Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 33 · Verse 1
Verſe 1. Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my ſpeeches, and hearken to all my words.
AFter the general Preface, in the former Chapter, Elihu, being to take Job to task, doth yet premit a particular Preface to him; craving (in this Verſe) not only ſimple audience, but attention, and that not to a part only, but to all his ſpeech, and till he had ended what he was to ſay: Which requeſt he preſſeth by ſeveral Arguments, to v. 8. This courſe of prefacing Elihu inſiſts upon, to prepare Job for what he is to ſay, leſt, otherwiſe, being a great Prince, he ſhould ſlight him, who was but a young man; and having to do with an afflicted man, who had been already irritated by his Friends, he deals thus warily and circumſpectly, leſt, otherwiſe, he ſhould be ſuſpicious alſo of him in the very entry.
Doct. 1. There is a godly prudence required, in managing thorny debates ſo as may tend moſt to edification; For, of this Elihu gave proof, here, in that, albeit the three Friends vented many errours in their condemning Job, yet, he will rather ſpend his time in rectifying Jobs miſtakes, than in debating with them, becauſe it was more for edification. And therefore he betakes himſelf to deal with Job here.
2. As it is a great mercy when God ſends a ſeaſonable word to needy men, eſpecially after they have been irritated and unskilfully handled by others (as here Elihu is ſent to Job) ſo audience is due to ſuch a meſſage; For, Wherefore, Job (ſeeing I am ſent to thee, to ſpeak as I have promiſed, Chap. 32.14, 21.) hear my ſpeeches.
3. It is not ſufficient that men hear only what is ſaid (eſpecially if it concern them) unleſs alſo they be very attentive, and ponder what is ſaid; Therefore he adds, Hear, and hearken to my words. As many men are not careful at all to hear, which is the fruit of their Atheiſtical contempt of God, or, of their proud conceit that they know already any thing that can be ſaid; So very few of thoſe who do hear, are ſerious in that matter, or do cloſe with, and feed upon, what they hear, till it leave an impreſſion upon them.
4. As men ought alwayes to avoid idle ſpeeches, Matth. 12.36. and particulary, in dealing with afflicted perſons, they ſhould be careful to ſpeak nothing but that which is to the purpoſe and uſeful; So, it is a duty to hear men out, and take what they ſay altogether, before a judgement be paſſed upon their Doctrine; For, ſaith he, Hearken to all my words, as being all profitable, and, when taken together, they will be found clear and pertinent. As it is mens duty (if we ſpeak in general, and abſtractly, of this matter) to hear and receive all that God ſpeaks to them, and not what pleaſeth them only; (conſidering that it is all alike true, and of equal authority, and that a contempt of God in any thing he ſpeaks, ſhakes looſe that authority which binds all his Word upon them, Jam. 2.10.) So, particularly, in debates men ought to be heard till they ſpeak out their mind; not crying them down when they ſpeak any thing we like not, how true ſoever (as the Jews did to Paul, Act. 22.21, 22.) nor judging of their opinion by any one unſafe expreſſion, which the reſt of their diſcourſe may either clear, or make it appear that they have no unſound meaning in it. Thus alſo all the truths of God ſhould be joyned in our practice, making uſe of directions, encouragements, reproofs, &c. all of them in their own place and order, wherein both the ſecure and preſumptuous, and the diſcouraged and cruſhed, do fail and miſtake.
5. It is not eaſie to perſwade, even wiſe and good men, to hear inſtruction and reproof patiently, and without ſlighting the meſſenger and meſſage; For, he muſt intreat Job here, I pray thee, hear. So peeviſh are we, that we muſt be intreated to admit even of that which is neceſſary and good for us.
6. General reſolutions, or, our allowing of things in our judgement, will not alwayes bear us out when it comes to particulars; For, notwithſtanding that general requeſt, that he might be allowed liberty to uſe freedome, Chap. 32.21. he muſt yet renew his requeſt to Job to hear him, when he comes to put that reſolution in practice; as knowing that, however Job could not but approve of this general, that it was fit and juſt he ſhould uſe freedome; yet, he might be ready to ſtartle when he ſhould touch him upon the ſore. And therefore we ſhould be jealous of our ſelves, and of our good general reſolutions, if ever we be put to a particular tryal.
7. Men irritated by trouble, and by ill uſage under it, become readily broken minded, peeviſh, and ill to deal with; For, ſo is here alſo ſuppoſed of Job, that he is ſo broken with his troubles, and his Friends miſcarriages, that he muſt be intreated and prayed to hear.
8. Honeſty and kindneſs will teach men, not only to be gentle and diſcreet in making way for their addreſſes; but, even to pity and follow the peeviſhneſs of men who are under trouble, that they may gain ground upon them▪ For, ſo doth he deal with afflicted Job, following him with intreaties that he would hear him. And it is of general verity, that as men do themſelves an ill turn who harbour prejudices at them who ſhould do them good; (for Satan begins with prejudices at Meſſengers, that the Word it ſelf may at laſt be diſreliſhed alſo) So Meſſengers ſent by God ſhould be careful to do nothing which may juſtly alienate mens minds from their meſſage, and eſpecially thoſe who are in trouble. For, oft-times, thoſe are like ſick perſons, who reject even neceſſary Food and Phyſick, becauſe they have a prejudice at the Cook or Phyſician.