say understand and meditate upon these two things it would quiet our minds in the greatest storms of adversity and be a preservative against all impatience But if with these two we consider a third thing that the end which the Lord hath in bringing sufferings upon his people is to do them good how unreasonable a thing will impatience appear shall we be impatient at our profit If we are well instructed in this great truth that all things work together for good to them that love God and are the called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 Where is there any room for impatience in those who are effectually called and truly love God! Impatience floweth from ignorance Again in that Job confesseth himself to be the man that hid the counsels of God when he had only been speaking unadvisedly of them Note He that speaketh improperly and unskilfully of the counsel or things of God hideth them When in discourses about divine truths we do not advance the honour of God we as it were cast a vail upon it Not to do what we ought is to do what we ought not our omissions of good may be censured as commissions of evil We should display and magnifie the wisdom of God in all his dealings with us and dispensations towards us else we do unwisely Thirdly Job chargeth it upon himself as a fault that he uttered what he knew not Hence note Our words and our understandings should go both together Let us take heed of venting with our tongues what we have not in some good degree reached with our understandings The understanding should give light to the tongue nor need we any other light to speak by but that of the understanding True light cannot shine out of our mouths if there be much darkness in our minds How shall we utter knowledge if we have it not Psal 147.7 God is the King in all the earth sing ye praises with understanding In singing praises as there is an exercise of our affections so there should be of our understanding also The Apostle puts it twice in those duties of prayer and praise 1 Cor. 14.15 I will pray with the Spirit and will pray with understanding also I will sing with the Spirit and I will sing with the understanding also A word should not go out of our mouths but such as the understanding dictates and directs better not to speak than speak what we know not If we understand not what we speak we seldom edifie others never our selves As the tongues of some utter things above their experiences and affections so do the tongues of others utter words beyond their judgements Fourthly When Job spake he thought he had spoken very well yet now he is convinced of his weakness and mistakes in what he spake Hence note Good-meaning men may sometimes arrogate and pretend to more knowledg than cometh to their share They may think they know the truth in a better manner and measure than indeed they do Our opinion of our selves is often greater than our knowledg of other matters and we may soon imagine we know that which indeed we know not The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 8.2 If any man think that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know He that really knoweth any thing as he ought cannot but have thoughts that he knoweth it but he that thinketh that is is much or proudly thinking that he knoweth any thing doth only think so for he knoweth nothing as he ought that is really groundedly and effectually Fifthly Observe God will bring his servants at last to see how short they are of that knowledg which they sometimes presume to have Job thought he had more knowledg than he indeed had and God made him see it 'T is a work of great goodness in God to shew us how defective we are both in knowledge and goodness We are full of self till God convinceth us of our self-emptiness we are full of self-wisdom and self-strength and self-righteousness till the Lord convinceth us that our wisdom is folly our strength weakness our righteousness an unclean thing and sheweth us yea causeth us to recieve and take Christ for our righteousness strength and wisdom God did not leave Job till he had brought him out of and off from himself as to whatsoever he had too high an opinion of or any confidence in himself Again Job was upon his humiliation before God he had not any gross sin to charge himself with for he stood still upon his integrity as he had done before nor was Job mistaken in that point he had not lived in any gross sin That which he charged himself with was want of knowledg and his erroâ— in managing his cause towards God arising from it Hence note Sixthly Our ignorance and errors are to be confessed and bewailed before the Lord and we to be deeply humbled for them What though we have not any open wickedness to charge our selves with what though the world cannot charge us nor we our selves with any foul and black-fac'd enormities yet have we not errors have we not ignorances have we not weaknesses to confess Jobs eye had none of those beams in it but he began to see the moates in his eye and repented of his shortness in knowledg and of his rashness in language Though great sins call loudest for repentance yet the least sin even a sin of ignorance calleth us to repentance also and wo to those who knowingly neglect or stop their ears against that call When David was only stagger'd at the providence of God giving prosperity to the wicked so spake unadvisedly with his lips as Job in a parallel case did Psal 73.13 14. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency For all the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning Yet as soon as he recovered out of this temptation how deeply did he charge himself ver 22. So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee Why did he then call himself a fool a beast was it for adultery and murder which were once his sins no but for ignorance and rashness David called himself a beast in judging of the dealings of God by sense not for living in any beastly sensuality Let us remember and not lightly pass it over that though we have not which rarely we have not gross sins to confess yet we have ignorances and errors too too many The same David said and prayed Psal 19.12 Who can understand his errors cleanse thou me from secret faults that is from those faults and errors which I do not understand yea cleanse me from this fault that I have not a better understanding As he there prayed to be kept from the dominion and so from the guilt of presumptuous sins that is of sins committed against the light of knowledg so to be cleansed from the guilt of his secret sins that is of sins committed without his knowledg Thus
of him will honour him with what they have even with their substance and with the first fruits of all their increase Prov. 3.9 Thirdly We may infer Seing God founded the earth He is also the Ruler of it And that the Lord rules the earth is a mercy to all men on the earth The Lord reigns let the earth rejoyce Psal 97.1 That is men of the earth have cause to rejoyce because they have God who is infinitely both wise and good to rule them The Lord is King over all the earth sing ye praises with understanding Psal 47.7 And surely they who understand what a King he is will praise him Fourthly We may be encouraged to go unto God or apply our selves to God about all things here on earth seeing â—e hath laid the fouâ—dations of the earth The Lord having invited his people to ask him things to come concerning his sons and concerning the work of his hands to command him Isa 45.11 adds this in the next words as an encouragement to do so I have made the earth and created man upon it As if he had said Ask of me whatever you would have me do or would have done on earth for I am he that created the earth It may help our faith much when as David expresseth it Psal 11.3 the very foundations of earthly things are destroyed to consider that God laid the foundations of the earth In such a case it may be said as it followeth there in the Psalme What can the righteous do but may it not be said even in that hard case when foundations are destroyed What cannot the Lord do who laid the foundations of the earth This argument the Psalmist also useth Psal 124.8 Our help stands in the Name of the Lord who made heaven and earth Though earth and heaven shake and seem to be confounded or mingled together yet he who made heaven and earth without help can give us help or be our helper If our help stood in the best of men made of earth they might fail us but while our help stands in him that made the earth he will never fail us for he hath said he will not Heb. 13.5 and their experience who have trusted the Lord hath said it too Psal 9.10 This is the great priviledge of all that believe they may address to God by Christ for any thing in this earth because he is the Maker of it and having made it by a word speaking what cannot he do for them if he speak the word Fifthly Let us be much in praising the Lord for his wisdom power and greatness all which gloriously appear and shine forth in his laying the foundations of the earth David makes this a special part of Divine praise Psal 136.6 VVe should not onely praise the Lord for the great things he hath done on the earth but for this that he hath made the earth The work of God in laying the foundations of the earth calls as loudly for our praise as any thing except our redemption from the earth Rev. 5.9 chap. 14.3 which ever God wrought upon the face of the earth The making of the earth calls us to praise the Lord First Because he hath made so vast a body as this earth is or because he hath made such a large house for us Secondly Because he hath founded it so miraculosly hanging upon nothing that appears but in the ayre yet standing more firmly than any house built upon a rock Thirdly VVe should praise the wisdom of God that hath formed it so exactly and adorned it so richly It 's not a house huddled and clapt up together without skill or art though it was made word a word speaking in six days yet it was made with infinite wisdom as is more particularly held out v. 5. where the Lord speaks of laying the measures thereof and stretching the line upon it as also of fastning the foundations and laying the câ—rner-stone thereof all which â—â—ew it is not a house clapt up in haste but made with admirable exactness so that as 't is usual when great houses are built there were great acclamations made at the building of it as we have it the seventh verse of this Chapter then the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy to see such a magnificent pile reared up Lastly Take this inference If the visible world be such a building what is the invisible world the City having foundations which God hath prepared for those that love him Thus much of the first part of Jobs Conviction he had nothing to do in laying the foundations of the earth and he had as little in setting up and finishing that goodly structure as will appear in that which followeth Yet before the Lord proceeded any further to question Job about this great work of Creation he requires or calls for his answer in the close of this fourth verse to the question propounded in the former part of it Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth Declare if thou hast understanding God challengeth Job to answer The Hebrew is If thou knowest understanding And so the word is used Isa 29.24 where we render They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding or as the Margin hath it shall know understanding Again Huram said 2 Chron. 