Exposition of Job 1-3, Biblical commentary · Job 1.9, 10, 11
JOB. 1.9, 10, 11.
Then Satan anſwered the Lord and ſaid, doth Job feare God for naught?
Haſt not thou made an hedge about him, and about his houſe, and about all that he hath on every ſide? Thou haſt bleſſed the worke of his hands, and his ſubſtance is increaſed in the Land.
But put forth thy hand now and touch all that he hath, and he will curſe thee to thy face.
IN the former verſe Job receiveth teſtimony from God himſelfe, in this, though Satan cannot deny it, yet he calumniates, and miſinterprets what he cannot contradict. Satan grants indeed that Job feares God, but the latter words embaſe the former, and faſten inſincerity upon all his ſervices. Doth Job feare God for nought? Feare is worth nothing unleſſe in this ſenſe it be for nought. I have already ſhewed you what it is to feare God, I ſhall now cleare the other terme, and ſhew how much evill Satan charges Job with, when he queſtions, doth Job feare God for nought?
Satan accuſeth with a queſtion, doth Job feare God for nought? The queſtion may be reſolved into this Accuſation. Job doth not feare God for nought. The word which we tranſlate for nought, hath a threefold ſenſe from the Hebrew.
Firſt, Some render it in vain. Doth Job feare God (fruſtra,foreign) in vaine. We are then ſaid to doe a thing in vaine, when we cannot attaine the end which we propoſe in doing of it. The Egyptians helpe in vaine, that is, they cannot procure that ſalvation and deliverance which was deſired or intended: and ſo the ſenſe here may be, doth Job feare God in vaine? No he doth not, he hath his end, he looked for riches, that he intended in taking up the ſervice of God, and that he hath attained.
Secondly, It is interpreted by, without cauſe, Doth Job feare God without cauſe? ſo the word is tranſlated, Pſal. 35.7. where David complaining of his enemies, ſaith, without cauſe have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cauſe they have digged for my ſoule. As if he ſhould ſay, I never gave them any cauſe why they ſhould lay ſnares for me, I never wronged or hurt any of them. According to this ſenſe, when Satan ſaith doth Job feare God for nought? namely, without cauſe, it is as if he had ſaid, The Lord hath given Job reaſon enough, he hath given him cauſe enough to doe what he doth; Job ſeeth reaſon in his Flocks and in his Heards, in his many Children, and in his great Houſhold, in his Subſtance, and in his Honour, he ſeeth reaſon in all theſe, why he ſhould feare God, and be a very obedient ſervant, having ſo bountifull a Maſter. Doth Job feare God without cauſe?
Or thirdly, The word is tranſlated by Gratis (as we expreſſe it) to doe a thing gratis, that is to doe a thing without any reward, without any price, or without pay. I ſhall inſtance Scriptures wherein the word is rendred in that ſenſe, Gen. 29.15. Laban ſaith to Jacob when he was come to him, to ſerve him, Thou art my kinſman, ſhouldeſt thou therefore ſerve me for nought? that is, ſhouldeſt thou ſerve me gratis, or without wages, as he explaines his meaning in the next words, tell me what ſhall thy wages be? So that to doe a thing for nought, is to doe a thing without wages, without price. And ſo there is the ſame interpretation of the word, Exod. 21.11. where Moſes ſpeaking of the Maid that was taken into the family and was not married, ſaith, If he doe not theſe three unto her, then ſhe ſhall goe out free without money, ſhe ſhall pay nothing, ſhe ſhall goe out gratis, or for nought. So here we may take in this ſenſe to fill up the forme, doth Job ſerve God gratis? doth he ſerve God without price or without pay? Surely no, thou haſt given him ſufficient hyre, wages ſufficient for all his ſervice, Job doth not ſerve thee gratis, out of good will and affection to thee, but he ſerveth thee for hire, becauſe thou payeſt him ſo plentifully.
So the generall ſenſe of the words, Doth Job feare God for nought? is as if Satan had beſpoken the Lord in ſuch words as theſe. Lord thou doeſt enquire of me whether I had conſidered thy ſervant Job? I confeſſe I have, and I muſt needs acknowledge that he is a man very diligent and zealous in thy worſhip and ſervice; neither doe I wonder that he is ſo, ſeeing thou haſt out-bid all his labours and indeavours by heapes of benefits. There is no question but thou mayest have ſervants enough upon ſuch termes, at ſuch rates as theſe: no marvaile if Job be willing to doe whatſoever thou commandeſt, whenas thou beſtowest upon Job whatſoever he deſireth. Thou ſeemeſt as it were to neglect all other men, and only to intend the ſafety and proſperity of thy darling Job. Is it any great matter, that he who hath received a flocke of ſeven thouſand Sheepe from thee, ſhould offer a few, 7. or 10. to thee in ſacrifice? Is it any great matter that he ſhould give ſome of his fleeces to cloath the poore, who hath received from thee ſo many thouſands to cloath and enrich himſelfe? Is it a strange thing that he ſhould feede a few that hath 500 yoake of Oxen? Is not Job well hired to worke for thee? doth he feare God for nought who hath recived all theſe?
Yet a little more diſtinctly for the opening of this expreſſion, I ſhall give you Satans ſenſe in three notable falſities or lyes, which he twiſts up together in this one ſpeech, Doth Job feare God for nought?
