Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 9 · Verses 16-18 – Verse 20
Verſ. 16. If I had called, and he had anſwered me: yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voyce:
17. For he …reaketh me with a tempeſt, and multiplieth my wounds without cauſe.
18. He will not ſuffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterneſs.
The words contain a third ground of Job's reſolution not to contend with God; The ſcope and meaning whereof are made difficult and obſcure, by reaſon of the different acceptions of the words, calling, and anſwering, ver. 16. Which, at firſt veiw, ſeem to be meant of Prayer, and Gods anſwer thereunto. And ſo the ſenſe is given diverſe ways. As
(1.) That though God were hearing his Prayers, yet he could hardly believe it were ſo, v. 16. ſeeing he did ſo afflict him with breaches upon his body, mind, family and goods, and did unceſſantly vex his ſpirit therewith, v. 17, 18. And it is indeed true; That, however men may be dear to God, and their Prayers heard by him, when yet ſad afflictions are not removed Pſal. 10.17. Dan. 10.12, 13. Yet great afflictions may ſo toſs and confound them, that they cannot diſcern audience and reſpect. But I ſee not how this comes up to Job's ſcope, to perſwade him to plead for Gods Righteouſneſs, and not to contend againſt him. It is true, the greatneſs of his trouble might affright him, though innocent, from contending, as well as hinder him to diſcern audience; and, upon that account, it may be looked on as a ground of this his reſolution. But that doth not ſo fully exhauſt the ſcope, nor ſo clearly reach it. Therefore,
(2.) Some leave out the word, yet, v. 16. which is not in the Original, and changing the time a little, do read the latter part of the verſe by way of queſtion, thus; If I have called, and he have anſwered, would I not believe that he had hearkened to my voyce? And ſo the ſenſe is given to this purpoſe; as if Job had ſaid; I dare not complain, or quarrel God; For, if I have prayed to him, and have found him anſwering my Prayers; might not I expect he would hear the voyce of worſe language, in my complaints and quarrellings, and anſwer it accordingly? This Interpretation holds out this truth, That ſuch as find Communion with God in Prayer, will get the cleareſt ſight of his preſence and watchful Providence over all their ways; and will be moſt afraid to provoke him, or put him to it, to give a proof of his Providence againſt them, by their miſcarriages. But however this be a ſound truth, and may ſeem to be grounded on what is ſaid, v. 16. yet it cannot be the meaning of this place: For it takes not in the reſt of the verſes, which confirm what is ſaid there, and therefore are connected with it by the particle, For,
3. Some underſtand the words thus, as if Job had ſaid; Though God ſhould hear my Prayers, yet would I not believe that he had hearkened to my voyce, that is, I would not believe he had hearkned thereunto out of any reſpect to my voyce, or, to the worth of my Prayers; but meerly of his own goodneſs; as may appear by his ſmiting of me, being innocent and free of groſs wickedneſs: And how much leſs durſt I think to be accepted in contending? This is alſo a truth, That ſuch as are moſt real ſupplicants, and ſpeed beſt at it, will be moſt humble, and ſee moſt of free grace in the anſwers they get; and this humility will keep them from quarrelling, and other ſinful attempts. Yet neither is this Interpretation ſo clear or full, and it ſeemeth to place the emphaſis and force of the Argument where it is not, only upon his voyce as not regarded in the anſwer.
Therefore, paſſing that acception of the words, calling, and, anſwering, I conceive it ſafer to underſtand them, more eſpecially of Job's calling, or, provoking and challenging of God, to enter the liſts and debate with him; and of Gods anſwering, or, undertaking and being ready to abide the challenge. Thus calling and anſwering are frequently taken in this Book, and even in this Chapter. And ſo the ſenſe is, as if Job had ſaid; I will not contend with God about his righteouſneſs, nor plead my righteouſneſs to the prejudice of his. For if I ſhould call God to debate the matter with me, and he declared himſelf ready to defend againſt me; yet I would not believe that either he would endure my contentious diſcourſe, or judge me to be righteous, v. 16. For, if now, when I am not contending, but walking in my integrity, he hath ſo violently afflicted me, v. 17, 18. What would he do, if I ſhould wickedly provoke him? Thus the ſenſe runs clear.
Though Job kept not at his reſolution, not to contend, but frequently calls on God to anſwer him in that diſpute; and though in his complaints and challenges, both in this ſpeech and elſewhere, he do reflect upon the Righteouſneſs of God, and cry up his own righteouſneſs too much, for which he is checked by God; yet his general grounds are good, that, upon the grounds mentioned, it is not to be expected that contending will gain any thing at Gods hand.
