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
Gods way of proceeding looked rather like an ignorant frail man than God and for this he is afterward reprehended by God And in particular this was his mistake That albeit God needed not take all this pains to come to the knowledge of him yet himself needed it to make him know himself and to know that God knew him better then he knew himself what weakness was in him notwithstanding his integrity what the grace of God in him would bear how it would shine in trouble c. Hence we may observe two chief causes of our mistake of Gods dealing 1. Because we do oft-times mistake his end in his work even when it seems most cross and bitter which is not as Job supposed to inform him but our selves not to find out wickedness but to discover grace or weakness where it is not to crush but to give comfortable experiences and proofs of his love These being often not observed we are ready to quarrel even when God is doing us good See Deut. 8.14 15 16. Joh. 13.7 2. Because we mistake his means which leâ—d to this end that by an eater he gives us meat that he puts us to sharpest tryals not because he minds to prove us wicked or reject us but that he may humble us and discover our graces for our comfort c. Vers 7. Thou knowest that I am not wicked and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand The Fifth Argument which followeth upon the former and confirmeth it is taken from the haâ—d case to which he was redacted on every hand by this way of procedure with him For if God by these troubles were seeking to convince and condemn him as a wicked man as he apprehends v. 6. this was hard measure For God knew well enough and he appeals to his knowledge that he was not wicked nor as the word also will bear will he be found to be wicked after the most exact tryal And yet upon the other hand all this integrity could not avail him But if God please thus to proceed in severity there is no remedy but he must be ruined neither himself nor any other could help him against so great a Party The sum of the Argument may be thus conceived as if Job had said A righteous man being oppressed by men may have his recourse to a Superiour in Heaven or Earth who will do him right But though I be really a godly man and not wicked yet none can secure me against thy Soveraignty and infinite Power if thou please to proceed thus against me Therefore I expostulate this with thee and that thou dost not walk by a rule whereby thy creature and thy righteous servant may subsist If we consider the truths that are insinuated in this reasoning we may Observe 1. Albeit all men while they are within time be sinners yet some do obtain mercy not to be wicked being implanted in Christ and covered by his righteousness having a real and through change wrought upon their nature and dispositions and not having only run from one extream to another and being real and serious in their endeavours against the remainders of sin Rom. 7.24 For Job here was not wicked 2. God is the Soveraign Judge of mens state and condition it must be remitted to his decision what we are and we muâ—â— rest only upon his approbation otherwise we do but deceive our selves 2 Cor. 10.18 Rev. 3 17 For saith he Thou knowest or it is upon thy knowledge that I am not wicked otherwise he could not have satisfied himself 3. Albeit such as are truly godly may be exercised and humbled with uncertainties and doubts about their state yet a godly man may attain to that certainty as to know that he is a godly man and not wicked and that God knoweth him to be such For saith Job Thou knowest that I am not wicked See 2 Cor. 13.5 2 Pet. 1.10 4. No tryal should cause a man quit the testimony of his integrity and of Gods approbation for Job cleaveth to it here 5. The comfort of a good Conscience consists in this that not only will it support a man under mistakes from Friends Chap. 16.20 but that he may avow it and appeal to God about it even when his dispensations seem to speak otherwise For so doth Job support himself by it now when God appears so terrible to him 6. God is Soveragn Lord over the most holy man to dispose of him at his pleasure and is so infinitely powerful and absolute that none can by right or force interpose to hinder him For so doth Job subjoyn that though he is not wicked yet there is none that can deliver out of thy hand This Dominion of God ought to be submitted unto in bearing trouble notwithstanding any testimony we have in our Consciences Yet in this reasoning Job's weakness doth appear 1. In that he looks on God as dealing with him as with a wicked man regreting that there was no remedy for an upright man but God would crush him were he never so upright and yet God â—as not dealing so with him Our own mistakâ—s of Gods mind and ends in trouble breed us much needless vexation Right thoughts of God and of his dealing would bring us much ease 2. In that albeit he acknowledge Gods Soveraignty in this matter yet he suâ—mits to it with a grudge and because he could not help it nor was there any remedy or help in his Integrity having to do with such a Party Submission pretended unto with a secret grudge is not acceptable to God especially when any testimony of a good Conscience begets or entertains this grudge as Job because he was not wicked grudges that he cannot help himself or be free of Gods Soveraign hand It is more beseeming if in any respect it can be seemly that unrenewed men having an evil Conscience do thus grudge and repine than that a good Conscience which is so much obliged to free grace should minister any occasion to it Vers 8. Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about yet thou dost destroy me 9. Remember I beseech thee that thou hast made me as the clay and wilt thou bring me into dust again 10. Hast thou not poured me out as milk and crudled me like cheese 11. Thou hast cloathed me with skin and flesh and hast fenced me with bones and sinews 12. Thou hast granted me life and favour and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit 13. And these things hast thou hid in thine heart I know that this is with thee The sixth Argument is taken from Gods framing and preserving of him and explains that v. 3. of Gods despising the work of his hands This Argument and Expostulation 1. He propounds That God having taken so much pains to make a curious structure of him for so the word is to take pains and be at toil alluding to the manner of men who cannot do rare things without much pains should now destroy
troubles yet it is God only to whom they go for ease of them For though Satan had an hand in Job's afflictions yet his recourse is to God for ease 4. As troubles lying on may give a sore dash to confidence and to mens courage in maintaining of their integrity See on Chap. 9.34 So trouble may so crush their spirits that when it is removed the very fear of its returning will dash confidence and discourage For Job would have Gods hand removed far from him We should beware to give way to crushing lest that be a crosâ— when other crosses are gone 5. As God may seem terrible to his own in trouble much more is he so to the wicked So this being too much dwelt upon may add to their disadvantages in coming to God For he propounds this as another caution let not thy dread make me afraid This calls upon them who would comfortably come to God in trouble to pray that God may not be a terrour Jer. 17.17 and not to entertain only terrifying apprehensions of God as a party to their honesty which he is not and Job mistook in thinking Gods terrour would not allow him to avow his integrity though it be one blessed fruit of trouble to be made so sensible of his dreadfulness as to be afraid to offend him Psal 90.11 Neh. 9.32 6. Whatever discouragements afflicted Saints find in their approaches to God Yet the more humble they are they will find the fewer For Job premits all those cautions to his speaking to God only when he is to plead with him in a contentious way as a Plaintiffe or Defendant whereas had he been more patient and submissive he needed not have apprehended either Rods or Terrour to affright him in his humble addresses 7. Faith and the Testimony of integrity will make a man very bold in great hazards For in this offer Call thou and I will answer or let me speak and answer thou me albeit his spirit did overdrive him Yet herein the greatness of his faith and courage appears that being sure of his own honesty he fears not guilt so he be secured against Gods Power and that he will debate his cause on any terms In this his miscarriage is not to be imitated yet it may teach men to be serious and to know what they are doing in the matter of Piety that so they may stand it out in a storm 8. Saints are very ready to miscarry in their dealing with God under trouble As here Job did For it is difficult under trouble to speak aright to God humbly and without reflection Mark 4.38 And as Satan may make a snare of mens real honesty to cause them miscarry in evil times by deceiving them with fair shews of good things or by their own presumption that they must be right because truly honest and godly So the testimony of a good Conscience may be ill to guide under cross-dispensations and the man that hath it being hard put to it may be so much the more unruly under the cross that his own Conscience doth not condemn him as Job was here And albeit it be their sin and folly so to do seeing the advantage of a good Conscience might sweeten all their trouble and it were a bitter ingredient in their cup to have an ill Conscience Yet such is mens weaknâ—ss in tentation that they cannot esteem aright their own mercies Vers 23. How many are mine iniquities and sins make me to know my transgression and my sin 24. Wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest me for thine enemy Followeth his complaint and actual reasoning with God wherein he discovers the greatness of his distress and passion in that albeit his former desires and cautions be not granted yet upon any terms he proceeds to complain and expostulate with God And since God doth not call to make him Defendant as afterward he did he turns Plaintiffe and argues against Gods proceedings The scope of this Discourse as may be gathered from v. 24 25 26 27. Chap 14 3 6. and elsewhere is humbly to expostulate with God about his severe dealing with him to propound his tentations arising upon his condition and to offer reasons why he thought God should not so sharply afflict and exercise him His first Argument in these verses is taken from his innocence and integrity The Antecedent whereof we have v. 23. And the consequent v. 24. The meaning in sum is That being conscious to himself of no