either of these even with the gripes and gnawings of his owne evill conscience for the evill he hath done This paine followes some wicked men all the dayes of this life and it shall be the portion of all wicked men after death Eliphaz aymes at this in the next Verse while he saith A dreadfull sound is in his eares there I shall further insist upon it We have yet another very considerable part of the wicked mans misery held forth in the close of this Verse And the number of yeares is hidden to the oppressour The word which we render Oppressor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Violentus crudelis robustus tyrannus qui suis nititur opibus aliis terribilis est signifies a man exceeding powerfull and terrible or by his power terrifying others He that oppresseth must have power and some desire power for no other end but to enable them to oppresse Solomon speaks of a poore man that oppresseth Prov. 28.3 but he oppresseth onely those who are lesse powerfull then himselfe A poore man that oppresseth the poore is c. One poore man may be as much above another poore man in power as some rich men are above the poore Equalls in power cannot oppresse But who is this Oppressor to whom the number of yeares are hid The Oppressor in this part of the Verse is the wicked man in the former part Eliphaz speakes still of the same person though under another name whom he there called wicked he calls here an Oppressor Hence Note That to oppresse is a very great wickednesse For an oppressor and a wicked man are the same man Againe in that the word which signifies an oppressor signifies also a mighty man or a man of great strength we may further Note That men who have much power are apt to abuse it for the oppression of others it is in the power of my hand sayd Laban to Jacob to doe thee hurt And Laban had hurt Jacob if God had not stopt him They that have much power in their hands need much holinesse in their hearts Pauci anni reconditi sunt violento Jun. that they may use it well much power is a temptation to doe much hurt Numeâ—us annorum i. e. facile numerabiâ—es The number of yeares is hidden to the Oppressors The number of yeares say some is an Hebraisme for few yeares or yeares that are easily numberable a Childe may tell the yeares of an Oppressor they are so few Hence the words are also rendered thus Few yeares are layd up for the Oppressor Master Broughton translates plainely to the sense Soone numbred yeares are stored to the Tyrant Hence Observe First That wicked Oppressors are often speedily cut off by the hand of God Psal 55.23 Blood-thirsty and deceitfull men shall not live out halfe their dayes If God should lengthen out the lives of men set upon mischiefe who could live 'T is a comfort for us as well as a curse on them that Soone numbred yeares are stored to the Tyrant his treasure is not great in dayes who dayly treasures up wrath against himselfe Another resuming these words Hee travelleth with paine out of the former part of the Verse reads it thus And in the whole number of yeares which are layd up for him he travelleth in paine That is his whole life is miserable As if that which is a truth of all wicked men were more specially applicable to oppressors That they travell in paine Hence we may note Qui vult a multis metui multos tirre a oportet They who love to trouble others shall be sure to meet with trouble themselves He that desires to be feared shall be often affrayd Oppressors and Tyrants in all ages have experimented this truth which flowes both from the nature of their unjust actions towards men as also from the just retaliation of God Our reading leads us to a further consideration The number of yeares is bidden to the Oppressor That is as some expound they are determined or defined in the secret counsell of God It is under a hidden decree how long his oppressing power shall continue and when he shall receive the reward of his oppressions Or rather thus The number of yeares of his owne life is hidden to the oppressor that is he knows not how long he shall liue But is that any speciall judgement upon the Oppressour that the number of his yeares or how long he shall live is hidden to him Is not the number of a good mans yeares hidden to him Are not the number of every mans yeares hidden to him Doth any man know how long he shall live David indeed prayes Teach me to number my dayes Psal 90. and Make me to know mine end and the measure of my dayes what it is Psal 39.4 Yet he doth not desire to know precisely the number of his dayes or time of his end he onely desires to know their generall number or utmost extent spiritually namely that at the most they were not many that so he might make a wise improvement of his life and a holy preparation for his death Seeing then the number of every mans yeares is hidden to him how is this reckoned as the peculiar punishment of a wicked man that the number of his yeares are hidden to him I answer It is true the number of yeares is hidden from all men both from good and bad the Lord hath made that a secret Two numbers are secret First The number of the yeares of the World when that shall end Of that day and houre knowes no man no not the Sonne of man but the Father onely Secondly The number of the yeares of a mans owne life or the day of his death is a secret which no man knowes though many have been busie to pry and inquire into it But though godly men know not the number of the yeares of their owne lives yet this is no affliction to them under which notion it is here sayd of the Oppressor The number of yeares is hidden to him A wicked man is thoughtfull about this how he may live long not how he may live or doe well he would fulfill many dayes and yeares in the World that so he might have his fill of worldly profits and pleasures He is therefore troubled to thinke his life hangs upon uncertaine tearmes because he is uncertaine of any good beyond this life A godly man knowes not the number of his yeares but he knowes by whom they are numbred that satisfies him be they longer or shorter more or lesse But a wicked man would have the account in his owne hand he would be Lord of all even of time too but he cannot The number of yeares are hidden to the Oppressor Observe hence That the number of the yeares of mans life is a secret which none knowes but God himselfe And as it is so so it is best for man that it should be so The certaine knowledge when our lives should end would hinder
account as idle Now if unprofitable talke be sinfull and speeches that can doe no good then what is prophane talke and speeches which doe hurt infection gets quickly in at the eare defiling the minde and corrupting the manners of those that heare them The Apostle gives us the rule of speaking both in the negative and in the affirmative Ephes 4.29 Let no corrupt communications proceed out of your mouths but that which is good to the use of edifying which may administer grace to the hearer Againe Colos 4.6 Let your speeches be alwaies with grace that is such as testifieth that there is grace in your heart never speake a word but such as may stand with grace yea speake such words as may be a witnesse of grace wrought in your selves and a meanes of working grace in others Let your words be seasoned with salt the salt of our words is holinesse and truth prudence also is the salt of words good words and true spoken unseasonably may doe hurt Prudence teaches us the time when and the manner how to answer every man Belial ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod in hiphil significat prodesse ut denotet inutilem qui nec sibi nec alijs prodest Thirdly observe It is matter of just reproofe against every man to be unprofitable and to doe no good Every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire Matth. 3.10 Some conceive that the word Belial comes from Beli which in Hebrew signifies Not and the word Jagnal which here in the Text signifies to doe good Because a Belialist or a Son of Belial is such a one as neither doth good to himselfe nor to any other The unprofitable Servant who hid and did not improve his Talent shall be condemned And he who uses his talent unprofitably and vainely shall not escape Should he reason with unprofitable talke Thus farre we have seen Eliphaz reproving Job of folly in speaking unlike and below a wise man he proceeds to reprove him for acting unlike and below a godly man This he sets home with a particle of aggravation Vers 4. Yea thou castest off feare and restrainest Prayer before God As if he had said besides or above all this that thou hast uttered vaine knowledge words that cannot profit thou hast also cast off the feare of God c. The word which we translate to cast off signifies to make voyd to scatter to dissolve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Labefactasti irritum fecisti dissolvisti fregisti to break in peices to make as nothing or to make nothing of It is often used in Scripture for breaking the Commandements of God imploying such a breach as makes the Commandements voyd which is the proper character of an evill heart A godly man may sin against the Commandements but a wicked man would sinne away the Commandements he would repeale the Law of God and enact his owne lusts Such is the force of the word here Thou castest off feare There is a naturall feare and a spirituall feare we are not to understand this Text of a naturall feare which is a trouble of spirit arising upon the apprehension of some approaching evill but of a spirituall Feare is here put alone but we are to take it with its best adjunct the feare of God for as the word sometimes is put alone to signifie the word of God as if there were no word but his and as the word Commandements is put alone to note the Commandements of God as if no Commandements deserved the name but onely the Commandements of God so feare is put alone by way of excellency for the feare of God as importing that his feare is excellent and no feare to be desired but his This Divine feare comes under a double notion First it is taken for the holy awe or reverence we beare to God in our spirits which is the worship of the first Commandement and the sanctifying of God in our hearts Secondly For the outward acts of Religion which is the worship of the second Commandement Their feare is taught by the precepts of men Isa 29.13 that is their outward worship and Religion is such as men have invented not such as God hath appointed Some take it here in the first sense onely thou castest off feare that is thou castest off that awe reverence and regard thou owest to the Name of God others understand it in the second Thou castest off feare that is the outward worship and service of God but I conceive we have that expressed in the next clause Timor hoc loco pro reverentia tremore potius quam pro religione cultu licet utrumque cohaereat Pined And restrainest prayer before God there he taxeth him with neglect of outward worship and here with neglect of inward Thou casteth off feare feare is as the bridle of the soule feare holds us in compasse it is the bank to the Sea feare keeps in the overflowing of sinne Thou casteth off feare But what cause had Job given Eliphaz to charge him with casting off the feare of the Lord we finde Eliphaz touching upon this point before and upbraiding Job Chap. 4.6 Is this thy feare Nullo pudore loquutus es coram Deo Symmach Is this thy confidence As if he had sayd Is all thy profession come to this here he chargeth him expresly thou hast cast off feare Job had not given him any just cause to speak or thinke thus hardly of him but Eliphaz might possibly ground this accusation upon those words Chap. 9. v. 23. This is one thing therefore I sayd it he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked c. Which Eliphaz did interpret as a casting off the feare of God hath he awfull and reverent thoughts of God who affirmeth that God laugheth at the afflictions and tryals of his people Againe Chap. 12.6 The Tabernacles of Robbers prosper and they that provoke God are secure into whose hands God bringeth abundantly Hath not this man cast off all feare of God who dares say the wicked prosper and are secure Is God become a freind to those that professe themselves enemies to him Others referre the ground of this to Chap. 13.21 22. where he seemes to speake boldly and as some have taxed him impudently Doe not two things to me withdraw thy hand from me c. Then call thou and I will answer or let me speake and answer thou me Hence Eliphaz concludes surely the man hath cast off the feare of God he speaks to God as if he were Gods fellow Speake thou and I will answer or let me speake and answer thou me are these words becomming the great God of Heaven and Earth art not thou growne over bold with God doest thou speake as becomes the distance that is betweene the Creator and the Creature the Greek translates to this sense Thou speakest to God without any modesty thou hast put on a brasen
face and hardned thy heart against the feare of the Almighty These shewes of a ground Eliphaz might take but Job had given him no reall ground to pronounce this heavy censure Thou castest off feare But passing by the rigid hypothesis of Eliphaz we may from his words as they are a Thesis observe That to cast off the feare of God is highest wickednesse to cast off the feare of God is the beginning of wickednesse as to entertaine The feare of God is the beginning of wisedome the word here used signifieth not onely the beginning but the top the chiefe the head and highest perfection of a thing the feare of God is both first and last the beginning and end of holinesse To feare God and keep his Commandements is all man in goodnesse to cast off the feare of God is all man in sinfulnesse the beginning and end of wickednesse It is ill not to have the feare of God but it is farre worse to cast of the feare of God it is ill not to chuse the feare of God Prov. 1.29 but to reject the feare of the Lord that is desperate if once feare be cast off all wickednesse is let in at the same doore at which the feare of the Lord goes out any sin may enter As Abraham sayd The feare of God is not in this place and they will kill me for my Wives sake they have no impediment of lust to cast off who have once cast off the feare of God And as they who cast off this feare are ready to doe or say any thing that 's evill so they are unready to doe or say any thing that is good as they have no restraint upon them from iniquity so they can easily restrain themselves from duty The next words shew this Thou restrainest prayer before him Prayer is a principall part of the outward worship of God and is both here and elsewhere put for the whole outward worship of God The word signifies also meditation musing or thinking Detrahis confabulationem cum Deo Jun. So some render here Thou takest off conference with God thou wast wont to keep continuall correspondence with Heaven and maintaine a sweet humble familiarity with God by holy meditation but now thou art like a stranger and commest not at him But whether we translate the word by Prayer or Meditation the sense is the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meditatio loquela etiam oratio for praying is speaking to God yea an arguing and pleading with God And so 't is used in the Titles of the 102. and 142. Psalmes The word which we render to restraine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat 1. prohibere 2. diminuere Non est intelligendum quasi arguatur Job quod remiserit vel prohibuerit orandi studium sed potius è contra quod multiloquio vel battologia usus erat Bold Hoc est vitium dictum a Theophrasto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proprie a Graecit dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minutiloquium Minuere stillas aquarum est minutissimas frequentissimasque pluviae guttas mittere signifies two things First to withdraw or stop Secondly to lessen and diminish Jer. 48.37 Every beard clipt or diminished we may take it in both senses here as reproving Job either for a totall forbearance and throwing up the duty of Prayer or for shortning and abating it Yet there is an opinion that Job is not here charged for lessening or abating but for lengthening and encreasing Prayer Thou castest off feare and multiplyest Prayer The Hebrew word notes the cutting or dividing of a thing into small peices or portions which is indeed to multiply it and to make it though not more in bulke yet more in number Job 36.27 Thou makest small the drops of raine that is thou multiplyest the drops of raine so here thou makest small thy Prayers as so many drops of raine thou hast never done dropping Prayers thou dost mince thy supplications or cut them out into many small shreads as if thou didst hope to be heard for thy much speaking Such were the silly devotions of the old superstitious Gentiles which the hypocriticall Pharisees imitated and were therefore reproved by Christ under the name of vaine repetitions Matth. 6.7 Of which fault a learned Interpreter judges Eliphaz reproving Job in this place But I rather keep to our owne Translation Thou restrainest Prayer Here againe it may be questioned What cause had Eliphaz to charge Job with restraining prayer The Jewish Writers say it was because he denyed Providence Hebraei ad id referunt quod putant Jobum Dei providentiam negasse quod nos non putamus Mer. q d. ista tua assertio doctrina quod mala supplicia eveniant bonis justis tollit religionem publicum divini numinis cultum and so by consequence Prayer for if God doe not order the affaires of the World the afflictions and deliverances of his people why should we pray to him about them Others referre it not to his denyall of Providence but to that which Eliphaz supposed a fundamentall errour against the Doctrine of Providence That God destroyeth the righteous and the wicked That he laughs at the tryall of the innocent Now will any innocent man pray to God in his affliction when he is told that God laughs at his affliction Will any righteous man call upon God for help when he is taught that God destroyeth the righteous Who would serve a Master who gives such wages and payes those that honour him with disgrace yea with destruction So that Job is charged with restraining Prayer according to this answer to the question not because he totally forbore prayer himselfe or perswaded others to forbeare it but because Jobs assertions were such as might yeeld those consequences and cause many to suspend Prayer or give over calling upon the Name of God in the day of trouble We may be charged to say or doe that which flowes from what we doe or say though we neither say nor doe the thing it selfe Many are guilty of those errors consequentially which yet they never affirmed thetically or directly We may be so farre from asserting that we may professedly abhorre an opinion which yet lyeth secretly under some of our assertions We say justly That the Pope is Antichrist and that pure Popery is Antichristianisme yet the Pope doth not deny Christ for the Pope thinks himself Christs Vicar upon earth and therefore must needs acknowledge him to be come in the flesh yet by consequence the Pope is an opposer both of the Person and Offices of Christ and popish Doctrine fights against the truth of Christ As prophane men Professe they know God yet in their workes they deny him Tit. 1.16 So many erroneous persons professe they love and honour those holy truths and spirituall duties which by consequences they indeed deny as Eliphaz though unduely supposed Job had done the duty of Prayer Thou restrainest prayer before God Taking
of grace in him Psal 18.23 I have kept my selfe from mine iniquity Even a godly man who disownes every sin hath some one sin more his owne then others This findes him work not to doe it but to keep himselfe from doing it And thou chusest the tongue of the crafty As if he had sayd Thou wast wont to speake prayer now thou speakst pollicy thou dealest cunningly and deceitfully with us not plainely and clearely Why what had Job spoken or done that should gaine him the disreputation of a crafty man some conceive Eliphaz hinting at those words Chap. 6.24 Teach me and I will hold my tongue c. Thou speakest as if thou wert willing to be taught shew me my errour and I will turne from it yet this is from craft not from conscience For though thou seemest to be willing to receive instruction yet thou keepest close to thy opinion and wilt not part from it We shall sometimes heare a man speaking very ingenuously convince me that I am in an errour and I will relinquish it Lingua pro doctrina Metonymicè causa vel instrumâ—ntum pro effectu and yet he resolves to hold his owne To desire instruction is growne into a complement but 't is by the tongue of the crafty The instrument is here put for the effect the tongue for speech as Isa 50.4 Thou hast given me the tongue of the learned what to doe that I may know to speake a word in season Lingua erudita vel doctrinarum i. e. eruditè sapienter ornate suaviter loquendi facultas Againe the word Crafty is taken in a good sense by some Interpreters So the tongue of the crafty is the tongue of the wise as if he had said thou seemest to speake very wisely soberly and holily others render it thus Thou shouldest have chosen the tongue of the wise that is thou shouldst have spoken more reverently and discreetly whereas thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity but rather the crafty is the subtill man As if he had sayd Thou lovest to play the Sophister to put faire colours on a bad matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 versutus malignus calidus Calidos hic vocat qui cum male sentiant agant inveniunt tamen causationes colores Coc. and wilt not let things appeare as indeed they are Be wise as Serpents is Christs advice but he adds Be innocent as Doves Serpentine wisedome must be mixed with Dove-like innocence the craftinesse of the Serpent alone belongs onely to the seed of the Serpent Lastly whereas he saith Thou chusest the tongue of the crafty he heightens his accusation and would represent this good man to the eye of the world in a blacker hue To chuse notes a mixt act both of the understanding will and affections and it seemes here to be opposed to that wicked act but not in the wickednesse of it where-with he bespatter'd Job in the former Verse Thou castest off feare To cast off or reprobate is contrary to electing or chusing and so is the feare of God to craft The feare of God is the beginning of wisedome a good understanding have all they that doe thereafter but craft is onely the corruption of wisedome and they have no good understanding who doe thereafter Now when Divine feare and humane craft stand in competition for a man to give his vote for craft and to refuse at least to let passe the feare of the Lord this is one of the highest growths of sinfull corruption He that doth thus needs neither Judge nor witnesse against him he is both himselfe so Eliphaz resolves it in the next Verse Vers 6. Thine owne mouth condemneth thee and not I thine owne lips testifie against thee This Verse hath nothing in it that needs a Comment The intendment of it may be thus given It is as cleare as the light that thou castest off feare and restrainest prayer before God for as much as thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity Testes olim manus super caput rei imponentes dicere solebant Malitia tua te adduxit ad mortem non nos Lyran. and thou hast chosen the tongue of the crafty these things are so plaine that I need not prove them thine owne mouth shall condemne thee and not I. As the Judge said at Christs tryall What need we any witnesse ye have heard his blasphemy Matth. 26.65 Witnesses of old were wont to put their hand upon the head of the offender and say It is thy owne wickednesse which condemnes thee and not wee much more doth their wickednesse condemne them who may justly be condemned without witnesse Hence observe That selfe condemnation is the strongest condemnation Luke 19.22 Christ tells the unprofitable Servant Out of thine owne mouth will I judge thee thou wicked Servant The obstinate Heretick is condemned of himselfe Tit. 3.14 Not that the Heretick doth condemne himselfe formally he doth not say I am in an error you can hardly bring an Heretick to that and when you doe he ceaseth to be an Heretick It is his stiffenesse in opinion which fastens the reproach of heresie upon him but he is said to condemne himselfe because holding such an erroneous opinion he doth virtually condemne himselfe and plainely declares that he is fallen from the truth or hath alwayes opposed it The Prophet Isa 44.9 saith of Image-makers They are all of them vanity their delectable things shall not profit them and they are their owne witnesses they see not nor know that they may be ashamed Images shew what both they and their worshippers are though no man should speake a word against them they having tongues and cannot speake speake enough against themselves their silence or dumbnesse rather proclaimes aloud to all the World that they are vaine and dunghill Deities they can doe neither good nor evill to shew themselves Gods and they who worship them doe not so much as shew themselves men Isa 46.8 In all this they are their owne witnesses They cannot but see their owne blindnesse and folly who speake to that which cannot heare and lift up their eyes to that which cannot see Every sinner hath reason to condemne himselfe with his owne mouth and why an Idolater doth it not no reason can be given but that which was toucht even now from the Prophet he wants his reason and is therefore in a holy scorne advised to shew himselfe a man While we acquit our selves with our owne mouths and beare witnesse to our selves our witnesse is of no validity nor are we at all acquitted but while we condemne our selves with our owne mouths and beare witnesse against our selves our witnesse is stronge and we are abundantly condemned JOB Chap. 15. Vers 7 8 9 10 11. Art thou the first man that was borne or wast thou made before the Hills Hast thou heard the secret of God and doest thou restraine wisedome to thy selfe What knowest thou that we know not what understandest thou that is not in us With us
extinguisht and the fountaines dry Thus Eliphaz asserts that his abâ—ttors and instructers in the opinion he maintained were both old and learned old men From this contest about Antiquity and ancient men so often renewed and so much urged betweene Job and his Friends We may observe First That they who have most yeares upon their backs are or may be supposed to have most knowledge and wisedome in their heads and hearts Secondly They who have Antiquity on their side are apt to conclude that they have Truth on their side That which is indeed most ancient is most true yet there are very many very ancient untruths It is no new thing to see a gray-headed errour and a false Doctrine much older then our Fathers But I shall not prosecute either of these points having met with matter of this straine before Chap. 8. v. 8 9 10. Chap. 12. v. 12. to which places I refer the Reader Eliphaz having finished his third reproofe of Job for his arrogancy and the high conceit he had of himselfe proceeds to a fourth and that is as hath been sayd for the low conceit which he had of the comforts tendered him in the Name of God Num parum a te consolationes Dei Heb. Supplendum est verbum reputantur Numquid grande est ut consoletur te Deus Vulg. q. d. facile est Deo ut te ad statum prosperitatis reducat Aquin. Existimasnè tuis aerumnis non posse Deum parem consolationem afferre Vers 11. Are the consolations of God small with thee or is there any secret thing with thee These words undergoe much variety of interpretation the Vulgar Latine neer which some others translate gives a faire sense but at too great a distance from the letter of the Originall thus Is it a great thing that God should comfort thee As if he had sayd Art thou so low that all the consolations of God are not able to raise thee up Is it a worke too big for God himselfe to comfort thee Cannot he change thy outward and inward sorrowes into joyes Will not the consolations of one that is infinite serve thy turne Hath not hee balme enough in store to heale thy wounds nor treasure enough in stock to repaire thy losses T is no hard thing with God to comfort the most disconsolate soule that ever was he that made light to shine out of darknesse can give us light in our thickest darkenesse An minores sunt consolationes dei quà m ut te consolari possint Vatab. This is a truth but for the reason above I stay not upon it The Septuagint translation is farre wider then the former Thou hast received but few wounds in comparison of the sinnes that thou hast committed which is a Paraphrase not a translation and such a Paraphrase as seemes to lye quite without the compasse of the text The meaning and intendment of it may be given thus as if he had sayd Thou complainest that thou art greatly afflicted that thy sorrowes are innumerable Pauca prae iis quae peccasti accepisti vulnera Sep. but if thou considerest thy great and many sinnes thy sufferings are few yea thy sufferings may rather be called consolations and thy losses gaines Are the consolations of God small to thee seeing thou hast sinned so much When God layes but a little affliction upon sinfull man he may be sayd to give a great deale of mercy A third gives this sense An consolationes Dei tam contemptibiles judicas ut projiciat eas ante blasphematores Are the consolations of God small to thee That is Doest thou esteeme the consolations of God so cheape that he will give them to such a one as thou or that hee will lavish them out upon the wicked and cast these Pearles to Swine to such as are blasphemers and contemners of God But why doth Eliphaz call these the consolations of God Did God administer them to Job with his owne hand or did he speake to Job from Heaven Some conceive that though he and his Freinds spake them yet Eliphaz calls them the consolations of God by an Hebraisme because he judged them great consolations Thus in Scripture The Mountaine of God Suas et sociorum consolationes vocat Dei consolationes non sine arrogantia fastu Drus and the River of God are put for a great Mountaine and a great River so here As if he had fayd Thou hast received many great consolations from us thy Freinds and doest thou account them small But I rather take the sense plainely that he calls them so because God is the author and giver the fountaine and originall from whom all consolations spring and flow The Consolations of God are two-fold First Arising from good things already exhibited to us Secondly From good things promised to us The Consolations of God in this place are good things promised or offered Promises are Divine conveyances of Consolation The Freinds of Job had made him many promises that he repenting God would make his latter end better then his beginning c. Hence Eliphaz tells him that he had slighted the consolations of God Any man who reads his story may wonder why he should Surely Job was not in case to refuse comfort considering how he was stript of all comfort The full soule indeed loatheth the honey Combe but to the hungry soule every bitter thing is sweet that is those things which dainty palates distast he eates very savourly Job was kept short and low enough he had nothing of consolation left either without or within he was poore and sore without he was full of horrour and terrour within the arrowes of the Almighty had even drunk up his spirit and layd all his comforts wast and doth he yet neglect or undervalue comforts 'T is true he had reall consolations as appeares by that profession of his assurance of Gods favour towards him I know that I shall be justified yet he had no sensible consolations his frequent complaints shew he had not So then the consolations of God for esteeming which little he is reproved were the promises of consolation made to him in the name of God by the Ministry of his Friends Are the consolations of God small unto thee Hence observe First That consolation is the gift and proper worke of God Thou saith David Psal 71.21 shalt encrease my greatnesse and comfort me on every side The Lord shall comfort Sion he will comfort all he wast places Is 51.3 And againe As one whom his Mother comforteth so will I comfort you and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem God comforts as a Mother tenderly and he comforts as a Father yea as a Master effectually I will comfort you and yee shall be comforted As the corrections of God are effectuall and prosper in the worke for which they are sent so also are his consolations Ephraim sayd Jer. 31.18 Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised So every soule
worth in thee that exempts thee from this generall rule or way of comfort Doest thou so abound in thy owne sense that thou hast no need of our Notions Is all we speake below thee Thirdly they are supposed to aime at some secret sinne or guilt which hindered and unfitted Job to take in their Cordialls and consolations till it were purged out or vomited up by sound repentance So one renders the Text Doth any thing hide them with thee The word signifies to hide and cover 2 Sam. 19.4 David covered his face so here doth somewhat hide wrap up and cover these consolations that thou canst not receive them or what vayles the eye of thy minde that thou canst not behold what we hold out to thee or not finde out the meaning of it If our Gospell be hid saith the Apostle it is hid to those that are lost in whom the God of this World hath blinded the eyes of them c. 2 Cor. 4.3 4. Thus Eliphaz seemes to bespeake Job If the consolations of God be small to thee doth not somewhat blinde thy eyes Doth not some cloud hide them from thee Doth not prejudice against us or some close sin in thy selfe interrupt thy sight This is hinted by the old Latine Translator who saith Thy evill words or the evill matter that is in thee hinder this One of the Rabbins glosseth it thus and the Originall reaches it Some lye some inchantment or witchery hath seized upon thee though thou pretendest truth The Apostle speakes to this sense Gal. 3.1 O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not receive the truth Witchery or Inchantment gives a secret wound Is there any secret thing with thee Hast thou any secret comfort for thy selfe any secret conceit of thy selfe any secret sinne in thy bosome hindering the effectuall working or due prizing of those cordialls which we have given thee The first of these secret things never stands in the way of receiving consolation he that hath hidden comfort in him will not refuse spoken comforts nor doe I thinke that Eliphaz aymed at that unlesse in scorne as some resolve it Malo in bonum sumi licet hoc in eum Eliphaz dicat eum ridens Merc. but rather at one of or both the latter though mistaken in both Yet his suspition gives us a ground for these two Observations First That a man who is full of his owne wisedome is not fit to receive instruction counsell or consolation from others Intus existens prohibet alienum that which is within hinders that which comes from without When a man thinks himselfe wiser then his teachers he will not be taught nor learne wisedome by them Some might have knowne much if they had not presumed they knew enough There is no greater impediment of knowledge then an opinion of it Secondly Observe A sinne kept close or secret within us hinders the effect and working of the Word Though comforts and counsels are given they will not operate where secret corruption lyes at heart the filthinesse and corruption of the stomach hinders digestion till it be purged out Physitians remove ill humours before they prescribe Cordialls else they doe but nourish the discase 'T is so in Spiritualls the Apostle Peter gives the rule 1 Epist 2.1 Wherefore laying aside all guile hypocrisie and envy and evill speaking as new born Babes desire the sincere milke of the Word that yee may grow thereby As if he had said Till you cast out these you will never thrive under the Word if a man be to sow Seed in his Garden he will pull up the Weeds and throw away the Stones else the Seed will not spring up to perfection The Prophet tells the Jewes Jer. 5 25. Your sins hinder good things from you as sin hinders good from comming to us so it hinders the Word from working good in us Though the proper businesse of the Word be to cast out or pull up this secret sin yet there is a great stop given it while any secret sin is nourished or not cast out That 's the reason why so many precious promises take not upon the heart some sin some corruption obstructs their operation and like the theefe in the Candle wasteth away their strength and light As the Lord sayd to Joshua when the people of Israel fled before the men of Ai There is some accursed thing among you therefore they cannot stand before their Enemies So I may say when any stand up against the Word of God or resist the consolations which are offered them sure there is some accursed thing some hidden Wedge of stolne Gold or some Babylonish Garment treasured in or wrapt about your hearts and therefore yee can neither see nor submit to the counsells of God for your good This is a usefull truth for us though an undue charge on Job and yet his Freind proceeds if a higher charge can be to charge him higher as will appeare in the two Verses following JOB CHAP. 15. Vers 12 13. Why doth thine heart carry thee away and what doth thine eyes wink at That thou turnest thy spirit against God and lettest such words goe out of thy mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admirantis est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Capere sumere capit pro rapit flectit allicit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est animus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. d. permittis te abripiendum transversion agendum affectu tuo nimis animoso Quis te furor cordis exagitat quae te extra te rapit sapientiae jactantia Pined Tam superbus apud te es ut vix temet ipsum capere possit nec quidem tui ipsius capax es Bold ELiphaz insists still upon that unpleasant subject of reproofe the fifth ground whereof here proposed is Jobs over-confident sticking to his owne Principles or his overweening his owne opinion This reproofe is couched in the 12. and 13. Verses Vers 12. Why doth thy heart carry thee away He speakes by way of Question or as some expound him by way of admiration as if he had sayd It is strange even a wonder to me that thy heart should thus carry thee away The word which we translate to carry away signifies to take up or barely to take and lay hold upon Why doth thy heart the heart is the whole inward man here more specially the affections Why doe thy affections master thy judgement why are thy passions too hard for thy reason Others give the sense thus How can thy heart hold thee As if Job had growne too big for himselfe as if he had been so proud and arrogant so transported with selfe-conceit that he could not containe himselfe and keep his bounds or as if he had not stowage enough for his owne thoughts A third thus which comes neere the same sense What doth thy heart attribute or ascribe to thee Sure thy heart doth give thee some great titles such as these Job the wise Job the holy the
