Persons then eminent for Birth and Quality for Wisdom and Knowledge and for the Profession of the true Religion being probably of the posterity of Abraham and akin to Iob and living in the same Country with him for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him 12. And when they lift up their Eyes afar off t To wit at some convenient distance from him whom they found sitting upon the ground either in the open Air or within his own House and knew him not u His Countenance being so fearfully changed and disfigured by his Boils they lift up their voice and wept and they rent every one his Mantle and sprinkled Dust upon their Heads toward Heaven x Either upon the upper part of their Heads which looks towards Heaven or cast it up into the Air so as it should fall upon their Heads as they did Act. 22. 23. See Ios. 7. 6. Nehem. 9. 1. Lam. 2. 10. 13. So they sat down with him upon the ground y In the posture of Mourners condoling with him Seven Days and Seven Nights z Which was the usual time of mourning for the Dead Gen. 50. 10. 1 Sam. 31. 13. and therefore proper both for Iob's Children who were dead and for Iob himself who was in a manner dead whilst he lived But we must not fancy that they continued in this place and posture so long together which no Laws of Religion or Civility required of them and the necessities of Nature could not bear but only that they spent a great or the greatest part of that time in sitting with him and silent Mourning over him And so such General Expressions are frequently understood as Luke 2. 37. and 24. 53. Acts 20. 31. Either 1. About any thing Or rather 2. About his Afflictions and the causes of them The Reason of this silence was partly the greatness of their grief for him and their surprize and astonishment at his Condition partly because they thought it convenient to give him some further time to vent his own Sorrows and partly because as yet they knew not what to say to him for though they had ever esteemed him to be a truly wise and godly Man and came with full purpose to comfort him yet the prodigious greatness of his Miseries and that Hand and Displeasure of God which they manifestly perceived in them made them at a stand and to question Iob's Sincerity so that they could not comfort him as they had intended and yet were loth to grieve him with those Convictions and Reproofs which they thought he greatly needed And here they stuck till Iob gave them occasion to speak their Minds and none spake a word to him for they saw that his Grief was very great CHAP. III. 1. AFter this opened Job his Mouth a He spake freely and boldly as this Phrase is used Prov. 31. 8 9. Eph. 6. 19. and elsewhere and cursed his day b To wit his Birth-day as is evident from v. 3. which is called simply a Mans day Hos. 7. 5. which also some others through the same Infirmity and in the same Circumstances have cursed as we see Ier. 20. 14. In vain do some men endeavour to excuse this and the following Speeches of Iob who afterwards is reproved by God and severely accuseth himself for them Ch. 38. 2. and 40. 4. and 42. 3 6. And yet he doth not proceed so far as to curse or blaspheme God but makes the Devil a Lyar in his Prognosticks But although he doth not break forth into direct and down right Reproaches of God yet he makes secret and indirect Reflections upon Gods Providence His Curse was sinful both because it was vain being applied to an unreasonable thing which was not capable of blessing and cursing and to a day that was past and so out of the reach of all Curses and because it was applied to one of Gods Creatures all which were and are in themselves very good and pronounced blessed by God and so they are if we do not turn them into Curses and because it casts a blame upon God for bringing that day and for giving him that Life which that day brought into the World He pronounceth that day an unhappy woful and cursed day not in it self but with respect to himself 2. And Job * Heb. 〈◊〉 spake and said 3. †Ch. 10. 1â—… 19 Iâ—… 20. 1â—… Let the day perish wherein I was born c Let the remembrance of that day be utterly lost Yea I heartily wish that it had never been Such Wishes are apparently foolish and impatient and yet have been somtimes forced from wise and good men in grievous Distresses not as if they expected any effect of them but only to shew their abhorrency of Life and to express the intolerableness of their grief and to give some vent to their passions and the night in which it was said d With Joy and Triumph as happy tidings Compare Ier. 20. 15. There is a Man-Child conceived e Or rather brought forth as this word is used 1 Chron. 4. 17. For the time of conception is unknown commonly to Women themselves and doth not use to be reported among men as this day is supposed to be 4 Let that day be Darkness f I wish the Sun had never risen upon that day to make it day or which is all one that it had never been and whensoever that day returns I wish it may be black and gloomy and uncomfortable and therefore execrable and odious to all men let not God regard it from above g i. e. From Heaven either 1. By causing the Light of the Sun which is in Heaven to shine upon it So it agrees both with the foregoing and following Branches of this Verse Or 2. By blessing and favouring it or by giving his Blessings to men upon it Let it be esteemed by all an unlucky and comfortless day Oh Let not God require it i. e. bring it again in its course as other days return in this sense God is said to require that which is past Eccles. 3. 15. Compare v. 3. 6. neither let the Light shine upon it 5. Let Darkness and the shadow of death h i. e. A black and dark shadow like that of the place of the dead which is a Land of Darkness and where the Light is Darkness as Iob explains this very Phrase Ch. 10. 21. 22. Or so gross and palpable Darkness that by its horrours and damps may take away mens Spirits and Lives ‖ Or 〈◊〉 stain it i i. e. Take away its beauty and Glory and make it abominable as a filthy thing Or challenge it i. e. take and keep the entire possession of it so as the Light may not have the least share in it let a Cloud dwell upon it * Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it as 〈◊〉 who have 〈◊〉 â—… â—… let the blackness of the day terrifie it
thou renewest my Calamities again and again and makest my Plagues wonderful both for kind and extremity and continuance 17. Thou renewest ‖ 〈◊〉 is thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 21. Chap. 16. 8. thy witnesses r i. e. Thy judgments which are the Witnesses and Evidences both of my sins and of thy wrath against me and encreasest thy indignation s i. e. My miseries the effects of thine anger These words are added to explain what he meant by renewing witnesses upon me changes and war t Or changes and an army which may be a Figure called Hendiadis for the changes of an army i. e. many miseries succeeding one another like Companies of the Souldiers of an Army in Battel Or changes may note the various kinds and an army the great numbers of his Afflictions are against me 18. * Chap. 3. 11. Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb O that I had given up the Ghost and no eye had seen me u To wit alive i. e. that I had never been born alive 19. I should have been x Or O that I had been And so in the following branch O that I had been carried For why should not these Verbs of the Future Tense be so rendred here as that v. 19. is the reason being wholly the same as though I had not been I should have been carried from the womb to the grave 20. * See Ch. 7. 6 8. 9. Are not my days few * Psal. 39. 13. cease then x My life is short and of its self hastens apace to an end * there is no need that thou shouldest push it forward or grudge me some â—…ase for so small a moment and let me alone y Or lay aside or remove thy hand or anger from me that I may take comfort a little 21. Before I go to the place whence I shall not return z Into this World and Life See on Chap. 7. 9. 10. even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death ‖ i. e. A dark and dismal shade See on Chap. 3. 5. 22. A land of darkness †Either in things without any succession of Day and Night Winter and Summer Or among persons where great and small are in the same condition Chap. 3. 19. †Heb. as the gloominess of the shadow of death and without order and it shineth as darkness as darkness it self and of the shadow of death without any order and where the light is as darkness * Where there is no difference between Light and Darkness where the Day is as dark as the Night where there is nothing but perpetual and uninterrupted darkness CHAP. XI THen answered Zophar the Naamathite and said 2. Should not the multitude of words be answered a Doest thou think to carry thy Cause by thy long and tedious discourses consisting of empty words without weight or reason and should †Heb. a man of lips a man full of talk be justified b Shall we by our silence seem to approve of thy Errors Or shall we think thy Cause the better because thou usest more words than we do 3. Should thy ‖ Or devices lies c i. e. Thy false Opinions and Assertions both concerning thy self and thy own Innocency and concerning the Counsels and Ways of God make men hold their peace d As if thy Arguments were unanswerable and when thou mockest e Both God Chap. 10. 3. and us and our friendly and faithful Counsels Chap. 6. 14 15 25 26. shall no man make thee ashamed f By discovering thy Errors and Follies 4. For thou hast said * Chap. 6. 10. my doctrine g Concerning God and his Providence is pure h i. e. True and certain and * Chap. 10. 7. I am clean in thine eyes i I am innocent before God I have not sinned either by my former actions or by my present expressions Thou standest wholly upon thy justification But Zophaâ—… aggravates and perverts Iob's words for he did not deny that he was a sinner in God's â—…ght Chap. 7. 20 21. 9. 2 3. 10. 14. but only that he was an Hypocrite or ungodly man as they made him 5. But O that God would speak and open his lips against thee k i. e. Plead with thee according to thy desire Chap. 9. 32 c. He would soon put thee to silence and shame 6. And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom l i. e. The unknown and unsearchable depths of God's Wisdom and Counsels in dealing with his Creatures that they are double to that which is m i. e. That they are far more and greater the word double being used indefinitely for manifold or plentiful as Isa. 40. 2. 61. 7. Ier. 17. 18. Zech. 9. 12. then that which hath a being or existence i. e. The secret Wisdom of God is infinitely greater than that which is revealed to us by his Word or Works The greatest part of what is known of God is the least part of those Perfections that are in him And therefore thou doest rashly and foolishly in passing such a bold censure upon God's ways and judging so harshly of his proceedings with thee because thou doest not comprehend the reasons of them and in judging thy self innocent because thou doest not see thy sins whereas the all-knowing God sees innumerable sins in thee for which he may utterly destroy thee though thou discernest them not But the words are and must be rendred either thus that he hath double id est abundant wisdom For so this Hebrew word signifies Chapter 6. 13. and 12. 16. Proverbs 2. 7. and 3. 21. Or that they are double to or in that being or essence to wiâ—… to God of whom he is here speaking Or to the being i. e. to God who calls himself by the Name I am Exod. 3 14. which signifies being and who appropriates being to himself Isa. 45. 18. I am and there is none else besides me as elsewhere he is said to be the onely wise and onely Potentate and onâ—…y immortal being 1 Tim. 1. 17. 6. 15 16. know therefore that * Ezra 9. 1â—… God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth n Heb. God lâ—…nds or gives or forgives thee part of thine iniquity or of thy punishment So far is he from dealing worse than thou deservest as thou doest most falsly and wickedly accuse him 7. * Eccles. 3. 11. Rom 11. 33. Canst thou by searching find out God o i. e. Discover all the Depths of his Wisdom and the reasons of all his Actions canst thou find out the Almighty * Ch. 26. 14. unto perfection 8. It is †Heb. the heights of hâ—…aven as high as heaven p Thou canst not measure the heights of the visible Heavens much less of the Divine Perfections what canst thou do q To wit to
