are most willing to be taught and helped to promove in knowledge Therefore also when he is to teach wisdome Chap. 33.33 he calls unto wise men and them that have knowledge as persons who would most readily hear and give ear 5. Even when men are about most grave and serious matters and among grave and wise men there is such a dulness that they need to be seriously excited to give attention For therefore doth Elihu make use of this Preface exhorting the Auditors to hear and give ear at the beginning of every one of his Speeches and sometime repeats it also in the midst of his discourse as we will hear 6. It is their duty who are called to deal with others to carry respectively toward them that so they may prepare the way for their message Therefore also albeit some of those to whom he speaks had erred yet he doth call them wise men and they that have knowledge that thereby he might conciliate their affections and make them willing to hearken unto him From v. 3. omitting what is marked upon Chap. 12.11 Learn 1. Men receive great benefit particularly in sacred and holy things by the ear For so is here imported that the ear receiveth words or instructions from others particularly concerning the things of God such as he is now treating of As the truths of God depend upon Divine Revelation so our own observation of what he reveals is not sufficient to take it all in without the assistance of information and instruction from others And therefore they who employ not their ears to hear do no less prejudge their own souls than they do wrong their bodies who make not use of their mouths for eating Yea the very constitution of their bodies and the ear which God hath made for that use Prov. 20.12 will bear witness against their negligence 2 As God requireth that we do hear so also that we try and discern of what we hear with a consequent approbation or rejection of it as there is cause For so the ear tryeth words as the mouth or palate tasteth meat and it is swallowed down or cast out again according as the palate relisheth it ill or well 3. Whatever defect there be in others in the matter of discerning Yet men of experience and knowledge should have their senses exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5.14 For therefore doth he appeal to these wise men seeing their ear could try words c. From v. 4. Learn 1. It is the duty of such as would prosper or do good to others to aim singly at truth For in his disquisition and enquiry about this matter he would be at judgement or an equitable and just determination of this controversie and what is good 2. Men ought not to follow or enquire after truth upon any carnal or crooked design but because it is their delight and they esteem it only good and worth the knowing For because it is judgement and good and so worthy the knowing therefore he would have it chosen affectionately and with delight 3. It is mens duty and will be the practice of sober men as to aim at truth so also to study to bring up others in a calm and friendly way to the acknowledgement thereof without insulting over or derogating from them or affecting emicency to themselves Therefore albeit some of them were wrong yet he is content to goe about this work in a friendly way and as it were with common consent Let us choose c. Let us know c. Verse 5. For Job hath said I am righteous and God hath taken away my judgement 6. Should I lye against my right My wound is incurable without transgression These Verses contain the second part of the Chapter or a Proposition of these expressions of Job which he intends at this time to refute The challenge is the same in substance with what was propounded in the former Chapter Namely That Job had wronged God by his complaints but this is more sharply refuted and spoken to He chargeth him to have said First That though he was righteous yet God had taken away his judgement or he got not a fair hearing and decision of his cause v. 5. As for that part of the Charge That Job said he was righteous he hath had it so frequently in his mouth in his discourses that it is needless to instance any particular place for it See Chap. 13.18 and 23.10 11 12. and 27.6 and 31.5 6 7. And for the second part of the Charge That God had taken away his judgement we find it expresly spoken by Job Chap. 27.2 Secondly He chargeth him with obstinacy in those complaints and that he said That it was no less than a lying against his own right to say any other thing of his condition than that his affliction caused by those arrows of the Almighty Chap. 6.4 as the word here is was mortal and incurable even though he was a man free of transgression v. 6. This Charge seems to be the same in substance with what Job had said Chap. 27. 