〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est vox hoc tantum loco reperta cujus significationem Rab Mardochai dicit esse insinuationem vel indicationem Quid annuunt quid innuunt oculi tui or would not see them and that he winked at their faithfull dealings as slighting or not regarding them Yet further and more distinctly The word which we translate to winke is found onely in this text all the Bible over It properly signifies to insinuate by the eye to speak or make significant tokens by the eye there is a language of the eye as well as of the tongue here Jobs eye gave some ill language to the eye or apprehension of Eliphaz There are various opinions about it â—â—â—st Some interpret it as a note of opposition against or of dissatisfaction with the counsells which his Friends gave him as was lately hinted Shutting of the eye imports shutting of the minde or a refusall of what is spoken When God judicially closed the eyes of the Jewes Aegre qui sibi sapientes videntur ferunt sive concionentur sive disceptent non auditi cum exteruis modestiae attentionis aestimationis signis In auditione vitia sunt supercilia torvitas â—istitia vulius obtuitus vagus nulus c. Plut. lib. de Aud. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de fixis immotis intentis oculis esse interpretatar Nictu oculi prodis nos nostrasque orationes a te contemni Pined Cordis contumâ—cia ex oculis tuis emicat Nictu te ostendis elatum Merc. In oculis veteribus religio fuit siquidem in iis imago hominis est tacitus sermo mentis Bold In oculis loculis poculis homo cognoscitur Sent. Hebr. saying to the Prophet Isa 6.10 Make the heart of this people fat and make their eares heavy and shut their eyes this shewed the shutting of their minds against the truth so also doth a voluntary or an affected shutting of the eye in some men though in others it is an act of stronger attention or intention of their spirits to what is spoken which some take to be the English of Jobs winking as we shall see a little after Secondly This winking with the eye is expounded by others though not as an opposition against what he heard yet as the gesture of a negligent and carelesse hearer They who speak take it ill to have either ill lookes or not to be looked upon by their hearers The attentivenesse of the eare may be much discerned by the eye One of the old morall Philosophers in his discourse about hearing numbers winking among the vices and offensive behaviours of a Hearer When the Lord Christ Preached Luke 4.20 It is sayd That the eyes of all that were in the Synagogue were fastned on him A fastned eye is the note of a fixed heart as a wandring eye is of a wandring heart They fastned their eyes upon him as if they meant to hear with their eyes as well as with their eares A winking eye is a moveable and an unsetled eye and therefore may well be the discoverer of an unsetled Spirit Thirdly This winking with the eye is also a signe of disdaine and scorne As if Eliphaz had sayd The pride of thy heart sparkles at thine eye while wee are counselling and comforting thee thou art scorning us The Ancients were very criticall about the eye much of a man may be seen at his eye As a man sees so he is seen by his owne eyes The frame of the heart appeares much in the eye a joyfull or a sorrowfull frame of heart an humble or a proud frame of heart a contented or discontented an amicable or a scornefull frame of heart appeares at the eye As the eare and nostrills of the Horse discover him most according to the rules of Naturalists so the eye of man is the greatest discoverer of man whether we consider the constitution or the actions of it And that this action of winking is an argument of a scornefull spirit or the action of a scorner appeares from Davids Petition or deprecation Psal 35.19 Let not them that are mine Enemies wrongfully rejoyce over me neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause it may seem to be a strange piece of prayer why would not David have his enemy wink What was that to him The meaning is this let not mine Enemies have any occasion to scorne and deride me to boast and insult over me There are two sins which are very visible in the eye The first is wantonnesse Isa 3.16 Because the Daughters of Sion are haughty and walke with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes the Hebrew is Deceiving with their eye and the Apostle Peter in his second Epistle Chap. 2.14 gives this character of some They have eyes full of adultery you may perceive the filthines and uncleannesse of their hearts staring out of their eyes The second sin which is so visible in the eye is Pride Solomon speakes of a proud look Prov. 6.17 Six things ths Lord hateth yea seven are an abomination to him And the first of the seven is A proud looke the Hebrew is Haughty eyes Pride and haughtinesse are seated yea conspicuously enthroned in the eye Fourthly These words Why winkest thou with thine eye Ad simulatam quandam innocentiae significationem sanctitatis specimen quod hypocrism redolet referri potest are expounded as a reproofe of hypocrisie and seeming holynesse as if Eliphaz had sayd Thou lookest very demurely and innocently as if according to our old Proverbe Butter would not melt in thy mouth or as if thou wert speaking familiarly to God For as lifting up the eyes or looking to Heaven is a gesture of holy worship John 17.1 Then Jesus lift up his eyes to Heaven So also is winking with the eye It is very usuall with many to shut or wink with their eyes in prayer that so their spirits may be more composed and freer from distraction 'T is not unlikely that Eliphaz observed Job winking with his eyes as if he had set himselfe to seeke God this provoked him What such a one as thou a hypocrite a wicked man what thou goe to God Wilt thou wink with thy eyes as if thou wert wrapt up in some Divine meditation whereas we have ground rather to conclude that thou art devising mischiefe There are two Texts in the Proverbs which give some light to this Interpretation Prov. 6.13 He winketh with his eye he speaketh with his feet teacheth with his fingers frowardnesse is in his heart he deviseth mischiefe continually Solomon puts a winking eye and a froward mischiefe-devising heart together As if he had sayd A wicked man for of him he speakes in the former Verse winkes with the eye as if he had some high rapture whereas his minde is set upon mischeife and pursuing the worst of evills Againe Prov. 10.10 He that winketh with his eye causeth sorrow but how doth a man that winketh with the eye cause sorrow what dependence
