Exposition of Job 1-3, Biblical commentary · Job 3.4, 5, 6, 7

Exposition of Job 1-3 · Biblical commentary · Job 3.4, 5, 6, 7

p. 346JOB 3.4, 5, 6, 7, &c.

Let that day be darkeneſſe, let not God regard it from above, neither let the light ſhine upon it.

Let darkeneſſe and the ſhadow of death staine it, let a cloud dwell upon it, let the blackneſſe of the day terrifie it.

As for that night, let darkeneſſe ſeize upon it, let it not be joyned unto the dayes of the yeere, let it not come into the number of the moneths.

Loe, let that night be ſolitary, let no joyfull voice come therein.

WE have already given the Analyſis and parts of this Chapter: The ſubject of it is Jobs curſe upon his day. The firſt ſection of it in the nine firſt verſes, containes the matter and the method of that curſe.

And he curſeth his day, Firſt, In generall (ver. 1.) After this, Job opened his mouth, and curſeth his day. Secondly, He curſeth it in both the parts of it, (ver. 3.) Let the day periſh in which I was borne, and the night in which it was ſaid, there is a man-child conceived.

In theſe ſix verſes which remaine, appertaining to the firſt Section, he affixes a particular curſe to each part of his day; taking a day, for a naturall day, and then dividing it into day and night, he gives a ſpeciall curſe to each of theſe parts; A curſe upon the day, and a curſe upon the night.

The curſe powred out upon the day, lies in the fourth and fift verſes of this Chapter, Let that day be darkneſſe, let not God regard it from above, neither let the light ſhine upon it; let darkeneſſe and the ſhadow of death staine it, let a cloud dwell upon it, let the blackneſſe of the day terrifie it.

Here are ſix diſtinct branches of shis curſe.

Firſt, Let the day be darkeneſſe.

Let the day.

Here we are to take day, not for a naturall day, but for the day as it is the continent of light, the whole ſpace of time from the riſing to the ſetting of the Sun. Now ſaith he, Let the day be darkeneſſe.

p. 347Be darkeneſſe.

There is a great aggravation of miſery in that, as Chriſt ſpeakes, Mat. 6.23. If the light that is in thee be darkeneſſe, how great is that darkeneſſe? While Job wiſheth that his very day, which is light, ſhould be darkeneſſe, how great a darkeneſſe doth he wiſh unto it; And if the day be darkeneſſe, how darke muſt the night of that day be?

Then againe, Let the day be darkeneſſe, he doth not ſay, let the day be miſtie, or cloudy, or duskie, or darke, he doth not wiſh it like that day deſcribed, Zech. 14.6. It ſhall come to paſſe in that day, that the light ſhall not be cleare nor darke; but he ſaith, Let it be darkeneſſe. Both in Scripture and common language, Abſtracts are emphatically ſignificant, and carry more then an ordinary ſenſe in them; When David ſaith, Pſal. 27.1. The Lord is my light, there is more in it then if he had only ſaid, the Lord doth enlighten me: So to ſet forth the wofull condition of thoſe who are unregenerate or in the ſtate of nature, the Apoſtle tells them, Epheſ. 5.8. Ye were ſometimes darkeneſſe, not only in the darke, but darkeneſſe: So here to expreſſe how great a curſe he wiſhes upon his day, Job ſaith, Let the day be darkeneſſe it ſelfe.

Now darkeneſſe may be taken two wayes: Either

Properly, or

Improperly.

Proper darkeneſſe is nothing elſe but a privation of light, it is no poſitive creature, it hath no cauſe in nature, but is the conſequent of the Sunnes abſence; When Job wiſhes, let that day be darkeneſſe, we may underſtand it of this darkeneſſe, as if he had ſaid, whenſoever that day commeth about, in the recourſe and revolution of the yeare, let it be darkeneſſe, or a very darke and gloomy day. This had bin a great evill upon his day. This kind of darkeneſſe was one of the 10 plagues with which God ſmote Egypt. And yet there is darkeneſſe, which is a greatet evill then this, I meane darkeneſſe improperly taken: and ſo frequently in Scripture any ſorrowfull, troubleſome, ſad condition, is expreſs'd by darkeneſſe. A condition of darkeneſſe is a ſad condition, a darke day is as much, as a ſad day; So then, Let that day be darkeneſſe, that is, let it for ever be accounted a ſad and ſorrowfull day. Thus the Prophet Joel, Chap. 2.2. calls a day of great trouble, a day of darkeneſſe and gloomineſſe, a day of clouds and of thicke darkeneſſe. p. 348When Solomon, Eccleſ. 12.2. would ſhew by way of Antitheſis, the ſad and evill condition of old age comparatively to youth, he unfolds it by darkeneſſe; remember now thy creatour in the dayes of thy youth, make haſte, ſerve God betime; But what needs ſuch haſte? I tell thee why, as times change, ſo thy eſtate will change: Evill dayes will come, I therefore counſell thee to doe it, while the evill dayes come not, nor the yeares draw nigh, when thou ſhalt ſay, I have no pleaſure in them: while the Sunne, or the light, or the Moone, or the Starres be not darkened; A day without pleaſure, is a day without the Sunne, take away the joy of a day, and you take away the light of a day. Youngmen have the Sunne, and the Moone, and the Starres, all kind of light and comfortable influences upon them; but theſe will be darkened and ecclipſed when old-age cometh, that will put out or at leaſt obſcure your light, your day will be gone, and your night will have neither Moone nor Starre in it, therefore worke while you have light, that is, while you have health and ſtrength of body, while you have freedome and activity of ſpirits, fit for that great ſervice, remember, that is, know and ſerve your Creatour.

So in the Text, we may take darkeneſſe improperly, as darkeneſſe notes an uncomfortable eſtate, and it is uſed in Scripture to note a two-fold uncomfortable eſtate. Firſt, An eſtate of ſinne; Secondly, An eſtate of miſery. This latter darkeneſſe is the daughter of the former. The Prophet Iſay, Chap. 9.2. ſpeakes of the people that ſate in darkeneſſe: which is repeated, Mat. 4.16. that is, in the darkeneſſe of ignorance, of ſin and guilt; They had naturall light enough, and they had civill light enough, aboundance of outward comforts: they had health, and ſtrength, and riches, and peace, and plenty, but they had not a Chriſt to take away their ſins, and cleanſe their conſciences, and therefore they were a people that ſate in darkeneſſe. Jobs curſe intends not this darkeneſſe of ſin, but that other improper darkeneſſe, the darkeneſſe of ſorrow, the darkeneſſe of penall evill; As if he had ſaid, let ſorrow and ſadneſſe over-ſhadow, let mourning and teares overwhelme, let calamity and trouble for ever poſſeſſe the day upon which I was borne.

