The Book of Job Paraphrased, Preface – Imprimatur
THE PREFACE.
THE ſtudy of the Holy Scriptures is ſo much recommended to us by the Scriptures themſelves, and hath been judged ſo neceſſary by the holy Doctours of the Church, that S. Chryſoſtome (who was wont to preſs this duty with great earneſtneſs, not only in his Sermons, but in his private diſcourſes with his people) adventures to ſay,*Hom. 3. in Lazar. Tom. V. 243. that a man cannot, he cannot be ſaved, unleſs he be converſant in this ſpiritual reading. But as the neglect of them is very dangerous, when men are able to read them; ſo the reading them without underſtanding, muſt needs be unprofitable. Though a Chriſtian (as the forenamed great Perſon ſpeaks) can no more be without the Scriptures than an Artificer without his tools; yet we muſt acknowledge that he will make but ill work with them in many places, unleſs he be inſtructed how to uſe and apply them to the purpoſe for which they were deſigned. Whoſoever therefore ſhall aſſiſt the minds of Chriſtians by giving a clear meaning of them (in which that holy Father imployed much of his time) it is certain doth great ſervice to God, and to their Souls. For this contributes much to the honour of the Holy Scriptures (which want nothing to make them reverenced by conſidering men, but to be underſtood) and it invites men to the reading them, and it conveyes the heaveniy truth eaſily and delightfully into their minds.
Which hath moved me to attempt the explaining of the moſt ancient Book in the whole Bible, by way of a ſhort Paraphraſe. In which if I have not always tyed my ſelf to our Engliſh Tranſlation (which ever gives an excellent ſence of the Original words) it was becauſe I thought another meaning ſometimes more agreeable to the whole diſcourſe: which I have endeavoured to carry on coherently from firſt to laſt. But if the matter would bear it, I have, when I met with a word of two ſenſes, expreſſed them both. And where I found any difficulty I conſulted with ſuch Interpreters as are of beſt note in the Church: being unwilling to do any thing without the warrant of ſome or other of them. I was forced indeed here and there to follow only my own judgement; but not without the appearance of very urgent reaſons: of which if I ſhould give an account, by adding notes to thoſe places, it would make this, which I intend for common uſe, ſwell into too big a Volumn. I have only therefore (in the Argument preſixed to each Chapter) pointed to ſuch Hiſtories in the Bible as may help to illuſtrate ſome paſſages: and ſhewn how the diſpute is menaged, till God himſelf determine it.
But there are two things, of which I think my ſelf bound to give a larger accompt; to avoid the imputation of ſuch novelty, as may be juſtly cenſured. The One is, That I have interpreted thoſe three known verſes in the XIX. Chapter, 25, 26, 27. not of Job's reſurrection from the dead at the laſt day, but of his reſtauration to an happy eſtate in this world; after he had been ſo ſorely afflicted. There are many, of no mean eſteem, (Mr. Calvin amongſt the reſt) who have done ſo before me; in following whom, I do not forſake the ſenſe of the ancient Doctours. For though I take that to be the literal ſenſe of the words, yet I doubt not there is another more ſecret and hidden, which lies covered under them; and that we ought to look upon Job's Reſtauration (and ſo I have always explained it) as a notable type of the future Reſurrection of our Bodies out of the Grave. And accordingly our Church hath very fitly applied the words (as many of the Fathers do) to this purpoſe; in the Office of the Burial of the Dead.
