his days were vanity therefore God would let him alone The meaning whereof is not so much this That considering how eminently vain his days were made by trouble which he regrets ver 3. the Lord would let him alone or forbear to afflict him so sore and let him find some moderation But we are to understand it rather thus which agrees best with his humour expressed in the words preceding That since it was in vain and to no purpose that he should live any longer or his days be prolonged therefore God would let alone and forbear to take any more care of him that so his miseries might put an end to his life Whence Learn 1. Tentations may come to that height that men dare utter them as their Prayers to God and they will cause them undervalue and pray against gracious Providences For Job here makes a Prayer of his tentations and prayeth against Gods preserving of him which elsewhere he commends Job 10.11 12 13 as it is commended also and acknowledged by David Psal 139. We have need to take heed to our spirits in Prayer and not to lean to our own â—kill in our desires especially under tentation lest we decline our own mercies And to assure us that we are in a right frame for Prayer we ought still to joyn Praise with our Prayer Phil. 4.6 2. Mens life and being depends so on God that if he but withdraw his hand they are gone and so long as he is pleased to preserve and uphold they subsist For Job reasons that there needs no more to cut him off but that God will let him alone See Act. 17.27 28. 3. It is not a sufficient reason why God should take away the life of any because they think their days are vanity and that they live to no good purpose seeing God may have wise reasons for continuing them when they see them not Herein Job's arguing was faulty Let me alone saith he for my days are vanity For Job was never more useful to the world and the Church in it then when he thought his days were vanity Many in all ages have blessed God for the edification they reaped by what befel him in these his vain days 4. Mens selfishness and their not studying of subjection to Gods soveraignty do breed them much toil and occasion many distempers For albeit it were true as Job thought and the Church complains of her case Psal 89.47 that his days were vanity yet there is no reason why therefore he should be let alone and permitted to die For 1. God sends trouble that he may discover to us that we are but vanity Psal 39.5 6 11. and why should we decline to learn that lesson because of toil 2. Mans days are oft-times no less vain in respect of sin and want of true happiness Psal 39.6 then they are made vain by trouble and yet we complain not of the vanity of the former because it is without toil And therefore why should we murmur if God make us sensible of it by this super-added discovery of vanity in our days 3. When God pleaseth to single out any of his people to make them eminent examples of vanity for the instruction of all others as the Church or Jeremy in her name complains of singular afflictions Lam. 3.1 why should the clay decline to be disposed of as the Potter pleaseth Vers 17. What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him 18. And that thou shouldest visit him every morning and try him every moment 19. How long wilt thou not depart from me nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle Some do understand what is spoken ver 17 18. as depending upon the former sute ver 16. As if Job had said Why wilt thou not withdraw thine hand and suffer me to perish For of what worth is man â—or wherein can he be useful to thee that thou shouldest put so much respect upon him as thus constantly to visit and preserve him and that though thou tryest him to bring out what is in his heart yet thou wilt not cut him off as if he were worth thy care If this were the interpretation it might hold out those sound truths which are agreeable to the tenour of the Scriptures 1. Man is so low and base that he can claim or crave no respect from God What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him 2. Though man be thus base yet God doth indeed respect him and by his greatness make him great For God doth magnifie man and set his heart upon him and doth visit him every morning c. Beside his redeeming regenerating and saving of some men he doth magnifie all by creating of them by setting them above the rest of the creatures and bestowing acts of constant favour upon them and giving proofs of his care of them Lam. 3.23 All which are no less beseeming his fulness to give then they are unlike us to receive them 3. The right study of this magnifying mercy of God will contribute to abase man yet more For then it should be What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him c See Psal 8.4 144.3 4. Self-love in men is a great undervaluer of special mercies so that they will esteem of nothing they enjoy if they be not satisfied in whatsoever they desire For it was Job's fault if all those mercies were now bitter to him since he was not taken away from his present toil 5. No unworthiness in us ought to hinder ouâ— closing with freely bestowed mercies For it had been ill argued That because of mans baseness What is man therefore God should cast away his care of him and not magnifie and set his heart upon him c. But this Interpretation will not be found to be the genuine sense of these words if we consider that Job's scope in this complaint iâ— to regret his eminent troubles and not to commend magnifying and singular favours and that what he speaks in general ver 17 18 of Gods magnifying setting his heart upon man and visiting him is instanced particularly in his trying man every moment ver 18. and in visiting himself in particular so assiduously and not departing from him so that he could not get leisure to swallow down his spittle Therefore I take up those three verses with the other two that follow to the end of the Chapter as Job's fourth Argument against Gods afflicting him so sore It consists of two branches the sum whereof is That he could conceive no reason why God so afflicted him if it were not either to try him by the exercise of fatherly correction and so better him and bring him neerer to himself Or else to punish him for sin not as a Child but as a Malefactour Now Job conceives that neither of these were sufficient reasons for afflicting of him thus Neither were these afflictions needful to try him ver 17 18 19. nor the fit way of pursuing a quarrel for
