Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 36 · Verse 13-15
Verſe 13. But the Hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: They cry not when he bindeth them.
14. They dye in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
15. He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppreſſion.
In the fourth and laſt branch of this part of the Vindication, we have an account of the various events of this diſpenſation of affliction upon Profeſſours of piety, How they take with it, and what cometh of it. Where he ranks Profeſſours of Religion and Piety into two ſorts, according to their different carriage under the rod, and the different events which befall them.
1. Cloſe Hypocrites, who do but augment and encreaſe wrath againſt themſelves, by their neglecting to cry to God in their trouble, v. 13. and do provoke God to cut them off, even in youth, as the vileſt of Sodomites, v. 14.
2. The truly godly or poor, whoſe car being opened under oppreſſion, to receive inſtruction (for that muſt be firſt wrought, though it be laſt named in the Text) they are thereby fitted for, and get deliverance, v. 15.
For further clearing of this purpoſe, Conſider,
1. Though Elihu in all this part of the Vindication, be ſpeaking of Gods afflicting righteous men; yet here he ſpeaks alſo of hypocrites. Not that any truly godly perſon can turn an hypocrite, and be cut off as ſuch; but that he may clear how of Profeſſours of godlineſs (who meet with affliction) ſome are ſincere, and others but diſſemblers, and that the tryal contributes to the diſcovering of both, and the ſeperating of the chaffe from the wheat.
2. He doth not here make mention of hypocrites with any deſign to reflect upon Job as one of them; but partly, to vindicate Gods righteouſneſs in afflicting them who profeſs piety, conſiderirg (that not only he hath holy ends in dealing ſo with ſuch as really are what they profeſs, of which he hath ſpoken already, and more is added, v. 15. but) that there are many unſound Profeſſours, whom in his holy Providence he diſcovers by affliction. Partly, that he may detert Job from ſome pranks under trouble (particularly, his complaining more than he did pray) he lets him ſee that they were the pranks of hypocrites; and therefore not to be perſiſted in by him who was a godly man.
3. Albeit there was an alternative propounded, in ſpeaking of the duty of godly men under trouble, v. 11, 12. Yet, v. 15. he mentions only their profiting by the rod, and nothing of their incorrigibleneſs, becauſe that is the ordinary fruit that real Saints get of the rod, and it is nor ſo uſual for them, when they are in trouble, to provoke God by their miſcarriages to cut them off. And therefore he aſſerts of them, indefinitely, or more generally, that they are delivered, and their cars opended, in oppreſſion.
From v. 13, 14. Learn, 1. Hypocriſie is an ordinary evil cleaving to profeſſion of Religion; So that Hypocrites are very ordinarily and frequently mixed among ſincere Profeſſours; For, ſo is here ſuppoſed, in that when Elihu is vindicating Gods dealing with Saints, he inſinuates this as one plea for him, that there is need of affliction upon men of their profeſſion, were it but to diſcover and purge out hypocrites from an…g them. So that men ſhould not think it enough that they are Profeſſours, if they have no more; and even ſincereſt of Profeſſours have need to guard againſt hypocriſie, which ſo frequently cleaves to profeſſion.
2. The hypocriſie of ſome may be ſo cloſely conveighed, and hid in their hearts, that in ordinary it doth not appear; For, there are hypocrites in heart, who do not much appear viſibly to be ſuch.
3. God is ſo ill pleaſed, even with the moſt refined of hypocriſie, that he will, ſooner or later, have the mark pulled off it, and cauſe the hypocrite appear in his own colours; As here it is ſuppoſed, that they will appear to be under wrath.
4. Albeit many times proſperity will diſcover the unſoundneſs of ſome, who flattered God under trouble, Pſal. 78.34, 35, 36, 37. Yea, albeit cloſe and refined hypocrites may paſs through many tryals undiſcovered, till their tryal (which toucheth upon their Idol) come; Yet, a day of adverſity is the ordinary touchſtone of hypocriſie, which will at laſt find it our, and diſcover it; As here it is in affliction, and when God binds them, that they appear in their colours; and the ſcorching heat of the Sun, or the fiery furnace will make the varniſh to fall off, See Iſ. 33.14. So that hypocrites had need of fair weather, for a ſhower will ſtain them, and make them caſt their borrowed colour.
