Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 34 · Verses 5-6
Verſe 5. For Job hath ſaid, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgement.
6. Should I lye againſt my right? My wound is incurable without tranſgreſſion.
Theſe Verſes contain the ſecond part of the Chapter, or, a Propoſition of theſe expreſſions of Job, which he intends, at this time, to refute. The challenge is the ſame in ſubſtance with what was propounded in the former Chapter; Namely, That Job had wronged God by his complaints; but this is more ſharply refuted and ſpoken to. He chargeth him to have ſaid,
Firſt, That though he was righteous, yet God had taken away his judgement, or, he got not a fair hearing and deciſion of his cauſe, v. 5. As for that part of the Charge, That Job ſaid, he was righteous, he hath had it ſo frequently in his mouth, in his diſcourſes, that it is needleſs to inſtance any particular place for it. See Chap. 13.18. and 23.10, 11, 12. and 27.6. and 31.5, 6, 7. And for the ſecond part of the Charge, That God had taken away his judgement, we find it expreſly ſpoken by Job, Chap. 27.2.
Secondly, He chargeth him with obſtinacy in thoſe complaints, and that he ſaid, That it was no leſs, than a lying againſt his own right, to ſay any other thing of his condition, than that his affliction (cauſed by thoſe arrows of the Almighty, Chap. 6.4. as the word here is) was mortal and incurable, even though he was a man free of tranſgreſſion, v. 6. This Charge ſeems to be the ſame, in ſubſtance, with what Job had ſaid, Chap. 27. — 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. though it may be gathered alſo from his frequent complaints of the fad ſtroaks which had befallen him an innocent man, Chap. 9.17. and 19.7. and 16 13, 17.
For clearing of this Charge, Conſider,
1. As Job did never aſſert his ſinleſsneſs (as may appear from his frequent confeſſions of ſin) but only that he was righteous, as to the ſtate of his perſon, and the cauſe debated betwixt him and his Friends; and conſequently, that phraſe, v. 6. to be without tranſgreſſion, will import no more, in Jobs ſenſe, but that he was free of groſs wickedneſs: So Elihu doth not charge it upon him, as a crime, that he had ſimply ſeen and aſſerted his righteouſneſs; but that he took occaſion thereby to aggravate his complaints.
2. He doth not charge him, that he had directly taxed God as unrighteous; but only, that, in his paſſion, and being put to it by his Friends, he ſpake too much of his own righteouſneſs, without a due remembrance of what ſinfulneſs yet remained in him, and what it deſerved; and ſo complained too bitterly of God, that he did not vindicate and clear him, when he was not only ſore oppreſſed with trouble, but unjuſtly cenſured by his Friends. Thus, albeit Job was ſound in the main cauſe, and his expreſſions (upon ſome accounts) pleaded for pity; Yet, they were not ſo ſuitable and reverent, as became him. And therefore Elihu gathers together what he had ſpoken at ſeveral times, and chargeth him therewith, that he may be convinced of his raſhneſs and folly in them.
Thoſe expreſſions have been ſpoken to in their proper places, and the ſubjoyned refutation will diſcover more particularly his failings in them; And therefore I ſhall here only obſerve a few things.
1. The deareſt Children of God, when they are hard put to it by troubles and tentations, may diſcover more weakneſſes, and fall into more faults, than one; As here he finds faulty expreſſions, beſide thoſe formerly marked. Tentation and tryal may diſcover what we would little dream of, and will let us ſee, that (as it was with Hazael, 2 King. 8.11, 12, 13.) we are little known, till we be tryed. And therefore we ſhould not preſumptuouſly ruſh, or caſt our ſelves upon tentations; and when they are made our Lot, we ſhould watch and be ſober, and ſhould obſerve thoſe ugly ſights of our ſelves which then may be diſcovered unto us.
2. Albeit the people of God think little of their faults, when they are in paſſion, eſpecially, if they do but drop out now and then, and ſome good is mixed among them; Yet, when they are impartially reviewed, and put together, they will appear ugly. Therefore, however the ſumm of what is here challenged may be gathered from Chap. 27.2 — 6. Yet it is Elihu's ſcope to gather together alſo the ſumm of Jobs ſpeeches, ſcattered here and there, that he may look upon them all together, and be convinced of the evil of them. This may give, even unto godly men, a ſad and humbling ſight of their wayes; and therefore they ſhould ſtudy to avoid relapſes, and ſhould call themſelves frequently to an account and reckoning, leſt, otherwiſe, all their accounts come at once upon them: Yet it will be much ſadder to the wicked, when all their faults ſhall be gathered together, and laid to their charge, Pſ. 50.21.
3. It is good ſervice to God, and a kindneſs to godly men, not to flatter them, but to lay open their faults till they ſee them in their uglineſs; and when they are humbled in part, to humble them yet more, that they be not too ſoon ſatisfied with themſelves; Therefore, albeit Job was ſilent at his former charge, yet he goeth on with this new charge againſt him. Thus when men are even pricked in their hearts, there is yet need that they ſhould repent, Act. 2.37, 38.
