called our Saviour John 19.12 And as some think the ground of this report if any there were concerning Nehemah's practising to be King were the prophesies of Haggai and Zachary concerning the near approach of Christs Kingdome Nihil est quin malè narrando possit depravarier Terent. According to these words According to this report or somewhat to the same sense Verse 7. And thou hast also appointed Prophets c. That the thing might seem to be of God as the Beast hath his False-prophet that wrought miracles before him Rev. 19.20 As Mahomet had his prophets and John of Leyden had his to cry him up King of Munster the new Jerusalem as they called it yea of all Nations to rule them with a rod of iron And now shall it be reported to the King Who must needs be highly displeased and will as little endure it Rominos geminos unum non caperet Regnū quos unum uteri ceperat hospitiū Cyprian as the Heaven two Suns Sol quasi solus sic Monarcha Marriage and Monarchie will not away with corrivals Come now therefore and let us take counsel In commune consulere lest we all suffer for your fault But neither was good Nehemiah in any fault neither was their drift any other but this to draw him out of the City that they might mischieve him like as Dr. Bristow adviseth his Catholikes to get the Protestants out of their strong-hold of the Scriptures into the open Field of Fathers and Councels and then they might do what they would with us Verse 8. There are no such things done as thou sayest Nehemiah is not over-carefull to clear himself This was so transparent a lye that a man might see thorough it and was therefore best answered with a neglective denyal It falles out often that playn-dealing puts craft out of countenance Animus recti conscius objecta probra ut visus nocturnos vanas somniorum imagines digno supplicio punit festivo scilicet contemptu oblivione vel si tanti est misericordiâ elevat Joh. Woner Verse 9. For they all made us afraid This they aymed at but could not attain unto for faith quelleth and killeth distrustful fear Psal 46.1 2. Audacia est pro muro saith Sallust Let the wicked flie when none pursueth but the righteous will be bold as a Lion Prov. 28 1. Saying their hand shall be weakened from the work So measuring them by themselves as if they would have been soon scared and discouraged But they knew not the Aes triplex the power of the Spirit that Spirit of power opposed to the spirit of fear of love and of a sound mind 2 Tim. 1.7 They knew not the privy armour of proof that these good Jews had about their hearts Now therefore O God strengthen mine hands He acknowledgeth himselfe to be in the condition of a poor Garrison-souldier that hath no help or supplies but from the Captain of his salvation which therefore he thus humbly calleth in and craveth Of ejaculations See Chap. 2. ver 4. This here is dispatcht in four words Verse 10. Afterwards I came unto the house of Shemaiah Perhaps the same that is mentioned Ezra 8.16 but now fallen as a Star from Heaven Blazing Stars were never but Meteors Demas not only forsook Paul but became a Priest in an idols Temple at Thessalonica 1 Chron. 24.18 if Dorotheus may be beleeved A Priest Shemajah was would seem to be a Prophet but he proved not right All is not gold that glisters It was Tobiah's gold that made him a Prophet as Philips gold made the oracle of Apollo give what answer he pleased A house he had in the Temple there he had reclused and shut up himself that he might seem some singular Devoto expecting a revelation from Heavē or as one who sequestred himself from company of others with a stand further off come not near for I am holier then thou Or lastly to perswade people that there was a necessity of securing themselves from the night-inrodes of the Enemy Whatever it was that he was thus Anchoret-like pent up or locked up or deteyned as Junius rendreth it see the like said of Doeg that bloody Edomite 1 Sam. 21.7 Nehemiah went to his house to know what was the matter supposing him to be a friend but finding him suborned by the Enemy Let us meet together in the House of God Famous for sanctity and safety being within Gods precincts we shall surely be under his protection And let us shut the doors of the Temple Immure our selves and keep out the Enemy But this had been the ready way to invite them seeing his cow a dise for maximum his periculum qui maximè timent saith Sallust nothing betrayes a man sooner then his causelesse fear God helpeth the valiant Besides Shemaiah and his false complices having got Nehemiah to them from his friends and followers might have done what they pleased with him as the Romanes did by Caesar in the Senat-house For they will come to stay thee And Nehemiah must be made beleeve that Shemaiah as a special friend wished no long life and was zealous for it whence he so doubleth his prediction of the danger O deep dissimulation Verse 11. And I said should such a man as I flie To the dishonour of God and the discouraging of the people to the scandal of the weak and the scorn of the wicked Et Turnum fugientem haec terra videbit There is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a comelinesse a seemlinesse a suitablenesse appertains to every calling and condition of life and Nature hath taught Heathens themselves to argue from dignity to duty and to scorn to do any thing unworthy of themselves Scipio when an harlot was offered him answered Vellem si non essem Imperator I would were I not a General Antigonus being invited to a Feast where a notable harlot was to be present asked counsel of Menedemus what he should do No more but this said he Remember that thou art a Kings son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Themistocles once after a Victory viewing the spoiles and pillage of the field said to his friend that bare him company Take thou these rich spoiles to thy self for thou are not Themistocles it is below me to stoop to them When Pompey had Caesar and Anthony in a Ship together it was suggested to him by Metrodorus to revenge himself for the death of his Father and Brother To whom he replyed that so to do might haply befit Metrodorus but in no wise Pompey It is not for you to be fishing for Gudgeons but for Towns Forts and Castles said Cleopatra to M. Antony It is not for Gods Saints to walk as men sith they are children of the Kingdome and must therefore regnum in pectore gerere carry themselves accordingly We usually say such a man understands himself well that is he knowes his place his dignity and walks accordingly It is a pusillanimity to do
their lives Not one whereof was lost in this hot encounter in this sharp revenge they took off their avowed enemies This was even a miracle of Gods mercy Who would not feare thee O King of Nations c. And had rest from their enemies Or That they might have rest from their enemies who would not otherwise be quieted but by the letting out of their life-blood but would make an assault upon the harmelsse Jewes though it were to die for it so that upon the matter they were their own deathsmen besides the wilful losse of their immortal soules which our Saviour sheweth Mat 16.26 to be a losse 1. Incomparable 2. Irreparable And slew of their foes seventy and five thousand Neither was it any dishonour to them to be God Almighties slaughtermen Even the good Angels are Executioners of Gods righteous judgements as they were at Sodom in Sennacheribs army and oft in the Revelation There cannot be a better or more noble act then to do justice upon obstinate Malefactours But they laid not their hands on the prey They would not once foule their fingers therewith No godly man in Scripture is taxed for covetousnesse that sordid sin See the Note on verse 10. Verse 17. On the thirteenth day of the moneth Adar On this day they stood for their lives that they might rest from their enemies And accordingly On the fourteenth day of the same rested they i. e. the very next day after their deliverance they would not defer it a day longer but kept an holy rest with Psalmes and sacrifices of praise those calves of their lips the very next day whiles the deliverance was yet fresh and of recent remembrance This they knew well that God expected Deut. 23.21 and that he construeth delayes for denials Hag. 1.2 4. he gave order that no part of the thank-offering should be kept unspent till the third day to teach us to present our praises when benefits are newly received which else would soon wax stale and putrifie as fish I will pay my vowes now now saith David Psal 116.18 Hezekiah wrote his Song the third day after his recovery Queen Elizabeth when exalted from a prisoner to a Princesse and from misery to Majesty before she would suffer her self to be mounted in her charet to passe from the Tower to Westminster Englands Eliz. she very devoutly lifted up her hands and eyes to heaven and gave God humble thanks for that remarkable change and turn of things And made it a day of feasting and gladnesse Exhilarating and chearing up their good hearts that had long layen low with a more liberal use of the creatures that they might the better preach his praises and speak good of his name and that sith they could not offer up unto him other sacrifices prescribed in the Law because they were far from the Temple they might not be wanting with their sacrifice of thanksgiving which God preferreth before an oxe that hath hornes and hoofs saith the Psalmist Words may seem to be but a poor and slight recompence but Christ saith Nazianzen calleth himself the Word and this was all the fee that he looks for for his cures Go and tell what God hath done for thee With these calves of our lips let us cover Gods Altar and we shall finde that although he will neither eat the flesh of bulls nor drink the blood of goats yet if we offer unto God thanksgiving and pay our vowes unto the most High Psal 50.13 14. it will be look't upon as our reasonable service Rom. 12.1 Verse 18. On the thirteenth day thereof and on the fourteenth What they could not do on one day they did it on another Men must be sedulous and strenuous in Gods work doing it with all their might and redeeming time for that purpose Eccl. 9.10 On both these dayes they destroyed their enemies They did their work thoroughly Let us do so in slaying our spiritual enemies not sparing any Agag not reserving this Zoar or that Rimmon but dealing by the whole body of sinne as the King of Moab did with the King of Edom Amos 2.1 burn the bones of it to lime destroy it not to the halves as Saul but hew it in pieces before the Lord as Samuel As Joshua destroyed all the Canaanites he could lay hold on As Asa spared not his own mother as Solomon drew Joab from the Altar to the slaughter and put to death Adoniah the darling so must we deale by our corruptions ferretting and fetching them out of their lurking holes as these Jewes did their enemies on the fourteenth day that had escaped the day before Sith we must either kill them up all or be killed by them for as that one bastard Abimelech slew all Gideons sonnes upon one stone so one lust left unmortified will undo the soul And as one sinner so one sin may destroy much good Eccl. 9.18 And on the fifteenth day of the moneth they rested So shall the Saints do after death which will be the accomplishment of mortification for he that is dead is freed from sin Rom. 6.7 and filled with joy Isa 35.10 The ransomed of the Lord shall then return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladnesse and sorrow and sighing shall flee away Verse 19. Therefore the Jewes of the villages c. Pagani This is expounded in the next words that dwelt in the unwalled townes Such as is the Hague in Holland that hath two thousand housholds in it and chuseth rather to be counted the principal village of Europe then a lesser City Made the fourteenth day c. See verse 17. while the Jewes in Shushan were destroying the remainder of their enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Mac. 15.36 This day was afterwards called Mordecai's Holiday And of sending portions one to another See Nehem. 