of Gods afflicting righteous men yet here he speaks also of hypocrites Not that any truly godly person can turn an hypocrite and be cut off as such but that he may clear how of Professours of godliness who meet with affliction some are sincere and others but dissemblers and that the tryal contributes to the discovering of both and the seperating of the chaffe from the wheat 2. He doth not here make mention of hypocrites with any design to reflect upon Job as one of them but partly to vindicate Gods righteousness in afflicting them who profess piety considerirg that not only he hath holy ends in dealing so with such as really are what they profess of which he hath spoken already and more is added v. 15. but that there are many unsound Professours whom in his holy Providence he discovers by affliction Partly that he may detert Job from some pranks under trouble particularly his complaining more than he did pray he lets him see that they were the pranks of hypocrites and therefore not to be persisted in by him who was a godly man 3. Albeit there was an alternative propounded in speaking of the duty of godly men under trouble v. 11 12. Yet v. 15. he mentions only their profiting by the rod and nothing of their incorrigibleness because that is the ordinary fruit that real Saints get of the rod and it is nor so usual for them when they are in trouble to provoke God by their miscarriages to cut them off And therefore he asserts of them indefinitely or more generally that they are delivered and their cars opended in oppression From v. 13 14. Learn 1. Hypocrisie is an ordinary evil cleaving to profession of Religion So that Hypocrites are very ordinarily and frequently mixed among sincere Professours For so is here supposed in that when Elihu is vindicating Gods dealing with Saints he insinuates this as one plea for him that there is need of affliction upon men of their profession were it but to discover and purge out hypocrites from anâ—â—â—g them So that men should not think it enough that they are Professours if they have no more and even sincerest of Professours have need to guard against hypocrisie which so frequently cleaves to profession 2. The hypocrisie of some may be so closely conveighed and hid in their hearts that in ordinary it doth not appear For there are hypocrites in heart who do not much appear visibly to be such 3. God is so ill pleased even with the most refined of hypocrisie that he will sooner or later have the mark pulled off it and cause the hypocrite appear in his own colours As here it is supposed that they will appear to be under wrath 4. Albeit many times prosperity will discover the unsoundness of some who flattered God under trouble Psal 78.34 35 36 37. Yea albeit close and refined hypocrites may pass through many tryals undiscovered till their tryal which toucheth upon their Idol come Yet a day of adversity is the ordinary touchstone of hypocrisie which will at last find it our and discover it As here it is in affliction and when God binds them that they appear in their colours and the scorching heat of the Sun or the fiery furnace will make the varnish to fall off See Is 33.14 So that hypocrites had need of fair weather for a shower will stain them and make them cast their borrowed colour 5. Hypocrites are especially discovered by their not crying to God in trouble As here they cry not when he bindeth them And albeit this seem to contradict other Scriptures which say they cry only when they are in trouble Psal 78.34 Yet this may also hold true of them or of some of them that when they are in trouble they may at first give over to cry as being madded that they should be in trouble or confounded with it or hoping to find relief another way And if they come to God in trouble they will soon weary and give over if they be not speedily relieved Is 58.3 Mal. 3.13 14. And to express this character of hypocrites more distinctly we may take it up thus 1. If they goe to God in trouble yet there is more of murmuring than prayer in their addresses 2. They are ready to cry more upon the account of what they want than because God binds them or because they see his hand and quarrel in their affliction Hos 7.14 16. 3. They cry more that they may get ease of their trouble than they repent of their sins which procured them 4. There is little fervency or crying in their addresses or what fervour seems to be therein flows not from humility love or hope but from pride bitterness and diffidence 5. Their first recourse is not to God so long as they have any shift beside 6. They lose all hope and weary to cry on if their strait grow and continue while they are crying 2 King 6.30 33. All these should warn us to try and examine our prayers and to look upon it as sad when trouble produceth no prayer or no right prayer Doct. 6. Though hypocrites â—â—e alwayes under wrath yet their miscarriages and discovering of themselves under trouble draws on a greater and more insupportable weight and burden of it For by this they heap of wrath Which should warn all to look to their carriage under trouble 7. Gods wrath against hypocrites will not alwayes evidence it self only by with-holding of favours or speaking sad words to them but will at last break forth in visible effects upon impenitent hypocrites to the destruction both of Soul and Body And especially if trouble be not well improved when God hath begun to reckon with them he will not be dallyed with nor spare them For they dye or their Soul or Life dyeth that is both their Soul and Life dyeth Or the phrase may have relation to the thoughts that hypocrites have of their bodily and animal life which they so esteem as if Soul and Life and all consisted in living here Or it serves to aggravate their fault who have a rational Soul as well as an animal Life and yet dare hazard to draw on death upon themselves in wrath It is true this threatening against hypocrites may admit of an exception in the visible Church Psal 78.34 38. as to the grant of a national pardon to the body of a people Numb 14.20 21 Psal 99.8 Yet God will reckon with particular hypocrites 8. As the Lord seeth it fit sometimes to cut off hypocrites early and some of them by a violent death So it is true of all of them that they dye before they be full of dayes Psal 55.23 they still abhorring death and before they cease and give over their youthfull folly and become wise in God For thus and in these respects they dye in youth 9. Hypocrites especially when they do not improve trouble are justly ranked among the worst of men and dealt with accordingly For their life is cut off
after Jobs former triumph over his calumnies he makes this fresh assault 2. As Satan is incessant in his malicious endeavours so he is fall of shifts and inventions in bearing out his calumnies against the people of God or in driving in those fiery darts of bosom-tentations wherewith he vexeth them For when all he had to say before against Job is immediately refuted now he hath a new pretence whereupon to question his integrity This is daily verified in the calumnies cast by Satans Instâ—uments upon the people of God One of them is no sooner refuted but they are ready to invent another And this is also felt by Saints in their spiritual Conflicts with Bosom-tentations which come in as waves and billows one upon the back of another to over-whelm their spirits 3. It is never to be expected by the Lords people but that Satan will be ready to extenuate and decry the grace of God in them so much as he can For here again he makes it his work to blast Jobs integrity in his former tryal Which may teach them not to trust or hearken unto his suggestions 4. Whatever measure of affliction Satan be permitted to bring upon Saints yet such is his malice that nothing will satisfie him but their utter ruine For now when Job is stript of all he thinks it not enough so long as his person and life are free Put forth thine hand and touch his bone and his flesh And therefore we have little cause to fall asleep because we have endured many tryals since we know not what sharper tryals this malicious Adversary may be designing for us if he be permitted by God so to do 5. Albeit Satan be a malicious lyar and do here notably injure this holy man yet there are some Geneâ—aâ— Tâ—uths insinuated in this Discourse whereof he makes use to drive his design As 1. That life and bodily health are special and chief outward mercies Membâ—rs of the body are sometime hâ—zarded for preserving of life and men have warrâ—ntabâ—y spent all they had on Physitians for recovering of health Luke 8.43 And therefoâ—e they do hainously sin who under-value this special benefit or do prostitute it to the service of their lusts 2. But albeit every tryal have its own weight yet personal tryals are most sharp and will most narrowly search out hypocrisie or sincerity in the person so tryed and the nearer they come they will be the more searching For in so far Satan said true that a man may be more ready to curse God or miscarry if the tryal touch his bone and flesh than if it come only on what more remotely concerns him Hence it appears to have been an act of special favour that Jobs own person was excepted in the former tryal Chap. 1 12. 3 That it is a special proof of unsoundness in men whâ—n tâ—yals and â—fflâ—ctions are sleighted because they touch not themselves so neatly or when they make a shew of Piety only that tryals may be keeped from off themselves For this was the som of Satans charge against Job which is an evidence of gross hypocrisie had it been true Verse 6. And the LORD said unto Satan Behold he is in thine hand but save his life In this verse we have the Lords further loosing of the chain permitting Satan to afflict Jobs body but not to take away his life Or this form of speech and of Gods limiting of Satan see Chap. 1.12 Here we may further learn 1. After the Lords people have endured many and sharp tryals it may please the Lord to inflict yet more and sharper tryals for further discovering of what is in them As heâ—e after all that Job hath endured more is laid upon him And albeit Saints may be ready to stumble at this yet it may silence aâ—d satisfie them if they remâ—mber the soveraignty of God who may dispose of his own as he will that Gods special love and sharp tryals may very well consist together that true grace will teach men not to quarrel God because of crosses and that tryals yea many and growing tryals are necessary to discover them unto themselves to fit them for special proofs of Gods love and to vindicate their Profession from the many aspersions cast upon it 2. As it is very consistent with Gods love to his people to suffer them to be tempted in their souls by the fiery darts of Satan So the bodies also of such as are dear to God may be left in Satans hand to â—fflict them by himself or by Witches his Instruments For so was it with Job Behold he is in thine hand Hence come many of those diseases which surpass the skill of Physitians Luke 13.16 3. Whatever be Satans hand in the tryals of the godly yet they ought still to eye an over-ruling hand of Providence ordering all of them and setting bounds and limits to Satans malice in them For here the rise of this tryal is from Gods holy Providence Behold he is in thy hand and Satan is limited but save his life 4. In the sharpest tryals of Saints there is still some mercy and moderation to be observed and that Satan is never able to compass all his design For here there is an exception and a reservation of that which Satan aimed at no less than the other degrees of his affliction But save his life or spare it and do not take it away 5. The continuance and sparing of life even under sharpest afflâ—ctions is a mercy for which God is to be acknowledged For here in the midst of Jobs tryals it is reserved as a mercy to him save his life See Lam. 3.39 The mercy whereof in Jâ—bs case though much mistakâ—n by him may appear partly in this That hereby the Lord would teach his Church in all Ages that he hath power of life and death and can preserve his people and interests in most desperate cases and betwixt the very jaw bones of death Psal 66.8 9 10. 68.20 And partly in this That however Job being a reconciled man would have died at any time in Gods favour Yet the Lord will not take him away in a cloud nor give Satan any appearance of advantage to say that Job died in an ill case or fretting But will have him to live in and after those storms as a monument of Gods mercy and to clear and vindicate his integrity As indeed It is no small mercy to the Lords people when clouds upon their condition are cleared before they go hence and be no more 6. The Lords people may enjoy many mercies which yet in their darkness passion and haste they esteem rather burdens than mâ—rcies For so will we afterward find Job judging of his continued life which here is reserved in mercy Vers 7. So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD and smote Job with sore boyls from the sole of his foot unto his crown In this verse we have the tryal it self or Satans executing of what is permitted
of a certain sign of a distempered spirit So an humble man who makes his acquaintance with the dust under trouble doth thereby prove himself an honest and patient man For this is another proof of Jobs patience and integrity he sate down among the ashes 5. No man hath made such proficiency in humility he needs to grow in it and when men have been humbled under troubles it becomes them when they are put to new exercises to be yet more humbled For albeit Job had been humbled before Chap. 1.20 yet upon this new emergent he again sate down among the ashes 6. None have ever essayed the rich advantages of humility under trouble and how sweet it is to stoop so low as the violence of the storm blows over them but they will be ready to grow in it upon renewed occasions For so much doth Jobs renewed practice in humbling himself again before God teach us Vers 9 Then said his wife unto him Doest thou still retain thine integrity Curse God and die Followeth in this and the following verse a new assault upon Jobs integrity with his victory over it Satan having before indirectly essayed to draw him to curse God but without success doth now stir up his wife directly to suggest that motion to him In this verse wherein this suggestion and tentation is recorded we may consider 1. The tempter or Instrument imployed to suggest this unto him his wife It is but a groundless dream of the Rabbins that she was Dinah Jacob's daughter Yet not to enquire into the truth of her grace and whether she were only now over-powered with a tentation as we find not that she makes any reply to her Husbands reproof verse 10. it is unquestionable that she had been well educated and exercised in that family and yet she becomes a tentation to him to draw him to sin And it seems that she being within Satans commission was reserved by him as a fit Instrument thus to tempt Job as some few servants also were spared to add to his affliction as we heard from Chap. 1. and will hear further from Jobs own complaints Chap. 19. 2. The tentation or suggestion wherein she disswades him from retaining his integrity and adviseth him to curse God and die The word being as was marked Chap. 1.5 Bless God and die Some do understand it properly and excuse her as urging no more then what his three friends did press That he should not stand so stiffly to the maintenance of his integrity but should glorifie God by confessing of his sin before he were thus cut off or albeit he should die after he had so done But this Interpretation doth not sute with the sharpness of the reproof given her by Job vers 10. Therefore whether we render it to Curse in a proper sense or to Bless by way of Derision and Irony all cometh to one purpose She seeing him stoop to God notwithstanding all had come upon him doth thus express her self Wilt thou yet stoop to God and bless him as thou did formerly Chap. 1.21 when he doth thus handle thee Ay bless him still go on so to do and mark what will be the issue He will even cut thee off notwithstanding all thy Piety and blessing of him Or rather thus for it is safest to take the word in the sense made use of by Satan ver 5. Chap. 1.11 whose design she did prosecute by this motion Why would thou any longer continue in a course of Piety What hast thou reaped by it but such an heap of afflictions one upon the back of another Nay rather since thou art cast into such a deep pit of miseries from which there is no hope of relief and since all thy honesty cannot so much as procure thee an issue by death Spare not openly to curse and blaspheme God which will either provoke him to cut thee off or Magistrates according to the law will do it Doct. 1. In a day of tryal the Godly may expect that even mercies which seem to be reserved for their comfort will prove an addition to their tryal as here Jobs wife doth prove to him whereas it might have seemed that she was continued with him for his comfort in this his sad and desolate condition 2. When tryals come upon any one in a Society if the person tryed be not insnared to sin yet some one or other of his Interests and Relations may be catched For though Satan miss of Job who was his chief aim yet he gets advantage of his wife 3. As Corruption may lurk long under Grace so much more may gross naughtiness lurk long in a religious Family and in a person going along in the religious duties therein performed as here is to be seen in this woman who no doubt before this time went along with the rest of the Family in the duties performed therein 4. A day of adversity will readily discover that naughtiness of persons in a Society which lieth hid in times of prosperity For it is at that time her corruptions break forth And it cannot but be very sad when those who live peaceably till afflictions come on do then prove Instruments of grief and vexation 5. It is the poor and wretched imploymâ—nt of such as are imployed by Satan not only to serve him in their own persons but to become baits and snares to others to draw them along with them For Jobs wife being thus ensnared is imployed to tempt her husband to the like sinful course 6. As Saints in a day of affliction may look for sharpest tryals from nearest Friends and natural Relations So in particular Sâ—tan looks upon wives when they are corrupt themselves as the most effectual Instruments to draw their husbands to sin Therefore doth he make use of Jobs wife to tempt him Thus did he tempt Adam by Evah and Jezabel did stir up Achab to be more wicked I Kings 21.25 7. It is no strange thing to see men contemned in the world and accounted simple and silly even upon the account of these things for which they are commended of God For God had commended Job because of his integrity ver 3. and his wife accounts it his folly Doest thou still retain thine Integrity So that upright walkers have much need of Self-denyal and not to consuâ—t with flesh and blood 8. It is an evidence of the power of Conscience in men that in their most desperately sinful courses they cannot so extinguish the light thereof but they see the great hazard of their way And it is an evidence of their great slavery under sin that no hazard doth deter them from it For this woman notwithstanding all her distemper is convinced of this that blasphemy deserveth death which should warn us to avoid the least degrees of it in murmuâ—â—ng and fretting against God And yet she adviseth her husband to run upon the hazard Curse God and die Albeit that law concerning blasphemers Lev. 24.14 15 16. was not written in Jobs days
yet it appears from her expressions that the thing it self was then known by the light of Nâ—ture or by immediate Revelation 9. We may also from her speech take notice of some of the wicked suggestions of Satan and our corrupt flesh in an hour of tryal As 1. When mens hearts do rise in pride against Gods dealing and do under-value Piety because of afflâ—ction and want of ease Doest thou still retain thine Integrity saâ—th she when thou art thus afflâ—cted See Mal. 3.13 14. 2. When men have such a prejudice against afflictions and tryals that they scruple at no sin which may seem to promise ease of a present trouble Curse God and die saith she and so thou wilt get out of this toil and vexation 3. When men are so earnest to avoid a present trouble as they do not consider that they may be running upon a greater afflâ—ction Curse God saith she and die that so thou may see an end of thy pain little considering that death is not the end of all trouble to all men and especially to those who enter in at the gates of death voluntarily blaspheming and cursing God as she adviseth him to do Vers 10. But he said unto her Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speakâ—th what shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil In all this did not Job sin with his lips Followeth Jobs answer unto and refutation of this suggestion Albeit he had hitherto kept silence yet he cannot let this suggestion pass without a reply And though no doubt he was a tender husband who behaved himself so conscientiously even toward servants Chap. 31.13 14.15 Yet in this case the zeal of God prompts him to make a sharp return to her motion And 1. He points out how unbecoming it was that such a motion should flow from her It might possibly have been expected that one of the foolish women Nabalesses so the word is in the Original or Pagans about them should have spoken so in a day of tryal But it did not beseem one so instructed and who enjoyed so many means of knowledge as she did to be so badly principled 2. He points out the absurdity of her counsel in it self That they who have received good things from the Lord Should not be content to submit to evil things or afflictions when God seeth it meet to exercise them therewith But that whenever the tyde begins to turn they should be weary of Piety and turn blasphemers For clearing whereof consider 1. That question What or also and his propounding of the Refutation by way of Interrogation doth insinuate both the vehemence of Jobs zeal and the clear evidence of the truth propoâ—nded that it may extort a confession from those who are most prejudged if they will but consider it 2. What he speaks of receiving good and evil is not to be understood of the simple act of receiving For in that the Lord doth not sâ—â—k oâ—t confâ—ne but fâ—nds good or evil as it pleaseth him and makes them our lot But he speaks of the manneâ— of receâ—ving that as we receive and entertain good things cheerfully and contentedly so it is our duty to receive evil things submissively and patiently Doct. 1. As zeal for God is seemly and becometh Saints so tentations and suggestâ—ons should be roughly entertained and not dallyed with from whomsoever they come Foâ— Job doth entertain this motion from his wife with much zeal and indignation See Matth 16.22 23. So also ought rising suggestions in our own bosoms be entertained 2. As sin is odious and hateful in any so it is moâ—e abominable in some thâ—n others And when sin is looked upon not only in its own nature but as committed by such persons who have lived under many means and had many engagâ—ments to holy walking put upon them â—t will exceedingly heighten the sinfulness thereof For so doth Job aggravate the sin of his wife Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh 3. To renounce God and Piety under trouble or because of it is an act of the highest folly and rather beseeming Pagans then Professors of the true Religion who will find it their advantage to cleave to God in trouble and that to do otherwise were to lose more then trouble can otherwise take from them and to deprive themselves of a soveraign antidote against the venom of afflictions For in the counsel she gave Job reckons that she speaks as one of the foolish women 4 It is not enough that we reprove faults in others unless we take pains also to inform them and to root out the prejudices and corrupt principles which mislead them Theâ—efore Job after the reproof subjoyns an information What or also as the word will read adding this to the former reproof Shall we receive good c 5. When men do rightly consider their own case they will find that an hour of tentation doth so bemist them and over-cloud their judgments that they want the use of their very common Principles Therefore doth Job put home this Refutation with Questions as being so clear that her Light and Conscience could not decline it if she would advert 6. It is a very great fault in men to arrogate to themselves to be their own carvers and that they will endure no lot but what pleaseth them For we are but receivers not prescribers 7. Seeing all the good we enjoy comes by the gift of God there is no reason we should murmur if he dispose of his own as he will and take back his gift at his pleasure For We receive good at the hand of God and therefore should acquiesce in his disposing thereof at his pleasure 8. It is a very great fault to limit God constantly to one way of dealing with his people and that we cannot endure to submit to changes For Job insinuates that we must resolve both for good and evil in the service of our Generation 9. It is also a fault that men enjoying a long time of prosperity should so settle themselves in case that they cannot endure a new assault of trouble seeing these vicissitudes in our condition are necessary for us and Gods sparing of us long may very well perswade us to endure tryals in their season For Shall we receive good and shall we not receive evil 10. It is yet a further degree of miscarriage when men have received so many proofs of love from God and yet when the same hand le ts out a needful trouble they are ready to question and doubt of this love and so quarrel him For if we have received good we ought without mistaking receive evil when it is made our lot For as evil coming to us out of the hand of God changeth its nature and becometh good so it becometh them who have tasted much of Gods bounty and love not to mistake every change of dealing In a word Jobs arguing doth teach That no man doth rightly improve prosperity
Whether he would maliciously curse and renounce God because of affliction This is so far from appearing here that albeit in so hot a furnace it is no wonder he cast a scum yet his case and his carriage being compared together it is Jobs victory and a great foil to Satan that he devords not more And albeit the Lord might by his power and grace have prevented even this measure of failing Yet it was more for his honour that Infirmity broke out so far That his weaknesses might be as comfortable to after-ages as his graces as is before marked and that the power of God might bâ— the more conspicuous in supporting him 2 Cor 12.7 8.9 and grace might shine in his cleaving to God in the midst of all this as appears from the following debate 2. Albeit his weakness do thus for a time break forth when his Reason and Experience are at under and he is sensible of nothing but pain and sorrow yet he doth not persist in this distemper nor is it the only thing that appears in the furnace but he hath much better purpose afterward in the behalf of God And therefore as in a battel men do not judge of affairs by what may occur in the heat of the conflict wherein Parties may retire and fall on again but by the issue of the fight So Job is not to be judged by those fits of distemper seeing he recovered out of them at last and so God himself judgeth of him Jam. 5.11 Yea those violent fits do serve to demonstrate the strength of grace in him which prevailed at last over them all And his victory was the more glorious that his conflict had been sharp From this verse we may learn 1. There are in the most subdued Child of God strong corruptions ready to break forth in tryal For so appears in Job an holy and mortified man as he is described Chap. 1.1 8. and Chap. 31. throughout The best of men ought to be sensible that they have by nature an evil heart of unbelief even when they are strong in the faith that they have luke-warmness under their zeal passion under their meekness c. 2. Albeit natural corruptions may lurk long even in the Furnace of Affliction Yet long and multiplied tentation will bring it forth As here we may gather from Jobs experience who was not only blameless and streight before the tryal came but having stood it out long under his tryal doth now at last discover his weakness Which may teach godly men and even those who have kept their integrity in many tryals to be still upon their guard and not to be high-minded but fear nor sing the triumph because of some petty atchievements before the compleat victory be obtained For 1. Every exercise and tryal will not be a tryal to every man nor an irritation to every corruption within him 2. The length and continuance of a tryal is a new tryal and may discover that which the simple tryal doth not reach as here we see in Job 3. When men get leisure in cold blood to reflect and pore upon their case as Job did during that long silence of himself and his friends it will prove more grievous then at first it doth 4. When men are disappointed of what they expect under trouble as Job was of his Friends comfort it will grieve them more then if they in sobriety had expected no such thing Doct. 3. The Lords in judging of the grace and integrity of his followers doth afford many grains of allowance and graciously passeth overmuch weakness wherein they do not approve themselves For notwithstanding all this weakness yet not only did the Lord before declare him a righteous man but even after the tryal he commends him as a pattern of patience Jam. 5.11 though he had vented so much passion 4. Albeit a small tryal be sufficient to discover weakness in the best of Saints if God leave them to themselves yet most usually their weakness appears not but in great and sharp tryals nor will they be so tenderly indulged if they fail in lesser trials when their exercise is not so sharp Therefore are those bitter fits of Job recorded together with his great and overwhelming trouble that his example may embolden none to allow themselves in the like bitterness and passion when their tryal is nothing like his Verse 2. And Job spake and said 3. Let the day perish wherein I was born and the night in which it was said There is a manchild conceived 4. Let that day be darkness let not God regard it from above neither let the light shine upon it 5. Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it let a cloud dwell upon it let the blackness of the day terrifie it 6. As for that night let darkness seise upon it let it not be joyned unto the days of the year let it not come into the number of the moneths 7. Lo let that night be solitary let no joyful voyce come therein 8. Let them curse it that curse the day who are ready to raise up their mourning 9. Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark let it look for light but have none neither let it see the dawning of the day 10. Because it shut not up the doors of my mothers womb nor hid sorrow from mine eyes In these verses we have an account at large of Jobs wish that he had never been born set down by way of imprecation against the day of his birth ver 3. 9. to which a reason is subjoyned v. 10. The Imprecation is set forth with great variety of purpose and a flood of eloquent expressions suggested by his present sense of trouble and passion And it is denounced First Against that day in all its parts as it comprehends both day and night or is a natural day or 24. hours ver 3. Where he wisheth that albeit sometime it had been a day of good tidings of the birth of a Son it may perish A vain wish importing his desire either that that day had never been or that now it should never come in account among the days of the year or that it never be kept for a birth day as the custom was among some people but whenever it comes about that it be infamous Secondly against the day or that which is the light-part of that natural day ver 4 5. Unto which he wisheth 1. Darkness without light to shine upon it and that not ordinary darkness but like unto the shadow of death which imports great darkness Isa 9.1 2. and elsewhere like the darkness which is in deep pits where the dead are who never see the light or such darkness as seiseth upon the eyes of dying men whose day of life is drawing to the dark shades of death or palpable darkness the horrour whereof might affright men to death This darkness he further wisheth unto it not for a part of the day only but all along a cloud dwelling upon it
the wicked at any time prospered their prosperity was but momentany and ended in visible judgments And if the godly were at any time afflicted their afflictions speedily ended in visible blessings And therefore when they consider Jobs case being so suddenly turned out of his prosperity and so long and so sore afflicted beyond the ordinary tryals of faithful men especially carrying so ill under it as he had done chap. 3. They conclude that he behoved to have been either a grosly wicked man or a close hypocrite Hence they judge it their most seasonable way to prove him wicked and to bear him down and humble him that so they might have ground whereupon to comfort him being penitent That this was the drift of their Discourses will sufficiently appear from their several speeches and we may find Job noticing this as their particular and chief design chap. 21.27 28. chap. 32.1 they give him up as an obstinate man because he would not take with wickedness But Job upon the other hand maintains that neither love nor hatred can be known by outward afflictions but that Saints may be under as great outward trouble as the wicked And therefore he rejects their counsel to take with former wickedness and hypocrisie and begin anew to seek God and adheres to the testimony of his Conscience which bare witness to his Integrity notwithstanding all assaults from within or from without Hence he grants that he is a sinner but not that he is an hypocrite or wicked man That God is righteous who afflicted him and yet he is not unrighteous though afflicted by a righteous God albeit neither he nor they could sufficiently reconcile these two nor sufficiently clear how they were consistent That though he be not sinless nor perfect to seclude free grace Yet he was sincere according to the tenour of the Covenant of grace and perfect before men Those and many the like Principles we will find scattered throughout his speeches while he constantly insists to defend himself in the main cause 3. Having considered the state of the Controversie it is necessary We pass some verdict and censure upon the dispute on either hand whereby our thoughts may be regulated in going through it For albeit all that is here recorded be Sacred Scripture in so far as it contains an infallible account of what each of them said and that they spake so Yet when we consider that both parties are rebuked by God for what they utter in the debate and that they speak of many things in contradictory terms We can no further justifie the purposes uttered by them then we find the general consent of other Scriptures bearing witness thereunto as we cannot either justifie the complaints and tentations of Saints which are recorded in the Book of Psalms and elsewhere as sound Divinity but do look upon them as recorded in Scripture only for this end that their example and experience may serve for Caution and Instruction to the godly in all Ages Hence on the Friends part we may remark 1. They maintain a false principle throughout the Dispute That God afflicted none as he afflicted Job but wicked men which they insist so much upon because otherwise they were not able to reconcile such sharp dealing with the righteousness of God Whereas the Scripture elsewhere assures us that all things come alike to all Eccles 9.2 to which the Principle Job closely adhereth chap. 9.22 and elsewhere throughout the dispute 2. They do also express a rash and uncharitable judgment in their Discourse in that they judged of the godly mans state by his fits of tentation and disordered frame and expressions in the heat of his distemper Judging that to proceed from a wicked disposition and consequently to be the mark of a wicked man which was extorted from him through the violence of tentation and was only an evidence of that common infirmity of Saints which we find recorded in Scripture to have broken forth in David and other godly men as well as him Hence all their reflections upon his complaints do fall short of their conclusion to prove him a wicked man though indeed they reproved what was truly culpable in him 3. In their Doctrine concerning Gods Judgments upon wicked men which is the great Argument whereby they endeavour to prove him wicked we must acknowledge there is much truth if we take in eternal punishment among the rest to be inflicted upon the wicked whether they escape in this life or not and if we understand it of the deserving of all wicked men according to the sentence of the Law and that God useth so to deal with some wicked men whom he makes publick spectacles of his Justice to deterr others In these respects we find some of their speeches cited or at least alluded unto in other Scriptures as Job 5.13 with 1 Cor. 3.19 and several of their expressions will be found to have some parallels in other Books of the Old Testament Yet in their speaking of these outward and visible judgments that come on wicked men there is a double mistake One That they not only pleaded the Law-sentence and the Deserving of such men or that God did execute these threatnings accordingly on some even in this life which Job never denied chap. 27.11 12 13 14 c. But they pleaded also the real and actual execution of all that was threatned and that on every one of the wicked even in this life And so asserted that to be universally true which is only rue of some For Job agreeably to the Scriptures maintained that God exercised a great variety of dispensations toward wicked men in this life chap. 21.23 24 25. And as may be gathered from the scope of most of his speeches that oft-times God seeth it fit to spare wicked men in this life notwithstanding their ill-deserving yea and to heap prosperity upon them until their death That so he may exercise the faith and patience of the godly and may teach all to look out to a Day of Judgment and the eternal reward of Wickedness and Piety Another mistake is That they asserted these calamities to be proper to the wicked which are common also to the godly For albeit temporal calamities inflicted on a wicked man are real curses and fruits of his sin Yet the Scripture elsewhere cleareth that the same lots may also befal the godly either for chastisement or for the tryal of their faith and patience and that the supporting grace of God may he magnified in them as Jobs own experience doth witness Thus as to the external stroke there may be one event to the righteous and to the wicked c. Eccles 9.2 4. Their Doctrine concerning Gods Sovereignty Holiness and Justice whereby they laboured to drive Job from his confidence is true doctrine and therefore Job strives to out-strip them in commending those Attributes of God Yet they did ill apply this doctrine and made a bad use of it to crush a godly man as
moment of the day Or being but short-lived like that creature which is said to live but one day See Psal 39.5 Or being cut off in a short time when God begins to deal with him Isa 38.12 Psal 90.5 6. Or his whole life and every day of it from morning to evening being but a daily dying and travelling from the womb to the grave All these do well enough sute the scope and may teach us 1. That death in it self is a destroying or breaking and braying in pieces as making havock of the poor man crushing his imagined excellencies and irreparably ruining him in his being though without prejudice to the power of God to be exerted in his future Resurrection Therefore it is said They are destroyed or broken in pieces 2. As death is terrible in it self so man lieth under so great hazard of it as may keep him low before God being a creature that is dying daily though he consider it not being uncertain what moment it may arrest him being unable to hinder the stroke of death to do its work in a short time and having but a short while of life if well considered how long soever it be forborn All these humbling considerations are imported in their being destroyed from morning to evening 2. That in regard the death of man is ordinary it is but little regarded ver 20. That they perish for ever is not to be understood here of eternal destruction for this sentence is true of all men even godly men But that men are continually dying and perishing in all times and ages and that though this be a great stroke and a perishing for ever without any hope of restitution to this life again Yet it is but little noticed or emproved Neither do they who are left behind make the use of that which they so ordinarily see nor do they who die ever return to give any proof of their proficiency by that stroke This teacheth 1. Death is in this respect a great stroke that it cuts off a man irrecoverably from all his enjoyments and from all opportunity of emproving any condition in this life So that if a man do not emprove time while he hath it and have no hope of somewhat beyond time he is in a poor condition In this respect all men at death perish for ever without hope of returning to this life 2. It is the constant course of divine Providence that as one generation is coming so another is going And that at all times death is still snatching some from there idols liberating others from their toil separating dearest friends and preaching the doctrine of Mortality to all For thus also they perish for ever in all ages and times 3. Albeit it be the duty of the sons of men to emprove every document of mortality which is laid before them in the experience of others Eccl. 7.2 Yet such is the stupidity of most that they profit nothing thereby nor are made to study the uncertainty of mans life or the vanity of many of mens projects on earth Luk. 12.19 20. For thus they perish without any regarding See Psal 49.13 14. 4. Such is the stupidity and corruption of men that even remarkable dispensations becoming ordinary are sleighted and do not affect them For albeit death be a singular stroke yet being ordinary for ever in all times there is no regarding or emproving of it As wonders will nor profit them who do not emprove the ordinary means Luk. 16.31 So the more ordinary and frequent wonders be our corrupt hearts will regard them the less 3. That by death men are stript of all their excellency which is in them ver 21 Which is not so much to be understood of the souls leaving the body as of their parting with all their external pomp and glory at death For both in sickness before death the memory judgment and other endowments of the mind do perish in some beauty and strength of body do languish in all and at death there is nothing left but a loathsome carcass and all worldly pomp and splendour is cut off from them It is here to be remembred that the Spirit of God doth not hear speak of men as to their eternal state but as to their externall condition which they enjoyed in the world And it teacheth 1. God is very bountiful to the sons of men in conferring many excellencies upon them both in their bodies minds and outward estate For there is supposed an excellency in them And albeit it be mans fault to value these too highly as their chief and only excellency yet their own true worth and Gods bounty in conferring of them ought not to be forgotten 2. God is also so kind as to continue all or many of these excellencies with men even to the grave For so is here supposed that their excellency doth not go away till then 3. Whatever forbearance the sons of men get in this life yet death will strip them of all their outward splendour and pomp For then all their excellency doth go away See Psal 49.17 Isa 14.9 10. c. 4. It is a very great fault and a gross neglect in men that this ordinary plain lesson of the vanity of outward excellencies is so little studied For this Question Doth not their excellency which is in them go away doth import that it is a clear case and yet withal that many do so walk as if they did not believe nor heed it and therefore must be posed if they do not believe and consider it 4. That they die without wisdom ver 21. or they die and there is no wisdom This may be true generally of all men that though some have profited much better in their life then others yet all may confess that they die before they be so wise as to understand as they ought what it is to live well or to emprove the examples of mortality which they have seen in their time It may also be understood only of the wicked who die without the knowledge of God and without that wisdom which floweth from right numbering of their days Psal 49.20 90.12 But it is more safe to understand it generally in this sense That they die without having any skill or wisdom how to avoid death And it teacheth however wicked men play many pranks with their wit in their lives and do nimbly extricate themselves imminent hazards though a prudent man foreseeing the storm may be able to avoid it Prov. 22.3 27.12 Yet death will triumph over all their skill and parts their wit cannot deliver them from death nor afford them any way to escape it Thus they die even without wisdom See 2 Sam. 3.33 Eccl. 2.16 CHAP. V. In this Chapter Eliphaz yet continueth his Discourse to Job consisting as was marked on Chap. 4. of a reprehension wherein he labours to convince Job of wickedness or hypocrisie and of some Exhortations to amend his life and turn to God considering the hand of
