Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Job · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Verſ. 2. I Know it is ſo of a truth; but how should man be juſt with God?] Iob perceiving by Bildads ſpeech, that he alſo, as Eliphaz had done before, did quite miſunderſtand what he had ſpoken, charging him as if he had accuſed God of dealing unjuſtly with him, he now yields to all which Bildad had ſaid for the juſtifying of God, and advanceth the juſtice of God farther, then either he or Eliphaz had done, to wit, by affirming not only that God is juſt, in that he doth alwaies bleſſe the righteous and deſtroy the wicked, but alſo that he cannot be charged with injuſtice even then when he afflicts the moſt righteous and innocent. I know, ſaith he, it is ſo of a truth, that is, I know that God doth not pervert judgement, nor doth the Almighty pervert juſtice, (which is that Bildad had objected, chap. 8.3.) I know it is moſt true, that he doth alwaies proſper the pure and upright, and that the wicked ſhall certainly be deſtroyed, though they may flouriſh for a time; but how should man be juſt with God? that is, how ſhall any man living be found ſo juſt in Gods ſight, that when God corrects him he may juſtly complain, that he hath wrong done him? No alas; thoſe that are beſt, whatever they may be in their own eyes or in the judgement of others, if they come to be tryed before God, will be found to have deſerved far heavier puniſhments, then he hath laid upon them.
Verſ. 3. If he will contend with him, he cannot anſwer him one of a thouſand.] That is, if any man whatſoever ſhould undertake to expoſtulate with God concerning his ſufferings, as thinking to juſtifie himſelf, and to clear himſelf from having deſerved what God hath laid upon him, he ſhall never be able to anſwer one of a thouſand of thoſe things, which God may object againſt him, and charge him with, as the juſt cauſe of thoſe his ſufferings; which agrees with that where Iob ſpeaks particularly of himſelf in the 14 verſ. of this chapter, How much leſſe shall I anſwer him, and chuſe out words to reaſon with him?
Verſ. 4. He is wiſe in heart and mighty in ſtrength, &c.] This which Iob here addeth concerning the infinite wiſedome and power of God is, 1. To proove that God is exactly juſt, becauſe being wiſe in heart, that is, knowing all things, and how to govern them, it cannot be thought that he knoweth not how to doe right, and being mighty in ſtrength, he needs not pervert juſtice for fear of men; and then 2. To diſcover how vain and perillous a thing it is for the moſt righteous men that live to murmure againſt God, to quarrell and contend with him when he corrects them, as if they would juſtifie themſelves; and that becauſe being of ſuch infinite wiſedome he can charge them with much evil, which they diſcern not in themſelves, neither can they by any excuſes or pretences hide their guilt from his all-ſeeing eye, and being of ſuch infinite power, there is no poſſibility that they ſhould proſper, that do harden themſelves to contend with him.
Verſ. 5. Which removeth the mountains and they know not,] That is, God can if he pleaſe remove the greateſt hills and mountains from one place to another, and overturn them in his anger, and that ſuddenly even in an inſtant, before they can apprehend what is done to them; for though this clauſe, and they know not, may be meant of thoſe that dwell in theſe mountains, to wit, that ſuch mountains are in ſuch an inſtant carried out of their places, that the inhabitants have no warning to diſcern the danger, that they might ſhift for themſelves; yet it may as well be underſtood oft he mountains themſelves, the Scripture uſually ſpeaking of things without life, as if they had both life and reaſon and underſtanding too, as Pſal. 58.9. Before your pots can feel the thornes, he ſhall take them away.
Verſ. 6. Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.] That is, he can, if he pleaſeth, ſhake the earth from the top to the bottome, and make the very foundations thereof to tremble; The earth is here compared to a great building, ſupported with pillars; and becauſe the earth hath no other foundations, but its own center, to which the earth on every ſide preſſeth by reaſon of its naturall heavineſſe, therefore this or the lower parts of the earth may be ſuppoſed to be that, which is here called the pillars of the earth: Now though it be generally held by the learned, that in the greateſt earthquakes the whole body of the earth is never ſhaken, but only ſome parts of it, whence they ſay it is that David ſaith, Pſal. 104.5. that God laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever, yet Iob ſaith here, that he shaketh the earth out of her place, becauſe God can thus if he ſeeth cauſe even overturn the courſe of nature, and becauſe indeed in great and terrible earthquakes, it ſeems to men that the whole body of the earth doth quake and tremble.
