Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 34 · Verse 31
Verſe 31. Surely it is meet to be ſaid unto God, I have born chaſtiſement, I will not offend any more.
Followeth, the Concluſion of this Diſcourſe, Wherein,
1. Elihu directs Job in what tearms he ſhould ſpeak to God, and whereof he ſhould make uſe, in ſtead of theſe ill ordered expreſſions which he hath been refuting, v. 31, 32. and preſſeth his advice by a ſtrong Argument, v. 33.
2. He appeals again to judicious hearers, whether Job can be aſſoyled, and do not rather deſerve to be ſharply reprehended for his diſcourſes, v. 34, 35.
3. He deſires that Job may be yet further tryed, till he be humbled, v. 36, 37.
As for Elihu's direction, in this and the following Verſe, the conciſeneſs and various ſignifications of the Original expreſſions do occaſion diverſity of readings. Some read them thus, Surely thou ſhouldeſt addreſs thy ſelf unto God, who ſaith, I pardon, (which relates to the guilt of ſin) and will not deſtroy, which relates to the puniſhment of ſin. And ſo the following Verſe only will contain the advice to Job, what he ſhould ſay; and this Verſe will contain an encouragement to goe to God and ſay it, taken from his graciouſneſs, whoſe Prerogative it is to pardon ſin, and take away the puniſhment thereof. Others read this Verſe, as a direction to Job, that he ſhould profeſs and ſay unto God, I have pardoned, and will not deſtroy, or, take a pledge, that is, that he hath paſſed over injuries done to him by others, and will not ruine any, and take a pledge of the poor; and yet he ſhould deſire (in the following Verſe) that God would diſcover his ſecret faults unto him. Theſe readings might afford ground of many profitable thoughts; but I ſhall follow our own Tranſlation, which agreeth with the Original, and cometh as near the ſcope, as any. And ſo this Verſe containeth the firſt part of the direction (or what Job ſhould profeſs to God, as the next Verſe ſheweth him what he ſhould deſire) and how Job, laying aſide his quarrelling complaints, ſhould utter his mind to God; Namely, that he ſhould profeſs his ſenſe of Gods afflicting hand, and ſtoop under it; and in the ſenſe thereof ſhould engage himſelf not to offend, or, (for the word hath divers ſignifications) corrupt, (namely, his way) or, deſtroy, (to wit, himſelf, by corrupting his way) and ſo ſhould profeſs his willingneſs to amend any faults whereof he was guilty, and for that end, ſhould ſeek light to know his miſcarriages, as is added in the direction, v. 32. While he adviſeth him to promiſe that he will amend his faults, it may be generally extended to all the faults and infirmities of his life, and particularly, to his faults and miſcarriages under trouble, and in the way of his defending of his innocency. And ſo it is to be marked, that this corrupting, or, deſtroying, (as the word ſignifieth) which he reſolveth againſt, may relate, eſpecially, to his corrupting and ſpoyling this fair opportunity of a tryal to do him good, whereby he ſhould indeed deſtroy it, and himſelf by abuſing of it. It is yet further to be obſerved, that ſome read the firſt part of the Verſe thus, Surely hath Job ſaid to God, I have born — That which I ſee not, &c? by way of check, that he had not done ſo hitherto. But that difference need not be ſtood upon, ſeeing that may very well fall in with our reading. For a check for his former neglect is an advice for the future, and that ſo much the more preſſing, as former negligence ſhould be a ſpur to future diligence.
From this Verſe, Learn, 1. As no afflictions from God are dumb; So God requires that we ſhould be put to ſome exerciſe by them; As here is imported, That, when we are afflicted, we ſhould ſay ſomewhat, and reſolve to do ſomewhat.
2. Albeit, in our exerciſe and expreſſions under trouble, we are ready to run to any other party ſooner than to God; Yet it is moſt fit to goe to God himſelf, and pour out all our grievances in his boſome, as knowing that his hand is ſupreme in all our troubles, and that he alone can give us relief, and without him nothing can help us; Therefore is he directed to ſay this to God.