2 3 4 5 6. though it may be gathered also from his frequent complaints of the fad stroaks which had befallen him an innocent man Chap. 9.17 and 19.7 and 16 13 17. For clearing of this Charge Consider 1. As Job did never assert his sinlessness as may appear from his frequent confessions of sin but only that he was righteous as to the state of his person and the cause debated betwixt him and his Friends and consequently that phrase v. 6. to be without transgression will import no more in Jobs sense but that he was free of gross wickedness So Elihu doth not charge it upon him as a crime that he had simply seen and asserted his righteousness but that he took occasion thereby to aggravate his complaints 2. He doth not charge him that he had directly taxed God as unrighteous but only that in his passion and being put to it by his Friends he spake too much of his own righteousness without a due remembrance of what sinfulness yet remained in him and what it deserved and so complained too bitterly of God that he did not vindicate and clear him when he was not only sore oppressed with trouble but unjustly censured by his Friends Thus albeit Job was sound in the main cause and his expressions upon some accounts pleaded for pity Yet they were not so suitable and reverent as became him And therefore Elihu gathers together what he had spoken at several times and chargeth him therewith that he may be convinced of his rashness and folly in them Those expressions have been spoken to in their proper places and the subjoyned refutation will discover more particularly his failings in them And therefore I shall here only observe a few things 1. The dearest Children of God when they are hard put to it by troubles and tentations may discover more weaknesses and fall into more faults than one As here he finds faulty
here a Job is provided for those about him Gods faithfulness is engaged that his people under tentation shall find such a way to escape that they may be able to bear it 1 Cor. 10.13 And this is one special mean of support among others to have a faithful and useful friend to encourage and direct them So that Saints in distress may certainly expect in Gods due time and way consolation and comforters were it even in Arabia where Job lived 5. In dealing with crushed and tender minds Jobs practice affords two Rules necessary to be observed 1. That the afflicted be well instructed and their judgments informed in divine truth which will cure much anxiety disquiet and diffidence which flow from ignorance Psal 9.10 For Job made it his work to instruct many 2. That whatever Instructions or reproofs and admonitions be found necessary to give them as afflicted souls may need such yet care must be had that they be not thereby weakened but strengthened to keep their grips For Jobs scope in all his Instructions was still to strengthen and uphold See 1 Sam. 12.20 21. Doct. 6. God not only can but when he seeth it fit doth add an effectual blessing to the weak endeavours of his servants and children for strengthning and encouraging of fainting souls and other gracious effects As here his words upheld him that was falling c. which may encourage men as they have a calling to go forth in the strength of the Lord to deal with souls according to their various cases which otherwise doth appear to be an insuperable task as Exod. 6.9 Jer. 22.21 See 1 Cor. 1.22 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Secondly Jobs present behaviour under his own trouble ver 5. He who had been stout enough so long as trouble kept off himself now when it cometh and but toucheth himself becometh so faint in spirit and troubled and perplexed in mind that he knoweth not what to do In this he reflects upon Jobs former complaint Chap 3. wherein there was distemper of spirit more then enough discovered And it doth hold out these Truths 1. Greatness of trouble may drive a man from the comfortable use of what light he may have in his judgment ready to minister to others in cold bloud For Job who comforted others now faints and is troubled This needs not seem strange if we consider Partly That comforting of souls is the work of God and therefore had men never so much clear light yet if God withdraw they will want the use of it when they have most need Yea Ministers who dispense Consolation to others may yet be disconsolate enough themselves till God interpose Not that men are warranted to lie by from making use of what light they have for their own encouragement 1 Sam. 30 6. But that their activity without dependence upon God will not effectuate any thing Partly That there is a great difference betwixt a tryal apprehended in our judgment and felt by sense In the one case a mans judgment may be clear enough and his spirit resolute But in the other his spirit and judgement being over-charged he cannot so easily recollect and fix himself Hence it was that even our Lord was troubled in soul when the real sense of trouble came upon him Joh. 12.27 2. Faintness and discouragement of spirit when way it given thereunto doth soon perplex men that had they never so much light they will want the comfortable use of it for when once fainteth then he is easily troubled confounded and perplexed So that humble fortitude of mind being endeavoured and studied after it keeps a man in a near capacity to receive influences and direction from God for expeding him out of his perplexities Psal 27.14 Yet in this challenge we may observe a double injury done to Job 1. That Eliphaz doth so much aggravate his weakness and frailty For neither did he so faint as to quit his grips of an interest in Gods love and favour Nor is it solidly argued That because in his tentations his weakness did appear in his fainting and perplexities Therefore he is a wicked man as he would infer in the following verses It is our mercy that God doth otherwise judge of the ravings and swoundings of his afflicted Children For if this were sound Divinity that every able comforter of others when he is not able to comfort himself and every one that faints and is perplexed when God is emptying and humbling him under trouble is a wicked man or hypocrite Who of all the Lords tryed Worthies should ever dare to claim to integrity These things do indeed proclaim our frailty and oft-times we our selves have a sinful hand