and disposing the affliction of Job 2. The subordinate efficient cause and that was Satan he was an efficient but under God Satan found out other instruments and tooles to doe it by but he was an efficient subordinate unto God And the Text discovers him three wayes 1. By his diligence in tempting ver 7. 2. By his malice in slandering ver 9 10 11. 3. By his cruelty in solliciting the overthrow and affliction of Job ver 11. Secondly We have the materiall cause of Jobs affliction or in what matter he was afflicted and that is laid downe first positively in those words All that he hath is in thy power that is his outward estate that was the matter wherein he was afflicted Then it is laid downe negatively in those words Only upon himselfe put not forth thy hand God doth set him out how farre the affliction shall go in the things that he hath thou shalt afflict him but thou shalt not meddle with his person with his body or with his soule Thirdly The finall cause of Jobs affliction and that is the practicall and experimentall determination decision or stating of a great question that was betweene God and Satan concerning Jobs sincerity God tells Satan that Job was a good and a just man Satan he denies it and saith that Job was an hypocrite Now the determination of this question was the generall finall cause of Jobs affliction When on the one side God affirmes it and on the other side Satan denies how shall it be tryed Who shall be the Moderatour and Vmpire between them Satan will not believe God and God had no reason to believe Satan How then should this be made out It is as if Satan had said Here is your yea and my nay this question will never be ended or decided betweene us unlesse you will admit some course to have Job soundly afflicted This will quickly discover what metall the man is made of therefore let him come to the tryall saith Satan Let him saith God behold all that he hath is in thy power doe thy worst to him onely upon his person put not forth thy hand So that I say the generall finall cause of Jobs affliction is the determination of the question the decision of the dispute betweene God and Satan whether Job was a sincere and holy man or no. And all this to give you the summe of those 6. verses a little further is here set forth and described unto us after the manner of men by an Anthropopathie which is when God expresses himselfe in his actions and dispensations with and toward the world as if he were a man So God doth here he presents himselfe in this businesse after the manner of some great King sitting upon his Throne having his servants attending him and taking an account of them what they had done or giving Instructions and Commissions to them what they shall doe This I say God doth here after the manner of men for otherwise we are not to conceive that God doth make certaine dayes of Session with his creatures wherin he doth call the good and bad Angels together about the affaires of the world we must not have such grosse conceits of God for he needs receive no information from them neither doth he give them or Satan any formall Commission neither is Satan admitted into the presence of God to come so neare God at any time neither is God moved at all by the slanders of Satan or by his accusations to deliver up his servants and children into his hands for a moment But onely the Scripture speakes thus to teach us how God carries himselfe in the affaires of the world even as if he sate upon his throne and call'd every creature before him and gave each a direction what and when and where to worke how farre and which way to move in every action So that these 6. verses following which containe the causes of Jobs affliction are as we may so speake the Scheme or draught of providence that may be the title of them If a man would delineat providence he might doe it thus suppose God upon his throne with Angels good and bad yea all creatures about him and he directing sending ordering every one as a Prince doth his Subjects or as a Master his servants doe you this and doe you that c. so all is ordered according to his Dictate Thus all things in Heaven and Earth are disposed of by the unerring wisdome and limited by the Almighty power of God Such a representation as this we reade in 1 King 22.19 Where Micaiah said to Ahab Heare thou the word of the Lord I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne and all the Hoast of Heaven standing by him And so he goeth on to shew how a spirit came and offered himselfe to be a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahabs Prophets This is only a shadow of providence there was no such thing really acted God did not conveene or call together a Synod of spirits to advise with de Arduis Regni about hard or doubtfull cases nor are wicked spirits admitted into his presence onely by this we are instructed and assured that God doth as exactly order all things in Heaven and earth as if he stood questioning or interrogating good Angels men and devills concerning those matters Having thus given some light about these six verses in generall I shall open the particulars Now there was a day The Jewish Rabbins trouble themselves much to find out what day this was They say it was the first day of the yeare Others that it was the Sabbath day But I account it a disadvantage to a cleare truth when it is proved by an obscure text The Sabbath hath proofe enough before the law though this be spared The holy Ghost hath told us only that there was a day or certain time When the sonnes of God In Gen. 6.2 The posterity of Seth who were the visible Church at that time are called the sons of God The unanimous consent of all Expositors I have met with is that here the sonnes of God are the good Angels so also they are called Cap. 38.7 of this booke Some it may be will object against this Exposition that of the Apostle in Heb. 1.5 To which of the Angels said he at any time thou art my sonne How then doe you interpret here that the sons of God are the Angels when as the Apostle hath exprest to which of the Angels c. I answer that the Angells are not the sonnes of God as the Apostle there expresseth they are not the sonnes of God by eternall Generation but they are the sonnes of God by temporall Creation for so he speakes there To which of the Angels said he thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee They are not the begotten sonnes of God but they are the created sonnes of God And the Angels are called the sons of God in 3 respects First Because of their
make Yee have heard of the Patience of Job and what end the Lord made Could we but heare of the Repentance of England all the world I am perswaded should heare and wonder at the end which the Lord would make Even such an end as he made for Job if not a better he would give us twice as much in Temporals double Riches double Oxen and Sheepe double Bracelets and Earings double Gold and Silver double Sonnes and Daughters And hee would give us which is not specified in the Inventorie of Jobs repaire seven-fold more in Spirituals seven-fold more knowledge of his Truth purity in his worship order in his house he would make the light of our Moone to be like the light of the Sunne and the light of our Sunne to be seven-fold as the light of seven dayes in the day wherein he bindes up our outward breaches and heales the stroake of our wound Thus we may looke to be restored not only as Job to more in kind but to better in kind I am sure to better in degree We may looke that for brasse we shall have Gold or our Gold more refined that for Iron wee shall have Silver or our Silver more purified that for wood we shall have Brasse or our Brasse better furbished that for Stones we shall have iron or our Iron better tempered We may look that our Officers shall be peace and our Exactours righteousnesse that violence shall no more be heard in our Land wasting nor destruction within our borders but men shall call our Walls salvation and our Gates praise When these glorious issues of our troubles shall be is in his hand who held Jobs estate in his hand so fast that Satan could not touch a Sheepe nor a shoe-lachet till himselfe willed and who when his time came restored Jobs estate double to a Sheep