John stood upon the sand of the sea and saw a beast rise up out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns What was this beast Master Mead saith that by this beast and his seven heads and ten horns we are to understand the Pope with the companies or associations of all those Princes that put themselves under his power all these were figured saith he by that beast rising up out of the sea At the 11th verse of the same Chapter Saint John saith I beheld another beast coming out of the earth and he had two horns like a lamb and he spake like a dragon Apocalyptical Interpreters have various opâ—nions about this second beast but whoever or whatever this or the former beast is to be sure they are some body the spirit of God represents them as terrible Behemoths and the Church hath no help nor comfort against them but that in the Text He that made them can make his sword approach unto them The Prophet Isaiah Chap. 27.1 speaks of the Lords sword and of the use he will put it to In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish Leviathan the piercing Serpent even Leviathan the crooked Serpent and he shall slay the Dragon that is in the Sea that is overcome the devil and all his instruments who oppose and would destroy his Vineyard of Red wine that is his Church Thus we see how the Lord in all ages past hath and how we are assured concerning the Ages to come that he will make that good concerning mystical Behemoths which here he speaks concerning the natural Behemoth He that made him can make his sword approach unto him The Lord having thus far described Behemoth by several parts of his body and by his great strength or power proceeds to describe him further by the manner of his life or by his meat drink and lodging in the latter part of this context to the end of the Chapter Vers 20. Surely the Mountains bring him forth food where all the beasts of the field do play In these words we have the provision which God hath appointed for Behemoth and where Though he be a very great beast and therefore needs much food 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quicquid terra prosert ut sunt herbae arbores yet the Lord hath store enough for him and hath set him where he may feed his fill The Mountains bring him forth grass that is all sorts of herbage and green things And though this part of the description of Behemoth may serve the Hippopotame who as Bochartus saith feeds upon the Hills and Mountains such as they are which lye near the River Nilus as other Amphibions do the Morse especially in other parts of the world yet no man can deny but it doth as well that I say not much better agree to the Elephant that the Mountains bring him forth food The words are plain and need no explication Note two things from them First God provideth food for all creatures even for Behemoth He provides them food from the greatest to the least they are all at Gods finding And doth God take care for Behemoths for Elephants or as some determine it Hippopotames River-Horses and Sea-monsters Surely then as David spake Psal 111.4 He will give meat to them that fear him he will ever be mindful of his Covenant This Inference hath been made from other passages in the former Chapter I only remind the Reader of it here The Lord who provideth mountains of grass or grass upon the mountains for Behemoth hath mountains of provision for all his faithful servants Secondly Note God provides proportionable food for all hiâ— creatures Behemoth is a vast creature therefore God hath whole mountains for him to graze upon he is not shut up in a little pytle or narrow field he hath large mountains for his storeâ— and will not the Lord give proportionable supplies to his people according to all their needs If our needs be great his store is greater The world is mine saith God Psal 50.12 and the fulness of it He that is the fulness of all things and hath in his power and at his dispose the fulness of all the world will not let them of whom the world is not worthy want any thing that is good and expedient for them The mountains and valleys too yea deserts and hard rocks shall bring them forth food God will turn stones into bread and rocks into water rather than they shall want As David said Psal 34.10 The young Lions so I may say the Elephants do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing that is Lions and Elephants shall rather want than they Surely the mountains bring him forth food Where all the beasts of the field play This argues the milde nature and gentleness of Behemoth the Elephant as was shewed at the 15th verse he lives upon grass not upon flesh as Lions and Bears he lives upon grass and therefore all the beasts of the field play where the Elephant feeds for they know he will not eat nor feed upon them he eats only grass Natural Historians tell us that the beasts seem to rejoyce when they see the Elephant because they know he will not hurt them not only do they feed with him to satisfie hunger but play and sport for delight Hence Note First God can restrain the strongest and most dangerous creatures from hurting the weakest Mitissimus est Elephas neque illius congressum exhorrent caetera animalia sed laeta in iisdem pascuis versantur Plin. l. 69. c. 9. The beasts would have little heart to play where the Elephant feeds were he as fierce and cruel as he is great and strong Thus the Lord orders the spirits of powerful men or of men in great power into such meekness and gentleness that even the meanest live quietly and peaceably by them without fear of hurt as was toucht before The Church is set forth playing as it were not only where the Elephant a gentle beast feeds but where wilde and ravenous beasts feed Isa 11.6 7 8 9. The wolfe shall dwell with the Lamb the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid the Calf and the young Lion and the Fatling shall lie down together and a little child shall lead them that is the Wolfe shall not hurt the Lamb the Leopard shall not trouble the Kid yea saith that illustrious Prophecy vers 8. The sucking child shall play on the hole of the Asp the weaned child shall put his hand on the Cockatrice den they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea The care of God over his Church and servants appears two wayes First In hiding them from such as would do them hurt As it is said Jer. 36.26 when Baruch and Jeremiah had done
