Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 4 · Chapter 32
CHAP. XXXII. Verſe 1. So theſe three men ceaſed to anſwer Job]
THey were as quiet as men are on a Sabbath, ſo the word importeth: they had tired themſelves with talking, and now they were reſolved to reſt them, and the rather, becauſe they judged there was little good to be done by ought that they ſhould ſay; for Job was ſet.
Becauſe he was righteous in his own eyes] And ſo there was no more hope of a fool then of him. Pertinacious they held him and contentious, ſelf-conceited and opinionate; which indeed was a right character of themſelves, if they could have ſeen it. He was only conſtant to himſelfe, and to the truth; whereof he ſhewed himſelf a ſtout and reſolute Champion. Only, as every Pomgranate hath ſome rotten kernels in it; ſo Job had his frailties his outburſts, cauſed by extremitie of pain, and exceſs of paſſion; for the which theſe three did him wrong to give him up for deplored and deſperate.
Verſe 2. Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu] Or, Then burnt the noſe of Elihu; a Periphraſis of anger, which appeareth in the noſe, eyes, and other parts of the body; — Qun enim celaverit ignem? Who can hide fire? The Rabbins have a ſaying, that a man ſhewes what he is becos, bechis, becagnas, by his purſe, his cups, and his anger; which if it be raſh and unadviſed, is a mortal ſin, and not venial, (as the Papiſts falſely infer from Matth 5.22.) diſpoſſeſſing a man of his wit and reaſon, and disfiguring his body with fierineſſe of the face, ſwelling of the veines, ſtammering of the tongue, gnaſhing of the teeth, and many other impotent and unmanly behaviours. Hence angry men were counſelled, in the hear of their fit, to look themſelves in a glaſſe, where they may ſee themſelves ſwolne like a toad, glowing like a divel, &c. But Elihues anger was not of this kind. A fire it was, but the … of God, as holy Zeal is called, Cant. 8.6. a moſt vehement flame, (as it is there rendred) kindled upon the hearth of his heart by the ſpirit of judgement and of burning, Iſai. 4.4. and ſuch as many waters could not quench, for this zeal is the extreme heat of all the affections; and the coales thereof are coales of fire, Cant. 8.6. only we muſt ſee that it burn clear and quick, without all ſmoak of ſin; wherein, though Elihu ſomewhat faulted, yet, becauſe he was right for the main, all was well taken. We are apt to mingle ſin with our beſt actions, and ſo to plow with an Oxe and an Aſſe. But God conſiders whereof we are made, and graciouſly layes the finger of mercy on the ſcars of our ſinnes, as that Limner in the Story.
Of Elihu the ſon of Barachel the Buzite] Deſcended he was of good parents (Fortes creantur fortibus & bonis) who gave him a good name, ſignifying, He is my God, or, My God is Jehovah; to inmind him of his duty, whereunto we have need of all helps that may be. His fathers name Barachel, ſignifyeth, One whom God hath bleſſed: He had bleſſed him indeed in ſo good a ſon, as could not but make him a glad father, Prov. 10.1. The Buzite he is called, either from his Progenitor Buz, the ſon of Nahor, who was the brother of Abraham, and had by Milcah, Huz his firſt-born (of whom ſome think Job came) and Buz his brother, Gen. 22. 21.Tradit in Gen. Or elſe from his country, the City of Buz, a City of Idumea, Jer. 25.23. Hierom will have this Elihu to be the ſame with Balaam, who whiles young, was a Prophet of God, and dealt thus divinely with Job, but afterwards being corrupted by Balac, he became the Divels Spelman. This I look upon as a Jewiſh tradition, not much to be credited. His pedigree is here more fully deſcribed, Ʋt certitudo h…ſt ria oſtenderetur, ſaith Mercer; That we might not doubt of the truth and certainty of the hiſtory ſo circumſtanced: as alſo, becauſe Elihu did better then the reſt of Jobs friends, who proved no better then Satans inſtruments. How he came to make one amongſt them, we know not. It is conceived, that hearing of the going of the other three by conſent to viſit Job, he alſo went to hear their conferences, not doubting but that he ſhould thereby very much benefit his underſtanding But failing in ſome ſort of his