Exposition of Job 32-24, Commentary on Job · Chapter 33
JOB. Chap. 33. Verſ. 31, 32, 33.
Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me, hold thy peace, and I will ſpeak.
If thou haſt any thing to ſay, anſwer me: ſpeak, for I deſire to juſtifie thee.
If not, hearken unto me; hold thy peace, and I ſhall teach thee wiſdome.
THeſe three verſes containe the Epilogue or concluſion of Elihu's firſt addreſſe to Job. In which we may conſider theſe three things.
Firſt, He perſwadeth him to a due attention and ſilent conſideration, both of what he had ſayd, or ſhould ſay further. (v. 31.) Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me, &c.
Secondly, He gives him liberty, and faire leave to reply, if he ſhould pleaſe to what he hath already ſpoken (v. 32.) If thou haſt any thing to ſay anſwer me, ſpeake. To which conceſſion or invitation he adds a very friendly and an ingenuous reaſon in the cloſe of the verſe; For I deſire to juſtifie thee.
Thirdly, He profeſſeth his owne readineſs to proceed and ſpeak further with him, or to carry on this diſcourſe, in caſe Job had nothing to reply. (v. 33d) If not, hearken unto me, hold thy peace, and I ſhall teach thee wiſdome.
Verſ. 31. Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me.
In this verſe Elihu calls for a two-fold attention; Firſt, to thoſe things he had already ſpoken. Secondly, to thoſe things which he was yet to ſpeake. What he had already ſpoken, he deſireth him to conſider and make reply if he pleaſed, as is cleare (v. 32.) and as to what he had yet further to ſay, he deſireth his attention and ſubmiſſion, as it followeth (v. 33.) If not hearken unto me, hold thy peace.
Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me.
foreign magnam mentis attentionem donotat, quae ſit cum geſtu, puta aurium arrectione. Cornel: a Lap: in Pro: 2.3.Here are two words of attention, marke, and hearken, and both very ſignificant ones. The word rendred mark, ſignifieth to attend, with utmoſt diligence; it it ſometimes rendred by hearkning (Iſa: 32.3.) The eyes of them that ſee ſhall not be dim: and the eares of them that heare ſhall hearken; that is, they who heretofore, through the juſt judgement of God for their willfull ſhutting their eyes and eares, inſeeing did ſee but not perceive, and in hearing did heare but not underſtand (Iſa: 6.10.29.10. compared with Math: 13.14.) ſhall at laſt ſee clearely and attend diligently to the will of God delivered to them; yea it ſeemes to note ſome ſpeciall geſture, as the lifting up of the eare to heare. For as there is a lifting up of the voyce in the zealous ſpeaker, ſo of the eare in the diligent hearer. To marke is to heare and obſerve, to heare and lay to heart the things which are ſpoken, Mark well, O Job, and hearken.
That's a word of a large extent,foreign auſcultavit, exaudivit, dicto obediens fuit, paruit. to hearken is more then to heare; it takes in not only, firſt the worke of the eare, but ſecondly, the worke of the minde; 'tis hearing, firſt, with underſtanding; ſecondly, with beleeving; yea thirdly, it takes in the worke of the whole man in obeying, or ſubmitting to what is ſpoken. Thus God ſayd to Adam (Gen: 3.17.) Becauſe thou haſt hearkned unto the voyce of thy wife, that is, becauſe thou haſt obeyed her voyce, and done the thing ſhe perſwaded thee to; After hearkning comes doing. Laſtly, it includes alſo a worke of the affections; hearkning is with delighting, that which we hearken to we are pleaſed with; 'tis (like good muſick) ſweet unto us; in this compaſſe and extent we may expound theſe words, Mark well, O Job, and hearken unto me. And theſe words, eſpecially the former of the two, rendred marke, are often uſed in Scripture, when the people of God deſire and begge that he would take notice of and attend unto their prayer. Thus David more then once (Pſ: 5.2.) Hearken unto the voyce of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray (Pſal: 66.19.) but verily God hath heard me, he hath attended to the voyce of my prayer (Pſal: 130.2.) Lord heare my voyce, let thine ears be attentive to the voyce of my ſupplication. Now, as when we deſire that God would heare our prayer, we deſire that he would be very attentive to our prayer, and not only ſo, but doe what we pray for, and that our prayers may be welcome, acceptable, and delightfull to him; ſo when we are ſayd to marke and hearken to what is ſpoken to us, all the powers of our inward man, the underſtanding, will and affections are at worke in hearing.
Hence note.
He that will profit by hearing muſt be an attentive hearer.
