Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 9 · Verses 1-3
Verſ. 1. Then Job anſwered and ſaid,
2. I know it is ſo of a truth; but how ſhould man be juſt with God?
3. If he will contend with him, he cannot anſwer him one of a thouſand.
IN the beginning of this Reply, Job yields what had been aſſerted concerning Gods Righteouſneſs, not only by Bildad, Chap. 8.3. but by Eliphaz before him, Chap. 4.17. And doth himſelf aſſert that no man can plead righteouſneſs before God, to the prejudice of his righteouſneſs; or ſo as to contend with God for afflicting him who is righteous. The firſt reaſon of this Aſſertion is implied in the very name given to man here, which ſignifieth, miſery, frailty, and mortality, and ſo preſuppoſeth ſin, the Conſcience whereof will hinder a man that he dare not plead his righteouſneſs with God, by way of quarrel or conteſt. And the Argument is enlarged, ver. 3. That if man ſhould ſeek to contend with God, and God would enter the liſts with him, his innumerable failings would condemn him as often as he were challenged.
In the firſt verſe which is but an Hiſtorical Tranſition, ſhewing that Job did reply to what Bildad had ſaid, we may Obſerve, That albeit Job was in great pain and trouble, when his Friends thus reflected upon him; yet the truth which he defends furniſheth him with ability and anſwers. And it teacheth, That how lightly ſoever a Pilate may eſteem of truth, Joh. 18.38. or how little ſoever many regard it, when the Profeſſion thereof brings them in hazard; yet Truth is a notable Second to its Champion. It will maintain it ſelf and its defender both; it will furniſh Replies, and ſtrength to manage them; and, in end, will ſet its Champion free. Joh. 8.32. For, it made Job to anſwer, when he is thus hardly aſſaulted.
In the Second verſe, We have,
1. His conceſſion of what they, and eſpecially Bildad, had ſaid; to wit, concerning the righteouſneſs of God, which he concedes as a firm truth, and afterward ſoars high in commendation of it. I know it is ſo of a truth.
2. His own Aſſertion, wherein he concurreth with them, and enlargeth that ſubject, and hints an Argument from mans ſinfulneſs before God, evidenced by his miſery: But (I would rather read it, with the Original, And, as inſtancing and explaining what it is in their diſcourſe he had yielded) How ſhould frail mortal man be juſt with God? Eliphaz, in that Viſion; had received it in a compariſon only, Job 4.17. that mortal man cannot be more juſt than God; Job here aſſerts that there is no compariſon to be inſtituted at all in this matter. And, by a vehement Interrogation, How ſhould man be juſt, &c? he implieth that it is impoſſible for any to clear how frail ſinful man, conſidered as before the great and mighty God, (as the name here ſignifies) can think to plead ſuch a righteouſneſs, as may warrant him, without adding to his own ſinfulneſs, to contend with God, as unjuſt, if he afflict him.
In the firſt part of the verſe, Obſerve,
1. Bildad and the reſt of the Friends did look upon Job as a man denying and challenging the Righteouſneſs of God; and therefore do commend it to him. And yet Job concedes it, as a truth he had never denyed; as it was true he did not deny it in their ſenſe, of which afterward. This Teacheth, That it is not unuſual for a godly man to be miſtaken, even by godly men; and to be charged with that which he never minded nor intended. Paſſion, prejudices, and want of ſenſe of the caſe and tentations one of another, will hide not only truth, but mens way, one from another. Which calls for much humiliation and ſobermindedneſs, when ſuch diſtempers are let looſe among Profeſſours.
Obſ. 2. Notwithſtanding Job's Friends had provoked and grieved him; yet he concedes and yields to what truth they had delivered; I know it is ſo. Which Teacheth, That a godly man is not only of a condeſcending ſpirit, when he is in a right frame; but is ſtrongly bound by truth, and made to ſubmit to it, though coming from an Adverſary. Truth is the truly godly mans Jewel on any terms, and deluſion is among his greateſt terrours; and therefore no prejudice at perſons, nor love to contention, will make him to reject that, when he is in ſuch a frame as he ought to be.
Obſ. 3. He profeſſeth not only to know, but to know it of a truth, ſo firmly as he is not ſhaken from it by his trouble or any other diſtemper. It Teacheth, That notional knowledge of Truths is not ſufficient, unleſs men be ſerious in them, and their hearts take ſuch an impreſſion of them, that they are ready to live and die with them. Many have, indeed, ſo looſe a grip of Truth, that either troubles or new lights from without, or tentations from within, will ſhake them, becauſe they are not rooted in the Truth. But when men have fixed their anchor, and have found God in received Truths, it will not be ſo eaſie to unfix and cauſe them reel and change. As the Apoſtle argueth, Gal. 3 2, 4.
