here attain to this eternall blisse in the life that is to come which is indeed that happinesse that can only fully satisfie mens immortal souls and perfectly free them from the feare of death and all other miseries they are liable to that is by fearing God and keeping his commandments and to the end they may be very serious herein by thinking often of death and judgement This is that I say to which Solomon in the next place passeth And accordingly first to make way thereto in this verse he premiseth that it is indeed a very comfortable and delightful thing to enjoy the benefits of this present life especially when men have learnt to free themselves from the vanities here below according to the directions formerly given And then in the next he proceeds to shew that though life be thus sweet yet they must remember that this life will have an end and death and judgement will follow and that therefore they cannot be compleatly happy unlesse by the due consideration of this they provide to secure unto themselves that happinesse which is to follow after this life is ended Vers 8. But if a man live many yeares and rejoyce in them all c. As if he should have said Suppose this should be so which is indeed very unlikely yet let him remember the dayes of darkness that is of death and the grave for it is opposed to the light and the beholding of the Sun mentioned in the foregoing verse for they shall be many that is truly many indeed many more then the dayes of the man that liveth longest can be because in the grave the house of darknesse the dead must continue till the day of the generall resurrection and if men dye in their sinnes they must continue in outer darknesse unto all eternity All that cometh is vanity that is This sheweth that all men that come into the world and all that befalls men here in this world is no better then meer vanity because they must all passe away man must dye and no man knoweth how little a while his life and prosperity shall continue So that the drift of the whole verse is to shew that though men live never so long and in never so great prosperity yet it is meer folly over much to delight herein because these things will not last alwayes the dayes of darknesse will come and when they come then it will be seen how vaine and transitory this life and the pleasures thereof were yea if men would seriously think of those dayes comparing them with the short time of mans abode here they must needs yield that this life and the delights thereof are meer vanity and even as nothing Vers 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth c. Because young men are most apt only to mind the pleasures of this present life and to put off the thoughts of death unto old age therefore Solomon gives this warning particularly to them Some conceive that this is spoken by way of serious advice Rejoyce O young man c. As if he had said I would not restraine thee from the lawfull delights and comforts of thy youth Be joyfull and live chearfully so thou doest it with moderation and sobriety as still remembring thy latter end and the judgement that will follow But rather this is spoken ironically by way of scorne and derision as indeed many expressions of that kind we find elswhere in the Scripture as 1 Kings 18.27 22.15 Matth. 26.45 As if he had said Thou hast heard that the dayes of mans living here are nothing in comparison of the dayes of darknesse that will follow Now if thou wilt not be admonished hereby but hereupon resolvest that because thou must dye therefore thou wilt take thy fill of pleasure whilst thou livest Doe so take thy course live as young men use to doe in all jollity and pleasure and walk in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes that is Doe what ever thou hast a mind and desire to doe follow after every thing thou seest and is pleasing in thine eyes deny not thy selfe any thing which thine heart can desire or thine eyes look after see the Note Chap. 2.10 but know thou that is be thou unquestionably assured of this that for all these things that is for thy mis-spent youth and all those vaine and sinfull courses wherein now thou takest such content and delight God will bring thee into judgement that is Dye thou must thou knowest not how soon and after death God will bring thee whether thou wilt or no to stand before his tribunall at the last great day of judgement there to answer for all that thou hast done and to receive the just reward of all thine evill wayes and there will be no avoyding it Vers 10. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart c. Or as it is in the margin of our Bibles remove anger from thy heart and then the warning is that young men should beware of rash and unadvised anger because young men are naturally thorough heate of blood prone to be furious herein and violent upon revenge and especially of being enraged against those that reprove them and would take them off from their sinfull pleasures yea and under this all other sinfull passions and perturbations of mind may be comprehended But if we reade it as it is in our Translation Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart then the advice is that young men should avoyd all sinnes and sinfull pleasures which though they may be pleasing for a time yet they will stirre up Gods indignation against them and so will at last overwhelm their hearts with sorrow And put away evill from thy flesh that is abandon all fleshly lusts and pleasures let not the members of thy body be imployed as weapons of unrighteousnesse in the service of sin And so as in the former clause the inward distempers of the heart so here likewise the sinnes of the outward man are forbidden Or avoyd those sinfull pleasures which will at last wast thy strength and ruine thy body or bring the wrath of God upon thee For childhood and youth are vanity that is foolish violently carried after pleasures that end in destruction and subject to many corruptions and besides that age doth soone vanish and passe away CHAP. XII Vers 1. REmember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth c. Having in the latter end of the foregoing Chapter diswaded young men from youthful lusts here he exhorts them to a constant fixing of their minds upon God as a powerful means not onely to restrain them from evil but also to quicken them in the doing of that which God requires of them and the argument that he useth to presse them hereto is covertly couched in those words thy Creator for 1. Because God made us and we received our being from him and so are
