house saith I am weary of dwelling in it or as a man that hath a filthy garment saith R Moyses cum alijs Hebraeis doctoribus existimat propriam vocis significationem esse litigare aut contendere Litigavit anima mea in vita mea I am weary of wearing it So saith Job here My soul is weary of my life were I well rid of it I should be well Fourthly Many of the Jewish Doctors tell us that the most strict and proper signification of this word is To contend or strive to chide or wrangle we may give it in that homely language As if the meaning of Job were My soul doth even contend chide and wrangle with my life my soul contests and disputes the matter with my life why it will not end that I may get out from this body of mine and goe beyond the reach of these afflictions The 95. Psalm vers 10. is so translated Litigavi Pag Fourty years long did I contend chide or contest angerly with that generation The Lord did often chide with the people of Israel and they used to chide with Moses whence one place was called Meribah yea through their unbelief they did chide with God himself and there is no reason dust and ashes should have the last word God also gave them their chidings and told them plainly their own more then once Thus the soul of Job chid his life what 's the reason that I am held in this condition why wilt not thou be gone that I may be at rest Carnall men chide with their lives for hastening so fast away because they know of no rest or have hope of none hereafter A godly man may be brought to chide with his life for making no more haste away because he findes none or so little rest here Elihu Ch. 33.19 describing in the method which God uses to humble proud man ads He is chastened also with pain upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong pains He is chastened the word signifies also reproving or convincing by arguments and that in a quick and passionate as well as in a rationall and solid way Now while afflictions chidingly smite us we are apt to chide them and give them at least a word for a blow Job did not only chide with his afflictions but with his life because it would not depart and be gone being so unkindly used and imbittered by afflictions His soul did even chide his life out a doors Crudelis effecta est anima mea Chald. Homo qui sibi ipsi mortem precatur adversum se saevire videtur The Chaldee paraphrast gives the meaning yet higher My soul is grown cruell against my life As if he had said I am so exceedingly afflicted and pained that my soul begins to rage against my life I can hardly hold my own hands off from my life and I would not have God hold his Let not my life be spared how glad should I be to see it poured out Anguish is come upon me as the Amalekite reports of Saul 2 Sam. 1.9 because my life is whole in me O that God would stand upon me and slay me my soul is hardned against my life like the Ostrich against her young ones Chap. 39.16 as if it were not mine Let me die and that shall be a favour smite me and that will be to me as a precious ointment though it break my head and let out my troubled spirits Then we are cruell to our lives when we care not what 's done to us or how we are used so we may be rid of our lives But to passe this our translation is clear and significant My soul is weary of my life I am so weary of the pains wherein I live that I had rather my life should end then my pains should continue Job complained in the third Chapter he complained at the sixth and seventh Chapters he erred twice yea thrice upon this point before yet now we hear him complaining as if he had not complained at all This was Jobs infirmity though somewhat hath and more may be said to take off those aspersions which his friends cast upon him for complaining yet no doubt it was his sinne to complain especially to break out so often and in such bitter complainings Hence observe A godly man may possibly fall often into the same sin Where grace taketh hold of the heart it breaks the custom and spoils the trade of sinne yet a godly man may sinne over the same sinne and renew the same transgression The trade of sinne is spoiled when the soul leaves devising plotting contriving sinne which acts denominate a worker of iniquity The custom of sinne is broken when though the same sinne be committed again yet the soul puts in it's plea and complaint against it 'T is here as in civil things if we make our challenge or demand the custom is gone though the acts be renewed by the power and prevalency of the opposite party yet when I say a godly man may fall into sinne often I mean not of grosse and scandalous sins God doth not let his people fall often into the mire Noah was not often drunk nor did David commit adultery often or more then once The grace of God which bringeth salvation teacheth us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts And if a godly man fall often into any the least sin yet he lies not in sinne because he renews repentance as often as he sins and rises as often as he fals he resolves through the strength of Christ never to sinne when through his own weaknesse and the violence of temptation he is soon after over-taken or surpriz'd with sinne David professeth Psal 119.30 I have chosen the way of truth His election was truth truth of heart which is opposed to hypocrisie truth of judgement which is opposed to errour and truth of speech which is opposed to lying yet he slipt with his tongue more then once and told an untruth more then one He cannot be acquitted from this failing when he answered Ahimelech the Priest The King hath commanded me a businesse and hath said unto me Let not any man know any thing of the businesse whereabout I send thee and what I have commanded thee and I have appointed my servants to such a place 1 Sam. 21.2 He again faulters with his tongue and speaks either falsly or doubtfully when the King of the Philistines asked him Whether have ye made a rode to day And David said against the South of Iudah c. 1 Sam. 27.10 when as his invasion was against the Geshurites and the Geâ—rites and the Amalekites vers 8. He that overcame the Bear the Lion and Goliah the Giant is overcome by fear and the mother of it unbelief Davids example should be no encouragement shall be no excuse to those who willingly fall often into the same sinne A good man is not priviledg'd from doing it but no man is priviledg'd to doe it Such
