Exposition of Job 38-42, Commentary on Job · Chapter 40 · Verse 3-5
JOB, Chap. 40. Verſ. 3, 4, 5.
3. Then Job anſwered the Lord, and ſaid,
4. Behold, I am vile, what ſhall I anſwer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth.
5. Once have I ſpoken, but I will not anſwer; yea twice, but I will proceed no further.
IN the former verſe, the Lord urged Job to anſwer; He that reproveth God, let him anſwer it. Job being thus urged by the Lord to anſwer, gave his anſwer, and the anſwer which he gave was this in general, That he could not anſwer: Or, we have here,
Firſt, An humble confeſſion of his utter inability to anſwer.
Secondly, His ſettled reſolution not to anſwer. His inability to anſwer, appears at the 4th verſe, Behold, I am vile, what ſhall I anſwer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth. His reſolution not to anſwer, or only to give this for an anſwer, That he could not anſwer, is expreſſed in the 5th verſe; Once have I ſpoken, but I will not anſwer; yea, twice, but I will proceed no further.
Jobs ſpirit, it ſeems, was much appaled by the Lords appearance to him, and immediate parlee with him; his underſtanding alſo was much puzzled, yea, non-pluſt, with thoſe many and intricate queſtions which God had put to him; and therefore he ſubmits, at once acknowledging he had done amiſs in his overfree diſcourſes before, and promiſing that he would run that courſe no more.
Verſ. 3. Then Job anſwered the Lord, and ſaid,
What he ſaid by way of anſwer, followeth.
Verſ. 4. Behold, I am vile, what ſhall I anſwer?
Behold. Job doth not conceal nor cover, but calls all eyes to the view of his own vileneſs. Behold. Let God behold, let Angels behold, let men behold, what now I my ſelf behold, that I am vile.
The root of the word, which we tranſlate vile, foreign Et levem & vilem ac contemptum eſſe ſignificat.ſignifies three things. Firſt, To be light, or of little weight; and becauſe light things are lightly eſteemed, therefore it ſignifies, Secondly, To be contemned, or that which is contemptible; and, Thirdly, Becauſe light things, and things contemptible, are alſo vile things; therefore, as we tranſlate, it ſignifies vile. As if Job had ſaid, I am light, I have no ſubſtance, no ſolidity in me; I am but as chaff, or, as a feather, I bear no weight, I deſerve no eſteem, no reſpect, I am vile. As the Hebrew word for honour and glory is derived from a root which ſignifies heavineſs or weightineſs, whence the Apoſtles phraſe in the Greek tongue (2 Cor. 4.17.) which we tranſlate, an exceeding weight of glory. Glory is ſuch a weighty thing, that we muſt have other manner of ſhoulders, other manner of ſtrength, than now we have, before we can be able to bear the weight of it. Fleſh and blood, as it is unrefined, or meerly natural, would ſoon ſink under that weight. Now I ſay, as glory and honour are expreſt by a word which ſignifies weightineſs; ſo that which is vile and contemptible, is expreſt by a word that ſignifies lightneſs, or to be light. Thus ſaith Job, Behold, I am light, or, Behold, I am vile.
There are two other tranſlations of theſe words; whereof, the one refers to the ſpeeches, the other to the actions of Job.
Firſt, The old Latine tranſlation ſaith thus,Qui leviter loquutus ſum reſpondere quid poſſum. Vulg. I have ſpoken lightly; how ſhall I anſwer thee? Ours refers to his perſon, I am light, or, I am vile; that to his words, I have ſpoken lightly. To ſpeak lightly, or vainly, is to be vain and light. Some words have a great deal of weight in them: words of truth, words of ſoberneſs, holy words, gracious words, are weighty words; evil words, impertinent words, unprofitable words, ſpecially corrupt, filthy, ſinful words, are light words; how many words ſoever of thoſe ſorts any man ſpeaks, they are all light words, they have not a grain of goodneſs, and therefore not a grain of weightineſs in them. That's a good ſenſe.
foreign. Ecce leviter feci. Aquila.Secondly, One of the Greek tranſlators renders, Behold, I have done, or, acted lightly. There is lightneſs in our actions as well as in our ſpeeches. We ſay, ſuch a man is of a light, that is, of a vain carriage; and we ſay of another, he is a grave man, or there is gravity in his carriage. Thus ſome ſpeak and act gravely, or weightily; others ſpeak and act looſely, lightly. When Job ſaith, Behold, I am vile, it may take in both, I have ſpoken lightly, I have done lightly, and therefore I am light, therefore I am vile, or contemptible.
