body and his soul within him shall mourn that is it shall be disquieted and grieved because it is parted from the body it is say they such a poeticall expression as that afterward chap. 21.33 where it is said of man in the grave the clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him and 2. Some make the connexion thus that having said in the former verse that man after death knoweth nothing what is done in the world this that follows is added in this sense But his flesh upon him shall have pain and his soul within him shall mourn as if he should have said But yet whilst he lives he shall have pain and sorrow and therefore any man may judge whether it were not better for me to die then to live But now understand the foregoing words of man dying and then the dependance of this upon that is easie and clear There he had said that man dying minds not how it is or knows not how it shall be with his children whereto he adds now But his flesh upon him shall have pain and his soul within him shall mourn that is he shall be wholly taken up with the thoughts and sense of his own misery the pain and sorrow that lyes upon him CHAP. XV. Vers 1. THen answered Eliphaz c. The three friends of Iob having all objected what they could against Iob successively one after another and Iob having severally answered them all it came now to Eliphaz turn who began first to speak again to reply upon what Iob had answered Vers 2. Should a wise man utter vain knowledge and fill his belly with the East wind That is is it seemly for a man that pretends to such wisedome and knowledge as you do to talk so idly and foolishly so furiously and presumptuously and mischievously as you have done for he alludes to those words of Iob wherein he seemed to condemne them of folly at least to maintain that his knowledge was every way as much as theirs chap. 13.2 What ye know the same doe I know also I am not inferiour unto you and again vers 5. Oh that you would altogether hold your peace and it should be your wisedome He compares Iobs words to the wind to imply 1. That they had been vain and unprofitable and nothing to the purpose there was no substance and solidity in them but they were merely a blast of words which soon vanished and came to nothing and 2. That they had been turbulent violent and furious and uttered with a great deal of heat and choller and he mentions the East wind particularly rather then any other because that wind used to be in those countries most raging and tempestuous and withall because it was usually very hurtfull to their corn and fruit and other things as we use also to say that the wind in the East is neither good for man nor beast and so thereby Eliphaz might intend to imply also that his words had been mischievous and hurtfull both to others and to himself pernicious to others by way of ill example and hurtfull to himself in that they must needs blast all the hopes he might otherwise have had of Gods delivering him out of his miseries In Iobs first answer to Eliphaz he had taken exceptions against him for slighting what he had spoken as if there had been no weight of reason in any thing he had said and that in these tearms chap. 6.26 Doe ye imagine to reproove words and the speeches of one that is desperate which are as wind concerning which see the Note there Now as Bildad did immediately twit him with this retorting upon him that very expression chap. 8.2 How long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind where also see the Note so likewise Eliphaz here remembring it seems those words of Iob when he came now to speak again upbraids him with the same words Should a wise man utter vain knowledge and fill his belly with the East wind as if he had said you were not pleased that I esteemed your words no better then wind but I pray what have your words ever since been better then so A wise man one would think should never utter such vain and unprofitable things as you have spoken and it is like he meant this of those passages in Iobs speech where he had complained of Gods dealing so hardly with him and where he had wished that God would hide him for a time in the grave chap. 14.14 and others of the like nature As for that expression of filling his belly with the East wind the meaning is either that he did feed and please himself with such windy frothy discourse or rather that he did first conceive such things in his mind and then afterward uttered them Vers 4. Yea thou castest off fear and restrainest prayer before God Some Expositours understand this thus that by many things that he had spoken he had in a manner laid a foundation of Atheisme that men should neither fear God nor call upon his name for if that were true which he had said chap. 9.22 that God destroyeth the perfect as well as the wicked and so chap. 12.6 that the tabernacles of robbers prosper and they that provoke God are secure c. who then would fear God or pray unto him yea and some adde that by his speaking so irreverently to God he had hereby given evil example unto others after the same manner to cast off the fear of God and in stead of praying to God to contend with him But I conceive the meaning to be plainly this that he chargeth Iob with casting off fear and restraining prayer before God because he had spoken to God in such a bold and presumptuous manner as if he had been speaking to one of his fellows and in stead or humbling himself before God and craving mercy and pardon he had stood upon tearms of justifying himself and had as it were challenged God that he might argue with him and plead his cause before him Vers 5. For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity c. That is thy mouth discovers and blazons abroad that base wickednesse and iniquity that is in thine heart according to that of our Saviour Matth. 12.34 Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh And this is added as a proof of what he had said in the foregoing verse to wit that Iob had cast off the fear of God as is likewise that which follows and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty that is thou dost wittingly talk in a crafty manner and the craft Eliphaz intends is either that he did in an hypocriticall manner cunningly cover over the iniquity of his heart to wit by speaking at some times very modestly and humbly though at other times he was ready as it were to fly in Gods face as in those passages chap. 6.24 Teach me and I will hold my tongue and cause me to understand wherein I have erred and chap.
Leviathan Vers 9. Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark c. The stars are a great ornament to the heaven like so many spangles or Oes of gold set in the Canopy of heaven they are also a great delight and comfort in the night and of speciall use for the direction of sea-men and others To expresse therefore what cause he had to be troubled that ever he was conceived Iob here wisheth the night of his conception might not have a star shining in it that it might have no mixture of lightâ— no not in the twilight of the evening nor in the dawning of the morning called here in the Hebrew the eye-lids of the morning because the beams of the Sun the eye of the world do then first discover themselves but desireth that rather it might be a perpetuall night then that any mixture of light by the approach of the morning should any whit abate the terrour of its darknesse Let it look for light but have none which expression is used as an aggravation of the nights darknesse that there should be a long expectation of light and then at last their expectation should be frustrate Vers 10. Because it shut not up the dores of my mothers womb nor hid sorrow from mine eyes To wit either that I might not have been conceived or at least that I had not been born and so might never have seen those sorrows that now I have lived to see for here Iob begins to render the reason why he had cursed both the day of his birth and the night of his conception and therefore this may be referred to both Vers 12. Why did the knees prevent me c. That is why did the midwife so carefully prevent my falling upon the earth by receiving me so charily into her lap that I might be afterward washed and swadled and nursed up why did she not rather suffer me to fall from the womb to the earth where I might have lyen and perished presently and it may well be which some think that in these expressions Iob alludes to that execrable custome used in those times by unnaturall parents who were wont to cast out their children assoon as they were born and there to leave them upon the cold earth naked and helplesse whereto the holy Ghost also seems to have respect in that remarkable place Ezek. 16 3 4 5. Thy father was an Amorite and thy mother an Hittite and as for thy nativity in the day thou wast born thy navell was not cut neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee thou wast not salted at all nor swadled at all none eye pitied thee to do any of these unto thee to have compassion upon thee but thou wast cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy person in the day that thou wast born Vers 13. For now should I have lyen still and been quiet c. It is evident that Iob speaks here only of the rest of the body in the grave and the freedome which death brings from all worldly troubles and sorrows whatsoever for he speaks of the rest which befalls all men after death the bad as well as the good the wicked oppressours as well as the poor that are oppressed by them as is evident vers 17. c. There the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary be at rest But since Iob knew well enough doubtlesse and did certainly believe that when the bodies of men are laid in the graue yet their souls then passe to greater pains and miseries unlesse they be of Gods elect to whom through Christs merits an entrance is given to heaven and everlasting glory why doth Iob here make no mention of this but only speak of the rest of mens carcases in the grave as if he believed not the immortality of the soul nor put any difference betwixt the wicked and the righteous after death surely because 1. He had a kind of secret assurance concerning the blisse of his soul after death and so made no mention of that and 2. Because through the vehement perturbations of his mind at present and the violence of his passions by reason of the extremity of his sufferings he only now minded as it were and thought upon the happinesse of those that were at quiet in their graves and the thought of a second life and the resurrection of mens bodies to shame or glory they lye for the present as forgotten buried under the rubbish of his confused passions as Moses when he saw the people of God like to be cut off by the revenging hand of Gods justice did in a manner forget what he knew well enough the immutability of Gods decree and was only carried with the vehemency of his affections to the people of God and his earnest desire of Gods glory when he wished Exod 32.32 that he would forgive the people their sin or else blot him out of the book of life Vers 14. With Kings and counsellours of the earth which build desolate places for themselves That is had I died immediately either in the womb or so soon as ever I was born besides that I should have escaped all the miseries I have now suffered in the grave I should have been not one jot in a worse condition then the greatest Kings and Nobles are when they come to die for all the great pomp and pleasure they have lived in before and the great pomp of their sepulchers when they are dead for by Kings and counsellers which built desolate places for themselves are meant here the most glorious the mightiest Princes of the world that by reason of their great power and riches sought to perpetuate the memory of their name by building desolate places that is either 1. by erecting huge and stately tombes and monuments as memorialls of their buriall in those places such as were the Egyptians Pyramids c. which are called desolate places not only because the dead bodies buried there are left as it were forsaken of all friends in a desolate condition but also because such monuments were built usually not in towns and cities but abroad in the fields in solitary and unfrequented places whence is that of the prophet Ezek. 26.20 where foreshewing the destruction of Tyre he speaks as in the name of the Lord thus When I shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit with the people of old time and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth in places desolate of old c. or 2. by rebuilding what their ancestours durst not attempt great houses or cities formerly ruined that had been a long time wast places as the Prophet calls them Isa 58.12 whereof there had been nothing but the foundations left for many generations or rather 3. by building in places formerly desolate wherein haply one would wonder how such buildings could be raised either great cities or stately houses for themselves to dwell in and that of such a huge
flesh shall I see God Though being laid in the grave worms must destroy not my skin only but even this whole body such as it is rather the shadow of a body then a body indeed yet by that my Redeemer who shall arise from the grave and live again in despite of death even this my body when dead shall be raised again and reunited to my soul and then to my great joy in my flesh face to face I shall see God and so shall enjoy the presence of my God and my Saviour for ever and ever As is noted in the foregoing verse some indeed understand this of Gods delivering him out of his present afflctions to wit that though his skin and flesh were at present eaten up as it were with worms yet God would restore his flesh again and so in his flesh he should behold God manifesting himself as a father to him But I say the words are farre clearer if we understand them of his seeing God at the resurrection Vers 27. Whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me Even this also some understand of his seeing God to his great advantage raising him from the sad estate whereinto he had cast him and restoring him to a comfortable condition again therefore those words and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me they understand thus that though his reins that is all the strength and vigour of his body were in a manner utterly consumed his body being little better then a rotten carcase yet he would look to God and his eyes should be fixed upon him in hope and expectation of help and deliverance and not upon any other But still I say I rather understand all these passages of his hope of seeing God when his dead body should be raised up at tâ—e generall Resurrection And so taking the words as meant of his seeing God at the Resurrection we must know 1. That he saith whom I shall see for my self because he should see him for his own advantage as his own God and his own Saviour not as the wicked should see him namely as reconciled to others not to them as a Redeemer to others not to them and 2. He saith that his own eyes should behold him and not another to set forth that he should not at the Resurrection have a new body created but that he should be raised with the very same numericall body wherein he had formerly lived upon the earth and then 3. That the last clause though my reins be consumed within me may be meant either of the present consumption of his body or else of the utter wasting of his body in the grave to wit that though he was so wasted that his very inmost parts his reines were consumed and much more would be consumed when he came to rot in the grave yet he knew well that at the Resurrection he should be raised up perfect again and then with those his eyes he should behold his Redeemer I know that some Expositours do otherwise understand this last clause that at the Resurrection he should behold his God and Redeemer to his great happinesse and comfort though his reines were consumed within him that is though when he came to live with God in heaven there should then be an end of all his naturall desires But the former exposition I judge far the better Vers 28. But ye should say Why persecute we him seeing the root of the matter iâ— found in me If we read this last clause as it is in the margin and what root of matter is found in me the meaning is then plain to wit that there was no cause in him why they should persecute him as they did But reading it as it is in our Bibles seeing the root of the matter is found in me it is very hard to say what Iob intended hereby Some would have these last words seeing the root of the matter is found in me to be a part of the recantation which Iob here adviseth his friends to make as concerning their violence against him hitherto to wit that they should not only say why persecute we him but also that they should every one of them severally adde by way of judging themselves seeing the root of the matter is found in me that is seeing the fault is in me I have by my groundlesse surmises and jealousies and unjust censuring of him provoked him to passion in his great distresse and so have been the cause of all these hot debates we have had with him But the truth is that the words can hardly be drawn to justify this Exposition And almost all Expositours agree in this that in the first clause Iob tells his friends that in reason they ought to check themselves for persecuting him as they had done and that then in the second clause a reason is given by Iob why they ought so to check themselves to wit because the root of the matter was found in him as if the words had been transposed thus But seeing the root of the matter is found in me ye should say why persecute we him Well but yet still this passage is very obscure because it is so hard to say what he meant by this the root of the matter is found in me every Expositour almost being herein of a severall judgement for 1. Some understand hereby the sound and solid reason wherewith he had maintained his cause and so they make the sense of these words to be this that they might well condemne themselves for persecuting him as they had done since all things being well weighed they could not but see that the cause which he maintained had a root of unquestionable justice in it it was well grounded neither had he spoken any thing for which he had not brought very sound and substantiall arguments and reasons 2. Others by the root of the matter understand his sufferings or the inward sense he had of the evils which lay upon him as if he had said There is no reason in the world why you should persecute me as you doe seeing the root the foundation of all our arguing is found in me that is I am he that suffer the miseries about which there have been such disputes between us and so they make this passage parallell with that above vers 4. And be it indeed that I have erred mine errour remaineth with my self 3. Others take it thus You ought not thus to persecute me seeing if you search the matter to the root and the foundation it will be found that I am innocent and that there is therefore some other cause of my misery which is hidden from you and that it is not for any wickednesse of mine as you would have it that God hath brought these calamities upon me 4. Others again conceive that by the root of the matter is meant the integrity and sincerity of his heart
have let loose the rains to their malice and wickednesse and give liberty to themselves even to my face to use me as they please Vers 12. Vpon my right hand rise the youth c. They are said to rise against him upon his right hand to imply either first their opposing him in every thing he did because the right hand is the instrument of working or secondly their endeavour to weaken him because in a mans right hand his strength chiefly lyes or thirdly the advantage they had over him in regard of the very low condition whereto he was brought because the right hand is the upper hand or fourthly that these youngsters who were wont to hide themselves for fear of him as he had said before chap. 29.8 did not now abuse him secretly and behind his back but were ready at every turn to beard him and oppose him to his face And indeed the like expression is used elsewhere upon most of these grounds as where David saith of his great enemy Psal 109.6 Set thou a wicked man over him and let Satan stand at his right hand and Zach. 3.1 where Joshua the high priest was seen and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him As for the following words they push away my feet though some Expositours understand thereby that they bereaved him of his estate and of every thing else that might be any support to him and of all power to help himself yet I rather take it to be a proverbiall speech signifying with what extreme contempt they abused him that they sported themselves with him as those do that lay stumbling-blocks in a poor mans way and trip up his heels And then in the last clause and they raise up against me the waies of their destruction they are compared to souldiers that lay siege against a place of which see the Note chap. 19.12 where there is the like expression but the meaning is that they sought by all means to destroy him Vers 13. They marre my path The meaning of this may be either first that they cast an aspersion of hypocrisie upon all the waies of holinesse and righteousnesse wherein he had formerly walked or secondly that hating his waies and courses they sought to overthrow both him and them or thirdly rather that they had cut off from him all way of escape They set forward my calamity they have no helper That is they have none amongst them that will help me or there is none to help me against them Yet I acknowledge the most received Exposition of these words is they have no helper that is they need no body to animate and provoke them to these mischievous courses against me yea as base and mean as they are against me poor wretch they may easily prevail and need no helper Vers 14. They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters c. That is Being deprived of my estate authority and power which hitherto kept them off and made them afraid to meddle with me and God withall having withdrawn his protection which was that indeed that had hitherto secured me they came in upon me thick and threefold with all violence even as souldiers that have besieged any place when they have made a breach do rush in like a torrent of waters and bear down all before them In the desolation they rolled themselves upon me that is as souldiers break in through the ruines they have made in a breach so they taking advantage of my downfall come tumbling in upon me as the waves of the sea or as stones that roll down from a steep hill and with all violence acting mischief upon mischief they do utterly oppresse and overwhelm me Vers 15. Terrours are turned upon me they pursue my soul as the wind That is the terrours of death and of Gods wrath which are worse by farre then any outward affliction can be do often suddenly violently and unresistably surprize follow and pursue my soul See the Note chap. 6.4 Vers 16. And now my soul is poured out upon me That is To my exceeding grief I see the strength and courage of my soul or the powers of my life spend and run out apace I faint and die away through the continuall wasting of my spirits I melt away in tears and sorrow and my soul passeth away out of my broken body as water runs out of a broken vessel We have the like expressions Psal 42.4 when I remember these things I poure out my soul in me and Lam. 2.12 their soul is poured out into their mothers bosome Vers 17. My bones are pierced in me in the night season c. That is even in the night when others find some refreshing rest my most inward parts are in continuall pain and anguish Vers 18. By the great force of my disease is my garment changed it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat The meaning of this is that by that purulent bloody matter which issued in great abundance out of his ulcers his garment was continually stained and that being stiffened with that congealed matter it was as hard and streight round about his body as the collar of his coat was about his neck Vers 19. He hath cast me into the mire and I am become like dust and ashes Some Expositours referre this to the extreme contempt whereinto God had brought him to wit that God trampled him down in the mire that he was no more regarded then the dirt under mens feet and others referre it to the low and weak condition whereto he was brought in regard of his health namely that he was more like a dead carkasse then a living man no better then dust and ashes and as one that was already thrown down into the grave But because in the foregoing verse he had spoken of the filth of his ulcers I rather conceive that here also he intends his loathsome condition in that regard to wit that he was no other to look on then a heap of mire and as he had said before chap. 7.5 cloathed with clods of dust concerning which see the Note there Vers 20. I â—ry unto thee and thou dost not hear me I stand up and thou regardest me not Standing up is a gesture of those that pray whence is that Jer. 15.1 Though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my mind could not be toward this people and that Matth. 6.5 they love to pray standing in the Synagogues So that the second clause may be no more then a reiterating of that which in other tearms he had said in the first clause But yet some conceive that as by crying in the first clause he meant to imply his earnestnesse in prayer so also by standing up in the second place he implyed both his eagernesse to be heard and his persevering still to presse God waiting for an answer and withall that he did in prayer present himself before God to see as it were if such a pitifull spectacle would move him to
