Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 32
CHAP. XXXII.
Here begins the third part of this Book, containing a deciſion of this Controverſie betwixt Job and his Friends; which is begun by Elihu (a Young man who had ſtood by all the while, and heard the diſpute) to Chap. 38. and brought to a cloſe by God himſelf, to Chap. 42.10. And albeit both Elihu, who speaks firſt, and God himſelf, do find, that Jobs Friends were in the wrong in the main Controverſie betwixt them, as is declared here, v. 3. and Chap. 42.7. Yet they inſist moſt in reproving and refuting of Job, becauſe he was the Patient to be cured of his diſtemper, that ſo his tryal might be finiſhed. And withall, their better and more effectual way of dealing with him was ſufficient to inform his Friends alſo of the errour of their way. And accordingly Elihu (after he hath laid by the three Friends, in this Chapter) ſpends the reſt of his diſcourſe in dealing with Job, in four speeches. The first, Chap. 33. The ſecond, Chap. 34. The third, Chap. 35. And the laſt, Chap. 36, and 37.
The State of the Controverſie, or a true and exact account of that which he maintains, both againſt Job, and his Friends, is propounded, v. 2, 3. of this Chapter, where we will have occaſion to ſpeak of it. Only it will be neceſſary in the entry (as was alſo done in the entry to the former dispute, Chap. 4.) to premit ſomewhat in general, which may help us to aright underſtanding of his procedure with Job. For albeit he find fault with Jobs Friends, that they had found no anſwer, and yet had condemned Job; yet it ſhould ſeem he run the ſame way with them, in condemning him, and that with as much ſharpneſs as they did: Yea, he ſeems not only to faſten expreſſions upon him, which we find not in this Book, but even to charge him with wickedneſs, while he aſſerts, that he went in company with wicked men, &c. Chap. 34.8.
That I may make way for removing of this difficulty, and for clearing what was Elihu's ſcope, I muſt premit theſe general truths. 1. Whatever identity ſeem to be betwixt his diſcourſes, and the diſcourſes of the three Friends; yet himſelf is to be credited, who expreſly aſſerts, that he will not anſwer him with their ſpeeches, Chap. 32.14. Which imports, that his ſenſe and ſcope was not the ſame with theirs, let the expreſſions ſeem to be never ſo much the ſame. 2. This godly and able young man did not utter any thing here recorded out of any paſſion and heat, but he spake as he was furniſhed and directed by the Spirit of God; as he expreſly aſſerteth, Chap. 32.18, 19. 3. The two former Aſſertions are further confirmed from this; That Job, who underſtood what he ſaid well enough, finding that he was directed by God to hit him upon the ſore, and to speak to purpoſe (and not as his Friends had done) doth not make any reply to him, as he had done to them, even though Elihu invited him to it; waiting (as would ſeem) to ſee if he would ſay ought in his own defence, Chap. 33.32. with 34.1. 4. This alſo puts the matter above all controverſie, that God, having humbled Job, doth not reprove Elihu, nor require him to offer a ſacrifice for any fault in his ſpeeches, as he did to the reſt, Chap. 42.7, 8. Which evinceth that he ſpake right, and by Gods direction, and not as the reſt did.
Theſe things being premitted, the difficulty will be removed, and Elihu's ſcope known, if we conſider theſe particulars. 1. As to the State of the Controverſie, Elihu and the other Friends maintained different Theſes, or Opinions: For they conclude Job to be wicked, becauſe of his great afflictions, and his miſcarriages under them. But Elihu doth not meddle with the ſtate of his perſon, to queſtion his being juſtified and reconciled to God; Nor doth he accuſe him of wickedneſs in the courſe of his life, before he was afflicted: Only he maintains, that, as the Soveraignty of God ought to be ſtooped unto without murmuring, in his afflicting the moſt righteous and holy of Adams poſterity: So, the ſinfulneſs which Job granted to be in himſelf, though he ſtill maintained his integrity, did not only deſerve all this he had ſuffered, and worſe, but this ſharp uſage was neceſſary for the cure of theſe remainders of ſin in him, and for preventing the bitter fruits that (otherwiſe) might flow there-from: And that therefore he was to blame, who had complained ſo much, and had not carried meekly under the tryal. And (which is another branch of his quarrel, and a miſcarriage which highly incenſeth him, Chap. 32.2.) however he might have vindicated his integrity againſt his Friends, yet he ought not to have reflected upon the righteouſneſs of God who had afflicted him, as we have found he did in his ſeveral paſſionate complaints and expoſtulations. In ſumm, Elihu inſiſts to check Job for his failings; They laboured to prove him wicked; He inſiſts mainly upon his miſcarriages under this trouble, and in the heat of diſpute (not neglecting to ſpeak of theſe infirmities which are incident to Saints at all times;) They ſtrongly endeavour to prove, that he had led a wicked life before he was afflicted, and that becauſe it was ſo, God had ſent theſe afflictions upon him. And though they, as well as Elihu, took notice of his paſſionate miſcarriages in his trouble; yet it was upon different accounts they did ſo. 1. They took notice of theſe only in the by, and as a further confirmation of their opinion