Exposition of Job 1-3, Biblical commentary · Job 2.5, 6, 7, 8

Exposition of Job 1-3 · Biblical commentary · Job 2.5, 6, 7, 8

p. 245JOB 2.5, 6, 7, 8.

But put forth thine hand now and touch his bone and his fleſh, and he will curſe thee to thy face.

And the Lord ſaid unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand, but ſave his life.

So went Satan forth from the preſence of the Lord, and ſmote Job with ſore boyles, from the ſole of his foote unto his crowne.

And he tooke him a pot-ſheard to ſcrape himſelfe withall, and he ſate downe among the aſhes.

IN this fifth verſe Satan goeth on, and makes a motion unto God (as we obſerved his method in the former Chapter,) but put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his fleſh, and he will curſe thee to thy face. This is Satans motion. In the ſixth verſe we have a grant of this motion, bound up yet with a limitation, as it was in the former Chapter.

For the motion, But put forth thine hand now and touch, &c. What it importeth to put forth the hand, that was opened in the former Chapter, verſ. 11. where we have the ſame expreſſion, therefore we ſhall not ſtay upon it here. Conſider now only that which is differing, a new object upon which the hand muſt be put forth, and which Satan deſireth might now be touched. It is the laying of his hand, not upon his Cattell, or upon his eſtate, or upon his children, but upon his fleſh and his bone, Touch his bone and his fleſh; that is, afflict his body; The bone and the fleſh are the two chiefe parts, the materiall parts of the body; of them the whole Fabrique doth conſiſt: the bone it is as the timber in this houſe, and the fleſh it is as the lime and morter filling of it up. Touch this ſaith Satan. And in that he ſaith, touch his bone and his fleſh, he intends and requires a deepe and a ſore affliction upon his body; for if he had ſaid only thus, Touch his fleſh, that had beene an affliction upon his body; For we know often in Scripture, the fleſh is put for the whole body; and ſometimes for the whole man; therefore Satan is not ſatisfied with an expreſſion generall, but he putteth it in direct and expreſſe termes, Touch his fleſh and his bone, that is, touch him ſo as that the paine and the diſtemper may p. 246ſinke into his very bones, into his very Marrow, touch him thus and then you ſhall ſee what he will doe.

The Bone it ſelfe is a part without feeling; yet to touch the bone, imports the greateſt paine that can be felt. Touch his bone and his fleſh, and then ſaith he, He will curſe thee to thy face.

What it is to curſe to the face hath bin opened already in the former Chapter, at the eleventh verſe, and I muſt referre you thither for the ſence of this phraſe; only in a word take it thus, Hee will curſe thee to thy face, is as if Satan had ſaid thus; Though Job did bleſſe thee when he had a full eſtate, and though he did bleſſe thee when thou diddeſt empty him of his eſtate, and tooke all his goods from him; yet if thou doe but touch his body, and afflict his bones, he will breake forth into curſed language, both concerning thy perſon, and concerning thy ſervice.

I will only minde you further of that which is here ſecretly couched in this expreſſion, Touch his bone and his fleſh and he will curſe thee to thy face; here is a ſecret imprecation involved, he tacitly ſubjects himſelfe to the curſe of God, if Job curſe not God. As if Satan ſhould have ſaid; If he doe not curſe thee to thy face, then doe ſo and ſo to me, or thinke thus and thus of me: If you would have the meaning of Satan from the language of his children, you may take the plaine Engliſh of it thus, Touch but his bone and his fleſh, and damne me, if he doe not curſe thee, ſend me to Hell preſently. Satan indeed kept this curſed imprecation cloſe wrapt up in that forme of ſpeaking; But now his children ſpeake it out; If you will have Satans heart from the mouthes of the ſonnes of Belial, a curſed and curſing generation among us, the plaine Engliſh of it is this. God damne me, ſend me to Hell preſently, if he curſe thee not. Satan we ſee was more modeſt then theſe ſonnes of impudence and perdition; who openly imprecate upon, and devote themſelves unto the wrath of God almoſt every word; theſe doe not only imitate, but exceed the copy which Satan ſets them here, by bold blaſphemie and horrid execrations.

And he will curſe thee to thy face. We may from hence obſerve.

Firſt, Satan had tryed in vaine to make Job curſe God; Now he attempts a ſecond time; Note, That

When Satan cannot prevaile againſt us by one meanes, he doth p. 247not deſpaire of prevailing by another; He gives not his cauſe over for loſt, becauſe he cannot carry it at firſt, he will try, and try againe. As it was with Balak, Numb. 23. when he ſent for Balaam to curſe the people, and ſaw the buſineſſe did not proſper, or ſucceed according to his malice, Balaam could not curſe them, he brought him to another place; Come (ſaith he) I pray thee, Numb. 23.27▪Num 23:27I will bring thee to another place, peradventure it will pleaſe God that thou mayeſt curſe me them from thence, though you could not doe it in one place, you may in another. So Satan, if he cannot worke his will one way, he will try a ſecond or a third.

Satans unweariedneſſe in a bad cauſe when it ſucceeded not, reproves thoſe who are ſo ſoone weary of a good one, if it ſucceed not; Many are ready to give up if one meanes will not doe it, they caſt off hope and ſay, the cauſe is deſperate. If one, or two, or three, or many meanes we uſe, faile, we ought to try ſtill, never deſpaire of the end while the worke is good and the meanes are faire; In the morning ſow thy ſeed (ſaith the Preacher) and in the evening with-hold not thy hand: Eccleſ. 11.6.Eccl 11:6for thou knowest not whether ſhall proſper this or that. I may adde, with-hold not thy hand in the evening, though thou ſeeſt the morning ſeed doth not proſper; this may have a bleſſing, though that had not.

Secondly obſerve, Satan tryeth another way, and he tryeth a way more probable and efficacious for his ends then the former; when a weaker will not doe it, he provides ſtronger meanes. As God in puniſhing or chaſtening ſinners, when a leſſer judgement will not humble them, he ſends a greater; God cometh not only with another, but with ſorer judgements;Lev 26.Lev 26 If he will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will puniſh you ſeven times more for your ſinnes: So Satan, when by one temptation he cannot over-come, prepares not only another, but a ſtronger; he aſſaults them more and more; he not only muſters new Forces, but more compleate, to foile the ſoule. This ſhould teach us when we cannot ſubdue a corruption in our own hearts by one meanes, then to ſeeke a better: And when by one prayer we cannot obtaine a bleſſing, then to pray againe, and to pray better, to pray with more life, with more faith, with more humility: then mix more fire with prayer, more zeale and fervency of ſpirit: mix more water with prayer, As Iacob, Hoſe 12. wept and made ſupplication; above all mix more of Chriſt in prayer, goe out in his Name and ſtrength. When Balacks firſt meſſengers could not obtaine Balaam to come p. 248with them; Balack was not diſcourag'd or put off, but (ſaith the Text) Balack ſent yet againe Princes more and more Honourable, Numb. 22.15. Let not us be diſcouraged if our firſt prayers (which are our meſſengers to God) are not anſwered; But let us ſend more and more honourable, more ſtrong cryes, more ſpirituall deſires, which may take upon the heart of God. Why ſhould Satan doe more againſt us, then we will doe for our ſelves?

Thirdly, Note for our owne caution; That we muſt not only expect continued or renewed afflictions and aſſaults from Satan, but we muſt expect greater and greater afflictions and aſſaults from Satan. He hath ſome aſſaults that are but as Foote-men, he will bring out his Horſe-men at the next bout; And if having runne with Foote-men, they have wearied thee, how wilt thou contend with Horſes, Jer. 12.5. Be ready then not only to run with the Foote, but to contend with Horſes; prepare your ſelves for other, for more violent charges then you ever felt. Satan will if he can lay a cloſer ſiege to thy ſoule then ever he hath done: As that one evill ſpirit returned into the perſon out of whom he was gone, Luk. 11.24. with ſeven Devils worſe then himſelfe, ſo he often returnes with ſeven temptations, worſer, ſtronger then before.

