Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 31 · Verse 34
Verſe 34. Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrifie me: that, I kept ſilence, and went not out of the door?
Some read this Verſe thus, Though I could have affrighted, or, (violently oppreſſed) a great multitude; yet the contemptible of the families ſhould have deterred me, ſo that I ſhould have been ſilent, and not gone out of the door. And they take up the meaning thus; Either as pointing out his great tenderneſs, that he could have deterred the greateſt, and cruſhed them, if they had put any affront upon him; Yet if the meaneſt and moſt contemptible in a family had admoniſhed him of any failing, it was enough to put him in a fright, ſo that he went not abroad for ſhame and fear. Or, (ſeeing it is not likely that Job was thus checked in his proſperity for any miſcarriage, who was applauded to by all, as a juſt man, and not miſtaken by any in his recreations, Chap. 29.11, 12, 24.) as pointing out his reſpect to juſtice, that though his power and authority could have over-topped the greateſt, and never ſo many oppoſers; yet when the meaneſt had right on their ſide, he was ſo over-awed with a fear of injuſtice, that he durſt not ſpeak a word, nor ſtirr abroad, to do them wrong. But I ſhall follow our own Tranſlation, which alſo is agreeable to the Original, And ſo the Verſe contains an account of a twelfth Vertue, whereof he makes profeſſion; Namely, that he had much courage and fortitude in proſecuting and maintaining of juſtice, ſo that he was not afraid (for his queſtions import a denial) of never ſo great multitudes oppoſing him, nor did the fear of contempt, or other inconveniencies, from never ſo many or great families, hinder him to ſit in judgement, and miniſter juſtice impartially; nor did any terrour cauſe him keep ſilence, when he ought to have ſpoken, or lurk when he ſhould have gone abroad. Whence, Learn,
1. It is not ſimply commendable, that men do right things (and, particularly, that Magiſtrates adminiſter juſtice impartially) when all men commend them for ſo doing; but then is mens integrity tryed, in doing theſe things, when they have ſtrong tentations to the contrary: As here Job had, and yet was a juſt man.
2. It is nothing ſtrange to ſee the multitude againſt a good courſe, and families of note prove a terrour to good works; For, Job had a great multitude, and families (or, houſes of note and quality) to croſs him in doing good. He calls them families, becauſe it is probable their hatred went by Clans and Kindred, ſo that when any one of them was engaged, all the whole family and tribe of his relations concerned themſelves in the quarrel. And it ſeems thoſe were his enemies, becauſe it was againſt them he defended the cauſe of the poor.
3. Were men never ſo great, they may expect not to want tentations and hazards in ſerving of God, and doing duty; For, Job, who was ſo eminent and great, had them.
4. Fear of the multitude, or of great men, and fear of oppoſition from them, is a great tentation to hinder men from proceeding in a good way; For, Job looks upon a great multitude, and theſe families, as things that were apt to make him fear, (or, violently to oppreſs and confound all his reſolutions) and to terrifie him, if he ſhould proceed to do juſtice. They are under a tryal indeed, who are forced to be ſingular and alone in doing well, having an enraged multitude againſt them, and great perſons a terrour to good works.
5. Even diſ-reſpect and contempt is a tryal to men, and will ſufficiently terrifie them from a good courſe, if they be not upheld by grace; For, though theſe men could not well reach Job, to do him any other harm; yet he intimates, that the contempt of theſe families, was a tentation to hinder him from good, if he had not been otherwiſe ſupported. Thus ill report is a tryal that needs the grace of God to bear it well, and to make men to ſteer a ſteady courſe under it, 2 Cor. 6.8.
6. It is the duty of men, (particularly, of Magiſtrates) and a proof of their ſincerity, to do what is right, though never ſo many, and never ſo great perſons, were againſt them; As here Job, in the adminiſtration of juſtice, did not fear a great multitude, nor did theſe families terrifie him.
7. It is not enough to prove mens honeſty, that they do no evil to others, unleſs alſo they do all the good that is in their power, and have courage to bear teſtimony in a tryal, and appear for what is right, in their ſtations; For, Job did not only not oppreſs, nor pronounce any unjuſt ſentence, notwithſtanding theſe tentations, but he would not keep ſilence, and not goe out of the door. He would not ſilently lye…y and lurk, and let men do what they would to the poor, but he would appear to ſee them get right, as became a couragious and faithful Magiſtrate. Albeit men do but ſeldome mourn for their om…ſſions, ſo they keep themſelves from groſs commiſſi…ns; yet their conſciences, in a ſtrait, will put them to try, not only what evil they have done, but what good thing, which was their duty in their ſtat…on, they have omitted, As Job was here put to it.