time of Behemoths making I made him the same day with thee for all the beasts of the earth were made upon the sixth day the same day in which man was made Fourthly Which I made with thee that is I made him to be with thee I did not make Behemoth as I made Leviathan to play in the Sea but I made him to be with thee on the Land that thou shouldst behold him and take notice of him or that he should be under thy hand yea not only so but contrary to the nature of wilde beasts to love thy company and to desire converse with thee to be guided by thee and in many things to act with a kind of reason and understanding like thee or as thy self and other men do Fifthly Which I made with thee that is for thee I made him for thy use I made him to serve thee Though he be thus great and vast yet he will be thy humble servant There will be occasion afterwards to shew further how serviceable and useful Elephants are to man Sixthly I made him with thee that is I made him as nigh to thee as any of the unreasonable creatures yea nigher to thee than any of the unreasonable creatures for I have made him excel them all as thou excellest him he is above other irrational creatures as thou art above all irrationals He next to Angels and men is the chief of my wayes The word made may import this also and so it is used 1 Sam. 12.6 The Lord advanced the Hebâ—ew is Made Moses and Aaron The Lord hath so made the Elephant that he hath also advanced him above all the beasts of the field I have set him as near the seat of reason as might be and not be rational In all these respects we may understand the Lord saying to Job concerning Behemoth I made him with thee He is thy fellow-creature and how great soever he is he is my creature I made him the same day that I made thee and I made him to abide in the same place with thee or where thy abode is I made him also for thy service and that he might be a meet servant for thee I have made him almost a partaker of reason with thee so far at least a partaker of reason that he will very obsequiously submit to and follow the conduct of thine and though he be the strongest beast on earth yet thou mayest find him acting more according to thy reason than his own force or strength There is yet another interpretation of these words given by Bochartus which favours his opinion that Behemoth is the Hippopotame or River Horse Whom I have made with thee Tecum vel potius juxta te or rather near thee or hard by thee that is in thy neighbour-hood in a Countrey which borders upon thine As if saith he God had said to Job I need not fetch arguments from far to prove how powerful I am seeing I have them at hand For among the beasts which I made in Nilus which is near thy Countrey Arabia how admirable is the Hippopotame And that the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies by or near as well as with he gives many examples Josh 7.2 Judg. 9.6 Judg. 18.3 Judg. 19.11 2 Sam. 6.7 2 Sam. 20.8 which the Reader may peruse and consider Thus the Elephant was made with man But how lives he how feeds he Not like man He eateth grasse as an Oxe From these words also the Authour last mentioned collects an argument for the strengthening of his interpretation The Oxe and Elephant saith he are alike labouring beasts and therefore no wonder if they feed alike or live upon the same kind of food but that the Hippopotame which is an aquatical Animal and abides for the most part in the bottom of Nilus should eat grasse like an Oxe this is strange and matter of wonderment Nor is it for nothing that he is compared to the Oxe whom he resembles not onely in his food but in the bignesse of his body and in the shape of his head and feet whence the Italians call him Bomarin that is the Sea-Oxe Yet these words may very well be applied to the Elephant It being not onely true that his food is grasse but a merciful wonder that it is so For â—â—d this vast creature live upon prey or the spoil of other beasts what havock yea devastation would he make to satisfie his hunger So that these words He eateth grasse as an Oxe may carry this sense As if the Lord had said Though I have made this beast so great and strong yet he is no dangerous no ravenous beast he doth not live by preying upon other beasts by tearing and worrying sheep and Lambs as Lions and Bears and Wolves do this great and mighty creature eats grasse lâ—ke an Oxe Thus God would have Job take notice what way he hath provided for the subsistence of the Elephant He eateth grasse as an Oxe yet not altogether as the Oxe His food is as the food of an Oxe for the matter both eat grasse but he doth not eat in the same manner as an Oxe Why how doth an Oxe eat by licking up the grasse with his tongue into his mouth as he is described Numb 22.4 but the Elephant gathers up the grasse with his trunk and then puts it into his mouth Naturalists give these two reasons why the Elephant cannot eat like the Oxe Ne ore pascatur adminuculo linguae ut boves impedit colli brevitas linguae quoque quae illi animali perexigua est interius posita ita ut eam vix videre possis Decerptam proboscideherbam dentibus quos utrinque quatuor habet commolit Arist l. 2. de Histâ—r Animal c. 5 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pasco First Because of the shortnesse of his Neck Secondly The littlenesse of his Tongue which lies so far within his Mouth that it cannot easily be seen and therefore he crops the grasse with his trunk and putting it into his mouth grindes it with his teeth He eateth grasse like an Oxe He is like the Oxe as to what he feeds upon not as to the way of his feeding So then though the Elephant be so bulky and big-bodied yet by the Lords Ordinaâ—ion he is as harmlesse as a labouring Oxe he will not hurt any beast of the field This phrase Eating like an Oxe is used to set forth the peaceablenesse of his Nature Thus those blessed times are described when the power of the Gospel shall overcome the wrath and enmity which is in the Serpents seed against the seed of the Woman Isa 11.7 The Cow and the Bear shall feed their young ones and the Lion shall eat straw like the Oxe Lions will be quiet that is the spirits of those men who have been like Lions and Bears even they shall eat straw like the Oxe they shall not hurt the Lambs and Sheep of Christs flock and fold
though they had judged him an hypocrite or an ungodly man Thus the Lord sent them to Job that they might eat their words and receive a full conviction of their error Thirdly God would have them go to his servant Job to make them sensible that the favour he intended them was very much for Jobs sake and that they must in part be beholding to Job for it Fourthly The Lord sent them to Job that he might give a high evidence of his grace especially of his charity in forgetting injuries and requiting good for evil His friends had reproached him ten times and grieved his spirit very much yet he must shew how ready he was to forgive them and pray that they might be forgiven Fifthly God would have them to go to Job that they might know that Job was reconciled to them as well as himself Sixthly God would have them go to Job that this might humble them or that they might shew their humility and submission It was a great piece of self-denial for them to go to Job after such a contest and entreat him to speak for them of whom they had spoken so hardly and with whom they had long contended so bitterly Thus the Lord tried both Job and them the Lord tried Jobs charity and their humility We are hardly brought to confess that we have wronged others or have been out and mistaken our selves 'T is no easie matter for a man to acknowledge himself overcome 't is extream hard to become a suppliant to one whom we lately despised and trampled upon All this is his hard meat and not easily digested yet Eliphaz and his two friends must digest all this before they could acceptably obey the Lords command in going to his servant Job Nor was it an easie matter for Job to forget so many affronts and unkindnesses as he had received from his friends ' T is hard for a man that hath been wronged and reproached yea condemned to pass air by and not only embrace his opposers and reproachers but pray and solicite for them Thus the Lord in sending them to Job took tryal both of Job and them The Lord commanding them to supplicate him whom they had offended and expecting that he should make suit and supplication for them who had offended him put both their graces to it and in a most sweet and gracious way at once healed the breach which had been between Job and them as also that between them and himself Who ever took up a difference more sweetly or reunited dissenting brethren thus wisely Go to my servant Job And offer up for your selves a burnt-offering That is those seven bullocks and seven rams Here as was said before was the facrifice but who was the Priest The text saith Offer up for your selves which may intimate that that as they were to offer a sacrifice for themselves so that they themselves offered it But as Interpreters generally so I conceive Job was the Priest who offered it in their behalf We read chap. 1.5 that Job offered sacrifices for his children and there it was shewed that he was the Priest Every sacrifice must be offered by a Priest the people brought the sacrifice unto him to offer for them No sacrifice is acceptable without a Priest Therefore Jesus Christ who was our sacrifice was a Priest also none could offer him but himself he was both sacrifice and Priest and Altar So then whereas the Text saith they were to offer a burnt-offering for themselves the meaning is they were to bring it unto Job and he to offer it for them The Priest offered and Israel offered that is Israel offered by the Priest they brought the matter of the sacrifice to the Priest and the Priest slew and presented the sacrifice to the Lord. It is one thing to offer another thing to slay the sacrifice They offered a sacrifice who brought it or at their cost caused it to be brought to the holy place and this any of the people might do They offer it upon the Altar to the Lord who were especially appointed thereunto These were the Priests only Before the Ceremonial law as given by God to Moses the Priest-hood lay in the eldest or father of the family upon which account Job was a Priest whereas afterwards the Priest-hood was settled in the family of Aaron and it was forbidden to any but one of hs line to offer sacrifice So that when the Lord said to Eliphaz and his two