Exposition of Job 4-7, Commentary on Job · Chapter 7 · Verses 1-4
JOB Chap. 7. Verſ. 1, 2, 3, 4.
Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his dayes alſo like the dayes of an hireling?
As a ſervant earneſtly deſireth the ſhadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:
So am I made to poſſeſs moneths of vanity; and weariſome nights are appointed to me.
When I lie down, I ſay, When ſhall I ariſe, and the night be gone? and I'am full of toſsings too and fro, unto the dawning of the day.
WHere the knot of connection, between this and the former Chapter lyeth, is not ſo diſcernable; which hath given occaſion for much diverſity of conjecture about it.
Firſt, It may be conceived, that Job in his diſcourſe, refutes that tenet of Eliphaz, that, he was puniſhed and ſcourged for his wickedneſs: by ſhewing, that to be afflicted is the common condition of man, and therefore no ſuch judgement of any mans wickedneſſe or ſinfulneſs could be made from his afflictions. Or,
Secondly, That Job here confutes that promiſe, which Eliphaz made about the twentieth verſe of the fifth Chapter, concerning outward proſperity, He ſhall know that his tabernacle ſhall be in peace, and he ſhall be delivered, &c. by proving it inconſiſtent with the preſent eſtate of mortals, to look for ſuch uninterrupted happineſs, or fair dayes without any clouds and ſtormes, as Eliphaz ſeemed to undertake he ſhould, Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his dayes alſo like the dayes of an hireling, &c.
Or thirdly, the connection may be made with theſe words, which himſelf had ſpoken at the four and twentieth verſe of the former Chapter, Teach me (ſaith Job) and I will hold my tongue, and cauſe me to understand wherein I have erred: In which words we ſhewed, Job makes an humble ſubmiſſion of himſelf; and in caſe his friends could inſtruct him better, he was willing to learn, he was not wedded to his own opinion, or reſolved never to be removed from it,
In purſuance of which promiſed teacheablneſs, he in this Chapter grants what was grantable in the former diſcourſe of Eliphaz. Eliphaz had ſaid, Chap. 5. ver. 7, & 8. That man was born to labour as the ſparks fly upward, and thereupon preſently inferres, I would ſeek unto God, &c. both theſe, the Doctrin and the Ʋſe, Job ſeems to proſecute in this ſeventh Chapter, as if he ſhould ſay, what thou haſt rightly ſpoken, I will grant thee; thou haſt ſaid, Man is born to trouble, I ſay ſo too, Is there not an appointed time unto man (of trouble?) and are not his daies as the daies of an hireling? And thou adviſeſt me to ſeek unto God, and apply my ſelf to him; it is good counſel, and therefore I will follow it: As we read he doth, at the ſeventeenth and twentieth verſes of this Chapter, O remember that my life is wind, what is man that thou ſhouldeſt magnifie him; I have ſinned, what ſhall I do unto thee, O thou preſerver of men? Why doeſt thou not parnon my tranſgreſſion, and take away mine iniquity? Language full of humility, and ſounding out the brokenneſs of his heart.
But laſtly, rather thus, Job having in the former Chapter refuted thoſe arguments, by which Eliphaz would convince him, and having renewed his requeſt to die, expoſtulated with his friends about their unkindneſs toward him, and admoniſhed them to a more equal dealing with, and hearing of him: he now proceeds to the confirmation of his firſt requeſt to die, which he doth from divers grounds.
1. From the general condition of mans life, verſ. 1. Is there not an appointed time to man, &c.
2. From the condition of ſome particular men, A ſervant earneſtly deſireth the ſhadow, and an hireling looketh for the reward of his work, may not I therefore deſire death, which onelyonly will be a ſhadow to me, till when, I ſhall not have my reward? And,
3. From his own ſpecial condition at the third verſe, and ſo forward to the ſeventh, therein expreſſing how ſad, how reſtleſs, how troubleſome his life was to him, which (as he apprehended) nothing could give remedy to, but onelyonly death: My diſeaſe appears curable, only by a grave, and my only medicine, is a mouth full of earth: Therefore the matter ſtanding ſo with me, have I not rightly and reaſonably deſired, either that I had not lived at all, or that I may quickly die, and that God would cut off my life.
Having by theſe arguments confirmed that former deſire; In the next place, he again renews his former complaints from the eleventh verſe of this Chapter, unto the ſeventeenth. Thirdly, he abaſes himſelf before God, as unworthy, that God ſhould take any notice of him, or beſtow a thought, a viſit, a ſmile, or a chaſtiſement upon him. What is man, that thou doeſt magnifie him? that thou doeſt viſit him, &c? Laſtly, he concludes with confeſſion of his ſin, and earneſt deſire of pardon, at the twentieth and the one and twentieth verſes.
Thus in general, both for the dependance of the latter part of his ſpeech upon the former, and the principal parts contained in this.
Verſe 1. Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? and are not his daies alſo like the daies of an hireling.
The queſtion affirms, there is an appointed time to man upon earth, and his daies are like the daies of an hireling. From whence, we may form his argument thus. He that hath a certain terme of life appointed him, to ſerve in, doth not ſin in deſiring an end of his ſervice: But there is an appointed time, &c. Therefore it is not ſinful to deſire it.
Is there not an appointed time?] The Hebrew thus; Is there foreign Militia, per Metaphoram, tempus ordinatum, determinatum, conſtitutum: ipſum …ilit…ae tempus.not a warfare to man upon earth? So you find it in the margin of your Bibles: Our Tranſlators put warfare there, and Appointed time in the text. The word ſignifies both, becauſe warres of all other actions, have their ſeaſons, and their appointed times; and the life of man is well deſcribed under both, or either of thoſe notions.
Conſider it firſt under the moſt proper ſignification, and ſo many read it, Is there not a warfare to man upon the earth? Iſa. 40. 1, 2. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, ſaith the Lord, ſpeake comfortably to Jeruſalem; Why? Tell her, her warfare is ended. In that place our tranſlators put appointed time, in the margin, and, warfare, in the text, as here they put, appointed time, in the text, and warfare, in the margin; The ſence in both is the ſame. Tell her that her warfare is ended, that is, the time appointed or constitued for her trouble is ended: So here, Is there not an appointed time? that is, is there not a ſet, determined time of the troubles, or troubleſome warfaring life of man?
The Greek Tranſlators interpret it, Temptation, Is there not an Graeci foreign, quaſi tentationis officinam ubi homo varia experiatur varij que eventis & periculis ſit expoſitus, ut miles in bello.appointed temptation to man upon the earth? And that gives us the ſame meaning; for temptation is a warfare; temptation is our ſpiritual warre, the exerciſe and probation of a Chriſtian. There are three things in which the greateſt exerciſe of a Chriſtian life conſiſts, Prayer, Meditation, and Temptation. Firſt Prayer, wherein man, is ſeeking unto, and working his heart towards God: Secondly, Meditation, wherein he is preparing himſelf, by holy thoughts and divine conſiderations, for his nearer addreſſes unto God in prayer, and how to walk in every duty towards man: Thirdly, Temptation, wherein he wraſtles and ſtrives with thoſe enemies oppoſing Prayer, Meditation, and the whole courſe of holy obedience. The life of man is a continued temptation, and that's a ſpiritual warfare, a continual bickering with a world of enemies; And though they without ſtand ſtill, yet a ſoul can ſcarce paſſe one hour, but he ſhall have many fights and bouts with his own heart. In this ſence, Is there not an appointed time of warfare or temptation to man upon earth?
Our life is a warfare in divers reſpects.
