Job Expounded, Commentary on Job · Chapter 36
THE SVMME AND ORDER of the xxxvi. Chapter.
ELihu continuing on his speech, and againe vsing a graue preface, in the first three verses setteth foorth Gods iustice, first of all as touching godly and vpright men, partly in defending them against the iniuries of the wicked, and powring out his blessings vponupon them, vers. 5.6.7. partly also, if happily they hauehave gone awry, in recalling them by his fatherly chastisements and corrections, into the right way, except herein they be a let and hinderance to themselues: then secondly, he sheweth Gods iustice in destroying the wicked, which doe not suffer them selues to be made better by his corrections, and this he doeth vntounto the ende of the 15. verse. which thinges indeede are verie truelie and wiselie discussed: howbeit Job was not nowe to learne them, neither had he needed to hauehave bene put in minde thereof, vnlesse the greatnesse of his griefe had caryed him some times, as it were, beyonde him selfe. For he hath no lesse grauely handled these points, yea, he hath more fullie and substantiallie reasoned of Gods iustice and prouidence, as in diuers other places, so especially in the 27. Chapter. Neither doubtlesse is there any man, vnlesse he be a plaine Epicure, which wil not confesse the same, which Elihu goeth about here to perswade Iob. Therefore the question was not properly touching this matter, which none would hauehave denyed, but whether all affliction which happeneth to man, and especiallie being so grievous and so sudden as this was, doeth at all times proceede from Gods wrath and displeasure conceiued against him, by this meanes either to bring the godly to repentance, when through their infirmitie they are fallen, or vtterly to destroy the wicked. And this doeth Elihu also avouch, and he doubteth not to accompt Iob in the number of the wicked and blasphemours, with whome God is displeased. But herein he differeth from Iobs former accusers, because they falsely surmised that God was thus angrie with Job for his life passed, but Elihu thought rather that God was offended with him for his speeches, being open and manifest blasphemies, vers. 16.17.18. and 16. Neuerthelesse, we hauehave before shewed that those sayings of Iob were otherwise to be vnderstoode, or at the least to be quallified and taken in the better parte: which thing God truely appearing and speaking out of the storme, according to his exceeding bountie and moderation, did him selfe afterwardes perfourme. which vnlesse it had come to passe, Job happily by this reproofe of Elihu, woulde hauehave become farre more vnpatient then he was before, and at length hauehave runne headlong into the same downefall, from which neuerthelesse Elihu sought by all meanes to deliuer him. Therefore needes must we confesse, that Satan had none, (no, not Elihu truely being excepted) who did more helpe forwarde his purpose, in bringing Iob to despaire and open blasphemie, then those, who least of all intended any such matter, but rather the quite contrarie: such is the craft and subtiltie of this our enemie. Those thinges which followe in Elihu his speech, doe declare howe wonderfully God alwayes provideth for his children: so that this treatise, from the twentieth verse to the ende of the 37. Chapter, is as it were, a gentle lenitiue of that sharpe rebuke, which otherwise was likely to driue Job beside all patience. Moreouer it serueth verie fitly against those immoderate complaintes of Iob, which caused him to vtter many rash and vnaduised speeches, in so much that Iob coulde not choose but acknowledge, that he had alreadie gone too farre in seeking out the reason, why God shoulde in this sorte deale with him: whereas he ought, as he had begunne, rather to hauehave rested contented with that, which Gods will and pleasure was to worke vponupon him, then thus narrowly to hauehave searched out the secrets of Gods wisedome, which is alwayes accompanied with his iustice, and which he him selfe had before confessed, thorowout the eyght and twentie Chapter, to be farre aboue the reach and capacitie of man. Nowe this I dare saye, that there is not extant any Poeme either of the Greekes or Latines, which may be compared with this stately eloquence in describing those naturall effectes, which are caused in the aire, and for the same cause are of the Philosophers called meteors, or aërie impressions, as namely, cloudes, raine, haile, snowe, thunder, lightning, and such like, whereof Elihu discourseth verie grauelie and learnedly, as you shall heare in this and in the next Chapter.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
1 BVt Elihu proceeded and saide.
2 Stay for me a litle, and J will shewe thee, that I hauehave yet to speake on Gods behalfe.
3 (But) I will fetch my knowledge afarre off, and will attribute righteousnesse vntounto my maker.
4 For surely my wordes are no vntrueth, thou hast with thee one, that is syncerely affected.
1. and 2 Nowe when Iob seemed to put foorth himselfe to make answere to those thinges, which Elihu had hitherto spoken, Elihu neuerthelesse holding on his talke, I pray thee, saith he, forbeare and suffer me a while, for I hauehave yet many thinges to speake in the defence of Gods iustice. 3 My argument shall be drawen from those thinges which are not neere at hande, but farre fetched, and by great distaunce remooved from vsus, by which the praise of iustice which is due to God our maker, may be ascribed and giuen vntounto him. 4 And hereof I would hauehave thee be assured, that I wil not vtter any thing, but that which is most certenly & vndoubtedly true, & that here he is in thy presence, who as he thinketh not that which he thinketh without good reason, so wil he in like māner lay open his whole mind vntounto thee faithfully & sincerely, without al faining or dissimulatiō.
