if these Attributes of God could not consist with his being sincere since he was afflicted Whereas the Scriptures do abundantly clear That it is no imputation to the Holiness or other Attributes of God that he afflict a godly man to purge out the remainders of sin in him or for otherwise ends Nor doth God allow that any of his Attributes should deter any of his Children from coming to him and from cleaving to their integrity under whatsoever lot 5. In their Exhortations and Encouragements to Repentance they have very good and sweet General Doctrine But very ill applied to him as if he had been unconverted whom therefore they exhort to begin of new as if he had been an Hypocrite befâ—re upon which account he rejects all they spoke to this purpose They do also strain these Encouragements too much especially as they relate to Temporal Deliverances For albeit sometime the Lord it pleased to deliver the godly after they have repented and improved their tryals out of affliction and even Job himself found the truth of some of their Doctrine in his own experience notwithstanding his apprehensions to the contrary yet it is not alwayes true that the godly even when penitent and tender are delivered from afflictions but they are sufficiently rewarded and encouraged otherwise albeit they spend their whole life in outward trouble These are some of the most material mistakes in their Principles and Discourses all which are summed up by the Lord in this Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my servant Job hath chap. 42.7 And these remarks being consonant to the current of Scripture-truths they may serve as a Rule and Standart whereby to judge of their particular Assertions and do warrant us to make use not only of the General Truths held forth by them but even of their mistakes according to this Rule And in the very entry those their Principles and their prosecution thereof may afford these Cautions and Instructions 1. Even godly and wise men may erre and have erred in points of great moment As appears from this instance of these three men whose Discourses setting aside their Errours do evidence them to have been very godly and able men considering the times wherein they lived very great adorers of the Divine Attributes and eminent Friends to Holiness 2. One bad and unsound Principle is apt to breed many Errours and Miscarriages As in these men all their mistakes in point of Doctrine and all their harsh dealing with Job flowed mainly from their false principle concerning Gods proceedings in this life with godly and wicked men 3. It is not sufficient that men resolving to comfort afflicted Friends come furnished with good resolutions and much affection and compassion unless they bring clear light and solid doctrine also For in this they failed though they wanted not affection and a desire to comfort him chap. 2.11 4. In Gods deep wisdom Satan may be permitted to prevail even with good men to make them serve his turn unawares For he makes use of their mistakes to add not a little to Jobs affliction who had been delivered into his hand to vex him 5. When even good men are yoked in debate ordinarily they are thereby the more confirmed in their own opinion till God interpose As appears in their insisting so long in this debate till God put a close to it Again on Jobs part he had sound Doctrine and a good Cause but too hotly managed For in defending his own integrity partly through the sharpness of his trouble the heat of the Dispute and such harsh usage from his Friends partly through inward tentation and desertion and his not being able to reconcile Gods present dealing with the testimony of his own Conscience all which made him forget Satans great design upon him There escape him some rash expressions concerning his own Integrity which sounded not only that he was not wicked as his Friends alledged but as if he thought there was no cause why he should be so afflicted and some indirect reflections against God as dealing too hardly with a godly man together with some impatient wishes and desires For which he is checked and convinced by Elihu and then by God himself So that in judging of Jobs Discourses though we are not to condemn his Doctrine yet from his way of propounding it we may gather useful Instructions concerning the Infirmities of most upright men when hard put to it in the Furnace of Affliction which are no less edifying in their own kind then is his invincincible faith cleaving to God in the height of his troubles and distempers Having premitted this necessary Key I proceed to the Dispute it self Where Eliphaz as being most aged and grave or most zealous and vehement of all the Friends first enters the lists Whose scope in this large Discourse chap. 4. 5. beside a brief preface chap. 4.1 2. and a short Conclusion chap. 5.27 may be reduced to these two Heads 1. By way of Reprehension He labours from Gods dealing with Job and his own carriage under the Rod to convince him of wickedness and hypocrisie From chap. 4.3 to chap. 5.6 2. By way Encouragement and Direction He exhorts him to begin of new to seek God and to bear his afflictions patiently in hope of a good issue So this Chapter may be taken up in these 1. A Preface to his Speech ver 1 2. 2. Three Arguments whereby he endeavours to prove Job a wicked man guilty of close if not gross hypocrisie One taken from his carriage under affliction compared with his carriage toward others in the like case ver 3 4 5 6. Another from common experience of Gods dealing with godly and wicked men ver 7 8 9 10 11. And the third from a vision he had from God to this purpose and belike upon this very occasion ver 12. 21. Vers 1. Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said 2. If we assay to commune with thee wilt thou be grieved but who can with-hold himself from speaking IN these Verses Eliphaz judging himself concerned to speak and make answer to Jobs former complaint doth usher in his Discourse with a Preface full of insinuation and apology Shewing that he knew that what he and his Companions had to say for he speaks in the plural number we and it may be they consulted together ere he began to speak would not be very pleasant and they were not willing to grieve him or augment his distemper were it not that they conceived Gods honour and Jobs own good were interessed in the business In which case no zealous and honest man could be silent As to this Preface It being certain that he was in an errour there was no necessity he should thus speak to Job nor could any pretence of zeal or affection to Job warrant him to crush the afflicted man by his unsound Assertions And though he begin thus moderately yet both he and the rest soon forget it afterward
truth they had delivered I know it is so Which Teacheth That a godly man is not only of a condescending spirit when he is in a right frame but is strongly bound by truth and made to submit to it though coming from an Adversary Truth is the truly godly mans Jewel on any terms and delusion is among his greatest terrours and therefore no prejudice at persons nor love to contention will make him to reject that when he is in such a frame as he ought to be Obs 3. He professeth not only to know but to know it of a truth so firmly as he is not shaken from it by his trouble or any other distemper It Teacheth That notional knowledge of Truths is not sufficient unless men be serious in them and their hearts take such an impression of them that they are ready to live and die with them Many have indeed so loose a grip of Truth that either troubles or new lights from without or tentations from within will shake them because they are not rooted in the Truth But when men have fixed their anchor and have found God in received Truths it will not be so easie to unfix and cause them reel and change As the Apostle argueth Gal. 3 2 4. Obs 4. Albeit Job was free of their imputations of direct and wicked questioning of the righteousness of God as inconsistent with the testimony of his Conscience and doth here justly close with that truth they had asserted Yet it cannot be denyed but his impatient bearing of trouble because he could not reconcile the testimony of his own Conscience with Gods dealing did indirectly reflect upon Gods Righteousness as is challenged by Elihu Chap. 35 2 3. and by God himself Chap. 40.8 It Teacheth That Saints in their weakness and fits of tentation may do things which if they saw whether they tended themselves would abhorr more then any Job cannot endure that he should be thought to challenge Gods Righteousness when yet he is not altogether free of it Few do discern especially in an hour of tentation how deep many things draw which they do act Distrusters of God do not consider how neer their way draws to blasphemy And questioners of Gods dealing and prescribers unto him do not consider that they would make him Man and not God c. This calls for Charity to Saints that they do not design or intend all that evil which judicious observers may sometime see in their way And it teacheth the godly themselves that they be jealous over themselves and do not trust their own hearts for they may be doing those things unawares which yet they abhor In the latter part of the verse Obs 1. While he contents not himself with an assenting to the truth they asserted concerning Gods righteousness but labours to out-strip them in asserting and commending of it It teacheth 1. It is the duty of Saints to come behind with none in commending of God and his Attributes and to be quickened thereunto even by their example who do so for a bad end As Job is excited to commend God by the practice of his Friends who commended Gods Righteousness that they might crush and discourage him thereby We should reckon our selves most obliged to God of any and should prove that it is so by setting him on high in our praise 2. In difficulties and tentations the best way either to refute others who think we have hard thoughts of God or to refute any misconstructing thoughts that arise in our own hearts is not only nakedly to acknowledge but to sing forth the praise and commendation of those Attributes which fall most under debate at such a time As Job here clears that he is not challenging Gods Righteousness and suppresseth any such tentation within his own breast by commending his righteousness See Psal 22.1 2 with 3. Obs 2. The Assertion it self laid down here Teacheth That it is impossible a man can bring out or plead any righteousness of his own before God and it is a very great folly to attempt it For saith he by way of Interrogation How should a man be just with God or before God This is not so to be understood as if there were no righteousness at all by which a man could stand before God But 1. That there is no such righteousness by his own works Rom. 3.20 2. Though men being renewed may attain to be sincere to which Job layeth claim all along yet men have no begun inherent righteousness which is perfect and without defects Rom. 7.18 19 21. And 3. Consequently Man how sincere soever hath no righteousness which may warrant him to plead with God as dealing unjustly in afflicting him an innocent and so contend with God as if he were more righteous then he This is the righteousness that is here denied to Man as is clear from the tenour oâ— the discourse And as this sheweth the mercy of imputed righteousness when there was no other way of righteousnes whereby we could stand before God and for which we are fitted by being brought to see that there is no other safety or shelter for us So it warns us to take heed of reflecting on God upon any account of our righteousness by a câ—nceit of our own worth by complaints jealousies impatient bearing oâ— crosses c. Obs 3. He sets God as mans party in this debate to bring down his pride and conceit How should a man be just with God To Teach That a man will never get a right look of his own righteousness nor stoop to God afflicting him till he look to God and his pure eyes and till by comparing his righteousness with Gods perfect purity he discern the infinite disproportion that is betwixt them Till a man study this he will be proud of his own righteousness 2 Cor. 10.12 1 Cor. â—4 4 And whoever is a proud quarreller he declares himsâ—lf ignoâ—ant of God Obs 4. From his insinuated Argument taken from mans frailty and mortality which presupposeth his sinfulness and which may heaâ— down all thoughts of hâ—s own righteousness or of Gods unrighteousness in afflâ—cting him Learn 1 No faith oâ— assurance of Justification nor Conscience of integrity ought to hide the sight and sense of sin and miseâ—y from a justified man but should rather increase it and make him become more vile in his own eyes For Job though justified and perswaded of his own integrity yet is sensible that man is Enosh a frail mortal creature because of sin And Pauâ— Rom 7 makes more noise about remaining corruptions than the wicked do about raigning lusts 2. That the Lord may bring down mans pride and keep him in mind of his sin dayly he hath made him Enosh and invironed him with many frailties and mortality as this name here given him in this debate imports Man hath in ordinary sufficient Monitors concerning his baseness and sinfulness which his formality should not turn barren and fruitless to him lest he get singular documents
whether godly or wicked from God And so he contradicts what Bildad had said Chap. 8.20 and doth assert nothing but what is the undoubted Truth of God Hence Learn 1. Matters of Truth and Errour are not things of light or small importance but Truth is to be cleaved unto oppose it who will and Errour in judgment is to be looked upon as more dangerous then simple ill practice as not only corrupting the Truth of God and the rational understanding of Man which is the most noble of his faculties but leading also the sinner to sin securely and to defend it obstinately Therefore is Job so resolute in this matter I have said it and will stand to it 2. Controversies ought to be well stated that it may be seen where the stress and weight of them is and that men do not father more upon a mans opinion than is meet For they so managed the debate as if this assertion of Job had been injurious to God which it was not save in so far as he did not maintain it calmly and soberly And therefore having yielded to all they could say on Gods behalf he draws the state of the question to this one thing whether afflictions do prove men wicked 3. One Truth doth not contradict nor interfere with another though mens weakness do not alwayes discern how it can be so And particularly it is no prejudice to the Righteousness of God in afflicting that an honest man humbly plead his sincerity and integrity before him though afflicted by him nor is it humility or a glorifying of God to quit the testimony of his sincerity because of sharp afflictions For Job having acknowledged the Righteousness of God in the former part of the Chapter doth also maintain this one thing as nothing contrary to it 4. Men are not to quit Truth or to be driven from it upon any specious pretences or extrinsecol considerations or odious aspersions cast upon it or the adherers to it For they pressed Job to abandon this truth as injurious to God c. when yet they could not refute what he said for it But Job still adheres to it This is one thing therefore I said it It is Satans great design to make Truths odious in the world upon some such extrinsick accounts and imputations But Truth is Truth still for all that and who so are led by their affections respect to parties or interests c. and not by a sound judgement in judging of Truth or Errour they are a ready prey for Satan whom he will soon ensnare in an Errour 5. In particular it is a fixed truth to be received by all and particularly by godly men That outward lots come alike to all that so neither their own afflictions nor the prosperity of others do shake them This is the great Truth which God in his Providence hath cleared in Job's experience and the debates recorded in this Book A truth to which the Scriptures Eccles 9.1 2. Ezek. 21 3. and frequently elsewhere bear witness And therefore men would be very sincere would by faith grip to Gods love in every lot and would mortifie their own lusts lâ—st otherwise tentations contrary to this truth doth shake them as we find in some cases cross Providences have occasioned though not a denyal yet low thoughts of Piety even in godly men because they were afflicted Psal 73.10 14. Much more will it do so in hypocrites Mal. 3.13 14 15. Only this truth should be understood aright That all things come alike as to the outward lot and dispensation For otherwise if we look to Gods love toward a godly man whatever his case be to his blessing upon his lot and to the fruit given him of his humbling tryals and sometime even to the sense of Gods love and favour shed abroad in the godlies hearts under tryal though at other times they may be inwardly deserted and outwardly afflicted borh at once I say in these respects the case of the godly and wicked may differ very far but yet the outward lot is the same 6. Saints ought to resolve that they may be like the wicked not in some lesser calamities only but even in being destroyed and sent out of the world by a sad stroke that so they may learn not to doat on time or those temporal issues that are given to men while they are continued in it For even to this doth Job extend the general assertion He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked He smites the one and the other indifferently as it pleaseth him even till he destroy him and cut him off Vers 23. If the scourge slâ—y suddenly he will laugh at the tryal of the innocent Follow the Arguments confirming this Assertion Whereof the first in this verse is taken from experience of scâ—urges or common calamities in the world When God sends out a scourge of Sword Famine or Pestilence suddenly to overthrow and cut people off not only are the wicked reached thereby which is hâ—â—e supposed but even the innocent that is such as are righteous and free of gross provocations for in any other sense none are innocent or free of sin in this life Yea further in trying of the innocent by these scourges the Lord seems to act as one delighted with it and little resenting the great extremities wherewith they are pressed Hence Learn 1. While he calleth any of these common calamities a scourge which imports a correction for a fault it teacheth That whatever may be Gods end in cleanly tryals and sufferings yet National calamities are punishments for sin They are the result of Gods accurate searching out and noticing of sin and should drive men to search into their own ways Lam. 3.39 40. For the root in the Original from whence the word in the Text riseth which is rendered a scourge signifieth diligently to run up and down which may also point at the commonness of these scourges as God pleaseth to direct them even as a whip is moved to and fro according as he pleaseth who maketh use of it and to consider and try 2. Though God may sometime threaten when yet he forbeareth Amos 7 1 2 3 c. and sometime may inflict lesser calamities when yet he preserves the afflicted alive yet it should be remembered that God hath deadly Arrows in his Qâ—iver especially in National calamities or when lesser rods have not profited a people For this is a scourge which slayeth 3. God is pleased sometimes to send scourges very unexpectedly when nothing like that is dreamed of but the contrary seems most probable that he may surprize the wilfully secure and presumptuous may warn all to be continually upon their guard and may teach men to improve the mercy of warning before hand For here the scourge slayeth suddenly 4. Albeit when God sendeth common calamities upon a people his quarrel be chiefly against the wicked and profane yet as the godly have so much sin as doth deserve a share in that cup so it
and sometime to cure and drive us from entertaining our own inward tentations as Hereticks are permitted to vent the tentations of Saints as their own opinions that Saints may loath them And this mercy or medicinal correction of our own folly and weakness should we observe and improve when others do misconstruct us under tryal 3. That hereby we may have not an Argument to subscribe to the suggestion but an exact tryal of our faith when it is thus assaulted by godly friends For the more eminent the tryal is the more eminent will our faith be if we hold fast and we are called to give the more eminent proof of it 4. That hereby we may be weaned from seeking after or building upon the applause or approbation of godly friends which when we rest too much upon it provokes God to put us to this exercise Obs 4. If we consider Job's noticing of this their design his opposition thercunto and his condemning all their proceedings as devices wrongfully imagined against him it teacheth 1. It is great iniquity in godly friends to judge rashly of the estate of godly men especially to proceed upon false grounds and by indirect means in that matter For he challengeth their thoughts as devices wrongfully imagined against him being both wrong in the matter and wrong in the manner in that as the word imports they violenced or forced their wits to devise arguments to prove him a wicked man and tartly reflected upon him in their general discourses concerning the wicked As godly men may be left to themselves to mistake their afflicted friends So it is their great fault not to judge righteous judgment of godly men especially when they are afflicted or to plead their afflictions against them to question their estate or righteous cause thereby evidencing that they are too much taken up with outward prosperity that the want thereof causeth them to stumble and taking the Name of God in vain by reading his dispensations wrong or to bend their wit and put it upon the rack to forge cavillations lies and calumnies to bear in upon them that they are wicked and by their salt and sharp way of dealing to evidence that they want love to godly afflicted men 2. It is the duty of godly men under affliction as to labour to discern the thoughts and drift of these who oppose them so not to be daunted or discouraged thereby For here he tells them he knew their thoughts and that they were devices wrongfully imagined and prefixeth a behold to this to intimate what a mercy it was to him that he could thus discern and judge of their way It is a commendable duty yea and a mercy not to call Truth in question were the opposition never so great nor are they stupid secure or presumptuous who will not succumb under every calumny yea it is a mercy when God gives godly men strength to bear out against such a stream of opposition See Chap. 27.5 6. Vers 29. Have ye not asked them that go by the way and do ye not know their tokens 30. That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath In the Second Head of Doctrine in this part of the Chapter in these verses we have Job's resolution of this Controversie and his refutation of their Principles Wherein he declares that if they would but ask any Traveller by the way and were acquainted with their tokens v. 29. they would easily be resolved thereby that though some of the wicked be plagued yet generally they are reserved till a day of destruction and wrath in the life to come and at the day of Judgment v. 30. The Assertion it self v. 30. concerning the common and ordinary lot of the wicked is clear and evinceth Job's point that if the wicked be so generally reserved then they receive not their visible reward here and so to be afflicted is neither common to them nor peculiar to them only But the way of clearing and confirming this assertion v. 29. by asking at Travellers and knowing their tokens is not so clear It holds out in General that this Truth was obvious and could be cleared not only by these Travellers who had made many Observations and seen much concerning the lots of wicked men but by any ordinary Traveller they first met with by the way But that is not sufficient to clear the latter part of the verse and by what means these Travellers could resolve this case Therefore we must know that Travellers especially in desert or ill peopled Countries such as these Countries of Arabia were had marks and tokens whereby they took up their way and directed their journeys from one place to another when they had no beaten path nor Inhabitants to enquire at And as they had some such marks and tokens which were natural as Hills Mountains Rivers c. whereby they took up their way and some artificial called by the Romans Mercuriales Statuae set up in cross ways or at other sit places for that very purpose to direct Travellers which way they should follow to come to the place they minded So it seems they made use also of the Tombs and Monuments of great men which are called heaps v. 32. in the Original which were buried here and there in the Country Thus we find that Rachel's grave was a noted Monument long after her death Gen. 35.19 20. with 1 Sam. 10.2 So the meaning will be clear that if they will but ask at Travellers how they direct their way and take notice of their tokens how they point out their way from such a Tomb to such a Tomb of wicked and eminent oppressors this would clearly inform them that many wicked men went to their graves in outward peace and with honourable burial and get leave to rest quietly in their Tombs or Heaps as it is v. 32. their visible recompense being reserved till the day of General Account Doct. 1. Very eminent men for abilities may by reason of mists raised by passion and prejudices be ignorant of what is very obvious As here is imported that they knew not that which any body could tell them In many cases we stand not so much in need of outward evidences as of inward serenity and clearness of spirit to take up what is evidently represented to us See Chap. 12.7 And wise men may be ignorant especially in heavenly mysteries of what the meanest know Math. 11.25 1 Cor. 1.26 27. 2. As it is a shame for men of parts to be ignorant of what is common and obvious so it is their duty to be humble and willing to learn what they know not were it even at inferiours For he would have them ask at them that go by the way and makes it a question Have ye not asked that he may check them for their ignorance of what they might so easily know 3. It is a clear Truth that Gods displeasure is not let forth against
of Christ and his intercession upon which and not on our inherent stock the support of our Faith depends Luk. 22.32 For we are oft quitting our grip and yet brought to renew it again which should both humble us and teach us having such experiences to be more stedfast in believing in times to come Also this should teach us to be humbled for our pride and passion which contribute to the weakening of our Faith Doct. 4 Even when Faith seems to be quite gone it will yet recover if it be well tendered and cherished by the Word For Job in his challenge implyeth that this arm might have been saved if Bildad had spoken pertinently to his condition Here consider 1. We are not to quit even that which seems desperate in our condition but we ought to hope against hope Rom. 4.18 And believe that most desperate lots will not prove deadly 2 Cor. 4.8 9. and 6.9 10. And that Faith is an immortal seed which God will not still crush when he hides and obscures it but foyled Faith may take the fields again and the spoyled may come against the fortress Amos 5.9 2. Faith must close with the Word for its recovery when it is like to succumb as Job desired Bildad might have applyed it pertinently to him remembring that there is a blessedness in believing the Word Luk. 1.45 And that if we will not give credit to it by faith we obstruct other proofs of Gods goodness to us Matth. 13.58 Mark 6.5 6. 3. We are not to do at upon sensible satisfaction for the help of our faith nor are we to despise weak means of Gods appointing were it even to cast out the net where we have long toyled to little purpose Luk. 5.5 For even by the help of the naked Word Job judged it possible his faith might recover Doct. 5. Very many even of Gods people are but ill skilled in the art of strengthening Faith as here Job complains Bildad proved to him And as men may prove helpless to others in this matter so Saints themselves when under faintings of faith may have very little dexterity in going about their own cure and relief Here consider 1. Men of strong and whole minds who are unacquainted with afflictions and exercise can do but little for the relief of crushed faith as was seen in Jobs Friends who were strangers even to this general truth that sore afflictions and exercises may befall godly men farr less had they experienced such a lot themselves Therefore Christ was exercised himself that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest Heb. 2.17 18. 2. It is an evidence of mens great cruelty and of their want of skill when they do cry up the majesty and righteousness of God so as may discourage crushed Faith from coming to him For so Bildad did study to set out God after such a manner as might deterr Job from thinking to draw near to his Throne Whereas it is still right and acceptable that crushed Saints yea sinners draw near to God 1 Sam. 12.20 21. Jon. 2.4 3. It is an errour whether in crushed and fainting Saints themselves or in others who deal with them to think to make things succeed better by humbling to discouragement which was the design of his Friends particularly of Bildad in his last discourse than by Faith For Discouragement weakens and its diligence drives backward whereas Faith being once strengthened will produce acceptable humility and other good fruits Doct. 6 Saints may be mistaken in the matter of their Faith and it may have strength when they think there is none For here when Job thinks his arm hath no strength yet there is strength in it as appeareth by his pleading and defences As the condition of godly men under exercise is oft-times better than they think it so in particular as to their Faith 1. It s strength must not be measured by present sense 2. Nor by our want of present deliverance after believing 3. Nor must we trust every tentation that would contradict our Faith For Saints have found many such to be lyars Psal 31.22 Joâ— 2 4. 4. Nor must we measure oâ— judge of our Faith by what it is in it self but by what God can make of it Psal 94.17 18. In a word this is true and in some respect strong Faith when 1. We cleave and grip to God in his Word though in the midst of never so many storms and against hope and probable reasons 2. When we do not decline to endeavour to comfort our selves in God and his Word though he seem not to apply any comfort to us 1 Sam. 30.6 3. When we discern that there is hope and ground of encouragement for us in God though we cannot grip it nor settle upon it and do see that we do evil and sin in not believing and do not justifie our selves in it as Jonah did his passion Jon. 4.9 Whoso attain to these should cherish them as acts of Faith and bless God for them Verse 3. How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdome And how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is The third fault challenged in Bildad's discourse is That there was no sound counsel in it to direct him or help to correct his folly who was his weak and witless Friend This Job speaks not only by way of Irony that Bildad and the rest counted him foolish and yet gave him no sound counsel but according to his own real sense of matters For albeit Job profess he had understanding in this controversie and in these things which his Friends spake of v. 4. and Chap. 12.2 3. Yet by reason of his exercise of mind he was oft-times full of irresolutions and put to a Non-plus as appears from his sad complaint Chap. 23. in which case it had been a Friends turn to have helped him with a faithful and sound advice The fourth fault challenged is That by his short speech on the brevity whereof Job reflects here he had not plentifully explained the truth or sound wisdome as it is indeed This may indeed relate to what Bildad had truly spoken to the commendation of God wherein he fell short as Job lets him see afterward But it may be also understood of the point in debate betwixt them to which Bildad had spoken little or nothing at all as this check may also import which was to purpose Or he had uttered little of sound solid wisdome in discussing the controversie which might give evidence that he took up the matter aright From the third fault here challenged Learn 1. Afflictâ—ons will not only essay mens strength and courage but their wit and resolution also For Job grants that in some respects he had no wisdome This the Lord ordereth that we may not lean to our own prudence in tryals and that we may be tryed if we will take a sinful shift when other resolutions faâ—l us And therefore we should lay our account that troubles will put us to
to be avowed and which will abide any tryal that the fear of God is wisdom 4. The advantages of piety are but little studied even by those who deny not the truth thereof Behold saith he exciting all to consider and ponder this truth more accurately 5. The advantages of piety will be incredible and admirable to all those who will take tryal of it and wait on in the way of piety till they reap them They who have known and found them in experience will admire at them and say Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding CHAP. XXIX No reply being made to Jobs more general discourse in the two preceding Chapters he subjoins in this and the two following Chapters another discourse wherein he meddles no more with the geneneral Thesis but descends to the Hypothesis and gives an account how himself had prospered formerly and was now afflicted and yet solemnly asserts and proves that he was an upright man All which he insists upon not to seek applause to himself or to blow a Trumpet to his own praise but partly that he may clear the truth and may from his own case and example prove that a godly man may he sadly afflicted partly that he may wipe off all aspersions that were cast upon him and his former walking in the day of his calamity and may discover to his friends how great an injury they had done to him and partly that he may make some Apology for his fits of impatience by shewing how sad a change had come upon him which could not but have some impression upon his weakness The discourse contains 1. An account of his former prosperous condition with some hints of his integrity under it Chap. 29. 2. A regret that his prosperous and flourishing condition was turned into calamity and contempt wherein also somewhat of his integrity is noted Chap. 30. 3. A solemn assertion of his integrity confirmed by many imprecations and other arguments Chap. 31. This Chapter after the preface or title v. 1. may be taken up in a description of his former prosperous condition which he describes and points out 1. From its desirableness v. 2. 2. From the fountain causes of it namely the care and kindness of God which cleared all clouds v. 2.3 3. From the parts of his prosperity both as a Parent and Master of a Family v. 4 5 6. and as a Magistrate v. 7-17 4. From the confidence he had of the continuance thereof and that because it was so great and appeared to be so well fixed v. 18. 25. In most of which branches of the description we have some account also of his integrity which he solemnly confirms Verse 1. Moreover Job continued his Parable and said THis Preface or Title is the same with that Chap. 27.1 only that it is here repeated and prefixed to this new Discourse may teach 1. A good conscience is a lasting Spring and will not disappoint the possessours thereof in a day of strait for here after all that Job hath spoken when he hath drawn his breath a little waiting for their reply and finds that they will speak nothing he hath yet a Parable or sublime Discourse to utter in defence of his integrity 2. Mens ability to debate their cause in these or to defend their integrity by general Arguments wherein able parts may blind the Eyes and overcome and put to silence weak opponents will not support them in troubles unless they have solid ground of peace in the matter of their walk and conversation Therefore Job is not content that he can prove by general Arguments that godly men may be afflicted as he was or that he can silence all their reasonings by shewing that Gods wisdom in governing the World is incomprehensible but he shuts up all his Arguments and Defences with this strong Reserve that he can give a particular account of his own integrity though afflicted Verse 2. O that I were as in moneths past as in the days when God preserved me 3. When his Candle shined upon my head and when by his light I walked thorow darkness In these Verses we have the first and second Branches of Jobs Description of his former prosperity The first v. 2 doth generally point it out in its desirableness expressed in a wish that it might be so with him yet as it had been in the days and months past By which wish which is to be taken along as repeated with all that followeth in this account of his prosperity he doth not express any fond doating upon prosperity But partly by way of gratitude he testifieth how desirable such a condition is in it self and partly by way of vindication he sheweth that he behaved himself so in a prosperous condition as he is not ashamed when he reflects upon his life and walk in those desirable and tempting days The second branch of this Description v. 2 3. points out the fountain cause from whence all his prosperity did flow which was Gods favour to him and care of him This is afterward spoken to also when he gives an account of the parts of his prosperity v. 4 5. But here it is generally propounded in two expressions One is that God did then preserve him v 2. which is not to be understood as if Job thought that God now had given over all care of him For as God never forsakes his Children Heb. 13.5 so Job denied not Providence But it is to be understood comparatively that then God kept him in his prosperous condition free of any evil occurrent as Satan observed Chap. 1.10 which had now broken in upon him The other expression is That Gods Candle or Lamp shined upon him v. 3. He had the light of Gods direction Ps 119.105 and comfort Is 50.10 and was satisfied in his favour and the light of his countenance Ps 4.6 and in the refreshful issues he got of difficulties Ps 118.27 Mic. 7.8 This is amplified 1. From the measure of it it was a bright light held over or above his head in a dark place to make him see well 2. From the effects of it By his light I walked through darkness any cloud of difficulty or discouragement that came in his way and did over-cloud his sky he did easily dispel and get through it being guided by the direction and supported by the consolations of God and refreshed with sweet and comfortable issues From v. â— Learn 1. As the whole time of mens lives so particularly their prosperity ought to be measured by short periods As here Job measures the time of his prosperity by Days and Months Among other vanities accompanying our enjoyments within time this is one that we can promise our selves no long lease of them It is true some do imbitter their own prosperity by vexing apprehensions of sudden changes contrary to Solomons direction that we should enjoy good of our labour Ecc. 5.18 Yet it is good still to have serious
Ps 8.3 4 and 113.5 6 7. 2. That we must be humble in our converse with him considering what He and we are Gen. 18.27 3. That we must not please our selves with the performance of ordinary service to him Psal 48.1 and 145.3 Mal. 1.14 but should be abased in the sense of our short-coming in our best performances as Solomon had low thoughts of his stately Temple 2 Chron. 2.6 and 6.18 4. That we must learn to stoop more to his Soveraignty and not suffer his condescending love manifested to us at any time to hide his greatness nor presume to strive with our Maker 5. That being his servants we should know that we serve a great Master Psal 146.3 4 5 6. Jer. 50.34 So that we need not fear to expect great things in his way according to his promise Joel 2.21 Of which I have spoken before Doct. 3 It commends the greatness of God that he is unsearchably and incomprehensibly great both in himself and in his works For God is great and we know him not Here Consider 1. Men are under a disease of ignorance of God Not only such as the Athenians who worshipped an unknown God Act. 17.23 or the Gentiles who liked not to retain God in their knowledge Rom. 1.28 or grossely wicked men who labour to fix themselves in Atheisme Psal 14.1 But even more generally men are ignorant of him Hence â—low all disorders in mens walking their sinful shifts 2 Chron. 25.8 their unbelief and slavish fear Psal 9.10 Is 51.12 13. their carelessness in his service Josh 24.19 20. their persecution of his people Joâ— 16.2 3. and many the like miscarriages their ignorance of his Omnipresence making them careless to look to their hearts and their not considering of his Wisdom making them afraid when they are left upon his hand c. All which do proclaim that there is much practical Atheisme and ignorance of God in the World 2. Albeit men do endeavour to remedy this ignorance yet God remains still unsearchable Psal 145.3 We see but his back-parts and through a glass darkly And when we think we see most in his working and of the reasons of his dispensations we see only but a part of his wayes and hear but a little portion of him Job 26.14 Which may cause us rather mourn for our own short-sightedness than quarrel his dispensations 3. Such as do indeed see most of God and take him up aright in his dispensations will be most humbled in the sense of their short-coming As here Elihu is We know him not though he saw further than all the Disputants in this cause By which mark men may try their real nearness to God and their knowledge of him Doct. 4. It is a special proof of the incomprehensible greatness of God that he is eternal Therefore it is subjoyned by way of confirmation Neither can the number of his years be searched out In studying his eternity godly men may not only see his immutability Mal. 3.6 and their mercy that from eternity they were thought upon and that he will make them eternally happy with himself wicked men may see that they cannot out-live him and his enmity against them as they may out-live their other enemies But they may see such deep and eternal counsels in his working that men who are but of yesterday Job 8.9 must acknowledge their ignorance of them and that they are but of shallow capacities and short-sighted for the future to comprehend all his counsels who hath guided many well before complainers who are but new up-starts had a beeing Doct. 5. Such is our ignorance and this is one proof of it that we cannot take up the Attributes of God unless he condescend to speak of them in tâ—arms fitted to our capacity As here he expresseth his eternity thus that the number of his years cannot be searched out So also Ps 102.27 Verse 27 For he maketh small the drops of water they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof 28. Which the clouds do drop and distill upon man abundantly Followeth an ample confirmation of this truth that God is unsearchably great by many instances wherein his greatness doth shine In the rest of this Chapter he produceth an instance of the rain which he propounds in these Verses Shewing that the vapours being gathered into clouds he droppeth down the rain out of them moderately and yet sufficiently Whence Learn 1. The most common and obvious works of God are evident proofs of his greatness Therefore doth Elihu prove the former Proposition by this instance of the rain Wherein God hath made his glory to shine both in the with-holding thereof at some times and in over-flowing Countries by the excess thereof at other times And this should make us sensible of our great stupidity who see so little of God therein And we should be sober in judging of the things of God when we find such wonders here 2. Much of God may be seen in the rise of the rain or the vapours drawn up by the heat of the Sun according to the measure whereof the rain cometh down For hence we may gather That things which are little promising may produce much As exhalations insensibly drawn up produce refreshful showers That things which are here below among us being put in Gods hand may come down in a blessing As vapours drawn up from among us are sent down again in refreshful showers And as vapours drawn up in heat and drought do dissolve in rain So we should study vicissitudes in all things and that they will still turn in a round till time have an end As rain breeds vapours and vapours produce rain And that contraries put in Gods hand will do well enough 3. Much of God may also be seen in the manner of sending rain Namely 1. That he will not let the cloud pour out all at once as in the general Deluge and when the hail fell of such weight that it killed men Josh 10.11 but â—ifts it down moderately in small drops of water And this may shew that Gods moderation in dispensing many of our mercies is a remarkable mercy in them 2. That he distills the rain upon man abundantly or upon many men as the Original may be read that is though he sift the rain down in small drops yet it serves the turn and that to many places at once And this may point out That small things will do much in Gods hand Verse 29. Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds or the noise of his tabernacle 30. Behold he spreadeth his light upon it and covereth the bottom of the Sea 31. For by them judgeth he the people he giveth me at in abundance 32. With clouds he covereth the light and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt 33. The noise thereof sheweth concerning it the cattel also concerning the vapour In these Verses he prosecutes more fully this Instance of the rain especially more tempestuous rainâ—
