in that sense to please men with sinning against and provoking God Secondly My Servant by way of speciall right and property So Job and all godly persons are called Gods servants First by the right of election they are Gods chosen servants as Paul is called a chosen vessell that is a chosen servant to carry the name of God 2. They are Gods servants by the right of purchase my servant whom I have bought and purchased so in the 1 Cor. 6. You are bought with a price be not the servants of men that is you are bought with a price to be my servants therefore be not the servants of men in opposition to me or to my disservice in any thing So Job was Gods servant by way of purchase God buyeth every one of his servants with the bloud of his sonne Thirdly My servant by way of Covenant Job was Gods Covenant servant God and he had as it were sealed Indentures Job entered into Covenant with God that he would performe the duty of a servant and God entered into Covenant with him that he should enjoy the priviledge of a servant Now that which is Gods by right of Covenant is his by speciall right Then again We may further understand this and all such like expressions When God saith my servant he doth as it were glory in his servant God speaks of him as of his treasure my servant as a man doth of that which he glorieth in As the Saints glory in God when they use this expression my God and my Lord my Master and my Christ this is a kind of glorying and triumphing in God So this expression carieth such a sense in it Hast thou not considered my servant Job there is one that I have honour by one that I rejoyce and glory in one that I can speake of with much more then content even with tryumph my servant Job Ther 's a man It is mans honour to be Gods servant and God thinkes himselfe honoured by the service of man It was once a curse and it is a great curse still to be the servant of servants as it is said of Cham but it is an honour the great honour of the creature to be a servant to God He that is a servant of Christ is not only free but noble And Christ reckoneth that he hath not only worke done him but honour done him by his willing people and therefore he glories in any such my servant My servant Job There is somewhat also to be considered in that When God speakes of his people by name it noteth two things in Scripture First A speciall care that God hath over them Secondly A speciall love that God hath to them Joh. 10.3 He calleth his owne Sheepe by name this noteth a speciall care Christ hath of his sheepe and a speciall love that he beareth to them So Isa 49.1 The Lord hath called me from the wombe from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name it noteth the speciall care and the speciall love that God had of and bare to Christ See it eminently in that place Exod. 33.12 where Moses speakes thus unto God Yet thou hast said I know thee by name now what it is to know by name is by way of Exposition added in the end of the verse And thou hast also found grace in my sight So that to be knowne by name is in a speciall manner to find grace in the sight of God when it is said here My servant Job it shewes that God did take an extraordinary care of and did in an extraordinary manner love Job above all that were upon the Earth There is a great deale of difference betweene these two expressions to know the name of a man and to know a man by name It is a truth that God knoweth all your names and the names of all the men in the world but he doth not know all by name Therefore the Scripture assures us that God hath the names of none written but the names of his owne as Moses saith in the former Chapter If thou wilt not forgive the sinne of this people blot me I pray thee out of thy Booke which thou hast written Thou knowest me by name my name is written in thy booke So Luk. 10. Christ bad his Disciples that they should not rejoyce so much that they had the spirits subject unto them but in this they should rejoyce that their names were written in heaven Note from hence That God doth take care of his elect children and servants in a speciall manner above all other men in the world The names of Princes or Emperours or Potentates if they belong not to God are not vouchsafed a place in his booke but the names of the meanest of his Saints are recorded for ever and shall be had in everlasting remembrance Hast thou not considered my servant Job that there is none like him in the Earth c. We reade before at the end of the 3d. verse that Job in reference to his riches was the greatest of all the men of the East Now he goeth beyond that in reference to his holines he is the greatest upon the earth there is none like him in the earth This we may understand first as a cause or reason why Job fell under the speciall consideration or observation of Satan Hast thou not considered my servant Job because so some render that particle or in a much or for that there is not the like to him in the Earth As if God should say there is reason why he must needs be taken into thy consideration because there is not such another man as he in the earth You know that a man is quickly taken notice of when there are none like unto him in the place or company where he is If a man walke in the streets or come into a house who is of an extraordinary tallnesse some will aske the question did you not observe such a man for there was never a man in the company never a man in the street so tall as he So one that is extraordinary in beauty or extraordinary in rich apparrell every one hath an eye upon such The reason why many are observed is because they are not like to others they are beyond others in quality or in habit So here Hast thou not considered my servant Job that there is none like unto him in the Earth thou must needs take notice of him Or againe it may be understood thus as the matter which Satan should consider and observe in Job Hast thou not considered my servant Job sc in this thing that there is not a man upon the earth like to him Hast thou not taken notice of this in him Thou who hast looked over all men and hast as it were sifted all mens manners hast thou not observed thus much that there is not such a man upon the earth as Job Hath not that fallen under thy observation So now in the words There is
