Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 32 · Verse 1
Verſe 1. So theſe three men ceaſed to anſwer Job, becauſe he was righteous in his own eyes.
THis Tranſition, or Introduction, premitted by the Writer of this Book (to v. 6.) contains three Antecedents or occaſions of Elihu's ſpeech. Whereof the firſt (in this Verſe) is, The blunt return Jobs three Friends made to his former long diſcourſe, which ſpake ſo cleary to the Controverſie in debate betwixt them. They return him only ſilence, in ſtead of any anſwer; As judging him to be a man filled with a conceit of his own righteouſneſs, and therefore no more to be dealt with, but (after their former endeavours) now to be given up, and left to himſelf, as a ſtubborn and obſtinate man.
It is not to be queſtioned, but this ſuppoſed fault of Jobs, is an hainous evil in it ſelf, and that it is to no purpoſe to deal with men who are poſſeſſed with it; yet they do miſtake Job, while they charge it upon him. For however he was a righteous man, and knew, and avowed that he was ſuch (wherein he exceeded in reflecting upon God, as Elihu tells him) yet he never pretended to be ſo righteous, as that he was free of all ſin, but expreſly confeſſed the contrary Chap. 7.20. and 31.33. and frequently. Nor was he ſo filled with a conceit of his righteouſneſs, as they need to give over dealing with him; For he was ſtill ready to take with any juſt reproof, if they had given it; As his entertainment of Elihu's diſcourſe does witneſs.
Doct. 1. For men to be righteous in their own eyes, or wedded to a conceit and eſtimation of themſelves, their purity and perfections, is a great fault; For, ſo do they here ſuppoſe, and that juſtly. See Prov. 30.12. Luk. 16.15. and 18.9, 14. This is an evil ſo incident to men, by reaſon of their ſelf-love, that many troubles, yea, and diſcoveries of their folly and weakneſs, will hardly drive it from them.
2. It is one evidence (amongſt others) of a man wedded to a conceit of his own righteouſneſs, that he is not eaſily convinced of any evil in his way; For, ſo is here alſo ſuppoſed. They held him to be ſuch a one, becauſe he would not be convinced by them. And albeit they wronged Job in this, who had rejected no found information they had offered him, yet the general Principle they walk by is true, That perſons who will not be convinced of real truths, particularly of real faults, are righteous in their own eyes. See Prov. 26.12.
3. As there are many means and wayes for putting an end to controverſies and contentions; ſo this is one, That men having to do with obſtinate and ſelf-conceited perſons, ſhould (after due means of conviction) let them alone; For, theſe three men ceaſed to anſwer Job upon this account, wherein they walked by a right rule, had their cauſe been juſt. For as we are bound to anſwer a fool, leſt he be wiſe in his own conceit, ſo we are alſo to take heed, leſt by inſiſting we become like to him, Prov. 26.4, 5. Thus alſo God gives up with his people, when they become obſtinate, Pſal. 81.11, 12.
4. The dear people of God may ſuffer very ſadly in their reputation, even by their dear Friends; As here Job ſuffers in this cauſe. For,
1. They may be accounted obſtinate and ſelf-willed (as Job was by them) when yet they are never ſolidly convinced to be in the wrong, nor have they indeed defended a wrong cauſe. Theſe Friends could not prove their charge, v. 3. And yet they will conclude him obſtinate, becauſe he will not quit the truth, or change his opinion, without any reaſon given why he ſhould do ſo.
2 They may have a continued tryal, even when their exerciſe changeth; For, he hath both been ſpoken to formerly, and is now given over by them, with a reflection and reproach, as if he were a wicked and ſtubborn man. All this cometh to paſs, to be a tryal and exerciſe to honeſt men, when they are thus tryed and toſſed on the right hand and the left, and reflected upon both by ſpeeches and ſilence. Only in this caſe, godly men ſhould be upon their guard, leſt they be provoked, by ſuch harſh uſage, ſo to miſcarry, as will make their right a wrong, or prove them guilty before God; which was Jobs fault, as Elihu tells him.
Doct. 5. Ordinarily the darkeſt hour of the people of Gods tryal goeth before Gods appearing on their behalf, and proves a fore-runner of it; For, whereas Jobs Friends had hitherto taken pains on him (which ſpake them not to be deſperate of his caſe, however they judged him wicked, and were angry that he would not grant it) now they heighten his tryal by their reſolved ſilence, concluding him a man not worthy to be taken pains upon; But this cometh to paſs immediately before God, ſent Elihu to begin his cure, to better purpoſe than they had attempted it.