5. Hypocrites are eſpecially diſcovered by their not crying to God in trouble; As here, they cry not when he bindeth them. And albeit this ſeem to contradict other Scriptures, which ſay, they cry only when they are in trouble, Pſal. 78.34. Yet this may alſo hold true of them, (or, of ſome of them) that, when they are in trouble, they may at firſt give over to cry as being madded that they ſhould be in trouble or confounded with it, or hoping to find relief another way. And if they come to God in trouble, they will ſoon weary and give over, if they be not ſpeedily relieved, Iſ. 58.3. Mal. 3.13, 14. And to expreſs this character of hypocrites more diſtinctly, we may take it up thus.
1. If they goe to God in trouble, yet there is more of murmuring than prayer in their addreſſes.
2. They are ready to cry more upon the account of what they want, than becauſe God binds them, or becauſe they ſee his hand and quarrel in their affliction, Hoſ. 7.14, 16.
3. They cry more that they may get eaſe of their trouble, than they repent of their ſins which procured them.
4. There is little fervency, or, crying, in their addreſſes; or what fervour ſeems to be therein, flows not from humility, love or hope, but from pride, bitterneſs and diffidence.
5. Their firſt recourſe is not to God, ſo long as they have any ſhift beſide.
6. They loſe all hope, and weary to cry on, if their ſtrait grow and continue, while they are crying, 2 King. 6.30, 33. All theſe ſhould warn us to try and examine our prayers, and to look upon it as ſad, when trouble produceth no prayer, or, no right prayer.
Doct. 6. Though hypocrites …e alwayes under wrath; yet their miſcarriages, and diſcovering of themſelves under trouble, draws on a greater and more inſupportable weight and burden of it: For, by this they heap of wrath. Which ſhould warn all to look to their carriage under trouble.
7. Gods wrath againſt hypocrites will not alwayes evidence it ſelf only by with-holding of favours, or ſpeaking ſad words to them; but will at laſt break forth in viſible effects upon impenitent hypocrites, to the deſtruction both of Soul and Body: And eſpecially, if trouble be not well improved, when God hath begun to reckon with them, he will not be dallyed with, nor ſpare them; For, they dye, or, their Soul, or, Life dyeth; that is, both their Soul and Life dyeth. Or, the phraſe may have relation to the thoughts that hypocrites have of their bodily and animal life, which they ſo eſteem, as if Soul, and Life, and all, conſiſted in living here. Or, it ſerves to aggravate their fault, who have a rational Soul, as well as an animal Life, and yet dare hazard to draw on death upon themſelves in wrath. It is true, this threatening againſt hypocrites may admit of an exception in the viſible Church, Pſal. 78.34 — 38. as to the grant of a national pardon to the body of a people, Numb. 14.20, 21 Pſal. 99.8. Yet God will reckon with particular hypocrites.
8. As the Lord ſeeth it fit, ſometimes, to cut off hypocrites early, and ſome of them by a violent death; So it is true of all of them, that they dye before they be full of dayes, Pſal. 55.23. (they ſtill abhorring death) and before they ceaſe and give over their youthfull folly, and become wiſe in God, For, thus, and in theſe reſpects, they dye in youth.
9. Hypocrites, eſpecially when they do not improve trouble, are juſtly ranked among the worſt of men, and dealt with accordingly; For, their life is (cut off) among the unclean, or, Sodomites, who have their name here from Holineſs, either by an Antiphraſis, becauſe they are moſt unholy; or, becauſe that abomination was committed among ſome Pagans upon pretence of Religion; and ſo we find their houſes near the Temple in the time of the defection of the Jews, 2 King. 23.7. And this phraſe, that their life is among the unclean, doth not only point at the violent manner of their death, as young men contracted violent diſeaſes by that vile unnatural ſin; but at their being odious in the ſight of God, as the worſt of ſinners. See Pſ. 125.5.
10. It is not unprofitable, that the godly, under fits of tentation and tryal, take a look of the hypocrites way and lot; Partly, that they may abhort their own diſtempers, when they look ſo like the hypocrites ordinary way; And, partly, that the fear of the hypocrites lot, may terrifie them from what is like their way; Therefore is this account concerning the hypocrite laid before Job here.
