Exposition of Job 1-3, Biblical commentary · Job 3.20, 21, 22
JOB 3. Ver. 20, 21, 22.
Wherefore is light given to him that is in miſery, and life unto the bitter in ſoule?
Which long for death, but it cometh not, and dig for it more then for hid treaſures:
Which rejoyce exceedingly, and are glad when they can find the grave, &c.
AT this 20th. verſe, the third and laſt Section of the Chapter begins, Wherefore is light given to him that is in miſery, and life to the bitter in ſoule?
In the former part of the Chapter, Job wiſhed that death had ſurpriſed him aſſoone as ever he ſet his foot into the world, yea before he came into the world, that he might have died in the very wombe; Here Job begins to expoſtulate, why he having made ſo long a journey, and in his latter time ſo troubleſome a journey in the world, why (I ſay) he is not (at his requeſt) cut off and taken away, by the ſtroake of death; Why is light given to him that is in miſery, and life to the bitter in ſoule? We may frame his argument thus, out of his words, as they are here couched; There is no reaſon, or if there be, ſhew me a reaſon why his life ſhould be prolonged, who liveth miſerably and would die willingly; But I am the man who live miſerably and I would die willingly; wherefore then? where is the reaſon, or ſhew me a reaſon why my life is prolonged. That is the force of his argument. The maine Propoſition of the argument, is contained in the 20, 21, 22, 23. verſes, namely, that there is no reaſon why a man that liveth miſerably, ſhould be denied to die, wherefore is light given to a man that is in miſery? He endeavours to prove the Aſſumption at the 24th. verſe, where he ſhewes that he lived in great miſery, which he doth amplifie in the two laſt verſes of the Chapter. This may ſerve for the ſumme and ſcope, or intendment of this laſt Section.
To the words themſelves. Wherefore is light given to him that is in miſery?
Wherefore. There is a wherefore in Scripture, firſt of doubting, and ſecondly there is a wherefore of mourning, and thirdly a wherefore of complaining. In this wherefore, in this queſtion, we may include all three. Job doubteth, and Job mourneth, and Job complaineth, Wherefore is light given to him that is in miſery?
Wherefore is light.
Light. Some take light here for knowledge, Wherefore hath a miſerable man ſo much knowledge to ſee himſelfe, and to know himſelfe miſerable? Ad quid pro…eſt homini in miſerijs conſtituto, quod lucem cognitionis habeat, cum per eam conſideret mala quibus affligitur. Aquin. in loc.It is ſome abatement to the ſenſe of miſery, not to know that we are miſerable; Wherefore is light given? If I did not underſtand the ſadneſſe of my condition it would be leſſe to me. There is a truth in that; and it is the thing that will ſo much torment and vex the damned to all eternity; that while they are in the darkneſſe of helliſh miſery, they ſhall have ſo much light in Hell, (I meane the light of knowledge concerning their own condition, whreby they ſhall fully and clearely diſcerne their unhappineſſe;) If they were ignorant and did not know how miſerable they were, their eſtate were farre leſſe miſerable. On earth, the light of the knowledge of Gods will encreaſes the ſin of men; in Hell, the light of the knowledge of their own woe, will be an encreaſe of their puniſhment. As Chriſt ſaith to the Jewes, Joh. 9.41. If ye were blind, ye ſhould have no ſin, but now ye ſay we ſee, therefore your ſin remaineth. So we may ſay of thoſe who are ſeperated from Chriſt for ever; if ye were blind, ye ſhould have no ſorrow, but now becauſe in that eſtate of utter darkneſſe, ye ſhall have both eyes and light to ſee your miſery, therefore your ſorrow ſhall remaine. When a wicked man goes to the generation of his fathers, where he ſhall never ſee light, ſc. of comfort, Pſal. 49.19. even then he ſhall have light enough, (and more then he would have) to ſee his ſorrow. And in Hell he ſhall be as much pained with, and hate the light of his own condition, as upon earth he hated and was pained with the light of divine revelation, Joh. 3.20, &c. So that the damned ſhall for ever cry out, Wherefore is light given to him that is in miſery?
Yet I take not this to be the ſenſe here, Wherefore is light? by light here, underſtand naturall light, and then it is no more but this, Why doe mine eyes yet behold the Sunne? Wherefore doth the light ſhine upon me, whenas I am under the clouds and in the darkneſſe of this condition? Or by light, we may underſtand life; and ſo the ſenſe is, Wherefore is life continued, (which is expreſſed in the next clauſe) to him that is in miſery?
To be in miſery, is more then to be miſerable. As to be in the fleſh, notes, a meere carnall man, and to be in the ſpirit, foreign Sumitur activè pro labore cum ſumma defatigatione & taedio, paſſivè pro dolore ipſo & miſeria & ſaepe utro que modo ſumitur conjunctim, ut in Eccleſiaſte, ubi vitae humanae calamitas & miſeria iſto vocabulo explicatur.notes a very ſpirituall man; ſo to be in miſery, notes a very miſerable man. The Hebrew word properly ſignifies, labour; At the tenth verſe it was tranſlated, ſorrow: And it notes any toileſome meleſtation, which either we our ſelves endure, (Pſal. 25.18.) or cauſe others by guile or miſchiefe done them, to endure. Hence it is tranſlated guile, Pſal. 55.11. and miſchiefe, (Pſal. 94.20.) becauſe by theſe, one man troubles and vexes another, to the making of him miſerable.