8.10 To the rich they sent in courtesie to the poor in charity and both these to testifie their thankfulnesse to God for their lives liberties and estates so lately and graciously restored unto them Verse 20. And Mordecai wrote these things He wrote with authority as a Magistrate say some that the Jewes should keep these dayes with greatest solemnitie He wrote the relation of these things before-mentioned say others as the ground of this annual festivitie Or else it may be meant more generally that Mordecai was the Pen-man of the Holy Ghost in writing this whole book of Esther as was before hinted And sent letters unto all the Jewes both night and farre Propinquis longinquis that they might all agree together about the time and manner of praising God and so sing the great Hallelujah See 2 Cor. 1.11 2 Chron. 20.26 27 28. Psal 124.1 2. and 126.1 Psal 136. penned for a recorded publike forme to praise God among the multitude Psal 109.20 and in the great Congregation Psal 22.22 25. David would go into the presses of people and there praise the Lord Psal 116.18
do gracelesse men that draw not their knowledge into practice but detaine the truth in unrighteousnesse it swimmeth in their heads but sinketh not into their hearts it maketh them giddy as wine fuming all up into the head but never coming at the heart to cheare it Such a man may cast out divels and yet be cast to the divel he may go to hell with all his unprofitable knowledge like as a Bull with a coronet and garland goes to the slaughter Unlesse a man heare and know for himselfe he shall find no more comfort of it then a man doth of the Sun when it shineth not in his own Horizon or then a traveller doth of the fatnesse of a farre Country which he only passeth through and taketh a light view of If therefore thou bee wise be wise for thy self Prov. 9.12 Let thy knowledge be not only apprehensive but affective â—illightning but transforming 2 Cor. 3 ult discursive but experimental and practical For hereby we know that we know him if we keepe his commanaments 1 John 2.3 CHAP. VI Verse 1. But Job answered and said ELiphaz thought he had silenced him and set him down with so much reason that he should have had nothing to reply yet Job desirous to disasperse himself and to clear-up his reputation answered and said For indeed Negligere quid de se quisque sentiat non solum arragantis est sed dissoluti saith one that is altogether to neglect what others think or speak of a mans self and not to make apology is the part not only of a proud but of a dissolute person â— silence sometimes argueth guiltinesse or at least it strengtheneth suspition Verse 2. Oâ— that my griefe were throughly weighed Heb. were weighed by weighing The word rendred griefe signifieth also Angâ—â— and is thâ— same with that wherewith Eliphaz began his speech chap. 5.2 where he saith Wrath killeth the foolish man pointing at Job as an angry man exalting folly Here therefore Job beginneth his refutation wishing that that anger or griefe of his so hardly censured were duely weighed in an even ballance for then it would appeare that there was some reason for his passion that he had enough upon him to cry for and that he had not complained without a cause We read of a certaine Philosopher who hearing of his sons death brake out into a loud lamentation for which being reproved Permitâ—â—â—e inquit ut homo sim suffer me I pray you said he to shew my self to be a man that is sensible of my sufferings And my calamity laid in the balances together That is that my calamity were accurately set against my grief my laments and my torments equally poised it would then appear that I have not yet grieved or complained up to the height or weight of those calamities which are upon mee Even to day is my complaint bitter saith he elsewhere in answer to Eliphaz too interpreting his complaints to be rebellion against God My stroake is heavier theâ— my groâ—ning chap. 23.2 Verse 3. For now it would bâ— heavier then the sand of the sea How light soever thou O Eliphaz esteemest it as being in a prosperous condition It is easie to swim in a warm bath and every bird can sing in a sunshine-day But grief lieth like a load of lead upon the soule heavy and cold afflicting it as an unsupportable burden doth the body It so oppressed the poor Israelites in Egypt that they had no mind to hearken to Moses Eâ—eâ—d 6.9 Solomon cryes out A wounded spirit who can beare Prov. 18. â—4 My soule is very heavy and exceeding sorrowful even unto death saith our blessed Saviour Matth 26.37 38. then when the Father made all our sins to meet upon him and be bare our griefs and carried our sorroweâ— Isa 13.4 12. Sure it is that had he not been God as well as man he had beene utterly crushed by that unconceivable weight of sin and wrath that he then groaned under Oh what will all Christ lessâ— persons do in hell where God shall lay upon them and not spare they would faine fly out of his hand Job 27.22 bur that cannot be Therefore my words are swallowed up Vix loqui possum vox faucibus haevet I want words which yet if I had them at will would be far too weak to utter the grief of my mind Broughton rendreth it Therefore my words fall short they are semesa saith Junius half-eaten before spoken I am as it were gagg'd with grief or my words are even smothered up with sighs and sobs Thus Job rhetoricates and yet thinkes himself greatly word-bound Verse 4. For the arrowes of the Almighty are within me What marvel then though his flesh had no rest but he was troubled on every side sith without were fightings within were feares 2 Cor. 7.5 The arrowes not of a mighty man as Psal 127.4 but of an Almighty God Troubles without and terrours within David felt these arrowes and complaineth of them heavily Psal 38.1 2. He shall shâ—ot as them with an arrow suddenly shall they be wounded saith he of those his enemies who had bent their bow and shot their arrowes at him even bitter words Psal 64.3 7. God will make his arrowes drunk with the blood of such persons Deut. 32.42 But the arrowes Job here complaines of were poisoned or invenomed arrowes The poison whereof drinketh up my spirits Dryeth them up and corrupts the blood in which the spirits are sprinkling in my veines a mortall poison working greatest dolour and destemper The Scrâ—hians and other nations used to dip their darts in the blood and gall of Asps and Vipers the venemous heat of which like a fire in their flesh killed the wounded with torments the likest hell of any other and hereunto Job alludeth The terrours of God do set themselves in array against me i. e. the terrible strokes of God who seemeth to fight against me with his own hand to rush upon me as the Angel once did upon Balaam with a drawn sword in his hand threatning therewith to cut off my head as David did Goliah's yea to send me packing to hell in the very suburbs whereof methinks I feel to be already and shall not I be suffered to complain a galled shoulder will shrink under a load though it be but light and a little water is heavy in a leaden vessel But the word here used for terrors noteth the most terrible terrors hellish terrors and worse for they are the terrors of God surpassing great 2 Cor. 5.11 which made Jeremy pray so hard Be not thou a terrour to me O Lord and then I care not greatly what befalleth me Whiles I suffer thy terrors I am distracted saith Hemun Psalm 88.15 Adde hereunto that these terrours of God had set themselves in array they were in a military manner marshalled and imbattailed against him as Jer. 50.9 God afflicted Job methodically and resolvedly he led up his army as a Reverend man phraseth it exactly
of this and especially in this book which shewes that we are very apt to forget it A point this is easie to be known but very hard to be believed every man assents to it but few live it and improve it to reformation Mine eyes shâ—ll no more sâ—e good sc in this world for in the world to come hee was confident of the beatificall vision chap. 19.27 Hezekiah hath a like expression when sentenced to die I said in the cutting off of my dayes I shall not see the Lord even the Lord in the land of the living that is in this life present Psal 27.13 and 52 5. and 142.5 Isa 53.8 called also the light of the living John 9.4 Psal 56.13 I shill behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world Isa 38.11 And this both sick Job and sick Hezekiah tell the Lord and both of them begin alike with O remember Isa 38.3 God forgetteth not his people and their condition howbeit he requireth and expecteth that they should be his Remembrancers for their own and others good Isa 62.6 7. See the Margin Verse 8. Thâ— eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more In death we shall neither see nor be seen but be soon both out of sight and out of mind too It is storied of Richard the third that he caused the dead corps of his two smothered Nephews to be closed in lead and so put in a coffin full of holes and hooked at the ends with two hookes of iron and so to be cast into a place called the Black-deeps Speed 935. at the Thames mouth whereby they should never rise up nor be any more seen Such a place is the grave till the last day for then the sea shall give up the dead which are in it and death ad he grave shall render up the dead that are in them Rev. 20.13 then shall Adam see all his nephews at once c. Thine eyes are upon me and I am not Thou even lookest me to death like as elsewhere God is said to frown men to destruction Psalm 80.16 and Psalm 104.29 they are not able to endure his flaming eyes sparkling out wrath against them What mad men therefore are they that speak and act against Him who can so easily do them to death If God but set his eyes upon them for evil as he oft threatneth to do Amos 9.4 Job 16.9 they are undone Verse 9. As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away A cloud is nothing else but a vapour thickened in the middle Region of the aire by the cold encompassing and driving it together psalm 18.19 vessels they are as thin as the liquor that is in them but some are waterlesse the former are soon emptied and dissolved the later as soon scattered by the wind and vanish away See the Note on verse 7. So he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more sc to live and converse here with men as ver 10. Or he shall come up no more sc without a miracle as Lazarus and some others long since dead rose againe he cannot return to me said David of his deceased child 2 Sam. 12.23 God could send some from the dead to warn the living but that is not now to be expected as Abraham told the rich man Luk. 16. Those spirits of dead men that so oft appeared in times of Popery requiring their friends