godliness only while we are in prosperity and then to turn our back upon it in adversity For this assertion of Satan that to serve God in prosperity and to curse him in adversity is a mark of hypocrisie is a sure truth albeit he did unjustly alledge it against Job However they must be much worse who do prosper and yet notwithstanding all the advantages of prosperity have not so much as a form but it may be lose what they had in a meaner condition 4. Albeit Saints do live in the midst of dangers yet Providence doth so guard them and every thing that is theirs that without his permission Satan or his Instruments cannot touch any of them For Satan grants that God had made an hedge not only about him but about his house and all that he hath on every side so that he could not touch him Without Gods permission Satan cannot so much as enter into a sâ—ine Matth. 8.31 so that we have no reason to fear him or his threatnings unless our Rock sell us see Numb 23.23 5. Satan is so malicious and restless that he doth not cease to assault even where he gets no success For Satan insinuates that not being able to insnare him by his prosperity he had attempted to make a breach upon him by bringing on tryal but without success And therefore he speaks angrily of Gods Protection Hast thou not made an hedge about him c We ought to acknowledge the kindness of God not only in upholding and in giving issues when he let 's tryals break in upon us but in frustrating many an attempt to bring us into trouble 6. What ever Satan seem to promise of prosperity to those that follow his way yet it is an unquestionable verity that Prosperity is the gift of God and that it is Gods blessing upon mens use of a lawful Calling that makes rich For this Satan is forced to acknowledge Thou hast blessed the works of his hands or his lawful Industry and so his Substance or Cattel is increased in the Land 7. All that men injoy is so at Gods disposal that the very least touch of his Power can overturn what is best settled and of longest continuance For so much doth Satan express for his own ends But put forth thine hand now and touch all that he hath and then it is to be understood that such a change will come upon his posterity as will tempt him to curse God 8. It is an unquestionable evidence of honestly even by Satans own confession when a man cleaves to God and his service both in well and wo For so much may he gathered from his arguing here If there can be nothing objected against Job but that he is a mercenary because of his prosperity and that this will appear if he put to tryal Then it will undeniably follow if Job continue to serve and cleave to God in his adversity as he had done before he is an honest man 9. Satans aim in bringing Saints to trouble is not only to draw them to some lesser sins but even to open and desperate blasphemy such as himself is guilty of For so Satan alleadgeth He will curse thee or Bless thee as v. 5. and that to thy face as the thing he aimed at in this assault So that they are but foolish who hearken to his tentations to lesser sins as if they could sist there For his prevailing in one degree is but a bait to draw them on to what is more gross till they come to this height of impiety And more particularly We ought to remember that tentations to fretting and murmuring under trouble come fom Satan who thereby is training on Saints to that height of impiety which here he designs Sixthly Gods purpose concerning Job propounded by way of concession with a limitation to Satan and Satans accepting and going about the employment v. 12. doth import this much That Gods purpose to try Job for removing of all calumnies did now break forth for which end he loosed some links of Satans chain who was lying at wait to catch all advantages And now finding way went actively about that business Not that Satan is ever in Gods presence by way of approbation or that he goeth ever out from it as to Gods Providential noticing and over-ruling all that he doth But the borrowed phrase imports that finding the chain loosed he went nimbly about the execution of what he was permitted to do Hence learn 1. It pleaseth the Lord sometime to expose his dearest Children whom he singularly approves to tryal that being tryed on all hands their integrity may appear and any dross that is in them may be discovered and purged out For so befel Job here 2. It is neither inconsistent with true Grace in a Saint nor with Gods love to him that sometime he and his concernments be permitted unto Satans power to exercise him either immediately by his own hand or mediately by his Instruments For saith the Lord Behold all that he hath is in thy power or hand Thus was Paul also bufferred by a Messenger of Satan 2 Cor. 12.7 3. However men do usually think light of outward mercies when they enjoy them Yet it is and will be found a sharp and searching tryal to be stripped of all these outward comforts For it is here yielded unto as a tryal indeed all that he hath is in thy power 4. When God exposeth his sincere Children to tryal he doth so to say lay a wager on their head against Satan that they shall not renounce their Integrity whatever come upon them For this Concession all that he hath is in thy power in answer to Satans malicious Proposition v. 11. doth import this much That this piece of tryal should clear the Controversie betwixt God and Satan whether Job was an honest man as God asserted or would blaspheme under tryal as Satan alleaged And the Behold prefixed to this permission given to Satan is not so much a note of admiration God to speak after the manner of the man wondering at Satans impudence as an intimation that God would have it now beheld and soon by Satan and others which of them spake truth concerning Job This as it serves for our caution and to put us in mind of how great concernment our carriage under tentation is so it may assure all these who flee to God in Christ for furniture and through-bearing under tryal that he hath no small interest in the matter to glorifie himself and give the foil to Satan by granting their desire 5. In the tryals of the Children of God though Satans hand therein be sinful and a venting of his malice against the Image of God in his Children Yet in the same exercise they ought to observe a Supreme and Holy Hand of God whose part and end therein is holy For here even that which Satan sinfully desired v. 11. God doth holily grant for his own wise ends All that he hath is in thy power 6. Albeit
By all which it should be stained or its beauty hid and taken away as a Room without light and the blackness of the day should terrifie it or make it terrible to others 2. He wisheth that God may not regard it from above That it may not only want light but all other evidences of his favour and noticing of it such as dew rain c. or its being happy by any good event upon it By all which expressions so appositely chosen though he pour forth his own passion Yet withal he insinuates these truths 1. That it is a great though ordinary mercy that we enjoy the light of the day seeing it would be a curse to the day or rather to men to want it And that it is a mercy God hath so contrived the vicissitudes of light and darkness as may be most comfortable and not terrible 2. That Gods Providence doth so particularly notice every day as the blessing and comfort thereof depends on him If he do not regard it from above it will prove but a sad day Thirdly Against the night ver 6 7 8 9. Unto which he wisheth 1. That darkness may seise upon it ver 6. which though it be natural to the night to be dark he wisheth to it in a singular manner v. 9. That it may not have the very light of Stars which are comfortable in the night as small mercies are in sad times and that no light or dawning of the day may succeed to it and so it should be denyed all hope of comfort which rendereth hard conditions intolerable 2. That Nature should disclaim it from coming in the account of the course of the Sun or Moon ver 6. or that it should not be reckoned among joyful nights Which is indeed a great curse when any creature stands useless 3. Whereas it was an usual custom to have Festival Assemblies and mirth in the night 1 Thes 5.6 7. the abuse whereof is not here approved but only the custome alluded unto it is wished that this might be honoured with none such but that it be a mournful solitary night wherein men are deprived of the society of friends which is one of the great comforts of time v. 7. 4. That it may be execrated by all as well as it was by him as grieved persons would have all to be displeased with that which vexeth themselves and that with as great vehemency as those hired mourning women who have signs of sorrow and tears at their command and who in imitation of real mourners are ready to raise up and renew their mourning after they have mourned much before do use to execrate the day of their Benefactors death ver 8. The expressions allude to that custom 2 Chron. 35.25 Jer. 9.17 Amos 5.16 And this I take to be the right translation and sense of this verse rather then with some to understand it of Mariners who being tossed with a Tempest do curse the day in which they went to Sea and are ready by their wishes to raise up Leviathan which is here rendered their mourning or the Sea-monsters to swallow them up For though Jobs resentments in this Chapter be no less unreasonable then if one should wish to be violently swallowed to avoid a present tempest yet that is not the usual practice of Mariners in a Tempest Jonah 1.5 6. Neither do they hit upon the true sense who taking Leviathan also for a proper Name do understand it here figuratively of the Devil that great Dragon whom some wicked men are ready to raise up in great trouble that they may consult him about an issue as Saul did 1 Sam. 28. and all of them are ready to raise him up by their cursed invocating of him that either they may be delivered or cut off For though Job be passionate enough in this Discourse yet he was very far from this height of impiety The reason of all this Imprecation v. 10. is because that day fell out to be his birth-day upon which so much sorrow followed reckoning that if he had not been born he had not met withal that vexation If we consider this whole Imprecation against the day of his birth with the ground of it As we may not ascend so high as to tax Job of blasphemy or of condemning the order of Nature and consequently of condemning God who established it So we cannot but discern great passion and impatience evidenced by its fruits and effects in these particulars 1. His inconsiderateness That trouble being so natural to Adams posterity Chap. 5.7 as is acknowledged by himself Chap. 14.1 and submitted unto Chap. 1.21 2.10 Yet he doth now free at it They had need of much wisdome considerately to ponder all things who would be patient in trouble Iam. 1.5 with 4. 2. His rash stubbornness in fretting at trouble For albeit it be lawful to desire to be rid of trouble with submission to the will of God Yet when we see it is the Lords will that we should be under trouble it is not our duty peremptorily to stand out and refuse but to stoop and submit For by this submission we take the sting out of our own crosses Jer. 10.19 Whereas want of resolution and stooping doubleth the bitterness thereof 3. His selfishness Had this complaint been because of common troubles upon the people of God it had been more tolerable But being only for his own ease and that albeit he disputed afterward that Saints might be in the like case sorrow was not hid from his eyes ver 10. as if he had been a priviledged person was very selfish Impatience is ordinarily a great ponderer of greifs because they are ours little weighing the troubles of others 4. His absurd and unreasonable blaming of a wrong cause of his trouble For what influence had his birth-day on his trouble or on his birth either it being but a naked circumstance Impatience is still unreasonable and when a man is thereby imbittered he madly breaks forth on what comes nearest him whether it be too blame or not 5. His poor shift which he takes to help himself For beside that he wisheth a thing impossible as the expunging of a day he wisheth also that which was unprofitable for his help For suppose the day were either so expunged or marked as he wisheth what could that help him now would it recall all his sufferings But it is always found that impatience taketh the longest way and falls not upon the most speedy remedy and mean of help 6. His ingratitude and under-valuing of all the mercies he had received as not able to counter-balance his present grief contrary to his own Principle formerly Chap. 2.10 But now his birth and all the mercies he had received are his burden Ingratitude will soon bury in oblivion many favours if we be cast in any trouble But it is our duty to remember former kindnesses or present continued mercies even in the midst of trouble and to reckon that new proofs of love
And on the contrary he produceth his own observation of the wickeds so perishing which was so ordinary equitable and proportionable to their sin that it past for a common Proverb That the wicked did justly reap the fruit of their sinful ways and courses v. 8. In this Argument we may observe these truths 1. It is our duty to remark all the dealings of God with the sons of men in mercy or in judgment and to make use of them as Eliphaz here calls on Job to bring forth what he remembred and doth himself give an account of what he hath seen See Psal 28.5 37.35 36. 64.9 3.4 Isa 5.12 2. It is also commendable in fallible men that they do not imperiously obtrude their light on others but are as willing to receive as to offer light that so truth may be lifted out For in propounding this Argument he puts Job to bring forth his Observations as he gives an account what himself had seen 3. Such as lay claim to true Piety ought to be righteous persons by being sheltered under the wings of imputed righteousness and drawing vertue from Christ to enable them for a sincere and upright conversation so as they may be innocent and free at least of gross provocations For so are they here described the innocent and righteous 4. None who are truly godly do ever perish eternally nor are they so left in trouble as they have no door of hope here or hereafter For in that sense it is true none perish being innocent nor are the righteous cut off though Eliphaz take it more generally See 2 Cor. 4.8 9. 6.9 10. 5. As to be wicked is oft-times no easie task but laborious like plowing and expensive like sowing So they will sooner or later though not alwayes visibly here reap a proportionable reward of their wickedness For in this sense his own Observation ver 8. is true and just that as men sow so they should reap Gal. 6.7 8. Though there may a long time intervene betwixt the sin and the punishment as there is betwixt Seed-time and Harvest 6. When the Lord lets the wicked prosper and the godly seem to perish and be cut off in this life it may be sore tentation even to an holy man to think hardly of the godlies way because so afflicted For Eliphaz is induced on this account to condemn Job And albeit his Principles did mislead him so to judge yet even where mens light is clear it will not be easie to get over such stumbling blocks unless we go to the Sanctuary Psal 73.3 17. But beside these truths there are divers great mistakes in this Argument First In the main Argument taken from outward lots and dispensations in this life whereby he would prove Job and his Children to be wicked For the General Principle is false that none are so afflicted but the wicked and that every one who perisheth and is cut off as his Children were is wicked It hath been already cleared that the godly and wicked may fall under the same outward sufferings Eccles 9.1 2. and consequently that no mans former life ought to be judged by his present afflictions These Friends held as appears from their debates that there is no such stroke inflicted but as a punishment of sin according to the rule of strict justice But the Scriptures make clear that beside afflictions which are punishments properly so called there are also fatherly chastisements of such as are dear to God for their folly 1 Cor. 11.32 Psal 89.31 32 33. Tryals and exercises of faith 1 Pet. 1.6 7. and Martyrdom for a testimony to the truth Rev. 12.11 Yea the Scriptures do clear that not only the godly and wicked may be under the same affliction But that the wicked may prosper while the godly are in affliction Psal 73.3 12 13 14. And that the wicked may prevail to afflict him that is more righteous then himself Hab. 1.13 All which truths as they contrary to Eliphaz's principles so they may help us to judge righteous judgement concerning the various dispensations of God in the world and to judge charitably of these under affliction And particularly we may here conclude That events in war are no concluding argument to prove that those who are put to the worse have an unjust quarrel For people in a most just quarrel have been put to the worse by wicked men in a wicked quarrel because of their sins who have maintained the just cause as appears from the war with Benjamin Judg. 20. and the war of the ten Tribes against Judah 2 Chron. 28.6 7 8 9 10. Nor doth Gods determining against a people after a solemn Appeal prove the injustice of their Cause For 1. All wars are upon the matter an Appâ—al to God after that appeals to Justice by Law suits or to the people by Declarations do not put an end to Controversies And therefore if God may deny success in a righteous cause for holy and righteous ends where there is not a formal Appeal The solemnity of an Appeal hath nothing in it to oblige God beyond the equity of the Cause 2. Appeals have been made to God by his Saints as by David Psal 7.3 4 5. who yet have long suffered after their Appeal For Appeals in Scripture terms import no more then our committing of our cause to God that he in due time and by his own means may clear our innocency and this will certainly be granted 3. If an Appeal be made to God that by the next immediate event he may clear the righteous Cause such an Appeal is a great sin and aâ— lâ—miting of the Holy One of Israel And being a sin on both hands God useth to punish it rather in his people maintaining his cause then in Enemies owning an unjust cause For they who work wickedness are delivered when they tempt God Mal. 3.15 And not they who are Gods people maintaining his Cause and Truth And consequently in such a case The loss of a Battel is rather a proof of a just quarrel which God will not let prosper by sinful means then of an unjust Secondly As the general Principle is false and consequently concludes nothing against Jobs Children upon whom he reflects ver 10 1â— So the Application thereof to Jobs case is nothing sounder It is true he was sore afflicted and Job himself did not expect an issue and though he had been cut off out of this life it had not proved him wicked as hath been said yet he had not perished nor was cut off But in the issue God made it appear that he can raise up men when he pleaseth from the pit and when their bones lie scattered about the graves mouth to see his goodness in the land of the living Whence we may gather That Saints may seem to themselves and others to be in a desperate and lost condition when yet it will prove otherwise So also may a righteous Cause be triumphed over as irrecoverably
under this imputation that they had been oppressours But if we look on this Discourse in it self abstracting from Eliphaz's mis-application and as it contains Gods sentence against wicked men and oppressours which he doth execute when and upon whom he will and not as Eliphaz prescribed to him it may instruct us in these General Truths 1. God is too hard a party for sinners to grapple with For his blast and the breath of his nostrils can consume them yea a look of him can bring to nothing Chap. 7 8. See Psal 90.11 2. As all gross sinners do evidence their beastly brutishness in the unreasonable beastly courses which they follow to satisfie their lusts 2 Pet. 2.12 So in particular Oppressours are in effect beasts in regard of their cruelty and violence and because no bonds of reason or civility can restrain them from doing evil when it is in the power of their hand Mic. 2.1 Therefore are they compared to Lions young Lions and fierce Lions So also to Dragons and Leviathans Psal 74.13 14. 3. Oppressours do justly meet with the reward of their brutish fury in that when they will no more be held by the bonds of Divine Precepts then Beasts are God takes them in the net of Divine Vengeance whereby their fury is bridled For so much is imported in breaking of their roaring voice and teeth It is a great blessing and a mean to prevent many judgments when men in power are bounded by a Conscience and the fear of God Gen. 48.18 Neh. 5.15 4. Albeit oppressours think to gain much to themselves and their heirs by oppression yet oft-times in Gods righteous judgment it falls out otherwise that they come to great misery themselves and bring dissipation upon their families For this is the Law-sentence against such though not alwayes executed in this life The old Lion perisheth for lack of prey and the stout Lions whelps are scattered abroad Vers 12. Now a thing was secretly brought to me and mine ear received a little thereof 13. In thoughts from the visions of the night when deep sleep falleth on men 14. Fear came upon me and trembling which made all my bones to shake 15. Then a spirit passed before my face the hair of my flesh stood up 16. It stood still but I could not discern the form thereof an image was before mine eyes there was silence and I heard a voice saying The third Argument is contained in a Vision which he had from God belike on this same occasion it being so sutable to Jobs case though mistaken by Eliphaz and produced to prove a wrong conclusion The sum of the Argument is held forth in the first words spoken by God in that Vision v. 17. That it is great presumption and as Eliphaz understood it the character of a wicked man to implead Gods righteousness in his afflicting of men To enforce which Argument Eliphaz produceth 1. The divine Authority of this Doctrine giving a large account how he received it from God v. 12 13 14 15 16. 2. The reasons whereby God speaking to him did confirm that Argument and Challenge v. 18 19 20 21. Before I enter upon the words somewhat must be cleared concerning this Vision in general And 1. It may be enquired whether Eliphaz had indeed such a Vision and Revelation from God or did only feign that he had one to conciliate Authority to his Doctrine Answ The circumstances and manner of this Vision being so exactly consonant to what is elsewhere recorded of the like manifestations the Doctrine here published being divine and the man being a godly man who makes this Narration it is not to be questioned but that indeed he had such a Vision and Revelation 2. It will then be enquired Whether the Lord did approve of Eliphaz's Principles and Opinion that he thus appears in a Vision to confirm him in his judgement Answ Nothing less For Chap 42.7 he tells him that he had not spoken right of him Yea this divine Revelation as we shall hear contains nothing of Eliphaz's Assertions That the righteousness of God who afflicts proves the man who is afflicted to be unrighteous and that there is no mids betwixt these two but either God who afflicts or the man who is afflicted must be unjust This doctrine hath nothing of this but doth only lay down these grounds upon which Elihu and afterward God himself do deal with Job viz. That the righteousness and spotless purity of God being infinitly above the creatures Man ought not to plead his own righteousness under affliction to the prejudice of Gods righteousness who afflicts him 3. It may then further be enquired How Eliphaz comes to make use of this doctrine to prove his Conclusion against Job Answ It may safely be conceived that being byassed and prepossessed with his own opinion he looked through his own prejudicate Spectacles upon Divine Truth judging that this challenge from God did not only bear a charging of Job with infirmity in managing of his cause and bearing of his affliction but a reprehension of gross wickedness such as he had already concluded him guilty of because of his afflictions So great is the power of delusion that even when men are taught by immediate Revelations they will expound them according to their own fancies And even Visions from God may be wrested by them who have prejudices As Act. 21.4 when the Spirit foretold Pauls hazards at Jerusalem his friends affection made them say as if it were from the Spirit of God that he should not go thither which was very far contrary to the purpose of God I come now to open up this Vision and Revelation as it lieth in the Text. And First in these verses he giveth an account how he received it from the Lord. This he doth largely insist upon producing the several circumstances thereof evidencing that he had it indeed from God which did both assure himself and might assure Job that the following Message was from God And it doth teach us How cautâ—ous we ought to be in admitting any light or obtrudâ—ng it upon others but what we know to be truth and thâ— mind of God In prosecution of this purpose I shall not insist to speak of the several ways whereby God did câ—mmunicate his mind of old O which see Heb. 1.1 Numb 12.6 8. Job 33.15 and elsewhere But shall only speak to the particulars in the Text. And First He gives an account of the manner how this Vision came to him and the measure of his receiving it ver 12. That this thing or word and message was brought secretly or by stealth unto him Not only without the knowledge or observation of others but suddainly and unexpectedly to himself and it seems also the voyce was so low and secret that it required special attention to perceive and take it up And accordingly he addeth that his ear received but a little thereof Not only did the Vision soon pass so that he had but a
he declares that not only when the Spirit or Angel passed by before him and first appeared ver 15. but even when it stood still he could not discern its shape and form wherein it appeared distinctly only some image or confused representation of it was before him ver 16. The reason whereof was partly the splendour and brightness wherein the spirit appeared partly his sudden surprizal and the astonishment of his spirit thereby This did insinuate 1. That Divine Truths were not then so clearly known and manifested but kept up in a mystery 2. That within time we are but little capable of more immediate manifestations of God which would dazzle our eyes and confound our judgements And therefore they are in great wisdom suspended till we come to know as we are known 3. That the Lord would hereby keep those who got those manifestations from doating on the Vision or external representations in it that so they might take heed to the message Hence we find Elijah wrapping his face in his Mantle when God spake to him 1 King 19.13 and Moses hiding his face Exod. 3.6 To intimate that though these extraordinary Sights and Visions served to assure them of the presence of God yet gazing thereupon was not the great benefit to be reaped by them but their great care was to hearken to what was said Which teacheth us That no glorious manifestation or operation of God will profit us if we neglect his voice in his Word Lastly He recounts how after all this God did communicate his mind to him by an audible voice ver 16. There was silence and I heard a voice after the tumultuous distempers of his mind were calmed and put to silence he heaâ—d the voice Or as some read it he heard a still calm voice So did he also speak to Elijah 1 Kings 19.12 and because of this it is said ver 12. that it came secretly to him And this way of uttering divine Revelations silently or in a calm voice was imitated by Satan in some of hâ—s Oracles Isa 8.19 29.4 Hence learn 1. Gods humbling dispensations toward his people will all come to a good issue and the close of all his dealing will still be sweet For after all his humbling and fear preparing him for the Vision and assuring him that God was present the voice cometh which bringeth the refreshful light 2. The composing of our spirits from the confusions and tumultuous disorders incident to them is a necessary antecedent to Gods revealing of his mind Foâ— when there was silence as our reading hath it I heard a voice 3. As for this way of the Lords speaking by a still or calm voicâ— as the Original will also bear albeâ—t we nâ—ed enquire after no reason why he mâ—kes use of it who doth all things after the counsel of his own will yet without wresting we may observe these in it 1. The Lord hereby did teach that these supernatural Truths were Mysteries not blazed abroad throughout the world but so to say whispered amâ—ng somâ— few Believers And as the Oracles of God were thus confinâ—d during all the time of the Old Testament Psal 147 19 20 Rom. 3.2 So in all ages thâ—y are but few to whom they are savingly revealed Matth. 11 25. 2. The Lord hereby did press attention on these to whom he revealed his mind as was marked on v. 12. while he spake not so loud as might reach them whether they attended or not but in a still voice which might excite them seriously to hearken 3. Hereby also the Lord declared that he will not be a terrour to such as delight to converse with him in his Word For to such he would not appear in Wind Earth-quakes or Fire 1 King 19. though those were necessary for preparation but in a still sweet voice which needed not affright them 4. Hereby also may be pointed out That however men ought to speak the Truths of God so audibly as they may be heard and with that zeal and fervency that becometh yet it is not the clamorous voyce that makes the word effectual but the weight and importance of the matter seriously pressed home by the Spirit of God For even by this still voice God communicated his will and made it to be obeyed in the world See Eccl. 9.17 Vers 17. Shall mortal man be more just then God shall a man be more pure then his maker Followeth the Revelation it self or the Doctrine which God revealed to him by this still voice consisting of an Assertion or Challenge v. 17. and a confirmation thereof ver 18 21. In the Explication whereof we need not insist to remark any false Principles or mistakes such as we find in Eliphaz's former Arguments For as we said before this is a divine Oracle sent by God to clear this case and according to which God himself deals with Job at last Only Eliphaz mistaking it doth press it upon Job as an argument and proof of his wickedness in which sense Job rejects it with the rest of his doctrine till God cometh to calm his passion and tell him more fully his fault and then he takes with all that is here asserted by way of reproof of his miscarriage Hence in the entry we may Observe 1. It may please God to suffer Saints to meet with no smaller tentations then if God in his Word or speaking from Heaven were condemning them For here Eliphaz chargeth Job as a man condemned by God in this Vision And this is no small tryal if we consider either that Gods sentence in his Word is unrepealable not to be rescinded nor contradicted by our dreams and delusions or the tenderness of Saints whose property it is to tremble at the Word of God 2. A chief cause of raysing groundless tentations and fears from the Word is when men do not distinguish betwixt the standing state of their person and their present condition or carriage Seeing they may be faulty in this last when their state of Reconciliation stands firm And therefore when faults are reproved men ought not to conclude that their persons are condemned which doth hinder repentance and amendment of faults by crushing discouragement For herein did Eliphaz wrest this Vision and render it a tentation and tryal to Jobs faith that he mis-applyed this reproof of his fault to the condemning of his state and person 3. It is a commendable exercise of faith when Saints have made sure their peace with God through Jesus Christ as not to hearken though even a voice from heaven should seem to contradict the Word on which they have builded 2 Pet. 1.18 19. Gal. 1.8 9. So not to hearken to every sentence of Scripture which may seem to brangle that confidence which they have founded upon Christ as he is revealed in the Covenant and general current of the Scriptures As knowing That Satan can wrest Scriptures as he did in tempting Christ Matth. 4. That he can abuse our weakness in a time of tryal
Yet we must guard against a mistake here For albeit all men be born to trouble for sin nor doth affliction enter but by sin Yet it doth not follow that we ought to measure the greatness of a mans sins by the greatness of his affliction nor ought we to judge that God is still pursuing or punishing sin when he afflicts far less that he is calling upon every one whom he afflicteth sadly to be converted as if he had never known God before These were Eliphaz's Principles upon which he puts Job to this consideration which Job could never yield unto From the General Doctrine here propounded Learn 1. Faln man is born unto trouble and obnoxious to all the kinds thereof For Man is born unto trouble See Job 14.1 This being well studied might cure a great errour in many who are ready to look upon themselves as priviledged and exempted persons and who little apprehend that they come into the world to bear crosses but rather to spend their days in pleasure 2. A naked sight or sense of trouble will never profit men till they begin wisely to ponder some lessons concerning the rise and cause thereof Therefore Eliphaz before he press any counsel upon Job in reference to his carriage doth first lead him up to study this lesson To feel trouble is common to men with beasts and consequently can produce no useful effects but it becometh rational men and much more godly persons to read more in it 3. Albeit as wicked men have no will to let themselves feel the smart of a Rod so long as they can either hold it off or cause themselves to forget it So men in an evil way have no will to see God their Parâ—y in trouble even when they are made to feel it 1 Sam. 6 9. 2 Sam. 11.25 as neither do wicked men desire to see God against them in â—his Word so long as they can avoid it Jer 5.12 13 yet it is a fixed truth That no affliction cometh casually or without a special hand of Providence which dispenseth it upon wise and holy grounds and the study of this is a mean to make trouble operative For Eliphaz presseth That affliction cometh not forth of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground or from common and casual accidents but from above Amos 3.6 And because of this he presseth on Job to seek to God And indeed when this Truth is studied and believed not only will Saints see themselves still in their Fathers hand in the greatest of troubles But it will be mens chief care to see the hand of God in every affliction how unjustly soever inflicted by men 2 Sam. 16.10 and to search out the mind of God concerning the cause of every trouble and their duty under it 4. Albeit that trouble is ordinary proveth oft-times a snare to men hiding a sight of Gods hand in it 2 Sam. 11.25 yet even that it is ordinary is a document that it cometh not by chance but from God and consequently that it should be better improved For Eliphaz proves that affliction cometh not by chance Because man is born to trouble and what is so ordinary must have some sure and ordinary cause It is the great sin of men that trouble is so little improved even because it is ordinary And that either they foolishly think to shift trouble and spare not to make shipwrack of a good Conscience if they may reach their end when yet they will find it unavoidable turn where they will Or the custom of meeting with trouble leads them to harden themselves under it neither eyeing God nor minding duty 5. Albeit the Lord be not pursuing sin by every affliction which he sendeth but may be trying faith and other graces in his people Yet trouble hath its rise from sin and mans transgression is the door whereby trouble entred For Man is born to trouble as the sparks flie upward There is somewhat in mans nature that rendreth him obnoxious to trouble as there is a fire from which sparks do flie or as it is natural for a spark to flie upward and this is sin or the corruption of mans nature For if there had been no sin there had been no affliction And as this proves very Infants to have sin because they are obnoxious to sickness and death Rom. 5.14 So it should teach all even in their most cleanly tryals and when their Consciences assoil them from wickedness or hypocrisie yet to look upon afflictions as sent to make them sensible of sin especially of that fountain of Original sin Vers 8. I would seek unto God and unto God would I commit my cause Upon the back of this consideration Eliphaz propounds his Exhortation and counsel To seek and turn in to God by repentance and in stead of quarrelling with him to stoop to him and referr his whole case to his disposal This is a sweet counsel in it self and very affectionately propounded as a course he would follow himself were he in Jobs case Yet it is loaden with a double prejudice as it is propounded to Job 1. That by this submission recommended by Eliphaz he intends that Job should quit his integrity and pretend no more that he had been a godly man For so Job understands him and their other discourses expound it so This was an unjust desire and Proposition that a godly man should lie against his right though he did indeed fail in the way of maintaining his integrity 2. Upon this it followeth that this Exhortation to seek to God imported in Eliphaz's sense that Job should begin of new to seek God not looking on any thing he had before as honest and sincere This is indeed an usual tentation of the people of God either in great tryals or when they fall into guilt that they are ready to look on all they had before as hypocrisie and that they must begin of new if they look ever to obtain saving grace But such tentations are to be rejected by sincere Saints as keeping them still unfixed building and destroying again Laying aside these prejudices and mistakes Learn 1. It is the duty of godly friends not to content themselves wâ—th reproving what they find amiss in others in an upbraiding way but to counsel thâ—m also how to amend For so doth Eliphaz proceed with Job according to his Principles After as he judged he hath condemned him he doth now advise him how to do better See Gal. 6.1 Jam. 2.50 2. Seeking unto God is the only best course for men in trouble To turn to him who smiteth to double diligence in his service that they may be near him in sad conditions and to renew their repentance according as their case requireth For this is a wholesome counsel to a man in trouble to seek unto God When men have essayed all other remedies they will find this most profitable 3. Such as do rightly seek to God in trouble ought to be far from all bitterness and
performing or not performing of them is in mercy Vers 27. Loe this we have searched it so it is hear it and know thou it for thy good This verse contains the Conclusion of the whole Discourse wherein he exhorts Job to hear and notice what is said Considering 1. That it is not rashly uttered but after serious search and grave deliberation 2. That it is true doctrine as they had found both in reason and experience so it is or so the matter stands and so is thy duty as I have told 3. That it would be Jobs good and profit to notice and apply it All this he speaks in name of all the Friends who it seems had consulted about it And indeed all of them all along speak to the same purpose This way of concluding according as Eliphaz judged of the matter and his mistake therein may teach 1. Men should not publish anything in the Name of God particularly to persons in distress but what is truth indeed and well grounded So much doth Eliphaz import while he hath spoken nothing but what he apprehends is so certain as he may say so it is 2. Such as would find out truth especially in the intricacies of Divine Providence ought to search painfully and take all the assistance from others they can have For saith Eliphaz in name of all the rest Lo this we have searched it 3. The advantage of sound Doctrine consists in the Application thereof made by the hearers which it is a pity it should be wanting when men have spent their time and strength to find it out For this is a general truth If a Doctrine be found sound upon search then know thou it for thy good or for thy self is the duty of every particular hearer 4. Such is the frailty of fallible men especially when they are prepossessed with prejudices and corrupt Principles that after much search for truth and confidence that they have found it out so that they dare recommend it to others yet they may still stick in the mire of Errour As here Eliphaz did after this search and his confident Assertion and serious Exhortation to Job CHAP. VI. In this and the following Chapter we have Job's Reply to Eliphaz's large Discourse recorded in the two preceeding Chapters He doth not succumb nor acquiesce in what was said but finding his case much mistaken and the cure mis-applied he replies at length and with much Eloquence in his own defence And that we may take up his scope in this Reply we are to consider that Job chap. 3. had complained that ever he was born or had a being to meet with so much misery and closeth that complaint with a desire to be now dead and a regret that he was not dead In answer to which the scope of Eliphaz's Discourse was To convince Job that it was a great fault yea an evidence of hypocrisie in him who had comforted others to complain so much under trouble Chap. 4 3-6 5.2 and his afflictions proving him wicked Chap. 4.7 c. 5.3 c. it were more fit for him to be seeking Reconciliation with God and studying patience under the hand of God in hope of Restitution then to be thirsting after death in such a condition Chap. 5 6-26 Now Job in answer to all this sheweth 1. That his complaints were not causeless 2. That being confident of his own integrity and hopeless to get through that trouble or to attain that restitution he promised him upon condition of repentance he did well in desiring to die The first of those is propounded ver 1. 7. The second ver 8. 13. Afterward he enlargeth both of them And he insists upon the cause of his complaints in a sad reproof of his friends for their inhumanity and unfaithfulness in dealing so harshly when they should have sympathized with him and comforted him Chap. 6.14 30. And his desire of death is very pathetically enlarged Chap. 7. in a Speech directed to God before his Friends having declined them as no fit Judges So this Chapter after an Historical Transition ver 1. Contains 1. Jobs excusing of his own complaints from the greatness of his trouble ver 2 3 4. and because his Friends afforded nothing that might ease him ver 5 6 7 2. His desire of death not only pressed with great vehemency ver 8 9. but endeavoured to be justified From the comfort he expected in death having the testimony of a good Conscience ver 10. From his inability to endure this trouble ver 11 12. and from his own skill to discern what is best for him ver 13. 3. His sharp reproof of Eliphaz and his other Friends for their inhumanity ver 14. and unfaithful disappointing of his expectation ver 15. 21. which he aggravates from the smalness of the favour which he expected from them ver 22 23. From his readiness to take with wholesom Instruction ver 24 25. From their under-valuing of his condition and what he said ver 26. and in a word From that eminent cruelty and unfaithfulness that appeared in their carriage ver 27.4 A Conclusion subjoyned to the former reproof which also is a Preface to what he hath further to say Wherein he desires that since they had so far mistaken and miscarried they would give him audience to speak for himself ver 28 29 30. Vers 1. But Job answered and said 2. Oh that my grief were throughly weighed and my calamity laid in the ballances together THe scope of the first part of the Chapter is to prove that Job had cause to complain as he did as is darkly expressed ver 5. and is to be understood throughout the rest of the verses And his first Argument ver 2 3 4. from the greatness of his trouble may be put in this form He whose great trouble presseth him so hard as he must seek some ease by complaining ought not to be censured as an impatient man or wicked But such is my trouble as will be found by any who shall weigh it impartially Therefore c. As for the force of this Argument in general or the first Proposition This may be granted 1. That men should not bewray their own unsubduedness by making too much noise about ordinary and lesser troubles But they should be put to it before they complain For Job doth not justifie his complaints if his trouble be not great 2. That Saints under great trouble are tenderly pitied by God when they pour forth their complaints to seek ease to themselves Provided they pour them out in Gods own bosom As we find Saints have laid their grievous tentations before him Isa 63.17 Jer. 15 18. But 3. Albeit God do tenderly pity the bitterness of his Children as pondering their grievous tentations and great troubles which extort those distempers and passions from them and will be far from judging them hypocrites or wicked men because of these fits of passion as Eliphaz did Yet this is withal to be considered that no