Fourthly, obſerve what Satan picks out to be the matter of this ſecond and ſtronger temptation, it is, to pinch Job in his fleſh, to pinch his body. Note from hence, That the paine of the body is very powerfull to diſquiet and trouble the mind. Satan is very confident to trouble and vex the mind of Job, by caſting darts and diſeaſes into his body. Phyſitians have a rule, That the manners of the mind follow the temper of the body, and it is a more certaine rule, That the mind is much carried according to the distemper of the body, when the body is diſtempered, the mind is ſeldome at reſt: the body and ſoule are ſuch neere neighbours, that they cannot but ſympathize in each others ſufferings. Some interpret that place of the Apoſtle, Gal. 4.13, 14. concerning the weakeneſſe and ſickneſſe of his body, You know (ſaith he) how through infirmity of the fleſh I preached the Goſpell: We may ſafely joyne it with thoſe other troubles, afflictions and reproaches which he endured, and were ſo great a diſadvantage to his acceptance in the world. So the meaning is, that though his body was infirme, though he had many weakeneſſes upon him, yet he preached the Goſpell. And then it followes in the next verſe, My temptation which was p. 249in my fleſh you deſpiſed not, obſerve, he calleth his bodily infirmity a temptation; The afflictions of the body are great temptations to the ſoule. It is very conſiderable to this purpoſe what the Apoſtle James ſaith when he ſpeaks of the ſeverall conditions of the Saints and their duties in them, Chap. 5. v. 13, 14. Is any man afflicted? let him pray, (he ſpeakes that in generall) Is any man merry? let him ſing Pſalmes. Is any man ſick? Is he pained by ſickneſſe in his body? What ſhall he doe then? He doth not ſay, Is any man ſick, let him pray? but, Is any man ſick? let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray over him: As if he ſhould ſay, A ſick man is very unfit to pray himſelfe, though for himſelfe, he hath need to call others to pray with him and for him, he hath enough to doe, to wraſtle with his pain and conflict with that affliction: In other afflictions let him pray, but if he be ſick, let him ſend for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray over him. A diſeaſed body unfits the mind for holy duties. The prayer of ſick Hezekiah is called chattering: like a Crane or Swallow, ſo did I chatter, Iſa. 38. it was rather chattering then praying, ſuch a diſquietneſſe and uncompoſedneſſe was upon his ſpirit thorough, or by the infirmity of his fleſh. Paine is a piercing ſhaft in Satans quiver of temptations; Though the spirit of a man will ſuſtaine his infirmity, yet oftentimes, a wound in the body wounds the ſoule,Prov. 18.14.Prov 18:14 and the diſeaſes of the fleſh make the ſpirit ſick: A wounded spirit no man can beare, and a wound in the body, is a burden too heavy for many men.

And if it be ſo, Then the pain and the weakneſſe of the body is no advantage to repentance and returning unto God. How pittifully are they miſtaken, who put off repentance till their bodies be in paine, till they are ſick and weake; they doe it upon this ground, becauſe when they are in paine, they thinke they ſhall repent with more eaſe. Obſerve, if Satan thinks to have ſuch an advantage upon a holy man, as to make him blaſpheme when he is in paine, doeſt thou thinke paine will be an advantage to thy repentance? It is ſaid, that at the powring out of the fourth Viall, Rev. 16.9. when God did ſmite the inhabitants of the earth, and ſcorched them with great heat, that they blaſphemed the Name of God, (they did that which Satan preſumed Job would doe) and they repented not to give him glory. It is a woefull thing to put off repentance to a pained body: paine in its own nature fits us rather to blaſpheme and turne from God, then to returne to him. Never thinke to p. 250have helpe for the cure of your ſoules, by the diſeaſes of your bodies: uſually we find, that either ſick perſons repent not, or theirs is but a ſickly repentance. At the moſt, paine can but reſtraine your luſts, it can never heale them, The actings of ſome ſins are quickned by diſeaſes; At the moſt, a diſeaſe can but abate the acts of ſin, it can never deſtroy the life of it. Death it ſelfe cannot kill ſin: The ſins of wicked men live when they are dead: the grave cannot conſume them, no nor the fire of Hell waſt their ſtrength: the ſins of unbeleevers ſhall remaine not only in their guilt, but in their power to all eternity. So much of Satans motion. But put forth thy hand now and touch his bone and his fleſh, and he will curſe thee to thy face.

Verſe 6.

And the Lord ſaid unto Satan, Behold, he is in thy hand, but ſave his life.

Here we have the Lords grant unto that motion of Satan, He is in thy hand, but ſave his life: Thou mayeſt doe with his bone and his fleſh what thou wilt, He is in thine hand. We have opened what it is to have a thing put into the hand, in the former Chapter, where the ſame expreſſion is uſed, therefore I ſhall paſſe thoſe words here. Note only this, that the Lord ſaith here, He is in thy hand, to prevent Satans cavill: as if he had ſaid, Thou moveſt me to touch his bone and his fleſh; well, leſt thou ſhouldeſt ſay that I have dealt too gently with him, and have ſmitten him with favour, I will put the rod or ſtaffe into thine hand, doe thou with … bone and his fleſh what thou canſt, ſpare him not. We know the Lord is able to ſtrike ſtronger ſtroakes, and give deeper wounds infinitely then Satan can, if he pleaſeth; yet, the love of God to his children, ſtops his hand and breakes the blow: He corrects in judgement, and debates in meaſure, Iſa. 27.8. when he ſtrikes his children, he ſtrikes them as children, gently; Thus (2 Sam. 7.14.) ſpeaking of Davids family; If he commit iniquity (ſaith God) I will chasten him with the rod of men, the word there uſed is Enoſh, which ſignifies a weake man, I will chaſten him with the rod of a weake man, of one that hath but a weake arme or hand, the hand of a ſickly fraile man; A weake, a ſickly man cannot ſtrike very hard. Thus ſaith God, I will chaſten thy children if they commit iniquity: they ſhall rather ſee my care, then feele my power in their corrections. Now (I ſay) leſt Satan ſhould pretend partiality, God puts Job into Satans hand, and gives him liberty to lay p. 251on as hard, as his hand acted with utmoſt malice could ſmite him, thou haſt liberty to ſmite him into the very valley of the ſhadow of death, to bring him ſo neere death, that he may looke into the graves mouth, but no further.

Save his life.

Here is Satans chaine, the limitation or reſtraint of his power. When God puts any of his ſervants into Satans hand, he keepes Satan in his owne hand. And as all the Elect are in Gods hand, to keepe them from taking hurt, ſo the Devill is in Gods hand, to keep him from doing hurt to his Elect. Save his life.