Why doth he yet finde fault for who hath resisted his will Nay but O man who art thou that replyest against God What wilt thou chop logick with God himself Wilt thou as the Margent saith answer againe or dispute with God Hold thy peace quiet thy selfe What 's the matter that thou turnest thy spirit against God Spirit is here put for the will thoughts and counsells Spiritus pro arrogantia Latine diciur magnos gerere animos qui superbia tumet Merc. Quid tumet adversus Deum spiritus tuus Vulg. Quid torva convertis in caelum Lumina quid in Deum refundis stomacum evocas conceptam iram Pined Animum indignatione accensum Jun. Omnem spiritum suum depromit stultus i. e. iram Aben Ezra Rege animum i. e. iram Horat of Man cloathed and elated with arrogancy stoutnesse and pride In all languages Spirit imports that which is high And to say Such a one is a man of spirit notes not onely the activenesse of that man but often his pride and haughtinesse Besides Spirit is sometimes put for indignation for fury and wrath in all which acceptions the word may be rendred here Thou turnest thy spirit that is thy anger and wrath thy fury and indignation against God So the word is used Isa 25.4 When the spirit or blast of the terrible ones is as a storme against the Wall that is while the fury of the terrible ones is in its highest march and motion God promiseth to be a strength to the poore a strength and a refuge to the needy in his distresse So Prov. 29.11 A foole uttereth all his minde or all his spirit that is all his anger he lets it out and discovers himselfe presently but a wise man if there be cause of anger keepeth it in till afterwards that is till a fit season He hath a retentive faculty which a Foole hath not Now in which sense soever of these explained we understand Spirit in the present Text the charge is as high as it can goe upon any man when 't is sayd Hee turneth his Spirit against God Hence Observe To turne the spirit against God is the very spirit of ungodlinesse there is no greater wickednesse then this A godly man may doe an act which is against God but his spirit cannot act against God that 's the character of the wicked A godly man delights in the Law of God according to the inward man whilst the outward man sins against the Law of God an ungodly man turnes his inward man against the Law of God while his outward man pretends obedience to it and as it is an act of highest disobedience so of the proudest pride to turne the spirit against God The Vulgar Latine translates it well Why doth thy spirit swell against God Thou hast an impostumation in thy spirit against God yea it is not onely an act of the proudest pride but of the maddest madnesse to turne the spirit against God Furorem erupisti ante dominum Sept. so the Septuagint gives it Thou hast caused thy fury or thy madnesse to breake forth before God he that acts against God is a mad man indeed Will yee provoke the Lord are you stronger then he is the Apostles chiding question to such mad men are you so mad after your lusts hath sin made you so foolish Have you lost both grace and reason at once that you dare thus provoke the Lord and challenge the Almighty God resists the proud and the proud assault him Grace turnes the spirit to God repentance is the returne of our spirits to God then what is the turning of our spirits against God but a cleare demonstration of a totally impenitent and gracelesse Spirit Againe when Eliphaz saith Job turned his Spirit against God he doth not meane it of a direct or professed opposition against God as if Job had openly defied him and blasphemed his Name but his meaning is that Job shewing so much impatience and unsatisfiednesse of spirit under the dealings of God with him did not submit to God as he ought Eliphaz I conceive did not so much as suspect that Job turned his spirit immediately or as wee say poynt blanke against God himselfe but onely against his dispensations Hence observe That while we speake or our hearts rise up against the dealings of God with our selves or others we may be sayd to turne our spirits against God himselfe Many who think they have not neglected Christ will be found to have neglected him because they have neglected those by whom or that wherein Christ is offered The Evangelist brings in Christ speaking thus Matth. 25. I was hungry and yee fed me not thirsty and yee gave me no drinke they to whom hee speakes wonder at this Lord say they when saw we thee hungry and gave thee no meat or thirsty and gave thee no drinke surely we have not been guilty of such a wickednesse Yea saith Christ In as much as yee did it not to one of these yee did it not to me when yee refused to feed these yee refused to feed me I was in these and these were in me Now in the same manner many will say when wee charge them with turning their spirits against God with fighting against and opposing God Who we oppose God we never opposed God as we know of yea peradventure they will say we have honoured God and doe you charge us that we have turned our spirit against God to many such God will say In as much as yee opposed my word and murmured against my workes in as much as yee were angry with my dispensations and discontented with what I have done ye have turned your spirit against me We may become guilty of this sin before we thinke of it for as there is a direct and litterall contending with God so an equivalent or constructive contending with him As some men commit plaine open Treason against a State but others commit only constructive Treason 'T is so here the God of Heaven knowes when spirits turne against him directly and when by consequence and he will take vengeance not onely of direct and avowed but also of consequentiall and constructive Treason against his Soveraignty unlesse the offender repent and be humbled before him He will judge thousands at the last day for opposing him who it may be in some things have pleaded for him yea who have in some things not onely acted but suffered for him though usually when the spirit of any man turneth against God that mans workes and words turne against him too So Eliphaz further taxeth Job in the latter clause of the Verse And lettest such words goe out of thy mouth As if he had sayd Such stuffe as thou hast in thy heart even such flowes out of thy mouth the word Such is added by most Translators the Hebrew is And lettest words goe out of thy mouth it is no fault to let words goe out of the mouth 't is no sin to speak
