An exposition of the book of Job being the sum of CCCXVI lectures, preached in the city of Edenburgh / by George Hutcheson ...

Verse 2. As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgement, and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul.

Followeth, to v. 7. a more special preface to the Discourse; wherein Job states the controversie, shewing that he will appear in the defence of his own integrity, and by a solemn oath declareth his fixed resolution constantly to maintain it, while he liveth. This purpose, as it is expressed in those Verses, may be branched out in four particu∣lars.

First, That he confirmeth his resolution, after∣mentioned, by an oath, in the beginning of this Verse; That as God liveth, he will maintain his integrity. Whence Learn,

1. An Oath, or solemn asseveration, is lawful in some cases, even among friends; when the matter is weighty, and there are no other proofs to put an end to controversies: For, here Job takes a solemn Oath in this weighty cause of his own integrity, when his Friends would no otherwise be perswaded of the truth of it, or that he had cause to persevere in defence of it. An Oath is a part of the Worship of God, wherein men acknowledge his omniscience and his searching of the conscience; his loving and maintaining of truth; his being the supreme judge, and Lord of life and death, from whom there is no appeal; and, his justice, and power to punish lying and perjury, which he hateth. And therefore, as they lye against the truth who simply condemn all Oaths; so they prophane an holy Ordinance, and the holy name of God, who spare not to multiply Oaths, in passion; in light and trivial matters, in matters the truth whereof may be cleared by other

proofs, and especially to confirm a lye and un∣truth.

2. The name of God alone is to be interposed, and made use of, in an oath; as here Job's pra∣ctice is. For it is his prerogative to know, in all cases, if truth be spoken, and to punish a lye. See Matth. 5.34, 35. Which may condemn them who swear by the creatures, or do even worship Satan, in their cursing and invocating of his name in their passion.

3. Job's taking of an oath in this cause (beside what may be after marked, and that there were no other proofs in many matters of fact, which are af∣terward recorded before Elihu interpose) may point out,

1. A mans integrity is a very grave and weighty business, wherein he is not a little concerned; For, Job judgeth it so weighty that he may very lawfully take an oath about it.

2. A man should guard, not only that he really be not, but that he seem not to be vain-glorious; Therefore Job speaks all upon oath, when he speaks to his own commendation, to avoid that imputa∣tion.

3. Men, in matters of controversie betwixt them and others, ought to speak seriously, and not out of spleen or passion; Therefore also he takes an oath in this matter, to shew that he will speak truth exactly, and will not condemn them and their opini∣ons in passion.

4. Men had need to be fixed in tryals against all tentations and assaults; Therefore doth Job, by this oath, fix himself against all tentations which might assault him, to cause him quit his inte∣grity.

5. As men upon oath ought to keep themselves within the bounds of truth (as here is insinuated, and some Heathen States appointed no punishment for Perjury, as supposing none durst hazard upon that sin) and sad will be the account of them who swear falsely; So an oath should put an end to con∣troversies; Therefore doth Job take an oath, to put an end to this debate. See Heb. 6.16.

Doct. 4. His swearing As God liveth, doth teach, That God liveth most certainly, and to live is pro∣per to him, in a peculiar way. And this, as it sheweth that he liveth for ••ver, to avenge perjury; So further,

1. It distinguisheth him from all dead Idols whom men serve, 1 Thess. 1.9. Jer. 10.8, 9, 10.

2. It sheweth that all hold their lives of him, and therefore should employ them for him.

3. It may encourage dead souls to go to him, who is the fountain of life, and may comfort godly men in all their troubles, Ps. 18.46.