The word Nepheſh here uſed, ſignifieth properly the ſoule; and the ſoule is in Scripture often put for the life: becauſe the ſoule is the ſpring, the fountaine of life; life is derived or diffuſed into the body from or by the ſoule: and as ſoone as the ſoule is parted from the body, life departs. Hence both this Hebrew word,foreign and the Greeke word foreign, have their names from breathing or reſpiring: For life goes out when breath goes out, when we ceaſe breathing, we ceaſe living. Our life is but a blaſt, a breath; the Lord formed man out of the duſt of the earth, and breathed into his noſtrills the breath of life, and he became a living ſoule, Gen. 2.7. This is that vitall ſpirit by which all quick things move; therefore Beaſts, Birds, Fiſh and creeping things are called living ſoules, Gen. 1.20, 24. And this life is called the blood, becauſe … contained or carried in the blood, Gen. 9.4. Further, it is … obſervable, that the Hebrewes call the Body ſeperated from … ſoule, or a dead corps, Nepheſh, Numb. 5.2. c. 9.10. c. 19.11. Hag. 2.14. Though the life be quite gone out, departed from the carkaſſe or body of a dead man, yet that dead body is called life or ſoule; to note that it ſhall live againe, and that the ſoule ſhall returne unto it: The miſtery of the Reſurrection from death was implied in the name of the dead. Wee find alſo that the Heathens called a dead body, a ſoule; poſſibly from ſome glimpſe of the reſurection. We lay up a ſoule in the grave, ſaith the Poet. Animam que ſepulchro condimus.Virg Aen. 3.

But how is this worke put into Satans hand, The ſaving of his life. What, is Satan become a ſaviour? what ſalvation can we expect from him, whoſe name is Apollyon, and Abaddon, Rev. 9.11. both which ſignifie a deſtroyer. Shall we ſend to the Wolfe to ſave the Sheepe? or to the Vulture to ſave the Dove? Deſtruction p. 252is the delight of Satan, and it is his way, as he hath no hope to be ſaved himſelfe eternally, ſo no will to ſave others temporally.

Obſerve then, That here to ſave life, notes only a ſparing from death, not a delivering from deſtruction, but a forbearing to deſtroy. Satan ſaved his life negatively,Servat animam quia eam non perdit. Druſ. that is, he did not take it away: he can not ſave poſitively, or reſtore that which was ready to periſh; he doth not ſave as a deliverer, but as a murtherer, who would kill his brother, but cannot. He ſaves, not for want of will, but for want of power: when he is forced to ſpare, his nature is to devoure. This devouring Lyon hunts for the pretious life, even when God ſaith, Save his life.

It may be queſtioned here, Why Satan (for that is implyed) deſired ſo to deſtroy the life of Job? God would never have limited and chained him up, but that Satan had a mind to ſuck his blood, or afflict him unto death.

Theſe two reaſons may be given, why Satan would have his life.

The one might be this, Becauſe it was a thing doubtfull with him (though he bragged much of it) whether he ſhould attaine his end or no, to make Job curſe God; when therefore he ſaw he could not overcome his ſpirituall life, it would have bin ſome revenge to him to deſtroy his naturall life. As ſome wicked ones his agents, when by all their threats or flatteries they cannot make a … ſin, which is to deſtroy his ſpirituall life, their revenge breakes … againſt his naturall life, to deſtroy that; This is the method of perſecution, firſt to attempt the death of the ſoule, by drawing or terrifying unto ſin; and if they faile of that, then death is inflicted on the body.

Or againe in the ſecond place, he being doubtfull in himſelfe (though he made no doubt in words) whether his plot would be ſucceſſefull, to make Job curſe God; he (I ſay) doubting this deſigne might not draw him to ſin, reſolved to take away his life, that ſo Job might never have told tales of his victory, or have reported his conqueſt to the world. At leaſt by his death he might obſcure the buſineſſe, and bury it with ſome ſlander: ſaying that Job died with diſcontent and griefe, that he blaſphemed God when he died, that he wiſhed for death, and could not hold out any longer. Much like that device of ſome Jeſuits, who have blowne it abroad, that our moſt zealous oppoſers of Romiſh errours, p. 253whom they could never move, either by writing or diſputing, while they lived, have yet recanted all when they dyed. Wherefore leaſt Satan ſhould have drawen a curtain over the glory of Jobs victory, by aſperſing him after his death, the Lord ſaith, Save his life, Job ſhall ſurvive his troubles, that matters may come to light, and a true report be made and left upon record both of thy implacable malice, and enmity, and of his invincible patience and ſincerity.

And this may lead us yet further to conſider, why God was ſo carefull of that precious part, his life.

For ſome may ſay,

Had it not been glory to God and honour to Job, (like that of Martyrdome,) if he had died under the hand of Satan, holding faſt his own integrity, bleſſing God even unto death?

I grant this, but yet God knew that the ſaving of his life would be more advantagious both to himſelfe and his Job, for thoſe ends: wherefore he ſaith, Save his life, deſtroy him not.

Firſt thus, God intended to make Job a Monument of mercy as well as a Monument of ſuffering, he intended to ſet him up to all the world as one, in whom they might behold the goodneſſe of God in raiſing up, mixt with his wiſdome in caſting down; that men might learn hope from Job, as well as patience from Job. Therefore ſaith God, Save his life, I have ſomewhat elſe to do with him; I will raiſe him up again, and in him an everlaſting Monument both of his patience in ſuffering, and of my own power in reſtoring. Indeed if he had died in the conflict and left his bones in the field, he had been a wonderfull example of conſtancy: but he had not been ſuch an example of mercy, if his life had not been ſaved.

There may be this in it too, Save his life, ſaith God, I will have him preſerved in this combate, his courage and carriage in it is my delight. God loveth to ſee his people holding out, tugging and continuing in ſuch aſſaults and temptations.Spectant dij magnos viros cum calamitate aliqua colluctantes, Ecce spectaculum, ad quod reſpiciat operi ſuo intentus Deus. Senec. de Cat. c 2. de P…ov. If any thing in the world gives delight to God, this is the thing that delighteth him. The Heathen thought this the ſport of their gods; Seneca in his Book of Providence, ſpeaking of Cato, and other gallant Romane ſpirits, ſaith, the gods delighted to look upon them in their conflicts with fortune. To ſee them wraſtle with ſome great calamity, with ſome great danger, was ſuch a ſpectacle as would draw off Jupiter from his greateſt buſineſſe. It is a moſt certain truth, that the moſt true God doth love and delight to ſee his children wraſtling with p. 254ſome great calamitie: to ſee a poor man, man who is but fleſh and bloud wraſtling with principalities and powers, with the devill and powers of darkneſſe; this is a ſight that God himſelf (as we may ſo ſpeak) rejoyceth in.Gen. 22.14.Gen 22:14 When Abraham had finiſhed that great combate about ſacrificing his ſonne, he calleth the place Jehovah-jireh, the Lord will ſee, or the Lord doth ſee, the Lord doth behold; as if that had been a ſight which God himſelfe came down to look upon. As when ſome great man or ſtrange ſhew paſſeth by, we goe out to ſee it; ſo God cometh down upon mount Moriah to ſee a ſight: And what was it? To ſee Abraham in that great temptation aſſaulted and overcomming. Here was a ſpectacle for the great Jehovah, and therefore he cals the place Jehovah-jireh, the Lord hath ſeen. I doubt not but this place alſo of Jobs triall, might have born the ſame name. As the Lord will be ſeen in the mount of our afflictions to provide for us, ſo he will ſee us in the mount of our afflictions, to pleaſe himſelf. The Pſalmiſt deſcribeth God looking down from heaven upon the children of men, to ſee if there were any that did understand, that did ſeek God, Pſal. 53.2. Surely then if any do ſeek God, much more if they ſuffer from him, or for him in a holy manner, he will look downe from Heaven to ſee them.