and a shoe-lachet whether Satan and his Sabeans would or no. We have already seen in Job an Epitome of our former prosperitie and of our present troubles the good Lord hasten the latter part of our National likenes unto him in the doubled and O that it might be a seven-fold restauration of our Peace and Truth In the meane time these Meditations upon this Scripture well digested and taken-in may be through the blessing of God upon them a help to our patience in bearing these afflictions upon the Land a help to our faith in beleeving to our hope inwaiting for the Salvations of the Lord. Whatsoever things were written afore-time were written for our learning but this Booke was purposely written that we through patience and comfort of this Scripture might have hope Nor doe I doubt but that the Providence of God without which a Sparrow fals not to the ground directed my thoughts to this Booke as not onely profitable for all times but specially seasonable for these times It is a word in season and therefore should as a word upon the Wheeles making a speedy passage into all our hearts And how should it not While wee remember that these Wheeles are oyl'd with bloud even with the heart-bloud of thousands of our dearest friends and brethren I finde that this is not the first time that this Booke hath beene undertaken by way of Exposition in such a time as this Lavater a faithfull Minister of the Tigurine Church opened this Scripture in preaching and printed it in the Germane tongue which was afterwards published in Latine by Hartmanus Sprunglius as himselfe expresses in the Title to support and refresh the afflicted mindes of the godly in that last as he then supposed and saddest decliyyning Age of the world Ferus a Popish Fryer but very devout according to the Devotion of that Religion Preacher at Ments chose this Scripture in the time of Warre and publick Calamity as the Title also of his Booke holds forth to comfort his Citizens In his fourth Sermon hee makes this observable digression You know saith hee to his Hearers that I began to expound this Historie of Iob to the end I might comfort and exhort you to patience in these troublesome times This was and is my Intendment this mooved me to handle and explaine this Booke But now in my very entrance upon it the Storme grows so blacke that I see you amazed dejected and almost desperate Some are flying others are preparing to flie and in this great Calamitie no man is found to comfort his Brother But every one encreases his Neighbours feare by his owne fearefullnesse Hee prescribes as farre as their Principles will admit Cordials for the reviving of their spirits and medicine for the cure of these distempers The whole Booke of JOB is a sacred Shoppe stor'd with plentie and varietie of both that you may open your hearts to receive and with wisdome to apply the Consolations and Instructions here tender'd from this part of it is and through the strength of Christ shall bee the desire and prayer of November 8th 1643. Your very loving Friend and Servant for the helpe of your Faith IOSEPH CARYL ERRATA PAg 3. lin 33. for more particulars reade in particular Pag. 5. l 24 for sinneâ— sinne p. 9 l. 2. for distinctions r distinct ones p 27. l 39. for whence r. whom p. 30 l. 21. for all grace goes r. all graces goe p. 40. l. 21. dele But. p. 106. l. 8. r. former p. 118. l. 34. r. and before in such p. 124 l. 1. dele the. p. 179. l. 40. for garments r. garment p. 1â—3 l. 21 for we r. he p 206 l. 39. r. lesse love p. 207. l. 5. r. of a Fathers love p. 239 l. 39. for si r. as p 273. l. 39. for troublers r. troubler p. 306. l. 15. misplaced p. 323 l. 34 for ceise r. seise p. 338. l. 38. for sight r. site pag 371. l. 16. for the r. then p. 402. l. 40. for interrupted r. uninterrupted p. 424. l. 8. adde that p. 452. l. 38. for utmost his r. his utmost p. 454. l 35. for was r. were Divers errors have escaped in the Poyntings which the understanding Reader may easily correct where the sense is obscured as p. 321. l. 11 there wants a Colon after the word Counsell c. AN EXPOSITION Vpon the three first Chapters of the BOOKE of JOB The Introduction opening the Nature Parts and Scope of the whole Booke IT was the personall wish and resolution of the Apostle Paul I had rather speak five words with my understanding then ten thousand words in an unknowne tongue And surely it is far better to speake or heare five words of Scripture with our understandings than ten thousand words yea than the whole Scriptures while we understand them not Now what an unknown tongue about which the Apostle there disputeth is in reference unto all the same is the Scripture unto most even in their owne tongue that which they understand not For as an unknowne tongue doth alwayes hide the meaning of words from us so doe oft times the spiritualnesse
Job as constantly and as vehemently maintaineth both those questions in the contrary sense He acknowledged himself to be a sinner yet he stiffely denied that he was a hypocrite he disclaimed his own righteousnes in point of Justification yet he justified himselfe in point of uprightnesse And as for the sinfulnesse of his nature and of his life he was willing except knowne or wilfull insincerity to own both and charge himselfe faster then his friends could appealing to and triumphing in free-Grace for full pardon This one Syllogisme I say is the summe of all the dispute between Job and his three friends This is as it were the hinge upon which the whole matter turned But besides these there are many discourses falling in collaterally which concurre to make up the subject of this book For as it is with those that studie the Philosophers-stone the great thing they aime at is to make gold c. that 's the principall the chiefe end yet collaterally they find out many excellent things many profitable experiments have beene made many rare secrets have beene discovered in prosecuting of that great designe So although this be the principall subject of the booke yet collaterally for the carrying on of these disputes many other rare and excellent heavenly spirituall and usefull truths are handled and discovered As to give you some particular instances First We have the Character of a discreet and faithfull Master and Father in a family and the speciall duties which concern those relations The doctrine of the Oeconomicks is often touched in this Booke Secondly We have here the Character of a faithfull zealous and just Magistrate in the Common-wealth how he ought to behave himselfe and what his duty is set downe also plainly and clearly by occasion of this dispute Thirdly We have a great discovery made in the secrets of nature The bowels of nature are as it were ript open and the great works of Creation are here displayed In this you have discourses of the Heavens of the Earth of the Sunne Moone and Starres of those Meteors the Haile the Snow the Frost the Yce the Lightning and the thunder In this you have discourses of Jewels of Minerals and of Metalls In this of Beasts and Birds and creeping things So that by occasion of this dispute a discourse is carried about all the world in the whole circuit of naturall knowledge or Philosophy Fourthly Here are discourses of Christian Moralls of the duties of equity from man to man Of the duties of piety which man oweth to God of the duties of sobriety and temperance towards a mans own selfe Yea here we find the great duty of Faith the matter of beleeving in the Redeemer of the world our Lord Jesus Christ Lastly Here are many discoveries made of God in Himselfe and in his Attributes in his Power Wisdome Justice Goodnesse and Faithfulnesse yea whatsoever may be known of God in any of these is some way or other here discovered So then all being summed up together it may well be said concerning this Booke that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Book containing all excellencies of wisedom and holinesse and what as some of the Jews and Rabbins say of it in other Books is here a little and there a little is all plentifully gathered together in this In a word it is a Summary a Compendium of all knowledg both humane and divine both concerning our selves and concerning God So much of the subject of this Book both principall and Collaterall The second generall to be considered is the division of this Booke We may consider it in reference to the division First as it is a Dialogue for so some call the whole Booke which is an interchangeable discourse concerning any subject or matter whatsoever And taking it in that notion wee may divide it by the Collocutors or Speakers and by the severall speeches which they made The Collocutors or Speakers in this Booke are Eight 1. God 2. Sathan 3. Job 4. Jobs wife Jobs three friends 5. Eliphaz 6. Bildad 7. Zophar 8. Elihu Who commeth in as a Moderatour of that dispute Their Speeches which they make are in the whole compasse of of the Booke 32. distinctions There are two Dialogues betweene God and Sathan One betweene Iob and his wife Three between Iob and Eliphaz Three betweene Iob and Bildad Two betweene Iob and Zophar Two betweene God and Iob. And then we have Elihu making foure distinct Speeches or Orations which have no Answer And lastly two severall Speeches or Parables as they are called of Iob one in Chapt. 