5 Behold, God (is) mightie, and yet being mightie and valiant of courage, he doeth not despise (men.)
6 He giueth not life to the wicked, but he giueth iudgement to the afflicted.
7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous, but (they are) with Kings in the throne, where he placeth them for euer, and they are exalted.
5 And not to vse many circumstances, loe, this in briefe is that which I would hauehave thee vnderstād. True it is that God is a most mighty God, but yet he is no lesse gentle and gratious, then strong and couragious, forasmuch as he doeth not despise men. 6 He is also most iust, in that he fauoureth not the enterprises of the wicked, but doeth right and iustice to such as are afflicted. 7 His eyes doe alwayes watch ouer the righteous, he exalteth them, & setteth them with kings in the throne of maiestie, neither doeth he cast them downe & take this honour from them, vnlesse by some great and vrgent cause he be mooued thereunto.
8 But if they be bounde in fetters, and taken in the cordes of (some) affliction,
9 Then doeth he tell them of their doings, & that their transgressions are waxed strong.
10 And he openeth their eare to discipline, and saith (vntounto them) that they returne from iniquitie.
11 If they doe heare and obey him, they shall ende their dayes in good, (that is, in prosperitie) and their yeeres in pleasure.
12 But if they will not obey, they shall passe by the sworde, and shall die without knowledge.
8 But if it so happen, that affliction lay holde on the righteous, wandring, as they are men, out of the right way, & that they are therewithall hampered, as it were, with a paire of fetters: 9 yet notwithstanding God is so farre from reiecting them for this cause, that contrariwise he doeth euen then open the eyes of their mind, to the ende they may most earnestly consider with them selues, what they hauehave committed, as also learne howe farre they hauehave gone astray. 10 Euen then, I saye, he pulleth them by the eare, and warneth them to amende their life, and speedily to turne backe from their iniquities. 11 Who if they shew them selues obedyent vntounto God, and listen to his warnings, they shall passe the rest of their life in aboundance of all good thinges, and shall ende their dayes with ioye. 12 But if they shewe them selues stubburne and disobedient, they are straightway deliuered vp to the sworde to be slaine, and because they refused to knowe GOD, speaking vntounto them, therefore shall a miserable destruction come vponupon them.
13 The impure in heart heape vp wrath, neither doe they cry (to God) when he bindeth them.
14 Their soule shall perish among the boyes, their life (I say) among the buggerers.
15 (But) he deliuereth the needie in his povertie, and openeth their eare to trouble.
13 But as touching those, who not of humane frailtie do offend, but are with a mischieuous minde, and with most impure affections of the heart, caried vntounto all kinde of wickednesse: by how much the more such men defile and disteine them selues with sinne, by so much the more doe they cause the heauie wrath of God to fall vponupon them, so that they shal not so much as hauehave the grace to cal and flie vntounto God, when they are in trouble. 14 Therefore, as accursed before God, they die, and are reckoned among those most impure young men, whose youth beeing spent in all filthinesse and vncleanesse, was subiect to that most abhominable lust, which is not to be named. 15 But contrariwise, God doth deliuer the needie euen in their distresse, forasmuch as in the very time of their trouble, he doth by nipping and twitching them, as it were, by the eare, put them in minde of their duetie.
16 And certenlie he had remooued thee out of the mouth of the straights (into) a broad place, wherein are no streights, and the rest of thy table (that is, those things which are placed and set on thy table) had beene) full of fatte (that is, full of delicates.)
17 But (thou) art full of the iudgement of the wicked, & (therefore) iustice and iudgement doe continue.
18 Surelie (it is) wrath: (take heede) least with strokes it take thee away: neither shall the greatnes of the price of redemption help the to decline (that is, to escape.)
19 (For) will he regard thy riches? not gold, nor all the strength of power.
16 And trulie, Iob, it is out of al questiō, that if thou haddest gone this way to worke, God would hauehave pulled thee out of the iawes of these streights, and long ago hauehave led thee forth into a most leuell and plaine ground: yea, he would hauehave restored thee again to all thy wealth, making thy life to abound in all good delights and pleasures. 17 But thou hast taken a quite contrary course, thou hast so behaued thy selfe in reasoning with God, that it is too manifest, how guiltie and worthie thou art of that iudgement, which God is wont to laie vppon heynous offendours. And hereof it commeth to passe, as thou thy selfe seest, that that iudgement which hee most iustlie hath giuen vponupon thee, doeth still stand and remaine immooueable. 18 Certenlie the wrath of God, doth in this thy calamitie most manifestlie shew it selfe. Beware least he double his strookes, and beat the to peeces for thy disobedience and stubburnnesse: neither let any raunsome for thy deliuerie, be it neuer so great, put thee tn any comfort or hope of escaping. 19 For will hee, think you, make any account at all, or once so much as looke at the greatnes of thy wealth? No verilie, there is no place here left, no not for the finest gold that can be gotten, neither is any power or strength, how mightie soeuer it be, able to staie and appease his anger.
