Exposition of Job 38-42
The word rendered canst do notes two things; First, Might; Secondly, Right, to do all things. For indeed, we can do no more than we have a right to do.
Again, It signifies not only a power of doing, but a prevailing power of doing, or a conquering power, a power that overcomes all difficulties, and removes all obstacles or obstructions; such a power is intended in this word. We have it in a proper name ( Prov. 30.1.) The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh, even the prophesy. The man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal: Under both these names, Ithiel and Ucal, some conceive Christ is to be understood: he is Ithiel, which signifies (as Immanuel) God with us; and he is Ucal, that is, powerful and almighty. When the Prophet Jeremiah would show how strongly that people were bent to sin, he speaks to them all as one man ( Jer. 3.5.) Behold, thou hast spoken, and done evil, as thou couldst; that is, thou hast put forth thy utmost Can, thou hast done as much evil as thou canst. As here, Job saith of the Lord, Thou canst do all things. So said the Prophet of the people, Thou hast spoken, and done evil, as thou couldst. A godly man sins, but he doth not sin as he can, he doth not lay his utmost strength, nor set his shoulders to it; but an evil man doth evil as he can, he serves his lust as he should serve God, with all his might. I urge that place only to note the force of the word, I know that thou canst do
That is, everything which is fit for, and becoming thy Majesty to do, everything which is good, everything which is just, everything which doth not reflect dishonor upon thy name, everything that is not a contradiction to thyself. Thus, take things of what kind you will, God can do them; and take things in what degree you will, God can do them: he can do, not only little things, but great things, yea, the greatest things. Great and little make no matter of difference with God. As if Job had said, O Lord, I know and acknowledge there is nothing too hard for thee, yea, nothing is hard to thee; and that as thy counsels and decrees are altogether wise and just, so thou hast power enough to execute and bring them about. Thou canst do
There is no bound to the power of God, except his own will. God will not do everything that he can, but he can do everything that he willeth: nothing can stop the power of God in doing, where his will is to do. Thou canst do everything.
Or we may take it thus, God can do everything; that is, everything that he hath said he will do, everything that he hath engaged himself to do by promise, or by prophesy; he hath power to do what he hath said or fore-shown shall be done. Thus Job gives glory to God, and begins as David (Psal. 59.16, 17.) to sing of the power of the Lord, as well as of his mercy. I will sing of thy power; unto thee, O my strength, will I sing. Here Job sings of the power of God, I know that thou canst do everything. The words have no difficulty in them; only when Job saith here, I know that thou canst do everything, it may be questioned,
Did not Job know this before? yea, had not Job said as much as this before? that God could do everything. In several passages of the ninth and twelfth Chapters, he said as much as this, and more cannot be said of God. We have said everything of God, when once we have said, he can do everything. There Job cries up the power of God, together with his wisdom ( verse. 4. &c.) He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength; who hath hardened himself against him and prospered? If any ask, what can God do? Job answers, He can remove the mountains, and overturn them in his anger, he shaketh the earth out of its place, he commandeth the Sun, and it riseth not, and sealeth up the Stars, he alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the Sea. All these are speakings forth of the Almightiness of God; and he that can do these things, surely can do all things. Now seeing Job was there so much upon this point before, how is it that here he saith, I know that thou canst do everything? as if this were some new matter which he was not acquainted with before, or had never uttered.
I answer, it is true, Job knew this before, but he did not know it before as he knew it now: Though he knew the Lord's power before, and spake of it, yet the trouble of his spirit, and the anguish of his soul under his sufferings, did very much darken him as to this knowledge; and therefore when Job saith, I know that thou canst do everything, this knowing is not to be understood as opposed to ignorance only, as if Job knew this now, and did not know it at all before; but knowing here is opposed to a lesser degree of knowledge, or knowing here imports a higher and greater degree of knowledge than ever he had before concerning the power of God. Job spake sometimes before, as if he knew little of this great truth, and he much detracted from the absolute power of God over all creatures by his complainings, especially that he and other innocent ones were afflicted; as also, by his earnest desire of knowing why he was afflicted, being innocent, thereby intimating, that he was not so well satisfied in the dealing of God with him, nor had wholly resigned up himself to the sovereign power and will of God, to be disposed of at his pleasure; so that in this short confession Job seems to speak more largely, thus; Now at length, O Lord, I know more fully than ever, that thou hast a most just right and power to command and dispose of all things, and that thou both dost and mayst effect whatsoever pleaseth thee; nor ought any to murmur at, much less resist thy counsels or dealings, seeing everything is, and cannot but be just and righteous which thou dost. We conclude then, Job knew this truth before, but not as he knew it now.
Hence note, First;
And it were well if we were all found growing in knowledge. That's the Apostle Peters charge (2 Epist. 3.18.) Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He puts both together. There is a growth in knowledge as well as in grace; and in proportion to our spiritual growth in knowledge, is our growth in grace: for, though many grow much in notional and speculative knowledge, who grow little in grace; yet they cannot but grow much in grace, who grow much in spiritual and experimental knowledge. As a godly man groweth in knowledge, so in grace too. Knowledge is a growing thing. The rising and increasing waters of the Sanctuary were a type of the encreasings of knowledge; those waters were first to the ankles, and then to the knees, and then to the loins, and then to the neck. And as knowledge increaseth, with respect to the several times and states of the Church (for so that place ( Ezek. 47.3, 4, 5.) is to be be understood) so it is a truth, that there is an increase of knowledge, with respect to the state of every particular believer; his knowledge is first to the ankles, and then to the knees, and then to the loins, and then to the neck. As some points to be known are so easy or shallow, that (according to that clear and common similitude) a Lamb may wade through them; others so difficult and deep, that an Elephant may swim in them: so the degree of knowledge in the same person, which at one time was very small and shallow, at another time may be swelled into a great deep, and he called a man of deep knowledge. We have a general promise of such an increase ( Isa. 11.9.) The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the Sea; that is, there shall be a wonderful increase of knowledge. That's also the import of Daniel's Prophesy (Chap. 12.4) Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. Particular persons shall improve in knowledge, and so shall the whole Church. So then, this increase of knowledge is of two sorts; First, it is a knowledge of more things; and, Secondly, of everything more.
We should labor to know more truths; we must thus add to our knowledge. For, though it be true, that every believer hath received the anointing, whereby he knoweth all things that are of absolute necessity (1 John 2.20.) yet he may come to the knowledge of more things which are exceeding useful and helpful to him.
Secondly, We should labor to know everything more, as in the Text. Job knew before that God was omnipotent, and could do all things; but now he knew it more, and so much more, that the knowledge which he had before might be called ignorance, compared with the knowledge which he had now received. Then we increase our knowledge fully, when we get the knowledge of more things, and of everything more.
Again, we should labor to increase, as in speculative, so in experimental knowledge. Speculative knowledge alone, goes no further than the notion of what we know; experimental knowledge finds and feels the power of what we know, it subjects us, or makes us subject to what we know; the motions of the Will follow the light and dictate of the Understanding. This is the best knowledge: Knowledge which is felt and acted, is better than that which is heard and declared. What the Apostle John said of himself, and his fellow Apostles, who were personally present with Christ while here on earth, with respect to their sensitive knowledge of him, is most true of the spiritual and experimental knowledge which believers have of Christ now in heaven, and they absent from him (1 John 1.1.) That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life, that declare we unto you; we declare that unto you which we have seen and felt. 'It is a blessed thing, when we can say, that the things which we declare to others, we have felt them, and even handled them ourselves. Many (as our usual expression is) handle Texts, and handle truths learnedly and excellently in a discourse, who never handled, no nor so much as touched them by any experience of their sweetness or efficacy, either in their hearts or lives.
Further, consider in what way Job came to this proficiency in knowledge; he had been a great while in the School of affliction, before he said, I know, and I know to purpose, that thou canst do everything.
Hence note;
The godly never increase more in knowledge, than under the Cross, under afflictions of one kind or another. David saith ( Psal. 119.71.) It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes. Did not David know the Statutes of God before? doubtless he did; he was all-along trained up in the statutes of God; but when God took him into the School of affliction, then he lea • nt the Statutes of God much better. Let us consider what profiting we find at any time under affliction, as to the knowledge of God, and of ourselves; if we do not better our knowledge by one cross, we may expect to meet with another, and another, till matters mend with us. Solomon saith, ( Prov. 27.22.) Though thou shouldst bray a fool in a mortar, among wheat, with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him; that is, an obstinate sinner (he is the fool there spoken of) though extremely afflicted, is not bettered: but a godly man profits by his affliction, both as to the departure and riddance of his folly, as also to his growth in spiritual experimental knowledge.
Once more (which will give us a third note) Job was not only in affliction, but God taught him in his affliction; Job had not only a rod upon his back, but a tutor by his side. His three friends had been long with him, and spoken much to him, but he learnt little by them. When Elihu had been speaking to him, he yielded somewhat to him, though not fully; but when once God undertook to tutor and instruct him, Job learned amain, and profited greatly in knowledge.
Hence note;
If we have nothing but the rod, we profit not by the rod; yea, if we have nothing but the Word, we shall never profit by the Word. It is the Spirit given with the Word, and the Spirit given with the rod, by which we profit under both, or either. ( Psal. 94.12.) Blessed is the man (saith David) whom thou chastenest, and teachest out of thy Law. Chastning and divine teaching must go together, else there will be no profiting by chastening. God was Jobs teacher as well as his chastner; Job received many lessons from God, he taught him quire through the 38th and 39th Chapters, and he taught him quite through two Chapters more, before he said, I know that thou canst do everything. Thus far of Jobs knowledge. Let us a little consider the first object of it here expressed, the omnipotence of God, I know
Hence observe, First;
That is, at any work that is good; he can do every such thing, nothing comes amiss to him. Among men, one man can do this thing, and another can do that thing, and a third can do more than either; but where will you find a man that can do everything? One man is for counsel, another for action; one man can build a house, and another can till the ground; several men have their several arts and mysteries, and it is well if one man can do any one thing well: But God is for all. We have a saying (and 'tis a great truth) He that will be doing of everything, is no great doer in anything; that is, he never excels in any. But as the Lord can do everything, so he is exact and perfect in everything that he doth. The best creature is only a particular good, but God is an universal good; there is every good in God: all the good that is scattered in the creature, is eminently in him. Now as God is an universal good, so he is an universal Agent; he is in working, as he is in Being; He can do everything for us, as well as be everything to us. We need not fear if we bring this or that thing to God, that he hath no skill in it, as it is with men; if you bring this thing to a man, he is excellent at it; but bring another thing, and he knoweth not how to turn his hand to it: but whatsoever we have to do, if it be according to the will of God, he hath power and wisdom enough to do it. The Lord had power enough to give a being to all creatures; and hath he not power enough to do all things in and about the creature? cannot he preserve in all dangers, and provide in all wants? cannot he furnish with all gifts, and give success? cannot he overthrow the high, and exalt the low? cannot be restrain the wrathful, and subdue the obstinate? cannot he weaken the strong, and strengthen the weak? cannot he make fools wise, and wise men foolish? surely he can do all these things, for he can do everything.
Secondly, from these words take that grand assertion.
This is a principle, one of the great principles of Religion, an Article of Faith; yet I shall not enlarge upon it, having met with it in other places of this book. Only consider here, how Job infers this principle; he infers it from the discourse which the Lord was pleased to have with him, in the four former Chapters, wherein the Lord told him of many things that he had done; I have done this and that in the heavens above, and in the earth below, I have made Behemeth and Leviathan: God had told him of his doings; whence Job inferred, I know thou canst do everything. He doth not make this conclusion by way of induction (there is such a way of argumentation in Logic) but by deduction. God hath done this and that, and the other, therefore he can do all things; if he can do this, what cannot he do? if he can make and subdue Behemoth, what cannot he do? and if he can make and master Leviathan, what cannot he do? Christ ( Luke 5.20.) argueth his omnipotency or Godhead in the same manner; for having healed a poor man, and said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee, the Pharisees were very much offended with that word, saying, Who is this that speaketh blasphemy? who can forgive sins but God alone? Christ knowing their thoughts, said, What reason ye in your hearts? whether is it easier to say, thy sins are forgiven thee, or to say, rise up and walk? I have healed the man; doth not that argue a divine power? why may not I then say, Thy sins are forgiven thee? He that can by his own might do one mighty or miraculous thing, can do all things. Such is the power of God, that, as I said before, he hath no limit to it, but his own will.
And seeing the will of God is the limit of his power, let us take heed of desiring him who can do everything, to do anything for us, which is not according to his will. Let us bound our desires; let us take heed of saying, this is our desire, and God can do everything, therefore this which we desire. Consider, is your desire according to the will of God. We cannot urge God with his Omnipotency, to do anything that is our desire, if we are not first clear in it, that our desire is agreeable to his will: Unless we have a rule for our desire, or we desire by rule, we can have no well-grounded confidence, that God will do that for us, which we desire. God is almighty, not to do what we will or forge in our brain, but to do what himself willeth. Papists say, the bread is turned into the very body of Christ; but say we, we see, and feel, and taste but bread: They presently fly to this, God is able to do all things, or he can do everything; this is, to abuse the Omnipotency of God: Hath the Scripture declared any such thing? yea, hath not the Scripture declared the quite contrary, that Sacraments are but signs of things, not the things themselves. This is my body, said Christ; but he said not, my body is this. Christ willed that his body should be represented by bread; he will not that bread should be changed into his body. The power of God must not be urged beyond his will. He have no revelation of the will of God, that he will transubstantiate the bread at the holy supper into the body of Christ; but he hath given it as a sacred symbol of Christ's crucified and broken body, upon which we are to feed by faith.
That God can do whatsoever he willeth, hath a twofold use.
First, Of comfort, to all true believers, who stand in the grace of the Covenant. That nothing is too hard for God, is a marvelous Consolation to us in all our hardships. When God promised Abraham a Son in his old age ( Gen. 18.) what a hard task was here for God? Sarah could not believe it, she laughed; but what saith the Lord? Is anything too hard for me? he presently urgeth his own power, where he had declared his will. Whatsoever God hath declared to be his will, either as to particular persons, or the whole Church; it matters not how hard it is, if we have but his will for it. As Christ will at last Change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working, whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself (Phil. 3.21.) so according to that working, he is able to change and subdue all things to and according to his own will. When the Jews were to be carried into captivity to Babylon, the Lord commanded Jeremy to make purchase of a field in Anathoth (Jer. 32.7, 8, 9.) Now Jeremy might object; behold, the Chaldeans are come to the City to take it; and shall I go and buy land? Is this a time to make purchases? is this a time to buy land, when the City is ready to be taken, and the whole land like to be lost? yes, saith God, Buy the field for money, seal the evidences, and take witnesses; for thus saith the God of Israel (verse. 15.) houses, and fields, and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land. Am not I able to bring you back again? And therefore after Jeremy had confessed in prayer to the Lord ( verse. 17.) Nothing is too hard for thee (The Hebrew is, hidden from thee, or wonderful to thee; because hard things are hidden from us, strange and wonderful to us. The Prophet, I say, having said this to the Lord in prayer) the Lord said to him ( verse. 27.) Is anything too hard for me? And to the same point, the Lord spake again ( Zech. 8.6.) Thus saith the Lord of hosts, if it be marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people (namely, that Jerusalem should be restored) should it also be marvelous in mine eyes, saith the Lord of hosts, to perform what was said ( ver. 4.) There shall yet old men, and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age, and the streets of the City shall be full of boys and girls, playing in the streets thereof. Who could believe this? but it was the will of God it should be so: And therefore he said, If it be marvelous in your eyes, should it be so in mine eyes? You think this can never be brought about. But must it needs be marvelous in my eyes, because it is so in yours? or (as the margin hath it) must it needs be hard or difficult to me, because 'tis so to you? The same word which signifies marvelous, signifies difficult, because that which is difficult and hard we marvel at: But saith the Lord, because this thing is marvelous in your eyes, must it be so in mine, who can do everything? And we may conceive, that when Job spake thus, he began to have some hope of his restauration. He had lost all, children, and health, and strength, and estate, all was gone, and he many times gave up all for gone, and spake despairingly, as to a restitution; but now God having spoken of what he had done, Jobs faith and hope revived in these words, I know that thou canst do everything; and among other things thou canst restore all to me again, thou canst give me as much health and strength of body, as many children, as full an estate, as ever I had.
Secondly, This truth is matter of great terror to the wicked. As God can strengthen the weak, so he can weaken the strong; and, as he can raise up the godly, so he can easily pull down the ungodly; as he can fill up the valleys, so he can level the mountains. Thus the Lord spake ( Ezek. 17.24.) All the trees of the field shall know, that I the Lord have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish; I the Lord have spoken, and have done it. It must needs be terrible to the wicked, that God can do what he will, seeing his will is to destroy them, except they repent and turn to him; he hath power enough to do it, and his will is to do it; what then can hinder his doing it, but their repentance for what they have done. There are no sons of Zeruiah too hard for him, who can do everything.
Again, from the second notion of these words, Thou canst do everything, that is, thou hast right as well as might to do everything.
Observe,
God gives a law to all others for their actions, but he is the law to himself. He can do everything of right he willeth, as well as he hath might to do what he will.
Then let none complain, that God hath done them wrong, for everything is right which God doth. Job had failed in this, by speeches reflecting upon the justice of God in his dealings with him; and therefore we may conceive, that in this confession, I know thou canst do everything, he chiefly aimed at this, to give God the glory of his justice: As if he had said, Though thou, O Lord, layest thy hand heavy upon an innocent person, and strippest him of all that he hath; though thou, O Lord, makest a wicked man to flourish in this world, and fillest him with outward felicity; yet all ought to rest in thy will, for this thou canst do of right, being absolute Lord over all. I (said Job) know that thou canst do everything.
Master Broughton renders, that no wisdom was withholden from thee; which he thus glosseth. Thou hast made all things in perfect wisdom, to show thy eternal power and God-head. The same word signifies both wisdom and thought, and well it may; for unless we have wise thoughts in ourselves, we can never show wisdom, either in our words or actions towards others. There is a difference amongst Interpreters, whose thought we are here to understand, when Job saith, No thought can be withholden from thee.