what just cause he had to be weary of his life to wit that in the daies of his prosperity he had not lived carelessely and securely as wicked men use to doe that when things go well with them confidently assure themselves that there shall never come a change and so walk on presumptuously in their own waies without any fear either of God or man but that he had alwaies considered before hand what might befall him and out of an awfull apprehension of the great alterations which God could make in his condition even in an instant he had alwaies walked humbly with God and looked narrowly to his waies that he might avoid his indignation and yet notwithstanding that which he feared was fallen upon him Had he in his prosperity glutted himself with pleasure and lived securely it had been another matter for to such God hath threatned destruction 1 Thes 5.3 When they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape But saith Iob I was not in safety I did not think my self safe but as one that ever feared what might come I still watched over my waies and yet these grievous troubles are come upon me CHAP. IV. Vers 2. IF we assay to commune with thee wilt thou be grieved c. Hitherto Iobs friends had forborn speaking to him partly because they were afraid they should by speaking encrease his grief and partly because by the extraordinary heavinesse of Gods hand upon him they began to think that doubtlesse he had alwaies been a secret hypocrite and therefore now at length the vengeance of God was in this fearfull manner fallen upon him But when now they had heard him in such an impatient manner curse the day of his birth and wish for death to put an end to all his miseries but especially when they heard him in his last words as it were justifying himself to wit by affirming that he had not by his security in the time of his prosperity provoked God to deal thus with him but rather had done what he could to prevent it this confirmed them in their opinion that his heart was not right with God And therefore Eliphaz as being haply the elder and the chief of them begins now with him resolving to reprove him for his impatience and to prove to him that God useth not to plague any but wicked men as he was now plagued and therefore it was fit that he should repent and turn to God and not justifie himself Now because he feared that this Iob would hardly take in good part he begins with a profession that he was loth to grieve him but that he could not forbear If we assay to commune with thee wilt thou be grieved that is I fear thou wilt and it is that which hath made us forbear so long but who can withhold himself from speaking that is hearing thee thus dishonour God and justifie thy self as if all were well with thee when Gods fearfull judgements upon thee do manifest the contrary it is not possible we should hold our peace if we have any care of thy soul or be tender of Gods dishonour it must need constrain us to speak Vers 3. Behold thou hast instructed many c. This is the first argument which Eliphaz useth to condemn Iobs impatience and to discover to him that he had only hitherto carried himself hypocritically in the profession of religion to wit that he had been a great Instructer and comforter of others yea many others in time of their calamity fear and sorrow and yet now when it came to be his portion to be in the like misery no man could be more faint-hearted nor more impatient and rebellious against God then he was To strengthen the weak hands and the feeble knees and to uphold him that was falling is to comfort those that are ready to faint and sink in despair because of any grievous calamities that lie upon them or are unavoidably as they conceive coming towards them as Esa 35.3 4. Strengthen yee the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees say to them that are of a fearfull heart be strong and so likewise Heb. 12 12. 2 Sam. 4 1. Ier. 6 24. 1 Sam. 23 16. Now because Iob had done this to others but minded not now to do himself what he had taught others to do this Eliphaz presseth upon him as an argument that there was never in him that truly religious heart which he made shew of to others Vers 6. Is not this thy fear thy confidence thy hope and the uprightnesse of thy waies That is having made such a shew in thy prosperity of fearing God of walking uprightly of great hope and confidence which thou hast in God whereas now when Gods hand is fallen upon thee thou carriest thy self in a quite contrary manner to what thou madest a shew of and didst advise others to doth not this plainly discover that all this was counterfeit in thee and that thou didst but aime at thine own advantage in all that thou hast done wherein when thou findest that God would no longer satisfie thy aimes now thou art ready to fly in Gods face and to spurn against him This is the drift of these words And perhaps in the first place he speaks of his fear of God because Iob had in a manner boasted of that in the two last verses of the former chapter Vers 7. Remember I pray thee who ever perished being innocent c. That is call to mind whether thou hast ever seen or read or heard of any one of Gods righteous servants that have been destroyed by the avenging hand of God and so utterly cast off and forsaken by him This is another argument whereby Eliphaz seeeks to proove him not to have been so fearfull to offend God as he pretended to wit because such plagues God used not to lay upon the righteous as were now poured upon him Vers 8. Even as I have seen they that plow iniquity c. Wicked men are said to plow iniquity and sow wickednesse because 1. They plot before hand how to accomplish their injurious purposes as husbandmen by plowing the ground make it ready for the seed 2. They follow their plot with all possible pains and diligence moving every stone turning up every clod assaying by all means they can think of all kind of injustice treachery and deceit to effect what they have contrived 3. They act their wicked devices cunningly and artificially they are not bunglers in the waies of sinning as some men are but manage their work with such curious cunning that nothing can be done with more exact skill for the accomplishment of their cursed devices and 4. They do all this in hope of some fruit and advantage that shall redound to them thereby And then again they are said to reap the same because in time they reap that which is the proper fruit of such waies that is
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
his sorrows and paines were most exquisite like the paines of those that are tortured with the stone and by the pouring out his gall upon the ground they understand either that his extreme miseries made him pour forth the bitternesse of his spirit in bitter complaints or else that the wounds that God had given him were mortall and incurable But I conceive the drift of these words in generall was to imply the exquisite incredible and insupportable pains and sorrows he endured even in the inward parts of his body that his very bowels and vitall parts were wrackt and torn within him so that the torment he endured was insufferable and that without intermission or remission night or day Vers 14. He breaketh me with breach upon breach c. That is he heaps afflictions plagues and miseries upon me thick and three-fold as we use to say one in the neck of another which may be meant of those sad tydings that were brought to him chap. 1. one messenger coming in still with a fresh report of his losses before the other had well made an end of speaking or else of the griefs and diseases which did every day still encrease upon him and the ulcers that did continually break out a-fresh in his body As for the following clause he runneth upon me like a giant therein he seekes to imply how exceeding heavy Gods hand was upon him and with what fury and unresistable violence he proceeded against him Vers 15. I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin c. Some conceive that he saith of the sackcloth that he wore that it was sowed upon his skin because it did cleave to his ulcerous body as fast as if it had been