is there betweene these two sorrow and winking that the one should cause the other These words he that winketh with his eye are the description of a deceitfull man such a one may cause sorrow enough Qui annuit oculo suo cum fraude both to himselfe and others Solomon intends not a simple but a subtill sly winking with the eye and so the Syriake readeth it He who winketh with his eye deceitfully causeth sorrow Deceit makes the deceived sorrowfull and it will make the Deceiver sorrowfull he must either be sorrowfull to repentance or feele the sorrow of punishment Fifthly This winking with the eye is conceived to be a metaphor taken from those who shoot with Guns or Bowes Quid collimant oculi tui Jun. Metaphora a jaculatoribus sumpta id Gunners and Archers winke when they shoot that they may take aime the better The contracting of the sight strengthens it So here What dost thou wink at that is what dost thou aime at The eye of a mans minde aimes at some marke in meditation and hence it is usuall for a man in vehement meditation to wink with his eye As if Eliphaz had sayd surely thou hast some great designe some grand plot in thy braine thou pretendest to some deep wisedome or unheard of policies thou hast set up some faire marke before thy fancie and thou wilt be sure to hit it what is it that thou aymest at We finde the phrase used in this sense Prov. 16.30 He shutteth his eye to devise froward things moving his lips he bringeth evill to passe he shutteth his eyes as if hee would make his thoughts more steddy and fixt to hit or reach that froward device which he is casting about how he may effect And as a wicked man shuts his eyes to devise froward that is sinfull things so a good man shuts his eyes lest variety of objects should divert or call off his minde when he is devising and studying what is best both for himselfe and others Et quasi magna cogitans attonitos habes oculoâ— Vulg. The rendring of the Vulgar Latine though it be farre from the letter of the Originall and is rather a Paraphrase then a Tranasltion yet it reacheth this sense fully Wherefore doth thy heart carry thee away Oculos in caelo defigere solent cogitabundi quibus gravis inest solicitudo Sanct. and why liftest thou up thine eyes as if thou wert thinking of some great matter Or as if the affaires of Kingdomes and States depended upon thy care or were committed to thy trust All these interpretations are serviceable to the Text before us and though we cannot positively and particularly resolve which of them was here intended by Eliphaz yet considering that his scope was to reprove Job we may take in the sense of them all and conclude that he censured Job in this one word of all those miscarriages of the heart which may be signified at the eye as appeares by the inference which he makes in the next Verse For having sayd What doth thy eye wink at he presently subjoynes Vers 13. That thou turnest thy spirit against God and lettest such words goe out of thy mouth So that this Verse is an explication of the former Explicationem continet praecedentis versiculi Bold and gives us more clearely what Eliphaz meant by the Carrying away of the heart and the winking of the eye His heart is carryed out of all bounds who turneth his spirit against God His eye winks sinfully whose mouth presently upon it speakes unduely Thou winkest with thy eye thou art very thoughtfull and what the fruit or birth of thy thoughts is we may discerne by thy speech while thou lettest such words goe out of thy mouth Thou turnest thy spirit against God As if he had sayd In stead of humbling thy selfe under the punishment of thy sin thou with an incensed minde contestest against God himselfe and though while he saith against God he doth not meane God directly but God in his judgements and counsells in his Word or in his Workes yet this is a very high charge one of the highest that is in the whole Booke but very unjust Indeed Job used some passionate speeches to his Freinds and these Eliphaz judgeth to proceed from an opposition against God Thou turnest thy Spirit against God There is a twofold turning the spirit against God First Naturall Rom. 8.7 Enmity is the turning of the spirit The wisedome or lust of the flesh is enmity against God Secondly Improved when we heighten this opposition in our practice and are enemies to God in our mindes or Gods hearty enemies by wicked workes Col. 1.21 Quod rediri feceris ad Deum spiritum tuum Heb. Quia respondit ad Deum spiritus tuus Mont. Pedire facit verbum qui re spondet Drus The Hebrew is Thou makest thy spirit to returne to God which is expounded two wayes first thou makest thy spirit to turn upon or against God Secondly thy spirit answers or replyeth upon God both meet in one meaning for though there may be a turning away of the spirit without answering yet in one sense all answers are the turning of our spirit if any man aske a question the answer is the returne of his minde who makes the answer so some render Why doth thy spirit returne answer to God as if he rebuked him for his boldnesse in replying Thy spirit returnes upon God if he speak one word thou wilt have two in that sense the word is used Titus 2.9 where the Apostle giving rules among other relations to Servants charges them Servants be obedient to your owne Masters and please them well in all things not answering againe But is it a fault for a Servant when asked a question to make an answer no it were a fault not to answer The meaning is that a Servant being reproved for a fault must not answer that is his spirit must not rise and returne against his Master or if a Servant be directed to doe any warrantable worke he must not answer againe that is hee must not contradict or murmure at the orders which he hath received but addresse himselfe to the fulfilling of them this is the answering againe reproved as a fault in Servants which is rather gain saying then answering as we put in the Margent of our Bibles in which sense answering is taken here according to this interpretation Thy spirit answers God or turnes against him We may cleare it also by that of the Apostle Rom. 9.20 Where having shewed the absolute soveraignty of God in his Decrees and purposes by the example of Jacob and Esau as also by that of Pharoah He concludes Vers 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth Saint Paul soresaw that this Doctrine would rayse a great deale of dust and cause many to turne their spirits against God which he thus represents Vers 19. Thou wilt say unto me
