and more perfect then those in his house on Earth yet it is a higher act of grace to desire to live to praise God then to be willing to dye that we may praise him because in this we deny our selves most Praysing God on earth is a work as well as a reward but praising God in Heaven is a reward rather then a work And we put forth the most spirituall acts of grace when we cheerfully goe on with a work which we know stands betweene us and the best part of our reward But I returne to the Text. They perish for ever without any regarding or without any laying it to heart The word heart is not in the mouth but it is in the heart of this Scripture For the sense is paralell with that Esay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Absque apponente Pereunt eoquòd nemo opponat eis medicinam 57. The righteous perish and no man layes it to heart The Chaldee gives a strange glosse They perish or dye because no man giveth them medicine as if he had said there is no Physitian can give an Antidote against death or by any medicines prolong mans life It is a truth that the decayes and ruines of Nature will at last exceed the repairs of Art but this glosse hath little regard to the text which we translate well They perish without any regarding it that is none or very few regarding it The negative is not absolutely universall excluding all as if there were none in the world who take notice of the shortnesse and frailty of mans life or of his for ever perishing condition So in that place of Isaiah the righteous perish and no man layes it to heart that is there are very few scarce any to be found who lay to heart in comparison of the number which neglect the death of righteous men Observe hence Few of the living regard how suddenly others do or themselves may dye Till we see a friend gasping and dying till we see him bedewed with cold sweats and rackt with Convulsions till our eye thus affects our hearts our hearts are seldome affected with the sense of our mortality It is one reason why Solomon advises to go to the house of mourning Eccles 7. It is better to goe to the house of mourning then to the house of mirth for saith he that is the way of all men all must dye and the living will lay it to heart or the living will regard it As if he had said the living seldom lay death to heart till they come to the house of death He seems to promise for the living that then they wil yet his undertaking is not so strict as if every man that goes to the house of mourning did certainly lay it to heart but he speaks probably that if living man will at any time lay death to heart then surely he will when he goes to the house of mourning When will a man think of death if not when he sees death and looks into that dark chamber of the grave There are many who lay it to heart only then for a fit at a Funerall they have a passion of the heart about mortality And very many have gone so often to the house of mourning that they are growne familiar with death and the frequency of those meetings take off all impressions of mortality from their hearts As we say of those Birds that build roost in steeples being used to the continuall ringing of the bels the sound disquiets them not or as those that dwel near the fall of the river Nylus the noise of the water deafens them so that they minde it not Many have been so often at the grave that now the grave is worn out of their hearts they look upon it as a matter of custome and formality for men to dye and be buried and when the solemnity of death is over the thoughts of death are over as soone as the grave is out of their sight preparations for the grave are out of mind It is storied 2 Sam. 20. 12. that when Amasa was slain by Joab and lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the high way every one that came by him stood still but anon Amasa is removed out of the high way into the field a cloth cast upon him then the text saith all the people went on after Joab It is so still we make a stop at one that lyes gasping and groaning at one that lyes bleeding and dying but let a cloth be throwne over him and he draw aside put into the grave and covered with earth then we goe to our businesse to trading and dealing yea to coveting and sinning as if the last man that ever should be were buried Thus men perish for ever without any regarding If this kinde of perishing were more regarded or regarded by more fewer would perish Thoughts of death spiritualliz'd have life in them thoughts of death laid to the heart are a good medicine for an evil heart It followes Verse 21. Doth not their excellency which is in them go away they dye even without wisdome This Verse as I noted in the begining prevents an objection which might be made as if man had wrong done him and that it were too great a diminution to his honour whom God made the chief creature in the inferiour world and but little inferiour to Angels themselves that he should be looked upon only as a heape of dust or a lumpe of clay as a mortall momentany perishing creature therefore he grants that man hath an excellency but all the excellency that he hath whether naturall or artificiall bred in him or acquired by him as a man when he goes goes too Doth not their excellency which is in them go away or journieth not their excellency with them as Mr. Broughton translates alluding to our passing out of the world as in a journey when a man dies he takes a journey out of the world he goes out for ever and saith he doth not his excellency journey along with him yes the question affirmes it when man goes his excellency goes too The word Jether which we translate excellency signifies primarily a residue or a remaine and that two ways First a residue of persons Judges 7. 6. But all the rest of the people bowed downe on their knees to drink water So the vulgar understands it here They who are left after them shall be taken away from them namely their heirs or posterity Secondly it signifies a residue of things Ps 17. 14. where describing worldly men who have their portion in this life he saith their bellies are fill'd with hid treasure they are also full of children and leave the rest of their substance to their babes Thus others take it here Doth not the wealth and riches which men leave when they dye dye also and go away as their persons are mortall so are their estates there is a moth will eat both And Iather quod est
who walke in a spheare below beasts who are more foolish and ignorant then a beast Take heed of complaining without cause if beasts are satisfied with what is agreeable to nature man should be so much more When Nature hath not enough Grace hath all Grace will not bray or low when there is no grasse no fodder surely then they have a scarcity of grace in their hearts who bray and low over their grass and fodder Spirituall accommodations will make a good heart forget temporall incommodities and it is reason they should God promiseth Isa 30. 20. Though I give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet thy teachers shall no more be removed into a corner but thine eyes shall see thy teachers As if he had said though your bodies are coursely fed yet your souls shall be feasted Good cheare shal daily be served into them both at your eyes and eares Thine eyes shall see thy teachers and thou shalt heare a voice behind thee Thy sight and thy hearing shall be refreshed with heavenly Messengers and good news from heaven Now besides this promise exprest there is a duty implyed in the text namely that because their spirits were so well fed therfore they must not complain though their flesh come short in feeding The bread of affliction should be pleasant to us while we eate Gospel-dainties In these times God gives more plenty of spirituall food than formerly yet many complaine because their naturall bread is shortned Remember beasts complaine not when they have what is suitable to nature then let not Christians complaine when they have what is suitable to grace though nature have but spare diet and short commons Vers 6. Can that which is unsavory be eaten without salt He proceeds to another similitude It is as if Job had said Nature will complaine when it wants meat yea oftentimes nature will complaine when it wants pleasant meat Nature is not pleased if it want a graine of salt if it have not sauce it is not satisfied Therefore surely I am to be borne with and not to be charged thus deeply who complaine when you offer me that which is unsavoury when you give me meat without salt without sauce without any thing to render it either pleasing to my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est quod debito condimento temperamento caret sive in defectu sive in excessu Sales pro facetijs quod sint quasi condimentum sermonis Literae Sparsae sale humanitatis Gicer ad Artic. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b Est prepositio absque fine Sed quidam accipiunt pro nomine composito ex Min quod est ex beli à Balab quod est veâ—â—stâ—s Hâ—nc locam reddunt Infaluatum ex vetustate salis potius quam insipidum absque salae Bold Job rem prae horrore prorsus impossibiliem vult significare Numquid comodetur c. At impossibile omnino non est comedere insipiduÌ„ sine sale carnes autem corruptae ex vetustate salismanducars nulla tenus possunt Bold pallate or easie to my digestion Unlesse I were sencelesse like a stock or a stone how should I not disrelish and disgust saplesse saltlesse how much more bitter things Can that which is unsavorie The word which we render unsavorie is the same used Chap. 1. ver 22. which wee there opened at large Job did not charge God with folly or foolishly or he spake not unsavorily of God There is a threefold application of that word in Scripture 1. To unpleasant meats 2. To untempered morter 3. To indiscreet speeches which want the seasoning either of wit wisdome or of truth Lam. 2. 14. Thy Prophets have seene vaine and foolish things for thee Lying visions without truth vain words without wisdome So here Can that which is unsavourie be eaten without salt Seasoning makes unsavory things sweet As salt gives a relish to meat so wisdome and wit to words And therefore the Latines expresse wise witty speeches pleasant discourse a good grace in speaking and a salt by the same word There is another Interpretation of that word which we render b without for some understand it not as a Preposition governing the word Salt but as a compound word noting the oldnesse or stalenesse of meat wherein the very salt it selfe is putrified and so whereas we say Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt They translate thus Can that which is unsavoury through the corruption of salt be eaten Or can that meat be eaten which having been salted is now putrified Salt which keeps meat from corruption may in time be overcome with the corruption of the meat And a learned Interpreter gives the reason why he rather chuseth this interpretation of the word because saith he it carries a stronger Emphasis with it Job speakes as of a thing in a manner unpossible to be done Now it is very possible to eat unsavoury meat without salt A good appetite will downe with unpleasant food and hunger will dispence much with Cookery But when season'd or salted meat corrupts and putrifies whose stomach doth not loath and abhorre it Therefore it is a fuller and a more flat deniall to say Can that which is unsavoury thorough the corruption of salt be eaten then Then to say Can that which is unsavory be eaten without salt Or is there any taste in the white of an Egge These words are much obscured by most Translators and have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 found almost as many expositions as Expositours Some translate thus Is there any taste in that which being taken brings death So the Vulgar Doubtlesse a man hath but little pleasure to taste An potest aliquis gustare quod gustatum affert mortem Vulg. that which tasted will be his death So the words are an aggravation of the unsavourinesse of those things which were offered him by his friends to touch or take them was to take poison or to drinke in a deadly cup. To cleare up this Exposition they make the Hebrew word Challamuth which we translate Egge a compound from Muth signifying to die whence Maueth death and Chala signifying froth or fome or from Chali signifying infirmity As if the word having these parts put together had this sence The froth and foame of death Or The infirmitie of death That is deadly froth on deadly infirmity As if he had said is there any pleasing taste in the spettle of dying men who we know often fome and froth at their mouthes when they lie drawing on Others thus Is there any taste in the spettle of a healthy man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sanus confortatus convaluit The word Rir which we translate white signifies spettle or froth As when David acted the mad-man before the King of Gath it is said that he let his spettle fall downe upon his beard 1 Sam. 21. 13. And the word which we translate Egge signifies Health and the verbe to be healthy Chap. 39. 4.