to sing Masses and Dirges for them and that drew this verse from Theodorus Gaza sunt aliquid manes lethum non omnia finit were either delusions or else divels in the shape of men That Job doubted of the Resurrection or denied it as Rabbi Solomon and some other both Hebrew and Greek writers conclude from this text is a manifest injury done to this good man and a force offered to the text as appeareth by that which next followeth Verse 10. He shall return no more to his house Either to dispatch businesses or to enjoy comforts he hath utterly done with the affaires of this world Melanchthon telleth of an aunt of his who having buried her husband and sitting sorrowfully by the fires side saw as she thought her husband coming into the roome and talking to her familiarly about the payment of certaine debts and other businesses belonging to the house and when he had thus talked with her a long time he bid her give him her hand she at first refused but was at length perswaded to do it he taking her by the hand so burnt it that it was as black as a coal and so he departed Was not this the divel Neither shall his place know him any more His place of habitation or his place of honour and ruledome these shall no more acknowledge him and welcome him back as they used to do after a journey Death is the conclusion of all worldly comforts and relations Hence wicked people are so loth to depart because there is struck by death an everlasting parting-blow betwixt them and their present comforts without hope of better spes fortuna valete said one great man at his death Cardinall Burbon would not part with his part in Paris for his part in paradise Fie said another rick Cardinall will not death be hired will mony do nothing Never did Adam go more unwillingly out of paradise the Jebusites out of the strong-hold of Zion the unjust steward out of his office or the divels out of the demoniack then gracelesse people do out of their earthly tabernacles because they know they shall return no more and having hopes in this life only they must needs look upon themselves as most miserable Verse 11. Therefore I will not refraine my mouth Heb. I will not prohibite my month sc from speaking I will bite in my grief no longer but sith death the certaine end of all outward troubles is not farre from mee I will by my further complaints presse the Lord to hasten it and not suppresse my sorrowes but give them a vent I will speake in the anguish of my spirit Heb. In the straitnesse or distresse of my spirit which is almost suffocated with grief I will complaine in the bitternesse my soul his greatest troubles were inward and if by godly sorrow for his sinnes he had powred forth his soule in an humble confession as some understand him here he had taken a right course but thus boisterously to break out into complaints savoureth of humane infirmity and sheweth quantae sint hominis vires sibi à Deo derelicti what a poor creature man is when God leaveth him to himself Mercer and subjecteth him to his judgments Verse 12. Am I a sea or a whale Can I bear all troubles as the sea receives all waters and the whale beares all tempests This as is well observed was too bold a speech to God from a creature for when his hand is on our backs our hands should be upon our mouths as Psalm 39.9 I was dumb or as others read it I should
Devil with a Writ of Habeas animam when the cold earth must have his body and hot hell hold his soul according to that of the Psalmist Let death seizâ— upon them and let them go down quick into hell for wickednesse is in their dwellings and among them Psal 55.17 The sad forethought hereof causeth many unutterable griefs and gripings perplexities of spirit and convulsions of soul a very hell above ground and a foretaste of eternal torments The word here rendred terror signifieth utmost affrightments such as put a man well nigh out of his wits and distract him R. Solomon understandeth it of devils others of furies such as the Poets fain Most certain it is Cic. Orat. pro Rosc Amer. that a body is not so tormented with stings or torn with stripes as a mind with remembrance of wicked actions and fear of future evils And shall drive him to his feet As they did Cain that Caitiff Qui factus est à corde sâ—â— fugitivus Tertul. who would fain have fled from his own conscience if he could have known whither and became a Fugitive and a Vagabond upon the earth Gen. 4.12 seeking to outrun his terrors which yet dogged him hard at the heels They shal presse him at his feet so Broughton readeth this Text. Verse 12. Fit famelicum robur ejus His strength shall be hunger-bitten Heb. His strength or wealth shal be famine Or Famine shall be his strength He who whilom having health and wealth at will fared deliciously and gathered strength shall be hunger-starved and hardly have prisoners pittance so much only as will neither keep him alive nor suffer him to dye See 1 Sam. 2.5.36 'T is as much faith Brentius as we use to say of an extreme poore or feeble person his wealth is poverty his strength weaknesse And destruction shall be ready at his side i.e. Shall suddenly and inevitably seize upon him there will be no running away from it for can a man run from his side The word signifieth not an ordinary calamity but a dreadful and direful destruction Some understand it of the Plurisie or Vlcers in the side of a man Others of ribrost as they call it tortures inflicted on condemned persons as Heb. 11.34 who are beaten with bats Verse 13. It shall devour the strength of his skin i.e. his bones which support his skin these destruction shall devour or swallow up at a bit as an hungry Monster The first born of death shall devour his strength i.e. The Devil say some that Destroyer Rev. 9.11 that old Man-slayer John 8.44 Prince of death Heb. 2.14 as Christ is called Prince of Life Act. 3.15 and first born of death as Christ is the first born of the Resurrection Col. 1.18 Others understand it De cruentissima at funestissima morte of the most tragick and cruel kind of death See Isai 14.30 Broughton readeth it A strange death shall cat the branches of his body judgments shal come upon thee in their perfection saith God to Babylon Isai 47.9 Verse 14. And his confidence shall be rooted out of his Tabernacle Whatsoever he trusteth in about his house shall be pulled up by the roots or grub'd up Thus it befel Doeg Psal 52.7 And this disappointment this broken confidence of his shall bring him or make him go to the King of terrors i.e. to death that most terrible of terribles Aristot as the Philosopher calleth it Or the Devil as R. Solomon interpreteth it that black Prince Eph. 6.12 to whom wicked men are brought by death which to them is not only Natures Slaughterman but Gods curse and hels Purveyour hence Rev. 6 8. death haleth hell at the heels of it Verse 15. It shall dwell in his Tabernacles because it is none of his Heb. Not his for why the King of terrors hath turned him out of it and taken it up for an habitation for himself Some render it thus nothing or have nothing that is want shall dwell in his Tabernacle his house shall be replenished with emptinesse scarcity shall be the furniture of his habitation Brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation As is also threatned Psal 11.6 And as was executed upon Sodom and her sifters as also upon Dioclesian the Tyrant who giving over his Empire Euseb de Vita Const lib. 5 decreed to lead the rest of his life quietly But he escaped not so for after that his house was wholly consumed with lightening and a flame of fire that fell from heaven not without a sulphurous smell he hiding himself for fear of the lightning dyed within a little after Verse 16. His roots shall be dryed up beneath c. The meaning is saith Dâ—odate he shall be deprived of Gods grace which is the root of all happinesse and of his blessing which is the top of it Verse 17. His remembrance shall perish from the earth As a tree when root and branch is gone is clean forgotten and no man remembreth where it grew so shall it be with the wicked Mercer Non celebrabitur ejus nomon fama nise in malum Eccles 8. 10. It is reckoned as a great benefit to a wicked man to have his memory dye with him which if it be preserved stinks in keeping and remains as a curse and perpetual disgrace And he shall have no name i.e. no honourable Name no renowne A good name only is a name Eccles 7.1 as a good wife only is a wife Prov. 18.22 Every married woman is not a wife Zillah Lamechs wife was but the shadow of a wife as her name also signifieth In like sort those only have a name in the streets or publick places who are talked of for good as the Martyrs who have left their names for a blessing Isai 65.15 when as their wretched Persecutors have left a vile snuff behind their Lamps being put out in obscurity Verse 18. He shall be driven out of light into darknesse Heb. They shall drive him scil the devils shall drive him out of the light of life into outer darknesse as they did that rich wretch Luke 12.20 confer Mat. 8.12 and 25.30 The Dutch Translation readeth it Men shall drive him Others understand it of his troubles and sorrowes And chased out of the world As Tarquin was by Collatine as Phâ—â—as was by Heraclius kickt off the stage of the world as one phraseth it or as Job saith of some wicked buried before half dead chap. 27.15 Men shall chap their hands at him and shal hiss him out of his place verse 23. Verse 19. he shall neither have son nor Nephew c. A sore affliction to be written childlesse which yet is the portion of some good people as Abel many Prophets and Apostles for whose comfort that is written Isai 56.4.5 God as he will be to his childlesse children better then ten sons so he will give them in his house 1 Sam. 1.8 Isal 96.5 and within his wals a place and a name better then
