Exposition of Job 4-7, Commentary on Job · Chapter 5 · Verses 1-2

Exposition of Job 4-7 · Commentary on Job · Chapter 5 · Verses 1-2

p. 167JOB. Chap. 5. Verſ. 1, 2.

Call now if there be any that will anſwer thee, and to which of the Saints wilt thou turne?

For wrath killeth the fooliſh, and envy ſlayeth the ſilly one, &c.

THE five firſt verſes of this Chapter, containe the fourth Argument, by which Eliphaz goes on to convince Job of ſinful hypocriſie. And the conviction is made two wayes, from a two-fold compariſon. Firſt, He compares Job to the Saints, and finds him unlike to them: Secondly, He compares Job to the wicked, and finds him like to them; if ſo, then Job muſt needs be a hypocrite, who had carried it faire all the while in the world, for a great profeſſor, and yet when he comes to the tryall, was unlike all the Saints, and moſt like the wicked of the world. The firſt Argument may be thus framed.

He is not a juſt or a holy man, who in his affliction is altogether unlike holy and juſt men.

But Job, thou in thy affliction art altogether unlike holy and juſt men.

Therefore thou art not a holy or a juſt man.

The propoſition is implied: The Minor or the Aſſumption, is in the firſt verſe, Call now, if there be any that will anſwer thee, and to which of the Saints wilt thou turne? As if he ſhould ſay, Inquire as much as thou wilt, thou ſhalt find none among the Saints like thy ſelfe; they, who have been ſomewhat like thee (of whom thou ſhalt find but few) in the troubles which thou haſt borne, even thoſe thou wilt find altogether unlike thee, in bearing thoſe troubles. Scarce any of the godly ever ſuffered ſuch things as thou haſt done, but none of the godly ever did ſuch things in their ſufferings.

As he argues him in the firſt verſe of hypocriſie, by his unlikeneſſe to the Saints; ſo in the next words, he argues him of hypocriſie, by his likeneſſe to the wicked: His firſt argument for this, lyes in the ſecond verſe, and in the three following verſes there lyes a ſecond argument to confirme the ſame point; He attempts p. 168to prove Job like a foole or a wicked man, two wayes.

1. In his manner of ſuffering.

2. In the matter of his ſuffering.

Firſt (ſaith he) thou art like a foole, or like a fooliſh man, like the worſt of men, in the manner of thy carriage under ſufferings; The argument may be framed thus.

He that behaveth himſelfe like a foole, or like a wicked man while he is in trouble, is a man either openly wicked, or groſſely hypocriticall.

But Job, thou behaveſt thy ſelfe, like a fooliſh or a wicked man in thy troubles.

Therefore thou art wicked, &c.

The Aſſumption, or Minor Propoſition, is in the ſecond verſe, Wrath killeth the fooliſh, and envy ſlayeth the ſilly one. As if he ſhould ſay, Thou pineſt, rageſt and vexeſt thy ſelfe under they ſufferings, after the rate of fooliſh and ſilly ones, that is, ſinfull and wicked ones.

Secondly, He would prove Job, to be a hypocrite, becauſe his ſufferings for the matter of them, were like the judgements which God uſes to powre forth upon wicked und ungodly men; and that argument may be thus framed.

Wicked men flouriſh a while, and then ſudden deſtruction commeth upon them, they and their children, and their whole eſtates are ſwallowed up in a moment.

But Job, thou having flouriſhed a little while, waſt ſuddenly ſurpriſed and ſwallowed up by judgements, thou, thy eſtate, thy children, all devoured and conſumed.

Therefore thou art a wicked man, a very hypocrite; God hath dealt with thee as he uſes to deale with his enemies, and therefore thou art not his friend.

This is the Logicke of the context, or the reaſons couched in them, whereby Eliphaz would convince Job of ſinne; By this, a generall light is let into the whole Context.

Now, we will conſider the words, and open their ſenſe diſtinctly.

Call now if there be any that will anſwer thee, and to which of the Saints wilt thou turne?

Interpreters vary much about the meaning of theſe words.

Firſt, Some of the Jewiſh Writers, looke upon theſe words, as p. 169proceeding from hight and pride of ſpirit in Eliphaz, as if he diſdained to talke with Job any longer about the buſineſſe; as if he looking upon Job as no match for him, in point of argument, bids him looke out an Angel or a Saint to grapple with him in theſe diſputes, and ſee if he could find any one of thoſe, who would undertake for him as an Advocate, or be his Second, foraſmuch as himſelfe was ſo unable to defend his cauſe, or juſtifie what he had done; Call now if there be any that will anſwer thee, that is, anſwer for thee, or to which of the Saints wilt thou turne for help, to patronize or plead thy cauſe? But I ſhall paſſe that.

Secondly, Others of the Jewiſh writers make the ſenſe out thus, as if Eliphaz had ſaid with Paul in the point of the Lords Supper (1 Cor. 11. 24.) That which I have delivered unto you, I have received of the Lord, ſo, that which I delivered unto thee in my former argument, I received from the Lord in a viſion, it was revealed unto me from Heaven: now, doe thou try whether thou canſt learne any thing from Heaven, or from the Saints upon the earth (who are inſtructed to and for the Kingdome of Heaven) which may anſwer my arguments, or confute the reaſons which I have broughc againſt thee. I had a viſion from Heaven, now call thou to Heaven, and ſee if thou canſt have any anſwer from thence; Turne alſo to the Saints, to any Saint upon the earth, and ſee what they will anſwer thee, I believe thou wilt not find one amongſt them all, differing in judgement from me, or from that Oracle, with Nemo tibi pravè corrupteq. de his rebus iudicanti patronus aderit, nemo qui tibi reſpondeat, tibi ac…inat, tuam ſententiam …ueatur.which I have now acquainted thee. They will all agree with me in theſe great principles, about the providence, power and juſtice of God, about the ſufferings ſinfullneſſe and weakneſſe of man. That's a ſecond ſenſe.

