Exposition of Job 1-3, Biblical commentary · Job 1.1,2
IOB 1.1, 2.
There was a man in the land of Vz, whoſe name was IOB, and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared GOD and eſchewed evill.
And there were borne unto him ſeven ſonnes and three daughters, &c.
THis Chapter may be divided into three parts; whereof the firſt containes a deſcription of Job in his proſperous eſtate, from the firſt to the end of the fifth verſe.
In the ſecond we have the firſt part of Jobs affliction, ſet downe from the ſixth verſe to the end of the nineteenth.
In the third Jobs carriage and behaviour in, or his Conqueſt and Victory over that firſt tryall are diſcovered; this concludes in the three laſt verſes of the Chapter.
The deſcription of his proſperous eſtate is given us in three points.
Firſt, What he was in his perſon, verſ. 1.
Secondly, What in his poſſeſſions; we have an Inventory of his goods, verſ. 2, 3, 4.
Thirdly, What in his practiſe of holineſſe, verſe 5. Where one example or inſtance is ſet downe for all the reſt.
The Booke begins with the deſcription of his perſon in the firſt verſe: where Job is deſcribed by that which is accidentall, and by that which is eſſentiall.
By accidentals, ſo he is deſcribed by the place where he dwelt, There was a man in the land of Uz. 2. By his name, whoſe name was Job.
The eſſentials are foure qualifications, which were eſſentiall to him, not as a rationall man, but as a holy man. And that man was.
1. Perfect.
2. Ʋpright.
3. One that feared God.
4. Eſchewed evill.
As they who write the Acts or Stories of great men, uſually give us ſome deſcription of their perſons before they ſet downe their undertakings or atchievements (as you ſee in the 1 Sam. 17.4, 5, 6, 7. how the great Giant Goliah is deſcribed) So here the Holy Ghoſt by the Pen-man of this Booke, being to record a glorious combate, a combate not with fleſh and blood alone, but with Principalities and Powers, a wreſtling with mighty and ſtrong temptations: firſt gives us (if we may ſo ſpeake) the Proſopographie of this divine Heroes ſoule, the lineaments and abilities of his spirit. This was the heighth, and this the ſtature of the Combitant, ſuch were his limbes, and ſuch his weapons, there he dwelt, and this was his name.
There was a man in the land of Uz, whoſe name was Job.
There was] That referrs us, either to the truth of the Story, or to the time of the Story. Such a man there was, that's certaine. Such a man there was, but the time when is uncertaine. It referres us to the time onelyonly indefinitely. There was ſuch a man, but when, is not exactly and preciſely ſet downe. The Scripture (we know) doth often keepe an exact account of yeares (the Scripture is the guide and key of all Chronology) and ſometimes it leaves things in generall for the time, and onelyonly ſaith thus much, ſuch a thing was, or ſuch a perſon was. So here. Yet ſome have undertaken to define,An. 2230. from the creation 574 yeares after the flood 282. years after Abraham Bolduc. in loc. (what the Spirit of God hath left at large) the preciſe time wherein Job lived; and tell us in what yeare of the world theſe things were done. But I deſire not to be ſo accurate, unleſſe the Rule were ſo too. OnelyOnly thus much we may ſafely ſay, that Job lived betweene the times of Abraham and Moſes, and nearer Moſes than Abraham, and for that I conceive there is ground ſufficient. There are theſe two ſpeciall Reaſons, why it ſhould be circumſcribed within that limit.
1. Becauſe Job offered Sacrifice at that time in his owne Country: which after the giving of the law, and ſetting up of a publike worſhip, was forbidden all, both Jewes and Proſelytes. They that were acquainted with the wayes of God, knew they muſt not worſhip by Sacrifice any where, but before the Tabernacle, or (after the Temple was built) at the Temple.
2. Becauſe in the whole booke there is not the leaſt print, or the leaſt mention of any thing, which did concerne thoſe great and glorious paſſages of Gods providence towards the people of Iſrael, either in their going out of Aegypt, or in their journey thorough the wilderneſſe to Canaan. Now in a diſpute of this nature (ſuch as was betweene Job and his friends) there would have been frequent occaſion to have conſidered and inſtanced ſome of thoſe things. There is ſcarce any booke in Scripture, that beares date after that great and wonderfull diſpenſation of God, but it makes mention of or referrs to ſome paſſages concerning them.
Againe for the time, that which ſome collect to cleare it, is from the Genealogie of Job, there are three ſpeciall opinions concerning the line of his pedegree.
One that he deſcended from Nahor, who was brother to Abraham, Gen. 22.21. It was told Abraham, behold Milcah ſhee hath borne children to thy brother Nahor, Uz his firſt-borne, and Buz his brother, &c. This Vz who was the firſt-borne of Nahor Abrahams brother, is conceived to have given denomination to the land of Vz, and ſo from him, Job to be deſcended.
Another opinion there is (maintain'd by many) that Job was of the line of Eſau, and that he was called Jobab by Moſes, Gen. 36.33. And Bela died and Jobab the ſon of Zerah of Bozrah raigned in his ſtead. This Jobab, who was a deſcendant or one of the Dukes of the line of Eſau, they ſay was Job. But why the name Jobab ſhould be contracted into Job, I ſee little reaſon offered.
A third opinion for his deſcent is, that he came from the children of Abraham by his ſecond wife Keturah, Gen. 25. where it is ſaid, that Abraham by her had divers ſonnes, and that hee gave them portions and ſent them Eaſtward into the Eaſt country; and from Midian (who was the fourth ſonne of Abraham by that ſecond marriage) our Genealogies doe poſitively and directly affirme, that Job was deſcended.