such a one is hardly to be found to shew unto man his uprightnesse that is to shew to the poor sick man how he must come to be presented righteous and upright in the sight of God to wit that he must acknowledge his sins lay hold upon the promises of mercy made unto him in Christ and so repent and turn unto the Lord. I know there are some that do otherwise expound the last clause namely thus to shew unto man his righteousnesse that is to clear it to the sick man that God hath dealt justly and equally with him But our Translation will hardly bear that Exposition Vers 24. Then he is gracious unto him and saith Deliver him from going down into the pit I have found a ransome This some understand of the messenger the interpreter mentioned in the foregoing verse to wit that he is gracious to the sick man and saith namely in his prayer to God for him Deliver him from going into the pit I have found a ransome For though the last words can hardly be applyable to man yet the meaning they say is only this that the man of God alledgeth that knowing by the revelation of Gods spirit that there is a ransome in the bloud of the promised Mediatour for poor sinners he knew also that God would be pleased to accept of this ransome in the behalf of this penitent sick man But I conceive it is farre better understood of God to wit that he is gracious to this sick man when his messenger hath brought him to repent and believe in Christ and that thereupon he saith Deliver him from going down into the pit the meaning whereof may be either first that God determines that he shall be delivered from the grave whereinto he was dropping and withall from the pit of eternall destruction or secondly that he gives charge to the angel sent to him that he should deliver him from his dangerous sicknesse or thirdly that he enjoynes the man of God to deliver him that is to assure him that he shall be delivered both from his present sicknesse and from hell hereafter and that because God hath found out a ransome for him which can be meant of no other but the bloud of Christ Vers 25. His flesh shall be fresher then a childs c. To wit By reason of the cure of his sicknesse and the reviving of his spirit by his assurance of Gods love to him in Christ Vers 26. He shall pray unto God c. Whether this be meant of the sick mans praying before or after his recovery which is questionable though the last be more probable it is mentioned doubtlesse as a comfortable effect of the sick mans reconciliation with God to wit that then he can go with confidence to the throne of Gods grace which before he could not and that then God shall be favourable unto him in hearing his prayers which before he regarded not And to the same purpose is the following clause and he shall see his face with joy that is he shall with boldnesse and comfort look God in the face who before was a terrour to him though some I know understand it otherwise to wit that God shall look chearfully and favourably upon him And then the last words alledge again the cause of this comfortable change for he will render unto man his righteousnesse that is the righteousnesse which he had lost by sin shall be restored in Christ or rather God shall deal with him according to that present righteousnesse of his when upon his faith and repentance he is reconciled unto God Vers 27. He looketh upon men c. That is God looketh upon men as desiring longing and waiting for mens repentance and salvation and if any say I have sinned c. and it profited me not that is all the good I got by it was that I provoked God to lay his hand in great displeasure upon me then as it follows vers 28. he will deliver his soul from going into the pit and his life shall see the light the meaning whereof is principally that God will deliver such a man from the grave that he may again live comfortably here in this world though it may be also extended to the deliverance of his soul out of hell and bringing him to the light of Gods glory in heaven But now if we read these verses as they are in the margin of our Bibles He shall look upon men and say I have sinned c. He hath delivere my soul from the pit c. then they contain the sick mans confession of Gods dealing with him to wit that being recovered he looks upon others with pity and out of a desire of their conversion should acknowledge how he had sinned and did thereby bring Gods hand upon him and how upon his repentance God shewed him mercy again Vers 29. Lo all these things worketh God oftentimes with man c. That is all these means doth he use many times bringing man to the grave and then raising him up again and all this he doth to save him from death temporall and eternall as it follows in the next verse To bring back his soul from the pit c. Vers 31. If thou hast any thing to say answer me c. Having in the foregoing verse desired liberty that he might yet farther speak his mind to Job he interposeth this that notwithstanding if Job had any thing to answer to what he had said he was very willing he should so doe Speak saith he for I desire to justifie thee that is I had rather thou shouldest be justified then condemned if thou art able to clear thy self CHAP. XXXIV Vers 1. FVrthermore Elihu answered That is when he perceived that Job made no reply for it may well be that he began now to be convinced he proceeded to answer what Iob had formerly spoken Vers 2. Hear my words O ye wise men c. Hereby Elihu sought to imply first that what he had to say the wisest of them might with profit hear and secondly that he would not be his own judge but was willing to appeal to the standers by at least to those that were wise amongst them concerning the truth of that which he should say Vers 3. For the ear tryeth words c. As if he had said For that which Iob formerly said is true that the ear tryeth words as the mouth tasteth meat see the Note chap. 12.11 Vers 4. Let us chuse to us judgement c. That is Let us not judge rashly but let us state the question rightly and then argue the cause not with angry language nor by alledging any thing wherein our consciences may tell us we do misinterpret Iobs words or merely cavill with him or build upon uncertain conjectures but by clear and certain truths and so let us chuse and upon good deliberation resolve upon that which is just and equall Let us know among our selves what is good namely whether Iob or I be
at the first dawning of the morning Vers 19. Out of his mouth goe burning lamps and sparks of fire leap out This may be meant first as the words in the foregoing verse of the glittering of the water he spouts out of his mouth appearing afarre off like sparkling fire or secondly of his breath which being like thick and hot smoke appears to the beholders as if there were some great fire from whence it proceeded as is expressed in the following verse Out of his nostrils goeth smoke as out of a seething pot or caldron or thirdly of the exceeding heat of his breath which by reason of the fiery constitution of his body may be sulphureous and so appear as fire or at least exceeding hot as if there were sparkles or flames of fire went along in it or as if it were hot enough to set any thing on fire for all these are hyperbolicall expressions according to that which followeth vers 21. his breath kindleth coals And indeed that inward heat which must concoct meat for such a mountainous body had need to be like that of those huge fires in kitchins where meat is dressed for great families Vers 22. In his neck remaineth strength c. That is In that part of his body which is next his head which is the neck in other creatures he is exceeding strong and able to bear down all before him and sorrow is turned into joy before him that is that which is very terrible in it self and would exceedingly fright others and cause sorrow and mourning in others as when he meets with other huge sea-monsters or ships armed for fight or any other enemy it is a joy to him as hoping then to get some good prey or delighting in his pride to try his strength upon them Vers 24. His heart is as firm as a stone yea as hard as a piece of the nether milstone That is He is as fearlesse and mercylesse as if his heart were of stone yea the hardest of stones for the nether milstone is named not so much because that still stands firm and is never moved as because the milstone is made of a very hard stone and the nether milstone because it must bear the other is usually the harder of the two Some understand it as an hyperbolicall expression of the hardnesse of the flesh of his heart to wit that it is firm and hard more like a stone then flesh But the former Exposition I like much better Vers 25. When he raiseth up himself the mighty are afraid c. That is When he lifteth up himself and so is seen above the waters as a mountain in the sea the stoutest that are whether you understand it of fishes beasts or men will be afraid and it may more especially be meant of marriners and souldiers in ships men that are of all the most bold and fearlesse and to men I am sure the following clause must be restrained by reason of breakings they purify themselves that is by reason of the Leviathans violent breaking of the sea as he turns this way or that which makes it perilously rough and boisterous or by reason of the mighty waves dashing and breaking one upon another or upon any thing that is in their way occasioned by the rouling of his vast body in the sea or by reason of his usuall breaking and dashing of ships in pieces they apprehend themselves in present danger of death and so thereupon doe what they can to expiate their sins that if it may be they may be delivered from that danger as by confessing their sins by praying to God for mercy and favour by offering sacrifices or at least binding their souls in a vow for sacrifices or other things Some understand it of their vomiting by reason of the seas tumbling their ship as if it had been translated they purge themselves or of a worse purging through fear but our translation they purify themselves will hardly bear such an Exposition Vers 26. The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold the spear the dart nor the habergeon Or the breast-plate This last is mentioned amongst the rest to imply that as no weapon can hurt him so no arms can defend the man that shall dare to contend with him that his teeth will pierce through an iron breast-plate as easily as through a mans skin or that be a man never so well armed he will soon for all that devour and swallow him up Vers 30. Sharp stones are under him c. That is Usually he lyes upon the sharpest-pointed stones and rocks and yet they never hurt him As for the next clause he spreadeth sharp-pointed things upon the mire though some take them to be a high hyperbole to wit that by his weight he grinds the stones into dust and so spreadeth it upon the mire yet I rather conceive that by spreading sharp-pointed things upon the mire is only meant that by his weight he often breaks the craggy and sharp ends and pieces of the rocks he lyes upon which by that means are scattered here and there upon the mire in the bottome of the sea or else the scattering of stones slung at him and the pieces of swords and spears and darts which being broken upon his scales do fall and sink down to the bottome of the sea Vers 31. He maketh the deep to boyl like a pot c. The meaning is that partly by the moving of his huge body and partly by his blowing out the waters from his mouth he causeth the sea to swell and tumble and bubble and foam as a pot of seething water will do when it boyls on the fire And in the following clause he compares it particularly to the boyling of a pot of oyntment he maketh the sea like a pot of oyntment either because that useth to be done with a violent fire and by reason of its thicknesse doth rise and swell the more or else rather to expresse how muddy the sea is made thereby and what a froth and scum there will be on the top of the waters Vers 32. He maketh a path to shine after him one would think the deep to be hoary That is As he swims along he leaves a kind of furrow behind him which appears as the path where he went where the water is shining and frothy as if there were a hoary frost upon the waters Vers 33. Vpon the earth there is not his like c. No not the Behemoth before spoken of Vers 34. He beholdeth all high things c. Some understand this of the height of his body to wit that when he raiseth up himself he can behold the very tops of the masts of ships and the highest hils and mountains on the lands But there are two other Expositions of the words that seem far more probable first that that they were intended to set forth his fearlesnesse to wit that he is not afraid to behold the mightiest and most terrible of all Gods creatures but
business that men undertake and purpose to do there is a fit and seasonable opportunity to be taken and a right manner to be observed for the doing of it therefore the misery of man is great upon him that is men are commonly exposed to manifold miseries and calamities by reason that they know not or mind not the doing of things thus in a fit time and a right manner Now this which is thus generally delivered concerning the miseries that befall men for want of observing judiciously the fittest seasons and right way for the doing of those things they undertake Solomon addes with respect to that which he had said in the foregoing verse concerning the wisdome of observing this time and judgement in dealing with Kings shewing that subjects do usually bring much misery upon themselves because they want this wisdome of ordering themselves in their dealing with Kings seasonably and judiciously in all they do for the preventing or appeasing of their displeasure Or else he doth here make way to another point of wisdome which may conduce much to the tranquillity of mens lives so far as it is attainable here in this world and that is a heedfull prevention of or preparation for those evils which may come upon us we know not when nor how soon which is implyed by shewing that the best way to prevent these evils is by a circumspect care to do all things seasonably and with discretion and judgement for the manner of doing them as he had said before in his precept concerning obeying of Kings and withall that for want of this wisdome men doe commonly bring many miseries upon themselves which not being able to avoid there is no remedy against them but a patient bearing of them Vers 7. For he knoweth not that which shall be c. That is No man can foreknow what will be hereafter and so he cannot tell what the issue will be of any enterprise that he undertakes for who can tell him when or how it shall be that is no man can possibly inform him of things to come or of the manner how or the time when they shall be Now this is added to shew that seeing therefore men cannot foresee nor prevent the evil that is coming upon them and so can hardly know how to do things in the fittest season and manner the misery of man must needs be great both in regard of the continuall disquiet of his mind by his fears of the evil that may befall him and also in regard of the evils themselves that are like to come upon him Men may flatter themselves that thus and thus things will come to passe as they have suggested to themselves where as alas they know not what the event will be or how or when it will be the evils which God hath appointed shall come upon them and the more unexpectedly they come upon them the more heavily they will crush them Vers 8. There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit c. That is when death comes no man is able to retain or hold his soul or breath of life from departing out of his body see the Notes Gen. 2.7 Job 10.12 34.14 It is as impossible for any man thus to retain his own spirit as it is to withhold the wind from blowing neither hath he power in the day of death to wit to secure himself from dying the mightiest men that have most power in the world are as unable to withstand death as the meanest and weakest amongst the people and there is no discharge or casting off weapons in that war that is in that terrible conflict when death mans great enemy as he is called 1 Cor. 15.26 shall assault men and nature is wont to resist his assaults with all its strength there is no possibility of being discharged or freed from fighting it out or of avoiding this combate neither is there any weapon of war wherewith any man can assault this adversary there is no arrow spear or javelin which men can let fly against him so that as there is no evading this war so it is impossible also to beat off this enemy before this all-conquering Champion sooner or later all men must fall who then as a Conqueror will carry them away to the grave only indeed spiritually the Saints shall through the death of Christ even in death it self be more then Conquerors neither shall wickednesse deliver those that are given to it that is say some Expositors their wealth and great estates gotten by wickednesse see the Note Pro. 10.2 or the pride insolency and tyranny of those that are in great places But I rather think that this is meant of those many base and unwarrantable practises wherewith wicked men when they have plunged themselves into danger are wont to endeavour to deliver themselves to wit that all such shifts and sinful crafty devices will be to no purpose shall they escape by iniquity saith David Psal 56.7 Doubtlesse wickednesse is more likely to hasten mens ruine then to deliver them from ruine And this is here added either 1. with reference to that foregoing precept vers 2. concerning the obeying of Kings therefore ought subjects to be very wary of provoking their King to displeasure because it is in his power to condemn them to death that disobey his commands and when he doth so it is not in the subjects power to retain his spirit the wickedness of rebellion can never deliver them Or else 2. with respect to what he had said in the foregoing verse concerning mans not heing able to foreknow future things whereto here he addes that as men cannot foresee evils coming upon them so neither can he withstand the greatest of worldly evils namely death thereby implying as I conceive that when men have been carefull to do all things seasonably and with judgement that they may not rashly expose themselves or their lives to danger for those evils which cannot be foreseen nor prevented the best way is wisely to prepare and set themselves to bear them cheerfully and patiently to submit to the Providence of God Vers 9. All this have I seen and applied mine heart unto every work that is done under the Sunne c. With this Transition much like to those he hath formerly often used see the Notes Chap. 7.15 23 25. he passeth to the observation of further vanities But the drift of the words seemes to be this that whilst he was considering of these observations of his whereof he had spoken concerning Magistrates and people in a way of civill government and of the good meanes that might be used to live quietly under Kings by a wise obeying their commands he took notice of this likewise further to wit that sometimes God though in justice to punish the sinnes of a nation doth suffer tyrants intolerably to crush and afflict the poor people adding yet this withall that Gods advancing such men to these places of dignity tends usually to
then they receive the reward of their impiety Vers 4. For to him that is joyned to all the living there is hope c. That is As long as life lasts there is hope of his still enjoying his present comforts yea of improving his condition for the better both in regard of his spiritual and his outward estate at least some of the benefits of the living he is sure to enjoy for a living dog is better then a dead lion that is the basest and most contemptible person that is whilst he lives is in a better condition then he that hath been of greatest account when once he is laid in the dust to wit in regard of the things of this life and the actions and imployments thereof And thus Solomon sets forth the different estate of the living and the dead thereby to make way to that following exhortation vers 7. wherein again he perswades men to that fore-mentioned remedy of the vanities of this life namely to enjoy comfortably the benefits of this life whilst life lasts because when death comes that will deprive us of them all Vers 5. For the living know that they shall die c Here a reason is given to prove what is said in the foregoing verse that the living are in a better estate then the dead namely in regard of the enjoyment of the things of this life And some Expositors do understand the words as if he had said It is true the living know they must die and that may somewhat afflict them but yet as long as they live they may enjoy the good things of this life which the dead can in no wise do because they know nothing of the things of this world But I rather think that these words for the living know that they shall die are onely to imply the benefits of this present life they know they shall die this is a truth unquestionably certain yea they find and feel it experimentally in the decayes of their bodies and the uncertainty of their health and consequently they may stir up themselves hereby to provide that they may both live comfortly and die happily the knowledge of this is an advantage to make them take off their affections from the perishing things of this world to prepare themselves for death and by faith and repentance to make sure of life eternal and withall which I conceive is here chiefely intended to set themselves comfortably and thankfully to enjoy present mercies which when death once comes they can no longer hope to enjoy And therefore he addes but the dead know not any thing which must not be understood absolutely as if the souls departed had no knowledge but as with respect to those things whereof Solomon is in this place speaking that the dead know not any thing to wit of what is done here in the Land of the living see the Note Job 14.21 Or they have no sense or experimentall knowledge nor are capable of taking any delight in the knowledge or enjoyment of the things of this life neither have they any more a reward that is they can no more have any benefit or content by the enjoyment of the things here below which is the onely reward of mens labours in this life Solomon doth not deny that men will be rewarded after this life according to their works for this he had before asserted see the Notes Chap. 3.17 and 8.12 13. And it is likewise true that the dead can no more do any thing whereby they should expect a reward hereafter But that which is meant here is that being dead they can no longer advantage themselves any way by the things of this life for which they have laboured for the memory of them is forgotten to wit in regard of the things of this life or of any thing they have done here no man thinks of doing them any good c. See the Notes Chap. 2.16 Psal 9.5 31.12 88.7 13. Vers 6. Also their love and their hatred and their envy is now perished c. That is say some Expositors there is no more remembrance of their love and hatred and envy when they are once dead which indeed agreeth well with the last clause of the foregoing verse the memory of them is forgotten But I rather conceive the meaning to be that being dead there is no person or thing which they love or hate or envy any longer And to this some adde also that on the other side no body neither doth any longer love or hate or envy them Questionless Solomon speakes not of the love hatred or envy that may be in souls departed but with respect to the things of this life and to mens affections here to wit that when men are dead they mind no more the riches honours and pleasures of this world nor can any longer enjoy any thing that is here below which is more fully expressed in the following words neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the Sun and therefore if we expect any comfort in the things of this world we must make use of them whilst this life lasts Vers 7. Go thy way c. Some Expositors conceive that this which is said here and in the three following verses cannot be well understood otherwise then as spoken in the person of sensual brutish Epicures But such kind of men are not wont to expresse themselves in such religious tearms as are here used vers 9. where this life is again and again tearmed vanity and the lengthening out of mens dayes is said to be the gift of God and men are advised to be constant in loving and delighting in their own wives without ever looking after strange women And therefore this and that which followeth is rather to be taken still as the holy advice of the spirit of God by the pen of Solomon Go thy way as if he should have said laying aside all vain endeavours to search into Gods secrets and all vexatious disquiet of mind about the hidden works of Gods providence as why he many times afflicts the righteous and prospers the wicked betake thy self diligently and speedily to do what I now say to thee eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart that is casting thy care upon God enjoy the fruit of thy labour and live comfortably upon that which thou hast see the Notes Chap. 2 24. 3.12 13. 8.15 By those words thy bread and thy wine there is an intimation given that men must be carefull that they live onely upon that which is justly their own and that their enjoyments must be according to what is necessary and convenient and neither above nor beneath their estate and condition For God now accepteth thy works that is when thou doest thus enjoy what thou hast gotten by thy honest labour and is truely thine own in a moderate and decent manner without any anxious and distrustfull fears God is well-pleased that
clause to signifie that he would preferre any violent bitter shamefull death before life and the second clause death rather then my life which is in the originall death rather then my bones discovers the ground of his choice to wit the miserable condition wherein he lived being become a very Anatomy nothing but skin and bones or having a body that was consumed and rotted even to the very bones which made him choose any death rather then such a life and indeed considering that Satan desired at first that God would touch his flesh and his bones we need not doubt but he had gone as deep as his Commission would permit him Vers 16. I would not live alway To wit in this world and in this sad and miserable condition wherein I now live my sorrows make me loath life so that if I might live alwaies and never die I should rather choose to die then to live under such a burden of affliction as now I endure Let me alone for my daies are vanity That is do not support and continue me in this misery but let me alone that I may die for my daies are no better then vanity and why should I desire to live in such a vain condition or else withdraw thine hand and do not afflict me so grievously for there will be no need of it my daies are very vanity so that a smaller thing then what I suffer would soon make an end of me Vers 17. What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him c. This is not meant of the great blessings which God hath poured forth upon men concerning which the like expressions are used in other places as Psal 8.45 c. and Psal 144.3 to wit that such a base wretch as man is was not worthy of so much honour as God had done him and did him daily in making such precious account of him in causing all the creatures even the Angels themselves to be serviceable to him yea in keeping such a watchfull eye of providence over him to support and protect him and to supply him with all things requisite for him day after day But first it may be meant of the great honour and riches whereto God doth many times advance men and had advancad Iob in particular reflecting upon his former greatnesse for he was the greatest man in the East and considering how extremely miserable he was now become he breaks forth into this expostulation what is man that thou shouldest magnifie him c. Why should the Lord doe so much to magnifie and set up a man that may be so suddenly cast down again It is as if a man should lay out much to trim and adorn a house that may be cast down with every puffe of wind or 2. Rather it is meant of his afflictions and his continuall overpressing evils to wit that it was too great a magnifying of so base and despicable a worm as man is that the great God of heaven and earth should so sollicitously contend with him as a Prince should too much honour a poor servant that should bend all his might to contend with him and to prevail over him watching daily to take some advantage against him and making it his great study and businesse to crush and ruine him So that as David spake to Saul 1 Sam. 24.14 After whom is the King of Israel come out after whom dost thou pursue After a dead dog after a flea so doth Iob here speak to God What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him as if he should have said it is strange to me that thou shouldest vouchsafe so farre to honour such a base vild wretch as man is as to contend with him that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him that is that thou shouldest mind or regard him that thou shouldest so sollicitously intend him either to crush him as if there were any danger in him or to humble him and to doe him good by the evils thou layest upon him that thou shouldest visit him every morning and try him every moment that is that thou shouldest so continually day after day yea every moment of the day and so diligently as those that rise early in the morning to dispatch their businesse they desire earnestly to be done observe and mark his waies and follow him with thy chastisements and tryalls The whole drift of this speech is to shew that poor base man was not worthy of so much honour that the great God of heaven and earth should so farre buisy himself about such a wretch to contend with him and to shew forth his power against him Vers 19. How long wilt thou not depart from me c. That is how long will it be ere thou wilt give over afflicting me and let me be at ease though it be but for a moment till I swallow down my spittle that is for a little while even but whilst I take my breath which is the very expression Iob useth afterward chap. 9.18 He will not suffer me to take my breath Vers 20. I have sinned what shall I doe unto thee O thou preserver of men As if he had said It is true indeed that I have sinned though I cannot yield what my friends would charge upon me that I have been secretly a wicked and vild hypocrite and so have drawn these extraordinary calamities upon my self yet that I have many waies sinned and provoked thee by my sins to displeasure I freely acknowledge there is no need that thou shouldest hold me still upon the wrack to draw this from me I freely confesse it and what shall I doe unto thee O thou preserver of men that is teach me O Lord what I shall doe or rather I know not what to doe I cannot make that undone which is done I can no way justifie or excuse my sins before thee who art the searcher of the heart and reins I can by no means make thee amends for that I have done or satisfie thy justice all I can doe is thus to confesse and acknowledge my fault and seeing therefore thou art the gracious preserver of men seeing thou dost of thy great goodnesse nourish cherish defend and sustain men and takest it as one of thy glorious titles that thou art the Saviour and preserver of men why dost thou destroy me whilst thou preservest others and dealest not with me according to thy wonted grace and goodnesse to other men Why hast thou set me as a mark against thee c. That is seeing I confesse my sins and humble my self before thee why dost thou still follow me with so many miseries and afflictions as if thou hadst culled me out from others as a mark against whom thou didst mean to empty thy quiver and as it were to make it thy sport to make me miserable so that I am a burden to my self that is I am not able to endure my self my very life and being is a burden to me Parallel hereto is that complaint of the Church Lam.