And as the enmity of the serpent was mans scourge so also was the barrennesse of the earth That barrennesse in bringing forth good fruit that fertility in bringing forth bryars and thornes were both as rods for the back of man Thirdly the irrationall or sencelesse creatures are cursed in reference to that which man suffers Thus David cursed the mountaines of Gilboa 2 Sam. 1.21 because there Saul and his beloved Jonathan were slaine by the sword of the Philistines because there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away the sword of Saul as if he had not been anointed with oyle In this sense as David cursed a place so Job curses a time his day the day which either gave occaâ—ion to his sufferings or the day in which he actually suffered such a world of evills Thus also Jeremie curses his day with a vehement curse Jer. 20.14 Cursed be the day wherein I was borne let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed And not only so but he curses the man who first reported his birth verse 15 16. Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father saying a man-child is borne unto thee making him very glad And let that man be as the Cities which the Lord overthrew and repented not and let him heare the cry in the morning and the shooting at noone-tide c. And why so bitter a curse was it against the day for it selfe or against the man himselfe Jeremie shewes it was not verse 18. Wherefore came I out of the wombe to see labour and sorrow that my dayes should be consumed with shame To curse any thing under the notion of a creature or as it is the worke of God is to blaspheme God to curse any unreasonable or insensible creature in themselves or to take revenge on them is to be if not sencelesse yet I am sure in that act unreasonable So farre of this cursing his day in generall It followes Verse 2. And Job spake and said This verse is only a transition into the matter of the next it is as if the holy Ghost had said Job cursed his day and would you know how he cursed it He did it after this manner or in this forme of words Job spake and said thus c. Only note that the word which we translate spake is in the originrall answered and so often in Scripture he is said to answer who begins to speake Job answered and said We shewed you before that his day in generall was the object of this curse now he curses it in the parts of it the day and the night Let the day perish c. At which words the stile alters that which you reade forward to the sixt verse of the 42 Chapter is sacred Poetry Job breathes out his passion in verse and in verse receives his answer It is questioned whether Job at that time opened his mouth and vented his sorrowes in verse or whether it were after contrived so by the pen-man of this booke As I see no profit in moving this question so I think there is no possibility of resolving it And therefore I leave it as I found it a quere still Only this is observeable that writing in verse is most sutable where the matter written is deepely steep't in and chiefely wrought out of our affections Hence we find That those parts of Scripture which set forth strongest affections are composed in verse As those holy flames of spirituall love betweene Christ and his Spouse in the Canticles of Solomon The triumphant joy of Deborah after deliverance from Sisera's Army Of Moses and Miriam after the destruction of Pharaoh The afflicting sorrowes of Hezekiah in his sicknesse And the Lamentations of Jeremie for the captivity of the Jewes The booke of Psalmes is as it were a throng of all affections Love joy sorrow feare hope anger zeale every passion acting a part and wound up in highest straines by the Spirit of God breathing Poeticall eloquence into that heavenly Prophet So this Booke of Job whose subject is sorrow hath a composure answerable to the matter Passion hath most scope in verse and is freest when tyed up in numbers The words follow Let the day perish What this day was we shewed you before It was the day of his nativity the day saith he wherein I was borne How should this day perish To perish signifies first not to be A thing is said to perish when it is annihilated when it returnes to nothing As the Psalmist speakes Man being in honour and understandeth not is compared to the beasts that perish The perishing of a beast is the non-entity of a beast when a beast dieth it perisheth it is not A beast is no more but vanisheth quite and is gone for ever Then such mens likenesse to a beast is not in perishing but in the want of true understanding He doth not say man perisheth like a beast but he is like a beast that perisheth A wicked man how honourable soever is a bruitish man ver 10. For he knowes nothing spiritually and what he knowes naturally in that like a bruit beast he corrupts himselfe as the Apostle Jude speakes ver 10. of his Epistle But betweene the perishing of a foolish man and a beast there is a vast difference A beasts perishing is a not-being A foolish mans perishing is a miserable being For secondly To perish signifies often a miserable being as in Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten sâ—n that whosoever beleeveth should not perish c. Not perish the meaning of it is not that all unbeleevers shall loose their very beings become a nothing and with their existence part from their essence Some wicked beastly men would be glad of this that they might live here wickedly and afterward die like beasts in that sense eternally If this were the perishing that is threatned unbeleevers many of them would be ready to say out of love and liking to their lusts as Esther did out of love and zeale to the cause of God If we perish we perish If this be to perish let us perish But that perishing is of another nature They that beleeve not shall perish that is they shall live and perish they shall be and be miserable for ever the wrath of a displeased God and the sting of a polluted conscience shall torment them to all eternity Thirdly To perish is to be empaired or loose former dignity and respect So let the day perish may be taken in this sense let not that day be solemnized let it not be remembred with wonted joy and gladnesse A day which hath usually bin solemnized may be said to perish when that solemnity is layed downe and utterly disus'd In ancient times and the custome in some places remaines to this day Great men and Princes kept the memory of their birth-dayes with feasting and triumph Thus we reade Gen. 40.20 And it came to passe the third day which was Pharaohs
angry with my day and I shew you why because it shut not up the doores of my mothers wombe c. The reason or the argument stands thus There is cause I should curse that day and that night which not hindering my conception or my birth brought me forth upon the stage of the world to act a part in all these sorrowes But the day and the night did not hinder my conception or my birth therefore I have cause I have reason enough to breake out in such complaints and curse them I doe it because these shut not up the doores of my mothers wombe This is the argument or reason by which he defends his passion and this argument will be found to have more passion in it then reason if we examine it to the bottome For he complaines of that as the cause which was not the cause of his troubles what did the night or the day that he thus chargeth them They had no efficiency in bringing those evills upon him circumstances are not causes Effects are produced in time but time doth not produce effects Only this we may say to helpe it he doth not curse the day as if it could have shut the doores of his mothers wombe but because on that day those doores were not shut But leaving the reason of his speech we will consider the sense of it The Hebrew word for word is thus rendred Because it shut not up the doores of my belly And that the Chaldee Paraphrast renders thus by way of explanation Because it did not shut up the doores of my lips the mouth saith he being as it were the doore or the in-let to the belly or stomack every thing goeth in by that doore and so he carries the sense thus let that night be cursed because it did not stop my breath and so make an end of mee The Septuagint hath it thus because it shut not up the doores of my Mothers belly which answers our translation the doores of my mothers wombe Mr. Broughton to the same sense because it shut