 7. We should also observe that God will keep no fixed course in things below save in exercising a constant variety for as the day-spring hath its various places and every day is shorter or longer than another and the Sun riseth not still at the same place in our Horizon so are his other dispensations various And he is pleased to alter them that we may be preserved from formality that we may get variety of Experiences and that our dependance may be entirely upon him Only as long nights are recompensed with long days at another time and cold with heat so will it prove with the people of God Psal 90.15 Secondly This work of God in sending of the morning-light is further commended v. 13. from the effects 1. That it quickly spreads to the ends or wings and extremities of the earth not absolutely of all the earth for then it should be no night any where whenever this light shines and seeing it still shines in some place there should be no night at all but only of that part of the earth which is within the compass of that Horizon where this light ariseth where in a moment it spreads far and near enlightening the most remote parts 2. That hereby the wicked are shaken out of it that is out of the earth by being discovered and punished where the phrase may allude to that ancient practise of executing judgment in the morning Jer. 21.12 Or out of that part of the earth where the light appeareth and so they are shaken out of the light as some understand it by being made to flee and seek to darkness Job 24.13.17 John 3.20 For the first effect beside the general observation That the Glory of God shineth in this work in that he giveth the morning these wings whereby it spreads so quickly Psal 139.9 We may further gather in reference to the scope 1. If God communicate so rich a common benefit to the earth and wicked men in it Mat. 5.45 How little cause have Saints to quarrel his special dispensations towards them 2. God can very quickly and unexpectedly transmit comfort to his Children as they need it as the morning light doth quickly take hold of the ends of the earth From the second effect Learn 1. Whatever wicked men seem to gain by their impiety yet they have but a poor trade of it as here is supposed 2. Whatever Consolations God dispenses yet they are not allowed on the wicked for this mercy of the light is not allowed to be comfortable to them 3. Albeit some wicked men may be so impudent as to avow their sin in the open light yet generally sinners want not their own fears and horrors to torment them and however they are obnoxious to hazards for the light is a terrour to them and they are shaken out of it or out of the earth by a violent stroak of Justice or by the violent agitations of their own disquieted minds 4. In reference to the scope this may teach That as the light dissipates darkness contributes to the shaking out of wicked men and drives wild beasts to their dens Psal 104.22 So whenever God is pleased to lift up the light of his countenance that will dispel all the tentations and fears of Saints that they will not appear Which if Job had hoped for he might have seen cause to forbear his quarrelling Thirdly These effects of the morning-light are further enlarged and amplified in the two following verses And 1. The lights spreading of it self is further amplified v. 14. from this That the earth which by darkness loseth its lustre as to our sense for then we cannot discern it doth by the morning-light recover as to our sense a new lustre as if Clay were new stamped and received a new impression by a Seal and as if the earth were decked with a new garment and variety of Ornaments See Mat. 6.28 29. Psal 104. 30. Doct. 1. Our Mercies are oft-times taken out of our sight that we may learn to prize them as darkness turneth the earth â—o be as it were without form and shape 2. Mercies are not always lost when they disappear and are taken out of our sight as the earth loseth not that real lustre which it hath in the day though want of light hide it from our sight 3. After Mercies seem to be lost and gone they may yet be recovered and restored as the earth recovers its beauty and is seen in its lustre by the morning light 4. God exerciseth men with variety of changes in their condition that their mercies may have a new lustre when they are restored to them as here the earth appears every morning as if it had got a new stamp and new ornaments and so should we look upon the earth and all our other mercies every day Lam. 3.22 23. 5. It may encourage Saints to wait on God in dark times seeing those will but contribute to make their mercies more
fight it to the last v. 3. Nor if he cannot escape will he covenant to work or serve for his Life as Elephants and other Wild Beasts do v. 4. And as he would decline to work so neither would he be taught to play to Boys and Maids as himself playeth in the Sea Psal 104.26 and as Birds and some Beasts make sport to men when they are tamed v. 5. 3. That since he cannot be taken mens expectation of advantage by him doth fail When Fishers take a great prey at Sea the Society make a Feast and sell the super-plus to Merchants for gain as is usual in Whale-fishing But no such advantage is to be got here v 6. 