should have said as I dare not contend with God in judgement so neither is there any to whom I can referre the cause for arbitration if I were so foolish as to desire to plead my cause with God in that way alas where should we find any daies-man or umpire that should undertake to judge and decide the cause betwixt us both and so should consequently have power over both to prescribe bounds and orders to us in our arguing together to restrain either party as occasion was offered and to passe a finall sentence in our differences whereto both of us should be forced to stand for doubtlesse this phrase of a daies-man that might lay his hand upon us both is either used with respect to the usuall custome of Umpires who being chosen to hear and end some difference between parties at variance do sometimes lay their hand upon the one and sometimes upon the other when they undertake to shew them wherein they are or have been to blame or when they would restrain them from being too violent or order either party what they should doe and do at last cause them to shake hands and be friends or else is used only to signifie the power which the umpire must needs have over both sides to dispose of them in the controversies committed to his arbitrement as he sees cause for the laying of the hand upon any thing signifies the power which we have over it and hence is that expression Psal 89 25. I will set his hand also in the sea and his right hand in the rivers Vers 34. Let him take his rod away from me c. We cannot conceive that Iobs meaning in these words was that if God would withdraw his scourge which lay now so heavy upon him and not over-awe him with the terrour of his majesty he would then freely and without any fear of God undertake to plead his cause with God and to shew that he did causelessely lay those evils upon him for this were expressely contrary to that he had said before vers 2 3. that no man living can be just with God nor able to answer him one of a thousand if he will contend with him yea to that he had said immediately before vers 30 31. that though he were never so pure and innocent God could easily discover him to be as spiritually filthy as he must needs be outwardly that hath been plunged over head and ears in a ditch full of mire and therefore the meaning of these words is rather this that if God would not proceed in such extremity with him as now he did nor would terrifie him with the fear of the rigour of his justice and judgement before which he knew well he was not able to stand then he should not stick boldly and freely to plead his cause in regard of his accusers and to proove his integrity that he was not a wicked hypocrite as his friends affirmed him to be and therefore had such grievous punishments poured forth upon him Vers 35. But it is not so with me That is I am not in such a condition that I should speak so freely his rod lyes so heavy upon me and I see that he doth so discover his indignation against me and his resolution to deal with me in the uttermost severity of his justice that I am even overwhelmed with terrours and having to deal with God dare not say what otherwise I could say for my self if I had only to deal with men CHAP. X. Vers 1. MY soul is weary of my life c. Iob having said in the latter end of the foregoing chapter that God was of such terrible majesty and might that he durst not plead his cause with him as he would doe with a man as himself here now as it were correcting or recalling what he had said he professeth that yet his miseries were so great and insufferable that he could not forbear breaking forth into complaints and expostulations My soul is weary of my life I will leave my complaint upon my self c. Some read the first clause thus as we see in the margin My soul is cut off while I live as if he had said though as yet I live yet I am in a manner no better then a dead man and that either because he was in such a sad condition that he was more like a dead stinking carcase then a living man the life that he lived was not worthy the name of life or because he was irrecoverably gone as we use to say ready immediately to tumble into the grave there was but a step betwixt him and death or else thus my soul is in a manner cut off in the midst of my daies I was likely enough to have lived many a fair day but on a sudden my life is cut off and my daies are shortned But reading this clause as it is in our Bibles My soul is weary of my life either it is an Hebraisme wherein the soul is put for the whole man my soul is weary that is I am weary of my life and it may be meant generally that he was weary of living or that he was weary of that miserable life he lived or else it is expressed thus by way of emphasis My very soul that is the cause I live is weary of my life I do even from my soul loath and abhorre life and would be glad I were dead And this he laies down as the ground of his following complaints to wit because in such bitternesse of sorrows he was not able to forbear and withall haply to intimate his hope that God would the rather bear with him because by so great miseries he was as it were constrained to say what he said or else to imply that hereby he was encouraged to give way to his passion because if he should loose his life for speaking he should but loose that he was weary of and thereupon he adds I will leave my complaint upon my self I will speak in the bitternesse of my soul where by leaving his complaint upon himself is meant either that he would leave complaining of himself since he saw that by accusing and condemning himself he got no ease at all and would now plead his cause with God or else that though he suffered his soul to break forth into complaints yet his complaints should not rest upon God but upon himself he would only declare the misery of his condition without uttering a word that should tend to the reproach of God that had laid these sore calamities upon him or else rather that he would abundantly pour out his complaints concerning his sad and dolefull condition whatever came of it I will leave my complaint upon my self c. as if he should have said I will give way to my complaints to break forth they strive for a vent and I will no longer restrain them if any evil comes of it at my perill be it I must undergoe it though I have been
wit that God knew that he was not wicked and that none could deliver out of his hands namely because God made him and he must needs know man that made man neither was it possible that the work should deliver it self out of the hand of him that formed it and indeed that God must needs know man perfectly is prooved by the same argument Psal 94.9 Vnderstand ye bruitish He that planted the ear shall not he hear he that formed the eye shall he not see But I rather conceive that Iob adds this also in reference to what he had said before Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands intimating how strange it seemed to him that God should despise his own workmanship especially a piece of such excellency as man was and that yet he could not judge otherwise but that thus it was with him for God had made him and yet saith he thou doest destroy me as if thou madest no reckoning of me oh how wonderfull are thy judgements and thy waies past finding out Indeed because there is no wonder at all in it that God should destroy wicked men though they were the work of his hands concerning the old world the Lord said I will destroy man whom I have created Gen. 6.7 and concerning the rebellious Iews by the prophet Esa 27.11 He that made them will have no mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour therefore some Expositours conceive that those words Thine hands have made me and fashioned me are meant not only of Gods first forming him in his conception but also of the work of Regeneration when the Lord by the spirit of Grace did renew his image in him and made him a new creature this being that which seemed so strange to Iob that being such a one yet God should destroy him But methinks it is evident that the words do intend only the fashioning and framing of Iob in his first conception yet indeed that which Iob mentions as the matter of his wonder is not so much that he should destroy the work of his own hands as that he should doe it causelessely for so Iob conceived it was with him as if he minded not his own handy-work as is noted before vers 3. And besides this complaint may imply a deprecation Thou seemest resolved to destroy me but doe not consider that I am the work of thine own hands as it follows in the next vers Remember I beseech thee that thou hast made me c. Vers 9. Thou hast made me as the clay and wilt thou bring me into dust again Here Iob proceeds to desire God to be favourable to him from the foregoing consideration that he was the work of his own hands which he farther enlargeth in the following verses In the first words Thou hast made me as the clay some hold that he hath respect to the creation of our first father Adam in whom we were all made of earth of the dust of the ground Gen. 2.7 or else to his conception in the womb of his mother where the first materialls whereof he was made were such that it might well be said that he was at the first no better then clay But if he had had respect to either of these he would not have said that he was made as the clay but of clay Rather therefore the meaning is only this that as a potter doth form and fashion the clay which he makes into a vessel so God had wonderfully shaped and fashioned him in the womb of his mother and however some also conceive that the drift of this is to desire the Lord to deal more gently with him as considering of what brittle principles he was made Thou hast made me as the clay and wilt thou bring me into dust again that is thou hast made me as brittle as a vessel of clay so that thou needest not lay thine hand so heavy upon me to bring me back into dust again yea since I am sure ere long to molder into dust again let that suffice and do not make me live that short time I have to live in such extreme torment and misery as now I doe yet I should rather judge that the chief thing he still pleads is that since God had so wonderfully made him he would not now causelessely destroy the work of his own hands for though he had many times in a passion wished himself dead yet it is no wonder at all that when he comes to plead with God he should desire him to spare his life at least that he would not with such fury and indignation grind and beat him to dust as by his present proceedings with him he seemed resolved to doe Vers 10. Hast thou not poured me out as milk and crudled me as cheese Thus he modestly expresseth how wonderfully he was by the mighty power of God conceived in the womb of the seed of his parents which being first poured forth as milk whereto in colour it is not unlike afterwards was congealed and crudled together like cheese and so became an imperfect embryo And hereby Iob seeks to set forth what a rare and choice piece man is especially considering of what vild and sordid principles he is made We wonder not much to see a cheese made of crudled milk but that a living man bearing the image of God and so artificially and curiously framed and joyned together in every part should be made of such base materialls this is exceeding wonderfull and the more it heightened the worth of Gods workmanship in the forming of man the stranger it seemed to Iob that God should despise such a precious piece of his own handy-work Vers 11. Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh c. He tearms his skin and flesh a clothing either in reference to his soul which is the chief of man and to which the body is as it were a garment which it wears during its abode here in this world and then at the hour of death puts it off and laies it by for a time whence is that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.4 where those that die are said to be unclothed or else rather in reference to the inward and more noble and tender vitall parts the heart liver brains and bowells which are clothed and covered with flesh and skin especially the vitall parts which are therefore also said to be fenced with bones and sinews as alluding to the fence of the ribs and the orderly juncture of other bones and sinews whereby the inward especially the vitall parts are kept safe and preserved However Iob still proceeds to shew how wonderfully he was formed in his mothers womb when the same liquid substance which a while was but as crudled milk became severally in some part skin and flesh and elsewhere bones and sinews all which tends still to set forth how strange it was to him that God should causelessely destroy what he had made with so
for God and for the defence of his justice Now this Iob chargeth upon his friends because under a pretence of pleading for God they accused Iob to be a wicked man though they had long experience of him and knew to the contrary and because they affirmed that God were not just if he should so severely punish a righteous man which was indeed dishonourable to God as if God might not justly correct the most innocent man or do with his own creatures what seemed good in his own eyes Will you speak wickedly for God c. as if he should have said can you judge it right to patronise Gods cause with lies Hath he need of any such defence or do you think he will like it that you should plead his cause in such a manner Vers 8. Will ye accept his person c. That is will you as by way of gratifying God speak that for him which you in your own consciences know is not right and true as those doe that accept the persons of great men and so not regarding the cause but the person will speak any thing in favour of them though they know it to be never so false And to the same sense we must understand the next clause will ye contend for God that is will you thus contend and wrangle for God against that which you know to be just and right To contend for the glory of God in a right manner is exceeding commendable but that which Iob upbraids his friends with in these words is that they should think as it were to doe God a pleasure by speaking that which was false in his defence Vers 9. Is it good that he should search you out c. As if he had said you can-cannot be ignorant that God knows all that is in your hearts more exactly then men can know any thing which with greatest diligence they search into so that how zealous soever you seem for God and how cunningly soever you frame your accusations against me if that you have spoken have proceeded more from corrupt passion then true zeal more from a desire to conquer then to comfort me if you deal not candidly and sincerely with me if you charge me with that which in your consciences you know is not true and that as it were to collogue and curry favour with him or if you do indeed think in your hearts that God is unjust if he punisheth the righteous God will find this out and can you think that this will be any advantage to you Take heed you cannot mock and deceive God as one man mocketh and deceiveth another Vers 10. He will surely reproove you if ye do escretly accept persons If you unjustly accuse me that thereby you may seem to gratifie God though you doe this never so secretly and cunningly under a pretence of maintaining his justice he he will reproove you and punish you for it though from men this may be concealed God will discover it and make you smart for it Vers 11. Shall not his excellency make you afraid c. That is shall not the majesty of God scare you from thinking to deal with God as you would deal with a man as your selves Vers 12. Your remembrances are like unto ashes your bodies to bodies of clay By their remembrances may be meant either particularly their fame and memoriall after their death or else more generally whatever was excellent and worthy to be remembred concerning them as their great honour power wealth their high esteem and the memorable acts they had done whilst they lived So that this is doubtlesse added as a reason of that he had said in the foregoing words that the majesty of God might well scare them from thinking to deal with God as they had done to wit because of their base and despicable condition in regard of that transcendent excellency that was in God Your remembrances are like unto ashes your bodies to bodies of clay As if he should have said how dare such vile and contemptible creatures as you are in whom all that is most memorable shall come to nothing as ashes that are scattered with a puffe of wind and are seen no more even your very bodies no better then earthen pots or heaps of clay how dare you speak of God as you have done Consider your condition what you are in comparison of God and you will see your folly in thinking to come in with your lies to help him as it were at a dead lift The expression is much like that chap. 4.19 concerning which see the Note there Some indeed understand this to have been spoken as by way of threatning to wit that because they had spoken so rashly and reproachfully of God both themselves and their memoriall should utterly perish and come to nothing even as when ashes the only memoriall of wood burnt are blown away and so are as if they had never been nor could there an apter punishment be threatned to proud men that are so ambitious to have their names had in remembrance when they are gone But the first exposition agreeth best with that which went before and that which follows after Vers 13. Let me alone that I may speak and let come on me what will Some think that Iob only intended hereby that he was resolved to speak however his friends took it or what censure soever they should passe upon him But it may better be referred to the determination of God Iobs friends had advised him to forbear those speeches he had used as out of compassion to him least he should provoke God to lay his hand yet more heavily upon him He desires therefore here that not taking thought in this kind for him they would give him free liberty to plead his cause with God and then let God doe to him what he pleased Yet this he speaks not in a desperate manner as not caring what became of him but as out of assurance of Gods fatherly love as is evident in that which follows vers 15. Vers 14. Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in mine hand Because when a man is sollicitous to keep a thing safe he will carry it in his hand and will scarce let it goe out of his hand upon any occasion therefore putting the life in the hand is interpreted by some for a sollicitous care of life As if he had said wherefore do I keep my life so close as if I were loth to part with it what need I take so much care for my life since if I loose my life I know it shall be well with me If God slay me I will trust in him But rather on the contrary putting the life into the hand may note a mans readinesse to die And so here Iob might say that he put his life in his hand either because he was in a manner a dying man ready every moment as I may say to lay down his life or else because he was
calamities and the cause thereof might be made known before the heavens and before all the world O earth cover not thou my bloud that is cover not the bloud and corruption that issueth out of my ulcers or rather hide not my misery sorrows and sufferings and let my cry have no place that is let there be no place found that should hide my cry from coming up into the presence of God for this they say he desires not so much that his miseries might be known to men as that God might take notice of them and so might judge and plead his cause against those that derided and falsely accused him The other is that these words contain a vehement protestation of his innocency Having said in the foregoing verse that he suffered not for any injustice in his hands c. because he had often thus professed his innocency and his friends he saw did not believe him therefore he breaks forth into this vehement and patheticall expression O earth cover not thou my bloud that is if by oppressing the poor or any other way of injustice I have drawn the guilt of bloud upon my self let not the earth cover or hide that bloudy wickednesse but let it be discovered and let it cry to heaven for vengeance as did the bloud of Abel against Cain whereto it is very likely that Iob did allude and indeed oppression and such like bloudsucking sins are often intended in the Scripture where it speaks of bloud as Habak 2.12 Woe to him that buildeth a town with bloud and establisheth a city by iniquity and let my cry have no place that is let not the cry of that my oppression find any hiding-place but let it be known to God and man and so indeed the word cry is sometimes used in the Scripture as Isa 5.7 he looked for judgement but behold oppression for righteousnesse but behold a cry or rather and let my cry have no place that is when I cry in my extremities let not God nor man regard it yea and when I call to men for help or pray to God for mercy let me not prevail either with man or God but let just vengeance fall upon me according to that Psal 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me Vers 19. Also now behold my witnesse is in heaven c. This word also may be referred either to his acquaintance as if he should have said though there are many that if they would speak the truth can witnesse for me that I have lived holily and righteously yet however my comfort is that God is my witnesse that it is so or else to himself as if he had said what I have protested concerning mine innocency God also in heaven who from on high beholds all things can and I know will witnesse for me that it is true Vers 20. My friends scorn me but mine eye poureth out tears unto God That is God being my witnesse who knoweth exactly the innocency of my life and the sincerity of my heart though my friends scorn and deride me yet I can comfort my self in God to him I appeal who is my Iudge to him I look up and with tears do pour out my complaints and requests before him who is indeed my only stay and comfort Vers 21. O that one might plead for a man with God as a man pleadeth for his neighbour This is in a manner the same that he had desired before chap. 9.34 35. and 13.3 and 20 concerning which see the severall Notes there only these words may be understood as a desire either that himself might plead his cause with God or else that some other might doe it for him and may imply his hope that some body might be found that would undertake to maintain his innocency and then God passing judgement either he should know wherein he had erred and so might amend it or else by the judgement of God openly pronounced he should be clearly acquitted before all that should hear it Vers 22. When a few years are come then I shall goe the way whence I shall not return Concerning this expression see what is noted before chap. 7.9 10. Neither is there any thing farther difficult in these words but only their dependance upon that which went before wherein every Expositour is almost in a severall mind Some conceive that these words are added by way of comforting himself in that by his death which hastened so fast upon him there would an end be put to all his miseries Others as an aggravation of his friends cruelty of which he had spoken before vers 20. My friends scorn me c. because they took no pity of a man ready as it were to give up the ghost Others as an argument to move God to allay his miseries and not to lay his hand so heavy upon one that is dying already Others by way of clearing himself from not speaking sincerely in that protestation he had now made concerning his innocency for having death before his eyes as ready immediately to seise upon him what likelyhood was there that he should speak against his conscience Others as by way of correcting what he had spoken concerning his innocency as if he should have said why do I stand protesting mine innocency or wishing I might plead my cause with God It is altogether in vain and to no purpose since I am in a manner a dead man already And last of all others conceive that herein a reason is given why he had desired in the foregoing verse that his cause might be pleaded before God to wit because he perceived he had but a short time to live and he desired before his departure that either he might know what it was wherewith God had been provoked to deal so severely with him that so he might repent of it or else that God might acquit him from that wickednesse and hypocrisie whereof his friends had accused him that so he might die in peace and leave a good report behind him for the comfort and edification of others of Gods people CHAP. XVII Vers 1. MY breath is corrupt c. Some read this as it is in the margin of our Bibles My spirit is spent and so make his complaint to be that his vitall spirits were in a manner quite wasted and so consequently his life also that was preserved thereby But taking it as it is in our Translation the meaning must needs be that his breathing was stopped and marred or rather that his breath was infected and stunk through some inward putrefaction and so some Expositours understand that also chap. 19.17 My breath is strange to my wife c. And indeed it is clear that the drift of his words here was to shew that by the decay of his body he might plainly see that his death could not be farre off to which purpose is that also which follows my daies are extinct that is the light of my life is in a
