Exposition of Job 4-7, Commentary on Job · Chapter 6 · Verses 22-25
JOB Chap. 6. Verſ. 22, 23, 24, 25.
Did I ſay, bring unto me? or give a reward for me of your ſubſtance?
Or deliver me from the Enemies hand, or redeem me from the hand of the mighty?
Teach me and I will hold my tongue? and cauſe me to understand wherein I have erred.
How forcible are right words? but what doth your arguing reprove?
JOB Having ſhadowed out his friends unfaithfulneſſe, by an elegant ſimilitude in the context fore-going; now aggravates their unfaithfulneſs to him, in his wants, by his own modeſty, in ſeeking to them, for ſupplies. Did I ſay, bring unto me? or give a revvard for me of your ſubſtance? As if he had ſaid, I have not been burthenſome or troubleſome to you, I have not called for your contributions and benevolences, or ſought to have my eſtate made up out of your purſes. Why do ye charge me with impatience at my loſs, as if that were it which pinches and preſſes me? did I ever charge you for my reparation, or redemption; That (in deed) might have been, either burdenſome or dangerous to you; All that I expected from you, was your comfort, and your counſell; theſe would not have put you to much expence; or if you could not have reacht ſo far as to comfort me, yet you might have forborn to contribute ſo largely to my ſorrows, by overtaxing me with impatience, and charging me with hypocriſie.
Did I ſay] I was not clamorous or importunate, no, I did not ſo much as open my mouth to move you in that point, I have been ſo far from begging, that ye have not heard me, ſaying, bring to me.
Bring unto me?] The word is, Give unto me, Hoſ. 4. 18. Their Princes love, Give ye, or bring ye, ſo ſaith Job, I did not ſay bring ye, or give ye, my ſpirit was not ſet upon money, or the repair of my loſſes out of your eſtates; I did not either write or ſend for your charity; you were not invited to viſit me, that you might contribute to my neceſſity.foreign Proprie munus quod datur ad corrumpendum Iudicem, a foreign uuus quod unum facit, dantem ſcilicet & occipientem.
The word here uſed for a reward, properly taken, ſignifies that which is given to a Judge, to corrupt or turn him aſide in judgement. One of the Rabbins gives this reaſon, why it notes a bribing reward, becauſe it is compounded of a word ſignifying, One; and a bribe makes the giver and the receiver, the Judge and party; One, or of one mind; A Judge ſhould ever ſtand indifferent between both parties, till the cauſe be heard, but a bribe makes him One of them.
Yet ordinarily, this word is put for any gift or help, ſubſidy or foreign Humor nativus in quo vigor corporis conſiſtit, & opes, nam in opibus Conſiſtit potentia hominum.ſupply of anothers wants.
Of your ſubſtance.] The word implies, the native, naturall ſtrength, which ſupplies the wants, or ſupports the weakneſſes of the body; As alſo the ſtrength of the earth, by which it puts forth fruit, Lev. 26. 20. And becauſe riches are a mans civil ſtrength, therefore the ſame word expreſſes both.
Verſe 23. Or did I ſay, deliver me from the enemies hand?
The enemies.] Or the hand of thoſe that have brought me into ſtraights; For the original imports, the ſhutting a man up in a narrow compaſs, ſo that he knows not how to get out; he that is in the hand of an enemy, is in a ſtraight hand. Ahab commands (1 Kings 22. 29.) Goe carry Micaiah back, and feed him with the bread of affliction, or with the bread of ſtraights, ſuch bread, as an enemy provides. The Greek word uſed by the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 4. 8. reaches this fully, We are troubled, but not diſtreſſed, or ſtraightned. Now ſaith Job, did I ſay, deliver me out of the hand or power of mine enemies, who have brought me into theſe foreign.ſtraights? alluding, as is conceived, to thoſe Chaldeans and Sabeans, who had ſpoiled his eſtate, and ſlain his ſervants.
Or redeem me out of the hand of the mighty.
Redeem me. That is, my goods which they have carried away captive. To redeem, ſignifies the fetching back of a thing by price or force. Chriſt is a Redeemer in both ſences: he redeemed or fetch'd back captivated man, by compact and by price, in reſpect of God his father. We are bought with a price, 1 Cor. 6. 20. that is, bought with a full prize. Chriſt did not compound with the juſtice of his father, but ſatisfied it, to redeem us: and he redeemed us by force, out of the hands of Satan, Spoiling principalities and powers, and making a ſhew of them openly, Col. 2. 15. As in Triumphs, the Romans uſed to doe with their ſpoiled, captivated enemies. Job had not begged redemption of his friends, from the power of his enemies, either way: did I deſire you, by compact, and by price, to ranſome me? Or did I deſire you to levy an Army, with power and force, to recover my eſtate out of the hands of thoſe mighty oppreſſours.
The word [Mighty] ſignifies alſo terrible; the hand of the foreign Terribilis ſua potentia formidabilisterrible one: It is often applied to God, when he ſhewes himſelf in terrour to wicked men. Pſal. 89. 7. God is greatly to be feared, Iſa. 2 19. He ſhakes terribly the earth. But moſt commonly, to cruel, powerful men, who make no other uſe of their ſtrength, but to be a terrour to innocents. The Apoſtle, Phil. 1. 28. explaines this word, while he ſaith, and in nothing be ye terrified by your adverſities; that word in the Greek, anſwers this in the Hebrew, your adverſities are terrible men, men who think to beat down all with their great looks, but, be not ye terrified by theſe terrible ones. So here, Did I call unto you, to redeem me out of the hand of the mighty, the terrible? out of the hand of thoſe cruel plunderers, the Sabeans and Chaldeans?De manu Tribulationis, Vatab. Puto cum Allegoricè tam graves & vehementes calamitates intelligere, Merc.
Further, Some underſtand by the hand of the mighty, not the perſons afflicting him, but the affliction it ſelf, which was upon him: Trouble is ſometimes compared to a mighty enemy, Prov. 6. 11. So ſhall thy poverty come, as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man. Want ſtrips us, but is it ſelfe, not only cloathed, but armed, Evils have ſo much life and ſtrength in them, that they are compared to the strongeſt, who live, armed men. Hence obſerve, firſt,
It is an aggravation of unkindneſſe, to thoſe, who are in want, not to be kind to them, when they are modeſt in asking a ſupply of their wants. Love ought to prevent asking, and ſhould be moved to give moſt to them (who being in need) complain leaſt.
