Exposition of Job 1-3, Biblical commentary · Job 1.13, 14 (2 of 2)

Exposition of Job 1-3 · Biblical commentary · Job 1.13, 14 (2 of 2)

p. 183And ſhaved his head.] Shaving of the head was uſed ſometimes to expreſſe ſorrow, ſometimes to expreſſe bondage, and I find it uſed in Scripture in oppoſition to both theſe, ſc. in times of joy and liberty.

Firſt, Shaving of the head was uſed as a note of ſorrow, Iſa. 15.2. the Lord ſpeaking by his Prophet of the great affliction that ſhould come upon the Jewes ſaith, On all their heads ſhall be baldneſſe, and every beard cut off; that is, they ſhall mourne, that's the meaning of it. And Iſa. 22.12. In that day did the Lord God of Hoſts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldneſſe; that is, to ſhaving of themſelves or cutting off their haire; the meaning of it in joyning baldneſſe and mourning was only this, to ſhew that there ſhould be extreame ſorrow and mourning in the land, The Lord calleth to mourning and baldneſſe, that is, to an exceeding great mourning, ſuch as thoſe mournings uſed to be when they ſhaved their heads; And the Prophet puts in this as an aggravation of their ſinne, that when the Lord called for ſuch a mourning as was joyned with baldneſſe and ſhaving the head, that then there ſhould be joy and gladneſſe, ſlaying Oxen, and killing Sheepe, eating fleſh, and drinking wine. See this more cleare, Ier. 7.29. when the Prophet fore-ſhewes the great affliction of Jeruſalem, he thus beſpeakes them, Cut off thine haire O Jeruſalem and cast it away, and take up a lamentation. To adde one inſtance more, Mica. 1.16. In caſe of their ſore affliction the Prophet ſaith, Make thee bald and pole thee for thy delicate children, enlarge thy baldneſſe as the Eagle; The meaning of all is, mourne bitterly, or mourne greatly for thy delicate children, thy delicate and ſweet children they are deſtroyed, mourne greatly for them, enlarge thy baldneſſe as the Eagle; As the Eagle, becauſe the Eagle (as naturaliſts obſerve) caſteth her feathers, and her head is many times quite bald, therefore it is ſaid here, enlarge thy baldneſſe as the Eagle, that is, be exceeding bald, cut off all thy haire in that great mourning. We may illuſtrate this by a contrary rule given by this Prophet Jeremie, and likewiſe by Ezekiel, when mourning was forbidden, Jer. 16.6. where he ſpeakes of ſome that ſhould die and have none to mourne for them, he ſaith, they ſhall not lament for them, nor make themſelves bald for them, Ezek. 24.17. Make no mourning for the dead, what followeth? Bind the tire of thine head upon thee, when they ſhould keepe on their haire, their tire, that was an argument that there was no mourning.

p. 184Further we find, that the cutting off the haire, the ſhaving of the head, was a ſigne of bondage and reproach; when David ſent meſſengers to Hanun, 2 Sam. 10.4.2 Sam 10:4Samuel records, that Hanun tooke the meſſengers and ſhaved off the one halfe of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, and the men were exceedingly aſhamed; now the ſhame was not only becauſe their beards were halfe cut off, for if that had beene all, they might quickly have cut off the other halfe and have delivered themſelves from the ſhame; for they were at liberty: but it is therefore ſaid that the men were greatly aſhamed, becauſe amongſt them it vvas a marke of ſhame and ſlavery to be ſhaven. Hereupon David giveth order that they ſhould tarry at Jericho, till their beards were growen; it was a diſhonour to be ſhaved; And it is noted in Plutarch concerning Demosthenes, that when he had a mind to ſit cloſe at his ſtudy and vvould not goe abroad, or be interrupted by viſits of friends at home, that he would ſhave himſelfe, that ſo he might be aſhamed to goe forth or ſee any body, but be conſtrained to keepe to his booke for tvvo or three moneths together till his haire vvere grovvne againe:Ezek. 29.18.Ezek 29:18 The bondage and reproach that Nebuchadnezzar brought upon Tyrus is thus deſcribed, Every head was made bald. Crinis eſt libertatis argumentum. Ariſt. 1. Rhetor.And Ariſtotle obſerves, that the haire vvas a token of liberty. Thus the ſhaving of the head in Job might be a ſigne both of his ſorrovv and great reproach that vvas come upon him, being one novv that vvas ready to be mocked and made the ſcorne and by-vvord of the vvorld, as vve ſee afterward he was, during this affliction.

Yet it is conſiderable from Scripture example, that the cutting off the haire, and ſhaving of the head had not alvvayes either of theſe ſignifications hitherto diſcuſs'd, but did vary according to the diverſity of places and of times. In the Booke of Geneſis, we reade that cutting and ſhaving of the haire, vvas a token of joy and liberty both together. When Joſeph vvas delivered out of priſon,Gen. 41.14.Gen 41:14 it is ſaid, that he ſhaved himſelfe and came to Pharaoh. And it is noted concerning Mephiboſheth, as a matter of his ſorrow for Davids abſence, that he let his haire grovv. He trimmed not his beard, 2 Sam. 19.24.2 Sam 19:24being much troubled at the Kings abſence. I confeſſe neither of theſe inſtances come home enough to the point: both of theſe neglecting the care and culture of their bodies in their troubles, now being delivered, prepare themſelves by ſhaving and trimming the hayre for the preſence of thoſe Kings. But it is in p. 185ſome Nations, ſhaving hath beene a marke of Honour,Aul Gel l. 3. c. 4. Servus es & comam babes. All the Romane Emperours were ſhaved, till Nero. And it was an ancient Proverbe, Thou art a ſlave for thou weareſt lockes or long haire.

There is an Objection that may be made concerning this act of Job, (becauſe afterward it is ſaid, that in all this Job ſinned not) whether or not Job might ſhave his head without ſinne? for you have an expreſſe rule to the contrary, Levit. 19.27. cap. 21.5. You ſhall not round the corners of your heads, neither ſhalt thou marre the corners of thy beard, and ſo you have it againe in Deut. 14.1. that they ſhould not cut their haire or make any baldneſſe upon their heads for the dead, namely by ſhaving or cutting off the haire. How is it therefore here that Job ſhaved himſelfe for the death of his children, and in regard of thoſe great troubles that were upon him?

I anſwer briefly for that, firſt, Job lived (as we have cleared when we ſpake of the booke in generall) before that Law was given, which did prohibit the cutting of the haire in that manner.

Secondly, It appeares in thoſe places, where thoſe Lawes are ſet downe, that the Lord did forbid only conformity to the Heathen; they muſt not ſhave or cut themſelves, as the Heathen did:Ʋovebant cincinnos in honorem daemonum. Heſych. who cut their heads round like a halfe globe (as it is obſerved concerning them) and were wont to dedicate their lockes to their Idoll-gods. That vain faſhion and groſſe ſuperſtition were the things forbidden in that Law of Moſes.

Thirdly, Though the Jewes were forbidden to ſhave their heads, as mourning for the death of their friends;Et ſi calvitium induci pro mortuo interdictum eſt in lege, tamen certum eſt in ſanct a reſipiſcentia calvitium probari at que imperari Iun. in Iſa. 22.12.Isa 22:12 yet (in the judgment of learned Junius) the ſhaving of their heads was not only permitted, but commanded in caſe of mourning for ſinne, or in times of ſolemne repentance and humiliation. He inſtanceth in two places before mentioned. Firſt, the Prophet Iſaiah reproving the unſeaſonable mirth and deſperate ſecurity of the Jewes in a time of publike trouble and treading downe, tells them, In that day did the Lord God of Hoaſts call to weeping and to mourning, and to baldneſſe, and to girding with ſack-cloth, Iſa. 22.12. Secondly, There is councell given anſwerable to that reproofe by the Prophet Micah cap. 1.16. Make thee bald, and pole thee for thy delicate children, enlarge thy baldneſſe as the Eagle, for they are gone into captivity from thee.

p. 186We will obſerve ſomething from theſe two actions, the renting of his garments and the ſhaving of his head. Theſe referre to the expreſſion of his ſorrow for thoſe loſſes in eſtate and the death of his children: As the other two actions, his falling upon the ground and worſhipping referre to the expreſſion of that homage and honour that he tendered up to God in the middeſt of theſe ſorrowes. From thoſe two acts of ſorrow learne we,

Firſt, That when the hand of God is upon us, it becommeth us to be ſenſible of it, and to be humbled under it. Job hearing theſe ſad relations doth not ſtand out ſtoutly, as if nothing had touch'd him: but to ſhew that ſorrow did even rent his heart, he rent his garments, to ſhew that his affliction touch'd his ſpirit, he ſhav'd his head. There are two extreames that we are carefully to avoyd in times of affliction: and the Apoſtle doth caution all the ſonnes of God againſt them both in one verſe, Heb. 12.5. My ſonne despiſe not thou the chaſtening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. Thoſe are the two extreames, despiſing and fainting when God doth correct. He would not have us deſpiſe his chaſtning, to ſay, I doe not regard this, let God take all if he will: If my eſtate muſt goe, let it goe; if my children die, let them die, this is a despiſing of the chaſtening of the Lord, and God cannot beare it, that we ſhould beare it thus lightly. There is another extreame, that is, fainting; If when goods are taken away, the heart be taken away, and when children die, then the ſpirit of the Parent dies too, this is fainting. Take heed of theſe two extreames. Job walkes in the middle, in the golden meane betweene them both. He doth not careleſly deſpiſe, neither doth he unbeleevingly faint: he riſeth up and he rents his garments. He would have it knowne that he fainted not under the ſtroake, and he would have it knowne, that he felt the ſtroake, he was not like a ſtocke or a ſtone; he would not carry it with a ſtoicall apathy, but with Chriſtian fortitude and magnanimity. Senceleſſe ones are taxed, Jerem. 5.3. Thou haſt ſtriken them, and they have not grieved. Such are compared by Solomon to him that lyes downe in the midſt of the Sea, or as he that lyeth upon the top of a maſt, ſecure and careleſſe in the greateſt dangers. They have ſtricken me ſhalt thou ſay, and I was not ſicke, they have beaten me and I felt it not, Prov. 23.34, 35. The Prophet Hoſea reproves the like. Strangers (ſaith he) have devoured his ſtrength and he knoweth it not, yea gray haires are here and there upon him and he knoweth p. 187it not, ca. 7.9. That is, he is in an afflicted, in a declining condition, and yet he layeth it not to heart. A man may out of the greatneſſe of his ſpirit (but not out of the careleſneſſe of his ſpirit) ſay as Luther once did, when things went very ill, If the world will goe thus, let it goe thus. Otherwiſe it is a moſt unbecomming temper to be ſtricken of God, and not to tremble, at leaſt to take it to heart. When God afflicteth us, then we ſhould afflict our ſelves and be humbled: when Gods hand is upon us, our hands (in this ſence) ſhould be upon our ſelves: We muſt beare our croſſe upon our backs, we muſt not make a fire of it to warme our hands. Indeed the Apoſtle exhorts to rejoyce in tribulation, and it is an excellent thing to rejoyce in tribulation, but we muſt not ſleight, much leſſe make a ſport of tribulation. Rejoycing ariſeth from a holy ſatisfaction that the ſoule hath in the dealings of God with us. But ſleighting ariſeth from an unholy contempt, or at the beſt from a ſtupid inſenſibleneſſe of Gods dealings with us. The former hath in it the height of wickedneſſe, and the latter hath not the leaſt degree of goodneſſe, It is no vertue to beare what we doe not feele.

