Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 30 · Verse 1
Verſe 1. But now they that are younger than I, have me in deriſion, whoſe Fathers I would have diſdained to have ſet with the dogs of my flock.
IN this Verſe he propounds the firſt Branch, or Head, of his miſeries, which had now befallen him; Namely, that he was had in deriſion, or, deſpiſed, ſcorned, laughed at, and inſulted over, in his calamity. This he amplifieth and aggravateth in the reſt of the purpoſe, till, v. 12. And he gives ſuch a character of the inſtruments of this tryal, and of their way in it, as doth clearly evince that he is not reflecting upon his three Friends in this Diſcourſe, as ſome have conceived. The firſt aggravation of this tryal (in this Verſe) is taken from the conſideration of their youth, who did thus inſult over him. They were younger than he, and of that ſort who had reverenced him before, and ought to have done ſo ſtill, who now have him in deriſion. The ſecond aggravation (propounded alſo in this Verſe, and inſiſted upon till v. 9.) is taken from their baſe Original and Parentage who did thus ſo inſolently abuſe him. Their Parents were ſo baſe as he would have diſdained to have ſet them with the very Doggs that kept his flock. This Job reflects upon, when he ſpeaks of their carriage, becauſe not only their baſe carriage and conditions deſerve it ſhould be remembred; whatever themſelves had attained of reſpect in the world; but themſelves alſo (as would appear) continued in that ſame baſe and low condition, being Inheritours of their Parents miſeries, and their vices too. And albeit this harſh expreſſion, as it relates to their Parents, may be mollified by conſidering what Job afterward ſaith, that they were more uſeleſs, and fed worſe, than his very Doggs. And ſo the expreſſion will point out, not ſo much his diſdainful thoughts of them, as how vile and wretched they made themſelves through ſloth and wickedneſs, and that they lived miſerably, and were not worthy to have that truſt, which Doggs had, of keeping his ſheep; Yea (as ſome conceive it) not worthy to keep the very Doggs, that kept his flock. And ſo they underſtand that Proverbial ſpeech, of a Dogg's head, 2 Sam. 3.8. of a vile perſon, ſet to keep Doggs; than which theſe were yet viler. Yet the terms wherein Job expreſſeth this, are not to be looked upon as altogether free of ſome exceſs of paſſion, upon which his great and generous Spirit was driven, when he is ſo unworthily abuſed by the baſe Off-ſpring of theſe baſe and wretched Parents. Now as for the time when theſe baſe wretches abuſed him, it is probable they did it at all occaſions; eſpecially when, before his Friends came to him, he had any intermiſſion of his pains, and went abroad; or when they ſate ſilent by him, Chap. 2. or in the intervals of time betwixt their ſeveral diſcourſes.
If we conſider the ſcope of this whole Chapter, which is to point out the ſad change of Jobs former condition, intimated in the tranſition and connexion. But now, &c. It may teach,
1. As time is ſtill in flux, ſo mens lots in time are very changeable, and Saints may be exerciſed with notable revolutions in it; For, after all the former ſweet dayes Job had enjoyed, he is now made to change his note, and to ſubjoyn, But now it is otherwiſe. Which may warn all to look for changes, and that the wheel will ſtill be rolling; ſo that men ought not to fix upon any temporary enjoyment. And it may teach goodly men, when in a low condition, to look upon a change to the better as poſſible, as Job found. For changes are from the right hand of the moſt High; as the Original Text of Pſ. 77.10. may bear.
2. Simple tryals are not ſo ſharp in themſelves, as when they come upon men after they have formerly enjoyed great proſperity; For, this heightens Jobs reſentment, that now, after the former dayes, all the following miſeries had come upon him, which rendred his caſe ſadder to his ſenſe (though Religion and right reaſon doth teach otherwiſe, Job. 2.10.) than if he had never been in another condition. See Pſ. 102.10. This may teach men to be ſober in their comfortable conditions, leſt former mercies contribute to imbitter a change, as it will be indeed with the wicked, when they come down from their excellencies.
