Job 13 commentary

With self-preference, Job declared that he needed not to be taught by them. Those who dispute are tempted to magnify themselves, and lower their brethren, more than is fit. When dismayed or distressed with the fear of wrath, the force of temptation, or the weight of affliction, we should apply to the Physician of our souls, who never rejects any, never prescribes amiss, and never leaves any case uncured. To Him we may speak at all times. To broken hearts and wounded consciences, all creatures, without Christ, are physicians of no value. Job evidently speaks with a very angry spirit against his friends. They had advanced some truths which nearly concerned Job, but the heart unhumbled before God, never meekly receives the reproofs of men.

Job resolved to cleave to the testimony his own conscience gave of his uprightness. He depended upon God for justification and salvation, the two great things we hope for through Christ. Temporal salvation he little expected, but of his eternal salvation he was very confident; that God would not only be his Saviour to make him happy, but his salvation, in the sight and enjoyment of whom he should be happy. He knew himself not to be a hypocrite, and concluded that he should not be rejected. We should be well pleased with God as a Friend, even when he seems against us as an enemy. We must believe that all shall work for good to us, even when all seems to make against us. We must cleave to God, yea, though we cannot for the present find comfort in him. In a dying hour, we must derive from him living comforts; and this is to trust in him, though he slay us.

Job begs to have his sins discovered to him. A true penitent is willing to know the worst of himself; and we should all desire to know what our transgressions are, that we may confess them, and guard against them for the future. Job complains sorrowfully of God's severe dealings with him. Time does not wear out the guilt of sin. When God writes bitter things against us, his design is to make us bring forgotten sins to mind, and so to bring us to repent of them, as to break us off from them. Let young persons beware of indulging in sin. Even in this world they may so possess the sins of their youth, as to have months of sorrow for moments of pleasure. Their wisdom is to remember their Creator in their early days, that they may have assured hope, and sweet peace of conscience, as the solace of their declining years. Job also complains that his present mistakes are strictly noticed. So far from this, God deals not with us according to our deserts. This was the language of Job's melancholy views. If God marks our steps, and narrowly examines our paths, in judgment, both body and soul feel his righteous vengeance. This will be the awful case of unbelievers, yet there is salvation devised, provided, and made known in Christ.

CHAPTER 13

Job 13:1-28. Job's Reply to Zophar Continued.

1. all this--as to the dealings of Providence (Job 12:3).

3. Job wishes to plead his cause before God (Job 9:34, 35), as he is more and more convinced of the valueless character of his would-be "physicians" (Job 16:2).

4. forgers of lies--literally, "artful twisters of vain speeches" [Umbreit].

5. (Pr 17:28). The Arabs say, "The wise are dumb; silence is wisdom."

7. deceitfully--use fallacies to vindicate God in His dealings; as if the end justified the means. Their "deceitfulness" for God, against Job, was that they asserted he was a sinner, because he was a sufferer.

8. accept his person--God's; that is, be partial for Him, as when a judge favors one party in a trial, because of personal considerations.

contend for God--namely, with fallacies and prepossessions against Job before judgment (Jud 6:31). Partiality can never please the impartial God, nor the goodness of the cause excuse the unfairness of the arguments.

9. Will the issue to you be good, when He searches out you and your arguments? Will you be regarded by Him as pure and disinterested?

mock--(Ga 6:7). Rather, "Can you deceive Him as one man?" &c.

10. If ye do, though secretly, act partially. (See on Job 13:8; Psa 82:1, 2). God can successfully vindicate His acts, and needs no fallacious argument of man.

11. make you afraid?--namely, of employing sophisms in His name (Jr 10:7, 10).

12. remembrances--"proverbial maxims," so called because well remembered.

like unto ashes--or, "parables of ashes"; the image of lightness and nothingness (Is 44:20).

bodies--rather, "entrenchments"; those of clay, as opposed to those of stone, are easy to be destroyed; so the proverbs, behind which they entrench themselves, will not shelter them when God shall appear to reprove them for their injustice to Job.

13. Job would wish to be spared their speeches, so as to speak out all his mind as to his wretchedness (Job 13:14), happen what will.

14. A proverb for, "Why should I anxiously desire to save my life?" [Eichorn]. The image in the first clause is that of a wild beast, which in order to preserve his prey, carries it in his teeth. That in the second refers to men who hold in the hand what they want to keep secure.

15. in him--So the margin or keri, reads. But the textual reading or chetib is "not," which agrees best with the context, and other passages wherein he says he has no hope (Job 6:11; 7:21; 10:20; 19:10). "Though He slay me, and I dare no more hope, yet I will maintain," &c., that is, "I desire to vindicate myself before Him," as not a hypocrite [Umbreit and Noyes].

16. He--rather, "This also already speaks in my behalf (literally, 'for my saving acquittal') for an hypocrite would not wish to come before Him" (as I do) [Umbreit]. (See last clause of Job 13:15).

17. my declaration--namely, that I wish to be permitted to justify myself immediately before God.

with your ears--that is, attentively.

18. ordered--implying a constant preparation for defense in his confidence of innocence.

19. if, &c.--Rather, "Then would I hold my tongue and give up the ghost"; that is, if any one can contend with me and prove me false, I have no more to say. "I will be silent and die." Like our "I would stake my life on it" [Umbreit].

20. Address to God.

not hide--stand forth boldly to maintain my cause.

21. (See on Job 9:34 and see Psa 39:10).

22. call--a challenge to the defendant to answer to the charges.

answer--the defense begun.

speak--as plaintiff.

answer--to the plea of the plaintiff. Expressions from a trial.

23. The catalogue of my sins ought to be great, to judge from the severity with which God ever anew crushes one already bowed down. Would that He would reckon them up! He then would see how much my calamities outnumber them.

sin?--singular, "I am unconscious of a single particular sin, much less many" [Umbreit].

24. hidest ... face--a figure from the gloomy impression caused by the sudden clouding over of the sun.

enemy--God treated Job as an enemy who must be robbed of power by ceaseless sufferings (Job 7:17, 21).

25. (Le 26:36; Psa 1:4). Job compares himself to a leaf already fallen, which the storm still chases hither and thither.

break--literally, "shake with (Thy) terrors." Jesus Christ does not "break the bruised reed" (Is 42:3, 27:8).

26. writest--a judicial phrase, to note down the determined punishment. The sentence of the condemned used to be written down (Is 10:1; Jr 22:30; Psa 149:9) [Umbreit].

bitter things--bitter punishments.

makest me to possess--or "inherit." In old age he receives possession of the inheritance of sin thoughtlessly acquired in youth. "To inherit sins" is to inherit the punishments inseparably connected with them in Hebrew ideas (Psa 25:7).

27. stocks--in which the prisoner's feet were made fast until the time of execution (Jr 20:2).

lookest narrowly--as an overseer would watch a prisoner.

print--Either the stocks, or his disease, marked his soles (Hebrew, "roots") as the bastinado would. Better, thou drawest (or diggest) [Gesenius] a line (or trench) [Gesenius] round my soles, beyond which I must not move [Umbreit].

28. Job speaks of himself in the third person, thus forming the transition to the general lot of man (Job 14:1; Psa 39:11; Ho 5:12).

Lo, mine eye hath seen all this - Ye have brought nothing new to me; I know those maxims as well as you: nor have you any knowledge of which I am not possessed.

Surely I would speak to the Almighty - אולם ulam, O that: - I wish I could speak to the Almighty!

I desire to reason with God - He speaks here to reference to the proceedings in a court of justice. Ye pretend to be advocates for God, but ye are forgers of lies: O that God himself would appear! Before him I could soon prove my innocence of the evils with which ye charge me.

Ye are forgers of lies - Ye frame deceitful arguments: ye reason sophistically, and pervert truth and justice, in order to support your cause.

Physicians of no value - Ye are as feeble in your reasonings as ye are inefficient in your skill. Ye can neither heal the wound of my mind, nor the disease of my body. In ancient times every wise man professed skill in the healing art, and probably Job's friends had tried their skill on his body as well as on his mind. He therefore had, in his argument against their teaching, a double advantage: Your skill in divinity and physic is equal: in the former ye are forgers of lies; in the latter, ye are good-for-nothing physicians. I can see no reason to depart from the general meaning of the original to which the ancient versions adhere. The Chaldee says: "Ye are idle physicians; and, like the mortified flesh which is cut off with the knife, so are the whole of you." The imagery in the former clause is chirurpical, and refers to the sewing together, or connecting the divided sides of wounds; for טפלי topheley, which we translate forgers, comes from טפל taphal, to fasten, tie, connect, sew together. And I question whether טפלי topheley here may not as well express Surgeons, as רפאי ropheey, in the latter clause, Physicians. Ye are Chirurgeons of falsity, and worthless Physicians.

Hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom - In Pro 17:28 we have the following apophtheym: "Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; and he that shutteth his lips, a man of understanding." There is no reason to say that Solomon quotes from Job: I have already expressed my opinion that the high antiquity attributed to this book is perfectly unfounded, and that there is much more evidence that Solomon was its author, than there is that it was the composition of Moses. But, whenever Job lived, whether before Abraham or after Moses, the book was not written till the time of Solomon, if not later. But as to the saying in question, it is a general apophthegm, and may be found among the wise sayings of all nations. I may observe here, that a silent man is not likely to be a fool; for a fool will be always prating, or, according to another adage, a fool's bolt is soon shot. The Latins have the same proverb: Vir sapit, qui pauca loquitur, "A wise man speaks little."

Hear now my reasoning - The speeches in this book are conceived as it delivered in a court of justice, different counselors pleading against each other. Hence most of the terms are forensic.

Will ye speak wickedly for God? - In order to support your own cause, in contradiction to the evidence which the whole of my life bears to the uprightness of my heart, will ye continue to assert that God could not thus afflict me, unless flagrant iniquity were found in my ways; for it is on this ground alone that ye pretend to vindicate the providence of God. Thus ye tell lies for God's sake, and thus ye wickedly contend for your Maker.

Will ye accept his person? - Do you think to act by him as you would by a mortal; and, by telling lies in his favor, attempt to conciliate his esteem?

Is it good that he should search you out? - Would it be to your credit if God should try your hearts, and uncover the motives of your conduct? Were you tried as I am, how would you appear?

Do ye so mock him? - Do ye think that you can deceive him; and by flattering speeches bring him to your terms, as you would bring an undiscerning, empty mortal, like yourselves?

He will surely reprove you - You may expect, not only his disapprobation, but his hot displeasure.

His dread fall upon you? - The very apprehension of his wrath is sufficient to crush you to nothing.

Your remembrances are like unto ashes - Your memorable sayings are proverbs of dust. This is properly the meaning of the original: זכרניכם משלי אפר zichroneycem mishley epher. This he speaks in reference to the ancient and reputedly wise sayings which they had so copiously quoted against him.

Your bodies to bodies of clay - This clause is variously translated: Your swelling heaps are swelling heaps of mire. That is, Your high-flown speeches are dark, involved, and incoherent; they are all sound, no sense; great swelling words, either of difficult or no meaning, or of no point as applicable to my case.

Hold your peace - You have perverted righteousness and truth, and your pleadings are totally irrelevant to the case; you have traveled out of the road; you have left law and justice behind you; it is high time that you should have done.

Let come on me what will - I will now defend myself against you, and leave the cause to its issue.

Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth - A proverbial expression. I risk every thing on the justice of my cause. I put my life in my hand, 1Sam 28:21. I run all hazards; I am fearless of the consequences.

Though he slay me - I have no dependence but God; I trust in him alone. Should he even destroy my life by this affliction, yet will I hope that when he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold. In the common printed Hebrew text we have לא איחל lo ayachel, I will Not hope; but the Vulgate, Syriac, Arabic, and Chaldee have read לו lo, Him, instead of לא lo Not; with twenty-nine of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., and the Complutensian and Antwerp Polyglots. Our translators have followed the best reading. Coverdale renders the verse thus: Lo, there is nether comforte ner hope for me, yf he wil slaye me.

But I will maintain mine own ways - I am so conscious of my innocence, that I fear not to defend myself from your aspersions, even in the presence of my Maker.

He also shall be my salvation - He will save me, because I trust in him.

A hypocrite - A wicked man shall never be able to stand before him. I am conscious of this, and were I, as you suppose, a secret sinner, I should not dare to make this appeal.

Behold now, I have ordered - I am now ready to come into court, and care not how many I have to contend with, provided they speak truth.

Who is he that will plead with me? - Let my accuser, the plaintiff, come forward; I will defend my cause against him.

I shall give up the ghost - I shall cease to breathe. Defending myself will be as respiration unto me; or, While he is stating his case, I will be so silent as scarcely to appear to breathe.

Only do not two things unto me - These two things are the following:

1. Withdraw thine hand far from me - remove the heavy affliction which thy hand has inflicted.

2. Let not thy dread make me afraid - terrify me not with dreadful displays of thy majesty. The reasons of this request are sufficiently evident:

1. How can a man stand in a court of justice and plead for his life, when under grievous bodily affliction? Withdraw thy hand far from me.

2. Is it to be expected that a man can be sufficiently recollected, and in self-possession, to plead for his life, when he is overwhelmed with the awful appearance of the judge, the splendor of the court, and the various ensigns of justice? Let not thy dread make me afraid.

Then call thou - Begin thou first to plead, and I will answer for myself; or, I will first state and defend my own case, and then answer thou me.

How many are mine iniquities - Job being permitted to begin first, enters immediately upon the subject; and as it was a fact that he was grievously afflicted, and this his friends asserted was in consequence of grievous iniquities, he first desires to have them specified. What are the specific charges in this indictment? To say I must be a sinner to be thus afflicted, is saying nothing; tell me what are the sins, and show me the proofs.

Wherefore hidest thou thy face - Why is it that I no longer enjoy thy approbation?

Holdest me for thine enemy? - Treatest me as if I were the vilest of sinners?

Wilt thou break a leaf - Is it becoming thy dignity to concern thyself with a creature so contemptible?

Thou writest bitter things against me - The indictment is filled with bitter or grievous charges, which, if proved, would bring me to bitter punishment.

The iniquities of my youth - The Levities and indiscretions of my youth I acknowledge; but is this a ground on which to form charges against a man the integrity of whose life is unimpeachable?

Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks - בסד bassad, "in a clog," such as was tied to the feet of slaves, to prevent them from running away. This is still used in the West Indies, among slave-dealers; and is there called the pudding, being a large collar of iron, locked round the ankle of the unfortunate man. Some have had them twenty pounds' weight; and, having been condemned to carry them for several years, when released could not walk without them! A case of this kind I knew: The slave had learned to walk well with his pudding, but when taken off, if he attempted to walk, he fell down, and was obliged to resume it occasionally, till practice had taught him the proper center of gravity, which had been so materially altered by wearing so large a weight; the badge at once of his oppression, and of the cruelty of his task-masters!