First, Many very worthy and learned men, are of opinion, that by thought, we are to understand the thought of God, God's own thought; and so these words are but the carrying on of the same thing, or a further explication what was said before, I know that thou canst do everything; that is, whatsoever is in thy thought or in thy heart to do; no power in the world can with-hold thee from doing it; no thought, that is, not any one of thy thoughts, can be withholden from thee, that is, from thy fulfilling it, or bringing it to pass: what thou hast in thy mind, thou wilt perform with thy hand: If thou hast but a thought to do such a thing, thou canst not be hindered of thy thought, it shall be done.
The words hold out a very glorious truth concerning God, if we take thought in this sense; and as it is a great truth in itself, so it is a very useful one to us.
The Observation is this;
As none of God's thoughts are vain, so none of them are in vain or ineffectual, they all reach their end ( Isa. 43.13.) I will work, and who shall lett it? God will work if he hath but a thought to work; and if all the Powers in the world set themselves against him, they shall not be able to disappoint any one of his thoughts ( Prtv. 19.21.) There are many devices in a man's heart, yet the counsel of the Lord shall stand; that is, there are many thoughts in man's heart opposite to the counsel and thought of God. Men think this and that, they make up many things in their thoughts, yet can make nothing of them, because against the thoughts of God; for all the devices that are in man's heart, cannot hinder the effect of God's counsel, his counsel shall stand fast and firm, without any bowing, without any bending, while their devices fall and are utterly broken. The conclusion of wise Solomon is ( Prov. 21.30.) There is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel against the Lord. Let men take or give counsel as long as they will against the Lord, they cannot avoid the effect of his counsels. We have both these, the standing of the Lord's counsel, and the overthrowing of all counsels that are against him, in that one Scripture ( Psal. 33.10, 11.) The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to naught, he maketh the devices of the people of none effect: The counsel of the Lord standeth forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. God never lost a thought: all come to pass. This showeth the mighty efficacy of the counsel of God; this is more than can be said of any man or men in the world; the wisest and greatest, have had many thoughts withholden from them. They have thought to do this and that, but could not effect it, nor bring it about ( Psal. 146.4.) Their thoughts perish; they have a great many plots in their heads, but they prove not; they often live to see their own thoughts die. Their thoughts perish, not only when they die, but they live to see them perish and die. The Prophet ( Isa. 44.25.) showeth how the Lord frustrates the counsels of men, and turneth them backward; he shows also, that without him they cannot go forward ( Lamen. 3.37.) Who is he that saith and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
But some may object, the Lord speaketh of the builders of Babel, as Job here speaketh of him ( Gen. 11.6.) Behold the people is one, and they have all one language, and this they begin to do, and now nothing will be restrained from them which they have imagined to do; as if he had said, there will be no with-holding of them from their thoughts.
'It is very true, amongst men there was nothing to stop them; they being all as one man, and of one mind, would have accomplished anything that they did imagine: but though there was nothing upon earth, nothing among men, that could restrain them, yet God could do it, and he did it; he confounded their language, and one brought mortar, when he should have brought brick; and another brought stones, when he should have brought timber; they thought to build a tower that should reach as high as heaven, they would be drowned no more; but they and their thoughts were soon scattered and blown away.
This point hath in it also abundance of comfort (as the former) for take thought for the thought of God, and it runs parallel with what I spake before, of the work of God; he can do everything, everything that is in his thought to do; we may take fresh comfort from it. Can no thought be withholden from God? what a comfort is this to all that he hath good thoughts of, or thoughts for good. The heart of God is full of good thoughts to his people, though he many times speaks hard words to them, and doth hard things against them, yet he hath good thoughts concerning them ( Psal. 40.5.) Many, O Lord, my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which thou hast to usward: Thoughts to us-ward are thoughts for us, that is, thoughts of good intended us. Now hath the Lord many good thoughts for us, and none of these shall be withholden; is not this comfort? When the Church of the Jews was in Babylon, the Lord dealt very hardly with them, though not so hardly as they deserved. But what were his thoughts ( Jer. 29.11.) I know the thoughts that I think towards you (you do not know the thoughts that I have towards you, but I do: what are they?) thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end, that is, the end which you expect and wait for. What a mercy is this, that no thought of God can be withholden, whenas he hath so many thoughts of mercy and good things to his people!
Again, I might show how dreadful this is to wicked men, for the Lord hath nothing but thoughts of revenge and evil towards them: But 'tis enough to hint it.
Before I pass from this interpretation, some may object. If all the thoughts of God shall be brought to pass, and none can withhold them, if God will do what he hath a purpose to do; then what need we trouble ourselves so much in prayer? For if God hath any thoughts of good to us, it shall be done; but if not, we cannot bring it to pass by prayer: And so some urge, what need we repent and humble ourselves, the thoughts of God shall be fulfilled. To this, I say, in general, take heed of such reasonings; for as they are very absurd and reasonless, so they are very dangerous, and leave us remediless. More particularly,
I answer, thus; Though God hath thoughts and purposes of good to his people, yet whatsoever good he will do for his people, he will be sought unto to do it for them; and therefore prayer, repentance, and humiliation, are needful to bring forth thoughts of good from God to us. And though not man can hinder the bringing to pass of any of his thoughts, yet we may help their birth and bringing forth. So much of the first interpretation of these words.
Secondly, no thought, that is, no thought of man can be withholden from thee; thou knowest the thoughts of everyone, what they are, of what kind they are. The Latin translation is express, There is no thought secret to thee.
Some read the whole verse thus. Thou knowest that thou canst do thing every, and no thought is hidden to thee. As if Job had said, O Lord, as none know what thy power is better than thyself, or as none know like thyself what thou canst do, even that thou canst do all things, so none know better than thyself, not I myself, what my thought, or opinion, or faith rather is, concerning thy power and self-sufficiency to do all things. Which manner of speech importeth the deep submission of himself unto God, or a kind of demission, or letting of himself down into God, while he saith nothing expressly of himself, or what his thoughts were of God's power; but refers all to God, as knowing him and his mind fully, and subjects himself wholly to his testimony. So that he seems to call God to witness, or appeals to God as a witness of the sincerity of his heart, in the acknowledgment which he made of his All-sufficiency, as the Apostle Peter, of his love to Christ, when so often pressed him, even a third time, with that searching question, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee (John 21.17.) Peter would not be confident, that he loved Christ more then those; but referred himself, in that matter, to the judgment of Christ, who knew all things, and himself, both as to the truth and degree of his affections to him perfectly. Thus said Job, thou knowest (and I acknowledge) that no thought can be withholden from thee; therefore not mine.
Hence, note;
We cannot put our thoughts into a secret place where God cannot see them; we cannot with-hold them from God, as we easily may from man, if we can but hold our tongues, and not let our thoughts drop out of our mouths in words. ( Psal. 139.2.) The Lord knoweth our thoughts afar off. He knew what thoughts there were in the hearts of the Jews (Jer. 4.14.) O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved: how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee! These vain thoughts, were thoughts about their continuance in that peaceable condition, that the enemy should never come to molest them, or they should never come into the hand of the enemy; as others afterwards had vain thoughts, that they should be speedily delivered out of their hands. First, They had vain thoughts, that they should never go into captivity. And Secondly, They had as vain thoughts, that they should be presently delivered out of captivity: These are your vain thoughts, and these I know, saith God. Our thoughts are as open to God, as our works; all our thoughts, good and bad, are alike known to God: He knoweth our good thoughts, and the thoughts which we have to do good. If we have a thought of good to any man, the Lord knoweth it; and if we have a thought for evil to any man, the Lord knoweth it. The Lord knoweth not only what thoughts are evil in their own nature, but what are detrimentally evil unto others. Thus spake distressed Jeremy, in the person of the whole Jewish Church ( Lament. 3.60, 61, 62.) Thou hast seen all their vengeance, and all their imaginations against me. Thou hast heard their reproach, O Lord, and all their imaginations against me, and their devices against me all the day long. The Lord knoweth all the good thoughts that others have for us, and all the evil thoughts which they have against us: Now,
If no thought of ours can be withholden from God, then keep guard, and watch over your thoughts; hold your thoughts in good order, for you cannot with-hold your disorderly thoughts from God; bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10.5.)
Secondly, If the Lord knoweth all our thoughts? then certainly all good thoughts shall be rewarded, as well as good words, yea, even as well as good deeds. As the Lord will not lose a good thought (which was shown in the former point) so we shall not lose a good thought; God will reward them fully, for he knoweth them fully. There was a good thought in David's heart, to build the Lord a temple, and the Lord said (as Solomon his Son reports it, 1 Kings 8.18.) Whereas it was in thy heart to build a house to my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart, I take it as well, as if thou hadst done it. God takes notice of our thoughts. And therefore this is comfort when we can do but little, yet God knows what we would do, what work our thoughts are at; and our thoughts are our best and choicest works, they are the first-born of the soul. Wicked men may do works, and speak words, good for the matter, but they cannot properly think good thoughts.
Thirdly, if the Lord knoweth our thoughts, then evil thoughts shall not go unpunished. When the Lord brought the deluge upon the old world, we find him speaking thus ( Gen. 6.5.) God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. God spake not of their works, but of the imagination of their hearts, their thoughts. The Apostle counseled Simon Magus to repent of his wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of his heart might be forgiven him (Acts 8.22.) There lieth the danger; take heed of evil thoughts: we are in as much danger by them, as by the worst evil actions. Take heed, First, of proud thoughts; though pride blossom not, that is, though it appear not openly, nor hang out its flag in words and works, yet take heed of it. Secondly, take heed of wanton and adulterous thoughts, though you act not wantonly, nor commit adultery. Thirdly, take heed of covetous thoughts, though you proceed not to covetous practices. Fourthly, of envious thoughts, or of being troubled at the good of your neighbors, though you hinder not his good. Fifthly, take heed of revengeful thoughts, or of devising evil against your neighbor, though you hurt him not, nor bring evil upon him. Sixthly, take heed of hard thoughts of God, whatsoever his dealings be with you. Though you murmur not, though you speak not hard words of his dealing with you, yet if you think hardly of him, and question his justice or goodness in your hearts, he takes notice of it. Seventhly, take heed of discontentful thoughts with your own condition, though sad and bitter. This was Jobs sin, and it is conceived that he spake thus, as acknowledging that he lay open before God, as knowing all his thoughts of discontent. Eighthly, above all, take heed of blasphemous thoughts of God, which the devil hoped to bring Job too. Take heed of these and of every every evil thought, though not acted, knowing also, that every evil act hath its evil thought belonging to it, and that no thought can be withholden from God.
Thus much for the first part of Jobs humiliation, his exalting of God in his omnipotency, and in his omnisciency; he is omnipotent, he can do everything, nor can any of his thoughts be withholden from him, by any power of man; he is omniscient, no man can with-hold or hide his own thoughts from God.
Job having made that great acknowledgement of the power and knowledge of God, I know thou canst do everything, neither can any thought be withholden from thee, comes to the confession of his own weakness and ignorance.
Vers. 3.
Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not.
Who is he?
That is, what manner of man is he? or what is he for a man? what a man hath he been?
We had these words at the second verse of the 38th Chapter, where the Lord said chidingly to Job, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Here Job saith humbly to God, Who is this that hideth counsel? There is some change in the words; little, if any, in the sense. There the Lord said, Who is he that darkeneth? Here Job saith, Who is he that hideth? &c. both may be taken as intending the same thing, darkening and hiding being of a like signification, and things in the dark can no more be seen, than things hidden. Yet some Jewish Writers conceive, that Job here doth somewhat abate what the Lord spake, or did extenuate the matter, as to his own faultiness and miscarriage; As if he indeed granted, that he had hid or concealed the counsel of God, but would be excused in this, that he had darkened it. This is a nice difference, and I doubt not but the spirit of Job was so low and graciously humbled, that he spake with the most and highest fervency, to humble himself, when he said, Who is he that hideth counsel? But how had Job hid the counsel of God?
I answer, First; He had hid the counsel of God by not declaring it so much or so fully as he ought, David prophesying of Christ, saith ( Psal. 40.10.) I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart, I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation. What is meant by not hiding, in the former part of the verse, is expressed by declaring, in the latter part of it; and when he saith, I have declared, his meaning is, I have amply and clearly made known thy faithfulness. So that, because Job had not so clearly as he should declared the righteousness, or the righteous counsels of God concerning him, and his dealings with him, he may be said to have hid the counsel of God. While we do not magnify God, we lessen him; while we do not declare, to the utmost, his power, we hide it; and therefore Job thus chargeth himself, Who is he that hideth?
Or we may take it thus, more distinctly; Job hid the counsel of God,
First, by being so much in setting forth his own innocence. How much he insisted upon that argument, hath been shown before from other places of this book. While we set forth ourselves, we obscure God. Job should have been less in his own commendation, and more in the praises of God.
Secondly, Job may be said to have hid the counsel of God, because he was so much in amplifying and aggravating his own sufferings, not well considering the counsel of God in laying those sufferings upon him: Had he duly weighed the counsel of God in afflicting him, he would have proceeded as he began ( Chap. 1. 21.) to bless God, both in and for his affliction.
Thirdly, He may be said to have hid the counsel of God, because he expostulated with God, as severe towards him in his afflictions; as if God's counsel had been only to put him to pain. Such complainings of the living man, Jeremiah chockt, while he said of God ( Lam. 3.33.) He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. As it is not in the heart or counsel of God to afflict men with his heart (as the words there imports) so not to break their hearts (unless with godly sorrow for their sin) by affliction. Therefore Job speaking so much of God's severity, hid the counsel of God, which was only to try his graces and his goodness, and graciously to do him good in the latter end. Who is this that hideth counsel.
But, was Job an ignorant man? was he without knowledge? No, but he had not a right knowledge of the counsel of God concerning himself; which though it was some excuse to him, yet it did not altogether excuse, nor acquit him from the fault. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? I shall not stay upon observations from this verse, because I did it at the second verse of the 38th Chapter. I shall only consider that difference among Interpreters about this word counsel, to whom it doth refer.
First, some refer it to Job, and conceive that he chargeth himself with this error, that he had hid his own counsel from God, or that he thought his counsel was hidden from him. The Septuagint render it plainly to this sense, Who is he that hideth counsel from thee? No man can hide the counsels, nor the most secret intendments of his soul from God; all things, even the thoughts of the heart, are naked and manifest before his eyes, with whom we have to do. 'It is best for us to reveal ourselves to him, from whom we cannot with all our skill and cunning conceal ourselves, as was further shown from the latter interpretation of those words in the former verse, No thought can be withholden from thee.
But we may fully discharge Job of this, for he often professed that his most secret ways were known to God, yea, that the way of his and every man's heart, was known to God ( Chap. 10.19.) If I sin, then thou markest me. Read also Chap. 16.19. Chap. 31. verse. 1. And if we look back to the 5th verse of the first Chapter, there 'tis reported of Job, that he offered sacrifice for his children after their feastings; for (saith he) it may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. He knew, if it were but a sin in their hearts, God took notice of it; and therefore doubtless he had the same apprehension of his own heart-sins.
Secondly, others who take it for Jobs own counsel, give this sense; Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? As if he had said, I am the man that have hid my counsel, or my own meaning, for want of due knowledge how to express it. Many hide the truth of their own apprehensions and opinions, in the darkness or confusedness of their expressions. Some have a clear notion of things in their head, yet cannot bring it out, and so hide counsel for want of knowledge to make it known. This interpretation carrieth a fair sense for Jobs excuse, acquitting him of any willful or purposed speaking amiss: he had better things in his mind than he sometimes uttered, or he wanted skill rightly to utter his own mind, and so darkened counsel without, or for want of knowledge.
But I rather adhere to those, who take counsel here, for the counsel or purpose of God in afflicting Job so grievously, and leaving him entangled in the briars of those troublesome and intricate disputes with his friends, who came to comfort him.
Thus Job speaking in the third person, intends himself (which manner of speaking is frequent in Scripture) Who is he? &c. that is, I am he that have hid counsel without knowledge. For doubtless Job did well attend those words of God in the 38th Chapter ( verse. 2.) Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowlegde? And being struck with them, confesseth here, that God had met with him in those words. And hence read these words of Job with an additional preface, as if they were a repetition of God's words, Thou hast said, who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? That is, thou hast said, that somebody hideth counsel without knowledge, and I acknowledge 'tis I, I am he; and so he falls down convinced before the Lord, as David before Nathan, telling him in the name of the Lord, Thou art the man. I confess it, said David, I am the man, I have sinned; so saith Job, I am the man, I have hid counsel by words without knowledge.
Some understand this his hiding, to be only his forbearing to utter and celebrate the praise of God in his counsel, or the purpose of God's providence towards him. But I conceive the fault which he confesseth here, is not a bare reticency, or his not speaking of the counsel of God, but his not speaking rightly, or becomingly, of his counsel; which agrees fully with what followeth, where Job speaks in the first person, or in his own person, and takes the charge home to, and upon himself.
Mr. Broughton renders, Therefore have I talked that I have not understood.
The Hebrew word rendered understood, imports a distinct knowledge of things ( Prov. 14.8.) The wisdom of the prudent, is to understand his way; that is, to know what to do, and how or in what manner to do every duty in all the changes of his life. Thus the Angel Gabriel was commanded concerning Daniel (Dan. 8.16.) Make this man to understand the vision; that is, whom it concerns, when and in what manner it shall take effect, and be fulfilled. Such an understanding as this Job had not of the things which he had uttered; and therefore confesseth, I have uttered that I understood not, I have spoken (as we say) I knew not what; which may refer to such like passages as are in the former part of this Book ( Job 19.7, 8.) Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard; I cry aloud, but there is no judgment: He hath fenced up my way, that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths. Job did not well understand himself when he spake thus; and there are several other such extravagant speeches of his, up and down this Book. And doubtless he did not barely confess that he had erred in speaking, nor did he only acknowledge that he had not used such reverence as became him, in speaking to God, but that he had spoken such things as were scandalous, and gave just matter of offense, and at which several of his friends did actually take offense. At best he might well acknowledge he had rashly uttered things that he did not fully understand.
