Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 31 · Verse 1
Verſe 1. I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then ſhould I think upon a maid?
THe firſt vertue whereof Job makes profeſſion, is, Chaſtity as to a maid, or, that he was free of the ſin of Fornication. This he not only aſſerts, but confirms his aſſertion, by giving an account of the reaſons which preſſed him thereunto, One whereof is couched in his very profeſſion, or aſſertion, in this Verſe, and other expreſs reaſons are ſubjoyned, v. 2, 3, 4.
In this Verſe, we have, 1. His profeſſion, or aſſertion, That he was careful to avoid even thinking upon a maid, to luſt after her; and that, for this end, he made a covenant with his eyes, or keeped them, as it were, under a Law, and firm reſolution and endeavour, that they might not wander after, nor dwell upon, objects of his luſt, leſt, otherwiſe, they might prove a mean to poyſon and infect his heart.
2. The Reaſon of this reſolution, here couched, Why then? Or, Why ſhould I think upon a maid? This Reaſon concludes ſtrongly, whether we conſider it abſtractly, and in it ſelf, Why ſhould I think, &c. That is, I conſidered that there is no advantage and profit, nor even true and ſolid pleaſure, in ſuch a courſe; and therefore would not follow it: Or whether we conſider it relatively, and as it may have a reſpect to the covenant he had made, I made a covenant,— Why then ſhould I think, &c. That is, being under ſuch bonds and reſolutions, it had been a double guiltineſs if he had ſuffered his mind to wander. It is here further to be conſidered, That he makes this profeſſion, of being free of uncleanneſs with maids; not as if he had been guilty of other kinds of uncleanneſs, whereof alſo he purgeth himſelf, v. 9. But becauſe maids, when they were grown up, and become marriageable (as the word here imports) were apt to have proven a great tentation to him, eſpecially in his youth; and therefore he begins firſt to clear himſelf of that, and that even in his youth he was kept free of that evil, to which men, in that period of their life, are very prone. And withall, he doth hereby teſtifie his tenderneſs, in that he kept himſelf from that evil, which, ordinarily, is looked upon by many as a ſmall ſin.
In general, from the ſcope of this whole diſcourſe, Learn,
1. As true piety and greatneſs are not inconſiſtent, ſo holineſs is no reproach, but an ornament, to men in greateſt dignity; For, Job the greateſt man of theſe in the Eaſt, Chap. 1.3. is a very pious and tender man. Which may reprove theſe, who, becauſe of their Grandeur, do look upon piety as below them, and muſt take liberty to prove their greatneſs, by breaking the commands of God; It alſo reproves them who are ready to look upon ſuch accurate walking in any perſon (farr more in great perſons) as preciſeneſs and needleſs ſcrupuloſity. It is a very great evil, and a ſad prognoſtick to a Land, when great perſons are thus principled, Eccl. 10.16.
2. True grace, being tenderly entertained, will flouriſh wonderfully under many diſadvantages; For, here we ſee a man hath ſo eminent knowledge, and is ſo careful of the practice of holy duties, even before the Law was written, that he makes conſcience of very ſmall things. Which may give a ſad check to them, who are more looſe in times of greater light; and thoſe who lay all the blame of their many neglects, only upon their diſadvantages, and external impediments.
3. True piety muſt not be meaſured by mens obſerving of any one particular duty, or other; but it is a very comprehenſive task of many duties, all which muſt be made conſcience of, or, at leaſt, a reſpect muſt be be had to all the Commandements enjoyning them, Pſ. 119.6. For, here Job proveth his integrity and piety, by ſo many particular proofs and evidences. Mens tenderneſs (or ſeeming to be tender) in one duty, doth not warrant them to take a latitude to themſelves in many other duties; as many do put on a mask of piety in ſome things, that they may walk as they pleaſe in many other things. See Jam. 2.10.
4. Such as would prove themſelves to be truly godly, and would have the teſtimony of a good conſcience, and be able to ſilence Calumniatours, in a day of tryal, ought to make much conſcience of the duties of the ſecond Table; Therefore Job inſtanceth his integrity chiefly in thoſe, as being undoubted evidences of his piety, and furniſhing him with arguments to refute his Friends. See Mal. 2.13. Mat. 5.23, 24.