therein Yet the experience of Saints recorded in Scripture doth witness that they are incident to the best of Saints 2. Eliphaz doth also too much extenuate Jobs tryal and tentation drawing forth this weakness calling it but a touch contrary to their thoughts thereof Chap. 2.12 It is true a touch may import a sharp stroke which a man is made to feel as Chap. 2.5 Yet it is but a very slender word to express all Jobs great afflictions And it teacheth That many are apt to pry into and aggravaâ—e the failings of Saints who do little ponder the strong tentations they have to drive them so to slip But God though he be angry with those who raise a clamour above their strait doth ponder our tentations when he judgeth of our failings and consequently pitieth as Elisha did the Shunamite 2 King 4.27 The third head of his Argument is an Inference and conclusion drawn from his comparing the former two together ver 6. Wherein he thinks himself so clear that he dare appeal to Job himself whether this his way did not prove his Religion unsound and hypocriticall and that by his fainting who had comforted others he had given a poor proof of that Piety to which he had so much pretended Some take up those Questions thus Hath not thy fear been thy confidence and the uprightness of thy ways been thy hope That is Doth it not now appear that thy pretending to Piety to fear God and walk uprightly of which Chap. 1.1 was only mercenary because thou trusted and hoped to continue in prosperity thereby seeing now when thou art stripped of what thou enjoyedst thou faintest and discoverest that thou wast not sincere This was Satans very calumny against Job Chap. 1.9 10. now cast in his teeth by a godly friend As oft-times also the child of God may meet with his own very bosom tentations cast up to him by way of reproach for his further tryal and that he may be roused up to resist these tentations which otherwise he doth but too much cherish Psal 22.1 7 8 with 9. And whatever wrong they did to Job in this of which we heard somewhat on the former verse and somewhat will be added hereafter yet there is a general truth in this That time-servers can take up a form of godliness when it
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
not the clear grounds of reproofs given to them because they will not see them or because their Consciences are not awaked to notice them yet this is a truth which generally holds that Doctrine should be joyned with Reproof 2 Tim. 4.2 4. Naked truth duly applied is invincible Truth will bind a rational man and much more will Divine Truth bind a tender Conscience For how forcible are right words They may be bold who have Truth on their side and they evidence a wicked disposition with whom it doth not prevail 5. Men may seem very acute in their Discourses especially in speaking of the depths of Divine Providence about Saints who yet upon an after-search may find that they do very far miss their mark For though their Discourses were arguings yet he appeals to themselves What doth your arguing reprove 6. It is a very great sin in men when they have to do with men of tractable dispositions and yet they are not faithful in giving them counsel or warning For upon this account doth Job aggravate the fault of his Friends It is true those who have a Calling must not omit their duty be the disposition of people what it will Ezek. 2.6 7 Yet when they meet with tractable people it is a notable encouragement and an opportunity which cannot be neglected without great sin Vers 26. Do ye imagine to reprove words and the speeches of one that is desperate which are as wind This verse as it is translated contains this third aggravation of their fault That they were too critical and censorious of what he said And that it evidenced want of charity and humanity in them to caâ—p at words spoken by him in his desperate and hopeless condition For such words were but as violent blâ—sts of wind flowing from fits of tentation and passion And therefore they â—ught to have looked to his distemper from which these expressions flowed with pity and compassion and to have applied some fit remedy rather then to have been such Criticks in scanning his words This Interpretation doth hold out sound Doctrine That as the Children of God under tentation do fall in many Feavers which cause ravings and impertinent expressions which themselves will not justifie in cold bloud So God doth look on those rather with an eye of pity then of indignation and he doth not allow that any should rigidly misconstruct them because of those things For the language of sadly afflicted Saints though it sound harshly at some times yet is not lightly or rashly to be judged of For it speaks much pressure of spirit within as the Shunamites practice did 2 King 4.27 And yet it is an usual fault that such are mistaken by those who are at ease Job 12.5 which warns the people of God to prepare for this tryal among others and to give God much employment who will understand and ponder their case But this seemeth not to be Jobs meaning in this place For we find not that he acknowledged he was one desperate who had so much confidence in his greatest extremity And albeit he did acknowledge and assert it in a mild sense that he was without hope of being restored to this life yet we find not that he granted that this made him utter any thing in passion that was not to be justified or which he accounted but as wind It is true he did indeed utter such expressions and Elihu and God do convince him of it But