Thirdly, I will note that as another ground why God would have his life ſpared, becauſe he had much uſe of him, when he was in that condition, full of ſores and ſcabs. A godly man is never in ſuch an estate but God hath ſome uſe of his life. Therefore ſaith God, Save his life, though he be full of ſores, or rather from the crown of the head to the ſole of the foot one continued ſore: though he be a moſt lamentable creature, and cannot wag hand or foot in any ſervice of man, yet ſpare his life, for he may thus ſtand me in great ſtead, and do me more ſervice then many thouſands, who (as we ſpeake) are ſound winde and limbe, and have not one blemiſh upon the whole body. A godly perſon is ever uſefull to God, though he cannot ſtirre a limbe, yet his life may be uſefull to God: whereas a wicked man, though ſtrong and healthy, though furniſht with outward comforts and accommodations, is altogether unſerviceable; he will not doe God a ſtroake of worke, though he have received great pay and wages afore-hand. A godly man will ſerve God in and by his poverty, in and by his ſickneſſe, when diſeaſed, when diſtreſſed, when nothing is to be ſeen upon him but ſcabs and boiles. Grace will work through all the defects and decayes p. 255of nature. And when the life of nature can ſcarce move one member of the outward man upon the earth, the life of grace moves all the members of the inward man toward Heaven. Though the outward man periſh, yet the inward man is renewed day by day, 2 Cor. 4.16.

Laſtly, God ſaved his life, as a puniſhment and vexation upon Satan. The Talmudists are vouched to affirme, that it was not ſo grievous to Job, to be afflicted in his body, as it was to Satan when God reſtrained him from deſtroying his life. As if a man ſhould be permitted to crack the glaſſe, but he muſt not ſpill the wine. That his life muſt be kept whole in him, was Satans wound. It is a torture to malice not to do the utmoſt miſchiefe. So much for the clearing of theſe words, Behold, he is in thine hand, but ſave his life.

From the Lords grant obſerve firſt, That God doth oftentimes give up the bodies of his faithfull ſervants to be abuſed and tormented by Satan and his inſtruments. He is in thine hand, thou maiest do with him what thou wilt, on this ſide death. Touch his fleſh and his bone, or touch his fleſh to the bone, ſtrike as hard, wound as deep as thou canſt. It is ſaid, Revel. 2.10. that Satan ſhould caſt ſome of them, that is, of the ſervants of God, into priſon. God gave up their bodies to irons, and fetters, to the ſtocks and ſhackles: He permits thoſe bodies which are Temples of the holy Ghoſt, to be thruſt into dungeons and the chambers of death.

Therefore doe not thinke it ſtrange to ſee the bodies of the children of God put into cruell and bloudy hands, though they are veſſels of honour and Temples of the holy Ghoſt, yet God may give up thoſe bodies to be defiled and polluted with the outrages of the moſt abominable wretches; conſider what the Apoſtle ſpeakes of the Jewiſh Martyrs, Heb. 11. How were their bodies abuſed and mangled? They were ſtoned, they were ſawn aſunder, they were ſlaine with the ſword: they wandered about in ſheep skins and goat skins, being deſtitute, afflicted, tormented: of whom the world was not worthy: Their bodies had not a houſe to dwell in, nor garments to put on, in whoſe ſoules God himſelfe dwelt, and had put upon them the garment of Salvation. Who is able to expreſſe, yea, to conceive what ſtrange inventions of crueltie have been brought into the world to vex and torment the bodies of the Saints; The ſtories of the Primitive times are full: but the fathers of the Romiſh inquiſition have exceeded them all. Satan here invents a ſtrange diſeaſe as an p. 256engine to torture Jobs body, in that he mixt the rack, and the wheel, the ſword and the ſaw, the fiery gridiron and the boyling oil: The pain of a thouſand deaths was heightn'd in that malignant diſtemper.

Secondly, he is in thine hand, but ſave his life, ſaith God. The matter wherein Satan is limited is life, then note

That life and death are in the hand of God. It is truth, that all we have is in the hand of God; but God keeps our life in his hand laſt of all, and he hath that in his hand in a ſpeciall manner. So David expreſſes it,Pſal. 66.9.Ps 66:9 Thou holdest my ſoul in life; though the ſoul continue, life may not continue, there is the ſoul, when there is not life, life is that which is the union of ſoul and body, Thou holdest my ſoul in life, that is, thou holdeſt ſoul and body together. So Daniel deſcribes God to Belſhazzar, Dan. 5.23. The God in whoſe hand thy breath is, and whoſe are all thy wayes haſt thou not glorified. The breath of Princes is in the hand of God; and the ſame hand holds the breath of the meaneſt ſubject. This may be matter of comfort to us in ſuch times as theſe are, times of danger, and times of death; when the hand of man is lifted up to take thy life, remember thy life is held in the hand of God. And as God ſaid here to Satan, Afflict the body of Job, but ſave his life; ſo God ſaith ſtill to bloudy wretches, who are as the limbs of Satan, The bodies of ſuch and ſuch are in your hands, the eſtates of ſuch and ſuch are in your hands, but ſave their lives. The life of a man is never at the mercy of a creature, though it be a common ſpeech of men, when they have a man under them, Now I have you at my mercy; though ſome brag as Laban did to Jacob, It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: yet God often checks them (as he did Laban) from ſo much as ſpeaking hurt, Gen. 31.29. but the God of your father ſpake unto me yeſter-night, ſaying, Take thou heed, that thou ſpeak not to Jacob either good or bad. Creatures though full of love cannot ſpeak good, and though full of malice they cannot ſpeak bad, if God forbid: then much leſſe can they do us hurt, and leaſt of all hurt our lives, if God with-hold. David triumphs in his intereſt in ſuch a God, Pſal. 68.20. Our God is the God of ſalvation (that is of deliverance, of outward deliverance (for that is eſpecially there meant) and unto God the Lord belong the iſſues from death, or the goings out from death, that is, God hath all wayes that lead out from death in his own keeping, he keepeth the key of the door, that lets us out from death; when a man is in the valley of the ſhadow p. 257of death, where ſhall he iſſue out? where ſhall he have a paſſage? No where, ſaith man, he ſhall not eſcape; but God keepeth all the paſſages, when men think they have ſhut us up in the jawes of death, he can open them, and deliver us. To him belong the iſſues from death; It is an alluſion to one that keepeth a paſſage or a door: And God is a faithfull keeper, and a friendly keeper, who will open the door for the eſcape of his people, when they cry unto him. It is expreſt ſo in Pſal. 141.7. Our bones are ſcattered at the graves mouth: as when one cutteth or cleaveth wood upon the earth; that is, we are even ready to die, to be put into the grave. What then? But mine eyes are upon thee, O God the Lord: in thee is my truſt, leave not my ſoul destitute. Keep me from the ſnare which they have laid for me. Let the wicked fall into their own nets: whileſt I withall eſcape, that is, make me a way to eſcape; As if he ſhould ſay, Thou haſt the key of the gate by which we may iſſue out from death: Lord, I look that thou ſhouldeſt now open it for me.

Let it comfort us that God hath our lives, and the iſſues from death in his own hand. When Satan thought he had Job faſt enough lockt up in the valley of the ſhadow of death, God kept him ſafe, he opened a door and let him out.

Thirdly note, that as God hath life in his hand in a ſpeciall manner, ſo he takes ſpeciall care of the lives of his people. Save his life (ſaith God) I will look to that: Pſal. 116.15. Precious in the ſight of the Lord is the death of his ſaints; Precious is their death; not that death it ſelf is precious, a privation hath no preciouſneſſe in it: but their life is precious, therefore he will have a great price for their death; God puts off the life of a Saint at a deare rate. Woe unto thoſe who violently and unjuſtly take away that which is ſo precious in the eſteeme of God, at one time or other he will make them pay dear for ſuch Jewels.