Firſt, That riches will make any man ſerve God, that it is no great matter to be holy when we have abundance; a man that proſpers in the world cannot chooſe but be good. This Satan implyes in theſe words, and this is an extreame lye; for as there is no affliction, ſo there is no outward bleſſing can change the heart or bring it about unto God, They did not ſerve the Lord in the abundance of all things, Deut. 28.47. Abundance doth not draw the heart unto God. Yet Satan would inferre that it doth. This might well be retorted upon Satan himſelfe; Satan why diddeſtnot thou ſerve God then? thou diddeſt once receive more outward bleſſings from God then ever Iob did, the bleſſedneſſe of an Angell; yet that glorious Angelicall eſtate wherein thou waſt created, could not keepe thee in the compaſſe of obedience, thou diddeſt rebell in the abundance of all bleſſings, and diddeſt leave thy habitation, Satan thou ſhouldeſt not have ſerved God for nought. Why then didſt not thou ſerve him? thine owne Apoſtacy refutes thy errour in making ſo little of Jobs obedience, becauſe he had received ſo much.
Secondly, There is this in it; Doeth Job feare God for nought? Satan intimates, that God could have no ſervants for love, none unleſſe he did pay them extreamely; That, God is ſuch a Maſter, and his worke ſuch as none would meddle with, vnleſſe allured by benefits; As if Satan ſhould ſay, you have indeed one eminent ſervant, but you ſhould not have had him unleſſe you had beene at double coſt with him. Here is another lye Satan windeth up cloſely in this ſpeech; For the truth is, Gods ſervants follow him for himſelfe, the very excellencies of God, and ſweetneſſe of his wayes, are the argument and the wages by which his people are chiefely moved and hired to his ſervice. God indeed makes many promiſes to thoſe that ſerve him, but he never makes any bargaines with them: His obey him freely. Satan makes bargaines to hire men to his ſervice, as he did with Chriſt, Mat. 4.9. All theſe things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall downe and worſhip mee. God makes many large and gracious promiſes, but he never makes any ſuch bargaine and agreement with men for their obedience.
Then there is a third ſenſe full of falſehood, which Satan caſteth upon Iob, Doeth Job feare God for nought? that is, Iob hath a byas in all that he doth, he is carryed by the gaine of godlineſſe, not by any delight in godlineſſe thus to ſerve God. Job is mercinary, he ſerveth God for hire; Job hath not any deſire to pleaſe God, but to benefit himſelfe; Job doth not ſeeke the glory of God, but he ſeekes his owne advantage. This is the ſenſe which the words have in reference to the perſon of Job; that as once Satan accus'd God unto man, ſo, now he accuſeth this man unto God; He accus'd God unto man, Gen. 3. When God had forbidden him to eate of the Tree of knowledge of good and evill, and told him that in the day he did eate thereof he ſhould ſurely die; You ſhall not ſurely die, ſaith Satan, for God knoweth that in the day you eate thereof, then your eyes ſhall be opened, and ye ſhall be as Gods, knowing good and evill. As if he ſhould ſay, God hath not forbidden this tree, becauſe it will doe you any hurt, but becauſe he would be God alone, he would have all the knowledge to himſelfe, he hath an ill intent: he knowes that if you eate of it, you will be like him, as gods knowing good and evill. So heere hee accuſeth man to God, Job ſerveth you indeed and offereth you ſacrifice and obeyeth you, but it is that he may get by you, that he may receive more and more from you, he likes the pay, the reward, not the worke; he cares not for God, but for the good that commeth from him. This is the accuſation which here the ſlanderer caſteth upon all the holy ſervices and duties of Job.
Thus in briefe you ſee the ſenſe, I ſhall give you ſome obſervations from it.
The firſt is this, It is an argument of a most malignant ſpirit, when a mans actions are faire, then to accuſe his intentions. The Devill hath nothing to ſay againſt the actions of Job, but he goes downe into his heart and accuſeth his intentions. Malice miſ-interprets the faireſt actions, but love puts the faireſt interpretation it can upon foule actions. Malice will ſay when a man doth well, it is true he doth it, but it is for vaine glory, it is to be ſeene of men, it is for his own ends, it is for gaine; But when a man doth ill, love will ſay, this he hath done through ignorance, or inadvertency or violent temptations, love covers a multitude of ſinnes as fairely as poſſibly it may with wiſedome and with juſtice; How faire a cover did Chriſt himſelfe put upon the fouleſt act that ever was in the world, upon his own crucifying, Father forgive them, they know not what they doe;Luk. 23.24. they doe it indeed, but they doe it ignorantly: So Peter afterward, I wot (ſaith he) that through ignorance you did it, as did alſo your Rulers. Love excuſeth what is ill done in another, and malice accuſeth what others doe well. Let ſuch men learne from hence, that in ſo do. …y are the mouth and tongue of Satan.
Secondly, We may obſerve from hence; That it is an argument of a baſe and an unworthy ſpirit to ſerve God for ends. Had this been true of Job in Satans ſenſe, it had indeed ſpoyled and blemiſhed all that he had done. Thoſe that come unto God upon ſuch termes they are not holy, but crafty; they make a trade with God, they doe not ſerve God, it is not Obedientia, but Mercatura, as one expreſſeth it, it is merchandizing with God, not obeying him. There is reward enough in God himſelfe, there is reward enough in the very duties themſelvs, work and wages go together. Therfore for any to be carried out to the ſervice of God upon outward things, argues a baſe & an eartthly ſpirit. As ſin is puniſhment enough unto it ſelfe, though there were no other puniſhment, though there were no hell to come after, yet to do evill is or will be hell enough unto it ſelfe:Nec ſacile Invenies multis in millibus unū virtutem pretium qui putet eſſe ſui. —Et gratis poenitet eſſe probum Ovid. de Pont. So to do good is reward enough unto it ſelfe. A Heathen Poet obſerved it as a brand of Infamy upon the age wherein he lived, that moſt did repent that they had done good or were good gratis or for nought, that the price of all good actions fell in their eſteeme, unleſſe they could raiſe themſelves. If a Heathen condemn'd this, how damnable is it among Chriſtians.
