punishment for as where guilt is punishment followeth so a fault is conceived to goe before There are these three things in sin the fault the guilt and the blot or pollution of it he that fastneth guilt by condemnation fastneth the fault and blot much more how sad is it then to be deservedly under condemnation And how great is the priviledge of beleevers to whom though in themselves they deserve it there is no condemnation Rom 8.1 They who in this life are past condemnation are also passed from death to life Many are condemned who are good in the sight of God but all condemnation makes a man evill yea wicked in the sight of the world And â—â—â—ause every sentence of condemnation renders a man wicked in the eyes of worldly men therefore righteous Magistrates will not condemne hastily They will not judge as Christ did not Isa 11.3 after the sight of their eyes nor reprove after the heâ—â—â—â— of their eares To judge by the sight of the eye is to Judge according to the first appearance of things before inquisition hath been made and to reprove by the hearing of the eare is to reprove accoâ—ding to the first report which is made without examination We must not judge thus because we must judge in righteousnesse which cannot be if we judge thus How deliberate how tender should we be in condemning any man seeing condemnation doth not only impose a punishment upon but suppose a crime a wickednesse a fault in him It is grievous enough to beare punishment but to beare the burden of a crime or fault is in reality much more grievous But seeing Elihu declares his anger against Jobs three friends because they condemned Job and had found no answer Some will say did not Elihu condemne Job so too No he condemned him indeed but he first found an answer Againe Elihu condemned Job but not as his friends condemned him his friends condemned him as to his state judging him unsound at heart But Elihu condemned him only as to this or that particular act or speech He condemned him First because he spake so largely in the justification of himselfe Chap 33.8 9 10 11. Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing and I have heard the voice of thy words saying I am clean without transgression I am innocent neither is there iniquity in me And Chap. 34.5 6. For Job hath said I am righteous and God hath taken away my judgement should I lye against my right my wound is incurable without transgression Secondly he condemned him for complying with the wicked not that he thought Job acted like them but because being a godly man he in his sufferings spake sometimes and behaved himselfe like them Chap. 34.8 Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity and walketh with wicked men Further he charged him with stubbornnesse against God Chap. 34.37 For he addeth rebellion unto his sin and which sounds strangely with an easinesse towards evill men Chap 36.17 Thou hast fulfilled the judgement of the wicked judgement and justice take hold on thee Thus Elihu condemned Job many wayes but he condemned him not without finding an answer Yea I may say Elihu is he who in this great controversie and difficulty hath found an answer and yet hath not condemned Job that is he hath not condemned him as his three friends had condemned him He condemned not Job as one perverse and crooked in his wayes he condemned him not as one that feared not God and eschewed not evill He condemned him not as an hypocrite rotten at heart and unsound in his estate Thus Elihu found an answer for Job but condemned him not no not while his wrath was kindled against him because he justified himselfe rather then God And the processe of this booke will shew that though Elihu in the sence spoken of condemned not Job yet he found an unanswerable answer such an answer as to which Job neither could nor would make any reply and that is the speciall businesse we have to looke at in prosecuting his discourse even to finde out the answer which he found for that will be as the key of the worke to open the whole matter to us and to shew us wherein Job had either fayled or exceeded either in bearing the crosses layd upon him by God or in managing this controversie with his friends JOB Chap. 32. Vers 4 5 6 7. Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken because they were elder then he When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men then his wrath was kindled And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said I am young and ye are very old wherefore I was afraid and durst not shew you mine opinion I said Dayes should speak and multitude of yeares should teach wisdome THis context assignes the reason First why Elihu forbare so long to speake namely because he was young that reason you have in the 4th verse as also in the 6th and 7th Secondly why he began at last to speake namely because his elders those grave ancient men would or could speake no more This he layes downe in the 5th verse When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men then c. Vers 4. Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken The Hebrew is He expected Job in words Job was long in words or he spake long in many words and all that while Elihu waited he kept silent but when Job had spoken out and Elihu had stayd some time after to see whether either himselfe or his friends would speak againe then he began Mr. Broughton translates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pationtem expectationem sonat qua duramus in malis nos rebus melioribus servantes Bold yet Elihu waited to speak with Job The word notes the most patient expectation a waiting with much long-sufferance a waiting also in much confidence as reserving our selves till better times or for a more favourable dispensation So the word is used Dan. 12.12 Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty dayes that is Blessed is he that waiteth out those dayes of the Prophecy there specified he hath a stretched out patience that waiteth to the very last day and to the last of that day The word is used againe Habak 2.3 If the vision that is the mercy or deliverance revealed and promised tarry waite for it that is if it tarry beyond the time supposed by man it never tarries beyond the time appointed by God waite patiently for it that is for the accomplishment of it yea the word implyeth a waiting as it were with open mouth or gaping to receive that good which is assured by prophecy or in the promise Such an expectation is here ascribed to Elihu he waited for the issue of that great and long debate between Job and his three friends or he gaped for such a solid answer as might satisfie him and