4. It calls for living service, Rom. 12.1. Heb. 9.13, 14.

Secondly, (in this Verse also) unto his oath, he sub∣joyns a description of God by whom he sweareth; where he describes him from what he had done to him, that he had taken away his judgement, and vexed his soul, or, made his soul bitter, as it is in the Original. By which we are not so much to under∣stand that God had taken away his sweet way of walking with him (imported in his judgement, or, composed and well ordered frame of spirit) and in stead thereof, had filled him with bitterness (which is a sad change, and matter of sad complaint, Lam. 3.9, 11, 15. Job 9.18.) As that God had not righted him in his quarrel, by judging his cause and delivering him from misconstructions; nor had he eventually cleared his integrity, by remo∣ving the rods that were upon him: But by all those calamities, misconstructions and other tentations, had vexed his spirit, and made him bitter of soul. This is an expression which is challenged, as irre∣verent and passionate, Chap. 34, 5. yet not as pro∣ving him to be wicked.

Doct. 1. The best of Saints get not, readily, through their tryals without some discoveries of weakness, which may humble them; as here Job's experience may teach, who stumbles often by the way, though the close of all was sweet. So was it also with David, Psal. 31.22. and 73.1, 2, &c. and 116.11, 12. This teacheth, That any good we have received should not hide our miscarriages in managing thereof; That we should resolve so to get through tryals, as we shall have no ground of gloriation, Psal. 73.1. with 2. That our corruption defiles our best things, as it did Job's necessary de∣fence of his Integrity; That humility must be very needful, that in all conditions God keeps us so at the study of it, and inculcates it upon us from the consideration of our failings; and, That such as do fail in an hour of tryal, may yet get a good issue of all, though God humble them by the way; as it be∣fel Job.

2. Mistakes and hard thoughts of God, and of his dealing, are the ordinary failings of godly men in affliction; For, in those Job failed here. We should guard especially against that evil in a day of tryal, neither carping at his dispensations, Psal. 22.1, 2. with 3. Neh. 9.33. nor looking upon his service as unprofitable, Mal. 3.14, 15. Psal. 73.13. with 28. For right constructions of God will keep our souls in life, and cherish hope and love in hardest lots; whereas contrary apprehensions breed aliena∣tion, Zech. 11.8. And for attaining right thoughts of God and his dealing; We ought to study his absolute Soveraignty, to which we ought to sub∣mit in every thing, without any debate or contra∣diction; We ought to mind much our guilt and ill deservings, which will justifie God in all he doth, Psal. 51.4. with Rom. 3.4. Lam. 1.18. We ought to judge of his dealing, not by our humour, or according as it is pleasant to our sense, but by its profitableness, though it be bitter; and, we ought to be sensible of our own blindness, that cannot discern the depth of wisdom which ordereth our lots; whence it cometh to pass that, oft-times, we forsake our own mercies, and quarrel these lots whereby God communicates greatest advantages to us.

3. It may please the Lord to suffer the righteous∣ness and integrity of his children to be over-clouded for a time, that so both themselves, and others also, may be tryed; For, so Job's Judgement, or the righteous decision of his cause, and the matter of his integrity, was with-held for a time, and he lay under sad imputations. This tryal is supposed in

that promise, Psal. 37.6. and is expressed in that lot of Paul, 2 Tim. 2.9. And it should warn others to beware of putting others to that tryal, by rash censures, especially of the afflicted; So godly men should arm themselves against such a tryal, which may be the more easily born so long as the truth of their good condition is cleared by the word of God, and, it may be, even in the consciences of these who are most ready to traduce them.

4. As God is the orderer of this tryal, so it is not for want of power, but for other wise reasons, that he suffers his children to lye under such a cloud in the matter of their integrity; For, Job acknow∣ledgeth that he is the strong God (as his name in the beginning of the Verse imports) and, the Almighty, though he leave him under this tryal. As sin ob∣structs proofs of Gods power for the good of wicked men, Isa. 59.1, 2. So it is good for Saints to see themselves in Gods hand, in this tryal, that so they may adore his wisdom in the continuing of it, when he could easily remove it. And if they were walking tenderly, and shunning guilt, Is. 59.1, 2. and were studying his power and love, they might have sweet exercise about the saddest of their lots, and a comfortable look of them.

