The Christian Exercise of Fasting, Chapter 1 · Verse 5
Verſ. 5.
And when the daies of their banquetting were gone about, Iob ſent and ſanctified them, and hee roſe vp earlie in the morning, and offered burnt offeringes according to the number of them al, for Iob ſayd, it may be that my ſonnes hauehave ſinned, and *Heb. bleſſed Or thought euill, or ſpoken euill.blasphemed GOD in their hearts.
THis verſe giueth vsus to ſee ſome part of the practiſe of Iobs life, in the wiſe and godly gouernment of his familie: thereby to teach vsus that his life well agreed with his faith and profeſſion, and iuſtly deſerued the former commendation, verſ. 1.
This verſe laieth before our eyes the religious care of Iob for the gouernment of his children: where theſe pointes are to be cōſidered.
1. When Iob ſacrificed for his children: When the daies of banquetting were gone about, earlie in the morning.
2. How his children were prepared for the ſacrifice: hee gaue charge they ſhould prepare and ſanctifie themſelues.
3. What ſacrifice he offered: Burnt offrings according to the number of them all.
4. What reaſon moued him ſo to ſacrifice: he feared leſt they had ſinned in their feaſting.
5. How often did Iob ſo? all thoſe times in the yere when they banquetted.
And when the daies of their banquetting were gone about: Vaikadſhem, Exod. 19.13.14. ſupra pag.that is, when the 7. daies of their feaſting was paſt: for the 7. brethren did feaſt eueryevery one his day, verſ. 3. therfore here wee muſt vnderſtand 7. daies, whether 7. daies continued, or ſome intermiſſion between the feaſt of each brother: it is vncertaine.
Iob ſent and ſanctified them: that is, he ſent a meſſenger vntounto them, to charge them to ſanctifie, to waſh and purifie them ſelues, and ſo to prepare themſelues by prayer, &c. againſt their day of meeting to ſacrifice. The word here vſed ſignifieth to prepare, as Numb. 11.18. but I vnderſtand it here, as it is vſed, Exod. 19.10.14. verſ. where wee ſee their ſanctification and preparation to heare the Lord ſpeake contained their purification, and their abſtinence from the mariage bed, as the Apoſtle alſo doth exhort in the like occaſion, 1. Cor. 7.4.5.6. And no doubt with all theſe outward things they were to pray inſtantly,Eccleſ. 4.17. that they might be fit to appeare in Gods preſence for his moſt holy worſhip and ſeruice.
And hee roſe vp earlie in the morning: The morning is a pretious time for all actions,The morning a precious time for al good actions. and ſpecially for Gods worſhip and ſeruice, and ſo commended by Gods ſpirite vntounto vsus, Pſalm. 5, 3.55, 17.59, 16.90, 14. Iob was very carefull concerning his children: he would let paſſe no time, when their feaſt was ended, but very earlie he ſought the Lord, that God might be pacified, if that by any meanes, in thought, word, or deed, they had offended him in that dangerous and looſe time of feaſting.
And hee offered burnt offrings according to the number of them all. That is, 7. ſacrifices for his ſeuen ſonnes: howbeit ſome will hauehave 3. more for the 3. daughters: the matter is not great. The ſacrifices which he offered were burnt ſacrifices, hee ſpared no coſt in his ſeruice and worſhip of God:Holocauflum, what. for this kinde of ſacrifice was all conſumed in fire vntounto God, ſignifying in reſpect of Chriſt that hee ſhould bee an offering and a ſacrifice of a ſweete ſmelling ſauour vntounto God: Epheſ. 5.2. Heb. 10.8.9.10.11.12.Iob. 42.8. And in reſpect of our ſelues, that we pleaſe not God, before we offer vp and conſecrate our ſelues, bodies and ſoules,Pſal. 103.1.2.3.4. and all that is within vsus, by and through Ieſus Chriſt vntounto gods ſeruice and worſhip, Rom. 12.1, 2, 3.1, Theſ. 5.23. Mark. 12, 33.