AN EXPOSITION WITH Practicall Observations CONTINUED UPON The Thirty Second the Thirty Third and the Thirty Fourth Chapters of the Booke of JOB BEING The Substance of Forty-nine Lectures delivered at Magnus neare the Bridge LONDON By JOSEPH CARYL Preacher of the Gospel and Pastour of the Congregation there Pro 18.17 He that is first in his owne cause seemeth just but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him LONDON Printed for M. Simmons and are to be sold by Thomas Parkhurst at his Shop at the three Crownes against the great Conduit at the lower end of Cheap-side 1661. TO THE CHRSTIAN READER TO Those especially of this CITIE who yet continue helpfull towards this WORKE SIRS YE have had according to my poore measure the whole disputation between Job and his three friends Eliphaz Bildad and Zophar explicated in nine parts already published I now through the blessing and good hand of God with me present you with the Tenth which indeed without any designe or pre-intent of mine proves like the Tenth wave from the vast ocean of this holy Booke somewhat bigger and fuller I cannot say and 't is my reproofe having been so long conversant in this booke that I cannot say stronger and better i. e. more spirituall which alone is the strength of Scripture writings then the former but such as it is that it is such as it is I own and humbly acknowledge the goodness of God in using me to doe it such as it is I say I freely tender it to your favourable acceptance dedicate it to the glory of God the common good knowing that it is both my duty and Interest to shew the small improvement though but of one single talent rather then either through sloath or slavish modesty to hide it in a Napkin In the prefatory Epistle to the second part of this book there was an endeavour of a discovery concerning the distinct opinion of Jobs three friends as also of what himselfe held fast and insisted upon all along in distinction from theirs And now that I have done with all that was said on both sides by the disputants and am come to open the discourse of Elihu who appeared as Moderator to give a determination about the Great Question so long ventitated among them it may seeme somewhat necessary and I am much perswaded if in any competency attained it will not be unprofitable to give The Reader a briefe prospect of what Elihu aymeth at and doth in this his large and accurate discourse continued in sixe Chapters throughout and divided into besides his Generall preface which takes up the whole thirty second Chapter foure remarkeable sections Elihu is introduced by the pen-man of this booke in a great passion both with Job and his three friends and he gives us an account why he was in such a heate of passion with both chap 32.2 3. Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu against Job was his wrath kindled because he had justified himselfe rather then God Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled because they had found no answer and yet had condemned Job It remaines therefore that Elihu was the man who found an answer in this great difficulty and yet condemned not Job And indeed he condemned him not as his friends had done as a man imperfect crooked in his wayes as a man that feared not God eschewed not evill In or for these things Elihu did not condemne Job though his wrath was kindled against him he condemned him only for this because he complained so much of the severity of Gods dealings with him and so by consequence justified himselfe rather then God And in that poynt or for that fault he spared him not but reproved him as sharply and condemned him as deeply as his friends had done upon other and those most of them undue and insufficient grounds Thus we read his censure of him chap 34.35 Job hath spoken without knowledge and his words were without wisdome And againe chap 35.16 Therefore Job openeth his mouth in vaine he multiplyeth words without knowledge that is without a cleare knowledge of himselfe both as a creature and as a sinner as also of the designe and purpose of God in afflicting him Now besides those passages in the discourse of Elihu wherein he chargeth Jobs three friends with folly for condemning Job when they could not answer him those wherein he reproves Jobs ignorance or want of knowledge for wondring how such great evills should fall upon him notwithstanding his integrity likewise his boldness or penemptoriness in his own cause justifying himselfe rather then God yea and desiring to plead his cause before him I say besides these passages we at first reading might conclude that Elihu did nothing else throughout these six chapters but enlarge or paraphrase upon those things which had long before been spoken to by Eliphaz Bildad and Zophar and by Job himselfe as much as by any of if not beyond all them three But upon further consideration of the matter in the whole series and contexture of his discourse we may collect two things instanced in and insisted on by Elihu alone upon which his particular opinion and sentence is grounded in distinction from all the rest The cleare understanding of which will lead us to a faire solution or removall of those doubts which arise about the question or matter in debate The two distinct poynts produced by Elihu are First about Revelation or how God is pleased to manifest his mind and will to man Secondly about Mediation or the meanes which God hath graciously afforded man to heale those breaches which sin hath made between God and him and so either firstly or afresh to reconcile man againe to himselfe The Former of these is handled chap 33. v. 14 15 16 17. For God speaketh once yea twice though man perceiveth it not In a dream in a vision of the night when deepe sleepe falleth upon men Then he openeth the eares of men and sealeth their instruction that he may withdraw man from his purpose and hide pride from man And thus as it is said in the verse following He keepeth back his soule from the pit and his life from perishing by the sword that is these speakings of God are by the saving power and Spirit of God made effectuall for his salvation both temporall and eternal The latter is handled in the same chapter beginning at the 23d verse to the end of the 30th If there be a messenger or Angel with him an interpreter one among a thousand to shew unto man his uprightness then he is gracious unto him and saith Deliver him from going downe to the pit I have found a ransome His flesh shall be fresher then a childs he shall returne to the dayes of his youth He shall pray unto God and he will be favourable to him and he shall see his face with joy c. Hence the opinion or determination of Elihu may be thus conceived That