that plow iniquity and sow wickednesse reape the same which he applies parsonally to Job Chap. 22. v. 5 6. Is not thy wickednesse great and thine iniquities infinite Thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought and and stripped the naked of their cloathing c. The whole scope of his speech bends the same way and is as if he had said to Job Though thy carriage hath been so plausible among us that we are not able to accuse thee of sin yet these judgements accuse thee and are sufficient witnesses against thee These cry out with a loud voyce that thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought c. Though we have not seen thee act these sins yet in these effects we see thou hast acted them The snares which are round about thee tell us thou hast laid snares for others he that runs may read how terrible how troublesome thou hast been to the poore in the terrours which have seaz'd thy spirit and in the troubles which have spoyl'd thee of thy riches Bildad the Shuite speaks second His opinion is not so rigid as that of Eliphaz He grants that afflictions may fall upon a righteous person yet so that if God send not deliverance speedily if he restore him not quickly to his former estate and honour then upon the second ground of the fourth princple such a man may be censured cast and condemned as unrighteous That such was Bildads judgement in this case is cleare Chap. 8. 5 6. If thou wert pure and upright surely now he would awake for thee and make the habitation of thy righteousnesse prosperous Though thy beginning was small yet thy latter end shall greatly increase And vers 20 21. Behold God will not cast away a perfect man c. till he fill thy mouth with laughing and thy lips with rejoycing As if he had said I connot assent to my brother Eliphaz affirming That every man afflicted is afflicted for his wickednesse I for my part believe and am perswaded that a godly man may be afflicted for the tryall exercise of his graces c. but then I am assured that God never lets him lie in his afflictions for as soon as he cries and cals the Lord awakes presently makes his habitation prosperous again and increases him more then ever I grant the Lord may cast down a perfect man but he will not in this life cast him away no he will speedily fill his mouth with laughing and his lips with rejoycing Zophar the third Opponent differs from the two former in this great controversie affirming That the reason of all those afflictions which presse the children of men is to be resolved into the absolute will and pleasure of God that we are not further to enquire about his wisdome justice or mercy in dispencing them his counsels being unsearchable and his wayes past finding out Thus he delivers his mind Ch. 11. 7 8. Canst thou by searching find out God Canst thou by searching find him out to perfection It is as high as heaven what canst thou do Deeper then hell what canst thou know vers 12. Vaine man would be wise though man be borne like a wild Asses colt In the rest of his speech he comes nearest the opinion of Bildad vers 14 15 16. and gives out â—s hard thoughts of Job as either of his brethren numbring him among the wicked assigning him the reward of an hypocrite Chap. 10. 29. This is the portion of a wicked man from God and the heritage appointed unto him by God These I conceive are the Characteristicall opinions of Jobs three friends about his case All consistent with those four principles which they hold in common all equally closing in the censure and condemnation of Job though in some things dissenting and falling off from one another But what thinks Job or how doth he acquit or extricate himself from these difficulties very well His sentence is plainly this That The providence of God dispences outward prosperity and affliction so indifferently to good and bad to the righteous the wicked that no unerring judgement can possibly be made up of any mans spirituall estate by the face upon the view of his temporall He declares this as his opinion in cleare resolute and Categoricall termes Ch. 9. v. 22 23. This is one thing therefore I said it He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked if the scourge slay suddenly he will laugh at the triall of the innocent Which opinion hath no quarrell at all with any of those three principles held by Job joyntly and in consort with his three friends but only with their fourth which he throughout refutes as heterodox unsound in it self as uncomfortable to the Spirits and inconsistent with experiences of the Saints In the Strong hold and Fort-royal of this holy truth Job secures himself against all the assaults and scatters all the Objections of his Opponents resolving to maintain it to the very death he will lay his bones by this position say his unkind friends what they can against him let the most wise God doe what he pleases with him That he was a sinner he readily grants that he was an hypocrite he flatly denies That the Lord was righteous in all his dealings with him he readily grants That himself was righteous because the Lord had dealt so with him he statly denies How perfect soever he was he confesses that he needed the free-grace and mercies of the Lord to justifie him but withall asserts that he was perfect enough to justifie himselfe against all the challenges of man In these acknowledgements of his sinfullnesse and denials of insincerity In these humblings of himself before God and acquittings of himself before men in these implorings of mercy from the Lord and complainings of the unkindnesse of his brethren the strength of Jobs answer consists and the specialties of it may be summ'd up 'T is true that through the extremity of his pain the anguish of his spirit and the provocation of his friends some unwary speeches slipt from him For which Elihu reproved him gravely and sharply of which himselfe repented sorrowfully and heartily all which the most gracious God passed by and pardon'd freely not imputing sin unto him Thus Christian reader I have endeavoured as heretofore of the whole Book so now to give a brief account concerning the Argumentative part of it And to represent how far in this great Controversie the Answerer and his Objectors agree in judgement and where they part If this discovery administer any help as a Threed to lead your meditations through the many secret turnings and intricacies of this dispute the labor in drawing it out is abundantly satisfied And if any further light subservient to this end shall be given in from the Father of lights that also in it's season may be held forth and set upon a Candle-stick What is now received together with the textuall Expositions upon this first Undertaking between
this truth Heare it and know thou it for thy good So much concerning the Division or Parts of this first Speech or dispute made by Eliphaz in answer to the former complaint powred out by Job against the day of his birth and the night of his conception in the third Chapter The six Verses lately read containe as I said before the first Argument we have the Preface in the second Verse and the Argument it selfe in the four following The point which Eliphaz desires to prove and clear is this that Job was guiltie of hypocrisie of close hypocrisie at the least if not of grosse hypocrisie The Medium or reason by which he would prove it is the unsuitablenesse of his present practise to his former Doctrine His actions under sufferings contradict what himselfe had taught other sufferers And this speaks him guilty The Argument may be thus formed That mans religion is but vaine and his profession hypocriticall who having comforted others in and taught them patience under affliction is himselfe being afflicted comfortlesse and impatient But Job thus it is with thee thou hast been a man very forward to comfort others and teach them patience yet now thou art comfortlesse and impatient Therefore thy religion is vaine and thy profession is hypocriticall Is not this thy feare Here is a goodly religion indeed a proper peece of profession and such is thine this is all thou art able to make out Thus you have the Logicall strength or the Argument contained in the words We shall now examine them in the Grammaticall sense of every part as they lye here in order And first for the Preface If we assay to commune with thee wilt thou be grieved but who can withhold himselfe from speaking The words import as if Eliphaz had said thus unto Job we thy friends have all this while stood silent we have given thee full liberty and scope to speak out all that was in thine heart let it not grieve thee if we now take liberty to speak our selves and indeed a necessity lies upon us to speak Two things Eliphaz puts into this Preface whereby he labours to prepare the minde of Job readily to hear and receive what he had to say unto him First he tels him that he speaks out of good will and as a friend to him If we assay to commune with thee wilt thou be grieved Pray doe not take it ill we meane you no harme we would but give you faithfull counsell we speak from our hearts not from our spleen we speak from love to thee let it not be thy griefe Secondly he shewes that he was necessitated to speak as love provokes so necessity constrains who can withhold himselfe from speaking either of these considerations is enough to unlock both eare and heart to take in wholesome counsell What eare what heart will not the golden key of love or the iron key of necessity open to instruction when a friend speaks and he speaks as bound when kindnesse and dutie mix in conference how powerfull If we assay or try The word signifies properly to tempt either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tentavâ—t in bonum vel in malum periculum fecit expertus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A lyâ—um quasi Graculum vel loquutoâ—ium dictum quod Deus inde responsa daret for good or evill and because in temptation an assay or experiment is made of a man how bad or how good he is Therefore the word is applyed to any assaying or experimenting of things or persons This very word is winning and gaining upon Job We will but try a little if we can doe thee any good or bring lenitives to thy sorrowes we will not be burthensome or tedious we will but assay to commune with thee The word notes serious speaking The place where God communed with his people in giving answers from Heaven is express'd by this word 1 Kings 6. 19. The Oracle he prepared in the house within c. or the communing-place where God spake Wilt thou be grieved The word signifies to be extreamly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fessus corpore vel animo insanivit furiit wearled even unto rage or fainting Here Elipphaz seemes to hint at Jobs former distemper'd speeches If we speak wilt thou promise us not to fall into such a fit of passion as even now thou wast in And yet whatsoever comes of it or howsoever thou takest it I must discharge my duty and my conscience therefore he addes who can withhold himselfe from speaking That is no man can withhold himselfe from speaking in such a case as this to heare thee speak thus would even make a dumb man speak Christ saith in the Gospel If these should hold their peace the stones would cry there is such a sense in these words if we thy friends should hold our peace when thou speakest thus the very stones would cry out against thee for speaking and against us for holding our peace The Hebrew word translated withhold signifies to shut up a thing so as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clausit coâ—â—cuit 1 Kings 8 35. that it cannot come out It is applyed to the locking up of the Clouds that they raine not to the holding in of fire that it cannot break forth Jer 20. 9. where the Prophet very elegantly fits it to the restraining of speech which is the very point in hand His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones I was weary with forbearing So it implyes that the friends of Job had as it were a fire in their bosomes which they could no longer restraine they were as Clouds full of water full of deaw and raine they were not able to suspend themselves from dissolving and showring upon Job both reproofe and counsell advises and exhortations We may observe from this Preamble That it is wisdome to sweeten reproofe with friendly insinuations Reproofe is a bitter Pill it is a wholesome yet a bitter Pill and there is need to wrap it up in Gold and Sugar that pleasing both eye and palat it may be taken downe the better It is the Apostles counsell to his Galatians Gal. 6. 1. Brethren if a man be overtaken with a fault yee that are spirituall restore such an one in the spirit of meeknesse The word restore is an allusion to the Art of Chirurgerie in setting a bone out of joynt soft words and a soft hand fit the Patients minde to endure that painfull operation By fals into sinne the soule breaks or disjoynts a bone he that will set such a minde must handle it gently We may observe the holy skill of some of the Saints in prayer preparing God for receiving of Petitions by prefaces and humble insinuations as it were getting within him Thus did Abraham Gen. 18. when he prayed for Sodome Let not my Lord be angry if I who am but dust and ashes speake unto thee There is such a spirituall art in winding a reproofe into
turnes to want of reason famine distracts The Egyptians were so extreamly pinched with hunger that it did even take away their wits from them and scarcity of food for their bodies made a dearth in their understandings So there is this force in the word Thou who hast given such wise and grave instruction unto others from those higher principles of grace now it is come upon thee thou art even as a mad man as a man distracted not able to act by the common principles of reason It toucheth thee It is the same word which we opened before the Devill desired that he might but touch Job now his friend telleth him he is touched And thou art troubled That word also hath a great emphasis in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it It signifies a vehement amazed trouble as in that place 1 Sam. 28. 21. where when the woman the Witch of Endor had raised up Samuel in appearance as Saul desired the Text saith that when all was ended she came unto Saul and she saw he was sore troubled think what trouble might fall upon a man in such a condition as Saul was in after this acquaintance with the visions of Hel think what a deep astonishment of spirit seaz'd upon him such disorder of minde this word layes upon Job Now it toucheth thee and thou art troubled Observe hence first To commend a man with a But is a wound instead of a commendation Thou hast instructed many But c. How many are there who salute their friends very faire to their faces or speak them very faire behinde their backs yet suddenly as Joab to Amasa draw out this secret Dagger and stab their honour and honesty to the heart As it is said of Naaman 2 Kings 5. 1. He was an honourable man and a mightie man of valour but he was a Leper So c. Observe secondly Great afflictions may disturbe the very seat of reason and leave a Saint in some acts below a man Some acts of holinesse represent the Saints as mad-men to carnall men So Paul appeared to Festus and so to many of his Corinthians 2 Ep cap. 5. v. 13. For whether we be besides our selves it is to God Workings of Grace are sometime so farre above reason that they seem to be without reason So some acts of infirmity represent the Saints to carnall men as mad-men A gracious man works so much below reason sometimes that he seems to be without reason Thirdly note That when we see any one doing ill it is good to minde him of the good which he hath done Eliphaz saw Job fainting enraged as a mad-man or as a man astonished he tels him of the wise and grave counsell and instruction he had given before consider what thou hast done As in the Revelation Christ speaks to the Church of Ephesus Rev 2. 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen and do thy first works vvhen the Church did ill then he tels her what she had formerly done well So the Apostle Ye did runne well having begun in the Spirit will ye end in the flesh vvhen he saw them runne upon fleshly ceremonies and ordinances ye began in the spirit saith he consider that and end as ye began As in dispute and reasoning a false conclusion cannot be derived from true premises so neither can it in practise or in living Holy premises conclude in holinesse He never began well that ends ill Fourthly observe That the good we have done is a kinde of reproach to us when we doe the contrary evill When a mans latter actions contradict his former or when his actions contradict his professions the former good is a staine or blemish to him It had 2 Pet. 2. 21. been better for them not to have knowne the way of righteousnesse then after they have knowne it to turn from the holy commandement given unto them Further take this likewise It is an easier matter to instruct others in trouble than to be instructed or take instruction our selves in our own troubles Even Job holy Job could give those counsels of patience and meeknesse and quietnesse under the hand of God which he could not follow to the full when it fell upon himselfe For though he did not faile to that height which Eliphaz implyeth in this reproofe yet faile he did He had set others a Copie which he could not write by or imitate when his own turn came A good man may quickly give counsell above his own strength to practise Observe lastly It is a shame for us to teach others the right way and to goe in the wrong our selves Eliphaz seekes to shame and convince Job upon this very ground thou hast done thus and thus thou hast taught others patience and thou art mad thy selfe art thou not ashamed to complain and cry out of thy afflictions when thou hast bid others be quiet and cheerfull under them It is an excellent thing when our words are made visible by our actions as he said in the Church story The faith which is seene is a great deale better than the faith which is heard so we may say in another kinde the wisdome which is seen in bearing of affliction is far better than the wisdome which is heard Physitian heal thy selfe He saved others himselfe he cannot save say the Jewes to Christ Man may justly be reproved with thou teachest others thy selfe Turpe est doctorem cum culpa redarguit ipsum thou canst not teach When the same fault which we reprehend in others may be reprehended in our selves our fault is doubled and the act not only sinfull but shamefull The Apostle convinces the Jewes mightily by this Argument Rom. 2. 19. Thou art confident that thou thy selfe art a guide of the blinde a light of them which are in darknesse an instructer of the foolish c. Thou takest upon thee all this Thou therefore saith he that teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe thou that preachest a man should not steale dost thou steale He goes on pressing it upon them as matter of shame and blushing that their actions ranne so crosse and contradictory to their own professions Thus we have opened the minor proposition or assumption of the first Argument couched in these two Verses thou hast comforted instructed and taught many yet when trouble commeth upon thee thou knowest not how to order thy selfe Is not this thy feare thy confidence the uprightnesse of thy wayes and thy hope Thus he gathers the conclusion and from hence inferres Job a hypocrite in Religion or irreligious Is not this thy feare c As if he had said thy feare thy confidence thy uprightnesse thy hope thy religion call it what thou wilt is but thus much or is but this Is not this thy feare In the first Verse of the first Chapter 't was shewed what the feare of God is part of Jobs character being thus given A man fearing God Now Eliphaz by this first point of his Interrogatories taxes Job in the first