And life to the bitter in ſoule.
Life is the union of ſoule and body, when life departeth, ſoule and body take leave and part; the Philoſopher defines life to be the bond or colligation of ſoule and body together: Now (ſaith Job) why is this life, why is this bond continued to a man whoſe ſoule is in bitterneſſe? while my life was pleaſant, it was pleaſant to live; while my ſoule was ſweet, it was ſweet to have it knit to my body; but now my ſoule is in bitterneſſe, or I am bitter in ſoule, and what ſweetneſſe or pleaſure can I find in my body?
foreign Qui prae calamitate animo ſunt acerbo & in perpetua maeſtitia. Merc.To be bitter in ſoule, notes deep intrinſicall or inward ſorrow; the greateſt ſorrow, makes the ſoule bitter: As in Scripture, when we find Soule added reſpecting the evill of an eſtate, or the good of an eſtate, evill and good are meant in the higheſt degree; As when Chriſt ſaith, Mat. 26.38. My ſoule is exceeding heavy, or exceeding ſorrowfull even unto death; that is, I am in the loweſt deepes of ſorrow: Sorrow unto death, is ſorrow within one ſtep or degree of death. My ſoule is ſorrowfull, there can be no ſorrow but in the ſoule, the body (take it as a diſtinct from the ſoule) is not capable of ſorrow; ſorrow is a paſſion or an affection of the ſoule, an affection of the mind, and therefore all ſorrow is ſeated in the mind; yet when our Lord Chriſt ſaith, My ſoule is exceeding ſorrowfull, It is farre more then to have ſaid, there is ſorrow or exceeding much ſorrow in my ſoule. So here, this phraſe, To him that is bitter in ſoule, or whoſe ſoule is bitter; Notes the moſt bitter and grievous ſorrow. When the Pſalmiſt would ſet forth the great ſorrow of Joſeph in priſon, Pſal. 105.18. One tranſlation ſaith, that the iron entred into his ſoule, and the Hebrew, word for word is this, his ſoule came into iron: We know the ſoule is ſo pure and ſpirituall that iron cannot enter it; We know that only the body can be bound with chaines; The ſoule could quickly ſlip from the moſt watchfull keeper, and breake out from the ſtrongeſt irons, were it not to keepe company with the body. Whereas then it is ſaid, his ſoule came into irons, it is only to ſhew, that Joſeph was under very ſore affliction, even the ſoreſt affliction of the body. As on the other ſide, when Mary ſaid, My ſoule doth magnifie the Lord, my ſpirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour. We know, nothing properly can magnifie the Lord, or rejoyce, but the ſpirit or the ſoule; yet when ſhe ſaith, my ſpirit doth rejoyce, this notes a deepe, pure, internall, ſpirituall joy, with which, ſhe was raviſh'd at that time: And as they who rejoyce in ſoule, would even willingly be rid of their bodies, they are above the body: So they who are bitter in ſoule, are deſirous to be ridde of their bodies; the body is a burden when the ſoule is bitter. This bitterneſſe of ſoule, cauſed thoſe bitter complaints before, and now this vehement expoſtulation, Wherefore is light given to him that is in miſery?
Wherefore? We are apt to thinke there is no reaſon for that, for which we can ſee no reaſon. Job was in a darke condition, and could not ſee the reaſon, and therefore almoſt concludes there was none. When we are poſed, we thinke all the world is poſed too. If we cannot interpret and expound the dealings of God, we thinke none can, nay, in ſuch caſes, ſome are ready to thinke (at leaſt to ſpeake as if they thought) that God himſelfe can ſcarce give a good account of them; This wherefore goes through the earth, and reaches Heaven. Tell me O my friends, ſhew me O my God, Wherefore is light given to him that is in miſery?