And lookest narrowly - Thou hast seen all my goings out and comings in; and there is no step I have taken in life with which thou art unacquainted.

Thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet - Some understand this as the mark left on the foot by the clog; or the owner's mark indented on this clog; or, Thou hast pursued me as a hound does his game, by the scent.

And he, as a rotten thing - I am like a vessel made of skin; rotten, because of old age, or like a garment corroded by the moth. So the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic understood it. The word he may refer to himself.

Lo - All this which either you or I have discoursed concerning the infinite power and wisdom of God. I know, both by seeing it, by my own observation and experience, and by hearing it from my ancestors.

Surely - I had rather debate the matter with God than with you. I am not afraid of presenting my person and cause before him, who is a witness of my integrity.

Accept - Not judging according to the right of the cause, but the quality or the person.

Remembrance - Mouldering and coming to nothing. And the consideration of our mortality should make us afraid of offending God. Your mementos are like unto ashes, contemptible and unprofitable.

Wherefore - And this may be a reason of his desire of liberty of speech, because he could hold his tongue no longer, but must needs tear himself to pieces, if he had not some vent for his grief. The phrase having his life in his hand, denotes a condition extremely dangerous.

Hear - He now comes more closely to his business, the foregoing verses being mostly in way of preface.

Behold - I have seriously considered the state of my case, and am ready to plead my cause.

The ghost - My grief would break my heart, if I should not give it vent.

Withdraw - Suspend my torments during the time of my pleading with thee, that my mind may be at liberty. Do not present thyself to me in terrible majesty, neither deal with me in rigorous justice.

Then - This proposal savoured of self - confidence, and of irreverence towards God; for which, and the like speeches, he is reproved by God, chap.38:2,3 40:2.

My sin - That I am a sinner, I confess; but not that I am guilty of such crimes as my friends suppose, if it be so, do thou, O Lord, discover it.

Leaf - One that can no more resist thy power, than a leaf, or a little dry straw can resist the wind or fire.

Writest - Thou appointest or inflictest. A metaphor from princes or judges, who anciently used to write their sentences.

He - He speaks of himself in the third person, as is usual in this and other sacred books. So the sense is, he, this poor frail creature, this body of mine; which possibly he pointed at with his finger, consumeth or pineth away.

1. LO, mine Eye hath seen all this, mine Ear hath heard and understood it .

All this which either you or I have discoursed concerning the infinite Power and Wisdom of God, I know, both by seeing it, i. e. by my own Observation and Experience, and by hearing it from my Ancestors; so that I did not need your tedious and impertinent discourses concerning those matters.

3. Surely I would speak to the Almighty , and I desire to reason with God.

According to thy Wish, Ch. 11. 5. I had rather debate the matter with God than with you. I am not afraid of presenting my Person and Cause before him, who is a Witness of my Integrity, and would not deal so unmercifully with me as you do.

Marginal references: Chap. 23. 3.

4. But ye are forgers of Lies , ye are all Physicians of no value .

i. e. Authors of False Doctrine, to wit, that great afflictions are peculiar to Hypocrites and wicked Men.

Unfaithful and unskilful, prescribing bad Remedies, and misapplying good ones.

Marginal references: Chap. 6. 21. & 16. 2.

5. O that ye would altogether hold your peace, and it should be your Wisdom .

For then your Ignorance and Folly had been concealed, which is now manifest. Compare Prov. 17. 28.

6. Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my Lips .

i. e. Attend to it, and consider it more seriously than you have done.

i. e. To the arguments which I shall produce.

7. Will ye speak wickedly for God ? And talk deceitfully for him?

Will you utter falshoods upon pretence of pleasing God, or of maintaining Gods Honour or Justice? Doth he need such defences?

Marginal references: [illegible: 1+ letters]p. 17. 5. [illegible: 1+ letters] 32. 21. [illegible: 1+ letters] 35. 4.

8. Will ye accept his Person ? Will ye contend for God ?

Not judging according to the right of the Cause, but the quality of the Person, as corrupt Judges do.

i. e. Wrangle and quarrel with me, and cavil at my Speeches, and pervert my meaning.

i. e. That you may gratifie him, or defend his Rights?

9. Is it good that he should search you out ? or as one mocketh another, do ye so mock him ?

Will it be to your Credit and Comfort?

i. e. Narrowly examine your Hearts and discourses, whether you have uttered Truth or Falshood; and whether your Speeches proceed from true Zeal for God, or from your own Prejudices and Passions, and from a desire to curry Favour with him.

To wit, by covering your uncharitableness and corrupt affections with pretences of Piet[illegible: 1+ letters], as if God could not discern your Artifices; or by pleading his Cause with weak and foolish Arguments, which is a kind of Mockery to him, and an Injury to his Cause; or by seeking to flatter him with false Praises, as if he did distribute the things of this world with exact Justice, prospering only the good, and severely afflicting none but wicked Men.

10. He will surely reprove you , if ye do secretly accept Persons.

i. e. Punish you; as this word is o[illegible: 1+ letters]t used, as hath been once and again observed.

Though it be concealed in your own Breasts, and no Eye see it; yea, though it be so close that your own Minds and Consciences, through ignorance, or inadvertency, or slothfulness, do not perceive it, yet he, who is greater than your Consciences, sees and knows it.

11. Shall not his Excellency make you afraid ? And his dread fall upon you?

His infinite Wisdom which sees your secret Falshoods, and his Justice and Power, which can and will punish you for it.

Of speaking rashly or falsly of his ways and Counsels.

12. Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your Bodies are like to Bodies of Clay.

Either 1. Actively, i. e. your Memorials, or your Discourses and Arguments by which you design to bring things to my remembrance. So he might possibly allude to that passage, Ch. 4. 7 Remember I pray thee, &c. That and all your other Memento's are like unto ashes, i. e. contemptible and unprofitable: Heb. are Parables, or Speeches of dust, or ashes. Or 2. Passively, all that which is most excellent and memorable in you; your Wealth, and Dignity, and Wit, and Reputation, or whatsoever it is for which you expect or desire to be remembered, it is all but poor despicable dust and ashes: And therefore you have just reason to abhor your selves, and to dread the Divine Majesty, as I now advised you.

Though they be not full of sores and boils as mine is, yet they are but dust, and to dust they shall return as well as mine. Heb. Your backs, which, being the strongest part of the Body, is put for the whole Body. Or, Your Eminences, or Excellencies, as this word most properly signifies, as Hebricians observe so it answers to their memo [illegible: 1+ letters]bles. All those things wherein you do, or think that you do excel others, are but like Eminencies, or Lumps, or Heaps of Clay, vain and useless things, if compared with the Excellencies of God. Or, Your heights, i. e. your losty Discourses are like Clay, i. e. without solidity and strength.

13. Hold your peace , let me alone that I may speak , and let come on me what will .

Do not now interrupt me in my Discourse; which peradventure he observed by their gestures some of them were now attempting.

That I may freely utter my whole mind.

For the event of my Discourse with God, wherewith you threaten me, I am willing to submit my self to him, to do with me as he pleaseth: For I know he will not judge so severely and partially of me, or my words, as you do, but will accept what is good, and pass by any circumstantial defects in my Person or Speech, as knowing that I speak from an upright Heart.

Marginal references: Heb. be silens from me.

14. Wherefore do I take my Flesh in my Teeth, and put my Life in mine hand?

According to this Translation the sense seems to be this, If you speak truth, and God punisheth none but wicked men, why doth he bring me (whom he Knows to be no Hypocrite, as you slaunder me) to that extremity of Pain and misery, that I am almost constrained to tear, and eat my own flesh (which is mentioned as the Character of men in great anguish, Isa. 9. 20. & 49. 26.) and am ready to lay violent hands upon my self? Is it so great a crime to complain in this case, or at least to enquire into the cause of this unwonted severity: But this sense seems not well to suit either with the foregoing or following Verses, but to come in abruptly. Others therefore render the words thus, Why should I take my flesh in my Teeth, &c. And so this may be either 1. A Reason of his ardent desire of Liberty of Speech, because he could hold his Tongue no longer, but must needs tear himself to pieces, if he had not some vent for his grief. So this agrees well both with v. 13. where he desired this freedom, and with v. 19. where the same sense is expressed in plainer words. Or 2. An Antidote against despair. I perceive O my Friends by your Discourses, that you intend to drive me to utter Despair, if I do not turn to God in another manner than yet I have done. Which if it were true, I should certainly tear my flesh, and violently take away my own Life: But I see no reason why I should give way to any such despair or desperate Actions? And this also hath a good dependance upon the foregoing words, Let come on me what will. But I have no reason to fear such Consequences as you suggest, nor to despair of a merciful Audience and Relief from God; and a good connexion with those which follow, v. 15. where he declares his Hope and Confidence in God. The Phrase of having ones Life in his hand, notes a condition extremely dangerous, and almost desperate, as Iudg. 12. 3. 1 Sam. 19. 5. & 28. 21. Psal. 119. 109.

15. Though he slay me , yet I will trust in him : but I will maintain mine own ways before him .

Though God should yet more and more encrease my torments, so that I could bear them no longer, but should perceive my self to be at the point of Death, and without all hopes of Recovery in this World.

Or, shall I not trust in him? Should I despair? No, I will not. I know he is a just, and a faithful, and merciful God, and he knows that mine Heart is upright before him, and that I am no Hypocrite.

Though I will trust in him, yet I will humbly expostulate the matter with him.

I will argue, or prove, or demonstrate my ways, i. e. I will make a full free Confession of the whole course of my Life, and I will boldly, though submissively, assert mine own Integrity, which he also will▪ I doubt not acknowledge. And what I have done amiss I will as freely confess; and make Supplication to my judge for the pardon of it.

Before his Tribunal: for I desire no other Judge but him.

Marginal references: Psa. 23. 4. Prov. 14. 32.; Heb. prove, or argue.

16. He also shall be, or is my Salvation : for an Hypocrite shall not come before him.

I rest assured that he will save me out of these miseries sooner or later, one way or other, if not with a temporal, yet with an eternal Salvation after Death▪ of which he speaks, Ch. 19. 25, &c.

Or, but, as this particle commonly signifies, for this Clause is put by way of opposition to the former, and the sense is▪ But if I were an Hypocrite as you alledge, I durst not present my self before him to plead my Cause with him, as now I desire to do, nor could I hope for any Salvation from, or with, him in Heaven.

17. Hear diligently my Speech , and my declaration with your Ears.

This he desired before, v. 6. and now repeateth, either because they manifested some neglect or dislike of his Speech, and some desire to interrupt him: Or, because he now comes more closely to his business, the foregoing Verses being mostly in way of Preface to it.

i. e. The words whereby I declare my Mind.

18. Behold now, I have ordered my Cause ; I know that I shall be justified .

To wit, within my self. I have seriously and sincerely considered the state of my case, and what can be said either for me, or against me, and am ready to plead my Cause.

i. e. Acquitted by God from that Hypocrisie and Wickedness wherewith you charge me, and declared a righteous and innocent person, humane Infirmities excepted.

Marginal references: Heb. judgment▪

19. Who is he that will plead with me ? For now if I hold my Tongue, I shall give up the Ghost .

Where is the man that will do it? Nay, Oh that God would do it: which here he implies, and presently expresseth.

My grief for Gods heavy Hand, and for your bitter Reproaches would break my Heart, if I should not give it vent.

20. Only do not Two things unto me : then will I not hide my self from thee .

Which Two he expresseth, v. 21.

Then shall I boldly present my self and Cause before thee.

21. Withdraw thine hand far from me : and let not thy dread make me afraid .

i. e. Suspend my Torments during the time of my pleading with thee, that my Mind may be at liberty.

Do not present thy self to me in terrible Majest, neither deal with me in rigorous Justice; but hear me meekly, as one man heareth another, and plead with me upon those gracious Terms, wherewith thou usest to deal with Mankind.

Marginal references: Ch. 9. 34, 35. & 33. 7.

22. Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me .

Then chuse thy own Method. Either do thou charge me with Hypocrisie, or more than common Guilt, and I will de[illegible: 1+ letters]end my self: Or I will argue with thee concerning thy extraordinary severity towards me; and do thou [illegible: 1+ letters]hew me the reasons of it. This proposal savoured of too great self-confidence, and of Irreverence towards God; for which, and such like Speeches, he is reproved by God, Ch. 38. 2, 3. & 40. 2.

23. How many are mine Iniquities and sins ? Make me to know my transgression and my Sin .

That I am a sinner I confess; but that I am guilty of so many or such heinous Crimes as my Friends suppose, I utterly deny; and if I be so, do thou, O Lord, discover it to my shame.

If peradventure my heart deceive me therein; for I am not conscious to my self of any enormous crime.

24. Wherefore hidest thou thy Face , and hold [illegible: 1+ letters]st me for thine Enemy .

i. e. Withdrawest thy favour and help which thou didst use to afford me; as this Phrase is commonly used, as Deut. 31. 17. Psal. 13. 1. & 102. 2. &c.

i. e. Dealest as harshly with me, as if I were thy professed Enemy.

Marginal references: Deut. 32. 20. Ruth. 1, 21. Ch. 16. 9. & 19. 11. & 33. 10.

25. Wilt thou break a Leaf driven to and fro? And wilt thou pursue the dry stubble ?

Doth it become thy infinite and excellent Majesty to use all thy might to crush such a poor, impotent, frail Creature as I am, that can no more resist thy Power, than a Leaf, or a little loose and dry straw can resist the fury of the Wind or Fire.

Marginal references: Isa. 42. 3.

26. For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the Iniquities of my Youth .

i. e. Thou appointest or inflictest. A Metaphor from Princes or Judges, who antiently used to write their Sentences or Decrees, concerning Persons, or Causes, brought before them. See Psal. 149. 9. Ier. 22. 30. Ioh. 19. 22.

i. e. A terrible Sentence, or most grievous punishments.

Thou dost now at once bring upon me the punishment of all my sins, not excepting those of my Youth, which, because of the Folly and weakness of that Age, are usually excused or winked at, or, at least, but gently punished.

Marginal references: Psa. 25. 7.

27. Thou puttest my Feet also in the stocks , and lookest narrowly unto all my Paths ; thou settest a Print upon the Heels of my Feet .

Thou encompassest me with thy Judgments, that I may have no way or possibility to escape.

When thou hast me fast in Prison, thou makest a strict and diligent search into all the actions of my life, that thou m[illegible: 1+ letters]ist find matter to condemn me.

i. e. Thou followest me close at the Heels, either to observe my Actions, or to pursue me with thy Judgments, so that thou dost oft tread upon my Heels, and leave the prints of thy Footsteps upon them.

Marginal references: Chap [illegible: 1 word]. 11.; Heb. observest.; Heb. roots.

