Exposition of Job 32-24, Commentary on Job · Chapter 34
JOB. Chap. 34. Verſ. 36, 37.
My deſire is that Job may be tryed unto the end, becauſe of his anſwers for wicked men.
For he addeth rebellion unto his ſin, he clappeth his hands amongſt us, and multiplyeth his words againſt God.
IN theſe two verſes Elihu windes up his ſecond ſpeech to Job, and in them we have two things conſiderable; Firſt, his motion made in reference to Job at the beginning of the 36th verſe; My deſire is (or this is the thing that I move for) that Job may be tryed unto the end. Secondly, we have the reaſon of this motion, which ſome make three-fold, others foure-fold, taking the latter part of the 36th verſe for one of the foure; My deſire is that Job may be tryed to the end, why?
Firſt, Becauſe of his anſwers for wicked men.
Secondly, I deſire he may be tryed unto the end, why? for he addeth rebellion unto his ſin.
Thirdly, I deſire he may be tryed unto the end? why? he clappeth his hands amongſt us, and
Fourthly, I deſire he may be tryed to the end, why? he multiplyeth his words againſt God. Others take the latter words of the 36th verſe, only as the ſubject matter about which Elihu deſires Job may be tryed, that is, concerning his anſwers for wicked men. And ſo the 37th verſe containes three reaſons why he deſires he may be brought to that tryall.
Verſ. 36. My deſire is that Job may be tryed.
So we tranſlate, and we put in the margin, O my father, moſt or many tranſlaters put that into the text,foreign voluit cupiit, undo foreign pater, quaſi benevolus dictus. Pater mi probetur Job uſ que ad victoriam. Iun: O my father, Let Job be tryed unto the end. The firſt word of the text hath a two-fold ſignification; ſome taking it as an application to God by the name or title father. The reaſon of this difference is, becauſe the roote of that Hebrew word which ſignifies a father, ſignifies to deſire, to will or wiſh. Mr Broughton renders, O my father (and he adds, O my father which art in heaven) Let Job be tryed unto victory. As if Elihu (ſaith he) looking up to heaven, by O father, meant what followeth, O father which art in heaven. And he quotes Abraham Peritzol (a learned Rabbin) expounding the words ſo tranſlated, at larg.
Father is one of the ſweeteſt and moſt honourable compellations of God. (Iſa: 63.16.) the whole Church of the Jewes is brought in beſpeaking God in that Relation; Thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, &c. And God ſpeaking of himſelfe, ſaith (Mal: 1.6.) A ſon honoureth his father, if I be a father, where is my honour. Apud Gentiles pater commune nomen erat Deorum; undo Dieſpiter, Merſpiter, Jupiter.It was uſuall even among the heathens to adde the name father to their Idol gods, thereby to expreſſe their reverence, or veneration of them.
O my father.
They who embrace this tranſlation take ſpeciall notice of that pronoune My, O my father. He doth not ſay only or barely, O father, but O my father. Thoſe appropriating poſſeſſive pronouns, mine, thine, have a kinde of deliciouſneſſe in them, and breath aboundance of affection. Luther ſayd the ſweetneſſe of the Goſpel lyeth in pronounes; when a believer can ſay (with believing Thomas) My Lord, and my God. Thoſe things or perſons which we love moſt we call ours; we ſay of a ſingle ſpeciall friend, he is mine; and to ſay, ſuch a one is mine, is as much as to ſay, he is much beloved, much prized or eſteemed by me, he, as it were, lies next my heart; property rayſeth the price of all good things. We rejoyce in God moſt, when we can call him ours; and ſo doth God in us, when he takes us for his owne.foreign. Ex quo omnis paternitas. Vulg: Paternitatis nomen ex ſeme ipſo largitur omnibus; ſicut enim ſolus bonus dicitur quia bonitatem alijs communicat, &c. Hieron: in Epiſt: ad Epheſ: cap: 3. We have a meeting or union of ſeverall poſſeſſive pronouns in one verſe (Cant: 8.12.) My vineyard which is mine is before me: My, mine, before me; implying how much Jeſus Chriſt did appropriate the Church unto himſelfe, or how much he thought himſelfe concerned in the proſperity of the Church. And as the Title Father is ſweet and comfortable, ſo glorious and honourable; God is the father of all, and all fatherhood is derived from God. That of the Apoſtle (Eph: 3.15.) which we tranſlate, of whom the whole family, &c. Others render, the whole fatherhood, in heaven and earth is named. For as God only is good, and other things are good only by communication from him, ſo God only is a father, and all other fatherhood is by derivation and communication from him. O my father, let Job be tryed unto the end. We ſay, My deſire is.
