Job 5

Job 5:6-10

Eliphas proceeds to confirm what he had before advanced, that only the wicked are wholly confused, as he appeared to be. 1. He appeals to all his saints, in proof of this position, ver. 1, 2. 2. Produces his own experience, ver. 2-5. 3. He allows affliction is the common lot, ver. 6, 7. But, a, doesn’t bear righteous men demean themselves, ver. 8-16. 5. That their afflictions always end well; therefore he advises Job to humble himself, pray, and hope in God’s mercy, ver. 17-27.

1. CALL now, if there be any that will answer thee, and to which of the saints wilt thou turn? 2. For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy flayeth the filly one. 3. I have seen the foolish taking root of but suddenly cursed his habitation. 4. His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them. 5. Whole harvest the hungry eaterh up, and taketh it every out of the thorns, and the § robber swalloweth up their substance.

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9. 1-5. Eliphas, confident in the goodness of his cause, cautiously defies Job to contradict his afflictions.

10. He bids him appeal to God or man, and he will be silenced; call now to God, if there be any that will answer thee, and see if he will conduct the vision I have related, or call now to all the holy men of old, if there be any whole case corresponds with those, to afflicted and yet innocent, and not a parallel will be found. And to which of the saints, or holy ones, will thus turn, either the divine persons in the godhead, who would reject his appeal of integrity, or the saints upon earth, among whom he would not find one advocate, or whole circumstances and sentiments resembled his own; therefore the charge he brought must be true, that his infancy was the cause of his sufferings. Note, (1.) They can have little confidence to approach God, whose own consistences condemn their hypocrisy. (2.) There are in every age some living saints, fancized by God’s word and spirit; and though the world use the word as a term of derision, it is a title of the highest honour, and true of every real believer who is called to be a saint, as much as Paul or John. (3.) It were indeed a strong proof of the badness of our State and temper, if we had the experience of all God’s saints against us; but the experience of the saints is often pleaded by those who have it least on their side.

11. He asserts the ruin of the wicked as a truth himself had often been wretched to. He said killeth his public to wicked man; the wrath of God is revealed against him, or his own happy spirit urges him on to his ruin, and may at the prosperity of others, or soul, God’s displeasure against iniquity, deftrayeth the filly one, the sinner who is void of understanding, so that he pines away often under his own vexations; and thus unavailability his momentary prosperity, I have seen the foolish taking root suddenly, but destruction awaited him. I cursed his habitation, not without him evil, but forefear the curse impending over his devout palace: his children, the staff of his age, are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, buried in the ruins of their desolate houses.

house, neither is there any to deliver them, neither God or man interest themselves in their behalf; who’s haresy the hungry eaters up, so that their substance is confused, and take it even out of the thorns, leaves none behind, even so much as a handful at the hedge-side; or though fenced in with thorns, break through and plunder it, and the rubber swallowed up their subfaces. And in this description of the ruin of the fools’ man, there is an evident invidious parallel drawn with Job’s case, whose sudden afflictions, the death of his children, and the ruin of his substance by the robbers, Eliphas would influence as a proof, that he shared with the wicked in their afflictions, because he had joined them in their sin. Note. (1.) The indulgence of our wise millions prove often fatal to ourselves. (2.) The wrath of God, in time and eternity, assuredly rests on the counsel’s head, however prosperous his circumstances may appear. (3.) The wicked man must be a silly one; how could he else for the sake of a momentary pleasure, rush into everlasting pain. 6. Although affliction cometh not forth of the duly, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground! 7. Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward. 8. I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause! 9. Which doth great things, and unbearable: marvelous things without number. 10. Who giveth rain upon the earth, and tendeth waters upon the fields! 11. To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety. 12. He disappointed the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enmystics. 13. He taketh the wife in their own craftsness; and the counsel of the forward is carried headlong. 14. They meet with darkness in the day-time, and groove in the noon day as in the night. 15. But he laveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty. 16. So the poor hath hope, and iniquity shoppeth her mouth. It was the intention of Eliphas not to sink Job into despair, but first to lay bare his wound, and then apply the healing balm, suggesting arguments for resignation, and how to hear his burden profitably. 1. He dereth him to the origin and cause of all his trouble: Although affliction cometh not forth of the duly, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground, as things fortuitous and accidental, or owing to second course, operating independent of God’s agency or direction, but all is fixed by unalterable decree, and no creature acts but by his guidance, and under his over-ruling power. 2. He, or had, went to here to trouble; since his entered, the curfication, and close as our shadow afflictions follow us, as the sparks go upwards, numerous as these, and the natural condition of our fallen state; and this should reconcile us to suffering, and engage us to be humble for the sin which is the cause of it. Note. (1.) Fortune and chance are the creatures of heathenism and infidelity: we are assured in God’s word that not a half of our heads falls to the ground without Divine discretion. (2.) The more we are acquainted with the sinfulness of our nature, the less reason shall we have to murmur under any affliction, since we must then acknowledge it to be left then our iniquity deserves. 2. He gives him advice how to behave himself: I would seek unto God, or doubtless I do seek unto God; it is the method I myself take in my trials, and would recommend to you as doubtless the most proper and reasonable: and unto God I would, or I do commit my cause, in humble prayer and patient resignation, and then rest in hope. Note. We may safely commend what we have proved good by experience, and the people of every age have always found that patient hope and believing prayer, will not fail at last of bringing an answer of peace. 3. He enforces his admonition, by considerations drawn from God’s sovereign dominion, power, and equity: Which doth great things in the works of creation and providence; and unbearable, beyond the deepest penetration of the wiser’s fages; marvelous things that excite our astonishment, and exceed our comprehension; and these, without number; earth, air, and sea-trem with wonders, and every day new works of Providence awaken our admiration; and the more we attempt to reason, the more we are lost in depth of wisdom unfathomable. How foolish then to dispute against God, and how much wider to refer ourselves to him, who can do such wonders, and will do ever wisely. By his gracious providence, he sendeth the rain to water the earth, v. 12. The poor and mourners, whose faces were black, as it were, with famine, for plenty restored, and themselves exalted from their low estate, v. 11. Such merciful afflictions may they expect who wait upon him. But the crafty are disappointed in their labours, their enterprizes prove abusive, their own snares enlarge them, as birds in an evil net, and their precipitate constells hurry them on to ruin, v. 12, 13. In the plainest circumstances they become infatuated, and fall from the maridian of prosperity, into the deepest darkness of affliction, v. 14. VOL. I. whilst the helpless servants of God, against whom their tongues were maliciously let loose, and whom their arm cruelly oppressed, are delivered, to the great disappointment of iniquity, and to the encouragement of the hope of the poor; who never trust on him and are confounded. The inference Eliphas would draw from hence is evident, that if Job thus humbly trusted upon God, he would experience a like deliverance. Note. (1.) The wiser’s lessons fools, when they turn from God to trust on their own understanding. (2.) The deepest laid plan of men or devils need not trouble God’s people, there is one who fittereth in the heavens who laughs them to scorn. (3.) They who have their tempers in lowlands conformed to their circumstances, will find him near at hand who will lift them up, and restore comfort to the mourners. (4.) In the world of times we should never quit our hope in God, for he is faithful that hath promised. (5.) Though the mouth of malignity is now open, and the hand of the opperforts heavy on God’s people, their arm shall soon be broken, and their lips sealed up in everlasting silence. 17. Behold, happy is the man whom God corvette: 1. P. 2. therefore: defyise not thou the chastising of the Almighty! 18. For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: 1. he woundeth, and his hands make whole. 19. He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee. 20. In famine he shall redeem thee from death; and in war, from the power of the sword. 21. Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: 1. neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh. 22. At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: 2. neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth. 23. For thou shalt be in league with the fones of the field; and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee. 24. And thou shalt know that they rabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not I sin. 25. Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth. 26. Thou shalt come to thy grave in full age, like as a flock of corn cometh in, in his feason. 27. Lo this, we have searched it, so it is, hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