friends Go to my servant Job and offer up for your selves a burnt-offering he directed them to Job Non est hic curiousè captendo distinctio holocausti aboliis victimis cim haec ante legem contigovint Quasi latinè diceres-holocaustabitis holo caustum i.e. in solidum offeratis ut in auras totum abort officietis Merc. as having the honour of Priest-hood in him and so the power of doing it for them or in their behalf Offer up for your selves A burnt-offering That is a sacrifice wholly consumed by fire The Hebrew is very elegant make an ascentton to ascend The whole burnt-offering was the most perfect offering and therefore the Hebrews express it by a word that signifieth the perfect consumption of it in the fire and so the ascention of it to heaven in smoke and vapour as a sweet odour in the nostrils of the Lord as the Apostle speaks Ephes 5.1 and as David Psal 141.2 A part of many sacrifices was saved to feast upon afterwards as the harlot spake Prov. 7.14 I have peace-offerings with me this day have I payed my vows but the burnt-offering was wholly consumed and sent up unto the Lord. Go to my servant Job and offer up for your selves a burnt-offering Hence note First The Lord is very ready to forgive and to be at peace with those that have offended him Though the fire of his wrath be kindled as it is said in the former verse yet he is willing to have it quenched The Prophet Micah chap. 7.18 makes this report of God He retaineth not his anger for ever that is he retaineth it but a little while he is speedily pacified and forgives and sometimes as here he forgives without any higher signification of his anger than a bare rebuke The Lord did not lay the least mulâ—t the least chastning or affliction upon Eliphaz and his two friends though his wrath was kindled against them I grant it is not so always some smart sorely and pay dearly for their errors When the anger of the Lord was kindled against Aaron and Miriam Num. 12.9 for speaking against Moses as those three had against Job he was not then so easily pacified for first it is said in the close of the 9th verse he departed and ver 10. the cloud departed from off the tabernacle here was much displeasure yet not all for it followeth and behold Miriam became leprous white as snow In this case God was angry with two that had spoken against a servant of his and they felt
on earth praying for those that live on earth Job was alive in the body and so were those three men to whom the Lord said My servant Job shall pray for you The Lord having assured Eliphaz and his two friends that Job would pray for them giveth them encouâ—agement to go and desiâ—e his prayers by a gracious promise For saith he him will I accept and threatneth them in case they should forbear in the next words Lest I deal with you according to your folly in that ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right like my servant Job First Of the gracious promise him will I accept The Hebrew saith his face will I lift up Acceptation with God is the lifting up of the face of man then man lifteth up his face with boldness when he is accepted with God When God refused to accept Cain and his offering his countenaâ—ce fell or was cast down Gen. 4.5 Unless the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon us as David prayed Psal 4.6 we cannot with any comfort much less with true confidence lift up our face or countenance unto God That 's the significancy of the word Him will I accept God is no accepter of persons as the word is often used in Scripture Deut. 10.17 The Lord is a great God mighty and terrible which regardeth not persons It is the same phrase in the Hebrew with this in the Text he lifteth not up faces that is the Lord doth not accept persons upon any outward respect First The Lord doth not accept persons for their personableness as I may say the Lord doth not delight in any mans legs his delight is in them that fear him Psal 147.10 11. he doth not accept men for their goodly stature as he told Samuel when he would needs have poured the oile upon the first-born of the Sons of Jesse 1 Sam. 16.7 Look not on his countenance or on the height of his stature because I have refused him for the Lord seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart 'T is the beauty of holiness and integrity in the heart not the beauty of fairness upon the face with which God is taken 't is a lowly mind not a high stature which God accepts Secondly The Lord is no accepter of persons as to the nation or country where they were born or live Thus the Apostle Peter spake Acts 10.35 I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him God doth not prefer Jews before Gentiles Barbarians or Scythians that a man had his birth in this or that Nation neither helps nor hinders acceptation with God Thirdly The Lord accepteth no mans person for his riches Prov. 11.4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath No mans person is acceptable to God for his purse or his penny no not at all Fouâ—thly The Lord â—ccepteth no mans person for his worldly greatness honour and dignity He poureth contempt upon Princes Psal 107.40 The day of the Lord is against the hills and mountains Isa 2.14 The great God regardeth not any man meerly for greatness the Lord accepts no mans person upon these or any such like accounts He only accepts the persons of those that fear him and do his will Suscipit faciem Deus quando precantem câ—audit The Lords acceptance of any person in the sense of this promise concerning Job is First To shew favour and manifest affection to him Secondly To honour aâ—d highly esteem him Thirdly Which is here specially intended to answer his prayers and grant his requests not only for himself but for others When a person is once accepted his prayers shall not be denied nor suffer a repulse The Lord accepteth persons as a King the persons of those loyal Subjects who come to intreat his favour and pardon for those that have offended him and rebelled against him he grants their suit and treats them fairly In this sense the Lord maketh promise to Eliphaz and his two friends that he will accept Job Hence Observe First It is a very high favour and priviledge to be accepted of God Him will I accept saith the Lord of Job This was a favour beyond all the favours that follow after in the close of the book about the doubling of his estate If Jacob Gen 32.20 was so taken with a hope of acceptance by his brother Esau Peradventure he will accept me If when he was accepted by Esau he said chap. 33.10 I have seen thy face as though I had seen the face of God and thou wast pleased with me Then how much more should we rejoyce in this assurance that God hath accepted of us and that he is pleased with us If the Apostle Rom. 15.3 prayed so earnestly and desired others to strive with him in prayer to God that his service which he had for Jerusalem might be accepted of the Saints then how much more should we pray that our services may be accepted of God and rejoyce when they are accepted The Apostle made it his chief work to get acceptation with God 2 Cor. 5.9 Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent that is whether living or dying we may be accepted with him we are ambitious of divine acceptation The word which we translate labour noteth a labouring after honour which ambitious men labour much after implying that to be accepted with the Lord is a very high honour indeed the highest honour There is a two-fold acceptation First Of our persons Secondly Of our services The former is the ground of the latter and Jesus Christ is the foundation of both Ephes 1.6 He through glorious grace hath made us accepted in the beloved Jesus Christ is so dearly beloved of the father that he is called The Beloved as if only beloved The acceptation of our services is often promised in Scripture as a high favouâ— Exod. 28.38 Ezek. 20.40 41. Isa 56.7 This Moses prayed for in the behalf of the Tribe of Levy which Tribe was appointed to offer sacrifice and to pray for the people Deut. 33.11 Bless Lord his substance and accept the work of his hands What was the work of Levies hands it was to offer sacrifice to which prayer and intercession was joyned That Levi who had the priest-hoâ—d fixed in the family of Aaron should be accepted in the work of his hands was a blessing not only to himself but to many more This David prayed earnestly for Psal 19.14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer He put up a like prayer Psal 119.108 Accept I beseech thee the free-will-offerings of my mouth O Lord. This was the prayer of Araunah for David 2 Sam. 24.23 The Lord thy God accept thee So great a priviledge it is for our persons and services to be accepted with the Lord
not a Country of Mountains or Hills Now saith the Lord even as Egypt by the drawing of Water-courses is made fruitful and abundantly supplied with moisture though no rain falls there so I will water the Wilderness with rain from the clouds as well as they water Egypt Nemo aratorum in Egypto respicit coelum Sen. l. 4. Natur. quest c. 2. Plinius in Panegyr Te propter nullos tellus tuo postulat imbres Arida nec pluvio supplicat herbâ— fovi Tibul. by sluces from the river Nilus Egypt grew very proud or atheistical rather because they had such an advantage by the river which caused one of the Ancients to say There is never a Plow-man in Egypt will so much as look up to Heaven They took not themselves at all beholding to God for the fertillity of their land they had it all from Nilus Well saith the Lord I will moisten the very barren wildernesse it shall be satisfied with rain even as Egypt with the waters of the river The Desert shall be as well watered by rivers from heaven as Egypt is by the river Nilus But whether the Lord had any respect to that or no I dare not assert yet it is plain that the Lord waters the wilderness where no man is even as well as Egypt is watered Now forasmuch as the rain cometh upon the wilderness where 't is very improbâ—ble to have rain Vapores plâ—viosi elevantur maximè ex locis â—umidis unde siâ—ubes plâ—viae non impellerentur à ventis sequeretur quòd nunquam in loâ—is siccis plueretur Aquin. because vapours which are the matter of rain are raised uâ—ually from moist places from the seas and rivers but from the wilderness and from heaths and deserts which are dry places how should vapours rise yet saith God though there is no rain begotten there yet I will send rain thither I will cause the wind to rise and carry the