pilas Mart in suo Amphitheatro Epigram 22. whereas others affirm confidently that the Rhinoceros hath two horns one upon his Nose and another upon his Brow though not so big as that other One of the old Poets speaking of the Roman sports describes a Rhinoceros thus He tossed the bear that was brought before him with his double horn Sanctius in his Comment upon this verse saith he saw a Rhinoceros which was brought into Spain in whom he observed all things answering the description given of him by the Ancients What the shape or form of the Vnicorn is as ordinarily painted and set up with the Lion as a supporter of the Royal Arms and as a sign at many common mens doors every one knows Some Historians speaking of the Unico n paint him out thus in their books and writingâ— Pliny in his eigâ—â—â— Book at the one and twentieth Chapter saith Asperrimam feram Plin l. 8. c. 21. Aelian l. 7. c 3. Sâ—â—l Exâ—â—â—â—t 205. Geâ—â—â—er the Monocâ—â—ote or Unicorn whom he there calls a most fierce savage beast is in the general make or bulk of his body like a Horse and in the shape of his head like a Hart or Stag that in the fashion of his feet he is much like an Elephant his tail resembling the tail of a Boar that he hath a black horn in the midst of his fore-head two cub is in length which say others is not smooth but wreathed and somewhat ragged and at the very top or point exceeding sharp Hanc seâ—â— vivâ—m â—egâ—â—t câ—â—â— Id â—â—bi supra He is of so fierce a nature that he will not be taken alive as the same Authoâ— affi ms from hear-say Yet there want not those who make doubt whether there be ye who deny that there is any such beast in the compass of nature as is commonly called an Vnicorn having such a medicinal horn as is asserted and therefore all those Scriptures wherein this word Reem in the Text translated Vnicorn is used They who are of that opinion translate Rhinocerote as not being satisfied that there is such a creature as that other in the world One of the Rabbines collects an objection against him from that of Moses Deut. 33.17 Singularis numerus ibi positus est pro numero multitudinis ut sit unicornis pro unicornium sic arbor ponitur pro arboribus rana pro ranis c. Drus Confâ—sio numerorum in hâ—c lingua frequens est Merc Coesar Scaliger dicit se vidisse monocerotis cornu quidem diversi coloris unum suffulvum unum subluteum c. where speaking of this beast Reem he seems to say that he hath more horns than one therefore no Unicorn for there describing the flourishing and powerful estate of the Tribe of Joseph he saith his horns are like the horns of an Vnicorn as if that beast whatsoever it is which is signified by that Hebrew word had more horns than one We indeed translate both words plurally not the horns of an Vnicorn but the horns of Vnicorns yet the Hebrew is singular However I conceive this objection is of no weight to the denial of any such creature as the Unicorn it being frequent in Scripture to put the singular number for the plural as there Unicorn for Unicorns and therefore that Text hath little or no force in it to invalidate their opinion who assert that there is such an one horned animal Now as to the Text in hand it may suffice my purpose leaving farther search of these things to Naturalists to say that the Hebrew word Reem signifies a wild beast very fierce and furious usually called an Unicorn or expressed by a word signifying a beast having but one horn in Greek Latine and English But though I shall not deliver any opinion of my own to the contrary yet I suppose it will not be unpleasing to the ingenuous and learned Reader if before I proceed with my own meditations upon what is said in this Chapter about this creature I here insert the discourse and opinion of that learned Physitian and Divine Critick Doctor Arnoldus Bootius in the third Book of his Sacred Animadversions upon the Hebrew Text of the Old Testament and the first Chapter of that Book The substance of which I have gathered and in most places translated word for word as followeth That the word Reem saith he is the name of some certain Animal all Writers agree but what this Animal is is not agreed Hierome renders it sometimes a Rhinocerote sometimes an Unicorn and so do some others in translating the Bible Pagnine translates it only once a Rhinocerote in all other places where it occurs an Vnicorn yet in his Dictionary he seems to incline that the word signifyeth a Rhinocerote rather than an Vnicorn But the Greeks generally are more constant in rendring it an Vnicorn than a Rhinocerote and in this almost all interpreters both they who translate the Scriptures into the Latine tongue and they who translate them into their Mother tongue follow them and do so too the Rabbins also go the same way And therefore one of them writing upon those words of Moses concerning Joseph Deut. 33.17 His horns are like the horns of Reem an Vnicorn which seems to oppose this opinion which makes Reem to be the Unicorn a beast of one horn he I say to avoid this difficulty saith that place is to be understood by an Enallage or change of the number the word Reem Unicorn being put for Reemim Unicorns with which answer several others wipe of that objection Nor doth it a little help this interpretation that most of those marks which the Scripture takes notice of in that beast called Reem namely his extream fierceness great strength and the extraordinary magnitude of his horn are all ascribed by Authors to the Unicorn Yet to me this interpretation seems the less probable because Unicorns are found only in India say they who have written of them Now it is not likely that Mâ—ses David and the Prophets should speak so often of and take similitudes from and that God himself should spend so much time in a discourse with Job about a creature unknown in their Countries And it must needs be that he was there and to them unknown if no Country nearer than India produced the Unicorn for the world was not so discovered in those times by mutual commerce that living creatures and things proper to Nations should be familiarly or much known in Nations far remote Of this we have a clear instance in the Elephant of which famous animal so useful to man for various services and so abounding in many parts of Africa and Asia the Israelites seem to have had little or no knowledge at all which we may well conjecture by that deep silence in Scripture concerning him there being no mention made of the Elephant any where but in the book of Job And Job was not an Israelite nor an inhabitant of Canaan but