expectation, and finding both parties out in their diſcourſes, he ſteps forth, and takes the boldneſſe to interpoſe as an Arbiter, or Moderator, blaming both ſides, and beginning, in the ſix following Chapters, that determination of the difference betwixt them, which God himſelf will afterwards finiſh. Mean-while it is well obſerved by learned Beza, Beza …rafa… this chap.that Elihu in blaming Job (as there was cauſe) doth for the moſt part interpret Jobs words far otherwiſe then he meant them; and moreover, that even in finding fault with thoſe things that were juſtly to be found fault withal, he kept not alwayes that moderation that was meet; which is evident to godly men, and eſpecially ſuch as are of a more earneſt nature and diſpoſition; ſo hard a thing is it even when we do well, not to offend on the one ſide or on the other. But if we conſider how far Job, being thereto driven by the importunity of his Accuſers, and his moſt intolerable calamity, did range out of the right way, and how we are all given, even to the uttermoſt, to defend and maintain our credit and eſtimation, eſpecially when we are therein touched by thoſe men, who ought, leaſt of all others to have done the ſame: We ſhall confeſſe, that it was very requiſite and neceſſary for Job rather to be cenſured in this ſharp manner, as he was, then after any milder ſort; to the end he might the better acknowledg and humble himſelf before God; as alwayes he had done, till through the ſlanderous ſpeeches of his friends, he was drawn into theſe altercations.
Of the kindred of Ram … E familia Syra, ſo Tremellius; as if Ram were put for Aram. The Chaldee ſaith, it is put for Abraham, who was firſt called R…m. ſecondly Abram, thirdly, Abraham. But Elihu was of the family of N…hor, rather then of Abraham; and Ram ſeemeth to have been ſome famous man of that family.
Becauſe he juſtified himſelf rather then God] This he did not directly, & totidem verbis; but by conſequence; and Elihu was kindled at it. It is a bleſſed thing to have a ſtomack for God, and to be blown up in his Cauſe, as was Moſes Exod. 22. Eliah with his Zelando zelavi, Phinehas, David, Chriſt, Job. 3.17. the Angel of Epheſus, Rev 22. To be all on a light fire, with love to God, and indignation againſt all that do him any diſhonour by word or deed. J…b had uttered ſome diſcontented ſpeeches againſt God; which reflected upon his Juſtice and Goodneſſe; he had alſo deſpaired of a reſtauration, and moſt earneſtly wiſhed for death, &c. and thereby ſeemed to juſtifie himſelfe rather then God; this good Elihu could not brook.
Verſe 3. A…ſo againſt his three friends was his wrath kindled] True zeal is of a moſt maſculine, diſ-ingaged couragious nature: like fire it catcheth on every ſide, and is impartial. Elihu was a man made …ll of fire, walking among ſtub…le. as Ch…yſoſ…om ſaith of Peter: And ſurely, he that is not angry againſt ſin, whether in himſelf or others, it is becauſe either he knowes it not, or hates it not as he ought. He alſo kept within the bounds of modeſty and moderation, and expreſſed himſelfe without bitterneſſe. We read of Idacius, that he would needs be doing with S…lvianus and Inſtantius, both Priſcillianiſts. Sulp. Sever. l. 2. p. 17 1.But by his paſſionate and intemperate language, he not only not converted them, but made them worſe.
Becauſe they had found no anſwer] They were gravelled and non-pluſt,Act. & Mon. as the Popiſh Doctors were oft by the Martyrs, Philpot, Ridley &c. yea by thoſe of the weaker ſort, as Anne Askew. Alice Driver &c. Speed. 11 45. ex Grafton Hollinſ…cad, &c.The Prolocutor in Convocation, Anno 1553 confeſſed that thoſe dejected Miniſters (afterwards Martyrs) had the Word on their ſide, but the Prelates in place the poſſeſſion of the ſword, and that was their beſt anſwer to the others Arguments.
And yet had condemned Job] condemned him for a wicked man, as the word signifieth. So the Popiſh Doctors did innocent Cranmer of Adultery, Hereſie and Treaſon: Philpo… of Parricide, Hereſie, &c. To accuſe was eaſie, but how ſhamefully failed they in the proof? Theſe three after they had alſo intereſted God himſelfe in their raſh accuſation of Job were forced to give him over.