28. And he , as a rotten thing, consumeth as a Garment that is Moth-eaten.

Either 1. Man, or Iob, supposed to be Gods Adversary in this contest. So he speaks of himself in the third Person, as is usual in this and other sacred Books. So the Sense is, He, i. e. this poor frail Creature, this Carkass or Body of mine; which possibly he pointed a[illegible: 1+ letters] with his Finger, consumeth or pineth away, &c. So he mentions here the effect of Gods severe proceedings against him, to wit, his Consum[illegible: 1+ letters]tion, and utter Destruction, which was making haste towards him. Or, 2▪ God, of whom he hitherto spoke in the second Person, and now in the third Person, such changes of persons being very frequent in poetical Writings, such as this is. So he continueth the former Discourse, and as before he mentioned Gods severe Enquiry into his ways, and Sentence against him, so here he describes the Consequence and dreadful Execution of it upon him: He i. e. God, consumeth (for the Verb is Active) me as rottenness consumeth that in which it is, or as a rotten thing is consumed, and as a Moth which eateth a Garment.

Job 13:1-2   1  Lo, mine eye hath seen all,

Mine ear hath heard and marked it.   2  What ye know do I know also,

I do not stand back behind you.

Job has brought forward proof of what he has stated at the commencement of this speech (Job 12:3), that he is not inferior to them in the knowledge of God and divine things, and therefore he can now repeat as proved what he maintains. The plain כּל, which in other passages, with the force of הכּל, signifies omnes (Gen 16:12; Isa 30:5; Jer 44:12) and omnia (Job 42:2; Psa 8:7; Isa 44:24), has the definite sense of haec omnia here. לה (v. 1 b) is not after the Aramaic manner dat. pro acc. objecti: my ear has heard and comprehended it (id); but dat. commodi, or perhaps only dat. ethicus: and has made it intelligible to itself (sibi); בּין of the apprehension accompanying perception. He has a knowledge of the exalted and glorious majesty of God, acquired partly from his own observation and partly from the teachings of others. He also knows equal to (instar) their knowledge, i.e., he has a knowledge (ידע as the idea implied in it, e.g., like Psa 82:5) which will bear comparison with theirs. But he will no longer contend with them.

Job 13:3-6   3  But I would speak to the Almighty,

And I long to reason with God.   4  And ye however are forgers of lies,

Physicians of no value are ye all.   5  Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace,

It would be accounted to you as wisdom.   6  Hear now my instruction,

Ando hearken to the answers of my lips!

He will no longer dispute with the friends; the more they oppose him, the more earnestly he desires to be able to argue his cause before God. אוּלם (Job 13:3) is disjunctive, like ἀλλά, and introduces a new range of thoughts; lxx ου ̓ μήν δὲ ἀλλά, verum enim vero. True, he has said in Job 9 that no one can maintain his cause before God; but his confidence in God grows in proportion as his distrust of the friends increases; and at the same time, the hope is begotten that God will grant him that softening of the terror of His majesty which he has reserved to himself in connection with this declaration (Job 9:34, comp. Job 13:20.). The infin. absol. הוכח, which in Job 6:25 is used almost as a substantive, and indeed as the subject, is here in the place of the object, as e.g., Isa 5:5; Isa 58:6 : to prove, i.e., my cause, to God (אל־אל, like Job 13:15, אל־פּניו) I long. With ואוּלם (Job 13:4) the antithesis is introduced anew: I will turn to God, you on the contrary (καὶ ὑμεῖς δὲ). Since the verb טפל, from its primary meaning to spread on, smear on (whence e.g., Talmudic טפלה, the act of throwing on, as when plastering up the cracks of an oven), cogn. תּפל (whence תּפל, plaster, and perhaps also in the signification tasteless, Job 6:6 = sticky, greasy, slimy), does not signify, at least not at first, consuere, but assuere (without any relation of root with תּפר), we explain, not with Olshausen and others, concinnatores mendacii, such as sew together lies as patchwork; but with Hirzel and others, assutores mendacii, such as patch on lies, i.e., charge falsely, since they desire throughout to make him out to be a sinner punished according to his desert. This explanation is also confirmed by Job 14:17. Another explanation is given by Hupfeld: sarcinatores false = inanes, inutiles, so that שׁקר signifies what lies = what deceives, as in the parallel member of the verse אלל,In the Talmudic, the jugular vein, the cutting of which produces death, is called אלל (later עצב, Arab. ‛ṣb), according to which (b. Chullin 121a) it is explained: healer of the jugular artery, i.e., those who try to heal what is incurable, therefore charlatans, - a strange idea, which has arisen from the defective form of writing אלל. The lxx translates ἰαταὶ κακῶν. nothingness, and also עמל (Job 16:2) in a similar connection, is not an objective but attributive genitive; but Psa 119:69 is decisive against this interpretation of שׁקר טפלי. The parallelism is not so exactly adjusted, as e.g., even רפאי does not on account of the parallel with טפלי signify patchers, ῥάπται, but: they are not able to heal Job’s wounds with the medicine of consolation; they are medici nihili, useless physicians. Pro 17:28, “Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise,” applies to them, si tacuisses, sapiens mansisses; or, as a rabbinical proverb of similar meaning, quoted by Heidenheim, says, השׂגה בהשׂגה הלאות, “the fatigue of comprehension is comprehension,” i.e., the silent pause before a problem is half the solution. The jussive form וּתהי, it would be (Ges. §128, 2), is used in the conclusion of the wish. Thus he challenges them to hear his תּוכחת (תּוכחה) and his רבוה. Hirzel is quite right when he says the former does not mean defence (justification), nor the latter proofs (counter-evidence); תוכחת is, according to his signification (significatus, in distinction from sensus), ἔλεγχος, correptio (lxx, Vulg.), and here not so much refutation and answer, as correction in an ethical sense, in correspondence with which רבות is also intended of reproaches, reproofs, or reprimands.

Job 13:7-11   7  Will ye speak what is wrong for God,

And speak what is deceitful for Him?   8  Will ye be partial for Him,

Or will ye play the part of God’s advocates?   9  Would it be pleasant if He should search you out,

Or can ye jest with Him, as one jesteth with men? 10  He will surely expose you

If ye secretly act with partiality. 11  Will not His majesty confound you,

And His fear fall upon you?

Their advocacy of God - this is the thought of this strophe - is an injustice to Job, and an evil service rendered to God, which cannot escape undisguised punishment from Him. They set themselves up as God’s advocates (לאל ריב, like לבּעל ריב, Jdg 6:31), and at the same time accept His person, accipiunt (as in acceptus = gratus), or lift it up, i.e., favour, or give preference to, His person, viz., at the expense of the truth: they are partial in His favour, as they are twice reminded and given to understand by the fut. energicum תּשּׂאוּן. The addition of בּסּתר (Job 13:10) implies that they conceal their better knowledge by the assumption of an earnest tone and bearing, expressive of the strongest conviction that they are in the right. They know that Job is not a flagrant sinner; nevertheless they deceive themselves with the idea that he is, and by reason of this delusion they take up the cause of God against him. Such perversion of the truth in majorem Dei gloriam is an abomination to God. When He searches them, His advocates, out (חקר, as Prov.Job 28:11), they will become conscious of it; or will God be mocked, as one mocketh mortal men? Comp. Gal 6:7 for a similar thought. חתל is inf. absol. after the form תּללּ, and תּהתלּוּ is also to be derived from תּללּ, and is fut. Hiph., the preformative not being syncopated, for תּתלּוּ (Ges. §53, rem. 7); not Piel, from התל (as 1Ki 18:27), with the doubling of the middle radical resolved (Olsh. in his Lehrb. S. 577). God is not pleased with λατρεία (Joh 16:2) which gives the honour to Him, but not to truth, such ζῆλος Θεοῦ ἀλλ ̓ ου ̓ κατ ̓ ἐπίγνωσιν (Rom 10:2), such advocacy contrary to one’s better knowledge and conscience, in which the end is thought to sanctify the means. Such advocacy must be put to shame and confounded when He who needs no concealment of the truth for His justification is manifest in His שׂאת, i.e., not: in the kindling of His wrath (after Jdg 20:38; Isa 30:27), but: in His exaltation (correctly by Ralbag: התנשׂאותו ורוממותו), and by His direct influence brings all untruth to light. It is the boldest thought imaginable, that one dare not have respect even to the person of God when one is obliged to lie to one’s self. And still it is also self-evident. For God and truth can never be antagonistic.

Job 13:12-16 12  Your memorable words are proverbs of dust,

Your strongholds are become strongholds of clay! 13  Leave me in peace, and I will speak,

And let what will come on me. 14  Wherefore should I bear my flesh in my teeth?

I take my soul in my hands. 15  Behold, He slayeth me-I wait for Him:

I will only prove my way before Him. 16  Even this would by my salvation,

That a hypocrite dare not appear before Him.

The words by which they exhort and warn him are called זכרנים, not because they recall the experience and teaching of the ancients (Hirz.), but as sayings to which attention and thought should be given, with the tone of זכר־נא, Job 4:7 (Hahn); as ספר זכרון, Mal 3:16, the book of remembrance; and ספר זכרנות, Est 6:1, the book of memorabilia or memoranda. These their loci communes are proverbs of ashes, i.e., proverbs which in respect to the present case, say nothing, passing away like ashes (אפר = vanity, Isa 44:20). While Job 13:12 says what their speeches, with the weighty nota bene, are, Job 13:12 says what their גּבּים become; for ל always denotes a κίνησις = γένεσις, and is never the exponent of the predicate in a simple clause.The Jewish expositors compare 1Ch 3:2 on לגבי, but the ל there in לאבשׁלום is a clerical error (comp. 2Sa 3:3). Reiske conjectures רגבי (lumps of clay), one of the best among his most venturesome conjectures.

Like the Arabic dahr, גּב signifies a boss, back, then protection, bulwark, rampart: their arguments or proofs are called גבים (עצּמות, Isa 41:21; comp. ὀχυρώματα, 2Co 10:4); these ramparts which they throw up become as ramparts of clay, will be shown to be such by their being soon broken through and falling in. Their reasons will not stand before God, but, like clay that will not hold together, fall to pieces.

Job 13:17-19 17  Hear, O hear my confession,

And let my declaration echo in your ears. 18  Behold now! I have arranged the cause,

I know that I shall maintain the right. 19  Who then can contend with me?

Then, indeed, I would be silent and expire.

Eager for the accomplishment of his wish that he might himself take his cause before God, and as though in imagination it were so, he invites the friends to be present to hear his defence of himself. מלּה (in Arabic directly used for confession = religion) is the confession which he will lay down, and אחוה the declaration that he will make in evidence, i.e., the proof of his innocence. The latter substantive, which signifies brotherly conduct in post-biblical Hebrew, is here an ἅπ. λεγ. from חוה, not however with Aleph prostheticum from Kal, but after the form אזכּרה = הזכּרה, from the Aphêl = Hiphil of this verb, which, except Psa 19:3, occurs only in the book of Job as Hebrew (comp. the n. actionis, אחויה, Dan 5:12), Ewald, §156, c. It is unnecessary to carry the שׁמעוּ on to Job 13:17 (hear now ... with your own ears, as e.g., Jer 26:11); Job 13:17 is an independent substantival clause like Job 15:11; Isa 5:9, which carries in itself the verbal idea of תּהי or תּבא (Psa 18:7). They shall hear, for on his part he has arranged, i.e., prepared (משׁפּט ערך, causam instruere, as Job 23:4, comp. Job 33:5) the cause, so that the action can begin forthwith; and he knows that he, he and no one else, will be found in the right. With the conviction of this superiority, he exclaims, Who in all the world could contend with him, i.e., advance valid arguments against his defence of himself? Then, indeed, if this impossibility should happen, he would be dumb, and willingly die as one completely overpowered not merely in outward appearance, but in reality vanquished. יריב עמדי following הוא מי (comp. Job 4:7) may be taken as an elliptical relative clause: qui litigare possit mecum (comp. Isa 50:9 with Rom 8:34, τίς ὁ καταδρίνων); but since זה הוא מי is also used in the sense of quis tandem or ecquisnam, this syntactic connection which certainly did exist (Ewald, §325, a) is obliterated, and הוא serves like זה only to give intensity and vividness to the מי. On עתּה כּי (in meaning not different to אז כּי), vid., Job 3:13; Job 8:6. In Job 13:19 that is granted as possible which, according to the declaration of his conscience, Job must consider as absolutely impossible. Therefore he clings to the desire of being able to bring his cause before God, and becomes more and more absorbed in the thought.

Job 13:20-22 20  Only two things do not unto me,

Then will I not hide myself from Thy countenance: 21  Withdraw Thy hand from me,

And let Thy fear not terrify me - 22  Call then and I will answer,

Or I will speak and answer Thou me!

He makes only two conditions in his prayer, as he has already expressed it in Job 9:34 : (1) That God would grant him a cessation of his troubles; (2) That He would not overwhelm him with His majesty. The chastening hand of God is generally called יד elsewhere; but in spite of this prevalent usage of the language, כּף cannot be understood here (comp. on the contrary Job 33:7) otherwise than of the hand (Job 9:34 : the rod) of God, which lies heavily on Job. The painful pressure of that hand would prevent the collecting and ordering of his thoughts required for meeting with God, and the אימה (Codd. defectively אמתך) of God would completely crush and confound him. But if God grants these two things: to remove His hand for a time, and not to turn the terrible side of His majesty to him, then he is ready whether God should himself open the cause or permit him to have the first word. Correctly Mercerus: optionem ei dat ut aut actoris aut rei personam deligat, sua fretus innocentia, sed interim sui oblitus et immodicus. In contrast with God he feels himself to be a poor worm, but his consciousness of innocence makes him a Titan.

He now says what he would ask God; or rather, he now asks Him, since he vividly pictures to himself the action with God which he desires. His imagination anticipates the reality of that which is longed for. Modern expositors begin a new division at Job 13:23. But Job’s speech does not yet take a new turn; it goes on further continually uno tenore.

Job 13:23-25 23  How many are mine iniquities and sins?

Make me to know my transgression and sin! -  - 24  Wherefore dost Thou hide Thy face,

And regard me as Thine enemy? 25  Wilt Thou frighten away a leaf driven to and fro,

And pursue the dry stubble?

When עון and חטּאת, פּשׁע and חטּאת, are used in close connection, the latter, which describes sin as failing and error, signifies sins of weakness (infirmities, Schwachheitssünde); whereas עון (prop. distorting or bending) signifies misdeed, and פשׁע (prop. breaking loose, or away from, Arab. fsq) wickedness which designedly estranges itself from God and removes from favour, both therefore malignant sin (Bosheitssünde).Comp. the development of the idea of the synonyms for sin in von Hofmann, Schriftbeweis, i. 483ff., at the commencement of the fourth Lehrstück.

