hard labour This makes the sense of the whole Context run more clearly than our reading of it And so we have Sea-doors of two sorts in this Context In this eighth verse the doors of the Sea are the doors by which the Sea came forth and in the tenth verse we have the doors by which the Sea is kept in whereas according to our rendring the doors in both places are interpreted as keeping the Sea in and so there would be a mention of the same doors twice which though it may be admitted yet this latter seems to be the clearest as taking the first doors for those by which the Sea was let out or had its birth and the latter for those doors by which the Sea is kept within its bounds Who shut up the Sea with doors When it brake forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exivit cum impâ—tu The word which we translate to break forth signifies in other places of Scripture the breaking forth of a Child in the birth David useth it Psal 22.9 Thou art he that took me out of the womb there it is taken as Grammarians speak transitively here intransitively When it brake foterth noting a kind of rapture or violence as when Tamar was in travel Gen. 38.27 28. There were twins in her womb and it came to pass when she travelled that the one put out his hand and the Midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet threed saying this came out first and it came to pass as he drew back his hand that behold his brother came forth and she said how hast thou broken forth this breach be upon thee therefore his Name was called Pharez Thus the Sea brake forth violently as if it had issued Out of the womb Ex occulto divinae providentiae Aquin. Creavit deus terram non inanem sed gravidam aquis quae licet eodem temporis momento 〈◊〉 What Womb Some say of the Providence of God say others of the Decree or Counsel of God for that is the womb out of which all things proceed A third saith out of the Power and Omnipotence of God All these sayings are true either of these is as the womb out of which all things issue but these the Providence the Decree and Counsel the Power and Omnipotence of God are the Common Womb out of which all things issue whereas here the Lord seems to speak of some special womb out of which the Sea issued And therefore I rather adhere to that Interpretation which saith plainly that the womb out of which the Sea is said to issue was the Abysse or bowels of the Earth The Sea brake forth out of the bowels of the Earth as out of a womb The Earth is the Common Parent the Parent of the Sea the Sea was created in the bowels of the Earth or the Earth was created big with the waters of the Sea as a woman big with child and shortly after the Lord caused the earth like a woman with child to travel and bâ—ing forth the Sea So that the Lord doth here more distinctly open to us the manner of the Creation of the Sea than in the first of Genesis It is true the Element of Water hath its seat naturally above the Earth it being the lighter Element but as to the first conception of it this Scripture implies that its place was within the Earth and that it issued forth from the Earth The bowels of the Earth were the womb in which the Sea was conceived and out of which by the Word of the Lord it issued The waters were not at first created above the Earth as some have affirmed but they being created with the Earth and conceived within the Earth brake out of the Earth and invested or covered it all over and so continued in that condition till the third day and then the Lord commanded them to retire into certain vast channels now called Sea that so the dry land might appear Thus the Lord when the waters were issued forth disposed of them in their proper place According to this Interpretation we are to take these words of the time past Who is he that shut up the Sea with doors when it brake forth that is after it had broken forth after it had issued out Who was he that then shut it up with doors This description of the Nativity of the Sea may be drawn out into these concluâ—ions First The Earth and Waters were created both together Secondly The Waters were at first created within the bowels of the Earth for saith the Text They issued forth they brake forth Thirdly At the Command of God the Waters were brought forth out of the Earth as a Child out of the Mothers Womb Psal 33.7 He gathereth the waters of the Sea together as an heap he layeth up the deep in store-houses Psal 104 vers 5 9. Bless the Lord c. who laid the foundations of the Earth that it should not be removed for ever thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment the Waters stood above the Mountains Fourthly The Waters being thus brought forth did at first cover the Earth and so would have continued if God had let them alone In the method of Nature things lie thus First The earth is lowest being the grossest element Secondly The water riseth above the earth as being more pure than that Thirdly The air is above the water as being much more pure than the water Fourthly The fire gets above all as being the thinnest and purest of all the elements and therefore the water issuing out of the earth would have continually covered the face of the earth if the Lord by his power had not ordered it off and shut it up with doors when come off according to our reading the words in this verse and according to the general reading of the tenth verse where the whole earth being covered with water the Lord brake up for it his decreed place and there kept it fast Thus David Psal 104.7 8. speaking of the waters above the mountains and over-flowing all presently adds At thy rebuke they fled at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away they go up by the mountains they go down by the vallies unto the place which thou hast founded for them There the Lord by David as here by himself sets forth his mighty power in the disposal of the waters to a certain place But if we take that other reading of this verse Who hath annointed the doors of the Sea then by doors we are not to understand that which stops the Sea from over-flowing the earth as in the tenth verse but for those passages at which the waters brake out of the earth as an infant from the womb which seems most distinct and clear And because the Sea is so huge a body so great a part of the world we may not unprofitably I hope before I pass from this verse consider a three-fold representation of the Sea or the Sea as a glass
it is said that David smote Moab and measured them with a line casting them down to the ground even with two lines measured he to put to death and with one full line to keep alive and so the Moabites became Davids servants and brought gifts Some understand this act of David in measuring the Moabites with a line strictly and literally that David having made a full Conquest of their Country did cause it to be measured with a line and then appointed or allotted two thirds of the Land together with the inhabitants to ruin and destruction receiving only the third of the people to mercy and reserving only a third part of the Land to be planted by them Others take it only allusively that having conquered them he used them and their Country at his own pleasure as we do that which we measure out by line But whether we take Davids measuring the Moabites with a line in the one sense or in the other it fully reaches this third notion of it under hand Here in the Text when the Lord demanded of Job Who hath stretched the line upon it It is as if he had said Shew me if thou canst who hath given this great building this fabrick of the earth such symetry such a proportion and evenness that no fault or flaw can possibly be found in it From these two figurative expressions in the fifth verse implying the exactness of the earths frame Note The frame of the world is every way and in every respect proportionable and beautiful 'T is done as it were by measure and line The Lord is infinitely above the use of measures or lines yet condescending to our understanding he gives us to know that 't is as perfect a piece as if he had done it by measure and by line Survay the whole world or any part of it is it not a most exact piece The heavens are as the roof of the house the earth as the floor and foundation of it those elements aire and water as the walls and sides of it The lower parts of the earth are as pillars and bases hills and high mountains appear like emboslements of the earth to the eye of the beholder What can be added whether we consider the compleatness of the whole or the symetry of the parts Have we not reason to say admiringly or to cry out as Psal 104.24 O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdom hast thâ—u made them all the earth is full of thy riches so is the great aâ—d wide sea c. Our hearts should be drawn up by all the works of God to admire his workmanship That thy name is near thy wondrous works