which they intended to rob and the part of the house where they resolved to enter into it in the day-time * John 3. 20. they know not the light i i. e. Do not love nor like it as Verse 13. but abhor it as it follows 17. For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death k i. e. Terrible and hateful because it both discovers them and hinders their practises if one know them they are in the terrours of the shadow of death l If they are brought to light or discovered they are overwhelmed with deadly horrours and terrours Or as the words are and may very agreeably to the Hebrew be rendred thus But as the Hebrew Particle commonly signifies they know Heb. he knoweth every one of them knoweth i e. approveth and loveth the â—…errours of the shadow of death i. e. the grossest darkness of the Night which to other men is as terrible as the shadow of death but to these men is most acceptable So this Clause is fitly opposed to the former he hates the light and he likes darkness 18. He is swift †Heb. upon the face of the waters as the waters m In these words he describes either 1. the wicked man's disposition and deportment that such persons are light and frothy in their spirits or swift or hasty to do evil or unstable in their ways as the waters or upon the face of the waters i. e. like the foam or froath or any other light thing which swims upon the top of the waters Or rather 2. his miserable condition of which he manifestly speaks in the next words and in the two next Verses For though Iob constantly affirms and maintains it against his Friends that many ungodly men do prosper and escape punishment in this life yet withal he observes and asserts that God will certainly sooner or later punish them and that he sometimes doth it here cutting them off by cruel and untimely Deaths or otherwise inflicting some notable judgment upon them of which he also speaks Chap. 21. 17 c. So the sense is He is swift i. e. he quickly passeth away with all his glory as the waters which never stay in one place but are always hasting and running away or like a Ship or any other thing which swimmeth upon the face of the waters Though he seems to stand as firm and unmovable as a Rock and to have taken deep rooting in the earth yet he is suddenly and unexpectedly removed and pulled up by the roots their n Or his for he still speaks of the same person though with a change of the number which is most familiar in this Book and elsewhere in Scripture portion o Or part i. e. his Habitation and Estate which he left behind him is cursed in the earth p Is really accursed by God and is by all men who live near it or observe it pronounced accursed because of the remarkable judgments of God upon it and upon his Posterity or Family to which he left it and from whom it is strangely and suddenly alienated he beholdeth not the way of the vineyard q i. e. He shall never more see or enjoy his Vineyards or other pleasant places and things which seem to be comprehended under this particular 19. Drought and heat †Heb. violâ—…t ly take consume the snow-water so doth the grave those which have sinned r As the Snow though it doth for a time lie upon the ground yet at last is dissolved into water by the heat of the season and that water quickly swallowed up by the earth when it is dry and thirsty So ungodly sinners though they live and prosper for a season yet at last they shall go into the grave which will consume them together with all their hopes and comforts Their jolly life is attended with a sad and oâ—…t-times sudden and violent death not with such a death as the godly die which perfects them and brings them to happiness but with a consuming and never dying death 20. The womb shall forget him s His Mother that bare him in her Womb and much more the rest of his Friends shall seldom or never remember or mention him to wit with honour and comfort but shall rather be afraid and ashamed to own their Relation to one that lived such a vile and wretched life and died such an accursed death This he shall have instead of all that Honour and Renown which he thirsted and laboured for and expected should persume his Name and Memory the worm †Heb. is sweet to him Ch. 21. 33. shall feed sweetly on him t This proud and insolent Tyrant that preyed upon all his Neighbours v. 2. 3 c. shall himself become a prey and a sweet Morsel to the contemptible Worms he shall be no more remembred u To wit with Honour or so as he desired and hoped but his Name shall rot and scarce ever be mentioned but with Infamy and Execration and wickedness x i. e. The wicked man of whom he is here treating the Abstract being put for the Concrete of which many Instances have been formerly given shall be broken y Broken to pieces or violently broken down as the word signifies He shall be utterly and irrecoverably destroyed And this expression plainly sheweth that the former Clauses are not to be understood of the Sinner's happiness in an easie and comfortable death but of his cursed and miserable end as a tree z Which being once broken either by its own weight or by some violent wind or by the hand of man never groweth again 21. He a Either 1. God who is oft understood who having cut off his person and brought him to his grave continues his judgments upon his Wife or Widow and Family Or rather the Oppressor who is the principal subject of almost all that is said in this Chapter whose great and manifold wickedness Iob described from v. 2 to 18. where he proceeds to relate the judgments of God upon him for his sins which having done v. 13 19 20. he here returns to the declaration of his further wickednesses the cause of these judgments evil entreateth b Or feedeth upon or devoureth or breaketh in pieces for all these the word signifieth and all come to one and the same thing the barren that beareth not c Barrenness was esteemed a Curse and Reproach and so he added affliction to the afflicted whom he should have pitied and helped But because such had no Children and the Widows no Husbands to defend or avenge their Cause he exercised cruelty upon them and doth not good d Either 1. he did her much wrong and harm it being usual in Scripture under such Negative expressions to contain the Affirmation of the contrary as Exod. 20. 7. Prov. 17. 21. 28. 21. And so this Branch answers to the former of evil-entreating Or
13. 2. or upon one in extream necessity who might possibly have perished both in Soul and Body if thou hadst not comforted and relieved him Or one time thou maist give with more sincere Intention and with more tender compassion than another time and so one will be more right and more acceptable to God than the other either this or that or whether they both shall be alike good u Equally successful to the receiver or to the giver 7 Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun x It cannot be denied that this present Life which is called light Iob 3. 20. 33. 30. Psal. 56. 13. and which is expressed Synecdochically by seeing the Sun Eccl. 6. 5. 7. 11. is in itself a great blessing and very desirable but it is not perpetual nor satisfactory which is here implied and expressed in the nexâ—… verse 8 But if a man live many years y Which is a priviledge granted but to few persons comparatively and rejoice in them all z And suppose he enjoy all the comforts and escape all the imbitterments of humane Life all his days which also is a great rarity yet let him remember a It is his Duty and Interest seriously to consider the days of darkness b Of death or of the state of the dead which is oft expressed by darkness as Iob 10. 21. Psal. 88. 12. c. and here is opposed to the foregoing Light for they shall be many c i. e. Far more than the days of this short Life especially if to the time of lying in the Grave be added that greater and utter darkness which is reserved for impenitent sinners and which is everlasting Mat. 22. 13. 25. 30. 2 Pet. 2. 17. Iud. v. 13. And this is added for the caution of mankind that they may not rejoice excessively in nor content themselves with the happiness of the present Life but may seek for somthing more durable and more satisfactory All that cometh d All things which befall any man belonging only to this Life whether they be comfortable or vexatious they are but vain and inconsiderable because they are short and transitory is vanity 9 Rejoice e This verse is to be understood either 1. As a serious Advice to this purpose seeing Life is short and transitory improve it to the best advantage take comfort in it whilest you may only do it with moderation and the fear of God Or rather 2. As an Ironical concession such as are usual both in Scripture as 1 Kin. 18. 27. 22. 15. Ezek. 28. 3 4. Mat. 26. 45. and in other Authors For this agrees much better with the context and with the Expressions here used And so the sense is I foresee what evil use some men will make of what I have now said Things being thus Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we shall die as they also reasoned 1 Cor. 15. 32. O young man f He speaks to young Men particularly because they have both the greatest ability and the strongest Inclinations to pursue sensual pleasures and are most impatient either of Restraint or Admonition in thy youth and let thy heart chear thee g Indulge thy frolick and jolly humour and take thy fill of delights in the days of thy youth and walk in the way of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes h Whatsoever thine Eye or Heart lusteth after deny it not to them as this Phrase is taken Num. 15. 39. nor is it ever used in a good sense Compare Iob 31. 7. Psal. 81. 12. Ier. 18. 12. 2 Pet. 2. 