demonstration for his purpose from the wonderfull workes of God in nature from the raine thunder snow windes c. which he doth from the 27th verse of the 36th Chapter to the end of the 37th and with that concludes his answer The scope of Elihu in that long and learned Philosophicall Lecture was to teach and assure Job that God who causeth and disposeth those various alterations and terrible impressions in the ayre both for the humbling and benefiting of man doth much more both send and over-rule all those changes afflictions which befall the sons of men here on earth to humble them do them good And further to assure him that if man be not able to give a satisfying reason of those workes of God in nature but is often gravel'd and forced to sit downe in a silent admiration then surely man is much lesse able to fathome the depth of Gods purposes in all the workes of his providence but must in many of them only sit downe quietly and submit For as Elihu concludeth from these premises Chap 37.23 24. Touching the Almighty we cannot find him out he is Excellent in power and in Judgement and in plenty of Justice he will not afflict either causelesly or more then needs though we seldome see the causes or acknowledge the need of his afflictions men doe that is they ought therefore feare him and if any are so proud and high in their owne thoughts that they doe not at their perill be it for he respecteth not any that are wise in heart that is as the carnal wisdome of worldly men cannot be a barre so the true wisdome of godly men is no priviledge against the Soveraigne power of God in afflicting them And therefore Job though truely wise in heart must not looke for any such respect from God as to be untoucht by or priviledg'd from affliction For the close of all we may summe up the whole scope of Elihu's under-taking with Job yea of the whole Booke of Job in these six poynts or propositions First No man can stand before God in his owne personall righteousness Secondly How righteous soever any person is yet the Lord may afflict and breake him in what way and in what degree himselfe thinkes fit Thirdly God hath most wise and gracious aymes in afflicting his righteous servants Fourthly His most righteous servants may not take the liberty to complaine as if they were wrong'd or as if God were either rigorous or unrighteous in the least how much or how long soever they are afflicted Fifthly There is nothing gotten by complaining or striving under the afflicting hand of God and therefore Sixthly 'T is best for us or our wisest way when things are at worst with us to give glory to God both as just and good and possessing our soules with patience by faith to waite in hope till he giveth us a fresh experience of his goodnesse eyther by sweetning our troubles to us and supporting us under them or by bringing us out of them as he did Job in the fittest season If in perusing this discourse of Elihu we carry these generall results in our eye we shall read both the Text and Comment with more clearenesse in our understandings at all times and with more profit when at any time under them in our chastenings which that we all may is the prayer of Your affectionate Servant in this worke of Christ JOSEPH CARYL The 24th of the 3d Moneth 1661. AN EXPOSITION WITH Practicall Observations UPON The Thirty-second Thirty-third and Thirty-fourth Chapters of the Book of JOB JOB Chap. 32. Vers 1 2 3. So these three men ceased to answer Job because he was righteous in his own eyes Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite of the kindred of Rain against Job was his wrath kindled because he justified himselfe rather then God Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled because they had found no answer and yet had condemned Job THe last Chapter ended with these words The words of Job are ended the beginning of this tells us his three friends had ended theirs So these three men ceased to answer Job Thus we have had the whole dispute between Job and his three friends Now followeth the determination of it The disputants having done the moderators begin First Elihu and after him God himselfe Elihu spends six whole Chapters in delivering his mind upon this Controversie yet he makes some pauses and overtures moving or inviting Job to a reply But Job interposed not a word We may consider this whole discourse of Elâ—hu in foure distinct parts the first contained in the 32d and 33d Chapters the second in the 34th the third in the 35th and the fourth in the 36th and 37th Chapters of this Book In the first part he directeth his speech first to Jobs three friends in this 32d Chapter Secondly to Job himselfe in the 33d. In this Chapter we may consider first a rationall transition from the dispute between Job and his friends to this discourse of Elihu in the five first verses Secondly we have a very Rhetoricall or patheticall Preface wherein Elihu endeavoureth to gaine attention by giving an account or the reasons of his undertaking in which he interweaves many Apologies for himselfe in venturing upon so hard a taske respecting both his youth and the weight of the argument He amplifies and continueth upon this subject to the end of the 32d Chapter wherein he engageth himselfe by solemne promise to carry on the businesse without respect of persons without feare or flattery Yet more distinctly in this first part The transition first a reason is assigned why Jobs friends left off speaking As it is not good to begin to speak so neither to give over speaking till we see and can give a reason for it The reason here given is because Job was righteous in his own eyes v. 1. Secondly a reason is given not only why Elihu did begin to speak but why he began to speak as he did in anger first against Job which is laid downe in the second verse Because he justified himselfe rather then God Secondly against his friends ver 3. Because they had found no answer yet had condemned Job or because they censured him though they could not confute him In the 4th and 5th verses we have a discovery of the cause of Elihu's modesty in forbearing so long to speak which he further inlargeth in the following parts of the Chapter Vers 1. So these three men ceased to answer Job They who had maintained the dispute all this while ceased rested or sate downe When men speak they usually stand up or stand forth The word in the Hebrew may be rendred thus They sabbatized implying they had found it a week of hard work Verbum ipsum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indâ—cat contentionem desat gationem disputationis praeteritae ingentem vim positam in repugnando refutando Pined and strong labour