Let not God regard it from above.

Here is a ſecond part of the curſe, and a more grievous curſe then the former.

p. 349Let not God.] We may obſerve here the Name whereby God is expreſſed, it is Eloah.

The learned Hebricians obſerve ten ſeverall Names of God in Scripture, three of which note his Being. Jehovah, Jah, Ehejeh, Three his Power. El, Eloah, Elohim. Three his Governement. Adonai, Shaddai, Jehovah Tſebaoth. One his Excellency, or Super-excellency. Gnelion. The Name Eloah here uſed, is derived from El, which ſignifieth Mighty, and ſo by that addition to the word, there is an addition made to the ſenſe, Eloah is Most Mighty, or Almighty. This word in the ſingular number is very rare; the Name Elohim, which is the plurall, is very frequent in holy Scripture: Chriſt upon the croſſe cryes out to God by this Name in the ſingular number, Eloi, Eloi, my God, my God, as calling for the Almighty power of God, to ſupport and carry him through his ſufferings. David uſeth it in the 18^th. Pſalm, ver. 31. Who is a God ſave the Lord. Who is Eloah ſave Jehovah, that is, who is a mighty ſtrong God, ſave the Lord Jehovah, ſo the next words explaine it, Who is a rocke ſave our God. So Job being about to impleade and accuſe his day, calls to the mighty God, (as it were) to judge this day to his everlaſting neglect. Let not God regard it from above.

Regard it from above. foreign Summo ju…icio inqu…ere.] The word ſignifies ſometimes to inquire and ſearch after, or to take an account of a thing exactly and judiciouſly, as they that are called to reckoning or to judgement, are enquired after, and ſo it hath relation to that Name of God, (Eloah,) a powerfull or mighty Judge. Let not God regard it, is, let not God take any account of it, or enquire after it, let it paſſe as not worth the looking after.

Secondly, The word ſignifies to have a care of a thing, to have a thing or perſon in account as well as to call unto account: to take care and be watchfull over another for good, is our regarding of it. In this ſenſe the word is uſed, Deut. 11.12. where Moſes ſpeaking concerning the Land of Canaan, ſaith, It is a Land which the Lord thy God careth for, (Careth for) is the ſame word with this, and this Text may well be expounded by that which followes as the meaning of it, The eyes of the Lord thy God are alwayes upon it, from the beginning of the yeare even unto the end of the yeare. So that to have regard to a thing, to a day, or to a perſon, is to make account of theſe, to take care for theſe for their good, as a part of ones charge or duty, or as an act of grace and bounty. p. 350When Job ſaith, Let not God regard it, this may be the ſenſe, let not God take any care for it, or make any account of it; let not his eyes be upon it to doe it any good, or to doe any extraordinary good upon it: let it not be honoured by God with any ſpeciall worke of providence, which might make it recorded and remembred with honour among men.

foreign.The Apoſtle, Rom. 14.6. ſpeakes of mans regarding of a day, He that regardeth a day, regardeth it unto the Lord; The Apoſtle treats in that Chapter about the obſervation of dayes: finding that many beleevers could not be taken off from ſolemnizing thoſe feaſts, which were of Gods owne founding and inſtituting among the Jewes, he adviſes that they ſhould not be judged or hardly cenſured, for going according to their conſcience, for he that out of conſcience and according to his light regards, that is, doth ſolemnize or obſerve a day, he regards it to the Lord, that is, to the honour of God, and with a ſincere deſire to pleaſe him. But the thing I aime at in alledging this Text, is to give light to the point in hand, what it is to regard a day. The Apoſtle is plaine, that Mans regarding of a day, is to have a day in ſpeciall account, as thoſe dayes were, which God inſtituted among the Iewes for ſpeciall ends, commanding them to obſerve them, and promiſing a bleſſing in their obſervation. Proportionably Gods regarding of a day, is the ſpeciall eſteeme he hath, or care he takes of it, and the ſpeciall bleſſing he powreth downe upon it. Some practicall truths are hence obſerveable,

Firſt, Conſider theſe two parts of the curſe, as they are placed in ſucceſſion one after another, or in conjuction one with another, Let the day be darkeneſſe, and let not God regard it from above. This may teach us, That there is no day ſo darke, or condition ſo troubleſome, but if God regard and take notice of it, man may take comfort and rejoyce in it. Though the day be darkeneſſe, Gods eye will make it light; his regarding is a bleſſing, we never looſe all, till God leaves us. If in the houre and power of darkeneſſe, (as Chriſt calls the time of his paſſion) God doe but lift up the light of his countenance upon us, we ſhall be ſaved. Jobs wiſh of darkeneſſe, had done his day no great hurt, unleſſe he had taken the eye of God off from it alſo. All the light that is in the world, the light of Sunne, Moone and Starres, is but darkeneſſe to us, if God hide his face; but let Sunne, Moone and Starres hide their faces, let all creatures withdraw their comfort, if God regard us we are p. 351well: Therefore Iob puts the ſting of the curſe in Gods not regarding and withdrawing from his day.

Secondly, When he wiſhes that God would not regard his day, he deſires God to lay aſide or ſuſpend his continuall worke.

Obſerve then, That God doth obſerve and take particular notice of every day. As all perſons ſhall be accountable to him for their actions, ſo alſo for their time: God will inquire after every inch of time, after every moment of our lives. Many men regard not a day, they value not their pretious time, they know not how to ſpend or be rid of it, how to weare it out and paſſe it away: But God obſerves and regards every moment. The Apoſtle calls to redeeming of time, Epheſ. 5.16. And he ſubjoynes a motive, Becauſe the dayes are evill. We may give in this of Iob for a motive: God regards time, therefore let us redeeme time. If a day be within Gods regarding, ſurely it may command ours.