verse Many Bulls have compassed me strong Bulls of Bashan have beset me round with those of the 21. which answer them Save me from the Lions mouth hear me we read thou hast heard me from the horns of the Reemims we rendred Unicorns as if the Psalmist intended under the word Reemim a sort of beasts much like in kind if not of the same kind with the Bullocks and strong Bulls of Bashan spoken of before as the learned Author endeavours there to make out more largely and distinctly to whom I refer the Reader By what hath been said I suppose we have made it appear plainly that the beast meant by this word Reem is an animal neer in kind to the Bull or Bullock which can be no other than a wild Bull or Bullock which is to other Bulls or Bullocks as wild Swine Bâ—ars or Sows are to those which are tame or live and feed about our houses But seeing there are several sorts of these wild Bulls or Bullocks we do not conceive the word Reem to be a common appellation which may be given to them all but that it signifies some one certain sort among them To find out which will not be hard to those who consider what the Scripture holds out concerning the beast there called Reem namely the eminent greatness of his horns and the eminent greatness of his strength both which are ascribed to him not only Deuteronomy 33.17 and Psal 22. but Psal 92.10 My horn shalt thou exalt like to the horn of a Reem i. e. Thou shalt exalt it greatly and strongly even like the horn of a Reem This makes it evident that this Reem cannot be that beast which Aristotle calls Bonasus nor that which later Writers call Bubalus or Bufalus we in English a Buffe which is so far from being better fitted by his horns for fight and force than our Bulls that his horns are indeed altogether unfit for either as Aristotle shews lib. 3. de part Anim. cap. 2. his horns being turned inward and one against the other and therefore as he saith lib. 9. Hist Animal cap. 45. are unuseful for his own defence The horns indeed of some of those beasts are of another fashion as Gesner describes them and also Scaliger Exerc. 206. Sect. 3. but all concludes them unfit to fight with because they all are either turned one against another or point downward Now though this beast which Aristotle calls Bonasus others Bubalus or Bufalus be of such great strength as also of such fierceness and untractableness as may well suit the description which the Scripture gives of the Reem yet the form and fashion of his horns will by no means comply with it notwithstanding it must be granted that they who have expounded Reem by that beast have spoken more probably and have come much neerer the truth than they who understand by it either the Unicorn or the Rhinocerote There remains two sorts of wild Oxen Bulls or Bullocks the Vrus and Bisons which latter is so like the Bonasus that by some he is taken for the same yet between the Bisons properly so called and the Bonasus of Bufalus their horns make a very remarkable difference What the form of the horns of the Bufalus is hath been shewed but the Bisons have them a little bowing in the top or point in which respect they are compared by Oppianus to brazen fish-hooks but in the rest or body of them they spread upward or stand right up and not so unfit to fight with insomuch that some have called them Lethâ—feros tauros deadly Bulls And though we grant to Gesner who denyeth the Bonasi and Bisontes to differ in specie that the difference which is between the horns of these two beasts is not sufficient to constitute a specifical difference between them yet when besides the difference in their horns there are other constant differences as namely that the beast called Bonasus doth not fight with his head but with his heels and runs away as soon as wounded as Aristotlâ— reports of him lib. 9. Hist cap. 45. whereas the beast called Bisons useth his horns only in sight and is not at all discouraged by being wounded but like a Boar or a Lion assaults his pursuers the more fiercely as is set forth at large by Sigismundus Liber in Muscovieticis therefore we may well conclude that there is a specifical difference between these animals Now though the beast called Bisons considering the greatness and strength of his horns as also his fierceness might be taken for the beast in Job called Reem yet he is not that beast because he may be tamed by the art of man and made to put off his fierceness as appears abundantly out of a good Author But as for the beast called Reem Pansoni as in Phocicis he never gives over the fierceness of his nature nor can he be tamed or brought to hand as appears fully by what God saith of him in this 39th Chapter of the book of Job In which when God had proposed the more remarkable properties of several creatures to the consideration of Job he brings in this beast called Reem only to set forth this property the unsubduable or untameable fierceness of his nature So that all that God saith of him may be reduced to this That the Reem can neither by the skill nor power of man be brought to the yoak nor made serviceable to man in any way when as many other wild beasts no less eminent than he for strength and fierceness even Lions Tygers Elephants Leopards Bears Rhinocerotes have laid down their immanity and become mild and have suffered themselves to be mannaged and governed by men yea and learn to acknowledge their Masters and serve them whereas such tractableness might rather be expected from the Reem he being of the Bullocks kind and living upon grass than from any of them all which except the Elephant and Rhinocerote are ravenous and delighting in blood and slaughter live upon spoyl and prey And that we may the more wonder at the unsubduable nature of the Reem the Lord shews the same to be in the wild Ass a weak and haâ—mless animal and which hath neither strength nor inclination to do hurt than which nothing can be said or imagined more wonderful that wild Asses whole flocks of which even a single boy will put to flight and chase yet will by no means be tamed whereas Tygers and Lions one of which will stand a band of armed men and sometimes put them to flight should notwithstanding be tamed even to yield servile obedience No other reason can be given of this but only because it hath seemed good to God the Author of nature to order it so Now in that God is pleased to discover the untameable nature of the Reem by these marks or signs namely that he scorns to plow the ground or do any work that belongs to Husbandry Hence it doth more clearly appear which we have above confirmed