Again, He ſpeakes this to wipe off that aſperſion, as if the loſſe of his eſtate were the thing which grieved and pinched him ſo ſore. Did I ſay unto you, bring me a reward, &c. It is an argument that a man overloves that, which he hath loſt, when he is over-importunate to have his loſſes repaired. If you had ſeen me call out unto you for an eſtate, then you had reaſon to think that the loſſe of my eſtate, was the loſſe of my patience.
Thirdly, Obſerve the temper of a gracious heart under loſſes and afflictions. A gracious heart under loſſes, is not forward to complain to creatures, or to ask help of men. Did I ſay, bring unto me, or give me a reward of your ſubſtance? He complaines to God, and ſheweth him his trouble, he openes his want to God, and asketh ſupplies of him, but he is very modeſt and ſlow in complaining to, or in ſuing for help at the hand of creatures.
It is not unlawful for thoſe, that are in want, to make their loſſes and wants known to men; It is a duty, rather, ſo to doe; onelyonly it muſt be done with caution, leaſt, when we ask of creatures too importunately, we give an argument againſt our ſelves, that we are too much in love with creatures.
As it is reproved in thoſe Rulers before ſpoken of, Hoſ. 4. 18. that they did love, give ye; It is a crime in the rich, to love, give ye; And certainly it is a ſin, at leaſt an infirmity in thoſe that are poor and in want, to love, give ye, or to ſay as Iob here had not, bring to me. Solomon ſpeakes of the daughters of the horſleach, that, they are alwayes crying, give, give, noting their inſatiable thirſt after blood. Some poor are alwayes crying, give, give, which notes a very inordinate deſire after riches. Iob is very careful to take off the ſuſpition of ſuch a blemiſh from himſelf, I did not ſay, bring ye, or give ye me of your ſubſtance.
It is the duty of thoſe that are full, to give to their empty brethren, it is their ſin if they give not; and it is their ſhame, if they are not moſt free in giving to thoſe, who are moſt modeſt in asking; But when God hath emptied us, we ſhould not be eager in filling our ſelves. When God takes creatures from us, we ſhould take heed of purſuing them: we ſhould not doe any thing, which may argue our hearts glued to them, when the Lord hath looſen'd them out of our hands. It is an honour to a poor Chriſtian, when in his greateſt ſtraights he can approve himſelf to God and men, and can ſay as the Apoſtle (Acts 20. 33.) I have coveted no mans ſilver, or gold, or apparel. It is as ſinful to covet in our wants, as it is in our abundance. And it is as bad (if not worſe) to be greedy of the creature, when we are empty, as when we are full. A poor man oppreſſing the poor, Prov 28. 3. and covering from the rich, are ſights of equal abomination.
Verſ. 24. Teach me and I will hold my tongue: and cauſe me to underſtand wherein I have erred, &c.
This and the next verſe, contain the fourth branch of Jobs reply; and the general ſence of them, is, a ſubmiſſion of himſelf to his friends, if yet, they ſhould ſpeak reaſon, or diſcover his error. Teach me and I will hold my peace; as if he had ſaid, Though I have to the beſt of my underſtanding, thus far acquitted my ſelf, and cleared mine own innocency; though, I have as I think, with truth and juſtice, laid this charge of uncharitableneſſe and unfriendly dealing with me upon you; yet you ſhall ſee I am ready to hear you, I am teachable: if you can yet teach me, foreign Iecit, projecit, per metaphoram foreign rigavit quando tranſfertur ad pluviam quae lapidum & ſagitarum inſtar ex coelo decidit in terram eamque ferit, rigat, & foecundat. Hinc per Metathoram ſignificat etiam docere Quod doctrina veluti inſtiletur animis dicentium & ininutatim indatur, eoſque impuat,I will keep ſilence, and if you cauſe me to underſtand wherein I have erred, I ſhall doe ſo no more.
Teach me.] The Original word notes in ſtrict ſence, to caſt a thing forth, to throw a thing, as a dart or a ſtone is thrown, either downward or upward, or in a direct motion forward. Hence by a Metaphor, it ſignifies raine, becauſe raine is (as it were) darted forth from the clouds, and caſt down upon the earth▪ And from hence (yet one remove further) the Metaphor is carried, to ſignifie teaching; Hence the holy Prophet is commanded to drop his word, Ezek. 20. 46. 21. 2. Sonne of man, ſet thy face toward the ſouth, and drop thy word towards the ſouth. Sonne of man, ſet thy face toward Jeruſalem, and droop thy word toward the holy places: And the reaſon is this, becauſe Doctrines, Truths and wholeſome Inſtructions, are inſtilled and caſt down among the people, or dropt into their ſpirits, as rain is caſt or dropp'd from heaven upon the earth. And ſo we may read the word… out of the metaphor thus, rain down upon me, doe ye, O, my friends, like clouds full of water, diſſolve, and ſhowre down inſtructions upon me, and ſee if I doe not receive and drink them in. And from this word, all doctrine and inſtruction, in the Hebrew, is called, Torah, Prov. 13. 1. and Pſal. 1. 1. And the Jewes, by way of eminency, call the five books of Moſes (as alſo all the books of the old Teſtament) the Torah, that is, the Law, or rule of holy doctrine, which God rained down from Heaven, and diſtilled graciouſly upon his people, for their growth in knowledge and in holineſs: And ſo a Teacher, from the ſame root, is called Moreh; Job. 36. 22 Who teacheth like Him? who raineth like him? there is no man can diſtill truths, as God doth. Moſes (Deut. 32. 2.) elegantly ſets forth his preaching, by an allegory of rain and dew. My doctrine ſhall drop as the rain,; my ſpeech ſhall diſtil as the dew, as the ſmall rain upon the tender herb, and as the ſhowres upon the graſſe. And the Apoſtle Paul, Heb. 6, 7, 8. compares a taught people, to ground that is well watered with rain; For the earth which drinketh in the rain, that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth fruit, is bleſſed; but that which beareth thorns and briers, is rejected, and is nigh unto curſing, whoſe end is to be burned. A people well inſtructed, are like that ground which is under continual ſhowers and dews.