2.12 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel that made heaven and earth who hath given to David the King a wise son endued with prudence and understanding The Original is thus strictly read Knowing prudence and understanding Daniel spake in the same forme chap. 2.21 He giveth wisdom to the wise and knowledge to them that know understanding To know is a work of the understanding No man knoweth any thing but by the help of his understanding The understanding is the first or Master-wheel in that noble engine the soul of man and when rightly informed and inlightned all the other wheels or faculties of the soul move aright unless over-poized by passions and self-ends Every rational creature hath an understanding yet every rational creature doth not know understanding that is doth not is not able to speak knowingly or to use and act his understanding knowingly about every matter The Lord supposeth Job might be defective here and therefore bespeaks him thus Declare if thou hast understanding or knowest understanding As if he had said The things which I question thee about may possibly be too high or too big for thy understanding Si perituâ— sis tantarum rerum Vatab. such as possibly thou canst not reach And hence some render or rather paraphrase the Text thus Declare if thou art skilful in such great things as I now speak of If thou art so wise as thou seemest to be by thy former contesting with my provideâ—ces declare thy wisdom in this point wherein I know thou wilt but declare thy ignorance thy infancy or inability to speak as one speaks Thou wilt shew thy self but a child while thou
First The way how Lions live or get their liveli-hood Lions are all for prey There is no work spoken of that the Lion doth to get his living by there 's nothing spoken of any service the Lion doth all his care is for his belly he hunts his prey Wicked men in this are like Lions they are like Nimrod all for hunting all for catching the prey The Prophet Nahum Chap. 2.12 describes the oppressing power of Nineveh by a Lion tearing in pieces enough for his Whelpes and strangling for his Lionesses and filling his holes with prey and his dens with ravin Tearing and strangling filling all with prey and ravin is all that Lions do not is the work of oppressors and cruel men any other in their kind Basil Hom. 9. in Hexam Ambros Hex l. 6. c. 3. nor any whit better Some of the Antients speaking of the Lion say that when he roareth the poor Beasts that are within hearing are so amazed and affrighted that though they might escape by flight yet they stand still and yield themselves up to him for a prey Such frights are poor men often put to by the roaring throats of merciless oppressors Secondly note God provides prey for Lions God feeds not only Sheep and Lambs but Wolves and Lions This note gives us the chief scope of the whole conâ—ext which is to shew the care of God over all It is said Psal 104.21 The young Lions roar after their prey and seek their meat from God It is a strange expression that young Lions when they roar after their prey should be said to seek their meat of God implying that neither their own strength nor craft could feed them without help from God The strongest creatures left to themselves cannot help themselves As they who fear God are fed by a special providence of God so all creatures are fed and nou iâ—hed by a general providence The Lion though he be strong and subtle yet cannot get his own prey we think a Lion might shift for himself no 't is the Lord that provides for him the young Lions seek their meat of God Surely then the migâ—tiest of men cannot live upon themselves as it is of God that we receive life and breath so all things needful for the maintenance of this life The Prophet Jeremiah gives check to all flesh Chap. 9.23 Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom let not the mighty man glory in his might As if he had said neither a wise man by his wisdom nor a mighty man by his mâ—ght can bring any work to an effectual issue That is also the conclusion which the Spirit of God made by the wisest and one of the mightest men that ever was in the world King Solomon Eccles 9.11 The race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong neither yet bread to the wise nor yet riches to men of understanding nor yet favour to men of skill but time and chance happeneth to them all though men have sutable qualities and abilities for the attaining of their ends what sutes better the winning of a race than swiftness yet they cannot attain them without the power and presence of God in some kind and degree or oâ—her the strong Lions would starve did not the Lord help them to hunt their prey Thirdly If we take the Lion in the first part of the Vers for the old decreped Lion and the young Lions for such as a e not able to go abroad for their prey the Lord providing for Lions under both these considerations yields us this observation God takes care for those creatures who through infirmities being either too old or too young are not able to provide for themselves There 's a special providence of God over them that have special need The old Lion that once could but now cannot the young Lions that never could hunt the prey are yet provided for Old Lions that are strong are taught by natural instinct to get prey for their young ones while weak Leo vetulus qui viribus deficienâ—ibus non amplius Potest vonari a juvenibus praeda capta rugitu eum ad participationem praedae vocantibus alitur Aelian l. 9. de natura animal c. 1. and the natural Historian tells us that the younger Lions which are strong are taught by a like instinct to hunt the prey for the old ones that are weak Fourthly From the latter words wilt thou fill the appetite of the young Lions Note God can and doth provide for the creature to fulness or satisfaction he fills their appetite God as I may say keeps a good a bountiful house for all his creatures the young Lions that have such strong stomacks shall have their fill Hence we may inferr First If the Lord doth thus provide for Lions young or old one or other then much more will he provide and hunt the prey for his faithful people David Psal 34.10 gives us the Lords word for it The young Lions do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing That is the young Lions may lack or though the young Lions should lack and suffer hunger yet they that seek and serve the Lord shall not Lions have a good assurance that they shall not lack but the servants of God have a far better assurance that they shall not Doth God take care for Oxen was the Apostles question 1 Cor. 9.9 or saith he it altogether for our sakes for our sakes speaking of Gospel Ministers no doubt this is written ver 10. As if he had said if the Lord did not give that law to the Jews Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corn altogether for our sakes yet questionless he gave it chiefly for our sakes and had a far greater respect to us in making that law than to Oxen. Thus from the text and point in hand I may say Doth God take care for Lions Surely he hath caused this to be written that we may know he will much more take care of his sheep of all that fear him and call upon his name A Lion may come into a starving condition but those that fear God shall not Lions though they are very strong subtle cannot always get their prey but the Lord hath promised to minister to his people at least a supply of their necessities as David speaks I have been young and now am old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread Psal 37.25 Secondly Doth the Lord provide to satisfaction for the young Lions doth he fill their natural appetite then surely he will pâ—ovide for the satisfying of his people in spiritual things Luke 1.53 He filleth the hungry with good things Who are the hungry doubtless he the holy Virginmeant the spiritually hungâ—y And what are the good things he fills them with doubtless spiritual good things they shall have not only some tasts of these good things but their
wild Goats of the rock bring forth What these Goats here called wild Goats 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rupicapra à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scandit ascendit quòd montes rupes ascendit and wild Goats of the rock are is commonly known The word which we render wild Goats signifies in the Hebrew ascending or clambering because Goats are clambering creatures getting up the steepest rocks and ascending the height of hills and mountains which they do many times exceeding dangerously seeming rather to hang by their feet than to go upon them Pendentem summa capream de rupe videbis Casuram speres decipit illa canes Martial Ibices quasi avices eò quòd instar avium ardua excelsa teneant Thus the old Poet fancied them when he said You may see the wild Goat hanging upon the rock you may hope she will tumble down presently But she deceives the hunter and his hounds though she seems to hang uncertainly yet she keeps her footing steddily The Latines have a word signifying wild Goats which criticks say comes from another latine word signifying a bird or flying fowl because Goats may be said rather to fly than go upon those craggy places or rather to use wings than feet Such are the creatures here called wild Goats and that with an addition wild Goats Of the rocks Because they specially delight in rocky places or because they breed and bring forth in rocks It is said 1 Sam. 24.2 that Saul in his pursuit of David came with a select army of three thousand men to seek him and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats which Scripture fitly answers this which calls them wild Goats of the rock Saul did not seek David only in the plains and valleys where flocks of sheep feed but upon the craggy rocks and precipices where wild Goats take up their quarters or use to feed This shewed his implacable rage and revengeful spirit against an innocent person that rather than not take him and have his will on him he would undertake an expedition not only tedious but very hazardous to himself and his army Wrathful men will not only not spare others but not themselves But to the Text Knowest thou the time when the wild Goats of the rock Bring forth that is their young ones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbum ipsum quod dâ—lere significat sumâ—tur pro parturire Merc. The word translated bring forth signifies pain and sorrow There is so much pain in bringing forth that bringing forth and pain may well be signified by one word The pains of the wild Goats in bringing forth here implyed are expressely spoken of at the third Verse But why did the Lord enquire of Job here whether he knew the time the exact time of their bringing forth is that a secret I answer doubtless it is a secret and such a secret as few are acquainted with Wild Goats come little under the eye or sight of men in that work they bringing forth upon inaccessable placeâ— câ—aggy rocks and mountains men cannot without much difficulty reach that piece of knowledge And therefore the Lord might well ask of Job Knowest