not up the doore of the belly that did beare me that is my mothers belly I shall in silence passe over that secret or mystery in nature which may be the ground of this expression There are two secrets in Divinity which are the grounds of it and of them I shall speake The first is this When God layes that affliction of barrennesse upon the woman he according to the phrase of Scripture is said to shut up the wombe And when he sendeth the blessing of fruitfulnesse he is said to open the wombe We have both Gen. 20.18 When Abimelech had taken Sarah Abrahams wife the Lord fast closed up all the wombes of the house of Abimelech The meaning of it is this he made all the women barren or withheld the blessing of conception The Jewish Expositors render the meaning in the very words of this Text that the Lord had shut up all the doores of the wombes of the house of Abimelech And so likewise for fruitfulnesse God is said to open the wombe as Gen. 29.31 And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated he opened her wombe but Rachel was barren Then to shut the doores of the wombe notes the power of God in denying and to open those doores the blessing of God in giving conception and making fruitfull Secondly It may referre to the birth for there must be an opening of those doores and that by an Almighty power for production as well as for conception And therefore David Psal 22.9 ascribes it to the Lord Lord thou art he who tookest me out of my mothers wombe It was not the Midwife did it It was not the womens helpe that stood about his mother but Lord thou didest it The hand of God only is able to open that doore and let man into the world Unlesse he as we may so speake turne the key the poore infant must for ever lye in prison and make his mothers wombe his grave In either or both these respects Job here speakes against the night because it shut not up the doores of his mothers wombe to stop his conception or stay him in the birth For then either he had not been or he had not been brought forth as the subject of all those calamities Hence observe first That fruitfulnesse or conception is the especiall worke and blessing of God God carries the key of the wombe in his own hand From him we receive life and breath Acts 17.25 yea in his booke are all our members written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them Wee are fearefully and wonderfully made Our substance is not hid from God when we are made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth As the holy Ghost admirably and most elegantly describes the conception and formation of man in the wombe Psal 139.14 15 16. There are foure keyes of nature all kept in the hand of God First The key of the Raine The clouds cannot open themselves the flood-gates of Heaven cannot be unlocked nor those sluces opened to let downe a drop of raine untill God turne the key Deut. 28.12 The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure the Heaven to give the raine unto thy land in his season Secondly The key of Nutrition or of Foode Psal 145.16 Thou openest thine hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing The strength of the creature is shut up in the hand of God and untill he unlock his hand the creatures cannot strengthen or nourish us though we have our houses and our hands full of them Thirdly The key of the Grave Eze. 37.13 I will open your graves and cause you to come out of your graves We are so fast lockt up in death that all the power in the world is not able to release us till God speake the word and turne the key of the graves-doore That place in Ezekiel is meant I know of a civill death But it is as true of naturall death And the argument is stronger for it If when a Nation as the nation of the Jewes then did lyes in the grave of bondage and captivity no man can unlock that doore without the key of Gods speciall providence much lesse can any hand or power but his open the doore and bring us out of the grave of our corporall dissolution There is this fourth key belonging to the doore spoken of in the Text the doore of the wombe Which was shadowed in that ceremoniall law among the Jewes of giving their first-borne unto God as a thankefull acknowledgement that the beginning of all propagation and increase was from him Further observe That our birth and production is the speciall worke of God Thou art he that tookest me out of my mothers wombe saith David And he apprehended the power of God so great in his naturall birth that he from thence takes an argument to strengthen his faith that God could doe any
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
of the Trent Councell in the fifth Session but to far better purpose Pari pietatis affectu with the same holy reverence and affection They use it about Traditions matching Traditions with the Scriptures but we may fully match all Scripture together and say all must be received with the same devotion and affection Yet notwithstanding as the parts of Scripture were penned by divers Secretaries published in divers places in divers ages on divers occasions for divers ends so the argument and subject matter the method and manner of composing the texture and the stile of writing are likewise different Some parts of Scripture were delivered in Prose others in Verse or numbers some parts of the Scripture are Historicall shewing what hath beene done some are Propheticall shewing what shall be done others are Dogmaticall or Doctrinall shewing what we must doe what we must beleeve Againe some parts of Scripture are cleare and easie some are obscure and very knotty Some parts of Scripture shew what God made us others how sinne spoiled us A third how Christ restored us Some parts of Scripture shew forth acts of mercy to keepe us from sinking others record acts of judgement to keepe us from presuming And because the way to heaven is not strewed with Roses but like the Crowne of Christ here upon earth set with thornes because not smiles and loving imbracements from the world but wounds and stroaks and temptations doe await all those that have received the presse-money of the Spirit and are enrolled for the Christian warfare because everie true Israelite must expect that which Iacob upon his death-bed spake of Ioseph that the Archers will shoot at him hate him and grieve him In a word because many are the troubles of the righteous therefore the Scripture doth present us with sundry plat-formes of the righteous conflicting with many troubles Now these considerations that are scattered severally thorow the whole Scripture seeme all concenter'd and vnited together in this booke of Iob which if we consider in the stile and forme of writing is in some part of it Prose as the two first Chapters and part of the last and the rest is Verse If wee consider it in the manner of deliverie it is both darke and cleare If we consider the subject matter of it it is both Historicall Propheticall and Doctrinall In it is a mixture of mercie tendred unto of judgements threatned against and inflicted upon the wicked In it is a mixture of the greatest outward blessings and the greatest outward afflictions upon the godly conâ—luding in the greatest deliverances of the godly from affliction In this last the booke is chief there was never any man under a warmer sinne of outward prosperitie than Iob