know also that thy seed shall be great and thine off spring as the grass of the earth 26. Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season The other Head of Encouragement is That he shall not only have deliverance from trouble but restitution to his former condition instanced in these particulars 1. A peaceable Habitation ver 24. 2. That he shall visit his Habitation and not sin ver 24. whereby I do not only understand that in going about his affairs he shall not err as the word signifieth and is rendred Judg. 20.16 but shall succeed in his enterprises As godliness hath the promise c. even of a gift of good thrift Psal 112.5 But chiefly this is the meaning That he shall be taught a better and more sinless way of going about his affairs 3. That he shall have a great and numerous issue ver 25. 4. And fulness of days He should not be cut off as he now apprehended but should continue to old age and come ripe to his grave as ripe Corn is brought to the Barn ver 26. These Promises relating to things temporal must be understood with the usual Scripture cautions which assure us that all these things are put in the Believers Charter but the dispensing thereof left in the hand of their wise and tender Father With this caution we may from this purpose Learn 1. Godly men when in a right frame are taught to look upon their most prosperous condition as transitory and not their true rest For he calls Jobs house but a Tabernacle not so much because he dwelt in a Tent for his Children had Houses Chap. 1.13 18 19. and himself Chap. 42.11 as because the godly accounted so of their fairest houses 2. To a truly godly man the charge of a family is of great concernment so that the peace of it is a promise and great encouragement to him As this promise to Job imports 3. As Prosperity and Family-peace and concord therewith are a great blessing So Piety hath the promise thereof which is still fulfilled in so far as godly families may have true peace whatever befal them So much may safely be gathered from this promise Thy Tabernacle shall be in peace 4. It is no small mercy when the truth of a Promise is experimentally confirmed to us and much more when we are made to discern that it is so and made to acquiesce and be satisfied therewith So much is imported in this Thou shalt know that thy Tabernacle shall be in peace Thou shalt discern the accomplishment of this promise and be refreshed therewith So also ver 25. To discern a mercy is a new mercy in the bosome of it 1 Cor. 2.12 without which we may starve beside our food 5. Such as expect Gods blessing upon their family and affairs ought to wait on him in the diligent use of means about them For Thou shalt visit thine Habitation or go about thine affairs 6. So carnal are our hearts and so entangling are wordly affairs though lawful that without Gods special leading and assistance we cannot avoid much guilt in them For it needs a Promise not to sin when we visit our habitation 7. A truly godly man is so tender as he doth not so much mind success in his imployments as grace to keep the Conscience undefiled and in true peace And the obtaining of this will encourage him whatever his success be For this Promise is an encouragement to the godly man Thou shalt visit thy Habitation and he saith not thou shalt prosper but not sin 8. None are in a neerer capacity to go about their imployments in an holy spirituall and sober manner then those who have been bred in the School of Afflictions and to whom they have been blessed and who so attain this have an evidence that they have profited by their tryals For this Promise is made to Job upon supposition that Job will not despise the chastening of the Almighty ver 17. 9. Albeit neither all the godly nor only they have the gift of posterity but some of them will need other promises to make up that want Isa 56.4 5. Yet Children in themselves are a blessing and the more of them the greater blessing Psal 127.3 4 5. and when they are given to the godly they are the reward of Piety Psal 128.1 2 3 4. and accordingly should be improved as blessings Therefore is a promise made concerning those Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great and thy off-spring as the grass of the Earth 10. Whatever hazards we be exposed to in the world yet our times are in Gods hand to lengthen or shorten them as he pleaseth Therefore God undertakes to determine when man shall come to the grave Psal 31.15 11. Albeit as death is certain so it matters not much how the godly be sent away and liberate from their toil and warfare yet in it self it is a mercy to die a peaceable death For it is a Promise Thou shalt come to thy grave which imports not only that he should get a grave which is denied to many in times of calamity Psal 79.2 But that he should get his grave and die at home And it is indeed a crowning mercy when after the former mercies a peaceable and sweet close of all is granted 12. Albeit the godly lose nothing but gain much when by dying soon they are sent the sooner to Heaven yet as it is terrible to have our days shortened for sin Psal 55.23 so long life is in it self a blessing and is given to the godly for a blessing that they may meet with many proofs of Gods love may do much service to him in their generation and the many times that pass over them may sow liberally here that they may reap liberally the reward of free-grace hereafter and may get leave to prepare for their dissolution and the pins of their Tabernacle be taken down insensibly and at leisure For it is also a Promise Thou shalt come to thy Grave in a full age 13. Albeit all the godly are not continued to old age in the world yet they are blessed with satisfaction in their days and with ripeness and readiness to die anger being taken away doubts cleared Gods salvation seen Luk. 2.29 30. and it may be also satisfaction given in some particulars which they longed to see before their death As Gen. 48.30 1 King 1.48 For this being the chief thing in the Promise to die in a full age like as a shock of Corn cometh in in his season the promise is performed to every Saint who is ripe for death let him die never so young All these Promises as they intimate Gods condescendence to notice every particular concernment of his people and how easie it is for him to restore them if he please So they ought to perswade us to draw neer and keep neer God that so we may be assured that the
dispositions sutable to their condition whatever it be Vers 8. O that I might have my request and that God would grant me the thing that I long for 9 Even that it would please God to destroy me that he would let loose his hand and cut me off Followeth to ver 14. Jobs desire of death which he laboureth to press and justifie by divers Arguments He bringeth it in upon the back of the former debate thus That though they would not give him leave to complain or desire death yet he seeing no comfort within time nor hope beside would take leave His desire is propounded ver 9. That God who is Soveraign Lord of life would be pleased to destroy him and would not measure out affliction by piece-meal and with a bound up hand but would let loose his hand and make an end of him which he might easily do any death so it were speedy being better as he thought then his present condition This sute he ushers in and presseth from the ardency of his desire ver 8. He had desired it before Chap. 3. and now being the worse of their essays to cure him and of more hopeless of any comfortable issue in this life his longing after death is increased This desire hath been spoken to in part Chap. 3.20 It argues great presumption in limiting of God and doating on a remedy of his own prescribing as if it only could serve his turn And albeit he had the testimony of a good Conscience so that he needed not fear death yet many desires had been more sutable then that he should venture on any death from Gods hand and that as it might seem in justice and when he is already lying under so much of that kind It teacheth 1. God is Lord of our life who can take it away when where and by what means he will For so much doth Job's desire import that he can destroy and cut off at his pleasure 2. An afflicted mind is a great strait and pressure so that many sharp dispensations would be a deliverance if they made men rid of it For Job's pressure of mind is such that it makes him account a violent death a deliverance They who enjoy peace and tranquility of mind in sad times have an easie part of it And men would beware to make a breach upon their inward peace by shifting outward trouble See Matth. 10.28 Many by sinful shifting of trouble have been brought to that extremity that many deaths would have been easier 3. A tentation once fixed in a broken spirit cannot easily be pulled out again For Job cannot be driven from this desire on which he hath once fixed but he presseth it over and over again Men had need to beware of the first rise of such distempers and to crush them in the bud 4. Albeit a Child of God may be pestered and haunted with many sinful passions and desires in his trouble yet it is his mercy to be kept from sinful actings in prosecution of those desires For in the midst of this heat of desire Job's honesty appears in that he will not help God to take away his life how much soever he desire death but will wait on him if he may be pleased to grant his desire in his own way Some sparks of honesty may appear even in the greatest weakness of Saints As to his ardency and fervour in pressing his desire it hath been spoken to Chap. 3.21 22. and that men in their distempers are very earnest that God would do what they desire though yet it were oft-times a sad judgment if God should grant it seeing they may in that case be apt to desire that most which is most prejudicial to them Yea our ardent desires after any outward lot are oft times too great an evidence that we are wrong To these add 1. Job's practice holds forth a right pattern though in a wrong instance of pursuing our lawful desires By praying and requesting for it and a longing expectation backing the Prayer and so renewing the sute often and walking under the delay as they who are afflicted and affected thereby Psal 88.11 12 13. This being Job's practice in so unwarrantable a desire it may give a check to our sluggishness in more honest desires 2. When men give way to sinful tentations they may in Gods holy Providence meet with many occasions to entertain them As Job here longing after death his Friends disappointing of him adds fuel to the fire and makes it more vehement as thinking he was hereby confirmed in the equity of his desires Thus tempters of God fall in snares Mal. 3.15 and hearkners also to false Prophets Deut. 13.1 2 3. This may terrifie men who enter upon a way without a rule and warrant that they may meet with such snares and every confirmation they think they meet with in their way may humble them if they consider that God thereby gives them up to strong delusions Vers 10. Then should I yet have comfort yea I would harden my self in sorrow let him not spare for I have not concealed the words of the holy One The first Argument whereby he labours to justifie this desire is taken from the comfort he expected having the testimony of a good Conscience He professeth that notwithstanding all that had befaln him or could be in a violent death he should yet have comfort if it were a coming or already come And though it might be apprehended that he would repent and cool of that courage when it came to the push He professeth he would harden himself in sorrow he would harden and confirm his heart against that way of death or any sorrow attending it yea or any sorrow in the mean time provided that death were near and the sorrow hastning it forward And for a proof of this his courage and resolution he renews his request and desires that God will not spare Not that he dares desire to be dealt with in justice but it imports only his desire not to be spared as to cutting of him off but the sharper usage the better so it made an end of him And the ground of all this courage was that he had not concealed the words of the holy One he had been a sincere Professour of Gods Truth and had spoken truth in this particular that he was an upright man Or he had not put out the light of Gods Truth in his mind nor cancelled the Seal of his Spirit in his heart by sin Rom. 1.18 and had held forth the Truth of God in his Profession and Practice Psal 40.10 Phil. 2.15 16. And all this he did because God is the Holy One not to be dallied with and who cannot approve of sin By all which he clears that his desire of death was not a desperate wish but grounded upon the testimony of a good Conscience and his hope to be approved when he should come to be judged by God and not by men In this Discourse it flowed indeed from Jobs
or stones that he may need and get many proofs of God and may be afraid to make the strong God his party 2. Mans time is also so short and uncertain as he cannot be able to effectuate and compass great things especially in his declining days and after he is broken with troubles For Job seeth nothing in his end or to be expected now in the latter part of his dayes why he should desire to prolong them See Luke 12.19 20. Isai 2.22 Psal 49.11 12. 146.3.4 3. It is a very sweet disposition to comply with what we conceive to be Gods will by stooping to it Jer. 10.19 As here Job professeth to desire death because he judgeth by his own weakness under trouble that God is calling him to it Beside those General Truths here insinuated Job's mistakes may afford us further instruction in these particulars 1. God may give his people many blessed disappointments of those sad things which they certainly expect For Job expected death considering his strength and yet he lived long after He never expected restitution and yet his former prosperity was restored with advantage See Isa 51.12 13 Lam. 3.18 22. Jon. 2.4 Ezek. 37.11 12. 2 Cor. 6.9 2. Saints do reckon wrong when they reckon only by their inherent strength As Job here did For God can support them to bear much more then their strength can undertake 1 Cor. 10.13 Phil. 4.13 Their weakness may prove strength Heb. 11.34 2 Cor. 12.10 and stronger then the vigour of others Isa 40.29 30 31. He can bring them out of a furnace without a singe of their garment Dan. 3.27 and from among Lions without a scratch Dan. 6.23 3. While Job undervalues his end or any thing to be expected in it as not worth the waiting for Albeit he do not speak of spiritual advantages in order to the Glory of God the Edification of the Church in all Ages and his own profit in the School of Affliction which are of so great excellency and worth that his troubles were not to be compared with his advantages as is said to the same purpose Rom. 8.18 Yet even in reference to those advantages of Wealth Honour Children c. his reasoning is faulty For even to be at work under trouble is beautiful in its season those outward mercies given as visible proofs of love after trouble are singularly sweet were it even but for a short time and though he should not continue long to enjoy them as he apprehended All which may teach us how unfit judges we many times are of what is best for us and how gracious the Lord is who asks not our consent to do that which will be for our good Vers 13. Is not my help in me and is wisdom driven quite from me This ver contains his third Argument wherein also he appeals to their judgment In explicating whereof I shall not insist on the various tortured readings of the words but shall adhere to our Translation and take help and wisdom for the same thing wisdom being a notable help to find out an expedient for relief when we are perplexed and in straits and so a special gift of God especially when it is sanctified The force of the Argument runs thus as if Job had said However I be otherwise afflicted yet I am not so deprived of judgment but that I have better skill to judge of mine own condition how it is with me and what is best for me then you have Therefore I will not renounce my own light and give up my self blind-fold to your conduct and guiding But as I know I am innocent so I who can best judge in this case see nothing better for me then present death This Argument doth contain those truths 1. God doth not take away all his mercies together from his people but when they are deprived of some others are left for their incouragment As here Job marks somewhat that was not dâ—iven quite from him See Lam. 3 18 19.22 2. It is the duty of men to be best acquainted with their own condition As here his argument supposeth See Prov. 20.27 27.21 3. It is a choice and singular mercy under overwhelming pressures to be able truly to discern our case and to know our duty and what is good for us For in this case Wisdom is substantial wisdom as the word is and a singular help They who rightly know their case and duty are not much to be pitied See 2 Chron. 20.12 4. Men ought not rashly to quit their own light at the perswasion of any other As Job here denieth to do and the doing whereof was so severely punished in that Prophet who came from Judah 1 King 13.21 22 24 Yet these Truths and especially the last admit of these cautions here 1. Men in cleaving to their light would take heed that wilfulness be not cloaked under a pretence of wisdom or light For will may seek shelter under the wings of conscience and light whereof Job was guilty in part 2. Albeit wisdom be not alwayes quite driven from us by trouble Yet it would be remembered that trouble may much confound and perplex the best judgments 2 Chro. 12.20 So that others may discern our case and duty better then our selves And thus was it with Job though not in the stated quarrel betwixt him and his Friends yet in this desire of death 3. Overtures propounded under tentation such as this desire of Job was ought to be narrowly examined ere they be assented unto For tentations light is ordinarily wild-fire 4. Men ought to guard lest conceit cause them to magnifie themselves and undervalue all others See Prov. 26.12 In which regard especially when men are under tentation sobriety is very necessary Phil. 2.3 So was David in his trouble 2 Sam. 18.3 4. And herein also Job's passion made him somewhat exceed 5. Men ought also to guard lest their interests and affections lead and beget their light As Jobs affection and desire after death blinded his judgment And that they do not raise and harbour prejudices against others as Ahab did against Micaiah 1 King 22.8 that so they may more confidently sleight their judgment Thus dealt wicked men with Prophets of old Jer. 5.12 13. Vers 14. To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty Job having thus endeavoured to justifie his complaints and desire of death he proceeds in the third part of the Chap. sharply to reprove his Friends who instead of comforting him had bitterly censured him and his complaints and so had disappointed him of that kindness he expected from them This challenge he sometime directs against Eliphaz ver 14. who had already spoken and sometime against all his Friends ver 15. who concurred with him in opinion as appears from Chap 5.27 In this verse he layeth cruel inhumanity to the charge of Eliphaz who had added so much to his affliction And 1. He propounds what was the
in debates As 1. The Friends being already engaged as hath been said hindered the discovery of their Errour by any thing he said 2. Job considered not that his necessity furnishing him with Oratory and Eloquence might make a lie very plausible as may be seen in his endeavour to justifie his desire of death Parts and Passion if Conscience do not over-rule will manage a bad cause strangly So that parts are a plague when men imploy them in an ill cause 3. Interest is very prevalent to hinder the fruit of Conference and debate No argument or debate could bring Jeroboam and his Successours to see the ill of the Golden Calves till the captivity discussed it It had been powerful light indeed which would have perswaded them to quit or hazard a Kingdom which they had usurped from the house of David This as it may teach us to lament the perversity of men who are ready to detain the truth in unrighteousness So also not to stuâ—ble albeit debates do nor decide differences among men till God come and determine where the lie is as he did in this debate 2. Let it not be iniquity ver 29. Some read it There shall be no iniquity That is if ye will hear me I freely forgive you all ye have wrongfully said hitherto Or do not fear that your hearing of me speak in my own defence shall be your sinâ— as if ye were faulty in not pleading for the holiness of God who afflicts me Others thus Let there be no iniquity That is when ye hear me let no iniquity which ye can mark in my discourse pass without a challenge But the Translation to which I adhere gives us this sense of the Argument That they should quit their prejudices and hear him lest as they had sinned in what they had done already So continuing therein it proved iniquity or an heinous sin and so it presseth the second branch of the Exhortation This teacheth 1. That the same action which in some respects and considered in it self may be accounted an infirmity yet being considered as vested with some circumstances is before God iniquity Thus Job accounts their persisting to oppose him iniquity This point may be true 1. In respect of the Principles of a course It is infirmity when men depart from God yet they do it not wickedly Psal 18.21 when they fall in a snare but through frailty when they err but it floweth simply from tenderness of the Conscience though erring But the same evils may be wickedness when followed wickedly malitiously with an high hand to serve an interest and reap advantage 2. In respect of perseverance An infirmity persisted in becomes iniquity it being incident to mâ—n to fall but devilish to lie still to fall and not arise to turn away and not return 3. In respect of the consequences of persevering in sin An infirmity faln in and persevered in doth not only draw on new sins but more obduration in the same sin A backslider turns an hater of such as persevere yea a persecuter of them Thus it was with Peter though mercy prevented the worst from denying his Lord and Master he comes to deny him with an Oath there after with an Oath and Curse And thus also Jobs Friends afterward turn more bitter in the debate and do witness little tenderness by their frequent reflections on him This may dash the Idol of mens credit and perswade them speedily to return from an evil course notwithstanding any disadvantage Doct. 2. Though men do ordinarily think light of sin if it be not followed with sad plagues yet sin in it self is very grievous to a godly man And if even infirmity ought not to be tolerated How much more will gross wickedness be hateful to right discerners For this is a strong Argument in Jobs account Return let it not be iniquity And thus did David judge when he esteemed so much of the pardon of the iniquity of sin Psal 32.5 3. My righteousness is in it v. 29. This presseth both parts of the Exhortation That they should hear him and consider the matter again and again notwithstanding their being engaged Considering how much it concerned him his righteousness which was his only prop and support being at the stake in the debate We need not inquire Whether Job speak here of the righteousness of his person by imputation of Christs Righteousness and of his way by Sanctification wherein he was Evangelically righteous or of the righteousness of his cause in debate betwixt them For both these were conjoyned here it being the very question debated betwixt them whether he was a righteous and godly man or not And for the strength and soundness of this Argument albeit Job looked so much to this his righteousness as made him forget his miscarriages in other particulars yet in this he is assoiled by God and declared a righteous man and being so it was his duty to maintain it Hence Learn 1. The Conscience of Integrity and Righteousness is a soveraign Cordial and support to a man in trouble For Job speaks of it as a thing of so great moment as he may not quit it My righteousness is in it So did Hezekiah find proof of its worth when he was threatned with death Isa 38.1 2 3. and David in his tryals and persecutions under Saul as appeareth from several of his Psalms This helps men to hold on their way Job 17.8 9. For such do walk surely Prov. 10.9 and have the testimony of their Consciences and consequently Gods approbation to comfort them Which should perswade us to a frequent use of that Prayer that integrity and uprightness may preserve us Psal 25.21 2 When men are under trouble they may expect that the testimony of their Consciences in the matter of their integrity will be assaulted whether by inward tentation or outward misconstruction or both For Job supposeth his righteousness is at the stake here This may not only be expected from the weakness of mens own spirits being broken with trouble from the malice of Satan who is not satisfied with any outward trouble upon Saints unless he disturb their peace and weaken their faith thereby and from the weakness prejudices and corrupt Principles of friends and observers But even the Lord hath an holy hand in it for the further tryal and exercise of his Children So that every thing which is quarrelled in a Saint under trouble must not therefore be cast as naught But 3. It is commendable in the people of God to maintain and cleave to their integrity when it is called in question by tentation from within and opposition and dispensations from without For so doth Job here notwithstanding he was afflicted by God and mistaken by his Friends It argueth great weakness when men subscribe to the truth of every doubt that tentation raiseth And they may approve themselves to God in defending their righteousness and integrity against tentation and under greatest disadvantages Psal 44.17 18 19. For not
things may concurr to corrupt the senses of men in particular exigents Prosperity may blunt their tenderness and bribe their light to allow them ease Desertion as befel David in the matter of Bathsheba and Hezekiah in the matter of the Ambassadours of the King of Babylon may draw forth proofs of weakness and good men may miscarry under it especially when they are not sensible that they are deserted but the refreshments of prosperity do supply the the room of spiritual life And troubles do readily produce a feverish distemper of senses especially when false Christs appears in time of trouble Matth. 24 22 23 24. This may teach us to walk in a continual jealousie of our selves and not to lean to our own understanding Prov. 3.5 CHAP. VII Job having in the preceeding Chapter excused his own complaints renewed his desire of Death and sharply rebuked his Friends for their inhumane cruelty and for their being deficient in that duty he might have expected from them in his need and withal having exhorted them that laying aside prejudices they would take a second look of his condition He now in this Chapter for their further Information falls on a new Discourse concerning his case wherein he labours to justifie his desire of death desires pity and commiseration and complains he can find it at no hand So in this Chapter 1. He studies to justifie his desire of death For seeing mans life was not perpetual but had a prefixed period ver 1. and it being lawful for all oppressed creatures to seek a lawful and attainable out-gate ver 2. Why might not he seek that lawful out-gate of death who was afflicted beyond others ver 3 4. and so neer unto death that he expected not ease but by it ver 5 6. 2. He pleads for pity in regard of his frailty and his miserable and hopeless condition ver 7 8 9 10. 3. He complains sadly of Gods dealing toward him and having resolved to ease himself that way ver 11. regrets that his trouble was greater then he needed to tame him ver 12. that it was uncessant ver 13 14. and put him to hard shifts ver 15 16. And that God needed not deal so severely with him either for tryal ver 17 18 19. or for punishment of his sin ver 20 21. Vers 1. Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth are not his days also like the days of an hireling IN this Discourse concerning Job's desire of death I need not debate whether the discourse be directed to God to move him to grant him that desired out-gate or to his Friends to convince them of their errour in the matter as he judged it For both may be intended in the Discourse as spoken in their audience to God His conclusion or particular desire of death is no further expressed here then in that general Proposition v. 2. and as it may be gathered from the Arguments and the account he gives of the causes pressing him to seek after it Only it is more expressly afterward poured out in the complaint His Arguments justifying this desire may be taken up in that one sum set down in the Analysis of the Chapter But for more clear unfolding of the Text I shall take up three Arguments in it Whereof the first in this verse is taken from the condition of mans life which is not to be perpetual but limited by God to such a period at which it shall end as a Souldier hath a set time of his warfare and watching and an hireling of working And therefore he thinks he may safely desire that end of his task and service on which all men ought to be resolving This argument he holds forth in a general Proposition and appeals to God or his Friends Consciences to which soever of them we take the speech to be directed if this were not a truth That there is an appointed time for man upon earth it being prefixed by God and mans frailty as his name here in the Original imports holding out that he cannot be perpetual within time The word rendered an appointed time signifieth also a warfare which is very opposite to the purpose in hand as not only pointing at the condition of mans life being a perpetual toil and a condition of many tentations and hazards such as a souldier is exposed to in wars See Chap. 10.17 But serving also illustrate the matter of prefixing a period to mans life man being like a Souldier who hath a prefixed age for his coming on service and for going off as Miles emeritus Or a certain time for which he is conduced for such a service in war and afterward disbanded and dismissed Or a prefixed time for standing on his Watch as Centinel after which he is relieved And to this purpose also serveth that other similitude of an hirelings days both pointing at their hard service and toil and the prefixed time for which they are hired This General Proposition holds forth these truths 1. The time of our life is prefixed to us by God There is an appointed time to man upon earth See Job 14.5 Which as it gives us no latitude for unwarrantable hazarding of our life for we ought to live according to his appointment who hath appointed our time So it may teach us not to live as those who are Masters of their own time Isa 56.12 Luk. 12.19 20. To be willing to die when God declares we shall live no longer for many are so far from Job's temper here that they come not the length of duty in this and not to fear them who threaten our life for his sake for they will not get our life till his time come Psal 31 13 14 15. 2. Mans life will end his glass will run and his course draw at last to a period For there is but an appointed time for man upon earth Let men think to make themselves never so perpetual yet they cannot avoid death Psal 49.6 c. Which men ought seriously to think upon Gal. 11.9 and not to be excessively eager in seeking great things seeing they must die and leave them all 3. Our life till we come to the period of it is like unto a warfare wherein as good Souldiers we are not to serve or please our selves 2 Tim. 2.4 nor to dispute our Generals Orders and should resolve to be in perpetual motion and travail and watching to â—un many hazards and look for no issue but either absolute victory or death or to be led captives by Satan And it is also like the dayes of an hireling who is bound to many hard services and much toil So much doth the Text hold forth and they who look otherwise on their life will be deceived Yet in all this we have this encouragement That we are doing our Captain and Master service that we are working our own work as well as his for a Souldier earns pay and an hireling wages by his work and that the worst of it will
have an end As for the Inference that Job would draw from this Proposition That because mans life hath a prefixed period therefore he might peremptorily desire to attain this end of his toil It is faulty in divers respects the observing whereof may give light in the rest of his Discourse And 1. The condition of our life before God is not in all respects like the condition of a Souldier or hireling For our task and service is just debt as theirs is not always it is not needed by God as men need the assistance of Souldiers and Servants we have no skill of our selves to do our work as they have nor do we know our term-day as they do and therefore cannot prescribe it Unless we take him up to be God and our selves but creatures we will never steer a steady course especially under trouble 2. It is ill reasoning to say that because God hath determined our time therefore we should fix the end of it when we will For God hath kept up that from us that we may be ready either to die or honour him in the World as he shall please to order 3. Because there is an end of our toil it is ill argued that when toil cometh we should seek presently to be at the end of it Whereas we should rather bear it couragiously remembering the end of the Lord and that it will not be perpetual Jam. 5.11 4. It was unseasonable for Job to wish so eagerly for the end of his warfare and toil when such a dark cloud was betwixt God and him Saints have acknowledged â—t a mercy that death was kept off in such a condition Lam. 3.22 Psal 27 13. But this was an evidence of his great distress and of his distemper of mind which corrupted his sense and discerning Vers 2. As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work 3 So am I made to possess months of vanity and wearisome nights are appointed me 4. When I lie down I say When shall I arise and the night be gone and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day The second Argument which presseth the former and cleareth it is taken from that common liberty allowed to all creatures in their strait to press and long for a possible and lawful out-gate The sum of it is as if Job had said If hirelings being weary do long after refreshment and the end of their task when they shall receive their wages So may I under my troubles long after death which is the appointed end of my toil and that so much tâ— rather as my task is sorer then any of theirs In this Argument Consider First The Proposition of the Argument in a comparison ver 2. That as a wearied servant oâ— hireling longeth after some cool shadow or the shadow of the night wherein he may rest and longeth â—oâ— the time wherein he may receive his wages For to work as it is in the Original is taken not â—o much oâ— the end of work as for the reward of it Psal 10â— 20. Jer. 22.13 So mighâ— he long for death whâ—â—e he expected to find the only true eâ—se of his grievances and reward of his integrity In this reasoning beside the former mistakes we may further add 1. That bâ—â—ng an hireling to so great and so good a Master and so uncertain of the length of his day he ought so to long for the close oâ— it as yet he prescribed not to God 2. It was his fault to look on death as the only out-gate and shadow from this â—oil â—â—â—peâ—â—ing that sufficient grace and proofs of love in the midst of trouble might have relâ—â—sheâ— him 3. It was also his fault to eye so much his own ease and the reward of his integrity and that he 〈…〉 rather condescend to what might honour God and edifie others albeit it were greivous to himself as was Paul's practice Phil. 1.22 25. Every one of those mistakes and faults may afford us Instruction But further these Lessons may be observâ—d in it 1. It pleaseth God to let some of Adam's posterity endure much toil in earning their bread that they may be sensible of sin and that others may learn thankfulness who have an easier lot though they be in the same guilt and of the same lump For so is held out in the instance of those wearied servants and hirelings Yea it is to be marked that though many are not put to those hard pinches yet even the greatest of men want not their own toil 2. It is ordinary for men not to find rest in their present condition but they are driven still to look after somewhat they want before them For so are servants and hirelings put to desire and look for somewhat they want And this holds not only true of men in great misery but generally of all men while they are within time Contentment with every estate is a choice lesson Phil. 4.11 Heb. 13.5 and would be more easily attained if men remembered they are within time where complete satisfaction is not to be expected and if they were studying to get the right use of every lot as it cometh 3. The many tossings and vexations wherewith the godly are essayed within time may allow them to look toward death with submission to the will of God as a sweet issue and to make it welcom when it cometh For this comparison imports that there is a lawful desire of death as the servant desires the shadow See 2 Cor. 5.4 Rom 8.23 A spiritual mind finds many calls thither though with submission and therefore do Saints find so many worms in their goâ—â—ds Only it should be our care that a desire to be freed from sin and a body of death do chiefly prevail with us to look to that issue 4. Death will never be a shadow to a man from his trouble who hath not so walked as he may expect a reward of his integrity then also For so much also doth the similitude import As the hireling looks both for the shadow and reward of his work so they whoÌ„ look comfortably on death must see both these in it And therefore a desperate desire of death in wicked men is abominable Secondly we have to consider the amplification and further pressing of this Argument from his particular case ver 3 4. Where in stead of inferring from that Proposition ver 2. that he might long for death as servants do for the shadow or more earnestly long for that issue then they do for their ease He only sheweth that he had greater cause so to long then they had being more hardly put to it And to prove this he holds out the dissimilitude betwixt his case and an hirelings in two 1. The hirelings task is ordinarily for a day but this was much longer even whole Moneths of vanity or eminently vain for any fruit of ease or comfort otherwise in respect of perfection all
conditions of life are vanity Gal. 1.2 Psal 39.5 and he was made to possess them as his patrimony and right as if no other portion were due to him 2. The hireling though he work sore in the day yet he gets the nights rest Gal. 1.12 But he is troubled by night as well as by day For after he hath toiled all day long which is here supposed his nights were made so wearisome by Gods appointment that when he lay down he longed for day-light that he might arise to see if that would bring him ease and so was made to measure out the evening as it is in the Original or to reckon how long it was to day-light Yea he was full of tossings to and fro or perpetually tossed inwardly in his mind and outwardly in his body through pain and want of rest and that not for a part of the night only but throughout the whole night even to the dawning of the day so that he got not any sound sleep See ver 14 15. Upon all which this inference is to be repeated that he might lawfully wish for ease in death Which though it was his failing and mistake as is before marked especially having to do with God to whom all ought to stoop and to be content if they get strength to bear what he layeth on and it may be justly suspected that his giving way to distemper of spirit added not a little to his disquietness yet his condition may afford us these Instructions 1. The Lord can when he will make our life which we think so sweet a very great burden to us and our time which ordinarily slips away insensibly very wearisome and tedious For Job is weary of his life and his Months and Nights are wearisome Creature-comforts of Bed and Board will not ease us when God hath us to try which should make us thankful when it is otherwise and teach us not to doat on time or our life For it is of God that all our outward mercies prove not crosses 2. The Lord is more absolute and soveraign over his Creatures to exercise afflict and continue troubles then any man is over his servant and hireling For here he made Job's lot more sad then the condition of any hireling is made by man He is astricted to no rule in those things but his own will to which we ought to submit 3. The coming on or continuance of trouble is not a matter at mans arbitrement God can make us to possess them and appoint them to us whether we will or not See Psal 105.17 18 19 20. Jer. 47.6 7. Which may lead us to eye God much when troubles stick on and to look to him alone for ease of them who can deliver without the consent of enemies as well as afflict us whether we consent or not See Job 34.29 Isa 49.24 25 26. 4. Albeit all men in their best outward estate are vanity Psal 39.5 Yet the Lord is pleased sometime to make some men exemplary instances of that truth of the vanity of all men and conditions For so was it with Job his months were months of vanity being empty of all comfort not having any such issue as he waited for and so disappointed his expectation and he reaping no benefit by all his toil as Psal 78.33 All which vanity as it may be read in other conditions that look not so terrible like as Job's did so they who are under such a lot may read this in it that because they see not the vanity and emptiness of every condition therefore it is made so legible to them 5 Singular troubles do very deeply affect men because they are singular For Job regrets that he was tossed beyond all others Yet Saints may read this in it also that they will be singularly regarded by God under their singular tryals 6. Gods Providence is so condescending that the trouble or quiet of every night is appointed by him For so Job holds forth Wearisom nights are appointed to me when I lie down I say When shall I arise c Where he understands God to be this appointer though he do not expresly name him till afterward that his heat grow more warm It is an evidence of our carnal mindedness when we see little of God in ordinary Providences Psal 139. were it but in a nights sleep And our negligence in this brings us to know by the want thereof how much we enjoy when we do but little observe or acknowledge it 7. As trouble makes any time promise more then the present So changes of that kind will not change our condition till God come For though Job longed for the day being full of tossings to and fro yet the day-light did not ease him See Deut. 28.67 It were our wisdom to make the best of our present lot be it never so hard for changes till we be fit for an issue will but add to our affliction Vers 5. My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust my skin is broken and become lothsome 6. My days are swifter then a weavers shuttle and are spent without hope The third Argument wherein he yet insists to give an account of his trouble doth more distinctly tend to conclude the lawfulness of his desire of death For whereas it might be objected against his former reasoning That his trouble and disquiet might indeed warrant him to seek some ease but not to press so peremptorily for death He answereth That his trouble being irrecoverable left him no door of hope open but in death and therefore he behoved to press after that only The Argument runs thus as if Job had pleaded I may lawfully desire that warrantable issue which I see in the Providence of God approaching toward me and which hath already irrecoverably seised on me But I see death thus approaching and it hath already taken hold on me Therefore I may desire it Now that death is thus approaching he proves two wayes First From the present condition of his body v. 5. being in his graves-cloaths many worms breeding in his sores his body being covered with scabby clods of dust and ulcerous matter running from his sores and his skin being broken as the earth is in a drought in a loathsome manner From all which it is to be inferred that he could expect nothing but death Here we may Learn 1. Health and soundness of body is a great mercy and doth ease us of much vexation and an heavy burden As here appeareth from Job's resenting the want of it 2. Let men make never so much of their bodies yet they carry a mass of putrefaction and corruption about with them and they will come at length to be loathsom spectacles For here Job's body being touched by God his flesh is cloathed with worms and clods of dust c. 3. Death and life are in the power of the Lord and he can when he pleaseth bring down to the grave and bring up again 1 Sam. 2.6 For so much doth