St. Hierome (or the Author of the Commentaries upon Job under his name) is my Guide in this buſineſs: who ſaith no more then this, that Job in theſe words, reſurrectionem futuram prophetat in Spiritu, prophecieth in the Spirit the future Reſurrection. Now the words of the Prophets had commonly an immediate reſpect to ſome thing which was then doing or ſhortly to be done, beſides that ſenſe which the Holy-Ghoſt directed them to ſignify in the latter dayes. And ſo had theſe words of Job; of which that Father indeed gives us only the Myſtical ſenſe, but he doth ſo in many other places of that Book, where it is certain and acknowledged, the holy man had another meaning, in which he was more nearly concerned. I ſhall refer the Reader only to one place in the Firſt Chapter: where he ſaith that Job did ferre typum Chriſti *And ſo he ſaith in his Praeface, Figuram Chriſti portavit. And in his Concluſion XLII. 14. Figuram manifeſtè habuit Salvatoris., and therefore expounds thoſe words v. 20, 21. in this manner, He fell on the ground when he emptied himſelf of the form of God, to take on him the form of a Servant: and came naked out of his Mothers Womb, being not aſperſed with the leaſt ſpot of Original Sin. He that will may read what follows, and ſee how he only ſets down a myſtical ſenſe, when it is certain another (upon which that is built) is firſt intended. And ſo we are to take his expoſition upon theſe words, which ſecundum myſticos intellectus (as he ſpeaks, XXXVIII. 16.) according to the hidden interpretations are to be underſtood of the Reſurrection of the dead at the ſecond coming of Chriſt: but relate in the firſt place to Job's reſurrection out of that miſerable condition wherein he lay, which was a figure of the other. They therefore who interpret theſe words otherways (to ſpeak with that Father in his Commentaries upon Ezek. XXXVII. 1. &c.) ought not to make me ill thought of, as if by expounding them in the literal ſenſe only, I took away a proof of the Reſurrection from the dead. For I know there are far ſtronger teſtimonies (of which there can be no doubt nor diſpute) to be found for the confirmation of that truth. On thoſe let us rely, on the plain words of Him who is the Truth (and of whom Job was but a Figure) which are abundantly ſufficient to ſupport our faith: and let none imagine, that we Give occaſion to Hereticks (as he ſpeaks preſently after) if we deny theſe words to be meant of the general Reſurrection.
The Second thing of which I am to give an account is, that I have not expounded Behemoth to ſignify the Elephant, nor Leviathan to ſignify the Whale: becauſe many of their Characters do not agree to them; but every one of them to the deſcription which the writers of Natural Hiſtory have given of two other Creatures. And therefore I have herein followed the guidance of that excellent Critick Bochartus, who takes the former for the River-horſe, and the later for the Crocodile: as I have expreſſed it in the Margin, but put neither of them in the Text. For I leave every one, as our Tranſlatours have done, to apply the words to any other Creatures, if they can find any beſides thoſe now mentioned, which have all the qualities that are here aſcribed to them.
I have adventured alſo in the beginning to add a few words, as the manner of Paraphraſts is, to give an account of the time when Job lived, which ſeemes to have been before the Children of Iſrael came out of Egypt. For though there be plain mention, of the drowning of the Old World, and the burning of Sodom, in this Book, yet there is no alluſion to the drowning of Pharaoh, and other miraculous works which attended their deliverance. Nor is there any notice taken of that Revelation of Gods will to Moſes, when Elihu reckons up thoſe ways whereby God was wont to diſcover himſelf to men. Such like reaſons moved Origen *Lib. 1. contra Celſum, p. 305.to ſay that Job was foreign more ancient than even Moſes himſelf: and Euſebius *Lib. 1. Demonſtr. Evang. Cap. 6.to pronounce that he was before Moſes two whole ages. Which is conformable to the opinion of many of the Hebrew Writers, who (as Mr. Selden obſerves*Lib. VII. De Jure Nat. &c. Cap. 11.) think Job lived in the dayes of Iſaac and Jacob. The judgment of other Eaſtern people is not much different from this, as may be ſeen in Hottinger's Smegma Orientale *Pag. 381, 452, 453..