5. Where men have been, and are, tender walkers, that will afford them a ſweet cordial in trouble, and when they are reproached by others; For, now Job finds it ſweet, when he reflects upon his former life, that he hath ſo many things to ſay for himſelf. It is true, they who find, after ſuch a reflection, that they have deborded much, have yet a remedy, if they goe to him who is exalted to give repentance and remiſſion of ſins; Yet it is unſpeakably ſweet, when mens conſciences afford them ſuch an ample teſtimony, in a day of trouble, that they have walked uprightly in the general courſe of their life, Iſ. 38.3. And for attaining of this, men ſhould examine their own wayes frequently and ſeriouſly, that ſo they may be diſtinct in giving an account thereof, as Job is here. For confuſion and indiſtinctneſs is a great obſtructer, whether of humiliation and amendment of faults, that they may come up to ſuch a teſtimony; or of comfort, if they have walked uprightly. And men ſhould remember, that times may come, when applauſe may fail them, and proſperity abandon them, which bear up many againſt challenges, Hoſ. 12.7, 8. And that they will be driven to try what teſtimony their conſciences will afford them, without which they will be in peril to ſink, as here it was with Job. And therefore they ſhould be accurate and ſincere, that their conſciences do not ſpting a leak upon them in their greateſt ſtorms.
In particular, from this Verſe, Learn, 1. Fornication is an evil condemned by God, and which hath been hateful to godly men in all ages, when in a right frame; For, Job here avoided it. If we ſpeak generally of unlawful luſts, they brought judgements upon the Old World, upon Sodom, and upon the Benjamites, Judg. 20. They draw men to other ſins, as Uncleanneſs drew the Iſraelites to commit Idolatry with the Midianites, Num. 25.1, 2. And they waſte mens bodies and eſtates, Pro. 5. And even Fornication is a tranſgreſſion againſt the Law of God, and is a wrong done by men againſt their own bodies, while they make them, being members of Chriſt, to become the members of an harlot, 1 Cor. 6.15, 18. And this ſin of Fornication, or other uncleanneſs, is yet more abominable, if it be committed when the people of God are, or ſhould be weeping, as Num. 25.6.
2. Fornication is an evil, which even the people of God, who are ſincerely ſeeking him, had need to guard againſt; For, holy Job was put to guard againſt it, and the Apoſtle bids us flee it, 1 Cor. 6.18. Even godly men have the root of all evil in them, and are prone to commit even the vileſt ſins, if they be left to themſelves. And if there be any evil whereof we are leaſt ſuſpicious, that may moſt readily ſurprize us, And particularly, Fornication, and other Uncleanneſs, is a bewitching ſin to corrupt nature, and may tempt men very violently, either in their youth (when luſts are very impetuous, ſo that it is no eaſie task to get ſafely through that part of our life) at which time, eſpecially, it ſeems Job was upon his guard againſt it; or even afterward, when men live in eaſe and plenty, as may be ſeen in David, 2 Sam. 11.1, 2, 3, &c. and Sodom, Ezek. 16.49. with Gen 19 4, 5. Yea, ſome may be ſo ſtrongly poſſeſſed with a Devil of Luſt, that it will rage in them, even when they are in miſery and poverty.
3. Such as would avoid other uncleanneſs afterward, would begin at avoiding of Fornication in their youth; and ſuch as think lightly of Fornication, eſpecially in youth, may be given up to more groſs uncleanneſs afterward: Therefore, Job, who afterward was kept from Adultery, v. 9. begins with guarding againſt Fornication.
4. Such as would be free of uncleanneſs in the ſight of God, and would prevent the actual committing of it, ought to watch over their very hearts, that they be not polluted with unchaſt thoughts; For, Job did guard that he ſhould not think upon a maid. There is, even in this, a filthineſs of the ſpirit, as well as of the fleſh, 2 Cor. 7.1. which is a ſin before God, Mat. 5.28. And in reſpect of this, men may indeed be called filthy dreamers (as thoſe Jude, v. 8.) becauſe they act more filthineſs in a ſhort time, in the vile contemplations and dreams of their mind, than many bodies would commit in their life time. Whereby alſo they waſte their own ſpirits, and ſo kindle the fire of luſt, that it cannot ſmother, but muſt break out, as Jam. 1.14, 15. Hence there is ſo much need to take heed to our ſpirits in this matter (even to theſe tranſient thoughts that are antecedent to the conſent of our wills, or to our purpoſe to perpetrate the evil, as well as theſe that are ſubſequent) Mal. 2.15. See alſo, Jer. 4.14.