Obſ. 4. Albeit Job was free of their imputations, of direct and wicked queſtioning of the righteouſneſs of God, as inconſiſtent with the teſtimony of his Conſcience; and doth here juſtly cloſe with that truth they had aſſerted: Yet, it cannot be denyed but his impatient bearing of trouble, becauſe he could not reconcile the teſtimony of his own Conſcience with Gods dealing, did indirectly reflect upon Gods Righteouſneſs, as is challenged by Elihu, Chap. 35 2, 3. and by God himſelf, Chap. 40.8. It Teacheth, That Saints, in their weakneſs and fits of tentation, may do things which, if they ſaw whether they tended, themſelves would abhorr more then any. Job cannot endure that he ſhould be thought to challenge Gods Righteouſneſs, when yet he is not altogether free of it. Few do diſcern, eſpecially in an hour of tentation, how deep many things draw which they do act. Diſtruſters of God do not conſider how neer their way draws to blaſphemy. And queſtioners of Gods dealing, and preſcribers unto him, do not conſider that they would make him Man, and not God, &c. This calls for Charity to Saints, that they do not deſign or intend all that evil which judicious obſervers may, ſometime, ſee in their way. And it teacheth the godly themſelves, that they be jealous over themſelves, and do not truſt their own hearts; for they may be doing thoſe things unawares, which yet they abhor.
In the latter part of the verſe,
Obſ. 1. While he contents not himſelf with an aſſenting to the truth they aſſerted, concerning Gods righteouſneſs; but labours to out-ſtrip them in aſſerting and commending of it: It teacheth,
1. It is the duty of Saints to come behind with none in commending of God and his Attributes, and to be quickened thereunto, even by their example who do ſo for a bad end: As Job is excited to commend God by the practice of his Friends, who commended Gods Righteouſneſs, that they might cruſh and diſcourage him thereby. We ſhould reckon our ſelves moſt obliged to God of any, and ſhould prove that it is ſo, by ſetting him on high in our praiſe.
2. In difficulties and tentations, the beſt way, either to refute others, who think we have hard thoughts of God, or to refute any miſconſtructing thoughts that ariſe in our own hearts, is, not only nakedly to acknowledge, but to ſing forth the praiſe and commendation of thoſe Attributes which fall moſt under debate at ſuch a time: As Job here clears that he is not challenging Gods Righteouſneſs, and ſuppreſſeth any ſuch tentation within his own breaſt, by commending his righteouſneſs. See Pſal. 22.1, 2, with 3.
Obſ. 2. The Aſſertion it ſelf, laid down here, Teacheth; That it is impoſſible a man can bring out, or plead any righteouſneſs of his own before God, and it is a very great folly to attempt it; For, ſaith he, by way of Interrogation, How ſhould a man be juſt with God? or, before God? This is not ſo to be underſtood as if there were no righteouſneſs at all, by which a man could ſtand before God. But,
1. That there is no ſuch righteouſneſs by his own works, Rom. 3.20.
2. Though men, being renewed, may attain to be ſincere, (to which Job layeth claim all along;) yet men have no begun inherent righteouſneſs which is perfect and without defects, Rom. 7.18, 19, 21. And,
(3.) Conſequently, Man, how ſincere ſoever, hath no righteouſneſs which may warrant him to plead with God, as dealing unjuſtly in afflicting him an innocent; and ſo contend with God, as if he were more righteous then he. This is the righteouſneſs that is here denied to Man, as is clear from the tenour o… the diſcourſe. And as this ſheweth the mercy of imputed righteouſneſs, when there was no other way of righteouſnes whereby we could ſtand before God; and for which we are fitted by being brought to ſee that there is no other ſafety or ſhelter for us: So it warns us to take heed of reflecting on God, upon any account of our righteouſneſs, by a c…nceit of our own worth, by complaints, jealouſies, impatient bearing o… croſſes, &c.
Obſ. 3. He ſets God as mans party in this debate, to bring down his pride and conceit; How ſhould a man be juſt with God? To Teach, That a man will never get a right look of his own righteouſneſs nor ſtoop to God afflicting him, till he look to God and his pure eyes, and till, by comparing his righteouſneſs with Gods perfect purity, he diſcern the infinite diſproportion that is betwixt them Till a man ſtudy this, he will be proud of his own righteouſneſs, 2 Cor. 10.12. 1 Cor. …4.4. And whoever is a proud quarreller, he declares himſ…lf igno…ant of God
Obſ. 4. From his inſinuated Argument (taken from mans frailty and mortality, which preſuppoſeth his ſinfulneſs, and which may hea… down all thoughts of h…s own righteouſneſs, or of Gods unrighteouſneſs in affl…cting him) Learn,
1 No faith o… aſſurance of Juſtification, nor Conſcience of integrity, ought to hide the ſight and ſenſe of ſin and miſe…y from a juſtified man, but ſhould rather increaſe it, and make him become more vile in his own eyes, For, Job, though juſtified, and perſwaded of his own integrity, yet is ſenſible that man is Enoſh, a frail mortal creature, becauſe of ſin. And Pau…, Rom 7 makes more noiſe about remaining corruptions than the wicked do about raigning luſts.