Why Job, there may be many reaſons, many anſwers given to this, wherefore a man ſhould be in light, though he be in miſery: and why his life ſhould be continued, though his ſoule be in bitterneſſe. What if God ſhould appeare and tell thee, It ſhall be thus▪ and the reaſon of it is, becauſe I will have it ſo; Is not that therefore anſwer enough, to any mans wherefore? The will of God is reaſon enough for man, and ought to be the moſt ſatisfying reaſon; If God ſay I will have life remaine in a man, that is bitter in ſoule, that man ſhould ſay, Lord it is reaſon I ſhould, becauſe it is thy pleaſure, though it be to my own trouble. Yet it is but ſeldome that God makes his will his reaſon, and anſwers by his bare pre…gative: He hath often given weighty reaſons to this quaerie. Firſt, The life of nature is continued, that the life of grace may be encreaſed. Again, Such live in ſufferings, That they may learne obedience by the things which they ſuffer. God teaches us by his workes, as well as by his word, his dealings ſpeake to us: And, It is as great an act of holineſſe to ſubmit our ſelves to the will of God in his workes, as it is to the will of God in his word: Another reaſon of this wherefore, may be this, God ſets up ſome as patternes to poſterity, he therefore gives the light of life to ſome that are in miſery, to ſhew that it is no new, nor ſtrange thing for his Saints to be darkeneſſe: And what if God doth it to magnifie the ſtrength of his own power in ſupporting, and the ſweetneſſe of his mercy when he delivers, ſuch bitter ſoules. Further obſerve, firſt, That
The beſt things in this world may come to be burthens to us. See here a man, weary of light and life; light one of the moſt excellent creatures that God made, the moſt excellent next to life, yea life, the beſt, the moſt excellent thing in nature, both theſe become burthenſome; How gladly would Job have bin rid of light, how gladly rid of his life? Conſider then, how burthenſome other things (which at the beſt are burdens) may be unto you, If you heare a ſoule complaining of light and life, and why are theſe given me, when I am in miſery? Then what comfort thinke you will honour give you? or what comfort will riches give you? or what comfort will beauty give you, in ſuch a condition, as makes you weary of light and life? What comfort will ſin give you, what eaſe will your luſts give you, in ſuch a condition as makes you weary of light and life? I never heard of any of the Saints, that were troubled at any time with their grace, or weary of the favour of God. I never heard any of them ſay, why is grace given to one that is in miſery? or the light of Gods countenance to the bitter in ſoule? I never heard any ſay, wherefore is faith given to a man that is in miſery, or hope and patience to the bitter in ſoule? grace was never a burden to any man, under greateſt burdens, or unſavoury, to the bittereſt ſoule; when you are weary of all other things in the world, theſe will be your ſupports. Therefore labour after thoſe things, which you ſhall never be weary of; even after thoſe things which will be more pleaſant to us, then ever light was, when light ſhall be to others more troubleſome, then ever darkneſſe was to any; let us labour after thoſe things which will be more ſweet to us, then ever life was, when life ſhall be to others, …ore bitter, then ever death was to any. Secondly obſerve,
It is a trouble to poſſeſſe good things when we cannot injoy them. Would you know, how Job ſpake here as one weary of light and life? It was not under the notion of light and life, as if he had been weary of theſe in themſelves, but it was becauſe he could not enjoy theſe. Solomon aſſures us, (Prov. 25.20.) that, As hee that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vineger upon Nitre, ſo is he that ſingeth ſongs to an heavy heart; Muſick to one that is in ſorrow, doubles his ſorrow, why? becauſe he cannot enjoy the muſick; a heavy heart can worſe intend muſick, then a heavy eare; only thoſe things which we can injoy in the uſe of them, pleaſe in the poſſeſſing of them: Of all temporalls, the poſſeſſion and enjoyment may be ſeparated, but for ſpiritualls, the very poſſeſſion of them is joy, therefore enjoyment; their preſence is a pleaſure, and therefore their preſence ſhall ever pleaſe. We may diſtinguiſh between their uſe and their comfort, but we can never ſeperate them.
One thing further, When Job ſaith, Wherefore is light given, and life given? The meaning of it is, wherefore is light continued, and wherefore is life continued? for he ſpeakes of himſelfe and others that had light and were alive, and yet he ſaith, wherefore is light given? &c. From this we may learne, That
Every act of continuance of good things to us, is a new act or deed of gift to us; Mercy is given, every moment it is enjoyed: not only is a new mercy, and a renewed mercy a new gift, but continued mercy is a gift and a new gift; life is a new gift every houre of time we live on the earth; and glory will be a new gift, every minute of eternity, we ſhall live in Heaven.
Which long for death and it cometh not, and dig for it more then for hid treaſures.
This 21. verſe doth further explicate who are the bitter in ſoule, even ſuch as long for death; when a ſoule (from naturall principles) finds a ſweetneſſe in death, that ſoule is in bitterneſſe; Our affliction and our miſery is indeed worme-wood and gall, as the Church complaines, (Lam. 2.19.) when death is as honey, and long'd for as the honey-combe. There is bitterneſſe in the death of the body, and yet ſome are ſo bitter in ſoule, that they account the very bitterneſſe of death, ſweetneſſe; They ſay not as Agag, (1 Sam. 15.32.) Surely the bitterneſſe of death is paſt, but O that the ſweetneſſe of death would come. To be rid of ſin makes us long for death ſpiritually, to be rid of paine makes us deſire death naturally; therefore he ſaith, the bitter in ſoule long for death.