for present he is so far from acknowledging any such weakness in his Discourses as this Interpretation would import that in the next Chapter he labours to justifie the most passionate of his desires and so cannot be thought to extenuate or acknowledge the weakness thereof here Therefore I take this verse to contain this aggravation of their fault That they sleighted and undervalued his condition and complaints and therefore dealt so cruelly and persidiously with him Thus the words will run fair if we carry on that do ye imagine to reprove throughout the whole verse As if Job had said Do ye imagine that they are only empty words and the words of a desperate man or distracted by reason of my hopless condition that are but as wind and not to be regarded which ye are reproving Nay it is nothing so my words are the discourse of an afflicted man who knoweth what he is doing nor do they proceed so lightly from me as ye inconsiderately consider them and by your sleighting thereof do bewray your cruelty against me To this purpose also aggreeth another reading of the latter part of the verse Do ye repute the words of the desperate or one who is hopeless of being restored to his former prosperity or to live any longer to be but wind Albeit men who are altogether and every way desperate may utter many things impertinent yet a man only hopless of life yet trusting in Gods favour which was his case would not speak so rashly nor utter any thing but that which had some weight in it In all this it cannot be denied but Job was too favourable a judge in his own cause and did entertain those thoughts of his own discourses which he durst not justifie when God appeared and so this challenge is not sufficiently convincing It is true in some respects his words were more then words or wind considering the pressure of his spirit from which they flowed Yet they were so far from what he judged them to be that had his Friends only insisted to reprove them as empty and the fruits of his passion they had never been reprehended therefore by God However those general truths may be marked here 1. Whatever liberty men take in their thoughts and expressions while they are at ease yet under trouble especially when it is extream and desperate they ought to be very serious For so doth Job insinuate that in such a case they ought to be about more then words or wind 2. It is very great cruelty in friends and an addition to the trouble of the afflicted to mistake the carriage and expressions of those in distress and to account lightly of what is their sad and serious exercise For so much also doth Job's challeng of his Friends teach in general That it was their fault to imagine they had to do only with the empty words of a desperate man when he spake so seriously and as he thought so advisedly See Chap. 16.4 3. Even godly and wise men under tentation are unfit judges of their own way and carriage That same power of tentation that drives them to miscarry may also induce them to justifie their own way As here Job justifieth his own rash words and speeches Vers 27. Yea ye overwhelm the fatherless and you digg a pit for your friend In this verse he sums up all the aggravations of their fault in this That no inhumanity or deceitfulness could go beyond their usage of him Their cruelty against him was no less then the cruelty of falling
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
made of common and obvious things for imprinting of Divine Truths upon our hearts as Job makes use of those similitudes for illustrating of this instruction concerning the fugacity of mans life which is very necessary that it be seriously studied The truths and mistakes in these verses may be summed up in these few lessons 1. The World and all the Prosperity it affords is but passing and empty For Job found that it was most swift and fled away See Eccl 5.10 11. Psal 39.5 6. 144.4 1 Cor. 7.31 Our best condition in the world is attended with so many thorns and troubles obnoxious to so frequent and unexpected changes and so little able to satisfie that which is the better part of man that it is no great matter whether we have or want it so we be carried through our several lots in Gods favour And at the end of our life it will not be judged worthy our serious thoughts to regard much what hath been our outward lot in getting through it 2. Whatever men may think of prosperity while they are in a fools dream enjoying it yet when ever it is over it will appear to be empty and nothing For now a few days of adversity have drowned all sweet thoughts of his former prosperity as if he had not so much as seen good Afflictions are sâ—nt to discover the worlds vanity which otherwise we will not see and it is well if they produce that effect For in so far Job is right in this his regret 3. It is yet further an evidence of the worlds vanity that though sometime men may think much of prosperity even when it is gone yet they will find nothing in it whereby to bear out a present trouble For in that respect also Job thus reflects upon his former prosperity that it was swiftly gone without seeing any good Not only because he found it now to be nothing but especially because it had left nothing behind it to support him under his present pressures These lean Kine of Adversity will soon eat up the fat Kine of Prosperity unless men have some other encouragement whereunto they may look which they should be seriously thinking upon Isa 10.3 4. Sense of incumbent affliction will make men very eloquent in painting