Firſt, it is a warfare, becauſe Chriſtians do or ought, to live under the greateſt command of any in the world; they ought to ſtand armed at a call. A Souldier is under abſolute command, he muſt not diſpute the Orders of his General, but obey them; The Centurian in the Goſpel ſaith, I have Souldiers under me, and I ſay to one go and he goeth, to another come and he cometh; and to a third do this and he doth it: which he ſpeaks not as commending the ſpecial vertue and good diſpoſition of his own Souldiers, but as deſcribing the duty of all Souldiers: therefore Souldiary is well defined, To be the obedience of a ſtout and valiant mind, Militia eſt obedientia quadam fortis & invicti, animi arbitrio carentis ſuo.out of his own diſpoſe; A Souldier moves upon direction; ſo muſt a Chriſtian, he is in a warfaring condition, he muſt have a charge or a word from his Commander, for every ſtep he treads, or action he undertakes.
Secondly it is a warfare, in regard of perpetuall motions and travels: A Souldiers life is an unſetled life; while he is in actuall ſervice, he hath no reſt, he is either marching, or charging; and when he comes in his quarters, his ſtay is but little, he cannot build him a houſe, he can but pitch him down a tent for a night or two; he muſt away againe. Mans life hath no ſtop, we have here no abiding City, we dwell in tents and tabernacles, waifaring and warfaring out our dayes.
Thirdly, a warfare, becauſe of continual watching. It is the watchword which Chriſt gave his followers, I ſay unto you, watch; that's the ſouldiers word and work too; warring and watching goe together: The Souldier ſtands Centinel, fearing the enemies ſurpriſe: A Chriſtian ſhould ſtand upon his guard and his watch at all hours, is not that a warfare?
Fourthly, a warfare, becauſe Chriſtians ought to keep their rank and file, that is, the places and relations wherein God hath ſet them. A Souldier commanded to ſtand ſuch a ground, muſt not ſtirre, though he die for it, and if he ſtirs (by Martial law) he ſhall die. There is ſo much keeping of order in warre and Battels, that whatſoever keeps order, is ſaid to fight, or warre. The Sarres are ſaid to have fought againſt Siſera in their courſes, Judg. 5. 20. The Stars are embattaild or encampt in their ſphears, out of which they move not, and are therefore often called the Militia, or hoſt of Heaven.
Fifthly, a warfare, becauſe ſo full of hazzards, troubles and labours, or becauſe ſo much hardſhip is to be endured. A Souldier converſes with dangers, and dwels in the territories of death continually: This cauſed Deborah to begin her Triumphant Song, with praiſe to the Lord, becauſe the people offered themſelves willingly. Many are forc'd and preſs'd to the warrs; and moſt who are not preſs'd by the Authority of others, are preſs'd by their own hopes of gaine, or deſire of vain-glory and renown. A true Voluntiere in warre; is a rare man: There is ſo much danger in it, that there is ſeldome much of the will in it.
The whole life of man, is full either of viſible or inviſible dangers; he paſſes the pikes every day. The Apoſtle reckons eight diſtinct perlis in one verſe, which met him, which way ſoever he turned, 2 Cor. 11. 26. He was in deaths often. And though there are but few ſuch Heroes as he, yet 'tis ſeldome, but any of us are in deaths: Eſpecially while we remember, the mighty ſpirituall enemies and oppoſitions which encompaſſe and beſet us every day. We wraſtle not with fleſh and blood but with principalities and powers, &c. And are therefore adviſed to take to us the whole armour of God; never to ſtir without our ſword.
Sixthly a warfare, in regard of the iſſue; victory and triumph, or ſlavery and death, is the iſſue of our lives. Either we overcome and are more then conquerours (that's the Apoſtles language, Rom. 8.) or elſe we are conquered, and more then captives; that's the Apoſtles ſence too (both in alluſion) They are taken captive by the Devill at his will: To be led captive by the Devill, is the loweſt captivity, lower then any captivity unto men. In reference to 2. Tim. 2. 26.the ſpirituall part of our warfare, there's no comming off upon equall rermes: We muſt be victors or ſlaves, conquer or die. Only this is the Saints aſſurance, that as the Captaine of their ſalvation was made perfect by ſufferings, and conquer'd by dying, ſo (at the worſt) ſhall they; ſpirituall death (as ſinners) hath no power over them at all, and when they die (as men) naturall, or by men violently, they ſhall receive fuller power: Thus our life is a warfare upon earth.
But take the word as we tranſlate, for an appointed time; Is there not an appointed time to man upon the earth? And the reaſon why it beares that ſence, is grounded upon theſe two things.
1. Becauſe there is a ſpeciall ſeaſon of the yeare, moſt fit and Non ſignificat tempus ſimpliciter, ſed tempus certum ac conſtitutum, ea analogia quod determinato anni tempore exerceri ſolet militia. Militia ideo tempus determinatum dicitur, quia non quae vis aetas bello apta est, ſed determinata & certa.ſutable for warre, 2 Sam. 11. 1. And it came to paſſe at the return of the yeare, when Kings go forth to battell. The time for war, is ſuch a known appointed ſeaſon, that the ſame word ſignifies, warfare, and any appointed ſeaſon.
2. Becauſe men go out to war, at a ſpeciall time of their age: There is an appointed ſetled time of mans life, wherein he is fit to beare arms: Every age is not fit for arms. Old men and children are not fit for the field: Hence we finde, Numbers the firſt, throughout, that the muſter of the children of Iſrael is thus made, ver. 3, 20, 22, &c. From twenty yeares old and upward; all that are able to goe forth to warre. The Roman and Greek hiſtories are diſtinct in this; In ſome Common-wealths, from Fifteen to Fifty, in others, from Twenty to Sixty: and in ours, the appointed time is, between Sixteen & Sixty, ſo men are preſs'd and liſted for war; And becauſe there is ſuch an appointed, or a ſet time of life in all States to goe out to war, therefore, that word is elegantly applied, to ſignifie a ſet or an appointed time for any buſineſſe.
Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth?
Ʋpon earth: In Heaven our time knows no bounds, there are no termes or diſtinctions in eternity; Seaſons and variety of times vaniſh and ſhall not be heard of in Heaven. Eterenity is time fixt. But there is an appointed time.
To man upon earth. The word is Enoſh, miſerable, weake, fraile man, is there not an appointed time to this man upon earth? that is, while he walks in this lower region of the world, and lives on mould. The ſumme of all may be thus conceived, as if Job had ſaid: Singulis dich… ſua certaminae praeſto ſunt, adeo non niſi cum ipſo vitae terminautor labores vitae, ac proinde ſe. cu…dum naturam finem vitae expeto, Jun.Every day hath evill annexed, ſome affliction or other waites upon every houre, ſo that there is no period of mans ſorrow, but the period of his life; and therefore I walk by the rule of ſound reaſon, when, that I might ſee an end of my trouble, I call for the end of my daies. Obſerve hence, firſt,
The life of man, is meaſured out by the will of God. Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? There is. As God hath ſet out bounds and limits to the ſea (Hitherto thou ſhalt come, and no further) by a perpetuall decree; ſo, he hath alſo ſet out bounds and limits to the life of man, his life it is an appointed time: Thus far the line of thy life ſhall reach, and no further. We live not at adventures, neither can our care lengthen out our own dayes: As all our care cannot adde one cubit to our ſtature, ſo not one minute to our glaſſe or houre. And as we cannot lengthen, ſo we cannot ſhorten our own dayes in reſpect of this appointed time: They who die in a time, when God forbids; yet die when God appoints: And they live …ut all Gods time, who wickedly ſhorten their owne: They cut their thread of life, but they cannot cut the thread of Gods decree; we live not at our own will, but at the will of God; we are tenants at his will, in theſe houſes of clay. He is the maker of time, and the meaſurer of our dayes; he gives us the leaſe of our lives for what yeares, he pleaſes; and it is moſt fit that he who created time, ſhould diſpoſe of time. God is the Lord of time, and farmes it out, as, and to whom he thinks good. Chriſt might doe what he pleaſed upon the Sabbath, for (ſaith he) the Son of man is Lord alſo of the Sabbath; God is the Lord of time, and therefore hath power to appoint, to one more, to another leſſe. My times (ſaith David) are in thy hand, Pſal. 31. 15. Thou mayeſt lengthen or ſhorten, continue or break them off, as thy pleaſure is.