4. It is not enough, that godly men mean well, or have good intentions, in what they do or ſay, but even their very diſorderly language, or the leaſt other defect, ought to be mourned for; Therefore he challengeth what Job had ſaid, or ſeemed to ſay, albeit he thought not ſo ill. Even the leaſt defect is a blemiſh in good actions, and unadviſed language in our paſſion, ſhould not be lightly paſſed over, but repented of. See Pſ. 106.32, 33.
5. Any reflection upon God and his dealing, though never ſo indirect, ought to be mourned for; As here he challengeth Job, that he ſaid, God had taken away his judgement, or, obſcured his integrity, and gave occaſions of ſuſpicions againſt him, by his afflicting of him, and not appearing to clear him. High and right thoughts of God under trouble are not eaſily attained, and yet the want of them is not juſtifiable.
6. Though righteous men may lawfully maintain their integrity, notwithſtanding their afflictions, or, when it is called in queſtion; Yet, ordinarily, this defence is but ill managed under trouble, eſpecially when the righteouſneſs of God is not exalted: For, albeit Job ſpake true, when he ſaid, I am righteous, yet he took occaſion from this to complain of Gods diſpenſations. Men have need to look how they manage the teſtimony of a good conſcience under trouble; and they have cauſe to ſuſpect themſelves, when they are only complaining, and forgetting to praiſe and commend God.
7. As the integrity of godly men may, ſometime, lye long under a cloud, and not be cleared; ſo this is a very ſad tryal in a time of affliction, though no juſt cauſe of complaint; For, however Job ſinned in complaining of God, yet, this was really a ſad affliction, that, being righteous, his judgement was taken away, and he lay buried under the miſconſtructions and cenſures of his Friends: And therefore they are cruel, who put afflicted godly men to this tryal, by their uncharitable cenſures. And thoſe who are thus put to it, ought to be upon their guard, that they may bear it well; and, for this end, they ſhould comfort themſelves in Gods teſtimony.
8. It is, indeed, a ſin for men to lye againſt their right, or to deny the goodneſs of God to them, and his grace in them, or to acknowledge a wrong where there is no cauſe; For, this Queſtion, Should I lye againſt my right? imports ſo much in general. And many doubters & raiſers of quarrels and jealouſies about their own condition, ſhould take heed to this.
9. Saints may be right in the main cauſe which they defend, who yet may over-act in the defence of it; For, though Job was right, and his Friends wronged him, yet this is laid to his charge as a preſumptuous expreſſion, Should I lye againſt my right? becauſe his preſumptuous and paſſionate defence of the right put him in the wrong. And here we may obſerve, Partly, That Saints are never more ready to miſcarry without diſcerning it, than when they are right upon the matter in what they are about; They will not ſo openly wander in wayes of open provocation, and (at leaſt) not ſee it, and be ſenſible of it, as when they are about right things, and do only fail in the way of going about them; As Job, having a right in this debate, doth not ſo eaſily diſcern how unhappily he expreſſed his defences of it. Partly, That irritations and injuries, received from others, will eaſily hide from us our miſcarriages, in ſeeking to vindicate and repair our ſelves; As Job is ſo eager in looking to his Friends injuſtice, in bidding him renounce his integrity, and ſo lye againſt his right, that he doth not heed how his paſſion, in reſenting that, doth miſ-lead himſelf.
10, Boyſterous willfulneſs is an ordinary diſtemper of Saints under tentation, and an addition to their ſin; For, this vehement Queſtion, Should I lye, &c, and an addition of a new complaint, My wound is incurable, &c. inſtead of retracting any thing he had formerly ſaid, argues him to be reſolute and wilfull in his undertaking, and Elihu chargeth him therewith, as an addition to his dittay: Sins are ſo much the more hainous, as there is much of will in them; and they are not free of this who have been much dealt with, and yet do not amend.
11. Men do heighten their own reſentments at Gods diſpenſations, by miſtaking their own condition; For, though it was true he was wounded by Gods arrow, who may pierce and wound whom, and when, and where, he pleaſeth; it was true, alſo, that his wound was incurable by himſelf, or any other creature; Yet it was his errour to pronounce it ſimply incurable, whether in reſpect of the power of God (which he never meant) or his good will, as the iſſue proved. Therefore, if men would prevent much vexation and miſcarriage, they would ſtudy to read their condition aright; remembring that a caſe may ſeem incurable which really is not ſo, nor will prove ſo; and that we may well ſee what our tryal is, but we cannot tell, what God will make of it, as Job found in the iſſue.
12. Were the condition of Saints never ſo ſad, and even deſperate as to any hopes of a temporal iſſue, yet that is no juſt cauſe to complain, or quarrel God, and reflect upon his diſpenſations; For, ſuppoſe it had been as Job thought, yet Elihu chargeth it upon him as a crime, that he ſhould ſo bitterly complain, My wound is incurable.
13. It is the great ſin of Saints, when, becauſe they ſee no groſs tranſgreſſions in themſelves, they ſee no cauſe, wherefore God may humble and afflict them; ſeeing their other faults may deſerve all that, and God may put them to give proof of their graces under the croſs: For, this was a fault in Job, that he ſaid, My wound is incurable without tranſgreſſion.