Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 33 · Verse 3 – Verse 5
Ver. 3. Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath ſpoken in my mouth.
The following purpoſe, to v. 8. may be reduced to two Arguments perſwading Job to hearken to him.
1. Becauſe he will ſpeak truth ſincerely and clearly to him, v. 2, 3.
2. That being his fellow-creature, v. 4. he will deal equitably, and on equal terms, with him, giving him liberty to anſwer for himſelf, v. 5. and proceeding with him according to his own deſire, when he wiſhed that he might plead his cauſe with God, v. 6, 7. But that I may unfold this purpoſe more fully, I ſhall ſpeak to it more diſtinctly, as containing five Arguments of attention.
As for this Verſe, albeit it ſeem to be but a tranſition to that which followeth, and a part of the following Argument, v. 3. (both the Verſes together importing this, that being now to ſpeak, v. 2. he will ſpeak ſincerely and clearly, v. 3.) Yet if we conſider it more narrowly, it contains the firſt Argument preſſing attention, to this purpoſe; That if Job will conſider that he is now at laſt ſpeaking, and how he entred upon it, he will find himſelf obliged to hear him. The ſtrength of this Argument will better appear, if we conſider the words particularly. And,
Firſt, He points it out as remarkable that now he ſpeaks; Behold, ſaith he, now I have opened, &c. He had not ſpoken before, till now that his time came to ſpeak. Yea, he had not only forborn to ſpeak till they had given him place, and he had heard all the de…ate, and ſo was more able to ſpeak to purpoſe; but he had not ſpoken till he had well digeſted and meditated upon that which was ſuggeſted to him by the Spirit of God, Chap. 32.18. And now, after all this, he hath the confidence to ſpeak his mind. It teacheth, That a modeſt man, who is not raſh in his diſcourſes, nor preſumptuous in his undertakings, ought to be reſpected; For, Elihu, carrying ſo, craves that Job will hear him upon that account.
Secondly, He was now begun to ſpeak, Chap. 32. and was willing to proceed if he would hear him; yea, now, after that general Preface, he is coming to the very matter which particularly concerned Job; and he had already aſſured him what courſe he would follow in dealing with him, Chap, 32 21. And therefore he deſired audience. It teacheth.
1. The opportunity of having one fitted to ſpeak to our condition is not to be ſlighted; For, he, being now to ſpeak, as the Spirit inſpired him, ought to be heard. A Meſſenger, one of a thouſand, is not alwayes ready it hand; and therefore it will be ſad if men let ſuch an opportunity ſlip.
2. Men, who are known to be modeſt, ought to be truſted upon their word, and to have credit, ſo long as they have given no evidence of falſhood; For, having modeſtly entred upon this debate, and having promiſed to deal faithfully, he preſſeth that he may be credited and heard. As men ought to walk ſo uprightly, as their word may be credited; ſo it is a fault to be jealous of men who have given proof that they are ſuch.
Thirdly, To open the mouth, in Scripture-language, doth frequently import to ſpeak like a wiſe man, and gravely, to a purpoſe. So it ſeems to be taken, Chap 32, 20. See alſo Judg. 11.3…. Pſal. 78.2. Prov. 24.7. and 31.8, 9, 26. Matth. 5.…. A fools mouth is alwayes open, but a wiſe man ſhuts his mouth, and only opens it when there is juſt occaſion to ſpeak. It teacheth,
1. Men who would prevent alienation of mind in the afflicted, ought to deal very ſeriouſly and gravely, in handling and ſpeaking to their condition As here Elihu reſolveth to do that he may perſwade Job to be attentive: Whereas they who do but tr…fle in dealing with ſuch, do juſtly breed alienations, and bring themſelves in contempt.
2. The more ſeriouſly men deal with others about their condition, their guilt will be the greater if they ſlight them; For, Elihu's Argument conclude, this, that ſince he was to ſpeak ſo ſeriouſly, Job could not in reaſon, nor without guilt, decline to hear and hearken attentively.