27.1 and the other in Chapt. 29.1 So that summe up all these together and you may divide the whole Booke into 32. distinct or severall Speeches either by way of position or answer or reply or determination God speakes foure times Satan twice Iobs wife once Iob thirteene times Eliphaz thrice Bildad thrice Zophar twice Elihu foure times Or if we should consider the Booke as a Disputation which is higher then a Dialogue so you may distinguish it by the Opponents by the Respondent and by the Moderators The Opponents are three Iobs three friends Iob himselfe is Respondent The Moderators are First Elihu he commeth in first as an Vmpire betweene them Secondly God himselfe at last out of the whirle-winde giveth the decisive determinative voice and sentence He states the question fully for Iob and reproveth Iobs friends as not having disputed and argued aright concerning him Yet further Wee may divide the Booke into five Sections whereof The first doth set forth the happinesse and fullnesse of Iobs outward estate and the integrity and perfection of his spirituall estate And that is conteined in the first 5 verses The second presents Iobs affliction Iobs fall the great and sore calamity which in a moment did overtake him with the occasion of it And this you have set forth from that 5th verse exclusively to the 9th verse of the second Chapter Thirdly We have the questions the debates and disputes which did arise upon and about the fall of Iob into that sad condition which are contained from that 9th verse of the second Chapter to the end of the 31. Chapter Fourthly We have the Moderation or determination of this dispute and of this argument first by Elihu and then by God himselfe from the beginning of the 32. Chapter to the 7th verse of the 42. All which is but as a determination or stating of the Question Fifthly and lastly Wee have the restitution of Iob his restoring and setting up againe and the repairing of his estate and making of it double to what formerly it had bin And that is begun and continued from the 7th verse of the 42. Chapter to the end of the Book So here you have a five-fold division of the Book Once more We may divide the Book into theee parts And so it sets forth 1. Iobs happy condition both in regard of externalls and internalls in the first 5. verses 2. Iobs fall
AN EXPOSITION WITH PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS Vpon the three first CHAPTERS of the Booke of IOB Delivered in XXI Lectures at MAGNUS neare the Bridge London By JOSEPH CARYL Preacher to the Honourable Society of Lincolnes-Inne JAMES 5. ver 10 11. Take my bretheren the Prophets who have spoken in the Name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction and of patience Behold we count them happy which endure Yee have heard of the patience of Job and have seene the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pitifull and of tender mercy LONDON Printed by G. Miller for Henry Overton in Popes-head-Alley and Luke Fawne and Iohn Rothwell in Pauls Church-yard M.DC.XLIII IT is this eleventh Day of May 1643. Ordered by the Committee of the House of Commons in Parliament concerning Printing that this Book intituled An Exposition upon the three first Chapters of IOB be printed for Henry Overton Luke Fawne Iohn Rothwell IOHN WHITE TO THE CHRISTIAN READER To those especially of this City who have bin the Movers and Promoters of this work THis Book of JOB beares the Image of these times and presents us with a resemblance of the past present and much hoped for future condition of this Nation As the personall prosperity of Job so his troubles looke like our Nationall troubles and why may not the parallel be made up by a likenesse in our Restauration Job was the most flourishing the greatest man of all the men of the East We are the greatest and lately were the most flourishing Nation of all the Nations of the North. Our Oxen like his were strong to labour our Sheep brought forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets our garners were full affording all manner of store our sonnes like his as plants growne up in their youth our daughters as corner stones polished after the similitude of a palace There was no breaking-in nor going out no complaining in reference to outward wants in our streets We washed our steps with butter and the rock powred us out rivers of oyl The Candle of God shined upon our Heads and the secret of God was upon our Tabernacles Our roots were spread out by the waters and the dew of blessings lay all night upon our branches Unto us the Nations gave ear and waited kept silence at our counsel After our words they spake not again and our speech dropped upon them If we laughed on them they believed it not our glory was fresh in us and the light of our countenance they cast not down we chose out their way and sate chief and dwelt as a King in the army as one that comforteth the Mourners Surely a happy people were we being in such a case yea most happy were we having the Lord many ways declaring himselfe for our God And had we as these mercies did oblige us fill'd up or labour'd to fill up th' other part the better part of Jobs character Had we beene a People perfect and upright fearing God and eschewing evill We might according to the promis'd and often experienc'd tenour of Gods dealing with his people have continued and encreased in all that happinesse unto this day But We herein unlike to Job and like a foolish Nation and unwise have ill-requited the Lord yea we have requited the Lord with evill for and in the midst of all this Goodnesse Our Provocations have bin many and our Backe-slidings have bin multiplied Our sinnes have put a Sword into the Hand of God And God in Justice hath put a Sword into the Hands of unjust men men skilfull to destroy He hath made Babylonians the rod of his anger and the staffe of his Indignation against us He hath given Commission to Caldeans and Sabeans who rob and spoyle us Our young men are slaine by the edge of the Sword and the stinke of our Campes comes up into our Nostrils How many sad Messengers have hastened unto us as unto Job with the Reports of Cities surrendered and plundered of Townes fired and pillaged of Villages and Countries laid waste and almost desolate Now seeing all this is come upon us is it not time for us with Job to rent our Garments yea our hearts with godly sorrow and falling upon the ground worship God and say The Lord hath freely given and the Lord hath justly taken Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Our sinnes have brought these sorrowes let not our sorrowes bring in more sin by causing us to murmur against or charge God foolishly God never sends such troubles upon a Nation he doth sometimes upon a Person and did upon Job without cause that is without respecting sinne as a cause Job might say in one sense My Uprightnesse and my Integritie have procured these things unto me But wee must say our way and our doings have procured these things unto us This is our wickednes Yet though all this evill hath been done by us though all these evils are come upon us yet there is hope in our Israel concerning this thing yea I beleeve there