declare said David Psal 65.1 speaking of the Woâ—ks of Providence and that the name of God is near his Works of Creation declare also his name is written upon them that is his power wisdome and goodness And therefore when we behold this Woâ—k of God in special his laying the measures of the earth we should admire both his goodness wisdom and power There are five things in this part of the Creation the earth as expressed to be done by line and measure which may raise up our admiration of God First The greatness of the work It is a vast peece or pile a huge fabrick though but a point to the Heavens We admire great buildings but what are the greatest buildings upon earth to the earth it self which the Lord hath built Secondly The harmony or uniformity of the building and so the beauty of it Thirdly The compactness of the building as knit close together and so the firmness of it Fourthly That all was done in so short a time We say Rome was not built in a day Solomon was seven years in building the Temple 1 Kings 6.38 And he was thirteen years in building his own house 1 Kings 7.1 And doubtlesse Solomon laid out all the power and skill he had for the setting up of those buildings But behold a greater building than either the Temple which Solomon built for God or the house which he built for himself set up as we say in a trice The Lord finished all his work in six dayes and that part of it the earth in one Nor did the Lord take either six dayes to finish the whole work or one to finish any one part of it because he needed so much time to do it in but because he would not do it in less Fifthly The Lord did all this without the use of any instrument rule or compass axe or hammer though here is mention made of a measure and of a line The skilfullest Aâ—chitect cannot raise up any considerable building without these though he hath the platform and idea of it in his head yet take away his line and his rule and he can do nothing But such is the glorious skill and power of God that though he is pleased to speak of a measure and of a line yet we must not be so gross as to think that he made use of any The whole work was natural to God and therefore he needed no artificial helps nor was any instrument employed in it but only his own creating word and will Some faithless Atheists of old and possibly there are such at this day asked in scorn with what tools and instruments with what ladders and scaffolds this building was set up But let us at once pity such in their unbeliefe and horrible prophaneness and labour to edifie or build up our selves in grace and holiness in the faith and fear of his great Name who built this world without tools or instruments without ladders or scaffolds Secondly As our hearts should be drawn out in admiration so in thankfulness forasmuch as God hath made such a world for us he hath laid the foundations of the earth he hath measured it out and stretched the line upon it that we might have the use of it that we might tenant and inhabit this house Man is the chief inhabitant of the earth that other creatures dwell there is for the service of man then let us be thankful Our greatest cause of thankfulness is that the Lord hath made another house for us of which the Apostle professeth his assurance 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that when the earthly house of this Tabernacle whether of our body or of the body of this world is dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens O how should we rejoyce in he thankful for that house But that we have this inferiour house built for us which is also a building of God an house not made with hands but purely and immediately by the power of God is and should be continual matter of great thankfulness Thirdly Seeing the Lord hath thus laid the measures of the earth and stretched forth the line upon it seeing he hath made such an exact building for us this earth let us walk exactly and orderly upon this earth which he hath made
the clouds above may hear thee and so powerfully that they will obey thee Any man the meanest man may lift up his voice toward the clouds but no man no not the mightiest man can lift up his voice to the clouds and be heard that is be obeyed by them Thou canst not command the clouds Though a man speak and speak aloud though he lift up his voice as God bid the Prophet to his people like a Trumpet to the clouds yet the clouds will be deaf at his voice as deaf as sinners commonly are at the voice of a Prophet though lifted up like a Trumpet The voice here intended is an effectual voice such a voice to the clouds is proper and peculiar to God alone Numquid descendet ad te pluvia imperio â—uâ— Vatabl. whose power and Empire is so great and large that he can stretch forth his voice to the clouds far and near all the air over and cause them both to appear at his call and presently to empty themselves and pour out their waters according to his direction upon any coast or quarter of the earth The text is singular Canst thou lift up thy voice to the cloud canst thou lift up thy voice to any one of them as it were by name We render it plurally Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds to any one or to all of them That as it followeth abundance of waters may cover thee As if the Lord had said If I lift up my voice to the clouds they presently dissolve and melt and abundance of waters flow down to cover man and beast to cover the fields the corn the grass nor is it any marvel if the clouds those thin and upon the matter liquid bodies melt and slow down at the voice of God whenâ—s at his voice the mountains flow down and the rocks themselves even the hardest rocks are melted into waters or give forth abundance of water Num. 20.8 Eliphaz said to Job at the 22. Chap. of this book and the 11. Vers Abundance of waters cover thee The words are the same there and here but the sence is very different Eliphâ—z meant it there of metaphorical waters the waters of affliction with which God covered yea almost over-whelmed and drowned Job But the Lord speaks here of natural waters Job could not call to the clouds and get abundance of those waters to cover him nor was he able in a way of command to get one drop of water from the clouds The words are plain and the scope of them obvious even to convince Job yet further of his inability and frailty or that he ought to leave God to the government of the world to the government of Persons Families and Nations for as much as himself was not able to govern a cloud nor to order out the least shower of rain Hence Note Man hath no absolute or soveraign power over any creature Clouds will not be commanded cannot be commanded by the greatest and mightiest of the sons of men Job was a great Prince himself yet he could not neither can the greatest Princes of the world command a shower nor a drop of rain to fall from the heavens Man cannot command the clouds to rain either when he will or where he will or how much he will these powers belong to God alone Yet in one sen e man may lift up his voice to the clouds and abundance of waters will cover him There is a twofold voice of man Fiâ—st A commanding voice And secondly A praying voice Let man lift up his commanding voice to the clouds as long as he will he shall get down no rain but if man by faith lift up his praying voice to the clouds that is to God in whose hand the clouds are he may get rain yea abundance of waters to cover him Zach. 10.1 A k ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain so the Lord shall make bright clouds and give them showers of rain to every one grass in the field At the voice of man humbly praying the Lord makes bright clouds or as our Margin hath it lâ—ghtenings which fore-run black clouds to those God gives showers of rain and those showers of rain give every one grass that is they cause all sorts of Vegetables to spring and flourish in the fieldâ— both for man and beast This was one of the cases which Solomon put in his prayer at the dedication of the Temple for the Lords answering of prayer 1 Kings 8.35 When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against thee if they pray towards this place and confess thy name and turn from their sins when thou afflictest them then hear thou in heaven and forgive the sin of thy servants c. and give rain upon thy land When the clouds are lockt up when they are as brass over our heads prayer moves the Lord to open them or to melt them down into showers for the refreshing and fructifying of the earth The Apostle James Chap. 5.17 18. tells us that â—lias covered the earth with abundance of rain by lifting up his voice in prayer Elias saith he was a man subject to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months And he prayed again and the heavens gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruit The holy history makes the same report 1 Kings 18 45. And