Job's mistake in his reasoning teach us It was his mistake to conclude that he would shortly die were the probabilities never so pregnant since God by his soveraign Providence might interpose as afterward he did Secondly He proves it from a general Proposition of his case ver 6. which may relate especially to the days of his former prosperity not secluding the days of his whole life which were for most part spent in prosperity which were more swiftly passed away then the Weavers shuttle crosseth the breadth of the Web and were spent without hope of recovery And therefore there was nothing for him but death and the fair encouragements they held out to invite him to repentance were to no purpose And so however he complained that days of trouble were long ver 3 4. yet here he complains that his days of prosperity were soon over From this regret we may Learn 1. As the days of our life are short and being over are irrecoverable so men are ready out of partiality and self-love to think that good days end too soon and ill-days though indeed short of them last too long As Job here regrets the speedy spending of his former days while he looks on a short while of trouble as intolerably long 2. Our days of greatest prosperity or our longest life in the world will when it is over seem but short and nothing as here Job reckons See Isa 38.12 Psal 90.9 Which may discover the emptiness of time and of the enjoyments thereof however we delude our selves therewith 3. As hope is a man's last refuge in trouble as here Job when his days are spent looks next if any hope remain So sense will soon lose hopes when there is no cause why it should do so For so doth Job's sense conclude here that his days were spent without hope whereas there was hope in his end And here men ought to guard that they become not so effeminate and delicate through prosperity as a blast of trouble will faint their spirits and ruine their hopes Vers 7. O remember that my life is wind mine eye shall no more see good 8. The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more thine eyes are upon me and I am not 9. As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more 10. He shall return no more to his house neither shall his place know him any more The second part of the Chapter may be taken up as an Exhortation to his Friends and particularly to Eliphaz who spake last in name of all the rest for the word is in the singular â—â—mber That considering his case that it was irrecoverable ver 7 8 and he might see it was so ver 8. and that he was shortly to be cut off from all the comforts of time ver 9 10 they would deal more tenderly with him and not crush him or drive him from his confidence in God or feed him with false hopes upon condition of his repentance which he never expected to see But considering that the following complainâ— is directed to God we may rather take this also as a desire directed to God wherein he pleads for pity in regard of his sad case and apprehending present death in its ugly shape and reflecting upon God's dealing with him he is forced to cry unto God that he would pity him and moderate the extremity of his afflictions as David also pleads Psal 39.13 In it we may consider First His case which he layeth out before God in great variety of expressions 1. That his life is wind v. 7 His former prosperity being passed away like a puffe of wind and his life now hanging by a thread of breath ready to pass away and never to return See Psal 78.39 Jam 4.14 2. That his eye shall see no more good ver 7. and the eye of him that hath seen him shall see him no more ver 8. That is He should never enjoy his former prosperity nor others see him repossessed of it or being dead he should be deprived of all worldly comforts and of any opportunity of conversing with his former acquaintance 3. That Gods eye being upon him he is not v. 8. That is being once dead if God should relent and desire to see him and do him good he should not find him of which ver 21. or rather That God thus fastening his eye upon him in anger would look him to nothing 4. He illustrates the state of the dead wherein he expected shortly to share by a similitude ver 9 10. That as a cloud being spent with pouring out of rain evanisheth and doth not return again to wit the same cloud in number otherwise clouds the same in kind do return Eccl. 12.2 so man being once spent by trouble and sent to the grave can no more return or have to do with his house and station then if they had never known one another In all which Discourse we would not understand Job as if he were denying the Resurrection of the body or the good things of heaven after death For in those things he is very clear Chap. 19.25 26 27. But he is only asserting that in ordinary there is no returning after death to this life to enjoy the good things of time as Isa 38.11 Secondly We are to consider his sute in reference to this his case which is comprehended in one earnest desire that God in afflicting him would remember as it is ver 7. this his frailty and how soon he would be shaken out of time By Gods remembring which is spoken of him after the manner of men we are to understand his pondering and weighing of his condition and his strength to bear it as Psal 78.39 and his giving proof of his affection by helping pitying and relenting toward him as he found his need require as the desires of afflicted Saints are elsewhere summarily comprehended in this one word Psal 74.2 From this whole purpose thus explained we may Learn 1. The true means of getting ease in troubles and grievances is neither our reasoning with men or with our selves but our laying out of our case before God As is Job's practice here Without this our counsels in our own hearts will not diminish our sorrow Psal 13.2 See also Gen. 25.22 2. Trouble when sanctified contributes not a little to make common truths be well studied and sensibly pondered For so doth Job in his trouble speak so sensibly of the frailty of his life and his estate in death Whereas want of exercise makes nauseating and unfruitful hearers even of the most precious truths 3. The things of time are indeed good things as Job here call's them See also Luk. 16.25 They supply many of mans defects and prevent many of his anxieties They are evidences of the goodness of God Matth. 5.44 45. especially to those who are themselves pure and to whom the use of those things is sanctified by the Word and
Prayer 1 Tim. 4.4 5. Tit. 1.15 Which should teach us to esteem more of them and of God for them to look upon straits and penury as sent to cause us see our sin in under-valuing those things and to beware of abusing those good things 4. Death cuts man short of all his earthly enjoyments Relations comforts c. For then man shall see no more good The eye of him that hath seen him shall see him no more As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more He shall return no more to his house c. The time will come when a man shall see none of those things to which his heart is now so much addicted So that we do but weave the Spiders Web when we make such things our confidence and delight 5. However the people of God have hope of eternal life yet death is so dreerie and dark a step essayed but once for all having vast Eternity at the back of it and shaking us loose of so much that it cannot but be dreadful to go through it under a cloud For so doth Job reckon while upon this consideration he pleads for pity and a moments quiet use of what he was so soon to leave To die is a lesson which we should early study and mind Psal 90 12. Not only that we may make sure that we have true grace which may be much questioned then but may walk spiritually in the exercise of substantial Piety and depend on God for much sense or much faith at such a time 6. God dealing in anger is so dreadful a party that even a look of him will destroy and bring the creature to nothing For saith Job Thine eyes are upon me and I am not See Psal 90.11 80.16 104.29 Therefore Gods anger is that which ought chiefly to be deprecated in afflictions Psal 6.1 Jer. 10.24 And they ought to consider how much they are obliged to him who find life in the light of his countenance Psal 80.3 7. Man's frailty when he is sensible of it is an Argument pleading for pity before God Nor is our weak frail and crushed condition any disadvantage when well improved For in the faith of this doth Job plead with God by laying his frail condition before him O remember that my life is wind c. See Psal 78.38 39. 103.13 14. Deut. 32.36 2 King 14.25 26. Isa 57.16 8. The best way of praying for the ease of our griefs is to commit our case to Gods affectionate considering of it and to trust his wisdom and love with the answer For so doth Job sum up his desire O remember saith he that my life is wind c. When we thus trust God every necessity which we cannot overtake hath a mouth to plead with God for a favourable and tender regard to be had of us 9. As the creatures do hold out much of God so man may be minded of his frailty by studying many of them So much doth Job mind us here while he points at the clouds ver 9. as so vive an Embleme of mans frailty as we find also the flowers and grass Isa 40. Psal 103. and other Creatures made use of to inculcate the same We need not want matter or occasion for spiritual thoughts so long as we have the creatures about us to look upon These are sound truths to bâ— gathered from these words Only these cautions should be taken along in all this pleading 1. We must not be so peremptory with God in any sute as to fret and rage if we get not our will As we will find Job doth in the sequel of this Discourse The Children of God ought so to pray for ease comfort or temporal mercies and deliverances as believing it will be well whether they get their will or not and as resolving if they get not what they desire to study more humility and not to carp 2. We ought and may lawfully with Job plead our frailty before God Yet so as that we refuse not to bear what he will support our frailty under For in this he was faulty that though he was supported yet he was not satisfied Our laziness or love to ease or our want of spare strength beyond what is presently imployed must not furnish us with Oratory in our sutes or with complaints if we be more hardly put to it then we would See 1 Cor. 10.13 3. We ought not to make our burden insupportable by apprehending that which God doth not intend in our trouble as Job apprehendeth death here in all its outward disadvantages when yet he was not to be essayed with it at this time Our own apprehensions are very often the life and sling of our crosses Isa 51.13 4. We ought so to plead for Gods remembring of us in our low estate Psal 136.23 as yet our bitterness do not insinuate any complaint of his forgetting or not noticing of us wherein Job was sometimes faulty but that these our Prayers be joyned with thanksgiving Phil. 4.6 Vers 11. Therefore I will not refrain my mouth I will speak in the anguish of my spirit I will complain in the bitterness of my soul Followeth the third part of the Chapter wherein Job apprehending himself to be neer unto death and finding that God will not comfort or ease him by any relenting of his hand his griefs with recounting of them do so exasperate him that he resolves to comfort himself and seek ease in complaining And accordingly he buâ—sts forth in a bitter complaint that God had smitten him and allowed him not comfort nor ease any way In this verse he expresseth his resolution to complain and that he will be so far from bridling his tongue or smotheâ—ing of his grievances as he had done before Chap. 2-10 that he will let loose the reins to his bitterness and anguish of spirit to express it self at liberty and without controul and so seek ease to his mind by complaining Here we may Observe 1. That which Job resolves to do is to speak and as he after expresseth it to complain Whence we may Learn That complaints and quarrellings are one of the poor shifts whereof men in trouble make use for attaining ease thereby whereas oft-times they widen the wound by awaking all their griefs while they are mused upon without faith and submission and by provoking God against that unsubdued humour that dare quarrel him or his dealing Thus by complaining spirits have been over-whelmed and by taking liberty to complain tentation hath prevailed â—sal 77.3 Seâ— Psal 39 9. Obs 2. The manner how he resolves to complain is without putting any restraint upon himself but giving full and loose reins to his own imbittered spirit Which teacheth 1. That what our spirits run upon without controul under trouble ought to be suspected It not being probable that when we are in a Fever and Distâ—mper we can fall upon what is right without a conflâ—ct For
v. 10 11 12. which now he wishes had never been Ingratitude is an heinous sin in it self and will produce ill humours 3. When any condition how empty and poor soever seems better to men thâ—n what they have and what God hath sweetned with many proofs of his love For he dwells upon his dying from the womb as a sweet condition v. 19. which yet would have deprived him of many proofs of Gods love which he had found in his life God is better and kinder to his people then they many times wish to themselves 4. When men are so devoted to themselves and their own will that they will quarrel all that God doth if it fit not their mind as if all things were to be foâ— them and subservient to their humour For he complains that he was not carried from the womb to his grave only because it would have prevented his great trouble and kept him at great case Selfishness is an ill toot of much distemper 5. When mens passions having distempered them they lay the blame upon Providence As he urgeth this as an argument against Gods dealing that it made him thus discontent with his life Whereas if he had been more sober and borne his trouble and the testimony of his Conscience with more calmness it would have prevented those distempers See Prov. 19.3 Vers 20. Are not my days few cease then and let me alone that I may take comfort a little 21. Before I go whence I shall not return even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death 22. A land of darkness as darkness it self and of the shadow of death without any order and where the light is as darkness In the close which is the second part of the Chapter Job begins to calm a little and in stead of his former expostulating with God and his last great fit of discontent v. 18 19. he tacitly submits to Gods will that he is alive and in what he hath done And seeing death in its own colours he will not rashly hazard upon it but craves this only that he may have some respite and breathing and a little ease in his life For 1. His days were short and he was not like to live long Therefore he would have some speedy help that he might draw his breath a little and have opportunity to shew that he was not the man that his Friends esteemed him or his passion seemed to prove him to be v. 20. 2. Albeit he believed a Resurrection and believed never to go to Hell and knew what it was to die in Christ who is the destroyer of death for he speaks to none of those here nor are his words to be taken in any sense relating to those yet death in it self is ugly being without restitution in this life being a dark and dâ—â—â—ry estate without any order of variety or vicissitude of light and darkness wherein much of this worlds beauty consists but whereas light comes in its turn here it is still darkness there even most dark as darkness it self as it beseems those shadows of death and the grave to be Therefore he would have some change of his condition here before he go to that unchangeable state and some blink of light and comfort before he entered into that dark passage and habitation ver 21 22 with 20. This Doctrine laying aside his mistake of speedy death by this trouble may safely be admitted with little caution as containing only a desire of that which God afterward granted to him though yet it was not necessary he should be peremptory in such a sute It teacheth 1. Saints highest sits of passion will not last but mercy will reclaim them and give them a cool of that Feaver As Job found here 2. As the Feavers and distempers of Saints may come to a very great height So ordinaâ—â—ly that height or excess of them proves the step next to their cool As Job here calms after that â—â—â—â—ly of passion v. 18 19. As God pitieth them in theâ—â—â—xtremities so their very rising to an height and extreâ—â—ty 〈◊〉 â—â—use themselves relent whereaâ— they would have thought less of their passionâ— if they continued moâ—◠〈…〉 3. Humble sober Prayer is a notable 〈…〉 and mean in calming distempered spirits it is as the shower to allay that boisterous wind For Job fâ—lls a praying in stead of quarrelling when he calms See Phil. 4.6 4. As mans life is but uncertain and short so the thoughts of this should make men imploy their time well and to be very needy and pressing after God and proofs of him and where it is thus improved it is an argument of pity and help For so much may be gathered in general from Job's arguing Are not my days few cease then c. though he mistook in his particular case that himself was shortly to die See Psal 39.13 89.47 5. Such as are exercised with much trouble and have their exercises blessed to them will be sober and esteem much of little case to get leave to breath or to comfort and refresh themselves a little with a sight of God or of his grace in them and not their own passions which they ought to abhor For this is his sute when calmed to get comfort a little not only liberty to breath from sore trouble but especially to get his spirit calmed from these passions which he now abhors in himself They who are indeed humble will not despise small things Zech. 4 10. and a victory over their own spirit will be their greatest deliverance 6. The least ease breathing or comfort under trouble cannot be had but of Gods indulgence He must cease and let him alone from vexing of him before he take comfort a little See Joh 34.29 7. It is the duty of men to acquaint themselves with death before-hand and especially in times of trouble they should study it in its true colours For Job in his trouble is so acquainted with it that he can here very pathetically describe it This is Moses study when God is making havock of the Rebels in the Wilderness Psal 90. 8. Death and the Grave in themselves and when Christs victory over them is not studied and men are hurried away to them in a tempest of trouble are very terrible and an ugly sight as bringing an irreparable loss as to any restitution in this life and being so dark and disconsolate an estate that the very common favour of a vicissitude of day and night light and darkness is a mercy when compared with it For so doth Job describe that estate here as it may appear to an afflicted Saint as he was or to one at a distance from God much more may it appear so to men in an unrenewed state or nature And indeed death is in it self a curse and if any find a beauty in it or get a sweeter sight of it it is by the special gift of God And withal it cuts the thread of our life upon which all our
success are his for special use and service For by letting men loose to deceive He makes the Truth shine more brightly that it is scowred by opposition He exerciseth mens graces and quickens the godlies zeal for Truth Jude v. 3. and he tries what men are Deut. 13.3 what their souls condition is their knowledge and love to the Truth their zeal for it and stability in it their sincerity in their principles and ends in imbracing of Truth c. 1 Cor. 11.19 and by giving up of others to be deceived he doth punish their ambition want of love to the Truth and other sins 2 Thes 2.10 11. This Truth in reference to common deceits or political tricks warneth men to beware of this sin of jugling which is a judgment and plague upon them who make it their Trade and that they should not lean to their own wit and policy wherein God in whose hand they are can easily over-reach them and make fools of them And such as are apt to be deceived by the nimble tricks and conveyances of others with whom they deal ought to look up to God in whose hand they also are and who can order all that to his own glory and their good See Exod 1.10 12. with Psal 105.25 c. And in the matter of religious deceits This truth leads us 1. To acknowledge that there are deceits and Errour as well as Truth in the world That we do not turn Scepticks and such as doubt of all matters religious 2. To look on this when it becometh a peoples exercise and tryal as no light matter but a great transaction of God in the world wherein his glorious Attributes do shine Yea and a sad judgment to be trembled at 3. To judge that as to be deceived is sufficiently evil and it doth not excuse men that they are but deceived so men ought especially to beware of being deceivers and active promoters of delusions 4. To look to all Gods ends in such a dispensation and study to improve them 5. To see all these transactions in Gods hand and that they are his to bless them for our good and put an end to them when he pleaseth Vers 17. He leadeth counsellers away spoiled and maketh the Judges fools 18. He looseth the bond of Kings and girdeth their loyns with a girdle 19. He leadeth princes away spoiled and overthroweth the mighty 20. He removeth away the speech of the trusty and taketh away the understanding of the aged 21. He poureth contempt upon princes and weakeneth the strength of the mighty The second instance or proof of the assertion is Gods overthrowing of persons who are most eminent for power and policy in the world and who are the very Pillars of States and Kingdoms such as Kings and Rulers and wise Counsellers God when he pleaseth makes wise Counsellers a prey and Judges who ruled all prove fools v. 17. as befel Achitophel and the Princes of Zoan Isai 19.11 He who subdueth people under Kings Psal 18.47 144.2 looseth when he pleaseth the bonds and cords of their Authority whereby they kept Subjects in subjâ—ction see Psal 2.2 3. and brings themselves under the bonds of servitude slavery and restraint so that they must gird themselves and serve others v. 18 See Luk 17.8 Joh. 13.4 13 14. He also captivates and spoils inferiour Princes or Priests for both have one name and both offices were for most part in one person till Moses time defeats mighty warriours makes useless the powerful Oratory of trusty servants or these who have gained great credit and trust in the world and makes aged people fools notwithstanding all their experiences v. 19 20. And again he poureth contempt upon honourable Princes who had been in great esteem and weakeneth the strength even of the most mighty or looseth their girdle whereby their loyns were strengthened v. 21. See Am. 2.14 15 16. All these instances tend to one purpose and do teach 1. States Kingdoms and Princes are in Gods hand He can reach the greatest nor will they stand any longer then his hand is about them As those instances teach He disposeth of the wisest and greatest as well as others 2. God gives proof of his Wisdom and Power on such eminent persons because they are left on his hand and none else can reach them when they do wrong and because we will not see his hand in Providences toward meaner persons Therefore doth he instance Gods Power and Wisdom in his over-turning of those to shew that the greatest cannot escape God and to lead us to see his Hand and not second causes only in such dispensations 3. God oft times proves his Power and Wisdom on eminent persons by pulling them down as all those instances hold forth because he is but little seen in his mercies raising them up and upholding them 4. Many things must concurr to the settlement and right ordering of a State As here is implyed that there must not only be Kings and Bonds of Authority keeping people in subjection but inferiour Judges and men of Valour and Courage Wisdom Counsel and Eloquence For all those are supposed here in a State This may give men a check who think it an easie task to manage Publick affairs whereas indeed eminency lifts men up upon a Stage where their emptiness will soon appear if they be not well qualified And it serves to commend God who gifts those variety of endowments for Publick Imployments without which Nations and Kingdoms would be but dens of Confusion 5. When God is about to bring ruine no Wisdom Authority Eloquence Experience Honour nor strength in men will be able to prevent it as those instances do teach Authority may be contemned Wisdom prove folly and Strength weakness Men will not be Masters of their own Tongues or Parts but either they will prove false to them or they will prove vain and frustrate their expectations of any probable issue or success Thus it happened to Adonibezek Judg. 1. to great Nebuchadnezzar to the Princes of Zoan Isa 19. and many others And such as rightly improve this 1. Ought to see much of God in such great Revolutions and that much conceit and abuse of Wisdom Power and Authority provokes God so eminently to appear against them 2. They ought not to cry up mens Abilities their Power or Policy in their successes For those endowments are able to effectuate any purpose only in so far as God imployeth them in mercy or in judgement 3. Other Rulers should learn to improve such documents of their own frailty as here are set before them Dan. 5.18 22.23 4. Meaner persons should much more fear when such tall Cedars are shaken and overthrown 5. Gods people may here see what God can make of all those when they are imployed against them Wit Strength Counsel c. so imployed can easily be blasted Vers 22. He discovâ—reth the deep things out of darkness and bringeth out to light the shadow of death The third proof of
humble him his trouble had already produced that effect Peculiar tryals are sent to make us think more upon our common misery and we should look not so much to what we suffer or how long as to what we learn thereby 3. Sanctified affliction will help men to apply and find particular experiences of the general Truths concerning Mans misery Therefore doth Job in this School of affliction bring home what he had spoken of Man in general to such a one and me This tells us that even imbittering and tossing trouble may be blessed to produce good effects so he wrought in the very heat of our Fever and trouble and more to follow after See Rom. 5.3 4. 4 When men under trouble have learned this Lesson well and have abased themselves before God they have a ground of plea before Him that he will moderate his dispensations towards thâ—m For Job being this sensible of his misery not miserable only for till we have sense of it we cannot plead pity but do proclaim stupidity doth plead Dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one c When we reckon with our selves it is the ready way to prevent Gods reckoning with us 1 Cor 11.31 nor will God imploy his great power to ruine such And when men being sensible of their own miâ—ery do stoop to the dust and entertain high thoughts of God they may sit safe in a storm And they are fools who being in trouble do not thus improve it to their own advantage but do rather heighten their own misery by their pride and stubborness Only 5. This caution must be taken along in this plea that we prescribe not unto God the measure of our sense of misery But when trouble hath brought us to some sense he may yet let it lie on to produce more For in this Job's plea was weak for the removal of the tryal for as he had no ground to implead Gods proceeding till he came to this sense so ought he not now to quarrel if God should make use of that mean to produce more of it Vers 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one Job's second Argument is taken from his original Corruption It is an enlargement of that Argument Chap. 13.23 wherein he had cleansed himself of gross wickedness and supposed that he was a Penitent and reconciled Man whom God would not condemn Now he stretcheth the Argument further And whereas he had Original Sin for which and the ordinary emanations thereof God might condemn him he argueth against that here Shewing that if God in severe justice should seek to find him absolutely pure that was not attainable in this life For he being come of sinful and unclean Parents not one could come clean thence in the ordinary way of generation and he could bring out nothing but what savoured of his unclean Original in part And consequently if the Lord should prosecute this Original Corruption with such afflictions as he suffered none could subsist Hence Learn 1. Such as are well studied in the point of misery and to whom afflictions are blessed they will search sin even into the very root of it For Job in his trouble after he hath given proof how he hath acquainted himself with mans misery doth now subjoyn his sense of Original Sin 2. There are here some Truths wherewith Job was acquainted in his time and which are at all times needful to be studied 1. That there is Original Sin in men As he supposeth himself brought out unclean See Psal 51.5 Gen. 6.5 8.21 2. That this is universal and common to all the Posterity of Adam Not one can bring out a clean thing out of that unclean Fountain None can do it in the way of ordinary generation Otherwise Christ was sanctified by the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin See Rom. 3.23 5.12 3. That it is an uncleaness and filth and consequently renders a man obnoxious to death and condemnation Rom. 5.12 14. 4. That it comes by Propagation and is brought out from Parent to Child Psal 51.5 Gen. 5.3 5. That it remains even in the Regenerate such as Joh was Rom. 7.24 and breaks out in polluting their best actions as his Concession here implies that being come unclean of his Parents that which came from him behoved to have some tincture of it Psal 51.3 4. with 5. 6. That the Power of Free-will cannot cure nor remedy this evil For Who can being a clean thing out of an unclean nor one Doct. 3. As for his reasoning upon this ground against Gods proceeding with him there is somewhat in it that may sustain Namely That whatever be the dâ—sert of Original Sin yet when a man hath fled to Christ the second Adam and keeps himself from gross sin and wickedness repents for and is careful to suppress his sins of infirmity and is sensible of and laboureth daily to mortifie the root of sin God will not with rigour pursue the roots of Original Sin in such but in Christ will pardon it And though it must not be accounted a venial sin yet through Christ he will look upon it with pity and compassion in these whose are thus exercised See Gen. 8.20 21. Psal 130.3 4. Yet somewhat may be observed that is faulty in this plea As 1. That he doth not enough consider that even Original Sin in its own nature deserves the greatest of punishments and therefore the consideration thereof should perswade him not to quarrel this temporary affliction 2. Whatever be the Lords indulgence through a Mediatour in not pursuing it in his people yet we are obnoxious because of it and God hath freedom and liberty even upon that account to exâ—rcise as he will and when he will and we ought not to murmur since he hath not limited himself that he will not exercise even his dearest Saints His indulgence is matter of praise when he is pleased to manifest it but gives no ground of quarrel when he is pleased to exercise his dominion 3. That all were guilty of Original Sin and of the ordinary effects thereof as well as he was no just ground upon which he might challenge God for dealing singularly with him suppose he had been pursuing that common ill in him For Beside that it could not ease him though others were dealt with as he was we must not pry into Gods dealing with others to make his dealing to our selves the more bitter but should submit to our lot See Joh 21.18 22. 4. Gods Children should be careful not to challenge that they are singularly exercised seeing it speaks his special love that he takes so much pains upon them Rev. 3.19 Heb. 12.6 7 8. 5. Albeit this reason had not been relevant why God should thus afflict him Yet God had reasons enow for it as being soveraign and absolute infinitely wise c. When we are put to out wits end for a reason of Gods dealing and can find none Yet this doth only
argue our blindness for he cannot be unreasonable in what he doth Vers 5. Seeing his days are determined the number of months are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass 6. Turn from him that he may rest till he shall accomplish as an hireling his day The third Argument enlarging the first is taken from the certainty of his death at the time appointed by God He shews that his life is bounded by God even how many days and months he shall live that he must die at the time appointed by God and cannot pass those bounds and limits which are set to him and that in the mean time his life was but short and troublesome like the time of an hireling Whence he argues That seeing death is the appointed punishment of sin which he had acknowledged to be in himself v. 4. Gen. 2.17 And seeing God had fixed the time of that at his pleasure and had made life short and troublesome he thinks that God needs not add a new sentâ—nce to the former and bring man into judgment of new And therefore he pleads that God would not abandon him by turning altogether from him but forbear to pursue him with such rigour and let him take some breathing and respite from these extraordinary afflictions till he accomplish his course in his ordinary toil and labour whereof he will be content to see an end whensoever God will as the word imports The substance of the grounds of this Argument being made use of Chap. 7.1 2 c. to prove another conclusion that he might lawfully desire death I shall here shortly Obs 1. Mans life and days are bounded so that Man must come to a period and must quit life whether it be sweet or sowr bitter or comfortable For so is here held out His days are determined he hath bounds that he cannot pass See Psal 49.10 Eccl. 2.16 Heb. 9.27 Obs 2. God is the infallible and irresistible bounder of mans life even to months and days For his days are determined the number of his months are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds c. See Act. 17.26 This Truth 1. Doth not contradict other Scriptures which speak of the lengthening and shortening of mens days 2 King 20.1 6. Eccl. 7.16 17. Psal 55.23 For these speak of shortening or lengthening the days of Man in respect of what otherwise they might be according to probability or considering the course of Nature and second Causes but speak nothing of Gods altering the periods of Man's life which are set by himself Nor 2. Doth this warrant men to neglect lawful means which God hath appointed in order to his end as Paul reasons Act. 27.22 23 24. with 31. But it teacheth us 1. To adore the Universal Providence of God which extends it self to all persons and things See Matth. 10.24 30. Our not observing of this in common things makes us so Atheistical in greater matters 2. It teacheth us to submit to his will in all those turns and lots that befal us and in the use of all means of life to submit to live long in trouble or short while in ease as he pleaseth 3. It teacheth his people to rest confidently on him who hath Times and Seasons in his hand both of particular persons Psal 31.15 and of Nations also Gen 15.13 14. Jer. 29.10 Obs 3. Mans life till he come to his appointed end is but like a hirelings day For so is held forth v. 6. that he must accomplish as an hireling his day Not only is his life short like a day wherein the hireling is conduced to work But 1. Man ought not to be his own nor at his own work but his Masters For so it is with the hireling And if Man will not voluntarily do duty and what is commanded him Yet he shall be made to serve Providence whether he will or not And his most irregular enterprises shall be made subservient to Gods holy purposes Psal 76.10 2. Man is but an indigent empty creature standing in need of continual uninterrupted supply from God As an hireling must have wages if not meat also from his Master to maintain him at his work 3. Man must resolve to have much toil in the service of his Generation For he is like a toiled servant or hireling And this is the lot even of greatest Undertakers and Conquerours in the world Hab. 2.12 13. 4. Man is a servant who must be accountable for his work that he may be rewarded accordingly as it is with hirelings All this may teach men not to stumble if they find their life to be such as is here described And since it is thus they who sell Heaven for a Portion in this life make but a poor bargain and will get but sober chear for it Obs 4. Job's plea and desire in this Argument v. 6. hath somethings in it very commendable and imitable As 1. Turn saith he that is take away thy hand and displeasure evidenced by these severe afflictions Which Teacheth That it is only God who giveth a being or putteth an end to afflâ—ctions As this desire supposeth Also That as God appears to the afflicted to be angry when trouble is on So this affects a godly man most and the removal of this is more to him then the taking away of the affliction For he desires the cross to be removed under that notion of Gods turning frâ—m him and ceasing to pursue him in anger 2. Turn saith he from him in the third Person with an eye to what he hath spoken of all mens life and toil v. 5. and to shew that he would be content of the common lot of hirelings of Adam's posterity It Teacheth That it is an evidence of a subdued spirit when men do not seek to be singular in their lots and allowances but are content patiently to bear the common lots that befal mankind 3. Turn saith he that he may rest or have a cessation righteous and the wicked Christ will be glorified and admired in them 2 Thes 1.10 all clouds and mistakes will be cleared and when he raiseth their bodies he will raise their good Name also Vers 13. O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave that thou wouldest keepe me secret until thy wrath be past that thou wouldest appoint me a set time and remember me 14. If a man die shall he live again All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change câ—mâ— 15. Thou shalt call and I will answere thee thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands The fourth Argument propounded in these verses and amplified and enlarged to the end of the Chapter is taken from the great perplexities and strange wishes to which his trouble drave him in so much that though he see somewhat of a black cloud in death in the foregoing verses yet here he would be content of something like it for a time The sum of the Argument whereof the Antecedent is expressed in
in an apprehension that God is all mercy without any justice or severity who will be miserably confounded when they find it is otherwise Isai 33.14 Some in their external shews of Religion wherewith they are puffed up Gal. 6.3 And some in their prosperity which is not only lying in it self Psal 62.10 but far more deceitful when it is made a mark of Gods favour This should teach men not to look so much to their confidence as to the grounds of it and to be very tender and cautious in bottoming themselves especially upon the former false grounds of confidence 3. Men are so desperately averse from true Piety and so prone to delude themselves that even experience of their folly in some measure will not divert them but they will persist in it For he thinks it needful thus to advise Job even after he hath been once deceived already Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity He doth indeed wrong Job yet the general holds true that it is only grace and no experience without it that will divert men from deluding confidences or any other ill course See Prov. 23.35 4. How mad soever men be on this course of self-deceiving Yet it is their great sin and misery to be thus deluded Therefore doth Eliphaz so seriously disswade from it It will make Hell to be a double Hell that men delude themselves till they slip into it See Matth. 7.21 22 23. 5. If men will not take notice of this hazard in time from the Word yet the issue will sadly refute them Therefore he subjoyns this certification if his counsel be not followed for vanity shall be his recompence As his hope was vain so the recompence can prove no better then vanity And albeit he will not see this in particular disappointments yet he will be made to find it in end 6. Men by reason of their false Principles and Prejudices may so far mistake Saints and the grounds of their confidence that they may account their faith to be presumption and delusion For so doth Eliphaz judge of Job's faith here And it is a tryal for which a godly man should be aâ—med Vers 32. It shall be accomplished before his time and his branch shall not be green 33. He shall shake off his unripe grape as the Vine and shall cast off his flower as the Olive In the first of these verses we have other two Arguments further pressing this counsel One is That it that is his vain hope or trusting in vanity shall not only prove vain and come to a sad end but this shall come to pass even in the deluded mans sight and before he die It shall be accomplished or cut off and come to an end before his time The other is his branch shall not be green that is not only shall his present flourishing state and posterity fade away as is said v. 30. and so be accomplished or cut off and come to an end as is said in the beginning of the verse but being so his confidence for the future shall come to nothing as a withered branch can promise no fruit These Arguments are illustrated by a similitude v. 33. That as Trees sometime shake off theiâ— unripe fruit and flowers and so the owner can expect no increase of them So the self-deluder shall see the untimely death of his Children and the overturning of his prosperity and shall lose all future expectation In both those verses he hath a tarâ— but unjust reflection upon what had befaln Job and his Family his mistake in which having been so frequently marked before I shall now pass it From the General Doctrine Learn 1. How stable and well rooted soever deluded wicked men seem to be Yet they may out-live all their enjoyments and confidences For it shall be accomplished before his time 2. The suddenness of calamity adds to the sadness thereof For it is an Argument pressing deluded souls not to persist in that course that not only their confidence shall be accomplished and cut off but that it shall be thus before their time and they shall see their own rise and fall See Psal 37.25 26. Lam 1.9 3. It evidenceth the wicked mans great abuse of mercy and Gods great anger against him because of that when God not only plagues his person but smites his enjoyments and Children that he may refute his delusion For this is threatened as a sad fruits of his way His branch his wealth that adorns him and his Children that grow out of him as the root shall not be green And this should be sad to wicked men that they are such a plague to themselves and to all that is theirs 4. No present stroke on wicked men will convince them of their folly unless also their hope and future expectation be cut off and God when he pleaseth will do so to them For his branch shall not be green 5. It is an easie thing for God to ruine all the enjoyments of deluded sinners and their hopes also For as the unripe Grape and Flower are soon shaken off so he shall shake off his unripe Grape as the Vine c. that is God shall make him lose and be deprived of it 6. Wicked men are so stupid and slow of heart to believe those sad things which they deserve and do abide them here and hereafter that they need to be very plainly and seriously inculcated upon them Therefore are these similitudes here made use of to explain and inculcate this threatning Vers 34. For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery Those threatnings inculcated in the former Arguments are in the close of all this Discourse amplified and the equity thereof cleared from the consideration of the sins procuring these judgments Wherein he instanceth his assertion that self-deluding sinners will be plagued as verified on several sorts of them In this verse he pitcheth upon the sins of hypocrisie and bribery of both which he unjustly suspects Job was guilty and asserteth that when men are guilty of those their Societies and Families though never so great and straitly combined are justly laid desolate and wrath like â—iâ—e pulls down and consumes their houses however they delude themselves in their sinful courses Whence Learn 1. Hypocrites are under a special curse from God as mocking him and wronging the holy Profession Therefore in this reason of the former judgments taken from the sins of wicked men Hypocrites are put in the first rank here as those especially whom God cannot endure For the Congregation of Hypocrites shall be desolate 2. It is righteous with God not only to plague Hypocrites in their persons but to ruine their families for their cause as well as the families of the openly prophane and to break their combinations were they never so strong or numerous For both these are included in the Congregation of the Hypocrites which shall be desolate 3. As bribery is an horrid sin so it