sown to his skin but I conceive this phrase I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin intends no more but this that he had put on sackcloth sowed together next his skin which being full of boyles and sores whether scabbed or raw it must needs be very terrible to him and that hereby he seeks to set forth how he had humbled himself under the hand of God and that consequently he was not guilty of advancing himself against God as Eliphaz had covertly charged him making that the cause why God layed his hand so heavy upon the wicked man chap. 15.25 And to the same purpose also are the next words and defiled my horn in the dust for thereby is meant either that he had sprinkled dust upon his head concerning which custome see the Notes Iosh 7.6 or else rather that he was content laying by all the thoughts of his former greatnesse and pomp and glory to sit down in the dust that he might humble himself before the almighty for that the word horn is thus frequently used in the Scripture we may see in the Notes upon 1. Sam. 2.1 yea both these expressions concerning his sackcloth and his defiling his horn in the dust may be only used as figurative expressions to signifie that he had greatly abased and humbled himself even as those doe that cloth themselves with sackcloth and throw dust upon their heads And thus because men are wont the more to pity those that are in affliction when they see they are penitent and do melt and humble themselves under Gods hand he useth this as another argument to move his friends to pity him and doth covertly tax them of cruelty that could be so harsh to one whom they saw in so mournfull a manner humbling himself under the strokes of the Almighty Vers 16. My face is foul with weeping and on my eye-lids is the shadow of death By this shadow of death on his eyelids may be meant either that shadowy blacknesse or darknesse which will be on the eyelids of those whose eyes are sunk in their heads by grief or sicknesse as we see in the hollow eyeholes of dying men or of a dead mans scull in allusion whereto it may be called the shadow of death or else that darknesse and dimnesse of sight which is also usually the effect of some extreme grief or exceeding much weeping as we see in that complaint of the Church Lam. 2.11 Mine eyes do fail with tears for because such a mistynesse and dimnesse of sight doth usually come upon sick men when death approacheth even this also may be justly tearmed the shadow of death Vers 17. Not for any injustice in my hands also my prayer is pure Not as thinking himself free from all sins but only from that grosse wickednesse and secret hypocrisie wherewith his friends had charged him Iob here professeth his innocency in regard of his upright walking both towards God and towards man and consequently that he knew that Gods hand was not so heavy upon him in regard of any such wickednesse that he had committed 1. Towards man in the first clause Not for any injustice in my hands where by injustice is meant all oppression all fraudulent or unjust dealing whatsoever and it may well be that in clearing himself of this he had respect to that which Eliphaz had said chap. 15.34 The congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery 2. Towards God in the second clause also my prayer is pure whereby he meant that he did sincerely worship God as God had appointed and that his prayers proceeded from a pure conscience and faith unfeigned wherein also he might have respect to that bitter charge of Eliphaz chap. 15.4 yea thou castest off fear and restrainest prayer before God And this he doth either thereby to move his friends to pity him for when righteous men suffer much that have not deserved it by any wickednesse of theirs all men are the readier to commiserate their sufferings or else to disprove all that Eliphaz had said concerning the Lords punishing wicked men only as is noted before vers 7. Vers 18. O earth cover not thou my bloud and let my cry have no place A Poeticall and patheticall expression this is and Expositours differ much in their judgement concerning the meaning of it Some take it to be an imprecation wherein he wisheth that his body might lye unburied after he was dead if that were not true which he had said concerning his innocency and others take it as an earnest asseveration that he desired not to die as the bruit beasts do which through guilt of conscience all hypocrites must needs desire whose bodies when they dye are covered in the earth there to rot and consume and never to rise again but that he certainly expected and earnestly desired the Resurrection of his body when he knew he should appear before God and his innocency should be cleared But I see not how according to either of these expositions there can be a good sense given of the last clause and let my cry have no place But two other Expositions there are given of these words which seem to me far the most pobable The first is that Iob doth herein professe his desire that his
looked more like an apparition then one that had a true body and should his friends see him they could not know him but would take him for the shadow of Iob rather then for Iob himself But now if you read this clause as it is in the margin of our Bibles and all my thoughts are as a shadow then the meaning is that his thoughts did suddenly vanish and passe away as a shadow and indeed men in great distresse are wont to be full of various distracting thoughts their minds running sometimes upon one thing sometime on another which may well be that which Iob here complains of to wit that there was no stability in his thoughts because of his miseries Vers 8. Vpright men shall be astonied at this c. Some Expositours make the sense of these words to be this that even upright men shall be astonied to see one whom they judged a holy and righteous man to be so severely punished and shall thereupon raise up themselves against him as against an hypocrite and accordingly also they expound the following verse The righteous also shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger to wit that the righteous afflicted man though thus misjudged by his godly friends which is indeed the sorest of all tryalls shall for all this hold on his way and shall become more strict and more zealous in the wayes of godlinesse then he was before But the commoner and as I conceive the better Exposition is this Vpright men shall be astonied at this that is wise and godly men such Iobs friends were shall stand amazed at my strange sufferings and shall hereupon condemn and deride me in my miseries and that especially upon this ground that I should for all this persevere in my dependance upon God and maintain mine innocency and integrity against them and the innocent shall stirre up himself against the hypocrite that is men of a holy life and pure conscience shall hereupon rouse up themselves to wit either 1. To take his part and maintain his cause against those hypocrites that did so deride and falsely accuse him or 2. To oppose those base hypocrites that by his sufferings should take occasion to blaspheme God to harden themselves in their wickednesse and to make a mock of godlinesse or 3. To encourage themselves by this example not to faint in the like case if it should come to be their portion but stoutly to maintain their integrity