thou the time when the wild Goats of the rock bring forth I may say also the Lord puts this familiar question to Job that he might the more awaken him into the consideration of his own weakness and utter inability to find out the secret of his other works As if the Lord had said thou canst not discover so much as the birth of the wild Goats how then canst thou find out the births of my wonderful providences My providences bring forth wonderful births and much more unknowable by thee than the birth and bringing forth of the wild Goats Thus the Lord would check his curiosity he who was unable to give him an account concerning the state of those poor creatures must not think himself able to pry into the great and unsearchable works of God in the amazing products of his providence towards the children of men Before I pass from these words it will not be unprofitable to mind the Reader how as one of the Antients hath hinted we may moralize or spiritualize this Text Gregor l. 30. mor. c. 16. there being much of the disposition or condition of a godly man especially of a faithful Teacher typed or fairly represented in the nature and qualities of these wild Goats First As these wild Goats seek both their food and rest their repast and refuge in rocks So the godly abide and dwell in the rock that is in the Lord Jesus Christ they look to him alone both for refuge and refreshing both for comfort and safety while they are in this world Christ is the rock upon which the Church is built Mat. 16.18 And as the state of the true Church in general so of every true believer is built upon this immovable rock the Lord Jesus Christ Secondly As the rocks so the mountains are much desired by the wild Goats Psal 104.18 The high hills are a refuge for the wild Goats Thus David was eying the hills for help Psal 121.1 I will lift up mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help What were these hills Surely neither the material nor metaphorical hills of this world of which latter the people of God spake Jerem. 3.23 disclamingly Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills and from the multitude of mountains that is from the greatest power of man or men What the hills were to which David lifted up his eyes for help himself tells us at the second verse of that Psalm My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth As the affections of a godly man are set upon the things above not upon things below Col. 3.2 so his confidences are set upon God who is above not upon men here below Thirdly These wild Goats are very agil active creatures much in motion full of life full of spirits and so they resemble a godly man he is a man of motion of spiritual motion and he desires his motions and speed may be more and more speedy in the ways of God As David resolved to run the ways of Gods commandements when God should please to enlarge his heart so doubtless he prayed that God would enlarge his heart to run those ways And how often did he pray for quickning grace and liveliness that being delivered from a slow dull flegmatique spirit he might be active and full of holy fire about the things and for the things of God Fourthly Wild Goats of the rocks in those countries where they abound are much pursued and diâ—quieted by hunts-men as that passage which I before quoted from a Heathen Poet intimates so good men the best of men are often hunted and disturbed in this world there are hunters of men as well as hunters of beasts Nimrod was a mighty hunter Gen. 10.9 he was a hunter of men Saul
any one of them yea how humble should we be though adorned with them all Hence that Apostolical check to proud ones 1 Cor. 4.7 What hast thou that thou didst not receive and if thou hast received it why dost thou glory or boast as if thou hadst not received it In these words he more than implyeth two things First That they who have received those goodlier feathers of spiritual gifts and graces are in danger of being lifted up by them Secondly That they ought not The Angels who fell had goodly feathers and they were lifted up not only in pride with what they had received and were beholding to God for but in pride to have more or get higher and not be beholding to God for it There is a temptation in any good thing a great temptation in goodly things to pride and therefore we had need to pray when we have any thing that is goodly whether it be natural civil moral or spiritual to be kept humble and preserved from pride The Apostle Paul was in danger to be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations which he had when caught up to the third heaven 2 Cor. 12.3 7. The best men on earth may be over-heated by what they have received from heaven and the flesh may take occasion as by the commandement to work in us all manner of concupiscence Rom. 7.8 so by our raptures in spirit to puff us up with that special concupiscence called pride The Peacock here spoken of is so far transported with his fine feathers that he may be called the picture of pride We have a common saying in our language Such a one is as proud as a Peacock or he is a proud Peacock A Peacock and a proud person are alike in several things First As the Peacock is proud of his feathers so is he of his cloaths One of the Ancients reproving pride in cloathing said In habitu non calor sed color requiritur magisque vestium quam virtutum cultui insistitur Bern. in his time It is not so much the warmth of their cloathing but the curious dye or colour of the cloth which is regarded and most insist more upon the trimming of their vestures than upon the increase of their vertues Secondly A Peacock as he is proud of his feathers so he loves they should be seen or he loves to shew his fine feathers The Peacock spreads his plumes so doth a proud person Not only he that is proud of his apparel affects to be seen but he that is proud of his gifts knowledge learning eloquence how doth he spread these plumes and affect applause As the vain-glorious Pharisees thought nothing they did in Religion worth the doing unless they were seen in doing it so vain-glorious persons think nothing they have worth the having unless they make others see they have it Thirdly A proud man is like to the Peacock in his exulting clamorous voice or cry Such love to talk high and are very loud they love to be heard as well as seen and to hear themselves speak in the hearing of others Fourthly The Peacock say Naturalists however he hath very goodly feathers yet hath but a very weak head Pavo infirmum habet caput superbus imbecille judicium 'T is so with proud persons whatever fine shews they make their intellectuals are but course and they that are proud of the strength of their heads of their wit and understandings have indeed the weakest heads of all There is much folly lodged in that mans head where much knowledge lodgeth if pride lodge in his heart too And seeing God gives in this sense foolish men as this foolish bird fine feathers we need not envy them for their folly in being proud of their fine feathers debaseth them more in the sight of God than their fine feathers can honour them in the sight of men Usually proud persons have little that is good in them but how much soever they have it will be little more to them than a fine feather because they think it so much that they are proud of it Fifthly Naturalists say the Peacock and it is as true of a proud person is an Angel in aspect Angelus aspectu pede latro voce Gehenna or to look on he makes a goodly shew a thief in his foot i. e. he goeth softly without noise yet hath a voice like hell crying out and shrieking very unharmoniously to the ear A proud person may be an Angel in aspect but he is a thief in his feet he goeth softly yet deceitfully and there is a hell in his voice A loud boasting tongue is as troublesom and unpleasant to the ear as a brawling and usually boasters are brawlers too For as Solomon hath concluded it Prov. 13.10 By pride cometh contention Lastly Proud ones are like the Peacock because that which persons are most commonly proud of is of little worth The Peacock is proud of his feathers which are worthless things fit only for children to play with And though it is a truth that some men as was said before are proud of such things as are excellent in themselves and of a great intrinsick value yet as was also said before whatsoever a man is proud of will to his account be no better than a Peacocks feather A man that is proud of his beauty and apparel of his riches and outward splendor may truly be said to be proud of a feather Solomon the wisest of Kings and taught by the Spirit of God hath written vanity and insufficiency upon all worldly things And if a man be proud of his understanding knowledge or any internal endowment which are things of real excellency they all become vain to him yea if a man be proud of his graces though they shall never be utterly vain to him yet so far as he is proud of them they are vain to him being hindred by the present prevailings of corruptions from doing that which is one of the most proper works of them the keeping him humble empty and nothing in his own eyes Gavest thou goodly wings to the Peacocks And wings and feathers unto the Ostrich Several Translators as was toucht before find two distinct fowls in this latter part of the verse An pennam Ciconiae aut Struthio camelo dares Jun. Mr. Broughton saith Gavest thou feathers to the Stork and Ostrich and so others Our Translators put it thus in the Margin The feathers of the Stork and Ostrich The occasion of this difference in translating arises from the original word used last in this verse which commonly signifies a feather only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pluma pennae vel juxta quosdam Struthiocamelus quasi pennatus dictus Burtorf 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ciconia sic dicta à beneficētia quasi beneficam dicas à nomine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic significat Struthiocamelum per antiphrasin eò quòd avis illa minime sit benefica ut quae laboret singulari