He muſt mark and hearken, a fruitfull hearer doth more then heare, he markes; not only is his eare at worke, but his minde, his heart, his whole ſoule is, as it were, transformed into an eare, or is active at his eare. There are many, and it were well there were more hearers of the word, but there are few markers of the word, many come to Sermons, yet but few hearken unto Sermons; every hearer is not a marker, not a hearkner to what he heareth, and not being ſo, he can ſcarcely be called a hearer; for they only that are markers ſhall attaine that mark of which the Apoſtle ſpeaks (Phil: 3.14.) I preſſe toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus. What is our mark in hearing? is it not ſalvation by Chriſt, and glory with him? Now unleſſe we are markers, we never preſſe towards, much leſſe attaine that mark, the price of the high calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus. Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me, hold thy peace, and I will ſpeake.
foreign fodit, fundum aravit. Metaphoricè, cogitavi…, fodit cogitatione, intentus vel attentus fuit rei alicujus cō ficiendae, ſicut orator praeparat terram ante ſeminatorem.'Tis but one word in the Hebrew which we tranſlate, hold thy peace, and it ſignifieth properly to dig or plow the ground, and by a metaphor to thinke of, or to meditate, becauſe thoughts goe deep in the ſoule, a man doth, as it were, plow up his own ſpirit, while he is meditating or thinking ſeriouſly (Pro: 3.29.) Deviſe not evill, or (it is this word) plow not up evill; that's a bad ſoyle indeed, to be plowing up. They that plow evill, ſhall ſow the wind, and (except they repent) reape the whirlewind. The prophet exhorting Ephraim to break up their fallow ground and ſow in righteouſneſs, that they might reap mercy (Hoſ: 10.12.) reproves them (v. 13.) for a very unprofitable piece of husbandry, by this word, Ye have plowed wickedneſs, ye have reaped iniquity, ye have eaten the fruit of lyes, that is, ye have plotted, deviſed, and contrived wicked things, and ye have fared accordingly. Now as the word ſignifieth to meditate, by a metaphor, from digging or plowing; ſo by the figure antiphraſis or contrary ſpeaking, it ſignifies to forbeare doing or ſpeaking, to ſit ſtill, or as we render it here, to hold our peace, and ſay nothing. (Iſa: 41.1.) Keepe ſilence before me; O Iſlands. (Pſal: 50.3.) Our God ſhall come, and ſhall not keep ſilence; that is, he will ſpeak aloud. Elihu beſpeakes Job in the affirmative, hold thy peace, be ſilent.
Some conceive Job began to interrupt Elihu, Vidatur Jobin ſe avertiſſe, vel diſplicētiae ſignum dediſſe, illum igitur ad ſo audiendum invitat. Scult:or gave ſome token of diſlike, while he was diſcourſing; as if he had received his ſpeech with diſguſt, and not only inwardly ſtomacked at it. But did not forbeare to diſcover it by ſome ſignificant geſture or frowne, and that Elihu perceiving this, deſired him to hold his peace; As if he had ſayd, If you deſire to reape any benefit by what I ſpeak, be patient, and doe not interrupt me. But I conceive there was no ſuch height nor heate of ſpirit in Job at that time; He began now to be ſedate and quiet enough, being ſomewhat convinced of his former error and intemperance of ſpeech.
But ſome may ſay; was it not an over-bold part in Elihu a young man to impoſe ſilence upon Job, or to bid him hold his peace?
I anſwer; Elihu doth not bid Job hold his peace, either, firſt, as if he had ſeene him unwilling to let him ſpeake, or would not heare him any more; Job was a very patient hearer; he heard his friends patiently, and he had heard Elihu too with ſilence and patience, yea though Elihu offered him leave, yea almoſt provoked him to ſpeake (v. 5.) yet he did not but gave him ſcope to ſpeake out. Nor did Elihu ſpeake this, ſecondly, as if he ſlighted Job, or thought him a man unable to anſwer him, or ſpeake to purpoſe, for preſently in the next verſe he deſireth him againe to ſpeake. Nor thirdly, as if he had ſuch high thoughts of his owne wiſdome, and loved ſo much to heare himſelfe ſpeake (as ſome men doe) that he cared not to heare others, but would engroſſe all the diſcourſe. Nor was it, fourthly, becauſe he ſaw ſuch an affectation in Job to ſpeake, that he needed (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks of ſome, Tit: 1.11.) to have his mouth ſtopt. It was not upon any of theſe or ſuch like reaſons, that Elihu deſired Job to hold his peace; but it was either firſt, that himſelfe might ſpeak more clearely, and carry his matter through to his underſtanding; or ſecondly, that he might ſet the matter more home upon his conſcience, and move him to conſider yet more ſeriouſly what he had ſayd, of the various wayes of Gods dealing with man to humble his ſoule, and bring him neerer to himſelfe; or laſtly, that Job might perceive and take notice, that he was the man aymed at in all the foregoing parable. As if he had ſayd, Sir downe quietly, and conſider with thy ſelfe, whether all this diſcourſe hath tended, or whether or no thou art not the man intended in it. As Chriſt when he had ſpoken that parable of the ſower concluded (Math: 13.9.) He that hath an eare to heare, let him heare; that is, let him take it home to himſelfe; or as Chriſt concludeth his Epiſtles to the ſeven Churches in the ſecond and third Chapters of the Revelation, with, He that hath an eare, let him heare what the Spirit ſaith to the Churches; ſo doth Elihu to Job in ſpeciall, Mark-well, O Job, and hearken unto me, hold thy peace.
This ſilence was made of old in great aſſemblyes (Majeſtate manus) by putting the hand to the mouth, and then ſtretching it forth. Acts 12.17. Acts 13.16. Chap. 19.23. Chap. 26.1.