Verſ. 7. Which commandeth the Sun and it riſeth not, and ſealeth up the starres.] This which Iob here ſaith, that God commandeth the Sun and it riſeth not, may be meant of the ordinary providence of God in diſpoſing the night-ſeaſon, by keeping the Sun for a time in another hemiſphere, as likewiſe of his hiding the Sun from ſhining upon us in the Eclypſes it frequently ſuffers, or in the darkneſſe of mighty tempeſts, when by the extraordinary blackneſſe of the clouds, the day is, as it were, turned into night: and ſo again, that which followeth, that God ſealeth up the ſtarres, may be underſtood, either of Gods hiding the ſtarres from us by the ordinary intercourſe of the day, or of his covering them from our ſight by thick and pitchy clouds, as in that terrible tempeſt, Act. 27.20. when neither Sun nor ſtarres for many daies appeared. And thus indeed many Expoſitours do explain this place. But I rather conceive that it is meant, as the former verſes alſo are, of Gods ſupreme over-ruling power, not of that which God doth ordinarily, but of that which he can doe, to wit, that if he pleaſeth he can command the Sun that it ſhall ſhine no more upon us, and lock up the ſtarres from us, as long as he liſteth, and ſo deprive us both of their light and influences: of which unlimited power the Lord gave a notable proof, when he commanded the Sun to ſtand ſtill upon Ioſhuah's prayer, and to go backward in the daies of Hezekiah.
Verſ. 8. Which alone ſpreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the ſea.] That is, who as he did at firſt in the creation of the world, ſo he ſtill doth by his continuall providence, ſtretch forth the heavens, as a glorious Canopy over our heads, and ruleth the raging billows of the ſea at his pleaſure; for that is meant by his treading upon the waves of the Sea, that they are ſubject to his dominion and power, ſo that he doth in them what ſeems good unto him.
Verſ. 9. Which maketh Arcturus, Orion and Pleiades, and the chambers of the South.] That is, who maketh all the ſeverall ſtarres and conſtellations in the heaven, from the Northern to the Southern pole, to ariſe in their ſeverall ſeaſons from the beginning to the end of the year; for though ſome few only are here mentioned, yet under theſe all the reſt are comprehended, and theſe amongſt the reſt are particularly expreſſed, both becauſe they are amongſt many others moſt remarkable, and becauſe alſo by them the ſeverall ſeaſons of the year are diſtinguiſhed: for Arcturus is a Conſtellation of ſtarres near the North Pole, behind the tail of Vrſa major, or the greater Bear▪ (a Conſtellation ſo called becauſe it hath the form of a Bear) and is thence tearmed Arcturus, foreign, that is, the tail of the Bear, and it riſeth in our Horizon about the beginning of September, ſome few daies before the Autumne Aequinoctiall, which was amongſt thoſe ancient Eaſtern Nations counted the beginning of the year: Orion alſo is a Conſtellation of ſtarres that riſeth in our Hemiſphere in December, when we account winter begins; the Pleiades is a Conſtellation uſually called the ſeven ſtarres, about the tail or back of the ſign Taurus, and it riſeth in our Hemiſphere about the beginning of the Spring, and therefore alſo called Vergiliae; and by the chambers of the South are meant, either thoſe Southern ſtarres, which becauſe they are near the Southern Pole, and ſo we that dwell in the Northern Hemiſphere cannot ſee them, are therefore called the Chambers of the South, as being ſtarres, that are hid and withdrawn from our ſight: or the dog-ſtar and others that riſe in the ſummer.
Verſ. 11. Loe, he goeth by me and I ſee him not, &c.] Having ſaid in the foregoing verſe, that God doth great things and unſearchable, marvellous things without number (which is fully what Eliphaz had ſaid before, chap. 5.9. of which ſee the Note there) here now Iob prooves this, that Gods works are thus innumerable and unſearchable. Loe, he goeth by me and I ſee him not, &c. That is, the Lord doth continually, not only in his works of creation, but alſo in the daily works of his Providence, manifeſt himſelf to us, his wiſedome, juſtice, mercy, power, even as one that ſhould walk up and down before us, and ſo preſents himſelf near at hand to be ſeen by us; but alas, it fares with me, ſaith Iob, in this, as it doth with others, he goeth by me and I ſee him not; poor wretches, we many times take no notice of him in his works, and when we do diſcern any thing of God by that which he doth, tis nothing comparatively in regard of that which is taught us thereby, neither are we any more able to comprehend by our reaſon and underſtanding the depth of his waies and counſells, with the exact reaſon of them▪ though they be all moſt exactly juſt and reaſonable, then we are to behold him with our bodily eyes, who is inviſible; ſo unſearchable are his judgements, and his waies paſt finding out, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Rom. 11.33. And this Iob addes as another reaſon to proove what he had ſaid before, verſ. 3, 4. to wit, that it was vain for the juſteſt man living to contend with God, becauſe when he doth afflict us, we are not alwaies able to reach the reaſon of his ſo proceeding with us, nor are we any waies able to guard our ſelves when he ſtrikes; he may come upon us on every ſide, and take all advantages to deſtroy us, and we not diſcerning him cannot poſſibly help our ſelves.