20 Neither let it disquiet thee in the night, how people are destroied out of their place.
I heard thee, Iob, reason very grauelie concerning the vnsearchable wisedome of God, in the gouernment of the whol world, and especiallie in all those things which happen vntounto mankinde. Which if it be so, why hast thou not rather without any more adoe, rested thy selfe vponupon Gods prouidence and hidden wisedome, then thus with a troubled and disquieted minde lamented thine owne case, and depriued thy selfe of sleepe in the night season, while thou busiest thy head in searching out the cause, of this thy so sudden misfortune? For God, so often as it pleaseth him, destroyeth euen whole countries, people, and nations, in so much that, whereas euen now they seemed to be in happie and flourishing estate, by and by they are cut downe, and come to nothing.
21 Beware that thou turne not thy selfe vntounto vanitie: for thou hast chosen this rather then affliction.
Beware, I say, that thou doe not wilfullie cast thy selfe into this vaine and troublesome cogitation, wherein, I know not vponupon what froward and sinister iudgement, thou hast rather chosen to torment thy selfe, then to continue constant & patient, as thou hadst begunne, in bearing this thy calamitie & affliction.
22 Behold God in his strength is aboue all: is there any teacher like to him?
For loe, God in strength farre surmounteth all thinges whatsoeuer: and in knowledge, who may be compared with him?
23 Who hath appointed to him his way? and who shall say vntounto him, (This or that) hast thou done wickedlie?
Who, I pray thee, hath giuen him in charge to doe this or that? and who is he, that will stand vp and accuse him of any one thing, which he hath done amisse?
24 Remember that thou magnifie his works, which men behold:
25 And which all men see, (which) men (I say) beholde a farre off.
24 Now then, to what purpose doest thou thus torment and spend thy selfe in searching out the secrets of the almightie? Farre better were it for thee, to consider the visible workes of God, how excellent, how wonderfull, how profitable they are, that therein thou maiest acknowledge and set forth the great power and goodnes of the Creator. 25 Forasmuch as these lie open to eueryevery mans view: we can no sooner open our eyes, but we must needes behold them, neyther are they hidden from men, though otherwise, they be verie farre distant from them.
26 Behold God (is) great, neither doe we know him: neither can the number of his yeares be searched out.
Now hauing, according to that small abilitie which is in vsus, attained to the knowledge of those things, which he hath either spoken or done, behold we must, euen eueryevery one of vsus confesse, that his power and greatnes is infinite, and that in respect thereof, he cannot be contained within the narrow compasse of mans vnderstanding: and forasmuch as he is eternall, it is not possible by any arithmeticke to count the number of his yeeres.
27 For he extenuateth the drops of water, which poureth forth raine according to the vapour thereof,
28 Which the clowdes doe drop, and send downe aboundantly vponupon men.
27 For he it is (that I may beginne with those things which fall out dailie,) who by little and little deuideth the drops of water, so that the raine beeing thus dissolued, poureth dovvne vponupon the earth according to the proportion and greatnes of the vapoure, vvhereof is it made. 28 The clouds send it forth by drops & it faleth together from them in great abundance vponupon men.
29 Moreouer can (any man) know the spreadings of the clowdes: and the noise of his tabernacle.
30 Behold, he spreadeth his light vponupon them, (that is, vponupon his clowdes) and couereth the rootes of the sea.
31 For hereby he (both) taketh vengeance of the people, & also giueth foode aboundantlie.
32 Jn the palmes of his handes he hideth light, and giueth it a commaundement, as touching that vvhichwhich it meeteth vvith all.
33 The tumult thereof sheweth this: emulation (and) anger against that which riseth vpward.
29 Moreouer is there any one, who knoweth the lightnings, which are cast abroad hither and thither out of the cloudes: or those sounding and ratling thunders, which come forth of his tabernacle? 30 For, loe, he shineth vponupon the cloudes aboue, with his light and brightnesse, and with the same cloudes he ouershadoweth and couereth the outmost parts of the sea beneath. 31 And these are the things, by which God iustlie plagueth and punisheth some people, and blesseth others by giuing them the fruits of the earth in great aboundance, for their bodilie sustenance. 32 Hee also holdeth within the palmes of his handes, as it were, the raines, by which he ruleth that glistering lightning, and giueth charge, where and how it shall encounter with another cloude, which commeth violentlie against it. 33 Of this thing may be a sufficient witnesse, the great noise and ratling which is forthwith heard, while, as it were, vvith a certein emulation and anger, the one cloud striueth against the other for the masterie, that vvhichwhich is lovver, seeking to ascend and goe vpvvarde, and that vvhichwhich is higher, hindering the passage and repulsing the same vvith great force and violence.