greatness of trouble can excuse any impertinent complaint against God or our birth day but they ought to be mourned for albeit God look tenderly on them And herein did Job fail as God afterward layeth to his charge But to follow the words in order Job passing the first part of the Argument wherein the great errour lay doth prove the greatness of his trouble or the Second Proposition by four instances and evidences thereof Whereof the first ver 2. is taken from their not pondering and weighing of his trouble This is indeed but an extrinsecal addition to his trouble yet he mentions it first as having at this time brought all the rest sadly to his remembrance which makes him begin so pathetically as a man over-whelmed and bring in the other evidences of his great trouble only to prove that they had not pondered it For as their former silence Chap. 2 13. occasioned in part that bitter sit Chap. 3. So now having heard Eliphaz speak with the approbation of all the rest Chap. 5.27 and not ponder his great affliction it rips up his wounds so much the more In sum his regret imports That if Eliphaz had weighed his trouble and felt it as he did he would have found his complaints not equal to his sorrow and trouble But since he did not so he could not be a fit Judge of this case nor be able to comfort him but would rather increase his sorrow the more And this is very true Though he saw Job in great trouble yet not only did he call it but a touch Chap. 4.5 but he did not ponder the matter so as to deal compassionately and tenderly with a distressed godly man but judging him to be an ungodly and wicked man did deal cruelly with him As for the words here of grief or indignation or anger for it is the word used by Eliphaz Chap. 5.2 and calamity they may be thus distinguished His grief may signifie his complaint and his calamity his trouble of which he complained And so his regret comes to this That Eliphaz who reflected upon his complaint did not lay that in the ballance with the trouble and tentations from which it flowed For then he should have found that his stroke was greater then his cry And however Job did err if this be his mind For no stroke upon him did justifie his complaints already and afterward uttered yet there is a general truth in it That if we look to the troubles of distempered souls we will find cause to pity many passions in them which yet cannot be justified 2 King 4.27 But the following verse will not allow us to rest on this distinction For there both his grief and calamity must be understood to be resumed and declared insupportably weighty Now it were contrary to Jobs scope to assert that his complaints were such For his aim is rather to extenuate then aggravate those Therefore if we make a difference for he speaks of them ver 3. in the singular number his grief may point out his inward vexations and tentations of mind and his calamity his outward trouble which together with Gods hiding of his face and their unseasonable silence and Eliphaz's impertinent doctrine did so disorder his mind Both those may come under one common name of tryal which changeth the speech into the singular number ver 3. and were the causes mediate or immediate of his complaint From this purpose Learn 1. It is the duty of godly men to maintain their own integrity Nor is it any evidence that a man doth not stoop under Gods correcting hand when he will not yield to unjust accusations against him For albeit Job was now crushed under the hand of God yet when Eliphaz reflects upon his integrity he couragiously replieth But Job answered and said c. 2. When God permits Controversies to arise amongst his people it may be expected that they will not only contribute to the â—ul or clearing of Truth and further manifesting of Errour But that thereby also mens passions and affections will be raised yea and even the weaknesses of the Friends of Truth discovered For so appears in this Debate Not only is Truth cleared and a gainer thereby in the issue But here in the very entry Jobs passion breaks out in a sad regret And though he spake much truth concerning his great trouble though it cannot be denied that his passion and distemper did heighten it and make it more grievous yet he stumbles in the very entry while he insinuates that his troubles did warrant him to complain as he did which the Lord doth not sustain as we heard in the Exposition 3. It is the duty of such as would be useful by their counsel to the afflicted seriously to ponder their case Not to look superficially upon their troubles but seriously to weigh them and that throughly or in weighing to weigh them in all their ingredients circumstances aggravations concomitants and effects and together in all the parts and branches thereof whether inward griefs and tentations or outward calamities Yea they ought to put themselves in the afflicteds stead before they resolve how to deal with them For Job looks for no good at their hand or that they could speak to his case who had not throughly weighed his grief and laid his calamity in the ballance together See Psal 41.1 Job 16.4 4. It is very rare to find a tender consideration of the afflicteds case among men even when they profess friendship yea and are really pious For Job may cry O that my grief were throughly weighed c. when he finds few to do it Yea his regret insinuatâ—s that his godly friend had not weighed it A mans own heart and not a stranger knoweth its bitterness Prov. 14.10 Self-love and present ease make the sad afflictions of others to be lightly regarded by many Job 12.5 Psal 123.4 Corrupt Principles concerning afflictions make others very cruel as the practice of Jobs friends doth teach Yea it is not easie even for a Child of God rightly principled and who in his own experience hath known the sharpness of afflictions and tentations but now doth only remember it as a thing long since past to be so sensible of the same affliction in the person of another as when himself was under it And therefore the Apostles who were to minister comfort to others were kept under exercise themselves 2 Cor. 1.3 4 5. This may teach Saints to lay their account that they may be left desolate and solitary in their troubles like Owls and Pelicans Psal 102.6 7. that so they may make much use of Christ who was a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs Isai 53 3. Heb. 4.15 5. It is a great addition to Saints troubles to miss sympathie from friends or any to give them so much ease and relief as impartially to weigh their condition For this is Jobs great regret and this did waken all his other troubles on him that his grief was
in debates As 1. The Friends being already engaged as hath been said hindered the discovery of their Errour by any thing he said 2. Job considered not that his necessity furnishing him with Oratory and Eloquence might make a lie very plausible as may be seen in his endeavour to justifie his desire of death Parts and Passion if Conscience do not over-rule will manage a bad cause strangly So that parts are a plague when men imploy them in an ill cause 3. Interest is very prevalent to hinder the fruit of Conference and debate No argument or debate could bring Jeroboam and his Successours to see the ill of the Golden Calves till the captivity discussed it It had been powerful light indeed which would have perswaded them to quit or hazard a Kingdom which they had usurped from the house of David This as it may teach us to lament the perversity of men who are ready to detain the truth in unrighteousness So also not to stuâ—ble albeit debates do nor decide differences among men till God come and determine where the lie is as he did in this debate 2. Let it not be iniquity ver 29. Some read it There shall be no iniquity That is if ye will hear me I freely forgive you all ye have wrongfully said hitherto Or do not fear that your hearing of me speak in my own defence shall be your sinâ— as if ye were faulty in not pleading for the holiness of God who afflicts me Others thus Let there be no iniquity That is when ye hear me let no iniquity which ye can mark in my discourse pass without a challenge But the Translation to which I adhere gives us this sense of the Argument That they should quit their prejudices and hear him lest as they had sinned in what they had done already So continuing therein it proved iniquity or an heinous sin and so it presseth the second branch of the Exhortation This teacheth 1. That the same action which in some respects and considered in it self may be accounted an infirmity yet being considered as vested with some circumstances is before God iniquity Thus Job accounts their persisting to oppose him iniquity This point may be true 1. In respect of the Principles of a course It is infirmity when men depart from God yet they do it not wickedly Psal 18.21 when they fall in a snare but through frailty when they err but it floweth simply from tenderness of the Conscience though erring But the same evils may be wickedness when followed wickedly malitiously with an high hand to serve an interest and reap advantage 2. In respect of perseverance An infirmity persisted in becomes iniquity it being incident to mâ—n to fall but devilish to lie still to fall and not arise to turn away and not return 3. In respect of the consequences of persevering in sin An infirmity faln in and persevered in doth not only draw on new sins but more obduration in the same sin A backslider turns an hater of such as persevere yea a persecuter of them Thus it was with Peter though mercy prevented the worst from denying his Lord and Master he comes to deny him with an Oath there after with an Oath and Curse And thus also Jobs Friends afterward turn more bitter in the debate and do witness little tenderness by their frequent reflections on him This may dash the Idol of mens credit and perswade them speedily to return from an evil course notwithstanding any disadvantage Doct. 2. Though men do ordinarily think light of sin if it be not followed with sad plagues yet sin in it self is very grievous to a godly man And if even infirmity ought not to be tolerated How much more will gross wickedness be hateful to right discerners For this is a strong Argument in Jobs account Return let it not be iniquity And thus did David judge when he esteemed so much of the pardon of the iniquity of sin Psal 32.5 3. My righteousness is in it v. 29. This presseth both parts of the Exhortation That they should hear him and consider the matter again and again notwithstanding their being engaged Considering how much it concerned him his righteousness which was his only prop and support being at the stake in the debate We need not inquire Whether Job speak here of the righteousness of his person by imputation of Christs Righteousness and of his way by Sanctification wherein he was Evangelically righteous or of the righteousness of his cause in debate betwixt them For both these were conjoyned here it being the very question debated betwixt them whether he was a righteous and godly man or not And for the strength and soundness of this Argument albeit Job looked so much to this his righteousness as made him forget his miscarriages in other particulars yet in this he is assoiled by God and declared a righteous man and being so it was his duty to maintain it Hence Learn 1. The Conscience of Integrity and Righteousness is a soveraign Cordial and support to a man in trouble For Job speaks of it as a thing of so great moment as he may not quit it My righteousness is in it So did Hezekiah find proof of its worth when he was threatned with death Isa 38.1 2 3. and David in his tryals and persecutions under Saul as appeareth from several of his Psalms This helps men to hold on their way Job 17.8 9. For such do walk surely Prov. 10.9 and have the testimony of their Consciences and consequently Gods approbation to comfort them Which should perswade us to a frequent use of that Prayer that integrity and uprightness may preserve us Psal 25.21 2 When men are under trouble they may expect that the testimony of their Consciences in the matter of their integrity will be assaulted whether by inward tentation or outward misconstruction or both For Job supposeth his righteousness is at the stake here This may not only be expected from the weakness of mens own spirits being broken with trouble from the malice of Satan who is not satisfied with any outward trouble upon Saints unless he disturb their peace and weaken their faith thereby and from the weakness prejudices and corrupt Principles of friends and observers But even the Lord hath an holy hand in it for the further tryal and exercise of his Children So that every thing which is quarrelled in a Saint under trouble must not therefore be cast as naught But 3. It is commendable in the people of God to maintain and cleave to their integrity when it is called in question by tentation from within and opposition and dispensations from without For so doth Job here notwithstanding he was afflicted by God and mistaken by his Friends It argueth great weakness when men subscribe to the truth of every doubt that tentation raiseth And they may approve themselves to God in defending their righteousness and integrity against tentation and under greatest disadvantages Psal 44.17 18 19. For not
dead as that question Psal 88.10 imports For so doth Job reckon If I saith he shall sleep in the dust thou shalt seek me in the morning to do me good and make good thy Promises to me His scope in which arguing is That since God must be faithful in his Promises to his people though he should seem even to destroy them and seeing it is not his ordinary way to shew wonders to the dead in bringing them back to life again that he may be kind to them Therefore he pleads that God would relent in time before he should destroy and then miss him And as this instance repoves them who do not believe in lesser dâ—fficulties So it may encourage them who in deadly extremities are thus bold and hazard fair on God 5. This arguing that it shall be speaking after the manner of men matter of grief to God when he shall seek him in the morning and he shall not be doth teach That Christ is not a little concerned how it fare with afflicted humble sinners fleeing to him Though they seem to bear their burdens all alone yet he is deeply concerned in his glory and by his promise to be the refuge of such oppressed ones They are so dear to him by reason of his purchase and his office and charge whereof he must give an account that if it were possible they should perish he would be a loser and that irreparably And however they may outwardly perish yet they shall go to ruine with his affection and their dry and scattered bones shall have a room in his heart This may remove all jealousie from them who love him and yet seem not to be beloved of him For a pursuer is upheld Psal 63.8 otherwise he could not pursue Only his love is not fond as creatures love is but the expressions thereof are ordered by Infinite Wisdom His love to us will not withhold what may try us how unpleasing soever it be He delights to make such discoveries of his grace in us such as Job manifests here by his hiding of his face He can let us apprehend what may make our tryal compleat and yet knoweth how to hinder it from taking effect and give us a blessed disappointment and He can let a Believer essay the dark passage of death in his exercise and yet bring him back from the gates thereof CHAP. VIII Job having thus answered Eliphaz doth not yet satisfie his Friends But gets as little rest in disputing as formerly he had Chap. 1. when Messengers of sad news came upon him one after another And therefore Bildad another Friend imployed after Eliphaz to confound him with their joynt opposition being wearied ere Job had ended his long Discourse if not interrupting him makes a second assault upon him Wherein nothing that he saith ver 5 6 20 21. gives any ground to think that he differed in his Principles from Eliphaz as if he judged not with Eliphaz that simply to be under outward afflictions especially great afflictions did prove a man to be wicked But supposeth that the godly may be in trouble for the tryal and exercise of their graces and only asserteth that they lie not long under it but so soon as they call God helps otherwise if men continue long in trouble it is an evidence of their wickedness For neither doth Job who understood his mind well enough give any hint of such a thing in his answer nor doth his own doctrine ver 11-19 taken from Antiquity come any thing of Eliphaz his Assertions And what he saith by way of mitigation is only to invite him to seek God and begin of new in hope of restitution wherein Eliphaz had also dealt And so their Principles being the same the mistakes in his doctrine maybe cleared by what hath been observed in Eliphaz his discourse In the Chapter we have 1. A General Refutation of all that Job had said in his own defence ver 1 2. 2. An asserting of the justice of God which he supposeth Job had wronged in his discourse and complaints ver 3. wishing him to adore this justice in the stroke inflicted on his Children ver 4. and make right use of it in his own stroke upon hope of favour ver 5 6 7. 3. A confirmation taken from the doctrine and consent of Antiquity ver 8 9 10. of the certain destruction of wicked hypocrites ver 11-19 4. A Conclusion subjoyned to this Doctrine wherein he invites Job to Repentance ver 20 21 22. Vers 1. Then answered Bildad the Shuhite and said 2. How long wilt thou speak these things and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind IN the very entry Bildad contradicts and repels all Job's defences as empty and vain challenging him that he should think to bear down his Friends and the truth they maintained with aboundance and vehemency of idle discourse like a strong wind hurrying all before it that comes in its way and wondering how Job can insist so long on that which he was weary to hear and which it seems his anger and indignation forced him to interrupt Thus doth he judge of all that the holy man had said in his great distress and perplexity And if we look upon this Doctrine in general abstracting from his mis-application it wil teach 1. Opposition unto truth though it may be very violent and make a great noise yet it will be but in vain and ineffectual like a strong wind which breaks it self upon a Rock but doth not overthrow the Rock So much doth his general Assertion though erring in the Application import 2. As it is a sin to engage in Errour and an ill course So to persist therein is intolerable and zeal against them who do so is very laudable For had Bildad been right and Job in the wrong it had been a commendable evidence of his zeal to expostulate How long wilt thou speak these things and the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind But if we look upon this challenge as coming from a man who himself was in the errour and as reflecting upon a afflicted Saint and his serious Discourses though mixed with some passion and frailty It teacheth 1. Afflicted Saints ought not to limit or prescribe any end to their own tryals but to resolve that they will have one assault upon the back of another till their tryal be perfected For no greatness of affliction on Job no sharp usage by Eliphaz and no Apology on his own hehalf can hinder Bildad from answering and setting sorrowful meat before him of new Such new assaults should tell us that God hath yet more to discover and try in us 2. Every renewed assault upon Saints will have something in it to give it an edge and add to the bitterness of what they lay under formerâ—y For albeit Bildad repeat only what was said bâ—â—ore by Eliphaz yet it hath this to sharpen it that it is spoken by another then Eliphaz and so Job
upon himself and do in so far call in question his holy and perfect Nature and Attributes 3. Though God be unquestionably righteous Yet his dispensations may at sometimes be such toward his people as they cannot easily reconcile his justice in his dealing with the testimony of their own Consciences concerning their own integrity For as Job could not reconcile these two and therefore complained so often that the righteous God dealt so with him who was a righteous man So this gave the rise to Bildad's stumbling and mistake of him who judged that Job could not but deny Gods righteousness so long as he pleaded his own integrity being so sore afflicted by God This as it bewrayes our blindness who are soon bemisted So it points out a great tryal of a mans integrity when it should seem the righteousness of God in afflicting him doth contradict any thing he can say for himself and yet he dare not quit his plea. 4. The study of Gods sovereignty will solve many difficulties in the sad lots and sufferings of Saints For this it was which Job forgot in his complaints and which Bildad did not mind in his challenge against Job Otherways the studying of Gods sovereignty in afflicting will leave to the afflicted righteous man the testimony of his good Conscience and yet take away all ground of quarrelling Gods sharpest dealing toward him Vers 4. If thy children have sinned against him and he have cast them away for their transgressions Bildad makes Application of this Assertion concerning the justice of God first in this verse to the case of Job's Children wishing him to adore Gods justice in dealing with them according to their desert and not to prove himself wicked by complaining of so just an act He only propounds the case and that very softly and by way of supposition that his Children were cut off for their sins and leaves the conclusion to be gathered by himself that therefore he should not quarrel Gods justice in this stroke This he doth partly out of tenderness toward Job who was so sadly afflicted in the loss of his Children of whose restauration there was no hope and partly because in the following verses he infers the conclusion in a contrary direction concerning his carriage in reference to what had befaln him or his Children In this doctrine concerning Job's Children we may observe these mistakes and failings 1. It was his errour to assert that none are suddainly cut off as Job's Children were but flagitious men sinners against God and transgressours For God may exercise even his dearest Children that way as Job asserts Chap. 9.22 and is aboundantly instanced in Scripture and yet put a difference betwixt them and the wicked in the life to come Outward dispensations of Providence have been of old made use of to plead against truth 2. It was his failing to judge so uncharitably of Job's Children merely upon the account of their afflâ—ctions when yet we find not that he had remarked any scandal in their lives Uncharitableness toward others whether without ground or on light ground is a great sin and an evidence that we are but little sensible of our own failings See Luke 13.1 5. 3. It was his fault to be so cruel to afflicted Job as that he will not suffer him to regret so sad a loss or to bemoan his wants but he will charge that upon him as wickedness and a charging of God with injustice as the dependance of this verse upon the preceding cleareth that to be his scope here Many grain-weights of allowance must be given and will be given by God to afflicted and broken spirits Yet this General Doctrine abstracting from his mistakes and failings may teach us 1. Real guiltiness not repented of will pursue the sinner till it bring him under the lash of vengeance For this is of truth If men sin against him he will cast them away or send them away by the hand of their transgression as it is in the Original Their sin will be the Executioner by whose hand God will send them to the pit Thus sin will find sinners out Numb 32.23 and it will pursue them at the heels till at last it overtake them and compass them about Psal 49.5 So that a man is never secure be his condition what it will so long as he is under unrepented sin 2. The Conscience of sin and guilt should stop the afflicteds mouth and leaves them nothing to say by way of quarrelling of Gods dealing For Bildad supposeth that if his assertion concerning Job's Children be true Job should have no more to say against Gods stroke and therefore he passeth over the conclusion with silence putting Job in mind to be silent also They are indeed not sensible enough of sin who quarrel their afflictions much Lam. 1.18 Hence it is that quarrellers are oftimes left to themselves to fall in sin or get their Consciences wakened upon them to make them sober See Psal 15.4 3. Just and irremediable strokes should be digested with silence nor should our affection keep up quarrels about what we cannot remedy For Job's Children who were deer to him being now gone and that not only justly as Bildad thought but irrecoverably there was no reason nor was it to any purpose to continue his quarrelling and complaints Thus was Aaron silenced Lev. 10.3 In such a case the next remedy and victory is to bear our cross Jer. 10.19 and not to lose our selves by impatience Luke 21.19 when we have lost our beloved mercies by the hand of God 4. The Lord may so order the tryals of his people that what is their own tentation and fear others may make it an accusation and challenge against them For what Job feared of his Children in their feasting Job 1.5 which was the time when they were cut off Job 1.18 19. Bildad doth now charge upon them This is made our lot that it may touch and try us neerly when our own tentations and the accusations of others do so concur together And as sometime the Lord hereby trieth our humility and ingenuity if we will take a challenge from others for what we can be content to charge upon our selves So oft-times God makes use of this as a mean to drive his people from some tentations wherewith they are much vexed till by such challenges they be rouzed up to examine better the truth of those fears which do so much haunt and perplex them Vers 5. If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes and make thy supplication to the Almighty 6. If thou wert pure and upright surely now he would awake for thee and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous 7. Though thy beginning was small yet thy latter end should greatly increase In these verses Bildad in the second place makes application of this Doctrine concerning Gods justice to Job's own case And exhorts him that in stead of quarrelling what was inflicted on his sons or himself he would seek the right use
to study to get light themselves from Godâ— in the use of lawful means whâ—ch will prove both sweetest and surest Therefore he puts Job himself to search for light in what he had told him For enquire I pray thee Iâ— is a dangerâ—us snare when the consideration of persons to whoâ—â— light and honesty we lean sways us in the matter of opinion This cost that Prophet dâ—ar when he suffered himself to be seduced by the Old Prophet contrary to the light himself had received from the Lord 1 King 13. And all men being liars they cannot â—e iâ—fallible guides yea become an Idol oâ— jealousie and God is provoked to leave them to miscarry when any doat upon them as iâ— they could not go wrong 2. Albeit experience cannot make a Role to the prejudice of the word yet the 〈◊〉 of many generations if well and truly observed is a great mercy to posterity whereof they should make uâ—e for attaining knowledge when they may hâ—ve it upon the expence of others and at so eaâ—â—â— a 〈◊〉 to thâ—mselves Hereby they may be consumed in many truths which are so constantly and universally verified and hereby if they study and improve them well they may be no less wise then if they had lived in all ages that have gone before For here there is the former age or their immediate and neâ—rer progenitours and their fathers or the ages before those to whom Bildad remits Job to enquire of them and seek resolution from them And indeed the longer the world continueth ignorance and instability especially in some frequently verified truths will be the greater sin 3. Truth will not be savingly and to purpose found out without diligence and painfulness For albeit Bildad account this a common known truth in all ages yet he bids Job inquire and search For beside that their way of coming by knowledge in those days called for much pains to remark all the passages of Providence and experiences of others so as to gather general rules from them when as yet the Word was not written Hereby men testifie their estimation of truth when they will be at pains for it Prov. 2.3 4 5. Hereby they are enabled to discern any delusion that they may insinuate it self under the mask of Truth And hereby what they learn takes impression upon them when they do not take a superficial view of it but do labour painfully to digest it 4. Truth will not be found out even by such as search after it without fixedness and prepâ—â—â—tion For saith he prepare or fix thy self to the search A man that would find out truth must be fixed in love to truth and in making it his work to know it Prov. 18 1. and must prepare himself for speeding in that enquiâ—y by humility by denying of himself his interests and passions by Prayer by submitting in his practice and affections to the truths he already knows c. Otherwise he may take much pains and yet speed ill From ver 9. Learn 1. As the time of man on earth is short like an unconstant and declining shadow so by reason hereof he is able to attain to little experimental knowledge but is ready to go out of the world as great a fool as he came into it For therefore doth Bildad remit Job to the search of the fathers for we are but of yesterday and know nothing c. We ought to be sensible of this disadvantage of our short time that we may not trifle away the moment we have of it 2. It is the duty of persons of age to know much and of those who are younger to be sensible of their ignorance For so doth Bildad suppose that the former age and their fathers ver 8. knew much whereas saith he We know nothing or know not but are ignorants in comparison of them as being but of yesterday and our days upon earth as a shadow 3. Though God alone be true and every man a lyar yet it becomes those who are younger to reverence age and experience being sensible of their own ignorance rashness and precipitancy For so doth Bildad inferr that considering their own disadvantages they should consult with their Fathers And it was a sound counsel provided Antiquity were not mistaken nor any experience of men allowed to prescribe unto truth 4. It is a commendable property in men when they have a low estimation of themselves and their abilities and do highly esteem of others For so much is commendable in Bildad that he debaseth himself and others in the present time in comparison of those who went before See 1 Cor. 8.2 Phil. 2.3 5. Errour may not only be maintained by a godly man such as Bildad was and with much confidence as he bids Job himself search into Antiquity upon this subject but with much humility also as here Bildad is so humble when he is asserting an errour Delusion may not only be admitted where there is much good but Satan may fasten tentations unto errours upon tenderness love to holiness and other good inclinations in man Which may teach us not to glory in men and to be upon our guard that in our best things Satan do not over-reach us From ver 10. Learn 1. No sincere endeavour for knowledge in the due use of lawful means shall be without success For shall they not teach thee and tell thee saith he or by speaking to thee as the word is and communicating their experience in the following doctrine they shall teach and instruct thee Where their fore-fathers who were dead and gone are said to speak to the present generation by the instructions transmitted by them And this far this doctrine is true that such endeavours shall not be in vain if it were but to discover our ignorance to us Prov. 30.2 3. 2. Teachers ought solidly to digest what they are to teach and communicate to others and gravely and without passion and prejudice to utter it so as it may appear they speak from the heart For this is commendable in these Teachers to whom he remits Job they will utter words out of their heart or the experiences they transmit will be found to be gravely and seriously digested by them and laid up for the use of others as truths of great moment See 2 Cor 4 13. 3. Much and long experience is little enough for rooting of the knowledge of divine truths in our hearts and for making of us serious in them For it is from those of former ages who lived long and observed much that he would have Job expecting this that they will not hide but communicate their light and will utter words out of their heart 4. A child of God may meet with this sharp tryal that when his condition is agreeable to the word yet the experiences of many ages may seem to be against him and condemn him For so was it with Job here Bildad would assure him that grave serious men in all ages would witness against him when yet he
his works of Providence and that not only by a sudden glance but so as he may be viewed at leisure as a man going by and passing on before another and yet he could not take him up even in those And how much less could he comprehend the depth of Gods Wisdom and Justice which his eyes saw not so as to contend about it Hence Learn 1. The Lord doth present himself before man from day to day in his works so as himself may be seen in them For He goeth by me and passeth on also See Acts 14.17 17.27 28. 2. God manifesting himself thus in his works is but little seen or perceived by the best of men For He passeth by me and I see him not he passeth on also but I perceive him not Not only are men not aware but surprized in extraordinary manifestations Gen. 28.16 But even in common things either we see not his hand in them or but in few of them and wherein we see most we see but little of what of him shines in them So it appeareth by these Questions Chap. 38. 39. that we are but ignorant of what is to be seen in the very course of Nature and revolutions of seasons and humane affairs Providences are a dark Book which men will not easily learn to read aright 3. It is not enough that men have notional contemplations of mans ignorance but they must experimentally know it in themselves as Job here instanceth in his own person I see him not I perceive him not 4. Such as come experimentally to know their ignorance of God in common things will be affected therewith and excited thereby to admire him who is so incomprehensible even in such things Therefore he premits a note of attention and admiration to this Lo he goeth by me c. 5. Our ignorance and inadvertency in most common things ought not only to humble us but especially ought to guard us against quarrelling of the depth of the Wisdom and Righteousness of God in more singular dispensations For that is the scope here That if Job saw not God as he ought in common things how could he think to pry so into his dealing about him as to contend with him The study of this would teach us that when we look on things unbeseeming as we conceive the wisdom righteousness and holiness of God we should complain of our own weakness and not challenge God And instead of quarrelling we ought to admire his goodness who will imploy such an unsearchable depth and mystery of wisdom about us and do that good to us and for us which we so often mistake and quarrel Vers 12. Behold he taketh away who can hinder him who will say unto himn What doest thou The third General Argument confirming this Assertion concerning the Righteousness of God and that he is not to be contended with is taken from his power attended with Soveraignty If God come to deprive a man of any enjoyment he hath there is no resisting of him by force seeing he is Omnipotent not ought there to be any question made of the justice of the fact seeing he hath absolute dominion and is not accomptable to any And therefore it may well be concluded that it is folly to contend with him as unrighteous in his dealing Hence Learn 1. The creatures enjoyments are in Gods hand to dispose of them as he pleaseth and he doth sometime see it fitting to take them away even in a violent manner and so as may most affect the creature For it is an evidence of his dominion to be marked and adored Behold he taketh away even as a Lion takes his prey as the word imports This may warn men to be fitted for wanting more then ever they wanted even so long as they have any thing to be taken away and it teacheth them not to fix their hearts upon any enjoyment For that is the ready way to make the righteous owner claim it when it becometh an idol and to make the removal and loss of it more violent and bitter to them 2. When God is pleased thus to strip a man there is no standing out against him nor any victory attainable but by submission the want whereof augments crosses For Behold he taketh away who can hinder him or turn him away from prosecuting his purposeâ— See Lev. 10.3 3. It is not sufficient submission when men simply quit what is taken from them because they cannot help it unless also they give over quarrelling of God in their minds as being Soveraign Lord and proprietary of all they enjoy and he from whom no reason of actions ought to be required Therefore unto that Who can hinder him is added Who will say or dare and ought say unto him What dost thou And here our subjection unto God must begin till he please to give some further account of his dealing as seemeth good unto him See Isa 45.9 Jer. 18.6 Rom. 9.20 Vers 13. If God will not withdraw his anger the proud helpers do stoop under him 14. How much less shall I answer him and chuse out my words to reason with him After these more General Arguments Job bringeth the dispute home to his own case and produceth several special grounds and reasons why he is not resolved to contend with God The first whereof in these verses is founded upon his comparing of himself with others He had observed and was perswaded that if God should let out his anger against contenders neither they nor the stoutest help of created power or proud nature could resist him but would certainly succumb unless himself remitted of his anger and quit the plea ver 13. And therefore it were folly in him to enter the lists with God either as a Defendant to answer him or as a Plaintiff to choose out my words to reason with him or my words with him as it is in the Original that is words wherewith to manage my plea in the contest with him In general it may be Observed That it is not enough that men have sound general Principles unless they do improve them in practice in their own particular cases and exigents wherein many who have sound light in General Truths do come short through the prevalency of tentation passion and distempers For Job is not contented with the former general Arguments but brings them home to press his own duty in his particular tryal And albeit Job cannot be assoiled from acting contrary to all those Principles in his contending with God yet his method in his discourse doth clearly point out our duty which is to endeavour to walk in particular exigents and tryals according to that sound light which we have of general Truths and to fix our selves in resolutions of patience and submission upon solid grounds and principles More particularly From ver 13. Learn 1. There is in man much unsubdued pride ready to break forth even against God by contending with him about his dealing and dispensations For so is here
God thou shalt plunge me whereas before and after he is speaking to his Friends Vers 32. For he is not a man as I am that I should answer him and we should come together in judgment 33. Neither is there any days-man betwixt us that might lay his hand upon us both 34. Let him take his rod away from me and let not his fear terrifie me 35. Then would I speak and not fear him but it is not so with me Job's second proof that he is righteous is his humble offering if he might to justifie himself before God that he was sincere and free of that hypocrisie wherewith his Friends charged him In this discourse he both gives a further reason of his declining to pretend to sinlesness and therefore it is connected with what precedes by the particles For by shewing that as the matter stood he could not noâ— durst debate the matter with God considering the inequality of the parties in themselves v. 32. and that there was no superior Judge to whom recourse might be had v. 33. And yet he proves his sincerity by offering to plead his cause on more equal terms v. 34 35 In sum the purpose and his offer may be thus conceived That albeit there can be no pleading against God as unrighteous nor any contending with him according to the strict rule of justice For God is Supreme Lord and he being but a poor creature could not answer nor defend himself against his challenges who knew him better then himself did nor were they equal parties to engage in a debate v 32. Nor yet is there any Superiour Judge or aâ—guer or reprover that is to reprove him who did wrong his party â—n pleading and by his sentence reprove him that had the wrong cause who might lay his hand upon them both or use his power to bring both parties together to judgment to ordain a Law and enforce the parties to stand to the sentence But God is Supreme having dominion over him at his pleasure and by the rigour of the Law might condemn him v. 33. Yet if God would take away the present rod that was upon him and remove his terrour which confounded him he would plead his cause without fear and maintain that he was sincere according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace and no hypocrite v. 34 35 This reasoning whatever sound truths be in it is not handsomely expressed For it speaks an indirect challenge that he was put to a disadvantage in maintaining of his integrity Nor can it be denyed but this way of offering to maintain his integrity savours of too much height of spirit though he haâ— a good cause And as this began his ill humour of complaining which breaks out Chap. 10. So it is at this and the like speech Job 13.20 21 22. which Elihu hinâ—s in his offâ—r Job 33.6 7 And God himself gives him the check for these and the like speeches when he calls him to dâ—bate with him Job 38.3 40 7 Hence we may be warned how hard it is to keep a right frame of spirit toward God under trouble and to bear and manage a good Conscience when we are afflicted so as it may be a support to us and not an occasion of challenge against God that such as we are afflicted But laying aside this weakness in his discourse we may Observe these Truths in it 1. However vain man swell high in his own eyes and do carry so as if he had no equal or Superiour and Lord over him yet there is an infinite distance betwixt God and Man For saith he He is not a man as I am but the great Lord. See Eccl. 6.10 Jer. 49.19 This distance both in respect of his dreadful Majesty and blessed perfections we should mind in all our ways when we are presumptuous in sinning Psal 50.21 when we approach to God Eccl. 5.1.2 when we expect good things from him according to his promise Hos 11.8 9. Num. 23.19 c. 2. When God is rightly taken up in his Majesty and Holiness man will see that he cannot answer God nor defend himself before him or abide his strict enquiry and judgment who seeth more of man then he can see of himself and who judgeth not only on words and actions but on a mans nature and inclinations For He is not a man as I am that I should answer him See 1 Cor. 4.4 Psal 143.2 3. As the man who knoweth God will see that he cannot abide his strict judgment So far less will he dare to quarrel so Supreme so Holy and All-seeing a Party or deal with him as if he were his equal For He is not a man as I am that we should come together in judgment as equal Parties who have liberty of mutual accusations Every quarreller would make God but his equal but they dare not attempt that who know that all they have is of him 4. God ought also to be acknowledged to have supreme and absolute dominion and to be accountable to none For neither is there any days mâ—â— betwixt us that might lay his hand upon us both And the study of his Soveraignty is enough to silence all our reasonings against him 5. Afflictions may give a sore daâ—h to mâ—ns câ—urage in maintaining their integrity even according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace For saith he let him take his rod away from me before I dispute my honesty Saints ought not to stâ—mble albeit sorâ— afflictions shake their confidence and courage not a little 6. That which makes trouble so apt to shake Saints is their apprehending God as terrible and dreadful through that Perspective of 〈◊〉 Therefore he addeth being under the rod and let not his fear terrifie me God may seem to be terrible to them whom he loveth dearly And albeiâ— it be the Saints weakness â—ot to sâ—e love under that yet it iâ— an evidence of their tenderness that they are apprehensive of iâ— when afflicted and can bear it woâ—â—t of any other ingredient in their cup. 7. Integrity as it hath sâ—â—ll to do with God as its Judge and Witness So it will not decline his Judgment on a Mercy-seat and looks fâ—â— best quarters at his hand As knowing that he sâ—eth infirmities in his sincere servants to cover and â—mend them Psal 139.23 24. For on these terms formerly mentioned Then would I speak saith he and 〈◊〉 feaâ— him Where though the height of his spirit in this offer cannot be justified yet he seems â—o mean no other thing by this not fearing but that he would speak without fear of perturbation not without fear of reverence 8. Whatever disadvantage integrity meet with yet it will never quit its claim For then would I speak saith he He is ready to dispute though as mâ—â—â—ers stand he dare not So that they who have a good Conscience and want these disadvantages may be bold As for that which is subjoyned in the end of v 35. by way of regret But