But here a Queſtion will ariſe, and I ſhall a little debate it, becauſe it doth further cleare the maine point, May we not have respect to our owne good or unto the benefit we ſhall receive from God? Is it unlawfull to have an eye to our owne advantage, while we doe our duty? Muſt we ſerve God for nought in that ſtrict ſenſe, or els will …od account nothing of all our ſervices?
I ſhall cleare that in five briefe Concluſions, and theſe will (I ſuppoſe) fully ſtate the ſenſe of this Text and of this ſpeech.
The firſt is this, There is no man doth or poſſibly can ſerve God for nought. God hath by benefits already beſtowed, and by benefits promiſed out-vyed and out-bid all the endeavours and ſervices of the creature. If a man had a thouſand paire of hands, a thouſand tongues and a thouſand heads, and ſhould ſet them all on worke for God, he were never able to anſwer the ingagements and obligations which God hath already put upon him. Therfore this is a truth, that no man can in a ſtrict ſenſe ſerve God for nought. God is not beholden to any creature for any worke or ſervice that is done unto him.
Againe ſecondly, this is further to be conſidered. The more outward bleſſings any one doth receive, the more he ought to ſerve God, and the more ſervice God lookes for at his hands. That is another Concluſion. Therefore we find ſtill, that when God hath beſtowed many outward bleſſings upon any, either perſons or Nations, he chargeth an acknowledgement upon them, Hoſ. 2.8. She did not know that I gave her corne and wine and oyle, and multiplyed her ſilver and gold which ſhe bestowed upon Baal, therefore I will come and recover it, ſaith God. You having received this, you ought to have ſerved me with it. You ſee how God upbraideth David, 2 Sam. 12.7, 8. I annoynted thee King of Iſrael, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul, and I gave thee thy Maſters houſe and thy Maſters wives into thy boſome, and if this had beene too little, I would moreover have given thee ſuch and ſuch things. How is it then that thou haſt despiſed the Commandement of the Lord, to doe evill in his ſight? As if he ſhould ſay, the more I beſtowed upon thee, the more obligations thou ſhouldeſt feele thy ſelfe under to obey me faithfully.
In the third place, it is lawfull to have ſome reſpect to benefits both received and promiſed by way of Motive and incouragement to ſtir us up and quicken us, either in doing or in ſuffering for God. Moſes, Heb. 11.26. had respect to the recompence of reward, therefore it is not unlawfull; and Christ himſelfe, Heb. 12.2. looking at the joy that was ſet before him. Theſe are examples beyond all exceptions, that reſpect may be had to benefits and bleſſings received or exſpected.
Fourthly, Then reference unto benefit is ſinfull, when wee make it either the ſole and only cauſe, or the ſupreame and chiefe cauſe of our obedience. This makes any thing we doe ſmell ſo of our ſelves that God abides it not, when we reſpect our ſelves, either alone or above God, God hath no reſpect at all to us. As Chriſt taxes thoſe, Joh. 6. You did not ſeeke me but the loaves, to have reſpect to the loaves more then to Chriſt, or as much as to Chriſt, is to have no reſpect at all to Chriſt.
Thus when the Sichemites, Gen. 34.23. admitted of circumciſion, and ſo gave up themſelves as a Covenant-people to God, here was all the argument they propoſed to themſelves, Shall not their cattell and their ſubſtance and every beast of theirs be ours? What beaſts were theſe Sichemites, what ſhadowes of Religion, who would take upon them this badge of Religion for the gaine of beaſts and worldly ſubſtance? Such pure reſpects to our ſelves, defile all our ſervices and render our perſons odious unto God.
Therefore in all our duties and holy ſervices, we muſt ſet the glory of God in the Throne, that muſt be above; and then we may ſet our deſires of Heaven and glory on the right hand, we may ſet the feare of hell and the avoyding of miſery on the left hand, we may ſet our deſires of enjoying outward comforts here in the world at the foot-ſtoole. Thus we muſt marſhall and ranke reſpects to God and our ſelves. And thus we may look upon outward things, as motives and incouragements; we muſt not make them ends and cauſes; we may make them as occaſions, but not as grounds of our obedience.
Laſtly, We may looke upon them as fruits and conſequents of holineſſe, yea as incouragements unto holineſſe, but not as cauſes of our holineſſe, or we may eye theſe as media, through which to ſee the bounty and goodneſſe of God, not as objecta on which to fixe and terminate our deſires. So much for the clearing of the firſt part of Satans anſwer, Doth Job ſerve God for nought? Wherein you ſee he caſts dirt upon Jobs ſincereſt duties, and how we may carry our reſpects in the ſervice of God to outward bleſſings, whether received or promiſed. It followeth.
Verſe 10.
Haſt thou not made an hedge about him and about his houſe, and about all that he hath on every ſide? Thou haſt bleſſed the worke of his hands and his ſubſtance is increaſed in the land.
Here Satan more fully expounds himſelf, and what he meaneth by Jobs not ſerving God for nought. You ſhall ſee it is not for nought. He caſts up the particulars of Gods benefits conferred on Job, and they amount to a great ſumme. 1. Hee hath an hedge about him, that is ſomewhat. 2. He hath bleſſed him that's more: 3. He doth increaſe and multiply, there's the higheſt degree of outward happineſſe. Here are three degrees of Gods dealing with Job. Theſe Satan reckons up in this verſe, that he may make Jobs goodneſſe of no account, and leave his perſon in no degree of acceptance with God.