5. Such as would keep their hearts free of theſe ſinful and polluting thoughts, as they ought to avoid idleneſs (whether through the want of a calling, or not being diligent in it; or idleneſs of mind, and not keeping it buſie with ſpiritual and uſeful thoughts) intemperance and pampering of their bodies, Prov. 23.31, 32, 33. Ill company, &c. So they ought, particularly, to ſet a guard upon their eyes, that they do not wander a…ter enticing objects: For, Job reſolving not to think upon a maid, as he, no doubt, made conſcience of other means, which might keep his mind from admitting, or fixing upon theſe thoughts; So he made a covenant with his eyes, that they ſhould not entertain themſelves with theſe objects which might let in, or give a riſe to theſe thoughts in his mind. For as covetouſneſs is called, the lust of the eye, 1 Joh. 2.16. becauſe the covetous man is never ſatisfied with riches, but he would have every thing he ſeeth (See Joſh. 7.21. Pro. 27.20. Eccl. 4.8.) So wandring and wanton looks are the ordinary Panders to the heart, in the ſin of uncleanneſs, and draw men to the committing of it, Mat. 5.28. Pro. 6.24, 25. 2 Pet. 2.14. And therefore Job proved his piety by ſubmitting his ſenſes to the obedience of God, and by making conſcience even of an unchaſt and wandering look of his eyes. And who ſo do not keep this guard upon themſelves, will find the ſad effects of it.
6. Mens Senſes, and particularly, their ſeeing, are ſo corrupted by ſin, and ſo prone to wander and debord, that they will not get them fixed in a right way without ſolid and ſetled reſolutions; For, Job made a covenant with his eyes, in this matter, (or, cut a covenant, alluding to the antient cuſtome, of parties cutting, and paſſing between the parts of a divided calf, in making Covenants, Jer. 34.18.) which doth not only import, that he did not quarrel or repine at the Law of God, which ſets limits to mens very looks, but did heartily approve and conſent to it, in his own particular practice; But that he engaged in fixed reſolutions and vows, to guard againſt the violation of that Law, and, for that end, to uſe his utmoſt endeavours in the uſe of lawful means. See Pſ. 119.106. This ſhould be the care of all, and, conſidering the inſtability of their inclinations and reſolutions, they ſhould depend upon God who can fix them, 1 Chr. 29.18.
7 Mens reſolutions and engagements to holy duties ſhould tye them firmly to the performance thereof; For, ſince Job made a covenant with his eyes, why then ſhould he think upon a maid? Or, commit that evil which by that Covenant he had engaged himſelf to endeavour to prevent? Such practices contrary to mens engagements do ſpeak them to have made Apoſtacy from their principles, as Paul ſpeaks in another caſe, Gal. 4.14, 15. Or they do ſpeak the great violence of their luſts and corruptions, which cauſe them burſt all bonds, and tranſgreſs in thoſe things wherein they had ſubſcribed their own conſent to the Authority of the Law of God; And they do leave men under a ſentence of condemnation with their own conſent, ſeeing their conſent to the Law implyes their conſent alſo to the penalty, if they ſhall contraveen it.
8. The ſmall benefit and advantage that is reaped by ſin and luſtful pleaſures, might, in reaſon, deterr men from them; For, thus alſo it concludes ſtrongly, Why ſhould I think upon a maid? Or, what contentment is to be found in it, to compenſe the hazard of the offence of God, and the many ſnares that follow it? It is true, mens corrupt hearts are prone to the vileſt and emptieſt evils; But if men will conſult their very reaſon, they will judge it folly to buy ſo unprofitable a delight (which though it ſeem to be ſweet, yet it is but an empty pleaſure) at ſo dear a rate.
9. Men do therefore ruſh upon unprofitable and ſinful courſes, becauſe they want ſerious deliberation, and becauſe they do not reaſon with themſelves, and ſeriouſly ponder what they are a doing; which is an evil to be amended by all who would order their converſation aright: Therefore doth Job, that he may avoid this evil, ſolidly reaſon with himſelf, Why ſhould I think upon a maid? So alſo doth the Pſalmiſt in other caſes, Pſ. 42.5, 11.