Thus Job, who thought he had spoken wisely enough, while man spake to him, and he spake to men, now hearing God speak, and he speaking to God, doth more wisely confess that himself was not wise, and that his light was but darkness concerning the works of God, much more concerning his counsel in those works. As if he had said, I have spoken many things of God, and of his excellencies in this dispute with my friends; yet I have hidden, or not hit, but slipped that which I should have most insisted upon and studied to make manifest, even the sovereignty of God over me, and all that I am or have; as also, the counsel, aim and intention of God in laying his hand so sorely upon me: but now being better informed about the reason of God's dealings with me, I confess I have uttered that I understood not,
Job was a man of great understanding; yet here were things too wonderful for him. What were they? The counsel of God, the nature of God: these are past finding out. There are wonders in God which man cannot apprehend, much less comprehend. Job spake of things far above his reach, even of wonderful things; and therefore no wonder if he spake unduly of them. I (saith he) have uttered things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Job here confesseth, that he wanted knowledge; and we know (though he were a mirror of patience) that many impatient speeches passed from him. Now, here we have the root of all that impatience which this good man shown in his afflictions; he had not a clear knowledge about the counsel or meaning of God in afflicting him.
Hence note;
Did we understand these two things; First, our own sinfulness; Secondly, the sovereignty of God; we should never be impatient. Did we understand our own sinfulness, that we have deserved greater evils than any the Lord hath laid upon us; and did we understand the Lord's sovereignty, that he may lay upon us what sufferings he pleaseth, though we had not sinned (for we are wholly his, and he may do with his own what he will) did we (I say) understand and meditate upon these two things, it would quiet our minds in the greatest storms of adversity, and be a preservative against all impatience. But if with these two, we consider a third thing; that the end which the Lord hath in bringing sufferings upon his people, is to do them good, how unreasonable a thing will impatience appear? shall we be impatient at our profit! If we are well instructed in this great truth, that all things work together for good to them that love God, and are the called according to his purpose (Rom. 8.28.) Where is there any room for impatience, in those who are effectually called, and truly love God! Impatience floweth from ignorance.
Again, in that Job confesseth himself to be the man that hid the counsels of God, when he had only been speaking unadvisedly of them,
Note;
When in discourses about divine truths, we do not advance the honor of God, we, as it were, cast a veil upon it. Not to do what we ought, is to do what we ought not; our omissions of good, may be censured as commissions of evil. We should display and magnify the wisdom of God in all his dealings with us, and dispensations towards us, else we do unwisely.
Thirdly, Job chargeth it upon himself as a fault, that he uttered what he knew not.
Hence note;
Let us take heed of venting with our tongues, what we have not in some good degree reached with our understandings. The understanding should give light to the tongue; nor need we any other light to speak by, but that of the understanding. True light cannot shine out of our mouths, if there be much darkness in our minds. How shall we utter knowledge, if we have it not? ( Psal. 147.7.) God is the King in all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding. In singing praises, as there is an exercise of our affections, so there should be of our understanding also. The Apostle puts it twice in those duties of prayer and praise (1 Cor. 14.15.) I will pray with the Spirit, and will pray with understanding also; I will sing with the Spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. A word should not go out of our mouths, but such as the understanding dictates and directs: better not to speak, than speak what we know not. If we understand not what we speak, we seldom edify others, never ourselves. As the tongues of some utter things above their experiences and affections, so do the tongues of others utter words beyond their judgments.
Fourthly, When Job spake, he thought he had spoken very well, yet now he is convinced of his weakness and mistakes in what he spake.
Hence note,
They may think they know the truth in a better manner and measure than indeed they do: Our opinion of ourselves is often greater than our knowledge of other matters; and we may soon imagine we know that, which indeed we know not. The Apostle saith (1 Cor. 8.2.) If any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. He that really knoweth anything, as he ought, cannot but have thoughts that he knoweth it; but he that thinketh, that is, is much, or proudly thinking that he knoweth anything, doth only think so, for he knoweth nothing as he ought, that is, really, groundedly, and effectually.
Fifthly, Observe;
Job thought he had more knowledge than he indeed had, and God made him see it. 'It is a work of great goodness in God, to show us how defective we are both in knowledge and goodness. We are full of self, till God convinceth us of our self-emptiness; we are full of self-wisdom, and self-strength, and self-righteousness, till the Lord convinceth us, that our wisdom is folly, our strength weakness, our righteousness an unclean thing, and showeth us, yea causeth us to receive and take Christ for our righteousness, strength, and wisdom. God did not leave Job till he had brought him out of, and off from himself, as to whatsoever he had too high an opinion of, or any confidence in himself.
Again, Job was upon his humiliation before God; he had not any gross sin to charge himself with (for he stood still upon his integrity, as he had done before; nor was Job mistaken in that point, he had not lived in any gross sin) That which he charged himself with, was want of knowledge, and his erro • , in managing his cause towards God arising from it.
Hence note,
What though we have not any open wickedness to charge ourselves with? what though the world cannot charge us, nor we ourselves, with any foul and black-faced enormities; yet have we not errors, have we not ignorances, have we not weaknesses to confess? Jobs eye had none of those beams in it; but he began to see the motes in his eye, and repented of his shortness in knowledge, and of his rashness in language. Though great sins call loudest for repentance, yet the least sin, even a sin of ignorance, calleth us to repentance also; and woe to those who knowingly neglect, or stop their ears against that call. When David was only staggered at the providence of God giving prosperity to the wicked, & so spake unadvisedly with his lips (as Job in a parallel case did) Psal. 73.13, 14.) Verily, I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence: For all the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning. Yet as soon as he recovered out of this temptation, how deeply did he charge himself ( ver. 22.) So foolish was I, and ignorant; I was as a beast before thee. Why did he then call himself a fool, a beast? was it for adultery and murder, which were once his sins? no, but for ignorance and rashness. David called himself a beast, in judging of the dealings of God by sense, not for living in any beastly sensuality. Let us remember, and not lightly pass it over, that though we have not (which rarely we have not) gross sins to confess, yet we have ignorances and errors too too many. The same David said and prayed ( Psal. 19.12.) Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults, that is, from those faults and errors which I do not understand; yea, cleanse me from this fault, that I have not a better understanding. As he there prayed to be kept from the dominion (and so from the guilt) of presumptuous sins, that is, of sins committed against the light of knowledge, so to be cleansed from the guilt of his secret sins, that is, of sins committed without his knowledge. Thus a godly man acknowledgeth his weaknesses, and lies low before God, in sense of them, when he hath not great and gross sins to be humbled for.
Seventhly, As Job was now discovering his former ignorance; so, upon an increase of knowledge, he was growing up into a clearer light about the things of God, than he had manifested in his former discourses.
Hence note;
As to be conscious of our weakness, is a great part of our strength; so, to be sensible of our ignorance is a good degree of knowledge. Agur said of himself ( Prov. 30.2.) Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man; I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. This good man was none of the ignorant ones, he had knowledge in a large measure, and was growing into a further light, while he thus bewailed his own darkness. David's knowledge was then clearest, when he made that confession, So ignorant was I.
Eighthly, When was it that Job saw he knew little? It was when God was come nearer to him, when God had been dealing with him, and speaking to him.
Hence note;
It is upon some eminent discovery of God to us, that we see we have little grace, righteousness, or knowledge. While we compare ourselves with ourselves, or compare ourselves with others below ourselves, we have high thoughts of ourselves; but when we compare ourselves with God, who is infinitely above us, we are little, we are nothing, we are little or nothing in our own eyes; when God appears in his fullness to us, we appear empty to ourselves.
Lastly, From those words, Things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. These wonderful things being the dealings of God with him, according to the counsel of God concerning him,
Note,
Not only the decrees of God from eternity, but the works of God in time, are full of wonder; nor can his works in time be otherwise, seeing they bear the express image, and are the issue of those eternal decrees. Jesus Christ is called wonderful, counselor (Isa. 9.6.) and he is wonderful in his counsels: As the works of God in us, so his works towards us are called wonderful. ( Pal. 40.5.) Many, O Lord, my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward. The works of God (as of man too) are the birth of his thoughts, and the thoughts of God about the birth of man, have many wonders in them. David said ( Psal. 139, 6.) Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, it is high, I cannot attain unto it. What knowledge was it that he could not attain unto? The context tells us, it was the knowledge of God's knowledge, concerning the formation of his body, before he was born ( ver. 14, 15▪ 16.) I will praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, &c. Again, the Prophet having described the various courses and methods which God useth in humbling sinners, by afflictions and tribulations, which are shadowed under those Metaphors and Allegorical expressions of Plowing and Harrowing, and the different ways of Threshing out the Corn, by the staff, or the rod, or the wheel. The Spirit of God doth not there intend the husband-man's work alone, in which yet there is much of God, and his teachings: The Prophet (I say) having done this, concludes ( Isa. 28.29.) This also cometh forth from the Lord of Hosts, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working. And as there are wonders in the works of God, which are the fulfilling of his secret and hidden counsel; so there are wonders in the Word of God, which is his revealed and open counsel ( Psal. 119.18.) Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law. The Law is wonderful; but the Gospel is, as it were, a continued wonder, and we shall be forever wondering at, and admiring the grace and goodness of God discovered, therein when we come to heaven; and now, as we see further into the mistery of Christ, we do it too (1 Cor. 2.7.) We speak the wisdom of God in a mistery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. They are wonderful things, which man, by all his natural wisdom, cannot attain unto. Philosophers, who pry into all the secrets of nature, cannot understand these supernatural secrets, how long soever they stand prying upon them: And though Job had been long considering of, and speaking about those things of God, which the eye often sees, and the ear heard, yea, which he himself (to his grief) had felt; yet he saw reason enough at last to say, that even those things, in the whole compass of them, exceeded his reason; I (said he) have uttered that I understood not, things too wonderful for me which I knew not.
Job having thus acknowledged his want of knowledge, and the weakness of his understanding in the mysteries of providence, applieth himself to God for instruction in the next verse.
Vers. 4. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
This is Jobs humble petition; and it consisteth of two parts.
First, That God would not reject, but give ear to a poor creature, burdened with the sense of his infirmities, in his addresses to him; Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak, or as Mr. Broughton renders, Oh, hear me, when I do speak.
Secondly, That God would admit him under his tuition, and instruct him, while he waited for advice and counsel: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me; Lord, teach thou me. Job speaketh submissively as became a learner; he is not now what he was, he comes to God in another manner, than he had done before;
As if he had said; I have formerly desired to plead my cause with thee ( Chap. 13.22.) and thou hast justly checked, and chid me for it ( Chap. 38.3. Chap. 40.2.) as if I presumed I could teach thee; but now I see my error, I submit, and earnestly desire to be taught by thee. I have spoken heretofore otherwise than I ought, and otherwise than I purpose to speak hereafter: I spake before in a challenging strain ( Chap. 13.22.) Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me. There Job seemed to challenge God, to be either opponent or respondent, and he would argue, or dispute it out with him. But here, though his words are near the same in sound, yet his sense is far different; Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak:
There is a twofold demanding; First, as a Disputant; Secondly, as a Supplicant. Job would now demand as a Supplicant unto God, not as a Disputant with God. We may be said to demand or inquire of God, when we consult his word, not human reason. It an innocent person (as Job ) be afflicted; where shall he inquire the reason of it? if he only respect his affliction, and compare that with his own innocence, he will quickly murmur at, and complain of the dealings of God with him: But if he look to the Word of God, which tells him that God is a Sovereign Lord, and that God hath promised, not only to be with his in trouble, but that their troubles shall work their comforts; he will not only be patient under, but glory in his tribulations.
The Hebrew word which we translate, demand, may well be rendered petition or crave: The common sense of the word demand seems too high for Jobs spirit and condition. Master Broughton renders, I will make petition unto thee, or an humble suit unto thee; as if he had said, I will pray for, and beg this favor of thee, that thou wouldst teach and inform me better. It is not an authoritative demand, which is a kind of command, but a submissive demand; this demanding is the asking of a question, not the requiring of a right. He that asks a question, implieth that he stands in need of information, and that he is desirous to learn; And to put questions to a wise man is half wisdom. I will demand, or put questions unto thee:
The Hebrew is, make me to know, make me a knowing man. As if Job had said; Lord, if thou wilt teach me, I shall soon get knowledge and understanding; and therefore I resign myself wholly to thy teachings. The true submission of man's will to God's will, is to hearken to the counsel or wisdom of God, and not to sit down in our own.
But as it was questioned at the first verse, how Job could answer, seeing he had said I will answer no more; so here it may be questioned, why the Lord spake no more to Job, seeing here he desired to receive further instruction from him?
I answer, First, Job made this suit to God, upon this condition, that God would please to enform him, if he saw need, or should think fit to do it. Secondly, Job spake this doctrinally to show what he and others ought to desire & submit to, even the teachings of God. Thirdly, I answer, that the Lord seeing his submission, saw there was no need of speaking any further to him, but broke up the whole disputation, determining for Job, and giving him the day against his three friends, as will appear further in the sequel of the Chapter.
From this verse,
Observe,
When Job was sensible that he wanted understanding and knowledge, he came to God for it. Give me to understand, cause me to know. True and fervent prayer floweth from a sense of our wants. If we see not ourselves in need, why should we pray? And when really we shall have no need (as in heaven) there will be no need of prayer; all will be praise, and all shall be in everlasting praises.
Secondly, The person to whom Job maketh his application for teaching, being God himself,
Note;
Every good gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, and cometh down from the father of lights, &c. ( Jam. 1.17.) As no man can either make or redeem himself, so no man can teach or instruct himself. What we know of God, we know, from God? 'It is in his light that we see light. The light may shine round about us, and we see it not; unless God enlighten us, as well as send us the light, we are never the better. As in conversion, the Lord first opens the eyes, and then turns from darkness to light (Acts 26.18.) So under every dispensation, we are in the dark, till God opens our eyes, and give us (by his own immediate or mediate teachings) light about it.
Thirdly, note;
We find the godly often putting up this request to God. David was much in this petition ( Psal. 119.33, 34.) Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end: Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law. He did not only desire God that he would teach him, but give him a faculty, to receive his teachings ( verse. 35.) Make me to go in the path of thy commandment. See how the Psalmist joineth these petitions together. First, Teach me the way of thy statutes. Secondly, Give me understanding; as if he had said, else thy teachings will do no good. Thirdly, Make me to go in the path of thy commandment; as if he had said, though I understand thy statutes, yet, unless thou help me, I shall not be able to walk in them, no, nor to take one right step in them; therefore, Make me to go in the path of thy commandment. Again ( Psal. 143.10.) Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God; thy spirit is good, lead me into the land of uprightness. As the Lord teacheth us our way, and hath promised to teach us always, in all things needful for us to know and do; so he hath taught us by the written practice of many, as well as by his written precept, that we must pray for his teaching.
Fourthly, Job was humbling himself, and now he begs of God, that he would teach him.
Hence note;
They hang upon his mouth for instruction, and renounce their own wisdom. Eliphaz gave Job that advice ( Chap. 22.22.) Acquaint thyself now with him, and be at peace, and good shall come unto thee: Receive, I pray thee, thee law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thy heart.
Fifthly, In that Job prays for teaching in this form, according to the Hebrew, make me to know,
Observe;
Men may teach others knowledge, but they cannot make them know. God can make a very dullard quick of understanding. Men may instruct the understanding, but they cannot give understanding; God doth both. The teachings of God are effectual to all purposes. First, to enlighten the ignorant. Secondly, to convince gain-sayers. Thirdly, to convert sinners. Fourthly, to comfort those that are sorrowful. Fifthly, to resolve such as are doubtful. Sixthly, to encourage the fearful. And, Seventhly, to raise up and recover those that are fallen. Thus Job is become a petitioner to the Lord for instruction, having confessed his own ignorance and weakness. And that he had formerly profited under the teachings of God, and was now in a further way of profiting, is evident by that which followeth.
Vers. 5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee.
Job had no sooner asked for teaching, but God taught him, though not formally and explicitly as he desired, yet really and effectually, as he needed. For, this verse seems to be a real answer to the petition he made in the former verse; and in it Job asserts two things.
First, That he had heard of God by the hearing of the ear.
Secondly, That now his eye did see him.
There are two opinions about the general sense of this verse, and I shall conclude in a third.
First, Some conceive these discoveries of God to Job, were only, inward to his soul; so that when he saith, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee, we are not to understand him, as if he had had any visible appearance of God, but that these words may be taken,
First, as a comparison between a slight hearing, when the mind is not intent upon what the ear heareth; and a serious hearing, which brings the mind fully into the ear. As if Job had formerly been a careless hearer, but now an attentive one; and so the knowledge which Job had of God formerly, was little compared with his present knowledge. He had a knowledge of God by hearing only before, but his mind was not intent upon it; he heard only with the hearing of his ear, but his eye did not see; that is, he had not a clear sight or knowledge, which is an intellectual sight of the things which he heard. But doubtless, Job was no slight hearer of the word in former times; he did not hear the word in the days of his prosperity, as if he had only (as we say) given it the hearing: for, had he not seriously hearkened to the voice of God in those days, he had never obtained such a testimony as God gave of him, towards the end of those days; yea, this very phrase, I have heard of thee, by the hearing of the ear, implieth serious and attentive hearing.