it is not so with me Some read it as a reason of his offer Because I am not so with my self as if he had said I would debate my cause with God upon the terms propounded because I am nothing such in my own Conscience as your misapprehensions and aâ—â—ersions would represent me which yet do not move me sâ—â—ce I have a witness in my self to the contrary But the best reading according to the Original is But or because not so I with my self And so it contains both a regret and a resolution As if he had said seeing I am not so as I desire to be that I might plead my cause I have not that advantage to be delivered from Gods rod and terrour that I might get such an heaâ—ing of my cause Therefore I will give over to propound or make the offer and will do the best I can to digest all my grievances with my self in my own bosom A further account of which resolution is subjoyned in the next Chapter Whence Learn 1. Saints may be under disadvantages which God will not remove when they please and yet may remove them when they look upon them as past remedy For saith he But not so I. He obtained not now his desired liberty to plead his cause though afterward he did both with Elihu and God himself albeit the issue was not altogether such as he expected 2. Silent submission under hard dispensations is better then any disputation and quarrelling For so doth he resolve Because not so I with my self CHAP. X. Job having hitherto answered to what Bildad had said Partly concerning Gods Righteousness by acknowledging and magnifying of it Partly concerning his own righteousness by asserting and proving that without any prejudice to the Righteousness of God who had afflicted him he was a righteous man He cometh now to obviate what was insinuated in Bildad's discourse Namely That Job considering Gods Righteousness who had afflicted him and his own unrighteousness should seek to God and give over his complaints To this Job answers by his practice falling upon and renewing his wonted complaints Yet so as he indirectly labours to justifie his practice before his Friends in that he was so hard put to it before he began ver 1. And he more directly labours to justifie it in that he quits them as unfit Judges and dare go to God with his complaints and in that he presseth them home in his own judgment upon so strong and convincings grounds Some of which grounds are indeed sound Truths and clearly and positively asserted by him yet not sufficient to bottom his Conclusions or his Inferences from them proceed upon a mistake Others of them discover him to be brought to a great conflict betwixt faith and his tentation and present sense wherein he owns Truth but with a great debate And others of them declare him to be overpowred with his passion though he calm a little toward close of his discourse The Chapter may be taken up in two Parts In the first whereof to v. 20. we have his complaint or his endeavour to ease his sorrows by complaining This might be taken up in the rise of his complaint v. 1. The Proposition of it v. 2. and the prosecution of it v. 3 c. But I shall sum it up thus There is a complaint carried on in this Discourse which may be summed up in an expostulation with God that he did so sharply afflict him breaking him with present trouble and threatning him with more trouble yea even to cut him off with trouble This sum of his Expostulation may be gathered from ver 2 3 8 9 16 17. And his expostulating about this doth imply a request that God would not deal so with him This being scope of Job's Discourse the whole of it may be taken up in so many Arguments tending not only to justifie his complaints before his Friends as hath been said but chiefly to enforce his complaint and press his desire before God For as he judgeth there was no reason why his Friends should censure his complaint and much reason why God should regard it and change his dealing toward him Considering that he was put hard to it before he did complain ver 1. That it is hard measure if he be condemned before he be convinced of the cause and crime ver 2. That it doth not beseem God by dealing so hardly with him to oppress and sleight his own creature and servant and to seem to favour the wicked ver 3. That Good needs not this way of torturing him to find out what he is ver 4 5 6. That God knew he was not wicked and yet that would not avail him unless himself withdrew his hand ver 7. That God had made and preserved him and therefore he cannot but regret that he should so violently destroy his own workmanship ver 8.9 10 11 12 13. That he can see no cause of Gods dealing thus nor what God meant or intended by all this severity ver 14 15. That his trouble had put him in great confusion and therefore he thinks God should look to the greatness of his trouble which so confounded him ver 15 16 17. And that his trouble was so great it made him repent his being born and wish he had died from the womb ver 18 19. In the second part of â—he Chapter Job calming a little doth suâ—joyn to his former Expostulation a short Petition for respite and leave to breath a while before he died ver 20 21 22. Vers 1. My soul is weary of my life I will leave my complaint upon my self I will speak in the bitterness of my soul THis verse contains an account of the rise of Job's Expostulation and complaint which is the first Argument pressing his Friends not to misconstruct him and pleading with God that he would regard it and not deal so sharply with him For when he had resolved to smother his griefs Chap. 9.35 yet he could not but they made his life a burden to him And when again he laboured to suppress his complaints because of such a case yet he could not prevail But at last after many resolutions to the contrary his bitterness by reason of much affliction burst forth in a complaint and made him â—ry if he could find ease by so eloquent a way of pouring out his sorrows before God From which he leaveth it to be inferred That it beseemed God to respect such a complaint and the afflictions which pressed it out of him which were so great that he could not refrain from that way of it which was so contrary to his frequent resolutions and desires And That it was his Friends duty not to judge hardly of him though he complained when he was so pressed and put to it In general Obs 1. Gods Children while they are within time are made up of Flesh and Spirit Nature and Grace which under trouble will have strong wrestlings one with another taking resolutions time about
much mud and such gross tentations and fiery darts be cast in 2. Sense will soon weary under trouble and be ready to subscribe to the worst that tentation can say or suggest For the positive Assertions implied in these Questions were the language of Sense and it is Faith only that can so much as question them See Psal 31.22 Lam. 3.18 19. Isa 38.11 and frequently Saints bewray their weakness in this Sense must still be bribed ere it will speak good of God and hence it proves our greatest enemy in ill times And this may also suggest to us that our first thoughts of our case and of Gods dealing under trouble are not readily the truth they are but our sense faintness and hast taking the first start of us till faith follow after and correct them Psal 31.22 116.11 12. Jonah 2.4 3. In times of greatest tentations and faintings some small sparkles of faith and honesty will still appear in Gods people For here when tentation and sense are uppermost and faith is very far from triumphing over difficulties yet it appears in those questions Thus Saints in the midst of their saddest complaints call God their God Isa 40.27 49.14 This may encourage wrestlers considering that God marks their weak endeavours as the fruits of true faith though themselves judge not so Yea he will esteem more of these wrestlings then when we are fairest before the wind in our believing it being most eminent and cleanly faith when there is least of sense going along with it to help it And albeit the Lord do reprove weak faith and will much more be angry at those mistakes which do so overcharge faith yea albeit weakness of faith may obstruct Believers in their doing of eminent service Matth. 17.19 20. yet God never refused to do the weak Believers business Mar. 4.39 40. 9.22 24 25. and the Psalmist even by such wrestlings under tentation came to prevail at length Psal 77.7 8 9 with 10. 4. It is the duty of the people of God and an evidence of grace and faith in them that they do not willingly admit of an ill report of God and that they are not prone to misbelieve or to set their seal to what Tentation and Sense say and to close with every report that their own hearts would bring up of God For when Job's sense not only thought these things but will needs utter them in a complaint to God that he oppressed and despised him faith makes a question of them when it can do no more As it is our fault that we are slow of heart to believe Luk. 24.45 so also that there is in us a willingness to misbelieve and cast away our confidence which is forbidden Heb. 10.35 and was the fault of that wicked King 2 King 6.33 And albeit whenever we distrust and do not believe there is much of will in it Joh. 5.40 yet then especially are we guilty of wilfulness in that sin when we look not upon faith as a commanded duty and so mourn not for the want of it as for other sins but it may be plead for it â—s Jonah did for his passion Jon. 4.9 When we are not as careful yea more careful to study what may strengthen faith as we are to study what may discourage us when we will not imploy the little faith we have in wrestling and debating with sense and tentations because we have not that faith which might easily carry us over all our tentations and when we will not simply at Gods command cast out the net of believing but will turn judges of the Promises and of the profit of believing 2 King 6.33 and when we find things hard or improbable in our bitterness we cast all our confidence away This is an evil we should be careful to avoid Considering That faith how weak soever is most commendable when we are most unwilling to part with it in great difficulties That the sin of unbelief is heinous enough in disobeying God reproaching him forsaking our own mercy c. even when it flows from our infirmity and weakness albeit we do not make it our wilful iniquity by giving up our selves to it without any appearing of the grace of God to witness against it That zeal for God should cause us not be taken alive as the word will read 2 Tim. 2.26 by his Enemy unbelief far less will it allow us voluntarily to turn to his Enemies party That wilful misbelievers do cast away that shield which should cover them and all their armour Eph. 6.6 And what can be the issue of that but deadly wounds one upon the back of another and what will they do next when they have cast away their confidence or will any condition bring an issue till they return to believe again as the Psalmist found Psal 77.7 8 9 with 10. And That God may be provoked to make unbelief the punishment of the wilful distruster when he would gladly be rid of it as finding how it crusheth and sinketh him but cannot 5. Weak and willing believers may be excited and and notably strengthened to resist tentation and the suggestions of Sense by studying the Nature of God how unsutable that is to him which Sense suggesteth what a wrong is done to him by its conclusions and how absurd it were to judge so of God as it would represent him For so doth Job's faith here militate against the suggestions of his sense Is it good unto thee that thou shouldst oppress c As if he had said Can this be said of thee without a notable injury done to thy holiness goodness c. 6. Those suggestions of sense which faith questioneth as absurd and yet cannot answer nor repel them must be propounded and laid out before God that he may clear them For so doth Job here speak the matter to God Is it good unto thee c Where as the matter questioned which he uttereth is the language of sense for which Job is afterward reprehended So his propounding of it by way of question unto God imports beside his infirmity and weakness in the thing a complaint of it to God and a calling upon him to resolve the difficulty And this is a more profitable way of discussing tentations then to take counsel about them in our own hearts the result whereof will be sorrow Psal 13.2 See also Psal 73.15 16 17. Secondly Having spoken in general to the way of pleading and to faith and senses part in it I come in the next place to consider what is Faith and Graces part in this Argument For all those apprehensions of sense being questioned by faith it imports not only that they are not true of which I shall make further use on the next Head but that they were grievous to his spirit to apprehend such things in Gods dealing Hence we may gather those sound Truths here 1. Though the Lord be Soveraign and Absolute yet he is an holy and righteous God who takes no pleasure
of their case Likewise it warns men not to doat or test upon the approbation of others even of the best for that will fail them if they lean to it and doth readily fail them when they have most to do 3. The heat of contention doth very soon distemper men For this makes Zophar though he came to comfort Job not only to misconstruct him but rail and reflect upon him Contention should neither be needlesly starred nor entertained when it is begun for it is a fruit of pride which will break forth in insolency But if we leave the misapplication and look upon this Doctrine abstractly and in general we will find useful Instructions in it As 1. Men use to take many strange-ways to defend an untruth and wrong cause so Zophar's allegeance imports in general One of their great engines is to make use of a multitude of words as if they were all made of lips and talk They will say so much as might weary any to hear it And will study to bear down their opposites with clamours and other assiduous activity And because this is not enough but would soon be discovered if it were only empty talk therefore as untruth gets not always men of the worst parts to own it they will guild over their cause and their discourses about it with lies and specious pretexts and fine devices to make them appear plausible that so men may be taken with them And to fortifie all those their devices they will mock or contemn and affront and vilifie all those that oppose them and discover the cheat These are some of the pranks of men embarqued in an ill cause which should excite others to be much more active for the truth 2. All those endeavours of men will not avail to make an untruth prove true They are only the washing of a Blakmore who will never be white For so doth Zophar here also insinuate Let men act what part they please yet truth is still one thing and busked-up discourses and cunning conveyances are another And albeit there be many simple fools who think they are rightest who speak most who measure and judge of men by their tongues and are ready to take Counters for Gold and Impudence for Confidence yet Wisdom will be justified of her Children and wise discerners will judge otherwise 3 These sinistrous courses do not only noâ— assoil an Error but will add to his sin who thus labours to justifie it For this question Should a man full of talk be justified imports that it shall not justifie but condemn him For if it be true in general that in the multitude of words there wants not sin Prov. 10.19 How much more must it be true in this case Yea lying and insolency in maintaining an untruth doth justly meet with shame and ignominy atlast as Zophar insinuates if not repented of 4. It is the duty of the friends of Truth not to abandon it but to stand to the defence thereof whatever be the strenuous and witty endeavours of these who oppose For so doth Zophar reckon that the multitude of words should be answered and lies should not make men hold their peace c. Even a fool should be answered in his folly though not according to it Prov. 26.4 5. Truth is to be striven and contended for in opposition to Errour Phil. 1.27 Jude v. 3. and even mocked and despised Truth must not be abandoned And here the Text furnisheth us with Arguments to press this 1. That it is an accession to mens guilt and a justifying of them if we hear them babble and do not answer 2. That our obligation to Truth should make us bold and not hold our peace when lies would bear it down 3. That it is a neglect of duty and kindness to men not to make them ashamed and bear them down when they are insolent and mockers The Text doth also insinuate means to help us to set about this duty 1. That we be not simple or taken with shews and fair pretences and discourses as Zophar declares he was not 2. That we love Truth well as our best friend to be preferred to all other friends As Zophar will be for it and against a supposed lie even in the mouth of his dear friend Job 3. That we be self-denyed that so the stream of insolent opposition may not deterr nor drive us from our duty to God to Truth and to the soules of others seduced or seducers For Zophar when he supposeth Job not only to be in an errour but an insolent mocker will not be deterred from making him ashamed Vers 4. For thou hast said My doctrine is pure and I am cleane in thine eyes In the second part of the Chapter we have a more particular and express endeavour to refute what Job had said And in the first place in this v. he states the question and gathers from Job's former discourses a Thesis or proposition which he intends to refute Namely That Job had asserted that himself was sound and orthodox in his judgment particularly in asserting that God did aflict both good and bad men as it pleased him which it seems Zophar gathered from Chap. 6. 10. 9.22 And that he was upright in Gods sight though afflicted which it seemeth he gathered from Chap 10.7 Now in this as Zophar doth Job right in clear stating of the controversie and charging nothing upon him but what might be gathered from his discourse So this sum of Job's discourse is no untruth nor chargeable with any fault except his maintaining of it too stiffely before God And Zophar erred in challenging this as an untruth and looking on Job not as clean but as a wicked man as appears from the refutation and especially from his counsel to Job to repent of his wickedness ver 13 14. It may be also Zophar erred further in taking Job's expression of his own cleanness in this sense as it appears from the refutation he did that Job meant that he was sinless Which he never intended to assert though his expressions were not cautious nor sober enough Hence Learn 1. A compleatly good man is he who is both found in point of Doctrine and Religion and upright in his Conversation whose Doctrine is pure and who is clean in his Conversation Ill Principles are a great defect whatever mens Conversation be and will draw on loose practices And such as walk loosly ought not to please themselves with their soundness in their Religion but ought rather to search out and abandon those bad Principles from which their loose walking doth flow 2. Uprightness and purity of life is truly and only such when it is so in Gods sight For so did Job judge that he was a blameless man when he was clean in Gods eyes Not spotless but sincre Not clean so as to boast of it before God but so as to abide his tryal in a Mediatour Without this neither our own nor others approbation should satisfie us 1. Cor.
able to make it convincing to others nor though his light were convincing as to that point of Truth is he able to search out and discover all these idols and lusts which imbarque men in ways of Errour and against Truth And though he could discover all these yet he is not able to over-awe man nor put him from his pride which will not suffer him to be convinced or to retract what he is engaged in for another man All this lets us see what a Tyrant Eâ—â—our is when men once give up themselves slaves to it And how much need there is of humble self-denyal and humble dependance on God in those who would effectually oppose it Job 32.13 2 Cor. 10.4 5. 2 Tim. 2.25 26. 2. God is able to convince and argue a man out of his Errours were he otherwise never so stiffe and obstinate in them For he puts it upon God to speak and open his lips against him as knowing he could effectually convince He can hold out light clearly and make it convincing He can turn mens idols and lusts which do engage them into dâ—ttays which their Consciences cannot refuse and he can cause his terrour drive men from their Errours This sheweth that matters are not hopeless in times when Errour prevaileth though mens abilities and diligence prove ineffectual And it warneth these who will not be convinced of their Errours by others to beware of making God their party 3. The wisdom of the Lord is a secret a great and unsearchable depth and his footsteps in his proceedings are not easily traced For there are the secrets of wisdom See Psal 147.5 This calls for sobriety in our inquiries about the counsels of God and that we avoid presumption and conceit of our knowledge and wisdom 4. God himself is the only discoverer of his deep counsels to men in so far as is for their good and behoof For He must shew the secrets of wisdom He must not only give us his Word whereby we may understand so much as is needful of his working but must open our eyes to take up what is revealed there Psal 119.18 And therefore we must not go about this search in our own strength 5. It is in particular one secret of the wisdom of God that he knows much more of us then we can know of our selves For in this the secrets of wisdom are double according to the Law to that which consists in our own soundest judgment and knowledge as hath been explained His Law is spiritual Rom. 7.14 And the best sight of our selves cannot bring us up to know the truth of our selves according to the sentence of the Law beside that we are oft-times blinded with tentation desertions lusts self-love c. and so cannot discern what otherwise might be obvious enough unto us This tells us that in our best estate within time we should be far from any conceit of perfection 1 Cor. 4.4 And that we should rather beside our laying to heart our known failings be bewailing our hid and secret Errours which we cannot comprehend Psal 19.12 6 God can do no wrong in afflicting the most righteous man For beside that God may by reason of his absolute Dominion afflict the most innocent every son of Adam though regenerate hath sin in this life which deserves all his afflictions and much more according to the rule of strict justice Ezra 9.13 And therefore in stead of quarrelling what God doth when he afflicts him he is bound to admire that God doth not prosecute him with greater severity considering his deserving Lam. 3.22 Therefore saith he Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less then thine iniquity deserveth Besides these Truths Zophar's mistakes in this way of Reâ—utation are useful to be observed And 1. He is earnest in his wishes that God would appear in this cause expecting certainly that God would approve of his sentence and opinion And yet he was deceived for God condemned him among the rest when he determined in the Controversie It teacheth That even godly men should be sober and cautious in their appealing to God in the matter of their opinions And should take heed that their self-love do not blind them and cause them dream of Gods approving of that which indeed he abhors So also tentation may represent God as a pâ—â—ty as Zophar suggests to Job here when he is none 2. He doth here assault Job by laying before him such found Truths of Gods knowledge of man mans ill deservings c. which had they been as pertinent as they are true in themselves the debate had been at an end yet Job is not convinced by them as concluding nothing against him to prove him wicked It teacheth That a sincere man who hath fled to Christ for refuge may in his affliction look upon and acknowledge the Omniscience of God the perfection of his Law his Justice in afflicting the desert of sin and his own impurity and yet all those not discourage him nor prove him wicked because afflicted For 1. Albeit all that be true yet such a man hath fled to Christ in whom he is hid and his sins covered And so God deals not with him according to all these faults which he by his Omniscience findeth in him nor according to strict Justice or the rigour of the Law which are satisfied in Christ but according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace 2. Albeit there be sin in godly men beyond what they know of themselves yet all their afflictions are not chastisements for sin but some are sent only for the tryal of their faith patience and other graces 3. Albeit God be pursuing sin in his Saints by afflictions and might pursue them yet more yet it followeth not that they are wicked For he pursued David for his further humiliation and for the vindication of his own glory whom yet he had pardoned 2 Sam. 12.9 14. Thus ought we to joyn the Law and the Gospel acknowledging the just sentence of the Law and yet having recourse to Christ in the Gospel to be secured against the execution thereof Otherwise such as make not use of Christ must be at the poor shift to turn Atheists Psal 14.1 2. to pervert the sense of the spritual Law and mince their own sins to procure to themselves security and stupidity in stead of true peace Vers 7. Canst thou by searching find out God canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection 8. It is as high as heaven what canst thou do deeper then hell what canst thou know 9. The measure thereof is longer then the earth and broader then the sea In the third place that he may inculcate this Doctrine of the Wisdom and Justice of God upon Job he subjoyns to v. 12. several amplifications and considerations concerning God and his Attributes And First in these verses he commends the unsearchable wisdom of God shewing that although he had wished God might shew Job so much of it as might convince him that God
it is our duty to hold that Principle fast Otherwise we loose the reins to all impiety Whereas a sight of God and his Providence will help us to reckon that there are other purposes in all those dispensations then we have yet seen 6. Mens prosperity 〈◊〉 Gods eminent hand in giving of it or mens seeming to see an hand of God in it is no evidence of divine approbation For God bringeth abundantly into the hand even of those Robbers Not only do they prosper but Gods hand may be eminently seen in heaping those favours upon them And they may seem to acknowledge it as Zech. 11.5 who yet are notoriously wicked and abhorred of God Every good turn done by God to us and every acknowledgment thereof by us will neither witness his special love nor our honesty Vers 7. But ask now the beasts and they shall teach thee and the souls of the air and they shall tell thee 8. Or speak to the earth and it shall teach thee and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee In these verses Job proves the first branch of his Assertion that wicked men may prosper from the consideration of what is obvious among all the creatures if it were observed Though here he direct his speech in the singular number to Zophar who spake last yet it is intended to them all That if they look upon all the creatures wild and tame the earth and commodities thereof they will not only find that those do most frequently serve the wicked which may be the meaning in part and they enjoy greatest plenty of the good things of this life wild Beasts Fowls Fishes and the tame Herds and Flocks and other increase of the Earth being ordinarily heaped upon them But which I take to be the most proper meaning here their study of the creatures would yet further confirm his assertion thus Among Beasts save in so far as they are tamed by men and Fowls of the Air and Fishes in the Sea nothing is more ordinary then to see the greater of them devour the lesser Hab. 1.13 14. and the ravenous devouring the harmless yea the most tame of them are most frequently destroyed for the use of man And therefore it is no wonder if God permit it to be so also among men that wicked men oppress the righteous As for his sending them to the earth beside those creatures formerly mentioned to be taught by it it may be understood of men on the earth as it is cleared v. 10. That man is in Gods hand as well as other creatures among whom they might ordinarily have seen the most wicked most cruel and prevalent over others as was usual among these Arabians Or of the very earth it self and other things upon it beside the Beasts formerly mentioned where it is obvious to be seen that the best earth is most frequently manured and torn up with tilling whereas the barren places are suffered to continue as they were the greater Trees wear out the lesser by hindering them to take root withholding the Sun from them dropping upon them and intercepting the moisture that should nourish them And the best fruits are cut down ground and prepared for mans use whereas noisome weeds and useless things are let alone All which tend to prove Job's conclusion That oppressours may prosper and best men may suffer From this Argument thus explained Learn 1. All the creatures and the various lots that befal them do preach much of God and his Providence As here Job proves his point concerning Gods Providence toward Man from what is obvious in the world and the creatures that are therein See Psal 19.1 2. Psal 148. throughout Where every creature hath somewhat to say to Gods praise and Rom. 1.19 20. So that men do sinfully neglect an opportunity if they do not ask at them or learn some lessons which they teach and declare by meditating upon them 2. Hence it is mans great neglect that there is much to be learned even among his feet and from things dayly in his view which yet he doth not see nor observe For Job insinuates that the Truth maintained by him was obvious everywhere and yet Zophar had not noticed it See Prov. 6.6 Isai 1.3 3. God by all the passages of his Providence would have this Truth inculcated That afflictions follow upon Piety and wickedness may enjoy the advantages of this present world For that is the Lesson which Job propounds as obvious and taught by all the creatures Mistaking and stumbling at this breeds many a plea with God and renders afflictions intolerable whereas to be familiarly acquainted with this Principle breaks the snare Vers 9. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this 10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing and the breath of all mankind Here Job proves the second branch of his Assertion that God doth all this And holds it for a truth that none can be ignorant of That nothing can be disposed of without the good pleasure and Providence of God v. 9. who hath the life and breath of all creatures men as well as others in his hand v. 10. Hence Learn 1. A Providence is not seen and adored in dispensations which do not please us Therefore this Truth that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this must be not only asserted but proved See Mal. 2.17 As it is Satans great design to shake us loose in this So when we do not distinctly see and adore Providence in ordinary we meet with intricate and thorny questions about it in strange dispensations 2. Though men in their firs presume to debate and question the matter of Gods Providence yet they will not get it shifted nor denyâ—d Therefore he puts it home with a question who knoweth not in all these or by what may be gathered from these instances that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this intimating that they could not but know it and that when they take greatest pains to be Atheists yet they will be far enough from their point And when the fool would say in his heart there is no God yet it may be questioned if he be altogether destitute of knowledge and his very terrours will witness against him that he cannot be rid of some apprehensions of a Deity Psal 14.1 4 5. 3. When men turn Atheists and fall a questioning the Providence of God they ought to be sharply dealt with and refuted For this question imports also Job's indignation against any wrong thoughts about the Providence of God It is the common interests of Saints not to let the Providence of God be denyed in the faith whereof they are so often comforted in dark cases And zeal for God should cause them abhorr any thoughts prejudicial to his glory 4. As God hath a dominion over all his creatures particularly over living things and man in special So the study of this dominion will help to open our eyes to see him
meat So God hath given an ear and discerning to men whereby they should try doctrine that they may imbrace Truth and reject Errour so doth Job here teach It is said the ear trieth words not that organ or sense its alone but as it is accompanied with discerning and so the hearing of the ear is oft-times taken for serious affectionate hearing See Isa 50.4 Job 33.16 Luk. 9.44 Here the ear is put for discerning See Act. 17.11 And that we may be approved hearers and discerners we ought to follow these Cautions and Rules 1. We ought not to be full souls which will make us to loath the Honey-combe and hunt after fancies and novelties 2 Tim. 4.3 4. But we ought to be the hungry to whom every bitter thing provided it be food is sweet Prov. 27.7 2. We should beware of Fevers and Distempers of Passion Prejudice Interest c. Lest these corrupt our taste 3. We should beware of childishness in judging of all things simply by our taste whereas we should be rational in our tasting to rellish bitter things if profitable and reject noisom things though sweet See Heb. 5.13 14. Prov. 14.15 4. We should not tempt God by being in a constant fluctuation and uncertainty in the matter of Truth and Errour still tasting and never feeding and still proving and trying but never fixing 5. We should admit of nothing upon the account of applause novelty fair pretences c. but should cleave close to the Word From v. 12. Learn 1. Men are of themselves so foolish and apt to be blinded and misled that readily they are old and decrepit eâ—e they attain any true and solid wisdom For so is here implyed that till men be ancient and come to length of days it is rare to find much wisdom and understanding among them though some may attain it sooner 2. Albeit men be not always wise who have lived long to acquire wisdom And albeit men when they would find out Truth in various Opinions must take off all buskings of the age of men or antiquity of Opinions that they may be seen in their native colours Yet it is a great shame for old men and men who boast of their own judgment because of their age not to be wise indeed For this Assertion applyed to his Friends doth rather point out the duty of old men then yield that they are alwayes wise Yea It rather reflects upon them that they boasted of their antiquity and age while yet they were in an Errour 3. As for those two words Wisdom and Understanding although any of them taken apart may import what is meant by both yet being conjoyned they may be thus differenced Wisdom imports that old men ought to have much knowledge of Truths and things gathered out of many experiences And having this wisdom to know things Understanding which added to Wisdom may be the same with Prudence imports that they should be able out of what they have observed and known to gather other things for their use and instruction in other cases and exigents And so these words hold out 1. True and solid wisdom will be but ill learned by contemplation unless it be also inculcated upon us by experience and by Gods writing of those lessons by Providences about our selves or others 2. These experiences how frequent and obvious soever will not teach us wisdom without much and serious observation on our part 3. All this knowledge and observation is not enough to prove men wise unless hereby they be made wise in other things and for the future also Otherwise they may seem very wise in contemplation who prove but fools when they should reduce what they know to practice Vers 13. With him is wisdom and strength he hath counsel and understanding Upon occasion of what Job had said v. 12. He enters upon the third part of his Discourse wherein he commends asserts the wisdom and power of God which he asserts v. 13 16. and then doth illustrate his assertion by several instances of the wisdom and power of God shining in his works to the end of the Chapter His scope in all which is partly to shew that he is not ignorant nor behind with any of them in knowing and commending of God as Zophar had insinuated Chap. 11.6 where he had cryed up those Attributes of God that he might vilifie Job and would be no less afraid then themselves to wrong God in the matter of his glory and so he explains his own mind Chap. 13.1 2. Partly also his scope is to insinuate that in the point debated among them and the lots that had befaln him they ought rather to adore some hid reasons of the dispensations of so infinitely wise and absolutely powerful a Lord and it had been a proof of that wisdom to which they pretended and ought indeed to have learned v. 12. rather to judge thus of his lot then only to fix on this that God afflicted none but wicked men which was all the use Zophar made of his study and acknowledgment of Gods incomprehensible wisedom Chap. 11.6 In this verse we have Job's Assertion which contains but this one Principal Doctrine That God for so the relative him looks back to v. 9 10 is indeed wise and powerful and consequently abâ—olute and irresistible which Zophar had also asserted of him As for the several names expressing the Wisdom and Knowledge of God they may be looked on as a collection of every word signifying any perfection of that kind because of the emptiness of any one word to express this as it is in God Or they may be thus distinguished and the whole verse thus taken up God hath Understanding to comprehend all mysteries and take up all right ends he hath Counsel to know fit means whereby to compass his ends Wisdom to order these means aright for attaining of his ends and Strength to execute his purposes effectually Or thus Beside Wisdom to know all things and Counsel to devise all things he hath Understanding to rule all and Strength to bear out his purposes However we take these several words and all that we can conceive or express by them is infinitely short of what they signifie in God yet this doctrine and commendation of God serves for good use to us And First We are hence taught to adore the infinite perfection and complete blessedness of God which is here instanced in these Attributes which shine in his ordering of humane affairs though he be infinite also in every other Perfection and Attribute And here his Perfection appears 1. In the concurrence of all that is requisite for any enterprise Many men have knowledge and can see things afar off who yet are not prudent but come as short in that as they are eminent in the other Many having somewhat of both those do yet come short in power And in a word mens greatest excellencies are clouded with defects and blemishes But all perfections concurr in God and he needs
success are his for special use and service For by letting men loose to deceive He makes the Truth shine more brightly that it is scowred by opposition He exerciseth mens graces and quickens the godlies zeal for Truth Jude v. 3. and he tries what men are Deut. 13.3 what their souls condition is their knowledge and love to the Truth their zeal for it and stability in it their sincerity in their principles and ends in imbracing of Truth c. 1 Cor. 11.19 and by giving up of others to be deceived he doth punish their ambition want of love to the Truth and other sins 2 Thes 2.10 11. This Truth in reference to common deceits or political tricks warneth men to beware of this sin of jugling which is a judgment and plague upon them who make it their Trade and that they should not lean to their own wit and policy wherein God in whose hand they are can easily over-reach them and make fools of them And such as are apt to be deceived by the nimble tricks and conveyances of others with whom they deal ought to look up to God in whose hand they also are and who can order all that to his own glory and their good See Exod 1.10 12. with Psal 105.25 c. And in the matter of religious deceits This truth leads us 1. To acknowledge that there are deceits and Errour as well as Truth in the world That we do not turn Scepticks and such as doubt of all matters religious 2. To look on this when it becometh a peoples exercise and tryal as no light matter but a great transaction of God in the world wherein his glorious Attributes do shine Yea and a sad judgment to be trembled at 3. To judge that as to be deceived is sufficiently evil and it doth not excuse men that they are but deceived so men ought especially to beware of being deceivers and active promoters of delusions 4. To look to all Gods ends in such a dispensation and study to improve them 5. To see all these transactions in Gods hand and that they are his to bless them for our good and put an end to them when he pleaseth Vers 17. He leadeth counsellers away spoiled and maketh the Judges fools 18. He looseth the bond of Kings and girdeth their loyns with a girdle 19. He leadeth princes away spoiled and overthroweth the mighty 20. He removeth away the speech of the trusty and taketh away the understanding of the aged 21. He poureth contempt upon princes and weakeneth the strength of the mighty The second instance or proof of the assertion is Gods overthrowing of persons who are most eminent for power and policy in the world and who are the very Pillars of States and Kingdoms such as Kings and Rulers and wise Counsellers God when he pleaseth makes wise Counsellers a prey and Judges who ruled all prove fools v. 17. as befel Achitophel and the Princes of Zoan Isai 19.11 He who subdueth people under Kings Psal 18.47 144.2 looseth when he pleaseth the bonds and cords of their Authority whereby they kept Subjects in subjâ—ction see Psal 2.2 3. and brings themselves under the bonds of servitude slavery and restraint so that they must gird themselves and serve others v. 18 See Luk 17.8 Joh. 13.4 13 14. He also captivates and spoils inferiour Princes or Priests for both have one name and both offices were for most part in one person till Moses time defeats mighty warriours makes useless the powerful Oratory of trusty servants or these who have gained great credit and trust in the world and makes aged people fools notwithstanding all their experiences v. 19 20. And again he poureth contempt upon honourable Princes who had been in great esteem and weakeneth the strength even of the most mighty or looseth their girdle whereby their loyns were strengthened v. 21. See Am. 2.14 15 16. All these instances tend to one purpose and do teach 1. States Kingdoms and Princes are in Gods hand He can reach the greatest nor will they stand any longer then his hand is about them As those instances teach He disposeth of the wisest and greatest as well as others 2. God gives proof of his Wisdom and Power on such eminent persons because they are left on his hand and none else can reach them when they do wrong and because we will not see his hand in Providences toward meaner persons Therefore doth he instance Gods Power and Wisdom in his over-turning of those to shew that the greatest cannot escape God and to lead us to see his Hand and not second causes only in such dispensations 3. God oft times proves his Power and Wisdom on eminent persons by pulling them down as all those instances hold forth because he is but little seen in his mercies raising them up and upholding them 4. Many things must concurr to the settlement and right ordering of a State As here is implyed that there must not only be Kings and Bonds of Authority keeping people in subjection but inferiour Judges and men of Valour and Courage Wisdom Counsel and Eloquence For all those are supposed here in a State This may give men a check who think it an easie task to manage Publick affairs whereas indeed eminency lifts men up upon a Stage where their emptiness will soon appear if they be not well qualified And it serves to commend God who gifts those variety of endowments for Publick Imployments without which Nations and Kingdoms would be but dens of Confusion 5. When God is about to bring ruine no Wisdom Authority Eloquence Experience Honour nor strength in men will be able to prevent it as those instances do teach Authority may be contemned Wisdom prove folly and Strength weakness Men will not be Masters of their own Tongues or Parts but either they will prove false to them or they will prove vain and frustrate their expectations of any probable issue or success Thus it happened to Adonibezek Judg. 1. to great Nebuchadnezzar to the Princes of Zoan Isa 19. and many others And such as rightly improve this 1. Ought to see much of God in such great Revolutions and that much conceit and abuse of Wisdom Power and Authority provokes God so eminently to appear against them 2. They ought not to cry up mens Abilities their Power or Policy in their successes For those endowments are able to effectuate any purpose only in so far as God imployeth them in mercy or in judgement 3. Other Rulers should learn to improve such documents of their own frailty as here are set before them Dan. 5.18 22.23 4. Meaner persons should much more fear when such tall Cedars are shaken and overthrown 5. Gods people may here see what God can make of all those when they are imployed against them Wit Strength Counsel c. so imployed can easily be blasted Vers 22. He discovâ—reth the deep things out of darkness and bringeth out to light the shadow of death The third proof of
Uprightness hath boldness and nothing in God will be terrible to honesty and to the man reconciled through Christ For though God be the Almighty yet Job declines not to speak to him See Job 23.6 Psal 99.4 5. It is not mens passions and humours which ordinarily are aloft in trouble that will prevail with God or be approved in their addresses to him but when having solid grounds of confidence they do humbly and soberly plead them before him For thus as hath been explained Job desired to reason with God or humbly to plead his innocency and integrity upon solid grounds as Job 23.4 And though in his practice he miscarried as many good resolutions are over-powered by tentation especially in his expostulating about his afflictions yet this was his resolution Vers 4. But ye are forgers of lies ye are all Physitians of no value 5. O that you would altogether hold your peace and it should be your wisdom The first reason justifying this his desire and resolution and taken from their carriage is that they were unskilful in their way of dealing with him This is propounded v. 4. That they were all of them ignorant erroneous and unskilful in their dealing with him Forging false principles setting them forth with fine language and bearing him down with Truths that were impertinent Thus they alledged that either he behoved to be a grossly wicked man or a close hypocrite or else God could not be just who afflicted him seeing he punished none so as he did him but only wicked men As also that Gods Majesty was so great that he could not maintain his innocency before him And so while they dealt with him as a wicked man and exhorted him to repentance upon that accompt they proved unskilful and hurtful Physitians who either made use of Errour or misapplyed Truth to cure him and therefore he did justly quit them betake himself to God Unto this he subjoyns a wish v. 5. shewing that however they thought they behoved to speak Chap 11.3 yet he could save them a labour and would be obliged to them if they would continue silent as they had been at the beginning Chap â— 13 and let him debate his cause with God And as by so doing they should do him a kindness so they should evidence more wisdom by their silence then by babling thus to spoil his cure From v. 4. Learn 1. As there are lies and unsound doctrine oft-times hatched and vented in the Church so these may be very well busked For they may be forged or dressed up Psal 119.69 The word imports that they may be patched up so as the word is rendered to sow up Chap. 14.17 like so many old rags till they become some kind of garment or patched over with Fig tree leaves of pretenceâ— or fair shews that they may be taking Errour usually goeth not abroad without some such Mask and as forgers or inventers of them are worse then those whose simplicity and credulity is imposed upon to own them so those fine pretences do heighten the sin of the course See 1 Tim. 4.2 2. Where Dâ—ctrinal Lies and Untruths are discerned it is no ill manners to call them so in debate as Job saith his Friends were forgers of Lies To charge the maintainers of Eâ—rour with speaking against their mind and light which is a moral vice may be injurious and uncivil but they may lawfully be charged with untruth in the thing which they maintain And thus erroneous persons should be sharply deaâ—t withal Tit. 1.13 though with some difference and respect had to their condition Jude v 22 23. 3. A troubled afflâ—cted person is under a Souls-sickness that needs the tender and skilful Physitian as Job here insinuates concerning himâ—elf 4. Sound Doctrine is Souls-medicine in such an afflâ—cted condition For so would Job have accounted of it if they had ministred it It is an unsanctified afflâ—ction where that medicine is not souâ—ht after but loathed and the godly should beware that their afflictions do not out-grow Scripture-comforts and relief 5. False Doctrine or true Doctrine mis applyed will never give true comfort and a needy soul will soon find busked words and lies to be empty For thus doth Job account them Physicians of no value 6. It is not easie to apply spiritual Physick to a troubled Soul but even godly men who are well-affected to the Patient may prove Physitians of no value if they do not put themselves in Gods hand and deal soundly and prudently in their applications For thus did it prove with Job's Friends 7. When godly men in affliction are disappointed of their expectations and friends prove uselss or hurtful or forge lies against them their case is not desperate seeing they may go to God For so doth Job resolve to help himself v. 3. seeing they were forgers of lies and Physicians of no value From v. 5. Learn 1. A bad cause may have abundance of language to set it off As Job insinuates they had said enough and too much 2. Much empty talk will not ease the afflicted nor commend a cause to rational men For Job would be free of it O that you would altogether hold your peace 3 Men do not only not profit their bad cause but they bring no credit to themselves by their much speaking in it or for it and they would evidence more wit or at least hide their folly better by their silence For saith he O that you would altogether hold your peace and it should be your wisdom See Prov. 17.28 James 1.19 Vers 6. Hear now my reasoning and hearken to the pleadings of my lips 7 Will you speak wickedly for God and talk deceitfully for him 8. Will ye accept his person will ye contend for God The second reason taken also from their carriage is that they were sinfully partial in their judgments This he ushers in with a Preface v. 6. wherein as he had desired them to be silent v. 5. so now he desireth they would hearken to his impleading of their lies that they might be instructed And then he propounds his argument v 7 8. which is further pressed in the following verses wherein he doth not lay it to their charge as a sin simply that they pleaded or contended for God as the words would seem to bear v. 8. seeing God needed not as Baal to be pleaded for as being God who could plead for himself Judg. 6.31 For it is unquestionably lawful and a duty to plead for God and his interests But that which he challengeth is that in their contending for Gods righteousness they dealt partially in condemning him And this he poseth them with by way of question both in testimony of his indignation at their way and to evidence that their own Consciences could not justifie their procedure For clearing of this purpose Consider 1. This challenge will be clear if we remember what is the partiality and accepting of persons condemned among men with an eye to which Job