bring forth winde not that Man-childe of mercy which was expected So much more doe wicked men after all their pleasing conceptions and pangs of travell they bring forth vanity and their vessell is mar'd upon the wheele Secondly They are sayd to bring forth vanity Parturium montes c. or a vaine thing because what they bring forth is not proportionable to their expectation Their Mountaine proves a Mole-hill or as it was sayd of old a Mouse Thirdly Because the birth is not onely alwayes below but often quite crosse to their expectation they conceive mischeife against others and bring forth mischeife upon on themselves this is vanity yea and vexation of spirit They bring forth vanity Observe from this allusion Wicked men cannot but act evill They who conceive must doe their utmost to bring forth conceptions As a Woman with Childe cannot but bring forth when her time is come and her paines are on her if you would give her all the World it is impossible to divert or delay the birth So it is with a wicked man when he hath mischeivous conceptions in his heart He sleepeth not unlesse he doe mischeife Prov. 4.16 What ever comes of it fall back or fall edge he must doe it He cannot forbeare an attempt to doe it though it cost him his life many have been at that cost in attempting to doe it but could not Observe secondly Wicked men are oft put to much paine in fulfilling their lusts or in acting their conceived mischeifes It is with such men as with the Woman in child-bearing on whom the Lord hath layd that heavy burthen In sorrow shalt thou bring forth Children Gen. 3.16 wicked men feele this to the full In sorrow they bring forth The wicked man travelleth in paine all his dayes vers 20. It is their delight to sin but for the most part they smart in sinning and run through many sorrows to accomplish their sin They are so mad upon sinning that the sweetnesse of doing mischeife pleaseth them more then all the troubles they goe through in doing it discourageth them Many evils cannot be done with ease it costs sinners deare to effect what they designe they often have as we say of Women after long and sore travell in child-bearing A very hard bargaine of it and pay very deare for that which is worth or worthy of nothing but repentance or greater paine Thirdly Taking vanity for iniquity which sense was given in opening the termes Observe Such as our thoughts and conceptions are such are our productions They conceive mischeife and bring forth iniquity such as we plow and sow in the minde such is the Harvest of our actions The very forme the lineaments and portraiture of a mans spirit is drawne upon the things he doth his works are the image of his heart As it is sayd of Adam in nature He begat a Son in his owne likenesse so doth every man in morals Our actions are as our selves are they are begotten and brought forth in our owne likenesse whether good or evill onely with this difference Good actions are borne in our supernaturall likenesse evill actions in our naturall likenesse Fourthly As to bring forth vanity imports as was interpreted either no fruit or that which is not sutable to the designes and desires of wicked men Observe Sinfull conceptions often prove abortive and miscarry they bring forth nothing or nothing as they would have it who have conceived them The birth is sometimes short in degree and not seldome contrary in kinde they have not what they expect yea they have what they least expect Psal 2.1 Why doe the heathen rage and the people imagine a vaine thing Why a vaine thing Because they cannot obtaine their desire it is vaine to imagine the pulling downe of Christs Kingdome which must stand for ever Pharaoh designed mischeife Let us worke wisely here is the language of conceivers but hee brought forth vanity in all the notions spoken of vanity as it was a sinfull and wicked act vanity as he fayled in the thing he did expect he thought to bring destruction upon Israel but he could not he thought to subdue the people of Israel and make them slaves for ever but he could not He brought forth vanity also in the worst sense the issue was contrary to his expectation himselfe and his Army were swallowed in the Red Sea and Israel was saved Haman devised mischeife against the Jewes but he brought forth vanity he did not effect what he intended against them this was vanity nay it wrought the contrary way himselfe was hanged on the Gibet he had prepared for Mordecay this was vanity and vexation too Perseverante allegoria venter sumitur ex consueto loquendi modo sacri sermonis pro intelligendi facultate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every wicked man brings forth vanity in some one if not in all these notions of it after all his conceptions of mischeife And their belly prepareth deceit The belly is taken here metaphorically for the understanding or minde because naturall conception is in the belly wrought therefore Eliphaz prosecutes the Allegory in suitable expressâ—ons Their belly prepareth deceit The word signifies To prepare Accurately Strongly Their belly prepareth deceit They expresse a kinde of curiosity in working they are very exact in every point they prepare with art they will not have their work like a Copweb curious yet weak but they must have it strong too they prepare for establishment and plot as if it were for everlasting So the word is used Psal 37.3 Psal 89.14 Righteousnesse and judgement are the habitation of Gods Throne It is this word The establishment or strength of Gods Throne is righteousnesse and judgement Righteousnesse and judgement are the bassis and establishment of all Thrones That which hath made Thrones to totter in all Ages hath been the want of righteousnesse and judgement The wicked man in the Text prepares not onely curiously but strongly as he likes no bungling so he is not pleased with toyes and and bables he would lay his designes so cunningly and so firmely that as they sayd of the Pouder-Plot All the Devills in Hell shall not disappoint it He hopes to catch and hold not the weak Flyes onely but the strongest Eagles in his deceits and snares Their belly prepareth deceit That is they prepare to deceive and ensnare The Prophet denounceth judgement against the Priests against the house of Israel and against the house of the King because they had been a snare upon Mizpeh and a net spread upon Tabor Hos 5.1 that is because they had prepared nets and snares to entangle and deceive the people Their bellies prepared deceit and so did theirs who sayd Jer. 18.18 Come let us devise devises let us contrive somewhat to ensnare the Prophet Jer. 18.18 Their belly prepareth deceit He speaks in the present tense as if they were alwayes doing it they know neither vacation nor cessation from this wicked worke It is a