to afflict us with evill It is our duty to accept that is to take well at Gods hand the punishment of our iniquity Lev 26.41 how much more to welcome the sorest and heaviest crosse which he is pleased to lay upon us either for the chastisement of our faylings and falls or for the tryall and exercise of our graces It is said 2 Sam 3.36 Whatsoever the king meaning David did pleased all the people There was a wonderfull consent and harmony between the peoples spirit and Davids actions Surely whatsoever God doth should please all his people what ever he dispenseth be it sweet or sowre hard or soft light or darknesse it should please all his people and please them highly and so farre as we come short of this frame of heart so farre doe we justifie our selves rather then God Secondly It is a fault not only if we are not satisfied and pleased with what God doth but if we doe not praise and glorifie God in and for what he doth and that not only in his justice that he hath done us no wrong but in his goodnesse that he hath done all for our profit That which turnes to mans profit should also turne to the praise of God But as the holy Apostle assureth us Heb 12.10 God chastneth his children for their profit and that the best and noblest profit that they might be partakers of his holiness therefore we ought to praise and glorifie him or to glorifie him with our praises while he is chastning us Truly God is good to Israel Psal 73.1 He is so not only when he gives Israel outward good things or things good to fense but when he afflicts when he writes bitter things against his Israel and shewes them only visions of sorrow and matter of amazement Till our soules are wrought up to this Justification of God in his goodnesse when things are worst with us we in some degree justifie our selves rather then God Againe for as much as Job who cannot in all things be acquitted from this charge of justifying himselfe rather then God was yet of another spirit and principle then indeed or professedly to justifie himselfe rather then God Observe We may speake amisse and wrong God when we doe not intend it nor have the least thought to doe so David prayeth for the pardon of unknowne sins Psal 19.12 13. Cleanse thou me from secret faults keepe backe thy servant also from presumptuous sins let them not have dominion over me To justifie our selves rather then God knowingly is a presumptuous sin to lay any blame upon God directly is blasphemy David prayed not only to be kept from such grosse sins but to be cleansed from secret sins that is from those sins which he did not know that he had committed them and which he never had any intent to commit We may so mis-place words and mis-guide actions when we thinke not of it that we may quickly sin against God yea and justifie our selves rather then God That which we doe or speake is to be judged by a rule whether it be good or evill not meerely by our intentions though good nor by our not intending of evill We may be judged to have done or said evill though we meant no evill in doing or in saying so Words and actions well meant may sometimes justly undergoe an ill construction They that heare should interpret every word in the most favorable sence but if we speake unwarily and unsafely or as Moses once unadvisedly with our lips we may thanke our selves if we fall under reproofe for what we have spoken Therefore begge of God to set a watch over your mouth and to keepe the doore of your lips let nothing passe unexamined 'T is our wisdome to read every word over and over before we speake it Many heare ill who have spoken well how much more may they who speake doubtfully or dangerously We have seene the cauâ—â— why Elihu was so angry with Job the next verse will tell us why he was so angry with Jobs three friends Vers 3. Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled because they had found no answer and yet had condemned Job We find Elihu angry on all hands angry with Job and angry with his three friends some querie upon this renewing of his anger as God did Jonah whether he did well to be thus angry or thus to appeare in passion and breake out afresh in wrath and whether the reasons of his anger will beare him out to have been angry with Reason anger prevailes most in those in whom reason prevailes least and they have usually the strongest passions who have the weakest judgements children and aged persons the sicke and pained are apt to be angry with others and hard to be pleased themselves And 't is a generall axâ—om InvaliduÌ„ omne natura querulum est The weake and impotent are naturally angry and passionate Therefore we had need looke to our passions that they grow not strong for they will soone proclaime us weake he is a wise man indeed that can be at once wise and angry Proverbs 19.11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger and it is his glory to passe over a transgression And as there Solomon teacheth us that discretion mastereth anger so he assureth us that angry persons are more then indiscreete foolish Eccles 7.9 Anger resteth in the bosome of fooles Anger often assaults the prudent but if it abides and takes up its lodging in any bosome 't is in the bosome of a foole at least in that poynt he doth foolishly who lendeth his bosome though but one night for anger to lodge in And as at all times so then especially we should narrowly watch and severely bridle our passions when as Elihu here did we undertake to advise those who are mistaken or to reduce those that are out of the way when we give counsel to others we should be sedate and quiet our selves A Physician must not be angry with his patient nor is it proper to apply medicinall healing counsel to the mind of another with an exulcerated minde Much might be said concerning this anger of Elihu but I have spoken to that before in opening the former verse therefore I shall not stay here upon it but proceed to consider the reason why he was so Because they had found no answer and yet had condemned Job Not to find an answer may proceed First From a defect of paines and industry in seeking it An answer must be sought and digg'd for it must be studied and prayed for else it will not be found Secondly The not finding of an answer may arise from the defect of ability not of industry many labour hard but can make nothing of it 'T is probable Jobs three friends laboured much yet found no answer And then it was no defect of industry but of ability they found no answer because they could not They as we commonly speake did even beate their braines and bite their nayles