Thirdly, Let not God regard it. We may obſerve,

That the bleſſing and comfort of every day, depends upon the care and respect of God to it. The eyes of all things looke up unto God. Why doe all things looke up unto God. It is that God may looke downe upon them: If God looke downe upon the creature, then the creature revives and is refreſhed; there are influences from the eye and ſight of God, which are able to quicken the deadeſt times, and make glad the ſaddeſt hearts: As we pray for and humbly expect every day our daily bread from God, ſo every day doth (as it were) expect a daily bleſſing from God, which is his regarding of our dayes.

It is the greateſt evill that can befall the creature, when God regards it not; all the bleſſings of the creature are bound up (like Jacobs life in the life of Benjamin) in that reſpect which God beareth to them, and in the care which he hath of them. The Apoſtle Paul ▪ diſputing with the Philoſophers of Athens, ſhewes the ſtate of that time, which they accounted ſuch a golden-age, (Acts 17.30.) The time of that ignorance God winked at, foreign.ſo we tranſlate it; the word properly ſignifieth, God did over-looke that time; And there are ſome tranſlations which expreſſe it in the very terme of the Text, The time of that ignorance God regarded not; For we are not to thinke, there ever were any times, which God winked at in the matter of his Juſtice, ſo as not to call them to an account: I grant that times of ignorance are comparatively winked at in reſpect of Juſtice, God will not proceed ſo ſeverely with them as p. 352with knowing times: but God never winketh at any perſon, or at any times how ignorant ſoever, ſo as to let them goe unpuniſhed, and never call them to an account. Such connivence God hates, as being inconſiſtent both with his providence and his juſtice. The Apoſtle is direct, They who ſinne without law (that is, without the knowledge of the law written) ſhall periſh without law, namely, the written law, only according to the ſentence of that law, which the finger of nature hath written in their hearts, Rom. 2.12. Ignorance ſhall not be ſo winked at, as to be altogether excuſed. How then did God winke? There is a two-fold winking. 1. Of diſreſpect. 2. Of diſpenſation. Gods winking is his direſpecting. He winked at thoſe times, that is, he lightly paſſed them by, his eye was not upon them for good, he regarded them not, in ſuch a manner as to provide for them and ſend amongſt them that great bleſſing, which now (ſaith Paul) he ſends you by my hands, the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt.

When the bleſſed Virgin heard by that meſſage of the Angell, that ſhe ſhould be mother to the Saviour of the world, ſhe bleſſeth God in this phraſe, Thou haſt regarded the low estate of thine handmaid; When God in a way of favour doth but looke towards us, our loweſt eſtate is raiſed up, Thou haſt regarded the low eſtate of thine handmaid; it is but a looke of gracious regard from God, and all is well with man. On the other ſide, if God take off his eye, winke and diſregard, all is blaſted, yea accurſed, our high eſtate falls, our comforts are ſowred and turned into a lumpe of ſorrow. We may ſay of all outward excellencies as Haman did, Eſth. 5.13. of all his honour, and greatneſſe and favour at Court, All this I have, but all this availeth me nothing, ſo long as I ſee Mordecai the Jew ſitting at the Kings gate; All his comforts were clouded, all the light of his high eſtate was ecclipſed, becauſe there was a new Starre, Mordecai, ſhining ſtill at the Kings gate; Much more may we ſit downe, and caſting up all that we have and are, make the foote of our account nothing, without the favour of God; what doe riches, what doth credit, what doth beauty or parts availe us if God regard not? all is nothing at all without God. What are times, what are dayes, what is your condition if God withdraw himſelfe? this aggravates the curſe, this is mournefull, when God regardeth not. Job goes on to a third branch of the curſe.

p. 353Let not God regard it, neither let the light ſhine upon it.

That which before he ſpake againſt his day, by wiſhing it darkeneſſe, he ſpeakes over againe and more in other words, by wiſhing light might be denied and with-held from it; To have no light, is not a bare repetition or an explication of what it is to be in darkeneſſe, but it is an addition to, or an aggravation of it: So the Prophet, Iſa. 50.10. by him that walkes in darkeneſſe and hath no light, ſets out the ſaddeſt condition of an afflicted ſoule. No light is not only darkeneſſe, but pure darkeneſſe; As when the Apoſtle John, would advance the glory of God, he ſaith, God is light, and in him there is no darkeneſſe at all, (1 Ep. c. 1.) God is pure light, ſo darkeneſſe without light is pure darkeneſſe.

Let not the light.] As darkeneſſe, ſo light may be taken either properly for naturall light, that which God firſt created: light was the firſt perfect viſible creature, light was the firſt dayes worke, and by the worke of the fourth was gathered into thoſe heavenly veſſels, the Sunne, Moone and Starres, and there put, that it might be diſpenſed and carried about the world, eſpecially by that chariot of the Sunne. Let this light, this naturall light be with-held, let it not ſhine (ſaith Job) upon that day. The withdrawing of naturall light is a great affliction to the world: Light is the moſt incorporeall of all corporall things; the ſpiritualneſſe of it ſhewes the goodneſſe of it: light is the beauty, and diſcovers all the beauty of the world. As a goodly adorn'd furniſh't roome without a window or a candle, ſuch is the world without light. Light is not only the light, but the life of the world, it quickens and comforts the motions of nature; it is the inſtrument by which all the influences of Heaven are communicated to the earth, which being ſtopt, the courſe of nature ſtops: this cauſed a great Philoſopher to cry out (when at the paſſion of Chriſt the light of the Sunne was totally ecclipſed) Either the God of nature ſuffers, or the whole frame of nature diſſolves. Was it not then a dreadfull curſe, when Job wiſhes the light (taking it for naturall light) might not ſhine upon his day?