14. 1 Ioh. 2. 16. but know thou i But in the midst of thy feastings and jollity it will become thee if thou art a reasonable Creature to consider thy reckoning and whether thou dost not purchase thy Gold too dear that for all these things k For all thy â—…ollies and sinful Lusts which thou sleightest as tricks of youth God will bring thee into judgment l Will force thee to appear before his Judgment-seat to give a serious account of all thy youthful and exorbitant courses and to receive that sentence which thy own Conscience will then say thou dost justly deserve And if thou likest thy sensuality upon these terms much good may it do thee I do not envy thee nor desire to partake of thy delicates 10 Therefore remove ‖ Or anger sorrow m i. e. Sensual and disorderly Lusts which he elegantly and emphatically calls sorrow with respect to the foregoing words to intimate that although such practices do at present gratifie and delight mens Senses and vain Minds yet they will shortly and certainly bring a man to intollerable and eternal sorrows which it is thy Wisdom to prevent m Or as it is rendred in the margent and by divers others anger a passion to which men are most prone in the heat of youth Whereby he may understand either anger against him for this sharp admonition or rather against God who hath laid such severe restraints upon them and threatens such punishments to them for following their own natural Inclinations So the sense is do not quarrel with thy Judge but submit and make thy Peace with him by declaring War against all thy Sins from thy heart and put away evil n All evil Concupiscences or Lusts which though now they seem good to thee will another day appear to be very evil and bitter things from thy flesh o From thy bodily members Which he mentions not exclusively as if he would allow them their spiritual evils but emphatically because young men to whom he is here speaking are most given to fleshly or bodily Lusts. for childhood and youth are vanity p i. e. Most vain either 1. In their temper and dispositions Young men are frothy and foolish and inconsiderate whereby they run into manifold dangers and therefore they shall do well to hearken to the Counsels of those who by their greater Wisdom and Experience are more capable Judges of these matters Or 2. In their condition The time of Youth is vanishing and transitory and Old-age and Death will speedily come against which every man in his wits will take care to lay in solid provisions and comforts CHAP. XII 1 * Pro. 22. 6. REmember a To wit practically or so as to fear and love and faithfully serve and worship him which when men do not they are said to forget God Psal. 9. 17. 106. 21. and in many other places now thy Creator b The first Author and continual Preserver of thy Life and Being and of all the perfections and enjoyments which accompany it to whom thou hast the highest and strongest obligations to do so and upon whom thou hast a constant and necessary dependance and therefore to forget him is most unnatural and inhumane and disingenuous in the days
this side beyond Jordan h Or on this side Iordan for this Preposition is used both ways and this Land might be said to be either beyond or on this side Iordan in divers respects in Galilee ‖ Or populous of the nations i Or Galilee of the Gentiles to wit the Upper Galilee so called because it bordered upon the Gentiles But this last Clause and the two foregoing Clauses are otherwise rendred and interpreted by divers I earned men as a Prophecy concerning the Light of the Gospel that should shine in those Parts As at the first time to wit in the former Ages of the Israelitish Church and Commonwealth he made the land of Zebulun and the land of Nephtali vile or contemptible as he might be said to have done partly by putting those People at so great a distance from his Sanctuary partly by exposing them to some Calamities which other Tribes escaped and partly by denying them those Honours and Privileges which he afforded to other Tribes of which see Ioh. 7. 52. Out of Galilee arisâ—…th no Prophet and Ioh. 1. 46. Can any good thing come out of Nazareth which was an eminent City of Galilee so in the latter or last time to wit in the days of the Messiah or of the Gospel which are frequently so called in the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament he made it i. e. he will make it for the Prophet speaks of things to come as past as he doth most commonly in this Prophecy glorious to wit by Christs first preaching the Gospel in those Parts in or towards the way of the sea to wit of Galilee or Genesareth beyond or on this side Iordan in Galilee of the Gentiles Which Interpretation I thought fit to propose as deserving farther Consideration 2 * Mat. 4. 16. Eph. 5. 14. The people that walked l In Mat. 4. 16. it is sate It notes not their gesture but their State or Condition they lived or abode Onely walking in darkness is more perillous than sitting in darkness m The Expression is general and so may well comprehend both the Darkness of Calamity and the Darkness of Ignorance and Idolatry and Prophaneness in which those Parts were eminently involved by reason of their great distance from God's Sanctuary and by their frequent Converse with the Gentiles who bordered upon them and of which this place is expounded Mat. 4. have seen n i. e. Shall see at the coming of the Messiah a great light they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death o Which notes both extreme and dangerous or deadly Darkness upon them hath the light shined k The People of God Israel and Iudah and especially those of them mentioned in the foregoing Verse 3 Thou hast multiplied the nation p Thou hast made good thy Promise to Abraham concerning the Multiplication of his Seed Gen. 15. 5. 22. 17. by adding his Spiritual Seed unto the Carnal by gathering in the Gentiles to the Jews and making them both one People in Christ Ioh. 10. 16. Eph. 2. 14. c. For in Scripture-account the Believing Centiles are the Seed of Abraham as well as the Jews of which see Gal. 3. 7 8 9. Or thou hâ—…st magnified the nation honoured them with peculiar Privileges above all other Nations and especially with this transcendent Privilege that the Messiah and Saviour of the World should be born of them and live among them of which he speaks more fully v. 6 7. and ‖ Or to him not increased the joy q Or yet rot â—…ncreased their joy Which might very truly and fitly be said of the Jewish Nation upon this occasion partly because they did not rejoyce in the Conversion of the Gentiles as they should have done but murmured and grieved and stumbled at it and partly because through their perverseness and unbelief that would be unto them an occasion of their utter ruine the Conversion of the Gentiles being attended with the Rejection of the Jews But because this Translation seems not to agree with the following Words which ascribe great Joy to them some render the Words otherwise either thus and wilt thou not encrease their joy To which Question the next Words give an affirmative Answer So the Hebrew Particle lo is put interrogatively for halo as it is in many other places which I have formerly observed Or thus and hast increased to it or him or them to that Nation their joy For though the Hebrew lo be written like an Adverb yet it may be read like a Pronoun as it is both by Jewish and Christian Interpreters acknowledged to be in many places of which see more in my Latin Synopsis they joy before thee r In thy Presence and in the Place of thy Worship not with a Carnal and Worldly but with a Spiritual and Religious Joy giving thee the Praise and Glory of all thy Favours afforded to them according to the joy in harvest s When men receive with great joy that for which they have laboured much and long waited See Psal. 125. 5 6. and as men rejoyce when they divide the spoile t When after a bloody Fight and a glorious Victory they come to take the Spoil 4 ‖ Or when thou breakest For thou hast broken u This notes the Matter and Occasion of the foregoing Joy the yoke of his burden x His burdensom and heavy yoke as the throne of holiness is put for the holy throne Psal. 47 8. and the staff of his shoulder y Either the Staff wherewith his Shoulders were smitten or the Staff or Staves by which he was forced to carry Burdens upon his Shoulders the rod z Wherewith he beat him Or the scepter the Power and Tyranny which he exercised over him of his oppressour a Of all his Oppressors but especially of Sin and of the Devil as in the day of * Jud. 7. 22. Chap. 10. 26. Midian b When God destroyed the Midianites in so admirable a manner and by such unlikely and contemptible Means by Three hundred men and they not fighting but onely holding Lamps in their Hands and sounding their Trumpets Which was an eminent Type of Christ's conquering the Devil and all his Enemies by dying upon the Cross and by the Preaching of a few unlearned and despicable Persons c. 5 ‖ Or when the whole battel of the warriour was c. For every battel of the warriour is with confused noise c With the triumphant Exclamations of the Conqueror and the bitter Lamentations of the Conquered and the differing Cries of the same Persons sometimes conquering and sometimes conquered and garments rolled in blood d With great difficulty and slaughter ‖ Or and it was c. but this shall be with burning and †Heb. meat fewel of fire e But this Victory which God's People shall have over all their Enemies shall