seeke exactly and enquire laboriously unto God It signifies to seek by asking questions or by interrogating And it imports seeking with much wisedome and skill a curious or a criticall enquirie So Eccles 1. 13. I gave my heart saith Solomon to seeke and search out by wisedome And this seeking implies foure things First A supposition and a sense of our wants no man seekes that which he hath already or but thinks he hath it He that is full loathes a hony-combe Secondly A strong desire to find that which we want it notes not a bare desire only or woulding but a kind of unquietnesse or restlessenesse till we find such a desire tooke hold of David Psal 132. 4. I will not give rest to mine eyes nor slumber to mine eye-lids untill I find out a place for the Lord or untill I find the Lord. Thirdly A care to be directed about the meanes which may facilitate the finding or recovery of what we want and thus earnestly desire A seeking spirit is a carefull spirit after light and counsell Fourthly A diligent and faithfull endeavour in or about the use those meanes to which counsell directs us Through desire a man having separated himselfe seeketh and intermedleth with all wisdome Prov. 18. 1. That is he is very industrious in pursuing those advices which wisdome shews him or which are shewed him as the wayes of wisdome A lazy spirit is unfit to seeke I would seek unto God and unto God would I commit my cause In the former clause the word for God is El and in the latrer Elohim both names note the power of God El notes power or strength to act and execute Elohim power or authority to judge and determine I would seek unto El The strong God I would commit my cause to Elohim the Mighty God As if he had said Thou art in a weake and low condition now therefore seeke unto God the strong God the mighty God who is able to deliver thee Thou wantest the help of such a friend as he The Hebrew word for word is thus rendred Vnto God would I put my words or turne my speech We reach the meaning fully rendring Vnto God I would commit my cause or put my case The terme which we translate cause signifies any businesse or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat verâ—um vel negotium res meas ei committeâ—eÌ„ cause but most properly a word Explicite prayer is the turning of our thoughts into words or the putting of our case to God It is a speaking to or a pleading with the Lord. The Septuagint is clear in this sense I would deprecate the Lord I would call upon the Lord the governor of all things Both these significations of the word are profitable for us and congruous with the scope of the text I would turne my speech and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. prayer or I would commit my cause unto God The committing of our cause to God notes a resignation of our selves and of our condition into the hands of God It is as much as to say Let God doe what he will or determine what he pleaseth concerning me I will not strive or contend about question or dispute his decision or judgement of my cause I will lay my selfe down at his feet and tell him how she case stands with me then let him doe with me what seems good in his eyes This is the committing of our cause and condition unto God And the Originall word here used for God doth very well suite and correspond with this sense I will commit my cause unto God unto Elohim the great and impartiall Judge of Heaven and earth the God who loves Judgement and the habitation of whose Throne is righteousnes The God who knowes how to discern exactly between cause and cause person and person and will undoubtedly give a righteous sentence concerning every cause and person that comes before him Unto this Elohim would I commit my cause and refer my self to his arbitration Observe first in the general Eliphaz having reproved Job turnes himself to counsell and exhortation From which we may learne That As it is our duty to reprove a fault in our brother so it is our duty to advise and counsell him how to amend or come out of that fault for which we reprove him It is not enough to espy an error but we must labour to rectifie it or to tell another that he is out of the way but we must endeavour to reduce him Many can espy faults and failings in others who either know not how or care not to reforme and helpe them out Secondly observe That It is a duty to exhort and excite our bretheren to those duties wherein we find them flack or negligent Eliphaz conceived that Job was much behind in the duty of prayer and self-resignation unto God and therefore he quickens him up to it The Apostle calls us to this Christian inspection Heb. 3. 13. Exhort one another daily lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne sin growing and getting strength hardens the heart it is best to oppose it betimes and therefore he bids them doe it at all times exhort one another daily Though the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 1. 12. was perswaded of the Saints establishment in the present truth yet saith he I will not cease to put you alwayes in remembrance of these things It is a dangerous error which some hold that the Saints in this life may out grow counsell and exhortation as if there were no need to bid a godly man pray seek unto God no need to bid a godly man repent or humble himself or believe he cannot but do these things say they these are connaturall to him They are indeed to the new man within him But let them withall remember that the neglect of all these duties is as connaturall to the old man within him While there are two men within us we had need every man to look not only to one but to one another It may goe ill with the better part the new man if while he hath an enemy within to oppose him he hath not a friend without to help him On this ground besides the command of Christ the holiest man on earth may be exhorted to look to his holinesse none are in more danger then they who think they are past danger And as it is a certaine argument that a man was never good if he desires not to be better so it is a great argument that a man was never good who feares not that he may be worse They who are truly assured they cannot fall from grace are assured also that they may fall in grace and fall into sin The foundation of God stands sure but the footing of man doth not and therefore Let him that stands take heed least he fall And let them who see their brethren heedlesly falling lend them the right hand of exhortation to raise them up againe and when
they not perceive when they see The Prophet tels us because the Lord had said Shut their eyes least they see The work of a Prophet is to open eys but when men wilfuly shut their eys then God shuts them judicially and blinds them with light The Apostle quoting this text Acts 28. 27 expounds it so Their eyes have they closed least they should see for this God closed them that they could not see Paul was preaching and he preached Christ the true light The Sun of righteousnesse Behold the misery spoken of in this text They met with darknes in the day time This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darknes rather than light Why love they darknesse Because they see not the light And because they see not the light therefore they cannot love it It is impossible to see the light the beautifull face of the truth as it is revealed in Christ and not to love it A Heathen said if vertue much more if Gospell truth were seen every eye would be taken and every heart led captive by it A great part of the world hath not this light to see and the greatest part of those who have this light see it not They must needs meet with darknesse who are darknesse in the day-time And they must grope at noon day as in the night who are night If men heare the law and the testimony and neither speake nor doe according to that word it is as the Prophet gives the reason because there is no light in them or as the Hebrew No Morning in them Isa 8. 20. Till the day starr arises in our hearts the day before our eyes is night Secondly observe Plain things are often obscure to the wisest and most knowing men They grope at noon day as in the night That which a man may see with halfe an eye as we say these men who thinke themselves All eye cannot see Men of acute and sagacious understandings men quick-sighted like Eagles prove as dull as Beetles Owles and Bats see in the darke better then in the light And in a sense it is true of these they can see about the works of darknesse but the light of holinesse and justice they cannot see The reason is given in that of Christ The light that is in them is darknesse no wonder then if the light without them be darknes if the inward light the light that iâ— in them be darknesse how great is that darknesse so great that it quite darkens the outward light Inward darkness is to outward light as a great outward light is to a small one in regard of our use or benefit it extinguishes and overcomes it Hence these men cannot see the plainest object in the clearest light Light shineth in darknes and the darknes comprehendeth it not Joh. 1. 5. Christ breaks forth into a vehement gratulation to his Father Mat. 11. 25. I thanke thee O Father Lord of heaven nnd earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes The wise and prudent could not see so much as children They were so wise in their own conceits that they could not conceive the things of God As it is in spirituals so likewise in regard of civill counsels God hides wisedome from the wise and understanding from the prudent They shall not be able to doe or see what a child might have done or seen they shall doe such things and so absurdly that a child would not do them Mysteries are plain when the Lord opens and plainest things are mysterious when he shuts the eyes of our understanding Thus farre Eliphaz hath set forth the power and justice of God against subtill crafty counsellours Now he shews the opposite effect of his power and goodnesse Vers 15. But he saveth the poore from the Sword from their mouth and from the hand of the mighty But he saveth the poor It is very observeable in Scripture that usually if not alwayes after the mention of judgement and wrath upon the wicked the mercy goodnesse and love of God unto his own people are represented least any should thinke that judgement is a worke wherein God delighteth he quickly passeth from it and concludes in what he delighteth Mercy As he retains not his anger for ever towards his own people so he stay â—s not long upon the description of his anger against his enemies because he delighteth in mercy Mich. 7. 18 A subject of mercy is most pleasant both to the hand and pen of the Lord. He wishes rather to write in hony than in gall and to draw golden lines of love then bloudy lines of wrath Satan is a Destroyer and he doth nothing but destroy and pull down The Lord destroyeth and he pulleth down he defeats and disappointeth but he hath another worke besides he saves and delivers he builds up and revives the hopes of his people He saveth the poore These poore are Gods poore Some may be called the Devils poore for they have done his worke and he hath given them poverty for their wages Satan will give all his hirelings full pay when they die The wages of sin is death while they live many of them receive only the earnest of it poverty and trouble All that are poore stand not under the rich influences of this promise He saveth the poore Wicked poore are no more under Gods protection then wicked oppressouâ—s or wicked rich men are This poore man cryed and the Lord heard Ps 34. 6. Not every or any poore man Some poor men may cry and the Lord heare them no more then he did the cry of Dives the rich man in hell Luk. 16. Forget not the Congregation of thy poore Psal 74. 19 Thy poore by way of discrimination There may be a greater distance between poore and poore then there is between poore and rich There are many ragged regiments Congregations of poore whom the Lord will forget for ever But his poore shall be saved And these poore are of two sorts either poore in regard of wealth and outward substance or poor in regard of friends or outward assistance A rich man especially a godly rich man may be in a poore case destitute and forsaken wanting patronage and protection God saveth his poore in both notions both those that have no friends and those that have no estates The Hebrew word for Poor springs from a root signifying desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a radiâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est desiderare quasi pauper omnia deâ—ideret cum nihil habeat inde Ebion haerâ—tiâ—us quasi mentis inteligentiae inops Schiud Quia omnibus indiget omnia cupit gâ—ata habeâ— Rab. Da. and the reason is because poore men are commonly rich in desires They that are full of sensible wants are full of earnest wishings They that are emptiâ—st of enjoyments are fullest of hopes and longings And the reason why poverty of spirit in our spirituall