The Hebrew text is as cleare for that; and whether we ſay, O my father, let Job be tryed, or, my deſire is that Job may be tryed to the end, the general ſenſe is the ſame. We render the word by deſire (Chap: 9.26.) where Job tells us, that his life or the life of man is like the ſwift ſhips; we put in the margin, ſhips of deſire (it is this word) that is, like thoſe ſhips which being moſt deſirable (as being laden with the richeſt and moſt precious commodities) make moſt haſt home to their harbour, or proper Port. Thus here, My deſire, or the thing that I ſtrongly wiſh is, &c. The Chaldee paraphraſe renders, My will is, or I will Volo ego ut probe…ur Job, &c. Targ:That Job may be tryed.
But had not Job been tryed already? was there any need to call him to a farther tryall? had he not been in the furnace a long time? why then doth Elihu ſo earneſtly importune that Job might be brought to tryall?
I anſwer; The word ſignifies a two-fold tryall; Firſt, a tryall by way of examination, or argumentation; we try a man when we examine him, and argue with him, when we ſcann and ſearch out what he hath ſpoken, or what he hath done. In this ſence the word is uſed (Chap: 12.11.) and at the 3d verſe of this Chapter, the care tryeth words; that is, the eare examineth the ſenſe and meaning of thoſe things which are ſpoken; and by the eare, he meanes not only the ſenſitive faculty taken abſtractly, but the ſenſitive faculty joyned with the intellectuall. A beaſt hath an eare and can heare, but a beaſt cannot try or examine that which is ſpoken and heard; only they that have rationall faculties joyned with the ſenſitive are able to try words, and matter delivered by them. I deſire Job may be tryed to the utmoſt, that the words and ſpeeches which have paſt from him, may be fully conſidered, or conſidered to the end, that it may, at laſt, appeare what he hath aſſerted and maintained.
Sunt qui intel-iligunt probari pro exagitari diſputatione, ſed praeſtat ut ad tentationem referatur per afflictiones. Merc:Secondly, It ſignifies a tryall by affliction (Zech: 13.9.) One third ſhall be brought through the fire and tryed. As mettall gold or ſilver is tryed and refined in the fire, ſo ſhall they in the fire of affliction. Jeſus Chriſt is called a tryed ſtone (Iſa: 28.16.) and he was ſo in both theſe accounts; he was examined and argued with to the end, and he was afflicted, and grieved to the end, he was a man of ſorrows, and acquainted with griefs all his dayes; Behold I lay in Zion a tryed ſtone, a ſure Corner ſtone; that which is tryed is ſure; we may truſt that which hath been tryed. We ſay, try me and truſt me; we may underſtand Elihu in both, or in either of theſe ſenſes. My deſire is that Job may be tryed, that what he hath ſayd may be further examined,Optatū ut tantiſper flagelletur Job donec deo vincenti cedat et reſponſis vanis renunciet. Jun: foreign verbum foreign ſignificat inſtare et urgere opus donec ad finem perductum fuerit. or that his affliction may be continued, till he be brought to a ſight of his errors and miſtakes. I would have him corrected till he ſubmits to God as a conqueror, and recanteth his raſh and inconſiderate anſwers. My deſire is that Job may be tryed Ʋnto the end.
He doth not ſay barely, tryed, but, tryed unto the end; that is, fully and throughly tryed, not by halves, overley and ſlightly; If he be indeed juſt and ſincere, the fire of this tryall, how long ſoever he continueth in it, will doe him no hurt, it will only purge and refine him from his remaining droſſe; but if he be unſound and nought, he will evaporate and fume away into vaine complaints and murmurings; Therefore let him be tryed to the end.
