Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 19 · Verses 1-3 – Verse 4
Verſ. 1. Then Job anſwered, and ſaid,
2. How long will ye vex my ſoul, and break me in pieces with words?
3. Theſe ten times have ye reproached me: you are not aſhamed that you make your ſelves ſtrange to me.
IN theſe verſes (beſide a General Intimation that Job did anſwer, v. 1.) we have,
1. A General Propoſition of the Challenge, v. 2. — that, by their alleaging of untruths, and brangling his peace and driving him to deſpair, they had grieved and vexed his ſoul, and that for a long time.
2. An Explication of the Challenge, v.—2. that they did not only vex; but even cruſh and break in pieces his ſtrength and courage of mind, by their impertinent, untrue, and cruel language.
3. An inſtructing of this Challenge, v. 3. — that thoſe ten times, or, very many times (a definite number being put for an indefinite, as Gen. 31.7. Lev. 26.26. and elſewhere) they had reproached him, and ſlandered his integrity.
4. An aggravation of this their fault, v.—3. That they, who ought to have proved friends, and profeſſed to do ſo, yet, without ſhame, dealt ſo ſtrangely, and left off all tenderneſs toward him.
In General Learn,
1. As Controverſies are not eaſily ended, when once they are begun; So it doth commend a mans honeſty and zeal for truth, that many renewed aſſaults do not make him quit it: Both theſe may be gathered from this, that Job, after all the former debates, yet anſwered.
2. A good way to put an end to Controverſies, is not always to jangle about Queſtions debated, but ſometime to put the matter roundly home to the Conſciences of Debaters; that they may conſider whether, in cold bloud, they be not refuted and ſelf-condemned in their own boſomes: For, ſuch is the ſtrain and ſcope of Job's Reply at this time, to charge home their cruel and uncharitable carriage upon their own Conſciences. Where Conſcience interpoſeth not in Debates, mens parts, and their delight to make a ſhew of them, their intereſt and credit being engaged, and their heat and paſſion kindled and increaſed by debating, may keep ſtrife long on foot.
In Particular, From v. 2. Learn,
1. Afflictions are ſad, and mens carriage cruel, in ſo far as they reach the ſouls and ſpirits of men, to vex and grieve them; When either afflictions and mens way of dealing get in upon their ſpirits, and cauſe a breach and wound there, or men do fall upon the afflicteds inward ſtate and condition, to queſtion the goodneſs thereof: For, this is his complaint, that they vexed his ſoul and brake him in pieces, by one or other of theſe means.
2. Affliction is ſo much the ſadder, when it is added to former afflictions; For, ſaith he, ye vex my ſoul, who am already afflicted in my outward condition. They either added the breach of the peace of his ſoul to his outward croſſes; or his inward peace being already diſturbed by deſertion and tentation, they contributed to the continuance and increaſe of that vexation.
3. The longer men continue in an ill courſe, it is ſo much the worſe; in regard they do more hurt thereby, and do witneſs that it flows not from a fit of weakneſs, but from a fixed reſolution; For, he points at this as a great aggravation of their fault, How long will ye vex my ſoul? &c.
4. A ſmall thing may hurt one that is already cruſhed; and particularly, impertinent words may do much hurt to one who is tender and broken with afflictions: For, Job, who had born all his other loſſes, could not bear ſuch language, but words brake him in pieces.
5. Men who have the teſtimony of their integrity, and get grace to ſtick by it, may yet expect to meet with many rubs in going through a time of tryal; their corruptions may be irritated, and God may try and humble them thereby: For, Job, who who was honeſt, and would not quit the teſtimony of it, yet, is vexed and broken with irritating words. Such diſtempers ſhould not be looked upon as a proof that men have no integrity.
6. Men intending moſt good to others, may yet prove moſt hurtful, unleſs God lead them to prove comfortable; For, Job's Friends intended no ſuch thing, and yet they vexed his ſoul and brake him in peices.