and there shall be no herd in the stalls Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation He was feasting upon God while he imagines the world starving he sees all things in God though the world should afford him nothing That soule is well fed and taught which can be rejoycing while it 's own body is starving And in war from the power of the Sword War is the second evill Famine and war goe often together yea they two seldome goe without a third the Pestilence 2 Sam. 24. Jer. 18. 22. And though in the order of the words famine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bellum à radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vesci edere per Metaphorà pugnare quia gâ—adius in bello devoraâ— hominum corpora In bello se mutuò homines devorant obsumunt be set before war yet usually war is the fore-runner of famine The sword cuts off provision and when it selfe hath devoured much flesh it leaves no bread for those who survive It is observable that the originall word for war here used comes from a root signifying to eat or to devoure and so by a Metaphor it signifies to fight or strike with the sword And the reason why the same word which signifies war signifies to eat is because the Sword is such an Eater or rather a Devourer and it eats two ways First the Sword eats up the bodies of men drinks up their bloud dispeoples a Land And then Secondly It eates up and consumes the fruits of the earth and hence War is the mother of Famine Therefore we find that when the great peace and so the plenty of the Church of Christ is prophecied of and described Isa 2. 4. and in Micah it is thus expressed They shall beat their swords into plow shares and their speares into pruning-hookes As if he should say while the sword is abroad in the field the plow shares will do little there For the most part Justice is silent in time of war the sound of the trumpet Inter arma silent leges and drum is too loud for the Law and when the Law stands still the plongh stands still Therefore when the sword is in motion both are at a stand Hence the promise that Swords shall be beaten into plow-shares and speares into pruning-hookes that is with peace you shall have bread and wine which note the abundance of all other things The ancients embleam'd peace by Eares of corne and Concord by a Cornu-copia a horne of plenty riches are the fruit of peace And safety is the priviledge of the Saints in time of war In war they shall be delivered from the power of the sword The Hebrew is They shall be delivred from or out of the hand of the sword Sometime in Scripture we read of the face of the sword which notes the sword coming and approaching to a people And sometimes we read of the mouth of the sword which notes the sword come devouring and eating up a people And here we have the hand of the sword they shall be delivered out of the Gladius manu apprehensus elevatus symbolum est extremi discriminis praesentis hostis Quasi diceret etiam in ipsa pugna vel inter tot manus gladios agitantes contra te vibantes salvaberis hand of the sword which notes as we translate the power of the sword Or that forme of speaking may be understood by an Hypallage From the hand of the sword that is from the sword in the hand which phrase imports present danger when the sword is unsheathed and drawn out when it is in the hand ready to strike then the enemy is ready to charge and then the Lord delivers He shall deliver from the sword in the hand or out of the hand of the sword So Psal 127. 4. Children of the youth are as arrowes in the hand of the mighty that is as arrowes ready to be shot And Psal 149. 6. Let the high praises of God be in their mouthes and a two edged sword in their hands noting actuall revenges taken on the enemies of God and actuall praises given to the name of God at the same time So then the meaning of these words He shall deliver thee from the power of the sword or out of the hand of the sword is this suppose thou art in such a condition that the swords are drawn about thy eares and thou art in the midst of a thousand deaths and dangers in the very heat of a battell yet then the Lord God can and will deliver thee And this likewise is a comfortable promise for us to lay hold on in these times It is a time of war to us all and there are many of our friends and brethren as it were in the very hand of the sword Desires are often sent to the Congregation by one for a husband by another for a brother by a third for a servant by many for their friends gone forth to meet a sword in the hand of an enemy skilfull to destroy Here is a promise to comfort and support such The Lord in time of war can deliver out of the very hand of the sword or when swords are in hand when thousands of swords are drawn together preparing for or smiting in the day of battell know then God is a deliverer In the most present dangers God shews the most present help Psal 23. 5. Thou shalt spread my table and cause my cup to overflow before the face of my enemy even then when my enemy is nearest and looketh on As when the sword is in the hand of the Angel so when it is in the hand of man A thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand but it shall not come nigh thee Psal 91. 7. Not nigh thee what when they die on this side and one that side on every hand of a man doth it it not come nigh him Yes nigh him but not so nigh as to hurt him The power of God can bring us nigh to danger and yet keep us far from harme As good may be locally near us and yet vertually far from us so may evill The multitude throng'd Christ in the Gospel and yet but one toucht him so as to receive good so Christ can keep us in a throng of dangers that not one shall touch us to our hurt Yet we are not to take this or the like holy writs of protection as if God would deliver all his people from famine and from the sword we know many precious servants of his have fallen by these common calamities The Lord knows how to distinguish his when sword and famine doe not Neither doth this word fall though they doe If the servants of Christ are not delivered from these troubles they are delivered by them and while they are overcome by one trouble they conquer all Vers 21. Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue neither shalt
potion and mistooke his case his was good searching physick for the foul stomach and grosse spirit of a hypocrite but it is enough to kill the heart of an upright-heart when God seemes angry with him and appeares against him when he is smitten without and smitten within by sore afflictions of mind and body then for his comforters to smite him with their tongues to lay at him with hard words and wound him with their unreasonable jealousies then for his counsellers and helpers to be angry with and opposite against him too Observe hence That not only words untrue but words misapplied are unsavoury and may be dangerous They are no food and they may be poison Prudence in applying is the salt and seasoning of what is spoken As a word spoken in the right season is precious and upon the wheele so is a word right placed When that faith full Prophet Ezek. 13. reproves the false prophets he saith They dawbed with untempered morter ver 10. it is the word of the text and why was theirs untempered morter even because they applied the word of God wrong They made sad the hearts of those whom God would have refreshed and they cheared the spirits of those whom God would have sadned they slay the souls that should not dye and save the souls alive that should not live This was untempered morter The Apostle advises all Col. 4 6. Let your speech be alwayes with grace seasoned with salt And speech must be seasoned not only with the falt of truth but with the salt of wisdome and discretion and therefore the Apostle adds that ye may know how to answer every one that is that you may give every man an answer fitting his case and the present constitution of his spirit Of some have compassion saith the Apostle Jude ver 22. making a difference and others save with feare This shewes the holy skill of managing the word of God when we make a difference of our patients by our different medicines and not serve all out of the same boxe Hence our Lord calleth those great Teachers of the Gospel and dispensers of his Oracles Light and Salt You are the Light of the world and you are the salt of the earth because they were to speake savoury things to every person to every pallate as well as to enlighten them with knowledge and prevent or cure the corruption of their manners and keep their lives sweet As there is an unsavourinesse in persons when they are mis-employed so there is an unsavourinesse in speeches when they are mis-applied The history of the Church speaks of one Eccebolius who changed religion so often and was so unsetled that at last Conculcate me salem insipidum Niceph. he cast himselfe down at the congregation doore and said Trample upon me for I am unsavoury salt And that word though in it self a truth which is unseasonably delivered or unduly placed may be cast at the doores of the Congregation to be trampled on for in this sence it is unsavoury salt Such corrupt the word and their's is but corrupt communication such as cannot minister grace unto the hearers and often grieves the holy Spirit of God These work-men for their ill division of the word of God have reason enough to be ashamed and the Lord may justly reprove them as he did Jobs friends Chap. 42. 7. Ye have not spoken of me nor of my wayes the thing that is right JOB Chap. 6. Vers 8 9 10 c. O that I might have my request and that God would grant me the thing that I long for Even that it would please God to destroy me that he would let loose his hand and cut me off Then should I yet have comfort yea I would harden my selfe in sorrow Let him not spare for I have not concealed the words of the holy One c. IN the former part of this Chapter we have had Job defending his former complaint of life and his desire of death In this context from the 8th verse unto the end of the 12th he reneweth and reinforceth that desire He not only maintaines and justifies what he had done but doth it again begging for death as heartily and importunately as he did in the third Chapter O that I might have my request and that God would grant me the thing that I long for The request it selfe is laid downe in the 8 â—h and 9 â—h verses and the reasons strengthning it in the 10 11 and 12 verses So these 5 verses are reduceable to these two heads 1. The renewing of his desire to dye 2. An enlargement of reasons confirming that desire O that I might have my request It is such a vehement desire and so exprest as Davids was 2 Sam. 23. 15. And David longed and said Oh that one would give me drinke of the water of the well of Bethlem which is by the gate David did not long more to tast a cup of that water then Job did to tast the cup of death The summe and scope of Jobs thoughts in this passage may be conceived thus He would assure his friends that his faith was firme and his comforts flowing from it very sweet That it was not impatience under the troubles of this life but assurance of the comforts of the next which caused him so often to call for death That these comforts caused his heart to triumph and glory in the very approaches of the most painfull death and made him despise and lightly to esteeme all the hopes of life That he was gone further then the motives which Eliphaz used from the hopes of a restitution to temporall happinesse he now was pitcht upon and lodg'd in the thoughts of eternall happinesse That he call'd for death not as that with which he had made any Covenant or was come to any agreement with but only as that which would bring him to his desired home The one Thing he desired That his comforts had not a foundation in a grave where all things are forgotten but in the Covenant of God who remembers mercy for ever and therefore it should not trouble him to die before he was restored to health riches and honour which his friends proposed to him as a great argument of comfort and of patience For in death he should have riches and glory and hence it was that he had rather endure the extreamest paines of death then stay to receive any outward comforts in this life His desires to be dissolved were not so much from the sence of his present paine for he would harden himselfe to endure yet more as from the apprehension of future joy This was not a fancie or a dreame but he had good proof and reall evidence of it in the whole course of his life which had been as a continued acting of the word of God and to a fitting him for nearest communion with God This in general The letter of the Hebrew runneth thus Who would give me that my request or that
my petition might come He had sent up a request a prayer a prayer for death and he thought his prayer too long gone upon that message Prayer was not quick enough in its returne from Heaven every houre was a yeare till he heard of it therefore saith he O that some body would give me that my request might come back againe unto me The word whereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he expresses his request notes a very strong desire a strong cry a strong prayer implying that Job had sent up mighty requests or strong cries about it As it is said of our Lord Christ Heb. 5. That in the dayes of his flesh he sent up strong cryes unto God who was able to deliver him Christ sent up strong cryes to be delivered from death and Job sent up strong cryes for death A word of the same root signifies the grave the grave is a craving a begging thing the grave is never satisfied as it is in the Proverbs The grave saith not it is enough And the grave is therefore exprest by a word that signifies to desire or request or to ask a thing importunately because the grave hath a mouth as it were continually open to ask and beg and cry out for more morsells it consumeth all and is never full such a desire Job put forth for death And that God would grant me the thing that I long for It is a repetition of the same desire in other words What it is to long hath been opened in the third Chapter ver 21. Who long for death Here Job reneweth the same suit againe O that I might have the thing that I long for or the thing which I expect with great expectation and vehemency of affection I shall not stay upon it But only give you the generall sence a little varied In this passage Job shewes himselfe assured that his comforts should not end though his life ended before he was restored to earthly comforts And he thus seemes to answer Eliphaz who had made large promises of outward felicity I am not stayed at all in Job expectaâ—ionem proximam facit mortem tanquam eam quae patiendi ultimam quietis ac faeli â—itatis primam representet liâ—â—â—â— my desires to die because I may possibly live in greater worldly honour and fullnesse then ever I enjoyed All that is in the creature is below wy longing I have not a sweet tooth after worldly dainties I shall not envy any who cut-live me to enjoy them let them divide my portion whatsoever it may be among them also The thing which I long for is death not for it selfe but as that which will bring me to the last of my ill dayes and the first of my best Jobs thoughts were in a higher forme then his friends They thought a golden offer of riches would have made him a gogge to live But Jobs heart lived above these even upon the riches of eternall life To enjoy which he even longs for temporall destruction and cutting off I have spoken at large in the third Chapter concerning the lawfulnesse of such a request and how farre Job might be approved in it therefore I need not discusse it here Only observe in generall That A praying soule is an expecting soule Job had prayed and prayed earnestly and though it was but a prayer to die yet he lived in the expectation of an answer When prayer is sent up unto God then the soul looks for it's return Prayer is as seed sowne After this spirituall husbandry the soul waits for the precious fruits of Heaven Psal 62. 1. My soule waiteth upon God and Psal 85. 8. I will hearken what the Lord God will say Job had sent up his request and now he was hearkening for an answer O that I might have the thing that I looke for Habbakkuk in the second of that prophecie verse 1. having prayed about the great concernments of those times resolves I will stand upon my watch and set me upon the Tower and will watch to see what he will say unto me They who send Embassadours to forreigne Princes waite for a returne Thus it is with the soul having put up it's request and sent an Embassie to God Observe Secondly Answer of our prayer is the grant of God Nothing stands between us and our desires but his will If he signe our petition no creature can hinder us of our expectation Observe Thirdly God often keepes the petitions of his servants by him unanswered Observe Fourthly The returne of prayer is the souls solace and satisfaction As cold water to a thirsty soule so is good news from that farre Country Prov. 25. 25. O that my request might come and O that I might have the thing that I long for Would you know what his request was He explains that in the 9 â—h verse and a man would wonder that one should be so very earnest to have such a request Many have prayed to God to save and deliver them but how unnaturall doth this prayer seeme to be cut off and destroyed Yet the thing which Job doth more then pray for long for is this That it would please God to destroy him and that he would let loose his hand and cut him off That it would please God to destroy me Some reade That he who hath begun would make an end in destroying of me For the word signifies both to be willing to doe a thing and likewise to begin to doe a thing therefore they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat liâ—ere velle inchoare acquiescere in re quapiam eamque tota voluntate amplecti make out the sense thus That he who hath begun thus to destroy me to teare and consume me would finish his worke and make an end of me As if Job had said I am already neare unto destruction a borderer upon the grave God hath begun to destroy me I would have him to goe on and perfect that worke As in workes of mercy Deut. 32. 4. He is the Rocke and his worke is perfect When he beginnes to deliver he will make an end So likewise when he beginnes to destroy he can make an end too Job desires that his afflictions might be perfected to the destruction of his dying body and that mercy might begin in the triumphs of his soule But rather take it in the other sense as we render it To be willing to doe a thing Even that it would please God or even that God would be willing to destroy me As if he had said I find as it were a kind of unwillingnesse in God to make an end of me his bowels seeme to yerne over me he seemes yet to be upon the dispute whether to cut me quite off or no now I even desire that God would lay aside that his tendernesse and compassion that he would determine and resolve to destroy me that he would acquiesce and fully rest satisfied in that resolution The word here used to destroy notes to