And therefore one Uſe we may make of this Book is, to inform our ſelves what are the true natural dictates of humane reaſon; which teaches greater Chaſtity than many Chriſtians are now willing to obſerve; ſtrict Juſtice, both private and publick; compaſſionate Charity to thoſe who are in need; together with a pious care to pleaſe God, and to worſhip and confide in him alone: as we may learn here better than from any other Book in the World. For in the XXXI. Chapter, Job gives ſuch a character of his Life, with reſpect to all theſe, as declares both that there is a Law written in our hearts, and what inſtructions it gives us, if we will attend to it. There is not the leaſt ſyllable that we read concerning his being Circumciſed, or obſerving the Sabbath, or ſuch like parts of the Moſaical Diſcipline, which aſſures us he was neither a natural Iſraelite, nor a Proſelyte (as St. Auſtin ſpeaks*Lib. XVIII. Cap. 47. De Civit. Dei.) and yet he found ſuch a rule of life in himſelf, that, by the aſſiſtance of the Divine Grace, he ordered not only his outward actions, but the inward motions of his mind after ſuch a manner, as is not unſuitable to the Evangelical Doctrine of our Saviour. They are the words of Euſebius in the place forenamed; where he doth not fear to add, that the Word of Chriſt hath publiſhed to all Nations that moſt ancient manner of Godlineſs which was among the firſt Fathers: ſo that the New-Covenant is no other than that old godly polity, which was before the times of Moſes. I may add before the time that Abraham was Circumciſed; when as St. Chryſoſtome ſpeaks very ſignificantly*Ʋpon Rom. II. 14. foreign, Their Conſcience and the uſe of reaſon ſufficed inſtead of the Law.
The Hebrew Books indeed are full of diſcourſes concerning certain Precepts, which all mankind after the Flood obſerved, but cannot all of them be deduced from the principles of Reaſon. They call them the VII. Precepts of the ſons of Noah: who delivered them, they ſay, to all his Children by whom the World was peopled; and therefore the Iſraelites ever exacted the obſervance of them from all thoſe Gentiles, whom they admitted as Proſelytes at large to their Religion. Two of thoſe Precepts concerned their duty toward the bleſſed Creator: the next Four reſpected their duty towards their Neighbours: the Laſt forbad cruelty towards other Creatures. They are reckoned up commonly in this order. I. Concerning Strange Worſhip, or Idolatry. II. About blaſpheming the Name of God. III. About Murder. IV. About the uncovering of Nakedneſs, or all ſilthy Mixtures. V. About Theft and Rapine. VI. About Judicatures and Civil Government; to make the other Precepts more carefully obſerved. VII. About not eating of any fleſh which is cut off from any Animal alive. The Authours that treat of theſe are innumerable; among whom I ſhall only mention Maimonides; who thus delivers his opinion of them in his Treatiſe of Kings, Chap. IX.
Adam the firſt man received commands about Six things (which are thoſe firſt above mentioned) from whence it is, that the Mind of Man inclines more pronely to them, than to the reſt of the Commands which we have received from our Maſter Moſes. Beſides theſe, it is manifeſt, Noah received another, according to what we read IX. Gen. 4. Fleſh with the life thereof you ſhall not eat. And thus things ſtood throughout the whole world until the dayes of Abraham; to whom there was ſuperadded the Precept of Circumciſion.
But as there is not the leaſt ſigne that Circumciſion was part of Job's Religion, ſo there is no footſtep at all remaining of his obſervance of the laſt of thoſe VII. Precepts, which they ſay all the Sons of Noah, who were pious, carefully obeyed. A Great man of our own Nation*Mr. Selden L. ult. de Jure Naturali, &c. Cap. II.hath ſifted this buſineſs with as much diligence as is poſſible; but after all his ſearch, he is fain to ſtop at thoſe firſt Six Precepts delivered to Adam. For though this General Character be given of Job in the beginning of the Book that he was a perfect, or ſimple, and upright man, fearing God and eſchewing evil; and in the XXXI. Chapter, and other places, there are particular inſtances given of his abhorring ſtrange Worſhip, (v. 26.) Blaſphemy, (Chap. I. 5.) Murder, (XXXI. 29, 31.) Adultery, and other filthineſs, (Ib. v. 1, 9.) Theft, Rapine and Deceit, (v. 5, 6, 7.) for the puniſhment of which he mentions Judges in his days, (v. 11, 28.) and was himſelf one of the chief: (XXIX. 11.) Yet there is not ſo much as one word to be found, that I can diſcern, concerning the Seventh Precept; whether we underſtand thereby eating fleſh with the blood in it; or, which is more likely (becauſe other Nations that were not Jews, might lawfully eat that which dyed of it ſelf, XIV. Deut. 21.) eating that which was cut alive from any living Creature.