Some of the Latines tranſlate, I would have him tryed to death, which is the end or period of man in this world. The word ſignifies ſempeternity, as alſo victory, becauſe that which continueth ever, muſt needs be victorious (1 Sam: 15.29.Pleriſ que latini, ad mortem uſque reddunt quod in Originali habetur, uſ que in ſaeculum vel in ſempiternum. Vatablus longo Tempore; Gregorius, Ad huc. Philippus Jugiter.) The ſtrength of Iſrael will not lie; we put in the Margin, The eternity or victory of Iſrael (that is, the eternall God, who is victor over all) will not lie. Thus ſome render here, I deſire Job may be tryed unto victory, that is, that God would never give over trying him, till he hath overcome him and brought downe his ſpirit, for ſtill the man is too high, too ſtout, his ſpirit is ſtill too big, too unbroken; my deſire therefore is that God would try him to victory, till he hath brought him upon his knees, and made him eate his words, or till he give glory to God by humbling himſelfe and confeſſing his ſin; I would have him fully convinced by argument and throughly humbled by chaſtiſement, till he at laſt reſigneth up himſelfe to the will of God. The Italion gloſſe puts it in the forme of a prayer; Withdraw not thy viſ…tation from Job, untill thou haſt brought him to the duty of a child; Further, this word, unto the end, doth not imply a deſire of the everlaſtingneſs of his tryall, but of the profitableneſs of it. He would not have him alwayes kept upon the rack, or under the rod, but he would have him effectually dealt with, that the matter might iſſue wel with him.
From the words thus opened, note firſt.
Affliction is a tryall.
It makes us appeare what we are; moſt have but an appearance till they are tryed; and being tryed, what they are doth really appeare. Afflictions try our graces what they are; and afflictions try our corruptions what they are. Afflictions draw forth the ſpirit of a man, they turne his inſide outward, and ſet him (as it were) in the open light. Take tryall in the ſecond ſence by way of examination, and it yeilds us the ſame truth. He that is throughly ſifted will appeare in his own likeneſs. Let a man be fully dealt and argued with, let his ſpeeches and his actions be brought to the rule of the word, what he is, and what they are, will ſoone be ſeene. That's the tryall which the Apoſtle means (1 Theſ: 5.2.) Prove all things; prove what men ſay and hold, prove their aſſertions and opinions, and you ſhall come to a cleare underſtanding of them.Rectum eſt index ſui et obliqui. The rule of the word is a ſtraight or right rule, and that which is right will ſhew you both it ſelf, and that which is crooked, or any way ſwerving and departing from it.
Secondly, As tryall is taken in the former notion for affliction, My deſire is that Job may be tryed unto the end.
Note.
It is lawfull to pray or wiſh for afflictions upon others in ſome caſes.
We may pray for and wiſh afflictions upon others for their good, or for the glory of God. It is not good to wiſh evill as evill upon any man, no not upon the worſt of men. Job profeſſed againſt that (Chap: 31.29, 30.) If I have rejoyced at the deſtruction of him that hated me, or have ſuffered my mouth to ſin by wiſhing a curſe to his ſoule, then &c. As if he had ſayd, If I have prayed or wiſhed that any evill might befall mine enemy as evill, I ſhould have done very ill, and deſerved to ſuffer ill. For that had been an evill wiſh. Yet, as we our ſelves ought to chuſe affliction rather then ſin; ſo we may pray for affliction upon others, rather then that they ſhould goe on in ſin. As in that caſe of the Churches proceeding to the ſentence of excommunication; which is the delivering of a perſon up to Satan, or a putting him into the very power of the devill for a time (1 Cor: 5.4, 5.) it is the end or deſigne which makes this lawfull: our buſineſs in the miniſtry and in all Church-adminiſtrations, is to put ſoules out of the power of Satan, to reſcue them out of the hand of the devill, to recover thoſe that are led Captive by him at his will; yet ſaith the Apoſtle, Deliver ſuch a one unto Satan, put him into the devills hands, for what end? For the deſtruction of the fleſh, that the ſpirit may be ſaved in the day of the Lord Jeſus. This makes the prayer or act of the Church lawfull, becauſe the intendment is the deſtroying of that which ought to be deſtroyed, or to deſtroy that in man which will be the deſtruction of man, his fleſh, his luſt, his pride, his covetouſneſſe, his wantonneſs; For the deſtruction of this fleſh deliver him to Satan, that the Spirit may be ſaved in the day of the Lord Jeſus. Thus we may pray and wiſh for affliction upon others; but 'tis a prayer which muſt be managed with a great deale of caution, leſt our prayers to God in that kinde, be found ill wiſhes to men. That which Elihu had in his thoughts, when he deſired Job might be tryed to the very end, was, that he might be prevented from going on in the way wherein he was to the end. Yea, I conceive a man may pray for afflictions upon himſelfe, rather then he ſhould goe on in a courſe of ſin, or, when he findes that other wayes and means which God hath uſed with him, have not been effectuall to ſubdue his corrupt heart, to mortifie his luſts, and to bring him off from a courſe of ſin, but that (as it is ſayd in the next verſe) he is in danger of adding rebellion to his ſin. A godly man had much rather that God ſhould make him poore, ſicke, weake, and nothing in this world, then let his corruptions have dominion over him; He deſires rather God ſhould take the world quite out of his hand, the… that the world ſhould get into his heart, or be as fuel to feed and enflame his luſts.