Here is firſt Protection in the hedge, Haſt thou not made an hedge about him.
Secondly, Here is a Benediction upon that which was protected. It was not a bare keeping of that from ſpoyling, but it was a bleſſing of it.
Thirdly, here is alſo an increaſe or multiplication, he was not only bleſſed to keepe himſelfe and all he had in the ſtate and plight wherein he ſtood, but there was a daily increaſe and an augmentation. Thou protecteſt him, thou bleſſeſt him, and thou doeſt increaſe all that he hath, he is increaſed in the land. That is the ſumme and ſenſe of the words. I ſhall now open them a little more diſtinctly.
foreignFirſt, He ſpeaks here of his protection, haſt thou not made an hedge about him? Some render it, Haſt thou not made a wall about him? Or, Haſt thou not made a trench about him? It is an elegant Metaphor frequent in Scripture, ſhewing that as when a field is well hedg'd, or a Towne well wall'd and entrench'd, then it is ſafe. So when God is ſaid to make an hedge or a wall about a man or about a Nation, the ſafety of that man or Nation is aſſured by it, Iſa. 5.2. We have this word uſed, where God ſpeakes of his vineyard, He planted a vineyard in a very fruitfull hill, and he fenced it, or he made a wall or a hedge about it. So verſe 5. when God is angry with his vineyard and will deſtroy i…, it is thus expreſt, I will (ſaith he) take away the hedge thereof, that is, I will take away my protection from it. In the ſame ſenſe, Zach. 2.5. I will be (ſaith God) a wall of fire round about; that is, I will be a defence unto it. So when it is ſaid here, that God had made a hedge about Job, it notes divine Protection, he was under the wing and ſafeguard of the Almighty.
This hedge of protection is two-fold. It is ſaid God made this hedge, Haſt thou not made an hedge about him? Firſt, There is an hedge which is made immediately by the hand of God: Sometimes God makes the hedge immediatly, yea ſomtimes God expreſſeth himſelf to be the hedge or wall, as Zac. 2.5. ſo Pſal. 18. (all thoſe are words of protection) verſ. Deus ipſe arx eſt quae virum innoxium ambit Pōdus babet immenſum pronomen illud …u, cujus ſenſus mirus ac arcanus eſt, Deum ipſū eſseſepem &c. non hanc curam ſolis demandaſti angelis.2. Thou art my rocke and my fortreſſe, my deliverer, my strength, my buckler, the horne of my ſalvation, and my high Tower, &c. There God was the hedge, here God makes the hedge, God hath not put out this hedg to others to make, but he makes it himſelfe; Satan obſerves as much. Haſt not thou made an hedge about him.
Secondly, Sometime the hedge of protection is made by the hands of others. God ſends out his Angels to guard his people, Pſal. 34.7. The Angell of the Lord encampeth round about them that feare him. Encamping and hedging are to the ſame purpoſe, Gods hedge is as ſtrong for ſafety as any wall, as any trench. Sometime God doth make one man to be a hedge or a defence to another. The ſervants of Naball ſaid of David, 1 Sam. 25.16. That he had been a wall unto them both by night and day; that is, he had been a protection and a guard to them, he had defended them all the while his Army was quarter'd in thoſe parts. God makes a good man to be as a wall to a wicked man. How much more will he make men and Angels to be wals and hedges for the ſecurity of his owne people?
The Text further goes on and ſhewes the compaſſe of this hedge, what ground it takes in, how farre it reacheth: and here we ſhall find that it was a very large hedge of a great extent. We know there are ſome Cities that have not only a ſingle wall, but a double wall, yea ſome ſtrong Cities and places have a treble wall about them: So wee finde a three-fold hedge made about Job, and they are all expreſt here in this Text.
Here was a hedge, firſt about his Perſon, that was the inmoſt hedge, or the inmoſt wall, in theſe words, Haſt thou not made an hedge about him? That is, an hedge about the very perſon of Job, an hedge about his body leaſt any ſickneſſe, diſeaſes or dangers ſhould invade it, and an hedge about his ſoule, leaſt ſnares and temptations ſhould take hold of, or prevaile againſt that; thou haſt made an hedge about him, ſo that I cannot come at the perſon of Job to hurt him.
Againe, Beſides this inmoſt wall, and the neareſt about his perſon, there is a ſecond wall or hedge, and that is expreſt to be about his Family, Haſt thou not made an hedge about him and about his houſe? By houſe we are not to underſtand the materiall houſe of ſtone or timber, the edifice in which Job dwelt, but by the houſe we are to underſtand the houſhold, Job and his family, as oftentimes in Scripture, the houſe is put for the family. This day (ſaith Chriſt to Zacheus) is ſalvation come to thy houſe;Act. 16. and it is ſaid of the Jaylor, that he beleeved and all his houſe, that is all his houſehold; ſo here, thou haſt made an hedge about him, and about his houſe, that is, about his Family, about his children eſpecially: hence the Hebrew word for a child, for a ſonne, doth ſignifie an houſe, becauſe children build up the houſe or keep up the name of their Fathers. So that the houſe hedg'd about, is the children, the family and the followers and ſervants of Job; as if Satan ſhould ſay, thou haſt made an hedge not only about his perſon, but about all that belong unto him about his children and ſervants, I may not meddle with them neither. There is the ſecond hedge.
Laſtly, There is a third hedge or wall, Haſt thou not made an hedge about him, and about his houſe, and about all that he hath? That is about his goods, about his cattell and about his lands: ſo farre as ever any thing of Jobs doth extend,Jobus nihil tā vile & exile habet quod non cuſtodiendum in tuam ſuſceperis tutelam. Lavat. in loc. ſo farre the hedge goeth; if Job have but the leaſt thing abroad, God doth make an hedge about it, he hath not the meaneſt thing belonging unto him, but is under guard and protection. That is the meaning of it.
