my rest for ever It was so because God was pleased to make it so hee rested in his love hee would seek no further Zeph. 3.17 For I have desired it This alone made the difference as it a so did betwixt Aarons rod and the rest that were laid with it Vers 15 I will abundantly bless her provision Her stock and her store Viâ—tico ejus affatim benedicam Tâ—em so that she shall not want necessaries which yet shee shall hunt for that is labour for as the Hebrew word importeth and know how shee comes by therefore it is added I will satisfie her poor with bread Dainties I will not promise them a sufficiency but not a superfluity poor they may be but not destitute bread they shall have and of that Gods plenty as they say enough to bring them to their Fathers house where is bread enough Let not therefore the poor Israelite fear to bring his offerings or to disfurnish himself for Gods worship c. Vers 16 I will also cloath her Priests c. So that they shall save themselves and those that hear them 1 Tim. 4.16 Thus God answereth his peoples prayers both for temporalls and spiritualls See vers 9. and that with an overplus of comfort they shall shout aloud Vers 17 There will make the horn of David to bud A metaphor from those living creatures quorum ramosa sunt cornua which have snags in their heads as Deer have which are unto them in stead of boughs For horn some read beam of David confer Luk. 1.78 I have ordained a Lamp i. e. A successor cui lampada tradat and that a glorious one at length Christ who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Light essentiall Joh. 12.46 Of Ascanius the son of Aeneas and likewise of Tullus Hostilius it is storied that light flames were seen about their heads when they lay in their cradles and that thereby was foresignified that they should bee Kings Vers 18 His enemies will I cloath with shame Shame shall bee the promotion of all such fools as set against Christ and his people yea they shall bee cloathed with it so that it shall bee conspicuous to all men But upon himself shall his Crown flourish His royall Diadem Nezer whereby hee is separated and distinguished from other men Alexander dropt his Diadem once into the water and because hee who fet it out put it on his own head whiles hee swam out with it hee cut off his head Our Edward the fourth hanged one for saying hee would make his Son owner of the Crown though hee only meant his own house having a Crown for the sign in Cheapside PSAL. CXXXIII VErs 1 Behold how good and how pleasant it is This David is thought to have said to the people when after eight years unnaturall war they came together to Hebron to anoint him King over all Israel 2 Sam. 5. Behold bee affected with that happiness of yours which no tongue can utter Accipe quod sentitur antequam discitur as Cyprian saith in another case How good and how pleasant Precious and profitable sweet and delectable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dainty and goodly as Rev. 18.14 Communion of Saints is the next happiness upon earth to communion with God For Brethren Whether by Place Race or Grace which last is the strongest tye and should cause such an harmony of hearts as might resemble that concord and concent that shall bee in Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—thenaeus â—â— 3. The Thâ—bans in their armies had a band of men they called The holy Band consisting of such only as were joyned together in the bonds of love as would live and dye together these they made great account of and esteemed the strength of their armies To dwell together Heb. Even together that is even as God dwelleth with them Psal 132. to bee kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love Rom. 12.10 to bee as those Primitive Christians were Act. 2. of one heart and of one soul The number of two hath by the Heathens been accounted accursed because it was the first that departed from Unity Vers 2 It is like the precious ointment This similitude setteth forth the pleasure and amaenity of it as the other from the dew the profit and commodity Sic miscuit utile dulci. This ointment was most rich as made up of the chiefest spices Exod 30. and very fragrant refreshing the senses not of Aaron only but of all about him â—al 5. so doth Christian unity and amity that fruit of the Spirit far beyond that common friendship so highly extolled by Cicero and other Heathens and is therefore here fitly compared to that Non-such odoriferous ointment Upon the head that ran down upon the beard So the Spirit of grace that oil of gladnesse Psal 45.7 poured out abundantly even to a redundancy upon Christ the head runneth down upon all the members of his body mysticall even to the meanest so that they have grace for grace Vers 3 As the dew of Hermon Moisteneth and maketh fertil the Country of Bashan Hermon is a very high hill ever covered with snow whence ariseth a perpetuall vapour the originall and fountain of dew to all Jury And as the dew that descended The spirituall dew dispensed from God in Sion where hee is sincerely served For there the Lord commanded the blessing A powerfull expression highly commending brotherly love as a complexive blessing and such as accompanieth salvation PSAL. CXXXIV VErs 1 Behold bless yee the Lord This short Psalm the last of the fifteen