From v. 3. Learn,
1. It is not ſufficient that men accuſe and challenge others hard, unleſs they be able to inſtruct and prove their challenges; Therefore doth Job here inſtruct what theſe words were which brake him, Ye have reproached me.
2. Men ought to look upon their way with others, not only as it is in it ſelf, or as themſelves may judge of it, but as thoſe may feel and apprehend it to be, who are already broken with trouble; For, in this reſpect it was ten times to Job, that they had reproached him, though poſſibly it was not ſo much in it ſelf.
3. Reproach is one of mens carriages, whereby the afflicted are apt to be cruſhed and broken; For, he inſtanceth the former Challenge in the matter of reproach, Ye have reproached me. See Pſal. 69.20.
4. It is mens duty not to be ſtrange to Friends, or to harden themſelves againſt them, and eſpecially againſt godly Friends in trouble; and it is a ſhame when they do ſo; Therefore he chargeth it upon them, as a fault they might be aſhamed of, that they make themſelves ſtrange to him, or, harden themſelves againſt him, never conſidering his trouble and grief, when they ſpake ſo ſharply to him. See Pſal. 38.11. 2 Tim. 1.16
5. It is a great fault, and aggravation of ſin, in men, not to be aſhamed when they do evil; as here he chargeth it upon them, you are not aſhamed, &c. See Phil. 3.19. Jer. 6.15. & 8.12. & 11.15.
Verſ. 4. And be it indeed that I have erred, mine errour remaineth with my ſelf.
Follow the Arguments preſſing and bearing in this Challenge upon them. The firſt whereof (in this verſe) is diverſly interpreted and taken up. Some conceive Job's meaning to be this, That if he had erred in judgment or practice, himſelf (and not they) ſhould have the worſt of it, and ſmart for it; and therefore they might let him alone to take his own hazard. Or it was a ſecret Errour betwixt God and him (for his practice and way, in the view of the world, had been blameleſs) and therefore not to be caſt up by them. As it were nothing ſtrange to admit of ſuch an eſcape as this in Job, when he is in the heat of diſpute and paſſion; ſo ſuch reaſoning could not be juſtified. For grant thoſe Errours ſhould not break forth to infect others; yet, his godly Friends, in ſuch a caſe, were bound to be more tender of him, then to ſuffer even himſelf alone to continue in an Errour.
But I take the force of the Argument to lie rather in this; That, ſuppoſing he had erred in the point controverted, yet it would lodge (as the word is) and remain with him for ever, for any thing they had done to convince him of it. And ſo the meaning of the words, is, They were far in the wrong, and very cruel, in that they railed upon him as unſound in judgment and practice, when yet they had taken no pains ſolidly to convince him of any Errour. Neither could he be edified by ſuch a procedure, nor would it make him quit an Errour, if he were overtaken with any. This Interpretation agreeth with what Job had ſaid, Chap. 6.25. and what Elihu afterward cenſureth in thoſe three Friends, Chap. 32, 3.
It Teacheth,
1. It is poſſible the ſoundeſt of men, conſidered in themſelves, may be overtaken in an Errour; For, though Job grant not that he erred in this Debate, yet the Suppoſition, Be it indeed that I have erred, importeth the caſe be poſſible.
2. Among other cauſes, Ignorance is a great help to Errour; For, the word ſignifieth a failing through Ignorance, as it is, Numb. 15.28. Not only is there an Ignorance of Truth in every Errour, but many are led into Errour through their weakneſs, ſimplicity, and ignorance.
3. Railing and calumniating will never prevail with rational and conſcientious men, to cauſe them change their Opinions; But as honeſt men will not therefore quit Truth becauſe others rail at it, and call it Errour; So, oft-times, Errours are the more rooted in men, becauſe they are ill refuted; For, in ſuch a caſe, Job ſaith, My Errour remaineth with my ſelf, or, ſhall lodge with me.