Minds and turning their own Counsels to their ruine Of which see 2 Sam. 15. 31. 17. 14 23. Isa. 19. 11. 1 Cor. 1. 19. 18. He looseth the Bond of Kings n Either 1. Passively whereby they are bound He freeth them from Prison or restraint Or rather 2. Actively that wherewith they bind their Subjects to Obedience to wit their Power and Authority and that Majesty which God stamps upon Kings to keep their People in awe All which God can and oft doth take away from them and freeth the People from their Bonds when it pleaseth him Of which all Histories give Instances See Daâ—… 2. 21. and girdeth their Loins with a Girdle o Either 1. With a Girdle of Dignity and Glory which was put upon the Loins of men in great Honour and Authority as Isa. 11. 5. and 22. 21. Ier. 13. 1 2. So this Member of the Verse is opposite to the former and the sense of the whole is he either casteth down Kings or raiseth them up as he pleaseth But the Scripture no where mentions this Girdle as one of the Ornaments of Kings Or rather 2. With a servile Girdle For seeing all both the foregoing and succeeding passages do evidently nore acts of Judgment or punishments inâ—…icted upon them it seems improper to understand this alone of an act of Gods favour to them So the sense is He reduceth them into a mean and servile condition which is thus expressed because Servants did use to gird up their Garments which after the manner of those parts and time were loose and long that they might be fitter for attendance upon their Masters of which see Luk. 12. 37. 17. 8. And so this is an amplification of the former sentence He not onely deposeth them from their Thrones but brings them into Bondage and Slavery 19. He leadeth Princes p So this word which usually signifies Priests is oft used as Gen. 41. 45. 47. 22 26. Exod. 2. 16. 2 Sam. 8. 18. Compared with 1 Chron. 18. 17. away spoiled and overthroweth the mighty 20. * Chap. 32. â—… Isa. 3. 2. 3. He removeth away †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 the Speech q Either 1. By taking away or restraining the Gift of utterance from them that they should not be able to express their thoughts with such clearness and Power as they used to do which God oft doth to wise and eloquent men Or 2. By bringing them into such straits and troubles that they know not what to say or advise Or 3. By taking away their Understanding which should suggest and direct their Speech as it here follows Or 4. By permitting them to betray their trust and either not to speak when they should or to speak otherwise than they should and to use their Wit and Rhetorick not to direct but to deceive and so destroy a Prince of the trusty r i. e. Of those wise and eloquent Counsellors that were and for their great abilities might be trusted by the greatest Princes with all their affairs and taketh away the Understanding of the aged 21. * 〈…〉 He poureth contempt upon Princes s i. e. He makes them contemptible to their Subjects and others and ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 weakneth t Heb. He looseth the Girdle Which Phrase signifies weakness as Isa. 5. 27. as the girding of the Girdle notes strength and Power as Isa. 22. 21. 45. 5. Both these Phrases being taken from the quality of their Garments which being loose and long did disenable a man for Travel or Work the strength of the Mighty 22. He * Chap. 23. 3. Dan. 2. 22. Mat. 10. 26. 1 Cor. 4. 5. discovereth deep things out of Darkness u i. e. The most secret and crafty Counsels of Princes which are contrived and carried on in the dark and bringeth out to light the shadow of death 23. * Psa. 107. 23. He encreaseth the Nations and destroyeth them x What hitherto he said of Princes he now applies to Nations and People whom God doth either increase or diminish as he pleaseth he enlargeth the Nations y He multiplies them so that they are forced to send forth Colonies into other Lands and †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 straitneth them again z Or leadeth them in or bringeth them back into their own Land and confineth them there 24. He taketh away the Heart a Which signifies either 1. Their Courage as Psal. 76. 12. or rather 2. Their Wisdom and Counsel as Iob 5. 13 Isa. 3. 4. as the following words shew of the †Heb. 〈◊〉 chief b Either for place and Power or for Wisdom and Conduct of the People of the Earth and * Psa. 107. 40. causeth them to wander in a Wilderness where there is no way c i. e. Fills them with confusion and uncertainty and perplexity of mind so that they know not how to govern themselves or their People 25. They grope d Like men that cannot see their way in the dark without light e Two Phrases expressing the same thing emphatically to express their proâ—…ound darkness and he maketh them to †Heb. 〈◊〉 stagger like a drunken man f Who reels hither and thither without any certainty So they sometimes take one course and sometimes another as resolving to try all experiments and indeed not knowing what to do CHAP. XIII 1. LO mine Eye hath seen all this mine Ear hath heard and understood it a All this which either you or I have discoursed concerning the infinite Power and Wisdom of God I know both by seeing it i. e. by my own Observation and Experience and by hearing it from my Ancestors so that I did not need your tedious and impertinent discourses concerning those matters 2. * Chap. 12 3. What ye know the same do I know also I am not inferiour unto you 3. * Chap. 23. 3. Surely I would speak to the Almighty b According to thy Wish Ch. 11. 5. I had rather debate the matter with God than with you I am not afraid of presenting my Person and Cause before him who is a Witness of my Integrity and would not deal so unmercifully with me as you do and I desire to reason with God 4. But ye are forgers of Lies c i. e. Authors of False Doctrine to wit that great afflictions are peculiar to Hypocrites and wicked Men. * Chap. 6. 21. 16. 2. ye are all Physicians of no value d Unfaithful and unskilful prescribing bad Remedies and misapplying good ones 5. O that ye would altogether hold your peace and it should be your Wisdom e For then your Ignorance and Folly had been concealed which is now manifest Compare Prov. 17. 28. 6. Hear f i. e. Attend to it and consider it more seriously than you have done now my reasoning and hearken to the pleadings of my Lips g i.
sowed together not upon my other garments but next to my skin as was done in great Calamities as 2 Kings 6. 30. So far am I from stretching out my hands against God whereof I am accused Chap. 15. 25. that I have humbled my self deeply unâ—…er his hand and defiled my horn in the dust q I have willingly parted with all my Wealth and Power and Glory as the horn oft signifies in Scripture as Psâ—…lm 75 5. 132. 17 Luke 1. 69. and been contented to lie in the dust and to endure the contempt which God hath brought upon me 16 My face is foul with weeping and on my eye-lids is the shadow of death r i. e. A gross and terrible darkness My sight is very dim and dark as is usual in case of fore Diseases or excessive grief and weeping Lamâ—…nt 2 11. and especially in the approach of death Compare Psalm 6. 7. 38. 10. Lament 5. 17. 17. Not for any injustice in mine hands s And all this is not come upon me for any injurious dealing with others by oppression or deceit or bribery wherewith I am implicitely charged Chap. 15 16 20 34. but for other reasons known to God onely for I cannot discover them also my prayer is pure t I do not cast off God's fear and service as I am accused to do Châ—…p 15. 4. I do still pray and worship God and my Prayer is accompanied with a sincere Heart and â—…defiled Conscience See Psalm 109 7. Prov. 28. 9. 1 Tim. 2. 8. So that I have lived inâ—…ffensively towards God and towards men And therefore your Assertion is both uncharitable and false that eminent Afflictions are peculiar to ungodly men 18. O earth cover not thou my bloud u So called not actively to wit his own blood but passively or obâ—…ctively i. e the blood of others shed by him and lying upon his Conscience The Earth is said to cover that blood which lies undiscovered and unrevenged Of which see on Gen. 4. 10 11. Isa. 26 21. But saith Iob. if I be guilty of destroying any one man by Murder or Oppression as I am traduced O Lord let the Earth disclose it let it be brought to light that I may suffer condign punishment for it and let my cry x Either 1. passively to wit the cries and groans which I have forced from others by my Oppressions Let those Cries have no place to hide them Or rather 2. actively the Cry of my Complaints to men or Prayers to God let them find no place in the Ears or Hearts of God or men if this be true Or no place i. e. no regard or no power or success in which sense God's Word is said not to have place in evil men Iohn 8. 37. And Esaâ—… not to find place of repentance Heb. 12. 17. i. e. All his Intreaties and Tears could not prevail with his Father to repent of and retract the Blessing given from him to Iacob have no place 19. Also now behold my Witness is in Heaven y Besides the Witness of Men and of my own Conscience God is Witness of my Integrity and my Record †Heb. in the high places is on high 20. My Friends z Who should defend me from the Scorns and Injuries of others †scorn me a So this word is used Psal. 119. 51. Prov. 3. 34. 19. 28. but mine Eye Heb. are my â—…orners poureth out tears unto God b I pour forth my Prayers and Tears to God that he would judge me according to my Innocency and plead my righteous cause against you 21. * Ch. 31. 35. Eccl. 6. 10. Isa. 45. 9. Rom. 9. 20. O that one might plead for a man * with God c O that either I or some faithful Advocate might be admitted to plead my Cause either with God or rather with you before God's Tribunal God being Witness and Judge between us But this Verse is and that very agreeably to the Hebrew Text otherwise translated and Interpreted either 1. With respect to Christ And he i. e. God last mentioned to wit God the Son Christ Jesus will plead for a man i. e. for me against whom you plead He modestly speaketh of himself in the third Person as is usual with God to wit with God the Father and the Son of man as Christ is oft called will plead for his Friend or Companion or Neighbour i. e. For a man whom he hath taken into that Relation to himself It is plain that the mystery of Mans Redemption by Christ was known to the ancient Patriarchs as hath been oft noted before and to Iob among others Ch. 19. 25. Or 2. as the matter for which he prayed and cried to God That so the Hebrew Vau is frequently used he i. e. God would plead or judge or give sentence for a man i. e. for me or in my cause with God i. e. with himself the Noun being put for the Pronoun as Gen. 2. 20. 4. 15. Lev. 14. 15 16. and elsewhere or at his own Tribunal to which I have appealed as a man pleadeth for his Friend or Neighbour with or before an earthly Judge and Tribunal This seems most agreeable to the scope of the place which was to maintain his own Integrity against his Friends before God as a man pleadeth for his ‖ Or friend Neighbour 22. When †Heb. years of number a few years are come then I shall go the way whence I shall not return d i. e. To the state and place of the dead whence men do not and cannot return to this Life The meaning is my death hastens and therefore I earnestly desire that the cause depending before God between me and my Friends may be searched out and determined that if I be guilty of these things whereof they accuse me I may bear the shame and blame of it before all men and if I be innocent that I may live to see my own Integrity and the credit of Religion which suffers upon this occasion vindicated that so I may die in peace with God and may leave the favour of a good name behind me CHAP. XVII 1. MY ‖ Breath is corrupt a i. e. It stinks as it doth in dying persons Or my Spirit is corrupted or spent or lost i. e. My vital Spirits and natural Powers are wasted my Soul is ready to leave the Body my days are extinct b The lamp of my Life is wasted and upon the point of going out and that in a Snuff Or my Spirit is spent the Graves c i. e. The Grave the plural number being put for the singular as Sepulchres 2 Chron. 21. 20. Cities Judg. 12. 7. Asses Zech. 9. 9. are put for one of each of these are ready for me d Open their mouths as ready to receive me The sense and scope of this Verse is the same with the former 2. Are there not Mockers with