Some live as if they were maſters of time, and could appoint out their own term: as if they lived at their own diſcretion, and could make a covenant with the grave, and agree with death, when to come for them. They article with it, for this yeare, and the next; rhey ſay to the grave, thou ſhalt not take me yet, thou ſhalt ſpare me yet, I have ſuch ends to drive, ſuch pleaſures to take, before I would die. They (Iſa. 56. 12.) ſpeak, as if their tongues and their time were their own, and they knew no Lord of either; To morrow ſhall be as this day, and much more aboundant; they ſpeak of the next day, as if they could command it, and bid it come to ſerve their luſts. That wretched rich man, Lu. 12. could ſay, ſoul take thine eaſe, thou haſt goods laid up for many yeares; ſee how liberall he is to his ſoule, out of anothers right; and becauſe he had got a great ſtock of riches, he gives himſelf a rich ſtock of time, many yeares. He reſolved to make his life larger, as he had done his barns; and becauſe they were full of corne, he alſo will be full of dayes, whereas the word came, Thou foole, this night ſhall thy ſoule be taken from thee. And he could not live till next morning, who reſolved upon many yeares, to live. Secondly obſerve,
That the decrees of God concerning our lives, muſt not leſſen our care to preſerve our lives. Is their not an appointed time to Non in abſurdum trabenda eſt haec Iobi ſententia, ut temere ſe quiſpiam periculis objiciat, quia ſpatium vitae definitum eſt.man upon earth? Yes, that there is, man lives at Gods appointment; but he muſt not live upon that appointment, that is, withdraw himſelf from meanes of his preſervation, and ſay, God hath appointed how long I ſhall live, therefore what need I take care how to live? or what need I take care for the preſerving of my life? As it is in ſpirituals, ſo alſo in temporals. God hath determined and appointed the portion of every man, all comes under a decree, under an everlaſting and unmoveable decree; yet the decree which is paſt concerning us, muſt not take us from our care about our ſelves. Though only the elect are ſaved, yet none are ſaved by their election; Infants who attaine not the uſe of reaſon, much leſſe the actings of grace, yet are not ſaved barely by election; what they cannot doe, is done for them, they are ſaved as elect in Chriſt, not preciſely as elect: how, they are united to Chriſt, we know not, but we know they muſt be united, or elſe they could not be ſaved. But they who grow in yeares, muſt alſo grow in the graces of ſanctification, otherwiſe they are not ſaved by the grace of election: The decree of God appoints us to ſalvation, but the decree of God doth not ſave us; we muſt runne through all the ſecond cauſes, and wayes which the word of God hath chalked out to eternal life and glory. Thus alſo our temporall life, paſſeth under a decree, it is by appointment: but woe unto thoſe that ſhall ſay, God hath appointed how long I ſhall live, therefore what need I take care about my life? This is to walk contrary to one part of the decree, while we ſeeme to ſubmit unto the other. For God who appoints life, appoints all the means which concerne the preſervation of life. It hath no ſhadow of a warrant, for any man to caſt himſelf upon needleſſe dangers, or to forbear neceſſary helps for the ſuſtaining of his life, becauſe he heares his time is appointed, and that his dayes one earth, are all reckoned and numbred to him, from Heaven.
Thirdly, for as much as there is an appointed time, we ſhould learne patience, and wait quietly upon God. It is not in creatures (be they never ſo angry) to prolong the time of our ſorrows. The ſame word, which ſhews us, that our life is a warfare, ſhews us alſo, that it is an appointed time. Men cannot appoint you one moments trouble, or lengthen this warre, when God will ſhorten it. Our haires are numbred much more our daies. Honour God, and have good thoughts of him, for whether your times be faire or foule, calme or ſtormy, they are appointed times. The whole life of man on earth is ordered in heaven.
Fourthly, if our lives are for an appointed time, we ſhould be willing to die, when God cals. All the time we would live beyond that, is of our own appointment, and we ſhould be willing to live, till God cals, for all that's appointed time. As it is ſinfull not to be willing to do (though it be burdenſom) what God appoints, ſo is it likewiſe, not to be willing to live what time God appoints, though it foreign Mercendarius a foreign cōduxit. Mercenarius eſt qui in certum tempus condu…itur & ſaepe in die, quem ideo Graeci vocant foreign. Sicut in unico die operario, quamdiu lucet ſol, no… eſt ulla requies mercenario conſtitu…ā. ita dum luce hujus vitae fruimur nulla nobis requies expectauda eſt.be painfull and troubleſome.
And are not his daies, like the daies of an hireling?
An hireling is he, who works a ſet time, for a ſet reward; And ſo this latter clauſe of the verſe is the ſame in ſence with the former, Is there not an appointed time to man, and are not his daies, like the daies of an hireling? That is, are not his daies ſet, as an hireling, with whome we agree for ſo many daies, or for ſuch a day.
An hireling.] We may take him either for a hired ſouldier, a mercenary in warre, or for an hired ſervant, a mercenary in work. An hireling in either notion is called to labour, ſorrow and ſweat; Such is the common condition of man, His daies, are as the daies of an bireling. God threatneth Moab by the Prophet, in this language (Iſa. 16. 14.) Within three yeares, as the years of an hireling, and the glory of Moab ſhall be contemned; that is, within three years, which ſhall be like the years of an hireling, troubleſome years, laborious years, vexatious yeares, weariſome yeares, and then the glory of Moab ſhall be contemned, and utterly deſpiſed, As if he had ſaid, Moab is now in great glory, but near great deſolation. You ſhall ſee three years trouble will ſtaine all the glory of Moab, and wither all her beauty; we feele this truth, England was a Nation of great glory, you ſee how two or three years, like the years of an hireling, troubleſome years, years of affliction, years of hard labour and travell, have almoſt ſpoil'd the glory of it.
And yet here Job makes a generall deſcription of the life of man: It is not the lot only of ſome poore afflicted, hard-wrought ſervants, that, their daies are as the daies of an hireling: he ſpeakes of man-kind, of the maſter, as well as of the ſervant, His daies are like the daies of an hireling. We may note from it, Firſt, That,
Except we labour we ought not to eat; For the dayes of man, are as the daies of an hireling, the hireling ſhall not have his meat, except he worke for it, neither ought he that hires, or ſets him a worke. The maſter is in this ſence an hireling. The Saints are (in this ſence) Hirelings. The Apoſtle ſpeakes to believers, and reproves them (2 Theſſ. 3. 12.) There are ſome which walke among you inordinately, working not at all, now them that are ſuch, we command, that they work and eat their own bread, and ver. 10. If any man work not, let him not eat; even they, whom Chriſt hath made free, are to account themſelves, as hired ſervants, that is, they muſt not eat the bread of idleneſſe; we ſteale all the bread, which (one way or other) we labour not for, and therefore the Apoſtle bids the Theſſalonians work, that, they might eat their own bread; It is not our own bread, which we buy with our mony, unleſſe we pay (in what we can, and are called to) labour for it alſo. As we eat that bread pleaſantly, ſo we come by it honeſtly, which is dipt in our owne ſweat.
Secondly, we are hence taught; That,
We ought to take our travels well, we muſt not murmur at our labours, or complain over our work, and ſay, what a wearineſſe is it.