be any imperfection or flaw in it he will venture his soul upon it In this sense man answers God But Job speaks about inherent personall righteousnesse the righteousnesse of his waies Upon this he will not venture a hair of his head much lesse his soul and everlasting peace Though I were righteous I would not answer him Respondere verbum est forense c. Sanct. Si ille me arguet aut in me sententiam feret etsi causa mea justa fit non audebo illi respondere aliquid objicienti aut in me pronuncianti me enim rationibus obrâ—et sua opprimet majestate Mâ—rc There is somewhat further considerable for as righteous is a judiciary word so likewise is answer And it implies that Job would not only not answer God objecting or reasoning but that he would not answer him accusing or charging him judging or sentencing him I must acknowledge my self to be what God judgeth me to be and that I am worthy to suffer what he judges me to suffer Hence observe First Job having shewed the weaknesse and ignorance of the creature in his former discourse here you see whither it tended namely to prove man to be sinfull and unrighteous This teaches us That all the failings infirmities and weaknesses which are in man are the issues and effects of the sinne of man Man is an unrighteous creature therefore a weak creature Job argues from the effect to the cause from the fruit to the root Ex effectis causam declarat unde enim tanta in mentibus hominum caligo inscitia unde tanta infirmitas corporum animorum nisi ex peccato Mâ—râ— man hath infirmities upon him therefore he hath sinne in him Where there is no sin there is strength and where there is no sinne there is knowledge Perfect holinesse scatters all the clouds of darknesse and ignorance Secondly Though I were righteous I would not answer him then it follows Vnrighteous men cannot answer God If a righteous man cannot can an unrighteous No marvell if David saith in the first Psalm The wicked shall not stand in judgement for in a sense the righteous cannot stand in judgement that is they cannot plead their own righteousnesse before God Wicked men have nothing to help them no help without and none vvithin they have nothing but sinne in them and they have no Saviour vvithout them Hence the Apostle Peter argues 1 Pet. 4.18 If the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and sinner appear If Abel be not able to answer God how shall Cain If David cannot how can Saul They vvho have not the righteousnesse of Christ have nothing but unrighteousnesse of their own Thirdly Observe the vast difference that is between the spirit and temper of a godly man and of a wicked man O the humility of Jobs spirit Job vvill not justifie his own righteousnesse or justifie himself in his righteousnesse A vvicked man vvill justifie his sinne or justifie himself in his sinne A Saul vvill justifie his disobedience but a Job vvill not justifie his obedience Job vvill not take upon him to be a righteous man though God had told him he vvas perfect and upright A vvicked man vvill take upon him to be righteous though God tell him to his face a thousand times that he is vile and filthy How doe vvicked men seek for pleas and covers to make themselves appear righteous How doe they gild the base metall of their hearts and paint over those rotten posts to make them appear beautifull Christ tels the Pharisees that they vvere like filthy sepulchres full of dead mens bones yet they vvould be painted over vvith the notion of a righteous generation Job vvho had much righteousnesse and faithfulnesse in him vvould not own them and modestly blushes at the praise of God Though I were righteous yet I would not answer Fourthly Observe The righteousnesse of man is not pleadable before the righteous God Though I were righteous yet I would not answer him The Apostle 1 Cor. 4.4 gives a parallel testimony Though I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby justified Paul knew nothing by himself that is he had not any guilt upon him that he knew of he did not allow himself in any sinne but kept his conscience void of offence both toward God and toward man yet though it vvas thus vvith him he disclaims all opinion of himself I am not hereby justified this is not the plea I have to make before God he is able to finde out failings vvhere I finde none he knows better then I vvhat I am Fifthly Observe A godly man looks upon his own righteousnesse as no righteousnesse Whom though I were righteous I would not answer His supposition hath a negation in it I am not righteous Job did not deny the vvork of the Spirit or the grace of God in him but he vvould not own them in his pleadings vvith God He could stand upon his terms vvith men and let them knovv vvho he vvas and vvhat he had done and it vvas reason he should but before God he had nothing to mention but Christ In reference to the higher degree of grace for sanctification vve must forget all that is behinde and presse on to that which is before And in reference to the whole grace of justification we must forget all our sanctification The lesse we remember our own righteousnesse the more righteous we are in Christ As vve abate in our selves vve encrease in him Christ draws the picture of an hypocrite to the life Luk. 18. in that parable of a Pharisee and a Publican going up to the Temple to pray and the design of Christ in that Parable is held forth at the ninth verse to be the conviction of such as trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others Now vvhat did this Pharisee He thanks God he was not as other men extortioners unjust adulterers or as that Publican and then he mindes God that he gave tithes and kept fasts twice a week and so makes a goodly report of himself both in the negative and in the affirmative vvhat he vvas and vvhat he vvas not Never did any good man tell God such a story of his own life as this Pharisee told The Saints love to do well more then to hear vvell from others much more then to hear well from themselves they love to do good more then to receive good much more then to speak good of themselves When Christ is represented sitting in judgement Mat. 25.35 he tels the faithfull of all their good deeds or acts of charity I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye cloathed me c. Hear how the Saints answer as if they had done no such thing when was this Lord when saw we thee hungry and fed thee c. We have forgot the time They did so little