But further, take it improperly, then, let not the light ſhine upon it, hath this voice in it, Let there be no comfort, no joy, no good thing in the compaſſe of that day. Light in Scripture expreſſes all good; as darkeneſſe all evill; That great bleſſing which was promiſed unto the Church in the great reſtauration of it, is ſhadowed by light, and by an increaſing light, in Iſa. 30.26. Moreover the p. 354light of the Moone ſhall be as the light of the Sunne, and the light of the Sunne ſhall be ſeven-fold, as the light of ſeven dayes, in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the ſtroke of their wound. We are not to conceive, that there ſhall be ſuch an increaſe of the naturall light of the Moone or of the Sun, but there ſhall be an increaſe of the comfort of the people of God, which ſhall be as if the Moone and the Sun had in one day the light of ſeven dayes, as if the Moone had got the light of the Sun, and the Sun had got a ſeven-fold light more then it had before. And he who is the chiefe, the choiſeſt and moſt tranſcendent bleſſing of all, the joy of all our hearts, Jeſus Chriſt, is called light, he came as light into the world, he is the light of the world, the Sonne of righteouſneſſe. The creator of all good things, found nothing ſo good to ſhew his own goodneſſe by, as light. Chriſt is light, God is light, and in him there is no darkeneſſe at all. If then we take Jobs ſpeech metaphorically or improperly, Let not the light ſhine upon that day, it amounts to a higher loſſe then the former. Truly (ſaith Solomon) light is ſweet, and it is a pleaſant thing to behold the Sunne; and we may ſay truly, all ſweetneſſe is light, and every pleaſant thing is as the Sun: Though the Sun ſhine upon us, yet if comfort be removed from us, we are in darkneſſe. Such a condition the Prophet ſpeakes of, (Iſa. 50.10.) Who is among you that feareth the Lord, and obeyeth the voice of his ſervant, that walketh in darkeneſſe and hath no light. No light, is no comfort, none for the outward man, none for the inner man, both being benighted, both deſerted. Hence obſerve,

That it is a greater judgement to have good things removed from us, then to have evill inflicted on us. He ſpeakes more againſt the day, when he ſaith, let not the light ſhine upon it, then when he ſaith, let it be darkeneſſe. The puniſhment of loſſe is greater then the puniſhment of ſenſe. He that is deprived of all good, is by that act inveſted with all evills. The moſt wofull condition of ungodly men in this life, is expreſt by the puniſhment of loſſe, There is no peace, ſaith my God, to the wicked, Iſa. 57.21. That they have trouble is not ſo bad, as that they have no peace. And the worſt part of that everlaſting woe which ungodly men ſhall ſuffer is a puniſhment of loſſe: The heate of the fire ſhall not trouble them ſo much, as the want of light: God hath fully reſolv'd that their day ſhall be darkneſſe, that himſelfe will never regard it from above, nor let the leaſt beame of the light of his countenance ſhine p. 355upon it; Hence the condition of the damned is called outer darkneſſe, (Mat. 22.13.) By outer darkneſſe, Chriſt meanes darkneſſe without any ray of light: Outer darkneſſe is their portion who are without, Rev. 22.15. As the greateſt bleſſing we receive by Chriſt is poſitive, Joh. 3.16. God ſo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten ſonne, that whoſoever beleeveth on him, ſhould not periſh, (here is the removing of evill) but have everlaſting life, here is the bringing in of good: And this is the better part of the bleſſing. So on the other ſide, to have all good, light and life removed, is the moſt bitter part of the curſe.

Let darkneſſe and the ſhadow of death ſtaine it.

Darkneſſe and the ſhadow of death.] Theſe words are the fourth branch of the curſe upon his day, he repeates the former curſe, but with new additions; He had ſaid before, let this day be darkneſſe, now he ſaith, let darkneſſe and the ſhadow of death ſtaine it.

The ſhadow of death.] The word conſidered in the compoſition of it, may be tranſlated image of death. And becauſe the ſhadow of a body gives us the image of a body, (as in the ſhadow of a man, you have the image and proportion of a man; in the ſhadow of a Tree, you have the image and repreſentation of a Tree) becauſe (I ſay) the ſhadow gives the image of a body, therefore the Hebrewes by a Metonymie, call an image a ſhadow: So that the ſhadow of death, is ſuch darkneſſe as is like death, the very image of death: He was not contented in generall to ſay, let darkeneſſe ſtaine it, but if any would know what kind or degree of darkneſſe he intends, theſe words expound his meaning to be, the worſt darkneſſe that can be: Any darkneſſe is evill, but darkneſſe and the ſhadow of death is the utmoſt of evils. David put the worſt of his caſe, and the beſt of his faith, when he ſaid Pſal. 23.4.foreign Though I walke in the valley of the ſhadow of death, I will feare no evill, that is, in the greateſt evill, I will feare no evill. The eſtate of thoſe men who lived beyond the line of the Goſpell, (and that is a very dolefull place to live in) though a paradiſe for outward pleaſure, is thus deſcribed by the Prophet, Iſa. 9.2. The people that walked in darkneſſe have ſeene a great light (Jeſus Chriſt,) they that dwell in the land of the ſhadow of death, upon them hath the light ſhined. Againe, The ſhadow of a thing in Scripture, notes the power of a thing, and to be under the ſhadow of a thing, is to be under the power of a thing. The bramble (Judg. 9.15.) ſaid p. 356unto the trees, if in truth yee anoint me King over you, then come and put your truſt in my ſhadow: that is, truſt to that helpe which I am able to afford you. So likewiſe, to be under the ſhadow of the Almighty, under the ſhadow of his wings, is, to be under the power of the Almighty, for ſafety and protection▪ Thus we may conceive it here, to be under the ſhadow of death, is to be ſo under the power or reach of death, that death may take a man and ſeize upon him when it pleaſeth. Though I walke in the valley of the ſhadow of death, that is, though I be ſo neere death, that it ſeemes to others death may catch me every moment, though I be under ſo many apparances and probabilities of exreame danger, that there appeares an impoſſibility (in ſence) to eſcape death, yet I will not feare.

Thirdly, To be under the ſhadow of death, is to be under the influences of death; the influences of death are thoſe feares and doubtings, diviſions and vexations of ſpirit, thoſe diſtractions and diſtempers of mind which fall upon man, in times of imminent and unavoidable danger. Let the ſhadow of death ſtaine it, that is, let it be filled with thoſe feares, and cryes, and confuſions, which uſually accompany or prepare the way for death.

Fourthly, Let darkneſſe and the ſhadow of death ſtaine it, that is, ſuch darkneſſe as dwells with death, ſuch darkeneſſe as fills the houſe of death, the grave: The grave is a darke houſe. We uſe to ſay of that which we would have forgotten, let it be buried in darkneſſe. There is no worke in the grave, and therefore there needs no light in the grave, neither indeed can there be.