The bold self-confidence which is expressed in the question and challenge of Job 13:23 is, in Job 13:24, changed to grievous astonishment that God does not appear to him, and on the contrary continues to pursue him as an enemy without investigating his cause. Has the Almighty then pleasure in scaring away a leaf that is already blown to and fro? העלה, with He interrog., like החכם, Job 15:2, according to Ges. §100, 4. ערץ used as transitive here, like Psa 10:18, to terrify, scare away affrighted. Does it give Him satisfaction to pursue dried-up stubble? By את (before an indeterminate noun, according to Ges. §117, 2) he points δεικτικῶς to himself: he, the powerless one, completely deprived of strength by sickness and pain, is as dried-up stubble; nevertheless God is after him, as though He would get rid of every trace of a dangerous enemy by summoning His utmost strength against him.

Job 13:26-28 26  For Thou decreest bitter things against me,

And causest me to possess the iniquities of my youth, 27  And puttest my feet in the stocks,

And observest all my ways.

Thou makest for thyself a circle round the soles of my feet, 28  Round one who moulders away as worm-eaten,

As a garment that the moth gnaweth.

He is conscious of having often prayed: “Remember not the sins of my youth, and my transgressions: according to Thy mercy remember Thou me,” Psa 25:7; and still he can only regard his affliction as the inheritance (i.e., entailed upon him by sins not repented of) of the sins of his youth, since he has no sins of his mature years that would incur wrath, to reproach himself with. He does not know how to reconcile with the justice of God the fact that He again records against him sins, the forgiveness of which he implores soon after their commission, and decrees (כּתב, as Psa 149:9, and as used elsewhere in the book of Job with reference to the recording of judgment) for him on account of them such bitter punishment (מררות, amara, bitter calamities; comp. Deu 32:32, “bitter” grapes). And the two could not indeed be harmonized, if it really were thus. So long as a man remains an object of the divine mercy, his sins that have been once forgiven are no more the object of divine judgment. But Job can understand his affliction only as an additional punishment. The conflict of temptation through which he is passing has made God’s loving-kindness obscure to him. He appears to himself to be like a prisoner whose feet are forced into the holes of a סד, i.e., the block or log of wood in which the feet of a criminal are fastened, and which he must shuffle about with him when he moves; perhaps connected with Arab. sadda , occludere, opplere (foramen), elsewhere מהפּכת (from the forcible twisting or fastening), Chald. סדיא, סדנא, Syr. sado , by which Act 16:24, ξύλον = ποδοκάκη, is rendered; Lat. cippus (which Ralbag compares), codex (in Plautus an instrument of punishment for slaves), or also nervus. The verb תּשׂם which belongs to it, and is found also in Job 33:11 in the same connection, is of the jussive form, but is neither jussive nor optative in meaning, as also the future with shortened vowel (e.g., Job 27:22; Job 40:19) or apocopated (Job 18:12; Job 23:9, Job 23:11) is used elsewhere from the preference of poetry for a short pregnant form. He seems to himself like a criminal whose steps are closely watched (שׁמר, as Job 10:14), in order that he may not have the undeserved enjoyment of freedom, and may not avoid the execution for which he is reserved by effecting an escape by flight. Instead of ארחתי, the reading adopted by Ben-Ascher, Ben-Naphtali writes ארחתי, with Cholem in the first syllable; both modes of punctuation change without any fixed law also in other respects in the inflexion of ארח, as of ארחה, a caravan, the construct is both ארחות, Job 6:19, and ארחות. It is scarcely necessary to remark that the verbs in Job 13:27 are addressed to God, and are not intended as the third pers. fem. in reference to the stocks (Ralbag). The roots of the feet are undoubtedly their undermost parts, therefore the soles. But what is the meaning of תּתחקּה? The Vulg., Syr., and Parchon explain: Thou fixest thine attention upon ... , but certainly according to mere conjecture; Ewald, by the help of the Arabic tahhakkaka ala: Thou securest thyself ... , but there is not the least necessity to depart from the ordinary use of the word, as those also do who explain: Thou makest a law or boundary (Aben-Ezra, Ges., Hahn, Schlottm.). The verb חקה is the usual word (certainly cognate and interchangeable with חקק) for carved-out work (intaglio), and perhaps with colour rubbed in, or filled up with metal (vid., Job 19:23, comp. Eze 23:14); it signifies to hew into, to carve, to dig a trench. Stickel is in some measure true to this meaning when he explains: Thou scratchest, pressest (producing blood); by which rendering, however, the Hithpa. is not duly recognised. Raschi is better, tu t'affiches, according to which Mercerus: velut affixus vestigiis pedum meorum adhaeres, ne quâ elabi possim aut effugere. But a closer connection with the ordinary use of the word is possible. Accordingly Rosenm., Umbreit, and others render: Thou markest a line round my feet (drawest a circle round); Hirz., however, in the strictest sense of the Hithpa.: Thou diggest thyself in (layest thyself as a circular line about my feet). But the Hithpa. does not necessarily mean se insculpere, but, as התפשׁט sibi exuere, התפתח sibi solvere, התחנן sibi propitium facere, it may also mean sibi insculpere, which does not give so strange a representation: Thou makest to thyself furrows (or also: lines) round the soles of my feet, so that they cannot move beyond the narrow boundaries marked out by thee. With והוּא, Job 13:28, a circumstantial clause begins: While he whom Thou thus fastenest in as a criminal, etc. Observe the fine rhythmical accentuation achālo ‛asch. Since God whom he calls upon does not appear, Job’s defiance is changed to timidity. The elegiac tone, into which his bold tone has passed, is continued in Job 14.

Job's Reply to Zophar. (b. c. 1520.)

1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it. 2 What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you. 3 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God. 4 But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. 5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom. 6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips. 7 Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him? 8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God? 9 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him? 10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons. 11 Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you? 12 Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

Job here warmly expresses his resentment of the unkindness of his friends.

I. He comes up with them as one that understood the matter in dispute as well as they, and did not need to be taught by them, v. 1, 2. They compelled him, as the Corinthians did Paul, to commend himself and his own knowledge, yet not in a way of self-applause, but of self-justification. All he had before said his eye had seen confirmed by many instances, and his ear had heard seconded by many authorities, and he well understood it and what use to make of it. Happy are those who not only see and hear, but understand, the greatness, glory, and sovereignty of God. This, he thought, would justify what he had said before (ch. xii. 3), which he repeats here (v. 2): "What you know, the same do I know also, so that I need not come to you to be taught; I am not inferior unto you in wisdom." Note, Those who enter into disputation enter into temptation to magnify themselves and vilify their brethren more than is fit, and therefore ought to watch and pray against the workings of pride.

II. He turns from them to God (v. 3): Surely I would speak to the Almighty; as if he had said, "I can promise myself no satisfaction in talking to you. O that I might have liberty to reason with God! He would not be so hard upon me as you are." The prince himself will perhaps give audience to a poor petitioner with more mildness, patience, and condescension, than the servants will. Job would rather argue with God himself than with his friends. See here, 1. What confidence those have towards God whose hearts condemn them not of reigning hypocrisy: they can, with humble boldness, appear before him and appeal to him. 2. What comfort those have in God whose neighbours unjustly condemn them: if they may not speak to them with any hopes of a fair hearing, yet they may speak to the Almighty; they have easy access to him and shall find acceptance with him.

III. He condemns them for their unjust and uncharitable treatment of him, v. 4. 1. They falsely accused him, and that was unjust: You are forgers of lies. They framed a wrong hypothesis concerning the divine Providence, and misrepresented it, as if it did never remarkably afflict any but wicked men in this world, and thence they drew a false judgment concerning Job, that he was certainly a hypocrite. For this gross mistake, both in doctrine and application, he thinks an indictment of forgery lies against them. To speak lies is bad enough, though but at second hand, but to forge them with contrivance and deliberation is much worse; yet against this wrong neither innocency nor excellency will be a fence. 2. They basely deceived him, and that was unkind. They undertook his cure, and pretended to be his physicians; but they were all physicians of no value, "idol-physicians, who can do me no more good than an idol can." They were worthless physicians, who neither understood his case nor knew how to prescribe to him—mere empirics, who pretended to great things, but in conference added nothing to him: he was never the wiser for all they said. Thus to broken hearts and wounded consciences all creatures, without Christ, are physicians of no value, on which one may spend all and be never the better, but rather grow worse, Mark v. 26.

IV. He begs they would be silent and give him a patient hearing, v. 5, 6. 1. He thinks it would be a credit to them if they would say no more, having said too much already: "Hold your peace, and it shall be your wisdom, for thereby you will conceal your ignorance and ill-nature, which now appear in all you say." They pleaded that they could not forbear speaking (ch. iv. 2, xi. 2, 3); but he tells them that they would better have consulted their own reputation if they had enjoined themselves silence. Better say nothing than nothing to the purpose or that which tends to the dishonour of God and the grief of our brethren. Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is accounted wise, because nothing appears to the contrary, Prov. xvii. 28. And, as silence is an evidence of wisdom, so it is a means of it, as it gives time to think and hear. 2. He thinks it would be a piece of justice to him to hear what he had to say: Hear now my reasoning. Perhaps, though they did not interrupt him in his discourse, yet they seemed careless, and did not much heed what he said. He therefore begged that they would not only hear, but hearken. Note, We should be very willing and glad to hear what those have to say for themselves whom, upon any account, we are tempted to have hard thoughts of. Many a man, if he could but be fairly heard, would be fairly acquitted, even in the consciences of those that run him down.

V. He endeavours to convince them of the wrong they did to God's honour, while they pretended to plead for him, v. 7, 8. They valued themselves upon it that they spoke for God, were advocates for him, and had undertaken to justify him and his proceedings against Job; and, being (as they thought) of counsel for the sovereign, they expected not only the ear of the court and the last word, but judgment on their side. But Job tells them plainly, 1. That God and his cause did not need such advocates: "Will you think to contend for God, as if his justice were clouded and wanted to be cleared up, or as if he were at a loss what to say and wanted you to speak for him? Will you, who are so weak and passionate, put in for the honour of pleading God's cause?" Good work ought not to be put into bad hands. Will you accept his person? If those who have not right on their side carry their cause, it is by the partiality of the judge in favour of their persons; but God's cause is so just that it needs no such methods for the support of it. He is a God, and can plead for himself (Judg. vi. 31); and, if you were for ever silent, the heavens would declare his righteousness. 2. That God's cause suffered by such management. Under pretence of justifying God in afflicting Job they magisterially condemned him as a hypocrite and a bad man. "This" (says he) "is speaking wickedly" (for uncharitableness and censoriousness are wickedness, great wickedness; it is an offence to God to wrong our brethren); "it is talking deceitfully, for you condemn one whom yet perhaps your own consciences, at the same time, cannot but acquit. Your principles are false and your arguings fallacious, and will it excuse you to say, It is for God?" No, for a good intention will not justify, much less will it sanctify, a bad word or action. God's truth needs not our lie, nor God's cause either our sinful policies or our sinful passions. The wrath of man works not the righteousness of God, nor may we do evil that good may come, Rom. iii. 7, 8. Pious frauds (as they call them) are impious cheats; and devout persecutions are horrid profanations of the name of God, as theirs who hated their brethren, and cast them out, saying, Let the Lord be glorified, Isa. lxvi. 5; John xvi. 2.

VI. He endeavours to possess them with a fear of God's judgment, and so to bring them to a better temper. Let them not think to impose upon God as they might upon a man like themselves, nor expect to gain his countenance in their bad practices by pretending a zeal for him and his honour. "As one man mocks another by flattering him, do you think so to mock him and deceive him?" Assuredly those who think to put a cheat upon God will prove to have put a cheat upon themselves. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. That they might not think thus to jest with God, and affront him, Job would have them to consider both God and themselves, and then they would find themselves unable to enter into judgment with him.

1. Let them consider what a God he is into whose service they had thus thrust themselves, and to whom they really did so much disservice, and enquire whether they could give him a good account of what they did. Consider, (1.) The strictness of his scrutiny and enquiries concerning them (v. 9) "Is it good that he should search you out? Can you bear to have the principles looked into which you go upon in your censures, and to have the bottom of the matter found out?" Note, It concerns us all seriously to consider whether it will be to our advantage or no that God searches the heart. It is good to an upright man who means honestly that God should search him; therefore he prays for it: Search me, O God! and know my heart. God's omniscience is a witness of his sincerity. But it is bad to him who looks one way and rows another that God should search him out, and lay him open to his confusion. (2.) The severity of his rebukes and displeasure against them (v. 10): "If you do accept persons, though but secretly and in heart, he will surely reprove you; he will be so far from being pleased with your censures of me, though under colour of vindicating him, that he will resent them as a great provocation, as any prince or great man would if a base action were done under the sanction of his name and under the colour of advancing his interest." Note, What we do amiss we shall certainly be reproved for, one way or other, one time or other, though it be done ever so secretly. (3.) The terror of his majesty, which if they would duly stand in awe of they would not do that which would make them obnoxious to his wrath (v. 11): "Shall not his excellency make you afraid? You that have great knowledge of God, and profess religion and a fear of him, how dare you talk at this rate and give yourselves so great a liberty of speech? Ought you not to walk and talk in the fear of God? Neh. v. 9. Should not his dread fall upon you, and give a check to your passions?" Methinks Job speaks this as one that did himself know the terror of the Lord, and lived in a holy fear of him, whatever his friends suggested to the contrary. Note, [1.] There is in God a dreadful excellency. He is the most excellent Being, has all excellencies in himself and in each infinitely excels any creature. His excellencies in themselves are amiable and lovely. He is the most beautiful Being; but considering man's distance from God by nature, and his defection and degeneracy by sin, his excellencies are dreadful. His power, holiness, justice, yea, and his goodness too, are dreadful excellencies. They shall fear the Lord and his goodness. [2.] A holy awe of this dreadful excellency should fall upon us and make us afraid. This would awaken impenitent sinners and bring them to repentance, and would influence all to be careful to please him and afraid of offending him.

2. Let them consider themselves, and what an unequal match they were for this great God (v. 12): "Your remembrances (all that in you for which you hope to be remembered when you are gone) are like unto ashes, worthless and weak, and easily trampled on and blown away. Your bodies are like bodies of clay, mouldering and coming to nothing. Your memories, you think, will survive your bodies, but, alas! they are like ashes which will be shovelled up with your dust." Note, the consideration of our own meanness and mortality should make us afraid of offending God, and furnishes a good reason why we should not despise and trample upon our brethren. Bishop Patrick gives another sense of this verse: "Your remonstrances on God's behalf are no better than dust, and the arguments you accumulate but like so many heaps of dirt."

13 Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will. 14 Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand? 15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. 16 He also shall be my salvation: for a hypocrite shall not come before him. 17 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears. 18 Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified. 19 Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost. 20 Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee. 21 Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid. 22 Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.

Job here takes fresh hold, fast hold, of his integrity, as one that was resolved not to let it go, nor suffer it to be wrested from him. His firmness in this matter is commendable and his warmth excusable.

I. He entreats his friends and all the company to let him alone, and not interrupt him in what he was about to say (v. 13), but diligently to hearken to it, v. 17. He would have his own protestation to be decisive, for none but God and himself knew his heart. "Be silent therefore, and let me hear no more of you, but hearken diligently to what I say, and let my own oath for confirmation be an end of the strife."