Which makes me think that it was not ſo generally known, as the Jews now pretend; till the memory of it was revived by Moſes, among whoſe Anceſtours the Tradition was more carefully preſerved, than in other Nations. For Job, and ſuch like pious perſons, ſeem to have been governed by thoſe Precepts only which the firſt Man received; that is, the dictates of Natural reaſon. According to thoſe words of Tertullian in his Book againſt the Jews: Chap. 2.where he contends that before the Law of Moſes written in Tables of Stone, there was a Law not written, which was naturally underſtood, and obſerved by the Fathers: Which he elſewhere calls the Common Law, which we meet withal in publico Mundi, in the ſtreets and high-ways of the world, in the natural Tables: which mankind having broken, our Saviour came to repair and renew; abrogating the Law of Moſes, in which the Jews had placed too much confidence, while they neglected theſe natural Precepts. Or rather He hath not only ingaged us by his holy Sacraments to obſerve thoſe more ſtrictly, but raiſed them alſo to a greater height of purity; according to that of St. Chryſoſtome, in his Book of Virginity: We are to ſhew greater Vertue, becauſe now there is an abundant Grace poured out; and great is the gift of the coming of Chriſt.
But the principal benefit (to omit the naming of many other, whereby I might recommend this work) which I hope pious Souls, eſpecially the Afflicted, will reap by this Book, is to be perſwaded thereby that all things are ordered and diſpoſed by Almighty God; without whoſe command or permiſſion neither good Angels, nor the Devil, nor Men, nor any other Creature, can do any thing. And that as his Power is infinite, ſo is his Wiſedom and Goodneſs; which is able to bring good out of evil. And therefore we ought not to complain of Him in any condition, as if He neglected us or dealt hardly with us; but rather chearfully ſubmit our ſelves to his bleſſed will; which never doth any thing without reaſon, though we cannot always comprehend it. To that iſſue God himſelf at laſt brings all the diſpute between Job and his friends: repreſenting his Works throughout the World to be ſo wonderful and unaccountable, that it is fit for us to acknowledge our ignorance, but never accuſe his Providence; if we cannot ſee the cauſe why he ſends any affliction or continues it long upon us. Inſtead of murmuring and complaining, in ſuch a caſe, this Book effectually teaches us to reſigne our ſelves abſolutely to Him; ſilently to adore and reverence the unſearchable depth of his wiſe counſels; contentedly to bear what He inflicts upon us; ſtill to aſſert his righteouſneſs, in the midſt of the calamities which befall the good, and in the moſt proſperous ſucceſſes of the wicked; and ſtedfaſtly to believe that all at laſt ſhall turn to our advantage, if like His ſervant Job, we perſevere in faith, and hope, and patience.