That may ſuffice for the time, for bringing of him within a narrower limit, I have no grounds but conjecturall.
A man.] He is not called, A man (here) barely as the Phyloſophers Animal rationale, &c. as man is oppoſed to a Beaſt: Nor barely is he called a man to diſtinguiſh his Sex, as a man is oppoſed to a woman. But there is ſomewhat more in the expreſſion, he is called a man by way of excellency. And for the clearing and opening of that, we may conſider that there are 3. words in Scripture originall by which man is expreſt.
foreign1. Man is called Adam. That was the proper name of the firſt man, and it became the common name for all men ſince. So man was called from the matter of which he was made, Adam, from Adamah, becauſe (as the reaſon is given, Gen. 2.7.) God made man duſt out of the earth, or (as we tranſlate) of the duſt of the earth.
foreign2. Man is called Enoſh: So he is called in regard of the infirmities, weakneſſes and ſorrowes, which he hath contracted by ſinne, ſince the fall, ſinne made the red earth weake and brittle earth indeed, earth moyſtened with teares, and mixt with troubles.
foreign3. He is called Iſh, which the Critticks in that language, ſay, comes from and hath allyance with two words: One ſignifying, Beeing or exiſtence, and the other heat or fire. So that the excellency of mans being, the heat, courage and ſpirit that flames in him is ſet forth in that word; and that's the word here in the Text, There was a man, it is Iſh, an excellent, a worthy man, a man of an excellent ſpirit, a man of men, a man fitted to honour God and governe men. And that it is ſo uſed in Scripture, I will give you an inſtance or two, that you may ſee it is not a bare conjecture.
In the 49. Pſalme, David, as it were, ſummons and divides mankind. In the firſt verſe he ſummons, Heare this all ye people, give eare all ye inhabitants of the world. In the ſecond verſe he divides,foreign Both low and high, rich and poore together. The word in the Hebrew for high, is Bene-Iſh, ſons of Iſh, and the word for low, is Bene-Adam, ſonnes of Adam. If we ſhould tranſlate the Text directly, according to the letter, the words muſt runne, ſonnes of men and ſonnes of men, for, ſonnes of Adam and ſonnes of Iſh are both tranſlated ſonnes of men. Yet when they are ſet together in a way of oppoſition, the one ſignifieth low and the other high; and ſo our Tranſlators render it according to the ſenſe, not ſonnes of men and ſons of men, but low and high. Junius tranſlates to this ſence, though in more words, as well they who are borne of meane men, as they who are borne of the honourable.
A like inſtance we have, Iſa. 2.9. The meane man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himſelfe. The meane man, that is, the ſonne of Adam, and the great man, the ſonne of Iſh; the great man in regard of his excellency, is by ſuch a circumlocution deſcribed to be more then a man: not onelyonly the ſonne of man, but the ſonne of an honourable and great man. So I finde the word divers times uſed to ſignifie the excellency and greatneſſe of the perſon.
Then further, it ſignifieth not onelyonly a man that is great, but it ſignifieth a man in authority. There was a man, that is, an excellent man, a man of worth; There was a man, that is, a man in authority. It ſignifies a Magiſtrate, and ſo in divers places of Scripture, Man is put for a Magiſtrate, eſpecially when it is expreſt as here, by Iſh, Gen. 43.11. Carry a preſent to the man, ſcil. to the Governour of the Countrey, Jer 5.1. Goe thorough Jeruſalem and ſearch, and ſee if you can finde a man. What were men ſo ſcarce in Jeruſalem at that time? Was there ſuch a dearth of men, that a man could not be found? Surely no. Jeruſalem had throngs of men in every ſtreet. The meaning then is explained in the words following, if there be any that executeth iudgement, that is, if there be a Magiſtrate, a publike man, that's the man I meane.
So in Numb. 27.16. We find the word to ſignifie a Magiſtrate, Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all fleſh, ſet a man over the Congregation. A man, that is, a Magiſtrate, for there that's …he buſineſſe, if you reade the Text you will find it, a man in au…rity, a man fit to rule. And that is it, which is meant in Act. ….31. concerning Chriſt. God (ſaith he) hath appointed a day …rein he will iudge the world by that man, whom he hath ordai…ed. It noteth Chriſt the man in power, in authority,Homer beginnes with foreign. Ʋirgil like him, Arma virum que cano. becauſe all …ower in Heaven and in Earth is committed to him. So you know …was uſuall among the Romans to call their Magiſtrates by the …ame of The men, as the Triumviri, the Septemviri, the Decem…iri, to call them ſometime the three-men, ſometime the ſeven …en, ſometime the ten-men. Thoſe who were the ſpeciall men in …uthority, that were men in place and eminency, they carried away the Name of men (as it were) from all men, as if they were the only men.
So that we have theſe two things to take notice of, when it is ſaid here, that Iob was a man, you muſt carry it further then the word is ordinarily taken; Hee was a great man, he was a man in authority, a Magiſtrate. Some carry the Magiſtracy ſo high, as to ſet him on a Throne, affirming that he was a King, a point very much contended for by divers Expoſitors; but that he was a Magiſtrate in Authority, a Chiefe in his Countrey, is cleare by that which is expreſt of him in Chapt. 29. where he ſpeakes of his deciding mens rights and executions of Juſtice.
In the Land of Uz.] I will not trouble you with any Geographicall diſcourſe: In a word we may conſider 3. things about Vz.