If any would know yet more diſtinctly what Elihu meant when he bid Job hold his peace? I anſwer,
Firſt, Negatively, not a bare ſilence, or ſaying nothing, but affirmatively, when he ſayth, hold thy peace; it might note theſe two things.
Firſt, That he would have him much in the worke of conſideration, or to forbeare ſpeaking, that he might be more in meditating, and weighing, and laying things to heart; he would have him bring what he had ſpoken to the ballance of the Sanctuary, and then to his owne heart. A man is never more buſie then when he thus holds his peace.
Secondly, When he ſaith, hold thy peace, it might note that he deſired his ſubmiſſion to the counſel given, or to be given him; He would have him bridle his tongue, in token that his ſpirit was brideled. He would have Jobs ſilence ſay, ſpeake on, I will ſay nothing, let the truth of God reigne and rule over me by thy word. What Samuel anſwered to the Lord himſelfe (1 Sam: 3.10.) Speak Lord, for thy ſervant heareth; that ſhould we anſwer to thoſe who ſpeak to us from the Lord; ſpeak ye, we will heare and hold our peace: or we ſhould ſay with good Cornelius, when Peter came to him (Acts 10.33.) We are all here preſent before God, to heare all things that are commanded thee of God. When a man holds his peace (upon theſe termes) 'tis a ſigne he layeth downe his owne wiſdome, and his will, he doth not ſtand upon his pantofloes (as we ſay) nor abound in his owne ſence, but is ready to be delivered or caſt into the mould of any holy and wholeſome doctrine which ſhall be delivered unto him. They are in the fitteſt frame to hold the truth which others ſpeake, who can withhold themſelves from ſpeaking.
Further, There is a two-fold holding of the peace. Firſt, at the works of God, or at what God doth (Lev: 10.3.) when God had ſmitten the two ſons of Aaron dead with fire fr…m heaven, Aaron held his peace; that is, he did not murmure at, nor contradict what God had done. That alſo was Davids temper (Pſal: 39.9.) I was dumbe, I opened not my mouth, becauſe thou Lord didſt it. The Prophet Jeremy deſcribes an humbled ſoule in the ſame poſture (Lam: 3.28.) He ſitteth alone and keepeth ſilence, becauſe he hath borne it upon him. When God layeth his yoke or croſſe upon us, 'tis our duty to be ſilent and ſubmit (Zach: 2.13.) Be ſilent, O all fleſh, before the Lord: for he is raiſed up out of his holy habitation, that is, the Lord begins to worke, therefore let all men, or men of all ſorts and degrees be quiet and ſay nothing either diſcontentedly or complainingly. In all theſe Scriptures, holding our peace is called for and commanded or ſhewed at the workes of God.
Secondly, There is a holding of our peace at the word of God, or at what God ſpeaketh. Thus 'tis when not only the tongue but the heart is ſilent, and every thought is brought into ſubjection or captivity to the obedience of Chriſt. The heart of man often ſpeakes much, and is very clamorous, when he ſaith nothing with his tongue. That's to hold our peace indeed, when the heart is quiet, let God ſay or doe what he will. 'Tis not more our duty to reſiſt the Devill, that is, all his helliſh whiſperings and temptations to the doing of evill, then 'tis to ſubmit to God in all his ſpeakings and diſpenſations. Elihu ſpeaking in the name of the Lord, faithfully adviſeth Job in this ſence, to hold his peace.
Hence learne.
We ought to ſubmit and keep ſilence when the truth of God is ſpoken. Or, when the minde of God is brought unto us, there muſt be no replying but obeying, no diſputing but ſubmitting.
They have learned much, who know how and when to ſay nothing. Solomon ſaith (Eccl: 3.6.) There is a time to keep ſilence, and a time to ſpeake; but this kind of ſilence is in ſeaſon at all times, we ought alwayes to be ſilent thus, that is, alwayes ſubmit to the minde of God. We need to be minded of this, becauſe the pride and over-weening of man is great. We have need to put a bridle upon our tongues, much more upon our hearts; it is hard to bring our wills and our underſtandings under; we are apt to ſtrive and ſtruggle when truth comes neere us; yea to kick at it, when it comes very nee… and home to us, though indeed the neerer it comes the better, nor can it ever come too neere. The Apoſtle James apprehended this when he gave that admonition (Chap: 1.21.) Receive with meekneſſe, the ingraffed word, which is able to ſave your ſoules: Meekneſſe is that grace which moderates anger; a paſſionate or fierce ſpirit, receiveth not the word, but riſeth up againſt it, turnes not to it but upon it; and, which is worſt of all, turnes it to evill, not to good, turnes light into darkneſſe; and ſo the word of life becomes a ſavour of death for want of a due ſubmiſſion to it. Therefore hearken, and hold your peace when the word of God is ſpoken. Do not ſay it is but the word of man, becauſe delivered by man; God ſpeaks in and by his faithfull Meſſengers; ye oppoſe the authority of the living God, not a mortall dying creature, when you reject the word. And remember, it is not only our duty but our liberty to give up our ſelves priſoners to the truths of God; we are never ſo free as when bound by it or to it. And as we ſhould hold our peace at or ſubmit to all the truths of God in all caſes, ſo eſpecially in theſe three.
