But those are very proud, and very ignorant both of God and themselves, who, to clear themselves, will condemn God and the day is coming when, if the mistake be not rectified in time by repentance, the eternal judgment will be both the confutation of the plea and the confusion of the prisoner, for the heavens shall declare God's righteousness and all the world shall become guilty before him. David is therefore ready to own the evil he has done in God's sight, that God may be justified when he speaks and clear when he judges. " Wilt thou, " says God, " condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous? Must my honour suffer for the support of thy reputation? Must I be charged as dealing unjustly with thee because thou canst not otherwise clear thyself from the censures thou liest under?" Our duty is to condemn ourselves, that God may be righteous. God's judgment cannot, must not, be disannulled, for we are sure it is according to truth, and therefore it is a great piece of impudence and iniquity in us to call in question. That we cannot vie with God for justice, that the Lord is righteous and holy in his dealings with us, but that we are unrighteous and unholy in our conduct towards him we have a great deal to blame ourselves for, but nothing to blame him for ( ): " Wilt thou disannul my judgment? Wilt thou take exceptions to what I say and do, and bring a writ of error, to reverse the judgment I have given as erroneous and unjust?" Many of Job's complaints had too much of a tendency this way: I cry out of wrong, says he, but I am not heard but such language as this is by no means to be suffered. God begins with a challenge ( ), as before ( ): " Gird up thy loins now like a man if thou hast the courage and confidence thou hast pretended to, show them now but thou wilt soon be made to see and own thyself no match for me." This is that which every proud heart must be brought to at last, either by its repentance or by its ruin and thus low must every mountain and hill be, sooner or later, brought. When our hearts begin to melt and relent within us, let those considerations be dwelt upon and pursued which will help to make a thorough effectual thaw of it. Those who are under convictions, who have their sins set in order before their eyes and their hearts broken for them, must learn from this instance not to catch at comfort too soon it will be everlasting when it comes, and therefore it is necessary that we be prepared for it by deep humiliation, that the wound be searched to the bottom and not skinned over, and that we do not make more haste out of our convictions than good speed. Those who are truly convinced of sin, and penitent for it, yet have need to be more thoroughly convinced and to be made more deeply penitent. Those who duly receive what they have heard from God, and profit by it, shall hear more from him. Job was greatly humbled for what God had already said, but not sufficiently he was brought low, but not low enough and therefore God here proceeds to reason with him in the same manner and to the same purport as before. 14 Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee. 13 Hide them in the dust together and bind their faces in secret. 12 Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low and tread down the wicked in their place. ![]() 11 Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. 8 Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous? 9 Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? 10 Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency and array thyself with glory and beauty. ![]() 6 Then answered the L ORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 7 Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. Job 40:14 | MHC | STEP | Divine Justice and Power God's Dominion over the Proud.
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