Q. But here it may be demanded whether theſe burnt offrings were knowen before the lawe? A. It is not to be doubted the ſeruice written in the books of Moſes, and commaunded in Sinai, was preſcribed of God and knowen for the ſuſtance and principall parts of it, of the fathers from the beginning of the world. They had their prieſtes and prophets,Gen. 4 4. Heb. 11.4. The beſt thinges muſt be offered vntounto God. Gen. 8.20. Iude verſ. 14. and their ſacrifices: for Habell is ſayd to offer a burnt offering vntounto God of the firſt fruites of his ſheepe, euen the fatteſt of them. Againe, in the time of the great deluge, they knew a diſtinction and difference of cleane and vncleane beaſts, that is, as a learned interpreter ſaith right well, of ſuch beaſtes as might be offered, and not bee offered in ſacrifice vntounto God: for Noah is ſaid euen then to offer a burnt offring vntounto God.Gen. 8.21.22. But all this order of Gods worſhip and ſeruice then not written, nor Iobs time alſo which followed, was afterwardes more fully manifeſted and reuealed in Sinai, and written that Gods people might no more decline from the pure worſhip of God vntounto ſuperſtition, and falſe wil-worſhip. And yet howe harde is it to bridle the diueliſh witte of man, but that ſtill they will worſhippe either falſe gods, or the true God in a falſe manner after mans inuention. Wherfore here is a moſt high commendation of Iob, that hauing not the worde written, but the knowledge of God and his worſhip by tradition and reuelation,Iob. 42.5. yet did he not decline from the true ſeruice and worſhip of God.
Senſe. 1. Cor. 13.5.For Iob ſayd, that is, Iob thought within himſelfe,
It may be my ſonnes hauehave ſinned: LoueLove is not ſuſpicious, thinketh no euill: yet notwithſtanding louelove is watchfull. Iob had no manifeſt cauſe iuſtlie to ſuſpect euill in his children; yet becauſe of the libertie that commonly is vſed in banquettings, he feareth leſt by infirmitie they might fall, therefore as a wiſe and a carefull father, hee makes all ſpeed to pacifie the Lords wrath with a ſacrifice.
And bleſsed God: that is, curſed God, or blaſphemed god, or thought any wicked thoughts, or intēded any way to diſhonour God. The Lorde would hauehave his people to be ſo farre from blaſpheming, and taking of Gods name in vaine,Note. that albeit they had a proper word wherby they could expreſſe this, yet had they rather vſe another which did not ſo ſound in the euill part. So they vſe this worde of bleſſing, which becauſe it is of contrary ſignification,Barak. we may the better know what the ſenſe is, and what is intended. This maner of ſpeaking is vſed often, 1, King. 21, 13, and in this chapter againe, verſe 11, & chap. 2, verſe 9.
In their heart: That is, at leaſtwiſe inwardly in their hearts and mindes, if not more. But if Iob had knowen it otherwiſe, he would ſoone hauehave broken all their feaſting, and would hauehave turned all their mirth by ſharpe correction into bitter mourning.
And thus did Iob all thoſe daies. That is, hee did offer the aforeſayde burnt offring alwayes, when his children thus feaſted, how often ſoeuer they thus banquetted in the yeare.
1. The firſt thing to be obſerued here in Iobs example, Doctrine. is how carefully he doth watch his good time for holy exerciſes, and of al times delights moſt in the morning. Reaſons to moue vsus to followe Iob herein are many. 1. The example of the whole church in general, both of the Iewes and of the Gentiles:The morning, the beſt time for Gods ſeruice. Pſal. 5.3. pſal. 55.17. They had their morning and euening ſacrifices: God commanded them to conſecrate the firſt fruites of the day for his worſhip and ſeruice. 2. The examples of all holy religious men, as Dauid alwaies: Heare my voice in the morning O Lorde, for in the morning will I direct me vntounto thee and I will waite. 3. It is a time when the ſoule and all faculties thereof, when the body and all ſenſes and partes thereof, are moſt freſh and moſt ſtrong becauſe of the nights reſt, and therefore beſt able to performe any dutie to God or man. 4. For the morning is a time, wherein the worlde and the affaires of this life, hauehave not foreſtallen and preoccupied our ſenſes, our hearts, minds, & affections, &c. & therefore moſt fit then are we and able to performe any ſpirituall ſeruice vntounto God. 5. It is the firſt part of the day, and therefore the beſt part and moſt worthie to bee conſecrate vntounto God.
2. We bee taught here alſo how to ſanctifie our ſelues and our families, that is, to prepare our ſelues with al reuerence to the holy aſſemblies, to offer vp our ſpirituall ſeruice and ſacrifices vntounto God. Had they neede in elder times of ſuch preparation by prayer, faſting, &c. to come reuerently to the Sanctuary of God:Of preparatiō before we come vntounto Gods church. and hauehave not wee as well as they? no doubt we hauehave greater cauſe: for that al our ſeruice is more ſpirituall, and we hauehave greater graces, and greater meanes of faith and knowledge offered vsus in the Goſpell. Iob hath his children in great obedience, he ſends vntounto them, that is his care: they prepare themſelues with all ſubiection and reuerence. A bleſſed father, godly children:The great louelove and obedience of Iobs Children. happie children, which hauehave ſuch a father. Adam, Noah, Abraham and Iſaac, could not ſo rule two or three, as Iob could ten.