Verſe 4. Now Elihu had waited till Job h…d ſpoken] Yea, though his ſpeech was very long, yet he heard him out, though himſelf were with child to ſpeak. Broughton rendreth it, waited to ſpeak with Job; he would not thruſt in till they had all done their diſcourſes. This was his modeſty, though a man of ſingular abilities. Raram facit virtus cum ſcientia mixturam: To blame then ſurely was Gregory, for thinking ſo ill, and wrighting ſo harſhly of this good young man, as if he had been proud, and arrogant: deſcanting to that purpoſe upon his Name, Countrey, and Kindred.
Becauſe they were elder than he] And therefore ought of right to have the precedency of ſpeech: though it appeareth by all that followeth, that in this controverſie he ſaw further into it, judged righter, and rebuked Job with more gravity, and wiſdom then any of them, ſo that Job was fully convinced, and made no reply at all: no more than Jo…ah did, when God ſet him down, chap. 4.11. ſo forcible are right words.
Verſe 5. When Elihu ſaw that there was no anſwer] And therefore Job looked upon himſelf, as one that had won the day. St. Auſtin profeſſeth this was it that heartened him, and made him to triumph in his former Manichiſme, that he met with feeble opponents, and ſuch as his nimble wit was eaſily able to over-turn. And when Caroloſtadius oppoſed Luthers Conſubſtantiation but weakly and inſufficiently, Zuinglius ſaid he was ſorry, that ſo good a cauſe, non ſatis humerorum haberet, wanted ſhoulders.
Then his wrath was kindled] viz. From their coldneſs; like as Nehem. 3.20. Baruc repaired earneſtly, (ſe accendit, he burſt out into heat, angry with his own, and others ſloth:) So Elihu here, when he ſaw that Jobs eloquence triumphed over their wiſdom; and that their ſilence was a loud acknowledgement of their defeat, he grew more angry than before; and tranſported with zeal, he ſaith …o them very briskly;
Verſe 6. I am young, and ye are very old] Yet was he nothing inferiour to any of them in wit, piety,Niceph. and learning: he had lived long in a little time, and was (as One ſaith of Macarius) foreign an old-young-man; as if he had been an Alban-born, qui albo crine naſcuntur, Caniciem habent auſpicium capillarum. Solin.who come into the world hoar-headed, as did Seneca; and thence had his name, as Caſſiodorus thinketh, quòd canus, quaſi ſenior natus ſit. Some young men are ripe betime, and more ready-headed than their ancients: as David was, Pſal. 119.100. and as Solomon was, a child-King, but very wiſe: contrarily, his ſon and ſucceſſour Rehoboam entered into the Kingdom at a ripe age; yet Solomon was the man, and Rehoboam the child. Age is no juſt meaſure of wiſdom. There are beard-leſs ſages, and gray-headed children. Not the Ancient are wiſe, but the wiſe is Ancient; as Elihu will tell us in the next verſes.
Wherefore I was afraid, and durſt not ſhew you mine opinion] Heb. My knowledge; that is, the truth, ſo far as I underſtand it; ſiquid ego ant …pio, ant ſapio; if I have any judgement. Thus he delivers himſelf in modeſt terms; uſing many prefaces. And if hereafter he ſeem to boaſt, and ſet up himſelf above the reſt, as he doth, it is out of his zeal for God, whoſe honour he ſeeketh, and not his own. The words here rendred, I was afraid, and to ſhew, are both Syriack. Elihu, by his family of Ram or Aram, may ſeem to be that country-man; and to have a touch of that dialect, as Livy had of his Patavinity.
Verſe 7. I ſaid, Dayes ſhould ſpeak] This ſeems to have been a Proverb in thoſe dayes; and it ran much in Elihu's mind. We uſe to ſay, That at meetings young men ſhould be Mutes, and old men Vowels: Of Arſatius, who ſucceeded Chryſoſtom in the Sea of Conſtantinople, Antonin. tit. 10. c. 9.it is recorded (but nothing to his commendation) that at eighty years of age, he was as eloquent as a Fiſh, and as nimble as a Frog.