gross provocation or reigning sin which might provoke God to deal thus with him he desires God would shew him if there were any such whether more of them or any gross one for he alters the number from the plural to the singular vers 23. And supposing there was none such to be found he humbly argues against Gods deserting of him and by his deserting of him and the sad stroaks inflicted upon him dealing with him as with an Enemy seeing this was not agreeable to his way of proceeding with justified persons v. 24. For further clearing of this Argument Consider 1. Job is not here simply denying that he was a sinner for so he should lie and contradict his own Profession Chap 7.20 But he only denies that he was guilty of gross wickedness or reigning sin and particularly of hypocrisie wherewith they had charged him And this question is in substance the same with that Assertion Chap. 10.7 Thou knowest that I am not wicked Only the way of propounding it may be conceived with some reference to what Zophar had said Whereas he Chap. 11.5 6. had asserted that if God would speak to Job he would convince him that he had much more sin then himself knew Here Job puts the matter to God that he would determine that point debated betwixt them not whether he had more sin then himself knew for Job was too honest deny that but whether he had more or any of those gross wickednesses for which God useth to plague men as he did him 2. Job's Inference and Expostulation v. 24. upon the Supposition that he was no such man doth not import that he thought the sins whereof he was guilty though a Saint did not deserve all the afflictions that were upon him if God should proceed as a severe Judge according to the rigour of the Law But his scope may be thus conceived Partly He looks on God here as a Father who useth not to pursue such failings in his people in severe indignation and wrath and he looks upon his own sins as pardoned and therefore not to be remembered and therefore expostulates that God dealt otherwise Partly it may be conceived that Job did indeed fail in this reasoning For as he usually maintained against his Friends that God might afflict a godly man as he did him without any imputation to his holiness and righteousness and yet he expostulates with God about it here So he is indeed so hot in justifying himself against their imputations that he fails through weakness
as before it come upon him And if we compare the end of the verse with the beginning of it we will find the sense to be this That the wicked mans Conscience causing him every day to fear approaching want and distress as if it were ready to take hold of him He takes a poor impatient heartless and hopeless shift to provide and heap up against such a time So that although he be not presently poor yet he can never get enough provided to secure him against his fears that he may die a beggar From this verse Learn 1. Albeit some wicked men may be plagued with Security and Presumption because of their prosperous condition as Luke 12.19 Yet it is ordinary with many of them that plentiful enjoyments do not secure them against fear of want And therefore they wander abroad for bread that is for their livelyhood which is comprehended under the name of bread because it is the staffe of a mans life Isai 3.1 and because a man ought to be content if he get so much as bread to sustain his life And all mens endevours to acquire the things of the world are called endevours to get bred because they who purchase most will get no more of it but their meat Eccl. 5.10 11. 2. It is a sad Plague upon men when their faithless fears are let loose upon them and their imagination gets leave to multiply vexations without end For this is the wicked mans plague that he wandereth abroad for bread out of an apprehension of a day of darkness or trouble and want which he knoweth or assureth himself is ready at his hand Such faithless fears are more tormenting then many real crosses 3. Wicked men through want of contentment in their lot and of trust in God are justly driven upon heartless anxious sinful and hopeless shifts For so is imported in his wandering abroad for bread and in the question subjoyned Where is it Which signifieth that he is restless and impatient in seeking doubtful to find or see what he seeks and ready to take any shift good or bad and to go any where to find it 4. Albeit wicked men do ordinarily put an evil day far away Amos 6.2 yet they will not still get it done but their Consciences will be set on work to prognosticate their own miseries and represent their miseries as near approaching that so they may be tormented befor the time For here are some wicked men who have misery and want still before their eyes He knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand Vers 24. Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid they shall prevail against him as a king ready to the battel In this verse the wicked mans inward misery is summed up in this That trouble and anxiety shall not only affright him but shall astonish and prevail over him as easily as a King with his Royal Army being well provided when he is in the Field in Person and ready to joyn in battel will prevail over an inferiour subject or single person Whence Learn 1. However the wicked when they are at ease think lightly of anxieties and vexations of Conscience Yet as those are sad and heavy in themselves so God can make them find by experience that they are so Therefore is their exercise here called trouble and anguish The words in the Original signifie that which straitens men and closeth them up from all comfort as when they are besieged in a City and that which being painful cleaveth to men however they would and do endevour to shift it 2. Anguish and trouble of mind is very affrighting to them who are not at peace with God and that both in it self and in that it begets fears of more and greater trouble Therefore it is said Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid 3. However the wicked may think to shake off their affrighting perplexities and to encourage themselves again after they are borne down with them Yet if God pursue they will be forced at last to succumb under the pressure For they shall prevail against him whereas the godly may fall and rise again 4. The terrour of God or anxiety inflicted by him as a Plague is too hard a party for weak man and as irresistible as it is impossible for a weak subject to resist a King with his Army For They shall prevail against him as a king ready to the battle It points both at the force and strength and at the numerous variety of terrours like so many several Troops or Souldiers which God hath in readiness to overwhelm him thereby Vers 25. For he stretcheth out his hand against God and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty Before Eliphaz proceed to rehearse the Doctrine of the Ancients concerning the outward plagues which befal the wicked He doth in the Second Head of this Narration and as would appear from the Doctrine of those Ancients also interlace to v. 29. the cause both of their outward and inward miseries to clear the equity and justice thereof And that is their presumptuous wickedness because of their prosperity Their wicked attempts are recorded v. 25 26. and that their prosperity emboldens them to this is asserted v. 27 28. In this verse this account is given of the wicked mans attempt that he is stout-hearted in his sinning against God provokes him with an high hand and is obstinately pertinacious in that course Thus to stretch out the hand against any notes a resolute and eminent opposition against them and an endevour to destroy them if it can be effectuated It seems to be the same in substance with what is elsewhere spoken of doing any thing with a stretched out arm Exod. 6.6 and with an high hand Exod. 14.8 which in other cases imports eminent resolution and courage and acting accordingly and in the wickeds course of rebellion against God it imports his presumptuous sinning Numb 15.30 in the Original And for his strengthning of himself subjoyned to this it imports how obstinate he is in his course notwithstanding all means used to reclaim him In this Character of the wicked it seems Eliphaz would reflect upon Job's carriage who would not humble himself and stoop to God but stood it out rebelliously as he thought both against his Word and the dispensations of his Providence And indeed had Job been guilty of this his condition had been dreadful But his resolution and stiffeness in the point controverted was better grounded than Eliphaz thought and any failing in it was his infirmity only and not presumptuous wickedness From this verse Learn 1. It is not sufficient that men feel or be sensible of judgments inflicted unless they see also the causes thereof distinctly and so they be neither dumb nor confused rods Therefore doth he subjoyn a reason of all the former miseries For he stretcheth out his hand c. 2. As all sin is an opposition unto God so especially presumptuous sinning is a waging war against him For such a
in this particular Controversie which yet might be learned by studying the Providence of God about the Beasts and other Creatures 3. Men are more apt to resent zeal or supposed injuries then to ponder how justly they are so dealt with For Bildad could not bear this censure at Job's hands and yet did not consider how he and the rest deserved it by their carriage If such as cannot endure reproaches would learn to do well they would take a safer and surer course And they who are most accurate in their walk will bear reproaches with least disturbance 4. Men may be very tender skinned in the matter of their own Reputation who yet may be lavish in laying load more then enough upon the Reputation of others For Bildad here carps if an afflicted man let out but a bitter word in his own defence and yet he never considers that himself and his two Companions were far more bitter against Job who had less need of it and could worse bear it See Chap. 16.4 But it is ordinarily found that they who make an Idol of their own Reputation are least tender of the Reputation of others Vers 4. He teareth himself in his anger shall the earth be forsaken for thee and shall the rock be removed out of his place The fourth fault challenged in Job's Discourse and way by mentioning whereof Bildad makes way for the Second Part of his Discourse is That in debating the main Controversie Job did express much desperate impatience and fury and fretful and insolent murmuring against God and his Providence The fault challenged by Bildad is anger or impatient fretting at Gods dealing which he amplifieth and aggravateth 1. From its effects That it did tear