against those that unjustly condemned them And so likewise they understand the following verse The righteous also shall hold on his way c. to wit that good and holy men will not be beaten off from the waies of righteousnesse by seeing them that walk in those waies so sorely afflicted despised and derided but will rather become the more zealous and gather the more strength hereby to comfort and encourage themselves against such temptations So that the drift of these words also was to shew that his grievous miseries was no proof that he was a wicked man and that God hath other holy ends for which he brings such sore calamities upon men besides the punishing of them for their sins Vers 10. But as for you all do you return and come now c. This may be either spoken by way of advice to his friends doe you return that is give over this erroneous conceit which you have hitherto maintained change your minds and come now that is close with me in that which I shall say or hearken to that which I shall now deliver or else as a challenge farther to argue out the businesse between them which seems the more probable because in that sense this very expression Return I pray you is used before chap. 6.29 of which see the Note there But as for you all do you return and come now that is come and let us again argue the cause between us were there never so many of you I challenge every one of you to prepare your selves and to alledge the utmost you can for the justifying of that you have undertaken to maintain for I cannot find one wise man among you that is in this particular you speak not wisely I shall easily make it appear that in this which you affirm that God would not afflict me thus were I not an hypocrite you erre grossely and speak as men that are altogether ignorant of the wayes of God And it may well be which some think that because Eliphaz had now returned as I may say to reply upon him and because he saw perhaps his other two friends eager to fall upon him the second time therefore it was that he now bids defiance to them all But as for you all doe you return and come now c. Vers 11. My daies are past my purposes are broken off even the thoughts of my heart As if he had said what do you tell me of comfortable daies though I have done what I could to comfort my self with hope and expectation of being freed from the miseries which for the present I suffered and with entertaining purposes of doing this or that when I came to be in a better condition as indeed men in misery are wont to catch at any thing that may give them any hope of being delivered out of their troubles yet I see all is in vain my life is in a manner at an end all the thoughts and purposes of my heart this way are broken off to wit either by death which will put an end to them all or else by divers other distracting thoughts which my pain and other miseries do continually suggest and which will not suffer my thoughts to be long stedfastly pitched upon any thing especially any thing that should comfort me Now though some conceive that this is rendred as a reason why they should hearken to him and be warned by him to wit because being a dying man he had not much more to say nor was well able to utter what he had purposed to speak his pain and misery interrupting him and the thoughts of his heart being through distemper full of distractions yet I rather think that the drift of these words is clearly to shew how vain a thing it would be for him a dying man to expect any such glorious condition here in this world as they had promised him if he would repent and turn again unto the Lord and that because this agrees fully with that which follows Vers 12. They change the night into day c. That is these distracting thoughts of which mention was made in the foregoing verse or my friends by causing such distraction in my thoughts make me passe the night without any rest as if it were the day the light is short because of darknesse that is the light of my joy is short because of the darknesse of my afflictions or rather the light is short because of darknesse that is when the day comes it seems presently to
subdues or brings under the mightiest of them as well as the meanest and so also they understand the following clause he riseth up that is God riseth up to contend with wicked men and no man is sure of life no man can secure himself against the killing stroke of Gods indignation or the discovery of Gods indignation makes every man afraid of his life But the tenor of the words sheweth clearly that Job still proceeds to describe the wickednesse of wretched men whom God notwithstanding prospers He draweth also the mighty with his power the meaning is either that by his power he procures the mighty to side with him judges and magistrates and great men and so this makes him terrible to others he riseth up and no man is sure of life or else that he draweth the mighty to wit into his net according to that Psal 10.9 he doth catch the poor when he draweth him into his net when he hath crushed the poor by his oppressions then encouraged hereby he layeth wait also for the mightie and subdues them and brings them into subjection to him even magistrates also and judges whereby likewise he subverts all publick order and government he riseth up and no man is sure of life that is if any man rise up to oppose this oppressour he shall but ruine and destroy himself thereby or Though the oppressour riseth up to make a Covenant of peace with men yet they are all of them for all that afraid of their lives there is no assurance in any vow or oath whereby he engageth himself Or rather he riseth up to contend with the mightie and the terrours of death presently seise upon them all But if we read this last clause as it is in the margin of our Bibles He riseth up and he trusteth not his own life either it is meant of the oppressed to wit that he riseth up namely to sue for favour to the oppressour or to flie from him but do what he will he trusteth not his own life but gives himself for a dead man because of the over-bearing power of his adversary or else of the oppressour to wit that when he riseth to contend with the mightie or every day he riseth he is afraid of his own life being still jealous as tyrants are wont to be that some body or other will kill him Vers 23. Though it be given him to be in safety whereon he resteth yet his eyes are upon their waies Some Expositours understand this thus that though the oppressed give gifts to the oppressour that he may thereby purchase his peace or though the oppressour grants this to the oppressed that he shall live in peace and safety by him and thereupon he rests upon this his covenant and promise that he will surely be as good as his word yet the oppressour keeps his eyes upon these to whom he hath thus engaged himself and watcheth all their waies and if he can but get the least advantage against them will be sure to crush them But there are severall other Expositions given of the words that seem farre better then this to wit 1. that though God gives to the oppressour that which may well in outward appearance secure him in peace and he rest hereon yet it is not because God is ignorant of his wicked courses seeing Gods eyes behold all his waies or 2. that though God lets him live in safetie and he rests hereon with great security