just the sincere thy heart sets thee out sure Possit per dativum ita verti quid attribuit tibi cor tuum Bold Quid docet te cor tuum Rab. Sol. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat doctrinam sed ita dicitur a discendo potius quam a docendo Drus Quid docuit te cogitatio tua Targ. and gildes thee over with attributes beyond thy deserving Master Broughton following one of the Rabbins presents us with a different translation from either of these What Doctrine can thy heart give thee or what can thy heart teach thee The word which we render to take to carry or hold up a thing signifies also to learne or teach Doctrine but rather to learne then to teach as Grammarians tell us which somewhat abates the clearenesse of that version yet the Chalde Paraphrase followes the same sense What hath thy owne thought taught thee What learnest thou there as if Eliphaz had sayd Thou hast an evill heart and surely an ill Master will teach but ill Doctrine when the heart is inditing of a good matter Psal 45. then we may learne good lessons from the heart and then we speake most effectually to the hearts of others when we speak from our owne hearts they having first been spoken to by the spirit of God But a corrupt heart can teach no better then it hath and that is corrupt Doctrines These are truths yet too much strained for upon this Text and therefore I passe from them and abide by the ordinary signification of the word as we read it Why doth thy heart take thee up or carry thee away as if he had sayd Thy heart hath seized upon thee and arrested thee thou art led away prisoner or captive by the violence and impetuousnesse of thy owne spirit The word is applyed Ezek. 23.14 to the motion of the spirit of God sent unto Ezekiel to instruct him The spirit lifted me up or caught me away that which the good spirit did unto Ezekiel not onely upon his spirit but upon his body for hee was corporally carryed away from the place where he was that the heart of Job as Eliphaz conceived did unto him it lifted him up and carryed him away There is a kind of violence in the allurements and inticings of the heart As a man is sayd to be carryed away by the ill counsells of others so also by his owne In the former sense the word is used Prov. 6.25 Where Solomon advising to take heed of the Harlot saith he Keep thee from the evill Woman from the flattery of the tongue of a strange Woman lust not after her in thy heart neither let her take thee with her eye lids There he makes use of this word let her not take thee or let her not carry thee away upon her eye lids let not her wanton eye flatter thee to the sin of wantonnesse and uncleannesse As the eye of a whorish Woman so the whorish heart of a man often takes and carryeth him away Hence observe The heart hath power over and is too hard for the whole Man Passions hurry our hearts and our hearts hurry us and who can tell whither his heart will carry him or where it will set him downe when once it hath taken him up This is certaine it will carry every man beyond the bounds of his duty both to God and man Take it more distinctly in these three particulars The heart quickly carryeth us beyond the bounds of grace Secondly the heart often carryeth us beyond the bounds of reason When passion workes much reason workes not at all Thirdly it may carry us beyond the bounds of honesty yea of modesty 'T is very dangerous to commit our selves to the conduct of passion that unlesse kept under good command will soone run us beyond the line both of Modesty and of Honesty of Reason and of Grace He that is carryed away thus farre must make a long journey of repentance before he can return and come back either to God or to himselfe Some have been carryed visibly away by the Devil by an evill spirit without them if God give commission or permission the Devill can easily doe it very many are carryed away by the evill spirit within them An evill heart is as bad as the Devill the evill spirit without and the evill spirit within carry us both the same way and that is quite out of the way Consider further how the heart carryeth us away even from spirituall duties and holy services and this is not only the case of carnall men who are given up to their hearts lusts but of the Saints their hearts are continually lifting at them and sometimes they are carryed quite away from Prayer and from hearing the Word the heart lifts the man up and steales him out of the Congregation while his body remaines there the body sits still but the minde which is the man is gone either about worldly businesse and designes or about worldly pleasures and delights He stirres not a foot nor moves a finger and yet he is carryed all the World over He visits both the Indies yet steps not over his own threshold Thus the heart being carryed away carryeth the man away And that 's the reason why God calls so earnestly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cum omni custodia My Son give me thy heart for where our hearts goe we goe or wee are carryed with them Keep thy heart with all diligence Prov. 4.24 or With all keeping or above all keeping it must have double keeping double guards keep keep watch watch thy heart will be gone else and thou wilt goe with it if thou looke not to thy heart thy heart will quickly withdraw it selfe and draw thee along also Why doth thy heart carry thee away is a deserved check upon every man when his heart doth so and Let not thy heart carry thee away is a necessary caution for every man lest his heart should doe so Jobs heart was too busie with him though not so busie as Eliphaz judged when he thus checkt him with Why doth thy heart carry thee away And what doth thine eye wink at But is it a fault to wink with the eye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nutu utor quia nutus ficri solet vel capite vel oculis it is sayd Joh. 13.24 that Peter beckned to or winked at John the Greeke word signifieth an inviting gesture by the whole head or by the eye he winkt at him I say to aske Christ who it was of whom he spake There was no fault in that but Eliphaz findes fault with this What was the supposed fault There is a twofold faulty winking First When wee wink at faults our owne faults or the faults of other men to beare with or approve them Secondly When we wink at the vertues and good deeds of others to slight or undervalue them possibly Eliphaz taxeth Job for both these as if he winked at his owne faults 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
is there betweene these two sorrow and winking that the one should cause the other These words he that winketh with his eye are the description of a deceitfull man such a one may cause sorrow enough Qui annuit oculo suo cum fraude both to himselfe and others Solomon intends not a simple but a subtill sly winking with the eye and so the Syriake readeth it He who winketh with his eye deceitfully causeth sorrow Deceit makes the deceived sorrowfull and it will make the Deceiver sorrowfull he must either be sorrowfull to repentance or feele the sorrow of punishment Fifthly This winking with the eye is conceived to be a metaphor taken from those who shoot with Guns or Bowes Quid collimant oculi tui Jun. Metaphora a jaculatoribus sumpta id Gunners and Archers winke when they shoot that they may take aime the better The contracting of the sight strengthens it So here What dost thou wink at that is what dost thou aime at The eye of a mans minde aimes at some marke in meditation and hence it is usuall for a man in vehement meditation to wink with his eye As if Eliphaz had sayd surely thou hast some great designe some grand plot in thy braine thou pretendest to some deep wisedome or unheard of policies thou hast set up some faire marke before thy fancie and thou wilt be sure to hit it what is it that thou aymest at We finde the phrase used in this sense Prov. 16.30 He shutteth his eye to devise froward things moving his lips he bringeth evill to passe he shutteth his eyes as if hee would make his thoughts more steddy and fixt to hit or reach that froward device which he is casting about how he may effect And as a wicked man shuts his eyes to devise froward that is sinfull things so a good man shuts his eyes lest variety of objects should divert or call off his minde when he is devising and studying what is best both for himselfe and others Et quasi magna cogitans attonitos habes oculoâ— Vulg. The rendring of the Vulgar Latine though it be farre from the letter of the Originall and is rather a Paraphrase then a Tranasltion yet it reacheth this sense fully Wherefore doth thy heart carry thee away Oculos in caelo defigere solent cogitabundi quibus gravis inest solicitudo Sanct. and why liftest thou up thine eyes as if thou wert thinking of some great matter Or as if the affaires of Kingdomes and States depended upon thy care or were committed to thy trust All these interpretations are serviceable to the Text before us and though we cannot positively and particularly resolve which of them was here intended by Eliphaz yet considering that his scope was to reprove Job we may take in the sense of them all and conclude that he censured Job in this one word of all those miscarriages of the heart which may be signified at the eye as appeares by the inference which he makes in the next Verse For having sayd What doth thy eye wink at he presently subjoynes Vers 13. That thou turnest thy spirit against God and lettest such words goe out of thy mouth So that this Verse is an explication of the former Explicationem continet praecedentis versiculi Bold and gives us more clearely what Eliphaz meant by the Carrying away of the heart and the winking of the eye His heart is carryed out of all bounds who turneth his spirit against God His eye winks sinfully whose mouth presently upon it speakes unduely Thou winkest with thy eye thou art very thoughtfull and what the fruit or birth of thy thoughts is we may discerne by thy speech while thou lettest such words goe out of thy mouth Thou turnest thy spirit against God As if he had sayd In stead of humbling thy selfe under the punishment of thy sin thou with an incensed minde contestest against God himselfe and though while he saith against God he doth not meane God directly but God in his judgements and counsells in his Word or in his Workes yet this is a very high charge one of the highest that is in the whole Booke but very unjust Indeed Job used some passionate speeches to his Freinds and these Eliphaz judgeth to proceed from an opposition against God Thou turnest thy Spirit against God There is a twofold turning the spirit against God First Naturall Rom. 8.7 Enmity is the turning of the spirit The wisedome or lust of the flesh is enmity against God Secondly Improved when we heighten this opposition in our practice and are enemies to God in our mindes or Gods hearty enemies by wicked workes Col. 1.21 Quod rediri feceris ad Deum spiritum tuum Heb. Quia respondit ad Deum spiritus tuus Mont. Pedire facit verbum qui re spondet Drus The Hebrew is Thou makest thy spirit to returne to God which is expounded two wayes first thou makest thy spirit to turn upon or against God Secondly thy spirit answers or replyeth upon God both meet in one meaning for though there may be a turning away of the spirit without answering yet in one sense all answers are the turning of our spirit if any man aske a question the answer is the returne of his minde who makes the answer so some render Why doth thy spirit returne answer to God as if he rebuked him for his boldnesse in replying Thy spirit returnes upon God if he speak one word thou wilt have two in that sense the word is used Titus 2.9 where the Apostle giving rules among other relations to Servants charges them Servants be obedient to your owne Masters and please them well in all things not answering againe But is it a fault for a Servant when asked a question to make an answer no it were a fault not to answer The meaning is that a Servant being reproved for a fault must not answer that is his spirit must not rise and returne against his Master or if a Servant be directed to doe any warrantable worke he must not answer againe that is hee must not contradict or murmure at the orders which he hath received but addresse himselfe to the fulfilling of them this is the answering againe reproved as a fault in Servants which is rather gain saying then answering as we put in the Margent of our Bibles in which sense answering is taken here according to this interpretation Thy spirit answers God or turnes against him We may cleare it also by that of the Apostle Rom. 9.20 Where having shewed the absolute soveraignty of God in his Decrees and purposes by the example of Jacob and Esau as also by that of Pharoah He concludes Vers 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth Saint Paul soresaw that this Doctrine would rayse a great deale of dust and cause many to turne their spirits against God which he thus represents Vers 19. Thou wilt say unto me
Some read Much lesse So Mr. Broughton Much lesse the uncleane and loathsome The Originall may beare either as also a third reading Surely then without any impeachment to the scope of the place The heavens are not cleane in his sight Much lesse is abominable and filthy man cleane in his sight Againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abominabilis propriè quem nemo dignari debeat auditu visu familiaritate contactu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abominari nos dicimus quae in cogitatione nostra non patimur Bold The heavens are not cleane in his sight how much more abominable and filthy is man in his sight We may take it also as a direct inference without any comparison either from the greater or the lesse The heavens are not cleane in his sight surely then man is abominable and filthy The word which we translate abominable notes that which is most abhorring to the nature of man that which is not onely so nauseous that the stomack cannot digest it but so base that the mind is burdened to thinke of it yea the word imports that which is rejected by all the senses abominably rejected that which the eye cannot endure to looke upon that which the eare cannot indure to heare of that which is a stink in the nostrils and which the hand will not touch Such an abominable thing the word beares and such is man God loathes him and is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity much more a lumpe of iniquity he is as a stink in the nostrills of God nor will he touch him for any thing in him unlesse with a hand of justice to destroy him Hoc videtur dictum per antithesm propter Sanctorum caelorum pulchritudinem quorum species mundicies lux ordo conc etus mirabilis conspectus multo jucundissimus Further some explaine abominable by that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 16.26 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha that is let all abominate and cast him out of their society When the Lord would shew the worst thought that he had of the best services of the Jewes he tels them Incense is an abomination to me and when the Psalmist would convince us how the people of Israel had defiled themselves with their owne workes and polluted the Land with blood he gives it in the word of this Text Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people in so much that he abhorred his owne inheritance Psal 106. v. 40. His Inheritance was so abominable to him that he would not touch it nor take it into his owne hands but as it followes in the Psalme He gave them into the hand of the Heathen Hence Observe Sinfull man is loathsome and abominable unto God How much more abominable is man This is not to be understood of some particular man or of some sort of men who are more vile then others but take the best of men the most accomplisht and compleate in the whole course of nature these are abominable they are deprived of the Image of God they are stampt with the Image of Satan they are not onely unable to doe that which is good but they are totally averse from it yea enemies to it is not all this enough to render man abominable in the sight of God And so abominable is man that he doth not onely displease the eye of God but the very eyes of those who have received the grace of God A godly man turnes away from the wicked as the wicked man doth from the godly Prov. 29.27 An unjust man is an abomination to the just and he that is upright in his way is an abomination to the wicked The distast is mutuall 't is called enmity Gen. 3.15 here abomination The wicked man saith as the Devill to Christ What have I to doe with thee thou Son of David The godly man saith What have I to doe with thee thou son of Belial 'T is the sin of the wicked man to abhor the righteous for he abhors him for his righteousnesse 'T is the duty of a godly man to abhor the wicked and he abhors him onely for his wickednesse To doe so is a peice of his character Who shall dwell in the Mountaine of God He is a man in whose eye a vile that is a wicked person is abhorred Psal 15.4 Much lesse can he looke pleasedly or pleasantly upon a wicked man his heart riseth against him not out of pride or high thoughts of himselfe or from the lownesse of his condition if he be poor but from the odiousnesse of his disposition and his opposition of goodnesse Such a man is vile in his esteeme how honourable so ever he is in the eye of the World Againe which shewes yet further that a man in nature is abominable when any man repents and turnes to the Lord he is an abomination to himselfe he is abominable to God and good men before he repents and upon the same account he is abominable to himselfe when he repents For as God and good men before so he then sees his owne vilenesse and deformity then he smells the filthinesse of his owne corrupt heart This the Prophet assures us Ezek. 36.31 where the Lord promiseth to powre out the spirit of repentance upon his people To take away the heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh and then They shall loath themselves for all their abominations as not being able to endure the stench of their owne corruptions When Job at the sight of God saw himselfe more clearly then he cryes out Wherefore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes If a good man seeing himselfe is an abomination to himselfe how much more is sinfull man abominable in the sight of God And which aggravates the point to the highest Not onely is a man repenting abominable to himselfe but even a wicked man upon a cleare discovery of himselfe to himselfe becomes an abomination to himselfe though he be farre from repentance That 's the reason why a wicked man cannot abide to search his owne heart or returne into his owne bosome Isa 46.8 Remember this shew your selves men bring it againe to minde The Hebrew is Bring it to your hearts They who love their sin love not to looke to their sinfull hearts they dare not turne their eye inward or upward not upward because there is so much holinesse in God not inward because there is so much filthinesse in themselves Hence the Lord threatens Na. 3.5 6. because they would not looke on their owne filthinesse that he would shew their filthinesse to all the World He would shew the Nations their nakednesse and the Kingdomes their shame And howsoever a naturall man hides his abomination from his eye now or will not see it yet all shall be layd open to him in the day of judgement which will be as a day of the revelation of the righteous judgement of God So a day of the revelation
of the unrighteousnesse of man And then he shall though too late abhor himselfe for ever There hath been a dispute whether the sins of Beleevers shall be opened at that day but there is no question but the sins of Unbeleevers shall and that not onely to shame them but to punish and torment them yea possibly the sight of sin will be a greater torment to them then all their other torments and to be led about as the Prophet was in reference to others from one uncleane roome of their hearts to another there to behold all the abominations of their hearts will be the very pit of Hell O how abominable and as it followes in the Text. Filthy is Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Putridus foetidus graveolentus translatio a carnibus rancidis non despumatis Drus Pagninus existimat deduci a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rubigo ollae Spuma excrementum The word is derived from a root that signifies corrupt rotten putrified the scum of a Pot the rust of Mettalls the dunge or excrement of man and beasts there are no words filthy enough to expresse the filthinesse of man The word is found but three times as some observe in the Scripture in this construction and in all of them it is applyed to shew the abominable wickednesse of Man the first place is this of Job it is found also Psal 14.3 Psal 53.3 Which Psalmes are most pregnant descriptions of the corrupt state of man as if this were a word pickt out on purpose as a glasse to shew man his face and naturall complexion in There is a second translation of the word which gives more light to this How much more abominable and unprofitable is man One word signifies filthy and unprofitable because that which is corrupt and filthy â—â—â—â—lis Vulg. â—â—x putrida sunt inutilia suâ— is also unprofitable and unfit for use It is an extreame debasement unto man that he is unprofitable so filthy that he is good for nothing The Apostle puts thse together Tit. 1.16 Abominable disobedient and unto every good worke reprobate that is unfit for every good worke We may say of man in this sense as the Prophet Ezek. 15.3 doth of the Vine Sonne of man what is the Vine tree more then another tree excellent to yeeld Wine but in the third Verse we have another answer Shall wood be taken thereof to doe any worke or will men make a pin of it to hange any Vessell thereon will you build a house of Vine Timber or will you so much as make a Pin of it The Vine is not fit to make a Pin of thus we may say of a carnall man he is unprofitable Qui sibi nequam est cui usui bonus est will the Lord use him in any worke no he is reprobate to every good worke will he serve the Lords turne so much as to make a Pin of That is is he profitable for the least service No he is not He is also like the Corne growing upon the house top whereof The Reaper filleth not his hand nor he that binds up the Sheaves his bosome The reason why man appeares thus filthy is because he deales so much with filth and he is thus unfit to doe any good because he is continually doing evill as it followes in the last clause of this Verse Which drinketh iniquity like water Will you know what declares man abominable and filthy in the sight of God It is not his poverty his sicknesse his raggs or any externall defilement nothing but sinne makes him so He drinkes in iniquity like water this makes him as filthy as the dirt and mire he treads upon or as the vomit and dunge which he casteth out Hence Note in generall Sin and sin onely makes man abominable and filthy in the sight of God nothing can defile the soule but sin though a man be cloathed with filthy garments though his skin be over-run with filthy sores though he lye in a stinking Channel yet the Lord will not say he is abominable or filthy in these respects for even in such a state or at such a time Christ may have taken him in his armes and kissed him with the kisses of his lips But though he goe cloathed in Scarlet though he lye in a bed of Ivory and is perfumed with all the spices of Arabia yet sin makes him filthy and abominable in the eye of the Lord. Secondly Observe The multiplyed acts of sin are an evidence that man is habitually sinfull or that he is abominable and filthy He that doth righteousnesse is righteous and he that doth unrighteousnesse is unrighteous If man were not filthy he could not drinke iniquity that is feed upon and delight in sin which is but filthinesse This expression of mans sinfulnesse is further considerable he doth not onely commit iniquity but hee drinkes iniquity and he doth not sip at it but hee drinkes it like water Elihu speaks thus Job 34.7 What man is like Job who drinketh up scorning like water and so doth Solomon Prov. 26.6 Hee that sends a message by the hand of a foole cutteth off the feet and drinketh dammage that is he shall have dammage enough a full draught of it his belly-full of it by sending such an empty-headed messenger upon his errand So to drinke iniquity and to drinke it like water is to doe aboundance of iniquity I shall give seven observations which will discover the intendment of this manner of speaking and draw out the meaning of He drinks iniquity like water First thus Men naturally hath a strong appetite or desire to sin Mans naturall desire is to nothing else but sin Drinking implyes appetite a man doth not drink ordinarily till he is thirsty And though Drunkards have sometimes no thirst yet they have alwayes a strong desire to drink Sinfull man is a thirst for and desires the drafts of sin Ephes 4.19 He commits iniquity with greedinesse which is a Metaphor taken from eating and drinking And because man hath not a greater desire after any thing then to drinke therefore it is gone to a Proverbe among us when we would shew our willingnesse to doe a thing we say We will doe it as willingly as to drink when we are a thirst Such is the bent of man to sin that he hath no more reluctance to commit it then the thirsty man hath to drink He thirsteth after it as vehemently as David did after God Psal 42.2 My soule thirsteth for God for the living God as the Hartpanteth after the water brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God Or againe the heart of man thirsteth after the waters of iniquity as David thirsted after the waters of the well of Bethlem who will give me to drink of the waters of the Well of Bethlem At which word some of his mighty men brake through the whole Host of the Enemy to fetch that water When man thirsts for this water of iniquity his owne heart or hand
case a man in nature is composed or constituted of sin and a naturall man is nourished and preserved by sinning Vt deficienti humido resarciendo nihil aptius est aqua utilius ia hominis beatitudini quae ipsi de est consummandae natura nihil suggerit nisi peccatum Coc. Continuall acts increase the habit and as a godly man is nourished by holy acts and strengthened in spirit by spirituall obedence doing the will of God is the food of the soule As Christ speakes John 4.21 so doth every true Christian in his degree It is my meat and drinke to doe the will of my Father which is in Heaven or as Job professeth of himselfe Chap. 23.12 I esteeme the words of thy mouth more then my necessary food Thus also the old man saith It is my meat and drink to doe the will of the flesh and that is indeed the will of his Father which is in Hell The words of his mouth his Counsels and Lawes I esteem more then my necessary food So much for the opening and illustration of this Scripture-phrase Drinking iniquity like water I shall propound one Quere in generall concerning the whole Verse and so conclude it Here is a full description of sinfull man But whether Eliphaz speakes this strictly of a person unregenerate and so applyeth it to Job or whether this description be not also applicable to a man who is regenerate and godly for the maine and was so intended by Eliphaz is here a question Some conceive that the words will suite none but an unregenerate man and t is granted upon all hands that they are most sutable to him An unregenerate man is abominable and filthy he drinks iniquity like water And yet in a qualified sense we may say all this of a man regenerate Even He in reference to the remaines of corruption is abominable and filthy and He under some distempers and temptations drinks iniquity like water Agit Eliphaz cum Jobo non ut improbo sed ut errante Coc. which words of Eliphaz a moderne Interpreter paralels with those of Paul concerning himselfe Rom. 7.25 With the flesh I serve the Law of sin And delivers his opinion in this case That though Eliphaz aimed at Job in all this yet he deales with him not as with a wicked man but as with an erring brother For whereas he had sayd Chap. 13.23 How many are mine iniquities Eliphaz might judge by his words that surely he thought his iniquities were not very many and whereas he had sayd at the 26. Verse of the same Chapter Thou makest me to possesse the iniquityes of my youth Eliphaz might collect surely this man thinks his elder yeares have been so free from sin that God can finde nothing in them which might justifie him in these severe punishments Now Eliphaz opposeth these apprehensions and would both teach and convince him that as originall sin pollutes every man wholly till he is washed and borne againe by the spirit so no man is so farre washed by the spirit but that many spots and pollutions of the flesh doe still cleave to him and often appeare upon him And Eliphaz may be conceived to handle Job in this manner First To shew him that though a man be in a state of regeneration yet he can deserve nothing at the hand of God because his holinesse is still imperfect and his corruptions are abominable Secondly That the greatest sufferings and afflictions of good men in this life are very consistent with the Justice of God Thirdly That he might humble Job who as he feared was still too high in his owne opinion and thought better of himselfe then did become him Fourthly To provoke him to resist his owne corruptions stedfastly And lastly To beare the crosse which the Lord had layd upon him for his good especially for the taming and subduing of his corruptions patiently So that Eliphaz doeh not dispute with him upon this hypothesis or supposition or not upon this onely That man by nature and without the grace of God is filthy and abominable drinking iniquity like water but upon this or this in consort with the former That man in a state of grace or a godly man is filthy and abominable in reference to the flesh that dwelleth in him and that in reference to his frequent sinnings he may be sayd to drink iniquity like water And therefore Job had no reason to be proud how good so ever he was or how much good soever he had done and that there was all the reason in the World he should be patient and take it well at the hand of God how much evill so ever he should suffer This resolution of the Quere as it is profitable so probable For howsoever Jobs Freinds had branded him in diverse passages of this dispute as a wicked man and an hypocrite and were so understood by Job as appeares in his answers and replyes yet 't is most likely his Freinds spake so in reference to his actions not in reference to his state That he had done like an Hypocrite or a wicked man was clearely their opinion but there is no necessity to conclude from what they sayd that they judged him absolutely to be one JOB CHAP. 15. Vers 17 18 19 20. I will shew thee heare mee and that which I have seene I will declare Which wise men have told from their Fathers and have not hid it Vnto whom alone the earth was given and no stranger passed among them The wicked man travelleth with paine all his dayes and the number of yeares is hidden to the oppressour ELiphaz having argued against Jobs supposed opinion of Selfe-cleannesse and personall righteousnesse proceeds to the confirmation of his owne position to which he leads us by a new Exordium or Preface in the 17 18 and 19. Verses of this Chapter Secondly he largely handles and illustrates it from the 20. to the 31. Verse Thirdly hee applyeth the whole Doctrine to Job by way of dehortation at the 31. Verse and so forward to the end of the Chapter The generall argument which he brings to confirme his Tenet may be thus formed up That is true which continued experience and the consent of wise men in all ages have taught and delivered to us But the experience and consent of wise men in all ages have taught and delivered this that a wicked man travels with paine all his dayes that he is punished outwardly by want and sicknesse and inwardly by the gripes and scourges of his owne conscience Therefore this is a truth The major proposition is the sum of the Preface contained in the 17 18. and 19. Verses The minor or second Proposition is held forth in the 20. Verse and is prosecuted to the one and thirtieth I will shew thee heare thou me and that which I have seene I will declare So the Preface begins He layes downe a double proofe in this Preface a proofe first from his owne experience secondly from the
consent of others From his owne experience in this Verse I will shew thee heare thou me that which I have seene I will declare the consent of others is expressed in the 18.19 Verses Which wise men have told me from their Fathers I will shew thee heare thou me as if he had sayd Thou art out of the way thou art in the darke and therefore in charity Caecutienti tibi in maximis tonebris versanti verissimae doctrinae lumen praeferam Accipe a me Targ. I will lend thee a thread of true Doctrine to lead thee out of that laborinth of errour wherein I see thou art intangled I will shew thee and all that I desire of thee as a reward of my paines is but this Heare thou me be attentive or as the Chalde Paraphrast renders receive it take it of me he that speakes truths deserves to be heard and that is all I desire I will shew thee heare thou me But what will Eliphaz shew him Not that which he had phansied but that which he was assured of That which I have seene I will declare Seeing is a sure and particular sense yet as the act of one sense is often put for the act of another so Seeing which is the most noble of the senses is often put for all That which I have seene is that which I have learned that which I have fetched in or collected by the helpe of all my senses yea by my reason and understanding That doe I here declare unto thee More strictly Seeing may be taken two wayes First as noting experience I have not onely heard some reports about these things but I have seen and observed them my selfe there is a stronger conviction in this because the sense of seeing is lesse fallible then that of hearing and we say One eye witnesse is better then ten eare witnesses Secondly as I have seene Certius est vidi quam audivi oculatus testis potior est aurito Drus may be taken for common experiences among men so for speciall revelation from God Some Divine revelations were made in visions and all Divine Revelations were so cleare and evident that they were or might be called Visions as if the matter of them had been represented to the eye and hence such as God honoured and trusted with those Revelations were called Seers 1 Sam. 9.9 He that is now called a Prophet was before time called a Seer And hee was called a Seer because the clearenesse of those messages and manifestations was so great that they might be judged as objects of the eye rather then of the eare or of the understanding Thus the whole Book of the Prophesie of Isaiah is called A Vision or a thing seene The Vision of Isaiah the Prophet which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem Chap. 1.1 Yet the Prophet did not receive all the Doctrines which he Preached and Prophesies which he published in that Book by vision but the manifestation from God was so full of light to his understanding that it was as if he had seene it with his eye Some expound so here That which I have seene that is that which I have had a speciall revelation about As if hee referr'd to the fourth Chapter where Eliphaz reports to Job what a dreadfull Vision he had and what the matter of it was even much like that which is represented in the following part of this Chapter A learned Interpreter agrees that it was a Vision but saith he Mihi non videtur improbabile aut delusum fuisse a diabolo vel ipsum somnium aliquod aut inspirationem commentum esse ut sibi conciliaret authoritatem Sanct. it was either a fained artificiall Vision such are frequent in Popery or it was a delusion of the Devill I doe not at all admit this latter branch of his opinion but I must reject the former as altogether unworthy of Eliphaz who was surely a man of integrity and fearing God and was therefore above such affected falshoods and studied deceits to gaine respect and credit among men I shall therefore insist upon the former sense That which I have seene that is by common experience that will I declare unto thee Hence Observe First What we declare or communicate to others wee should be well assured of our selves That which I have seene declare I unto thee while we declare either by way of instruction to teach true Doctrine or by way of information to report the truth of action 't is our duty to declare upon knowledge So the Apostle John in his first Epistle Chap. 1.1 That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seene with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life that which we have seene and heard declare wee unto you He brings in the operations of three senses Seeing Hearing and Feeling as witnesses to avouch for and ascertaine that which he had declared we must take heed of declaring upon surmises and probabilities upon a bare Heare-say or I thought so That which we have clearely learned we may teach confidently and nothing besides that Observe Secondly As we must have a ground for what we declare to others so when we have a good ground we must declare That which we know we should make knowne That which I have seene I declare unto you holy knowledge must be communicated such light must not be put under a bushell nor must such a Talent be wrapt up in a Napkin He that is taught should teach When thou art converted saith Christ to Peter strengthen thy Brethren Let others partake of thy experiences Come saith David and I will tell you what God hath done for my soule Philip John 1.43 being found by Christ finds Nathaneel and saith unto him We have found him of whom Moses and the Prophets did write Jesus of Nazareth the Son of Joseph He quickly declared what he had seen and so should we This is the first proofe That which I have seene I declare experience is my ground The second proofe is from the consent of others from the authority of the Ancient Which wise men have told from their Fathers and have not hid it Eliphaz treads the same steps as in his first discourse with Job For after he had there delivered the contents or sum of his Vision he appeales to the judgement of the Saints Chap. 5. So here having told Job that he would declare what he had seene he referrs him also to the judgement of others That which wise men have told their Fathers and have not hid it I referr you to men and those not men of a meane ranke but to godly wise men in which Eliphaz seemes againe to answer what Job had objected that the points he had offered were of common and vulgar observation Chap. 12.3 Who knowes not such things as these Eliphaz replyes these things are no common discourse they are such as wise men have told from their
Fathers as if he had sayd Doe not despise what I say as ordinary or as a novelty no nor as received from corrupt antiquity for besides what I have seen Rambam subtitius a patribus suis exponit a patribus eorum Vt hic tres aetates considerentur una sapientum haec indicantium altera patrum tertia majorum atavorum Merc. I have good authority for what I speake the ancient and the wise vote with me Wise men have told it from their Fathers here is the conveyance Wise men He doth not meane worldly wise men Philosophers and Polititians but godly wise men these haue told it from their Fathers their Fathers told it them and they told it me so that this position claimes by two descents at least One of the Rabbins gives it three if not more for by the Fathers of the wise men he understands not their immediate Fathers onely but those who were more remote and further off yea possibly those who were furthest off even as far as Adam Hence Observe First It is an ingenuity to acknowledge by whom we profit wise men have told me this I received it from others as well as collected it by my owne experience Secondly Note Truth should be conveyed downe to our Posterity Truth is a more precious inheritance then Land or Money if Parents are carefull to secure as much as they can earthly things to their Children how much more should they be carefull to secure heavenly In the first Ages of the World till the Law was given on Mount Sinai faithfull men were in stead of Books and Tradition supplyed the want of Scripture But now our recourse must be to what God hath commanded to be written not to what men have said No Tradition is of any force but as consentient with Scripture and none of so much force as Scripture The Councill of Trent in the fifth Session thunders out Anathemaes against those who receive not Tradition with the same godly affection and devotion with which they receive the Scripture it selfe Bellarmin in his controversie about Tradition entitles his Book thus Of the Word of God not written as if the Word of God were to be divided into these two orders The Word written and the Word not written Tradition with him is the Vnwritten word and must be held of as much authority as the Word written This is as Christ taxeth the Pharisees to make the word of God of none effect through mans Tradition It is still a wise mans duty to to tell Posterity what the Word and Truth of God is but we must not receive any thing as a truth of God upon the bare Word of the wisest men Wise men have told their Fathers And have not hid it There is a twofold hiding first a hiding to keep a thing safe that we loose it not secondly a hiding that we keep it close and not communicate it In the former sense we must hide the truth of God but we may not in the latter When David saith I have hid thy Commandements in my heart when Mary hid the sayings of Christ in her hart and when the man that found the treasure Ma. 13.44 Went away and hid it and for joy thereof sould all he had and bought the field All these hid it that it might be forth-comming for their owne use they did not hide it as unwilling to bring it forth for the use of others so the idle Servant hid his Talent and was justly condemned for hiding it Matth. 25. Hence Observe Truth must not be hid from others Truth is a common good no man hath the sole property of it every one may challenge his part of this poffession and the more we part with it to others the more we increase our owne possession Truth multiplies in its degree to us while we make division of it to thousands A Candle gives not the less light to the owner because many standers by see by it and this Candle gives a clearer light to us when we let many see by it Our knowledge is perfected while it is communicated This Candle therfore is not to be put under a bushell but must be set upon a Candlestick that all may see by the light of it Shall I saith the Lord Gen. 18. hide from Abraham the thing that I am about to doe No I will not For I know Abraham will not hide it Hee will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord. The Israelites were charged to communicate the wonders which God wrought for them and the Ordinances which he appointed them when they were delivered out of Aegypt Exod. 12. I will open my mouth in a Parable saith the Psalmist I will utter darke sayings of old which wee have heard and knowne And our Fathers have told us we will not hide them from their Children shewing to the Generations to come the praises of the Lord and his strength and the wonderfull works which hee hath done Psal 78.2 3 4. 'T is our duty to preserve memorialls of the workes of God and to declare his word to all that are about us What wise men know from their Fathers they will not hide Eliphaz yet goes on to describe the men whose consent in opinion he had received about the controversie in hand Vers 19. To whom alone the earth was given and no stranger passed among them If any man aske who were these wise men He answers They were wise men To whom alone the earth was given In these words Eliphaz seemes to remove a prejudice that might lye in Jobs Spirit against the testimony of those Ancients For suppose they were Wise men yet he might say 't is like they were but meane men men of no ranke or quality men of small credit or authority and we know what Solomon saith Affertur hoc ad amplificandum authoritatem horum sapientum q. d. hi tales tanti fuerunt ut c. Merc. Eccles 9.16 A poore mans wisedome is despised and his words not heard Therefore saith Eliphaz you shall not put me off thus nor disable my witnesses upon a supposition that these wise men were meane men for these were Cheifes and Princes in their Generation And he advanceth their honour two wayes First in regard of their riches and power To whom alone the earth was given Secondly in regard of their righteous and just administrations No stranger or strange thing passed among them as if he had sayd Job I speake of men that were fit to sit at the helme of a Kingdome and governe Nations yea to have the raines of the World put into their hands I speake of wise men who by their wisedome and the blessing of God have kept the earth quiet and so have possessed it alone But it may yet be said who were these Monarchs of the world and sole possessors of the Earth To whom alone the earth was given Some conceive that Eliphaz meanes it of