And multitude of years ſhould teach wiſdom] Heb. Should make known wiſdom: ſc. ſuch as conſiſteth in the knowledge of God and of his will, of our ſelves and of our duties. This is far beyond all that of the Heathen Sages, of the Seven wiſe Men of Greece, foreign Plut.of Archimedes of Syracuſe, who had a name and ſame, ſaith Plutarch, not of humane, but of a kind of divine wiſdom: So had Socrates, ſo had Apollonius, of whom Philoſtratus ſaith, that he was non doctus, ſed natus ſapicus, not taught, but born a wiſe man. Theſe all were the worlds wizards; and what they came to, ſee Rom. Inſtit. l. 3. c. 30.1. & 1 Cor. 1. & 2. Lactantius truly telleth us, in the name of the whole community of Chriſtians, That all the wiſdom of a man conſiſteth in this, to know God and worſhip him aright. And that theſe Seniours ſhould have taught and notified ſuch wiſdom, Elihu had well hoped: but it proved otherwiſe.
Verſe 8. But there is a ſpirit in man, and the inſpiration of the Almighty] Or, Surely there is a ſpirit in man, but the inſpiration, &c. Man hath a reaſonable ſoul, and a natural judgement, whereby he differeth from bruit beaſts: And not only ſo, but ſome there are that do animam excolere, as Tully and Ariſtotle; they improve their natural abilities by art, and ſo go far beyond others in worth; differing from the unlearned as much almoſt, as a man doth from a beaſt. Lo, ſuch a ſpirit there is in ſome men: which yet amounteth not to wiſdom, without the concurrence of Gods good ſpirit to ſanctifie all, as the altar ſanctifieth the gold of the altar. If this be not attained unto, the wiſer any man is, the vainer he proveth, Rom. 1.22. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of thoſe wiſe (even of the choiceſt and moſt pickt men amongſt them) that they are vain, 1 Cor. 3.20. And to ſuch we may ſay, as Auſtin once wrote to a man of great parts, Ornari abs te diabolus quarit, the Devil deſireth to be tricked up by thee.
And the inſpiration of the almighty giveth them underſtanding] He is the wiſe man, when all's done, whom (whether old or young) the ſpirit of God, who acteth moſt freely, is pleaſed to imbreath. And although Arts and Age be good helps to knowledge; yet they muſt be all taught of God that ſhall be wiſe unto ſalvation: and ſuch as theſe, the elder they grow, the wiſer they are, for moſt part; and if young ſaints, they become, old angels. True it is, that God is debter to none: neither doth a longer life, of it ſelf, deſerve any thing at Gods hands: becauſe the longer they live, the more ſins they commit. But yet the promiſe is, that to him that hath ſhall be given, and he ſhall abound. The righteous alſo ſhall hold on his way; and he that hath clean hands, ſhall be ſtronger and ſtronger, Job 17.9. Howbeit, ſome good mens firſt dayes, have been their beſt dayes: and they have ſuffered no ſmall decayes in their ſpiritual-intellectuals: as did Solomon, Aſa, Joaſh, and perhaps theſe three friends of Job, to whom this ſpeech is directed. Certain it is, that he is a rare and a happy man, of whom it may be ſaid in a ſpiritual ſenſe (as it was ſaid of Moſes) that after long profeſſion of Religion, his ſight … waxed dim, nor his holy heat abated. The Heathen Sages have cauſe to admoniſh us, to take heed of old age: as that which cometh not alone, but is it ſelf a diſeaſe, and ever accompanied with many maladies, both of body and mind. Elihu ſeemeth to take this here for granted (experience ſealing to it) that true wiſdom dependeth not upon any mans authority; power, learning, experience, or old age: but upon the inſpiration of the Almighty. And therefore they holy Scriptures muſt needs be the ſtore-houſe of wiſdom,2. Pet. 1.21. 2 Tim. 3.16. the Statute-book of Heaven, as being foreign, imbreathed by God, as Paul ſpeaketh; the very heart and ſoul of God, as Gregory.