was neither was there ever any man in a hotter fire of outward affliction then Iob was God seeming to give charge concerning this triall of Iob as king Nebuchadnezzar did concerning the three children to have the furnace heated seven times hotter than ordinary This in the generall concerning the book Now more particularly I will not detaine you in that Proemiall disquisition about the Author and Penman of this Booke there is great varietie of Iudgement about it some say it was one of the Prophets but they know not who some ascribe it to Solomon some to Elihu not a few to Iob himselfe but most give it to Moses That resolution of Beza in the point shall serve me and may satisfie you It is very uncertaine who was the Writer of this Book saith he and whatsoever can be said concerning it is grounded but upon very light conjecture And therefore where the Scripture is silent it can be of no great use for us to speake especially seeing there is so much spoken as will finde us worke and bee of use for us neither need wee trouble our selves being assured that the Spirit of God indited the Booke who it was that held the pen. Onely take this that it is conceived to be the first piece of Scripture that was written take it to be written by Moses and then it is most probable that hee writ it before the deliverance of the people of Israel out of Egypt while he was in Midian Neither will I stay you in the second place about the inquirie into or rather about the refutation of that fancie that this whole Booke is a Parable rather than a Historie like that of Lazarus in the Gospel not a thing really acted but only a representation of it Now this which was the dreame of many of the Iewes and Talmudists and is fastned with no small clamour upon Luther by the Iesuits may clearly be convinced both by the names of places and persons which we shall have occasion to open when wee come to the booke it selfe and also by those allegations of the Prophets and of the Apostles concerning Iob the Prophet Ezekiel quoting him with Noah and Daniel two men that unquestionably were extant and acted glorious parts in the world and therefore Iob also All that I will say in particular shall be in these three things 1. To shew you more distinctly the subject of this Book 2. The parts and division of it 3. The use or scope and intendment of it 1. For the subject of this Booke we may consider it either as principall or as collaterall The maine and principall subject of this Book is contained and I may give it you in one verse of the 34. Psalme Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of all Concerning this subject there are two great Questions handled and disputed fully and clearly in this Booke The first is this Whether it doth consist with the Iustice and goodnesse of God to afflict a righteous and sincere person to strip him naked to take away all his outward comforts Or whether it doth consist with the Iustice and goodnesse of God that it should go ill with those that are good and that it should go well with those that are evill This is one great debate the maine Question thoroughout the Book And then secondly here is another great dispute in reference to the former Namely whether we may iudge of the righteousnesse or unrighteousnesse of the sincerity or hypocrisie of any person by the outward dealings and present dispensations of God towards him That is a second Question here debated The friends of Job maintained the first Question negatively the latter affirmatively They denied that God in Justice could aflict a righteous and a holy man They affirmed that any man so afflicted is unrighteous and may so be judged because afflicted And so the whole argument and dispute which the friends of Job brought may be reduced to this one Syllogisme He that is afflicted and greatly afflicted is certainly a great open sinner or a notorious hypocrite But Job thou art afflicted and thou art greatly afflicted Therefore certainly thou art if not a great open sinner yet a notorious hypocrite
Iobs calamity Iobs trouble from that to the 7th verse of the 42. Chapter 3. Iobs restitution or restoring from thence to the end Take the Book in this division and it seemes to hold forth to us such a representation of Iob as is given us in the three first Chapters of Genesis concerning man In those 3. first Chapters we have man set forth 1. In the excellency and dignity of his Creation being Lord and Soveraigne of all adorn'd with that integrity and purity of nature which God had planted in and stamped upon him at his creation And in the beginning of this Book we have Iob like a man in innocencie shining in all his dignitie compass'd about with blessings of all sorts blessings of the body blessings of the soule blessings of this life and of that which is to come 2. There we find the Devill plotting the ruine of man and we find his plot taking for a while and in a great measure prevailing So here in this Booke we have the Devill begging Iobs ruine and having obtained leave so farre as concerned his outward estate and body quickly puts it in execution 3. There we have Adam by Gods free mercy and promise restored to a better estate in Christ through the grace of Redemption then he had before in himselfe by the goodnesse of Creation So here we have Iob through the mercy power and faithfulnesse of God restored to all he had and more we see him repaired and set up againe after his breaking not only with a new stock but a greater his estate being doubled and his very losses proving beneficiall to him This may suffice for the division or parts of the Booke which I conceive may shed some light into the whole Now for the third thing which I proposed which was the use or scope or intendment of this Book For that is a speciall thing we are to carry before us in our eye in the reading of Scripture It is possible for one to understand the subject and to know the parts and yet not to be attentive to find out or distinctly to find out what the mind of God is or whereat he specially drives and aimeth Therefore it will be very profitable to us likewise to consider what the tendency and intendment or as I may so speake the Uses of this Booke are First It aimes at our Instruction and that in divers things First Which much concernes every Christian to learne it instructeth us how to handle a Crosse How to behave our selves when we are in a conflict whether outward or inward What the Postures of the Spirituall Warre are and with what patience we ought to beare the hand of God and his dealings with us This I say is set forth by the Scripture in other places to be the maine and one of the principall ends or intendments or Uses of this Booke This the Apostle Iames speakes of You have heard of the patience of Job As if he should say doe you not know why the Book of Iob was written Why God in his providence did bring such a thing to passe concerning Iob It was that all men should take notice of his patience and might learne the wisedome of suffering that noble art of induring Iob was full of many other excellent graces and indeed he had all the graces of the Spirit of God in him But the Patience of Job was the principall grace As it is with naturall men they have every sinne in them but there are some sinnes which are the Master sinnes or some one sinne it may be doth denominate