Laſtly thus, Darkneſſe and the ſhadow of death, that is, deadly darkneſſe, thick ſtifling darkneſſe, ſuch as is in deepe pits and mines under the earth, where vapours and noyſome dampes doe many times ſtrike men with death. We may here take notice, how Job heapes up words, words very like in ſound, and all alike in ſenſe, or concurring to make up one ſenſe: Such amplifications in Scripture, are vehement aſſeverations: As Joh. 1.20. It is ſaid of the Baptiſt, He confeſſed and denied not, but confeſſed, I am not the Chriſt; And thoſe phraſes, Thou ſhalt dye and not live, I ſhall not dye but live; Thou ſhalt be below and not above. So Job of his day, Let it be darkeneſſe, let not the light ſhine upon it, let darkneſſe and the ſhadow of death ſtaine it.

foreignThe word which we render (staine,) ſignifies properly to redeeme a thing, either by price or by power, to redeeme a thing p. 357by paying for it, or to redeeme a thing by reſcuing of it; Hence among the Jewes, he that was to redeeme his deceaſed brothers land, and marry the widdow, was called Goel, from this word, as we may reade in the fourth of Ruth. So the avenger of blood was called Goel, Numb. 35.12. becauſe he likewiſe did redeeme the blood of his brother, fetch it back againe as it were by a price in the execution of juſtice. The learned Junius with ſome others, tranſlates according that ſenſe of the Originall word, O that darkneſſe and the ſhadow of death had redeemed that day, or fetched back that day, (he referres it to the day paſt upon which he was borne) and ſo takes it for an alluſion to the firſt ſtate of things; we know at the firſt, darkneſſe had dominion over all, over all that Chaos or rude matter which God made at firſt; Darkneſſe (ſaith Moſes) was upon the face of the deepe, Gen. 1.2. Then God gave a command to light, ſaying let there be light, ver. 3. preſently light went forth and reſcued the creature from under the power of darkneſſe. Now, ſaith Job here, Oh that darkneſſe and the ſhadow of death had redeemed that day, or fetched againe that day out of the hands of light! Oh that darkneſſe had recovered that which in the beginning was under its power! that ſo my day being wrapt up in darkneſſe, might be without forme and voide.

But the word is frequently tranſlated (and well here) to pollute or to ſtaine a thing, as Mal. 1.7. Yee offer polluted bread upon mine altar, and ye ſay, wherein have we polluted thee? And that of lamenting Jeremie, They have polluted themſelves with blood, ſo that men could not touch their garments, Lam. 4.14. So darkneſſe is ſaid to ſtaine or pollute the day, as filthineſſe or blood ſtaines and pollutes,In nocte ſuneſtatur mundi honor: omnis ſubſta…ia denigratur, ſordent, ſilent, ſtupent cuncta, Tertul de reſurrect carnis. diſcoulours and defiles the beauty of a garment: Darkneſſe obſcures and blindes the beauty of the moſt glorious creatures: naturall darkneſſe doth it. Suppoſe you ſhould come into a roome furniſhed with the moſt exquiſite and coſtly ornaments, hung with the moſt curious and lively pictures; if there be no light there, the beauty of all is loſt to us, darkneſſe ſtaines it, you may have as good a ſight in a dungeon as there. Againe, take it for Metaphoricall or improper darkneſſe, that alſo ſtaines the beauty of the creature; if you have never ſo great a ſtock and eſtate of riches, or honour, &c. let but ſorrow and trouble, warre and diviſions ariſe, the beauty of all is ſtained. What is honour then, but higher unhappineſſe? And what are riches then, but golden tho…s? What is liberty then, but freer miſery? And p. 358what is ſtrength then, but ſtronger paine, and an ability to beare a heavier burden of affliction? The glory and beauty of the creature is gone in darke times; when ſuch a day comes as Joel ſpeakes of, a day of blackneſſe and gloomineſſe, wher's your bravery, what becomes of your fineneſſe? But that which ſtaines the creature moſt, is myſticall darkneſſe, the darkneſſe of ignorance and of ſin: the darkneſſe of guilt and of Gods diſpleaſure: O how is the beauty of the ſoule (which is farre more glorious then all viſible creatures) how is the beauty of that ſtained, when it lyes under any of theſe darkneſſes! Hence therefore, we ſee what a bleſſing light is, and how we are bound to bleſſe God for light, for naturall light, for the outward light of a comfortable condition, but eſpecially for the light of his countenance, which is better then life; for the light of knowledge, for the light of grace, how ſhould we for ever bleſſe the Father of lights?

Let a cloud dwell upon it.] This is the fifth branch of the curſe. A cloud (as naturaliſts teach) is a thick vapour raiſed up by the heate of the Sun to the middle region of the ayre, and there-by the cold condenſed becomes ſo thick, that it ſtopps and intercepteth the light; Cloudes and darkneſſe goe together, as in the 97^th. Pſalme, ver. 2. if there be clouds, there is darkneſſe, Clouds and darkneſſe are round about him. So that to ſay, let a cloud dwell upon it, is but a further exemplifying of the ſame thing; before it was, let darkneſſ be upon it, now, let a cloud dwell upon it.

Dwelling, notes the continuance and conſiſtency of darkneſſe, he doth not ſay, let a cloud paſſe over it, (for clouds properly are unfixed, clouds move continually, and are carried on the wings of the wind;) But Job would have his cloud a fixed cloud, a cloud ſo black and ſo ſtrong, as might not be diſſolved, but cauſe a continued ecclipſe upon the day.

A cloud, and the dwelling of a cloud, imports ſometime the care and protection of God over his people, Exod. 40.38. We reade of a cloud that was continually over the Tabernacle, a cloud was over it by day, and a pillar of fire by night. In the fire there was direction, in the cloud protection, and mercy in both. So Iſa, 4.5. God promiſeth to create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her aſſemblies a cloud. Which is expounded in the cloſe of the verſe: For upon all his glory (his Church and Saints) there ſhall be a defence. But here the cloud, and the p. 359dwelling of it, notes continued darkneſſe: As if Job ſhould have ſaid, If the light doe ſhine upon that day, I wiſh that a curtaine might be drawn perpetually between the world and the Sun, let a cloud dwell before the face of the Sun, which may muffle it and intercept thoſe beames which would enlighten and refreſh the earth.

Clouds are refreſhings, yet clouds you ſee may prove afflictions: As a cloud is a protection at one time, ſo it may be an affliction at another: As a cloud ſhadowes us from the heate, it is a bleſſing; but as a cloud ecclipſes the light, ſo it is a curſe; The ſame creature may be employed both for a curſe, and for a bleſſing. Yet further Job would not only have it a dwelling cloud, but a condenſed cloud. Some clouds are ſo thinne, that the Sun appeares, and light ſhines thorough them; Job deſires this may be thick enough, not only to cauſe darkneſſe, but to cauſe blackneſſe: Which is the laſt branch of his curſe upon his day.