Hebrew prefix Beth being here the note of a Nominative Case as it is Iob 18. 8. Psal. 68. 5. Hos. 13. 9. and elsewhere So the sense is But why do I waste words to no purpose All my former constant Integrity and my present profession of it gives me no ease he is still one and the same constant unchangeable in his purposes and counsels of proceeding against me Or he is alone and there is none besides him who can either restrain or advise or move him and * Chap. 9. 12. 13. 12. 14. who can turn him m No man can change his Counsels or course or encline him to shew favour to me He is most absolute and free to do what he pleaseth and he dealeth with me accordingly and not by those milder Methods which he useth towards other men and what * Psal. 115. 3. his Soul desireth even that he doth n He will not do what I please or desire but only what pleaseth himself 14. For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me o Or he will perfect or finish my appointed portion i. e. those calamities which he hath allotted to me for my portion which as he hath begun to lay on me so he is resolved to make a full end of them and many such things are with him p There are many such examples of Gods proceeding with men in way of absolute Soveraignty and Severity and his Counsels and Providences though always just yet are oft secret and we cannot discern the reasonableness or equity of them which is my case 15. Therefore q In consideration of his glorious Majesty and soveraign and irresistible power by which he can do whatsoever pleaseth him without giving any account of his matters am I troubled at his presence r When I present him to my thoughts Or when he appears or manifesteth himself to me Or for fear or dread of him or by reason of him when I consider I am afraid of him 16. For God maketh my heart soft s Or tender He hath bruised and broken or melted it so that I have no Spirit nor Courage nor Strength in me as this oâ—… the like Phrase is used Deut. 20 3. Psal. 39. 11. Isa. 7. 4. Ier. 51. 46. and the Almighty troubleth me 17. Because I was not cut off t Because God did not cut me off by death before the darkness u i. e. Before these dark and dismal miseries came upon me Or before the Face or by reason of the darkness i. e. That God hath not yet cut me off by these calamities but prolonged my days under them that he might encrease my torment neither hath he covered the darkness from my face x So that I might no longer see or feel my Miseries but might be taken out of them by my long desired death Seeing and consequently having before ones face is oft put for experiencing for enjoying good or feeling evil as Iob 20. 17. Psal. 16. 10 c. Or but he hath covered darkness to wit death which is so called Iâ—…b 10. 21 22. and elsewhere from my Face i. e. he will not allow me the favour to see death CHAP. XXIV 1. WHy seeing * Act. 1. 7. times are not hidden from the Almighty do they that know him not see his days a The sense of the words according to this Translation is this Why how comes it to pass seeing times i. e. the several times of every mans Life how long he shall live or the fittest seasons and opportunities which are ost called times as Gen. 24. 11. Psal. 31. 15. 119. 126. Acts 1. 6 7. for every action and particularly for the punishment of wicked men about which the present controversie was are not â—…idden from or unknown to the Almighty God i. e. seeing all times and men that live and things that are done or to be done in their times and seasons are exactly known to God do they that know him i. e. who love and obey him as that word is oft used as Psal. 9. 10. 36. 10. 91. 14. or they who observe and regard his ways and works done in the world not see whence is it that they cannot discern his i. e. Gods days i. e. his times and seasons which he takes for the punishment of ungodly men which if they were constant and fixed in this Life as you pretend they are they would not be unknown to good men to whom God useth to reveal his secrets and they could not be unobserved by so many good men who make it their business to mind and study the works of God and especially the course and Methods of his Providence towards good and bad men The times or days of Gods executing Judgments upon sinners are frequently called the days of the Lord as Isa 2. 12. 13. 6. Ier. 46. 10. Compare Iob 20 28. Prov. 6. 34. Act. 2. 20. as the time of mans judging is called mans day 1 Cor. 4. 3. But this Verse is in part and may very agreeably to the Hebrew Text be rendred and interpreted thus Why or how are not times i. e. the times and seasons appointed for the punishment of evil-doers about which the Dispute was â—…idden or reserved by or with God i. e. kept as a secret in his own Breast and concealed from the knowledge of Mankind How can you say or think with any colour that these times are fixed and manifest to all men and that sinners are constantly punished in this Life and that so notoriously that all good men see it as was said Chap. 22. 15 19. seeing as the particle vau is rendred Chap. 19. 28. or for as it is frequently used they that know him that give themselves to understand and consider his doings in the world who of all men are most likely to know this if it were true and certain do not see his days to wit of punishing the wicked in this Life as was said before And this he mentions as a fit Preface to usher in the following Discourse concerning the manifold wickedness of Men and withal their present impunity 2. Some remove the Land-marks b Or they i. e. the wicked of whom he here treats touch to wit in an unlawful manner and with evil design as this word is oft used as Gen. 26. 11 29. Ruth 2. 9. so as to invade or possess or remove the Land-marks by which mens Lands are discerned and their proprieties secured that so they may inlarge their own border by diminishing their Neighbours Which is so horrid an Act of Injustice that it hath not only been severely forbidden by God Deut. 19. 14. 27. 17. Prov. 22. 28. 23. 10. but also declared execrable by the Heathens among whom it was permitted to any man to kill him that did it they violently take away flocks and ‖ Or feed them feed thereof c Or feed them They do not hide or kill them
or 2. God of whose works of Nature he here speaks or 3. God as the chief Author and Directer and man as Gods Instrument in the work setteth an end g Or a bound how far the darkness shall reach and how far the dark and hidden parts and Treasures of the Earth shall be searched and discovered and brought to light * Ch. 1â—… â—…2 to darkness and searcheth out all perfection h i. e. Metals and Minerals which are nothing else but Earth concocted and hardened and brought to maturity and perfection Or unto all perfection i. e. he perfectly and exactly searcheth them out although the Hebrew Lamed may be here only a Note of the Accusative Case as our translation takes it the stones i Either Gems and precious Stones which are called by this word Prov. 26. 8. or those stones out of which the metals forementioned are taken of darkness and the shadow of Death k Which lie hid in the dark and deadly shades and bowels of the Earth 4. The flood breaketh out l This Verse speaks either 1. Of another great and remarkable work of God whereby in some places either new Rivers break forth or old Rivers break in upon the Inhabitants and drive them away and in other places Rivers or other Waters are dried up or derived into other channels or grounds by which means these Lands are rendred more useful and fruitful Or rather 2. Of an accident which commonly happens in Mines where whilest men are digging a flood of Waters breaks in suddenly and violently upon them and disturbs them in their work from the Inhabitant m Heb. from with the Inhabitant i. e. out of that part of the Earth which the Miners in a manner inhabit or where they have their fixed abode and for the most part dwell Or so that there is no Inhabitant or abideâ—… i. e. so that the Miners dare continue there no longer but are forced to come away even the Waters n Which word is easily and fitly understood out of the foregoing word flood Or without this supplement the flood may be said to be forgotten c. that singular word being collectively taken and so conveniently joined with this word of the plural number forgotten of the foot o i. e. Untrodden by the foot of man such Waters as men either never did pass over or by reason of their depth cannot pass over or such as though the Miners at first for a while did pass over yet now cannot or dare not do so any more Forgetfulness is here ascribed to the foot as it is to the hand Psalm 137. 5. and it is put for ignorance or unacquaintedness as all sinners are said to forget God though many of them never remembred nor minded him they are dried up they are gone away from men p Heb. they are dried up or drawn up to wit by Engines made for that purpose from men i. e. from the Miners that they may not be hindred in their work Or with or by men the prefix Mem being oft put for Beth i. e. by the labour of men they remove or vanish or pass away and so the Miners return to their work 5. As for the Earth out of it q Out of the upper parts of the Earth cometh bread r Bread-corn or other food for mans use and under it s Either 1. under the same Earth which either at the same time yields bread out of its upper and fire out of its lower parts or at several times that Earth which once was fruitful becoming by the disposition of divine Providence barren and sulphureous c. Or 2. Under other parts of the Earth is turned up t i. e. Is digged out and setched up as it were * Ezek. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fire u Either Gold and pretious Stones which glitter and sparkle like fire or Coals and Brimstone and other materials of Fire 6. The stones of it are the place of Saphirs x i. e. Of pretious Stones the Saphire as one of the most eminent being put for all the rest In some parts of the Earth the Saphires are mixed with stones and cut out of them and polished Of this stone see Exod. 24. 10. Ezek. 1. 26. Cant. 5. 14. Laâ—… 4. 7. and it hath y i. e. The Earth containeth in or under it ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dust of Gold z Which is a distinct thing from that Gold which is found in the mass or lump of which v. 2. both sorts of Gold being found in the Earth 7. There is a path a To wit in the dark depths and Bowels of the Earth which no fowl knoweth and which the Vultures b Whose Eye is very quick and strong and which searcheth all places for its Prey but cannot reach to these places which yet the Wisdom of man by the direction of Gods Providence find eth out Eye hath not seen 8. The Lions Whelps c Heb. the sons of Pride a fit name for Lions which are lofty and stately Creatures despising both men and all other Beasts that oppose them have not trodden it noâ—… the fierce Lion d Which rangeth all places for Prey and findeth out the deepest Dens and Caves of the Earth The Birds and Beasts have oft times led men to such places as otherwise they should â—…ver have found out but they could not lead men to these Mines but the finding out of them is a special gift of God and an act of that Wisdom which he hath put into man passed by it 9. * 〈◊〉 5. He putteth forth his hand upon the ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rock e This and the now next Verses are meant either 1. Of other eminent and considerable works of God who sometimes overturneth Rocks and produceth new Rivers in unlikely places Or rather 2. Of the same work of mining and digging for Gold or other pretious things of the Earth and of other effects of Mans Art and Wisdom in that work The Miners resolve to break through all opposition and by Iron tools or Fire or other ways dig through the hardest Rocks he overturneth the mountains by the roots f He undermineth the very Mountains to find out the Metals lying at the bottom of them 10. He cutteth out Rivers among the Rocks g He maketh channels there to convey away that water which was breaking in upon him and if not thus diverted would have spoiled his work of which see on v 4. and his Eye seeth every precious thing h Having with great art and indeâ—…atigable Industry broke through all difficulties he at last arriveth at his end and finds out those precious Treasures which he sought for 11. He bindeth the floods †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from overflowing i He restraineth them and as it were bindeth them to their good behaviour that they may not overflow the Mine and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light k
