Job 15
SIBFilled with indignation at the contempt which Job had discovered for him and his friends, Eliphaz replied
Job 15:2
Shouldest thou, who pretendest to wisdom, presume to throw forth such unsubstantial and boisterous nonsense; or to satisfy thy own conscience with such pernicious fancies?
Job 15:3
Shouldest thou, instead of solid arguments, pour forth unprofitable wranglings?
Job 15:4
Nay, shouldest thou cast off, and break through, all reverential regard to God, and refuse to pour forth thy humble complaints and prayers before him; and even tempt others to do the like?
Job 15:5
Thy tongue proclaims the wickedness of thy heart, even while, by pretences of respect to God, thou attemptest to cover thy impious principles and practices
Job 15:6
I need produce no evidence of thy impiety; thy own words sufficiently manifest and prove it
Job 15:7
Want thou formed before every other creature, that thou pretendest to be wiser and better than other men?
Job 15:8
Hast thou been acquainted with the most secret counsels and mysteries of God, that thou shouldest engross all wisdom to thyself?
Job 15:9
What secrets hast thou learned that we do not fully comprehend?
Job 15:10
Among us, and on our side in this debate, we have the most aged and experienced men
Job 15:11
Darest thou to contemn the divine admonitions and comforting promises which we have suggested, and undervalue our kind and consoling discourses, as if thou knewest some better way of comfort?
Job 15:12
Why do thy inward lusts thus violently transport thee into such pride, fury, and scornful contempt
Job 15:13
That thou shouldest dare to rage against the Most High, and insolently arraign the equity of his providence?
Job 15:14
Can the corrupted child of a sinful parent be innocent or righteous before an infinitely holy God? 15, 16. When the loftiest angels are not without their mutability and comparative imperfections, how inexpressively and universally abominable must the man be who, with greediness and delight, commits the most criminal impieties?
Job 15:17-19
Listen carefully while I clearly declare and demonstrate unto thee what I myself have observed, and which the wisest, most powerful and wealthy, princes of former ages have observed, professed, or believed, and informed their children of
Job 15:20
The wicked tyrant is never free from inward torment; he lives in continual dread of disasters, death, and damnation, never knowing how soon they may overtake him
Job 15:21
Consciousness of guilt keeps him in perpetual terror of approaching mischiefs. And never is the destroyer more ready to attack him than when he is in the height of his prosperity
Job 15:22
In trouble he despairs of deliverance; in the night he dreads being killed before morning; every where he fears; and is indeed exposed to the most certain and sudden destruction
Job 15:23
In the most destitute and vagabond manner he is obliged to wander for bread. He finds, by experience, that terrible and inevitable ruin is just ready to seize him
Job 15:24
Straitening distress and anguish shall terrify him; they shall quickly rush upon and prevail against him, as a strong and furious army commanded by a valiant prince: 25. As the punishment of his daring impiety, because he defied and set himself in opposition to the Almighty
Job 15:26
Daring to sin in the most insolent and presumptuous manner, even amidst the tokens of the divine indignation, inflicted or impending
Job 15:27
Because, grown rich, powerful, and successful, his only care is to pamper himself, and wallow in ease and luxury
Job 15:28
Dwelling in cities and stately houses, from whence he had driven or murdered the righteous proprietors; and which, by the curse of God, for his sake, shall be quickly reduced to heaps of ruins, and he be obliged to shift for himself in the most miserable manner
Job 15:29
The riches and glory which he hath gotten by violence and oppression shall neither be lasting, complete, nor firmly rooted
Job 15:30
Having once entered into terrible and confounding troubles, he shall never get out of them. The lightning, like flames of God’s wrath, shall destroy his flourishing family and substance; and he himself shall be ruined and driven to hell by the threatened judgments of God amidst his proud boasting
Job 15:31
Let therefore no one, who is seduced to wickedness or carnal security, trust in the uncertain profits, pleasures, or honours, of this world; for vexations, losses, disappointments, and troubles, shall be all he will get by them. 32, 33. These shall come upon him far sooner than he thinks. His riches, hopes, or children, shall scarcely make their appearance, when, blasted by the vengeance of God, they shall all be reduced to ruin
Job 15:34
Thus suddenly and fearfully shall the stock and numerous family of hypocrites be utterly destroyed; and some terrible judgment of God shall consume the house built up by, or stored with, ill-gotten goods
Job 15:35
With no small pains such wicked men plot and practise mischief against others; but in the issue it usually brings ruin on themselves
REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. XV.—Men too often hold fast the false principles which they have once imbibed: and it is much easier to treat an adversary with contempt than to answer him with reason. Disputants often turn revilers rather than reasoners; and charge their opponents with things which they utterly abhor. And none are more ready to indulge pride and self-conceit in themselves than those who rage against it in their neighbours! Old men often rather boast of their knowledge and wisdom than possess it. But surely it is an humbling sight to see men so corrupt in nature, so abominable in practice; and amazing that God should love any such, and deliver them from the pit of corruption! In the study of true knowledge, the experience and observation of others, as well as our own, are an excellent help. But how unbounded is the patience of God, that can bear with wicked monsters so long! Yet little external happiness have they even in this world. Their seemingly purest prosperity is mingled with gall and wormwood. But, if they are miserable in this world, which is their heaven, what must they be in death, in judgment, in hell!