him It is said to Trajan that he neither feared nor hated any man living What then shall we think of him Mercer who is Moderator Dominator supremus ac solus Or who hath disposed the whole world The habitable world and especially that habitable part of Gods earth as man is called Prov. 8.31 Verse 14. If he set his heart upon man Viz. For evil and not for good and have a purpose to unmake him again which he can as easily do as will it to be done If he gather unto himself his Spirit and his breath If he take away his life which what is it else but a puffe of wind a vapour c. who can say he is unjust May not the Potter do with his pot as he pleaseth We subsist meerly by his Manutension and if he but pull back his hand only we are gone immediately This is to be seen in those that swoon suddenly away See Psal 104.29 and consider how little this is considered by the most Elihu thought that Job was wanting herein for he had heard him chap. 12. disputing concerning the soveraigne and absolute power of God almost in the very same words which himself here useth from ver 13. to 31. Verse 15. All flesh shall perish together i. e. All men called here All flesh as Mark 16.16 they are called every creature a little world If God command it to be so they shall all breath out together And man shall turn to his dust again The body to the dust whence it was taken but the Spirit to God who gave it Eccles 12. Verse 16. If now thou hast understanding hear this Hear it and know it for thy good as chap. 4.27 if at least thou hast any wit for thy selfe or care of thine own well doing This is a stinging Apostrophe to Job Si vel â—ica est in te bonae mentis unlesse thou hast buried thy braines and lost thy â—enses listen as for life Verse 17. Shall even he that hateth right govern Heb. Bind sc Malefactors whom Magistrates use to hamper Others take it of binding up the wounded after the manner of Chirurgeons An qui odit judicium Chirurgos imitaretur so the Tigurines translate Would he who hateth right do as Chirurgeons use to do Would God if he were unrighteous bind up the broken hearted or receive into favour as he doth a sinner that repenteth doing him good again as if there never had been a breach betwixt them It hath been noted That a King hath his name in the Greek tongue from healing and that Isai 3.7 a Governor is called a Healer or Binder up the same word there as here in the Text. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Medela But how unfit for such an Office must he needs be who not only doth not right but hateth it as did Nero Caligula Commodus c And wilt thou condemn him that is most just Or That is strong and just illúmne impietatis sugillabis None in his right wits would ever do so for what else were this Tigur but to exalt a mans self above the divine Majesty And yet what do they lesse then this who grudge at Gods proceedings and are ready to think that if they had the ordering of things in their hands they could dispose of them a fair deal better How absurd and unseemely this is in any one is aptly set forth in the next verse Is it fit c Verse 18. Is it fit to say to a King Thou art wicked Heb. Belial that is Thou yoaklesse Qui dicit regi Apostata Vulg. lawlesse masterlesse Monster Kings are not wont to be so accoasted and aviled nor is it lawful Exod 22.28 It is blasphemy in the second Table to speak evil of dignities Jude 8. It was some disadvantage to Saint Paul that although provoked and unjustly smitten he called the High Priest whited wall Act. 23.3 he was glad to excuse it by his ignorance And Luther cryed our Henry 8 mercy for his uncivil language to him such as was that Audi Domine Rex edocebo ie in a jeer Dan. Hist Hâ—nry 6. indeed was coursely handled in a tumult and wounded but then he was at an under and being restored he freely pardoned the Offendor saying Alass poor soul he struck me more to win favour with others then of any ill will he bare me But this was a rare example of patience in a King Alexander the Great dealt more harshly with his friends Clitus and Callisthenes for their plain-dealing Seâ— Tiberius put to death a Poet for uttering some free words against him though under the person of Agamemnon quem in iragoedia probris lacessisset Savanarola suffered deeply for telling the Pope his own And Bajazet the second took great revenge upon his Janizaries Turk hist fol. 444. who for his casting Achmetes Bassa into prison they in an uproar insolently cryed out that they would by and by teach him as a drunkard a beast and a Rascal to use his great Place and Calling with more sobriety and discretion Plut. Kings must be spoken to with soft and silken words as she said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If Elias or Elisha or Isaiah or the Baptist do otherwise that is not a copy for every man to write after Is it safe to take a Lion by the beard or a Bear by the tooth Naboth suffered though falsly accused to curse the King and Shimei had at length his payment for reviling David If Ezekiel called the King of Judah Thou wicked and profane Prince chap. 21.25 that was by an extraordinary spirit and by a special command of God And to Princes ye are ungodly Ingenuis These as they must not be flattered so neither may they be unmannerly advertized of their duty or danger It is probable that Joseph used some kind of preface to Pharaohs chief Baker in reading him that hard destiny Gen 40.19 such haply as was that of Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar chap 4.19 My Lord the dream be to them that hate thee c. Or ad Philo brings him in with a Vâ—inam tale somnium non videsses I would I had no such dream to interpret unto you But for the matter he giveth him a sound though a sharp interpretation Verse 19 How much lesse to him that accepteth not the person of Princes How much more both dangerous and undecent must it needs be wrongfully to accuse God of injustice and partiality which is far below him sith he neither doth nor needeth prefer great ones before meaner men in judgement See on chap. 13.7 and 52.21 Nâ—â— regardeth the rich more then the poor The word rendred rich opulent or potent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes either from a root that signifieth to save because it is in the power of such to save others from hurt and damage or else from another root that signifieth to cry aloud because such men use to speak their minds more freely and boldly as having that which can
to themselves as Ephraim and see what comes of it Verse 14 They dye in youth They dye before their time as Solomon expresseth it then when it were better for them to do any thing then to dye for they are killed with death as Jezebels children were Rev. 2. Their soul dyeth as the Hebrew here hath it Their soul perisheth among the boyes their life among that buggerers as Beza translateth this Text and thus Paraphraseth Therefore as accursed before God they dye and are reckoned amongst those impure young men whose youth being spent in all filthinesse and uncleannesse was subject to that most abominable lust which is not to be named The sum of all is saith Brentius Hypocrita peribit turpiter The Hypocrite shall once come to a shameful end And when the fowle sinner shall be damned what shall become of the faire Professour God will lead such forth with the workers of iniquity yea with the worst kind of sinners Sodomites for instance shall he punish them Verse 15. He delivereth the poor in his affliction Oft in this life as he did David signally Psal 34.6 2 Tim. 4. This poor man meaning himself cryed and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles So he pulled Paul out of the mouth of the Lion yea and the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and preserve me unto his heavenly kingdome where the Saints shall be sure of full deliverance and shall say of their afflictions as that Adulteress said of her accusers John 8. They are all gone He openeth their ears in oppression Or By oppression as by a key he openeth the eares of their hearts to holy and wholsome counsel This Elihu had said before but he saith it again for that end and purpose that Job might rowse up and raise up himselfe to the hope of a comfortable restauration for as much as God afflicteth not his to destroy them but to make them partakers of his holinesse and that once done to deliver them Verse 16. Even so would he have removed thee c. The sin revocat ad hypothesin Here Elihu applyeth to Job that which he had more generally discoursed concerning godly mens afflictions turned to their greatest good if they be careful to improve the same Heb. He would have perswaded or gently removed thee Out of the strait c. Heb. Out of the mouth of the strait A Metaphor from wild beasts that hold some prey in the mouth saith Piscator Or from a pit narrow at the top and wide at the bottom as R. Solomon and some others who understand it of hell Brentius to the same sense rendreth the Text thus Eripiet te ab ore angustiae lato sub quo nullum est fundamentum He shall deliver thee from the broad mouth of straitness under which there is no bottom And that which should be set on the table c. Thou shouldst eat of the fat and drink of the sweet thou shouldst have knowne no want of any thing if thou hadst not been wanting to thy selfe in making the best use of thy troubles See Psal 23.5 Verse 17. But thou hast fulfilled the judgement of the wicked But thou contrarily blusterest against God and blurtest out such words that thou seemest to be as bad as the worst and to have little or no goodnesse in thee See chap. 34 8. It is a shame to Gods people to symbolize with the wicked to be carnal in their speeches or carriages and to walk as men 2 Cor. 3.3 They should so speak and so do as those that shall be judged by the Law of liberty Jam. 2.12 Judgement and justice take hold of thee Thou art worthily attached by the divine justice which thou hast quarrelled Verse 18. Because there is wrath beware lest he take thee away with his stroak Beza readeth it thus Surely it is wrath take heed lest with stroakes it take thee away i.e. Certainely the wrath of God doth in this thy calamitie most manifestly shew it self Oh beware lest he double his stroakes and beat thee to pieces for thy disobedience and stubbornesse With the froward God will wrestle Psal 18.26 and adde to their miseries seven times more and seven times and seven to that Levit. 26.18 21 24 28. Then a great ransome cannot deliver thee Heb. Turn thee aside or help thee to decline that is to escape no though thou shouldst offer thousands of Rams or ten thousand Rivers of Oyl as Mie 6.7 Verse 19. Will he esteem thy riches Tremellius rendreth it Thy Nobility Others read it thus Will be regard thy crying in thine adversity Or That thou shouldst not abide in adversity See Proverb 10.2 and 11.4 with the Notes No not gold Which yet can do much with men The Hebrew word signifieth finest gold Job 22.24 and hath its name from defending because gold is a mans defence With men it may be so but not with God Zeph. 1.18 See the Note there Others read it No not in affliction Nor all the forces of strength Which are poor things in comparison of God whose weaknesse is stronger then men Conantia frangere fraâ—gunt 1 Corinth 1.25 He need but to arise and his enemies shall be scattered yea all that hate him shall flye before him Psal 68.1 As the Rocks repel the greatest waves so doth God his enemies Verse 20. Desire not the night c That is as some sense it do not thou peevishly desire death see chap. 7.15 lest it comes too soon and it do by thee as it doth by many an one whom it cuts off in judgement For surely in the state thou art now in thou oughtest to fear an extraordinary kind of death an inlet to eternal destruction as in the Deluge Sodom and Egypt Others render it thus Neither let it disquiet thee in the night how people are destroyed out of their place that is in the night season Vatabl. when thy mind is void of cares puzzle not thy self how and why some Nations perish and not others but rather rest thy selfe upon Gods providence and unsearchable wisdome Beza and trouble not thy head in searching out the cause of this so sudden misfortune Brentius makes this the sense Noli impiè agere Desire not the night that is Deal not wickedly by complaining against God and impatiently bearing his hand as Theeves and Adulterers desire the night for dispatch of their deeds of darkness Think not thou to hide thy self in the dark from the dint of Gods displeasure When people are cut off in their place Heb. Ascend under them i.e. Rise that they may fall Psal 102.10 as the light of a candle when it is ready to go out flieth up and then vanisheth away Or as the corn is first taken up by the hand of the Reaper and then cut off and laid flat on the ground Verse 21. Take heed regard not iniquity This especially of blaming Gods judgements as if they were unequal No more of that saith
