Exposition of Job 4-7, Commentary on Job · Chapter 7 · Verses 17-19
JOB Chap. 7. Verſ. 17, 18. 19.
What is man, that thou ſhouldeſt magnifie him? and that thou ſhouldeſt ſet thine heart upon him?
And that thou ſhouldeſt viſit him every morning: and try him every moment?
How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone, till I may ſwallow down my ſpittle?
THeſe three verſes, containe a farther argument, whereby Job ſtrengthens his complaint. The ſumme of the argument is taken, from a compariſon of the power, majeſty and greatneſſe of God, with the meanneſſe and miſery, with the lowneſſe and poverty of man; What is man, that thou ſhouldeſt magnifie him, and that thou ſhouldeſt ſet thine heart upon him? Why ſhould the great, the wiſe, the powerfull, the glorious God, contend or have to do with weak, miſerable, vaine man. How unequall is this Paria paribus congandent.match?
What is man?] The word is, what is miſerable man? Enoſh, man encompaſt about with ſorrowes. What is this ſorrowfull miſerable foreignman? Job concluded in the former verſe, man is vanity. And yet here he queſtions, What is man?
The queſtion relliſheth of contempt, rather then of ignorace: and carries with it a low eſtimation of man, let him be what he will, not a want of information what man is: What is man? As we uſe to ſay to, or of thoſe we ſlight, who are you? or what's he? It imports the vanity and deficiency of the creature. Or the words are a diminitive admiration: He admires the ſmallneſſe, the littleneſſe, the meanneſſe, the nothingneſſe of man. Queſtions in Scripture, often abate the ſence, Zech. 4. 7. Who art thou O great mountaine? thou lookeſt very big and very great, but who art thou? tell me who thou art, or I will tell thee, thou art now but a molehill, thou ſhalt be a nothing ſhortly, Before Zerubbabel thou ſhalt become a plaine: it is a contemptuous undervaluing queſtion againſt the proud oppoſers of the Church. Who am I, O Lord, and what is my houſe (ſaith David, 2 Sam. 7. 18.) His queſtion extenuates. On the other ſide; queſtions often increaſe the ſence, and raiſe it to the higheſt. Exod. 15. 11. Who is a God like unto thee? where is there ſuch a God as thou art? So Mich. 7. 18. Who is a God like unto thee, pardoning iniquity, tranſgreſſion and ſinne? The queſtion puts the brighteſt glory upon God, in pardoning ſin. Hence man is abaſed in a queſtion, what is man? how low, how poore a creature is he?
Or take the queſtion, barely for a deſire of reſolution; as if this were a peece of a Catechiſme about mans frailty, what is man? He had told us in the words immediatly forgoing the text; that man is vanity, why then doth he enquire in theſe words, what is man? It is not to learne what man is, but to teach us the wonder, that man being ſuch, ſhould be thus regarded: As if he had ſaid, Foraſmuch as man is vanity, what is vanity that thou ſhouldeſt magnifie it? will any one eſteeme vanity, and prize a thing of nought? man is vanity; that's the anſwer to the queſtion.
The Scripture gives many anſwers to this queſtion: Aske the Prophet Iſaiah, what is man? and he anſwers (chap. 40. 6.) Man is graſſe, All fleſh is graſſe, and the goodlineſſe thereof as the flower of the field. Aske David, what is man? He anſwers (Pſal. 62. 9.) Man is a lye, not a lyar only, or a deceiver, but a lye and a deceit. All the anſwers the holy Ghoſt gives concerning man, are to humble man: Man is ready to flatter himſelfe, and one man to flatter another; but, God tels us plainly, what we are.
That thou ſhouldest magnifie him? or make him great? foreignThere is a three-fold ſenſe of that word [magnifie] uſed in Scripture.Magnus quantitate vel qualitate, annis bonore exiſtimatione, authoritate, Shind.
1. It implies, only a manifeſtation or declaration of anothers greatneſſe, or an opening of his intrinſicall worth and dignity; in which ſence, man is often ſaid to magnifie God, he declares and publiſhes the infinite, internall worth and dignity of God. Luke. 1. 46. the Virgin beginneth her Song thus, My ſoule doth magnifie the Lord. It is impoſſible we ſhould give the leaſt addition to the greatneſſe of God: Then magnifying of God, is only a declaring that God is great: So, Pſal. 34. 3. O magnifie the Lord with me, that is, let us joyne our hearts and our tongues in this great work, to lift up the honour and Name of our God.
2. To magnifie, is to eſteeme or prize greatly: So the Apoſtle ſpeaking of his office, ſhewes how highly he priz'd it, by breaking forth into this holy boaſt, Rom. 11. 13. I magnifie mine Office. I eſteeme this as my greateſt priviledge and honour, that God hath called me to be an Apoſtle; And Acts 5. 19. when the Phariſees were ſo angry with the Apoſtles, and many were afraid to joyne with them, the text ſaith, the people magnified them, that is, the people had high thoughts of them, and eſteemed them greatly.
But thirdly (which is chiefely intended in this place) to magnifie, is, to make great, or to give ſome reall addition of worth and reſpect. Thus the Lord magnifies man; he magnifies him, by adding ſomewhat to him, by giving glory and luſtre to man, who in himſelfe is vile, and mean, and contemptible. And thus God magnifies man foure wayes.
Firſt, He magnifies man in the work of creation; of that we reade, Pſal. 8. 4. where this queſtion is put, What is man that thou ſhouldeſt be mindfull of him, or the ſonne of man that thou viſiteſt him; The third verſe ſhewes us, what it was which raiſed the Pſalmiſt to this admiration of the goodneſſe of God to man; When I behold the heavens, the work of thy fingers, the Moone and the Starres which thou haſt made; Lord what is man? God in the work of creation, made all theſe things ſerviceable and inſtrumentall for the good of man. What is man, that he ſhould have a Sun, a Moon and Stars planted in the firmament for him? what creature is this? when great preparations are made in any place, much proviſions layed in, and the houſe adorned with richeſt furnitures; We ſay, what is this man that comes to ſuch a houſe? when ſuch a goodly fabrique was raiſed up, the goodly houſe of the world adorned and furniſhed, we have reaſon, admiring to ſay; what is this man that muſt be the tenant, or inhabitant of this houſe? There is yet a higher exaltation of man in the creation, man was magnified with the ſtampe of Gods image; one part whereof the Pſalmiſt deſcribes at the fift verſe; Thou haſt given him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; Thou haſt put all things under his feet, all ſheepe and oxen, yea, and the beaſts of the field, the fowle of the aire, and the fiſh of the ſea, &c. Thus man was magnified in creation. What was man that he ſhould have the rule of the world given him? that he ſhould be the Lord over the fiſh of the ſea, & over the beaſts of the field, and over the foules of the ayr. Again, man was magnified in creation, in that God ſet him in the next degree to the Angels; Thou haſt made him a little lower than the Angels; there is the firſt part of the anſwer to this queſtion, man was magnified in being made ſo excellent a creature, and in having ſo many excellent creatures made for him. All which may be underſtood of man, as created in Gods image, and Lord of the world, but ſince the tranſgreſſion, it is peculiar to Chriſt, As the Apoſtle applies it, (Heb. 2. 6.) and to thoſe who have their bloud and dignity reſtored by the work of redemption, which is the next part of mans exaltation.
Secondly, Man is magnified or made great by the work of redemption. That exalts man indeed. Man was laid low, and his honour in the duſt, notwithſtanding all that greatneſſe which he received in creation: Though Sun, and Moone, and Stars, the fiſh of the Sea, and the fowles of the ayre, &c. were made his ſervants, and himſelfe a companion of Angels; yet by ſin he fell below all theſe priviledges, and was made a companion for Devils, a citizen of hell: Therefore the ſecond magnifying of man, was by the work of redemption. And, what was man that thou ſhouldeſt redeeme him, when he was a captive? raiſe him when he was downe, build and repaire him when he was ruin'd, when he was loſt ſeeke him, and when he was bankrupt and undone, give him a better ſtock and ſet him up againe? What was man that thou ſhouldeſt doe all this for him? How did the mercy of God magnifie his ſervants, when he gave his Son to pay their debt to his own juſtice? If man was magnified when the Sun, and Moone, and heavens were made for him; how was he magnifyed, when God was made man for him? how was he exalted, when the Son of God was humbled for him!