and a vaine thing of a good conscience The meaning then is faith and a good conscience are our best helds and friends because faith carries us unto Christ who is our best help Faith pitches upon Christ and a good conscience feasts us in the favour of God Faith alone is no help but faith is our help because it is not alone Grace left alone would be our strength but little more then nature is and our spirit little more then the flesh And therefore our comforts are not to be resolved into this That we have grace in our hearts but into this That we and our graces are in the hand of Christ Faith can live no where but upon Christ That which faith respects as our help is Christ in whom we beleeve not the act of beleeving We are helped by the grace within us but the grace within us is not our help Secondly Observe A godly man in the darkest affliction or night of sorrow finds a light of holy wisdome to answer all the objections of his enemies and the suspitions of his friends Is wisdome departed quite from me Doe you think I have nothing to say nothing to reply by way of apologie for what I have don or spoken Though Job had many afflictions upon him and his friends against him yet see how he recollects himselfe Is not my help in me he makes out the goodnesse of his cause in the midst of a thousand evils and can plead his own integrity in the throng of many jealousies and contradictions Is not my help in me Doe you think you have so daunted me that I am not able to make out my own estate or that I know not what I am The truth is sometimes God leaves his servants in so much darkness for their tryal and exercise that they cannot see their own estates but cry out they are lost and undone Many a good soul cannot reflect upon his graces or get his heart into any communion with Christ in promises This is walking in darkness and seeing no light As our sins are sometimes secrets to us so also our graces may But let a man be encompast with never so many outward afflictions yet if his spirit be free he is able to judge of his own interests through all the black clouds which hang over him through all the distractions and confusions that are about him The eye of faith is usually quickest in a dark night And while trouble is near at hand beholds Christ near at hand He can never be without help who carries his help about him or within him Nor can he utterly want counsel to direct him whose heart is as a councel Table where Christ the wisdom of God is ever President and in the Chair My worldly comforts are quite driven from me but wisdome is not I am afflicted and therefore should not be thus suspected but pittied Vers 14. To him that is afflicted pitty should be shewed from his friend but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty This verse begins the third Section of the chapter wherein Job draws up a strong charge against his friends for their uncharitablenesse See the progresse and links of his Discourse First he refuted and answered their objections against him from the first to the 8 verse Secondly he renewed his complaint which was the ground of all their objections from the 8th verse unto the end of the 13th Here at verse 14. he begins a charge against his friends of unkindness indiscretion yea of cruelty in managing of this dispute against him He giveth it first in general or by way of Preface To him that is afflicted pitty should be shewed from his friend But he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty As if he had said You should have dealt otherwise with me then you have in this case though blessed be God I find help within me God hath given me the light of his spirit and wisdome to discern my own condition yet it is no thank to you I have found no help in my friends you have dealt unfriendly with me you should have pittied me but you have opposed me and so forsaken that duty which the fear of the Almighty teaches He proceeds to illustrate this more particularly by way of similitude comparing his friends to a brook whose waters fail when we are athirst or when there is most need of water To him that is afflicted The word signifies Him that is melted and the reason is because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solvit dissolvit liquidum fluidum reddidit Sic mea perpetuis liquescant pectora curis Ovid. de Pont 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Tributum sic dictum quia paulatim liquescere facit facultates maximo si nimium imponatur Buxtorf b Quidam Pontificii volunt suam Missam hac voce hebraica fuisse appellatam Recte quidem per eam scilicet pietas omnis liquefacta est dâ—ssoluta Rivet affliction dissolves the spirit of a man and as it were melts his heart therefore it is called the fire of affliction To be dissolved or melted and to be afflicted are the same And that effect is ascribed to fear and trouble of spirit arising from affliction Psalm 22 15. My heart saith David a type of Christ in the middest of my belly is like melting wax By reason of the heat and greatness of his trouble and the anguish of his spirit he was as metal melted in a furnace At the defeat of the Israelites before Ai it is said the hearts of the people melted and became as water Josh 7. 5. And in the sixth Psalm verse 6. David cryes up the exuberance of his sorrowes by this word I melted or watered my couch with tears Thus the Prophet threatning a day of great fear against Jerusalem tells them They shall be as when a Standard-bearer fainteth Isa 10. 18. When the Battell waxes hot and a vanquisht army is running and crying for quarter the standard bearer is in greatest danger all make up to him and then he fainteth or melteth away with fear a Tributes and taxes are exprest in the Hebrew by a word coming from this root because if heavily imposed they melt away the estates of a people b It is a witty observation that whereas some of the Papists conceive their word Masse was derived from this Hebrew word Massas which signifyeth to melt One of ours answers let it be so It suites this sense of the word exactly and the effect oâ— that abhominable Idolatry for the Masse hath dissolved and melted away truth and pitty out of the Popish Territories To him that is offlicted pitty should be shewed That word pitty in the Hebrew signifies a sacred sweet affection of mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pietas bonitas benignitas per Antiphrasin impletas crudetitas ex Calâ—aicae linguae usu benignity goodness and piety And by Contraries in which sense words are often used in that language it notes First Reproach Prov. 14. 34 Sin is
or fitness they have in themselves to continue but as their coming is extrinsical not out of the ground but from the air so is their continuance I grant these great Land-flouds sometimes stay with us a while not because they have any ordinary natural supply or stay they are onely blackish by reason of the ice after a great Rain in winter a great frost comes and then your water-courses or brooks swelling above their channels are surprized by cold and cannot get away the cold condenceth the waters and freezeth them up and the snow is kept close from melting then these torrents or streams seem to be lasting fountains and treasures of water Or take it thus He compares those friends who administer no comfort in trouble to brookes which in time of rain when we have no need overflow with water but in cold winter weather are lockt up with frosts or in hot summer-weather are exhaled and dried up by the Sun As it follows Vers 17. What time they wax warm they vanish when it is hot they are consumed out of their place These streams you might think living lasting streams or standing fixed waters when you saw them frozen into great mountains of ice and snow compact together but stay a while and you shall see what becomes of them at the next thaw they are consumed out of their place Such friends have I and such is the friendship of mankind unless God renew the heart or restrain it from its natural baseness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diffluere diffundi Buxt The word which we translate to wax warm is used but this once in Scripture it signifies also scattered or dissipated And the reason is because heat or warmth dissipates and separates those Dissipati Vulg. things which were united or congealed The Sun warms the streams and then the waters which stood on a heap scatter and disperse The sum of all is These streams in winter have nothing to stay their consuming but their hardning and as soon as heat comes they dissolve and are gone in Summer these brooks are dry This is yet further illustrated in the 18. verse The pathes of their way are turned aside they go to nothing and perish What he had said before in those words They vanish and are consumed out of their place he saith again in these The paths of their way are turned aside they goe to nothing and perish That is these streams are as if they had never been you cannot find them in their former channels these waters are quite spent the Sunne at a few draughts empties these vessels and drawes them dry so that there is not a drop lest either for man or beast The word which we render Turned aside signifies To gather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inclinavit percelluit up a contract into a narrow compass as when a man of courage gathers or shrinks up himself or as we say buckles to a businesse that he may put out the uttermost of his strength S◠Judg. 16. 29. When Sampson came to the pillars on which the house stood the text saith He turned himself with all his might It is the word of the text as if Sampson would collect all the power he had into one place to pull the pillars out of theirs He that would do a great service will have all his outward strength about him or near at hand And at such a time a man will have all his inward strength close together and therefore puts his body into less room if he can that all his members may act as one We shrink up the body also in sudden fear The word is so used Ruth 3. 8. When Boaz that good man awakning found Ruth at his feet and perceived there was a woman on the floor he gathered or shrunk up himself as a man that is afraid in his bed will gather up his limbs neerer together and lies in lesse room In such a manner the heat gathers or shrinks up the waters Thus the paths of these waters saith Job are shrunk up or gathered together as it were into one channel or they creep under the banks to shelter themselves from that great Drinker and river-drier the Sun but all their subterfuges are in vain the Sun dries up all nothing remains so it follows in the next words They goe to nothing and perish It is the word used Gen. 1. 2. The earth was without form and void 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vacuitas There was a nothingness upon that confused heap before a second creation stampt a form upon it that which is uselesse is but as good as nothing The Jews expresse an Idol by this word 1 Sam. 12. 21. which suits excellently with that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 8. An Idol is nothing in the world So these streams these rivers which seemed such goodly pleasant streames such as might have relieved the thirsty traveller at all seasons come to them in summer they are gone to nothing that are like that rude masse when the world lay undigested into parts void and without form Before I come to the general Observations from the whole similitude observe from this description of passing streames That Things or persons cannot hold long which are not supplied from aninward principle Job describes streames having no spring to maintaine them the rain filled them the cold froze them and the warmth of the Sun emptied them As it is in things so in persons no man can hold out either in gracious and spiritual or just and honourable civil acts unlesse he have a principle within answerable to Metapbora insignis Hieroglyphicum clarissime exprimens vanitatem magnae speciei pietati◠charitatis quae non ex vera fide provenit Coc. what he undertakes Iob. 27. 10. Will the hypocrite alwayes call uon God Not alwayes why because he hath not a spirit or spring of prayer Therefore hypocrites are well compared to such brooks as Job here describes A failing brook is a clear Emblem of a false heart both to God and man And that is the reason why regeneration is set forth by the gift of a new principle of a new heart or of a new nature It is to no purpose to work a man by some extrinsical motive by hopes or by feares by threatnings or by promises by rewards or punishments to doe or forbear good or evil unlesse he have a new heart all vanishes and comes to nothing A regenerate person hath a new heart a new spirit is a new creature a new man all which notes a lasting principle an everlasting frame of holinesse in the main though it may sometime decline and need repaires It is farre better to be a rivolet a little spring then to be a great torrent It is better to have a little spring of grace than a great loud stream of profession It is reported by Geographers in their descriptions of America that in Peru there is a river called the Diurnall river or the
friends To be afraid of provoking God to cast us down Deut. 17. 13. they shall hear and fear and do no more presumtuously What shall they hear They shall hear how God hath cast men down or cast down a Nation by his judgements they shall hear of this and fear How shall they fear they shall fear to doe presumtuously fear to provoke that God who can thus cast down men and Kingdoms It is good to be thus afraid but there is a sinful fear when fear disorders or unfits us to put our hands to the help of those who are cast down and to administer comfort to those who are in sorrow such was the casting down and the fear here meant They were so afraid that they could not lend Job a hand or give him advised counsel to support his spirit I shall adde one Observation from the general scope of the similitude That an unfaithfull friend failes us most when we have most need of him That is the summe of all In winter when there is water in every ditch those brooks abound with water but in the summer especially in a dry summer when the rain of the land is dust as Moses speaks these brooks are dust too they vanish and are consumed out of their place they afford no refreshing at all When the man that went down from Hierusalem to Jericho and fell among theeves Luke 10 30. lay in the way stript and wounded even half dead A certain Priest came that way saith the text and when he saw him he passed by on the other side and likewise a Levite when he was at the place came and looked on him and passed by on the other side but the Samaritan went to him not from him and had compassion on him Job speaks very neer this language but fully this sence of his friend They like the uncharitable Priest and Levite passed by him as the streams of brooks they pass away Whereas they should have been like the good Samaritan a fountain a river of settled springing comfort to him This is the great difference between the love of God and that of most men God is the best friend to us at all times he is best to us in the best times if we had not him to friend it would be very ill with us when we have most friends But God is best of all to us in the worst times a best friend to us when we have no friends he is our spring when the rain falls but he is our surest sweetest spring when there is neither rain nor dew upon the face of the earth Therefore he is compared as Jer. 2. so in other places unto a living fountain where you may be sure to find water in the hottest season This infinitely commends the love of God beyond that of men who at the best are but broken cisterns which leak out the comforts they are trusted with and for the most part are but like Jobs brookes they turn aside and passe away when we have most need of them It is observed of the Samaritans in Josephus that when ever the Jews affairs prosper'd they would be their friends and professe much kindnesse but if the Jews were in trouble and wanted their assistance then they got them far enough off they would not have to do with them or own them The rich man hath many friends saith Solomon Prov. 14. 20. but the poor is hated even of his own neighbour Vbi deficit pecunia labascit amicitia Worldly friendship ends with riches and he that wants mony seldom abounds with friends But consider how farre this is from the very nature of a brother and from the law of friendship Solomon Prov. 17. 17. describes a true friend to be one who loveth at all times and a brother is born for adversity As if he had said this is the reason God hath raised up relations and made men neer one to another because himself orders there shall be times of adversity when they shall have need of one another Some render the place A brother is born in adversity as if the meaning were That when a man is in trouble God raises up a brother to help him Or as the Septuagint hath it A brother is born for this end and purpose to help in adversity Therefore a brother loses the very end and purpose why he was born if he refuse to help those who are in adversity Ruth was a true pattern of a faithful friend and brother though a daughter I went out full saith her mother in law but the Lord hath brought me home empty But though she was emptied of the world yet Ruths heart was full of loue to her I will not leave thee God do so to me and more also if ought but death part thee and me So saith faithfulness in friends especially in Christian friends It is one of the greatest duties and commendations of Christian profession to stick to and stand by one another be it fowl weather or be it fair blow the winds high or low let it be stormy or calme ever to be the same The Heathens wondered in the primitive times at the great love of the Christians to one another Let us take heed we do not put Heathens naturall carnal men to wonder O how little do Christians love one another Let us not give them occasion to say O how the Christians hate one another how like are they at best to streames of brooks who fail when their friends and brethren need the benefit of their assistance Let me only give you this caution God suffereth men to be thus unfaithful unto men yea sometimes a Christian brother to Talia patitur Deus suis accidere ne hominibus nimis fidunt sed omne solatium spem fiduciam in ipso solo vivo vero Deo ponant Lavat fail a Christian brother which is their sin and ought to be their sorrow I say God leaves them to this evil of their own hearts that we may have a greater good out of it then the highest actings of their love and faithfulnesse could estate us in Namely that we may learn to trust upon God alone and may better know what creatures are Trust not in a brother Jer. 9 4. so as to let out your hearts upon him think not you are safe in the love of a brother no not of a godly brother The Apostle 1 Tim. 6 17. to draw off rich men from trusting in their riches useth this argument Charge them that are rich that they trust not in uncertain riches but in the living God Why should they not trust in riches He giveth the reason in the Epithite uncertain They are uncertain riches therefore trust them not So we may say of men trust not in men no not absolutely in godly men for the best of men are uncertain possibly they may be as these streames of brooks whose waters failed Psal 146. 3. Put not your trust in Princes nor in the son