for an answer but could not attaine it they pumpt hard but the water would not come God hid the thing from their eyes so then they had not found any answer because after all their search they could not nor should it seeme strange to us that they could not At best we know but in part here and till God by his Spirit teach us we know nothing at all So that I say it should not seeme strange to us that these wise and good men could find no answer for Job but that which follows seemes strange even to amazement that though they could not yet which how also could they answer to their owne consciences had condemned Job What condemne a man and not answer him 't is worse then to condemne a man and not heare him Possibly he that is condemned unheard may yet deserve a condemnation But if we condemne a man unanswered he certainly as to us is condemned undeservedly And therefore this course of proceeding if any is liable not only to suspition whether it be right but to condemnation as utterly unrighteous Though it may be a good mans case not to find an answer yet surely a good man will not condemne when he cannot answer But it may be demanded Did Jobs friends indeed find no answer before they condemned him we have heard of their answers all along No sooner had Job ended his former speeches but they presently answered Chap. 4.1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said Chap. 8 1. Then answered Bildad the Shuhite and said Chap. 11.1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite and said yea they all three answered Job a second time and two of them a Third how then could Elihu justly say they found no answer and yet had condemned Job For answer to this objection I say They answered Job but they did not answer sufficiently The vulgar latine translation puts this glosse which is more then the rules of translation allow into the text rendring the originall thus Ed quòd non invenissent responsionem rationalem Vulg Because they had found no rationall answer and yet had condemned Job They did not find out nor hit upon the right answer Improper and insufficient answers how many soever of them we heape up against any mans argument are no answers they are not worthy to be called answers That only is an answer which carrieth a conviction in it which reacheth the state and strength of the question or removeth the objection In this sence Jobs three friends had found no answer and yet had condemned Job The Hebrew is they made him wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept posuerunt eum esse impium or condemned him as a wicked man So the Septuagint they had no answer for him and yet concluded him wicked we say they had condemned Job and the reason of it is because to condemne a man is to leave him under a supposal of wickednesse and to stigmatize or brand him for a wicked man All the wicked shall at last be condemned and none ought to be condemned nor are any condemned justly now but the wicked He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just even they both are an abomination to the Lord Pro. 17.15 There is a very elegant transposition of the words in the Hebrew we may render the text thus He that justifieth the wicked and wickedeth the just c. The law of Moses gave an expresse rule against this perversion of Judgement in termes quite crosse to those in Solomon Deut 25.1 If there be any controversie between men and they come unto Judgement that the Judges may Judge them then they shall justifie the righteous and condemne the wicked Which you may render thus They shall justifie the just and wickedise the wicked that is they shall declare the just man just and the wicked man to be wicked That man either really is or is accounted wicked who is cast in his cause and condemned That was a dreadfull sentence the Scripture Acts 1.20 shewes it fulfilled upon the traytor Judas when he is judged let him be condemned Psal 109.7 we put in the margen let him goe out guilty or wicked In this sence Jobs three friends when they condemned him cast him as a wicked man though they had nothing to answer the plea which he made for his owne integrity We must not conceive any such wickednesse in them Damnarunt pro impio etsi nulla in eum crimina probare possent quibus ille suam vitam contaminassent Merc that they were resolved to condemne him right or wrong yet they held their conclusion against the light and reason of all his premises and though they could prove no ill against him yet vehemently suspecting him they concluded he was an ill man and so condemned him Hence note first Some will proceed to condemne both persons and opinions though they can give no reasonable account why they condemne either We read Isa 56.10 of dumbe doggs that cannot barke that is who know not what to speake oâ— say to purpose There are many who in this sence cannot barke yet they will bite and when they have no answer they will condemne and usually dumbe doâ—gs that cannot barke have the sharpest teeth and are best at biting or they are better at condemning then at answering As some finde an answer where there is none that is when such reasons are layd before them as are unanswerable yet they will not give over answering but still seek a knott in a rush and draw the saw of contention aâ—well without end as without cause so others cannot find an answer where it is yet when they cannot answer they can censure and condemne him for wicked or perverse whom they cannot prove so 'T is much easier to say a man is faulty then to find â—â—â—ault yet they who have a mind to find faults are seldome to seeke for somewhat or other which they call so Note secondly To condemne opinions or persons when we cannot answer them is a practise justly condemnable 'T is unjust as was intimated before to condemne a man before he is heard For though possibly a man unheard may have justice when he is condemned yet all agree 't is injustice to condemne him when he is not heard Now if it be injustice to condemne a wicked man before he is heard how unjust is it to condemne a man in whom we can find no wickednesse after we have heard him Thirdly From the manner of the phrase here used Note To condemne a man is to render him wicked Condemnation as was shewed is due only to the wicked and if an innocent be condemned he is reputed wicked and receives punishment as guilty As that sentence of condemnation which proceeds out of the mouth of God against impenitent sinners and evill doers bindes the guilt of their evill deeds upon them and delivers them up to punishment so he that condemnes his brother fastneth guilt upon him and speakes him deserving
