Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 15 · Verse 14 – Verses 15-16
Verſ. 14. What is man, that he ſhould be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he ſhould be righteous?
The fourth fault charged upon Job in his Diſcourſe (which makes way to the Second part of the Chapter) is, that he maintained Errour, in juſtifying himſelf and his cauſe before God. The charge is propounded, here, and amplified and illuſtrated, v. 15, 16. The ſum of the Proportion is, That, however Job laboured to juſtifie himſelf; yet, it was impoſſible that frail Man (as his Name here ſignifies) born of a Woman, ſhould be righteous.
This Charge is ſound Doctrine in the Theſis, and Job was guilty of contradicting this Truth, in ſome reſpects, and therefore is checked by Elihu, Chap 33.8, 9. & 34.7. of which in its own place; Yet as for Eliphaz's Application of it to his purpoſe, it is to be conſidered,
1. In the Truth here aſſerted, Job and he did not controvert; For however he aſſerted his righteouſneſs too much, and too violently, and by way of indirect reflection on God (and is therefore challenged by Elihu, and by God himſelf) yet he expreſsly denied there was any perfect purity in man, Chap. 14.4. and ſo yielded what is aſſerted here.
2. This Doctrine ſeem to be repeated by Eliphaz, from that Viſion which he had, Chap. 4.17, 18, 19. But, beſide his miſtake marked there, we have this further here; That whereas th…s Doctrine was propounded comparatively, Chap. 4 17. that Man cannot be more juſt then God, here he repeats it as abſolutely true, that Man cannot at all be righteous; at leaſt, any compariſon is but very darkly (if at all) hinted in the following verſes. Now there is a great d…fference betwixt thoſe two. For no Man can compare with God in this, and yet ſome may lawfully ſay, they are righteous.
Theſe miſtakes in the Application may teach,
1. Paſſion and heat in debates will cauſe men very far, and groſsly, miſtake one another; For, ſo doth he faſten that on Job which he had expreſsly denied.
2. It is moſt neceſſary, for preventing of miſtakes in diſpute, that men be accurate in ſtating the Queſtion; and particularly, that, in debating about mens integrity and righteouſneſs, we diſtinguiſh, b… twixt mens ſtate and their condition, betwixt their ſtate by Nature and by Grace, betwixt reigning ſins and infirmities; Otherwiſe, we will never judge rightly of perſons nor of things. For, the confounding of theſe bred this miſtake of Job. His Aſſertion doth, indeed, hold true of Man, conſidered in himſelf and by nature, that he is neither clean nor righteous; which Job n…ver denied, and yet a Man, as regenerate, may be righteous by imputation, and by begun Sanctification and Sincerity, which Job maintained. It is true, even Saints are not righteous, as to freedom from original corruption and infirmities, yet they may be free from wickedneſs, which he would faſten on Job. It is true, alſo, no man can prove himſelf perfect before God, or compare with him in righteouſneſs and purity; yet he may prove himſelf righteous and ſincere, according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace.
3. When men are once byaſſed with their own Principles, they will be ready to adulterate, were it even Revelations given to them; and will underſtand all light offered to them, only as it is repreſented by their own prejudged underſtandings; For, that Viſion which Eliphaz expounded wrong, Chap. 4. he now alters the words of, ſo as might make more for his purpoſe.
4. It is our mercy that Divine Revelations are not entruſted only to our memories, but do ſtand regiſtrated in the written Word; For Eliphaz's memory fai…s him, and he doth change and alter what God had ſaid.
From the General Propoſition, conſidered in it ſelf, Learn,
1. There is no perfect purity to be found among the ſons of men, who come of Adam by ordinary generation; For, Man is neither clean, nor righteous. Where (if it be neceſſary to diſtinguiſh theſe words) cleanneſs may point at that purity in Nature, whereof Man is deſtitute, and righteouſneſs, at their ſtraightneſs in Converſation, which cannot be attained where the Fountain is ſo corrupt; or, at any other thing which Man can attain unto, to ſupply the defect of this cleanneſs, whereof he is altogether unprovided.
2. They who think otherwiſe of Man, and dream of his being perfect, are very ill acquainted with M…n and his Original; They do not well enough diſcern that he is frail man, nor do they read aright what his miſeries do ſay of him, nor conſider that he is born of a woman, ſee Chap. 14.1. So much is implied in Man's Name here, that he is frail wretched Man, and that he is born of a Woman; which are put in the aſſertion, to verifie the truth thereof.