gracious in condescending to man He is willing we should answer for our selves and do our best to clear our selves when we have done our works amiss or have spoken amiss of his JOB Chap. 40. Vers 3 4 5. 3. Then Job answered the Lord and said 4. Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand upon my mouth 5. Once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further IN the former verse the Lord urged Job to answer He that reproveth God let him answer it Job being thus urged by the Lord to answer gave his answer and the answer which he gave was this in general That he could not answer Or we have here First An humble confession of his utter inability to answer Secondly His settled resolution not to answer His inability to answer appears at the 4th verse Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand upon my mouth His resolution not to answer or only to give this for an answer That he could not answer is expressed in the 5th verse Once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further Jobs spirit it seems was much appaled by the Lords appearance to him and immediate parlee with him his understanding also was much puzzled yea non-plust with those many and intricate questions which God had put to him and therefore he submits at once acknowledging he had done amiss in his over-free discourses before and promising that he would run that course no more Vers 3. Then Job answered the Lord and said What he said by way of answer followeth Vers 4. Behold I am vile what shall I answer Behold Job doth not conceal nor cover but calls all eyes to the view of his own vileness Behold Let God behold let Angels behold let men behold what now I my self behold that I am vile The root of the word which we translate vile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et levem vilem ac contemptum esse significat signifies three things First To be light or of little weight and because light things are lightly esteemed therefore it signifies Secondly To be contemned or that which is contemptible and Thirdly Because light things and things contemptible are also vile things therefore as we translate it signifies vile As if Job had said I am light I have no substance no solidity in me I am but as chaff or as a feather I bear no weight I deserve no esteem no respect I am vile As the Hebrew word for honour and glory is derived from a root which signifies heaviness or weightiness whence the Apostles phrase in the Greek tongue 2 Cor. 4.17 which we translate an exceeding weight of glory Glory is such a weighty thing that we must have other manner of shoulders other manner of strength than now we have before we can be able to bear the weight of it Flesh and blood as it is unrefined or meerly natural would soon sink under that weight Now I say as glory and honour are exprest by a word which signifies weightiness so that which is vile and contemptible is exprest by a word that signifies lightness or to be light Thus saith Job Behold I am light or Behold I am vile There are two other translations of these words whereof the one refers to the speeches the other to the actions of Job First The old Latine translation saith thus Qui leviter loquutus sum respondere quid possum Vulg. I have spoken lightly how shall I answer thee Ours refers to his person I am light or I am vile that to his words I have spoken lightly To speak lightly or vainly is to be vain and light Some words have a great deal of weight in them words of truth words of soberness holy words gracious words are weighty words evil words impertinent words unprofitable words specially corrupt filthy sinful words are light words how many words soever of those sorts any man speaks they are all light words they have not a grain of goodness and therefore not a grain of weightiness in them That 's a good sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecce leviter feci Aquila Secondly One of the Greek translators renders Behold I have done or acted lightly There is lightness in our actions as well as in our speeches We say such a man is of a light that is of a vain carriage and we say of another he is a grave man or there is gravity in his carriage Thus some speak and act gravely or weightily others speak and act loosely lightly When Job saith Behold I am vile it may take in both I have spoken lightly I have done lightly and therefore I am light therefore I am vile or contemptible Cum nihil siâ— Sept. Yet further The greek Septuagint translates I am nothing they carry the sense to the lowest and least imaginable There is nothing less than nothing How shall I answer thee seeing I am nothing All that I am is so light a thing that I am nothing at all that is nothing of worth nothing of value I am of so little validity that I have scarce any entity From all these readings we may fully gather up Jobs sense in this self-abasing confession Behold I am vile Lastly For the clearing of these words consider we are not to understand Job when he saith I am vile as speaking only with reference to his then present sad sorrowful deplorable condition sometimes such are accounted vile by men who are low and mean in the eye of the world Job did not count himself vile upon that consideration because stript of all his worldly greatness power and glory health and strength he did not call himself vile because of the present dispensation of God towards him but he called himself vile with respect to the common natural condition of mankind or as he was a sinful man though his providential condition had been never so good and prosperous Behold I am vile Hence observe First Man at his best estate is vile David saith he is even then altogether vanity Psal 39.5 and what is vile if that be not or what can be viler than that which is altogether vanity Man is vile First If we consider the matter of his body Was he not originally made of the dust and moulded out of the clay which we tread upon and trample undeâ— feet In which sense among others the Apostle Phil. 3.21 calls oâ—r body a vile body the materials of it being vile it iâ—â—â—so vile Secondly Man is very vile ch â—â—â—y vile through the sinfulness both of his nature and life Sin reâ—ders us vile indeed corruption makes us of no repâ—â—ation Thâ—ugh man as to the matter of his body might have bâ—en called vile iâ— the day of his creation yet he had never deserved that diminishing title if he had not sinned Sin hath degraded man and laid him low sin hath dishonoured
his heart to all generations They shall stand who then shall make them fall The Sentences or Judgements of men are often disanulled by men and they may alwayes be disanulled by God Lam. 3.38 Who is he that saith and it cometh to pass when the Lord hath not commanded The Lord can disanul all the Judgements of men of the wisest men in the world but none can disanul the Lords Judgements and make them void There are but two wayes by which the Judgement that is the Sentence or the resolution and purpose of a man is disanulled First By the power of the party against whom the Judgement is given Sometimes there is a Sentence given against a man which comes to naught 't is made void why there 's no power can execute it upon him David spake much in that language Ye sons of Serviah are too hard for me Secondly Sometimes the Judgements of men are disanulled by a superiour Authority one Court recalls or takes off the Judgement of another But neither of these wayes can the Judgement of God be disanulled If God give out a Sentence against a person his power how powerful soever he is shall never hinder the execution of it though he be as it 's spoken in Amos as high as the Cedar and as strong as the Oak yet he shall not hinder the Judgement of God And as there is no man hath power of arm or of arms to hinder the Judgement of God so there is no Authority superiour to or above Gods There 's no Court above the Court of Heaven to which appeal may be made to get Gods Sentence disanulled or his Judgement reversed therefore the Judgement of God cannot be disanulled And seeing the Judgements of God as taken for the Sentence which he hath declared against sinners such as that Rom. 2.9 Tribulation and anguish upon every soul that doth evil c. cannot be disanulled what cause have we to blesse God for Christ who hath endured that Judgement in his own person which could not be disanulled nor made void and hath also as the Apostle speaks Col. 2.14 blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his Crosse Yet Observe Secondly The Judgements of God are by him accounted as disanulled or made void by us when we do not submit to them nor humble our selves as we ought under them This was Jobs Case Why doth God aske him whether he would disanul his Judgement surely because he had made many complaints as hath been shewed in this Book about the dealings of God with him The Lord interpreted this as a disanulling of his Judgement If we are not satisfied with the Judgement of God though it be a Judgement of anger and displeasure towards us we as much as in us lies disanul the Judgement of God Let us often remember this The way of Gods proceeding with us his way of administration towards us is his Judgement now if it be a way of affliction if he speak terribly to us let us take heed of complaining lest we be found disanulling his Judgement We may come under the compasse of this Charge before we are aware As for instance If we shall say we could bear any Judgement but this any affliction but this this is to disanul the Judgement of God Let us say whatever the affliction is it is best for us and God hath most righteously brought it upon us Again If we shall say we could be patient even under this Judgement of God for the matter of it but when we consider the degree of it that it goes so far and wounds so deep who can bear it Thus Job complained Chap. 6.2 Oh that my grief were throughly weighed and my calamity laid in the ballances together for now it would be heavier than the sand of the Sea therefore my words are swallowed up It was not so much the matter of his affliction as the degree or weight or extremity of it which put him to those grievous complaints Now if we are not patient and quiet under that very degree of the Judgement which God is pleased to heighten it unto this is a disanulling of his Judgement therefore let us take heed of complainings upon that account Yet further Others will say If this Crosse had been for a short time we could have born it but it hath been long upon us already and we know not how long it may continue we can see no end of it Take heed of these complainings for this also is to disanul the Judgement of God if we find fault with the length of the Crosse Though we may cry with the souls under the Altar How long Lord how long yet we must not say it is too long Lastly There is this also at which many are much troubled and so even disanul the Judgement of God for say they if it were but in some one thing that we were afflicted we could bear it but we are afflicted in body and afflicted in mind and afflicted in our children and afflicted in our estate we are afflicted in our credit and in all our comforts if it had been in some one thing we could have sat down quietly under it but now it 's affliction all over Take heed for this also is to disanul the Judgement of God And if any of these be to disanul the Judgement of God how soon may we do it And if they are not as to either free from this charge who shew some impatience and trouble of spirit under the severer dealings of God what shall we say of those who openly murmur and even rage against them Thirdly Wilt thou disanul my Judgement Note God takes it as a high affront and a dishonour when his Judgement is touched or when his Judgement is not quietly submitted to Wilt thou saith he What! disanul my Judgement The Apostle saith Let God be true and every man a liar Let the Judgement of God stand though we fall Fourthly Consider what a huge boldnesse it is in a creature to do or say any thing which may be interpreted a disanulling of the Judgement of God Fifthly Consider how sinful a thing it is for any to go about to crosse the administration of God Somewhat we may do in all the judgements or sad dispensations of God we may pray about them and we may in an humble submission expostulate with God about them but we must take heed of an unquiet spirit under them or of any risings of heart against them Pray we may about them earnestly instantly and importunately and the more the better yet still quietly submit and the more quietly we submit to them the more fit we are to pray to and wrestle with him about them that he in his own good time and in his own way would remove them from us Wilt thou disanul my Judgement Wilt thou condemn me that thou mayest be righteous These words may be taken