Secondly, Others who deny any visible manifestation of God to Job, grant that the first part of the verse, notes serious hearing and receiving of the word, the latter more; so that here, say they, is a comparison between that lesser light or knowledge which Job had of the will of God before, and that fuller light which he got upon this discourse which the Lord had with him; the former being but as of a matter heard, this as of things seen. The Scripture sometimes calls clear knowledge sight: So that, look how much that which we see with our bodily eyes, is clearer to us than that whereof we have only heard the report; by so much the knowledge which Job had now of the things of God, especially about the whole mystery of God's dealing with him, was clearer and fuller than what he had before, even as if he now saw what before he only heard. As we say, One eye-witness, is better than ten ear-witnesses; so one eying of the word of God (the eye of the mind fully and distinctly taken in what is heard) is better than ten earings of it; that is, when little or nothing is taken in at the ear, but a sound of words: For then only we may be said to know divine things, by the seeing of the eye, when we know them not only from without by the report of others, but from experience within ourselves. The Apostle saith of those, who took joyfully the spoiling of their goods for the truths sake, They knew in themselves, that they had in heaven a better and a more enduring substance (Heb. 10.34.) that is, they had even got a sight of that heavenly enduring substance. Hence in Scripture, vision is applied to spiritual things heard; and we are said to see the Word of God (Jer. 2.31.) O generation, see ye the Word of the Lord; have I been a wilderness? &c. As if the Lord had said, Ye have heard it before, but now see it. Seeing notes the highest knowledge; then we see what we hear, when we fully understand what we have heard. Thus they expound this Text, who judge there was no outward vision at all, but that Jobs seeing was only spiritual and intellectual.
Secondly, Others affirm, that Job had an outward apparition, and that the eye of his sense was affected. And concerning this,
First, Some are so much of this opinion, that they say Christ appeared in human shape to Job, as he did to many of the holy Patriarchs and Prophets of old; which apparitions are by the Ancients called preludes to his incarnation. And some Jewish Writers tell us, that Job upon this sight of God, had a spirit of prophesy given him; but they need not insist upon that, for several have had apparitions, who were no Prophets.
Secondly, others say, the appearance of God to Job was only in or by a cloud, with the whirlwind. But that he had a vision or sight of God one way or other, is asserted, as by many of the Jewish Writers, so by most of the Christian Ancients.
And doubtless, when the Lord spake to him out of the whirlwind, he had a vision, or an extraordinary manifestation of God, even to his eye: Not that God in himself can be seen, No man hath seen God at any time (1 John 4.12.) It is reported by the Jewish Writers, that the Prophet Isaiah was sawn asunder by his own Nation, for saying, that he had seen the Lord ( Isa. 6.1.) I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up. This they counted blasphemy, and put him to death for it, say some: yet others say, he was put to death for his plainness in reproving the Princes and people of Israel, in those words ( Isa. 1.10.) Hear the word of the Lord ye Rulers of Sodom, give ear to the Law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. But of that by the way. I say, God in himself cannot be seen; he is seen only by those visible demonstrations of his presence, which he is pleased to make of himself, as here he spake to Job out of the whirlwind.
I conceive we may take in both; so that when Job speaketh of his hearing by the ear, he intends that teaching which he had in former times by the Ministry of his Ancestors: And that, when he saith, But now mine eye seeth thee, he intends that teaching which he had from the present appearance of God to him for his instruction and humiliation; I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee. As if he had said, Lord, heretofore I heard of thee, for I was religiously brought up; I had Parents and Ancestors, who declared to me who the Lord was; and I heard many things of thee, which took impression upon my heart heretofore: but I never had such an impression as in this tempest, I never heard God speaking thus immediately to me; nor did he ever give me any such visible demonstration of his presence, as he hath vouchsafed me at this time, speaking out of the whirlwind. And from all we may conclude, that as Job had a powerful illumination of the Spirit, so an outward apparition of the Glory and Majesty of God, or of God's glorious Majesty to convince and humble him. So that, though Job had a saving knowledge of God formerly, yet this discourse of God with him, and discovery of God to him, had made him a better Scholar than all his earthly teachers. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear,
That is, now I have as clear a sight or knowledge of thy mind and will, of thy justice and goodness, of thy power and sovereignty, as if I had seen thee with mine eyes, and had seen or looked into thy heart. Or thus: Not only hast thou graciously instructed me, by speaking so much to me, but thou hast manifested thyself present with me, by an aspectable sign, Mine eye hath seen thee; that is, thou hast given me to see that which assures me thou art near unto me, namely, the Cloud, out of which thou hast been pleased to speak and make known thy mind to me, who am but dust and ashes.
The Lord may be seen these four ways;
First, In his Word. Secondly, In his works. Thirdly, In outward apparitions. Fourthly, And above all, God is seen in his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, whom the Apostle calls ( Heb. 1.3.) The brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person; and in whose face the light of the knowledge of God shineth (2 Cor. 4.6.) And hence Christ saith ( John 14.9.) He that hath seen me, hath seen the father. The invisible father is seen in his Son, who was made visible in our flesh, John 1.18. Thus God may be seen. But in his nature God is altogether invisible, he cannot be seen. Moses saw him that is invisible (Heb. 11.27.) that is, he saw him by an eye of faith, who is invisible to the eye of sense. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee.
Hence note, First;
Faith cometh by hearing (Rom. 10.17.) The Prophet saith ( Isa. 55.3.) Hear, and your soul shall live. Now if faith and life come by hearing; to have the word of God sounding in our ears, must needs be a great mercy. Though to have the word only sounding in our ear, will do no man good, yet 'tis good to hear that joyful sound. Though that sad Prophesy mentioned by Christ ( Mat. 13.14.) be fulfilled in many, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive; Yet he said to his faithful followers ( verse. 16.) Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. They receive a blessing by hearing, whose ears are blessed when they hear. O how many souls are blessing God, that ever they heard of himself and his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, by the hearing of the ear. To have an ear to hear, is a common blessing; but to have an hearing ear, or to hear by the hearing of the ear, is a special blessing.
Observe, Secondly;
That phrase, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear (as the Hebrew Writers note) signifieth a very attentive hearing. Every hearing is not an hearing with the ear, nor every seeing like that we intend, when a man saith, I saw it with my eyes. One may see and not see, hear and not hear. The Word of God is to be heard with a hearing. Such doublings in Scripture have a great emphasis in them. As when the Lord saith, They are cursed with a curse, it notes a great and a certain curse is coming; so to hear by the hearing of the ear, implieth fruitful hearing, and a laying up of that in the mind which hath been heard ( Psal. 44.1.) We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old. They who thus hear with their ears, treasure up in their hearts, and do with their hands what they have heard. The Lord charged Ezekiel (Chap. 44.5.) Son of man, mark well and behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, all that I say unto thee; that is, mind diligently what I show and say unto thee. The Lord called for the exercise of both senses, in attending to what he spake to the Prophet: He did not only say, Hear with thine ears, but see with thine eyes; that is, hear as if thou didst even see that which thou hearest. For though possibly the Lord presented somewhat to the eye of the Prophet, as well as he spake to his ear, yet the former notion may well be taken in, yea, and intended in that command. Many hear as if they had no ears, and see as if they had no eyes. One of the Ancients taking notice of that, saith, Such kind of hearers are like Malchus in the Gospel, who had his ear cut off. From those words, But now mine eye seeth thee, taken distinctly,
Observe, Thirdly;
Seeing is somewhat more than hearing, though it be attentive hearing. As the full and clear manifestation which we shall have of God in the next life, is expressed by seeing, and called vision; so the fullest and clearest apprehension which we have of God, and the things of God in this life, is a degree of seeing both him and them, 'tis the sight of faith, and may also be called vision. A true and strong believer tastes, and feels, and sees the truths of the Gospel which he hath heard; his faith (which is the eye of his soul) is the evidence of those things to him which are not seen, nor can be seen by an eye of sense: He by the help of the Holy Ghost looks steadfastly into heaven, and (with this eye) seeth the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God (in his measure) as blessed Stephen did ( Acts 7.55.) This sight of God and spirituals, hath three things in it beyond that ordinary, though real knowledge, which comes in by the hearing of the ear. First, a surpassing clearness. Secondly, an undoubted certainty. Thirdly, a ravishing sweetness, and the overflowings of consolation.
Fourthly, Note;
The word is spoken to all, in the public Ministry of it, it is scattered upon all; but they only learn to know God & themselves truly, to whom God doth inwardly reveal it, & whose hearts he toucheth and openeth by his Spirit. Every man (saith Christ, John 6.45.) That hath heard & learned of the father, cometh unto me; that is, All that are taught of God, believe on me. And the more any learn of the father, the more they come to, & abide the more closely with the Son. Job understood more of God, and the mind of God more, in all those questions he put to him, concerning the heavens, the earth, the Sea, concerning the beasts of the earth, and the fowls of the Air, concerning Behemoth and Leviathan, than ever he did before. The more immediate and extraordinary revelations of God, are always accompanied with notable effects: And though few profit in knowledge, according to the measure of the mediate and ordinary Revelation, yet probably the more revelation we have of that kind, the more we profit.
Fifthly, Job had these great discoveries after God had kept him long in affliction.
Hence note;
Hence some are of opinion, that in these words Job pointed at his two states. First, that of his prosperity; then he heard of God only by the hearing of the ear. Secondly, Of his adversity; then his eye saw him, that is, he greatly profited in the knowledge of him. There are two things which God usually bestows upon his people in the day of, or soon after their affliction; First, more cordials and consolations: He gives that strong drink to those that are ready to perish, that wine unto those that be of heavy hearts, He bids them drink and forget their poverty, and remember their misery no more; as Solomon's metaphors may well import ( Prov. 31.6, 7.) Secondly, as the Lord gives more consolation in such a day, so more illumination; the head is bettered by it as well as the heart. Many have got much inward light or knowledge, both of God and of themselves, of their mercies and of their duties, by being, or after they have been brought into much outward darkness. David's experience taught him this, else he had never said ( Psal. 119.71.) It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes. He had never learned, either to know the Statutes of God better, or to keep them better by his affliction, if God had not been with him, and revealed himself further to him in the day of his affliction.
Lastly, Note;
As will appear further in opening the next verse.
Vers. 6. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
This verse concludes that part of the Chapter, which I call Jobs humiliation. He made confession before of his own ignorance, uttering things that he understood not, things too wonderful for him, which he knew not; he confessed also the great goodness of God to him, in that he had both heard of him by the hearing of the ear, and also that his eye had seen him: from all which he infer'd this resolve of deepest self-abasement before God.
This word (wherefore) is diligently to be attended, for 'tis the hinge upon which the whole matter turneth. This wherefore, may have a double reference.
First, To the sight which he had gained of his own folly, weakness and vileness, of which having made confession in the former words, he adds wherefore; that is, for as much as I am thus convinced of mine own sinfulness, I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
Secondly, This wherefore, may have reference to those higher, clearer and fuller manifestations of God to him. He had heard of God by the hearing of the ear, there was much in that; but now his eye had seen him, he had a light or a discovery of the excellency and Majesty of God, as much surpassing and exceeding what formerly he had, as eye-sight doth the hearing of the ear: Wherefore, the light being come thus fully in upon him, concerning the glory, sovereignty, goodness, faithfulness, and all-sufficiency of God, he crieth out,
The Hebrew word signifieth the greatest disgust against himself, a kind of reprobating himself, or (as we speak) a turning of his stomach, at the thought and remembrance of what he had said and was. Some render, wherefore, I reprehend or reprove myself: but to abhor ourselves is more than to reprehend or reprove ourselves. Others, I reject, I despise, I slight myself, I turn away from myself. All these renderings show to how little or low an account Job was now come in his own sight: Our reading, I abhor, takes in all the rest and more. The Lord useth this word negatively concerning his people ( Levite. 26.11.) I will set my tabernacle amongst you, and my soul shall not abhor you; the meaning is, my soul shall greatly delight in you: And at the 15 th verse of the same chapter, affirmatively of them, If you shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, then, &c. despising is less than abhorring. To abhor the judgments of God, is to cast them not only out of our affections, but out of our judgment too, and to judge them unworthy or unfit to be owned and obeyed. Again, at the 30 th verse of same chapter, I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcasses upon the carcasses of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you; that is, I will manifest the utmost and highest of my displeasure against you. Once more in the same chapter, When they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them. To abhor is to cast away, and to look upon a person or a people as cast-aways. Read also ( Deut. 7.26. Deut. 23.7. Psal. 5.6. Psal. 129.163. Prov. 24.24. Jerem. 14.21. Amos 5.10. chap. 6.8. Zech. 11.8.) from all which texts we may collect the weight and great significancy of this word. To abhor things or persons, imports the deepest displicency or dislike towards either. I (saith Job) abhor
The word (myself) is here supplied by our translators. The Hebrew is only this, wherefore I abhor, leaving us to suppose what he did abhor: Our translators make the suppliment thus, I abhor myself, that is, whatsoever may be called myself, self-wisdom, self-righteousness, self-strength, self-ends, and I would see the end of sinful-self. Another translation saith, I abhor those former things, that is, whatsoever I formerly thought or spake amiss. I do not only dislike them, I do not only retract and recant them, but I abhor them. And if you would know what those former things were, which here he renounceth and abhorreth, you may take it in these seven words.
First, I abhor, that ever I cursed the day of my birth.
Secondly, I abhor, that I wished so often for death, that I wooed the grave, and so ha • tily called for my return to the dust in the day of my affliction.
Thirdly, I abhor, that ever I despaired of my restauration, or that I gave up myself as a man utterly lost for this world.
Fourthly, I abhor, that I used so many complaints of the severity of the Lord's dealings with me.
Fifthly, I abhor, that I was so bold, as to desire to plead with God.
Sixthly, I abhor, that I was so much in setting out my own righteousness and innocence.
Seventhly, I abhor, that ever I spake any word, which should in the least darken or reflect upon the goodness, mercy, faithfulness, righteousness, and sovereignty of God in his dispensations towards me. These are the things which had unwarily passed him in the heat of disputation with his friends, and these he now abhorreth. Take it either way, I abhor myself, or these things, it comes all to one; for the truth is, he did abhor himself for those things, which he had spoken with so much imprudence and impatience, while he was under the hand of God. I abhor myself (neither is that all)
Job was not only affected to abhorrence, but to repentance. The word translated repent, signifies two contrary things in Scripture.
First, To grieve, which is proper to repentance; sorrow and repentance ought to go together.
Secondly, To comfort or to take comfort; thus it is rendered ( Gen. 24.67.) Isaac was comforted concerning the death of his mother (2 Sam. 13.39.) David was comforted concerning Amnon. (Psal. 77.2.) In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord, my sore ran in the night and ceased not; my soul refused to be comforted. It may seem strange, that the same word which signifies sorrow and repentance, should signify also comfort and to be comforted: but sorrow and comfort meet in true repentance; godly sorrow doth not hinder, much less quite exclude, and shut out joy in God. Repentance is ushered in by godly sorrow, and grief of heart for sin, and it concludes with comfort and joy of heart in God who pardoneth sinners; and therefore the same word which signifies to repent, may well signify both to grieve and to take comfort. Repentance is a change from a bad state to a good, and a turning from the worst of evils, sin, to the chiefest good, God himself; and therefore must needs be followed, if not accompanied with much sweetness and comfort. A Greek translator renders it expressly so in this place, Wherefore I abhor myself, and take comfort in dust and ashes; and doubtless, while Job was repenting in floods of sorrow, his comforts came flowing in. There is a laughter, in the midst of which the heart is sorrowful, and the end of that mirth is heaviness (saith Solom, Prov. 14.13.) and there is a sorrow (that's a blessed sorrow) in the midst of which the heart laughs, and the end of which heaviness is mirth.
To repent (in the general nature of it) is to change both the mind and way, and so take up new principles and new practices. A man that truly repenteth, is not the same man he was before he repented; he can say, I am not I. And as in true repentance there is a change from a bad to a good mind, and from a perverse, to a right and righteous way; so in repentance, there is a change from a troubled to a quiet mind, and from a painful to a pleasant and delightful way. So then, there is a twofold change in repentance; First, A change of the mind from sin. Secondly, A change in the mind from sorrow. Many are the griefs and gripes, the troubles and perplexities, with which the conscience of an awakened sinner is followeth, till he hath unburdened himself by confession and repentance; when once he hath truly done so, how great is his peace! & how sweet are his consolations! And therefore, when the Apostle saith (2 Cor. 7.10.) Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of; his meaning is, the repentance which it works is matter of great rejoicing, or fills the soul of an humbled believing sinner with great joy.
I abhor myself (saith Job) and repent. But how did Job repent? his was no ordinary repentance, therefore, he adds, I repent,
That is, either;
First, Throwing myself upon the ground, ( Jer. 6.26. Jer. 25.34. 2 Sam. 12.16.) or,
Secondly, Sitting upon the ground in the dust, as ( Job 2.8. Isa. 58.5. Jonah 3.6.) or,
Thirdly, Casting dust upon my head ( Job 2.12.) Dust cast upon the head was the emblem of an afflicted heart. And to sit in the dust, or to cast dust upon the head was anciently the ceremonial part of repentance. Job doth not leave that out, I repent (saith he) in dust and ashes; and so some express it, I repent with outward wonted ceremonies. But, I conceive, we need not take it strictly; to repent in dust and ashes, being only a proverbial speech, implying very great, solemn, and serious repentance.
There is another rendering of this latter part of the verse, thus, I repent, as looking upon, or accounting myself dust and ashes; 'tis an argument of much humility and humiliation to do so. Abraham gave himself no higher a title before the Lord ( Gen. 18.27.) I have begun to speak, who am but dust and ashes. If we take it thus, I abhor myself, and repent, looking upon myself but as dust and ashes, it is a good sense also, and reacheth the purpose which Job was upon, or which was upon Jobs spirit in that day and duty of repentance. There is no difficulty in the words, they yield many useful observations: Wherefore I abhor myself.