Cum nihil ſi…. Sept.Yet further; The greek Septuagint tranſlates, I am nothing; they carry the ſenſe to the loweſt and leaſt imaginable: There is nothing leſs than nothing. How ſhall I anſwer thee, ſeeing I am nothing? All that I am is ſo light a thing, that I am nothing at all; that is, nothing of worth, nothing of value; I am of ſo little validity, that I have ſcarce any entity. From all theſe readings, we may fully gather up Jobs ſenſe in this ſelf-abaſing confeſſion, Behold, I am vile.
Laſtly, For the clearing of theſe words, conſider, we are not to underſtand Job when he ſaith, I am vile, as ſpeaking only with reference to his then preſent, ſad, ſorrowful, deplorable condition: ſometimes ſuch are accounted vile by men, who are low and mean in the eye of the world. Job did not count himſelf vile upon that conſideration, becauſe ſtript of all his worldly greatneſs, power and glory, health and ſtrength; he did not call himſelf vile, becauſe of the preſent diſpenſation of God towards him, but he called himſelf vile, with reſpect to the common natural condition of mankind, or as he was a ſinful man, though his providential condition had been never ſo good and proſperous. Behold, I am vile.
Hence obſerve, Firſt; Man at his beſt eſtate is vile.
David ſaith, he is even then altogether vanity (Pſal. 39.5.) and what is vile if that be not? or what can be viler than that which is altogether vanity? Man is vile,
Firſt, If we conſider the matter of his body: Was he not originally made of the duſt, and moulded out of the clay, which we tread upon, and trample unde… feet? In which ſenſe, among others, the Apoſtle (Phil. 3.21.) calls o…r body a vile body; the materials of it being vile, it i… …ſo vile.
Secondly, Man is very vile, ch …y vile, through the ſinfulneſs both of his nature and life. Sin re…ders us vile indeed; corruption makes us of no rep…ation. Th…ugh man, as to the matter of his body, might have b…en called vile i… the day of his creation, yet he had never deſerved that diminiſhing title, if he had not ſinned. Sin hath degraded man, and laid him low; ſin hath diſhonoured man, and made him vile, even viler than the duſt out of which he was made.
Thirdly, Man is vile, with reſp…ct to all thoſe evil conſequences and effects of ſin, which have poſſeſſed, or are ready to poſſeſs, Firſt, our bodies; ſuch are weakneſs, ſickneſs, pains, and all manner of diſeaſes. Secondly, our names; ſuch are reproach, infamie and diſgrace. Thirdly, our eſtates; ſuch are poverty and want. Fourthly, our perſons; impriſonment and reſtraint. Fifthly, our ſouls; ſuch are blindneſs and ignorance in our minds, ſtubborneſs in our wills, inordinacy in our affections. Theſe conſequences of ſin, as well as ſin it ſelf, eſpecially thoſe conſequences of ſin which are themſelves ſinful (as thoſe laſt mentioned are) render us vile.
From this firſt Obſervation, take theſe four inferences.
Firſt, If man be vile in that threefold reſpect before ſpoken of (he is ſo in many more) then let not any man prize himſelf much. We do not prize vile things without us; why then ſhould we much prize our ſelves who are vile? We are very apt to have thoughts of our ſelves beyond our ſelves, or to think of our ſelves beyond what is meet. Did we remember that we were vile, high thoughts of ſelf would ſoon down, and we would ceaſe from our ſelves, as well as from other men, ſaying, Wherein are we (men) to be accounted of? (Iſa. 2.22.) The beſt man, of meer men, hath but a little breath in his noſtrils, and he hath much ſin in his ſoul; wherein then, or for what (as a natural man) is any man to be accounted of? Did we know our ſelves more (underſtandingly) we ſhould know our ſelves leſs (valuingly) In which ſenſe Job ſaid (Chap. 9.21.) Though I were perfect, I would not know my ſoul. It is our ignorance, who and what we are, which cauſeth us to have high thoughts of our ſelves; as it is our ignorance, who and what Chriſt is, which cauſeth us to have ſuch low thoughts of him, and ſuch ſlow or ſlight deſires after him (Joh. 3.10)
Secondly, As becauſe we are vile, we ſhould take heed of prizing our ſelves much, ſo we ſhould more take heed of being proud of our ſelves at all. Indeed where the former is, where any perſon, man or woman ſets too high a price upon ſelf, it is very hard to abſtain from pride in ſelf; for, pride in ſelf, ariſes from over-prizing of ſelf: We firſt think too well of our ſelves, and then are lifted up in our ſelves. As it is through the power of faith, that our hearts are lifted up to God and in God; ſo whenſoever our hearts are lifted up in our ſelves (glorying in our own attainments) or to our ſelves (gaping after our own ends) it proceeds from pride.