doe not rightly dispose nor order them all they speake is out of joynt or frame As a multitude or rout of men doth not make an Army we may see ten thousand men together and yet no Army why because they are not in order or method they are not under Discipline and so they are but a confused throng not an Host of men And thus a great many words hudled and throng'd together are of no more force nor use then a number of men without order Method is very good in every thing we doe especially in what we speake A speech rightly ordered is like an Army rightly marshaled A word fitly spoken fitly as to the season of it and fitly as to the joynting and disposing of it we may take in both in that place of Solomon A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver Vult ostendere quod non loquitur quasi provocatus Aquin There is another thing considerable in this former part of the verse Elihu as was lately intimated spake thus to shew he came to the dispute unprovoked He hath not directed his words against me he hath not toucht me Ye indeed have been provoked by his words he hath touched you often and often to the quicke and this hath made you touchy angry and passionate and you have growne into heats but because he hath not directed his speech against me therefore I shall come upon the stage and enter this dispute with much coolness and temper In a word I bring no passion against his person as you being stung by his words have done Hence note Secondly They who are not provoked have no reason to speake provokingly That 's it which Elihu would have Job perswaded of we use to say Speake when you are spoken to Then surely we are not to speake otherwise then we are spoken to we must not give rayling for rayling much lesse may we rayle when rayling is not given He hath not directed his words against me Superbi quae ad coÌ„munem omnium utilitatem dicuntur nunquam sibi dicta eâ—istimant Gregor One of the Ancients Commenting upon this text saith Elihu discovers pride in this speech He hath not directed his speech against me As if Elihu disdained to take notice of what was spoken to them which saith he is the humor of a proud man who lookes not upon himselfe as engaged by any thing spoken unlesse you speak personally and directly to him whereas Christ speaking personally to his Disciples only would yet have all men see themselves spoken to Mark 13.34 What I say to you I say to all watch Elihu should have taken what Job spake to his three friends as spoken to all that were present and so might well enough have spared this complement as my Author conceives But I passe that as a curiosity Especially because it appeares plainly enough that Elihu though the words were not spoken directly to him yet did take himselfe to be much concerned and therefore riseth up as a Moderator in this Controversie between Job and his three friends He hath not directed his words against me Neither will I answer him with your speeches I will not goe your way Mihi integrum est respondere quidem longe aliter ex alio fundamento licet me directè Jobus non oppugnaverit Scult Non sequur vias vestrasin respondendo sed alias efficaciores inveniam Aquin nor follow your example in this undertaking I shall proceed upon other principles and use other medium's then ye have done such I hope as will be found much more effectuall and attaine their end We may take these words I will not answer him with your speeches two wayes First as their speeches had too little light of reason in them Secondly as their speeches had too much fire of passion in them As if he had sayd I will use milder words and stronger arguments I utterly disapprove the course you have taken with him and therefore I will neither insist upon your theame to condemne him for an hypocrite nor use your argument to prove it because God hath thus sorely afflicted him for I hold that a meere Sophisme I will not answer him with your speeches That is with speeches which have so much passion and so little true reason in them as to the poynt in hand For though Jobs friends had spoken many things of much weight and reason considered abstractly or in Thesi yet when it came to the hypothesis as appliable to Jobs speciall case then their speeches had little or no weight in them So that in this profession Elihu seemes to promise these two things First That he would use stronger arguments then they had done I will not use yours that is weake ones I purpose to come better prepared to the Combate then you For though Elihu doth sometimes use such arguments as they yet he doth not use them to their end to prove that Job acted rebelliously or like a wicked man against God as they did but to shew that he carried himselfe too highly or over-confidently towards God And this as it appeares by the issue tooke more upon Job then all his friends hard suspitions charges and accusations This humbled him this silenced him he had nothing to returne but sate downe convinced and therefore Elihu dealt with him in more strength of reason and divine authority then they had done Secondly When Elihu saith I will not answer him with your speeches he seemes to engage that he would deale mildly with him or without passion he would not use bitter words but debate and argue the matter gently and meekly For though Elihu gave Job many severe reproofes yet alwayes in a more friendly manner not to prove that he had done wickedly but to convince him that he had spoken overboldly or that while he was so zealous to defend his own innocency he sometimes intrencht upon the soveraignty of God in his eager and earnest desire of pleading his cause before him And surely it was but need that Job should have a man of a milder temper sent in to speake to him else his spirit might have been quite over-whelm'd and sunke Nor was it without the speciall hand of God that after this poore afflicted soule had been so hardly used and so grievously censured by those rigid disputants he should at last meere with a man more meeke and compassionate in some measure to mittigate and allay his sorrow First In that Elihu saith I will not answer him with your speeches Observe It is not good to imitate others in any thing they doe or speake which is not good We must not either act or speake by example but by rule or by example only so farre as it answers the rule 'T is dangerous treading in their steps who tread awry When Paul found that Peter did not goe right he was resolved not only not to follow him but to reprove him Gal. 2.14 Thus saith Elihu here I will not