Secondly, obſerve

That in times of affliction we may expreſſe our ſorrowes by outward gestures, by ſorrowfull geſtures. Iob was not only ſorrowfull, but he acts ſorrow, he puts himſelfe into mourning poſtures, he rents his garments, he ſhav's his head, downe he falleth upon the ground. It is no hypocriſie to appeare what we are: it is hypocriſie to appeare what we are not. We uſe to ſay, he mourneth truly that mourneth without a garment, but if a man mourne in truth, a mourning garment is comely. To mourn in our cloathes and laugh in our ſleeves, is both ſinfull and baſe. Now Iob mourned indeed, the ſhaving his head and renting his garment, was but to keepe an outward correſpondence with what he was within. Therefore take heed of cenſuring thoſe who in great ſorrowes uſe ſorrowfull geſtures, ſtriking upon their breaſts, tearing their haire or the like. Only let all take heed of exceſſive and immoderate mourning; mourne not like Rachell, who would receive no comfort, mourne not like the Heathen who had no hope. To be above paſſions will be our happineſſe in Heaven, to rectifie paſſions is much of our happineſſe on earth▪ To be without naturall affections, is to fall below a man: to ſteere and mannage them is one of the heights of a Chriſtian.

p. 188Thirdly, We ſhewed that this renting of his garments might have reference to his Repentance: whence note,

That when God afflicteth us with ſufferings, we ought to afflict our ſelves to humble our ſoules for ſinne. Smarting times are good repenting times, and worldly ſorrow ſhould get the company of godly ſorrow. It is not ſafe to be alone with worldly ſorrow, that workes death; but if we mingle a few teares for ſinne, and our unkindneſſe to Chriſt, with thoſe teares; then they will refreſh us. We get by loſſes in our outward eſtate, when they lead us to looke to the loſſes and repaire the breaches of our ſpirituall eſtates; no queſtion but Iob at this time fell a ſearching of his heart and a trying of his wayes, renewing his repentance and aſſuring of his peace with God. When afflictions cauſe us to returne thus into our owne breaſts, they have then a ſweet influence, a bleſſed operation upon us.

Laſtly, Obſerve,

That thoughts of blasphemy againſt God ſhould be caſt off and rejected with the higheſt indignation. Iob rent his garments, when Satan ſolicites Iob to rent the name of God with reproach and curſings. Thoughts diſhonouring God muſt needs be vexing to every good heart. Nothing touches a godly man, like that which touches God. When the glory of his God is engaged and concern'd, he cannot contain. So much for thoſe two acts, he rent his garments and he ſhaved his head.

The two other acts are, 1. He falleth upon the ground.

2. He worſhippeth. The Originall words doe both ſignifie a bowing to the ground; He fell upon the ground and bowed, ſo ſome tranſlate it, you ſhall ſee the reaſon by and by. He fell upon the ground and worſhipped, that is, He fell upon the ground to worſhip. To fall upon the ground is a geſture of worſhip, and not only is it a poſture of worſhip, when the worſhipper mournes, but it is likewiſe a poſture of worſhip, when the worſhipper rejoyceth. Great joy as well as great ſorrow tranſports a man in his next actions. It is ſaid, Mat. 2.10, 11. that the wiſe men when they found Chriſt, rejoyced with exceeding great joy, and preſently, they fell downe and worſhipped him. Neither is this poſture peculiar to worſhip in times or upon occaſions of extraordinary joy and ſorrow (unleſſe in the degree of it) for the ordinary invitation was, O come let us worſhip and bow downe, let us kneele before the Lord our maker, Pſa. 95.6. I ſaid in the degree, for to fall downe is more then to p. 189bow down. Falling down in worſhip proceeds not only from ſorrow, but from joy, when the heart is filled with joy, then we fall downe and worſhip. And it is probably **Bolduc in loc.obſerved that the ancient Prophets and holy men, the ſervants of God were called Nephalim (from Naphal, which is the Originall word of the Text) Cadentes or Prostrantes, that is, prostrates or fallers, becauſe in their worſhip they uſually fell downe upon the earth to humble themſelves before God. And becauſe adoration was ſo commonly made by falling to the ground, by bowing the head, by bowing the knee, by bowing the whole body, therefore the ſame Originall word which the Hebrewes uſe for worſhipping doth properly ſignifie to bow downe the body. And that phraſe to bow the body, as it is often joyned with worſhipping; ſo ſometime to bow the body, put alone, doth ſignifie to worſhip, 2 King. 5.18.foreign à radice foreign When I bow my ſelfe in the houſe of Rimmon, ſcil. When I worſhip, &c. So likewiſe the Greeke word to worſhip hath the ſame ſenſe in it,foreign. Quod eſt more catellorum ad pedes alicujus, tanquam Domini totum ſeſe proſternere ſubjectionis gratia. Zanch. for that word ſignifies (as a learned Writer obſerves upon it) to bow after the manner of doggs that crouch at the feet of their Maſters for favour, or for feare. So in worſhip the people of God crouch downe and abaſe themſelves at Gods feet, as not worthy in themſelves to eat the crumbes under his Table.

Yet we are not to looke upon this, as if it were the only true and acceptable worſhip-geſture; for we ſhall find in Scripture that there were other worſhip-geſtures with which God was well pleaſed. Some have worſhip'd God ſtanding, ſome ſitting, ſome walking, all theſe are worſhip-poſtures. For ſtanding we find it, 1 King. 8.22. at the Dedication of the Temple, Solomon ſtood before the Altar of the Lord, and made that prayer. For ſitting we have 2 Sam. 2.18. When Nathan brought that meſſage unto David concerning the building of the houſe of God, that it ſhould be deferred till his ſonnes time, the Text ſaith, That David went in and ſate before the Lord and ſaid, who am I O Lord? And in the end he ſaith, Therefore have I found in my heart to pray this prayer unto thee. We alſo find walking in prayer, Gen. 24.63. Iſaac went out into the field to pray. He walked and pray'd, we tranſlate it to meditate, but in the margin of your bookes,foreign you find it to pray, as being nearer the Hebrew. So that walking and ſitting and ſtanding are likewiſe praying geſtures or poſtures of holy worſhip: But chiefly that poſture of bowing downe the body or bending the knee is the worſhip poſture; ſo it followes in the Text.

p. 190He fell upon the ground and worſhipped.

And worſhipped.] To vvorſhip is to give to any one the honour due unto him: So the rendering unto God that love, that feare, that ſervice, that honour vvhichwhich is due unto him is the worſhipping of God, that's the Scripture definition, Pſal. 29.2. Give unto the Lord the honour due unto his name; then followes by vvay of expoſition, Worſhip the Lord in the beauty of holineſſe, that is, in his holy Temple, in his beautifull Sanctuary, or in the comely honour of his Sanctuary. So that worſhip is the tendering of honour to the Lord, in a vvay honourable to him, namely according to his own vvill and Lawes of vvorſhip: vvhichwhich is intimated by comming to worſhip him in his beautifull Sanctuary, where all things about the ſervice of God vvere exactly preſcribed by God. And then there was beauty or comely honour in the Sanctuary, vvhen all things vvere ordered there by the rule of his preſcription; varying and departing from vvhichwhich vvould have filled that holy place vvith darkneſſe and deformity, notwithſtanding all the outward luſtre and beauty had bin preſerved.

The worſhip of God is two-fold, there is internall worſhip and there is externall worſhip. Internall worſhip is to love God, to feare God, and to truſt upon him, theſe are acts of inward worſhip, theſe are the ſumme of our duty and Gods honour contained in the firſt Commandement: And ſo you may underſtand vvorſhip in the Text. Iob fell downe and worſhipped, that is, preſently upon thoſe reports hee put forth an act of love and holy feare, acts of dependance and holy truſt upon God, in his Spirit, ſaying to this effect within himſelfe. Lord though all this be come upon me, yet I will not depart from thee, or deale falſly in thy Covenant. I know thou art ſtill the ſame Jehovah, true, holy, gracious, faithfull, All-ſufficient; and therefore behold me proſtrate before thee, and reſolving, ſtill to love thee, ſtill to feare thee, ſtill to truſt thee, thou art my God ſtill and my portion for ever. Though I had nothing left in the world that I could call mine, yet thou Lord alone art enough, yet thou alone art All. Such doubtleſſe vvas the language of Iobs heart, and theſe were mighty actings of inward worſhip.

Then likewiſe there is externall worſhip, which is the ſumme of the ſecond Commandement, and it is nothing elſe but the ſerving of the Lord according to his owne Ordinances and inſtitution, in p. 191thoſe ſeverall wayes wherein God will be honoured and ſerved, this is outward vvorſhip, and as we apply our ſelves unto them, ſo we are reckon'd to worſhip God. Job worſhipped God outwardly by falling to the ground, by powring out ſupplications, and by speaking good words of God (as we reade afterward) words tending to his owne abaſement and the honour of God, clearely and fully acquitting and juſtifying the Lord in all thoſe works of his providence and diſpenſations towards him.

This is worſhip both internall and externall. Internall worſhip is the chiefe, but God requireth both: and there is a neceſſity of joyning both together, that God may have honour in the world. Internall worſhip is compleat in it ſelfe, and pleaſing unto God without the externall: The externall may be compleat in it ſelfe, but is never pleaſing to God without the internall. Internall worſhip pleaſes God moſt, but externall honours God moſt: for by this God is knowne, and his glory held forth in the world. Externall worſhip is Gods name. Hence the Temple was called the place where God put his Name, ſc. his worſhip, by which God is knowne, as a man by his name, They that worſhip God muſt worſhip him in Sprit and in Truth: In Spirit, that is with inward love and feare, reverence and ſincerity. In Truth, that is, according to the true rule preſcribed in his word. Spirit reſpects the inward power, Truth the outward forme. The former ſtrikes at hypocriſie, the latter ſtrikes at Idolatry. The one oppoſes the inventions of our heads, the other the looſeneſſe of our hearts in worſhip.