yet Gods eyes are upon his waies to favour him and to blesse him or rather 3. that though it be given of God to wicked wretches that they live in peace and prosperitie and they resting hereupon are confident they shall never be moved yet God takes strict notice of all their wicked waies that he may be sure at last to charge them all upon them and that he may take the fittest time to destroy them Vers 24. They are exalted for a little while c. to wit both in estate and mind but are gone and brought low they are taken out of the way as all other that is for all their greatnesse on a sudden God pulls them down and they are gone and laid in the grave as other men and often after the same manner as others are and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn that is as high as they bear their heads they are cut down as the corn in harvest to wit easily and in a trice or not by any notorious judgement but by an ordinary naturall death when they come to ripenesse of years as the corn is ripe in harvest The drift of the verse may be to shew either that God cuts off the greatest of wicked men many times by a sudden stroke of judgement or else rather that after all their horrid wickednesse they are cut off by death in an ordinarie way as all other men are Vers 25. And if it be not so now who will make me a lyar and make my speech nothing worth That is If it be not as I have said that God many times prospers the wicked and afflicts the righteous let any man that will undertake to confute what I have spoken CHAP. XXV Vers 1. THen answered Bildad c. Eliphaz having replyed the third time upon Job chap. 22. it was now Bildads turn who still spake next after Eliphaz to reply again upon him which therefore he doth in this Chapter but very briefly either as finding Job too strong for them or as not having any thing in a manner to say but what he and his friends had said before or rather as concluding that because of Jobs obstinacie it was in vain indeed to talk any farther to him there having been abundantly enough already said to him but that nothing would convince him which may be the cause also why Zophar who should have replyed in the third place upon Job spake no more at all Vers 2. Dominion and fear are with him c. Because of these words with him some limit this to the Lords exercising of his Sovereigntie and the manifestation of his dreadfull Majestie in the heavens his dwelling-place to wit that he rules the Angels in heaven and that his presence there is so full of Majestie that those holy spirits out of reverence and fear do cover their faces before him But I conceive the words must be understood more generally Dominion and fear are with him that is God is the Sovereign Lord over all he it is that governs all things and hath absolute power over all things in heaven and in earth yea in regard of this his Majestie and power a terrible God he is and justly to be feared of all But why doth Bildad speak of this here I answer Some conceive that because Job had affirmed that many wicked men run on in their leud courses even to their dying day and are never punished therefore Bildad as apprehending this to be in effect a deniall of the power justice and providence of
justifying of God and that because he had already spoken a long time together Vers 3. I will fetch my knowledge from afarre c. As if he should have said In declaring what I know concerning the Question in hand namely whether thou hast done well in charging God for dealing too severely with thee I will open the matter as it were from the very foundations But yet what he means by these words from afarre it is not easie to determine Some think that his meaning was that he would utter nothing but what by inspiration from God he knew to be so he would not speak what he in his reason might apprehend to be right but what he had by speciall enlightning from above and therefore was sure it was true And then again others understand it thus that he would fetch his proofs for the justifying of God from the eternall nature of God or from the works of creation as we see towards the end of this chapter he argues from those meteors of rain thunder and lightning c. and these things he calls knowledge from afarre either because the things he meant to speak of were of a high nature farre remote from us and not easily comprehended by humane reason or because they were such things as had been from the first creation yea as concerning the nature of God from all eternity or because they might seem to be farre from the matter in question though indeed they were principles and generall grounds from whence that truth which he was to maintain might be unquestionably concluded and proved As for the following clause and will ascribe righteousnesse to my maker in these words my maker Elihu implyes that in regard he had his being from God he was bound to plead his cause and withall he might intend thereby covertly to charge Job with being ungratefully injurious to his Creatour Vers 4. For truly my words shall not be false he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee This last clause many good Expositours understand of God and so hold that Elihu doth hereby put Job in mind either that he had to deal with God who was perfect in knowledge as being omniscient who could not therefore through any mistake deal unjustly with him or that God who was perfect in knowledge spake now to him by him that he would not speak any thing of his own head but what he received by inspiration from God in whose stead he now spake unto him But more generally it is held that Elihu doth modestly here speak of himself in the third person as the Apostle also doth 2 Cor. 12.2 3. He that is perfect in knowledge is with thee as if he should have said You have one to argue with you that is found in judgement and sincere in his intentions towards you one that understands the cause we have in hand throughly and that will in all things deal uprightly with you Vers 5. Behold God is mighty and despiseth not any he is mighty in strength and wisedome How Gods justice may be proved from his power and wisedome see in the Note chap. 9.4 Here these two are joyned together God is mighty and despiseth not any to shew that as he needs not fear those that are great so neither doth he despise either great or small because of his own supereminent greatnesse he makes not so light esteem of any as therefore to afflict them causelesly or not to care what injury he doth them And herein also it may well be that Elihu had respect to some speeches of Jobs wherein he might apprehend that Job had complained of God that he carried all by his absolute power and that by reason of the dread thereof he could not plead his cause before him as chap. 10.3 Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppresse that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands and chap. 30.21 Thou art become cruell to me with thy strong hand thou opposest thy self against me and in divers other places Vers 6. He preserveth not the life of the wicked but giveth right to the poor That is He doth not safeguard them in favour as esteeming them precious in his sight though he may see cause to keep them alive for a time but he pleads the poors cause against them though a while he may let them be oppressed Vers 