Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 34 · Verse 32
Verſe 32. That which I ſee not, teach thou me; if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.
This Verſe contains the reſt of the Direction, or, what he ſhould deſire; Namely, That, being reſolved not to offend; though he knew not his particular miſcarriages, yet he ſhould ſeek light from God to inform him of his failings, and ſhould renew his reſolutions to avoid what ſhould be diſcovered to him, particularly, of his miſcarriages under trouble. Whence, Learn,
1. As the people of God, when they are well exerciſed, are ſenſible of their own ſinfulneſs; So they ſhould have their eye upon it; For, the Original expreſſion, Beſide what I ſee, or contemplate, imports, that he ſhould alwayes be ſeeing ſome ſinfulneſs in himſelf. See Iſ. 59.12. As none will neglect examination, and daily obſerving of their own wayes and miſcarriages, but they who are ignorant of themſelves; So it is better we ſee our failing this way, by daily obſervation, than that our conſciences be wakened by the terrour of God, and made to dwell upon that ſubject, Pſal. 50.21. and 51.3. And it muſt be ſad alſo, when men, who know many other things, yet, are ignorant of themſelves.
2. Saints who know themſelves beſt, will be ſenſible of their ignorance and ſhort coming, in taking up their defects; For, when Job cometh to be right, he ſuppoſeth that he will apprehend there are evils beſide what he ſeeth. See Pſal. 19.12. Saints are not ſoon or eaſily ſatisfied with their own ſight of their ſinfulneſs; but, knowing the deceitfulneſs of their own hearts, Jer. 17.9. when they have ſeen moſt, they will know there is yet more to be ſeen; for their ignorance whereof they will mourn, as well as for the evils which they diſcern.
3. As ſimple ignorance, inadvertency, unfound principles, ſelf-love, the multitude of eſcapes, &c. are reaſons why many of the people of Gods faults paſs unobſerved by them; So, in particular, paſſion and diſtemper under trouble may bring them into many ſnares unawares: For, it is of theſe miſcarriages under trouble, eſpecially, that Elihu ſuppoſeth Job to be ignorant. Thus did Moſes miſcarry at the Rock, Pſal 106.32, 33. David ſpake often amiſs in his haſt, and Jonah in his paſſion juſtifieth his fault, Jon 4.9.
4. It is the property of the Child of God, when he is ſenſible, that ignorance and inadvertency do not ſatisfie his conſcience; as knowing that he is bound to know the Rule of his duty, and to try all his actions thereby; and that ſins, even of ignorance, need an expiatory ſacrifice and pardon, Lev. 4.2, 3, &c. And therefore he deſireth not to be deluded, but to know what really he is, although he ſee it not for preſent; For, ſo much doth this deſire, to be taught what he ſeeth not, import, that a ſenſible Soul is teachable, and earneſtly deſireth to be well informed concerning its own condition. See Pſal. 25.4, 5. and 139.21, 22, 23, 24. It is ſad when men do skin over their own bad condition, and ſo long as they are not diſquieted, they will not trouble themſelves, but ſport themſelves with their own deceivings.
5. It is not the teſtimony of any, but of God alone, that will quiet an honeſt conſcience about its guilt or honeſty; For, it is to God this deſire is put up, What I ſee not, teach thou me. Without Gods approbation, all Davids ſhifts to cover his Adultery availed nothing, 2 Sam. 11.27. And as God is the effectual teacher and convincer of men; So, in every thing, we ſhould ſee what he ſaith, Exod. 18.23. 1 Chron. 13.2. And what he ſaith, the conſcience muſt reſt upon; neither taking with guilt, if he do not charge it upon it, nor reſting ſecure in any courſe (how plauſible or ſucceſsful ſoever) if he approve it not. See Luk. 16.15. 1 Cor. 4.4. 2 Cor. 10.18.
6. However God may give up, ſometimes, with a ſtubborn people, and will reprove them no more, Ezek. 3.26. Yet, it is his way with his own people, not to let them goe away with their faults; but, either by their own conſciences, or ſome other means, to bring their ſin to their remembrance, and be a reprover unto them; which is their great mercy: For, this deſire is grounded upon this, that it is Gods ordinary way with his people, to teach them what they ſee not; as he made Davids heart to ſmite him, and made Joſephs brethren remember their cruelty toward him. So that Saints had need to prevent ſuch after-games, when their ſin ſhall find them out, Numb. 32.23.
7. As the faults of the people of God, eſpecially, under trouble, may be very groſs, and yet not ſeen by themſelves; So they will not extenuate their faults, when they do diſcern them; In both theſe reſpects he is to call that whereof he can but ſuſpect himſelf, till it be diſcovered, iniquity, as being committed againſt profeſſions, and manifold engagements, againſt mercies, and under corrections, beſide the groſſeneſs of it in its own nature. Thus David was ſenſible of the iniquity of his ſinne, Pſ. 32.5.
8. Diſcoveries of ſin are then rightly improved, when reformation, or a ſerious reſolution and endeavour of reformation, follow thereupon; And the way to keep the conſcience tender, and to have Gods light ſhining upon it for continual information, is, to take heed to thoſe faults, which it points at: For, ſo is here ſubjoyned, If I have done iniquity, I will do no more; and on theſe tearms he beggs light. Our darkneſs floweth, oft-times, from our ill improvement of light; and Rebellion takes away reproofs, Ezek. 3.26. as unfruitfulneſs turns corrections into deſtroying plagues, Iſaiah 1.5. Jer. 2.30.
9. Even ſincere and honeſt reſolutions againſt ſin had need to be often renewed, leſt we become remiſs in them; Therefore, after that reſolution and engagement, v. 31. this is added.
10. Even very ſticking ſins, which cleave faſt to us, and do reſiſt many reſolutions, may, through grace, be prevailed over, if we follow forth our reſolutions; For, though he ſhould find need to double his reſolutions, yet reformation is not hopeleſs. Therefore we ſhould not ſet about this work in a diſcouraged way, nor ſhould difficulties in it cauſe us give it over.
11. Who ſo will conſider, not only that there can be no true repentence for by-paſt ſins, without a reſolution and endeavour of reformation for the future; and that it is inconſiſtent with a gracious ſtate, to continue in any known ſin, without ſerious endeavours againſt it: But, what hath been the groſſeneſs, and the preſent folly and emptineſs, and ſubſequent bitterneſs, of their former debordings; they will ſee cauſe to fortifie their reſolutions againſt them for the future; Therefore, this is premitted, If I have done iniquity, as a ſtrong Argument to engage him to do no more. For beſide the adding of ſin to ſin, Iſ. 30.1. and that what men have already committed is more than enough, 1 Pet. 4 3. it muſt argue ſtrange madneſs, when men hazard again upon theſe courſes under which they have ſmarted. See Prov. 23.34, 35.