Let the blackneſſe of the day terrifie it.

Jobs heart was ſo full of paſſion, that his ſorrowes could not come out at once, he takes time and breath. Now ſaith he, let the blackneſſe of the day terrifie it.

Blackneſſe, is more then darkeneſſe, therefore we find blackneſſe an addition to darkneſſe, in the Epiſtle of Jude, ver. 13. where giving divers elegant characters of wicked men, whom he calls spots in their feaſts of charity, clouds without water, trees without fruit, raging waves of the ſea, foaming out their own ſhame, wandring Starres: And what is the portion of men thus qualified, but Hell, wrath and vengeance? So he tells us in the next words, To whom is reſerved the blackneſſe of darkneſſe for ever. Darkneſſe, and the blackneſſe of darkneſſe, is the portion of thoſe that ſhall for ever lie under the wrath of God; blackneſſe of darkneſſe is the beauty of Hell, that fire will beſoote the damned to all eternity: Then the blackneſſe of darkneſſe, is the darkeſt darkneſſe that can be imagined; blackneſſe of darkneſſe was Egypts plague; that was darkneſſe and thick darkneſſe, darkneſſe to be felt, Exo. 10.21. ſo darke, that no man could ſee another, neither aroſe any from his place for three dayes, ver. 23. this was blackneſſe of darkneſſe; the picture of Hell, that chamber of darkneſſe. The word in the Hebrew, ſignifieth heate and blackneſſe: The reaſon is given,à foreign becauſe heate makes things black and ſworthy; from the ſame p. 360word thoſe Idolatrous Prieſts ſpoken of,Geminata poſtre…a calores intenſiores & vehementiores quales eſſe ſolent in diebus canicluaribus, ſignificat, Druſ. 2 King. 23.5. were called Chemarims, or the black Priests, and they were called ſo, either from the black veſts or garments which they commonly wore, or from the heate and fire of their furious zeale, either in the defence or exerciſe of their ſuperſtitious worſhip; or from the ſmoaky incenſe which they offered, fit enough to black themſelves, but no way pleaſing unto God.

Let the blackneſſe of the day terrifie it.] Terrifie what? Terrifie the day. The day is not capable of feares, or of afrightments; but the meaning is this, let the blackneſſe of the day make it a terrible day; or let it be a terrible day by reaſon of the blackneſſe of it; As we uſe to ſay, ſuch a day was a terrible day, it was a black day.

Changes in the courſe of nature are full of terrour. That which is proper and naturall to the day is light, therefore to ſee the day covered with blackneſſe,Vox compoſita à foreign Amaritudines & particula foreign ſic, ſicut. muſt needs affright us: when we looke for light, as they in the Prophet, and behold darkneſſe, that troubles; but when we looke for light, and behold blackneſſe, that terrifies. The vulgar Latine tranſlation reades it thus, Let (as it were) the bitterneſſes of the day terrifie it; The bitterneſſes of the day, are thoſe ſad accidents and troubles which fall out upon that day. To which ſence the Chaldee Paraphraſe thus expounds it; let ſuch bitterneſſes of the day afflict it, as the Prophet Jeremie was afflicted with, for the deſtruction of the Temple, or as Jonas when he was caſt into the ſea. Hard bondage made the lives of the Iſraelites bitter, Exod. 1.14. And when the Lord threatens to turne their feasts into mourning, and their ſongs into lamentation, he concludes thus, and I will make it as the mourning of an only ſonne, and the end thereof as a bitter day, Amos 8 10. Hence afflictions are called, gall and wormewood, bitter things. And the Chaldeans whom God made ſo great a ſcourge to his own people, are called a bitter Nation, Hab. 1.6.

We have opened theſe words which concerne the curſe upon Jobs day. Now followes his curſe upon the night.

Verſe 6.

As for the night let darkneſſe ſeize upon it, let it not be joyned to the dayes of the yeare, let it not come into the number of the months.

Verſe 7.

Loe let that night be ſolitary, let no joyfull voice come therein.

He goeth on in his former paſſionate Rhetorick, to loade the p. 361night with as many evills (if not more) as he had done the day. As for that night, let darkneſſe ſeize upon it.

We have heard of darkneſſe before, darkneſſe upon the day. What doth Job meane here to call for darkeneſſe upon the night? The night is it ſelfe full of darkneſſe, yea darkneſſe is proper to the night. Is it any curſe to ſay, let wormewood be bitter, or to ſay, let leade be heavy? the naturall property of a thing cannot be the puniſhment of a thing. How is it then that Job ſaith, Let that night be darkneſſe, or Let darkneſſe ſeize upon it?

Though it be true, that darkneſſe is proper to the night, yet there are degrees of darkneſſe, and every darkneſſe is not proper to the night. The word here uſed for darkneſſe, is obſerved by Grammarians, to ſignifie an extraordinary thick darkneſſe,foreign Tenebroſus …urbo. Vulg. yea darkneſſe joyned with tempeſt; Let thick tempeſtuous darkneſſe ſeize upon, or take hold of that night; for the word ſignifies, to graſpe or take a thing in ones hands, let darkneſſe graſpe it. Though the night be darke, yet it may be darker; we call ſome nights light nights, in compariſon of others. Note from this,

That there is no eſtate ſo ill, but it is poſſible it may be worſe. The night is darke, yet you may ſuper-adde darkneſſe to it: and though the condition of any perſon or people be as the night, darke, yet the darkneſſe may increaſe more and more to a perfect night. You know what God ſaith concerning the people of the Jewes, when he threatned them with troubles, I will puniſh you yet ſeven times more for your ſinnes. God can make ſuch a night, as that the former night ſhall ſeeme a day to it; God can adde darkneſſe to the darkneſſe of the night: God can adde bitterneſſe to the bitterneſſe of womewood, and make leade more heavy then leade: There is no man on earth in ſo ſad a condition, but he may be in a worſe. Art thou poore? God can ſend thee ſuch poverty, as that thy former poverty was riches compared with this. Art thou weake and ſick? God can adde more ſickneſſe, and make thee ſo weake, that thy former ſickneſſe may be accounted health, and thy weakneſſe ſtrength compared with this. In this ſenſe darkneſſe ſeizeth upon the night. He wiſhes a ſecond evill upon that night.