Original thus Mine eye poureth out or droppeth unto God And he who is true God and doth now subsist to exerce his Office shall plead for a man that is for Job himself spoken of in the Third Person to shew that it is a common priviledge of all godly men such as he was with God and the Son of Man as Christ was to become true Man also for his friend So the meaning of this will be Christ who is God and will become Man shall plead with God on my behalf who am at friendship with him This Interpretation hath those Truths in it That Christ the Mediatour was then known as in his Offices so also what he was or would be as to his Persons and Natures That it is in Christ only that godly men can think to stand or have their integrity approved and That Christs pleading and intercession is a sweet Antidote against the scorn and mistakes of dearest friends As he subjoyns this to what he said of them v. 20. But this doth not so well agree with Job's scope here who as formerly doth assert his integrity rather by wishing he might plead his cause with God if it were possible then by believing it was pleaded as is also implied in the repetition of this wish Chap. 17.3 And withal this verse so interpreted will have no connexion with the reason subjoyned v. 22. Therefore I had rather understand it according to his former practice of his wish that himself might plead his cause with God And for the Original Text which seems to favour the former reading it would be considered that the copulative particle and may be variously â—endered either and or as or otherwise as may best fit the scope Likewise the particle rendered for in both parts of the verse may be rendered for or with or to as frequently it is And if we render the verb which signifieth pleading not only in the Optative mode by way of wish as here it is but Impersonally also not that he or one might plead but that there might be pleading if I say the verb be thus rendered the Text will run fairly thus O that there might be pleading for a man that is that a man might have leave and opportunity to plead with God as a man pleadeth with his neighbour or friend And so the words contain a desire that he might plead his Integrity as familiarly with God as one man pleads with another who is his friend I shall not insist on the particular weaknesses that may be marked in this desire of which see Chap 9 34 35. Chap. 13.20 21 22. Here we may Learn 1. Mens scorn and misconstructions should put men to seek to have their condition cleared betwixt God and them For this Job would be at when scorned by his Friends 2. There is no small disadvantage on the creatures part in seeking to plead with God considering the distance that is betwixt God and them For that Job can wish this only imports that God cannot be pleaded with as with a neighbour or friend And this should be minded not only to terrifie those who presume to enter the lists with God as a Party but to make us sober and humble in all our approaches to him 3. Integrity doth not fear Gods Tribunal in Christ oppose it who will For this wish whatever weakness be in it imports also the strength of his faith that at all disadvantages of scorn from Friends and afflictions from God he is content to plead if he might 4. Men who have a good Conscience have need to guard well under afflictions and misconstructions that they miscarry not For Job did over-drive in the rashness and presumption of his offer It is not enough men have a good Conscience unless they bear it fair and soberly 5. Weaknesses may very often recurr and prevail over Saints in an hour of tryal As Job falls again and again upon his passionate wish This should humble us but not crush us as if we had no grace when we are thus assaulted and borne down 6. Saints may be long exercised with wishes and desires which are not satisfied For so was it with Job who not only is not satisfied as to the passionate and presumptuous way which he propounds for clearing of his integrity but even the substance of his desire which was to have his integrity made manifest is not granted till his tryal was perfected And in general it holds true that many desires of the godly are not satisfied either because they desire not good things in a right way or because it is unseasonable to grant their good desires or because God hath a mind to try them yet more Vers 22. When a few years are come then I shall go the way whence I shall not return In this verse we have the reason pressing this wish taken from the certainty as he judged of his near approach unto death which makes him desire to be cleared before he be removed In this he seems to reflect upon what Eliphaz had said of the wickeds being without hope to be delivered from trouble Chap. 15.22 For he expects no issue from his trouble but by death Only he is under no slavish fear as the wicked are nor will he grant that he is wicked though he have those apprehensions Doct. 1. Saints in their troubles may be in a great mistake concerning their condition and the issue thereof For albeit this General be true that mans life is but short being measured by a few years or years of number any time that can be numbered being short in comparison of Eternity yet he is mistaken in that he thought to die so shortly which that it is his mind in this expression though he speak of years appears from Chap 17 1. 2. Men had need to have their condition cleared against death come it being a dark passage in it self we have need of no clouds beside For upon this supposition that he is to die shortly he desireth to plead his cause that he may be cleared before-hand 3. Men ought so much the rather to have all clear against death that after it there is no helping of our condition if it be wrong as it is in other turns of our life For if once a man go that way he shall not return and this consideration made Job the more solicitous to be cleared 4. The more near men apprehend death to be approaching they should be the more busie For so was Job here supposing that death was near 5. Reproach and unjust imputations are in special a tryal whereof Saints would desire a good account before they die seeing other outward miseries end at their death but reproach will live after them as a blot upon their name For it is upon this account in part that he would be cleared that his Friends might cease to scorn and reproach him as a wicked man 6. The Conscience of mens integrity will not be quelled even with approaching death For Job
to extricate Saints out of deadly difficulties and to give glorious issues from deadly extremities when he seeth it good for them so to do See Isai 26.19 Ezek. 37.11 12. Vers 2. Are there not mockers with me and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation The Second Ground of his pressing desire to plead with God is That being thus afflicted and near unto death his Friends spared not to mistake censure and mock his condition and his discourses and carriage thereupon which did so imbitter him that it deprived him of nights rest This both added to his affliction that when he was a dying he was thus dealt with and it helped on his bodily weakness portending his death And therefore he desires to betake himself to debate his cause with God having such cruel Friends to deal with upon Earth Of this see further Chap. 16.20 Here Learn 1. It is great cruelty to add affliction to the afflicted as here they did to Job when they mocked him who was so low See Psal 69.25 26. Job 19.21 22. 2. Saints in their troubles may expect to meet with this measure of having tryal heaped upon tryal upon them as here Job found One tryal will not be a shelter from another when there is need of it their tryal must be complete to search them throughly others also must be tryed in their compassion and sympathy by the greatness of their tryal and God delights to give proof under how much tryal he will support his people 3. Afflicted men have oft-times cause to ascribe much of their death to the cruelty of their Friends under their affliction as to an instrumental cause For Job subjoyns their cruelty as no small cause of his weakness v. 1. portending his death Vnfaithful friends in a sad time are guilty of many degrees of murder 4. Friends prove very cruel in trouble by their want of tenderness and mocking of the afflicted See Chap. 21.3 When they look lightly upon their afflictions Lam. 1.12 When they read them wrong as if they were evidences of wickedness and do weaken the hands of the godly afflicted man under them For Job finds provocations or imbitterings in their mocking which deprived him of rest 5. He asserts this by way of Question Are there not mockers with me c or by way of grave Asseveration and Oath If there be not mockers c. whereby he purgeth himself of prejudice and calumny in asserting this and expresses his regret that his case was so little considered that he must so strongly assert it and excite others to notice it It teacheth That Saints may get that to bear which is really very sad and yet get little credit or pity under it It will not easily be believed how deep some troubles will draw upon them and how much they will wound and imbitter them They who are cruel to them may be so little sensible what hurt they do that they will rather be ready to justifie themselves And others may be laid by and the afflicted left alone without pity for their tryal 6. Saints may be so afflicted that nights rest would be a great mercy and yet even that be denied unto them For saith he Mine eye continueth or lodgeth in their provocations Not only was this injury not done behind his back but to his face and in his very sight and eye a tryal which Saints may look for but he was kept waking in the night thereby noâ— could he get off his eye from poring on it 7. Whatever injury was here done to Job yet his own weakness bred his distemper in that he was first imbitttered by these provocations and then being so he could not rest for it which was contrary to that Precept Ephes 4.26 It Teacheth 1. How sad soever our condition be yet our own distempers thereby give the immediate rise to our vexations 2. To be at some times distempered and imbittered even to the want of rest though it be a gross fault and a fit of impatience for the time yet it will not conclude one be an impatient man who approves not of those sits and wrestles against them For Job who is so commended for his patience in this tryal James 5.11 fell in such a fit here Vers 3. Lay down now put me in a surety with thee who is he that will strike hands with me In the Second Branch of this part of the Chapter contained in this verse Job subjoyns to his former pressing grievances his renewed desire to plead his cause with God which he propounds to God himself Those words of striking hands with him are borrowed from their way of closing and engaging in bargains particularly in Suretyship Prov 6.1 And as it was their practice that Parties should strike hands in other Covenants So it seems it was their practice also when they engaged to answer in Law which is the business here in hand As for the first part of the verse where he speaks of laying down and of a surety with God some read it thus Appoint I pray thee my surety with thee that is Appoint Christ to be my Surety and then Who is he that will strike hands with me that is upon these terms I decline no man who will engage to enter the lists to debate against me in the matter of my integrity It is indeed certain that Job durst not boast of his integrity but in a Mediator And I would very willingly put this favourable construction upon his wish if I found not God and Elihu pass a more severe censure upon it Others understand it as a desire that God would appoint a common Surety or Umpire to himself and Job who might dispute against his Friends for that cause which was common to them both seeing both God and he were wronged by their doctrine This interpretation hath a truth in it That they who are imbaâ—qued in a common cause with God may expect that he will see it pleaded for both But it agrees not with the latter part of the verse where Job desires that some might strike hands with him as a party in the debate and not as one whose cause was to be pleaded by a common Umpire Therefore I understand it to import his renewed desire that he might have access to plead his cause with God or at least with some who would appear on Gods behalf in this quarrel And the form of speech is taken from the practice of those times where Parties did give in surety or pledges that they would stand to the determination of the Judge and perform what was judged And so the words will run thus lay down now a pledge and if thou do not that for it must be read disjunctively then appoint me a surety not for me or on my behalf to be forthâ—coming for me but for my behoof and security in this debate with thee The meaning is in sum as if Job had said Give me some assurance that thou wilt not judge me according to
day 2. An afflicted spirit is so restless that it will deprive the wearied body of rest so that such would esteem sleep a mercy For saith he They change the night into day or keep me as busie and throng as if it were day-light and not the time appointed for mans rest 3. However men in trouble and vexed in mind are ready to wish a change of what is present as expecting some ease thereby Yet no chage of their outward condition will change their exercise till their minds be cured For albeit persons that are troubled by night may long for the day Deut. 28.67 yet neither night nor day brought any ease to Job But as his vexations changed the night into day so they made the light short or near to wit to go down For so the word near signifieth that which is of short continuance Chap. 20.5 in the Original 4. Godly men may have some taste of the wickeds vexing lots for their exercise and tryal of faith and that they may be made sensible by experience how great the misery is from which they are delivered For Job here hath some taste of that restlesness which is threatned against the wicked Deut. 28.67 5. The condition of Saints may be very dark in trouble and that is it which makes it so sad and vexing to them that it deprives them of rest For it is because of darkness that he is thus anxious and restless The meaning whereof is not only that the darkness of the night and his toil in it took away all the comfort of the light of the day and made it short Though it be likely that however neither night nor day afforded him ease yet comparatively the night was more troublesome then the day which makes him complain that it was short in comparison of darkness as the words also may bear But also that his dark and involved condition did vex him both by night and day This tells what a mercy it is to see through a thick cloud of trouble and how necessary the Word is for that end 6. Saints may be assaulted with continual restlesness even till they be made to despair of life who yet may come thorow and get a good issue For so was it with Job here who by reason of these vexations laid his account to die and yet was preserved Vers 13. If I wait the grave is mine house I have made my bed in the darkness 14. I have said to corruption Thou art my father to the worm Thou art my mother and my sister In the second place Job having given an account how low and hopeless his condition was in it self doth now declare how hopeless also he was of it and what he was expecting to follow upon it Namely That should he wait never so much as they desired for restitution in this life yet he was sure to go to his grave ere it came where he should have a dark bed and rottenness and worms in place of all his dearest Friends Relations and Acquaintances Here Job seems to point at somewhat spoken by Eliphaz of the wicked man or hypocrite Chap. 15.22 as nothing doubting of his own integrity though he were like them in not expecting any restitution in this life And albeit he did mistake in his certain expectation of death and the grave For though it followed probably on his afflicted and vexed condition v. 11 12. that he might die yet he ought not certainly to have concluded that he would die seeing God might interpose as he did Yet the General Doctrine teacheth 1. When mens actual enjoyments are gone their hopes are left to uphold them As here is supposed that when for present he is low his next work is to see if he may hope and wait for any better lot to come 1 Cor. 15.19 2. Hopes exercise is patient waiting for the performance of what we hope for For here he that hopes is said to wait The word may signifie both waiting being the fruit of hope 1 Thes 1.3 Rom. 8.25 And here we are to take heed of refusing to tarry Gods leisure who hath times and seasons in his own hand and knoweth what is best for us We ought also to beware of being angry at our afflictions or at God for afflicting us and of distrusting his power to perform what we have warrant to expect and in the mean time to make our waiting useful to us For all these distempers will interrupt our patient waiting 3. Death will at last cut off all our temporal hopes by cutting the thread of our life upon which they all hang For so he argues that his approaching death proved all waiting for temporal restitution to be vain 4. It is a very sad exercise when men are filled with hopes and expectations and then are disappointed For so he imports it would be to him if he waited for restitution and then the grave came in stead of it See Jer. 14 19. This should teach men to be sober mortified and well grounded in their expectations lest otherwise they add to their own miseries 5. Death brings a man to a low condition outwardly For then he gets the grave for his house his bed and then a bed only or a place wherein his body lieth sufficeth him is in darkness and corruption or rottenness and worms are in place of all his Friends and Relations of Father Mother or Sister This may teach men how little cause they have to glory in their worldly pomp and splendour whereof this will be the result at last See Psal 49.11 12 13 14. 6. Albeit death in it self be an Enemy and albeit godly men may have tentations to fear death Heb. 2.15 and in some cases they may desire to live for a time till their condition be cleared Psal 27.13 39.13 Yet they are allowed not to fear death but to be familiar with it when it cometh and their happiness is so sure that they may undervalue and reject all the comforts of time and triumph over the wrack of all their worldly hopes As here Job gives over all expectations of what they suggested to him and hath familiar thoughts of death 7. It is the duty of Saints before death come and when they are alarmed with it to become familiar with it before hand As here Job turns his back upon his hopes and resolutely looks upon death and what it would bring him to I have made my bed saith he I have said to corruption c. as a man that is resolved before hand 8 It commends the power of grace that Saints are made so familiar with death and yet it hath nothing beautiful or desirable in it self For it is darkness worms and corruption and yet it is lovely to him even in those its worst colours Vers 15. And where is now my hope as for my hope who shall see it 16. They shall go down to the bars of the pit when our rest together is in the dust In the last place from what
Job hath said he concludes that they fed him with groundless hopes and that it was in vain to bid him who was so near to death hope for a visible restitution in this life For there was no ground for any such hopes nor should ever any man see the accomplishment thereof v. 15. But all those hopes should be found to be irrecoverably gone as shut up with barrs in the pit when he and they do lie down together in the pit Or any man that looks to see his hopes accomplished must go down to the grave with him to see what becomes of them there v. 16. This last Interpretation of this verse makes it depend upon the end of the former verse by way of answer to that question Who shall see my hope And it not only implies that both he and they should be dead and in their graves before ever they saw such a restitution as they spake of But it may import further an intimation that he had other hopes beyond death and the grave which men should see accomplished after they are come to death and the grave with him And that this might sweeten the loss of worldly hopes to him But the word rendered to go down being of the Feminine Gender in the Original so relative rather to his hopes then to other persons I adhere to the other Interpretation of the verse that no man should ever see the accomplishment of these hopes but they should shortly be buried in the grave with himself And whereas he had spoken of hope in the singular number v. 15. all the Promises they held out being summed up this one encouragement that he should have a glorious and comfortable restitution upon his repentance Here he speaks of them as many they shall go down c. that he may point at the several branches of that promised mercy which they would have him hope for such as health of body ease of mind prosperity honour c. not one of which be expected but all should be buried with himself From the General Doctrine and Job's mistake Learn 1. It is the duty of men to guard against delusion in the matter of their hopes Therefore doth Job reason so strongly against the admitting of what he thought ill grounded that so he might not deceive himself 2. Whatever God may please to do in outward things yet it is in vain to comfort men only with temporal hopes seeing they may die and at last will die and leave them all For upon this ground doth he reject all their offers and grounds of hope that he and they are about to lie down in the grave together And albeit he was mistaken yet they are but poor hopes of which at any time it may be said Where are they Who shall see them and which the dust will bring to nothing 3. Whereas other tryals within time do but cut off some of our hopes and that not without a possibility of recovering them or somewhat in their stead death doth cut off all worldly hopes and that irrecoverably Foâ— it is a pit that hath bars to shut in men and their hopes 4. Whatever death deprive the godly of yet in this it is sweet that then they come to rest from all their outward toil and vexation as well as they lose their temporal hopes For there is a rest in the dust which in some respect is true of all men Chap 3.17 18. but especially and completely of the godly 5. As many are but too eager upon worldly hopes and expectations So others however they do well to be taken up with the hope of glory and to keep a loose grip of worldly expectations yet they come short in that confidence and expectation they should have even about temporal mercies and difficulties For Job came short here in not expecting at least with submission what the event proved God intended for him I grant it is not safe to urge men to entertain temporal and worldly hopes especially in their own particulars Yet 1. It is a fault when men under great troubles are only for dying not minding any other thing to which God calls them nor submitting if it please God otherwise to dispose of them For in this Job exceeded 2. It is a fault when men weary of needful exercise and so cast away all desire or hope of life because they account it intolerable to live which was also Job's weakness as appears from several passages in this Book 3. It is also a fault to quit hope because of any difficulty or improbability of the thing hoped for As Job from his present hopeless-like condition concludes certainly he will die not minding how God was able to interpose when he pleased See Rom. 4.19 20 21. CHAP. XVIII In this Chapter Bildad the Second time makes a Reply to Job wherein as is marked in the entry to Chap. 15. and was the practice of Eliphaz also he makes use of no new Arguments to convince Job nor almost Disputes at all But only in an angry and bitter Discourse points out the miseries of the wicked that so he may convince Job that whatever he plead for himself yet his present condition and the hand of God upon him prove him to be wicked And withal he is so imbittered that he leaves out all that he had spoken in his former Discourse to invite him to Repentance Chap. 8.5 6 7. and of the advantages of true Piety Chap. 8.20 21 22. as judging his condition desperate by reason of his obstinacy The Chapter contains 1. A Preface wherein he taxeth several faults in Job's discourses and carriage as namely Loquacity and Inadvertency to what they spoke ver 2. a proud contempt of them ver 3. and a desperate fretting against God and his fixed Order of Providence in the World ver 4. 2. A Narration of the miserable state of the wicked expressed partly in borrowed terms and by similitudes taken from extinguishing of light ver 5 6. from wild Beasts or Birds taken in a net ver 7 8 9 10. from a legal procedure against a Malefactor ver 11. 15. and from the rooting up of a tree ver 16. Partly in proper terms that the wickeds memory and estimation shall be extinguished ver 17. that they shall be driven into misery and out of the world v. 18. that their family shall be desolate ver 19. and that their calamities shall be matter of astonishment and fear to the present and succeeding generations ver 20. In all which Narration he reflects much upon Job's case and what had befaln him that he might let him see that what he suffered was the wickeds lot as he expresseth his scope in the conclusion of his Discourse v. 21. Vers 1. Then answered Bildad the Shuhite and said 2. How long will it be ere you make an end of words Mark and afterwards we will speak THe faults wherewith Bildad chargeth Job in his Discourses and Carriage are four The first whereof v. 2. is
that it should dayly represent it self to him ready at his side in its ghastly colours For though he did indeed apprehend approaching death yet it was with so much confidence and courage that he did familiarly look upon the worms and corruption as his nearest Relations Chap. 17.14 Which sheweth how little others may be acquainted with the courage God may afford to his own people in deadly difficulties For Bildad could not discern what Job found in this tryal 2. He did mistake also in looking upon this part of Job's affliction as a proof his wickedness For hunger sickness and apprehended death have been and may be the lot of Saints As is not only to be seen in Job here but in David Psal 6.2 30.9 in Paul 2 Cor. 1.8 9. 11.27 and diverse others Hereby the Lord doth mortifie his people and fit them for Eternity and other tryals that may be before them Also by these he fits them for receiving more proofs of his love in strengthening them to bear want providing supplies for them fitting them that they shall not abuse mercies Phil. 4.11 12. and in causing them meet with many blessed disappointments of their fears But passing his Reflections the General Doctrine as it is understood of the wicked according to the tenor of the Law-sentence may teach 1. To flee or seek to shift the terrours of God will be to no purpose For he who is driven to his feet v. 11. is here supposed to be taken and in Prison See Am. 9.2 3 4. They flee only best from Gods judgments who flee into his own bosom and who-so neglect this they do but multiply their own sorrows Isa 24.17 18. 2. Albeit wicked men may have much strength not only bodily strength but strength of spirit beside the strength of their corruptions and humours when they engage in troubles So that not only their pride and height of spirit doth ripen them for the snare which doth surprize them when in the pride of their heart they puffe at trouble But it contributes to make their trouble more grievous and bitter that it hath strength of spirit and strong corruptions to work upon whereas it would be easie to subdued men Yet created strength can neither preserve from trouble nor subsist under it but the godly must renounce it and the wicked will succumb because they do not renounce it For his strength shall be hunger-bitten 3. Albeit even the godly when they are under one trouble should be looking for another and they should not limit God who if he please may send destruction to cut them off the world for such limitations are the sting of our crosses and do provoke God to encrease our sorrows yet it may be terrible to the wicked that for all that is come upon them God hath not done with them but hath only given them an earnest of yet sadder things to come upon them For after his strength is hunger bitten destruction followeth upon that If once God begin to reckon with them they cannot expect bounds to be set to their tryal as the godly are warranted to pray Jer. 10 24. but they may fear it will grow till they be cast into the pit whereas the godly may know there will be an end Prov. 23.17 18. 4. God hath calamities in readiness whereby to cut off the wicked albeit he do not always or for a time execute them For here he lets the wicked see destruction ready at his side though for a time he be kept alive in Prison And this serves to refute their own presumptuous brags and the godlies fears who see not how they can be reached God who hath issues prepared for his people 1 Cor. 10.13 hath also judgments ready for the wicked Deut. 32.34 35. 5. How presumptuous soever the wicked be before trouble come upon them or under lesser troubles Yet when trouble cometh to an height they run as far upon the other extremity of discouragement and dispair For now this arrested wicked man apprehends sadly of his condition as if destruction were ready at his side to cut him off every moment And this is the just fruit of their presumption Hearts broken with pleasure and sinful delights wherein men are imperious and presumptuous Ezek. 16.30 will make weak hearts when trouble comes to an extremity Ezek 22.14 6. Albeit even the godly ought to foresee troubles and to look out to what may probably come upon them that they be not surprized Yet it is a plague upon the wicked that they die often in their apprehensions and fears before they die really and it is a snare to all who are obnoxious to it to be anxiously tortured about future events As here the wicked man hath destruction standing ready at his side to torture him before he be actually destroyed See Matth. 6.34 And therefore when the godly are vexed with apprehensions of future events they should reckon that God can disappoint them if he will 2 Cor. 1.8.9 10. and that if they come pass and they renounce their own strength God will enable and teach them how to beat them when they are put to it Vers 13. It shall devour the strength of his skin even the first born of death shall devour his strength In the third Branch of this Similitude in this and the following verse somewhat in Job's case is reflected upon as resembling the execution and violent death of this Malefactour In this verse Job's present dead-like condition and his apprehending to be cut off in this extremity Chap. 17.13 14. are reflected on as resembling this Malefactour who being wasted in Prison and apprehending destruction v. 12. at last It or that destruction which he apprehended shall devour the strength of his skin or his body and flesh and bones which are as the word is in the Original as bars to uphold his skin And this death which devours his strength shall not be ordinary but the first born of death that is a singularly violent death which carries away the principality and preeminence from other kinds of death as the first man did from the rest of his brethren and so to say a most deadly death as the first born of the poor significe them who are most poor Isa 14.30 Here albeit both Job and Bildad did mistake in expecting that a violent and odd way of death should be the issue of this trouble and Bildad did fâ—ther err in judging that such a death should be the reward of Job's wickedness seeing godly Josiah Jonathan and others have died a violent death and all things of that kind come alike to all Eccl. 9.2 Yet this Doctrine understood of the wicked may teach 1. It is a plague upon the wicked that their fears prove real at least they may do so for any security they have against them whereas the godly meet with many blessed disappointments Isai 51.12 13 2 Cor. 4.8 9. For after that destruction hath been ready at his side v. 12. it
shall now devour him 2. However a wicked man may get some Serjeants shifted yet the Executioner will come at last whom he will not get declined For destruction will come at last which shall pay all home And this is enough let them escape never so often considering how dreadful it will be and how soon it may take hold of them Luke 12.19 20. 3. Death is a great Conquerour and Triumpher over men in their Bodies Dignities and outward Estate For It shall devour the strength or bars of his skin Yea it triumphs over Princes notwithstanding all their grandeur See Job 3.13 14 15 18 19. Psal 49.14 17. 146.3 4. Ezek. 32.23 26 27 c. This tells that men have need and ought to provide somewhat that will be Deaths-proof 4. A violent death is an addition to the sadness and terrour of death Therefore is that called the first born of death Though the godly may fall in common calamities and go to Heaven in a fiery Chariot and wicked men may die peaceably yet this is the desert of the wicked and is executed upon some of them nor have any of them any security against it and it is a mercy in it self to die a quiet and ordinary death 5. God hath reserved singular judgments for wicked men and their plagues are really such however they appear outwardly For their death come what way it will is still the first born of death considering all the consequences thereof whereas the godly are bound to judge that they are dealt with in a different manner though they fall under the same outward dispensation 6. God will at last make it evident that he is too hard for the stoutest of men and that all their strength must succumb and fall before his power For the first born of death shall devour his strength Vers 14. His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle and it shall bring him to the King of terrours In this verse the resemblance is further prosecuted and Job's renouncing of all confidence and hope in his family as making for death Chap. 17.13 14 15. is pointed at as resembling this wicked Malefactour his being desperate of all hopes in his wealth friends and family and his being brought to death which is the Prince and King of Terrours both in it self and in what it appears to be and really proves to the wicked man Here there are also several mistakes As 1. That Job was to die and be cut off at this time 2. That his renouncing of all his temporal enjoyments is looked on as an act of despair whereas it flowed only from his cleanly self-denial a practice which the world doth not understand 3. That Job did fear death or looked on it as the King of terrours who was rather too eager to be at it 4. Or suppose Saints do sometime fear death yet it is a mistake to think that therefore they are wicked For they may be afraid as considering they have a soul to save while the wicked may mock at death and step laughing into Hell And godly men may get proofs of their own weakness when God is to give them most notable proofs of his grace and love But passing those mistakes there are general sound Truths here also as it relates to the wicked And 1. Wicked men may have their own confidences whereby they uphold their hearts when many other things fail them For so is here supposed that there is his confidence This is a great snare to make them stubborn in an ill way Isa 57.10 though when those are removed it will not reclaim them Jer. 2.25 2. It is the wickeds plague that their confidences are but low base and perishing Such as his family wealth or friends all which are comprehended under the name of his Tabernacle See Psal 146.3 4 5. 3. All the carnal confidences of a wicked man will at last come to utter ruine His props will all fail him and his hopes will end in despair and he must quit them For his confidence shall even be rooted out of his tabernacle His confidences will at last prove too weak to bottom his hopes and Gods jealousie is provoked to crush them 4. If not before yet certainly at death all carnal confidences shall come to ruine For then his confidence shall be rooted out when he cometh to the King of Terrours 5. Death of all outward strokes is the chief terrour to men as being the punishment threatened and inflicted for sin and as cutting off all their outward enjoyments at one stroke Therefore is it called the King of Terrours or the chief of Terrours which are visible on Earth So that men had need to prepare for it and to close with Christ in whom they may triumph over it 1 Cor. 15.54 55. 6. Beside what death is in it self and as it is the common lot of all men it is especially dreadful and the King of Terrours to the wicked For it is in reference to them it is so designed here The godly may die in some trouble and fear though that be not their allowance but slow from their weakness But as for the wicked though some of them may die peaceably as others of them die full of horrour Yet to all of them it is terrible if they considered whither they are going Death in its most terrible colours may look sweetly upon the godly and the mildest aspect of it may be dreadful to the wicked 7. The more carnal confidence men have the more terrible will death be when it cometh and all their hopes are cut off For it is his confidence rooted out that brings him to the King of terrours Not so much because the ruine of his hopes hastens his death as because it makes death terrible that he hath fed upon so many vain hopes Vers 15. It shall dwell in his tabernacle because it is none of his brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation In the last Branch of this Similitude the destruction of Job's family is reflected upon as resembling the consequents of a Malefactours death or the confiscation of his Estate and ruine of his House He seems to allude here to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire and brimstone and declares that destruction or terrible desolation for the relative It must be referred to what hath been spoken before of the wicked himself v. 11 12 14. as befalling his house also according as it is capable thereof shall dwell in his house and eat up his substance which he had so unjustly acquired and was indeed none of his by right And that his habitation shall be consumed as Sodom was by brimstone or brimstone shall be scattered upon it as a sign of perpetual desolation which the strawing of a place with Salt doth also signifie Judg. 9.45 Here there is an unjust reflection upon Job's purchase of his wealth and upon the stroke of God by fire upon some of his goods Chap. 1.16 as if that evidenced his wealth
in dishonour yet it will be raised in honour Vers 18. He shall be driven from light into darkness and chased out of the world Secondly It is declared that the wicked shall be driven and chased out of the world from a cheerful to a dark and sad estate It is said in the plural number in the Original they shall drive him whereby we are to understand that either those whom he oppressed or the variety of judgments sent out by God shall do this to them Here passing his mistakes we may observe 1. It is a sad plague on the wicked and an evidence of their woful condition that they are driven and chased away out of time as here is said They do not voluntarily deliver up their soul but it is taken from them Luke 12.20 Some of them die in despair others of them are pursued and hurried away with visible vengeance and others though they die softly or seem too weary of their life because they cannot have all the satisfaction they desire in it yet really they never live out half their days Psal 55.23 nor are they ever content in cold bloud to die if they had strength and opportunity to satisfie their lusts in the world Whereas it is otherwise with the godly and it is the duty of all who would approve themselves to God to be still willing and ready to depart upon a call and then they will be chased by no tempest but in the throng of troubles they will voluntarily follow their Fathers messenger sent about them And whatever shake we get to loose us from time yet love should have a chief hand in drawing us away 2. The wickeds change by death is so much the sadder that at death they have seen the fairest day that ever they will see though some of them may ignorantly leap as it were out of hot water into the fire For they are driven from light to darkness from life to death from sparks of their own kindling to eternal darkness from temporal felicity to eternal misery from honour to disgrace and ignominy and they are chased out of the world where all their happiness lay Vers 19. He shall neither have son nor nephew among his people nor any remaining in his dwellings Thirdly It is declared that their family shall be desolate their issue familiars and acquaintance being cut off As Bildad here doth falsely apprehend that Job should never have issue nor a family again So in this stroke which he appropriates to the wicked God is pleased to deal variously both with good and bad For even the godly sometime have no issue and if they have sometime they are violently cut off and sometime they do not imitate the pâ—ous steps of their Parents And though God may be pleased sometime to plague the posterity of the wicked Yet it is no less true that sometime they may have a numerous and great posterity as Cain had whose off spring were chief inventers of Arts Gen. 4. Yea sometime they may bring forth Children who are heirs of glory However this may teach 1. Wicked men do deserve that their families should be ruined as well as themselves as here is threatened And as the wicked should seriously mind this what a plague they are to their Relations So their posterity though godly should remember it that they may be sober and may acknowledge that mercy which hath prevented them 2. This stroke is no plague on a godly man if it be his lot As Bildad supposeth such a stroke was only a judgment For they will get a better name than that of Sons and Daughters Isa 56.3 4 5. And they want not Kindred or Children so long as there are other godly persons with whom they may hold Communion And they make up the want of Children by being Instrumental in their Station to convert and bring forth many Children to God Vers 20. They that come after him shall be astonied at his day as they that went before were affrighted Lastly It is declared that the effects of their calamities shall be astonishment and fear in the present and succeeding Generations By those who went before who were affrighted we are not to understand those who lived before he was and before God plagued him For such could not be affected with what they could not know But it is to be understood of these who were before those who come after him or those who have seen his prosperity and ruine also Those shall be affected with it together with those who afterward shall hear of it Leaving his mistakes Learn 1. The justice of God manifested on wicked men is in it self very affrightful For his day or the day of his calamity breeds astonishment and affrightment or horrour and that so great as the word signifieth as makes their hair stand up See 1 Sam. 3.11 Herein the justice of God is to be adored who makes their plagues a terrour when men think upon them as they have been terrible and dreadful to others in their way 2. Such as are witnesses of Gods judgments upon wicked men ought especially to be affected with it For those that went before and saw these plagues did even lay hold on horrour as it is in the Original 3. The sense of Gods judgments should continue long among men For they that come after him when he is gone and so they do but hear of his ruine shall be astonied As this condemns them who are not so much as affected with present and incumbent judgments so they who forget by-past proofs of Gods indignation against sin are justly made spectacles and monuments of justice themselves 4. Fear Astonishment and Horrour are but common and fruitless effects of judgments unless they be accompanied with Faith and Repentance For he mentions those as the effects of such strokes among the generality of men who yet are usually far enough from a right use of them And if such impressions as these be not enough they are far behind who have not so much Vers 21. Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked and this is the place of him that knoweth not God In this verse Bildad sums up his scope in this Discourse by way of conclusion Shewing that certainly those calamities are the lot only of the wicked And therefore Job considering what had befaln him behoved to conclude that he was a wicked man Of this Assertion I have often spoken before and shall not repeat Only in General Learn 1. Ignorance of God is an ordinary and great evil among men For it is marked as the wickeds great fault that they know not God 2. They prove themselves to be ignorant of God who walk not holily let them pretend what they will For the wicked here are they who know not God see Tit. 1.16 It is their ignorance of God and their Atheism that emboldens them to do wickedly Psal 14.1 2 c. And from this also do the failings of Saints flow Psal 9.10 Isa 51.12 13. 3.