Thirdly, Others take the words as an Ironie, as a deriſion, or ſcorne put upon Job by Eliphaz; As if Eliphaz had mocked him thus; Thou haſt handled the matter well, thou haſt carried thy ſelfe ſo, in the dayes of thy peace and proſperity, that now when thou art in trouble, thou mayeſt call long enough, and cry till thy throat akes and thy ſpirits be ſpent, and yet have none to anſwer thee, none to ſpeake a word to thee, or to doe thee any good; though thou cry to all the Saints, and ſend to all thy friends round about thee, yet in this day none will heare or regard thee: Thou wilt find thy ſelfe forſaken of all, no man will give thee any aſſiſtance, or take any care of thy condition. Juſt, as Elijah brake forth in holy ſcorne againſt the Prophets of Baal (1 King. 18. 27.) p. 170when they were crying out to their Idol for helpe, and a ſigne by fire, Cry aloud (ſaith he) cry aloud; he bad them cry aloud, yet he knew the Idol was deafe and dumbe, and could neither heare their cry, nor give them anſwer; So Eliphaz ſeemes to ſpeake to Job, Cry aloud now, to this, to that Saint, with whom thou art acquainted here on earth, or cry to Heaven, cry to God himſelfe; call this way, call that, if any will anſwer thee, either God above, or Saint below, thou ſhalt not find here or there any to aſſiſt, any to releeve thee. And ſo he ſeems to allude to that juſt retaliation of God, who uſually turnes his eare from their cry in a day of trouble who have turned their eares from his counſels, in the dayes of comfort; As (Prov 1.) Wiſedome threatens, They ſhall call, but I will Vox in tribulatione eum non invenit quem mens in …ranquilitate contempſit. Greg. in loc.not anſwer, they ſhall cry, but I will not heare. Why? becauſe they have refuſed inſtruction, and have not choſen the feare of the Lord.

In the fourth place, Moſt of the Popiſh writers, buſie themſelves much to ground invocation of Saints, & the interceſſion of Saints for us, upon this text: As if Eliphaz had directed Job to cry to the Saints departed; Call now if there be any that will anſwer, and to which of the Saints wilt thou turne? what Saint wilt thou chooſe for thy patron or helper in this ſad condition? So they teach and practiſe, having appointed a particular Saint in the Kalender of the yeare, to the help of every particular affliction in their lives, and to theſe they turne themſelves in every diſtreſſe: They have a Saint for the ſea, and a Saint for the land, a Saint for the fire, and a Saint for the water, a Saint for each diſeaſe of the body, and for each diſaſter in the family: To ſome of theſe they ſuppoſe Job was adviſed to have recourſe, for ſuccour and comfort in his troubles. And yet they are divided in opinion, & give a double ſenſe about it. Firſt, As if Eliphaz had thus beſpoken him; If thou doeſt not give credit unto me, nor believe what I have ſpoken was revealed Aquinus in loc.from God, then call thou thy ſelfe upon God, and try whether he will not give thee ſome anſwer, and reſolve thy doubt: Or if by reaſon of thine own unworthyneſſe, thou canſt not obtaine an immediate anſwer at the hand of God, then turne thee to ſome of the Sainrs, that by their mediation thou maiſt receive light from God, to aſſure thee about my viſion, whether it were ſent from Heaven or no. Secondly, Others interpret it more largely, as if Eliphas perceiving Job to be brought to ſome light and acknowledgement of his ſins, and now to thirſt after the pardon of them: p. 171he in theſe words, exhorts him to call upon, and cry unto God for pardon, if perhaps he himſelfe would vouchſafe to anſwer; But in caſe ſhame did ſo cover his face, and guilt ſo ſtop his mouth, that he could not ſpeake unto God immediately, then he adviſeth him to pray in aide, from ſome of the Saints departed, who might manage this ſute, and intercede for him at the throne of grace. The groſſeneſſe of this interpretation is ſuch, as carries a ſelfe-refutation with it, and therefore I ſhall not need to ſtay long, about the refuting of it. Neither will I ſtay to argue againſt that groundleſſe, uſeleſſe Doctrine in generall, The invocation of Saints departed, Which finds no letter of command or direction, no letter of promiſe or acceptation, no letter of example or practice, for our imitation, in the whole Booke of God. But is a reproach to the Saints, & a diſhonour to God, whoſe Name and incommunicable Title is, The God hearing prayers, and therefore to him ſhall the deſires of all fleſh come, and if all to him, then who to Saints or Angels? Only He can be the object of our prayer who is the object of our faith, Rom. 10. How ſhall they call on him, on whom they have not believed? To whom we pray, upon him we muſt believe Saints departed, are not to be believed upon, how then ſhall they be called on?

But, to leave the queſtion, I ſhall only touch two things, to ſhew how wide they are in this expoſition.

Firſt, The confeſſed Doctrine of Popery tells us, that, before Chriſts comming in the fleſh, and his reſurrection from the grave, all the Saints departed were in Limbus, a place which they have framed and built up in their own fancies, as the common receptacle of all thoſe, who died in the faith of Chriſt, before Chriſt died; Therefore, they tell us (to eke out the ſtory) That as Chriſt went downe into Hell, the place of the damned, to ſtrike terrour into the Devils, ſo he went into this Limbus, thence to deliver the fathers from that priſon▪ and carry them up with himſelfe into glory. Now this being their Tenet, how ſenſeleſſe is it, for them, to ground their opinion, of invocation of Saints, upon any Scripture of the old Teſtament? and therefore it is ſo, to ground it upon this.