The word which we tranſlate [by longing] ſignifieth a very vehement deſire, as you know in our tongue, to long for a thing, foreign from foreign Hiavit, inbiavit, ore aper…o intuitus fuit, concupivit, expectavit. Notae etiam, vera fide, patienti que expectatione anhelare adrem… promiſſam.is the highest and hotteſt acting of deſire, after a thing. It ſignifieth properly to gape or to breathe: Hence (by a Trope) it ſignifieth ſtrong deſire; becauſe they who deſire a thing much, are ſaid to gape or breath after it: juſt as an hungry man gapes after meate, whereſoever he ſees it, and his mind runnes upon it, when he cannot ſee it, that is the force of the word. Hence alſo the word is uſed in Scripture, to note the ſtrong actings of faith, and vehement expectations of hope in God, when the ſoule is raiſed up mightily to beleeve the word of promiſe, then it longs after and opens its mouth wide (as it were) to receive the thing promiſed. As in Iſa. 8.17. I will waite upon the Lord, who hides his face from the houſe of Jacob, and I will looke for him. The Prophet Hoſea applies the word to robbers and theeves, who ſtand watching and longing for the traveller, and looking at every turning, chap. 6.9. As troopes of robbers waite for a man. Yet further to cleare this, we may take notice, that in the Hebrew there are two words which come from this roote,foreign Palatum, quod ci…o inh…et. whereof the one ſignifieth the Palate of the mouth; becauſe the palate is the part affected with the taſt of ſuch meates, as we long for; Hence we ſay, the mouth waters after ſuch or ſuch a pleaſing diſh. The other word ſignifies a Fiſh-hooke, foreign Hamus, quòd in eum piſces inhient, vel potius quod piſces expectet.and the reaſon is double, either becauſe thoſe hookes are pleaſantly baited, which when the fiſh ſees, he longeth after it, and greedily ſwallowes it downe. Or becauſe when the angler hath caſt in the hooke, he is in great expectation, waiting and looking earneſtly when the fiſh will be enticed and bite. By all theſe uſes of the Originall word, we may collect the exceeding intenſivenes of that deſire which is here expreſt by longing for death: They long for death, even as a hungry man longeth for any meate, or as a woman with child longeth for ſome ſpeciall meate, as a fiſh longs for the baite, or as an angler longeth till the fiſh bites, or as a beleever (which as it is the moſt ſpirituall, ſo the moſt ardent deſire of all) deſires, to have any promiſe fulfilled, upon which he hath pitch'd his faith, and anchors at by hope.
Which long for death and it cometh not, that is, it cometh not ſo ſoon as they would have it; for death will come at one time or other, but death doth not come at their time, or their pace. It cometh not, in the Hebrew it is only thus, which long for death and it is not, we ſupply, it cometh not.
And dig for it more then for hid treaſures.
To illuſtrate the greatneſſe of this deſire after death, he adds a ſimilitude of thoſe who ſeeke for treaſures; if there be any naturall deſire more ſtrong, then that of a woman with-child, or a longing woman, it is the deſire of a covetous man, the deſire of gaine or treaſure; covetouſneſſe is the ſtrongeſt appetite.
Obſerve but what a gradation there is in this expreſſion, to ſet forth the greatneſſe of their deſire after death: they doe not only long for it, but they dig for it, digging you know is no ordinary labour, it is an extraordinary worke, a hard labour; As longing is a ſtrong deſire, ſo digging is ſtrong labour, hard labour. And then, it is no ordinary digging neither, but digging for a treaſure; men will dig hard for treaſure; you ſee men will dig hard for a ſtone, for iron, for coales, how then will they dig for a mine of gold or ſilver. A man will dig the earth for a little money, but when a man diggeth, hoping to find money in the earth, that will make him worke indeed; now they dig after ſuch a manner; And beyond that, he ſaith they dig for it as for hidden treaſure, that's a further degree of their endeavour after it.
That which we tranſlate, hidden treaſure, foreign from foreign abſcondit.is but one word in the Hebrew: It ſignifies any hidden thing, eſpecially treaſures, becauſe treaſures uſe to be hid or cloſe layed up. And there is a two-fold hiding of treaſures: There is a naturall hiding, and there is an induſtrious and artificiall hiding. There is a naturall hiding, ſo treaſures are hid, that lie in the bowels of the earth, they are naturally hid. Then treaſures are hid by induſtry and by art; when we are afraid we ſhall be ſpoiled of our treaſures, or that they ſhall be taken away, then there is a hiding them, and often a digging to hide them in the earth; As now in theſe times of ſpoile and violence, if a rich man heare that thoſe ſpoilers are nigh, he preſently hides his treaſure. Now either as robbers digge and ſearch for treaſures induſtriouſly hid, or as miners dig and ſearch for treaſures naturally hid, ſo (ſaith Job) with ſuch earneſtnes doe theſe dig for death.
There is one thing here to be reſolved by way of queſtion before we come to the Obſervations; Namely, whether it be lawfull to wiſh for, or to deſire death? Job here propoſeth ſuch as long for death; Is it lawfull to deſire death? doth he ſpeake here only (de facto,) of a thing which ſome doe; or of that which may be done?
I anſwer, firſt, That death in it ſelfe is no way deſireable, and it is not an object of deſire. We cannot deſire that (for it ſelfe) which is an enemy or deſtructive unto us. If any ſhould deſire death as death, or under the notion of death, they ſhould deſire that which is deſtructive, that which is their enemy, ſo the Apoſtle calls death; 1 Cor. 15. The last enemy which ſhall be deſtroyed is death. Death is an enemy, therefore (as death) no man can deſire it. Indeed, many have deſired death, but ſtill we find ſomewhat elſe at the bottome of that deſire. But what bottome or ground makes the deſire of death lawfull? I anſwer,
Firſt, It is a holy deſire of death, if we deſire death to be free from ſin; when the ſoule ſaith thus, becauſe I ſee, only the end of living will be the end of ſinning, therefore I long for death that I may ſin no longer.
Secondly, It is lawfull to deſire death, that we may have more full communion with Chriſt the Lord of life. I deſire to be diſſolved, ſaith Paul, but why? not that he deſired diſſolution, but that he might be with Chriſt. Phil. 1.23. Chriſt is life, and Chriſt is our life. It is better to enjoy life, then to live; How much better then is it, to enjoy Chriſt who is life, then to live.