and rent him as a wild Beast teareth its prey and made him tear himself or his soul as it is in the Original That is his own impatience was the sting of his afflictions and tormented him more then the cross it self did 2. He aggravates this fault from the absurdity thereof considering against whom and what it was he fretted at in the rest of the verse In the understanding whereof there is some diversity of Opinions For these words Shall the Earth be forsaken for thee are by some looked upon as an Argument against Job's Opinion in this Controversie that the godly may be no better dealt with in outward things then the wicked are And they take up the force of the Argument thus That the Earth must be forsaken or it were better the world were made void of Inhabitants and all the godly taken out of it if Job's Opinion were true that the godly were no better dealt with then the wicked Now this being absurd there is no reason why the Earth should be forsaken for him or such a wild absurdity admitted to gratifie him This Argument if Bildad intend any such thing is very weak For it argues great weakness in men either to cast out with Piety or weary oft-time meerly because of outward troubles And beside Though the outward lot of the godly and the wicked were the same in this life yet to say nothing of the eternal difference that will be betwixt the one and the other there is a great difference betwixt punishment inflicted upon the one and tryals exrcising the other betwixt the pure and unmixed wrath of God let out upon the wicked and fatherly displeasure against his own where the cloud is never so dark but they may see his favour through it and betwixt the torture of an evil Conscience and the peace of a good Conscience under trouble All these do sufficiently distinguish them although they undergo the same outward tryal But leaving this Interpretation which seems to put a force upon the Text I conceive both these questions Shall the Earth be forsaken for thee and shall the Rock be removed out of his place do contain as hath been said a serious aggravation of Job's fault and a challenging of him for the absurdity that was in his way His impatience as he conceived was but a barking against God and the constant course of his Providence on Earth in punishing wicked men and rewarding the godly which is as fixed and unalterable as a Rock And therefore he judgeth it most absurd in Job to think that it would be otherwise or that God should give over to govern the Earth justly and alter his fixed way of Providence to gratifie him who was but a wicked man He might well vex himself but it would be to no purpose For all wicked men would be still dealt with as he was as he tells him more fully in pursuance of this v. 5 c. unless God should turn the world and way of his Providence upside down to gratifie him Before I speak to this purpose in it self somewhat would be spoken of Bildad's mistakes and his mis-applications of what is true Where Obs 1. This fault of impatience here charged upon Job is indeed a great sin But as for the truth of the charge and Job's accession to it Upon the one hand it is certain that Bildad wrongs Job in some respects and doth mistake both the nature and degree of his passion For though he did complain as even a man who is a mirrour of Patience such as he was James 5.11 may be driven to that in trouble yet he had no wicked anger or desperate tearing-impatience nor did he maliciously carp at Providence as he supposed Upon the other hand it must also be granted that Job was not free of some measure of sinful passion for which he is checked by Elihu and after him by God himself Only here is the difference Bildad and the other two Friends spake truly when they asserted Job was passionate but they hit wrong in charging it upon him upon a false ground asserting that he was impatient because he would not grant this to be Gods fixed way to afflict only the wicked as he did him but did contradict and oppose this their Opinion sometime with heat and sharpness enough Job would not at all take with the guilt of being passionate upon this account but the justice of his cause and the strength of reason whereby he maintained it which they judged to be but furious impatience bears him out against all their reflections and challenges Yea sometime his weakness takes occasion of their unjust censures to break out into real fits of passion tâ—ll God interpose who hits the right vein and lets him see wherein he is indeed passionate namely in maintaining his good cause with indirect reflections upon God and then he takes with his fault and stoops All this may teach That many real faults when they are reproved yet are not taken with through the ill managing of the challenge when either want of meekness in the reprover alienates affection and so maâ—s the cure or want of prudence obstructs the challenge that it gets not in or when men do not solidly instruct their challenges nor reprove with Doctrine
not supplying them in their necessity or not righting them as a Magistrate but sending them away disappointed and that the arms of the fatherless were broken or what should support and maintain them was taken from them by oppression Doct. 1. It is the usual lot of Orphans and Widows to be oppressed in the world as here is supposed 2. The Lord hath a special eye upon the injuries done to the fatherless and widows For here after other supposed oppressions this is added in the last place as worst of all 3. It is an hainous sin particularly in Magistrates to wrong and crush Orphans and Widows either by oppressing them themselves or suffering others to wrong them As here it was charged on Job who was a Magistrate Vers 10. Therefore snares are round about thee and sudden fear troubleth thee 11. Or darkness that thou canst not see and abundance of waters cover thee In these verses we have the Conclusion of this Argument That since Job was so wicked as he supposed therefore he was justly brought into these miseries surrounded with snares and fears involved in darkness and drowned in an abyss of troubles Though it be a truth that such sinners as he hath described do deserve these calamities yet it is a mistake to think that they always meet with them in this life and an Unjust sentence passed against Job that he was guilty of these sins or that God was pursuing him for them by the afflictions upon him So hard is it to bring men to change their fixed mistakes of the godly in affliction However the General Doctrine teacheth 1. God may cause mens lots be such as might send them back to examine their former life and to see that therefore or because of their evil ways such sad changes befal them And therefore it were good to prevent this in time by dayly examination of our Consciences 2. Judgments upon wicked men do fitly resemble snares round about them as here they are called And that 1. Because they come suddenly and unexpectedly as a snare surprizeth the wild Beast or Bird. As it is their sin that they do not look out for any afflictions Psal 10.6 so it is their judgment that afflictions do surprize them Luk. 21.34 35. 2. Because their plagues will hold them fast like fetters and snares so that the more they spurn they are held the faster See Isa 51.20 Jer. 2 24. 3. Because they usually meet with many at once round about them so that they shall have nothing but sorrow and want of comfort on every hand Lam. 2.22 And if they escape one they shall be caught in another Isa 24 17 18. Doct. 3. When the wicked are thus surrounded with snares sudden fear will trouble them As here is added Seeing their troubles do surprise them and and are sudden they cannot but be perplexed therewith more than if they had resolved upon them But especially judgments cannot but be formidable to them who are not at peace with God Isa 33.14 And trouble having once made a breach they cannot but be continually alarmed with fears of every imaginable trouble that it may come upon them when they least expect it 4. In this case the wicked will be involved in darkness that they cannot see As here is also subjoyned Such troubles coming upon wicked men bring confusion of mind with them so that they can neither distinctly know the causes why they are troubled nor which way to get out of them whence followeth darkness of sorrow discomfort and despair 5. The wicked being thus distressed and in the dark their afflictions cannot but overwhelm and swallow them up as if aboundance of waters covered them which is here subjoyned to all the rest Vers 12. Is not God in the height of heauen and behold the height of the stars how high they are 13. And thou sayest how doth God know can he judg through the dark cloud 14. Thick clouds are a covering to him that he seeth not and he walketh in the circuit of heaven In these verses we have the fourth Argument taken from Job's sins immediately against God whereâ—â— he supposeth him guilty And particularly Aâ—heisme and denial of a Providence or that God cares for things below In prosecuting this argument 1. He premits a General Truth v. 12. That Gods Habitation or special residence is in the height of Heaven or the highest Heavens the height wherof may be gathered from the height of the â—tars which yet are below that glorious habitation 2. He propoundeth Job's supposed fault v. 13. That God doth not know nor take notice of things below which he propounds by way of question How or what doth God know as supposing that Job thought it impossible to solve that doubt and clear the difficulty 3. He subjoyns the ground upon which he supposeth Job did entertain such an impious thought which being propounded by way of quâ—stion v. 13. is positively expressed v. 14. That the great distance and dark clouds intervening betwixt the highest Heavens and Earth do impede Gods seeing of things below And he is shut up in Heaven without taking notice of humane affairâ— but walking idly on the circuit of heaven above the clouds For further clearing of this purpose 1. It would be considered what is the Scope of Eliphaz in premiting that general v. 12. For it may be looked upon aâ— the ground upon which he refutes Job's supposed crime of Atheism And indeed if it be taken in a sound sense not that the infinite God is shut up and included in the highest Heavens Jer. 23.24 but that he manifests himself in a special manner present there as upon the Throne of his Glory it is a truth that may refute all such Atheistical thoughts For if the Stars do reach us with their light though they be very high and have but borrowed light Much more doth God who reigns over all and is all light behold all things from the Throne of his Glory Psal 11.4 33.13 14 15. But if we look to the reasons subjoyned to that Atheistical conclusion v. 13 14. where the same things are repeated in substance which are premitted v. 12. the words may be looked on as the principle and ground from which he supposeth Job did deduce his conclusion and which is more largely insisted on in the following verses This Eliphaz in the entry premits as a truth which he owns in a sound sense though he deny the Inference and Conclusion deduced from it And so the scope of this charge in sum is as if Eliphaz had said Because this is a truth That God in a special manner dwels in the highest Heavens v. 12. therefore thou gatherest that conclusion from it That God doth not know or notice things below v. 13. And those Arguments also taken from the thick clouds that intervene and the distance betwixt Heaven and Earth to prove it v. 13 14. But thou dost not consider that it contains a Refutation of thy Errour and