And doctrine is fitly compared to rain, and teaching to raining; Firſt becauſe all true & holy doctrine comes from God, as the rain doth. The rain is Gods proper gift, (Jer. 14. 22.) Can any of the vanities of the Gentiles give rain? All the men in the world, are not able to make one drop of rain; So we may ſay of this figurative rain of truth and holy doctrine, Can any of the vanities of the Gentiles? yea, can any of the moſt learned among the ſons of men, give this rain? Can any man make any one truth, which hath not firſt been made above? Truth like rain comes from Heaven, it drops from beyond the clouds. Art not thou He? O Lord our God? therefore we will wait upon Thee, ſay they of the natural rain, Jer. 14. 22. and ſo we muſt in regard of the ſpiritual. Hence the word which Moſes uſes (Deut. 32. 2) for Accipere eſt diſcipuli ficut dare praeceptoris. foreigndoctrine, dropping as the rain, ſignifies a received learning: Holy Truths are ſo called in that language, becauſe the doctrine of Religion, is received from God, not deviſed by men. So the Apoſtle phraſes it (1 Cor. 11. 23.) I received of the Lord, that which I delivered unto you. And Chriſt himſelf, As my Father hath taught me, ſo I ſpeak theſe things, John. 8. 28. That which Nicodemus ſaid of Chriſt, is true of every one that teacheth truth, Joh. 3. 2. Thou art a Teacher come from God. As truth it ſelf, ſo the teachers of it are from God; as a lye, and the tellers of it, are from the Devil, John. 1. 44.
Secondly, Like rain (as in regard of the original whence it comes, ſo) in regard of the effect: rain refreſheth the earth; when the earth is weary and faint, when the earth gaſpes and is parched, how doth a ſhowre of rain revive it? When the Pſalmiſt had ſpoken of the rain coming down upon the earth, he preſently adds this effect, The little hills rejoyce on every ſide, they ſhout for joy, they alſo ſing. Thus alſo a people wearied, and languiſhing, and fainting in ignorance, when they receive truths, and holy inſtructions, how do their hearts rejoyce, how do they laugh and ſing? In the Parable, Mat 13. Some are ſaid to receive the word with joy; Even they who are but formaliſts and hypocrites (for it is ſpoken of them) rejoyce and are refreſhed for a ſeaſon with the word. Truth is ſuch a gracious ſhowre, that they ſometimes receive it with joy, who have no grace. And if truth refreſh men, who are but nature, or move in ſpiritual workes, but, upon natural principles, how will it refreſh thoſe, who have grace, and ſpiritual principles ſutable to it. Thou, O God (ſaith David, Pſal. 68. 9 10.) didſt ſend a plentiful rain, whereby thou didſt refreſh thine inheritance when it was weary. That is a truth in the letter, and ſome underſtand it of natural rain; but others interpret that plentiful rain, in a figure, for the rain of doctrine which God ſent down upon his people, when he gave the Law and dropt thoſe heavenly Oracles from Mount Sinai upon his people Iſrael: that ſhowre of the Law came indeed in a ſtorm, Thunder and lightning, and a terrible tempeſt accompanied it. But though the thunder terrified, yet the ſhowre refreſhed; and the Saints have ever delighted in the matter of thoſe inſtructions and holy counſels given there, though Moſes a chief amongſt the Saints, ſeared and quaked exceedingly at the manner of giving them.
Thirdly, as rain, ſo teaching makes fruitful. The Prophet Iſaiah makes out this part of the ſimilitude expreſſly, Chap. 55. 10, 11. As the rain cometh down, and the ſnow from heaven, and returns not thither, but waters the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give ſeed to the ſower, and bread to the eater: So ſhall my word be that goeth out of my mouth, &c. Hence alſo the people of God are compared (Deut. 32. 2.) to graſſe and tender herbs, which grow and flouriſh, which are fed and bring forth fruit, when watered with the rain. It cannot be denied, though it be much to be lamented, that many ſouls upon whom much of this rain falls, are altogether barren and unfruitful. But, Oh! How barren are thoſe ſouls, upon whom not a droop of this rain ever fell! They that are deprived of theſe ſhowres are under a grievous curſe, even ſuch a curſe, as David imprecates upon the mountains of Gilboa, 2 Sam. 1. 21. Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain upon you, &c. When God ſaith unto a people, let there be no dew, no raine upon you, no Moſes to drop doctrine upon you, no Paul to plant, no Appollo's to water you with the word, this is the ſaddeſt ſhowre of curſes that can fall upon a people; as without rain, ſo without the word, ordinarily, there can be no fruitfulneſſe. You ſee at this time how upon a little with-holding of the natural raine, we preſently fear barrenneſſe, and famine; the want of ſpiritual rain brings in a This was preacht in a time of drought.worſe barrenneſſe, though there are not many who fear it, or are ſenſible of it.