Secondly, if we conſider theſe words we may as well ſeek for fire in the bottome of the Sea, as for the invocation of Saints in this Text, for here is no ſuch thing ſpoken of; and if any thing ſounds that way, it is rather to condemne praying to Saints, then any confirmation of it: for call now if there be any that will anſwer thee, p. 172carries this ſenſe rather; call now, for there is none to anſwer thee, and to which of the Saints wilt thou turne? that is, none among Voca ſi quis eſt qui tibi reſponde… q. d. nemo tibi reſpondebi…. Merc. Quod quidam noſto…um hunc locum adſanctorum mor…o…ū invocationem quam veteres ne agn…ve…unt q…idem referun… merum de…er…um eſt. Idem Paulo poſt. Nihil hic de ſanctorum m…rtuorum invocatione; Thomas Aquinas & Ly…an… eò quidem referun…ed aequae inep…è ne d… cam imprè. Idem in loc foreign Nec, licet inſultantis aliquando ſit, ut plu…i…u… tamen ſuaden…is & exh…rtantis eſt. Ʋ … Sodes Am…o la…inis.all the Saints (if thou turneſt to them) can give thee any help: As Mercer a moderate Papiſt gives the meaning of this Scripture; againſt the current of their interpreters.

And this will appeare more fully, in opening the Gramaticall ſenſe of a word or two, which alſo will give the cleare meaning of the whole paſſage. Eliphaz (as was hinted in drawing out his arguments) calls upon Job to call to remembrance former times, to ſearch the records of antiquity, and ſee whether he could find an example of any one among all the Saints, who either had ſuch troubles as his, or in his troubles ſpake and behaved himſelfe as he had done; he bids him name one, if he could.

Call now] or, Call I pray thee. What we tranſlate, now, is ſometime a particle of inſulting, but moſt uſually of perſwading or intreating. We render it as an Adverbe of time, but it rather imports a requeſt. So Gen. 12. 13. Abraham entreates Sarah, Say I pray thee, thou art my ſiſter. The word (Kara) which we tranſlate, call, ſignifies firſt to cry aloud by way of preaching or proclamation, Iſa. 58. 1. Cry aloud, lift up thy voice like a trumpet. Secondly, by way of prayer or invocation, as Pſal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble. but it rather ſignifies, and that more properly, to call by way of appellation, or by way of nomination, As Ruth 1. 20. Call mee not Naomi, but call mee Marah. So here, Call now that is, looke over the names, or call over the names of all the Saints, as we uſe to ſay, when many ſhould meete together, and we would know whether they are all met: or as Stewards when they pay many hired ſervants their wages, take the Bill and call over their Names, and ſo pay them one by one; Mat. 20. 8. In the evening, the Lord of the vineyard ſaith unto his Steward; call the labourers, that is, call them by their ſeverall names, and give them their hire. Thus we may underſtand the phraſe in this place, reade the catalogue of the Saints, call every one by his name, and put the queſtion to them, aske them whether ever they had ſuch afflictions as thou haſt? or aske them whether they behaved themſeves under their afflictions as thou haſt done? I believe thou wilt find none to anſwer thee. To this ſenſe Mr. Broughton tranſlates, Call now if there be any that will defend thee, that is, be thy patron or advocate, in word, or in the example of their lives.

If there be any that will anſwer thee.] For, ehe word which we p. 173render anſwer, ſignifies not only, anſwering unto a queſtion, but an anſwering to a condition, or a correſpondency in practiſe. Verbum reſponde…e, in hoc loco ſignificat po…us ſimilitudinem vel comparationem quam reſponſionem. Bold.There is an anſwering by likeneſſe of works, as well as by fitneſſe of words. A reall anſwer, and a verball anſwer. Take it ſo, and then, Call now to the Saints, call them all by their names, intends only thus much, ſee if there be any that are like thee, or ſute either thy ſpirit or thy condition, if there be any to whom thou mayeſt paralell thy ſelfe, either in the matter or manner of thy ſufferings. Thou art more like a Heathen, who knows not God, then any of the Saints, in theſe complainings. And ſeeing, out of the aboundance of the heart, the mouth ſpeaks, theſe words ſpeake thy heart abounding in ſin, but empty of grace. Face anſwers face in the water. But neither thy face nor heart, will anſwer either heart or face of any of the Saints, in theſe waters of affliction. We find this word ſignifying ſimilitude or compariſon, or the equivalence of one thing to another, in that inſtance, Eccleſ. 10 19. Money anſwers all things; the meaning of it is, that money in a proportion or value ſuites paralels and fits all things: There is nothing in the world, but you may ſuite it with a proportion of money, money will anſwer it; money anſwers or is like all things, by an equivalency, though not in a formality.

And to which of the Saints wilt thou turne?