3. It may pleaſe the Lord to exerciſe his children with ſuch changes of their condition as deprives them of many mercies together; For, ſo much doth Jobs experience teach, who complains in this Chapter of ſo many ſad changes that had befallen him, in his reputation and authority, in his ſoul and body, &c. See Lam. 2.22. From all which it appeareth, That (excepting Chriſt, who is God and King of Saints) he hath been more ſharply exerciſed, than any one Saint, whoſe exerciſes are recorded in Scripture. For theſe complaints recorded in the Lamentations, give an account of the tryals, not of any one perſon, but of the body of a Nation. Albeit any one tryal will be ſad enough, when God hath us to try by it, yet many tryals together will be much ſadder. And when we conſider our ſad changes, we ought alſo to conſider what is left to us; It being an undoubted evidence of humility, and of love to God (with whom we deſire not to quarrel) if we obſerve the mercies which are continued with us in our afflictions, Ezr. 9.8. Lam. 3.21, 22. And if there be any who are ſo crouded with a throng of afflictions, that they cannot, or have not leiſure to, diſcern mercies; they muſt remember, that ſuch a condition is not without an example in Scripture (for Jobs experience doth prove, that ſuch a path hath been troden) and that they need much exerciſe, to try them, and to draw forth many proofs of the grace of God in them, and of his love toward them.
4. Whatever men may think of tryals, either before they come, or after they are over; Yet in the mean time, and while God is making a tryal of them, they will be ſad, and a ſearching exerciſe: Therefore Job expreſſeth his reſentment of his condition as it now ſtands with him, not only after what it was before, Chap. 29. but when it now preſſeth him. See Heb. 12.11. If tryal were not ſharp and ſearching, it could not try us, nor diſcover and purge our droſs, nor fit us for proofs of Gods love in ſupporting and delivering. And therefore we ought not to judge of Gods love by the ſharpneſs which we find, for preſent, in our tryals; And we ſhould learn to pity theſe who are under the preſent ſharp fits of tryal, even albeit ſome droſs do appear. See 2 King. 4.27.
5. Albeit any thing will be a tryal ſharp enough, which hath Gods commiſſion for that effect; Yet, if we ſpeak of tryals comparatively, as enjoyment of goods and wealth is not the chief outward mercy, So the want thereof is not the greateſt tryal, to a generous and godly Spirit: Hence it is, that in all this enumeration of Jobs troubles, there is no complaint of the loſs of his wealth (though he ſeem to reſent mens incivilities in the wayes they uſed to take it away, v. 12. &c.) in compariſon of other loſſes. It is true, he doth not diſtinctly mention his loſs of Children, either in this enumeration (though that may be reduced to ſome head of his complaint. See v. 29.) as being chiefly affected with tryals on his own perſon, which are more ſharp and ſearching (even to theſe who are not led by a principle of ſinfull ſelf-love) than tryals upon relations: And withall, his omitting many ſad tryals that had befallen him, in this enumeration of his calamities, may intimate to us, that ſome godly men (like Job) may be ſo afflicted, that when they have ſaid much in uttering their particular grievances and diſtreſſes, they muſt leave much unſaid, to be ſpoken, to God or others, by their ſilence, and being cruſhed under it: Yet this his ſilence about his wealth may teach men, as not to place their happineſs in wealth, when they enjoy it, ſo to bear the want of it ſoberly, conſidering how ſoon God may ſend a ſadder tryal, which will make them forget that. See Job 2, 3, 4, 5. Heb. 10.34.
If we conſider the affliction here reſented by him, that he was had in deriſion, it may teach,
1. It is nothing ſtrange, nor inconſiſtent with the ſtate of the children of God, that they fall in diſgrace and contempt, after they have been highly eſteemed; For, Now, ſaith he, (after all the reſpects formerly paid me) they have me in deriſion. And of this David complains frequently. This comes to paſs, either when godly men make an Idol of their reputation, and are too much affected with the applauſe they have among men; Or, when God hath them to try, how they will ſtoop to God in any tryal wherewith he exerciſeth them, and how they will comfort themſelves in his approbation and eſteem of them, when they are deſpiſed by others; Or, when God is to diſcover the baſe humours of men, and the inconſtancy of their applauſe, which doth not follow men becauſe of their piety and vertue, but becauſe of their preſent proſperity. Whence it cometh to paſs, that ſo ſoon as a perſon comes to be in affliction, they change their note of him. However, this warns godly men to build little upon the uncertain and inconſtant air of mens eſteem and applauſe. See Act. 14.11, 12, 13, 19. and 28.4, 5, 6. It teacheth them, alſo, to believe that ſuch a change as this may conſiſt with Gods love towards them; To ſearch what may be the riſe of ſuch a change, or whether any folly in them have procured it at Gods hand, or he be only about to try them, and improve it accordingly; And, To be more afflicted, under ſuch a change, with what may ſeem to reflect upon God in it, than with their own particular grievances, as was Davids practice, Pſ. 42.10.