is mercie in and from all these evils to us and all the Israel of our God Onely what Integrity we have let us still hold it stedfastly what evils are and what evils almost are not amongst us let us reforme them speedily Without this at least without hearty desires and faithfull endeavours after this wee may presume but we cannot beleeve or hope our Deliverance I grant that whensoever God restores us he must restore us freely and must both make us good and doe us good for his owne Name sake in Jesus Christ For as he hath punished us lesse then our sinnes deserve so whensoever or in what degree soever he restores us it will bee more then any or all our repentings and reformings can deserve yet he commands us to repent and reforme that we may be restored God never delivered any people for their Repentance and rarely any if any without Repentance Yea I may say it plainely that he never delivered any in Mercie without Repentance for either he gave them Repentance before they were delivered or Repentance which is farre the greater blessing of the two with the Deliverance Better have our troubles continue then our sinnes continue To have Peace returne and our hearts unturn'd were infinitely worse then warre And as Repentance is better then Peace so it will be an argument that we shall have Peace May wee not well conclude that God is upon the giving-hand when he gives a new heart And that hee hath somewhat else to give when he hath given a love unto and a longing after his Truth When God feeds us with and we have a right taste of this Manna in our Wildernesse wee may rest assured that God hath humbled us all this while and all the while his Wisdome shall see fit to humble us yet will be only to proove us that he may doe us good at our latter end and make this Nation at least like Job in the end which he will
and mysteriousnesse of the matter While a man speakes in a strange language wee heare a sound but know not the words and while a man speakes in our owne language though we know the words yet we may not understand the meaning and then hee that speakes is to us in that reference so the Apostle calls him a Barbarian While the leaves of the booke are opened and read to such or by such the sense is shut up and sealed When the Apostle Philip heard the Ethiopian Eunuch reade the Prophet Isaiah as he traveld in his Chariot hee said to him understandest thou what thou readest The Eunuch answered How should I unlesse some man would guide mee He understood the language but the meaning was under a vaile The very same may we say to many who reade the Scriptures understand you what you reade And they may answer as the Eunuch did How can we except we had some man to guide us Yea and alas for all the guiding of man they may answer How can we except we have the Spirit of God to guide us He hath his Pulpit in heaven who teacheth hearts the heart of Scripture Paul we know was a learned Pharisee and much verst in the Law and yet he saith of himselfe before his conversion that hee was without the Law but when Christ came to him then the Commandment came to him I was once alive without the Law but when the Commandment came that is when Christ came and his Spirit came in or after my conversion and expounded the Commandment to my heart then the Commandment came sc to my heart in the power of it and I understood to purpose what the Law was So that the teachings of the Spirit the teachings of God himselfe are chiefly to be looked after and prayed for that we may know the mind of the Spirit the will of God in Scripture But he hath set up this ordinance the ordinance of interpretation to doe it by both that the Scripture might be translated out of the Originall into the common language of every Nation which the Apostle calls interpreting in that place before cited and also that the originall sense of the Scripture might be translated into the minde and understanding of every man which is the worke we aime at and now have in hand Before I begin that give me leave to beseech you in the Name of Christ to take care for the carrying on of this worke a degree further I mean to translate the sense of Scripture into your lives and to expound the word of God by your workes Interpret it by your feet and teach it by your fingers as Solomon speakes to another sense that is let your working and your walkings be Scripture explications It is indeed a very great honour unto this Citie that you take care for a Commentarie on the Scripture in writing but if you will be carefull and diligent to make a Commentarie upon the Scripture by living or to make your lives the Commentarie of Scripture this will make your Citie glorious indeed It is the Apostles testimonie of his Corinthians Yee saith he are our Epistle for as much as yee are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with inke but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in fleshie tables of the heart Give us we beseech you the same occasion of glorying on your behalfe that we may say You are our Expositions for as much as you are manifestly declared in your practise to be the exposition of the mind of Christ ministred unto you by us A walking a breathing Commentarie goeth infinitely beyond the written or spoken Commentarie And as the Apostle makes his conclusion before noted I had rather speake five words with my understanding than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue So I say I had rather know five words of Scripture by my own practise and experience than ten thousand words of Scripture yea than the whole Scripture by the bare Exposition of another And therefore let the word of Christ by these verball Explications dwell richly in your understandings in all wisedome And by a practicall application let it be held forth plentifully in your lives in all holinesse Adde Commentarie to Commentarie and Exposition to Exposition adde the Comment of works to this Comment of words and an Exposition by your lives to this Exposition by our labours Surely if you do not these Exercises will be costly indeed and will come to a deep account against you before the Lord. If you are lifted up to heaven by the opening of the Scripture which is either a carrying of you up to heaven or a bringing of heaven downe to you and then walke groveling upon the earth how sore will the judgement be But it is to me an argument and an evidence from heaven that God hath put it into your hearts to be more glorious in the practise of holinesse because he hath put it into your hearts to desire more the knowledge of holinesse To draw in my speech nearer to the businesse Having a booke full of very various matter before me give mee leave to premise some things in the generall and some thing more particulars by way of Preface concerning the booke before wee come to the handling of the text First for the generall That which God speakes concerning the whole worke of Creation We may speake concerning the whole booke of Scripture It is very good Solomon observes that wheresoever the wisdom of God spake it spake of excellent things And David to quicken our endeavours and excite our diligence to the study of the word preferreth it in worth above thousands of gold and silver and in sweetnesse above the honey and the honey combe And when he ceaseth to compare hee beginneth to admire Wonderfull are thy Testimonies And well may that bee called Wonderfull which proceedeth from the God of Wonders All Scripture is given by divine inspiration or by inspiration from God and I need not stay to shew you the excellencie of any part when I have but pointed at such an originall of the whole As therefore the whole Scripture whether wee respect the majestie of the Author the height or puritie of the matter the depth or perspicuitie of the stile the dignitie or variety of occurrences whether we consider the Art of compiling or the strength of arguing disdaines the very mention of comparison with any other humane Author whatsoever so are comparisons in it selfe as Booke with Booke Chapter with Chapter dangerous There is not in this great volume of holy counsell any one Book or Chapter Verse or Section of greater power or authoritie than other Moses and Samuel the writings of Amos the Shepherd and of Isaiah a Descendant of the blood Royall the writings of the Prophets and Evangelists the Epistles of Paul and this historie of Iob must be received to use the words