Elihu Cave tibi ne conjicias oculos ad vanitatem Beware thou cast not an eye towards such a vanity or iniquity as that is This was very good counsel and it is very well observed that this whole following Treatise to the end of the thirty seventh chapter is as it were a gentle lenitive of that foregoing sharp rebuke which otherwise was likely to drive Job beside all patience For this thou hast chosen rather then affliction That is this forementioned iniquity of speaking rashly and wickedly against Gods proceedings with thee this thou hast chosen rather then to bear thine affliction or thy poverty patiently Now this was an ill choice for Epist 3. quas non oportet mortes praeligere saith Zuinglius What deaths ought not a man rather to make choice of what torments not rather undergo yea into what deepest gulf of hell it self not rather enter then wittingly and willingly to sin against God The ancient Martyrs would not be delivered upon base termes Heb 11.35 Tertul. Daniel chose rather to be thrown to the Lions then to violate his conscience and so to have a Lion roaring in his own bosome The Primitive Christians cryed out Ad Leonem magis quam Lenonem I had rather enter into hell being clear from sin and innocent quam peccati sorde pollutus coelorum regna tenere then go to heaven if I might besmeared with the filth of sin faith Anselm I had rather leap into a Bonfire and be burnt said another of the Ancients then commit any sin against God Pintâ— ir Daniel Some write that there is a certain little beast called the Mouse of Armenia which will rather dye then be defiled with any filth insomuch that if her hole be besmeared with dirt she will rather chuse to be taken then polluted Such ought the servants of God to be Verse 22. Behold God exalteth by his power Vulg. God is high in his strength He both exalteth himself and others whensoever he pleaseth Beza reads it Behold God in his strength is above all q.d. It is he that must restore thee if ever thou beest restored Who teacheth like him Vulg. None amongst the Law-givers is like unto him But the word Moreh signifieth a Doctor or a Teacher as Moreh Nebuchim a Teacher of perplexed things an unriddler of Riddles He knowes all things exactly and does all things with singular skil and understanding He hath many wayes of teaching people and making them to profit Isai 48.17 and one is by afflictions which Luther therefore fitly calleth Theologiam Christianorum the Christians System of Divinity as hath been before noted Mr. Ascham was a good School-Master saith one to Q. Elizabeth but affliction was a better Verse 23. Who hath enjoyned him his way q.d. Wilt thou take upon thee to teach this great Teacher how to govern the world This were a strange kind of arrogancy Or Who can say Thou hast wrought iniquity Gods judgements are sometimes secret but alwayes just Let not men reprehend what they do not yet comprehend but content themselves with a learned ignorance till God shall further discover himselfe saying of Gods Works as Socrates did of a certain Book that he had read What I understand therein is very good and so I think is that I understand not When we come into an Artificers shop we see many Tooles the use whereof we know not and yet we conclude they are of some use Why then should men rashly censure Gods proceedings which are many times in mediis contrariis In Genes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. in Cypr. as Luther was wont to say brought about by contrary means that he may be the more admired as Nazianzen giveth the reason The Artificer with a crooked Tool makes straight work The Apothecary maketh of a poisonful Viper a wholsome Triacle so here Far be it from us therefore to charge God with iniquity for this were with those mad Manichees to affirme Manichaeorum diabolicus sarcasmus Paraeus That till he had created light he dwelt in darkness as if God were not an eternal Light 1 John 1.5 1 Tim. 6.16 Verse 24. Rememember that thou magnifie his works His work of Creation wherein the wisdome power and goodnesse of God is clearly manifested Rom. 1.19 in that glorious structure of the heavens especially which men behold Or his work of Administration and Gubernation whereof David saith All thy Works praise thee O Lord that is they yeeld matter of magnifying thee and thy Saints shall blesse thee Psal 145.10 Remember that this be done saith Elihu Junius by Gods Works here understandeth Noahs Flood Which men behold Or Whereof men do sing saying Id quod prudentes viri olim veluti gnomâ quadam communi sententiâ jactarunt dicentes Omnis homo aspicit c. Brent as in the next verse Verse 25. Every man may see it scil In quo est vel mica bonae mentis for a brutish man knoweth it not Psal 92.6 7. But stupidus est dignus cui oculi eruantur saith Plato He is a very blockhead and worthy to have his eyes pulled out of his head who looketh not above him and about him that he may magnifie and admire the wisdom of the Creator of all and Preserver of mankind Man may behold it afar off For heaven is far above earth and it is a wonder that we can look to so admirable an height and that the very eye is not tired in the way And for things that are neerer to us we see them but as through a glass obscurely our knowledg of them is very imperfect 1 Cor 11.13 the reason of many things is above our reach We read of one who had spent above forty yeares in finding out the Nature and Property of Bees and yet was not fully satisfied of many things therein Verse 26. Behold God is great Yea he is maximus in minimis Greatest and most of all seen in the meanest creatures as in Ants more then in Elephants c. Brent God sheweth in his works of all sorts se aliquantum esse sed quantus sit ruâ—sus operibus involuit that he is very great but how great he is that appeares not Neither can the number of his years be searched out How should they say when as his countenance is beyond all count Psal 102.24 27. Dan. 5 Yeares are here ascribed unto him and he is elsewhere called Ancient of dayes and the haires of his head are said to be white like snow Rev. 1.14 but all this is spoken of God after the manner of men and should teach us neither curiously to enquire into his counsels nor discontentedly to complain of his doings Verse 27. For he maketh small the drops of water Here Elihu beginneth to instance the greatnesse of God in his works and particularly in the Meteors many of which Aristotle confesseth he understood not And this I dare say saith a learned Interpreter here that there
both described and set forth for an absolute pattern to us of performing our duty toward God for this inexplicable mercy Confer Heb. 10.5 6. c. Here wee have in Christ for our instruction and in David also his Type for our example 1. A firm purpose of obedience in a bored ear and a yeelding heart 2. A ready performance thereof Lo I come 3. A careful observance of the Word written In the volume of thy Book it is written of me vers 7. 4. D. 〈◊〉 An hearty delight in that observance vers 8.5 A publick profession and communication of Gods goodness to others vers 9 10. Nowâ— we should labour to express Christ to the world to walk as he walked 1 Feb. 2.6 our lives should be in some sense parallel with his life as the transcript with the original He left us a Copy to write by saith Saint Peter 1 Epist 2.21 Mine ears hast them opened Heb. digged bored an hearing eaâ— hast thou bestowed upon me which is a fingular favour for life entreth by the ear Isa 55.3 as did death at first Gen. 3. O pray that God would make the bore wide enough that the inward ears being drawn up to the outward one sound may peirce both at once Vers 7. Then said I Lo I come Christ became obedient even to the death yea that of the Cross Phil. 2.8 Christs people also are a willing people Psal 110.3 their obedience is prompt and present ready and speedy without delays and consults Psal 119.60 without capitulation and security Isa 56.6 In the volume of thy book In libre plicatili in thy Law which was anciently and is till this day amongst the Jews written in Paper or Parchment rolled up because it will last longer rolled than folded It is written of me Of Christ in many places for He is both Author Object Matter and Mark of both Testaments Of David also and all Gods people doth the Law speak with fruit and efficacy and they do use to read their own names written as it were in every precept promise threatning Look how men read the Statute-book of the Land as holding themselves highly concerned therein So here Vers 8. I delight to do thy will O my God To Christ it was his meat and drink Fob 4. he set his face to do it and to suffer it Luke 9.51 yea he was straightned pained till it was done Luk 12.50 And the same minde is also in the Saints that was in Christ Jesus Phil. 2.5 They delight in the Law of God after the inward man Rom. 7.22 they prefer it before their necessary food Job 23.12 Tea thy Law is within my heart Heb In the midst of my bowels there is the counterpane the duplicate of the Law written yea printed Jer. 31.33 2 Cor. 3.3 Rip up my heart said Queen Mary when I am dead and there shall you finde Gallice the loss whereof t is thought killed her Rip up the most mens hearts and there you shall finde written The god of this present world But Gods Law is in good mens hearts to live and to dye with it O beata Apocalypsis said that Martyr catching up the Revelation caâ—t into the same fire with him to be burnt O blessed Revelation how happy ans I to be burned with thee in my hands Vers 9. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation David did this but Christ much more by the everlasting Gospel sent the whole world throughout great was the company of Preachers and large was their commission See a draught of it Acts 26.18 I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation Righteousness of Christ imputed faithfulness of God in fulfilling his Promises Salvation the end of faith loving kindness and truth the ground of all the former Gods loving kindness or mercy moving him to promise and his truth binding him to perform these are those Pearls that Christ by his Preachers casteth before people if they bee but as forward to take them as he is to tender them How beautiful should the feet be of those that bring such glad tidings and how heavie will the dust of such feet bee shaken off against despisers O Lord them knowest sc That I have herein done mine utmost and with an upright heart Vers 10. I have not bid thy righteousness within my heart Or if he did as Psal 119.11 it was that having wrought it first on his own affections he might afterwards utter it a corde ad cor from the heart to the heart and so be able to save himself and these that heard him I have declared to faith 〈◊〉 c. See vers 9. Vers 11. Nune in luto adhuc baerens cum residuo 〈◊〉 precatur Deum With hold not 〈◊〉 thy tender mercies c. Whereas while the Samts are on earth there will be a perpetual interchange of comforts and crosses prayers must be joyned with praises and care taken that confirmed by former experiences they 〈◊〉 depend upon God Let thy loving kindness and thy â—â—â—th continâ—ally preserve 〈…〉 â—â—â— those two Attributes of thine be mine Angel 〈◊〉 at all times See the Note on Psal 25.10 Vers 12. For innumerable evils have compassed me Heb. Have mustered upon me Many or Millions are the troubles of the righteous none our of Hell over suffered more than they an elegant exaggeration of their afflictions we have in this verse and such as cannot well be understood by any but those that have been well beaten Porters to the Cross of Christ Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me i.e. The punishment of mine iniquities Gen. 4.13 my sin hath found me out If this be taken of Christ he is Maximus patcatornus the greatest of sinners by imputation 2 Cor. 5.20 Isa 53. 6. for our sins which here he calleth his he suffered and here his bitter Agony in the Garden is Graphically described neither is it absurd to say that as he bore our sins in his own Body upon the Tree he was first redeemed by himself and afterwards we Therefore my heart faileth me i.e. my wit courage counsel is wasted by earnest thinking upon them Scientia mea eis numerandis defica as Kimchi glosseth Vers 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be pleased O Lord to deliver me Do it of thy free grace and meer mercy of thy good will and gracious liking as the word signifieth beside the consideration of my woful misery laid forth vers 12. as an object of thy mercy Vers 14. Let them be ashamed and confounded together c. These and the like imprecations must be looked upon as Prophecies Besides David looked upon them not as his enemies only but Gods as well and such also as were desperate and irrecoverable So Paul prayed against the Copper-smith the Church against Jutian c. Let them be driven backward c. A Christian may without sin be sensible of indignities only it must bee the mourning of Doves and not the roaring of Bears Vers 15. Let them