strangers so the happinesse of a people to be freed from the oppression of strangers From the second Observe That it is the happinesse of a people to be free from the mixture of evill men whether such whose worship is impure or Doctrine untrue The Lord made frequent promises of this happinesse to his people Isa 52.1 From henceforth there shall no more come into them the uncircumcised and the uncleane which is as much as to say The stranger for all uncircumcised persons were strangers shall not come into thee We have the like promise Joel 3.17 So shall yee know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Sion my holy Mountaine then shall Jerusalem be holy and there shall no stranger passe through her Why not any stranger Forget not to entertaine strangers saith the Apostle Heb. 13. ◠Jerusalem in her best dayes shall have strangers to be visited and releived by her but Jerusalem should have no strangers in those dayes to defile and pollute her Na. 1.15 Behold upon the Mountaine the feet of him that bringeth good tydings for the wicked shall no more passe through thee for he is cutt off The Hebrew is Belial shall no more passe through thee Belial is he that cannot endure to serve he will not yeeld obedience to the holy commands of God he casts off the yoak of Christ and pulls the shoulder from his burden This Belial shall no more passe through thee The purest times of the Gospel are presented under a like promise Zach. 14.21 In that day there shall be no more the Cananite in the house of the Lord of Hoasts That is the stranger and uncircumcised the wicked and ungodly shall no more be mixed with his people Thirdly in that he puts such under the notion of strangers we learne That wicked and Idolatrous persons should be as strangers to us we must not lay such in our bosome to maintaine any spiritual society with them though in some cases we may have civill society with them 2 Cor. 6.13 14. Be not unequally yoaked together with unbeleevers for what fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse and what communion hath light with darknesse and what concord hath Christ with Belial c. These can never agree together Let no such stranger passe or be approved among us in the fellowship of the Gospel there is not onely sin in letting such passe with our approbation but danger and that a double danger Both which are assigned as reasons why wee should come out of Babylon Revel 18.4 First we are in danger of partaking of their sins and that both by contracting the spot of their sins as also the guilt of their sins Secondly we are in danger of partaking of their punishments as it there follows That yee receive not her plagues There is no safety in being neer those who are under the curse of God The companion of fooles shall be destroyed Prov. 13 20. though possibly he be not a foole in any other respect but because he is in such company Fourthly Taking it for a strange or wicked thing Note That It is the honour of Magistrates when no evill passeth quietly in their Territories When neither Idolatry in the things of God nor injustice nor oppression in the things of men finde any favour with them this is at once their duty and their glory Eliphaz having by way of preface given proofe of what he was about to presse upon Job both from his owne experience and the consent of Antiquity He now proposes the point it selfe Vers 20. The wicked man travels with paine all his dayes and the number of yeares is hidden to the Oppressour In this generall Position Eliphaz intends Jobs personall conviction that he was wicked whom he had heard appealing to God Chap. 2.10 Thou knowest that I am not wicked As if he had sayd Thou wouldest make us beleeve that God will be thy compurgator and give witnesse for thee upon his owne knowledge that thou art not wicked But we who are but men may know the contrary for we see all the markes and brands of a wicked man upon thee The wicked man travelleth with paine all his dayes and so dost thou These soares and sorrows speake who thou art though we say nothing Master Broughton reads The wicked killeth himselfe all his days he is a selfe murtherer that was the report which Eliphaz made of him at the fifth Chapter Vers 2. Envy slayeth the silly one Both Job and his Freinds repeate the same thing often yet with such variety of illustrations that though for the matter it be the same yet it is new for the manner Such repetitions doe not onely delight but profit The wicked man travelleth with paine all his dayes Who is a wicked man hath been opened at large Chap. 10.7 where Job affirmes Thou knowest that I am not wicked There see the temper of a wicked man I will not stay upon it here Onely consider how his appellation and condition suit one with the other The wicked man travells the Originall word for a wicked man signifies an unquiet motion and so one whose life is a continuall not onely motion but unquietnesse Vnquiet is the name and unquietnesse is the state of a wicked man he is alwayes raising stirs and acting Tragedies His life is alwayes in a hurry he travells with paine all his dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proprie significat cruciatum languorem pavorem vel dolorem parturientium vel enitentis molientis facinus aliquod Omnis vita impii in solicitudine 70. in dolore Aquila Dolet ut parturiens Pag. He travelleth with paine This sentence is but one word in the Hebrew the word signifies any griefe or sorrow any torture or torment The translations are various but all meet in this one sense that a wicked mans life is a miserable life All the life of a wicked man is spent in carking care So the Septuagint Another renders It is spent in sorrow But all may be reduced to that which is most proper to the word He is in paine as a woman in travaile and whereas we have heard of some Women in travaile many dayes here is a man in travell all his dayes The wicked man travelleth in paine all his dayes his whole life is nothing else but continuall paine or painefull throes towards the birth of some filthy Monster-sin which sin when it is finished brings forth death Somewhat he hath conceived the Psalmist tells us what He hath conceived mischiefe and hee would bring forth iniquity Cunctis diebus suts impius superbit Vulg. The Vulgar Latine translates The wicked man is lifted up with pride all his dayes which is as much as to say He travelleth in paine all his dayes for though as some say Pride feels no cold yet there is nothing feels so much paine as pride doth And because a wicked man is proud all his dayes therefore he travelleth with paine all his dayes
evill good to us and all good better unbeleife makes all good evill to us and all evill worse Faith like the Horse Job 39.19 laughs at the shaking of the Speare unbeleife trembles at the shaking of a leafe Faith findes food in Famine and a Table in the Wildernesse In greatest dangers faith answers I have a great God when outward strength is broken and all lyes a bleeding faith answers The promises are strong still they have not lost a drop of blood nor have they a skarre upon them When God himselfe apreares angry faith answers I know how to please him and I can goe to one in whom he is and will be wel-pleased for ever Thus faith pulls out the sting of trouble draws out the gall and wormwood of every affliction But where faith is wanting every affliction is full of gall and wormwood and every trouble vexeth with a double sting It stings such as it is a trouble and it stings them more as they see no comfort in nor way out of trouble The darknesse of darknesse is this Not to beleeve that we shall returne out of darknesse And he is waited for of the Sword This clause is neer in sense to the latter part of the former Verse and yet in this variety of expression there is some variety of intention For the clearing of it two things are to be enquired First What is meant by the Sword Secondly What is meant by waited for of the Sword The Sword is taken two wayes in Scripture First litterally for That weapon of Warr and by a Synechdoche the Sword is put for all weapons of Warr as also by a Metonymie for Warr it selfe When the Sword is threatned in Scripture Warr is threatned Secondly The Sword is taken for the power of the Magistrate who beares not the Sword in vaine Christ is described as a King armed with his Sword Isa 11.4 By the Sword that is with the Word of his mouth he will slay the wicked Nempe sua sententia tradens eum justitiae ministro Christ will pronounce a sentence of condemnation and deliver them up to execution Thus the Judge slayes the Malefactor by the sword of his mouth Further by a Synechdoche the Sword is taken for all manner of evill and trouble Quicquid pungit percutit torquet cruciat in scripturis sanctis gladius appellaturs Hieron in cap. ult Isa whatsoever hurts or afflicts is comprehended under the notion of a Sword Luke 1.35 Old Simeon tells the holy Virgin in his song Also a Sword shall passe through thy soule his meaning is not that she should be cut off in Warr by the hand of the Souldier or in peace by the sentence of the Judge but that sore troubles and afflictions like a sharpe Sword should pierce her soule Here the Sword may be taken either for the Sword of War or of Peace or for any evill that befalls the Wicked Man But how is he waited for of the Sword the Originall word is rendered two wayes First Actively Secondly Passively Some render actively Hee is waiting for of the Sword He stands expecting the Sword and that in a double sense Circumspectans undique gladium Vulg. Sc. vel quo pereat vel quo se defendat Tanquam exspecula expectat Tigur Hebraizantes tenent esse participium passinum hinc Rab. Levi. exponit Conspicitur a gladio Aspectus gladio Vatabl. Est Hebraismus ut videeri a gladio sit ab hostibus observari per insidias Decretus in manu ferri Sept. Conspectus ipse ad gladium Mont. Nempe a Deo conspectus destinatus ad gladium Praevisus enim est ad gladium Sym. he waits for the Sword which he feares will destroy him or he waits for a Sword which he desires to defend him Mr. Broughton gives this sense Having watch hee thinketh upon the Sword Againe others render it passively He is waited for of the Sword when he thinkes not of it The Sword lies in ambush to surprize him A man is sayd to be waited for by an Enemy when he intends to assault him unawares To be thus waited for by the sword is to be waited for by sword-men And it is as great a disadvantage to be seen of the Sword before we see the Sword as it is according to the old Proverb to be seen of the Wolf or of the Crocodile before we see either The wicked is waited for of the Sword not for any service but for the revenge it owes him the Sword lyes behind the doore or under a bush to snap him as he passeth The Septuagint in stead of he is waited or watched or looked for by the Sword render thus He is decreed into the hand of the Sword leading us to the appointment and destination of God who hath set him out and marked him for judgement Hee is appointed to the Sword Such a decree the Prophet seems to poynt at Jer. 15.2 where he brings in the Lord as resolved to proceed in judgement against all prayers and intreaties though made by his greatest Favorites Though Moses and Samuâ—l stood before me yet my minde could not be into this people but such as are for death to death and such as are for the Sword to the Sword That is such as are decreed into the hand of the Sword let the Sword take them the decree shall stand the sentence is irrevocable Taking the Text actively Observe That a wicked man thinks every one his enemy He dreames of danger when he sleeps and where ever he comes he waites for the Sword He that hath a minde to hurt others feares it is in the minde of every one to hurt him He that is harmelesse is fearelesse Nunquam non divinâ—m ultionem expectat vel metuit Merc. Ex omni parte inimicos sibi imminere videns Aquin. Qui de nullo confidit de omnibus timet id and while we goe about doing good we are free from the suspicion of evill Cain having murthered his Brother complaines of the Lords sentence against him Thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth and from thy face shall I be hid and I shall be a fugitive and a Vagabond on the earth and it shall come to passe that every man that finds me shall slay me Gen. 4.14 Cains complaint is the Comment of this Text Every one that findes me shall slay me is I wait for or I expect the Sword Cain speaks as if an Army were continually pursuing him or as if the avenger of blood were alwayes ready at his heels And that which aggravates the wonder of this jealousie is that we can give account but of one man alive in the World besides himselfe at that time and that was his owne Father Adam we read not of any Son that Abel left behind him nor had Cain any Son upon record at that time and yet he cries out as if the World had been full of Inhabitants and every
beleive and it is Faith that turnes a day of darknesse into light he hath not a Christ to goe unto and it is Christ onely who can turne darknesse into light death to life and the Waters of sorrow into the Wine of joy his darknesse shall never be removed who hath not Christ who is light to remove it Verse 24. Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid they shall prevaile upon him as a King ready to Battell In this Verse we have a double effect of those troubles which are the portion of a wicked man the first effect is They shall make him afraid the second effect is They shall prevaile upon him both which are illustrated by an elegant similitude they shall make him afraid and they shall prevaile upon him as a King ready to Battell Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid Trouble without and anguish within so some expound He shall have straits in his state and a strait upon his spirit both meeting shall not onely afflict him but make him afraid The word may be translated to fright rather then to make afraid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 angustia They shall scare him not onely out of his comforts but out of his wits and senses There is a threefold feare First Naturall Secondly Spirituall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perterâ—uit pertuibavit To be spiritually afrayd is good and to be naturally afrayd is not evill So Christ was not onely afrayd but amazed Mark 14.33 Thirdly There is a distracting vexing feare which is both a passion and a perturbation This is at once the sin and punishment of wicked men Consider with what weapons and instruments God fights against a wicked man he doth not say Sword and fire shall make him afraid Armies of enemies shall make him afraid but trouble and anguish shall doe it God can create and forme weapons in our owne hearts to fight against us Inward anguish is farr more greivous then any outward stroak Rom. 2.9 Tribulation and anguish shall be upon every soule that sins whether of Jew or Gentile Anguish is the edge of tribulatioâ— both joyned wound soule and body yea strike thorougâ— both at every blow Hence Note It is worse to be afraid of evill then to feele it Every thing is to us as we apprehend it good is not pleasing to us nor evill afflictive to us unlesse we think it so They who are not afraid of death welcome it when it comes others through feare of death are held in bondage all the dayes of their life Secondly Observe Distracting feare is the portion of a wicked man The troubles of the righteous are many but their feares are few Psal 112. His heart is fixed he shall not be afraid 'T is not sayd he shall not heare evill tydings I know no man whose eares are priviledg'd from such reports but he shall not be afraid I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about Psal 3.6 Though I walke in the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no evill Ps 23.4 are the resolves of faith Whosoever hath much feare hath but little Faith Wherefore are ye afraid O ye of little Faith Mat. 8.26 and how can they but be afraid when stormes arise who are of no faith when Faith increaseth feare decreaseth and when Faith is come to the height feare is gone where there is no Faith there can be nothing but feare trouble and anguish shall make him afraid that 's the first effect But that 's not all anguish doth not onely feare the wicked man but prevailes against him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 circumivit Angustia vallabit Vulg. Some render Trouble and anguish intrench about him The sense is the same it is such an intrenchment as concludes in a conqeust the beseiger prevailes A second reads it thus Trouble shall make him afrayd and anguish shall intrench about him The Originall joynes the two Substantives together and the Verbe is plurall Terrebit eum tribulatio angustia vallabit eum Trouble and anguish shall make him afrayd they shall prevaile against him From this second effect Observe Evill shall get the upper hand of evill men A good man possibly may be afraid and afraid sinfully excesse of feare may take hold of him but he shall not be prevailed against Pro. 24.16 The just man falls seven times a day into affliction and trouble and riseth up againe trouble may throw him down but it cannot keep him downe Mic. 7.8 Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy when I fall I shall rise the Church rises in her falls and shee sometimes foresees her rising when shee is fallen The wicked fall and rise no more And whereas the Saints are more then conquerours through him that loveth them wicked men are more then conquered they are utterly ruined lost and vanquished because not beloved There are two battells wherein we cannot stand without the strength of Christ First The battell of inward temptation Secondly The battell of outward affliction We are no match for either unlesse Christ be our Second Satan hath desired thee saith Christ to Pâ—ter to winnow thee as Wheate hoping to finde or make thee Chaffe But I have prayed that thy Faith faile not Peter fell into temptation yea he fell in the temptation yet because Christ undertook for him the temptation could not prevaile against him And as there is no conquest over Satans temptation but by the strength of Christ so none over affliction which is Gods temptation but by the strength of Christ 1 Cor. 10.13 There hath no temptation that is no affliction taken you but what is common to man yet no man can stand under that alone which may befall any man therefore it followes But God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able c. Man alone is not sufficient so much as to thinke one good thought how then shall he thinke good thoughts enow alone either to scatter a temptation or to beare an affliction To carry the soule out in such a conflict requires more then one good thought yea more then many good thoughts it requires good actings yea and sufferings too how shall he doe this without the strength of Christ No wonder then if the lesser of these yea the least of the lesser the least affliction prevaile against a wicked man and if while he runs with Foot-men they weary him how shall he contend with Horses with trouble and anguish shall not these prevaile against him as a King ready to battell Which is the illustration of the wicked mans downefall Trouble and anguish prevaile against him But how Not a little not with strength onely enough to turne the scale of the conflict but mightily even with much strength to spare As a King ready to battell There are foure interpretations for the making out of
this similitude some place it between a wicked mans trouble and anguish and the trouble and anguish of a King ready to joyne Battell with a potent Adversary For then his spirit is much troubled knowing how great an adventure he makes in reference to his state and how great a hazzard he runs in reference to his life and person The charge being sometimes given to fight neither against small not great but onely against the King So a wicked man when trouble comes is like a King going to Battell full of feares and anxious thoughts what the issue and event may be He lookes upon himselfe as the marke both of the wrath of God and Man and that every blow shall be directed against his breast Trouble and anguish single out wicked men when God sends out his Armies of judgements he charges them not to fight against the small or great of his owne people but against the wicked of the World Wrath aymes at them and therefore they are terryfied at the approaches of wrath Praeliaturum regem circundare solebat globus militum ut lectio Tygurina indicat Angustia circumvallatio eum circumstant ut regem consertis globis praeliaturum Secondly Others give out the similitude thus Trouble and anguish shall come upon him as a King ready to battell As when a King goes to Battell he is compassed with a strong guard Every Generall hath his Life-guard much more Kings So trouble and anguish shall compasse a wicked man as yet with widest difference for the Guard compasseth the King for the safety and preservation of his person whereas trouble and anguish gather about wicked men for their destruction But the Text will hardly admit this explication and therefore I passe it Thirdly The Hebrew word which signifies a day of Battell signifies also a Spheare or round Globe we translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat globum pilam aut Sphaeram Apud Latinos Globus est hostium aut Armatorum militum cuneus Liv. lib. 1. Annal. Romulus cum globo Juvenum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Erit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad praelium a forma orbiculari Castra in orbicularem formam disponuntur ut fortiora sint Merc. a Ball Isa 22.18 where it is prophesied against Shebna that the Lord would make him an example and that as the Hebrew is Tossing he would tosse him with a tossing that is he would surely tosse and turne him like a Ball into a farr Countrey as a Ball is tossed or throwne so the Lord would throw him into Captivity Now because it is a usuall way of embattailing to draw an Army into the forme of a Globe or Ball therefore the same word which signifies a Spheare or Globe signifies also a Battell from the forme of it Taking it in this sense for any thing that is round or circular as a Ball or Spheare This third interpretation of the similitude riseth thus Trouble and anguish shall make him afrayd they shall prevaile upon him as a King put in Chaines or into a hoop of Iron some labour much for the maintaining of this interpretation That Eliphaz intends to shew how wicked oppressors shall be surrounded and held fast with trouble like some great Kings who falling into the hands of their Enemies have been shut up in round Iron Cages as Tamerlane carryed Bajazet the Turkish Emperour or bound in Chaines as it is Prophesied in the 149. Psalme It was the use of those times Declarare volens extremas impii angustias ut illum eo pacto undique stringi tribulationibus quo Rex ab hoste superatus captus pro spectaculo publicè ponebatur in Ferricernio Bold Ita etiam textum explicat Vatablus to make hoops of Iron for the securing of Kings and Princes taken in Battell the formes of which and how those captivated Kings were lockt up in them with the posture of their bodies in that base imprisonment may be seen in Boldue upon this Verse and he annexeth diverse texts of Scripture in which he conceives there is an allusion to this coorse way of handling Kings Fourthly Our reading compares trouble and anguish to a King ready to Battell as if he had sayd Trouble and anguish shall prevaile upon him irresistibly This is but a high expression of greatest preparation for a Battell for when a King goeth forth to Battell in person he will have all the strength of his Kingdome with him which Job himselfe cleares in the 29. Chapter Verse 25 where describing his own former felicity he concludes I chose out their way and sat chief and dwelt as a King in the Army That is in great strength and power So the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 4.8 You have reigned as Kings without us and I would to God yee did reigne that is you conceive you have had the confluence of all comforts and strengths You have reigned as Kings I would you had that we also might reigne with you or share in your felicity So that when Eliphaz saith Trouble and anguish shall prevaile as a King armed and ready to set forth to Battell his meaning it They shall prevaile strongly yea irresistibly The wicked man shall not be able to stand their charge much lesse repulse is These severall explications of the similitude meet in one common truth That as the wicked shall not stand in judgement when God comes to judge all the World so when the Lord sends forth his judgements upon any part of the World they are the men that shall surely fall trouble and anguish shall terrifie them as a King going to joyne Battell or as a King taken and captivated in Battell or as a King conquering and prevailing over his Foes in Battell Sin prevailes alwayes upon wicked men as a King commanding and ruling over them at last trouble which is the fruit of sin shall prevaile upon them as a King oppressing and destroying them They who will not submit to the rule of the Law as a King to guide them shall be forced to submit to the curse of the Law as a King to punish them JOB Chap. 15. Vers 25 26. For he stretched out his hand against God and strengthened himselfe against the Almighty He runneth upon him even on his necke upon the thick bosses of his Bucklers ELiphaz having explained much of the inward punishment of wicked men the torture which they indure upon the rack of conscience as also some of their outward punishments he subjoynes the reason of both their sin in these two Verses and that not an ordinary sin but a sin committed with a high hand Vers 25. He stretcheth out his hand against God And is it any wonder then that God should stretch out his hand against him Every sin deserves punishment and shall be punished either upon the sinner or upon his Surety but extraordinary sins call for extraordinary punishments they who have done much evill shall endure much Justice hath an eye to the quantity as
word All that ever was done in the World hath been done by the breath of Gods mouth that is by the word or decree of God So some understand that of the Apostle 2 Thes 2.8 And then shall that wicked one be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit or breath of his mouth and destroy with the brightnesse of his comming Antichrist hath stood long and he hath been for some time declining his downfall hastens the breath of God will leave him breathlesse As he hath stood by the flattering breath of men so he shall fall by the consuming breath of God This consuming with breath notes either as before the easinesse of that consumption 't is done with a breath or the way and manner of doing it 't is done by the command and decree of God or by the Preaching of the Gospell which indeed gives Antichrist his fatall blow and shakes all the Towres of mysticall Babylon and is called by the Prophet The rod of his mouth Spiritu oris sc ipsius impii credo potius referrendum esse ad impium quasi ille sibi ipsi fuerit mortis causa dum contra Deum loquitur confidenter libere Sanct. and the breath of his lips Isa 11.4 He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked Life and death sit upon the lips of Christ he hath a reviving breath and a killing breath he quickens the deadest heart and deads the quickest the proudest heart with a word speaking By the breath of his mouth the wicked goe away Further The breath of his mouth say some is the breath of the wicked mans owne mouth By the breath of his mouth shall he goe away That is by the words which breath out of his mouth His passionate distempered speeches shall undoe him while he speaks either outragiously and blasphemously against God or falsely and seditiously towards man his ruine enters at the opening of his lips The motion of the breath is the preserver of life Spiritu oris sui i. e. suis verbis quae spiritu halitu in ore ormantur and while breath lasts life lasts yet many a mans life had lasted longer had it not been for his breath The wicked mans breath proves his death and his tongue which hath been a scourge to others becomes a Sword to himselfe His words possibly have wounded and his breath hath been the death of many But now he is wounded by his owne words and crusht to death by the weight of his owne breath or by the fall of his owne tongue upon him So the Psalmist gives it Psal 64.8 They shall make their owne tongues to fall upon themselves that is Their owne words shall be brought as a Testimony against them and condemne them The tongue is a little member saith the Apostle James Chap. 3.5 and therefore a light member yet it falls heavy as heavy as lead A man were better have his House fall upon him then that in this sense his tongue should fall upon him Some have been pressed to death because they would not speak but stood mute before the Judge but more have been pressed to death by their sinfull freedome or rather licentiousnesse in speaking this hath brought them to judgement and cast them in judgement Their tongue hath fallen upon them and by the breath of their mouth they have gone away Lastly but I will not stay upon it because the Originall doth not well beare it these words are cast into the forme of a similitude describing the manner how the wicked man and all his glory shall goe away even as a breath or as his breath As the breath of his mouth he shall goe away that is he shall go speedily he shall goe suddenly A breath is soon fetcht it is both come and gone in a moment A breathing time is a Proverbiall for a little time much like that In the twinckling of an eye Thus man comes and goes is come and gone especially a wicked man who is driven by the wrath of God as soon as seen by others as soon as he hath breathed himselfe It will not be long ere he goes and he will not be long a going For as the breath of his mouth he shall goe away The breath of man goes continually and so doth the life of man while man sleeps his breath goes and so doth his life while man stands still his breath goes and so doth his life The breath indeed is sometimes in a hurry and goes faster then it doth at other times but though the life of man doth not goe faster at one time then at another yet it alwayes goes Or if at any time our life may be sayd to goe faster then at another it is when our breath is by some stop in its passage at a stand and when ever our breath comes to a full stop our life is not onely going but quite gone The life of man hath so much dependence upon his breath that it is called Breath and the breath of life When God formed man out of the dust of the ground he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soule Gen. 2.7 And as soon as God calls back this breath of life man becomes a dead body or a carkasse The life of man must needs goe as his breath for it goes with his breath and when the life of a wicked man is gone all that he called his his worldly glory goes with him In that day all his thoughts perish For As the breath of his mouth he shall goe away Eliphaz having layd downe the wicked mans sad condition and the causes of it concludes with a use or application of the whole Doctrine at the 31. Verse Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity c. JOB CHAP. 15. Vers 31 32 33 34 35. Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity for vanity shall be his recompence It shall be accomplished before his time and his branch shall not be greene He shall shake off his unripe Grape as the Vine and shall cast off his flower as the Olive For the Congregation of Hypocrites shall be desolate and fire shall consume the Tabernacles of bribery They conceive mischiefe and bring forth vanity and their belly prepareth deceit ELiphaz layd downe his Doctrine at the 20. Verse of this Chapter That a wicked mans life is a miserable life he travells in paine all his dayes and having insisted long upon the proofe he now gives us the application of it in a use of dehortation Vers 31. Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity He inforceth this dehortation by a summary repetition of the Doctrine before delivered which he doth First Plainly in the close of the 31. and in the beginning of the 32. Verses For vanity shall he his recompence it shall be accomplished before its time Secondly He doth it allegorically in the
to his enemies to the Islands he will repay recompence Secondly as vanity in the former clause is taken for the Creature Observe The Creature is most vaine to those who trust it The Creature is a vaine thing in his hand who beleeves and trusts in God but it is exceeding vaine in his hand who trusts on it and the more it is trusted the more vaine it is If we make it our staffe it will be our scourge if we leane upon it as our rock it will run into our hands like a broken Reed The best way to keep up our comforts in the Creature is to keep our distance from the Creature And they shall finde most content in the World who live furthest off it and expect least from it God is good and the more we trust him the better he is to us yea he is not good at all to us unlesse we trust him But the best of creatures trusted to become evill yea an Idoll to us Trust not in vanity such are all creatures in their best estate for vanity shall be your recompence Againe The word which we translate recompence signifies a change or the exchange which is made of one thing for another While Job exalts the value and excellency of wisedome above all created excellencies he saith Chap. 28.17 The Gold and the Chrystall cannot equall it and the exchange of it shall not be for jewells of fine Gold So some render it here Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity A radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mutavit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commutatio vanitas erit commutatio ejus i. e. in nihilum redigetur for vanity shall be his change Whensoever he changeth he shall change into vanity or when he hath driven a trade in sinfull vanity to the highest the best exchange which the Merchandize thereof yeelds him is miserable vanity Vanity can produce nothing to us but vanity The effect is not better then the cause nor the fruit then the Tree and that which we receive in exchange though it may be of another kinde yet it is of no better value then that we give in exchange Hence Observe That a wicked mans state never changeth for better but from good to bad or from bad to worse Till the man himselfe be changed from bad to good his state can never change from bad to good And suppose his outward state be good then the worst thing that can befall him is this that his state should not change His setlednesse in that which is civilly good doth but more settle him in that which is morally evill They have no changes therefore they feare not God Psal 55.19 What can be worse for man then this nâ—t to feare God who is the chiefest good Who would not feare to be without changes when he heares that being without them keeps out this feare Suppose further That the wicked mans outward estate be evill then it is worse to him when he changes to outward good if he change from sorrow to joy from povery to riches from sicknesse to health from a prison to liberty in all these or in any other of like nature with these he changes to his losse That man can never change for good who continues evill Such a mans outward estate often changes from bad to worse if it change from bad to good that is bad for him and if being good it change not at all that is worst of all It is a part of the misery of man that his state is changeable but that is incident to the best of men We shall not be unchangeable in our state till we come into the presence of God who is unchangeable in his nature We may say also considering the many troubles which we are subject to in this life that it is a part of our happinesse that our state is changeable Those changes which are from evill to good or from good to better are to be numbred among our blessings such are the changes of the Saints all their changes are for the better yea those changes of the Saints which are from joy to sorrow from riches to poverty from health to sicknesse from liberty to a prison from life to death in a word their changes from any kinde of outward temporary good to outward temporary evill are yet for their good He cannot change but for his good who is good and who abides alwayes under this promise that all shall work together for his good An evill and a good man differ in nothing more then in their changes nor should any selfe-consideration provoke an evill man more to desire that he may be changed to good then this that his changes may be for good Who would continue or trust in vanity were he perswaded that vanity shall be his change Secondly Observe That such as our way is such will our end be If we walk and trust in vanity we shall have vanity for our recompence or our change Every mans end is virtually in his way So the Apostle argues ellegantly Gal. 6.7 Be not deceived God is not mocked whatsoever a man sowes that shall he reape he that sowes to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption he that sowes to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting If the Husband-man sow tares he must look to reap tares A seed time of tares and a Harvest of Wheat were never heard of in the same ground As the seed is such is the crop Isa 3.11 Woe to the wicked it shall be ill with him for the reward of his hand shall be given him There is nothing worse for some then to have their reward brought in and all that is owing to them payd The very receiving of their debts and rewards is their undoing for ever All the misery of a wicked man is summed up in this He shall have the reward of his hands Wrath and death and Hell are his rewards and all the wages which the work both of his hands and heart can earne and these he shall have fully payd to him Vaine he hath been and vanity shall be his recompence Some read this Verse not as a dehortation Let not him that is deceived trust or beleeve in vanity but as a negative proposition for that particle in the Hebrew which sometimes carryeth a prohibition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Malo simpliciter negare quam prohibere Merc. Non credet qui vanitate errat quod vanitas erit permutatio ejus Merc. Non credet fore ut ejus faelicitas permutetur ad meâ—am vanitatem deveniet Vatâ—bl notes also a bare negation so here He that is deceived with vanity will not beleeve the same word signifies both to beleeve and trust that vanity shall be his recompence He will not beleeve a change much lesse such a change This is a cleare sense and it hints us this Observation That a wicked man is full of infidelity or unbeleife that his estate is evill or shall