Thus Elihu deſired that Job might be tryed,Bono ipſius optat hoc, non odio aut malevolentia. Druſi. becauſe tryalls by affliction are for our purging, refining, and bettering. Love was the roote of this wiſh, nor hatred or ill will. Let Job be tryed to the end. Why? we may take the latter part of the verſe for a reaſon why, as wel as for the matter about which he would have him tryed.
Becauſe of his anſwers for wicked men.
Propter reſponſiones (communes) cum hominibus improbis. Bez: Tanquam unus è numero virorum vanorum. Piſc:Let him be tryed concerning thoſe words which he hath ſpoken in common with or after the manner of vaine men. He hath ſpoken words wherein he ſeemes to comply with wicked men, to ſay as they ſay, to conſent with them, and to be of their opinion, this was charged upon him directly by Elihu at the 8th verſe of this Chapter; What man is like Job, who drinketh up ſcorning like water, which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men; that is, though Job in his converſation or carriage of his life hath not, yet in this diſcourſe, he hath ſtrengthened the hands of wicked men, or confirmed them in their opinion, ſpeaking ſo much of the heavy preſſures of God upon him, and deſiring to often to come to a hearing, as if he had ſome wrong done him. We are not to underſtand theſe words of Elihu, Becauſe of his anſwers for wicked men; As if he charged Job to doe ſo directly, or as if he had formally taken upon him to plead or advocate the cauſe of wicked men; we are not (I ſay) to underſtand him ſo groſsly, nor had it been true to ſay, that Job opened his mouth, or ſpake thus for wicked men; but his meaning is, he hath ſpoken ſuch things as in common apprehenſion ſeeme to comply with the opinions of wicked men; or with the ſpeeches which they uſe when they are (like him) in a troubled condition.
Or againe, Becauſe of his anſwers for wicked men; that is, that he may acknowledge the anſwers he hath given, are not ſuch as doe become a godly man, but rather ſavour of ſuch a ſpirit as unbroken proud perſons hold forth in the time of their affliction; who are never pleaſed with, but alwayes complaining at divine diſpenſations.
Laſtly, Theſe words, Becauſe of his anſwers for wicked men, may, poſſibly, have this ſence; Becauſe he hath ſpoken ſuch things as may ſerve the turne of wicked men for anſwers, or, as if he would inſtruct them what to anſwer, when at any time they are under the hand of God. He may be ſayd to anſwer for another man, who any way prompts him how or what to anſwer. And while a good man ſpeakes amiſſe, in any caſe, he teacheth, yea and encourageth bad men to ſpeake ſo too. Yet I rather incline to the firſt interpretation, that Elihu would have Job tryed, becauſe his anſwers were ſuch as it might be judged he had taken wicked men for his patterne in giving them, and not as if in them he had given a patterne to wicked men.
Hence note.
Firſt, A good man may ſometimes act the part of a wicked man, or he may ſpeak like wicked men, as if he were one of them.
Though his ſtate be as different from the ſtate of wicked men, as light is from darkneſſe, or as ſweet from ſoure, or white from black, yet as to ſome actions or ſpeeches, he may beare a reſemblance to them. Good men and bad men doe, as I may ſay, enter-common in many things; a wicked man whoſe heart is nought, who is yet in an unregenerate eſtate (for I meane not by a wicked man, him only that is flagitious, a murderer, a whoremonger, a drunkard, but a wicked man is any one that is unregenerate, whoſe heart is not yet changed; Now I ſay, a wicked man) may ſpeak and doe many things like a godly man; he may heare the word, and pray, and performe outward duties, which are like and are (take them materially) the ſame which godly men performe. Thus he enter-commons with godly men; and this is the caſe of all hypocrites, who make a pretence of religion, when they have no acquaintance with the power of it. And thus through temptation, and in ſome very burthenſome afflictions a godly man may ſpeak as a wicked man; ſuch haſty raſh provoking ſpeeches may paſſe from him as proceed from the ungodly, only here is the difference, thoſe evill ſpeeches or actions proceed from the ſtate of the one, and only from the temptation of the other.