First, As the word wherefore refers to that signal discovery which Job had of God, who did not only manifest himself to him by the hearing of the ear, but by the seeing of the eye, that is more fully than before;
Observe;
Job saw more of the power, more of the sovereignty, more of the holiness of God in himself, and more of his goodness to him, than he had done before; and therefore he abhorred himself. That place is parallel to this ( Isa. 6.) where, as soon as the Lord had declared himself in his holiness and glory, the Prophet cried out ( ver. 5.) Woe is me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts; that is, my bodily eyes have see the signs of his presence, and the eye of my soul is so over-pressed, with the present weight of his glory, that I cannot (in this frail condition) bear it, but must sink under it; Woe is me, I am undone. As the wicked shall at last cry, woe and alas, at the angry presence of God, and shall indeed be undone forever: So a godly man may now cry, Woe is me, at any unusual appearance of the holiness and glory of God, and cry out, I am undone, I know not how to bear it. Isaiah was not only a Prophet, and a true Prophet, but a very holy Prophet, an Evangelical Prophet, one that spake glorious things of Christ to come, yet he had never seen so much of God before, nor was he ever so deeply humbled before, he never cried out before, I am undone; which word implieth the greatest sense of his own nothingness, vileness, and wretchedness. The true reason why men carry it so high at any time with God, is, because their notions and apprehensions of God, fall so infinitely below him. Did we know God more, how should we fear before him, and stand as men astonished at the presence of his majesty! It is our darkness about God which emboldens us bey • nd our bounds, or the line of creatures. The Prophet Habakkuk faith of himself ( chap. 3.16.) When I heard, my belly trembled, my lips quivered at the voice, rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble. When I heard, that is, when God revealed himself to me by that speech at the 2d verse of the chapter, O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid; then said he (at the 16. verse) When I heard, my belly trembled. The reason why carnal men and hypocrites carry it so stoutly before God, is, because they know not God aright; they may boast of their knowledge; but as the Apostle saith (1 Cor. 8.2.) He that thinketh he knoweth anything knoweth nothing as he ought. The Scripture tells us, what that knowledge is which a carnal man hath of God: He knows God in his own light, not in the light of God; or he judgeth what God is, by what himself is ( Psal. 50.21.) Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself. Not that he thought God was a man; he had not such gross thoughts of God: but he thought God, as to his holiness, was such a one as himself, who was indeed, notwithstanding his pretensions to holiness, a very unholy, a mere carnal man. When the Lord said to him, Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself; it is, as if he had said, Thou measuredst me by thyself, and because such things pleased thee, thou wouldst needs conclude that they pleased me too. Had men a clear knowledge of God, as he hath revealed himself, they would soon be convinced, that God is not only not altogether, but not at all such a one as themselves. We never see how imperfect we are, till we see ourselves in the light of God's perfection: and when we duly see ourselves in that glass, we greatly abhor ourselves; for we cannot but see much deformity in ourselves, when we behold the beauty and glory of God. And, as when we behold that beauty, we shall abhor ourselves for our deformity and defilements; so we shall be daily mending and cleansing ourselves from them, according to that matchless beauty which we behold in him. As we have departed from God by our unlikeness, so we shall get nearer to him by getting more of his image and likeness.
Secondly, This wherefore in the Text refers to the fight that Job had of himself, as well as of God. When Job saw more of himself, or himself more, then he said, I abhor myself.
Hence, Observe;
The reason why we are so proud of ourselves, is, because we are so ignorant of ourselves. Did we know our own ignorance and mis-understandings, as Job now at last did, we should strike sail and come lower; much more, did we know all those abominations that are in our hearts, did we know what pride, and coveousness, and earthly-mindedness lie there, what inordinate creature, love what passions lie there, what envy lieth there; did we understand how deceitful and false our hearts are, both towards God, ourselves, and towards one another, we should abhor ourselves exceedingly. There are two things which we should study, that we may walk humbly. First, To know God; Secondly, To know ourselves. A Heathen said that word (know thyself) came down from heaven; and did we once know ourselves aright, what frail, and blind, and sinful creatures we are, how humble and heavenly should we be! rightly to know that we are creatures would cause us to live more like new creatures. David s eing some men do things so unlike men ( Psal. 9.20.) prayed thus, Put them in fear, O Lord, that the Nations may know themselves to be but men. There are such in the world as know not themselves to be but men; they behave themselves as if they were gods, and not men, as if they were all-sufficient, or as if all their sufficiency proceeded of themselves, and they the founders of their own greatness and power. The Assyrian said in plain terms, I will be like unto the most high, (Isa. 14.14.) I do not reckon myself amongst mortals. There are many, who never attained that Assyrian Princes height, who yet have much of his spirit, and speak as if they knew themselves to be more than men, at least, as if they knew not themselves to be but men, nor considered themselves as frail, dying, and accountable creatures. Did we remember that we are but creatures, that we are the work of God's hand, this would keep us low and humble; but did we know what sinful polluted creatures we are, we should soon come, not only to a lower estimate, but an utter abhorrence of ourselves. We over-think ourselves, because we do not know ourselves; we over-rate ourselves, because we do not understand ourselves. Even Job was too high in his own thoughts, in his own books, till he came to know and understand, that he had uttered things that he knew not, that he understood not. Wherefore,
Observe, Thirdly;
True repentance is joined with an abhorrence,
First, Of sinful self, or of ourselves for sin. The Prophet speaking of their repentance, who had gone a whoring from God, saith ( Ezek. 6.9.) They shall loath themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations. And when the Lord had promised to bring the children of Israel to their own land, he tells them, what work they shall be at there ( Ezek. 20.43.) There shall you remember your ways and doings, wherein you have been defiled, and ye shall loath yourselves in your own sight, for all the evils that ye have committed. Once more in that Prophet, ( chap. 36.31.) Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loath yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities, and for your abominations. In all these Scriptures we have loathing of self for sin and evil done. And as there is a loathing of sinful self in true repentance, so
Secondly, Of righteous self, or a loathing of ourselves in the good, in the best, that we have done. We may soon see that in the best of our duties, which will stir up this self-abhorrence, or which gives us cause enough to abhor ourselves. So Job did as to all the glitter of his moral virtues, of which he spake so much before in several places, especially in the 31. chapter. He that truly repents, doth not only abhor his sin, so as never to commit it again; but he abhorreth his righteousness, so as never to trust in it at all. Thus the Apostle spake ( Phil. 3.7, 8.) I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. What did he account loss? not only the evil that he had done, but all the good that he had done; he accounted that but dung, that he might be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness, which is of the law. Self-righteousness is gold, and to be embraced in conversation; but 'tis dung, and to be abhorred in justification. Job abhorred his own righteousness from the beginning of this dispute in that point, though he spake so much of it ( chap. 9.31.) If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean, yet shalt thou plung me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me, or (as in the Margin) my own clothes shall make me to be abhorred. What means he by his clothes? Surely, not the clothes that were upon his body, but his moral clothing, his own works of righteousness, according to the law. These clothes (saith he) will make me to be abhorred; I see, I cannot be accepted in them, nor justified by them. Job was clear in that before; but now he doth not only abhor his own righteousness, as to trusting in it, but as to talking so much of it, or so much as to talk of it. Christ saith, Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth; that is, take not much notice of thy own good deeds. As a repenting person will not touch at all with his former evil deeds, so he will not talk, nor take much notice of his own good deeds. The best of himself is little to himself.
Before I pass this point, it may be inquired, First, what this self-abhorrence, which accompanies true repentance, works in those that have it, with respect to sin, or sinful self.
I answer, It works these five things.
First, A dislike of sinful self; he grows into a distaste with sin, it relisheth not his renewed palate, and so will not (like unsavory meat) go down with him.
Secondly, A hatred of sinful self. 'It is but an easy step from distaste and dislike to hatred. That soon falls under our displeasure which pleaseth us not. No sooner did Amnon dislike his sister Tamar, whom he inordinately liked a little before, but the Text saith (2 Sam. 13.15.) He hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred wherewith he hated her, was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her.
Thirdly, An indignation against sinful self. The spirit of a true penitent riseth against sin, as against an open enemy, or a false friend (2 Cor. 7.11.)
Fourthly, An utter aversation, or alienation from sinful self. As they who live in sin are averse and alienated from the life of God, that is, from holiness; so they who repent of sin, are alienated and turned away from the sins of their former life.
Fifthly and lastly, An opposition against sin. There is not barely a turning away from it, but a war against it, a desire to destroy and mortify it, to do it (as I may say) the greatest mischief we can. Thus dislike is followed with hatred, and hatred with indignation, and indignation with aversation, and aversation with opposition, wrought and rising up in a penitent soul against sin.
But, Secondly, it may be asked, why doth a repenting soul abhor sinful self?
I answer, He doth it upon these four considerations.
First, Because it appears to him as a filthy thing ( Ezek. 16.5. Psal. 38.7. Prov. 12.22.) All which Scriptures show, that as sin is a filthy thing in itself, so it appeareth such to a repenting soul. They that love their sins, look upon them as fine things, or as their beauty: but to a repenting soul, nothing appeareth more dirty and filthy; and who abhors not that which is so to him?
Secondly, A repenting soul looketh upon sin as a hurtful thing to him. We naturally turn from, and abhor that which is so. We abhor the poison of a Toad, and the sting of a Serpent: To taste the one, or to be bitten by the other, is no more deadly to the body, than sin is to the soul.
Thirdly, A repenting soul is sick, very sick of his sins, they have burdened his conscience, as unwholesome food doth the stomach. Now, if a man abhors that which hath made him stomach-sick, much more will he abhor that which hath indeed, and not so much from the quantity as from the quality and nature of it, made him conscience-sick.
Fourthly, A repenting person hath vomited or cast up his sins by an humble confession of them always to God, and in some cases to men (Repentance is the souls vomit.) Now, as any man loathes his own vomit; so a man truly repenting, loathes the sin which he hath thus vomited. Upon all these accounts a repenting soul loathes sinful self, or sin in himself.
Thirdly, But why doth a repenting soul abhor righteous self? I answer,
First, Because he is convinced, that self-righteousness is a weak imperfect thing, even in sanctification; and therefore he is so far from boasting of it, or trusting in it, that he hath a kind of abhorrence of it.
Secondly, He seeth, that as to justification it is a filthy abominable thing ( Isa. 64.6.) All our righteousness are as filthy rags. And as he abhors it, because 'tis unfit and incompetent in itself for that use, so because 'tis utterly inconsistent with the tenor of the Gospel, wherein God hath removed all man's righteousness, how pure soever it may be, from that use, and directed us to look only to the righteousness of Christ for that use, which the Apostle calls the righteousness of God (Rom. 10.3.) and that in a twofold respect. First, because 'tis that which the wisdom of God the Father hath provided for us; and, Secondly, which the worthiness of God the Son hath wrought out and procured for us.
Take two or three Inferences from the general Observation thus far prosecuted,
First, Then self-admirers are no repenters. They are at the furthest remove from abhorring themselves, who admire themselves.
Secondly, Self-justifiers, are no true repenters. Christ told the Pharisees ( Luke 16.15.) Ye are they which justify yourselves. They are far from abhorring themselves, who justify themselves; such surely are highly pleased with themselves, and have much confidence in themselves, therefore very far from self-abhorrence.
Thirdly, What shall I say of their repentance, who instead of abhorring themselves, abhor others? ( Luke 18.9.) Christ spake a Parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others, and presently instanced in the Pharisee, who despised the poor Publican, and called him in contempt, This Publican; he would (as we say) hardly touch him with a pair of tongs. They that despise others, are usually, if not always, much pleased with themselves.
Fourthly, If these self-boasters, and self-admirers, &c. are not repenters, then, do they repent who are so far from abhorring sinful self, and righteous self, that they take pleasure in sin and unrighteousness, whether their own or others? The Apostle speaks of such ( Rom. 1.32.) Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things, are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. That's a dreadful word (2 Thes. 2.12.) That they all might be damned, who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. O how far are they from abhorring their own righteousness, who take pleasure in unrighteousness! How are they puffed up with that which hath but a show of righteousness, who please themselves with that which is really unrighteous!
Fifthly, If true repentance be accompanied with self-abhorrence, then do they repent, who return to those sins which they say they have repented of? do you think the dog loathes his vomit, when you see him go back and lick it up again? (2 Pet. 2.22.) When once the Jews loathed or abhorred Manna, they had no mind to eat of it, though it was Angels food. When Job loathed his life, he said, he would live no longer (Chap. 7.16.) I 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 loath it, I would not live always; that is, not at all, not an hour longer in this world. He that is weary of his life, thinks, to live but a day, or a little longer, is to live always, or that his life will never end. Thus, if a man doth truly loath and abhor his sin, he will not return to it again, though it hath been as sweet to him as Manna, yea, as life itself. I do not say, that he who loathes and abhors his sin, can never relapse into the same sin, or be overtaken with it again; but this I say, he that truly repents, never delights in sin again, he never goeth back to it, and licketh it up as a dog his vomit. A good man may fall into the same sin, but he never returneth to the same sin; he may be overtaken with the same sin, but he never taketh up the same sin again. That's the Apostles word ( Gal. 6.1.) If any of you be overtaken with a fault, &c. A good man may be overtaken with the same fault, but he never taketh up that fault, nor runs a course in that sin again.
I shall only add these two words, for the working of our souls to this self-abhorrence.
First, The more we abhor ourselves, the more God delighteth in us; the more we are displeased with our sins, the more is he pleased with our persons, the worse, the viler we are in our own eyes, the better we are, and the more beautiful in the eye of God.
Secondly, Unless we abhor ourselves, God will abhor us. I may say, unless we so repent as to abhor ourselves, God will abhor our very repentance. There is no true repentance, without some degree of self-abhorrence; yea, of self-condemnation. Let us not take up this word repentance too easily, that is, when we know not what this word self-abhorrence meaneth. We defile this holy, this precious thing called repentance, when our hearts are not fully taken off from that or thole sins, of which we say we repent. All such would have that go for repentance towards God, which indeed is but a mocking of God, and can never be joined (from which true repentance cannot be separated) with faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ ( Acts 20.21.) I abhor myself (said Job )
I shall here give somewhat about the nature of repentance in general, and then gather up those particular Observations which arise from these words about it.
In this description of repentance, we have four things considerable.
First, The nature of it, or what it is, A grace of the Gospel.
Secondly, The seat of it, or where it is wrought, The heart of a sinner.
Thirdly, The means by which it is wrought, and that twofold. First, Instrumental, The Word. Secondly, Principal, The Spirit.
Fourthly, The issue or effect of it, Conversion or turning; wherein two things are to be taken notice of. First, the term from which the turn is made, Sin, and all sin. Secondly, the term to which the turn is made, God; thus explained, In the sincere or universal obedience of his holy will, or in the practice of every known duty.
First (I say) Repentance is a grace of the Gospel. Some possibly may say, Job was before the Gospel. I answer, no; The Gospel was published long before Job was born, even as soon as God promised the seed of the woman (Christ Jesus) should bruise the Serpents head (Gen. 3.15.)
The whole body of Gospel duty moves upon these two feet, Faith and Repentance. Some have questioned, which of these two graces hath the precedency, or takes the first step in the motion of the soul heavenward? All that I shall say in answer to it, is, First, that where these two graces are mentioned together in Scripture, usually repentance is named first, because it appears first, and is most visible to us in its actings; yet Faith is to be understood first, because without that no man can come to Christ as a true penitent, for pardon of sin and reconciliation unto God. Secondly, in those Scriptures, where true saving repentance is spoken of alone, it supposeth faith also; and where true saving faith only is spoken of, it necessarily implieth true repentance.
This repentance is so much a grace of the Gospel, that the first Sermon that ever was preached at the approach of Christ, or at the opening of the Gospel in the New Testament, was, Repent ye, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand (Mat. 3.2.) And the end or design of the first Sacrament or seal of the Gospel-covenant, is expressed to be repentance ( Mat. 3.11.) I baptize you with water unto repentance; yea, the first word of the first Sermon (upon record) which Christ himself preached in person, was, Repent (Mat. 4.17.) From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, repent. This also was the substance of the Apostles Sermons, when first sent forth by Christ to preach the Gospel ( Mark 6.12.) They went out and preached, that men should repent. The first word of counsel which the Apostle Peter gave to the Jews, crying out, men and brethren, what shall we do, was, Repent (Acts 2.38.) And the Apostle Paul saith, that the whole of his work in preaching the Gospel, was his testifying both to Jews and Gentiles, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Act. 20.21.) 'It is through the Gospel only, that repentance is possible. And this appears two ways.
First, Because we have not a liberty to repent, or we are not admitted to repent, but by the Gospel. We find no place for repentance in the Law strictly taken, or as opposed to the Gospel. The Law speaks thus ( Gal. 3.10.) Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things, that are written in the book of the Law, to do them. Where we see, First, the Law requires personal obedience; everyone must do for himself. Secondly, The Law requires perpetual obedience, everyone that continueth not doing. Thirdly, The Law requires universal obedience, everyone that continueth not in all things. If any one continue not at all times in all things (saith the Law) or if he fail but once in any one thing, he is gone forever, he is cursed. The Law doth not say, if a man continue not to do all, let him repent; that admits no second thoughts, but claps the curse presently upon the offender. If Adam as soon as he had eaten of the forbidden tree, had bewailed his sin, and said, I repent, no favor could have been shown him, while under the Law.
Secondly, Under the Law there is no ability given for repentance. All the promises of a broken heart, and of godly sorrow, are appendants of the Gospel. This spiritual curse which falls upon the soul sinning under the Law, is impenitency for sin. Death in sin, is the punishment of sin; and therefore when Adam had sinned, he never gave the least intimation of, nor shown the least inclination to repentance; all he did, was to hide himself from God among the trees of the garden, and to hide his sin from God (as well as he could) by vain excuses; he had not a heart to mourn for his sin, nor a tongue to confess it, till the Promise came, and the Gospel was published, and then (though his repentance be not mentioned, yet) doubtless he repented. And hence the Apostle concludes Apostates from the profession which they once made of Christ, under an utter impossibily of repentance ( Heb. 6.4, 5, 6.) And the reason why the fallen Angels never repented, was because they had no Mediator, nor did Jesus Christ take their nature on him ( Heb. 2.16.) Thus far of the first thing in the description of repentance, the general nature of it; 'tis a grace of the Gospel.