gone David describeth a proud man puffing at his enemies Psal 10.5 He is puffed up and swelled with high conceits of himselfe as if he had some great matter in him and he puffs at others as if he could do some great matter against them forgetting that himselfe is but as to his being in this world a puffe of wind which passeth away As then we need not feare what hurt man can doe us so we should not hope nor have any expectation from him that he by his owne power how great soever his power is can doe us any good Wherein as to either of these purposes is man to be accounted of Man is an excellent creature a creature of high account as bearing the image of God his soul is of more worth then the gaine of the whole world Math 16.26 and thus he is more to be accounted of then all that in the world is most accounted of But consider him as to the fraylety of his life and the possibility yea probability of his suddaine passage out of this world and then wherein is he to be accounted of If we oppose man to God or compare man with God or trust man in stead of God he is as vaine and worthlesse as any thing a thing of nothing or lesse then nothing JOB Chap. 34. Vers 16 17. If now thou hast understanding heare this hearken to the voice of my words Shall even he that hateth right govern and wilt thou condemne him that is most just ELihu having thus farre applied himselfe to Jobs friends upon an Assurance that they were men of understanding for so he bespake them at the 10th verse Hearken unto me ye men of understanding He now turneth his speech particularly to Job and he doth it upon a hopefull supposition that he also was a man of understanding Vers 16. If now thou hast understanding heare this The word which we render understanding is not a noune but the infinitive of a verbe in the Hebrew and it may be rendred thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum accentu in penultima non potest esse nomen verbale sed infinitivus loco nominis Si est intelligere i. e. intelligentia Drus Scire tuum nihil est c. Juven Videamus beato vivere vestrum quale sit Cic Hoc vereri perdidi i. e. pudorem Plaut Non caret aculeis Apostrophe quibus Jobi attentionem excitat Si vel mica est in te bonae mentu Merc Infinitivus intelligere non plenam intelligentiam indicat sed vel tenuissimum intellectum qui infinitivus actionem praesentem non habitū significat Stupidum ergo et vecordem Jobum appellat c. Bold Si quid sanae mentis habes Bez If thou hast to understand that is if thou hast an ability to understand which in sense is the same with our translation If thou hast understanding This forme of speaking by the infinitive for the noune is frequent both in Scripture and other Authors Thus 't is sayd Your to know is nothing that is your knowledge is nothing unlesse another know it or be made knowing by it Let us see saith the Oratour what thy to live blessedly is that is what thou countest blessedness And another I have lost to be ashamed that is shamefastness or modesty Thus Elihu If thou hast to understand heare this But it may be questioned did Elihu indeed suspect whether Job did understand or were an understanding man Every man hath an understanding as he is a man To understand is the property the inseparable property of a reasonable creature Why then doth Elihu put a doubt upon Job in this and say If now thou hast understanding c. I answer Elihu indeed deales with Job as if he were somewhat below man in this businesse at least as if he were dull and slow to receive and apprehend what had been spoken to him and therefore by this Apostraphe he excites and stirres him up to set his understanding a-work to the utmost As if he had sayd Although thou hast a habit of understanding yet thou hast not acted it like an understanding man nor given such proofe of it in this matter as is expected Further These words If now thou hast understanding referre not to the faculty but to the speciall attributes of his understanding chiefely to these three First To the soundness of it If thou hast any thing of a sound understanding The understandings of many are sicke and diseased their understandings are tainted and infected with errours and misperswasions Now if thou hast any thing of a sound understanding left in thee if there remaine yet any strength in thy understanding to apprehend the force of those arguments and reasons which I shall propose to convince thee by heare this Erroneous understandings are altogether unfit to entertaine truth As there must be a sutableness between the stomack and the meat else it is not digested so between the minde and the object else it cannot be received Secondly To the uprightness or impartiality of it If thou hast understanding that is if thou hast an unbiassed understanding Sometimes the affections turne aside and bribe the understanding self-interest puts a blinde upon the understanding When a man hath a minde to that which is not right he will have a minde to understand any thing that opposeth it Thirdly To the spirituallness of it If thou hast understanding that is a renewed a spirituall an holy understanding or the understanding of the holy heare this A man may have a great naturall understanding a deep judgement and yet be a very childe or a man of no understanding in the things of God Only a spirituall understanding is suited to spirituall things as the object is such must the faculty be that faculty which deales a-right about spirituall things must be a spirituall faculty The Apostle speakes concludingly 1 Cor 2.14 The natural man that is the man unconverted or unregenerate perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned And therefore the same Apostle professeth to the Colossians Chap 1.9 We doe not cease to pray for you and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdome and spirituall understanding The will of God being spirituall cannot be truely knowne but by a spirituall understanding According to this three-fold attribute of the understanding we may expound Elihu speaking to Job If thou hast a spirituall understanding an unbiassed understanding a sound understanding heare this As if he had sayd I have spoken and am about to speake such things as may call out the strength the best the utmost line of a sound impartiall and spirituall understanding to sound the bottome and the depth of them Thus he provokes him to attend not only with his eare but with his understanding with the best of his understanding with the best underderstanding to the things he