Graduals is brâ—ve Sacerdotum speculum saith an Expositour a mirrour for Ministers who are first excited by a Behold as by the sounding of a trumpet or the ringing of a Sermon-bell And secondly exhorted to praise God and to pray unto him whereunto if wee adde their teaching of Jacob Gods Judgements whereof Moses mindeth them Deut. 33.10 what more can bee required of Archippus to the fulfilling of his ministry and if hee bee slack hee must bee told of it Col. 4.17 yet with all due respect and reverence to his office 1 Tim. 5.1 And it were fat better if they would rouse up themselves with the wakefull Cock and not keep sleepy centry in the Sanctuary All yee Servants of the Lord Yee Priests and Levites who are Gods Servants but of a more than ordinary alloy servants of noblest imployment about him Such are all faithfull Ministers each of them may say with Paul Act. 27.23 whose I am and whom I serve Which by night stand in the house of the Lord Keeping watch and ward there in your turns Num. 58.1 2 c. 1 Chron. 9.33 The Rabbins say that the High-Priest only sat in the Sanctuary as did Eli 1 Sam. 1. the rest stood as ready prest to do their office Vers 2 Lift up your hands in the Sanctuary Or Lift up holy hands as 1 Tim. 2.8 One readeth it out of the Hebrew Lift up your hands Sanctuary that is ye
wisely have withstood his Wives motion to blaspheme Hitherto certainly God had helped him It was the uncouth and unkind carriage of his friends concurring with the increase of his bodily paine besides the eclipse of inward comforts that drew from him those passionate expressions chap. 3. Ver. 11. And when Jobs three friends His familiar friends that did eat of his bread as Psal 49.9 that were as his own soul Deut. 13.6 his bosome friends and therefore precious Jewels such as could both keep counsel and give counsel Of such there are but few to be found Friends there is no friend said Socrates Faithfull friends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Another are in this age all for the most part gone in pilgrimage and their return is uncertain A Friend is a changeable creature saith a Third all in changeable colours like the Peacock as often changed as moved Job complaineth of these his chief and choice friends that they were miserable Comforters Physicians of no value chap. 16.2 c. Amicitia sit tantùm inter binos eósque bonos such as were Jonathan and David Corporibus geminis spiritus unus erat Heard of all this evil Whether by the ministry of the good or bad Angels or of neither it skilleth not Ill newes is swift of foot saith the Greek Proverb and like ill weather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which comes ere it be sent for The sins and miseries of good people are much talked of and soon bruited abroad The Chaldee Paraphrast here telleth of strange businesses viz. that these three here mentioned besides the report they heard of Jobs calamity were moved to visit him by the wonders that fell out with them at the same time for their trees suddenly withered in their Ort-yards their bread at their table was turned into raw flesh their wine into bloud c. But this may well passe for a Jewish fable The Author of that Paraphrase was R. Joseph Cacus nothing so ancient or authentick as he who paraphraseth upon the historical books but exceeding full of mistakes and seldome cometh he near the right meaning of the Text all along the Hagiographa They came every one from his own place More then these came to such a sight no doubt but these out of a desire and designe to condole with him and comfort him But it fel out far otherwise for they tormented Job well nigh as much as Satan himself though it were of ignorance and unwittingly rather then of ill will or malice fore-thought Their very silence and gesture before ever they spake a word did so torment his mind that at last he cryes out in that bitter manner as chap. 3. like a frantick man which through some grievous sicknesse hath lost his wits Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhitt c. Idumeans all likely and men of much estimation for wisdome Jer. 49.7 Is Wisdom no more in Teman and godlinesse as descended all of Abraham whose care was to catechise his whole Family and to teach them the wayes of God Gen. 18.19 Their following disputations shew as much wherein they admonish him to repent assuring him that he could be no lesse then a grosse sinner and an hypocrite because so grievously afflicted Job answereth their severall speeches tormented in body perplexed in mind but stoutly defending his own innocency and seeming to tax the Lord also like as dogs in a chase bark at their own Masters To this his friends reply sharply from chap. 15. to 22. and he answereth them again with greater boldnesse and courage then before Hereupon they begin a second reply and here Eliphaz and Bildad onely spake The third man fainted and spake no more for that Job was invincible c. till at length Elihu moderateth censuring both parties and God determineth to Jobs conviction and finall commendation For they had made an appointment together to come Not by accident or at adventure as Origen will needs have it against the Text but by solemn agreement it was a pitcht meeting Neither staid they till they were sent for but came as friends to do Job