3. Even when men are come the length of going to God with their trouble, yet it is not eaſie under diſtemper to order their ſpeech, and underſtand what is meet to be ſaid, or, ſhould be ſaid unto God; Therefore is he directed and adviſed in this.
4. Ordinarily Spectators are fitter Judges of mens duty under trouble, than themſelves; For, it is told him what is meet to be ſaid to God.
5. It is the duty and property of faithful Friends, ſo to reprove faults, as not to caſt off love, or forbear to counſel thoſe who are faulty, for their good; For, here, after all theſe ſharp reproofs, Elihu gives his friendly advice to Job.
6. Sound counſels are ſo contrary to the preſent inclinations of diſtempered men, that they can hardly be perſwaded to accept of them, when they are given; Therefore the wholeſomeneſs of this advice muſt be ſo gravely aſſerted, Surely (as the word here uſed is oft-times rendered, though properly it ſignifie, Becauſe) it is meet to be ſaid unto God, &c.
7. There is no right going unto God under trouble, nor can men evidence that they have learned any other leſſon in the School of affliction, till firſt they can ſpeak to God of their ſenſe of his hand in their ſtroak; For, that is the firſt ſtep of a right deportment, to ſay unto God, and acknowledge, I have born, Namely, the chaſtiſement, as it is ſupplyed, or the tryal We have the more need to look to this, that, ordinarily, men are firſt ſtupified and confounded with trouble, before they lay it ſenſibly to heart, and that ill managed ſenſe and exerciſe may draw to a relapſe in ſtupidity.
8. It is not enough that men be ſenſible of trouble, unleſs they alſo meekly ſubmit to the tryal, which is the firſt evidence that men are beginning to get good of it, for till that once be, their diſtempers will miſ-lead them; For, ſo much alſo is imported in this, I have born, or, taken it up meekly. It is not enough that men be only under trouble, or feel the ſmart of it, or bear it becauſe they cannot help it; nor ſhould men bear it ſtoutly, contemning it; or diſcontentedly, or deſpondently in a fainting way; But they muſt bear it ſenſibly and ſubmiſſively, and willingly, as ſeeing that it is the Lord. See 1 Sam. 3.18. 2 Sam. 15.26. and 16.10. Joh. 18.11. To which they may alſo be excited, if they conſider that trouble is for their good, Pſal. 119.71. Heb. 12.10. and that, without ſubmiſſion and exerciſe, trouble will do them no good, Heb. 12.11.
9. When men have begun meekly to ſubmit to tryal, then their work will be about ſin, to diſcover and purge it out; which they will look upon as a greater haſt, than to be rid of trouble; For, then he is adviſed to be exerciſed about offending, as the conſequent of the former ſtep.
10. When men are rightly exerciſed about ſin, eſpecially under trouble, they will look upon it as a very abominably corrupting and deſtroying evil; As the word, alſo ſignifieth.
11. It is not enough that men (eſpecially under trouble) diſcover ſin, or contemplate the abominableneſs thereof, unleſs there be ſtrong reſolutions and endeavours to amend it, and turn from it; For, he is adviſed to promiſe, I will not offend. Not that men can undertake never to ſin, though that be their duty; but, eſpecially, that they ſhould oppoſe all ſin, and ſhould never purpoſe to commit any ſin; And they ſhould be as careful of this, as they are about the pardon of ſin committed.
12. It is, in particular, a great evil to be avoided, that men do not corrupt and loſe the opportunity of a tryal, which otherwiſe might do them much good, by their miſcarriages under it; For, this may be particularly intended in this engagement, not to offend, or corrupt, as hath been explained. And it is certain Jobs miſcarriages under trouble were the evils which he was bound eſpecially to amend, and for which Elihu did quarrel him eſpecially.
13. Men, even by their managing of the teſtimony of a good conſcience too hotly under trouble, may ſpoyl their own cauſe, and loſe a fair opportunity of good; For, therefore was Job, a godly man, to engage againſt offending thus.