The Septuagint reade it, To which of the Angels wilt thou looke? foreign.And the learned Mercer adheres to that tranſlation, as thinking that by Saints are meant Angels, though he be ſo farre from laying any bottome in the words for the Popiſh opinion of the mediation of Angels, that he expreſſely condemnes it; but he gives the ſenſe thus, as if Eliphaz had reproved Job of pride, for conteſting with God, when as if he did turne himſelfe to Angels, he ſhould find himſelfe farre below, and much overmatcht by them: What? thou duſt and aſhes, more righteous and juſt than God? Though he charged his Angels with folly, yet even they are too wiſe and holy for thee to deale with. If thou wert put into the ballance with Angels, how light wouldſt thou be? then, how much lighter then vanity art thou, being weighed with God? But the Hebrew is better tranſlated Saints. The word ſignifies a thing or perſon, ſeparated or ſet apart from common, and dedicated to a ſpeciall eſpecially, a holy uſe. Holineſſe (in the generall nature of it) is nothing elſe but a ſeparation from common, and dedication to a p. 174divine ſervice, ſuch are the Saints; perſons ſeperated from the world, and ſet apart unto God; The Church in generall (which is a company of Saints) is taken out of, and ſevered from the world: The Church is a fountaine ſealed, and a Garden incloſed; ſo alſo, every particular Saint is a perſon ſevered and encloſed from the common throng and multitude of the world: Come out from among them, and be ye ſeparate ſaith the Lord, and touch no uncleane thing, and I will receive you, 2 Cor. 6. 17.

Turne thee, it is both a witty and judicious conceit that Eliphaz in theſe words alludes to painters or Picture-drawers, who when Allu…ere vide tur ad pict…res qui frequenter ad prototypum & exemplar, quod incitari conan…ur; oculos dirigam & ad illud convertuntur.they are drawing the Picture of a Man, or of any other thing, frequently turne their eyes upon the proto-type, upon that which they are to draw by: when a man ſits (as they ſpeake) to have his picture taken, the Artiſt turnes his eye often upon him; ſo here, to which of the Saints wilt thou turne thee to ſee thy picture, or to ſee any one like thee? where wilt thou looke now, and by looking obſerve a Saint of thy complexion, a holy man like thy ſelfe? If the pictures of all the Saints were loſt, none of them could be found in, or coppied out from thee. The word which we tranſlate turne, Verbum foreign non ſimpliciter reſpicere ſign…ficat, aut aliquid intueri, ſed cum qu dā animi intentione & ad aliquem fluem.doth not ſignifie ſimply to looke about or turne the eye, but to turne the eye about with much intention or curioſity of obſervation, to make a diſcovery, and find out ſomewhat. Sometime it ſignifies to looke in compaſſion, Pſal. 25. 16 Turne thee unto me (ſaith David) and have mercy upon me, for I am very low: To looke in compaſſion, notes a ſtrictneſſe of obſervation, to find out what charity or mercy ſhould ſupply: ſuch a look or view of his eſtate David deſired, that God would turne his eye upon him: to what end? that he might conſider and find out all his neceſſities, and in mercy ſuccour him.

So then, To which of the Saints wilt thou turne? ſounds thus much, upon what Saint wilt thou fix thine eye, to find thy own likeneſſe, a repreſentation of the ſufferings thou beareſt or of thy bearing theſe ſufferings? Take the ſumme and ſenſe of the whole verſe thus; Call over the roll or catalogue of all the Saints; which either ever were, or at this day are upon the face of the earth, See, if there be any whoſe condition or actions will anſwer in proportion unto thine; turne thine eye upon all the holy ones, ſee if thou canſt obſerve any like thy ſelfe, in the matter or manner of thy afflictions, in the dealings of God with thee, or in thy complainings againſt God. Job, thou ſtandeſt alone for all the Saints, p. 175goe to the fooles of the earth, and to the prophaner Infidels, among them thou mayeſt haply meet thy patterne, and among their records reade the ſtory of thy own impatience and miſcarriage: For (as it followes) wrath billeth the fooliſh, and envy ſlayeth the ſilly one.

How like a foole and ſilly one art thou▪ who haſt thus almoſt vext thy ſelfe to death at thy own troubles, and pineſt with envy at the proſperity of others. Such ſeemes to be the connexion and dependance of the ſecond verſe with, and upon the firſt, which I ſhall preſently deſcend to open, when I have added an obſervation or two from the former already opened.

It was good advice which Eliphaz gave Job in that condition, namely, to take view of the Saints, and to compare himſelfe with them: Thence obſerve;

It is profitable for us to look to the example of the Saints, either thoſe departed, or thoſe alive, and by them to examine, both what we doe, and how we ſuffer.

God hath given us, not only his word for a rule, but he hath given us examples as a rule, to walke by. He hath given us his own example, that, we looking unto him, ſhould be holy as he is holy in all manner of converſation; be ye holy as I am holy: God, who is The holy one, is the Higheſt patterne of holineſſe. And he hath given us his Son, who is the expreſſe image of his perſon, and the brightneſſe of his glory, to be our example. The life of Chriſt is a faire copy indeed, a copy without any blot, or uneven letter in it; For, He alſo is The Holy one. Chriſt is not only The principle of holineſſe, but alſo The patterne of holineſſe to his people; they that ſay they abide in him, muſt walke even as he walked; His workes, (excepting thoſe which were miraculous and workes of mediation between God and us) are our rule, as well as his word, Heb. 12. 2. Looking unto Jeſus the author and finiſher of our faith, who for the joy that was ſet before him, &c. words of neere importance with thoſe in the text, to which of the Saints wilt thou turne thee? Looke to Jeſus; when you are in ſufferings and have a race of patience to run, let your eye alwayes be upon Chriſt, and draw the lines of your carriage, both in your ſpirits and outward actions, according to what you ſee in Him, Looke to Him: And ver. 3. Conſider him that endured ſuch contradiction of ſinners.