Fourthly obſerve, It is mercy to have our lives, though we loſe all things elſe. You ſee here God ſaith concerning Job, Save his life. I have given thee his eſtate, thou haſt ſpoiled that, now I will leave his body in thine hand, wound that, afflict that, but ſave his life. Here was mercy. Therefore it was a ſpeciall promiſe and priviledge made and granted to ſome in times of great publike ſufferings and common calamities, as to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, Jer. 39.18. and to Baruch the Scribe, Jer. 45.5. that their lives ſhould be given to them for a prey; as if God had ſaid, It is no ordinary p. 258favour in times of common danger to have your lives for a prey; you complain for this loſſe and that loſſe, and you have cauſe too, but think withall that you have your lives. And why is it ſaid, that they ſhould have their lives for a prey? A prey you know properly is that which we take out of the hand of an enemie, that which was in his poſſeſſion; the lives of theſe perſons were ſaid to be given to them for a prey, in thoſe perillous times, becauſe God by his care and providence did (as it were) fetch back their lives from the hand of the enemie: their lives in naturall reaſon were in their enemies hands, but God undertakes to fetch them back, and recover them out of their hands, and ſo they were promiſed to have their lives for a prey. Thus God giveth to many of his people their lives for a prey, and they are to bleſſe God in this behalfe, whatſoever afflictions and troubles are upon them, that yet they have their lives.

Laſtly, we may hence raiſe our meditations to conſider the wonderfull love of God to us in Chriſt: when God ſent Chriſt into the world to ſave ſinners, he put him into the hands of Satan and his inſtruments; yet he doth not ſay (as here) to Satan, Save his life; Afflict him as thou wilt, perſecute him in his cradle, deſpiſe him, ſlander him, revile him, accuſe him, crowne his head with thornes, ſcourge him, buffet him, ſpit in his face, &c. but ſave his life; No, this bound is not ſet to the malice of Satan or the rage of men, God gives them leave to take life and all. Concerning his ſervant Job, God ſaith to Satan, Spare his life; but when he ſendeth his Son, he gives no order to have him ſpared, but gives his cruell enemies full ſcope. How wonderfull is the love of God, who for our ſakes was ſo expenſive of his Sons life; when as he thus ſpared the life of a ſervant. If Satan had been chained up from taking the life of Chriſt, he had been at liberty to triumph over our lives, to all eternity. We had all died, if God had ſaid to Satan concerning Chriſt, Save his life.

Thus we ſee the Commiſſion of Satan againſt Job, and the limitation of it. Satan was not tyed up ſo ſhort as he was in the former Chapter, and yet ſtill he is tyed. There he might meddle with Jobs eſtate, but not with his body; here he may meddle with his body, but not with his life: Though God lengthen Satans chain, yet he never lets Satan looſe, though he be at more liberty then before, yet he is in cuſtody, there is a But of reſtriction upon him ſtill. It is our comfort that though Satan (as Philoſophers ſpeake of liquids, p. 259water, and the like) cannot keep himſelf in his own bounds, yet he is eaſily kept in bounds by the word and power of God.

Verſe 7.

So went Satan forth from the preſence of the Lord, and ſmote Job with ſore boiles, from the ſole of the feet unto his crowne.

Verſe 8.

And he took him a potſheard to ſcrape himſelfe withall, and he ſate down among the aſhes.

So Satan went forth from the preſence of the Lord.] He is preſently upon execution, as ſoon as he hath his commiſſion. We have explained theſe words in the former Chapter.

See then what he doth. He ſmote Job with ſore boiles from the ſole of his feet unto his crown.

He ſmote Job ſaith the Text. In the former afflictions Satan had inſtruments to work by: He ſtirred up the Caldeans and Sabeans; he moved the fire and the winde into a conſpiracie againſt Job. Here he (that he might be ſure it ſhould be done fully) doth it himſelfe.

He ſmote Job.] When the devil ſmiteth, he ſmiteth thorowly, he ſmiteth home. When Angels ſtrike, they ſtrike to purpoſe. It is ſaid Act. 12. that an Angel of the Lord ſmote Herod, and he was eaten of wormes, and gave up the Ghoſt. Spirits have mighty power.

He ſmote Job; why, he did not demand to ſmite Job, he did but deſire to have him Toucht: you heard before ſomewhat of that. Satan moves that his fleſh and his bone might be only touched, now, his motion being granted, it is ſaid he ſmote him. There are two things in this ſmiting:

Firſt, It notes ſuddenneſſe: He did not afflict him by a diſeaſe that grew upon him by degrees; as you know boiles and ſores ordinarily are long a gathering, breeding in, and breaking out of the fleſh; but he was all over full of theſe boiles in an inſtant.

Secondly, ſmiting intimates the vehemencie of it, a killing ſtroake, a deaths wound; the Hebrew word ſignifieth to ſtrike to death. So here was a ſudden ſtroake, and a vehement ſtroake.foreign De homine occidit, perdidit. It muſt needs at once wound both his mind and body, on a ſudden, in a moment, to be filled with ſores, and covered with a ſcab; he ſaw no cauſe, he had no prognoſticks which might induce a ſuſpition that his body was in ſuch a diſtemper; and ſo it looked the more like an immediate ſtroake from an offended God. Every p. 260word hath its weight and emphaſis to adde weight and anguiſh to this affliction.

It may here be queſtioned, how Satan can be ſaid to ſmite? And the ſame doubt ariſeth about this action of good Angels; one of which, as executioner of Gods wrath ſmote of the Aſſyrians in one night an hundred and fourſcore and five thouſand, Iſai. 37.36. and another ſmote Herod, Act. 12.

I anſwer, how angels ſmite is a ſecret that we cannot expreſſe, nor fully apprehend. For this and the like expreſſions of ſmiting, are ſured to the nature of the patient, not of the Agent; man being a materiall ſubſtance is ſuſceptive, or capable of ſmiting, or of a ſtroake: But an angel being an immateriall ſubſtance, cannot ſmite properly, and he is therefore only ſaid to ſmite a man, becauſe we cannot ſignifie an effect or impreſſion upon a body, but by ſuch a word. We know that in the plague or other diſeaſes, when they are immediately inflicted by Angels, man receives a ſtroake, and therefore is ſaid, to be ſmitten. But how the Angel gives that ſtroake or ſmites, is not knowne. Man may feel himſelf ſmitten by an Angel, but how the Angel ſmites he cannot underſtand. This word is fitted to the recipient not to the efficient cauſe of the diſeaſe, or plague, or death.

foreign Ʋlcus ortum ex calore, ſive igne inflammans corpus. Schind. Vox Hebraea ſignificat ſcabi em ſoe diſſimam, qualis eſt Elephantiaſis. Vatab. in loc.He ſmote him with boiles. The Hebrew word ſignifieth an ulcer, a burning or an inflaming ulcer, an ulcer that cometh from extreme heat, or is extreme hot. Satan did (as it were) kindle a fire in the bowels of Job, inflamed his bloud, and heated the humours of his body, from whence theſe boiles, theſe ulcers, theſe ſores did ariſe. The Grammarians expreſſe it, ſometime more generally, A filthy ſcab; ſometime more particularly, An ulcer, a boile, ſometime a leprocie, it is indeed any foule diſeaſe breaking out upon the body.

The ſame word is uſed, Exod. 9.10. where it is ſaid, that God ſmote the Egyptians and the Magicians with boiles. It was one of the plagues of Egypt that was inflicted upon Job; We need ſay no more of it then that, to ſhew that it was a grievous plague, a moſt painfull ſore: for it is added in that place of Exodus, that the Magicians could not ſtand before Moſes becauſe of the boiles.

foreign Ʋlcere peſſimo.Againe, it is not onelyonly a ſmiting, and ſmiting with a boile; but there is an Epethite added, he ſmote him with ſore boiles, with an evil boile: among evils ſome are worſe, theſe were the worſt kinde of boiles. There are many ſorts of boiles, ſome are not ſo bad as others, though all are bad enough. Now leſt any ſhould thinke p. 261Jobs boyles were not the moſt painefull and malignant, a word is joyned to expreſſe it to the height: In the kind they were boyles, and (intenſivè or) in the degree, they were the worſt and moſt tormenting boyles.