Fourthly, the word taught is like rain in regard of the diſpenſing of it. The rain comes not down alike, at all times; ſhowres are very various; ſometimes it raines ſoftly, then, we call it a ſtill ſoaking rain; ſometimes we have a ſtrong mighty rain; at another time rain is accompanied with thunder and lightning, while the ſhowres deſcend, the great Ordnance of heaven diſcharge from the clouds, and fill the air with terrour. Thus alſo it is, or ſhould be in teaching: Many ſoules require a ſtill, ſoft, quiet rain: Others muſt have ſtronger ſhowres, mighty raine, you muſt powre down upon them. A third ſort muſt have thunder joyned with rain, they need a Boanerges, a ſonne of thunder, a mixture of terrour with inſtruction to bore their eares, and break their hearts. Thoſe teachers miſtake their work, who in ſtead of raining are alwayes thundering and lightning. As if their pulpit were ſet upon Mount Sinai. And I believe, it is as great a miſtake to think Teachers need never thunder. The word of God in all parts of it, and in all manner of diſpenſations of it, is exceeding uſeful. A Miniſter without teaching, is (as Iude ſpeakes) a cloud without water; And he ſhall doe but little good upon ſome, if he have nothing but water in his cloud. Fire ſometime muſt mingle with the rain, and a Tempeſt come after or before the dewing, diſtilling, ſtill voice. The word of God is compared to fire, as well as unto water. Only it muſt be the wiſdome, and it is the duty, of every Teacher, to know how to give every one his portion, or as the Apoſtle Jude counſels, ver. 22, 23. Of ſome to have compaſſion, making a difference, and others to ſave with fear, pulling them out of the fire: A difference muſt be made, ſome are to be dealt with compaſſionately, and gently rained upon; others, muſt be ſaved with fear, that is, they muſt be made afraid with thunder and lightning, with ſtormy and tempeſtuous doctrine. Some ſpirits will not be kept out of the fire, but by caſting them into the fire; ſo much that text in Jude imports. Others ſave with fear, pulling them out of the fire, As if he had ſaid, your terrifying them with the fire, will be as a pulling them out of the fire, A ſhowre of ſpiritual brimſtone (ſuch as God rained on Sodom in the letter) is beſt for them, if you ſpare them, you deſtroy them.
Teach me, and I will be ſilent, or, I will hold my tongue. The foreign Fedit terram, per metaphoram fodit cogitatione, ſiluit.word properly taken, ſignifies to digge or to plow: And ſometime improperly to meditate or think, and it implies much thoughtfulneſs, becauſe a muſing, meditating, thoughtfull man is ever digging into matters, he reſts not in the out-ſide and face of things, but puts in his plow deep, turning them up to the very bottom. From whence, by one ſtep further into the Metaphor, it is tranſlated to ſignifie ſilence, or to hold our peace, becauſe they who have many thoughts, have feweſt words; Muſing men are no great talkers; when the mind is much at worke, and very buſie, the tongue uſually doth little: Job promiſes ſilence, as if he meant to ſit down and conſider fully, what they ſhould further ſay unto him.
This promiſed ſilence or holding of his tongne, may have a threefold reference.
Firſt, in general to the duty of a learner, Teach yee me, and I will keep ſilence, I will learn.
Or ſecondly, to his former complaints, Teach me, and I will be ſilent: That is, I will give over complaining, I confeſs I have made a bitter complaint in the 3d Chapter, but if you will teach me better, I will complain no more.
Thirdly, it may have reference to that, which they ſhould ſpeak to him in their next advices. Teach me aright, and I will hold my tongue, that is, I will reply no more, I will not gain-ſay your counſels, but rather (if I have offended) acknowledge my errour and ſit down in ſilence, I will not wrangle, when I cannot anſwer, I can doe nothing againſt the truth, but for the truth. From hence we may obſerve; firſt,
That a gracious ſpirit is a teachable ſpirit. A gracious heart cals for teaching. Teach me, and I will hold my tongue. As a gracious heart cals for ſtrengthning from Chriſt, ſo it cals for teaching from Chriſt, and from any, who can teach the truth, as it is in Chriſt▪ A weak ſoul ſaith, Lord draw me, and I will runne after thee; an ignorant ſoul ſaith, Lord inſtruct me, that I may underſtand thee. Give me the wiſdome of the prudent, that I may underſtand my way, and I ſhall walk therein. A godly man loves not to be at his own diſpoſing, nor at his own Tutoring; He that will learn of none, but himſelf, hath (ſure enough) a fool to his Maſter; And there is more hope of a fool, then of him, that is (thus) wiſe in his own conceit, Pro 26. 12. Secondly, Obſerve.
A teachable ſpirit is an excellent ſpirit. A man that is willing to be taught, is in a better condition then many, who are able to teach. It argues a holier temper of the heart, to be willing to be taught, than to be able to teach. And it is far worſe to be unwilling to learn, then not to be knowing; Ʋnteachableneſſe is more dangerous then ignorance. It is ſad to conſider how unteachable many are, they will not be taught, or they think they have learned all, they have devoured all knowledge; they are full and need no more; ſome deceived ſouls (and they moſt) carry it, as if they had a ſpirit of infallibility, what, teach them? they are above teaching. It is a ſweet frame of ſpirit, when a man ſees he may be out of frame. He is in a fair way to truth, who acknowledges he may be in an errour. And he who will not acknowledge that he may be in an error, is certainly out of the way of truth. The Apoſtle reſolves it, 1 Cor. 8. 2. If any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing, yet, as he ought to know. Not as if the Apoſtles meaning were, that all knowledge muſt be ſceptical or uncertain, all in quaeries, and nothing in concluſions, that we ſhould halt between two opinions, and hang like meteors in the air. Nor doth he commend to us that proud modeſty, which will not let us acknowledge, we know what we know; but his mind is, to meet with thoſe, who think they know any thing ſo well, that they need not, or cannot know it better, and abound ſo in their own ſence, that they have no room to admit the ſence of others. As he, who thinks himſelfe ſo good, that he cannot be better, was never ſo good, as he ſhould; ſo, he that thinks he knows ſo much, that he can learn no more, knowes nothing as he ought. It is beſt to be fixed in judgement, but it is very ill to be fixed in opinion. It is to be feared that man is much divorced from right reaſon, who is ſo married to his own, that he reſolves, nothing but death ſhall part him and his opinion. What if this man have eſpouſed a fancy of his own, not any truth of God? To be ſo fixed, that a man may be fixed in evil, it is as dangerous, as, to be ſo unfixed, that he may be unfixed in good. It was a high breathing of holineſs, when David ſaid, Pſal. 57. 7. My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: While we are upon a known duty, or have known truth on our ſide, our hearts cannot be too much fixed & ſet upon them. To be of an unfixed, moveable, wavering ſpirit in goodneſſe, is within one degree of falling into evil; but to ſay, I am fixed, I am fixed, I am reſolved, reſolved, when yet things are doubful and under difficult diſpute, is actually to be in an errour, though poſſibly, the thing we fix on, be a truth. The Apoſtle cautions his Epheſians, and us in them, Chap. 4. 14. That they and we, be not henceforth children toſſed too and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, and yet they are under a rebuke, who will not be moved by any wind of doctrine; that is, let never ſo powerful and forcible a wind of truth, breath and blow upon them, they will not be carried or moved in judgement by it. Obſerve thirdly,
