Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 36 · Verse 1 – Verse 2
Verſe 1. Elihu alſo proceeded, and ſaid:
IN this Verſe, the Writer of the Book premits an Hiſtorical Tranſition to this Speech; ſhewing that Elihu proceeded, or, added this Speech to the former, wherein he ſpeaks more generally to the whole cauſe. Whence, Learn,
1. It is neceſſary that men, who would inform or convince thoſe who are in the wrong, do inculcate their inſtructions much, that ſo they may take them up when they hear them, and they may be riveted upon them, notwithſtanding the…r dulneſs or averſion, if they underſtand them; Therefore doth he proceed and ſay, after all that he hath formerly ſpoken. See Phil 3.1. Such as would ſpeak to the condition of Souls, have not only their judgements to inform, and their prejudices and miſtakes to clear, if they be in an errour; But their hearts to fix on what they hear and underſtand, and their affections to excite, that they may improve and make uſe thereof. And as all this will require much pains and inculcating of truths, and ſhould quicken them to their work, who have a calling to teach others; So, the conſideration thereof ſhould humble men in the ſenſe of their need of all this pains about them, and of the obſtructions which muſt be removed thereby; and ſhould excite them who hear much, and have truths frequently inculcated upon them, to ſee how they improve ſuch a mercy.
2. Saints ought to be tenderly waited upon in their fits of paſſion and diſtemper, and will be ſo tendered by ſpiritual and diſcerning perſons, Gal. 6.1. Yea, God will tender them in the furnace, ſo as to loſe none of their good mettal, though he will not ſpare their peeviſh humours: For, Elihu, by his thus inſiſting to deal with Job, when his other Friends had given him over, Chap. 32.1. doth both give evidence of his being a tender friend, and of Gods care of him by his means, whom he had employed for that effect, as to cheriſh what was good in him, ſo to diſcover his droſs, that it might be purged. The conſideration of which tenderneſs in God, notwithſtanding our follies, may ſerve to commend his kindneſs, Act. 13.18. and humble us, Pſ. 73.21, 22, 23.
3. Men will never be ſufficiently convinced, by taxing their particular faults as they fall in them; unleſs they be well principled in general truths concerning Gods dealing with his people, whereby their particular eſcapes may be healed at the root: Therefore here at laſt he comes to this more general Doctrine, whereby Job might ſee the evil of all he had ſaid amiſs, or might ſay hereafter of the like nature. So that in dark caſes, wherein we are readily bemiſted, we ſhould ſee that our principles be right, concerning God and his dealing, the lot of his people on earth, &c. And then try how our carriage ſuits with our principles, whereby we will find, that ignorance, or ill improvement of our principles, doth us much hurt.
Verſe 2. Suffer me a little, and I will ſhew thee, that I have yet to ſpeak on Gods behalf.
Followeth, the Preface it ſelf, to v. 5. wherein he craves attention, and ſubjoynes ſuch Arguments to perſwade him to attention as gives an account of his ſcope in the following Speech, that it is to plead for God. His deſire is that he may be heard in what he is to ſay. His firſt Argument preſſing attention, is, that he will be brief, and now, after a little more diſcourſe, will draw to a cloſe. The ſecond Argument (propounded in this Verſe, and amplified, v. 3.) is taken from the ſubject matter of his diſcourſe, that he is to plead for God yet more than he hath done. While he intreats Job that he would ſuffer him, or, wait upon him, (or, ſurround him, as the word ſignifieth, as we uſe to ſurround men from whom we expect news of worth) it is not neceſſary to ſuppoſe, that either Job offered to interrupt him, or expreſſed any ſign of diſſatisfaction; But it is rather to be conceived, that Elihu, out of his tenderneſs, and being ſenſible how ſharp he had been to Job in his former Speech, (and particularly, Chap. 35.16. where he had charged him with folly who was a wiſe man) doth now labour to take off any impreſſion which that might have left upon his ſpirit, with a new Preface.
Doct. 1. As it is mens weakneſs which cauſeth them be eaſily hurt by what is ſharply ſpoken to them; (as ordinarily we ſtand moſt in need of that which we reliſh worſt, and it is a part of the efficacy of ſome meſſages, that they hurt and grieve us, as when Phyſick makes us ſick in order to our cure) So it is the duty of Speakers, in juſtice and prudence, to ſweeten their neceſſary ſharpneſs with all lawfull inſinuations: For, therefore doth Elihu premit this new Preface. Though it were unfaithfulneſs to …atter men in their faults, yet ſweetneſs ſhould be …ed with our faithfulneſs and freedom, by aſſuring them of our love to whom we ſpeak, working upon their affections (which ordinarily bear the keyes of mens hearts, ſo that if they be gained, there is hope or doing them good) hearing with ill uſage, and comming all things to all men, if ſo be we may gain ſome.