Further in the fourth place, we know it is painfull for a man to have one boyle, eſpecially an angry burning one, a boyle of the worſt ſort; but it is ſubjoyned, he was ſmitten with boyles, from the ſole of his feete unto his crowne. To be all over boyles, and to be all over-run with the moſt painfull kind of boyles, what a vehement paine muſt this be? From the ſole of his feete unto his crown, there is the extent of this ſtroake. Intenſivè, it was the worſt kind of boyle, And Extenſivè, it was all over his body, no part free.

From the ſole of his feete unto his crowne. It is uſuall in Scripture thus to ſignifie the whole body? As Deut. 28.35. The Lord ſhall ſmite thee in the knees and in the leggs, with a ſore botch that cannot be healed, from the ſole of the foote to the top of the head, or to the crowne. And Iſa. 1.6. when the Prophet would expreſſe what a generall blow the body politique had received from the hand of God by his judgements, (ſo it is there to be underſtood) he ſaith there were wounds and bruiſes, and putrifying ſores, from the ſole of the foote even unto the head. That is, the whole body politick, the whole State had at one time or other, or all at one time received wounds, and blowes, and ſtroakes from the hand of God. The extreames comprehend all the parts. That which extends from one extreame, or utmoſt part to another, is extended through all; from Eaſt to Weſt, is all the world over, and from head to foote, is all the body over. So then Satan ſmote him from the ſole of his foote to his crowne, is, He ſmote his whole body.

All paines and diſtempers were gathered into this one malady, and all the parts of his body were ſmitten, as if they had bin but one member: only his tongue was untoucht, as is commonly obſerved, That it might be free to blaſpheme God, who had thus polluted the beauty and comelineſſe of his body, who had thus imbittered the comforts of his ſoule.

Job being thus ſmitten, would ſurely looke out for helpe. Though it be exceeding ſinfull (with Aſa diſeaſed in his feete) to ſeeke to the Phyſitians and not to the Lord, 2 Chro. 16.12.2 Chr 16:12yet it is our duty to ſeeke to the Lord and the Phyſitian; To truſt in meanes is to neglect God, to neglect meanes is to tempt God. Doubtleſſe holy and wiſe Job walkt in a path betweene theſe two; He neither truſted nor neglected p. 262meanes, but uſed them; yet alaſſe it was with Job, as it is ſaid in the Prophet concerning Ephraim and Judah, That when Ephraim ſaw his ſickneſſe, Hoſ. 5.13.Hos 5:13and Judah ſaw his wound, Then went Ephraim to the Aſſyrian, and ſent to King Jareb: Yet could he not heale you, nor cure you of your wound. Though Job (as they in their civill ſickneſſe) ſeeing his ſickneſſe & his wound, had ſent to this and that Phyſitian. Their anſwer would have been, we cannot heale you nor cure you of your wound. His diſeaſe was of the nature of thoſe, which are called,Opprobrium medicorum. The Phyſitians Reproach: They could not diſcover any naturall cauſe of it, and therefore they could not preſcribe any artificiall cure of it. Phyſitians of greateſt value, in Jobs caſe, were Phyſitians of no value. And therefore to ſhew that either all had in vaine attempted to cure him, or that none durſt undertake the cure; the Text ſaith, That he tooke a potſheard to ſcrape himſelfe withall, and he ſate downe among the aſhes.

Theſe words are a further aggravation of Jobs affliction. When he is in this manner ſmitten, ſmitten with boyles, ſmitten with the worſt of boyles, ſmitten with boyles all over, from the ſole of his feete unto his crowne: ſurely a man in this pickle had need to have ſome good tendance and looking to; ſuppoſe the Phyſitians and Chyrurgians could not cure him, yet they might eaſe him; if they had plyed him with Fomentations and ſuppling oyles, if they had bound up his ſoares with fine linnen to mittigate and molifie them. If ſuch applications and attendance had not bin a refreſhing to him, yet they would have bin a reſpect to him; if they had not bin an allay to his paine, yet they would have bin an honour to his perſon. But (as this 8^th verſe ſhewes us) when the man was thus nothing but ſores, he had then nothing to helpe him: He might ſay (as David afterwards in a ſad condition, Pſal. 142.4.) I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me, refuge failed, or periſhed from me, no man cared for my ſoule. When thus, Lover and Friend, Phyſitian and Chirurgion, Wife and Servant were farre from him, at leaſt in duty and affection; then he is forced to be both Patient and Phyſitian, ſick and Nurſe, he tooke him a pot-ſheard to ſcrape himſelfe withall. Poore man! He who was lately in health, and the Greateſt man in the Eaſt, being now ſick, hath nothing left him but a peece of a broken pitcher.

There are foure aggravations of his affliction in this.

The firſt is this, that he could get none to dreſſe him, he was p. 263faine to doe it himſelfe, ſaith the Text. Neither Wife, nor Servants, nor Friends would meddle with him. A hard caſe!

Then ſecondly, conſider what a toole he had to doe it with. He was left to be his owne Chirurgion, and his dreſſing inſtrument was a pot-ſheard. The word ſignifies, ſometimes a whole earthen pot, ſometimes a broken peece of it, a ſheard as we call it. Here is no mention of fine linnen and ſalves to heale, or of oyle to ſupple theſe ſoares, only a hard pot-ſheard is the tool, and ſcraping is all the ſurgerie. A hard caſe!

Thirdly, This intimates either, that his body was ſo loathſome by reaſon of the diſeaſe, that he was loath to touch himſelfe with his hands: As we ſay proverbially in our Language concerning a deformed or filthy creature; A man would ſcarce touch ſuch an one with a paire of Tongs. So, as if Job had ſo abhorred himſelfe, that he was loath to touch himſelfe with his bare hands, he muſt take ſomewhat, and for want of a better, a pot-ſheard to ſcrape himſelfe; He had not the heart (as it were) to touch himſelfe, his diſeaſe was ſo foule, that (as we ſay) it turn'd his ſtomack. This ſome give as a reaſon why he tooke a pot-ſheard, his body was ſo filthy that he was loath to touch it with his hands.

Or as others give the reaſon, his boiles and ſoares did ſo overſpread and envenome his hands to the very nailes, that it was a paine for him to touch himſelfe; his fingers were ſo ſore, that he had ſcarce any uſe of them; this conſtrained him to make a poore ſhift, even to take a pot-ſheard to ſcrape himſelfe withall. What a lamentable caſe was this!

Fourthly, There followes yet a further aggravation of his affliction. If a man be ſicke and full of ſores, yet if he can get an eaſie bed or ſome ſoft place to lie upon, it is a great comfort. You know how men will remove from bed to bed, from place to place when they are diſtempered and in paine. But ſee where Job lyes, he hath no Downe-bed nor ſoft pillowes, neither couch nor chaire to ſit in, but

He ſate downe among the aſhes.