Verſe 9. Great men are not alwayes wiſe] Rabbies are not the Grandees of the Earth: they who ſeem to be ſomewhat, Gal. 2.6. and take it ill if they be not ſo accounted, theſe are not alwayes wiſe, or theſe are none of the wiſeſt. Non ſunt ſapientes Magiſtri. ſo Brentius reads it.Brent. Our Maſters (at ſunt Magiſtri noſtri Pariſienſes) have not ingroſſed all the wiſdom: And why? Spiritus non eſt alligatus Ra…binorum authoritati, & magiſtrorum noſtrorum capitiis, &c. the ſpirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord, is in no wiſe bound to ſuch, nor are his gifts held captive by any, but freely diſtributed according to the good pleaſure of his will, who worketh all, and in all. Paphnutius was wiſer than the whole Council, John Wicliffe, than the Univerſity of Oxford. Daniel, than all the Magicians of Babylon. Patres …gondicum venia. Auguſtine being oppreſſed with the authority of the Fathers, ſaith, he regardeth not Quis, but Quid; who ſpeaketh a thing, but what he ſpeaketh.
Neither do the aged underſtand judgement] Prudence is not proper to old age: and though knowledge be the daughter of time, it doth not alwayes fall out, that the moſt aged, are the moſt learned. Wiſdom doth not ever lean upon a ſtaffe, nor look through ſpectacles. Experience giveth us to ſee both old fools and young wiſe men, ſome of each ſort. When the state of Venice once ſent two young men Ambaſſadours to the Emperour Frederike 4. and he being offended at their age, refuſed to admit them, they did him to know, That if the Venetians had valued men by their gravity and well-grown beards, as the only wiſe men, they would, doubtleſſe, have ſent on their Embaſſie, a paire of well-bearded Goa…es: For,
Si prolixa facit ſapitnem barba, quid obſtat
Barbatus p…ſſit quin caper eſſe Plato?
Verſe 10. Therefore I ſaid, Hearken to me. This he ſpeaks by way of apoſtrophe to Job, Nunquam à te niſi doctior redeo.with whom he would fain ingratiate, that he might the better prevaile to convince him of his courſe dealing with God, whoſe cauſe he wholly pleadeth. … had hoped to have learned much by this conference held by ſuch heads: But finding it otherwiſe,T…nominatim & notanter, Job. he grows to a Semper ego amditor tantum? Hearken to me another while, that God may hearken to you. Hearken I ſay, all of you: but thou, Job eſpecially; for with thee lyeth my main buſineſs.
I alſo will ſhew mine opinion] He ſaith not my judgement, (that might ſavour of arrogancy in ſo young a man) but mine opinion, or knowledge; I will offer my thoughts, judge you of them as you pleaſe. See verſe 6. Elihu was far from the ſpirit of Bacon the Carmelite, who would endure no gueſſing, or doubtings and was therefore called Doctor Reſolutiſſimus; as requiring that every one ſhould think as he thought: this was too Magiſterial.
Verſe 11. Behold, I wayted for your words] Whileſt you had any thing to ſay, I was ſilent, and no way troubleſome, or obſtreperous. This he ſpeaketh to Jobs friends, who had free liberty to ſpeak whiles they would, without interruption; and ſhould therefore now be content to hear (though perhaps what they would not) if God thereby might be glorified, and Job better convinced.
I gave care to your reaſons] Heb. To your underſtandings: Vſque. ad intelligentias voſtras, Vt cum dicitur, Redite uſque ad me, Joel. 2.to the utmoſt of your beſt arguments, and moſt elaborated demonſtrations; for the which you had eviſcerated your brains, and well nigh cracks your ſconces, but all to no purpoſe: ſith you hover in generals, and, declining that which was the main matter in queſtion, (like lapwings that cry fartheſt off from the neſt) you brought only ſuch reaſons as were not cogent, and uſed ſuch diſcourſes as did me coelum, nec terram attingere, never come at the buſineſs: which was no better then laborious loſſe of time.
Verſe 12. Yea, I attended unto you] Et uſque ad vos perpendebam; I throughly weighed your words, and rightly conſidered them, (as our Mr. Bradſhaw was wont to do at the Miniſters meetings, and was there-hence called the Weighing Divine) that you may not think I anſwer the matter before I underſtand it, as fools do to their ſhame, Prov 18.13.Sanctius in cap. 40. Ezek. in argum. or that I ſpeak evil of the things I know not, as thoſe in Peter, 2 Epiſt 2.12. daring to reprehend what I do not comprehend, as did that Popiſh Expoſitour who calleth Ezekiels deſcription of the Temple, Inſulſam deſcriptionem, an abſurd deſcription.