Thirdly, See the exceeding goodneſs of God, who hath put honour upon vile man. We have made our ſelves vile, and ſo we ſhould reckon our ſelves; yet the Lord is pleaſed to eſteem his people highly, and make them honourable (Iſa. 43.4.) Since thou waſt precious in my ſight, thou haſt been honourable. Job was vile (as he confeſſed) in his own ſight, yet he was precious in Gods ſight. And thus the Lord eſtimates all that are godly, all that are true believers; …hough vile and of no value in themſelves, nor in their own ſight, yet precious they are in his ſight; Since thou waſt precious in my ſight thou haſt been honourable. We are never truly honourable, till precious in the ſight of God. There is a bubble which the world calls honour, a wind of fame, with which many are much affected, and with which ſome are inveſted, who are not at all precious in the ſight of God. The beſt, the trueſt honour, ariſeth from preciouſneſs in the ſight of God; they who are eſteemed by God, are indeed perſons of eſtimation. His grace ſhewed favourably and freely to us, his grace working mightily and effectually in us, puts a bleſſed worth upon us, though we are vile in our ſelves, and ſo accounted by the world.
Fourthly, See the goodneſs of God in this alſo, that though we are vile, yet he is pleaſed to ſet his heart upon us, and to mind us. We little mind vile things; light things, trifles, we lightly paſs by. We are but a light thing, a vile thing in our ſelves, yet God not only hath us in his heart, but ſets his heart upon us. Thus ſpake Job in the loweſt ebbe of his outward felicity, and he ſpake it admiringly as well as truly (Chap. 7.17) What is man, that thou ſhouldſt magnifie, and that thou ſhouldſt ſet thine heart upon him! When he ſaith, What is man? it is as it he had ſaid, Man is but a vile thing; yet the Lord is mindful of him, yea, magnifieth him. And though the Lord forbids us to ſet our hearts or affections on earthly things (Col. 3.2.) on the beſt of earthly things, all which are comprehended under that one word or title, Riches (Pſal. 62.10.) And though the reaſon why he forbids us to ſet our hearts upon theſe things, is becauſe they a…e vile, yet he is pleaſed (O infinite goodneſſe!) to ſet his heart upon us though we are vile, and conſidered as ſinful, much more vile than they, even than the vileſt of them. We have the like queſtion put again (Pſal. 144.3.) Lord, what is man that thou takeſt knowledge of him, or the ſon of man, that thou makeſt account of him? What is man! 'Tis a diminiſhing queſtion, implying, that man is a vile thing, or a nothing. Is it not then a wonderful thing? is it not the fruit of rich and free grace, that God ſhould take an account, or make ſuch an account of man? And if God ſets his heart upon man, who is ſo vile, how ſhould man ſet his heart upon God, who is ſo infinitely excellent! God may be ſaid to deſcend, ſurely he condeſcends exceedingly, when he ſets his heart upon vile man. The Lord humbleth himſelf (ſaith David, Pſal. 113.6.) to behold (that is, to take any notice of, or to take into his conſideration) the things that are in heaven, and in the earth; how much more doth he deſcend, condeſcend and humble himſelf, when he ſets his heart upon vile man! Now, doth God ſet his heart upon vile man (which is an humbling to him) and ſhall not vile man ſet his heart upon the great and glorious God, which is not only his duty, but his felicity, his honour, and exaltation!
Again, Job ſaith, I am vile. What was Job? a godly man ſure, a holy man by Gods own teſtimony, yet even he ſpeaks at this low rate of himſelf, Behold, I am vile.
Hence note, Secondly; The better we are, the leſs we eſteem our ſelves; and ſtill the better and better we grow, the lower are our thoughts of our ſelves.
There is no greater argument of height in grace, than low thoughts of ſelf. Next to faith in Chriſt, ſelf-denial, or to deny our ſelves, is the great duty of the Goſpel (Mat. 16.24.) Now, as to deny our ſelves is to be very low in our own eyes, ſo it is one of the higheſt acts of grace in us, and requires not only truth of of grace, but much ſtrength of grace to act it. And hence it comes to paſs, that the higher and ſtronger any are in grace, they are ſtill lower and leſſer in their own ſight, bacauſe true height and ſtrength of grace works the ſoul to more ſelf-denial. And therefore, as a godly man is vile, ſo he is made more ſenſible of his own vileneſs, the more he encreaſeth in godlineſs; ſo that, if any have low thoughts of him, he hath lower of himſelf. None can think him lower in truth, than he thinks himſelf; I am light, ſaith he, I am vile. Though he well underſtands his ſtate, his priviledge, and his intereſt in Chriſt through grace, and underſtands it ſo well, that he values it above all the world, and would not part with it for the whole world, yet he is ſtill vile in his own eyes, and low in his own rate-books. Abraham, the chief of believers, ſaid (Gen. 18.27.) Behold, now I have taken upon me to ſpeak unto the Lord, who am but duſt and aſhes. So David (2 Sam. 7.18.) What am I? and what is my fathers houſe, that thou haſt brought me hitherto? How ſenſible was he of his own vileneſs, who ſpake thus, who yet was a man after Gods own heart, and the beſt of Kings?