know it may be understood as the former of the Lords punishing the wicked man in his children to wit that by punishing them he rewardeth the wicked man according to his wickednesse and he shall know it to wit because it shall be done in his life-time for his greater vexation he shall before he dies see the judgements of God fall upon his children and his conscience shall tell him that it is for his wickednesse that they are punished Or else it may be meant of the punishments wherewith he shall be punished in his own person thereby farther to aggravate the misery appointed pointed for the wicked mans portion he rewardeth him that is he doth not only recompence his sin upon his children as was expressed in the first clause but also upon himself in his own person and he shall know it that is he shall know that the evil which befalls him is the just vengeance of God upon him Vers 20. His eyes shall see his destruction c. This may be also meant either of his own personall ruine or of the joynt-ruine both of him and his even all that he hath As for the following clause and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty the meaning of that is that God should poure out his wrath with many sore punishments in a full measure upon him and the metaphoricall expression he useth seems to imply that the pains and terrours thereof should enter into his very bowels and that he should become as a man that is drunk and mad with the sore calamities that God should bring upon him yea purposely I conceive God is here expressed by this name Almighty to imply how grievous and insupportable those plagues must needs be that were inflicted by the wrath of an Almighty God Vers 21. For what pleasure hath he in his house after him when the number of his moneths is cut off in the midst This is added either 1. as an aggravation of the wicked mans misery when he himself is cut off by the revenging hand of God especially if it be done in the flower of his age to wit that all the pleasure he took in thinking how great and honourable his house and family would be when he is gone doth then come to nothing or 2. as a reason why the wicked man shall surely be punished not only in his children after his death but also in his own person as was said in the foregoing verse to wit because being dead himself the misery of his children cannot then trouble him or else 3. as a reason why God doth destroy the wicked mans children whilst himself yet lives as was said before vers 19. to wit because being once dead he neither takes any delight in the welfare of his posterity nor consequently is at all troubled with any miseries that they then suffer yea because wicked men do not usually take any thought what shall become of others when they are dead so it may goe well with them in their own daies let their posterity after them shift for themselves Vers 22. Shall any teach God knowledge c. They carry themselves as if they meant to teach God wisedome and knowledge that murmure against any of his proceedings as when he prospers the wicked or afflicts the righteous or that prescribe God the way of his judgements to wit whom and when and how he shall punish which they do that limit God by maintaining that he cannot punish the righteous or afflict the godly Of this therefore it is that Job here complains alledging it as a high degree of impudence that man who walks so much in the dark and hath all the knowledge he hath from God and whose wisedome at the best is mere folly in comparison of Gods unsearchable wisedome should yet dare to teach God what he should doe and so he covertly taxeth his friends of this arrogance in that they did as it were set a law to God by condemning him for a wicked man because of his grievous calamities as concluding that God could not in justice either suffer the wicked to goe unpunished or afflict the righteous Now the reason that he gives why it is such arrogance for any man to carry himself so as if he would teach God knowledge is in the last words because God judgeth those that are high shall any teach God knowledge seeing he judgeth those that are high that is seeing he is as Solomon also faith Eccles 5.8 higher then the highest the supreme judge of the whole world who rules and governs those that are highest amongst men and that exalt themselves most in their eminency princes and kings and emperours yea the very angels themselves in heaven And indeed three things are implyed herein from whence it may be strongly inferred that we ought to adore and admire the works of God we understand not and not to judge them according to the rule of our reason to wit 1. that it must needs be a high degree of presumption to question his wisedome who is so infinitely farre above all the creatures 2. that it cannot be reasonably thought that he should fail in the government of men who rules and governs those glorious and holy spirits the angels in heaven and 3. that being the supreme Governour of the world the King of kings and Lord of lords yea the Lord of the angels he must needs be infinite in wisedome yea the absolute rule of all wisedome and justice and therefore unquestionable Vers 23. One dieth in his full strength being wholly at ease and quiet c. To prove the unsearchablenesse of Gods proceedings and that it is not possible to judge what men are by that which God doth to them here in this world Job here instanceth how differently God deals with two severall men both in their life and death and yet how after death they are both alike laid in the grave and there seems to be there no difference at all Of the first he saith here One dieth in his full strength being wholly at ease and quiet that is he lives in a full estate and in much quiet both of body and spirit and so he dies also in abundance of all things when he seemed to be as healthfull and strong as ever and had as much cause still to desire to live as ever and then again vers 24. His breasts are full of milk and his bones are moistned with marrow that is there is not the least decay in his body only God is pleased suddenly to take him away by death or his milk-pails are full of milk for so this clause may be read as we see in the margin of our Bibles and his bones are moistned with marrow that is he hath a full estate and a healthfull body for if we read it thus by his milk-pails full of milk must be meant his plenty of all outward riches and pleasures Of the other man he saith vers 25. And another dieth in the bitternesse of his
were I guilty of it would indeed be a shame and reproach to me to wit either for speaking or doing wickedly or else rather for denying mine integrity Vers 7. Let mine enemy be as the wicked and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous This is also divers waies understood by Expositours Some say that Job here speaks ironically and by the wicked unrighteous man means himsef as if he should have said You judge me a wicked ungodly man because of the extreme afflictions that lye upon me but as sad as my condition is so much good I wish my enemies that rise up against me that I could be glad that they were in no worse a condition then that poor wretch whom you so harshly condemn as a wicked man Others again hold that those that had robbed him of his estate and other waies wronged him are the enemies he here speaks of and so make the sense of the words to be this Let those that robbed me and wronged me be looked upon as wicked ungodly men I for my part am no such man Others again conceive that by his enemies and those that rose up against him Job meant these his friends and so give this to be the sense of the words Let those that condemn me for a wicked man because of mine afflictions bear the brand of wicked men and not I that am innocent of those things they charge me with as if he should have said They that oppose the truth which I have maintained that causelesly condemn me for a wicked wretch they deserve to be judged wicked men better then I do only some to allay the sharpnesse of such a censure say that Job doth not absolutely condemn them for wicked men but only affirms that there was more of wickednesse in that which they did then there was in any thing they could fasten upon him Let mine enemy be as the wicked and as the unrighteous according to a like expression chap. 2.10 Thou speakest as one of the foolish women And lastly others most probably conceive that in these words Iob gives a farther proof of his integrity Let mine enemy be as the wicked c. as if he had said Though the wicked may live I know in a very prosperous condition yet so farre am I from liking their waies that I could wish mine enemy no greater mischief then that he should be a wicked man or that God should deal with him as he will certainly deal with the wicked And indeed the like expressions we often meet with as 2 Sam. 25 26. Let thine enemies and they that seek evil to my Lord be as Nabal and so also 2 Sam. 18.32 and Dan. 4.19 Vers 8. For what is the hope of the hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his soul The scope of these words together with the following verses is either to shew how farre he was from being a wicked hypocrite as they had judged him to be by declaring what thoughts he had of the wretched condition of such men to wit that when God comes to seise upon them by the harbingers of death and to take or pluck away their souls though they had gained never so much before and so thereby God seemed to prosper them they must needs be then in a hopelesse and comfortlesse condition because all that they placed their hopes in their wealth and friends and other things shall fail them and whereas they promised themselves long life and much pleasure in their estates they shall find their hopes herein disappointed and in God who then shews himself an enemy they can have no confidence Or else to prove that his friends might have discerned a difference betwixt him and hypocrites even in these sad calamities that had befallen him and therefore had no cause to censure him so harshly to wit because though outwardly it fares alike with the righteous and the hypocrite yet their carriage of themselves in the hour of adversity is very different the hypocrite not having then any hope in God when God summons him by death which the righteous have from whence he intimates that since he in his lowest estate did still hope in God and pray to God and desired to plead his cause before God they might hereby plainly perceive that he was not an hypocrite And to the same purpose is that which follows Vers 9. Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him That is when either trouble and terrours of conscience or any outward distresse do seise upon him Vers 10. Will he delight himself in the Almighty c. That is when he sees that he is likely to be taken away from all the comforts he enjoyed here will he then comfort himself in God alone as acknowledging him to be alone an all-sufficient ground of joy and comfort or though Gods hand be never so heavy upon him will he notwithstanding still cleave to God and delight himself in him as knowing that God is well pleased with him will he alwaies call upon God that is not only in adversity but in his prosperity too and so also not only in prosperity but in times of distresse too yea though his afflictions be never so sore and of never so long continuance Vers 11. I will teach you by the hand of God c. Some translate this as it is in the margin of our Bibles I will teach you being in the hand of God and so take the sense of the words to be this that whereas hypocrites in distresse have no hope in God it was not so with him for though he were at the present under the afflicting hand of God he would teach them better But taking the words as they are in our Bible the meaning must be either thus I will teach you by the hand of God that is God assisting me or by Gods speciall inspiration I will teach you as where the prophet saith Isa 8.11 the Lord spake to me with a strong hand and instructed me or else thus rather I will teach you by the hand of God that is I will teach you by shewing you the mighty power of God and the glorious works of his hand to wit what are the usuall dispensations of his Providence both toward the righteous and toward the wicked And hereto agreeth the following clause that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal that is I will not conceal the decrees and judgements which God daily executes in the world sometimes prospering and sometimes punishing both the wicked and the righteous And indeed of all these he speaks in his following discourse and this he premiseth before-hand either that he might quicken their attention by shewing what great and high things they were of which he meant to speak or else thereby to give them to understand that he should plainly discover by the usuall waies of Gods proceedings that there is no judging of men by their outward condition Vers 12. Behold all ye your selves have seen
it c. As if he should have said You are learned wise men men that observe the waies and works of God at least such you boast your selves to be and therefore herein I dare appeal to your selves concerning the truth of that which I have said and that which I shall now farther say you your selves have known it and have seen it so in your own experience But what was it they had seen Some referre it to that which he had said concerning his innocency some to that foregoing observation of his that he had not carried himself in his distresse as hypocrites used to do But I conceive it is best referred to that which he meant now to teach them as he had said in the foregoing verse concerning Gods dispensing the same both blessings and afflictions to the wicked and to the righteous This saith he ye your selves have seen and then he adds why then are ye thus altogether vain that is why do you so vainly conclude that God alwaies punisheth wicked men and prospers the righteous and thereupon condemn me for an hypocrite why do you multiply words nothing to the purpose not giving any one solid answer to that which I have objected and yet persevere in condemning me upon grounds so palpably false Vers 13. This is the portion of a wicked man with God and the heritage of oppressours c. Zophar had said the very same in effect chap. 20.29 of which see the Note there and therefore some think that Job in this and the following verses doth only alledge what his friends had said and that to shew why he had charged them in the foregoing verse that they were altogether vain to wit that they had said This is the portion of a wicked man with God c. But I doubt not but Job delivers this as his own judgement And yet he doth not hereby recant what he had formerly said concerning the prosperity of the wicked nor yield to that which his friends had hitherto maintained to wit that God doth alwaies manifest his indignation against wicked men by punishing them here in this world only to clear his meaning in that he had said concerning the prosperous condition of the wicked to shew that he was willing to yield to all that was truth in that which his friends had said and that so much he was able to say as well as they he grants them here thus much that indeed many times the prosperity of the wicked did end in extreme misery though they might long live free from punishment yet often that befell them at last even here in this world which God who is Almighty had appointed them for their portion and inheritance and therefore the mightiest of these oppressours are not able to resist it and then afterwards he adds what it was wherein he opposed his friends to wit that it was not alwaies thus but that many times on the other side in his secret wisedome whereof he speaks much in the following chapter the righteous were afflicted sorely whilst the wicked lived in great prosperity Vers 14. If his children be multiplyed it is for the sword c. Against which though they be never so many they shall not be able to defend themselves and so that which might seem to the wicked man at first a pledge of Gods favour shall be found at last to have been given merely for the encrease of his future misery that he might have many children to be devoured by the sword to wit the sword of Gods vengeance or rather the sword of an enemy for the following clause makes this later Exposition the more probable and his off-spring shall not be satisfied with bread that is they shall not only live in penury and want but shall even perish by famine Vers 15. Those that remain of him shall be buried in death c. That is those of his children and childrens children that remain and are not cut off by sword or famine shall die yet of some other disease and so shall be buried though they lived as if they should never die yet they shall be buried in death that is they shall die and being dead shall be buried I know there are divers other Expositions given of these words as thus they shall be buried in death that is they shall die and rot when they die and that shall be all their buriall according to that Jer. 16.4 Or they shall be buried in death that is whilst they are yet dying before the breath be well out of their bodies at least so soon as ever they are dead they shall be presently clapped into the grave without any funerall rites and solemnities Or they shall be buried in death that is so soon as they are dead they shall be buried in oblivion their name and memory shall be buried with them Or they shall be buried in death that is in the grave which is called the chambers of death Prov. 7.27 But the first Exposition is I conceive as the plainest so the best And as for the following clause And his widows shall not weep it is expressed in the plurall number his widows either because they had in those times many wives or else because it comprehends the widows of the wicked mans whole family and by not weeping is meant either that through extreme penury they should not be able to make any funerall for him or else that indeed they should not mourn for his death and that either because their miseries should be so many and so exceeding great that being as it were stupified thereby they should not be able to weep or else rather because they should be indeed glad that they were rid of him Vers 18. He buildeth his house as a moth c. It may be said that the wicked man buildeth his house as a moth 1. because he builds it with much pains and skill as the moth makes her nest 2. because he doth even wast himself in the doing of it even as a moth makes her bag or silken woolly nest out of her own bowels 3. because he builds his house with the spoil and ruine of others as the moth eats the garment where she builds her nest But 4. that which I conceive is chiefly intended is because though he buildeth his house as if he hoped to dwell there for ever yet both he and it shall suddenly be destroyed as when the moth is quickly brushed or shaken out of the garment where she had made her nest For upon the like ground Bildad had before compared the wicked mans house to the house of a spider chap. 8.14 of which see the Note there And to the same purpose in the next clause it is said that it shall be as a booth that the keeper maketh For if it be meant of those that are set to keep a vineyard or a garden of fruits they use only to make some slight booth of the boughs of trees and perhaps stollen out of the neighbours hedges
or woods which so soon as the fruits are fully ripe and gathered and the keeper gone are quickly broken down and burnt up by the poor or fall down of themselves and if it be meant of those that keep cattel their booths or tents seldome stand so long because they so often remove to seek for fresh pasture Vers 19. The rich man shall lye down but he shall not be gathered c. That is He shall die as others but he shall not be buried as others at least not with the solemnity of friends attending him to his grave For that by being gathered is meant buried we may see in many other places as where it is said of Aaron Numb 20.26 he shall be gathered and shall die there and of Josiah 2 Kings 22.20 I will gather thee unto thy fathers and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave and of the Jews Jer. 8.2 they shall not be gathered neither buried they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth And hereto agrees also the following clause he openeth his eyes and he is not for though because this is mentioned after his death and buriall therefore some Expositours understand it of the wicked mans soul after it is parted from his body to wit that he then sees with the eyes of his mind that he is cut off from the land of the living yet I think we may better take it as a farther amplification of that which was said already in the foregoing clause he openeth his eyes and he is not that is whilst he is looking about him and beholding with much joy the riches he hath stored up for many years in an instant he is gone or thus He openeth his eyes lying on his death-bed looking about for help ease or comfort but in stead thereof he perceives himself a dead man ready to be taken from all his comforts or thus Being yet in his former condition in the twinckling of an eye he is taken away Vers 20. Terrours take hold on him as waters c. That is when God brings his judgements upon him and especially when he sees death approaching the terrours of an evil conscience yea many and manifold affrightments besides shall suddenly unexpectedly and unresistably surprise and overwhelm him as when an unexpected floud of waters breaks forth upon men and overwhelms them We have had formerly expressions much like to this concerning which see the Notes chap. 18.11 and 20.25 and 22.11 And doubtlesse of this affrighting evil must the following clause be understood a tempest stealeth him away in the night that is the wrath of God or some grievous judgement from God comes upon him with unresistable violence when he least thinks of it as it were in the night and carrieth him away to wit out of the world or out of that pompous condition wherein he lived Vers 21. The East wind carrieth him away c. This is also meant as the foregoing clause of the wrath or Judgements of God which are compared to the East wind because that wind in those Eastern countries used to be most violent and is therefore called the wind of the Lord Hos 13.15 Vers 22. For God shall cast upon him and not spare he would fain flee out of his hand That is God in this tempest of his wrath shall showre down Judgements upon him as thick as hail-stones without shewing him any more pity then he hath formerly shewn to others so that though he would fain flee from his vengeance yet he shall not be able Vers 23. Men shall clap their hands at him and shall hisse him out of his place To wit by way of wonder derision and scorn but especially by way of rejoycing that the world is rid of such an oppressing miscreant and that the just judgements of God are at last executed upon him for in these regards men are said to hisse and clap their hands in other places of Scripture as Lam. 2.15 All that passe by clap their hands at thee they hisse and wagge their head at the daughter of Ierusalem saying Is this the city that men call the perfection of beauty c. and so also Ezek. 25.6 and 1 Kings 9.8 CHAP. XXVIII Vers 1. SVrely there is a vein for the silver and a place for the gold where they fine it To wit which men by the naturall wisedome which God hath given them do search and find out for their use though they lye deep in the earth many times under hills and mountains and being so far out of sight and so hard to be discerned where they are one would wonder how they should be discovered The greatest difficulty is to know what it is that Job aims at in those words of his set down in this chapter and what dependance they have with that which went before Some conceive that Jobs drift here is to shew that though worldly men do gather all variety of earthly treasures yet the godly have a treasure above all these which is true wisedome consisting in the knowledge and fear of God vers 28. Others hold that Job labours to make out this that if God disposeth of all things with great wisedome and there is nothing done to any of the creatures without just reason much lesse can we think that God would punish man causelesly Others again say that having set down in the foregoing chapter the miserable end of those foolish men that sought by wickednesse to make themselves great here now he shews the reason why such men did not seek after true wisedome to wit because they knew not where it was to be had namely with God and so set their hearts merely upon earthly things But that which I find both most commonly and most probably held by Expositours concerning the scope of this chapter and the connection thereof with that which went before is this that having in the foregoing chapter yielded that God doth often bring ruine upon wicked men here in this world in the conclusion in this chapter now he undertakes to shew that yet notwithstanding the wisedome of God in many other strange dispensations of his Providence is altogether unsearchable as namely when he doth sometimes on the other side prosper the wicked and afflict the righteous thereby to prove that his friends were altogether vain as he had said chap. 27.12 in judging so peremptorily that he was wicked because of his afflictions as if there could not be in these proceedings of God with him a secret depth of wisedome which they were not able to dive into Only for the farther illustration of the unsearchablenesse of Gods wisedome first he shews here in the beginning of the chapter what deep secrets of Nature man by his wisedome hath searched out instancing in the finding out the melting and fining the severall minerals that lye deep and hidden in the bowels of the earth and then afterwards adds vers 12. that though the most hidden secrets of nature are thus found out by the wisedome of
being kept secret in the bosome of God or only by God revealed unto men Vers 14. The depth saith It is not in me and the sea saith It is not in me By the depth as it is here distinguished from the sea we must needs understand either deep rivers or the waters that are under the earth or else rather the depth of the earth it self as Psal 75.20 there is expresse mention made we see of the depths of the earth But however the meaning of this clause is either that man cannot find out wisedome though he travels by land or by sea never so farre or rather that it cannot be found either in the entrails of the earth or in the bottome of the sea as gold and silver and other costly minerals and precious stones many times are Vers 15. It cannot be gotten for gold c. See the former Note vers 13. Vers 17. The exchange of it shall not be for jewels or vessels of fine gold The price whereof is much enhaunsed many times by the curious workmanship thereof Vers 19. The Topaz of Ethiopia shall not equall it That is even those gems that are the more esteemed because they are fetched from a far country Vers 20. Whence then cometh wisedome c. See the former Note vers 12. Vers 21. Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living and kept close from the fowls of the air Though we read the last clause as some do and kept close from the fowls of heaven yet that it should be meant of the angels in heaven seems to me very improbable Rather I conceive the meaning of the whole verse to be either that man can no where find out this supernaturall wisedome as he doth many of the secrets of nature minerals and precious stones c. and so this clause that it is kept close from the fowls of the air is added to imply that as it cannot be found in the depths of the earth or sea as he had said before so neither in the regions of the air above no where under heaven no where but in the bosome of God so that though men could mount up into the air and from thence behold all things on the earth as the quick-sighted fowls of the air do yet they could not thereby discover this wisedome or else more generally that no creature can attain to this wisedome farther at least then God is pleased to reveal it to them nature is a mere stranger to it and therefore it is hid from all creatures high or low whatever they are Vers 22. Destruction and death say We have heard the fame thereof with our ears The meaning is that though they had heard some talk or mention of wisedome yet that was all they were never able fully to find it out Some by destruction and death understand the devils and damned in hell others the souls of the Saints departed to wit that even when they are no longer clogged with earthly bodies and so are the freer to search after wisedome they were never able fully to comprehend it yea and others understand it more generally yet of all men that have lived formerly from the first creation and are now dead to wit that they were never any more able to find out this wisedome of God then those that are now living though formerly they lived many years and so had great advantage to gain more wisedome then others and though some of them were in their times men of great wisedome as the Philosophers and others yet this supernaturall wisedome of God they were never able to comprehend that which they had was but a shadow of wisedome as farre short of true wisedome as the fame of a thing is short of the thing it self But lastly others understand by destruction and death hell and the grave or rather the depths and bowels of the earth and sea and so make the meaning to be this that though there the fame of wisedome hath been heard to wit because the providence of God extends it self to the ordering of all things there yet there this supernaturall wisedome cannot be learnt or found And this Exposition I conceive most probable and judge this which is said here to be much the same with that before vers 14. The depth saith It is not in me Vers 23. God understandeth the way thereof and he knoweth the place thereof If we conceive that Job speaks here of that supernaturall knowledge of God and the way of salvation which is indeed the only true wisedome of man the meaning then must needs be that God only knoweth how this is to be attained because God must reveal it to man or he can never attain it But if we understand it of the secret wisedome of God in the government of the world as questionlesse Job intended it then the meaning of the words is that God and he only understands where this wisedome is because it rests only in his own bosome he fully knows all the waies of his Providence to wit how and why all things are done as why the wicked often prosper and the righteous are afflicted which are all to man altogether unsearchable Vers 24. For he looketh to the ends of the earth c. That is he beholds all things not only in heaven but also throughout the world to wit that he may order and dispose of them as seems good unto himself and this Job alledgeth as an evident proof that therefore God must needs perfectly know the cause of all things that are done in the world which are hidden from man And indeed this place makes it clear as I conceive that the unsearchable wisedome Job speaks of in this chapter which is known only to God and which man cannot attain is that of his counsels in all the waies and works of his Providence Vers 25. To make the weight for the winds and he weigheth the waters by measure The meaning is that God doth appoint and order such a quantity and measure both of the winds and waters whether we understand it of the rain that comes down from the clouds or of the waters that are in seas rivers brooks and springs upon the earth as may serve just for the accomplishment of what he hath purposed with himself whether for judgement or mercy that either the winds or waters are more or lesse in one place or in another it is not by chance but by the Providence of God who sees well and understands all that he doth Vers 26. When he made a decree for the rain and a way for the lightning of the thunder c. The drift of these words is to shew that the unsearchable wisedome whereby God governs the world and the fulnesse thereof was with God and therefore known to him from the beginning of the world yea even from eternity When he made a decree for the rain c. that is when from all eternity he decreed or when at the first creation he established an order how