To both theſe we may referre that of the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 5. We that are in this tabernacle, groane being burthened, they were burthened with ſorrowes, and burthened with ſins, while they were in the tabernacle of the body, yet (ſaith he) it is not that wee would be uncloathed, but cloathed upon; he did not groane for the grave, but for glory; not that he might be uncloathed, but cloathed with immortality; not barely that he might die, but that mortality might be ſwallowed up of life.
Under theſe notions we may deſire death: yet with this caution, that for the time of it, we referre our ſelves to the good pleaſure of God. For what the Apoſtle James ſpeakes of the inordinate deſires, and abſolute reſolves of worldly men, about gaining in that or t'other City, is by alluſion appliable to theſe ſpirituall greedy merchants, after Heavenly glory, chap. 4.13. Goe to now ye that ſay, to day or to morrow we will goe into ſuch a City, and continue there a yeere, and buy and ſell, and get gaine, &c. For that ye ought to ſay, if the Lord will. So I may ſay, Goe to now, ye that ſay, to day or to morrow, we would die, (for to die, to us is gaine, Phil. 1.21.) and goe to that heavenly City, that City having foundations, whoſe builder and maker is God, and continue there forever, taking in and enriching our ſelves with that glory which Chriſt hath bought: for that ye ought to ſay, when the Lord will, or now if the Lord will. On ſuch conditions as theſe, and with this caution, we may deſire death, yea long for death.
But to long for death, only to be ridde of the troubles of this life, to deſire to lye downe to ſleepe in the bed of the grave, only to eaſe our fleſh, and reſt our outward man, is ſinfull. The Apoſtle ſaith (Acts 20.24.) I count not my life deare, ſo I may finiſh my courſe with joy; But we ſhall account our lives too cheape, if we feare to finiſh our courſe with ſorrow; If we thinke, that it is not worth the while to live, unleſſe we live in outward comforts; we exceedingly undervalue our lives, when a croſſe in our lives makes us weary of our lives. This was Jonahs infirmity, when he had taken pet about the gourd, (Chap. 4.) he would needs die, and he concludeth the matter, It is better for me to die then to live, and all was, becauſe he could not have his will, becauſe he was troubled: This alſo was Elijahs infirmity, when he was perſecuted by, and fled for his life from Jezabel, 1 King. 19.4. He requeſted for himſelfe that he might die, and ſaid, It is enough now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am not better then my fathers. P…r iniquum eſt non aliam relinquere Deo levandae aerumnae rationem quam ſi vitam a…imal, &c petendumergo potius, ut no vulius ſui …uce illuſtret, quam ut tenebris mortis obruat.This is an infirmity at the beſt; we ought rather to ſeeke to God that he would remove the evill from us, then remove us from the evill: for God hath a thouſand doores to let us out of trouble, though he doth not open the doore of the grave to let us in there and out of the world. He can end our troubles, and not end our lives.
Yet ſuch a wiſh is much allayed, yea (in ſome caſes) lawfull, if we keepe the former caution, and ſay, if the Lord will. If we referre our ſelves to the will and good pleaſure of God, we may deſire to be lay'd to reſt by death, that we may be rid of thoſe paines and evills which we ſuffer in this life. And yet I deſire rather to raiſe the ſpirits of all above theſe troubles while they live, then ſatisfie them how they may deſire freedome from them by death. When Solomon returned, and conſidered all the oppreſſions that are done under the Sunne, and beheld the teares of ſuch as were oppreſſed, and they had no comforter, and on the ſide of their oppreſſors there was power, but they had no comforter: Then he praiſed the dead, which are already dead, more then the living which are yet alive, (Eccleſ. 4.1, 2.) that is, he pronounced the dead to be in a better condition then the living. Yet know, that Solomon in this place, ſpeakes the words of meere naturall reaſon, not of divine reaſon. For he ſpeakes (though with a divine Spirit) yet in the perſon of a naturall man. Naturall reaſon ſaith, it is better to die, then live under oppreſſions; but divine reaſon ſaith, there is more honour to be gained by living under oppreſſions, then there is eaſe to be attained by dying from under them. To beare a burden well, is more deſireable then to be delivered from a burden: Eſpecially, if while we are bearing, we can be doing, doing good (I meane) and I meane it eſpecially, if we can doe publike good. A Chriſtian ſhould be content, yea he ſhould rejoyce, in ſuffering much evill upon himſelfe, while he can be doing any, eſpecially if he can doe much good to others. A graciouſly publike ſpirit, will triumph over perſonall troubles and labours, ſo long as he ſees himſelfe a bleſſing or a helpe to the publike: and though he longs to die for himſelfe, and to be with Christ, which is better, yet he is loath to die, ſo long as he can ſay with bleſſed Paul, Nevertheleſſe to abide in the fleſh, is more needfull for you, (or others,) Phil. 1.24. When a Heathen Emperour, Caeſar, ſaid, he had lived long enough, whether he reſpected Nature or Honour: Tully the Orator anſwered him well, But you have not lived long enough for the Common-wealth. Much more may we ſay, when we ſee able and godly men longing for death, becauſe they have lived long enough, whether they reſpect common Nature or their own Honour, But you have not yet lived long enough for the Church of God, and for the common good of his people. We ſhould be willing to live ſo long, as God, or his people have a ſtroake of worke to be done, which our abilities and opportunities fit us to doe: In this ſenſe, A living Dogge is better then a dead Lion, Eccleſ. 9.4. That is, it is better to live (though we are the meaneſt) working for God, then die, or be dead, though we have bin the chiefeſt.