of man in whom there is no help why not For his breath goeth forth that 's one reason he must die he must return to the earth therefore trust him not But besides that we may say trust not in Princes c. while their breath tarrieth in them for it is possible their help and faithfulness may goe forth though their breath doth not Therefore trust â—eâ—ly in the living God he will never leave us though men doe God only is unchangeable he only hath preserved this honour without touch or stain never to forsake those who trusted him how forlorn and forsaken soever their condition was JOB Chap. 6. Vers 22 23 24 25. Did I say bring unto me or give a reward for me of your substance Or deliver me from the Enemies hand or redeem me from the hand of the mighty Teach me and I will hold my tongue and cause me to understand wherein I have erred How forcible are right words but what doth your arguing reprove JOB Having shadowed out his friends unfaithfulnesse by an elegant similitude in the context fore-going now aggravates their unfaithfulness to him in his wants by his own modesty in seeking to them for supplies Did I say bring unto me or give a revvard for me of your substance As if he had said I have not been burthensome or troublesome to you I have not called for your contributions and benevolences or sought to have my estate made up out of your purses Why do ye charge me with impatience at my loss as if that were it which pinches and presses me did I ever charge you for my reparation or redemption That in deed might have been either burdensome or dangerous to you All that I expected from you was your comfort and your counsell these would not have put you to much expence or if you could not have reacht so far as to comfort me yet you might have forborn to contribute so largely to my sorrows by overtaxing me with impatience and charging me with hypocrisie Did I say I was not clamorous or importunate no I did not so much as open my mouth to move you in that point I have been so far from begging that ye have not heard me saying bring to me Bring unto me The word is Give unto me Hos 4. 18. Their Princes love Give ye or bring ye so saith Job I did not say bring ye or give ye my spirit was not set upon money or the repair of my losses out of your estates I did not either write or send for your charity you were not invited to visit me that you might contribute to my necessity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proprie munus quod datur ad corrumpendum Iudicem a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uuus quod unum facit dantem scilicet occipientem The word here used for a reward properly taken signifies that which is given to a Judge to corrupt or turn him aside in judgement One of the Rabbins gives this reason why it notes a bribing reward because it is compounded of a word signifying One and a bribe makes the giver and the receiver the Judge and party One or of one mind A Judge should ever stand indifferent between both parties till the cause be heard but a bribe makes him One of them Yet ordinarily this word is put for any gift or help subsidy or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Humor nativus in quo vigor corporis consistit opes nam in opibus Consistit potentia hominum supply of anothers wants Of your substance The word implies the native naturall strength which supplies the wants or supports the weaknesses of the body As also the strength of the earth by which it puts forth fruit Lev. 26. 20. And because riches are a mans civil strength therefore the same word expresses both Verse 23. Or did I say deliver me from the enemies hand The enemies Or the hand of those that have brought me into straights For the original imports the shutting a man up in a narrow compass so that he knows not how to get out he that is in the hand of an enemy is in a straight hand Ahab commands 1 Kings 22. 29. Goe carry Micaiah back and feed him with the bread of affliction or with the bread of straights such bread as an enemy provides The Greek word used by the Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 8. reaches this fully We are troubled but not distressed or straightned Now saith Job did I say deliver me out of the hand or power of mine enemies who have brought me into these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 straights alluding as is conceived to those Chaldeans and Sabeans who had spoiled his estate and slain his servants Or redeem me out of the hand of the mighty Redeem me That is my goods which they have carried away captive To redeem signifies the fetching back of a thing by price or force Christ is a Redeemer in both sences he redeemed or fetch'd back captivated man by compact and by price in respect of God his father We are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6. 20. that is bought with a full prize Christ did not compound with the justice of his father but satisfied it to redeem us and he redeemed us by force out of the hands of Satan Spoiling principalities and powers and making a shew of them openly Col. 2. 15. As in Triumphs the Romans used to doe with their spoiled captivated enemies Job had not begged redemption of his friends from the power of his enemies either way did I desire you by compact and by price to ransome me Or did I desire you to levy an Army with power and force to recover my estate out of the hands of those mighty oppressours The word Mighty signifies also terrible the hand of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Terribilis sua potentia formidabilis terrible one It is often applied to God when he shewes himself in terrour to wicked men Psal 89. 7. God is greatly to be feared Isa 2 19. He shakes terribly the earth But most commonly to cruel powerful men who make no other use of their strength but to be a terrour to innocents The Apostle Phil. 1. 28. explaines this word while he saith and in nothing be ye terrified by your adversities that word in the Greek answers this in the Hebrew your adversities are terrible men men who think to beat down all with their great looks but be not ye terrified by these terrible ones So here Did I call unto you to redeem me out of the hand of the mighty the terrible out of the hand of those cruel plunderers the Sabeans and Chaldeans De manu Tribulationis Vatab Puto cum Allegoricè tam graves vehementes calamitates intelligere Merc. Further Some understand by the hand of the mighty not the persons afflicting him but the affliction it self which was upon him Trouble is sometimes compared to a mighty enemy Prov. 6. 11. So shall thy poverty come
vain words are no words they are but wind Hence those prophane ones in Jeremy who said the true Prophets had belied the Lord and were but wind adde presently And the word is not in them That is the words of these Prophets are no words Indeed the Lord answers for his Prophets at the 14th verse telling the people because they had thus dishonoured his messengers that they should find those words which they accounted wind to be a fire Thus saith the Lord because ye speak this word behold I will make my words in thy mouth fire and this people wood and it shall devour them Whosoever esteems the word of God to be wind shall find it to be a fire and they who will not be taught by it shall be consumed by it But to the point in hand we see in that Scripture vain words are windie words and windie words as are no words The Prophets as they supposed were wind and thence they inferre the word is not in them That is their words have no substance strength or power at all in them So Hos 12. 1. Ephraim feedeth on wind and followeth after the East-wind What was the wind that Ephraim fed upon Some vain words some promises he had from the creature to be delivered some hopes raised by the word of man who is a wind therefore his feeding upon those hopes was but a feeding upon wind there was no ground or strength to make those words good So the next words interpret He daily increaseth lyes Such words are by the learned called bubbles And why Bullatus nugas Pers Sat 5. utpoâ—e similia bullis vento plenis bubbles Because a bubble upon the water is only filled with wind toucht it and it is nothing These words have nothing in them but the breath of the speaker Unlesse the spirit of reason fills our mouths we speak nothing but our breath or as we phrase it in our language we doe but vapour The Apostle Peter describes such 2 Epist 2. 18. They speak great swelling words of vanity And the Apostle Jude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uses the same expression in the 16th verse of his Epistle Their mouth speaketh great swelling words that is words greatly swelled with vanity Or swel'd as the flesh swels by the gathering of corruption and ill humours The greatnesse of these words was their disease and not their nature Wise men speak great things and fools speak great words Secondly Observe That windie empty words will never either convince or convert Such words doe no work they are wind and they passe away like wind without any impression upon the hearers They trouble the eare but touch not the heart When the noise of them is past all is past They are a sound and besides that a nothing Windy meats are not nourishing for the body neither are windy words for the soul Some knowledge doth not build up but puffe up 1 Cor. 8. 1. and that 's all the knowledge which such words can breed when they breed any Thirdly observe We are apt to judge the words of those that are greatly afflicted to be but vain windy words And we are ready to conclude they complaine more then they need When the Israelites groaning under the pressures of that bondage sent to Pharaoh for some abatement of their burdens we will not diminish the tale of the bricks only let straw be given us no saith Pharaoh Exod. 5. 17. They are idle let more work be laid upon the people that they may labour therein and let them not regard vain words He resolved to deal wisely with them and therefore must count them mad their persons were near Jobs condition and their words were fully under the same censure Fourthly hence note That it is very sinfull to esteem the words of the afflicted to be but wind It was great uncharitablenesse in Jobs friends thus to expound and glosse the text of his complaints We should heare a man in affliction as if every word were drenched and steeped in the sorrowes of his heart and take every sentence as coming bloudy from his wounded spirit Lastly observe how Job describes his own estate he was as a man desperate not utterly desperate for in another place he professes in highest confidence that though God kill him yet he will trust in him yet desperate he was in regard of outward help or temporal succour A godly man in affliction may sometime think his case desperate and remedilesse Wicked men resolve in the Psalme There is no help for him in his God and a good man under a cloud of temptation may say Surely there is no help for me in my God that is I see not which way I shall be helped I have no assurance no evidence that God will help me Not that he doubts the power of God to help him But the providence of God seemes to speak that he will not I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul saith holy David Heman looked upon himself as a man that had no strength free among the dead Psal 88. 5. As if he had got a discharge from the service of this world and was enfranchiz'd a Citizen of the grave where all are free As to note that only in passage It is said of Azariah being smitten with leprosie and so put from the exercise of the government which was a civil death that he dwelt in a several house or in a house of freedome 2 Kin. 15. 5. Verse 27. Yea you overwhelm the fatherless and you digg a pit for your friend After he had convinced them of their uncharitableness in accounting his words light and windie he shewes them how they dealt with him what kind of words theirs were towards him their words were as swords their words were blowes every expression of theirs to his ear was an oppression upon his spirit Yea overwhelm the fatherless He sets forth their as he conceived cruelty against him by two things very odious both First the undoing of a fatherless child Secondly the digging of a pit not for an enemy but for a friend First Ye overwhelm the fatherless The Original is full of Emphasis word for word it may be translated thus You throw your selves upon the fatherlesse and so it is an allusion to hunters either to men when they hunt wilde beasts or to wilde beasts when they hunt their prey as soon as the hunter can reach the game hee overwhelmes it he casts himself down or layes all his strength upon it A dogge having caught the hare falls upon it and keeps it under Some conceive that expression Gen. 49 9. concerning Judah compared to a lion reaches this sense Judah is a Lions whelp from the prey my sonne thou art gone up he stooped down he couched as a lion and as an old Lion who shall rouse him up As if that that crouching and lying down were when he hath taken his prey who dares to stirre up a Lion when he hath his prey under
him if any dare the Lion will make them a prey too We see in daily experience how angry a dogge will be if you stir him up when he hath but a bone under him Such a violence is noted in this expression you throw your selves down upon a poor fatherlesse one a man in a low condition as if you would tear him to pieces and eat him up at a morsell Our translation comes near this signification of the word Ye overwhelm the fatherlesse The word signifies to run upon one with violence and hence Giants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruit irruit are called Nephilim in the Hebrew which is as much as to say Oppressours because they overwhelm the weaker with force and violence Mr. Broughton translates the word to another sence as noting not an open violent way of oppressing but a secret subtil way of circumventing Ye lay a snare for the Orphan the word may bear that sence namely to set a trap or to lay a snare And he paralels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scandatum est impedimentum in via ut quis vel collabatur ruat vel ab instituto cursu impediatur it with that word used often in the new Testament To scandalize or offend a brother which properly signifies to lay a trap or a snare to set somewhat whereby to entangle or catch a man that he may be stopt and hindered in his way Thus Job of his friends you set a trap to ensnare and make a pit for me to fall into or you lay a block to cause me to stumble in or turn out of the ways of holinesse while you would perswade me that he who walkes uprightly in that way shall never meet with any rubbe of outward trouble What is this but to discourage me in the way I walk because therein I have met so many troubles Thus you lay a snare for The fatherlesse The word strictly taken notes a child whose parents are dead Some of the Ancients say the word Pupill which is from the latine signifies one without sight or wanting the apple or Pupil of his eyes because being deprived of his parents he wants the light of counsel and direction to carry him Pupillus juxta Augustinum Iâ—idorum ita dicitur quasi sine oculis quae pupillae dicuntur i. e. parentibus orbus on in his course through the world What Moses spake to Hobab his father in law is a truth of all good parents to their children They are to them in stead of eyes Numb 10. 31. But here by fatherless we may rather understand any one that is destitute of help though himself be a father He that hath many children may in this sence be an Orphan that is friendlesse and comfortlesse So Psal 10. 14. Thou art the helper of the fatherlesse that is Thou art the helper of all those who want help That 's the meaning of Christs promise to his Disciples I will not leave you comfortless the Greek is I will not leave you Orphans or fatherless Orphans and fatherless are usually full of sorrows therefore to be left fatherless and to be left comfortless are the same In this larger sence take Jobs mind You overwhelm the fatherless that is you overwhelm me who am a poor destitute helplesse man who have no friend succour or support And you digge a pit for your friend Word for word thus You digge for your friend And this is on all Velut laqueum decipulam struitis ad eum capiendum i e. captionibus cavilis eum nitamini circumvenire Merc. sides agreed on to intimate the secret circumvention or subtil practice as Job apprehended of his friends For in Scripture to dig a pit is a proverbial speech and imports the laying of some secret plot to circumvent another either in word or deed So Psal 7. 15. He made apit and digged it and is fallen into it himselfe that is he devised some mischievous device to entrap his brother and the mischief is fallen upon his own head Psal 64. 