Secondly; From the phraſe or forme of ſpeech, in which the originall expreſſeth wicked men; The words are, Men of wickedneſs, or iniquity; As if it had been ſayd, the worſt of wicked men. This ſhews us what man naturally is; he is a man of wickedneſs; nothing but wickedneſs, altogether wicked. The Lord looking downe from heaven upon all the children of men (in a ſtate of nature…) ſayd, There is not one that doth good, no not one. Take any wicked man he hath no good in him, no not one good thought in him; he is a man of Iniquity, he is meere wickedneſs, till he be changed, till his heart be broken by Godly ſorrow, till he be united unto Chriſt by faith, and through the Spirit. I know this expreſſion is uſed ſeverall times in Scripture, to note thoſe men who are ſinners of the firſt forme, being not only ſinners in their ſtate, but in the higheſt degree of activity. Thus Antichriſt is called, The man of ſin (2 Theſ: 2.) And when the Prophet ſaith (Iſa: 55.7.) Let the man of iniquity turne from his evill way; he meanes the worſt of men. Yet this is a truth, every man in an unconverted eſtate is a man of iniquity; he hath no goodneſs, nothing of God in him, he bears only the Image and impreſſe of the devill upon him. Chriſt told the Phariſees, who were high in reputation with the world for good men (John 8.44.) Ye are of your father the devill, and the luſts of your father ye will doe. The naturall man is ſo ſinfull, that he is meerly ſin. And ſometimes a godly man ſpeakes and doth as if he were ſo too. Job ſpake like men of Iniquity.
Elihu proceedeth more fully to declare both the reaſon why he would have Job further tryed, and likewiſe what he meant by his anſwers for wicked men.
Verſ. 37. For he addeth rebellion (or treſpaſs) to his ſin.
Nomine foreign intelligitur peccatum ex errore commiſſum; Nomine vero foreign ſcelus propriè rebellio.Here are two words, ſin and rebellion; the firſt which we render ſin, ſignifies ſin in common; the leaſt tranſgreſſion of the Law it is ſin; the leaſt vaine thought of the heart, the leaſt idle word of the tongue is ſin; but every ſin is not rebellion; that hath many ſpeciall markes or brands rather upon it. To rebell is to ſin with a high hand, to rebell is to ſin with a ſtiff neck, to rebell is to ſin with obſtinacy and reſolvedneſs of will; he addeth rebellion to his ſin. But did Job rebell indeed? I conceive the rebellion which Elihu chargeth Job with, is not rebellion in a ſtrict but in a qualified and comparative ſenſe; As if he had ſaid; Job ſinned before, but now his ſin is heightened, we ſee him now (in words) riſing up againſt God, complaining of his juſtice, or as if he had dealt unjuſtly with him. What he did in the time of his proſperity, thoſe ſlips & falls which he had then, weighed nothing as laid in the ballance with the intemperate ſpeeches which he hath uttered in the day of his trouble. He addeth rebellion unto his ſin. So we render as reſpecting what he was and had done before. Others render it potentially not indicatively; Let Job be tryed unto the end, becauſe of his anſwers for wicked men, for otherwiſe he may adde rebellion to his ſin; we know not whether his corruptions may carry him if ſuffered to goe onne. This is a more favourable reading of the text, not as a charge of naturall but feared rebellion againſt God; As if he had ſayd, I ſee the mans ſpirit is ſo entangled, that if he be not well and wiſely dealt with, poſſibly he may come to adde even rebellion unto his ſin; and whereas he ſinned before out of ignorance or imprudence, he may ſhortly ſin out of contumacy and perverſeneſs.
Hence Note.
Firſt, There are ſins of ſeverall degrees.
Every man ſinneth, he that ſaith he hath no ſin, or doth not ſin, there is no truth in him (1 John 1.8.) But every mans ſin is not rebellion, every man doth not riſe up to that height and degree of ſinning. If any ſhall enquire, when is a mans ſin rebellion? I anſwer.