ever be worse then it is The unbeleife of man is as strong against the threatnings as against the promises The Saints are hardly brought to beleeve that glory shall be their recompence that the purchase which Christ hath made of Heaven and eternall happinesse belongs to them A wicked man will not beleeve that tribulation and anguish shall be upon him or that the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against his unrighteousnesse he will not beleeve that he shall goe to Hell and be damned or that everlasting fire shall burne him or the worme that dyes not feed upon him he that is deceived will not beleeve these things and the Devill hath as great an advantage upon men by making them strong in unbeleife As God hath by making his people strong in Faith The first assault that ever the Devill made against man was to weaken Faith or strengthen unbeleife about the threatnings While he laboured to deceive the Woman he laboured as much to perswade her That vanity should not be her recompence God had sayd peremptorily In the day that ye eate thereof yee shall surely dye The Devill denyed as peremptorily Yee shall not surely dye Gen. 3.4 The people were commanded to say Amen to every branch of the Curse Deut. 27.16 17 c. Though it be the lowest way of obedience to obey because we beleeve the truth and certainty of the Curse yet it is a high act of obedience to beleeve it And Satan is as busie against our faith in the threatnings as he is against our faith in promises This unbeleife opens the way to the committing of sin and sweetens sin while we are committing it Were it not for this unbeliefe sin could not be bread much lesse as it is to many pleasant bread Sin would be Gall and Wormewood in the acting of it did we beleeve that it will be bitternesse in the end Who would doe the worke of sin did he beleeve that vanity should be his recompence Because this threat is not beleeved therefore the Law which forbids sin is not obeyed As Faith is a sheild to the new Man so unbeleife is a sheild to the old Man as Faith quenches the fiery darts of the Devill or his allurements to sin so unbeliefe quenches all the fiery darts of God or his threatnings of punishment Tush say they We shall never see Sword nor Famine we need not feare which is so much talked of death or Hell Vanity shall not be our recompence There is a third reading of the Text Rab. Kimchi exponit Sheve pro aequali seu aequalitate q.d. Ne credat qui deceptus est aequalem semper sui similem fore sibi statum vel eodem semper modo res sibi cessuras Merc. The former word which we render Vanity is translated by some of the Rabbins Equality or a thing that is equall the latter as we a lye or Vanity This varies the whole straine of the Verse and yet the Exposition given upon it is cleare both to the generall scope and to the sense given immediately before Let not him that is deceived beleeve that he shall be alwayes equall or of the same estate for vanity shall be his recompence He thinkes to carry it smoothly and with an even thred but he is deceived Things will not alwayes stand at the same point and poyze with him and therefore let him not feed himselfe with groundlesse ayery hopes that they will His affaires will not alwayes have the same face nor beare the same aspect toward him now they smile and looke pleasantly but annon they will frowne and look sowre Lastly Keeping neer the same sense still Non credet verbo aequo qui errat sed mendacium erit loco ejus Pagn q. d. qui errat non credet verbo recto sed ponet mendacium loco illius hoc pacto credet the words are thus translated He that is deceived will not beleeve the right word or the word of truth but he will beleeve a lye in stead of it As if Eliphaz had thus school'd and caution'd Job I have told you this as from God but I know he that is as you are misled and deceived will not beleeve the word of God who cannot lye he will beleeve a lye rather As the carnall heart changes the glory of God into a lye so the truth of God into a lye or embraceth a lye for truth he that beleeved not the right word will soon beleeve that which is wrong As they who receive not the love of the truth are by the just judgement of God given up to strong delusions to beleeve a lye So also are they who receive not the truth As the not doing of good is not onely it selfe an evill but leads us also or layes us open to the doing of many evills yea of any evill So the not receiving of truth is not onely an error but it leads us also or layes us open to the receiving of many yea of any error Eliphaz having thus pressed his dehortation upon Job not to trust in vanity lest he finde vanity the reward and recompence of that unholy faith and trust proceeds yet further to presse his dehortation by the same argument for the matter though varyed in the manner of expression in the beginning of the next Verse Vers 32. It shall be accomplished before his time c. These words are a strong enforcement of the motive layd downe in the former Verse Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity Why what if he doe Vanity shall be his recompence That 's the first part of the motive The second is In non die suo complebitur Mont. Vers 32. It shall be accomplished before his time What shall be accomplished There is no expresse Antecedent in the Hebrew we may understand either first the life of the wicked man himselfe of whom Eliphaz had before discoursed Or secondly Compleri ante diem c. est potius perire quam ullum complementum perfectionem accipere Pined Antequam dies ejus implâ—antur peribit ut sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 succido Morte immatura praevâ—nietur vel gladio vel morbo vel aliqua alia violenta causa In die non suo implebitur sepulchrum ejus Taâ—g the estate of the wicked man Or thirdly the designes and plots of the wicked man Taking in all three the meaning is That himselfe and all that he hath gotten and all that he hath projected Shall be accomplished before his time and what 's this but vanity for his recompence To be accomplished before the time is not to be accomplished at all it notes rather perdition then perfection The word which we translate to accomplish signifies also to cut off as we put in the Margin of our Bibles It shall be accomplished or cut off before his time The Vulgar translation fills up the sense thus Before his dayes can be filled he
words of truth and tended to peace Some truths may be burthensome at some times to a good heart Hard words are alwayes burthensome Job had store of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consolatores laboris aut molestiae Heb. The letter of the Hebrew gives the sense thus Yee are comforters of trouble that is troublesome comforters As if he had sayd Yee doe not comfort me in my troubles but yee trouble me with your comforts Yee are comforters made up of trouble that 's the predominant Element which denominates your complexion and constitution yee are so troublesome that you seeme to be nothing but trouble Our rendering in the concrete is cleare to Jobs scope Miserable comforters are yee all Hence Observe Some while they goe about to act the part of comforters doe but add to their sorrow whom they pretend to comfort and in stead of comforters prove tormenters But when doth a man deserve this title A miserable comforter That which caused Job to charge his Freinds with this miscarriage of their paines with him will resolve the question and tell us when First They gave him little hope of good or they did not open to him a doone of hope wide enough 't is true they made some overtures that way which yet comparatively to what they ought were scarce considerable And Eliphaz who had been somewhat large upon the point in his first congresse with Job speakes nothing of it in his last For as if he thought his case desperate and had given him for a lost man he shuts up in the darke as we see in the close of the former Chapter where he thunders out the judgements of God upon Hypocrites and Bribe-takers without so much as one word of comfort to the penitent This is to be a Miserable comforter The song of comforters should at least be mixt like that of David to the Lord of mercy and of judgement Psal 101.1 A song of judgement alone or most of judgement to a heavy heart may be called like that of Jeremie A Lamentation but it is not a Consolation Secondly They as was toucht before tyred out his afflicted soule with tedious discourses and unpleasing repetitions they alwayes harped upon the same string and that makes no musicke to a disconsolate soule As God complaines of those prayers as unpleasing which are full of unnecessary repetitions so also those counsels are unpleasing to man which are made up of needlesse repetitions To presse the same point though true oft and oft is a wearinesse to the spirit and because it suggests this suspition that the hearer doth oppose or resist that truth it proves an upbraiding rather then a teaching or a comforting Comfort must be stolne in unawares by a holy sleight of hand it must not be beaten in with beetles as it were by force of hand Solomon tels us Prov. 25.12 As an earering of Gold Subrepere debet consolatio fucum facere affectibus Sen. and an ornament of fine Gold so is a wise reprover upon an obedient eare What he speakes of a reprover is as true of a comforter and he onely is fit to be a reprover who is skil'd or knowes how to be a comforter Hee that will open or launce a soare had need be acquainted with the meanes of healing it The spirit of God who is the Reprover John 16.8 is also the Comforter John 14.26 We may therefore take up Solomons Proverbe here As an earering of Gold and an ornament of fine Gold so is a wise comforter upon an obedient eare They who hang Jewels in their eares as it was the custome of those times and is to this day take that which is of great price and value yet of little weight No man hangs a Talent or a great lump of Gold in his eare Gold is precious but much Gold is ponderous and burdens rather then adornes the eare the bulke of it is more combersome then the beauty of it is conspicuous Esto correptio non levis pretii sed levis pâ—ndeâ—is So comfort which is the most pleasant Jewell of the eare should be pure and precious as the Gold of Ophir but yet it must be like an earering which though it be not light in regard of worth yet it is light in regard of weight We must not load but guide a man with counsell nor must we burden him with many but ease him with pertinent words of comfort Thirdly That which rendered them yet more miserable Comforters was their unkinde grating upon that string of his sinfulnesse and studyed hypocrisie Job acknowledged himselfe a sinner and that he could not be justified in the sight of God by any righteousnesse of his owne yet still his freinds were unsatisfied about his sincerity and still they presented him with suspicions of secret wickednesse as the cause of all his sufferings still they told him of the sad fate of Tyrants of Oppressours of unjust Judges of unsound and false-hearted Worshippers and though they did not apply these Parables personally to Job yet the generall discourse sounded as if they had sayd Thou art the man Now as the Apostle speaks concerning death 1 Cor. 15.56 so we may say concerning any affliction The sting of affliction is sin the sting of sicknesse the sting of poverty the sting of disgrace is sin when the least trouble is armed with sin the strongest tremble at the sight of it A godly man can easier beare the weight of all afflictions then the weight and burthen of one sin so long as he sees all cleare between God and his owne soule so long as he can looke up to God as having his sin pardoned and can approve his heart to God that he lives not in any knowne sin in this case though the Lord lay the heaviest burthen of affliction upon him he can goe lightly under it The spirit of a man will beare all these infirmities but if his spirit be wounded either with the guilt of sin or with the feare of the wrath of God how can hee beare it This afflicts more then all other afflictions This was it which caused Job to cry out Miserable comforters His Freinds ever upbraiding him with his sin his sin his sin as the root and therefore as the sting of all his troubles They applyed nothing but these corrasives to his wounded soule which called alowd for the balme of Gilead There are two sorts of miserable comforters First They who flatter the soule that lives in sin Secondly They who embitter and burden their soules who being under burdens of sorrow are also in bitternesse for their sin Some sow Pillowes under the elbowes of those who delight in sin and dawbe them up with untempered morter others thrust Swords and shoot arrowes into the bowels of those who mourne for sin and in stead of bringing well-tempered morter to binde and cement their soules lay hard stones under them which vex and gaul their soules Both are Miserable comforters They who
was stirred his heart was hot within him and while hee was musing the fire kindled While some are even hoarse with speaking while they cannot hold their peace from evill their anger is stirred their hearts are storming within them and all their talke is onely a winde blowing without them We read of a strange distemper in two sorts of men who ought of all others to be most composed and temperate Hos 9.7 Ish ruach The Prophet is a foole the spirituall man is madd Our Translators put in the Margin The man of the spirit for Ruach in Hebrew signifieth both the winde that blowes in the ayre and the spirit of God which moveth in our hearts We take that sense The spirituall man or the man of the spirit that is the man that pretends to have or should have the spirit of God his businesse lying wholly in spirituals this man is madd he is so farr from acting to the height of those graces which the spirit gives that he acts below that reason which nature gives Yet the Originall may be rendred thus and so diverse learned Hebricians render it The man of winde or the windy man is madd Anger is a short madnesse and he that speakes angerly is in danger to speak madly Jobs Freinds were not men of winde nor were they madd and the words which they spake had a generall sense and savor of truth and sobernesse in them yet as to Jobs particular case they wanted some graines of truth and reason they were too high and swelling considering how low and humble he was they were too full of passion being spoken to a man so full of sufferings And therefore though that censure of his Freinds words as vaine who indeed were wise and grave men was too censorious and sharpe yet it must be granted that their words also were too sharpe even such as vexed his spirit and wore out his patience upon which account he expects and begs an end of them Shall vaine words have an end That is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Finis a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praecidit abscidit Quia finis est tam temporis quam rei praecisio terminus Will you make an end of vaine speaking I pray doe I wish you would Cut off the thred of this discourse you have spun it out and continued it but too long alrâ—ady The Hebrew word which we translate an end springs from a root which signifies to cut off because every end whether of time or things is the cutting off of that time or thing the end of which it is While Job askes the Question Shall vaine words have an end He speakes the vehemency of his owne desire and expectation to see an end of them I shall not stay here to give any observations upon these words but referr the Reader to the Texts before alleadged in the eighth and fifteenth Chapters where this expression is more fully opened Onely Note First Vaine words are very burdensome to a serious eare much more to a sad heart Secondly It is good to end that quickly wee should not have begun Profitable words may be too long continued but unprofitable words cannot be too soon ended It is best not to speak vainely and it is next best to cease or give over such kinde of speaking quickly There is a time to be silent from good words as well as a time to speake them but there is no time to speake evill words all times in reference to them are times of silence An Aposioposis or sudden stop of speech is the most sutable figure of Rhetorick which they can use who speake unsutably As the end of what wee say or doe well is best so the ending of what wee say or doe amisse is best Perseverance in every good word and worke is Angelicall and the highest perfection of duty but perseverance in an evill whether word or worke is Diabolicall and the utmost departure from duty Let not thy mouth open to utter vanity but if it doth shut it quickly be not heard speaking that twice which should not be spoken once Or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest If thou wilt not make an end then tell me why Give me a reason what is it that stirrs thee to reply upon me What emboldeneth thee to answer The Hebrew word signifies first to strengthen to fortifie or confirme he that is strengthened is emboldened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est roborare fortificare acris esse It signifies also to be sharpe or bitter 1 Kings 2.8 David on his death-bed tels Solomon his Son and Successor in the Kingdome that Shimei had cursed him with a greivous curse that is with a strong bitter and provoking curse of which we read the Story 2 Sam. 16.5 This Quaere is rendered three wayes First as we What emboldeneth thee that thou answerest As if he had sayd I thought I should have silenced thee before this time or that thou wouldest have put silence upon thy selfe I wonder who or what it is that sets thee on to speake still doest thou thinke by thy renewed on sets to weary me and make me yeild at last Hast thou a hope to prevaile upon me by thy importunity when thou canst not by thy reason Or hast thou further strength of reason fresh arguments to produce in confirmation of thine opinion Are these but Fore-runners or thy Vauntguard Is the maine battell yet behinde Hast thou some Reserves of greater power then thou hast yet led up against me Let me see them if thou hast If not give over and hold thy peace for what shall eyther I or thou get by a further progresse What emboldeneth thee to answer Job speakes wonderingly his reason was at a losse about the cause of his Freinds boldnesse and therefore he admires it There are two things which may embolden a man to answer First The goodnesse and justice of that cause which he undertakes Secondly The strength and assistance of God to carry him through it Upon these grounds the youngest David may be bold to enter the Lists and dare the Combate with the strongest Goliah But there are two other things which usually embolden men to answer First Selfe-confidence Secondly Unwillingnesse to yeeld They who are thus emboldened will not give over answering though they have no further light of truth or reason to hold out in their answers Job surely had such apprehensions of his Freind Eliphaz which moved him to aske What emboldeneth thee that thou answerest Hence Note Such is the stifnesse and vanity of some that they will hold on a contention though they have no further grounds of truth or reason to continue it upon They will speake on though it be the same thing onely in a new dresse of words They have store of words though scarsity of matter we may justly say to such What emboldeneth you to answer It is more then boldnesse a kinde of impudence in such to answer pertinacy of spirit disdaines to lay
downe the Bucklers They who contend for victory rather then for truth will not be answered how much soever they are answered And they who are more loath be foyled then willing to bee rectified will hardly submit to the plainest and clearest evidence The second reading is What doth provoke thee to answer Quid exacer bu â—e ut respondeas Jun. or What imbitters thy spirit that thou answerest As if Job had said Surely Eliphaz my fayre discourse with thee should have stopped the course of this severe proceeding with me before this time thou hast loaded me with hard words and uncharitable jealousies but have I spoken provokingly or bitterly to thee My conscience tells me that I have not and thou knowest I have not He that impartially reads over Jobs answers to Eliphaz may finde here and there a sowre passage but as we say Proverbially You must give loosers leave to speake The wise Physitian heares his Patient giving him uncomely language yet will not heare it much lesse retort or answer so againe They who are in paine must be borne with though they provoke it must not be called a provocation and though they give offence yet it must not be taken When the Childe cryes the Nurse sings God himselfe beares with the manners of his people so the word intimates Acts 13.18 as a Mother doth with a froward Childe and so should we with the frowardnesse of our weake and afflicted Brethren So that in this sense the provocations which Job gave his Freinds were not to be reckoned as provocations and he might well say to Eliphaz What provoketh thee to answer If I in the case I am in have spoken passionately Wilt thou be provoked by it Thou shouldest not Thou oughtest to passe it by and cover it with the garment of charity Yet further we may take the words as a totall denyall of any provocation given on his part Whence Note Some will speake harshly to and of those who never provoked or gave them cause Water runs cleare till 't is troubled and stirr'd by some outward violence But the spirits of some men run muddy though nothing from without stirrs them The Prophet compares all wicked men to the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt Isa 57.20 The Sea is not alwayes troubled when the Windes are quiet that is quiet wee often see a smooth Sea as smooth as Glasse A wicked man is like the Sea when 't is enraged he is such a Sea as knows no calme he is like the Sea not onely when it is troubled but when it cannot rest Though no breath of Winde from abroad offend him yet he stormes He hath lusts in his owne bowels which provoke him when nothing else doth yea those lusts within provoke him when all without labour to pacifie him So David complaines Psal 120.5 7. Woe is mee that I sojourne in Mesech that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar that is With the Sons or descendants of Ishmael who have learned of their Father to mock and persecute I dwell in the Tents of Kedar But what caused them to mock and persecute Was it any provocation that David had given them No for he saith in the next words I am for peace I would live quietly with all my heart but when I speake they are for Warr. A motion for Peace becomes a provocation to Warr It is sinfull to speake rashly or harshly though we are provoked what is it then to speake so when we are not provoked They angred Moses at the waters of strife they provoked his spirit yet it went ill with Moses for their sakes when he spake unadvisedly with his lips Psal 106.32 33. But what was this unadvised speech Moses reports his owne infirmity Numb 20.10 11. And Moses and Aaron gathered the Congregation together before the rocke and he sayd unto them Heare now yee Rebels must we fetch you water out of this Rock And Moses lift up his hand and with his Rod he smote the Rock twice c. The errour of Moses in this businesse was twofold First That he did not onely smite the Rock but smite it twice with the Rod in his hand whereas he had order onely to take the Rod in his hand and speake to the Rock before their eyes and it should give out water Vers 8. His second errour was that he did not onely speake to the people for which in that transaction he had no order from God but spake bitterly and harshly to them calling them Rebels and slighting them Must we fetch water for you c What for you who are a murmuring and gainsaying people God knew the stubbornenesse of that people and their rebellions against him yet he did not call them Rebels but sayd in the close of the eighth Verse So shalt thou give the Congregation and their Beasts drinke God had more reason and power to call them Rebels then Moses had yet he did not And because Moses did that unadvised speech of his and the actions which attended it were called Rebellion at the twenty fourth Verse of the same Chapter Yee saith the Lord of Moses and Aaron rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah Now if Moses was thus reproved and censured by God himselfe for speaking passionately to a people who had provoked both God their Deliverer and him their Leader what reproofe doe they deserve who either upon none or very little provocation call their Brethren Hypocrites Hereticks Scismaticks Rebels perjured persons men of prostituted consciences or at least of unsettled and uncertaine Principles will not the Lord take notice of this bitternesse even in those who are his precious Servants towards their fellow-servants when he layd so heavy a penalty as non-admission into the promised Land upon a payre of the most eminent and faithfull Servants that ever he called forth to his work since he layd the foundations of the World This fals heavy upon the present age Whence is that bitternesse that Gall and Wormewood which fals from many both tongues and Pens every day What hath provoked them thus to speak and write I confesse there have been provocations and some doe but give Gall for Gall and Wormewood for Wormewood yet it cannot be denyed but that many speak and write bitterly when they have had no provocation yea most who speake bitterly have been treated gently and few who answer angerly will be able to give a good account what hath provoked them thus to answer and how much soever any man hath been provoked the Lord may justly make him smart for such smartnesse in answering It will not beare us out in acting or speaking besides the rule because others doe so Paul shewes us our duty in his owne practice 1 Cor. 4.12 13. Being reviled we blesse bâ—ing defamed we entreat Wee must not defame them that defame us we must not revile our revilers Then woe to those who revile such as blesse them and defame such as entreat
them O what provoketh such to such wayes of answering There is yet a third reading of this clause which I will but touch Quid tibi molestum est si loquaris Vulg. When shall vaine words have an end But what trouble is it to thee if thou speakest Or Is it any trouble to thee if thou speakest As if he had sayd I cannot much wonder though thou doest not end these vaine ruffling discourses for I am perswaded they are no great trouble to thee how much soever they are to others such words cost thee little study thou needest not beat thy braines or byte thy nayles for such matter as this That which comes next and lyes uppermost is all that some men have to say when they have sayd all They that speake most to the paine of others take least paines themselves We say Good words are cheape it costs little to speake fayre but ill words are cheaper Foule language costs little in the preparation though it may prove costly enough in the event There is a profitable sense in this translation though I will not give it for the meaning of the Text. It is our duty to consider before we speake as well as before we act and to put our selves to some trouble in preparing what we have to say before we give others the trouble of hearing it When God cals us to speake either in our owne defence or for the edification of others on a sudden we may expect according to the promise Matth. 10.19 That it shall be given us in that houre what we shall speake If the providence of God straiten us the spirit of God will enlarge us that promise will helpe us when wee have no time to prepare our selves but it will not if wee neglect the time in which vve should prepare our selves For when Christ saith in that place Take no thought how or what yee shall speake we must expound it like that Matth. 6.25 Take no thought for your life what yee shall eate or what yee shall drinke Which is not a prohibition of all thought about those things but onely of those thoughts which are distracting and distrustfull Job having reproved his Freinds these three wayes for the manner of their dealing with him Now reproves them by a serious profession of his better dealing with them in case as we commonly say The Tables were turned they comming in his place and he in theirs This he doth in the two Verses following Vers 4. I also could speake as yee doe if your soule were in my soules stead I could heap up words against you and shake mine head at you 5. But I would strengthen you with my mouth and the moving of my lips should asswage your griefe Job in this context tels his Freinds two things First What he could doe And secondly What he would doe The former of these is layd downe expressely in the fourth Verse Vers 4. I also could speak as you doe if your soule were in my soules stead c. The Soule is here put as often elsewhere in Scripture for the vvhole man then his meaning is and so Master Broughton translates If you were in my place or in my condition If God should transcribe my vvounds and sorrows upon your backs and consciences or if my greife dwelt in your bowels I could speake as you doe c. The sufferings of the soule hold out the sufferings of the vvhole man upon a twofold consideration First Because the soule is the principall part of man When that vvhich is cheife suffers all may be sayd to suffer Secondly Because afflictions vvhich lye upon the soule are most afflictive The sensitive power of the body is called the soule and vve are most sensible of those afflictions vvhich fall immediately upon the rationall soule That man forgets the sorrowes of his body whose soule is sorrowfull The more inward any suffering is the more greivous it is I also could speake as you doe if your soule were in my soules stead c. Some read the vvords Interrogatively Could I speake as you doe If your soule were in my soules stead could I heap up words against you and shake my head at you Master Broughton gives that sense fully Would I speake as you if you were in my place would I compose bare words against you and nod upon you with my head The meaning is Negative If you were in my soules stead I could doe none of these things Could I doe them No as we say I could as soone eate my owne flesh as doe them If I were at ease and you in paine could I deale thus with you I would dye rather then deale so with you This reading is good and hath a greater emphasis in it then our bare affirmative reading though the sense and scope of both be the same If your soule were in my soules stead Some read this Optatively or as a wish O that your soule were in my soules stead and then the latter vvords are taken as a promise or profession of offices of love First I would heap up words for you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concinnare apte disponere The Hebrew word vvhich vve translate to heap signifies properly to prepare and fit a thing to fashion and put it into a good frame it is not a rude inartificiall heaping of things together vvithout forme or fashion as the first Chaos was but a beautifull elegant digestion or composure of them in the exactest forme and fashion like that of the severall peices of the World conjoyned in that vvorke of the six dayes creation As if he had sayd O that your soule were a while in my soules stead see how I would use you how I would deale with you truely all the hurt I would doe to you should be this I would prepare the softest and the sweetest words I could with all my skill and rhetorick to ease your sorrows I would speake musicke to your eares and joy to your hearts I would study and compose a speech on purpose to revive and raise your drooping desponding spirits So also the second branch may be interpreted And shake mine head at you or over you For to shake the head notes pitty and compassion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et movissem super vos caput condolenter Chrysost to shake the head is the posture of those vvho mourne vvith or for their Freinds Hence the word is translated to bemoane Nah. 3.7 Who will bemoane him Chap. 42.11 Jobs Freinds came to bemoane him 't is this vvord They came to shake their heads over him because of all the evill which the Lord had brought upon him One of the Ancients makes this exposition the Text I would have shaken my head over you bemoaningly or with compassion The same vvord may vvell signifie to shake the head and to pity seeing they who pity others use to shake their heads over them and say Ah my Freind or Ah my Brother So then if vve read
the vvords as a wish O that your soules were in my soules stead yet Job did not wish it for their hurt but that he might have an opportunity to shew how much hee would labour to bee their Servant in Love to doe them good Hence Note A good man doth not wish ill to those who have rewarded him with evill upon any other termes then a discovery of his owne goodnesse 'T is sin to wish that they who are in a comfortable condition might fall into our misery though they have been miserable comforters to us in our misery We may not in this case wish paine or sorrow to any sort of men except upon one of these two considerations First That vve may give them an experiment of our tendernesse towards them in doing them all the good vve can in their affliction Or secondly That God may give an experiment of his graciousnesse towards them in doing them good by their afflictions The Prophet Isaiah Chap. 14.10 foreshewes how they vvho had been vveakened by the power of Babylon should insult over vveakned Babylon All they shall speake and say unto thee Art thou also become weake as we Art thou become like unto us The people of God shall at last rejoyce in reference to the glory of God and publick good to see their destroyers destroyed and those weake who have weakned them But the people of God in reference to any private or personall interest cannot rejoyce at the destruction or in the weaknesse of any man much lesse can they wish them weake that they might have an opportunity to rejoyce over them Paul was a Prisoner and in bonds yet he did not wish the worst of his Enemies in Prison or in Bonds with him he onely wisht that they might enjoy the same liberty by Jesus Christ which himselfe enjoyed For when he had almost perswaded King Agrippa to become a Christian he sayd I would to God that not thou onely but also all that heare me this day were both almost and altogether such as I am except these bonds Acts 26.28 29. I would keep my chaines and troubles to my selfe I would have none of you know my sorrows but I would that all your soules were in as good a state as mine and knew my comforts A holy heart wisheth all well as well as it selfe and if at any time he wisheth that to the worst of his enemies which is penally evill he doth it with an eye both to their spirituall and eternall good Thus of the words as they are read in the forme of a wish We read them as a Supposition If your soules were in my soules stead And then the two latter branches must be interpreted as acts of unfreindlinesse shewing what Job could but would not doe as was toucht before I could heap up words against you That is I could make long speeches and enlarge my selfe in discourse I could speake terrour and thunder out whole volleys of threats against you I could deafe your eares with loud voyces and sad your hearts with heavy censures There is a figure in Rhetorick called Congeries or The Heape Many words to the same sense especially when there is little in them but words are called justly a heape of words Now saith Job Quassare caput apud authores Latinos gestus est hominis irati aut minantis aut lamentantis Drus .. Ridentes caput motitant Drus I could be as nimble at this figure as you and with my speech I could mix your action Shake my head at you Shaking the head notes scorne and threatning Psal 22.7 All they that seeme laugh me to scorne they shoot out the lip and shake the head saying He trusted on the Lord c. So the afflicted Church complaines Psal 44.14 Thou makest us a by-word among the Heathen a shaking of the head among the people We have this action joyned with two more which signifie the greatest contempt by lamenting Jeremiah Lam. 2.15 All that passe by clap their hands at thee they hisse and wag their head at the Daughter of Jerusalem saying Is this the City that men call the perfection of beauty the joy of the whole Earth Our blessed Saviour upon whom contempt and scorne was to vent it selfe all manner of wayes hee being to beare all that scorne as well as all that paine which was due to our sins our blessed Saviour I say was scorned this way Matth 27.39 And they that passed by reviled him wagging their heads So then to shake or wagg the head at a man in affliction speakes as sometimes our pity so most times our contempt and as it is usually accompanyed with audible mockings so it selfe is a visible mock Which being interpreted speakes thus to the person afflicted Thou evill-doer or thou hypocrite thou doest even well become thy sufferings all these miseries are well bestowed on thee c. In this sense Job seemes to speake here I could shake my head at you I have indeed been as one mocked of his Freind Chap. 12.4 and I could mock my Freinds I could laugh at your calamity and mocke when your feare commeth but my conscience beares witnesse with me that if it should come I would not Hence Note First A godly man hath a power to doe that evill which he hath no will to doe A carnall man hath a will to many evills for which hee hath no power or opportunity A godly man would not doe any evill how much power and opportunity soever he hath And indeed though he hath a naturall or civill yet hee hath not a morall power to doe any evill In which sense the Apostle speakes of a regenerate person 1 John 3.9 He that is borne of God cannot sin He hath a naturall power to sin any sin to lye to be drunk to be uncleane c. He may have a civill power to oppresse to deceive to wrong his Brother yet he cannot turne either his hand or his heart to such works as these are he hath learned better and is better He is borne of God his blood and pedigree is so high that hee cannot meddle nor trade in such low things Wisedome is too high for a foole saith Solomon Prov. 24.7 and folly is too low for a wisedome When Joseph was solicited by his Mistresse to commit folly with her he answers How can I doe this great wickednesse and sin against God Gen. 39.9 Joseph wanted neyther power nor opportunity to doe that wickednesse yet he saith How can I doe it Paul and his fellow-Apostles had wit and parts sufficient to oppose the truth yet he saith 2 Cor. 13.8 We can doe nothing against the truth but for the truth Paul was a great doer and he saith Phil. 4.13 I can doe all things through Christ strengthening of me but Paul could doe nothing to the dishonour of Christ Doubtlesse Paul could have maintained an argument and drive on an objection as farr as another man against the truth if he would have set himselfe to
