Exposition of Job, Exposition of Job · Chapter 9 · Verses 29-31
Verſ. 29. If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?
30. If I waſh my ſelf with ſnow water, and make my hands never ſo clean:
31. Yet ſhall thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes ſhall abhor me.
Job having thus confirmed the firſt branch of his Argument, that he was afflicted; he proceeds now to the other branch of it, to evidence that he is righteous; though thus afflicted. Of this he gives two proofs; whereof the firſt (in theſe verſes) is by removing from himſelf the two extreams of true righteouſneſs which are, wickedneſs, v. 29. & a conceit of purity▪ o…, ſinleſneſs, v. 30, 31. From whence he leaveth it to be infe…ed, that he, being neither wicked, nor a proud conce…ter of his own purity, muſt certainly be a righteous man, and a walker in the way of righteouſneſs.
As for the firſt extream, wickedneſs, Job proves he is free of it, v. 29. If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain? In the Original it is only, I am, or, ſhall be wicked, to wit, in your eſteem, let me ſay what I will. But it implies a ſuppoſition, that if it were ſo as they judged, Why would he labour in vain? As if he had ſaid; If I were wicked, as ye judge, then all my former life, wherein I ſtudied and laboured to be pious and righteous, yea, my very cleaving to God with ſo much difficulty, in my trouble, and my earneſt deſire to be at reſt with him in death, were all in vain and to no purpoſe. But that cannot be, (Why labour I in vain? imports an indignation at ſuch a thought, as abſurd) Therefore, ſeeing I have laboured, and ſtill do labour to pleaſe God, and cleave to him (which cannot be in vain, Iſa. 45.19) I am not a wicked man.
Hence Learn,
1. The beſt way of proving a mans integrity, and to refute calumnies and tentations againſt it, is, by practice and his carriage; For, Job proves he is not wicked, by his Labour.
2. Fruits and works whereby a man would prove his integrity, ought to be laborious and painful; as being a task wherein he will find difficulties and oppoſition from Satan and his own fleſh, all which honeſty will lead him to wreſtle with till he get through them, a… not ſit up by the way: For, Job's evidence, here, is not ſimply his work, but his labour, or his diligence, even till he weary again, as the word imports; though indeed there be no wearineſs in this labour, but to the fleſh, which is not to be ſpared. So that as it is no good evidence that men are ſincere, when they meet with few difficulties in their way, (which is an evidence Satan is not much afraid of their diligence) So they do obſcure the evidences of their own integrity who do ly by, and wreſtle not through their difficulties, when they meet with them. Though yet it be true, that all our wreſtling will not avail us, without faith in Chriſt, and encouragement through faith; and we muſt chiefly wreſtle to hold faſt our confidence (as Job did) that thereby we may be enabled to labour in other duties
3. Whoſoever engage themſelves ſeriouſly to labour in ſeeking God, will find that it ſhall not be in vain: For, this queſtion, Why labour I in vain? is a ſtrong denyal that it ſhalt be in vain. See Iſa. 45.19. God, who is pleaſed to reward, even hypocrites their ſeeking of him, with temporal favours, or with ſuſpending of judgments, 1 King. 21.27, 28, 29. will not fail to reward them who ſincerely labour in his ſervice. And the hopes of this ought to be cheriſhed, for our encouragement, Pſal. 73.28. For Job looks on it as a ſad caſe, if his labour were in vain. Only it ſavours too much of hypocriſie, too much to eye advantages of Piety within time, and will readily breed a quarrel, Job 21.15. Iſa. 58, 3. Mal. 3.13, 14.15. And there will be ſome found to fear God, when ſuch have ſtumbled, Mal. 3.16.
4. It is an unqueſtionable evidence that a man is not wicked, when he ſeriouſly exerciſeth himſelf in godlineſs; (for that ſcrapes a mans name out of the roll of the wicked, Iſa. 55.6, 7.) particularly, when he will not give up with God, but comes to him as to a Father, even when he ſeems to deal with him like a foe, and cleaves to God, and calls upon him with hope, under trouble; For, thus Job proves he is not wicked, ſince he is exerciſed in that labour which will not be in vain. It is true, it is a ſad caſe when the friendſhip ſeemeth thus to be kept up only on our part, yet it is an unqueſtionable proof that a man is not an hypocrite; for ſuch will not always call upon God, Job 27.8.10. See Pſal. 88.13, 14, 15.