speaks in this matter Partiality among men is when corrupt Lawyers and Judges having to do with a potent Client or party before them do not ponder nor respect his cause but only his person whose favour they desire to conciliate or keep and therefore they do say plead or pronounce what may please him or be for his interest without respect to Truth or Justice And thus did Job's Friends in this debate They did not search out nor pronounce according to the truth and justice of the cause but spake only what they thought was for God and against him in this matter 2. Job saith of their thus accepting Gods person in their contending for him that it was a wicked and deceitful talking for God and that both in respect of himself whom wickedly and with deceitful and cunning discourses they did condemn that they might justifie God who had afflicted him And in repect of God For it wronged him and put a lie and trick upon him as Job after clears to say his justice in afflicting Job could not otherwise be maintained then by their lies and deceits or false Doctrine Yea whatever were their intentions it reflected wickedly upon God and his Providence For under a pretence of giving him glory they said upon the matter that God could not be just if he afflicted and exercised godly men with the same outward calamities that befel the wicked 3. That we may yet further understand Job's mind in this challenge we are not to conceive that he doth challenge them for condemning him against their Light and Conscience For it is not to be doubted but their principles led them thus to judge of him whatever charity they had for him that he was a godly man before which made them astonished when at first they came to him and saw him so afflicted Chap 2.12 13. Far less is it his mind to challenge them that they would not pronounce that he was in the right and God in the wrong in this cause or in what he done to him Nor doth he at all quarrel them that they justified and commended God as holy and righteous in all his works and ways For himself labours to out-strip them in such commendations of God But the true fault which he challenges may thus be conceived Upon the one hand they judgâ—ng that God afflicted none as he did Job but only wicked men did conclude that God who had afflicted him could not be just if he who was afflicted were righteous as himself alleadged he was And therefore judging themselves bound to stand for Gods Righteousness as was indeed their duty if they had done it by lawful means and upon sound Principles they studyed by all means to condemn him never regarding his defences or the evidences of his grace that God might be glorified as just Upon the other hand Job maintained both that himself was righteous and that God was just who afflicted him though neither he nor they could reconcile these two And that therefore they were sinfully partial on Gods behalf who could find no other way to justifie God but by condemning him which God neither allowed nor needed And so in this challenge Job chargeth them with a true fault though as they were culpable on the one hand he was also faulty on the other hand in his bitter complaints about Gods dispensations because he could not see a reason why the righteous God should thus deal with him who was a reconciled man Having cleared the words From v. 6. Learn 1. Men are naturally impatient of contradiction and a plausible wrong cause begets such prejudices against Opponents that men will hardly hear them For he must exhort them in the very midst of his Discourse to bear and hearken It is no good symptome when men are irritated because any thing they do or say is spoken against 2. Albeit many personal wrongs and injuries be best answered and refuted by silence And albeit a fool should never be answered according to his folly or in his own terms Prov. 26.4 Yet when men do wrong God his Truth and themselves they ought to be opposed take it as they will and not suffered to live in an opinion that they only are in the right Prov. 26.5 For Job will have them hear his reasoning and hearken to the pleadings of his lips From v. 7 8. Learn 1. Even the worst of courses and ways are ordinarily masked with the fairest pretences and particularly that they are for God For so they pretended that by their erroneous doctrine they were pleading and contending for God and his Righteousness So oft-times oppression is commended as a following and acknowledgement of Providence Zech. 11.5 and an executing of his righteous judgments Jer. 50 7. Persecution is accounted good service to God Joh. 16.2 and a glorifying of him Isai 66.5 And every Errour fleeth to some such cloak and pretence Some entertain unworthy thoughts of Gods Providence pretending to free him from being the Author of sin Some will have Christs Body everywhere pretending his glory against the Arian Errour Some plead for Universal Redemption pretending to exalt Christs Sufferings which yet they enervate in the efficacy of it by making him die for those who never get benefit thereby Some cry up mans Free-will pretending that thereby they vindicate the Justice of God in punishing sin Some decry the obligation of the Law as to Believers pretending to exalt Christ and Free-grace c. In a word it may very generally be averred Totus mundus exercet Histrioniam The world of men who go wrong study nothing more then the art of Stage-players that they may appear to be any thing rather then what indeed they are And though this be a great tryal to honest and sincere hearts yet this may encourage them that such do so much the more make God their Party as they pretend to be for him when indeed they are nothing so but against him 2. Such pretexts will not justifie Errour nor should they hide it from men nor deterr them from appearing against it and from detecting the falshood of those pretexts For though they pretend to speak talk and contend for God yet Job will not admit of their opinion but tells them it is an accepting of his person an injury to God and to him also So Robbery will not be justified because men pretend to make a burnt-offering of it Isai 61.8 This General Doctrine may be branched out in several Rules and Instances wherein it is to be observed 1. In matters controverted we ought not to be swayed with what seems at first view to be most for God as his Friends gave out their opinion was but opinions are to be throughly searched to the very bottom till we find what really is and what only appears to be for God as Job doth here search and find out the cheat 2. If even Gods person ought not to be accepted when men pretend his glory in their Doctrine to wrong that
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
wisdom is always streight and sincere 2. It is a special part of mens sinful craft when they employ their invention parts and eloquence to defend and give a lustre to a bad cause As here he thought Job made use of the tongue of the crafty in his own defence And indeed the greater parts men have in a bad cause they have the more sins and snares and they sin the more in so employing them For it is horrid impiety when men being once engaged in an ill cause will rather bend their wits to maintain it then stoop to truth 3. It is a great aggravation of mens sins when they are their own choice As he supposeth Job did choose the tongue of the crafty Men do thus choose sin either when there is much of will and inclination in sin rather then of weakness or tentation Or which I think Eliphaz chiefly intends here when they voluntarily betake themselves to a sinful course though they have another and better way at hand As he thought Job might have come better speed by humble confession of his wickedness then by his defences So when men reflect upon all their by-ways under tentation it will be bitter to them that the word did direct them to a better course though they judged otherwise of it From the conclusion and inference ver 6. Learn 1. Men ought not to judge rashly of others nor ought they to condemn them further then their own words and actions proclame what they are As here Eliphaz implyeth that he did not condemn Job till he condemned himself 2. It is no breach of charity to condemn men when they write their hearts upon their fore-heads by their carriage or expressions As here Eliphaz clears that he was not to be accounted rigid since his own mouth condemned him and not he The meaning whereof is not that he did not at all condemn Job for his very scope in this discourse is to condemn him but that he said nothing of him but what might be clearly deduced from his own discourses 3. That is the strongest conviction and condemnation which is from a mans own self in his light and conscience or actions For this was an heavy charge if it had been true Thine own mouth condemneth thee and not I. See Mat. 26.65 Luke 19.22 Tit. 3.11 4. Albeit men are not easily convinced by others of their bad condition yet their carriage in word or actions is a convincing and undeniable witness to demonstrate to others what they are and a witness which themselves in reason cannot decline nor will get declined at last Therefore it is added yea thine own lips testifie against thee and do cry down all the clamours and noise which thou makest in behalf of thine integrity Vers 7. Art thou the first man that was born or wast thou made before the hills 8. Hast thou heard the secret of God and doest thou restrain wisedom to thy self 9. What knowest thou that we know not what understandest thou which is not in us 10. With us are both the gray headed and very aged men much elder than thy father The third fault which Eliphaz reprehends in Job's discourse and way is arrogance and presumption both toward his Friends and toward God His presumptuous carriage toward them in these verses is instanced in his unjust arrogating of wisdom and knowledge to himself above them which he chargeth home very sharply with pungent questions Here we are to Consider 1. The fault wherewith he chargeth him v. 7 8. which is that he restrained wisdom to himself or accounted himself the only wise man above then all and that he did this no less confidently then if he had lived not only since the first man but even before the hills were made and so had remarked and learned all the experiences of time or then if he alone were admitted to be on Gods secret Councill or had some secret revelation known to none else These two namely experience through observation and secret and peculiar revelation were the means of attaining knowledge before the word was written and therefore he pitcheth upon them and layeth it to Job's charge that he was so arrogant as if those were appropriated to him alone or he had them in some singular way 2. The groundless presumption that was in this supposed clamâ— of Job to wisdom may not only be gathered from what is said that he had no singular advantages to make him so singularly wise but is expresly demonstrated v. 9 10. That however Job did thus conceit of himself yet they knew as much as he could know v. 9. if not more some among them being elder then his Father v. 10. which may be understood of some of the Disputants themselves who were very old or of some others in their Countrey who were of their opinion and had taught them these things as Teman which was the Country of Eliphaz was indeed a place famous for wisdom Jer. 49.7 As for the truth of this Challenge and how justly this fault was charged upon Job It seems Eliphaz did ground it upon what Job had said Chap. 12.2 3 7 8. Chap 13.1 2. where Job had checked them for their conceit of themselves and shewed that their Knowledge was common and obvious that their Errour might be refuted from the consideration of very common things and that himself was not an Ignorant but understood right and wrong in this Controversie as well as they Now as for Eliphaz's Inference from this 1. Albeit Job was wiser then they in this Controversie yet he was not arrogant as Eliphaz alleageth but did only shew that their light was not so singular as thâ—y fancied and that himself understood Truth in this matter 2. As for the harshness of his expressions in declaring this Eliphaz and the rest little considered his great grief and the irritations given him by their imprudence rigour and false Doctrine which drave him to speak so to them 3. As he did unjustly charge Job with arrogance so the Grounds and Principles upon which he asserts their Knowledge in this matter are unsure as shall be cleared and therefore do not certainly conclude they are in the right 4. What Job wanted of conceit and arrogance Eliphaz really had it in taking it so ill that Job should as he judged prefer himself to them Having cleared the words I shall not insist upon what is implied here of the means they had of attaining knowledge before the Word was written Namely Experiences gathered by Observation and extraordinary Revelation both which are abundantly supplied by the written Word especially when we have still the advantage of Experience to clear and confirm it Only this may put us in mind That they had great toil in gathering Experiences for their Institution which renders us inexcusable in our Ignorance who may learn Knowledge more compendiously from the Scriptures As they needed both Observation and the secret of God to instruct them So men have need of much
they aim at a mark in shooting so this winking seems to be noticed in Scripture as a sign of a mans driving some pernicious or foolish design Prov. 6.13 10.10 And so he would charge Job that not only he was full of Perturbation but was upon some mischievous or foolish design in the course he took which he wisheth him to consider what it might be This verse thus explained may have some reference to what is spoken v. 11. as if Eliphaz had said If thou knowest not better Consolations nor any secret thing beside these Consolations of God which we tender to theâ— Why suffersâ— thou thy heart thus to rage Why shuttest thou thine eyes upon Truth and scornfully rejectest it through prejudice What design canst thou be driving in all this But it hath more express reference to that which followeth v. 13. as if had said Why sufferest thou thy heart thus to be pestered with rage and passion How great is thy insolent contempt And what can thou mean or design in this that not only thou shouldest thus miscarry toward us but even toward God That thou shouldest not only reject his Consolations but set thy spirit on edge against him and speak so presumptuously and irreverently to him and of him In this Branch of the Accusation as the fault challenged is in it self gross and hainous so it cannot be denyed that Job was much guilty of it his disordered expressions witnessing how much he was distempered in spirit Only it flowed not from any principle of wickedness as his Friends alleaged But from his weakness which drave him upon those sits of passion through the vehemency of tentation And therefore God constructeth more tenderly of this his way then they did accounting those to be though faults but friendly complaints in his distemper which they censured as hostile accusations So hard is it to judge wisely and tenderly of the afflicted and of their failings under trouble that godly men would oft-times be in a sad plight if God were not more favourable to them then even their godly friends are The General Doctrine passing their severe censure doth teach 1. Mens hearts being filled with passion will strangely precipitate them through perturbations and distempers so that they will not be themselves For saith he thy heart carries thee away 2. Where the heart is thus disordered mens carriage will be strange and odd insolency will not be wanting and strange projects will then be set on foot For upon the former it followeth thine eyes do wink at somewhat 3. Men themselves will be the severest censurers of such perturbations if they will soberly reveiw them Therefore he propounds it by way of question Why doth thine heart carry thee away and what do thine eyes wink at Whatever be passions verdict yet those distempers are unjust and unreasonable as the Lord insinuates in his challenge and questions to Jonah Jon. 4.4 9. And our inconsiderateness and not reflecting upon our way doth hold us in many wrong courses which if we seriously examined we would abhor Jer. 8.6 4. When men despise the Consolations of God they will readily fall in an ill frame of spirit against God For upon this that the Consolations of God are small v. 11. it followeth v. 13. thou turnest thy spirit against God c. 5. It is a very sad and lamentable case when mens spirits are against God when they oppose their wit and counsels to his will and when in trouble they are imbittered at his dealing and alienated from him For it is here a sad charge that his spirit is against God See Zech. 11.8 To love and adore God brings sweet ease under saddest dispensations 6. This condition is so much the sadder when men turn their spirits thus against God when they are not so much driven upon this through the strength of tentation as voluntarily they run to this course as their choice and are not careful to entertain a meek frame of spirit For it heightens the challenge here that thou turnest thy spirit against God He reflects upon Job's abandoning that patient way of bearing the Rod wherewith he had begun Chap. 1.21 2.10 in place whereof he had turned him to impatient complaining And albeit Job was not wicked in this and was under more pressing tentations to miscarry then Eliphaz did well consider Yet he was not wholly free of blame in his activity to distemper his own spirit 7. Distemper of spirit is at a great height when it is not smothered within but breaks out in expression For that is added to the former here and lettest such words go out of thy mouth He seems to point at those expressions Chap 7.20 10.2 3 c. 13.27 and others the like of which in their proper places 8. When men are in such a distempered frame they ought to consider well what it is and what is in it For Eliphaz thinks it not enough to charge it upon him v. 13. but premits questions v. 12. Why doth thine heart carry thee away and what do thine eyes wink at that thou turnest thy spirit against God c. which implieth according to the Exposition formerly given 1. Men should consider what reason they can pretend for such a carriage For they will never be able to produce any that is relevant let them muster up never so many 2. They should consider what pride and insolency there is in it especially if they will not be admonished of it We may think our selves crushed with trouble when yet pride is much aloft 3. They should consider what design they can drive by such practices and what they will do next if they behave themselves thus For it will be with men in such a case as with peevish Children who do embrace at last what they have often rejected so must they abandon such ways when they have at last found they are in vain and to no purpose Vers 14. What is man that he should be clean and he which is born of a woman that he should be righteous The fourth fault charged upon Job in his Discourse which makes way to the Second part of the Chapter is that he maintained Errour in justifying himself and his cause before God The charge is propounded here and amplified and illustrated v. 15 16. The sum of the Proportion is That however Job laboured to justifie himself yet it was impossible that frail Man as his Name here signifies born of a Woman should be righteous This Charge is sound Doctrine in the Thesis and Job was guilty of contradicting this Truth in some respects and therefore is checked by Elihu Chap 33.8 9. 34.7 of which in its own place Yet as for Eliphaz's Application of it to his purpose it is to be considered 1. In the Truth here asserted Job and he did not controvert For however he asserted his righteousness too much and too violently and by way of indirect reflection on God and is therefore challenged by Elihu
shall now devour him 2. However a wicked man may get some Serjeants shifted yet the Executioner will come at last whom he will not get declined For destruction will come at last which shall pay all home And this is enough let them escape never so often considering how dreadful it will be and how soon it may take hold of them Luke 12.19 20. 3. Death is a great Conquerour and Triumpher over men in their Bodies Dignities and outward Estate For It shall devour the strength or bars of his skin Yea it triumphs over Princes notwithstanding all their grandeur See Job 3.13 14 15 18 19. Psal 49.14 17. 146.3 4. Ezek. 32.23 26 27 c. This tells that men have need and ought to provide somewhat that will be Deaths-proof 4. A violent death is an addition to the sadness and terrour of death Therefore is that called the first born of death Though the godly may fall in common calamities and go to Heaven in a fiery Chariot and wicked men may die peaceably yet this is the desert of the wicked and is executed upon some of them nor have any of them any security against it and it is a mercy in it self to die a quiet and ordinary death 5. God hath reserved singular judgments for wicked men and their plagues are really such however they appear outwardly For their death come what way it will is still the first born of death considering all the consequences thereof whereas the godly are bound to judge that they are dealt with in a different manner though they fall under the same outward dispensation 6. God will at last make it evident that he is too hard for the stoutest of men and that all their strength must succumb and fall before his power For the first born of death shall devour his strength Vers 14. His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle and it shall bring him to the King of terrours In this verse the resemblance is further prosecuted and Job's renouncing of all confidence and hope in his family as making for death Chap. 17.13 14 15. is pointed at as resembling this wicked Malefactour his being desperate of all hopes in his wealth friends and family and his being brought to death which is the Prince and King of Terrours both in it self and in what it appears to be and really proves to the wicked man Here there are also several mistakes As 1. That Job was to die and be cut off at this time 2. That his renouncing of all his temporal enjoyments is looked on as an act of despair whereas it flowed only from his cleanly self-denial a practice which the world doth not understand 3. That Job did fear death or looked on it as the King of terrours who was rather too eager to be at it 4. Or suppose Saints do sometime fear death yet it is a mistake to think that therefore they are wicked For they may be afraid as considering they have a soul to save while the wicked may mock at death and step laughing into Hell And godly men may get proofs of their own weakness when God is to give them most notable proofs of his grace and love But passing those mistakes there are general sound Truths here also as it relates to the wicked And 1. Wicked men may have their own confidences whereby they uphold their hearts when many other things fail them For so is here supposed that there is his confidence This is a great snare to make them stubborn in an ill way Isa 57.10 though when those are removed it will not reclaim them Jer. 2.25 2. It is the wickeds plague that their confidences are but low base and perishing Such as his family wealth or friends all which are comprehended under the name of his Tabernacle See Psal 146.3 4 5. 3. All the carnal confidences of a wicked man will at last come to utter ruine His props will all fail him and his hopes will end in despair and he must quit them For his confidence shall even be rooted out of his tabernacle His confidences will at last prove too weak to bottom his hopes and Gods jealousie is provoked to crush them 4. If not before yet certainly at death all carnal confidences shall come to ruine For then his confidence shall be rooted out when he cometh to the King of Terrours 5. Death of all outward strokes is the chief terrour to men as being the punishment threatened and inflicted for sin and as cutting off all their outward enjoyments at one stroke Therefore is it called the King of Terrours or the chief of Terrours which are visible on Earth So that men had need to prepare for it and to close with Christ in whom they may triumph over it 1 Cor. 15.54 55. 6. Beside what death is in it self and as it is the common lot of all men it is especially dreadful and the King of Terrours to the wicked For it is in reference to them it is so designed here The godly may die in some trouble and fear though that be not their allowance but slow from their weakness But as for the wicked though some of them may die peaceably as others of them die full of horrour Yet to all of them it is terrible if they considered whither they are going Death in its most terrible colours may look sweetly upon the godly and the mildest aspect of it may be dreadful to the wicked 7. The more carnal confidence men have the more terrible will death be when it cometh and all their hopes are cut off For it is his confidence rooted out that brings him to the King of terrours Not so much because the ruine of his hopes hastens his death as because it makes death terrible that he hath fed upon so many vain hopes Vers 15. It shall dwell in his tabernacle because it is none of his brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation In the last Branch of this Similitude the destruction of Job's family is reflected upon as resembling the consequents of a Malefactours death or the confiscation of his Estate and ruine of his House He seems to allude here to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire and brimstone and declares that destruction or terrible desolation for the relative It must be referred to what hath been spoken before of the wicked himself v. 11 12 14. as befalling his house also according as it is capable thereof shall dwell in his house and eat up his substance which he had so unjustly acquired and was indeed none of his by right And that his habitation shall be consumed as Sodom was by brimstone or brimstone shall be scattered upon it as a sign of perpetual desolation which the strawing of a place with Salt doth also signifie Judg. 9.45 Here there is an unjust reflection upon Job's purchase of his wealth and upon the stroke of God by fire upon some of his goods Chap. 1.16 as if that evidenced his wealth
eternal confusion For saith he I shall see him for my self or for my behoof 4. Believers shall see God in the same individual bodies they have here For mine eyes shall behold him and not another or a stranger The qualities of the body will then be different and glorious above what now they are 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. yet the substance will be the same And as the dayly decays and reparation of our bodies in this life do not make them cease to be the same bodies which we bring into the world with us So neither will the changes they undergo by death make them other bodies when they are raised again 5. Faith must look over many impediments to believe this wonderful restauration and take Gods Word for all For so doth he look over the consuming of his reins within him 6. Under present wasting of our bodies and the future consumption thereof by death and in the grave Saints should comfort themselves in the hope of a blessed Resurrection and that Christ will gather their dust again and raise it up in glory For so Job triumphs both over his present decay and over death when it shall come and consume his reins within him See 2 Cor. 5.1 Vers 28. But ye should say Why persecute we him seeing the root of the matter is found in me In this verse is contained the Conclusion of Job's Third Argument the same in substance with that Conclusion v. 22. that considering what he hath said for himself they should not thus persecute him Only further 1. He subjoyns a sum of what he hath argued concerning his integrity as a ground of the challenge That the root of the matter is found in him or he was solidly rooted in true grace and notwithstanding any frailties he had the substance of Religion and the Word also as the word rendered matter signifies also the Word whereby it was begotten and cherished were fixed and rooted in his heart And he was not an hypocrite who had only some external shews And therefore they should not thus persecute and reproach him and add to his sorrows 2 He amplifieth the challenge That not only they should not persecute him but should condemn such a practice themselves and so either prevent it or not need his reproof if they did it For it was a fault to be so cruel and a double fault that they did not censure themselves most severely for it Doct. 1. Religion and Piety is the great matter and concernment of men about which they should be busied above all things Therefore here it is called the matter or thing by way of excellency See Mark 8.36 Luke 10.41 42. 2. It is not enough men have fair flowers of Profession unless Religion be well rooted in their hearts For Job claims to a root of the matter in opposition to shews only That men may attain to this they should be careful that the Word take deep root in their hearts and so it may be rendered the root of the Word or a root fixed in them by the Word Psal 119.11 And that by this Word faith closing with a Mediatour be wrought in them for that was Job's root here v. 25 26 27. See Col. 2.6 7. and that they be sincere having the heart stored with solid and sound Principles not as the temporaries who want a root Matth. 13 20 21. 3. It is not enough that men pretend they are thus rooted in Piety unless it be really so and unless it be able to abide a tryal For this root of the matter must be sound after the most serious search See 2 Cor. 10.18 4. Where this root of Piety is it will remain and afford a testimony even where there are many failings For Job asserts and comforts himself in this root of the matter even when he confesseth he was not sinless yea and had more failings than he descerned See 1 John 3.9 This truth ought not to be abused to foster presumption or to embolden decliners while they are turning away and not returning yet it may comfort Saints who are humbled with their dayly failings that such weaknesses do not alter the state of their persons and it may encourage backsliders in their returning that a seed in them through Gods blessing may soon revive again 5. It is great cruelty and injustice to persecute an afflicted man who is solidly pious and rooted as to the state of his person and right in his cause For he argues that they should not persecute him who had the root of the matter in him Here Consider 1. It is dangerous to be found in opposition to what is right or to a good man in his right cause Whatever mens interest may seem to plead which ordinarily is more minded then what is right or wrong yet they should be able to do nothing against Truth 2 Cor. 13.8 For God is a party against the opposers of Truth and Truth and its Friends will be found too hard for any Creatures 2. As it is a sin and unbeseeming Saints to be cruel to any seeing the sense of mercy to themselves should make them merciful to others Matth. 18.23 35. Tit. 3.2 3 4. So in Particular It is an heinous sin not only to be against godly men in what is right but even to be violent and bitter and persecute them And readily this followeth upon the former any opposition to Truth tends to persecuting of it if there be a tentation 3. That favourers of Truth are afflicted by God is the great disadvantage of those who oppose and persecute them For if we joyn the former Argument with this we will find that their fault was so much the greater that they persecuted a righteous man who was already afflicted Doct. 6. Albeit men ought not to spare any sin yet they may be cruel in persecuting men for real faults so long as the root of the matter is found in them For so much may be here gathered that though Job had failings yet since the root of the matter is found in him they should not thus persecute him This should not he abused to excuse men who it may be have this root in them when either they maintain a wrong cause or turn loose in their conversation yea no good that is in any should excuse any of their faults Yet when men are righteous both as to the state of their person and their cause as Job was his cause relating to the state or his person and they fail in the way and manner of maintaining their cause it must be great cruelty violently to persecute them especially when they are under the hand of God And though their miscarriages he real sins yet they should not be charged upon the state of their person as altering it and they should be meekly dealt with as Brethren in reproving them 2 Thess 3.14 15. 7. It is a sin and shame for men not only to fail in their duty but that they should need admonition to set about
these verses 1. He shews whence he learned and how he will prove and confirm all his following Narration v. 4. Namely by the consent of Antiquity and the testimony of all Ages from the beginning of the world and therefore he propounds it by way of reprehension of Job that he should be ignorant of that which hath been of old and even from the beginning of the world that man was placed upon the earth 2. He subjoins this account concerning the downfal of the wicked man or hypocrite that it shall be speedy his triumphing and joy being but short and for a moment v. 5. Some from this do gather that by Jobs former discourses he is somewhat convinced and persuaded to remit a little of the rigour of their opinion And to yield that the wicked may sometime prosper as Job maintained though he will maintain that their prosperty is followed with speedy shameful and irreparable ruine But no such change appears in the debate for all a long they denied not that the wicked might sometime prosper Only this they maintained as herein Job contradicted them that if the wicked were not still in misery yet any prosperity they enjoyed was soon overturned As for this way of probation by consent of Antiquity and the experience of all ages I have already cleared that is not true as to matter of fact that all the wicked and only the wicked meet with such downfals For the experience of Nimrod and Abel to seek no more assureth us of the contrary Neither is the Argument valid or relevant in point of right suppose the allegation were true For not only will it not follow that because they knew of no contrary instances therefore there were none but it will as little follow that because there had been no such instances in the times before them therefore there should never be any such And because no godly man had faln from such an height of prosperity as Job did therefore he could not be a godly man whom the Lord had now brought down For the Scriptures teach us that Gods proceedings in those external things are variable according to his pleasure And for the Doctrine it self which he delivers v. 5. and prosecutes in the rest of his discourse I have spoken often to it that the wicked do deserve all those things and it is agreeable to the sentence of the Law that they be so dealt with and in so far we may safely make use of his Doctrine But it is still unsound to assert that all the wicked are actually so plagued and only the wicked And that the godly may not be exercised with the like lots either for correction or for tryal So from this way of arguing and his mistakes in it in General Learn 1. Men once engaged and prejudged will not soon see their Errours though never so often and so clearly refuted For he yet insists upon their common Doctrine and Argument as valid and sufficient to convince Job though he hath often demonstrated the falshood or weakness of it More is needed to draw men from Errour than the Proposition of clear and convincing light even that they shake off and renounce passions Prejudices Interests and their engaged Reputation and that they pray to God that there be not a judgment or spiritual plague upon their hearts 2 Thess 2.10 11 12 2. Men of parts though never so often refuted will not want abilities to set a new and good face upon an ill cause For though Zophar repeat the same thing that had been spoken before yet he repeats it in new terms and variety of flowers of Eloquence are made use of to render it plausible and cause it to take with Job This shews how dangerous mens abilities are in an ill cause and how needful it is that we take off all masks and buskings that may be put upon things and discourses that we may see them in their true and native colours and what is at the bottom of them If we look upon this purpose in it selfe abstracting from these mistakes and what may safely be gathered from it It teacheth 1. It is mens duty to be so acquainted with Gods works in the world as to make good use of them For he finds fault with Job for being ignorant as he supposed of what God had wrought the study whereof might have humbled him And albeit he mistook in the particular yet it is of general verity that we should have our eyes exercised to observe what God is doing in the world and should be careful to improve it Psal 64.9 2. The more obvious and general Truths are ignorance of them is the more sinful For he aggravates Jobs ignorance from this and it had been a great crime if the charge had been true that he knoweth not this of old or which hath been of old even since man was placed upon the earth or that this Truth was common and verified in all ages and yet he was ignorant of it 3. God in all ages hath put such marks of his displeasure upon the wicked as may warn men to abhor their course and way For albeit this Doctrine taken from the experience of all ages be not broad enough to bottom Zophar's conclusion Yet there is enough in it to make this out That albeit God make not every wicked man a publick spectacle or monument of his justice nor doth exempt the godly from the like exercises and lots yet beside what he hath declared in his word he hath in all ages so testified his displeasure against the wicked by his judgments upon some of them that they must be mad who are not deterred from following their wayes 4. In Gods account a wicked man and an hypocrite are all one and they may expect the same portion from God if the hypocrite fare not worse because he is an hypocrite Therefore the wicked and the hypocrite are joyned here as sharing in the same lot And by this he warns Job that this Doctrine belonged to him as having been a close hypocrite as he supposed though he should clear himself of gross wickedness 5. Wicked men and hypocrites may for a time not only have matter of ordinary joy but even of triumph as being to their own apprehension victorious and set up above the reach of all difficulties For so is here supposed that they have their triumphing and joy All of them are not so dealt with but many of them buy their wicked courses dear enough and find vexation and misery enough in following a Trade of sin yet some may attain to such a measure of prosperity as they please themselves to joy and triumph in it And hereby they bewray their carnal dispositions that can so rejoyce and exult in such base objects when they are rather to be pitied considering they will get no other portion And it calls upon the people of God to be sober and not to fix their happiness and satisfaction in these things which the wicked may
jovialâ—y They die in a moment peaceably and without any bands in their death v. 13. This whole Discourse tending to one purpose I need not insist upon every word of it but shall reduce the whole to these Heads First This question Wherefore do the wicked live c being considered abstractly from the scope and as spoken to God might import Job's stumbling at this dispensation and his desire of solution about the causes of it as Jer. 12.1 Hab. 1.13 And the Answer to such a Question might be That God suffers them thus to prosper not because he loves them or minds their good in it or cannot reach them but because he would witness his long-suffering Rom. 2.4 would try the faith and patience and other graces of his Children would teach them to imitate him who is good to his very Enemies Mat. 5.44 45. and would suffer the wicked to discover themselves more and more and run upon snares c. But Job doth not here stumble at this lot v. 16. and he propounds the case not to God but only to his Friends to refute their Opinions As if he had said If that be true which ye assert concerning the ruine of wicked men How cometh it to pass that dayly experience lets us see so many wicked men prospering This being Job's scope in the Question it teacheth 1. Men once engaged in an Errour may be so blind and so be misled with prejudices and mistakes that they will not see clearest Refutations of it as they could not remark constant at least frequent Experiences witnessing against them Some men being once engaged think themselves so interessed as they will not see what may reclaim them and there are so many delusions and strong delusion and some are so given over to them that it is no wonder they cannot see the Truth 2. The more obvious and clear that light be against which men sin by their Errours their sin is the greater and the more inexcusable As when men sin not only against Divine Revelation in things which are above the reach of Reason or against sound Principles of Reason in things that may be proved thereby but even against sense and experience whereof Job makes use here to refute and aggravate the Errour of his Friends Thus men are said to become unreasonable or absurd 2 Thess 3.2 and natural brute Beasts 2 Pet. 2.12 And men are given up to such dispositions not only for the tryal and exercise of the Lovers of Truth who oppose them and cannot get them convinced by any means or arguments and to excite us to pity Adam's faln Posterity when left to themselves and to cause all men read their own dispositions and inclinations by nature in their way But that this may be a warning unto and if they persist a punishment of these who see not the evil of more refined and polished Errours Secondly The gale of the wickeds prosperity in their Persons Children Family and Wealth within and without doors v. 7 8 9 10. may teach this Truth That the doctrine of Zophar and his Companions is not true of all the wicked But many of them have a constant and full portion of prosperity A Truth which the Lord in this Book doth inculcate for guarding of the hearts of the godly who because they need rods to mortifie their corruptions and have many Enemies are exercised with another lot And it is a Truth which may hold out these Instructions 1. Prosperity is not of so much worth and excellency as many think nor is it the conduit whereby God conveys and communicates his special love to all to whom he gives it For if it were so it would not be dispensed as it is And it is because the godly think so much of it that they want it so much And God is more gracious to them than to it give to them when they are in such a frame as makes them ready to abuse it 2. Though dispensations both of prosperity and adversity be not dumb and say nothing nor should be useless Yet they alone and of themselves say nothing to clear the state of a mans soul before God nor can a man judge thereof by any such lot The highest gale of Prosperity here mentioned may consist with Gods hatred and all Job's Adversity may consist with love 3. The godly should not envy the wickeds prosperity as the Psalmist did Psal 73 3 c. but should rather pity them seeing they will get no more Nor should they quarrel much with the wicked about these things which are their only portion and not theirs 4. The godly should not be stumbled at adversity nor cast down with the want of prosperity If there were no more to be considered but the will of God who ordereth all these things it were enough But much more ought they to be satisfied when they consider That their portion is secured whatever befal them in the world That they are only separated a little sooner from the contentments of time for they will part with them at last as the wicked must also do That whatever their lot be they are supported and provided for and have food and rayment though possibly not to their carnal hearts desire That in their adversity they are called to bring up a good report of the riches of the grace and favour of God wherein all their wants are made up and not to mourn over these Idols whereof they are deprived but to let see that they can be crucified to the world as well as it is crucified to them That they are but fitted to move toward their Countrey being delivered from many impediments of a prosperous condition which clogged them And in a word That there is a blessedness even in adversity to them Psal 44.11 We will never attain the right use of our present lot nor are we fitted for any issue from adversity till we come to under value prosperity and to rejoyce in the love of Christ in the want of other things Rom. 8.35 39. And till we be more mindful and careful of the blessing of our sad conditions than of an issue of them For without this if we were delivered we would but run mad in seeking to satisfie our unsubdued and long starved lusts 5. When the godly look upon all these particulars of the wickeds prosperity in their persons children family wealth c. they may also on the contrary see how many doors God hath whereby to let in trouble upon them by afflicting them in any of these Whence may be gathered partly how frail man is and how God hath him at an advantage to make him miserable if he please by many means Falling upon him either in his Person or his Children or within or without doors Partly How many things the wicked need to patch up some shew of happiness to themselves seeing they will not delight in God Partly That the godly ought to remember what tryals in all or any of these enjoyments