Cor. 15.25 26. and shall bring all his Enemies who would not suffer him to reign over them and slay them before him Luke 19.27 Believers need not fear the long continuance of Enemies nor that one Enemy riseth up after another For Christ will out-live and triumph over them all 3. When all those Enemies are destroyed then time will have an end and the General Judgment will come For when he thus stands last then it will be the latter day or the last of time 1 Cor. 15.24 25 26. This was a truth known and believed in the very infancy of the Church as appears from Enoch's Prophesie recorded Jude v. 14 15. 4. The Redeemer of Sinners will be their Judge at the last day For He shall stand over the Earth which as it will be terrible to the wicked who shall then be forced to see him whom they still declined to own So it may comfort all those who have made their peace with him and with God through him in time 5. Our Redeemer will testifie his love to his People by coming to Earth again to fetch them as he came at first to redeem them For he shall in that day stand again upon or over the Earth for this end See John 14.2 3. Vers 26. And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God In this verse Job prosecutes that encouragement of his Redeemers living and standing upon the Earth professing his faith of a blessed Resurrection in that day to enjoy the presence of God And that notwithstanding that after his skin now broken with sores is pierced the worms also destroy his body Doct. 1. As the bodies of the dearest Children of God may be deformed in their lives so they have no exemption from death notwithstanding their integrity but they must did as well as others that they may enter into their rest For Job looks to be destroyed or cut off by death 2. Believers being dead they have no priviledge in their graves but the worms will feed upon and destroy their bodies as well as others For Job supposeth that after my skin the worms will destroy this body In the Original it is only this not this body but the sense is the same For he thus designs his body as pointing at it with his finger when he spake and intimating that it was not worthy to be called a body being so spent Withal worms who are said shall destroy his body are not expressed in the Original but only they shall destroy but the sense is still the same For the worms are they who use to pierce dead mens skins and then destroy their flesh See Psal 49.14 Both these points should teach the godly that since they are not exempted in those cases they should not plead exemption in lesser things 3. Though mens bodies be thus confirmed in the grave yet they will be raised up again and will be animated with their souls to exerce their Functions For here he believes that notwithstanding this havock to be made of his body yet in his flesh he shall see God The faith of this Article may assure us of the power of God to do what he will Acts 26.8 Rom. 4 17. and of his unchangeable love to his people who seeks after their dust after it hath been so long buried in oblivion Matth. 22.31 32. 4. It is the great happiness of Believers that after death they see and enjoy God and that not darkly and in a glass but face to face For he comforts himself with this that after death he shall see God See 1 Cor. 13.12 Psal 16.11 5. It completes the happiness of Believers that not only their souls but the whole man shall enjoy this sight of God For this is Job's comfort in my flesh I shall see God at and after the Resurrection Not that the soul sleeps or is suspended this sight till then See 2 Cor. 5.6 8. Phil. 1.23 Luke 23.43 with 2 Cor. 12.2 4. but that the happiness of Believers will be completed when the whole person which fought the good fight of faith shall get the Crown See Psal 17.15 1 Thess 4 16 17. 6. The hope of a blessed Resurrection should sweeten all bitterness by the way and it is the mark of a godly man to eye it much for that end As Job doth here comfort himself in that over all his sorrows 7. Faith believing a Resurrection must look over many impediments and objections which to carnal sense seem insuperable as here Job looks over the destruction of his body in believing this Thus in every other case difficulties should but heighten faiths courage and quicken its diligence 8. The belief of Christs living and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the Earth may assure the godly of a blessed Resurrection For having asserted the one v. 25. he subjoyns the other here as a necessary consequent following upon the former For if he live he will not only care for them when they are dead but will cause them live also Joh. 14.19 and his Resurrection is a sure pledge that they also shall be raised again Eph. 2.5 6. Rom. 8.11 Vers 27. Whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me In this verse Job yet insists upon this Article of the Resurrection and sheweth his strong faith about it Asserting 1. That he shall see God for himself that is not only he himself and not another shall see him but he shall see him for his own profit and advantage 2. That it shall not be another body but the same wherein he shall see God 3. That all this shall be though his very reins and what is most inward in him were consumed as they were already consumed in part Some read this last part of the verse without Though which is not in the Original as an Assertion that his reins were consumed in him with earnest desire and longing after that day And so it is a special proof of his integrity and honesty But I shall not insist upon that reading seeing the Original language many times wants such Particles which are sufficiently implied in the sense in that language Doct. 1. There is need of many acts of faith about the Resurrection that we may make sure that we believe it and may draw out the rich comforts of it Therefore doth Job so much insist upon that subject 2. Believers should be frequent in studying their own happiness which they shall enjoy at the Resurrection in the sight and vision of God Therefore also doth Job insist on this in particular I shall see and behold him 3. This sight of God cannot but be comfortable to the godly as being for their behoof and advantage their interest in him being then made fully clear and their joy consummate in his favour and presence whereas the wicked shall see him but as the God of others and to their own
they ought to be armed and prepared for if it please God to call them to it And Partly that they should observe and acknowledge Gods mercy if they be spared in any of these 6. This should teach us that prosperity is a plague and snare to a wicked man and the greater his prosperity is the snare is the greater For all this is given him not in mercy but in judgment It is a blessedness unto the godly that God by afflicting them takes pains on them and it is a plague on the wicked that they are not restrained from the desire of their hearts And as the godly are oft-times tryed by the want of tryal and exercise so are the wicked most severely plagued when they want a visible stroke and plague And as prosperity discovereth their naughtiness who seemed to be somewhat before 2 Chron. 25.1 2. with v. 14. 2 Chron. 26.3 4 5 c. with v. 16. and as it tryeth and discovereth the weakness even of the truly godly 2 Chron. 32.24 25 31. So it will much more bring out the naughtiness of the wicked Their prosperity secures them as they think of Gods favour prevents all challenges of Conscience or affords them mirth to bear out under and against them hides from them the sight of their need of God or of Prayer to him and hardens them most of any thing Rom. 2.4 5. so that men have need to look how they improve prosperity 7. If in all this height of prosperity the wicked be but miserable how much more must they be miserable who are in adversity and yet neither have nor seek after Piety 8. This may also serve to point out how inexcusable wicked men are and how much they have to make account for who abuse so much mercy Rom. 2.4 5. And who slight God without any provocation on his part Thirdly The great mirth of their numerous Children v. 11 12. May teach 1. All that the wicked get of their prosperity is but a little watery mirth and evanishing pleasure which others want Their Children and little ones do but dance in flocks and rejoyce in making use of their musical Instruments This in so far as it is lawful men might attain had they contentment in a meaner condition Yea oft-times meaner persons have more solid mirth and satisfaction than they who coâ—â— most to acquire much of the world So that they do but follow a shadow who seek prosperity for that end seeing they seek the thing which is not lost if they would but be sober to obtain discern it Much more might men find in God all that which they seek after in a prosperous condition yea and infinitely more Psal 4.6 7. 2. Whatever lawfulness their be in mirth and cheerfulness yet it is a mark of the wicked to hunt after it as the issue of all their care when they aim no higher than to have occasion to bid their souls take case and mirth Luke 12.19 and their prosperity doth not teach them sobriety and when they have no other care of their Children which is the particular in the Text but to breed them in vanity Idleness and revellings as the care of Childrens Education is indeed a searching tryal of mens honesty 3. It is also an evidence of a wicked disposition when men like brute Beasts are taken up only with sensitive and sensual joys of Mirth Dancing c. And do know or at least prize no other joy in comparison of those And though some unrenewed men may by the Principles of sound Reason be set above these toys yet where such an Inclination prevails it is a sure evidence of an empty and carnal disposition 4. The issue of all their prosperity v. 13. may teach 1. The godly must nor stumble at the long continuance of the wickeds prosperity and that they not only taste of it for a time but do even live wax old and spend their days in wealth or in good that is in a cheerful prosperous condition wherein they acquiesce as their good and chief happiness All this tract of prosperity is not sufficient to prove that they are in Gods favour and it is all little enough since they will get no more And the godly must be tryed by the continuance of this tentation which will discover how solid and fixed their resolutions are 2. Death and the grave will put an end to all the wickeds prosperity For after all this they go down to the grave And since they have nothing to secure them against death and what followeth upon it Psal 49.6 7 8 9. they cannot be happy enjoy what they will in the world And it concerns all who would assure themselves of true happiness to see what they have to oppose against the fear of death 3. As the state of wicked men ought not to be judged happy because of their prosperous life so neither is their peaceable death any evidence thereof For in a moment and peaceably they go down to the grave and have no bands in their death Psal 73.4 Men may be so much obdured through the abuse of much prosperity as they do not apprehend Gods anger against them nor see any hazard upon the back of death And we ought to judge of men rather by their lives than by the outward and visible way of their death and should consider that the more speedily and easily they pass away they are but posting the faster to their eternal misery and that one moment puts an end to all their joy for ever Vers 14. Therefore they say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways In the Second Branch of this Narration in this and the following verse Job proves that they who thus prosper are wicked men and of the grossest sort of them For whereas his Friends might object that any who thus prospered were the more polished and refined sort of wicked men He averts they were even the worst and most Atheistical of them as appeared by their carriage in prosperity For they reject God and all Religion or Knowledge of him and his ways v. 14. and confirm themselves in this wretched resolution by some unsound Reasons and Principles v. 15. In this verse he declares how they evidence their wicked disposition in their prosperity by rejecting God and all his offers as desiring no knowledge of of his ways and service which they do not mind to observe or follow Whence Learn 1. Whatever some wicked men may seem to be in other conditions Yet their prosperity will draw out and make them discover what they really are For Job by this proves their wickedness that because they prosper Therefore they say unto God Depart from us 2. It is an undeniable evidence of a wicked disposition when prosperity and Gods favourable dispensations become plagues to men and turn them insolent For so it is with these wicked men Therefore because they have affluence of all things they say unto God Depart from us
he spares the world and many wicked men in it that he may gather in all his Elect out of it 3. God would have his Chidren weaned from doating upon outward favours which he may heap upon wicked men and would have them look unto and judge of things according to the Word and acquiesce in spiritual mercies 4. Some few instances of Gods displeasure let fourth against wicked men are enough to give warning to all other wicked men especially these of them who have the Word which if they believe not they will believe nothing else Luke 16.27 31. Doct. 4. As dispensations are but a crooked rule when by them we would judge of mens estate before God so it is yet more unsafe to draw an ordinary rule from extraordinary and rare precedents As here they would draw a general conclusion from that which was not so often verified Thus are we also to Judge of Gods singular manifestations and impulses and instincts given to some of his people which are not to be expected by all not the effects following their upon to be drawn into an example for imitation by others I come to the particulars of the wickeds misery here mentioned Wherein pointing at the expressions they had used in their discourses he grants such things may be as they speake of but not so frequently as to bottom that General Conclusion Chap. 20.29 In these verses he speaks of the extinguishing of their glory and prosperity like a Candle put out which was Bildads phrase Chap. 18.5 6. that his stroke comes upon them even to destruction And that the supreme cause hereof is God who measures out sorrous to them in anger v. 17. And that so violently easily and effectually as chaff and stubble are driven away by the wind and storm v. 18. Whence Learn 1. All men are by Nature and in themselves dark and destitute of the light of comfort and encouragement For it is common to all of them that they need a Candle or Lamp without them to give them light not only for their direction but for their Encouragement and the cheering of them up also 2. Albeit godly mens comforts may be compared to a Candle Chap. 29.3 because they are but borrowed and without these they would be in a dark condition yet the wickeds comforts are so called because they are but artificial and of the basest sort not like a Sun c. but like a Candle or Lamp in a darkhouse or night See Isa 50.11 3. Not only can all the wickeds comforts be easily reached and are such as may be extinguished by outward trouble but calamities will put and leave them in an ignominious condition like a Candle put out which leaves a stinking snuff in stead of a shining light 4. Gods Judgments upon some wicked men tend to their utter destruction in a violent way For their destruction cometh upon them They have no security against this whereas it is otherwise with the godly 2 Cor. 4.8 9. Psal 118.18 5. God is the Author of any calamities which befal the wicked who can reach them when they are without the reach of others and who ought to be looked unto for repressing the insolency of wicked men by his plagues and seen in them when they come For it is God who doth this and distributeth sorrows 6. God carveth out and distributeth mens lots and portions to them He giveth unto them what and how much he pleaseth and he makes Rods great or small easie or heavy as he will For God distributeth and is a carver in these matters 7. The wickeds calamities are accompanied with much and many sorrows and without any such encouragement as the godly have For God distributeth sorrows as the chief ingredient in their lot 8. It is a sad ingredient in the wickeds lots and sorrows that they flow all from wrath and are not mixed with that love which sweeteneth the bitter potions of the godly Rev. 3.19 For God distributeth sorrows in his anger See Psal 11.5 c. 75.8 Ezek. 5.13 9. As the wicked even in the height of their prosperity are but light and vain when put in Gods ballance Dan. 5.27 So the violent storms of Gods Judgments will easily over-power them For they are at stubble before the wind and as the chaff that the storm carrieth away See Psal 35.5 Vers 19. God layeth up his iniquity for his children he rewardeth him and he shall know it 20. His eyes shall see his destruction and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty In these verses he further declareth That the wicked mans Children shall also reap the fruit of his sin and that not after his death but in his own time v. 19. That he shall know and feel his destruction in his own and his Childrens mine and shall drink largely of the wrath of God in these plagues v. 20. Whence Learn 1. The sins of wicked men are a sad Patrimony to their Children in whom they are often punished as here we are taught See Exod. 20.5 2. God will not always forbear to plague the Children of wicked men till themselves be gone but will make them sad witnesses thereof For he shall know and see it 3. All these plagues which the wicked undergo in their Persons Children and Estates are procured by themselves and the just recompence of their way For God rewardeth him by those 4. God can make the stoutest and most stubborn feel his hand and the bitter effects of their sin For when he rewardeth him he shall know it or be made to feel it and know it is the reward of his way See Isa 26.11 Levit. 26.21 22 23 24 c. Stubbornneses and stupidity under rods do but portend sadder strokes till we be made sensible and till God get a witness in our bosoms to plead for his Righteousness in afflicting 5. It is a sad aggravation of mens misery when in their own time they see their own ruine and the ruine of all that belong to them For his eyes shall see his destruction This should teach men to prepare for such a lot and to be laying their account that they may out-live all their temporal enjoyments and contentments 6. It is yet sadder to consider that the wickeds lot flows from wrath or indignation that they shall drink and that largely of it and that God who is their party is Almighty or Alsufficient too hard for them to oppose who can make his threatnings effectual and cause them drink of the cup of his wrath whether they will or not Jer. 25.28 All these are held out here in that He shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty Vers 22. For what pleasure hath he in his house after him when the number of his months is cut off in the midst Here is subjoyned a reason and confirmation of what is formerly said Wherein is shewed that this makes all the former strokes sad and speaks the wrath of the Almighty in them that he hath no
and their encouragement in their prosperous condition This last may also import their power and strength to maintain their prosperous condition And so these two verses will contain four Branches of the prosperity of the wicked their vigour and strength of body their peace and quietness v. 23. their plenty or affluence of all things and their power to maintain all this v. 24. any of which if they be wanting will render their prosperous condition defective 2. For Adversity That some of them die in great disquiet and bitterness having had their very meat imbittered to them all their days v. 25. Whence Learn 1. God exerciseth great variety in his dealings with the Children of Men that he may prove he is debtor to none that none may know love or hatred by outward things and that the wit of man may not think to comprehend his way For so are we taught here by these various Instances 2. It is profitable for men to be acquainted with this that God exerciseth such variety in his dispensations especially in their prosperity that so they may not stumble at it in their adversity For Job sheweth he had been acquainted with all this before-hand and therefore did not stumble at his own lot as his Friends did 3. Bodily strength is no fence against death which observeth not the Laws of Nature but the appointment of God For here some die in their full strength or in the strength of their perfection 4. To live plentifully at case and in strength and power till death come is no infallible mark of Gods favour For here the wicked have that being wholly at ease and quiet and their breasts full of milk c. all which will but make the separation by death sadder to them 5. Bitterness of mind is the saddest of troubles as here it is instanced as the sad lot of some of the wicked that they have bitterness of soul 6. Bitterness of soul will make all mens necessary comforts and refreshments of body bitter to them For a man in such a frame even never eateth with pleasure 7. Bitterness of soul justly followeth some wicked men not at some fits only but even to their graves For some die in the bitterness of their soul Only unto all this it would be added That however this be the just lot of the wicked yet the godly may have some tasts of this soul-bitterness as Job's own experience to name no other doth teach Chap. 3.20 24. And therefore 1. We should beware of pride and murmuring which do imbitter us we should beware of feeding or entertaining our bitter humours or of provoking God by our doating upon time to imbitter it unto us 2. We should observe that there are degrees of imbittering our condition As no Saints can say they have all bitterness and no pleasure at all so none have their condition wholly pleasant but some have less pleasure than they have pain and some have little pleasure and much sorrow Therefore we should beware of complaining or to make our lives altogether bitter because we have not all the satisfaction we desire Vers 26. They shall lie down alike in the dust and the wormes shall cover them In the last branch of this Narration in this verse he gives an account of the issue of the wickeds life and their equality in death notwithstanding the various lots they found in their lives Whence Learn 1. Whatever be mens lot within time sweet or sowr yet they must die and leave it as here we are taught 2. Death will bring all men to the dust and to be trampled upon by the worms For they ly down in the dust and the worms shall cover them See Psal 49.14 3. Death it self will not make a visible difference among men by what is visibly in it but leaves them equal and alike till the resurrection For they and others also as well as wicked men lie down alike c. Even those who had an harder lot than others in their lives are but equal with those who lived at ease in the grave Vers 27. Behold I know your thoughts and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me 28. For ye say Where is the house of the prince and where are the dwelling places of the wicked Followeth to v. 34. the third part of the Chapter Wherein Job applieth his general doctrine to the present debate in hand and to refute their thoughts concerning him and his case It may be reduced to three Heads The first whereof in these verses is the stating of the Controversie or a proposition of their thoughts concerning him and his family and the thing which they dâ—ave at in their discourses and which he is to refute He propounds in general v. 27. that he knew their designs and thoughts in all their discourses and their unjust devices to conclude him wicked And v. 28. he layeth out-their thoughs more particularly That in all these generals which they had spoken of the ruine of wicked great Ones their houses and families of which see Chap. 15.34 18.21 20.28.29 he was the Butt they aimed at and that by reason of the ruine of his family who was a prince Chap. 29.25 and the overturning of the house where his children were met Chap. 1.18 19. they would have it concluded that he was a wicked man So that they might as well have named him and his children in their discourses as hold in general as they did This may serve to clear that we have stated the controversie aright betwixt Job and his Friends from the beginning and that the debate runs upon this whether greatest temporal afflictions such as befel Job and his Children do prove men to be wicked So that unless we carry this along as the great Controversie debated betwixt them in contradictory terms we cannot but mistake in expounding this Book Withal Job's way here sheweth That in all debates it is needful the controversie be rightly and clearly stated As he states the case distinctly here when he is to make use of his former doctrine to refute them Where this method is not followed men will easily be bemisted with confusion and errour may be adorned with specious pretences and truth loadned with reproches and odious consequences The only remedy whereof as also in clearing of inward soul exercises and tentations when clouded with confusions is to draw questions to a clear and true state that we may be able to judge of the merits of the cause and not by a mistake draw wrong conclusions from a weak or false ground In particular Obs 1. If we consider that general Doctrine in it self v. 28. which they intend to apply unto him it teacheth That God in his holy Providence may sometime give a strange and sad account of wicked mens lots It may be said of them Where is the house of the Prince c Here if we abstract this from their erroneous principle that this is the lot of all the wicked and
all wicked men within time nor visibly at their death but they are reserved for a day of judgement As here their Tombs or Tokens do witness 4. Whatever be the lot of wicked men in life or death yet destruction and wrath will befal them be they more or fewer For they meet with a day of destruction and of wrath And this is spoken of them in the singular number in the beginning of the verse to shew that if there were but one he shall not escape and in the plural number in the end of the verse to shew that were they never so many God can reach them 5. Whatever plagues wicked men do escape within time it is but owing them to be paied with interest nor are they spared in mercy For they are but reserved to the day of destruction 6. Wicked men shall not be able to shift Gods vengeance at the resurrection and general judgment nor shall any thing secure them against it For they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath or wraths that is extream wrath wherin all things shall concur which may signifie and express displeasure and the extremity thereof 7. It is the duty of men to be so spiritual minded as to gather instructions and edifying lessons from the most common things which they see As here Job learns this lesson from the Tombs of wicked men which are to be seen by all Travellers Vers 31. Who shall declare his way to his face and who shall repay him what he hath done 32. Yet shall he be brought to the grave and shall remain in the tomb 33. The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him and every man shall draw after him as there are innumerable before him In the third place This assertion is farther amplified and enlarged that not only wicked men whose wickedness is not so gross but even these who are most eminently wicked are reserved for judgements in the life to come and are not visibly rewarded in this life Where 1. He gives an account of their insolent and eminent wickedness v. 31. that none dare freely reprove them far less are they able to requite and recompense them 2. Unto this he subjoyns his assertion v. 32 33. the meaning whereof is not so much that death shall reach these wicked men for though that be true yet it is not his scope here as that notwithstanding all that insolency of wicked men v. 31. yet they bear not any extraordinary marks of Gods anger in their death Which he instanceth in several particulars 1. That not only they get a grave some one or other for the word is plural graves in the Original but they shall be brought to it in state and pomp as the word imports and shall not get the burial of an asse Jer. 22.19 2. That they shall remain in the tomb or heap Their bodies shall remain inviolate in the grave yea they shall have a stately heap and tomb erected over them and possibly their image shall be graven as if they were watching so it is in the Original above their tombs as is the custome in the tombs of great men to make Statues of them above them which may be seen by all 3. That the clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him They shall have a quiet and contented rest there as to their outward estate embracing and being embâ—aced by their common parent the earth and free from outward troubles 4. That albeit death seem sad enough yet that is but a common lot of every man who shall draw after them as there are innumerable before them From all which Learn 1. As it is a mark of wicked men that they cannot endure free reproof such as Paul gave to Peter Gal 2.11 See 1 Sam. 25.17 so they are oftimes plagued with the want of it they being such as men dare not reprove them to their faces whatever they speak of them behind their backs For who shall declare his way to his face Yea it is oft-times their great misery that they are flattered when they ought to be reproved Psal 49.18 2. Wicked men through Gods indulgence and long suffering may get above the reach of humane opposition and be left upon Gods own hand to reckon with them in due time For who shall repay him what he hath done 3. Were wicked men never so high and insolent yet death shall reach them For he shall come to the grave 4. The way of the wickeds death and burial may be such as bears no mark of visible displeasure but Gods indulgence and forebearance may follow them even to the grave As here we are taught So that we ought not to limit God in these things 5. There may be much pomp and state in mens burial and in their tombs and monuments who yet are under the heavy wrath of God And are suffering sadly in their souls For so is here also declared as hath been explained 6. As the grave is a sweet bed wherein men rest who never got leave to rest before So they who doat upon and desire after much sweetness here must at last be content of the clods of the earth to rest in For the clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him 7. Death being the common Rendezvous of all men all ought to prepare for it and none ought to stumble at it as a strange lot For So is intimated of the death of the wicked that every man shall draw after him as there are innumerable before him See Eccl. 7.2 Vers 34. How then comfort ye me in vain seeing in your answers remaineth falshood This verse contains the last part of the Chapter and a conclusion of the former debate Wherein from what hath been said he shews that they did but in vain endeavour to comfort him seeing they proceeded on a false ground while they perswaded him to take with wickedness because he was afflicted and propounded grounds of encouragement to him only upon these terms Whence Learn 1. It is the duty of men and an evidence of their being in a good frame when they entertain charity so far as is possible even toward these who are most severe unto them For Notwithstanding all his Friends cruelty and sharpness yet he hath charity for them that in their intentions they designed to comfort him according as they purposed when they first came to visit him Chap. 2.11 2. Mens endeavours to comfort their afflicted friends may oftimes prove unsuccessful for the further tryal and exercise of the afflicted For saith he ye comfort me in vain 3. False principles will never afford true and solid comfort and they do but lose their labour who make use of them For saith he ye comfort me in vain seeing in your answers there remaineth falshood or prevarication and double dealing 4. It is great wisdom in men under affliction to discern offered comforts that they neither snatch at a delusion and false comfort nor admit of what overthrows the new
a trade of sin procuring it 5. As the trade of sin is old so also are the instances of Gods judgments pursuing for it And as men make an habitual trade of sin so his judgments are also conspicuous For this is also the old way which wicked men have trodden even the judgments of the Lord which they have suffered for their sin Not that God as frequently plagues as they sin and so makes the one path to be trodden as oft as the other but that there are some instances of Gods judgments no less conspicuous than mens sins are notoure and open So that wicked men sinning after these instances of Gods manifested anger against sin do sin against that witness and do split upon rocks whereupon God hath set very conspicuous Beacons 6. As wicked mens courses do prove them to be men of iniquity and slaves to it so the fruit and issue thereof doth prove that they follow and labour for vanity therein For so the words will also read men of vanity Yea the name here given to men in the Original taken from death or Mortality doth point out That were there no other plague inflicted upon wicked men their very mortality demonstrats the folly of their course seeing all the imagined contentments they expect by sin serve at best but for this natural life and will flee away and serve in no stead to secure against death or comfort them in it 7. God propounds the example of wicked mens ways and the plagues following thereupon to be marked and observed by others for the information of their judgments concerning sinful courses and the fruites thereof and for exciting of them to look well to their own ways For this question Hast thou marked the old way c. Imports that it was Job's duty to mark these instances that thereby as he judged of him he might be helped to correct his opinions and practices See Psal 107.43 Hos 14.9 Luk. 13.1 2. c. God in his great indulgence will not always destroy all sinners by visible judgments For so he should soon destroy the whole world which yet he continues for wise ends particularly that he may gather his elect out of it But yet he seeth it meet to set up some sinners as Beacons to warn all the rest So that they are stupid and mad who do not observe and improve such examples and who looking upon the way of Gods judgments upon men do not reflect upon the way of their sin procuring these judgments that they may avoid it but do persist in sin against all such warnings or think themselves innocent because they are not smitten as others were or do look rather upon mens following of duty then their sins as the cause of their calamities as Jer. 44.16 17 18. 8. Men in the heat of present distempers and debates will readily be in the dark and be misled unless they make use of the light that somtime they have had oâ— the experiences they may find abstract from their present case to clear them Therefore he leads Job from the consideration of his own present case to mark the old way as a more effectual mean to clear his mistakes And it is indeed a General Truth however he erred in the particular 9. Godly men may be much be mistaken by others as if they did not read a right the strokes of God upon themselves oâ— others For this question Hâ—st thou marked c imports also a challenge that he had not observed these things Which yet was most false for had he observed them never so much he could never read Eliphaz's opinion therein nor that it was consumed thereby For 1. Though great calamities ought to daunt stubbornness and deterr men from standing out in rebellion against God Yet they ought not to be so formidable as to affright men from the testimony of a good Conscience For that is a part of Godly mens tryal to cleave to their integrity notwithstanding they be afflicted 2. No rods should make men condemn that in themselves or their cause which is approved by the Word of God as Job's integrity was 3. No judgments upon wicked men should make us think that all the wicked will be so dealt with as Job's Friends did and so make us assoâ—â— all those who are spared 4. Nor should any judgments inflicted upon men for their wickedness make us condemn Godly men because they fall under the same outward lot which was another of his Friends mistakes In a word Afflictions upon godly men ought to make them the more tender but not discourage them noâ— make them cast away the evidences of their integrity Vers 16. Which were cut down out of time whose foundation was overflown with a flood In the second branch of this argument Eliphaz propounds the particular to be observed of the way 〈◊〉 Gods judgments upon these wicked men That they perished suddenly out of time or as the Original hath it they were cut down and no time that is they were cut of in a moment and before they could expect it and that the foundations of their imagined happiness were overthrown as by a deluge and floud This may very well be understood of the general deluge but doth not at all prove Eliphaz hiâ— conclusion as hath been shewed v. 15. In General Learn 1. It is very commendable in godly men and a duty incumbent to them that they be acquainted with and keep in memory the proceedings of God against sinners For here those men are notably versed 〈◊〉 the History of the old world and many other passagâ—s of divine providence in the world See Psal 78.5 â— Here we are to consider 1. If they learned these things only by Tradition without the written word and yet kept them so fresh in memory How much more should we remember them who have them written to us to relieve the infirmity of our memories 2. As they remembered those examples not for contemplation but for use and practice And accordingly Eliphaz produces this instance for directing of Job how to judge of his afflictions and improve them though he erred in the application So we ought likewise to make use of what is recorded in the Word or otherwise comes to our knowledge for the like end and not as theâ—e did Psal 78.19 20. 106.12 13. Prov. 23.35 For all these acts of God are loud preachings to warn and direct sinners Psal 78.22 23 c. 3. If they remembered and studied to improve what was done long before their own time much more ought we to be sensible of and to improve what our selves do see and feel that we be not as these who saw Gods works and yet neither considered nor made use of them Psal 10â— 7 Doct. 2. The instance of Gods severity against the old world is full of documents to sinners in all ages Therefore it is made use of here as a speaking lesson though it do not prove his point as also 2 Pet. 2.5 c.