Secondly, Consider the seat or subject of it, where 'tis wrought, the heart of a sinner. Repentance is heart-work, or it is a work upon the heart: There repentance began in those converts ( Act. 2.37.) whom the Apostle Peter advised to a thorough work of repentance ( verse. 38.) The promise of repentance runs in this tenor, I will take away (saith the Lord, Ezek. 36.26.) the heart of stone out of your flesh, and give you an heart of flesh. When David said ( Psal. 51.17.) A broken and contrite heart (he means only a repenting heart) O God thou wilt not despise. As faith is wrought in the heart, and with the heart man believeth (Rom. 10.10.) so repentance is wrought in the heart, and with the heart man repenteth. Neither a weeping eye, nor a confessing tongue, nor (in case of wrong done to man) a restoring hand, will be taken for repentance, without a broken heart.
Thirdly, Consider the means by which saving repentance, or repentance to salvation, is wrought. 1st. the Word; 2ly. the Spirit. The Word of God is the usual, the ordinary instrument in the hand, that is, in the power of the Spirit of God, working repentance in the heart of man. The word of a Philosopher, with all his reasonings; the word of an Orator, with all his flourishings, cannot do it: only the Word of God spoken in plainness and simplicity, hath strength and efficacy to do it. The Word is compared to a fire, which melts the hardest heart; 'tis also in the same place ( Jer. 23.29.) compared to a hammer, which breaketh the rock in pieces. The Word passing through the ear, pierceth the heart ( Acts 2.27.) Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart. And when, even the devils Devotionists, they that used curious arts, burnt their books (Acts 19.19.) it is said ( verse. 20.) so mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed. The word of God clothed with the Spirit, hath (as to this matter) a fourfold operation. First, to awaken a drowsy soul ( Eph. 5.14.) Secondly, to enlighten a dark soul ( Acts 26.18.) Thirdly, to convince a gain-saying soul. Fourthly, to convert a wandering soul ( Acts 26.18. 1 Thes. 1.9.) Till the soul is awakened, it cannot be enlightened; till it is enlightened, it cannot be convinced; till it is convinced, it cannot be converted; and until it is all this, it hath not truly repented. For,
Fourthly, (as was said in the description first laid down) the effect of true repentance, is the turning of the whole man from all sin to God. All the members of the body, the hand, the foot, the eyes, the ears, the tongue, are turned; all the faculties of the soul, the understanding, will, affections, are turned from all sin: First, of what kind soever, whether of omission or commission against God, neighbor, self. Secondly, of what degree soever; little, as well as great; appearances of evil, as well as apparent evils.
Further, as in repentance there is a turning from sin, so unto God, in the sincere obedience of his whole will. We read in Scripture, First, of God's returning to us; Secondly, of our returning to God: both are acts of repentance. When God returns to us, he repents of the evil of trouble brought, or threatened to be brought upon us; and when we return to God, that's a fruit of our repentance, for the evil of sin committed against him. Unless our repentance bring us nearer to God, we (as we say) are never the near for our repentance; that is, our repentance is not good, nor shall we have any good by it. The Prophet found Israel's repentance defective in this ( Hos. 7.16.) They return, but not to the most high. Some in repenting, return only to self; that is, their own peace, interest and advantage, is all that moves them to it, or is designed and aimed at by them in it; they mind not the glory of God, nor his reparation in honor, which hath been by their sin greatly impaired. The Lord was down-right with Israel in this ( Jer. 4.1.) If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the Lord, return unto me; intimating, that Israel used to make some kind of repenting turns, but short of God; they minded not God sincerely in them, but the removal of some rod or trouble that was come, or which they feared was coming upon them. They return to God in repenting, who repent with a holy resolve upon their hearts to obey God, and with a longing desire to enjoy God all the days of their life.
Thus upon the occasion of Jobs saying, I repent, I have briefly opened the duty of repentance, of such a repentance as without all peradventure Job was then exercised in: His was the grace of repentance, his repentance was wrought in his heart, chiefly by the immediate word and speakings of God to him; He turned fully in it from all his passions and expostulations with God (which were at that time his special sin) to a meek, quiet submission to the will of God, and a resting in his dispensations. All this was wrapped up in this short word, I repent.
Further, consider, when Job said, I repent in dust and ashes; he was not then to begin his repentance, he had repented long before; yet then he began a new work of repentance, or then he renewed his repentance.
Hence note, First;
As the new leakings of a ship calls for new pumpings and repairs; so, I say, new sins call for new repentings. There is a first repentance, and there is a second repentance: First Repentance is our coming out of a state of sin, of which Christ spake ( Mat. 11.20, 21.) Then began he to upbraid the Cities, wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto you Chorazin, and woe unto you Bethsaida; for if the mighty works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes; that is, they had come out of their sins. Those converts in the Acts of the Apostles (chap. 2.38.) repented, that is, they came out of a sinful state. Now, as there is a repentance, which I call our coming out of a state of sin; so there is a repentance, which is a coming off from this and that act of sin; and this is the repentance which Job was upon.
Again; this repentance, as to acts of sin, is twofold. First, Our ordinary and every days repentance. Secondly, Our extraordinary repentance. When we have fallen greatly, when we have sinned extraordinary, of when the Lord brings any extraordinary judgment upon us, then the Lord expects extraordinary repentance: such was David's repentance in the 51. Psalm, and such was Jobs repentance here; as it was in general for sin, so for some extraordinary sinful failings.
Secondly, Consider what was Jobs sin? Job was no vile person, he had committed no gross acts of wickedness. If you would know what Jobs sin was, it was impatience under God's dealings with him, and his distrustfulness as to God's delivering of him; yet even his were great sins.
Hence note;
Every great sin is not a gross sin. Drunkenness, and swearing and adultery, and murder, are gross sins; but impatience under afflictions and unbelief, not resting upon God in an evil day, these are great sins, though not gross sins. Remember, not only are gross sins great sins; but many sins, which appear not to the eye, nor to the ear, may yet be great sins, especially, as to the person that committeth them.
Thirdly, note;
Job not only acknowledged these to be sins, but repenteth of these; nor had he any other matter to repent of. When we are under some great sickness, or any other affliction, as we are to repent of former sins, so let us repent of our sickness and affliction-sins, that is of impatience, or any unwary speeches in our affliction. These Job repented of.
Again; how did Job repent? It was in dust and ashes.
Hence Observe, Fourthly;
That's intended by repenting in dust and ashes. We are not bound to repent openly of all our sins; but in in these two cases we are. First, When we have done anything that hath openly dishonored God. Secondly, When we have scandalized or offended others. In these cases we must repent openly, so far, that they who are concerned may have a testimony of our repentance. When Job repented in dust and ashes, he (like those servants of Benhadad, who came with ropes about their necks) testified that he deserved to be thrown into the dust, or to be burnt to ashes. We can neither edify nor satisfy such as are grieved by our sins, unless our repentance be visible, and we appear repenting. As the light (of our zeal) must so shine before men, that they may see our good works; so the light of our repentance must so shine before men, that they may see us humbled for, and turning from our evil works, and glorify our father which is in heaven.
Fifthly, Note;
Here was not only the reality of repentance, but the ceremony of it. There are many outward signs of repentance spoken of in Scripture: Such are, First, Smiting upon the thigh; thus Ephraim is described repenting ( Jerem. 31.19.) Secondly, Smiting upon the breast; so the Publican is described repenting ( Luke 18.13.) He smote upon his breast, and said, God be merciful to me a sinner. Thirdly, Laying aside our ornaments; thus the Lord commanded the Israelites (Exod. 33.5.) Put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know to do unto thee; as if God had said, humble thyself openly and repent. F • urthly, The putting on of sack-cloth; this the Jews were called to do ( Isa. 22.12.) Fifthly, Holding down the head. The Jews (Isa. 58.5.) were not reproved for doing that, but because they did it like a bull-rush, only when a storm was upon them: Sixthly, Renting the garment, and walking softly. So did Ahab (1 Kings 21.27.) Seventhly, as in the text Job saith he did, sitting in dust and ashes. I do not say these, or the like, are absolutely necessary to repentance, but they are lawful, and have their use. When the Prophet ( Joel 2.13.) said, Rent your hearts, not your garments, that is, rent your hearts, rather than your garments; it was not a prohibition, but a direction: or if rent your garments, be sure you rent your hearts also, else all your outward modes of repentance are in vain and insignificant. Some Popish Writers make the essence of repentance to consist in these or such like outward signs; but though we deny that, yet we grant these may be signs of true repentance: For as to bow the knee is not to pray, although he that prayeth usually boweth the knees, as a sign of an humble heart in prayer; so to sit in the dust and weep, is not to repent, although the truly penitent, usually do so. The essence of repentance consists in a broken heart for sin, and in breaking off the course and custom of sin, turning to God fully.
Further, this outward ceremony of sitting in dust and ashes, intimates the greatness of Jobs repentance, or that he repented greatly, under a deep sense of, and with bitter mournings for his former miscarriages in the time of his affliction.
Hence note, Sixthly;
It is a common thing to say, I repent; but few know what it is to repent in dust and ashes. They who repent indeed, judge, arraign and condemn themselves as at God's tribunal, they put their mouths in the very dust. Repentan • e is heart work, and deep work▪ they who are brought in a spiritual sense to dust and ashes, find it so. Though some sinners corrupt themselves and their ways, more deeply than others, yet all sin is of a deep die, and corrupts deeply, and therefore calls for deep, for heart-deep mournings and repentings in dust and ashes.
Note, Seventhly;
How long was Job dealt with by his friends, and by Elihu, and by God himself, before his heart was wrought into this frame and temper, to repent in dust and ashes? It was long before he understood that God might break in innocent person to pieces, and give no account why. God did not give over afflicting Job, till he came to that acknowledgment. Job said ( Chap. 40.4.) I am vile; and it might be thought, that had been repentance sufficient: But though Job was then brought low, yet he was not brought low enough: he cried, I am vile, but till God spake to him of Behemoth and Leviathan he repented not in dust and ashes. Ephraim said ( Jer. 31.18, 19.) Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; thou art the Lord my God. Surely, after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh, I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. The Lord never left smiting Ephraim, till he made him smite upon his thigh. If we do not come home in the work of repentance, by words, God will fetch us home with his rods.
In the eighth place; If we consider this repentance of Job, with what followeth presently upon it, his restauration,
Observe;
When Job lay in dust and ashes, God was about to set him upon a mountain, a mountain of prosperity, and that a higher one than ever he was upon before ( Psal. 126.5, 6.) They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy; they that go forth weeping, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing their sheaves with them. Therefore take the Apostles counsel (1 Pet. 5.6.) Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God (and what then?) he will exalt you in due time. The due time of our lifting up is at hand, when we are laid low and sincerely humbled under the hand of God. Jobs humiliation and restauration did almost synchronize, or come near in time together.
Ninthly, Note;
The word which signifies to be grieved, signifieth also to rejoice; and Job found it so, he was comforted as soon as fully humbled. Repentance issueth in joy three ways.
First, There is joy in heaven when a sinner repenteth ( Luke 15.7.) As he that found his lost sheep brought it home, and rejoiced in it more than over the ninety and nine that did not go astray: So (saith Christ) there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance. True sorrow on earth maketh joy in heaven.
Secondly, There is joy in the Church; The godly on earth rejoice at the known repentance of a sinner. When the prodigal son came home, his father said to his discontented brother, It was meet that we should make merry and be glad; for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again, he was lost, and is found. The Apostle greatly rejoiced at the repentance of the Corinthians (2 Cor. 7.9.) Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that you sorrowed to repentance. Their sorrow occasioned his joy, yet not that, but their repentance was the cause of it. There is no better joy on earth, than that which ariseth out of the dust of repenting sorrows. As the Apostle John had no greater joy than to hear that his (spiritual) children walked in the truth (Ephes. 3.4.) So, what greater joy can we have, than to see any who had gone astray from, returning to the truth?
Thirdly, Repentance issueth in joy chiefly to the soul repenting. If other men's repentance causeth our joy, our own will cause it much more (2 Cor. 7.10.) Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of. The Apostles meaning is more than he speaks; repentance not to be repented of, is repentance to be rejoiced and gloried in. We cannot take comfort in our sins, but we may take much comfort in repenting for our sins, as that repentance is joined with faith in Christ, who hath given us power to repent, and who is for himself to be rejoiced in.
Lastly, Take this general note from the whole matter.
The speaking of man to man barely can do nothing, but the speaking of man to man in the power of God will do much; how much more if God himself speak! God spake to Job, and these mighty effects followed.
First, Self-abhorrence.
Secondly, Deep repentance.
Thirdly, Full submission to the will of God.
Fourthly, A readiness to testify, by all due means, how vile, how miserable he was; yet cleaving fast to, and depending fully upon God, by faith in the promise, for mercy, peace, and pardon.
Fifthly, A change both of mind and manners, both in thought, word and way. Job thought no more as he had done, he spake no more as he had done, he acted no more as he had done in that condition, he was another manner of man than before; a good man he was before, but now a better; he came out of the fire of that affliction, and off from the heat of that long disputation, as gold well refined.
So much of this verse, which concludes the first part of the chapter, Jobs humiliation: the second followeth, his friends reconciliation both to God and himself.
The Reader may here please to take notice, that from the beginning of the third chapter to this place, the writing is in verse; the latter part of the chapter and book is prose.
JOB, Chap. 42. Vers. 7, 8, 9.
7.
And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words unto
Job,
the Lord said to
Eliphaz
the
Temanite,
my wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant
Job
hath.
8.
Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks, and seven rams, and go to my servant
Job,
and offer up for yourselves a burnt-offering, and my servant
Job
shall pray for you, for him will I accept, lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant
Job.
9.
So
Eliphaz
the
Temanite,
and
Bildad
the
Shuhite,
and
Zophar
the
Naamathite
went, and did according as the Lord commanded them: the Lord also accepted
Job.
THese three verses contain the second part of the chapter, in which the Lord,
First, Reproves Jobs three friends (ver. 7.)
Secondly, Directs them what to do for the making up of the breach, or for their reconciliation (ver. 8.)
Thirdly, Accepts them; that is, Job, praying for them, the breach was healed, and they reconciled (ver. 9.)
So then, here God appeareth as a Judge of the cause, and as a moderator of the controversy between Job and his friends; and he appeared as a gracious judge, ready to be reconciled to those whom he had blamed, and reproved for their folly and misapprehensions of him, in his afflicting providences towards Job.
Vers. 7. And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, my wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends; for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
In this verse we have the divine Judgment given in Jobs case, and in it there are four things considerable.
First, The time or season of it, thus expressed; And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job.
Secondly, The manner of it; The Lord said, he declared his mind.
Thirdly, The special person with whom the Lord dealt, and whom he chose out to declare his mind respectively to the other two; Eliphaz the Temanite.
Fourthly, The decree or judgment itself, in which we may consider two things.
First, The matter of it; My wrath (saith the Lord) is kindled against thee, and thy two friends; I am not pleased with any of you, yea, I am highly displeased, My wrath is kindled.
Secondly, The ground of it, plainly expressed in these words; For ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. As if the Lord had said, if you would know the reason why I am so angry, 'tis this; Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
Thus we have the state of these three verses, and the parts of this seventh, wherein God appeareth as a determiner of this long disputed controversy, between Job and his three friends.
Here is the time when the Lord gave this judgment, that's the first thing to be considered in this verse; and it may be questioned, whether the Lord gave this Judgment immediately after he had concluded his speech with Job, and Job had made his confession to the Lord? or whether there were some space of time between? The word after may be either presently after, or a good while after; here is no express limitation of the time, it being only said, After the Lord had spoken these words unto Job.
Some conceive it was a good while after God had done with Job, that he took his friends to task, and they ground it upon those words, in the 8th verse, Take unto you seven Bullocks, and seven Rams, and go to my servant Job: And it is said at the 9th verse, That they went and did according to what the Lord had commanded. Hence they collect, that Jobs friends were either returned quite home, or far upon their way, when the Lord spake this.
But this reason hath no force in it, to prove that Jobs friends were absent; and therefore I rather conclude, that God spake to, and gave this judgment of Jobs friends (as it were) upon the place, as soon as he had done with Job; for 'tis more than probable, that Jobs friends stayed to hear both Elihu 's speech, and the discourse which the Lord made to Job out of the whirlwind; and that as soon as he had done, and Job submitted, he presently passed this sentence for the comfort of Job, and for the conviction of his friends.
So then, as soon as the Lord had spoken these words, and finished his business with Job, when he had humbled Job, when Job had repented and confessed his fault, in uttering things that he understood not, God proceeded presently to deal with Jobs three friends. There are three things which give evidence to this.
First, The Lord would not let them continue long in their hard opinion of Job.
Secondly, If they had continued any long time unreproved, they might possibly have gloried as if they had got the victory, and had the better of Job.
Thirdly, They might have raised some undue report of Job, and have blamed him among others where they came, as they had done to his face; therefore, the Lord to prevent their continuing in any hard opinion of Job, or that they had got the better of Job, or to stop their mouths from giving forth any hard words of Job, presently called them to an account, gave them to understand, that they had spoken amiss, and he, as it were, with the same breath comforted Job, and convicted his three friends.
Hence note, First;
That which is seasonably done, is doubly done. Words in season, are like apples of gold, in pictures of silver; and therefore the Lord, who knows all seasons, will do and speak in season, and take the fittest season for every work and word, for everything he either doth or saith. This should teach us to mind the due timing, both of our actions and speeches, especially of our reproofs; we should not let those who have committed a fault, go too long unreproved, lest they think themselves faultless, and that we approve them, or at least that their fault is small, and almost faultless. We must not suffer sin upon our brother (Lev. 19.17.) But it may be said, how shall we hinder it? That Text tells us how, Thou shalt in any wise rebuke him. Though a man that is rebuked may keep his sin upon him, and continue in it, notwithstanding our severest and discreetest rebukes; yet he that rebukes a sinning brother, doth not suffer sin upon him, but hath done his duty, and used the means appointed by God for the removing of it. And as we should not let the Sun go down upon our wrath against other men, nor give place to the devil in ourselves ( Eph. 4.26.27.) so we should not suffer the Sun to go down upon the sin of other men, nor give place to the devil in them, by our forbearance to rebuke them for their sin. Thus the Lord dealt with Jobs three friends; he speedily reproved them for their error, in not speaking of him the thing that was right.