by many Scriptures that the Reem is an animal of the same kind with Bullocks forasmuch as the sense of the discourse of God about him is as if he had said Seeing among those beasts which are prepared by men to help them in their work and whose labour they ease in tilling and subduing the earth the Ox is chief as being mans most laborious helper in husbandry and which in most Countreys is more used in it than any other beast according to that Prov. 14.4 Much encrease is by the strength of the Ox. How comes it to pass that men do not make use of the Reem for those services seeing he is of the same kind with Oxen and so may seem to be made by nature for that purpose as much as other Oxen and is by so much the fitter for that service than any other Oxen or Bulls whatsoever by how much his strength is greater than theirs yet no man attempts to use him in it or if any did it were to no purpose forasmuch as I the Lord of nature have created this beast as also the wild Ass before spoken of altogether untameable This seems to be the meaning of God in his discourse about the Reem And hence also it appears that the Reem is not the Bisons seeing he as well as many other wild beasts being skilfully handled proves tame and gentle and may be formed to the use and obedience of man It remains therefore that this Reem is the beast called Vrus because this property of untameableness is ascribed to that beast Caesar in his 6th book of the Gallican war saith The Vri no not the young ones will not be tamed by men wherefore being caught in pits they are killed Pliny also saith as much of them Lib. 8. cap. 21. And as in this particular his untameable wildness there is a full agreement between the Vrus and Reem so those other things which the Scripture speaks of the Reem agree to him also as those forreign Authors witness who have written his History For Cesar writes that he is in bigness little less than an Elephant but of the kind colour and figure or shape of a Bull. And Pliny in two places lib. 8. cap. 15. lib. 28. cap. 10. names wild Oxen as the Genus with respect both to the Vri and Bisontes The learned Doctor adds many more proofs out of ancient Authors which the Reader may peruse if he please at his leisure And from all he concludeth It is not therefore to be doubted but that the Reems are the Vri and indeed so much the less because not only the Northern Regions in divers parts of which it is said by Writers that not only the Bisontes but Vri are found at this day are the proper soyl where these Animals are bred but the Eastern parts also bring them forth Pliny writes that the Indian woods are full of them and so doth Aristotle I collect also out of Diodorus lib. 3. that the Country of the Trogloditicks which is seated at the bosom of the Red-Sea opposite to Africa hath these Vri in it And though no Author doth affirm that Syria and Palestine yield these wild Oxen yet this doth not hinder but that in old times when the Israelites first inhabited those Countreys they were there since it is no new thing that the whole kind of some wild creatures should be utterly extinct in these Countreys where formerly they have abounded of which England gives us a plain testimony in Wolves Dion also reports the same of Lions which sometimes were bred in some parts of Europe but now for many ages have not appeared there And the same witnesseth Ammianus lib. 22. concerning the Hippopotami in Egypt of which none are to be found now in that Country Thus far the learned Doctor whose discourse may be of much advantage and profit to the Reader for the better understanding of this place But I find he hath a great Antagonist who though he agreeth with him in the negative part of his opinion and discourse Bochaâ—tus parte poster l. 3. c. 27. That the Reem here spoken of in Job is neither the Vnicorn nor the Rhinocerote nor the Bufalus nor the Bisons yet he doth not agree with him in the affirmative part of his opinion that the Reem is that savage beast or wild Ox called Vrus but first gives a large account why the Reem cannot be that beast called Vrus nor any of that kind and then concludes that it is a kind of Goat or of the Goatish kind by name the Oryx being an animal in colour pure white in stature tall in disposition fierce and untractable in his gate stately lifting up his head and horns on high That this beast is the Reem here spoken of he proves by various testimonies taken especially out of the ancient Arabian Chaldean and Hebrew Writers and endeavours to remove several objections arising from the seeming incompetency of any beast of the Goatish rank or kind to answer the description given of that noble animal called Reem both in the Text and in many other places of Scripture Thus the learned are much divided in opinion about this creature and upon which to determine is not easie Yet because the word Reem is every where in Scripture rendred by our Translators as also by many others of great authority Vnicorn I shall leave that matter of difference to the Readers judgement and do that reverence to our Translation as to open the Text distinctly in all that is here said by the Lord concerning the Reem under that name or title Vnicorn Will the Vnicorn be willing to serve thee In these words the Lord presents man as it were inviting wooing hiring the Unicorn to serve him But when he hath used all his skill and cunning when he hath done his best and worst too that is used all manner of means the Unicorn will not by any means be wrought upon to come under mans yoak or do his work Will the Vnicorn Be willing to serve thee To will is an act of reason and therefore to be willing is not proper to irrational Animals yet to will and to be willing may allusively be given to them They have a kind of will and an understanding befitting their kind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voluit propensa animo suit unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pater à propensa voluntate erga liberos The Hebrew word signifies to will with much readiness and propensity of mind it signifies willingness with delight and thence comes the Hebrew word for a Father because a Father is willing and ready to take care of and provide for his children though it cost him much travel and pains But Num acquiescet aut consentiet ex suapte natura ut tibi subjiciatur Will the Vnicorn be willing to serve thee will he be a ready servant to thee he will not As if it had been said The Vnicorn is an indocible and an untractable animal he will