Verſ. 12. Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will ſay unto him, what doſt thou?] That is, if God is pleaſed at any time to take away from men, as he hath from me, their eſtates, or their children, yea if he ſhould be pleaſed to take away their lives, no man living can withſtand him, nor ſo much as call him into queſtion, to render a reaſon, why he doth it, his own will and pleaſure being reaſon ſufficient: ſo that as before he pleaded mans inability to diſcern the waies of God, ſo here alſo he pleads the weakneſſe and inability of man to withſtand God in any of his waies, or ſo much as to queſtion what he doth, and that becauſe of the unreſiſtable power and unqueſtionable juſtice of God, which whilſt he did ſo freely acknowledge, it was not likely that he would quarrell and contend with God, as his friends did unjuſtly charge him.
Verſ. 13. If God will not withdraw his anger the proud helpers do ſtoope under him.] That is, when God is angry if he do not of his own free grace, & upon the repentance and prayers of thoſe he is offended with withdraw his anger, if he do not receive them again into favour, but reſolves to proceed in his diſpleaſure againſt them, alas it is in vain for the ſtrongeſt, the wiſeſt, the juſteſt of men to goe about to withſtand him; let thoſe againſt whom he is angry, or any that ſhall ſeek to help them, oppoſe themſelves againſt his proceedings, either by pleading for them and defending their innocency, or by ſeeking to reſiſt and keep off the ſtrokes of his diſpleaſure, the Lord will ſoon cruſh both the one and the other, when in their greateſt pride they exalt themſelves againſt him, not ceaſing till he hath convinced them of their folly and forced them to ſtoop to him, or at leaſt cruſhed them by his power.
Verſ. 14. How much leſſe shall I anſwer him, and chuſe out my words to reaſon with him?] Theſe words may have reference to thoſe in the foregoing verſe, that if the proud helpers do ſtoop under him, that is, if the Lord doth ſo eaſily quaſh the ſtouteſt, that in the proud conceit of their own ſtrength or righteouſneſſe ſhall contend with him, and all that ſhall riſe up to help them herein, how much leſſe ſhould be a poor weak and deſpiſed wretch be able to anſwer him, or with a ſtudied ſpeech in a rhetoricall manner reaſon with him, hoping to convince him, that he hath dealt hardly and unjuſtly with him; or elſe they may be referred to all that he had before ſpoken, to wit, that if neither the mountains, the ſea, the heavens, nor any other the ſtrongeſt of the creatures, were able to ſtand before his almighty power, nor to endure the fury of his indignation, much leſſe ſhould ſuch a poor worm as he be able to riſe up againſt him, yea even ſo far as to plead his cauſe with him, to chuſe out words to reaſon with him. Indeed he ſaith afterward, chap. 13.3. that he deſired to reaſon with God ▪ but that is meant only of a reaſoning by way of declaring his caſe and condition before God, this of a reaſoning by way of conteſtation, or quarrelling about the works of Gods Providence; and therefore whilſt he deſired that, he might well diſclaim this.