Further consider, The Lord begins with Job, and then proceeds to deal with his friends; Job had the first reproof, his friends the second.
Hence note;
We cannot show ourselves more friendly to any man, than by an early reproof of his error, or as the word is ( Lev. 19.17.) by not suffering sin upon him. 'It is a mercy (when we reprove not ourselves) to meet with a reproof (though late) from others; but to be soon reproved, is much mercy. Every good, the sooner it comes to us, the better it is. To be helped out of sin-evil, is a great good; and therefore, when we are in a fault with others, 'tis a privilege to be reproved before others, and with all possible speed to be brought unto repentance. The Apostle Peter saith (1 Pet. 4.17.) Judgment begins at the house of God. The Lord judgeth his own house, before he judgeth the world: and it is in mercy to his own house, that he doth so; for when God judgeth those of his house, he chasteneth them, that they should not be condemned with the world (1 Cor. 10.32.) And as God usually begins to judge his own house before he judgeth the world, so the nearer and dearer any of his house are to him, the sooner he begins with them; as here, Jobs three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, were of God's house, but Job was more eminent than any of them, and therefore God reproved him, before he reproved them. It was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job,
The Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, my wrath is kindled against thee, &c.
The Lord said.
These words contain the second thing to be considered in this verse, to wit, the manner of proceeding, He said; that is, he openly declared it, he did not whisper it in the ear of Eliphaz, he did not speak it to him inwardly by his Spirit (there are inward reproofs, conscience-checks) he did not speak to him in his sleep, or in a dream (that opinion of one upon this place, that God reproved Eliphaz in a dream, is but a dream) but openly, that all might hear, and so the innocence of Job, and the fault of his friends, might be manifest to all. Some are of opinion, that the Lord said this to Eliphaz out of the whirlwind, as he spake to Job. And though I do not assert that, yet it cannot be denied, but that as such a manner of speaking did best suit the Majesty of God, so the matter spoken, which was a sore reproof, in which the Lord manifested much displeasure. The Lord said, openly and and angerly
He spake not to Bildad, nor to Zophar, but to Eliphaz the Temanite. But why did the Lord direct his speech to him personally, and by name, while the business concerned them all? I might answer as some do, because what any one of them said to Job, was as if said by them all: And though their opinions differed, yet their persons did not, all three agreeing in this (though upon several grounds) to oppose Job. And therefore the Lord in speaking to one, spake to them all.
But I shall give three other Reasons for it, and from each a Note.
First, Eliphaz was the elder man, the graver person, as all agree, and therefore God reproved him personally.
Note this from it;
When many are in a fault, the chiefs or heads of them are most faulty, and deserve chiefly to hear of it. When Israel had committed that great sin in Baal-peor (Numb. 25.4.) The Lord said, Hang up the heads of the people before me, that is, the chiefs of the people. So, in proportion, when the Lord came to deal with these three, he fell upon Eliphaz first, as the more eminent or first of the three.
Secondly, as Eliphaz was the elder or first of the three, so he began first with Job; he was not only the first and chief in person, but he was the first and chief speaker.
Hence note;
It is dangerous to follow, or be a second in a bad matter, but more, to begin and be leader.
Thirdly, Eliphaz was more sharp with, and violent against Job, than the other two, and therefore the Lord began with him.
Hence note;
All the three friends of Job did much mistake him, but the spirit of Eliphaz was hottest, therefore the Lord culled him out first. The Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite.
What said the Lord?
My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends.
My wrath is kindled.
These words are used by Elihu (Chap. 32.2, 3.) Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite; against Job was his wrath kindled, and against his three friends was his wrath kindled. Here the Lord taketh up the same words concerning Eliphaz, My wrath is kindled against thee & thy two friends. Elihu 's wrath was kindled, not only against Jobs friends, but against Job himself; but the Lord's wrath was kindled only against Jobs three friends, not against Job. He indeed displeased God, and was sharply reproved by him; but the wrath of God was not kindled against him. 'It is useful to consider the difference between God's judgment and man's, both as to things and persons. Elihu thought Job was faulty as his friends, and therefore his wrath was kindled, as against his three friends, so against him too; but the Lord thought otherwise, and therefore said to Eliphaz, My wrath is kindled against thee and thy two friends; he said not so to Job.
Again, consider the Lord spake much with Job, but he spake little with his friends, he did not vouchsafe them any long discourse; and the words he spake to them, were very hot words; he in few words (as angry men use to do) told them their own.
Once more consider, the difference of the Lord's dealing with him and them. The Lord fetched a great compass to reprove Job, as Nathan the Prophet did to reprove King David; but he told his friends at first word, My wrath is kindled against you. Though they were good men, yet not so dear to God as Job, and therefore he dealt in a more fatherly and favorable way with Job, than with them; they had only hot words, My wrath is kindled against you, &c. I am more than angry. As the coals of spiritual love (spoken of, Cant. 8.6.) so the coals of divine wrath are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. There are seven words in the Hebrew language which signify anger, and this notes the most vehement of them all.
The Latin words Ira and Irasco, seem to be derived from it. The word is sometimes applied to grief (there is a kind of fire in grief.) Thus 'tis said (1 Sam. 15.11.) It grieved Samuel, and he cried unto the Lord all night. Samuel was vehemently grieved, becau • e of the ill performance of Saul in his expedition against the Amalekites. 'It is also translated to fret (Psal. 37.8, 9.) Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil; fretting hath its burning.
There is a wrath of God, which is not kindled, as I may say, it is not blown up, 'tis covered in the ashes of his patience and forbearance; but here, saith God, My wrath is kindled. This is spoken by God after the manner of men. God feels no change by wrath or anger, no impression is made on him by any passion: Wrath in God, notes only his change of dispensations towards man, not any in himself. When he acts like a man whose wrath is greatly kindled, then 'tis said, his wrath is kindled; as when he acteth like a man that showeth much love, it may be said, his love is kindled.
Further, when God saith, My wrath is kindled, it implieth there is some great provocation given him by man, as in the present case Eliphaz and his two friends had done. The Lord threatened a sinful Land with brimstone, and salt, and burning, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah; and, this being executed, all Nations shall say, wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this Land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger? Then men shall say, because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers, &c. ( Deut. 29.23, 24, 25.) The wrath of God is never kindled till blown, and that which bloweth it up is man's sin; nor doth the ordinary sins of man kindle the wrath of God, for then it must be always kindled, even against the best of men. Doubtless, when the Lord said in the Text to Eliphaz, My wrath is kindled against thee and thy two friends, there was somewhat extraordinary in their sin, which kindled it; and therefore the Lord directed them an extraordinary way (as to circumstances) for the querching of it, and the making of their peace.
But here it may be questioned, why did the Lord say his wrath was kindled only against Eliphaz and his two friends? had he nothing to say against Elihu? he had spoken as harshly to Job as any of them, yet Elihu was not at all reproved, much less was the wrath of God kindled against him.
I answer, 'It is true, Elihu spake very hard words of Job; yet we may say four things of Elihu, which might exempt him from this blame which fell upon those three.
First, He did not speak with, nor discover a bitter spirit, as they did.
Secondly, Elihu objected not against Job his former life, nor charged him as having done wickedly towards man, or hypocritically towards God; he only condemned him for present miscarriages under his trouble, for impatience and unquietness of spirit under the cross.
Thirdly, That which Elihu chiefly objected against Job was, the justifying of himself rather than God (as he speaks at the beginning of the 32d. Chapter) not the maintaining of his own innocence, nor the justifying of himself before men. Indeed Job failed while he insisted so much upon that point, that he seemed more careful to clear himself, than to justify God.
Fourthly, When Elihu spake hardly, it was more out of a true zeal to defend the justice of God in afflicting him, than to tax him with injustice. Now because Elihu did not carry it with a bitter spirit, and hit the mark much better than his friends (though in some things he also shot wide and misunderstood Job ) therefore the blame fell only upon Jobs three friends, and not upon Elihu; The Lord said to Eliphaz, my wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends; but his wrath went no further.
Hence note, First;
He hath a store of wrath as well as of love, and that is kindled when he is highly displeased.
Secondly, Note;
Had it not been for sin, the Lord had never declared any wrath in the world, nothing had gone out from him but kindness and love, favors and mercies. Wrath is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness, and against unrighteousness only (Rom. 1.18.) Unrighteousness kindleth wrath, sin is the kindle-coal. When we see wrath or displeasure going out, we may conclude sin is gone out. Moses said to Aaron (Numb. 16.46.) Take a Censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them, for there is wrath gone out from the Lord, the plague is begun. Now as in this latter part of the chapter, Moses shows that wrath was gone out against that people from the Lord; so in the former part of it he shows, that sin, and that a great sin, was gone out from that people against the Lord.
Thirdly, Note;
Wrath may fall upon good men; such were these friends of Job. All the Elect, whilst they remain unconverted or uncalled, are called Children of wrath (Ephes. 2.3.) Though they are in the everlasting love of God, yet they are children of wrath, as to their present condition, whilst in a state of nature and unreconciled to God. Now, as the children of God, are children of wrath, before their conversion; so, when any great sin is committed after conversion, they are in some sense under wrath; and the Lord declareth wrath against them, till the breach be healed, and their peace sued out. It is dangerous continuing for a moment in any sin unrepented of, or we not going unto God by Jesus Christ for pardon. When once the wrath of God is kindled, how far it may burn, who knoweth? There is no safety under guilt; Therefore kiss the son lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little: blessed are they that put their trust in him (Psal. 2.12.) My wrath is kindled against thee, and thy two friends. Why?
Hence note, Fourthly;
God is not angry (as men often are) without cause. When Jonah was angry, the Lord said unto him, Dost thou well to be angry? Yea, saith he, that I do, I have reason enough (thought he) to be angry, though there was no true reason at all for it. But when the Lord is angry, he always hath reason enough, and he sometimes giveth his reason. That the Lord doth us good, is from free grace: there is no reason in us, why he doth us good; as he told the people of Israel, I did this, and that for you, not because ye were more than others (either in weight or number) but because I loved you: but when the Lord afflicts his people, he tells them the reason, 'tis for your sins, or to purge you from your sins; and sometimes pointeth them to the special sins, for which he punisheth them, and from which he would have them purged. As here he did Eliphaz, and his two friends.
The Lord doth not charge them with any evil actings, but with undue speakings; Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right.
Hence note;
Further, The Lord doth not charge them with speaking soul and filthy things, they had only spoken the thing that was not right. A little failing in speech, or in what we say concerning God and his ways, may kindle wrath.
Ye have not spoken of me, that is, concerning me, or concerning my proceedings with Job, the thing that is right.
The Hebrew is, To me, ye have not spoken to me the thing that is right. God was not only the subject of whom they spake, but the object to whom they spake; this whole disputation being transacted as in the presence of God, and both Job and his friends appealing to him, as the Judge and Moderator of it. Hence the Septuagint render, ye have not spoken before me the thing that is right: As if God had said, all that ye have spoken hath been in my presence, I being witness, yea, I being Judge; yet ye spake not right. Did we remember that whatsoever we speak, as well as whatsoever we do, is before God, and must come under his judgment, we would be more careful both to do and to speak (which these men did not) the thing that is right. Ye have not spoken of me
The Hebrew is but one word, and it may be taken two ways. First, For rightness in matter. Secondly, In manner. Our translation refers to the matter; ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right. Yet they failed (as the word implieth) in their manner of speaking also; they handled God's cause unhandsomely, they spake not as they ought, as well as what they ought not, to a poor afflicted creature; they spake not with that tenderness, pity, and compassionateness as became them, to a man in that pitiful case.
But though the Lord might say in both these senses, Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, yet he said not (as the Septuagint over-rashly render) Ye have not spoken of me anything that is right; nor doth the Lord charge them absolutely, as not speaking right of him, but with a modification, or comparatively, Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right,
As if he had said, Job hath been condemned by you, and yet Job hath spoken better than you, righter than you; though he hath had his failings in speaking, yet ye have failed more than he.
But it may be questioned, what was it that they did not speak right, and what was it that Job spake righter than they.
I answer, They had not spoken so right as he,
First, About the doctrine of God's providence, by which he governs all things, and distributes good and evil, that is, prosperity and adversity, to the sons of men.
Secondly, They had not spoken so right as he, taking up the signs or tokens of the love and hatred of God from his outward dispensations.
Thirdly, They censured Job as a sinful doer in former times, and that now his sin had found him out, because at that time he was so great a sufferer. These things were not right.
Or thus, Jobs friends did not speak right.
First, In judging that God was angry with him, because he afflicted him.
Secondly, Nor did they speak right in judging Job wicked, because afflicted; they spake many right things about the justice and power of God, but they did not hit Jobs case right: They thought and concluded, that if Job had not been a great sinner, God would not have afflicted him at all, at least, not so greatly: They supposed God could not justly afflict Job as he had done, had Job been a just man. This was not right; they did not well consider, First, That God may afflict a just man out of Sovereignty. Secondly, They did not well consider, that God hath other ends and reasons in afflicting than for iniquity; and therefore they knew not how to justify the proceedings of God, but by condemning Job, which there was no necessity to do. So then, their great error and mistake was in resolving this question affirmatively, Whether he that is greatly afflicted, be a great sinner? or whether the severe judgments of God light only upon ungodly men? Their affimation of this, was enough to make Job despair, and did provoke him to utter several very passionate and unfitting speeches.
For though Job spake many things right, yet not all right. God judged him according to the tendency and scope of his spirit and speech, not according to the accidents and suddein extravagancies of either. Job spake right,
First, In affirming constantly, that God did not afflict him for his sin.
Secondly, That his afflictions were no signs of God's displeasure against him, nor of his wickedness against God. Yet Job did not speak all nor always right: He failed,
First, When he spake impatiently of his own sufferings.
Secondly, When he spake so boldly to God, asking (as it were) an account of his doings and dealings with him.
Thirdly, He spake not right (though that was right which he spake) when he spake so much of his own righteousness, thereby (though not purposely, yet) according to the apprehension of others, reflecting upon the righteousness of God. In these things and more (which have been noted in opening this book) Job spake not right of God; yet righter than Eliphaz and his two friends, and therefore the Lord told them, Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
Further, To answer the question, and to clear the whole matter, we must take notice.
First, In what Job, and his three friends agreed.
Secondly, In what they disagreed.
They all agreed, first, in This, that all the afflictions which befall man in this life, fall within the sight and certain knowledge of God.
Secondly, they all agreed, That God is the author and efficient cause, the orderer and disposer of all the afflictions that befall man.
Thirdly, they all agree, That God neither doth, nor can do wrong to any man, whatsoever affliction he layeth upon him, or how long soever he continueth it upon him. Thus far they all spake right things, and agreed in what they spake.
But Jobs friends held other opinions, wherein he totally dissented from them.
First, That, whosoever is good, and doth good, shall receive a present good reward.
Secondly, That whosoever is evil, and doth evil, shall receive present punishment. So that, if any wicked man prosper, it is but for a while, sudden mischief will overtake him: And if any godly man be afflicted, it is but for a while, his affliction will soon end, and he return to a flourishing condition in this life. From these premises they concluded, that whosoever is afflicted, and continueth long under affliction, certainly that man is wicked, and thereupon they judged Job to be such a one.
But Job held this right position against them all, That the providence of God dispenseth outward good and evil so indifferently to good and bad men, that no unerring judgment can possibly be made of any man's spiritual state, by his outside or temporal state: This Job stuck close to, as was shown more fully in the Preface to the Second Part.
I conclude then, That neither did Eliphaz and his two friends, fail so much in speaking, as to speak nothing right of God (yea, there was somewhat right in everything they spake of God) neither did Job speak so right, as to speak nothing amiss of God. Now God, who knew exactly who spake rightest, determined the matter for Job: Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
Yet before I pass from these words, it may be questioned, and some make it a great question, Whether we are to understand this sentence and determination of God (preferring what Job had spoken of him, before what Eliphaz and his two friends had spoken of him) in reference to all that Job had spoken of him, in way of assertion, throughout the whole dispute, when his soul was heated and grieved; or, of what he spake towards the latter end, in a cooler temper, when his soul was humbled?
The Jewish Doctors (who for the most part are very severe against, and censorious of Job ) expound this sentence of God, as if it respected only what Job spake at the beginning of the 40th chapter ( ver. 3, 4, 5.) Then Job answered the Lord, and said, behold, I am vile, what shall I answer thee? Once have I spoken, but I will not answer; yea, twice, but I will proceed no further. And what he spake at the 42d chapter ( ver. 1, 2.) Then Job answered the Lord, and said, I know that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from thee, &c. Concluding ( ver. 6.) Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. In these places, say they, Job spake righter than his friends, but not so in the whole body of his discourse. Some others possibly have concurred (though I have seen but one, and him only in Manuscript) with the Rabbins, in this censure; affirming, that Jobs opinion was the worst of all the four, yea, that it was little less than blasphemy, taking men off from, at least, discouraging them in ways of godliness, while he affirmed peremptorily ( chap. 9.22, 23.) He (that is, God) destroyeth the perfect, and the wicked: if the scourge stay suddenly, he laugheth at the trial of the innocent. This assertion of his concerning God (and of this, his whole discourse with his three friends savoured) was not (say they) so right as theirs: and therefore they restrain those words of God, Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job, to what Job spake in the chapters mentioned, when he was upon his repentance; but will not allow them to reach to, or be meant of what he spake of God, in the course of his former dispute with his friends.
But I shall close and join with those, who refer the words of this final judgment which God gave upon this matter, to what Job spake of God from first to last; and that they are not to be limited to what Job spake after God had humbled him, by speaking to him out of the whirlwind.