grace God would have all the world take notice of this in the Booke of Job that a godly person is in vaine assaulted by friends or enemies by men or devils by wants or wounds Though he be even benighted in his spirit though God himselfe take away the light of his countenance from him yet God would have us learne and know that over all these a true beleever is more then a conquerour For here is one of the greatest battels fought that ever was betweene man and man betweene man and hell yea betweene God and man yet Job went away with the victory True Grace is often assaulted it never was or ever shall be overthrowne 7. This also we may learne That God never leaves or forsakes his totally or finally 8. Lastly The booke teacheth this generall lesson That the iudgements of God are often times very secret but they are never uniust That though the creature be not able to give a reason of them yet there is infinite reason for them These are the generall Uses from the generall scope and intendment of this booke by way of Instruction Secondly This booke serves to convince and reproove that slander of worldly men and of Satan who say that the people of God serve him for their owne ends that they follow him for loaves that they attend upon him for an estate for creature-comforts and concernements The Lord did on purpose cause these things to be acted and this History to be penned for ever to stop the mouth of Saâ—an and of all iniquity and to shew that his people follow him for love for the excellency they find in him and in his service Though he strip them naked of all they have yet they will cleave to him Here is one Confutation 2. It is to convince and reprove all those who judge of the spiriâ—uall estate of those that are under the hand of God in sore afflictions â—y some unbecoming and rash speeches which may fall from them â—n the time of those their conflicts when troubles and sufferings are â—pon them 3. To convince and confute those who judge of mens spirituall eâ—â—ates by Gods dealing with them in their outward estates 4. To convince and confute that cursed opinion that a man â—ay fall finally and totally away from grace and from the favour of God God hath shewed by this History that such an opinion is a â—e If ever any man were in danger of falling quite away from â—race received or might seeme to have lost the favour of God forâ—erly shewed surely it was Job and if he were upheld in the grace â— holinesse and continued in the grace of Gods love notwithstanding all that came upon him Certainly God would have all the world know that free-grace will uphold his for ever 5. To convince all those of pride and extreame presumption who thinke to find out and to trace the secrets of Gods counsell the secrets of Gods eternall decrees the secrets of all his workes of providence Whereas God sheweth them in this Booke that they are not able to find out or comprehend his ordinary works those which we call the workes of nature the things of creation the things that are before them which they converse with every day which they see and feele and have in their ordinary use They are not able to find out the secrets of the aire of the Meteors of the waters of the earth of beasts or birds every one of these puts thâ— understanding of man to a stand and pose his reason they are noâ— able to comprehend the workes of Creation how are they ablâ— then to find out the counsels of God in his Decrees and purposes anâ— judgements And for that end it is that God sets forth heere sâ— much of the workes of nature that all men may be stopp'd in thaâ— presumptuous way of searching too farre into his counsels Hereâ— another Use or scope of this Booke Thirdly there is much for Consolation 1. That all things doe worke for the good of those that loâ—â— God 2. Consolation is this That no temptation shall ever take hoâ—â— of us but such as God will either make us able to beare or make way to escape out of it We can be in no condition cast so low but the hand of Goâ— can reach us find us out send in deliverance and raise us up aâ—gaine Lastly here are two generall Exhortations 1. We are exhorted to the Meditation and Admiration of tâ—â— power and wisdome of God from all the Creatures This is a duâ—â— which this Booke leads us unto for that is the end why so much spoken concerning the workes of Creation that as the Aposâ— saith The invisible things of him from the Creation of the Worâ— may be clearly seene being understood by the things that are maâ— even his eternall power and God-head 2. To glorifie God in every condition to have good thoughts God to speake good words for God in every condition We 〈◊〉 drawne to this by considering how Job though sometimes in â—hemency of spirit he over-shot himselfe yet hee recovers agaiâ— and breaths sweetly concerning God shewing that his spirit was full of sweetnesse towards God even when God was writing bitter things against him as when he saith Though hee kill me yet I will trust in him than which what could expresse a more holy and submissive frame of heart in reference to the dealings of God with him Surely he thought God was very good to him who had that good thought of God To trust him even while hee slew him These things being proposed concerning the Booke in generall will helpe to cast a light thorough the whole at one view And though at this time I shall not enter upon expounding of the Text it selfe yet you have had in some sense the Exposition of the whole Text. If you carefully lay up these Rules they will much advantage and advance your profiting when we come to the Explication of any part IOB 1.1 2. There was a man in the land of Vz whose name was IOB and that man was perfect and upright and one that feared GOD and eschewed evill And there were borne unto him seven sonnes and three daughters c. THis Chapter may be divided into three parts whereof the first containes a description of Job in his prosperous estate from the first to the end of the fifth verse In the second we have the first part of Jobs affliction set downe from the sixth verse to the end of the nineteenth In the third Jobs carriage and behaviour in or his Conquest and Victory over that first tryall are discovered this concludes in the three last verses of the Chapter The description of his prosperous estate is given us in three points First What he was in his person vers 1. Secondly What in his possessions we have an Inventory of his goods vers 2 3 4. Thirdly What in his practise of holinesse verse 5. Where one example or instance is set downe
for all the rest The Booke begins with the description of his person in the first verse where Job is described by that which is accidentall and by that which is essentiall By accidentals so he is described by the place where he dwelt There was a man in the land of Uz. 2. By his name whose name was Job The essentials are foure qualifications which were essentiall to him not as a rationall man but as a holy man And that man was 1. Perfect 2. Vpright 3. One that feared God 4. Eschewed evill As they who write the Acts or Stories of great men usually give us some description of their persons before they set downe their undertakings or atchievements as you see in the 1 Sam. 17.4 5 6 7. how the great Giant Goliah is described So here the Holy Ghost by the Pen-man of this Booke being to record a glorious combate a combate not with flesh and blood alone but with Principalities and Powers a wrestling with mighty and strong temptations first gives us if we may so speake the Prosopographie of this divine Heroes soule the lineaments and abilities of his spirit This was the heighth and this the stature of the Combitant such were his limbes and such his weapons there he dwelt and this was his name There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job There was That referrs us either to the truth of the Story or to the time of the Story Such a man there was that 's certaine Such a man there was but the time when is uncertaine It referres us to the time onely indefinitely There was such a