a wicked man sometimes he is a proud man sometimes he is covetous sometimes he is a deceiver sometimes he is an oppressor sometimes he is uncleane sometimes he hath a profane spirit and so the like some one great Master lust doth give the denomination to the man he hath all other sinnes in him and they are all raigning in him but one as it were raigneth above the rest and sits uppermost in his heart So it is with the Saints of God and here with Iob every Saint and servant of God hath all grace in him every grace in some degree or other for all the limbs and liniaments of the new man are formed together in the soule of those that are in Christ But there is some speciall grace which doth give as it were the denomination to a servant of God As that which gave the denomination to Abraham was faith and that which gave the denomination to Moses was meeknesse and so this which giveth the denomination to Iob is Patience and so the denomination too of this whole History as if that were the great lesson that were to be taken out the lesson of suffering and of patience So that what the Apostle makes to be the Use of all Scripture whatsoever things saith he were written afore-time were written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope That I say which the Apostle there makes to be the end and scope of the whole Scripture doth seeme to be in speciall the principall and chiefe end of writing this Book of Iob. 2. Another Instruction which we are to take from the whole Book is this God would have us learne that afflictions come not by chance that they are all ordered by providence in the matter in the manner and the measure both for the kinds and for the degrees they are all ordered even the very least by the wisedome by the hand and providence of God 3. Another thing which we are to learne generally from this Book is this The Soveraignety of God that he hath power over us over our estates and over our bodies and over our families and over our spirits that he may use us as he pleaseth and we must be quiet under his hand when he commeth and will take all from us all our comforts we must give all glory to him This Book is written for this especially to teach us the Soveraignty of God and the submission of the creature 4. It teacheth us That God doth sometimes afflict his children out of prerogative that-though there be no sinne in them which he makes the occasion of afflicting them such was Iobs case yet for exercise of his graces in them for triall of their graces or to set them up for patternes to the world God may and doth afflict them Though no man be without sinne yet the afflictions of many are not for their sinnes 5. There is this generall Instruction which God would have us learne out of this Book namely that the best gotten and the best founded estate in outward things is uncertaine that there is no trusting to any creature-comforts God would unbottome us quite from the creature by holding forth this History of Iob unto us 6. God would also shew forth this for our learning viz. The strength the unmoveablenesse of faith how unconquerable it is what a kind of omnipotency there is in
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
shame for they were at liberty but it is therefore said that the men were greatly ashamed because amongst them it vvas a marke of shame and slavery to be shaven Hereupon David giveth order that they should tarry at Jericho till their beards were growen it was a dishonour to be shaved And it is noted in Plutarch concerning Demosthenes that when he had a mind to sit close at his study and vvould not goe abroad or be interrupted by visits of friends at home that he would shave himselfe that so he might be ashamed to goe forth or see any body but be constrained to keepe to his booke for tvvo or three moneths together till his haire vvere grovvne againe The bondage and reproach that Nebuchadnezzar brought upon Tyrus is thus described Every head was made bald And Aristotle observes that the haire vvas a token of liberty Thus the shaving of the head in Job might be a signe both of his sorrovv and great reproach that vvas come upon him being one novv that vvas ready to be mocked and made the scorne and by-vvord of the vvorld as vve see afterward he was during this affliction Yet it is considerable from Scripture example that the cutting off the haire and shaving of the head had not alvvayes either of these significations hitherto discuss'd but did vary according to the diversity of places and of times In the Booke of Genesis we reade that cutting and shaving of the haire vvas a token of joy and liberty both together When Joseph vvas delivered out of prison it is said that he shaved himselfe and came to Pharaoh And it is noted concerning Mephibosheth as a matter of his sorrow for Davids absence that he let his haire grovv He trimmed not his beard being much troubled at the Kings absence I confesse neither of these instances come home enough to the point both of these neglecting the care and culture of their bodies in their troubles now being delivered prepare themselves by shaving and trimming the hayre for the presence of those Kings But it is in some Nations shaving hath beene a marke of Honour All the Romane Emperours were shaved till Nero. And it was an ancient Proverbe Thou art a slave for thou wearest lockes or long haire There is an Objection that may be made concerning this act of Job because afterward it is said that in all this Job sinned not whether or not Job might shave his head without sinne for you have an expresse rule to the contrary Levit. 19.27 cap. 21.5 You shall not round the corners of your heads neither shalt thou marre the corners of thy beard and so you have it againe in Deut. 14.1 that they should not cut their haire or make any baldnesse upon their heads for the dead namely by shaving or cutting off the haire How is it therefore here that Job shaved himselfe for the death of his children and in regard of those great troubles that were upon him I answer briefly for that first Job lived as we have cleared when we spake of the booke in generall before that Law was given which did prohibit the cutting of the haire in that manner Secondly It appeares in those places where those Lawes are set downe that the Lord did forbid only conformity to the Heathen they must not shave or cut themselves as the Heathen did who cut their heads round like a halfe globe as it is observed concerning them and were wont to dedicate their lockes to their Idoll-gods That vain fashion and grosse superstition were the things forbidden in that Law of Moses Thirdly Though the Jewes were forbidden to shave their heads as mourning for the death of their friends yet in the judgment of learned Junius the shaving of their heads was not only permitted but commanded in case of mourning for sinne or in times of solemne repentance and humiliation He instanceth in two places before mentioned First the Prophet Isaiah reproving the unseasonable mirth and desperate security of the Jewes in a time of publike trouble and treading downe tells them In that day did the Lord God of Hoasts call to weeping and to mourning and to baldnesse and to girding with sack-cloth Isa 22.12 Secondly There is councell given answerable to that reproofe by the Prophet Micah cap. 1.16 Make thee bald