clouds and the thundeâ— shall break the clouds and they shall pour down wateâ—s upon the wilderness Did not the Lord cause the winds to d ive the clouds over wildernesses and desert places and there to unburthen themselves they would be altogether without rain Hence Note Where Nature denies or natural causes produce no rain God can give it The clouds may deny rain to the wildernesse because the wilde ness yiâ—lds no moisture to make clouds yet the Lord sends rain thither Again Consider the wilderness and desert places as they are here hâ—ld forth together with the providence of God concerning them And so Note The care and providence of God extends it self to all places even to places uninhabited It is no wonder that God should provide rain so places that aâ—e inhabi ed but where no man is there to water the eaâ—th to what puâ—pose is that yet the Lord will water such places as it were by his own hand and as 't is said Psal 107.35 Turn the wilderness into standing water and dry ground into Water-springs Though there be no man to eat the fruit which the rain produceth from the earth of which the Text speaks afterward yet God will send rain to make that land fruitful for the beasts sake that they may have grass and green things to feed upon God will provide for the beasts of the earth where there are no men to provide for them nor to be provided for God is a great House-keeper He nourisheth all living creatures as well as men as he preserves so he feeds the beasts of the Earth and the fishes of the Sea as well as men Psal 104.27 These all wait upon thee O Lord that thou maist give them their meat in due season the very fishes in the Sea wait upon God for their meat and so do fowls of the air together with all things moving upon the face of the Earth Psal 145.15 The eyes of all wait upon thee and thou givest them meat in due season and that he may do so he gives them rain in due season He causeth it to rain on the Earth where no man is and upon the wildernesse where there is no man God hath beasts to provide for where men are not and he will not let a beast that he hath made want food the very worms shall have a support of life Hence Christ argues away all undue care and thoughtfulnesse in man for the succours of this life Matth. 6.25 26. Take no thought for your life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your body what ye shall put on Behold the fowls of the air for they sowe not neither do they reap nor gather into barns yet your heavenly Father feedeth them are ye not much better than they Surely ye are therefore ye shall be better provided for than they Hath God a break-fast ready for every little bird that comes chirping out of her Nest Hath he a break-fast ready for every beast in the Wildernesse that comes out of his den and will he not much more provide for you O ye of little faith How encouraging an argument is this to our Faith that the Lord will provide for all men and especially for his own seeing he provides for the fowls of the air and the beasts of the earth where there is no man to give them any food or take any care of them This consideration may strengthen our dependance on God though we are brought into a Wilderness condition where there is no man to pity us or give us a morsel of bread Surely the Lord that feeds the wild beasts where there is no man can and will provide for his own people when the hearts of all men are shut up against them he can make the fowls of the air and the beasts of the earth to bring them food as the ravens did to Elijah Further This is an instance of the inexhaustible treasure of the Lords goodness For if he giveth rain in the wilderness for the beasts of the earth may we not thence infer surely the Lord will take care even of those who are unworthy What have the beasts deserved at the hand of God that he should provide for them Yea the Lord doth not onely give food to those that are of no desert as the beasts but to those that are of ill desert he gives rain to those who are but beasts in the shape of men men of beastly spirits The Lord feeds the Lions and the Bears the Tygers and the Swine of the World that is men like them he causeth his rain to fall upon the just and unjust Matth. 5.45 Satius est prodesse malis propter bonos quam bonis â—cesse propter malos Sen. de Benef. lib. 4. cap. 28. He will rather give good to the bad for the goods sake than be wanting to the good because of the wickedness of the bad and therefore the rain comes not onely upon the just but upon the unjust too This is true also in a spiritual way The
satisfied And this may be a great reproof upon the insatiableness of many men they in this are much worse than the desolate and wast ground that may be satisfied that will crave no more But whereas Solomon saith there are four things that say not it is enough Prov. 30.15 16. Of all things the desires of man are most unsatiable and say not it is enough It was a great word which Esau spake I have enough my brother Gen. 33.9 and I fear he hath but a few brethren in that saying Among the four things which in Solomons ob ervation say not it is enough the earth is one in the place last mentioned But mark It is the earth that is not filled with water For where God is pleased to fill the earth with water then as this Text in Job speaks it is satisfied He causeth it to rain on the wilderness to satisfie the desolate and wast ground Further This may also comfort us in all our wants For doubtless the Lord who takes care to satisfie the senseless ground will satisfie his believing people early with his mercy Psal 90.14 when they cry to him yea he will satisfie them not onely with good in this life but with long life will he satisfie them and shew them his salvation Psal 91.16 He will abundantly blesse Sions provision What is that The Word and Ordinances chiefly and satisfie her poor with bread with the bread of life especially Lastly God sends rain to satisfie the desolate and wast ground Hence Note God hath rain enough for all places He can spare it for waste ground and wildernesses And therefore if he supplieth not our pastures corn-fields and gardens with rain it is not because he cannot send it or hath not enough to send but it is to punish us for sin God doth not withhold rain from any place because he is sparing of his treasures is more for laying them up than giving them out but because he is provoked by the unthankfulness of man for or by his abuse of his former bounties The Lord forbids the clouds to drop down the rain upon inhabited places and bids them convey it to waste wildernesses when inhabited places have not honoured him for it nor brought forth fruits of righteousness answerable to the fruits of the earth by the blessing of rain Thus also Christ will take the kingdome that is the kingdome of the Gospel the rain of holy doctrine from an unthankful and unfruitful people and give it to a Nation that will bring forth the fruits of it as he threatned the Jewes Matth. 21.43 and afterwards fulfilled that threatning upon them Acts 13.46 Lo we turn to the Gentiles Ye having refused and abused the offers of Christ made to you by us we will now go with our rain to the wast and desolate ground or to the wilderness that is to the Gentiles and they will receive it and be thankful The scarcity of Gospel mercy which God brings upon any place Sic sterilitas agrorum divitiae fertilitas est deserti is a punishment of their barrenness under Gospel means And have not we cause to fear at this day that forasmuch as we are so like that earth spoken of Heb. 6.8 which drinketh in the rain yet instead of fruit meet for his use by whom it is dressed beareth briars and thorns have not we cause I say to fear that we are nigh to some curse and burning or that the Lord will carry away the rain to Heathens who as yet are a desolate and waste ground 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eâ—itum germinis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proprie herba renera Exitum herbae vocat herbam primúm è terra prodeuntem Drus To cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth The natural effect of rain is growth or to cause the bud of the â—ender herb to bring forth If God denies water to manured and well husbanded lands they wither and even desolate desarts and waste grounds flourish when God waters them then the bud of the tender herb springs forth Hence Note Natural causes produce proper natural effects When God sends rain on desolate places they bud and spring forth When the rain falls the herb flourishes where the Sun shines the grasse grows And surely thus it is in spirituals spiritual causes bring forth spiritual effects if the Lord sends the rain of the word upon desolate souls the soul receiving it will bud and the tender herb will bring forth Moses Deut. 32.1 2. compared his Doctrine to the small rain upon the tender herb and to the showres upon the grasse How green are the herbs after rain and the grasse after showres Herbs and grasse bear witness to the bounty and goodness of God in giving sweet showres of rain Natural rain is seen in their looks and so should spiritual in our lives And if where the rain of the word falleth they that receive it do not bud and blossome and bring forth fruit the desolate wilderness will rise up in judgement against them the waste grounds will condemn them They will say Lord you sent rain upon us and lo here are our buds and our blossomes yea here 's the fruit which we have brought forth Will not this shame our barrenness Hath the Lord divided the Water-course of the Gospel and caused it to rain on us from day to day and shall not we shew our buds and blossomes of holiness our fruits of faith and repentance that he may come into his garden and eat of his pleasant fruits How dreadful Shall the waste wildernesses and desolate grounds bring forth when the rain fâ—lls upon them and shall not the Church It is not bare professing but fruit-bearing which honours God John 15.8 It is uncomely if so much as a leaf of profession withers Psal 1.3 But how green soever the leaves of our profession are yea though they should retain their greenness under the hottest and most scorching Sun of Persecution yet what would it advantage us if our leaves are not accompanied with good fruits Now If any should ask What mean you by good fruits Or what fruits are good I shall close the point in hand with an Answer to these Questions These good fruits considered in reference to their efficient cause are called fruits of the spirit Gal. 5.22 and in reference to the matter of them they are called fruits of righteousness Phil. 1.11 but in reference to the beginning or occasion of them they are called fruits meet for repentance Matth. 3.8 In general all that is good fruit which is conformable to the Word of God whether it be the conformity of our natures to it in conversion or the conformity of our wayes to it in our daily conversation More particularly these good fruits are of two sorts First Inward fruits or those which we bring forth within that is in our hearts these are secrets and only known to God Secondly Outward fruits which we bring forth in