II. He resolves to adhere to the testimony his own conscience gave of his integrity; and though his friends called it obstinacy that should not shake his constancy: "I will speak in my own defence, and let come on me what will, v. 13. Let my friends put what construction they please upon it, and think the worse of me for it; I hope God will not make my necessary defence to be my offence, as you do. He will justify me (v. 18) and then nothing can come amiss to me." Note, Those that are upright, and have the assurance of their uprightness, may cheerfully welcome every event. Come what will, bene præparatum pectus—they are ready for it. He resolves (v. 15) that he will maintain his own ways. He would never part with the satisfaction he had in having walked uprightly with God; for, though he could not justify every word he had spoken, yet, in the general, his ways were good, and he would maintain his uprightness; and why should he not, since that was his great support under his present exercises, as it was Hezekiah's, Now, Lord, remember how I have walked before thee? Nay, he would not only not betray his own cause, or give it up, but he would openly avow his sincerity; for (v. 19) "If hold my tongue, and do not speak for myself, my silence now will for ever silence me, for I shall certainly give up the ghost," v. 19. "If I cannot be cleared, yet let me be eased, by what I say," as Elihu, ch. xxxii. 17, 20.

III. He complains of the extremity of pain and misery he was in (v. 14): Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth? That is, 1. "Why do I suffer such agonies? I cannot but wonder that God should lay so much upon me when he knows I am not a wicked man." He was ready, not only to rend his clothes, but even to tear his flesh, through the greatness of his affliction, and saw himself at the brink of death, and his life in his hand, yet his friends could not charge him with any enormous crime, nor could he himself discover any; no marvel then that he was in such confusion. 2. "Why do I stifle and smother the protestations of my innocency?" When a man with great difficulty keeps in what he would say, he bites his lips. "Now," says he, "why may not I take liberty to speak, since I do but vex myself, add to my torment, and endanger my life, by refraining?" Note, It would vex the most patient man, when he has lost every thing else, to be denied the comfort (if he deserves it) of a good conscience and a good name.

IV. He comforts himself in God, and still keeps hold of his confidence in him. Observe here,

1. What he depends upon God for—justification and salvation, the two great things we hope for through Christ. (1.) Justification (v. 18): I have ordered my cause, and, upon the whole matter, I know that I shall be justified. This he knew because he knew that his Redeemer lived, ch. xix. 25. Those whose hearts are upright with God, in walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit, may be sure that through Christ there shall be no condemnation to them, but that, whoever lays any thing to their charge, they shall be justified: they may know that they shall. (2.) Salvation (v. 16): He also shall be my salvation. He means it not of temporal salvation (he had little expectation of that); but concerning his eternal salvation he was very confident that God would not only be his Saviour to make him happy, but his salvation, in the vision and fruition of whom he should be happy. And the reason why he depended on God for salvation was because a hypocrite shall not come before him. He knew himself not to be a hypocrite, and that none but hypocrites are rejected of God, and therefore concluded he should not be rejected. Sincerity is our evangelical perfection; nothing will ruin us but the want of that.

2. With what constancy he depends upon him: Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him, v. 15. This is a high expression of faith, and what we should all labour to come up to—to trust in God, though he slay us, that is, we must be well pleased with God as a friend even when he seems to come forth against us as an enemy, ch. xxiii. 8-10. We must believe that all shall work for good to us even when all seems to make against us, Jer. xxiv. 5. We must proceed and persevere in the way of our duty, though it cost us all that is dear to us in this world, even life itself, Heb. xi. 35. We must depend upon the performance of the promise when all the ways leading to it are shut up, Rom. iv. 18. We must rejoice in God when we have nothing else to rejoice in, and cleave to him, yea, though we cannot for the present find comfort in him. In a dying hour we must derive from him living comforts; and this is to trust in him though he slay us.

V. He wishes to argue the case even with God himself, if he might but have leave to settle the preliminaries of the treaty, v. 20-22. He had desired (v. 3) to reason with God, and is still of the same mind. He will not hide himself, that is, he will not decline the trial, nor dread the issue of it, but under two provisos:—1. That his body might not be tortured with this exquisite pain: "Withdraw thy hand far from me; for, while I am in this extremity, I am fit for nothing. I can make a shift to talk with my friends, but I know not how to address myself to thee." When we are to converse with God we have need to be composed, and as free as possible from every thing that may make us uneasy. 2. That his mind might not be terrified with the tremendous majesty of God: "Let not thy dread make me afraid; either let the manifestations of thy presence be familiar or let me be enabled to bear them without disorder and disturbance." Moses himself trembled before God, so did Isaiah and Habakkuk. O God! thou art terrible even in thy holy places. "Lord," says Job, "let me not be put into such a consternation of spirit, together with this bodily affliction; for then I must certainly drop the cause, and shall make nothing of it." See what a folly it is for men to put off their repentance and conversion to a sick-bed and a death-bed. How can even a good man, much less a bad man, reason with God, so as to be justified before him, when he is upon the rack of pain and under the terror of the arrests of death? At such a time it is very bad to have the great work to do, but very comfortable to have it done, as it was to Job, who, if he might but have a little breathing-time, was ready either, (1.) To hear God speaking to him by his word, and return an answer: Call thou, and I will answer; or, (2.) To speak to him by prayer, and expect an answer: Let me speak, and answer thou me, v. 22. Compare this with ch. ix. 34, 35, where he speaks to the same purport. In short, the badness of his case was at present such a damp upon him as he could not get over; otherwise he was well assured of the goodness of his cause, and doubted not but to have the comfort of it at last, when the present cloud was over. With such holy boldness may the upright come to the throne of grace, not doubting but to find mercy there.

23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin. 24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy? 25 Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble? 26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth. 27 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet. 28 And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.

Here, I. Job enquires after his sins, and begs to have them discovered to him. He looks up to God, and asks him what was the number of them (How many are my iniquities?) and what were the particulars of them: Make me to know my transgressions, v. 23. His friends were ready enough to tell him how numerous and how heinous they were, ch. xxii. 5. "But, Lord," says he, "let me know them from thee; for thy judgment is according to truth, theirs is not." This may be taken either, 1. As a passionate complaint of hard usage, that he was punished for his faults and yet was not told what his faults were. Or, 2. As a prudent appeal to God from the censures of his friends. He desired that all his sins might be brought to light, as knowing they would then appear not so many, nor so mighty, as his friends suspected him to be guilty of. Or, 3. As a pious request, to the same purport with that which Elihu directed him to, ch. xxxiv. 32. That which I see not, teach thou me. Note, A true penitent is willing to know the worst of himself; and we should all desire to know what our transgressions are, that we may be particular in the confession of them and on our guard against them for the future.

II. He bitterly complains of God's withdrawings from him (v. 24): Wherefore hidest thou thy face? This must be meant of something more than his outward afflictions; for the loss of estate, children, health, might well consist with God's love; when that was all, he blessed the name of the Lord; but his soul was also sorely vexed, and that is it which he here laments. 1. That the favours of the Almighty were suspended. God hid his face as one strange to him, displeased with him, shy and regardless of him. 2. That the terrors of the Almighty were inflicted and impressed upon him. God held him for his enemy, shot his arrows at him (ch. vi. 4), and set him as a mark, ch. vii. 20. Note, The Holy Ghost sometimes denies his favours and discovers his terrors to the best and dearest of his saints and servants in this world. This case occurs, not only in the production, but sometimes in the progress of the divine life. Evidences for heaven are eclipsed, sensible communications interrupted, dread of divine wrath impressed, and the returns of comfort, for the present, despaired of, Ps. lxxvii. 7-9; lxxxviii. 7, 15, 16. These are grievous burdens to a gracious soul, that values God's loving-kindness as better than life, Prov. xviii. 14. A wounded spirit who can bear? Job, by asking here, Why hidest thou thy face? teaches us that, when at any time we are under the sense of God's withdrawings, we are concerned to enquire into the reason of them—what is the sin for which he corrects us and what the good he designs us. Job's sufferings were typical of the sufferings of Christ, from whom not only men hid their faces (Isa. liii. 3), but God hid his, witness the darkness which surrounded him on the cross when he cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? If this were done to these green trees, what shall be done to the dry? They will for ever be forsaken.

III. He humbly pleads with God his own utter inability to stand before him (v. 25): "Wilt thou break a leaf, pursue the dry stubble? Lord, is it for thy honour to trample upon one that is down already, or to crush one that neither has nor pretends to any power to resist thee?" Note, We ought to have such an apprehension of the goodness and compassion of God as to believe that he will not break the bruised reed, Matt. xii. 20.

IV. He sadly complains of God's severe dealings with him. He owns it was for his sins that God thus contended with him, but thinks it hard,

1. That his former sins, long since committed, should now be remembered against him, and he should he reckoned with for the old scores (v. 26): Thou writest bitter things against me. Afflictions are bitter things. Writing them denotes deliberation and determination, written as a warrant for execution; it denotes also the continuance of his affliction, for that which is written remains, and, "Herein thou makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth," that is, "thou punishest me for them, and thereby puttest me in mind of them, and obligest me to renew my repentance for them." Note, (1.) God sometimes writes very bitter things against the best and dearest of his saints and servants, both in outward afflictions and inward disquiet; trouble in body and trouble in mind, that he may humble them, and prove them, and do them good in their latter end. (2.) That the sins of youth are often the smart of age both in respect of sorrow within (Jer. xxxi. 18, 19) and suffering without, ch. xx. 11. Time does not wear out the guilt of sin. (3.) That when God writes bitter things against us his design therein is to make us possess our iniquities, to bring forgotten sins to mind, and so to bring us to remorse for them as to break us off from them. This is all the fruit, to take away our sin.

2. That his present mistakes and miscarriages should be so strictly taken notice of, and so severely animadverted upon (v. 27): "Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, not only to afflict me and expose me to shame, not only to keep me from escaping the strokes of thy wrath, but that thou mayest critically remark all my motions and look narrowly to all my paths, to correct me for every false step, nay, for but a look awry or a word misapplied; nay, thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet, scorest down every thing I do amiss, to reckon for it; or no sooner have I trodden wrong, though ever so little, than immediately I smart for it; the punishment treads upon the very heels of the sin. Guilt, both of the oldest and of the freshest date, is put together to make up the cause of my calamity." Now, (1.) It was not true that God did thus seek advantages against him. He is not thus extreme to mark what we do amiss; if he were, there were no abiding for us, Ps. cxxx. 3. But he is so far from this that he deals not with us according to the desert, no, not of our manifest sins, which are not found by secret search, Jer. ii.34. This therefore was the language of Job's melancholy; his sober thoughts never represented God thus as a hard Master. (2.) But we should keep such a strict and jealous eye as this upon ourselves and our own steps, both for the discovery of sin past and the prevention of it for the future. It is good for us all to ponder the path of our feet.

V. He finds himself wasting away apace under the heavy hand of God, v. 28. He (that is, man) as a rotten thing, the principle of whose putrefaction is in itself, consumes, even like a moth-eaten garment, which becomes continually worse and worse. Or, He (that is, God) like rottenness, and like a moth, consumes me. Compare this with Hos. v. 12, I will be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness; and see Ps. xxxix. 11. Note, Man, at the best, wears fast; but, under God's rebukes especially, he is soon gone. While there is so little soundness in the soul, no marvel there is so little soundness in the flesh, Ps. xxxviii. 3.

CHAP. XIII.

Verſe 1. LO mine eye hath ſeen all this] ſc. All thoſe effects of Gods providence, declared in the former chapter. I have not diſcourſed of Gods powerful and wiſe diſpenſations by rote, or without book; I have not blurted out what I believe not, or am not able to prove, as you have accuſed me; but I have ſpoken both that which I have ſeen (and what more ſure then ſight?) and that which I have heard and received from our Anceſtors and Doctors (to whom you have frequently referred me, for better information) mine ear that ſenſe of diſcipline, by which, not learning only, but life alſo entreth, Iſai. 55.3.) hath heard it, and underſtood it too; which he addeth for further aſſurance. Job was a Weighing Hearer, Mr. Clark in his life. as Mr. Bradſhaw was called the Weighing Divine: let us learn by his example heedfully to obſerve Gods works, laying up experiences, and diligently to liſten and learn the things that are taught us, or written for us by others, that we may grow to a right and ripe underſtanding of divine truths, and be able confidently to commend the ſame to others, as being upon ſure grounds. See Matth. 13.51, 52.

Verſe 2. What y[illegible: 1 letter] know, the ſame do I know alſo] Heb. According to your knowledg I alſo know: this may ſeem an unbeſeeming boaſt; which if his friends had taxed him for, he might have anſwered, as Paul did in a like caſe, Ye have compelled me, 2 Cor. 11.5. The Rule is, let nothing be done through ſtrife, or vain-glory, but in lowlineſſe of mind, let each eſteem other better then themſelves, Philip. 2.3. Non eſt tamen prodenda Dei veritas, aut integritas noſtra &c. Nevertheleſſe,Merlin. in loc. no man ought to betray the truth, or his own integrity, leſt he ſhould he counted contentious. See chap. 12.3. where we have the ſame in effect as here, whence ſome do gather, that Jobs friends had a very high opinion of their own knowledg, and a very low one of Jobs. He that is thus proud of his knowledg, the divel careth not how much he knoweth.

Verſe 3. Surely I would ſpeak to the Almighty] It were far better for me to ſpeak to God, then to you, and much fairer dealing from him I might expect; a God of truth, and without iniquity, juſt and right is he, Deut. 32.4. But ye are Jorgers of lies, and ye load me with falſe accuſations, depraving my ſpeeches, as thou Zophar eſpecially haſt done, wiſhing withall that God himſelf would ſpeak with me face to face; which, if it ſhould come to paſſe, thou ſaidſt my miſery and affliction would be redoubled. But oh that I might commune with the Almighty! ſurely and ſeriouſly I would rather do it, then with you my friends, and ſhould hope ſo to defend mine innocency againſt your ſlanderous accuſations; yea, to maintain Gods juſtice againſt you, in the preſence and judgment of God himſelf. O the confidence of a good conſcience! ſee it in Abimelech, Gen. 20.5. but much more in David, Pſal. 7.3, 4. And Pſalm 139.23, 24. In Jeremiah, chap. 12.1. in every ſtrong believer, 1 Pet. 3.21. Thoſe that walke uprightly, and ſpeake uprightly, Iſai. 33.15. Not ſo every [illegible: 1 word] Chriſtian, or profligate profeſſor, verſe 14. The ſinners in Zion are afraid, fearfulneſs ſurprizeth the hypocrites, &c. but good Job was none ſuch; and God knew it to be ſo: what if to the wicked he be a devouring fire? yet to thoſe that fear his name he is a reviving Sun, Mal. 4.1, 2. And upright Job feareth not to reaſon with him: upon the ſame ground John Hus, and other Martyrs cited their perſecutors to anſwer them by ſuch a time before Gods tribunal.