Let it not be joyned to the dayes of the yeare.

Some reade it thus, Let it not be computed in the dayes of the yeare. Hieron, Septuag.Others, Let it not be in the dayes of the yeare. This is another evill he calls down upon the night. The glory of the night p. 362conſiſteth in its conjunction to the day; hence light and darkneſſe put together, come both under the denomination and notion of day; Night is called day, as being a part of the naturall day: Now that which is the chiefe priviledge of the night, this curſe ſtrikes at: Job would have it rent and disjoynted from the day, Let it not be joyned to the dayes of the yeare.

Diſunion and diviſion is a great curſe, when the night is not joyned to the day, it is the curſe of the night. The Rabbins have a conceit, why after the worke of the ſecond day was finiſhed, (God beholding what he had done) did not adde any approbation to it; when he made the light, which was the firſt dayes worke, he approves it, God ſaw the light, and ſaid it was good, but to the work of the ſecond day, God ſubjoyned no approbation, by ſaying it was good; The reaſon (I ſay) which many of the Rabbins give of it, was this, becauſe then was the firſt diſunion, that made the firſt ſecond, that ever was, all before was one (ſub uniſſimo Deo) under the one-moſt God; I ſhall leave this phancie to the Rabbins. But there is ſomewhat in the notion it ſelfe, namely, that diviſion and diſunion are the evills of the creature. The night hath glory by union with the day; the weakeſt things, and the obſcureſt things, havean honour by being joyned with the ſtronger & more excellent.

And as theſe naturall diſunions are the affliction of naturall things; ſo civill diſunions and civill diviſions are much more the affliction of people and Nations. Chriſt aſſures us that the ſtrongeſt Kingdome divided cannot ſtand, Mark. 3.24. Weake things are ſtrong by union, and that not only by union with the ſtrong, but by union among themſelves. Weake things united are ſtrengthened, joyne weake with weake and they are ſtrong. And things obſcure, united, are honourable, eſpecially if united with that which is honourable; The glory of the wife is in the band of union with her husband, ſhe ſhines with the rayes of her husbands honour: whatſoever naturall or civill excellency is in him, reflects upon her; The woman is the glory of the man, (as the Apoſtle ſpeakes, 1 Cor. 11.7.) in regard of ſubjection: It is mans glory, that God hath given him ſuperiority over ſo excellent a creature. But in another ſenſe, the man is the glory of the woman, ſhe communicates with him in all his dignity how great ſoever. Thus alſo the day is the glory of the night: The night ſhines by her marriage with the day. Job ſues out a divorce betweene them, Let it it not be joyned to the dayes of the yeare.

p. 363And let it not come into the number of the moneths. foreign Antiquiſſima ſuit in menſibus Lunaribus noctium & Lunationum obſervatio, quod & ipſum menſis nomen teſtatur, quod apud Graecos a Luna dicitur, nam (foreign) menſis eſt, & vero (foreign) Luna, Pined▪ in loc. Summa h… vult, deleatur è Calendario, Dru.The Originall may be tranſlated, in the number of the Moones: The ſame word among the Hebrewes, ſignifieth the Moone and a monethmonth: as likewiſe among the Grecians: And the reaſon is, becauſe their moneths were counted by their Moones, and the Moone is renewed every monethmonth. Every Lunation made a MonethMonth, and thirteene Lunations made a yeare, their monethmonth conſiſting of 28 dayes, which is a Lunary monethmonth; So that when Job ſaith, Let it not come into the number of the moneths, he would take away one ſpeciall benefit of the night; And it is as if he had ſaid, let that night be uſeleſſe, and ſtand for nothing in the Calender of the yeare. To every thing there is a ſeaſon, and a time to every purpoſe under the Heaven, ſaith the Preacher, (Eccleſ. 3.1.) So every ſeaſon hath ſomething to doe, and there is a purpoſe for every time under Heaven. A purpoſe for ſummer, and a purpoſe for the winter, a purpoſe for the day, and a purpoſe for the night. And for any of theſe to be diſappointed of their purpoſe, is (ſo farre as they are capeable of affliction) their affliction. We may obſerve hence,

That it is a great curſe upon any creature, to be made an uſeleſſe creature, to ſtand for nothing. This is to looſe the end of its being, and therefore it muſt needs looſe the happineſſe of its being. Every thing was (by the Law of its creation) ordained for ſome uſe, and therefore cannot but be unhappy when it is made uſeleſſe. And if it be the glory of inanimate creatures when God will uſe them, or when men make uſe of them for God; how unglorious then is the condition of thoſe men, who are, as (God ſpeakes of that King, Jer. 22.28.) Like a deſpiſed broken Idol, which hath no honour, and is of no uſe, who are as veſſels wherein there is no pleaſure, veſſels laid by the walls, (as we ſpeake) laid aſide, as unfit or unworthy to be lookt after, and employed in any publike ſervice.

Loe, let that night be ſolitary, let no joyfull ſound come therein.

This ſolitarineſſe of the night may have reſpect to the former words: He would not have it joyned to the dayes of the yeare, he would not have it come in the number of moneths. What then? then it muſt needs be like a ſolitary widdow, all alone, Let that night be ſolitary. Or ſecondly, his meaning may be this, Let there be no meetings that night. The night is not ſolitary in it ſelfe, but then the night is called ſolitary, when the ſociety of friends is ſtopt p. 364and interrupted. It was the cuſtome of thoſe times, and it is a cuſtome continued in many places to theſe times,Egyptij feſtum celiberrimum babuerunt nocturnum, tum, etiam noctu celebrebantur nuptiae, Herod. l. 2. for friends to meet in the night: and ſuch meetings make night as day; good ſociety is comfortable; A ſolitary condition is a ſorrowfull condition. So then, Job compleates his curſe in this verſe, and makes up a full ſumme of miſery upon his night. What can be ſaid more againſt it, then now he ſaith. He had before wiſht it darke in it ſelfe, divided from the day, of no number in the moneths; And now he would not have friends meete or refreſh themſelves by mutuall communion and loving converſe that night. Much of the comfort of our lives is brought in by the ſociety of friends. Man is defined a ſociable creature, as well as a reaſonable creature, ſolitarineſſe is oppoſite both to the nature and happineſſe of man. Woe be to him that is alone (ſaith Solomon) two are better then one, and eſpecially in times of trouble. As our comforts are multiplied upon them that are neere us, ſo our ſorrowes are allayed and eaſed by them. There is a ſolitarineſſe which is the ſweeteſt part of our lives, when we retire a while from the world, from the throng of men and buſineſſe, that we may be more intimate with Chriſt, and take our fill in communion with him. To goe alone, that we may meete with God, is Heaven upon earth; but to be ſo left alone and ſcattered, that we cannot meet with man, is (if not a hell yet) one of the greateſt afflictions upon the earth: Such ſolitary times are ſad times.