and pole thee for thy delicate children enlarge thy baldnesse as the Eagle for they are gone into captivity from thee We will observe something from these two actions the renting of his garments and the shaving of his head These referre to the expression of his sorrow for those losses in estate and the death of his children As the other two actions his falling upon the ground and worshipping referre to the expression of that homage and honour that he tendered up to God in the middest of these sorrowes From those two acts of sorrow learne we First That when the hand of God is upon us it becommeth us to be sensible of it and to be humbled under it Job hearing these sad relations doth not stand out stoutly as if nothing had touch'd him but to shew that sorrow did even rent his heart he rent his garments to shew that his affliction touch'd his spirit he shav'd his head There are two extreames that we are carefully to avoyd in times of affliction and the Apostle doth caution all the sonnes of God against them both in one verse Heb. 12.5 My sonne despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him Those are the two extreames despising and fainting when God doth correct He would not have us despise his chastning to say I doe not regard this let God take all if he will If my estate must goe let it goe if my children die let them die this is a despising of the chastening of the Lord and God cannot beare it that we should beare it thus lightly There is another extreame that is fainting If when goods are taken away the heart be taken away and when children die then the spirit of the Parent dies too this is fainting Take heed of these two extreames Job walkes in the middle in the golden meane betweene them both He doth not carelesly despise neither doth he unbeleevingly faint he riseth up and he rents his garments He would have it knowne that he fainted not under the stroake and he would have it knowne that he felt the stroake he was not like a stocke or a stone he would not carry it with a stoicall apathy but with Christian fortitude and magnanimity Sencelesse ones are taxed Jerem. 5.3 Thou hast striken them and they have not grieved Such are compared by Solomon to him that lyes downe in the midst of the Sea or as he that lyeth upon the top of a mast secure and carelesse in the greatest dangers They have stricken me shalt thou say and I was not sicke they have beaten me and I felt it not Prov. 23.34 35. The Prophet
was the absence of cloathing or a not using of cloathes it was not the want of cloathing But the nakednesse Job speaks of is the nakednes after the fall properly where nakednesse importeth not only a not having of cloaths but want of cloathing and so nakednesse is a part of that curse and punishment which followed sin Naked came I out of my mothers wombe that is I came into the world in a sad and miserable condition weake and poore And so nakednesse is put not strictly as opposed onely to cloathing but we may take it more largely for the want of all outward comforts whatsoever I came a poore destitute creature into the world I had not onely no cloathing upon my backe but I had no comfort for my body I brought neither Sheepe nor Oxen nor children nor servants into the world with me I had none of these things nothing to helpe me of my owne when I first set footing into the world Some Naturalists considering this kind of nakednesse have fallen out into great complaints against nature or indeed rather against the God of nature as Pliny in the Preface to his 7th booke of his naturall History doth as it were chide with nature for turning man into the world in such a helpelesse forlorne condition as if man were dealt with more hardly then any other creature then any beasts of the field or foules of the aire Other creatures saith he come into the world with haire or fleeces or bristles or scales or feathers or wings or shels c. to defend and cover them but nature casts man naked upon the naked ground This he spake not considering that nakednesse was once no trouble but rather an honour and an ornament and this he spake not knowing whence or how that kind of troublesome nakâ—â—nesse came into the world And this he spake not observing as he might how many wayes God hath provided for the helpe and supply of that nakednesse giving man understanding and reason in stead of weapons and cloathes which also are a meanes for the procuring of all things necessary for the supporting of that naked and weake perishing condition Naked shall I returne thither The difficulty that is in this lyeth onely in that word Thither the doubt is what place he meanes or whither What into my mothers wombe There is no such returne as Nicodemus said Shall a man that is old goe into his mothers wombe and be borne againe Some answer it thus The Adverbe thither doth not necessarily referre to the literall antecedent but in Scripture sometimes Relatives referre to somewhat in the mind or in the thought of the speaker and not to that which was before spoken by him as that of Mary sheweth Joh. 20.15 when she commeth into the garden and findes that Christ was risen she meeteth Christ and supposing him to be the Gardiner saith unto him Sir if you have borne him hence Him what him There was no antecedent mentioned to which Him should relate only Maries mind was so full of Christ that she thought every one would understand what him or whom she spake of as if none could speake of or thinke any thing but of Christ only Therefore she made the relation to that which was in her owne spirit and not to what was formerly exprest So some Interpreters make the thither to be God or the grave I shall returne unto God or I shall return to the grave to the house of the grave as the Chaldee paraphrase hath it For they suppose Job had his mind full of those thoughts therfore he may make a relation to that Another consideration for the clearing of it is this that such Adverbes of place as this is doe not only signifie place but a state or a condition wherein any one is or to which any thing or person is brought as it is ordinary in our speech to say hitherto I have brought the matter that is to this state or to this condition So when Job saith Naked shall I returne thither that is I shall returne to such a condition or to such an estate as I was naked before so I shall returne to a state of nakednes againe But thirdly that which may more clearely carry it the thither which Job here speakes of may be understood of the earth or the grave Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither to the wombe of the earth which is the grave and so there may be in the latter a reference unto the former taking the one properly the other improperly taking the earth for his mothers wombe in an improper sense sc the earth which is the common parent from whence we all came and to which we all returne the earth shall receive and take in all mankind again when man dyes the earth opens her bowels and receiveth him in and which makes her once more a mother the earth at last being as it were with-child or rather bigg with children shall travell in paine and groaning to be delivered shall by the mighty power of God bring forth man-kind againe There shall be a mighty birth from the wombe of the earth at the last day In Scripture the resurrection is called a birth