As the Lord cannot bear it, that any ſhould murmur at ſpirituall worke, or ſay with them in the Prophet, What a wearineſſe is it; ſo it is very diſpleaſing to him, to ſay of our callings and the burdens of them, What a wearineſſe are they? Why? It is the common condition of man: Why then ſhould we quarrel with that law of labour, which is become the portion of our mortality. The corruption of our nature hath led us into this condition, and made us all as hirelings. Mans innocency had buſineſſe, but ſin hath brought him to ſweat, and changed his labour into toile. Man was put into the garden, as Lord of it, to dreſſe and till it, but now he is put there, as an hireling, to ſweat and toyle at it. There is a ſtampe of ſervility and drudgery upon all the labours, which the children of men take under the Sun. That argument, which the Apoſtle uſes, to ſupport us, in the bitterneſſe of affliction, hath alike ſtrength in it to comfort us in the toile ſomeneſſe of our labours. As there is no temptation hath taken hold of us, but that which is common to man, 1 Cor. 10. 13. So there is no labour laid upon any of us in our lawfull callings, but that which is common to man. Even the Saints, whom Chriſt hath made free and ſeparated from the world, are not freed from ſervice, while they are in the world. And while Chriſt would not have them carefull in any thing, he would have them induſtrious in every thing. That Canon of the Apoſtle is clear for it, (1 Cor. 7. 20.) Let every man abide in the ſame calling, wherein he was called; that is, your ſpirituall calling doth not void your civill. When you have learned to drive a trade for heaven, you muſt ſtill drive your trade on earth. While there is any thing of ſin in us, there muſt be ſomewhat of the hireling in us. There is not the moſt ingenious, no, nor the moſt ſpirituall labour, we goe about, but there is ſomewhat of the hireling in it; in the duty of prayer, in the duty of preaching, there is ſomewhat of the hireling, that is, there is bodily paine and wearineſſe, a waſte upon our ſtrength, and expence of our ſpirits. Though in theſe things the Saints worke not for wages, but their very works is their wages, and their labour their reward, though there be nothing mercenary in their ſpirits, yet they feel the effects of a mercenary worke, upon their bodies, even wearineſſe and waſte of naturall ſtrength and ſpirits.
Thirdly, Seeing the daies of a man are as the daies of an hireling. Obſerve,
There is a reward or wages, ſomewhat followes the labour and travell of this life. The hireling labours all day, but at night he hath his reward, Mat. 20. Chriſt compares beleevers, even, in their ſpirituall capacity, unto labourers in a vineyard, to hirelings, who wrought for a penny a day, and at night, they had every one their pay: It is ſo in reference to the whole courſe of this life, we are hirelings; in the evening, we ſhall have our penny, verily, There is a reward for the righteous, their labour is not in vain in the Lord, 1 Cor. 15. And as the righteous have a reward, ſo, the wicked ſhall have wages. Satans hirelings ſhall have full pay, though no content, for all their works, The wages of ſin is death; there's pay, ſuch as it is, woefull pay, a black penny. The daies of man are as the daies of an hireling, there is an iſſue & a reward for every work
Fourthly, note from the Metaphor, while an hireling is doing his maſters work, he doth his owne too, that is, his owne profit comes in by thoſe acts, in which he labours for another. It is thus alſo in the generall ſtate of man: above all, Chriſts ſervants and hirelings, gaine by the duties of obedience they performe to Chriſt, their own profit comes in, with his honour. A godly man cannot doe a ſtroake of worke for God, but he works for himſelf too; the ſervants of God muſt not be ſelf-ſeekers and ſelf-workers, they may not make themſelves their end; but as it is with an hireling, let him be never ſo upright hearted toward the maſter he ſerves, let him lay ſelf by, in all he doth, yet he hath a ſhare of profit in all his labors God hath ſo eſpouſed and married his owne glory, and the good of man together, that, whoſoever really promotes the one, promotes both. It is ſo likewiſe with thoſe, who work the works of darkneſſe, and doe the luſts of the devill. While his ſlaves are doing his worke, they are gaining towards deſtruction, and their owne wages encreaſes daily, they are treaſuring up wrath and judgement againſt the day of wrath. As the meaſure of their ſinne fils, ſo doth the meaſure of their puniſhment. Thus alſo the daies of man, are as the daies of an hireling.
There are two generall obſervations, which I ſhall but name, becauſe they will occurre again.
1. The life of man, it is ſhort; As the daies of an hireling. The ſervant doth not abide in the houſ for ever, a hireling is but for a time. And it is good for a man; that it is ſo. ſome complaine exceeding much, becauſe their lives are ſo exceeding little. But let them weigh it well, and they ſhall ſee cauſe to rejoyce much, becauſe they live ſo little. In ſome reſpect it is good for wicked men, that their lives are ſo ſhort: if their lives were longer, they would be wickeder, and ſo heaping up more ſin, they would heap up more wrath againſt themſelves. And it is very well for the Saints, that their lives are ſo ſhort. Their corruptions & temptations, their weakneſſes and infirmities, their troubles and afflictions are ſo many, that it is well their dayes are ſo few. If they ſhould have length of life added to heaps of ſorrows, and perpetuity with outward miſery, how miſerable were they! Chriſt promiſes it, as a point of favour to his, that the days of trouble ſhould be ſhortned, Except thoſe dayes ſhould be ſhortned, no fleſh ſhould be ſaved (that is, kept or preſerved alive in thoſe tribulations) but for the Elects ſakes thoſe dayes ſhall be ſhortned, Mat. 24. 22. It is a favour alſo to the Saints, that their particular dayes are ſhortned, that their's are but as the dayes of an hireling, for as much as their preſent dayes are dayes of trouble and travel. The dayes of the beſt are ſo full of evil, that it is good, they are no fuller of dayes.
And further, it is good they are ſo evil, or full of trouble. It is well for wicked men, that their dayes are full of trouble; the ſweeter their lives are to them, the ſinfuller they are againſt God. Their outward comforts are but fewel and incouragement to their luſts; and while their lives are calm and quiet, they do but ſaile more quietly down into that dead ſea of everlaſting miſery. And the Saints have this advantage by the troubleſomeneſſe of their lives, to be kept in continual exerciſe, and more dependance upon God; they would love the world too well, and delight in the creature too much, if God did not put bitterneſſe into their cup.
Job having thus ſhadowed the ſtate of man, ſeems to make out his intendment or ſcope thus. There is no reaſon why I ſhould be charged ſo deeply for deſiring death; For what is the life of man? Is it not a life full of travel, and of trouble, full of dangers and temptations, is not the time of his life ſhort and ſet? Is it not a ſpeedy paſsing time, and yet a firmly appointed time? Why then ſhould not I think the period of my life to be at hand? Why ſhould not I think my appointed time is come; Foraſmuch as I have ſo many evidences and ſymptoms of death before me, and have heard ſo many meſſages and ſummons to the grave. Death ſits upon Plurima mortis imago.my lips, ready to come in, while I am ſpeaking. Death hath taken poſſeſsion of me already, and ſeiz'd my port: death is in my face, I am the very picture of death, and images of death ſtand round about me. Therefore Eliphaz, why ſhould I not call to have my daies ſummed up, that I may ſee the end and ſumme of theſe troubles; Or wherefore wouldeſt thou ſtay my complaint againſt my life, or ſtop my deſire of death, by giving me hopes of many daies, and of a flouriſhing estate in this world?
That's his firſt argument, from the general condition of mankind. Now he proceeds to conſider ſomewhat more ſpecial in that condition.
Verſe 2. As a ſervant earneſtly deſireth the ſhadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work.
Verſe 3. So am I made to poſſeſſe months of vanity, and weariſom nights are appointed to me.