3. The heart of Man ought (and being godly, will) riſe and ſwell with indignation, at any conceit of Man's pu…ity or worth; For, thoſe pungent queſtions, What is Man that he ſhould be clean, &c? do ſpeak indignation in Eliphaz, that any ſhould have ſuch a thought.
4 The beſt way to refute any ſuch conceit of Man's Purity, is, to bring home the matter of our condition, to be cognoſced upon by our Conſciences; For, therefore doth Eliphaz propound theſe queſtion to Job, that himſelf might ſeriouſly conſider of the matter.
5. Whatever ſelf-juſtifiers pretend they have to ſay; yet their Conſciences will not ſtill be able to ſtand out againſt Gods verdict of ſinful man: For, ſo much do theſe queſtions alſo import, that Job's own Conſcience would at laſt (whatever he thought in his paſſion) be forced to acknowledge this truth.
Verſ. 15. Behold, he putteth no truſt in his Saints: yea, the heavens are not clean in his ſight:
16. How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?
In theſe verſes we have the Amplification and Confirmation of this Propoſition, That if Saints and the Heavens be not clean before God, nor truſted in by him, v. 15. how much more vile muſt Man be, who greedily drinks in iniquity? v. 16. By Saints, here taken in oppoſition to M…n, Angels are to be underſtood, who, though they be holy one…, yet, do ſtand by the grace and favour of God. And by the Heavens we may underſtand the pure Heavens themſelves, thoſe celeſtial Bodies and the Lights that ſhine in them, which are free of ſpots and blemiſhes, and do ſhine brightly; and yet are not clean in Gods ſight. So Chap. 25.5. Or the ſame Angels (formerly deſigned by the name of Saints) who are heavenly creatures. Of this, ſee Chap. 4.18.
Doct. 1. Albeit the Lord have made creatures which are excellent above Man, eſpecially as he is now faln by ſin; yet none of theſe are ſo perfect, as that they can boaſt of purity before him. For, it is here again inculcated, that Saints and the Heavens, are not clean. So that, whatever perfections there be in ſome creatures, above others; yet, all of them muſt be ſenſible of imperfection before God.
2. As the Lord is ſo infinitely glorious and all-ſufficient, that he needs not truſt on any thing without himſelf; ſo no dependant goodneſs in the creature can bear the weight of the truſt and confidence of any; For, God, who knoweth his own creatures beſt, puts no truſt in his Saints, to ſhew that men are fools when they lean the weight of their confidence upon them, or any other creature.
3. The beſt Sight will be got of the emptineſs of the creatures perfections, when we look to God, how perfect he is, and what his thoughts are of the creatures; For, they are not clean in his ſight, ſaith he, whatever others may think of them.
4 Men may not only ſee their pollution, but the groſsneſs thereof, when they compare themſelves (not with themſelves, but) with more excellent creatures, who yet are not pure in Gods ſight; For, if Saints, and the heavens be not clean in his ſight, how much more abominable and filthy as Man? Or, How much leſs is abominable and filthy Man to be accounted clean?
5. Filth, and being abominable, ſhould go together in our eſtimation and account; whatever is filthy, ſhould therefore be abominable, and nothing ſhould be abominable, or deteſted by us, but what is really filthy; as here they are conjoyned.
6. It is not ſufficient we have a General notion of Mans pollution, unleſs we be ſo well acquainted with it, as we may be able to inſtance it in particulars; Therefore he here ſubjoyns this as a proof that Man is abominable and filthy, he drinketh Iniquity like water. Wherein Mans vile and abominable condition by nature is hinted at in theſe particulars.
1. That it is as natural to him to ſin, as it is to eat or drink.
2. That he is poſſeſſed with fiery and raging luſts, which make him thirſt and long after ſatisfaction to them; as a thirſty man doth after drink.
3. That much luſt make, ſin deſirable to him; as drink is to a thirſty man.
4. That luſt makes him ſtand upon no iniquity, how ugly and baſe ſoever, whereby he thinks to reap ſatiſfact…on; he will drink iniquity, be what it will as a thirſty man will be glad of very water, when he is extreamly dry.