Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 31 · Verse 5
Verſe 5. If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath haſted to deceit;
6. Let me be weighed in an even ballance, that God may know mine integrity.
The ſecond Vertue, whereof Job makes profeſſion, is, Sincerity and uprightneſs in his converſation, That in his words and deeds, and particularly in his dealing with others, he followed right things rightly and ſincerely, without guile or diſſimulation, v. 5. This he propounds by way of ſuppoſition, If I have walked with vanity, &c. which may be read by way of Interrogation, Have I walked with vanity, &c. Surely not; Or it may be looked upon as a tacite Oath and Imprecation if he had done otherwiſe. But here it ſeems rather to joyn this with v. 6. wherein he confirms his profeſſion by an expreſs deſire that God may be judge, whether (for ſo that, If, v. 5. may be rendred) he hath walked with vanity, or not; And then he is ſure, that his integrity will appear in the ſight of God. Here we are to conſider,
1. That this even ballance (or, ballances of juſtice) wherein Job deſires to be weighed (or, that God would weigh him there, for it is, Let him weigh me) is not to be underſtood of that rule of perfection, to which no meer man, in this life, can come up; but that rule whereby God judgeth of the ſincerity of his Children.
2. While he profeſſeth this as his ſcope in this deſire, That God may know his integrity, he doth not ſuppoſe God to be ignorant what he is, till he weigh and try him. For though he be bold enough in this deſire, yet we are not to think that he had ſuch Atheiſtical thoughts of God. But he ſpeaks of God in tearms borrowed from among men; And as men uſe to try and weigh things, that they may know their worth and weight, ſo he deſires that his integrity in this matter may be tryed, that ſo God, who is Judge, may approve of it, and make it appear that he doth ſo, in ſo farr as is needful. Thus God is ſaid to know mens wayes, and their integrity or unſoundneſs in them, when he takes a proof of them, and manifeſts them to be what they are, Gen. 22.12. Deut. 8.2.
From v. 5, Learn, 1. Among many courſes of men which are an abomination in the ſight of G…d, this is one, when men turn deceivers, pretending to be what they really are not, in the ſight and matters of God, or pretending fair and honeſtly to men, that they may cheat and deceive them; For, Job looked upon deceit as an heinous evil, which therefore he made conſcience to avoid. This name of deceit may be given to all ſin, in ſo farr as it deceives all theſe, in the end, who follow it, whatever pleaſure or advantages it promiſeth for the preſent, Rom. 6.21. Yet here Job is only ſpeaking of the particular ſin of diſſimulation and deceit, and eſpecially of fraud and deceit in his dealing with others. And as the Lord abhorrs diſſimulation in the matter of Religion, and the profeſſion thereof; guile and deceit, and the falſe confidences reſulting thereupon, and accompanying the ſame, being inconſiſtent with true grace, John 1.47. Pſ. 32.1, 2. an hinderance to the Words ſucceſs, 1 Pet. 2.1, 2. and to converſion, Jer. 8.5. and 19.6, So he abhorrs mens diſſimulation, and want of ingenuity, toward others, Pſ. 12.1, 2. and 36.3. Pro. 12.5. and cheats and deceits in bargains, Hoſ. 12.7. All which are contrary to the Law of God, do make void the end and benefits of humane Society, do render men more dangerous than very Thieves, and, in the iſſue, do tend to deceive the deceivers themſelves, whoſe nimble wits will at laſt leave them in the mire.
2. As all ſinful wayes are but vain, in regard they will do men no good, but much evil, 1 Sam. 21.21. And as men do but hunt after vanity, in theſe deſignes which they drive by deceit, Pſ. 4.2. Iſ. 44.20. Particularly, in their deceiving of others to gain the World, Pſ. 62.9, 10. Pro. 21.6. And all their pretences, whereby they think to juſtifie their courſes, and ſilence their own conſciences, will prove lighter than vanity, Pſ. 119.118. So the great ſnare enticing men unto, and intangling them in, deceit, is, the peſtering of their hearts with theſe vanities, or a fancy of felicity to be found in theſe things which they hunt after: For, here a walking with vanity (or, a muſing and frequent contemplating upon the advantages they propoſe to themſelves, and the excuſes whereby they think to juſtifie themſelves, which are all but really vanity) is premitted, as leading to this deceit. For, the diſ-junctive, Or, ſhould be read, And, to point out this deceit as an effect and evidence of walking with vanity, So that here wiſe and ſerious conſideration might avail much, if men would but ponder, that they do but labour for the wind in all thoſe undertakings, Eccl. 5.16. Yea, that they labour in the very fire, and weary themſelves for very vanity, Hab. 2.13. For when a man hath uſed all deceits to gain the World, he doth reap only vanity; if ever he come to repent, he muſt reſtore all his purchaſe; if he repent not, God can eaſily blaſt all his enjoyments, and bring him to ſhame for them; And though God do not thus plague him, yet he will ſtill find himſelf farr enough from true happineſs. From all which we may ſee, what ſelf-deceiving hearts men have, which drive them upon ſuch unprofitable, yea, hurtful courſes.