Further, Conſider the time when Job was brought to this humble confeſſion and acknowledgement of his own vileneſs; he had not ſpoken thus before, but was much in juſtifying himſelf, eſpecially as to the ſincerity of his heart and wayes, and he did it even to offence; but the Lord having dealt roundly with him, he cryes out, I am vile.
Hence, Obſerve; The dealings of God with man aime moſtly at this great mark, to humble him, and to make him ſee his own vileneſs.
We quickly ſee, or are quick-ſighted to ſee and take notice of any good in us, or done by us, to make us proud inſtead of thankful; but we are dull of ſight to ſee or take notice of that in us, or done by us, which may humble and lay us low: And therefore we put God to it to ſhew us our vileneſs, by ſevere and humbling diſpenſations. There are two great things which God would bring man to. Firſt, To make him know how vile he is. Secondly, To make him know how excellent, how glorious himſelf is. The Lord never left battering Job by afflictions, and following him with queſtions, till he brought him to both theſe points; Behold I am vile (ſaith he in this place) I know thou canſt do every thing, and that no thought can be with holden from thee, ſaid he afterwards (Chap. 42.2.) in which words he highly exalted God, in the glory both of his power and wiſdom. As one great purpoſe of the Goſpel is to exalt man and lift him up unto a moſt glorious condition in and through Chriſt; ſo another great purpoſe of the Goſpel, is to lay man low in himſelf, or to take him quite off from his own bottome. The Apoſtle often inſiſts upon that, as one grand deſign of the Goſpel with reſpect to man (1 Cor. 1.26.) Ye ſee your calling brethren, that not many wiſe men after the fleſh, &c. are called. He tells us at the 29th verſe why it is ſo, Even that no fleſh ſhould glory in his preſence; But (ver. 31.) that according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. All the dealings of God, both in Law and Goſpel, both in his providences and in his ordinances, tend to bring man off from, and out of himſelf; and till that be effected, neither ordinances nor providences have their due effect upon him. We muſt come to Jobs acknowledgment, that we are vile, that we are nothing, and that God is all to us in Chriſt, before we are Chriſtians indeed.
Fourthly, The former diſcourſe ſheweth, that God was come very near to Job, he ſpake to him out of the whirl wind, his appearance was very dreadful: And then Job cryed out, Behold I am vile.
Hence Obſerve; The more we have to do with God, and the nearer God comes to us; the more we ſee, and the more we are made ſenſible of our own vileneſs.
Ʋnuſquiſque ſibi dum tactu veri luminis illuſtratur, oſtenditur. Greg.Man is clearly diſcovered and known to himſelf, when he beholds God in the ſhinings of divine light, and not till then. Job was higher in his own thoughts than became him, till God came thus near to him; and when God came yet nearer to him, and diſcovered himſelf (as he afterwards did) yet more fully to him, then Job did not only ſay (as here) I am vile, but I abhor my ſelf, and repent in duſt and aſhes. This firſt approach of God in ſo eminent and illuſtrious a way or manner, wrought much upon him, but the ſecond more. The light of God ſhews us our darkneſs, the power of God our weakneſs, his wiſdom our folly, his purity our uncleanneſs, his Majeſty our vileneſs, and his Allneſs or alſufficiency being ſeen, gives us to ſee our utter deficiency and nothingneſs. Still in proportion to the nearneſs of God to us, or our nearer and clearer apprehenſions of him by faith, we are carried further out of, and further off from our ſelves; and thus 'tis in our attendance upon God in the Ordinances of worſhip. The reaſon why many come to ordinances with proud hearts, and go away proud, is, becauſe they have little or no communion with God in them by faith, or God doth not manifeſt himſelf to them by his bleſſed Spirit. They who have ſeen the power and glory of God in the Sanctuary (as David profeſſed he had ſometimes done, and longed to ſee it again (Pſal. 63.1, 2.) they will ſay with the ſame David (Pſal. 131.1, 2.) Lord, our heart is not haughty, nor our eyes lofty, our ſoul is like a weaned child.