their work will be about sin to discover and purge it out which they will look upon as a greater hast than to be rid of trouble For then he is advised to be exercised about offending as the consequent of the former step 10. When men are rightly exercised about sin especially under trouble they will look upon it as a very abominably corrupting and destroying evil As the word also signifieth 11. It is not enough that men especially under trouble discover sin or contemplate the abominableness thereof unless there be strong resolutions and endeavours to amend it and turn from it For he is advised to promise I will not offend Not that men can undertake never to sin though that be their duty but especially that they should oppose all sin and should never purpose to commit any sin And they should be as careful of this as they are about the pardon of sin committed 12. It is in particular a great evil to be avoided that men do not corrupt and lose the opportunity of a tryal which otherwise might do them much good by their miscarriages under it For this may be particularly intended in this engagement not to offend or corrupt as hath been explained And it is certain Jobs miscarriages under trouble were the evils which he was bound especially to amend and for which Elihu did quarrel him especially 13. Men even by their managing of the testimony of a good conscience too hotly under trouble may spoyl their own cause and lose a fair opportunity of good For therefore was Job a godly man to engage against offending thus Verse 32. That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will do no more This Verse contains the rest of the Direction or what he should desire Namely That being resolved not to offend though he knew not his particular miscarriages yet he should seek light from God to inform him of his failings and should renew his resolutions to avoid what should be discovered to him particularly of his miscarriages under trouble Whence Learn 1. As the people of God when they are well exercised are sensible of their own sinfulness So they should have their eye upon it For the Original expression Beside what I see or contemplate imports that he should alwayes be seeing some sinfulness in himself See Is 59.12 As none will neglect examination and daily observing of their own wayes and miscarriages but they who are ignorant of themselves So it is better we see our failing this way by daily observation than that our consciences be wakened by the terrour of God and made to dwell upon that subject Psal 50.21 and 51.3 And it must be sad also when men who know many other things yet are ignorant of themselves 2. Saints who know themselves best will be sensible of their ignorance and short coming in taking up their defects For when Job cometh to be right he supposeth that he will apprehend there are evils beside what he seeth See Psal 19.12 Saints are not soon or easily satisfied with their own sight of their sinfulness but knowing the deceitfulness of their own hearts Jer. 17.9 when they have seen most they will know there is yet more to be seen for their ignorance whereof they will mourn as well as for the evils which they discern 3. As simple ignorance inadvertency unfound principles self-love the multitude of escapes c. are reasons why many of the people of Gods faults pass unobserved by them So in particular passion and distemper under trouble may bring them into many snares unawares For it is of these miscarriages under trouble especially that Elihu supposeth Job to be ignorant Thus did Moses miscarry at the Rock Psal 106.32 33. David spake often amiss in his hast and Jonah in his passion justifieth his fault Jon 4.9 4. It is the property of the Child of God when he is sensible that ignorance and inadvertency do not satisfie his conscience as knowing that he is bound to know the Rule of his duty and to try all his actions thereby and that sins even of ignorance need an expiatory sacrifice and pardon Lev. 4.2 3 c. And therefore he desireth not to be deluded but to know what really he is although he see it not for present For so much doth this desire to be taught what he seeth not import that a sensible Soul is teachable and earnestly desireth to be well informed concerning its own condition See Psal 25.4 5. and 139.21 22 23 24. It is sad when men do skin over their own bad condition and so long as they are not disquieted they will not trouble themselves but sport themselves with their own deceivings 5. It is not the testimony of any but of God alone that will quiet an honest conscience about its guilt or honesty For it is to God this desire is put up What I see not teach thou me Without Gods approbation all Davids shifts to cover his Adultery availed nothing 2 Sam. 11.27 And as God is the effectual teacher and convincer of men So in every thing we should see what he saith Exod. 18.23 1 Chron. 13.2 And what he saith the conscience must rest upon neither taking with guilt if he do not charge it upon it nor resting secure in any course how plausible or successful soever if he approve it not See Luk. 16.15 1 Cor. 4.4 2 Cor. 10.18 6. However God may give up sometimes with a stubborn people and will reprove them no more Ezek. 3.26 Yet it is his way with his own people not to let them goe away with their faults but either by their own consciences or some other means to bring their sin to their remembrance and be a reprover unto them which is their great mercy For this desire is grounded upon this that it is Gods ordinary way with his people to teach them what they see not as he made Davids heart to smite him and made Josephs brethren remember their cruelty toward him So that Saints had need to prevent such after-games when their sin shall find them out Numb 32.23 7. As the faults of the people of God especially under trouble may be very gross and yet not seen by themselves So they will not extenuate their faults when they do discern them In both these respects he is to call that whereof he can but suspect himself till it be discovered iniquity as being committed against professions and manifold engagements against mercies and under corrections beside the grosseness of it in its own nature Thus David was sensible of the iniquity of his sinne Ps 32.5 8. Discoveries of sin are then rightly improved when reformation or a serious resolution and endeavour of reformation follow thereupon And the way to keep the conscience tender and to have Gods light shining upon it for continual information is to take heed to those faults which it points at For so is here subjoyned If I have done iniquity I will do no more and
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
Truth which he hath revealed and we are commanded to imbrace by his Word as Job here argueth against them Then Truth must not be prejudged by any consideration of the greatest or best of men who oppose it but the consideration of their person must be laid aside till it be impartially tryed what is Truth and what is Errour 3. God will have no honour nor service tendered to him but by lawful and approved means He will not have his person accepted nor an attempt made to give him glory unless it be upon allowed and approved grounds He will not have an ill turn justified by this that it tends to his honour and service Rom. 3.8 nor will he allow that a pretence of being for the Righteousness of God should be a cloak to hide the wrath of man Jam. 1.20 4. Zeal and good intentions will never justifie unlawful actions in Gods sight For his Friends wanted none of these when Job tells them they miscarried most grossly 5. God doth not allow that we should devise opinions or worship thereby to serve and honour him but we must cleave to his own prescribed Rule For otherwise he will not be honored by our worship and service Matth. 15.9 6 The Consideration of Gods righteousness in afflicting of a person or people must not be urged to prove them wicked unless the Word prove they are so This is the very instance in the Text. Doct. 3. Whosoever do not walk according to those Rules but will study to set off Errour by specious pretences they deal both wickedly and deceitfully They wrong men whom they would falsly condemn of their right by imploying their wit to overthrow it craftily and they do insinuate iâ—l things of Godâ— by their pretending for him in their Errours Yea their course being wicked in it self their handsome and deceitful conveyance adds to the sin thereof Therefore Job saith that in all this they spake wickedly and deceitfully cheating him of his righteousness upon a pretence of Gods glory and sinfully implying that Gods Righteousness was gone and could not be defended if he were not wicked So far different may men in reality be from what they pretend to be that they may be acting wickedly even while they pretend to honour God in a singular way 4. His charging home this guilt upon them by way of question Teacheth 1. True zeal will not be blunted by the fair face put upon a bad cause but rather set on edge to oppose it so much the more For the questions import his indignation at their sinful and unhandsome way 2. Consciences are not easily convinced of the ill of a plausible and well masked course and Errour For he must put their Consciences to it to see the ill of their way before they put themselves to it 3. However Conscience be deluded for a time yet at last it will see and condemn the evil of a course notwithstanding all its pretences and fair shews For he puts the matter to their Consciences as a judge that would speak out impartially at last Vers 9. Is it good that he should search you out or as one man mocketh another do ye so mâ—ck him In this and the following verses to v. 13. Job insists to press and inculcate the former argument upon them that they may see the evil of their way And First in this v