There is yet another thing to be obſerved in the words to make it more full. Haſt thou not made an hedge about him, and about his houſe, and about all that he hath on every ſide? It is not only ſaid, thou haſt made an hedge about him, but thou haſt made an hedge about him on every ſide, which is a pleonaſme or redundancy of ſpeech.Illud quod per circuitum vallatur, ex nullâ parte poteſt pati inſultum. It was a ſigne of Gods care of Job, when he made an hedge about him, but to ſay he made an hedge about him on every ſide, here is expreſt an extraordinary care, that God had not left the leaſt gappe for Satan or for any annoyance to come in unto Job. There is not the leaſt breach, the leaſt hole, thou haſt hedged him round about on every ſide,Per circuitum circumcirca. whereby the wonderfull ſafety of Job, his family and eſtate is ſet out under the protection of God. That for the opening of thoſe words.
Firſt, We may obſerve from the manner of this ſpeech, Haſt thou not made an hedge about him? Satan ſpeakes very angerly. Queſtions as they ever expreſſe quickneſſe of ſpirit, ſo they many times expreſſe much paſſion and trouble of ſpirit. Here. Satan in queſtioning, ſpeakes as if he were vext, Haſt thou not made an hedge about him? Hence note.
That the protection which God gives to his people and ſervants is the vexation of Satan and of all his Inſtruments. It troubleth them extreamely that God doth ſo guard and hedge up his people, that they cannot come at them. No man can endure to ſee that defended, which he wiſheth were deſtroyed.
Then againe, if we conſider the matter of Satans ſpeech, it is a truth and a moſt comfortable truth, a truth full of conſolation to the people of God, Haſt thou not made an hedge about him and about his houſe, and about all that he hath on every ſide? We may note hence,
That Satan the father of lyes ſometimes speakes truth for his owne advantage. For as it is ſaid concerning Judas about his care for the poore, when he would have had the oyntment ſold and given to the poore, This he ſaid (ſaith the Text) not that he cared for the poore, but becauſe he was a theefe, and had the bagge and bare what was put therein. So we may ſay here, Satan ſets forth the care of God over his people in moſt exact termes; And why doth he doe this? Not that he cares to ſpeake well of God, or to advance God in the eyes of his people, by telling his people and ſervants how watchfull he is over them: but he doth this only for his owne advantage, that hereby he may leſſen the ſervice and blemiſh the obedience of Job, becauſe he received ſo much care and love from God. As it is many times with ungodly men, they will doe good, not that they care to doe good, but only for ſome bie-end: So Satan will ſometimes ſpeake that which is true, not that he regards the truth, or that he would ſpeake a word of truth (for he hath nothing but lyes in his heart, there is a lye in his heart when there is truth in his mouth.) He never ſpeakes truth but to deceive and doe hurt by it.
Thirdly, Wee may obſerve this, which lyeth plaine in the words.
That the people and ſervants of God dwell in the middeſt of enemies, in the middeſt of dangers; Why elſe need there be an hedge, a wall about them? What need there be a guard about them, unleſſe there were dangers about them? There are none in the world ſo envyed and ſpighted, ſo aimed at and perſecuted as the people and ſervants of God; you may ſee it by the wall that is made about them; God will not beſtow coſt and care in preſerving and guarding where there is no danger of invading. If you ſhould come to a City and ſee it mightily fortified, and ſee men make wall after wall about it, and bulwarke after bulwarke, you will preſently conjecture, that City ſtands in great danger and is in the middeſt of enemies: So when we reade that God was faine to make wall after wall, to make hedge after hedge about the perſon, the family, the eſtate of Job, it ſheweth that the devill had an ill eye upon Job and upon all that was Jobs; Satan and his inſtruments, had it not bin for this hedge, would quickly have fallen upon him. No godly man ſhould live a quiet moment, did not the Lord ſtretch forth his hand to ſave and protect him.
Fourthly, We may obſerve,
That God himſelfe doth undertake the guarding and protecting of his people. Thou haſt made an hedge about him and about all that he hath. God himſelfe either doth it immediately, or he doth put thoſe to doe it to whom he giveth his power, ſtrength and wiſdom. There is no meere creature could be ſtrength and ſecurity enough for us againſt our great malicious and mighty enemies, therefore God himſelfe either is or makes the hedge. There is no ſtrength in man but Satan can over-match it, Satan can over power all the ſtrength, and out-wit all the wiſdome that is in the creature. Fleſh and blood are no match for a ſpirit. And we wreſtle not againſt fleſh and bloud, but againſt Principalities and Powers and spirituall wickedneſſe in high places, Epheſ. 6.12. But if God makes an hedge about us, it is not in the power of all the enemies in the world, whether men or devils to make a gappe in it; they are ſure that are under the protection of God. They that dwell in the ſecret place of the most high, they ſhall abide (ſafe) under the ſhadow of the Almighty, Pſ. 91.1.
Fifthly, You ſee here how farre the hedge goeth, an hedge not onelyonly about his perſon and houſhold, but about all that he hath. Take the meaneſt thing that Job hath, God protects it and hedgeth it about. Then we may note this, That God hath an especiall care, and doth exceedingly price even the meaneſt thing that belongs to one of his ſervant. God would not beſtow an hedge about it, if he did not prize it: A man will not hedge or wall that about, which he doth not value. God highly values the meaneſt thing that belongs to one of his ſervants.Pſal. 116. The Pſalmiſt ſaith, Precious in the ſight of the Lord is the death of his Saints. But not only is the bloud, the life of the Saints, precious in the ſight of God, but every member, every haire of their head is precious. God numbers theſe. Not only are their children precious, but every thing that's called theirs, their ſervants, their houſhold, their cattell, their Oxen, their Aſſes, whatſoever they have is all precious in the ſight of God.