both consultive what to do and active in doing it And as it makes us both consultive and active about our outward preservation so much more for our inward and spiritual preservation It is said of Noah Heb. 11.7 That being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark for the saving of his house Noah had never taken care to prepare an Ark against the deluge but for these gracious impressions of fear that God would bring a dreadful inundation upon the world Fear moved him and faith prevailed with him to prepare an Ark. The Apostle Phil. 2.13 calls upon all believers to work out their salvation with fear and trembling If we have no fear about our salvation we shall never work out our salvation Yet 't is a truth that they who have most assurance of their salvation are most in working out their salvation Holy assurance is so far from making us careless that then we are most careful knowing that the Lord hath joyned the end and means together knowing also That they are in most safety who have most sense of danger yea that they who have most fear of danger are farthest from feeling danger The labour of the Ostrich is in vain because she hath no fear her foolishness makes her fearless and that makes her careless therefore no thanks to her that all her labour is not lost or in vain that both her eggs and young ones do not utterly miscarry Thus we may profitably meditate upon the improvidence of this creature the Ostrich and learn wisdom from her folly to make us more provident But whence is it or how comes it to pass that she is so foolish The next words tell us Vers 17. Because God hath deprived her of wisdom neither hath he imparted unto her understanding In this Verse a reason or an account is given of this blockishness carelessness and fearlessness of the Ostrich it is Because God hath deprived her of wisdom More foolish than an Ostrich is a proverb for the greatest fool The Hebrew Text may be read thus God hath made her to forget wisdom Now as one may be said to forget that which he hath not so that which he never had In the description that Bildad gives of a wicked man Chap. 8.13 he saith This is the portion of them that forget God Oblivisci aliquis dicitur cujus nullam nuquam scientiam aut notitiam habuit Drus And who are they the words are a periphrasis of the wicked To forget God is their character they may be said to forget God who never had any true knowledge or remembrance of him Thus Gen. 41.30 There shall arise after them that is after the seven years of plenty seven years of famine and all the plenty shall be forgotten to the Land of Egypt In a time of famine we are rather quickned to remember former years of plenty together with the wast that we then made of it and our unthankfulness for it When the Israelites had nothing but Manna in the wilderness they complained Num. 11.5 We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely the cucumbers and melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlick Now when 't is said that in the seven years of famine they should forget the seven years of plenty the meaning is they should have no plenty at all the forgetting of it was not the not having of plenty in their memories but the not having it in their hands When a people are in a time of trouble they remember their former peace and when in straights they remember their former liberty but they are said in straights and trouble and famine not to remember their liberties peace and plenty because they have none of them Thus here God hath made her to forget wisdom that is she hath no wisdom nor knowledge nor understanding and when it is said according to our translation God hath deprived her of wisdom we are not to take it as if God had taken that stock of wisdom from her which once she had but his depriving her of wisdom is his not communicating wisdom to her or his not trusting her with a stock of wisdom For so it followeth Neither hath he imparted to her understanding Sapientia struthioni non privativè sed negativè deest Est inferioris praestantiae non vitiosae naturae vitium hominis natura est pecoris August Sapientiam intelligentiam nominat industriam naturalem Aquin. Sapientiam dicit naturalem affectum in suos aut artem conservandi quod ex se natum Drus This latter part of the verse explaines the former and shews that the Ostriches want of wisdom is noc privative but negative God hath not taken it from her but not given it her But here it may be demanded hath God given wisdom or imparted understanding to any fowls of the air Are not these two words wisdom and understanding too high for beasts or birds indeed for the whole irrational part of the creation I answer as the Ostrich hath no true wisdom nor understanding so neither hath any beast or bird Wisdom and understanding taken strictly are proper only to rational creatures Men and Angels there is no wisdom where there is no reason yet wisdom and understanding are ascribed sometimes to brutish creatures and here the Ostrich a brutish creature is said to be deprived of them or not to have them communicated to her because not so much as that shaddow of wisdom and understanding is given to her which appears in some beasts and birds Brutes are said to have wisdom because they have that which serves their turn for their preservation and some of them are said to have wisdom because they are indeed wiser and more subtil than other brutes Gen. 3.1 yet all their wisdom is nothing to the wisdom of man That natural affection and forecast of beasts and birds in providing for and bringing up their young ones is their wisdom of this wisdom God hath deprived the Ostrich neither hath he imparted unto her so much as this small parcel of understanding not so much as this shaddow of understanding which he hath bestowed upon other both birds and beasts And there appears somewhat in nature as a proof that the Ostrich is a foolish bird for her head is very little and her brains in proportion much less And that any one Ostrich hath not much brains may be collected from a piece of the Romane History which reports that Heliogabalus the Emperour had the heads of six hundred Ostriches prepared for him at one supper only for the brains sake 'T is added also by the same Authour that the Ostrich is naturally deaf Bochartus and that there is no perfect anima else in the whole compass of nature that is deaf or wants the sense of hearing And needs must that creature have little or no understanding which hath no hearing that being the sense of discipline All these considerations