Firſt, When we are reproved for our ſins in practice; then we ſhould not ſtand excuſing what we have done, but repent of it.
Secondly, When we are ſhewed our errour in opinion; then we ſhould not ſtand diſputing, and arguing for what we hold, but recant it. 'Tis time to hold our peace, when once it appeares to us, that we doe not hold the truth. To erre is common to man, but to perſevere in an errour, to the defence and patronage of it, is more then inhumane, deviliſh.
Thirdly, We ſhould hold our peace when our duty is plaine before us; then we ſhould not ſtand queſtioning it, but doe it. Whatſoever thy hand findeth to doe (ſaith Solomon, Eccl: 9.10. that is, whatſoever appeares to be a duty) doe it with all thy might. Hold thy tongue, but doe not withhold thy hand when once thy hand hath found what muſt be done. Elihu at this time was dealing with Job upon all theſe three poynts; He told him his ſin, that he had been too querious and impatient, he ſhewed him his error, that he had been too bold with God, becauſe inn… cent towards men; And he preſſed him to duty, both that, and how he ought to humble himſelfe before the Lord. The Apoſtle treating about that great poynt of juſtification, tells us God will at laſt cauſe all men to hold their peace. (Rom: 3.19.) Now we know that what things ſoever the law ſaith, it ſaith to them who are under the law, that every month may be ſtopped, and all the world may become guilty before God; that is, man will have nothing to ſay, but ſit downe ſilent, and hold his peace, or only ſay, I am nothing, I have deſerved nothing but death and condemnation, when he once underſtands the holineſs and ſtrictneſs of the law, together with the unholineſs and looſeneſs of his owne heart and life.
Hence note.
It ſpeakes yea proclaimes a gracious prudence, to know how and when to hold our peace and ſay nothing.
When men inſiſt upon their owne conceit and reaſon, when they logick it unduely with God or men, and will needs ſeeme to know more then the word teacheth them, what doe they but give evidence againſt themſelves, that as yet they know nothing as the word teacheth, or as they ought to know, and themſelves leaſt of all? 'Tis pride and preſumption, not prudence and underſtanding which opens ſuch mens mouths. We never profit by what we heare, till (in the ſence opened) we have learned to hold our peace. The counſel which Elihu gave Job, was to hold his peace; yet he layd no conſtraint upon him to refraine neceſſary ſpeaking, but put him upon it in the next verſe.
Verſ. 32. If thou haſt any thing to ſay, anſwer me; ſpeake for I deſire to justifie thee.
Leſt Elihu ſhould be interpreted to have taken too much upon him, or to have denied Job his liberty of ſpeaking, when he ſayd, hold thy peace; he here calls him to ſpeake; This is a full proofe, that his intent was not to barre him from ſpeaking, but only that he ſhould forbeare unneceſſary ſpeaking. As if he had ſayd, Now that I have gone thus farre, if I have ſpoken any thing that thou at unſatisfied in, and doſt deſire I ſhould explaine my ſelfe about; ſpeake thy minde freely; for though I have more to ſay, yet I will not hinder thee from ſaying what thou canſt fairely ſay for thy ſelfe, neither will I ever-burthen thy memory, with too much at once, therefore come now and anſwer if thou wilt or canſt to what is already ſpoken.
The Hebrew is, If thou haſt words anſwer me, that is, if thou haſt arguments to defend thy ſelfe with, or to oppoſe me; if thou haſt ſuch words ready, as have the weight of reaſon or authority in them to maintaine thy cauſe, bring them forth, I am not afraid of what thou canſt object; neither am I unwilling to heare thy defence.
Some expound Elihu ſpeaking Ironically, at leaſt Rhetorically, If thou haſt any thing to ſay anſwer me, ſpeake and ſpare not. As if he had ſayd, Poſſibly thou canſt ſet all right, and ſhew me where I am wrong. Poſſibly thou thinkeſt I have ſpoken amiſſe, when I ſayd, In this thou art not righteous, goe to then, ſhew me my miſtake, or wherein I have miſapprehended thee, make it good if thou art able againſt my aſſertion, that thou art juſt and righteous, even in that wherein I have endeavoured to detect thy unrighteouſneſs. Poſſibly thou mayſt bring me to be of thy opinion, and then ſurely I ſhall juſtifie thee, Artificioſa prohibitio per conceſſionem. Simile eſt illud poetae. I, ſequere Italiam ventis, pete regna per undas. Virgil: Aeniad. 4to.and retract my cenſure of thee. Rhetoricians call this an Artificiall prohibition, by a conceſſion; or the admitting of another to doe that, which they know, he cannot doe when he hath done his utmoſt, or (as we ſay) hath left no ſtone unturn'd to doe it. But I conceive, Elihu ſpake plainly to Job, and did not like a ſubtle Orator, put him upon impoſſibles, but like a ſincere friend, ſoberly and ſeriouſly invited him to doe and ſay as much as was poſſible in his owne defence. If thou haſt any thing to ſay, anſwer me.
Hence note.
Wiſe men though they have more to ſpeake, and purpoſe to ſpeake more, yet are willing that others ſhould ſpeake too.