measure to trust in it that is to think our selves simply the better and the safer for it as our Saviour sheweth and this Disciples after some wonderment at length understood him so Mark 10.23 24. Hence that strict charge 1 Tim. 6.17 And boast themselves in the multitude of their riches Contrary to Jer. 9.23 This Psalm sets forth the better gloriation of a Beleever in the grace of God and in his blessed condition wherein he is lifted up above the greatest Worldings Vers 7. None of them can by any means redeem his brother And therefore all Mony that hath been given for Masses Diriges Trentals c. hath been cast away seeing Christ is the only Redeemer and in the other World Mony beareth no Mastery neither can a man buy off death though hee would give never so much Death will not regard any Ransome neither will he rest content though thou givest many gifts as Solomon saith in another case Prov. 6.35 Fye quoth that great Cardinal Beanford will not Death be hired Act. Mon. in H. 6. Will Mony do nothing Wherefore should I dye being so rich If the whole Realm would save my life I am able either by policy to get it or by riches to buy it c. Lewis the Eleventh would not hear of death all the time of his last Sickness but when he saw there was no remedy he sent for the Holy Water from Rhemes together with Aarons rod as they called it and other holy Reliques Epit. Hist Gall. Balth. Exner. Val. Max. Christ p. 391. thinking therewith to stop Deaths mouth and to stave him off but it would not be O Miser saith one thereupon hoc assidue times quod semel faciendum est Hoc times quod in tua mann est ne timeas Pietatem assume superstitionem omitte mors tua vita erit quidem beata atque eterna Vers 8. For the redemption of their soul is precious i.e. the price of life is greater than that any man how wealthy soever can compass it Mony is the Monarch of this World but not of the next And it ceaseth for ever i.e. The purchase of a longer life ceaseth there is no such thing beleeve it Job 36.18 19. Deut. 23.22 Zech. 11.12 To blame then were the Agrigentines who did eat build plant c. as though they should live for ever Vers 9. That be should still live for ever As every wicked man would if it might be had for mony for he knoweth no happiness but to Have and to Hold on the tother side the Grave he looketh for no good whereas a godly manholdeth mortality a Mercy as Phil. 1.23 he hath Mortem in desiderio vitam in patientin as Fulgentius saith he desireth to dye and yet is content to live accepting of life rather than affecting it enduring it rather than desiring it And not see corruption Heb. The pit of corruption The Chaldee understandeth it of Hell to the which the wicked mans death is as a trap-door Vers 10. For he seeth that wise men dye likewise the fool This to be a truth etiam muta clamant cadavera the dead Corpses of both do preach and proclaim by a dumb kinde of eloquence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Death maketh no difference Pallida mors equo c. It is appointed for all men once to dye It lieth as a mans Lot as the word signifieth Heb. 9.27 and all men can say We are all mortal but alas we say it for most part Magis us◠quam sensu more of custom than feeling for we live as if our lives were rivetted upon Eternity and we should never come to a reckoning Heu vivunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur Ant velut infernus fabula vana foret And the bruitish person perish His life and his hopes ending together But it would be considered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wise men dye as well as fools good men dye as well as bad yea good men oft before the bad Isa 57.1 Jeroboams best Son dyed before the rest because there was some good found in him And leave their wealth to others Nec aliis solùm sed alienis to meer strangers this Solomon sets forth as a great vanity It was therefore a good speech of a holy man once to a great Lord who had shewed him his stately House and pleasant Gardens You had need make sure of Heaven or else when you dye you will be a very great loser Vers 11. Their inward thought is that their houses c. Some joyn this verse to the former and read the words thus Where as each of them seeth that wise men dye likewise the fool c. yet their inward thought is c. they have a secret fond conceit of their own immortality they would fain beleeve that they shall dwell here for ever The Hebrew runneth thus Their inwards are their houses for ever as if their houses were got within them as the Pharisees goods were Luke 11.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So here Internum vel interiora not the thoughts only but the very inmost of the thoughts of wicked Worldlings the most retired thoughts and recesses of their souls are about these earthly things these lye nearest to their hearts as Queen Mary said when she dyed Open me and you shall find Calice at my heart It was a pittiful case that a rotten town lay where Christ should and yet it is ordinary They call their Lands after their own names So to make them famous and to immortalize them at once Thus Cain called his new-built City Enoch after the name of his Son whom he would thereby have to be called Lord Enoch of Enoch This is the ambition still of many that take little care to know that their names are written in Heaven but strive to propagate them as they are able upon Earth Nimrod by his Tower Absolom by his Pillar Alexander by his Alexandria Adrian by his Adrianople c. But the name of the wicked shall rot Prov. 10.7 and those that depart from God shall be written in the earth Jer. 17.13 c. Vers 12. Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not Howsoever he think to eternalize himself and be grown never so great dye he must whether Lord or Losel and dye like a beast a carrion beast unless he be the better man but only for his pillow and bolster At one end of the Library at Dublin was a Globe at the other a Skeliton to shew that though a man was Lord of all the World yet hee must dye his honour must be laid in the dust The mortal Sythe saith one is master of the royal Scepter and it moweth down the Lillies of the Crown as well as the Grass of the field Perperam accommodatur bic versiculus saith another this verse is not well interpreted of the first man Adam to prove that he sinned the same day wherein he was Created and lodged not one night in Paradise He
they were first written And the people which shall be created Created in Christ Jesus unto good works Eph. 2.10 Isa 51.16 his regenerated people For God planteth the heavens and layeth the foundations of the earth that be may say to Zion Thou art my people Vers 19. For he hath looked down from the height c. This is no small condescention sith he abaseth himself to look upon things in heaven Psal 113.6 From heaven did the Lord behold the earth That is his poor despised servants that are in themselves no better than the earth they tread on Vers 20. To hear the groaning of the prisoner Those prisoners of hope held so long captive in Babylon the cruelty whereof is graphically described Jer. 51.34 Vers 21. To declare the Name of the Lord in Zion This shall bee the business of the converted Gentiles to make up one Catholick Church with the Christian Jews and to bear a part in setting forth Gods worthy prayses See vers 18. Vers 22. When the people are gathered together sc to the Lord Christ For to Shilâ—â— shall be the gathering of the people Gen. 49.10 And the Kingdoms to serve the Lord As they did under Constantine the Great Valentinian Theodosius which three Emperors called themselves Vasalles Christi as Socrates reporteth the Vassals of Christ And the like may be said of other Christian Kings and Princes since who have yeelded professed subjection to the Gospel and cast their Crowns at Christs feet Vers 23. He weaâ—ned my strength in the way This is the complaint of the poor captives yet undelivered In via hoc est in vita quia bic sumus viatores in coelo comprehensores here wee are but on our way to heaven and wee meet with many discouragements He shortned my dayes viz. According to my account For otherwise in respect of God our dayes are numbred Stat sua cuique dies Vers 24. Take me not away in the midst of my dayes Heb. Make me not to ascend Serus in coelum redeam Fain I would live to see those golden dayes of Redemption Abraham desired to see the day of Christ Job 8. Simeon did and then sang out his soul All the Saints after the Captivity looked hard for the consolation of Israel Thy years are throughout all generations And that 's the comfort of thy poor Covenanters who are sure to participate of all thy goods Vers 25. Of old thou hast laid the foundation c. Here is a clear proof of Christs eternity Heb. 1.10 because he was before the creation of the world and shall continue after the consummation thereof vers 26 27. So the Saints a parte pest 1 Job 2.17 The world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever Vers 26. They shall perish i.e. They shall change form and state being dissolved by the last fire 2 Pet. 3.7 10. But thou shalt endâ—re Heb. Stand and with thee thy Church Mat. 22.32 Yea all of them shall wax old as a garment Which weareth in the wearing so do the visible heavens and the earth what ever some write de constantia naturae Isaiah saith It rotteth as a book that is vener andae rubiginiâ— and wasteth away as smoak chap. 65.17 and 66.