out their distresses as Job here illustrates the swiftness of his days by so many similitudes We have need under trouble to beware of self-love and not to pore too much or only upon our afflictions which may draw us to exceed in aggravating our difficulties Especially Because 5. Too much poring on present afflictions doth ordinarily produce ingratitude for former mercies For this was Job's fault here that by reason of present pressures he accounts his former days so swiftly passed that he saw no good which is contrary to his own former doctrine when he was in a better frame Chap. 2.10 Vers 27. If I say I will forget my complaint I will leave of my heaviness and comfort my self 28. I am afraid of all my sorrows I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent The second Instance whereby he proves the greatness of his afflictions is That however his prosperity was quickly gone v. 25 26 yet his afflictions stuâ—k better by him and could not be shaken off though he resolved and endeavoured to do it His resolution v. 27. was to forget his complaining and shake off his heaviness or sad countenance as the word is that so he might comfort and refresh himself or breath a little But in this attempt he was disappointed v. 28. For his sorrows would not quit him so but his endeavour to lay them aside did rather awake them all upon him The terrour whereof and the fear of their recurring though they should be got laid aside for a time together with his apprehension grounded upon former experience that God would deal with him outwardly as a guilty man and not let him escape correction and tryal marred all his endeavours and expectations From his resolution v. 27. Learn 1. It is the duty of Gods people as not to walk lightly under afflâ—ctions so to make them as comfortable to themselves as lawfully they may and not to add thereto by discouragement For this doth Job endeavour as his duty See Jer. 29.4 5 6. 2. Gods people ought not to ly by in discouragement till God come and bear in encouragement upon them but they ought to be active in comforting themselves in God as Job endeavours here to forget complaints leave off heaviness and comfort himself See 1 Sam. 30.6 Psal 42.5 11. 3. A special mean to make encouragements and refreshments prove effectual is to look upon them but as breathings as the word imports after which we must return to our toil again thanking God that we get leave if it were but to breath a while But we do ordinarily therefore quarrel and undervalue those because we know they are not lasting and so deprive ourselves of the case we might have by them 4. One lawful mean of case in trouble is to shake off and study to forget our complaints For so Job resolved here I will forget my complaint Afflicted souls must begin at this when they cannot get the cause of their complaints nor their inward grief removed yet they must shake off and forget their external complaints if it were but by diversion Not that it is lawful to forget our guilt procuring trouble or to be stupid under Gods afflicting hand Far less that we should with Saul run only to an Hâ—rp or carnal delights to cry down the noise of trouble But when our distress swelleth up to overwhelming anxiety it is far better to take up our minds for a time even with the affairs of our lawful calling and much more to divert our selves in other exercises of Gods service then still to pore on our troubles and dwel on our complaints when we cannot for that time manage them and not be crushed Whereas after these diversions we may return again with better success 5. It is also our duty under overwhelming discouragements not to content our selves with leaving off our complaints only unless we study to remove that inward heaviness that causeth and feedeth them and in order to that as even to leave off complaining may diminish our heaviness which is but fed thereby So it is our duty to shake off if it were but our sad countenance and carriage and to look well and say well of Gods dealing toward us as a mean to made it indeed well inwardly Psal 42.5 11. For after forgetting of his complaint he resolves to endeavour to leave off or forsake his heaviness or his face as it is in the Original and sad countenance From his disappointment v. 28. Learn 1. Trouble having once broken a mind it will not easily be got shaken off but the broken spirit will be a rod to it self and will keep afflictions and fears upon us notwithstanding all our endeavours to the contrary till Gods time come
him More particularly Learn 1. Men that would attain to sound and approved knowledg ought to be very accurate observers of Gods works and ways of Providence Isa 5.12 Psal 28.5 Such was Job's practice here mine eye hath seen or observed all this or all these works of Providence formerly recorded He hath a treasury of those Observations This was the practice of the godly especially before the Word was written and much more ought we to study those and profit by them now when we have the written Word by which we may read them One eye upon Providences without us and another upon our heart and condition within will make wise men if we look upon them through the Perspective of the Scriptures 2. Approved Students of Gods works will not grow proud of their own Observations but knowing how short their time is and how much they may be blinded in present things and times they will take the help of others either in their Discourses or Writings to better their knowledge For Job not only saw this but he took help of hearing