Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 31 · Verses 9-12
Verſe 9. If mine heart have been deceived by a Woman, or if I have laid wait at my Neighbours door?
10. Then let my Wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.
11. For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be puniſhed by the Judges.
12. For it is a fire that conſumeth to deſtruction, and would root out all mine increaſe.
The fourth Vertue, whereof he maketh profeſſion, is, Conjugal Chaſtity, and that he was free of Adultery. His profeſſion, v. 9. is, That his heart was not ſo drawn away with the unlawful deſire of a Woman, or his Neighbours Wife, as to ſeek opportunities to perpetrate folly with her. This profeſſion he confirms,
1. By Imprecation, or conſenting that his wife ſhould requite him in the like kind, not with one, but many others, v. 10. Where this grinding is not to be underſtood literally, of his wifes ſerving as a ſlave to others, as Judg. 16.21. Lam. 5.13. But it is a modeſt expreſſion of the conjunction of man and woman (as the upper and nether milſtone) for production of iſſue; and ſo it is more clearly expounded and expreſſed in the latter part of the Verſe. And this he wiſheth, or conſenteth unto, not that he would approve of this ſin in his wife, or wiſh that the puniſhment of his Adultery ſhould fall upon her; But to ſhew that he thought it juſt and equitable, if he had been an Adulterer, that God ſhould ſerve him in this kind, which would bring him much ſhame and grief.
2 He further confirms this profeſſion, by giving an account of the reaſons diſſwading him from this ſin; which were taken, partly, from the nature of the ſin, being an heinous crime, to be puniſhed by the Judges, v. 11. partly from the effects thereof, that it would kindle a fire of Gods anger and vengeance, which would deſtroy him and his ſubſtance, v. 12.
From v. 9. Learn, 1. Even ſuch as have got cleanly through their youth, and have been kept from leſſer debordings, have yet need to be upon their guard againſt groſſer evils, eſpecially in the matter of uncleanneſs; For, Job, who had avoided Fornication, v. 1. doth here alſo purge himſelf of Adultery; intimating, that it was an evil he was in hazard of, if by grace he had not been enabled to reſiſt tentations to it.
2. The riſe and ſpring of all evil, particularly of Adultery, and other uncleanneſs, is from the heart; As here he intimates, that his perpetrating of this wickedneſs would have begun at his heart. See Pro. 4.23.
3. Whatever mens deceitful hearts promiſe to them in ſinful courſes; yet they are but deceived and cheated themſelves, and the enticements of ſin are but deceits, and will prove ſo in the end: For, in theſe courſes, the heart (which is the great deceiver, Jer. 17.9.) is it ſelf deceived by a woman. This is not only to be underſtood of the womans active deceiving of the man, by her wanton looks, alluring ſpeech, whoriſh dreſſes, and apparel, and geſtures, Iſ. 3.16. Pro. 2.16. and 7, 10, 13, 21. But of the mans active deceiving of himſelf, by admitting of theſe allurements, by being taken with a womans beauty, Pro. 31.30. and, eſpecially, by promiſing to himſelf great contentment and ſatisfaction in thoſe ſinful pleaſures; whereby a man may deceive himſelf, though the woman contribute nothing to it by any act of hers.
4. Whatever vain thoughts may ariſe in the hearts of moſt godly men, for which they ought to mourn, and be humbled; Yet, it is an evidence of honeſty, when conſcience is made of ſmothering them, that they break not out in practice: Therefore Job ſubjoyns that he gave no evidence of his hearts being deceived, by laying wait at his Neighbours door.
5. It is an unqueſtionable evidence of an heart over-powred by luſt, and proves a man to be guilty before God of a ſin, when not only there are inclinations to it, but fixed reſolutions to follow it; and when he is ſo vehement in his deſires, and pertinacious in his reſolutions, as he watcheth all opportunities to fullfil his deſires; Therefore Job deſcribes the adulterous attempts of thoſe whoſe hearts are deceived, by this, That they lay wait at their Neighbours door; which imports, not only their endeavour to conveigh their deſign cloſely, as Chap. 24.15. But, their vigilant obſerving of all opportunities to enjoy their Neighbours wife. This argues ſtrong inclinations to ſin, when men goe about it with deliberation, and take ſo much pains for theſe forbidden pleaſures; and it proves them guilty of Adultery, when they ſet themſelves in a ſinful way to goe about it, although they have not actually commited it.
From v. 10. Learn, 1. It is juſt with God that mens ſin be written in their puniſhment, and that they be requited as they have ſerved others; For, Job ſubſcribes to it, as juſt, that his wifes Adultery were a puniſhment of his committing Adultery with other mens wives. See 2 Sam. 12.10, 11. Thus alſo doth it juſtly fare with Oppreſſours, Deceivers, and other ſinners, Iſ. 33.1.
2. It is a ſad, though a juſt, puniſhment, when ſin is puniſhed with ſin, either by giving up the perſons who ſin to commit more ſin, Rom. 1.26, 28. Pſ. 81.11, 12. or by giving up their neareſt relations to bring diſhonour, ſhame, and other miſeries upon them, by their ſinful miſcarriages; For, thus his wifes Adultery would be a puniſhment of his uncleanneſs, as Abſoloms rebellion and inceſt were the puniſhments of Davids ſin. If this were conſidered, many who ſee no puniſhment of ſin, if they be free of outward plagues, would find themſelves ſadly plagued of God, even in that they are permitted and given up to ſin.