7. He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous c. That is He never forgets nor forsakes them but with Kings are they on the throne yea he doth establish them for ever that is he continues them even unto death in those places of dignity whereto he hath advanced them and often too their children after them As for the last clause and they are exalted the meaning of that is either that thus they are exalted maugre all opposition that may be made against them or that being thus advanced they rise in power and glory still more and more Some understand it of their exaltation to heavenly glory after death and others of their being puffed up in their minds and spirits but the former Expositions are more probable Vers 8. And if they be bound in fetters c. That is If the righteous whether those that God had exalted or others come to be streightned with affliction It is probable that he alludes to that expression of Jobs Thou puttest my feet in the stocks chap. 13.27 Vers 12. But if they obey not they shall perish by the sword c. That is God shall slay them in his anger and they shall die without knowledge that is in their folly not knowing why Gods hand is upon them or for their folly because they would not learn by Gods corrections Yet most probably it is thought by some that Elihu still speaks here of the just mentioned before vers 7. who indeed may be cut off by death for their folly according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.30 31 32. for this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep and that he speaks not of the wicked till the following verse Vers 13. But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath c. That is say some Expositours they grow more and more enraged against God But rather the meaning is that they by their obstinacy and sinning more and more yea even in their afflictions do treasure up wrath to themselves against the day of wrath they cry not when he bindeth them that is they call not upon God when he afflicts them as not acknowledging that God doth punish them for their sins or being every way of irreligious and profane spirits Vers 14. They die in youth and their life is among the unclean Or among the Sodomites The meaning is that their life is cut off after the same manner as those are cut off that are most hatefull to God and man as being most abominably wicked namely that they are punished with as much severity and are cut off by some vile and shamefull death and that in
their young years And indeed some Expositours conceive that this last is solely intended in these words and so they conceive that the same thing that is affirmed in the first clause they die in youth is repeated again in other tearms in the second clause and their life is among the unclean that is they are cut off amongst such as themselves wanton youngsters that live in all kind of uncleannesse And some think also that Elihu hath reference in these words to the destruction of Sodome Vers 17. But thou hast fulfilled the judgement of the wicked c. That is thou hast carried thy self as wicked men use to doe thy course hath been just like theirs or thou hast judged as wicked men use to doe in censuring the waies of Gods Providence towards thee It seems to be the same in effect with that which he had said before chap. 34.8 that Job went in company with the workers of iniquity whereupon he adds judgement and justice take hold on thee as if he should have said you see what you get by speaking so desperately of God the just indignation of God hath already seized upon thee Vers 18. Because there is wrath beware lest he take thee away with his stroke That is Because thou hast shown such wrath and indignation against God or rather Because though God be very long-suffering and patient yet there is wrath with God as well as mercy and patience or because Gods wrath is already broken forth upon thee take heed that thou dost not provoke him farther even to the cutting of thee off Vers 19. Will he esteem thy riches no not gold nor all the forces of strength That is As thou canst not by thy wealth so neither by any force or strength be delivered when once thou art cut off or when once God hath determined to cut thee off Vers 20. Desire not the night when people are cut off in their place There are severall Expositions given of these words which being considered apart by themselves the words would well enough bear as first that Elihu counsels Iob that he should not desire the night as thieves and robbers do that he might doe mischief therein when poor men are usually cut off in their places by those that unexpectedly break in upon them secondly that he adviseth him not to desire the night of other mens afflictions and tribulations that taking advantage thereof he should cut them off in the places where they live thirdly that he calls upon him not to desire the night as thinking to find thereby some ease in his miseries since there is no looking for ease as long as God is angry with him and God even in a night doth often cut off whole nations at least many people together and therefore may easily cut off him and fourthly that he wills him not to desire the night that is not to desire to know the night when people are cut off in their place not curiously to enquire into the cause of that judgement of God when in a night sometimes whole nations or multitudes of people are cut off in their place they need not be driven forth or scattered abroad into strange countries they melt away in their own place and hereby he would intimate that Job should not make so strange of it nor be so eager to know why he being a good man should be so sorely afflicted But because in the foregoing verses Elihu had warned Iob to take heed that he did not provoke God utterly to cut him off therefore I rather think this to be the meaning of the words Desire not the night when people are cut off in their place that is Desire not death which is the common passage of all men and by the stroke whereof men are utterly cut off and so if they be not in the better condition do perish eternally as if he had said so farre you are from fearing Gods cutting you off that you desire it but take heed of this c. Vers 21. Take heed regard not iniquity c. That is affect not this murmuring against God and desiring death and quarrelling against his proceedings for this hast thou chosen rather then affliction to wit in that he chose to contend with God rather then patiently to bear his afflictions Vers 22. Behold God exalteth by his power c. This may be understood two severall waies to wit either that God exalteth and magnifyeth himself or his works by his power that is that by the manifestation of his almighty power God sheweth himself to be a great God and his works appear exceeding glorious and then the drift of this clause is to put Job in mind that therefore there is no reasoning nor contending with him or else rather that God doth often by his great power exalt those that are afflicted and cast down and then the drift of the words is to intimate to Job that God was able to exalt him and that if ever he were raised again from his low condition it was God that must doe it in regard whereof it was fitter that he should humble himself before God and seek his favour rather then quarrell against him for that which he had done to him And then in the next clause