As a ſervant earneſtly deſireth.foreign Traxit aerem ad os per Metaphoram, inbiavit, ardentur cupiit, qui enim vehementer aeliquid cupiunt, prae deſiderii & expectationis magnitudine ad os rem trabunt ſeu frequentiùs reſpirant.
To deſire earneſtly, is but one word in the original, it is ſo full of ſence, that we cannot empty it into any one word in our language. The letter is, As a ſervant breaths after the ſhadow: And becauſe a man, that hath an earneſt longing deſire for a thing, pants, breaths and gaſps after it, therefore that word, which ſignifies to gape and draw in the air pantingly, ſignifies alſo to deſire, or to deſire earneſtly, As a ſervant earnstly deſireth,
The ſhadow.
Some underſtand it of the night, when the ſervant comes to reſt himſelf after his labour all the day. Night is but a great ſhadow.
Secondly, We may take it for the ſhadow of the day; A ſervant that is heated in labour abroad in the open field, earneſtly deſires a ſhadow, to get under a tree or a buſh, a little to refreſh himſelf. Or,
Thirdly, the ſhadow may be taken for the houſe: to come into a mans houſe, or under a mans roof, is called a comming under his ſhadow, Gen. 19. 8. Therefore they are come under my ſhadow, ſaith Lot to the men of Sodome, that is, under the covert of my roof.
The ſhadow is uſed often in Scripture to note protection and mercy, Shadows are ſubſtantial mercies, and the promiſe of a ſhadow …bra id ſignificat quod prote…endo & cuſto…endo ob…mbratis a real favour, Iſa. 4. 6. The Church hath a promiſe under this notion, There ſhall be a Tabernacle for a ſhadow in the day time from the heat, Iſa. 25. 4. A refuge from the ſtorm, a ſhadow from the heat. And Iſa. 32. 2. The Lord promiſes that he will be as the ſhadow of a great rock in a weary land unto his people. And David flies to this ſhadow for ſafety. Ʋnder the ſhadow of thy wings ſhall be my refuge, till theſe calamities be over-past, Pſal. 57. 1. So Pſal. 17. 8. Pſal. 91. 1.
So that in theſe words, As a ſervant earneſtly deſireth the ſhadow, Job means that, which is moſt refreſhing and deſirable by a ſervant: And in thoſe Eaſtern hot Countries, ſhadows were very refreſhing and much deſired. Jacob reporting his labours in keeping Labans ſheep, ſaith, In the day time I was conſumed with heat, or parched with heat. Therefore a ſervant hath reaſon to deſire the ſhadow.
And as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work.
There are two things, which a ſervant or an hireling deſires much, Reſt and reward; Shadow and pay. When he is hot the ſhadow refreſhes him. And when he is hungry, his pay refreſhes him: while his hand is at work in the day, his heart is upon the wages he ſhall receive at night. Hence the Lord in compaſſion to ſervants made a gracious proviſion for them by a law, Deut. 24. 14, 15. Thou ſhalt not oppreſs a hired ſervant, &c. at his day thou ſhalt give him his hire, neither ſhall the Sun go down upon it, for he is poor and ſetteth his heart upon it, leſt he cry againſt thee to the Lord, and it be ſin unto thee.
Job puts the inſtance in both, As the hireling looks for the reward of his work, &c.
He looketh. The word ſignifieth to expect a thing with an eye foreigntoward it, what we earneſtly expect, our eyes move after it. David in his waiting upon God, ſaith, Mine eyes are towards thee, I lift up mine eyes and my heart to God; The ſame word is here uſed, The hireling looks.
For the reward of his work.
So we tranſlate it. The Hebrew is, He looks for his work: foreignWhy? he had work before, he had his work all day long, his Maſter ſhewed him his work, he needed not look for that; then his work is the reward of his work. In the Scripture, the word work ſignifies three things.
1. The very act of labour.
2. The effect of labour, the thing wrought, or that which is the product of labour. When a man hath laboured, what he labour'd about is viſible, and that we call his work, as well as the act of his labour.
3. The reward or the wages, which a man receives for his labour, Levit. 19. 13. we read a plain text for it, The wages of him that is hired, ſhall not abide with thee all night, until the morning. The Hebrew is, The work of him that is hired ſhal not abide with thee. So Pſal. 109. 20. Let this be the reward of mine adverſaries Obus eſt fructus ſeu merces oberis quae pro labore datur, ber Metonymiamfrom the Lord; The Hebrew is, Let this be the work of mine adverſaries from the Lord. And Jer. 22. 13. we have the word in the ſame ſence, work for wages. As it is uſual to put prayer for the thing prayed for, a petition for the thing petitioned, or for the thing obtained by petition, The Lord hath given me my petition (ſaith Hannah, 1 Sam. 1. 27.) that is, the child for whom I did petition. It is uſual alſo in Scripture to put ſin for the puniſhment or reward of ſin, Gen. 4. 13. My ſin is greater, that is, my puniſhment is greater, than I can bear. And the Maſter is forbidden to detain the ſervants wages, leaſt it be ſin to him, Deut. 24. 15. that is, leaſt he be puniſhed for detaining it. Thus alſo it is uſual to put the work for the reward of the work, The hireling expects his work, that is, he earneſtly looks that he ſhall have wages in the evening for his work. Now (ſaith Job) as theſe wait, the ſervant and the hireling, for the ſhadow in the day, and for their wages at night; So I am made to poſſeſſe months of vanity, &c.
I ſhall note a point or two in paſſage from the words, as they contain a general truth, before I examine them in this application.
Take the words as they are a direct propoſition, A ſervant deſires the ſhadow, and an hireling looks for the reward of his work. Hence obſerve,
Firſt, The condition of a ſervant is a very laborious and a weariſome condition; He longs for ſome reſt; he earneſtly deſires the ſhadow. Obſerve,
Secondly, The ſervant muſt have a reward. Ther's all the reaſon in the world he ſhould. Obſerve,
Thirdly, The hireling hath earneſt thoughts upon his reward; His reward is in his eye. It is the reaſon given, why the wages of the hired ſervant ſhould not be with-held, Deut. 24. 15. The Lord the righteous judge between Maſters and ſervants, gives this account or ground of his Law, Thou ſhalt not detaine his wages, for he ſetteth his heart upon it; Poor man, he hath been working all day, and he hath had his heart upon his wages; the hopes of that, gave him ſome relief and eaſe in going through his hard task and ſervice, therfore thou ſhalt not keep it from him, his heart is ſet upon it.
But it may be queſtioned; Is not this a ſin in the ſervant, to ſet his heart upon his wages? A charge is given, Pſal. 62. 10. If riches increaſe, ſet not your heart upon them; and is it approveable in a ſervant, to ſet his heart upon his wages or encreaſe?