man but when is not exactly and precisely set downe The Scripture we know doth often keepe an exact account of yeares the Scripture is the guide and key of all Chronology and sometimes it leaves things in generall for the time and onely saith thus much such a thing was or such a person was So here Yet some have undertaken to define what the Spirit of God hath left at large the precise time wherein Job lived and tell us in what yeare of the world these things were done But I desire not to be so accurate unlesse the Rule were so too Onely thus much we may safely say that Job lived betweene the times of Abraham and Moses and nearer Moses than Abraham and for that I conceive there is ground sufficient There are these two speciall Reasons why it should be circumscribed within that limit 1. Because Job offered Sacrifice at that time in his owne Country which after the giving of the law and setting up of a publike worship was forbidden all both Jewes and Proselytes They that were acquainted with the wayes of God knew they must not worship by Sacrifice any where but before the Tabernacle or after the Temple was built at the Temple 2. Because in the whole booke there is not the least print or the least mention of any thing which did concerne those great and glorious passages of Gods providence towards the people of Israel either in their going out of Aegypt or in their journey thorough the wildernesse to Canaan Now in a dispute of this nature such as was betweene Job and his friends there would have been frequent occasion to have considered and instanced some of those things There is scarce any booke in Scripture that beares date after that great and wonderfull dispensation of God but it makes mention of or referrs to some passages concerning them Againe for the time that which some collect to cleare it is from the Genealogie of Job there are three speciall opinions concerning the line of his pedegree One that he descended from Nahor who was brother to Abraham Gen. 22.21 It was told Abraham behold Milcah shee hath borne children to thy brother Nahor Uz his first-borne and Buz his brother c. This Vz who was the first-borne of Nahor Abrahams brother is conceived to have given denomination to the land of Vz and so from him Job to be descended Another opinion there is maintain'd by many that Job was of the line of Esau and that he was called Jobab by Moses Gen. 36.33 And Bela died and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah raigned in his stead This Jobab who was a descendant or one of the Dukes of the line of Esau they say was Job But why the name Jobab should be contracted into Job I see little reason offered A third opinion for his descent is that he came from the children of Abraham by his second wife Keturah Gen. 25. where it is said that Abraham by her had divers sonnes and that hee gave them portions and sent them Eastward into the East country and from Midian who was the fourth sonne of Abraham by that second marriage our Genealogies doe positively and directly affirme that Job was descended That may suffice for the time for bringing of him within a narrower limit I have no grounds but conjecturall A man He is not called A man here barely as the Phylosophers Animal rationale c. as man is opposed to a Beast Nor barely is he called a man to distinguish his Sex as a man is opposed to a woman But there is somewhat more in the expression he is called a man by way of excellency And for the clearing and opening of that we may consider that there are 3. words in Scripture originall by which man is exprest 1. Man is called Adam That was the proper name of the first man and it became the common name for all men since So man was called from the matter of which he was made Adam from Adamah because as the reason is given Gen. 2.7 God made man dust out of the earth or as we translate of the dust of the earth 2. Man is called Enosh So he is called in regard of the infirmities weaknesses and sorrowes which he hath contracted by sinne since the fall sinne made the red earth weake and brittle earth indeed earth moystened with teares and mixt with troubles 3. He is called Ish which the Critticks in that language say comes from and hath allyance with two words One signifying Beeing or existence and the other heat or fire So that the excellency of mans being the heat courage and spirit that flames in him is set forth in that word and that 's the word here in the Text There was a man it is Ish an excellent a worthy man a man of an excellent spirit a man of men a man fitted to honour God and governe men And that it is so used in Scripture I will give you an instance or two that you may see it is not a bare conjecture In the 49. Psalme David as it were summons and divides mankind In the first verse he summons Heare this all ye people give eare all ye inhabitants of the world In the second verse he divides Both low and high rich and poore together The word in the Hebrew for high is Bene-Ish sons of Ish
of Learning were seated Jer. 49.7 Concerning Edom thus saith the Lord Is wisedome no more in Teman Two things may be gathered from that Text. First That Teman was in Edom or Idumea Secondly That it was a place wherein there was much profession of wisedome and learning So then we may take the word Temanite either as referring unto the Stock from which Eliphaz sprung or unto the place where Eliphaz lived The Hebrewes referre it unto his Stock or pedigree And the Caldee Paraphrase is for the place or Country Jobs second friend was Bildad the Shuhite All that I find for his pedigree is that he came from one of the sonnes of Abraham by his second wife Keturah of whom it is said Gen. 25.1 That she bare him Zimram and Jockshan with others and Shuah From which Shuah was the family of the Shuhites And it is conceived that Bildad was of that line and therefore here called Bildad the Shuhite And for the last Zophar the Naamathite there is lesse certainty concerning him Some will have him to be Zepho mentioned Gen. 36.11 who was Grand-child to Esau by Eliphaz his eldest sonne And for his additionall name Naamathite the best conjecture which I find takes it from Naamah the name of a City spoken of Josh 15.41 in the division of the promised Land to the Children of Israel Now it is said that these three upon the report of all the evill that was come upon Job came to visit him for they had made an appointment together to come or they all agreed together they came not by accident but by appointment The word signifieth to meete by solemne agreement Hence the place where the children of Israel used to meete to solemnize the worship of God before the building of the Temple was called the Tabernacle of the Congreation because they were to congregate or meete there at set times to celebrate the name of God according to his own institution And in the thirtieth Chapter of this Booke the grave is called Beth-mogned v. 23. the house of the gathering together of all men according to that Statute of Heaven It is appointed unto men once to dye Heb. 9.27 It is the fancie of Origen upon this place that these three friends came at adventure that they came all of them severall wayes unknowne to or without the privity of one another from their severall Countries and met as it were by miracle at Jobs house the same day and houre But the Text is cleere that there was a profest covenant and agreement made by which they came together They came saith the Text to mourne with him and to comfort him In these words we have the end or intendment of their coming First They came to mourne with him The word which we translate to mourne signifieth to move the body or to passe from place to place Cain after that sinne of his in murthering his Brother Gen. 4. hath this judgement pass'd by God upon him that he should be a fugitive and a vagabond he should be Nod a mover from place to place and afterwards it is said he dwelt in the Land of Nod which some interpret for a speciall place for a Country called Nod but it is taken by others thus hee dwelt in the Land of Nod that is where ever he dwelt he found the Land as it were moving it was a moving a shaking a trembling Land to him He dwelt in the Land of Nod His conscience quaking continually