And behold there was none of you that convinced Job, or that anſwered his words] And yet they thought they had done both effectually: and that it was meerly his ſtubbornneſs, to ſtand out againſt them. Ready they were to give him up for uncounſelable; and to turn him over to God with a Non-convertetur, he is paſt our cure, we can do no good on him; none but God can put him out of his good conceit of himſelf, &c. Out of all this, a good Interpreter maketh theſe following Concluſions: 1. That we muſt diligently hear and weigh what things are ſpoken by others, before we proceed to cenſure them. 2. That we muſt not paſs a cenſure upon any one part of a ſpeech, but take it all together, ere we make judgement of it. 3. That when we have weighed every thing well and wiſely, we muſt not countenance any errour; but freely utter what we do truly and rightly think of it. 4. That we may think things ſufficiently refuted by the learned, which yet had need to be further inquired into. 5. That one younger man may ſee further ſometimes into a matter, then many others of longer ſtanding and experience. 6. That men may be eſteemed obſtinate, and opinionative, who are nothing leſs. 7. That multitude and antiquity are but ciphers in Divinity, &c.
Verſe 13. Loſt ye ſhould ſay, we have found out wiſdom] Or, See that ye ſay not, we need not ſearch out words; as verſe 11. For, we have found out wiſdom, rem acu pertigimus, We have hit the nail on the head, and ſaid ſufficient to convince him, if any reaſon would do it, whilſt we affirm that
God thruſteth him down (as it were with a thump on the back,) and not man] Who might do amiſſe, but ſo cannot God; who for as much as he fighteth againſt Job, toſſing him (as a Tennis ball, or as the wind doth a withered leafe) from one affliction to another, who can doubt but that he holdeth him a wicked man? This ſaith Elihu, is a very weak way of reaſoning; therefore never pleaſe your ſelves in it as convincing. Hoc argumentum tam facilè dilustur quam vulpes comeſt pyrum, as one merrily phraſed it. There is no judgement to be made of a perſon or cauſe by the good or evil ſucceſſe of things, ſith none out of hell, ever ſuffered more then Gods deareſt children: witneſſe that little Book of Martyrs, Hebr. 11. Neither have any ſped better here, then thoſe worſt of men, Turks, Papiſts, Perſecutors, &c.
Verſe 14. Now he hath not directed his ſpeech againſt me] And ſo I have no particular edge or grudge againſt him, he hath no reaſon to think that I come prejudicated or exaſperated. This Elihu ſpeaketh purpoſely, to get within Job; that he might the better perſwade with him. We muſt endeavour to preſerve in the party with whom we would prevaile, an opinion of our love and good affection to him; for elſe we ſhall loſe all our ſweet words, ſith man is a croſs and crabbed creature; duci vult, trahi non vult; lead him you may, drag him you muſt not.
Neither will I anſwer him with your ſpeeches] But with better: He ſhall have from me ſoft words and hard Arguments; I will come over him in a milder manner, and to better purpoſe; whilſt, moved merely by a zeal for Gods glory, I ſhall ſhew him his miſcarriages, not in mine own words, but in Gods. That's a true ſaying of learned Junius, Perſonatae reprehenſiones frigent; plerimumque intereſt ex animo omnia, ut conſcientia fert animuſque, facias; an de induſtria.
Verſe 15. They were amazed] As if they had ſeen Meduſa's head, or ſome ſuch terrible ſpectacle that had rendred them dumb. Talkative enough they have been, when there was no ſuch neceſſity; but now that they might ſpeak to ſome purpoſe, they ſtand like ſtocks, and are mute as fiſhes, whereby they bewray their ignorance and folly. Silence in ſome caſes is ſepes ſapientiae, as the Rabbins ſpeak,Pirke aboth. the fruit and fence of wiſdome, Amos 5.13. See the Note there. But withal there is a ſinful ſilence, which Luther wiſhed never to be found guilty of.Modò impii ſilentii non arguar. Luth. And it is the divel doubtleſſe that gaggeth people, when being called to ſpeak of, or for God, as theſe friends of Job were at this time, they anſwer no more,
They leave ſpeaking.] The deſert a good Cauſe, or betray it by a cowardly ſilence. It may be feared the ſpirit of faith is no indweller, where the door of the lips move not right, 2 Cor. 4.13. He ſpeaks thus of thoſe three ſeniors in a third perſon, by way of irony and contempt, turning his talk to the by-ſtanders, whereof its likely, there were many: or (as Tremellius thinketh) to Job, with whom he ſeeketh to ingratiate.
