The Christian Exercise of Fasting, Chapter 1 · Verse 1 – Verse 2
Iob. chap. 1. verſ. 1.
There was a man in the land of Vz, called Iob, he was a *Heb. or vnſpotted or perfect.ſound, and *Heb. or righteous.vpright man, one that feared God and eſchewed euill.
This verſe teacheth vsus generallie theſe three poynts.
1. What his countrey was: the lande of Vz.
2. What his name: Iob.
3. What ſpeciall graces GOD gaue him.
1. He was ſound within, ſimple and ſingle harted.
2. Ʋpright & iuſt without in life and conuerſation.
3. He feared God.
4. He was carefull and ſtudious to auoyd euil.
THere was a man in the land of Vz. Senſe.The firſt thing here to be knowne, what coū trie this is, which is here called the region or the land of Vz. We finde in the genealogies of the holy Scripture 3. men ſo named: one was Arams ſonne, nephew to Noah, Gen. 10. verſ. 23. A ſecond was Nachors, Abrahams brothers ſonne by Milchah, Gen. 22.21. The third of this name was of the poſteritie and kinred of Eſau,The Idumeans dwelt betwene Iewrie and Arabia. as wee may ſee in his genealogie, Gen. 36. verſ. 28. Now Eſau and his poſteritie were inhabitants of Idumea, Malach. 1.3.4. This countrie was called Edom, of Eſau the firſt *Gen. 36.9.31. He anſwered his name in his life. Gen. 25.30.father of all the Edomites, for the ſurname of Eſau was Edom, earthly, bloodie, red. This 3. Vz, therefore of the poſteritie of Eſau, we find his countrey to bee Idumea, for the Edomites are ſaid to dwell in the land of Vz, Lament. 4.21. This Idumea bordered vponupon Arabia Felix, whence the Sabeans came, which by violence tooke away Iobs oxen and aſſes.Cap. 1. ver. 21. Iob then was an Idumean, of the poſteritie of prophane Eſau, brother vntounto Iacob, the ſonnes of Iſaac.When Iob liued. It is like by all good coniectures, that he liued about the time the Church of God was in Egypt.
Doctrine. 1. The Edomites or people of Idumea, were euer moſt bitter enemies vntounto the Church and people of God, ſee Num. 20.14. Malach. 1.5.6. The prophet complaineth againſt their ſauage crueltie, Pſalm. 137. Remember the children of Edom O Lord, It is moſt dangerous to liue among idolators vnleſſe he will ſay as they ſay and doe as they doe. Eſay. 59. A greater commēdation to be religious among the prophane and irreligious thē among the Godly, for here are no ſuch occaſions of euill. Ioh. 1.46.in the day of Ieruſalem, which ſaid, raſe it, raſe it, to the foundation thereof. Here notwithſtanding was this religious Iob borne, brought vp, and had his continuall habitation. Wee hauehave at this day great wraſtling within the Church, to keepe faith and a good conſcience: For truth faileth among vsus, and he that refraineth from euill maketh himſelfe a pray: Wherefore howe greatly is holy Iob to bee commended, ſo godly among the moſt godleſſe, ſo holy among the prophane people of Idumea. We may ſay more iuſtly then Nathaniell ſpake of Nazareth, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? can there any Job come out of Jdumea?
2. The Church of God was not lodged onelyonly in Abrahams and Iſaacs familie in their daies, no nor yet in Iacobs familie which followed, and was farre greater. It is apparant in the ſtorie of Geneſis, that the knowledge and feare of God, was not then quite worne away out of the poſteritie of curſed Cham, euen in Egypt, and elſewhere thereaboute, as appeareth in Pharaoh, Abimelech, and Melchiſedeches ſtorie. They had ſome knowledg of God, and of the promiſed Meſſiah. But the Lord did more manifeſt himſelfe, and his will vntounto Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob, then to any other in theſe daies, and God was better, and more purely worſhipped in their families, then in any other part of the worlde in that age: Iob followed after them, and did inhabite an other region. The people of God therefore in his time were not ſeparate from among the Gentiles. It is like that ſeparation beganne at their departure and deliuerance from Egypt: conferre Exod. 12.48. Acts 13.17. for then hee aſſembled them before him in the wildernes, and made his couenant ſolemnely with them, ſpeaking in theſe words:Exod. 19.5. 1 Pet 2.9. Pſal. 147. A peculiar people. If ye will heare my voice in deed, and keepe my couenant, then ye ſhall be my chiefe treaſure, aboue all people, though all the earth be mine, yee ſhalbe vntounto me alſo a kingdome of priestes, and an holy nation, &c.
3. Ob. Iob came of Eſau, whoſe poſteritie was accurſed, a people ſaith the prophet,Mal. 1.3.4. with whom God is angrie for euer. They were cut off from Gods people, and caſt out of the borders of Canaan into mount Seir: how then is this branch of that dead ſtocke ſo bleſſed, and thus become a true member of the holy Church of God as here we ſee?