all friendly offices like as in a fright the blood and spirits run to the heart to relieve it A friend loveth at all times and a brother is born for adversity Prov. 17.17 See the Note there To mourn with him Heb. To shake the head or other parts of the body in token of commiseration to bewail his condition as Cyprian did the persecuted Saints of his time Cum singulis pectus meum copulo saith he Moeroris pondera luctuosa participo c. Who is offended and I burn not 2 Cor. 11.29 And to comfort him This they intended but proved miserable comforters too by reason of the deceitfulnesse of their hearts fitly therefore compared to a broken or a deceitfull bow that carrieth the arrow a clean contrary way So Jonah prayed unto the Lord. chap. 4.2 He thought to have prayed but it proved that he brawled Psal 78.57 The word rendred to comfort signifieth likewise to mourn with the mourning of repentance to teach us here to begin our pity to others to bewail their and our owe sins see the Note there These mens words were as a murthering weapon in Jobs bones pious they were and divine all along but much mis-applied It is said of them that they handled an ill matter well and Job a good cause as ill especially when once he came to be wet through Verse 12. And when they lift up their eyes afarre off Hence some conclude that Job lay abroad as lepers used And knew him not for they had never seen him before but in a splendidous fashion now then to see him in such a pickle that he hà d lost all form and fashion more like a dead beast then a living man this amazed and amused them they might also by this so sad a spectacle be admonished of their own mutable and miserable condition Aut sumus aut fuimus aut possumus esse quod hic est and have the same thoughts as the Psalmist afterwards had Man being in honour abideth not Psal 45.12 he is like the beasts that perish pecoribus morticinis saith Tremellius the beasts that die of the murraine and so become carrion and are good for nothing Job was now no otherwise to be seene then as a stinking carcasse full of sores more like then a living man as he painteth out himself in most lively colours They lifted up their voice and wept Good men are apt to do so saith the Poet faciles motus mens generosa capit we are bound to weep with those that weep and to be both pitifull and courteous 1 Pet. 3. To him that is in misery pity should be shewed from his friend it was so to Job here at first but he forsaketh the fear of the Lord Job 6.14 Jobs friends did so when amazed with the greatnesse of his calamity they therehence concluded him an arrant hypocrite unworthy of any one
of the lower Region of the Aire as in Winter we see the breath that cometh out of the mouth to congeal and hang upon the beard and haires This hoare frost is answerable in the counter-point to the dew but lasteth much longer Verse 30. Quae aquae magno diuturno frigore congelascunt velut per 10 vel 20 annos continuos appeilantur chrystallus velut in Alpibus Et glacialem Oceanum The waters are hid at with a stone This is a further description of ice which is hard as a stone and clear as chrystal so great is the force of frost how much more then of God to do whatsoever he pleaseth And the face of the deep is frozen Some deep Rivers are ice to the bottom so that loaden carâ—s are driven over fires made upon them meat dressed c. as was here upon the Thames in the great Erost some forty five years since Yea some seas are over-frozen Juvenal speaks of the icy Ocean in the Northern part of the world the ice thereof when once thawed floteth in the waters like huge mountaines as in Greenland c. Verse 31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of the Pleiades That is Restrain the pleasantnesse of the Spring or asswage the sharpnesse of winter that cold and comfortlesse Quarter There is none beside God who can either forbid flowers to break forth in the Spring tide Averni temporis significatione or else cause them to flourish in winter The Pleiades otherwise called Virgiliae and the Hens are the seven Stars in the end of Aries They are in Hebrew called Chimah of Chamah to love ardently because of the fellowship and working together that appeareth in them They have all one name because they all help one another in the work which is to bring the Spring and like seven Sisters or Lovers so are they joyned together in one Constellation and in one company We see saith One that God will have the sweetest works in Nature to be perfected by mutual help The best time of the year cometh with these Pleiades and the best time of our life cometh when we enter into true love and fellowship Or lose the bands of Orion Which is a Star that ariseth in the beginning of Winter Nimbosus Orion Virg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turbare concitare and draweth foul weather after him as with bands these can no man â—â—â—e for Winter never rotteth in the Aire as the Proverb hath it nor is it fit it should for it is of very great use for mellowing of the earth killing of worms and 〈◊〉 c. Neither can the Spring come kindly till Orion have prepared the way God will have us suffer before we reigne The word Chesil here used sigâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 to perfect because saith One by suffering and