From v. 15. Learn, 1. Whatever hypocrites do prove in trouble, yet when they have diſcovered themſelves, and are gone, there will be found truly godly men, who will cleave to God in ſaddeſt times, and will get a bleſſed account of all Gods dealing toward them; For, ſo much doth this Verſe, added by way of oppoſition to the carriage and lot of hypocrites, teach us. See Iſ. 33.14, 15, 16. This imports,
1. That it is not a thing ſimply impoſſible for men to bear out in ſaddeſt times, and ſo to walk, as they may ſing that ſong, Iſ. 25.9. when God cometh with deliverance. It is true, it may prove very difficult ſo to do (as is ſaid in another caſe, Numb. 24.23.) and Saints may make foul ſlips, and come off humbled, 1 Sam. 27.1. Pſal. 73.2. and 116, 11. yet experience doth alſo witneſs, that it is not impoſſible to get well through a ſad tryal, 1 Sam. 30.6, 7. Hab. 3.17, 18. Hence,
2. When men do ſuccumb and fail in an hour of tryal, their faith failing them, and their hands being weakened; they ought not to blame the diſpenſations of God, but their own weakneſs, for it; and therefore they ſhould ſearch out, and mourn for this their weakneſs. See Prov. 24.10. Pſal. 73.21, 22, 23. and 77.7, 8, 9, 10. And this were a profitable way of refuting and curing tentations.
3. Whoever do decline in a day of tryal, they will not want witneſſes, who, by their practice, will teſtifie againſt them, that Gods wayes are equal, and his yoak eaſie.
Doct. 2. The property of the Children of God, who are in the right way to be carried through troubles, and do lye near mercies, is, their poverty and affliction; As here they are called, the poor, or, afflicted. This is their deſignation, v. 6. and frequently throughout the Scripture, ſo that the followers of God are called, the congregation of his poor, Pſal. 74.19. And albeit external poverty and affliction have ſome hand in this (of which afterward) yet that is not only, or chiefly, meant here. For however, when people are otherwiſe humble, their external miſeries have their own weight with God, Judg. 10.16. Yet all thoſe, of themſelves, do not ſignifie much, without that poverty and affliction of Spirit, which is chiefly noticed by God, Matth. 5.3. And that we may find out what this is, the Emphaſis of the word (eſpecially as it is variouſly rendered, in divers places of the Old Teſtament, by the Greek Interpreters) may be taken up in thoſe particulars.
1. A man truly poor is not puffed up with a conceit of his own worth and fulneſs, but is acquainted with his own emptineſs and indigence, See 1 Cor. 4.8. Rev. 3.17.
2. He hath nor only a contemplative notion of his poverty, but is afflicted and exerciſed with it; it is not a dreamed of, but a felt, poverty, and being poor, he is ſorrowful, Pſ. 69.29.
3. The effect of this exerciſe is, not to lye ſtill ſinking under it, but to cauſe the poor man turn a beggar, and ſupplicant to God. Hence the poor become needy, Pſal. 40.17. and are fervent in their addreſſes, as they who may not want long, Pſal. 70.5.
4. In all theſe addreſſes, the poor man is humble, as the word alſo ſignifieth, and is rendered. His diſcovered and exerciſing poverty doth not irritate him, or provoke his pride, but layeth him in the duſt. So that, as a really poor man, in his prayers he uſeth intreaties, or ſpeaks ſupplications, Prov. 18.23. and he is humble when he is put to attend, and in entertaining the returns which he gets. Where theſe properties are wanting, it is no wonder that men do ſlide in an hour of tryal.
Doct. 3. The people of God do frequently need afflictions, and even ſore oppreſſion, to promove this their ſpiritual poverty; As here they are the poor in affliction and oppreſſion; and the Scripture ſpeaks frequently of their poverty in an afflicted and ſorrowful condition. See Pſal. 69.29. Zeph. 3.12. Godly men do frequently queſtion why they are ſo much under affliction, and eſpecially ſore oppreſſion, of which they complain, Pſal. 44.24, 25. But the queſtion may be eaſily anſwered thus, That, as godlineſs doth not exempt men from neceſſary trouble; So, godly men may bear it beſt of any, ſeeing they have an hope above it, and their happineſs lyeth not at the ſtake. But (in purſuance of the point in hand) this may be further added, That moſt ordinarily there is but little poverty of Spirit among godly men, and therefore ſharp afflictions are neceſſary to purge out their pride and folly. And though it be granted, that ſome are already poor; Yet,
1. Afflictions are neceſſary to keep them ſo, and to prevent pride, as Chap. 33.17. For preventing mercies are ſweet, however they be little obſerved by us.