Obſerve further, that it is only ſaid, Job fell downe and worſhipped, nothing is ſaid of the object to whom he did direct his worſhip, or whom he did worſhip. The object is not expreſt but underſtood, or preſuppoſed; And indeed worſhip is a thing ſo proper and peculiar to God, that when we name worſhip, we muſt needs underſtand God. For nothing but God, or that which we make a god is or can be worſhipped. Either he is God whom we worſhip, or (as much as in us lies) we make him one. What creature ſo ever ſhares in this honour, this honour (ipſo facto) ſets it up above, and makes it more then a creature.

The very Heathens thought every thing below a God, below worſhip: therefore there needed not an expreſſion of the object; when the Text ſaith, Job worſhipped, that implyes his worſhip was directed unto God, yet there is a kind of worſhip which is due to creatures.

p. 192There is a civill worſhip mentioned in Scripture, as well as divine worſhip. Civill worſhip may be given to men. And there is a two-fold civill worſhip (ſpoken of in Scripture) There is a civill worſhip of duty, and there is a civill worſhip of courteſie. That of duty is from inferiours to their ſuperiours, from children to their Parents, from ſervants to their Maſters, from Subjects to Kings and Magiſtrates. Theſe gods muſt have civill worſhip. As Gen. 48.11. vvhen Joſeph came into the preſence of Jacob his father, he bowed downe to the ground; this vvas a civill vvorſhip, and a vvorſhip of duty from an inferiour to a ſuperiour. And it is ſaid of the brethren of Judah, Gen. 49.8. when Jacob on his death-bed bleſſed the 12. Tribes, Thy brethren ſhall worſhip thee or bow downe to thee. It is the ſame vvord uſed here in this Text. Judahs honour vvas to vvield the Scepter, the government was laid upon his ſhoulders; now he being the chiefe Magiſtrate, all the reſt of the Tribes, all his brethren muſt vvorſhip him or give civill honour unto him.

Secondly, There is likewiſe a worſhip of courteſie, vvhichwhich is from equals, when one equall vvill bow to another, or vvhen a ſuperiour (as ſometimes in courteſie he vvill) bowes downe or vvorſhips his inferiour: As it is noted concerning Abraham, that vvhen he came before the men of the Country of Heth, he bowed himſelfe;Gen. 23.12.Gen 23:12 Now Abraham vvas the Superiour, he vvas a Prince and a Great-man, yet comming before the men of the Country, he bowed himſelfe, and it is the ſame vvord.

So then this civill vvorſhip may lawfully be given unto men. But as for divine vvorſhip that is proper and peculiar unto God, that glory he vvill not give to graven Images, man or Angell, and therfore we muſt not. Hence vve find that vvhen Cornelius and John did act their civill vvorſhip a little too farre, they vvere preſently taken oft for they ſhould intrench upon the divine vvorſhip. Civill vvorſhip vvhen it is exceſſive and goeth too farre is ſinfull; As in Act. 10.25. Luke relates that as ſoone as Peter came in, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet and worſhipped him; the vvorſhip vvas to Peter, for vve are not to thinke that Cornelius vvas ſo groſſely ignorant as to take Peter for a god, and to give him divine vvorſhip; but the meaning of it is, that he fell downe at his feet and gave him an honour and reſpect beyond vvhat he ought to have done, he vvas exceſſive in it: therefore Peter takes him off, Stand up (ſaith he) I my ſelfe alſo am a man, I am a man as thou p. 193art, though an Apoſtle give me ſuch reſpect as becommeth a Miniſter of Chriſt, take heed that you give me no more than belongeth to a man. So the Angell, Revel. 22.8. When John falleth downe at his feet and worſhippeth, he takes him up, See thou doe it not, ſaith he, for I am thy fellow ſervant: This is too much for man, worſhip God, as it is in the end of the verſe; ſuch worſhip belongeth properly and peculiarly unto God.

So much for the opening of theſe two latter actions of Job in reference unto God. We ſhall now give you ſome Obſervations.Impendit liberis & ſervis luctum, Deo proſtrationem & adorationem. Pined. in loc. He fell downe upon the ground and worſhipped. You ſee how Job divides himſelfe and his affections in this time of his affliction, part he beſtowed upon his children and ſervants, and loſſes, they ſhall have his ſorrow and teares, He rent his mantle and ſhaved his head, but they ſhall not have all: God ſhall have the better part, his love, his feare, his truſt, his body to bow to him, and his ſoule to worſhip him.

Learne from hence, That a godly man will not let nature worke alone, he mixes and tempers acts of grace with acts of nature.

We muſt not ſorrow as thoſe that are without hope (ſaith the Apoſtle) qualifie ſorrow with hope, theſe mixt do well. A man muſt not ſorrow for outward things, as though we had nothing els to do, but to ſorrow, he muſt remember he hath a God to worſhip and honour. Job beſtowes ſomewhat upon his children, but more upon his God; while his body fell to the earth, his heart was raiſed up to Heaven, He fell downe and worſhipped.

Secondly obſerve,

That afflictions ſend the people of God home unto God; afflictions draw a godly man nearer unto God; Then Job fell downe and worſhipped. Afflictions are a great advantage to the ſervants of God; for when the world frownes moſt, then they beg moſt for the ſmiles of God, when the world is ſtrange to them, and will not looke on them, then they get more familiarity and cloſer communion with God, they ſeeke his face. Wicked men in their afflictions, in their ſorrowes, are either quite drowned in and overwhelmed with them, ſo that there is nothing but ſorrow, as we ſay all a mort; or elſe they goe out to helpe and relieve themſelves with worldly refreſhments; trouble drives them to ſinne, it may be as low as Hell to ſeeke reliefe. The more poore they are, the more wicked they are; ſuch are not poore as Job, though they are as poore as Job. Jobs poverty ſent him to God, rich in mercy. He fell down and worſhipped.

p. 194Thirdly learne,

That the people of God turne all their afflictions into prayers or into praiſes. When God is ſtriking then Iob is praying, when God is afflicting, then Iob fals to worſhipping. Grace makes every condition worke glory to God, as God makes every condition worke good to them who have grace.

Fourthly, Job falleth downe and worſhippeth, obſerve here,

That it becommeth us to worſhip God in an humble manner. Though God (as we ſhewed before) may be worſhipped in another poſture, yet we ſhould rather chooſe that poſture which is moſt humble, and may lay our bodies as low as our ſoules, if it may be. There were ſome lately amongſt us, who cry'd aloud, as great Patrons for humble poſtures in worſhip: and all were cenſured for a ſtiffe necke and an Elephants knee, who refuſed to bow with them, or to bow their way. I may well adde their way, for Gods way of bowing was neither queſtion'd nor refuſed; all their humility in bowing went but one way, they muſt bow towards the Eaſt, and towards the Altar at leaſt, if not to it. Some of their ſtomackes I beleeve would have digeſted that before this time, eſpecially being a little help'd with a diſtinction.

Laſtly, We may here obſerve,

That divine worſhip it is Gods peculiar. Papiſts have worſhip for creatures, and they have a diſtinction for it, but no Scripture for it. They tell us of Latria, which is they ſay worſhip proper only to God, and their Dulia, which is for Saints, and then their Huper-dulia, which is for the Virgin Mary, and for the ſigne of the Croſſe. Thus they make vain diſtinctions which God and the Scripture make not. Vain diſtinctions are good enough to maintaine vaine ſuperſtitions. They that invent a worſhip, muſt invent a doctrine to maintaine it by. Some perhaps may ſtumble at that Text, Rev. 3.9. where this promiſe is made to the Church of Philadelphia, Behold I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan, which ſay they are Iewes and are not, but doe lie, behold I will make them to come and worſhip before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. May not worſhip then be given to a creature?

Anſ. This worſhip may be taken for civill worſhip, namely for that ſubmiſſion which the enemies of the Church, ſhall be forced by the power of Chriſt to make unto her, as was promiſed by the Prophet, Iſa. 60.14. The ſons alſo of them that afflicted thee, ſhall come bending unto thee, and all they that deſpiſed thee ſhall bow themſelves down at the ſ…tes of thy feet.

p. 195Anſ. 2. If this be divine worſhip, then worſhipping at the feet of the Church, notes worſhipping in the Church, not worſhipping of the Church. The worſhip is not terminated in the Church, but in Chriſt; who dwels and rules in the Church, who is both Head and husband of the Church. Theſe enemies being convinc'd of the preſence of Chriſt in his Church ſhall worſhip him. This, David prophecies of Chriſt, ſpeaking in his owne perſon, Pſalm. 18.43, 44. Thou haſt made me the head of the Heathen, a people vvhom I have not knowne ſhall ſerve me. As ſoone as they heare of me they ſhall obey me: the strangers ſhall ſubmit themſelves unto me. That of the Apoſtle will more illuſtrate this ſence, who ſpeaking of the great benefit of prophecying in a knowne tongue, concludes his Diſcourſe thus, If all prophecy and there come in one that beleeveth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all. And thus are the ſecrets of his heart made manifeſt, and ſo falling downe on his face, he vvill WORSHIP God, and report that God is in you of a truth. The worſhip then is not given to the Church, but to God, who in ſuch ordinances, or other acts of his power and goodneſſe is evidently revealed as preſent in the Church.

So much for the actions or geſtures of Iob, what he did? He rent his mantle and ſhaved his head, and fell downe upon the ground and worſhipped.

Now we come to his words, to that which Iob ſpake in the two laſt verſes.

Verſe 21.

Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, and naked ſhall I returne thither.

Verſe 22.

The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh, bleſſed be the name of the Lord.

Words are or ought to be the Interpreters of the heart, and the Comment of our actions. This ſpeech of Iob doth indeed interpret his heart and expound the meaning of his former actions. This ſpeech (I ſay) of Iob is the true Comment of his owne actions; for ſome ſeeing Iob renting his garments and ſhaving his head, and caſting himſelfe downe upon the ground, they might not know the meaning of all this, they could not reade his heart in theſe ſtrange behaviours, they might not underſtand what his intentions were, probably they might judge that he was enraged and madde, that he was diſtracted or drunke with ſorrow: that he was either p. 196deſperate or impatient, at the report of thoſe loſſes. Therfore now to confute all ſuch ſurmizes, he ſpeaks forth, the words of truth and ſobernes. And by that w^ch he ſaith, ſets ſo fair and true a gloſſe upon his actions, as might then render them, not only rationall and ingenuous, but holy and gracious in the eyes of all men, as they were before in the eyes of God, who knew his heart. Satan was now, like the ſervants of Benhadad before Ahab, 1 King. 20.23.1 Kgs 20:23watching for words, he had done his buſineſſe and now he was trying how it would worke, what the event and iſſue would be; he harken'd when ſome irreverent ſpeech ſhould come from the mouth of Iob, he looked preſently that he ſhould blaſpheme God: he could not but ſmile ſurely, when he ſaw him renting his garments and ſhaving his head and falling downe on the ground, O now it workes, I ſhall heare him blaſpheme and curſe God preſently. He that is thus diſtempered in the carriage of the other members of his body, will not ſurely be able long to rule (that unruly peace) his tongue. One undutifull or diſhonourable word caſt upon God, would have beene muſicke to Satans eare and joy to his heart. He would have catch'd it up as nimbly as the men before ſpoken of, did, brother Benhadad from the mouth of Ahab. But how blanke look'd Satan, how was he cloathed with ſhame at the fall of thoſe words from Iob, Naked came I out of, &c.