5. Albeit, in many cases, godly men are fortified to bear reproaches and misconstructions; yet if they be hard put to it, and be not cleared and vin∣dicated, they may be ready to take it ill; As here Job complains that God had taken away his judgement, or, had not given him an hearing, to silence the reproaches and mistakes of his Friends. See Psal. 69.20. and 120.3, 4. Men should acknowledge it a mercy, when they are born out under this tryal; and though it do prove sharp unto them, yet that is not a mark of wickedness, for godly men have been afflicted with it before them; and withall, others should take heed that they inflict not such a tryal, which may prove so sharp and vexing to an afflicted godly man.

6. Beside misconstructions, and other outward tryals (under which godly men may be continued, and God not interpose to vindicate and deliver them) godly men should resolve to be exercised with soul-trouble, by their outward troubles break∣ing in upon their spirits to distemper them, and Gods hiding of his face under it; For, when Job is not delivered from misconstructions, nor his cause cleared, he is also vexed in soul. Here we are to consider,

1. Godly afflicted men may meet with more trouble, instead of being delivered from what they are under; As Job i•• not only not delivered and cleared, but his soul is also vexed.

2. Troubles are never sharp and searching till they get in upon mens spirits and souls; For, Job complains of this as a sad addition to the former try∣al. Then tryals will become insupportable, Prov. 18.14. and they will readily discover any scum of corruption that is within us. So that men have cause to bless God if they be free of this, whatever their lot be otherwise. Hence,

3. Men should look well to what their souls are doing under trouble; for if they be not vexed with sin, Jer. 2.19. they are justly made to smart under other vexations.

Doct. 7. Bitterness is ordinarily the result of soul-trouble; For, here his soul is made bitter, as it is in the Original. See Chap. 9.18. Troubles are of themselves grievous and bitter, Heb. 12.11. and when they break in upon our spirits, they work upon our bitterness, and we represent them to our selves as more bitter and grievous than indeed they are. And therefore we should be upon our guard, that we may possess our souls in patience and meekness, Luke 21.19. And for this end, we ought to remember that it is our distance from God, our pride, our hearkning to every tentation, and our aversion from exercise, that breed us all our bitterness.

8. Soul-bitterness is the great distemperer and misleader of godly men under affliction; For, this bred all his resentment here, and whatsoever is af∣terward censured in this discourse flowed from this beginning of it with a reflexion upon his soul-bit∣terness. Which may tell the afflicted where to find a cure of their own distempers, even in wrest∣ling against their bitterness.

9. It is but a tentation and fruit of bitterness, to father our distempers upon God, or to reflect on him in what he doth; As here Job complains of him, that by his dispensations, which were most cleanly and justifiable, he had made his soul bitter, when it was indeed the result of his own weakness. See Prov. 19.3. Yea, by calling God, the Al∣mighty, in doing of this, he insinuates a sharp re∣flexion, that God had employed his power thus a∣gainst him, who was a weak afflicted man. See Jer. 20.7.

10. Godly men, notwithstanding their weaknes∣ses under affliction, are yet giving proofs of honesty and integrity, which may be seen by right discerners; As here may be seen in Job, who, notwithstanding all these distempers,

1. Seeth Gods hand in all, and never takes his eye from off his providence, which was commen∣dable, though he fathered his own distempers un∣justly upon him.

2. By his swearing by God, though he thus dealt with him, he gives proof that he will still worship him, and reverence him as the supreme Iudge, the witness to the conscience, and main∣tainer of truth; and so will cleave to him, and ap∣peal to his Tribunal, and will not suspect any preju∣dice from him, whatever his sense may say of him for present.

3. He loves integrity, and will still abide by it; yea, he will swear himself Gods servant, and that he will not deal deceitfully. And so he gives proof that he loves piety and integrity, even when he thinks God deals hardly with him, which may con∣demn them who are wicked, when they are well dealt with.