There is a great difference (and it is worthy our notice) between thoſe two Scriptures. The word in Deutronomy (ſpeaking of the poor ſervant) notes the lifting up of the ſoul; He hath lifted up his ſoul unto it, ſo we read in the margin of our Bibles: But in the Pſame (where he ſpeaks of the covetous rich man) the word imports, the letting down, or ſetling of his heart upon it. A poor man hath but a little, and his wages (it may be) is above him, his wages (poſſibly) is more than he is worth, therefore he lifteth up his mind to it, as a mercy and a bleſſing from God, for the relief of himſelf and family; take heed (ſaith the Lord) that thou detain not his wages; for the poor man lifteth up his ſoul to it, as a thing he reacheth upward for; It is very dangerous to take that out of the hands of man, which he is taking (as it were) out of the hand of God. But a rich man, who hath aboundance, lets his heart down, he croucheth and broodeth upon the creature. A godly poor man, looks up to his reward, and fetches his bread from Heaven; A covetous rich man looks down to his reward, and takes his bread from the earth; A godly man is above all earthly things, and yet he lifts up his mind to receive them. A meer natural man is below earthly things, and yet he deſcends that he may receive them: The things which both receive, are the ſame, but the conveyance and derivation, differ alwayes, as much as Heaven and earth, ſometimes, as much as Heaven and hell. But to the text. Laſtly obſerve,
That, it is the property of an hireling (take it ſtrictly) to eye his reward. This is the deſcription of an hireling, he is one who looks to his reward, whatſoever be doth to his work. Chriſt, John 10. 13. confirms this character, The hireling fleeth, becauſe he is an hireling, and careth not for the ſheep; he cares much for the fleece, and for the fleſh, but he cares little, if at all for the ſheep, that is, how, or whether the ſheep be fed and proſper. He that works for Chriſt, finds his reward in his work, and his eye is upon his work, as a reward, as well as upon the reward of his work: he is pleaſed as much, yea far more with his buſineſs, then he is with his wages: Did he not take content, and pay himſelf in this, that he is in a work acceptable to Chriſt, he could take no content, he could not be pleaſed at all, that he is in a work profitable to himſelf.
Now Job applies this general, about the nature of a ſervant and an hireling, to his own condition. So I am made to poſſeſs months of vanity, and weariſome nights are appointed to me.
So am I made. It looks like a ſtrange, and a very unlikely ſimilitude; As a ſervant deſireth the ſhadow, ſo am I made to poſſeſs months of vanity: Therefore to clear it, we muſt remember, that this is a ſimilitude with a diſſimilitude: The ſimilitude is conceald, the diſſimilitude is expreſt; we may make it out thus; As a ſervant deſireth the ſhadow, and an hireling looketh for the reward Similitudo diſſimilis.of his work, ſo I, who am labouring in the heat of theſe afflictions, do earneſtly deſire a ſhadow, and I who am at work, as an hireling, would have a reward; that is, I would ſee the end and iſſue of theſe troubles; But (here's the diſſimilitude) I am made to poſſeſſe months of vanity, and weariſome nights are appointed to me; As if Job had ſaid, When the ſervant hath wrought all day, and is weary he can lie down at night quietly & reſt himſelf; but alas! the night is as troubleſome, and as laborious to me as the day; When the hireling hath laboured and taken pains, he receives his reward at evening, but my wages are months of vanity, and my rewards are nights of trouble, I am paid in ill coyne, months of vanity, weariſome nights are appointed for the reward of weary dayes. Thus the ſence is plain.
I am made to poſſeſs.] The word ſignifies poſſeſſing by inheritance and deſcent. Two things are implied in that phraſe:foreign Eſt jure baereditario aliquid acquir…re & poſſidere.
Firſt, that troubles and afflictions belong to us by right, they are poſſeſt as an inheritance, which we receive from our parents and progenitors. I am made to poſſeſſe. And,
Secondly, it notes the continuance of troubles upon us: We have not onelyonly an ill lodging for a while, or we ſtay not with trouble, as travellers for a night, but we poſſeſs and inherit them as our own. Jobs troubles, were not to him as an hired houſe, or a lodging, but as an inheritance, wherein he was ſetled and eſtated: I am made to poſſeſſe months of vanity; as if he had ſaid, you ſee what the patrimony and inheritance is, which deſcends to me: I have waited for comfort, and have been in expectation of good dayes, but I poſſeſs months of vanity, that's all I have found and felt, as the iſſue of my labours.
Months of vanity.] Some read, Empty Moons (the word foreignbeares that ſence) as if Jobs Moon were alwayes in the wane, or ever in the ecclipſe. The word ſignifies any kind of vanity, whether in word or in deed, perſonal vanity, or real vanity, falſhood or deceit, any thing that is trivial or light. Such months have I appointed to me.
But ſome may ſay: Months of vanity: Why doth Job complain of this? Hath any man in the world any other than months of vanity? Why then doth Job take it ſo ill, that he poſſeſſeth months of vanity, when no other fall to the lot or poſſeſſion of any man? David Pſal. 39. verſ. 5. affirms, that, man at his beſt eſtate is altogether vanity; What reaſon then hath Job to complain of months of vanity in his worſt eſtate? It was with him as well as with any of his neighbours, we know not who hath any other than months of vanity. The Preacher makes this the preface of his Sermon, Eccleſ. 1. 2. Vanity of vanities (ſaith the Preacher) vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
I anſwer, it is true, our whole life is a life of vanity, but yet there is more vanity in ſome mans life, or in ſome part of the ſame mans life, than in another. Vanity is gradual. There is a vain, and a rainer vanity, and there is the vaineſt vanity. Months of vanity may be underſtood two waies.
Firſt, Months of vanity, that is, months empty of comfort, fruitleſſe months, months bringing me no refreſhing or content. Inanis & vacua, quia erat vacua hominibus jumentis & plantis.As Gen. 1. 2. it is ſaid, the earth was without form and void: void, that is, it had neither man, nor beaſt, nor plant upon it, there was nothing but emptineſſe upon the face of the earth, as it lay in that rude maſſe; So Job ſaith here, mine are months of vanity, void months, that is, months not filled up with any comfort, with any refreſhing, with any joy, with any light or content, all theſe which are as the filling up of our months, and the beauty of time, are taken away from me, mine are empty months, my dayes are all Dogg-dayes, or at beſt, the dayes in the kalender of my life are blanks.
Secondly, Months of vanity, becauſe he had not what he expected, or the iſſue which he waited for: Job expreſſes himſelf in a Vacuum tempus eſt, quon nullam nobis offert utilitatem.poſture of waiting, by the former ſimilitudes; The hireling looks for his wages, and I look for ſomewhat, but it is in vain, I cannot enjoy it. So the word is uſed, Pſal. 78. 33. where the Pſalmiſt deſcribes the ſinful diſtempers of the people of Iſrael, and Gods anger towards them, They beleeved not his word, &c. What then? Therefore their dayes did he conſume in vanity, and their years in trouble. The dayes of all men are conſumed in vanity, as we ſaid before? but here was ſomewhat more judicial and poenal; It is a ſore judgment to conſume our dayes in vanity, as that people did: As ſoon as they came out of Egypt, they were in a fair way to Canaan; but God leads them about by the wilderneſſe, and there lets them wander out forty years, expecting and waiting for Canaan, but no Canaan came, or they came not to Canaan; this was the ſpending of their yeares in vanity, becauſe they were travelling to their deſired reſt, but enjoyed it not; they went toyling up and down the wilderneſſe as in a maze, finding no way out, but at the door of the grave; their carkaſſes fell in the wilderneſſe; thus their dayes were conſumed in vanity. So ſaith Job, I poſſeſs months of vanity, that is, months wherein I am tired out in continual troubles, and they are fruitleſſe, iſſueleſſe troubles, I have no ſenſible benefit by them, I ſee no end of them, my hopes are fruſtrate, and put far off from me. And are not theſe months of vanity? Obſerve hence, firſt,
Troubles will prevail upon us, whether we will or no. I am made to poſſeſs, &c. As if Job had ſaid, I would fain have got over theſe months of vanity, or worn them out, but whether I will or no, I am made to poſſeſſe them. The bands of affliction, are too ſtrong for the creature to break: when the Lord ſends trouble, he will make a man poſſeſſe it, how diſpleaſing ſoever it is; It is beſt for us to ſubmit, where we cannot remedy, and to yeeld quietly to that, which we cannot avoid. Secondly, Obſerve,
Troubles come to us, as our natural inheritance. I am made to poſſeſs months of vanity, they are as mine inheritance, and I would wave my right, but I cannot. There are two parts of our natural patrimony, ſin, and ſorrow, both theſe deſcend to us, and we are made to poſſeſs them, till we come to our purchaſed inheritance, reſerved in Heaven for us. Obſerve thirdly,
That, though every mans life have vanity in it, yet ſome men have more: that is, more troubles and trials, more diſquietments and diſappointments. The common condition of all men, in their beſt eſtate is, that they are altogether vanity, but the vanity of ſome men is more vaine, their afflictions more afflicting, their troubles more troubleſome, and their ſickneſſe more ſick than their brethren. Job ſpeakes as if he had ſpoil'd all the world of this inheritance, and had engroſs'd all vanity to himſelf: I am made to poſſeſſe moneths of vanity: That vanity which is the portion of all men, ſeemes ſometimes to be the portion of one man alone. I am the man that hath ſeen affliction, ſaith the Prophet Jeremie. Noctes pl…nae vigilijs & anxietatibus. Noctes laboris, i. e. laborioſas. Menſes babco omni ſolatio vacuos, ut nec i… noctibus quidem liceat mihi quieſce e. Alluſie ad ſervi & merceuarij nocturnam quierem, Pined.Lam. 3. 1. why, is that ſuch a ſtrange ſight, who hath not ſeen affliction? True, but Ieremy had ſeen more, then moſt, and therefore he ſpeakes, as if he only had ſeen affliction. I am the man.