What David ſpake concerning the words of his enemies (Pſal. 55.21. Their words were ſmoother then butter, but warre was in their heart, they were ſweeter then honey and ſofter then oyle, yet were they drawne ſwords) vve may ſpeake of theſe words of Iob conſidered in reference to Satan, and in reference unto God. Theſe words of Iob in reference unto God were as ſweet as hony, as ſmooth as butter. For this breath had nothing in it, but meeknes and patience, humility and holineſſe, in all which God delights: but in reference unto Satan they were as drawne Swords, as poyſon'd arrowes, Satan was hardly ever ſo ſmitten before, as he was by theſe words of Iob. There is no word in this ſentence, but gave Satan the lye, and refuted all his ſlander. And in the cloſe Iob gives him the deepeſt ſtabbe of all, It was a dagger at the very heart of the devill, when he heard him ſay, Bleſſed be the name of the Lord. No words could be utter'd upon the longeſt ſtudy, more croſſe to Satans expectation, or more anſwerable to the former teſtimony of God; and therefore the Lord crownes all, both his actions and his ſpeeches with a new teſtimony, In all this Job ſinned not p. 197nor charged God fooliſhly.

So much of Jobs words in generall, I ſhall now examine them diſtinctly in the parts.

Some conceive that Job at that time ſpake out his mind more largely,Beza. in loc. but that the Holy Ghoſt in the penning of this Story did gather and ſumme up the ſtrength of all his ſpeech into theſe two concluſions.

Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, and naked ſhall I returne thither.

The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh, bleſſed be the Name of the Lord.

We will conſider the words a little firſt in the Grammaticall ſenſe of them, and then we will conſider the reaſon of them: For here they are uſed logically as a ſtrong and mighty argument, both for the ſupporting of his owne ſpirit under thoſe afflictions, and for the juſtifying and acquitting God in ſo afflicting him.

Naked came I out of my Mothers wombe, &c.

Naked.] There is a two-fold nakedneſſe, there is an internall nakedneſſe, and there is an externall nakedneſſe: There is a nakedneſſe of the ſoule as well as of the body. The nakedneſſe of the ſoule is, when it is deveſted of all it's gracious ornaments and endowments. When Job ſaith, Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, and naked ſhall I returne thither, it referreth eſpecially to the nakedneſſe of the body; for though it be a truth that Job came naked into the world in regard of his ſoule, yet he knew he ſhould not goe naked out of the world, in regard of his ſoule. Seeing then he referreth nakedneſſe to his going out of the world as well as to his comming in, therefore it cannot be here meant of an inward nakedneſſe, his ſoule came naked in, but he knew his ſoule ſhould go out cloathed. Neither can it be meant of a then preſent ſpirituall nakedneſſe; for Job was never ſo richly and gorgeouſly attired in his ſoule, never appeared in ſuch glorious ornaments of grace, as when he was ſtript of all worldly comforts. Therfore the nakedneſſe here is bodily nakedneſſe, that which Moſes ſpeaks of Gen. 2.25. deſcribing our firſt Parents, They were both naked, ſaith he, the man and his wife, and they were not aſhamed. Yet that nakedneſſe and this which Job ſpeakes of (though they were p. 198both bodily and externall) were very different and unlike: for that nakedneſſe of Creation needed no covering, nakedneſſe was then an ornament. Man was richly attired when he had no garments. The nakedneſſe of creation was the abſence of cloathing, or a not uſing of cloathes, it was not the want of cloathing. But the nakedneſſe Job ſpeaks of, is the nakednes after the fall properly, where nakedneſſe importeth not only a not having of cloaths, but want of cloathing; and ſo nakedneſſe is a part of that curſe and puniſhment which followed ſin. Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, that is, I came into the world in a ſad and miſerable condition, weake and poore: And ſo nakedneſſe is put not ſtrictly as oppoſed onelyonly to cloathing, but we may take it more largely for the want of all outward comforts whatſoever, I came a poore deſtitute creature into the world, I had not onelyonly no cloathing upon my backe, but I had no comfort for my body, I brought neither Sheepe nor Oxen, nor children nor ſervants into the world with me, I had none of theſe things, nothing to helpe me of my owne, when I firſt ſet footing into the world.Natura noverca unum hominem animantium cunctorum, alienis velat opibus. Caeteris variè tegumenta tribuit teſtas, cortices, coria, spinas, villos, ſetas, pilos, plumam▪ pennas, ſquammas, vellera; truncos etiam arboris cortice interdum gemino à frigoribus & calore tutata eſt, hominem tantum nudum, & in nuda humo natali die abjecit. Plin. Nat. Hiſt l 7. in the Preface. foreign

Some Naturaliſts conſidering this kind of nakedneſſe, have fallen out into great complaints againſt nature, or indeed rather againſt the God of nature, as Pliny in the Preface to his 7^th booke of his naturall Hiſtory, doth as it were chide with nature for turning man into the world in ſuch a helpeleſſe forlorne condition, as if man were dealt with more hardly then any other creature, then any beaſts of the field or foules of the aire. Other creatures ſaith he come into the world with haire, or fleeces or briſtles, or ſcales or feathers, or wings, or ſhels, &c. to defend and cover them, but nature caſts man naked upon the naked ground. This he ſpake, not conſidering that nakedneſſe was once no trouble, but rather an honour and an ornament, and this he ſpake not knowing whence or how that kind of troubleſome nak…neſſe came into the world: And this he ſpake, not obſerving as he might, how many wayes God hath provided for the helpe and ſupply of that nakedneſſe; giving man underſtanding and reaſon in ſtead of weapons and cloathes, which alſo are a meanes for the procuring of all things neceſſary for the ſupporting of that naked and weake periſhing condition.

Naked ſhall I returne thither.

The difficulty that is in this lyeth onelyonly in that word Thither; p. 199the doubt is, what place he meanes or whither? What into my mothers wombe? There is no ſuch returne, as Nicodemus ſaid,Ioh. 3.John 3 Shall a man that is old goe into his mothers wombe and be borne againe? Some anſwer it thus, The Adverbe [thither] doth not neceſſarily referre to the literall antecedent; but in Scripture ſometimes Relatives referre to ſomewhat in the mind or in the thought of the ſpeaker, and not to that which was before ſpoken by him; as that of Mary ſheweth, Joh. 20.15. when ſhe commeth into the garden and findes that Chriſt was riſen, ſhe meeteth Chriſt and ſuppoſing him to be the Gardiner, ſaith unto him, Sir if you have borne him hence, Him, what him? There was no antecedent mentioned to which Him ſhould relate, only Maries mind was ſo full of Chriſt, that ſhe thought every one would underſtand, what him, or whom ſhe ſpake of: as if none could ſpeake of or thinke any thing but of Chriſt only. Therefore ſhe made the relation to that which was in her owne ſpirit, and not to what was formerly expreſt. So ſome Interpreters make the [thither] to be God or the grave, I ſhall returne unto God, or I ſhall return to the grave, to the houſe of the grave, as the Chaldee paraphraſe hath it. For they ſuppoſe Job had his mind full of thoſe thoughts, therfore he may make a relation to that.

Another conſideration for the clearing of it is this, that ſuch Adverbes of place as this is, doe not only ſignifie place,Quod dicitur nudus revertar illuc, intelligitur in illum ſtatum quem habuit in utero matris. Aquin. in loc. but a ſtate or a condition, wherein any one is, or to which any thing or perſon is brought; as it is ordinary in our ſpeech to ſay, hitherto I have brought the matter, that is, to this state or to this condition; So when Job ſaith, Naked ſhall I returne thither, that is, I ſhall returne to ſuch a condition or to ſuch an eſtate, as I was naked before, ſo I ſhall returne to a ſtate of nakednes againe.

But thirdly, that which may more clearely carry it,Ne que novum eſt ut nomen proprium cum figurato eodem filo at que eadem oratione conjū gatur. Sanct. Magna parens terra eſt. Ovid. the thither which Job here ſpeakes of may be underſtood of the earth or the grave, Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, and naked ſhall I returne thither, to the wombe of the earth which is the grave: and ſo there may be in the latter a reference unto the former, taking the one properly & the other improperly, taking the earth for his mothers wombe in an improper ſenſe, ſc. the earth which is the common parent from whence we all came, and to which we all returne; the earth ſhall receive and take in all mankind again, when man dyes the earth opens her bowels and receiveth him in, and which makes her once more a mother, the earth at laſt being, as it p. 200were, with-child, or rather bigg with children, ſhall travell in paine, and groaning to be delivered, ſhall by the mighty power of God bring forth man-kind againe. There ſhall be a mighty birth from the wombe of the earth at the laſt day. In Scripture the reſurrection is called a birth, in the day of the reſurrection man-kind is a new begotten by God, and man-kind is a new-borne, that cleares it, Pſal. 2.7. Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee, which words are applyed by Paul, Act. 13.33. to the reſurrection of Chriſt. God hath fulfilled the promiſe made unto the Fathers, unto us their children, in that he hath raiſed up Jeſus againe, as it is alſo written in the ſecond Pſalme, Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee. And as Chriſt ſo all men, but eſpecially all Chriſtians ſhall be againe begotten by the power of God, and borne from the wombe of the earth in the day of their reſurrection.

So much for the underſtanding of theſe words, Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked ſhall I returne thither.

I ſhall collect ſome Obſervations from them two wayes. Firſt as they containe a generall truth. 2. As they are an argument or a reaſon for the ſupport of a man in ſuch a ſad condition as Job was then reduced unto. In the former way obſerve,

Firſt, That every man is borne a poore, helpeleſſe, naked creature. The ſoule is naked of all that is good, there is not a rag of grace upon it, when we come into the world. Our bodies are naked too, ſo that we are borne with nothing upon us, but only an ugly dreſſe of ſinne, ſuch as may juſtly make God loath us, and us a terrour to our ſelves. Naked came I into the world; this one thought well taken in and fully digeſted, will lay pride in the duſt; this thought that we were borne thus naked, will ſtrip us of all high and proud thoughts of our ſelves.