them O what provoketh such to such wayes of answering There is yet a third reading of this clause which I will but touch Quid tibi molestum est si loquaris Vulg. When shall vaine words have an end But what trouble is it to thee if thou speakest Or Is it any trouble to thee if thou speakest As if he had sayd I cannot much wonder though thou doest not end these vaine ruffling discourses for I am perswaded they are no great trouble to thee how much soever they are to others such words cost thee little study thou needest not beat thy braines or byte thy nayles for such matter as this That which comes next and lyes uppermost is all that some men have to say when they have sayd all They that speake most to the paine of others take least paines themselves We say Good words are cheape it costs little to speake fayre but ill words are cheaper Foule language costs little in the preparation though it may prove costly enough in the event There is a profitable sense in this translation though I will not give it for the meaning of the Text. It is our duty to consider before we speake as well as before we act and to put our selves to some trouble in preparing what we have to say before we give others the trouble of hearing it When God cals us to speake either in our owne defence or for the edification of others on a sudden we may expect according to the promise Matth. 10.19 That it shall be given us in that houre what we shall speake If the providence of God straiten us the spirit of God will enlarge us that promise will helpe us when wee have no time to prepare our selves but it will not if wee neglect the time in which vve should prepare our selves For when Christ saith in that place Take no thought how or what yee shall speake we must expound it like that Matth. 6.25 Take no thought for your life what yee shall eate or what yee shall drinke Which is not a prohibition of all thought about those things but onely of those thoughts which are distracting and distrustfull Job having reproved his Freinds these three wayes for the manner of their dealing with him Now reproves them by a serious profession of his better dealing with them in case as we commonly say The Tables were turned they comming in his place and he in theirs This he doth in the two Verses following Vers 4. I also could speake as yee doe if your soule were in my soules stead I could heap up words against you and shake mine head at you 5. But I would strengthen you with my mouth and the moving of my lips should asswage your griefe Job in this context tels his Freinds two things First What he could doe And secondly What he would doe The former of these is layd downe expressely in the fourth Verse Vers 4. I also could speak as you doe if your soule were in my soules stead c. The Soule is here put as often elsewhere in Scripture for the vvhole man then his meaning is and so Master Broughton translates If you were in my place or in my condition If God should transcribe my vvounds and sorrows upon your backs and consciences or if my greife dwelt in your bowels I could speake as you doe c. The sufferings of the soule hold out the sufferings of the vvhole man upon a twofold consideration First Because the soule is the principall part of man When that vvhich is cheife suffers all may be sayd to suffer Secondly Because afflictions vvhich lye upon the soule are most afflictive The sensitive power of the body is called the soule and vve are most sensible of those afflictions vvhich fall immediately upon the rationall soule That man forgets the sorrowes of his body whose soule is sorrowfull The more inward any suffering is the more greivous it is I also could speake as you doe if your soule were in my soules stead c. Some read the vvords Interrogatively Could I speake as you doe If your soule were in my soules stead could I heap up words against you and shake my head at you Master Broughton gives that sense fully Would I speake as you if you were in my place would I compose bare words against you and nod upon you with my head The meaning is Negative If you were in my soules stead I could doe none of these things Could I doe them No as we say I could as soone eate my owne flesh as doe them If I were at ease and you in paine could I deale thus with you I would dye rather then deale so with you This reading is good and hath a greater emphasis in it then our bare affirmative reading though the sense and scope of both be the same If your soule were in my soules stead Some read this Optatively or as a wish O that your soule were in my soules stead and then the latter vvords are taken as a promise or profession of offices of love First I would heap up words for you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concinnare apte disponere The Hebrew word vvhich vve translate to heap signifies properly to prepare and fit a thing to fashion and put it into a good frame it is not a rude inartificiall heaping of things together vvithout forme or fashion as the first Chaos was but a beautifull elegant digestion or composure of them in the exactest forme and fashion like that of the severall peices of the World conjoyned in that vvorke of the six dayes creation As if he had sayd O that your soule were a while in my soules stead see how I would use you how I would deale with you truely all the hurt I would doe to you should be this I would prepare the softest and the sweetest words I could with all my skill and rhetorick to ease your sorrows I would speake musicke to your eares and joy to your hearts I would study and compose a speech on purpose to revive and raise your drooping desponding spirits So also the second branch may be interpreted And shake mine head at you or over you For to shake the head notes pitty and compassion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et movissem super vos caput condolenter Chrysost to shake the head is the posture of those vvho mourne vvith or for their Freinds Hence the word is translated to bemoane Nah. 3.7 Who will bemoane him Chap. 42.11 Jobs Freinds came to bemoane him 't is this vvord They came to shake their heads over him because of all the evill which the Lord had brought upon him One of the Ancients makes this exposition the Text I would have shaken my head over you bemoaningly or with compassion The same vvord may vvell signifie to shake the head and to pity seeing they who pity others use to shake their heads over them and say Ah my Freind or Ah my Brother So then if vve read