3. It is an evidence that hearts are plagued with vain imaginations, when they become violent and furious in driving men to evil courſes; For, upon walking with vanity, it followeth, that the foot haſteth to deceit. Not that it is lawful for men to uſe deceit, though they ſhould walk at leiſure to it; but that it is a great aggravation of their ſin, and an evidence that their hearts are poyſoned with vanity, when they run to it. See Pro. 6.18. Rom. 3.15. And this is abominable, eſpecially, in a Child of God, who, though he may, through infirmity, ſtep aſide unto vanity, yet ſhould not walk with it, as his companion and delight; and though his heart, ſometimes, be haunted with vain thoughts (which yet he ought to hate and mourn for, Pſ. 119.113.) yet they ſhould not have ſuch power with him, as to drive him to ſinful actings, farr leſs, to be violent in them. Therefore men ought to look, not only to the evil which they do, but, to their violence and impetuouſneſs in doing of it; which (though, ſometimes, it prove Satans laſt fits, before he be diſpoſſeſſed, as in Paul, Act. 26.11, 12, 13. yet in it ſelf it) is an evidence of ſtrong corruptions, and that men are poſting to Hell. See Pro. 4.16. Jer. 50.38. Mic. 7.3.
4. Men may be very upright and ſincere in their way, who yet are little believed in the World that they are ſo; For, it is here made a queſtion, If, or, Whether, Job have walked with vanity, &c. And he is put to prove his uprightneſs (if not by Oath, as ſome underſtand this form of expreſſion, yet) by an expreſs deſire that God may be judge, and by arguments and reaſons. Thus David is put to vindicate his own integrity, Pſ. 7.3, 4, 5. And Paul was accounted a deceiver, though yet he was true, 2 Cor. 6.8. And it is not to be thought ſtrange, though godly men be oppreſſed with calumnies and miſtakes, and be put to make Apologies for themſelves. For hereby the Lord leads them to eye him, and his approbation, which they uſually forget when men are ſatisfied with all they do; and ſelf-ſeekers may read Gods mercy in ſuch a lot, if they improve it well.
From v. 6. Learn, 1. It is not mens opinion, or conceit of their own uprightneſs, that will bear them out, unleſs God do ſee it, and approve it; For, ſaith he, Let him weigh me, as it is in the Original. See 2 Cor. 10.18. Men had need to try well their condition, before they reſt ſatisfied, and they have cauſe to ſuſpect their own blindneſs and ſelf-love in this tryal.
2. It is an evidence of true piety and ſincerity, when men are willing to have their condition tryed, as knowing the deceitfulneſs of their own hearts, and being unwilling to be deceived, in that matter; For, ſaith he, Let him weigh me. See Pſ. 139 21, 22. with 23, 24.
3. That wherein godly men are able to approve themſelves, and which God noticeth in trying of them, is, not their perfect conformity to the Law of God, but, their integrity and ſincerity; For, it is his integrity which here he offers to tryal. And this may be attained by theſe who are not perfect, if ſo be that, having fled to Chriſt for righteouſneſs, they endeavour a ſincere obedience and reſpect to all the Commandements, Luk. 1.6. Pſ. 119.6. do mourn for, and ſet themſelves in oppoſition unto, the remainders of corruption in themſelves, Rom. 7. And do cloſe all theſe endeavours with a renewed cloſing with Chriſt, in whom they are compleat.
4. Sincerity will be judged and tryed, not by the great bulk, or fair ſhews of duties; but by their real and ſolid worth; Therefore he deſires to be weighed, alluding to the practice of skillful Merchants, who will not be cheated with the bulk of Commodities, but will try their real weight in ballances.
5. There is a Standard of the Goſpel, according to which a godly ſincere man needs not fear to be tryed; For, this, Let him weigh me in an even ballance, or, in ballances of juſtice, imports, not only his deſire to be tryed, but, his confidence that, being tryed, his integrity ſhall appear. See Pſ. 17.1, 2, 3.
6. If God know and approve mens integrity, it is the leſs matter what men do think or judge; For, this ſatisfies Job, If God know his integrity. It is true, when godly men are miſconſtructed by others, it cannot but be an exerciſe unto them, even albeit they have the teſtimony of Gods approbation; Yet if Gods approbation, and the teſtimony of a good conſcience, do not ſupport them under that exerciſe, it is juſt they be deprived of theſe alſo.