it is said who teacheth like him either because God being omniscient and knowing all things of himself must needs teach better then man that knoweth but in part and as he receives from others or because God enlightneth the mind and effectually teacheth the heart which no man can doe or because God teacheth men by the afflictions he layes upon them and then the drift of this last clause is to imply that as God is great in power so he is of incomprehensible wisedome and that men should content themselves with that which God teacheth and not search into those things which are above their reach and especially that it was a mere folly to murmure against any of Gods proceedings as if man could teach God how to govern the world and that Iob might learn much by the afflicting hand of God if the fault were not in himself yea that particular lesson that none could raise him but God was clearly taught him in that all the while he was so impatient he was still kept in such a helplesse condition Vers 23. Who hath enjoyned him his way This is alledged to prove that therefore none can controll or condemn what he doth concerning which see the Note chap. 34.13 Vers 24. Remember that thou magnifie his work which men behold That is Instead therefore of searching into Gods secrets busie thy self rather in magnifying those works which lye open to every mans view and this may be meant of the works of God in generall or of the heaven in particular the meteors rain and thunder and lightning whereof he speaks in the following verses Vers 25. Every man may see it man may behold it afarre off That is the heaven or it may be better understood of
Lords enlightening the eyes of his peoples minds either by teaching them the way of life salvation or by directing them by his spirit what to doe when being in streights they are in the dark know not which way to turn themselves and 3. to the comforting of those that are in a manner overwhelmed with the terrours of death desperation either by shewing them some hope of escape or by delivering them out of their fears and dangers the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down see the Note Psal 145.14 But now that this which hath been spoken is meant only of the righteous when they are in any of these distresses he sheweth by adding the next clause the Lord loveth the righteous to wit though he suffers them for a time to lye under those sad calamities that are before mentioned Vers 9. The way of the wicked he turneth upside down That is He utterly overthroweth all their counsels and enterprises so that all things come to passe quite contrary to what they expected Vers 10. The Lord shall reign for ever c. And so his people may safely rest upon him in all generations PSALM CXLVII Vers 1. PRaise ye the Lord for it is good to sing praises to our God c. To wit because it is a duty we owe to God a service wherewith God is much delighted and which yields much benefit and advantage to us for it is pleasant to wit to those that are truly the children of God though to the wicked nothing is more wearisome then are the duties of his worship service praise is comely see Psal 33.1 Now for the occasion of composing this Psalm some passages make it most probable that it was written either to encourage Gods people that were captives in Babylon to wait with hope for their deliverance or rather when they were already returned were repairing their city temple as appears vers 13. He hath strengthened the bars of thy gates c. but especially by that which follows in the next verse Vers 2. The Lord doth build up Ierusalem c. As this is meant of the Lords promoting the work of the Jews in repairing the city Jerusalem after their return from Babylon so it may be also meant of the spirituall building of the Church which is not done by any power or wisdome of man but merely by the mighty power of God who encreaseth their number advanceth their prosperous estate at his pleasure and restores them to a better condition when their enemies have made any havock amongst them And so likewise the following clause he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel may be understood both of Gods bringing home the scattered Israelites from the Babylonian captivity likewise of Gods gathering together all his elect for the building up of his Church or of his reducing the straying members of his Church that have been as oft for a time Vers 3. He healeth the broken in heart c. To wit with sorrow either for their afflictions or sins bindeth up their wounds that is cureth them both of their miseries sorrows For it is a metaphoricall expression taken from surgeons who by their skilfull binding up the wounds of their patients do chiefly promote the healing of them Vers 4. He telleth the number of the stars c. That is He knoweth exactly how many stars there are As for the next words he calleth them all by their names either the same thing is again there repeated in other tearms to wit that God knoweth them all as exactly particularly as we know those men whom we can presently upon sight call by their names or else the meaning is that he gives them all their severall names whereby may be implyed 1. the perfect knowledge that he hath of them in that he can give them names answerable to their severall qualities and operations 2. the power and command that he hath over them because masters were wont to give names to their servants parents to their children and consequently that he knoweth all as a master knoweth those of his houshold that are at his disposing and that he assigns to each of them their severall and distinct places offices motions influences so that though there be such an innumorable multitude of them yet there is no confusion amongst them The place is much like that Isa 40.26 Lift up your eyes on high and behold who hath created these things that bringeth out their host by number he calleth them all by names c. where God is compared to a captain or commander and is said to muster and keep a list of the stars as they do of their companies to bring them forth as they draw forth their souldiers into the fields on a training day each one in his rank and order But however the drift of the Psalmist in these words is to shew how praise-worthy God is in regard of his infinite power wisedome And many adde too that hereby he would imply that therefore it cannot be unlikely that this God should distinctly know all his people that shall one day shine as stars before him though scattered abroad in severall countries that he should gather them and bring them home together to their own land according to what was said before vers 2. And indeed if this were intended it might well be judged probable that these expressions were here used in reference to that promise made to Abraham that his seed should be as the stars for number Gen. 15.5 Vers 6. The Lord lifteth up the meek c. To wit both by comforting them and by raising them from an afflicted estate to live prosperously he casteth the wicked down to the ground to wit such as were exalted with a high conceit of their own power and despised and derided the judgements of God Vers 8. Who maketh grasse to grow upon the mountains See the Notes Job 38.26 and Psal 104.13 Vers 9. He giveth to the beast his food and to the young ravens that cry To wit though they are of those sorts of fowls that are most despised by men as being rather hurtfull then any way profitable and such as they never use for meat But see the Note Job 38.41 Vers 10. He delighteth not in the strength of the horse he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man That is in mens nimblenesse high stature or strength The meaning of the whole verse is that God cares not for companies of horse or foot or any such outward helps for the delivering of his people out of trouble nor consequently for any outward means that may be helpfull for their good Vers 13. For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates c. Many conceive that this is spoken with reference to what was done in Nehemiahs time when they repaired the severall gates of Jerusalem and as it is said Nehem. 3.3 set up the doors thereof the locks thereof and the bars