Secondly, Naked ſhall I returne. Note,

When death commeth it ſhakes us out of all our worldly comforts and poſſeſſions. Death is called an uncloathing, 2 Cor. 5.4. We that are in this Tabernacle doe groane, being burdened, not for that we would be uncloathed, that is, not that we would die. Death is called an uncloathing, becauſe it pulleth all outward things off from a man, it pulleth off all his raiment, his riches, his lands, his honours, yea death uncloathes the very bones, our fleſh weares off quickely in the grave. Wee have a uſuall phraſe among p. 201us, and it is a very proper one: when a rich man dies (we ſay) he left a great eſtate, he leaves it indeed, for he cannot carry it with him, he muſt goe out naked, how well cloathed ſo ever he was while he was here. The Apoſtle doth more then intimate, that ſome rich men do ſcarce beleeve this for ſound doctrine; he ſpeaks as if he would beat them off from ſome thought of carrying the world with them out of the world; while they live they are buried in their riches, and when they die, they hope their riches will be buried with them, yea and riſe with them againe. Such a conceit (I ſay) the Apoſtle ſeemes to meet with, for in the 1 Tim. 6.7. having ſaid, We brought nothing with us into this world, he addeth in the next words, and it is certaine we can carry nothing out; he doth not ſay, we brought nothing into the world, and we can carry nothing out, as Job here ſpeakes, but as if Jobs aſſertion had come into queſtion in Pauls time, he ſaith, we brought nothing into this world, and it is certaine, never doubt of the truth of it, we can carry nothing out, we ſhall goe out as we came-in. Many, as the Prophet Habbakkuk ſpeakes, Chap. 2.6. lade themſelves with thick clay. But as the queſtion there followes. How long? This lading muſt be laid downe againe. If riches end not before thee, as thine, they muſt end with thee. Yet if any would carry riches and cloathing out of the world, it will be their wiſdome to labour for ſpirituall riches, for ſpirituall cloathing, when ſuch die, as they ſhall not be found naked, ſo they ſhall not goe out naked: All your other cloathing and riches muſt be left on this ſide the grave, but get ſpirituall cloathing and riches, and you ſhall goe out of the world adorn'd and enrich'd for ever, the cloathing of grace, the robe of righteouſneſſe, a veſture of ſpirituall ornaments will endure to all eternity.

Thirdly note here further, how the Holy Ghoſt deſcribes the life of man, Naked came I into the world, and naked ſhall I returne.

The life of man it is nothing elſe but a comming and a returning; Here is nothing ſaid of ſtaying or abiding; We have here no continuing City, while we are here, we can hardly be ſaid to continue here, and after a few dayes we ſhall not be here at all. It is but a comming and a going, it is but a flood and an ebbe, and then we are carried into the Ocean of eternity.

We may yet conſider the words as they are an argument (and ſo I ſhall note two things from them.) So Job uſes them as an p. 202argument both to ſupport himſelfe and to acquit God. Then obſerve.

Firſt, That a godly man in his ſtraights ſtudieth arguments to acquit and juſtifie God in all his dealings with him. Job could not have found out upon longeſt ſtudy a better or a ſtronger argument for the acquitting of God then this is, I have as much as I brought, then what wrong is done me in all this. As wicked men when they fall into ſtraits or troubles, eſpecially when they fall into ſin, ſtudy arguments how to ſhift themſelves out and lay all the blame upon God; as Adam and Eve our firſt Parents in Paradiſe (there it began) when they had ſinned and were naked, they began to deviſe ſhifts how to put it from themſelves and to faſten the fault upon God. David on the other ſide labours as much to cleare God, if ever he ſhould be ſtript naked, Pſa. 51.4. I will confeſſe my ſinne, that thou mayeſt be juſtified when thou speakest and cleare when thou judgeſt. Weigh the reaſon why David confeſſeth his ſinne in that Pſalme, I doe it ſaith he, that I may by this meanes acquit God, whatſoever God ſhall doe with me hereafter, whatſoever affliction God ſhall bring upon me; men it may be will begin to judge G…d for it, and to ſay that he hath dealt hardly with me, notice having been taken, what an eminent ſervant of God I have been, Behold, ſaith he, I confeſſe my ſinne before thee that thou maiſt be cleare when thou judgeſt, or as the Apoſtle Paul quotes the place, according to the Septuagint, Rom. 3.4. That thou mightest overcome when thou art judged. David knew men would be apt to judge God, if they ſaw him afflicted, and therefore to ſtop their mouthes, or to give God the day againſt them, he confeſſes his ſin, thereby ſhewing cauſe why God might chaſtiſe him, either for correction of ſin paſt, or prevention of ſin to come.

Secondly, As the argument referreth unto Job himſelfe, we may obſerve this,

That the conſideration of what we once were, and of what at laſt we muſt be, may releeve our spirits in the greateſt outward afflictions of this life. Art thou for the preſent in a naked condition? Conſider thou waſt naked once, and ere long ſhalt be naked againe: Conſider the two extreames, the beginning and the ending, and that will beare thee up in the middle condition. There is many a man that complaines and ſaith, I have nothing but the cloathes upon my backe left me, and they are but raggs, but meane p. 203ones neither: Why! With nothing but the cloathes upon thy backe? Know O man thou waſt borne with nothing but thy skin upon thy backe. Conſider this, and leave complaining; this was one thought which helped Job to beare this burden, the want of all. And the Apoſtle Paul uſeth this argument to the very ſame purpoſe, 1 Tim. 6.6. having ſaid, That godlineſſe with contentment is great gaine, he ſubjoynes preſently this argument of Job, for ſaith he, we brought nothing into this world, and it is certaine we ſhall carry nothing out; To conſider what (not long agoe) we were, and what very ſhortly we muſt be, will mightily work the ſoule to contentation in what eſtate ſoever wee are. It followes.

The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away.

This is the ſecond argument which Job uſeth to both the former purpoſes; and it is a more ſpirituall and ſublime argument than the former. A man who hath nothing in him but nature, may ſay as much as Job did before, though he could never ſay it with Jobs ſpirit; for though godly perſons uſe naturall arguments and common reaſons, yet being concocted in their ſpirits, they become heavenly and ſpirituall. Naturall men (I ſay) or Heathens have taken up ſuch an argument as that,Scio me mortatem genuiſſe. as when word was brought to a Heathen Philoſopher, that his ſonne was dead, I knew (ſaith he) that I begot a ſonne mortall, and ſubject to death; he did but look backe to the common condition of man and ſupported himſelfe. But now I ſay this ſecond argument is higher, it is not an argument bottomed upon the frailty of nature, but upon the ſoveraignty of God; This argument is grounded upon the equity of divine providence and diſpenſations: The Lord (ſaith he) hath given and the Lord hath taken away.

The Lord hath given.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, Jam. 1.17. What gifts doth Job here meane? He meanes good and perfect gifts in their kind; but not the beſt and moſt perfect kind of gifts. The Lord once gave me thoſe Oxen, thoſe Sheepe, all theſe outward things that now I am ſtripped of, The Lord hath given; A gift is any good freely beſtowed; when we receive a thing, which another was not ingaged to beſtow, that is a gift. Now God doth not onelyonly give us thoſe tranſcendents, grace and glory, p. 204faith in Chriſt here and full fruition of Chriſt hereafter: not onelyonly are theſe gifts, I ſay, ſent in from God and undeſerved by us; but outward things, riches and honour, children and ſervants, houſes and lands, theſe are the gifts of God likewiſe; we have not the leaſt creature-comfort of our owne we have, nothing of our owne but ſinne. What haſt thou, that thou haſt not received? is a truth concerning every thing, we have even to a hoofe or a ſhoe-latchet. Wee are indebted unto God for our ſpiritualls, for our temporals, for all. We muſt ſay of all, little or much, great or ſmall, The Lord hath given.

How did the Lord give Job all his riches and eſtate?

The Lord doth give either immediately or mediately. When Job ſaith, the Lord hath given, we are not to underſtand it, as if the Lord had brought ſuch a preſent to him and ſaid, here take this eſtate, take theſe cattell, theſe ſervants; but God gave them mediately by bleſſing the labours of Job. So when the Lord proſpereth us in our honeſt endeavours and labours and callings, then the Lord giveth us outward things.

The Lord hath given. Job doth not ſay, by my ſtrength and diligence, by my policy and pradence, I have got this eſtate; as the Aſſyrian ſaid, Iſa. 10.13. by the ſtrength of my hand have I done this, and by my wiſdome, for I am prudent. Iob takes no notice of himſelf, he was not idle, yet he ſpeaks as if he had done nothing, the Lord hath given.

This ſhould teach us in the firſt place to acknowledge the Lord as the fountain and donor of all our outward comforts. When you get wealth, doe not ſay, this I have gotten (ſuch language is barbarous in divinity) but ſay, this the Lord hath given. Wee find an expreſſe caution to this purpoſe, given by Moſes from God, not onelyonly againſt the former language of the tongue, but of the heart, When the Jewes ſhould come to Canaan and ſhould grow rich and great there. When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou ſhalt bleſſe the Lord. Deut. 8.10, 11.17.18.Deut 8:10Deut 8:11Deut 8:17Deut 8:18Beware thou forget not the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee, and ſay in thy heart, my power and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth, but thou ſhalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is hee that giveth thee power to get wealth: It is he that giveth thee power. Many who are perſwaded that God gives them grace, that God gives Heaven and Salvation, are hardly perſwaded, or at leaſt doe not ſo well conſider it, that God gives riches, &c. their p. 205their hearts are yet ready to ſay, that they have gotten this wealth, they have gotten this honour. It is a ſweet thing, when a man lookes upward for theſe lower things, and can ſay on good grounds that his earth hath dropt down to him from Heaven. The Lord hath given.

Further, when Job ſaith, the Lord hath given, it is an argument of his owne juſtice and equity in getting; Job did not enrich himſelfe by wrong, by grinding the faces of the poore. If he had done ſo, he could not have ſaid, the Lord hath given. So much as we get honestly, we may looke upon as a fruit of Gods bounty. Looke into your eſtates and whatſoever you have got by wrong dealing, take heed of ſaying, this is of Gods giving, for ſo you make God himſelfe a partner in your ſinnes. God ſometime gives when we uſe no meanes, but he never gives, when we uſe unlawfull meanes. What God ſaid concerning the ſetting-up of thoſe Kings, Hoſ. 8.4. They have ſet-up Kings, but not by me, he ſaith of all, who enrich themſelves by wrong, they have gotten riches but not by me. When men leave the rule of juſtice, God leaves them. And though unlawfull acts are under the influence of his bleſſing. Wicked men thrive often, but they are never bleſſed; their prosperity is their curſe.

Thirdly, it is obſervable, that when Job would ſupport himſelfe in the loſſe of his eſtate, he cals to mind how he came by his eſtate; and finding it all given in by the bleſſing of God upon his honeſt labours and endeavours, he is ſatisfied. Note,

That what we get honeſtly, that we can part with contentedly. He that hath got his eſtate by injuſtice, can never leave it with patience. Honeſty in getting cauſeth quietneſſe of ſpirit in looſing outward things. Keepe a good conſcience in getting the world, and you ſhall have peace when you cannot keepe the world. Wheras a wrong-doer and a wrong-dealer, is in ſuch a day under a double affliction, he is afflicted with his preſent loſſe, and he ought to be afflicted for his former gaine.