1. Why it was called ſo.
2. Where it was ſeated.
3. What manner of people they were that dwelt in Vz.
1. For the Name, let it be taken from Vz, the Name of a Man. And there were three called by that Name in Scripture, Gen. 10.23. Gen. 22.21. Gen. 36.28. from either of theſe Iobs Countrey might derive its name, but from which of theſe, would be (… thinke) a nice debate; yet it is rather aſcribed to Vz or Huz, the eldeſt Sonne of Nahor, Gen. 22.21.
2. For the place where it was ſeated, it is cleare that it was up…on the borders of the Sabeans, and of the Caldeans, and of th… Arabians, thoſe Eaſterne people. Some affirme that the lot … the halfe Tribe of Manaſſes on the other ſide Iordan, which wa… ſet forth for them when the people of Iſrael came into Canaan was the very place where Job lived, and that was called Vz. Its cleare that it was neare thoſe parts above mentioned. Firſt, fro… Lament 4.2…. There the Prophet Ieremie ſpeaking of Vz, ſai… Rejoyce and be glad O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in … Land of Uz. And Ier. 25.20. he ſpeakes againe of the Lan… Uz, All the mingled people, and all the Kings of the Land of … they ſhall drinke of the Cup: he mentions the Cup alſo in t… place, Lam. 4. Rejoyce and be glad O daughter of Edom … dwelleſt in the Land of Uz, the Cup alſo ſhall paſſe thorough … thee. Secondly, Vz border'd upon thoſe Countreyes, for th… people made out their Parties, invaded, ſlew and tooke … Jobs Eſtate, Cattell and ſervants; therefore the place in all pro…bility lay neere theſe Countries.
For the Condition and manners of the people; It is generally received, that they were a people prophane in their lives, and ſuperſtitious at leaſt in their worſhip: Edumeans and Edomites, the deſcendants of Eſau, heare ill all the Scripture over. Among theſe Iob lived, among theſe Iob govern'd, there he exercis'd thoſe pretious graces, and practis'd thoſe excellent duties both of holineſſe toward God, and of Juſtice toward men. It was in the midſt of a ſinfull and perverſe nation, in the Land of Vz.
Then Obſerve. Firſt,
God hath his ſervants in all places, in the worst places.
There was never any ayre ſo bad but that a ſervant of God might breath in it. Here God had a choice peece, even in the Land of Vz, a place of prophaneneſſe; Here was Bethel in Bethaven, a Houſe of God in a Land of wickedneſſe. Lot dwelt in Sodome, Ioſeph in Egypt, David in Meſech and in Kedar: There were Saints in Caeſars (wicked Neroes) houſhold. Babylon holds many of Gods people, yet let them not make ſuch places their refuge, much leſſe their election. But remember the call, Come out of her my people.
Secondly, We may obſerve from hence (this being ſpoken of Iob to ſet him forth in the excellency of his ſpirituall condition, that he lived in the Land of Vz.) That
It is a great honour and a high commendation to be good and do good amongst thoſe that are evill.
You ſhall be recorded for it. This was one reaſon why the place is named, that the honour of Iob might be lifted up, that he was good, not by the example and incouragement, but againſt the example of others: he was a leading man himſelfe: though he lived among thoſe that were ſcoffers and wicked, yet Iob was holy. As they ſay concerning the affection of love, it is moſt unnaturall …or a man to hate thoſe that love him. It is civill for men to love …oſe that love them, but this is truly Chriſtian for a man to love …oſe that hate him and doe him wrong. So in regard of living and …nverſing, as of loving and affecting, we may ſay, it is a moſt …icked thing to be naught among thoſe that are good; that aggra…ateth a mans ſinnefulneſſe, to be unholy while he converſeth with thoſe that are holy: It is a good thing to be good with the good, to take example by them: but it is a moſt excellent thing, a glorious thing to be good among thoſe that are ſtarke naught, to worſhip God aright among Idolaters, to feare God among thoſe that have no feare of God before their eyes, to be perfect among hypocrites, to be upright among thoſe that are unjuſt, to eſchew evill among thoſe that are altogether wrapt about with evill; This was the honour and commendation of Iob. For a man to be as Lot in Sodome, Phil. 2.15.never touched with Sodomes wickedneſſe, to keepe himſelfe pure and ſincere and without rebuke in the midſt of a crooked and perverſe generation, to ſhine as a light in the midſt of darkneſſe; this brings honour both to God and man.
Thirdly, From the place where Iob lived, we may obſerve, That
Grace will preſerve it ſelfe in the midst of the greateſt oppoſition. Its ſuch a fire as no water can wholy quench, or put out. True Grace will keepe it ſelfe ſound and cleane among thoſe who are leaprous and uncleane; it is ſuch a thing as overcomes and maſters all the evill that is about it: God hath put ſuch a mighty power into grace, that if it once poſſeſſe the heart in truth, though there be but a little of it, though there be but as much as a graine of muſtard-ſeed, not all the wickedneſſe in the world, no nor all the devils in Hell can diſpoſſeſſe it. As all the water in the ſalt Sea cannot make the fiſh ſalt, but ſtill the fiſh retaines its freſhneſſe, ſo all the wickedneſſe and filthineſſe that is in the world, cannot deſtroy, cannot defile true grace; that will beare up its head and hold up it ſelfe for ever.