Anſw. Howſoeuer wicked and prophane Eſau was, yet is he not ſaid to be cut off from the couenant of God, but from the birthright,It was and is more common for good parents to hauehave bad children, then for euill parents to hauehave good children. his heires were not to inioy the kingdome promiſed to Abraham, nor the promiſe made vntounto him in Iſaac, concerning the Meſſiah. The Idumeans in Iobs time were no more excluded from the couenant of grace in Ieſus Chriſt, then the reſt of the nations round about them. And thus albeit God hated Eſau, and in Malachies time threatned to curſe all his poſteritie for their grieuous ſinnes againſt Gods people their naturall brethren: yet the Lord, (that can make of ſower ſweete, and cauſe a fruitefull braunch to ſpring of a drie roote) of his owne free will, grace, and goodnes, did ſtirre vp his ſeruant Iob a choſen veſſell to ſerue him, out of that godleſſe and prophane generation.
His name was Iob.
This name ſignifieth a man hated, an enemie, or a man full of ſorowes, becauſe God ſeemed to hate him as an enemie, howbeit hee was highly in his fauour, and greatly beloued of God.
Doctrine. We ſee this ſtorie is no parable, nor fained thing, but a true relation of things done indeede, for in parables wee hauehave no proper names, as here we ſee of Iob, Eliphas, Bildad,The ſtorie of Iob no fained narration, or parable. Zophar, Elihu, his ſpeciall friends which came to viſite and comfort him. Againe, Iobs name is twiſe mentioned by Ezechiel, where the Lorde compareth him for his excellent graces, with Noah and with Daniell: and Iames willeth vsus to faſten our eies vponupon him, as the myrrour of all patience in afflictions.
1. Iob was ſound, or vnſpotted, intire,Pſal. 51.6. or perfect.
THe Lord loueth truth in the inward affectiōs ſayth the Pſalmiſt. The Lord loueth inward ſimplicitie, ſinglenes and ſoundnes of heart. This Chriſt commandeth his diſciples,Phil. 1.9.10. 2. Cor. 1.12. Godly puritie and ſoundnes is a ſpeciall marke of the forgiuenes of ſinnes in the faithfull. ſimple as doues. VntoUnto this vertue are oppoſite all hypocriſie, diſſembling, fraude, deceite, inconſtancie, &c. it is commended in Iacob, a plaine, ſimple, ſound man, Gen. 25.27. and in Nathaniell, a ſound Iſraelite voyde of guile. Iohn 1. verſ. 47. we bee taught alſo that this vertue is an eſpeciall marke of the forgiuenes of ſinnes, Pſal. 32.2.3. for they are bleſſed, and hauehave their ſinnes pardoned, in whoſe ſpirite there is no guile. And to be ſhort, There is no vertue which makes Gods children more to reſemble the holy father then this, for ſimplicitie and trueth are the ſpeciall markes of his holy ſpirite, and lies, deceite, and all fraude, the certaine and ſure brandes of the vncleane ſpirite of error.
2. Iob was an vpright man, or a iuſt man.
IOb did labour to manifeſt the ſoundnes of his heart by his vpright conuerſation. That he was vnſpotted in life,Veiaſhar. appeareth chap. 29. 31. &c. This is the man the Pſalmiſt calleth bleſſed: Bleſſed are they that are vpright in their way, for that they walke in the law of the Lord. And the charge to Abraham is, Walke thou before me, and be thou vpright. And this is the cōmendation of Elizabeth & Zachary, They were both iuſt before God, and walked in the commandements and ordinances of God without reproofe. Luk. 1.6. And theſe againe are pronounced bleſſed by the Prophet, which watchfully regard their walking,Pſal. 1.1. ſtanding and ſitting, that they may decline and auoyd the counſell of the wicked, the wayes of ſinners, and the ſeates of the ſcornefull. All that countrey of Idumea was full of ſuch, therefore was Iob a mirror among men, and yet accounted, as Dauid a monſter among the wicked of thoſe times.
3. Iob feared God.
THis vertue (ſo often ſpoken of, and commended in Scripture, as Prouer. 1. to be the beginning, or ſpring head of wiſedome) it is not a trembling or a quiuering ariſing of an euil conſcience, becauſe of the feare of ſome puniſhments, but it is a holy and religious reuerence due vntounto the maieſtie of God, ſpeaking vntounto vsus in his moſt holie and bleſſed worde, which being of a mightie and liuely operation, and diſcerning ſo deeply the thoughts and intents of the heart, Heb 4.12. cauſeth vsus to feare and tremble, Eſay. 66.3. leaſt wee decline from the wayes which God hath preſcribed for vsus: ſo as by this religious feare, he knits our hearts vntounto him, that we cannot depart from him, Ierem. 32.40. This vertue giues life to the former: for without this there can be no inward ſound puritie and integritie, and without this all externall iuſtice is but a ciuill and philoſophicall ſinceritie of life. Here in this ſcripture are vnderſtood all other chriſtian vertues and good graces of Gods holy ſpirit.