There are two expoſitions concerning this; For his ſitting in the Aſhes, may be taken as a voluntary act, or as a neceſſary act. Some take it as a voluntary act of Job, and that he did it Electivè, when he was in that condition, he went out and choſe to ſit among the Aſhes; And ſo his ſitting among the Aſhes was a note of his p. 264humiliation and abaſement; As often in Scripture, to ſit downe in aſhes, is as much as to repent and humble our ſelves deepely before God, to lie in the very duſt duſt; as it is expreſt of Job, (chap. 42.6.) when he had ſeene God, I abhorre my ſelfe, ſaith he, and I repent in duſt and aſhes; Alluding to that cuſtome of ſitting in aſhes when they did repent. So you find in that ſolemne humiliation of the Ninivites, Jon. 3.6. that when word came to the King of Ninive (namely that Jonah had propheſied the ruine of the City within forty dayes) he aroſe from his throne, and he layed his robe from him, and covered himſelfe with ſack-cloth and ſate in aſhes. Chriſt upbraiding Chorazin and Bethſaida, tells them that if the mighty works which were done in them had been done in Tire and Sidon, they had repented long agoe in ſack-cloth and aſhes, foreign.Math. 11.22. In great mournings, the Heathen uſed to ſit in or ſprinckle themſelves with aſhes. As Homer reports of Ʋliſſes after a Ship-wrack, and of others, whom Druſius hath obſerved on this Text. Iſa. 61.3. the promiſe is, that God will give beauty for aſhes, that is, they that humble themſelves and lye in aſhes, ſhall have a happy and comfortable reſtauration. So that this act of Job might be voluntary, and a geſture of repentance; ſitting downe among the aſhes, to humble and abaſe himſelfe before God.

The Papiſts are ſuperſtitiouſly ceremonious in this point at this day: Annually obſerving a day which they affect to call Aſh-wedneſday, on which they ſprinckle themſelves with aſhes, as a preparatory to their formall Lenton Repentance. But we have not ſo learned Chriſt.

Secondly, We may take it for a neceſſitated act, that he was forced to this, to goe and ſit among the aſhes, (or as moſt from the Septuagint tranſlate it, to ſit downe upon a dung-hill) and that in two reſpects.

Firſt, In regard of his poverty and want, as if he were ſo bereft and deſtitute of all outward things, that he had not a houſe to put his head in, not any other conveniencies to make uſe of; but was conſtrained to goe out, and ſit upon the dung-hill or amongſt the aſhes.

Secondly, Others rather conceive, that the neceſſity did ariſe from the contagion and loathſomeneſſe of his diſeaſe, ſo that he was forced to goe out of doores, he filled the houſe with ſuch a noiſome ſmell.

Or he was forced to goe out as a Leper; concerning whom the p. 265Law was afterwards, you know that they ſhould be put out of the Campe or City; and it was a Law grounded upon reaſon,Levit. 13.44, 4….Lev 13:44Lev 13:4 and the common light of nature, though it had a ſpirituall ſignification, as given to the Jewes. The Septuagint ſay expreſly,foreign. Sept. he ſate upon the dung-hill without the City, as Lepers were wont to be according to the Law of Moſes; and as we ſee executed in that caſe of Ʋzziah the King, being a Leper he dwelt in a houſe by himſelfe alone, and was cut off from the houſe of the Lord, 2 Chro. 26.21.

But that Job ſate either without the City, or upon a dung-hill, is only a conjecture, and beſides the Text. Which way ſoever we take it, it is a great aggravation of Jobs ſorrowes. Take it for a neceſſitated ſitting in the aſhes abroad, it inferres, that either he was ſo poore, as that he had not a houſe to be in; or that his diſeaſe was ſo contagious, that he could not be endured in the houſe. Or take it for a voluntary act, that he did chooſe to ſit in aſhes, it was an aggravation of his affliction; for then it notes that he was in the loweſt, in the ſaddeſt condition that can be imagined: ſitting in aſhes, being an embleme of extreame ſorrow, and never uſed but in times of greateſt calamity, publick or perſonall.

So that here, every circumſtance is an aggravation of Jobs affliction. He was ſmitten by Satan, and he ſmote hard enough: he ſmote him, and he ſmote him with boyles, he ſmote him with the moſt malignant kind of boyles; he ſmote him with ſuch boyles all over, from the ſole of his feet to his crowne; and when he was in this condition, he had no Nurſe, no Chirurgion, no Phyſitian to helpe him, he was forced to take a pot-ſheard to ſcrape himſelfe: he had no ſoft bed prepared to lye on, nor (as many have thought) houſe to be in; but out of the City, or out of his houſe he muſt, and among the aſhes, upon the dung-hill. Lo there he ſits.Zenophons Cyr. Ad Principis effigiem quam Hiſtoriae fidem. What one ſaid of an exact Hiſtory of a great Prince; That ſurely it was written rather in theory as a pattern or picture of a Prince, then according to the truth of a hiſtory. So we may ſay of this deſcription of Jobs troubles; That ſurely it was written rather as a ſtudied pattern of mans ſufferings, then as an accompliſht Hiſtory of the ſufferings of any man: yea who almoſt can goe ſo farre in imagination, as Job went in reall paſſion. But we will paſſe from the deſcription of his ſorrow to ſome Obſervations upon them.

Firſt, Here we ſee, That Satan if he be permitted, hath a power ſuddenly to aflict the body with diſeaſes; And that is a power farre tranſcending all the power that is in man; Man is able to p. 266wound the body of his brother with a materiall inſtrument, but all the Tyrants in the world cannot ſmite the body with a diſeaſe, or command a man into ſickneſſe; Though God ſhould ſay to them as here to Satan, I give you leave, yet they muſt leave that to Satan: whoſe helpe is ſometime begg'd by envious wretches, who would kill their bretheren without a Sword, and vex them unſeene. Man muſt have a weapon to ſmite, but Satan can ſmite and kill without a weapon, if God ſay the word. Man can ſpill the blood, but Satan can poiſon the blood: He can infect the humours, and taint the ſpirits more ſubtilly, more ſpeedily then the moſt skilfull poiſoner in Rome. We ſhewed before how ſuddenly Satan can raiſe commotions in the ayre, ſtormes and tempeſts there; he can doe the like in our bodies: for ſuch are diſeaſes in the body as ſtormes and tempeſts in the ayre. Stormes make (as it were) a confuſion among the Elements, and are the diſtemper of nature: diſeaſes make a confuſion among the humours, and diſtemper the conſtitution and ſpirits of the body. It is ſaid of the woman in Luk. 13.16. that Satan had bound her 28 yeares; Obſerve in that, the power Satan hath over the body, if God give him liberty to exerciſe it; As cruell men can bind in chaines, and caſt the body into priſon for many yeares, ſo Satan can bind the body with a ſpirit of infirmity as with a chaine.

Secondly obſerve this, That health and strength of body are a very great bleſſing: You ſee Satan deſires to try Job by taking away this bleſſing laſt, and he thought this would make Job curſe God: you may ſee the value of it by his deſire to deſtroy it. Health is the Prince of earthly bleſſings. We ſay, he lives miſerably that lives by medicines, who to uphold nature is in the continuall uſe of art. How miſerably then doth he live, whom art and medicines cannot reſtore to health, who is diſeaſed beyond the help of Phyſick.

I might mind you likewiſe from this, to remember what fraile bodies we live in, even ſuch, as have in them the ſeeds of all diſeaſes. Sin indeed is the ſeed of ſickneſſe and of death. And hence it is, that if the humours of the body be a little ſtirr'd, they quickly turne to a diſeaſe: and this houſe of clay is ready to diſſolve and fall. What is the ſtrength of the body, that we ſhould truſt it? or the beauty of the body that we ſhould be proud of it? We ſee in Job, how quickly the ſtrength of it is turned into weakeneſſe, and the beauty of it into blackneſſe. All fleſh is graſſe, and all the p. 267goodlineſſe thereof is as the flower of the field; The graſſe withereth, and the flower fadeth, Iſa. 40.6.

And here likewiſe note this, you that enjoy health of body, whoſe ſtrength yet continues, and your ſelves are free from the bonds of any bodily infirmity: while you heare of one ſmitten with a diſeaſe from the crowne of the head to the ſole of the feet, conſider what a mercy you have, who have no paine from the crowne of the head to the ſole of the feete; who have not an aking joynt, nor paine ſo much as in a finger. It is like that many of you can ſay you have this bleſſing, you doe not know what paine in any one member meanes; looke upon a man, that knew nothing but paine, upon a man, that had not one member free; and prize your bleſſing.