Which the Apoſtle Peter (1 Pet. 2. 21.) gives us in plaine termes, For even hereunto were ye called, becauſe Chriſt alſo ſuffered for us, leaving an example that we ſhould follow his ſteps: p. 176We muſt follow his ſteps both in the matter and in the manner of our ſufferings; therefore Chriſt ſaith; Take my yoke upon you, and learne of me, Mat. 11. 29. Chriſt calls it his yoke (it is a yoke of affliction as well as a yoke of inſtruction) And he calls it his yoke, not only becauſe, he, as a Lord layes it upon the necks of others, but becauſe, he, as a ſervant bore that yoke himſelfe; therefore he ſaith, Take my yoke upon you and learne of me, that is, not only take my yoke upon you for the matter, but learne of me for the manner, how to beare that yoke. Beſides theſe grand leading, unerring examples of God and Chriſt, the examples of the Saints are alſo commended to our imitation, both in doing and in ſuffering. Whatſoever things were written (and examples were written) aforetime, were written for our inſtruction. Why hath the Holy Ghoſt ſet ſo many pens a worke, to write the lives of the Saints? why hath he kept a record of them in his own book, but for direction to his people in after-times. The Lord hath not regiſtred any one act of the Saints, but is uſefull for us. The acts of Noah, Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, Samuel, David, are full of practicall Divinity. The ſufferings and troubles of theſe and many others, are full (if I may ſo ſpeake) of pathical Divinity: As the Apoſtle James his counſell doth more then intimate (James 5. 10.) Take my brethren the Prophets who have ſpoken in the Name of the Lord, for an example of ſuffering affliction and of patience; Hence thoſe antient Saints and believers (Heb. 12. 1.) are called a cloud of witneſſes; A cloud, becauſe there is a directive or a leading vertue in them; As there was a cloud that went before the children of Iſrael in the day to leade them, ſo this cloud of witneſſes, leads us up and downe the wilderneſſe of our ſorrowes, and in the darke night of our ſufferings. Turne you to the Saints, to that cloud of witneſſes, eye them, and ſee what becomes you in ſad times; They have ſuffered joyfully the ſpoiling of their goods, ſuffer you likewiſe, if you come into the hands of ſpoilers. They lived by faith in the midſt of a thouſand deaths, live you likewiſe by faith in death, when ever you come into the hand of that king of terrors. And when at any time your own hearts or the wayes of others are out of courſe, check and chide them for and from thoſe diſorders, by ſending them to the practiſe of the Saints. Looke to the Saints, from which of the Saints have you learned to be proud and high minded? from which of the Saints have you learned to be earthly and covetous? from which of the Saints p. 177have you learned to ſeek and ſet up your ſelves, or to be impatient under the hand of God? That man hath reaſon to ſuſpect he hath done ill, who doth that, which a good man never did, or ever repented the doing of it. Obſerve further;

When God forſakes a man, all the Saints on earth forſake him too. Eliphaz lookes upon Job, as a man forſaken of God, and then he bids him get help if he could among the Saints. He that oppoſes God, ſhall be oppoſed by all who are Gods. There is the ſame mind in the ſervants of Chriſt, which is in Chriſt their Maſter. They love where and whom he loves, they hate whom he hates, they are aſhamed of thoſe, of whom Chriſt is aſhamed; If God reject a man, the Saints will not undertake or anſwer for him. So much of the firſt Argument, ranking Job with the wicked, becauſe (as Eliphaz thought) he could not find any in the rank of Saints like himſelfe.

The ſecond Argument riſes to a like conviction, becauſe, (in the ſame mans opinion) he might eaſily ſee himſelfe ſo like the wicked.

For wrath kills the fooliſh man, and envy ſlayeth the ſilly one.

Here are two ſinfull paſſions, wrath and envy, and here are two ſorts of ſinfull perſons, The fooliſh man, and The ſilly one producing two ſad effects, (which yet in effect are but one,) The one kills, and the other ſlayes, both are deadly and deſtructive, wrath killeth the fooliſh man, and envy ſlayeth the ſilly one. There are ſeverall ſinnes and luſts which accompany, as the ſeverall ages and deg…ees, ſo the Omne pomum, omne g…anum, omne frumentum, omne lignum habet vermem ſuum, & alius vermis mali, alius pyri, alius Tritici. Auguſt.ſeverall tempers of men. Raſhneſſe and intemperance, hurry and inflame young men; ambition blowes up riper yeares, and covetouſneſſe often tyranizeth over old age: Wrath takes hold of fools, and envy ſeizeth the ſilly one. Theſe wormes ſtrike the roote of ſuch men, and make them wither. As there is a ſpeciall worme killing ſpeciall trees, and conſuming their fruits; ſo there are ſpeciall luſts, which like wormes, eate out, and deſtroy the life of man; wrath killeth the fooliſh man.