Verſ. 16. If I had called and …e had anſwered me, &c.] The chief difficulty of this paſſage lies in this word called ▪ ſome underſtand it of his challenging or calling God to an account, to make good what he had done, or of calling God to let him plead his righteouſneſſe before him, wherein if God had anſwered him, condeſcending to give him an account of his waies, or yielding to hear what he could ſay, yet he would not believe that he had hearkened to his voice, that is, either he could not believe, that the great God of heaven and earth ſhould vouchſafe to hear the defence of ſuch a poor worm as he was, or elſe rather he would not believe that he had ſo farre hearkened to his voice, as to accept of his defence, and to determine on his ſide, and ſo to acknowledge he had done him wrong; as if Iob had ſaid, ſo farre am I from undertaking to juſtifie my ſelf, that if I had required liberty of God to proove mine innocency, and God had given way to me herein, yet would I not believe, that God had thereupon hearkened to my voice and acknowledged mine innocency; and that becauſe the contrary is evident, in that his hand is ſtill ſo heavy upon me. But then others again underſtand this word (called) of prayer, and ſo they conceive the ſenſe of the words to be this, that if he had called, that is, if he had prayed and made ſupplication to his judge for mercy, (as he had ſaid before in the foregoing verſe,) and God had anſwered him, that is, had conſented to grant him his deſire, yet he would not believe, that he had hearkened to his voice, that is, that he had done it in reſpect to him or his prayer, for any worth in him, or in any ſervice that he could perform: and that becauſe his hand was now ſo heavy upon him. And indeed either of theſe expoſitions do well agree with the ſcope of Iobs anſwer to Bildad.
Verſ. 17. For he breaketh me with a tempeſt, and multiplyeth my wounds without cauſe.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, they are not ordinary calamities that God hath laid upon me; No, he hath broken me in pieces, as with a thunderbolt from heaven, and multiplyeth my wounds ſtill more and more, and that without cauſe, that is, without any cauſe manifeſted, or without any cauſe that I can diſcover; not being conſcious to my ſelf of any ſo great wickedneſſe I have committed that ſhould provoke him to lay ſo heavy a puniſhment upon me.
Verſ. 19. If I ſpeak of ſtrength, loe he is ſtrong, &c.] That is, how ſhould I hope to contend with God? either it muſt be by ſtrength, that I muſt defend my ſelf againſt him, or by pleading my cauſe in a way of juſtice and judgement; Now alas if I ſpeak of ſtrength, if I hope that way to contend with him, behold, he is ſtrong, that is, abſolutely, infinitely ſtrong, ſo that there is none that can poſſibly ſtand before him, and if I ſpeak of judgement, hoping by a way of legall proceedings to clear mine innocency, who shall ſet me a time to plead, that is, where ſhould I find a judge, that having power over us both, ſhould appoint me a day, wherein I ſhould plead my cauſe, and anſwer what the Lord could object againſt me.
Verſ. 20. If I juſtifie my ſelf, mine own mouth shall condemn me, &c.] That is, though I ſhould be admitted to plead my cauſe againſt the Lord, yet ſhould I undertake to juſtifie my ſelf, mine own mouth would condemne me, to wit, either becauſe the Lord by many ſeverall particulars he might examine me upon, and charge me with, would eaſily ſo farre convince me, that I ſhould be forced with mine own mouth to condemn my ſelf, or elſe becauſe not having any ſufficient plea for the defence of my ſelf, mine own lips would diſcover the weakneſſe of my cauſe, I ſhould be intangled in mine own words, and even thoſe things which I ſhould ſpeak for my ſelf would be retorted upon me to proove me perverſe, or elſe laſtly becauſe this very affirming of my ſelf to be righteous, would be abundantly enough to condem me, ſince firſt it is ſinfull for man to boaſt of his own righteouſneſſe; and ſecondly, thereby I ſhould lie againſt the truth, and ſhould diſcover moſt deſperate boldneſſe in contending againſt God, yea I ſhould charge God with falſehood, and injuſtice, who hath concluded all under ſin, and doth daily correct the moſt righteous for their tranſgreſſions; all which agrees fully with that of St Iohn. 1. Iohn 1.10. If we ſay that we have not ſinned, we make him a lyar, and his word is not in us.
Verſ. 21. Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my ſoul, I would deſpiſe my life.] That is, though I did verily perſwade my ſelf, that I were perfectly righteous, yet would I not belieue mine own heart herein, nor regard mine own ſoul in this, to ſtand upon mine innocency, as knowing that there might be much amiſſe in me, which I diſcerned not in my ſelf, but even for fear of tryall before the great God I ſhould deſpiſe my life, that is, be glad I were dead; yea in point of juſtification I would utterly diſclaime and deſpiſe the righteouſneſſe of my life and converſation, and would acknowledge my ſelf an unprofitable ſervant. Or elſe the meaning of theſe words may be given thus: though upon pleading my cauſe, God ſhould find me and acknowledge me perfect, yet I could take no joy in this, nor durſt exalt my ſelf, but ſhould deſpiſe this righteouſneſſe of mine own life.