Job 5:17-27

Eliphas draws his speech to a conclusion, and closes it with a view of the great and precious promise which would attend Job, if his mind were but conformed to his circumstances. 1. He warns him not to defyise the chastising of the Almighty; though the draught be bitter, it must not be rejected, because it is the means of health: it is the rod of the Almighty, before which he may not proudly disdain to bow: it is lifted up with the most gracious design of fatherly correction, therefore not to be frightened, but submitted to with patience, heard with reverence, Micah vi. q. and the cup of affliction to be drank with cheerfulness. Note. In every affliction, our chief concern should be not the removal, but the due improvement of it. 2. He supports his advice with the blessed effects which would flow from it. Behold, happy is the man whom God corvette by his word, or providence; it is the proof of his regard, and designed to work eminently for our good; it drives to wean the heart from earth, and urge the soul to seek more diligently the true and abiding joys of glory. The same hand also that wounds can heal, and will, no doubt, when the design of his visitation is answered, v. 18. The length or repetition of our troubles should not discourage us, for out of them all God will deliver his servants; and in them preserve the souls of his sinins from evil, that the wicked one toucheth them not. Though famine pale shalt phaffly through the land, or horrid war with garments rolled in blood spread defolations around; though wild beasts of the defect howl and threaten to devour, or men more savage than these beasts, bite with malignant teeth, and with the scourge of the tongue, poisonous as the serpent’s fling, strive to infuse their baneful calumnies, God will preserve his chosen; they shall be fed in the time of death, covered from danger under the wing of the Almighty, the creatures shall be in league with them not to hurt them, and secure they shall mock at the impotent malice of their foes: their houshe shall be in peace, their families united in love, and defended from the evil of sin and trouble; they shall go in and out under the Divine bleffing, and piety and prosperity crown all their labours; their polterity shall be great and numerous, and after beholding them fixed in comfort and affluence, they shall go down to their graves crowned with length of days, riches and honour, and, ripe for glory as the sheaf in the day of harvest, be gathered into the bosom of God’s everlasting love. Note. (1.) When God wounds his people, he heals, binds up their hearts with perfect divine confidations, and opens a way for them to escape out of every temptation; no wound to deep which he cannot cure. (2.) They who have God for their confidence, may defy their 6 U Babes, Cain 1. 2017 BabesChill 1200. Culpe

foes, and triumph even in the jews of death. (2.) A peaceable abode is a ligand mercy, but the distinguished blessing is to be kept from sin. (4.) It is a comfort to gracious parents, to see their children’s prosperity in the world, but most of all to behold these piety, for that alone can unfurn the abiding good. (5.) Age-invigning us for the grave, are we also ripening for glory I filled with grace as with years, full of good trusts, and bending with cheerfulness into the hands of the harvest-man, as ready for the storehouse of God.

3. He begs Job’s serious confidiaration: La! attend to what I have spoken, as the result of sound and deep experience; this we have parched, it is our joint sentiments, and Jo it is appeared by the concurring testimony of all God’s people: hear it then with reverence and submission, and know then it for thy good, or thyself, apply it to thy own case, and receive the blessing this discourse was intended to convey. Nate, Great truths deserve solemn attention, and from every sermon we hear, our future conduct should make our profiting appear.