pressed Job with this greatnesse of God and the basenesse of man in comparison of God to this I answer that they alledged this to inferre from thence that therefore Job was certainly a wicked man God being so infinitely wise and just would not else have punished him so severely but now Elihu alledgeth it upon a better ground only to convince him of his fault in murmuring against God and pleading so peremptorily with him as he had done Vers 13. Why dost thou strive against him for he giveth not an account of any of his matters That is He is not to be called to give a reason of what he doth his will is a law most righteous and it is reason sufficient that it is his pleasure it should be so And thus he covertly reproves Job for complaining so often that God had not made known to him why he used him so hardly as chap. 10.2 I will say unto God Do not condemn me shew me wherefore thou contendest with me and in many other places Vers 14. For God speaketh once yea twice yet man perceiveth it not As if he had said For the truth is that God doth sufficiently make known to men sometimes by one means sometimes by another why he punisheth them and what it is he would have them doe though men through the ignorance or pride or security of their hearts perceive it not It cannot therefore be said that God forewarns them not God speaketh once yea twice that is again and again by severall waies and means We have the same phrase Psal 62.11 God hath spoken once twice have I heard this that power belongeth unto God Vers 15. In a dream in a vision of the night c. This is mentioned as one of the waies whereby God warns men of their sins either before or when he afflicts them Indeed in those daies of Iob before God had given men his written word such divine revelations were the chief way whereby he made known his will unto men and besides it is probable that Elihu hath respect herein to that which Iob had said chap. 7.14 thou scarest me with dreams and terrifiest me with visions Vers 16. Then he openeth the ears of men c. That is Then he revealeth his will to men by shewing them their sins and what he would have them doe and causeth them to attend to what is discovered to them as coming from God As for the following clause and sealeth their instruction I conceive the meaning of it to be plainly this that he causeth that instruction which he affords them in such dreams and visions to be surely imprinted upon their minds Yet I know many Expositours do otherwise understand it as first that when God hath thus declared to them his will and warned them of their sins by dreams and visions then he sealeth those instructions by following corrections that is he confirms and makes good what he had so spoken he makes them see the certain truth of that which he had so revealed to them or secondly that he drives home the instruction given them by assuring them in the same divine revelations as certainly as if he gave it them under his hand and seal that if they will not receive instruction judgement shall follow Vers 17. That he may withdraw man from his purpose and hide pride from man That is that he may take man off from those sinfull courses upon which he was fully bent and cure him of his pride to wit that pride which is the root of all evil that makes men exalt themselves to the contempt of God as if they might doe what they pleased themselves For then may pride be said to be hid from man when he ceaseth to be proud there is no more pride to be found in him but he is humbled being as one that is ashamed and confounded in himself and blusheth even to hold up his face before God Vers 18. He keepeth back his soul from the pit and his life from perishing by the sword That is And thus by bringing him to repentance he saves him from that temporall and eternall destruction which otherwise would have fallen upon him for by the pit may be meant both the grave and Hell and by the sword the sword of Gods vengeance both here and hereafter Vers 19. He is chastned also with pain upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong pain This is mentioned as another way whereby God speaks to man as he had said before vers 14. to wit by the rod of correction when God strikes a man with some sore sicknesse so that the multitude of his bones that is every bone in his body as many as they are is tortured with pain And this Elihu the rather mentions because this was Jobs case who had often complained that his very bones were pierced with pain as we may see chap. 30.17 and in many other places Vers 20. So that his life abhorreth bread c. That is his soul as it is expressed in the next clause and his soul dainty meat and the soul we know is usually put for the whole man and so the meaning is only this that the poor sick man abhorres all meat even the daintiest that can be brought him Vers 22. His soul draweth near unto the grave and his life to the destroyers Some by the destroyers understand those paroxysms and pangs that seise upon men when they are dying and are usually counted the forerunners of death others the angels whom God many times imployes in cutting off men by deadly plagues as in that pestilence wherewith so many were so suddenly destroyed in Davids time 2 Sam. 24.16 others the worms or whatever else there is in the grave that consumes the dead bodies that are laid there and others again conceive it is meant of the devils who are wont to drag the souls of wicked men to hell when they die and to torment them there But I conceive it is best to comprehend therein all that in death tends to the destroying of men Vers 23. If there be a messenger with him an interpreter one of a thousand c. Some understand this of an angel sent from heaven to this sick man and indeed in those times God did usually make known his mind to men by his holy angels to wit that if of those thousands of angels that attend upon God there be any one sent to him as a messenger and interpreter of Gods will to shew unto man his uprightnesse then he will be gracious unto him c. But it is farre better understood of a prophet or man of God sent unto him from God an interpreter that is one whose office and work it is to declare the will of God to men and that is then accordingly to make known to the sick man the purpose of God in laying that affliction upon him one of a thousand that is one that will skilfully and faithfully deal with him and amongst a thousand
conceive of the place of the damned or of the grave and that joyntly together The wicked shall be turned into hell as if he had said There is no cause why men should be so afraid as they are of these proud wicked wretches at length God will cut them down and lay them in the grave and throw their souls into hell and then there will be an end of their oppressions As for this word turned The wicked shall be turned into hell some conceive it is used in reference to their returning to the earth from whence they were taken others conceive that because of their hell-bred qualities because they are of their father the devil Joh. 8.44 and when they are cast into hell they goe to their place as it is said of Judas Act. 1.26 thence is this expression of their being turned into hell But I rather think that this word turned doth imply either first that whereas they had set themselves as it were to fight against God he should foil them and put them to flight and turn them back into hell or secondly that their end should be far different from what they expected for whereas they carried themselves as if they had made a covenant with death and with hell and as if they meant to exalt themselves above the clouds in the conclusion they should be brought down to the grave and their souls thrown into hell Vers 19. Let the heathen be judged in thy sight That is by thee as men arraigned before thy tribunall PSALM X. Vers 1. WHy standest thou afar off O Lord c. See the Note upon Exod. 32.11 The Greek and Vulgar Latine Translation make this a part of the foregoing Psalm and so they doe likewise with the 104 and 105 Psalms but then to make up the number of 150 Psalms they divide other Psalms into two Vers 2. The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor c. This David might intend concerning himself as being brought very low by the continuall persecution of Saul and his faction yet he expresseth it generally because it is usually so with others likewise but however that they are poor and afflicted whom the wicked man persecutes is mentioned as a great aggravation of his cruelty Let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined that is let them be ensnared by their own plots Yet some understand it of their being discovered and apprehended and punished by the Magistrate for their plots against the righteous Vers 3. For the wicked boasteth of his hearts desire c. That is he glorieth in the sinfull desires of his heart as justifying them and applauding and encouraging himself therein or he glorieth of his successe in his wicked deeds wherein he hath accomplished the desires of his heart As for the following words and blesseth the covetous whom the Lord abborreth either they may be meant of the wicked mans blessing himself in his covetous practises to wit that he justifyeth applaudeth and encourageth himself therein as assuring himself that they shall bring no evil upon him and so some read this clause as it is in the margin of our Bibles the covetous blesseth himself c. or they may be meant of his justifying and applauding other covetous wretches like himself Vers 4. The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God That is Through his pride which he discovereth in his countenance he never minds whether his waies be pleasing to God or no he never seeks Gods favour but resolves to doe what he lists himself Vers 5. His waies are alwaies grievous c. That is a matter of grief troublesome or mischievous to others Thy judgements are far above out of his sight Some by the judgements of God do understand the laws of God as if he had said He never minds thy commandments but doubtlesse the meaning is that he never regards nor thinks of the judgements which God is wont to execute upon wicked men as for all his enemies he puffeth at them that is he slights them as if he were able to blow them away with a puff Vers 7. His mouth is full of cursing c. By cursing here some understand all kind of evil speaking to wit when wicked men curse and revile and falsly accuse the godly But others understand it of the false oaths whereby wicked men are wont to deceive the innocent his mouth is full of cursing that is he is frequently wont with curses and imprecations annexed to swear this and that when yet his heart and tongue agree not together which may seem the more probable because with cursing here deceit and fraud are joyned as likewise because of the following clause under his tongue are mischief and vanity or iniquity for this expression implyeth that under smooth and plausible language he hides mischief and vanity Vers 8. He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages c. Some understand this literally of thieves and robbers but it is rather spoken by way of similitude to wit that wicked men do lye in wait for any advantages to oppresse and slay the godly and do use all cunning and dissembling courses to accomplish their desires even as robbers are wont to lye lurking in thickets and caves about villages to watch for passengers that goe by and then unawares break out upon them and rob and murder them and such likewise is that last expression of this verse his eyes are privily set against the poor that is he closely watcheth to mischief the poor even as such robbers that stand peeping out of their lurking places to watch for those that goe by or as those that aim to shoot a man doe it with fixing their eyes half-shut upon him Vers 9. He doth catch the poor when he draweth him into his net That is When he hath ensnared him by his fraudulent and dissembling dealings then poor wretch with all violence he seiseth upon him Vers 10. He croucheth and humbleth himself c. To wit as a lion that lyes close to the ground that he may the better hide himself and with the more speed and strength may suddenly leap out upon his prey that the poor may fall by his strong ones that is that he may tear the poor in pieces by the strength of his teeth or paws Now we must know that it is the shew which the wicked man often makes of an humble lowly mind and his craft in concealing and dissembling his mischievous purposes that is here compared to the crouching of a lion and by his strong ones may be meant those strong and mighty men that are subservient to the wicked man in his oppressions Vers 15. Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man c. That is Break in pieces their power see the Notes upon Deut. 33.20 1 Sam. 2.31 As for the following clause Seek out his wickednesse till thou find none that which he desires of God therein I conceive is this that whereas
corruption The Papists would from this place conclude that the soul of Christ immediately upon his death did locally descend into hell the place of the damned but without any just ground For in the Scripture frequently by the soul is meant the life of man see the Note Psal 7.2 3. which when a man is dead may be said to be overwhelmed or detained in the grave or else the whole person of man as Act. 7.14 Then sent Ioseph and called his father Iacob to him and all his kindred threescore and fifteen souls and 1 Pet. 3.20 where speaking of the Ark he saith wherein few that is eight souls were saved by water see also the Note Psal 5.2 And so likewise by hell is meant the whole state and dominion of death yea usually the grave so Gen. 42.37 Ye will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave and Psal 141.7 Our bones are scattered at the graves mouths the word translated grave is the very same that is here translated hell So that the meaning of these words Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell c. is no more but this Thou wilt not leave me in the grave or Thou wilt not leave me or my life under the power and dominion of death and because death chiefly seizeth upon the body therefore the body is here chiefly intended And indeed even amongst Pagan writers we find the like phrase as in Virgils Animamque sepulchro Condimus But however that it cannot be meant of Christs soul being locally in the hell of the damned is clear because first his soul was during the time of his buriall in Paradise Luk. 23.43 To day shalt thou â—e with me in Paradise that is in heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 4. secondly the words speak evidently of a deliverance from a penall condition whereas the Papists themselves hold that Christs soul was triumphant in hell thirdly the Apostles in the places before cited expresly say that David was left in that hell from whence Christ was raised so that it is clear they understood the words of Christs rising from the grave as the second clause doth more plainly expresse thou wilt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption that is Christ the holy one of God as the devils themselves called him Mark 1.24 Vers 11. Thou wilt shew me the path of life c. In Act. 2.28 it is render'd thus Thou hast made known to me the waies of life However the meaning of the words is this that God would raise Christ from the grave and bring him to live for ever in heaven and because by vertue of Christs resurrection all the members of Christ shall also rise again unto life eternall there is no doubt but that David spake this with reference to himself Yet the phrase that is here used Thou wilt shew me the path of life seems plainly to imply that the way of life was unknown and impossible to men till it was revealed to Christ and by him to the children of men and till by his resurrection he became the first fruits of them that rise and consequently that from God through Christ these three great benefits are conveyed to all the faithfull to wit 1. the enlightening of their minds with the knowledge of the way of life 2. the translating of them in their conversion from a state of death to a state of life and 3. the resurrection of their dead bodies to life eternall concerning which he adds In thy presence is fulnesse of joy or as it is render'd Act. 2.28 Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance which is meant of the beatificall vision Whereas earthly joyes can never satisfie and are alwaies mixt with sorrows there shall be fulnesse of joy and that by reason of Gods favourable presence which as it is here in part so shall it be there in perfection the blisse of the glorified Saints and therefore it is said of the wicked 2 Thess 1.9 that they shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore which is spoken either in relation to Christ because he was to sit in heaven at the right hand of his Father or in relation to the Saints and that either because they shall be set at Christs right hand and shall be in a state of favour and honour with God which sitting at Gods right hand imports or because they shall be brought to the enjoying of those pleasures by the mighty power and great bounty of God whence it is that he speaks of them here as the gifts of his right hand PSALM XVII Vers 1. HEar the right O Lord c. That is Hear him that pleads for nothing but that which is just and right or out of respect to the righteousnesse of my cause hear me O Lord give ear unto my prayer that goeth not out of feigned lips that is lips that plead not innocency where there is no such thing or that speak that which my heart thinks not Now this mention of the righteousnesse of his cause makes it most probable that this Psalm was composed upon occasion of Sauls persecution and the unjust clamours which his followers made against him Vers 2. Let my sentence come forth from thy presence As if he had said I appeal to thee from the unjust accusations of men deal with us according to that which thou that art the searcher of the heart findest and then I know mine innocency shall be made known in the destruction of mine enemies Vers 3. Thou hast proved mine heart thou hast visited me in the night thou hast tryed me and shalt find nothing c. That is nothing wherein I have injured these that are mine enemies Concerning Gods proving and trying mens hearts see the Notes Psal 7.9 and 11.14 Amongst other expressions whereby he sets forth how exactly God knoweth all that is in man this is one thou hast visited me in the night and that because 1. when men are then free from imployment God doth usually by his spirit instruct and perswade them to doe well 2. then they are wont to sin the more boldly by reason of the nights secrecy and 3. then many and various thoughts are wont to come into their minds I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgresse that is that I will not wrong mine enemies no not in a word or that I will not murmure against thee however mine enemies prosper c. or that my tongue shall not utter anything my heart thinks not Vers 4. Concerning the works of men by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer Some would have the meaning of the first clause Concerning the works of men to be in effect as if he had said As far as man may as far as it was possible for poor man to doe I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer Others think that having said in the foregoing
therefore in a poeticall manner he speaks to the gates of the Temple calling them everlasting doors because the Ark that had been often removed from one place to another was now in the Temple to continue for ever according to that Psal 132.14 This is my rest for ever c. see also the Note 1 Kings 9.3 And by speaking to the gates to lift up themselves either first he may mean the building of them up Lift up your heads O ye gates that is Be ye built up that the Lord of glory in his Ark may enter into you or secondly the lifting up of the upper posts of the gates as if he had said Raise up and enlarge yourselves and become greater then you are because the great King of Glory is to enter in by you alluding to the custome of opening the gates of a house or city to the widest when some great Prince is to come in or thirdly the lifting up of their heads in a way of glorying and rejoycing as if he had said Triumph and rejoyce O ye gates thereby the better to set forth the solemnity and joy of the Arks removall into the Temple But secondly Doubtlesse under this type 1. he speaks to the Church the true spirituall Temple desiring that this Temple may be built up and that at her doors which are called everlasting because the Church shall continue for ever the Lord Christ the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2.8 may be entertained with joy as their Lord and King and so he may enter and rule as king amongst them 2. to Christians the particular members of the Church or to all men in generall who being converted become the true Temples of the ever-living God 1 Cor. 3.16 at the doors of whose hearts called everlasting doors because they shall live for ever he knocks to have entrance Rev. 3.20 exhorting them to lift up their heads that is to raise up their hearts from all earthly things and to prepare them by faith that God in Christ the Lord of glory and by whose merits all his members are glorified may enter in and dwell and rule in their hearts by faith 3. as some conceive to Princes and Magistrates exhorting them to let in the Lord Christ and the Gospel and kingdome of Christ into their kingdomes and common-wealths expressing this in these tearms Lift up your heads O ye gates c. either as alluding to the custome of Magistrates sitting in the gates in those times when they judged the people or because of the great power that such men usually have either to let in or to keep out the profession of the Christian religion amongst the people and 4. to the gates of Gods holy Temple in heaven calling upon them with all joy to entertain the Lord Christ when he should after the accomplishment of the work of mans Redemption triumphantly ascend into heaven and so in these words Lift up your heads O ye gates c. there may be an allusion to those triumphall Arches which used to be set up for the entertainment of great Conquerours Vers 8. Who is this king of glory c. These words must be taken as a question propounded by David either in his own name as if he should have said But who now is this king of glory that I speak of that so he might take occasion to extoll this king of glory and shew what reason there was why they should gladly receive him or in the name of some other that might move this question as if he should have said But now if any one shall demand of me Who is this king of glory I answer the Lord strong and mighty c. I know many Expositours take them to be the supposed reply of those that were spoken to in that foregoing figurative expression Lift up your heads O ye gates c. and accordingly they conceive that this reply is made either by way of scorning and despising Christ as if they should have said What is this your glorious king that we should submit to him or else by way of desiring to be informed and satisfied concerning Christ yea they that understand the former verse of Christs ascension into heaven take these words as the reply of the Angels admiring that one clothed with a humane body should ascend above the heavens and enter in as the Lord of that Jerusalem But that which is first said of this seems most probable And however that which is answered The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battel plainly imports that it was he who being of infinite power was able to destroy those that would not submit to him and to protect his people against all their enemies both temporall and spirituall and to make them victorious over them all and it may have speciall reference to Christs conquest over Hell and death when after his Resurrection he ascended triumphantly into heaven Vers 10. The Lord of hosts c. See the Note Gen. 2.1 PSALM XXV Vers 1. UNto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul That is In thee only do I trust and hope and my hearts desire for help and comfort is only towards thee and with much eagernesse doth expect good from thee In the Hebrew this Psalm is so composed that we have all the letters of the Hebrew Alphabet one after another in the first letter of every verse except only in two or three verses and that as we may probably conceive that being a Psalm of singular excellency and speciall use it might by this help be the better remembred The like elegancy there is in the 34 37 111 112 119 and 145 Psalms Vers 2. I trust in thee let me not be ashamed To wit as they use to be that when they have hoped for any thing with great confidence and have boasted of their hope yet at last have been disappointed Vers 3. Yea let none that wait on thee be ashamed c. To wit neither by their own disappointments nor mine For this last some adde because if he should fail of his hopes he knew this would be a great discouragement to others that waited to see what the issue of Gods dealings with him would be Let them be ashamed which transgresse without cause that is that causlesly afflict and trouble me and oppose me in the businesse of the kingdome promised me see the Note Psal 7.3 Yet some conceive that by them which transgresse without cause is meant those that out of distrust do causlesly fall away from God and others understand it of all wicked men whatsoever all sin against God being in true judgement altogether unreasonable and causlesse But the first Exposition is the best Vers 4. Shew me thy waies O Lord c. That is the waies wherein thou hast appointed thy people to walk Or Shew me thy waies that is the waies thou usest to take with thy children as namely how gracious thou art unto them though thou dost usually afflict them how faithfull in