mine ear hath heard whosoever know any thing as they ought to know it they will be far from conceit of their own knowledge or from neglecting means whereby they may be helped to make proficiency 3. Such as are right Students of those excellent things will not content themselves with bare observation and hearing of them as many go no further but will be careful to digest them in their understandings and to ponder them that so they may become practicable and be solidly rooted in their hearts For Job also understood it Notional men who have some Thoughts of Divine Truths only fleeting in their brain are upon the matter but fools 4. The example of others should stir up men to know God and his works and not to come behind with any in those necessary things For saith Job What ye know the same do I know also as being excited by what they spake on this subject to give proof that he had known the same things also 5. This comparison betwixt him and them beside what is already marked Chap. 12.3 That it is necessary to vindicate and commend our selves not out of contention or from any contempt of others but when Truth and a good cause suffers through our sides may Teach That it is needful to see what God hath done to us or in us even for our own comfort when others would decry us it being very comfortable when we find our selves to be in a better condition then others judge us to be As Job finds it was with him when they undervalued him as an ignorant Vers 3. Surely I would speak to the Almighty and I desire to reason with God Followeth to v. 20. Job's appealing from them and his betaking himself to debate his cause with God which here he propounds as his professed desire yea and delight to set about it Zophar Chap. 11.5 6. had wished that God would take him in hand and then he was sure Job would be made to see his own ignorance of the Wisdom and Power of God and God would condemn him and pass sentence against him in his cause Now Job as formerly he hath declared and proved that he is not so ignorant as they took him to be So here he declines not Zophar's overture but doth himself also wish and desire to reason his cause with God as not fearing to compeer before him as a Father in Christ according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace He saith he desires or as it is in the Original it would be his delight to reason with God whereby he not only signifieth his eagerness to be at it but implyeth also that there were disadvantages and discouragements in his way such as sharp rods humbling desertions and apprehensions of Gods terrour which he would gladly have removed out of the way that he might deal with more freedom and boldness in defence of his cause And so his meaning in desiring to reason with God will be that he would gladly set about it if he durst And albeit afterward he both resolves v. 13. and actually enters upon the debate v 23 c. upon all hazards Yet he still retains the sense of those disadvantages and his desire to have them taken away that he might go about it more confidently v. 20 21 22. What faults were in Job's actual reasoning with God will come to be considered in their own place Only while he desires to reason or argue with God we are not to conceive that he resolves to plead his own sinlesness Or to accuse God or to justifie his own boisterous fits in debating with God But only humbly to maintain that he is righteous notwithstanding his afflictions which was a true and just plea though his passion did over-drive him in the prosecution thereof And in this he is not to be justified It Teacheth 1. Men should debate Controversies as in the sight of God and not dare to maintain that before men which they dare not avow in the presence of God For Job dare speak that to the Almighty which he hath spoken before them When men forget thus to mind God their Parts Interest and Reputation may bear them out and not only make them stiffe in their own way but afford them much to say for themselves which yet would be found empty and vain before God 2. Albeit Honesty and a good Cause may be borne down and so traduced as if it were but lies and mens humours that it will get no entainment in the world Yet it is enough if God approve of it And men should satisfie themselves with that not being discouraged that they are left upon God alone for hâ—s approbation For notwithstanding all the mistakes of his Friends Job is satisfied that he may reason with God and hopes for his approbation It is good that men be sometime thus mistaken in the world that they may try how matters stand betwixt God and them how they will be satisfied with divine approbation when other testimonies are denyed them and how they have taken with former applause in the world And this is needful to be well adverted unto for those who are much affected with applause in a right way may readily take a wrong course to retain it or to recover it if it be lost 3. Mâ—intainers of a good Cause may not only be deserted by all and lâ—ft on God but in coming to him for his approbation they may have sad discouragements desertions tentations afflictions c. to weaken their hands though they be right in their cause For so Job can but desire to reason with God if he durst as hath been explained See Job 19.5 6. 23.3 10. Psal 80.4 The right cause must go against all winds and tides and the maintainers thereof must be throughly tryed Their desertions tentations discouragements and cross lots ought not to be misconstructed as if thereby God intended to condemn them 4.