Fourthly, We are alſo to remark how he doubleth his expreſſions, and in the end of the Verſe repeats the ſame thing in other words, My tongue hath ſpoken in my mouth, where he deſcribes his ſpeech from the Inſtruments employed therein, his tongue, and his mouth, or, palate. This repetition, or diverſifying of expreſſions, is made uſe of, not only to make up the Verſe (for this Book is written in Poeſie) as we ſee Poets uſually do; or to ſhew Job that he is even now upon the very act of ſpeaking, and his tongue moving to bring forth what doth concern him; and conſequently, that he ſhould be careful not to loſe the tyde and opportunity, through his own inadvertency. But further, he would ſhew Job, how conſiderate he was in this enterprize; His doubled expreſſions ſerve to aſſure him that he had thought again and again upon it that he was now going to ſpeak, and to looſe the tongue, that unruly member, in a weighty and important cauſe; and therefore would be ſure to ſpeak adviſedly, and only that which he had tryed well, as the tongue and palate taſt meats, before they let them down to the ſtomack. It teacheth, That wiſe men will not think it an eaſie task to order their ſpeech well, eſpecially to afflicted perſons, and in weighty cauſes; (as here, Elihu is again and again upon it.) And when we find men circumſpect, and humbled in ſuch an undertaking upon the account of its difficulty, we may hear them with the greater confidence: As Elihu preſſeth this as one Argument of attention.
Verſe 3. My words ſhall be of the uprightneſs of my heart: And my lips ſhall utter knowledge clearly.
The next Argument of attention (in this Verſe) is taken from his purpoſe to deal faithfully with him, as he had reſolved, Chap. 32.21. He promiſeth that he ſhall deal ſincerely in ſpeaking to him, without paſſion or partiality; and that he will ſpeak truth clearly, or without any droſs or chaffe (as the word may import) like mettal that is purified, or corn that is winnowed; that is, He will deal plainly and clearly with him, without diſſembling, or going about the buſh; and will not ſpeak upon conjectures and ſurmiſes, but will ſpeak demonſtrative clear truths, and things whereof he had certain knowledge. It ſeems that, in making this promiſe, he reflects upon the three Friends, who had dealt with Job out of paſſion and prejudice, and made uſe of general, ambiguous and parabolick ſentences, in their reflexions upon him, and took ſurmiſes and falſe reports from others, and charged them upon him, as if he had been guilty of them.
Doct. 1. It is mens duty to deal ſincerely and uprightly with others, eſpecially in ſpeaking of matters which concern their Soul, wherein it is great cruelty not to ſpeak truly and uprightly to them; For, ſaith he, My words (upon this ſubject) ſhall be of the uprightneſs of my heart, or, ſhall be the uprightneſs, &c. that is, I ſhall ſpeak ſincerely my very heart in this buſineſs.
2. Men have need of an upright heart who would ſpeak ſincerely and rightly to the condition of Souls; and they ſhould be careful that they be not byaſſed with prejudices, or with fear to offend them with whom they have to do: For, he profeſſeth uprightneſs of heart, as the principle of his ſpeaking right to him. If many did examine themſelves, they would find that their hearts do not goe along with what they ſay. They do not believe and then ſpeak, 2 Cor. 4.13. If they ſpeak truth, it is but from a falſe heart, or coldly, and not from the heart. And their byaſſes and prejudices, rather than their ſolid convictions, make them ſpeak what they ſpeak.
3. It is not ſufficient that men be of upright hearts, in what they ſay, unleſs there be ſound Doctrine and knowledge in what they ſay; For, ſaith he, My lips ſhall utter knowledge. See 2 Tim. 4.2.
4. Men ſhould alſo ſpeak clearly in what they ſay, and make the truth plain and clear, not leaving people in the dark, or publiſhing ſurmiſes in ſtead of verities; For, ſaith he, My lips ſhall utter knowledge clearly.
5. Men ought to examine well what they are to ſpeak, and ought to refine it in their own minds (without taking every thing upon truſt, and without tryal) that ſo their Doctrine may be pure and free of miſtakes; For, thus alſo will he utter pure and refined knowledge, as the Metaphor imports.