wicked to prosper and continueth their prosperity during his pleasure For so much doth Job assert here that their good is not in their hand but in Gods To loose the sight of an overruling hand of God in these things is the ready way to cause us decline or faint in the way of God Ezek 9.9 Psal 73.10 11 c. But if we be serious in minding Providence it may afford us useful and comfortable thoughts of Gods ends and purposes in all these dispensations 6. It adds to the sin of wicked men that they are deliberate in their evil courses and that their miscariages flow not from a violent fit of tentation but are the result of their fixed principles For there is the counsel of the wicked in what they do Which may warn us to beware of ill principles whatever our failings be 1 Kings 15.14 which will not only draw to evil courses but will aggravate the sinfulness thereof before God 7. It is not enough that men have not corrupt principles unless they do abominate them and do walk in godly fear and solicitude lest they be intangled in them For Job was far from this counsel of the wicked He keeped a great distance as fearing and abominating such Principles And where this is not men are not far from a snare if they meet with a strong tentation 8. Godly men when they discern aright will neither stumble at their own nor at the wickeds lot nor will they be taken with the wickeds Principles but they will love Piety with a Cross better then Prosperity with impiety As here Job having given an account of the wickeds lot and Principles doth subjoyn The counsel of the wicked is far from me Only here we must guard lest we trust to our own strength in this undertaking for we find the godly have stumbled Psal 73. And therefore for our help 1. We ought not to pore too much either upon our own or the wickeds Lot as the Psalmist did Psal 73. seeing we have other meditations besides these recommended to us by God 2. We ought not to lean to our own wit and counsel but should go to the law and Testimony Isa 8.20 Where we have Gods infallible verdict concerning all things that occurr 3. It is not enough we have clear light from the word unless we be neer God that our light may have an impression upon us As the psalmist went into the Sanctuary Psal 73.16 17. where he got clear information and neer fellowship with God 4. However our hearts may be tempted to stumble Yet we should beware of offending the Generation of the godly as the psalmist was in the like case Psal 73 15. which put some stop to the distempers and miscarriages to which tentation drave him 5. We ought to be much in the study and practice of Patience seeing a short while may let us see the woful issue of wicked mens prosperity As the Psalmist discerned in the Sanctuary Psal 73.17.18 19. 6. We ought to be sensible how brutish a disposition it is to stumble at the temporal prosperity of wicked men or our own want of it So the Psalmist judgeth when he reflects seriously upon it Psal 73.21 22. 7. We ought seriously to study wherein true happiness consisteth and how vain a thing temporal Prosperity is when compared with the rich advantages of Piety As is likewise marked Psal 73.20 with 25.26 8. We ought to keep our hearts and eyes seriously fixed upon a Supreme hand of Providence in all these things questioning whereof led the Psalmist upon the Snare Psal 73.11 12 13 14. Vers 17. How oft is the candle of the wicked put out and how oft cometh their destruction upon them God destributeth sorrows in his anger 18. They are as stubble before the wind and as chaff that the storm carrieth away Job having thus cleared that many wicked men have prospered even till death he proceeds to v. 22. upon the other hand to speak of the calamities and ruine of others of them Wherein that question How oft propounded in the entry is to be repeted with every particular of their misery here spoken of And his scope in moving this Question about the wickeds calamities is not simply to deny that they are afflicted for he puts that out of controversie when he speaks of the various lots of wicked men conjunctly v. 23 24 25. Nor is it his scope to assert that they are often thus afflicted for he seems to speak of prosperity as the more usual lot of wicked men But his scope is to maintain that they are not so often afflicted as his Friends asserted And so he would delare that however he would not deny but some wicked men were plagued as well as others prospered Yet they could not propound so many instances of it as might bottom their General Conclusion that all or generally the wicked and only they were afflicted .. In General we may here Learn 1. As God seeth it meet to give a proof of his long suffering in sparing the wicked and suffering them to prosper So he seeth it also fit to plague others of them as here we are taught And God exerciseth this variety in his dispensations towards them not only to shew that all things come alike unto all Eccl. 9.2 And that his love is not to be judged of by outward dispensations seeing he spares these who are as guilty and wicked as these who are smitten But more particularly he plagues some of the wicked To let the godly see that there is a vengeance Psal 58.10 11. And to make them Beakons to warn the test of the wicked whereof they should make a right use and not apprehend that the sure way to prosper is to be wicked whatever Gods indulgence be 2. It is an evidence of a sincere lover of Truth when he ponders it in all the limitations thereof and what seems to be against him as well as for him And when he is not so addicted to his own will and way as either not to see any thing that speaks against him or in fleeing one extremity to run to another For so doth Job here walk When they asserted that generally all wicked men were visibly plagued he will not in the heat of opposition unto them averr that all the wicked do prosper nor will he shut his eyes upon what is true in their assertion but yields so much of it as may be granted according to truth even albeit it should seem to militate against him though indeed it did not 3. Though the Lord be pleased visibly to plague some wicked men yet it is not his ordinary way so to do with all of them For How oft is it so saith he intimating that it is not frequently so For 1. It is his glory to exercise long suffering in the world 2. If the Lord did always visibly plague wicked men the world would soon be consumed as befel Sodom and Gomorrah and all mankind in Noah's dayes But
desired Chap 23 But further 1. This common benefit speaks Gods common goodness so clearly and convincingly that it may refute all quarrelling of his justice in his procedures as if he did wrong to any 2. It proves his universal dominion over all and therefore no particular person should seek to be exempted from subjection to him at his pleasure 3. This of the Sun is so obvious a proof to all of his goodness and dominion that it may make those ashamed who have low and unsuitable thoughts of God a resutation whereof is not farr to seek but is written in and with the beams of the Sun Verse 4. How then can man be justified with God Or how can he be clean that is born of a woman In this Verse we have the second branch of the Antecedent or a Declaration of mans baseness evidenced by his miseries being frail and infirm man as his name here imports and by his sinfulness being born of a woman together with the Conclusion of the Argument or the Inference deduced from the consideration of what God and man are Namely That God being so supreme and dreadful frail and polluted man cannot be just or clean with or before him For clearing whereof Consider 1. It cannot be denied simply that man may and can be righteous before God to wit by imputation of Christs righteousness But this ought to be denied that man is absolutely pure in himself or righteous by his own righteousness Farr less is man to be accounted justified and clean with God that is However he pass for such a one in his own or others eyes yet he cannot be so in Gods account Or he cannot be just and righteous in any degree of comparison with God who is perfectly pure and holy Or if man would offer to contend with God as unrighteous because he afflicted him being godly as he took up Jobs design Chap. 23.3 4 c. he could be able to plead no righteousness which should exempt him from tryal if God please Neither could he impeach the righteousness of God in afflicting him 2. As for his intended application of this to Jobs case there is a mistake and injury in it For not only is there an unsound principle in his arguing that Job must be wicked because he was afflicted or else God was unjust who had afflicted him But Job pleaded no such righteousness or cleanness as imported sinlesness nor yet any righteousness by works but only the righteousness of his person by faith in the promised Redeemer and the righteousness of his cause which was in effect the righteousness of his person also or that which he maintained in the debate against them Namely that he was not an hypocrite or wicked man because he was afflicted or because he desired to plead his integrity before God notwithstanding his afflictions when his Friends did unjustly condemn him And as for the way and manner of his betaking himself to God in this plea though it cannot be denyed but Job spake too smartly in his own defence of God and his dealing especially upon this supposition if God would own his Friends cause yet Bildad censures him too rigidly The instructions that may be gathered from this purpose have occurred on Chap. 4.17 and 14.4 and 15 14. Only here the general Truth propounded in this Verse being considered abstractly from his mistakes may teach 1. As the study of Gods soveraign Dominion so also the knowledge of our selves may contribute to lay us low and keep us sober Therefore is that consideration made use of here for that end 2. Man can plead no perfect purity or righteousness of his own nor can he be justified by any inherent righteousness For so much is here undeniable See Prov. 20.9 3. It is not to be regarded what men pretend unto of purity if it be not so with God or in his account as here also we are taught 4. Whatever real purity men have yet if they enter the lists to compete with God in that matter or to quarrel his righteousness because of his dealing toward them they will be sure to lose their cause For thus also man cannot be righteous or clean with God 5. Complainers and murmurers under rods do run the hazard of contending with God in the point of righteousness and cannot be justified For it is upon that account that Bildad puts Job in mind of this 6. Mens consciences if put to it will say much for abasing of themselves and justifying of God Therefore is this inference propounded by way of Question that Job's conscience might consider it as a truth he could not deny 7. Men may also be much helped in the study of their impurity by studying their misery and mortality and their way of consing into the World which if men considered their consciences behoved to be seared if they pleaded purity Therefore doth he inferr this inference and question by putting him in mind that mans name imports that he is frail and miserable and that he is born of a woman Beside these truths if we consider Bildad's mistakes here beside these that are marked in the entry they may further teach 1. It is a great advantage to be well acquainted with this principle that some afflictions come only for tryal For Bildad did mistake by reason of his ignorance of this while he would have Job wicked because afflicted 2. Odious consequences fastned upon mens opinions breed much debate and alienation of mind For his mistake of Job's meaning in defending his Integrity and appealing to God made him think that he pleaded perfect purity and condemned God 3. Every one cannot tenderly judge of the case and carriage of afflicted men nor give them that allowance which God will give them For he strained Job's ill chosen words too much 4 Men may be justified as to the state of their persons and right in their cause who yet have many infirmities For so was it with Job And though Bildad's Argument conclude nothing against the first yet it proves the second strongly Verse 5. Behold even to the moon and it shineth not yea the stars are not pure in his sight 6. How much less man that is a worm and the son of man which is a worm In these Verses Bildad's Argument proving that man cannot be just or pure with or before God is amplified and confirmed by a comparison instituted betwixt the Moon and Stars and Man The comparison runs thus If the very bright Moon as it is called Chap. 31.26 and the shining Stars do not shine nor are pure in Gods sight that is being compared with Gods purity they are but vile impure and not bright much less can man be pure before God who by reason of misery and mortality as his name here again repeated imports and by reason of the way of his generation being the son of man or of fallen Adam is but a worm This comparison is also instituted for the same end betwixt Angels and Man
perplexities and confusions in the matter of our light and though we ought to have our light clear against a day of tryall yet let us not lean to our preparations but to God who leadeth the blind by a way that they know not 2. Affliction may so try mens wit that it may quite over come it and leave no wisdome to understand what to do as here is also supposed For mans wit is his great Idol which will be cryed down by nothing less than this And nothing less will drive us intirely to depend upon God 2 Chron 20.12 3. Saints perplexities in troubles slow but from their want of wit and counsel For so Job expresseth his perplexities that he hath no wisdome and is not well counselled by Bildad Saints in their greatest perplexities need but open eyes to discern the out-gate and mercies which are prepared and ready for them as Gen. 21.15 19. 2 King 6 15 16 17. See Psal 77.8 9 10. 4. It is the duty of friends to be steadable in giving counsel to the perplexed and so to become eyes to the blind as Job 29.15 For he should have counselled him that hath no wisdome For as men may discern things better who are at case than those who are confounded with trouble So this is a duty of love to be performed by one friend to another And it is an act of great kindness to speak a word in season to the perplexed and afflicted 5. Afflicted persons should look well what counsels they embrace and follow For Bildad's discourse had imported some counsel and advice but Job rejects it as not pertinent How hast thou counselled c saith he Men in affliction may have many consultations advices from their own hearts or others some whereof may tend to perswade to discouragement Psal 13.2 Some to take any shift which seems to promise present case But it is a mark of sincerity to follow only sound counsel and that because it is sound whatever may ensue upon following of it and to be tender in taking counsels about our out-gates in trouble 6. That is only sound counsel which is agreeable to the Word of truth For because Job missed this in Bildad's doctrine therefore he rejects it Delusions will prove miserable counsellers and it is an evidence of sincerity when men in trouble cleave fast to the directions of the Word and will not buy deliverance at the rate of sinning to attain it 7. It is no sound counsel that would drive an afflicted man especially if he be godly from God or would affright him from drawing near by the consideration of the majesty of God For upon this account Job judged Bildad's counsel not to be sound because he endeavoured to affright him from God by telling him of his dreadful dominion and purity And by this rule are we to judge of all other counsells and to understand the scope of the whole Scriptures wherein though there be many reproofs and arguments of humiliation to give a check to the presumptuous and secure yet there is nothing intended for discouraging the afflicted who desire to draw near to God in his own way 8. Good men may miss of their aim and come short of their purposes yea they may be quite another thing than they think themselves to be if they do not wait upon God in their undertakings For these men came to comfort Job by their counsels Chap. 2.11 and they thought themselves very wise counsellers Chap. 5.27 and 15.9 10 And yet saith Job How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdome From the fourth fault found in his discourse Learn 1. The truth of God is a very solid substantial thing upon which a man may lean his weight For so doth the Original word rendered the thing as it is import See Prov. 8.14 2. Men should hold out the very truth as it is nakedly and without busking For Jobs challenge imports that he should have declared the thing as it is We do frequently mistake things because we look upon them through masks of passion prejudices oratry pretences c. Yea we oft-times feed rather upon the flowers of Rhetorick which are made use of to adorn solid truth than on the truth it self Men in what they say of truth do oft-times come farr short of what they ought to say For he had not plenteously declared the thing as it is nor spoken fully to the truth he undertook to publish It is true all men will come short upon that subject v. 14. But Bildad was eminently and singularly defective being one who undertook to instruct him and yet did it so poorly 4. It breeds great trouble in managing of debates when the true state of the controversie is not fallen upon and when mens case lyeth under a cloud and they are not seen as they are but their afflictions are mistaken and their speeches wrested For thus also Bildad did not declare the thing as it is he hit not upon the right state of the controversie and mistook Jobs condition and speeches and therefore spake not to the purpose And as our selves are apt to mistake our own condition so God may let the mistakes of others loose upon us to help to correct these our tentations Therefore we should bring our afflictions to the touchstone of the Word and reject all our carnal apprehensions about them And if at any time we be mistaken by others we ought to reflect and try whether we have measured out to others as now in Gods Providence is measured out unto our selves Matth. 7.1 2. 5. A great cause of mistakes in mens cases or in debating of controversies is when things are not taken up fully and plentifully as here Job challengeth they were not in this debate As the whole truth of God is to be spoken out by those who have a calling thereto Act. 20.20 27. So in managing of controversies men may hit upon some truth and yet mistake by not taking in the whole cause For Bildad spake truly of the dominion and righteousness of God but forgot the evidences of Jobs integrity and mistook the state of the controversie See on Chap. 25 4. So men also in the examination of their own condition while they look only to the truth of Gods justice and their own pollution forgetting his mercy and what evidences they have of sincerity they may plunge themselves in needless disquiets Verse 4. To whom hast thou uttered words and whose spirit came from thee The fifth fault challenged in his discourse is That he had not considered to whom he had spoken these words Even to him who neither was an Ignorant and needed to be instructed in these common truths concerning God but could handle them better than he or any of them had done Chap. 9.2 and 12.3 and 13.2 Nor was he a wicked stubborn man pleading his own sinlessness that he needed so to oppose and endeavour to affright him but he was a crushed godly man who had need of other
his integrity with a sincere purpose to look to his lips and tongue For this is indeed a touch-stone of the truth and measure of our sanctification if we bridle our tongues Jam. 1.26 2. Mens great care should be not to look so much to what concerns themselves in matters as to what is right or wrong For Job declines to speak wickedness because it is wickedness let it concern him never so much and by this he sheweth that he is not byassed in this matter 3. There may be much wickedness in that which seems to be far otherwise to ignorant or partial observers For Job's refusing to speak wickedness in this matter while he defends his integrity insinuates that his denying of his own piety to which his Friends pressed him so much as a mark of honesty at least as opening a door of hope that he might become honest had great wickedness in him And so in many other cases great wickedness may be covered under a fair mask 4. Deceit and dissimulation is a special and eminent branch of wickedness Therefore is it here subjoyned to it as a branch of that general wickedness which he resolves to decline in the following discourse 5. It is in particular an abominable wickedness to make use of deceit in laying claim to integrity or in debates for finding out of truth and errour For Job declines deceit in this cause where his integrity was the truth in controversie As it is wicked hypocrisie to pretend to sincerity where it is not and to make use of plausible pretences that we may appear to be what we are not So the Lord abhors all sort of deceit in debating of controversies when either men conceal part of the truth or mix some falshood with it or do set â—ut an ill cause with specious pretences and fine discourses or are swayed in the matter of truth and errour by prosperity or adversity or the friendship or hatred of men Verse 5. God forbid that I should justifie you till I die I will not remove my integrity from me In this Verse he gives a more particular account of his resolution That he will not justifie them in their cause or in their condemning of him and that he will not renounce or disavow his own integrity It seems this speech with that v. 4. is reflected upon by Elihu Chap 34.6 not because he speak an untruth but because he spake it not with due sobriety and humility as it is usual for men thus to miscarry when they have a good conscience in the matter of their tryal Doct. 1. To justifie in Scripture-phrase doth not import to make a man just and righteous by putting of such qualities in him but only in a forensick and Court-sense to pronounce and declare him to be just and righteous For here Job's not justifying of his Friends doth only import that he would not absolve or pronounce them innocent in this cause not that he would make them become wicked by any change of qualities wrought in them by him Thus to justifie the wicked is an abomination whereas it were commendable to make them become righteous and is opposite to condemning Prov. 17.15 2. Wrong is not to be justified in any great or small friend or foe godly persons or others but wherein men do evil they are to be condemned and evil ought to be called evil For Job will not justifie his godly Friends in that wherein they were wrong 3. It is an evil not to be justified in any when they discourage and weaken the hands of a godly man under his troubles and so help Satan and tentations to brangle his confidence in God For this was his Friends practice wherein he will not justifie them 4. Evil how cleanly soever ought to be renounced with zeal and abhorrence For saith he God forbid that I should justifie you We ought to study an hatred of all sin Psal 119.104 and particularly those sins which seem to be less gross and more refined such as Job's change of opinion might seem to be as also sins wherein men do prosper ought not to blunt our zeal as being most dangerous unless zeal be kept on foot 5. Though Adam's posterity cannot attain to perfection in this life yet they may attain through grace to integrity to be sincere and to have a respect unto all the Commandments Psal 119 6. and to be sincere and righteous in their cause For Job hath his integrity here 6. Integrity is a rich prize not to be easily quit or disavowed as being a sweet Cordial in all exigents Is 38.3 and affording other advantages than hypocrites know of For therefore Job cleaves to the defence of it as of a precious Iewel See Psal 25.21 7. Where integrity is it is good service to maintain it and as we ought not to justifie the wicked so also not to condemn the righteous or deny our own being in the state of grace if we be righteous Therefore Job is resolute in this that it is good service not to remove his integrity from him or to disavow that he is an upright man Such as are ready upon every occasion to call the truth of their own grace in question do still keep the foundation unsetled and so cannot make any progress nor build superstructures upon it 8. It is no less than wickedness to deny the truth of our grace and our integrity under any pretence of humility For Job looks upon the removing of his integrity from him as an instance of that wickedness which he resolves not to speak v. 4. As indeed it wrongs both God and the truth beside the prejudice that redounds thereby to our selves 9. Mens resolutions against sin particularly against the quitting of the testimony of their integrity under tentations ought to be perpetual and constant For Job fixeth upon this resolution till he die as arming himself against any continuance of tryals about his integrity that he weary not and resolving to quit any thing were it even his life rather than his integrity 10. Whatever assaults godly men may endure about their integrity yet it is not their part not to be consenting to quit it For saith he I will not remove my integrity from me nor consent that I am an hypocrite whatever ye my Friends or tentations from within may say to the contrary And as the misconstructions of others do not concern godly men so as to make them guilty of every thing that is charged upon them So Satans fiery darts within them are not their sin if they consent not 11. Men do not then only maintain their integrity aright when yet they are sensible of sin and daily imperfections For herein Job miscarried in his defence of this good cause while he was not unmindful of his sinfulness which might have made him humble and sober in his way of pleading it and therefore he is censured by Elihu This tells us that our sight of the grace of God in our selves needs to be ballanced
looks and thoughts if men delight and persist in them are wickedness and works of iniquity and so prove men to be wicked For the scope of Jobs discourse doth import that he avoided these evils v. 1. left he should run the hazard which the wicked and workers of iniquity do incurr as judging that by these acts he would have put himself among the number of such This is not so to be understood as if truly godly men were not obnoxious to tentations and failings of that kind But that such practices being delighted and persisted in do argue a wicked disposition and will draw men to act visible wickedness Hence vain thoughts are accounted wickedness from which the heart should be washed Jer. 4.14 And it were good men would give sins their right names For then these courses would appear to be ugly wherewith they are less affected because they have learned to extenuate them as if they were only infirmities 3. Though men use to forget the hazard that followeth upon sin while they dally with sin it self Yet sin and destruction for sin are inseparable in Gods appointment unless the mercy of God in Christ interpose which is only in the case of repentance and faith nor are they to be separated in our thoughts And particularly we are to believe that as all the wicked so they who give way to uncleanness in wanton looks and thoughts do deserve destruction from the Lord For Job asserts it as an undeniable truth and therefore propounds it by way of question as defying any to disprove it That destruction is to the wicked c. Which he speaks here with a particular eye to the sin of uncleanness as hath been said 4. Beside eternal destruction or bodily death it pleaseth God sometimes to testifie his displeasure against wicked men and particularly unclean persons by some remarkeable judgements such as bodily diseases and odd plagues upon Persons and Nations For there is a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity and to these in particular Sodom Benjamin Judg. 20. Zimri and Cosbi c. are remarkeable instances and proofs of the truth of this Yea David though a Saint and a penitent smarts for this fault 2 Sam. 12. 5 Such as consider the punishment due to sin and particularly to uncleanness will tremble and be afraid to run so great a hazard And men do therefore rush upon sinful courses because they forget to study this hazard For these questions Is not destruction to the wicked And a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity do import not only the evidence of the truth it self but that many have need to be excited by such rowzing questions to consider it And that these who seriously do so will be afraid to sin as Job was v. 1. when he considered this And it is a sad case when men have nothing but inadvertency and forgetfulness of these and the like considerations betwixt them and dreadful horrour which the conscience of their sinful wayes would raise in them Verse 4. Doth not he see my wayes and count all my steps In this Verse we have the last Reason whereby Job was perswaded to this resolution which confirmeth the former Shewing that God knows and observes all the wayes of men and particularly their sinful courses and therefore he who hates such courses will punish them where he seeth them And the apprehension of this all-seeing eye of an holy and just God being still in Jobs mind made him careful to bridle his lust and to watch over his eye and heart This Argument is made use of to press this same Conclusion Pro. 5.20 21. And as for the various words here made use of if we make any difference betwixt wayes and paths the first may point out mens counsels and purposes for atttaining such ends and the second their deeds and practices tending toward these ends be they good or evil Or the first points out the general course or courses of life to which a man betakes himself and the second these particular acts steps and progresses as the word signifieth which a man hath in these courses and therefore they are designed in their universality all my steps because there are many of them in comparison of these wayes or courses of life which a man chooseth As for the other two words Gods seeing and counting they point out that this knowledge which God hath of mens wayes and actings is particular and distinct so that no vails of darkness and secretness wherewith unclean persons especially please themselves Chap. 24.15 can hinder him from seeing nor can any numbers of mens actings and deviations marr his exact counting of them all From this Verse Learn 1. God is Omniscient to see and know all things particularly the things of man For what Job saith concerning his wayes and paths in particular that God seeth and counteth them is an universal verity See Pro. 5.21 2 Chr. 16.9 Job 34.21 Only Job doth not satisfie himself as many do with an acknowledgement of this truth in general while they forget it in their own particular walk But he takes notice of Gods Omniscience as knowing and noticing his own wayes in particular So also doth David Ps 119.168 and 139.1 5. 2. God is very accurate and distinct in his taking notice of mens way and looks not only to the general scope of their lives but to every particular step thereof and not only to their practices but to their principles from which they flow whether they be wicked or miscarry only through infirmity simplicity and ignorance whether they be hypocritical or sincere in the good they do c. For God looks to his wayes and all his paths Thus God pondereth or weigheth all the goings or turnings of man and his life Pro. 5.21 3. As no darkness or secrecy nor coverings and plausible pretences will hide mens way from God nor hinder him to see them as they are so the multiplicity of their courses will not confound his knowledge For however men seek to hide themselves and do run into confusion so that they can keep no account of their wayes yet saith Job He seeth my wayes and counteth all my steps The consideration whereof may alarum loose walkers with the fears of a sad after-reckoning Ps 50.21 4. Albeit unclean persons do satisfie themselves with the secret conveighance of their wayes Yet they do not run these courses without a witness but God hath a special eye upon them while they goe about them For that is the particular here in reference to which Job considered that God did see his wayes c. 5. It is usual for men to forget the all-seeing eye of God when they are upon an evil course especially if it be closely conveighed For Job propounds this reason also by way of question Doth he not see my wayes c. Which imports as hath been said on the former Verse not only the evidence of this truth but that men need to be rouzed up to
man here did See Isa 6.5 5. It is not enough that men receive gifts from the Spirit of God unless they receive also continual influences to quicken and excite those gifts and keep them fresh and in vigour For there must be a Spirit in man and the inspiration or breathing of the Almighty to give understanding See Cant. 4.16 Without this most eminent gifts yea and habitual graces will soon wither and fall into a decay 6. As Gods bounty in giving gifts to men doth proclaim his All-sufficiency So those to whom these gifts are sanctified will have high thoughts of him and his fulness Therefore is he called the Almighty or All-sufficient here to intimate that this gift proclaims him to be such and that he to whom it was sanctified esteemed of him as such From v. 9. Learn 1. Albeit men generally have a great conceit of their own Wisdome and readily they have most conceit who have least of wisdome yet it is not a gift given in common to all men For here some have it not 2. Albeit ordinarily God blesseth the use of means yet in some cases it is verified that wisdome and sound judgement doth not follow upon greatness and good education nor is attained by age or by men who might have had much experience For Great men are not alwayes wise or are not wise that is there are great men found who are not wise neither do the aged understand judgement There are great men who have had much pains taken upon them in their education and aged men who yet have not been wise men And what wisdome they had it did not slow principally from their greatness and age but from the gift and inspiration of God This point doth more particularly import 1. When men have any wisdome they must not sacrifice to their own net as if they had acquired it of themselves by the improvement of their means and time but they should ascribe the glory of all to God 2. Because this is much forgotten by men and God little seen and acknowledged by them therefore God makes it visible that he is the Author of all they enjoy by with-holding wisdome from great men and men of years which stroak is the just fruit of the want of self-denial 3. Which is the case in the Text When men are indeed other-wayes wise and great men as Job and his Friends were yet in some things and cases they may be found destitute of wisdome and in an errour and mistake As all of them were in this debate This the Lord ordereth not only that he may declare that he is tyed to no condition or age of men but that we may not take things upon trust from any men or pin our faith upon their sleeve but may be careful to try and examine all that men say or do by the rule laying aside the consideration of their persons And as we should not reject truth though it be offered by obscure young and unexperienced persons so we should not implicitely give credit to men in every thing because they are known to be wise and holy persons For that may be our very tryal and that whereby God takes proof of our sincerity and respect to his Word if we will call no man Rabbi Only in this case men should walk in much sobriety as hath been formerly marked For as God is not tyed to great able and experienced men so neither is he tyed to others Farr less are men to be cryed down by their inferiours in parts and experience upon this account that great men are not alwayes wise when yet they are never able to refute them as Elihu solidly refutes both parties here From v. 10. Learn 1. When God hath given abilities to men they should communicate their Talents to others for their edification and clearing of mistakes For saith he I also as well as ye will shew mine opinion As it is a sin for men to be idle and not put forth their Talents to use especially when there is great need of them as here there was So no bashfulness and modesty which were ready to hinder him being a young man will warrant them to lye by from that work to which they are called 2. Such as undertake to clear controverted truths and particularly to contradict holy able and experienced men themselves being young had need to be well grounded fitted and called to such a work For this resolution to shew his opinion comes in with a Therefore or by way of inference from what he hath said That being inspired and excited by God as he hints in general v. 8. and having noted their mistakes as he also insinuates in general v. 9 therefore he may well hazard to take his turn having the call and assistance of God and being able to instruct wherein they had erred This young men had need to advert unto in debates For however it may encourage men to stand for truth if it be on their side that the gifts of God are free to bestow them upon whom he will and in what particular exigents and controversies he pleaseth Yet as it is a sin to have a partial and implicite respect to the persons of great and experienced men as hath been marked So it is a double sin for young men to engage against them without cause and to cry them down and the truth which they maintain 3. Whoever they be that speak having a calling to matters in controversie they ought to be heard with attention without stumbling through prejudices at their persons till what they say be tryed For even this young man when he is speaking to old and grave men bids them hearken unto him 4. Then do men hear aright when every one doth not pass what is spoken to many together as nothing concerning them but is careful to apply to himself what is spoken as if none else were present Therefore is this exhortation directed in the singular number as hath been explained 5. It evidenceth wisdome in speakers when they single out those to deal with who stand in greatest need of help and when they are careful to speak what may tend most to edification On this account also it may be conceived that he will not insist to deal with the three Friends but singles out needy Job in particular to whom it was to good purpose to speak And this is indeed an evidence of a man who is guided by the Spirit of God in speaking when he minds edification and the need of Souls much Verse 11. Behold I waited for your words I gave ear to your reasons whilest you searched out what to say 12. Yea I attended unto you and behold there was none of you that convinced Job or that answered his words The second Reason of Elihu's interposing to speak which is more special and particular is the insufficiency of what they had spoken to convince Job So that having marked all that they had said and searched out all that long time
that the dispute continued he finds that none of them had convinced Job or convincingly proved what they had asserted against him that he was a wicked Hypocrite Nor yet had they answered his words which imports not only that they had not refused his arguments and repelled these evidences of his integrity which he had produced in his own defence â—ut further that they had not made that reply to Jobs miscarriages in his discourses which was necessary for his humiliation and casting down as he speaks v. 13. And so Job is declared to be Victor in the debate betwixt him and his Friends concerning the calamities of godly men of which v. 3. And yet somewhat remained to be answered to Jobs words which they had not hit upon From these two Verses Learn 1. When Debates are once started they may continue very long For not only have there been long discourses among them but it seems they have taken time to study this controversie and search out words or what to say whereby the debate was much lengthened Debates may be soon begun but they are not so easily composed again For mens wilfullness may continue debates long And God in his holy providence may permit them to continue that men may be fully tryed 2. It is mens duty to search into Controversies and to be well advised in what they speak to a weighty cause For in so farr they did right that they searched out what to say Men do sin hainously when they engage in debates before they understand them and before they consider to what they may tend 3. When men are once engaged in Debates if they be non plust they are ready to bend their wits to maintain their cause rather than they will yield and quit the plea For thus also they searched out what to say when Job put them to it but it was but words as it is in the Original and somewhat wherewith to flourish and make a shew that they studied or found Thus when men are once engaged and grown warm with passion they will readily seek victory rather than truth 4. It is mens duty when Debates are started and agitated not to be idle spectatours but diligent observers that thereby they may be edified and may be able to know what is truth For Elihu professeth he was not sleeping but diligently attending all the while of the debate and no doubt this debate did edifie many Auditours as well as him 5. It is a duty also to let men say their minds to the full before we judge of their Doctrine and Opinion For he heard them out and did not halve their discourses by interrupting them 6 It is also mens duty to ponder well what is said that they do not wilfully nor negligently mistake the discourses of them who speak For Behold saith he inviting them to consider how seriously he had proceeded I waited I gave ear yea I attended unto you 7. It is a clear and determined case and a truth to be much remarked and improved That a man may be afflicted and yet righteous For here the Controversie is determined in Jobs favours who had maintained this truth constantly against his friends and that with a Behold Not that every man may claim to this that he is righteous when afflicted if he want evidences of his integrity For a wicked man may be plagued as well as a godly man afflicted in this life Nor yet doth this warrant godly men not to be sensible of their failings when in affliction because their persons or cause are righteous But that which it imports is That godly men may see love in rods and that they are consistent with love and That they ought not to suffer the weight of their afflictions to light upon their state and personal reconciliation with God to call that in question because they are afflicted 8. Not only may men think they have refuted their Adversary when it is nothing so as they gave Job over as an obstinate man v. 1. when yet Elihu tells them they had neither convinced nor answered him but God may sometime be pleased to raise up some to own them who are for a right cause when they are over-powred with multitude of opposers and lye under many disadvantages As Elihu here takes part with Job who had so many godly men against him Let men abide by truth though they were even left alone in that quarrel and God will send them friends at last when their tryal is perfected 9 Men may be very able and express great abilities in what they say who yet do erre For he acknowledgeth they had reasons or as it is in the Original understandings and gave proof of their great abilities and yet they did not convince nor answer Job 10. So weak are men that before they be convinced they must not only have an assertion proved but their objections against it answered otherwise they will not heartily embrace a truth how clearly soever it be proved For he desiderates both these in their dealing with Job and intimates that they ought both to have convinced him by strong arguments and answered his words or objections if they would have brought him to be of their opinion 11. Men may prevail against men and have the righter cause and the better of them in debate who yet are faulty before God even in that cause and deserve a reproof from him For here Job is assoiled and declared Victor in the debate with his Friends and yet Elihu intimates there was an answer which should have been given to his words but they had not touched upon it as he resolves afterward to do v. 14. Men had need to look to this that their righteous cause and the errours and miscarriages of their Antagonists do not blind their eyes that they see not their own failings Verse 13. Lest ye should say We have found out Wisdome God thrusteth him down not man In this Verse the former Reason is amplyfied from the consideration of Gods end and design in ordering this business which also was his end in passing so free a censure upon their Doctrine This is propounded in general in the beginning of the Verse That whatever were Jobs failings yet God had so ordered the matter that Job had got the victory in the debate and they had succumbed in their undertakings against him that they might not glory in their wisdome nor might ascribe it to their abilities and experience that they had found out what was sufficient to put an end to this Controversie And he had freely told them so much v. 12. that they might no longer entertain that good opinion of themselves As for that which followeth God thrusteth him down not man Some take them to be the very words whereby they might be ready if not prevented to express their thoughts of their own wisdome to this purpose That they by their wisdome had found out so much for convincing of Job that they had left him nothing wherewith to