Silence becometh learners. Yet not all ſilence. There is a ſpeaking helpful to learning. To move doubts is the way to be reſolved and to ask the queſtion, the readieſt means for inſtruction. But he that will have all the talk, ſhall have but little profit. The ear is the Organ of diſcipline: Hearing is the ſence of learning, and the ſeaſonable ſtopping of our own mouths, a ready means to open our underſtandings. To be, ſwift to hear, and flow to ſpeak (James. 1. 19.) is the ſpeedieſt way to attain wiſdom. Fourthly obſerve,
He that is ſhewed his errour, ſhould ſpeak no more, but ſit down convinced. Teach me (ſaith Job) and I will hold my tongue; That is, I will reply no more upon you, I will never ſtand up in maintaining an errour; I wil be no pattern of evil, though my ſelf am in the fault. Errour ſhall not be excuſed; or a miſtake apologized for, by me. Some wits are able to make a fair cover for, and put a gloſſe upon the moſt deformed and groſſeſt errours. There was never any opinion in the world, but ſome have ſeconded it, and undertaken it's protection. When conſcience hath never a word to ſay, wit will be very talkative, and when they have ended reaſoning, ſome can wrangle everlaſtingly. When wit and learning undertake a cauſe, and leave conſcience out of the Commiſſion, there muſt either be a very ill end of it, or no end. A ſubtil Sophiſter will deſpute any thing, and bring probable arguments (where reaſon alone ſits judge) againſt the moſt undoubted truths. It is an ill office to be an Oratour for our own or others errous, for our own or others ſinful practiſes, Prov. 30. 32. If thou haſt done evil in lifting up thy ſelfe, or if thou hast thought evil (or maintained evil) lay thine hand upon thy mouth; ſpeake no more, never be an advocate in a bad cauſe, though it be thine own; when our faults are ſhewed us, we ſhould not open our mouths, unleſſe it be to renounce and diſclaim them. A ſad account will be given of that time, and of thoſe parts, which have been laid out in the patronage of our failings and miſtakes. It is as ſinful to few figg-leaves, or make fair pretexts to cover the nakedneſſe of our opinions, as of our practiſes.
And cauſe me to understand, wherein I have erred.
As if Job had ſaid, when once you bring me to ſee clearly, that I am in an errour, and caſt light into my conſcience, you ſhall find me readily ſubmitting to you.
A queſtion ariſes here in the general, whether Job doubted his Conceſſio eſt quam Quintilianus dicit eſſe, cum aliquid iniquum videmur cauſae fiducia pati. Apud eum dicitur, confeſſio nihil nocitura. Quin. lib. 3, cap. 2. Non ſubmittit ſe erraſſe, ſed humiliter ſe ſubmittit amicorum cenſure. Bold. foreign In Hiphil intelligentem ſecit, erudii….cauſe, or whether or no, there were an heſitancy in his ſpirit, about what he had done or ſpoken?
I anſwer, this ſpeech implies not, that he had any doubt of himſelf, or an admiſſion that he had erred. Job ſpeaks like Oratours or Diſputants, who when they are ſure of a point, will yet grant a little doubtfulneſs, or raiſe doubts about what they are able to maintain and confident to carry. It is ordinary to put things by way of ſuppoſition, of which we make no queſtion. When Job ſaith, Cauſe me to underſtand, wherein I have erred; it is not an acknowledgement that he had a erred; but a ſubmiſſion in caſe he had, or a conceſſion that he might; Job was not lifted up with an opinion of his own infallibility; he knew to erre was common to man, and therefore he ſpeaks of himſelf under the common notion of all men: Not from any conſciouſneſſe of his own errour.
Cauſe me to underſtand.
It is but one word in the Original, and it ſignifies to convince by reaſon or argument. Cauſe me to underſtand, that is, doe not think to force my opinion, or to offer violence to my judgement, doe not think to club me down with great words and clomorous threats, but doe it by ſolid Arguments, by evident demonſtration of reaſon; Doe it by ſavourie advices and counſel, not by bitter reproaches and invectives. Deal with my underſtanding, not barely with my affections, Cauſe me to underſtand.
My errour] It ſignifies local, corporal wandrings and errours, and bodily erring or wandring; and ſometimes it ſignifies the wandrings of the mind, judgement and affections, Prov. 5. 19, 20. Solomon bids the husband, Rejoyce in the wife of his youth, let her be as a loving Hind and pleaſant Roe, let her breaſts ſatisfie thee at all times, and be thou raviſhed alwayes with her love. The Hebrew (as our Tranſlatours put in the margin) is, erre thou alwaies in her love; that is, let all thy wandring, erring thoughts and affections be reduced and brought home to the wife, whom God hath given thee, the next words ſeeme to interpret ſo, for why (my ſonne) wilt thou be raviſhed with a ſtrange woman, and imbrace the boſome of a ſtranger? That's dangerous erring in love: Therefore (ſaith he) let all thine errings and wandrings, all thy delights and raviſhments be (chaſt and conjugal) towards the wife of thy youth.
Further it ſignifies erring or wandring out of meer ignorance. This word is often uſed in Leviticus for the ſin of ignorance, Chap. 4. 2. and Chap. 5. 18. and Chap. 22. 14. If any man hath ſinned through ignorance or committed an errour, then he ſhall offer theſe and theſe ſacrifices and oblations. So Pſal. 19. 12. who can underſtand his errours; That is, thoſe ſinnes, which he commits out of ignorance and inadvertency? Hence he concludes with this prayer, Cleanſe thou me from ſecret faults. He doth not mean faults, which he committed privately, and ſo were ſecrets to others, but faults which he had committed ignorantly, and ſo were Secrets to himſelfe: That is, they were ſinnes of ignorance. And I conceive he means, not only ſuch ſins, as he had committed ignorantly, but then knew they were ſins, but even ſuch ſins, as he was ignorant, whether ever he had committed them or no; That is, he prayes for the pardon of all thoſe ſins, which poſſible he might have committed, though to him, as yet altogether unknown and undiſcovered.