Laſtly, Obſerve,
That Satan hath a deadly spight not onelyonly againſt the perſons of the godly, but againſt every thing that belongs unto a godly man. Satan would not only hurt and annoy them in their perſons, but in every thing that's theirs. If God (if we may ſo ſpeake with reverence) ſhould leave but a dogge that belongs unto one of his ſervants unguarded, Satan would doe it a miſchiefe; Satan would be doing at the leaſt thing, rather then not doe miſchiefe. If he cannot deſtroy our ſoules he would be at the very haire of our heads; therefore Chriſt to comfort the Diſciples in the time of trouble aſſures them,Mat. 10.30. that the very haires of their heads were numbred: As if he ſhould ſay, God will have an account of every haire, the enemies cannot pull off a haire, but God will call them to a reckoning for it.
And it notes too that the enemies will take hold of any thing that belongs to the people of God, if they cannot get all, they will get a haire if they can, why elſe is it expreſt that the very haires of their heads are numbred? Thoſe words at once intimate, Gods care of all, and Satans malice against all.
It followeth, Haſt thou not made an hedge about him, &c. Thou haſt bleſſed the worke of his hands, and his ſubstance is increaſed in the Land.
Thou haſt bleſſed.] The root Barac which from the word here uſed, doth ſignifie to bow the knee as well as to bleſſe, becauſe men uſed to how the knee in bleſſing God or man. Bleſſings are carryed three wayes.
Firſt, From man to man; one man bleſſeth another. There were Propheticall or extraordinary bleſſings, as Iſaack bleſſed Jacob, and Jacob bleſſed his ſonnes upon his death-bed; and there is a popular or ordinary bleſſing, to wiſh well to another is to bleſſe another, every time we pray for our friends, we bleſſe our friends. So man from man.
Secondly, Man bleſſeth God; and then man bleſſeth God when he praiſeth God, when he takes notice of and returnes thankes for the bleſſings received from God. Bleſſe the Lord O my ſoule, &c. (Pſal. 103.2.) and forget not all, (that is,) forget not any of his benefits. Thankfully to remember benefits, is to bleſſe the Lord. The Cup in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, is called the Cup of Bleſſing, 1 Cor. 10.16. becauſe therein we commemorate the death of Chriſt, and render thanks to the Name of the Lord, for the unſpeakeable benefits conveighed to us by his blood.
Thirdly, as here in the Text, God bleſſeth man. Now God bleſſeth man, when he cauſeth that to proſper which man undertakes. Mans bleſſing unto man, it is only a wiſh, an optative bleſſing, but Gods bleſſing unto man is an operative bleſſing as Aquinas expreſſeth it, Dei benedicere eſt benefacere, when God wiſheth us good he doth us good.
So then the ſenſe is, Thou haſt bleſſed: that is, thou haſt cauſed him to proſper and thrive in what he undertakes, as we ſhall ſee in the object of the bleſſing, Thou haſt bleſſed the worke of his hands.
The worke of his hands.] We are not to underſtand it ſtrictly for manuall or hand labours, as if Job were a man imployed in ordinary manual ſervices, in the labour of his hands, but according to an ordinary uſe of ſpeech amongſt the Hebrewes, and likewiſe amongſt other Nations, by the worke of the hands, is underſtood any kind of labour, any kind of buſineſſe whatſoever. As it is ſaid of Chriſt, Iſa. 53.10. that the pleaſure of the Lord did prosper in his hands; Now the worke that Chriſt had to doe was not a handy worke, yet it did proſper in his hands, that is, he managing and going about it, it did proſper and tooke ſucceſſe; It was effectuall for the redemption and ſalvation of his people; This was proſpering of the worke in his hands. In this ſenſe the worke of the head may be called the worke of the hands, the worke of the tongue, the worke of the hands; any worke, any buſineſſe that a man doth, may be called the worke of his hands. So then, Thou haſt bleſſed the worke of his hands, that is, thou haſt bleſſed every thing that Job goeth about, as a Magiſtrate, as a Miniſter, or as a Maſter of a Family, in any of, in all his relations, thou haſt cauſed his endeavours to proſper. In the 28th of Deuteronomie, an univerſall bleſſing is thus promiſed verſ. 6. Bleſſed thou ſhalt be when thou commest in, and bleſſed ſhalt thou be when thou goeſt out: betweene thoſe two are contained all the labours and undertakings of that people: by their going forth is meant the beginning of their labours, and by their comming in is meant the end and concluſion of their labours, ſo that beginning and ending, when they ſet their hands to a buſineſſe, and when they tooke their hands from a buſineſſe, they ſhould be bleſſed, that is, they ſhould have a through bleſſing upon all their labours. So here, Thou hast bleſſed the worke of his hands, that is, every thing he putteth his hands unto.