And this man was perfect and upright, one that feared God and eſchewed evill.
foreignPerfect.] Not that he had a legall perfection; ſuch a perfection as the Papiſts now contend for: and aſſert poſſibly attaineable, yea actually attained by many in this life: For what is man that he ſhould be cleane? And Iob himſelfe profeſſeth, Chap. 9.20. If I ſay I am perfect, it ſhall alſo prove me perverſe; h… acknowledgeth, Chap. 7.20. I have ſinned. The perfection there…fore here ſpoken of is not an abſolute, a legall perfection.
For the clearing of the word, we may conſider there is a twofold perfection aſcrib'd to the Saints in this life. A perfection o… Juſtification, A perfection of Sanctification.
The firſt of theſe, in a ſtrict ſenſe, is a compleate perfection: The Saints are compleate in Chriſt, they are perfectly juſtified, there is not any ſinne left uncovered, not any guilt left unwaſhed in the blood of Chriſt, not the leaſt ſpot but is taken away; His gargarment is large enough to cover all our nakedneſſe and deformities. In this reſpect they may be called perfect, they are perfectly juſtified, By one offering Chriſt hath perfected for ever them that are ſanctified, Heb. 10.14.
Then there is a perfection of holineſſe or of ſanctification; and that is called ſo, either in regard of the beginnings of, or in regard of deſires after and aimes at perfection.
The Saints even in this life have a perfect beginning of holineſſe, becauſe they are begun to be ſanctified in every part; they are ſanctified throughout, in ſoule and body and ſpirit, as the Apoſtle diſtinguiſheth, 1 Theſ. 5.23. though every part be not throughout ſanctified, yet they are ſanctified in every part throughout; and this is a perfection. When the worke of ſanctification is begun in all parts, it is a perfect worke beginning.
They are likewiſe perfect in regard of their deſires and intendments. Perfect holineſſe is the aime of the Saints on earth, it is the reward of the Saints in Heaven. The thing which they drive at here is perfection, therefore they themſelves are called perfect; As God accepts of the will for the deed, ſo he expreſſeth the deed by the will; he interpreteth him to be a perfect man who would be perfect, and calls that perſon perfect, who deſires to have all his imperfections cured. That is a ſecond underſtanding how Iob was perfect.
A third way is this, He was perfect comparatively, comparing him with thoſe who were either openly wicked, or but openly holy, he was a perfect man; he was a man without ſpot, compared with thoſe that were either all over ſpotted with filthineſſe, or only painted with godlineſſe.
Or thus, We may ſay the perfection here ſpoken of, is the perfection of ſincerity. Iob was ſincere, he was ſound at the heart, He did not act a part or perſonate Religion, but was a religious perſon. He was not guilded, but gold. So the word is interpreted. Some render it, Iob was a ſimple man, (not as ſimple is put for weake and fooliſh, but as ſimple is put for plaine hearted; one that is not (as the Apoſtle Iames phraſeth it) a double minded man) Iob was a ſimple minded man, or a ſingle minded man, one that had not a heart and a heart, he was not a compound, ſpeaking one thing and meaning another, he meant what he ſpake, and he would ſpeake his mind. It is the ſame word that is uſed in Iacobs character, Gen. 25.27. Eſau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field, and Jacob was Iſh Tam, a plaine man, So that to be a perfect man, is to be a plaine man, one whoſe heart you may know by his tongue, and reade the mans ſpirit in his actions. Some are ſuch juglers, that you can ſee little of their ſpirits in their lives, you can learne but little of their minds by their words; Iacob was a plaine man and ſo was Iob; ſome tranſlate it a ſound man. It is the ſame expreſſion that is given of Noah, He was [Tamim] in his generation, or he was ſound, upright hearted or perfect with God, Gen. 6.9. And it is that which God ſpeakes to Abraham, Gen. 17.2. Walke before me and be thou [Tamim,] be thou perfect, or ſound, or upright, or plaine in thy walking before me. In the 28. of Exodus, v. 30. We reade of the Vrim and the Thummim, on the Breaſt-plate of the High-prieſt. Thummim comes from this roote, and ſignified the integrity of heart and life required in the High-prieſt, as Vrim did the light and cleareneſſe of his knowledge.
foreignAnd upright.] The former word which was tranſlated perfect, in other Texts is rendered upright; But when we have both the expreſſions together as here, we muſt diſtinguiſh the ſenſe. It is not a tautologie. Then, the former being taken for inward ſoundneſſe, plaineneſſe and ſincerity; This latter (to be upright) may be taken for outward juſtice, righteouſneſſe and equity, reſpecting all his dealings in the world. He was a perfect man, that is, he was plaine hearted, and he was plaine dealing too, which is the meaning of, He was upright; So the one referres to the integrity of his ſpirit, the other to the honeſty of his wayes, His heart was plaine, and his dealings were ſquare. This he expreſſeth fully in the 29. and 31. Chapters of this Booke, which are as it were a Comment upon this word upright. There you may reade what is meant by uprightneſſe; his faireneſſe in all parts, both of Commutative and Diſtributive Juſtice. In thoſe things that concerned Commutative Juſtice, when Iob bought or ſould, traded or bargained, promiſed or covenanted, hee ſtood to all uprightly. Take him as he was a Magiſtrate, when Iob ſate in Judgement or had any buſineſſe brought before him, he gave every one his due, he did not ſpare or ſmite upon ends; he did neither at any time juſtifie the wicked or condemne the godly, but was upright in Judgement: He was not byaſt by affection or intereſts, he was not carried away by hopes or feares, but kept the path of Juſtice in all his diſpenſations towards that people among whom he lived. This is to be an upright man, and ſo the Prophet tells us, Iſa, 26.7. The way of the Iuſt is uprightneſſe, that is, they are upright in their wayes, and more, uprightneſſe in the abſtract. We have a like expreſſion, Prov. 29.27. Thoſe that are upright in the way are an abomination to the wicked. Uprightneſſe doth referre to the way wherein a man goes in his outward dealings and diſpenſations towards men. There is a two-fold uprightneſſe of our wayes. 1. Uprightneſſe of words. 2. Of works; ſo upright walking is expounded and branched forth, Pſal. 15.2, 3. He that walketh uprightly and worketh righteouſneſſe and ſpeaketh the truth in his heart. He that back-biteth not with his tongue. This is the ſecond part of Iobs deſcription; He was perfect and upright.