Quoties de feris bestiis dicitur quod faenum comesturae sint sicut bos metaphoricè innuitur eos mansuefieri cicurari The same Prophet shadows the peaceablenesse of those Gospel times under a like Allegory Chap. 65.25 where having shewed Verse 24. the goodnesse and tendernesse of God in hearing the prayers of his people It shall come to passe that before they call I will answer and while â—hey are yet praying I will hear he presently shews how good and kind God who hath the spirits and passions of all men in his hand will make the most ruffe-spirited and passionate men to his people The wolfe and the Lamb shall feed together and the Lion shall eat straw like the Bullâ—ck That is they who were sometimes as fierce as evening Wolves shall quietly and sweetly converse with the Lambs of Christ c. Thus here the Lord speaks of the Elephant eating grasse like an Oxe to shew that though he be exceeding strong yet he is of an exceeding quiet and harmless disposition Non alitèr quam perparvuli catelli ex hominis manu gaudet cibum sumere Aelian cap. 9. 30. And Naturalists tell us he is so gentle and harmlesse that he will take meat out of a mans hand like a Dog or Spaniel Thirdly The Elephant is described by his strength Verse 16. Lo Now or Behold it is the same word As in the former Verse God awakened the attention of Job to consider this Beast in general with a Behold so here coming to particulars he reassumeth the same note of admiration and serious meditation Lo now or Behold His strength is in his loins He hath strength proportionable to his greatness And as Sampsons strength was symbolically in his locks so the Elephants strength is naturally in his loins there 's the seat of strength in most creatures His strength is in his loins that is he hath very strong loins and is therefore very strong the loins being as was said the natural seat of strength To gird up the loins to do a thing is to do it strongly A weak man a man of little strength is said to have no loins Elumbus sive elumbis quasi sine lumbis i. e. viribus Drus or to be if I may so speak a loinlesse man And hence the failing or shaking of the loins notes the failing of strength and want of spirits to atchieve any great thing David speaking of the woful condition of the rejected Jews and the curse of God upon them gives it thus Psal 69.23 Let their eyes be darkened that they see not and make their loins continually to shake that is let them alwayes be in a weak and low condition let them not gather strength nor courage The effect of which curse is evident upon that people at this day their loins shake they gather no considerable strength they do no considerable thing nor shall till they return to the Lord. It is said of the vertuous woman Prov. 31.17 She girdeth her loins with strength that is she is ready and able for any work or action within her sphere or becoming her sex Non rectè nostri quod de lumbis dicitur adlibidinema commodant cum Eliphas tradatur esse animal maximè pudicum Merc. And when the Lord called the Prophet to lay to heart the grievous evils of those times he saith Ezek. 21.6 Sigh to the breaking of thy loins that is sigh mourn and lament till thou hast sighed away all thy strength till thou art become feeble with mourning lamenting and sighing The Elephant is mighty and strong His strength is in his loins And his force in the Navel of his Belly As much as to say he is strong every-where he is strong in back and strong in belly The Navel is the strength of the lower parts of the body as the loin of the upper The Navel is as the center of the body there is a colligation or knitting of several veins and arteries which pass from thence into several parts of the body as Anatomists observe There is so much force in the Navel that it may well be called the second seat of strength When the Lord would encourage us to fear him and depart from evil he makes this a motive Prov. 3.8 It shall be health to thy navel and marrow to thy bones that is thou shalt have much health and strength much comfort and sweetness in thy life His force is in the Navel of his Belly His strength is not in his horns to do hurt as the Bulls and Unicorns nor in his claws to tear as the Lions and Bears but in his Loins and Navel As if the Lord had said I have placed the strength of Behemoth where it may be most useful or serviceable and least hurtful I have endowed and furnished him with wonderful strength but how and where Not in any offensive part his head hath no horns his feet no claws to do mischief with but to the end he might be more serviceable to man in bearing burdens I have placed it chiefly in his Loins and Belly Yet saith the learned Bochartus This latter part of the verse doth not agree with the Elephant seeing both Pliny and Solinus teach us that the Elephant hath indeed a very hard skin upon his back but a soft one under his belly whence it is saith he that the Rhinoceros fighting with the Elephant aimes chiefly at his belly which he knows is his tenderest part He gives many other proofs of this as also that the Hippopotame hath a skin so extreamly thick and hard that 't is even impenitrable To this I may answer That though it be granted that the Hippop tame hath a very hard skin all over his body and not at all denied that the skin of the Elephant is softer by much under his belly than upon his back yet it cannot in my understanding be hence concluded that he hath not a great force in the Navel of his Belly For though he hath not a hardnesse there to resist the point either of a natural or artificial weapon yet he may have a force there enabling him to do mighty things 'T is rather from the compactness or well knitting of the Navel that he or any other like creature hath his force than from the hardnesse of it nor doth the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here rendred force signifie any force depending upon the hardnesse of any part but that force which ariseth from the good constitution of the body Gen. 49.3 or from the plentifulnesse of a mans outward estate or substance Job 18.7 Hos 12.8 What the Elephants strength and force is appears yet further in that which followeth Verse 17. He moveth his tail like a Cedar Some take the tail properly Secondly Eâ—si caudam habeat quae magnitudine cedrum aequare videatur tamen eam fâ—cile movet Insignis hyperbole Merc. Sunt qui caudam hic putant appellari promuscidem Elephantis planè alienè