2. The miſcarriages, even of Saints, under trouble, are, oft times, ſo many, ſo groſſe, and yet ſo intricate and involved, that they have need of patience, if they would hear them all laid open to them: For here Elihu needs to be ſuffered, when he undertakes this task, both in reſpect of the time he behooved to take to do it, and the ſharpneſs he behooved to make uſe of: See Heb. 13.22. It is the duty of all (and the property of Saints, when they are in a right frame) to be paſſive and ſubmiſſive in receiving inſtructions and reproofs, and not preſcribers of what God ſhould ſay unto them. And they ſhould love not to be deluded, but faithfully dealt with, however it may grieve them. And they may be quickened to ſuffer a word of exhortation, when they conſider how apt they are to miſcarry, when yet their paſſions and partiality do hide it from them; and when they raiſe their expectations (as the word doth ſignify) of good by thoſe means. Only this ſhould further be adverted unto, that to ſuffer admonitions and inſtructions, doth not import, that we ſhould ſuffer our ſelves to be hammered upon by the word, while yet we regard not what is ſaid; but that we ſhould be meek in hearing (to which this careleſs ſtupidity is oppoſite, as well as our mad rage) Jam. 1.21. 1 Pet. 2.2. And as not to repine at the matter of the meſſage; ſo, neither at the frequent repetition thereof, as knowing how uneaſily theſe things do ſink into our hearts, to reach the bottom of our wounds.
3. As it is the duty of thoſe who ſtand in need, not to weary while God keeps them under cure by his word in the mouthes of his Servants; (For, this exhortation relates alſo to his long continuance in ſpeaking to him) So it is prudence in Gods Meſſengers not to be tedious and weariſom to them, … th…n is abſolutely needfull; For, ſaith he, ſup…me a little, as promiſing now to come ſhortly to a l…e. See Heb. 13.21. So weak are we, that prol…xity even of good and neceſſary purpoſes, may … us: And it may humble us, that while we … …here, we … endure little even of what is good and neceſſſity for us. Yet men ought in prudence … ever … this weakneſſe, eſpecially if it be … with willingneſs.
4. As we preſume, oft times, to bring God to our Bar, by cenſuring his diſpenſations, Hab. 1.13, 14. So it is very laudable ſervice to plead for him, whether againſt our ſelves or others; As here, it is Elihu's commendable ſcope to ſpeak on Gods behalf Thus did Jeremiah plead for God againſt himſelf, Jer. 12.1. And whoſo do otherwiſe, will get cauſe to repent of it, Pſ. 73.21, 22.
5. Such is the perverſity of ſome, and the weakneſs of others, of the Sons of men, that they can very frequently tax God, but will need the help of others to clear their miſtakes; otherwiſe they cannot do it themſelves; For, Job needs one to speak on Gods behalf. Which may warn us, when we are in trouble; to ſuſpect our own judgements, and that our paſſion, haſte, ſelf-love, &c. may readily bemiſt us.
6. Albeit, in our paſſions, we think we have reaſon for our miſtakes, and that little or nothing can be ſaid againſt our apprehenſions; yet, God is ſo holy, and ſo juſt, that when men have ſaid moſt, there is ſtill more to ſay for him; whereby we may be convinced, that it is not an act of charity, but of juſtice, to have a good opinion of him and his dealing; Therefore ſaith Elihu, after all he hath ſpoken formerly, I will ſhew thee that I have yet to speak on Gods behalf, or that there are yet words, to be ſpoken, for God. So that they ſin hainouſly who have wrong thoughts of him, and his holineſs in his diſpenſations may be cleared upon more accounts than one: And when the tide turns, and the children of God cool of their feavers, they will have thoughts of Gods diſpenſations far different from thoſe they entertained in their diſtempers; as the Pſalmiſt found by experience, Pſ 73.3. &c. with v. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. and Pſ. 77.7, 8, 9. with v. 10, &c. And they will ſee cauſe to admire thoſe infinite perfections of God, which ſhine in his guiding things below, and are every way ſo holy and unreprovable.
7. It beſeems the people of God, as to hearken to all that God ſaith unto them by his Meſſengers, ſo, particularly, to give good ear to what is ſaid for vindicating of God from their miſconſtructions; For, the ſubject matter of his diſcourſe, and that be is to ſpeak on Gods behalf, is here propounded as an Argument to preſſe attention. Saints ſhould delight to hear that ſubject of the commendation of God; and particularly, they ſhould not be obſtinate and willfull in maintaining of their own miſtakes, as if they were unqueſtionably right in them; But, being ſenſible of their own ignorance and weakneſſes, and loathing to live in ſuch termes with God, they ſhould be glad of any mean and help which may clear them to them.