And I deſire to reaſon with God] If he pleaſe; So the Septuagint adde,Sivo[illegible: 2 letters]erit. and make out Jobs meaning: as if he had uſed the like modeſty and humility,Neh. 2.4. Eſth. 5.4. as Nehemiah, and after him Eſther did in their ſuits unto the King of Perſia, when they ſaid, if it ſeem good to the King, and if I have found favour in his ſight. Others think that Job here deſireth to plead with God as with a party that had dealt too hardly with him &c. that he challengeth God into the ſchools, as it were, there ro crack an argument with him, and by reaſon to reduce him to milder dealing. And indeed, the Hebrew word here uſed, ſignifieth to diſpute [illegible: 1 word], and from it the Rabbines call Logick the Art of arguing. This boldneſſe is that, ſay our large Annotations, which both Elihu and God blame Job for in the end of the booke, though neither of them condemn him for an hypocrite: and that ſhewes that Job did ſpeak amiſſe of God in his paſſion, and is not altogether to be excuſed; much leſſe in every thing to be commended.

Verſe 4. But ye are forgers of lies] i. e. Ye create falſe maximes to judg me by; ye gather up without any order, and to no purpoſe whatſoever cometh in your way to ſtrengthen and maintaine your falſe accuſation againſt me. You are not onely concinnatores, Mendacia mendaciis aſſuitis. forgers, but compactores, botchers, ſuch as by ſowing one lye to another, do patch up a falſe and frivolous diſcourſe. So David, Pſalm 119.69. The proud have forged (or pieced together, made it up as of many ſhreds) a lie againſt me. David ſaith of hypocrites, that their tongue frameth deceit, Pſal. 50.19 and of Doeg, that his tongue deviſed miſchief, like a ſharp razor, doing deceit, Pſalm 52.2. Jeremiah ſaith of his country-men, that they had taught their tongues to ſpeak lies, and were grown Artiſts at it, chap. 9.5. yea, that they had taken faſt-hold of deceit, and could not be got off without ſtriving, chap. 8.5. But theſe country-men of Job were none ſuch, for God ſaid, Surely they are my people, children that will not lye, Iſai. 63.8. And although every man be a liar, either by impoſture, or by impotency; yet it muſt be underſtood that theſe good men aimed at truth, and intended not to deceive Job, but to undeceive him rather. They maintained errors, but unwittingly: they charged him alſo (but unjuſtly) with hypocriſie.Merlin. Hence this ſo ſevere a high charge, ye are forgers of lies, ſuch as our Ruffians would revenge with a ſtab. But we muſt know, ſaith one, that in thoſe better times it was not ſo harſh a buſineſſe in a ſerious diſputation to call that a lie, which was falſely alledged by an adverſary, as now-a-dayes it is in this corrupt age of ours, wherein the greateſt liars, though taken in the manner, yet take it extreme ill to be told of their fault. Beſides, in the defence of Gods cauſe, and the labouring truth, plain-dealing, even with our beſt friends is beſt: ſo that the Apoſtles rule Eph. 4.31. be obſerved, Let all bitterneſſe, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil ſpeaking be put away from you, with all malice.

Ye are all Phyſicians of no value] Becauſe you go to work upon wrong principles, and miniſter miſtaken phyſick. Phyſicians he acknowledgeth them, and that they came with a good intent to comfort him: but for want of skill, in ſtead of curing, they had well-nigh killed him, becauſe they judged amiſſe of his diſeaſe, and uſed corroſives in ſtead of cordials. By the way obſerve, that Gods word is not only the food, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Aeſchyl. but the phyſick of the ſoul, and may farre more fitly be ſo called, then the library of Alexandria was of old: for as the diſeaſes of the body are healed by phyſick ſeaſonably and rightly uſed: ſo are the diſtempers of the ſoul by Scripture-conſolations; neither ſhall we ever have cauſe to complain of them, as Cicero did of Philoſophical-comforts, neſcio quomodo &c. I know not how it cometh to paſſe, but this I find, that the diſeaſe is too hard for the Phyſick: or as the Romans did of Sylla's bloody government, that the Remedy was worſe then the Malady: how forcible are right words, ſaid Job, chap. 6.25? And fair words, as phyſicians, cure the mind diſtempered with paſſion, ſaith the Poet. Once. when Luther was in a great heat about ſomething that had croſſed him, Melancthon pacified him by repeating this verſe, Vince animor, trámque tuam, qui caetera vintis.

But Jobs friends, as they were botchers of lies, ſo they were bunglers at healing him: they did, ſaith Laevater, as a Surgeon, who applieth a plaiſter to the hand of him whoſe grief is in his foot: or as that Country-Mountebank in France, who was wont to give in writing to his patients for curing all diſeaſes,Becan. ſum[illegible: 1 letter] Theol part. 1. cap. 16.

Si vis curari de morbo neſcio quali, Accipas herbaus, ſed qualem weſcio, nec quam: Ponas neſcio qua, curabere neſcio quando.

Theſe verſes are by one thus Engliſhed,

Your ſore I know not what, do not foreſlow To cure with herbs, which whence I do not know: Place them (well pouncit) I know not where, and then You ſhall be perfect whole, I know not when.

Such [illegible: 1 word] Si[illegible: 3 letters]s, [illegible: 2 letters]lli[illegible: 1 letter]ies in the world, ſuch no phyſicians, ſuch idols, ſuch extreme nothingneſſes, good for nothing (as that rotten girdle in Jeremiah; thoſe vinebranches in Ezekiel, chap. 15.3. That idol in Saint Paul, 1 Cor. 8.4.)Jer. 13.7. were Jobs friends to him, miſerable comforters, chap. 16.2. adding to his affliction, in ſtead of eaſing it, and puſhing at him, as the whole herd of Deer, doth at that one that is wounded.

Verſe 5. O that you would altogether hold your peace] Heb. In being ſilent, would be ſilent; q. d. I thought much at your ſeven-dayes-ſilence, chap. 2.13. and now I am no leſſe troubled at your ſpeeches. O that you had either continued your ſilence, or elſe would frame to ſay ſomething better then ſilence: for hitherto ye have ſpoken much, but ſaid little. I could heartily wiſh therefore that you would now ſtop your mouths, and open your ears, as verſe 6. that you would be as mute as fiſhes, ſith I can hear nothing from you but what ſpeaks you to be meer mutes, ciphers, nullities, as verſe 4.

And it ſhould be your wiſedome] For even a fool when he holdeth his peace is counted wiſe, and he that ſhutteth his lips is eſteemed a man of underſtanding, Prov. 17.28.

[non-Latin text not transcribed]

As when the door is ſhut, it cannot be ſeen, what is within the houſe: ſo the mouth being ſhut by ſilence, the folly that is within lieth undiſcovered: and as in glaſſes and veſſels, ſo in men, the ſound which they make, ſheweth whether they be crack'd or ſound. An aſſe is known by his ears (ſaith the Dutch proverb) and ſo is a fool by his talk. As a bird is known by his note, and a bell by his clapper, ſo is a man by his diſcourſe. Plutarch tells us, that Megabyſus a Noble man of Perſia, Plut. de tran que . coming into Apelles the Painters work-houſe, took upon him to ſpeak ſomething there concerning the art of painting and limning, but he did it ſo abſurdly, that the prentices jeared him, and the maſter could not bear with him.

Verſe 6. Hear now my reaſoning &c.] Or, hear, I pray you. Be ſwift to hear, ſlow to ſpeak, ſlow to wrath: ſuffer the words of exhortation, and of reprehenſion: ſharp though it be, and to the fleſh irkſome, yet ſuffer it, ſith it is for your good. Quintilian teſtifieth of Veſpaſian, that he was patientiſſimus veri, one that could well endure to be told the truth: but there are few Veſpaſians. Many people are like the nettle, touch it never ſo gently, it will ſting you.

And hearken to the pleadings of my lips] Heb. The contention of my lips, ſee that you not only hear, but hearken to it with attention of body, intention of mind, and retention of memory: neither God nor man can bear it, to ſpeak, and not be heard. See that ye refuſe not him that ſpeaketh &c. Heb. 12.25. See that ye ſlight not, ſhift not off Chriſt ſpeaking to you in his Miniſters and meſſengers: for if they eſcaped not who refuſed him that ſpeake on earth, much more ſhall not we eſcape if we turn away from him that ſpeaketh from heaven.

Verſe 7. Will ye ſpeak wickedly for God?] Ought ye to defend Gods juſtice by unjuſtly accuſing me? Or muſt ye needs ſo free him from injuſtice, that ye muſt charge me with hypocriſie? Job had before called them, Phyſicians of no value; here he compareth them to Lawyers of no conſcience, that care not what they plead, ſo they may carry the cauſe for their client. But the Lord needeth no ſuch advocates; he ſo loveth truth, that he will not borrow patronage to his cauſe from falſhood: he ſo hateth flattery (though it be of himſelf) that he hath threatned to cut off all flattering lips, Pſalm 12.3. and would one day ſay as much to Jobs friends, notwithſtanding their pretended zeal for his glory, as once Alexander the great did to Aristobulus the Hiſtorian, who preſented him with a flattering piece concerning his own worthy acts, which he extolled above meaſure: hee caſt the book into the river Hydaſpes, and told the Author he could find in his heart to caſt him after it.

And talk deceitfully for him] To talk for God is our duty: it is to make our tongue our glory: but to talk deceitfully for him, to ſeek to help his truth by our lie, (the Vulgar here hath it, Needeth God your lie?) that's altogether unlawful: for ſhall we do evil that good may come thereof? God forbid, Rom. 3.8. And yet the Papiſts do ſo familiarly, and think they therein do God good ſervice: as when they deny his provident hand in ordering the diſorders of the world to his own glory, leſt they ſhould make him the Author of ſin: ſo they think to defend his juſtice by teaching predeſtination according to fore-ſeen works, by aſcribing to man free-will, righteouſneſſe of works, merit &c. So their doctrine of Equivocation for the relief of perſecuted Catholicks,Spec. hiſt. lib. 29. their piae fraudes (as they call them) their holy hypocriſie to draw infidels to the embracing of the faith, and to the love of vertue; their lying legends, made, ſay they, for good intention, that the common people might with greater zeal ſerve God and his Saints; and eſpecially, to draw the women to good order, being by nature facile and credulous, addicted to novelties and miracles.

Verſe 8. Will ye accept his perſon?] Whilſt you think to gratifie him, and to ingratiate with him by oppreſſing me? Can you find no other way of juſtifying Gods proceedings, then by condemning me for wicked, becauſe by him ſo afflicted? The truth is, theſe friends of Job out of a perverſe zeal of advancing Gods righteouſneſſe, unrighteouſly ſuſpected poor Job of wickedneſſe, and ſo rejected his perſon, to accept Gods. See the like done Iſa. 66.5. Jer. 50.7. John 16.2. O ſancta ſimplicitas! ſaid John Hus, when at the ſtake, he obſerved a plain country-fellow buſier then the reſt in fetching fagots to burn the hereticks.

Will ye contend for God?] Why not? Good blood will not belie it ſelf: the love of God conſtraineth his people to ſtand to him, and to ſtickle for him: Non amat, qui non zelat, ſaith a Father. But then it muſt be a zeal according to knowledg: for elſe it will appear to be but baſe and reprobate metal, ſuch as though it ſeemeth to be all for God, yet it never received the image and impreſſe of Gods holy ſpirit, and therefore is not currant in heaven. But that I believe and know (ſaid that fiery Frier Bruſierd in a conference with Bilney) that God and all his Saints whom thou haſt ſo greatly diſhonoured,Acts & Mon. 914. will take revengement everlaſting on thee; I would ſurely with theſe nails of mine be thy death. Another Frier preaching at Antwerp, wiſhed that Luther were there,Eraſm. Epiſt. lib. 16. that he might bite out his throat with his teeth, and with the ſame teeth receive the Euchariſt by Luther ſo diſhonoured.

Verſe 9. Is it good thas he ſhould ſearch you out &c?] q. d. Could you have any joy of ſuch a ſearch? Will not all your warpings and partialities, your colloguing and ſiniſterity be laid open to your loſſe and ſhame? Will not God reprove in ſtead of approving you in that which ye have ſaid for him, but all againſt me? The time will come, when God will ſurely ſearch out all controverſies, that they all may be aſhamed who under a pretent of religion and right, have ſpoken falſe things, and ſubverted the faith of ſome. See 1 Cor. 3.17.

Or as one man mocketh another, will ye ſo mock him?] Be not deceived: God is not mocked, deluded, beguiled, as clients are by their corrupt lawyers: as patients are by their cogging quack-ſalvers. Sorry man may be mocked, and made to believe lies, as 2 Sam. 15.11. Acts 8.9, 10. and Rev. 13.3. all the world wondred after the Beaſt. Judges, and other wiſe men, are ſhamefully out other-whiles, deceiving, and being deceived: Not ſo the All-wiſe God. They that would mock him, imposturam faciunt & patiuntur, as the Emperour ſaid of him that ſold glaſſe for pearls; they deceive not God, but themſelves. Neither may they conceit that their good intentions will bear them out (as Merlin here noteth) any more then it did theſe contenders for God, who little thought of mocking him. A bad aim maketh a good action had, as we ſee in Jehu; but a good aim maketh not a bad action good, as we ſee in Ʋzzah, and here.

Verſe 10. He will ſurely reprove you] That's all the thank you are like to have from God; your work in pleading for him ſo ſtoutly, though it be materially good, yet it will never prove ſo formally and eventually, becauſe you ſo confidently determine of things you underſtand not, but only by a light conjecture. You do ſecretly, that is, cunningly and deceitfully accept perſons, that is, Gods own perſon, whilſt ye wrong me for his ſake, and under a pretence of doing him right, condemn me for a wicked hypocrite, whom till thus afflicted, you ever counted honeſt and upright. This the righteous Judg, who loveth judgment, and hateth robbery for a burnt-offering, Iſai. 61.8. will at no hand endure. No, but he will certainly reprove you▪ argu[illegible: 1 letter]ndo arguet, he will ſurely and ſeverely blame and puniſh you. Carry it never ſo cleanly, cover in never ſo cloſely; God who ſeeth in ſecret will reprove you openly; that is, he will chide you, ſmite you, curſe you for it (if Repentance interpoſe not to take up the matter). he will ſo ſet it on, as no creature ſhall be able to take it off. Men reprove offenders ſometimes ſlighty and overtly, deeſt ignis, as Latimer ſaid, whereby they do more harm then good; for their reproofs are rather ſoothings then reprovings. Perſonatae reprehenſiones frigent: ſuch was that of Eli to his ſons,Junius. 1 Sam. 2.23. Such alſo was that of Jehoſhaphat to wicked Ahab, Let not the King ſay ſo. But when God took thoſe ſame men to do, he handled them after another manner:1 Kings 22.8. he gives it them both by words and blowes, till both their ears tingled, till their hearts aked, and quaked within them: ſo fearful a thing it is to fall into the puniſhing hands of the living God. Let all thoſe look to it, eſpecially that are in place of judicature, Pſalm 82.1, 2, 3. Let them hear cauſes without prejudicate impiety, judiciouſly examine them without ſiniſter obliquity, and ſincerely judg them without unjuſt partiality, remembring that Acceptatio perſonarum eſt judiciorum pestis, accepting of perſons is the peſt of judgments.