Thirdly, Man is magnified or made great in the work of regeneration, wherein God re-ſtamps his Image upon him, in thoſe ſhining characters of holineſſe and knowledge; The firſt creation being ſpoiled, occaſion'd redemption, and redemption purchaſed a ſecond creation. Every one that is in Chriſt is a new creature, 2 Cor. 5. 17. Our dignity is far greater in being new creatures, then in being creatures.
Laſtly, Man is magnified by thoſe ſeverall acts of favour and grace, which God caſts upon him every day: ſmiling upon him, embracing him in his armes, admitting him to neere communion with himſelfe, watching over him, tending him, guarding him with Angels, directing him, counſelling him, comforting him, upholding him by his ſpirit, till he bring him unto glory, which is the higheſt ſtep of preferment that mans nature is capable of. What is man that thou ſhouldeſt magnifie him in all theſe things? Obſerve hence; firſt, That,
All the worth and dignity of man, is out of himſelfe. What is man? As if he had ſaid, man hath nothing of his own, to commend him to, or to ingratiate himſelf with God. God hath put ſomething upon him, he hath magnified man, and given him a reall worth, becauſe he would. Free grace exalts man. Hence (Pſal. 90. 20.) the Pſalmiſt prayes, Let the heathen know themſelves to be but men: As if he had ſaid, man, who is high in his own eſteeme, conceits himſelfe to be ſomewhat above man, he judges of himſelfe beyound his own ſphere and border: Therefore Lord bring their thoughts within the compaſſe of their own condition, let them know that they are but men; A man that is acquainted with himſelfe, will be humble enough; A meere man, is but meere earth. The Prophet tells him ſo, thrice over, with one breath (Jer. 22. 29.) O earth, earth, earth, heare the word of the Lord. Man is earth, in the conſtitution of his body, that was framed out of the earth: he is earthly in the corruption of his mind, that muds in the earth: The Apoſtles ſtile is, earthly minded men: And he will be earth, in his diſſolution; when he dies he returnes to his earth. A naturall man is earth all over; earth in his making, earthly in his mind, his ſpirit earthly, earth gets into this heaven, his upper regions: and the body, his lower region, ſhall moulder to earth againe: Then, what is man? Hence (I ſay) it is, that when man at any time would exalt and lift himſelf up, he thinks himſelfe above man, he hath ſome notion or apprehenſion of an excellency, beyound the line of a creature: He conceits he hath or is a peece of a deity. The firſt ground of hope upon which man raiſed himſelfe againſt God, was, that he might be a god; he was not ſatisfied in being made like unto God, he would be (which was the higheſt robbery) Gods equall, and ſtand by himſelfe: this thought was his fall. There is ſuch a principle of pride in the hearts of all men by nature. They are not contented in the ſpheare of a creature, they would be ſomewhat, beyound that. The truth is, all the true worth and dignity of man, is in what he hath beyound himſelfe, his excellency is in Chriſt, and his glory, in being made partaker of the divine nature. It abaſed man, when he aſpired to take a divine nature to himſelfe, but it exalts man, when God inſpires him with a participation of the divine nature. What is man that thou doeſt thus magnifie him? Chriſt makes us very great and glorious, by the dignity which he puts upon us: as he tells the Church (Ezek. 16. 14.) Thy beauty was perfect, through my comelineſſe which I had put upon thee; thou hadſt no comelineſſe, no beauty of thine own, but thorough my comelineſſe thou art very beautifull. The worth of man is out of himſelfe; the Church ſhines by thoſe rayes, by that luſtre, which Chriſt caſts upon her.
Secondly obſerve from this queſtion, What is man, &c.
Man hath layed himſelfe ſo low, that he is not worthy of one thought from God. What is man that thou ſhouldeſt magnifie him and ſet thy heart upon him? It is a wonder that God ſhould vouchſafe a gracious looke upon ſuch a creature as man; it is wonderfull, conſidering the diſtance between God and man, as man is a creature, and God the creatour; What is man: that God ſhould take notice of him? is he not a clod of earth, a peece of clay? but conſider him as a ſinfull and an uncleane creature, and we may wonder to amazement; what is an uncleane creature, that God ſhould magnifie him? will the Lord indeed put value upon filthines, and fix his approving eye upon an impure thing? One ſtep further, what is rebellious man, man an enemy to God, that God ſhould magnifie him! what admiration can anſwer this queſtion? will God prefer his enemies, and magnifie thoſe who would caſt him downe? Will a Prince exalt a traytor, or give him honour, who attempts to take away his life? The ſinfull nature of man, is an enemy to the nature of God, and would pull God out of Heaven; yet God even at that time, is raiſing man to Heaven; Sinne would leſſen the great God, and yet God greatens ſinfull man. Thirdly obſerve;
Though man be low in himſelfe, yet God beſtows many thoughts and cares upon him. Though there be no reaſon at all in man, why God ſhould magnifie him, yet God doth and will. Free grace overlooks all the diſtance that is between God and us, as we are creatures, and it overlooks that greater and vaſter diſtance, which is between God and us, as we are ſinfull creatures; Many a man is ready to think himſelfe ſo good and ſo great, that his brother is not worthy one of his thoughts, or a caſt of his eye; he thinks it too much to looke towards a man, that is of the ſame make with himſelfe, becauſe he is a little lower ſtatur'd in eſtate or degree. A great rich man thinks he doth a poore man a very great favour, if he turns about and ſpeaks to him: We may well cry out with admiration, O the pride of man to man! and O the love of God to man! one man hath ſcarce humility enough to ſpeake to another, who in nature is equall to him, and yet God (who is infinitely above us) hath love enough to magnifie and ſet his heart upon him.
The language of the holy Ghoſt, is very graduall about this point.
Eirſt, What is man that thou art mindfull of him? and the ſonne of man, that thou viſiteſt him? Pſal. 8. 4. To be mindfull of a man, is not ſo much as to viſit him, we may be mindfull of thoſe, whom we goe not to ſee, or to whom we ſend no helpe.