The title of the 7th Pſalm. is Shiggaion of David; it is the ſame Original word we have in the text, and ſome tranſlate it, awandring ſong; And the reaſon for it, is either becauſe of the Cantio erratica.variable and wandring poetry, or becauſe of the variable or wandring tune in which that Pſalm was ſung, and to which it was ſet for greater delight; others makes the title (ſutable to the tranſlation of the word here) the Pſalm of Davids errours, becauſe, ſets forth his fears and dangers, which made him wonder in body, and ſometime alſo, to go a little aſtray in mind; this Pſalm was ſung to the Lord, concerning the words or the buſineſs of Cuſh the Benjamite, that is, of Saul, who was of Kiſh and of Jemini (1 Sam. 9. 1.) called here Cuſh, that is, Ethiopian or Blackmore (figuratively) from his black and ill conditions, his heart not being changed, as the Blackmore changeth not his skin. Saul was a bitter enemy to David, and made him flie and wander, and ſometime go aſtray in his ſpeeches and actions, upon a ſudden guſt of temptation. And ſo a Pſalm of that ſubject may well bear this ſtile, either from his corporal or ſpiritual errours. There is a third apprehenſion upon Siggaion, taking it for delight and raviſhments of mind, and ſo the Pſalm is ſuperſcribed, Davids delight or ſolace; That is, the Pſalm which he compoſed and ſung to the Lord, to comfort himſelf in all his troubles with Saul; his ſoul wandred heaven-ward in holy raviſhments and delights in God, while his body wandred about the earth in aſtoniſhment and ſorrows, cauſed by a bloody-minded man.
The very ſame title is given to the prayer of Habakkuk, chap. 3. 1. A prayer of Habakkuk upon Sigionoth, which ſome interpret to be ſo called becauſe of the ſtrange variety or variableneſs of the ſong and tune, the Prophet being in a holy rapture, raviſhed in ſpirit, and ſwallowed up in the contemplation of Gods power and majeſty ſoars up and wanders (like Paul in another caſe) he knowes not whither or how.
But the vulgar renders it, a prayer for ignorance, or a prayer for Oratio pro ignorantijs.errour; which tranſlation is ſurely an errour, if not an ignorance, as to the ſcope of that prayer: Though the letter of the Original word (as in the former inſtances, and in the text before us) bears that ſence.
When Job ſaith, Cauſe me to understand my errour, his meaning is, that his errours (whatſoever they were) in that buſineſs were ſecret to him, he had not gone againſt the light of his own conſcience, nor as yet, had they brought any light to convince his conſcience; he had been charged with errours, extravagancies and wandrings; But he underſtood not what they were, and therefore deſires them to cauſe him to underſtand his errour. Obſerve hence, firſt,
Man is ſubject to errour. To errour in ſpeech, to errour in practiſe, to errour in judgement. Man by nature, can do nothing elſe but erre, all his goings are goings astray, and all his knowledge is bottomed upon a heap of falſe principles. All his works (by nature) are errata's, and the whole edition of his life, a continued miſtake. Secondly obſerve;
That man is in a fair way to truth, who acknowledgeth he may erre. Cauſe me to understand wherein I have erred, ſaith Job; He thought he had not erred, but he grants it was poſſible for him to erre. That which hath faſtened ſo many errous to the Popes chaire, and from thence ſcattered them over all the world, is an opinion, that he, in his chair cannot erre; his ſuppoſed ſpirit of infallibility, hath made him the great Deceiver, and deceived him. He that thinks he cannot erre, errs in thinking ſo, and ſeldome thinks, or ſpeaks, or doth any thing, but it is an errour. He is moſt ſecured from errour, who ſuſpects he hath erred, and humbly acknowledges that he may.
Thirdly, We may here obſerve what an errour is. An errour strictly and properly taken, is that which we hold or doe, out of bare ignorance of the Truth. It is an errour in practice, when we are ignorant of what is better to be done. An errour in opinion is, when we are ignorant of what is better for us to believe or hold; Hereſie is an errour and more, for hereſie hath theſe three things in it.
1. In regard of the matter, it muſt be in ſome great and fundamental truths; The word Hereſie, is by ſome derived from chooſing, by others, from taking away, becauſe it takes us off from Chriſt, or from the foundations of ſaving knowledge.
2. Hereſie is accompanied with pertinacy and obſtinacy, after clear light offered; It is poſſible, one may have an errour about things which are fundamental, and yet be no heretick: An heretick is condemned of himſelf, Tit. 3. 10. But he will not be convinced by another. Not that he doth formally and in terms give ſentence againſt, or condemn himſelf, but equivalently he doth, as the Apoſtle, Acts. 13. 46. ſpeakes to the unbeleeving Jews, ſeeing ye put the word from you, and judge your ſelves unworthy of everlasting life, &c. Theſe men did not judge themſelves ſuch formally, they came not to the Apoſtle and ſaid, we willingly ſubmit our ſelves to hell and wrath; No, they thought very well of themſelves, and judged themſelves worthy of eternal life. But their practice judged them, and gave a real ſentance againſt them, while they acquitted themſelves: Thus alſo a heretick (who ever hath a very high opinion of himſelf and his opinions) is condemned of himſelf.
3. In hereſie there, is taken of pleaſure and delight, therefore hereſie is numbred among the luſts of the fleſh, adultery and fornication, &c. Gal. 5 20. Hereticks deſire to diſperſe and vend their opinions. A man onelyonly in an errour, will weep over his opinions, and it grieves him that he diſſents and goes contrary unto others. But he that ſtiffely maintains an errour, inſults over others, and delights to maintain his oppoſition: he triumphs and boaſts of his war, though he can never obtain victory (Truth onelyonly is victorious.) And ſome learned Criticks obſerve as much, from the form of the Haereticus eſt cui voluptas eſt falſas tueri opiniones; ea enim eſt nominum Graecorum in foreign definentium proprietas ut ad qualitatem deſignandam non adhibeantur modo, ſed etiam ad innuendam delectationem quam in ea capit, cui illa qualitas in eſt, Camer. Myroth, Evang. in cap. 3. Epiſt ad Titum.Greek word, Tit. 3. 11. So then, hereſie is not only an errour in judgment, but a pertinacy in the will, and it takes in delight at the affections.