divine providence as appears more clearly in the following verse Vers 17. I said in mine heart God shall judge the righteous and the wicked c. This is the censure which Solomon passeth on that vanity of oppression that is amongst those that are in place of power mentioned in the foregoing verse to wit that God will one day judge both good and bad the oppressor and the oppressed most righteously and that therefore the righteous should not be discouraged but patiently wait upon Gods providence nor should wicked men embolden themselves in their tyranny and oppression but think before-hand of the judgement that will be hereafter for there is a time there that is with God in the judgement to come or before Gods judgement seat for every purpose and for every work that is for every thing men have done or have designed or intended to do every thing shall then and there be discovered and judged and receive its due recompence It is as if he had said As there is a time here when men doe what they list themselves so there will be a time hereafter when God will judge men for all they have done Or Though here Magistrates neglect to doe justice yet there every good and evill action of men shall by the Lord be justly judged But though this be meant chiefely of the day of the generall Judgement as indeed the confusion of things here a cleare proofe that there will be a day of Judgement hereafter yet I conceive even Gods cutting wicked men off here is also included to wit that God hath appointed a time when such men having filled up the measure of their wickednesse shall receive their just reward from God Vers 18. I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sonnes of men c. That is Concerning the order of men the distinction of the several ranks and degrees of superiors and inferiors or Concerning the condition and manner of men that God might manifest them and that they might see that they themselves are beasts As if he had said I concluded with my selfe that God suffers that oppression in seats of Justice mentioned before ver 16. that hereby it might evidently appeare that men in their natural condition are no better then beasts namely in that they tear and devoure one another and never mind any future estate Or rather thus I thought with my selfe that however men in power doe not and indeed cannot seriously consider the frailty of their condition but are as Gods in their own eyes and do cause men to humble themselves before them as if they were more then men yet God can by his word or judgements make it manifest to them that they are as to their outward estate no better then beasts Or God will certainly judge them as is said in the foregoing verse to the end he might make it manifest and cause them to see that they are but beasts as in regard of their bruitish and beastly lives and their sensual minding of earthly things so also in regard of their mortality But now some read this last clause thus That they might cleare God and see that they themselves are beasts and then the meaning must be that when God judgeth wicked men they might by the light of nature see that in regard of the bruitishnesse of their lives they are no better then beasts and so might justifie God in his proceedings against them Vers 19. For that which befalleth the sonnes of men befalleth beasts even one thing befalleth them c. To wit hunger thirst cold diseases the same outward casualties and at last death As the one dieth so dieth the other that is they are both sure to dye and in outward regards after the same manner death is terrible and painfull to both neither of them know the houre of death nor what will be outwardly after death Yea they have all one breath to wit in that they breath the same ayre which is drawne in and breathed out by the same vital organs the breath both of man and beast is in their nostrils so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast to wit in outward respects men are taken away from all that is in the world even the greatest of men as well as beasts so that in regard of their outward estate they have no preeminence yea in many outward things there are some beasts excell men as in the quicknesse of their senses their strength and agility c. for all is vanity that is fading â—nd nothing even man as well as beasts and therefore there is no happinesse to be found here below Vers 21. Who knoweth the spirit of a man that gâ—eth upward c. To wit to God above to be judged by him Chap. 12.7 or that abideth after death and is immortal and capable of being taken up to live for ever with God in heaven and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth that is that falleth and dyeth and perisheth with the body It is as if he had said It will be objected and it is indeed true that whereas the soule of the beast perisheth the soules of men are immortal and may come to enjoy eternal happinesse in heaven which the soule of the beast is no way capable of But who knoweth this that is How few are there that doe seriously consider or acknowledge this Men seek to maintaine this life and follow their sensual appetites as the beast doth but their precious soules they generally neglect Or rather No man can know this by any natural inquisition or by arguing from the outward events that befall men and beasts Or No man can know it by any sensual experimental knowledge whoever saw the ascent of the one or the descent of the other Vers 22. Therefore I perceive that there is nothing better then that a man should rejoyce in his own works c. That is in those things which a man hath gotten by his labour He concludes againe as he had done before that since for outward things there was so little difference betwixt the condition of a man and a beast therefore the best way was for a man to rejoyce in his own works See the Notes above ver 12 13. Chap. 2.24 For that is his portion See the Note Chap. 2.10 For who shall bring him to see what shall be after him That is who can make him to understand what shall be done here in this world when he is dead If a man hoard up what he hath it will be for others he shall have no benefit by it neither can he know who shall have it or what use shall be made of it CHAP. IV. Vers 1. SO I returned and considered all the oppressions that are done under the Sunne c. Some conceive that by these words I returned and considered Solomon intended to shew that withdrawing his mind from all other things he set himselfe seriously to consider of those things which are here