O that God would speak, for he would certainly open his lips against thee; whereas, when God did speak, he opened his lips for Job against his three friends. We ought indeed to leave all controversies to be determined by the judgment of God, which we are sure is according to truth; but they are not always in the right, who are most forward to appeal to that judgment, and prejudge it against their antagonists.
Zophar despairs to convince Job himself, and therefore desires God would convince him of two things, which it is good for every one of us duly to consider, and under all our afflictions, cheerfully to confess.
(1.) The unsearchable depth of God's counsels. Zophar cannot pretend to do it, but he desires that God himself would show Job so much of the secrets of the divine wisdom, as might convince him that they are, at least, double to that which is, v. 6. Note, [1.] There are secrets in the divine wisdom; arcana imperii—state secrets. God's way is in the sea; clouds and darkness are round about him; he has reasons of state which we cannot fathom, and must not pry into. [2.] What we know of God, is nothing to what we cannot know. What is hid, is more than double to what appears, Eph. iii. 9. [3.] By employing ourselves in adoring the depth of those divine counsels of which we cannot find the bottom, we shall very much tranquillize our minds under the afflicting hand of God. [4.] God knows a great deal more evil of us than we do of ourselves; so some understand it. When God gave David a sight and sense of sin, he said that he had in the hidden part made him to know wisdom, Ps. li. 6.
(2.) The unexceptionable justice of his proceedings; "Know, therefore, that how sore soever the correction is, that thou art under, God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserves:" or, as some read it, "He remits thee part of thine iniquity, and does not deal with thee according to the full demerit of it." Note, [1.] When the debt of duty is not paid, it is justice to insist upon the debt of punishment. [2.] Whatever punishment is inflicted upon us in this world, we must own that it is less than our iniquities deserve, and therefore, instead of complaining of our troubles, we must be thankful that we are out of hell, Lam. iii. 39. Ps. ciii. 10.
7. Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? 8. It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? 9. The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. 10. If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him? 11. For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also: will he not then consider it? 12. For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt.
Zophar here speaks very good things concerning God and his greatness and glory, concerning man and his vanity and folly: these two compared together, and duly considered, will have a powerful influence upon our submission to all the dispensations of the Divine Providence.
I. See here what God is, and let him be adored.
1. He is an incomprehensible Being, infinite and immense, whose nature and perfection, our finite understandings cannot possibly form any adequate conceptions of, and whose counsels and actings we cannot therefore, without the greatest presumption, pass a judgment upon. We, that are so little acquainted with the divine nature, are incompetent judges of the Divine Providence; and, when we censure the dispensations of it, we talk of things that we do not understand. We cannot find out God; how dare we then find fault with him? Zophar here shows,
(1.) That God's nature infinitely exceeds the capacities of our understandings; "Canst thou find out God: find him out to perfection? No, What canst thou do? What canst thou know? v. 7, 8. Thou, a poor, weak, short-sighted creature, a worm of the earth, that art but of yesterday? Thou, though ever so inquisitive after him, ever so desirous and industrious to find him out, yet darest thou attempt the search, or canst thou hope to speed in it?" We may by searching find God, (Acts xvii. 27.) but we cannot find him out in any thing he is pleased to conceal; we may apprehend him, but cannot comprehend him; we may know that he is, but cannot know what he is; the eye can see the ocean, but not see over it; we may, by a humble, diligent, and believing search, find out something of God, but cannot find him out to perfection; we may know, but cannot know fully, what God is, nor find out his work from the beginning to the end, Eccl. iii. 11. Note, God is unsearchable. The ages of his eternity cannot be numbered, nor the spaces of his immensity measured: the depths of his wisdom cannot be fathomed, nor the reaches of his power bounded: the brightness of his glory can never be described, nor an inventory be made of the treasures of his goodness. This is a good reason why we should always speak of God with humility and caution, and never prescribe to him or quarrel with him; why we should be thankful for what he has revealed of himself, and long to be there where we shall see him as he is, 1 Cor. xiii. 9, 10.
(2.) That it infinitely exceeds the limits of the whole creation; It is higher than heaven, (so some read it,) deeper than hell, the great abyss, longer than the earth, and broader than the sea, many parts of which are, to this day, undiscovered, and more were then. It is quite out of our reach to comprehend God's nature; such knowledge is too wonderful for us, Ps. cxxxix. 6. We cannot fathom God's designs, nor find out the reasons of his proceedings; his judgments are a great deep. St. Paul attributes such immeasurable dimensions to the divine love, as Zophar here attributes to the divine wisdom, and yet recommends it to our acquaintance, (Eph. iii. 18.) That ye may know the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, of the love of Christ.
2. God is a sovereign Lord; (v. 10.) If he cut off by death, (Marg. If he make a change, for death is a change; if he make a change in nations, in families, in the posture of our affairs,) if he shut up in prison, or in the net of affliction; (Ps. lxvi. 11.) if he seize any creature as a hunter his prey, he will gather it, (so Bishop Patrick,) and who shall force him to restore? Or, if he gather together, as tares for the fire, or, if he gather to himself man's spirit and breath, (ch. xxxiv. 14.) then who can hinder him? Who can either arrest the sentence, or oppose the execution? Who can control his power, or arraign his wisdom and justice? If he that made all out of nothing, think fit to reduce all to nothing, or to their first chaos again; if he that separated between light and darkness, dry land and sea, at first, please to gather them together again; if he that made, unmakes, who can turn him away, alter his mind, stay his hand, impede or impeach his proceedings?
3. God is a strict and just observer of the children of men; (v. 11.) He knows vain men. We know little of him, but he knows us perfectly; he