offering violence to our selves we enter into perfection Luke 13 32. If we would have a pleasant Spring of graces in our hearts we must first have a nipping winter The Spirit of Mortification must be like the cold Star Orion to nip our quick motions in the head and to bind all our unclean desires and burning lusts that they stir not in us and unless we do thus the delights of Pleiades or the seven Stars of comfort shal never appear to us Verse 32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth Or the Twelve Signes or the Southern Stars that bring in Summer Lucifer some render it others the Hyades and others again every one of the stars or signs It is like it was some one star very well known in those dayes as were likewise the rest here mentioned and put for the four seasons of the year Or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons Or Bootes with his waine those Northern stars or Autumne with his yearly fruits the gift and work of God alone Of Arcturus Hierome observeth that semper versatur nunquam mergitur this is most true of Christs Church much tossed never drowned Verse 33. Knâ—west thou the Ordinances of heaven Either how to order them as Master over them Diod. or to comprehend what they are certainly and perfectly Canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth As well in regard of the motion of the heavens which varieth the seasons of the year as of the influences and vertue which cometh from thence For they who think that the superior bodies have no power at all upon these inferiour do go against common sense and experience yea this and many other texts of Scriptures which yet make nothing at all for that Judiciary Astrology so much cryed up in these last and worst dayes of the world by some who would have the manners studies and events of every man to depend upon the stars yea the rise and ruine of Kingdomes Arts Religion c. Verse 34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds Thy commanding voice as Numb 9 23. Some render it Thy thunder Will the clouds obey thee and rain upon thee at thy pleasure Something thou maist get by thy prayers as Elias did James 5 17. and the thundering Legion in the Ecclesiastical history but nothing by command or compulsion The Monarch of Mexico is a mad man to take an Oath at his Coronation Lopez de Gomara that it shall be what weather soever he pleaseth all the time of his Raigne Verse 35 Canst thou send lightnings Nunquid emittes Canst thou send forth lightnings and thunder-bolts as hurtful Creatures out of the Cave wherein they are kept Or as so many souldiers or servants to do as thou commandest them The Poets faine that Mercury had once a mind to steal Jupiters thunder-bolts but durst not lest they should burn his fingers Histories tell us of a King of Egypt and of Caligula the Roman Emperor that they attempttd to thunder and lighten Admirari duntaxat potest efficere non potest Brent but with very ill success Job is here told that that is too hard a work for any creature to do Verse 36. Who hath put wisdome in the inward parts Hitherto God hath set forth his own admirable Power Wisdome and providence in making and governing the life-less creatures the Meteors especially Now he comes to declare the same in things endued with life and first with man his Master-piece who hath given him wisdom saith God in the inward parts or reines where the reasonable soul sitteth and soveraigneth The Hebrewes say That the heart understandeth and the raines deliberate They haue their name here from plaistering over or covering because they are over-covered with fat and flesh howbeit the Lord tryeth them Jer. 17.10 and hath given wisdome to man to moderate his affections and concupiscences which are here seated and to get truth into these inward parts Psalm 51.6 that this hidden man of the heart may be highly accepted in heaven 1 Pet. 3.4 Or who hath given understanding to the heart To the Cock saith the Vulgar Latine after the Talmudists and Jew-Doctors who teach their
recruit as far as God seeth fit Multadies variâ—squo Labor mutabilis avi Rettulit in melius multos alterna revisens Lusit in solido rursus fortuna locavit Virg. Aen. l. 11 The best way is to hang loose to these things below not trusting in uncertain riches but in the living God 1 Tim. 6.17 who will be our exceeding great reward and give to his Sufferers an hundred fold here and eternal life hereafter Mat. 19.29 Optandâ— nimirùm est jactura quae lucro majore pensatur saith Agricola It is doubtlesse a lovely losse that is made up with so much gaine Well might Saint Paul say Godlinesse is profitable to all things as having the Promise of both lives 1 Tim. 4 6 Well might Saint Peter call it The Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.2 For as God brings light out of darknesse comfort out of sorrow riches out of poverty c. so doth Godlinesse Let a man with Job bear his losses patiently and pray for his enemies that wrong and rob him and he shall be sure to have his own againe and more either in money or moneys worth either in the same or a better thing contented Godlinesse shall be great gaine to him 1 Tim. 6.6 Besides heavens happinesse which shall make a plentiful amends for all The Rabbins would perswade us That God miraculously brought back again to