the danger of pride poor proud is so common that it is grown into a proverb And they especially who are poor in spirituals grow proud in spirit as it was with the Laodicean Angel Rev. 3.17 But further they are proud who lift up themselves in any thing of self As First in their natural parts wit understanding memory elocution Secondly in their acquired parts learning knowledge skill Thirdly in their moral vertues sobriety temperance justice Fourthly in their spiritual graces faith love self-denial 't is possible to be proud for a fit of these or to have a fit of pride come upon us upon the exercise of these Fifthly in their holy duties and performances prayers fastings c. Sixthly in their legal righteousness and good deeds alms charities We seldom do well or any good especially as we ought and duty binds us much good but we think too well of our selves that we are better than we are or too much both of the good we have done and of our own goodness As the great goodness of God or the greatness of his goodness appears chiefly in this that he can make all things even evil things and those not only the evils of trouble but the evil of sin work together for our good Rom. 8.28 so the great evil of mans heart or the greatness of that evil appears chiefly in this that it causeth all things even good things and those not only the good things of this natural life but the good belonging to and done in the power of a spiritual life to work to our hurt sometimes for a time and would to our ruine for ever did not the Lord over-rule it Seventhly the favour which they have with men whether they be the mighty the Princes and powers of the world or the many the common people of the world How are some lifted up because they are the darlings of the people because the multitude eyes them points at them and applauds them To be lifted up in any of these things or in any thing else and what is there not only of an earthly but of an heavenly pedigree and extraction in which the vain heart of man is not ready to be lifted up unduly forgetting God from whom all good comes to be lifted up I say in any of these things layes man open to the wrathful resistance of God and all such God will bring down and abase therefore let us be empty of our selves and beware of being found among the proud yea of being in any kind or degree proud It is dangerous to have any pride found in us but woe to those who are found proud Thirdly If the Lord hath such an eye to and upon proud men and will thus bring them low Then let us not be afraid of proud men why should we be afraid of them who are falling Prov. 15.33 The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom and before honour is humility But what saith the same Solomon Prov. 18.32 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty As soon as ever we see any man shewing a proud heart by pride of life we may quickly conclude the Lord is about to pluck him down One very great reason why the Lord hath laid many who were once as mountains low as valleys was the pride of their hearts When pride buds the rod blossometh that is God is preparing for the correction if not for the destruction of proud ones And as it is sad to see pride bud at any time so then especially when the rod blossometh that is when God is correcting us with his rods Fourthly Then do not envy proud ones We are apt to envy those that are high in place though they are proud in spirit but do not envy proud ones how high how great soever you see them for they are in danger of falling according to the truth of this Scripture and many others When proud men are in their fullest ruff and highest ascent then they are nearest a dreadful downfall Before destruction the heart of man is haughty saith Solomon Prov. 18.12 and before honour is humility And the Apostle Peter having given this counsel to those who are humbled by affliction 1 Epist 5.6 humble your selves under the mighty hand of God subjoyns this comfortable promise in the close of the verse That he may exalt you in due time Fifthly Then pride is a very provoking sin The Lord who declares himself against all sorts of sinners declares himself most against proud sinners Prov. 16.5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord mark what followeth in the same verse though hand joyn in hand he that is the proud man shall not be unpunished Pride is the Devils sin the Devil is that Mystical Leviathan spoken of in the 41th Chapter of this Book who is a King over all the children of pride They who are not subject to God proud men above all men are not are the Devils subjects He is a King over all the children of pride There are four things in which the provocation of the sin of pride consists any one of which may provoke God to pull down proud ones First Proud men set themselves in the place of God Lucifer by whom the proud Babilonian is meant said Isa 14.14 I will be like the Most High Thus the Lord said of the Prince of Tyrus Ezek. 28.2 Because thine heart is lifted up and thou hast said I am a God I sit in the seat of God in the midst of the seas yet thou art a man and not God though thou set thy heart as the heart of God See how that proud Prince thought to carry it as God as if he had been the founder of his own strength How can the Lord but be provoked with such an affront as this Proud Babilon spake this language and at as high a rate Isa 47.8 I am and none else besides me is not this to speak just like God I shall not sit as a widdow neither shall I know the loss of children Secondly As pride is an usurpation of the place and power of God so of the providences of God A proud man knoweth not how to acknowledge God in any mercy nor how to be humbled under the hand of God in any affliction He mindes not God either in what he enjoyeth or in what he suffereth is not this a provocation Thirdly Pride must needs provoke God as a proud man sets himself against all the Commands Laws of God God cannot but be provoked to see all his Laws and Commands slighted by man A proud man will keep no bounds nor would he be kept in any Fourthly Pride is a Mother sin it brings forth many other sins As Unbelief is a Mother sin so is Pride Hab. 2.5 He is a proud man neither keepeth at home who enlargeth his desire as hell and is as death and cannot be satisfied but gathereth unto him all Nations and heapeth unto him all people The
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
soft on the ouze or mire but laying as it were sharp stones upon it shews what he can endure without hurt And so I conceive these words He spreadeth sharp-pointed things upon the mire may be thus understood and read He spreadeth himself upon sharp-pointed things as if it were upon the mire Secondly We may expound this verse as to the falling off of darts cast and stones slung at him or as to the breaking of swords and spears upon his scales when assaulted with them As if it had been said If you cast darts or sling stones at him they do not enter but drop down under him or if you assail him with sword and spear the sword breaks the spears point is snapt off and falls under his body Thus he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire or spreadeth the mire all over with sharp pointed things As after a well-fought battel at Land we may see the field spread over with pieces of swords and spears and other broken weapons so is the bottom of the Sea could you see to the bottom of it after a skirmish or day of battel with Leviathan This is a probable sense but I rather take the former as shewing the hardness of his skin and scales by his insensibleness of any sharp or hard thing that he rests himself upon All that I shall add is this It were well for us if in this case we could be like Leviathan if we could harden our selves or inure our selves to hardships to lye with sharp stones under us Surely our flesh is much too tender and soft and our skin too delicate for the endurance of a lodging upon hard stones and sharp pointed things The Apostle gives a sutable word of advice to Timothy 2 Tim. 2.6 Do thou endure hardship as a good souldier of Jesus Christ We should labour to endure hardship and to fare hard and to lye hard Edmond a Saxon King in this Land was called Iron-sides I fear there are few Iron-sides among us such I mean as are fit and ready to endure hardship to suffer hard things at Christs call and for his Name sake We should be content as the Church once was Psal 68.30 to lye among the pots yea as Leviathan upon the pot-sheards in that behalf The old Martyrs were patient while they lodged in a coal-house and russeled among the straw Though the Lord doth not exercise with such hardships yet 't is the duty of every Christian to get his heart into readiness and willingness to endure them Though all the followers of Christ are not honoured with sufferings for him yet they who have nor at least who pray not that they may have a spirit of suffering are not worthy to follow him nor to be called his Disciples Mat. 10.38 Mat. 16.24 Luke 14.26 Vers 31. He maketh the deep to boyl like a pot he maketh the Sea like a pot of ointment As Leviathan troubles Sea-men so he troubles the Sea Totum oceanum turbat Jun. he macerates and vexeth the waters he disturbs the whole Ocean where he is or wheresoever he comes This is illustrated by a double similitude First of a boyling pot He maketh the deep like a boyling pot Secondly He maketh the Sea like a pot of ointment Or as Mr. Broughton renders it He sets the Sea as a spicers Kettle that is all in a sume and foam Spices mingled in a kettle to make ointment boyl vehemently upon the fire any liquor boyling is moved and the more it boyles the more it moves Thus Leviathan blustring in the deep causeth it to look like a boyling pot or like a pot of ointment This shews the force of Leviathan he makes such a bussel that he as it were raiseth a storm in the Sea a fiercely boyling pot over the fire much resembles the Sea when the waves foam and the waters are enraged by the winds The mighty power of God is set forth in Scripture calming the Sea when 't is stormy and raising storms when it is calm as might be shewed in many Scriptures Leviathan can trouble the Sea when God hath made it quiet but he cannot quiet nor calm it when God hath made it stormy Leviathan is of a turbulent nature and he deals only in storms his restless spirit will not let the Sea rest he makes it boyl like a pot c. That which is said of Leviathan in his turmoiling the Sea may well represent the spirit of wicked men who in this are like Leviathan they as the Prophet speaks Isa 57.20 are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest and as themselves are like the troubled Sea having continual tumultuations in their own breasts so they often make others like a troubled Sea I shall not here omit what the learned Bochartus takes notice of in this verse both for and against his Assertion That Leviathan is the Crocodile First Though it cannot be denied that the Whale makes a greater stir in the Sea and troubles the waters