declare God's absolute and uncontrollable Soveraignty over all men to dispose of them either to life or to death as it pleaseth him and consequently to shew that Iob had cause to be thankful to God who had continued his life so long to him which he might have taken away as soon as ever he had given it and had no cause to complain of him or to tax him with injustice for afflicting him as he did and man shall turn again unto dust 16. If now thou hast understanding hear this b As thou art a Man of understanding hear and consider what I say heâ—…rken to the voice of my words 17. Shall even he that hateth right c i. e. That is unrighteous But this he expresseth in a most emphatical manner the reason and weight whereof seems to me to be this If God be unjust he is not so from fear of any Superiour as inferiour Magistrates do many unrighteous things against their Consciences to please their Prince or Chief Ruler or to avoid his displeasure but meerly from an intrinsecal hatred of Justice or love of unrighteousness which being most absurd to imagine concerning God therefore he cannot possibly â—…e unjust or do any unjust action †Heb. Bind govern d So this word which properly signifies to bind is fitly rendred by most Interpreters and â—…o it is used Isa. 3. 7. because Governours have a power to bind their Subjects by Laws and Penalties and they are as it were the ligaments by which Societies are bound and keep together which without them would be dissolved and broken to pieces Elihu's argument here is the same with that of Abraham's Gen. 18. 25. and that of Saint Pauls Rom. 3 5. 6. If God be unrighteous how shall â—…e judge or govern the World And the argument is undeniable If God were unjust there would be nothing but injustice and confusion and mischief in the World whereas we see there is a great deal of Justice administred by Rulers in the World and all this must proceed from him who is the Fountain and Author of all Justice and Rule and Authority And as the Psalmist saith Psal. 94. 9. He that formed the eye shall not he see So say I He that makes men just shall he be unjust and wilt thou condemn him that is most just e i. e. God who hath given so many clear and unquestionable evidences of his Justice in giving Just and Holy Laws in encouraging and rewarding very many righteous Persons in this life and in inflicting dreadful and remarkable Judgments upon Tyrants and Oppressours Or him that is just and mighty for the next Verse speaks of such who were generally in â—…hose times more considerable for their Power and Authority than for their Justice So here is a double argument against Iob's censures of God's Justice He is just and therefore giveth thee no cause to condemn him and withal potent and therefore can punish thee yet far worse for so doing 18. Is it fit to say to a King Thou art †Heb. 〈◊〉 wicked f Or Thou art Belial or a Son of Belial Though a King may really be unjust and wicked yet there Subjects neither may nor dare presume to call them so Exod. 22. 28. And therefore if some evil Thought did arise in thee yet how wast thou not afraid to utter such unworthy and almost blasphemous expressions against God and to princes ye are ungodly 19. How much less to him that * Deut. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Chron. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 1â—… 3â—… Rom. 2. 11. Gal. 2. 6. Ephes. 6. â—… Col. 3. 25. 1 Pet. 1. 1â—… accepteth not the persons of princes g nor regardeth the rich more than the poor for * Ch. 31. 1â—… they all are the work of his hands h And therefore of equal worth and price with him and equally subject to his power and pleasures q i. e. To God who respecteth not the greatest Princes so as to do any unjust thing to gain their favour or to avoid their anger to whom Princes and Peasants are equally subject and infinitely inferiour who therefore is free from all temptation to injustice which commonly proceeds from respect of Persons Levit. 19. 15. and to whom therefore thou didst owe more reverence than thy words have expressed 20. In a moment i Whensoever God doth but give the word and send his Summons for them shall they k i. e. The Rich and the Prince no less than the poor must submit to the Law of death which God hath imposed upon all men without exception and they cannot charge God with injury therein die and the people l Whole Nations or People are no less subject to God's power than any particular Persons their numbers cannot secure them from God's hand shall be troubled m i. e. disturbed and terrified with those calamities which God shall bring upon them at midnight n Suddenly and when they are most secure and pass away o Either 1. go into Captivity or run or fly away they know not whither for their lives Or 2. perish or die as he said before and as this word is oft used as Iob 14. 20 Psal. 37. 36. Eccles. 1. 4 So the same thing is said of the People which in the first branch of the Verse was said of the Princes and †Heb. they that take away the mighty the mighty shall be taken away p Either from their place or power or out of this life without hand q Without any hand or help of Man by some secret and stupendious work and judgment of God which he oft inflicts upon those who are out of the reach of men 21. * â—… Chr. 1â—… â—… Ch. 31. â—… Psal. 3â—… 1â—… 119. 1â—… Prov. 5. â—…1 15. 3. Jer. 1â—… 1 For his eyes are upon the ways of man r This is added as the reason of the Judgments mentioned in the foregoing Verse God doth not afflict nor destroy either Princes or People unjustly no nor out of his meer pleasure and absolute Soveraignity to which Iob seemed to impute his calamities but for their sins which God sees exactly although they use all possible arts and tricks to hide them from him Therefore no man hath cause to complain of God but of himself for all that he may suffer in the World and he seeth all his goings 22 * Psal. 139. â—… Amos 9. 2 Heb. 4. 13. There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves s They may flatter themselves or cheat others by covering their wicked actions with plausible pretences and professions but they cannot deceive God nor keep their hearts and ways from his sight 23. For he will not lay upon man more than right t More or heavier punishments than they deserve or than are proportionable to their sins which he accurately observes as was now said and therefore can suit
it appears in excellent order and great glory and they p Either 1. the Inhabitants of the Earth and particularly the wicked mentioned both in the foregoing and following Verses Or 2. More generally the men and things of the Earth whether Natural as living Creatures Herbs and Trees c. Or artificial as Houses or other Buildings stand q i. e. Present themselves to our view for which that posture of standing is most convenient Or consist or abide or are constituted as a garment r Wherewith the Earth is in a manner clothed and adorned as with a garment as the blessed God himself is said to cover himself with light as with a garment Psal. 104. 2. 15. And s Or But for the following words seem to be added by way of opposition to what went before The Earth and the men and the things in it have the comfort and benefit of the light but so have not the wicked from the wicked their light t i. e. Their portion of Light That Light which is enjoyed by others is with-holden from them either by their own choice because they love and choose darkness rather than light oâ—… by the judgment of God or the Magistrate by whom they are cut off from the light of the living as it is called Iob 33. 30. or at least deprived of their peace and comfort and Prosperity which frequently goes under the name of Light in Scripture and may be so called here by an elegant allusion to the Natural Light of the Sun mentioned before is withholden and * 〈◊〉 10. 15. the high arms u Their great strength which they used tyrannically to the oppression and crushing of others shall be broken 16. Hast thou entred into the ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 springs x Heb. the Tears i. e. the several Springs out of which the Waters of the Sea flow as tears do from the eyes of the sea or hast thou walked in the search of the depth y Hast thou sound out the utmost depth and bottom of the Sea which in divers places could never be reached by the wisest Mariner or the longest Cables And how then canst thou fathom the depths of my Counsels 17. Have * 〈◊〉 9. 13. the gates of death been opened unto thee z Hast thou â—…een or dost thou perfectly know the place and state of the Dead the depths and bowels of that Earth in which the generality of dead men are buried or the several ways and methods of Death or the various states and conditions of men after death or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death a The same thing repeated 18. Hast thou perceived the breadth of the Earth b Dost thou exactly know the whole compass and all the parts of the Earth and the state and quality of all Countreys and of the men and things in them declare c Give me an answer to these Questions which is far more easie to do than to answer me to many other Questions which I could put to thee about my secret Counsels and Providences and the reasons of my dealing with thee as I do if thou knowest it all 19. Where is the way d Or rather the place as the next Clause explains it and the Hebrew Phrase will bear where light dwelleth e i. e. Hath its constant and settled abode For in the place where Iob lived and in most other parts of the inhabited World it is like â—… Traveller that cometh and goeth continually every day This may be referred eith â—… 1. to the places under the two Poles where first the light and then the darkness continues for six Months together Or rather 2. to the Sun the Fountain of Light And as this is a Poetical Book so this may be â—… Poetical Expression and Question Whither goes the Sun when it departs from this Hemisphear Where is the Tabernacle and the Chamber in which both sacred as Psal. 19. 