by reason of the guilt that was upon him for murdering his Brother the earth also seemed to quake under him wheresoever he went or dwelt That only by the way The same word here used in the Text by a Metaphor signifies to mourne or compassionate the afflictions and miseries of another So Nah. 3.6 Nineveh is laid wast who will be moane her And Isa 51.19 These two things are come unto thee who shall be sorry for thee And the reason why this word which signifieth properly to move is translated to signifie mourning in compassion with others may be either first this because such persons will runne goe or move from place to place to give and administer comfort to their friends whose afflictions affect and grieve them as we see here in these friends of Job they took a long journey they moved indeed when they came to mourne Or rather secondly as I conceive for this reason because such compassionate sorrowes and mournings when our friends are under deepe and sore afflictions are usually exprest by moving the body or at least moving some member of the body as many times the hand is lifted up and we strike our breasts or we shake the head It is ordinary in compassionate sorrowes thus to move the hand or the head and so the word is used to signifie mourning from that act which accompanies or testifies mourning And the same word is sometimes used to signifie that trepidation or trembling of the heart those convulsions of the spirit upon the approaches of our own troubles So Isa 7.2 That fearfull motion and disquietnesse both of Prince and people when they heard of the invasion of their Country by Rezin King of Syria c. is thus exprest The heart of the King and the heart of his people were moved as the trees of the wood are moved with the winde Secondly It is said they came to comfort him The word which is there used to comfort signifies likewise to mourne and especially the mournings of repentance or to repent for sin with sorrow the reason is given because true comfort doth spring from repentance Joy often ariseth out of sorrow and so the same word is applied to both Worldly joy and sorrow are contraries but godly joy and sorrow are con-causes mutually effecting and helping one another We have here an excellent patterne held forth unto us of our duty in reference unto distressed persons or Nations First thus It is both an act and an argument of true friendship to mourne with and comfort those that are in affliction A man doth then set his seale to it that he is a friend when he will partake and share in his friends afflictions when he will divide with him in all estates whatsoever it is whether sweet or sowre joy or sorrow he will have his part Many friends will come and rejoyce with you they will come to a feast with you they will meete at a house of mirth with you but they fall off and goe backe when they must weepe with you when if they come they must come to a house of mourning Solomon Prov. 17.17 gives us the true character of a friend A friend loveth at all times and a brother is borne for adversitie It is the note and triall of our love to God when we love him at all times what ever he doth with us And it is the argument of true love unto our bretheren when we love and owne them at all times whatsoever they
Gender for another are frequently observed in Scripture by the learned in the Originalls Secondly The relative word is conjectured to be put in the Feminine gender because women were most usually called forth to that worke of mourning And it is further observeable that where the Scripture speakes of those actions of mourning or rejoycing or loving which are workes of affection it useth to ascribe them to women rather then to men because they are quicker in affection and faile of affection then men and so more ready to act or expresse such joyes or sorrowes then men are For the close of this point I shall adde the apprehension of a learned Expositor who taking the words in this last sense as referring to those solemne mournings yet conceive that the word Leviathan must stand here in the letter not as if Job had any intendment to speake of the fish Leviathan or to allude to fishing for Leviathan but either because Heathens in those execrations did invoke or provoke Leviathan that is the Devill Or because in those solemne songs of lamentation Leviathan was a word much used or Leviathan was the first word of some of those lamenting songs For in execrations strange uncouth dreadfull words were purposely used the more to affect and astonish the hearers Now there is no word more dreadfull then Leviathan whether we take it for that sea-monster the Whale or for that Hell-monster the Devill And so the meaning is this Let them curse it who curse the day who are ready to raise up Leviathan that is Let those mourners who sing that most passionate song of mourning which begins with or is entitled Leviathan It is ordinary among us to call for a song or to call a song by the generall subject matter of it or by the first word of it And so many bookes of Scripture have their names in the Hebrew from the first word as the booke of Genesis is called Beresith or In the beginning And Exodus Veele semoth that is And these are the names because both begin with those words in the Hebrew So the song which was the forme of those Lamentations might be called Leviathan because saith this Authour it began with that word and he alledgeth a proverbiall tradition for it out of Mariana which he had received from a Jew that it was forbidden upon the Feast-day to raise up Leviathan That is they might not take up that execratory song which beginneth with Leviathan I only present this opinion because it suites with and illustrates the former notion of solemne mourning Thus I have with as much speed and clearnesse as I could given you the meaning of these words That which favours their sense most who keepe to the word Leviathan is that this booke speakes afterward of Leviathan to shew the power of the creator in that powerfull creature And I find the very same phrase of raysing or stirring up Leviathan used in that place chap. 41. ver 10. None is so fierce that dare stirre or raise him up The Hebrew word which there we translate stirre in this third chapter is translated raise Leviathan Yet I rather encline to the latter exposition respecting mourning both because it hath the authority of our English Bible to countenance it our Translators putting mourning in the Text and Leviathan in the margin As also because it carries a clearer correspondence and agreement both with Antecedents and consequents both with the matter and with the frame of Jobs complaint and curse in this chapter Taking the words in this sense that Job calls to have his night cursed in such a solemne manner as those hired mourners used to lament and bewaile the dayes of humane calamities we may observe First That hope of profit will turne some spirits into any posture Lamenting and mourning is an unpleasant worke but profit and reward sweetens and makes it pleasant Some men will be in any action so they may get by it they will mourne for hire and curse for hire So did Balaam Balaam was sent for to curse the people of God Numb 22. He made many delayes and seemingly conscientious scruples yet at last he goâ—s about the worke as black and bad as it was But what overcame him and answered all his doubts about the undertaking of such a worke The Text in Peter resolves us he loved the wages of unrighteousnesse He that loves wages will quickly love any work which brings in wages Upon the stage you might have any passion for your money Joy and sorrow love and hatred all acted and personated beyond the personall temper or occasions of the men meerely for reward And which is the highest argument of a mercenary spirit some act holinesse for hire and are godly for outward gaine Secondly In that Job calls others to mourne over and condole that night Observe That some troubles exceed our own sorrowes And we may want the eyes and tongues of others to expresse them by My heart saith Job is not large enough and I have not art enough to act much lesse to aggravate my own afflictions let them doe it whose profession and practise it is to curse the day Sometimes