Secondly, What is man that thou takeſt knowledge of him, or the ſonne of man, that thou makest an account of him, Pſal. 144. 3. It is much that God will take knowledge of a man, or caſt an eye upon him, but it is a great deale more, that God will make account of him; but the third and higheſt ſtep of favour, is this of the text, that the Lord will magnifie man and ſet his heart upon him, as if he could not be without him? Obſerve, Fourthly,
The true apprehenſion of the greatneſſe of Gods mercy and goodneſſe to us, makes us little in our owne eyes. I ground it thus, when Job had conſidered how the Lord exalts and greatens man, he then abaſes and diminiſhes man, what is man that thou ſhouldeſt magnifie him? Nothing ſhould draw man ſo low in himſelf, as to thinke how high God doth, and how much higher, yet, God intends to raiſe him. In the 1 Chron. 17. 16. When David enquired of God by Nathan, whether he ſhould build him an houſe? God anſwered no, he ſhould not, but his ſonne after him ſhould; But though the Lord would not have David build him an houſe, yet the Meſſenger, who was to carry this report, muſt tell David, That the Lord would build him an houſe, and eſtabliſh his ſonne upon the throne after him, verſ. 10. 11. Aſſoon as David had this anſwer brought him, of Gods wonderfull goodneſſe toward him, and of thoſe large promiſes to his family, he breaks out into this diminutive admiration, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is mine houſe, that thou haſt brought me hitherto? And yet this is a ſmall thing in thine eyes, O God: for thou haſt alſo ſpoke of thy ſervants houſe for a great while to come, and haſt regarded me according to the eſtate of a man of high degree, O Lord God. We hear not of ſuch an humble ſpeech falling from Davids lips, till Gon ſent him that meſſage of advancement. And ſo (2 Sam. 9. 8.) when David out of that aboundant love he bare to Jonathan, enquired, Is there any that is left of the houſe of Saul, that I may ſhew him kindneſſe for Jonathans ſake? Mephiboſheth was found; And when David told him, I will take care for thee, Thou ſhalt eat bread at my table continually; This favour aſtoniſheth Mephiboſheth, what is thy ſevant, that thou ſhouldeſt looke upon ſuch a dead dogg, as I am? He ſpake of himſelfe below men, when he heard David ſpeake ſo highly of him. A living dogg is better then a dead Lion; but what is worſe then a dead dogg? The like impreſſion Davids exceſſive kindneſſe made upon the ſpirit of Abigail (1 Sam. 25. 41.) when he ſent meſſengers to her, after the death of her husband Nabal, to aſſure her, that he would be her husband. This honour (that David annointed King over Iſrael ſhould deſire her to be his wife) abaſes Abigail in her own eyes, Let me (ſaith ſhe) be a ſervant to waſh the feet of the ſervants of my Lord. Davids wife! (ſaid ſhe) it is too much preferment for me, to be Davids ſervant! I ſhall be honour'd enough to be his ſervants ſervant, and that in the loweſt ſervice, to waſh their feet. As ingenuous ſpirits, when they heare meſſages of great favours tender'd them, fall low in their own thoughts: So much more will gracious ſpirits. Thoſe magnifying offers of Chriſt and pardon of ſin by him, of a crowne of life, and an exceeding weight of glory purchas'd by him; theſe magnifying promiſes (I ſay) bring the ſoule upon the knee, upon the meditation and acknowledgement of it's owne meanneſſe and vileneſſe; What am I that the Lord ſhould reſpect me, that the Lord ſhould redeeme me, that he ſhould regenerate me, than he ſhould ſet his love upon me, prepare heaven and glory, a crowne and a kingdome for me? what am I? There is nothing doth more emptie us of ſelf-conceit and high thoughts, than duly to conſider, what high thoughts God hath of us.
Note one thing further from theſe words, what is man that thou ſhouldeſt magnifie him?
If God magnifie man, one man ſhould not vilifie and debaſe another; one man ſhould not contemne and ſlight another. Who art thou that centemneſt thy brother? Thou canſt not (really) magnifie thy brother, and wilt thou debaſe him? It is a moſt dangerous attempt to abaſe thoſe, whom God magnifies, to deſpiſe thoſe whom God honours. That, on whom God ſets his heart, againſt him, man ſhould ſet his heart, or tongue, or pen. God ſeekes occaſion to magnifie us, though we give him advantages every day to caſt diſhonour upon us. Let man takc heed how he diſhonours thoſe, whom the great God now doth, and intends to honour more. When Pharoah magnified Joſeph, he cauſed the people to cry Abrech, that is, bow the knee before him, Gen. 41. 43. And when Ahaſuerus intended to advance Mordecai. He commanded him to be arrayed in royall aparrell, &c. and proclamation to be made, Thus ſhall it be done to the man, whom the King delighteth to honour, Eſth. 6. 11. Princes expect that al ſhould favour and honour, thoſe, whom they honour and make their favourites. Surely then the great God will not beare it, that they ſhould be deſpiſed, whom he delights in, and caſts honour upon.
But here a Queſtion ariſes, How this is appliable unto Job? why doth Job, who lay upon a dung-hill, and was caſt into ſo low a condition, ſpeake of magnifying? Was Job magnified? Doth Job wonder at his preferment and exaltation, when he was brought downe to the duſt? Poore Job! Thou waſt almoſt nullified, and made no body, and doſt thou ſpeake, as if thy honour were too big for thee, What is man that thou ſhouldeſt magnifie him? We may anſwer.
Firſt, By connecting this word [magnifie] with the words that follow; What is man that thou ſhouldeſt magnifie him, and that thou ſhouldeſt ſet thine heart upon him? As if he had ſaid, What is man that thou ſhouldeſt magnifie him, by ſetting thine heart upon him? And ſo, ſetting the heart upon man, is an explication of what is meant by magnifying man. And that's a cleare truth; when God ſets his heart upon a man, he magnifies him ſure enough; that act of God is the exaltation of the creature: Man needs no greater honour then this, that God ſets his heart upon him; he that knows that, knows himſelf high enough. Whatſoever man ſets his heart upon, he (as man can) exalts and magnifies it. If a man ſets his heart upon another man, he magnifies that man. Yea, if a man ſets his heart upon a beaſt or a ſtoue, (he in a ſence) deifies that beaſt, that ſtone. If he ſets his heart upon any creature, he makes that creature a god to him: for nothing ſhould have the heart, but God alone. And the reaſon is, becauſe ſetting the heart upon any thing is the higheſt exaltation we can give it. Therefore nothing ought to have the heart ſet upon it, but God; for he is Lord over all. And the Lord cals us to ſet our hearts upon him, becauſe that is the higheſt honour, creatures can give him. Now, as our ſetting our hearts on God magnifies him, ſo the ſetting of his heart on us, doth wonderfully magnifie us. And he therefore ſets his heart upon us, that we might at once ſee and admire, how much he honours us. If a King ſet his heart upon a man, that man is greatly magnified; he is magnified in the opinion of others; and not only in the bare opinion of others, but there is a real dignity put upon that man, on whom a King puts his heart. How much more, if God ſets his heart upon man, is man really magnified. That God ſets his eye upon a man, is a magnifying of him. It was the priviledge of Solomons Temple, that the Lord promiſed his eye would be upon that place; and it was a high honour to the Temple, that God would looke upon it continually, 1 King. 8. 29. If it be a condeſcenſion for God to eye the creature, He humbleth himſelfe to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth, Pſa. 113. 6. How great is his condeſcention in ſetting his heart upon the creature. So there is a truth in this ſence, and we may make a comfortable improvement of it, What is man that thou ſhouldeſt magnifie him, by ſetting thine heart upon him?
Secondly, Job may have reſpect to his former greatneſſe, when God magnified him, and made him the greateſt man in the Eaſt; and is now be-moaning his owne change, in the changeableneſſe of mans condition; who, when he is lifted up to the higheſt, fairly built and adorned, yet in a moment may be caſt downe and Quorſum in me lo…pletando tuam operam p…ſuiſti, tuam providentiam oſtendiſti, quare me ad cum ſtatum evexiſti in qua parſiſtere non poteram.ruin'd. Therefore Job comes with his wonder, Lord, what is man! What is the ordinary ſtate of man, that thou ſhouldeſt take care to make him great! As if he had ſaid, why didſt thou magnifie me, to make me the greateſt man in the Eaſt? Why didſt thou ſet thine heart upon me, to bleſſe my family, and provide for me, as if thou hadſt none elſe to provide for? Thou ſeeſt mans beauty is blaſted in the twinckling of an eye, and then all thy worke is loſt. It is not worth the while to doe that, which may be undone ſo ſoone. Would any one be at coſt to build a houſe, to beſtow a great deale of charge & pains upon it, and it may be ſpend ſome yeares about the adorning and furniſhing of it; and when all's done, it is ſuch a houſe, that the next breath of wind may levell with the ground. What is ſuch a houſe, that a man ſhould build it? When man is raiſed up and built, a puffe of wind, a blaſt of affliction blowes him downe, and brings him to the duſt; what is this man, that he ſhould be magnified? This is a good ſence of the words; that Job reflecting upon his former greatneſſe, and honour, now defaced and overthrowne, breakes out into this expoſtulation; what is man? Why ſhould God in his providence lay out ſo much to magnifie and ſet a man up; who may be ſo quickly down, as you ſee I am at this day.