Firſt, That mans ſin grows to be rebellion, whoſe will is much in it. He that will ſin rebells. The Apoſtle Paul ſaith (Rom: 7.19.) The evill which I would not, that I doe. This is the caſe of every godly man at his beſt, he doth thoſe evills which he would not; this is not rebellion, becauſe the will of a godly man is changed and turned off from ſin; he can ſay, the evill which I would not doe, that doe I. Rebellion is the doing of that evill which we would.
Secondly, In rebellion, or in rebellious acts of ſin, there is much of the underſtanding as well as of the will; that is, a man ſeeth cleerely what he doth is ſin, or that the rule is againſt him; to rebell is to ſin againſt the light. It is ſayd in the 24th Chapter of this booke, The wicked are of them that rebell againſt the light; that is, they cannot abide the light; he means it there of the naturall light; the adulterer and the thiefe cannot indure Sun or day-light: it is much more true of myſticall light, if he hath any light of knowledge, he reſiſts and rebells againſt it. Its great rebellion to reſiſt the receiving of light offered, but 'tis greater rebellion to reſiſt light received; ſins againſt knowledge are rebellious ſins.
Thirdly, A rebellious ſin is a ſin againſt reproofe, admonition and warning; when we have been often told of ſuch a ſin, and admoniſhed of ſuch an evill courſe, and yet we will goe on in it, here is rebellion; ſuch a man hath not only light in his underſtanding, that what he doth is ſinfull, but this light hath been brought home to him and wrought upon him by reproofe, counſell, and admonition; here is ſtill greater rebellion. Therefore in the proceeding of the Church, ſpoken of (Math: 18.) when an offending brother hath been reproved and told of his fault, firſt in p…ivate by a particular brother, then by two or three, then by the whole Church; if after all theſe admonitions and reproofes, he doth not repent, he is to be caſt out as a rebel, and accounted as a heathen or a publican.
Laſtly, As 'tis rebellion when we ſin as againſt the reproofes of man, ſo againſt the providences of God; and thoſe of two ſorts.
Firſt, When we ſin againſt the favourable providences of God, I meane thoſe which are outward; when God beſtows many mercies and comforts upon us, when he gives us health and riches in the world, and fullneſſe of all things, then to ſin againſt him is rebellion. (Deut: 32.15.) Jeſurun waxed fat and kicked, and rebelled againſt the Lord, and lightly regarded the rock of his ſalvation. When we have received many and great mercies, then to grow vaine and wanton, and nouriſh our ſelves as in the day of ſlaughter, this is rebellion againſt God.
Secondly, When the providences of God have broken us by this evill or that evill, when we are broken in our eſtates, broken in our names, broken in our relations, broken with ſickneſs after ſickneſs, and yet perſiſt in a ſinfull way, this is rebellion, this is ſin in the very height of it. This was the rebellion of Ahaz (2 Chron: 28.22.) Who in the time of his diſtreſſe, treſpaſſed yet more againſt the Lord. And this was the rebellion of Judah (Iſa: 1.5.) Why ſhould ye be ſtrieken any more? ye will revolt more and more. Take heed of this; 'tis too much that we ſin at all, let us not be found adding rebellion to our ſin. I may ſay theſe two things concerning the habit or any act of ſin.
Firſt, It is a burthen to a Godly man; O wretched man that I am (ſayd Paul) who ſhall deliver me from this body of death?