turne it into joy And this is more considerable in reference to the persons with whom Job had to doe they had given him very hard measure yet he would not requite them with hard measure he would measure that to them which was good and hee would give them good measure It is the common rule of humanity to doe good to those who doe us good it is more then beastly even devillish cruelty to hurt those that doe us good it is the height of Christianity to doe good to those who have been a hinderance to us and to comfort those who have caused our sorrow The Apostolicall rule is Recompence to no man evill for evill Rom. 12.17 And againe v. 19. Dearely beloved avenge not your selves but rather give place unto wrath The Apostle doth not meane that we should give place to our owne wrath if we doe so wee give place to the Devill as the same Apostle intimates Ephes 4.26 27. Our owne wrath must be stopt and resisted quenched and put out Then what or whose wrath is it that we are commanded to give place unto This wrath may be taken two wayes First For the wrath of that man who is our enemy we must give place to his wrath not by approving him or his wrath but by not answering him with wrath If when another storms we are calme if when he rages we shew all gentlenesse and meeknesse both of speech and spirit then we give place to his wrath that is We make it roome to passe away and evaporate Solomons Proverb is the summe of this Exposition Pro. 15.1 A soft answer turneth away wrath but greivous words stirr up anger Secondly When Paul adviseth us not to avenge our selves but rather to give place to wrath we may understand it of the wrath of God and the very next words which the Apostle alleadgeth from Deut. 32.35 carry the sense clearely this way For it is written vengeance is mine I will repay faith the Lord As if the Apostle had sayd if you take upon you to avenge your selves you take Gods work out of his hand it belongs to God as much to take revenge as it doth to give reward And therefore as a man who having done good is over carefull and anxious how to get his reward takes rewarding worke out of Gods hand and shall have no more reward then he can get himselfe as Christ tels the Pharisees in that case Matth. 6.2 Verily I say unto you yee have your reward And all that a man can get himselfe is not worth the having So the man who having suffered wrong goes about to revenge himselfe takes revenging worke out of Gods hand and shall be righted no further then hee can right himselfe which is but little if any thing at all whereas if he would give place to the wrath of God that is Let God alone by such wayes as his Justice shall raise up to right him against his adversary he would right him fully So that our Interest doth not lye in returning evill for evill but in returning good for evill to our enemies as Saint Paul concludes Rom. 13.20 Therefore if thine Enemy hunger feed him of he thirst give him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heape cooles of fire on his head That is thou shalt eyther melt and mollifie his spirit towards thee as hardest mettals are by coales of fire some such melting we may see in Saul towards David when he forbore to take vengeance on him 1 Sam. 24.16 Chap. 26.21 or thou shalt heape coales of divine vengeance upon him by making his malice and hatred against thee more inexcusable Which latter though it may be looked upon as a consequent of our doing good to our Enemies yet we must take heed of making it the end why we doe so for that were to seeke revenge while we forbeare it and to doe good for that end were to be overcome of evill which the Apostle forbids in the close of that Chapter Job in this Text was farr from professing aâ— readinesse to asswage the griefe of his unkinde or enemy-like Freinds upon hope that God would encrease their sorrow Secondly Observe Words duly spoken and applyed are of great power How forcible are right words Is Jobs question Chap. 6.25 He doth not there answer his question nor tell us how forcible they are but here he doth They are of such force that they strengthen weak soules and asswage the most swelling floods of sorrow God at first gave being and motion to all creatures with the moving of his lips He by the moving of his lips hath ever since ordered all their motions The word of man produceth great effects the tongue sets all hands on worke and what almost cannot the tongue of man doe The tongue is a little member saith the Apostle James Chap. 3.5 â—ond boasteth great things Now as the tongues of vaine men boast great things which they cannot doe so the tongues of wise men can really doe great things Vaine men as we say will take thirteene to the duzzen but cannot performe one Wise men though they speake not much yet they can performe much with a word speaking And though as the same Apostle declaimes most holily against the tongue of a wicked man Vers 8. that his tongue is such an unruly evill that no man can tame it yet there have scarse ever been found any men so unruly but the tongues of wise and godly men have tamed them yea the tongue of a vvise man is to an unruly man and often to a multitude of unruly men as a bit in a Horses mouth or as a Rudder to a Ship turning him or them about which way soever he listeth as this Apostle teacheth us by these similitudes Vers 3.4 the tongue of every man is to and doth to himselfe vvhether it be good or evill And as the tonge is thus powerfull in civillizing the â—ude and in appeasing the humours of those who are most ' outragious so it is very powerfull in supporting those that are ready to sinke and in asswaging the griefe of those who are most disconsolate and sorrowfull Lastly Whereas Job speakes peremptorily as if he saw the effect or were assured of it aforehand I would strengthen you with my mouth and the moving of my lips should asswage your greife Job knew that the successe of all his counsells depended upon the concurrence and blessing of God yet thus he speakes Hence Note A man may say he hath done that for the doing of which he hath used suitable and faithfull endeavours whether the thing be done or no The Lord saith to Jerusalem by the Prophet Ezekiel Chap. 24.13 Because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged Now as God takes it upon him that he had purged them though they vvere not purged because he gave them so many meanes and helpes for their purging so any man in his proportion may take it upon him that he hath strengthned their faith abated their griefe
yea and saved their soules among and towards vvhom hee hath diligently used those meanes appointed by God for the attaining of those great and noble ends though possibly those ends be not attained God himselfe reckons thus of all the labours of his faithfull servants they shall be rewarded as having done that vvhich they have been doing vvith their hearts hands and tongues though they see little fruit of eyther Then I sayd I have laboured in vaine Isa 49.4 but though it vvas in vaine to those for whom he laboured that is they got no good by it yet it was not in vain to him who laboured he got much good by it as it follows in the same Verse Surely my judgement is with the Lord and my worke or my reward one vvord signifies both reward and vvorke to shew that these can never be seperated my worke saith hee is with my God and Vers 5. Though Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and my God shall be my strength As vve are not to judge of the goodnesse of any cause by the successe but by the justice of it so neither doth God adjudge the reward of any vvorke by the successe but by the goodnesse of it together with the sweat and sincerity of him that doth it As the will of a godly man is accepted for the deed so his deed is accepted for the successe JOB CHAP. 16. Vers 6 7 8 9 10 11. Though I speak my griefe is not asswaged and though I forbeare what am I eased But now he hath made mee weary thou hast made desolate all my company And thou hast filled me with wrinkles which is a witnesse against me and my leanenesse rising up in me beareth witnesse to my face He teareth me in his wrath who hateth me he gnasheth upon me with his teeth mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me They have gaped upon me with their mouth they have smitten mee upon the cheek reproachfully they have gathered them selves together against me God hath delivered me to the ungodly and turned me over to the hands of the wicked IN the five former Verses of this Chapter Job reproved the personall faylings of his Freinds towards him hee now enters upon the confutation of their opinion This is the constant method both of Job and his Freinds they never come to the matter till they have fallen upon the man nor touch the opinion till they have dealt with the person And this is the tenour of most mens spirits to this day in disputes and controversies and some doe not onely deale with the man before the matter but lose the matter in dealing with the man entangling and engaging themselves so much in personall quarrels that they forget or desert the doctrinall quarrell Job and his Freinds though they were too mindfull of the former yet they did not forget the latter and here Job addresses himselfe unto it Yet before he enters upon the state of the question he sets forth his owne state and shews how it was with him granting which Eliphaz had made the ground of his accusation that he was in an extreamely afflicted condition yet denying what he from thence inferred that he was therefore wicked or continued knowingly in any sinfull course He describes his afflictions with much variety of Argument and Elocution to the seventeenth Verse First Aggravating them by their unmoveablenesse or remedilesnesse His sorrows were stubborne and such as would not yeeld to any kinde of remedy Vers 6. Though I speake my griefe is not asswaged and though I forbeare what am I eased In the former Verse Job speakes in a high straine of assurance that if his Freinds were afflicted The moving of his lips should asswage their griefe But it seemes his owne experience had taught him that the moving of his lips could not asswage his owne greife Though I speake saith he here my griefe is not asswaged Hence Observe A man may doe that for others which he cannot doe for himselfe He may comfort others in their sorrows when hee cannot comfort himselfe he may resolve others in their doubts when he cannot resolve himselfe hee may answer to cases which their consciences put him when he cannot answer his owne yea 't is possible for a man to speak such words to another as may turne him from his sin and save his soule and yet himselfe continue in sin and lose his owne soule for ever Naturalists have a rule concerning the senses That when a sensible object is brought too neere or layd upon the sense it not onely hinders but takes away the present sensation This holds a proportion in rationall actings the neerer any one is to us in relation the harder it is to fixe counsell upon him and because wee are neerest to our selves therefore it is hardest of all to counsell our selves Our Saviour Christ prevents what he foresaw some ready to object against him Luke 4.23 Yee will surely say unto me this Proverbe Physitian heale thy selfe The Proverbe in its Originall is I conceive to be understood personally but as Christ suggests it there it is to be understood Nationally or Provincially Heale thy selfe is heale thy owne Countrey exercise thy power of working miracles there as well as thou hast done it in other places that this is the meaning of it appeares plainely by the next words Whatsoever we have heard done in Canaan doe also in thine owne Countrey For Christ as yet had wrought no mighty workes of healing there Mark 6.5 But why was Christ so slow in manifesting himselfe to his owne Countreymen Hee gives the reason Vers 24. And he sayd Verily I say unto you no Prophet is accepted in his owne Countrey The Gospel of Mark Chap. 6.4 adds two closer relations His owne Kin and his owne House They in a mans house are neerer to him then his kindred abroad and his kindred are neerer to him then his Countrey-men now among these a Prophet hath no honour They know him so much that they doe not respect him or his sayings The Jewes sayd Is not this the Carpenter the Son of Mary the Brother of James c. Christ being thus neere to them had little honour among them Now for as much as a man is neerer to himselfe not onely then his Countrey-men but then any of his Kin therefore his owne counsels and comforts have ordinarily so little effect upon himselfe he is not accepted in his owne breast There are some indeed so gracious or great in their owne eyes that they vvill aske counsell of none but themselves nor follow any advise but their owne but usually man seeks out as being neither able to satisfie his owne doubts nor abate his owne sorrowes though possibly more able for both then he to whom he seekes Though I speake my griefe is not asswaged and though I forbeare what am I eased Some conceive Job speaking here like an Orator who seems to stand in doubt vvhat to doe
addresses for comfort to any but God or in the way of God The Septuagint translate yet higher Sept. Exponunt de defectu rationis q. d. vix prae dolore sum mei compos Thou hast made me mad or besides my selfe The Hebrew word signifies to distract or to put one out of his wits As if Job had sayd I am scarse my owne man being over-burdened with those sorrowes God hath layd upon me Hence Observe First A state of affliction is a wearisome estate A man may be vvearyed who never stirrs foot from the place where he stands or sits O the vvearinesse of a sick bed Suffering vvearies more then doing and none are so vveary as they who are vvearied with doing nothing Observe Secondly Some afflictions are a wearinesse both to soule and body There are afflictions which strike quite through and there are afflictions which are onely skin-deep As there is a filthinesse of the flesh and a filthinesse of the spirit properly so called for though every sin of the flesh or outward man defile the spirit yet there are many filthinesses of the spirit which are never acted by the flesh or outward man Thus the Apostle distinguisheth 2 Cor. 7.1 There are also some filthinesses which strike quite through flesh and spirit body and soule Thus there are some afflictions which are meerly upon the flesh there are other afflictions vvhich are purely upon the spirit the skin is whole the body is in health but the soule is vvounded an Arrow sticks vvithin And there are a sort of afflictions vvhich strike quite through body and soule as old Simeon tells the Virgin Mary a Sword shall peirce through thy soule Luke 2.35 or as the Psalmist speakes of Joseph Psal 105.18 according to the letter of the Hebrew Whose feet they hurt with fetters his soule came into Iron or the iron entred into his soule Such afflictions are like the Roll spoken of by the Prophet Ezekiel Chap. 2. Written with lamentations mourning and woe within and without Some woes are vvritten onely vvithout some vvoes are writen onely vvithin others are written without and within Their Characters are legible upon the flesh and their effects descend and sinke into the spirit Jobs afflictions were of this extension he was smitten all over and vvritten quite through with woes and lamentations Thirdly As the word reacheth the distemper of the braine Observe Some afflictions doe not onely afflict but unsettle the minde They unsettle not onely the comforts but the powers and faculties of it a man under some afflictions can scarse speak sense vvhile he acts faith or doe rationally while hee lives graciously A soule that hath grace yea much grace may appeare much scanted in the use of reason As oppression from men makes a wise man madd Eccles 7.7 And the more wise a man is the more madd it makes him Fooles can beare oppression and not be troubled much because they doe not understand vvhat justice and right meanes and that 's the reason why in those parts of the World vvhere Tyrants reigne they love to keep the people ignorant poore and low for such are not much sensible of their oppressions but oppression is very grievous to an ingenious vvise and understanding man and therefore 't is sayd to make him madd The purest intellectualls have the quickest sense of injuries Thus also some afflictions from the hand of God may in a degree make a godly wise man madd and put him for a present plunge beyond the command of his understanding It is the confession of holy David Psal 73.22 I was even as a beast beefore thee so foolish was I and ignorant If David a godly man acted below reason when he saw the prosperity of the wicked how much more may a godly man act below reason under the feelings of his owne adversity Heman is expresse in this Psal 88.15 While I suffer thy terrours I am distracted Yet the word in the Psalme doth not signifie properly the distraction of a man that is madd but the distraction of a man that is in doubt or the distraction of a man who knowes not what to doe not of a man who knows not what he doth yet that distraction doth often lead to a degree of this for a man who is much troubled to know what to doe and cannot know it grows at last to doe he knows not what We may also take in that about distraction arising from affliction which was toucht about distraction caused by oppression Those Christians who are highest in spirituals and have the quickest sense of Gods dispensations towards them doe soonest fall into it whereas a soule upright in the maine yet being of weake and low parts and of small experience in the things of God will goe yea groane under a heavy burden of affliction all his dayes and not be much moved with it Fourthly Observe A godly man may grow extreame weary of his afflictions Affliction is the burthen which God layes upon us and it is our duty not onely to beare it but to beare it with contentednesse yea we should labour to beare it with joyfulnesse My brethren saith the Apostle James Chap. 1. Account it all joy when yee fall into diverse temptations that is Into diverse afflictions But yet the best cannot alwayes rejoyce in temptations nor tryumph under a crosse when affliction according to that description of the word Heb 4.12 comes quick and powerfull as a two edged Sword and peirceth to divide betweene the soule and the spirit the joynts and the marrow when affliction I say cuts to the quick a Beleever is put hard to it he may be so farr for a time from tryumphing and rejoycing that he can scarsely finde himselfe contented or patient his burden may cause him to cry out O the wearinesse Carnall men cry out at every burden of duty in the service of God O what a wearinesse is it They are tyred with an houres attendance in holy things O the burthen Much more doe they cry out under the lighter burdens of affliction How tedious is a day or an houre of affliction two or three fits of an ague an aking tooth a soare finger O what a wearinesse is this They sinke presently True Beleevers as they have more patience in doing so in suffering yet even their patience doth not alwayes hold out they as Job speak sometimes mournfully and complainingly But now he hath made us weary Thou hast made desolate all my company Quod loquitur nunc in secunda nunc in tertia persona nihil in sententia mâ—tat id quod admodum frequens est in Scriptura Pined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vastari seu desolari ita ut videntes obstupescant horreant It was Hee in the first clause Thou in the second hee and thou are the same person in Jobs Grammar as was toucht before Thou hast made desolate The word Shamam signifies to waste and destroy and that not by an ordinary destruction
enjoy more fully the presence of God Yet God himselfe sayd at the first when man was created It is not good for man to be alone There was no morall evill in that alonenesse for when God spake this word there was no such evill in the visible World but God called it evill because it was so inconvenient for the civill well-being and inconsistent with the naturall propagation of man And therefore as in reference to both these evils God sayd with his own mouth It is not good for man to be alone so in reference to the former of the two God sayd by Solomon Two is better then one and woe to him that is alone Eccles 4.9 10. Job puts his alonenesse among his woes Thou hast made desolate all my company But it may be said Had Job no company Were not his Freinds about him Did not these three come to mourn with him and to comfort him And had they not been in discourse with him all this while Yes he had company but it was not suitable company he had evill ones about him as he complaines Chap. 19. and Chap. 30. and though his three Freinds were good men yet to him they were no good company because so unpleasant in their converse with him Hence Note Some company is a burthen We say of many men Wee had rather have their roome then their company Man loves company but 't is the company of those he loves The comfort of our lives depends much upon society but more upon the suitablenesse of society It is better to dwell in the corner of a house top then with a brawling Woman in a wide house Prov. 21.9 And it is better to be in a Desert among wilde Beasts then in a populous City among beastly men This made the Prophet desire a lodging in the Wildernesse Jer. 9.2 The Countrey about Sodome was pleasant like the Garden of God yet how was the righteous soule of Lot vexed with the filthy and unrighteous conversation of the Sodomites How uneasie are our lives made to us by dwelling among either false Freinds or open Enemies In the Creation when God said It is not good for man to be alone he subjoynes Let us make him a helpe meet for him Adam had all the beasts of the earth about him but they were no company for him man knowes not how to converse with beasts or employ his reason with those that have none As it is not good for man to be alone so to be in company that is not meet for him is as bad or worse then to be alone Therefore saith God Let us make him a helpe meet for him the making of a Woman brought in meet company for mankinde yet some men are as unmeet company for men as beasts are and are therefore in Scripture called Beasts Paul fought with such beasts at Ephesus there are few places free of them and many places are full of them David cryes out Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell in Mesech c. There was company enough but it was wofull company The Primitive Saints associated themselves they continued in fellowship one with another as well as in the Apostles Doctrine or in breaking of bread and prayer Acts 2.42 They were all of one minde and were therefore fâ—t to make one body The communion and fellowship of the Saints is the lower heaven of Saints And the making of such a company desolate is the saddest desolation that can be made on earth Communion of Saints in Heaven is one great accession to the joy of Heaven And 't is a great comfort to the Saints in the midst of all the ill neighbourhood which they meet with here to remember that they shall meet with no ill neighboures there none but Freinds there none but loving Freinds There shall not be a crosse thought much lesse a crosse word or action among those many millions of glorified Saints for ever nor shall there be any among them there but Saints no tares in that feild nor chaffe in that floore no Goates in that Fold no nor any Wolves in Sheep-skins no prophane ones there no nor any Hypocrites there Uunsutable company would render our lives miserable in Heaven it self If God should say to the godly and the wicked as David once did to Mephibosheth and Ziba Thou and Ziba divide the Land divide Heaven among you might they not answer with reverence as Mephibosheth did to David Nay let them take it all to themselves O our soules come not into their secret and unto their assembly let not our honour be joyned if Swearers Adulterers Lyers should be our company in Heaven Heaven it selfe were unheaven'd and everlasting life would bee an everlasting death And that which further argues the burdensomness of unsutable company is that even wicked men themselves cannot but confess that they are burdned with the company of those who are good if such come in presence where they associate in any sinfull converse how weary are they of their company How do they even sweat at the sight of them And how glad are they when such turne their backs and are gone the onely reason why they like them not is because they are not like them and they are not good company because they are good All company is made desolate to us which is not made suitable to us Job had many about him yet he complaines Thou hast made desolate all my company Job goes on yet to describe his troubles he wanted desireable company about him but he had store of witnesses against him he was emptyed of his comforts but filled with sorrowes as might be seen in the symptomes and effects of sorrow Vers 8. Thou hast filled me with wrinckles which is a witnesse against me and my leannesse rising up in me beareth witnesse to my face As if he had sayd Though I hold my peace and say nothing Si vellem caelare aut verbis extenuare dolorem meum rugae meae testimonium daub c. though I doe not aggravate my griefe yea though I should extenuate and hide it yet there are witnesses enow of it my wrinkles speake my griefe and my leannesse shewes that I am feasted with the sowre hearbes of sorrow That 's the generall sense of this Verse Thou hast filled me with wrinkles It is but one word in the Hebrew we might render it Thou hast wrinkled me or as Master Broughton Thou hast made me all wrinkled The word is not found in this sense any where else in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rugas contraxit active corrugavit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corrugastime Non alibi quam in hoc libro in scriptura reperitur Quod succidisti me testimonio est Merc. but very frequently among the Rabbins There are also two other significations of it which Interpreters have taken in here First It signifies To cut off or to cut downe Chap. 22.15 16. Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have troden
Which were cut downe out of time That old way was the way of sin the way of holinesse is the oldest way but the way of sin is a very old way They who have trod the way of sin were cut downe by judgement and they were cut downe out of time that is the course of divine Justice prevented the course of nature and struck them to death before death useth to strike So some render it here and then the sense riseth thus Thou hast cut me downe by the stroke of these afflictions and this is a witnesse against me In significatione Chaldaica exponitur pro ligare constringere Secondly The word according to the Chaldee signifies to binde and fasten one with Cords or with fetters of Iron as Malefactors are bound in Prison Prov. 5.22 His owne iniquity shall take the wicked and he shall be holden with the Coards of his sin The Hebrew word which we render to hold or fasten is expressed by this of Job in the Chaldee Paraphrase Taking this sense of the word the interpretation given of the whole is Thou hast bound or straitened mee with the cords of my affliction Quod his dolorum vinculis constrictum me tenes ne qua elabi queam testimonium fecit in me Merc. lest I should get out or make an escape and this is a witnesse against me There is a truth in both these readings as to this place but because wrinkles are more proper to the leannesse which followes therefore I shall not stay upon them but keep to our owne reading Thou hast filled me with wrinkles Wrinckles are caused two wayes First Through old age for then the moysture of the body being consumed and so the skin contracted wrinckles appeare These naturall wrinckles cannot be avoyded if nature hold out to old age Secondly There are accidentall wrinckles such as are caused by strong diseases which sucking up or drawing out the moysture of the body fade the beauty of it Great sicknesses hasten on gray hayres and make a young man looke old Job was not filled with the wrinckles of old age hee was in the strength of nature at that time but he was filled with the wrinckles of sicknesse and sorrow griefe had made furrows in his face and his teares had often filled them we commonly say Sorrow is dry 't is so because it is a dryer Solomon tels us that A merry heart doth good like a medicine but a broken spirit which is the effect of much sorrow dryeth up the bones Prov. 17.22 The Church cryes out in the Book of Lamentations My flesh and my skin he hath made old Lam. 3.4 How did God make them old He made them old not by giving them many yeares but by giving them many troubles Many troubles in one yeare will make a man older then many yeares We have heard of some whose hearts being filled with vexing cares have filled their heads with gray hayres in a very short time As some have an Art to ripen Fruits before nature ripens them so the Lord hath a power to hasten old age before nature makes us old Thou hast made my skin old that is full of wrinckles and leannesse these are the liveries which old age gives The Apostle assures us that Christ shall one day present the Church to himselfe in the perfection of spirituall beauty and glory that beauty and glory is described by the removall of that from her spirituall estate which Job complaines of in his temporall estate Job was full of spots and wrinkles but shee shall appeare Not having spot or wrinckle Ephes 5.27 that is Without any note or marke of old age upon her A spot defaceth the beauty of a Garment and wrinckles spoyle the beauty of the face An old Garment is full of spots and an old face is full of wrinkles Old things passe away when we are made new creatures by grace yet in that state because we are not perfectly freed from the old man our garments have some spots and our faces some wrinkles upon them But in the state of glory when all old things even all the image of the old Adam shall be totally abolished we shall not have so much as one spot or one wrinkle Beleevers have now a righteousnesse in Christ without spot or wrinkle or any such thing they shall then have a holinesse in themselves without spot or wrinkle or any such thing that is They shall not onely not have any spot or wrinkle upon them but they shall have nothing like it nothing which hath any relation to it nothing which either themselves or others shall mistake for it they shall neither suspect nor be suspected to have a spot or a wrinkle about them A perfect soule-state and a perfect state of body hath no wrinkle in it Job to shew the decayes and blemishes of his body saith hee was full of wrinkles Againe These wrinkles by an elegant metaphor may referr to his whole outward condition For as a mans face is wrinkled when he growes old so are his riches when he growes poore and so is his honour when he growes out of repute Poverty is the wrinkle of riches and disgrace is the wrinkle of honour we may take in all three here for not onely was Jobs body but his wealth and honour were extreamely wrinkled and therefore he had great cause to cry out according to all the the interpretations Thou hast filled me with wrinkles Which witnesse against me I shall give the meaning of that when I have opened the latter clause where it is repeated My leannesse rising up in me beareth witnesse to my face both parts of the Verse have the same meaning My leannesse rising up in me Some thinke that Job answers vvhat Eliphaz had given as part of the description of a vvicked man in the fulnesse of his prosperity Chap. 15.27 where he tells us that Hee covereth his face with fatnesse and maketh collops of fat on his flanks as if he had said Freind Eliphaz thou hast told me that wicked men are fat and full if so what are they who are leane and meagre canst thou according to thy owne rule read wickednesse in my physiognomie My leannesse riseth up in me canst thou raise an argument from that against me My leannesse Jobs body was leane his Purse and Name were leane his leannesse and his wrinkles were of the same extent both reaching all his worldly concernments The Lord threatens Idolaters Zeph. 2.11 that he will famish or make leane so we put in the Margin all their Gods Jehovah the true God who saith to man Psal 50.12 If I were hungry I would not tell thee tels these false Gods that hee will make them hungry But what was the meat of these Gods It was the honour and credit the worship and service which they had among men Indeed they who deny the true God his due honour and worship doe what they can to famish or make him leane and when the true
Observe which is the naturall theologie of the Text. Wrinkles and leannesse in youth or strength of age are an argument of extraordinary sorrow Thirdly Take the words according to the sense of Jobs freinds which Job also hints as meeting with their objection They witnesse against me that is You use them you bring them as witnesses against me Then Note Great afflictions are looked on as proofes or witnesses of great sins We no sooner heare of or see a man under great afflictions but our first thought is surely he hath committed some great sin This is almost every mans suspicion but it is an ill grounded suspicion This point was spoken to Chap. 10.17 where Job tels the Lord Thou hast renewed thy witnesses against me c. There 't was shewed how afflictions are brought in by God and man as a vvitnesse and this was the greatest evidence and upon the matter all the evidence which the Freinds of Job brought against him his wrinkles and his leannesse I shall here onely add this caution Take heed of passing judgement upon the evidence of such vvitnesses as these wrinkles and leannesse for though every vvrinkle vvitnesse that a man is a sinner were it not for sin we should have remained ever in our body and outward condition as Beleevers shall be restored by Christ without a wrinkle yet they are not vvitnesses that a man is wicked I may say two things of these vvitnesses First They are alwayes doubtfull witnesses Secondly For the most part they are false witnesses It is a very questionable and uncertaine evidence which afflictions give against us For no man knowes love or hatred by all that is before him We can but guesse at the best by vvhat they say Rugae meae testimonium dicunt contra me suscitatur falsiloquus adversus faciem meam contradicens mihi Vulg. But usually they beare false witnesse against the innocent so they did against Job they witnessed that of him to his Freinds which was not right Therefore the Vulgar translates the latter branch though not well to the letter of the Originall yet well as to the sense A falâ—e witnesse is risen up against my face contradicting me that is Opposing or weakning all that I have said concerning my owne innocence Yea if we make affliction a witnesse we may rather make it a witnesse of sincerity and of grace a marke of adoption and sonship a mark of divine Favour and Fatherly love then of mans wickednesse or of Gods rejection and disfavour The word is cleere and expresse for this Heb. 12.6 7 8. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth c. But if yee be without chastisement whereof all are partakers then are yee Bastards and not Sons So then our wrinkles and our leannesse may upon Scripture warrant be brought as witnesses for us but we have no warrant to conclude upon their witnesse either against our selves or others But it seemes Job had a higher witnesse against him if such witnesses might be allowed then a wrinkled skin or a leane face Behold now his torne flesh and his limbs rent in sunder as if not onely like Daniel he had been cast into a Lyons Den but as if which Daniel did not he had felt the worst of the Lyons teeth and pawes Vers 9. He teareth me in his wrath who hateth me he gnasheth upon me with his teeth mine enemy sharpeneth his eye upon me Strange language He teareth me in his wrath who hateth me Job gives us a description of the Lords dealing with him in allusion to the fury of wilde Beasts Lyons Tygers and Bears who gnash their teeth and sparkle with their eyes when they either fight one with another or fall upon their prey He teareth me in his wrath who hateth me 'T is doubted whom Job meaneth by this Tearer Some judge this Title applicable onely to the Devill and interpret Job speaking of him the Devill hateth me He teareth me in his wrath Job was delivered into the hand of the Devill Chap. 2. And this is the courtship of Hell He teareth Secondly Others understand it of his extreame paine and torturing disease that tore him like a savage Beast A third expounds it of his Freinds as if he compared them to wilde Beasts who in stead of comforting his spirit did upon the matter teare his flesh between their teeth Fourthly 'T is conceived he meanes those vaine ones of whom hee speakes Chap. 19. that came about him and troubled him But fifthly and most generally this Text is interpreted of God himselfe He teareth me in his wrath who hateth me For though Job speaks here distractedly discovering rather his griefe then his enemy or as a man wounded and smitten in the darke Ejusmodi querimoniae in neminem certo jactatae afflicti hominis propriae sunt he perceives he hath an enemy he feeles the smart and beares the blowes but he is not able to see who hurts him yet in this confusion of language his heart was still upon God who ordered and disposed all those armies of sorrow which assaulted him on every side He teareth me in his wrath The Hebrew word Taraph is neer in sound to our English Teare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ferarum praedam rapientium lacerantium proprium est and it signifieth to teare as a Lyon his prey Gen. 49.9 Judah is a Lyons whelpe from the prey my Son thou art gone up The same word in the Verbe notes Tearing and in the Nowne a prey because the prey is torne by the teeth or clawes of the Lyon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est totis viribus adversari idem cum Satan unde Satanas dictus Ira sua rapit quasi odio intestino prosequatur me Jun. He teareth mee in his wrath Wilde Beasts teare not so much from wrath as for hunger they teare out of a desire to fill themselves rather then out of malice to destroy others But Job saith He teareth me in his wrath who hateth me The word signifies not an ordinary but an inward hatred and with the change of a letter it is the same by which the Devill is expressed Satan an adversary or the adversary so called because of his extreame hatred against mankinde yea against Christ himselfe Job speakes of God as if he bare such a hatred against him as Satan doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Frenduit dentibus est invidentium irascentium irridentium habitus Loquitur ad similitudinem bestiae quae homini comminando dentes contra ipsum parat Aquin. an inward perfect hatred Thus some translate He prosecutes me with inward hatred A hard expression of God Doth he teare a harmelesse soule and teare him in wrath Yet this is not all to make up the measure of this excessive language take two aggravations more He gnasheth upon me with his teeth Job pursues the allusion still Beasts as it were whet their teeth that they may devoure their
him yet Faith saw God his Redeemer in this assurance that he also should behold him with an eye of sense I shall see him with these eyes Hence Observe First That God dealeth with those whom he loveth dearely as if he hated them Secondly They whom God doth love may be under a present apprehension that God hates them I only name these points as arising from this place they have been handled Ch. 13.24 Ch. 14.13 upon those words Vntill thy wrath be past and therefore I stay not upon them here Thirdly Note God to sense doth seeme to excercise a kinde of cruelty even the cruelty of wilde Beasts towards those whom hee dearely loves What are tearing and gnashing of teeth What is the sharpening of the eye Is not any one of these much more all these in one the discovery of cruelty Job saith all this and doth not Hezekiah say as much Isa 38.13 I reckoned till morning that as a Lyon so will he breake all my bones from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me We finde God taking upon himselfe those similitudes not onely in reference to his Enemies but also to his owne people for as he deales with the wicked when they provoke him so in proportion with his owne Outward dispensations make no difference I will take vengeance I will not meet thee as a man Isa 43.3 that is I will not shew so much as any humane pitty or compassion much lesse Divine but I wil meet thee as a Beast Thus God threatned to deale with Babylon and thus he appeares to deale with Sion with the choisest Sons and Daughters of Sion And thus he professed Hos 5.14 For I will be unto Ephraim as a Lyon and as a young Lyon to the House of Judah I even I will teare and goe away I will take away and none shall reseue him Job having shewed what hard usage he had from God himselfe who appeared as an enemy proceeds now to shew what hard and course usage he had from men who were indeed his enemies into whose hands God had delivered him Vers 10. They have gaped upon me with their mouth they have smitten me upon the cheeke reproachfully they have gathered themselves together against me The person is now changed as also the number before it was He now They And who were they We have no Names to give them onely in generall These were the instruments which God let loose upon him his Freinds say some his Enemies say others Whosoever they were doubtlesse they were either downe right Enemies or Enemy like Freinds their owne behaviour speakes them so They have gaped upon me c. He varies or heightens their enemy-like behaviour by three expressions First They have gaped upon me with their mouth Secondly They have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully Thirdly They have gathered themselves against me I shall open them distinctly First They have gaped upon me with their mouth Gaping with or opening the mouth implyes two things First Scorne and derision Lam. 2.16 All thine enemies have opened the mouth against thee they hisse and gnash the teeth they say we have swallowed her up certainely this is the day we looked for The Church in affliction was afflicted with scornfull gestures Secondly As gaping with the mouth notes scorne so also cruelty he that gapes at another tels him though he say nothing that he could devoure him and eate him up as we say Without Salt Such a one shewes that hee needs no Sauce Psal 22.13 They gaped upon me with their mouthes as a ravening and roaring Lyon A Lyon gapes at his prey to devour it Job often complaines both of the contempt and cruelty of many against him and their gaping upon him includes both which are also againe intimated in the next clause They have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully Some render it Reproaching me they have smitten me on the cheek Smiting on the cheek is taken two wayes Literally Metaphorically What literall smiting is all know and most have felt but had Job any about him who used him thus rudely I conceive not and therefore we may understand him metaphorically So smiting on the cheek is to reproach And these words They have smitten me on the cheek reproachfully are no more nor lesse then They have reproached me To smite on the cheek is a thing so reproachfull that by an Hebraisme Percutere maxillam Hebraica locutio est quae significat gravissima contumelia aliquem afficere it signifieth to reproach Lam. 3.30 He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him which is expounded in the latter clause by this he is filled full with reproach The sufferings of Christ which were full of reproach are thus Prophesied I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to them that plucked off the haire I hid not my face from shame and spitting Isa 50.6 Christ was smitten on the face literally Matth. 26.67 Then did they spit in his face and buffeted him and others smote him with the palmes of their hands Hee was smitten also tropically being put to open shame and disgracefully dealt with That of the Apostle cleares this sense 2 Cor. 11.20 Yee suffer a man to bring you into bondage if a man devoure you if a man take of you if a man exalt himselfe if a man smite you on the face that is If he disgrace you So the Apostle expounds it Vers 21. I speake concerning reproach Paul Chap. 12. had a messenger of Satan sent to buffet him to cuffe or smite him with the fist so the word signifies what that was at least in part hee explaines Vers 10. I will therefore take pleasure in reproaches Thus the Prophet describes the dishonour which should be put upon the Judge Micah 5.1 Now gather thy selfe in Troops O daughter of Troops he hath layd seige against us they shall smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek that is The Enemy shall powre contempt upon thy Kings and Princes Cum aliquis propter gravem aliquam ignominiam pudefit licet vis omnis absit plaga verberari dicitur in maxilla Sanct. in Mic. c. 5. v. 1. in which sense they may be sayd to be smitten upon the cheek though no rod nor hand touch them And some interpret that Mat. 5.39 If any man smite thee on the right cheeke turne to him the left also not of hand but tongue smiting or of suffering reproach As if Christ had sayd If any one disgrace thee a little beare it yea though he should disgrace thee a great deale more yet beare it Smiting upon the right cheek notes a lesser injury received When a man smites another on the right cheek he smites with his left hand the left hand strikes the right cheek and the left hand is the weaker in most and gives a weaker blow If thou receive a blow on thy right cheek with the left hand turne the other and let him smite thee with