3. In their ſacrifices, they were put in minde of many things for the confirmation of their faith and repentance: 1. The killing of the beaſt put them in minde what death they deſerued. 2. The bloud ſhed in ſacrifice, put them in minde of the bloud ſhedding of the Sonne of God. 3. The fire conſuming it, ſignifieth the fire of Gods iudgement, teaching vsus how Ieſus Chriſt hath paſt through ſuch a fire, wherein we had been conſumed to nothing, by reaſon of our ſinnes, if hee had not paſt for vsus, as a bleſſed ſacrifice moſt acceptable and ſufficient, that could not bee conſumed.
4. What moued religious Iob to bee thus earneſt, ſo forward, and ſo early in his ſacrifice? hee feared leaſt his children, ſonnes and daughters, had offended God in feaſting. Where obſerue theſe poynts. Firſt, that in feaſting the moſt religious may miſcarry (if they bee not circumſpect) either in deede or word, or both: if wiſe men here offend, what ſhall wee thinke of the wicked, which like beaſts abuſe themſelues in all gluttonie and drunkennes, ſurfetting and vncleannes of life? 2. The care of godly parents ouer their children. Iob knewe the ſins of his children did in ſpecial manner highly diſpleaſe God, diſgrace his profeſsion, ſhame religion, offend the weake, and open the mouthes of all idolaters to blaſpheme againſt God and his Church.Bad Children. 1 Offend God. 2. Offend his Church. 3. Greeue good parents hearts. 4. Cauſe enemies to blaſpheme. Gen. 34.10. Therefore he is marueilous watchfull leſt his children offend. For this cauſe Iacob becauſe of his lewd ſonnes, complaineth: You hauehave troubled me, and made me ſtinke among the inhabitants of the lande. 3. The gouernment of a familie will ſoone lay open any man, whether he bee religious or irreligious, wiſe or fooliſh: and therefore the holy ſpirit maketh it an argument to chooſe a good Miniſter by: 1. Tim. 3.4. One that can rule his owne houſe will, hauing children vnderunder obedience with all reuerence. Cleane contrary, the feare of wicked and fooliſh parents is not for the ſinnes of their children, but for the wants of their children. Old Ely is greatly noted and puniſhed for example, as a bad father for his two graceles ſonnes: the wicked fiſt Hophni, and the braſen faced Phinehas, both godles and prophane, 1. Sam. 1.12. for whoredome and vncleannes: and Ely the father knew all, and feared little: Iob knew nothing by his ſonnes, and feared much. For intolerable ſinnes his chaſtiſement was but a gentle checke: verſ. 23. My ſonnes why doe you ſuch things? For this cauſe hee receiued this anſwer from the Lord: verſ. 30. Them that honor me will I honor, and they that deſpiſe me ſhall be deſpiſed. Afterwards his ſonnes were ſlaine, and he brake his neck, 1. Sam. 4.17.18. And this alſo was Dauids ſinne, and hee ſmarted for it, 2. Sam. 16. verſ. 17. 1. King. 1. verſ. 5.6.
4. The holy Ghoſt yet further commendeth vntounto vsus Iobs religious care ouer his childrens liues, in that knowing nothing euill in thē, neither by ſight nor by heareſay, that they were any way wickedly bent to any open ſin: yet he feareth they might purpoſe, thinke, or ſpeake ſome thing cloſely, priuily, and in their hearts deſire that which might diſhonour God: For he ſayth, It may be my ſonnes hauehave ſinned in their *Swearing & blaſpheming a ſpecial marke of an impious and Godleſſe man. Eccle. 9.2.hearts blaspheming, &c. Parents and maſters of our time are farre from Iobs feare: for they will not feare, open, proude, and intolerable ſinnes: and ſay: it may bee our ſonnes or ſeruants hauehave blaſphemed, broken the Sabboth, &c. but they ſuffer children and ſeruants to ſinne priuily and openly, and giuegive moſt vile examples of Atheiſme, pride, whoredome, and all vncleannes. A wonderfull commendation of Iob that he is carefull, not onelyonly that they offend not the open eyes of men, but alſo the ſecret eyes of God. If he were ſo watchfull ouer his childrens ſinnes: hee was no doubt, marueilous carefull for his owne heart and conſcience, as appeareth chap. 31. verſ. 7. and chap. 27. verſ. 6.*Wicked men ſwearers are not aſhamed to ſay they louelove the Lord becauſe they hauehave him often in their mouthes: ſo might witches & wizards, for none hauehave oftener the name of God & good things in their mouthe. Mine heart ſhall not reproue me of my dayes.
5. Where Iob is ſayd thus to worſhip God after al their feaſtings, learne perſeuerance in well doing, and remember now his life hath teſtified his former commendation, verſ. 1. to be iuſt. If this man was ſo humbled, as after wee ſee: let vsus that be ſo ſpotted beare it patiently, when we be beaten worthily for our ſinnes.