addresses for comfort to any but God or in the way of God The Septuagint translate yet higher Sept. Exponunt de defectu rationis q. d. vix prae dolore sum mei compos Thou hast made me mad or besides my selfe The Hebrew word signifies to distract or to put one out of his wits As if Job had sayd I am scarse my owne man being over-burdened with those sorrowes God hath layd upon me Hence Observe First A state of affliction is a wearisome estate A man may be vvearyed who never stirrs foot from the place where he stands or sits O the vvearinesse of a sick bed Suffering vvearies more then doing and none are so vveary as they who are vvearied with doing nothing Observe Secondly Some afflictions are a wearinesse both to soule and body There are afflictions which strike quite through and there are afflictions which are onely skin-deep As there is a filthinesse of the flesh and a filthinesse of the spirit properly so called for though every sin of the flesh or outward man defile the spirit yet there are many filthinesses of the spirit which are never acted by the flesh or outward man Thus the Apostle distinguisheth 2 Cor. 7.1 There are also some filthinesses which strike quite through flesh and spirit body and soule Thus there are some afflictions which are meerly upon the flesh there are other afflictions vvhich are purely upon the spirit the skin is whole the body is in health but the soule is vvounded an Arrow sticks vvithin And there are a sort of afflictions vvhich strike quite through body and soule as old Simeon tells the Virgin Mary a Sword shall peirce through thy soule Luke 2.35 or as the Psalmist speakes of Joseph Psal 105.18 according to the letter of the Hebrew Whose feet they hurt with fetters his soule came into Iron or the iron entred into his soule Such afflictions are like the Roll spoken of by the Prophet Ezekiel Chap. 2. Written with lamentations mourning and woe within and without Some woes are vvritten onely vvithout some vvoes are writen onely vvithin others are written without and within Their Characters are legible upon the flesh and their effects descend and sinke into the spirit Jobs afflictions were of this extension he was smitten all over and vvritten quite through with woes and lamentations Thirdly As the word reacheth the distemper of the braine Observe Some afflictions doe not onely afflict but unsettle the minde They unsettle not onely the comforts but the powers and faculties of it a man under some afflictions can scarse speak sense vvhile he acts faith or doe rationally while hee lives graciously A soule that hath grace yea much grace may appeare much scanted in the use of reason As oppression from men makes a wise man madd Eccles 7.7 And the more wise a man is the more madd it makes him Fooles can beare oppression and not be troubled much because they doe not understand vvhat justice and right meanes and that 's the reason why in those parts of the World vvhere Tyrants reigne they love to keep the people ignorant poore and low for such are not much sensible of their oppressions but oppression is very grievous to an ingenious vvise and understanding man and therefore 't is sayd to make him madd The purest intellectualls have the quickest sense of injuries Thus also some afflictions from the hand of God may in a degree make a godly wise man madd and put him for a present plunge beyond the command of his understanding It is the confession of holy David Psal 73.22 I was even as a beast beefore thee so foolish was I and ignorant If David a godly man acted below reason when he saw the prosperity of the wicked how much more may a godly man act below reason under the feelings of his owne adversity Heman is expresse in this Psal 88.15 While I suffer thy terrours I am distracted Yet the word in the Psalme doth not signifie properly the distraction of a man that is madd but the distraction of a man that is in doubt or the distraction of a man who knowes not what to doe not of a man who knows not what he doth yet that distraction doth often lead to a degree of this for a man who is much troubled to know what to doe and cannot know it grows at last to doe he knows not what We may also take in that about distraction arising from affliction which was toucht about distraction caused by oppression Those Christians who are highest in spirituals and have the quickest sense of Gods dispensations towards them doe soonest fall into it whereas a soule upright in the maine yet being of weake and low parts and of small experience in the things of God will goe yea groane under a heavy burden of affliction all his dayes and not be much moved with it Fourthly Observe A godly man may grow extreame weary of his afflictions Affliction is the burthen which God layes upon us and it is our duty not onely to beare it but to beare it with contentednesse yea we should labour to beare it with joyfulnesse My brethren saith the Apostle James Chap. 1. Account it all joy when yee fall into diverse temptations that is Into diverse afflictions But yet the best cannot alwayes rejoyce in temptations nor tryumph under a crosse when affliction according to that description of the word Heb 4.12 comes quick and powerfull as a two edged Sword and peirceth to divide betweene the soule and the spirit the joynts and the marrow when affliction I say cuts to the quick a Beleever is put hard to it he may be so farr for a time from tryumphing and rejoycing that he can scarsely finde himselfe contented or patient his burden may cause him to cry out O the wearinesse Carnall men cry out at every burden of duty in the service of God O what a wearinesse is it They are tyred with an houres attendance in holy things O the burthen Much more doe they cry out under the lighter burdens of affliction How tedious is a day or an houre of affliction two or three fits of an ague an aking tooth a soare finger O what a wearinesse is this They sinke presently True Beleevers as they have more patience in doing so in suffering yet even their patience doth not alwayes hold out they as Job speak sometimes mournfully and complainingly But now he hath made us weary Thou hast made desolate all my company Quod loquitur nunc in secunda nunc in tertia persona nihil in sententia mâ—tat id quod admodum frequens est in Scriptura Pined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vastari seu desolari ita ut videntes obstupescant horreant It was Hee in the first clause Thou in the second hee and thou are the same person in Jobs Grammar as was toucht before Thou hast made desolate The word Shamam signifies to waste and destroy and that not by an ordinary destruction