I grant (as hath been said) Job spake unduly more than once, in the days of his anguish and sore affliction; for which Elihu reproved him sharply ( chap. 34, ver. 35, 36, 37. chap. 35.16.) And so did God himself ( chap. 38.2. chap. 40.1, 2, 8.) Nor did Job in the issue spare, much less flatter himself, as if he had spoken nothing amiss, but humbly confessed his error and ignorance in speaking ( chap. 40.4, 5. chap. 42.3, and 6.) Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent, &c. even, because in the extremity of my pains, I spake so unadvisedly with my lips.
I grant also, that Job spake much more rightly, or rightest of God, after God had humbled him and brought down his spirit by that dreadful dispensation out of the whirlwind.
Yet, I say, Job spake more rightly of God during his affliction, than Eliphaz and his two friends had done; which, as it may appear by that brief account or survey of their opinions a little before given, so I shall add somewhat more towards the making of it yet more apparent.
For, First, That assertion laid down ( chap. 9.22, 23.) He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked, &c. which hath raised so much dust, and is judged by some as a quench-coal to all piety and religion; and which occasioned the Jewish Writers to say, that Job sought to turn the charger the bottom upward; that his mouth was full of gravel, that he began his speech with cursing, and continued it with blaspheming: That assertion, I say, is no more than Solomon hath given us ( Eccles. 9.1, 2.) All things come alike to all; and there is one event to the righteous and the wicked. Now Job spake this in his first answer to Bildad, which was almost at the beginning of the dispute.
Secondly, Job spake altogether right of God, and of his providence towards himself and others all along; while he constantly maintained, First, That he was not afflicted for any wickedness committed by him, in the former passages of his life. Secondly, That outward good is not always the portion of the good, nor outward evil the portion of evil men always in this life. Thirdly, That God is not unrighteous, though he exercise the righteous with grievous troubles all their days, and heap worldly blessings upon the wicked all the days of this life. Fourthly, That we are not to take measure of, nor estimate the goodness or badness of any man's person, by the good or bad days which pass over his head in this life. Fifthly, That no man's happiness or unhappiness, is to be judged by what befalls him in this life. Job spake right, and righter of God than Eliphaz and his two friends, in all these particulars. And whereas he sometimes acted impatiently, and spake uncomely, blotting a good cause with passionate and hasty words, such as ignorant and evil men might make an ill use of, and draw to the patronage of their profanity; these proceeded not out of the abundance of his heart, but from the abundance of his pains under the heavy hand of God. And when he seemed to tax the judgment of God, it was not any affirmation that God was unjust or unequal in it; but an expostulation with him about it, or, as some express it, a confession of his own ignorance, and an earnest desire of clearer light and better information concerning the way of it.
But if we consider the sum of what Eliphaz and his two friends spake of God; we shall find Eliphaz in this great mistake, affirming, that all the sufferings and afflictions which befall man in this world, are laid upon him by God as a punishment for sin. And all three joined in two other mistakes. First, That all wicked men, sooner or later, are visibly punished for their sin in this life. Secondly, That though a good man may possibly suffer grievous afflictions in this life, yet God always delivers him out of them, before he departs this life. Hence it must needs follow, that if a man for long continuance of time, especially, if all his life long he continue in great calamity, that man must be judged wicked, though no apparent wickedness can be charged upon him, nor proved against him. Upon these unsound principles, they were all confident to infer against Job, that he was an hypocrite, and that all those troubles which befell him, were inflicted by the righteous hand of God as a punishment for his sin.
Now if this be the sum of what they spake, we have reason enough to answer the question proposed, That the Lord's decisive sentence between Job and his friends, respecteth what Job spake of or to God, throughout the book, and is not to be understood only of what he spake towards the close of it; Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right,
There are two parts of a Judges office. First, To condemn the guilty. Secondly, To acquit the innocent. God the great Judge doth both here; the first, in the former words; the second, in these: Yea, the Lord doth not only acquit, but own Job in the close of all, as his servant. The Lord said to Satan in the first chapter, Hast thou considered my servant Job; and here he concludes (after Satan had done his worst to make Job quit the service of God) in the same style, my servant Job; as if the Lord had said, Job shall wear my livery still, he is my servant still.
Several useful observations issue from this latter part of the verse, which I shall briefly hint.
First, Who were these that had not spoken aright? they were wise, grave, and learned men, yea, they were godly men too.
Hence note,
They may err in judgment, and in speech. Jobs friends spake many truths, but did not apply them truly to Jobs case. The best men may not only miss, but mistake their mark. They who are in the light, yea, who are light in the Lord, have yet some darkness in them, and may both do and speak from that darkness (such was the case of these men in the text.) David may be understood of good men, in a degree, as well as of bad men, when he said ( Psal. 62.9.) Men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: they are so, both actively and passively; they may be deceived, and they may deceive. As when the Lord of old hearkened and heard, they (that is, all wicked men) spake not aright, no man repented of his wickedness, saying, what have I done? (Jer. 8.6.) So when the Lord hearkens and hears at this day, they, that is, all good men, speak not aright in all things, neither of him, nor of what he hath done.
Secondly, Consider who it was that God vindicated in this matter? It was his servant Job.
Hence note;
He will (as we speak proverbially) set the saddle upon the right horse; and make it appear before men and angels, who have done and spoken right, yea, who rightest. Let patience under sufferance have its perfect work, for God will give a perfect judgment of every man's word and work ( Psal. 37.6.)
Thirdly, Note;
He knoweth who hath the better, who is in the right: He could tell Eliphaz and his two friends, that though they had spoken some things right, yet not all, nor so right as Job. The Lord (as we say) can cleave a hair in any controversy, and tell everyone where he is out, whether in opinion or practice. God is light, and in him is no darkness at all (1 John. 1.5.) Our light is but little, and 'tis mingled with much darkness; our light is dark, and will be so, till we come to that inheritance among the Saints in light. But God's light is all light, altogether light, both concerning things and persons.
Fourthly, What Eliphaz and his friends spake, that was not right, concerned Job immediately; they spake very glorious things of God out of his case: yet the Lord saith not, Ye have not spoken of Job the thing that is right, but, Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right.
Hence note;
Jobs friends looked upon themselves as strong witnesses, yea, as great Advocates for God; and doubtless, they intended no less than a plea for God, in what they spake to and against Job: yet because they in many things grieved, and in some things wronged his servant Job, therefore saith God, ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right. The Lord will say, in the great day, to the wicked, about their neglects of duty to his faithful ones, In-as-much as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me (Mat. 25.45.) In-as-much as ye have not fed and clothed these, ye have not fed nor clothed me. Now, as the Lord taketh all the neglects of good to his people, to himself; so the Lord taketh all that evil which any speak of his people, to himself: He (saith God) that speaketh amiss of mine, speaketh amiss of me. The Lord accounteth himself interested in all that good or evil, which is done and spoken to his people; and he is very angry when anything is mis-spoken of, or misapplied to them, though with respect to himself, or as a service unto himself.
Fifthly, Consider, Jobs friends spake many excellent truths; yet saith the Lord, ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
Hence note;
Jobs friends were mostly right in their Doctrine, but often out in their Uses; all their open assertions had some truth in them, but so had not all their secret Inferences. God will not bear it, to have truths put to any ill use, especially this, to grieve and discourage any of his suffering servants. To speak of the holiness, justice and righteousness of God, so as to terrify an afflicted soul, is to make a bad improvement of the best things: 'It is a fly in the box of ointment. Dead flies (saith Solomon, Eccles. 10.1.) cause the ointment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking savor; so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honor. Jobs friends were in reputation for wisdom and honor; yet this little folly sent forth an ill savor in the Lord's nostrils, and caused him to say, Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right.
Sixthly, Jobs friends certainly meant well, and had a zeal for God; yet God was angry, and said, they had not spoken right.
Hence note;
These men had a zeal for God, else Job had not said as once he did, Will ye lie for God? Though they did not knowingly speak a lie, yet a lie was in what they spake; and therefore their speaking for God would not bear them out.
Seventhly, The Lord said to Jobs friends, Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. Though Job spake some things amiss, yet the Lord did not charge him with them, as he did his friends.
Hence note;
Job had his failings; but the Lord took no notice of them, but made a determination in his case, as if he had spoken right in all things. The Lord will not flatter his servants when they fail, yet he is very favorable to them, even when they fail; he told Job plainly enough, that he had darkened counsel by words without knowledge, while he asked him, who did it? (Chap. 38.2.) He intimated also, that Job had contended with him, and reproved him, that he had (consequentially) attempted to disannul his Judgment, and condemn him (Chap. 40.2, 8.) yet here when the Lord came to make up the matter between Job and his friends, he spake as if he had forgot both his own censures of him, and the occasion of them. Holy David acknowledged ( Psal. 130.3.) If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand! The Lord doth not mark iniquity where he seeth much integrity; the Lord doth not mark every arrow that flies beside the mark, when he seeth the mark was honestly aimed at. We say, he may be a good Archer that doth not hit the white, if he come but somewhat near it; he indeed is a bungler that misseth the Butt. Job aimed at, and came near the mark, though he did not always hit it. The Lord will give a good testimony of us, if we aim right at, though we sometimes miss the mark. It is said of Zachariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1.6.) They were both righteous. There's not a word spoken of their failings, though doubtless they had their failings, both as to the Ordinances and Commandments of God.
Eighthly, The Lord's wrath being kindled against Jobs friends, we might expect he would thunder upon them; yet he only saith, Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right.
Hence observe;
He did not give wrathful words, though his wrath was kindled; he did not call Eliphaz and his friends Heretics, nor tell them they had belied him, and slandered his proceedings; he did not aggravate their fault by grievous words, he did not upbraid them particularly: but, without bitterness or hard reflections, comprehended their all faults in one general soft word, Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right. This should be our pattern in dealing with an offending brother: whereas many, if a brother do but differ from them a little, if he do not say as they say, and concur with them fully in opinion, are ready to censure him hardly, and give him reproachful language. The Apostles rule is ( Gal. 6.1.) Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye that are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. God who is above all temptation, meekly restored these faulty men; yea, though his wrath was kindled against them, yet his speech was mild and cool, only saying (and what less could he say, if he said anything) Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right,
Why doth the Lord call Job his servant? Surely at once to put an honor upon him, and to comfort him. Eliphaz and his two friends were God's servants; yet because of their miscarriage in that service, God did not own them at that time as such. God was wont to call David his servant at every turn; yet when he had numbered the people, Nathan was sent to him with a hard message, and is bid, Go, and say unto David, not, my servant David (2 Sam. 24.12.)
Hence note, Ninthly;
To serve the Lord, is as much our privilege as our duty; and when the Lord calleth us to his service, he rather puts a favor up-us, than a burden. The Lord is the highest master, and they are highly honored who are his servants. It is an honor to serve Kings and Princes: what is it then to serve the King of Kings, the Prince of the Kings of the earth! as Jesus Christ is called ( Rev. 1.5.) 'It is also profitable as well as honorable, to serve the Lord; for he is the best master, his work is the best woe • k, and his wages is the best wages. And not only so, but 'tis easy to be the Lord's servant; for as he expects we should do his work, so we may expect help and strength, hearts and hands from him to do it. If the Lord doth but own us for his servants, we shall not faint at his work, whether it be doing or suffering work. God upheld his servant Job in, and carried him through all those trials and troubles, which would have sunk him a thousand times, had not he stood by him and assisted him. The Lord is a master in Covenant with his servants, and that a Covenant of grace, in which every command hath a promise annexed to it; and that not only a promise of reward, when we have done it, but of strength to do it: and if so, then we may conclude it easy as well as hohonourable and profitable, to serve the Lord. Therefore
Let us labor to approve ourselves the Lord's servants. And if any ask, who is the Lord's servant? I answer,
Fi • st, He is the Lord's servant that doth the Lord's work; His servants we are, whom we obey; he is our master whose work we do. It is good for us to consider whose work we are about. Jesus Christ was the fathers servant in that great undertaking, the redemption of lost man. Now, all his work on earth was his fathers work ( John 9.4.) I (said he) must work the work of him that sent me. Unless we are in the Lord's work, and doing the Lord's will, we cannot be reckoned among his servants.
Secondly, If you are the Lord's servants, then as you do the Lord's work, so you are ready to do all his work. He is not a servant that doth what he pleaseth. Some say, they will do the Lord's work, but they pick and choose, they do this, and leave the other undone: He is the Lord's servant, that goeth through all the Lord's work. If we do easy work, and refuse hard work; if we refuse that work which displeaseth the world, and choose only that which is pleasing to the world, we serve not the Lord, but the world and ourselves. Here is the trial, when we do what God willeth, whether the world will it, and like it, yea, or no. The Lord said of David, He is my servant (and what will he do?) he will do all my will; that is, he will not stick at any of my work.
Thirdly, If ye are the Lord's servants, as ye will do all his work, so no woe • k but his; you will not do the work of the flesh, you will not do any work for man, in opposition to the work of God. In subordination to the will of God, we should readily do the work of man. In serving men thus, we are also the servants of God. But he that is the Lord's servant, will not do any work for man which contradicteth or crosseth the service of God. Christ saith expressly, No man serveth two Masters; ye cannot serve God and Mammon (Mat. 6.24.) We may serve many Masters, if they command the same thing, or things subordinate; but we cannot serve two Masters if their commands interfere and clash one with the other, as the work of God and Mammon doth. And thus the Apostles caution is to be understood (1 Cor. 7.23.) Ye are bought with a price: be not ye the servants of men.
Fourthly, If ye are the Lord's servants, as ye do the Lord's work, and all his work, and only his work, so ye will do his work willingly. All the Lord's servants are free men, his servants are sons; they do not serve as slaves, but as children; and God dealeth with them as a Father, more than as a Master. Consider, have ye a free spirit for the service of God? His servants find themselves indeed constrained to serve him, but they do not serve him by constraint; they are constrained by love, not by base fear to serve him.
Fifthly, If ye are the Lord's servants, ye do his work for his sake; the will of the Lord is as much the reason why ye do his work, as the rule by which ye do it. Should we do never so much of that which is materially the Lord's work, unless we do it because it is his work, we are not his servants in doing it. He that doth the Lord's work for self-ends only or chiefly, is not the Lord's servant, but his own.
Sixthly, If ye are the Lord's servants, ye have resolved to be his servants forever; your ears are bored at his post, and ye have have said (as the servant under the Law that loved his Master, Exod. 21.5, 6.) Ye will not go out free. It was so with Job; he was the Lord's servant before his rrouble, and he was so at the end of his troubles. The Lord doth not take servants for months and for years; we must be his everlasting servants, always his servants, if his servants at all. And this should rejoice our souls, that we are and shall be forever in the Lord's work. To serve the Lord, is better than to rule the world. God is so good a Master, that we shall never have any, the least, occasion to desire a change; and he is so sure a Master, that we need not fear it.
Lastly, Though the Lord said, his wrath was kindled against Eliphaz and his two friends, yet in the very next words he is directing them how to make their peace, and return, or be received again into his favor.
Hence note;
Yea, when ever he manifests displeasure against his children, it is that he might not act it. Nineveh was threatened with destruction, that repenting it might not be destroyed. Sinners of all sorts are threatened with death and damnation, that believing, they may be saved and live. What could Eliphaz and his two friends expect, when the Lord said, My wrath is kindled, but that his wrath should have swallowed them up, and consumed them in a moment? Solomon saith ( Prov. 16.14.) The wrath of a King is as messengers of death, and like the roaring of a Lion (Prov. 19.12.) much more is the wrath of God like the roaring of a Lion, and as the messengers of death. But, though the Lord told Jobs friends of wrath, and of kindled wrath, yet he only, First, reproved them mildly; and, Secondly, instead of blowing up that fire, showeth or directeth them how to quench it, and get into the Sun-shine of his favor; as will appear further in the verse.
Vers. 8. Therefore take unto you now seven Bullocks, and seven Rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt-offering, and my servant Job shall pray for you, for him will I accept, lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, like my servant Job.
This verse holds out the counsel or direction which the Lord gave Eliphaz and his two friends for the making of their peace, and the reconciling of themselves to his Majesty, whose wrath was kindled against them. And here the Lord directs them to a twofold means of their reconciliation.
First, The offering up of a sacrifice, in which we may consider two things.
First, The matter of the sacrifice, or what was to be sacrificed, Bullocks and Rams.
Secondly, The quantity or number of the sacrifice, seven and seven, seven Bullocks and seven Rams; such was the matter, such the quantity of the sacrifice which they were commanded to offer.
Secondly, The Lord directs Eliphaz and his two friends to apply themselves unto Job, and desire his intercession for them; Go to my servant Job, and my servant Job shall pray for you. To this direction the Lord subjoins two things,
First, An encouragement by a gracious promise, in these words; For him will I accept.
Secondly, A threat, in case they should neglect or refuse to go and perform this duty, laid down in the close of the verse; Lest I deal with you according to your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.
These are the particulars considerable in this 8th verse.
The Lord spake this to Eliphaz and his two friends. The word of illation, Therefore, at the beginning of the verse, refers to the word For, at the latter end of the former verse. As if the Lord had said unto them, Because ye have sinned against me, and provoked me to anger, so that my wrath is kindled by your not speaking of me the thing that is right; therefore I advise you (and be ye sure at your peril, to follow my advice; I advise you) for the making up of this breach, and the recovery of my favor, to take unto you seven Bullocks and seven Rams.
Some conceive that these words, Unto you, are redundant, yet doubtless they carry a clear sense, as they stand in the Text, Take unto you; that is, for your use and behoof in this great service, Take unto you
This was a great sacrifice, and it was so under a twofold consideration.
First, As to the matter of the sacrifice, bullocks and rams were great cattle, there were sacrifices of lesser matters. We read in the law of Moses, of a pair of turtle doves, and two young pigeons for a sacrifice; these, the poorer sort under the law, did offer with acceptation, whereas rich and great men (and such were these Eliphaz and his two friends in their time) were commanded to bring great and richer sacrifices. The rich (as Solomon exhorts, Prov. 3.9.) were to honor the Lord with their substance, and with the first fruits of their increase. These rich men were to bring bullocks and rams, a great sacrifice in the matter of it.