2. They are neceſſary to help their ſpiritual poverty to grow; and if they love to be in that poſture, nothing will be bitter that may promove it.
3. They are neceſſary to give them opportunities of evidencing their humility and ſpiritual poverty, in eminent ſervices whereby God is honoured; and that is no ſmall mercy and advantage to a right diſcerner. Hence,
1. This commends Gods mercy, who will not ſpare to do us a good turn, though we ſhould carp at the means whereby he brings it about. He is a Father, who will not ſpare for our crying, when we need the rod, Prov. 19.18. And hence it is that our choiceſt mercies come, oft-times, to us in a way wherewith we are but ill ſatisfied.
2. It doth alſo commend his mercy, who gives us meat out of ſuch an eater, and who makes oppreſſion (which is ready to make a wiſe man madd) a mean in his hand to work poverty, and other bleſſed effects.
3. We ſhould be careful to mind this uſe and improvement of affliction; for when it hath got its errand, and done its work, it will be removed. And for tryal of our proficiency, we may reflect on theſe characters of the poor man formerly mentioned, and what may be after added. Only remember, that they who become poor in affliction, will relye on God, on whom they are left, and will be tender in their walk, Pſal. 40.17. Z…ph. 3.12, 13. And it will not a little humble them, that they needed ſuch a mean to bring them up to that diſpoſition.
Doct. 4. Men are never right, nor will become poor under trouble, nor will they be fitted for any good iſſue, till their ears be opened to hear Gods mind in affliction, and it be not a dumb rod; For, their ears are opened, or, revealed, in oppreſſion. Of this ſee on v. 9. Only as frequently the deafneſs of our ears to the admonitions of the Word draweth on afflictions; ſo rods will never humble us, and make us poor, till we hear from God what we are, and what he mindeth by them; And till we not only hear, but learn our leſſon, we are not fit to be delivered from our Schoolmaſter. So that they have a poor and unprofitable life, who are kept toyling only under the rod, but have never a leſſon inculcated by it.
5. However God make uſe of the rod, as a mean in his hand, yet it is his own hand and bleſſing accompanying it, that teacheth us any thing thereby; For, he openeth their ears. Of this alſo ſomewhat hath been ſpoken before. Only, our afflictions are, oft-times, barren, that we may know who doth us good, and may eye him when they are barren, and acknowledge him when they are made fruitful.
6. When God hath humbled and inſtructed his people under the rod, then they are in the way to get deliverance; For, he delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth, (or, when he openeth) their ears in oppreſſion. It is true, the counſel of the poor may be ſhamed and ſcorned by men, Pſal. 14.6. while they wait upon God, and are not delivered; Yet they have the promiſe, Pſal. 12.5. They are left upon God, who will give a good account of his dealing about them, Pſal. 10.14. and who deviſeth concerning them (as the Original phraſe is, Pſal. 40.17.) to do that which is beſt for them. It is a part of the commendation of God, that he is good to the poor, Pſal. 35.10. Yea, his kindneſs to them may invite Kings to ſeek to ſhare with them, Pſal. 72.10 — 14. And it is frequently pleaded by Gods people, that they are poor and needy, Pſal. 69.29. and 74.19. and 86.1. and elſe-where. More particularly, as for the way of his dealing with the poor, we are to remember, that he doth actually deliver ſome of them out of their troubles, and will deliver all of them at laſt. And till that be brought to paſs, the rod changeth its nature; They are delivered in trouble, (though they be not delivered from trouble) by his ſupporting and comforting them under it, by his ſanctifying and mitrigating of it, and by faith, patience, and mortification of luſts, which make it eaſie. And however it goe with them; yet they may be convinced, that deliverance would not be a bleſſing, without this previous opening of the ear.
7. It is the uſual way of truly godly men, to get good of their croſſes; and when it is otherwiſe, and mens miſcarriages provoke God to cut them off, though that do not prove them graceleſs, yet, it ſhould humble them, as teſtifying that they have gone out of the road way, wherein Saints uſe to walk: For, this iſſue of trouble on godly men is repeated from v. 11. as the uſual way wherein they walk, and no mention is made of that ſuppoſition, of their rebelling under the rod, and their being cut off for it, v. 12. becauſe real Saints do not uſually run that hazard.