Though they can ſpeake ſtill, yet they are ready to ſit ſtill and heare. The most prudent ſpeakers, are alſo patient hearers. Elihu when he began to ſpeake (Chap: 32.18, 19.) compared himſelfe to a full bottle, he was even burdened with his owne conceptions. I am full of matter (ſayd he there) the ſpirit within me conſtraineth me; Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent, it is ready to burſt like new bottles. And though he had not halfe emptied himſelfe, yet he could ſtop his veſſel and containe himſelfe. Anſwer me, I will heare. Though Elihu was warme in his worke, labouring tooth and nayle to convince and humble Job, and ſhew him wherein he had exceeded and offended, though he was teaching him to give glory to God, and to ahhorre himſelfe (as at laſt he did) repenting in duſt and aſhes, yet he was unwilling to determine till he had heard him ſpeake, if he had any thing to ſpeake, and a minde to ſpeake it.
Hence note.
'Tis but equall to give him leave to ſpeake for himſelfe, with whom we are unſatisfied.
How elſe can we either get ſatisfaction, or give an account why we remaine unſatisfied? We muſt not condemne any man in haſt, nor judge him till we have heard him. Neceſſary ſtops are no delayes. They may procure not only a better but a ſpeedier iſſue of our buſineſs, eſpecially in matters of controverſie. Politicians have a rule, Take time and you may doe any thing. To make haſt ſlowly is the ſureſt way of making haſt. Many a journeying man had rid more miles in a day, if he had not rid too faſt. They who will doe all at once, or in a breath, often looſe their breath, but ſeldome doe any thing, that's worth the doing. And as haſtineſs hinders us in doing, ſo it altogether unfits us for cenſuring. Time brings forth truth; a ſentence deferred, may afterwards be given, but when it is once given, it cannot be recalled; therefore it is good before we cenſure, to heare every man out; If this moderation and wel-tempered ingenuity were exerciſed in all our controverſies with others, it would be a great helpe to the ending of controverſies. And we ſhould either ſee no reaſon to condemne many, or condemne them with more reaſon, had we patience to heare them. But when firſt, we will not heare an anſwer, or when ſecondly, we ſuppreſſe our oppoſites with power and violence, whom we cannot anſwer or convince by argument; or thirdly, when we interpret what they ſay in anſwer to the worſt ſence; or fourthly, when we are glad to finde any weakneſs or inſufficiency in their anſwers, and are ſo haſty to condemne, that we will not give them leave to recollect their thoughts, or thinke better on't to mend their anſwers, and explaine their meaning, either by ſpeech or writing; it is impoſſible breaches ſhould be healed, & differences reconciled, or that ever we ſhould come to a cleare & full underſtanding of one another. This offer made by Elihu to Job is a good patterne, and ſhewes us how to deale with brethren in all ſuch caſes: and that which followeth ſheweth the beſt and nobleſt ground of ſuch amicable condiſcentions, even a willingneſs not only to agree with but to embrace thoſe from whom we differ. That's the generall ſence of what Elihu aſſureth Job, and would have him confident of in the next words.
For I deſire to juſtifie thee.
As if he had ſayd; I have not ſpoken all or any of theſe things to thee, becauſe I would conquer thee, nor doe I now provoke or invite thee to ſpeake, becauſe I have a mind to lye at catch, or entangle thee in thy anſwers, for I tell thee, my heart and my ayme in this overture, is, I (heartily) deſire to juſtifie thee.
foreignThe word whereby Elihu expreſſeth this deſire, ſignifieth more then a bare deſire.
It notes, firſt, an earneſt deſire, or ſtrength of deſire.
Secondly, A pleaſing deſire, or delightfull deſire.
The higheſt act of deſire is delight; delight is the intention and ſtrength of affection,Non mihi volupi eſt, ut tu im cauſam injuſtā eſtendam, velim enim eſſe juſtam nec eſſe in te quod reprehendi poſſit. Merc: foreign eſt non modo pietatis ſed et veritatis laudem tribuere; ſignificat ſe magis propendere ad defendendum quam increpandum. Coc: or deſire at reſt. As if Elihu had ſayd, I have not ſpoken out of ill will to thee, or deſire of victory over thee, nor would any thing be more welcome newes to my ſoule, then to ſee juſt cauſe of juſtifying thee; it doth not pleaſe me at all to prove that thou art not juſt, it would extreamly pleaſe me, even raviſh my heart with joy if thou couldſt prove thy ſelfe or thy cauſe ſo juſt and faultleſſe, that nothing could be blamed or reproved in either. I deſire to juſtifie thee.
That is, not only to judge thee a godly man, or a man fearing God (which I already doe) but to judge that thou haſt in all things both done and ſpoken well, which as yet I doe not, nor can, unleſſe thou ſheweſt me better reaſon for it then hitherto thou haſt done. To juſtifie another is foure wayes applyed in Scripture; as was ſhewed more largely at the ſecond verſe of the former Chapter.
Firſt and chiefly 'tis applyed or attributed to God himſelfe (Rom: 8.33.) It is God that juſtifieth. God puts man into a ſtate of juſtification, he juſtifieth his perſon ſo fully, that none can (of right) lay any thing to his charge, much leſſe condemne him upon any charge layd againſt him.