2. That the Lord may bring down mans pride, and keep him in mind of his ſin dayly, he hath made him Enoſh, and invironed him with many frailties and mortality; as this name, here given him in this debate, imports. Man hath, in ordinary, ſufficient Monitors concerning his baſeneſs and ſinfulneſs; which his formality ſhould not turn barren and fruitleſs to him, leſt he get ſingular documents, to cauſe him know himſelf.
3. No man can free himſelf from being quarreller of Gods Righteouſneſs, except the man who is ſenſible of ſinfulneſs and miſery under afflictions, though he cannot condeſcend upon a particular cauſe for which God afflicts him; Thus Job takes up man to be a frail ſinful creature (though he knew not, in particular, wherefore God contended with him, Chap. 10.2.) that he may witneſs that he is not quarrelling.
4. Senſe of ſin is an eſpecial mean to make a man carry right before God, under trouble; Therefore Job begins with this, as his chief Argument why he would not quarrel with God; For trouble and terrour may cruſh and ſilence the ſpirits of men, but ſenſe of ſin bows them, and makes them ſtoop to God.
In ver. 3. Job (as hath been ſaid) amplifieth that Argument, formerly inſinuated, taken from mans ſinfulneſs. We need not enquire who this He is, that will contend, and with whom? For, it may be underſtood both of God, and of the man that dare offer to quarrel with him. And, in ſum, it cometh to this; Man is ſo environed with ſo innumerable infirmities and ſins, that if he ſhould attempt to enter the liſts with God, and Gold undertake to contend with him; he could not clear himſelf of one among never ſo many challenges, but ſhould be as often condemned as accuſed.
Hence Learn,
1. Man is naturally a contentious ſtriving creature; As here is implied, he would be at contending. Not only is he apt to be contentious with men, 1 Cor. 11.16 Rom. 2.8. Hab. 1.3. (which is a fruit of fleſh, Gal. 5.19, 20.) but he is even ready to quarrel with God; in the matter of his deep counſels, Rom. 9.20. of his Law and Directions, Rom. 8.7. Joh. 6.60. of his Providences and diſpenſations, Pſal. 73. Jer. 12.1. Iſa. 45.9. & 58.3. and particularly, in the matter of denying his own righteouſneſs, Rom. 10.3. This we ſhould look upon as the reſult of our pride, and the ordinary root and riſe of much of our vexing exerciſe, whereby we obſtruct the uſe and profit we might reap by our condition.
2. Nothing will ſubdue this proud contentious humour in man, but ſin diſcovered and charged home, putting man to anſwer; Either the Lord awaking the Conſciences of contenders with him (or with men either) and ſo putting other work in their hand, and curing their idleneſs, which cauſeth contention: or, permitting them to fall in ſome ſin, to recover them from conceit and ſecurity, which make them ſo quarrelſome.
3. The beſt of the Children of God are environed with innumerable evils and frailties, which may humble them; For, there are thouſands of them here. See Jam. 3.2. Theſe ſhould be ſeriouſly laid to heart, Pſal. 40 11, 12. leſt we prove them to be, not infirmities, but preſumptuous ſins. They ſhould, alſo, be watched over, and obſerved, in every ſtep of our way; and when this is remembered, it will call for charity one toward another, and to bear one anothers burdens.
4. Our unrighteouſneſs and multitude of failings muſt be of Gods diſcovering, when he comes to contend; For, he muſt make the challenge, and put them to anſwer. This is not only true of the wicked, Pſal. 50.21. and of refined Formaliſts, Rom. 7.9. But even of Saints, who, with David, may lie over for a time in ſin, without diſcerning it, either in the Glaſs of the Law, or checks of their own Conſcience, till God come and put the Conſcience to it. So little cauſe have we to lean to our inherent grace! And when we are moſt tender and vigilant in obſerving our own eſcapes, yet how little are we able to pry into the Law or our own Conſciences? Who knoweth the perfection of the Law, the depth of his own heart, and all his eſcapes? See 1 Joh. 3.20. This teacheth us, to be mindful what ſtrangers we are to our own errours, Pſal. 19 12. and that, therefore, we ought not to lean to our own verdict of our ſelves, 1 Cor. 4.4. Pſal. 139 23, 24.
5. Albeit a ſpirit of bondage, under tentation, may cauſe Saints reſtore what they took not away, and ſubſcribe to every accuſation of Satan, as a true challenge; yet▪ all Gods challenges are true, whether we ſee it, or the conſcience take with it, or not; And they are challenges which no man can ward off, or anſwer, but in a Mediator, Every challenge of God, is in it ſelf, a ſentence of condemnation; as often as we are challenged by him, ſo often are we condemned; For, Man cannot anſwer him, even one of a thouſand. He can neither deny them, nor defend himſelf, but muſt ſuccumb in that debate. See Rom. 3 4. Pſal. 130.3. & and 143.2. This may demonſtrate their folly who will not be concluded by the verdict of God in his Word, concerning them, but do ſtand out againſt it; or, who, being convinced, do not flee to a mediatour, in whom alone they are able to anſwer to their dittay.