concerning him; For though he had not ſo miſcarried, their principles led them to condemn him however, as one who had been wicked, or an Hypocrite, becauſe he was afflicted. But Elihu inſiſts upon theſe miſcarriages as his main quarrel, that ſo he might humble Job for them, and for his walking ſo little humbly before God who had afflicted him. 2. This being Elihu's ſcope and deſign, it is not to be thought ſtrange, if, in proſecuting of this challenge, he make uſe of ſeveral things which the other Friends had ſpoken. For as they had ſome falſe principles, ſo they had others that were true and ſound, if they had been well applyed. So that viſion, Chap. 4. was given by God to Eliphaz, that thereby he might clear that dark controverſie; And it contained ſufficient light for attaining that end, had it been well underſtood and applyed by him, as it is, for the ſubſtance thereof, by Elihu. And beſide, they expreſſed many truths, concerning the ſinfulneſs of the beſt of men, their unprofitableneſs to God, &c. which are repeated by Elihu, and Job had granted to be truths, (Chap. 9.2. and elſe-where) though ſtill he contradicts them in their deſign in uttering theſe truths, and in their inferences from them. Yet it is ſtill true, that Elihu anſwered him not with their ſpeeches, even when he repeated and inculcated theſe truths, becauſe he made uſe of them to prove another concluſion than theirs was. They made uſe of them to conclude him a wicked Hypocrite, as to the ſtate of his perſon, which Job would never aſſent unto; Elihu makes uſe of them to convince Job that Gods Soveraignty ought to be ſubmitted to in afflictions, and that Saints ought to be affected and humbled with the remainders of ſin that are in themſelves; and to clear that Jobs carriage under afflictions, and in the heat of dispute, was faulty, while, instead of improving his trouble, he did carp at Gods providence who had inflicted it. And this Job is convinced of, as appears by his ſilence. 3. As to his citation of Jobs words, and his inferences thereupon; We are not to conceive, that he doth cite them falſely, or faſten upon him what he ſaid not; Or that he doth alledge Job was a wicked man. Only he ſo cites his ſpeeches, as he doth not repeat all in his own very words, but gives him ſuch a ſumm of them, as might let him ſee in what ſenſe men might take them, however he meant in ſpeaking them; And what hard constructions of him they might (upon the matter) breed in mens minds, who might (and that not without cauſe) conclude, when they heard him ſpeak ſo raſh and unſavory ſpeeches, that, however his perſon was righteous, yet in theſe pranks, he did but too much homologate the practices of wicked men. 4. His ſharpneſs in dealing with Job, (much beyond what God himſelf uſed toward him) doth evidence him (not to be in paſſion, or acted by his own Spirit, but) a man of ſharp Spirit, whereof God makes uſe to humble Job, that himſelf might deal more mildly, when he came to ſpeak.
As thoſe Conſiderations will help to clear Elihu's general ſcope, ſo far as is neceſſary in the entry to his diſcourſes; So they afford us a needful caution and inſtruction concerning the exerciſes of Saints. For however God do here begin to put an end to Jobs tryal from his Friends, in order to his deliverance from his troubles; (As there will be an end of the Lord put to all the toſſings of his people:) Yet Job, who was a godly man, and had the better of his Friends in the diſpute, is ſo brought off, as yet he is humbled for many failings. To ſhew, That, however the Lord deal with his people yet they will never find cauſe of glorying in themſelves; but even when they are juſtified in their perſons, and righteous in their cauſe; And when God owns and delivers them as ſuch, it is ſtill their advantage humbly to lye in the duſt; And if they neglect ſo to do, God will uſe means to bring it about.
Having premitted this Key for facilitating ſe… progreſs in opening up the following purpoſe, I come to ſpeak to this Chapter in particular; which may be reduced to two Heads. Firſt, An Hiſtorical Tranſition of the Writer of this Book, or, An Introduction to Elihu's following diſcourſe; pointing out ſome antecedents or occaſions of his entring the liſts; Namely, That Jobs Friends made no return to his former diſcourſe, v. 1. That Elihu finds faults on both hands in this debate, v. 2, 3. and, That having waited for their return, to no purpoſe, his zeal is kindled, v. 4, 5. Secondly, Elihu's general Preface; Wherein, 1. He gives a reaſon why he ſpake no ſooner, v. 6, 7. 2. He offers divers reaſons why he now interpoſes in this quarrel, and offers to ſpeak; Namely, That God endoweth whom he pleaſeth with wiſdome to determine ſuch controverſies, v. 8, 9, 10. That what they had ſpoken was inſufficient to convince Job, v. 11, 12. Which God had ordered ſo for wiſe ends, v. 13. That he had ſome new matter to ſpeak in this Controverſie; And would follow a method different from the other Friends, in his dealing with Job, v. 14. That they were become ſilent with amazement, and therefore he might lawfully take his turn, v. 15, 16, 17. And, That the Spirit having furniſhed and inſpired him, he might not hide that Talent, but will refreſh himſelf by ſpeaking, v. 18, 19, 20. 3. He gives an account of the way wherein he reſolves to manage this Controverſie, intreating for liberty to deal freely, v. 21, 22.