And his ſubſtance is increaſed in the Land. That is the third thing which Satan doth obſerve here concerning Job, that he was not only bleſſed in the eſtate wherein he was, but God did mightily increaſe and multiply his eſtate.foreign He is increaſed in the Land. The word which we tranſlate increaſed, ſignifieth not an ordinary increaſe,In immenſum excreſcere. but ſuch an increaſe as breakes the bounds; it ſignifieth ſo to increaſe in ſuch and abundance, as that the former place where thoſe things were, cannot containe nor hold them, but they muſt ſeeke ſome new place, more roome for them: ſuch a kind of increaſe is here meant. So the word is uſed, Exod. 1.12. concerning the people of Iſrael when they were in Egypt, when they were afflicted, the Text ſaith, The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew; the ſame word is there uſed, to ſhew the wonderfull increaſe of the people of Iſrael when they were in their affliction. It was ſuch as did breake the bounds. As it is with a river, the more it is ſtopped, the more it ſwelleth and breakes all the bankes and bayes, whatſoever is ſet to hinder the courſe of it: So much is meant in that place of Moſes when the people of Iſrael were ſtopped and hindered from their increaſe, they like a river did ſwell over all, they did increaſe ſo as they did breake all the bounds. Thus of Job, his ſubſtance is increaſed, it is as if we ſhould ſay in our language, he had ſo much that there was no end of, no roome for his ſubſtance: as the rich foole ſaid, Luk. 12. when his eſtate was increaſed, what ſhall I doe, my barnes are not big enough? I muſt pull them downe and build larger, that they may hold my eſtate. So Jobs eſtate was ſo increaſed that the compaſſe he had for that preſent could not containe it, he muſt make new folds for his Sheepe they increaſed ſo; and he muſt make greater barnes for his Corne, his fields brought forth ſuch plentifull croppes; he muſt make larger ſtalles for his Oxen, he muſt build bigger houſes for his family; he is increaſed, he is broken forth in the Land. Gen. 38.29. When Tamar brought forth twins, the Text ſaith, that one put out his hand, and as he drew it back, his brother came out, and therefore they called his name Pharez, Hebraica vox paraz ſignificat non ſolum creſcere ſed prae copia & abundantia diſrumpi. Merc. Ruperunt horrea meſſes. Virg.(the ſame Originall word that is here uſed) becauſe of the breach that he made. So this ſignifieth the breaking forth of the eſtate of Job in the Land, he increaſed wonderfully and exceedingly. Thus Satan by the moſt emphaticall words, ſtill hightens the dealings of God with Job, that he may the more debaſe the ſervices of Job towards God.
Thou haſt bleſſed (ſaith he) the worke of his hands, and his ſubſtance is increaſed in the Land. We may obſerve here firſt, That all ſucceſſe in buſineſſe is from the bleſſing of the Lord. Satan ſpeakes very good divinity here, Thou hast bleſſed: It is from the Lord. It is ſaid of Joſeph, Gen. 39.23. That whatſoever he did the Lord made it to proſper. We may doe much, we may ſet our hands to doe many things, but we cannot proſper any thing. Working is our part, but proſpering is the Lords part.Luk. 5. As it was with the Diſciples, they could fiſh all night, but till Chriſt came they could not catch: when Chriſt came the bleſſing came, and when the bleſſing came, there was not only fiſhing but catching, and there was catching in abundance. So it is in all the workes of mens callings, men may be labouring, and ſweating, and toyling, but there is no proſpering, no ſucceeding till God come with a bleſſing. Thou haſt bleſſed the worke of his hands. Some take all to themſelves, and thanke their owne labours, their owne wiſedome, policie and parts. Others aſcribe all to their good Fortune, &c. We ſee Satan himſelfe here preacheth a truth that will confute them, he is more orthodoxe then theſe practicall Atheiſts. Satan acknowledgeth, Thou haſt bleſſed.
Then againe, we may obſerve. Thou haſt bleſſed the worke of his hands. Every one ought to be a man of imployment. Every one ought to have ſome buſineſſe to turne his hand unto. In the former part of this Chapter, we reade of Jobs piety and holineſſe, and of his zeale in the worſhip of God: Here now we ſee Jobs care and diligence in his place and calling wherein God had ſet him, which is called the worke of his hands. Every one muſt have two callings, and the one helpeth forward the other; Job feared God, and Job went on in the buſineſſe which God ſet him. Job is ſaid to ſerve God continutlly, and yet Job did worke continually. Theſe two continualls may well ſtand together: for both the continualls are taken for their ſeaſons; continually, that is ſeaſonably according to the ſeverall opportunities God called him to, and put into his hands. This rebukes thoſe who have no labour, who can ſhew no worke of their hands. It was ſaid to Adam, and in him to man-kind, not only as a curſe, but as a command, In the ſweat of thy face thou ſhall eate thy bread till thou returne to earth;Gen. 3.19. this is layed upon all, In the ſweat of thy face thou ſhalt eate thy bread: Not that every man is bound to labour in ſuch an employment as cauſeth the face to ſweat: But thereby is meant ſerious labour and imployment in ſome honeſt calling; ſo here the worke of the hands, is taken not ſtrictly, but for any imployment wherein Job was ſerviceable to God and his Country.
