The Book of Job Paraphrased, Chapter 33
CHAP. XXXIII.
ARGUMENT.
Here Elihu addreſſes his Speech to Job alone, (for he rejected all that the three Friends had ſaid, as ſufficiently confuted by Job in his Diſpute with them,) and tells him, firſt, that he was the man who would now plead with him in God's behalf, (as he had oft deſired,) and that he was no unequal match for him. And then begins to reprehend thoſe paſſages which he thought were blameable in Job's Speeches; particularly his inſiſting ſo much upon his Integrity: which, though true, ſhould not have been mentioned without due acknowledgment, that the Sovereign of the World had done him no wrong in thus afflicting him; and that it was not fit for him to queſtion the Wiſedom and Juſtice of God's Providence, becauſe he did not underſtand it. For the care of God over Man and his kindneſs to him, he ſhews, is ſo apparent, upon ſo many ſcores, that it ought not to be denied becauſe of the unaccountable Afflictions that may befall us; which we ought rather to think are one of the ways whereby He doth Man good.
1. WHerefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my ſpeeches, and hearken to all my words.1. AND truly I think I need not uſe any farther Preface, to perſwade thee, O Job, to hear my Diſcourſe, and to give an attentive ear to all I have to ſay.
2. Behold, now have I opened my mouth, my tongue hath ſpoken in my mouth.2. Behold, now I begin; my words are upon my tongue, if thou art ready to receive them.
3. My words ſhall be of the uprightneſs of my heart: and my lips ſhall utter knowledge clearly.3. And I aſſure thee they ſhall be the unfeigned language of mine heart, which it ſhall not be hard for thee to underſtand: for the inſtruction they give thee ſhall be clearly and perſpicuouſly delivered.
4. The ſpirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.4. And firſt of all conſider, that I am no other Creature then what thou art; a Man whom the power of God hath formed, and then inſpired with Life.
5. If thou canſt anſwer me, ſet thy words in order before me, ſtand up.5. Thou needeſt not therefore decline the Encounter; but if thou art able to anſwer, ſet thy forces in order againſt me, and ſtand up to oppoſe me.
6. Behold, I am according to thy wiſh in God's ſtead: I alſo am formed out of the clay.6. Thou haſt formerly deſired (IX. 33. XIII. 3.) that ſome-body would appear in God's ſtead, to reaſon the Caſe with thee: Behold, thou haſt thy wiſh; I am the Man that appears for Him; who am made of the ſame matter with thy ſelf.
7. Behold, my terrour ſhall not make thee afraid, neither ſhall my hand be heavy upon thee.7. Look upon me, the Combate is not unequall, (as thou complainedſt when thou lookedſt upon God, IX. 34. XIII. 21.) thou ſeeſt no dreadfull Majeſty in me to affright thee, nor any Power to oppreſs thee.
8. Surely thou haſt ſpoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, ſaying,8. I do not accuſe thee neither, as they three Friends have done, of Crimes uncertain or unknown; but of what I my ſelf, with mine own ears, have heard thee utter.
9. I am clean without tranſgreſſion, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.9. For ſurely thou haſt ſaid more then once, (X. 7. XIII. 23. XVI. 17, &c. XXXI.) I am pure and without any Fault, in my heart and in my actions, both towards God and towards man.
10. Behold, he findeth occaſions againſt me, he counteth me for his enemy.10. Behold, He, who I thought would have vindicated my Innocence, ſeeks for occaſions to fall out with me; and for ſlight matters declares himſelf mine Enemy.
11. He putteth my feet in the ſtocks, he marketh all my paths.11. Whom He keeps ſo faſt in priſon, that I cannot ſtir; and watches ſo narrowly, that I can find no way to eſcape.
12. Behold, in this thou art not juſt: I will anſwer thee, that God is greater then man.12. This is thy complaining language, and mark what I ſay to thee: Though I cannot accuſe thee, as thy Friends have done, of other Sins, yet in this thou doſt offend; and I muſt reprehend thee for it, by remembring thee that there is no compariſon between God and Man.
13. Why doſt thou ſtrive againſt him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.13. And therefore why doſt thou preſume to diſpute with Him, and call Him to an account for his actions, who will not reveal to us all the Secrets of his Providence?
14. For God ſpeaketh once, yea, twice, yet man perceiveth it not.14. Not that God envies knowledge to us, for He teaches man more ways then one; and a great deal more then he takes care to learn.