Thirdly, He was One that feared God.
Fearing God] The feare of God is taken two wayes. Either for that naturall and inward worſhip of God: and ſo the feare of God is a holy filiall affection, awing the whole man to obey the whole will of God: That is feare as it is an affection. Or the feare of God is put for the externall or inſtituted worſhip of God. So that a man fearing God is as much as this: A man worſhipping God according to his owne will, or according to his mind and direction. Now when as Iob is ſaid to be a man fearing God, you muſt take it both theſe wayes; He had that holy affection of feare with which we muſt worſhip God, (as we are taught, Heb. 12.28. Let us have grace whereby wee may ſerve God with reverence and godly feare; And ſerve the Lord with feare and rejoyce before him with trembling, Pſal. 2. Feare is that affection with which we muſt worſhip and ſerve God.) And Iob likewiſe did performe that worſhip to God which he required▪ this is called Feare, and the exerciſe of it fearing God. Fearing God is worſhipping God; As you may ſee clearely by two Texts of Scripture compared together. In the fourth of Math. v. 10. Chriſt ſaith to the Devill, It is written thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him only thou ſhalt ſerve; Compare this with Deut. 6.13. and there you ſhall have it thus expreſt, Thou ſhalt feare the Lord thy God; That which in the one place is worſhip, in the other is feare. Againe, Mat. 15.9. In vaine (ſaith Chriſt) doe they worſhip mee, teaching for doctrine the commandements of men. Now the Prophet Iſaiah (from whence that is taken) Chapt. 29.14. expreſſeth it thus. Foraſmuch as their feare toward mee is taught by the precepts of men. They worſhip me according to the precepts of men, ſaith Chriſt. Their feare is taught by the precepts of men, ſaith the Prophet: So that feare and worſhip are the ſame: Fearing God doth include both the affection of a worſhipper, and the duty or act of worſhipping.
The fourth part or line of Iobs character, is, his Eſchewing evill.
Evill is here taken for the evill of ſinne, before ſinne came into the world, there was no evill in the world, God ſaw every thing that he had made, and behold it was very good. But when ſinne came which was the firſt and is the chiefeſt evill, it brought in with it all other evills: Sinne hath in it the whole nature of evill, and all the degrees of evill, and from it proceed all evill effects. Hence is eminently called evill. Sickneſſe, and death, and Hell are called evill; how much rather that, but for which theſe evills had never bin? how much rather that with which theſe compared may be called good? Further, evill is put here indefinitely, He was one that eſchewed evill, not this or that evill, but evill, that is all evill, this indefinite is univerſall. And then further we are to take evill here, as himſelfe afterward expo…nds it in his practiſe, not only for the acts of evill, but all the occaſions, the appearances, the provocations and incentives of or unto evill, for whatſoever might leade him into evill; for thus he inſtanceth in one particular, I made a covenant with mine eyes, why then ſhould I thinke upon a maide? Chap. 31.1.
Eſchewed.] In this word, the prudence of Iob ſhines as bright as his holineſſe, who having received a great ſtock and treaſure of grace, now watches to preſerve it, and oppoſes whatſoever was deſtructive to the life or growth of the inner man. That man ſhewes he hath both money and his wits about him, who ſuſpects and provides againſt Theeves.
Job eſchewed evill. There is much in that expreſſion. It is more to ſay a man doth eſchew evill, then to ſay a man doth not commit evill. It had bin too bare an expreſſion, to ſay, Iob did not commit evill, but when it is ſaid Job eſchewed evill, this ſhews, that not only the hand and tongue of Iob did not medle with evill, but that his heart was turned from evill. For eſchewing is a turning aſide with reluctancy and abhorrency, ſo the Hebrew (Sar) imports; Iob did abhorre evill as well as not commit evill. As there is a great deale of difference betweene theſe two, the doing of good, and a delight in doing good, betweene being at peace and following of peace. A man may doe good and not be a lover of good, a lover of the Commandements of God, a delighter in them: he may be at peace and not be a lover and follower of peace. So a man may be one that commits not ſuch and ſuch ſinnes, he may doe no hurt, and yet in the meane time he may be one that loves thoſe ſinnes, he commits not: Such an one is not preſently a man that eſchewes thoſe ſinnes, for to eſchew evill noteth the activity of the ſpirit againſt thoſe evils. That is the ſpiritualneſſe and ſtrength of holineſſe. Iobs heart did (as it were) riſe againſt evill. Some expound it by warre, as if under this expreſſion were meant the enmity that Iob bare againſt evill, that it was ſuch an eſchewing, as when a man hateth his enemy and makes warre againſt him, and doth by all meanes oppoſe him; ſo there was as it were a deadly feud, an irreconciliable emnity betweene Job and evill. He was a man that feared God and eſchewed evill. So much for the opening of that firſt verſe: wherein you have the firſt part of the deſcription of Iobs proſperous eſtate, and that is what he was in his perſon.