Verſe 11. Shall not his excellency make you afraid?] Heb. His highneſſe, his Majeſty, his ſurpaſſing ſublimity and tranſcendent glory; ſhall not this affright you, and reine you in from wrong-dealing and warping? Who would not fear thee ô King of Nations? for to thee doth it appertain, Jer. 10.7. And Fear ye not me, ſaith the Lord? will ye not tremble at my preſence, Jer. 5.22. If an earthly King be ſo dread a Soveraign: if the glory of Angels hath ſo terrified the beſt Saints on earth, that they could hardly out-live ſuch an apparition; what ſhall we think of the great and terrible God, as he is called, Nehem. 1.5. the firſt motion of whoſe anger ſhall put men into diſorder, and the brightneſſe of his offended Majeſty ſtrike their ſpirits with aſtoniſhment? It is reported of Augustus the Emperour, and likewiſe of Tamberlane that war-like Scythian, that in their eyes ſate ſuch a rare Majeſty,Turk. hiſt. 236 & 415. as a man could hardly endure to behold them without cloſing of his own; and many in talking with them, and often beholding of them, have become dumb. Now the Lord of glory as farre outſhineth any mortal wight, as the Sun in his ſtrength doth a clod of clay:Jer. 17.17. and this made Job cry out, chap. 9.34. Let not his fear terrifie me: Be not thou a terror to me, ô Lord, ſaith holy Jeremiah: and the Lord moſt high is terrible, ſaith David, Pſal. 47.2. Moſt high he is, and therefore terrible.

And his dread fall upon you] Some read the whole verſe thus, Shall not this acceptation of him make you afraid, ſeeing his dread will fall upon you? q. d. Let the ſenſe of your ſinne, and the feare of his wrath ready to ſeize upon you, deterre you from paſſing an unrighteous ſentence, and from harbouring ſuch low conceits of God.

Verſe 12. Your remembrances are like unto aſhes, &c] Mr. Beza readeth the whole verſe thus, Your ſpeeches are the words of aſhes, and your ſtately bulwarks are but bulwarke of clay: And thus he paraphraſeth, For theſe things which you alledg as matters gathered by long obſervation, and which you thunder out againſt me as if they were moſt certain and grounded axiomes, are indeed no more ſound and ſubſtantial then aſhes; and thoſe your high forts, as it were, and turrets, out of which you aſſaile me, are made but of dirt and mire. Others, by Your remembrances, underſtand with Mercer, quicquid in vobis memorabile eſt, whatſoever it is, for the which you are ſo often remembred and mentioned by others, as your wealth, dignity, power, ſplendor, name, and fame, yea, your very life is nothing elſe but aſhes, and all ſhall return to aſhes, and come to nought, according to that of Abraham, I am but duſt and aſhes, Geneſ. 18.29. ſuch an infinite diſtance there is betwixt Gods unconceiveable Highneſſe, and your extreme meaneneſſe, or rather, utter nothingneſſe.

Your bodies to bodies of clay] i. e. To images made of clay, or earth: Or that which is higheſt in you, even your beſt enjoyments, your chiefeſt eminencies, or greateſt elevations are like to a lump of clay, terrae quam terimus, terrae quam gerimus. See Job 4.19. with the Note.

Verſe 13. Hold your peace, let me alone &c.] This he had requeſted of them before, verſe 5. and now having nipt them on the crown by theſe rebating arguments, he calls upon them again for ſilence and audience; which he now requeſteth not, but requireth; and the rather haply, becauſe they began to take him off, as fearing leſt by his unadviſed expreſſions he ſhould provoke the Lord to lay yet more load upon him. Wherefore he addeth,

And let come on me what will] That is, At my peril be it, take you no thought: let all the trouble that may enſue be on my ſcore, I will be accountable for it to God, who, I hope, will be more favourable to me, then you: Interim non ſine ſtomacho hoc dicit, ſaith Mercer. This Job ſpeaketh not without ſome heat, yet not as one deſperate, but rather reſolute; for he feared no hurt from God.

Verſe 14. Wherefore do I take my fleſh in my teeth?] q. d. Do ye think, ô my friends, that I am in a fit of ſpiritual frenzy, and ſo far out of my wits, that tearing as it were, my fleſh with mine own hands; I mean, to uſe any cruelty towards my ſelf,Vatab. and willingly to betray mine own life? Non ſum ita crudelis, ut totus perdi velier, I am not yet ſo cruel to my ſelf (whatever you may gather by my complaints and out-cryes) as utterly to caſt away my confidence, and all care of my life and ſoul. See 1 Sam. 19.5. To deſpair in part, and for a time, may befall a godly man. See Mr. Perkins his diſcourſe of ſpiritual deſertion, where he remembreth that Luther lay (after his converſion) three dayes in deſperation. And the like is recorded of Mr. Rob. Bolton. Pſal. 119.109. Aliqui ſuſpicantur Jobum reſpondentem, &c. Pineda. But of any good man that deſtroyed himſelf, we read not. Davids life was in his hand continually (and he in daily danger of loſing it) yet have I not forgotten thy law (ſaith he) which flatly forbiddeth all the degrees of ſelf-murther, as the worſt ſort. That Satan tempted Job to this ſin, ſome do probably collect from this text. A man is to expect, if he live but his dayes (ſaith a Reverend Caſuiſt) to be urged to all ſins, to the breach of every branch of the ten Commandments, and to be put to it in reſpect of every Article of our Creed.

Verſe 15. Though he ſlay me, yet will I truſt in him] Though he ſhould multiply my miſeries, and lay ſtroke after ſtroke upon me till he had daſhed the very breath out of my body, yet he ſhall not be ſo rid of me; for I will hang on ſtill; and if I muſt needs die, I wil die at his feet, and in the midſt of death expect a better life from him. Dum expiro ſpero, ſhall be my motto: The righteous hath hope in his death, Prov. 14.32. yea, his hope is moſt lively, when himſelf lieth a dying, ſupereſt ſperare ſalutem, my fleſh, and my heart faileth, ſaith he; but God is the ſtrength of my heart, and my portion for ever, Pſalm 73.26. True faith in a danger (as the blood) gets to the heart, John 14.1. and if it ſelf be in good heart, it will believe in an angry God, as Iſai. 63.15, 16. (the Church there thought ſhe ſhould know him amidſt all his auſterities) yea, in a killing God, as here: yea, (as a man may ſay with reverence) whether God will or no, as that woman of Canaan Matth. 15. who would not be damped or diſcouraged with Chriſts either ſilence, or ſad anſwers; and therefore had what ſhe came for, beſides an high commendation of her heroical faith.

But (or nevertheleſſe) I will maintain mine own wayes before him] We have had the Triumph of Jobs truſt: here we have the ground of it, viz. his uprightneſſe, the testimony of his conſcience, that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity he had his converſation in the world, 2 Cor. 2.12. This was his cordial, without which, grief would have broke his heart, Pſalm 69.20. this was his confidence, even the clearneſſe of his conſcience, 1 John 3.21. Uprightneſſe hath boldneſſe; and that man who walks uprightly before God, may truſt perfectly in God. Job was either innocent or penitent: He would therefore either maintain his wayes before God, and come to the light,Quem poenitet peccaſſe, pene eſt innocens. Sen. Agam. that his deeds might be manifeſt, that they were wrought in God, John 3.21. Or elſe he would reprove and correct his wayes (ſo the Hebrew word ſignifieth alſo) that is, he would confeſſe and forſake his ſins, and ſo be ſure to have mercy, according to that ſoul-ſatisfying promiſe, Prov. 28.13.

Verſe 16. He alſo ſhall be my ſalvation] So long as I judg my ſelf, God will not judg me, 1 Cor. 11.33. Nay, he will ſurely ſave me; for God will ſave the humble perſon, Job 22.29.Merlin. in loc. what is humiliation, but humility exerciſed? Non eſt igitur inanis electorum fides res evanida nec infirma. ſaith an Interpreter here: therefore the faith of Gods elect is no empty or vain thing, but a light ſhining from the ſpirit of God, and ſuch as overcometh the very darkneſſe of death. It is a ſure teſtimony of Gods good will toward us, and an infallible perſwaſion of our ſalvation, ſuch as ſlighteth the worlds falſe cenſures, overcometh temptations of all ſorts, laugheth at death, and through the thickeſt darkneſſe of affliction beholdeth the pleaſed face of God in Chriſt, through whom we have boldneſſe and acceſſe with confidence by the faith of him, Eph. 2.12.

For an hypocrite ſhall not come before him] No, that's a priviledg proper to the Communion of Saints: therefore I am no hypocrite (as you have charged me to be, chap. 4.6. and 8.13.) for I dare both offer to maintaine my wayes before him to be upright for the maine, and I doubt not but he will be my ſalvation, and that I ſhall appear before him in heaven; this no hypocrite ſhall ever doe. How ſhould he (ſay) when as he is an unclean caytiffe, as the Hebrew word ſignifieth, flagitioſus (ſo Vatablus rendreth it) a flagitious, impious perſon, a very juggle (ſo the Septuagint) a fair profeſſor indeed, but a foul ſinner,Caneph. Corant Deo dolus non ingreditur. moyled all over, and even buried in a bog of wickedneſſe: he is a wicked man in a godly mans cloaths, ſaith one. He doth but aſſume religion, ſaith another, as the divels do dead bodies without a ſoul to animate them. He is like the painted grapes that deceived the living birds; or the golden apples with this motto, No further then colours; touch them, and they vaniſh. He knowes that he is naught▪ and that God knowes it too: how then ſhould he approach him, or appear before his throne? No, he dare not, for the very ſhew of his face doth teſtifie againſt him, as the Prophet ſpeaks in another caſe: or if he do, he ſhall not be able to ſubſiſt there, Pſalm 5.5. he ſhall not ſtand in judgment, Pſalm 1.5. but ſhall runne away with theſe or the like words in his mouth, Who amongſt us ſhall dwell with the devouring fire? who amongſt us ſhall dwell with everlasting burnings, Iſai. 33.14? Woe unto us, who ſhall deliver us out of the hands of this mighty God, 1 Sam. 4.8? None,Mat. 24.51. for he ſhall ſurely aſſign you a part with the divel and hypocrites; when as the righteous ſhall give thanks unto Gods Name, and the upright only ſhall dwell in his preſence, Pſal. 140.13.

Verſe 17. Hear diligently my ſpeech] Heb. Hearing heart, that is, incline your ears and hear, as Iſai. 55.3. Mark and attend; hear me not only, but heed me too: interrupt me not, neither give me the ſlip, as it may ſeem they were ready to do, when they heard him profeſſe ſuch a deal of faith and hope under ſo many and heavy afflictions; wherein they thought that either he was beſides himſelf, or at leaſt beſides the cuſhion, as we ſay, and utterly out. See verſe 6. and obſerve, that it is but needfull often to ſtirre up our auditors to attention. Job makes more prefaces then one to be heard; ſo do the Prophets often, Hear the word of the Lord, Hear and give ear, be not proud, for the Lord hath ſpoken it. So doth the Arch-prophet more then once, Revel. 2. & 3. And Matth. 13.19. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. All Chriſts hearers had not ears, or if they had, yet they were ſtopped; or if open, yet the bore was not big enough. O pray that God would ſay unto us Epphata, be opened, for a heavy ear is a ſingular judgment.

Verſe 18. Behold, now I have ordered my cauſe] Heb. my judgment: Hee had ſpoken before of his Declaration, which is conceived to be a Law-term; for in lawſuits, the Plaintiffe putteth in a declaration of his grievance. Job had his declaration ready drawn, and craved audience: he asketh afterwards, Who will plead with me? and here in the like language he telleth us, that he had ordered his cauſe, he had marſhalled and methodized his arguments, he had ſet and ſtated the controverſie. Lo, here I ſtand ready prepared to plead, and am confident I ſhall prevail.

I know that I ſhall be juſtified] That is, I am perſwaded, or I am ſure (as Rom. 8.38.) I believe and I know, as John 6.59. ſc. with a fiducial knowledg, that I ſhall be juſtified, ſc. from my ſins, by Chriſts righteouſneſſe imputed (yea, that I am ſo already; and that for ever: for Peccata non redeunt, diſcharges in juſtification are not repealed or called in again) and that I ſhall depart from Gods bar acquitted in this particular controverſie. And ſo he did; for God juſtified Job, and reproved his three friends, chap. 42.

Verſe 19. Who is he that will plead with me?] Of my juſtification in both reſpects I am ſo confident, that I dare encounter any that ſhall deny it: Who is he? and where is he that ſhall lay any thing to my charge, ſith it is God that juſtifieth, Rom. 8.33? Having ordered my cauſe, and cleared my conſcience by confeſſion, and ſelf-judging, and now being juſtified by faith, I can caſt down the gauntlet to all comers, and Goliah-like, call for an oppoſite to grapple with: in the name of the Lord of hoſts I will undertake him, and am ſure to come more off then a conquerour, even a Triumpher, 2 Cor. 2.14. there being not any one condemnation (neither from God, nor the divel, from the law, ſin, or death) to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, who walk not after the fleſh, but after the ſpirit, as Job did, Rom. 8.1.33. Here he challengeth all the world, ſaith Gregory, if they could, to accuſe him for any thing outwardly done amiſſe by him. And herein if none could tax him; there was nothing but evil cogitations in his heart, of which he could be guilty: but for theſe, from which none can be free, he held not his peace, but ſpake and complained internally hereof to God by reproving his own wayes: and if he ſhould have been ſilent, and not ſpeak hereof, and bewail them, he ſhould die and periſh: for ſo he readeth the following words, according to the Vulgar tranſlation.

For now, if I hold my tongue, I ſhall give up the ghoſt] Vulg. Wherefore being ſilent I am conſumed. Broughton, If now I ſpeak not, I ſhould ſtarve. The Hebrew is, for now I ſhall-be ſilent and die, q. d. My paſſion muſt have a vent, or elſe it will make an end of me (as chap. 7.11.) ſo tormented I am with theſe aſperſions of my friends, that I know not how to live, unleſſe I may wipe them off; or at leaſt, unleſſe I pour out my ſoul into Gods bleſſed boſom.