sentence is but one word in the Hebrew yet more then a single word it is elegantly doubled in construction to imply double affliction Grammarians tell us that two words put together or the same word twice put encrease the sense Ordinary words will not serve to expresse an extraordinary condition he speakes great and compounded words because his sorrows were great and compounded sorrows Jobs was not a single but a double breaking yea his vvas a manifold breaking He vvas often broken and utterly broken the repeated stroaks which fell upon him by divine dispensation from all hands had beaten him to dust and atomes He hath broken me in sunder Further The root of the vvord signifies to make voyd to dissipate to scatter to bring to nought or to make nothing of Psal 33.10 The Lord brings to nought the counsell of the heathen So againe Isa 8.10 It is used often for breaking the Law by frequent and vvilfull sinning against it Proud sinners vvould break the Law in sunder or pull it all in peices They have made voyd thy Law Psa 119 As if they would not onely sin against the Law but sin away the Law not onely vvithdraw themselves from the obedience of it but drive it out of the World they would make voyd and repeale the holy acts of God that their owne wicked acts might not be questioned and lest the Law should have a power to punish them they vvill deny it a power to rule them that 's the force of the simple vvord here used as applyed to highest transgressing against the Law of God Now as vvicked men by sinning vvould batter the Law to peices so God by afflicting doth sometimes break good men to peices Consider what course usage the holy Law of God hath in the hearts and lives of vvicked men O how they tear it and vex it and batter it every day Thus doth the Lord deal vvith many of his holy servants vvho had they their vvish would not make the least breach in the Law and vvhose hearts are often broken vvith godly sorrow because they cannot but break it yet to these he doth not onely give a bruise or a blow but breaks them asunder There is yet another elegancy in the signification of the vvord For as Hebreicians observe it notes a bruising like that of Grapes or Olives vvhich are trodden in a presse to make Wine or Oyle Confractus sum velut uvae aut olivae in torculari hence also a Noune from this Verbe signifies the Wine-presse Isa 63.3 Now Grapes and Olives being trodden are broken and bruised in peices not onely is their forme and beauty totally spoyled but all their sweetnesse juyce and liquor is vvrought out of them and they are left as a dry lumpe Now look vvhat Grapes and Olives are vvhen taken out of the Presse even such a lumpe vvas Job he vvas broken asunder in the Wine-presse though not of Gods vvrath as his Freinds mis-judged yet in the Wine-presse of his chastisements and severest tryalls all his vvorldly moysture vvas squeezed out and his earthly glory vvas quite defaced he had nothing left of that but as it were a dry huske yet his spirituall estate was still juicy and his soule by these pressings treadings and breakings had distilled much sweet Oyle and Wine and much more was still remaining in him From these heightned significations of the word layd together Observe in generall God doth not onely afflict those whom he loves but afflict them soarely and severely He afflicts some not onely to the empayring and abating but to the undoing and ruining of their outward comforts and worldly enjoyments Nothing can be sayd to descipher an afflicted state beyond what this word will beare And that God doth afflict his chosen ones to the utmost rack of this phrase will appeare also from all that follows to the end of the fourteenth Verse the opening of which will be a continuall proofe and illustration of this great and often experimented truth upon and among the precious Sons of Sion This I shall hint all along besides those observations which arise out of them He hath broken me asunder and what follows in the same Verse He hath also taken me by my neck and shaken me to peices Is not this to deale severely A loving Father takes his Son about the neck and kisses him what a rough salute did the Lord give this Son of his when he tooke him by the neck and shook him to peices Such a carriage seemes not to be after the manner of men much lesse after the manner of Fathers yet this was the manner of God to Job who was also his Freind and Father He hath taken me by my neck The neck is as the tower and strength of the body and when a man is taken by the neck he is assaulted in his chiefest strength and taken at the greatest advantage There is a threefold metaphor or allusion in these words which being considered distinctly will let out their meaning yet more fully First They beare an allusion to Wrestlers who take one another by the neck or collar he that is the strongest not onely takes his Antagonist by the neck but shakes him as if he would shake him to pieces God wrestled with the Patriarch Jacob literally and corporally though the greatest labour and stresse of Jacobs wrestling was spirituall and internall And when he saw that he prevailed not Jacob prevailed with God for so much strength that now God could not according to that dispensation prevaile against Jacob yet he touched the hollow of Jacobs thigh and made him halt God wrestled with Job not corporally yet in corporall things the stresse also of his wrestling was spirituall and he prevailed with God and over Satan yet God was pleased not only for the present to touch a joynt and make him halt but even to shake every joynt and limbe to peices Secondly It is an allusion to Sergeants or Bailiffs that are sent to arest men for debt or for their evill deeds This sort of men are boysterous enough they having power will not forbeare to lay hold on Persons obnoxious and take them by the neck when they attach them We have that usage expressed Matth. 18.28 The evill Servant to whom the Lord had forgiven ten thousand Talents a vast debt found one of his fellow Servants who owed him an hundred pence an inconsiderable summ and would needs exact the utmost from him the Text saith The same Servant went out and found one of his fellow-servants which ought him an hundred pence and he layd hands upon him and took him by the throat saying Pay me that thou owest He took him by the throat the word signifies properly to choake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Premebat sauces illius debitoris tanquam suffocaturus obtorto collo premebat Eras or to take another so rudely by the throat as to choake or as wee say throttle him It is translated to choake with water Mark 5.13
and is applyable to any violent act by which the breath is stopt especially to taking by the neck or throat Thirdly It is an allusion as some conceive to Conquerers in Warr who when they have worsted an Adversary take him by the neck and make him their prisoner As it is the last act of tryumph and insultation over an Enemy to tread upon his neck Josh 10.24 Joshua called all the men of Israel and sayd unto the Captaines of the men of Warr which went with them Come neere and put your feet upon the necks of these Kings and they came neer and put their feet upon the necks of them Now as it is I say the last act of tryumph to tread upon the necke so it is the first act of tryumph to take by the neck Job thought himselfe used thus Hee hath taken me by the necke as a Wrastler as a Sergeant or as a Victor in Warr. And hath shaken me to peices I will not let it passe unobserved that the word which we translate to shake to peices is but one in the Hebrew but as that which we render to break asunder so this is doubled to highten the sense and intimate no ordinary but a terrible shaking such a shaking as is followed with scattering or a shaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contrivit cum dispersione sicut testa vel in minutissima fragmenta comminuit Drus like the breaking of a potters Vessell with an Iron Rod. The word is used to signifie the irresistable efficacy of the Word of God whether to convert or to confound to break the stony heart into contrition for sin or to batter the obstinate heart which continueth in sin Is not my word a fire saith God The word of God is a fire to consume the drosse and corruption that is in the hearts and lives of men And is not my word a Hammer What kinde of Hammer A Hammer that breaketh the rock in peices Yes the word of God is all this 't is a fire and 't is a Hammer it burnes it batters all that stands before it Now as the Word of God is to the hearts of men so the Rod of God is to the estates of men it shakes shatters and breakes them to peices To shake or break a man to peices is in common speech applyable to the estates of men as well as to their persons for of such a man we say He is broken The Septuagint reads this clause with an expository addition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. He hath taken me by the hayre of the head and shaken me They who follow that reading interpret it by a metaphor He hath taken me by the hayre that is by my outward estate by my riches honour and greatnesse these are to men as the hayre is to the head ornaments yet excrements he hath taken me by these haires even all my outward splendor and glory and shaken them in peices All this diversity whether of reading or expounding the Text meets in the maine point That God deales severely with many whom he loves dearely He hath shaken me in peices and yet he hath not done with me as the Lord broke and shooke me asunder when I was whole so he wounds me now I am broken If he can but finde enough of me left together to make a mark of I shall be sure to feele his Arrows And set me up for his mark Job was cast downe by affliction and yet he was set up to receive more affliction 'T is a Proverbiall speech Proverbialis locutio quo significamus aliquem esse omnibus telis injuriis propositum signifying that a man is made the common receit or subject of misery A Mark is purposely set up to receive Arrows Darts or Bullets shot at it so that for a man to be set up as a mark is to stand as a common object upon which all calamities center themselves what Job here complaines of he had expostulated with God about Chap. 7.20 Wherefore hast thou set me up as a marke so that I am a burden to my selfe I shall speake the lesse to it here having spoken to it there already The same Originall word is not used in both places though the sense be the same There Job speakes in a Paraphrase Thou hast set me opposite or over against thee A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 servo quod eum diligenter observent jaculatores ne oberrent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propriè sig signum praefixum sagittantibus unde quod animo destinamus aut praesigimus scopus est Eras Here he uses a single terme which notes a mark strictly taken for it comes from a root which signifies to observe because the mark or white is diligently observed by him that shoots the Archer keeps his eye upon the mark that he may send his Arrow to the mark A mark is that to the eye in shooting which the end is to the minde of man in all his wayes of acting and therefore our English word Scope from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies an Archers marke is used figuratively to signifie the end which we design to our selves in every undertaking And hence the eye with which we take ayme is put for the end Matth. 6.22 If thine eye be single the whole body is light that is if the end or the thing that thou aymest at be just and right all thy actions will be right too Every man is regulated by his end all hee doth lookes that way therefore if thy end and ayme be honest and sincere all thy wayes and workes will be such So then as the end is the mark of the minde so a mark is the end of the eye it directs all unto it And while Job saith He hath set me up as a mark his meaning is I am the Butt or White at which the Lord aymes all his Arrowes hee empties his Quiver at my breast Ego ipse positus fui in scopum ut mille jacula mille sagittas exciperem So the Church cryes out Lam. 3.12 13. He hath bent his bow he hath set me as a mark for the Arrow he hath caused the Arrowes of his Quiver to enter into my reynes The Hebrew is He hath caused the Sons of his Quiver to enter into my reynes Arrows are the Sons of the Quiver Sons are called Arrows Psal 127.4 5. As Arrowes in the hand of the mighty so are the Children of the youth blessed is the man that hath his Quiver full of them Now as Sonnes are compared to Arrowes in a Quiver so Arrows are compared to Sons because as Sons are together in their Fathers house so are Arrows in the Quiver Christ is described by old Simeon as a mark set up to shoot at Luke 2.34 35. This Childe is set for the falling and rising of many in Israel Significat Christum veluti scopum fore quem omnes certatim
Elumbem reddere which is as some thinke the Elephant Job 40.16 And a man of no loynes is a man of no strength in common language Thirdly To cleave the reynes is to give a mortall wound Chyrurgions and Physitians observe That if the reynes be struck through Mala immedicabilia indicat there is no helpe for it cleaving the reynes is much like peircing the heart this is present death and that leaves no hope of life the wound of it is incurable There is a fourth interpretation He cleaveth my reynes may note the torture of any acute disease especially that of the Stone in the reynes or kidneys which is as it were the cutting of the back asunder poore Patients under it are often heard so complaining O 't is like a sharpe Knife the Stone is not onely a grinding but a cutting paine I shall onely lay in the consideration of these foure glosses from the literall sense of the word to a further making out of the first generall Observation That God often deales very severely in outward or present dispensations with many of his dearest Servants He doth that which they may call cleaving of the reines and that in the easiest of the foure senses is a very severe dispensation much more which wee may suppose when the paine of all foure meets in one man as doubtlesse they did in Job He cleaveth my reines asunder And doth not spare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pepercit ignonovit propitius fuit Nullam Domini in me miserecordiam sed omnigenam saevitiam experiâ—r Merc. He that doth not spare useth the utmost extreamity and shewes no pitty or Indulgence to spare is both an act and one of the kinds of mercy Sparing is opposed to severity it is a doing lesse against another then we may and that two wayes First When wee doe lesse then wee can Wee having power though no right to doe more then we doe no nor to doe so much as we doe Thus a Theefe may be sayd to spare a man when he doth not take all from him life and all Secondly When vve doe lesse against another then we may both according to the right of our cause and the power in our hands Thus a Magistrate spares a Theefe or a Creditor his Debtor when the one exacts not the vvhole punishment nor the other the whole Summ due And in this sense God spareth the Sons of men he hath both power and right to punish sinfull man to the utmost but he spares him To hold the hand though but a little is sparing merccy but Job found not this mercy He doth not spare as if he had sayd The Lord layes on layes on and doth not forbeare Hence Observe There is mercy in sparing There is a fivefold mercy of God First Rewarding mercy towards those who have done well Secondly Pardoning mercy which is exercised towards those who have done ill or towards past sin Thirdly Preventing mercy when hee keeps us from evill whether it be the evill of sin or of punishment Fourthly Delivering mercy when though he let us fall into the evill of sin or punishment yet he is pleased to help us up and takes us out againe Fifthly There is Sparing mercy if while we are in affliction God deales gently with us this is sparing mercy As God was not pleased to prevent Jobs sorrows nor to deliver him from them so he did not spare him in them his hand continued heavy upon him he had no ease There is a fourefould degree of this sparing mercy of God First Not to punish at all thus God sometimes spares his owne people as a Father spares his Son that serveth him Mal. 3.17 Though they faile yet he passeth it by and doth not reckon with them for it The Lord represented himselfe to Amos forming Grasse-hoppers which eyther in kinde or in a figure shaddowing the Assyrians threatned to devoure the Land this Vision put the Prophet upon that earnest prayer O Lord God forgive by whom shall Jacob arise for he is small The Lord repented for this it shall not be saith the Lord Amos 7.1 2 3. Here was sparing mercy and this is repeated a second time Vers 6. yet in the third Vision of a Plumbe line by which God was noted taking exact notice of all the unevennesse and crookednesse of that people in that Vision I say as the Prophet suspended prayer so the Lord being resolved no longer to suspend their punishment saith I will not passe by them againe any more that is I will spare them no more which is againe repeated Chap. 8.2 where by a Basket of Summer fruit the Lord shewed their ripenesse in sin and his readinesse to punish and not to spare Secondly It is sparing mercy when punishment is deferred or adjourned to a further day thus the Lord spared the old World a hundred and twenty yeares My spirit shall not alway strive It did a long time he spared them many yeares to draw them to repentance and to leave them inexcusable because they repented not Thirdly It is sparing mercy when judgement is moderated When though God punish yet he doth not punish to the full when though the cloud break yet he lets but a few drops fall on us and doth not powre out showres or make an inundation to overwhelme us when though he strike yet he gives but few strokes yea if he abate but one stroke it is sparing mercy The Jewes 2 Cor. 11.24 gave Paul forty stripes save one and in this they would be thought to be mercifull because they might have given him forty by the Law Deut. 25.3 therefore to abate one was sparing mercy As to punish beyond the Law though it be but a little beyond is cruelty so to punish lesse though it be but a little lesse is mercy And this is brought in as an argument of great mercy Psal 78.38 But he being full of compassion forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not yea many a time turned he his anger away and did not stirr up all his wrath They felt his wrath but God did not stirr up all his wrath they were smitten but not destroyed Justice did not make an utter end of them there was mercy in that The like read Jer. 30.11 Jer. 46.28 I will not let thee goe altogether unpunished yet I will spare thee though I punish thee I will correct thee in measure I will not make a full end of thee But are not all the corrections of God yea and his judgements too done in measure All the judgements of God are done in measure as measure notes a rule of equity but not as measure notes a rule of equality Againe to doe a thing by measure doth not alwayes note the rule by which it is done but the degree in which it is done And so to doe a thing in measure is to doe it moderately as when it is sayd John 3.24 That God gives not the spirit by measure to Christ the meaning is
lives in any knowne sinne unrepented of Secondly That which is unquiet and unsetled about the pardon of those sins which we have repented of We should get both these evil consciences but especially the first cured and removed by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ before we draw nigh to God in prayer as also our bodies washed in pure water which is either an allusion to the old Ceremonies among the Jewes who before they came to worship at the Tabernacle purged themselves with diverse outward washings leading them to the consideration of that morall puritie both of heart and life in which God is to be worshipped or it is an allusion to Baptisme in speciall in which there is an externall washing of the body signifying the washing of the soule by the blood of Christ and by the effectuall working of the spirit The sum of all is unlesse the person be pure his prayer is not pure These are the ingredients which constitute pure prayer all these met in Job and therefore he concluded not onely confidently but truely My prayer is pure And as these are the ingredients of prayer so they are all necessary ingredients so necessary that if any one of them be wanting the whole prayer is impure They are necessary by a double necessity First As commanded by God in prayer Secondly As meanes without which man cannot attaine his end in prayer The generall end of prayer is that prayer may be heard accepted and answered God heares accepts answers no one prayer without some concurrence of all these The Incense of the Ceremoniall Law was a shadow of prayer which is so great a duty of the morall Law But if this Incense had not been made exactly according to the will of God both for the matter and the manner of the composition prescribed Exod. 30.34 35 36. If after it had been thus made it had not also been offered according to those rules given Levit. 16.12 13. it had been an abomination to the Lord or as the Prophet Isaiah speaks Chap. 66.3 Such a burning of Incense had been but as the blessing of an Idol We may conclude also That if prayer be either composed or presented in any other way then God himselfe hath directed it is not onely turned away but turned into sin That man hath spoken a great word who can say in Jobs sense My prayer is pure Thus Job justifies the prayer he made to God and mainetaines his justice towards men There is no injustice in my hands also my prayer is pure A high profession yet in the next words he goes higher and makes both an imprecation against himselfe if it were not thus with him and an appeale to God for his testimony that it was thus with him JOB CHAP. 16. Vers 18 19. O Earth cover not thou my blood and let my cry have no place Also now behold my witnesse is in Heaven and my record is on high JOB having with much confidence asserted the integrity of his heart and the righteousnesse of his way both towards God and Man confirmes what he had thus confidently asserted by a double Argument First By a vehement imprecation Vers 18. O earth cover not thou my blood and let my cry have no place Secondly By a free appeale an appeale to God himselfe Vers 19. Also now behold my witnesse is in Heaven and my record is on high He shewes the necessity of this appeale Vers 20. My Freinds scorne me therefore I am constrained to goe to God When men have done us wrong and will not doe us right it is both time and duty to appeale to God Upon this ground Job appeales Est juramenti deprecatorii forma quo asseverat nullius sibi iniquitatis consâ—ium esse Aben. Ezra and he concludes according to our translation his appeale with a passionate yet holy wish Vers 21. O that one might plead for a man with God as a man pleadeth for his Neighbour The reason both of his appeale and wish is given us further Vers 22. he looked on himselfe as a man standing upon the very confines of death the Grave was ready for him therefore hee beggs that this businesse might be dispatched and his integrity cleared before hee dyed Hee was loath to goe out of the World like a Candle burnt downe to the Socket with an ill savour He that hath lived unstained in his reputation cannot well beare it to dye with a blot and therefore he will be diligent by all due meanes to maintaine the credit which he hath got and to recover what he hath lost This was the reason of Jobs importunity discovered in these two Verses now further to be opened Vers 18. O earth cover not thou my blood and let my cry have no place There are two branches of this imprecation or rather these make two distinct imprecations The first in these words O earth cover not thou my blood The second in these Let my cry have no place Job engages all upon the truth of what he had sayd being willing that his worst might be seen and his best not heard if he had not spoken truth O earth cover not thou my blood Poeticum sane patheticum in dolore aut re alia gravissima res mutas mortuasve omni sensu audituque carentes testes auditores compellare Job speaks pathetically or as some render him Poetically while he bespeakes the earth and makes the inanimate creature his hearer The sacred Pen-men doe often turne their speech to the Heavens and to the Earth Thus Moses Deut. 32.2 in the Preface of his Sermon his last Sermon to that people Give eare O yee Heavens and I will speak and hear O earth the words of my mouth So the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 1.2 Heare O Heavens and give eare O Earth I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me God speaks to that which hath no eares to heare eyther to reprove those who have eares but heare not or to raise up and provoke their attention in hearing Thus Job O earth c. as if the earth were able to take his complaint and returne an answer as if the earth were able to make inquisition and bring in a verdict about his blood O earth cover not thou my blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 texit operuit abscondit The word signifies not onely common but a twofold metaphoricall covering First Covering by way of dissimulation to dissemble a matter is to cover a matter In that sense Solomon speakes Prov. 12.16 A fooles wraâ—h is presently knowne but a prudent man covereth shame that is He dissembleth his wrath or his anger he will not let it alway break forth for that would be a shame to him Secondly The word signifies to cover by forgetfulnesse That which is not remembred is hid or covered Eccles 6.4 He commeth in with vanity speaking of man and departeth in darknesse and his name shall be covered with darknesse that
is He shall be forgotten hee shall be as if hee had not beene And thus it is applyed to the pardon of sin Psal 32.1 Sin is vailed with the worthinesse and obedience of Christ as with a Garment and is to God as a thing forgotten or out of minde when once it is forgiven In both these senses Job seemes to bespeak the earth O earth cover not my blood Sanguis terra tegitur quando facinus dissimulatur nec vindictam exposcit that is If thou hast any of my blood doe not dissemble it bring it forth be not as if thou knewest of no such matter As simulation makes that to be which is not so dissimulation makes that not to be which is Againe Cover not my blood that is Forget it not if thou hast such a record upon thy Fyle let it be continued and remembred that the Generations to come may judge how I have been dealt with by this present age or how I have dealt in it O earth cover not my blood But what is his blood which he would not have covered His blood may be taken two wayes First Passively for his sufferings and grievous afflictions which were even to blood The Apostle tels the Hebrews Ye have not resisted to blood striving against sin Heb. 12.4 There is a threefold strife against sin First Against sin already acting and moving in our selves Secondly There is a striving against that sin which others move us to act whether by promises or by threatnings Thirdly There is a striving against that sin which others act The Apostle as I conceive intends one of or both the latter sorts of striving against sin which is indeed a striving against sinners and in this strife he saith Ye have not resisted unto blood yee have I grant resisted to the losse of your goods yea and to the losse of your credit and reputation in the World Chap. 10.33 34. but know yee are not come to the heat of the Battell till your bodies bleed Ne tegas sanguinem meum i. e. injuriam mihi latam qua innocens pereo Merc. yee have lost no blood yet striving against sin Job resisted or rather submitted to blood he had lost blood in the great fight of affliction which he indured hee was wounded all over Now say some he cryes O earth cover not my blood that is These my bloody sufferings what I have endured let it be remembred But we cannot well accommodate this interpretation to the Text For first there may be as much vanity in desiring the evils wee have suffered as the good wee have done should be knowne we must let God alone to erect the monument of our sufferings that must be none of our care Secondly Wee cannot so much as suspect that Job would maintaine the memory of his sufferings against God yet it was he who smote Job though by the hand of Satan and wicked men This Job had acknowledged more then once with much humble submission and therefore hee doth not desire that his blood might be forth-comming in a way of contestation with him Further If we looke onely to those instruments of his affliction who had indeed done him wrong Surely the spirit of this good man as it was farr from meditating revenge so his scope and businesse here was rather to bring himselfe to a tryall then them rather to have his owne innocency cleered then their guilt proved And therefore we have called these words an imprecation upon himselfe in case he were guilty not an accusation of their guiltinesse In pursuance of which generall sense we must expound blood under another notion And therefore Secondly Blood may be taken actively and so it falls under a threefold consideration First Blood is put for the generall sinfulnesse or corruption of mans nature as also for any particular sin as it is wrapt up in mans naturall corruption Augustine One of the Ancients interprets Davids prayer Psal 51.14 Deliver me from blood or bloods or as we render from blood-guiltinesse O God not of that speciall sin or not of that onely the death of Vriah but of all sin which saith he therefore beares that title because it flowes from the polluted nature of man which the Scripture calls flesh and blood That of the Prophet is more proper to this point Ezek. 16.6 When thou wast in thy blood I sayd unto thee live that is When thou was wrapt in and defiled with thy sin and misery then I had pitty on thee and spake life into thee Every soule tumbles in blood till it is sprinkled with blood our blood is our filthinesse and the blood of Christ is our holinesse freeing us at once from the guilt and from the staine of sin This corruption of nature together with that issue of it the transgressions of life may be called bloud for two reasons First Because it deserves death and is a state of death wee are dead in sin and the wages of sin is death and as any kinde of death may be expressed by blood so a violent death is the pouring out of blood Secondly It may be called blood because sin is expiated by blood and without shedding of blood there is no remission no not of the least sin Secondly Blood signifies some notorious sin or sins Great sins are not onely bloody sins Sanguinis nomine intelligitur peccatum gravissimum ac detestandum facinus but in Scripture language blood Isa 1.15 When yee make many prayers I will not heare Why For your hands are full of blood that is Of great and foule crimes For should wee take blood there for any sin according to the former interpretation then whose prayer shall be heard Who is it that sins not yea who is not full of sin So that by hands full of blood he meanes hands stained with great sins or with sins if small in themselves yet which greatens the least sin loved and unrepented of Ezek. 9.9 Thus saith the Lord The iniquity of the House of Israel and Judah is exceeding great and the Land is full of blood that is Of all kinde of wickednesse Ezek. 24.7 For her blood is in the middest of her shee set it upon the top of a rock shee poured it not upon the ground to cover it with dust Which words describe as the sin of Jerusalem so her impudence in sinning Her blood was in the midst of her it was not cast behinde the doore or put into a corner Shee set it upon a rock and not onely so but upon the top of a rock as if shee not onely cared not who saw it but had taken care that all might see it Shee poured it not upon the ground to cover it with dust In which words the Prophet alludes to that Law Levit. 17.13 commanding that the blood of a Beast should be poured out and covered with dust And againe Hos 4.2 By swearing and killing and stealing and committing adultery they breake out and blood toucheth blood
not mine eye continue in their provocation And therefore he renews his appeale to God and beggs to be heard before indifferent Judges or Umpires Lay downe now put me in a surety with thee who is he that will strike hands with me In the fourth and fifth Verses he further urgeth the reasons of his appeale or he backs his motion that God would doe him right from the insufficiency of his Freinds to doe him right Thou hast hid their heart from understanding As if he should say Who would stand to the judgement of those who want understanding Thou hast hid their heart from understanding therefore shalt thou not exalt them so To this honour of judging my cause and deciding this controversie yea I finde them so unfit to be eyther my Judges or my Arbitrators that they are indeed but Flatterers and therefore they may rather expect some sudden judgement upon themselves or their Children then that God should doe them this honour to judge for me He that speakes flattery to his Freinds even the eyes of his Children shall faile Vers 5. Thus I have opened Jobs scope in the context of these five Verses which I have put together because the matter runs in a continued dependence And though for the maine it be the same with which he concluded in the sixteenth Chapter yet the variety of reading and expression will yeeld us variety of meditation I descend to particulars Vers 1. My breath is corrupt my dayes are extinct the graves are ready for me Here are three things every of which speakes a dying man First Corrupt breath Secondly Extinguished dayes Thirdly A grave made ready Pereo spiritu agitatus Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ligavit constrinxit per antiphrasin significat solutus ruptus corruptus accommodatur etiam ad dolores intensissimos quales sunt parturientium quia cor valde constringunt First My breath is corrupt Ruach There are three interpretations given of that word My breath some understand it of his minde or whole inward man As if he had sayd My thoughts are or my minde is exceedingly troubled and so most of the Greek Interpreters read it and then the word which we translate Corrupt may signifie greived pained or afflicted and it is often applyed to those paines which are most painefull even the paine of a Woman in travell And so the sense is made out thus as if Job had sayd I am extreamely troubled ' or I am pained like a Woman in the houre of travell as shee is in bodily paine so I am pained in minde I hvve felt many inward pangs and throwes and yet I am not delivered But I conceive this exposition unsuitable to the scope of the place Job being about to describe the state of his body or of his outward man and not the affliction and trouble of his minde Secondly The word Ruach signifieth the vitall powers or spirits which support man Spiritus vitales qui animae instrumentum sunt ad vitae functiones Aquin. and serve him in all the functions of life spirits are the promoters of action and when the vitall spirits are corrupted man is unable not onely to act but to live The expence of spirits is the most chargeable expence to the life of man and when a mans spirits are much spent he is like a dead man though he be alive Wee say ordinarily when we are weary Our spirits are spent that is Our vitall spirits which give activity and strength to the whole body Thirdly Rather understand it literally and strictly for the breath which comes forth by respiration My breath is corrupt and then the corrupting here spoken of is not to be taken for any ill savour in his breath they who have corrupt breath are offensive to others in breathing Corruptio non hic denotat spiritum graveolentum sed spiritum qui cum ingenti nisu dolore emittitur Pined Medici Asthma vocant quia Asthmaticus suffocari videtur ideo legitur hic jam quidem Ago animam Tygur The breath is said to be corrupt because it smels of the corruption of those parts from whence it is drawne we must not understand Job so But when he saith My breath is corrupt his meaning is that eyther hee had obstructions and stoppings of breath which distemper Physitians call the Tissicke a man under that infirmity may be sayd to have his breath corrupted because he breathes difficultly And as it is so in some diseases so it is alway so in the approaches of death a little before a man dyes his breath shortens he breathes hardly or he hardly breathes he lyes gasping for life and catching for breath Such a state Job here intends The Tygurine translation takes that sense My life is departing or I am giving up the ghost Hence Note The breath of man is corruptible though his soule be not These two are very distinct Some make the soule and breaâ—h one thing and argue the corruptibility of the soule from such Texts as this But the breath differs not onely from the soule but from the life The soule hath a life of its owne and the life of the body is its union with the soule breathing is the acting of life proceeding from that union and ending when that union is dissolved Breath may be corrupt and life may banish but the soule continues the breath is so vanishing that the Prophet gives caution Isa 2.22 Cease from man whose breath is in his nostrills The breath of man is so ready to cease that it is our wisedome to cease from man for when breath goes man is gone and all goes with him in that day his thoughts perish and therefore Job had no sooner sayd My breath is corrupt but he adds My dayes are extinct 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vox tantum hoc loco reperta significat excidere amputare extinguere My dayes that is The time appointed for my life which is measured by dayes by naturall dayes or by artificial dayes Our dayes come and goe continually and when our tale of dayes is come and gone our dayes are extinct The word which here we translate extinct is found no where else in the Hebrew of the Old Testament It is rendered three wayes First Thus my dayes are cutt off which metaphor is often used in reference to life our dayes are as it were so many threads Excissi sunt Pagn and our life is like a peece of clooth woven together by many dayes when the Webb be it more or lesse longer or shorter is finished the thred is cut My dayes are cut off Secondly The Vulgar reads it my dayes will be shortned they shall be put in a narrow roome into a little compendium I shall soone be able to read over the volume of my dayes Breviabuntur dies mei Vulg they are but short a meer Epitome Thirdly We read my dayes are extinct or put out Which is a