That man was perfect and upright.
We will obſerve hence ſomewhat in the generall firſt, and then ſomewhat more particularly.
You ſee here when God comes to deſcribe a man and to ſet him forth in his glory and excellency, where the Spirit of God begins, what is the chiefe and firſt thing which God takes notice of, it is his grace. When he would ſet forth what a man Iob was, how bleſſed and how happy, here he ſets his pen firſt, to deſcribe what his ſpirituall eſtate was. Hence then this in the generall.
1. Gracious habits and ſpirituall bleſſings are the choyſeſt of all bleſſings.
If God have given a man grace, he hath the beſt and the choyſeſt of all that which God can give. God hath given us his Sonne, and God hath given us his Spirit, and God hath given us the graces of his Spirit, theſe are the fineſt of the flowre, and the honey out of the rocke of mercy. Though you ſhould not come to children, though you ſhould not come to the other part of the Inventory to Sheepe and Camels and Oxen and Aſſes; if you are in the firſt part of the deſcription, that you have a perfect heart and upright life, and the feare of God in your inward parts, and a holy turning againſt every evill, your lot is fallen in a faire place, and you have a goodly heritage: they that have this need not be diſcontented at their owne, or envious at the condition of any other, they have the principall Verbe, the one thing neceſſary.
Againe, When God deſcribeth a gracious man, you ſee he goes thorough, he ſets him forth in every thing that concernes his ſpirituall eſtate, Perfect and upright, fearing God and eſchewing evill. From hence this alſo in the generall.
2. Where one grace is there is every grace.
Grace is laid into the ſoule in all the parts of it, and there is ſomewhat of every grace layed into the ſoule. We have not one man, one grace, and another man another grace, but every man hath every grace that hath any grace at all. I doe not ſay that every man hath every grace: or that the ſame man hath every grace in the ſame height and degree: grace in ſome is more eminent than in others, and the ſame man may have one grace more eminent than another, he may have one grace (like Saul among the people) higher by head and ſhoulders then the reſt in his throng of graces; yet that man hath ſomewhat of every grace that hath any grace, all grace goes together. Thus in the generall.
Particularly: This man was perfect. That is (as wee have explained it) hee was ſincere and plaine hearted. Obſervation hence,
1. It is ſincerity that eſpecially commends us unto God. As Iobs graces are prefer'd in his deſcription before his riches; ſo ſincerity is prefer'd before all his other graces.
Sincerity is that which makes us ſo acceptable and pleaſing unto God: He was a man that was perfect, you ſee that is put in the firſt place. And indeed whatſoever a man hath beſides, be a man never ſo juſt in his dealings, could you ſuppoſe a man worſhipping God in all his ordinances, and avoiding all manner of evill, yet i… there be doubling and falſeneſſe in his ſpirit, all is caſt off, all is rejected of God as abominable. Therefore here the foundation is laid, here is the bottome grace, perfection, ſincerity. Whether i… be a diſtinct grace, or whether it be that which doth accompany every grace, and gives it life and beauty in the eye of God (for my owne part I conceive ſincerity is not properly a diſtinct grace, b… the perfection of every grace) it is that which doth commend … man unto God. Chriſt tels the Angell of the Church of Sardi… I have not found thy workes perfect. Not full, ſaith the Greeke Text. There wanted ſomewhat within. Sincerity is the filling up of all our duties. Without that, they are but empty ſounds, as ſounding braſſe, and as a tinckling cymball.
He was perfect, that is, he was ſincere. Obſerve then,
2. Sincere and ſound hearted perſons are in Gods eſteem perfect perſons.
It is not all that you can doe, or all that you can ſay, or all that you can ſuffer, or all that you can looſe, that can make you perfect in the eſteeme of God without ſincerity; adde ſincerity but to the leaſt, and it gives you the denomination of perfect. God accepts the very Goats haire, the leaſt offering from one that is ſincere, he accounts it a rich preſent, and cals the preſenter perfect; but he will not receive the greateſt riches, whole droves of cattell for offerings, the greateſt and mightieſt ſervices from one that is unſound. Truth of grace is our perfection here, in Heaven we ſhall have perfection as well as truth.
Further in that upon this perfectneſſe and plainneſſe of heart there is preſently added uprightneſſe; obſerve from thence.
1. Where the heart is ſincere towards God, the wayes are iuſt and honeſt before men.
And 2. Jt is a great honour and an ornament unto our profeſſion of godlineſſe, to be iuſt and upright in our dealings toward men. This is put as a ſpeciall part of Jobs excellency, that he was upright, ſcil. in his dealings. There is much ſcandall caſt upon the profeſſion of the name of God through a defect in this. The world ſaith, theſe men profeſſe, they take the name of God upon them, but they are as unanſwerable to their promiſes, as unjuſt in their tradings, &c. as any other. Then make proofe of your perfection in profeſſion, by the uprightneſſe of your Converſation.
Perfect and upright, one that feared God.
Here we have fearing God, added to perfect and upright. Obſerve hence,
1. Morall integrity and morall honeſty without the feare of God, can never render us acceptable unto God.
There are ſome that pleaſe themſelves in this, that they are plain hearted. (It is poſſible for a man in a ſence to be ſo, and yet not to feare God) or they give every man his due, &c. Theſe are good. But in Job we may learne, on what theſe muſt be founded, whence they come, when we pleaſe God in them; they come from the feare of God, that muſt be the ſpring of uprightneſſe and perfection, elſe they are onelyonly Heathen vertues, not Chriſtian graces.
