Job 29:11-16

DISCOURSE: 479
JOB’S CHARACTER

Job 29:11. When the ear heard me, then it blessed me: and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me; because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not, I searched out.

TO boast of one’s own goodness is a sure mark of vanity and folly: of vanity, because it betrays an undue desire of man’s applause; and of folly, because it defeats its own end, and injures the reputation which it is intended to exalt. Nevertheless there are occasions on which we may, without any impropriety, declare facts, notwithstanding the mention of them does tend to proclaim our own praise. If, for instance, we have been calumniated, we may vindicate ourselves; and, if false charges have been adduced against us, we may refute them, by a candid and explicit statement of the truth. It was in this way that Job was led to speak of himself as he does in the passage before us. His friends had not only concluded from his extraordinary sufferings that he must have been peculiarly wicked, but they had undertaken even to specify crimes of which he had been guilty, and for which this afflictive dispensation had been sent [Note: Job 22:5.]. It was in answer to these unfounded charges that he delivered, what appears like an eulogium upon himself, but what was indeed nothing more than an appeal to facts for the establishment of his own innocence.

To us it is a singular benefit that such a statement was ever made; because it shews us, not only what our character ought to be, but what has actually been attained.

In order to make a suitable improvement of the passage, we propose to shew,

I. The excellence of this character—

From the particulars which are here enumerated we may distinctly notice,

1. The character itself—

[The first thing that attracts our notice is, Job’s diffusive benevolence. Misery, wherever it could be found, was the object of his tender compassion and assiduous regard: and the greater that misery was, the more imperious did he consider his call to relieve it. Were they poor, or blind, or lame, or widows, or fatherless, or friendless, he felt as a father towards them, and laboured to supply their every want. In the exercise of that benevolence he shewed the most active zeal. He did not stay till his interposition was sought for: but went to the most frequented parts of the city, and “prepared his seat in the street [Note: ver. 7.],” in order that all might have me readiest access to him, and be encouraged to spread their wants before him. Cases of considerable difficulty often occurred; but he spared no pains to inform himself of whatever might throw light upon the question, and to search to the bottom the truth or falsehood of every assertion, the force or nullity of every claim. No labour was accounted great, when it might tend to the relief of trouble or the confirmation of right. To this he added unblemished integrity. Nothing could for a moment bias his judgment, or induce him to swerve from the path of equity. It sometimes happened that he had to deal with powerful oppressors; but he was unawed by power, as well as unmoved by wealth: yea, the more power he found on the side of injustice, the more determinately he set himself to reduce it within its proper bounds: “he brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth:” and the effecting of this he accounted more honourable than any ornaments, either of magisterial robes, or of an imperial diadem [Note: ver. 14.]

2. The excellence of it—

[See what was thought of it by all who beheld it in Job: “When the car heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me.” And we ask, Where is the man in the whole universe that must not admire it? What part of it is there that is not worthy of our imitation? That such a character will not be censured, we by no means affirm: but no man will censure benevolence, or zeal, or integrity, as such; they must first put a wrong construction upon it, before they will venture to utter one word against it.

From viewing it in itself, let us contemplate it in its aspect on society. What incalculable good must not arise from it! See but a single magistrate possessed of wisdom, of integrity, of power: see him laying out all his time, his strength, his influence in the composing of differences and in the relieving of every species of distress: see him doing this with disinterested zeal and unwearied diligence: will not such an one be esteemed as the “father of the poor?” and will he not “make many a widow’s heart to sing for joy?” See a minister of such a description, devoting himself with equal zeal to the administering of temporal comforts to the poor, and superadding a similar attention to their spiritual necessities: to how many will he be made a source of good, becoming “eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame!” Surely in many instances “the blessing of him that was ready to perish” will come on such a minister, and the eyes and ears of multitudes will bear witness to him. The same is equally true of all that are in private life, according to the extent of their sphere and the steadiness of their exertions. And if once such were to become the general character of society, it would go far to banish evil, moral as well as temporal, from the world.]

The excellence of this character being established, we will proceed to mark,

II.

The importance of cultivating it in ourselves, and of encouraging it in others—

1. Of cultivating it in ourselves—

[Were there nothing more than the acquiring of such intrinsic worth, and the being so assimilated to Jesus, “who went about doing good,” it were most desirable that we should be imitators of this holy man. But a resemblance to him is not merely desirable; it is necessary; for by our conformity to his character we must judge of our state before God; and by it we shall be judged in the last day.