and downe-right in all his dealings and sayings There are no mockings with me I am what I appeare and I appeare what I am An Hypocrite is full of tricks and shifts he disguiseth both his person and his actions No man can tell where to have him or what to make of him When hee speakes his words doe not signifie what he meanes if they signifie any thing and when he acts his workes doe not signifie what he is they signifie any thing rather then that All are mockings of others though he will finde in the end that he hath mocked himselfe most of all Secondly As he joynes this with the next clause There are no mockings with me and yet mine eye continueth in their provocation Note that How plaine-hearted soever a man is yet it is very hard to perswade those who are once prejudiced against him that he is so Let Job say and professe what he would yet hee could not recover his credit nor set himselfe right in the opinion of men till God did it for him Chap. 42. But I passe that Are there not mockers with me What the mocking and scorning of Jobs Freinds was hath been opened Chap. 12.4 Cha. 16.19 and therefore I referr the Reader thither Doth not mine eye continue in their provocation Should he not rather have sayd Doth not mine eare continue c. Mocking is the object of the eare and not of the eye There are some mockings indeed by mimicall foolish gestures and they are the object of the eye Assiduè in id oculos mentis aciem intentam habeo quod me assidue irritant in eo defixae sunt omnes meae cogitationes Merc. Isti dies noctesque non cessant exacerbare animum meum Iun. Intenta cogitatio somnum impedit but here Job speakes of what he had from them in conference which is properly the busines of the eare and yet he faith Doth not mine eye continue in their provocation By the eye wee are to understand the eye of the minde Doth not mine eye that is Have I not a representation in my spirit or upon my fancy of your mockings and bitter provocations even as if they were visible before mine eyes Have I not night visions and apparitions upon my Bedd of what you speak or act against me every day Againe We may expound the Text properly of his bodily eye b cause the trouble which they gave him in the day time hindred his sleep in the night The letter of the Hebrew favours this sense Doth not mine eye lodge in their provocation So we put in the Margin of our Bibles Hence Master Broughton reads In these mens vexing lodgeth mine eye that is When I goe to Bed and hope to sleep then in stead of lodging in my Bed I lodge in the thoughts of my Freinds unkindnesse and indeed a man may sleep better upon the bare boards then upon hard words Such words keep the eyes waking and are as bad to sleep upon as a pillow of thornes especially when which was Jobs case the eye continueth in them Intentnesse of minde or vehement cogitation about any thing keep open the eyes and forbid the approach of rest Doth not mine eye continue In their provocation Provocations He called them Mockers and their mockings were provocations Vel a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amarum esse Sive a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est irritare sive exacerbare The word as some derive it signifies that which is bitter Provocation is a bitter thing Others derive it from a root signifying to irritate and stirr up the spirit of a man which is provocation properly Provocation is a high act of wrong A man may doe another wrong on this side a provocation as the provocation of God is a high act of sinne in man ordinary acts of sin doe not amount to a provocation Ps 106.7 They provoked him at the Sea it is this word even at the red Sea that is There they sinned extreamly So Ps 95.8 which the Apostle quotes Heb. 3.8 The holy Ghost cals the whole time of that peoples froward walking or sinning against God in the Wildernesse The provocation Harden not your hearts as in the provocation that is In the time when yee sinned not onely to the offending but to the provoking of God against you not to the breaking of his Lawes but to the vexing of his spirit When sin is compleat and iniquity growne to a full stature that day is justly marked in the Calendar of Scripture with a red letter implying wrath and is therefore called The provocation So when any man deales very unkindly frowardly or unfaithfully against his Brother then 't is a provocation Doth not mine eye continue in their provocation Now for as much as the same word signifieth both bitternesse and provocation and that most provocations are given by uncharitable and unconsiderate speeches Observe First Vnkinde words are bitter to the hearer The Apostle gives the rule to Husbands Col. 3.19 Husbands love your Wives and be not bitter to them that is Doe not give them bitter words in stead of faithfull counsels Some Husbands speak their Gall to their Wives to whom they have given their hearts Among the Heathens the Gall of the Sacrifice which they superstitiously offered at Marriages Quo instituto legis Author non obscure innuebat a conjugio semper debere bilem iramque abesse Drus Prov. Clas 2. l. â— was puld out and throwne away before it was presented at the Altar signifying that Man and Wife should be as Naturalists say the Dove is without Gall one towards another Wholesome counsels and admonitions for the matter are often administred with such an undue mixture of heat and passion as renders them not onely distastefull but hurtfull to the receiver Secondly Note Harsh words carry much provocation in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animum despondeo The same Apostle in the same Chapter enlarging his Institutes for the direction of Beleevers in all Relation bespeakes Parents Vers 21. Fathers provoke not your Children to anger The word signifies any kinde of provocation but that especially which is caused by contumelious and upbrayding speeches A Father provokes his Childe when he speakes hastily and threatningly terrifying his Childe rather then instructing him The reason why Fathers should not thus provoke their Children is added Lest they be discouraged or as the word imports be as if they were without soules â—noop't as we say and heartlesse For as there is a provocation in a good sense which heightens the spirit in well doing and enlivens it for action The Apostle exhorts to that Heb. 10.24 Let us consider one another to provoke one another to love and to good works that is let us set such copies of holinesse that others may be stirred up beyond their ordinary pitch and elevation of spirit to a zealous doing of good Or speake such winning words give such pressing exhortations that the hearts of your
till they have done good their eye continues in that holy provocation Psal 132.4 I will not saith zealous David give sleep to my eyes nor slumber to my eye lids untill I finde out a place for the Lord an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob So wicked men give no sleep to their eyes till they have done that mischeife or executed that revenge to which they conceive themselves provoked But the eye of Job did not continue in those unfreindly provocations to watch an opportunity for selfe-revenge upon or of doing mischeife to his Freinds He did not let the Sun goe downe upon wrath that he might devise their ruine in the darke He was not so wise as he should have been to hurt himselfe and hinder his rest by such a continuall poring upon their unkindnesses but he was not wicked at all much lesse so wicked which some from this passage may conceive him as to pore upon their unkindnesses with a purpose to hurt them So that act might have somewhat of sin in it because hee troubled his owne peace more then he needed but it had not this sin in it that he studyed how to trouble the peace of others Lastly We may rather interpret these words to the blame of his Freinds who continued to provoke him then to his whose eye because they did so could see nothing but provocation or at least must see that whatsoever it saw and therefore could not but continue in it How could the eye of Hannah chuse but continue in the provocation of Peninnah when it is sayd 1 Sam. 1.6 7. That as her Husband Elkanah gave her speciall tokens of his love yeare by yeare so shee provoked her to make her fret yeare by yeare therefore shee wept and did not eate While a provocation is continued our sense of it can hardly be intermitted Job having complained of received provocations renews his appeale to God Vers 3. Lay downe now put me in a surety with thee who is he that will strike hands with me The words are an Apostrophe to God That Job speakes to God not to Eliphaz is cleerer then needs be proved The word which we render lay downe signifies also to appoint Exod. 1.11 They did set or appoint over them Taske-masters And againe Exod. 21.13 I will appoint thee a place whither he the man-slayer shall flee Appone cor tuum i. e. adverte quaeso animum meis verbis Vatabl. In the present Text both rendrings of the word are used We make use of the first Put or lay downe What would Job have God lay downe Some give it thus Lay downe or apply thine heart to me attend I pray thee to my words and consider my cause Secondly The words may be conceived as an allusion to those who going before a Judge or having a cause to be tryed by Umpires use to lay downe an ingagement or as wee call it an Assâ—mpsit that they will stand to the award or arbitrement which shall be made Put me in a surety with thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est fideijubere pro aliquo seu aliquem in suam fidem recipere Hinç arrabo spiritus Pone pignus vadem aut fidejussorem mihi tecum Pagn-Dispone quaeso consponsorem mihi tecum Jun. Num Arrabonem dabis The Originall word properly signifying to undertake for or to give credit and assurance in the behalfe of another and hence the Noune derived from it signifies an earnest because an earnest layd downe is a reall surety that such a thing shall be performed In which sense Thamar useth the word Gen. 38.17 who when Judah promised to send a Kid of the Goates said wilt thou give me a pledg til thou send it and hence in the new Testament the word Arrabo is used in the Greek as also in the Latine for the earnest of the spirit or for that assurance which the spirit settles upon the hearts of Beleevers in this life that they shall inherit eternall life 2 Cor. 1.22 Who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts And againe 2 Cor. 5.5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfe same thing is God God having prepared a place for us prepares us for the place and then gives us our evidences that in due time wee shall take possession of it Who also hath given us the earnest of the spirit The same Apostle tells the Ephesians that After they beleeved they were sealed with the spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance till the redemption of the purchased possession Ephes 1.14 So that an earnest is a reall suâ—ety and a surety is a personall earnest While Job saith Put me in a surety his meaning is hee would have some person to be an undertaker for the ordering of his cause or an ensurer that all should be performed according to the determination that should be given about it Put in a surety with me Who is he that will strike hands with me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sig Defigere infigere si de contractibus dicitur percutere manum He proceeds in the same allusion These words are disposed two wayes Some put the Interrogation after He Give or put me in a surety Who is he I would gladly see the man or know who it is Who is he let him come and strike hands with me whosoever he is As if hee had sayd I shall easily agree that any man should have the hearing and determining of this businesse whom thou shalt appoint Quis est manui meae plaudatur Jun. Quisquis ille sit fide jussor meus veniat paciscatur mecum In sponsionibus manus invicem complodebant hinc manum complodere pro pacisci stipulari Merc. We put the Interrogation after the whole sentence Who is he that will strike hands with me And then the sense appears thus If God once put in a surety to undertake for me who is hee that will contend with mee or engage in this Quarrell against me To strike hands is a phrase of speech grounded upon that ancient forme of making bargaines or entring contracts by joyning or striking hands And these contracts may be taken two wayes or under a double notion First As they concerned suretiship for Money in which sense Solomon speakes of it more then once Prov. 6.1 My Son if thou be surety for thy Freind If thou have striken hands with a stranger that is if thou hast entred into Bond for him and hast testified it by striking hands then c. Prov. 22.26 Haec est sponsio quae propriè ad mammorum negotium spectat Aben Ezra in Prov. 6. Be not thou one of them that strike hands that is Be not too forward to engage thy selfe or to undertake for others as it is expounded in the next words or of them that are sureties for debts such hasty engagements may bring thee into more trouble then thou wilt
Protector against all those oppositions and misapprehensions which were heaped upon him by man David was assured that God would be his Surety Psal 27.5 In the time of trouble hee shall hide me in his pavilion and he assures all that feare God that he will be their Surety Psal 31.20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man Thou shalt keep them secretly in a Pavilion Pone me juxta te cujusvis manus pugnet contra me Vulg. from the strife of tongues To this sense the Vulgar Latine translates the whole Verse Put me neere thy selfe and then let whose will contend with me that is Doe thou stand by me and undertake for me and then I feare not who opposeth me Which answers that of the Apostle Rom. 8. If God be with us who can be against us This exposition holds out a comfortable truth to us yet the Text sâ—emes to ayme at somewhat else for the words are not barely Put me in a surety but Put me in a surety with thee which shewes that God and the Surety he desired were two or distinct his prayer was not that God would be his Surety but that hee might have a Surety with God And therefore Fourthly The whole Verse is thus read word for word out of the Originall Appoint I pray thee my Surety with thee who is he then that will strike upon my hand that is Appoint Christ who is with thee in Heaven and hath already agreed with thee to be the Surety of distressed sinners appoint him I say to plead my cause and to stand up for me and then no man will dare to contend with me So the words are of the same meaning with Chap. 16.21 where Job having made his appeale to God declares his confidence that Christ would plead for him and appeare his Advocate Hence Observe FIrst Jesus Christ is not onely an Advocate for his people but their Surety Hee doth not onely plead our cause but pay our debts Christ entered into Bond for us and took all our debts and duties whatsoever we owe to God upon himselfe to see all performed that we might goe free and be accepted Heb. 7.22 By so much was Jesus made the surety of a better Testament Where the same word which is here used by Job is with the difference onely of that Dialect used also in the Syriake version of that Epistle Jesus Christ may be called the Surety of the Covenant two wayes First Because he ratifies it on Gods part making Faith of it unto us or assuring us that all the mercies and good things therein granted and promised shall be made good and fulfilled to every Beleever as the Apostle concludes 2 Cor. 1.20 For all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen that is He will give a being and an accomplishment to them all Whatsoever God hath spoken he will see it done Secondly Jesus Christ is called the surety of the Covenant because he ratifies it on our part For though as Socinians object against this point we sent not Christ unto God in our name but God sent him to us in his name yet Christ did undertake as in our nature so in our Name and did restipulate with God on our behalfe that whatsoever was owing to his justice and holinesse by man eyther as a penalty for past defaults or as a duty to present commands should all be satisfied and performed by himselfe And as Christ being our Surety did both these in his owne person by active and passive obedience so farr as it was satisfactory so as a Surety he helpes us to performe the latter so farr as it is gratulatory For whatsoever duty God requires of us and cals us to in testimony of our thankfulnesse for his benefits and of our submission to his will this Christ undertakes to his Father that we shall doe and accordingly out of his fulnesse gives us grace and strength to doe it Secondly Observe If Christ be surety for us we need not feare any opposer Put me in a surety with thee saith Job who will strike hands with me who will contend with me or sue me When eyther the Money or duty which a man is bound to pay is already payd by his Surety or is undertaken for by a Surety who is not onely able but willing to pay what needs he to feare The Creditor cannot Arrest the Debtor if the Surety have discharged and cancel'd the Bond. Thus the Apostle teaches Faith to tryumph Rom 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ who dyed yea rather who is risen againe Jobs challenge Who is he that will strike hands with me is very parallell in words and full to the sense of Pauls Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Thirdly Observe Our Surety is of Gods appointing not of our owne Appoint I pray saith Job put me in a surety with thee We sinned of our selves but we could not finde a Surety of our selves God sent his Son made of a Woman made under the Law to deliver those that were under the Law Gal. 4 4. God sent his Son man did not send for him no nor sue for him The way of our deliverance was as much from the will and wisedome of God as from his mercy Heb. 10.10 By the which will wee are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all It was as impossible for man to contrive this way of his deliverance as it was to deliver himselfe Job did not direct God to this way of acquitting by a Surety but God having revealed it to Job he prayes for the effect and comfort of it to his owne soule when a Beleever burdened with sin or distressed by temptation spreads his condition and makes his moane to God he in effect beggs of him as Job here did to appoint and put him in a surety with him by perswading his heart that Jesus Christ became bound for him and hath discharged all his engagements according to that eternall Decree and Ordination of saving lapsed man by his mediation To which Ordination Jesus Christ most willingly consented as the Apostle expresseth it Heb. 10.9 Then sayd I Loe I come to doe thy will O God c. Which readinesse and freenesse of Jesus Christ to undertake for us is also elegantly described by the Prophet Jeremiah Chap. 30.21 by that very word which Job useth in this place For who is this that engageth his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord The Jewes had beene long under the Babylonian yoak and their Governours were eyther strangers or appointed by strangers But the Lord promised in this Verse that their Nobles should be of themselves and that their Governour should proceed from the midst of them Which was verified when God turned their Captivity as Rivers in the South and raysed
verbis multum pollicetur re nihil praestat Bez. Blandiebantudum externa bona illi pollicebantur Merc. they made him large promises of a restauration that his estate should be like the morning that he should outshine the very Sun and be a great man againe Thus they spake Chap. 5.19 20. Chap. 8.5 Chap. 11.15 16 c. hee looked on all these fayre promises as flatteries because in his owne thoughts he was a dead man and his calamities past all hope of recovery in this World As if hee had sayd Why doe you feed me with such vaine hopes and prophesie to me of Wine and of strong drinke of earthly honour and riches of length of dayes and of a multitude of yeares yet behinde in the race of this present life I cannot but call this flattery and a departure from the laws of freindship For alas My dayes are extinct my breath is corrupt and yet you are telling me of long life and good dayes in this World And indeed this is at once the custome and the fault of many who visit their Freinds upon the borders of death they thinke they are not freindly unlesse they labour to give them hopes of life and deliver their opinion peremptorily We doubt not but you will doe well enough you will recover from this sicknesse and getting over this brunt and see many dayes This is flattery it is our duty to speake comfortably to our dying Freinds to set forth the love of God and his readinesse to pardon to prepare them for a better life and to make their passage out of this more easie But when wee see them at the Graves mouth when death is ready to seize on them then to tell them of long life is rather the office of a Flatterer then of a Freind We shew more love to our dying Freinds by offering our counsels and tendering up our prayers for their fitnesse to depart out of this life then by shewing our desire that they should live and our loathnesse to part with them Secondly Jobs Freinds may be sayd to speake flattery to God and then the words are an Argument from the greater to the lesse as if he had sayd If he who speakes flattery to his freind a man like himselfe shall be punished then much more shall he who speakes flattery to God But you will say How can God be flattered There are two wayes of flattering men First By promising them more then we intend Secondly By applauding them more then they deserve When we cry up those for wise men who are little guilty of wisedome or commend those as good who are very guilty of evill both these are straines of flattery It is impossible to flatter God in this latter sense for we cannot speake of God higher then he is his glory wisedome and goodnesse are above not onely our words but our thoughts But we may flatter God in the first sense by promising him more then we intend they on their sick beds doe but flatter God who tell him how good and holy they will be when their hearts are not right with him Yet neyther is this the flattery of God which Job may be supposed to suggest against his freinds The flattery here suggested is their justifying the proceedings of God in afflicting Job by condemning Job as if there had been no way left to cleare up the righteousnesse of God but by concluding that Job was unrighteous This manner of arguing Job calls Speaking wickedly for God and talking deceitfully for him This he also calls The accepting of his person Ch. 13.7 8. As if they had been the Patrons and Promoters of Gods cause and honour while they thus pleaded against Job and layd his honour and innocency in the dust That there is a sinfull flattery of God in such a procedure against man was shewed more largely in the place last mentioned to which I referr the Reader for his further satisfaction He that speakes flattery to his freind What of him The next words tell us what The eyes of his Children shall faile But shall he himselfe escape Shall not hee smart for it Saith not the Scripture Whatsoever a man sowes that shall hee reap the sower shall be the reaper This is not spoken to free the Flatterer from punishment but to shew that more then he shall be punished for his flattery as he himselfe shall not escape so he may bring others also into danger with him As sin spreads it selfe in the pollution of it so in the punishments of it When but one sins many may be defiled and when but one acts a sin many may be endangered a man knowes not upon how many he may bring evill when he doth ill himselfe The eyes of his Children shall faile What is meant by the failing of the eyes was shewed Ch. 11.20 where Zophar saith The eyes of the wicked shall faile and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost In generall 't is this They shall be disappointed of their hopes or they shall expect so long and nothing come that their eyes shall faile with expectation The eyes of his Children shall faile Some by Children understand not his naturall Children or the Children of his body but his Children in a figure Morum atque vitae imitatores Aquin. such as imitate and follow him who take his course and tread in his pathes for as they are called the Children of the Devill who are like him and doe his workes and as we are called the Children of God not onely in reference to our new birth and spirituall generation but also in reference to our new obedience and holy actions Mat. 5.44 45. So they may be called a mans Children who resemble him in his manners as well as they who issued from his loynes Hence Note First The punishment of sin doth not alway rest or determine in him that committed the sin The bitter fruits of sin are often transmitted and handed over to those who had no present hand in them when they were committed The whole Familie and Posterity of sinners may smart many a day after and inherit the sins of their Progenitors as well as their Lands when the Father purchaseth or provides an Inheritance for his Childe by flattery or any other indirect way the eyes of his children may faile for it I have met with this point before Cha. 15.33 34. and elsewhere therefore I onely touch and passe from it Secondly Consider the particular sin against which this judgement is pronounced It is the speaking of flattery Hence Observe The sin of flattery is a very provoking sin That sin which shall be punished in posterity is no ordinary sin Those good actions which the Lord promiseth to reward in posterity or in after times have a speciall excellency in them It shewed that the deed of Jehu in destroying Ahabs House and rooting out his Idolatry though Jehu himselfe was a very bad man and did it with a bad heart yet I
his end eyther to determine them or to determine him JOB Chap. 17. Vers 6 7. He hath made me also a by-word of the people and afore time I was as a Tabret Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow and all my members are as a shadow IN these two Verses Job repeats and aggravates his affliction and he doth it as hee had done before by shewing the effects of his affliction Wee judge of causes by the effects that which produceth a great effect must needs have a greatnesse of causality in it Two effects or his affliction are layd downe in this context The first tels us what his afflictions wrought in others The second what it wrought upon himselfe What his affliction wrought in others is set forth Vers 6. He was become the talke of all possibly the sport of not a few The argument stands thus That is a very great affliction which every man speakes of or which makes a man a by-word But such is my affliction every one talkes of it and I am made a by-word of the people Therefore my affliction is very great What his affliction wrought upon him selfe is expressed in the seventh Verse Dimnesse in his eye and weaknesse in his whole body Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow and all my members are as a shaddow The Argument may be formed thus That is a very great affliction the sorrows whereof dim the eyes and macerate all the members of the body But such is the sorrow of my affliction that my very eyes are dim and all my members are macerated therefore mine is a great affliction As if he had sayd Should I hold my peace and sit downe in silence yet my dim eyes and dryed bones my withered skin and cripled limbes are as so many tongues yea trumpets to speake and speake aloud the sorrows of my heart and the sufferings of my outward man This seemes to be Jobs scope in the words now under hand Vers 6. He hath made me a by-word of the people He Who is that The antecedent is inquired for Our late Annotations fix it upon Eliphaz who spake last and at whom he pointed in the Verse bâ—fore He hath talked so of me that now I am a common talke He hath spoken such words by mee that now I am made a by-word We had need take heed what we say of any Brother for if one man give out the word e-now will follow to make him a by-word Haec de domino dicit quem ubique facit suarum calamitatum authorem Merc. Others resolve it upon God himselfe Hee that is God hath made me a by-word Job at first acknowledged God the author of his troubles and so he hath done all along as hath been toucht in diverse passages of this dispute As no man lifts up his hand so no man lifts up his tongue without God As afflicting actions so afflicting speeches are at his dispose He hath made me A by-word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Potestatem quandam habet excellentiam significat proverbium parabolam axioma quod vocatur propositio maxima The Hebrew word in the Verbe signifies properly to rule to governe to have dominion or supretme power as a Prince or Potentate And by a Metaphor it signifies any thing that excelleth or is eminent in any kinde upon this account it is oft employed to signifie those rules of truth and holinesse to which every mans reason must yeeld obeysance such are called in a way of excellency by Moralists Proverbs by Orators Sentences by Logicians Maxims or Principles which are not to be proved but supposed No man must deny them or if any man doe he is not to be disputed with such rules are Rulers and they are thus expressed upon a twofold reason First Because of the difficulty and mysteriousnesse of their meaning they are of few words but of so large and multiplying a sense that they doe as much master as enlighten the understanding Secondly They are so expressed because of the extent or universality of their usefulnesse they being such as beare sway in and have an influence upon all transactions that One sentence or rule of Equity What you would have others doe to you doe so to them runs through the whole course of mans life and reacheth us in all acts of Justice whether distributive or commutative And as those proverbiall sentences which direct justice and good manners are of great command and authority among men so likewise are those which had their rise from the reproofe of any mans injustice or evill manners If once a man be made a by-word whether the grounds of it be true or false makes no matter as to this point it will stick by him and overcome his credit let him doe what he can he shall hardly claw it off againe as long as he lives Thou hast made me a by-word Further to cleare the Text In parabolizare populorum Nam est infinitum q. d. ut sim illis proverbio vulgi fabula vel ut de me proverbium faciant Merc. we may consider that the word By-word in the Hebrew is of the Infinitive Mood and so some render it Thou hast made me for the parabolizing of the people or that the people make Parables and Proverbs of me which we render fully to the sense Thou hast made me a Parable a Proverbe or a by-word among the people Two things are usually implyed when a man is sayd to be a by-word First That he is in a very low condition some men are so high that the tongues of the common people dare not climbe over them but where the Hedge is low every man goes over Secondly That he is in a despised condition to be a by-word carries a reflexion of disgrace He that is much spoken of in this sense is ill spoken of and he is quite lost in the opinion of men who is thus found in their discourse It is possible though rare for a man to be in a low or bad condition and yet to be well spoken of yea to be highly honoured some are had in precious esteeme while they lye upon the dunghill but usually a man greatly afflicted is little valued and he whose state is layd low in the World his person is also low in the opinion of the World Job was at that time a By-word in both these Notions hee was low in state and he was lower in esteeme Hence Observe First Great sufferers in the things of this World Fieri solet ut insignes virorum illustrium calamitates in proverbium abeant deque iis fiant cantiones Merl. are the common subject of discourse and often the subject of disgrace Such evils as few men have felt or seen all men will be speaking of Great sorrowes especially if they be the sorrows of great men are turned into Songs and Poetry playes its part with the saddest disasters When Sihon King of the Amorites had taken many strong Cities
from the King of Moab the misery which fell upon the Moabites by that Warr was put into Verse and passed into a Proverbe Numb 21.27 28 29 30. Wherefore they that speake in Proverbs say Come into Heshbon let the City of Sihon be built and prepared For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon a flame from the City of Sihon c. That is A feirce hot Warr is made which hath consumed Ar of Moab and the Lords of the high places of Arnon Holy David met with this measure from men in the day of his sorrowes Psal 69.10 11. When I wept and chastned my soule with fasting that was to my reproach I made sack-cloath my Garment I became a Proverbe or a By-word 't is Jobs language to them In the next Verse he tels us who did this by way of distribution They that sit in the Gate that is Great ones speake against me and I was the song of the Drunkard that is Of the common sort When those false Prophets Ahab and Zedekiah who to put the Jewes into a hope of a speedy returne from their Captivity in Babylon prophesied the speedy ruine of Babylon it selfe when I say those false Prophets should be cruelly put to death by the command of the King of Babylon according to the Prediction of the Prophet Jeremiah then the same Prophet foretels also that this judgement of God upon them for their lyes should be made a By-word and their names a curse Jer. 29.21 22. And of them shall be taken up a curse Plagae Zedikiae tangant te sit frater servus Zedekiae Vatabl. by all the Captivity of Judah which are in Babylon saying The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab whom the King of Babylon rosted in the fire That signall Victory of Gideon over the Midianites became a Proverbe in Israel Isa 9.4 As in the day of Midian And the Lord promises his people that the fall of the King of Babylon shall be so notorious that they shall take up this Proverbe and say How hath the oppressor ceased The golden City ceased Isa 14.4 The Prophet Habakkuk assured them that this should be while he sayd Chap. 2.6 Shall not all these certainely they shall take up a Parable against him and say Woe to him that encreaseth that which is not bis how long And to him that ladeth himselfe with thicke clay Secondly Observe It is a great burden to be made a disgracefull by-word â—hus God threatned his owne people and numbered it among the sorest punishments of their disobedience Deut. 28. 37. The Lord shall bring thee and thy King whom thou hast set over thee to a Nation whom thou nor thy Fathers have knowne and there thou shalt serve other Gods Wood and Stone and thou shalt become an astonishment and a Proverbe and a by-word among all the Nations whither the Lord shall lead thee This threat was renewed 1 Kings 9.7 And the Psalmist bewailes it that God had brought his people into such a condition Thou hast made us a by-word among the Heathen a shaking of the head among the people thou hast made us a reproach to our neighbours a scorne and derision to them that are round about us Psal 44.13 The Prophet Jeremiah speakes terrour from the Lord Jer. 24.9 I will deliver them to be removed to all the Kingdomes of the earth for their hurt to be a reproach and a proverbe and a taunt and a curse in all the places whither I shall drive them The Hypocrite who putteth the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face and commeth to a Prophet to enquire of the Lord hath his doome denounced in this tenour Ezek. 14.8 I will set my face against that man and make him a signe and a proverbe and cut him off from amidst my people Againe Ezek. 16.44 They that speake in proverbs shall say Such as the Mother is such is the Daughter The Hittites and the Israelites were both alike in sin and they should not be unlike in punishment Such short sentences are an advantage to memory and serve in stead of larger Histories of eminent providences whether mercies or judgements Thirdly Observe God often turnes that to the honour of his servants which men intended to their disgrace Job was a by-word in disgrace God made him a by-word too but for his honour Job is famous to a Proverbe at this day for as when wee would set forth the greatnesse of any mans suffering we say Hee is as poore as Job so when wee would set forth the greatnesse of any mans patience we say He is as patient as Job or he is another Job All the vertues In proverbium abiit Jobi patientia and graces which the Saints have manifested under sufferings are proverbially exprest under the sufferings and patience of Job Never did Caesar nor Alexander nor any of the great Hero's of the World obtaine such a Name and glory by victories over men as Job did by patient suffering under the hand of God And as hee is proverbially spoken of for his suffering so likewise for his holinesse God made his Piety a Proverbe too though his Freinds suspected him for an Hypocrite When the Lord would shew himselfe so unalterably resolved that nothing should take him off from bringing judgement upon a sinfull people he saith I will not doe it though Noah Daniel and Job stood before me Ezek 14.14 As if he had sayd I will not doe it though the most eminent men in holinesse or the greatest favorites that ever I had in the World should sue that they might be spared if any in the World could obtaine this of God Noah Daniel and Job could but they should not therefore none shall See with what honourable Names he is listed Noah and Daniel men remembred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Interpretatur antea prius i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel ante facies i. e. in conspectu hominum in oculis eorum Exemplum sum coram eis Vulg. Sumitur ver bum Tophet ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 portentum prodigium res mira i e. Exemplum quod dam prodigiosum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et nollet eam ignomi iae expâ—nere Bez. Graeci dicunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitaâ—p oscriptus publicè in cippo yea crowned with honour by God and all good men are but company good enough for Job Thou hast made me a by-word And aforetime I was as a Tabret Aforetime The word may be taken two wayes First As signifying what was or hath been done in former times in which sense we translate Aforetime or formerly I was as a Tabret Secondly As signifying what is or hath been done in the presence of others Before them I was as a Tabret Wee put in the Margin Before their face or in their sight that is They being witnesses of it I was as a Tabret The Vulgar Latine translates the word which wee render
in Hell already But I finde this Interpretation discharged from this Text upon good reason especially by a demonstration of the invalidity of that reason upon which it is grounded eyther by the first discoverers or maintainers of it For the Idolalatry of sacrificing Children to Moloch in Tophet and the fire in the Valley of Hinnon were not heard of in the time of Job the first mention of the Valley of Hinnon is Josh 18.16 at the distribution of the Land of Canaan among the Tribes of Israel and the name Tophet was not given it till some Ages after that not till the Idolatry of the Jewes was growne to its height which was not presently but by certaine degrees for that act of theirs in offering their Children to that Idoll seemes to be the highest growth and top-branch of it And therefore I passe this exposition Sixthly The word Tophet is conceived to set forth the manner of a punishment or torture used in those times Some Malefactors were adjudged to have their bodies stretched out by the foure quarters upon an Engine Existimo Toph significare tympanizatum i. e. hominem qui passus est illud supplicium quod Graeci vocant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latini quoque Tympanum Bold Tympanizatio illa videtur esse qua reus per quatuor membra distentus bacillis ad numerum in ventre tanquam tympanum percutiebatur Id. and then to be beaten upon their bellies to such a number of stroakes as the Law or sentence of the Judge appointed Which manner of torture was called by the Greeks Tympanization or as we may expresse it in our language Drumming and the person adjudged to that punishment was sayd to be drummed when it was inflicted upon him because he was beaten upon his body like a Drum and beaten also like a Drum in measure or to a certaine number of stâ—oakes the greatest number not exceeding forty as the judiciall Law of Moses appointed Deut. 25.2 3. which may be a confirmation of this Notion upon Jobs Text to which also we may add the present custome of the Eastern countries especially among the Turks who commonly punish their Captives and Gally-slaves stretching them naked upon a broad Planke or Board and giving them many cruell stroakes upon their Bellyes But above all the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews gives a cleere light to this Heb. 11.35 where describing the severall torments which the Saints of the old Church among the Jewes endured hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Women received their dead raised to life againe and others were tortured So we translate The Greek is Others were drummed that is they endured the torture of Tympanization or Drumming which word is also used by the Compiler of the History of the Maccabees 2 Macchab. 6.19.28 who tells us that Eleazer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and other Martyrs were tympanized or drummed hee offered himselfe willingly to the torment or Drum the manner of which may be easily collected from the thirtieth Verse of that Chapter in the Maccabees where the Author saith As hee was ready to give up the ghost because of the stroakes c. which shews two things First That the torture was by beating with Staves or Cudgels Secondly That it was not usuall for men to dye under such beatings that punishment not being to death but to paine and disgrace as appeares also from that of Pilate concerning Christ who when he found nothing in him worthy of death sayd I will chastise or beat him and release him Luke 23.15 16. And Paul received forty stripes save one five times of the Jews which seems to have been a torture somwhat like this we are now upon and was thrice beaten with Rods and yet survived them all 2 Cor. 11.24.25 The Prophet Nahum also may thought be to allude to this custome Na. 2.7 And Huzzab which some take for the proper name of the Queene of Ninevie shall be led away Captive she shall be brought up and her Maids shall lead her as with the voice of Doves tabring or drumming upon their breasts it is this word in the Text that is They shall inflict that punishment upon themselves which others use to inflict on evill doers as if he had sayd They shall torture themselves or be their owne tormentors for very griefe and vexation at those miseries which their enemies shall bring upon them As the poore Publican filled with godly sorrow and remorse for his sin Smote upon his breast Luke 18.13 So it is usuall for such as are overburdened with worldly sorrow to smite upon their breasts and add a voluntary paine to that which is inflicted Job is conceived to aime at this forme of punishment and then taking the former part of the Verse not as we render it I am a by-word but as the word properly signifies to Governe or beare Rule and then I say the sense appeares thus I who have been a Ruler Statuit me ad dominari populis tympanizatus palam ero Bold or in place of Authority heretofore am now looked upon as a man who eyther had been or deserves to be tortured drummed or cudgelled as if I were at once an ordinary man and an extraordinary Malefactor We may also keep to our translation of the former part of the Verse and suite this Exposition of the latter part very well unto it Thus Hee hath made me a by-word of the people Ac si publicé fuissem tympanizatus bacillis caesus and before them I am in no better repute then a man who for his faults hath undergone publique shame as if wee should say according to our customes then a man that hath been whipt about the Streets or that hath stood upon the Plliorie or that hath been branded with a hot Iron in the hand or face both which applications of this Exposition center in that Observation lately given about the changeablenesse and inconstancy of mans opinion concerning and of his affections towards man And therefore I shall not insist further upon the use of it but onely add that Bolduc A learned Interpreter takes much paines to make out a proofe of this exposition from that passage of the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 30. Vers 30 31 32 33. where the Lord having made gracious promises to his own people of their deliverance from the Assyrian bondage thus threatens the Assyrian the Rod of his anger and the Staffe of his indignation Ver. 30. The Lord shall cause his glorious voyce to be heard and shall shew the lighting downe of his arme with the indignation of his anger and with the flame of a devouring fire with scattering tempest and hailstones For through the voyce of the Lord shall the Assyrian be beaten downe which smote with a Rod. And in every place where the grounded staffe shall passe which the Lord shall lay upon him it shall be with Tabrets and Harps and in battels of shaking will he fight with it For