3. Unlawful luſts are violent and growing, where once they get acceſs; For, if once his wife grind to another, others, in the plural number, will be admitted to bow down upon her.
4. It is the will of God that men be modeſt, particularly, in their expreſſions about uncleanneſs; For, ſo much doth Jobs expreſſion of his wifes Adultery teach us. See Eph. 4.29. and 5.4.
From v. 11. Learn, 1. No other conſideration will be ſo effectual, or acceptable to God, in reſtraining of ſin, as when men ſtudy the ſinfulneſs thereof, and, upon that account, avoid it; Therefore Job ſubjoyns his conſideration of the nature of this ſin, as a ſtrong and acceptable motive to keep him from it.
2. As there are degrees of ſin, ſo Adultery with with another mans wife, when it is well conſidered upon, will be found one of the moſt groſs acts of ſin, and a very horrid and flagitious evil; Not only becauſe it is contrary to an expreſs Law of God, and is ſuppoſed here (v. 9.) to be committed with deliberation (for theſe are common to it with many other ſins;) but becauſe it is a violation of the ſtrict bond of a Marriage-Covenant; it breeds diſcord and want of peace in families; abuſeth mens families, by ſubſtituting a ſpurious iſſue to ſucceed them in their inheritance or poſſeſſions; and, breeds many quarrels among men: Therefore it is here called, an heinous crime. See Pro. 6.30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35.
3. It is one proof of the hainouſneſs of Adultery, that in all ages and places, even before the Law was written, and where it bare no ſway, it was puniſhable by the Magiſtrate in all Societies which pretended either to piety or civility; For, in Jobs time and country (who lived before the Law) it was an iniquity to be puniſhed by the Judges, or, an iniquity of the Judges, that is, which belongs to the Magiſtrate, to cognoſce upon, and puniſh it. Thus was it alſo looked upon by Judab, Gen. 38.24 and in Babylon, where the written Law of God had no place, Jer. 29.22, 23. And where this ſin is not puniſhed by a Magiſtrate, God juſtly cauſeth a Land ſmart for it, Hoſ. 4.2.
4. It is a great evil, and a ſhreud proof that men have no integrity (or, at leaſt, that it is dreadfully over-powred) when men commit even theſe groſs evils which are puniſhable by the Magiſtrates; For, as Job made conſcience of all ſin, that thereby he might prove his integrity; ſo particularly, of iniquity to be puniſhed by the Judges. So that it muſt be very ſad, and evidence a very ſinful frame, at beſt, when men make no conſcience even of moſt ſcandalous or abominable ſins, were it even of theſe which are abhorred among the very Heathen, 1 Cor. 5.1.
From v. 12. Learn, 1. The ſenſe of Gods anger againſt ſin, and his vengeance which will purſue it, is a very ſpecial motive, above the fear of hazard from men, to perſwade men to avoid it; Therefore, after his conſidering what this ſin might produce from the hand of Judges, v. 11. he ſubjoyns this, as yet a ſtronger motive, that it kindles a fire of Gods anger.
2. Though ſome may commit Uncleanneſs and Adultery whom the Magiſtrate cannot reach, and Magiſtrates may be prone to ſpare others; yet, God will be about with all of them for it; So much doth this argument, ſubjoyned to the former, import. Thus many other evils which men do not notice (ſuch as diſobedience to Parents, profanation of the Sabbath, &c.) do provoke God, either to puniſh them by his own more immediate hand, or to give them up to other ſins which will bring them under the laſh of juſtice.
3. Gods anger againſt ſin, particularly, Adultery, is formidable, in that it is never quenched (except the ſinner repent, and flee to Chriſt) but in the deſtruction of the ſinner; For, it is a fire (or, this burning luſt kindles a fire of Gods anger, and judgements flowing there from) that conſumeth to destruction, alluding to the deſtruction of Sodom, which was deſtroyed by fire from Heaven, as a meet recompence of their burning luſts.
4. As Adultery is juſtly puniſhed, not only with eternal, but temporal conſumption and deſtruction of mens bodies, Pro. 5.8, 11. their reputation, Pro. 5.8, 9. and 6.32, 33. and of their underſtanding, Hoſ. 4.11. So, particularly, with the deſtruction and ruine of their eſtates, Pro. 5.8, 10 and 6.26. Therefore he remarks, in particular, that this fire, which conſumeth to destruction, would root out all his increaſe.
5. To ſhut up this purpoſe, it would be conſidered, that though this, with theſe preceding, were arguments to diſſwade Job from committing this folly; Yet, we ſee by experience that many are ſo madd, that (though they know and cannot deny theſe truths) they are not thereby deterred from theſe wicked pranks, but do ruſh into them upon all hazards. Which may be a document to us of the corrupt nature of man, who will hazard upon ſin, though he purchaſe his imagined ſatisfaction at never ſo dear a rate, unleſs the grace of God renew and reſtrain him.