it came to pass in the mean while that the heaven was black with clouds and wind and there was a great rain c. If we would have rain we must ask for it and lift up a praying voice to God who commands the clouds it is a vain thing for us to lift up a voice to the clouds in our own name to command them to give us rain in the season of it And as this is true of the clouds and rain so of all creatures Their powers and vertues their efficacies and influences are not at our command but if we look up to God and wait upon him in prayer he can command them all to give out their vertues both to serve our necessities and accommodate our delights Now as in this question God shews Job his insufficiency to command water so in the next to command fire from the clouds Vers 35. Canst thou send lightnings that they may go and say unto thee here we are What lightning is hath been shewed once or twice already in this and the former Chapter and therefore I shall not stay here in any discourse either about the nature or the wonderful effects of lightning But the Lords manner of speaking and his purpose in speaking here about the lightning is very considerable and calls for further discourse Canst thou send lightnings that they may go c. As if the Lord had said If thou canst not prevail with the clouds to send rain canst thou prevail
for the over-flowing of water it falls by his appointment where-ever it falls There are four things wherein the Lords Empire and Soveraignty over these waters doth and may appear The Lord orders the course of these waters First When they shall fall And Secondly How long they shall fall Thirdly Where or upon what place they shall fall And Fourthly He orders the course of these waters in what quantity they shall fall whether there shall be a greater or a lesser rain as the rain was distinguished in the 37th Chapter into the small rain and the great rain of his strength 'T is a very spiritual duty to give God the glory of ordering these natural rains The rain falls not by fortune or by chance but hath its courses appointed by the Lord as certainly as if he had it in a Conduit or Cistern and drew out by pipes a portion for every one Who hath div ded a Water-course fâ—r the over-flowing of waters Or a way for the lightning of the thunder Here is another question Viam Tempestati Complut Et Vtam Nâ—mbo sonoro Jun Pisc Vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic tantum occurrit Zech. 10.1 Vbi est numero plurali Thunder and lightning have theiâ— way Some reâ—d A way for the Tempest because lightning and thunder câ—mes with tempest Othe s put it in the plural number Or a way for the Tempests We render fully who hath made or divided A way for the lightning of the thuâ—der Who diâ—ects the lightning which breaks foâ—th of the Thunder-cloud with such â—wift violence to go the way it takes and do the thing it eff cts Lightning is very fierce and subtile Thunder is a very violent and furious Meteor yet the Lord hath a way for them also as well as for the genâ—lest showers of rain The Lord can guide thunder-bolâ—s and teach lightning its way De pluvia fulmine conjunctim agit ea quasi miscens quia mirabile est ignem inter aquam ardere Scult Rain or water puts out fire but God can produce fire in the midst of water I shall not stay upon this matter here because we had the very same expression The way for the lightning of thunder at the 26th Chapter verse 2. Thither I refer the Reader Onely consider First How the Lord speaks of rain and lightning together and so which is wonâ—eâ—ful mingles fire with water the flashes of lightning with the over-flowings of water Secondly Consider Where the strength and stress of the question lyes and what naturally floweth from it namely that Thunder and Lightning go not their own way but in the way that God appoynts them The Water moves Gods way and so doth the Wind the Light moves Gods way and so doth the Lighâ—ning and the Thunder or the Lighâ—ning of the Thunder The Lord hath all these at moâ—e command than we have the tamest or most flow paced animals Thunder and Lightning go to the mark God sets them As a piece of Ordnance or great Gun being levelled and fired carryeth the Bullet so those Cannons being discharged from the Clouds carry their Bolts to a hairs breadth and miss not In the two next verses the Lord shewes the reason why he thus divides a water-course for the over-flowing of waters and a way for the Lightning of Thunder it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 26. To cause it to rain on the earth where no man is on the Wilderness where there is no man Rain is the usual concomitant or speedy subâ—equent of Lightning and Thunder these give warning that rain is at hand Thunder and Lightning break the Cloud and so cause it that is the cloud to rain Vpon the earth where no man is c. The Lord speaks here of a special place to which he designs the Rain where should that be Surely the pastures and till'd grounds gardens and vineyards places cultivated and inhabited by men the Lord hath Rain for them yet not all for them or not for them all Here the Cargo or lading of the clouds is consigned to places uninhabited by man He causeth it to rain on the earth where no man is Some Parts of the earth are full of men well inhabited there are other parts of the earth which are uninhabited or where no man is This Text tells us there is an earth where no man is Travellers and Navigators have found some Parts of the earth which were counted uninhabitable not only habitable but actually inhabited by many people Yet there may be some Parts of the earth habitable in their own nature wherein no man dwells or in which as the Text speaks no man is Yea possibly there are some Parts of the earth uninhabitable or wherein no man can dwel Now is it not strange that the Lord should carry his rain to such parts of the earth to places where no man is where there are neither Cities nor Towns nor Villages no nor the meanest Cottages nor a man breathing on the face of that earth or that as the latter part of the verse speaks which is but an explication of the same thing he should cause it to rain on the Wilderness where there is no man If we would know what the Lord intends by earth where no man is the Text answers The Wilderness where there is no man or where none of Adam dwelleth as Mr. Broughton translates So then this latter clause of the verse is but a repetition of the same thing yet a repetition made not onely for variety and elegancy but also to signifie the certainty of the thing that God gives rain even to such places where no man is There is a very elegant turn of the words in this verse The former part saith To cause it to rain on the earth where no man is the latter saith On the wildernesse where there is no man There are some wildernesses which are inhabited and therefore God tells us distinctly what wilderness he means There are two sorts of wildernesses First Such as are inhabited John the Baptist went and preached in a wildernesse there were Towns and many Dwellings in that wilderness Secondly There are also wildernesses uninhabited 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à peste morte q. d. etiam in locis pestiferis incultis curandum praebet se deus providentissimum God speaks here of a wildernesse where there is no man The Hebrew Word which signifies a Wildernesse signifieth also the Pestilence and so some translate here In pestilent places or in unhealthy places in places untilled or unmanured because of the unhealthfulnesse of them even in these wildernesses the Lord sends rain Again Others conceive the wilderness here stands in direct opposition to Egypt and that the Lord would intimate that as Egypt was abundantly watered by the river Nilus they making sluces from that river as hath been somewhere noted in this Book to draw the water all the Country over for Egypt is a flat Country