things their being in the beginning hath hitherto preserved their being and will to the end And not only so but Thirdly all things are his in possession the Lord hath all in his hand In whose hand soever the things of the world are they are all in the Lords hand As Abraham said in his Treaty with the King of Sodom Gen. 14.22 I have lift up my hands to the most high God the possessor of heaven and of earth Psal 24.1 The earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof the world and they that dwell therein that is they are all at his dispose And again The world is mine and the fulness thereof saith the Lord himself Psal 50.12 and therefore if I were hungry that is if I needed any thing I would not tell thee that is complain to thee or go a begging to thee who art but a beggar I can help my self and take what and where I will There is a fourth title by which all things under heaven are the Lords even by Redemption The Lord hath restored the whole world to a kind of new life by the death of his Son Jesus Christ is the Saviour of all men especially of them which believe 1 Tim. 4.10 All have some benefit by redemption and so whatsoever is under the whole heaven the whole Systome of heaven and earth is the Lords by redemption though the specialty of redemption be theirs only and intended to them only who believe who as they have a peculiar portion a Benjamins Mess in the grace of redemption so the Lord calleth them his peculiars Exod. 19.5 Ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people for all the earth is mine And they are called the Lords portion Deut. 32.9 The Lords portion is his people Jacob is the lot of his inheritance Thus as all under the whole heaven is the Lords so all is his by a fourfold title by the titles of creation and sustentation and possession and redemption All things visible and invisible have been created are sustained and possessed by him as their great Lord and all things visible have been redeemed by him from present perishing and a world of them in this world that they should never perish but have everlasting life John 3.16 From this general Assertion That whatsoever is under the whole heaven is the Lords take these following Inferences First Then the Devil is a lyar a great lyar for Mat. 4. in his last assault against Christ he boasted that he would give him all the Kingdoms of the earth and the glory of them whereas the truth is he hath not a shoe latchet at his dispose While the Devil saith all is mine the truth is nothing is his but a lye of that he is the father As he hath not given a being to the least worm so he cannot dispose of the least worm he is not worth a straw for all is the Lords Secondly Hence we learn That there is a lying spirit in most of the children of men even in all them who look upon any thing they have as their own There is a sense in which we have a right to and a propriety in what we have and may call it ours but that spirit which moves in most of the children of men is a lying spirit when they say this and that is their own David Psal 12.4 brings in the wicked saying With our tongue will we prevail our lips are our own who is Lord over us What have not we who have so many Lordships the Lordship of our selves the Lordship of that little piece of our selves our lips But were not their lips their own not in the sense they spake it as if they were accountable to none for them for their next word was Who is Lord over us Thus most do they look upon their lips and all the members of their body as their own but what saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.20 Glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods And vers 19. Ye are not your own Your body is not your own but it is the Lords then much less are the things that you have your own your Land is not your own nor your cattel your own the beasts of the earth are not your own nor the fishes of the Sea your own nor is a hair of your head your own nor a pin upon your sleeve they are all the Lords Is it not then a lying spirit which possesseth very many among the children of men who look upon themselves and what they have as their own Their houses and lands are their own their gold and silver are their own who is Lord over them or theirs O let such remember that themselves their houses and lands their gold and silver are the Lords and that the Lord saith expressly The silver is mine and the gold is mine Hag. 2.8 Thirdly If all be the Lords then the Lord is able to supply the wants of all who wait upon him and to supply them plentifully The Lord supplieth the wants of all creatures The Lord keepeth a great house he feedeth all that he hath made he provideth food for Leviathan he satisfieth every living thing Psal 145 16. and Psal 115.16 The heaven even the heavens are the Lords but the earth hath he given to the children of men that is whatsoever of the earth the children of men that is men in common or mankind have the Lord hath given it to them and seing his own children have need of it surely he will not deny it them The Lord I say hath given the earth to the children of men and if the Lord hath bestowed the earth on men as men then much more hath he the earth to bestow upon his own children Christ in his Sermon upon the mount Mat. 6.32 assureth them of it Your heavenly father knoweth that ye have need of these things Food and cloathing is in your fathers hand your father is rich he is rich indeed and therefore he can supply your wants If children do but remember that their father hath such and such lands and houses they think they shall be well provided for how much more may a godly man say my father hath a great deal of land the whole earth is his and therefore I shall be provided for The Apostle improves this position twice 1 Cor. 10. First to makâ— use of our liberty in eating whatsoever is fold in the shambles asking no question for conscience sake for saith he the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof vers 26. He makes use of it Secondly to perswade us not to abuse our liberty ver 28. But if any man say unto you this is offered in sacrifice unto idols eat not for his sake that shewed it do not offend him and for conscience sake do not offend thy self The earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof As if he had said why shouldst thou trouble thy self or others by eating such meat seing there is enough