Put theſe 2 together, Thou haſt bleſſed, and thou hast bleſſed the worke of his hands, and we may obſerve from both, That the Lord delighteth to bleſſe thoſe who are induſtrious. It is ſeldome that there is an induſtrious hand but there is a bleſſing of God upon it;Prov. 10. 4. Prov. 10.22. Hence as we find in one place, The diligent hand maketh rich, ſo in another, The bleſſing of God maketh rich. The bleſſing of God maketh rich, and the diligent hand maketh rich, neither of them alone but both conjoyned; the bleſſing of God upon a diligent hand makes rich; a diligent hand cannot make rich without God, and God doth not uſually make rich wit… a diligent hand; Therefore it is ſaid here, that God bleſſed the worke of Jobs hands. Ʋp and be doing, and the Lord ſhall be with you. God will not be with us unles we be doing. God doth not love to bleſſe thoſe that are idle; if we be doing, God will be bleſſing, his being with us, is put for his aſſiſting and proſpering us. So it is indeed in all things. God doth not worke, that we ſhould ſit ſtill, nor bleſſe to the intent that we ſhould doe nothing. As it is in the 7th. of Judges, They proclaimed the Sword of the Lord, and of Gideon, thoſe two muſt goe together. Would you be bleſſed with protection? you muſt labour to protect your ſelves. Doe not thinke that the Lord will protect you with your hands in your pockets, and your Swords ruſting in your ſheathes: while you labour in theſe times of danger to defend your ſelves, you may expect defence from the Lord; How unbecomming is it for you now to ſtand ſtill and ſay, Lord helpe us. We muſt indeed stand ſtill (as Moſes counſelled the people, Exod. 14.13.) in regard of feare and diffidence, but beware of ſtanding ſtill in regard of care and diligence, as ever you hope to ſee the ſalvation of the Lord. The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon muſt be cried up at once; thoſe two muſt goe together.
There is a fourth point that we muſt obſerve alſo from the connection of the two ſentences in the Text. Thou hast bleſſed the worke of his hands, and his ſubstance is increaſed in the Land. The bleſſing of God where it falleth is effectuall. If God doth but bleſſe wee ſhall increaſe, there is no queſtion of it; if God doth but bleſſe, we ſhall increaſe mightily. Thou hast bleſſed him and he is increaſed: It is the word that followed the firſt bleſſing after the Creation, Gen. 1.28. God bleſſed them and ſaid unto them be fruitfull and multiply. Bleſſing and multiplying goe together; the bleſſing of God is a powerfull bleſſing, It is mighty in operation, and carrieth all before it. You know what a ſtrong opinion Balak had concerning the bleſſing of Balaam, Numb. 22.6. I wot (ſaith he) that he whom thou bleſſest is bleſſed, and he whom thou curſest is curſed; A ſtrong conceit, and but a conceit. As there are many at this day as ſtrongly conceited of the bleſſing of that Balaam of the ſeven hills, that bleſſing, but curſed Prophet. If they can get but a bleſſing from the Pope, they thinke all is ſafe. If they can but get a bleſſed Sword (ſuch ſome have obtained) to doe a curſed act, to cut the throats of Gods people, or of their Prince, it muſt needs be effectuall; You know there was a bleſſed Standard or Banner given to them that came againſt us in 88. and when that Standard was lifted up that Banner diſplayed, with the Popes ſpeciall bleſſing, they accounted, nay called themſelves Invincible. Such was their invincible Ignorance, till they were taught better with Bryars and Thornes, Judg. 8.16.or rather with ſtormes and winds fighting againſt them. And though they have bin often cozzen'd, yet ſtill they retaine ſuch an eſteeme of the Popes bleſſing, that they travell and throng for it, as for their lives, more then for all manner of riches; I may ſay to them as once that great Cardinall did on the ſame occaſion, ſeeing this people will be deceived, let them be deceived. But I deſire to raiſe your eſteeme of Gods bleſſing, for it is a certaine truth, That whom God bleſſeth they are bleſſed, Gods bleſſings are fixed and effectuall bleſſings; if he bleſſe we ſhall be bleſſed indeed: His bleſſings are irreverſible, as Balaam was forced to confeſſe, Behold hee hath bleſſed and I cannot reverſe it. If once God hath bleſſed, it is not in Satan, nor in all his lying Prophets, nor in all the power of the creature to alter it, no nor to retard or hinder it for a moment.
If God now give us the mercy of protection, if he make the hedge about us and bleſſe us in theſe times, we ſhall be continued and eſtabliſhed in the Land; yea we ſhall be increaſed in the Land, we ſhall breake forth abundantly, to the amazement of all hearers and beholders. Though Rome curſe, though Hell plot, yet if God bleſſe, we are ſafe.
This is the thing therefore that we ſhould labour for, to be under the influence of the bleſſing of God. If we have but that, we have all; let meanes be what they will, great or little, or none at all, if God bleſſe he can make any thing ſerve the turne; any thing with a bleſſing will doe it; any thing with a bleſſing will make us increaſe; yea make us a ſtrong, a mighty, an invincible people. So that Satan and his inſtruments, for very envy ſhall be forced to acknowledge that there is a hedge about us, which they cannot breake through, that there is a wall about us, which they can neither ſcale nor batter with all their Engins and Artillery.
In theſe two verſes we have had the anſwer which Satan makes to the Lords queſtion. Hast thou conſidered my ſervant Job? You ſee the ſlander that is in it, and how he doth advance the bleſſings of God upon Iob, that he might debaſe the ſervices of Job toward God. Now leſt God ſhould take him off preſently with a denyall, and tell him that all this is falſe; that Job is no ſuch man as he repreſents him to be, that he hath moſt preſumptuouſly intruded into Gods peculiar, namely the ſecrets of the heart, (for Satan had nothing to accuſe him of, that was in ſight, onelyonly he gueſſeth at his heart;) leſt God I ſay ſhould preſently come and check him thus, for his boldneſſe and impudence, both in contradicting his teſtimony and in charging Job with inſincerity Satan makes a motion in the next verſe, Put forth thine hand now and tauch all that he hath and he will curſe thee to thy face: As if Satan ſhould have ſaid, Lord if you be not ſatisfied that thus it is with your ſervant Job, if you will not take my word that he is an hypocrite, and that he doth ſerve you only for ends; doe but ſtretch forth your hand, &c. Doe but take away that which you have given him, and you ſhall ſee preſently he will take away that which he hath given you; if you will withdraw his riches, he will quickly withdraw his ſervice.