Laſtly, Job was waiting for the goodneſs of God to him, or for deliverance out of his ſad condition; and doubtleſs he was convinced, that the moſt probable way to it, was to leave off contending with God, and to be found humbling himſelf before him, in this or a like confeſſion, Behold, I am vile.
Hence note; There is nothing that doth more ſweeten and molifie God (or, I may ſay, any ingenuous adverſary) towards us, then an humble acknowledgement of our own vileneſs and unworthineſs.
When our hearts are truly humbled, mercy and deliverance are at hand. Job was no ſooner made deeply ſenſible of his vileneſs, but mercy came in. The only skill of this excellent wreſtler (as one calls him) was to caſt himſelf down at Gods foot. There is no way to get within God and to prevail with him,Sciebat Jobus contra ſpiritum humilem inermem eſſe Dei manum. but by ſubmitting to him. The Lord layeth down his rod, when we lay down our pride; and caſts his ſword out of his hand, when we caſt our ſelves at his feet. And in all our afflictions, whether perſonal or national, till we acknowledge (not formally, but in a deep ſenſe of our own vileneſs) that we are vile, in vain do we cry for deliverance, or hope for mercy. When we are loweſt in our own eyes, we are neareſt to our exaltation; when once we ſay in our hearts we are nothing, we deſerve nothing, we have ſpoken lightly, we have done lightly, ſalvation will not tarry. (1 Pet. 5.7.) Humble your ſelves under the mighty hand of God, and he will lift you up in due time. If we would be lifted up out of any affliction, we muſt be at this humbling work. We ſhall never work (as I may ſay) upon the heart of God, unleſs we are thus at work with our own hearts, or till this work be done upon our hearts. Our great work lies within, eſpecially in a day of tryal and tribulation, ſuch as Job was in. Job was ſpeedily reduced to his former honour and greatneſs, when once (through grace) he had wrought his heart to this confeſſion. Behold, I am vile; What ſhall I anſwer thee?
As if Job had ſaid, truly I have nothing to anſwer thee; Thou, O Lord, haſt given ſuch demonſtrations of thy greatneſs, of thy power, of the excellency of thy wiſdom, of thy goodneſs, that I have nothing to ſay, but this, that I can ſay nothing. What ſhall I anſwer thee? I know not what to anſwer, or I have nothing to anſwer. As in a great ſtrait, when we know not what to do, we uſually ſay, What ſhall we do? So here, it ſheweth that Job was no way able to anſwer, when he ſaid, What ſhall I anſwer? The Hebrew is, What ſhall I return or turn back? We may exemplifie this paſſionate interrogation, by that of the Patriark Judah (Gen. 44.16.) when Joſeph would have detained Benjamin (having found the cup in his ſacks mouth) Judah ſaid, What ſhall we ſay unto my Lord? what ſhall we ſpeak? or how ſhall we clear our ſelves? Here are three queſtions to ſhew that he had nothing to anſwer. Firſt, What ſhall we ſay to my Lord? Secondly, What ſhall we ſpeak? Thirdly, How ſhall we clear our ſelves? Truly, we know not what to ſay, nor ſpeak, nor how to clear our ſelves. The plain truth is, we have nothing at all to anſwer for our ſelves, but to yield our ſelves to thy mercy. Thus Job, I am vile, what ſhall I anſwer thee, the great God, the holy God, the mighty God, the wiſe God? what ſhall I anſwer thee?
Hence note; When God is opponent, no man can be reſpondent.
God can put ſuch queſtions, and make ſuch objections, as no man is able to anſwer. Thus ſpake Job at the 3d verſe of the ninth Chapter; If he (that is, God) will contend with him (that is, with man) he cannot anſwer him one of a thouſand: Which implyeth, that not only not one among very many men, but that not one among all men, or that not any man is able to anſwer, if God will contend. The Apoſtle ſaith of all men in a ſtate of ſin (Rom. 3.19.) We know, that what things ſoever the law ſaith, it ſaith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be ſtopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. If the Lord ſhould make objections againſt, or charge ſinners, according to the ſtrictneſs and ſeverity of the law; the beſt, the holieſt of men could not find an anſwer, or no anſwer would be found in their mouths: how much leſs could any anſwer him, who not only were altogether born in ſin, as all are, and as the proud Phariſees told the poor man in the Goſpel he was (Joh. 9.34.) but abide and continue in ſin? How will the mouthes of all ſuch be ſtopt with a ſenſe of their ſelf-guiltineſs? how mute, how anſwerleſs will they ſtand before God? or ſay, as Job in the Text (but in a ten thouſand times ſadder plight than he) What ſhall we anſwer? It is the happineſs of humbled ſinners that they have Chriſt to anſwer for them, ſeeing in that caſe no ſinner can anſwer for himſelf. And ſuch is the Majeſty and glory of God, when it breaks forth in any caſe to a poor creature, that it leaves him quite anſwerleſs, and takes away not only all matter of diſpute, but of ſpeech; and therefore Job reſolves upon ſilence, as appears by what he ſaith in the laſt clauſe of this verſe.