more than the Crocodile the Whale being much the greater of the two yet he conceives the latter part of the verse where 't is said He makes the Sea like a pot of ointment very peculiar to the Crocodile For saith he many Writers commend the fragrancy or sweet smell which the Crocodile sends forth much like that of musk or the Arabian spices insomuch that some think Amber-greese is taken from that Animal And hence he concludes it may well be said that he where he comes makes the Sea like a pot of ointment which gives a fragrant smell then especially when stirred as Leviathan is here said to stir This is indeed a rare observation and such as Bochartus might well say he could not enough admire that the Ancients should give no hint at all of his testimonies for it being from Authors of somewhat a late date which the Reader may peruse for his fuller observation if he please I would not raise any suspition about the truth of the thing which Bochartus saith cannot but be true it being asserted by the unanimous vote of people of all Nations Indians Arabians Egyptians Assyrians and Americans All that I shall say to it is only this That the Text in Job having this scope to describe the turbulency of Leviathan in the Sea seems not to respect the savour or smell of the pot of ointment but only the troubled motion or ebullition of it when 't is boyling over the fire And in that respect the Whale maketh the Sea like a pot of boyling ointment as much as yea more than the Crocodile The second thing which Bochartus takes notice of in this verse is an objection which may be raised from it against his opinion The Lord speaks of Leviathan as being in the Sea and which is a word of the same significancy in the deep Now the Crocodile is not a Sea-animal but a River-animal therefore Leviathan is not a Crocodile To this he answers First That the River Nilus is called the
a favourite Abraham was a favourite God called him his friend and Job was a favourite The Lord shews favour to many who yet are not his favourites Kings and Pâ—inces shew favour to all their faithful subjects yet but one possibly is a Favourite The Lords chief favourite is his Son Jesus Christ he hath his ear continually I knew said Christ John 11.42 that thou hearest me alwayes Now as Christ is a favourite above all men so among good men some have favour with God above others A King will hear a favourite when he will not a common person Our Annotators upon this very place tell us out of Mr. Fox that when Sir John Gostwich had falsely accused Arch-Bishop Cranmer to King Henry the VIII he would not hear him nor be reconciled to him till Cranmer himself whom he had wronged came and spake for him Thus the Lord will not be reconciled to some till the wronged party intercedes for them Yet we must remember that the power or effect of all our prayers depends upon Jesus Christ alone by him it is that any have access to the father and he is the way to the holiest the beloved in whom God is well pleased whom he heareth always and through whom God heareth his best beloved favourites on earth Observe Fifthly It is a great mercy to have the prayers of a good man going for us The Lord told not Eliphaz and his two friends of any thing else that Job should do for them he only saith Job my servant shall pray for you If the Lord doth but stir up the heart of a Job of a Moses of a Jacob a Wrestler in prayer to pray for us who knows what mercy we may receive by it And therefore when the Lord forbids his favourites to pray for a people as sometimes he doth it is a sign that such are in a very sad condition yea that their case is desperate Jeremiah was a mighty man with the Lord in prayer and the Lord said to him Jer. 14.11 Pray not to me for this people for good Jeremiah was forward to pray for them but the Lord stopt him Pray no more not that the Lord disliked his prayer but because he was resolved not to forgive them though he prayed for them therefore he said pray not The Lord would not let such precious waters run wast as the prayers of Jeremiah were They are in a remediless ill condition of whom the Lord saith pray not for them Of such the Apostle spake 1 John 5.16 If any man see his brother sin a sin not unto death he shall ask and God shall give him life There is a sin unto death I say not that he shall pray for it The pardon of a sin unto death is not to be prayed for Every sin deserves death but every sin is not unto death They who sin so are past prayer and in how woful a plight are they whose sins are past prayers They who have been much in prayer themselves and afterwards fall off from or walk contrary unto their prayers come at last to this miserable issue that either they give over praying for themselves or others are stopt from praying for them And though an outward bar be not laid upon their friends prayer as in Israels case yet there may be a bar upon the spirit of such as used to pray for them It is a bad sign when the Lord shuts up the heart from praying for any one and it is a sign of mercy when the Lord inlargeth the heart of any that are godly to pray for others Sixthly Observe Prayer for another doth not profit him unless he be faithful himself I ground it upon the text Job shall pray for you but you must carry a sacrifice which implied their faith and they must carry a sacrifice to Job and that implied their repentance and both implied that they prayed for themselves also It is in vain to offer a sacrifice without faith and repentance being in this frame My servant Job shall pray for you Conjunctis precibus nihil impetratu impossibile est Conjunctae autem preces esse non possunt ubi est offensio Coc. vid. The prayer of faith prevails not for those that go on in their unbelief and impenitency Job prayed for his friends and they repenting and believing he prevailed for them The reason why the Prophet Jeremiah in the place before mentioned as also chap. 7.16 was commanded not to pray for that people was because they were a hardened people in their sins and therefore his prayers could do them no good Yea the Lord told him cha 15.2 that though not only he but other great favourites joyned in prayer for them it should do them no good Though Moses and Samuel stood before me my mind could not be towards this people The reason why those eminent favourites and mighty men in prayer could do no good was as was said before because they were unbelieving and hardned in their sins as appears upon the place The Prophet Ezekiel speaks the same thing chap. 14.14 Though these three men Noah Daniel and Job this Job that we have in the text were in it they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness saith the Lord. Jobs prayers obtained good for his friends but the children of Israel were in such a condition that though Noah Daniel and Job were praying for them they should get no good by it their sins were so high and their hearts so hard that the prayers of the holiest men in the world could not prevail with God for mercy It cannot be denied but the prayers of a godly man may profit a wicked man an unbeliever an impenitent person for his conversion to the faith and the bringing of him to repentance but they profit not any man who as he hath not faith so continues in his unbelief Yet I grant that the prayers of a believer may profit such an unbeliever as to the avoiding of some temporal evil or as to the obtaining of some temporal good as is clear in Abrahams prayer for Abimelech Gen. 20.7 But how much soever a godly man prayeth for the pardon of a wicked mans sin or the salvation of his soul he shall never be pardoned or saved unless himself repent and believe They who never pray in faith for themselves shall not get favour with God by any prayer of faith made by others for them Now as from this and such like Scriptures it appears that the prayers of godly men for good men here on earth are very pleasing unto the Lord and receive great answers So they do absurdly who from this Scripture infer that the Saints departed pray for us as if they knew or understood our condition and they do more absurdly who living here on earth pray to the Saints in heaven to pray for them The Scripture speaks nothing of prayers to departed Saints nor of departed Saints praying for us the Scripture speaks only of the living
found matters mending with himself and the answers of prayer in the mercies of God coming tumbling in thick and three-fold His captivity fled far away when he had thus drawn near to God he had as a very full and satisfactory so a very speedy answer When he prayed Prayer is the making known our wants and desires to God It is a spiritual work not a meer bodily exercise it is the labour of the heart not lip-labour Jobs prayer was a fervent working or effectual prayer as the Apostle James speaks chap. 5.16 not a cold slothful sleepy prayer when he prayed he made work of prayer Many speak words of prayer that make no work of prayer nor are they at work in prayer Job prayed in the same sense that Saul afterwards Paul did Acts. 9.11 when the Lord Jesus bid Ananias go to him for Behold he prayeth implying that he was at it indeed He had been brought up after the strictest rule of the Pharisees who prayed much or made many prayers but he prayed to so little purpose before that we may well call that his first prayer and say he had never prayed before Job prayed for his friends as Paul for himself he was very earnest with God for them and prevailed Extraordinary cases call for extraordinary layings out in duty It was an extraordinary case When he prayed For his friends The Hebrew is When he prayed for his friend Singulare partitivum pro plurali Merc. It is usual in the Grammar of the holy Text to put the singular for the plural 'T is so here either First because he prayed for every one of them distinctly and by name or Secondly because he looked upon them all as one and bound them up in the same requests When he prayed For his friends They are called his friends to shew the esteem that he had of them notwithstanding all their unkindness and unfriendliness towards him He prayed for them in much love O raram singularem virtutem quae in paucissimis vel Christianis reperiatur Merc. though they had shewed little love to him and his heart was so much towards them that the Text speaks as if he had forgot himself or left himself at that time quite out of his prayers Doubtless Job prayed for himself but his great business at that time with God was for his friends Now in that Jobs prayer is said expresly to be for his friends not for himself though we cannot doubt but that he prayed and prayed much for himself Observe A godly man is free to pray for others as well as for himself and in some cases or at some times more for others than for himself He seldom drives this blessed trade with heaven for self only and he sometimes doth it upon the alone account of others 'T is a great piece of spiritualness to walk exactly and keep in with God to the utmost that so our own personal soul concerns may not take up our whole time in prayer but that we may have a freedom of spirit to inlarge for the benefit of others Many by their uneven walkings exceedingly hinder themselves in this duty of praying for friends and of praying for the whole Church Uneven walkings hinder that duty in a twofold