and resideth everlastingly in himself he now undertakes Job for the same ends by putting him questions about the living creatures and those of three forms or sorts First About the beasts of the earth Secondly About the fowls of the Air. Thirdly About the fish of the Sea The Lord gives particular instance or makes inquiry about thirteen kinds of living creatures whereof seven abide upon the earth five in the air one in the waters The seven creatures inquired about which abide on the earth are First The Lion Secondly The wilde Goat Thirdly The Hind Fourthly The wilde Ass Fifthly The Vnicorn Sixthly the Horse and Seventhly The Elephant under the name of Behemoth as is most generally conceived The five creatures inquired about that live in the air are First The Raven Secondly The Peacock Thirdly The Ostrich Fourthly The Hawk and Fifthly The Eagle Of the third sort namely such as live in the water or in the Sea Job is questioned only about one the Leviathan or the Whale a creature of a vast magnitude of so vast a magnitude that take all the other twelve creatures and joyn them together the Leviathan exceeds them all in magnitude as will appear in the description given of him at large in the one and fortieth Chapter The Lord in this latter discourse with or questioning of Job seems to descend or to put matter of easier resolution to him than he had done before and doubtless he doth yet he doth it for the greater and fuller conviction and humiliation of Job As if the Lord had said If O Job thou findest thy self puzled and unable to give any tolerable answer and resolution to the questions which I have proposed about the whole bulk or body of the earth and Sea or about those great things that are wrought in the heavens and in the air then consider how thou art able to answer my questions about these lesser things which are also near unto thee the beasts of the earth fowls of the air and the fish of the Sea The Lord even in these works makes manifest his glorious perfections far exceeding the reach and apprehension of man as well as in yea more than in those other works of his mentioned before There are two things especially of which the Lord would convince Job with respect to these living creatures First Of his care and providence in the provision that he daily makes for them Secondly Of his power and wisdom in the extraordinary strength and strange qualities which he hath bestowed upon them and indued them with in some of which they much surpass man the master-piece and master of the whole invisible Creation The general scope and aim of God in putting questions to Job about these living creatures seems to answer a secret doubt which some might have concerning his pâ—ovidence True the Lord governs the Heavens the Stars the Thunder the Lightnings the Rain but doth he look after things below Yea the Lords care and providence about inferior creatures is very great condescending to the very wilde beasts of the earth Ego qui omnio justa dispensatione procuro circa te tantum O Job videbor injustus Philip. to the fowls of the air as also to the fish of the Sea and hence the Lord would have Job understand that surely he had a much greater care of him and of the affairs of the children of men Who can but conclude That if the Lord hath such a respect to these irrational creatures which live only the life of sence then much more hath he a care of man and among men of good men who are his children and of them most of all in their afflictions and troubles So that the Lord by these questions seems to bespeak Job thus How comes it to pass that thou shouldst so much as doubt whether I take care of thee or no when I take care of and look to the wilde beasts of the earth to the fowls that flie in the air yea to the fish that swim unseen in the Sea Or thus Am I thus solicitous to look after Lions and Goats Hinds and Vnicorns the Ostrich and the Peacock c. am I so careful to look after these creatures Vt disâ—at Job Deum non saevum esse in suos qui tam beneficus sit in feras Chrysost many of which are of very little use to man and some of them a trouble to man and dost thou think I will not have a care of thee learn therefore from what I now question thee about that I can never be cruel to thee or forgetful of my faithful servants who am mindful of the bruit beasts and ravenous birds This seems to be the general tendency of the Lords discourse with Job continued from the close of this 38. Chapter quite through the 39. a great part of the 40. and the whole 41 Chapter Having thus given a prospect of the whole I shall now proceed to the particular animals here named and to that first which is not only named in the order of the Text but is looked upon also as first in dignity a King among beasts the Lion Vers 39. Wilt thou hunt the prey for the Lion The Lord speaks thus because the Lion is a beast of prey he liveth by hunting by hunting catching and seeding upon other beasts the Lion is a Nimrod in the world a mighty Hunter Naturalists say he is so curious in his diet that he scorns to feed upon any carcase that he hath not hunted and killed himself or that hath not been hunted by a Lion He will not touch a carcase that lies dead in the field but what he feeds upon is what he conquers and kills and that therefore it is here said Wilt thou hunt the prey for the Lion thou needst not he is able enough to hunt for himself Yet some Travellers report that there is a little beast called Jackal somewhat bigger than a Fox who usually doth that service for the Lion to hunt the prey for him and may be called the Lions Hunter Purchas Pilgr Mr. Purchas in that Book called his Pilgrimage â—â—â—s us this relation The Lion saith he hath the Jackal for his Vsher which is a little black shag-haired beast about the bigness of a Spaniel which when the evening comes hunts for his prey and coming on the foot follows the scent with open cry to which the Lion as chief hunter gives diligent ear following for his advantage If the Jackal set up his chase before the Lion comes in he howls out mainly and then the Lion seizeth on it making a grumbling noise whilst his servant stands by barking and when the Lion hath done the Jackal feeds on the relicks Thus far that industrious collector of observations from most of the remote parts of the world And though neither Pliny nor any natuâ—al Historian no nor any Interpreter upon this Text that ever I met with have given any intimation that the Lion hath such a servant
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erga foetum suum Pia Ciconia pietatis cultrix Ciconia Petronius Solinus yet is sometimes taken to signifie the fowl it self or a feathered fowl and because the Ostrich hath the richest and most beautiful feathers therefore it is here translated the Ostrich The feathers of the Ostrich being that for which she is most famous the Ostrich her self may not inelegantly be expressed by a word which properly and strictly taken signifies nothing but a feather but most interpreters taking that word in its proper sense to signifie a feather take the former word which firstly and properly signifies a Stork for the Ostrich Gavest thou wings and feathers to the Ostrich The reason I conceive why that word Chasidah which properly signifieth a Stork is here rendred an Ostrich is because the description given of the bird here intended in the five verses following doth no way agree with the Stork but fairly with the Ostrich for the Stork say Naturalists is of a very good and pittiful nature and hath its name from a root in the Hebrew which signifies kindness pitty and tenderness whereas the creature here described is void of all these as will appear in opening this context And therefore Grammarians tell us that the Ostrich is so called by the rule of contraries merciful or kind for unkind and cruel which way of speaking is usual in the Hebrew as also in other languages Thus the Hebrew word for a Harlot signifies one that is holy Harlots being most unholy filthy and unclean women prostituting their bodies to the lusts of others and inviting them to unlawful pleasures And that we are not here to understand the Stork properly taken but the Ostrich is plain for these three reasons the first of which hath been already intimated the bird here intended being of a quite contrary nature to the stork Secondly The Stork hath no such beautiful feathers as seem to be given to the bird here spoken of yet we must not believe that all those beautiful colours in which Ostriches feathers are seen and worn are natural to them for she hath no feathers of note of any colour growing on her but black and white all others are died and artificial Thirdly The Stork doth not lay her eggs on the ground but builds on high in trees Psal 104.17 As for the Stork the Firr-trees are her house whereas the bird here mentioned goes upon the ground though she hath wings yet not wings able to lift her up to a tree Struthio est avis quaedam appropinquans ad genus bestiarum unde licet habâ—at pennas ad modum animalium altè volantium non tamen se potest in alium elevare Aquin. Struthio est in confinio volucrum reptilium pennas quippe habet ut avis sed è terra non tollitur ut reptile Mirum animal alatum ut volucria neque tamen volucre or take any lofty flight in the air Naturalists describing the Ostrich tell us that she is such a bird as is also a kind of beast Some creatures are of two kinds in one living partly upon the earth and partly in the water here the Ostrich may upon another account be numbred among these he using the wing to slutter a little in the air like a bird yet mostly like a beast moving upon the earth And hence a learned Author placeth the â—strich between fowls that flie in the air and things that breath or move upon the earth Pliny reports the Ostriches of Africa and Arabia to be very big bodied as tall in stature as a horse and