Numb 12.1 though they were thus neerely related yet speaking irreverently of Moses the Chiefe Magistrate the Lord sayd to them v. 8. Wherefore were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses Yet how common is this sin the tongues of men walke exceeding loosly in their discourses about the persons and powers of Princes And we every where find most pleased to heare well of themselves and ill of others or to speake well of themselves and ill of others and the higher they are who are spoken of or of whom they speake evill the more they are pleased both in hearing and speaking evill of them How unruly are their tongues who cannot forbeare their rulers Thus much of Elihu's question as it is resolved into a Negative proposition It is not fit to say to a King thou art ungodly We may further consider it as an argument from the greater to the lesse to prove That it is a most wicked thing to speake a word unduely of God Is it fit to say to a King Thou are wicked and to Princes ye are ungodly Vers 19. How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of Princes Who is that The words are a cleare Periphrasis of God he accepts not the persons of Princes As if Elihu had said the Kings and Princes of the earth expect such great respect from their subjects that no man should dare to censure them or speake evill of them though they doe evill or deale unjustly how much more unfit is it to speake evill of God or to charge his government with injustice who never doth any evill all whose wayes are not only just but justice He that accepteth not the persons of Princes who are the greatest of men can have neither will nor motive to deale unjustly with any man I shall not stay to shew what it is to accept persons because that hath been shewed at the 7th verse of the 13th Chapter as also Chapter 32.21 only I 'le give it in one word To accept persons is to have more respect to the man then to the matter and that 's a very common fault among men and as commonly condemned by God 'T is a received axiom He that would or doth put on the person of a Judge must put off the person of a friend that is he must not be sway'd by any respect whatsoever of friendship or allyance but must judge purely as the cause deserveth Nor shall I stay to urge the greatness of the sin of speaking any thing uncomely of God that also hath been spoken to in many former passages of this Chapter Only from these words How much lesse to him that accepth not the person of Princes Note First That which ought not to be done or spoken to the greatest of men ought much lesse to be either done or spoken to God The reason is because first God is infinitely more to be reverenced then any man Secondly because God is infinitely more able to take vengeance and certainly will of any that shall doe or speake evill to him then the greatest among the children of men Yet how many are there who dare not offend a man not a great man especially either by word or deed who are not afraid by both to offend and provoke the great God O remember the force of this text If it be not fit to speake unduely of Princes How much lesse of him that accepteth not the persons of Princes Hence note Secondly God is no accepter of persons He hath no respect to Princes in prejudice to truth and righteousnesse but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse be he never so poore is accepted with him Acts 10.35 and in every nation he that feareth him not but worketh unrighteousnesse be he never so great is unacceptable yea abominable to him The Scripture often attributes this glory to God Deut 10.17 2 Chron 19.7 Gal 2.6 Col 3.25 And as it is the glory of God that he is no accepter of persons so it is the duty of man Deut 1.17 Judgement must proceed and conclude with respect to the rule and command of God not with respect to the persons of men or our relations to them Levi was highly commended for this Deut 33.9 who sayd unto his father and to his mother I have not seene him neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor knew his owne children c. When man accepteth not the persons of men he acteth most like God of whom Elihu saith He accepteth not the persons of Princes Nor regardeth the rich more then the poore That 's a further description of God He doth not regard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aguoscere familiaritèr tractare that is acknowledge or know the one more then the other He is in the best things as communicative to and converseth as familiarly with the poore as the rich yea he doth not value or prize the rich man more then the poore the poor man is worth as much as the rich man in Gods account suppose the rich man worth thousands yea ten thousands of gold and silver and the poore man so poore that he is not worth a shilling yet in the account of God the poor man is worth as much as the rich man The Scripture speakes of two sorts both of rich and poor men There are men rich in spiritualls such Christ intimates who are Luke 12.20 rich towards God or as he speakes of the Church of Smyrna Rev 2.9 rich in grace I know thy poverty but thou art rich That is I know thou art poor in earthly pelfe but rich in spiritualls The Apostle James puts the question Chap 2.5 Hath not God chosen the poore of this world rich in faith and heires of the kingdome Now it is most certaine that God regardeth the rich in spiritualls more then the poore in spiritualls he highly regardeth those that are poore in spirit and pronounceth them blessed Math 5.3 for theirs is the kingdome of heaven But he regardeth not those who are poore in spiritualls not them especially who boast of their spirituall riches when they have none they that have them are thankfull for them they do not boast of them as the Church of Laodicea did of whom Christ sayd Rev 3.16 17. I will spew thee out of my mouth because thou sayest I am rich encreased in goods and knowest not that thou art poore Thus you see there are a sort of rich men whom Christ regardeth more then the poore of that sort But as poore and rich are distinguished meerely by aboundance and want by the smallness and greatness of their portion in the things of this world as Dives and Lazarus in the parable were so he regardeth not the rich more then the poore When a poor man is gracious as wel as poore God regardeth him more then any rich man who hath no grace And when either both have grace alike or both are alike without grace he regardeth them both alike When rich and poore