Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 34 · Verse 17
Verſe 17. Shall even he that hateth right govern? And wilt thou condemn him that is moſt juſt?
In this Verſe, he ſummarily propounds the Argument taken from Gods Dominion and Juſtice (for he joyns them both together) to which he deſires he may hearken. As for the firſt part of the Verſe, Shall even he that hateth right govern? The word, govern, in the Original, is, to bind up, as a Chyrurgion. And ſo it may point at a particular act of his government, that he binds up, and heals thoſe whom he hath ſmitten, upon their repentance, as it is, Chap. 5.18. Which ſpeaks, that he cannot be unjuſt, or hate right, ſeeing he is content, upon repentance, to heal thoſe whom he hath ſmitten. But the word is taken more generally, for governing, and a Ruler is called an Healer, or, binder up, (for it is the ſame word that is here) Iſ. 3.7. becauſe government, in the exerciſe thereof, ſhould tend to prevent, or to heal and bind up breaches that are made upon, or among, a people. And thus the Argument runs well, That God, being the ſupreme Governour, cannot hate right, or abhorr to do right. And the propounding thereof by way of queſtion, imports, That to aſſert of him, that he hated right, was, in effect, to overturn and deny his Government, or, to ſay, that he was not worthy to govern; And ſo this part of the Verſe concludes ſtrongly from his Dominion, as the latter part of the Verſe concludes from his Juſtice, that he who is moſt juſt ought not to be condemned.
From the firſt part of the Verſe, Learn, 1. It is the duty of Magiſtrates to be healers and binders up of the breaches of the people; neither ſeeking only their own advantage, neglecting the people, Ezek. 34.2 — 6. nor oppreſſing thoſe whom they ſhould protect, Ezek. 34.21. For, ſo much doth the word, to govern, here import. See Pſ. 82.1 — 4.
2. Whatever men do, yet God in his government is a tender binder up of the wounds and miſeries of thoſe who ſubject themſelves to him; For, of him it is true, that he binds up whom he governs. See Pſal. 146.7, 8, 9. He is good unto all, and his tender mercies are over all his works, Pſal. 145.9. And among his own people; he delights to give proof of his skill and tenderneſs, in curing their grievances, Pſ. 147.2, 3. Iſ. 30.26.
3. It is the duty of Rulers to do that which is right, ſimply, and to be led by no byas nor intereſt; For, he that governs ſhould be for what is right. See Deut. 16.20.
4. It is not enough, that men, and particularly Rulers, do right, unleſs it be done out of love to it; For, ſo is imported in that it ſhould not be hated. For if men do not delight in it, they do, interpretatively, hate it.
5. It is yet worſe, and a very hateful ſin, and ill qualification in Rulers, when they not only do not right, but do hate it; As here, it is very hainous, that any ſhould hate right, and it renders men very unfit for government. See Pſal. 36.4. Mic. 3.1, 2, 9.
6. God, the ſupreme Lord and Governour, doth alwayes right, and that out of love to it; For, this Queſtion imports, that God, who governs all, doth not hate right, but loves it, his eyes being ſtill upon the truth, Jer. 5.3. So that righteous and upright perſons cannot but be well, and in ſafety under his protection, Pſ. 11.7.
7. Men do little conſider how much their quarrellings do reflect upon God, and how little able their conſciences will be to abide it, when thoſe are charged upon them; For, by this Queſtion, he would let Job ſee that his complaints ſaid, that God was an hater of right, and unfit to govern; and he chargeth this upon his conſcience, as a crime that would be very grievous to him, if once he did conſider it ſeriouſly.
From the latter part of the Verſe, Learn, 1. It is not enough that men have ordinary thoughts of Gods Attributes, particularly, of bis righteouſneſs, or that they forbear to quarrel him, unleſs they have high thoughts of him; For, he intimates, that God ſhould be looked upon as moſt juſt, or, much, eminently, and mightily juſt.
2. It adds to the commendation of God, that he is not only juſt in his determinations, but powerful, to make his determinations effectual, which juſt men, oft-times, are not able to do; For, ſo much is imported in this, that he is mightily and powerfully just. And this is a great comfort to his people, Pſal. 94.14, 15.
3. Albeit Gods Juſtice be unqueſtionable, and his powerful execution anſwerable to his juſt determinations; Yet men, in ſome particular caſes, do not well diſcern this, and ſo are prone to carp and quarrel, and cenſure and condemn his procceedings: For, he chargeth Job with condemning (by his cenſures and complaints) him that is moſt just.
4. Men need no ſeverer cenſurers of their reflections upon God, than their own conſciences, if they were put to it; For, ſo much doth this Queſtion import, Wilt thou condemn him, &c. So that mens conſciences are certainly aſleep, when they are querulous and full of complaints.