15. In a dream, in a viſion of the night, when deep ſleep falleth upon men, in ſlumbrings upon the bed:15. One way is by a Dream, (which you may call a Night-viſion,) when men fall into a deep ſleep, or lie on their beds between ſleeping and waking:
16. Then he openeth the ears of men, and ſealeth their inſtruction,16. Then (when their minds are free from the buiſineſs and cares of the day) He ſecretly whiſpers Inſtruction in their ears, and imprints it upon their minds.
17. That he may withdraw man from his purpoſe, and hide pride from man.17. Not to make them underſtand indeed all the ſecret reaſons of his Providence; but to turn man from his evil way, and to diſpoſe him with all humility to ſubmit himſelf to his Heavenly Inſtructer:
18. He keepeth back his ſoul from the pit, and his life from periſhing by the ſword.18. Who by this means mercifully preſerves him (if he obey his Admonition) from running on to his own deſtruction; and reſcues him from the violent death, which the ſword of Juſtice or of an Enemy would have inflicted on him.
19. He is chaſtened alſo with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with ſtrong pain:19. Another way (and more common then this by Dreams) is the painfull Diſeaſes wherewith he chaſtiſes man, and lays him low on his bed; though his conſtitution of body be never ſo firm and ſtrong.
20. So that his life abhorreth bread, and his ſoul dainty meat.20. In which languiſhing caſe he loaths his food; yea, nauſeates that very meat which formerly was his greateſt delight.
21. His fleſh is conſumed away, that it cannot be ſeen, and his bones that were not ſeen, ſtick out.21. Which makes ſo great a change in him, that his Fleſh, which formerly appeared plump and fair, cannot be ſeen; and his Bones ſtick out, which formerly did not appear.
22. Yea, his ſoul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the deſtroyers.22. There is but a ſtep between him and his grave; the pangs of death being ready to ſeize on him.
23. If there be a meſſenger with him, and interpreter, one among … thouſand, to ſhew unto man his uprightneſs:23. If then (which is a third way whereby God teaches men) there come a Divine Meſſenger unto him; a rare perſon, that can expound the mind of God, and perſwade the ſick man to repent and amend his life;
24. Then he is gracious unto him, and ſaith, Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ranſom.24. He ſhall beſeech God to be gracious to him, ſaying, Spare him, good Lord, and reſcue him from going down to the grave; let it ſatisfie thee that thou haſt corrected him, and that I have found him a Penitent.
25. His fleſh ſhall be freſher then a childs: he ſhall return to the days of his youth.25. Preſently the ſick man ſhall begin to recover, and become a new man in his Body, as well as in his Mind: His Fleſh ſhall look as freſh as when he was a child; and he ſhall be reſtored to the Vigour and Strength of his youthfull age.
26. He ſhall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him, and he ſhall ſee his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteouſneſs.26. His Prayer alſo ſhall be acceptable to God, and prevail for the Bleſſings he asks: He ſhall go into the Houſe of God, and with the moſt joyfull voice give thanks unto Him, and praiſe his Goodneſs; who will then acquit him, and reſtore this poor man to his Favour.
27. He looketh upon men, and if any ſay, I have ſinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not;27. And he, (as becomes a true Penitent) caſting his eyes upon his Neighbours, ſhall openly confeſs and ſay, I have offended God, and He hath juſtly chaſtiſed me; I have done wickedly, and He hath puniſhed me according to my deſert:
28. He will deliver his ſoul from going into the pit, and his life ſhall ſee the light.28. But hath redeemed me from that Death into which I was going; and not onelyonly made me live, but given me hope that I ſhall enjoy proſperous days.
29. Lo, all theſe things worketh God oftentimes with man,29. Behold in all this the wonderfull goodneſs of God; who by ſo many means very often admoniſhes Man:
30. To bring back his ſoul from the pit, to be enlightned with the light of the living.30. To reduce him from thoſe evil courſes, which had juſt brought him to his Grave; and to raiſe him up again to live in all true Happineſs and Pleaſure.
31. Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me, hold thy peace, and I will ſpeak.31. Mark this well, O Job, for it may very much concern thee: conſider what I have ſaid; and if thou pleaſeſt to hear me patiently, I will ſtill inſtruct thee more fully.
32. If thou haſt any thing to ſay, anſwer me: ſpeak, for I deſire to juſtifie thee.32. Or if thou haſt any thing to object to what I have ſaid, I am willing to hear it: Speak before I go any farther; for I heartily deſire thou mayſt clear thy ſelf, and appear a Righteous perſon.
33. If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I ſhall teach thee wiſedom.33. If thou haſt no exception againſt my Diſcourſe, then continue thy attentions, and ſilently liſten to me; and I will teach thee more Wiſedom.