I will lay my hand upon my mouth.
As if he had ſaid. That all may ſee I know not what to anſwer, I will ſtop up the conveyance of anſwers. What this Scripture phraſe, to lay the hand upon the mouth, imports, hath been opened (Chap. 21.5.) In brief, Jobs meaning in reſolving thus, was, as if he had ſaid, I will impoſe ſilence upon my ſelf. Or thus, Lord, thou ſhalt not need to ſilence me or to ſtop my mouth, I will do it my ſelf; I know not what to anſwer thee; but if I did, if I could gather up ſomething that might look like an anſwer, yet I will not anſwer, I will lay my hand upon my mouth.
Further when he ſaith, I will lay my hand upon my mouth, it may imply, that he would fain have been anſwering, though he could not tell what to anſwer. The tongue, if left at liberty, if not checkt, will be making anſwers,Conſtituo linguae licentiam per…nitèr coercere. when it cannot anſwer any thing to purpoſe; and therefore as David ſaid (Pſal. 39.1.) I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. So would Job here, while the Holy one was before him, fearing he might give further offence, while he went about to take off offences. The tongue of a good man needs a bridle; and the better any man is, the more he bridles his tongue.
Job had offended with his tongue; though he had not ſpoken wickedly, yet he had ſpoken raſhly and inconſiderately, and now he ſaith, I will lay my hand upon my mouth.
Hence note; We ſhould be very watchful over that which hath been an inſtrument or an occaſion of ſin.
He that hath offended with his mouth, ſhould lay his hand upon his mouth, and take order with his tongue. It is better to be ſilent, than to offend in ſpeaking.Socrates l. 4. hiſt. Eccleſ. cap. 18. Pamb… (as the Church Hiſtorian reports) confeſſed, that in forty nine years he had ſcarcely learned the meaning of, or the duty contained in the firſt and …econd verſes of the thirty ninth Pſalm, concerning the due reſtraint and government of the tongue.
Secondly, Note; Hoc ſuppli…ii gonus linguarium appellant. Sanct.It is neceſſary ſometimes to abridge our ſelves in what we may do, leſt we ſhould do what we may not.
This is a holy revenge; and it is one of thoſe ſeven effects of Godly ſorrow which works repentance, not to be repented of (2 Cor. 7.11.) We ſhould (in ſome caſes) forbear to ſpeak at all, for fear we ſhould ſpeak amiſs. They who are truly wiſe, are much aſham'd to ſpeak, when once they ſee their error in ſpeaking, or how apt they are to erre in ſpeaking; and therefore lay that penalty upon their tongues, either to ſpare ſpeaking, or to ſpeak very ſparingly. 'Tis ſeldom that the tongue is left looſe but it ſpeaks looſly, and it often ſpeaks thoſe things which give occaſion of offence both to God and man. As all iniquity ſhall (at laſt) ſtop her mouth (Pſal. 107.42.) that is, evil men (the abſtract is put for the concrete) ſhall be ſo aſhamed and confounded for their evil deeds, that when they are charged with them or convinced of them, they ſhall hold their peace, as if their mouths were ſtopped, or like the man that came to the feaſt in the Goſpel without his Wedding-garment, they ſhall be ſpeechleſs (Now, I ſay, as all iniquity ſhall ſtop her mouth for ſhame) ſo it is good for the beſt ſomtimes to ſtop their own mouths, for fear they ſhould ſpeak any iniquity. This godly fear, as well as a gracious ſhame, for what he had ſpoken amiſs before, cauſed Job to ſay,Agnoſcit ſe imparem eſſe ſuſtinendae diſputationi cum Deo, illo ſummo & aeterno bono. Pro unum & duo licet vertere ſemel & bis; ſic foreign ſemel in anno intrabit Pontifex fanctum ſanctorum. Levit. 16.34. Druſ. I will lay my hand upon my mouth, which reſolve he further confirms in the next verſe.
Verſ. 5. Once have I ſpoken, but I will not anſwer; yea, twice, but I will proceed no further.