Job the self-same cattle that the Sabaeans and others had taken from him and doubled them Indeed his children say they therefore were not doubled unto him because they perished by their owâ—â—ault and folly as one of his friends also told him But of all this nothing certain can be affirmed and they do better who say That his children being dead in Gods favour perished not but went to heaven they were not lost but laid up so that before God Job had the number of his children doubled for they are ours still whom we have sent to heaven before us and Christ at his coming shall restore them unto us 1 Thessal 4.14 In confidence whereof faithful Abraham calleth his deceased Sarah his dead That I may bury my dead out of my sight Gen. 23.4 and so she is called eight several times in that one Chapter as Paraeus hath observed Verse 11 Then came there unto him all his brethren Then when God had begun to restore him As his adversity had scattered his friends so his prosperity brought them together again This is the worlds usage Dum fueris foelix multos numerabis amicos Tempora si fuerint nubila solus eris Summer-birds there are not a few Samaritans who would own the Jewes whiles they flourished but otherwise disavow them as they did to Antiochus Epiphanes Rich Job had many friends Prov. 14.20 Qui tamen persistebant amicitia sicut lepus juxta tympanum as the Proverb is All this good Job passeth by and forgetting all unkindnesses magnificently treateth them as Isaac in like case had done Abimelech and his train Gen. 26.30 And did eat bread with him in his house It 's likely they came with their cost to make Job a Feast of comfort such as were usual in those dayes Jer. 16.7 Ezek 24.17 But whether they did or not they were welcome to Job who now never upbraids them with their forsaking of him in his distresse which yet was then a great grief to him but friendly re-embraceth them and courteously entertaineth them This is contrary to the practice of many fierce and implacable spirits in these dayes whose wrath like that of the Athenians is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 long-lasting and although themselves are mortal yet their hearts are immortal And they bimoaned him They condoled with him and shook their heads as the word signifieth not by way of deriding him as once they had done chap. 16. but of sorrow for their former deserting him and assurance that they would henceforth better stick to him in what estate soever And comforted him over all the evil c. So they should have done long before A friend is made for the day of adversity but better late then never Nunquam sane serò si seriò See here saith Brentius the change of affaires and the right hand of the Most High and learn the fear of God for as he frowneth or favoureth any man so will the world do Every man also gave him a piece of money Or a Lamb to stock him againe Beza rendreth it Some one of his Cattle and paraphraseth thus Yea every one of them gave him either a sheep or an Ox or a Camel and also an Ear-ring of gold partly as a pledge of their good will and friendship renewed toward him and partly in consideration and recompence of that losse which he had before by the will and fore-appointment of God sustained Honoraria obtulerunt saith Junius they brought him these presents as Pledges of their love and observance for so were great men wont to be saluted with some gift Sen. Epist 17. 1 Sam. 10.27 2 Chron. 17.5 And the same custome was among the Persians and Parthians whose Kings might not be met without some token of congratulation and Symbol of Honour And every one an Ear-ring of gold Inaurem auream an Ear-pendant of gold at the Receipt whereof Job might well say as the Poet did Theog 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To thee this is a small matter but to me a great Verse 12. So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job According to Bildads Prophecy chap. 8.7 And S. James his useful observation Chap. 5.11 Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy If he afflict any of his it is in very faithfulnesse that he may be true to their souls it is also in great mercy Deut. 8.16 that he may do them good in the latter end and this they themselves also shall both see and say by that time he hath brought both ends together Psal 119.71 Be ye therefore patient stablish your hearts James 5.7 Patient Job had all doubled to him Joseph of a Slave became his Masters Master Valentinian lost his Tribuneship for Christ but was afterwards made Emperor Queen Elizabeth of a prisoner became a great Princesse But if God deny his suffering servants Temporals and give them in Spirituals they have no Cause to complaine One way or other they shall be sure to have it Great is the gain of Godlinesse For he had fourteen thousand sheep c Cattle only are instanced Pecuma à pecâ—de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pecudes posteà opes significant Melancth Dios because therein especially consisted the wealth of that Countrey but other good things also doubtlesse were doubled unto him as his family possessions grounds houses and especially Wisdom to make a good use of all for commonly Stultitiam patiuntur opes and what 's more contemptible then a rich fool a golden beast as Caligula called his father in