Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 9 · Verse 4
Verſ. 4. He is wiſe in heart, and mighty in ſtrength: who hath hardened himſelf againſt him, and hath proſpered?
The Second Argument, confirming this Aſſertion concerning the Righteouſneſs of God, and that he is not to be contended with as unrighteous, is taken from the conſideration of his power and wiſdom. This is propounded, in this verſe, and amplified and enlarged in the ſeveral branches thereof; His power eſpecially (though not ſecluding his wiſdom) ver. 5. —10. and his wiſdom eſpecially. ver 11.
In this verſe God is aſſerted to be wiſe and mighty; where he is ſaid to be wiſe in heart, which is an expreſſion borrowed from what the Scripture ſpeaks of mens wiſdom, where the heart is taken not only for the ſeat of wiſdom, Prov 2 10. but for wiſdom it ſelf, a man of heart is a wiſe man, Job 34 34. Prov. 6.3…. & 19 8. in the Original So the meaning here is that God is ſingularly and infinitely wiſe and powerful. And in this,
1. There is a proof of Gods Righteouſneſs ſuppoſed. For he neither wants wiſdom, which might cauſe him err or miſtake in any thing; nor wants he power for execution, to cauſe him fail and come ſhort in any of his purpoſes; as we ſee men of beſt integrity may miſcarry, or come ſhort, through want of either of thoſe.
2. There is propoſed an expreſs argument wherefore God ſhould not be contended with. He being ſo wiſe and powerful, none will offer to contend with him but fools; ſeeing they are not able to proſecute a controverſie with him, either by skill or power. And this is confirmed from experience; that never any who yet eſſayed this courſe, found it thrive in their hand.
Hence Learn,
1. A right ſtudy of the Attributes of God will prove a ſolid ground for religious diſpoſitions toward God; it will help faith to judge what he is doing and will do, and teach us to expect that his operations, according to his Word, will be like himſelf, and that our behaviour before him ſhould be ſutable to ſuch a One; Therefore doth Job rec…r to this ſtudy, when he would vindicate Gods Righteouſneſs, and guard againſt contending with him We are ap… to judge of his working by our ſenſe, which we ſhould rather read according as his Attributes repreſent it: And if we were more mindful what he is, our behaviour before him would be more reverent, Eccl 5 1, 2.
2. As the Lords being wiſe and powerful may teach them who would not miſcarry, to lean to him for direction and ſtrength; ſo it may aſſ…e us that he is righteous in all his works, and doth not wrong to any; As hath been explained.
3. As the wiſdom and power of God do prove his righteouſneſs; So, alſo, that there is no dealing with him in a way of contradiction, whether by policy or by force, but he will be infinitely above the contradicter; Therefore is he aſſerted to be wiſe in heart, and mighty in ſtrength, in op…ſition to them who harden themſelves. See Exod. 18.11. Job 5.13. Pſal. 5.10. Prov. 21.30. Iſa. 43.13. This may comfort the godly over all their fears of politick and powerful Enemies; and may teach them humble ſubmiſſion in bearing their own lots; to ſtoop being their only ſafety, and way to prevail.
4. Among many others who, not only walk contrary to God, but harden themſelves in their oppoſition; (as namely, Thoſe who engage themſelves in groſs and crying ſins; Thoſe who reſolve to ſin, let God lay what he will, and ſo deny the truth of his Word, or ſleight his juſtice, Jer. 5.12, 13. & 17.…5. Thoſe who are incorr…gible under judgments, Lev. 26.18 21, 23, &c. Iſa. 26.11. & 1.5. Jer. 5.3. Thoſe who …et themſelves in oppoſition to Gods people, Jer. 48.26, 27. and many the like) Even thoſe f…ll under ſome degree of ob…u…tion, and bidding a defiance to Gods power and wiſdom, who do ſo contend for their own righteouſneſs, as they quarrel Gods dealing about them and his righteouſneſs in it, and who are not ſo ſatisfied with what God doth, as to give him glory in it: For, it is of ſuch that the ſcope leads us to underſtand Job's ſ…ech, that they harden themſelves againſt God. And, indeed, ſuch words and complaints are ſai… to b… ſtout againſt God, Mal. 3.13, 14. and …very man that wants the ſenſe of his own unrighteouſneſs and of the righteouſneſs of God, is, in ſo far, an hardened man. This they have need to conſider wh…, becauſe of the righteouſneſs of their perſon or cauſe, will not humbly ſtoop under affl…ctions; but have ſo much ſtout-heartedneſs, as to dare to quarrel, even when the rod is upon their back, and not tremble when the Lion is roaring, Job 36.18 Such have reaſon to bleſs God that he giveth them not an humbling proof of himſelf, when they ſo put him to it.
5. Albeit obdured ſinners may proſper, during the time of Gods patience and forbearance, Pſal. 73, 3, 4, &c. Mal. 3, 14, 15. Yet never man helped his affliction by ſtruggling with it, and with God becauſe of it: And as Gods Children, ſo miſcarrying, will not eſcape a temporal correction, if they prevent it not by repentance; So the wicked will ſma…t for it in hell, if not here alſo. For, ſuch hardeners of themſelves do not proſper; as hath been verified by experience in all ages; Who hath hardened himſelf againſt him, and hath proſpered? And though the wicked may eſcape for a time, yet their proſperity is dear bought, and it will be ſound ſo, when they ſhall ſmart for ever in Hell.
6. Examples of Gods judgements upon obdured ſinners, ſhould warn others not to follow their ſteps; For, Job will not contend againſt God, for Who hath hardened himſelf againſt him, and hath proſpered? And it muſt be the height of madneſs, to run on courſes which have been eſſayed before us, and had ſuch ſad effects.
7. Albeit Job do here argue from his experience, that ſince none proſpered by contending, therefore he would not eſſay it; And it is true, he was much under the power and command of his light in his calm days, ſo that he durſt not do that which his light condemned, and diſcovered to be dangerous, Job 31.1, 2, 23. Yet it would alſo be remembered, That, not only unrenewed men will not be convinced by their own or others experience, diſcovering the evil or folly of their way, Pſal. 49.13. But, even the light and experience of godly men will not command them, in … fi…s of tentation. For, Job might, and did ſom…h… miſcarry in his paſſion, by contending with God; though his light and experience tell him it is …, and to no good purpoſe. We have need to take … that we take it not for granted, that we cloſely follow all that our light approveth as good; nor are we to lean to ſound Principles, as if our practice were always conform thereunto. See Rom. 7.15.