But thirdly, rather take it thus. What is man that thou ſhouldeſt magnifie him? Namely, by dealing with him thus in chaſtnings and afflictions by diſciplining and tutoring him with the rods of thy correction.
But you will ſay, Is it a magnifying of a man to afflict a man?
Yes, it is a magnifying of man; man is magnified two wayes, by affliction.
Firſt, in that, God, who is ſo great will diſcend to chaſtiſe and correct, or to order the Chaſtiſements and corrections of man. Man is magnified, when God deales or contends with him. That, Indignus ſum, quem vel percutias, contemptior ſum quam ut adverſus me manum extendas.God wraſtles and ſtrives with man, is an honour to man. David (1 Sam. 24. 14.) ſeemes to looke upon it, as too great honour (though it were a burdenſome one) that Saul, a King, one ſo much above him, would follow and purſue him, Againſt whom is the King of Iſrael come out? against a dead dog, or against a flea? Alas, I am no match for thee, thou putteſt too much weight upon me, in that thou contendeſt with me. To make great preparations, and to ſend out a great army and skifull Commanders againſt an enemie, magnifies that enemy, that is, it begets an apinion, that ſurely he is ſome great and potent enemy, againſt whom ſuch great preparations are made. In this ſenſe you may underſtand it, that affliction is a magnifying of a man, becauſe the great God comes forth to battle againſt him, who is but duſt and aſhes, but as a dead dogg, or a flea. The Heathens had ſuch a notion, they looked Hoctamen infoelix miſeram ſolabere: morte. Aenei magni d…xtra cadis, Virg l. 10. Occumbens, I, nunc Herculis armis. Donum ingens ſemperae tuis memorabile factis. Valer. Flac. l. 3. Argonupon it, as no ſmall priviledge for a man to be ſlaine by ſome famous great Commander; Comfort thy ſelfe in this miſerable death (ſaid one) thou falleſt by the hand of great Aeneas, thou art magnifyed enough in this, that thou haſt ſuch a man as Aeneas to fight with thee. And another, To die by the arme of Hercules, amighty favour, and alwaies to be remembred. Some kind of trouble is an honour, as well as a trouble: The magnifying of man, as well as an afflicting of him. Man is ſo farre from deſerving any favour from God, that, as a creature, he is not worthy a blow, though, as a ſinner, he is moſt worthy of death from God.
But ſecondly, we may anſwer it, that man is (not only thus notionally, but) really magnified by afflictions, and that two waies.
Firſt, in this life; the very humblings of the Saints are their exaltations: their afflictions are their glory. There was never any ſo famous for greatneſſe, for riches, for honours, as ſome have been for ſufferings. Who is there upon record throughout the whole booke of God? who is there in any hiſtorie of the world ſo famous for greatneſſe and riches and high atchievements, as Job a ſufferer? All the victories of Alexander or Caeſar, yea of Joſhua and David, have not render'd them ſo famous to poſterity, as the conflicts of Job. His affiictions have magnified him more, then all his other greatneſſe, or then the greatneſſe of other men hath magnified them. If Job had only been the richeſt man in the Eaſt, I believe, we ſhould never have had a word of any of his acts, or ſo much as mention of his name in Scripture. That which gave him the honour to have a whole booke written of him alone by the pen of the holy Ghoſt, beſides the often mention of his precious name in other books, is this, that he endured ſo much. That man is magnified really, who is thus afflicted, and comes off holily.
Secondly, Afflictions have an influence upon the life to come. The Apoſtle is expreſſe in that, 2 Cor. 4. 17. where he exhorts, not to be troubled with our preſent afflictions, for they worke for us a farre more exceeding weight of glory. That which workes for us an exceeding weight of glory, magnifies us. It is not ſaid any where in the Scripture, that mans honours, or his riches, or his greatneſſe in the world, worke for him a farre more exceeding weight of glory: There is no ſuch thing aſcribed or atributed to outward comforts and priviledges; but our afflictions worke for us a farre more exceeding weight of glory. Not (as Papiſts abuſe that Scripture) as if afflictions did merit glory: but as the way Duntaxat ſignificatur, quo itinare ad gloriam pervenitur.and courſe wherein God ſets men, and through which he will exalt and lift them up to greateſt glory. Glory is the purchaſe of Chriſt, and all the heavieſt ſufferings of the creature are not able to purchaſe one graine of glory, not the leaſt imaginable weight of glory, much leſſe an exceeding weight of glory; but God brings his people to glory, and makes them (as he did the Lord Chriſt) in their degree, perfect through ſufferings. Hence obſerve;
That afflictions are (if rightly improved) the exaltations and magnifyings of the Saints. The rod of diſcipline in Gods hand, becomes a ſcepter of honour in ours. This croſſes the common thoughts of the world. The truth is, there is ſcarce a ſoule in the world under affliction, but he thinks himſelf abaſed by it, and ſaith, that God hath laid him low. Yet the right uſe and improvement of affliction, is the beſt preferment. The Apoſtle, Jam. 1. is expreſſe, Let the brother of low degree rejoyce in that he is exalted. The low have an exaltation; yea their lowneſſe is their exaltation: yet, we are ready to have undervaluing thoughts of our ſelves, when the hand of God is upon us; when God takes away that, for which men ſet a price upon themſelves; they ſcarce thinke themſelves worth any thing. But this eſpecially reaches that ſinfull contempt of others, a man afflicted is eſteemed by moſt as a man abaſed. They who have prized a man, and had great thoughts of him, when he had a great eſtate, &c. let him once fall in temporals, though he continue the ſame in ſpirituals, yea, though he increaſes in them, and his grace ſhines, as much or more, then ever, yet he is diſ-eſteemed and laid low in their thoughts. So much for thoſe words, what it is to magnifie; and likewiſe how they may have a ſutableneſſe with Jobs condition, he being ſo afflicted and emptied, when he ſpake them.
And that thou ſhouldeſt ſet thine heart upon him.
To ſet the heart notes foure things in Scripture.
Firſt, Great care and intention of ſpirit, Prov. 27. 23. Be thou diligent to know the ſtate of thy flocks, and looke well to thy herds; the Hebrew is, ſet thine heart upon thy herds: The heart is ſet upon the herds in providing and taking care of them, in looking to the welfare of the herds and of the flocks. Samuel uſes that language to Saul (1 Sam. 9. 20.) when he came ſeeking his fathers aſſes, As for the aſſes (ſaith he) ſet not thine heart upon them. that is, take no care for them, never trouble thy ſelfe more about that buſineſſe, that care is over, they are found. In this ſence God ſets his heart upon man; What is man that thou ſhouldeſt ſet thine heart upon him? That is, that thou ſhouldeſt take ſo much care of him, and watch over him; As the Lord ſpeakes of his vineyard (Iſa. 27. 3.) I the Lord will keepe it, leſt any hurt it, I will keepe it night and day; He ſet his heart upon the vineyard to watch it, leaſt any ſhould, touching, hurt it. God in this ſence takes ſo much care for man, that he ſeemeth (as it were) careleſſe of all other creatures, 1 Cor. 9. 9. Doth God take care for Oxen? God doth care for Oxen: The Apoſtle having ſhewed the goodneſſe of God to beaſts, providing by a law, that they ſhould not be muzled, preſently he queſtions, Doth God take care for Oxen? As if he had ſaid, ſurely there is ſome what more in it, or, ſaith he it altogether for our ſakes; Not altogether, doubtleſſe God had regard to Oxen, But for our ſakes no doubt it was written, that is, chiefly for our ſakes, That he which ploweth, ſhould plow in hope, and he that threſheth in hope, ſhould be partaker of his hope, So, when Chriſt ſpeaks of the Lillies, Mat. 6. If God ſo cloath the Lillies of the field, how much more will he cloath you? You ſhall have the ſtrength of his care to provide for you, to feed and cloath you. thus God ſets his heart upon man, he lookes to his people, as to his houſhold, to his charge; he will ſee, they ſhall have all things needfull for them. And ſo not laying to heart, (which is the contrary) ſignifies careleſneſſe, Iſa. 47. 7. It is reported of Babylon, Thou ſaidſt I ſhall be a Ladie for ever, ſo that thou didſt not lay theſe things to thy heart; that is, thou didſt not regard theſe things, to take care about them. And Ezek. 40. 4. the expreſſion is very full, where God cals the Prophet to attention, and he calleth him all over, Behold (ſaith he) with thine eyes, and heare with thine eares, and ſet thine heart on all that I ſhall ſhew thee: He wakens the whole man; See, and ſee with thine eyes; Heare, and heare with thine eares, and ſet thine heart upon it, the ſum of all is, be thou very intentive, and diligent about this buſineſſe to the utmoſt.