with them to send lightning hast thou the command of thunder and lightning will the lightnings come forth at thy bidding The words may have a double allusion 1. To the General of an Army commanding his Souldiers and they going at his word 2. To the Master of a Family who gives orders to his Se vants and they go at his word Canst thou send lightnings that they may go And say unto thee here we are or as the Hebrew is Behold us That manner of speech here we are or behold us is a description of the most ready obedience either of Souldiers to their General or of Servants to their Master Will the lightnings obey thee thus and say here we are Some expound these words as supposed to be spoken by the lightnings upon their return from some former service given them in charge by God as having dispatcht what they were sent for and were ready to go again Hence the Latine translator gives it thus Vt reverentia tibi dicent adsumus Vulg. That they being returned or after their return should say unto thee with reverence here we are 1. Ready to go whithersoever thou wilt send us 2. Ready to do whatsoever thou wilt enjoyn us As if the Lord had said Canst thou send forth the lightnings and will they return to thee and say we have done thy commands and here we are again to receive fresh commands or new orders from thee Surely as the rain will not thus obey thee so neither will the lightnings neither the one nor the other will be thy servants to go of thy errand or execute thy will The same note which I gave before concerning the rain might be taken up here again concerning the lightnings They are not under the command of man c. Secondly for as much as the Lord here denies this priviledge both respecting the rain and lightning unto man he would have us understand and know that both are in himself though you cannot yet I can command them both are under my dominion While the Lord shews Job his impotency to command these meteors he asserts his own omnipotency as he hath made them so he can rule them Hence observe All treatures even those which seem to be most out of command are fully under the command of God What to appearance is more out of command than the lightning that quick that piercing that fierce and fiery creature yet that stirs no more than a stone till the Lord commands and at his command it stirs and is gone in a moment The Lord God hath spoken saith the Prophet Amos 3.8 who can but prophesie And as a faithful Prophet cannot but prophecy so the not only faithless but senseless creatures cannot but do what God hath spoken That of the Psalmist Psal 104.4 which we read who maketh his Angels spirits his Ministers a flaming fire some render thus who maketh the winds his messengers and the flames of fire his ministers That is he useth tempestuous winds and flames of fire as his messengers and ministers The same Hebrew word that signifieth an Angel signifieth a Messenger at large and the same word that signifieth a Spirit signifieth also the Wind. And as the words so the truth will bear both translations or constructions for as those higher or highest of rational creatures the Angels so those high inanimate creatures the winds and lightnings which may properly be called flames of fire are the Ministers and messengers of God that is they go forth and Minister according to his Word they say Here we are The Lord by a call or word speaking can have whom and what he will to serve his purpose and fulfil his decrees It is said 2 King 8.1 as also Psal 105.16 The Lord called for a famine a famine of bread and he no sooner called but the famine came and said Here am I the famine presently brake the staff of bread and did eat up all the good of the Land The Prophet Haggai Chap. 1.11 represents the Lord saying I called for a drought which is the usual fore-runner of famine and the drought said Here am I it came presently as soon as the Lord commanded On the other hand when the Lord made many promises under the new Covenant among other things he said I will call for plenty Ezek. 36.29 I will call for the corn and will increase it and lay no famine upon you As in those other places he called for famine and drought so here he saith I will call for plenty and it shall say Here am I abundance of corn and grass and fruits of the earth came at that call Lamenting Jeremiah speaking of the woful captivity of the people of Israel saith Lam. 1.15 The Lord called an assembly against me that is I conceive an assembly of the Assyrians and Babylonians an assembly of men an army of men he caused them to assemble and come together he did but call and they said Here we are and we will go vex Judah and Jerusalem Thus if the Lord call for famine and drought if he call for an assembly of men for men assembled with the sword of war in their hand to punish and chastise any people for their sin they will surely come and do his pleasure whatever the Lord calls for cannot but come Take this inference from it If the Lord have such a command upon all creatures even the inanimate creatures if the lightnings answer him when he calls Here we are Then how readily should men the best of visible creatures answer his call and say Here we are When the Lord said to Abraham Gen. 12.1 Get thee out of thy Country and from thy Kindred and from thy Fathers house unto a Land that I shall shew thee he never disputed the case but saith the Apostle Heb. 11.8 Obeyed and went out not knowing whither he went He never enquired what the place was to which he was to go nor what accommodations he should find when he came thither Abraham knew he was to go whither God called him to go though whither he was to go he knew not And when long after this the Lord called to Abraham Gen. 22.1 he said Behold here I am or Behold me as if he had said Lord I am here ready to obey thy command to go of thy errand to carry whatever message thou shalt put into my mouth to do whatever work thou shalt put into my hand and that Abraham did not complement with God it appears in the same Chapter for though when God commanded him to offer up his Son his only Son Isaac whom he loved every word was enough to wound his heart the last deepest to part with a Son is hard with an only Son harder with a son dearly beloved is hardest of all especially when he must be not only passive but active in this loss his own hand must give the parting blow yet Abraham being called to this hard and hot service said Here am I and readily
thy labour to hâ—m This latter part of the Verse is of the same importance with the former yet I shall touch a little upon it Wilt thou leave thy labour to him Labour is taken in Scripture two ways First For the very act of labour Jacob said Gen. 31.42 God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands God knows said he to Laban what pains I have taken what hard work I have been at in thy service and how hard he had been at work he told Laban ver 40. Thus I was in the day the drought consumed me and the frost by night and my sleep departed from me To such hard work in spirituals the Apostle exhorts Be stedfast and unmoveable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Labor à radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 laboravit defatigatus fuit always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 The word in the Text which we render labour signifieth a labouring to weariness or a labour which causeth weariness Strong labour diligent labour wearieth a strong man and though an industrious person is not weary of his labour yet he may be wearied with his labour yea the more industrious he is in labouring the sooner he may be wearied with his labour Secondly Labour is taken sometimes for the fruit of labour or for that which is got by labour the reward and wages given and received for work and service done is called labour Psal 128.2 Thou shalt eat the labour of thy hands No man can eat the acts of his labour but every man should eat the fruit of his labour labour brings in bread and that bread is sweetest which comes in by labour The Lord threateneth his people Deut. 28.33 strangers shall eat thy labour that is the encrease that comes in or hath been gotten by thy labour even that which thou hast laboured for And it was a mercy bestowed by the Lord upon his Israel Psal 105.44 that they inhâ—rited the labour of the people that is they dwelt in the houses which they had built and enjoyed the gardens which they had planted reaped the fields which they the Heathen had sowed In a word they had the fruit of all their labours Some understand the word here in this latter sence Wilt thou leave thy labour unto him that is Fruges tuas labore tuo partas Pisc wilt thou allow him any of the fruit of thy ground seeing he refuseth to work in thy ground surely thou wilt not Labouring cattel have somewhat for their labour they share in those good things which are the product of their labour 1 Cor. 9.9 Thou shalt not muzzel the Oxe that treadeth out the corn But though it is a truth that labouring cattel eat of and are fed with the fruit of their labour yet here by labour I understand the very act of labour not the fruit of it Wilt thou leave thy labour to him that is wilt thou leave thy business with him wilt thou trust him with thy Plow or with thy Harrow And consider the dependance if thou darest not trust him then thou wilt not leave thy labour unto him Note hence First It is not Wisdom to leave our work to such as we cannot trust Our work will be ill done or half done or not done at all by those that we cannot trust We trust those much to whom we leave our business and there are three things requisite in those to whom we leave it First That they have strength and ability for it there is a necessity of that No wise man will trust or leave his business with him that hath no strength to do it no ability for it Secondly That