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
that the vision here is only an apputenance of the dream and doth signifie those representations of things such as Joseph Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar and others had which men have in their dreams whether they be in a deep sleep or slumbring only However under this mean here mentioned all the extraordinary wayes beside that of Gods sending extraordinary Prophets or Messengers of which v. 23. of Gods revealing his mind then in use are comprehended And here also it appears that this Book contains an History of things that were before Moses time For here there is no mention of a written Law or Word of God but those extraordinary Revelations whether immediately to the persons who were themselves concerned or mediately to his Servants and Messengers who did reveal the same to others past for the Word of God See Chap. 6.10 and 23.12 and 28.28 Doct. 1. It is the great mercy of the people of God that they want not manifestations of him nor revelations of his will within time For here is supposed that God had from the beginning of the World and before the Scripture was written his his mind one way or other communicated and an intercourse kept up betwixt him and his people which is a mercy to be much prized Ps 147.19 20. 2. It speaks also the great mercy and kindness of God that when he hath any thing to say to his people he speaks it first by his Word before he make use of other means For Elihu propounds this as the first mean whereby God speaks to man and when God comes to make use of other means it is because this is not well entertained as we will hear afterward 3. Such is Gods love to his people that when they need a manifestation of him or of his mind he will make use of extraordinary means before they want it As here God spake in an extraordinary and immediate way before the Scriptures were written Now it hath pleased the Lord to change this way not only to teach us to submit to make use of ordinary means and that he may magnifie his power in working by ordinary means what at any time was wrought by extraordinary means and making a word of the Scriptures no less effectual to shake or comfort an heart than if he yet spake immediately by visions and dreams or above from Heaven But because these extraordinary wayes were terrible as Job 4.12 13 14. and we read how Daniel was affrightâ—d and affected with them and more apt to be corrupted by delusions and were actually imitated and counterfeited by Satan Therefore God made choice to speak more mediately by his written Word which is a way more familiar and sweet more sure 2 Pet. 1.19 and more fit to perpetuate truth in the World than the transmitting of these Visions and immediate Revelations by Tradition John 21.23 and yet speaks no less particularly to them who are concerned than when visions and dreams were given to particular men and directed to them by name as the Spirit by Solomon speaks particularly to the persecuted Hebrews to you who were not in the World many ages after the Book of Proverbs was written Heb. 13.5 However Gods way then with his people though changed now intimates that though he need not make use of extraordinary means nor should we tempt him by looking for them John 4.48 yet God will not leave his promises unfulfilled nor his peoples necessities unsupplyed though he should do it in a singular way 4. It is also to be observed that God hath variety of wayes and means whereby he can communicate his mind to his people As here beside those after-mentioned he hath dreams and visions sometime joyned with dreams under which as hath been said all the extraordinary wayes of Revelation then in use are comprehended whether they were internal illuminations without any visible representations or visions to men awake or dreams and those accompanied with visions to men asleep or voices from Heaven c. In all which we are to observe That God so to say keeped many doors patent that he might be frequent and throng in his converse with his people and might make them ashamed for their conversing so little with him which we are also to observe and make use of in the means yet continued with us Withall this variety and change of means God sometime spâ—â—king one way and sometime another served to keep men from formality or looking only to one mean that they might wait upon him in all of them And it may teach us that when known issues do fail us in that way wherein God ordinarily walks toward his people we need not be discouraged seeing he hath variety of means whereby he can do us good And when he deals not with us as he was wont to do we need not fear but he will do us no less good in another way 5. The Lord would also have it most conspicuous how little of his peoples activity is to be seen in the kindnesses whereof they are made partakers As here a sleeping man can contribute nothing to such an immediate Revelation And this holds good in other things also That we may expect that from God according to his word which nothing in us can assure us of and That God delights to manifest much of himself where little of us or of our activity doth appear 6. The Lord also is pleased to tryst his people with surprizals and inexpected proofs of himself As those dreams and visions came when men had no thoughts of them See Gen. 16.13 and 28.11 16. Luk. 5.5 6. Mic. 4.10 11 12. God delights to make his people ashamed of their unbelief and to disappoint their fears by proofs of his love in unlikely times and lots And withall though such Revelations are not now to be expected yet this teacheth That men should alwayes be in a spiritual frame and particularly should goe to sleep in a good frame seeing God if he please can communicate his mind to them even then 7. This also may be marked That when God made use of these means especially dreams and some visions though they left some impression upon the mind yet sometime men understood not the things pointed at thereby as we read of Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzars dreams Daniels visions and others the like Hereby as the Lord sometime made way for advancing some of his servants for the good of his Church as Joseph was advanced in Pharaohs Court and Daniel in Nebuchadnezzars Court because they interpreted their dreams See Dan. 2.30 So the Lord would point out that his lessons are very deep and not soon perceived that their being dark to his people that they may be humbled and put to employ him is no evidence of his displeasure and that we should observe the double mercy there is in getting his mind revealed and in our getting the understanding thereof Verse 16. Then he openeth the ears of men and sealeth their instruction Elihu having propounded this first mean of