Secondly, To ſet the heart notes an act of the affections and deſires, A man ſets his love upon what he ſets his heart; that's the meaning of Pſalm. 62. 10. If riches increaſe; ſet not your heart upon them; That is, let not your love, your affections, your deſires cloſe with theſe things: when riches abound, let not your deſires abound too. It is an admirable frame of heart to have narrow, ſcant affections in a large plentifull eſtate, He is the true rich man, who loves his riches poorly. Set your affections on things that are above, Col. 3. 2.
Thirdly, To ſet the heart, notes high eſteeme and account, this is more than bare love and affection, 2 Sam. 18. 3. when a counſell of warre was held by Davids Commanders, about going out to battell againſt Abſolom, they all vote againſt Davids perſon all undertaking, upon this ground, they will not care for us, they will not ſet their hearts upon us, or value us, their hearts are ſet upon thee, thou art the prize they looke for, and therefore the heate of the battell will be againſt thee. Againe, 1 Sam. 4. 20. When the wife of Phineas was delivered of a ſon (a ſon is the womans joy and glory, yet) the text ſaith, when the women that ſtood by, told her that a ſon was borne, ſhe anſwered not, neither did ſhe regard it, ſhe did not ſet her heart upon it, becauſe the glory was departed from Iſrael.
In either of theſe ſences, the Lord ſets his heart upon man, he greatly loves man; The love of God to man, is the ſpring of mercy to man, yea love is the ſpring of love, love acted, ſprings from a decree of love (Deut. 7. 7.) The Lord thy God did not ſet his love upon you, &c. becauſe ye were more in number then any other people, but becauſe the Lord loved you, Love alſo led in that higheſt work of mercy, the giving of Chriſt: God ſo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten ſon. Joſh. 3. 16. As love is the ſpring and root of all the reall duty, which mans performes to God, and is therefore called the fulfilling of the law; Our love fulfilleth the will of God: ſo the love of God is the root of all that good we receive, his love fulfilleth our will, that is, whatſoever we will or ask according to the will of God, the love of God fulfills it for us. Our love fulfills the law of Gods command, and Gods love fulfills the law of our wants and lawfull deſires. His heart is ſet upon us, and then his hand is open to us.
Further, God doth not only love man, but his love is great, and his eſteeme of man very high; and he reallizes the greateſt love, by beſtowing the greateſt mercy: How did God ſet his heart upon us, when he gave his Son, who lay in his boſome, for us, He ſet his boſome upon us, when he gave us his Sonne, who came out of his boſome.
Hence let us ſee our duty. Should not we ſet our heart upon God, when God ſets his heart upon us? the ſoveraignty of God, cals for our hearts: He, as Lord may uſe al that we have, or are: And there is more than a law of ſoveraignty, why, we ſhould give God our hearts; God hath given us his heart firſt: he who calleth for our hearts, hath firſt given us his. What are our hearts to his heart? The love of God infinitely exceeds the love and affection of the creature. What were it to God, if he had none of our hearts? But woe to us, if we had not the heart of God. This phraſe ſhews us the reaſon why God calls for our hearts, he gves us his own; it is but equall among men, to love where we are loved, to give a heart where we have received one; how much more ſhould we love God, and give him our hearts, when we heare he loves us and ſets his heart upon us, whoſe love & heart alone, is infinitely better then all the loves and hearts of all men and Angels.
There is yet a fourth conſideration about this expreſſion, the ſetting of the heart. Setting the heart, is applied to the anger and diſpleaſure of God; ſo the phraſe is uſed (Job 34. 14.) If he ſet his heart upon man, all fleſh ſhall periſh together: that is, if God be reſolved to chaſtiſe man, to bring judgements upon him, all fleſh ſhall periſh together; none ſhall be able to oppoſe it. As it is the highteſt favour to have God ſet his heart upon us in mercy and love, ſo it is the higheſt judgement, to have God ſet his heart upon a man in anger and in wrath, to ſet his heart to afflict and puniſh. The Lord anſwers his own people, Jer. 15. 1, 2, 3. that notwithſtanding all the prayers and motions of his beloved favourites, in their behalfe, his heart could not be towards them: Then his heart was ſtrongly ſet againſt them, or upon them in extreame anger; therefore he concludes, they that are for the ſword, to the ſword, and they that are for destruction, to deſtruction, &c. If God ſet his heart to afflict, he will afflict, and he can doe it. And there may be ſuch a ſenſe of the text here. What is man that thou ſhouldeſt ſet thine heart upon him? that thou ſhouldeſt come ſo reſolved, to conteſt and contend with man, who is but duſt and aſhes; The words following (though I adhere rather to the former interpretation) carry ſomewhat toward it.
Verſe 18. That thou ſhouldeſt viſit him every morning, and try him every moment?
Here are two acts more about which the queſtion is put. What is man that thou ſhouldeſt viſit him every morning? And what is man, that thou ſhouldeſt try him every moment?
That thou ſhouldeſt viſit him every morning?
To viſit, is taken three wayes, and they may all be applied to this foreign Viſitavit in bonum & in malum.text.
To viſit, is firſt to afflict, to chaſten, yea to puniſh; the higheſt judgements in Scripture, come under the notion of viſitations. Exod. 34. 7. Viſiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children; that is, puniſhing them. And in the Prophet; Jer. 5. 9. Shall not I viſit for this? ſhall not my ſoule be avenged on ſuch a Nation as this? Jer. 48. 44. when God came againſt Moab with thoſe terrible judgements, it is called the yeere of their viſitation. I will bring upon it, even upon Moab, the yeere of their viſitation. And it is a common ſpeech with us, when a houſe hath the plague, which is one of the higheſt ſtroakes of temporall affliction, we uſe to ſay, ſuch a houſe is viſited. Then obſerve,
Afflictions are viſitations. They are called ſo, becauſe then God comes to ſearch our hearts and lives; afflictions are Gods ſearchers and examiners. Jeruſalem is threatned to be ſcearcht with candles, and that was the time of Jeruſalems viſitation. To ſearch with a candle, notes the moſt accurate ſearching, as the woman when ſhe had loſt her groate, lighted a candle, and ſought diligently till ſhe found it; ſhe viſited every hole to find it out. When you ſee the Lord afflicting, then he is viſiting, he lights a candle to ſearch every corner of your lives.
And if afflictions be Gods viſitations, it is time for man to viſit himſelfe, when he is afflicted. We ſhould viſit our ſoules, when God viſits our bodies, our eſtates, our families, or the Kingdome where we live. Woe to thoſe, who doe not viſit themſelves, when God viſits them. The Prophet calls to this duty in a time of ſaddeſt viſitation, Let us ſearch and try our wayes, Lam. 3.
Yet further, If God in affliction viſit us, let us viſit God; let us anſwer his viſitation of us, with our viſitation of him. Lord in trouble have they viſited thee, they powred out a prayer when thy chaſtning was upon them. Iſa. 26. 16. Would you know what the viſiting of God is? It is praying unto him, They viſited thee, they powred out a prayer when thy chaſtning was on them. We viſit Heaven in our afflictions, when we pray much in our afflictions. When God viſiteth us, let us viſit him, & never give over viſiting him, til he remove his viſitation from, or ſanctifie it to us. That's the firſt ſenſe.