they be subject and obedient to us No wise man will leave his business in the hand of those who acknowledge no obedience nor subjection to him how much strength soever they have An unsubmitting strength will work against us rather than for us Thirdly That they be faithful No man will leave his business to a person of strength and in subjection to him if he be not honest to him Solomon hath sufficienâ—ly caution'd us against trusting such while he saith Prov. 25.19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble 't is true also in time of peace is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joynt A bâ—oken tooth cannot chew our meat and a foot out of joynt can worse go a journey an unfaithful man will prove a worser servant to us than the worst of these And as it is thus among men they will not leave their business with an Unicorn with one that hath strength but yeilds no subjection nor ever shewed any faithfulness so God will not leave his labour his work and service to such as are like the Unicorn he will not leave it in such hands as have great ability to carry it through yet want obedience to his will and faithfulness in his work There must be a concurrence of these three strength subjection and faithfulness in all those to whom the Lord God the God only wise will leave his labour or commit the doing of any service for him But where these three meet and center in any person strength of body and mind submission of will and faithfulness to a work how great things may they do in the service whether of God or Man Secondly Observe A will a mind to work or a wâ—lling mind to work is better than great strength As the Unicorn with his great strength so they who are like the Unicorn in strength may do little or nothing But they that have only a little strength and a mind to be doing have done and may do much Little strength is a kind of weakness yet where there is a willing mind weakness will do more than great strength without a willing mind We have a common saying John is a good servant when Will is at home Willingness to work works better than bare strength We have this conclusion Neh. 4.6 So built we the wall Nehemiah spake there of the Jews return'd from Babylon And all the wall was joyned together unto the half thereof For the people had a mind or as the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an heart to work The wall of a great City being soon raised half up the reason given was because they had a mind to work The Jews at that time were a people under so much weakness that the enemies jâ—ar'd them with it ver 2. What will these feeble Jews do will they fortifie themselves will they sacrifice will they make an end in a day will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish c. Will they work miracles remove mountains But how feeble soever they were the work went on amain For the people had a mind a heart to work Though they were no Unicorns no people of great strength though they were feeble Jews yet they
alone will not do it For that there may be an increase these five things must concur First The skill and industry of the Husband-man Secondly The strength and labour of the Ox or Horse Thirdly The vertue and fatness of the earth Fourthly The showers and influences of heaven Fifthly And above all the blessing of God Old Isaac said of his Son Jacob Gen. 27.27 See the smell of my Son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed As there is no increase without the blessing of God how much soever men or oxen labour so there is great increase the Lord adding his blessing by the labour of men and oxen Labour and increase usually go together and where no labour is there except by miracle is no increase Where no labour is the barn is empty the crib is empty the belly is empty the purse is empty Of doing nothing comes nothing but want and misery 'T is said when the Ox is weariest he treads surest To be sure they who are most wearied by honest pains-taking tread surest upon honest profit Secondly observe Seed sown is not lost but returns and comes home again That which was scattered abroad in the field is gathered into the barn Some may think when they see the Husbandman cast his seed into the ground that he casts it away but by the labour of the Ox by the skill of the Husbandman and the blessing of God upon all the seed cometh home again Thus the Apostle spake in a spiritual sense He that ploweth should plow in hope and he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope 1 Cor. 9.10 It should be so according to the ordination of God as to the faithful Ministers of God of whose labour in plowing up souls by the word and sowing those souls with the word the Apostle there treats And it is so through the benediction of God as to laborious Husband-men and their cattel in plowing and sowing the soyl of the earth Yea thus it is in all we do our actions good or bad are as seed sown which will certainly come again they will not be lost Good done will assuredly turn to good and evil done and not undone by repentance will as surely turn to evil The Apostle gives us this double assurance Gal. 6.7 8. Whatsoever a man soweth that not numerically but specifically shall he also reap For He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting And thus in special works of charity or our distributions to the necessities of others are more significantly called sowing Psal 112.9 He hath dispersed he hath given to the poor That is he hath sowed his alms abundantly what then It followeth His righteousness endureth for ever his horn shall be exalted with honor To give to the poor especially to Gods poor to the godly poor or to those that are made poor for Gods sake is sowing good seed and he that soweth thus shall receive a fruitful crop Grain sowed in the field may yield a good increase but that which is rightly sowed in the bowels of the poor shall certainly yield a better What we give is like seed sowed in the field which increaseth thirty sixty an hundred fold What we keep by us is like corn stored up in the garner which we bring forth and spend and there 's an end of it Here 's great encouragement to do good yea to abound in doing good to others What we so part with is not lost but sowed it will come back to the barn it will come home again and that with a great increase And doubtless where there hath been a plowing up of the heart by a work of grace there will be a free sowing in every good work And though we are not to do good works meerly eying a return or our personal advantage yet we may have an eye to it as Moses had in his holy sufferings and services to the recompence of reward yea and take incouragement from the Lords bounty to be more in duty more in charity even unto bounty We may consider the harvest while we are diligent in sowing yea to make us more diligent in sowing Having thus opened the several properties of this creature here called the Vnicorn properly taken and given out some meditations upon them it will not be I conceive either unuseful or unacceptable to the Reader if for the conclusion of the whole matter in hand I shew how the holy Scriptures together with some of the Ancients make use of this creature tropically or in a figure to resemble and represent First The state of the Church and people of God Thus Moses reports Balaam shadowing the power and blessedness of Israel when he came and was hired to curse them Numb 23.22 God saith he brought them that is the children of Israel out of Egypt he hath as it were the strength of an Vnicorn Most expound the word He collectively concerning that whole people as one body He that is Israel hath as it were the strength of an Vnicorn that is he is exceeding strong Some expound it of God He that is God who brought them out of Egypt the mighty God of Jacob hath as it were the strength of an Unicorn God is indeed infinitely strong stronger than the Unicorn That which is most eminent in any creature or for which any creature is most eminent the Scripture often ascribes in a way of super-eminency unto God The Lord hath strength like the strongest and how strong soever he is he is strong for his Israel yea he is the strength of his Israel So that if we take the word in this latter sense it reaches the same thing setting forth the power and strength of Israel by the strength of the Unicorn for the Lord who is their strength will make them strong like Unicorns Balaam spake thus again Numb 24.8 God brought him all Israel as one man out of Egypt he hath as it were the strength of an Vnicorn he shall eat up the Nations his enemies and shall break their bones and pierce them through with his arrows Thus also Moses spake or prophecyed of the Tribe of Joseph Deut. 33.17 His glory is like the firstling of his Bullock and his horns are like the horns of Vnicorns with them shall he push the people or peoples the word is plural together to the ends of the earth and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim and they are the thousands of Manasseh Moses sets out the fruitfulness of Ephraim beyond that of Manasseh ten for one and in both joyntly shews how powerful how prevailing they shall be even as if they pusht their enemies with horns like those of Unicorns In all these Scriptures the Lord fore-shewed the wonderful force of the Jewish Church of old his portion and peculiar people by that of the Unicorn David also as was said before expresseth his assurance of
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