the duty of men and especially of Saints to delight much in him his fellowship comforts and service which will compose their minds as to other things For it is propounded here as a thing to be pursued after to have delight in the Almighty See Psal 37.4 3. It is both the Touchstone and evidence of mens Conversion when they delight themselves in God and his favour in opposition to other things Psal 4.6 7. and are much in his company and it is their reward also that they are allowed to delight in God if they could follow it forth and improve it For it is here propounded as an encouragement For then shall thou have thy delight in the Almighty 4. It contributes to the heightening of our satisfaction in God that he is Almighty or Alsufficient as here he is designed Which imports that it is comfortable that the terrour of his Almighty power needs not affright us Jer. 17.17 and that his Infinite fulness and free communications thereof as the Alsufficient God may satisfie and refresh us and comfort us over all our sorrows 5. It is also the great and inriching advantage of godly men that they may look up to God in all extremities with humble confidence without blushing and running away from him as Adam did And that they may confidently make their addresses and pour out their hearts before him in all their distresses For thou shalt lift up thy face unto God See Job 33.26 Vers 27. Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him and he shall hear thee and thou shalt pay thy vows The Second Branch of this Encouragement is that he shall receive such a comfortable return of his Prayers as shall excite him to praise and pay his vows unto God Wherein Obs 1. Somewhat is here proposed and implyed of a converted mans duty that he prayeth and makes vows which he payeth when God hears him as it is in the end of the verse It teacheth 1. Conversion to God and delight in him will not take away nor hide a godly mans wants from him nor his need of Prayer For he insinuates that when Job is converted and delighting in the Almighty he will yet be praying So also the Disciples when they are abiding in Christ must yet be praying John 15.7 The nearer men draw to God their necessities and wants will be the more discovered to them The more they have of Communion with God and partake of the sweet fruits of his friendship they cannot but thirst after more and It pleaseth God to keep the issue of his peoples necessities still running that they may live in a constant course of dependence and communion with him and may abide still in him All which upon the one hand may give a check to these who pretend to Communion with God and yet are filled with a conceit of their own fulness See Rev. 3.17 And upon the other hand those who grow in the sense of their necessities and who the more earnestly they pursue find their necessities the more discovered have no cause therefore to suspect that they have no fellowship with God since such a condition is a sure evidence they have it 2. As a man reconciled to God will be kept in a lively sense of his wants so Prayer unto God is the course he follows for the supply of his wants and relief of his necessities Thou shalt make thy Prayer unto him saith he The Spirit of God which is given to a reconciled person is a Spirit of Supplications Zech 12.10 whereby he cries Abba Father Rom 8.15 Gal. 4.6 The reconciled man is not so much satisfied with the receipt of such a particular mercy as that he receives it out of the hand of God in answer to his Prayers And he is so discerning as to know that without employing of God no other mean how promising like soever can do him good and that however a wicked man may neglect God and yet prosper yet his expectations cannot but fail him if he presume to follow such a course This should put men to try their state and condition by the courses to which they betake themselves when their necessities press them 3. Saints engaged in Prayer will find oft-times a necessity of joyning vows therewith or to engage themselves with their own consent to their duty and to perform what is enjoyned by the Authority of God For paying of vows when Prayer is heard presupposeth the making of Vows in Prayer See Gen. 28.20 21 22. Now this joyning of Vows with Prayer imports 1. That such as pray aright have an high estimation of what they seek For the granting thereof of engages them to God with their own consent And it is no smal evidence of our sincerity in Prayer when we set a value upon what we seek and when delays in answering do heighten our estimation thereof and our affection in seeking of it 2. That right supplicants have also an high estimation of Gods favour evidenced in his answering of their Prayers that his love comes over their ill Deservings and his Power and Wisdom break thorow all difficulties and improbabilities to do them good This cannot but engage them to God Psal 116.1 2. c. 3. That they who seek God aright will also be sensible of much short coming and lasiness in ordinary which needs those new resolutions and vows to excite and engage them And when the Children of God come to be in any particular distress they will be put to look upon their ordinary negligence with sorrow 4. That Supplicants who know themselves well will also be sensible of their own inconstancy and how ready they are to shake off all these convictions and resolutions they have in a day of trouble unless they secure themselves by these engagements and vows Obs 2. The Promise concerning the success of the godly mans undertaking in Prayer is He shall hear thee It teacheth 1. That reconciled men do not pray for the fashion and sit down upon the work wrought but do need the Answer of their Prayers and will be put to look what account they get of them For so is supposed here that he needs a promise of Audience 2. A reconciled man making his Prayer to God for things agreeable to his Will will get an answer in Gods due time and way For thou shalt make thy Prayer unto him And he shall hear thee See Psal 50.15 Isa 45.19 Joh. 15.17 1. Joh. 5.14 Psal 65.2 And though it be the frequent exercise of godly men that God hears not their Prayers Yet for clearing of this it would be considered 1. When Answers of Prayers are withheld oft-times the Spirit of Prayer or liveliness in Prayer is wanting though the form and fashion of it be kept up and that it may be also with some ingredient of sincerity Men may lust and long but not pray Jam. 4.2 And if they pray as no doubt the Jews did during the time of their captivity yet that life in prayer which their