The highest attainments, whether of knowledge or of faith, are nothing in God’s estimation, without an active, constant, self-denying exercise of love [Note: 1 Corinthians 13:1.]. This is the test by which we are to try our religion. We are told expressly, “that pure and undefiled religion is, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction [Note: James 1:27.]:” and that by “bearing one another’s burthens we fulfil the law of Christ [Note: Galatians 6:2.].” Without this, our faith is no better than the faith of devils [Note: James 2:14.], and all our professions of love to God are mere hypocrisy. God himself repeatedly appeals to us on this very subject, as though he were willing to abide by the testimony of our own consciences [Note: 1 John 3:17; 1 John 4:20.]. To have any just evidence therefore that we belong to Christ, we must tread in the steps of holy Job. This is the rule prescribed by that loving and beloved disciple, John: “My little children, let us love, not in word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth: for hereby know we that we are of the truth; and shall assure our hearts before him [Note: 1 John 3:18.].” These are “the things that accompany salvation [Note: Hebrews 6:9.];” and by abounding in them we shall obtain a full assurance of hope [Note: Hebrews 6:11.], and an abundant entrance into the kingdom of our Lord [Note: 2 Peter 1:7; 2 Peter 1:10.].

But these habits are also necessary, because by our proficiency in them we shall be judged in the last day. Who can read the account of the day of judgment as given us by Christ himself, and not wish that he had cultivated more the dispositions of Job? Who that lives for himself, does not see cause to tremble? Let us deeply consider and diligently weigh the declarations of Christ [Note: Matthew 25:34; Matthew 25:41.], and we shall need no further arguments to prove the importance of cultivating love — — —]

2. Of encouraging it in others—

[It is thought by many, that it is better to distribute their alms themselves, than to do good through the medium of others. We grant that all may find proper objects of charity within their own immediate neighbourhood; and that, if every one would exert himself within his own circle, there would be little comparative need of persons to dispense our alms for us. But we know that some want time, some inclination, some ability, to seek out the poor, and to impart to them spiritual instruction with temporal relief. Though therefore we certainly admit that it is well to reserve a portion of our alms for our own personal distribution, yet we cannot but say that it is of peculiar importance to encourage the activity of others; for by that, more extensive good is done—more grace is called forth into exercise—and more honour is brought to religion.

More extensive good is done.—Numberless are the cases wherein the poor require more assistance than it would be possible for an individual to afford them. It is on this account that hospitals and other public charities have been so universally established. For the same reason a society for relieving the poor must be of the greatest utility, because that can be done out of a public fund which cannot be done out of a private purse. Moreover, where persons who have some degree of leisure and ability devote themselves to the various offices of charity, it must be supposed that they will acquire a greater fitness for the work, and consequently will perform it to more advantage. Besides, many, however fit for the work, and well disposed towards it, have not time to spare; and consequently much good must be left undone, if those who have time be not encouraged and enabled to improve it in this way.

More grace also is called forth into exercise.—We will suppose that in either case the same degree of grace is exercised both by the donor and the receiver of the alms: still the employing of the services of others has greatly the advantage; because it calls forth their graces, and strengthens in them a habit of benevolence. Methinks, it is like the training of soldiers for war; which gives them a martial spirit, and renders them more efficient in their work. Many there are, possessed of wisdom and piety, who yet, on account of the narrowness of their own circumstances, are unable to visit the poor; because they cannot shew their sympathy in such a way as to render it acceptable to the poor themselves. But, if they be employed as the dispensers of the charity of others, they have scope for all the finer feelings of their souls, and are enabled to “rejoice with them that rejoice, as well as to weep with them that weep.”

We may add further, that more honour also is brought to religion.—It is said by the enemies of the Gospel, that the doctrine of salvation by faith alone leads to a neglect and contempt of good works. But, with Job, we will appeal to facts: Who are they that most abound in good works; those who talk about them, and profess to make them the ground of their hopes? or those who build all their hopes of salvation on Christ alone? Amongst which of these two classes shall we find those, who, not having funds of their own, are willing to become the almoners of others, that they may exert themselves with more effect in every office of love both to the bodies and the souls of men? The matter is too notorious to admit a doubt. And does not this tend to the honour of religion? and do not they consult the interests of religion, who encourage such societies? Yes: and our answer to all who decry our faith is, “Outdo us in good works [Note: Here the excellence of any particular charity may be stated, with a suitable exhortation to support it.].”]