as a challenge not as a profession of his fixed purpose to oppose what his Freinds should say in maintenance of their opinion but onely as a desire of their attention to what hee had yet to say for his Come returne now as if hee had thus expressed himselfe Yee are not right let mee set you right and instruct you better learne of me you have need enough to be taught for I have not found a wise man among you Thus David calls his Schollers about him Psal 34.11 Come yee Children hearken unto me and I will teach you the feare of the Lord. The former glosse shewed the strength and courage of Jobs spirit this the piety and holinesse of his spirit 'T is our duty in meeknesse to instruct those who oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth 2. Tim. 2.25 Thirdly Invitat amicos ad mutandam sententiam Pined Rescipiscete Jun. The words are more generally taken for an invitation to repentance Come now returne Some translate the word Returne in this Text by Repent which is the sense of it in a hundred Texts of the Old Testament Repentance is a turning and returning all returning supposeth eyther our being out of the way or that we have gone as farr as our businesse lyes in that way The returning of repentance supposeth only the former for every step in sin is quite out of our way what have wee to doe in the way of sin but onely to come out of it our businesse lyes not there all that we doe there must be undone againe or else wee are undone for ever In this returning of repentance we may consider first the terme from which and secondly the terme to which wee are called to returne The terme from which is twofold First Sinfull practices Secondly False and erroneous opinions Job doth not deale with his Freinds about the former hee did about the latter they were under a grand mistake concerning the Doctrine of providence and from that he invites them to a speedy returne The terme to which we are to returne in the actings of repentance is threefold First To our selves Secondly To God Thirdly To him whom wee have wronged or from whom we sinfully dissent Job may be interpreted as calling his Freinds to a returne in this threefold reference Ad se redire etiam Eatinis dicitur qui ad bonam mentem redit Grot. First As repentance is a returning to our selves a man that is carried away either to false opinions or into wicked courses is gone from his neerest home 'T is a duty to deny our selves but 't is a sin to depart from our selves And as it is a sin to depart from our selves so every sin is a departure from our selves therefore repentance which is a turning from sin must needs be a returning to our selves The Gospel represents the repentance of the Prodigall Son under this notion Luke 15.17 And when he came to himselfe he sayd c. He had not been with himselfe a long time before yet at last he came to himselfe this was his first step to repentance An impenitent person is not onely out of his way but out of his wits he is gone not onely from Divine truth and holinesse but from his owne naturall reason and prudence if so whensoever he repents he returnes to himselfe Secondly Repentance is a returning to God If thou wilt returne O Israel saith the Lord returne unto me Jer. 4.1 The grace of repentance is most frequently and most suitably expressed by this act of returning to God and they who doe not repent are every where sayd not to returne to God Amos 4. c. Yet have yee not returned unto me Thirdly Repentance is a returning to man We must not be ashamed to acknowledge our faylings one to another or to returne to them in duty from whom we have departed eyther by not giving them their due or by accusing them unduely We must not be ashamed of returning to them by submitting to the truth from whom wee have departed by following or holding any errour Thus Job may be conceived counselling and calling his Freinds to a returne in these three senses given First to themselves Secondly to God Thirdly to him whom they had so long opposed But though all three may be included yet the scope and designe of Job seemes to intend the third Returne and come now that is Returne to me let not truth fare the worse for my sake doe not you cast it off because I hold it It is not enough to turne from any evill whether of opinion or practice and returne to the obedience of God but we must also returne to the love of good men and unite with them in the truth But why must they returne Job gives the reason expresly in the latter part of the Verse For I cannot finde one wise man among you All the wayes of sin and errour are wayes of folly they stampe a man for a Foole and unwise whosoever walkes in them I cannot finde one wise man among you When he saith I cannot finde It shewes that he had endeavoured to finde he had been seeking for a wise man among them but he found none The Lord saith David Ps 14.2 looked down from heaven upon the Children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek after God but he found none They are all gone aside Vers 3. Job seemes to have been upon such an inquiry He had looked over his Freinds and weighed them one by one but he found not one wise man among them The Preacher Eccles 7.27.28 counting one by one to finde out the account found but one man that is one wise or good man among a thousand No marvaile then if Job found not one among three yet considering what three these were men numbred among the Worthies possibly the first three of that age and place it may justly be mervailed why Job should speak at so low a rate or so sleightly of them Was he not too censorious and rigid too bold and adventerous to speake thus concerning men of such gravity authority and reputation for wisedome and learning yea and for holinesse too as these three were Shall we say that this censure proceeded from Jobs wisedome or from his passion Was he wise in saying so or so much as charitable I answer Job did not speake this from any ill will to his Freinds or from contempt of them it had been not onely unfreindly but very sinfull to have done it That word of Christ had its truth in those times Hee that is angry with his brother unadvisedly shall be in danger of judgement and he that saith to his Brother Racha which signifies an empty fellow or a man that hath nothing in him shall be in danger of a Councell but he that saith thou Foâ—le shall be in danger of Hell stre Matth. 5.23 Job did not call his Freinds Fooles when he sayd
governe himselfe by presidents no man can tell certainely which way he vvill goe by looking into the way vvhich he hath gone for though he useth no liberty in the issue of his dealings but rewardeth every man according to his works yet hee useth much liberty in the meanes which lead unto it Secondly This ariseth from the narrownesse of mans heart who measuring God by his owne line and comparing what God hath done by what he would do cannot as the Apostle speakes in another case attaine unto the righteousnesse of God in vvhat he doth 'T is excellent wisedome to know how to interpret and improve the dealings of God vvith our selves or others The grossest mis-interpretation of his dealings is to conclude the guilt or innocency of man the love or hatred of God from them Jobs Freinds upon such mistakes incurred this censure I have not found one wise man among you Job having by way of introduction spoken to the men or to the persons of his Freinds proceeds to speake his owne case Vers 11. My dayes are past my purposes are broken off even the thoughts of my heart What doe you tell me of comfortable dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Transierum My dayes are past they are gone by as wee say The Shew is gone by or the Company is gone by so saith Job My dayes are gone by There 's no looking after them any more they are out of sight why would you bring them into my minde againe Dayes may be taken here in a twofold sense First For the terme of his life Secondly For the state of his life As taken for the terme of his life My dayes are past is Morti vicinus sum I am a neere neighbour to death death and I am ready to meet and imbrace the life of man is measured by daye◠when our dayes are past there 's nothing left to measure nothing to measure by My dayes are past But how could Job affirme The terme or dayes of my life are past when as he was alive that day to say this so he lived many a faire day after he had sayd it Can we call that past which is still present with us or which is yet to come He affirmes this First because he conceived that the greatest part of his dayes were actually past and that it was not worth while to reckon upon the few dayes behinde he did not thinke that remnant so considerable as to measure it but threw it by as a peice of uselesse nothing Our dayes are so passing that with a little Rhetorick we may say they are past as soone as they begin how much more may wee say so when we are sure they must shortly end and are really almost yea onely not past Secondly Job might say My dayes are past because doubtlesse it had seized on his spirit that his Glasse was run that hee should dye presently hee never looked to outlive that storme So that his dayes were past in his account though not in Gods account Job could say of himselfe as we use to say of those Women who have gone out their full time of Child-bearing that He had not a day more to reckon As Job had a full assurance that he should live eternally so he had a kinde of assurance that hee should dye very shortly And therefore as to his owne apprehensions and the calculation which he had made of his dayes their date was out and hee might say My dayes are past Againe As taken for the state of his life so My dayes are past is My good dayes my prosperous dayes are past you tell me of a day of deliverance what a morning I shall have but I looke on all my dayes here as dayes of darknesse wee say of a man who is not only in an evill but in a desperate or irrecoverably evill condition He hath seene all his best dayes or all his good dayes are gone Job was full of trust for a good eternity but he had no hope of good days The terme of a mans dayes may continue long when the comfort of his dayes is or when his comfortable dayes are quite past Though Jobs dayes continued as to the terme of his life yet his dayes as hee judged were past as to any comfortable state of life in which sense he might also say My dayes are past Nor did Job speake this complainingly or with a low spirit My dayes are past he did not whine it out as they doe who are loath to dye and would faine live still in the delights of life but he spake boldly and cheerfully he spake of his Dying day as of his Marriage day My dayes are past As a young man saith My marriage day is at hand I shall be marryed shortly with such a holy allacrity Job spake I shall dye shortly my dayes are past He looked upon his comfortable dayes in the World as past and yet he was comforted Job was full of paine yet usually in the close of his speeches he gathered up himselfe and spake in a height and heat of spirit As the Cock towards morning flutters his Wings before he Crowes and gives warning of the approaching day or as the Lyon strikes his sides with his Tayle to rouze up his spirits before he attempts his prey so Job stirr'd up himselfe towards the close of his answers and resumed new spirits acting That dying man to the life who having nothing in this World eyther to feare or hope dyes without feare yet with abundance yea in assurance of hope My dayes are past Hence Observe First As the words are taken in the former sense A gracious heart hath peace in the approaches of death His contentments are not done when the terme of his life is done He can say My dayes are past as cheerfully as Agag sayd Surely the bitternesse of death is past Some godly men have dyed farr more pleasantly then ever any wicked man lived Secondly From the latter sense Observe A gracious heart can take present comfort and rejoyce in this World while he knowes that all his worldly comforts and joyes are past Faith overlookes or lookes thorow and beyond all the evills of this life to a good which shall never dye yea Faith sees and enjoyes a present good while sense sees nothing and indeed hath nothing else to see but evill A carnall man parts with his good dayes or with the good of his dayes as Phaltiel went to deliver up Michal Sauls Daughter and Davids Wife by right weeping all along as he went 2 Sam. 3.16 There 's a sad parting betweene a worldly heart and worldly things but he that is spiritually minded though he doth not despise the meanest of worldly good things as made by God for the use and comfort of man so when God cals him from them or them from him he can part with he use of them and yet not be dispossessed of comfort he knowes that hee hath a present good and that he hath greater good
to come while he saith My dayes are past My purposes are broken off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cogitavit plerumque in malum ali quando in bonum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cujus singularis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod antiquitus legebant Zemma ferre scelus denotat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 autem quod ab eodem themate vocabulum est medium Drus Rupti sunt articuli cordis mei Sept. Convulsae sunt compages corporis mei Aug. The word which we translate Purposes signifies most usually an evill purpose or wicked designements yet it is used also as among the Rabbins so by the Penmen of Scripture in a good sense for a warrantable yea for a holy purpose In the Booke of Proverbs Chap. 1.4 Chap. 2.11 it is translated Discretion or Advisement proceeding from the teachings of wisedome which stirrs up gracious purposes in the soule towards God and every good My purposes are broken off The Septuagint render My heart strings are broken The heart-strings by a metaphor may be taken for purposes because purposes are as Bands or strings upon the heart and therefore when purposes are broken we may say the bands or strings of the heart are broken Another reads The bindings or fastnings of my body are loosned or torne asunder which translation as also the former taken literally notes onely his neernesse to death for when a man dyeth we say his heart-strings breake and his whole body is in a fit of convulsion My purposes are broken The word signifies a violent forcible breaking as if a Giant had broken them But what was it which broke his purposes The violence and continuance of his afflictions was this Breaker or his purposes were broken by the confused motions and troublesome representations of his owne fansie to which sick men are very subject Againe what were those purposes of his which were broken If they were evill purposes he had reason to rejoyce not to complaine if they were good purposes was it not his sin as well as his affliction that they were broken off I answer to that Purposes may be good and yet broken without the sin of the purposer if himselfe be not the cause of that breach and the impediment of their performance If our holiest purposes are broken off by the inevitable providence of God the holinesse of man receives no blemish by it The purposes of Job were good doubtlesse eyther spiritually good or civilly good and they may be taken eyther for those purposes of doing good which hee had before hee fell into trouble or for those which hee had layd up in his brest to doe when he should be againe restored and delivered out of trouble As if he had sayd I once had an expectation of life and I purposed with my selfe what to doe with or in my new life but now those purposes are all broken off for I see my life is ready to be broken off The next clause seemes to explaine this and in that wee shall see more fully what he meanes by these purposes Even the thoughts of my heart Every thought of the heart is not a purpose yet every purpose is a thought of the heart our thoughts are made up into purposes eyther what to doe or not to doe Hence it is usuall to say I thought to have done such or such a thing that is I purposed to doe it Therefore Job might well say My purposes are broken off even the thoughts of my heart because purposes are nothing else but a frame or pack of thougts there is an elegancie in that word which we translate Thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Possessiones cordis a radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cogitationes meae avulsae sunt quas possidere solebat animus meus Jun. The Hebrew is The possessions of my heart so we put it in the Margin of our Bibles A learned Translator renders it thus The thoughts which my minde was wont to possesse are puld or snatcht away he meanes it not of all his thoughts as if his power of thinking had been lost but of those speciall thoughts which he had or hopes which he nourished about his restoring to happy dayes these once possessed his heart but they were gone Thoughts are called the possessions of the heart two wayes Dicuntur cogitationes possideri a corde quid enim magis proprium aut innatum cordi quam suae ipsius cogitationes Drus Coc. First In a passive sense Secondly In an active sense Passively Because they are possessed by the heart the heart doth enclose and hold our thoughts The hear◠is the naturally proper vessell or receptacle of thoughts therefore they are called the possessions of the heart The heart is the soyle and seat of thoughts there they are planted and there they dwell Actively For as thoughts are possessed by the heart so thoughts possesse the heart thoughts are full of activity they trouble and they comfort the heart looke what our thoughts are such is the state of our hearts if our thoughts be quiet our hearts are quiet if our thoughts be unquiet our hearts are unquiet if our thoughts be joyful our hearts rejoice if our thoughts be sad our hearts are sorrowfull 'T is sayd in the Gospel L. 24.38 Why are ye troubled why do thoughts rise in your hearts that is Why doe troublesome and disconsolate thoughts rise in your hearts 'T is as natural for thoughts to rise in the heart as it is for water to rise in a spring therefore Christ did not chide them because thoughts but because such thoughts did rise in their hearts We cannot hinder our hearts from thinking no more then wee can hinder the fire from burning or water from wetting but 't is our duty to hinder our hearts from undue or discourageing thoughts and to check them for thinking so Thoughts rule the heart and put it into severall frames and formes according to their owne likenesse and therefore it is both our wisedome and our holinesse to put and keepe our thoughts in the best likenesse The heart in a figurative sense is nothing else but the frame of our thoughts and our thoughts in a proper sense are nothing else but the possessions of the heart Tabulae cordis Chald. Further The Chaldee Paraphrase saith The Tables of my heart are broken so it is an allusion to writing The Law was written at first in Tables of Stone and now a heart of flesh not a fleshly heart is the Tables of the Law our hearts are Tables both for our owne writing and for Gods Job had written many purposes upon those tables therefore he might well say as in this case My purposes or all that was written upon the Tables of my heart are broken In my thoughts I had written and set downe many particulars which I purposed to have done Scriptura cordis nunc litura est Pined but now those lines are crossed or quite blotted out God writes many of his owne thoughts in
prayer heard by God is the greatest misery that can befall man 359. Presumptuous sin spoken of in the Old Testament why thought to be the same with the sin against the holy Ghost in the New Testament 130. Pride causeth opposition against God 141. Promises three acts of the soule upon the Promises 514. Prosperity to have been in prosperity adds to the bitternesse of any present adversity 285. Punishment proportioned to sin two wayes 131 153. Provocation what it is 414. There is a good provocation 415. Three ill effects of provocation 416. Purposes must be followed by action if not a double danger 505. Death breakes all our purposes ibid. R. Recompence of two sorts 180. Rejoycing to see others rejoyce at our troubles is very greivous 462. Reproach the best Saints on Earth have been deeply reproached 271. Good men have often reproached one another 272. Reproach is a very heavy burden 273. A reproaching tongue is compared in Scripture to three things 274. Reproofe some in reproving other mens faults run into the same themselves 30. Repentance a returning the two termes of it 494. Revelation of divine secrets two ways of it 26. Revenge belongs so God man must not revenge himselfe 236. Revenge is very sweet to some spirits 276 277. Reward it is undoing of some to have their reward 183. Reynes what they signifie in Scripture 298. To cleave the reynes what 299. Riches it is not in the power of man to get riches 156. Riches ill gotten will not hold 157. A carnall man would have perfection of riches 158. Riches lying vanities shewed two wayes 177. In what sense riches are deceitfull 178. Rich men the same word signifies a rich man and a man at ease in Hebrew two reasons of it 283 284. Righteous men persevere in the wayes of God against all discouragements 479. Their perseverance is from the power of God 480. S. Sack-cloth taken two wayes in Scripture 315. Saints who 62. Saints by some called Heaven two reasons of it 63. Scandall at the crosse or sufferings of Professors 472. Scorne how opposite to love 375. They who are highly honoured by God are often scorned by men 375 376. Three words in the Hebrew signifying to scorne their difference 410. Secrets of God or divine secrets of two sorts 25. Seeing a sure sense 77. Seeing taken two wayes 77. Seers old Prophets why so called 77. Servants in what sense they must not answer againe 50. Security wicked men are neerest destruction when they are most secure 101. Shaddai name of God signifies three things 134. Sick Freinds not to be flattered how to be dealt with 439. Sicknesse unfits most for spirituall duties 506. Sin some sins more proper to some men 17 Man is most apt to act his proper sin 18. Sin kept close hinders the receiving of the word 41. Sin and sin onely makes men abominable in the sight of God 69. Multiplyed acts of sin argue mans sinfulnesse 69. All sins are against God yet some are more against him 130. Sinning with a high hand two things in it 130. Sin the greatest evill and why 132. Sin runs against reason 137. No danger can keep a wicked heart from sinning 144. Sin deceitfull 174. There are three emminent evils in sin 175. Sin deceives by a threefold promise 175 176. Some speciall characters of the sinne of a wicked man 199. To be a plotter of sin is worse then to be an actor of it 200. Wicked man cannot but sinne 202. They are oft put to much paine in sinning 202. Sinfull conceptions often prove abortive 203. Sin is the stng of affliction 216. Great sins leave their marke 261. It is possible to live without any knowne sin 331. Crying sin what 351. Solitatinesse in what sense good 253. Sorrow is dry 257. Sorrow makes old before the time 257. Sorrow under sufferings is not contrary to patience 322. Sorrow worldly and godly its effects 324. Sorrow taken two wayes 464. The sorrows of the minde break and weaken the body 465. Spirit of man in an ill sense what it signifieth 51. To turne the spirit against God most sinfull 51. In what cases a man may be charged to have turned his spirit against God 52. Smiting on the cheeke what it signifies in Scripture 269. Sparing mercy what 300 301. Sparing sinfulnesse 304. Sparing mercy is the lowest degree of mercy 306. Spirit helpes to pray no pure prayer without the helpe of the spirit 340. 341. Strangers a double notion of them 83 84. Strangers why called Enemies 84 Soule put for the whole man 227. Soule-sufferings put for all sufferings and why 227. Superstition or false worship hath a tange of basenesse and slavery in it 90. Surety what it is to be a Surety 420. Christ is our Surety 425. How Christ is called the Surety of a better Testament shewed two wayes ibid. Christ being our Surety we need not feare 426. Our Surety is of Gods appointing not of ours ibid. Sword how taken in Scripture 106. T. Tamerlaine the majesty of his eye 266. Teaching what we teach others wee should be well assured of our selves 78. Teares of three sorts 320. Teares have a voyce 377. Eight sorts of teares in Scripture all vocall 378. Teares are very powerfull Orators 379. Temptation no standing in it without the helpe of Christ 122. Thoughts called the possessions of the heart why 503. Threatnings a godly man makes use of threatnings as well as of promises to provoke himselfe to his duty 443. Tongue the Scholler of the heart 17. Sin hath got the mastery of the heart when it freely vents it selfe at the tongue 55. Tongue a light member yet fals heavy 167. Tophet why so called 455. Tradition when in use of what force now 80. Trusting in thing or person is upon a twofold supposition 61. To trust and to trust in or upon the same 61. Man will have somewhat to trust to and why 178. It is mans duty to trust God 179. Man is most apt to trust that which hath deceived him 179 180. The creature is most vain to those who trust it 181. Truth a precious commodity it should be conveyed to posterity 80. Truth must not be hid 81. Some truths are of very common observation 211. Ordinary truths will not serve in extraordinary cases 212. Tryalls when God brings to new tryalls he gives new strength 486. Tympanization or drumming what kinde of torture it was 456. Tyrant the common name of Kings in old time 84. V. Vaine Scripture calls things vaine foure wayes 5. Vanity what it is 171. Vanity taken two wayes ibid. Vanity of the creature 176. When a man brings forth vanity shewed in three particulars 201. Vau an Hebrew particle its diverse significations 388. Unbeleife of threatnings as dangerous as of promises 184. The use which Satan makes of such unbeleife ibid. Unbeleife is the sheild of sin 185. Understanding how God may be sayd to hide the heart from understanding shewed foure wayes 429. That it is the worke of
God to doe it shewed 431. It is a great judgement to have the understanding clouded 432. Our inability to understand ariseth two wayes ibid. When God takes away mens understanding it is a signe of their destruction 435. Unity men are apt to agree in doing hurt 276. W. Wayting what it is 514. Waiting upon God is one of the great duties of man 517. Waiting hath a blessing 520. Foure sinfull grounds of giving over waiting upon God 521 522. Wearinesse of body and minde 246 247. Weeping not unbecomming the most valiant men 379 Wedding garments signes of joy 317. Wicked mans life a painefull life 88. He hath two sorts of paine 88 89. He hath the paine but not the deliverance of a Woman in travell 89. Hee makes an ill construction of all that he heares 97. The destruction of a wicked man is inevitable 109. his misery is decreed 119. Wicked man falling into misery is irrecoverable 161. Wicked men of two sorts 192. God often delivers his precious servants into the hands of wicked men 278. It is an addition to affliction to be given into the hands of wicked men 279. Will of God under a threefold consideration is the rule of prayer 337. Winking how sinfull 45 46. Wise man who and how distinguished from a crafty man 4. It is most uncomely for a Wise man to speake vainely 6. The wisest of men doe not see all truths 430. A wise man may soone forfeit his title 496. Wise men rarely found 498. Wisedome no one man hath all wisedome 27. The highest straine of pride to think so ibid. He that is full of his owne wisedome is unfit to receive instruction 41. Wishing evill to others in what sense it may be done 229. Witnesses an old custome among them 19. God is both Judge and Witnesse 362. How and in what cases we may call God to witnesse 364 365. The witnesse of God is the most desireable witnesse 366. It is the joy of an upright heart that God is a witnesse of all hee doth 368. Worldly things are not the rest of Beleevers 283. All worldly prosperity may quickly bee dasht and lost 287. Worldly things are tastlesse and worthlesse to us in times of great sorrow 326. Words are great doers 9. Words which doe no good are evill 10. Salt of words what 10. Our words are sutable to our spirits 55. In what sense evill words are worse then evill thoughts 56. Words called windy in three respects 219 220. Bitter and passionate words to man provoke God 225 226. Words duely spoken are of great power 236. Ill sleeping upon hard words 414. Vnkinde words are bitter to the hearer 414. Harsh words carry much provocation in them 415. Hard words stick long upon the spirit of man 417. Wormes the companions of the dead 528. Wrath of God a consuming fllame 163. How we are sayd to give place to wrath 235. Wrinkles in the face caused two wayes 256. A perfect soule-state and a perfect state of body hath no wrinkle in it 257 258. A TABLE OF Those Scriptures which are occasionally cleered and breifly illustrated in the fore-going EXPOSITIONS The first Number directs to the Chapter the second to the Verse the third to the Page of the Booke Genesis Chap. Vers Page 2. 18. 253 254. 3. 8. 96. 4. 7. 357. 4. 14. 108. 5. 29. 35. 6. 4. 311. 8. 22. 509. 9. 27. 174. 11. 5 6. 276. 14. 22. 364. 31. 47. 361. 32. 24. 253. 34. 29. 396. Exodus Chap. Vers Page 8. 29. 411. 12. 15. 388. 14. 24 25. 165. 15. 9. 277. 34. 29 30. 318. Leviticus Chap. Vers Page 26. 41. 519. Numbers Chap. Vers Page 5. 21. 353. 15. 30. 130 127. 20. 10 11. 224. Deuteronomie Chap. Vers Page 8. 18 156. 29. 4. 432. 32 17. 510. Joshua Chap. Vers Page 5. 2. 492. 8. 26. 127. Judges Chap. Vers Page 11. 31. 388. 15. 16. 308. I. Samuel Chap. Vers Page 2. 5. 112. 9. 9. 77. 31. 4. 408. II. Samuel Chap. Vers Page 1. 9. 408. 13. 4. 260. I. Kings Chap. Vers Page 8. 27. 371. 16. 2. 319. 18. 41. 95. 20. 33. 244. II. Kings Chap. Vers Page 6. 33. 522 95. 7. 6. 97. 14. 9. 137. Ezra Chap. Vers Page 9. 13. 53. Esther Chap. Vers Page 5. 13. 277. Job Chap. Vers Page 20. 21. 114. 22. 15. 256. 30. 18. 316. 36. 27. 14. 42. 6. 319. Psalmes Chap. Vers Page 2. 1. 203. 7. 3 4 5. 353. 9. 12. 358. 15. 4. 67. 19. 14. 366. 22. 12. 146. 22. 30. 149. 23. 4. 36. 25. 14. 26. 33. 10. 288. 32. 1. 347. 35. 15 16. 265. 35. 19. 47. 37. 25. 111. 38. 1. 297. 39. 12. 379. 45. 12. 149. 50. 20. 72. 51. 8. 261. 51. 14. 348. 64. 8. 167. 73. 22. 248. 73. 25 28. 381. 75. 5. 189 141. 78. 31. 146. 78. 41. 521. 85. 6. 492. 88. 15. 249. 95. 8. 214. 106. 15. 259. 106. 32 33. 224. 106. 40. 66. 106. 7. 414. 108. 7 8 9. 165. 109. 6. 280. 119. 18. 432. 119. 96. 159. 119. 121 122. 424. 119. 126. 289. 119. 176. 170. 120. 5 7. 224. 126. 3. 279. 141. 5. 279. 144. 7. 84. 145. 19. 113. 146. 4. 505. Proverb Chap. Vers Page 4. 16. 418. 4. 17. 328. 4. 24. 45. 6. 1. 421. 6. 17. 47. 6. 25. 43. 6. 13. 48. 6. 26. 111. 7. 21. 437. 10. 10. 48 10. 15. 177. 11. 31. 181. 12. 16. 346. 16. 30. 48. 17. 21. 434. 18. 14. 330. 22. 26. 421. 24. 16. 161. 25. 12. 215. 25. 25. 388. 26. 6. 70. 28. 3. 91. 29. 11. 51. 29. 27. 66 Ecclesiastes Chap. Vers Page 4. 9 10. 253. 5. 10. 115. 7. 7. 248. 7. 15 16. 469. 7. 17. 187. 8. 10. 176. 9. 7 8 9. 317. Canticles Chap. Vers Page 1 16 190 2 16 406 4 9 266 Isaiah Chap. Vers Page 1 1 77 1 7 84 1 15 349 2 4 385 3 16 47 5 5 446 5 8 9 10. 153 6 9 10. 433 8 20 288 8 21 113 11 4 166 106 Â Â 384 22 2 98 22 18 123 25 4 51 25 9 521 26 17 18. 201 28 10 308 29 13 12 30 9 411 30 18 520 30 31 32 33. 458 32 6 6 33 1 158 38 14 423 40 24 159 40 30 31. 487 43 3 268 43 13 14. 138 44 9 20 44 20 179 46 8 67 â—0 47 11 109 49 4 238 50 4 218 51 3 34 52 1 85 53 10 305 57 20 224 65 20 187 Jeremiah Chap. Vers Page 4 16 308 4 19 95 5 7 150 5 13 4 6 29 30. 145 14 4 128 15 2 107 17 9 173 18 12 13 14 15. 524 20 3 4. 97 30 11 302 30 21 427 31 18 323 46 28 302 49 7 31 Lamentations Chap. Vers Page 3 4 257 3 12 13. 303 293 3 22 303 Ezekiel Chap. Vers Page 13 19 217 14 14 450 15 3 69 16 6 348 16 49 150 22 26 327 â—1 2 377 23 42 284 24 7 349 24 13 238 36 31 67 44 15 170 Daniel Chap. Vers
Tabret an Example I am a by-word and an example before them which is a good sense and then the word Tophet of which more by and by is used for Mophet which signifies a wonder or some strange unusuall thing which appeares or is reported to the admiration of all beholders and hearers I am a Proverbe and a strange example Strange examples grow often into a Proverbe So the Greek expresseth it and we in English say to a man who hath offended greatly You shall be made an example that is You shall be severely punished Mat. 1.19 Joseph being very tender of the honour of Mary his espoused Wise perceiving that shee was with Childe before they came together he was loath to make her a Paradigme or an example of dishonesty and disloyalty he was unwilling to make her a publique example and therefore was minded to put her away privily till the Lord gave him warning in a dreame about it So saith Job here according to this rendring I am a by-word among the people and as it were a Paradigme a publique example Great afflictions have these three things in them in reference to others First They are a wonder to others Secondly They are a terrour to others Thirdly They are an instruction unto others Wee finde all these and more in one Verse Ezek. 5.15 So it shall be a reproach and a taunt an instruction and an astonishment unto the Nations round about thee when I shall execute judgements in thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebuke I the Lord have spoken it The Apostle Peter describing the judgements of God first upon the Angels secondly upon the old World and lastly upon Sodome and Gomorah saith that God turning the Cities of Sodome and Gomorah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow making them an ensample to those that after should live ungodly 2 Pet. 2.6 The burning of those five Cities by immediate fire from Heaven made them examples or instructions to all succeeding Generations we may read the odiousnesse of those sins and the severity of God against them by the light of that fire to this very day Great afflictions are teaching afflictions Those calamities which destroy some should instruct all We are not onely to admire and wonder at them to be amazed and terrified at them but to be taught and admonished by them So the Apostle concludes concerning the severall judgements which God brought upon the Jewes while they murmured and disobeyed him in the Wildernesse All these things happened to them for examples or types and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come 1 Cor. 10.11 There are two sorts of examples written in the Word First There are examples for our imitation Secondly There are examples for our caution Some are examples by the good which they have done these must be imitated others are examples by the evils which they have suffered by these we must be warned This translation of the Text intends Job an example of Caution Againe Aforetime I was as a Tabret that is Aforetime I was in good repute or I was pleasant company As if hee had sayd I am now derided mocked at and tossed upon the tongues of men yea I am now voted an Hypocrite though heretofore in my prosperity report gave a very pleasant sound of me though absent and my person was as welcome to them as a Tabret To speake of mee where I came not was musick and I was musicke wheresoever I came but now what am I A by-word musicke still if you will but in scorne a song of disgrace That 's the first sense Hence take one Observation before I proceed to further explication The affections and opinions of men are very variable I am now a By-word before time I was as a Tabret As the estates of men change so usually doe our opinions of them Jobs heart was the same as before he was as holy as ever hee was onely he was not so wealthy as he was his spirit was as full of grace as before onely his Purse was not so full of Gold as before he had not so many thousand Sheep nor so many hundred Oxen he had not such a Family and retinue such worldly riches and honour and because hee endured such a change in his condition see what a change he suffered in mens affections he that before was as a Tabret all were glad of him is now a by-word the scorne of all Christ giveth testimony of John Baptist John 5.35 He was a burning and a shining light and what followes And you rejoyced in him for a season Though John did burne and shine all the while which God continued him in the Candlestick of the Church with equall heat and lustre yet they rejoyced in him but for a while or for a season The Jewes changed their thoughts of John and their esteeme of him was weakned though John continued in the same strength of parts and gifts Then how would they have changed if John had changed The peoples hearts were flatted towards him though his abilities were not John had not that repute and honour after a few yeares which hee had at the first And the word in the Gospel which we translate to rejoyce comes neere the word which we have in this Text a Tabret for it signifies to leape and dance and the Tabret is a musicall Instrument at the sound of which men dance and leape for a time they leaped â—bout John he was a burning and shining light and they danced and skipped about him as Children doe about a blazing fire in the Streets but this was onely for a season John himselfe found the World a changling his followers kept no constant tenour towards him how constant soever his tenour was How great a change did Christ himselfe finde Hee is yesterday to day and the same for ever yet one day the Jewes cry Hosanna they will needs make him a King he had much adoe to keep himselfe from a Crowne the ayre eccoes with Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord yet presently after the cry was Crucifie him crucifie him he is not worthy to live he could not keep himselfe by all his power as man from a Crosse a murtherer is preferred before him Not this man but Barrabas We read Acts 14. how suddenly the Tyde and Streame of affections turned and how opinions varyed about Paul when he and Barnabas had wrought a great cure the people came and would needs adore them and offer Sacrifice and sayd The Gods are come downe in the likenesse of men They brought Oxen and Garlands and would needs worship them there was much adoe to stave them off from Deifying or making Gods of them and yet before that Chapter is at an end their acceptation of him was at an end and Paul was stoned as unworthy the society of men by the same men and in the same place where he was saluted as a God It is no