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tucetu Arab. At a vesture shalt thou change them The Greek hath roul them confer Isa 34 4. Vers 27. But thou art the same Therefore immutable because Eternall ut nihil tibi possit accedere vel decidere Vers 28. The children of thy servants shall continue By vertue of the Covenant and that union with thee which is the ground of communion If it could be said of Cesar that he held nothing to he his own that he did not communicate to his friends how much more of Christ Propterea bene semper sperandum etiamsi 〈◊〉 ruant the Church is immortal and immutable PSAL. CIII A Psalm of David Which he wrote when carried out of himself as far as heaven saith Beza and therefore calleth not upon his own soul onely but upon all creatures from the highest Angel to the lowest worm to set forth Gods praises Vers 1. Bless the Lord O my soul Agedum animulâ— mi intima mea visera A good mans work lyeth most within doors he is more taken up with his own heart than with all the world besides neither can he ever be along so long as he hath God and his own soul to converse with Davids Harp was not ofâ—ner out of tune than his heart which here he is setting right that he may the better make melody to the Lord. Musick is sweet but the setting of the strings in tune is unpleasing so is it harsh to set out hearts in order which yet must be done and throughly done as here And all that is within me All my faculties and senses The whole soul and body must be set a work in this service the judgement to set a right estimate upon mercies the memory to recognize and retain them Dent. 6 11 12. and 8.14 the Will which is the proper seat of thankfulness the affections love desire joy confidence all must bee actuated that our praises may be cordial vocal vital In peace-offerings God called for the sat and inwards Vers 2. Bless the Lord O my soul David found some dulness and drowsiness hence he so oft puts the thorn to the breast hence he so impeâ—â—ously instigateth his soul as One shere phraseth it And forget not all his benefits Forgetfulness is a grave look to it Eaten bread is soon forgotten with us as it is with children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pinâ—u neither perisheth any thing so soon with many as a good turn Alphonsus King of Arragon professed that hee wondred not so much at his Courtiers ingratitude to him who had raised many of them from mean to great estates which they little remembred as at his own to God Vers 3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities David not only taketh upon him with an holy imperiousness laying Gods charge upon his soul to be thankful but intending to shew himself good cause why to be so he worthily beginneth with remission of fin as a complexive mercy and such as comprehendeth all the rest He had a Crown of pure gold set upon his head Psal 21. But here hee blesseth God for a better Crown vers 4. Who crowneth thee with loving kindness c. And how was this Crown set on his head but by forgiving all his iniquities Who healeth all thy diseases Corporal and spiritual Quod saniâ—as in corpore id sanctitas in corde Jehovah Rophe or the Lord the Physician as he is called Exod. 15.26 cureth His people on both fides maketh them whole every whit See Isa 19.22 Mat. 8.17 He bore out diseases Vers 4. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction From hell saith the Chaldee from a thousand deaths and dangers every day All this Christ our kind kinsman doth for us dying
upon him as silver and although he now crushed him together and brake him to pieces as the silver-smith doth an old piece of plate which he means to melt yet that he would in the grave as in a furnace refine him and at the Resurrection bring him out of a new fashion Lo this is the right Logick of faith to make conclusions of life in death and of light in darknesse to gather one contrary out of another Verse 16. For now thou numbrest my steps Or But now thou numbrest c. thou keepest an exact account of every sin of mine of every step that I have trod awry yea though it be but some wry motion of my mind as the Septuagint here translate so curious art thou and critical in thine observations of mine out-strayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See chap. 10.14 But is this Job that speaketh or some other How confident was he 〈◊〉 while and comfortable in the hope of a glorious resurrection but now down again upon all four as we say and like an aguish man in a great fit of impatiency which holdeth him to the end of the chapter But for this who knoweth not that every new man is two men that in the Saints the flesh is ever lusting against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh that in the Shulamite is as it were the company of two armies maintaining a continual contest Cant. 0.13 â—said I am cast out of they sight yet I will look againe toward thine holy Temple Jon. 2.4 See the Note there Dost thou not watch over my sin This is the same with the former but without a figure The Rabbines have a saying that there is not any doubt in the law but may be resolved by the context the Scripture is its owne best Interpreter Verse 17. My transgression is sealed up in a bag As the writings or informations of a processe which is ready to be sentenced Deut. 32.34 Hos 13.12 Thou hast as it were sealed up and made sure work with all my sins saith Job to have them forth-coming for the increase of my punishment Look how the Clark of Assizes saith one seals up the indictments of men and at the Assizes brings his bag and takes them out to read the same against them so God dealt with Job in his conceit at least The truth is God had not sealed his transgressions in a bag but had cast them behind his back a bag God hath for mens sins and a bottle he hath for their tears Psalm 56.8 Now Job was one of those penitents that helped to fill Gods bottle and therefore he saw at length though now he were benighted all his sins bag and all thrown into the sea and sinking as a waighty milstone in those mighty waters of free-grace and undeserved mercy And thou sowest up mine iniquity Adsuèsne aliquid iniquitati meae so the Tigurines translate i. e. Wilt thou sew or adde any thing to mine iniquity wilt thou tye to it that tag as a Martyr phraseth it of the Lawes malediction conjoyning the punishment to the sin Adsuere ad iniquitatem est poenas poenis continenter adjungere Merl. Some make this an explication of the former q. d. the bag is not only sealed but for more surety sewed too and that purposely for a purchase of punishment as some sense it Verse 18. And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought q. d. If thou Lord proceed to deal thus rigidly with me viz. to number or cipher up my steps to watch over my sins to seal them up in a bag c. and all this in fierce wrath that thou mayest lay load upon me what mountain what rock what other creature is ever able to abide it chap. 6.12 chap. 7.12 Job had said before Is my strength the strength of stones Am I a sea or a whale Were I these or any the like robustuous creatures yet could not I expect to stand before the displeased Omnipotency who takest the hills like tennis-balls and crackest the rocks like a Nut-shell See Hab. 1.4 5 6. with the Notes And the rock is removed out of his place As in earth-quakes it sometimes falleth out See on chap. 9.5 or by reason of the sea underlaking it decayeth in time and waxeth old as the Hebrew word signifieth Verse 19. The waters weare the stones Gutta cavat lapidem c. the weakest things wear out the hardest by often falling upon them or continual running over them so doth Gods wrath though let out in minnums secretly but surely consume Hos 5.12 I will be unto Ephraim as a moth and to the house of Judah as rottennesse or that little worm teredo that eats into the heart of wood and rots it Thus he plagued the Egyptians by lice and flies There may be much poison in little drops Thou washest away the things that grow out of the earth Or Thou ever-flowest as once in the general deluge when the face of the earth was grown so foul that God was forc'd to wash it with a flood and frequently since we see that after great rains there are huge floods that marre whole meadows and corne fields not only discolouring but drowning all their beauty and plenty This is the fourth comparison used in this and the former verse where a man would wonder saith an Interpreter Olymp. audire Jobum in medus â—rumuis philosophantem to hear Job in the midst of his miseries making use of his philosophy and travelling thus in his thoughts for illustrations of his own case over mountains and rocks c. Thou destroyest the hope of man viz. In destroying the things above-mentioned or so thou destroyest c. though some reserve the raddition to the next verâ—â— so Thou prevailest against him c. i.e. So thou never ceasest with thy might to cast down sorry men till such time as they changing countenance and departing with an heavy and sorrowful heart thou violently throwest them out their lives and hope ending together if they have been wicked as if godly yet their vain and groundlesse hopes of prosperity and plenty c. come to nothing though over the red sea yet Gods people may be made to tack about two and forty times in the wildernesse Verse 20. Thou prevailest for ever against him This and the rest of the words to the end of the Chapter some make to be the Application of the Similitudes Others an Amplification only of what he had said Thou destroyest the hope of man Thou must needs when thou overmatchest and over-masterest him and art never worsted Exod. 15.3 the Lord is called A Man of War the Chaldee there hath it The Lord and Victor of Wars And the word here rendred Ever cometh from a root that signifieth to finish conquer and triumph And he passeth scil Out of the world by a violent or untimely death Violenâ—â— mortâ— aut certe immaturà Merlin with as ill a will many times as the unjust Steward did out
of his Office as the Jebusites did out of the Fort of Zion or as the Devil out of the Demoniack Sâ—d voluntas Dei necessitâ—s rei he passeth because he can neither will nor chuse as they say Thou changest his countenance and sendest him away Eleganter vero mors notatur immutandi verbo saith one Elegant is death set forth by changing the countenance for death taketh away the faire and fresh colour of a man and makes him look wan and withered pale and ghastly It is easâ—e to see death many times before it come in the sick manâ—face in his sharp nostrils thin cheeks hollow eyes c. Facies Hippocratica those Harbingers of death whereby God sendeth for him and so sendeth him away extrudit amandet as once he did Adam out of Paradise Lavaters Note here is Propone tihi semper horribileus speciem mortis ut eò minus pecces Set before thy self alwayes the horrid face of death to restraine thee from sin Verse 21. His sons come to honour and he knoweth it not Whilst he lyeth sick Omnis in Ascanio chari statcura parentis Vir. he regardeth no earthly thing no not what becometh of his children formerly his greatest care whether they be advanced or impaired in their outward condition As when he is dead he can take no knowledge of any thing done in this world Isai 63.16 Eccles 2.19 and 96. be his children or friends rich or poor high or low he is both ignorant and insensible It was a base slander published by a Jesuit some years after Queen Elizabeths death That as she died without sense or feeling of Gods mercies Cambd. Eliz. Prefat so that she wished she might after her death hang a while in the Aire to see what striving would be for her Kingdome As for that opinion of some Papists That the dead do sometimes returne into the Land of the living that they know how things go here and make report thereof to those in heaven