not mine eye continue in their provocation And therefore he renews his appeale to God and beggs to be heard before indifferent Judges or Umpires Lay downe now put me in a surety with thee who is he that will strike hands with me In the fourth and fifth Verses he further urgeth the reasons of his appeale or he backs his motion that God would doe him right from the insufficiency of his Freinds to doe him right Thou hast hid their heart from understanding As if he should say Who would stand to the judgement of those who want understanding Thou hast hid their heart from understanding therefore shalt thou not exalt them so To this honour of judging my cause and deciding this controversie yea I finde them so unfit to be eyther my Judges or my Arbitrators that they are indeed but Flatterers and therefore they may rather expect some sudden judgement upon themselves or their Children then that God should doe them this honour to judge for me He that speakes flattery to his Freinds even the eyes of his Children shall faile Vers 5. Thus I have opened Jobs scope in the context of these five Verses which I have put together because the matter runs in a continued dependence And though for the maine it be the same with which he concluded in the sixteenth Chapter yet the variety of reading and expression will yeeld us variety of meditation I descend to particulars Vers 1. My breath is corrupt my dayes are extinct the graves are ready for me Here are three things every of which speakes a dying man First Corrupt breath Secondly Extinguished dayes Thirdly A grave made ready Pereo spiritu agitatus Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ligavit constrinxit per antiphrasin significat solutus ruptus corruptus accommodatur etiam ad dolores intensissimos quales sunt parturientium quia cor valde constringunt First My breath is corrupt Ruach There are three interpretations given of that word My breath some understand it of his minde or whole inward man As if he had sayd My thoughts are or my minde is exceedingly troubled and so most of the Greek Interpreters read it and then the word which we translate Corrupt may signifie greived pained or afflicted and it is often applyed to those paines which are most painefull even the paine of a Woman in travell And so the sense is made out thus as if Job had sayd I am extreamely troubled ' or I am pained like a Woman in the houre of travell as shee is in bodily paine so I am pained in minde I hvve felt many inward pangs and throwes and yet I am not delivered But I conceive this exposition unsuitable to the scope of the place Job being about to describe the state of his body or of his outward man and not the affliction and trouble of his minde Secondly The word Ruach signifieth the vitall powers or spirits which support man Spiritus vitales qui animae instrumentum sunt ad vitae functiones Aquin. and serve him in all the functions of life spirits are the promoters of action and when the vitall spirits are corrupted man is unable not onely to act but to live The expence of spirits is the most chargeable expence to the life of man and when a mans spirits are much spent he is like a dead man though he be alive Wee say ordinarily when we are weary Our spirits are spent that is Our vitall spirits which give activity and strength to the whole body Thirdly Rather understand it literally and strictly for the breath which comes forth by respiration My breath is corrupt and then the corrupting here spoken of is not to be taken for any ill savour in his breath they who have corrupt breath are offensive to others in breathing Corruptio non hic denotat spiritum graveolentum sed spiritum qui cum ingenti nisu dolore emittitur Pined Medici Asthma vocant quia Asthmaticus suffocari videtur ideo legitur hic jam quidem Ago animam Tygur The breath is said to be corrupt because it smels of the corruption of those parts from whence it is drawne we must not understand Job so But when he saith My breath is corrupt his meaning is that eyther hee had obstructions and stoppings of breath which distemper Physitians call the Tissicke a man under that infirmity may be sayd to have his breath corrupted because he breathes difficultly And as it is so in some diseases so it is alway so in the approaches of death a little before a man dyes his breath shortens he breathes hardly or he hardly breathes he lyes gasping for life and catching for breath Such a state Job here intends The Tygurine translation takes that sense My life is departing or I am giving up the ghost Hence Note The breath of man is corruptible though his soule be not These two are very distinct Some make the soule and breaâ—h one thing and argue the corruptibility of the soule from such Texts as this But the breath differs not onely from the soule but from the life The soule hath a life of its owne and the life of the body is its union with the soule breathing is the acting of life proceeding from that union and ending when that union is dissolved Breath may be corrupt and life may banish but the soule continues the breath is so vanishing that the Prophet gives caution Isa 2.22 Cease from man whose breath is in his nostrills The breath of man is so ready to cease that it is our wisedome to cease from man for when breath goes man is gone and all goes with him in that day his thoughts perish and therefore Job had no sooner sayd My breath is corrupt but he adds My dayes are extinct 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vox tantum hoc loco reperta significat excidere amputare extinguere My dayes that is The time appointed for my life which is measured by dayes by naturall dayes or by artificial dayes Our dayes come and goe continually and when our tale of dayes is come and gone our dayes are extinct The word which here we translate extinct is found no where else in the Hebrew of the Old Testament It is rendered three wayes First Thus my dayes are cutt off which metaphor is often used in reference to life our dayes are as it were so many threads Excissi sunt Pagn and our life is like a peece of clooth woven together by many dayes when the Webb be it more or lesse longer or shorter is finished the thred is cut My dayes are cut off Secondly The Vulgar reads it my dayes will be shortned they shall be put in a narrow roome into a little compendium I shall soone be able to read over the volume of my dayes Breviabuntur dies mei Vulg they are but short a meer Epitome Thirdly We read my dayes are extinct or put out Which is a