he points it out both in the sinfulness and hazard of it As to its sinfulness he tells them that their pleading to God was as really a mocking of him as ever one man mocked another And a reproachâ—ng of him and his righteousness as if he needed their lies and had a bad cause for which there were no better arguments then they brought And therefore as to the hazard of it he wisheth them to consider how little it would bâ— for their good or advantage that he should search them out or discover by effects that he looked upon them as mockers of him Doct. 1. God seeth things nakedly as they are notwithstanding all the specious pâ—etences wherewith they are adorned And when men will not so see them he is provoked to let then know them as indeed they are For in this sense is searching out attributed to God who knoweth all things He searcheth out men and their way when he looks upon them nakedly as thâ—y are as men do see things best after search And when he causeth men know that he so looketh upon them 2. Men are so shallow and so easily deluded that they may think they are eminently for God when in effect they are but scoâ—ning him And particularly they mock God when they seek the patrociny of his glory to a wrong cause or when they defend his cause wiâ—h false arguments For saith he of their plâ—ading as one man mocketh another so do ye mock him Men will be judged by their actions whatever their intentions be 3. Such deluded pretenders serve a thankless Master for God will not be mocked upon any accompt Gal 6.7 And their Consciences can tell them it will be little to their advantage when God shall discover them and their way Therefore he propounds it by way of question Is it good that he should search you out Do ye mock him Vers 10. He will surely reprove you if ye do secretly accept persons Secondly He confirms the hazard of this way by telling them that God who is the Truth will surely reprove and punish their partiality and respect of persons He propounds it in general of accepting of persons to shew that if God abhor all partiality much more this wherein beside the fault of partiality he is wronged in his glory He propounds also their fault bâ— way of supposition If ye do accept peâ—sons which is not a baâ—e supposition for Job had positively charged it on them before but it supposeth the fault to be real and the challenge true and insinuates that if they go on God though he had hitherto spared will surely punish He adds if they do it secretly not against the light of their Consciences but with cunning discourses and under the covert of good intentions which hid it even from themselves The punishment threatened if they persist in this fault is God will surely reprove them that is he will make them know they are in the wrong either by his Word and appearing to speak himself as he afterward did or if that will not do it by Rodâ— From this beside what is formerly marked Learn 1. Sin may be so masked with plausible and fair pretences and good intentions that even the act is cannot well discern the evil of it For this fault was acted secretly not only cunningly as to others but even so as it was hid from themselves 2. All this ignorance and inadvertency of men will not excuse their fault considering they are bound to know right and wrong and that they are accessory to the involving of themselves in mistakes For God reproves secret accepting of persons 3. God
were mistaken without it 2. A Child of God may seem to have all godly men and 〈◊〉 their experiences on his top when yet he is in the â—ight as here it was with Job Having observed these Cautions if we lay aside mistakes and mis-applications the General Doctrine here held â—orth may teach 1. Such as take pains to instruct others in matters of importance especially in the matter of Truth and Errour ought to be hearkened unto carefully and nor despised providing what they say be examined by the Word For saith he I will shew thee hear me 2. Men should take heed that they speak not any thing in the matters of God or to mens souls and spiritual conditions but what they certainly know For so much doth Eliphaz yield to he his duty while he professeth that only that which he hath seen or punctually observed will he declare in this grand Question in debate And though even such as are thus most accurate may err as he did yet others are more likely to err See 2 Cor. 4.13 3. Such as truly observe and understand spiritual things will not disdain to take help of the knowledge of others for their own furtherance and confirmation For Eliphaz who thinks himself sure in thâ—s matter professeth that he not only had seen it himself but wise men have told it c. 4. It is the duty of men in their stations not to hide what they know of God and his way but they should be careful to have Truth perpetuated in their Families and among their Posterity For wise men have told this from their Fathers they had it from their Fathers and did communicate it to others who were to succeed after them This their care before the Scriptures were written may exceedingly condemn our negligence 5. It should cause Truths be the more seriously pondered and imbraced that spiritually wise men are frequent in inculcating and pressing thereof For by this woold he commend his Doctrine that wise men have told and not hid it or have been earnest and frequent in inculcating of it Much more ought that to be seriously pondered which the Spirit of God doth frequently inculcate upon us in the Scriptures 6. It is not talking of wisdom but proofs thereof in mens actings that proves them wise For he proves they were wise men v. 18. by their being advanced and by their good and successful government To whom alone the Earth was given c. v. 19. And albeit wise men iâ— Gods righteous judgment may be over-powered and become fools or even godly wise men may be slighted Eccl. 9 15. or their affairs not succeed for their tryal and exercise Yet it is a certain rule that Wisdom is not to be tryed by words or discourses only 7. Invasions of Enemies especially strangers in Religion is a special mean to corrupt sound Doctrine For this as hath been explained commends the Doctrine of these Wise men that no stranger passed among them they were not invaded by others who were Idolaters who might have adulterated their Principles and corrupted their Religion Vers 20. The wicked man travelleth with pain all his days and the number of years is hidden to the oppressour Followeth to v. 31. the Second Branch of this part of the Chapter Which is the Thesis or Doctrine which he proves by his own experience and the consent of Antiquity And that is the miserable estate of wicked men agreeable to what Job now suffered whereof he makes a large Narration to convince Job that only the wicked were so afflicted and consequently that he could not be a godly man as he pretended This Narration may be summed up in three Heads 1. 〈◊〉 gives an account chiefly of the inward troubles and vexations of the wicked by reason of an evil Conscience v. 20. 24. 2. The Cause of this and their other miseries is interlaced v. 25. 28. 3. Unto this is subjoyned the outward Plagues which God sends upon them v. 29 30. In the first Head of this Narration containing chiefly an account of their inward vexations because of an evil Conscience we are to remark a few things in general for clearing 〈◊〉 way 1. That this Doctrine was not only gathered and observed by Eliphaz in his own experience but was indeed the Doctrine of the Ancients which they had from time to time inculcated that they might terrifie men from wickedness For Eliphaz asserteth they had taught this v. 17 18. and we are bound in charity to believe he speaks true 2. That in this Narration he pitcheth upon those particulars which himself had learned by experience or gathered from the instructions of the Ancients which seem most nearly to parallel Job's present case For in what he speaks of the wickeds pain and apprehensions in his prosperity v. 20 21 23. he reflects upon what Job had said Chap. 3.25 26. In speaking of the wickeds want of hope v. 22. he reflects upon Job's frequent Declarations that he expected never to get out of this trouble And in speaking of the fear and anguish of the wicked v. 24. he reflects upon the exercise that was upon Job's spirit Chap. 7.13 14. And so throughout all the rest of this Chapter he speaks so as might touch Job most nearly and prove him a wicked man being exercised as they are It was a poor trade yet such a trade this godly man was at to rake into every particular of his godly friends miseries that he might prove him wicked 3. That this Doctrine which he had learned from the Ancients concerning the case of the wicked is not erroneous whatever may be said of Eliphaz's Opinion in the Application thereof to the question in debate but holds true of them in several respects 1. That all the evils here recorded are deserved by all wicked men according to the tenour of the threatnings of the Law See Lev. 26.36 Deut. 28.65 and frequently throughout these Chapters 2. Some of the wicked meet with these plagues and particularly with this inward terror and vexation eminently that they may be a warning to all others as witness Cain's terror Gen. 4. and Pashur's Jer. 20.3 4. 3. Such of the wicked as are not put to this vexation at present yet have no security against it by vertue of any Promise but it may come upon them when they least expect it 4. Nor is the present quiet which wicked men enjoy any true or solid Peace of Conscience but a stupid security arising from negligence or some defect in their Consciences or from judicial Plagues inflâ—cted upon their heart by God 5. And then being exempted in this life from the extremity of this vexation will be sadly made up in end when in the Pit their Worm shall gnaw for ever 4. Notwithstanding all this which may and ought to be conceded as true in the Doctrine of the Ancients Yet Eliphaz errs here in his Scope and Application of this Doctrine And 1. As hath been often marked In that he understands