in the day of the resurrection man-kind is a new begotten by God and man-kind is a new-borne that cleares it Psal 2.7 Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee which words are applyed by Paul Act. 13.33 to the resurrection of Christ God hath fulfilled the promise made unto the Fathers unto us their children in that he hath raised up Jesus againe as it is also written in the second Psalme Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee And as Christ so all men but especially all Christians shall be againe begotten by the power of God and borne from the wombe of the earth in the day of their resurrection So much for the understanding of these words Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither I shall collect some Observations from them two wayes First as they containe a generall truth 2. As they are an argument or a reason for the support of a man in such a sad condition as Job was then reduced unto In the former way observe First That every man is borne a poore helpelesse naked creature The soule is naked of all that is good there is not a rag of grace upon it when we come into the world Our bodies are naked too so that we are borne with nothing upon us but only an ugly dresse of sinne such as may justly make God loath us and us a terrour to our selves Naked came I into the world this one thought well taken in and fully digested will lay pride in the dust this thought that we were borne thus naked will strip us of all high and proud thoughts of our selves Secondly Naked shall I returne Note When death commeth it shakes us out of all our
this life is called the blood because 〈◊〉 contained or carried in the blood Gen. 9.4 Further it is 〈◊〉 observable that the Hebrewes call the Body seperated from 〈◊〉 soule or a dead corps Nephesh Numb 5.2 c. 9.10 c. 19.11 Hag. 2.14 Though the life be quite gone out departed from the carkasse or body of a dead man yet that dead body is called life or soule to note that it shall live againe and that the soule shall returne unto it The mistery of the Resurrection from death was implied in the name of the dead Wee find also that the Heathens called a dead body a soule possibly from some glimpse of the resurection We lay up a soule in the grave saith the Poet. Animamque sepulchro condimus But how is this worke put into Satans hand The saving of his life What is Satan become a saviour what salvation can we expect from him whose name is Apollyon and Abaddon Rev. 9.11 both which signifie a destroyer Shall we send to the Wolfe to save the Sheepe or to the Vulture to save the Dove Destruction is the delight of Satan and it is his way as he hath no hope to be saved himselfe eternally so no will to save others temporally Observe then That here to save life notes only a sparing from death not a delivering from destruction but a forbearing to destroy Satan saved his life negatively that is he did not take it away he can not save positively or restore that which was ready to perish he doth not save as a deliverer but as a murtherer who would kill his brother but cannot He saves not for want of will but for want of power when he is forced to spare his nature is to devoure This devouring Lyon hunts for the pretious life even when God saith Save his life It may be questioned here Why Satan for that is implyed desired so to destroy the life of Job God would never have limited and chained him up but that Satan had a mind to suck his blood or afflict him unto death These two reasons may be given why Satan would have his life The one might be this Because it was a thing doubtfull with him though he bragged much of it whether he should attaine his end or no to make Job curse God when therefore he saw he could not overcome his spirituall life it would have bin some revenge to him to destroy his naturall life As some wicked ones his agents when by all their threats or flatteries they cannot make a 〈◊〉 sin which is to destroy his spirituall life their revenge breakes 〈◊〉 against his naturall life to destroy that This is the method of persecution first to attempt the death of the soule by drawing or terrifying unto sin and if they faile of that then death is inflicted on the body Or againe in the second place he being doubtfull in himselfe though he made no doubt in words whether his plot would be successefull to make Job curse God he I say doubting this designe might not draw him to sin resolved to take away his life that so Job might never have told tales of his victory or have reported his conquest to the world At least by his death he might obscure the businesse and bury it with some slander saying that Job died with discontent and griefe that he blasphemed God when he died that he wished for death and could not hold out any longer Much like that device of some Jesuits who have blowne it abroad that our most zealous opposers of Romish errours whom they could never move either by writing or disputing while they lived have yet recanted all when they dyed Wherefore least Satan should have drawen a curtain over the glory of Jobs victory by aspersing him after his death the Lord saith Save his life Job shall survive his troubles that matters may come to light and a true report be made and left upon record both of thy implacable malice and enmity and of his invincible patience and sincerity And this may lead us yet further to consider why God was so carefull of that precious part his life For some may say Had it not been glory to God and honour to Job like that of Martyrdome if he had died under the hand of Satan holding fast his own integrity blessing God even unto death I grant this but yet God knew that the saving of his life would be more advantagious both to himselfe and his Job for those ends wherefore he saith Save his life destroy him not First thus God intended to make Job a Monument of mercy as well as a Monument of suffering he intended to set him up to all the world as one in whom they might behold the goodnesse of God in raising up mixt with his wisdome in casting down that men might learn hope from Job as well as patience from Job Therefore saith God Save his life I have somewhat else to do with him I will raise him up again and in him an everlasting Monument both of his patience in suffering and of my own power in restoring Indeed if he had died in the conflict and left his bones in the field he had been a wonderfull example of constancy but he had not been such an example of mercy if his life had not been saved There may be this in it too Save his life saith God I will have him preserved in this combate his courage and carriage in it is my delight God loveth to see his people holding out tugging and continuing in such assaults and temptations If any thing in the world gives delight to God this is the thing that delighteth him The Heathen thought this the sport of their gods Seneca in his Book of Providence speaking of Cato and other gallant Romane spirits saith the gods delighted to look upon them in their conflicts with fortune To see them wrastle with some great calamity with some great danger was such a spectacle as would draw off Jupiter from his greatest businesse It is a most certain truth that the most true God doth love and delight to see his children wrastling with some great calamitie to see a poor man man who is but flesh and bloud wrastling with principalities and powers with the devill and powers of darknesse this is a sight that God himself as we may so speak rejoyceth in When Abraham had finished that great combate about sacrificing his sonne he calleth the place Jehovah-jireh the Lord will see or the Lord doth see the Lord doth behold as if that had been a sight which God himselfe came down to look upon As when some great man or strange shew passeth by we goe out to see it so God cometh down upon mount Moriah to see a sight And what was it To see Abraham in that great temptation assaulted and overcomming Here was a spectacle for the great Jehovah and therefore he cals the place Jehovah-jireh the Lord hath seen I doubt not but this place