my mountain to stand strong that is thou hast by thy favour most firmly established and strengthened my kingdome above danger of any opposition and it is likely too that in this expression he alluded to mount Sion where he had built himself a palace and had made it the chief seat of his kingdome And this is here alledged as the occasion of his growing so secure namely because his kingdome was so settled and become so strong every way that there seemed to be no fear of a change Yet withall there seems to be likewise an intimation in these words that seeing it was of Gods favour that his kingdome was so settled it was a folly in him to grow so carnally secure merely because he saw himself so strongly settled since he might well think that it was easie for him that had so settled him to unsettle him again as he acknowledgeth in the following words that God did Thou didst hide thy face that is thou wert offended with me for this my carnall confidence and security and didst withdraw thy wonted help and protection and I was troubled that is I fell into great distresse and thereby was oppressed with much sorrow and anguish of mind Vers 9. What profit is there in my bloud when I goe down to the pit c. Because the life of every living creature is said to be in the bloud Gen. 9.4 therefore some Expositours understand this clause thus What profit is there in my bloud c. that is What profit is there in my life as if he should have said Of what avail will it be that I have lived hitherto if I be now cut off when being settled in my kingdome I have more power to promote the cause of religion and to doe good to thy people then formerly But doubtlesse by his bloud here is meant his death and that which he intends in these words is that if he should be cut off either by his enemies or by Gods immediate hand he should not then be able to praise his name as he should if his life were prolonged see the Note Psal 6.5 which is evident in the following clause shall the dust praise thee shall it declare thy truth that is the truth of thy promises or thy faithfulnesse in performing thy promises And it is like he mentioneth this purposely to intimate his hope that God would perform his promise made to him concerning settling the kingdome upon him and his seed Vers 11. Thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladnesse That is Upon my prayer to thee thou hast turned my sorrow into joy Thou hast put off my sackcloth which they used to wear in times of great sorrow especially when with penitent hearts they humbled themselves before God to beg mercy at his hands and girded me with gladnesse that is with garments of joy or rather thou didst compasse me with gladnesse giving me abundance of joy as Psal 18.32 thou hast girded me with strength that is thou hast made me very strong Vers 12. To the end my glory may sing praise to thee c. See the Note Gen. 49.6 PSALM XXXI Vers 1. IN thee O Lord do I put my trust let me never be ashamed See the Note Psal 25.2 Many Expositours are of opinion that the occasion of composing this Psalm was Davids distresse when the men of Keilah were likely to have delivered him up to Saul and when immediately after that Saul had in a manner hemmed him in in the wildernesse of Maon 1 Sam. 23.12 26 and indeed many passages in the Psalm seem to favour this conjecture as shall be noted in the severall places where it is so But yet it is but a conjecture Deliver me in thy righteousnesse See the Note Psal 5.8 Vers 2. Deliver me speedily This he adds because help would else come too late In 1 Sam. 23.26 it is said David made haste to get away for fear of Saul Vers 3. For thy names sake lead me and guide me That is direct me in the way wherein I should goe shew me what I should doe and carry me on therein with a supporting hand Yea some think that he useth these two words lead me and guide me both in a manner of the same signification to imply that he desired Gods help not only in his present streights but likewise after that still in all the difficulties he should fall into See the Notes also 1 Sam. 12.22 and Psal 25.11 Vers 4. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me c. Such as was that when the Ziphites observed the place where David hid himself and discovered it to Saul 1 Sam. 23.19 c. See the Note Psal 25.15 Vers 5. Into thine hand I commit my spirit c. To wit for the preservation of my life and however for the saving of my soul even in death it self as if he had said Having no power to secure my self I commit my soul and consequently my whole man into thine hands as confidently relying both on thine almighty power and wisedome and fatherly care over me and withall as willingly resigning my self to be disposed of by thee as thou art pleased Thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth that is thou hast at other times delivered me out of great dangers which makes me with confidence now to rely upon thee the God of truth who art still the same thou hast alwaies been and never failest to perform thy promises and in this David might have respect to the promise made to him concerning the kingdome But yet some understand this clause of our Redemption by Christ as if he had said Thou hast redeemed me to thy self from eternall death and therefore being thine and purchased to thy self by so great a price I am resolved living or dying to rely upon thee Vers 6. I have hated them that regard lying vanities That is that do so mind and esteem vain hopes or any outward things whereon it is in vain for men to hope as indeed they that hope in any thing but God hope in lying vanities that will deceive them that either they rely thereon themselves or would draw others to doe so Some I know would limit this to idols see the Note 1 Kings 16.13 others to soothsayers to which in those East countries they were much addicted But it is better understood more generally Vers 7. Thou hast known my soul in adversities See the Note Psal 1.6 Vers 8. And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy c. As indeed he was like to have been by the men of Keilah 1 Sam. 23.7 Saul said God hath delivered him into mine hand for he is shut in and afterwards by Saul in the wildernesse of Maon vers 26. Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them For the next words thou hast set my feet in a large room see the Notes 2 Sam. 22.20 and Psal 4.2 Vers 9. Mine eye
deliver a dark saying not because of the obscurity of the expressions wherein he meant to deliver it as is evident by that expression he useth I will open my dark saying but to imply that the things he meant to speak of were deep and profound mysteries and such as to naturall men would be dark riddles such as is that which followes in the next verse that a good man hath no cause to be afraid in the day of distresse and trouble c. So that the drift of the whole verse is to shew how deep and weighty the things were of which he intended to speak Vers 5. Wherefore should I fear in the dayes of evil when the iniquity of my heels shall compasse me about This is that parable and dark saying which in the foregoing verse he promised to entreat of in this Psalm and because he had said that he would encline his own eare to hear what he delivered for the instruction of others he propounds that which he meant to deliver in his own person though he intended it should be received as a common truth which might likewise be applyed to any other of Gods faithfull servants wherefore should I fear in the dayes of evil c. 1. By fearing here may be meant a mans being terrified at the apprehension of any approaching evil or a mans being dismayed or discouraged at any thing that seems strange or unreasonable to him according to that vers 16. Be not thou afraid when one is made rich c. 2. By the daies of evil may be meant either the daies of any affliction or distresse or persecution or the time of old age or death or as some would have it the day of judgement 3. By the iniquity of his heels is meant either the iniquity of his own waies and works the sinfull courses wherein he had walked and some limit it also to those unjust waies whereby he had supplanted others and caused them to fall according to that Joh. 13.18 He that eateth bread with me hath lift up his heel against me and consequently the punishments which his evil deeds would bring upon him or else the iniquity of his adversaries in persecuting and pursuing him close at his heels or in laying snares to intangle him Now accordingly may these words be severall waies expounded Wherefore should I fear in the daies of evil when the iniquity of my heels shall compasse me about that is Wherefore should I doe any thing to make my self rich and great in the world or to help my self in any streights I fall into which should afterwards overwhelm me with fear in the daies of Gods wrath when the punishment of the evil I have done shall encompasse and insnare me or pursue and overtake me or 2. Wherefore should I suffer my heart to sink with fear in the daies of any distresse that befalls me or when sicknesse and death shall surprize me whch I may well look upon as the fruits of mine own iniquities as if he should have said There is no cause why I should fear in such times of calamity and distresse yea though they were mine own iniquities that brought me to be insnared and compassed herewith And the reason of this is given afterwards vers 15. to wit because he was assured of Gods love to him and that God would in due time deliver him from all his troubles yea even from the power of death it self which wicked ungodly men could not expect But God saith he will redeem my soul from the power of the grave for he shall receive me Or 3. thus which I like the best wherefore should I fear in the daies of evil c that is when wickednesse reigns and ungodly men rage seeking to insnare me and pursue me at the heels when I am pressed or compassed about with afflictions and calamities publick or private there is no cause why I should be dejected with fear and that because as is expressed in the following part of the Psalm whilst mine enemies trust in outward perishing things I trust in the Lord who though he may suffer wicked men to persecute his righteous servants for a time and that perhaps by way of correcting them for their iniquities yet in due time he will not fail to deliver them and to break the pride of their great enemies This I conceive is the best exposition of the words only I may adde that some conceive it is death which he tearms here the iniquity of his heels and that because to Christ and his members death is indeed no more but the bruising of their heel Gen. 3.15 1 Cor. 15.55 57. Vers 6. They that trust in their wealth and boast c. This is added as a reason of that which was implyed in the foregoing verse why the children of God should not doe any thing to enrich themselves that should afterwards expose them to the fears which usually follow a guilty conscience in the daies of evil or why they ought not to be dismayed and troubled at the prosperity of wicked men or to be afraid in the daies of adversity when ungodly great men do persecute and oppresse them namely because riches are such vain things and so unable to help those that have them in greatest abundance in the daies of evil They that trust in their wealth to wit as thinking themselves sufficiently defended thereby and so securely despising the judgements of God and undertaking in a manner whatever they please in the confidence of their great wealth and so they that boast themselves in the multitude of their riches that is that are puft up with their great estates as if they had gotten all by their own policies and labour c. and so live in all pomp pride and excesse despising and wronging others alas they trust and glory in a vain shadow that can doe them no good in an evil day and they that fear their greatnesse are indeed afraid of a shadow as is expressed in the following verses Vers 7. None of them can by any means redeem his brother c. To wit from dying as is expressed vers 9 or from the power of death when he is dead by procuring that he may be restored to life again And if a man cannot doe this for his brother much lesse can he doe it for himself Vers 8. For the redemption of their soul is precious and it ceaseth for ever That is Their soul is so precious that nothing can be given of sufficient value for the ransome of it and therefore there can never be any way found to redeem it Vers 10. For he seeth that wise men die likewise the fool and the brutish person perish c. Some by wise men here understand those that have so much understanding as to make use of their wealth and by the fool and the brutish person such as defraud themselves of the comfort they might take in their riches and only hord up wealth that they may leave it to others others
with themselves should rot and consume away their great wealth being no way sufficient to secure them Yet some would have it to be understood thus that the glory they had gotten from their stately dwellings should consume away or that whilst they consume in the grave their very dwellings by degrees do lose their names But the first exposition is the best Vers 15. But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave c. As if he had said Though riches cannot redeem the rich yet God will redeem me from the power of death and from the grave see the Note Psal 16.10 for he shall receive me that is of his own free grace he will receive me to himself my soul at my death my body at the resurrection And thus David applyeth that to himself which in the foregoing verse he had affirmed of the righteous in generall and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning Vers 16. Be not thou afraid when one is made rich c. That is Be not dismayed nor overcome with fear because of the power which such have to oppresse the righteous or Be not dejected nor discouraged as fearing whether God doth not favour such rather then thy self because God prospers them whilst thou art afflicted Vers 17. For when he dyeth he shall carry nothing away c. And therefore 1. such a one is no way to be envied since his blisse and life do perish together and 2. there will be no longer any cause to fear them because they will not in another world have any power to hurt as here they had Vers 18. Though whilst he lived he blessed his soul c. To wit in that 1. he applauded himself for his happinesse in his wealth and outward greatnesse 2. he flattered himself with vain conceits of Gods savour and that he should still continue in his prosperous estate and gave himself all the content and delight he could in the enjoyment of his plenty and men will praise thee when thou doest well to thy self that is though others also extoll thy blisse and flattering thee do uphold thee in this folly and confirm thee in these vain conceits when thou makest much of and pamperest thy self But now all this is supposed to be whiles he lived implying that when death came that would soon confute all these vain conceits of the rich man and that then his flatterers would praise him no longer Vers 19. He shall go to the generation of his fathers c. That is He shall be gathered to the grave and Hell whether his wicked progenitours are gone before him they shall never see light that is they shall never more see the light of the living here nor shall ever see the joys and life eternall of the Saints in heaven but shall remain for ever in outer darknesse Vers 20. Man that is in honour and understandeth not is like the beasts that perish To wit both in life and death see the Note above vers 12. PSALM L. The Title A Psalm of Asaph Or for Asaph for he was one of Davids chief Musicians see the Notes 1 Chron. 25.1 2 and withall a prophet and composer of Psalms as is evident 2 Chr. 29.30 of which see the Note Ps 1.1 Vers 1. The mighty God even the Lord hath spoken c. The scope of this Psalm was to inform the Israelites of old and in them all mankind how God required his people to serve and honour him to wit that he regarded not the outward ceremoniall service which himself had appointed unlesse it were accompanied with that spirituall service of faith and new obedience which was signified thereby and so thereby to reprove that grosse and destructive conceit which prevailed so much in all ages amongst the Jews that God would be pleased with his outward ceremoniall service without the other of obedience to his morall law all which is evident by that passage wherewith the prophet doth close this Psalm vers 23. whoso offereth praise glorifyeth me and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Now to this end in the beginning of this Psalm the prophet as it were in the person of a Crier or Herald sent from God doth proclaim and make known that God whom for their greater terrour herein he tearms The mighty God would enter into a controversy with his own people about this and not only plead this cause against them but also as a judge from his tribunall pronounce sentence against them and punish them even before all the world for this their grosse hypocrisy The mighty God even the Lord hath spoken that is he hath determined and made known to wit that which follows vers 7 c. that he would give sentence in this controversy and judge his people for thinking to please him with the outward pomp only of externall rites and sacrifices Hear O my people and I will speak c. and so this may have reference to the Lords making known his mind herein by the Psalmist that so what he delivers here might be received as an oracle from heaven the Lord hath spoken to wit by me his messenger and called the earth from the rising of the Sun unto the going down thereof that is all the inhabitants of the earth or all the creatures on the earth to wit to be witnesses of this solemn judgement which is added to shew the weightiness of the cause wherein God intended to give sentence and for the greater confusion of his people as implying that God would discover their hypocrisy before all the world The expression used is much like those Deut. 4.26 and 32.1 Give ear O ye heavens and I will speak c. concerning which see the Notes there I know that some Expositours take this to be a prediction of the last judgement and very many have taken it as a prophesy of the abrogation of the ceremoniall law by Christ The mighty God even the Lord hath spoken that is Christ hath spoken by the word of the Gospel and called the earth from the rising of the Sun c. that is hath invited all mankind to the faith and obedience of that word of salvation But I take the former exposition to be clearly the best namely that the words contain rather an expostulation with the people of God in those times about the worship of God then enjoyned then a prophesy of the future kingdome of Christ Because the most wicked amongst them were so prone to think that they had done as much as needed to be done if they had observed the rites of the ceremoniall law he not only tels them that these without faith purity of heart were nothing worth but also assures them that God would judge them for this and would discover their hypocrisy before all the world Vers 2. Out of Sion the perfection of beauty God hath shined They that apply this 1st part of the Psalm to the 1st or
change in regard of any adversity that befalls them therefore they boldly despise God Yet many Expositours understand it thus Because they are obstinately wicked there is no change wrought in them they are no way bettered by any of Gods dealings with them therefore they fear not God But the words in our Translation will hardly bear this exposition Vers 22. Cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee c. It may be read as it is in the margin of our Bibles Cast thy gift upon the Lord c. and then by gift is meant either â—hat affliction which God allots a man for his portion for the exercise of his faith c. according to that of our Saviour Joh. 18.11 the cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it or else rather the gift which any man desires of God as if David had said speaking both to himself and others Whatever gift thou desirest from God referre it wholly to his provident care over thee when thou hast made known thy desire to God cast thy care for the obtaining of this gift which thou desirest merely upon God And indeed being thus understood it is all one in effect with that translation which we have in our Bibles Cast thy burden upon the Lord that is thy cares and troubles which lye heavy upon thee And he shall sustain thee to wit by providing for thee protecting and upholding thee he shall never suffer the righteous to be moged that is to be utterly ruined and cast down see the Note Psal 13.4 Vers 23. But thou O God shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction c. That is the grave and hell bloudy and deceitfull men shall not live out half their daies to wit which they desire and hope to live and which in the ordinary course of nature they might live Yea and to this some adde also that when such men do live longer their life is usually accursed full of inward terrours and worse then any death PSALM LVI The Title TO the chief musician upon Ionath-elem-rechokim c. Some take these also to be the first words of some known song to the tune whereof this Psalm was to be sung But yet others translate the words thus touching a soul that suffereth violence from a band of strangers and others better thus upon the dumb dove in a farre country wherein they say David tearms himself a dove because being fled to the Philistines he was there as a dove amongst many birds of prey for which also see the Note Psal 55.6 and dumb because though he heard there many reproachfull speeches against God and his people yet he was forced to be silent neither durst he besides complain of the wicked dealings of Saul and his courtiers for fear of exposing the people of God to the scorn and derision of the heathen Michtam of David see the Note on the title of the 16. Psalm when the Philistines took him in Gath which I conceive must needs be meant of that story 1 Sam. 21.14 15. though because there is another Psalm before to wit Psal 34. that was composed upon that occasion some conceive that this was penned when he was again in danger the second time he went thither 1 Sam. 29.3 4. Vers 4. In God I will praise his word That is I will praise God for his word as if he had said Though God may seem to disregard me yea to be against me yet having his promise that he will never fail his but will protect and blesse them and having withall his expresse promise made to me by Samuel concerning the kingdome on this word of his I will rest and in this I will rejoyce and blesse God for it This I conceive is the plain meaning of these words Yet some make this to be the sense of them In God I will praise his word that is with Gods help I doubt not but I shall have occasion to rejoyce in his holy promises And some likewise understand it of the word of Gods decree to wit that whatever God should decree concerning him he would praise God for it Vers 6. They hide themselves c. To wit that they may carry their plots the more closely and may lye in wait unawares to doe me a mischief they mark my steps when they wait for my soul that is they watch to lay snares for me or they mark and observe all my actions and conversation to see if they can pick a quarrell or get any advantage against me or they watch my goings that they may follow and pursue me which way soever I turn my self and all this because they wait for my soul that is to take away my life for nothing lesse will content them Vers 7. Shall they escape by iniquity c. As if he should have said They think by taking away my life to secure themselves and to settle Saul and his posterity in the kingdome but shall this doe it Is iniquity which provokes God to take vengeance likely to secure them from vengeance No doubtlesse this will rather hasten their destruction and this therefore he desires God to manifest in the following words in thine anger cast down the people O God Vers 8. Thou tellest my wandrings c. That is Thou dost exactly know in what a restlesse condition I have lived many yeares together being driven up and down from one place to another and no where suffered to abide in quiet put thou my tears into thy bottle that is let them not be lost and shed in vain do not despise and disregard them but be mindfull of them and let it be seen that thou makest precious account of them He compares the teares that he shed when he was as it were in the wine-presse of affliction to the wine that is pressed out of the grapes every drop whereof they are carefull to save Vers 12. Thy vows are upon me O God c. That is By vows made to thee in the hour of my distresse I took upon me to return thee praise if thou didst deliver me and so there lyes an obligation upon my soul and therewith much care and sollicitousnesse of spirit to make good my engagements The very same expression we have Act. 21.23 we have four men which have a vow on them Vers 13. For thou hast delivered my soul from death c. See the Note Psal 6.4 and 1 Sam. 21.13 wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling that is seeing thou hast delivered me thus from the jaws of death wilt thou not also support me that I may not sink through despair in any future tryalls and troubles and keep me from falling into any sinfull practise though my temptations be many and great or wilt not thou still preserve me that I may not be overthrown by mine enemies or fall under the power of them that seek my ruine see the Note Job 12.5 that I may walk before God to wit trusting in him