Fourthly obſerve from theſe words, Cauſe me underſtand wherein I have erred! That
An erring brother or friend, muſt not be importuned barely to leave his errour, but he muſt be made to underſtand his errour. Errour ſhould not be left, nor truth received blind-fold; a man may ſin in leaving an errour: they do (without queſtion) who lay it down thinking it to be a truth; and there is little queſtion, but they do, who leave it before they underſtand it to be an errour. It is much alike to reject an opinion as an errour, which we doe not underſtand, and to practice an opinion for a truth, which we doe not understand; If a man practice or beleeve a truth, not convinced that it is, or not conceiving it to be a truth, that truth is but as an errour, to him; becauſe he doth not beleeve or practice it under the notion of a truth: and ſo, if he leave an errour, which he is not convinced to be an errour, his leaving it is not much better (and in ſome caſes it may be worſe) then his holding it; becauſe he leaves it not under the notion of an errour. We muſt not dance after other mens pipes, or ſee with other mens eyes: Except we know it is good we do, and evil which we leave und on, our not doing evil, is not good to us, and our doing good is (to us) no better then evil.
Verſe 25. How forcible are right words? but what doth your arguing reprove?
Job ſpeakes by way of admiration; How forcible! I cannot In Haebreo Admirativum eſt elegans & patheticum, Bold.tell how forcible. It is an elegant way of expreſſing the highneſs of our thoughts. As Pſal. 84. 1. How aimable are thy dwelling places O Lord of hosts! He admires in ſtead of ſpeaking, they are ſo aimable, as I cannot tell how aimable they are: Put your thoughts to their utmoſt conceptions of beauty, and that beauty is in the dwellings of the Lord: So ſaith Job here, How forcible are right words! they are ſo forcible, as I cannot tell how forcible they are, I muſt admire and be ſilent.
How forcible are right words! The Chaldee Paraphraſe reads it, how ſweet are right words! interpreting it by that, Pſal. 119. 103. Oh how ſweet are thy Commandements unto me! they are ſweeter than the honey and the honey comb. But the Originals differ, though that be a good ſenſe.
We read, How forcible! The word ſignifies any thing that is foreign Acrimoniae notionem habet.ſtrong, potent or mighty; It notes alſo acrimony, ſharpneſſe or ſmartneſſe, and ſo it is often applyed to words either good or bad, 1 King. 2. 8. when David lay upon his death▪bead, giving his laſt advices to Solomon, Thou (ſaith he) haſt Shimei with thee, who curſed me with a grievous curſe. In the Hebrew it is this word, who curſed me with a ſharp, ſtrong, forcible curſe, he curſed me with all his heart, with all his might, he laid load upon me. Evil words are strong, right words are strongeſt: Job had before at the 6th verſe of this Chapter, called the diſcourſes of Eliphaz unſavoury, in this he taxes them for flat or weak, right words have a pleaſing acrimony upon the palate of the ſoul, and a power upon the judgement, to ſway and carry it; but yours are dull and feeble.
Some render it after the letter of the Hebrew, words of right or foreign Eloquia rectitudinis, Mont. foreign, Sept, foreign, Aquil.truth: Others in the Concret, how forcible are the words of a right, or upright man! But take it as we tranſlate, How forcible are right words! Words are right three wayes.
1. In the matter, when they are true.
2. In the manner, when they are plain direct and perſpicuous.
3. In their uſe, when they are duely and properly applied, when the arrow is carried home to the white, then they are right words, or words of righteouſneſſe. When this three-fold rightneſſe meets in words, how forcible, how ſtrong are ſuch words?
But what doth your arguing reprove? I confeſs there is great ſtrength in right words, and in the words of the upright; but you have been long diſputing the matter with me, and what have you got? where are your gains? The word ſignifies to rebuke with conviction and argument, to ſhew what is right, and to refute that which is contrary Job. 13. 3. the word is ſo uſed, Surely I would ſpeak to foreign Arguit, redarguit, praeparavit verba contra aliquem diſputando & oſtendendo jus.the Almighty and I deſire to reaſon with God, to reaſon it out as it were by force of Argument with God. The word is anſwerable in ſence, to that in the Greek uſed by the Apoſtle, Heb. 11. 1. Faith is a conviction or the evidence of things not ſeen, that is, an evident conviction; faith gives a ſtronger evidence then any reaſon, yea then ſence; therefore though faith be of things that fall not under ſence, and are above reaſon, yet faith is an evidence or a conviction, fuller then any Logical conviction or demonſtration. The Argument from ſuch authority as faith grounds upon, is ſtronger and more convincing then any, or then all the reaſon in the world.
What doth your arguing reprove? Word for ward, what doth Quid diſceptando conficiet diſceptatio veſtra, q. d. quod vos re…guitis redarguendi verbo non eſt donandum.your diſputation diſpute? Or what doe your arguments argue? as if he had ſaid, your arguing is no arguing, your reaſons are no reaſons; that which you have been arguing all this while with me, doth not ſo much as deſerve the name of an argument (in my caſe) it hath no power or ſtrength in it: Job laies a charge upon his friends by this oppoſition; Right words are forcible, but your arguments are not right, or, you are not right who argue, therefore what force, what power is there in what you have ſpoken? I can blow it all off as eaſily as a man can blow off a feather. Mr. Broughtton varies ſomewhat from this ſence. And what can your blame ſoundly blame: that is, you ſhall finde nothing blame: worthy or reprovable in me. Obſerve hence, firſt,
Words rightly ſpoken, are very forcible; Take it in the general. What mighty things have words, words duly ſpoken done? Abigail a weak woman, by a few right words overcame the ſtrength and wrath of mighty David, and turned his whole army back; David with all his men, were in the heat of reſolution, and upon a hot march to deſtroy Nabal, yet ſhe ſtops them; And that woman ſpeaking to Johab, (when Sheba fled to the City) with a few right words, prevailed to ſave the City, and ſtay the fury of war.