the mercies which we receive and the joy that the soule conceives is more then we can expresse or be thankfull enough for and then we send to others both private Christians and whole Congregations desiring them to help us to lend us their hearts and their tongues their affections and their voices in that Angelicall worke the praises of our God Let them blesse God who blesse the day who are vers'd in dayes and duties of thanks-giving who are ready to raise up their rejoycings David saith Come and heare all ye that feare God and I will declare what he hath done for my soule Psal 66.16 He had not told them what God had done for his soule but to gaine the help of their soules in praising God for what he had done Sometime also a Christian is so engaged in prayer for the obtaining of a mercy and finds his heart so much below his suite that he calls out to all those who have any holy skill in praying pray for me pray with me the businesse is too bigge for me alone How earnestly doth Paul begge prayers Now I beseech you bretheren for the Lord Jesus Christs sake and for the love of the Spirit that ye strive together with me in prayers to God for me that I may be delivered c. Rom. 15.30 As it is thus in praying and rejoycing so it may be in mourning and in sorrowing And troubles are very deepe when they exceed our own sorrowes as mercies are very great when they are beyond our own praises Wee in this Nation have cause to feare such troubles even such as may cause us to invite the hearts and spirits the bowels and compassions of all the Christians in the world to come and lament over us we may be forced to send not only for the Husbandman
they vers 6. and let this ruine be under thine hand that is be thou our Prince and take charge of us Not I saith he I will not be an healer for in mine house is neither bread nor cloathing make me not a Ruler of the people As if he had said I am but a poore man a man of a weake estate Princes must have treasure and great estates to beare up the dignity of their places As covetousnesse so poverty is very unbecoming in a Prince The Romane story tells us that when two great Consulls stood in competition for a great employment in the affaires of that Common-wealth One of the Senators being as'kt upon which of the two he would bestow his vote Answered upon neither And gives this reason One hath nothing and the other can never have enough One was so poore that he had nothing to support him and the other was so covetous that nothing would satisfie him Therefore as before Job joyned Counsellours with Kings so here he joyneth gold with Princes The next expedient for Princes to counsell and wisedome are gold and treasures We find indeed that God gives it in charge to the Kings of Israel concerning their gathering of treasures that they should not be excessive Deut 17.17 Neither shall he greatly multiply to himselfe silver and gold He doth not say your Prince or your King shall not multiply silver or gold but he shall not greatly multiply silver or gold that is he shall not set his heart upon them or thinke he never hath enough he shall not greatly doe it but let him be carefull to doe it proportionably to his occasions either of peace or warre Further It is added Who fill their houses with treasure The word which we here translate treasure is ordinarily translated silver The root from which it springs signifieth to desire and the reason is because treasure silver or gold are such desireable things or things upon which the desires of most men are set therefore the Hebrewes give silver a name proper to its own nature or rather to the nature of men whose desires are enflamed after it With this desireable thing Princes fill their houses What are these houses A house is a place wherein man liveth or inhabiteth while he liveth this is the ordinary acception of the word and so it may be taken here for the ordinary dwelling houses or Pallaces of Princes And then it is an heightning of the sense They had gold yea they had so much as they filled their houses with it Then againe That we may keepe in this clause to the exposition given in the last of the desolate places we may understand by the houses that these Princes filled with treasure the graves the Tombes wherein they were buried And it is the language of Scripture to call the grave a house mans house Two Texts I will give you for it one out of this booke Job 30.23 where Job speaking of the grave calleth it the house appointed for all living And Eccles 12.5 where Solomon calls it our long home Man dieth and goeth to his long home the word in the Originall is he goeth to the house of his age or to the house of age God is called the rock of ages because he is an everlasting strength Isa 26.4 The grave is called an house of age because it is a very lasting house an abiding house a house where man must abide till God sound him up by the voice of a Trumpet to the resurrection So then the grave is likewise called an house the house of all living because thither every one that is living is travailing man travailes to the grave as to his house And a long-home in opposition to our short home our uncertaine abode in those houses wherein we dwell upon the earth Princes saith Job that had gold and this is one use they make of it they fill their houses that is their graves or their tombes with this treasure In those times it seemes they did not only bestow great cost upon their Tombes and places of buriall but they put great store of treasure into the Tombes with them According to this interpretation the meaning of Job may be thus represented If I had died before and had been buried poorely and obscurely yet I should have done as well as Kings and Counsellours who with vast expence of treasure build stately Tombes for themselves yea as well as Princes that put their treasure into their Tombes with them That it was a custome to put in much treasure into Tombes is observed by Josephus in his 13th book of Antiquities and 15th chapter shewing how Hircanus opened Davids Sepulcher and tooke out three thousand Talents And in his 16th booke chap. 11. he notes that afterward Herod opened the Sepulchre of David and thought to have found a great deale of treasure there but found only some precious garments c. And the story is famous out of Herodotus concerning Semiramis That she having built a stately Tombe makes this inscription upon it Whatsoever King shall succeed here and wants money let him open this Tombe and he shall have enough to serve his turne Which Darius in after-ages being in streights for want of treasure attempting to doe in stead of money found only this reproofe written and laid up there Vnlesse thou hadst been extreamely covetous and greedy of filthy lucre thou wouldest not have opened the graves of the dead to seeke for money The Lord threatens by the Prophet Jeremie that the Chaldeans shall bring out the bones of the King of Judah and the bones of his Princes and the bones of the Priests and the bones of the Prophets c. out of their graves chap. 8.1 It is conceived that the reason why the Chaldeans digg'd up and raked in the graves of the Jewes was not so much from cruelty as from covetousnesse They having heard that the Jewes used to put rich ornaments upon the dead or riches into their graves with them Or this might be as a just punishment of that grredinesse after gaine so eminent in the Jewes that the Prophet in the very Chapter where this is threatned chargeth them thus ver 10. Every one from the least to the greatest is given to covetousnesse Thus it is cleare that there was a custome to put riches and treasure into the grave with the dead to which Job might allude in this place So much for the opening of the words from the sense given Observe first That neither power nor wisedome nor riches are any priviledge at all against the stroake of death Here are Kings men that have great power Counsellours men full of wisedome Princes that have riches so much gold that they can stuffe their graves with it yet these cannot defend themselves against death Death will not obey the authority of Kings nor doth it feare their frownes the subtilty or policy of Counsellours is not able to defeate it there is no eloquence no