is so used Num. 34.5 Josh 15.4.47 1 Kings 8.65 2 Kings 24.7 Isa 27.12 which he also confirms by the Authority of some Ancient Latine Poets who call Nilus a Torrent or a Brook Now though this hath very great weight with me and may with any ingenoius Reader to perswade him that the Hippopotame is intended by Behemoth rather than the Elephant Yet with the favour and good leave of this worthy Author and with submission to more able judgments I would offer these two things to the Readers consideration First That though the word Nilus may draw its original as he shews from the word Nahal according to its ancient pronunciation Neel yet in no one of those Scriptures by him quoted and lately noted is the word Nahal used alone as it stands in this Text of Job to signifie Nilus for in all those places the word Egypt is added Now when the words are put together The river of Egypt no man can doubt but Nâ—lus must be understood by it But when the word Nahal signifying a Brook Torrent or river is found single and alone there is no necessity that it should signifie Nilus the word indifferenâ—ly and in common being applicable to any brook or river in any part of the whole world as well as to Nilus in Egypt Secondly In one place of the holy Scripture where this whole expression in Job The willows of the brook is found nor Nilus but some other brook or river is without all controversie intended The children of Israel for the celebration of the feast of Tabernacles were commanded Levit. 23.40 to cut down the boughs of thick trees and the willows of the brook c. which surely could not be meant of the willows growing about the river Nilus in Egypt for they were come out of Egypt and this was an ordinance which the children of Israel were commanded to observe in the Land of Canaan And as in this place of Moses we have the willows of the brook so Isa 15.7 we have the brook of the willows whither the substance of the Moabites should be carried by themselves say some for safety by their enemies say others as spoil I do not find any who follow this translation interpreting the brook of the willows by Nilus in Egypt but several of Euphrates by Babilon in Chaldea to which that speech of the Captive Jews there Psal 137.1 2. may give some light These two things considered the words of the text in Job concerning Behemoth may at least with a faire probability be applied to the Elephant The shady trees cover him with their shadow the willows of the brook compass him about Hence Note First God provides not only for the being of his creatures but for for their comfortable being As the Elephant hath food upon the mountains to keep him alive so shady trees to keep him cool And thus the Lord takes care for man he hath not only given him bread to eat but conveniences for his delight and comfort God makes provision even for our delight while we are in the flesh let us take heed we make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it The Elephant hath not only grass but shadows Secondly Note The inconveniencies and annoyances which come to us by one creature are helped by some other God hath so provided that look in what one creature doth annoy us another relieves us The Elephants are much annoyd by the heat of the Sun but they find relief under shady trees The heat of the Sun is cured by shades and gentle winds in those parts of the world that are under or near the Line the Lord hath provided cool breizes which blowing there fan the air and make it very pleasant by attempering the heat If there be poison in one creature to annoy there is an antidote in some other to help And in this the goodness of God shines most clearly that all the inconveniences and annoyances which come to us by men yea which come to us by our sins are all remedied by Jesus Christ or we have relief by Jesus Christ against them all When the heat of any affliction molests us we may sit down as the Church speaks Cant. 2.3 under his shadow with great delight and his fruit will be sweet unto us Jesus Christ is to all believers not only as the shadow of a tree but as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land Isa 32.2 The Lord hath provided us shady trees and the willows of the brook blessed and precious promises to compass us about in all our troubles Thus God hath given Behemoth help against immoderate heat But he is subject to much thrist also for that he hath help at hand too store of water Vers 23 24. Behold he drinketh up a river and hasteth not he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth he taketh it with his eyes his nose pierceth through snares We have had Behemoth feeding upon the mountains and reposing in the shadows here we have him drinking in or at the river Ecce premat eum fluvius non trepidabit securus erit quamvis Jordanes erumpat in os ejus Bochar These two verses as they stand in our translation may in a fairer sense be applied to the Elephant but before I come to that I shall give a brief account of that translation given by the learned Author before named according to which the 23d verse is not only best but only applicable to the Hippopotame Behold let a river press or come upon him he will not fear he is safe though Jordan issue forth upon his mouth Now it 's easily granted that the tallest and strongest Elephant would have cause enough to fear if a whole river such a great and deep one as Jordan especially should press upon him and over-whelm him for as the Elephant is no swimmer so he must have a liberty of breathing nor can he hold his breath very long and therefore as it is said ventures to go no further into the water than he can hold and keep his snout above water to draw in aire and maintain respiration So that in this the Hippopotame hath the advantage of the Elephant as being able to hold his breath much longer For though saith he alleadging Aristotle for it as the Sea-calf the Crocodile and Sea-shell-fish Ltb. 8. de Historia Animal cap. 2. so also the Hippopotame will be suffocated in the water at last unless he take some breathing times yet 't is certain he can hold his breath a long time abiding not being able to swim whole dayes at the bottom of Nilus creeping or lying upon the ouze till night approaching he goeth out to feed The nature of this animal being such as hath been described the translation in hand answers it clearly Yet seeing there are other translations of this 23d verse left us by very learned men and skilful in the Hebrew tongue which may well comply with the nature of the
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
Nathan the Prophet did to reprove King David but he told his friends at first word My wrath is kindled against you Though they were good men yet not so dear to God as Job and therefore he dealt in a more fatherly and favourable way with Job than with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exarsit incensus inflammatus est Inter septem voculas Hebraeorum quae iram significant haec omnium est gravissima Scult they had only hot words My wrath is kindled against you c. I am more than angry As the coals of spiritual love spoken of Cant. 8.6 so the coals of divine wrath are coals of fire which hath a most vehement flame There are seven words in the Hebrew language which signifie anger and this notes the most vehement of them all My wrath is kindled The Latine words Ira and Irasco seem to be derived from it The word is sometimes applied to grief there is a kind of fire in grief Thus 't is said 1 Sam. 15.11 It grieved Samuel and he cryed unto the Lord all night Samuel was vehemently grieved becauâ—e of the ill performance of Saul in his expedition against the Amalakites 'T is also translated to fret Psal 37.8 9. Fret not thy self in any wise to do evil fretting hath its burning My wrath saith the Lord is kindled There is a wrath of God which is not kindled as I may say it is not blown up 't is covered in the ashes of his patience and forbearance but here saith God My wrath is kindled This is spoken by God after the manner of men God feels no change by wrath or anger no impression is made on him by any passion Wrath in God notes only his change of dispensations towards man not any in himself When he acts like a man whose wrath is greatly kindled then 't is said his wrath is kindled as when he acteth like a man that sheweth much love it may be said his love is kindled Further when God saith My wrath is kindled it implieth there is some great provocation given him by man as in the present case Eliphaz and his two friends had done The Lord threatned a sinful Land with brimstone and salt and burning like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and this being executed all Nations shall say wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this Land what meaneth the heat of this great anger Then men shall say because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers c. Deut. 29.23 24 25. The wrath of God is never kindled till blown and that which bloweth it up is mans sin nor doth the ordinary sins of man kindle the wrath of God for then it must be alwayes kindled even against the best of men Doubtless when the Lord said in the Text to Eliphaz My wrath is kindled against thee and thy two friends there was somewhat extraordinary in their sin which kindled it and therefore the Lord directed them an extraordinary way as to circumstances for the querching of it and the making of their peace But here it may be questioned why did the Lord say his wrath was kindled only against Eliphaz and his two friends had he nothing to say against Elihu he had spoken as harshly to Job as any of them yet Elihu was not at all reproved much less was the wrath of God kindled against him I answer 'T is true Elihu spake very hard words of Job yet we may say four things of Elihu which might exempt him from this blame which fell upon those three First He did not speak with nor discover a bitter spirit as they did Secondly Elihu objected not against Job his former life nor charged him as having done wickedly towards man or hypocritically towards God he only condemned him for present miscarriages under his trouble for impatience and unquietness of spirit under the cross Thirdly That which Elihu chiefly objected against Job was the justifying of himself rather than God as he speaks at the beginning of the 32d Chapter not the maintaining of his own innocency nor the justifying of himself before men Indeed Job failed while he insisted so much upon that point that he seemed more careful to clear himself than to justifie God Fourthly When Elihu spake hardly it was more out of a true zeal to defend the justice of God in afflicting him than to tax him with injustice Now because Elihu did not carry it with a bitter spirit and hit the mark much better than his friends though in some things he also shot wide and misunderstood Job therefore the blame fell only upon Jobs three friends and not upon Elihu The Lord said to Eliphaz my wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two friends but his wrath went no further Hence note First The Lord knows how to declare wrath as well as love displeasure as well as favour He hath a store of wrath as well as of love and that is kindled when he is highly displeased Secondly Note Sin causeth kindlings or discoveries of divine wrath Had it not been for sin the Lord had never declared any wrath in the world nothing had gone out from him but kindness and love favours and mercies Wrath is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness and against unrighteousness only Rom. 1.18 Unrighteousness kindleth wrath sin is the kindle-coal When we see wrath or displeasure going out we may conclude sin is gone out Moses said to Aaron Numb 16.46 Take a Censer and put fire therein from off the altar and put on incense and go quickly unto the congregation and make an atonement for them for there is wrath gone out from the Lord the plague is begun Now as in this latter part of the chapter Moses shews that wrath was gone out against that people from the Lord so in the former part of it he shews that sin and that a great sin was gone out from that people against the Lord. Thirdly Note The Lord sometimes declareth wrath even against those whom he loveth Wrath may fall upon good men such were these friends of Job All the Elect whilest they remain unconverted or uncalled are called Children of wrath Ephes 2.3 Though they are in the everlasting love of God yet they are children of wrath as to their present condition whilst in a state of nature and unreconciled to God Now as the children of God are children of wrath before their conversion so when any great sin is committed after conversion they are in some sense under wrath and the Lord declareth wrath against them till the breach be healed and their peace sued out It is dangerous continuing for a moment in any sin unrepented of or we not going unto God by Jesus Christ for pardon When once the wrath of God is kindled how far it may burn who knoweth There is no safety under guilt Therefore kiss the son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed
that when once we have it we may rejoyce all our days Eccles 9.7 Go thy way eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart for God now accepteth thy works Solomon doth not mean it of a sensitive joy only much less of any sensual joy but of a gracious and spiritual joy In this joy we may eat and drink when our work is accepted and our work is never accepted till our persons are Now if it be so great a priviledge to be accepted with the Lord how great a misery is it not to be accepted this inference floweth naturally from that great truth And how great a misery it is not to be accepted of God several Scriptures hold out The Prophet Amos 5.22 declareth no other judgment upon that people but this The Lord accepteth them not And the same declaration is made by several other Prophets Jerem. 14.10 12. Hos 8.13 Mal. 1.8 10. Acceptance is our greatest mercy and non-acceptance our greatest misery and that 's the reason why the understanding and faithful servants of God are so strict or as the world accounts it precise and scrupleous that they will not turn aside no not in those things which are called small matters and of which many think God will take no notice They desire to be accepted of God in every thing and because they know in some measure what is acceptable to him therefore they would do nothing no not the least thing which is unacceptable to him Prov. 10.32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable The lips are organs or instruments of speech not of knowledge the understanding knoweth the lips only speak Yet here Solomon ascribes the work of the understing to the lips and this he doth because there is or should be a great cognation between the understanding and the lips we should speak nothing but what we understand we should speak only what we know and according to our knowledge The lips of the righteous have such an intercourse with their understanding that their very lips may be said to know what is acceptable and therefore they speak what is acceptable It is said of David that he guided the people with the skilfulness saith our with the discretion saith another translation with the understanding of his hands saith the original Psal 78.72 The hand hath no more understanding skill or discretion seated in it than the lips yet because David consulted with his understanding in what he did with his hand it is said He guided them by the skilfulness or discretion or understanding of his hand Thus the lips of the righteous understand and know what is acceptable and they know that unless they have an aime to honour God in small matters yea in all matters they greatly dishonour him and so cannot be accepted with him at all The excellency of a gracious heart appears greatly when he maketh conscience of doing the least thing which he knows ye only fears will be unacceptable to God or wherein he may run the hazard of this priviledge his acceptation with him There are three things which shew why it is so great a priviledg to be accepted with God and why his servants are so careful not to do any thing that is unacceptable unto him First Because Once accepted with God and always accepted For though possibly a person accepted may have some frowns from God upon his uneven walkings or sinful actings yet his state of acceptation continues firm in the main The Lord doth not utterly cast off his favourites no nor any whom he taketh into his favour or a nearness with himself Secondly If we are once accepted with God he can make us accepted with men and that not only with good men Rom. 14.18 but even with bad men God can give us favour in the eyes of those men who have not an eye to see that we are in his favour Daniel who was so careful to keep up his acceptation with God That he purposed in his heart not to defile himself with the portion of the Kings meat Dan. 1.8 9. Of him it is said ver 9. God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the Prince of the Eunuches He a conscientious Jew had great acceptation with him who was an idolatrous Heathen Thirdly If once accepted of the Lord we need not be much troubled though we are reprobate to the world though the world reject and cast us off yea cast us out The Lords acceptation of us will bear or may bear up our spirits in the midst of the worlds reproaches repulses and rejections Again When the Lord saith Him will I accept Observe The Lord accepts some godly men more than others Jobs three friends were godly men questionless they were yet they had not that acceptation with God which Job had All that are godly have acceptation with God but they have not all alike acceptation Acts 10.35 In every Nation they that fear him and work righteousness are accepted with him Which we must not take meerly for a moral or legal righteousness but as in conjunction with an Evangelical righteousness Now let them be who they will that fear God and work righteousness they are accepted but all are not equally accepted him will I accept saith the Lord concerning Job with an Emphasis why was it so because Job was one of the most eminent persons for godliness yea the most eminent at that time upon the face of the whole earth as was shewed at the 2d verse of the first chapter Noah was a man highly accepted of the Lord above others and he was righteous above others Gen. 7.1 Thee saith God have I seen righteous before me in this generation Possibly there might be others righteous but there was no man so righteous as Noah and none so accepted as he And if it be enquired who amongst good men are most accepted or accepted beyond other good men I answer First They among good men are most accepted who live most by faith As without faith it is impossible to please God in any degree Heb. 11.6 so they that live most by faith please God most or in the highest degree and are most accepted by him Abraham who lived so much by faith that he was called the father of the faithful was so much accepted of God that he is called The friend of God Jam. 2.23 Secondly Among godly men they who are most upright in their walkings who walk with a single eye and with a right foot are most acceptable such a man was Job The character given him Chap. 1.1 was A man perfect and upright Thirdly They that walk most humbly are most acceptable unto God For 〈◊〉 God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble Jam. 4.6 so he sheweth grace that is favour or graceth and adorneth them with his favours When one said Mich. 6.6 Wherewith shall I come before the Lord c. The Prophet answered vers 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is
ascend into the hill of the Lord c. and answered it vers 4 5. He that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his soul to vanity nor sworn deceitfully he shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousness that is a righteous reward or a reward according to righteousness from the God of his salvation Solomon asserts the present performance of what is only promised in this Psalm he saith not The just shall receive the blessing but they have actually received it Prov. 10.6 Blessings are upon the head of the just By the just man we may understand First him that is in a justified state or him that is just by faith Secondly him that walks in a just way or that do justly And they who are indeed justified are not only engaged by that high act of grace to do justly but are either constantly kept in doing so or are soon brought to see they have not done so and to repentance for it Just and upright men in these two notions are so much blessed that they are a blessing Prov. 11.11 By the blessing of the upright is the City exalted As an upright man wisheth and prayeth for a blessing upon the City where he liveth so he is a blessing to it and that no small one but to the greatning enriching and exaltation of it He that is good in his person becomes a common good to Cities yea to whole Nations such are a blessing because they receive so many blessings Pro. 28.20 A faithful man shall abound with blessings This faithful man is one that acts and doth all things faithfully as appears by his opposition in the same verse to him that maketh hast to be rich of whom the Text saith he shall not be innocent that is he must needs deal unfaithfully or unrighteously for in making such post-hast to riches he usually rides as we say over hedge and ditch and cannot keep the plain way of honesty Thirdly As they who are in a state of grace and they who act graciously in that state so they who worship holily or holy worshippers have a special promise of the blessing As Sion is the seat of holy worship so there the Lord commandeth the blessing upon holy worshippers Psal 133.3 And again Psal 115.12 13. He will bless the house of Israel he will bless the house of Aaron he will bless them that fear the Lord both small and great that is the generality of holy worshippers shall be blessed