5. They commune of laying snares privily And Isa 29. 21. the Prophet describes evil workers thus They digge deep to hide their counsell from the Lord wicked Polititians are diggers and underminers sometimes this is true literally as in our powder-plotters but mystically and mysteriously every one that laies a plot though he never breaks ground is said to dig a pit for his neighbour In the old law Exod 21. 33. A provision was made that whosoever digged a pit should cover it because pits were dangerous both for men and cattel To dig a pit for a friend is to endanger a friend In this sence the latter part of the verses agrees with Mr Broughtons translation of the first Ye lay a snare for the Orphan and ye digge a pit for your friend False and fallacious arguments are traps and pits in which the innocent are entangled And Job supposes his friends intended to cast him down into the pit of despair by charging him with hypocrisie and rottennesse of heart in his profession There is a further apprehension concerning this word You have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sgnificat fodere convivium instruere Epulamini super socium vestrum digged a pit Some of the Hebrew Doctours translate thus You make a feast upon your friend The word signifies not only to dig a pit but to feast and banquet and it notes a sumptuous exquisite banquet 2 King 6. 23. And he prepared great provision for them in this book Chap. 41. 6. The word is used in that sence where Leviathan is described too big for a banquet Shall thy companions make a banquet of him that is are the fisher-men able to catch and eat Leviathan As if Leviathan scorned the fisher-mens engines their nets and hooks Taking the word so the meaning of the clause may be thus conceived You overwhelm the fatherlesse yea you are not contented with that but you feast upon your poor friend that is you rejoyce in his misery and make your selves merry with his sorrows as the Philistines dealt with Sampson when they had put out his eyes Come let us bring him out and make sport with him So saith Job you deal with me you oppresse me and then make your selves merry with my sorrows The teares of an oppressed poor man are as wine to the oppressour he drinks them down the groans of a poor man are as musick to a wicked oppressour and his flesh is as meat to him Hence observe First To be fatherlesse is to be in a sad condition They who are fatherlesse are friendlesse and so most subject to oppression They who have least help in themselves have usually least help from others and often receive most hurt from others Hence we find Ps 10. 18 the oppressed and the fatherless put together as if the fatherless were to expect oppression for their portion and they who needed most protection should be sure to find most vexation We
own integrity that he was not afraide to put him self upon the highest triall in that point A holy heart is willing that God and men should search it even search it with candles as God threatens he would the corrupt and false-hearted Jews Secondly note this from it Where a lie is it will not long he hid A lie will breake forth one time or other you may cover and hide a lie you may keep it close and sit upon it as Rachel upon her fathers Images but at last it will be evident a lie will out We say Truth is the daughter of time and so is a lie too a little time will bring that work of darknesse to light Take the word in the other sence for failing and it yeelds us this Instruction That He who hath uprightnesse of heart is stedfast for ever Truth is uniforme Which way soever the wind and the world turne his posture is the same Christ will not faile him and therefore he cannot Such a man is as Mount Zion that shall never be removed when the heart is sound the actions are steady and he that moves upon a right principle moves regularly and in all changes of events changes not his way try him and try him again it will be evident unto you he will not lie Grace is ever the same and renders them who have it like him in their degree from whom they have it without variablenesse or shadow of turning He that is not for the substance what he was was never what he ought to be sincere He that is upon a good ground and knowes his ground will stand to it trust him as a creature may be trusted and he will not faile Vers 29. Returne I pray you let it not be iniquity yea returne againe my righteousnesse is in it He goes on to bespeake his friends to heare him better Returne The word signifies First A Locall returne or returning from a place Secondly It is used Metaphorically to returne from anger or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Redire significat sed saepe transfertur ad animum estque a proposito ab sistere institutum vita mutare paenitentiam agere to turn anger away Isa 5. 25. His anger is not turned away the Lord did not turn from his feirce wrath Some understand it so here Return I pray you that is I beseech you be not so angry be not so hasty and cholerick with me Thirdly To turn or return notes desisting from our purpose or the change of our resolutions And thus it is the same with repentance the Scripture aboundes with the word in the sence I shall not need to quote texts Thus most understand it here Returne that is repent of your former hard dealing with me persist not in it persevere not in your uncharitablenesse Vbi redierit is tursum redieritis id est ubi iterum atque iterum omnia dâ—iigenter discusseritis codem subinde redeuntes cadem accuratius reputantes meani cognoscetis justitiam Or lastly Returne that is weigh the matter better Return looke it over againe let it have your second and more setled thoughts consider whether I speake not as one constrained to this seeming impatience from reall sorrow rather then from a professed hypocrisie So he bespeakes his friends againe Chap. 17. 10. But as for you all doe you return and come now that is be better advised as the next words expound his meaning for I cannot find one wise man among you As if he had said you have not shewed any great treasures of wisdom in all your disputations against me hitherto And therefore he tells them Chap. 19. 28. what counsels became them to take Yee should say why persecute we him let us give over such hard censures and wounding language Say to your selves let us return as here he saith to them return I pray you Let it not be iniquity Some understand it thus let not the thing which is objected against me be iniquity object not unrighteously against me Or thus Secondly in this disputation as it shall be carried on againe deale not so unequally so unjustly and hardly with me as before deale fairely uprightly candidly and friendly with me Return I pray you let it not be iniquity let there not be such wrangling and hard speeches between us as hitherto there have been Mr Broughton agrees to either sence Change your mind now let not unrighteousnesse be objected Yet the Hebrew particle Al doth not alwayes forbid but often Particula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non semper prohibet sed aliquâ—ndo simpliciter negat Non erit iniquitas in verbis meis scili es Merc. notes simply to deny and some translate it here for a plaine deniall rather than a forbidding Not as we Let it not be iniquity but there shall not be iniquity that is in my words or in that which I shall speake and we may connect it with the latter part of the vers my righteousnesse is in it Yea return againe He advised them to return before now he doubles his advice yea return againe Such repeated doubled speeches in Scripture note First A vehemency of spirit in the speaker Secondly A necessity of obedience to the thing which is spoken by the hearer It is surely a weighty and a necessary point which is spoken and spoken again That 's a double duty and calls for double alligence which we are doubly call'd to Return I pray you doe not think that this is a small matter a businesse of indifferency return againe As Cant. 6. 13. Return return O Shulamite return return There was great necessity for the Shulamite to return when he was so often cried after to return So Rejoyce and againe I say reioyce said the Apostle to note the vehemency of his spirit and the necessity of that Gospel-duty or how exceeding becomming it is for Christans to walk cheerfully and rejoyce Here then Return yea return againe is as if he had said there is great cause you should return and be better advised that you should consider otherwise of my case than hitherto you have done My righteousnesse is in it That is I am righteous in this matter in this businesse or upon such a further consideration and returning to the quistion my righteousnesse by a true stating of these differences will appeare unto you Job was no Justiciary no boaster in or of his own righteousnesse but he speakes of the righteousnesse of his cause and of the uprightnesse of his conscience According to that of Psal 73. ver 6. Thy righteousnesse shall appeare as the light that is the righteousnesse of thy cause so saith Job my righteousnesse is in it when you return and return again to consider diligently and seriously of this businesse you will finde the result of all will be that my righteousnesse is in it that is that I am in the right or free from blame in this businesse that I have not broken the rules of justice
wherein he is Fourthly observe That hope is the last refuge of the soule My dayes are spent without hope my hope is spent too If I had hope left I had somewhat left but my hope is gone It is so in naturall things it is so in spirituall things The Apostle Heb 6. tells us that hope is the anchor of the soule sure and stedfast while hope holds comfort holds and when hope 's gone all 's gone Observe lastly That sometimes a godly mans hope may lye prostrate My dayes saith he are cut off without hope Job thought as I have noted from some passages before that his case was desperate his hope lay in the dust as well as his body or his honour Every godly man is not an Abraham of whom it is said Rom. 4. 18. That against hope he beleeved in hope Nay Abraham is not alwayes Abraham he that hath such a strong hope hath it not alwayes even his hope may sometimes possibly be hopelesse There are weakenesses in the strongest and imperfections may come upon those who are perfect ebbings after the greatest flowings and declinings after the greatest heights of graces and gracious actings My dayes are spent without hope Job having thus complained of his condition and asserted his own desires of death now turnes from his friends with whom he had discoursed all this while and betakes himself to God to speake a while with him The next words are generally understood an Apostrophe to God Verse 7. Or member that my life is wind mine eye shall no more see good c. O remember that my life is wind To remember is not here taken strictly for to God all things are present Remembrance is the calling of that to mind which is past when the act of remembring is applied to God in Scriprure it hath one of these three sences 1. It notes a resolution or setled purpose in God to act his justice or inflict punishment upon his enemies Psal 137. 7. Remember O Lord the children of Edom that is Lord bring forth that decree of thine for the ruine and destruction of these bloudy Edomites who have been cruell against thy people Secondly it signifies an affection in God ready to help and releeve his own people Psal 74. 2. Remember thy Congregation which thou didst purchase of old that is doe good to thy Congregation blesse thy Congregation Thirdly To remember imports an act of present consideration to remember is fully to weigh observe and take notice of the estate of things or persons Psal 38. 39. He remembred that they were but flesh a wind that passeth away and cometh not againe that is he consider'd and weighed the estate of man So in this place O remember that my life is wind that is consider and weigh it well Lord put my condition into the ballance observe what a weak creature I am how short my llfe is therefore deal with me as with a weak short-lived creature Thou needest not lay any great stresse upon me thou needest not trouble thy self much to make an end of me my life is but wind 't is but a puffe which quickly passes away O remember that my life is wind This is a proverbial speech Vita ventus Elegans proverbiale like that before of a weavers shuttle The word translated wind signifies the holy Ghost the third Person in the blessed Trinity As also a Spirit in general And because the wind is of a spiritual nature invisible swift powerful therefore it is applied to that aerial or elementary spirit And the operation of the holy Ghost is shadowed by wind or breath Christ breathed upon his Disciples saying receive the holy Ghost John 20. 22. and the holy Ghost came as a mighty rushing wind Acts 2. 2. When Job saith remember that my life is wind he means my Quasi ventus Targum life is like the wind It is a similitude not an assertion The life of man is like the wind in two things First the wind passeth away speedily so doth mans life Secondly the wind when it is past returns no more as you cannot stop the wind or change its course So all the power in the world is not powerful enough to recallor divert the wind which way the wind goes it will goe and when it goes 't is gone Ps 78. 34. He remembred that they were but flesh wind that passeth away in this sence Job calleth his life a wind it passeth away and shall not return by any law or constitution of nature or by any efficacy of natural causes Yet here observe Job saith not His soul was a wind but his life was a wind Some have philosophiz'd the soul into a wind a blast or a breath and tell us that it goes as the soul of a beast that life and soul are but the same thing when the life 's gone out of the body the soule 's gone from its being They acknowledg a restoring of it again with the body at the resurrection but deny it any existence when separate from the body How dishonourable this is to the noble constitution of man and how dissonant to Scripture is proved in mentioning it we acknowledge that life which is the union of soul and body is a wind and passeth away In all the learned languages Hebrew Greek Latine the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Flare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritus a spirando Animum quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quidam dictum existimant Graeci pro respiratione seu spiritu quem ducimas aceipiunt primo quod vita nostra respiratione indigeâ—t sccundo quod flatu videatur humana vita in prima sua origine constitisse word which signifies spirit or life hath its original from respiring and when we say my wind was gone or my wind was almost beaten out of my body our meaning is my Life was almost gone In the creation Gen. 2. 7. God breathed into man the breath of life or of lives implying the many facultes and operations of life And in as much as the body of man was first formed and this life brought in after to act and move it this is an abundant proof that the soule of man is not any temperament of the body the body being compleated as a body before it and yet no life resulting Wheras beasts to whom that beastly opinion compares man in his creation had living bodies as soone as bodies their totall form being but an extract from the matter Solomen Eccl. 3. 19 20 21. brings in the Atheist drawing this conclusion from those confused oppressions which he observed in the world men carried themselves so like beasts preying upon and devouring one another that he who had nothing but carnall reason to judge by presently resolves That which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts even one thing befalleth them as the one dieth so dieth the other yea they have all one breath so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast for all