James 4.3 Vers 18. O earth cover not thou my bloud and let my cry have no place In this and the two following verses we have the Third Branch of this part of the Chapter Wherein Job confirms the former assertion by three Arguments The first in this verse is by way of imprecation wherein seeing he cannot be cleared otherwise he asserts the testimony of his good conscience by assenting that all the creatures particularly the earth bear witness against him by not concealing his injustice or bloudy crimes if he were guilty of any and consenting that his cry and prayer be not heard if it be not pure As for this way of proving his integrity whatever was Job's distemper when he reflected upon his Friends obstinacy who would not give credit to him Yet the thing it self is not to be condemned as being practiced by Saints in the case of malitious slanders Psal 7.3 4 5. It is far from that sinful disposition that prompts men to curse themselves or others and doth only import That he is convinced that wickedness deserveth such punishments That his Conscience could not but submit to them as just if he were what they called him and That he was so sure of his own integrity that he declined no punishment if it were found he was wicked Whence Learn 1. Innocent Saints may be so oppressed and over-clouded with slanders and unjust aspersions that their innocency cannot be got cleared in an ordinary way Therefore is Job put thus to appeal to the creatures as afterward he appeals to God 2. A man that is reconciled to God through Christ and hath a good Conscience in the matter of his walk may rest secure that no testimony or discovery from Heaven or Earth will make against him and that however he may be belied and slandered yet he will never be condemned as wicked For Job declines no evidence against him here from the earth or from Heaven in sending a return to his cry This points out the great advantage of having the heart sprinkled from an evil Conscience See 1 Joh. 3.21 3. Truly-godly men do so much hate sin and adore the Holiness and Justice of God that they will subscribe to all the judgments due to wickedness as just For so much doth this way of arguing import that none can decline this as the due reward of wickedness and hypocrisie And this the Consciences of the very wicked will be forced to acknowledge at last 4. Cruel and bloudy crimes will not be got hid kept secret let men palliate and cloke them as they will For this assent of Job is sounded upon a Truth that the earth will not cover blood or blood will not hide were there nothing but the very earth to discover it Gen. 4.10 11. Isai 26.21 See also in the matter of oppression Hab. 2.10 11. So that an ill Conscience and unpardoned guilt will prove bad company and it will be to no purpose to bear down the the oppressed that they dare not complain so long as every creature hath a tongue to cry and bear witness against the oppressour 5. Whatever men think of it in the day of their case when they neglect Prayer or superficially go about it yet it is the saddest of strokes not to be heard of God in a strait For Job assents to that as a very sad judgment if his cry have no place See Numb 16.15 1 Sam. 28.6 Hence it is that Saints pray so much for audience Psal 20.3 and rejoyce so much in the hope of it Micah 7.8 6. Albeit the wicked do ordinarily neglect Prayer and albeit sometime God may reward their hypocritical Prayers with temporal advantages 1 King 21.27 28 29. Yet this misery is abiding the wicked that the most profane of them shall be convinced of the usefulness of Prayer and when they set about it in their greatest straits they shall not be heard For so much is here imported that a wicked man may cry and that it shall have no place See Job 27.9 Prov. 1.28 Micah 3.4 Joh 9.31 And no wonder this befal them considering that their persons are not reconciled that they have sleighted Gods call and that they are not sincere in their Prayers nor set on work by the Conscience of sin but only from the sense of troubles Hos 7.14 Vers 19. Also now behold my witness is in heaven and my record is on high The Second Argument confirming his Assertion is taken from Gods testimony and witness-bearing to his integrity which he points out to be admired and repeats it here in divers expressions to confirm the certainty thereof Whence Learn 1. As God is the Judge of all men so he is a witness and observer also of their ways For he is a record and witness He is a witness whose testimony cannot be declined Jer. 29.23 Mal. 3.5 And as this assures us that his procedure cannot be unjust seeing he proceeds upon his own infallible knowledge so it should excite men to walk as before such a Witness and Observer Rom. 1.9 Phil. 1.8 and should perswade upright walkers to be comforted in his testimony 2. Mens Consciences or their Profession that they have a good Conscience will not bear them out unless also God bear witness unto what they say For saith he Also with the former proof v. 18 my witness is in Heaven Where this is not it is heinous impiety for men to pretend or make their boast of their Consciences 3. Innocent Saints may be brought to that low condition that beside their own Consciences they will not find any on earth to witness for them but all speaking against them both friends and foes yea and Gods dispensations and their own inward tentations also For Job can find no witness among men till he ascend to a witness in Heaven It is good for us to know how low Saints may be brought that we stumble not when it is our lot 4. God will be a witness to his sincere Saints were there never so many against them His testimony waits not for the concurrence of others no not of Saints nor will it proceed according to what his own sad dispensations seem to speak of his mind For he is a witness for Job whom his godly Friends did condemn yea whom himself as Job thought had set up as his mark v. 12 13. and that even now while he is dealing so severely with him 5. Gods Testimony and Approbation is not only desirable but sufficient were there never so many against it as being on high above all that can oppose it For however self-seekers cannot be content to want the praise of men and do prefer it to the praise of God Joh. 12.41 42. Yet Job accounts it enough that his witness is in Heaven and his record on high See Rom. 8.31 6. Such as rightly esteem of Gods testimony will look upon it as an admirable favour They will admire his condescendence to own them whom all are ready to condemn and
by men Verse 14. The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy and in the night is as a thief 15. The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight saying No eye shall see me and disguiseth his face In these Verses Job produceth some instances of these Rebels against the Light namely Murderers who rise by day-break to kill and rob men and spend the night in thieving and Adulterers who take advantage of the twilight to hide themselves and seek to promove their design of being hid from the sight of men by masking or otherwise disguising of their faces Doct. 1. Murther Theft and Adultery are in special works of darkness which prove men to hate the light and which do highly provoke God For these are brought in here as instances of that general Character of wicked men v. 13. and as sins which God would visibly plague if he took that course with all sinners which Job's Friends asserted he did 2. In particular Murther is a sin lying as near a stroak as any For he instanceth the murderer first here See Gen. 4.10 11. Is 26.21 And though this crime be oft-times covered with the mask of War or Authority yet that will not hide it but rather make it more odious 3. The secret wayes of committing murder will not hide it from God but it doth rather aggravate the crime that men think to cover it by that means For the murderer that riseth with the light to kill is a sinner who is obnoxious to vengeance if God please to pursue Sin will find out sinners in Gods time Num. 32.23 4. Bloud-thirsty men are very infatiable in their cruelty and will cut off men upon a very small tentation or for very little advantage For the murderer killeth even the poor and needy by whose death he can reap little or no profit and this he doth without any compassion or regard to their miserable and low condition 5. Oppression especially when it reacheth the life renders the oppressed the object of Gods pity so far as that he is ready to avenge it in due time For in this respect also those whom the murderer killeth are the poor and needy whose cause God will own as his frequent promises concerning the poor and needy do import whatever they have been before Thus Joab is said to have cut off two men more righteous better than himself 1 Kin. 2.32 though otherwise they were not very good men but Rebels against their lawful Prince So that it will not assoil men that these whom they cut off are naughty if they have not a call and warrant to cut them off 6. Wicked men being once engaged are indefatigable in their course and are still either at one trade of sin or other For when this murderer is not killing he is a thief which shews that there is a concatenation of sins and that the wicked are still at one or another of them And their care to lose no time in the pursuit of their sinful designs may give a check to them who lose many opportunities of doing good 7. It will not assoil men that they come not the length of cruel murder if yet they commit other acts of injustice For it is a charge sad enough that he is as a thief a very thief or somewhat like it Wicked men do at some times commit only such lower acts of injustice not because they want a disposition and inclination to grosser evils but because they want a tentation and opportunity or power to bring them to pass 8. Adultery is an old sin in the world and hath been looked on as a sin deserving Gods vengeance For adultery was accounted a sin in Job's dayes and a sin which God would not spare if he did alwayes visibly plague the wicked The sin of uncleanness contributed toward the destruction of the old World and destroyed Sodom and Gomorrhah And if it was so hateful to God in them who had fulness of bread and idleness to foster it Ezek. 16.49 it must be much more abominable when it abounds in time of poverty and affliction 9. It is a plague upon sinners particularly upon unclean persons when they commit wickedness with resolution As the eye of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight with a resolution to perpetrate his wickedness then 10. It is also a plague upon wicked men and especially lustful persons that when they are not acting sin yet their hearts are still resolving and plotting how to go about it As the adulterer waits for the opportunity of the twilight wherein he may commit that sin upon which he is musing and resolving throughout the day 11. It is a Character of wicked men that they forget the eye of God upon them and that their consciences whatever light they have do not fear nor abhor sin but all that they fear is the discovery of their sin which may bring shame and punishment For all that the Adulterer expects is no eye shall see me which imports not so much his presumption that he shall not be seen by God or men though sometimes sinners may be plagued with that also as his desire that it may be so 12. An evil conscience is never truly