The fear of the Lord is often put in Scripture for the worship of the Lord and so they that fear him are the same with them that worship him Fourthly They are the blessed of the Lord who trust the Lord for all and so make him the all of their trust Psal 34.8 O tast and see that the Lord is gracious blessed is the man that trustith in him that is in him only or alone being convinced of the utter insufficiency of the creature That man is cursed who trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm Jer. 17.5 therefore pure trust in God hath the blessing Fifthly They that are a blessing unto others shall have the blessing from the Lord. What it is to be a blessing to others read at large in the 29th Chapter of this Book vers 11. and in 31. Chapter vers 20. They that do good to others they especially who do good to the souls of others are a blessing to others Now they who do good they shall receive good themselves Prov. 11.25 The liberal shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered also himself He that watereth is a common good a blessing to the place where he lives a blessing to the rich a blessing to the poor a blessing to relations a blessing to strangers upon such the Scripture assures the blessing of the Lord. Sixthly They who promote the worship and service of God they that are friends to the Ark of God shall be blessed 2 Sam. 6.11 The Lord blessed the house of Obed-edom because he entertained the Ark shewed kindness to the Ark and was ready to do any service for the Ark of God he will be a friend to the true friends of his Church Seventhly They shall receive a blessing of God who strive in prayer for his blessing Jacob was blessed but he wâ—estled for it They that would have it must ask it with a gracious importunity they that seek it diligently shall find it These are the chief characters of the persons whom the Lord will bless And seeing his blessing is so effectual for the procurement of our good we should above all things labour to procure his blessing When Jacob wrestled with the Angel he asked nothing of him but a blessing Gen. 32.26 He did not say I will not let thee go except thou deliver me from my brother Esau he did not say I will not let thee go unless thou make me rich or great he only said I will not let thee go except thou bless me let me be blessed and let me be what thou wilt or I can be What should we desire in comparison of the blessing of God seeing his blessing strictly taken is the fruit of his fatherly love A man may be rich and great and honoured among men yet not beloved but he that is indeed blessed is certainly beloved of God Esau could not obtain the blessing Now what saith the Lord by the Prophet of him as the Apostle quotes the Prophet Rom. 9.13 Esau have I hated Esau got much riches but he could not get the blessing for he was hated of the Lord and therefore it is said Heb. 12.17 He found no place for repentance though he sought it carefully with tears that is he could not make Isaac repent of blessing Jacob though through a mistake yet according to Gods appointment he could not prevail with him no not by tears to take off the blessing from his brother Jacob and place it upon himself And the reason why the blessing remained with Jacob was because he was loved of God The blessing must go where the love goes The loved of the Lord are and shall be blessed and they who are blessed have all good with a blessing Read Gen. 24.35 Gen. 26.13 Gen. 28.3 2 Sam. 6.11 Psal 107.38 Yea as God giveth all good with a blessing so he giveth himself who is the chief good best of all and blessed for evermore to those whom he blesseth Then how should we desire the blessing of God or to be blessed by God It is wonderful how passionately and even impatiently the Votaries of Rome desire the Popes blessing they think themselves made men if they can but have his blessing I have read of a Cardinal who seeing the people so strangely desirous of his blessing Quando quidem populus hic vult decipi dicipiatur said Seeing this people will be deceived let them be deceived But we cannot be too desirous of a blessing from
an hundred and ten years Gen 50. ult Job if we take in that common account of the antecedent part of his life lived longer than any of these even two hundred and ten years The fifth Commandement hath this promise Exod. 20.12 Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee And the Apostle calls that the first Commandement with promise Eph. 6.2 that is the first Commandement with an explicite promise all the Commandements have promises implyed to those that obey them Eliphaz assured Job of this blessing in case of his repentance Chap. 5.26 Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age like as a shock of Corn cometh in his season And in this he was a true Prophet Now that long life is a blessing I would shew briefly under these six considerations First It is a blessing to have a long opportunity of doing good of being useful and serviceable to our generation long life gives an advantage for that Secondly It is a blessing to have opportunity to gain experiences First of the various providences of God towards men whether in wayes of judgement or of mercy Secondly to get experiences of the manners of men of the vanity unfaithfulness and inconstancy of some men and of the goodness faithfulness and constancy of others Though we sometimes smart in getting our experiences yet it may be a great blessing to have them Thirdly It is a blessing to have an opportunity to hold forth the grace of God to us and the graces of God in us by a holy example The longer we live a natural life the more we may manifest the power of a spiritual life to those among whom we live Fourthly It is a blessing to have opportunity for improvement and growth in grace to attain the highest stature in and pitch of holiness This benefit we may make of long life even encrease in grace as our years encrease and grow better as we grow older Fifthly It is a blessing to have opportunity to bring up our children in the nurture and fear of God long life gives liberty for this Lastly it is a blessing to behold the blessing of God upon our posterity long life gives us opportunity for this blessing and this was Jobs blessing eminently In all these respects and many more might be added long life is a blessing Yet let me give this corrective Long life is but a common blessing it is no distinguishing blessing it is not a certain love-token from God to man Bad men have lived long as appears both in sacred and common Histories Old age is then a blessing and good indeed when we are old in goodness or grow old doing good Solomons conclusion reacheth this fully Prov. 16.31 The hoary head is a crown of glory if it be found in the way of righteousness And Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes Better is a child that will be ruled than an old and foolish King that will receive no counsel When we may say of any as the Lord said of some Ezek. 23.43 O ye that are old in adulteries when any are old in sin woe to such an old age Better to die young than live to old age and then die in sin To live to be old men the old man not dying in us O how sad To see sin young when the man is old how odious a sight is that Then only old age is good when we are good in old age They only die in a good old age as it is said of Abraham Gen. 25.8 who are good dying old The sinner of a hundred years old shall die accursed Isa 65.20 So then it is knowing not ignorant old age it is prudent not foolish old age it is gracious not vicious old age which is indeed the blessing and therefore though it be a blessing look upon it as a common blessing As riches are good to us our selves being good so is old age such is a life of many years in this world good only to those who are good and do good Secondly When it is said Job lived an hundred and forty years we are not to take his living for a bare continuance or indurance in life for so many years but we are to understand his life or living so long Vivere est valere with the cloathing of it with the good of it he lived that is he lived comfortably honourably peaceably this hundred and forty years We commonly say To live is to be well to live is to flourish Some live whose life is a kind of death As they who live in sinful pleasure are dead while they live so also are they who live in great worldly sorrow Job lived comfortably and contentedly all that long time of his latter life even an hundred and forty years Hence note Secondly Long life in health peace and prosperity is a blessing indeed To live long in the enjoyment of good is very good What man is he saith David Psal 34.12 that desireth life and loveth many dayes that he may see good Keep thy tongue from evil c. To live long and see good that is enjoy good is the utmost that can be desired in this life That 's the blessing or the good promised in the renewed state of Jerusalem Isa 65. where after the Lord had spoken of new heavens and new earth he adds at the 22d verse They shall not build and another inhabit they shall not plant and another eat for as the dayes of a tree are the dayes of my people and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands He doth not say they shall live long but they shall enjoy long that which they have built and planted none shall invade nor take away from them Some conceive this hath reference to the thousand years prophesied of Rev. 20. wherein the Church shall enjoy perfect felicity in this world To live long in the sweet enjoyments of health honour peace and plenty for soul and body is a full blessing I grant some good men live long who yet do not alwayes enjoy good their old age especially is accompanied and encumbered with many bodily distempers and grievous pains Though grace sets us above the decayes of nature and the troubles of this life yet grace doth not exempt nor give us priviledge from either so that greediness after many years is commonly a greediness only after many infirmities Isaac was a good old man yet 't is said of him that when he was old his eyes waxed dim so that he could not see Gen. 27.1 Old age and dim eyes and deaf ears shaking hands and palsied trembling joynts with manifold diseases are seldom found asunder Therefore Job had an extraordinary blessing to live long and free from all these evils and so have any who do so Barzillay was a good old man yet 2 Sam. 19.25 he was so benummed and his natural senses so enfeebled that he did not enjoy his life