Verſe 16 When I had waited, for they ſpake not, but ſtood ſtill] Or, Seeing I have waited, but they have not ſpoken, &c. Nothing appears but a dumb ſhew, a deep ſilence, ſuch as Elihu much marvelled at, and therefore ſetteth it forth in many words, all to one purpoſe. See verſe 15.
Verſe 17. I ſaid, I will anſwer alſo my part] It is a vertue to be forward and forth putting in that which is good; and a vice to be ſhye and ſhame faced. A Chriſtian ſhould catch at opportunities of doing and receiving good, he ſhould be ready to every good work: as the buſie Bee, ſo ſoon as ever the Sun breaks forth, gets abroad to gather honey and wax.
I alſo will ſhew my opinion] Heb. My knowledg, as verſe 6. and ſo the Vulgar readeth it. Hereupon Gregory taking Elihu, (but not well) for an arrogant perſon, ſheweth, that ſuch love to vaunt themſelves, and out of oſtentation to ſet forth their good parts to publick view; and are therein like unto a veſſel without a cover, touching which the Law ſaith, that it ſhall be counted unclean. Thus He. But to utter a mans knowledge for the benefit of others, as good Elihu did, is not pride, but zeal, however the world cenſure it: And they have, doubtleſſe, an heavy account to make, who hide their talents; and having a great treaſure of rare abilities, will not be drawne to impart them; the canker of theſe mens great skill, ſhall be a ſwift witneſs againſt them. Vile latens virtus. —
Verſe 18. For I am full of matter] Heb. Of words; ſuch as are weighty and ſtuffy, ſteep'd in mine underſtanding (as Plutark ſaith Phocions words were) and very well digeſted. I am foreign, in very good caſe to ſpeak; as full of ſolid Arguments as the Moon is of light. Whether Elihu ſpeaketh this arrogantly and from the fleſh, or from the Spirit, I determine not, ſaith Brentius here. But ſure it is, that ſuch words as theſe, howſoever they may ſeem arrogant and carnal, Poſſunt tamen eſſe ſpiritualiſſima, yet they may be very ſpiritual, as Jer. 4. and 20. And as ſure it is, that we ſhould be in company like full clouds or paps, that pain themſelves with fulneſs, till eaſed of their milk.
The Spirit within me conſtraineth me] Heb. The ſpirit of my belly; that is, Gods Holy Spirit inhabiting mine heart, and exciting me to ſo good a work: The love of Chriſt conſtraineth us, 2 Cor. 5.14. It hath not only an impulſive, but a compulſive faculty.Sicu… flatus in ventre concluſus magno impetu exitum quaerit: ſic zelus mentis quaerit exitum per ſermonem. Piſc. Rumperer medius, ſi non erumperet ſermo intra me conceptus, as Brentius here paraphraſeth; I ſhould even burſt, if I did not vent my conceptions, which (like a child in the womb at full time, or as wind in the bowels) want room, and preſſe to come out, Pſal. 39.3. Jer. 20.9.
Verſe 19. Behold my belly is as wine which hath no vent] By this elegant ſimilitude, Elihu illuſtrateth what he had ſaid before; wherein (as Merlin well obſerveth) he compareth words ſhut up in the mind of him, that would faine utter them, to new wine, not yet throughly purged, the ſoul to bottles, ſilence to the ſtopple, which keeps in the wine, grief hereupon to the breaking of thoſe bottles, ſpeech to the opening of them, by taking away the ſtopple of ſilence. And although in this Diſcourſe, Elihu may ſeem to lay on more words then the matter requireth, yet he doth not: for he ſaith no more then the Pſalmiſt doth, Pſal. 45.1. and Jeremiah, chap. 6.11. and the Apoſtles. Act. 4.20. We cannot but ſpeak, &c. And whereas Gregory ſaith, that all this came from pride in Elihu, Chryſoſtom praiſeth him rather (and therein he is in the right) for his zeal, which will have a vent, or the heart will cleave; as the waters undermine, when they cannot overflow. As for that which is urged againſt Elihu, that God ſaith of him, as of a Reprobate and one whom he knew not, Who is this that darkneth counſel by words without knowledg? ch. 38.2. It is plain that God ſpeaketh there, not of Elihu, but of Job. and ſo Job underſtood and applyed it, chap. 42.2. And that God ſpeaketh not of Jobs ſacrificing for him, as for the other three, makes more for his praiſe then elſe; and ſhewes, that he had ſpoken of God the thing that was right, which they had not done, chap. 42.7.
