An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and the thirty fourth chapters of the booke of Job being the substance of forty-nine lectures / delivered at Magnus neare the Bridge, London, by Joseph Caryl ...

Vers. 11. Behold, I waited for your words, I gave care to your reasons, whilest you searched out what to say.

Vers. 12. Yea I attended unto you; and behold, there is none of you that convinced Job, or that answered his words.

You have the generall sence of the text, I shall yet proceed to a more particular explication of it.

Behold, I waited for your words.

* 1.1The word which we translate to waite, imports three things in Scripture; First, an act of hope, or to be carried towards any thing desirable, with a wonderfull desire to enjoy it; Hope cau∣seth the soule to breath after fruition. Secondly, the word implyeth that griefe or trouble which possesseth the mind upon a long stay or detainment of that good which we desire and hope to attaine. Thirdly, it notes, the soules patient waiting (though grieved and burdened with present delayes) for future enjoyment. In all or any of these sences, Elihu might say, Behold, I waited for your words, I earnestly desired to heare you speake to satisfaction, and I am grieved that you did not; and I would, if need were, patiently waite still, did I not perceive you had done, and quitted your hands of this worke.

Behold, I waited for your words.

* 1.2Mr Broughton renders, Behold, I waited through your speech, or, into your words. I stood still, but I have not been asleep, I have long expected, you would say what is right, and I have serious∣ly considered what you sayd, I waited for your words;

I gave eare to your reasons.

* 1.3That is, to find what convincing reason was couched in your arguments. The Hebrew is, I gave eare to your understanding; That is, I attended to find out your apprehensions, or to gather up your sence in this matter, that I might not mistake your meaning, nor answer at randome. The vulgar translation reads it, I have heard your wisdome; That is, what wisdome there was in

your words. The truth or reason that is in words,* 1.4 is the wisdome of them. So that, when Elihu saith, I gave eare to your reasons, or, to your understanding, it intimates that he tooke the exactest heed he possibly could to find out the utmost tendency and pur∣pose of their discourse. As if he had said; I have weighed every tittle that ye have spoken, and tryed it by mine eare, to find whether it were solid yea or no.

There is one clause further to be opened in this verse; I gave eare to your reasons,

While you searched out what to say.

This implyeth that Jobs friends did ever and anon, take time to consider either each man with himselfe, or that they consulted one with another, what answer to shape and make to Job.

Whilest ye searched out.

The word which we translate to search out,* 1.5 notes the strictest search after that which is hidden, remote and secret. 'Tis apply∣ed (Deut? 13.14.) to that care which Judges ought to take in finding out the truth of an accusation brought against enticers to Idolatry. The strictness of the Originoll is, While ye searched out words. As if he had said, I am perswaded you have strained your selves to the utmost, to find out what to say, you did not speake what came next, but searched for your answers.

We may learne a good lesson from the practice of Elihu; we see he was no idle hearer; yea in him we have the description or character of an active hearer; I waited for your words, I gave eare to your reasonings, while ye searched out what to say.

Hence note.

We must diligently heare and give eare, weigh and consider what is spoken, before we give answer.

No man is well prepared to answer, but he that hath been an attentive hearer. And as no man can be a fit answerer in poynts under disputation, so no man can be a fruitfull practiser in poynts of instruction, but he that hath been a diligent hearer. 'Tis our duty, when the word is preacht, to waite, not for a sound of words, not for fine words, or words dressed up with affected eloquence, but for sound savory words, for words that have

weight and light in them, for words that have strength and au∣thority in them, to prevaile upon the heart, and conquer us to obedience. These are the only words, worth the waiting for; and for these we ought to waite.

Secondly, Before Elihu comes to give his opinion, he tells Jobs friends, that he had diligently heard the matter out, even all their reasonings and searchings.

Hence note.

We must not make a judgement from any one part of a dis∣course, we must take all together.

We must compare the first and last, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and ending of what is sayd; We must looke quite through. 'Tis not ingenuous to picke up this or that passage, to take a piece here, and a piece there; we can never make a true judgement, till the whole is layd together. As, many ex∣ceedingly mistake about the works of God, so about the words of men, because they judge the whole by this or that part: Where∣as they should judge of the parts by the whole. As therefore we ought not to make conclusions about the providentiall works of God, till the last Act, or till all is concluded; so we must not judge the discourses of men, till the last word, or till they have concluded their discourse. Heare a man out, and then answer him.

* 1.6Thirdly, Elihu seemes to chalenge it as his due to be heard speake, after he had fully heard them speaking.

Hence note,

They who have had the patience to heare others, ought to have the priviledge of being heard themselves.

Heare me, saith Elihu; Why so? I have heard you. It is but equall and rationall, that he should have liberty of speaking, who hath shewed an attentive perseverance in hearing.

From the last branch of the verse, while ye searched out what to say.

Observe.

We ought to ponder and try what we speake, before we speake it.

The worke of the tongue must follow that of the understand∣ing.

(Eccl: 12.10.* 1.7) The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, or words of delight, words of pleasure. The preacher sought; But how did he seeke? He sought diligently and earnestly. The preacher sought, but in what way did he seeke? surely he sought by diligent study and earnest prayer, to find out acceptable words. What words were those? not men-pleasing words, not soft words, which might passe with all sorts, or humour all phansies, not such words as would serve for pillows under bad mens elbows. The acceptable words which the Preacher sought, were words of truth and sobriety, words of power and Authority; in no other sence may we seeke out acceptable words, or words of delight; nor is there any true delight, but in words of truth. Thus every faith∣full Preacher should seeke to find out acceptable words; every holy and wholsome doctrine is made up of such words. Only thole doctrines and exhortations which are formed and compo∣sed of such words, are (as the Apostle saith of the great doctrine of Jesus Christ, manifested in the flesh to save sinners) faith∣full sayings, and worthy of acceptation (1 Tim: 1.15.) Elihu tooke notice of this in Jobs friends, they did not speak hand over head, but searched what they might say most to the purpose (as they judged) of the cause in hand, and to the profit of their hearers.

Elihu thought he had not yet spoken enough in way of apolo∣gie for himselfe. And therefore the penman of this dispute re∣presents him speaking further, yet much to the same sence.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 moratus est, praestola∣tus est, expe∣ctavit.
• * 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.3

  Attendi us{que} ad sensa vestra; Iun: i. e. Accu∣ratissimè & quam pentissi∣me sensa animi vestri explora∣vi. Id:
• * 1.4

  Audivi pru∣dentiam ve∣stram. Vulg: Diligentissimè auscultavi ra∣tiones vestras, quas ex & pro intelligentia vestra attulisti, & quas doctas esse purestis et ad rem aptas. Merc:
• * 1.5

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Scruta∣tus, perscruta∣tus est remota & obstrusa.
• * 1.6

  Ab aequo atten∣tienem sibi con∣ciliat. Merc:
• * 1.7

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