Secondly, To viſit, in a good ſence ſignifies to ſhew mercy, and to refreſh, to deliver, and to bleſſe; Ruth, 1. 6. Naomi heard how the Lord had viſited his people, and given them bread. Gen. 21. 2. The Lord viſited Sarah, and ſhe conceived, &c. Exod. 3. 16. The Lord hath ſurely viſited his people, when they were upon dawnings of deliverance out of Egypt: That greateſt mercy and deliverance, that ever the children of men had, is thus expreſſed, Luke, 1. 68. The Lord hath viſited and redeemed his people. Mercies are viſitations, when God comes in kindneſs and love to do us good, he viſiteth us. And theſe mercies are called viſitations, in two reſpects.
1. Becauſe God comes neer to us when he doth us good: Mercy is a drawing neere to a ſoule, a drawing neere to a place. As when God ſends a judgement, or afflicts, he is ſaid to depart and go away from that place; ſo when he doth us good, he comes neere, and as it were applies himſelf in favour to our perſons and habitations.
2. They are called a viſitation, becauſe of the freeneſſe of them. A viſit is one of the freeſt things in the world. There is no obligation, but that of love, to make a viſit: becauſe, ſuch a man is my friend, and I love him, therefore I viſit him. Hence, I ſay, that greateſt act of free-grace in redeeming the world, is called a viſitation, becauſe it was as freely done, as ever any friend made a viſit to ſee his friend, and with infinite more freedome; there was no obligation on mans ſide at all, many unkindneſſes and neglects there were, God in love came to redeeme man,
Thirdly, To viſit, imports an act of care & inſpection, of tutorage Idiotiſmus eſt elegans apud Hebeaeos pro eo quod eſt diligentiſſime & exactiſſime rem inveſtigare. Bold.and direction: The Paſtors office over the flock is expreſſed by this act, Zech. 10. 3. Acts 15. 36. And the care we ought to have of the fatherleſſe and widdows, is expreſt by viſiting of them, Pure Religion (ſaith the Apoſtle James) is this, to viſit the fatherleſſe and widdowes in their affliction, Jam. 1. 27. and Mat. 26. 34. Chriſt pronounceth the bleſſing on them, who, when he was in priſon, viſited him: which was not a bare ſeeing, or asking, how do you: but it was care of Chriſt in his impriſonment, and helpfullneſſe and proviſion for him in his afflicted members. That ſence alſo agrees well with this place, What is man that thou ſhouldeſt viſit him? that is, that thou ſhouldeſt take care, have ſuch an inſpection over him, look ſo narrowly to, and provide for him?foreign Singulis mane, quotidie mane, mane autem fieri dicitur quod quotidie fit, ac diligenter ſedulo que Druſ.
That thou ſhouldeſt viſit him every morning.
Fvery morning. The Hebrew is, in the mornings. And the word here uſed for morning, is conſiderable: There is a two-fold morning, which the Jewes diſtinguiſhed exactly by their watch. One morning was that, which they accounted from an hour before Sun riſing, from the very firſt breaking of the day, till the Sun appeared above the Horizon, which is about the ſpace of an hour: And the word which they uſe for it is, Shachar, which ſignifies to be darkiſh or blackiſh, becauſe that firſt morning is ſomewhat darke: And ſo the aLatini vocant dilucuium, quaſi diei lucula, i. e. parva lux.latine word (diluculum) which is for the firſt morning, is by Crittiques called, a little of the day; But their other morning, was the ſpace of an houre after Sun-riſing, and the root of that word, ſignifies to ſeeke or to enquire, to enquire diligently. And the reaſon why they expreſſe the ſecond morning ſo, is, becauſe when the Sun is up, we may ſeeke and ſearch about our buſineſſe, or go on in our callings and affairs; The height of the day, they call the bReliquum diei tempus, quaſi ob majorem lucis intenſionem vocant. foreign Ghetſem Hajom, i. e. corpus, ſive robur dici, Bold.body or ſtrength, we, the heat of the day; either morning may be here meant, though the word bears the later properly: Thou doeſt viſit him every morning: that is, as ſoone as the Sun is up, yea as ſoone as day breakes, or there is any light, thou art viſiting. Mans viſits are uſually in the afternoone: it is an extraordinary thing to viſit one in the forenoone, more extraordinary to viſit in a morning, and moſt, early in a morning. Gods viſits are extraordinary viſits, they are viſitings in the morning, and viſitings every morning, as often as the morning returnes, ſo often doth God come to viſit: not a morning that we miſſe him.
To doe a thing every morning, notes firſt the doing of it alwayes, or ſecondly, the certaine doing of it; Thou doeſt viſit every morning, that is, as ſurely and as certain as the Sun riſeth, and the morning cometh, ſo certainly doth God viſit man. Or thirdly, it notes the ſpeed, the haſt that God makes to viſit; He viſits in the morning; that is, betimes, God delayes not untill noone, much leſſe ſtayes till it be night; but he cometh in the morning. Pſal. 46. 5. God ſhall heare her, and that right early; the Hebrew is, God ſhall heare her in the morning, betimes, ſpeedily. The late coming in to work in the vineyard, is expreſt by coming at the eleventh houre; they came ſpeedily, who came in the morning at the firſt houre. And to ſhew that we ought not to continue in wrath, and keepe up our anger, it is ſaid, let not the Sunne goe downe upon your wrath, that is, do not continue all day angry, let your anger goe down ſpeedily, even before the Sunne.
In this ſence, Job ſaith, that God viſits man every morning, as a Hic ad conſervationem & generalem providentiam pertinet. Metaphora a paſtoribus ſingulis matutinis oves ſuas recenſenntibus, Coc,ſhepheard his flock, leaſt any ſhould be hurt or ſtraied; we may apply it, as before in the ſeveral ſences of viſitation, either to Gods viſiting of us in afflictions, or in mercies, he afflicts (if he pleaſes) continually, ſpeedily, certainly. And as ſure as the Sun riſeth, and the morning cometh, ſo ſure God viſiteth his, with mercies, therefore his mercies are ſaid to be renewed every morning, Lam. 3. 23. or freſh every morning. Unleſſe God bring new mercies every day, the old would not ſerve: we cannot bring the mercies of one day over to another: The mercies of a former day, will not ſupport us the next, therefore they muſt come every morning, ſufficient for the day, is the evill thereof. Mat. 6. and, but ſufficient for the day, is the good thereof. As we are therefore commanded to pray every day for our daily bread: the bread you had the laſt day, will not ſerve this day, you muſt pray for the bread of this day, and for a bleſſing upon it, that God would viſit your bread, and your ſtore in mercy. So if need require, God afflicts every day: And the hearts of ſome men, want as much the rod every day, as bread every day; they could not be without affliction every day, to keep them in order, & God will be as carefull to correct his children, as to feed them. If a man be watchfull over his own wayes, and the dealings of God with him, there is ſeldome a day, but he may find ſome rod of affliction upon him: But, as through want of care and watchfullneſſe, we looſe the ſight of many mercies, ſo we doe of many afflictions. Though God doth not every day bring a man to his bed, and breake his bones, yet we ſeldome, if at all, paſſe a day without ſome rebuke and chaſtning. Pſal. 73. 14. I have been chaſtned every morning, ſaith he Pſalmiſt: Our lives are full of afflictions; and it is as great a part of a Chriſtians skil, to know afflictions, as to know mercies; to know when God ſmites, as to know when he girds us; and it is our ſin to overlook afflictions, as well as to overlooke mercies.
Secondly, Take the word, as it imports care and inſpection, Then obſerve;
The care of God is renewed every morning: The eye of God is alway upon us: He viſiteth ſo as he telleth all our ſteps, he tels our very wandrings: He viſiteth us ſo, that we can turne no way but he is with us; his eye of inſpection, as a Tutour, as a guide, is ever upon us; he lookes to his people as a ſhepheard to his flock, who knowes their wandrings.