wondrous things To wit by his own power this seems to be added in reference to the wonderfull goodnesse of God in continuing the kingdome to Solomons posterity notwithstanding many of them did so often provoke God to have utterly destroyed them but especially with reference to Gods wonderfull works in the Churches redemption by Christ her miraculous preservation maugre the rage of Satan against her and the many other benefits we enjoy by his kingly office Vers 19. Let the whole earth be filled with his glory c. This seems also to be spoken with respect to the times of the Gospel Amen amen see the Note Ps 41.13 Vers 20. The prayers of David the son of Iesse are ended For the adding of those words the son of Iesse see the Notes 2 Sam. 23.1 It is evident that the 86 the 110 divers of the following Psalms besides were composed by David and therefore it well may be questioned why it is said that here the prayers of David are ended But to this divers answers are given by Expositours as 1. that this was the last Psalm that David composed and haply placed last in the order of the Psalms that since the order of the Psalms was transposed or 2. that this was the last of the Psalms which David joyned together in a book that the following Psalms wherein there are some also that David himself did afterwards compose were collected by some other holy man of God joyned to that book of Psalms which David had formerly made or 3. that this is added here because hither to we have had Davids Psalms but now those that next follow were composed by Asaph and others And indeed if it were clear that the following Psalms were not composed by David it might well be said in this regard that here the prayers of David are ended though some Psalms of Davids making be afterwards inserted as it is said The words of Iob are ended because his reasoning with his friends doth there end though some words that Job spake are afterwards inserted in that book as ch 40.3 4 5 ch 42.1 2 c. PSALM LXXIII Vers 1. TRuly or yet God is good to Israel even to such as are of a clean heart That is that are upright-hearted amongst the people of God Yet some would have the meaning of these words to be this that they whose hearts are clear from passion do know God to be good though others being under temptation and disturbed with passion cannot often be so perswaded With the like abrupt expression the 62. Psalm begins concerning which see the Note there Vers 2. But as for me c. As if he had said Though this be so and I knew it well enough as having had frequent experience of Gods manifold goodness both to my self other his faithfull servants and though I have alwaies endeavoured in all things to approve my self to God yet my feet were almost gone that is I was almost transported beyond the bounds of piety even to the accusing of God in words at least in thought of injustice and unfaithfulnesse or I had almost fallen from this perswasion of heart concerning the goodnesse of God to the righteous and from believing the truth of Gods promises yea almost from the uprightnesse of my waies yielding to doe as those wicked men did whom the Lord thus prospered And observable it is that all sinfull slips were so grievous to David that he laments here even that his steps had wel-nigh slipped Vers 4. For there are no bands in their death c. This may be understood either 1. of the sodainnesse of their death to wit that they drop as it were on a sodain into the grave without any foregoing sicknesse or pain which then is more fully set forth in the following clause but their strength is firm not wasted by any foregoing sicknesse see the Note Job 21.13 or 2. of the gentlenesse and easinesse of their death that they do not die a hard and bitter death either by reason of inward gripes and pinches of conscience and terrours of mind or of bodily pangs and strugglings with death their souls being bound within them as with bands which death hath much adoe to untie or break so that they cannot depart or at least are long held back as with bands from dying but how this can agree with that following clause but their strength is firm I cannot well see or 3. of their dying a naturall death to wit that they are never brought to die as malefactours being bound with bands cords or chains and that because the laws can take no hold of them whatever wickednesse they commit by reason of their riches and greatnesse they are sure to escape or 4. of their dying in a good old age namely that they are not violently dragged to an untimely death by any sicknesse or dismall casualty but having sweetly passed over the whole natural course of their lives they quietly give up the ghost And their strength is firm that is proportionably to their years all their life long they are strong and healthfull till at last being spent by mere old age their life is expired and they goe down into the grave Vers 6. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain c. That is Because of this their prosperous condition they carry themselves proudly in every regard in their countenance speech gesture c. as some men will do when they have gotten a chain of gold they grow highly conceited of themselves being ready still to boast of and advance themselves and to despise others or they please themselves and glory in their pride as esteeming it an ornament to them violence covereth them as a garment as if he should have said And by reason of this their pride they become bold cruell and violent oppressors of others for this expression of violence covering them as a garment is to imply that they do not only conceive it in their minds but also expresse it outwardly in their deeds yea and glory in it as men do in some gorgeous attire seeking to outstrip one another herein as they seek to outstrip one another in bravery and perhaps wearing the trophies of their oppressions in a way of boasting And to this some adde also that oppression is as constantly their practice as it is for men every day to put on their garments and that hereby they seek to defend themselves as men shelter themselves from the cold by their raiment But however the main drift in alledging this is to set forth how strange it might seem that when men did thus abuse the bounty and goodnesse of God he should notwithstanding suffer and prosper them still Vers 7. Their eyes stand out with fatnesse c. Because the fatnesse of the face makes the eyes to be hidden rather then to stand out some would have this clause rendered thus Their eyes goe out with fatnesse meaning that they had scarce any
some others had their days lengthened out to a far longer period therefore I see no reason why we should not understand this Title as the words do plainly hold forth to wit that this Psalm is a prayer composed by Moses that man of God Yea and very probable I judge it to be which many say that it was composed by Moses for the use comfort of the Israelites after God had pronounced that sentence against them that they should all die in the wilderness that were twenty years old upward when they came out of Egypt save only Joshua and Caleb Numb 14.29 and when according to that sentence he found the people for many years together mouldering away in regard whereof he might well bewail as here he doth the mortality of man and pray to God as it is vers 15. Make us glad according to the daies wherein thou hast afflicted us and the years wherein we have seen evil Vers 1. Lord thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations As if he had said Though as strangers we travell from one place to another and have yet no settled dwelling-place yet to our fathers in this very condition thou hast been in all generations a dwelling-place a house of refuge yea so thou hast hitherto been to us thou hast alwaies provided for them and us a place of shelter where we might repose our selves and be provided for thou hast been as a little Sanctuary to us Ezek. 11.16 and therefore be so still Vers 2. From everlasting to everlasting thou art God This is here inserted either 1. to shew that it was no wonder that God should be a refuge to them in all generations as he said vers 1. seeing he was God from all eternity before ever the world was or 2. because the consideration of Gods eternity doth make us the more sensible of mans frail and transitory condition of which he intended now to treat or 3. because the eternity of God doth imply that all things had their being from God and both have been alwaies and are still governed by God so that he is the supreme cause of all the changes that are in the creatures himself in the mean season being subject to no change as all things here below are and therefore to whom should men flee for help but to God Vers 3. Thou turnest man to destruction c. That is to death which is the dissolution of soul and body or to the grave see the Notes Job 26.6 and 28.22 It is as if he had said Whilst thou continuest eternally the same thou dost suddenly bring man back to the earth from whence he was taken according to that sentence which thou didst passe against all mankind in Adam Gen. 3.19 dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return And to the same purpose is that which follows and sayest Return ye children of men that is By a word of thy mouth when thou pleasest thou callest men back to wit their bodies to the earth and their spirits to God that gave them Eccles 12.7 and to whom therefore should we seek for preservation but to thee I know many do otherwise understand this last clause to wit that having turned men to the very brink of the grave God often calls them back as it were to continue longer in the world But the first exposition is doubtlesse the best Vers 4. For a thousand years c. As if he should have said I may well say that man is suddenly turned to destruction for suppose a man should live a thousand years which yet no man ever did see Gen. 5.27 alas a thousand years in thy sight that is before thee or in comparison of thine eternity or with thee as Saint Peter alledgeth it 2 Pet. 3.8 are but as yesterday when it is past which then is nothing and besides man judgeth better of the shortnesse of time when it is past then when it is passing and as a watch in the night that is the space of three hours for by that Matth. 14.25 And in the fourth watch of the night Iesus went unto them it appears that of old they divided the night consisting of twelve hours into four watches which seem to be intended by those four distinct tearms Mark 13.35 at even or at midnight or at cock-crowing or in the morning And it may be also that he the rather mentioneth a watch in the night either because time seems to slip fastest away when men lye slumbering scarce knowing whether they be asleep or awake or else because he would also thereby covertly give a hint how full of darknesse the life of man is by reason of his ignorance and manifold miseries However that which Moses intends here is the same that David saith Psal 39.15 mine age is as nothing before thee For so Peter alledgeth this to prove that Gods staying long before he came to judgement was no delay with God seeing a day and a thousand years were all one with God 2 Pet. 3.8 But beloved be not ignorant of this one thing that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day Vers 5. Thou carriest them away as with a floud c. That is so that there is no memoriall left of them no more then there is of a floud which overfloweth all for a time but suddenly glideth away it is quite gone or they are suddenly swept away by a violent death see the Note Job 22.16 besides that every mans life doth soon passe away as is expressed in the foregoing verses men are oft cut off by sudden casualties and judgements they are as a sleep to wit that suddenly passeth away or as a sleep that is as a dream when one sleepeth see the Notes Job 20.8 and Psal 73.20 As for the following clause In the morning that is in their flourishing age their childhood or youth they are like grasse which groweth up if we read it as it is in the margin of our Bibles they are like grasse which is changed it may be understood of that change that is in grasse when being sprouted out of the earth it becomes more and more fresh and flourishing and shooteth up with a flour and then it intendeth the same with that translation which is in our Bibles to wit that men in the morning of their years do usually flourish like grasse that hath not yet felt the heat of the sun But commonly they that thus translate the words do understand it of the change that is wrought in grasse when it withereth in the morning they are like grasse which is changed that is they are like grasse which though it be fresh in the morning yet presently by the heat of the sun it begins to flag to change and wither Vers 7. For we are consumed by thine anger c. Divers things might by the Psalmist be intended in these words as 1. that it was Gods just anger against the sin of Adam and
of the truth 2 Tim. 3.7 3. that they rejoyce in their folly as men do in their inheritance and will by no means part with it they are as wise as their forefathers and they are resolved to be no wiser and 4. that folly in due time will certainly be the fruit reward of their sillinesse and wickednesse all their great hopes will deceive them folly at last will be their recompence to wit when the punishments of God shall fall upon them in particular shame and reproach which seems to be implyed by the opposition of the following clause but the prudent are crowned with knowledge that is they by diligent searching after true wisdome attain sound knowledge which is an honour and glory to them a means many times of their advancement here in this world but alwaies a means of bringing them to a crown of glory hereafter Vers 19. The evil bow before the good and the wicked at the gates of the righteous To wit as suitors are wont to wait at the gates of great men bowing themselves before them when they come out unto them which shews that this is meant here of Gods exalting the righteous in regard of their outward condition and the wickeds crouching before them in that respect though it be true too that many times wicked men are forced by their own consciences to reverence and respect the righteous even merely for those eminent gifts and graces that admirable wisdome and piety which they discern in them and sometimes in an humble submissive manner to seek unto them for their counsell and prayers Vers 21. He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth c. That is He that so slights and vilifies his poor neighbour that he relieves him not in his wants shall find by his punishments that he did therein greatly offend God though the world may judge otherwise of it yet by experience he shall find it so therefore he is a wretched unhappy man For that this is implyed is evident by the opposite clause but he that hath mercy on the poor happy is he to wit because he doeth that which is pleasing to God Vers 22. Do they not erre that devise evil c. That is They do unquestionably erre And two waies this may be understood 1. that they who sin not of infirmity but do advisedly plot mischief against men are quite out of the way of life eternall yea as some adde though they never bring it to passe but only devise it or 2. that they that devise evil against others do usually misse of that which they aim at and bring evil upon themselves But mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good see the Note 2 Sam. 15.20 Vers 24. The crown of the wise is their riches c. That is say some Expositours wisdome which is the crown of the wise is also their riches But doubtlesse Solomon speaks here of outward riches and saith that these are the crown of the wise that is they are an ornament an honour to them to wit 1. because their wealth is many times obtained by their wisdome and piety 2. because men will honour admire them and their wisdome the more for their riches whereas the wisdome of poor men is usually disregarded in rich men it shall be sure to be highly extolled 3. because the wise being rich have the greater advantage and opportunity to manifest their wisdome piety and 4. especially because the wise having the command of their riches do to their great glory use them well for the advancement of Gods glory for their own spirituall and eternall benefit and for the good of others But the foolishnesse of fools is folly that is be they poor or be they rich they will shew themselves fools their folly is all the ornament they have to honour them As an ape will be an ape though men put him into a golden coat so a wicked Nabal will shew himself a fool though he have never so great riches so will live and die with contempt and dishonour yea the richer such men are the more wicked and foolish they will be and the more they will discover their wickednesse folly because they will trust in their riches and abuse them exceedingly to the dishonour of God and to the hurt both of themselves and others This I conceive is the full meaning of this Proverb Yet some make this only to be the meaning of the last clause that the foolishnesse of fools that is of wicked men is folly that is folly indeed there is no folly like unto that folly Vers 25. A true witnesse delivereth souls c. That is by testifying the truth he often delivereth many innocent men from those dangers wherein they were for their estates or otherwise by some false accusation or he delivereth souls that is the lives of men when through false accusations they were in danger of death see the Note chap. 12.6 Yea in delivering any one man from such dangers it may be truly said that he delivereth souls because all that have their livelyhood by him are thereby also delivered To which some adde also that even by bearing witnesse against malefactours a faithfull witnesse may be truly said to deliver souls because the cutting off such mischievous persons tends to the preservation of many But a deceitfull witnesse speaketh lies and so destroyeth souls see the Note above vers 5. and chap. 12.17 Vers 26. In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence c. That is Whereas the fear of man doth usually work in men much faintnesse of heart spirit they that fear the Lord on the contrary are and have just cause to be very courageous and confident see the Note chap. 10.9 and his children that is say some the children of God or rather the children of the man that feareth God shall have a place of refuge that is shall be protected by God in times of danger Vers 27. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life c. That is it is a constant never-failing means to make men live holily and comfortably here to bring them to life eternall hereafter see the Notes chap. 10.11 and 13.14 Vers 28. In the multitude of the people is the kings honour c. And consequently his strength safety also as is implyed in the following clause but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince that is it tends to his dishonour contempt and so also to his ruine And the ground of both these is because a numerous people doth not only yield great revenues to a Prince when occasion is mighty armies for his defence but is also a very probable signe that such a Prince is wise just mercifull in his government and doth maintain peace and piety amongst them seeing such a way of governmēt doth of it self tend to the encrease of the people besides God doth usually blesse good kings with a great
I will recompence evil c. That is Do not so much as threaten it with thy lips or purpose it in thy heart to wit not only because it is not lawfull so much as to think evil but also because when men have once said they will doe a thing they are apt to think that then in point of honour or conscience they are bound to doe it but wait on the Lord and he shall save thee he doth not say and he shall revenge thee but and he shall save thee intimating that men should not desire God to take vengeance on their enemies but only that he would defend them from their enemies Men are apt to think that if they do not revenge injuries every one will trample over them and so they shall be utterly undone But the Holy Ghost here assures them that there shall be no anger herein because God shall preserve them And how much better is it that God should save them then that they by any wicked means should save themselves Vers 23. Divers weights are an abomination to the Lord c. See the Note above vers 10. and chap. 11.1 and 16.11 and Deut. 25.13 and a false balance is not good see the Notes chap. 17.26 and 18.5 Vers 24. Mans goings are of the Lord c. See the Notes chap. 16.1 9. Psal 37.23 how can a man then understand his own way that is since all our actions and the successe thereof depend wholly upon Gods providence therefore it is not possible that man should know his own way to wit what is most expedient to be done by him or what the event shall be of what he doeth Vers 25. It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy c. That is It is a sin that bringeth destruction upon men see the Note Deut. 7.16 As birds are destroyed by eating the meat which is laid for them within the snare fishes by swallowing the bait upon the hook so is it with such sacrilegious persons And by devouring that which is holy is meant not their eating of Gods holy sacrifices in those times in a heedlesse rash and profane manner without any devotion as some conceive but mens alienating to their own private ends any thing that was consecrated to holy uses or which they themselves had vowed to holy uses And if this last be included then are the following words added for the farther illustration thereof and after vows to make enquiry to wit whether he can doe what he hath vowed or no or whether he be so indispensably obliged by his vow that there is no way to be disengaged from it or if he do break his vow what satisfaction he may some other way make unto God And observable it is that even this enquiring about not fulfilling a vow because it manifests a desire men have to doe it is made a grievous sin yea though the vow be never broken Vers 26. A wise king scattereth the wicked c. That is when they are combined together in any way of wickednesse he disperseth them or he cuts them off from amongst the people see the Note above vers 8. even as the husbandman with his fan driveth away the chaff from the wheat for that he alludeth in these words to the husbandmans fanning or winnowing is the more probable because in the following clause and bringeth the wheel over them he seems also to allude to the cart-wheels wherewith in those times they were wont to beat out their corn whence is that Isa 28.27 28. The fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument neither is a cart-wheel turned about upon the cummin c. But yet this may be meant of some kind of engine called the wheel used for the torturing and executing of malefactors even as it is stil in many countries at this day Or there may be an allusion in the words to the chariot-wheels which they used in the wars wherewith they ran over the bodies of those that were beaten down before them Vers 27. The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord c. That is the soul of man because of the reason and understanding wherewith God hath endued it is as a bright shining lamp which God hath set up within man by the light whereof men see their waies and are enabled to order their waies as they ought to doe And some conceive too that Solomon doth the rather use this expression 1. because the soul is in the body of man as a candle in a lanthorn 2. because in regard of its remaining light even since the fall of man it is as a lamp shining in the dark night of corrupt nature 3. because the light of it is as easily by death extinguished as a candle is blown out And then by those following words searching all the inward parts of the belly is meant either particularly that reflect act of mens understanding which we call conscience whereby men do discern and judge of the most secret thoughts and affections and desires of their own hearts according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.11 What man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him and that especially when the soul is enlightened with grace and so doth thereby the better discover both his corruptions and graces and discern in what state he stands with God yea some understand it of mens discovering that which is in other mens hearts for which see the Note above vers 5. or rather more generally that by the light of reason men are able to search out those deep and hidden things that are as much hidden from the outward view of man as are the entrails in a mans body and that there is scarce any thing so secret either in nature or religion which men by their knowledge and wisdome will not discover And very probably we may think that this here is added with reference to the foregoing verse because it might be questioned how a king can scatter the wicked seeing wicked men are usually so cunning to hide their wickednesse Solomon answers here by a mans wisdome and understanding the secretest things may be discovered Vers 28. Mercy and truth preserve the king c. As if he should have said Kings endued with these graces need in a manner no other guard about them both because hereby they procure the favour of God and man towards them and likewise because they cut off the wicked that are perillous to them and to their thrones But see the Notes chap. 3.3 and 16.6 and Psal 61.67 As for the next clause and his throne is upholden by mercy that is added to shew either that however mercy and truth do both tend to a kings preservation yet mercy hath the chief stroke therein or else that as these graces are a great means of safety to a kings person so they are also a great support to his kingdome for though mercy be only here again expressed yet
cannot attain them or when a man hath gotten them they will vanish away in an instant as an eagle towards heaven that is as an eagle flyeth towards heaven or if these words also be meant of riches we must understand them thus that riches will be gone beyond all possibility of getting them or recovering them again The first clause is in the Hebrew Wilt thou cause thine eies to flee upon that which is not which expression seems to have reference to that which followeth concerning riches sleeing away as an eagle and so may imply that though in their desires men flie after riches with never so much eagernesse they will be too swift for them and how vain a thing it is for men to gape after riches even as if a man should with earnest desires look after some fowle which is upon the wing and in the twinckling of an eye is gotten out of his sight and therefore it is too that the eagle is mentioned because no fowle flyeth so high or so swift as an eagle Vers 6. Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye That is of an envious man according to that Matth. 20.15 Is thine eye evil because I am good or rather of a sordid covetous miser that doth envy thee and grudge thee every bit of meat that thou eatest for so on the contrary the liberall man was before said to have a good or a bountifull eye chap. 22.9 Vers 7. For as he thinketh in his heart so is he c. That is he is not to be esteemed according to what in his words and his outward deportment he would pretend himself to be to wit one that loves thee and to whom thou art truly welcome but according to what he thinketh in his heart as namely that he is a dissembling miserly churle that grudgeth at thy eating of that which he sets before thee as is expressed in the following clause Eat and drink saith he to thee but his heart is not with thee Vers 8. The morsell which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up c. Some understand this literally that by reason of some unwholsome meat which the envious man doth often set before his guests or by reason of his drawing them with a mischievous intention to overlade their stomacks with his meat or drink his guests should vomit up what they had eaten and so also should be disabled from speaking so wisely and acceptably to those that were present as otherwise they might have done which they think is intended in the next clause and lose thy sweet words But by the common consent of most Expositours the meaning is rather this The morsell which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up that is By some snare wherewith he will entrap thee or some mischief he will afterwards doe thee he will make thee pay dearly for what thou hast eaten or rather When thou shalt perceive either by some distastfull speeches given thee or by some other means that he grudged to see thee eat his meat thou shalt be so inwardly vexed and grieved that thy meat shall doe thee no good and in that regard it shall be all one to thee as if thou hadst vomited it up again or thou shalt even loath that very meat of his which thou hast eaten and repent that ever thou didst eat it and wish thou couldest vomit it up again And lose thy sweet words that is all the sweet glosing words wherewith he welcomed thee c. all the content thou didst take therein shall be then lost they shall doe thee no good but rather thou shalt be vexed exceedingly that thou wert so befooled by his dissembling language or thou shalt lose thy sweet words that is all the flattering language thou gavest him or all the courteous sweet complementall words thou spakest to him by way of praising his good chear or acknowledging his love and returning him many thanks for his kind entertainment or any good or pleasant discourse wherewith thou soughtest to delight him or his guests whilst thou wert at his table all which shall be as lost either because the covetous churle took no delight in them whilst he grudged at him for eating up his victuals or because the man that spake them when he comes to discover the sordid dissembling of his host that entertained him shall be fretted that ever he spake them and shall wish that he had never spoken them Vers 9. Speak not in the ears of a fool for he will despise the wisdome of thy words To wit out of ignorance or profanenesse see the Notes chap. 9.7 8. But yet this phrase of speaking in the ear may seem to imply that this is meant only of private admonition or reproof Vers 10. Remove not the old land-mark and enter not into the fields of the fatherlesse To wit neither by seizing upon their lands and estate unjustly nor by any encroachment through removing their land-marks nor by breaking violently into them any other way to doe them any damage Vers 11. For their redeemer is mighty c. See the Note Job 19.25 he shall plead their cause with thee see the Note chap. 22.23 Vers 13. Withhold not correction from the child c. That is neither omit it thy self nor restrain others from doing it to whom it belongs see the Notes also chap. 13.24 19.18 for if thou beat him with the rod he shall not die that is such moderate correction will not be his death to wit neither at the present for a rod will break no bones nor yet by degrees by grieving or weakening him and bringing him into a consumption or he shall not die that is this will preserve him both from being cut off by untimely death as cocker'd children for their wickednesse many times are and likewise from eternall death as is more fully expressed in the following verse Vers 14. Thou shalt beat him with the rod and shalt deliver his soul from hell This last clause may be taken not only as a promise but also as a precept Vers 15. My son if thine heart be wise my heart shall rejoyce even mine That is not only shall this yield joy to thine own heart but to mine also by whose instruction this hath been wrought and who for the love I bear thee cannot but rejoyce in thy good Vers 16. Yea my reins shall rejoyce c. That is All the inward parts of my body shall be affected with my joy when thy lips speak right things that is when thou becomest able thereby to instruct others or when thy speech is pious and every way right which is therefore particularly mentioned because this is the highest proof of true wisdome in the heart If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man Jam. 3.2 Vers 17. Let not thine heart envy sinners c. See the Notes Psal 37.1 3 but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long that is continually and constantly even then
