Job Expounded, Commentary on Job · Chapter 23
¶ THE SVMME AND ORDER of the xxi. Chapter.
VErtue beeing commended doth increase, saith one: but I would rather feare, least happilie it might be turned into arrogancie and pride, out of which snare of Satan verie few hauehave safely escaped. But on the contrarie side, the same is with the false accusations of slaunderous and detracting tongues sharpened, as it were, with a whetstone, hereby gathering strength and courage, and making its power and efficacie to shine more and more, as appeareth by these last answers of Job: which doubtlesse, in such extreme miserie is a thing most rare, and admirable. In this Chapter therefore Iob taking in hand to refute those things, which Eliphaz had vttered far wide from the true meaning of that question, which was then in controuersie; in the second verse hauing shortlie, and in a word expressed the greatnes of his miserie, in the tenne next verses following, he doth againe appeale vntounto the tribunall seat of God himselfe, against those false and vniust accusations of his friends: trusting both in Gods iustice and in the vndoubted testimonie of his owne conscience. For as touching God, whose decrees and counsels alwaies stand and agree with his eternall truth and iustice, howsoeuer man is not able to comprehend the reason and equitie thereof, he witnesseth of him selfe, that he taketh in good part whatsoeuer it pleaseth God to laie vponupon him, and that he will rest and staie him selfe in his heauenly will and pleasure, yea, though he proceed to deale with him as he had begun. And yet that he can not otherwise choose, but be verie much troubled and disquieted in minde, by reason of this his vnhappie estate; yea and that he doth especiallie marvell, how it commeth to passe, that amidst so extreame and intollerable miseries, he is able to continue and protract his life. And here againe this is greatlie to bee marueiled at, that that thing was extraordinarilie graunted vntounto Job, which, howsoeuer he did greatlie affect and desire, yet durst neyther hope nor aske for: namely, that he at the length should behold the Lorde, and that his accusers should be cast, and iudgement passe against their cause, before the tribunall seate of God, the creatour of heauen and earth.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Vers. 1. But Iob answerrd and said,
2 Verelie, euen this daie my wordes (are) vexation: (for) my plague is greater then my groning.
1. & 2. BVt Iob answering to these things, Thou art deceiued Eliphaz, saith he, if thou thinkest that these wordes of thine can make me holde my peace: nay hereby thou rather doest enforce me to shew how greatlie my mind is troubled and distracted: as also to renew those my wonted complaintes, which can not anie way be answerable to the greatnes and grieuousnes of my miserie.
3 Would to God I might knowe, and so find him: for I would go euen vntounto his seate.
4 I would laie open (my) cause before him, & fill my mouth with reprehensions.
5 J would know what thinges he would answer me, nnd would vnderstand what he would say vntounto me.
6 Would he contend with me in mightines of strength? No, but he would put (strength) in me.
7 There, being righteous, I would reason with him, and I shold for euer be deliuered from him that iudgeth me.
3 I perceiue it liketh thee not, that I hauehave made my appeale to God him selfe against you, and I pray you, what should hinder me from so doing. yea I would to God, as the vse is among mortall men, that I knew where and in what place he would be spoken withall. 4. For I would not stick to approche to his iudgment seat, there to plead my cause not against him (as being the supreame iudge and not either plaintiue or defendant) but against your false and wrongful accusations, which vndoubtedly I would disproue and confute by many forcible and strong arguments. 5 I vvould gladly heare what aunswere he would returne me being thus instant vponupon him against you, yea I would vnderstand, what verdit he would giuegive concerning my right and cause 6. For doubtles he would not vse that his mightie and inuincible force and power, wherein he excelleth al other, to oppresse me, but rather to strengthen and vphold me. 7. And there at the lēgth I should hauehave free libertie to maintain my right, beeing altogether guiltles and innocent before the moste righteous iudge, and these your peremptorie iudgements, which at your pleasure you giuegive forth against me, being disanulled and made void, I should at the length be freed from these your iniurious and spiteful accusations.
8 Behold I will goe forward and he will not be there: and backeward, yet shall I not perceiue him (there.)
9 If he abide at the left hand, I shal not see him: he wil hide himselfe at the right hand and I shall not behold (him.)
10 Doubtlesse he knoweth my waie, and if he will trie me, J shall come foorth like the gold.
11 My foot hath followed his steppes: his way hauehave I kept and hauehave not declined (from it.)
12 I hauehave not refused to do the commandement of his lips, I hauehave laide vp his words more carefully, then those things which I needed.
8 But I confesse indeed, that there is an infinite difference between this iudgement seate, which I so greatlie desire, and the courts of worldlie and earthly iudges. For whether I go directlie forwarde, or turne my footesteppes backward, all commeth to one end: I can not find him, he appeareth not, no where can I behold him. 9 Suppose that he is present at the left hand, yet is he not to be seene of me: be it, that he standeth at the right hand, yet can I not fasten mine eies vponupon him; and it is all one to me, as if he should hide himselfe in some secret place. 10 But what then? shal I therefore let fall my sute, and leaue off this mine appellation; In no wise will I so doe. For there is no such necessitie, that hee should exhibit himselfe in any personall and visible presence, or that I should declare or laie open my case before him, to the end hee may the better vnderstand the rightnes of my cause: but he knoweth best how I hauehave walked; hee is thoroughlie acquainted with the whole course of my life, and I am fully assured, that hee will not rashlie and vnaduisedlie condemne me, as ye doe, but after due examination and triall made, both of me and of my cause, my sentence definitiue shall bee pronounced, in so much, that I shall departe from the barre, where he is supervisor and iudge, more pure then the golde which hath bin tried in the fire. 11. For I hauehave foote by foot trode in his steppes. and that so carefully, that I hauehave not once turned out of the way, which hee hath commaunded. 12 To conclude, I hauehave taken so great delight in those ordinances, which our forefathers receiuing from his mouth, hauehave deliuered vntounto vsus, that laying them vp in the treasure house of mine heart, I hauehave preferred them before whatsoeuer was requisite and necessary for the maintenance and preseruation of this present life.
13 And (if) he (be) in one (mind) who shall turne him? For he (what) his mind desireth, that doth he.
14 Doubtlesse he will performe my decree (that is, that which he hath decreed of me) and manie such things are with him.
13 And if so be that by his eternall and immutable decree, he meane still to proceed thus against me, who is hee that can change his minde, and withdrawe him from this his purpose and determination? For that which he is once resolued to doe, that which he hath ordained and decreed, the same he doeth without contradiction, and nothing can hinder him from bringing it to passe. 14 Nowe surelie let him accomplish whatsoeuer he hath decreed of mee, I shall not be against it. For hee is accustomed to doe manie such things, the certen reason whereof is onelyonly knowne to himselfe, and altogether hidden from vsus.
15 Therefore at the sight of him J stand amased, and when J consider this, I am afraid of him.
16 And verely God hath melted mine heart, and the almightie hath strooke me with feare.
17 Because J hauehave not beene cut downe before this present darkenesse, and (because) hee hath hid the darkenesse from my face.
15 And this is it, which doth trouble and amase mee greatly, so often as I looke vponupon him, and likewise consider with my selfe, both the greatnes and also the long continuance of my miseries.
16 For my hart faileth mee, I am astonished and euen at my wits end, beeing ignorant altogether, what issue those my troubles and afflictions should hauehave, and what time the almightie hath limited for the ending of all my miseries. 17 And hereat I maruell not a little, how it shoulde come to passe, that in this moste wretched and miserable estate, I should endure and protract my life thus long: and why in these so extreame torments of bodie and minde, he doeth not suffer me to be couered with the shadow of death.