Verſ. 22. This is one thing, therefore I ſaid it; he deſtroyeth the perfect and the wicked,] That is, this one thing is ſure and certain, or this is the only one thing wherein we differ, and whereto all that I have ſpoken tendeth, (for as for thoſe many other things you have delivered concerning God, therein we joyntly agree) which being clear and evident, therefore I ſaid it, I could not forbear plainly to averre it, and do and ſhall ſtill maintain it, namely, that God deſtroyeth the perfect, no leſſe then the wicked. Hitherto Iob hath made good that he made no more queſtion of the juſtice of Gods proceedings, then his friends did; but now he ſhows wherein the difference lay betwixt them, to wit, that whereas they maintained, that it ſhould alwaies be well with the righteous and ill with the wicked here in this world, and that therefore, either the righteous ſhould ever live in proſperity, or if the Lord did correct them for a while, when they had gone aſtray, yet upon their repentance he would ſoon ſhow mercy, and not ſuffer them to end their daies in ſuch miſeries; and on the other ſide, either he would ſuddenly deſtroy the wicked, or if he ſuffered them to flouriſh for a time, he would afterwards pour out his vengeance the more heavily upon them, he for his part was farre otherwiſe perſwaded, namely that for theſe outward things, Gods dealing was many times in every regard the ſame, both toward the righteous and toward the wicked, and that therefore there was no juſt cauſe at all, why his friends ſhould condemn him for an hypocrite and a wicked man, becauſe of the afflictions that God had laid upon him: and thus he anſwers what Bildad had ſaid, chap. 8.20. Behold, God will not caſt away the perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers.
Verſ. 23. If the ſcourge ſlay ſuddenly, he will laugh at the tryall of the innocent.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, when the Lord ſends any ſudden calamity, that ſweeps away both the wicked and the righteous, the wicked by way of juſt vengeance, the righteous to proove and try them, there can be nothing ſaid againſt the Lords proceeding herein, he will laugh at the tryall of the innocent, he will and may juſtly ſcorn the plea of any mans innocency, though the uprighteſt man breathing, and that becauſe the moſt righteous have by their ſins deſerved worſe then he laies upon them, nor can alledge any juſt cauſe, why they ſhould be exempted from ſuch calamities.
Verſ. 24. The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth &c.] This text of Scripture is very difficult, and accordingly it is diverſly expounded: ſome conceive that by the wicked here is meant the Devil, and ſo conceive the meaning of the place to be this, that God hath delivered the earth to the power and ſway of the Devil, permitting him to rule and have dominion amongſt the children of men (as indeed he is called, in regard of his power over wicked men, the God of this world, 2 Cor. 4.4, and the ruler of the darkneſſe of this world. Eph. 6.12.) and that accordingly he covereth the faces of the judges thereof, that is, he makes them that ſit in the ſeat of juſtice to be as blind men, neither regarding right nor wrong, neither juſtifying the righteous nor puniſhing the wicked, that oppreſſe the righteous, but ſuffering them without controul to run on in their violent courſes, as if they ſaw no evil in them; And this they conceive is alledged by Iob as one reaſon, why the righteous ſuffer ſo much miſery here in this world. But then others by the wicked underſtand wicked men, into whoſe hands the earth is ſaid to be given, becauſe they are advanced and become Lords in the world, and have the chief ſway and command in every place, and that thus, as Iob had before confuted what Bildad had ſaid concerning the Lords conſtant bleſſing the righteous, ſo here he refutes what Bildad had alſo ſaid chap. 8.13. concerning the curſe that falls on the wicked, to wit, by ſhewing that inſtead of being accurſed of God, they flouriſh and are exalted above others, and ſo rule and domineer in the world at their pleaſure; and then for the next clauſe, he covereth the faces of the judges thereof, that alſo accordingly they underſtand of the wicked man, thus advanced in the world, but in two ſeverall ſenſes, to wit, that theſe wicked men do, either by bribery, or by their overbearing power, cover the faces of the judges, corrupting and blinding them, and making them do whatſoever they will have them without any reſpect to juſtice or equity; or elſe, that they deſpiſe and diſgrace, yea condemn and deliver over to death the judges thereof, that is, men that are deſervedly honoured for their wiſedome and integrity: and to juſtifie this laſt expoſition, they ſhow 1. That by covering the face in the Scripture is ſometimes meant the delivering up of men to death; for ſo it is ſaid of Haman, when the King was offended with him, Eſth. 7.8. they covered Hamans face, and 2. That by judges in the Scripture is ſometimes alſo meant, not only thoſe that ſit in ſeats of judgement to puniſh malefactours, and to give ſentence in matters of controverſie, but alſo whoſoever they are, that are honoured for their eminent wiſedome and integrity, and are any way a ſtay or defence to the