this Verse not so consonant to the Original That in drought and heat and Snow waters in all seasons they robb they sin till the grave which would intimate their assiduousness and pertinacy in sinning Job gives an account how these wicked men continue in the World till they be ripe by age and then dye easily Which he illustrates from a similitude where the Original as in other places implyeth the note of similitude though it be not expressed That as Snow in some places is not taken away till Summer and heat come and then the drought and heat easily turn Snow into waters and then quickly and insensibly consumes them So they dye in a great age and Death takes them to their grave in an ordinary way quickly and easily without any matter of horrour or any languishing infirmity So that here by the Grave which consumes those sinners we are to understand Death which draws to the grave and which easily and quickly pulleth sinners away Though it may point further at their being insensibly consumed in the grave of which more v. 20 as an amplification of the former Doct. 1. Wicked men may dye and goe to their graves without any remarkable token of Gods displeasure against them For so is here supposed as a thing without controversie that though as the other reading hath it they sin incessantly and in all seasons till their graves yet they live long and are not soon cut off And there is no odde thing befalls them in their life till they come to death and the grave See Psal 73.5 And albeit this dispensation of God breed tryal and exercise to godly men Psal 73.3 13 14. Yet it would be considered for breaking of that snare 1. That this indulgence is a great snare upon wicked men to embolden them to sin Psal 73.5 6 7 8 9. 2. It causeth death surprize them while they have not been trained nor made acquainted with it by former tryals Psal 73.19 20. 3. It depriveth them also of proofs of love which afflicted Saints receive for sweetening of their bitter cup Psal 73.26 Doct. 2. Even the death of the wicked may be gentle and in a common way yea and in a way short of what befalls others For when death and the grave come they make an insensible and quick dispatch as drought and heat consume the Snow waters See Psal 73.4 This the Lord doth that men may mind a judgement after death that they may not judge of mens state by the way of their death or think they are approved of God who quickly and easily sleep away and are snatched away from pain and torment and that by this experience they may learn to read wrath even in the want of rods or in an easie way of dying and living which doth not stirr up men to look how they are before God Thus even want of reproof is a judgement Ezek. 3.26 Hos 4.14 3. How easie and sweet soever the wickeds way of dying he yet that we be not ensnared thereby the Text affords several antidotes As 1. Let God deal with the wicked as he will yet they must at last dye and leave all their enjoyments and be content to get a grave for all Now under whatever mask death come unto them or whatever they think of it yet they are triumphed over by it Psal 49.14 and there is matter of terrour in it to them Psal 73.19 See Luk. 12.19 20 21. 2. Whatever be the way of their death yet it is certain they have sinned and as the other reading hath it they have continued to sin even till the grave and it is marked they have done so even here where Gods indulgence is asserted To intimate not only that there will be an after account taken of them for their sins Psal 50.21 whatever indulgence they find in life or death For sin will never be forgotten if it be not pardoned But further to assure us that there is present wrath in their lot be what it will Is 64.5 and a woe upon them Lam. 5.16 3. There is a snatching or violence as the word imports in their death as the heat and drought quickly pluck away the Snow waters Which beside the quick dispatch that is made in their death without any lingring pain and their natural antipathy against death which is common to them with all men and therefore they must be plucked violently away may import that they are never ripe nor ready for death in their resolutions or if it be otherwise it slows only from delusion or a surfet of sin and pleasures not from any assurance of the favour of God And however they judge or look upon death yet the most easie death snatcheth them away as Executioners and Serjeants hurry a Malefactour to the Scaffold And in their resolutions for death they are but like drunken and madd-men who regard not the danger till they be sober Hence it is that their Soul is required of them at death Luk. 12.20 But they do never voluntarily resign it whatever their carriage seem to be Verse 20. The womb shall forget him the worm shall feed sweetly on him he shall be no more remembred and wickedness shall be broken at a tree This easie and ordinary way of the wickeds death is further amplified and enlarged in several branches 1. That the Mother whose womb bare this wicked man and which gets the name here from affection and tenderness shall forget him not so much because he is not worthy to be remembred who had been so wicked in his life as because death takes him away so calmly without any violence or disaster which might leave an impression of horrour and resentment 2. That he shall feed the worms as others do and get an easie and sweet bed in the grave See Chap. 17.14 and 21.33 3. Though he be so grossely wicked as he may be called wickedness in the abstract yet he shall leave no more memorial of any singular or remarkable thing in his death than there is of the cutting down or mouldering away of an old rotten tree Doct. 1. Memorials within time of Estates Children affection of Friends c. are but written on the sand and little to be regarded seeing men may be forgotten by their dearest friends For the womb shall forget him and he shall be no more remembred And if he be forgotten as to the way of his death other memorials of him may also perish See Psal 37.35 36. and 49.11 12. A name with God is much surer Is 56.5 2. As some get no cure of their evils but by forgetting of them The godly may be driven upon this shift Job 9.17 either when they are overcharged and not able to overtake all their sorrows or when they are unsober and refuse the consolations of God they must drive this poor trade And it is the wickeds frequent practice after they have possibly repined a while because they know not how to make up their grievances in God So
wicked that they rest and secure in the enjoyment of outward mercies For he resteth or leaneth thereupon Albeit the godly should be satisfied with such proofs of Gods goodness and rely upon God for the continuance thereof as he seeth fit yet none should be secure in such a condition nor should they lean their weight thereupon See Luke 12.19 5. It is in particular a plague upon the wicked that their outward security and safety quiets all their fears so that they have no doubt of Gods favour or of their own good estate so long as they are in such a condition For when it is given him to be in safety he resteth It is an evidence that men are of a carnal disposition when outward favours quiet all their perplexities And therefore we should guard lest our exercise be chiefly or too much about external things 6. God doth not give safety to wicked men because he approves of them or seeth not their wickedness But he hath an eye upon them all the while and particularly noticeth how they abuse these Providences For notwithstanding all the safety he gives them yet his eyes are upon their wayes This sheweth how little God esteems of these outward things which he heaps upon these who are rebelling even in his view and sight and what a snare it is to be so blinded with prosperity that by reason thereof men cannot see the eye of God upon them 7. Albeit the Lord be not still punishing the wicked yet this is sad if it were well considered that he is still observing and marking all their wayes to call them to an account for them in a day of reckoning For this is added to all the account of their prosperous condition yet his eyes are upon their wayes From v. 24. Learn 1. Wicked men may be exalted through Gods indulgence yea they are too good at exalting of themselves in their prosperity For they are exalted 2. All this exaltation of the wicked is but an empty poor thing if it be well considered For so the words will read they are exalted a little or it is but a little and small exaltation 3. When wicked men have enjoyed all imaginable outward dignity even for all their life-time yet not only will it not continue but they have but a very little while of it in respect of eternity into which they enter at death For they are but exalted for a little while though they continue in their dignity even till death that they are not 4. Death will make a remarkable change upon wicked men and such a change as swallows up all their former prosperity For they are gone or are not they are brought low or attenuated and they are taken out of the way when they are cut off or they are shut up in the grave so that they appear no more on the stage nor can again come at their wonted enjoyments and then all their dignity ceaseth as if it had never been 5. This change is as easily wrought upon dignified persons as upon the meanest For so much may this phrase import in part that they are taken out of the way as all other or as all that is as all men are 6. Whatever be the different state of the wicked from other men as to the wrath of God lying upon them yet the outward stroak of death may come in a common way upon them and that not before they seem to be drop-ripe for it For they are taken out of the way as all other and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn And this is a part of the tryal and exercise of godly men when they see the wicked so gently dealt with both in life and death yet they will not be snared if they think little of Time and much of Eternity Verse 25. And if it be not so now who will make me a liar and make my speech nothing worth In this Verse we have Job's conclusion of this discourse and debate wherein he confirmeth the truth of what he hath spoken concerning the lot of the wicked by turning to his Friends and challenging them to contradict what he hath said if they could Whence Learn 1. Men should be firmly perswaded of the truth of what they deliver as the mind of God For so was Job of what he had said and therefore challengeth them to refute him if they can 2. Truth fears no Touch-stone and the friends of Truth will decline no tryal it can be put to as knowing it will shine the brighter the more it be tryed Therefore Job bids them disprove his Doctrine if it be not so nor as he hath spoken 3. To teach Errour is the grossest and most dangerous lying and such Doctrine is worthless Doctrine For Job grants that if they could disprove his Doctrine they would make him a lyar and his speech nothing worth So that they are ill employed who vent and feed upon such Doctrine CHAP. XXV In this Chapter we have Bildad's third assault upon Job and the last that is made by any of his three Friends For after this they give over debating with him and Job speaks on till Elihu interpose to decide the controversie In this Discourse Bildad doth not at all meddle with Job's discourse Chapter 24. concerning the lot of many wicked men but only reflects briefly upon his complaint and his desire to plead his own Integrity before God Chap. 23. And the reason why he passeth one branch of the debate and toucheth so briefly upon the other seemeth not to be because he was convinced by what Job had spoken of Gods indulgence toward wicked men Chap. 24. Nor yet is it clear or certain that Job did interrupt him in his discourse before he came to that other branch of the Question as being imbittered by the little he heard upon the first part of it But conceiving Job to be stubborn and wilful in his opinions as is expresly declared to be all their thoughts Chap. 32.1 he will deal no more with him by way of formal reply to the several parts of his Discourse but cuts short and leaves him with a short word of conviction about the matter of his Righteousness wherein he endeavours to affright him with these high expressions of Gods Dominion and intimation of mans baseness His Doctrine is much the same with that of Eliphaz Chap. 4.17 c. And doth indeed militate strongly against mans pleading of perfect purity and serves well to reprehend Job's rash expressions which Elihu upon these and the like considerations doth condemn and so I intend to make use of the words But all this makes nothing for confirming of Bildad's and his associates assertion as shall be cleared on v. 4. that Job was wicked because afflicted or because he pleaded that he was a godly man notwithstanding his afflictions But in this Discourse Bildad proceeds upon a twofold mistake 1. That God behoved either to be unjust which were blasphemous to assert who had afflicted Job
confident desire to meet with God that he might plead his Integrity before him Chap. 23. As for the second fault charged upon him that he saved not the arm that hath no strength it may be taken onely as an amplification and enlargement of the former that in his discourse he had not regarded his low and weak condition which was as an arm wanting strength See Psal 10.15 Ezek. 30.21 c. Nor did he endeavour to keep him from being crushed But if we consider further that weak armes or hands import discouragement through unbelief hindering men to act any thing Isa 35.3 4. Heb. 12.12 the challenge may point out more particularly that he had spoken nothing to support his almost exhausted faith that so it might cleave to God but rather had affrighted him from looking to God And indeed faith may be very well called the arm of the soul whereby it exerciseth its strength Not only because it layeth hold on Christ who is the arm of the Lord Isa 53.1 But because the exercise of faith is an evidence of strength how weak so ever we be otherwise and because it must be our arm first to lay hold on God and then to work which is the method we should follow in our undertakings Thus this second challenge serveth to explain the former and sheweth that his want of strength consisted in his discouragement that he may yet more aggravate Bildad's fault who did not deal more tenderly with him From the first fault challenged Learn 1. Much trouble will try and discover mens weakness and make them very weak For Job is without power both in body and mind See Ps 22.14 15. and 109.22 23 24. and elsewhere This 1. Teacheth men not to judge of their strength by what they have in a day of prosperity nor to trust to their own strength when a day of tryal cometh which may shake their resolutions 2. It warns them not to mistake albeit tryal discover their weakness provided they shrink not from God nor weary through impatience 3. Yet those discoveries being made for our humiliation we ought to observe them narrowly for that end 4. Only we should guard lest we be accessary to the weakning of our selves by discouragement Doct. 2. Trouble is sent upon godly men not simply to discover some weakness only but even to empty them and take them clean off their own bottom For Job here is without power or hath no strength This is not to be mistaken for no less will drive us from confidence in our selves 2 Cor. 1.8 9 10. and when we are thus it is a fit time for God to appear Deut. 32.36 3. When Saints are thus weak it is the duty of godly friends to put forth their helping hand to relieve them For Job implyeth it was his duty to have helped him that was without power Brethren and friends are born for adversity and a sympathizers task is not little nor easie in such a time And therefore every man should see how he may be steadable in such a time else he is useless and as bad as no man Isa 59.16 that he be not looking on only or careless and especially that he be not rejoycing at or adding to the sorrow of the afflicted 4. A special mean of the weak godly mans help is the right applying of the word and truth of God which is of saving power and efficacy For Job's challenge implyeth that if Bildad had spoken truth to the purpose it would have helped him See Chap. 6.25 Psal 19.7 8. and 119. throughout A godly man so prizeth the truth and authority of the Word that it will comfort him though performance be wanting the rod causeth him have his recourse to the Word that he may receive instruction with his correction Ps 94.12 5. The people of God may expect not only to be even exhausted with trouble but that in such a case they will be disappointed of help from godly friends For so was it with Job here And this may not only encourage after-ages that such a tryal hath been essayed by others before them as by Job here by David Psal 142.4 1 Sam. 30.6 and elsewhere and by Christ in his own person But the thing it self may point out 1. How difficult it is exactly to try and humble us so that even when our power is gone we need more tryal from sleighting friends otherwise some ill root would lurk uncrushed in us 2. How difficult it is to drive us to God in trouble For we are ready to look elsewhere first till we be disappointed every where Ps 142.4 5. 3. How much trouble God can support us under even when our selves are crushed and our friends do fail us Psal 142.4 5. 2 Corinth 12 7 8 9 10. 4 How the Lord layeth aside all these means that his own help may be the more conspicuous Psal 27.10 Doct. 6. Men may preach sound truths who yet do no good to the afflicted thereby through want of their pertinency or due application For what Bildad spake was true in it self whatever were his mistakes and designs in it but nothing to Job's case and therefore did not help him Therefore Ministers ought to pray for prudence that they may speak to the condition of these with whom they have to do Isa 50.4 and 61.3 2 Tim. 2.15 And for this end they should consider 1. That it is a peculiar gift of God to have a word of wisdom distinct from a word of knowlâ—dge 1 Cor. 12.8 2. That wise and able men such as Job's Friends were may miscarry in the application of truths if left to themselves 3. That heat and debates may draw men away from that which should be their scope and from judging of things aright For this contributed to cause Bildad and the rest miscarry 4. That want of experience doth much hurt in mens dealing with afflicted persons For Job's Friends being of whole unbroken minds and unacquainted with such exercises did therefore prove so cruel to him Therefore Priests were compassed with infirmities that they might be compassionate Heb. 5.2 and Christ himself became acquainted with our sinless infirmities for that end Heb. 2.17 18. and 4.15 16. Doct. 7. A good way for men to know what they are doing is to examine their own consciences and commune with their own hearts Therefore Job by these questions puts him to it that he might impartially try how he had failed in his duty Here consider 1. Self-examination that we may know and seriously consider what we are doing is a great stranger among the most of men and it is an exercise from which they are very averse For Bildad must be put to it here See also Psa 4.4 Hag. 1.5 7. 2 Cor. 13.5 Such as walk most untenderly are most averse from this task whereby it comes to pass that their condition is confused and it becomes even as the shadow of death to them to think upon self-examination 2. It is not enough that men
as evidences of his glorious dominion See Psal 104.24 25 26 and 107.23 24 c. 6. Gods providence reacheth even to the depths of the Sea as here we are also taught There providence can find out a Rebel Amos 9.13 There the bodies of Saints will find a resting place till he call for them Rev. 20.13 And there Jonah will find a Whale to preserve him Jon. 1.17 7. Gods providence is to be seen and adored not only in living but in lifeless creatures even in even in every pile of grass and in those dead things which are formed from under the waters We need no wonders to demonstrate the glory of God which is obvious in every even in the meanest thing And he is so glorious in riches that as it were he casts away Pearls and other precious things into the depth of the Sea and waters and buries Minerals in the bowels of the Earth Whereby also he tells us that our hearts should not lust so much after these things which his providence hath set out of our way Verse 6. Hell is naked before him and destruction hath no covering The second evidence and effect of Gods Dominion is his omniscience and that he knoweth and consequently ordereth what is most obscure and remote from the knowledge of men So that hell and the place of destruction whether we understand it of the grave and horrid station of the dead and under that comprehend all things that are in the deepest bowels of the Earth and hid under gross obscurity and darkness or of the place of the damned is no less naked before him than if it wanted a skin or covering For so the latter part of the Verse is an explication of the former Doct. 1. Hell and destruction are but one thing For here the one is explained by the other See Prov. 15.11 If we understand this of the grave death and the grave do not only destroy and cut off all our temporal enjoyments as to us but do destroy our persons and dissolve our bodies into dust And therefore nature looks upon it as a destruction and no wonder Saints sometime look so upon it also So that we have no cause to do at upon our bodies which will be brought to this issue at last and if men place their happiness in their temporal enjoyments and life the day will come wherein they will have done with all of that See Psal 49.16 17. Is 10.3 and 14.9 10 11. But the godly may rejoyce in God who out of that eater brings forth meat unto them and doth warrant them to take a more comfortable look of death If we understand it of the place of the damned that is a place of everlasting destruction 2 Thâ—ss 1.9 without any redemption or hope of recovery as there is in other sad conditions and then misery will triumph over these who have long insulted over it So that nothing should be looked upon as a ruine where this is away Mic. 7.8 1 Cor. 11.32 2. God is omniscient and seeth the most secret and hidden thing were it even in Hell or the bowels of the Earth For hell is naked before him that is before God and destruction hath no covering See Psal 139.8 c. Heb. 12.13 Hence 1. If these things be naked before God much more are men and their hearts known to him See Prov. 15.11 So that though men dig deep to hide their counsels from the Lord and seek many coverings of secrecy denial extenuations and pretences yet all these will serve in no stead before him but will only render their courses more odious to him who hates dissimulation and who is provoked to give men a sad proof of his omniscience when they would attempt to deceive him Jer. 2.35 See Is 29.15 and 30.1 Job 31.33 2. If God know all things so well we are bound to trust his verdict concerning us in his word and not our own deceitful hearts Jer. 17.9 10. 3. His eye upon us is still to be remembred and that as was said to â—â—hazi by Elisha 2 King 5.26 his heart goeth with us wherever we go See Psal 44.20 21. and 139.7.8 c. Job 31 4. and 34.21 22. So that if our own hearts condemn us much more may he condemn us who is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things 1 Joh. 3.20 4. When at any time the word of God fines us out we should not look upon it as falling forth by chance but as directed to us by his all seeing eye and providence For therefore is the Word quick and powerful to discern the thoughts and iâ—tents of the heart because all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do Heb. 4.12 with 13. See 1 Cor. 14 24 25. 5. This also may comfort the godly under afflictions Psal 31.7 and 142.3 when they are slâ—ndered by men Job 16 19. and secretly plotted against Psal 94 7 8 c. 2 King 6 11 12 31 32. Is 29.15 16. Verse 7. He stretcheth out the north over the empty place and hangeth the earth upon nothing The third evidence and effect of Gods powerful dominion and providence is his fixing of Heaven and Earth As for the first part of the Verse He stretcheth out the North over the empty place it may indeed be understood thus that he spreads that part of the Heavens which is near the North Pole over the empty or uninhabited place of the Earth as that part of the Earth under the Pole is uninhabited But it is clearer to understand the whole Verse thus That the Lord stretcheth out the whole Heaven which here he denominates from the north or Northern Hemisphere thereof under whâ—ch himself lived like a curious vault above that void and empty space which is betwixt the Earth and it and he hangeth the globe of the Earth and Water upon nothing causing it hang as a ball in the air And for further clearing of the words consider 1. He calls that interjacent space betwixt the Heaven and the Earth the empty place because though there be no vacuity in Nature yet the Air which fills that space to common sense seems to be nothing and sure it is an empty place of any thing which might support that fabrick of the Heavens 2. Though the Earth be elsewhere said to have foundations upon which it is setled Psal 104 5. yet that is to be understood of the deepest placeâ— of the Earth near the center thereof which are as foundations to these parts of it which are above them not that the whole Earth hath any foundations Or it may be thus understood that the Earth is no less fixed than if it were setled upon the firmest foundations And whereas it is said Psal 24.2 That the Earth is founded upon the seas and established upon the floods the word rendred upon may in that place be more fitly rendered above to point out the great power of God who hath made the dry Earth stand
Wicked mens condition be what it will is not desirable as they have it their mercies being cursed and snares unto them and much more their crosses For so is here imported that the estate of the wicked is the worst estate imaginable to a right discerner So that Job thinks it fit for no friend but only the worst of his enemies who not only hate him but rise up against him if he durst wish them so much evil 3. It is the mark of a godly man that in his greatest adversity he abhorrs the state and condition of the wicked in their greatest prosperity For so doth Jobs wish import which is not a prayer against his enemies but an evidence that he detests their lot and consequently a proof that himself is not wicked See Job 36.21 Verse 8. For what is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul In the next place to v. 11. Job proves that he is no hypocrite especially by his cleaving to God in trouble Where he propounds several characters of hypocrites leaving them to gather that he was free of them In this Verse we have the first evidence that he is no hypocrite That whereas hypocrites though they may be full of presumption in prosperity yet all their gain and advantages will afford them no solid hope when death cometh upon them He on the contrary in the depth of his distress and apprehension of approaching death was still full of hope as may be gathered from his expressions Chap. 6.10 and 12.4 and 13.15 and else-where As for this and the rest of these evidences and arguments proving that he is not an hypocrite they are thus to be understood That where those evidences are contrary to these characters of the hypocrite they do infallibly conclude a man not to be an hypocrite Yet if some weak seeker of God find those wanting in some of their measures and degrees and at some times it should be remembred that every real Saint is not a Job nor can produce such eminent works of grace and sincerity as he had nor wâ—ll real Saints be measured by their infirmities or sits of weakness not by the emanations of their flesh if they renounce and mourn for them As on the contrary hypocrites will not be judged by that stupidity which they may have in trouble instead of faith and hope Doct. 1. Hypocrâ—sie is to be avoided as well as gross wickedness by every one that would approve themselves to God For Job clears that he is free of both and having purged himself of wickedness v. 7. he now comes to purge himself of hypocrisie Yea the name here given to the hypocrite signifieth also one that is prophane to shew that God looks upon every hypocrite as such a one however he mask his wickedness 2. Hypocrisie and Coveâ—ousness of love of gain are evils which frequently concurr and goe together For the hypocrite here is he that hath gained Not that every covetous wretch puts on a mask of profession but that hypocrites make use of a cloak of Religion only for their own advantage See Matth. 23.14 1 Tim. 6.5 3. God may let the covetous designes of hypocrites succeed in their hand and so answer them according to the Idol of their hearts whereas he will famish these Idols if godly men hanker after them For it is supposed here of the hypocrite that he hath gained 4. Much of mens contentment especially of godly men or these who pretend to godliness depends upon their hopes For here hope is supposed so necessary to the Sons of men their present enjoyments being so empty especially to godly men that even hypocrites pretend to the hopes of godly men as they pretend to their piety See 1 Cor. 15.19 5. The Hypocrite may be so bolstered up with prosperity that he may live in a presumptuous dream of hope even till his death which is a sad snare upon him For here it is supposed that he hath hope which he never questions till God come to take away his Soul 6. Approaching death is the great touchstone of mens hopes As here it is supposed their hopes will fail who had stood out long before 7. It is an evidence of an hypocrite that he is never really willing to dye For God takes away his Soul by force as the word imports He doth not willingly resign it as Luk. 2.29 but violence is used upon him as Luk. 12.20 8. Death will blast all the hypocrites hopes and will discover these follies in them which they would not read in the Word For saith he What is the hope of the hypocrite when God taketh away his Soul See Prov. 11.7 So that they who study not mortality well will never be sincere and hypocrites may expect that their hopes will fail them when they have most need of them 9. Though the gain and advantages of hypocrites do in this life delude them and put to silence any clamours of their consciences yet none of these will support them nor keep life in their dying hopes at death For What is the hope of the hypocrite even though he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul 10. Those whose hopes in God are not brangled by adversity nor by approaching death if they have also thâ—se other characters after mentioned are undoubtedly no hypocrites For so would Job inferr in his own savours that he is no hypocrite seeing it is not with him as it is with them in the matter of hope Verse 9. Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him The second evidence that he is not an hypocrite may be thus understood That God hears not the cry of an hypocrite in his trouble whether that of approaching death v. 8. or any other because he doth not cry to him as is said Chap. 36.13 as Job now doth in his distress And it is indeed true That to be dumb as to crying to God in trouble is a very black character Ezek. 24.23 And that hypocrites will essay many shifts before they goe to God in distress But this phrase that God will not hear his cry in trouble as it is frequently recorded in Scripture doth rather import that the hypocrite may indâ—ed cry in trouble but God will not hear him as for many other reasons so among the rest for these reasons subjoyned v. 10. Thus the Argument is of the same nature with that v. 7. whereby he proved that he was not wicked That he abhorts the condition of the hypocrite because God will not hear him in trouble and therefore he was no hypocrite And for further clearing of this it may be enquired Quest If this be a mark of an hypocrite That God doth not hear his cry in trouble how will Job clear himself of it who complains so often that he is not heard To which it is answered Answ 1. When Job complains he is not heard he speaks the language of Sense but here he speaks the language of Faith
some of them As here to be buried in death c. or to dye in an odde way without leaving any memorial of themselves behind them and without any solemnity witnessing mens respect unto them Death in it self is terrible to them as being the King of terrours as being a curse to them without any mitigation a cutting off of all their contentments and happiness and an haleing of them as Malefactors before their Judge and to eternal torments never to see a glad day again And when God lets out some glimpse of this upon some of them in the way of their death it should be the more heeded and lay'd to heart 4. Whatever may be the lot of godly men yet it is in it self a misery to dye undesired and unlamented as here they are buried in death or ignominy and forgetfulnesse and are not lamented but even his widows shall not weep See 2 Chron. 21.20 Jer. 22.28 This may import somewhat of duty that in a sad time particular losses should be swallowed up in the thoughts of more publick calamities as we see in Phineas wife 1 Sam. 4.20 21 22. with Ps 78.64 See also Ezek. 24.16 17 18. It may import also a judgement upon the living that their case is rather to be lamented who are left behind than they who are cut off Jer. 8.3 and 22.10 Rev. 9.6 And that as their private Interests come ordinarily betwixt them and the care of the Publick good So God may send publick calamities which will make them forget their particular sorrows But further consider 1. Whatever fault there may be in others their not remembering nor mourning for these their dead relations Yet it is Gods judgement upon them that they want these marks of respect and favour as indeed men may observe Gods righteous judgement in that wherein instruments acts sinfully 2. Though this also may be the sad lot of Godly men that they are cut off as the filth and off-scouring of the earth Ps 79.2 3. Yet 1. The chief thing to be looked to in a stroak is the guilt procuring it and if that be done away as it is to godly men all is well whatever befall them 2. Such as study piety do take the sure way to be remembered Prov. 10.7 when all other memorials of men will faile 3. However others do esteem of godly men yet they may be ill wanted as being Pillars to uphold the world and means of preserving the places where they are And it is a sad case when they are not lamented Is 57.1 4. Godly men may be missed when they are gone even by those who sleighted them when they had them and desired and it may be endeavoured to be rid of them Therefore Moses dead body behoved to be hid from Israel lest they should Idolize it Deut. 34.6 though they often sleighted him in his life Verse 16. Though he heap up silver as the dust and prepare raiment as the clay 17. He may prepare it but the just shall put it on and the innocent shall divide the silver The second sort of calamities which befall some of the wicked in these two and the next following Verse is the loss of their wealth and estate instanced in these Verses in their moveables such as silver and apparel which though they prepare them in great abundance yet they shall not enjoy but they shall come to the innocent and righteous See Eccl. 2.26 This doth nothing favour their fancy who dream that Saints shall so inherit the earth and have only such a right to all things as they may without sin deprive others of what they have When Saints thus mind earth heaven which is their true portion and inheritance will be forgotten as experience doth witness and such a principle is a ready mean to beget many hypocrites in hopes of temporal advantages But to say nothing how ill purchase may sometime be well bestowed and employed by the conversion of the owners as Is 23.18 Luk. 19.8 Job speaks here only 1. Of a providential dispensation to some wicked and godly men as Prov. 13.22 and 28.8 and that God by his providence may sometime bring the wealth of the wicked into godly mens hands as when Israel got the Egyptians wealth and the Canaanites land by his special warrant and providence not that this befalls all the wicked or all the godly 2. He speaks of what comes to the hands of godly persons by right and lawful means and noâ— by ill purchases For the eighth Command stands firm in its authority except when God dispenseth therewith by his own immediate authority as in the case of Israel's spoiling of the Egyptians 3. He speaks most especially of Gods providence in bringing back the wickeds ill purchase to the righteous owners who whatever they be otherwise are just and innocent as to those who oppressed them Doct. 1. Wealth is another Idol of wicked men beside their children wherewith they are ensnared as here is supposed 2. It is not a little of wealth that wicked men aim at and seeing they put it in Gods room it is no wonder they be insatiable seeing never so much of it will not serve their turn to be an happiness instead of God For they endeavour to heap it up as the dust and clay See Eccl. 5.10 Is 5.8 Luk. 12.15 3. Though wicked men be most tenacious of their wealth and sparing to make use of it yet Apparel is the great Idol of some of them whereby they express their pride and vain-glory and upon which they will spare no cost For with heaping up of silver they also prepare raiment and so this Idol makes their covetousness serve and stoop to it 4. God may suffer wicked men to prosper for a time in getting some satisfaction to their insatiable desires For they may heap up silver as the dust and prepare raiment as the clay This bounty the Lord rains upon them in anger and for a snare for it stops the mouth of conscience and hardens them against all challenges and intimations of Gods displeasure Hos 12.7 8. 5. Wicked men the more they do increase in wealth do but see the vileness thereof the more and do but encrease their own toyl For their heaps are but as the dust and clay as silver was in Solomon's dayes yea they but load themselves with thick clay Hab. 2.6 The deeper men dig in this dunghill they will find but the more vanity and vexation in it See Eccles 5.11 6. Wicked men by all their endeavours about wealth and by their success therein will never reach the end they propound to themselves As here is instanced in some for a document to all who may prepare but get not leave to make use of what they have prepared 7. God in his providence may sometime bring the unlawful purchase of the wicked into the hands of the righteous owners or of them who will employ it better than they For so as hath been explained the just shall put it on
and the innocent shall divide the silver either divide it among themselves or because the word is singular divide it to others who stand in need See Psal 105.44 Wicked men cannot secure who shall be their heirs Esth 8.2 Psal 39.6 And therefore such as have right and are oppressed by others should keep Gods way as lying nearest the promise and blessing 8. It is a mark of piety to use riches well For therefore it comes in the just and innocent mans hands that he may not only put on the rayment but divide the silver Piety is tryed as by mens purchase and estimation so by their using of riches and therefore when godly men abuse wealth it is just they be also stripped of it Verse 18. He buildeth his house as a moth and as a booth that the keeper maketh In this Verse Job sheweth that the wicked mans house or more setled estate shall be as uncertain as his moveables This he illustrates by two similitudes one is of a moth which houseth it self in cloath but is either swept out of it with a brush or eats it self out of house by eating the cloath so the wicked man ruines his house and estate by sin and shall be thrust out of it The other similitude is that his house shall prove but like a keepers booth which is set up for a season and then pulled down Is 1.8 and 24.20 Lam. 2.6 Doct. 1. Wicked men whose names are written in the earth Jer. 17.13 do seek to fix and settle themselves there without minding any higher portion For in this sense it is true of the wicked man in a peculiar manner that he buildeth his house See Ps 49.11 2. Wicked men care not whom they wrong so they may fix and settle themselves For he builds his house as a moth which eats the best cloath and that which belongs not unto it 3. Were the estate of the wicked never so fixed in appearance yet it is but built upon the sand and is but as a moths house and a keepers booth Their very ill purchase as the moths eating of the cloath will eat them out and make the stones and timber cry out against them Hab. 2.10 11. 4. It is easie for God to ruine the estate of wicked men how strong soever they seem to be For he will prove but as a moth and his house but as a keepers booth There is a greaâ— difference betwixt what mans estate may seem to be and what it will really prove in the hand of a sin-revenging God Verse 19. The rich man shall lie down but he shall not be gathered he openeth his eyes and he is not The third sort of calamities which suddainly befall some of the wicked is the ruine of themselves or their persons especially to which the following Verses chiefly speak though they may relate also to his ruine in the matter of his wealth which may be suddenly brought to pass And this is propounded in borrowed terms v. 19. illustrated by other similitudes v. 20 21. and amplified from the Author in inflicting the stroak v. 22. and from the effect and consequent thereof v. 23. In this Verse the suddenness and unexpectedness of the wicked mans ruine is propounded Some do expound the words thus that though the wicked man shall lie down or die calmely yet he shall not be gathered with the Saints to a blessed life after death but then his eyes shall be opened and he shall see that he is a gone man however he thought himself happy before This interpretation doth indeed hold out a sad discovery which a wicked man gets of himself at death when he is departing from his supposed happiness and made to see that he is lost and gone But it doth not agree with Job's scope here who is speaking of these visible judgements which befall some of the wicked in this life Therefore the plain and simple meaning of the words is That the wicked man shall be as one new lien down and not as yet gathered or fully composed for sleep but half sleeping half waking and then a terrible alarm comes upon him and as he lifts up his eyes he is presently gone Doct. 1. Though riches and piety may consist together yet ordinarily rich men are under a great tentation to be wicked Therefore is the wicked man called here the rich man because as he followed wicked courses to attain riches so his confidence in his riches imboldens him to be yet more wicked See Luke 18.24 25. with Mark 10.23 24. 2. Wicked men may expect that besides stroaks upon their concernments and enjoyments their very persons shall not escape which is the sharpest of outward tryals Job 2.4 for so is here threatned 3. Wicked men may be very near destruction when it appears not to be so For when he lyeth down and is not yet gathered he openeth his eyes and he is not To which also another reading agreeth he lyeth down and nothing is gathered or taken away from him but when he openeth his eyes after his sleep he is not See 1 Thâ—ss 5.3 4. It is a sad ingredient in trouble when it cometh suddenly and unexpectedly For so is here intimated that it is an aggravation of the wicked mans ruine that so suddenly he is not And when a stroak cometh in such a way it should be looked on as the just fruit of mens not looking out and preparing for trouble but dreaming of a perpetual happiness 5. When God beginneth to reckon with wicked men he will not do his work by halves but payeth them home once for all For so is here imported in that the wicked man is not when God begins to call him to an account See Nah. 1.9 1 Sam. 3.12 Verse 20. Terrours take hold of him as waters a tempest stealeth him away in the night 21. The east-wind carrieth him away and he departeth and as a storm hurleth him out of his place In these Verses the suddenness and dreadfulness of the wicked mans ruine is illustrated by two similitudes 1. That terrours or terrible plagues shall hurry him away as an innundation of waters breaking in impetuously upon an house built beside it doth carry all away with it v. 20. 2. That he shall be surprized with destruction as when a tempest or whirlwind falleth upon things in a dark night and carrieth them away none can see whither v. 20. This last similitude is yet insisted on v. 21. wherein he declareth that judgements like an East-wind which was very violent in those countries and made a great storm Hosea 12.1 shall carry the wicked man away and drive him out of his fixed habitation From v. 20. Learn 1. No one similitude is sufficient to illustrate the sad condition of wicked men when pursued by God therefore are divers similitudes made use of here to point out how sad their condition shall be 2. Wicked mens ruine will be very violent and terrible and will fill them with terrours seeing they have