I inlarge this the rather, becauſe of the preſent troubles, and the infirmity of our fleſh, which ſometimes is ready to envy thoſe who die, becauſe we live in ſorrow; and is not ſatisfied with this, that our ſoules are here ſhelter'd from death, and under the covert of Chriſt, unleſſe our bodies alſo may be ſheltred in death, and lye under the covert of the grave. So much to that queſtion.
Let us note ſomething from the words themſelves, Which long for death and it cometh not, and dig for it more then for hid treaſures. Obſerve firſt, That
Many afflictions to our ſenſe are worſe then death. They long for death, becauſe they are in miſery. It is ſaid, and it is a truth, O death how bitter art thou to a man that is at eaſe in his poſſeſſions! And there is a truth alſo in this, O death how ſweet art thou to a man, that is bitter in his ſoule! It often falls out, that to die, is but a ſhort affliction, but affliction many times is a long and a continued death, a frequent death, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes of his afflictions, in deaths often, (2 Cor. 11.23.) That there is a bitterneſſe in death, the ſpeech of Agag implies, (1 Sam. 15.) Surely the bitterneſſe of death is paſt: Yet while a man (as lamenting Jeremie complaines, Lam. 3.19.) Remembers his afflictions, and his miſery, the wormewood and the gall, that is, his afflictions and miſery, more bitter then gall and wormewood, his ſenſe overcomes his judgement, to conclude, that there is a pleaſantneſſe in that bitter thing, which wee call death. Secondly obſerve, That
As death finds many before they looke for it, ſo ſome looke for death and cannot find it. How many are there, whom death ſurprizes before they are aware, and ſeizeth upon them, when they thinke not of it? when-as others are expecting, and longing, and gaping, and gaſping after death, and they cannot meete with it, it cometh not. Indeed, it is a great deale better for a man to expect death, when it cometh not; then to have death come upon him, when he expects it not. Some are calling for death, crying out for death, before they know how to die, before they know how to live, yea, before they know why they lived. It were well for ſuch if they might looſe their longing, and long for death long enough before it cometh; for upon the matter (poore ſoules) they long for Hell, while they long for death, and while they are haſtning from that life and miſery, which will quickly have an end, they are plunging into that death and miſery which will never end. Thirdly obſerve,
As death is a puniſhment to moſt, Mors expectara non veniens, miſerrimam efficit vitam.ſo not to die is a puniſhment to ſome. Job ſpeakes of it as of an affliction upon ſuch, they long for death and it cometh not. Death is an affliction to all, it is a puniſhment to all unbeleevers, a puniſhment with a sting; And as all wicked men are puniſhed with death, ſo ſome of them are puniſhed with this, that they (for the preſent) cannot die, (Rev. 9.6.) In thoſe dayes men ſhall ſeeke death, and ſhall not finde it, and ſhall deſire to die, and death ſhall flee from them. It is laid as their puniſhment that they ſhould live, and as an affliction beyond all their afflictions, that then, they could not die. They are in a ſad condition, who can have no remedy or cure of their troubles but death; but how ſad is their condition, who cannot obtaine that remedy? It is like the puniſhment of the damned in Hell,Mors prima animam nolentem pellit à corpare, Mors ſecunda animam nolentem. tenet in corpore Auguſt. they ſhall long for death but it will not come, and they ſhall ever ſeeke for death but ſhall never find it. No wicked man did ever part ſo unwillingly with his ſoule when he died, as he will unwillingly meet with it, when he riſeth againe; And as the firſt death doth part ſoule and body unwillingly, ſo the ſecond death keepeth ſoule and body together unwillingly. They have a taſt of this miſery in this life, whoſe ſoules are truly ſaid, to be impriſoned in their bodies; And O how deſirous are they to dig down theſe mud-walls, and make an eſcape, but cannot. Fourthly obſerve,
It is an affliction to nature, to be debarred of any thing it deſireth, how destructive ſoever it be unto it. It is (in one ſenſe) a naturall deſire, to long for death, and yet death is the deſtruction of nature: A man under diſtempers of body, in a diſeaſe, a Fever, &c. is often troubled and grieved becauſe he cannot have thoſe things which will hurt him: He longs for ſuch meates and drinkes as given him, would kill him, and yet a deniall angers him: The hope of death deferred will make the heart ſick, and when the deſire (death deſired) comes, it is as a tree of life; Griefe ariſeth from the unſatisfaction of our deſires, and therefore though the thing had, which we deſire, will undoe us, yet the not having it doth afflict us.