for the subduing or destroying of this mighty creature He that made him can make his sword approach unto him From this rendring and the interpretation given of it which is very plain and obvious Observe There is no creature so great so strong but God is able to subdue and conquer him He that made the creature can make his sword approach unto him God can master whatsoever he hath made Behemoth the Elephant is a creature of a vast bigness a creature of admirable strength yet down he comes down he falls as soon as ever God draws near with his sword The inanimate creatures the Sun the Moon the Stars the Seas the Earth are strong and powerful yet God can shake the Earth and calm the Sea he can seal up the Stars and stop both Sun and Moon in their course and make them stand still as a stone God who made the fire hot and burning can take away the burning heat of it which is so connatural to it And as he subdueth inanimate or liveless creatures so as here in the Text the animate or living creatures The Lord who hath made the Elephant the Lion the Bear the Tyger can quickly put a stop to the power and rage of any of them We may exemplifie it also in man a rational creature Some men in comparison of others are like Behemoths like Elephants great powerful and strong Nimrods of the earth mighty hunters The Lord can make his sword approach to any of them The Lord hath infinitely more strength and power in himself than he hath placed or planted in any creature For what is the stâ—eam to the fountain what is the light in the air to the light in the Sun The strength of the creature is but a stream or a beam issuing from God The strength of the Elephant is no more to God than the strength of a silly Mouse the strength of an Eagle no more to God than the strength of a Fly the strength of a Leviathan in the sea of whom in the next Chapter is no more to God then the strength of a Shrimp or Sprat God can soon destroy the roaring Lions the raging Bears the fierce Tigers the ravening Wolves of this world Nothing is strong before the strength of God or before the strong God Now if the Lord hath a power whereby he can quickly over-power the most powerful creatures then this teacheth us First Not to trust in the power of any creature Though you have an Elephant a Behemoth for your help do not trust in him The Lord that made him can quickly make his sword approach unto him the Lord can make him as weak as water and of as little use to you as a little child The strong shall be as tow and the maker of it as a sparke that is the work or idol which he hath made shall be as a spark to tow and they shall both burn together and none shall quench them Isa 1.31 How often are we called off from trust in any creature from trust in horses from trust in man There 's no help in the strongest creatures unless First God gâ—ves them strength and works with their strength Secondly There is no help in any creature if God sets his strength against him Therefore trust not in any creature Secondly This teacheth us Not to fear the power of any creature while God is with us If an Elephant a Behemoth be against us we need not fear him Thus the Apostle concludes while he puts that supposition Rom. 8.28 If God be with us who can be against us that is to hurt us His meaning is none can There are none in the world against whom so many are as against those with whom God is that is whom he owns loves and favours Christ told his Disciples of this Joh. 15.19 I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you But though they with whom God is are hated of the world or have the world against them yet the world cannot be so against them as to harm or hurt them for he that made them can make his sword approach to those that would that is they are fully in and under his power The Prophet useth this argument Isa 54.16 17. Behold I have created the Smith that bloweth the coals in the fire and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work and I have created the waster to destroy Even the wasters of the world they that make spoil of all all they are of my creation I have made them and seeing I have made them surely I can hinder them in any of their wasting and destroying purposes and therefore the Lord in the next words gives a full and most comfortable assurance to the Church notwithstanding the skill of the Smith in making instruments and the strength of the Waster to destroy with them No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper and every thing that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their righteousness is of me saith the Lord. The very ground upon which the Lord assured them that no weapon formed against them should prosper was because the Smith and the Waster too were both of them his creatures or of his making as the Text speaks of Behemoth God can make his sword approach beasts in the likeness of men as well as beasts in their own likeness And hence it is that the Holy Ghost expresseth all those powers of the world which should afflict the Church in several ages by the name of beasts all of Gods making Daniel in his 7th Chapter had a vision of four great beasts that came up from the sea whereof the first was like a Lion the second like a Bear another like a Leopard and a fourth dreadful and terrible and strong so exceedingly dreadful terrible and strong that as if no beast could be found like it it is not expressed by the likeness of any beast But what were these beasts 't is answered ver 17. These great beasts which are four are four great Kings which shall arise out of the earth that is four successions of Kings The Babilonian the Persian the Grecian the Roman powers were those great beasts Now the Lord who made them made his sword approach unto every one of them as the histories both of the Church and of the world hold clearly out The Lord who made that great Behemoth the Babilonian power and that great Behemoth the Persian power that great Behemoth the Grecian power as also that great Behemoth the Roman power hath made his sword in several ages and by several steps or degrees approach unto them So in the Revelation of Saint John the great beasts there mentioned what were they but the powers of the earth set against the true Church of God We read Revel 12.3 of a great red dragon this red dragon was the heathenish Romane power persecuting the Church Again Revel 13.1