flower of the field Some read goodnesse for goodlinesse the sense holds if we take it so the naturall the morall goodnes of man is but a flower As no goodlines so no goodnes of man except spiritual lasteth long and that lasteth long and long even for ever Grace is not as the flower of the field that is durable substance that as the Prophet speaks there of the Word of God in v. 8. shall stand for ever The grace of God is as lasting as the Word of God for his Word is the externall seed or principle of grace But all other goodnesse and goodlinesse of man how good how goodly soever his other beauty how beautifull soever his strength how strong his favour how well favoured so ever is but as the flower of the field which is either cut down while it is green or soon fades while it stands Take favour in this sense and the sense of the whole verse is harmonious and sound Thou hast granted me life my body is formed and quickned and more then so Thou hast given me favour my body is full of beauty and comelinesse The comelinesse of the body is a favour received and many receive favour because they are comely From either of which considerations we may call the comelinesse of the body favour and it is no common favour God denies this to many he grants them the life of nature but not favour yea he grants many the life of grace but not favour Beautifull souls are often ill-housed and filthy souls clearly housed 't is admirable when both beauties meet in the same man Moses was a goodly childe Exod. 2.2 and a good man As grace in the inward man is the best favour so favour is gracefull to the outward man Thou hast granted me life and favour And thy visitation hath preserved my spirit Here is the third benefit of this Royall grant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inspectio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. The visitation of God One reads Thy presence A second Thy assistance A third Thy inspection thy over-looking or super intendency hath preserved my spirit The Hebrew word signifies The visitation of a superiour over an inferiour as when masters enquire into their families or governours into their Colledges and Hospitals Visitatio est Dominorum superiorum cum ad Deum refertur denotat providentiam Pined to see whether the statutes and orders appointed by the founders and benefactours be observed There is a three-fold visitation of God held forth in Scripture 1. A visitation of condemnation God visits to take vengeance by destructive punishments when warning is not taken nor repentance shewed after corrective punishments Shall not I visit for these things saith the Lord Shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this Jer. 5.9 2. A visitation of correction Psal 89.32 If thy children forsake my law c. then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes Neverthelesse my loving kindenesse will I not utterly take from him c Though they break my laws yet I will not break my Covenant they shall smart for it but they shall not perish for it This is a fatherly visitation 3. A visitation of consolation And this two-fold 1. For deliverance out of an evil estate and that either temporall the Lord is said to visit his people Israel when he delivered them out of Aegypt Exod. 4.31 or spirituall and eternall God hath visited and redeemed his people saith the blessed Virgin Luk. 1.68 that is he hath visited his people to redeem them from sin and Satan death and hell by Jesus Christ Secondly Which is most proper to this Text there is a visitation for protection in a good estate When God having caused our line to fall in a fair place draws his line of providentiall communication round about us So M. Broughton translates Life and loving kindenesse hast thou dealt to me and thy providence preserveth my spirit As if Iob had said Thou didst not only give me life and favour but thou didst protect me for many years in the enjoyment of those favours Providence was the hedge not only of his outward but of his inward estate Thy visitation hath preserved my spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The verb which we translate hath preserved signifieth to preserve Summa solertia atque diligentia prospexit cavit oberravit ut solent custodiae excubiae nocturnae vel gregum custodes both by strength and watchfulnesse The Noun expresseth a Watch-tower in Hebrew because a watch-man standeth upon his Tower and looks round about him to espy and give notice of approaching dangers The Lord preserveth both waies by his watchfulnes and by his strength his eie is wakefull enough and his arm is powerfull enough to preserve us He that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleep Psal 121.1 the creatour of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary Isa 40.28 He that is thus wakefull can easily visit and he that is thus powerfull can easily preserve those whom he visiteth Thy visitation hath preserved my spirit But how did the visitation of God preserve the spirit of Iob Or what are we to understand by his spirit which was thus preserved The spirit of a man is taken three waies First For life Thus God keepeth us from death while he preserves our spirits Secondly For the soul Thus God preserveth our spirits while he keeps us from falling into or from falling in temptation while he keeps our corruptions from prevailing and our graces from decaying Thirdly The spirit of man is taken for his courage Thus God preserveth our spirits while he keeps us from needlesse fears and cowardly despondencies Doubtlesse Iob had experience of the visitation of God preserving his spirit in all these senses yet here he seems chiefly to intend the preservation of his life which God had granted him with favour or of those comforts which were granted him with his life Hence observe First in generall That what God granteth he preserveth It is a part of his grant that he will preserve Should the Lord bestow the greatest stock of mercy upon us and leave us to the wide world we should quickly loose all God is not like the Carpenter or the Mason who buildeth up a house and then leaveth it to it self or to the care of others The Lord surveys what he builds and keeps up what he sets up all would come down else Providence succeedeth Creation or Providence is a continued Creation Assoon as ever the Lord had made man and a garden He took the man and put him into the Garden which he had made to dresse it and to keep it Gen. 2.15 God putteth the creatures under mans charge yet he keepeth all creatures in his own charge and especially man A Garden without a man to visit it would soon be a wildernesse And man without God to visit him would soon be or be in a wildernesse either