Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 3.djvu/26

18 upon this occasion with a great veneration for the Divine Providence, and an awful submission to its disposals; we may well rejoice to find Job in this good frame, because this was the very thing upon which the trial of his integrity was put, though he did not know it. The Devil said that he would, under his affliction, curse God; but he blessed him, and so proved himself an honest man.

(1.) He acknowledged the hand of God both in the mercies he had formerly enjoyed, and in the afflictions he was now exercised with: The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away. We must own the Divine Providence, [1.] In all our comforts. God gave us our being, made us, and not we ourselves, gave us our wealth; it was not our own ingenuity or industry that enriched us, but God's blessing on our cares and endeavours; he gave us power to get wealth; not only made the creatures for us, but bestowed upon us our share. [2.] In all our crosses. The same that gave, hath taken away; and may he not do what he will with his own? See how he looks above instruments, and keeps his eye upon the First Cause; he does not say, "The Lord gave, and the Sabeans and Chaldeans have taken away; God made me rich, and the Devil has made me poor;" but, "He that gave, has taken;" and, for that reason, he is dumb, and has nothing to say, because God did it: He that gave all, may take which and when, how and how much, he pleases. Seneca could argue thus, Abstulit, sed et dedit—He took away, but he also gave; and Epictetus excellently, (cap. 15.) "When thou art deprived of any comfort, suppose a child taken away by death, or a part of thy estate lost, say not ἀπώλεσα ἀυτὸ—I have lost it; but, ἀπέδωκα—I have restored it to the right owner. But thou wilt object, (says he) κακὸς ὁ ἀφελομενος—He is a bad man, that has robbed me; to which he answers, τί δέ σοι μέλει—What is it to thee, by what hand he that gives remands what he gave?

(2.) He adores God in both. When all was gone, he fell down and worshipped. Note, Afflictions must not divert us from, but quicken us to, the exercise of religion. Weeping must not hinder sowing, nor hinder worshipping. He eyed not only the hand of God, but the name of God, in his afflictions, and gave glory to that, Blessed be the name of the Lord. He has still the same great and good thoughts of God that ever he had, and is as forward as ever to speak them forth to his praise; and can find in his heart to bless God, even when he takes away, as well as when he gives. Thus must we sing both of mercy and judgment, Ps. ci. 1. [1.] He blesses God for what was given, though now it was taken away. When our comforts are removed from us, we must thank God that ever we had them, and had them so much longer than we deserved. Nay, [2.] He adores God, even in taking away, and gives him honour by a willing submission; nay, he gives him thanks for good designed him by his afflictions, for gracious supports under his afflictions, and the believing hopes he had of a happy issue at last.

Lastly, Here is the honourable testimony which the Holy Ghost gives to Job's constancy and good conduct under his afflictions. He passed his trials with applause, v. 22. In all this. Job did not act amiss, for he did not attribute folly to God, nor in the least reflect upon his wisdom in what he had done. Discontent and impatience do, in effect, charge God with folly. Against the workings of these, therefore, Job carefully watched; and so must we, acknowledging, that as God has done right, but we have done wickedly, so God has done wisely, but we have done foolishly, very foolishly. They who not only keep their temper under crosses and provocations, but keep up good thoughts of God and sweet communion with him, whether their praise be of men or no, it will be of God, as Job here was.

CHAP. II.

We left Job honourably acquitted, upon a fair trial between God and Satan concerning him. Satan had leave to touch, to touch and take, all he had, and was confident that he would then curse God to his face; but, on the contrary, he blessed him, and so he was proved an honest man, and Satan a false accuser. Now, one would have thought, this had been conclusive, and that Job should never have had his reputation called in question again: but Job is known to be armour of proof, and therefore is here set up for a mark, and brought upon his trial, a second time. I. Satan moved for another trial which should touch his bone and his flesh, v. 1..5. II. God, for holy ends, permits it, v. 6. III. Satan smites him with a very painful and loathsome disease, v. 7, 8. IV. His wife tempts him to curse God, but he resists the temptation, v. 9, 10. V. His friends come to condole with him, and to comfort him, v. 11..13. And in this that good man is set forth for an example of suffering affliction and of patience.

GAIN there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the. 2. And the said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. 3. And the said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. 4. And Satan answered the, and said, Skin for skin; yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life: 5. But put forth thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. 6. And the said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thy hand; but save his life.

Satan, that sworn enemy to God and all good men, is here pushing forward his malicious prosecution of Job, whom he hated because God loved him, and did all he could to separate between him and his God, to sow discord, and make mischief, between them, urging God to afflict him, and then urging him to blaspheme God. One would have thought that he had enough of his former attempt upon Job, in which he was so shamefully baffled and disappointed; but malice is restless, the Devil and his instruments are so. They that calumniate good people, and accuse them falsely, will have their saying, though the evidence to the contrary be ever so plain and full, and they have been cast in the issue which they themselves have put it upon. Satan will have Job's cause called over again. The malicious, unreasonable, importunity of that great persecutor of the saints is represented, (Rev. xii. 10.) by his accusing them before our God day and night, still repeating and urging that against them which has been many a time answered: so did Satan here accuse Job day after day. Here is,

I. The court set, and the prosecutor, or accuser, making his appearance, (v. 1, 2.) as before, ch. i. 6, 7. The angels attended God's throne, and Satan