Secondly, Man juſtifieth God (Luke 7.29, 30.) And all the people that heard him, and the Publicans juſtified God, being baptized with the baptiſme of John. God himſelfe who is the Judge of all men, is condemned by many men; and when things are at worſt, he alwayes hath ſome to juſtifie him. Man juſtifieth God when he honoureth God, taking his part, and owning both his power and his righteouſneſſe in whatſoever he doth. It is impoſſible God ſhould be unjuſt, and God is pleaſed to ſay, we juſtifie him, when we maintaine his wayes as juſt and righteous.
Thirdly, Man juſtifieth himſelfe, when he is either lifted up proudly in the thoughts of what he is or hath done well (Luke 18.11.) or when he upon good grounds can maintaine that to be well done which he hath done.
Fourthly, Man juſtifieth man, when he either conſents to, or approves of what he hath done or ſpoken, whether it be good or bad; he that approves of a man juſtifies him, though the man be unjuſt. (Prov. 17.15.) He that juſtifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the juſt, even they both are an abomination unto the Lord. Let a man be never ſo wicked, and doe never ſo wickedly, ſome through ignorance of his wickedneſſe, and others through love to and liking of his wickedneſſe, (being ſuch themſelves) will approve of him, and give him their good word. But (as Chriſt ſpeaks, Math. 11.19.) Wiſdome is juſtified of her children; that is, the true lovers and followers of wiſdome, having a right knowledge and eſtimation of her worth, will ſtand by her, and ſpeake for her, when ſlighted by the blind and unknowing world. And as this is true of declarative wiſdome, ſo eſpecially of Chriſt, who is eſſentiall wiſdome. His children highly prize and juſtifie him, while the world condemns and contemns him. In this fourth ſence Elihu is to be underſtood here, I deſire to juſtifie thee; that is, to give teſtimony unto thee, or ſubſcribe thy certificate, that thou art worthy of commendation. Though Elihu was a man of a very warme and keene ſpirit, full of fire, and mettle, yet he diſcovered a very honeſt bent, and a well governed intention towards Job, in ſaying, I deſire to juſtifie thee; for 'tis as if he had ſaid; It would not pleaſe me at all to ſee cauſe of further cenſure, but it would pleaſe me fully to ſee cauſe of approving and acquitting thee. Therefore doe but ſtate thy caſe and make out the merits of it, and I ſhall yield ſo ſoon as I ſee cauſe. So then, Elihu did not carry himſelf in this buſineſs, firſt, as a party, or as one that had taken a ſide, and was reſolved to hold it (as ſome doe) right or wrong, becauſe he had appeared in it. Nor Secondly, was he hurryed by paſſion, or intemperance of ſpirit. Nor Thirdly, was he hood-winkt by prejudice, or fore-ſtalled by his opinion againſt the perſon. Nor Fourthly, was he engaged by love to contention or hopes of victory. Nor Fifthly, was he purpoſed to ſuppreſſe ſmother or keepe downe the truth. Nor Sixthly, had he any deſire to aſperſe Job, and make him appear black. Nor Seventhly, had he a mind to grieve the man, or burthen him with accuſations; but declared a cleare candor and much melting compaſſion towards his afflicted Antagoniſt, hungring and thirſting, yea even longing for a juſt occaſion to juſtifie him.
Verbum juſtificare ſumitur pro juſtitiam exercere, juſtè ac recte procedere. q. d. ſtatui apud me juxta aequitatis leges tecum agere. Bold:Some, I grant, expound this word juſtifie, as uſed here by Elihu in a very bare and barren ſence, as if it implyed only thus much, I will doe thee right, or I have no mind to doe thee wrong; but ſurely the word is much more fruitfull, and beares the ſignification of a great willingneſs in Elihu to render Job as faire as poſſibly he could, or as his cauſe would beare to all the world; he waited to underſtand ſo much of him and by him, as might enable him to ſay, he had neither ſpoken nor done any thing amiſſe.
Hence note, Firſt.
A good man is glad to ſee any mans cauſe or caſe prove good, or better then he thought it.
The Apoſtle giving ſeverall Characters of Goſpell love or charity, ſaith (1 Cor. 13.6.) It rejoyceth not in iniquity, but rejoyceth in the truth. As charity rejoyceth not in the doing of iniquity, ſo neither doth it, when others are found to have done iniquity. But it rejoyceth much, when any who are either ſuſpected or charged with iniquity, are upon due tryall found cleare and acquitted. Paul wiſhed that all who heard him had been not only almoſt but altogether ſuch as he, except his bonds, (Acts 26.29.) It is a great argument that a man is good and juſt, when he heartily wiſheth that he who hath given occaſion to others to think ill of him, may at laſt appeare better then they thought him.
Secondly note.
A good man ſeekes not victory but truth, and the good of thoſe he deals with.