defend himself but only his wilfull obstinacy in persisting still to adhere to his own opinion from which only God and no man by any Arguments could drive him And therefore as they had dealt wisely in their disputes against him so they had dealt no less wisely in that when they found him obstinate they had given him over v. 1. concluding that they had done what man could do to convince him and what remained to be done even the cure of his obstinacy behoved to be performed by God himself I do so farr agree with this interpretation as to conclude that Job was to be indeed humbled by God which I take to be the sense and scope of these words though not upon the account they imagined because he was a wicked man and obstinately persisted in his opinion after that he was sufficiently convinced And therefore they ought to have been farr from such an opinion of their doctrine and abilities as the scope of the interpretation carrieth it But most part of Interpreters do loâ—k upon these words as containing their account of that principle of wisdome in the finding out whereof they might be ready to glory to this purpose He had freely told them the truth concerning their Doctrine and how God had left them to themselves to give proof of their weakness that they might not glory of their wisdome in finding out that Maxime which they so frequently insisted upon Namely That it was God and not man who had afflicted Job and therefore he behoved to be wicked seeing God was righteous who had afflicted him According to this interpretation as in the former Verses Elihu had condemned their opinion in general so here he repells their great and almost only Argument taken from Jobs afflictions whereby they endeavoured to prove their opinion And it is indeed a truth as hath been frequently marked That Gods hand in afflictions doth not prove the Sufferer to be wicked and the righteousness of God who afflicts and the â—ntegrity of the person afflâ—cted are not inconsistent The word rendred To thrust down doth not contribute much to determine the Interpretation It signifieth To cast down or to drive a thing from its place and that with violence as the wind drives smoak or chaffe Ps 1.4 and 68.2 And so it will very fitly express how Job was violently hurried and tossed by his trouble But it may also as well be applyed to the casting down of Job from his passionate humour and distemper which was done with violence and tossing enough Elihu reproving and tossing his expressions very sharply and God himself appearing in a Whirl-wind to abase and humble him and affrighting him with sad challenges and refusing at first to take his submission off his hand till he is brought to abhorr himself in dust and ashes Therefore when I consider That many Supplements in the Translation are required to make out that other Interpretation from the Text That however God have a hand in all afflictions and was eminently seen in Jobs tryals and many of them were inflicted by his own immediate hand yet it cannot so universally be said that God had thrust him down and not man For the Sabeans and Chaldeans beside others of whom Job complains in his discourses were eminently active in some of his afflictions And That the word is in the future time though indeed in the Original language one time is frequently put for another God shall thrust him down When I say I consider those things I incline rather to understand the words of Jobs being afterward humbled by God for what he had really said amiss in his discourses Thus the whole Verse will run very smoothly to this purpose They had no cause to talk of their wisdome for as he had told them they had mistaken all along and had never hit the mark or touched upon that for which Job was to be humbled And God had ordered it so and reserved the humbling of Job to be done by himself that they might not boast and glory as if their wisdome and experience had done it And for further clearing of the words while he saith God thrusteth him down not man the meaning is not That what himself was to say did not tend to cast him down also but that was to be done only by God when himself appeared Chap. 38. For it is not certain that Elihu knew God would afterward visibly appear when he spake this But he speaks this because he was employed by God and appeared in his stead to do this work as he tells Job Chap. 33.6 And he ascribes all to God partly out of his modest and low esteem of himself who could contribute nothing of himself to this great design and partly to point out the great odds that should be betwixt their doing of that work and his being employed in it For he was not a man of eminency parts and experience as the name here given to man signifieth oft-times an eminent and great man and therefore if he were assisted to find out that which might humble Job or to point at his real miscarriages for which he ought to be humbled it should clearly be seen that it was God and not he who had done it Whereas if they had done the business God would readily have been less seen and their wisdome abilities and experiences more cryed up in it This Interpretation affords us these following Instructions most of which beside what is already marked in expounding the words may also be gathered from the other Interpretation 1. Men who are in trouble being righteous in their person and cause may yet expect to come off the Stage humbled especially if they miscarry in their tryal For as Job had been afflicted though righteous so it remains yet that he be thrust down and that with some violence and sharpness before he be delivered and that even albeit he defended a righteous cause against his Friends Whatever men be or how just soever their cause be yet God will not wink at their miscarriages and their dross which appears in the furnace nor will he have any to come off the Stage of tryal but in an humble posture and lying in the dust 2. Much wisdome is required either in refuting of mens corrupt principles as the Friends looked upon the business or in humbling them for their miscarriages For he supposeth that wisdome was necessary for this thrusting down and such a wisdome as must be found out by much search however they had not succeeded in the search they made after it v. 11. And it is indeed a truth whether men have to do with erroneous persons or with persons who have miscarried through passion under trouble That much wisdome is necessary to discover and drive them from all their subterfuges and defences to humble them and yet not to crush them and so to reprove their errours and miscarriages as they do not thereby alienate their affections from the truth or the wholesome counsels they
matter and such a fervent inclination to speak that he could not without grief and trouble forbear And while he saith his belly is ready to burst like new bottles he means not new bottles for these are not so ready to burst Mat. 9.17 but bottles filled with new wine which by its working is ready to burst the bottles wherein it is put if they be not very strong From this we may not only gather that this Doctrine of Elihu slowed from the Spirit of God but further Learn 1. It must be the Spirit of God in men furnishing them with light and accompanying what they say that will clear Controversies and bring them to an happy close For the Spirit is given him here for that end 2. As men may certainly know that it is the Spirit of God and not a delusion that acts them So they have need to make it sure that it is so especially in debates wherein it is not easie for men to know of what Spirit they are In both these respects he confidently asserts That it is the Spirit of God and not the fury of a rash young man which moveth him to speak I will answer v. 17. For I am full of matter the Spirit within me constraineth me 3. Such as have the Spirit of God may without vanity assert that it is so in the maintenance of truth and of what is right For so doth Elihu assert of himself though a young man when he is to deal on Gods behalf with so eminent parties See 1 Cor. 7.40 4. Albeit the Spirit of God where he dwells keeps men humble and empty in themselves yet he doth not make an empty sound and noise only but supplyeth men with furniture for the work he calls them unto For saith he I am full of matter or of words that is of words pertinent to the purpose and not empty words only And he expresseth his furniture by being full of words to shew that the Spirit of God did not only furnish him with pertinent matter but with fit words whereby to express it As he must do to all those whom he assists 5. Though the Spirit of God do not lead men to be rash and furious yet he fills them in whom he dwelleth with an holy fervour in the cause of God and with an earnest desire and zeal to appear for it especially when others have wronged it For this is the Spirit within him or the Spirit of his belly that is the Spirit which hath taken his seat in and hath wakened up his zeal and affections which in Scripture-phrase are said frequently to be seated in the belly or bowels in behalf of God and his truth so much wronged by them And so this Spirit constrained him that he must appear and speak as wine in a bottle seeketh a vent See Psa 45.1 6. The Spirit of God leads men to look upon the want of an opportunity to serve God as their greatest burden and on his service as their greatest delight and refreshment For so much doth this similitude import Behold my belly or affections moved and excited by the Spirit of God is as wine that hath no vent it is ready to burst like new bottles I will speak that I may be refreshed or may breath as the bottle gets air when it is opened See Jer. 20.9 7. Whatever fervour men have yet it must not be their own case only farr less the setting out of their gifts in a way of ostentation but edification they should mind Therefore unto his own being refreshed he adds I will open my lips and answer or speak to the cause and on Gods behalf so as ye may be edified Verse 21. Let me not I pray you accept any mans person neither let me give flattering titles unto man 22. For I know not to give flattering titles in so doing my Maker would soon take me away These Verses contain the third branch of this general Preface relating chiefly to Job wherein he gives an account of the way he resolves to follow in managing this cause Some do take up the words as Elihu's wish and prayer to God that he may be helped to manage that cause well and impartially But it seems rather that he expresseth his resolution in a desire to Job and to the whole Auditory that he may have liberty and allowance to deal freely as in a cause of God and a cause concerning mans salvation And that it be not expected that he should yield to any mans humours and affections or authority in this matter but that he will faithfully and freely speak what he thinks of the whole cause or of any man concerned Which course he resolves to take not only because it is not his custome to flatter nor doth he approve of it but because he was restrained from such courses by the fear and awe of God As for the two expressions to accept mans person or face and to give flattering titles to men they may be taken for one and the same thing for the one is repeated for both v. 22. Yet it may be gathered from the same repetition that the giving of flattering titles is the evil he would avoid and the accepting of mans person is the cause or tentation which might drive him to commit that evil And so for clearing and applying this purpose I shall consider four Particulars in the words First Consider the evil which he declines and is careful to avoid he will not give flattering titles to men The word is only used in these Verses and Isa 44.5 and 45.4 and it signifies to give Titles Epithetes a By-name or Sir-name to things And so it is translated a Sir-name in the fore-cited places of Isaiah where it is taken in a good sense But here it is taken in a bad sense for flattering titles or designations which he declines not only in reference to their persons that he will use no Rhetorical or flattering compellations or insinuations to them by way of Preface to conciliate their attention to what he is to say but will fall roundly to his work But in reference to the matter it self he will not goe about the bush as we speak nor mince the truth but speak it out plainly and freely and give things their right names without flattery or circumlocution And in this respect also they are said not to be given to man because regard to their persons did not cause him flatter them in their sin And if he had done otherwise he had spoken rather to their persons to please them than to their condition as it was in it self Of which more will be spoken on the next word Some Learned men do take the word to signifie the naming of a thing obscurely as by some Enigmatical By-name or Epithete and not by its usual proper and known name And this notion suits well to this purpose That as he would not flatter them so he would not give a By-name to things nor change their names either by
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
his perfect knowledge of the matter he is to treat of Where he speaks of himself modestly in the third person and doth not claim any absolute perfection of knowledge but only asserts that he was so versed in that subject as he knew his Doctrine was free of errour Doct. 1. Whosoever crave attention or have accesse to speak to others they ought to deal truly and sincerely in Gods matters especially with the afflicted For he professeth it his duty and resolution to speak truth and that his words shall not be false if Job will hearken to him It is a great cruelty in men to be venting errours when they are allowed and welcomed to speak to others 2. It is not enough that men pretend to truth nor should their pretences be taken off their hands unlesse they do really as they pretend And it is a double sin in men to deal falsely while they pretend the contrary Therefore saith he truly my words shall not be false professing his sincere resolution to deal singly and intimating that it were a great sin to belie so grave a profession 3. Men who would speak truth especially in dark cases ought to have not a superficial but a solide knowledge of what they speak For he supposeth they should be perfect in knowledge 4. As there is no necessity that men should be Scepticks but they may attain to such a measure of knowledge as they may be assured of the truth which they own So it is no evidence of vanity in men modestly to avow their certain knowledge of the truth that thereby they may gain ground upon those with whom they deal Yea it is their duty to commend themselves to their consciences as having knowledge and as being sincere in seeking and holding out of truth Therefore doth Elihu profess He that is perfect in knowledge is with thee 5. When truth is spoken from God men are bound to hear it with attention whether it please their humours and be fitted to their interests or not For that his words shall not be false and that he speaks from perfect knowledge is an Argument perswading to attention Verse 5. Behold God is mighty and despiseth not any he is mighty in strength and wisdom Followeth to v. 22. the first part of Elihu's discourse subjoyned to this Preface Or a vindication of the righteousnesse of God in his dealing with men It may be taken up in four heads In the first whereof in this verse is contained a general proposition of this truth or the summe of this part of his discourse That God is righteous in all his dispensations and proceedings with and about man Wherein beside the note of attention Behold 1. We have the Proposition it self which he is about to clear That God despiseth not any as this word any is added to the indefinite Proposition God despiseth not or sleights them not so far as to neglect to do them right for so despising is taken Chap. 31.13 with 14. And this imports both That he doth not slight any upon the account of their low condition so as not to do them right but he giveth right to the very poor v. 6. and That he doth not despise or reject any but upon a just and relevant cause as is after cleared v. 11 12. 2. This Proposition is amplified That God is mighty and great and yet he despiseth not any that is though he be great yet he is just And this meets with Jobs complaints that God was too great a party for him and took no notice of him See Chap. 10.3 and 19.7 and 23.13 14 15 16. and 30.21 and elsewhere 3. This amplification is yet further enlarged That he is mighty in strength and wisdom or heart See Chap. 34.10 Whereby we are not only to understand That seeing God is not only mighty in power to do what he will but in wisdom also and all other perfections therefore he will not employ his power tyrannically to do wrong to any But further That though he have not only strength but wisdom also to bear him out against all the world Yet this speaks his commendation that notwithstanding these advantages he will not despise any nor do them wrong Doct. 1. It is ignorance of God that is the root of mens distempers failings and mistakes of his dealing For therefore he seeks to cure Jobs evils by curing his ignorance And we find ignorance is the root of unbelief Ps 9.10 of slavish fears Is 51.12 13. of oppression of Gods people Exod. 5.2 of pride and self conceit and risings of heart before him Is 6.5 Job 42.5 6. and of all sinfull courses and mens secure presumption in them Psal 50.21 2. Who so know God aright will take him up as mighty great potent and abounding in all perfections For God is mighty The word imports a multiplication to wit of all perfections in God and so this general is branched out both in strength and wisdom in the end of the verse Hence Great service is due to him Mal. 1.14 and particularly great praise Ps 48.1 We may expect great yea and marvellous things from him according to the tenor of his promise Joel 2.21 His people serve a great Master who will not see them wronged Is 49.24 25 26. Jer. 50.34 And he is not to be opposed nor contended with but submitted unto in every thing Job 9.4 Is 45.9 3. It is not ordinary thoughts of Gods greatness that ought to satisfie but we should think upon that subject with admiration For saith he Behold God is mighty Ordinary thoughts of this Subject do but proclaim our contempt and hence it is that Saints are so much affected when they sometime fall upon the commendation of God as may be seen Psal 145. throughout 4. God is a just God and it is an admirable conjunction that he who is great should be also just and will not do wrong to any For this is propounded as admirable Behold God is mighty and despiseth not any See Job 23.6 Ps 99.4 and 145.9 17. Is 57.15 16. The very meanest may come to him notwithstanding his greatnesse and expect justice and equity This should humble us and make us ashamed when we think otherwise of any of his dispensations His greatness should make his condescendence admirable in our eyes and that he should be kind to us when he needs us not and in whose reverence we still are and much more should this warn great men not to be insolent and unjust since the great and absolute Lord is so condescending 5. This assertion concerning the righteousness of God is not easily received and digested even by godly men in their fits of tentation For it must be asserted against Job and he must be excited to behold it And this may humble us that a little distemper will soon make us quarrel God and will obscure his praise 6. Gods power is attended with infinite perfections and particularly with wisdom to guide all well For he is mighty in
Elihu's scope in it Learn 1. Though God be indeed holy and righteous in all he doth as hath been inculcated in the former part of this discourse yet such is the weakness even of good men especially under tentation that they do not alwayes see and discern his righteousness in what he doth Therefore it is needful that Elihu add this other Argument to the former for convincing and silencing of Job 2. Such is the greatness and dominion of God that albeit men should not be able to discern the justice and equity of every one of his proceedings Yet they ought to submit and silence all their murmurings For so much doth this part of the discourse import that though he could not be satisfied with what was formerly propounded yet this might silence him 3. Such as would take up aright in that measure they are able the greatness of God ought to have their hearts and thoughts elevated and excited when they fall upon that meditation Therefore doth he begin this Doctrine with a Behold to rouze him up 4. Such is the greatness of God that we cannot take it up in it self but as it appeareth in visible effects So much doth this way of proving it especially by visible instances teach us 5. Albeit no man who is not a professed Atheist will deny the greatness of God yet men in a fit of distemper have need that it be much inculcated upon them before they can practically improve it So much doth this insisting to give so many proofs and instances of this truth teach us In particular from this Verse Learn 1. Gods great power is a proof and demonstration of his greatness For his power is made use of to prove this conclusion And indeed the operations of his power are so great that he is thereby exalted as some read the words and declared to be great and high See Psal 113.5 Where it is said he exalteth himself in the Original And this caseth us of the burden of exalting him which he will do by his own power Psal 21.13 And teacheth us to look upon him as great and high in the proofs of his power 2. Gods power is not idle but an operative Attribute and as others of his Attributes are visible in effects upon and among the Creatures so also is his power Therefore here he declareth what God doth by his power 3. God gives proofs of his power not only by creating and upholding of all things or by crushing his enemies but by exalting them who need it even the humble and lowly Psal 1â—â— 5 6 7. For God exalteth by his power So that so long as God hath power their case is not desperate 4. As it is the duty of all to stoop and be patient toward God so they should study hope that they may be quickened to it And particularly they should study that the humble need not run away from God because of the most desperate trouble seeing his power can rid them out of it Therefore is God thus described to Job as an Exalter by his power to encourage him in his duty in his sad distress 5. Not only is God great in power but in wisdome and both are to be studied and observed in his working For he is a Teacher which supposeth that he is wise See Job 9.4 Ps 94.10 6. Such is the goodness of God that he communicates the effects of his wisdome and makes it forth-coming to his people not only to guide them and carve out their lot but to instruct and teach them For by his wisdome he teacheth Which is our mercy that his infinite wisdome stoops to take notice of us 7. God is the Supreme Teacher of his people So that they should submit themselves to his wisdome and give up themselves to his teaching and not presume to teach or prescribe unto him Therefore is he pointed out to Job as the Teacher 8. It may encourage men to submit to Gods wisdome and teaching if they consider that he is a singular Teacher For Who teacheth like him So that none can teach or guide so well as he Which may further appear if we consider 1. The matter which he teacheth which is infallible truth and tendeth still to mens good and profit however they oft-times think otherwise Is 48.17 2. The manner of his teaching And so every thing a man meets with doth teach him some lesson He teacheth strangely discovering deep things out of darkness teaching by afflictions c. By discovering sin he teacheth us to be lowly by discovering his severity he teacheth us to flee to his mercy by discovering our bad memories he teacheth us to employ the Spirit much as a Remembrancer He may find it needful to take a long time to inculcate one lesson Deut. 8.2 3 c. 3. The objects or persons whom he teacheth He teacheth both wise men whose advantage it is to be still his Schollars and men of rude and dull Spirits so that the way-faring men though fools shall not erre Is 35.8 Yea he teacheth very Infants Is 65.20 as being a Teacher who not only propounds the lesson to be learned which is all that men can do but gives a capacity also to take it up and understand it 4. The efficacy of his teaching His instructions where he takes any of his own Children in hand are all successful Joh. 6.45 and he teacheth them to profit Is 48.17 not only by propounding what is profitable for them to know but by making them profit thereby Verse 23. Who hath enjoyned him his way Or who can say Thou hast wrought iniquity The second Proof of this Proposition that God is great is taken from his Soveraign Dominion That as none may prescribe to him before-hand What he should do so neither can they justly carp at any of his works when he hath done them as if he were faulty in doing thereof Of this frequently before Only here Learn 1. God is not only great in power to do whatever is possible or implyeth not a contradiction if he please and wise to carve out work for his power But he is invested with absolute Authority to do whatever he pleaseth Therefore is this commendation of God added to what hath been said of his wisdome and power Men may have power and wisdome to compass and usurp that unto which they have no right but Gods authority is no less incontroulable than his wisdome or power 2. It is one part of that homage which men owe to their Soveraign Lord to beware of prescribing to him in his working who gives commission to his creatures but takes none from any and submissively to wait for the declaration of his will in all things For Who hath enjoyned him his way wherein to walk is a strong assertion that none should presume to do it and that it will be to no purpose if any should attempt it 3. Whoever are not content to be guided and disposed of as God pleaseth they would indeed take upon them
to guide God and set him down at their feet to be directed by them For by this question he would reflect upon Jobs way as presuming to enjoyn and prescribe unto God by his dissatisfaction and complaints 4. It is a fault incident to too many that they can pretend submission to Gods will before-hand hoping thereby to get their will who yet are ready to carp when in the issue they are put to it to prove their submission For as some are ready to enjoyn him his way before-hand so others may seem to decline that who yet are ready enough to say Thou hast wrought iniquity if his work do not please them when it is done 5. Whatever be mens miscarriages of this kind yet as God must not be prescribed unto before he work so he must not be carped at when he hath wrought But as we ought to wait for the declaration of his will so we ought to stoop and adore when it is declared considering that he can do no wrong and that his works may abide our most severe examination and censure For Who can say Thou hast wrought iniquity 6. Albeit men in their passions think they have reason enough for prescribing to God and carping at him Yet they are but raving in their feavers when they so judge Their own consciences and reason will condemn them in cold blood and discover unto them sad matter of repentance for their folly For so much doth these questions import whereby the truth of these assertions is referred to mens own consciences as a thing they cannot deny 7. The Soveraignty of God is a subject which will never wear bare and empty to a right discerner were it never so oft spoken of and repeated and which is needful to be much inculcated and dwelt upon by men when they are under fits of distemper For these causes is this subject so often repeated and insisted upon in this Book Verse 24. Remember that thou magnifie his work which men behold 25. Every man may see it man may behold it afarr off The third Proof of the greatness of God is taken from the consideration of his most obvious works wherein it doth clearly shine In prosecution whereof 1. He generally propounds the Proof ver 24 25. 2. Being to clear it by particular instances he premits and repeats his Proposition concerning the greatness of God to keep Job in mind of his scope ver 26. 3. He confirmeth this truth by many particular instances v. 27 33. and in the next Chapter In these Verses he propounds his Proof That even Gods obvious works not his work and dispensations toward Job which the beholders do remark as some understand the words but his common works which are seen by all are to be magnified And the force of the Argument is If there be so much to be admired and magnified even in his common works How much less can men comprehend his mysterious Providence in some particular dispensations about his people This Argument is 1. Propounded by way of counsel unto Job that he should magnifie Gods work Whereby he sheweth his friendliness to Job in giving him so warm an advice whence also it is that he insists to give so many instances to confirm this Argument in the following Discourse 2. It is amplified that this work which he desires Job to magnifie is a work which men do behold and every man may behold it afarr off Whereby he not only clears what works they are he is speaking of even works which are obvious to all But quickens him to magnifie them considering that all men take some notice of them or do sing of them as the Vulgar Latine reads it And for mens beholding these works afarr off it may further amplifie the matter that men see and take notice of these works even at a distance from them as the Sun and Clouds c. are discerned and noticed by men though they be at a great distance above them of which after Or they see his hand in them even afarr off or at first view and though they be not very attentive But further though those be truths yet the phrase seems chiefly to import that though they see somewhat of God in them yet they do not see them perfectly but as men see things at a great distance and so it points out that there is more in them than they see From these Verses Learn 1. Much of God is to be seen even in his ordinary working For that is the work or operation of God which is here propounded as a proof of his greatness And though the word be singular yet it relates not to any one work only but to many as the following instances do clear and it holds true also of all of them See Ps 19.1 2. Rom. 1.19 20. 2. Gods greatness as it shines in his ordinary operations ought to be magnified and exalted and not slighted because these works manifesting it are common and ordinary For saith he Magnifie his work 3. It is specially required of men when they are distempered in their own particular cases that they study Gods works in general wherein they are less concerned Whereby they may be instructed in good principles concerning God which will be of use to clear their mistakes about their own condition Therefore by way of diversion he draws Job to the study of the common works of Providence which might help to send him back in a better frame to judge of his own case and he might thereby be excited to ascribe that glory to God which he had endeavoured to obscure by his complaints 4. Men are ordinarily great neglecters of Gods ordinary works and particularly Saints in a distemper are prone to study nothing which may help to clear them but do lye still poring upon their own condition whereby they do but heighten their distempers For here there is need to bid Job remember this to magnifie his work 5. It is a great proof of love and kindness to wait upon distempered friends and to sweeten reproofs with seasonable advices For instead of arguing he lovingly adviseth Job and wakens him out of his dreams Remember that thou magnifie his work 6. As it is the common duty of all men to study Gods works and all men have some sight and knowledge of them So this should be a spurr in the side of the godly to quicken them to diligence For this is a motive to excite Job to this duty that it is a work which men behold every man may see it Not only are the works in themselves obvious and visible but somewhat is seen of them and in them by every ordinary observer and therefore Job should be careful to magnifie him 7. It speaks the frailty of men whose name is Enosh here v. 25. and the depths and rich treasures that are even in Gods ordinary works that however all men see somewhat of them even afarr off yet they cannot reach or take them up fully For Man may
behold them but afarr off The same may be said of our spiritual knowledge in this life 1 Cor. 13.12 And if this hold true of the most ordinary and obvious works of God much more are some particular acts of his Providence incomprehensible Verse 26. Behold God is great and we know him not neither can the number of his years be searched out Elihu being about to confirm this Argument by instances and so to help Job to magnifie these works by pointing out some excellencies in them He in this Verse repeats and premits his general Proposition which is his scope in all this discourse Asserting that God is unsearchably and incomprehensibly great so that man cannot take him up This is to be understood of God not only in respect of his Essence and Attributes but even in respect of his Works of which he is now speaking That he is incomprehensibly great in his Soveraignty Power and Wisdome which shine in them And this Assertion he affirms from the Eternity of God the number of whose years speaking of Eternity in tearms which frail man is capable of cannot be searched out and therefore He must be farr above our reach and capacity who are but of yesterday Doct. 1. Such as would take up God aright as he is in himself and as he manifests himself in his works need to have their Spirits elevated and frequently excited and rouzed up for that effect Therefore is a new Behold after that which we have v. 22. premitted to this Doctrine Not only need we to quicken up our selves to commend God when we do know him as Psal 57.7 8. and 108.1 2. But we need excitation to take them up that we may commend him as those many Beholds so frequently premitted in Scripture to narrations concerning him and his working do point out This Point imports 1. That it is the duty of the people of God to quicken up themselves in thinking upon God his service and works Otherwise his name is taken in vain which is a sin to which few do advert if their exercise be right upon the matter And hence cometh that wasting moth of formality and lifeless service which is the great snare of the visible Church 2. That our profit and our getting of our condition helped and our cases cleared depend much upon the raising up of our affections in that study of God and of what relates to him and points him out For he excites Job to behold that his case may be cleared Low and creeping thoughts of God do leave us in the dark and may augment our trouble as Psal 77.3 But quickened and raised thoughts of him will help us to get mistakes cleared and are a mount on which he will be seen and will make men wonder that they saw not better before 3. Albeit it be our duty and great advantage to attain to this yet we are slow of heart to take up God aright especially under tentation For Job needs to be excited to it We are ordinarily confident of our own thoughts of God such as we have at first view and so lean to them But if we considered not only his incomprehensibleness of which afterward but our ill frame of heart under trouble we would not judge so of them but would rather be suspicious that we forget God Is â—1 12 13. that we do but proclaim our infirmity by our conceptions of him Psal 77.7 8 9 with 10. yea are but as beasts before him Psal 73.22 For tryal puts us in a feaver and surrounds us with many mists and while we pore only upon our unpleasant condition and through that Perspective look upon God we cannot avoid many prejudices and mistakes And after we have been bred with much kindness it will not be easie for us to acknowledge and stoop to his Soveraignty in afflicting us All which may shew how farr they are mistaken who think it an easie task to take up God aright especially under trouble 4. Albeit at some times we get our hearts elevated to have some right thoughts of God yet it is not easie to fix and hold them there For here a new Behold must be added to the former to recollect and excite Jobs thoughts again And here two things occurr as causes of our unfixedness One is Our natural weakness and inconstancy whence it floweth that we cannot keep up long as any thing that is good but with Moses Exod. 17. our hands are ready to fall down Which may discover their folly who lean to their own dispositions and do not look upon perseverance in good as a difficult task nor do cherish what good inclinations they have by a continual dependance Another cause is The power of tentation in an hour of tryal whence it floweth that when our hearts are fixed they become unfixed again and like Saylers at Sea when we have mounted up to Heaven we are made to sink down again unto the very depths which we should resolve upon and study to be armed against it 5. This our aversion from and inconstancy in right thoughts of God makes us need help from without to excite and fix us As here Elihu doth to Job And this 1. May point out how great and difficult a task the work of the Ministry is even in this one particular to rouze up and keep up that frame of heart which both mens own inclinations and tentations from without are ready to pull down 2. It may put men to try what quickening and fixing they get by the Ministry otherwise they will be more deaded by it Doct. 2. It is an unquestionable truth That God is great in himself and declareth himself to be great absolute omnipotent infinitely wise c. by his works For here it is repeated that God is great as a truth which standeth firm against all contradiction This is a truth so frequently inculcated in Scripture that God is great both absolutely in himself Ps 145.3 and in opposition to Idols Jer. 10.10 c. and to men who dare oppose or quarrel him Job 33.12 and hath so often occurred before that I shall not insist here to clear it Only in general His inculcating of this common truth so much upon Job in this case may point out That many lessons which we think common and obvious are yet but ill learned by us And we in our walk will be found not to act consonantly to our very common principles As might be instanced not only in the matter of our knowing of the greatness of God and walking accordingly but in many other particulars And in particular for our right improvement of this truth That God is great I shall not insist on this that we should see him great in his working and that he is incomprehensible therein both which are Elihu's scope here and will come to be spoken of in the next point but shall only pitch upon these particulars 1. That we should admire his condescendence who being so great takes notice of us
and to see what he saith and points out to us as our Duty and Lesson by every thing Fâ—r here it is supposed that he was seeking out God or how he might know him 2. Whoso know God best will find that he is unsearchable and that they must give over that study before they come to an end For he closeth all his discourse and instances with this We I or any other who shall essay it cannot find him out Which may let us see that we ought not to lean in all cases especially in our distempers to our own verdict concerning God seeing he is unsearchable and incomprehensible and should humble us and make us keep a due distance with him 3. High thoughts of God do become all and will be entertained by them who are much conversant with him therefore in the close of all this discourse concerning God he calls him the Almighty So that they who have high thoughts of him do prove that they are near him and do find him to be unsearchable 4. This is a certain truth to be fixed in our hearts that God is infinitely powerful to effectuate what he will to support his people Isa 40.28 29 c. and create what they need Rom. 4.17 and to crush whom he will 1 Cor. 10.22 For it is a concluded truth He is excellent in power Where he doth not content himself to say that he hath power judgment and justice but that he is excellent great or multiplieth in them Which not only points out that those are infinitely and singularly in God but that Elihu esteemed of them as excellent So that it is not enough to acknowledge the Attributes of God unless our hearts be affâ—cted with the excellency thereof and they do look upon them as infinite when they need proofs of them 5. Gods power is attended with singular moderation For he is excellent in judgment See Chap. 23.6 Ps 99.4 Isa 57.16 So that we should adore his greatness which is sweetned with such condescendence Ps 113.5 6 7 138.6 and should exalt him in those proofs of his condescendence as singular and excellent 6. As God will not exercise moderation toward any to their hurt by favouring of their lusts So when he seems to deal in rigour with any he is excellently and plentifully just in so doing whatever we apprehend to the contrary Therefore it is added he is excellent in plenty of justice See Neh. 9 32 33. Dan. 9.7 8 Here it is that men are very sparing to glorifie God as appears in their murmurings and complaints Whence it cometh to pass that men who are impatient under more cleanly trials yet soul Rods dipped as it were in their sin and pollution wherewith to be exercised and their rods are continued till they acknowledge their Iniquity or be guilty in their own eyes as the Original hath it Hos 5.15 And therefore men are to try how they acknowledge his Justice in sharp dispensations by their not murmuring by being more affected with their sin than their trouble and seeing the one to surmount the other Ezra 9.13 and by being more soliciâ—ous about deliverance from sin than from trouble Psal 80.3 7 19. 7. Gods excellent moderation and plentiful Justice do appear in this that he will not afflict As here is subjoyned Some do read it he will not answer or give an account to any which is a truth But our Translation renders the word better in this place And the meaning is not that he will never afflict any for experience witnesseth the contrary and it were no mercy to us considering our sinful frame and the dross that is in us to be simply and altogether free of affliction far less to be afflicted and he not to do it if it were possible such an evil could be without him But the meaning is That notwithstanding his greatness he doth not willingly afflict Lam. 3.33 Nor will he exercise his power to crush or his Justice to deal rigorously with them who stoop to him And when he gives proofs of his power in executing vengeance he makes it evident that it is not without cause Ezek. 14.22 23. From v. 24. Learn 1. Whatever men know of God it should appear in their practice As this practical Inference from the former Doctrine doth teach See Tit. 1.16 2. Mens practical improvement of the knowledge of God should appear in their piety and turning servants to God particularly in seasoning Religion with an holy fear and awe of God and in not quarrelling him or his dispensations For that is the use of all to fear him which may import both Piety and Reverential awe of God in general and a fear to quarrel him in particular 3. Not only Gods greatness but his condescendence doth contribute to beget this fear of God For men do or should therefore fear him not only because he is great and powerful and just but also because he is excellent in Judgment and will not afflict If he did not thus condescend Creatures could never subsist to serve him but would be cut off by his Justice and Power Psal 130 3 4. And his gracious condescendence cannot but affect honest hearts with fear and reverence and make them tremble to think of quarrelling him Hos 3.5 4. Though many do not make this right use of what they know of God yet others will not be wanting to do it whose practice will be a Witness against them therefore he propounds the duty of all in the practice of some Men do therefore fear him 5. Whatever God manifests of himself in his Greatness Justice or Condescendence yet there is so much pride in many that they will not stoop to him nor fear him For so is here supposed that there are who think themselves wise in heart in following another course than here is prescribed 6. This bitter root may be in mens hearts under a crushed condition or humble-like carriage as here it is in their witty heart 7. Mens conceit of their own wit and that they are able to censure Gods dispensations is the great Fosterer of their pride and fountain of their miscarriages under trouble therefore that men are wise in heart or think themselves so is here put for all the miscarriages whereof quarrellers are guilty 8. No Condescendence in God affords any ground of encouragement to proud self-conceited quarrellers but he will deal with them as contemptible objects not worthy to be regarded For notwithstanding what hath been said of his Condescendence yet he respecteth not any that are wise in heart and that is sad enough that they are not respected by him nor enjoy his Favour See Psal 138.6 CHAP. XXXVIII Elihu having proceeded thus far in convincing of Job God begins here to take the matter off his hand and as supreme Judge to whom both Job's friends and himself had appealed Chap. 11.5 23.3 and elsewhere doth give a final decision in this Controversie which had been so long in dependance Wherein 1.