as if he had said In these regards the untimely birth is in a better condition then the covetous man before mentioned vers 3. to wit because the untimely birth hath more rest then he seeing he is at rest from the very womb whereas the covetous man lives a toilsome unquiet life all his dayes Vers 6. Yea though he live a thousand years twice told c. Because it might be objected that long life is in it self a blessing and that therefore the covetous man is at least in this regard in a better condition then the abortive child because he out-lives him so many years to this Solomon answers here yea though he live a thousand years twice told that is suppose a man could live so long yet hath he seen no good that is such a man doth never live one chearful hour in all that time nor never taketh any true delight or content in any thing but his whole life is spent in continuall vexation and misery and consequently therefore his life is no advantage to him but the lengthening of his dayes doth onely lengthen out his misery do not all go to one place as if he should have said And besides to the grave he must at last come as well as the abortive and then considering that his riches cannot secure him from death and that he can carry nothing with him of all that he hath gotten there is no difference betwixt him and the abortive or if there be any difference the covetous man that lived so long is in the worst condition because it is such a vexation to him when he goes to the grave that he must part with his wealth upon which for so many years together his heart hath been set And why then should men toil and pine themselves to heap up riches were it not much better with content and comfort to make use of that estate which God hath bestowed upon them Vers 7. All the labour of man is for his mouth c. That is All that man gets by his labour or all that man aims at in his labour is for his bodily sustenance and the support of his life by providing things necessary convenient for him For all things requisite for the necessary maintenance of mans life which the Apostle distributeth into those two particulars of food and raiment 1 Tim. 6.8 are here comprehended under this one expression that all is for his mouth and that because food convenient meat and drink is of all things most necessary a man will sell the very house he dwells in and the clothes upon his â—k to get bread to eat See the Note Pro. 16.26 yet the appetite or as it is in the Hebrew the soul is not filled the meaning whereof is either 1. that mans appetite can never be so satisfied with meat and drink but that within a while his hunger and thirst will return again nor will it be so satisfied but that still it will be affecting new variety of dainties And then the drift of the words may be to imply the vanity of mans labor here in this world or the vanity of riches even then when the owners thereof do make use of them in that all being for the mouth there is no end of mans labor nor of mens seeking to satisfie their appetite with what they have in that it will be only satisfied for a while Or secondly that mans covetous desire after the things of this world is insatiable though he hath abundantly enough to supply all his necessities yet his inordinate desire after riches is never satisfied but that still he is toiling for more and is so greedy to advance his estate that he cannot finde in his heart to spend any thing in a manner of what he hath See the Note Cha. 4.8 And if we thus understand the words then Solomons aim therein may be to shew the folly of man in that all being for the mouth for the support of mens present life they should so eagerly toil for so much where so little would serve being still so greedy after abundance that they even defraud their mouthes for which they should labour and the more they have the more still they desire Or thirdly that however the rational soul of man cannot be satisfied with such things they may supply the body with food and clothing and other such like natural comforts but they can never satisfie the soul and a great vanity it is that the divine and immortal soul should onely be intent upon sensuall and transitory things Vers 8. For what hath the wise more then the fool c. This is added as a proof of what he had said in the foregoing verse that riches cannot satisfie the desires of man because wise men that are most likely to find it out if it were there to be had do enjoy no more good by their wealth then fools do what hath the wise more then the food as if he should said nothing at all wisdom doth far excell folly in regard of internal worth See the Note Chap. 2 13. But in regard of the outward use of riches in regard of the common events of this life and the discommodities thereof the wise man hath no priviledge above the fool and that because the fool may have all sorts of riches as well as the wise man and he may live as comfortably and plentifully he may eat as good meat and wear as good clothes as the wise man can and in all this he doth but provide for back and belly and such other necessities of nature and so may the fool do that is rich as well as he As the wise man is subject to hunger and thirst as well as the fool so the fool may have wherewith to supply and may as readily supply these and other the like necessities of nature as the wise man The wise man cannot prevent death by his riches nor carry any thing with him when he dies nor satisfie the desires of his immortal soul with his wealth no more then the fool can What hath the poor that knoweth to walk before the living that is that knoweth how to get a livelihood amongst men as being industrious and prudent and one that understands how to carry himself towards all men with whom he converseth both in publick and private fairly and discreetly so as to be well esteemed amongst them and to gain their favour by all which means he makes a shift to gather some competency of estate though it be but little and so he is reputed still but a poor man what hath this poor man that is say some Expositors what hath he lesse then the rich man hath whither wise or foolish He hath as much profit by his little as the rich man hath by all his abundance in that he hath wherewithall to preserve life and liveth comfortably thereon and the rich can do no more But I rather think that the word more which is in the first clause of
that thou thy self hast cursed others That is reproached and spoken evil of others And therefore as thou wouldst have others to bear with thine infirmities so resolve thou to bear with the infirmities of others Vers 23. All this have I proved by wisdome c. Solomons drift in this and the following verse is from his own proof and experience first to assert the certainty of those precepts he had hitherto given for the remedying of those vanities as much as may be whereto men are subject here in this world and particularly of that which he had said concerning the singular protection which wisdom affords to men against their own corruptions the dangers ensuing thereupon and Secondly to set forth the difficulty of attaining this wisdom thereby to teach men not to be over ready to think upon some progresse they have made in their endeavours after wisdome and knowledge that they know as much as is to be known that because the more they know the more they will discover their want of knowledge and yet withall to content themselves with such a measure of knowledge as is attainable in this life and not to aspire after the knowledge of those things that are above their reach All this have I proved by wisdome that is by means of that wisdome which God was pleased in an extraordinary measure to confer upon me and wherein I laboured by all possible means dayly to grow and increase I did experimentally find the truth of all that which I have hitherto taught either concerning the vanity of all things here below or concerning the means prescribed whereby men may come to live with as much comfort and content as is attainable in the midst of so much vanity or particularly concerning the great advantage which true wisdom yields to men in this And yet withall he addes that after all his endeavours he came far short of that degree of wisdom which he sought to attain as is expressed in the following words I said I will be wise that is I fully determined with my self to use all means that I might atttain to perfection of wisdome and perswaded my self that by those endeavours of mine I should attain it but it was far from me that is I was still far from attaining that perfection of wisdome which I laboured for I found it still far above my reach and that because the more he searched into Gods works of creation and providence the more unsearchable depths he found therein the more knowledge he attained the clearer discovery he still made of his own wants herein and after the diligence he used in tracing all the severall wayes which men take for the attaining of true happinesse he found himself still far from attaining that wisdome thereby which he sought for Vers 24. That which is far off and exceeding deep who can find it out As if he had said As men cannot discern those things that are very far distant from them nor dive into those things that are exceeding deep so neither can they fully comprehend the works of God and the reason thereof and that because they are so exceeding mysterious and profound and so far beyond the reach of the eye of mans reason And therefore no marvel it is though wisdome be so hard to be attained Vers 25. I applyed mine heart to know c. In the Hebrew it is I and mine heart compassed to know and to search and to seek out wisdome But the meaning is this that though he found wisdome so hard to be attained yet this did not discourage him but rather made him more eager in the pursuite of it in so much that he did seriously and with all possible diligence turn himself every way and made curious search into every thing wherein any knowledge was to be gotten leaving no means unattempted whereby he might hope to attain the wisdome he sought for and the reason of things that is the nature and causes of things why things are thus and thus and why men did that which he observed they did that weighing diligently the true principles and causes of all things and comparing them with others he might be able to give a clear and distinct judgement concerning all things whatsoever and to know the wickednesse of folly even of foolishnesse and madnesse that is the exceeding wickednesse folly and madnesse that is in the wayes of ungodly men And observable it is that first he buckled himself to search out wisdome and then afterwards to discover the folly of wickednesse that so the first might be an Antidote against the second But see the Notes Chap. 1.13 17. Some conceive that Solomons drift in this verse is to shew that having found the reason of Gods works to be above his reach he addressed himself in the next place to observe the ordinary passages of mens lives But I rather conceive that Solomon intending in the following verses to set forth some other vanities observed by him besides those formerly mentioned in this book he premiseth by way of introduction thereunto that which he saith here concerning the diligent search that he had made after knowledge in the exact discovery both of good and evil Vers 26. And I find more bitter then death the woman whose heart is snares and nets c. That is the harlot or whorish woman whose heart is said to be snares and nets because her heart is continually intent upon the designe of intangling mens affections and is alwayes full of manifold cunning frauds and devices whereby to deceive insnare and destroy men and her hands as bands because by her wanton dalliances her cogging gifts and lascivious embraces she binds those to her whom she hath once insnared and holds them in bondage as her slaves triumphing and insulting over them at her pleasure Now this woman Solomon saith he had found more bitter then death because though she seemes in her words and outward carriage to be sweeter then honey and softer then oile yet indeed in regard of the miseries she brings upon men she is more bitter then death and it were better for a man to dye then to be intangled by her see the Notes Pro. 5.3 4. even in regard of the miseries she brings upon a man in this life the terrors of his conscience the ruining of his estate the scorn and reproach he endures the rotting and consuming of his body by noysome and filthy diseases he is in a worse condition then that of men that dye by an ordinary death But then besides whereas death doth only deprive men of this bodily and momentany life the harlot deprives men of life eternall and separates betwixt them and God whose favour is better then life Psal 63.3 Death in some wayes and cases may be an honour to men yea it may be so sanctified and sweetned as that it may be to men a most welcome and desirable mercy But a mans being overcome by a harlot can tend to nothing but misery shame and
to a fountain from whence water is taken up by a pitcher or drawn up by a wheel a bucket a cord or a chaine to be powred into a cistern and so the drift of these words to be only this that as when these things are broken at a well there is no more drawing up water thereby so when the vitall parts in a man that should convey nourishment and life and sense and motion to all the body which is the cistern are broken and made uselesse there is no hope that life should any longer continue Yea and besides the most of Expositors doe more particularly apply the severall particulars here mentioned as 1. By the silver cord that is loosed may be meant the pith or marrow of the back-bone which comes from the braine in the back part of the head and so is drawn along as a cord quite thorough the back-bone to the very bottome of it only at the four and thirty joynts of the said bone it seemes to be tyed together with so many links or knots which because it is white or is included in a smooth bright skin like to silver is therefore called the silver cord yea and this may be extended also to the nerves which thorough the severall joynts of that bone doe shoote forth as the shaggy threds of this cord and spread themselves thorough the body and are the instruments of sense and motion and appear like so many white strings in the flesh And now because when this marrow of the back-bone together with the nerves the branches of it become lax and loose by cold humors from the braines men are usually taken with the dead palsey hence this expression seemes to be taken Or ever the silver cord be loosed 2. By the golden bowl broken may be meant the heart which because of the blood and spirits it containes may be compared to a golden bowl or rather the skull or brain-pan or that thin membrane or sinewy skin compassing the brain like a swadling-cloath or the inner rind of a tree which is usually called the Pia mater It is called a bowl because it is round and a golden bowl because it containes the brain which is such a precious part of mans body upon the safe-guarding whereof the life of man doth so much depend And because these the heart and the brain are the principall vitall parts in man therefore when men dye this golden bowl is then said to be broken 3. By the fountain here may be meant either the head which is the fountain of the animal spirits sense and motion or the heart which is the fountain of blood and vitall spirits And 4. By the pitcher at the fountain and the wheel at the cistern are meant those instrumentall parts which convey nourishment life sense and motion into the body which is the cistern as those milky veines in the Mesentery which after the digestion of meat in the stomack and the discharge of it from thence into the small guts doe draw into them the concocted chyle and convey it by a peculiar vessel called Ductus chylâ— Thoracicus into the mass of blood which together with the blood is carried to the heart and 2. the arteries whereby the blood together with the vital spirits is discharged from the heart into all parts of the body to give life heat and nourishment to the whole and then the veines doe againe returne it to the heart and the arteries doe again returne it to every part of the body by a perpetuall circulation in regard whereof these instruments of life may the more fitly here be compared to a Wheel that is alwayes turning round and 3. the nerves or sinews by which from the brain where the vitall spirits brought by the arteries from the heart to the brain are digested and turned into animal spirits the animal spirits which give sense and motion are carried forth into all parts of the body And all these are said to be broken when they loose their drawing and distributing vertue and so blood and spirits and heate and sense and motion doe all faile in the body Some I know would have the pitcher broken at the fountain to be the bladder when the urine ceaseth to issue from thence according as in an orderly way it useth to doe and so likewise the wheel broken at the cistern to be the lungs which are as a wheel transmitting the aire in and out up and downe and may be said to be broken when they come to be taken off from their motion But the former application of these figurative expressions I conceive is most proper Vers 7. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it To wit That it may appear before Gods tribunal by him to be sentenced either to heaven or hell Or the meaning may be that the soul returns to God to live for ever with him in heaven for say some Expositors because Solomon is speaking here to the people of God therefore he speaks of the state of the soul after death no otherwise then as passing presently to heavenly glory However the drift of Solomon in mentioning this is to shew that therefore it behooves men whilst they live and are in health to provide for eternity because when once the soul and body are parted there remaines then nothing but judgement Vers 8. Vanity of vanities saith the Preacher all is vanity As if he had said And hereby as by all likewise that I have formerly said it appeares to be most unquestionably true which I said at first that all things under the Sun are exceeding vain yea vanity it selfe See the Note Chap. 1.2 Vers 9. And moreover because the Preacher was wise c. The drift of these words is to encourage men very attentively to reade and regard and give credit to this booke to the due consideration of the Author the Penman of it 1. Because he was a man upon whom God had conferred a high degree of wisdome above other men see 1 King 4.29 30 31. and withall when he wrote this book a true penitent and reconciled to the Church both which are comprehended in these words because the Preacher was wise see the Note Chap. 1.1 2ly Because he still taught the people knowledge that is he was one that was still taking every opportunity to inform his people in the knowledge of things thereby approving himselfe both truly wise and truly penitent and the more himselfe increased in wisdome the readier he was to teach others for so the words may be read as our Bibles have it in the Margin And the more wise the Preacher was he still taught the people knowledge 3. Because he was very exact in marking well what he received from others and what he gathered from his own study and observations and in weighing and pondering well every thing that he wrote and did with much diligence use all meanes for the informing of himselfe
though this phrase of Gods calling him may be used in reference to the manner of Gods raising men from the dead concerning which the Apostle saith 1. Thess 4.16 The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first c. yet by the call of God may be meant simply the will and command of God as where it is said that God called for a famine upon the land Psal 105.16 that is he commanded a famine to be in the land and so our Saviour speaks of the Resurrection Ioh. 5.28 The hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice c. and 3. Some understand it of Gods calling him out of this world by death and so conceive that Iob here professeth his readinesse to yield to Gods call herein and that because he knew God would one day remember him in mercy and not utterly castâ—off the work of his own hands Vers 16. For now thou numbrest my steps c This is added as a reason why he so earnestly desired to die or to be hid in the grave as he had said vers 13. till Gods wrath and indignation was over or why he had besought God that he would withdraw his hand and let him finish his daies in peace vers 6. namely because God did now at present proceed with such severity against him as one that took strict notice of all his waies that not one sin of his might scape unpunished See chap. 10.14 To which purpose also is that which follows in the next verse of Gods sealing up his transgressions in a bag that is his laying them up in store as evidences and indictments against him of which see the Note Deuter. 32.34 Vers 18. And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought and the rock is removed out of his place c. The drift of these words is either 1. To imply that God proceeded with as much fury and violence against him as when he overturns mountains and removes rocks out of their places c. or 2. To intimate that if the strongest creatures and those that seem most stedfastly setled in their places cannot stand before the indignation of the Lord much lesse could poor weak man stand before it and that therefore God needed not proceed with such over-bearing violence against him as he now did or 3. To bewail his continuing so long in so great miseries that when the strongest creatures were not able to stand before Gods power when he meant to bring them to nought and so the hope of man was destroyed by his hand as is expressed in the last clause of the 19 verse that is all things wherein vain men hope or all the vain things wherein men are wont to hope yet he a poor weak creature should hold out against so many and great afflictions and live in the midst of so many deaths or 4. To renew his old request that he might die that since all things even those that were the most like to continue were often removed and wasted out of their place so he desired it might also be with him or 5. To intimate his fear least his patience should fail and thereupon to desire that God would in pity release him surely the mountain falling cometh to nought c. as if he had said mountains and rocks will fail and how much sooner may my patience fail My strength is not the strength of stones as he had said before chap. 6.12 and therefore either remove my afflictions or remove me out of this world or 6. To shew that God proceeding so severely against him and not suffering any sin of his to passe unpunished as he had said in the foregoing verses as other creatures that seem more surely setled then man is do utterly perish by the mighty power of God so it must needs be with man he also must needs be cut off irrecoverably The mountain saith Iob falling cometh to nought and the rock is removed out of his place to wit sometimes by extraordinary earth-quakes sometimes by the violence of great flouds and inundations of waters the waters wear the stones by continuall beating and dropping upon them thou washest away the things that grow out of the dust namely when rivers or seas overflowing or breaking through the banks do with a mighty torrent sweep away all before them and thou destroyest the hope of man that is and thus after the same manner is man cut off and destroyed by death and that as concerning any hope of living again here in this world irrecoverably and this I conceive most probable to have been the drift of Iob in these words being the same in effect with that which he had said before vers 11 12. Vers 20. Thou prevailest for ever against him and he passeth thou changest his countenance and sendest him away That is it is alwaies thus be a man never so strong die he must if thou contendest with him he must needs sink under thine hand and that irrecoverably it being altogether impossible that he should resist the stroke of thine hand his comelinesse and beauty thou soon turnest into a ghastly ashy palenesse and so sendest him packing out of this world Vers 21. His sons come to honour and he knoweth it not c. This may be meant either of man after death as in reference to what he had said immediately before concerning mans passing away out of this world to wit that after that he never knoweth more what is done here in this world whether his children live in prosperity or misery it is all one to him for he knoweth not how it fares with them and then it is added to shew how absolutely men are by death cut off from all possible communion with those that remain behind them Or else it may be meant of man when he is dying to wit either that through the anguish and extremity of pain and misery which he endures he regards no earthly thing how nearly soever it concerns him be his children in a prosperous or in a mean condition he minds it not it works in him neither joy nor sorrow or else that this is one part of his misery that dying he knoweth not what shall become of his children Vers 22. But his flesh upon him shall have pain and his soul within him shall mourn Those Expositours that understand the foregoing words of man after death must needs find it too difficult to give a reason how after that this should come in But his flesh upon him shall have pain c. Yet two severall waies they alledge how this may be inferred upon that which went before though so understood for 1. Some take the words to be a figurative and poeticall expression of the sad condition of a man cut off by death his flesh upon him shall have pain alluding to the worms gnawing the flesh of his