by lesser veins man doth follow them out till it be reached 2 Gold whose place they find out where they fine it This is not to be understood as if men set up their Furnace for fining of Gold in the place where they find it But the meaning is either that they do in part refine it there by taking it from among the most of the dross before they bring it out or That it hath a place where they that is Nature and the second causes therein working do fine and purifie it in the bowels of the Earth Or the words may be thus read and understood That the Gold which men Fine hath a place where men find it out by Industry and Art 3. Iron which lieth not so deep but the Oar of it is found neer the dust and superfice of the earth 4. Brass which men do melt out of a stony Oar called by Naturalists Cadmia and Chalcitis Concerning all this it is to be observed that Job propounds this instance of mans industry and skill not secluding other Arts and Sciences wherein men also give proof of their Invention and Wisdom but because this is indeed a notable proof of mans skill and a task wherein Nature much resists mans endeavours and wherein the effects of mans wisdom and industry are sensible and obvious to the view of all Doct. 1. God hath stored this Earth with all things necessary to make it a commodious habitation for man so that both above and beneath ground it is full of needful riches As here Job instanceth particularly in Minerals under ground things above ground being obvious to all 2. God is to be seen in what is more base as well as in what is more precious and his bounty is to be acknowledged in it as being needful for the use of man for he demonstrates his riches in Iron and Brass as well as in Silver and Gold the one being no less needful and of more common use than the other 3. God hath put the choicest of the Earths and Times Treasures not only under mens feet but under ground also that they may not seek their happiness there nor omit their other more needful searches while they make enquiries after them for all these Minerals are under ground 4. However men are apt to quarrel Gods allowances yet he hath so ordered that what is most necessary is to be had in greatest abundance and most easily for therefore Iron and Brass are neerer the superfice of the Earth than Silver or Gold and there is greater abundance of these whereas there are but veins of Silver 5. What is most rare and difficultly attained is most precious as Silver and Gold are upon that among other accounts Hereby the Lord prevents that contempt of these Mercies which would be more vile if they were more plenteous as Silver was in Solomons days And thus also doth he commend the excellency of Spiritual things by their being difficultly attained 6. Even the most precious of natural things require much art to cause them have a lustre in our eyes for Gold must be Fined which sheweth their emptiness as to satisfying of the heart of man that they need art and dexterity to set them off 7. Men are incessant in their study and care to find out what is or what they think is for their worldly accommodation be it above or under ground as here they are supposed to be in finding out of these Mettals Which though it be not unlawful in it self may bear witness against them for their negligence about better things See Luke 11.31 8. Skill in Arts and dexterity for finding out of the Secrets of Nature is an old and common gift for here in Jobs days they had skill to find out these Mettals We find that this skill was among Cains posterity before the Flood Gen. 4.22 which sheweth how little such gifts are to be rested upon for attaining of happiness thereby and what a wonder it is to see many men so quick in these inventions who yet are so blunt in taking up Spiritual Wisdom See Mat. 11.25 1 Cor. 1.23 26. Verse 3. He setteh an end to darkness and searcheth out all perfection the stones of darkness and the shadow of death In the rest of this purpose to v. 12. this general Proposition is amplified and enlarged by giving an account of the difficulties which man overcometh by his industry and skill that so he may reach those and other precious things in the bowels of the Earth Wherein also is held out more of the Earths Riches and a commendation of mans painfulness in seeking them out and so both branches of the Proposition are further cleared The first difficulty in this verse is Darkness to which mans industry assigns yet more narrow bounds and puts a period to it by making it â—â—de to Light coming in its place either when he opeâ—â— the Earth to let in the light of day where darkness was before or by bringing in of Candles and Lamps into the dark Mines And this man doth because by that means he searcheth out what iâ— precious and perfect in the bowels of the Earth and findeth out these precious Stones which lie not only in Darkness under the Earth but in the shadow of Death that is in the deep bâ— wâ—lâ— of the Earth where there is a deadly shade and where things would lie in eternal obscurity as buried in death were it not for mans searching and where there is darkness which might affright men to death and where many have been actually choked and smothered to death Doct. 1. God hath beset man with much exercise and sore toil in his undertakings about things of the world as here is instanced in these who work in Mines And this the Lord doth partly that he may exercise afflict and humble all the Sons of men in their worldly employmentâ— that they may remember their happiness lieth noâ— there partly that he may cause men to find it a dear bargain who sell their souls for these things 2. Men are so addicted to the things of time that they stand upon no pains difficulty or hazard so they may reach them for they will hazard upon Darkness and put an end or period to it in that place where they work and it was before and on the shadow of death that they may find out these Minerals Which may make men ashamed of their negligence in better undertakings where they are easily damped with any darkness of discouragement and where they will hazard nothing though in pursuing of these things below they will hazard upon deadly terrours and upon death it self 3. God in his Providence may make men succeed in their endeavours about the world even when their undertakings are difficult As here they search out all perfection c. Hereby as God recompenseth mens lawful toil and endeavours and encourageth them to undertake higher and more hopeful employment so he raineth Snares upon others who chuse these things for their
our quarrellings considering how excellent and precious this wisdom is which guides us and we should esteem of this priviledge that his wisdom guides us when we want other proofs of his love which are more sensibly comfortable 3. We should esteem of it above the best of wealth when we get grace to discern and read any of this wisdom aright Doct. 5. Not only is this wisdom excellent but man hath no price wherewith to purchase it nor can he acquire the knowledge of it with money Jewels or any thing else as here we are also taught God useth not to sell but to gift what we get of him and however there be a price of diligence to be laid forth for attaining of Spiritual Wisdom Prov. 17.16 yet as no Spiritual gifts can be purchased by Money or Jewels Act. 8.18 19 20. so the knowledge of this wisdom is unattainable by men at any rate And men do many times but proclaim their folly in thinking they know more of it than they do and they should learn rather to adore and trust his wisdom than presume to comprehend it Hence also it may be concluded That however in worldly affairs money answereth all things Eccl. 10.19 yet it is of no avail here If a vertuous woman be precious above the choicest Jewels Prov. 31.10 much more do spiritual things transcend them in excellency Prov. 3.13 14 15. and 4.7 Mat. 13.44 So that even wealthy men are but poor if they want these and they are but fools who suffer earthly things to draw their hearts from off things that are spiritual See Heb. 12.16 Verse 20. Whence then cometh wisdom and where is the place of understanding 21. Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living and kept close from the fowls of the air 22. Destruction and death say We have heard the same thereof with our ears These Verses may be looked upon as a resumption of that question and purpose v. 12 13 14. to make way for that answer v. 23. But they contain also a third reason confirming that this wisdom is unattainable by man The assertion is again repeated in a question v. 20. being the same in substance with that v. 12. which must be resolved negatively that man cannot find out this wisdom The reason is subjoined v. 21 22. That men whether they be considered as they live upon earth or though they could ascend neerer Heaven with the fowls or go down and dive to the very pit and grave yet they could not find out this wisdom So the force of the reason is That man hath no abilities whereby to attain this wisdom Neither will his common abilities such as are communicated to all living serve his turn nor yet will the more elevated parts of some above common Engines who soar high like sowls or mens long experience even unto death and experience of many remarkable Plagues and Destructions by the way give them any more of this wisdom but only a fame and report of it Doct. 1. It is again and again seriously to be considered how impossible it is for man to comprehend the wisdom of God in the Government of the World therefore is this question again repeated v. 20. to inculcate it upon us We are not soon convinced of our ignorance of this and yet it is necessary to know that God hides many of his wise counsels from all the Sons of men that so we may be taken off from needless and unprofitable toil our curiosity may be bridled and we may be humbled and kept at our duty and at a constant dependence upon God 2. Let man shift and turn himself on every hand on Earth in the Air and Depth yet he will still return an ignorant of this Mystery as here we are taught It is our mercy that this toil of ascending and descending is prevented in things needful Rom. 10.6 7 8. 3. Mens most refined abilities will fall short in this undertaking as well as ordinary endowments for could they soar never so high yet this is kept close from the fowls of the Air. Able spirits are very proud of their own abilities yet here is a consideration that may humble them 4. Though this wisdom of God be hid yet some scantlings of the knowledge thereof may be attained for there may be a fame or report thereof heard 5. It is destruction and death especially that afford us means of this little knowledge which is attainable for it is destruction and death that say we have heard the fame thereof with our ears Not that those to speak properly have ears to hear any thing or can give an account of what they hear But the meaning is that men may come the length of death and have this knowledge inculcated by remarkable Plagues upon themselves or others Dan. 4.17 c. before they attain to any solid wisdom or understanding thereof As it is indeed generally true that men are ready to go out of the world before they know how to live in it and little do they so understand as to lay it to heart except it be inculcated by some remarkable dispensations to their own cost and expence 6. When men have passed through strange times of terrible and remarkable dispensations and have been observers of Providence to their very Graves all that they know of this wisdom of God is but a very little and it remains an unsearchable depth still for even in destruction and death there is but a fame of it to be heard Verse 23. God understandeth the way thereof and he understandeth the place thereof Followeth to v. 28. the affirmative part of Jobs first proposition That God hath this Wisdom and he comprehendeth it which proveth the eminency thereof that he alone doth fully know it In this v. we have the assertion which is confirmed in the following Verses where he speaks of the place and way of this Wisdom that they are known to God which doth not import that this Wisdom hath any place without God but only that he perfectly understands his own Wisdom and the reasons of his own dispensations as a man knoweth the way where to trace any thing and the place where to find it Doct. Albeit all Creatures be short-sighted yet God is infinitely wise and knoweth what he is doing and hath wise reasons for every dispensation of his Providence for though none else can find out this wisdom v. 12 20. yet God understandeth the way thereof c. Hence 1. This proves the eminency and excellency of that wisdom whereby the world is guided it is the wisdom of God whose wisdom is like himself 2. This also discovers that what is not in the Creatures is to be found in God man cannot know this wisdom but God knoweth it So that when Saints find defects in themselves and in all Creatures they should look up to God in whom all wants are made up 3. Particularly Saints may conclude that they are left upon an infinitely wise hand to
expecting that his tryal should have come to such an height For Chap. 3.25 He seems to say that he feared the very thing that was come upon him though no doubt the feaver of passion in which he then was made him speak as largely as might be of his former solâ—citudes to aggravate the sadness of his condition But they are to be reconciled thus In so farr as his confidence was right and allowable it might well consist with a godly solicitude about his duty especially when his Children feasted Chap. 1.5 to which that passage Chap. 3. seems chiefly to relate And in so farr as this confidence was culpable it is to be conceived that sometime that godly solicitude and sometime this pleasing expectation was his exercise And as when he was most tender and looked most accurately to the hazards that accompany a prosperous condition he was ready to apprehend there might be some faults committed which might provoke God to send a change So when at other times he was taken up with his great prosperity and the apparent stability thereof he began to dream of case as David did Ps 30.6 7. In this purpose Observe 1. If we consider what is right and allowable in this expression of Jobs confidence we may Learn 1. As this is a vanity in all temporal prosperity that if it do not leave us yet we must dye and leave it so whatever prosperity a man have or whatever be his thoughts about it yet it should not hinder his thoughts of dying And a godly man when in a right frame will not forget death in the height of his prosperity For his thoughts when he abounds in prosperity are I shall dye Thoughts of mortality and death are a necessary and useful exercise Ps 39 4. and 90 12. And it is a good evidence that we are not quite abused and debauched with our prosperity when it doth not banish thoughts of death and mortality as a burden to us nor cause us dream of an eternity of it 2. Albeit godly men dye with Gods favour in general calamities and when they are cut off in evil company as Jonathan fell with Saul And a wicked man may dye under Gods wrath at home and when he hath no bands in his death Ps 73.4 Yet in it self it is a mercy to dye at home in peace and not to be hurried out of the world in general confusions and calamities For Job looks upon dying in his warm nest as a desirable mercy It is a sad tryal when it is otherwise and may be the fruit of mens ill improving of their houses and families in their lives Yet if men see Gods salvation before they dye Ps 91.16 with Luk. 2.29 30. it is no great matter where they dye or what be the particular way of it And it becometh Saints whatever be the way of their death not to be thereby chased out of the world Job 18.18 but to be still ready and willing to goe when or wheresoever he calls them Only this may warn these who see their friends dye at home beside them that they have less cause to complain than if they had dyed another way 3. A long life is also in it self a good desirable thing Especially if it be attended with prosperity For so doth Job reckon it to multiply his dayes as the sand which is an Hyperbolical expression of many dayes as also of other things Gen. 22.17 and 41.49 Thus we find long life promised as a blessing Exod. 20.12 And the contrary is threatned as a curse Ps 55.23 For godly men who live long receive many proofs of Gods love and many experiences and times which pass over them may through Gods blessing promote the work of mortification in them This should not cause men be impatiently fond of long life and not to be full of dayes whenever God calls them Yet it may condemn them who weary of life and do not improve long life as a mercy and advantage but even in old age they dye children 4. Godly men lay the surest foundation that any man can lay of prosperity and long life and the tenure of their holding of these mercies is surer than any other For in so farr Jobs confidence and expectation was right and sound Godliness having the promise even of this life 1 Tim. 4.8 See also Deut. 28.1 2 3 c. Ps 34.12 13 14. 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. And as godly men need not to be tormented with the fear of that wrath which hangs over the wicked's head So these promises are put in their Fathers hand to dispense the good things that are contained therein according as he knoweth they will be food and not poyson to them So that undoubtedly they take the wrong course who abandon piety that they may enjoy any of these mercies Obs 2. If we consider Jobs excess in this It teacheth That when godly men do prosper they very readily exceed in their hopes and confidence about outward mercies For even Job was not free of security in this And if we narrowly consider his carriage in this we may observe a few particulars 1. Such is the weakness even of godly men that they can hardly live in a prosperous condition and not be overtaken with some security carnal confidence or other miscarriage So was it here with Job and so was it with David Ps 30.6 7. And we find Paul in hazard to miscarry even after he was caught up to the third Heaven 2 Cor. 12.6 7. And the Church falling asleep at a feast Cant. 5.1 2. Experience hath taught that prosperity is ill to guide For David was in a better frame when driven to the Wilderness by Saul than when he is lying at home and dallying with Bathsheba And this may taech us how needful changes are to keep us from setling upon our lees and how gracious God is when he continues somewhat in our lot that may be as pricks in our eyes and thornes in our sides 2. As wicked men exceed in their carnal confidences that their prosperity shall continue Ps 10.5 6. Especially because they bottom their confidence upon their wit and policy their power the stability of their estates the friendship they have and other the like unwarrantable grounds So a sleep of security is dangerous though it pretend to a better ground of confidence As David pretended to Gods favour and the experience of his kindness when he securely dreamt that he should never be moved Ps 30.6 7. And Job no doubt looked higher than to what he afterward expresseth when he was thus confident It is not much to be regarded how specious the grounds of our confidence are if we fall asleep upon them 3. It is a bad symptome when mens enjoyments are looked upon as very sweet and warm and do bulk much in their minds For here Job accounts his house his nest not for frailty but for warmth and sweetness When we take too well with our good condition it is a token
his favour but they who know it not 5. As Gods power when he lets it forth in effects is irresistable and insupportable for any creature to endure it however fools do harden themselves So godly men will soon groan under the apprehension thereof For Job resents that by his strong hand he opposed himself against him It is indeed the character of godly men that they are sensible of their own weakness and therefore are soon made to stoop under the mighty hand of God See Job 7.12 Obs 2. If we consider Jobs weakness in his complaint it may further teach 1. All men by nature are apt to have hard thoughts of God in trouble as here Job gives proof in his apprehensions of Gods cruelty and opposition So also did Jeremiah evidence his inclination to mistake God Jer. 15.18 But unrenewed men do come to a greater height in these distempers Rev. 16.19 Therefore we should guard against that evil as being incident to men in trouble and being the great design that Satan drives in it Chap. 1.11 and 2.5 2. Tentation may over-drive even such as are truly godly to speak that which is unbeseeming yea and worse than they think For here Job is over-driven by tentations As Saints must not be judged by what they are at fits so they should be upon their guard when under tentations and must not think that their hard condition will assoil them let them do what they will 3. Sense is Faiths great un-friend under tentation if it he hearkned unto For it was his sense that drave him to say all this 4. When godly men are ready to complain of God without cause or to give credit to sense they will readily find their complaints grow upon their hand For Job being in this distemper he proceeds from complaining that God did not hear him but added to his trouble v. 20. to complain that he was become cruel c. This as it evidenceth our weakness and should keep us from engaging in such a way So God makes use of it as a mean to drive us from our complaints when we see whether they would tend if way were given to them Verse 22. Thou liftest me up to the wind thou causest me to ride upon it and dissolvest my substance In this and the following Verse Job propounds two particular grounds of his apprehensions of Gods cruelty and opposition One is held out in terms borrowed from Chaffe tossed and dissipated in the air by a strong wind Or from Vapours drawn up into the air and there dissolved and melted into rain Or rather from a person carried up by a whirlwind into the air and tossed there till he be over-charged and suffocated The meaning is That he was violently tossed and hurried with a whirlwind of outward troubles under which he was kept till all his means and outward enjoyments were gone and dissolved and with a tempest of vexations upon soul and body to the dissipation of his subsistence and life and of his wit also as the word signifieth In summ He who rode prosperously and in state before is now made to ride in a chariot of strong and fierce afflictions which had ruined him Afflictions had blown away his substance and wealth his body was melted as the word imports and ready to be dissolved and his soul was over-charged so that he is at his wits end Doct. 1. How sure soever men think they sit yet when God sends affliction it will toss and hurry them Therefore it is compared to a wind or a whirlwind because it brings sudden violent and vehement vexation and tossing Thus Job when he was first assaulted did sit divers charges Chap. 1. and 2. yet at last tentation and trouble did prevail And it is one of the effects of trouble to shake those who are setled upon their lees and to keep godly men from fixing themselves upon the things of time 2. As men cannot keep themselves at ease when God hath them to toss and sift So they can put no period to their own tossings till he interpose For he not only lifts them up to the wind and so engageth them but he causeth them to ride when they are thus lifted up Or locks them as it were in the saddle that they cannot get free of tossing The continuance as well as the violence of trouble is in Gods hand and he is to be eyed in the one and the other See Jer. 47.6 7. 3. Gods design in trouble is to sift man and to discover and let it be known what he is For so Job finds in the issue that God designed by causing him ride upon the wind to dissolve and melt or sift him out as when corn or chaffe is lifted up to the wind that he may give proof what is in him and what he is able to endure 4. Whatever man seem to be at another time yet in trouble he will be found to be light and vain like a feather or chaffe in the wind and that nothing in him can abide the tryal but his strength and wiâ— and all will be soon confounded and over-charged For saith he Thou dissolvest my substance or even that which is most substantial in me and in my enjoyments Learn we to trust to nothing in our selves as able to bear out in tryal and to try our profiting under trouble by our being emptied and abased in our selves 5. God may discover those to be weak and very empty in trouble of whom he will yet give a good account For after all his tossing and dissolving of his substance Job got a good issue at last If men could wait for the end of the Lord they would not be ready to apprehend cruelty in his present dispensations and they should learn to suspend such thoughts when they are not able to refute them Verse 23. For I know that thou wilt bring me to death and to the house appointed for all living Another ground of his apprehension of Gods cruelty is That God had given him such mortal and deadly wounds that he is sure to dye and to goe to the grave which is the common lodging of all He joyns this with the former by the particle For as taking it up to be Gods design in tossing him even to cut him off Or it may be translated Surely to intimate how perswaded he was of these his apprehensions Doct. 1. It is an useful study especially under afflictions to be mindful of mortality For in so farr Jobs exercise was right that he minds Death and the grave or the house appointed for all living See Ps 90.12 Deut. 32.29 Lam. 1.9 Men are never in a right frame when they estrange themselves from thoughts of mortality 2. It is of great use to consider that Death will truly discover what we are in our Original For saith he Thou wilt bring me to death and the grave Or Thou wilt return me to death and the grave that is Thou wilt then turn me to be dust as
I was before 3. It is of great use also to look upon death and the grave as the common lot of all mankind For so doth Job describe the grave here that it is the house appointed for all living For however some get not a grave when they dye yet they get somewhat in place of it and though some as Enoch and Elijah were caught up to Heaven immediately yet they had a change in place of death and those instances are so rare and singular that they need not be stood upon as exceptions to this general assertion See Josh 23.4 1 King 2.2 Ps 89.48 Heb. 9.27 The study hereof should cause men more easily digest death as a common lot and should excite all to prepare for it it being none of these tryals wherewith some only are exercised It may also let men see that there is no cause why they should glory in their advantages within time seeing death and the grave will make all equal See Chap. 3.13 14 c. Ezek. 32.18 27. 4. It is also useful to know that God is the dispenser and orderer of all our tryals and particularly that he hath the supreme hand in bringing us to death that so we may know that our times are in his hands and not in the hands of men Ps 31.15 For saith he Thou wilt bring me to death c. 5. Albeit godly men are not unwilling to dye when God calls them to resign their life to him yet it cannot but be sad to them to be taken away in a storm For this is the scope of Jobs complaint that he was put to expect death when God was so cruel and opposite to him v. 21. So that when men are called to close their course in peace they should not decline it considering that God if be please can make death more formidable to them 6. The people of God in trouble are ordinarily too rash in their conjectures and apprehensions for the future They may be more afraid than really hurt and when they have discovered their weakness and fears God may be pleased mercifully to disappoint them For though Job was certain that he would presently dye I know thou wilt bring me to death yet he was disappointed See 2 Cor. 1.8 9 10. Verse 24. Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave though they cry in his destruction This Verse hath a dependance upon the former but the scope and meaning thereof is difficult by reason of the various readings especially of the latter part of the Verse Some conceive that Job is repeating a promise then current in the Church Namely That God will not stretch out his hand to the grave to send men to the grave if in his destroying them they cry And so the words will contain an aggravation of his complaint that God was bringing him to death v. 23. That howbeit there was such a promise and he was one who might claim a right to it being not only a cryer unto God v. 20. but a merciful man v. 25. yet God would cut him off This interpretation doth import That the best way in difficulties is to have our recourse to the promises to see what grounds of hope there are there and that Gods dispensations may sometime seem to contradict his promises As Job is here conceived to complain But it may suffice to justifie God That this was but a promise of temporal deliverance and such promises are not absolute but conditional to be performed in so farr as God seeth to be best for his people and That Job was disappointed in his apprehensions and was not cut off nor this supposed promise made void to him But I choose to follow our Translation which carries it as a cordial against approaching death That however God send him to the grave as he apprehended v. 23. yet he will not stretch out his hand to the grave or heap alluding to the custome of raising up heaps upon graves that they might be known to afflict him there but death will end all his bodily pain That in the end of the Verse is added as an amplyfication Though they cry in his destruction that is However they who are innocents and cut off do cry in the mean while that he is destroying them or however their enemies cry out while they are a cutting off that they are wicked as his friends and others did raise clamours against him yet they will be at ease there Others read it by way of confirmation thus Is there any cry there in the grave of his destroying them Certainly none at all None ever heard any such cry of these who are in the grave This encouragement which Job takes to himself is not so to be understood as if men had no joy or pain after death but he speaks only of the ease men have after death of that bodily and temporal pain which they endure in this life And albeit all this and much more might have been expected by Job had he been to dye at this time Yet he evidenceth too much weakness that he looks not to further comfort than simple case in the grave which was also his fault in his impatient wishes Chap. 3. Doct. 1. Every bitter lot that befalls the children of God hath its own consolation to sweeten it if it were well studied As here Job finds a cordial to sweeten his apprehensions of approaching death If mens eyes were opened as Hagars Gen. 21.15 16 19. and Elisha's servants 2 King 6.15 16 17. they might discern ground of encouragement even in the midst of their perplexities 2. This may sweeten all our bitterness and toyl in this life that death will put an end to it beside what further may be expected after death by godly men For so doth Job reckon that he will not stretch out his hand to the grave 3. No sad dispensations or rods upon men while they are going to the grave will frustrate them of rest there but death will make a sudden change of all their outward and temporal troubles For so much doth the subjoyned amplyfication and confirmation teach however we read and understand it Though men be crying and groaning in going to death and though clamours and calumnies be raised against them yet the experience of none doth witness that there is any cry there of Gods destroying them 4. The people of God do oft-times come short in their expectation of what is allowed upon them For Job comforts himself only in the expectation of that which is common to all as to the outward part of it whereas he might have looked for much more 5. It is also an evidence of the people of Gods weakness in trouble that they do at too much upon simple case of their pains and troubles For this is all he expresseth here though elsewhere he speak out his mind more fully Verse 25. Did not I weep for him that was in trouble Was not my soul grieved for the poor The third Evidence
this proceeding betwixt God and the afflicted man Namely The recovered mans confession and acknowledgement to the honour of God and edification of others both of his sin v. 27. and of Gods goodness toward him notwithstanding his miscarriage v. 28 I take this to be the right reading of v. 27. That the afflicted man shall confess his miscarriage before others And for the next Verse all cometh to one purpose whether we read it as the mans acknowledgement of what God hath done for him or as Elihu's intimation in Gods name that this shall be done to him upon his confession and repentance for his sin From v. 27. Learn 1. The transactions that are betwixt God and his poople the changes that are in their condition and the variety of his dispensations toward them are worthy to be marked by all For so is here supposed in that it is fit to tell all this to men 2. It is the character of persons whose afflictions are sanctified and who are penitent that they are publick minded and mind the good and edification of others For He shall look seriously as the word imports upon men and seek to edifie them See Psal 51.12 13. Luk. 22.31 32. He seeth the evil of mens security and insensibleness of Gods kindness as having smarted himself for that folly and he seeth men to be but frail creatures as their name here imports and ready to fall into such evils and therefore he would have them remedied and prevented 3. Albeit closing with Christs righteousness be the great work of godly men yet renewing of repentance must goe along with it For here this man is a penitent 4. Repentance especially for publick sins must not be huddled up in corners but publickly avowed as we have opportunity in our stations and as the nature of the offence requireth that so it may be exemplary As here his repentance is publickly professed 5. As even the regenerate have sin and must be sensible of it under trouble that so they may justifie God who hath afflicted them and may make it their greatest task to remove sin under the cross Is 27 9. So a blessed deliverance continueth the sight and sense of sin and repentance foâ— it For both when he is afflicted and delivered as the words may relate to both he is at this I have sinned 6. A true penitent will not care to shame himself that he may glorifie God by the confession of his sin For looking upon men he will say I have sinned See Josh 7 19. Dan. 9.7 8 9. 7. It is not enough to see or confess sin unless it be seen in the aggravations thereof As here it is subjoyned I have sinned and perverted c. See Rom. 7.13 8. Repentance will make a strange change in mens judgements in approving what is excellent For what he before neglected and slighted is now found to be right and the Law which enjoynes it to be just and good Rom. 7.12 9. It is a sad aggravation of sin in a penitents esteem when he hath not only done wrong but perverted that which was right as it is here expressed either by being stubborn in an evil course or by wresting his light and the rule of right and wrong to make what is wrong seem right much more if that can be incident to a renewed Child of God by opposing and resisting what is right in others as Act. 13.8 10. 10. Whatever sinful courses do promise or sinners do fancy yet penitents will find sin an unprofitable course For saith he It profited me not Which imports also for it is a diminutive expression that it is destructive and had proved so to him if grace had not prevented See Rom. 6.21 11. Albeit the offence committed against God should most sadly affect a penitent yet his own folly in taking such an unprofitable course may aggravate his crime and contribute to the heightening of his sorrow As here it is taken notice of upon that account From v. 18. Learn 1. True penitents will find a sweet account of the change of Gods dealing toward them As here is intimated whether we read it as a promise or as the mans acknowledgement that in stead of chastisement there cometh a great deliverance 2. A penitent will not only get deliverance from eternal wrath but even from temporal judgements in so farr as is for his good For his soul or life is delivered from the pit or grave and his life shall see the light and shall not goe through that dark trance of death in a cloud And albeit our temporal life be not much worth Yet it is a mercy not to be despised especially in such a case And even common mercies will look sweetly upon a penitent 3. As mercy doth good even to them who have been evil and grace will pardon and cure even the perverseness of Gods people as this Verse compared with the former doth teach So this should set forth the praise of God and encourage them to repent yet more For so much doth this import as it is the delivered mans speech that he blesseth God who had delivered him notwithstanding he had sinned 4. The greater the difficulties of Gods penitent people are they will contribute to make the praises of God sound the louder for his delivering from them For this heightens the song that he delivers even from the pit or grave Verse 29. Loe all these things worketh God oftentimes with man 30. To bring back his soul from the pit to be enlightned with the light of the living In these Verses Elihu briefly recapitulates this second Argument which he propounded v. 14. and hath been instancing in the following Verses hitherto And sheweth That God makes frequent use of those various means of instruction formerly mentioned for mans good that he may be excited to renew his repentance and so may not be cut off but recovered out of trouble and made to live comfortably In the Original instead of oftentimes it is twice thrice whereby he doth not so much point at the three wayes of instructing man which have been formerly instanced as names a certain number for an uncertain and intimates that God even frequently renews all or any of those former means to the same godly man or to divers of them diversly that he may prevent their ruine This Elihu recapitulates for Jobs information to clear his mistakes about his own case and to give him a check for his ignorance of what was so frequently and ordinarily done about godly men Doct. 1. Gods dealings about his people should be seriously looked upon and pondered again and again For so much doth Elihu's recapitulation of this matter import that Job should look and look again upon it See Ps 28.5 2. Whatever good be done to or about Gods people by whatever mean or instrument God is to be seen as the worker of it all For God worketh all these things formerly mentioned with man 3. Gods condescending to take notice of men and