Fourthly, Theſe words, the Lord hath given, being rightly handled, will be as a Sword to cut-off foure monſters or monſtrous luſts, which annoy all the world, or as a medicine to cure foure diſeaſes about worldly things. Two of theſe luſts are ſtrongeſt in the rich: and the other paire aſſault the poore. The poore pine either with diſcontent, becauſe they have ſo little; or with envy, becauſe others p. 206have ſo much. The rich ſwell with pride, becauſe they have aboundance, or they are fil'd with contempt of thoſe that are in want. Let the rich ſeriouſly weigh this ſpeech, it will cure them of pride. Charge them that are rich (ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 6.17.) that they be not high-minded. You ſee how ſubject rich men are to this inflammation of pride. But with what doth he pricke this bladder? It is with this thought that God gives all riches, Let them truſt in the living God, who giveth us all things richly to enjoy. That argument of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 4.7. If thou haſt received it, why doſt thou boaſt? is as ſtrong and as true in regard of temporals, as of ſpirituals. Conſider ſeriouſly that your eſtates are the gift of God, and downe fals pride. If you come honeſtly by them, they are the gift of God: If you come diſhoneſtly by them, they are the gifts of Satan, and you ought to be aſhamed of them and reſtore them, not to boaſt or be proud of them.

Then ſecondly, it will cure the rich of all contempt of others; what the Apoſtle James obſerved and cenſured in the rich of thoſe times, is found by too much experience among the rich at this day, Yee have despiſed the poore, Chap. 2.6. Conſider it is the Lord, who gave, and he gave as a Lord freely, he might have given thine eſtate to that poore man, and have left thee in that condition, thou ſo much deſpiſeſt in thy brother. God gave him as much as his wiſdome thought fit; and it ſeemes he hath given thee more then thou art fit for. … deſpi…ing him, thou doeſt aſperſe the diſpenſation of God, and whileſt thou woundeſt him in his poverty, thou woundeſt God in his providence. Conſider it is the Lord that gives, and then be unconvinc'd, if you can, that while you contemne man in his wants, you queſtion God in his wiſdome, buſie thy ſelfe hereafter in praiſing him who gives All, and leave deſpiſing him, who hath received leſſe.

Then likewiſe let the poore looke upon this Text, and it will cure them of two diſeaſes, into which they often fall, and by which they are much endanger'd, even in the vitals of grace, diſcontent and envy. It is the Lord that giveth, that ſhapes and cuts out your condition, why then ſhould you not be contented with his allowance, and be thankfull in your lot? If your eſtates be proportioned from above, you ought to be content with your portion. Ignorance or in advertency from whom we receive, cauſeth murmuring at what we have. Doe not thinke thou haſt love from God, becauſe thou haſt a leſſe allowance from God. The power of p. 207God is as much acted in making a Fly, as in making an Elephant; and his love may be as much, and is often more acted in giving a penny, then in giving a talent. Know this, thou who art a child of God, if thy portion be but a penny, it hath upon it the Image and Superſcription, a Fathers love, which is better then life.

This alſo will cure the poore of envy; many times the poore have an evill eye of envy at the rich, they cannot beare it, that others have ſo much and they ſo little: Conſider it is the Lord that giveth. This argument Chriſt uſeth, Mat. 15.20. to him that was angry that they who came at the latter end of the day had as much as he, May not I doe with mine owne what I will? Is thine eye evill, becauſe mine is good? The envious eye is an evill eye, envy is the diſeaſe of the eyes. This Text is one of the beſt medicines that ever was preſcribed. Wilt thou be ſicke, becauſe another is in health, and make thy brothers happineſſe the ground of thy miſerie? Doe not thinke that all is loſt, which is not caſt into thy lapp; or that thy eſtate is leſſe or worſe, becauſe thou ſeeſt one having a greater or a better. Muſt God aske thee leave, or aske thy councell, how and in what meaſure to diſtribute his favours. Were all but well catechiſed in this one principle, that God gives all, it would ſoone diſpell this malignant vapour, and all would reſt ſatisfied, not becauſe they or others have received thus or thus; but becauſe God hath thus dispoſed to all.

Obſerve one thing more,

If the Lord gives us all, then we ſhould be willing to give back ſomewhat unto the Lord againe. And this conſideration that God gives us will make us willing to give unto God. What is the reaſon that many are ſo unwilling to give ſomewhat unto God? It is becauſe they will not underſtand that they are beholding to God for all. If they were perſwaded of their receipts from him, a little Oratory might perſwade a gift from them, in the cauſe of God, eſpecially when God intreates them, who may of right command them; when he is content even to take it as a courteſie, who may ſend for it by authority, and expect it as a duty. God himſelfe, who fills and enjoyes all things, hath ſometimes (in a ſence) need of your eſtates. Chriſt who is Lord of Heaven and Earth is ſometimes in want of a penny. Chriſt tels you of his wants and poverty, Math. 25. and ſhewes how and when he is releeved. And as Chriſt wants in a member, ſome particular beleever; So he often wants in his whole body, which is the Church or whole company p. 208of beleevers. If you have any ſpirituall wiſdome to diſcerne times and ſeaſons, you may know, that now Chriſt wants mony (as I have explain'd.) Now God (in his cauſe) hath need. He goes about (in thoſe who ſolicit his cauſe) and askes a reliefe at every one of your doores. Now then doe but conſider, when any thing is asked for the Lords ſake, that the Lord gave all, this will be a key to unlocke your cheſts; this will at once untie your hearts and your purſes. Will you let Chriſt want, ſhall the cauſe of God want, while you have it, whereas what you have, God gave? It is expreſſe concerning Nabal, that this was the reaſon why he would not part with a loafe of bread to relieve David and his Army, 1 Sam. 25.11. Shall I take my bread and my water, and my fleſh that I have killed for my ſhearers, and ſend them to a fellow I know not who? You ſee the man was all in his poſſeſſives, my bread, and my water, and my fleſh, he never thought that God had any ſhare or intereſt in his eſtate, that God gave it, therefore he would not give to a ſervant of God. You ſhall ſee on the other hand, how Davids munificence and that of the Nobles with him, 2 Chr. 29. ſprung from this root, the acknowledgement that nothing was their owne, it came in all from God; when they had offered ſo willingly and bountifully towards the building of the Temple, David ſhewes the mine which yeelded ſo much treaſure, even this we have digged in all this while, All things come of thee, and of thine owne we have given thee, verſ. 15. They confeſſed that all came of God, they were but Stewards, he was the Owner, and his owne they could not with-hold from him. God giveth us the uſe of the creature, but he keepeth the right to them in his owne hand, when we have the poſſeſſion of them he hath the property. Wherefore let the conſideration that God giveth all make us ready and open handed to give unto God, when he calleth and requireth it at our hands.

And the Lord hath taken away.

When God gives it is an act of bounty, and when he takes it is an act of juſtice, for he is Lord, ſoveraigne Lord in both. But why doth Job here charge this upon God, The Lord hath taken? Was it not told him by the meſſengers, that the Chaldeans and Sabeans came and tooke away his cattell, plundered and pillaged his eſtate? They told him that the fire conſumed his Sheepe, and the wind blew downe the houſe upon his children: Why doth Iob ſay, The Lord p. 209hath taken? What? will Job charge all thoſe robberies upon God himſelfe? Doth not this looke like the blaſphemy that the devill hoped would come out of Jobs mouth?

I anſwer, when Job ſaith, the Lord hath taken, it doth but ſet forth the ſupreame power and ſoveraignty of God in ordering all things; and (as we opened before) that God gave the Commiſſion to Satan, or leave to ſpoyle him, or elſe Satan could not have touched one of the dogs of his Flocke. Job knew that God had all men and devils, fire and wind, all creatures in his hand. He ſaith, the Lord hath taken, becauſe none could take but by the will of God, and he was ſatisfied, that God willed that in righteouſneſſe and in judgement, which they acted with ſo much cruelty and injuſtice. Is there any evill in the City, and the Lord hath not done it? Amos 3.6. Every evill of affliction or of trouble is ſaid to be the Lords doing, becauſe it cannot be done without the Lord. Wicked men in all their plots, and in all their ſucceſſes, are either the rod of God, to chaſten his people for their ſins, or elſe they are as Gods fornace to try his peoples graces, and purge them from their ſins. Thus the hand of the Lord is in all our ſorrows, The Lord, ſaith Job, hath taken away.

We ſhould from hence learne,

In all our afflictions to looke beyond the creature. In all the evils we either feele or feare, let our hearts be carried up unto God. As then we rightly enjoy outward bleſſings, when thoſe bleſſings carry us up unto God, when upon creatures our hearts are raiſed up to Heaven: So then we make a right uſe of afflictions, of croſſes and troubles, when we are led by croſſes (in our meditations) unto God. Job doth not ſay, the Lord hath given and the Caldeans have taken away, the Lord hath enrich'd me, and Satan hath robb'd me, but as if he had never heard any mention of Satan or Chaldeans, of fire or winde, he ſaith, the Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken. He doth not fall out with man or complaine of the devill, he is not angry with chance or fortune, with ſtarres or conſtellations; many in the troubleſome evils which they ſuffer are apt to fly out upon all creatures and upon all cauſes, rather then to caſt an eye upon God: whereas indeed we ſhould not take either good or evill out of the hand of any creature. There were ſome of old, Marcion and his followers, who could not reliſh this Doctrine, nor endure that we ſhould carry our evils, and lay them before Gods doore, and ſay, the Lord hath done this; p. 210Therefore they found out two beginnings, that is two Gods rather then they would make the ſame God the authour of ſuch extreames (as they thought) of good and evill: They ſaid, There was one God that was a good God, and another an evill God; the one a giving God, the other a taking God; the one a loving God, a mercifull God, the other an angry God, a ſevere God. Many of the Heathen taught better divinity then thoſe Heretikes. For they feyned that their Jupiter, had two great veſſels, placed at the entrance of his Pallace, whereof the one was filled with Good, and the other with Evill. Theſe he diſpenced according to the dictate of his owne will among the ſons of men. And they painted Fortune in two formes, with two faces of contrary colours, the formoſt white, the hindermoſt blacke, to ſignifie that good and evill, which they ſhadow'd under white and blacke, came both from goddeſſe Fortune: which comes neare that language in the Prophet Iſa. 45.7. I forme the light and create darkeneſſe, I make peace and create evill. And we are taught to looke upon the ſame God, as the ſpring and fountaine of all good, and of all this ſort of evill. Though it be a truth (as the Apoſtle ſpeakes) that the ſame fountaine cannot ſend forth bitter water and ſweet, take it in a naturall or morall ſenſe, yet the ſame fountaine may ſend forth bitter and ſweet, take it in a civill ſenſe,; that is, the ſame may be the authour of outward corrections and of outward favours. God is not the fountaine of good and of evill in a morall ſenſe, ſo nothing but good floweth from him: but take it in a civill ſenſe, and ſo both good and evill, bitter and ſweet come from the ſame fountaine.