4. Iob eſchewed euill.
THis is an hebraiſme, as Pſalm. 34.14. Eſchew euill and doe good. Thou ſhalt dye and not liue, 2. King. 20.1. By this manner of ſpeaking, the Hebrues vnderſtand a ſtudious and diligent care to performe that which is mentioned: as here that Iob was very watchfull (as himſelfe after profeſſeth) ouer his heart, ouer his life, his faith, his conſcience, &c. that hee gaue himſelfe with all his might vntounto good things, and laboured carefully to auoyd all occaſions of euill.
Doctrine. 1. This verſe teacheth vsus how to commend any man, and how to eſteeme of the ſpirituall graces of Gods ſpirit:A rich man which is not attired with theſe vertues, i… but an aſſe trimmed for the diuell to … vponupon. Luke. 16.19. The holy Ghoſt being to lay before vsus a golden preſident for our imitation, hauing ſet downe his name, and his countrey, he doth not proceede to blaze and ſet foorth in the next place his honor, his preferments, dignities & promotions in the world, (for Iob was very honourable, and in that countrey dwelt as a king in an armie, chap. 29. verſ. 25. full of riches, verſ. 3.) but firſt he commends him vntounto vsus for his inwarde integritie, next for his vnſpotted life, thirdly for his holy feare, and laſtly for his watchfulnes in auoyding al occaſions of impietie and of all euill. Learne here then how to eſtimate and prize Gods graces, before wife and children, houſes and lands riches and honour, &c.
2. Now learne in more ſpeciall manner, how the Lord doth afflict his beſt beloued children in this preſent life. If Iob had been a bad man, a Saul, a Iudas, an Achitophel, an hypocrite, all his calamities had not been ſtraunge: but that ſuch a bleſſed and religious man ſhould bee ſo buffeted, ſuch a fruitfull plant in the Lords vineyard ſhuld be ſo broken and torne in peeces, that he hath not one branch left him: this doth aſtoniſh and amaze many of the beſt in all ages.
Verſ. 2.
And he had ſeuen ſonnes, and three daughters.
THus far concerning Iobs inward graces: his outward bleſſings follow:
Iobs outward bleſſings which God gaue him were
1. His children,
Seuen ſonnes.
Three daughters.
2. His ſubſtance in
1. Sheepe, 7000.
2. Camels, 3000.
3. Oxē, 500. yoke.
4. She Aſſes. 500.
The Lord doth promiſe vntounto ſuch as walke vprightly in his wayes, that they ſhall hauehave increaſe and plentie of all bleſſings, and that hee would bleſſe the fruite of their bodies: Thou ſhalt be plenteous in goods, Deut. 28.11.in the fruit of thy bodie, and in cattell, &c. The Pſalmiſt alſo doth in a moſt gracious manner ſpeake vntounto them which feare the Lord concerning their wiues and children: that they ſhall bee both ſweete and comfortable, pleaſant and profitable vntounto them. Pſal. 128.3. Thy wife ſhall be as a fruitful vine on the ſides of thine houſe, and thy children like oliue branches round about thy table. We hauehave heard before of Iobs vertues, and great care to liue and walke with all reuerence and feare in the wayes of God. Now therefore wee ſee Gods bleſſings, according to his promiſe, in great meaſure powred vponupon him.
Concerning children, or the fruite of the wombe, certaine it is that by vertue of that generall promiſe and word of God in the beginning, increaſe and multiplie, that all families of the earth increaſe, the generation of godly and godleſſe is continued and preſerued. Yet the Lord herein hath euer reſerued vntounto himſelfe a ſpeciall hand in opening of the wombe,Children Gods ſpeciall gifts, I gaue Abraham Iſaac, I gaue Iſaac Iacob. Ioſh. 23.3.4. Gen. 30.2. and in giuing of children. For this cauſe we ſee Iob, verſ. 21. he accounts his children Gods great gifts, aſwell as all his ſubſtance: God hath giuen, God hath taken away, &c. Iacob likewiſe is of the ſame iudgement: Am I a God (ſayth he) that I can giuegive children? Herein did the Lord bleſſe Iob wonderfully, that he gaue him religious children and wealth. Children without religious parents, doe moſt commonly miſcarrie daungerouſly. Religious parents hauing children without wealth, hauehave many cares and griefes in this preſent life, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh.1. Cor. 7. Laſtly, rich parents, and euill nurtured children, breed and bring vp beaſts to deuoure their ſubſtance.
Doctrine. 1. Here learne how Sathan can turne our beſt external bleſſings into bane for vsus, if God permit. He robbed Iob of all his children in one inſtant, thereby purpoſing his vtter ouerthrow and confuſion. And thus can he make our beſt commodities ſpeciall meanes for our deſtruction, if the Lord doe not graciouſly and mightily ſuſtaine vsus.
2. The inward graces and gifts of Gods ſpirit hauehave the firſt place of commendation: Children the fruite of the wombe the ſecond: the third and laſt place, all other bleſſings of this preſent life. Let not thy principall ioy bee in wife or children, houſes or lands: for all theſe can Sathan take from thee, if God permit: but reioyce in Ieſus Chriſt. Galath. 6.14.15. and that thy name is written in heauen, Luk. 10. verſ. 20. and in the teſtimonie of a good conſcience, 2. Cor. 1.12.