To which this Book gives ſo high an incouragement, and contains ſuch powerful comforts for the Afflicted; that the old Tradition is, Moſes could not find any thing like it for the ſupport and ſatisfaction of the Iſraelites in their Egyptian bondage: and therefore took the pains to tranſlate it into their Language, out of the Syriack wherein it was firſt written. Thus He who writes the Commentaries upon this Book under the name of Origen, tells us That he found in Antiquorum dictis in the ſayings of the Ancients; that when the Great Moſes was ſent by God into Egypt, and beheld the affliction of the Children of Iſrael to be ſo grievous, that nothing he could ſay was able to comfort them in that lamentable condition; He declared to them the terrible ſufferings of Job, with his happy deliverance; and ſetting them down in writing alſo, gave this Book to that diſtreſſed people. That reading theſe things in their ſeveral Tribes and Families, and hearing how ſorely this bleſſed man ſuffered; they might comfort and exhort one another, to endure with patience and thankſgiving the evils which incompaſſed them: and hearing withall how bountifully God rewarded Job for his patience, they might hope for deliverance; and expect the benefit of a bleſſed reward of their Labours.
Be ye conſtant, O Children of Iſrael, (ſaid Moſes, with a pleaſing countenance, when he delivered this Book into their hands) do not faint in your minds, O ye poſterity of Abraham, but ſuffer grief and bear theſe evils patiently, as that man in the Land of Ʋz did, whoſe name was Job: who though he was a righteous and faithful perſon, in whom was no fault, yet ſuffered the ſoreſt torments by the malice of the Devil; as you do now moſt unjuſtly from Pharaoh and the Egyptians. They treat you indeed very baſely, and have enſlaved you, without any fault of yours, &c. But do not deſpair of a better condition; you ſhall be delivered as Job was, and have a reward of your tribulations, like that which God gave to him.
There follows a great deal more to the ſame purpoſe in that Writer, which I ſhall not tranſcribe. But only add that the Church of Chriſt, as he obſerves, was wont, after this example, to read this Paſſion of Job publickly in all their Aſſemblies; upon Holy-days (when they commemorated the Martyrs) and upon Faſting days, and days of Abſtinence; and upon the days of our Saviour's Paſſion: of which they thought they ſaw a figure in the ſufferings of Job; as of our Saviour's Reſurrection and exaltation, in Job's wonderful recovery, and advancement to a greater height of Proſperity. And as they read this Hiſtory in the Church publickly; ſo when they went to viſit any one privately that was in grief, mourning, or ſorrow, they read a Leſſon of the patience of Job for their comfort and ſupport under their troubles; and to take away the diſtreſs and anguiſh of their heart.
I pray God it may have that effect upon all afflicted perſons, who ſhall read it; and that others alſo, conſidering the inſtability of all worldly things (which is here alſo lively repreſented) may uſe their proſperity with ſuch moderation, that they may bear a change of their condition, if it come, with an equal mind. I am ſure there is no Man, of whatſoever rank, or in whatſoever condition, he be; but may learn very much, if he pleaſe, from this admirable Pattern. Which is the very firſt that is left us upon record, of a Vertuous Life, both in Proſperity and in adverſity, and that not only as a Private man but as a Prince: In whom it is the greater commendation to obey the will of God; becauſe he hath more means and temptations to fulfil his own.
That therefore ſhall conclude the character of Job; who when he had no ſuperiour to controle him (as you may read, Chap. XXIX. and XXXI.) gave ſuch an example of Piety and Devotion, Humility and Moderation, Chaſtity and Purity, Juſtice and Equity, Charity and Compaſſion; as few have done in a private Condition. This is as admirable, and will be praiſed as much to all generations, as his generous Patience. Which was ſo much famed in ancient times, that (from a paſſage, which ſome Editions of the LXX. have added to the Concluſion of this Book) it went as a common Tradition foreign (as Theophanes ſpeaks) having nothing incredible in it; that Job was one of thoſe, who had the honour to riſe out of his Grave at our Saviour's Reſurrection: when, as St. Matthew aſſures us, XXVII. 51. many bodies of Saints which ſlept, aroſe, and went into the holy City, and appeared unto many.
V. James 7, 11.
Behold we count them happy which endure. Be patient therefore, Brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.
IMPRIMATUR,
Dec. 17. 1678. Guil. Jane R. P. D. Hen. Epiſc. Lond. à ſacris dom…