Secondly, As it is a Godly mans burthen when he ſins, ſo it is his care and ſtudy not to ſin; he would not ſin at all; he watcheth himſelfe that he may not ſin in the leaſt degree. That was the Apoſtle Johns deſire and care for all the Churches (1 John. 2.1.) My little children, theſe things I write unto you, that ye ſin not. I would have you watch over your hearts and wayes ſo narrowly, that no ſin might ſlip you; that ye might not have a wrong thought, nor ſpeake an idle word; how much more ſhould we take heed, that we adde not rebellion to our ſin. There is ſomewhat of rebellion in every ſin, even in the ſins of good men; but 'tis ſad when they adde rebellion to their ſin. Samuel gives a dreadfull deſcription of that ſin which is rebellion (1 Sam: 15.23.) Rebellion is as the ſin of witch-craft, and ſtubbornneſs is as Iniquity and Idolatry. Witch-craft is that ſin wherein men have much converſe and compliance with the devill; The devill and the witch, or the devill and the Diviner (as our Margin hath it) act as loving companions; they have mutual converſe, yea commerſe, they trade together. Rebellion is that ſin, or we ſin rebelliouſly, when we declare our ſelves moſt averſe to God. The witch declares himſelfe a friend to the devill; the rebellious ſoule defieth and deſpiſeth God; now thoſe ſins that have moſt compliance with the devill, and moſt defiance againſt God, are put together; if a man doth much ſet himſelfe to oppoſe God, by ſinning againſt light, againſt reproofes, and againſt providences, whether the gracious or afflicting providences of God (If a man (I ſay) rebell thus againſt God) it is like the ſin of witch-craft, which is compliance and converſe with the devill. Here is an extreame on the one ſide, and an extreame on the other ſide, yet both meete, rebellion is as the ſin of witch-craft, and ſtubbornneſs is as Iniquity and Idolatry. Theſe latter words are exegaticall; ſtubbornneſs (that is, when a man is ſtout and will goe on his way) is as Iniquity and Idolatry. We may conſider a great elegancy in thoſe words; Stubbornneſs is as Idolatry. What is Idolatry? it is worſhipping or giving honour to a falſe god, which is indeed worſhipping the devill; all Idolatry is devill-worſhip; the witch worſhippeth the devill intentionally, and ſo doth the Idolater, though he intend it not (1 Cor: 10.20.) The things which the Gentiles ſacrifice, they ſacrifice to devills and not to God. I doe not ſay, every error or fayling in worſhip is devill-worſhip, but that which is Idolatry indeed, or the ſetting up of a worſhip of our owne deviſing is Idolatry, and devill-worſhip. Thus ſtubbornneſs is as Idolatry, and rebellion is as witch-craft. What is witch-craft? compliance with the devill. What is Idolatry? devill-worſhip, a falling downe to the devill. Let the wicked conſider what they doe when they rebell; and let the people of God take heed of any ſin, or way of ſinning, which may be accounted rebellion. To ſin with much will againſt much light, againſt many reproofs from men, and againſt the reproving, or againſt the inviting providences of God, hath rebellion in it; He addeth rebellion to his ſin.
Secondly, Taking the words in the mildeſt ſence,
Note.
Sometimes a good man may goe backward, he may be worſe and worſe, and doe worſe and worſe.
We ſhould be alwayes growing in grace, that's the condition of believers and their duty, yet under ſome diſpenſations they may decline for a time and grow worſe and worſe, adding that which is like rebellion to their ſin.
Thirdly, If we conſider theſe words in connection with the former; Elihu having prayed for further tryall upon Job, as fearing, that elſe he might adde rebellion to his ſin.
Note.
He that is not throughly convinced and chaſtned, may quickly grow worſe and worſe.
He may, or he will adde rebellion to his ſin. I doe not know where a mans ſin will end, if the Lord ſhould let him alone. 'Tis a mercy that any man, eſpecially that God hath a continuall inſpection over us; if ſome mens wayes were not tryed and queſtioned, they might adde rebellion to their ſin; who knows where they would ſtop? it is a mercy to have both words and actions examined by brethren and Churches, how ſadly elſe would many wander, yea it is a mercy to be tryed by affliction. When God keeps us from a foule way by building a wall againſt us, it is a mercy, elſe we might adde rebellion to ſin. No man knowes the meaſure of his owne evill heart, or what it would doe; for though believers have a generall promiſe to be kept by the power of God to ſalvation; yet how lamentably have good men …llen, though kept from falling away? Elihu aggravates this yet further by the example of Job in the latter and laſt part of the verſe.
He clappeth his hands amongst us, and multiplieth his words againſt God.
He clappeth his hands, or, maketh a noyſe amongst us, as Mr Broughton reads it; clapping of the hands in Scripture hath a three-fold ſignification.
Firſt, It implyeth paſſion or ſorrow. A man under affliction claps or wrings his hands for griefe. Both thoſe geſtures are of the ſame ſignificancy.
Secondly, There is a clapping of the hands with indignation; when we are very angry, then we clap our hands.
Thirdly, There is a clapping of the hands for joy, or in a way of triumph; when a man thinks he has conquered and got the day, he claps his hands, and ſo doe they who are on his ſide. (Pſal: 47.1.) O clap your hands (all ye people) ſhout unto God with the voyce of triumph. Exploſurus eſſet nos, ut qui viciſſet nos diſputando. Piſc:I conceive Elihu intends Job clapping his hands in this third ſenſe; he clappeth his hands amongſt us, or inſults over us, as if he had conquered and wonne the Garland; and therefore Elihu prayed that he might be further tryed. This is another aggravation of that ill frame which Elihu conceived Job to be in. And indeed to clap our hands when we have done or ſpoken evill, is worſe then the evill, which we have either done or ſpoken; He clappeth his hands; And multiplieth his words (or, may multiply words) againſt God.