6. Such as ſpeak truth freely, clearly and uprightly, ought to be heard and attended unto; For, this is an Argument preſſing attention upon Job. If even good men conſider that they may erre, and need admonition, they will allow of freedome, and will account it an act of love and kindneſs not to let them goe away with their faults. And they are cruel to themſelves, who cannot endure to be freely dealt with, but would ſtill be preſcribing how others ſhould teach and admoniſh them.
Verſe 4. The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
This Verſe, abſtracting from what followeth, may contain a third Argument of attention, That, being ſenſible that he is a Creature formed and quickned by the Spirit of God, as the firſt man was, he will be faithful to God, his Maker, and to him, his fellow-creature; and therefore ſhould be heard.
Doct. 1. The Holy Spirit is a Worker, with the Father, and the Son, in the creating and forming of man; For, as all the perſons of the bleſſed Trinity concurred at the making of the firſt man, and in breathing into his noſtrills the breath of life, Gen. 1.26. and 2.7. So Elihu here acknowledgeth, The Spirit of God hath made me, (which ſeems to be underſtood eſpecially of his Body) and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life, or, a reaſonable Soul. This is a work of God wherein much of him is to be ſeen, Pſal. 139.14.
2. A man ſenſible of his own infirmity, when he goeth about a work of God, is like to proſper, and ought to be attended unto; it being an evidence he will not deſpiſe them with whom he hath to do, and that he will not provoke God: For, he propounds that he is ſenſible he is but a weak creature, as an Argument why Job ſhould hear him.
3. Such as conſider their obligations to God, were it but upon the account of their being made by him, will be faithful in their ſerving of him; For, this is his motive, and an Argument that he will be faithfull in publiſhing the truth of God; as he profeſſeth, Chap. 36.3. that he will aſcribe righteouſneſs to his Maker.
4. Such as do conſider how eaſily God makes man, will from thence alſo gather, how eaſily God can enable him, and endow him with gifts, if he pleaſe; For, this alſo is an Argument why Job ſhould not deſpiſe him, becauſe of his youth, ſeeing he was Gods workmanſhip as well as himſelf, and the Spirit, who made him, and gave him life, could as eaſily furniſh him with abilities.
Verſe 5. If thou canst anſwer me, ſet thy words in order before me, ſtand up.
The fourth Argument of attention (and a conſequent of the former) is, That, being ſenſible they were fellow-creatures, he would not take advantage of his afflictions, nor quarrel at what he ſhould ſay in his own defence, ſo as to interrupt him (as it ſeems his other Friends did) but if he had any thing to ſay, he will allow him to ſtand up and anſwer, or, to take courage, and ſtand to it, and reply if he can. This his frank offer doth neither proceed from inſolency, nor from any doubt he had of the truth of his own cauſe, but ſerveth to teſtifie his patience and meek condeſcendence to Job, that thereby he may engage him to hearken more attentively.
Doct. 1. It is an evidence of honeſty, when men deſire not to prevail in their cauſe, unleſs it be juſt and right; For, here he deſires not Job to be of his opinion, unleſs he can convince him by reaſon in a fair diſpute.
2. Equity ought to be obſerved in all Diſputes; and whatever reſpect be otherwiſe due to mens eminency or gifts, yet in Diſputes Parties are Peers, as in Games all are Equals: Therefore he deſires, here, that reaſon may only carry it, and that neither Jobs advantages over him, in reſpect of eminency in dignity or piety, nor his advantages in having to do with an afflicted man, might bear any ſway.
3. It doth evidence a ſound and ſober Spirit, when men, how clear ſoever their own light be, are content to hear the judgement and light of others; For, though he doubted not of the truth of what he was to ſpeak, yet, ſaith he, If thou canſt anſwer me, ſet thy words in order before me, or, order them the beſt thou can, to defend thy ſelf againſt my accuſations.
4. A man that hath a good cauſe, and an anſwer to return to what is objected againſt him, may ſtand to it, and take courage; For, ſaith he, Stand up, or, be couragious and reſolute, intimating that he had cauſe ſo to do, if he had truth on his ſide.