And we ariſome nights are appointed to me.
Weariſome nights.] Or nights of labour and wearineſſe; As if Iob had ſaid, though the ſervant be wearied all day, yet the night is not weariſome to him, he reſts at night, but I am wearied in the day, and wearied in the night; weariſome nights are appointed to me; the night which is given unto others for reſt, is meaſured out to me, in watchings and in ſorrowes. And this is a great aggravation of his ſad condition: it is ſaid before, that he had moneths of vanity, yet it might be ſuppoſed, his nights were comfortable intervals of refreſhing: As a man may ſay, I have had ſeven years of hard labour, yet it is ſuppoſed he reſted all the nights of thoſe years; ſo when Iob ſaith, I had moneths of vanity, it might be conceived, he had, at leaſt ſometimes, a good night; therefore he adds, weariſome nights are appointed to me, I ſpeake not after the rate of ordinary men, whoſe moneths labour, is a monethmonth of dayes, my labouring moneths include the night alſo.
A ſtrong, healthy man goeth ſorth to his labour and to his work, untill the evening, Pſal. 104. 23. But a ſick, weake man, goeth forth to his labour in the evening. *Nox aegris maxime infeſta eſt, toti ſunt in cogitandis malis ſuisThe night is moſt laborious to ſick men, then they revolve their troubles, and being free from viſits of friends, they viſit their own afflictions, and ſtudy their own diſtempers, freely.
Are appointed to me.] The Hebrew is, *foreign Numeravit, ſupputavit, unde foreign menſis quod juxta lunae curſum menſes numeramus. Non quancum que rationem numerandi de otat. ſed artificialem & Arithme…c…m; ne que illam quam vocant Additionē, ſed ſubſtractionem.Are numbred, or reckned to me: as if he ſhould ſay, God ſets down my nights by tale or by ſcores, It is an arithmaticall word, is notes to number by art & skil: And ſome obſerve, that it notes Arithmetique in that operation of it, which we call ſubſtraction or ſubduction, not that which we call addition or multiplication. Weariſome nights, are numbred or appointed to me, in a kind of ſubſtraction, that is, God takes or ſubſtracts the night out of the moneths, and makes them as weariſome and as troubleſome to me, as the dayes are. And becauſe thoſe things, which are thus numbred by way of ſeparation or ſubſtraction, are uſually appointed or appropriated to ſome ſpeciall Qui in hac ratione numer andi quaedam ſubducuntur, & quaſi ſeparantur, ideo ſignificat ſcorſim deſtinare ad aliquem ſpecialem uſum.uſe, therefore the word is well tranſlated, to appoint or conſtitute: if you ſee a man ſeparate or ſubſtract one thing from another, it is an argument that he hath a reaſon for what he doth, and intends it to ſome extraordinary purpoſe. The word is ſo taken here, to note a ſpeciall end to which theſe nights, being ſubſtracted from the reſt of his time, were appointed; namely, they were to be as Jobs pay and reward; He was troubled all day, and if he looked for his reward or comfort in the evening, this was given him, A night as weariſome as his day, or he had an ill nights reſt given for his hard dayes labour. The Prophet gives us the word in ſuch a ſence, Iſa. 56. 11, 12. He tels the Jewes their ſin in the former words, Ye furniſh a drink offering to that number; Some underſtand his meaning to be, a reproofe of that wicked and ſuperſtitious cuſtome, wherein the Jewes (it ſeems) did ſympolize with the heathens, who were wont to drink to their Idols by number, to ſuch an Idol they would drink ſo many cups, and that was called a drink offering to that number; Now ſaith God, becauſe you have done thus, namely, furniſhed a drink offering to that number, therefore I will number you to the ſword, or, therefore I will appoint you to the ſword, I will ſubſtract and take you out, and you ſhall be the men ſeparated for the ſword to deal with and deſtroy; I will number you to the ſword, that ſhall drink your bloud, becauſe you have been ſo accurate in wickedneſſe, to drink by number. The word is applied to Chriſt (Iſa. 53. 12.) He was numbred amongſt the tranſgreſſors, that is, he was taken aſide, and ſeparated from the innocent, and ranked amongſt tranſgreſſors; which notes him appointed, or ſet apart to that end, that ſo he might be the Saviour of tranſgreſſors, and a deliverer of the wicked from their ſins. In Daniel 1. ver. 10. when thoſe children of the Hebrewes, deſired to be ſpared from eating the Kings diet, I dare not doe it, ſaith the ſteward, for I feare my Lord the King, who hath appointed your meate and your drink; as if it ſhould be ſaid, he hath numbred out to you, ſo many diſhes of meat he hath numbred out to you, ſo many flagons of wine, he hath ſubſtracted ſuch a proportion, and appointed it to you, and I dare not alter it. And in the Propheſie of Jonah, chap. 1. ver. 17. it is ſaid, God prepared a great fiſh to ſwallow up Jonah, ſo we tranſlate, the Hebrew is, God numbred a great fiſh to ſwallow up Jonah, that is, God did ſeparate or ſubſtanct a fiſh from all the reſt of the fiſhes of the ſea, for that end and purpoſe, to ſwallow up Ionah. From all which inſtances it is clear, that the word notes an appointment, by way of deſign, or the drawing of a thing to ſome ſpeciall uſe and ſervice. When a Party is drawn out of the body of an Army, they are numbred or appointed to ſome deſign; ſuch a meaning is in Iobs words, theſe nights are ſubſtracted or drawn out, and then appointed to be my reward and wages. The ſumme of all is, Iob comparing his eſtate with that of hirelings, ſervants and ſouldiers, finds his far worſe than theirs, they have reſt in the night, at leaſt ſome nights they reſt, but he had none.
Obſerve here the law of nature, Night is the time of reſt. Sleepe is the parentheſis of our troubles: it puts a ſtop to our ſorrowes, and gives intermiſſion to our labours. Obſerve ſecondly,
That the troubles of every night, and how many troubleſome nights any one ſhall have, are determined by God himſelfe. I have weariſome nights (ſaith Iob) but they come not by accident, they are appointed and exactly numbred to me. It is matter of great comfort, to remember, that God is thus accurate about our ſorrows: He gives his people a cup of ſorrow, & he appointeth how many drops ſhall be in their cup, all the world cannot put in one drop beyond his meaſure: He appointeth out our trouble for the kind, and for the degree, and for the time or continuance of it; how many weariſome nights, how long every night ſhall be, are all calculated and ſet down, in the kalender of his heavenly counſels.