respect First Because they indispose the heart to prayer in general which is one special reason why the Apostle Peter gives that counsel to Husband and Wife 1 Pet. 3.7 to walk according to knowledge and as being heirs together of the same grace of life that saith he your prayers be not hindred that is lest your hearts be indisposed to prayer Secondly Because uneven walkings will find us so much work for our selves in prayer that we shall scarce have time or leisure to intend or sue out the benefit of others in prayer He that watcheth over his own heart and wayes will be and do most in prayer for others And that First For the removing or preventing of the sorrows and sufferings of others Secondly For the removing of the sins of others yea though their sins have been against himself which was Jobs case He prayed for those who had dealt very hardly with him and sinned against God in doing so he prayed for the pardon of their sin God being very angry with them and having told them he would deal with them according to their folly unless they made Job their friend to him This was the occasion of Jobs travelling in prayer for his friends and in this he shewed a spirit becoming the Gospel though he lived not in the clear light of it And how uncomely is it that any should live less in the power of the Gospel while they live more in the light of it To pray much for others especially for those who have wronged and grieved us hath much of the power of the Gospel and of the Spirit of Christ in it For thus Jesus Christ while he was nailed to the Cross prayed for the pardon of their sins and out-rages who had crucified him Father forgive them for they know not what they do Luke 23.34 Even while his crucifiers were reviling him he was begging for them and beseeching his Father that he would shew them mercy who had shewed him no mercy no nor done him common justice And thus in his measure Jobs heart was carryed out in his prayer for his friends that those sins of theirs might be forgiven them by which they had much wronged him yea and derided him in a sort upon his Cross as the Jews did Christ upon his This also was the frame of Davids heart towards those that had injured him Psal 109.4 For my love they are my adversaries that 's an ill requital but how did he requite them we may take his own word for it he tells us how but I give my self unto prayer yea he seemed a man wholly given unto prayer The elegant conciseness of the Hebrew is But I prayer we supply it thus But I give my self unto prayer They are sinning against me requiting my love with hatred But I give my self unto prayer But for whom did he pray doubtless he prayed and prayed much for himself he prayed also for them We may understand those words I give my self unto prayer two wayes First I pray against their plots and evil dealings with me prayer was Davids best strength alwayes against his enemies yet that was not all But Secondly I give my self to prayer that the Lord would pardon their sin and turn their hearts when they are doing me mischief or though they have done me mischief I am wishing them the best good David in another place shewed what a spirit of charity he was cloathed with when no reproof could hinder him from praying for others in some good men reproofs stir up passion not prayer Psal 141.5 Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindness smite me how with reproof so it followeth Let him reprove me it shall be an excellent oyl which shall not break my
head for yet my prayer shall be in their calamities that is if ever they who are my reprovers fall into calamity though they may think they have provoked me so by reproving me that they have lost my love and have cast them out of my prayers or that I will never speak well of them or for them again yet I will pray for them with all my heart as their matters shall require I will pray for them when they have most need of prayer even in their calamity Some heighten the sense thus The more they sharpen their reproof the more I think my self bound to pray for them It shews an excellent spirit not to be hindred from doing good to others by any thing they do or speak against us nor by their sharpest though perhaps mistaken reproofs of us Thus it was with this good man Job prayed for his friends who had spoken much against him and not only reproved him without cause but reproached him without charity and God turned his captivity when he prayed for them Hence observe Secondly Prayer for friends especially for unkind friends is very pleasing to God and profitable to us We never reap more fruit or benefit by prayer our selves than when we lay out our selves in prayer for others and then most when we pray for those who have deserved least at our hands Prayer for unkind friends is the greatest kindness we can do them and the noblest way of recompencing their unkindness Holy David was much in this way of duty and found the benefit of it Psal 35.12 13. They rewarded me evil for good to the spoyling of my soul but as for me when they were sick my cloathing was sackcloth I humbled my soul with fasting that is I was greatly affected with and afflicted for them in their affliction and see what followed My prayer returned into my own bosom There is some difference about the Exposition of those words but I conceive that is clear in it self as well as to my purpose that David received fruit and a good reward for those prayers As if he had said If my prayer did them no good it did me good if it did not profit them it profited me my prayer returned into my own bosom I found comfortable effects of it We never gain more by prayer than when we pray for those by whom we have been losers we never find more comfort by prayer than when we pray heartily for those by whom we have found much sorrow whatever good we pray for in the behalf of others falls upon our own heads and the more we pray for good upon the heads of those that have done evil to us the more good is like to fall upon our own heads and hearts Christ saith Mat. 10.13 When ye come into an house salute it Christ means not a Courtly complemental salute but a Christian spiritual salute wishing them mercy and peace as is plain by that which followeth and if the house be worthy let your peace come upon it but if it be not worthy let your peace return to you As if he had said When ye come into an house good or bad salute it if the house be good they shall receive the benefit of your prayer if not you shall have the benefit of it your selves though they get no good by your good wishes to them or prayers for them yet you shall This is more expresly assured us again by our blessed Saviour Luke 10.6 Into whatsoever house ye enter first say peace be to this house bestow a prayer upon them and if the Son of peace be there your peace shall rest upon it if not it shall turn to you again your prayers shall not be lost nor shall ye be losers by your prayers Hence take these two Inferences First If when we pray for friends for unkind friends God be ready to do us good then he will be much more ready to do us good when we as he hath commanded us pray for professed or real enemies The worse they are if not so bad as to be past prayer by the Apostles rule 1 John 5.16 for whom we pray the better are our prayers and an argument as of our greater faith in God so of our greater love to man Yet this is not to be understood as if we should pray for the prosperity of enemies or evil men in their evil purposes or practices this were to pray at once for the misery of Sion for the downfal of Jerusalem and the dishonour of God Our prayer for enemies should only be that God would change their hearts and pardon their sins as was touched before I grant we may in some cases pray Lord overturn overturn them or as David against Achitophel Lord turn their counsels into foolishness yet even then we should also pray with respect to their persons Lord turn them turn them The Gospel teacheth us to do so Luke 6.28 Bless them that curse you pray for them that despitefully use you Not that we should pray for a blessing on them as they are cursers and despisers but that they may repent and give over their cursed cursings and despiteful usages The Apostle is full for this Rom. 12.14 Bless them that persecute you bless and curse not vers 19. Avenge not your selves And as we should not avenge our selves so we should be sparing in prayer that God would take vengeance and if ever we put up such prayers beware they flow not from a spirit of revenge We indeed are sometimes afraid to be over-gentle and kind-hearted towards them that offend us and this bad Proverb is too much remembred If we play the Sheep the Wolf will eat us up as if to do our duty were to run further into danger and that it must needs turn to our wrong not to avenge our wrongs But know if we carry it meekly like sheep we have a great Shepheard who will take care of us and is able to preserve us from the Wolf Consider these two things in praying for enemies or for those that have any way wronged us First If by prayer we gain them 't is possible by prayer to turn a Wolf into a Sheep then it will be well with us they will be our friends Secondly If they continue Wolves and enemies still God will be more our friend and turn the evil which they either intend or do us to our good A second Inference is this If God be ready to deliver us from evil and do us good when we pray for others then he will be ready to do us good and deliver us from evil when we pray for our selves This Inference appears every where in Scripture And as the Lord himself hath often invited or encouraged us to the duty of prayer for our selves by this promise take one instance for all Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me that is thou shalt have both occasion and a heart to glorifie