and downe-right in all his dealings and sayings There are no mockings with me I am what I appeare and I appeare what I am An Hypocrite is full of tricks and shifts he disguiseth both his person and his actions No man can tell where to have him or what to make of him When hee speakes his words doe not signifie what he meanes if they signifie any thing and when he acts his workes doe not signifie what he is they signifie any thing rather then that All are mockings of others though he will finde in the end that he hath mocked himselfe most of all Secondly As he joynes this with the next clause There are no mockings with me and yet mine eye continueth in their provocation Note that How plaine-hearted soever a man is yet it is very hard to perswade those who are once prejudiced against him that he is so Let Job say and professe what he would yet hee could not recover his credit nor set himselfe right in the opinion of men till God did it for him Chap. 42. But I passe that Are there not mockers with me What the mocking and scorning of Jobs Freinds was hath been opened Chap. 12.4 Cha. 16.19 and therefore I referr the Reader thither Doth not mine eye continue in their provocation Should he not rather have sayd Doth not mine eare continue c. Mocking is the object of the eare and not of the eye There are some mockings indeed by mimicall foolish gestures and they are the object of the eye Assiduè in id oculos mentis aciem intentam habeo quod me assidue irritant in eo defixae sunt omnes meae cogitationes Merc. Isti dies noctesque non cessant exacerbare animum meum Iun. Intenta cogitatio somnum impedit but here Job speakes of what he had from them in conference which is properly the busines of the eare and yet he faith Doth not mine eye continue in their provocation By the eye wee are to understand the eye of the minde Doth not mine eye that is Have I not a representation in my spirit or upon my fancy of your mockings and bitter provocations even as if they were visible before mine eyes Have I not night visions and apparitions upon my Bedd of what you speak or act against me every day Againe We may expound the Text properly of his bodily eye b cause the trouble which they gave him in the day time hindred his sleep in the night The letter of the Hebrew favours this sense Doth not mine eye lodge in their provocation So we put in the Margin of our Bibles Hence Master Broughton reads In these mens vexing lodgeth mine eye that is When I goe to Bed and hope to sleep then in stead of lodging in my Bed I lodge in the thoughts of my Freinds unkindnesse and indeed a man may sleep better upon the bare boards then upon hard words Such words keep the eyes waking and are as bad to sleep upon as a pillow of thornes especially when which was Jobs case the eye continueth in them Intentnesse of minde or vehement cogitation about any thing keep open the eyes and forbid the approach of rest Doth not mine eye continue In their provocation Provocations He called them Mockers and their mockings were provocations Vel a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amarum esse Sive a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est irritare sive exacerbare The word as some derive it signifies that which is bitter Provocation is a bitter thing Others derive it from a root signifying to irritate and stirr up the spirit of a man which is provocation properly Provocation is a high act of wrong A man may doe another wrong on this side a provocation as the provocation of God is a high act of sinne in man ordinary acts of sin doe not amount to a provocation Ps 106.7 They provoked him at the Sea it is this word even at the red Sea that is There they sinned extreamly So Ps 95.8 which the Apostle quotes Heb. 3.8 The holy Ghost cals the whole time of that peoples froward walking or sinning against God in the Wildernesse The provocation Harden not your hearts as in the provocation that is In the time when yee sinned not onely to the offending but to the provoking of God against you not to the breaking of his Lawes but to the vexing of his spirit When sin is compleat and iniquity growne to a full stature that day is justly marked in the Calendar of Scripture with a red letter implying wrath and is therefore called The provocation So when any man deales very unkindly frowardly or unfaithfully against his Brother then 't is a provocation Doth not mine eye continue in their provocation Now for as much as the same word signifieth both bitternesse and provocation and that most provocations are given by uncharitable and unconsiderate speeches Observe First Vnkinde words are bitter to the hearer The Apostle gives the rule to Husbands Col. 3.19 Husbands love your Wives and be not bitter to them that is Doe not give them bitter words in stead of faithfull counsels Some Husbands speak their Gall to their Wives to whom they have given their hearts Among the Heathens the Gall of the Sacrifice which they superstitiously offered at Marriages Quo instituto legis Author non obscure innuebat a conjugio semper debere bilem iramque abesse Drus Prov. Clas 2. l. â— was puld out and throwne away before it was presented at the Altar signifying that Man and Wife should be as Naturalists say the Dove is without Gall one towards another Wholesome counsels and admonitions for the matter are often administred with such an undue mixture of heat and passion as renders them not onely distastefull but hurtfull to the receiver Secondly Note Harsh words carry much provocation in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animum despondeo The same Apostle in the same Chapter enlarging his Institutes for the direction of Beleevers in all Relation bespeakes Parents Vers 21. Fathers provoke not your Children to anger The word signifies any kinde of provocation but that especially which is caused by contumelious and upbrayding speeches A Father provokes his Childe when he speakes hastily and threatningly terrifying his Childe rather then instructing him The reason why Fathers should not thus provoke their Children is added Lest they be discouraged or as the word imports be as if they were without soules â—noop't as we say and heartlesse For as there is a provocation in a good sense which heightens the spirit in well doing and enlivens it for action The Apostle exhorts to that Heb. 10.24 Let us consider one another to provoke one another to love and to good works that is let us set such copies of holinesse that others may be stirred up beyond their ordinary pitch and elevation of spirit to a zealous doing of good Or speake such winning words give such pressing exhortations that the hearts of your