The fooliſh man.] He is A foole, who hath not wiſedome to direct foreign Temerarius, audax, imprudens, percitus ira.himſelfe; but The foole, is he, who will not follow the counſell and direction of the wiſe. The word ſignifies, not ſo much a foole, who hath no knowledge; as a foole, who makes no uſe of the knowledge, which he hath: ſuch a one is a fooliſh man indeed. Or it notes a man haſty, bold, inconſiderate, ruſhing on hand over head, without feare or wit. A man, who either is maſter but of little knowledge, or that which he hath (be it little or much) maſters p. 178him. It agrees fully in ſenſe, and is the ſame to a letter in found, with our Engliſh word Evill; Such the Prophet (Zech. 11. 15.) deſcribes: Take (ſaith he) the inſtruments of a fooliſh ſheapheard, he doth not meane, the inſtruments of a rude and meerely ignorant ſheapheard, a man that hath no knowledge or learning, but of a raſh and imprudent ſhepheard, or of a lazie and idle ſhepheard, who, though hath knowledge, yet knowes not how (or hath no heart) to improve his knowledge for the good of his flock. The Prophet Ezekiel gives us the character of ſuch, Chap. 34. 4. The diſeaſed have ye not ſtrengthened, nor have ye healed that which was ſicke, nor bound up that which was broken, &c. but (will ye know what work they made?) with furie and with crueltie have ye ruled them; ye have been moved with fury, not with pity, and acted by paſſion, not by reaſon, much leſſe by grace. So in this place, the fooliſh man, whom envy ſlayes, is not a meere ignorant, one that hath no brains, but one hare-brayn'd and uncompos'd Eliphaz hints at Job ſecretly in this word, whom he knew reported for a man of great knowledge and learning, according to the learning of thoſe times, yet he numbers him with N…n his ſolum ſed calamo i…oſ …imur in ſcribendo, eum que … & fra…g…mus, & pecto…s penecallo & alcato res teſſeris & cuicun que inſtrumento quil…bet, ex quo d…fficultatem ſe pa… arbitratur Auguſt …ra ſtultitiae come….ſooles, becauſe, he conceived him wrathfull, raſh, intemperate, not having any true government of himſelfe. Anger reſteth in the boſome of fooles, Eccleſ. 7. 9. A foole is not able to judge of the nature of things or times, or occaſions, and therefore he is angry with every thing that hits not his nature or his humour. He will be angry with the Sunne, if it ſhine hotter then he would have it, and with the winds, if they blow harder then he would have them, and with the clouds, if they raine longer then ſerves his turne. They that are emptieſt of underſtanding, are fulleſt of will, and uſually ſo full of will, that we call them will-full. Hence, unleſſe every thing be ready to ſerve their wills, they are ready to dye by the hand or judgement of their paſſions.

Wrath kills this fooliſh man.] Wrath may be taken here two woyes, either for the wrath of God, or for the wrath of man. In the former ſenſe, the meaning is, That the wrath of God kills fooliſh men; Which is an undoubted truth, but I rather adhere to the latter, which gives the meaning thus, That the wrath of a fooliſh man, kills himſelfe; his own wrath, is as a knife at his throate, and as a ſword in his own bowels: The word which we tranſlate wrath, ſignifies indignation, anger, teaſtineſſe or touchineſſe: Properly wrath is anger inveterate; anger is a ſhort fury, and p. 179wrath is a long anger; when a man is ſet upon't, when his ſpirit is ſteeped and ſoak't in anger, then 'tis wrath. Eſau raked up the burning coales of his anger in the aſhes, till his Fathers Funerall, The time of mourning for my father will ſhortly come, then will I ſlay my brother. But our word rather notes, a ſervent heate and foreigndiſtemper of ſpirit preſently breaking forth, or an extreame vexation fretting and diſquieting us within: As Pſal. 112. 10. The wicked ſhall ſee it and be grieved, (that is, he ſhall have ſecret indignation in himſelfe to ſee matters goe ſo) He ſhall gnaſh with his teeth and melt away. Gnaſhing of the teeth is cauſed by vexing of the heart; And therefore it followes, he melts away; which notes (melting is from heate) an extreame heate within. The ſenſe is very ſuitable to this of Eliphaz, wrath ſlayeth the fooliſh, or wrath makes him melt away, it melts his greaſe with chafing, as we ſay, of a man furiouſly vext; Hence that deplorable condition of the damned, who are caſt out of the preſence of God for ever, is deſcribed by weeping, and wailing, and gnaſhing of teeth; which imports not onelyonly paine, but extreame vexing at, or in themſelves. Thoſe fooles ſhall be ſlaine for ever with their own wrath, as well as with the wrath of God.

Wrath killeth, &c.] But how doth wrath kill a fooliſh man? his wrath ſometimes drawes his ſword and kils others: but is his wrath as a ſword to kill himſelfe? Many like Simeon and Levi, in their anger have ſlaine a man; but that the anger of a man ſhould ſlay himſelfe, may ſeeme ſtrange? The paſſion of vvrath is ſuch an engine, as recoyles upon him that uſes or diſcharges it. As the deſire of the ſlothfull killeth him, Prov. 21. 25. ſo, the wrath of a fooliſh man kils him: that place enlightens this; how comes deſire to ſtay the ſlothfull? thus; A man ſlothfull in action is full of deſires and quick in his affections after many good things: he would faine have them, he longs for them: but the man is ſo extreame lazie, that he will not ſtirre hand or foot to get the things which he deſires, and ſo he pines away with wiſhing and woulding, and dies with griefe, becauſe deſire is not ſatisfied. So, in like manner, wrath is ſaid to ſlay a man; firſt, becauſe it thruſts him headlong upon ſuch things, as are his death; he runnes wilfully upon his own death, ſometimes by the dangerouſneſſe of the action, whence caſuall ſuddaine death ſurpriſes him; ſometime by the unlawfulneſſe of the action, which brings him to a legall or judiciary death. Secondly, his wrath is ſaid to kill him, becauſe his wrath is ſo vexations p. 180to him, that it makes his life a continuall death to him, and at laſt ſo wearieth him out, and waſts his ſpirits, that he dyes for very griefe: and ſo at once commits a three-fold murder; Firſt he murders him intentionally, againſt whom he is wroth: Secondly, he, really, murders his own body; and thirdly, he, meritoriouſly, murders his ſoule for ever, except the Lord be more mercifull, then he hath been wrathfull, and the death of Chriſt heal thoſe wounds, by which he would have procured the death of others, and hath (as much as in him lies) procured his own.

And envie ſlayeth the ſilly one.] Theſe two expreſſions meet neere upon a ſenſe. Envy is the trouble which a man conceives in himſelfe, at the good which another receives. This diſeaſe gets in at the eyes and eares, or is occaſioned by ſeeing or hearing of our neighbours bleſſings. In the 1 Joh. 2. All the luſts in the world are reduced to three heads, The luſt of the eyes: the luſt of the fleſh; and the pride of life; Envy is the chiefeſt luſt of the eyes, and it is properly called the luſt of the eye: becauſe a man ſeldom envieth another, untill he ſees, ſome good, he hath above himſelfe. This paſſion is a murderer alſo, it begins at the eyes, but it rots down into the bones.