his rider and more swift of foot than any horse being helped by their wings which yet are not strong enough to raise their bulkie bodies above the earth Upon these grounds and considerations it is that all these Interpreters who will have but one fowl of the air to be intended in this part of the Text fix upon the Ostrich not upon the Stork though the word Chasidah which they translate Ostrich doth properly signifie the Stork Howbeit some see no cogent reason why we may not expound the word Chasidah properly by the Stork and yet salve all the former objections by rendring the word Notsa an Ostrich There is a necessity that we find the Ostrich in this verse because as was said before the description given in the five following verses is not applicable to the Stork but Ostrich notwithstanding if while we apply the word Chasidah to the Stork the word Notsa may serve as well if not better to signifie the Ostrich Why may we not say they take in both and so render the Text thus Who gave wings to the Stork and the Ostrich and so all difficulties will be removed and the word Renanim reserved free for the Peacock But forasmuch as our translation puts the Ostrich alone into the Text I shall not add any thing concerning the nature of the Stork but only of the Ostrich Gavest thou wings and feathers to the Ostrich 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Robustus fortis hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 penna ola quod in alis robur avium sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plumo â—inchid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Volavit deducit sed malim à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 effloruit quod in avibus plumae enascantur ut flores herbae è terra Merc. The word rendred wings signifies strength the strength of birds is in their wings as of man in his arms and some birds are exceeding strong of wing The word rendred by us feathers signifies in the root to flie because feathers are the instruments of flying yet others derive it from a word which signifies to grow or flourish because feathers grow and flourish upon fowls as herbs and flowers out of and upon the ground And the reason why some conceive the Ostrich is meant by this word Notsa which we translate feathers is because the feathers of the Ostrich are so like beautiful flowers or a goodly garland of flowers Great Princes in all ages having adorned their hats or hair with the plumes of the Ostrich set in ouches of gold and bespangled with the rarest gems or precious stones What the nature the customs and qualities of the Ostrich are will appear in opening the latter part of this context All that I shall add here is First To set down more fully the description which the natural Historian gives of her The African and Ethiopian Ostriches saith he are the greatest of birds even as big as a beast Plin. l. 10 c. 1. in height they are taller than a horse and his rider sitting on his back they also exceed the horse in swiftness of foot their wings seeming to be given them only to help them in running for they can scarcely flie at all or lift themselves much above ground They are cloven-footed or hoof-forked like a Hart their hoofs or claws serving them to gather up stones which in their flight or retreat they throw
them Jer. 2.34 In thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents That which is in a mans skirts is easily seen and hence the Lord adds I have not found it by secret search or as the Margin hath it by digging that 's the force of the word it notes a diligent search or seeking the Eagle seeks as if she were a digging for Her prey What is her prey The Eagle hath a strong stomack and the word here used signifies any thing eatable Naturalists say she feeds upon fowls of the air the Dove c. she feeds also upon Sheep Lambs Hares and 't is said she hath a great mind to Hares they being not only meat but medicine to her Naturalists tell us also that the Eagle feeds upon fish and that in her flight she can discern the fish in the Sea and some tells us that she loves shell-fish the Crab-fish especially very much this is her prey from thence she seeks her prey whither moving in the air or upon the land or in the water she seeks her prey where-ever 't is to be had and she will have it if it be to be had above ground yea if it be to be had in the water Hence note Hunger makes active We say hunger breaks thorough stone-walls or strong-holds Whither will not the Eagle dig to satisfie her appetite I need not stay upon the general truth I would only adde this it is certainly so in spirituals Soul hunger our hunger after righteousness will make us active Those Eagles the Saints having a strong appetite to the things of God will dig for their satisfaction they will seek after food for their souls till they are satisfied Sometimes possibly there is a glut of food and then they will scarcely look after it but if once they are pinched with famine then they look after food That of the Prophet Amos 8.11 answers this of the Text I saith the Lord will send a famine among you not a famine of bread but of hearing the Word of the Lord. And what then Why then they shall wander from sea to sea and from the North even to the East they shall run to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord and shall not find it The Eagle here seeks her prey gets it but they shall seek the Word of the Lord and not have it because they were unthankful for it and unprofitable under it when they had it 'T is a sad hunger to be pincht with the want of the word which is spiritual food but that 's a blessed hunger which is not from want of but from a true and strong desire after the Word or spiritual food True believers abiding in a right frame have a great desire and hunger after spiritual food even when there is greatest plenty of it when there is as we say a glut of it they are not glutted with it the more they are satisfied with it the more they would have of it their appetites and satisfaction are interchangable they are hungry yet satisfied they are satisfied yet hungry and therefore they are always seeking their spiritual prey It is a sore judgment when they that have had much of this spiritual food and have not had a hunger after it are cut short and deprived of it The Lord often lets those hunger after it in want who have not hungred after it in enjoyment As the Eagle hath an eager appetite a sharp stomack so an excellent eye a sharp sight as it followeth Her eyes behold afar off To behold or see is the work of the eye and to behold afar off is the excellency of the eye in that work The Eagle seeks after her prey and her eyes behold afar off Some render which her eyes behold afar off that 's a good reading the conjunctive particle and is not in the Original Text and therefore we may supply it by the relative which as well as by the conjunction and Naturalists tell us that the Eagle hath so sharp a sight that when she is mounted quite out of our sight out of the sight of any man and is as it were in the clouds that even then she doth perfectly behold her prey and that is afar off indeed even at that distance she beholds the Hare in the bush and the fish in the water There are almost incredible things related as to the accuteness of the Eagles sight and the reason given by some of her quicksightedness is this in nature because her eye lieth very deep in her head and so hath a great advantage in seeing the light being the more compassed by and the rayes the more strongly gathered into her eye I shall not discuss the validity of this reason all agreeing in the thing that the Eagle sees very exactly and afar off And as she hath a very clear so a very strong sight so strong that she can steadily behold the Sun shining in its strength as it was toucht before those beams which blind us and oppress our eyes are pleasing to hers It hath been a torture which some Tyrants have used to hold open a mans eye directly to the Sun-beams and so blind him and quite extinguish the sight of his eye Now that which blinds us and puts out our eyes is pleasant delightful and as some express it healing and refreshing to the eyes of the Eagle and hence 't is said of her that she tries her young ones whether they be of a right breed or no in this manner she holds them up to the Sun and if they can bear the beams of the Sun with open eyes Phaebaea dubios explorat lampede fatus Silius Ital. they are right otherwise spurious The Eagle is so sharp-sighted that An Eagles eye is the proverb for a sharp sight Her eyes behold afar off Not in the sense we find the phrase used Psal 138.6 where it is said Though the Lord be high yet hath he respect unto the lowly but the proud he knoweth afar off that is he regards them not We put a word of that significancy in the Meeter He contemning knows them afar off that is as persons that he cannot abide to have near him The proud and lowly are alike near in place to God yet not in respect But of that only by the way The Eagles beholding things afar off is not I say like the Lords beholding persons afar off those things which are afar off in place from the Eagle she sees them as if they were at hand Thus she beholdeth afar off Hence Observe God hath given more excellent senses to some sensitive creatures than to others of that kind yea than to those of a higher kind the rational Not only doth the Eagle exceed other fowls of the air but all the men on earth in eye-sight And as an Eagle hath a natural eye-sight beyond man so a godly man hath a spiritual eye-sight beyond all other men the eye-sight of faith by which he sees not only