Which long for death and it cometh not, and they dig for it more then for hid treaſures. Take ſomewhat from this latter branch, and they dig for it more then for hid treaſure. Aſſoone as ever Job had expreſt their longing deſire after death, you ſee preſently, he tells us that they dig for death. From this obſerve,
That where deſires are true, they preſently produce endeavours. He that longs for a thing will labour for it, they are digging preſently, (Prov. 18.1.) Through deſire a man having ſeparated himſelfe, intermedleth with all wiſedome; If it be death a man deſireth, he will be endeavouring after it. There are ſome velleities, liſtleſſe wiſhings and wouldings, which produce no endeavours; but true deſires, are ever active, naturall deſires are ſeconded with naturall endeavours, and ſo ſpirituall deſires, with ſpirituall endeavours. If a man deſire death, he will dig for it, ſurely then he that deſires Chriſt and longs for eternall life, will be digging for the enjoyment of them. Obſerve further,
That proportionably to the ſtrength of our deſires, is the ſtrength and earneſtneſſe of our endeavours. As reall deſire cauſeth reall indeavour, ſo ſtrong deſires cauſe ſtrong endeavours: It was not a bare deſire, but an earneſt longing (as was cleared in opening the words.) And it is not a bare labour, but hard labour, digging is ſtrong labour. A meere naturall man, whoſe deſires after ſin are ſtrong and vehement, acts ſin with equall vehemency. The holy Ghoſt ſaith, he doth evill as he can, that is, to utmoſt his canning or ability, He drawes iniquity with cords of vanity, and ſin as it were with cart-ropes. He doth evill (ſaith another Scripture, Mich. 7.3.) with both hands greedily. To doe a thing with both hands, notes the greateſt endeavour: As when the Phariſees are ſaid not to touch the burdens which they laid on others with their little finger, it notes their refuſall of the leaſt endeavour, Math. 23.4. So a ſpirituall heart, having his deſires turned heavenward, he diggs for heavenly treaſure every day, and gives diligence to make his calling and election ſure. They who have ſtrong deſires after Chriſt, labour ſtrongly after Chriſt. So they are expreſt (Pro. 2.4.) where Solomon ſpeakes of wiſedome, which is Chriſt and all that is Chriſts. If thou ſeekeſt her as ſilver, and ſearcheſt for her as for hid treaſures; Such is the ſearch and endeavour that ought to be after Chriſt, and ſuch it will be if there be true and great deſires after Chriſt.
Thirdly, In that he ſaith, they dig for it, as for hid treaſure, We may obſerve,
That the beſt things are hardest to come by. If you will have treaſures, you muſt digge for them; you may have pibble ſtones, flints, above ground, but treaſures lie deepe; And in proportion, the better every thing is, the more digging it requireth; And the beſt things, ought to be moſt digg'd for. They that will have the great bleſſing, muſt wreſtle for it, or the Crowne, they muſt ſtrive for it; We muſt dig for heavenly hidden treaſure, before we have it; And yet both the treaſure and the ſtrength to dig for it, are freely given. Fourthly obſerve, That
Thoſe things which we esteeme moſt, we labour to ſecure moſt. It is ſaid that they digg'd for treaſures, and that the treaſures were hid. I told you in opening the words, there is a naturall hiding of treaſure, and an induſtrious hiding. Take it in the laſt ſenſe, men that have treaſures will labour to preſerve them, why? becauſe treaſures are much eſteemed, and the things we eſteeme moſt, we preſerve moſt. In the Hebrew, the word that ſignifies treaſure, ſignifies the hiding of treaſure, or hidden treaſure. Among all treaſures, ſpirituall treaſures are moſt hidden; they are ſo hidden, that they are called myſteries, or ſecrets? The knowledge of Chriſt was a hidden treaſure for ſome thouſands of yeares; the Apoſtle in his time calls it, the myſterie which was kept ſecret ſince the world began, Rom. 16.25. Againe he calls it, the wiſedome of God in a myſtery, even the hidden wiſedome which God ordained before the world, unto our glory, which none of the Princes of this world knew, 1 Cor. 2.8, 9. And as ſpirituall knowledge, ſo our ſpirituall life, is called a hidden life, your life is hidden with God in Chriſt, Col. 3.3. And as our life, ſo our ſpirituall comforts are hidden, therefore called Hidden Manna, Rev. 2.17. All our ſpirituall eſtate is treaſure, and it is all hidden treaſure, ſo hidden, that the Saints dig deepe to find it, and when they have found it, they hide it, as Chriſt ſhewes us (Mat. 13.44.) ſpeaking of the Kingdome of God, which he compares to a treaſure hid in the field, the which when a man hath found, he hideth: He hideth it, not to obſcure it from the light, but to ſecure it from danger: Mary hid thoſe pretious ſayings of Chriſt her Son and her Saviour in her heart, Luk. 2.51. And David having found the Commandements of God, which he prized above any treaſure, above thouſands of gold and ſilver, he hid them in his heart. Thy word (ſaith he) have I hid in my heart, that I might not ſinne againſt thee, Pſalm. 119.11.
Verſe 22.
Which rejoyce exceedingly, and are glad when they can find the grave.