Envy ſlayeth the ſilly one.] There is not much difference between the nature of theſe two, the fooliſh man, and the ſilly one: But the Originall words by which they are expreſſed are very different. The roote ſignifies to perſwade, to intice, or allure: And it foreign Sua ſus per ſua ſus, d…eptus, ſeductus fuit, h…nc foreign ſua deo, apud Grecos. foreign Japheth le Ja…he…h.is taken ſometime in a good ſenſe (as in Gen. 9. 27.) where the Holy Ghoſt ſpeakes with admirable elegancy, God will perſwade the perſwadable; we tranſlate it, God will perſwade Japhet. Japhet had his name from being perſwaded or perſwadable, God ſhall intice or perſwade Japhet: which was a prophecie of the calling of the Gentiles, who are deſcendants from Japhet, as the Jewes are from Shem. So, that word is applied to Gods drawing, or, alluring men by the ſweet promiſes and winning enticements of the Goſpell. God doth (let it be taken in holy reverence) tole men on by promiſes, and deceive them graciouſly into the Goſpell. (Hoſ. 2. 14.) I will allure her and bring her into the wilderneſſe. And becauſe by perſwaſions men are often deceived and ſeduced to evill, therefore the word ſignifies alſo to deceive and beguile, as well as to perſwade; and in the paſſive to be beguiled and deceived; Hence, the word in the text is derived, which we tranſlate a ſimple one, or a man that will eaſily be perſwaded & led by another, a ſequatious p. 181or eaſie man, whom you may carry with a mouth full of good words, and faire promiſes, whether you will. Yet, we finde this word (Pſal 116. 6.) uſed in a good ſenſe, for a man without ſinfull guile and craft, a ſimple, honeſt, plaine-hearted man, The Lord preſerveth the ſimple. But here and often elſe-where it is taken in an ill ſence, for a man without ſence and reaſon, without heart and ſpirit, a man that cannot in any competency judge of things, or make out his way, but is meerly led, and lives upon the opinion and judgement of another: To ſuch wiſdome cryeth without and uttereth her voyce in the ſtreets, how long yee ſimple ones, will ye love ſimplicity, Prov. 1. 20, 22. This ſilly one envie ſlayeth; Exiguo animo & abjecto ſpiritu.He is out of his wits already, and a little matter will put him out of his life: Envy ſlayeth him, that is, a ſimple man looking upon the proſperity and bleſſings of God upon his neighbour, will needs afflict himſelfe: he lookes upon himſelfe, as having loſt all, if that man gaine: he fals, if his brother ſtands, and can with more eaſe die miſerably, then ſee another live happily. In this ſenſe it is, That envie kils the ſilly one.

Now the reaſon why Eliphaz ſpeakes of theſe two, the fooliſh and the ſimple one, and characters them, as dying by the hand of theſe two luſts, wrath and envie is, becauſe he conceived all Jobs troubled, and (as he thought) muddy complaints in the third Chapter, aroſe from theſe two impure and filthy ſprings, wrath and envie, from proud wrath, and impotent envie; he looked upon him, as angry and diſpleaſed, yea as enraged, becauſe God had dealt ſo ill with him; and he ſuppoſed he ſaw him pale and wanne, eaten up and pined with envie, becauſe others were ſo well, becauſe his friends enjoyed health & lived in proſperity round about him. As if he had ſaid, Thou art wroth at thy owne povertie, ſickneſſe and ſores, and thou art envious at our plentie, health and eaſe. And may not folly and ſimplicitie, challenge that man for Theirs, whoſe ſpirit thus reſents, either his own evils, or his neighbours good? Obſerve hence,

Firſt, Every wicked man, is a fooliſh, a ſilly man; Sinne is pure folly, In the Proverbs all along, wickedneſſe is the Interpretation of fooliſhneſſe. It is folly to take braſſe Counters for gold, and to be pleaſed with Bugles more then with Diamonds. When an heyre is impleaded for an Ideot, the Judge commands an apple, or a counter, with a peece of gold to be ſet before him, to try which he will take; if he takes the apple or the counter, and leaves the p. 182gold, he is then caſt for a foole, and unable to mannage his eſtate, for he knows not the value of things, or how to make a true election. Wicked men are thus fooliſh and more, for when bugles and diamonds, counters and gold are before them, they leave the diamonds and the gold, and pleaſe themſelves with thoſe toyes and bables; when (which is infinitely more ſottiſh) Heaven and hell, life and death are ſet before them, they chuſe hell rather then Heaven, and death rather then life; they take the meane, tranſitory, trifling things of the world, before the favour of God, the pardon of finne, a part in Jeſus Chriſt, and an inheritance among the Saints in light All the wiſdome of wicked men, is wiſdome in their owne conceits. And Solomon aſſures us, that there is more hope of a foole then of ſuch, that is, of thoſe, who are ſenſible of their owne failings, and are willing (as the Apoſtle directs) to become fooles that they may be wiſe, 1 Cor. 3. 18. Opinion in it ſelfe is weake, but ſelf-opinion is very ſtrong; even the ſtrongeſt of thoſe ſtrong-holds, and the higheſt of thoſe high Towers, which the ſpirituall warre, by thoſe weapons which are mightie through God, is to oppoſe and caſt down: which, till they are caſt down, theſe fooles are impregnable, and will not be led captive unto Chriſt.