Verſe 20. Only do not two things unto me] Accord me only two conditions, and then I will not fly the combate: he knew he might have any thing of God that was fit and lawful to be asked. When poor men make requeſts to Princes, they uſually anſwer them as the Eccho doth the voice, the anſwer cuts off half the petition, and if they beg two boons at once, they may be glad that they get one. But God dealeth by his ſervants and ſuppliants not only as the Prophet did by the Shunamite (when he bad her ask what ſhe needed, and promiſed her a ſon, which ſhe moſt deſired, and yet through modeſty asked not, 1 King. 4.16.) but alſo as Naaman did by Gehezi, when asking one talent, he forced him to take two. This Job well knew, and therefore he beggeth two things at once; but better he had begged that one thing neceſſary, Patience; or if two, that beſt uſe of his preſent ſufferings. As we read of one good man,Mr. Leigh his Saints encouragement &c. pag. 164. Dr. Halls Rem. of prophaneneſſe. p. 143. that lying under great torments of the Stone, hee would often cry out while his friends melted with compaſſion towards him, The uſe, Lord, the uſe: And of Mr. William Perkins, that when he lay in his laſt and killing torment of the ſtone, hearing the by-ſtanders pray for a mitigation of his pain, he willed them not to pray for an caſe of his complaint, but for an increaſe of his patience: Thus if Job had done, he had done better: but by what he doth here, we may eaſily gather, that he expected no freedom from his miſery, but from God alone: and that hee was wont familiarly to impart to God all the thoughts and actings of his heart: and laſtly, that he acknowledged him to be a moſt righteous Judge, who would not deale with his people upon unequal conditions, but give them a faire trial.

Then will I not hide my ſelf from thee] i. e. I ſhall have no cauſe, either through fear or ſhame to hide my ſelf. It is not ſafe for a man to indent with God, and make a bargain with him: for ſo one may have the thing he would have, but better be without it; as thoſe workmen Matth. 20. who bargained for a peny a day, and yet when they had it, were no whit contented. Socrates thought it was not fit to ask of God any more then this, that he would beſtow good things upon us; but what, and how much, to leave that to him, not being over-earneſt, or preſuming to preſcribe ought. Sir Thomas Moors wife was mightily deſirous of a boy (that was her word) and ſhe had one that proved a fool; and ſaith her husband, you were never quiet till you had a Boy, and now you have one that will be all his life a Boy. But what were thoſe two things that Job was ſo earneſt for?

Verſe 21. With-draw thy hand far from me, and let not &c.] Neither afflict me, nor affright me. See the ſame requeſt chap. 9.34. and granted by God, chap. 38.3. and 40.7. They muſt be very ſorry prayers indeed that God will not heare, if they come from honeſt hearts, Pſalm 31.22. I ſaid in my haſte, I am cut off from before thine eyes: Nevertheleſſe thou heardſt the voice of my ſupplications when I cryed unto thee. For the ſenſe of this whole verſe, ſee the Notes on chap. 9.34.

And let not thy dread make me afraid] Appear not unto me in thy Majeſty, but in thy mercy: come not upon me in ſuch a terrifical manner, as through aſtoniſhment at thy ſurpaſſing glory to kill me, for who can ſee thy face and live? Surely as the ſight of the eye is dazeled with the Sun, or a chryſtal glaſſe broken with the fire; ſo there is ſo much dread in the face of God, that the beſt cannot behold it. Deſtruction from God was a terrour to me, and by reaſon of his highneſſe I could not endure, Job 31.23.

Verſe 22. Then call thou, and I will anſwer &c.] Here Job gives God his choice, offering to be either Defendant or Plaintiffe; Reſpondent or Opponent: Hoc multum erat, ſaith Lavater, this was much, and indeed too much: for if God ſhould enter into judgment with his beſt ſervants, no man living ſhould be juſtified in his ſight; Pſalm 143.2. The beſt may bear a part in that ſong of mercy, Aſperge me Domine, purge me with hyſop, and I ſhall be clean; waſh me, &c. Pſalm 51.7. Job is confident of his innocency, and he might be for that particular wherewith his friends charged him (viz. that he was an hypocrite) but yet in defending himſelf, and charging God ſo highly, as he doth in this and the next Chapter, he cannot be excuſed; what though he knew himſelf juſtified by Chriſts righteouſneſſe, imputed according to the Covenant of Grace; Omnino tamen ſemper eſt Job immodicus, ſaith Merce[illegible: 1 letter] here, yet ſurely, he paſſeth the bounds of moderation, and is over-bold in this offer of his, laying the reins in the neck of his paſſions, Fertur equis auriga &c. Cajetan ſaith, theſe words are arrogant and ſcandalous; and Eliphaz is ſuppoſed for this paſſage to tax Job as he did, chap. 15.4. yea, thou caſteſt off fear.

Or, let me ſpeak and anſwer thou me] i. e. I will be plaintiffe or Opponent, I will be bold to ſay, it is not ſeemly to handle him as an enemy, who knowes nothing by himſelf. If there bee any thing more then involuntary and unavoidable infirmity in me; Shew me what, and how many my ſins are, that require ſo many and great puniſhments.

Verſe 23. How many are mens iniquities and ſins] How many? too many to be reckoned: Sin imputed to thee, ſins inherent in thee, ſins iſſuing from thee; commiſſions, omiſſions, failings in the manner of performance (for a good work may be marr'd in the doing, as many a garment is in the making, and many a tale in the telling) thy life is fuller of ſins, then the firmament is of ſtars, or the furnace of ſparks, beſides thy birth-blot and inward evils which might juſtly cauſe thy deſtruction, as a man may die of inward bleeding. When the houſe is well ſwept, and all rooms ſeem very clean, if the Sun do but ſhine into it through the windows, the beams thereof diſcover an infinite number of motes in all places: ſo will it be with the beſt, if narrowly examined. Leſſer ſins, ſecret faults, are of daily, and almoſt hourly incurſion; yet we muſt be cleanſed from them, Pſalm 19.12. or elſe vae hominum vitae quantumvis laudibili, ſaith one, Wo to the life of men, though praiſe-worthy, as the world judgeth. A pardon there is of courſe for ſuch ſins, and they do not uſually diſtract and plunge the conſcience: but yet that pardon muſt be ſued out, and thoſe ſins muſt be diſliked and bewailed.

Make me to know my tranſgreſſion and my ſin] That particular ſin that thou chiefly ſtrikeſt at: for every affliction hath a voice in it, Mic. 6.9. and ſaith to the ſufferer, as thoſe marriners did to Jonas, chap. 1.8. what evil haſt thou committed or admitted? what good haſt thou omitted, or intermitted? Ʋp and ſearch; Iſrael hath ſinned: why lieſt thou upon thy face, as the Lord once ſaid to Joſhua, chap. 7.10, 11? ſomething ſurely there is amiſſe that God would have amended: It is therefore meet to be ſaid unto him, Make me to know my tranſgreſſion and my ſin, yea, the iniquity of my ſin, the filthineſſe of my lewdneſſe, all my tranſgreſſions in all my ſins (as the phraſe is Lev. 16.21.) that is, how many tranſgreſſions are wrapped up in my ſeveral ſins, and their circumſtances. This either Job meant here, or elſe he was afterwards by Elihu tutored to it, chap. 34.31, 32. Surely it is meet to be ſaid unto God, I have born chaſtiſement, I will not offend any more. That which I ſee not, teach thou me; if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.

Verſe 24. Wherefore hideſt thou thy face?] Who waſt wont to ſhine upon mee, chap. 29.2, 3. He that hideth his face, ſheweth, that he neither pitieth, nor purpoſeth to relieve. God ſeemed to look upon Job no otherwiſe then as under Satans cloak, ſaid that Martyr. But he hideth his love ſometimes out of increaſement of love, as Joſeph did to his brethren; and is never ſo near us, as when with Mary Magdalen, we are ſo bleared with tears for his abſence, that we cannot ſee him, though at hand. A child of light may walk in darkneſſe, Iſai. 50.10. which when he doth, he muſt reſolve, as Iſai. 8.17. I will wait upon the Lord who hideth his face from the houſe of Jacob, and I will looke for him: he muſt alſo in that dark condition caſt anchor, as they did in the ſhipwrack, Acts 2.7. and pray ſtill for day, waiting till the day ſtar ariſe in their hearts, and all clear up.

And holdeſt me for thine enemy?] Which if God ſhould have done indeed, it would have been wide with Job, and far worſe then ever yet it had been; for if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away, 1 Sam. 24.19? I trow not, unleſſe it be for a greater miſchief at another time. But Job was out when he judged himſelf hated of God, becauſe afflicted, ſith he ſcourgeth every ſon whom he receiveth, Heb. 12.5. See my Love-tokens, pag. 23. and 54.

Verſe 25.Indignum eſt majestate tua, ut miſellum homuncionem &c. Jun. Wilt thou break a leafe driven to and fro &c?] q. d. egregiam verò laudem; Thinkeſt thou to get any honour by encountring and overturning me, who was at my beſt but as a leafe, or as ſtubble, weak, and worthleſſe; and am now, by reaſon of mine afflictions, but as a leaf blown off, and whirled up and down; or as ſtubble fully dried, which is ſoon ſcattered by the wind, Pſalm 1.4. or quickly burnt by the fire, Nah. 1.10. David reaſoneth in this manner with Saul, 1 Sam. 24.14. After whom is the King of Iſrael come forth? after whom doſt thou purſue?Tibul. After a dead dog? after a flea? A great purchaſe ſurely! a great victory!

—An gloria tanta eſt Inſidias homini ſuppoſuiſſe Deum?

The truth is, God doth not afflict any man (whom he knowes to be a thing of nothing) on purpoſe to try his ſtrength, or to ſhew his power; but either to exerciſe his juſtice upon the wicked, or to prove the faith of his people, and to promote their ſalvation.

Verſe 26. For thou writeſt bitter things againſt me] As it were by a judicial reſcript thou decreeſt my doom; and accordingly thou inflicteſt hard and heavy things upon me,Humanitùs dictum ex uſu forenſi. Jun. as is moſt elegantly deſcribed in the following verſes by metaphors fetcht from the courſe of Courts. Sin is an evil, and a bitter thing, Jer. 2.19. Heb. 12.15. Acts 8.23, and hath bitter effects, Ruth. 1.20. Exod. 1.14. This made that holy man Mr. Paul Baine, ſay: the ſweet wayes of my youth did breed ſuch worms in my ſoul, Bains letters. as that my heavenly Father will have me yet a little while continue my bitter worm-ſeed, becauſe they cannot otherwiſe be throughly killed. I thank God (ſaith he in another place) ſuſtentation I have, but ſuavities ſpiritual I taſte not any.Mr. Clark in his life. It is reported of this good man, that when he came firſt to Cambridg, his converſation was ſo irregular, that his father being grieved at it, before his death left with a friend forty pounds by the year, deſiring that his ſon might have it if he amended his manners, elſe not: he afterwards had it, as he well deſerved, as proving a notable inſtrument of much good to many, and particularly to that Reverend Dr. Sibbs whom he converted; Howbeit in his laſt ſickneſſe he had many fears and doubts, and God letting Satan looſe upon him, he went out of this world with far leſs comfort then many weaker Chriſtians enjoy; his caſe being not unlike his, who ſaith in the next words,

And makeſt me to poſſeſſe (or to inherit) the iniquities of my youth] Which I took for pard oned long ſince (and ſo no doubt but they were); but Jobs affliction renewed the remembrance of them to his conſcience (as it is the beſt art of memory.) Satan alſo made him believe, that now he was puniſhed for the new and the old, as we ſay, and that God meant to make him anſwer for all the ſins of his life at once, having watched a time to be revenged on him for all together. Youth is a ſlippery age, and ſoon ſlips into ſin. There is great cauſe that a young man ſhould cleanſe his wayes, Pſalm 119.9. where the word Nagnar (ſignifying a lad, or ſtripling) comes from a root ſignifying to ſhake off, or to be toſſed to and fre. And the other word rendred cleanſe, ſignifieth to be clean as glaſſe, which will ſoon gather a new duſtineſſe. Such muſt cleanſe their wayes by cleaving to the word: or otherwiſe, they may one day groan as much under the ſins then committed, as many do under the blows and bruiſes then received. See the former Note.

Verſe 27. Thou putteſt my feet alſo in the ſtocks] Mercer here obſerveth an elegant gradation in Gods proceeding with Job, as himſelf deſcribeth it, riſing higher and higher in his diſcourſe. 1. God hid his face, and denyed him his favour. 2. He counted him as his enemy. 3. He broke him like a leafe or ſtubble. 4. He wrote bitter things againſt him. 5. He made him poſſeſſe the ſins of his youth. 6. For his young ſins he claps him up cloſe priſoner now in his old age, and there keeps him as with a ſtrict guard following him cloſe at heels, if he but ſtirre a foot; was there ever ſorrow like unto Jobs ſorrow? was ever greater ſeverity and rigour ſhewed upon any godly perſon? Where then ſhall the ungodly and the ſinner appear &c? Gods wrath is like Eliah's cloud, little at firſt, as a mans hand, but ſoon after very diſmal and dreadful; or as thunder, of which we hear at firſt a little noiſe afarre off, but ſoon after a terrible crack. Well might Moſes ſay, Who knoweth the power of thine anger?Pſalm 90.19. Cavebis auteus, ſi pavebis.

And lookeſt narrowly into all my paths] He ſaith not wayes, but paths. Gregory maketh this difference; Wayes are larger, Paths narrower; God then is ſaid to look into all mens paths, when he looketh not only at the evil done by them, but at the intention of their mind, which is not ſo eaſily diſcerned but by him the ſearcher of all hearts. And for that which followeth,

Thou ſetteſt a print upon the heels of my feet.] Gregory here obſerveth, that God looketh at the hurt done to others by examples given by mens evil doings unto them, leaving a print upon the ground, as it were, whereby others follow them, and ſo their ſin is in this regard made the greater: to which purpoſe ſome ſenſe thoſe words Pſalm 49.5. when the iniquity of my heels ſhall compaſſe me about. Others make Jobs meaning here to be, Thou followeſt me with continual purſuit, as a priſoner that is dog'd at heels by his keeper from place, to place leſt he ſhould eſcape.Diod. Thou followeſt me cloſe, and upon the track like a hunter, Job 10.16. The foot-ſteps of thy wrath (ſaith an Interpreter) are ſeen upon the ſoles of my feet (ſo that from top to toe I have no free part) like as priſoners feet are oft ſwelled with the weight of their fetters.

Verſe 28. And he as a rotten thing conſumeth] Heb. waxeth old. He, that is, this poor man, this ſilly wretch, as David ſpeaketh of himſelf, Pſal. 34.6. Or, This body of mine, as chap. 19.26. Job pointing to it, as 'tis like he did there. And Paul, 1 Cor. 15.53, 54. As a rotten thing (Heb. as rottenneſſe) conſumeth. When a thing once rotteth, as an apple, fleſh, &c. it ſoon periſheth: ſuch is man under preſſing afflictions eſpecially.

And as a garment that is moth-eaten] The beauty whereof is defaced, and the uſefulneſſe departed.