Take the point more ſtrictly; The words of truth, are full of power, full of ſtrength. Naked truth is too hard for armed errour. Truth hath the strength of God in it, therefore that must needs prevail. The Apoſtle profeſſes, 2 Cor. 1. 3. We can doe nothing againſt the truth; He means it in regard of the bent of his ſpirit, his heart could not move againſt truth; but we may uſe it in another ſence, We can doe nothing againſt the truth, that is, let us put out the uttermoſt of our power, we can never prevail againſt the truth. Look upon truth in the promiſes, that will conquer all: Look upon truth in the threatnings, that's forcible to overcome all. Jer. 1. 10. God gives the Prophet a commiſſion, I have ſet thee over the Nations, and over the Kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to deſtroy, and to throw down, to build and to plant: Here is a ſtrange commiſſion for a Prophet; How could Jeremiah plant or root up, build or pull down Nations? He never drew ſword, yet he performed this commiſſion fully, by his word: he pulled them down, and rooted them up by the word of threatning, and he planted them and built them with the word of promiſe, Zech. 1. 10. Your fathers are dead, they are gone, but my words (ſaith the Lord) which I ſpake by my ſervants the Prophets, did not they take hold of your fathers? Your fathers are dead, and the Prophets are dead, but my words live ſtill, and did not they hold of your fathers? you eſteemed my words as wind, but they were a ſtrong wind, they blew down the power of your fathers. The Apoſtle gives this honour to all the word of God (which is all right) that it is mighty, or forcible, through God, to bring down ſtrong holds, and to bring every thought into ſubjection unto Chriſt. And Heb. 4. 12. The word of God is mighty in operation. The energie of it is ſuch, that nothing can ſtand before it, no luſt can ſtand before it, no errour can ſtand before it, it bears down all with fine force.
Therefore take heed of ſtanding in the way of right words. Truth comes with ſuch a force, that no man is able to beare up againſt it. It is better to have all the men of the world againſt us, Than to have one word of God againſt us. One word of truth will doe more againſt us, than all the Armies in the world, no force can ſtand againſt this force, the force of the word will deſtroy the force of the ſword. Truth will be the great Conquerour at laſt.
Thirdly, Take it in the Concrete, in reference to the ſpeaker, How forcible is the word of an upright man! Then Obſerve.
The words of one, that is upright hearted, carry great ſtrength and power with them. Truth loſes by the patronage and defence which ſome give it. Truth gets little by the tongues of thoſe men, who have no grace in their hearts. Truth in the mouth of a wicked man, is weakened by the falſeneſs of his heart, and filthineſs of his life. Sometimes precious truths are ſpoken by vileſt men, but what force have they? they are not received or owned. Chriſt could not abide to hear the Devil ſpeak truth. A godly man ſpeakes with Authority, as it is ſaid of Chriſt, He ſpake as one having authority, and not as the Scribes; the Scribes taught that which was truth, ſometimes, and the Scribes had alwayes authority to teach, the chair of Moſes was theirs, they were not intruders upon an office they had no call to. When Chriſt ſaith, the Scribes and Phariſes ſit in Moſes chair (Matt. 23. 2.) He ſpeakes not onelyonly (de facto) of what they did, but (de jure) of what they had right to doe; They were not uſurpers, or actors beyond their line. But though the Scribes had the right of authority to teach, yet their teaching had no force of authority, it was but talke. And it appears plainly, that the words of that hypocritical generation, the Scribes and Phariſees bare no weight with the people, becauſe Chriſt gives them a charge, to obſerve and doe what the Scribes and Phariſees bid them: As intimating that the doctrine of thoſe Scribes (though true) was low-priz'd and lay much unpractis'd, Mat. 23. 3. We muſt not ſhorten the hand of God, as if he might not uſe thoſe who have no truth, to publiſh a truth; He may imploy what inſtruments he pleaſes, and he can make thoſe that are evil, inſtruments of good. But look upon it ordinarily, thus it is, the word of truth hath moſt power, ſtrength and force from the lips of thoſe, who are upright in heart, and holy in life. How forcible are their words? The words of the wiſe, are like goads, or like nailes, faſtened by the Maſters of the Aſſembly, Eccl. 11. But the words of wicked maſters in the aſſembly, are like nailes without points, they will not drive, or take hold, there is no faſtning of them; Or the words of wicked men are like weak nailes, which break in the driving: What doe you arguing, reproving, teaching, you that carry your ſelves thus, what force have your words? Truth loſes both ſtrength and credit in your mouthes: Thou that teacheſt another, teacheſt thou not thy ſelfe? thou that preacheſt a man ſhould not ſteal, doeſt thou ſteal? thou that ſayeſt a man ſhould not commit adultery, doest thou commit adultery, &c? are the Apoſtles chiding expoſtulations with the Jewiſh Doctors, Rom. 2. And upon this he charges them with diſhonoring God, and cauſing his name to be blaſphemed among the Gentiles, verſ. 23, 24. But what was the blaſphemy? Surely this, The Gentiles grew to have a low eſteeme of the word of God, his Law was of no force with them, becauſe thoſe teachers were ſo falſe to it, and unſpoke with their lives, whatſoever their tongues had ſpoken. That which hath no force upon the ſpeakers heart, hath ſeldome any upon the hearers. What doe your teachings teach, or your comfortings comfort? what doe your arguings argue, or your reprovings reproove? Shall vice reprove ſin? as we ſpeake proverbially: or if it doth, ſin is not much hurt with thoſe reprofs. Words ſpoken from the heart, goe to the heart, and words read in the life, are moſt forcible to reforme the life; Then the word goes forth cloathed with liſt and power when the preacher can reade his Sermon in his own heart, and the people in his life. He that ſpeakes onelyonly out of books, does much after his rate, who (as we ſay) ſpeakes without book, And he that lives not what he ſpeakes (what in him lies) kills what he ſpeakes. And how ſhall ſuch a dead letter (tis almoſt a miracle if it doth) conveigh a quickning ſpirit? Such arguings, ſeldome reprove any but the arguer, and him they alwayes reprove.