Secondly, obſerve, That to vex and to be angerie at the troubles that fall upon us, or at the hand which ſends them, is a high point of folly and of ignorance. Wrath and diſcontent ſlay the fooliſh, ſuch are at once, twice ſlain, ſlain with the wrath of God, and with their own.

To die thus, is to die like a foole indeed. For firſt, this wrath of man ſprings from his ignorance of God: Man would not be angry at what the Lord doth, if he knew he were the Lord, and may doe what himſelfe pleaſes. The ground of anger is a ſuppoſition of wrong.

Secondly, This wrath of man ſprings from ignorance of himſelfe. He cannot be angry with any croſſe, who rightly knows himſelfe.

Firſt to be a creature.

This notion of our ſelves teaches us that leſſon of humility, to be ſubject to the will of our Creatour. The law of our creation cals us to all paſſive obedience, as well as unto active, as much and as quietly to ſuffer, as to doe the will of God. But eſpecially, if a man did fully know himſelfe to be a ſinfull creature, he would not p. 183be angry; yea, he would lay a charge upon his mouth, not to utter a word, and a charge upon his heart not to utter a thought againſt what the Lord doth with him. I will beare the Indignation of the Lord, becauſe I have ſinned againſt him, ſaith the Church, Micah 7. 9. As if ſhe had ſaid the remembrance of my ſinne takes away all pleading, much more all quarrelling, in how angry a poſture ſoever the Lord ſets himſelfe to afflict me: And therefore my ſpirit is reſolved, that becauſe my fleſh hath ſinned, my fleſh ſhall beare the indignation of the Lord. He that knowes what it is to ſinne, knowes that all ſufferings l…ſſe then hell, are l…ſſe then ſinne. If a man were convinced of this, that, what he beares is leſſe then his ſinne deſerves, he would beare it, with thanks, not with complaints. Iraſcitur, quia omnia ſibi ceberi pu…at.Yea he would ſay, that, as he hath deſerved all theſe and more then all theſe ſtroakes, ſo he hath need of them. The bundle of folly in his heart cals for a bundle of rods upon his backe and he ſees want of correction might have been his undoing. Therefore to be angry with affliction, argues a man ignorant of himſelfe as a creature, much more as a ſinfull creature. Once more the fooliſhneſſe of ſuch wrath appeares to the eye of nature and common reaſon, becauſe this wrath brings no eaſe or remedy at all to thoſe wounds, but rather makes them more painfull, if not remedileſſe. It is an argument of folly to doe a thing, whereby we cannot helpe our ſelves, but it is folly and madneſſe to doe that which hurts, which makes our wound feſter and our diſeaſe grow deſperate. Did any man ever eaſe himſelfe by fretting or raging under the croſſe? How many have made their croſſe more heavie upon them, by raging at it? A mans owne wrath, is heavier to him then his croſſe. A ſtone is heavie, and ſand weightie, but a fooles wrath is heavier then them both, Prov. 27. 3. A fooles wrath is very heavie to others, but it is heavieſt to himſelfe. The text is expreſſe for it, which may be a third obſervation.

To be angry and diſcontent at Gods judgements is more deſtructive to us, then the judgements themſelves.

The wrath and judgements of God afflict onelyonly, but your owne wrath deſtroyes; wrath ſlayes the fooliſh. Probably God came onelyonly to correct you, but wrath kils you. The wrath of man is a paſſion but it is very active upon man, and eats up the ſpirit which nurſes and brings it forth: Frowardneſſe and anger are at once our ſinne and our torment. He that is angry when God ſtrikes, ſtrikes himſelfe, whereas humble ſubmiſſion to the blow, turnes it into a p. 184kiſſe or an embrace, and they that ſit downe quietly and believingly under any evill, beare it at preſent with more eaſe, and in the end, find it in the inventory of their goods. So David, It is good for me that I have been afflicted. Fourthly note,

That to envie another mans good or proſperity is an argument of the worſt ſimplicitie.

Envy ſlayeth the ſilly one.] Envie is a common theame, I will not ſtay upon it; but ſhall onelyonly give you two reaſons to demonſtrate the ſilly ſimplicity of an envious perſon.

1. The good of another is not thy hurt, thou haſt not the leſſe, becauſe another hath more. Leah's fruitfulneſſe was no cauſe of Rachels barrenneſſe. Thy portion is not impaired by thy brothers increaſe; thou haſt thy ſhare, and he hath but his; how ſilly a thing then is it to envie him, that hath much, vvhen as, his having much is not the cauſe why thou haſt little. Againe, this troubling thy ſelfe that others have more, will not get thee any more; envie never brought in earnings or encreaſe.

2. A man of wiſedome will make all the good of another his good. Take away envie, and that vvhichwhich is mine, is thine, and if I take away envie, that vvhichwhich is thine, is mine. To have a heart to bleſſe God for his bleſſings upon another, is it ſelfe a great bleſſing, and gives thee likewiſe a part in thoſe bleſſings. Thus we may enjoy all the joyes and comforts, the favours and deliverances, the Tolle invidiam & quod meum eſt, tuum eſt, & ſi ego tollam itvidiā quod tuū eſt meum eſt.health and peace, the riches and plenty, the gifts, yea and the very graces of all thoſe, in vvhoſe graces and gifts, plenty and riches, peace and health, &c. We can really and cordially rejoyce. Whereas an envious man ever ſtands in his own light, and cannot rejoyce in his own mercies, for grieving at his Brothers.

So farre of the ſecond part of the argument, whereby Eliphaz would convince Job of wickedneſſe, his likeneſſe to the wicked in bearing of, or rather fretting againſt his troubles.