Once have I ſpoken.
That is, once have I ſpoken amiſs: not that he never ſpoke but once, for he had ſpoken often; but once he had ſpoken amiſs, and been too forward with his tongue.
But I will not anſwer.
That is, I will not ſpeak ſo again. But had Job ſpoken amiſs but once? he confeſſeth more in the latter part of the verſe.
Yea, twice, but I will proceed no furthor.
Once, yea twice. Some Interpreters are much in ſhewing what that once or twice ſpeaking ſhould be.
Firſt, Some ſay it was that he ſo importunately deſired to plead with God. Secondly, Others, that he did ſo much juſtifie himſelf; for though he did well in maintaining his integrity, yet his over-doing it or being ſo much in it, was not well. Others, That his once was his complaining of the afflictions of the godly, eſpecially of his own, as if they were too heavy, and he not weighed in an even ballance, at leaſt afflicted more than needed. That his twice, was his heightning the proſperity of the wicked, as if God favoured them; at leaſt, that he did not puniſh them as they deſerved, nor ſhew diſpleaſure enough againſt them. But we need not ſtay upon ſuch particulars, nor take once and twice ſtrictly. This expreſſion, once, yea twice, implies only, that he had ſpoken often; I have ſpoken not only once, but twice, that is, I have ſpoken ſeveral times amiſs. The firſt ſtep beyond once is twice; and who knows how much beyond twice he had ſpake? when he ſaid once have I ſpoken, yea twice, the meaning plainly is, I have ſeveral times ſpoken amiſs. We had this form of ſpeech (Job 33.14.) where Elihu told Job that the Lord ſpeaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not; that is, he ſpeaks often, in a dream, in a viſion of the night, and man underſtands not the meaning of it. So here, I (ſaith Job) have ſpoken once, yea twice, or many times.
But I will proceed no further, or I will not adde ſaith the Hebrew. I will no more apologize for my ſelf, nor ſtand in my own defence (for in ſo doing, I ſhall ſtand in my own light) but lay my ſelf low in the preſence of God. As if he had ſaid, My ſin is already too great, in that I have divers times ſpoken too boldly and freely, if not preſumptuouſly about thy proceedings, but I will refrain from offending in that kind any more. The ſum of all that Job had ſpoken may be thus conceived. Now Lord I confeſs to thee, and before all the world, my ſin and folly in queſtioning any of thy dealings with me, inſtead of ſubmitting to them, eſpecially in urging a hearing of my cauſe in thy preſence: Therefore I revoke my challenge, and caſt my ſelf at thy footſtool, acknowledging my ſelf (in compariſon of thee) every way vile and baſe, utterly unable to ſatisfie any of thy demands. And, as I my ſelf purpoſe, ſo I humbly beg leave of thee, that I may be ſilent. I grant all that thou haſt ſaid of thy own greatneſs, and of my vileneſs, and I bewail my over-daring raſhneſs: I will not defend pertinaciouſly, what I have ſaid unadviſedly; and to make ſure of that, I am reſolved to ſay no more; leſt carryed out in hea… of ſpeech, I ſhould heat my paſſions; l…ſt, multiplying words, I ſhould multiply my errours, and ſo daſh againſt the ſame reck again.
Firſt, In that Job confeſſeth once have I ſpoken, yea twice.
Note; A good man may fall often.
Once and more than once, once and twice, yea, more than twice. We cannot limit the number, nor ſay to this or that number the failings or ſinnings of a good man may come and no further. Though it be very ſad to multiply ſins, yet the beſt of men have multiplied them.
From the latter words, I will proceed no further.
Note, Secondly; Though a good man may fall often, yet a good man will not take leave to ſin often, no nor once.
He will not give himſelf a liberty to proceed or continue in ſin. When he hath ſinned once or twice, he does not ſay, poſſibly I may ſin again, therefore what ſhould I trouble my ſelf about it? who knows how often any man may ſin? no, though he knoweth not how often he may ſin, yet he will not, give himſelf liberty to ſin, not only, not knowingly, but not at all, once more; but ſaith, in the ſtrength of Chriſt, I will proceed no further, I will do ſo no more. A gracious heart is ſo far from taking liberty to ſin often, that he takes up a reſolve not to ſin, and will to the utmoſt watch againſt and keep himſelf pure from ſin, eſpecially from his ſpecial ſin; as David did, who ſaid (Pſal. 18.21.) I have kept my ſelf from mine iniquity. As if he had ſaid, There is an iniquity, which dogs me, and follows me, a ſin, which eaſily beſets me; but I have kept my ſelf, to the utmoſt of my power, from falling into that iniquity. And, I ſay, though a good man may multiply iniquity, yet wo to thoſe who give themſelves ſcope to multiply iniquity, or to commit any one iniquity. The voice of true repentance is this, I will ſin no more. Though I deny not, but a man, who hath truly repented of ſome particular ſin, and ſincerely purpoſed not to commit it any more, may (being over-powered by corruption and temptation) be overtaken with the ſame ſin again; yet the voice of true repentance is this, and thus the penitent ſoul ſpeaks in truth, I will ſin no more, I will proceed no further.