me So the Lords servants have often had experience of his power and goodness in delivering them or as 't is here expressed concerning Job of turning their captivity take one instance for all Psal 34.4 6. I said David sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears This poor man cryed and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles The Lord who doth us good when we pray for others cannot but do it when we pray for our selves The Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends But some may ask will the Lord turn any mans captivity when he prayeth for his friends whose prayer and what prayer is it that obtains so high a favour I answer in general It is the prayer of a Job That is First The prayer of a faithful man or of one who is perfect and upright with God It is not the prayer of every man that prevails with God Jam. 5.16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man only availeth much Nor is it the prayer of a meer morally righteous man that availeth he must be an Evangelically righteous man that is a man estated by faith in the righteousness of Jesus Christ Secondly As 't is the prayer of the faithful so the prayer of faith as it is the prayer of one in a state of grace so of one acting his graces especially that grace of faith It is possible for a man that hath faith not to pray in faith and such a prayer obtaineth not Jam. 1.5 6 7. If any man saith that Apostle lack wisdom we may say whatsoever any man lacketh let him ask of God but let him ask in faith nothing wavering for let not that man the man that wavereth think that he shall receive any thing that is any good thing asked of the Lord. To ask without faith may bear the name but is not the thing called prayer and therefore such receive nothing when they ask Thirdly It is the prayer of a person repenting as well as believing Job was a penitent he repented in dust and ashes for the evil he had done before he obtained that good for his friends and for himself by prayer If my people saith the Lord 2 Chron. 7.14 Which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked wayes there 's compleat repentance then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their Land there is compleat mercy Some pretend at least to be much in believing yet are little if at all in repenting and humbling themselves under the mighty hand of God How can their prayers prevail for the turning away of their captivity who turn not from iniquity If I said David Psal 66.18 regard iniquity in my heart his meaning is if I put it not both out of my heart and hand by sound repentance God will not hear me that is he will not regard much less favourably answer my prayer It is a piece of impudeâ—câ— I am sure such a piece of confidence as God will reject and wherein no man shall prosper to expect good from God by prayers while our evils are retained or abide in our bosoms unrepented of God hath joyned faith and repentance together woe to those who put them asunder They who either repent without believing or believe without repenting indeed do neither they neither repent nor believe nor can they obtain any thing of God by prayer But the prayer of a faithful man made in faith and mixed with sound repentance will make great turns such a one may turn the whole world about by the engine of prayer But what is there in such a prayer that should make such turns and move the Lord to change his dispensations or our conditions I answer First Such prayer is the Lords own Ordinance or appointment and he will answer that When we meet God in his own way he cannot refuse us he seals to his own institutions by gracious answers Secondly As prayer is the Ordinance of God so he hath made promise to hear and turn the captivity of those that pray as was shewed before Promises are engagements to performance God will not be behind hand with man as to any engagement For as he is powerful and can so he is faithful and will do whatever he hath engaged himself to do by promise A word from the God of heaven is enough to settle our souls upon for ever seeing his word is settled for ever in heaven Psal 119.89 Half a promise or an half promise an it may be Zeph. 2.3 from God is better security than an absolute promise than an it shall be yea than an oath from any of the sons of men Thirdly Prayer honours God Our seeking to him in our wants and weaknesses in our fears and dangers are an argument that we suppose him able to help us that all our ruines may be under his hand Such a seeking to God is the honouring of God and therefore God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him and call upon him Our coming to God in all our wants shews that he is an inexhaustible fountain so thick a cloud thar we cannot weary him nor he spend all his waters how much soever he showers down or spends upon us He can distil mercies and drop down blessings everlastingly We often want vessels to receive but he never wants oyle to give It is the glory of Kings and Princes that so many come with petitions to them that they have many suiters at their gates may possibly burden them but undoubtedly it honours them doth it not signifie that he hath a purse to relieve their necessities or power to redress their wrongs and injuries O thou that hearest prayer is a title of honour given to God Psal 65.2 To thee shall all flesh come As God hath said Psal 50.15 they that call upon him shall glorified him for help received so they do glorifie him by calling upon him for help No marvel then if he turn a Jobs captivity when he prayeth Fourthly Prayer is the voice of the new creature The Lord loveth that voice 't is musick the best musick next to praise in his ear Let me hear thy voice Cant. 2.14 that is let me hear thee praying or thy prayer-voice let me see thy countenance for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely The Lord delighteth in prayer therefore the Lord will turn the captivity of a Job when he prayeth Fifthly Prayer is not only the voice of the new creature but it is the voice of the Spirit with the new creature The Spirit himself maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.26 'T is the holy Spirits work to form requests in our hearts to God As the Spirit it self witnesseth with our spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8.16 so he prayeth in the spirits of Gods children The prayer of a believer hath the power of the holy
Spirit in it and therefore it must needs make great turns God turned the captivity of Job when he prayed Sixthly Jesus Christ presents such prayers the prayers of faith the prayers of repentance unto God his Father Christs intercession gives effect or gets answer to our supplications The Father hears the Son always John 11.42 and so he doth all them whose prayers are offered to him by the Son Revel 8.3 The angel came and stood at the altar having a golden censer and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne The angel there spoken of is the angel or messenger of the Covenant prophesied of Mal. 3.1 that is Jesus Christ 't is he he alone who offers the incense of his own prayers with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden altar which is before the throne and being there represented doing so presently as it followeth ver 5. There were voices and thunders and lightenings signifying the wonderful effects of prayer till it should come after many turnings in the world or as I may say after a world of turnings to the Lords turning of Sions captivity as here of Jobs Seventhly Jesus Christ doth not only present the prayers of believers to God but also prayeth in them when saints pray he prayeth in them for he and they are mystically one And as Christ is in believers the hope of glory Col. 1.27 so he is in them the help of duty and so much their help that without him they can do nothing John 15.5 Now a believers prayer being in this sense Christs prayer it cannot but do great things Lastly As Jesus Christ presents the prayers of believers to the Father and prayeth in them or helps them to pray by the blessed and holy Spirit sent down according to his gracious promise into their hearts so he himself prayeth for them when they are not actually praying for themselves For saith the Apostle Heb. 7.25 He ever liveth to make intercession for them The best believers do not always make supplications for themselves but Christ is always making as well as he ever lives to make intercession for them The Apostle speaking of Christs intercession useth the word in the present tense or time which denoteth a continued act Rom. 8.34 Who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us The sacrifice of Christ though but once offered is an everlasting sacrifice and this other part of his priestly-office his intercession is everlasting as being often yea always or everlastingly offered The way or manner of Christs making everlasting intercession for us is a great secret it may suffice us to know and believe that he doth it Now it is chiefly from this everlasting intercession of Christ that both the persons of the elect partake of the benefits of his sacrifice and that their prayers are answered for the obtaining of any good as also for the removal of any evil as here Jobs was for the turning of his captivity Thus I have given a brief accompt of this inference that if prayer prevails to turn the captivity of others then much more our own Prayer hath had a great hand in all the good turns that ever the Lord made for his Church And when the Lord shall fully turn the captivity of Sion his Church he will pour out a mighty spirit of prayer upon all the sons of Sion The Prophet fore-shewed the return of the captivity of the Jews out of Babilon Jerem. 29.10 After seventy years be accomplished at Babilon I will visit you and perform my good word towards you in causing you to return to this place for I know the thoughts that I think towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end But what should the frame of their hearts be at that day the 12th verse tells us And ye shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken These words may bear a two-fold sense First The sense of a command Then shall ye call upon me and then shall ye go and pray That is your duty in that day Secondly I conceive they may also bear the sense of a promise then shall your hearts be inlarged then I will pour out a spirit of prayer upon you And ye shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken We may conclude the approach of mercy when we discern the spirits of men up in and warm at this duty Many enquire about the time when the captivity of Sion shall fully end we may find an answer to that question best by the inlargement of our own hearts in prayer David speaking of that said Psal 102.17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute the meanest and lowest shrubs in grace as the word there used imports and not despise that is he will highly esteem and therefore answer their prayer How much more the prayer of the tall cedars in grace or of the strong wrestlers when they call upon him and cry unto him with all their might day and night The Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends Nor was it a bare turn As Job did not offer a lean sacrifice to God in prayer but the strength of his soul went out in it so the Lord in giving him an answer did not give him a lean or slight return but as it followeth Also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before The Hebrew is The Lord added to Job to the double Some translate too barely The Lord made an accession or an addition but that doth not reach the sense intended For a little more than he had before had been an addition to what he had before but double is more than a little or the common notion of an addition the Lord gave him twice as much or double to that great estate which he had before This doubling of his estate may be taken two ways First Strictly as four is twice two and eight twice four See the wild conceits of the Jewish Rabbins about the doubling of Jobs estate in Mercer upon the place In that strict sence it may be taken here as to his personal estate but as to persons it will not hold the number of his children was the same as before If we compare this chapter with the first chapter ver 3. we find his estate doubled in strict sence Whereas Job had then seven thousand sheep now saith this chapter ver 12. he had fourteen thousand sheep and whereas before he had three thousand camels now he had six thousand camels and whereas before he had five hundred yoke of oxen now he had a thousand yoke of oxen and lastly whereas before he had five hundred she asses now he had a thousand she asses Here was double in the letter In duplum i. e. in plurimum Quam plurimum numerus finitus pro infinito