4. 5. and profane Poets suppose the Sun to rest Dost thou know the place where the Sun when it sets may be found and whence thou canst fetch it back again For it is to be carefully observed that he speaks not here of a bare and simple knowledge of this matter which was plain and easie to Iob and many others who were not ignorant that the Sun was the Fountain of Light from whose approach light comes and by whose departure darkness is caused but of an operative knowledge even such as could and did enable him to take it to the bound thereof as it follows v. 20. And withal he seems here to speak not onely of the daily course and motion of the Sun and the vicissitude of Day and Night but also and especially of the first production of the light which was before Iob was born as is evident from v. 21. And this makes the Question more difficult and more considerable the sense whereof may be this Seeing there was a time when there was nothing but gross and comfortless darkness upon the face of the Earth what way came light into the World Which was the place where light dwelt at that time and whence it was fetched and whence came that orderly constitution and constant succession of Light and Darkness Was this thy work Or wast thou privy to it or a Counsellor or Assistant in it Or was it not done by me alone long before thou hadst a being and as for darkness where is the place thereof 20. That thou shouldst take it f i. e. Taking bring or lead it as this Verb is oft used as Exod. 25. 2. Psal. 68. 29. compared with Eph. 4. 11. 1 Kings 3. 24. 1â—… 10. Hosea 14. 2. And many other such pregnant Verbs there are in the Hebrew Language having the signification of two Verbs included in one And this it refers principally to the Light and secondarily to Darkness as the consequent of the other ‖ Or aâ—… to the bound thereof g i. e. It s whole course from the place of its abode whence it is supposed to come to the end of its journey which it is to go Didst thou direct or guide the Light or the Sun that he should at first take and afterward constantly continue in that course which now it holds that it should go from East to West and rise sometimes in one point or part of the Heaven and sometimes in another and that its days journey should be longer in one season of the Year and shorter in another This regular and excellent course must needs be the effect of great Wisdom And whose wisdom was it thine or mine and that thou shouldst know h To wit practically so as to direct or lead it in the manner now expressed the paths to the house thereof i Where thou mayest find it and whence thou mayest fetch it 21. Knowest thou it because thou wast then born or because the number of thy days
Psal. 38. 10 lighten mine eyes d Either 1. Because I find my Counsel insufficient v. 2. do thou enlighten my mind and guide me by thy Counsel and Spirit into the right way of obtaining thy Mercy and Help So this Phrase is used Psal. 19. 8. â—…ph 1. 18. Or 2. Do thou revive and comfort and deliver me from the darkness of Death which is ready to come upon me and to close mine Eyes Nothing is more common than to express great Dangers and Calamities by Darkness and great Comforts and Deliverances by Light as Iob 15. 22. and 17. 13. and 30. 26. and by an enlightening of the Eyes as Ezra 9. 8. Comp. Prov. 15 30. and 29. 13. lest I sleep the sleep of death e i. e. Lest I sink under my Burthen and die for Death is oft called a Sleep in Scripture as Iob. 3. 13. and 14. 12. Psal. 76. 5. Iohn 11. 11. 4. * Psal. 25. 2 Lest mine enemy say I have prevailed against him f To wit by my art or strength which will reflect dishonour upon thee as if thou wert either unfaithful and unmindful of thy Promises oâ—… unable to make them good Therefore repress this their Arrogancy and Blasphemy and maintain thine own Honour and those that trouble me rejoyce when I am moved g Or stumble or fall to wit into Mischief 5. But I have trusted in thy mercy h Neither their Threats and Brags nor my own Dangers shall shake my Confidence in thy Mercy promised to me my heart shall rejoyce in thy salvation 6. I will sing unto the LORD because he hath dealt bountifully with me i Either 1. In giving me that support and assurance of his Favour which for the present I enjoy Or 2. In giving me that Mercy which he hath freely promised me it being a common thing for David and other Prophets to speak of future Dèliverances as if they were already come that so they may signify both the infallible certainty of the thing and their firm assurance thereof But the words may be rendered When he shall have dealt bountifully with me This Verb properly signifies to requite or reward as it may be taken here for there is a reward of Grace as well as of Debt Rom. 4. 4. but here it signifies a free and bountiful giving as it doth alâ—…o Psal. 119. 17. and 142. 7. PSAL. XIV To the chief musician a Psalm of David The design of this Psalm is to describe and bewail the horrible Wickedness and Corruption of Mankind and especially of ungodly Men and of his own Enemies 1. THE * Psal. 10. 4. 53. 1. fool a i. e. The wicked man For such are commonly and justly called Fools every where in Scripture and that purposely to meet with their false yet common Conceit of themselves as if they were the only wise men and all others were Fools hath said in his heart b i. e. In his secret Thoughts or within himself being afraid and ashamed to utter it with his mouth Not that it was his fixed and constant Opinion and Judgment but this he saith by Construction because he heartily wisheth there were no God and lives as if there were none So this Text may be explained by comparing it with Psal. 36. 1. and Tit 1. 16. there is no God c He denies not God's Being or Existence but only his Providence He saith not there is no Iehovah which name of God notes his being but no Elohim which expresseth God as the Judge and Governour of the World who observes and recompenseth all the Actions of all men according to their several Qualities they * Rom. 1. 21. c. are corrupt d Heb. They have corrupted to wit themselves or their ways as this word commonly signifies Their great and wilful Wickedness is alledged as a ground of their Atheism or Infidelity they have done abominable works there is none that doeth good f None of their Actions are really and thoroughly good or pleasing to God for if some of them be materially good as when they do an act of Justice or Charity yet they are poisoned with bad Principles or Ends not being performed by them out of a good Conscience and serious Care to please God for then they would do one good Action as well as another but in Hypocrisy or with vain Glory or some finister and unworthy Design e To wit of the Fools here described 2. The LORD looked down from heaven g To search out the Truth God knoweth all things without any enquiry But this is a Figure called Anthropopathia whereby Scripture oft speaks of God after the manner of Men. upon the children of men h Upon the whole Body of the Israelitish Nation and upon the generality of Mankind under Heaven for he speaks of all except his People and the Righteous ones who are here opposed to these v. 4. 5. to see if there were any that did understand and seek God i That did truly know God to wit so as to love and fear and trust and obey him for all these are frequently signified in Scripture by this Expression of knowing God and that did diligently seek him i. e. Study his Mind and Will that they might do it and seek his Grace and Favour 3. They are all gone aside k To wit from God whom they should have sought v. 2. and from the Rule which he hath given him and by which they sometimes professed and seem'd to govern themselves Or are grown sowre as this word signifies Hos. 4. 18. And so this is a Metaphor from corrupted Drinks as the next is taken from rotten Meat they are all together become †Heb. stinking filthy l Heb. stinking i. e. loathsom or abominable to God and to all wise and sober Men. * Rom. 3. 10. there is none that doth good no not one 4. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledg m Have they lost their Wits have they neither Religion nor common Discretion either of which would teach them not to make themselves so hareful to the all-seeing and almighty God and to all Men The words may be rendered thus Do not all the workers of Iniquity know it So it is only an Ellipsis of the Pronoun which is frequent as I have shewed before Are they not Conscious to themselves of the Truth of what I say I dare appeal to their own Consciences But this I propound with Submission †Heb the eaters up of my People eat Bread * Mâ—… 3. 3. who eat up n Or they eat up i. e. devour and destroy as this word signifies Deut. 7. 16. Prov. 30. 14. Ier. 50. 17. Nah. 3. 15. my people o i. e. The poor and godly Israelites of whom he principally speaks whom he calleth my people Either 1. God's people as they were in many respects Or rather 2. David's people For David
thou madest it Snow-white in Darkness or as the Chaldee renders this Word in the shadow of Death i. e. Thou didst cause Light to shine out of Darkness When the state of thy People and of the Land of Canaan which thou hadst given to them was Dark and 〈◊〉 or Bloody by reason of the Wars raised against them by the Canaanitish Kings thou didst quickly change it and whereas it was Red like Scarlet or Crimâ—…on thou mad'st it whiter than Snow 15 The hill of God n i. e. Of Zion the seat of God's Ark. is as the hill of Bashan o Equal to it to 〈◊〉 in height as the next Clause explains it which yet is not to be understood of an external and Visible height for Zion was a low and little Hâ—…ll and Bashan a very high 〈◊〉 but of its spiritual height or Exaltation in Regard of the glorious Priviledges of God's Presence and Worship and Blessing conferred upon it in which Respect the Mountain of the Lords House is said to be Established on the top of the Mountains and exalted above the Hills Isa. 2. 2. an high hill as the hill of Bashan 16 Why leap ye p Why do you Triumph and boâ—…st of your height and look upon poor Zion with Storn and Contempt as un obscure and inconsiderable Hill if Compared with you He speaks to the Hills by an usual Figure called 〈◊〉 ye high hills * Psal. 87. 1. 〈◊〉 132. 1â—… this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in yea the LORD will dwell in it for ever q This Hiâ—…l though despicable in your Eyes is precious and Honourable in God's Eyes and chosen by him for his settled and perpetual Residence For though the Ark was removed from this particular place in which it was now to be placed to the Hill of Moriah upon which the Temple was built yet it must be remembred that Zion and Moriah stood one near to the other being both in Ierusalem and are by some said to have been but two Tops of one and the same Hill 17 * Deut. 33. 