Let no joyfull voice come therein.] As if he ſhould ſay, If men will meet that night, and converſe together, let them meet only to mourne together, and let their converſation be made up with mutuall ſorrowes; let them only tell each other the ſad ſtories of their afflictions. Thus let them meet to lament together, but let none meet to rejoyce together, let there be no meeting with any joyfull voice that night. He alludes againe to the cuſtome of thoſe times, which were wont to have as meetings in the night, ſo to rejoyce in thoſe meetings; They feaſted with ſongs and muſick, a joyfull voice was in their meetings, Muſick is ſweeteſt in the night: The ſtillneſſe of the night gives advantage to the voice. The Romane Hiſtory tells us, that their greateſt feaſts, their moſt luxurious banquetings and curious muſick was in the night. The Apoſtle alludes to that cuſtome when he ſaith, They that are drunken, are drunken in the night, (1 Theſ. 5.6.) Workes of darkneſſe ſeeke times of darkneſſe. He that doth evill hateth the light, Joh. 3.21. principally p. 365the light of knowledge, and withall the light of ſenſe. There are two opinions about this joyfull voice, which I ſhall but name and paſſe on. Firſt, The Chaldee Paraphrast will have this joyfull voice to be the voice of the Cock, Let not the Cock crow that night, the crowing of the Cock is a comfortable voice in the night; The Cock is a naturall clock, and by his crowing tells us the houres of the night: As if Job had ſaid,Monſtravolant, dirae ſtrident in nocte volucres, Nocturnae que gemunt ſtriges, & ſeralia bub… Damn… ca…ens… Statius, l. 3. inſtead of the chearefull voice of the Cock, let that night be filled with the dolefull voice of the Owle, or of the Shreech-owle. A ſecond opinion ſaith, this joyfull voice which Job puts from and denies his night, was the voice of the Starres, ſpoken of as they would have us conceive, Chap. 38.7. When the morning Starres ſang together, and all the ſonnes of God ſhouted for joy. But to leave theſe as fancies, rather then expoſitions: The interpretation given is cleare and ſutable to the method of the curſe: Job would have no meeting on that night, or if any were, he forbids their joy, Let no joyfull voice be heard therein.

It is a great evill upon any time, when the voice of joy is taken away from it: it is a great evill upon times, when joyfull meetings can no more be obſerved; when if any do meete, they meete and ſigh together, they meete and lament together, they meete and bemoane each others loſſes and calamities. The Prophet Amos ſpeakes of a time when the ſongs of the Temple ſhall be howlings, (Chap. 8. v. 3.) And ver. 10. I will turne your feaſts into mourning, and your ſongs into lamentation. It is very ſad, when the ſongs of our private houſes are changed into howlings: but much more when the ſongs of the Temple. Both theſe are pronounced againſt Babylon, as a part of that dreadfull curſe which God will powre out upon it, when his wrath comes to the utmoſt, Rev. 18.22. The voice of harpers and muſitians, and of pipers and trumpeters, ſhall be heard no more at all in thee, and the ſound of the mil-stone ſhall be heard no more at all in thee, and the voice of the bridegroome and of the bride ſhall be heard no more at all in thee, That is, O Babylon, there ſhall be no joyfull voice any more at all in thee: Not the voice of muſick, no not the voice of a mil-ſtone. We have great cauſe to feare that the joyfull voice may ſuddainely be taken away, not only from our nights, but alſo from our dayes; not only from our houſes, but alſo from our Temples; For the voice of ſin hath bin heard from both. Darkneſſe hath begun to ſeize upon our light; the ſeed of diviſion is not only ſowne, but p. 366ſprung up among us; our troubles increaſe, yea our joyfull voice is already changed into the ſound of the trumpet, and the Alarum of War, into the neighings of Horſes, and the confuſed noiſe of bloody battels, Iſa. 9.5. And which may afflict our hearts more, we heare the mournefull voice of the Widdow crying out, My Husband my Husband, We heare the mournefull voice of the Orphan, crying out my Father, my Father. Husband and Father ſlaine by the ſword, while they went out to helpe the Lord againſt the mighty. It is time for us to ſit ſolitary and alone, to mourne every family apart, and our wives apart, (Zach. 12.12.) to lift up our voice in prayer night and day, leaſt the joyfull voice be utterly taken away, and for ever ſilenced amongſt us: Leaſt it be ſaid of us as of Jeruſalem, (Lam. 1.1.) How doth the City ſit ſolitary that was full of people? How is ſhe become as a widdow? ſhe that was great among the Nations, and Princes among the Provinces, how is ſhe become tributary? As that Heathen ſaid of the time paſt, I had periſhed, if I had not periſhed: So we may ſay of the time to come; We ſhall mourne, if we doe not mourne, we ſhall be ſolitary, if we ſit not alone. Our nights of ſinfull joy in chambering and wontonneſſe, have bereft us, and will bereave us more of refreſhing joyes. And inſtead of the voice of friend and brother, you may heare only the voice of the enemy, and avenger: and that is no joyfull voice. When Jacob was enformed of the approach of Eſau his bloody brother, he put all things in order, and preſently the Text ſaith, Jacob was left alone, Gen. 32.24. What, deſerted? did his company run from him? No, it was an elected ſolitarineſſe, not a neceſſitated ſolitarineſſe, he deſired to be alone; and he ſtaid alone that he might not be alone; He ſtaid alone that he might get God neerer in communion with him and his, that his family might not be ſcattered from him, and his houſe left deſolate. So, if we would be voluntarily alone, from the world to be with God, wraſtling out nights in prayer as Jacob did, we might (as he did) prevent ſolitary nights, and prevaile with God by the voice of prayer, in the mediation of Jeſus Chriſt, and the powerfull cry of his blood, to continue unto us the voice of joy.