Conſider the words as they are an argument, and then ſee their ſtrength to the purpoſes, for which Job doth eſpecially here apply them; Firſt, the acquitting or juſtifying of God. 2. The ſupporting and comforting of himſelfe: and ſo wee may note from them.

Firſt, That the abſolute ſoveraignty of the Lord over us is enough to acquit him from doing us any wrong, whatſoever he doth with us. Job ſaith only this, The Lord hath given and the Lord hath fallen; He is the ſoveraigne Lord, therefore I have no reaſon to complaine; he doth it, upon whom I have laid no ingagement, upon whom I have no tie at all, to doe this or that for me; he doth it who may reſolve the reaſon of all his actions into his owne will, he is the Lord. God cannot injure his creature; therefore the Apoſtle p. 211hath recourſe to that onelyonly in the 9^th Rom. for the anſwer of all cavils and objections againſt Gods dealing with man, Hath not the Potter power over the clay? The ſoveraignty and ſupremacy of the Lord is enough to beare him out whatſoever he doth with, or to his creatures. O man, who art thou that replieſt againſt God.

Then againe, it is as ſtrong for the ſecond end, for the ſupport of the ſoule in bearing evill, conſider that it is the Lord that giveth and the Lord that takes. The thought of Gods ſoveraignty over us and over ours, may quiet our ſpirits in all that he doth unto us or ours. As it doth juſtifie God, ſo it ſhould quiet us: heare David Pſal. 39 9. I was dumbe, ſaith he, and opened not my mouth, becauſe thou diddeſt it: he doth not ſay, I was contented becauſe thou dealeſt thus and thus with me, but I was dumbe, I opened not my mouth, becauſe thou diddeſt it, that it was the act of God, the ſoveraigne Lord ſatisfied him, he had not a word to ſay, becauſe God did it. So Job here, The Lord hath taken away, is as if he had ſaid, I could not have borne this at the hands of any creature, but at the hands of my ſoveraigne Lord that may diſpoſe of me and mine, and doe what he pleaſeth, at his hands I not only beare it, but take it well.

Joſeph had not a word of diſcontent to vent againſt his brethren, being thus reſolved, It was not you that ſent me hither but God, Gen. 45. And David layes aſide all revenge againſt rayling Shimei on this ground, So let him curſe, becauſe the Lord hath ſaid unto him, curſe David, 2 Sam. 16.10. A godly man cannot be angry at the doing or ſpeaking of that, which pleaſeth God, that it ſhould be done or ſpoken. And it takes away all complaining, that the Lord hath taken away.

Bleſſed be the Name of the Lord.

The Septuagint, and ſo the Vulgar from them inſert here another ſentence betweene theſe two; the Lord hath taken away, bleſſed be the Name of the Lord, reading it thus, The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away **foreign. Sept., as it pleaſeth the Lord, ſo commeth things to paſſe, bleſſed be the name of the Lord; but we have no more in the Hebrew, then our owne tranſlation gives us.

p. 212Bleſſed be the Name of the Lord.

This is the triumphant concluſion which floweth from the former Propoſitions, this is the iſſue and reſult of them both. A concluſion as oppoſite to Satans deſigne as the two Poles of the Heavens are one againſt the other. Satan waited to heare Iob conclude with blaſpheming the Name of the Lord, and now he heareth Job conclude with bleſſing the Name of the Lord. How did this vex and ſting Satan? This one word of Iob did wound Satan more, then all the afflictions which Satan procured, wounded Iob. Though I return naked, though all be taken from me, yet bleſſed be the name of the Lord.

Bleſſed be the Name of the Lord.] The Name of God in Scripture is taken; firſt for God himſelfe. The name of a thing it is put for the thing named, Pſal. 44.5. Through thee will wee puſh downe our enemies, thorough thy Name we will tread them downe that riſe up againſt us. Thorough thy Name, that is, thorough thee: Thorough thee and thorough thy Name are the ſame. So Pſal. 48 10. According to thy Name ſo is thy praiſe, that is, thou art praiſed like thy ſelfe, as thou art in thy ſelfe, ſo thou art or oughteſt to be praiſed by thy people, the name is put for the perſon. You have it clearly, Act. 1.15. The number of names together were about an hundred and twenty, that is the number of perſons, ſo many perſons, becauſe numbred by their names.

Secondly, the Name of God is often in Scripture put for the attributes of …od.

Thirdly, the Name of God is put for his Ordinances or worſhip, Goe yee now to my place which was in Shiloh, where I ſet my name at the firſt, Jerem. 7.12. that is, where I firſt ſet up my publike worſhip; becauſe as a man is knowne by his proper Name, ſo is God by his proper worſhip. And therefore falſe worſhip is the ſetting up of a ſtrange god. When we miſtake the name, we miſtake the perſon.

Fourthly, the Name of God is that reverence, eſteeme and honour, which Angels and men give unto God. As we know amongſt us, the report and reputation that a man hath among men, is a mans name; what men ſpeake of him that is his name, ſuch an one hath a good name, we ſay; ſuch an one hath an ill name, that is, men ſpeake or thinke well or ill of ſuch perſons: So Gen. 6.4. When Moſes deſcribes the Gyants, he ſaith, they were men of p. 213renowne, the Hebrew is, They were men of name, foreignbecauſe the name of a man is the opinion he hath amongſt men; as a man is eſteemed, ſo his name is carried, and himſelfe is accepted in the world. So the name of God is that high eſteeme, thoſe honourable apprehenſions, which Angels and men have of God, ſuch as the thoughts and ſpeeches of men are for the celebration of Gods glory and praiſe, ſuch is his name in the world, Bleſſed be the name of the Lord.

By bleſſing God we are to underſtand, either, firſt what we expreſſe in word concerning God. God is bleſſed by his creatures, when his goodneſſe, and greatneſſe, and mercy, and bounty, and faithfulneſſe and juſtice are publiſhed with thankſ-giving and praiſe. Or God is bleſſed likewiſe, when we have high and great and glorious thoughts of God: when we inwardly feare and reverence, and love, and honour God then we bleſſe God. The one is to bleſſe with the tongue; the other to bleſſe with the heart. The tongue bleſſing without the heart is but a tinckling cimball. The heart bleſſing without the tongue makes ſweet, but ſtill muſicke, both in conſort make that Harmony which fils and delights Heaven and Earth. When Job ſaith here, Bleſſed be the Name of the Lord, we are to underſtand it both wayes, that Job ſpeakes out the bleſſing of God with his mouth, and likewiſe he had high and reverent thoughts of God. His heart and tongue met at this worke and word.

Bleſſed be the Name of the Lord.

We may note from hence.

That God is worthy of all praiſe and honour, not onelyonly when hee doth enrich and ſtrengthen us, when he fills and protects us; but alſo when he doth impoveriſh and weaken us, when he empties and and ſmites us, when he gives us up to the will of our enemies, to the will of devils and wicked men, even then God is to be bleſſed. It is a good thing, and it is our duty to bleſſe God when we are rich and when we are full, as Deut. 8.10. When thou haſt eaten and art full then thou ſhalt bleſſe the Lord: But it is a farre better thing (yet but our duty) to bleſſe the Lord, when we are poore and weake; when we are empty and have nothing to eat, then to bleſſe the Lord is the breathing of an excellent ſpirit indeed. 1 Theſ. 5.18. In every thing give thankes; Let God doe what he will with his children, they have cauſe to thanke him. As he is p. 214God in himſelfe, bleſſed for evermore. When God thunders in judgements ſo loud, that he breaketh the Cedars and ſhakes the Wilderneſſe; then to give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name, and in his Temple to speake of his glory, argues a ſpirit highly ennobl'd and glorious in grace, Pſal. 29. Therefore his children ſhould not reſt in this, that they beare afflictions, but they ſhould labour to bring their hearts, to bleſſe and glorifie God in, and for the afflictions that they beare. And a ſoule that thus honoureth God ſhall aſſuredly receive honour from God. That which the Apoſtle ſpeakes of the Saints ſuffering perſecution, is true of them in any kind of holy ſuffering, The Spirit of glory and of God doth reſt upon them, 1 Pet. 4.14. The Spirit of God is ſpoken of, as if it were unſetled and unquiet, and knew not where to fix it ſelfe, till it had found ſuch a ſoule: like Noah's Dove, that went hovering about and knew not where to reſt the ſole of her foot, till it came to the Arke; ſo the Spirit of God is expreſt, as hovering about from perſon to perſon, from place to place, as if it could not reſt any where till it finde a ſoule triumphing and bleſſing God in affliction, at leaſt lying quietly under affliction till God takes it off, and there the Spirit reſts and ſettles it ſelfe.

Obſerve further, that Job here bleſſeth God in his afflictions, and that makes the difference; his afflictions now are good unto him.

If we bleſſe God in our afflictions, then our afflictions are bleſſings unto us. We have ſo much bleſſing in our affliction, as we can bleſſe God for our affliction. There is a mighty power in this ſpeech, I bleſſe God, it changeth evill into good; here is an heavenly Alchimy (as we may ſo ſpeake) whatſoever affliction you touch with bleſſing God, you turne that affliction to a bleſſing; if you have an Iron-yoake of affliction upon you, doe but touch it with bleſſing God, it turneth it into gold. When you have a heavy croſſe upon you, ready to weigh you downe, doe but touch the croſſe with this word from the heart, and it makes it as a crowne of glory upon your heads. Thus (I ſay) you may turne every evill into good, every affliction into a comfort and a bleſſing, if you can but touch it, with bleſſing the Name of God.

We will come to the Concluſion.

In all this Job ſinned not, nor charged God fooliſhly.

This teſtimony the Lord giveth concerning Job, both in reference p. 215to what he did, and to what he ſpake. In all this, In renting his mantle, in ſhaving his head, in falling to the ground, in worſhipping, in ſaying, Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, and naked ſhall I returne thither. The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken away; bleſſed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job ſinned not, neither charged God fooliſhly. God himſelf puts all the actions and all the ſpeeches of Job into the ballance, and finds not any lightnes in them, he bringeth all that he had done, and all that he had ſaid to the Touch-ſtone, and findes them pure mettall. The Holy Ghoſt, the great and infallible moderatour of this cauſe, and queſtion betweene Job and Satan determines, That in all this Job ſinned not, neither did he charge God fooliſhly.

But it will be objected, Is there any man that ſinneth not? Or is there any man that ſinneth not in every thing? How then are we to underſtand what the Holy Ghoſt pronounceth, In all this Job ſinned not. Is any man ſo holy or can his heart be kept in ſo holy a frame, as to doe and ſpeake ſo much, without any touch of ſinne, without any ſpot of defilement? Jobs queſtion Cap. 9. affirmes, that no man can doe any one act purely pure, Who can bring a cleane thing out of that which is uncleane? Now Job himſelfe in his nature was uncleane, he had uncleanneſſe in him, how then was a cleane thing brought out from Job? Whence had he ſuch a priviledge above his brethren, as not to ſin in doing and ſuffering ſo many things?