As to the ſecond extreme of Integrity, a conceit of purity, or, ſinleſneſs; He profeſſeth (v. 30, 31.) that if he ſhould pretend to that, either as to himſelf, or perſon, or to his hands, or, actions; and ſhould take up a fond conceit of his own righteouſneſs, and his earneſt ſtudy of ſanctification: God, by plunging him in a ditch, or, pit of calamities, if not alſo permitting him to fall in ſin, would refute that fancy; and his own cloaths would abhor him, or, let him ſee himſelf worthy to be abhorred for ſuch a thought. That is, his bodily affliction and boils fowling all his cloaths, (as a man caſt into a fowl ditch) or his very Apparel (which was given to man after the fall) would prove him a ſinner, and conſequently, would refute him in his pretenſions to perfection, as an abominable lyar. He expreſſeth his pretending to purity under the borrowed term, of waſhing, with an eye to thoſe waſhings of old, which did ſignifie and point out purity. Of which the Scriptures (eſpecially in the Old Teſtament) ſpeak ſo frequently. See Deut. 21.6, 7. Pſal. 26.6. Ezek. 36.25. Heb. 10.22. with many other places. And he expreſſeth his pretending to perfection in purity, by waſhing himſelf, and making his hands never ſo clean, with Snow-water; whereby we may underſtand, a waſhing with water ſo pure in itſelf, and making what is waſhed therewith ſo pure, as Snow is white. Or it may be, he alludes to ſome cuſtom among them of making uſe of Snow-water (or, Water made of Snow, by melting of it) in their religious Purifications, becauſe it was purer then their other water, and had leſs of Earth in it. And ſo, whether there were any ſuch cuſtom among them, or not, the phraſe may ſimply import his taking the moſt effectual way of ſetting forth his purity, as ſuch Snow-water is more pure then other water, and of greater exfficacy to purge uncleanneſs. And, the phraſe is not a diminiſhing expreſſion of his endeavours, as if his own juſtification of himſelf would fowl him the more; as we ſee Snow-water, after it hath faln upon the Earth and melted upon it, doth rather defile then waſh, becauſe of the Earth which is mixed with it. But it is made uſe of to point out an exact waſhing, or, at leaſt, a pretending to it, like that phraſe, Jer. 2.22.
Hence Learn,
1. A mans avoiding of open and groſs wickedneſs is not enough to prove him righteous, unleſs he avoid conceit alſo eſpecially of his perfection and ſinleſneſs; For, as Job declined that he was wicked, ſo alſo he did not waſh himſelf with Snow-water, nor made his hands ſo very clean, or pretended not to juſtifie himſelf, as if he had no ſpots. Both of thoſe are alike contrary to the truth of grace, and ought to be avoided as ſuch. And here a child of God, whoſe faith is much ſhaken by reaſon of his infirmities, may ſee that a man may be not wicked, or unregenerate, who yet is not ſinleſs. And that he may ſafely take with his faults, which are incident to all the Sons of Adam, in this life; when yet he will not hearken to the tentations of Satan, bringing his integrity and grace in queſtion.
2. Mens conceit of their own purity renders them yet more impure in Gods ſight (Luke 18.11. — 14.) And (becauſe proud Phariſees will not notice and believe that) provokes God to convince them of it: For, If I waſh my ſelf — yet ſhalt thou plunge me in the ditch.
3. God hath afflictions whereby to refute proud ſelf-conceit; whereby he doth diſcover men to be ſinners, and gives them other work, then to do…t upon their own ſuppoſed perfection: And if that prevail not, he can leave them to themſelves, to fall into ſuch groſs ſins, as may diſcover how vile they are; For, this is the ditch, wherein he will plunge ſuch. Yea, if he but ſet the Conſciences of ſuch on work, they will ſee themſelves no leſs vile, then a man will be foul, if plunged in a ditch. Haughtineſs of ſpirit goeth before a fall, in one (or, it may be, all) of theſe reſpects.
4. As all things may juſtly prove Enemies to a ſelf juſtifier; So, in particular, mens very Apparel which they wear (however they glory in it) is a badge of ſin, and a witneſs againſt their conceit of themſelves: For, ſaith he, my own cloaths ſhall abhor me.
5. Men will be then moſt ſerious in the thoughts of their own imperfection, when they have moſt preſent thoughts of God; For, Job, in this paſſage, ſpeaks to God, thou ſhalt plunge me, whereas, before, and after, he is ſpeaking to his Friends.