quiet nor thinks it self secure enough For even in the twilight he disguiseth his face that he may yet less be discerned whereas they may sleep sound who are in Gods way Verse 16. In the dark they digg through houses which they had marked for themselves in the day-time they know not the lâ—ght 17. For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death if one know them they are in the terrours of the shadow of death In these Verses Job points out yet further how these evil doers hate the light and make use of darkness Shewing that they do nothing in the day which may be true of the Adulterer but chiefly of the Murderer especially when he turns Thief but mark out the houses which they break in upon in the night and that they are such strangers to the light that it surprizeth them with the terrours of death as if they were entring into its dark shade if the morning overtake them or any body come to see and know them while they are at their wicked pâ—anâ—s Doct. 1. It is a character of wicked men to be incessant in sinning and witty to improve all times and seasons for it For in the day time they mark and in the dark they digg thorow houses 2. It is also a character of wicked men that they make all their own they can come by For they mark for themselves and then digg thorow 3. It is not usual to see wicked men interrupted in their evil courses by any convictions or impediments from themselves For when they mark they also digg through if they be not otherwise impeded 4. Albeit wicked men goe on in their sinful courses yet they want not convictions that they are wrong nor are they free of deadly
to mourn and be humbled Yet it is an evidence of honesty when conscience is made of smothering them that they break not out in practice Therefore Job subjoyns that he gave no evidence of his hearts being deceived by laying wait at his Neighbours door 5. It is an unquestionable evidence of an heart over-powred by lust and proves a man to be guilty before God of a sin when not only there are inclinations to it but fixed resolutions to follow it and when he is so vehement in his desires and pertinacious in his resolutions as he watcheth all opportunities to fullfil his desires Therefore Job describes the adulterous attempts of those whose hearts are deceived by this That they lay wait at their Neighbours door which imports not only their endeavour to conveigh their design closely as Chap. 24.15 But their vigilant observing of all opportunities to enjoy their Neighbours wife This argues strong inclinations to sin when men goe about it with deliberation and take so much pains for these forbidden pleasures and it proves them guilty of Adultery when they set themselves in a sinful way to goe about it although they have not actually commited it From v. 10. Learn 1. It is just with God that mens sin be written in their punishment and that they be requited as they have served others For Job subscribes to it as just that his wifes Adultery were a punishment of his committing Adultery with other mens wives See 2 Sam. 12.10 11. Thus also doth it justly fare with Oppressours Deceivers and other sinners Is 33.1 2. It is a sad though a just punishment when sin is punished with sin either by giving up the persons who sin to commit more sin Rom. 1.26 28. Ps 81.11 12. or by giving up their nearest relations to bring dishonour shame and other miseries upon them by their sinful miscarriages For thus his wifes Adultery would be a punishment of his uncleanness as Absoloms rebellion and incest were the punishments of Davids sin If this were considered many who see no punishment of sin if they be free of outward plagues would find themselves sadly plagued of God even in that they are permitted and given up to sin 3. Unlawful lusts are violent and growing where once they get access For if once his wife grind to another others in the plural number will be admitted to bow down upon her 4. It is the will of God that men be modest particularly in their expressions about uncleanness For so much doth Jobs expression of his wifes Adultery teach us See Eph. 4.29 and 5.4 From v. 11. Learn 1. No other consideration will be so effectual or acceptable to God in restraining of sin as when men study the sinfulness thereof and upon that account avoid it Therefore Job subjoyns his consideration of the nature of this sin as a strong and acceptable motive to keep him from it 2. As there are degrees of sin so Adultery with with another mans wife when it is well considered upon will be found one of the most gross acts of sin and a very horrid and flagitious evil Not only because it is contrary to an express Law of God and is supposed here v. 9. to be committed with deliberation for these are common to it with many other sins but because it is a violation of the strict bond of a Marriage-Covenant it breeds discord and want of peace in families abuseth mens families by substituting a spurious issue to succeed them in their inheritance or possessions and breeds many quarrels among men Therefore it is here called an heinous crime See Pro. 6.30 31 32 33 34 35. 3. It is one proof of the hainousness of Adultery that in all ages and places even before the Law was written and where it bare no sway it was punishable by the Magistrate in all Societies which pretended either to piety or civility For in Jobs time and country who lived before the Law it was an iniquity to be punished by the Judges or an iniquity of the Judges that is which belongs to the Magistrate to cognosce upon and punish it Thus was it also looked upon by Judab Gen. 38.24 and in Babylon where the written Law of God had no place Jer. 29.22 23. And where this sin is not punished by a Magistrate God justly causeth a Land smart for it Hos 4.2 4. It is a great evil and a shreud proof that men have no integrity or at least that it is dreadfully over-powred when men commit even these gross evils which are punishable by the Magistrates For as Job made conscience of all sin that thereby he might prove his integrity so particularly of iniquity to be punished by the Judges So that it must be very sad and evidence a very sinful frame at best when men make no conscience even of most scandalous or abominable sins were it even of these which are abhorred among the very Heathen 1 Cor. 5.1 From v. 12. Learn 1. The sense of Gods anger against sin and his vengeance which will pursue it is a very special motive above the fear of hazard from men to perswade men to avoid it Therefore after his considering what this sin might produce from the hand of Judges v. 11. he subjoyns this as yet a stronger motive that it kindles a fire of Gods anger 2. Though some may commit Uncleanness and Adultery whom the Magistrate cannot reach and Magistrates may be prone to spare others yet God will be about with all of them for it So much doth this argument subjoyned to the former import Thus many other evils which men do not notice such as disobedience to Parents profanation of the Sabbath c. do provoke God either to punish them by his own more immediate hand or to give them up to other sins which will bring them under the lash of justice 3. Gods anger against sin particularly Adultery is formidable in that it is never quenched except the sinner repent and flee to Christ but in the destruction of the sinner For it is a fire or this burning lust kindles a fire of Gods anger and judgements flowing there from that consumeth to destruction alluding to the destruction of Sodom which was destroyed by fire from Heaven as a meet recompence of their burning lusts 4. As Adultery is justly punished not only with eternal but temporal consumption and destruction of mens bodies Pro. 5.8 11. their reputation Pro. 5.8 9. and 6.32 33. and of their understanding Hos 4.11 So particularly with the destruction and ruine of their estates Pro. 5.8 10 and 6.26 Therefore he remarks in particular that this fire which consumeth to destruction would root out all his increase 5. To shut up this purpose it would be considered that though this with these preceding were arguments to disswade Job from committing this folly Yet we see by experience that many are so madd that though they know and cannot deny these truths they are not thereby deterred from these wicked pranks
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
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
supreme Governour cannot hate right or abhorr to do right And the propounding thereof by way of question imports That to assert of him that he hated right was in effect to overturn and deny his Government or to say that he was not worthy to govern And so this part of the Verse concludes strongly from his Dominion as the latter part of the Verse concludes from his Justice that he who is most just ought not to be condemned From the first part of the Verse Learn 1. It is the duty of Magistrates to be healers and binders up of the breaches of the people neither seeking only their own advantage neglecting the people Ezek. 34.2 6. nor oppressing those whom they should protect Ezek. 34.21 For so much doth the word to govern here import See Ps 82.1 4. 2. Whatever men do yet God in his government is a tender binder up of the wounds and miseries of those who subject themselves to him For of him it is true that he binds up whom he governs See Psal 146.7 8 9. He is good unto all and his tender mercies are over all his works Psal 145.9 And among his own people he delights to give proof of his skill and tenderness in curing their grievances Ps 147.2 3. Is 30.26 3. It is the duty of Rulers to do that which is right simply and to be led by no byas nor interest For he that governs should be for what is right See Deut. 16.20 4. It is not enough that men and particularly Rulers do right unless it be done out of love to it For so is imported in that it should not be hated For if men do not delight in it they do interpretatively hate it 5. It is yet worse and a very hateful sin and ill qualification in Rulers when they not only do not right but do hate it As here it is very hainous that any should hate right and it renders men very unfit for government See Psal 36.4 Mic. 3.1 2 9. 