I ſhall adde but a word of the next verſe, which is onelyonly the deſcription of a weariſome night: Iob having ſaid, that weariſome nights were appointed or numbred out to him: now reſolves us what he meanes by a weariſome night, or when he accounts a night weariſome.
Verſe 4. When I lie down, I ſay, when ſhall I ariſe, and the night be gone? And I am full of toſſings to and fro, unto the dawning of the day.
This is a weariſome night, and it is a moſt exact deſcription of a weariſome night; when a man, as ſoone as he goeth to bed, deſires to riſe, as ſoone as it is night, enquires for day, this man hath a weary time of it.
When ſhall I ariſe, and the night be gone? Mr Broughton tranſlates, the duskie time be gone? The word ſignifies evening, and the verbe, to mingle or to mix; becauſe the evening is a time, foreign Miſcuit, adveſperaſcit, inde foreign veſpera tempus ill…d cum tenebrae miſcentur luci.wherein there is a mixture (as it were) of light and darkneſſe. Evening, is light and darkneſſe mingled; hence we call it twilight; And though all the night be (in this ſence) mixed, becauſe in nature there is no pure darkneſſe, yet in the evening, this mixture is more diſcernable; therefore it is rather appliable to the former part of the night, becauſe afterward the light is more fully overcome, and conquered.
When ſhall the night be gone? The Hebrew is, when ſhall the foreign Menſuravit binc foreign menſuram quantitatis continuae denotot, ſicut foreign diſcretae.night be meaſured out? There is an elegancy in that; it ſignifies to meaſure a thing, as we meaſure cloth, by a yard, or as ground is meaſured, by a rod or pole; it ſignifies likewiſe to meaſure time, to tell, count and obſerve the houres: As if Iob had ſaid, of himſelf (as many times ſick men doe) I lie a bed all night, and tell the clock. The clock is the meaſure of the night: now, ſaith he, when ſhall the night be meaſured out? As if he had (with ſorrow) counted the tedious houres, oh when will this time be meaſured out? what a long night is this! As come to a ſick man in a morning, and you ſhall have him ſay, what a long, tedious night was this? as long as two or three nights.
He adds yet another part of the deſcription, I am full of toſſings to and fro unto the dawning of the day. He lay meaſuring the night, and was unquiet all the while, full of toſſings to and fro. The foreign Saturatusword ſignifies to be filled with meat and drinke; I have my fill of troubles, my fill of torture, I have unquietneſſe enough, as much as I can hold of ſorrow.
Toſſings to and fro.] The word is underſtood by ſome, of inward toſſings. I am full of toſſings to and fro, that is, I have great foreign à radice foreign motus, remotus-elorgatus. Ceterem agitationem denotat. Saturatus ſum v…gis cogitationibus. Rab. Levagitations in my heart, my thoughts are very unſetled. One of the Rabbines to that ſence, I am full of wandring thoughts; thoughts will toſſe up and downe, forward and backward; A mans thoughts will toſſe him from one end of the world unto the other; while he is a priſoner in his bed: They toſſe him from buſineſſe to buſineſſe, while he is unfit for any buſineſſe. A ſicke man is full of inward toſſings, of wandring thoughts, his thoughts run faſteſt, when himſelf is bed-rid, or confin'd to his bed: all the night is ſpent in the travell of his mind, while his body cannot ſtirre.
But rather undeſtand it of corporall toſſings. A ſick man full of Aegrotantes mutationibus ut remedijs utuntur. Sen.paine removes from one ſide of his bed to another, from one corner to another, ſometimes from the head of the bed to the foot. The Moraliſt expreſſes it excellently, Sick men uſe changes, as if they were medicines, they hope by changing their place to looſe their pain by the way, I am full of toſſings to and fro.
Till the dawning of the day.
Till the day breake, that is, the whole night though. Some underſtand foreign Crepuſculum veſpertinū, vel matutinum.this for the evening, the word ſignifies both the evening and the morning. And theſe interpret this latter part of the verſe, for his troubles in the day, having complained before, that weariſome nights were appointed to him, When I lie downe, I ſay, when will the night be gone? There is an end of the night, but when the night is gone, have I any eaſe in the day? No, I am full of toſſings to and fro, untill the evening; And ſo it is an amplification of his troubles in regard of both parts of the naturall day, light and darkneſſe. But we may more properly keep it to the deſcription of a weariſome night, and that word, which may note the evening, is here to be appropriated to the dawning of the day, when darknes begins to depart, and give way to the prevailing light.
This was a great aggravation of the afflictions of this holy man, he had no reſt, no eaſe, in any part of the night, he could not ſo much as, get a nap towards morning.
The night is the time of our truce with troubles, through a man be in conflicts with buſineſſe all day long, yet there is a ceſſation at night, all is laid by till morning. Hence the night and ſleepe are well called, The Conquerours of evill, and Victors over ſorrow; Malurum Domi…ices.becauſe in the night a man gets rid of them. Chriſt ſaith, Mat. 6. ult. Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof: if there be evil enough in the day, who is able to ſtand before the evils of day and night too? When our very ſleepe becomes our fight, what can fleſh and blood doe any more? Sleepe is a medicine for all diſeaſes, and Phyſitians often give a ſleepie potion for a medicine, that the body may have a little refreſhing, after it hath been worne and tired out with a wakefull ſickneſſe.
Obſerve from the text, as it is the deſcription of a ſick man;
That a man in pain lo…ks upon every time as better to him, than the preſent time. When I lie down, I ſay, when ſhall I ariſe? I hope it will be better with me anon, I hope the day will be better to me than the night, and when the day comes, then he wiſheth for night hoping the night will be better than the day. An afflicted troubleſome time is ſo deſcribed, Deut. 28. 67. In the Morning thou ſhalt ſay, would God it were Even, and at Even thou ſhalt ſay, would God it were Morning; They ſhall think any thing, or time to come, better to them, then the preſent; therefore when they had night, they call'd for day, and when they had day, they ſent a meſſenger for the night, ever thinking the next change of time, would be-friend them with a change in their condition. Obſerve, Secondly.
Change of place giveth no eaſe of pain. I am full of toſſings to and fro to the dawning of the day; he had changed, and changed, and changed, but could not change his paine for eaſe, that continued ſtill. Some travell to other Countries to mend their Eſtates. Some goe from kingdom to kingdome to eaſe their minds; and ſome to better their manners; but, as he that runs to another country caelum non animam mutat, qui trans mare currit.changes his aire, but not his heart, alters place, but not his manners, the ſame is the ſame ſtill: So it brings no health to the ſick, no eaſe to the pained to change place.
As a man ſin-ſick, before he comes to reſt and healing in Chriſt, toſſes from place to place, from this duty to that duty, from this meanes to that meanes to get a little eaſe for his wounded ſpirit and aking conſcience; he hopeth this will do him good, and that will doe him good, but all in vaine. And as worldly men hope their pleaſures and their riches will do them good, and ſo they toſſe from one pleaſure to another, from creture to creature, but al fails there is no ſettlement, no compoſedneſſe, no peace, no redreſſe, till the ſoul fixes upon Chriſt. So in bodily paines, there is no eaſe, no refreſhing, but in God: it is not this or that place of the bed, it is not the bed or the couch, it is not the Country or the City, a ſharp or a temperate aire can do it; God can alone, and he can command any creature to do it.
You that have moneths of comfort, and to whome refreſhing nights are appointed, bleſſe God, it is not your bed that gives you reſt, but his bleſſing.
Remember this deſcription of a ſicke man: preſent the condition of a ſick man to your thoughts, thinke what a weariſome thing it is, to lie all night telling the clock, calling for day, and toſſing to and fro, praiſe God for quiet nights, and pity thoſe to whom weariſome nights are appointed.