or else Job must be wicked who was afflicted which is a great mistake and errour as hath been often cleared 2. That he sets himself to prove that which Job denied not For his Argument tends only to prove that no man can be perfect or legally just before God And Job did never justifie himself as free of all sin though his expressions were sometimes rash and inconsiderate In the Chapter we have to consider 1. That Bildad did answer v. 1. 2. The answer it self Wherein his scope being to prove that Job did falsly arrogate Righteousness to himself and did presumptuously desire to plead his purity before God He makes use but of one Argument for this end taken from Gods soveraignty and dreadfulness compared with Mans baseness and polluted Original In which Argument he propounds Gods dreadful Dominion v. 2 3. then he gives an account of Mans baseness because of which he cannot be righteous and clean before such a God v. 4. And to confirm this Argument he amplifieth Mans impurity before God by comparing Man with thâ— bright Moon and Stars which yet are not pure in Gods sight v. 5 6. Verse 1. Then answered Bildad the Shuhite and said IN this Verse it is recorded that Bildad did yet answer which being now the last of their discourses if we consider that he answered and the way and manner of answering it may put us in mind of several things which have been formerly here and there hinted at As 1. Debates once started will not soon close among men of parts even albeit they be godly For here the ball of contention is yet kept up after all that hath been spoken before God who maketh peace in his high places v. 2. must also make peace and put an end to debates here below Otherwise flesh being once warmed and waxing hot even in the best men their parts and abilities will be ready to second it And beside specious pretexts and mistakes of which afterward which do much evil in such a temper men will think truth a poor prize unless they carry the victory also be their cause what it will So that we have need to pray against contentions among learned and able men and when they fall forth men should watch over their own spirits in the managing thereof 2. Were a cause never so bad and false yet men by their abilities can make it plausible For here he propounds his opinion in a specious way as if he stood only in defence of Gods dominion and designed to abase men There is no corrupt opinion but able men will thus disguise it under one specious mask or other So that men have need in their enquities after truth not to judge by these appearances 3. Gods people may for a long time lie under mistakes and be loaded with prejudices As here befell Job who after all he hath said doth not yet satisfie his Friends Their own escapes not wisely and tenderly judged of may give some occasion to to those mistakes as Job's rash expressions were so severely censured by them as evidences of his wickedness and mens erroneous principles may obscure truth very long from them were it never so clearly and convincingly propounded As their fixed opinions suffered them not to admit of any truth which Job asserted and proved contradictory thereunto 4. It is a shrewd evidence that men have not truth on their side when they shift their ground in debates and being put to silence in one thing they will not cede but do start aside to some other As here Bildad saith nothing to that part of the debate wherein Job had spoken so clearly Chap. 24. But betakes himself to that wherein he thought he had some advantage Only this may be said for him that it was a part of the question in controversie though managed by him with a mistake whereupon he insisteth which may condemn them who go further wrong and start new questions to cast a mist before the eyes of the simple in stead of debating the true question in debate 5. When men have indeed a wrong cause and are stiff in the maintenance thereof it is to no purpose to keep up the ball of contention in debating with them but men having exonered themselves may let them alone and cease from any further dispute For so Bildad upon supposition that Job was erroneous and stubborn doth give up with him after a short word of conviction See Chap. 32.1 A fool is not to be answered according to his folly when so much is spoken as in reason may give a check to his presumption Prov. 26.4 5. And some opinions are best refuted by contempt and sleighting of them after that men have exonered their own consciences Verse 2. Dominion and fear are with him he maketh peace in his high places 3. Is there any number of his armies And upon whom doth not his light arise Bildad's Argument whereby he labours to refute Job may be taken up in this short summ God is most high and absolute and man is a base miserable and sinfull creature Therefore man ought not to plead his purity and righteousness with God The Antecedent contains upon the one hand a commendation of God in his supreme and absolute Dominion in these Verses and on the other hand a debasement of man considering his misery and sinfulness which is brought in with the conclusion of the Argument v. 4. In these Verses we have the first branch of the Antecedent or a Declaration of Gods Soveraignty Which is First Propounded v. 2. Dominion and fear are with him That is supreme and absolute Dominion is so proper and essential to God that he never wants right to it and never ceaseth from the actual exercise of this right in ruling all things And because of this dominion which is attended and armed with dreadful majesty fear and reverence are due unto him And for our taking up of this assertion a right Consider 1. Though he name not God in it yet the subject matter clearly evinceth that it must be understood of him And his way of speaking of God without naming of him which had been done by Job also before serveth to shew how much God was in his thoughts 2. Although it hold true of some creatures that they possess a dominion and ought therefore to be feared yet this belongs to God in a peculiar and super-excellent manner and to them only in subordination to him 3. This assertion doth indeed strongly conclude That the supreme Lord is to be submitted unto and not quarrelled as doing wrong in whatsoever he doth That he is to be reverenced and feared because of his supreme dominion and dreadfulness So that none can contend with him without hazard of ruine And That seeing he who is thus dreadful and might be terrible to all his creatures if he pleased as Zeph. 2.11 doth moderate his terrour therefore there is no cause to complain of him Yet all this contributes nothing to prove Job