Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 32 · Verses 15-17
Verſe 15. They were amazed, they anſwered no more: they leſt off ſpeaking.
16. When I had waited, (for they ſpake not, but ſtood ſtill and anſwered no more)
17. I ſaid, I will anſwer alſo my part, I alſo will ſhew mine opinion.
The fourth Reaſon of his interpoſing in this cauſe, is, That they, being provoked now to anſwer, were ſilent with amazment, v. 15. And therefore he (having waited on till he ſaw it was their fixed reſolution to ſay no more, v. 16.) might lawfully take his turn in ſpeaking, v. 17. It ſeems that in ſpeaking this, Elihu turned from the three Friends (to whom he had been ſpeaking laſt) to Job, or to all the Auditory then preſent, deſiring them to mark how theſe men came off in their undertaking. And whereas he ſaith, They were amazed, &c. It is not neceſſary to conceive, that it was only at his appearing to ſpeak in the cauſe they were thus amazed; and that after the admonition he had given them, in the former Verſes, he waited and kept ſilence a while, to ſee if they would yet take this task off his hands; but they, being aſtoniſhed at him, continued ſilent, which laid a neceſſity upon him to ſpeak on. But the words ſeem rather to contain a further account, given by Elihu, of what the Writer of the Hiſtory had touched upon, v. 1.5. That when they were provoked by Jobs laſt diſcourſes, and ought to have made a reply to them, in defence of their own opinion; they fell a wondring, and were aſtoniſhed and amazed (not ſo much at the ſtrength and evidence of his defences, as at his ſuppoſed abſurdity in them) and would anſwer no more. And therefore having waited (as it ſeems he had alſo done before, in the intervals betwixt their diſcourſes, having been an Auditour all the while) till he found they would make no more replyes, he begins to ſpeak.
From theſe Verſes, Learn, 1. It is no ſtrange thing to ſee men, who are engaged in debates, put to many perplexities upon one account or other; For, here they are amazed, at Jobs abſurdity, as they judged of it, and ſo perplexed, that they know not what to do next with him. And it may be expected, that many the like diſtempers (be they juſt or unjuſt) will attend that unpleaſant task of debating and diſputing.
2. It is no new thing to ſee men, who have truth on their ſide, cryed down by their Antagoniſts, who may be ready to wonder and be aſtoniſhed at them, and ſo much to abominate them and their way, as they will even diſdain to give them an anſwer, or ſpeak to them any more; For ſo were they amazed at Job, they anſwered no more, they leſt off speaking, or, they removed ſpeeches from themſelves; Not only did their paſſion render them unable to ſpeak or argue, but reſolvedly they removed all purpoſes of ſpeaking any more to ſuch a man as they judged Job to be. But ſuch a behaviour is not a right way to anſwer mens reaſons, or ſatisfie their conſciences.
3. It is not unuſeful for Spectators to take notice of mens weakneſs and paſſions in debates, for divers reaſons; As here he turns him to others, in ſpeaking of this matter, and tells them, They were amazed, &c. This he doth, not to inſult over them, by pointing out their weakneſs unto others; But, partly, becauſe men, while they are in a diſtemper or paſſion, are very uncapable to notice their own weakneſs, and therefore he muſt appeal to others; Partly, to convince the Auditory, that he did not raſhly engage in this buſineſs, nor take their work out of their hand, ſo long as they would follow it; and, chiefly, that he might edifie the Auditory, by leading them to ſtudy the weakneſſes of good men in the heat of debates, that ſo they might learn to avoid theſe contentions which have ſuch ſad effects, or, to avoid thoſe weakneſſes, if they were neceſſarily called to contend.
4. Men ſhould not be taken advantage of in their fits of paſſion, but they ſhould be meekly waited upon, to ſee if they will cool and come to themſelves; For, when he ſaw them thus amazed and ſilent, he waited on them, to ſee if yet they would ſpeak.
5. Paſſion may be very tenacious and ſticking in the beſt of men, eſpecially, when they have a wrong cauſe, or do differ in principles from thoſe they are angry at; For, when he had waited, they ſpake not, they ſtood ſtill and anſwered no more; They perſiſted in their paſſionate humour and reſolution, as judging, according to their principles, but unjuſtly, that he was an obſtinate wicked man.
6. As men ſhould have a clear call before they engage in a debate; So it is no preſumption to appear, in their ſtations, when they have a call; but it is their duty not to hide their Talent, nor deſert wronged truth: For, when they have given over, he finds himſelf obliged to anſwer his part, or, take his turn, and to ſhew his opinion, as they had done.
7. Truth and a good cauſe will never want friends, but when ſome fail, or are laid by, God will cauſe others appear; For, when the Friends had all along failed in ſpeaking what they ought in this debate, and were now wholly laid aſide, ſo that it was not to be expected they would ſpeak any thing for God in this quarrel, I, ſaith he, will anſwer alſo my part, I alſo will ſhew mine opinion.