even of his people is admirable Considering that man is nothing to him Psal 8.4 and that his dispensations toward them are wonderful For Loe saith he God worketh all these c. 4. It is in particular admirable that God should condescend so frequently to be at pains about his people and that after they have abused mercies and slighted means yet he will follow them For this heightens the admiration that God worketh these oftentimes with man that when Visions succeed not he will send Affliction and a Messenger with it and will repeat every one of these so often as need requireth 5. Gods dispensations should be studied and looked upon not only in themselves but with an eye to his end and design in them Therefore he subjoynes for what end God worketh all these things 6. Whatever the godly may apprehend yet God by all his dispensations minds their good and they will find that it is so if they improve them well For such is his end in all his working here subjoyned v. 30 See Rom. 8.28 7. God may bring about his peoples good by means that are not very likely For all that working tends to bring back from the pit Not only visions but even deadly afflictions are sent to prevent not only eternal but temporal death 8. Gods kindness to his people and his designes in strange dispensations would be better seen if men would study preventing as well as delivering mercies For here God not only delivers out of trouble but brings back from the pit and prevents his death 9. As the mercies whereof the godly are deprived by trouble are restored to them with advantage So those mercies should be more precious in their eyes when they are thus restored For man recovered out of deadly trouble is enlightned with the light of the living He gets as it were a new life and he esteems it so and it is very comfortable and lightsome to him See Is 38.18 19. 10. It is a fault when godly men complain of their lot as singular and so make it bitter to themselves when it is but ordinary or to be ignorant of what ordinarily befalls godly men and to quarrel when their lot is but ordinary For thus doth he shur up his Argument refuting and quarrelling Jobs complaints and his professing of his ignorance of Gods mind in his tryal by shewing that God worketh these things oftentimes for these ends and therefore he needed neither have been ignorant of it nor ought to have quarrelled it Verse 31. Mark well O Job hearken unto me hold thy peace and I will speak 32. If thou hast any thing to say answer me Speak for I desire to justifie thee 33. If not hearken unto me Hold thy peace and I shall teach thee wisdome These Verses contain the Conclusion of Elihu's first Speech after which it seems he was silent awhile to see if Job would make any Reply and a preparation to his second Speech Wherein 1. In general he craves that Job would seriously remark what he had said and attend to what he was yet to say v. 31. 2. He explains this his desire Shewing That he desired not by speaking on to hinder him from saying what he could in his own defence as the rest had done For he was neither engaged in this quarrel out of any malice against his person nor was he a contentious man but desired to justifie and absolve him if he could shew him good grounds for it v. 32. But if he had no more to say he craves audience and promiseth to teach him wisdome v. 33. And so Job finding that he spake to purpose keeps silence and he proceedeth in the following Chapter From these Verses Learn 1. It concerns men so much to see how they entertain what men say unto them from God wherein they have taken much pains Therefore doth Elihu so often in the beginning and close of his discourses put Job to this task 2 Afflicted men have need especially to look how they entertain those messages which touch them nearly and do point out their faults For afflicted Job is called to mark and hearken unto what he had told and would tell him concerning his miscarriages 3. Simple audience is not enough but serious attention and observation are required when God by his Messengers speaks to us particularly in affliction For saith he Mark well and heaken unto me 4. Such as make conscience of right hearing will not in passion interrupt them who speak For saith he Hold thy peace and I will speak It is not very certain that Job was interrupting him till he forbad him For in the next Verse he gives him free leave to speak Yet as it is certain that Job was not yet fully convinced or satisfied and therefore so much is said to him after this So it may be that Job was offering to except or propound somewhat till Elihu desire him to hear him out offering notwithstanding to hear if he had any thing to say to the purpose as being his true friend Which kindness among other things possibly did so work upon Job that he gave over his purpose and choosed rather to hear than to speak However passionately to interrupt the Messengers of God is a very great sin And however men do forbear that practice yet they may interrupt their own edification if they keep not their own Spirits composed and be not as men dumb and deaf as the word Hear signifieth as to any thing they think irritating in the message 5. They who would refute and convince men who are in an errour ought to give them a fair hearing however they interrupt their impertinencies For though he desire he will hold his peace yet saith he If thou hast any thing to say answer me either now if thou please or after I have spoken all my mind 6. Men will never give others a fair hearing nor speak a right to a cause so long as they are contentious and do entertain prejudices against persons or being once engaged do strive more for victory than for truth and so do cast iniquity upon men Psal 55.3 For saith he giving a reason of his offer for I desire to justifie thee in so farr as is possible or if there were ground for it 7. As men should thus give a fair hearing to those with whom they deal So upon the other hand when men have no solid answer they should not jangle in their own defence but hear and take reproof For saith he If not hearken unto me hold thy peace 8. It is their duty who deal with others especially those in distress who give them an hearing to teach them solid wisdome and not empty notions For saith he I will teach thee wisdome 9. As there is no man so wise but he needs to be more wise and may need instruction to know God and himself when he is in trouble So a just cause gives a weak man great advantage of a stâ—â—ng party For in all these
mercy daily So that Job had no cause to complain of his afflictions seeing God might proceed further against him even to the taking away of his life Doct. 1. Mans breath and life is a borrowed loan which he holds by Gods gift For it is his spirit and breath Man 's indeed by use but Gods as the Author and Giver of it and therefore he gathers it to himsâ—lf when he recalls it as his own gift Both the words Spirit and Breath may signifie one and the same thing or the first may signifie his rational soul and the second his animal life common to him with beasts However this should teach men to make good use of their life and breath and not employ it against God They who look upon their enjoyments as their own will readily abuse them Ps 12.4 2. God may when he will take back his own loan and that easily For he can gather unto himself his spirit and breath See Psal 90.3 and 104.29 And therefore we should not promise unto our selves long tacks of our life See Luk. 12.19 20. 3. Albeit God be not moved with any thing about man as if it were a great business Yet as he doth nothing at randone so we should look upon the taking away of life as a very serious and important business Therefore doth he express this act thus as Gods setting his heart upon man Not that he is so taken up as we are with weighty businesses nor yet only because he doth not proceed to do this at randome but acts in it as a weighty matter however we do not alwayes see that or that he sets his heart in love upon his own people even when he is cutting them off But he speaks thus of God that we may learn to set our hearts and be serious about this change 4. Men by death return to God either to appear before him in judgement to receive the reward of their sin or to be absolved by him and to abide with him for ever For he gathereth the spirit and breath to himself Eccles 12.5 6 7. 5. Gods Dominion over the lives of men is irresistable For if God gather these unto himself man must perish his unwillingness will not help him 6. No person hath any priviledge against a sentence of death when or wheresoever God shall be pleased to pronounce it For All flesh shall perish together if he please 7. Whatever man think of himself in his life yet death will give him an humbling sight of himself For then he is found to be flesh and turns again to dust from whence he was taken Gen. 3.19 8. However men quarrel Gods exercising of his Dominion in some cases yet upon a serious review they may rather find cause to admire his goodness than to quarrel his severity For in answer to Jobs complaints that God had afflicted him Elihu lets him see that God might cut him off and not him only but all flesh together And it should be our work to study such mercies in our saddest grievances Verse 16. If now thou hast understanding hear this hearken to the voice of my words Elihu having propounded these Arguments to the Auditory doth now to v. 31. lay them more distinctly before Job himself And 1. He turns himself to Job and calls for his attention v. 16. 2. He propounds the Argument taken from Gods dominion and justice v. 17. 3. He amplifieth and instanceth it in several particulars wherein the exercise of dominion and justice are conspicuous Namely his dealing with Kings and Rulers v. 18.19 with People and Nations together with their Rulers v. 20 23. and with mighty men v. 24 28. 4. He recapitulates the Argument pointing out the efficacy of Gods administrations v. 29. and his end in some of those acts of his dominion and justice formerly mentioned v. 30. In this Verse Elihu turns himself from the Auditory and expresly and particularly addresseth his speech to Job craving that he would give him an hearing and that he would apply this Doctrine to his case whereby he should give a proof of his wisdome and understanding Doct. 1. General Doctrine is not sufficient to do Souls good without application Therefore doth Elihu tell over again to Job what he had already spoken to the Auditory 2. Mens case may be very plainly spoken unto who yet need to be rouzed up to make application For though he hath been speaking to this very business before yet he must direct his speech to Job end call upon him to hearken to the voice of his words and apply 3. In order to application men should be attentive hearers to which they need frequently to be excited Therefore again after all the former excitations he calls him to hear and hearken that so he might apply and be convinced 4. As men do evidence their wisdome by being willing to be taught For so is here supposed that if he have understanding he will hear of which also before So it is not enough to hear unless we understand For here understanding is required with hearing 5. There is great wisdome required in taking up the mind of God in his dark dispensations toward his people and in the World For this is the particular subject in hearing whereof he requireth understanding 6. Not only are natural men uncapable to perceive the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 and weak Saints unable while they continue such to comprehend many points of truth Joh. 16.12 But even men eminently wise and godly may have their wits to seek in some difficult and trying cases and when they are under the power of affliction and tentation For this Supposition If thou hast understanding imports no denial that Job was wise in an eminent measure but that his understanding had need to be quickened and he had need to rid himself of those mists which involved and darkened his judgement if he would take up this matter well Verse 17. Shall even he that hateth right govern And wilt thou condemn him that is most just In this Verse he summarily propounds the Argument taken from Gods Dominion and Justice for he joyns them both together to which he desires he may hearken As for the first part of the Verse Shall even he that hateth right govern The word govern in the Original is to bind up as a Chyrurgion And so it may point at a particular act of his government that he binds up and heals those whom he hath smitten upon their repentance as it is Chap. 5.18 Which speaks that he cannot be unjust or hate right seeing he is content upon repentance to heal those whom he hath smitten But the word is taken more generally for governing and a Ruler is called an Healer or binder up for it is the same word that is here Is 3.7 because government in the exercise thereof should tend to prevent or to heal and bind up breaches that are made upon or among a people And thus the Argument runs well That God being the
as particular persons and he hath national plagues for national sins so that the multitude of sinners cannot secure themselves in their sin against God For they shall dye that is both rich and poor v. 19. and the people and the mighty as after followeth 4. When God reckons with Nations no particular persons will be able to secure themselves by any personal priviledges and advantages For even the mighty shall smart with the people See Is 3.1 2 3. 5. God may justly pursue his quarrel against a Nation not only to the impoverishing thereof but even to the cutting of many of them off and to sending of them into captivity out of their Land For they shall dye and pass away and be taken away So that an afflicted Nation have reason to acknowledge God in what they suffer less than this 6. Let a people seem to be never so strong and sure rooted Yet a short time may make a great change upon them For in a moment shall they dye Death can soon sweep multitudes of them away 7. Surprizals are sad ingredients in trouble and they are justly the lot of an impenitent people For their sin deserveth that they should be surprized at midnight See 1 Thes 5.3 So that as the people of God are oft-times surprized with unexpected deliverances Is 17.14 So the wicked may meet with plagues which they discern not before they come 8. National stroaks are full of darkness and discomfort farr beyond personal tryals Therefore also do these stroaks come at midnight and are very dark 9. Perplexities which attend such dark stroaks are very bitter to them who smart under them For being at midnight the people are troubled So that we should guard against perplexity of spirit providing we be not stupid at such times lest if that door be once opened we be over-whelmed therewith 10. The Lord needs no help nor probable means to bring about the greatest changes For they shall be taken away or they that is the judgements inflicted by God shall take away even the mighty without hand Verse 21. For his eyes are upon the wayes of man and he seeth all his goings 22. There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves 23. For he will not lay upon man more than right that he should enter into judgement with God In these Verses the equity and justice of this proceeding is held out 1. In general from the ground thereof Namely the Omniscience of God who as he is careful to observe mans wayes so he actually seeth all of them v. 21. And that so exactly as nothing can hide mans wickedness from him v. 22. And therefore he cannot do unjustly through ignorance and mistakes as men often do 2. In particular from his inclinations and proceedings upon his seeing mans wayes and therefore it comes in as a reason that he who seeth all will be just and proceed against the workers of iniquity That he will not excessively and unjustly afflict man that so he may prevent mans quarrelling with him which Job had often essayed v. 23. From v. 21. Learn 1. All Gods proceedings in the World are upon sure and just grounds though we do not discern them For here a reason is given of these proceedings v. 20. For his eyes are upon the wayes of men c. 2. Gods perfect knowledge is a proof of his justice in his procedure For that is the reason given here to prove the equity of the former proceedings Which not only teacheth Judges to try well before they come to give sentence and see it executed in imitation of this Soveraign Judge but warns us when we quarrel Gods proceedings to suspect that we see not things so well as he doth 3. Gods knowledge is certain and effectual to reach and take up what he intends to observe For not only are his eyes upon them but he seeth things as they are without mistaking So that we should trust his verdict of things rather than our own 4. Gods knowledge is also universal of all the things of men of all sorts of men and in all times and places For his eyes are upon the wayes of man and he seeth all his goings See Chap. 31.4 and the parallel places marked in the Margin both here and there So that he will not judge of men by their fits and we should remember his eye upon us in all places and should believe that he seeth his people even when he seems not to notice their condition as he saw the affliction of Israel in Egypt before he appeared to deliver them Exod. 3.7 From v. 22. Learn 1. Men and especially wicked men are not easily convinced of Gods Omniscience Therefore it must be here told again and inculcated 2. Men also have their subterfuges whereby they seek to hide their courses from God and whereby they do deceive themselves and others and think to do so with God also For so is here supposed that they seek darkness like the shadow of death where they may hide themselves not so much from punishment for that is not the scope here as from being known or seen Hence it is that they seek to conveigh their designes secretly and make use of fair pretences handsome conveighances c. 3. All mens subterfuges and lurking holes will not avail them at Gods hand But as no shelter can secure them from his pursuing vengeance Amos 9.1 2 3 4. So no darkness nor shadow of death will hide them from his All-seeing eye See Psal 139.7 8 c. 4. As Gods Omniscience is for the comfort of godly men walking in his way 2 Chron. 16.9 So it is matter of terrour to the workers of iniquity As here it is inculcated for their terrour 5. Every worker of iniquity carrieth his own dittay and doom in his bosome however such do seem to carry with a high hand For while they seek to hide themselves they do openly profess that if they be not hid they are undone for they are neither able to defend their cause nor to resist that vengeance which they are convinced they deserve From v. 23. Learn 1. God is the Imposer and layer on of mens lots and exercises as here we are taught So that his people should know that they are in a Friends hand they should stoop to him and not add loads of their own through unbelief mistakes discouragement impatience c. with his burdens 2. God doth exercise and afflict man in great moderation and equity For he will not lay upon man more than right The words than right are a Supplement the Original hath only He will not lay upon yet or still that is he will not inflict and inflict yet still more and so impose excessively or too much either above mens deservings Neh. 9.33 Ezr. 9.13 or above the strength which he is ready to give them or more than he will do them good by or so as there is no moderation to be seen in his
wrath he would have him looking well to his carriage 5. It may excite men under trouble to be watchfull over their own Spirits and carriage if they consider that when God is once provoked and hath begun to contend he will readily cut them off who continue stubborn under corrections For because there is wrath beware lest he take thee away with a stroak 6. Though men in passion be ready not to regard any hazard so they may get a vent to their humours Yet they will soon relent when it cometh to a peremptore For so he supposeth that Job would seek to be delivered if God were about to take him away 7. It may affright men from provoking God to cut them off if they consider that when God is once provoked to proceed to that he will not readily turn back and the stroak when it cometh is irrecoverable Psal 49.7 8 9. For then a great ransome cannot deliver thee neither can it prevent cutting off if once he set about it as there may be such irrevocable sentences concernâ—ng outward stroaks even within time 2 King 23.26 27. Zâ—ph 2.1 2. nor recover thee to lâ—fe again when once thou art cut off 8. It may discover the vanity of wealth and strength and all mens other temporal enjoyments that they can do them no good in their greatest distresses and when they have most need of help and relief For Will he esteem thy riches No not gold nor all the forces of strength Verse 20. Desire not the night when people are cut off in their place In the second branch of the counsel he gives a check to Jobs passionate desire of death and enforceth the former counsel by obviating an Objection For whereas Job might be ready to reject the former advice as being a man who was so farr from being afraid that he should be taken away with a stroak that he did earnestly desire death Elihu forbids him to desire it in that way wherein people or many wicked men meet with it who are violently or suddenly cut off or made to ascend like the light of a candle dying out as men surprized by night in their very beds or place of rest Doct. 1. Death in it self is a dark passage to Nature For it is like the night wherein the Sun of those delights which deceive fools goeth down Men had need to prepare for it and to have much of the light of Faith not alwayes expecting Sense whereby they may see to goe through it 2. The darkness of Deaths passage is many times augmented by the way of mens death when they are violently surprized and cut off in a dark hour of trouble like men cut off by Murderers upon their beds in a dark night For so is death here described to Job Men should not refuse or be unwilling to dye when death comes in an ordinary way since God can make it much sadder 3. Godly men have need to be very suspicious of their own inclinations and desires in a time of trouble considering that they are then in a feaver For Elihu adviseth Job to abandon his desires We are ordinarily least sober in our desires when we have greatest cause of sobriety and that is a sad conjunction 4. In particular Albeit Saints especially ought to be ready for death at all times nor ought they to stumble though God cut them off in common calamities or in some odde way Yet such a way of death ought not to be prayed for or desired by them For saith he Desire not the night c. Yea all their longing after death when they are under a cloud ought to be suspected and well tryed Verse 21. Take heed regard not iniquity For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction In the last branch of his counsel he summs up his advice in this general That he should not be more taken up with affliction than with sin under it and that his miseries should not tempt him to impatience Whence Learn 1. Whenever trouble cometh on as God layeth trouble and sin before us to try us which of them we will choose So it is not our misery that Satan so much designes as our sinning Therefore he adviseth Job to have his eye chiefly upon iniquity 2. Present pressing trouble is so strong a tentation to sin that even godly men may be over-driven with the tentation For he regarded iniquity and choosed it rather than affliction See Ps 125.3 3. This miscarriage of Saints flows from their inadvertency and their not considering how poor a choice sin is and how unfit a mean to ease them of trouble but rather to augment it Therefore he bids him take heed that so he may not make this choice intimating that his inconsiderateness made him run to impatience to get ease by complaining but in vain 4. Whatever be mens thoughts in an hour of tentation yet the greatest of troubles should be chosen rather than the least sin nor doth any trouble warrant them to sin either as they think to get ease or to bring actual deliverance to them For saith he Regard not iniquity or look not to it as an ease or mean of help so as to choose it rather than affliction Verse 22. Behold God exalteth by his power Who teacheth like him Followeth the second part of Elihu's Speech begun in this Chapter and continued till v. 23. of Chap. 37. containing a commendation of the greatness of God which cannot be comprehended nor ought to be quarrelled by any Creature This greatness of God is here to be taken in a large sense as comprehending his infinite Wisdome his absolute Dominion and infinite Power whereby it is confirmed and proved in the following discourse And he doth instance and prove it from the very common works of Providence whereof God also makes use afterward to prove the same conclusion that he may reprehend Job who was ignorant of what was so obvious and withall may in divers of them point at such things as reflect upon Jobs weaknesses The summ of this part of the Discourse is That God is a great and absolute Lord and therefore ought not to be quarrelled but submitted unto in his dispensations Of this Proposition there are three general Proofs in this Chapter Whereof the first in this Verse is taken from the singular monuments of his power and wisdome In that he is not only exalted himself as the words may be read and understood and set on high by the demonstrations of his great power in the government of the World but exalteth others who are humble and low by this his power And in that he is so infinitely wise as he is a singular Teacher Hereby Elihu would insinuate that it was Jobs duty to stoop more patiently to God in whose power it was yet to exalt him and to adore and lean to his wisdome and set about to learn those lessons which God was teaching him by his dispensations toward him In general from this part of the Discourse and
sweet unto them when they are restored for so much is intimated unto Job by this Instance 2. That which befals the wicked is amplified v. 15. That their light shall be withholden not only by their being put to flee into corners but by their being deprived of all light of comfort in their evil way and of the light of Life when Magistrates shall punish them and break their lofty and insolent power as is added in the end of the v. Whence Learn 1. It is much and seriously to be studied how little allowance the wicked have to share in these comforts which are allowed on others therefore is this again repeated how prejudicial the common mercy of light proves to the wicked 2. All the light of comfort or life that wicked men have is in hazard for they lie under the lash of having their light withholden 3. The mercies of wicked men are nothing the surer that they have probabilities that they shall continue for their light shall be withholden and intercepted 4. Men that are proud and insolent in the exercise of their power may expect to be crushed for the high arm shall be broken 5. It is useful to the godly to study the Lot of the wicked that they may be humbled and excited to walk tenderly therefore is this inculcated so much upon Job that he may beware of the wickeds pranks which make the light sad and dreadful to them and might humble him now when God appeared Verse 16. Hast thou entred into the Springs of the Sea or hast thou walked in the search of the depth 17. Have the gates of death been opened unto thee or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death 18. Hast thou perceived the breadth of the Earth Declare if thou knowest it all As in the former Verses God had informed Job how little command or skill he had of the light so here he proceeds to speak of the opposite darkness which may allude somewhat to Gods dark dispensation toward him and sheweth that he was as little acquainted with the places of darkness such as the springs or weeping sources which drop continually of the See into which he had never entered and the depth in the search whereof he had never travelled v. 16. Also the gates of death or the inferiour parts of the earth where the dead are kept and where none can come living and the approach whereunto casts the shadow of death upon men or would affright them with deadly horrour Hither Job had never come v. 17. Yea there are things which are lightsom and visible in themselves and yet are dark to him as never seen by him such as the breadth of the earth or the circumference thereof which is spoken of according as it is represented to our sense not round but broad which however Geometers guess at it yet they cannot tell it exactly nor give a reason why it is not broader or narrower far less could Job or any man else travel over it all himself that he might know it all or all its dimensions by ocular inspection or know what is in doing through the wide world but he would find many a Remora in that journey v. 18. By this Instance is pointed out 1. That as light so darkness also is ordered by God and known to him for these Questions propounded to Job do intimate that God knew all those things and if Job were ignorant of them it did not beseem him to compete with God as he did See Psal 139.11 12. 2. Man is ignorant and soon put to a non-plus in many things many things are shut up in darkness from him as the springs and depth of the Sea and the Gates of death and of the shadow of death and many things are visible which yet he cannot reach as the breadth of the earth all of it For so much do these Questions import So that man should be sensible of his Ignorance and not presume to measure all by his skill nor mistake albeit many things be in the dark to him 3. Not only doth God order and know the places of darkness but even in darkness and what is unaccessible his Glory doth shine no less than in what is visible For so much doth this Instance import the scope whereof as of all the rest is to convince Job of the Glory and Majesty of God From which in reference to the scope and to Job's present case we may further gather 1. Gods glory shines in his works no less in what is hid than in what is visible to us 2. Hence in dark cases we must not think all is wrong because we cannot comprehend them and what is in them for he brings deep things out of darkness 3. We should in stead of quarrelling rather see cause to adore him who employs deep and unsearchable wisdom about us so that it is as easie to dive into the depth of the Sea c. as to comprehend it 4. As we rest satisfied albeit there be many things in Gods works which we cannot reach so ought we also to submit in our own case when it is dark 5. Yea as the more unsearchable the depth the gates of death c. be the more they speak of him so the further our condition be taken out of our own fight we ought to expect the more of him in it Verse 19. Where is the way where light dwelleth and as for darkness where is the place thereof 20. That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof 21. Knowest thou it because thou wast then born or because the number of thy days is great In these Verses the places of light and darkness are spoken to conjunctly whereof whatever conjectural knowledge men may have yet they have not so perfect knowledge as either to direct them to their places and prescribe them their home and bounds if they should wander abroad or to be able by travel to go to that place v. 19 20. This he amplifieth v 21. That those things were ordered before Job was born so that he might as well fancy that he was born before he had a being as think to have the command of them And as he could not have skill of those things by being at the first ordering thereof so neither by long experience since for the experience of never so many years could not supply that defect of knowledge Hereby is pointed out 1. That we have abundance of the works of God at our door wherein we may see much of him even every day and night and every vicissitude of light and darkness 2. If men have not the command nor can direct the least of Gods ordinary works How much less should they dare to prescribe to God who ordereth them all 3. The works of God though never so obvious do require our serious and second thoughts to take them up aright therefore are those things here spoken of again 4. It
4.37 7. Though God have a special quarrel against proud persons yet he will not spare any wicked person though pride be not their predominant evil for after the proud the wicked are propounded to be punished 8. God can reach the wicked wherever they are and even where they think themselves most secure and are most insolent as a Cock on his own Dunghil there he can crush them for he can tread down the wicked in their place See Exod. 18.19 9. God can and when he pleaseth doth pursue the wicked even unto death and till he lay them in the dust and bury them in obscurity and make them calm with their Swords under their heads Ezek. 32.27 For he hides them in the dust and binds their faces in secret and that together not all of them at one time or in one place but all of them are thus reached and put in a like condition the great and mighty ones as well as the weaker Isa 14.9 10. 10. God is self-sufficient and his own right hand can bring salvation and effectuate all his purposes for his people and against his enemies for this is not to be yielded unto Job but upon the former impossible terms and if it should be yielded it were to make him equal wiâ—h God whose own right hand can save See Isa 59 16. Obs 3. These Questions and Proposals made to Job if he would aspire to an equality with God do also afford several Instructions concerning men 1. Men by nature aspire no less than to be Gods and equal to the true God seeking to do whatsoever themselves will and to have all things done to their minds for so much doth this parallel betwixt God and Job import that he aspired to no less though he was nothing like God 2. Nâ—ne do more proclaim this presumption than Murmurers at Gods providence especially in afflicting righteous men such do in effect declare that they would gladly usurp Gods Throne to guide better than they think he doth for murmuring Job v. 8. would be like God though indeed he have nothing like him 3. Men will soon see the evil and folly of this bold presumptuous attempt if they consider the dreadful Majesty of God and the distance which is betwixt him and his Creatures for God here propounds his Arm Thunder Majesty and Excellency Glory and Beauty and his proceedings with the proud and all wicked men not only to convince Job of his folly in seeking to be equal with him who was so infinitely above him but to let him see the hazard of such an attempt seeing his strong arm dreadful thunder and glorious Majesty and his proceedings against proud and wicked men might let him see that as God can reach so he will not endure such presumption 4. Howbeit men do thus presumptuously aspire yet their own Consciences when put to it will soon discover it to be a foolish attempt therefore doth he begin with Questions v. 9. as knowing that his Conscience if he were serious would so resolve them as might contribute to his own abasement for what he had done 5. Albeit mens Consciences may be blindfolded in their fits of passion yet they are able to do no acts that may prove they have a right to aspire to any equality with God Therefore after the Questions v. 9. he propounds in the following Verses what is to be done by Job before he aspire to that which his Complaints insinuated he thought of himself 6. Men are not soon brought to be serious and solid in studying and practically improving that distance which is betwixt God and them therefore God doth not content himself with a naked proposition of this distance but insists so long to give Evidences and Instances of his Power and Majesty that Job may lay it better to heart 7. It is an evidence of mens afficting a Dâ—â—â—y when they would help and relieve themselves in all conditions without depending upon or employing of God so that they are vexed when they are left upon God and put to that exercise of Dependance for it is a divine property communicable to no Creature nor to be affected by them that his own right hand can save 8. When men consider how often they need help and deliverance and are put to depend upon God for it it may keep them from proud competing with him for if Jobs own right hand cannot save him there was no reason why he should carry so proudly as he did but his being so absolutely in Gods Reverence should have kept him humble Verse 15. Behold now Behemoth which I made with thee he eateth Grass as an Oxe Followeth to the end of Chap. 41. the confirmation of the former Proof or of this inequality that is betwixt God and man by two remarkable Instances of Gods works Behemoth on the Land to the end of tâ— is Chapter and Leviathan in the Sea Chap. 41. His Scope in both which may be taken up thus 1. It points out Gods greatness and the infinite distance that is betwixt him and man that he is the Creator and Governour of those vast Creatures as well as of others to the like whereof man cannot pretend 2. Though those Creatures be great and terrible yet the first at least some sorts of them for some are more untameable than others is made tame and more peaceable than others by God as the description will clear and God can reach him v 19. And so can he reach great ones v. 11 12. 3. If this Creature were not tamed by God none durst meddle with him as none dare grapple with the Leviathan Chap. 41.9 10. For less dare any grapple with God as is there inferred This being the general Doctrine pointed at in both these Instances I shall unfold the Description of the Beast in this Chapter and draw out some particular Remarks from it And in the entry waving the idle Allegories of men who understand this of Satan I do by this Behemoth understand the Elephant and not a Complex of all Beasts together as the name Behemoth signifieth Beasts in the plural number for God speaks of it as of one Beast And as the Latines oft-times call it Bellua so it gets this name in the Hebrew because it is as great as many Beasts put together or because it wants a name in the Hebrew therefore it gets the common name by way of excellency to shew that it is the most excellent of Beasts And so some understand it as if it were called the Beast of Beasts Thus Wisdomes as it is in the Original Prov. 1.20 is put for most excellent Wisdom Unto this Beast the following Description in all the parts of it doth agree And in this Verse we have a general Proposition of the greatness and yet the peaceableness of this Beast He desires Job to consider and behold this Beast which is as great as many Beasts put together yet 1. It is made with him that is his Fellow creature made by God as
Name of the second imports one so sweet as Aromatick Cassâ—a and the Name of the third implieth that she was one so fair as if an Horn or large measure of Paintry or Varnish had been powred upon her to make her appear beautiful 2. Their Estate and Portions and that they were made joint heirs with their brethren of their Fathers Lands and Estate v. 15. Which doth not import that they were never married but that their Father was careful to settle them near himself and his Sons that so they might have a Society among themselves for Gods Service because of the many Idolaters that were about them who might be ready to infect and corrupt them Doct. 1. Children in themselves are a â—lessing as continuing us in them to serve God even when we are gone for here they are ranked among Jobs Blessings See Psal 127.3 128.3 So that it is a sin to murmure at this mercy or not to improve Children aâ— a Blessing 2. It is in special a Blessing to them who have Wealth to have Children who may succeed to them in their Estates for this mercy of Children is subjoined to Jobs wealth v. 12. to intimate that his wealth would not have been so sweet if he had wanted Children to enjoy it after him So that it is the fault of men of great Estates and Power if they breed not their Children well who are to succeed to their Estates and Dignities whereby they not only wrong their own Families but their Countrey also wherein their posterity may have power And they are also culpable who having great Estates do not marry that so themselves may have a care of educating their Heirs if God give them any but do suffer those who shall succeed them to be bred by they cannot tell whom 3. Even the multitude of Children is a blessing as here it heightens Jobs mercy that he had so many And albeit Job was a rich man and had enough to give them yet they are indefinitely a blessing to poor or rich Psal 127.5 not to be murmured at though not to be doated upon either 4. Every sex of Children sons or daughters is a mercy as here is distinctly marked though we ordinarily doat upon those we want whether sons or daughters 5. Though Favour be deceitful and Beauty vain Prov. 31.30 and God may compense want of Beauty with excellent qualities nor must men cast off their Children because of deformities yet beauty is in it self a mercy not to be abused with a polluted life or wiâ—h pride because of it for therefore is the singular beauty of Jobs Daughters marked 6. It is a great blessing both to Parents and Children when Children are dutiful and obedient for so were Jobs Daughters as appears from his care to provide for them and his delight to have them near himself and this is marked as one of his mercies 7. It is a great blessing and an evidence that Children are dutiful when they live in love one with another as here the sons and daughters delight to live near together See Chap. 1.4 8. It should be a special part of Parents care and an evidence of their love to their Children to study to prevent their infection in the matter of Religion and so to settle them that they be not cast upon tentations so much did Job evidence by setling his Daughters among their Brethren Verse 16. After this lived Job an hundred and forty years and saw his sons and his sons sons even four generations The fourth Particular in this account is his long life after his restitution even for the space of 140 years so that he saw four generations come of him before he died If we apply that General v. 10. to this also and make this sum double to what he lived before his trial we may conclude that he was 70 years old which is the half of 140 when his trial began and lived in all 210 years beside the time of his trial Which if there were not somewhat singular in it might help to prove to the antiquity of this History and that Job lived before these days wherein mens lives began to be shortned as Moses sheweth Psal 90.10 But this supposition of the doubling of his years not being so certain we may only here Learn 1. Albeit our life on earth be but a warfare yet long life is a mercy in it self and to godly men a reward of piety and a benefit to the Church with whom they are continued for therefore is Jobs long life marked as one of his mercies See Psal 34.12 13. It is true godly men have some loss by their long life being so much the longer kept from heaven yet death being in it self a fruit of sin the deferring thereof is in it self a mercy And a long life may be full of rich advantages to godly men while they see Gods goodness in the land of the living before they go hence Psal 27.13 while they have opportunity to honour God and do him much service Phil. 1.23 24 25. while they get many proofs of Gods love Gen. 48.15 1 Kings 1.29 while they have opportunity to sow largely for a rich harvest 2 Cor. 9.6 and get leisure to ripen for death which is their difficult step and great trial All which doth not import that we should doat upon long life but it serves to condemn the Godly who are weary of their life and all those who make little good use of a long life but do thereby render themselves obnoxious to a sudden stroke Psal 68.21 2. It is yet a further proof of kindness when God sweetens our long life with mercies particularly of posterity as here Job saw his sons and his sons sons even four generations 3. Our long life is then especially sweet when we see the Church well and are doing good therein in our stations as Job here had opportunity to train up and see a Church of his posterity See Psal 128.5 6. Verse 17. So Job died being old and full of days The last particular in this account is his happy death when he is full of days Whence learn 1. Did men live never so long and in great prosperity yet they must at last die as here Job did See Psal 49.6 7 8 9. Heb. 9.27 2. It is a mercy in it self when men are ripe to be taken away for it is ranked among Jobs mercies that he died being old It is true young persons do doat upon time expecting an happiness in it but when men come to what Job attained of years or any thing proportionable to it they will count it their mercy to get their Pass to be gone if they be godly 3. Were men never so old when they die yet to be full of days and satisfied with the time they have lived is a mercy and gift of it self for it is here marked as a distinct mercy that he was not only old but full of days when he died And this is a mercy