When he contends earneſtly with others, he deſires as earneſtly that truth may gaine by that contention. Where a ſpirit of ſtrife & uncharitableneſs poſſeſſeth the minds of many men, they love to be vexing & trampling upon thoſe they deale with, rather then helping and enforming them. This evill ſpirit is the familiar of this age; That which the Apoſtle ſpake (Phil. 1.15.) of not a few who had the name of Goſpel Miniſters (ſome preach Chriſt even of envy and ſtrife, and ſome alſo of good will; the one preach Chriſt of contention, not ſincerely) the ſame may be ſaid of many diſputers and polemicall writers; they doe it enviouſly, they doe it out of love to ſtrife and contention, not out of love either to truth or to thoſe with whom they contend and ſtrive; this is a bad ſpirit, a ſpirit far unlike that which ruled in Elihu, who wiſhed that the ſharpeſt reprehenſions he gave Job, might end in his juſtification. There ſhould be ſuch a ſpirit in man contending with man, as there is in God contending with man; who doth not thunder againſt ſinners, becauſe he would have them periſh, or delighteth in their deſtruction; but doth it, firſt, to awaken them; ſecondly, to humble them; thirdly, to convert them; fourthly, to juſtifie them; and laſtly, to ſave them for ever. I write not theſe things (ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 4.14.) to ſhame you, but as my beloved ſons I warne you. As if he had ſaid, I intend not to aſperſe you, or throw dirt upon you, but only adviſe you to wipe off the dirt that is caſt upon you, or to keep your ſelves out of the dirt. I would either be a means to cleanſe you, or provoke you to preſerve your ſelves cleane.
Note Thirdly.
It is our duty to juſtifie thoſe whom we oppoſe, when they can clear themſelves.
As Elihu ſpake very ingeniouſly, ſo not at all beyond his duty; we ſhould be glad when they whom we have ſuſpected or charged appeare faire, or better then we ſuſpected; he that doth ſo muſt be juſtified: as we muſt not hold the truth of God, ſo we muſt not hold the credit of our neighbour in unrighteouſneſs. We ſhould have three ends in dealing and debating with others. Firſt, to convince them of their errours and ſins. Secondly, to recover them out of ſin and errour. Thirdly, to acquit them in what they appeare and can approve themſelves not to have ſinned or erred. Elihu aimed at and attained the firſt and ſecond in his debate with Job; and it would have been a greater contentment to him, if (there being no need of thoſe two) he had ſeene cauſe only to have done the third. Speak (ſaid he) for I deſire to juſtifie thee.
Verſ. 33. If not, hearken unto me, hold thy peace, and I ſhall teach thee wiſdome.
Elihu having deſired Job to ſpeake, and he either refuſing or having nothing to ſay, he re-aſſumed and re-inforced his former counſell.
Hearken unto me, hold thy peace.
Theſe words were opened, (v. 31.) therefore I need not ſtay upon them here; If not, hearken &c. and indeed what ſhould they doe but hear and ſubmit, who have nothing to anſwer or reply? eſpecially when ſo gainfull an overture is made them for their encouragement to hear, as Elihu made Job in the next words, which are alſo the laſt of this diſcourſe.
And I ſhall teach thee wiſdome.
Elihu may ſeeme to take much upon him, and ſhew himſelf very confident, when he thus undertook and promiſed to teach Job wiſdome; yet doubtleſs the ground of his confidence was not in himſelfe, but in Gods aſſiſtance; and in Jobs humble ſilence. As if he had ſaid, I ſee thou wilt not ſpeake, but heare, hear then, and I ſhall teach thee wiſdome; for God (I hope) will be with us in this matter, and both open my mouth to ſpeak, and thine eares to hear that which is wiſdome indeed; having given thee a heart to receive inſtruction, he will inſtruct thee to profit, and make thee wiſe to know t…y duty and doe it, by my miniſtry, though a weake and unworthy inſtrument in his hand.
I ſhall teach thee wiſdome. foreign In Kal diſ…ere in Piel docere hinc Aleph Paedagogus, antecaſſor dux, doctor, qui aliis ſolet praeire ſicut Aleph prima litera reliquas antecedit.The word which we render to teach in another conjugation ſignifieth to learne; and the Nowne ſignifieth a leader, or governour. As that firſt letter Aleph in the Hebrew Alphabet is the leading letter to all that follow, ſo a Teacher ſhould be a leader, he ſhould goe before thoſe that heare him, by good example as well as by wholſome doctrine. Be thou an example of the Beleevers, ſaith the Apoſtle Timothy (1 Epiſt. 4.12) who was ſet up in the Church of Epheſus a Teacher and an Inſtructer.
Further, when Elihu ſaith, I will teach thee wiſdome; his meaning is, I ſhall acquaint thee with that which may make thee wiſe, or I ſhall ſhew thee wherein true wiſdome doth conſiſt. And that conſiſts chiefly in theſe two things. Firſt, in the knowledge of our ſelves; Secondly, in the knowledge of God; As if Elihu had ſaid, I doubt not but I ſhall make thee know more fully what thou art, as alſo who God is. And it plainly appeares in the cloſe, that Job got a fuller light in both by what Elihu ſaid to him: He got a ſuller ſoul-ſight of the ſoveraignty and highneſſe of God, and a deeper humiliation in the ſight of his own ſinfullneſs and vileneſſe. He that hath learned and is in the power of theſe two leſſons, is queſtionleſs a wiſe man; and he that faithfully teacheth theſe two leſſons doth not at all over-rate his doctrine if he call it wiſdome, nor doth he put too high a title upon his paines and endeavours, if he ſaith to his Auditors or Schollars, I will teach or have taught you wiſdome.