it is contrary to the whole Scripture Verse 22. But his flesh upon him shall have pain That is say some But as long as he is living his body is afflicted with a thousand evils and though his soul by the condition of her creation be exempt from them yet she beares a part in them and becomes miserable with it A dying man hath sorrow without and sorrow within the whole man is in misery as Job here felt himself Others hold Aben-Ezra Mercer Deodate that this Poetical representation hath no other meaning but that the dead have no manner of communication with the living Broughtou rendreth it His flesh is grieved for it self and his soul will mourn for it self q.d. he takes no thought or care for his children or neerest relations CHAP. XV. Verse 1. Then answered Eliphaz the Temanice and said LApides locutus est In this second encounter Eliphaz falls upon Job not so much with stronger Arguments as with harder words reproving him sharply or rather reproaching him bitterly Facundiâ quadam caninâ with more Eloquence then charity So hard a thing is it saith Beza espetially in disputing and reasoning to avoid self-love as even in these times experience daily teacheth us He hinteth I suppose at the publick Conference betwixt himself and Jacobus Andreas at Mompelgard Lib. 35. Hist whereby the strife was rather stirred then stinted as Thuanus complaineth Or else at the Disputation at Possiacum wherein Beza Speaker for the Protestant party Hist of Counc of Trent 453. before the Queen Mother of France the young King Charles and many Princes of the Blood entring into the matter of the Eucharist spake with such heat unlesse the Historian wrongs him that he gave but ill satisfaction to those of his own side so that he was commanded to conclude Such meetings are seldome successeful saith Luther because men come with confidence and wit for victory rather then verity In this reply of Eliphaz to Job we may see what an evil thing it is to be carried away with prejudice and pertinacy which make a man forget all modesty and fall foule upon his best friends Here 's enough said to have driven this sorrowful man into utter despaire had not God upheld his spirit whiles he is fiercely charged for a wicked man Non affert ullaâ—â— consolationem non invitat eum ad panitentiam sed potiâ—â— ad desperationem complelas Lav. and hated of God neither doth any of his friends henceforth afford him one exhortation to repentance or one comfortable promise as Lavater well observeth Verse 2. Should a wise man utter vain knowledg Heb. Knowledg of the wind light frothy empty discourses that have no tack or substance in them but only words that are no better then wind a meer flash or Aiery nothing Solomon thinks a wise man should beware of falling into this fault lest he forfeit his reputation Eccles 10.1 Dead flyes cause the Oyntments of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking savour so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour as spots are soonest observed in the whitest and finest garments and envy like wormes and moths doth usually feed on the purest cloth Neh. 6.11 A great many dead flies may be found in a Tar-box and no hurt done but one of them falne into a pot of sweet Odours or precious Perfumes may soone taint and corrupt them And fil his belly with the East-wind Per ventrem mentem intellige per ventum Orientalem vanam opinionem saith Vatablus By belly understand the mind and by the East wind a vain conceit or frothy knowledg blown forth out of a swelling breast to the hurt of others for the East wind is destructive to herbs and fruits Hos 12.1 Gen. 41.6 But doth not Eliphaz here by these bubble of words and blustering questions betraying much choler and confidence fall into the very same fault which he findeth with Job Doth not he also fill his belly with heat so the Vulgar rendreth this Text which kindling in his bosom blazeth out at his lips Doth not this angry man exalt folly and shew himself none of the wisest though he were the oldest in all the company Verse 3. Should he reason with unprofitable talk Why But if he do should he therefore be thus rippled up and rough-hewed And not rather reduced and rectified with hard Arguments and soft words Man is a cross crabbed creature Duci vult trahi non vult Perswade him you may compel him you cannot A fit time also must be taken to perswade him to better for else you may loose your sweet words upon him The Husbandman soweth not in a storm The Mariner hoyseth not sail in every wind Good Physicians evacuate not the body in extremity of heat and cold A brother offendâ—d is harder to be 〈…〉 a strong City Prov. 18.19 This Eliphaz should have considered and not so rashly censured Job for a fool and his talk for trash but
Palace his Rags into fine linnen c. yea as Jeremy's rags helped to draw him out of the dungeon so do afflictions work out to Gods people an exceeding exceeding eternal weight of glory Here perhaps they may be held under but to him that overcometh wil the Lord Christ grant to sit with him in his throne Rev. 3.21 The deluge of calamities may assault them but it shall certainly exalt them They shall have Crownes on their heads and Palmes in their hands and walk arm in arm with Angels Some of the Hebrewes by Kings here understand Angels as if it were written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Melachim but Maleachim Yea he doth establish them for ever and they are exalted Or When they are exalted This no earthly Prince can promise himself Dionysius who thought his Kingdom had been tyed to him with cords of Adamant was at length driven out of it But Christs Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and he will not raign alone if we suffer with him we shall also raign together Rom. 8. Verse 8. And if they be bound in fetters If it so fall out that through abuse of their prosperity and preferment they wander as they are men out of the right way and God sends out afflictions as his Pursuivants to attach them and say them in cold irons for their correction and to prevent judgement Psal 107.10 And be holden in cords of affliction Or Poverty so that irretiti funibus miserè vixerint as the Tigurines here translate they have onely prisoners pittances which will neither keep them alive nor suffer them to dye Verse 9. Then he sheweth them their work By these sharp waters he cleareth up their eye-sight and gives them to see their sin the mother of their misery Vexatio dat intellectum Smart makes wit Manasseh for instance and the Prodigal Herodot lib. 1. Liv. decad 1. l. 5. and King Croesus with his Nocumenta documenta and Tullus Hostilius with his excess of devotion when once he had paid for his learning And their transgressions that they have exceeded Heb When they prevail that before they grow too potent they may cast them away Ne illis victi in Gehennam descendant lest they hale them into hell Mercer Verse 10. Hee openeth also their eare to Discipline See on chap. 33.16 And commandeth that they return from iniquity Unlesse they will have it to be their ruine whereof obstinate sinners who refuse to return seem to be ambitious Affliction sanctified is Lex practica a practical Law saith One it is Verus Scripturae commentarius an excellent Comment upon the Scripture saith Another David could not learn Gods Statutes till taught by this Free-School-master curst enough and crabbed but such as whereby God openeth mens eares to Discipline and speaketh to them to return from iniquity which is a piece of learning that people cannot pay too dear for Verse 11 If they obey and serve him they shall c. Heb. They shall finish they shall spend and end their dayes in prosperity and their yeares in pleasure as Joseph Job and some others have done who lived and dyed with glory Howbeit this Promise is to be understood with exception of the Crosse which yet God both can and to his will make profitable and pleasant as he did to that godly Prince who being asked How he could so well endure so long and hard imprisonment answered That he had therein felt the divine Consolations of the Martyrs But Haud facilè invenies multis è millibus unum Virtutem pretium qui putet esse sui Verse 12. But if they obey not they shall perish by the sword In gladium transibunt they shall passe away by the sword that is some evil end shall befal them and worthily because they would not be warned which is both a presage and desert of utter ruine Lesser and lighter judgements where they work not are foretokens of greater and heavier at the heels of them as the black horse in the Revelation followeth the red And as clouds cluster against a storm one following in the neck of the other unlesse the Sun break forth and scatter them so do Gods judgements usher in one another and every lesse a greater unless Repentance and better obedience take up the matter And they shall dye without knowledge Heb. Because they were without knowledge and wilfully so It was not a bare â—escience but an affected ignorance that undid them Some render it Non praesentientes they shall dye suddenly and before they have bethought themselves It should be our care that death do not suddenly surprize us No guest comes unawares to him who keeps a constant Table Every sharp affliction is a warning piece and let us so conceive of it Stillicidia praecedunt ruinam Verse 13. But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath Or Yet Or Howbeit q.d. These fowle sinners that have turned repentance into a form and converted conversion it self into sin though they see bad men made good and good men made better by their afflictions and incorrigible persons destroyed before their eyes yet they amend not by Gods hand upon them but are the worse for it as Iron grows more cold after a heat and as naughty boyes are more stupid and more stubborn after a whipping Hypocritis nihil stupidius These hollow hearted ones heap up wrath against the day of wrath as St. Paul makes up this saying Rom. 2.5 which shall fall upon the Jew first because of his pretence to Religion and then upon the Gentile Nemo enim magis iram meretur quam amicum simulans iniÌ„micus saith Bernard No man more deserveth wrath upon wrath then a feigned friend but true enemy Such are all hypocrites whether gross or close And hence our Saviours severity against such in the Gospel but especially Mat. 23. Neither let any such Goat in sheep-skin think to steal on Christs right hand at the last day He shall uncase such and cashiere them yea cast them into the hottest fire of hell whereof hypocrites are as the Free-holders and other sinners but as Tenants to them for they shall have their portion with the Devil and hypocrites Some render it Ponunt irâ—m and expound it incandescunt in Deum When they are afflicted they wax hot against God they gather wrath as a toad swelleth when handled as a Serpent gathereth poison to spue out at those who meddle with him They cry not when God binds them Cry they do after a sort as Hogs do when to be stuck or dogs when tyed up from their meat Murmure they do and expostulate a wrong with God as those Isa 58.2 3. Non ita Deos coluimuâ— as that heathen hypocrite said We have not served God so well that he should serve us no better but pray they do not unlesse it be as those hypocrites in Zachary chap. 7. who fasted to themselves and prayed for their own ends more to get off their chaines then their sinnes They bear fruit