Again, Job had been confeſſing his fault, his failings, Once have I ſpoken, yea, twice. The words are a penitent confeſſion, or the confeſſion of a penitent. Now ſaith he, I will proceed no further.
Hence note, Thirdly; When ſins and failings are heartily and penitently confeſſed, they are not perſiſted nor perſevered in.
He that hath really confeſt his ſin, will (to his utmoſt) put a ſtop to his ſin; he will be ſo far from renewing or continuing in it, that he ſets himſelf might and main (and prayes in aid from God) againſt it. True confeſſion of ſin is always ſeconded and followed with forſaking of ſin. The Prophet calling the people of Iſrael to repentance, ſaid (Iſa. 1.16.) Ceaſe to do evil. It will not avail us to ſay, we have done evil, unleſs we ceaſe to do evil. The promiſe of mercy is not to bare confeſſors, but to thoſe who are alſo forſakers of ſin (Prov. 28.13.) He that confeſſeth and forſaketh his ſin, ſhall find mercy (Prov. 30.32.) If thou haſt done fooliſhly, lifting up thy ſelf, or if thou haſt thought evil, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, do no more; that is, do not open thy mouth to ſpeak a word in defence of it, do not put forth thy hand any more to act it. Every unfeigned confeſſion of any one ſin,Confeſſio peccati eſt profeſſio deſinendi peccare. Hilar. in Pſal. 136. Irriſor eſt non poenitens, qui adhuc agit quod poenitet. Bernard. is a real profeſſion againſt that, and againſt all other ſins. That man (let him be who he will) is not a confeſſor of ſin to God, but a mocker of God, who confeſſeth a ſin, and takes no care to keep himſelf pure, not only from that, but from every ſin. The Apoſtle John doth not only ſay, Whoſoever is born of God, doth not commit ſin, but, he cannot ſin, becauſe he is born of God (1 Epiſt. 3.9.) Not that he hath not a natural power to ſin; but he hath not a will, a mind to ſin, or he ſins not with the full conſent or ſwing of his will, or he hath a ſincere bent of will againſt every ſin, and would ſin no more. How wicked and bent to back-ſliding were thoſe Jews, to whom the Lord ſaid by his Prophet (Iſa. 1.5.) Why ſhould ye be ſtricken any more? ye will revolt more and more. The will of a wicked man is wholly for ſin: the will of a godly man (as ſuch) is wholly againſt ſin; ſo that when he ſinneth, he may be ſaid to ſin againſt his own will, as well as againſt the will of God; and therefore, being convinced that he hath ſinned, though but in paſſion or by impatient words (as Jobs caſe was) he gives his honeſt word for it (as Job here did) that he will proceed no further.
In theſe three verſes, Job hath ſhewed his repentance for his unwary ſpeeches and exceſſes in language; he hath confeſſed his own vileneſs, and ſits down as ſilenced by God, yea, as impoſing ſilence upon himſelf. Thus he is got a good way in the work of humiliation; yet he was not come quite through, he had not yet made ſuch a confeſſion of his ſin, nor was his heart ſo humbled as it ought to be, before God would raiſe him up; and therefore in the following part of this Chapter, and in the next, God ſets upon him again, and ſpeaks to him a ſecond time out of the whirlwind. The Lord had begun to humble him, and Job had begun to humble himſelf, yet the Lord deals further with him to humble him more, and ſpeaks to him again out of the whirlwind: What again out of the whirlwind? Yes; Then anſwered the Lord unto Job out of the whirlwind, and ſaid, &c.
And not only ſo, but after the Lord had put many queſtions to him, about himſelf, as before about ſeveral creatures, he had a reſerve of two creatures more to queſtion with him about, that would more aſtoniſh him than all the reſt, Behemoth and Leviathan.
Thus we ſee, when once the Lord begins to humble a ſoul, he will make through work of it, and never give it over, till he hath brought him to the duſt indeed. Job was ſo far humbled, that he had no more to ſay unto God; but God had much more to ſay unto Job, and all for this end, that he might humble him more, as will appear in opening that which followeth.