And from all this we may Learn,
1. Whatever be the endeavours, attempts, or deſires, of men, or how much ſoever God ſeem to condeſcend to them, or homologate their will; yet it is not to be thought, that he will do; or approve any thing, but what is right: For, ſo much doth Job's aſſertion, v. 16. teach in general, That though Job ſhould preſume to call, and God ſhould condeſcend to an…wer yet he doth ſtill right, and will not patiently hearken to his voyce of contention, and juſtifie him.
2 Whatever the Lord do with any of his people, it is not to be expecte… that he will approve of quarrelling, or juſtifie quarrellers; For, that is it, in par…cular, that Job will not believe. It is true, when Job ſo often called, God at laſt in ſo far hearkned to his voice, as to pu… him to anſwer for himſelf; But in ſo doing, he was …o far from hearkening to, and applauding the voic… … h…s complaints, that he put him to humble himſelf in the duſt for them. And who ſo believe or expect any other of him, they do but delude themſelves, and will be diſappointed in end.
3. In Job's experience and lot we are here taught, what Saints may expect to meet with in the world, and what they ought to ſubmit unto, if it be made their lo…. As,
1. When they are in a ſettled eſtate, and all things go ſmoothly with them, they may meet with a breach and wound; For, he breaketh me, and there are wounds.
2. This breach may be made ſuddainly, and violently, as if it were in great diſpleaſure; He break…th me with a tempeſt This may teach us to digeſt breach…s, and find them more ſweet, when come on in a more mild and calm way.
3. This breach may be made by many ſtrokes, reaching u… in many of our concerns, in body, mind, goods, f…nds &c. and reaching each of them by ſtroke after ſtroke. He multiplieth my wounds This may teach us, when we are under calamity, rather to be looking and preparing for more, then quarrelling what is lying upon us; and to account it a mercy to want any tryal which in probability, might befal us, and that one waye of trouble is not following upon the back of another.
4. Theſe multiplied breaches and wounds may come upon us inc…ſſantly, not ſuffering us to take our breath; that we learn to acknowledge the mercy of breat…ng times. See alſo Chap 7.19.
5. Upon all theſe ſ…d ingredients in the Saints cup, there may follow the ſad affliction of being imbitter…d, yea, filled with bitterneſs, at and becauſe of them. See King. 4.27. Hereby the Lord diſcovers his mercy to thoſe who poſſeſs a quiet mind under trouble, and calleth them to be humbled, whoſe bitter diſpoſitions he permits to break looſe, and ſo diſcovers what is in their hearts.
Doct. 4 In all theſe ſad toſſings of Saints, it is their duty and advantage not to loſe the ſight of Providence, but to ſee an hand of God doing all theſe things, that they may be humbled before him, who puts them in the furnace to diſcover their droſs, and may be comforted, when they know they are in his hand, who is infinitely wiſe, compaſſionate and faithful: Therefore doth Job aſcribe all this to God, He breaketh me, &c. Yea, even his bitterneſs, he looks upon it as his weakneſs, which God will have, for wiſe ends, diſcovered. See Lam. 3.15.
5. Saints are alſo bound to believe that all their ſad lots from God may conſiſt with their being righteous, and approved of him: For, notwithſtanding all Gods terrible diſpenſations toward him, yet he aſſerts God did them without cauſe. This is Gods own verdict concerning Job and his tryals, Chap. 2 3. The meaning whereof is not, that God had no cauſe nor end in doing all this; nor yet that Job wanted ſin to deſerve all of it (if that were his meaning, it were a moſt paſſionate and unjuſt complaint, even when he is declining to complain or contend) But that he was not guilty of groſs wickedneſs and hypocriſie, which are the evils which God purſues with his wrath. This Job was not convinced nor guilty of, and therefore refuſeth to take with it. And this teacheth godly men not to miſtake, as if ſad afflictions did prove them wicked, and were ſent to cauſe them renounce the teſtimony of their own Conſciences. And it may warn the wicked, who may expect ſad things, when ſuch things as theſe are done even to the righteous.
6. The ſtrokes which are inflicted upon Saints, walking in their integrity, ſhould humble them, and make them afraid of groſs provocations; for, ſo much doth the ſcope of all this argument teach; He who was ſo afflicted, being innocent, could not expect that contending with God would proſper in his hand. It is a very ſweet frame of ſpirit, when mens good Conſcience under trouble makes them the more tender and afraid to ſin, though, oft-times, their corruptions and weakneſs over-drive them to do otherwiſe.