patience in thirst Though he drinks much when he comes to it Aelian l. 14. c. 44. Clarae aquae potio Elephanto inimicissima turbulentam sordidam suavissime bibit Aelian l. 14. c. 44. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Festinavit pavorem connotat Tanquam canis ad Nilum Non festinat nec tripidat bibere ut canis quam aquam sumit è Nilo motuit sibi à Crocodilo c. Drus yet he can bear thirst very patiently a long time An ancient Writer affirms the Elephant will live eight dayes without drinking if so he hasteth not to drink though he drinks very much when he comes to it yet he is not hasty to drink he can forbear for eight dayes together Secondly This may have reference which I conceive most congruous to his courage He hasteth not that is he doth not drink in fear he takes his leisure Historians say of the dog drinking at Nilus he doth but take a lap and away he is afraid the Crocodile will come and catch him And hence we speak proverbially of those who do but touch at a matter and leave it They do like the dog at Nilus This is a truth too He drinketh up a River and hasteth not The Elephant is a stout strong creature he fears no hurt and therefore drinks as much as he will and in as much time as he will Once more some say he hasteth not to drink because he spends some time to trouble and mud the water with his feet before he drinks for he cannot abide saith an ancient Author to drink clear water yea some say he therefore troubleth the water before he drinketh because he cannot endure to see his own shape in the water for which reason 't is also affirmed that the Indians will not lead their Elephants by the waters at full Moon but at new Moon only when the air being darker the water is to us less pellucid He trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth This is another high expression to shew the Elephants vast drinking Jordan was a great River The Elephant doth not only think that he can drink up a small Brook or Rivulet but a great River that he can draw up the River Jordan into his mouth In the greatness of his thirst he doth so much slight any small Brook or Pond that he is confident were he at the banks of Jordan he could drink it dry Thus as before of his eating he had whole mountains to feed on so here of his drinking he draws a whole River Jordan into his mouth Hence note First That which is too much for many of some one kind may be but enough for one of another kind A little drink will serve a Dove We say of a man who drinks sparingly He drinks like a Sparrow and we may say of a great drinker he drinkes not only like a Fish or like a horse which are common sayings but like an Elephant Manè quatuor decem amphores sive metrotas Macedonicas bibit vesperè octo Aristot The Elephant drinks deep Natural Historians report the measure of his drinking he takes in the quantity of fourteen Macedonian Pitchers or Tankards how much they contain of our measure I cannot say but questionless they contain very much for his mornings draught and eight for his evenings draught Hence the Proverb An Elephant could not drink so much Secondly Note If bruit creatures eat or drink much it is from their constitution not from their lust The Elephant drinks much yet only what his nature and necessity or the necessity of his nature requires he doth not drink thus in wantonness or to satisfie a lust he drinks much but he is no drunkard There are three things in the Elephant which clear him that his great drinking is not from his lust but need First his natural constitution is very hot that requires the more drink Secondly the climate wherein he is bred is very hot the Elephant cannot well endure cold and the heat of the Country makes him drink much Thirdly The greatness of his body he hath a vast body and that must needs require a great quantity of drink to fill it The Elephants great drinking will not excuse the drunkard who drinks to excess what he drinks is but commensurate to the greatness of his body and the necessities of nature 't is not to serve a lust or to please his appetite That which followeth is the prosecution of the same thing Vers 24. He taketh it with his eyes his nose pierceth through snares There are various Translations of this verse I shall name but one besides our own and that presents it interrogatively or as an interrogation Negative Will any take him in his sight or in his eyes or bore his nose with a snare Thus several understand this verse as importing an utter impossibility to take the Elephant as we speak by fair play Possibly by cunning and subtilty coming behind him or at unawares you may entrap him but Can men take him before his eyes to pierce his nose with many snares So Mr. Broughton renders An in oculis capiet cum quisquam tendiculis perforabit nasum i. e. apperta non infidiis structis Jun. Non nisi ex insidiis capi potest Elephas Plin. l. 8. c. 8 9. They cannot do it Solomon saith Prov. 1.17 In vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird You cannot take a little bird if he sees you much less Behemoth no you must do it by slight if you do it at all Nor will the Hippopotame be taken as we speak by fine force but only by finenesses or devices made by art to surprize him as Bochartus shews out of several ancient Authors So that as in many other things so in this the manner of their taking the Elephant and he are much alike and therefore the less wonder if one be taken or mistaken for the other Our Translation saith He taketh it with his eyes What doth he take What is the thing taken Surely according to this reading he takes the River Jordan it self with his eyes that is he is exceedingly taken with beholding the River And this is a further heightning o◠his thirst As if it had been said He is so thirsty that when he sees the River he takes it with his eyes or is exceedingly pleased to see the River the very sight of the water makes him glad Nasum usque in profundum fluvii oculis tenus immergit ut aquam abundè capiat Aben Ezra Yet Further some of the Rabbins expound it thus He taketh it with his eyes that is when he cometh to a River he is so thirsty that he thrusts his head in up to his very eyes as if he were to drink with his eyes This also signifies his greediness in drinking Hence note Nature is much pleased with the sight of that which it much desireth and wanteth As soon as the Elephant can but get a sight of
call neesing So then neesing is an effect of the expulsive faculty in the brain The Jewish Rabbins have two observations about neesing First They say neesing is a good sign in prayer and the reason of it as I conceive is this because it shews there is warmth and heat in the brain and some fervency of spirit in the duty That 's the reason I suppose why they say neesing is a good sign in prayer Secondly Both they and others say Neesing is a good sign in a sick man We say commonly Neesing is a sign of health it shews a vigour and quickness in the natural spirits residing in the brain His neesings But what are these neesings of Leviathan They who hold Leviathan to be the Crocodile say Si ronchos edit sternutanti similis emicat flamma Bez. when he is sunning himself or lyeth open with his face to the Sun this causeth him to neese or sneese and then his breath breaking out forcibly at his nostrils is like a shining light 'T is said also that the Whale neesing Baloens ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab emittendo fundendo aquas Isid Ora Balenae habent in frontibus ideoque summa aqua natantes in sublime nimbos efflant Plin. Natur. Hist l. 9. c. 6. Sternutationes ejus faciunt splâ—ndorem dum aqua albescens in aero dispergitur Pisc Aquae qua per duas fistulas quam longissimè sursum ejaculatur Balona splendores dicuntur quia lucant candidant Sanct. spouts out water at those pipes or holes which he hath placed or made naturally upon his head or forehead he hath a mouth as it were on the top of his head not to eat with but to spout out water with as when a man neeseth there comes out a vapour at his nostrils so the Whale is supposed to neese when he blows out showers of water through those pipes up into the Air. The word by which