and returns no more In that place of Ecclesiastes Solomon is only giving us a description of old age and the sad condition of man in it he calleth it the evil day and wisheth men would be wise to consider their latter end remembring their Creatour and laying up a good foundation before those evil dayes overtake them before the light of the Sun and Moon and Stars be darkened and the clouds return after the raine In old age the clouds returne after the raine thus as in some very wet time when we think it hath rained so much as might have spent and quite exhausted the clouds or drawn those bottles dry yet you shall see them return again it wil rain day after day as fast as ever so in old age when rheumes distil so freely that you would think an old man had emptied himselfe of all yet the clouds will return again and flouds of watery humours overflow Thus the clouds of old age returne And in this sence the clouds of the ayre returne after they are consumed and spent into raine But how doth a cloud return not the same cloud numerically that cloud which was dissolved doth not return the same Sunne goes down and vanisheth out of our sight in the Evening and returneth again the same individual and numerical Sun in the morning but that numerical cloud which vanished comes not again Thus man vanisheth and returns as the clouds return after the raine that is after one generation Si id quod nunquam fuiâ— nunc est quomodo quod nunc est post interritum dcnuo fore negatur Nam si hoc mirum illud magis mirum videtur of men are dead they return again in their children another generation springs up other return to life there is none till all shal return at the general judgement of quick and dead As now we are who never were so all shal return who were but are not It was a witty answer of a learned Jew disputing with a heathen Philosopher who opposed the Resurrection If that saith he which never was in the world now is is it strange that that which now is should be again after it is not in the world If this be a wonder the other is much more wonderful Neither shall his place know him any more His place may be taken three wayes First For the calling and condition of a man in this life that 's the place of a man a mans Calling is his place Or secondly Locally for his house or inheritance where he dwelt he shall come to that place no more Or thirdly Place is taken for dignity magistracy for the eminency of a mans calling therefore we say of a Magistrate or a man in honour he hath a Great place or he is a man of place and Rank in all these senses his place shall know him no more His place shall not know him That 's an elegancy of the holy language Places are without life and without sense much more without knowledge knowing is an act of reason how is it then said his place shall know him no more Did it ever know him Ther 's a double figure in it Some understand it by an Hypallage or transmutation of the words his place shall know him no more that is he shall know his place no more So that is expounded Psal 103. 16. The place thereof shall know it no more speaking of man passing away like a wind So Psal 37. 10. Thou shalt diligently consider his place and it shall not be his place shall not be places continue while the world continues Then his place shal not be is he shall not be in his place Or secondly understand it by a Prosopopeia frequent in Scripture which is the imitation of life by things without life when a place takes upon it the person of a man or when a place acts or imitates the speech of a man sence and reason are often ascribed to things without life and so the meaning of his place shall know him no more may be Quosi diceret ipsae res inanima quae serviura parent ad nutum mortalibus mortuis tamen null usui sunt Illos non agnoscunt dominos Ea enim est vis verbi cognoscendi non cognoscendi conceived thus When a man lives and comes home to his house his house as it were welcomes him home and his place is glad to entertain him as in the Psalme the little hils are said to rejoyce at the showers so when a man comes home his house and all he hath have as it were a tongue to bid him welcome and open armes to receive and embrace him but when he dies he shall return no more and then his place shall know him that is receive him no more Observe from this briefly because it is a similitude of the same importance with that opened in the former words first That death is the conclusion of all worldly comforts and relations As the cloud vanisheth and returneth not so in that sence there is an utter conclusion of man he is gone and there is no returning God by his almighty power hath fetched back some and the vanishing clouds have been brought again so Lazarus and others at the death of Christ was raised from the grave but in a natural way death seizeth all fast for ever your places your relations your credits your Friends shall know you no more or give you farther entertainment Secondly observe That God hath given us not only the book of Scripture but the book of the creature therein to learn and read our own frailty and mortality The creatures preach what man is and that is a reason why the holy Ghost spends so much time and is so frequent in giving us the measure of our selves by creatures these are every houre in our eye we meet with and see and handle and feel them continually The wind the vapours the clouds set forth what we are When I consider said David Psal 8. 3. 4. the Heavens the work of thy fingers the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordained what is man that thou art mindfull of him To consider the greatnesse of the works of God should abase man it should amaze us to remember that God hath made such things for our use who are our selves so uselesse in comparison of what we ought to God And when man considers the Heavens and the earth and weighs how many things there are in them which set forth his frailty he hath reason to cry out O Lord what is man Man is but a wind a cloud a vapour even such a thing as I see most perishing and vanishing in the whole compasse of the creation Psalm 19. 1. The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy work The heavens are excellent creatures and full of glorious wonders they speake the power and wisdome of God they shew forth his handy work they can be the work of none but
searched it and what follows so it is He speaks with authority not timerously as if he doubted whether it were so or no but so it is we will bide by it we have it upon enquiry and diligent search Observe fourthly The truths we know our selves we should communicate unto others Here it is we have searched it but we will not put the light we have found under a bushell we will not hide the talent we have in a napkin Here it is make what use of it thou canst know it for thy good Observe fifthly Truth may challenge credit and command the eare Hear thou it Truth needs not stand begging audience or creep upon the ground with flattering insinuations or humble submissions to gaine acceptance Truth is a great Prince and may speak in the language of Princes We will We require It commands rather then entreats or all its entreaties commands every word a law or a charge Hear thou it Observe in the sixth place That It is needfull to make speciall application of generall doctrinall truths Eliphaz had delivered a doctrinall truth and here he makes application And though he failed much in the application of it to Job yet there were generall truths very appliable in the things he delivered Therefore he stays not in generals nor leaves his doctrine hovering in the ayre but brings it home to the heart and layes it close to the conscience Hear thou it and know it thou for thy good And not onely are nationall and speculative truths to be brought home and applied but even common experimentall truths such were these discussed and handled by Eliphaz Observe seventhly A man may know much and yet get no good by it Know this for thy good The Devil is a great Scholler he knows much but he knows nothing for his benefit but all for his hurt Many a man knowes almost all that is knowable but he knowes nothing which is to him profitable Nothing gaines by his knowledge but onely his pride he is puffed up with knowledge not built up and that knowledge which puffes up will at last puffe down or cast us down Eightly Observe A godly man may make a profitable use of any Truth You see what truths Eliphaz spake many of them ordinary common Doctrines and many of them sore threatnings and judgements upon wicked men yet know thou this for thy good There is no veine of Doctrine in the book of God but a man may make use yea treasure of it All truth is so symbolical to the regenerate part that it cannot but more sublimate and spiritualize a spirituall heart though it selfe be a truth about things earthly and temporall Observe lastly All truths especially truths contained in the promises are the portion of a godly man Know thou it for thy good saith he As if he should say if thou art a godly man then all the good things I have here spoken of belonging to godly men belong to thee they are thy portion also While a believer reads the book of God he sees great riches many precious things in the promises and whatsoever good he findes there there is nothing of it too good for him he may know it all for his own good those sweet delicious promises of the pardon of sin of the love of God of the freenesse of grace of the glory to come the promises of Christ and of all that is Christs all these things are his when he reads them he may set his mark upon them and know them for his goods know them as his own proper goods Unbelievers are strangers to the promises and the promises are as strange to them they know not the promises and the promises will not know them They know not a letter of Scripture for their good The very promises are threatnings to them and the very blessings of the book of God are their curse As the clouds passe over this and that piece of ground and then dissolve upon a third by the directing and all disposing providence of God So the promises which are full of blessings full of comforts as the clouds are of showers passe over a wicked mans head and let not down one drop of mercy or comfort upon him but leave him like the dry hearth or barren wildernesse which seeth not when good cometh Jer. 17. 6. But when the cloud moves a little farther and meets with the family or person of a godly man there it dissolves and powreth out a plentifull raine both of temporall and spirituall blessings to refresh and confirme that inheritance of the Lord Psal 68. 9. And so much for this fifth Chapter wherein with the fourth we have handled the first part of the dispute undertaken against Job by Eliphaz the first of his three friends The whole discourse consisting of divers arguments to convince and humble him under the hand of God of divers counsels and motives to perswade and direct him to seek unto God and submit to his correcting hand All he was to speak being let in by a loving preface and all he spake being ratified with an assuring conclusion that all he had spoken was for his good if he would hear believe and obey In the next Chapters we shall hear Job making his defence scattering the charge thus brought against him stiffely maintaining and importunately renewing his first complaint JOB Chap. 6. Vers 1 2 3. But Job answered and said O that my griefe were throughly weighed and my calamity laid in the ballances together For now it would he heavier than the sand of the sea therefore my words are swallowed up c. THis sixth Chapter begins Jobs replication which is continued to the end of the seventh He replies exactly to the severall parts of the charge given by Eliphaz who in the two fore-going Chapters undertook both to reprove the impatience of Job and to advise him a more holy and better temper'd carriage towards God under his afflictions In this reply Job shapes and formes up answers unto both I shall endeavour to give you a briefe of the whole and then to particulars First Job enters with a refutation of those reproofes of impatience which Eliphaz had heap't upon him and with that subjoyns a refusall of the counsels in his sence which he had given him In this work seven verses of the Chapter are spent Secondly We have a renovation or a re-inforcement of his grief and desire to die from the 8 to the end of the 13 verse O that I might have my request that God would cut me off c. As if he had said I am so far from being satisfied with what thou hast spoken against me or from recanting and recalling what I have spoken in those my breathings after death that I will be bold to make the same suit to God againe O that I might have my request and that God would cut me off c. Thirdly He proceeds to a charge of rash censure of uncharitable yea of deceitfull dealing upon his
friends from the 13 unto the 24 verse To him that is afflicted saith he pity should be shewed from his friend my brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brooke c. Fourthly He yet submits himself to their judgement and direction if they would speak reason to him at last and come home to his case indeed or if they could fully and candidly discover to him any errour he was willing to be rectified This he professes and it is a most ingenious profession in the 24. and 25. verses Teach me saith he and I will hold my tongue and cause me to understand wherein I have erred c. As if he had said All that you have spoken hitherto doth not reach my condition ye have quite mistook my case yet you shall see I doe not stand out against you because I will stand out it is not my will that opposes what you have spoken but my understanding therefore if you can shew me better reason I lay down the bucklers and yield my selfe a prisoner to your selves and unto truth I delight not to lengthen out contentions nor am I resolved to have the last word Teach me and I will hold my tongue Fifthly He adds an expostulation mixed with an aggravation An expostulation about and an aggravation of their high jealousie and low opinion of him in the 26. and 27. verses Doe ye imagine to reprove words and the speeches of one that is desperate which are â—â— wind As if he had said Doe you think that you have had to deale with a man that onely makes a noyse or speaks a great many words which have more sound then sence doe ye think I am out of my wits and in stead of arguing with you doe onely rave like a mad man at you Ye have not had vaine windy words from me but words full of weight and matter words of truth and sobernesse wherefore then doe you speak thus Doe ye imagine to reprove words and the speeches of one that is desperate Doe ye think I speak like one who knows not what he speaks Or that I have at once lost my hope and my understanding Sixthly He gives them advice and admonition to take better heed to what they should after say if they intended to to say any more or to continue their counsell and discourse with him in the three last verses of this sixth Chapter Now therefore be content looke upon me for it is evident to you if I lie returne I pray you c. In the 7th which concludes his speech he offers three things especially to be observed First A renewing of many arguments and considerations by which he confirmes the equity of his request to have his life cut off upon which sad subject he insists from the beginning of the Chapter to the end of the 17th verse Is there not an appointed time to man upon the earth Are not his dayes like the dayes of an Hireling c. Secondly After all his high straines of contest with man we have an abasement of himselfe as unworthy that God should take notice of him either by mercies or judgements in the 18. and 19. verses What is man that thou shouldst magnifie him and that thou shouldest visit him every morning c. A godly man will stand when he sees cause upon his termes with men but he ever falls low before and hath not a word to reply against God He is sometime angry when men vilifie him but he ever admires why God should magnifie him What is man c. Thirdly He concludes his speech with an humble acknowledgement of his own sinfulnesse and with an earnest request for the pardon of his sin Lord saith he I have sinned what shall I doe unto thee O thou preserver of men vers 20 c. After all this heat and passion after all these complainings Jobs heart lay levell before the Lord yea he abases himselfe to exalt and give glory to God with humble confession and an earnest supplication for the pardon of his sin Thus we have the generall parts and substance of his answer to that charge of Eliphaz in the two former Chapters But Job answered and said c. In these words and the three following verses Job gives us the refutation or rejection of that reproof given him by Eliphaz And he refutes it by shewing the reason why Eliphaz as he supposed was so sharpe and bitter in reproving him And further he shews cause why he rejects his counsell or consolation The reason upon Amicos taxat quod antequam ipsum reprehender ent non expendissent suam miseriam Coc. which he puts off those reproofs is this because Eliphaz had not duly considered his sorrowes or was not so sensible of them as a man should be that undertakes a friend in his condition The sum of his argument against what Eliphaz had spoken may be thus formed He cannot duly reprove or convince another of impatience in complaining who hath not fully weighed those calamities which are the cause and ground of those complaints But Eliph z thou hast not fully weighed and considered my case and condition my troubles and calamities which are the ground and cause of my complaints Therefore thou canst not duly reprove or convince me of impatience The Assumption or second Proposition of this argument is couched in the second verse O that my griefe were throughly weighed and that my calamity were laid in the ballances together As if he had said I had never received such harsh censures such a judgement or reproofe if thou hadst duly weighed my sorrows if thou hadst faithfully studied my case thou hadst never rebuked me thus The weight of his calamity himselfe expresseth two ways First Comparatively at the third verse by putting it into the ballance with the sand of the sea For now saith he it would be heavier than the sand of the sea Secondly He sets forth the greatness of his calamity demonstratively by declaring in what manner he had been afflicted My affliction is not an ordinary affliction I am wounded with the arrows of the Almighty and those poisoned arrows and those arrows drinking up my spirits I have not onely some single great affliction or many small ones upon me but I have terrour and terrours yea I have an army of terrours yea an army of terrours always incamping about me and charging me continually why Eliphaz thou didst never clearly consider these things much lesse hast thou had a sympathy or fellow-feeling of them Thou hast not bin afflicted in my afflictions Thou hast not sorrowed my sorrowes nor wept my tears Therefore it is that thou hast so sharply reproved me and put so much gall and wormwood into thy discourse So then the summe of this first part may be thus given taking it out of those high and hyperbolicall straines in which his passion was carried as if Job had thus answered Eliphaz It is an easie matter to slight that which a man doth not know and to thinke