respects he saith to Job I will teach thee wisdome intimating that Job a great and wise man needs instruction that he may be more wise especially now when he is in the dark through much perplexity and trouble And though Job was a great Prince and Elihu but a young man yet he counts it no arrogance having truth on his side to say that he is able to teach Job in this matter CHAP. XXXIV This Chapter contains Elihu's second Speech wherein he proceeds as would appear after some pause to deal yet further with Job For Job by not replying evidencing that he liked him better than his other Friends he goeth on to teach and improve him ye more The Speech is much in substance like the former as tending to reprehend Job unhappy expressions under trouble Only he is more sharp in this than in his forme discourse And having gained audience he speaks freely and home to his faults no denying him to be an honest man but asserting that he had said things which were no honest The Chapter may be taken up in the four parts First A Preface wherein he calls for attention from the judicious Auditory v. 1 4. Secondly A Charge or a Proposition of those expressions in Jobs discourses which at this time he intends to refute v. 5 6. Thirdly A Refutation of these expressions by shewing the absurdities thereof and the gross consequences which might justly be fastened upon them v. 7 8 9. And by Arguments taken from the Justice and Dominion of God which he First propounds to the Auditory v. 10 15. and then presseth them home largely upon Job himself v. 16 30. Fourthly A Conclusion wherein he adviseth Job and reprehends him sharply desiring that he may be yet further tryed v. 31 37. Verse 1. Furthermore Elihu answered and said 2. Hear my words O ye wise men and give ear unto me ye that have knowledge 3. For the ear tryeth words as the mouth tasteth meat 4. Let us choose to us judgement let us know among our selves what is good THese Verses contain the Preface and Introduction to Elihu's second Speech wherein after a transition made by the Writer of the Book shewing that Elihu proceeded to speak v. 1. First He desires attention from judicious and understanding hearers v. 2. This he doth not speak Ironically as thinking there was no wisdome among them but because he really judged so of their abilities And we are to conceive that he propounds this desire generally to such understanding persons as were present whether the three Friends who were wise men though they erred in that particular in debate or others Only it seems he secludes Job in this desire as being a Party and therefore speaks of him in the third person v. 5 7. Though yet he doth not simply seclude him for he speaks of his cause in his hearing and afterward speaks to him Only he desires that judicious men may hear the matter debated betwixt Job and him Secondly He subjoynes reasons pressing this desire 1. That they were able to discern what was true or false in this matter v. 3. It is expressed in a common Proverb and therefore it was made use of by Job Chap. 12.11 the meaning whereof is That God hath given men an ear which includes the discerning faculty to hear and try doctrine as he hath given them a mouth to receive and taste meat And therefore Elihu might well press them to give an hearing For since all Doctrine is to be tryed they who were wise and judicious were most fit to do it and they could easily discern if he wronged Job seeing he had not appealed to Ideots but to them who had greatest abilities 2. That he was not seeking victory in this debate but only that in a friendly way they should commune and seek out what is just and right and good v. 4. From v. 1. which is the transition Learn 1. Godly men are not soon convinced of all their failings in an hour of tentation For Elihu hath yet more of Jobs miscarriage to answer and refute 2. Albeit even godly men may be hard to convince when they are under tentation and albeit unskilful usage may distemper and irritate them more Yet those who are called to deal with them should still continue hoping they may at last prevail with them And wise managing of reproof will through the blessing of God convince them at last and cause them take with sharpest reproofs For here Elihu's proceeding was not only his duty though Job had not yet been convinced in the least But Jobs allowing him by his silence to goe on doth evidence that he had taken with his wise reproofs though he could not relish nor digest what his other Friends had said 3. When men have opportunity and hope of doing goods it should so much the more encourage them to goe on without wearying For finding no resentment nor reply from Job as he had wont to do to his other Friends he goeth on and furthermore answered and said 4. When men begin to be sober and somewhat convinced of their miscarriages their work is not yet all done who deal with them but they need that their convictions should be rivited upon them For though Jobs silence and possibly his other carriage witnessed how he relished what Elihu had said yet he proceeds furthermore to answer not only because he had yet more faults to charge him with and more expressions of his to condemn but because he would have what he had heard and received take deeper impression upon him From v. 2. Learn 1. Albeit godly men become somewhat tractable in trouble yet they are not at first so fit as others to judge of their own way and carriage Therefore though Job do hear him silently as liking what he said better than what his Friends said yet he calls to others also to hear his words and what he hath to charge upon Job 2. There are many passages of Divine Providence and many truths concerning his way with his people which require all the skill and experience of men to judge of them aright For he requires not only men that have knowledge or light but wise men or men who have experience which many want who yet have knowledge to hear his words and give ear and judge in this matter There are depths of wisdome about the people of God which without much light and experience they will readily mistake 3. Such as are for truth will not huddle up their opinions among the simple as is the practice of Seducers Rom. 16.17 18. 2 Tim. 3.6 7. but will not decline that even the most able hear and judge For not only did the weightiness of the matter require such Auditors but even his confidence in his cause makes him appeal to them 4. It is the character of these who are truly wise and understanding and not filled only with a conceit of their own abilities that they are never above the means of instruction but