common-wealth where they live, and ſo this word ſeems to be uſed again, chap. 12.17. He leadeth counſellers away ſpoiled and maketh the judges fools. But then again there is a third way of expounding theſe words, and that ſeems to me above the reſt the moſt probable, to wit, that both theſe clauſes muſt be underſtood of God, that the earth is by him given into the hand of the wicked, that through his providence the wicked, irreligious and ungodly ſort of men are the great men of the earth, and rule and domineer in the world at their pleaſure; and whereas the only remedy for this ſhould be in thoſe that ſit in the ſeat of juſtice, he covereth the faces of the judges thereof, whereby is meant, either that by withdrawing his grace, leaving them to themſelves, yea delivering them up to a reprobate mind, he covereth their faces, ſo that they ſit in judgement like ſo many blind men, yea like ſo many idols, and as not diſcerning between right and wrong, when it is moſt palpable, they regard not the violent courſes of theſe wicked wretches, but let them alone to doe what they pleaſe; or elſe that he is able to cover the faces of the moſt righteous judges with ſhame, when they think they have judged moſt uprightly, by diſcovering to them their failings and puniſhing them for it. And indeed hereto beſt agrees that laſt clauſe, If not, where and who is he? For though ſome underſtand this as a challenge, if this that I have ſaid be not ſo, who and where is the man, that will diſproove what I have ſpoken? Or thus, if it be not the wicked man, that doth this which I have ſpoken, to wit, that covers the faces of the judges, then who is it that doth it? who but a wicked man would doe it? yet I conceive the meaning of theſe words runs more clearly thus, If not, where and who is he? That is, if it be not God that doth theſe things, where is he or who is he that doth them? as if he ſhould have ſaid, it is not poſſible that this ſhould be done without the knowledge and will of God: for if we ſay, that it is of the Devil or wicked men, yet we cannot but know that God is the ſupreme Ruler and governour of the whole world and all things that are therein, and that they could do nothing therefore without liberty from him. And thus doth Iob conclude, that it is God that doth both advance the wicked and afflict the righteous.
Verſ. 25. Now my daies are ſwifter then a Poſt, they flee away, they ſee no good, &c.] That is, the daies of my proſperity. Here Iob returns to his complaints, alledging himſelf as an inſtance of Gods ſeverity in afflicting thoſe, who have endeavoured to walk uprightly with God; As he hath dealt with others in this kind, ſo he hath dealt with me, ſaith Iob, the daies of my proſperity are gone on a ſudden, in a moment I am deprived of all that I enjoyed, mine honour is laid in the duſt, and my life in a manner is brought unto the grave. As for that clauſe, that his daies did ſee no good, the meaning is, that he in his daies had ſeen no good; and either it muſt be underſtood of that time only, wherein this ſudden change had befallen him, that therein his proſperity was gone on a ſudden without the mixing of one good hour, or if it be extended to his whole life, it muſt be taken, as ſpoken by way of amplifying the ſudden vaniſhing of his proſperous condition, that the good he had enjoyed was nothing to ſpeak of, as indeed in preſſing miſeries men are wont to forget many times all the good which God hath done for them, and are only taken up with their preſent ſufferings. See alſo the Note upon chap. 7.7.
Verſ. 27. If I ſay, I will forget my complaint, &c.] That is, if I determine to put the evils I have ſuffered, and do ſtill ſuffer out of my mind, and ſo to give over complaining, if I reſolve not to give way to my paſſions and grief as I have done, but to chear up and comfort my ſelf, it is all in vain, I am afraid of all my ſorrows, that is, the ſenſe and weight of my ſorrows do to overwhelm me with terrours and fears of Gods wrath and diſpleaſure againſt me, that I am not able to quiet my mind and comfort my ſelf; or thus, when I think of chearing my ſelf, my ſorrows preſent themſelves a-freſh before me, and even ſcare me with their terrours: I know that thou, Lord, wilt not hold me innocent, that is, I ſee plainly that thou wilt ſtill purſue me with all rigour for the evil thou ſeeſt in me: however upright I may ſeem in mine own eyes, or in the ſight of others, thou wilt eaſily find matter enough of condemnation in me, and then thou wilt not acquit me, thou wilt not declare me to be innocent, and ſo convince theſe men that unjuſtly cenſure me, to wit, by eaſing me of theſe miſeries; ſo that even by thy preſent proceedings with me, I plainly perceive that thou wilt ſtill follow me with theſe evils, and that it will never be better with me. And thus Iob, being overborne with the terrours of his preſent ſufferings, doth in the impatience of his ſpirit caſt away all hope as it were of deliverance for the time to come. I know there are ſome learned Expoſitours that underſtand this as ſpoken to Bildad, I know that thou, Bildad, wilt not hold me innocent, meaning that as long as his troubles continued, he would ſtill condemn him for an hypocrite. But the generall current of Expoſitours runs the other way.