Solomon ſaith (Pro: 10.19.) in the multitude of words there doth not want ſin; that is, there is ſtore of ſin in the multitude of words. They that will be ſpeaking much, ſlip much. Job (ſaith he) multiplyeth words againſt God. There is a multiplying of words againſt God two wayes; Firſt, directly; Secondly, by way of reflection or rebound; Elihu could not ſay, Job had ſpoken, nor could he preſume he would ſpeak one word, much leſſe multiply words againſt God directly. He knew Job was a godly man, but he aſſerts he had, or feared he might multiply words againſt God reflectively, that is, ſpeak ſuch words as might caſt diſhonour upon God, ſuch words as God might take very ill at his hands, and interpret as ſpoken againſt himſelfe.
Hence note.
They who ſpeake unduely of the wayes and proceedings of God with them in this world, ſpeake againſt God himſelfe.
The buſineſs of Elihu in all this diſcourſe, was to hold forth the evill frame of Jobs heart, ſignified by the intemperance of his language under the dealings of God. God had afflicted and chaſtned Job, he had multiplyed wounds upon him, and Job in the heate of his ſpirit and bitterneſs of his ſoule, making many complaints about the workings of God with him, is charged with multiplying words againſt God. We may ſpeak againſt God before we are aware; yea we may ſpeake many words againſt God when we thinke we have not ſpoke one word againſt him. While we ſpeake impatiently of the proceedings of God in the world, and murmur at his diſpenſations to our families or perſons, what doe we but multiply words againſt God? we ſpeake much for our ſelves to God, yea (I may ſay) we highly commend our ſelves to God when we ſubmit to his doings, and ſay nothing, but in a ſilent admiration adore his dealings, and waite for a good iſſue of them. Aaron proclaimed both his humility and his faith in holding his peace, when the Lord ſlew his two ſons Nadab and Abihu, ſtrangely with fire, for offering ſtrange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not (Lev: 10.1, 2, 3.) But how many are there who proclaime their pride and unbeliefe, by not being able to hold their peace under the afflicting hand of God, when his hand ſcarce toucheth them, or when he doth but lay the weight of his little finger upon them, in compariſon of that heavy ſtroake which fell upon Aaron. We are in much danger of ſinning, when at any time we ſpeake many words, or (as Elihu ſpeaketh) multiply words, he is a rare man that ſpeaketh many words, and but ſome amiſs, Now, if to multiply words at any time (even when we are moſt compoſed) expoſeth us to error in our words, how much more when our tongues utter many words in the bitterneſs and diſcompoſure of our ſpirits? And as to ſpeak amiſſe in any matter is to ſ…n againſt God, ſo to ſpeak much amiſſe of our ſufferings, or of the ſevereſt providences of God towards us, is to ſpeak much, or to multiply words (though nor intentionally) yet really and indeed againſt God. O then forbeare this multiplication of words, leſt you multiply ſins. Speak but little, unleſſe in the praiſe of God; take heed how you ſpeak of what God is doing to others, or doing to your ſelves. Let your words be few, and let them be weighed, for God will weigh your words; and you may heare from him in blowes, what he heareth from you in words. 'Tis a dangerous thing to be found ſpeaking words againſt God; yet this may be the caſe of a good man, whoſe heart is with God, and whoſe heart is for God: even while he hath a general bent of heart to lay himſelfe out in ſpeaking and doing for God, he through paſſion and temptation may be found ſpeaking againſt God. What we ſpeake diſcontentedly of the wayes or works of God, is a multiplying of words againſt God himſelfe.
Thus I have given out and finiſhed my thoughts upon the Preface which Elihu made to lead in his diſcourſe with Job, as alſo upon two ſtages of his diſcourſe with him. Job ſits ſilent and anſwers him not a word, which Elihu perceiving takes liberty to urge him further with two diſtinct diſcourſes more, contained in the three Chapters following; which, if the Lord give life and leave, may be opened and offered to the readers uſe and acceptance in convenient ſeaſon.