He deals with Job to convince him of his miscarriages to Chap. 42.7 Insisting upon Elihu 's last Argument taken from his Greatness which might let Job see how far he had miscarried in quarrelling him as shall be more fully cleared when I come to give a general account of his Scope in his debate with Job on v. 4 c. 2. He decides the principal Controversie betwixt Job and his Friends in a few words Chap. 42.7 8 9. His dealing with Job is divided into two Speeches By the first whereof contained in Ch. 38 39. 40.1 2. he brings him to some sense and confession of his weakness Ch. 40 3 4 5. And by the second from Chap. 40.6 till the end of Chap. 41. he brings him to a more ample confession of his Folly Chap. 42.1 6. This Chap. may be taken up in these three First An Historical transition of the Writer of the Book Shewing that God did appear and speak in this Cause and began first to deal with Job v. 1. Secondly An introduction premitted by God himself to the dispute with Job wherein he checks him for his presumption v. 2. And provokes him to the dispute v. 3. Thirdly The Dispute it self begun in this Chapter wherein he non-plusseth him with a number of Questions Concerning the Earth v. 4. 7. the Sea v. 8-11 Light and Darkness v. 12-21 Various Meteors with the Causes thereof v. 22 38. And concerning his Providence about Beasts and Birds which is instanced in the Lion v. 39 40. And the Ravens v. 41. to which many moe are added throughout the next Chapter Verse 1. Then the Lord answered Job out of the Whirlwind and said IN this Verse we have the Historical Transition wherein is declared that God manifesting his glorious presence in a Whirlwind did by an audible voice speak to Job In it consider First That the Lord answered Job As for the time when he began to speak it is indefinitely expressed Then the Lord answered Where in the Original we have only the Copulative And which hath various significations to be gathered from the Circumstances of the place where it is used And here it imports that after Elihu had spoken God also answered Job And particularly it is not probable that God brake in and interrupted Elihu for he doth formally conclude his Discourse Chap. 37.23 24. Nor yet that he hindered Job to answer Elihu for I find not that Job had any such inclination Yet it seems God began to speak immediately after Elihu had closed and it may be the Tempest and Whirlwind wherein God appeared being somewhat singular had made Elihu draw to a close It is said He answered Job which is an usual phrase in Scripture where there hath been no precedent question moved but mens case and condition is only spoken to But here this Answer is relative to many Propositions formerly made by Job in his appeals to God and in his desires that he would give him an hearing beside that his complaints and murmurings made God a party who therefore appears to plead for himself and returns a sutable answer to his Proposals and Desires Doct. 1. Albeit the world be troubled with many controversies and debates and that even amongst Gods people yet it is matter of comfort that they will once be all decided as here a notable and hot dispute begins to be decided And albeit there will still be some differences till the end of the world yet beside what particular decisions within time there may be of some controversies such as this the right and wrong that is in all debates will be one day finally decided 2. It is proper to God and his Prerogative to be the decider of Controversies as here he proved in this cause So that mens decrees in their own favours or against others will not carry it but all causes however they have been once decided amongst men will be over again decided by God Which may warn all to take heed how they judge and may encourage them who are wronged by men Eccl. 3.16 17. 5.8 3. As God is the competent decider of Controversies so even in debates among godly men he must appear before they come to a close As here he appeareth in this Cause For though Elihu's authority was sufficient to convince the parties quarrelling in respect thaâ— he was employed by God and spake clear and convincing truths yet he had not Majesty enough fully to compesce all their boiling humors and to over-awe these great men against whom he argued And though such an extraordinary manifestation may not always be expected to clear every controversie his mind being now fully manifested in his written Word dispensed by his ordinary Messengers Yet Gods Spirit must interpose to accompany the light which we get from the Word and to make it effectual and calm mens spirits and passions which are raised by debates 4. Albeit there be a right and wrong in every controversie debated among men Yet ordinarily when God cometh to decide controversies he finds cause to humble both parties Some for false opinions and their way in promoting thereof and others for their failings in their way of maintaining truth for here when God appeareth he deals with Job who had maintained truth as well as with the Friends who had erred And this had need to be adverted unto by those who because they are on truths side in a debate are not sensible of their failings in maintaining it 5. Albeit Godly men discover much dross in the furnace yet God according to his rich mercy and free grace accounts them worthy to be waâ—ted upon that he may purge their dross and recover them out of the snare Therefore after that Jobs Friends had given him over as incorrigible God will not deal so with him but takes pains upon him though he had indeed miscarried 6. It is no small proof of Gods Favour to his people that he pursueth them hotly for their failings and lets not their folly thrive in their hand Therefore he begins with this sharp Answer to Job first because he respected him and leaves the censure of the three Friends last 7. Whatever mercy or favour God intend to any of his people yet he may suspend it till first they be humbled for their folly nor were it a mercy to deal otherwise with them Therefore also doth he begin with this sharp answer to Job to humble him befor he decide the main controversie in his favours And godly men will find that their not being humbled stands in the way of many mercies which otherwise they might enjoy See Ezek. 43.11 8. This answer had been long desired by Job and he often complained that his desire was not granted yet it came at last And albeit it was sharp yet in the issue it proved refreshful and comfortable This teacheth That Gods delaying long to satisfie the pressing desires of his people doth not say that he will never answer but at last he may
19.26 And to flock continually about Christ crucified and cleave to him as the Eagle doth to the slain or Carcase Having ended all those particular Instances save we remarkable Ones which are added in the next Speech we may Ones them all up in these three general Remarks 1. God cannot fully be seen in any one of his Creatures all of them together are little enough and too little to point him out 2. Yet somewhat of him may be seen in every one of the Creatures even the least of them 3. Then do we observe God well in one or all of them not when we think we may boast of our skill in knowing them their causes properties c. But when we see God in them and are not such Naturalists as turn meer Atheists and when we so study them as we see cause to be abased and humbled before God whose Glory shineth in them For that is the scope of all those Instances propounded unto Job CHAP. XL. This Chapter contains 1. The Conclusion of Gods former Discourse and his Application thereof to Job v. 1 2. 2. Job's taking with his Fault before God v. 3 4 5. 3. A part of Gods second Speech to Job to humble him yet more wherein after an Introduction v. 6 7. He reprehends him for reflecting upon his righteousness in defending his own Integrity v. 8. And subjoyns a proof of the Justice of this Reprehension taken from the inequality and infinite distance that is betwixt himself and Job v. 9 14. Which Proof he further confirms by an Instance of Behemoth v 15-24 To which another is added in the following Chapter Verse 1. Moreover the Lord answered Job and said 2. Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him he that reproveth God let him answer it VVE may gather from what is said by the Writer of this Book v. 1. That the Lord had stayed a little after the former Discourse waiting if Job would make any further Reply but finding him silent and astonished He quickens him up by this superadded Conclusion Wherein 1. He propounds a general Question concerning his Complaints and Quarrellings shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him or instruct which is only in the Original Some read it thus Is contending with the Almighty Instruction or Erudition that is however Contenders pretend to have Wit and Reasons on their side yet is it any evidence of Wisdom and Skill and of a man well instructed to offer to contend with God The words may also be read thus Shall contending with the Almighty instruct or shall it be any edification so to do But according to our Translation the words point out the sinfulness of his complaints as being in effect a contending with him who is Almighty and that such a contending as if he would presume to instruct guide and direct God and not be directed by him And so in sum He would have him forbear his complaints unless he would presume to be wiser than God 2. He layeth before him the hazard and difficulty of such an undertaking That he who offers to reprove or argue with God must answer that is either he must answer these former Questions to prove himself able to debate with God which would be too hard for him Or he must answer and give an account for his presumption which he durst not do In general Learn 1. When much is said to mens condition it will be to no purpose unless it be applied that so they may be convinced or otherwise affected as their case requireth For God must lay the former Doctrine home and answer not to any thing Job spake but as his need required It is our great fault that we see and hear much which we neither perceive nor observe and if we could observe the penetrating power of the Word and the particular eye that God hath upon hearers when he sends out his Word Heb. 4.12 13. we would be more tender in applying Whereas ordinarily we pass what we hear as if we were not at all concerned but it were spoken at random by men 2. No hearing of seasonable Doctrine and that even by godly men in affliction who need that a word should be spoken to them will make them take it home unless God himself apply it as here he rowzed up Job See Acts 16.14 We should employ God much in hearing were even himself speaking immediately as he did to Job much more when men speak that he may put forth his hand to apply the word which he sends Nor should we lean to our own dispositions under affliction which may either prove stupid or tempt us to misapply the Word 3. God is very faithful in dealing with his wayward people for he will not let Job pass without applying what he had heard but roâ—zeth him up out of his dumpish and confounded frame to lay his case to heare It is one of our covenanted mercies not to get away with our faults Psal 89.30 31 32 c. and that blunt and stupifying convictions are not taken off our hand till they work better Of which more afterward 4. As God is faithful so he is tender in waiting upon his distempered people for he waits upon Job and takes leisure to produce all the former Instances and now to lay home his faults very mildly Thus did he wait upon Jonah in his peevish Fits Which may assure us that God doth not handle his people roughly beyond what they need however they may complain that it is otherwise and they may be cruel to then selves by their own distempers And it may warn us to deal patiently and mildly with others with whom we have to do so long as there is hope of doing them good 5. That he propounds this Challenge in Theft or in general without naming Job in particular may teach 1. Men should be upon their guard that their own self-love do not sway them in looking upon their way but they should judge of themselves as they will be ready enough to judge of others For whatever Job might think of his own practice yet he could not but condemn this fault in general 2 Whatever difference God put betwixt his people and others yet this allows them no particular priviledge to sin and particularly to mistake and quarrel God Therefore he propounds this Challenge in Theft to shew that he would not so respect any good thing in Job as to assoyl him from a fault in this Doct. 6. His laying this charge home to Job's Conscience as his Conscience hath been often posed before in the dispute by way of Question as being assured that the Cause will be decided there in his Favours doth teach 1. Even the dear Children of God and when they are in their most tender exercises do not always act according to the Principles and Dictates of Conscience but as wicked men do detain the truth in unrighteousness Rom. 1.18 So their Tentations Passions and Lusts may over-drive their light which
well as he And not only so but a Beast that cometh very near man in teachableness and other properties and created on the same day with man and living on the Earth with him and not in the Waters as the Leviathan doth yea a Beast excelling other four-footed Beasts as man doth excell other Creatures 2. It is a peaceable Beast though great so that it lives not upon prey as Lions and other ravenous Beasts do which if he did he would devour much but feeds upon Grass as an Oxe Doct 1. It is one of mans great weaknesses that he is slow in taking up of God and himself therefore must his truth be inculcated over again 2. It doth also evidence mans great inadvertency that he must be sent out to the Creatures to learn this Lesson concerning God and himself as Job is here whereas by studying himself he might both see what himself is and what God who made him is 3. This defect of man in studying himself for that end is supplied by much of God and of mans frailty in comparison of God shining in his works about man as here by these instances we are taught And this is one right use of the Creatures when by studying of them we are helped to know God and our selves Psal 8.3 4. 4. When many proofs of God have been seen in his works there is still more to be studied both in the same and in oâ—hâ—r of his works for after all the former Instances God yet adds these two remarkable ones as teaching yet more of him And by adding these Instances God doth teach us how to study him in many more of his works though they be not here named from every one of which we may either get a new Lessen or have former Lessons inculcated and may know that whâ—n we have studied most we are still ignorant of God and of what may be known of him 5. Because little of God is ordinarily seen in ordinary and lesser operations God lets forth some great and signal operations as Behemoth is here subjoined to the former Instances And this is also his method in the dispensations of his Providence 6. It demonstrates and commends the greatness of God that the most excellent of Creatures are but his handy work as here Behemoth is So that if they be remarkable and singular much more is He so 7. Gods very work of Creation and his making of his Creatures is an excellent study as well as his providential dispensations as here he bids him behold I have made Behemoth Our not studying and improving of these may provoke God to hide from us a comfortable sight of his providences 8. No length of time wherein we are conversant with the Creatures of God should diminish the lustre of his glory shining in them for though Behemoth was made long before this time yet Job should still behold him as but beginning to study that work or not having studied it enough 9. It may humble man if he consider that notwithstanding his excellencies yet he is but a fellow-creature with all the rest All the Creatures are made of the same nothing and whatever difference is betwixt one creature and another It is of God for saith he he is made with thee thy fellow-creature And God might have made man another thing than he is if it had pleased him 10. The more opportunities men have to take up God in his works their guilt is the greater if they neglect them for saith he since he is made with thee and lives upon the Land with thee thou shouldst study him well Though yet men should not neglect to study those works also which are further from them and in the Sea as the Leviathan iâ— 11. It speaks the emptiness of the greatest of Creatures that they need daily provision and supply from God as here the Elephant must have food 12. God who is the maker of all the Creatures is also their preserver and giveth them food to eat for he provides food for the Elephant See Psal 104 27. 145.15 And in this God is to be adored that he preserveth man and beast Psal 36.6 13. As the Elephant notwithstanding his vast bulk is not ravenous as some lesser beasts are but feeding on Grass like an Oxe so this may teach That things will not prove as they seem to promise or threaten in themselves but as God makes them to be for the huge Elephant doth live harmlessely upon grass Verse 16. Lo now his strength is in his Loins and his force is in the navel of his belly 17. He moveth his tail like a Cedar the sinews of his stones are wrapt together 18. His bones are as strong pieces of brass his bones are like bars of iron 19. He is the chief of the ways of God he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him In these Verses we have a particular Description of the great strength of this Beast to set forth the glory of God who rules him and haâ—h power over him This his strength is instanced in his Loins and in the navel of his belly though some read it that he hath Pains and may be easily hurt there where the Channels of the Veins and Arteries do meet v. 16. It is also instanced in his moving of his Tail v. 17. Which because it is not great in Elephants some understand of his Instrument of generation because of that which followeth of his Stones which are not visible but wrapt up at his Râ—ins But because that is not proportionable to the rest of his bulk therefore I would rather understand it of his Proboscis or his Snout which is very long and when he pleaseth he can stretch it out or erect it like a tall Cedar And it may be called his Tail because it hangs at his body as tails do on other beasts though not at the same place of the body and because he moveth it as other beasts do their tails As for what is added in the end of the Verse the word Stones is not in the Original but Terrour or Fear and so I read it His terrible sinews or the sinews of his fear or terrour are wrapped together like twisted Branches to wit in his Snout which is the cause why he moves it so nimbly though it be long and why it is terrible to those whom he smites or lifts up and throws where he will with it His strength is further instanced in his bones v. 18. Where some do understand both the expressions of his Teeth or Tusks but that seems to be too narrow an interpretation And because the Expression is doubled and there are two words in the Original to express his Bones we may thus conceive it that not only his great bones are like Biass but his smaller bones and very gristles are like Iron or because the words in the Original import no such difference of bones indefinitely all his bones greater lesser are like brass or Iron All
cause doth he propound the Challenge in general 5. No personal Advantages of one man above another will bear them out in their Quarrelling with God therefore also is it propounded in general Who is able c to shew that none can undertake this but the mighty man and the godly man must give it over as well as others Obs 3. The first Argument v. 10. Imports 1. Men are naturally fierce and violent and that appears eminently in some for here there are some fierce and daring And though many do not evidence that they are of daring disposition by running upon hazards yet there is no man but by nature he is a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoke be the hazard what it will 2. Even some of the very Creatures are sufficient to give a check to the pride of fierce men for none is so fierce that dare stir him up 3. The dreadfulness of some Creatures may convince men of their Folly in their fierce and stubborn way with God for since none is so fierce that dare stir him up or grapple with a Creature made by God Who then is able to stand before him Hence 4. Such as would walk before God as becometh whenever they see any Glory Beauty Strength Terrour c. among the Creatures they ought to be spiritual minded and ascend up to the Fountain whence those Excellencies flow as here God leads Job from the study of this Creature to the study of himself Obs 4. These Arguments v. 11. do teach 1. What men see of God they should dwell upon it till it be rooted and fixed in their hearts for therefore is that truth which is cleared by this Instance v. 10. here confirmed by new Arguments 2. Men have ordinarily a great conceit of themselves as if God were some way or other obliged to them and bound to repay and requite them as here is supposed 3. Such as complain that they are afflicted being righteous are not free of this proud and vain opinion this is reflected upon as Jobs fault though it be generally propounded for the Reasons formerly marked 4. Such proud complainers should know that God was never prevented by a good turn done him by any man which might put him in his debt and that this may silence all their complaints that God oweth them nothing for the want whereof they may complain for who hath prevented me that I should repay him See Rom. 11 35 36. 5. All things under heaven being Gods by right of Creation Psal 24.1 He not only needs not man nor his services to be obliged thereby Psal 50.8 13. But he may dispose of men as he will without doing them any wrong or giving them any cause of complaint for this both proves that he cannot be prevented by man or obliged to him and that Job hath no just cause of complaint that whatsoever is under the whole heaven is his 6. Whatever be Gods condescendence to his humble people yet he will plead his Soveraignty even against them when they are stubborn As here he pleads against it Job because of his stubbornness though otherwise he was a broken and afflicted man and so seemed to need more tender usage Verse 12. I will not conceal his parts nor his power nor his comely proportion Followeth a more particular Description of this Leviathan to which this is a Preface wherein God sheweth that he will not conceal what he is nor forbear to set him out in his particular members or parts in his great strength and comely proportion or proportionable greatness and sutableness of every part to so vast a bulk of his body Whence Learn 1. God is a faithful revealer of what concerns his people and may be for their good for he will not conceal from Job what is necessary to be told him concerning this Creature See also John 14.2 Thus also may he be trusted in his dispensations toward his people wherein he is faithful and tender 2. When God speaks to us it engageth us to look upon what he speaks as worth the marking whatever it be in it self for his not concealing of this Description is an Argument why Job should hearken to the Discourse how barren soever it seem to be since God insists to speak it Thus also his dispensations should be observed and improved because they are his of how little soever moment they seem to be in themselves 3. We ought frequently to remember how much need we have that our Lessons be inculcated upon us for so here what is already said of this Creature is not enough without this further addition 4 Even the vastest and most monstrous-like of Creatures have their own beauty and comely proportion which should be observed as here is said of Leviathan Verse 13. Who can discover the face of his Garment or who can come to him with his double bridle 14 Who can open the doors of his face his teeth are terrible round about Followeth the Description it self which may be taken up in six Branches The first whereof in these Verses is That he is terrible inaccessible and untameable This is expressed in terms alluding to mens taking off the sheets or coverings of Horses when they bridle them or take them forth and he sheweth that none dare deal so with Leviathan None can draw him out of the Sea wherewith he is surrounded as with a garment or offer to bridle him though with a double Bridle v. 13. for though he were otherwise accessible none durst open his mouth which is big like a door or gate to bridle him his teeth being terrible v. 14. This Branch of the Description doth demonstrate and point out 1. That it is a mercy those Creatures whereof we have need are accessible 2. That it is a mercy they suffer themselves to be approached unto and bridled and otherwise commanded by us Jam. 3.3 3. That it is a mercy that God hath given man skill to tame and manage those other Creatures for his necessary use and affairs 4. That if Leviathan be so terrible and inaccessible much more is God inaccessible and incomprehensible whose counsels are deeper than the Sea wherein Leviathan haunts and who hath more terrour than what appears in the teeth of Leviathan which may affright these who dare hazard to contend with him Verse 15. His scales are his pride shut up together as with a close seal 16. One is so near to another that no air can come between them 17. They are joined one to another they stick together that they cannot be sundred In the second Branch of this Description it is declared that he is strongly armed for defence with thick Scales like Shields as the word signifieth wherein he glorieth which are so joyned as if they were sealed together v. 15. So that no air can get in betwixt them v. 16. Nor can they be sundred by force v. 17. This points out 1. The Providence of God who hath guarded his Creatures with natural defences against cold
in oppression especially of his own people He will not imploy his great power to crush his own people Job 23.6 37.23 but his strength loveth judgement Psal 99.4 Nor doth he afflict willingly or deny unto men their just claims and defences Lam. 3.33 34 35 36. Therefore Job questions this as not to be yielded that it is good or pleasing unto God to oppress 2. An interest in God whether more general as we are his creatures or more specially as we are renewed and made of new to him as it calls for our reverence and respect to him Psal 100.2 3. So it is a ground of confidence that he will deal favourably and tenderly For Job pleads aganst the evils apprehended by his sense upon this accout that he is the worke or labour of Gods hand And albeit this conclude more strongly upon the account of his being a new creature renewed by God yet even his being one of his creatures hath its own weight in the plea as he afterward distinctly vrgeth it ver 8 9. c. 3. One of the saddest sights a Saint gets of his trouble is when he misseth Gods affection in it and it seemeth to speak wrath For Job cannot digest this that his stroak seemed to be such as if it were good and pleasant to God to oppresse him and as if he despised him See Job 13.24 Others will not much miss this if their lot be otherwise tolerable But Saints will resent this in most easie tryals 4. Zeal to the honour of God when it seems to be reflected upon by his afflicting of Saints will not a little grieve their spirits For this also affects Job that the counsel of the wicked should seem to be shined upon or get a favourable aspect See Josh 7.8 9. Our forgetting of this is the cause why we speed so ill in our particulars before God 5. It is the property of real and lively Saints to love Piety so well that it will exceedingly afflict them when Gods dealing to his people seems to harden men in impiety and to introduce Atheism and open ungodliness For this also was his affliction when he apprehended the counsel of the wicked to be thus shined upon as hath been explained See also Mal. 3 14 15. Eccl. 8.11 This afflicted David and put him to his Prayers Psal 7.6 7. 69 6. Thirdly I come in the last place to consider Job's mistakes his weakness and reckoning by sense which are most predominant in this Argument Wherein as his speech implieth that he was so far over powered as not only to think but even to utter those apprehensions of God though with some reluctancy and opposition made by faith So his questions about them imply that they were false and not to be yielded unto but the contrary maintained Hence from his failing and weakness we may learn these Cautions for our Instruction 1. It is an ill way of pleading our righteousness under trouble to reflect upon the Righteousness of God who afflicts us as Job's sense suggested to him that he being a righteous man Gods afflicting of him could be nothing else but oppression 2. It is a great fault to censure Gods sharp dispensations toward his people as oppression seeing he is Soveraign Lord of our being not accountable to any for what he doth and doth by no affliction deprive them of their righteousness nor of any benefit they can claim by it Therefore Job was in a mistake when he complained of oppression 3. It is injurious to God when his people think he respects any profit whereof he reaps none or pleasure without an eye and respect to their good For Job did mistake when his sense judged that it was good unto God to oppress or ruine him 4. It is also a wrong to judge of Gods affection by our sense of his external dispensations As if because he afflicted his people therefore he thought it good or took pleasure in it and despised and contemned them Whereas when God doth afflict them he proceeds so to say with much aversion if their good could be otherwise promoted Jer. 9 7. Lam. 3.33 he doth affectionately remember them under it Jer. 31.20 yea he honours them by taking so much pains upon them and setting them upon such a stage whence his grace in them may eminently shine and appear 5. It is an act of rash judgment to think that God despiseth his creatures because he tryeth and exerciseth them or despiseth his own work in his people when he giveth it a shake that it may stand more firm and casteth dust upon it that he may scour it better Job 23.10 For Job failed in thinking God despised the work of his hands 6. It is not only weakness but wickedness if persisted in to think That God approves of wickedness as Mal. 2.17 See Eccl. 8.11 12 13. That his favourable and smiling Providences do import any approbation of wicked men and not rather a snare upon them Psal 11.6 Or That God cannot take ways to vindicate his own honour and commend Piety though he do not take our way but let our tryals whereby the wicked may take occasion to stumble and be hardened go on For herein Job failed exceedingly in thinking God shined upon the counsel of the wicked in any of these respects formerly mentioned in the Explication And particularly in thinking there was no way to discountenance the wicked in their impiety but by delivering of him whereas the wicked had some knowledge of Gods will as it was then made known and we have it more clearly in the written Word whereby they might judge of Gods thoughts of their way and God should in due time manifest his mind yet further to them though Job's tryal continued for a while Vers 4. Hast thou eyes of flesh or seest thou as man seeth 5. Are thy days as the days of man are thy years as mans days 6. That thou enquirest after mine iniquity and searchest after my sin The fourth Argument wherein he enlargeth that apprehension of oppression v. 3. is taken from this That there was no necessity why God should thus torture him to find out or pursue his sin but it looked rather like ignorant and passionate man then the Holy and Omniscient God to keep this way of procedure Here eyes and days and years are attributed to God to express his knowledge and eternal duration in terms borrowed from among men because of our incapacity And the meaning of the Argument is as if Job had said Lord thou art not like a man that thou should need thus to put me upon the rack A man might possibly do thus to an innocent man in regard his eyes see but what is outward and he is oft times led with suspicions passions and malice and therefore he may be induced to torture an innocent man that he may draw out a confession of what he suspects he is guilty of v. 4. And man is born to learn somewhat every day in the