Verſ. 19. If I ſpeak of ſtrength, loe, he is ſtrong: and if of Judgment, who ſhall ſet me a time to plead?
The fourth ground of Job's reſolution not to contend, is the ſame in ſubſtance with that general Argument, v. 12. taken from the power & dominion of God, which he repeats and acknowledgeth to be of force in his caſe, to keep him from contending. The ſum is, as if Job had ſaid; It were madneſs in me to offer to ſtrive with God. For if I preſume to do it by the ſtrong hand, he is ſtrongeſt and invincible, and I am lying on a dunghil, like a filthy Leper. And if I offer to plead by way of argument and law, there is no Superiour Judge, to ſet a day for pleading betwixt him and me; to cauſe parties compeere; to give ſecurity to me in pleading; and, to execute the ſentence: But he is Supreme Judge, who can do no wrong, and from whom there is no appeal.
Hence Learn,
1. God is the Omnipotent and ſtrong Lord, for whom nothing is too hard, and with whom no creature can grapple; for, If a ſpeak of ſtrength, lo, he is ſtrong. This may teach Saints to truſt in him, in greateſt difficulties, and when he maketh uſe of weak means of help, 1 Cor. 1.25. and to ſtoop before him, 1 Cor. 10.22.
2. As God is Omnipotent and invincible in power; ſo he is, alſo, ſupreme and ſoveraign Judge, accountable to none, and before whom none can ſtand in judgement, by the help of any creature; For, If I ſpeak of judgment, who ſhall ſet me a time? to wit, to plead, as is well added in the Tranſlation. For, the word imports, an appointing of a ſolemn time for any affair, and here, for judgment and pleading in judgment, as the context makes clear.
3. God is then rightly known and acknowledged, in his power and ſoveraignty, when it humbleth us, and makes us ſtand in awe to ſin before him; for, Job brings in thoſe as an argument, here, why he will not contend with God.
Verſ. 20. If I juſtifie my ſelf, mine own mouth ſhall condemn me: If I ſay, I am perfect, it ſhall alſo prove me perverſe.
The fifth ground of his reſolution is taken from the prejudice that would redound to himſelf, by his pleading himſelf to be righteous and perfect before God. Which is not to be underſtood (as hath been marked before) of his righteouſneſs by juſtification, nor of his ſincerity and integrity in begun renovation and ſanctification; For theſe (and even this laſt, particularly,) he pleads before his friends, and before God alſo, according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace. But it is to be underſtood of perfect righteouſneſs and ſinleſneſs before God, and according to the Law and Covenant of Works; and of his pleading of this, or any other righteouſneſs, to the prejudice of the Righteouſneſs of God who afflicted him. And ſo the meaning is, as if Job had ſaid; If I ſhould preſume thus to plead my righteouſneſs, He could not only put my Conſcience to it, to make me condemn my ſelf with my own mouth; but that ſame very proud ſpeech, in juſtifying my ſelf, were ſufficient to condemn me; not only by reaſon of the many failings which God would find in the way of my managing my defence; but becauſe, in the very ſubſtance of the defence, I ſhould be a contradict…r of God, who hath concluded and delared all men to be unrighteous, and under ſin, and even the regenerate not to be perfect, or ſuch as God cannot afflict them without injuſtice: And if notwithſtanding all this, I perſiſt in ſuch an Apology, and ſay ſtill that I am perfect, that ſhould not only prove me ſinful, but perverſe and ſtubborn in my ſin.
Hence Learn,
1. There is no pleading of mens righteouſneſs by their own works, or their ſinleſneſs, but God can eaſily improve and refute it all; For, If I juſtifie my ſelf, God hath a way to condemn me.
2. Mens very pleading for their righteouſneſs, to the prejudice of Gods Righteouſneſs, is cauſe and evidence ſufficient that they are to be condemned as wicked and naughty, who dare contradict and quarrel God; For, if I juſtifie my ſelf, my own mouth (in ſpeaking to my own juſtification) ſhall condemn me. Such a diſputer is ſelf-condemned, and refuted by his very debate for himſelf; and the more a man eſteem and prize his own Righteouſneſs, he is thereby the worſe in effect, and in the ſight of God.
3. As men are very prone to perſiſt in their high ſwelling thoughts of themſelves; So this doth but heighten the quarrel and prove them to be not only ſinners, but wicked and perverſe; For, if I ſay I am perfect, or, perſiſt in juſtifying my ſelf, and ſay it over and over again, It ſhall alſo prove me perverſe.