Having ſaid, that they long for death, and dig for it as for hidden treaſure. Now ſuppoſing, that they find death, he ſhewes how it affects them, they rejoyce exceedingly, and are glad when they can find the grave. There is little or no obſcurity in theſe words, only conſider the emphaſis of this expreſſion; the word which we tranſlate rejoyce, foreign Summo gaudio & incredibili laetitia etiam ſignis exterioribus predita geſtiunt, vel prae laetitia exultant, vel laetantur ad exultationem. Druſ.or rejoyce exceedingly, noteth ſuch a rejoycing as breakes forth in ſome outward geſture, as when a man doth leape for joy; And Mr. Broughton tranſlates it thus, which joy till they skip againe, noting an extraordinary joy, and gladneſſe when they can find the grave; that is, when they die. Yet ſome joyne the ſenſe of this verſe with the former, to carry on or lengthen out the ſimilitude thus; Which long for death, and digge for it as for hid treaſures: And finding death, they are affected as they who (ſeeking for treaſures) find a grave; For if in digging, they did but hit upon a grave, then they thought themſelves ſure of treaſure and great riches; becauſe treaſure and riches was uſed to be put into graves, as was ſhewed in opening the fifteenth verſe of this Chapter. The ſenſe is faire, and comes up to the ſame point, from either of theſe expoſitions. Obſerve hence, firſt, That
What at one time we feare moſt, in that at another time we may exceedingly rejoyce. Death is dreadfull, and the grave is a place of darkeneſſe, yet here is joy and rejoycing, yea exceeding joy and rejoycing when they find the grave.
Secondly, They rejoyce in it, but why? It was that which they had longed for, that which they had long ſought for? if at another time they had bin ſhewed the grave, or commanded into the grave, they would have taken little pleaſure in it. The ſame thing inflicted or threatned by another is dreadfull to us, which deſired by our ſelves is pleaſant and delightfull: It pleaſeth us to have our deſire ſatisfied, though the thing deſired be never ſo unpleaſant: And to be eaſed of preſent evill, makes a future evill appeare in the likeneſſe of a perſent good. For Joy is an affection of the mind, ariſing from the apprehenſion of ſome preſent good, even as hope ſprings from the apprehenſion of ſome good, that is to come.
Further, We may conſider the iſſue of all theſe acts, after they had longed for death, and digged for death, and found death; preſently upon the finding of it, they rejoyce, and rejoyce exceedingly. Hence obſerve,
That which any one truely deſireth and endeavoureth to find, cauſeth him to rejoyce, when he hath found it. If you deſire death, and ſeek for the grave, the finding of theſe will be to you as life, and as a houſe of mirth: How much more then ſhall we rejoyce, having found good things, the beſt things, after earneſt longing and digging for them. When the wiſe Merchant had found the treaſure hid in the field, the next words enforme us of his joy, Matth. 13.44. When the man after long ſeeking on the mountaines, had found his loſt Sheepe, and the woman, after lighting her candle, and ſweeping her houſe, and diligent ſearch, had found the loſt groat, they both rejoyced, and called in their neighbours and friends to rejoyce with them, (Luk. 15.) It troubles a man to be found of that or him, whom he hates or feares, Haſt thou found me O mine enemy? ſaith Ahab to Eliah, 1 King. 21.20. And it cannot but delight us, to find that or him, whom we love and long for. Have I found thee O my friend? will ſuch an one ſay. And if a miſerable man rejoyces exceedingly when deſiring he finds death and a grave, how will the ſoule leape for joy, when we ſhall find him who is the longing and deſire of all Nations, Jeſus Christ. How exceeding exceedingly will the ſoule rejoyce, when we ſhall find what we have ſo much longed for, not death, but life, and life not only in Chriſt, but with Chriſt, when we ſhall find, not the houſe of the grave, but a houſe of glory, and glory in the height, an exceeding excelling ſuperexcellent weight of glory.
And by this effect, we may make proofe of grace here. If thou haſt found Chriſt, in ordinances, in duties, in meditation, in prayer, in the promiſes; for here, in theſe things, the longing ſoule diggs after Chriſt: joy will at one time or other fill thy heart, yea thy heart will leape for joy, thou wilt rejoyce in Spirit, as Chriſt did in his Father, Luk. 10.21. For this joy is a fruit of the Spirit, (Gal. 5.22.) and one of the firſt fruits. And God ſeldome miſſes to give the ſoule a taſt of this joy at the firſt, or preſently after converſion, though afterwards clouds may come over us, or at leaſ… our light of joy not be ſo cleare.
Further, If a man long after any truth, and digs it, how exceeding joyfull will he be when he can find that truth; When a Philoſopher had found out the reſolution of a queſtion in the Mathematicks,Archimedes. he was ſo raviſht with it, that he ran about crying, … have found it, I have found it: Surely the finding of one Divine truth (which is the mind of Chriſt) ſhould affect us more then the compleate knowledge of all that is knowable, or can be known in the whole courſe of nature. Every truth is beautifull, but th… truths of God are beauty. Thus we may try our deſires in all thei… purſuits, by this iſſue of them, joy in finding the things which w… purſue.
Laſtly obſerve, That as he doth rejoyce, ſo this joy anſwers to th… deſire in the degree of it: Proportionable to our deſires and endeavours in ſeeking, are our joyes and comforts when we have found There is not only a joy, but a proportionable joy, the deſire was very great, and the endeavour was very great, and now the joy come up to both, that is very great too, not only doe they rejoyce, bu… they rejoyce exceedingly; they rejoyce, ſo as they skip for joy That is (I am ſure it ought to be) more apparant in our regula… deſires after things good for us, then in our irregular deſires after things which are hurtfull to us. If that exceeding deſire after death will produce exceeding joy in death; then exceeding deſire afte… life and ſpirituall good things, will work exceeding joy when w… have found them; deſire is that which widens the veſſell to tak… in abundance of joy; large deſires after any thing open the hear… and inlarge the faculties to take in abundance of joy, when we hav… found the thing which we deſire.