Such likewiſe who have paine and infirmities, in one or two, or more parts of the body, may ſee in this ſpectacle cauſe to bleſſe God, that they have any part free. To have but one or but a few ſores is mercy, ſparing mercy, when we behold another nothing but a ſore. Indeed when one member ſuffers, (whether in the body naturall or myſticall) all the members ſuffer with it. But compaſſion is not ſo heavy a burden, as paſſion is. And as the ſound members ſympathize in ſorrow with thoſe that are ſmitten, ſo they that are ſmitten, ſympathize in joy with thoſe that are ſound. The eaſe of one part mitigates the diſeaſe of another, and it is an abatement of our troubles to ſee thoſe whom we love in peace. Two are better then one (ſaith Solomon,) for if one fall the other may helpe him up, but if both fall, who ſhall helpe. And if every member ſuffer, there is paſſion in all, but compaſſion in none; much leſſe ſupport or helpe.

Thirdly obſerve: Job in this condition was left of all. Doe not thinke it ſtrange if you be brought into ſuch ſtraights, as to be left alone, when you have moſt need of aſſiſtance. Job was as a man friendleſſe, Phyſitianleſſe, wifeleſſe, ſervantleſſe, all forſooke him. It is the comfort of the people of God, that they know how to be alone, and yet can never be alone: though they be left of all viſible friends, yet they have an inviſible friend who will viſit them, ſtay with them by day, and watch with them by night, for he hath ſaid, I will never leave thee nor forſake thee. In the Greeke there are five negatives to affirme this, that God will not leave his, Heb. 13.5. And he that hath him alone, hath infinitely more then all the world in one. When friends and Phyſitians will not come neere, when wife and children take their leave or ſtand afarre off, when p. 268ſervants hold their noſes, being not able to beare the ſtinch and ill ſavour that cometh from the body, yea, when a man comes to be an abhorring to himſelfe, yet at that time God delights in him; Chriſt at that time imbraceth him, and takes him in his armes, and kiſſeth him with the kiſſes of his lips, which are better then wine, yea better then life. Job was never ſo neer God, ſo in the boſome of God, as when no creature in the world would ſo much as touch him; Job was never ſo beautifull in the eye of God, as when he had nothing but boiles upon him.

Fourthly, I may preſent you with Job as he was upon his Aſhhill in want of all things; from thence be admoniſhed, That the children of God, his deareſt ſervants may come to uttermoſt outward extremities. When a man is among the aſhes, then he is at the loweſt: what can a man be leſſe then that? The Apoſtles were made as the filth of the world, as the off-ſcouring of all things, as ſweepings and off all which are caſt out upon the dunghill; So was Job in the ſenſe of many interpreters. They who are of moſt worth may be uſed as if they were worth nothing. Job was a pearle though upon a dunghill. They who were brought up in ſcarlet embrace dunghils, ſaith Jeremie in his Lamentation for Jeruſalem, chap. 4.5. We may ſay, They who are brought up and clothed in better then ſcarlet, even in the robes of righteouſneſſe, and in the Garments of Salvation, may yet be brought to embrace a dunghill. There is no judging by Appearance; No man knowes love or hatred by all that is before him (or upon him) Eccleſ. 9.

Laſtly, looke upon Job ſitting in the aſhes, as a voluntary act, and then obſerve, (which is of much concernement and uſe for us now in regard of the preſent condition we are in.) That as the afflicting hand of God doth increaſe upon a people, or upon a perſon, ſo ought the humiliation and repentance of that perſon or people to increaſe. When the hand of God was upon Job before, he rent his Mantle, he ſhaved his head, theſe were acts of great humiliation; but now Job having a neerer and a deeper affliction upon him, humbleth himſelfe yet more. Then he fell upon the ground, but now he ſitteth among the aſhes. Greater afflictions call to greater humiliation. We ought not only to be humbled when God afflicteth, but to be humbled in a proportion to the affliction; As it is in regard of ſin committed, Great ſins call for great ſorrow; And as it is in regard of mercies received, Great mercies call for great praiſes: ſo, Great troubles call us to great humiliations; and ſtill p. 269the greater troubles are, the greater our humiliation ought to be. This is one way of accepting the puniſhment of our iniquities, and of improving preſent evils for our everlaſting good. Conſider whether this be not the work of this day.

We have had the hand of God upon the Nation in leſſer judgements heretofore, we have had warning-peeces ſhot of amongſt us; but now we heare the report of murthering-peeces every day. Divers yeeres God made warre upon us with the ſword of the Angel, by which thouſands have fallen in our ſtreets: but now God hath put a ſword into the hands of men. The former ſword was a favour compared with this, Thoſe wounds, a kiſſe compared with this. Both David and experience reſolve it thus.2 Sam. 24.2 Sam 24 Many of our dear brethren are ſlain and fallen by the ſword, their bloud hath been ſpilt like water, and their bones have been ſcattered as when one cleaveth or cutteth wood upon the earth. The ſpoyled cry to us for bread, the ſicke and wounded for helpe and healing. Many towns have been plundered, many Matrons and Virgins have been raviſhed, many families have been ſcattered, many wives and children deprived of their husbands and parents, many pariſhes bereft of faithfull Paſtours, ſome of our dwellings turned to aſhes; And is it not time for us; not only to rent our garments, but to ſit in aſhes? do not theſe things call us to eat aſhes like bread, and mingle our drink with weeping. Is it not time for us not only to write, but to act a Lamentation, and to ſay, For theſe things I weepe, mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water? There is one thing yet, which may and ought to be a Lamentation to us, beyond all our own ſufferings, namely this, God is diſhonoured, his name is blaſphemed, his people are reproched. The enemies ſtrike this ſword in their bones, A ſcornfull enquirie, Where is now your God? Pſal. 42.10. Should not teares be our meat day and night (as they were Davids) while they ſay continually, Where is now your God? Pſal. 42.3. our not ſitting in the aſhes for ſuch things as theſe will bring us unto aſhes; and if we will not ſit upon the dunghill of our ſins in humiliation, our ſins will bring us, and our land unto a dunghill of deſolation. In this day, as of old by his faithfull Prophet (Iſai. 22.12.) doth the Lord God of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldneſſe, and to girding with ſackcloth; And not only to theſe, but to Jobs poſture of ſorrow, ſitting in aſhes; the voyce of the rod calleth to this: the voyce of the trumpet, heard daily in our ſtreets, cals to this. We have cauſe to cry p. 270out as the Prophet Jeremie in his fourth chapter, ver. 19. My bowels, my bowels, I am pained at the very heart, my heart maketh a noiſe in me, I cannot hold my peace, becauſe thou hast heard, O my ſoul, the ſound of the trumpet, and the alarm of war. And becauſe the ſound of the trumpet among us, like that on mount Sinai, Exod. 19.19. doth not only ſound long, but alſo lowder and lowder; It becomes us, not only to continue our mourning, and our crying unto God, but to cry lowder and lowder. If we increaſe not our humiliations, God will yet increaſe our judgements: if we will not ſit in aſhes, he will bring us to aſhes, and puniſh us yet ſeven times more for our ſins.

Wherefore receive the counſell of the Apoſtle James, in theſe your afflictions, Be afflicted, and mourn and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, James 4.9, 10.Jas 4:9Jas 4:10and your joy to heavineſſe. Humble your ſelves in the ſight of the Lord, and he ſhall lift you up. God lifts them up who caſt themſelves down; and if (in this ſence) we be afflicted, we ſhall not be afflicted. Christ hath purchaſed, Free Grace beſtowes deliverance; and we receive it, when we returne, repent and beleeve.