2. Contempt, reproach and diſgrace, may come in among the firſt and ſharpeſt of outward tryals, eſpecially to men of great Spirits, who formerly have been in eſteem, and reſpected by all; Therefore Job begins with this firſt, that they have him in deriſion, not only becauſe he had ſpoken of his former reſpect and honour immediately before, Chap. 29.25. but becauſe this did much affect him. Honour being naturally mans Darling, contempt and ſcorn cannot bu…e a ſore affliction, Mat. 5.11. Heb. 10 32, 33. And they are cruel Perſecutors, who unjuſtly mock or ſcorn godly men, Gen. 21.9. with Gal. 4.29. And withall, when men fall into diſgrace and contempt, after they have been in eſteem, this will heighten the affliction. But we ſhould ſtudy to be mortified to reſpect among men (whether we enjoy or want it) and to content our ſelves with that honour which cometh from God only, Joh. 5.44. Which may ſuffice us, whether we be in honour or diſhonour, under good report or evil report, 2 Cor. 6.8. And if we cannot command mens humours and inclinations to eſteem of us, as they ought in reaſon to do, or to continue their good opinion of us; Yet, if by grace we ſtudy to ſubdue our own diſpoſitions, we ſhall have a more eaſie task, than if we made it our work to ſtop every reproachers mouth; And it is the greateſt affront that can be put upon revilers, to ſleight them, and not to be vexed with that which is their real fault, and but our affliction.
From the firſt Aggravation of this tryal, that they were younger than he, who had him in deriſion, Learn,
1. It is to be expected, that God, in his providence, will order tryals ſo, as they may be moſt ſearching and trying, for meaſure, continuance, Inſtruments employed in them, &c. For, ſo doth Job amplify this tryal from many aggravating circumſtances and conſiderations, in this and the following Verſes. Thus the Lord beſets our tryals with pricking thornes upon all hands, that they may be tryals indeed, and ſo may diſcover our weakneſs, and the power of his grace upholding us.
2. As it is a ſin in youth to inſult over the aged (Iſ. 3.5.) eſpecially when they are in adverſity; So this is apt to imbitter that lot to our corruptions, that it cometh from ſuch hands: For, this is recorded, both as their ſin, and as an addition to Jobs exerciſe and vexations, that they who were younger than he, had him in deriſion. Men in their younger dayes are ſo raſh and head-ſtrong, that it is not eaſie to get that time of their life ſpent without miſcarrying in it. And, in particular, it argues ſinful raſhneſs in them, not to reverence old age (of which ſee Chap. 29.8.) or to take advantage of mens miſeries, to inſult over them when they are low. Yet however this be apt to irritate and provoke men who ſuffer theſe injuries, they ſhould rather make it their ſtudy to pity them.
From the ſecond Aggravation of this tryal (propounded in this Verſe) that they were of baſe Parentage who had him in deriſion, Learn,
1. It is a piece of ſharp tryal to the godly, when they are inſulted over by baſe raſcals; as here it was to Job. So David complains that he was abuſed by the very abjects, Pſ. 35.15. But we muſt learn to ſtoop to God, and to be exerciſed by any inſtrument he pleaſeth to employ, as David did in the matter of Shimei, whom Abiſhai, looked upon as a dead Dogg, not to be ſuffered, 2 Sam. 16.9, 10.
2. To inſult over the miſerable is an evidence of baſeneſs, and that men are void of generoſity; For, theſe men evidenced their baſe Original, by their carriage toward him. And in that reſpect Job juſtly tells them of it, when themſelves proclaimed it by their inſolent reproaching of him.
3. Reproach, eſpecially from baſe perſons, is very irritating, even to godly men; For, from this doth his tart reflection upon their parentage flow, that when they did ſo unworthily abuſe him, his great Spirit could not bear it at their hand, without ſuch a return as this. Saints weakneſſes, as well as Gods grace in them, will be breaking forth in trouble, and therefore they have need to be upon their guard.
4. Some men, by their own viciouſneſs and miſcarriages, do render themſelves worſe than very beaſts; For, in this reſpect it was true, that they were not worthy to be ſet with the doggs of his flock, Not that he diſdained them becauſe they were poor, but becauſe they were wicked, and becauſe, being brought low by affliction and poverty, they made themſelves yet lower by their beaſtly practices and manners, and became ſo uſeleſs and unprofitable, that they were not fit for the meaneſt offices, but very Doggs were to be preferred to them. Which may wa…n men to ſee how they ſpend the dayes of their vain time, and that they become not bruit beaſts (2 Pet. 2.12.) yea, worſe than beaſts, for ſenſuality, unprofitableneſs, &c.