God delights in nothing we doe, unleſſe we doe it in his feare. As Joſeph ſaid to his brethren when they feared ſome hard meaſure from him,Gen. 42.18. I feare God: when this feare of God tyes our hands it ſhews the love of God fils our hearts. Not to wrong man, becauſe we feare God is an argument of more then man.
Fearing God; you may obſerve.
2. Holy feare containes in it every grace we receive from God, and all the worſhip we tender up to God.
Feare is a comprehenſive word; it is more then a particular grace. When Abraham had offered up his ſonne Iſaac, that was a worke of mighty faith, and the faith of Abraham is wonderfully commended by it; but God ſpeakes thus, Now I know thou feareſt me. Feare containeth faith, and feare containeth love too. Though perfect love caſt out tormenting feare, 1 Joh. 4.18. yet perfect love cals in obeying feare. Heare the concluſion of all, ſaith the Preacher, Eccl. 12.13, Feare God and keep his Commandments, for this is the whole duty of man, or this is whole man. Feare is all duty, and every grace.
Fearing God and eſchewing evill.
Hence this from the connexion.
3. Holy feare keeps the heart and life cleane.
The feare of the Lord is cleane, ſaith David, Pſal. 19. Cleane not onelyonly in it ſelfe, formally cleane, but effective, it makes clean and keepes cleane the heart and life. Feare is as an armed man at the gate, which examines all, and ſtoppes every one from entring, that is unfit. It ſtands as a Watch-man on the Tower, and it lookes every way to ſee what's comming to the ſoule; If evill come, feare will not admit it. And therefore in Scripture you ſhall have theſe two often put together, fearing God and eſchewing evill. Nay eſchewing evill is not onelyonly put as an effect of the feare of God, but it is put into the very definition it ſelfe of the feare of God, The feare of the Lord is to depart from evill.
He eſchewed evill.
From hence obſerve alſo,
1. Godly perſons do not only forbeare ſin, but they abhorre ſin.
They have not only their hands bound from it, but they have their hearts ſet againſt it. Holy enmity againſt ſin is the temper of a godly mans heart, he eſchew's evill.
2. A godly mans oppoſition of ſin is univerſall: it is againſt all ſin.
Job eſchewed evill, all evill, there was no picking of this or that particular evill to oppoſe, but whatſoever came under the name and notion of ſin, Iobs ſpirit turned againſt it: enmity is againſt the kind.
3. Godly perſons doe not onelyonly avoid the acts of evill, but all the occaſions of evill.
Iob eſchewed evill, whatſoever led him to evill, all the appearances of evill, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes; we cannot avoid the ſinne, if we will not avoid the occaſion. When Solomon cautions to take heed of the path of the wicked, he uſeth foure expreſſions and all to the ſame purpoſe, Avoid it (ſaith he) paſſe not by it, Prov. 4.1….turne from it, and paſſe away; to ſhew unto us, that if we would keepe from the acts of…n, we muſt keepe from the way of ſin.
The ſecond thing whereby his proſperous eſtate is ſet out unto us, is what his poſſeſſions were. You have a particular Inventory of his eſtate in the ſecond and third verſes, and you have the totall ſumme caſt up after all the particulars are ſet down, and it amounts to thus much, that Iob was the greateſt of all the men in the Eaſt. In the ſecond verſe you have the firſt part of his goods ſet down, his jewels, his children.
There were borne unto him ſeven ſons and three daughters.
This verſe contains the firſt part of Iobs outward happineſſe; the bleſſings of children. Concerning whom we have 3. things offered. 1. Their number 10. 2. The diſtinction of Sexes, Sons and Daughters. 3. Their mutuall love and concord, v. 4.
There is little in the words that needs explication, therefore where the Scripture is plaine and cleare, I will not ſpend time.
There were borne unto him.]
His children were not borne againſt him, but borne unto him, given as comforts and bleſſings to him.
Seven ſonnes and three daughters.] *The word Banim, ſons, comes from Banab to build; becauſe ſons & daughters build up their Fathers houſe, & continue the family. Or becauſe they are (as it were built, and fram'd out of their parents.The number ſeven and the number three, are numbers of perfection. Some trouble themſelves much about them: But I will not ſtay upon numbers.
Verſe 2.
And there were borne unto him ſeven ſonnes and three daughters.
Here obſerve,
1. Children are the bleſſings of the Lord.
Pſal. 127.13.They are put here as a part of his Inheritance. Children are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the wombe is his reward. They are ſpeciall bleſſings. Children (as it is obſerved) are a reſemblance of our immortality, becauſe a man revives againe, lives anew (as it were) in every child: he is borne againe (in a civill ſence) when others are borne to him. There be ſome who account their children, but bils of charges, but God puts them upon the account of our mercies; how holily and piouſly ſpeakes Iacob concerning his children,Gen 33.5. Theſe (ſaith he) are the children which God hath graciouſly given thy ſervant.
2. Obſerve this, Children as they are bleſſings and great bleſſings, ſo they are greater bleſſings than any outward thing elſe whatſoever.
When a deſcription is made of Iobs goods, the beſt is put firſt. Firſt, his ſpirituall bleſſings are ſet downe, then comes his outward; now children are put in the very next degree to his graces. What our Saviour Chriſt ſaith of a mans ſoule, may be ſaid of children;Mat. 16.26. What (ſaith he) ſhall a man give in exchange for his ſoule? It is true, that is ſpoken there of a mans owne ſoule, that it is more to himſelfe than the world, but it is a truth here too, if one have a ſoule given him (and to have a child is to have a ſoule beſtow'd on us) for the preſent it is more than to have the whole world beſtowed on him. A whole world of riches is not ſo good, not ſuch goods, as one child: therefore children are put in the firſt place, as his choiſeſt and chiefeſt outward bleſſings.