Verſ. 29. If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?] Theſe words are expounded by Interpreters divers waies; ſome conceive it to be ſpoken as in anſwer to that counſell which Bildad had given him in the former chapter, verſ. 5. To ſeek unto God, and to make his ſupplication unto the Almighty, as affirming that this would be labour in vain, if he were ſuch a wicked hypocrite, as they his friends had affirmed him to be; others conceive it to be ſpoken by way of diſcontent, to wit, that if he were condemned by his friends as a wicked wretch, notwithſtanding all his care and ſtrict endeavour to walk uprightly with God, it was then labour in vain to walk ſo exactly; and he had even as good doe, as others did. But the beſt expoſition I conceive is, that theſe words are ſpoken with reference to thoſe in the foregoing verſe, to wit, that if he were wicked, as his friends thought his affliction did import, and as indeed he muſt needs be found to be, if God ſhould proceed to judge him, according to the rigour of his juſtice, it would be then in vain to ſeek to ſuppreſſe his ſorrow, and to comfort himſelf with hope of better daies for the time to come; and that becauſe he could not be ſo righteous, but that God would find matter enough of condemnation in him, as it follows in the next verſes.
Verſ 30. If I waſh my ſelf with ſnow water, &c.] It is probable that Iob here alludes to the ceremoniall waſhings, that were uſed both amongſt the Iews and Gentiles, as a ſign of purification. A man as exactly pure and righteous, as man can be, is here compared to one that is waſhed with ſnow water, not becauſe ſnow water doth cleanſe and waſh things better then other water, (though perhaps it was ſo in thoſe countries where they had no good waſhing water, and ſo ſome conceive that Iob alludes to that) but either becauſe the beſt waſhing water, the cleareſt fountain water may be figuratively tearmed ſnow water, for its purity and orient clearneſſe; or elſe becauſe thoſe things that are waſhed moſt exactly do in whiteneſſe reſemble the ſnow, it being uſuall in the Scripture to expreſſe the whiteneſſe of any thing by ſaying it is waſhed in that, the pure whiteneſſe whereof it doth repreſent, as Cant. 5.12. the holy Ghoſt ſpeaks of doves washed with milk, meaning only thereby doves or pigeons as white as milk; If I wash myſelf with ſnow water, ſaith Iob, and make my hands never ſo clean, yet shalt thou verſ. 31. plunge me in the ditch, that is, were I as pure and clean from ſin, not only in the opinion of others, and in mine own judgement, but in deed and in truth, as ſinfull man in this world can poſſibly be, were I as pure ſpiritually, as he is bodily, that is waſhed and ſcoured till he appears at laſt as white as ſnow, and were the works of my hands, my life and converſation, never ſo ſpotleſſe and unblameable in the eyes of men, yet ſhouldeſt thou, O Lord, come to examine and judge me, thou mighteſt eaſily diſcover me to be moſt abominably unclean, if thou ſhouldeſt judge me according to the ſeverity of thy juſtice, (yea the rather becauſe I went about to juſtifie my ſelf, and was ſo clean in mine own eyes) even as unclean as a man that hath been plunged over head and ears in a ditch that is full of dirt and mire, and mine own clothes shall abhorre me, ſaith Iob, that is, (ſay ſome Expoſitours) thou wouldeſt caſt me down in diſhonour, and ſo the clothes I formerly wore in my proſperity, as being not ſeemly for ſo baſe a wretch, would abhorre me; or thou wouldeſt ſlay me, and then my garments, as not becoming, as abhorring a dead carcaſe, muſt be ſtripped off from me; or elſe rather I ſhall be found ſo monſtrouſly filthy, that mine own clothes, if they had ſenſe, would abhorre to touch me; indeed this laſt clauſe ſome read thus, And mine own clothes shall make me to be abhorred, and ſo conceive the meaning thereof to be, either that thoſe things wherewith they ſhould endeavour to hide his filthineſſe would make him the more abominable, or that the very righteouſneſſe wherewith he was clothed would be found as filthy rags and therefore juſtly make him to be abhorred. But the firſt Tranſlation is moſt generally approoved.