And try him every moment.
It is of the ſame ſence with the former. Try him. The word foreign Periculum fecit, expertus eſt, tentavit. foreign, Sept.ſignifies an exact and through triall: Some take it to be an alluſion to the practiſe of thoſe who ſet the watch in Armies or Garriſon Townes; who leaſt their Centinels or Watchmen ſhould ſleepe, uſe to come ſuddenly upon them (poſſibly) divers times in a night, to try whether they are faithfull and wakefull; The Prophet Iſaiah▪ hints at ſuch a cuſtome (chap. 21.) The watchman is ſet, v. 6th. Goe ſet a watchman, let him declare what he ſeeth: The watchman is tried, v. 11. He calleth to me out of Seir, watchman what of the night? watchman what of the night? And it is obſerved in forraigne parts, that their watchmen in Frontier Towns are tried every houre of the night, the token being, their giving ſo many tolls with the Bell hanging in their Watch-tower, as the great City-clock ſtrikes. This is a good ſence of the place, the Lord viſits ns every morning, and tries us every moment, that is, very, very often, as often as may be, to ſee whether we keep our watches, and ſtand duely upon our guard.
But ſecondly, it may note a triall, as a Schollar is tried, by examination: We call it Probation day, when the proficiency of Schollars is examined; God cometh to examine and make probation of mens proficiencie; what have you gotten? how have you improved ſuch times, ſuch opportunities for the gaining of ſpirituall knowledge? what have you learned, what know you more of your ſelves? what more of God and Jeſus Chriſt, whom to know is eternall life?
Thirdly, It may note triall by affliction: There are three words 1. foreign, 2. foreign, 3. foreign.which ſignifie the troubles, which God brings upon man: They are Firſt, ſtrictly, Judgements, which he ſends in wrath upon enemies: Secondly, Chaſtiſments and corrections: Thirdly, Temptations or trials: theſe are proper to his children. Hence obſerve;
Afflictions are trials. The Lord proves what grace there is in the heart, & he tries what corruption there is in the heart by affliction. There are many graces in the heart of man untried, and there are ſome that cannot be tried, till God bring him to an houre of trouble. There are many corruptions in the heart of man, which he taks no notice of, nor can, till he is afflicted; many a good ſoule would not beleeve that they had ſuch an unbeleeving heart, ſuch a proud heart, till God tried him, and then corruption diſcovered it ſelf. The reaſon why God brought his people ſuch a way about in the wilderneſſe, was (Deut. 8. 2.) to prove them, to try them, to know what was in their heart. God knowes what is in the heart of man intuitively, and he needs not goe about; he can goe the neereſt way into every mans heart; he proves it only to make it known to others, and to make a man know himſelfe. They could not thinke their hearts were ſo rebellious, ſo ful of murmuring and unbeleefe, if God had not taken them about to prove and try them, thoſe forty yeares.
Proſperity and comforts are trials too: whatſoever God doth with a man, he ſome way or other tries him. Looke not only upon your afflictions as trials, your mercies alſo are tryals: God gives you them to ſee what you will doe with them; he gives riches, and honour, and credit, to ſee how men will uſe and improve them: as by afflictions, ſo by outward comforts, he tries both what grace and what corruption is in our hearts. He gives comforts, to ſee how we can live upon God in Chriſt, when we have the creature; and that we may ſhew, how much we make of him, without whom we cannot live, when we have all things beſides him. Proſperity tries corruption, then pride and creature-confidence breake forth, which before were undiſcerned: We ſay, Magiſtracy ſhewes a man, nature when it is exalted ſhewes it ſelfe, as much as when it is vext.
He trieth every moment: A moment is the leaſt part and diviſion foreign ad momenta.of time: To try every moment, is to try not only frequently, but continually: Hence obſerve;
The temper and ſtate of mans heart is ſo various, that there needs new experiments of him every moment. Why doth God try us every moment? Becauſe we are one moment in one temper, and the next moment in another: The acting frame of a mans heart this houre, cannot be collected, from the frame it was in, an houre before; therefore there is a continuall triall. Some things if they be tried once, they are tried for ever; if we try gold, it will ever be as good as we found it, unleſſe we alter it: as we try it to be, ſo it continues to be; But try the heart of man this day, and come againe the next, and you may find it in a different condition; to day beleeving, to morrow unbeleeving; to day humble, to morrow proud; to day meeke, to morrow paſſionate; to day lively and enlarged, to morrow dead and ſtraightned: pure gold to day, and to morrow exceeding droſſie. As it is with the pulſe of a ſick man, it varieth every quarter of an houre, therefore the Phyſitian tries his pulſe every time he comes, becauſe his diſeaſe alters the ſtate of his body: ſo it is with the diſtempered condition of mans ſpirit, God having tried our pulſe, the ſtate of our ſpirit, by croſſes, or by mercies this day, next day he tryes us too, and the third day he tryes us againe, and ſo keepe us in continuall trials, becauſe we are in continuall variations: That ſickneſſe, and diſeaſe within us, alters the ſtate and condition of the ſoule every moment, Our comfort is, that God hath a time wherein he will ſet our ſouls up in ſuch a frame, as he ſhall need to try us but that once. Having ſet us up in a frame of glory, he ſhall not need to try our hearts for us, or to put us to the triall of our ſelvs any more, we ſhall ſtand, as he ſets us up to all eternity.
I muſt yet come downe from the thoughts of this bleſſed eternity, and ſhew you Job tried out with his time, and earneſtly calling, but, for a minutes reſpire from his paines and ſorrows, in the voice of the nineteenth verſ.
Verſe. 19. How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone, till I may ſwallow down my ſpittle.
In this verſe Job makes application of the two former to himſelfe; as if he had ſaid, ſeeing man is a creature ſo weake and unworthy in himſelfe, and I am ſuch among the reſt, why doeſt thou viſit me, and try me every moment? How long ſhall it be ere thou depart from me? or, how long wilt thou not looke away from me?
The word under another conſtruction, ſignifies to looke upon a foreign Quando conſtruitur cum foreign ſignificat, aſpicere, reſpicere cum detectatione, Gen. 4. 5. ſed cum foreign ſignificat avertere, recedere.man with reſpect and complacency. So Gen. 4. 5. The Lord had reſpect unto, or he looked graciouſly upon, Abel and his offering. But here to looke away; and ſo Iſa. 22. 4. Looke away from me, I will weepe bitterly. And becauſe they who withdraw their eyes from us, are ready alſo to withdraw their preſence from us, therefore it ſignifies to depart. How long wilt thou not depart from me, &c.
But is this the voice of Job? Is he burthen'd with the preſence of God? Or doth he thinke the time long, till God be gone from him? The wicked ſay unto God depart from us (Chap. 21. 14.) And the Lord threatens this as the ſoreſt judgement againſt his owne people, Jer. 6. 8. Be inſtructed O Jeruſalem, leſt my ſoule depart from thee; And by the Prophet Hoſea (Chap. 9. 12.) Woe alſo unto them, when I depart from them. The promiſe of ſtrongeſt conſolation to the Saints, is this, I will never leave thee nor forſake thee, Heb. 13. 5. And the very offer of a departure, did ſo afflict Moſes, that he was ready to throw up all, Lord, if thy preſence goe not along with us, carry us no further (Exod. 33. 15.) How earneſtly doe the ſervants of God deprecate the hiding of his face, how bitterly have they complained upon thoſe hidings, how importunately have they praied, that he would returne, looke on them, behold them, cauſe his face to ſhine, and lift up the light of his countenance upon them? And is Job ſo weary of Gods company, that he beggs of him to depart? Is the voice of Job? Will a man that is in darkneſſe, bid the Sunne goe from him? Or will a man that is thirſtie, ſay to a fountaine, turne away from me?