the Whale is expressed in Latine signifies this action or his spouting out water and by these spoutings or neesings we may say as it followeth in the Text A light doth shine Because the water which he spouts up into the Air with a great and vehement force meeting and as it were mingling with the light there looks like light and hath a great brightness in it so that this action of Leviathan and the effect or concomitant of it is as applicable to the Whale as to the Crocodile And his eyes are like the eye-lids of the morning or like the dawning of the day So we translate these words Job 3.9 Let it not that is let not the night in which I was conceived see the dawning of the day or as the Margin hath it the eye-lids of the morning Leviathans eyes are said to be like the eye-lids of the morning because of the lightsomeness of them Christ saith Mat. 6.22 The light of the body is the eye We may call it so in a double respect First because the eye is the most lightsom part of the body or hath most light in it Secondly because the eye gives or lets in light to the whole body They that want eyes or their eye-sight dwell in darkness The eyes of Leviathan are not only light in themselves Palpebrae pro oculis metonymicè sumuntur but are like the eye-lids that is eyes of the morning But wherein doth this likeness consist I answer in two things First His eyes are very great in proportion to his head and body Secondly His eyes are very clear And so Leviathans eyes may be said to be like the eye-lids of the morning First in their greatness Secondly in their brightness or clearness It is usual in Scripture to mention the morning light when it would express the clearest light The Prophet Isa 58.8 assuring the Jews of the greatest outward prosperity in case they kept a true Fast saith Then shall thy light break forth as the morning And when the Prophet Amos describes God making the morning darkness Chap. 4.13 As also turning the shadow of death into the morning Chap. 5.8 his meaning is that the Lord can easily and at pleasure change a state of greatest prosperity into adversity and a state of deepest adversity into clearest or highest prosperity But some may say if the Lord intended to set forth the exceeding clearness of Leviathans eyes it might seem more proper to have compared them to the light at noon-day than to the morning light I answer Though the light at noon-day is clearer than that in the morning considered in it self yet considering the morning light with respect to its neerness or neighbourhood to the foregoing darkness so we are more sensible of that than of the light at noon-day Contraries placed neer together illustrate each other For as soon as the morning appears light conveys it self all over the Hemisphear and makes a wonderful change in the Air. The morning light coming suddenly and immediately after dismal darkness affects us more than the light at noon-day Ardentos oculos suffectos sanguine igne Virg. l. 2. Aeniad Exilit in siccum flammantia lumina torquet Virg. l. 3. Georg. though greater and clearer Leviathans eyes shine bright even like the eye-lids or eyes that is the light of the morning The Ancients give report that Dragons and Serpents have flaming eyes This saith Bochartus is very true of the Crocodile whose eyes are so bright that the Egyptians used to paint a Crocodiles eye when they would signifie the morning light whereas great Authors write that the eyes of the Whale are even covered with the weight of their eye-brows or with fat and are little bigger than the eyes of some sort of bullocks whence it comes to pass that the Whale losing his guide Oculi noctu coruscant ingentium flammarum modo Procul enim visi à piscatoribus ignes esse grandes putantur Olaus lib. 21. c. 5. dasheth against rocks and Sea-shallows Thus he To which I shall only oppose the testimony of no inconsiderable Writer who affirms of the Whales in the Seas of Norway that their eyes in the night-time shine like a huge flame so that the fisher-men who are abroad at Sea judge them to be great fires And to what Bochartus saith of the Whale that he is so dim-sighted when deep in the Sea that he cannot find his way without a guide I may reply from his own shewing out of several Authors that the Crocodile is no better at seeing when much under water they teaching that the Crocodiles eyes are dull while in the water but out of the water very quick or sharp-sighted as if then at last he recovered his eye-sight and if so he hath no advantage of the Whale in that particular Vers 19. Out of his mouth go burning lamps and sparks of fire leap out That is somewhat goes out of his mouâ—h like burning lamps and sparks of fire This is a demonstration of the extream natural heat of
Leviathan There 's a continual fire in his mouth then what is in the kitchin of his stomack for the digestion and concoction of his meat If sparks of fire leap out of his mouth as out of the mouth of a furnace then we may conclude there 's a great fire kept within Vers 20. Out of his nostrils goeth smoak We had fire before and now comes smoak We usually say Where there 's smoak there is some fire and surely where there is so great a heat there must be or hath been some smoak Out of his nostrils goeth a smoak Fumus est der adustus ex multitudine caloris Aquin. What is smoak 'T is air adust say Phylosophers Much heat draws out the airy part of the fewel and turns it into smoak Leviathan having such a fire in his bowels needs must smoak go out of his nostrils which are as a double chimney to vent it or to keep the metaphor in the Text Smoak goeth out of his nostrils As out of a seething pot or caldron The Hebrew is a blown pot because blowing makes a pot seeth quickly and fiercely A Caldron is a great vessel wherein much may be sodden or boyled at once and boyling sends out a great fume or smoak The Hebrew word rendred Caldron properly signifies a copper or brazen Kettle in which dying stuff is boyled for the colouring of cloth It signifies also a pond and so a great vessel like a pond as that in the Temple was called a Sea for its greatness Vers 21. His breath kindleth coals and a flame goeth out of his mouth This verse with the former three tend all to one purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ahenum reddidimus ex conjectura propriè ahenum magnum instar stagni quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur Drus Leviathans heat is so vehement that his breath kindleth coals The Hebrew is His soul or life kindleth coals The soul and life of irrational creatures is the same and both are but breath His breath kindleth coals that is his breath is so hot that it will even kindle dead or unkindled coals Mr. Broughton renders His breath would set coals on fire The breath of the Whale is not only compared to a great wind issuing out of a pair of bellows which soon kindleth a spark into a great fire but is it self here compared to a fire by a strong Hyperbole like that which concludes this matter And a flame goeth out of his mouth That is a heat as from a flame or such a heat as a flame giveth These four verses may be improved for our use in two things First to inform us how terrible some creatures are There is nothing which is not terrible in this His mouth sends out a burning lamp and sparks of fire smoak goeth out of his nostrils coals are kindled by his breath and a flame goeth out of his mouth What 's the meaning and import of all this not that Leviathan hath these or doth these things indeed but in his wrath for this is the description of an enraged Leviathan he appears as if he were nothing but heat and would set the very element of water on fire and turn the very billows of the Sea into burning flames Secondly If the Lord hath put such a fierceness into this creature when he is angry what is there in the Lord himself when he is angry The Lord in his anger is described like this Leviathan Psal 18.7 8. Then the earth shook and trembled the foundation also of the hills moved and were shaken because he was wroth what follows There went up a smoak out of his nostrils and fire out of his mouth devoured coals were kindled by it The words are almost word for word the same with those in the Text. The Lord is set forth as ushered by fire Psal 50.2 3. Out of Zion the perfection of beauty God hath shined Our God shall come and shall not keep silence a fire shall devour before him and it shall be very tempestuous round about him Again Psal 97.2 Clouds and darkness are round about him vers 3. A fire goeth before him and burneth up his enemies round about that is he destroyeth his enemies in his anger as if he consumed them by fire Once more Isa 33.14 The sinners in Zion are afraid fearfulness hath surprized the hypocrites who among us shall dwell in the devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings Thus the Scripture speaks of the Lord in his wrath