4. That as he is not to be taken as men do take small fishes v. 1. So neither can men take him as they take Whales or other Sea-Monsters by shooting Darts to wound them v. 7. For if any would offer to lay their hand upon him to take him the remembrance of that battel they would have with him might make them give over their attempt v. 8. yea all hope of taking him is in vain seeing the vâ—ry sighâ— of him is enough to confound the stoutest v. 9. If against all this it be objected that all sorts of Creatures even in the Sea may be tamed and consequently taken by men Jam. 3.7 It is sufficient for verifying of that Assertion and the scope thereof in that place that so many of all kinds of Creatures have been tamed albeit some be still excepted From all this Observe 1. If we look upon this Instance in the Sea as it is added to all that are before it may point out 1. God hath still more and more Evidences and Instances to demonstrate what he is as men are able to take him up for here is another Instance more 2. Such is mans Stupidity and his Distemper when he is under Tentation that he needs that much pains should be taken upon him to inculcate what God is and he hath reason to suspect that he is not serious and solid enough in that study even when he observeth most therefore doth God insist so much to take pains upon Job 3. As the Earth so also the Sea is a Store-house full of Gods Riches wherein Travellers may see much of God both for the variety and vast greatness of Creatures in it so that Seafaring men who oft-times want Ordinances among them are without excuse if they reap not much edification by their Journey Therefore is Leviathan instanced in the Sea that we may be led to study God in all his Works thâ—re See Psal 104.25 26. 107.23 24. Obs 2. This Description serveth to point out the the fruit of mans sin in his loss of that primitive Dominion over the Creatures Gen. 1.26 28. So that albeit in the indulgence of God some of them are tamed by their continual converse with men yet many of them are wild and not usually if at all tamed This should excite men to lament their own slavery under sin which hath caused this change and should make them endeavour to recover a right to all things in Christ 1 Cor. 3.21 21 23. Heb. 2.6 7 8.9 Obs 3. When we consider this fierce and untameable Creature we may be helped to remark many advantages we reap by other Creatures which cannot be expected by this As 1. It is a mercy that other Creatures though wild are yet taken by men for their use as is insinuated v. 1 2. though the Leviathan will not be taken Thus many men have their Dinner to â—etch out of the Sea in the morning and others live by hunting of wild Beasts and yet are provided for 2. It is a mercy that so many of the Creatures as we need serve us yea and fawn upon us and do their service so willingly as if they had covenanted to do it all which Leviathan declines to do v. 3 4. 3. It is a mercy that we have and may lawfully use Recreations and Refreshments by some of them as we have not by the Leviathan v. 5 6. 4. It is a mercy that mens labour about the Creatures doth not only furnish them with plentiful Allowances of food but gain also by their Traffick neither of which Leviathan will afford them v 6. 5. It is a mercy that even some fierce Creatures may be taken for the use of man without any inevitable hazard which they run who grapple with Leviathan v. 7 8. 6. It is a mercy that God hath not made the sight of every Creature a terrour to us as Leviathan would be v. 9. All which may be useful meditations to us when we read this Scripture Verse 10. None is so fierce that dare stir him up who then is able to stand before me 11. Who hath prevented me that I should repay him whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine In these Verses we have an Inference from and an Application of this Instance to convince Job of his Folly in thinking to enter the Lists to grapple with God and so to stand before him or set himself before him in judgment as a Party able to contend with him This is propounded in Thesi or in a general Interrogation leaving to Job to see how it concerned him And it is confirmed First From this Instance v. 10. That if no man were he never so fierce dare stir up or provoke this Creature how much less dare any offer to deal with God Secondly From other Arguments v. 11. Such as 1. That God oweth no man any thing whereby he might be obliged to guide him as he likes and not as himself pleases 2. On the contrary all things are his by Right of Creation so that he may dispose of them as he pleaseth and they have no cause to quarrel From these Verses Obs 1. This Application considered in general points out 1. There is nothing which God speaks nor any parcel of Scripture that is barren but hath profitable and special Instructions in it if we could discern them for when God insists on this Subject concerning this Sea-Monster to an afflicted sick man it shews that there is somewhat in it as here he clears 2. It is not enough that we hear what is spoken in Scripture unless we make some application and use of it as here God teacheth Job 3. God must be employed not only to point out what is seasonable to our condition but to apply it also as here he doth to Job Obs 2. The Challenge or Proposition v. 10. imports 1. We are forgetful of the Greatness of God for this is the point here inculcated 2. This our forgetfulness appears much in our thinking to stand before God or to enter the Lists with him as a party in our complaints 3. When mens Consciences are well informed they will decline this undertaking as this Question imports 4. Men are far more clear and â—ound in acknowledging general Principles than when it cometh to their own particular for this