Laſtly, When Elihu ſaid, I will teach thee wiſdome; we muſt not conceive that he looked upon Job as unwiſe or ignorant; Elihu knew well enough he had not to doe with a child or an ideot, but with a man of knowledge, with a man who was skilfull in the word of righteouſneſſe, whoſe ſenſes (as the Apoſtle expreſſeth it, Heb. 5.14.) were exerciſed to diſcern both good and evill. His meaning then, when he ſaid I will teach thee wiſdome, was only this, I will teach thee to be wiſer and more knowing in ſome neceſſary truths, then as yet thou art, or at leaſt, haſt appeared to be. Or we may give his ſence in the language of the Apoſtle, (2 Cor. 1.24.) I will teach thee wiſdome, not as having dominion over thy faith, but as a helper of thy joy.
Hence note, Firſt.
There are none ſo wiſe, none ſo holy, but they may learne more wiſdome, to be yet more holy.
'Tis out of queſtion, he was never good, who thinks he can be no better; nor doth he yet know any thing aright, who ſaith he needs know no more. It is very ſad (which is the caſe of many, 2 Tim. 3.7.) to be ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth: Yet they who (through grace) have been enabled to come to the knowledge of the truth muſt be ever learning; and the more any man doth know, the more he ſeeth his need, and the more willing he is, to be taught and know more. The feare of God that is wiſdome, ſaith Job, (Chap. 28.28.) and to depart from evill, is underſtanding; and God teſtified of Job that he feared him, and eſchewed evill, in the firſt verſe of this Booke; now if ſo wiſe, ſo good a man as Job might learne wiſdome, let none think themſelves too wiſe or too good to learne.
Secondly, Note.
True wiſdome conſiſts in the true knowledge of our ſelves, and of God.
This was the theame or ſubject upon which Elihu inſiſted, he was not teaching Job humane, philoſophicall, or naturall wiſdome, but heavenly and divine wiſdome; the greateſt meere naturall Philoſophers in the world▪ (which title ſounds them, lovers of wiſdome) were meere ſtrangers to that, which we call true wiſdom; and (as the Apoſtle chargeth them, Rom. 1.21, 22.) became vain in their imaginations, and their fooliſh heart was darkened, profeſſing themſelves to be wiſe, they became fools.
Thirdly, Note.
There is nothing worth the learning or knowing, but that which makes us truly wiſe.
For that only ſheweth us the way to be truly happy. 'Tis our wiſdome to work for a right end, and that work can never attaine its end but by the choyce of right means. Through deſire (ſaith Solomon, Prov. 18.1.) a man having ſeparated himſelf, ſeeketh and intermedleth with all wiſdome. The deſire of all things (ſay Naturaliſts) eſpecially of all men runs out to good. And the better any man is, the better is that good which he deſireth, yea if any man be truly good he deſireth that which is beſt; for the enjoyment of God wherein alone happineſſe doth conſiſt, is his ultimate and higheſt end. But what doth he to reach this end? Solomon poynts us to two things: Firſt, he ſeparateth himſelfe from all thoſe lets and impediments which ſtop up the way, or lye croſſe to his deſire. Secondly, He ſeeketh and intermedleth with all wiſdome, with all reall and ſubſtantiall wiſdome, (as the word there uſed ſignifieth) for he knoweth that nothing but ſuch wiſdome, acted in wiſe wayes, is proper and ſucceſſefull for the promoting of that noble end. Now if nothing but wiſdome can lead us to that end, what is there worth the learning or knowing except that which makes us wiſe?
Fourthly, From that frame of ſpirit which Elihu obſerved in Job,
Note.
They that are humble and meek are fitteſt to learne wiſdome.
God reſiſteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. (Jam. 4.6.) The humble ſoule hath received grace already, and that grace received is the way to all grace. (Pſal. 25.9.) The meek will he guide in judgment, the meek will he teach his way. The way of God is wiſdome, and they whom God teacheth ſhall undoubtedly learne it.
Laſtly.
To teach ſpirituall wiſdome, or to teach man how to be ſpiritually wiſe, is the best leſſon that can be taught.
They are bleſſed Maſters who make ſuch Schollars. The whole diſcourſe of Elihu is about ſpirituall wiſdome, not about the wiſdome of the world which God will deſtroy; not how to climbe the pinnacles of honour, and get high in the world, not how to gather riches, and to lade our ſelves with thick clay; it was not how to be great or rich, but it was how to be holy and humble, how to give glory to God, and be fitted for glory with God; theſe were the leſſons of wiſdome which Elihu taught Job, and theſe are leſſons chiefly to be taught and learned by every man, who undertakes to be a teacher, or deſires to be a learner. Thus Elihu hath concluded his firſt diſcourſe with a promiſe to teach Job wiſdome, and how well he performed and made good his promiſe, will appeare, to his praiſe, in opening the following Chapters.