And doubtless the flaming anger of Leviathan when provoked is but like a warm Sun-shine compared with the provoked anger and hot displeasure of God against presumptuous sinners Who is able to abide his wrath who in sin can dwell with those everlasting burnings who unpardoned can stand before the devouring fire and flames of the Lords displeasure Thus we have the discovery of Leviathans furious heat he is all in a flame Now the Lord having shewed what work Leviathan makes with his mouth and nostrils which belong to his head he comes next to his neck Vers 22. In his neck remaineth strength and sorrow is turned into joy before him Leviathans head is strongly joyned to the rest of his body by his strong neck yet some question whether the Whale hath any neck or no because no distinction which in other creatures is visible appears between his head and his body The learned Bochartus makes this another argument against the Whale and a little reflects upon Diodate who joyning fully with him in opinion that Leviathan is the Crocodile yet le ts go this hold yielding that the Crocodile hath no more neck than the Whale as the neck is taken strictly for that discernable distance between head and shoulders and though he himself grants that several other Authors by him alleadged say the Crocodile hath no neck yet he answers 't is safer to credit Aristotle who saith the Crocodile hath a neck and gives this reason for it because those animals which have no neck at all cannot move their heads whereas the Crocodile by the testimony of Pliny and others can turn his head upwards or hold it up backwards to bite his prey To this some answer and I conceive their answer may satisfie in this Point That how little or how undiscernable soever the space is between the head and the body of any animal the very joyning or coupling of them together may be called his neck and in that sense the Whale hath a neck as well as the Crocodile To this I may add that the shorter the neck of any animal is the stronger it is and that complies fully with what is here said of the neck of Leviathan In his neck remaineth strength The Hebrew is Lodgeth And so Mr. Broughton renders In his neck alwayes lodgeth strength that is he is alwayes strong very strong neckt his neck is so stiff and strong that strength it self may seem to have taken up its residence there That 's the
as a prayer for their return out of proper captivity and largely for their deliverance out of any adversity So Psal 126.1 When the Lord turned the captivity of Sion we were like them that dream Read also Zeph. 2.7 Secondly From the author of this turn The Lord turned the captivity c. Observe Deliverance out of an afflicted state is of the Lord. He is the authour of these comfortable turns and he is to be acknowledged as the authour of them The Psalmist prayed thrice Turn us again Psal 80.3 7 19. The waters of affliction would continually rise and swell higher and higher did not the Lord stop and turn them did not he command them back and cause an ebb Satan would never have done bringing the floods of affliction upon Job if the Lord had not forbidden him and turned them It was the Lord who took all from Job as he acknowledged chap. 1.21 and it was the Lord who restored all to him again as we see here the same hand did both in his case and doth both in all such cases Hos 6.1 Let us return to the Lord for he hath torn and he will heal us he hath smitten and he will bind us up David ascribed both to God Psal 66.11 12. Thou broughtest us into the net thou layedst affliction upon our loins thou hast caused men to ride over our heads we went through fire and through water The hand of God led them in that fire and water of affliction through which they went but who led them out The Psalmist tells us in the next words Thou broughtest us into a wealthy place the Margin saith into a moist place They were in fire and water before Fire is the extremity of heat and driness water is the extremity of moistneâ—s and coldness A moist place notes a due temperament of â—eat and cold of driness and moistness and therefore elâ—gantly shadows that comfortable and contentful condition into which the good hand of God had brought them which is significantly expressed in our translation by a wealthy place those places flourishing most in fruitfulness and so in wealth which are neither over-hot nor over-cold neither oveâ—-dry nor over-moist And as in that Psalm David acknowledged the hand of God in this so in another he celebrated the Lords power and goodness for this Psal 68.20 He that is our God is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death that is the out-lets or out-gates from death are from the Lord he delivereth from the grave and from every grief The Lord turned the captivity of Job not only p eserving him from death but filling him with the good things and comforts of this life Thirdly Note The Lord can suddenly make a change or turn As he can quickly make a great change from prosperity to adversity and in a moment bâ—ing darkness upon those who injoy the sweetest light so he can quickly make a change from adversity to prosperity from captivity to liberty and turn the darkest night into a morning light For such a turn the Church prayed Psal 126.4 Turn again our captivity O Lord as the streams in the south that is do it speedily The south is a dry place thither streams come not by a slow constant currant but as mighty streams or land-floods by a sudden unexpected rain like that 1 Kings 18.41 45. Get thee up said Eliah to Ahab for there is a sound of aboundance of rain and presently the heaven was black with clouds and wind and there was a great rain When great rains come after long drought they make sudden floods and streams Such a sudden income of mercy or deliverance from captivity the Church then prayed for and was in the faith and hope of nor was that hope in vain nor shall any who in that condition wait patiently upon God be ashamed of their hope The holy Evangelist makes report Luke 13.16 that Satan had bound a poor woman eighteen years all that time he had her his prisoner but Jesus Christ in a moment made her free Ought not this woman being a daughter of Abraham whom Satan hath bound lo these eighteen years be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day The devil who had her in his power eighteen years could not hold her a moment when Jesus Christ would turn her captivity and loose her from that bond If the Son undertake to make any free whether from corporal or spiritual bondage they shall not only be free indeed as he spake John 8.36 at the time when he is pleased to do it but he can do it at any time in the shortest time when he pleaseth We find a like turn of captivity is described Psal 107.10 11 12 13 14. such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death being bound in affliction and iron because they rebelled against the word of the Lord c. These vers 13. cryed unto the Lord in their trouble and he saved them out of their distresses He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and brake their bands in sunder Thus far of the first particular considerable in Jobs restitution the Author of it The Lord turned the captivity of Job The second thing to be considered is the season which the Lord took for the turning of Jobs captivity the Lord did it saith the text When he prayed for his friends Some conceive the turn of his captivity was just in his prayer time and that even then his body was healed I shall have occasion to speak further to that afterwards upon another verse Thus much is clear that When he prayed That is either in the very praying time or presently upon it the Lord â—urned his captivity Possibly the Lord did not stay till he had done accorâ—ing to that Isa 65.24 It shall come to pass that before they call I will answer and while they are yet speaking I will hear Or according to that Dan. 9.20 While I was speaking and praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and presenting my supplications before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God Yea while I was speaking in prayer even the man Gabriel whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning being caused to flie swiftly touched me about the time of the evening oblation and he informed me and talked with me and said O Daniel I am come forth to give thee skill and understanding at the beginning of thy supplications the commandement came forth and I am come to shew thee c. What commandement came forth even a command for the turning of their captivity Thus here I say possibly the Lord gave out that word of command for the turning of Jobs captivity at that very time when he was praying for his friends But without question these words when he prayed for his friends note a very speedy return of his prayers that is soon after he had done that gracious office for them he