Verſe 20. I will ſpeak that I may be refreſhed] Heb. That I may breath; This many Martyrs did; though to the loſſe of their precious lives: as thoſe that came to the Tribunals, and cryed out; Chriſtiani ſumus, We are Chriſtians, hang us, burn us, ſtone us, &c. Modo Jeſum noſtrum nanciſcamur, ſo that we may get our Jeſus. And when they were told that they were put to death, Non pro fide, ſed pro obſtinatione; not for their Religion, but for their obſtinacy; Tertullian anſwered, Pro hac obſtinatione fidei morimur; For this Religious obſtinacy we gladly dye. As for thoſe that made not a good confeſſion, but either denied or diſſembled their Religion, for politick reſpects, what a deal of unreſt found they in their conſciences, till they had better declared themſelves, or revoked their recantations; as Bilney, Bainhum, Benbridg, Abbes, Sharp, beſides Origen, and all thoſe of old? Let a man ſpeak boldly and freely in a good Cauſe when called to it, and he ſhall be refreſhed: for as every flower hath its ſweet ſmell, ſo hath every good word and work its comfort.
I will open my lips and anſwer] Viz. Freely and fully, as Eph. 6.19. with great a lacrity of ſpirit and vehemency of ſpeech. Some kind of anſwer a man may make, though he open not his lips: as he did, who being asked what mans life was? preſently turned his back, and went his way. Theadoret alſo upon Matth. 5.2. obſerveth that our Saviour taught ſometimes, when yet he opened not his mouth; viz. by holy life, and wondrous works.
Verſe 21. Let me not, I pray you, accept any mans perſon] q.d. This leave you muſt give me, or at leaſt wiſe I muſt take it, ſith my life lyeth upon it to be impartial and plain-dealing, laying the blame where it lights, and ſparing the paines of pleaſing and Paraſitical Poems of oratorical, and rhetorical inſinuations. Nihil loquar ad gratiam, &c. I ſhall know no man after the fleſh in this buſineſſe, nor look on any face. If Job found this fault with his other three friends, chap. 13.7. he ſhall have no cauſe ſo to do with me: but as a right Moderatour, I will hear Arguments ſpeak, and not perſons; I will ſhut out my friend, or my ſeniour, and ſpeak the truth in love. Diem hominis non deſideravi, ſaith Jeremy, chap. 17. And if I yet pleaſe men, I am no more the ſervant of Chriſt, Gal. 1.10. See the Note there.
Neither let me give flattering Titles] Praenomen aut cognomen, thoſe that ſeeme to be ſomewhat, whatſoever they be, it ſhall make no matter to me; God accepteth no mans perſon, Gal. 2.6. I ſhall call a ſpade, a ſpade, tell every one their owne without circumlocution, and not ſooth or ſmooth up any man (though never ſo great) in his ſinful practices. Semper Auguſtus, In v…a Alp…onis a Title ſtill given to the Germane Emperours: But Sigiſmund, once Emperour (when a fellow flattered him above meaſure, and extolled him to the Skies) gave the Flatterer a good box on the eare, and when he asked, Why ſwi… you me? He anſwered, Why claweſt thou me?
Verſe 22. For I know not to give, &c.] I have as little Art in it ('tis out of my road) as heart to it: For,
In ſo doing my Maker ſhould take me away] i.e. Kill me and ſend me packing to Hell. He would ſoon ſnatch me away: he would burn me, as ſome render it; ſo dangerous is the ſinne of flattery. A Preacher called Conſtantine the Great,Euſeb. de vita Conſt. l. 4. c. 4. Bleſſed to his face, but he went away with a check. What will God ſay to ſuch, think we?