There are ſome Popiſh Commentators, who would build the Tower of perfection upon this and other the like Scriptures, ſcil: That a man may in this life be freed from all ſinne. For the refuting this ſence and clearing of the text, I will give you the reſolution in a diſtinction or two.

Firſt, if we conſider ſinfull actions, they are of two ſorts. There are actions ſinfull in the matter, when the very thing done is a ſin, as to ſteale, to lye, to be drunke, to commit adultery and the like; the very thing done is a ſinne materially. There are other actions that are ſinfull in the formality or manner of doing; ſo a good worke in the matter may be ſinfull in the manner of doing. We doe not aſſert that all the workes of regenerate perſons are ſinnes, as if they were ſinfull actions, or that all that they doe is ſinfull in the matter, for that were a reproach to the Spirit of Chriſt, that were to reproach the grace of Chriſt, by which they being regenerated act, and doe theſe things. But we poſitively affirme that to p. 216the workes of regenerate perſons, to their beſt workes ſome defilement cleaves, ſo that though the action be not ſinfull, yet there is ſome ſinne in the action. There is a great deale of difference betweene a ſinfull action and ſinne in an action: We have that difference expreſſely, Exod. 28.38. Where the High-Prieſt is ſaid, to beare the iniquity of the holy things; holy things, yet iniquity in them; holy things in the matter of them, yet iniquity in the manner of performing them.

Now when it is ſaid here, In all this Job ſinned not, we are to underſtand it firſt thus. Here were no acts ſinfull in the matter of them, ſuch as Satan did promiſe unto himſelfe, and did undertake with God, that Job would ſpeake and breake out into: Satan was confident that Iob would blaspheme and curſe God to his face; this was an act of an high nature, ſinfull in the very matter of it, an act abominable, In all this Job ſinned not ſuch a ſinne, he was not tranſported by paſſion or impatiency to reproach and curſe the living God.

Secondly, in Scripture language we are ſaid not to ſinne, when we doe not commit ſuch and ſuch ſinnes; as is cleare in that inſtance about David, of whom this tranſcendent teſtimony is given, 1 King. 15.5. That he turned not aſide from any thing the Lord commanded him all the dayes of his life, ſave onelyonly in the matter of Uriah the Hittite; a high expreſſion of his holineſſe. What then? Shall we thinke that David never ſinned at all, but in that matter? No, the meaning of it is, that David never fell groſſely or foully, but that time; In compariſon of that act, all the reſt of the life of David went for ſo holy, as if he had lived without any ſinne at all. In this ſenſe the Apoſtle Iohn giveth the command not to ſinne, 1 Joh. 2.1. I write unto you little children, 1 Ioh. 3.9.1 John 3:9that you ſinne not (it is a poſſible precept in an evangelicall ſenſe) that is, that you ſinne not as wicked men doe, who can doe nothing elſe but ſinne. In this ſenſe Job ſinned not, he carried himſelfe like a holy perſon, like an obedient child of God, like one born of God (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks) whoſe character and priviledge it is, that he cannot ſin. Such have the bleſſing of impotency in the unregenerate part, ſo that they cannot ſin ſtrongly; though as yet they have not that bleſſed ability, in their regenerate part, not to ſinne at all.

The Septuagint addes to this clauſe, He ſinned not before the Lord, or againſt the Lord. The Vulgar addes, thoſe words with p. 217his lips. Neither of them mend the ſence of the Hebrew Text, and the latter makes it worſe. For it is a higher and clearer teſtimony to ſay, In all this Job ſinned not, then to ſay, In all this Job ſinned not with his lipps, for he might ſin in thought, &c. though it be moſt true which the Apoſtle James ſpeakes, Chap. 3.7. If any man offend not in word, the ſame is a perfect man.

Or charged God fooliſhly.

The tranſlations are ſomewhat different, the Septuagint thus,foreign. Sept. Non dedit in ſulſum Deo. Ar. Mon. foreign Olym. He did not caſt any folly upon God; others, He did not offer any thing unſavourly of God; Another, He did not accuſe or complaine of God: The word in the Originall is, He did not give, we tranſlate, he did not charge.

The word which wee tranſlate adverbially [fooliſhly] is a Noune in the Originall, yet it is fully enough to the ſenſe, Hee charged not God fooliſhly, or hee charged not God with folly, ſo it is rather in the Originall.foreign Propriè inſulſitas. That word which is here tranſlated folly, ſignifieth in the generall any thing that is indebite dispoſitum, any thing that is unduely diſpoſed, any thing in diſorder. And wee finde it in Scripture referred divers wayes.

Firſt, It is put for unſavoury meat without ſalt or ſawce, as Job 6.6. Can that which is unſavoury be eaten without ſalt? The word [unſavoury] there is the ſame with this here rendered folly or fooliſhly.

Secondly, It is uſed for morter that hath not a due temper or mixture in it, as Ezek. 13.14. I will breake downe the wall that yee have dawbed with untempered morter; morter that is not well tempered, is unfit for uſe.

Thirdly, It is put for any rude, undigeſted or indiſcreet ſpeech, as La. 2.14. Thy Prophets have ſeen vain and fooliſh things for thee; They have ſeen fooliſh and unſavoury things for thee. Hence the word is uſed to expres madnes, becauſe madnes is the height of folly being without any ſeaſoning, without any temper, a thing that hath no taſte of wiſdom or goodnes in it, Jer. 23.13. I have ſeen folly in the Prophets of Samaria, that is, they are unſavoury, their ſpeeches are untempered morter, they are fooliſh and vaine. So then he did not charge God with folly or charge God fooliſhly, hath this p. 218ſenſe, Job did not speake any thing raſhly or unbecomming the Majeſty of God, or charge him in the leaſt to have dealt unwiſely or unjustly with him. As if the Lord had ſaid, Satan thou diddeſt expect that Job ſhould now at this time have charged me home, and have laid load upon me with complainings, for dealing thus with him: thou expecteſt that he ſhould have broken out into the dialect of hell it ſelfe, ſuch words as theſe, Why what have I done againſt God, that he ſhould deale thus with me? Is this the wages that I ſhall receive for the worke and ſervice I have done him? Will he diſcourage and diſhearten others, from comming on to his ſervice by my ſad example? Is it justice in God that I who have lived ſo innocently ſhould be thus extreamely afflicted? Could the Lord finde out no ſwearers, no drunkards, no adulterers in the world to let Satan looſe upon, but he must needs turne him looſe upon me? Had he no other Butt in the world to ſhoot the arrowes of his indignation at, but at an innocent breaſt? Is this a juſt God who uſes his ſervants thus? Or if he be omniſcient and omnipotent, why then did he not protect me from Satans rage? Why did he not defend me from the violence of thoſe evill men? Such kind of ſpeeches, or to this effect, Satan expected, Job would have uttered raſhly againſt the Lord: but he is deceived, Job hath no ſuch thought, much leſſe did hee ſpeake ſuch words, either againſt the juſtice, or wiſedome, or power of God; hee charges no folly upon God, the only wiſe God, but gives him glory, ſaying; Bleſſed be his Name whatſoever hee doth with me or mine.

Learne from hence firſt, what blaſphemy is, or what it is to curſe God; To curſe God is to charge God with folly, or with doing things fooliſhly and raſhly. For theſe expreſſions expound one another. Satan ſaid Job would curſe God; the Holy Ghoſt ſaith, Job hath not charged God fooliſhly, therefore that is a definition of Gods owne making, plainly declaring what it is to curſe God: Yet every ſpeech or act unbecomming the Majeſty, wiſdome and power of God doth not preſently denominate a man a blaſphemer: There may be blaſphemy in what is ſpoken, and yet the perſon ſpeaking not a blaſphemer. Job himſelfe ſpake many things afterward unadviſedly in the heat of diſpute, but he blaſphemed not. Blaſphemy or curſing of God properly taken, is ever joyned with an intent to caſt reproach upon God: As every one is not a lyar p. 219that telleth what is not true, but he that telleth an untruth, knowing it to be an untruth, with an intent to deceive and wrong others. So he that thinkes or ſpeakes a thing unbecomming God, with an intent to reproach or ſlander God and his wayes, this is blaſpheming indeed.

Secondly obſerve,

Impatience under, and murmuring at the croſſe, which God laies upon us, is a charging of God with folly. Murmuring againſt God, queſtions the wiſdome of God. Complaints have a charge in them. We taxe what is done while we ſubmit not to what is done. When we lie under Gods hand quietly and ſilently, then we ſpeak the praiſe of God, then our carriage aſcribes all wiſdome, honour and glory unto him.

Thirdly, In that it is here ſaid by way of excellency concerning Job, that in all this Job ſinned not, referring it to his behaviour under theſe afflictions, as if the Holy Ghoſt had ſaid, it is matter of admiration that in this, in all this Job ſhould not ſinne. Note from hence,

That it is an high act, one of the higheſt acts of grace, to be compoſed in thought and word under great afflictions. In all this Job ſinned not, as if he had ſaid, it had not been much for Iob not to ſin in other things; but in this affliction, in this diſtreſſe, being ſo put to it, being thus tryed, in all this not to ſinne, is Grace, almoſt to a miracle.

Laſtly, Note this,

What is well done by us, ſhall be ſure to receive a faire teſtimony from God. When Iob had carried himſelfe diſcreetly, and ſpoken diſcreetly, the Lord hides not this in darkneſſe, hee ſhuts it not up in ſilence: but proclaimes the innocency and uprightneſſe of his carriage in this preſent paſſage of his life, as he had done before, concerning the whole courſe of his life and converſation, that he was perfect and upright. The Apoſtle publiſheth, Glory and honour and peace to every man that worketh good, Rom. 2.10 They that carry themſelves well either in ſuffering or in working for God, ſhall have glory and honour and peace from God. No man needs, blow a trumpet in his owne praiſe, when he hath done well, as the Phariſees did, Math. 6. What we doe well, the Lord himſelfe will report to all the world, In all this Job ſinned not, nor charged God fooliſhly.

p. 220And ſo wee have done with this third part of the Chapter, and with this whole Chapter, which containes (as you have heard) thoſe three generals, the deſcription of Iobs proſperous eſtate; The deſcription of his tryals and afflictions, and the deſcription of his carriage under thoſe afflictions. Now when he is come off from this aſſault without wound, without any touch of ſinne. Satan perceiving himſelfe defeated and fruſtrated in this attempt, will not yet give it over, he is reſtleſſe, he will attempt him once more. We ſhall finde him in the next Chapter at the Aſſembly againe, renewing his motion for a ſecond aſſault, that hee may have leave to lay his ſiedge nearer and cloſer to Iob, preſuming that though he had not prevailed at the firſt, yet he ſhall at the ſecond charge; let me charge him but once more, and then ſee his fall, He will curſe thee to thy face.