Rhetorick can perswade death to depart all the gold and riches in the world cannot bribe death or stay its hand I saith Job should have found Kings and Counsellours and rich men even all these in the grave and we should have rested together Riches availe not in the day of wrath Prov. 11.4 but righteousnesse delivereth from death Righteousnesse delivereth from death why shall not righteous men die Surely Job might have said with righteous men with holy men should I have rested with Abraham with Isaac and with Jacob these are in the grave death seaz'd on them as well as other Princes and Kings and Counsellours How then doth Solomon say that righteousnesse delivereth from death Death is there either to be understood of some dangerous judgement for saith he riches availe not in a day of wrath that is in a day of publike calamity but righteousnesse delivereth from death that is from those troubles and dangers God hath respect to a righteous person and hideth him from that death Or righteousnesse doth deliver from death that is from the evill of death from the sting of death from the bitternesse of death the bitternesse and evill of death is past to a righteous man But riches they availe not at all they cannot at all as not deliver from death so not mitigate the paine or pull out the sting or sweeten the bitternesse of death yea rather riches encrease all these That is a truth O death how bitter is thy remembrance to a man that is at ease in his possession Men may put their riches with them into the grave but riches cannot keepe them a moment out of the grave This thought How bitter Secondly When Job speakes of Kings and Counsellours and Princes these great men of the world he sheweth us what their study and businesse for the most part is in the world it is about worldly things They build desolate places they have gold they fill their houses with treasure These are their employments the current of their cares and endeavours runs out this way Hence observe That the thoughts of the greatest and wisest of the world are usually but for and about the world The poore receive the gospell and the rich receive the world As a godly man is described by his faith Abraham beleeved God By feare by uprightnesse by justice as Job in the first chapter of this Booke by meeknesse as Moses c. by the heavenlinesse of their spirits and conversations Our conversation is in Heaven Phil. 3.20 So worldly men are described by their proper studies Kings Counsellours and Princes build Pallaces gather riches heape up gold They buy they sell they build they plant they eate they drinke as the worldly world is pictur'd Luk. 17.27 28. In the 17th Psalme great men are called the men of the world as if they were for nothing but the world or all for the world as if all their provisions were laid in for this world so it followes who have their portion in this life ver 14. It is a sad thing to have received our portion It is said of the rich man Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things thou hast had thy portion In Psal 49.11 It is said concerning such men that their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever and their dwelling places to all generations and they call their lands after their own names Their inward thoughts are upon these things It is somewhat a strange kind of speaking to say their inward thoughts for there are no thoughts but inward thoughts are all wrought in the secret shop of the heart But there is an elegancy in it the Hebrew is their inwards their internalls Their inwards are how they may get themselves a name and riches not only are their thoughts about these things but the very inmost of their thoughts the most retired thoughts and recesses of the soule are about these things these lie neerest to their hearts As the story saith of Queen Mary when she died she had them open her and they should finde Calice at her heart It was a pitifull case that a rotten Towne should lie where Christ ought at the heart of such a Princesse The heart is the place where Christ and the thoughts of Heaven should lodge All below Heaven should be below our hearts But as a godly mans inward thoughts are for Heaven and the things of Heaven for grace and for holinesse he hath thoughts upon the world but if I may so speake they are his outward thoughts not his inward thoughts That which lies neerest his heart his inward thoughts are for Heaven So the inward thoughts of worldly men are for the world the Apostle might well say Not many wise nor many rich nor many noble are called the thoughts of wise Counsellours of potent Kings and rich Princes are legible in their actions Thirdly Having expounded these desolate places to be Tombes and these houses graves Observe That some take in their life time more care for their Sepulchers then they doe for their soules Here are great men what doe they They build desolate places they will be sure to have stately monuments And they had gold they will be sure to fill their graves with treasure they will be buried richly or they will have their riches buried with them But what care did these take for their poore soules in the meane time where they should lie Had they taken order what should become of their soules When all things are disposed of this choice peece for the most part is left undisposed of unprovided for Some will carefully provide for their children they will provide for their families they will provide for their dead bodies for their carcasses but for their immortall soules there is no provision made While their bodies are assured of a resting place they may say of and to their departing soules as that trembling Emperour bespake his O our poore fleeting wandring soules whether are you going where is the place of your rest As it is said of Absolom in the place before cited He in his life time had reared up a pillar a monument or a Tombe for himselfe in the Kings dale What a carefull Prince was this for his body But how carelesse was this Prince for his soule He will have a pillar to preserve his name and yet runs out in rebellion against his owne father to the destruction of his soule The great businesse of the Saints on earth is to get assurance of a place for their soules to lodge in when they die It troubles them not much what lodging their bodies have if they can put their spirits into the hand of Christ What though their bodies be cast upon a dung-hill or trodden upon like mire in the streetes by cruell men A Heathen said The losse of a Funerall or of a Sepulcher may easily be borne I am sure a Christian may That losse will never undoe any man