2. Dâ—…n 7. 10. Heb. 12. 22. Rev. 9. 16. The chariots of r i. e. The Hosts or Armies whereof Chariots were a great and Eminent part in those times and places which attend upon God to do his Pleasure and to fight for him and for his People God are twenty thousand ‖ Or even mary Thousands †Heb. Thousands of doubling or doubtâ—… ones even thousands of angels the Lord is among them s i. e. An innumerable Company a certain number being put for an uncertain as Psal. 3. 6. and 91. 7. and in many other places as in Sinai in the holy place t Here is not onely the Presence of the Angels but of the great and blessed God himself And here the Psalmist seems to be transported by the Prophetical Spirit from the Narration of those external Successes and Victories of which he had been speaking in the former part of the Psalm unto the Prediction of higher and more Glorious things even of the coming of the Messiah and of the Happy and Transcendent Priviledges and Blessings accruing to Mankind by it described in the next Verse And the Connexion of this new Matter with the former is sufficiently Evident For having preferred Zion before other Hills v. 15 16. he now proves its Excellency by an invincible Argument because this is the place to which the Lord of Hosts himself the Messiah God manifested in the Flesh was to come as is manifest from Psal. 2. 6. and 110. 2. Isa. â—… 3. and 23. 16. Compared with 1 Pet. 2. 6. Isa 59. 20. Compared with Râ—…m 11. 26. and many other places of Scripture And when he did come into the World he was attended with a multitude of holy Angels which celebrated his Birth Luk. 2. 14. t God is no less Gloriously though less Terribly present here then he was in Sinai when the great God attended with Thousands of his Angels solemnly appeared there to deliver the Law Heb. Sinai is in the Sanctuary or holy Place Which is a Poetical and a very Emphatical Expression and very Perâ—…inent to this place For having advanced Zion above all other Hiâ—…ls he now equals it to that venerable Hill of Sinai which the Divine Majesty honoured with his glorious Presence Here saith he you have in some sort Mount Sinai it self to wit all the Glories and Priviledges of it the Presence of Iehovah attended with his Angels and the same Law and Covenant yea and a greater Priviledge than Sinai hâ—…d to wit the Lord Iehovah descending from Heaven into an humane Body as appears by his ascending thither again which the next Verse describes and visibly coming into his own Temple as it was Prophecied concerning him Mal. 3. 1. 18 * Eph. 4. 8. Thou hast ascended on high u Having spoken of the Lord and of his Presence upon Earth he now turneth his Speech to him as is most usual in this Book And the Contents of this Verse do not agree to the present occasion of carrying the Ark to Zion but have a manifest Reference to Christ and to his Ascension into Heaven in whom and in whom alone they are literally and fully accomplished and to whom therefore they are ascribed Eph. 4. 8. Although the Expressions here used are borrowed from the Anâ—…ient Custom of Princes or Generals of Armies who after some glorious Archievments and Victories used to go up into their Royal Cities in triumphant Chariots being attended by their captive â—…nemies and afterward to distribute divers gifts to their Soldiers and Subjects and sometimes to do some Acts of Grace and â—…lemency even to their Rebels and Enemies and to receive them into the number of his own people thou hast led captivity x 〈◊〉 1. Those who did formerly take thy people captives Or rather 2. Those whom thou hast taken captive as this word is most commonly used as Numb 21. 1. Deut. 21. 10. Iudg. 5. 12. c. So poverty is put for the poor 2 Kings 24. 14. This is meant of death and sin and the Devil and all the Enemies of Christ and of his people whom Christ led in triumph having spoiled them and making a shew of them opâ—…nly as it is expressed Col. 2. 15. captive thou hast received gifts y Though as thou art God thou art uncapable of receiving any thing more than thou hast yet according to thy manhood thou hast received from God all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge and all those gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit which are necessary either to the perfection of thy nature or to the discharge of thine Office or to the service and good of thy Church and people †Heb. the Maâ—… for men z Not for thy self for thou didst not need them having thâ—… fulness of the God-head dwelling in thee bodily Col. 2. 9. but for the sons of men or
representation of Gods mercies and judgments he invites all nations to an acknowledgment of the true God to praise him for his favours and to tremble at his judgments which is their just duty and reasonable service 1. O * Psal. 106. 1. 118. 1. and 136. 1. Give thanks unto the LORD for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever a This whole verse occurs also Psal. 106. 1. Only there the address is made to the Israelites and here to all mankind 2. Let the redeemed of the LORD b All they whom God hath redeemed as it is expressed in the next clause or delivered from all the following calamities say so c To wit that the Lord is good c. as it is v. 1. whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy d Of such as had taken them Captives either in Battel or in their Travels to which they were led by their own inclinations or by their necessary occasions 3. And gathered them out of the lands from the east and from the west from the north e Bringing them into their own land out of the several quarters of the World into which they had been carrled and †Heb. from the Sea from the south f Heb. from the Sea Which in Scripture commonly notes the West because the great Mid-land Sea was on the West of Canaan but here as it appears from the opposition of this to the North it notes the South so called from the Red-sea which was on the South and which is sometimes called the Sea simply and without addition as Psal. 72. 8. 114. 3. 4. They wandred in the wilderness g Mistaking their way which they might easily do in the vast and sandy desarts of Arabia in a solitary way they found no city to dwell in h Or rather no City or Town inhabited where they might refresh themselves as Travellers used to do for they did not go into the Wilderness to seek for a City or Habitation there but only intended to pass through it as appears by the context and by the nature of the thing 5. Hungry and thirsty their Soul fainted in them i Partly for want of necessary Provisions and partly through anguish of spirit 6. Then they cryed unto the LORD k Heb. Unto Iehovah to the true God For the Heathens of whom he speaks had many of them some knowledge of the true God and did in their manner worship him with and in their Idols and especially in their distresses when they discovered the impotency of their Idols they did direct their Prayers immediately to the true God of which there are many instances of Heathen Writers in their trouble and he delivered them out of their distresses l In answer to their Prayers which he did not because their Prayers were acceptable to him but partly out of the benignity and compassionateness of his nature to all his creatures partly to encourage and preserve the use of Prayer and Religion among the Gentiles and to oblige them to a more diligent search after the knowledge of the true God and of his Worship and partly to give his own People assurance of his great readiness to hear and answer all those Prayers which with upright hearts they offered to him according to his word 7. And he led them forth m Out of the Wilderness where they had lost their way v. 4. by the right way that they might go to a city of habitation n See before on v. 4. 8. †Heb. let them 〈◊〉 to the LORD his goodness So Gr. Oh that men would praise o Heb. Let them praise Or They shall praise i. e. They are highly obliged to praise the LORD for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men p Not only to his peculiar people but to all mankind to whom he is very kind and bountiful 9. For he satisfieth the longing q Either the thirsty opposed to the hungry here following or the hungry as this general phrase is limited and expounded in the next clause soul and filleth the hungry soul with goodness r With the fruits of his goodness with good things Psal. 103. 5. with food and gladness Act. 14. 17. with that good which they wanted and desired 10. Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death s In a disconsolate and foâ—…lorn condition in dark prisons or dungeons being bound in affliction and iron t With afflicting or grievous irons Or in the cords of affliction as they are called Iob 36. 8. and particularly in iron fetters 11. Because they rebelled against the words of God u Against Gods commands made known either 1. by his written Word delivered to the Jews of which the Gentiles were not ignorant which therefore they should have diligently inquired after and searched into as the Queen of Sheba came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon and as divers of the Heathens travelled into very remote parts to gain a more perfect knowledge of the Arts and Sciences which will justly be laid to their charge and condemn them for their neglect of that Divine wisdom which was treasured up in the holy Scriptures Or 2. by the Prophets who some times were sent to the Gentiles Or 3. by the Law and light of Nature and by it's Interpreters their wise and learned Philosophers who delivered many excellent rules and precepts of piety and virtue which were sufficient though not for their salvation without Christ yet for the conduct of their lives in a great measure and to leave them without excuse for their gross disobedience thereunto and contemned the counsel of the most High 12. Therefore he brought down their heart x The pride and rebellion and obstinacy of their hearts with labour y Or with trouble or troubles they fell down and there was none to help z They fell into their enemies hands and into hopeless and remediless miseries 13. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble and he saved them out of their distresses 14. * Psal. 68. 6. 146. 7. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and brake their bands in sunder 15. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men 16. For he hath broken the gates of brass and cut the bars of iron in sunder a He restored them to liberty in spight of all impedimen's and oppositions 17. ‖ Psal. 38. 5. Fools b i. e. Wicked men whom he calls fools because of the mischiefs which through their own folly they bring upon themselves †Heb. from the way of because of their transgression c Heb. because of the way of their transgression i. e. their custom and course of sinning as the word way is used Psal. 1. 1. Prov.