Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 15 · Verse 11
Verſ. 11, Are the conſolations of God ſmall with thee? is their any ſecret thing with thee?
In this and the two following verſes, Eliphaz chargeth Job with a preſumptuous and arrogant carriage toward God. The charge hath two branches;
The firſt whereof (in this verſe) is, That he did undervalue theſe conſolations which God alloweth upon his People in trouble, as if they were but ſlender, empty, and not ſatisfactory; and as if he had ſome ſecret way of getting comfort, which none elſe knew of. In this charge he reflects upon what they had formerly propounded to Job, when they made ſo many fair offers of encouragement, if he would repent and turn to God. Wherein he thinks they had laid before him the ordinary road-way of attaining comfort, and therefore he takes it ill that he had rejected all thoſe encouragements, as if he expected comfort in ſome odd way.
In this challenge Eliphaz doth unjuſtly charge Job, ſeeing in all their offers they were but Phiſicians of no value, as Job tells them. Chap. 13.4. For they put him to that task of Repentance, as an Hypocrite, that had never done any thing before ſincerely; and upon theſe terms, only, they aſſure him of encouragement; and this was the cauſe why Job would not hear of their offer. And this their miſtake may teach us,
1. Imprudence in Application will marre many a ſweet Encouragement in its Operation; As their miſapplication of Encouragements to him (wherein there is good General Doctrine) as to one that had been a Hypocrite before, makes him reject them all.
2. Scripture miſapplyed is not to be looked on as Gods Word, nor the Conſolations thereof, tendered on wrong terms, as given of God; For, ſo doth Job look upon all their ſweet Encou…agements, when miſapplyed to him, however in themſelves they might be truths.
But, paſſing his miſtake, the General Doctrine may teach,
1. God is ſo infinitely rich, that there is no condition of his People, but he hath a ſutable Conſolation for it; As here is ſuppoſed, that there were Conſolations of God, ſutable to his deep diſtreſs. See, 2. Cor. 1.3, 4, 5.
2. Albeit theſe Conſolations be tendered and applied by men; Yet they are ſtill Gods Comforts, becauſe they are carved out by him, and allowed by him upon his people: Therefore he accounts thoſe the Conſolations of God, which had been propounded by him and his Friends. See, 2. Cor. 1.20.
3. The ſure way of mens attaining Conſolation in trouble, is, to repent and turn to God, and to have their Peace made ſure with him; that Conſolation may flow from that Fountain for their good; For, ſuch were the Conſolations of God tendered by them, wherein their Doctrine was ſound, though it was miſapplied For that is the true Fountain of ſound comfort, and Job was bound to make uſe of it, though he was not obliged to ſet about that work as one that had never been at it before.
4. It is a great ſin, when men in trouble do refuſe and undervalue the Conſolations of God, as mean and empty; as Naaman undervalued the water of Jordan, Achaz cared not for a Promiſe, and a Confirmation of it, from God, Iſai. 7.10, 11, 12, 13. and as many others do, who ſeek for ſignes and wonders, whereby they may be comforted; For, it is, in it ſelf, a fault (whatever was Job's acceſſion to it) when the Conſolations of God are ſmall with men. Many think his Conſolations not rich enough, becauſe they are accompanied with humbling Exerciſe, and many are ready to preſcribe unto God how he ſhould comfort them, wherein if he do not grant their deſire, they will not be comforted at all. Hence it is, that Gods ſalvation may be near, Pſal. 85.9. when our Salvation, which we carve out and preſcribe, may be far off. See, Pſal. 7.8, 9, with 10. 2 Cor. 12.7, 8, 9.
5. Mens Conſciences, if put to it, will ſoon diſcover the ill of undervaluing Gods Conſolations; For, ſo much doth the queſtion import, Are the Conſolations of God ſmall with thee? implying that Conſcience, dare not own ſuch a practice as juſtifiable. And, indeed, ſuch an humour and practice doth evidence great pride, and want of humble ſtooping and ſubmiſſion to God; a ſtrong deſire to be ſingularly dealt with, not acquieſcing in the common allowances of Gods People; and much corruption, that loves not the exerciſe that accompanyeth the Conſolations of God. And it ſhould be ſo much the more odious, as it refl…cts upon the wiſdom, goodneſs and love of God, as if he had not provided ſufficiently for the comfort of his People.
6. Men refuſing, or, undervaluing, the Conſolations of God, ſhould ſee what ſecret thing is with them; As Eliphaz here ſubjoyns in the next queſtion; That is,
They would ſee where they may do better, or if they have any ſingular way of comfort beſide, before they deſpiſe thoſe.
2. It ſhould put them to ſee and try out what Idols, or falſe Conſolations, they have in their hearts, which make them deſpiſe his offers, For it is certain that, if men be not quite deſperate, they muſt have ſome falſe dreams of comfort, when they reject the Conſolations of God.
3. It may give them cauſe to ſuſpect their comforts, i… they be ſecret and odd, and not known to Saints.