Then from the number of his children, he had many children, he had 7. ſons and 3. daughters. Obſerve,
3. To have many children is a great bleſſing, and the more children the greater the bleſſing.
Some thinke themſelves bleſſed, if they may have one or two children; one to inherit their eſtates, one or two to delight themſelves in, to play with, or to beare their name; but if they come to a number, to a great number, then they thinke themſelves exceedingly burthen'd, then they are troubles. When God caſts up the eſtate of a bleſſed man in outward things, he ſaith not onelyonly that he hath a child, that he is not barren, but that he hath many children, that he hath his quiver full of ſuch arrowes, as the expreſſion is, Pſal. 127.5. and that is made the bleſſedneſſe of a man there. Happy is the man (ſaith he) that hath his quiver full of them, that hath many ſuch arrowes, ſuch are children of the youth, verſe 4. There are ſome rich and covetous men, that are in this point beyond others rich in folly. You ſhall heare them pride themſelves, that they have no children, or but few; this they conceive ſets them off in the opinion of the world for the richer men, whereas one child is more riches then all the things that are in the world. And we know it is an ordinary thing (though indeed it is a very ſinfull thing) to ſay, 'tis true ſuch an one is a rich man, he hath a faire eſtate, but he hath a great charge, a great many children, as if that did take-off from his riches, or make him leſſe happy: as if he were the poorer, becauſe he hath a larger ſhare of that ancient firſt bleſſing upon man,Gen. 1.28. Be fruitfull and multiply and repleniſh the Earth.
4. Note this, To have many ſons, to have moſt ſons amongſt our children, is the greater outward bleſſing.
Iob is deſcribed here in the moſt exact method of outward bleſſings; he had ſonnes, and his ſonnes out-number his daughters, he had 7. ſonnes and but three daughters. And the reaſon why moſt ſonnes among children are the greater bleſſing, is cleare, becauſe ſonnes beare up the name, and are a greater ſupport unto the family.
5. To have many ſonnes and daughters too, is yet a compleater bleſſing.
For by daughters the family is increaſt, and other families are joyned and knit and united to that family. And to have ſons and daughters both, is the perfection of that naturall bleſſing; becauſe man was ſo made at the firſt, he was made male and female. As it is with the ſoule and the body, though the ſoule be more excellent than the body, yet the ſoule alone is not ſo perfect, as when ſoule and body are together: becauſe though the body be not ſo ſtrong in conſtitution and noble in condition as the ſoule, yet body and ſoule in creation were joyned together, therefore their greateſt perfection conſiſts in their union. So likewiſe it is in a family, though ſonnes in nature are more perfect, yet becauſe it was the firſt inſtitution of a family, male and female, therefore the fullnes and compleatneſſe of the bleſſing is in the union of both. Iob had many ſons and daughters likewiſe, this made the bleſſing more compleat.
And then laſtly obſerve this,
Children, many children in the family are in themſelves no impediments, either of piety towards God or iustice toward man.
As ſoone as ever Iob was deſcribed in all his perfections, it is added he had ſo many ſonnes and ſo many daughters, though he had ſo many children to looke to, and provide for, yet he omitted neither duty toward God, nor duty toward man. There are many who thinke it ſome excuſe, if not excuſe enough for their neglect, for their ſleighting holy duties, or ſleightneſſe in the holy duties of hearing, praying and the like; oh, they have a great many children, and they muſt riſe early and they muſt worke late, they can ſpare no time or but little for the publike or private or ſecret worſhip of God; ſpecially for any thing that is extraordinary: ſo that theſe cares ſteale away, not onelyonly thoſe times that might be beſtowed in an extraordinary manner upon their ſoules, but even the ordinary times are ſtolen away by them alſo. Further, ſome thinke themſelves by this in part excuſed for their injuſtice toward men, they have a great family, and if they deale ſomewhat hardly, and ſticke as cloſe as they can in all buſineſſes, they may be borne with, for they have a great many children; and they muſt looke to provide for them, they elſe were worſe then Infidels, and hence they take liberty to doe what honeſt Infidels were aſham'd of. Iob you ſee was upright, though he had ſo many ſonnes and ſo many daughters to provide for. It is ill with thoſe whoſe gaine for their children is any loſſe to their ſouls; but woe, when any to gaine for their children looſe their ſouls: doing like thoſe in Na. 2.12. The Lyon did teare in peeces enough for his whelpes, and ſtrangled for his lioneſſes, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with rapine. By the Lyon there is meant thoſe oppreſſours, that lived in Nineveh, and by their whelpes are meant their children, and by Lioneſſes their wives; they had wives and children, and they muſt have meanes and eſtates for them. Iob as I may ſay had whelpes and a lioneſſe, wife and children, yet he doth not teare for them. Nay though hee had ſo many to provide for, yet hee rather giveth out to others. What hungry belly was not filled with his meat? And what naked backe was not cloathed with his wooll? He did not ſay I have children to feed and to cloath, and therefore you can have nothing. You ſee though he had many children and a great charge, yet how compleate he was in his duty to God and in his duty to man, he failed not either in the duties of worſhip and holineſſe, nor in the duties of juſtice and uprightneſſe.