6. God the supreme Lord and Governour doth alwayes right and that out of love to it For this Question imports that God who governs all doth not hate right but loves it his eyes being still upon the truth Jer. 5.3 So that righteous and upright persons cannot but be well and in safety under his protection Ps 11.7 7. Men do little consider how much their quarrellings do reflect upon God and how little able their consciences will be to abide it when those are charged upon them For by this Question he would let Job see that his complaints said that God was an hater of right and unfit to govern and he chargeth this upon his conscience as a crime that would be very grievous to him if once he did consider it seriously From the latter part of the Verse Learn 1. It is not enough that men have ordinary thoughts of Gods Attributes particularly of bis righteousness or that they forbear to quarrel him unless they have high thoughts of him For he intimates that God should be looked upon as most just or much eminently and mightily just 2. It adds to the commendation of God that he is not only just in his determinations but powerful to make his determinations effectual which just men oft-times are not able to do For so much is imported in this that he is mightily and powerfully just And this is a great comfort to his people Psal 94.14 15. 3. Albeit Gods Justice be unquestionable and his powerful execution answerable to his just determinations Yet men in some particular cases do not well discern this and so are prone to carp and quarrel and censure and condemn his procceedings For he chargeth Job with condemning by his censures and complaints him that is most just 4. Men need no severer censurers of their reflections upon God than their own consciences if they were put to it For so much doth this Question import Wilt thou condemn him c. So that mens consciences are certainly asleep when they are querulous and full of complaints Verse 18. Is it fit to say to a King Thou art wicked And to Princes Ye are ungodly 19. How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of Princes nor regardeth the rich more than the poor For they all are the work of his hands Followeth the enlargement and amplification of this Doctrine concerning the Dominion and Justice of God from several instances wherein the exercise thereof appears As those Verses are translated they contain a confirmation of the former Argument from a comparison instituted betwixt God and Kings and Princes That if they may not be reproached by any much less God who is above them and respects not them more than the meanest And so the words would import That however the greatest of men have faults and they have been sharply reproved for them by men who were employed by God so to do See 1 King 18.18 2 King 3.13 14. Is 1.10 Ezek. 21.25 Matth. 14.4 Luk. 13.32 Yet not only de facto are men sparing to meddle with the faults of great men but de jure men ought to carry very reverently toward them So as their power and authority should still be acknowledged and reverenced and submitted unto notwithstanding their personal faults Good Rulers should not be reproached and unjustly slandered Men should not presume to reprove their real faults unless they have a call to it and when men have a call and are bound to speak home to their faults they should goe about it with much reverence to their persons and authority See Exod. 22.28 Withall this reading and the scope of the Argument will import That men oft-times stand more in awe of great men than of God and they will be afraid to speak evil of them when yet they spare not to quarrel God which their own consciences cannot but condemn See Mal. 1.8 The first of these Verses may very well be read according to this sense without a Supplement For the Verb to say being in the Infinitive Mode with a note of Interrogation prefixed we may very well read it Is it to be said to a King c But seeing so great a Supplement is required in the following Verse to make up the comparison to this sense I choose rather to read it without any Supplements as carrying on the sentence from v. 17. and continuing the Interrogations till the end of v. 19. thus Wilt thou condemn him that is most just v. 17. Even him who saith to a King Thou art wicked or O Belial and wicked man and to Princes Ye are ungodly v. 18. Who accepteth not the persons of Princes c v. 19. And though the Verb in the Infinitive Mode v. 18. cannot so well be rendered Who saith Yet with the supply of a Preposition which is oft-times to be supplyed in this Language it may very well be rendered to the same purpose Even when he saith or Though he saith that is Wilt thou condemn him even notwithstanding
marked his complaints or were but weak persons and less able to distinguish would readily stumble at them as suspecting that he cryed down all advantages that were to be found in piety And it is not to be denied that however Job in debating with his Friends spake clearly enough of the eternal reward of piety whatever might befall godly men in this life in common with the wicked or in an harder measure than they felt yet in his fits of complaining he sometime forgot that eternal reward and complained too much that his righteousness and integrity were not regarded seeing he was afflicted 4. It being thus cleared how he said this it doth sufficiently make out that charge v. 2. which it is produced to confirm or that he said also upon the matter that his righteousness was more than Gods For when he spake so much of his own righteousness and complained of his afflictions he was more carefull to maintain his own righteousness who was afflicted than the righteousness of God who had afflicted him which was in effect to cry up the one above the other 5. It is also to be considered that though Elihu mention only this challenge in the entry yet in the progress of the refutation he reflects upon more of his speeches which were to the same purpose and had a dependance upon this great mistake and failing Namely upon his complaints that God heard not his cry though he was a godly man v. 9 c. and that he could not see God when he desired to find him v. 14. Of which in their proper places From v. 2. Learn 1. Such is the gracious condescendence of God that some of Adam's unrighteous posterity do attain to be righteous in their persons and in some particular causes which they maintain For so is here supposed that Job had a righteousness for the asserting whereof he is not quarrelled if he had done it modestly 2. Not only may men attain to be righteous but they may come up to know and be assured that it is so As Job here was 3. So much corruption and infirmity doth attend the most righteous of meer men in this life that very rarely do they manage their righteousness and the testimony of their good consciences well under trouble For herein Job did miscarry 4. It is an hainous abuse of mens righteousness and of the testimony of their consciences when because thereof they do any way reflect upon God or his righteousness in his dispensations Which was Jobs failing here 5. When men because they have a good conscience do not stoop meekly under Gods afflicting hand they are guilty upon the matter of crying up their own righteousness above Gods For so Elihu affirmeth that Job in effect had said My righteousness is more than Gods 6. However men may be furious in their passion yet their consciences in cold blood will condemn their reflecting upon God and their want of meekness and submission in their carriage toward him For therefore doth Elihu appeal to himself Thinkest thou this to be right that thou saidst c So that they may expect a sad after-game in their own bosomes who fall into those evils 7. When passion is up readily conscience is asleep even in most tender walkers For here there is a necessity that Elihu do put Jobs conscience to it to condemn his own way From v. 3. Learn 1. It is great injustice to raise calumnies or cast reproaches upon men but we should be able to prove what we alledge against them Therefore doth Elihu subjoyn a proof of his former charge For thou saidst c. 2. Men in their passions are so little masters of themselves that they will fall in evils which not only they do not see but their hearts do even abhorr them and yet they are committing them For so was it with Job When any of his Friends laid any such reflections upon the righteousness of God to his charge he not only denieth them but out-strips them in commending his righteousness and Elihu proves that charge v. 2. from his words or what he had said not to prove him wicked which was his Friends design but to humble him 3. When men let loose the reins to their passion they must answer not only for what they expresly say or intend in their words but for all the consequences that may justly be fastened upon them and for all the mistakes of others occasioned by them For it is upon these two accounts that Elihu thus cites Jobs words and makes use of them to prove that he had said that his righteousness was more than Gods as hath been cleared When men are in passion they little consider what they say or what may be made of it and being out of Gods way and the way of their duty they are justly made to answer for all those consequences and effects 4. Albeit God will not enter into strict judgement with his people for all that may be justly fastened upon them Yet it is the part of a friend faithfully to lay their faults before them in their worst colours that so they may be humbled For it is upon this friendly account that Elihu deals so sharply with Job and chargeth upon him that his words imported or might seem to others to import no less than that he saw no advantage nor profit in his righteousness and purity more than if he had been a gross sinner And indeed it is better that a faithfull friend do this unto us than that either our enemy or our own consciences alarmed with wrath should do it 5. It is one great evidence of passion in godly men when they look too much to temporal events and rewards forgetting what is eternal And this may be the fault even of godly men For this made Job say What advantage will it be c Because he measured his advantages by his present temporal lot 6. It is also an evidence of distemper when godly men do not ponder and prize the advantage of a good conscience under trouble seeing the conscience of sin would be much more bitter than simple trouble For in this also Job was faulty that though his righteousness gave him no priviledge to be exempted from trouble Yet the mercy of being free from the challenge of unrighteousness was but too little prized by him But when he should have blessed God that he was righteous and free of the checks of an evil conscience however he was afflicted he was complaining and quarrelling that he who was a righteous man should be afflicted Verse 4. I will answer thee and thy companions with thee Followeth Elihu's Refutation of these expressions To which in this Verse a Preface is premitted Wherein he undertakes to answer those his speeches v. 3. upon which he had grounded that challenge v 2. He saith he will answer also his companâ—ons with him See also Chap. 18.2 Where by his companions we are not to understand his three Friends for some of them spake