Verſ. 32. for he is not a man as I am, that I should anſwer him &c.] This is added as a reaſon of that he had ſaid in the foregoing verſes, to wit, that though he were never ſo innocent, yet God would diſcover him to be exceeding guilty. The reaſon is, becauſe there was no hope to deal with the Almighty God, as he might deal with men for the clearing of himſelf in a way of juſtice; He is not a man as I am, that I should anſwer him, and we should come together in judgement, as if he ſhould have ſaid, if I had to deal with you or with any other man as my ſelf, with whom I might enter into judgement upon equall terms, I would not doubt to clear my ſelf, and to anſwer what might be objected againſt me; But alas God is not as man in this regard, with whom I have to doe, he can eaſily diſcern that evil in me, which man could never ſee, yea which I ſhould never diſcern in my ſelf; even thoſe things which are in high eſteem with men are an abomination with God; And beſides his majeſty and glory would ſoon confound ſuch a worm as I am, if I ſhould undertake to anſwer what he would object againſt me.
Verſ. 33. Neither is there any daies-man betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, as I dare not contend with God in judgement, ſo neither is there any to whom I can referre the cauſe for arbitration; if I were ſo fooliſh as to deſire to plead my cauſe with God in that way, alas where ſhould we find any daies-man, or umpire that ſhould undertake to judge and decide the cauſe betwixt us both, and ſo ſhould conſequently have power over both to preſcribe bounds and orders to us in our arguing together, to reſtrain either party as occaſion was offered, and to paſſe a finall ſentence in our differences, whereto both of us ſhould be forced to ſtand? for doubtleſſe this phraſe of a daies-man that might lay his hand upon us both, is either uſed with reſpect to the uſuall cuſtome of Umpires, who being choſen to hear and end ſome difference between parties at variance, do ſometimes lay their hand upon the one and ſometimes upon the other, when they undertake to ſhew them, wherein they are or have been to blame, or when they would reſtrain them from being too violent, or order either party what they ſhould doe, and do at laſt cauſe them to ſhake hands and be friends; or elſe is uſed only to ſignifie the power which the umpire muſt needs have over both ſides, to diſpoſe of them in the controverſies committed to his arbitrement as he ſees cauſe; for the laying of the hand upon any thing ſignifies the power which we have over it, and hence is that expreſſion, Pſal. 89, 25. I will ſet his hand alſo in the ſea, and his right hand in the rivers.
Verſ. 34. Let him take his rod away from me, &c.] We cannot conceive that Iobs meaning in theſe words was, that if God would withdraw his ſcourge, which lay now ſo heavy upon him, and not over-awe him with the terrour of his majeſty, he would then freely and without any fear of God undertake to plead his cauſe with God, and to ſhew that he did cauſeleſſely lay thoſe evils upon him; for this were expreſſely contrary to that he had ſaid before, verſ. 2, 3. that no man living can be juſt with God, nor able to anſwer him one of a thouſand, if he will contend with him, yea to that he had ſaid immediately before, verſ. 30, 31. that though he were never ſo pure and innocent, God could eaſily diſcover him to be as ſpiritually filthy, as he muſt needs be outwardly, that hath been plunged over head and ears in a ditch full of mire; and therefore the meaning of theſe words is rather this, that if God would not proceed in ſuch extremity with him as now he did, nor would terrifie him with the fear of the rigour of his juſtice and judgement, before which he knew well he was not able to ſtand, then he ſhould not ſtick boldly and freely to plead his cauſe in regard of his accuſers, and to proove his integrity, that he was not a wicked hypocrite as his friends affirmed him to be, and therefore had ſuch grievous puniſhments poured forth upon him.
Verſ. 35. But it is not ſo with me.] That is, I am not in ſuch a condition, that I ſhould ſpeak ſo freely; his rod lyes ſo heavy upon me, and I ſee that he doth ſo diſcover his indignation againſt me, and his reſolution to deal with me in the uttermoſt ſeverity of his juſtice, that I am even overwhelmed with terrours, and having to deal with God, dare not ſay what otherwiſe I could ſay for my ſelf, if I had only to deal with men.