I anſwer, the Lords preſence may be conſidered two waies.
Firſt, as his pleaſed comforting preſence.
Secondly; as his angry afflicting preſence. When Job ſaith, How long wilt thou not depart from me? his meaning is, How long wilt thou not with-draw thine afflicting hand from me. We may expound it by that of David, Pſal. 39. 10. Remove thy ſtroke Uſquoque non parcis mihi. Vulg. Iram alio converte Jun.away from me, I am conſumed by the blow of thine hand. Hence ſome tranſlate, How long doeſt thou not ſpare me? And another gloſſes, Turne thine anger away from me. Or, as himſelf ſpeaks of a third perſon (Chap. 14. 6.) Turne from him, that he may reſt, till he ſhall accompliſh, as a hireling his daies. This ſence is given us fully in the next clauſe of the verſe.
Nor let me alone, till I may ſwallow down my ſpittle.
This is not a refuſall of ſuport from God in the way of his providence, by which he upholds every creature: For the truth is, if Accipienda ſunt haec de Deo affligente non providente, & curante.God ſhould ſo let us alone, we of our ſelves are not able to ſwallow downe our ſpittle. We are inſufficient barely of our ſelves, not only for ſpirituall acts, but alſo for naturall. We can, not only not pray, and here and believe, and repent without the ſtrength of Chriſt, but we cannot goe, nor walke, nor eat, nor drinke, nor ſpit, nor ſwallow downe our ſpittle without an aſſiſtance (ſutable to thoſe acts) from him, for in him we live, and move, and have our being. This letting alone, is like the departing before ſpoken, in the firſt clauſe of the verſe. As we uſe to ſay to a man aſſaulting or ſmiting us, Pray let me alone; Such is Jobs meaning, pray give over theſe bitter chaſtenings, leave off to wound or ſmite me any more.
The word ſignifies to looſen or untie that which is bound or foreign Dimit…ere illud quod tenet ligat…m laxare dotores, diſſolvere funi mos cruciatuum.ſtraightned, and ſo to deal more gently and tenderly, then before. The word is uſed ſometimes in a good ſence, to note, that the Lord keepes cloſe and ſtraight to his people, as being knit and bound to them, by the tie and knot of his own love and free-grace. (Joſh. 1. 5.) I will never leave thee, or, let thee looſe from me. And, as it is applied in the negative to the cloſe-keeping of God to us in love; ſo in the affirmative, to our departure from God by unbeliefe, Prov. 24. 10. If thou fainteſt in the day of adverſity, or art looſened from God, by feare and want of faith, thy ſtrength is ſmall. If thou fainteſt thus in the time of ſtraights and poverty, it argues, thou haſt a very ſtraight, narrow, poore ſpirit, That's the elegancy of the originall.Si remiſſus ſuiſ… … …guſtiae, anguſta foritudo tua.
When Job deſires to be let alone or looſened, his meaning is, looſen the bonds of my affliction, take me off from the racke of theſe tortures and troubles. As we are girded with ſtrength, ſo alſo we are girded with weakneſſe. Job ſpeaks of God in this word (Chap. 12. 21.) He we… the ſtrength of the mighty; The Hebrew is, He looſeth … of the ſtrong. The ſame God, who looſeth the girdle of our ſtrength, looſeth the bands of our infirmity: and therefore Job praies, O depart from me, looſen me, let me alone, let me goe. Hence obſerve;
Firſt, The Lord can make his owne preſence grievous to his own ſervants. In his preſence, there is fullneſſe of joy, and at his right hand, there are pleaſures for evermore (Pſal. 16.) Yet he can make his preſence to be the fullneſſe of ſorrow, and give us paines with his right hand. As he can be to his people like a Sun to warme and comfort them, ſo like a fire to conſume and burne them, as like a ſhield to defend, ſo like a ſword to wound them. The Lord is a Sunne and a ſhield (Pſal. 84: 11.) yea, and he is ſometime as a fire, and a ſword, even to thoſe, who walke uprightly. The ſinners in Zion are afraid, fearfullneſſe hath ſurpriz'd the hypocrites. Who among us ſhall dwell with devouring fire; who among us ſhall dwell with everlaſting burnings; That is, who ſhall be able to beare the diſpleaſed preſence of God, which makes him to ſinners, as a devouring fire, Iſa. 33. 14. And thus the Saints in Sion are ſometimes afraid, and fearfullneſſe ſurprizes the upright in heart: Even they cry out, how ſhall we dwell with this devouring fire, with this everlaſting burning? They eſpecially who have ſleighted the preſence of God, may quickly feele the burden of it. Not only doe they ſo, who ſay formally and in plain termes, depart from us; but they alſo doe it, in a great meaſure, who doe not prize the preſence of God, who doe not welcome and entertaine him, in all his approaches to them. If a friend come to your houſe, and you will not looke upon him, or ſpeake to him, you bid him be gone, and your ſilence interprets his non-acceptance with you. Then take heed of neglecting the comfortable, and ſanctifying preſence of God, leaſt you fall ſpeedily into his afflicting preſence. The angry preſence of God is never ſo terrible to us, as it is, after our undervaluings of his gracious preſence.
Secondly, note, if the preſence of God chaſtning, be ſo grievous, what will his preſence be puniſhing and tormenting: If afflictions, which are but for tryall, and are all ſteep'd in love, be ſo grievous; what, will thoſe terrours be, which all ſteept in pure, everlaſting wrath? If his chaſtnings be ſo intolerable to ſome of his deareſt friends, what will his revenges be to all his profeſſed enemies? Wi… men are now burden'd with the preſence of God, becau… … ſo holy, they ſay depart, for we deſire not the knowledge … thy law, but hereafter they ſhall find the preſence of God burdenſome to them, becauſe he is ſo juſt; O how will they cry out, How long, ſhall not thy wrath depart from us! How long wilt thou be angry, for ever, and ſhall thy jealouſie burne like fire for evermore? Yes, that it ſhall, They, who have ſo often ſaid in their hearts to God, depart from us, ſhall heare his voice, ſaying to them, Depart from me ye curſed, &c. Yee, who have not loved my preſence, ſhall be baniſhed from it for ever. Thirdly, obſerve;
Troubleſome times are very tedious times to us. How long? The Pſalmiſt under ſome hidings and ecclipſes of divine favour, thought himſelfe in an everlaſting night, Hath the Lurd forgotten to be gracious, &c. Will the Lord caſt off for ever? Pſalme 77. 8.
Fourthly, obſerve from the latter branch.
That afflictions are bonds.
Eirſt, They ſhould bind and hold us faſt from ſinne, and to our good behaviour. It is better to be bound faſt with the cords of affliction, then to be looſe and at liberty in the wayes of ſin.
Secondly, They will bind us from taking in our worldly comforts; and ſometimes they do (which they ought not) bind us from taking in ſpirituall comforts.
Fifthly, obſerve,
That man cannot reſcue himſelfe out of the bands of affliction, till God pleaſe to looſen him. If he bind none can untie; if he impriſon, none can ſet free; we cannot breake his bands, nor caſt away the cords of his afflictions from us. He opens and no man ſhuts, he ſhuts and no man opens, Revel. 3. 7. Be yee not mockers, ſaith the Prophet, leaſt your bands be made ſtrong (Iſa. 28. 22.) that is, ſtronger then they were. So I may ſay, be yee not ſtrivers or ſtrugglers with God, for your bands are made ſtrong. It is ſaid, Exod. 4. 25, 26. That the Lord met Moſes in the Inne, and ſought to kill him. The Lord is never to ſeeke to doe what he pleaſes; but thus he ſpeakes after the manner of men, who offer or aſſay at any buſineſſe, They ſeeke to do it. But Zipporah having circumciſed her ſonne, He let Moſes goe, It is this word, He ſlacked or looſened, having before, as it were arreſted and attached him, or clapt him in priſon for making that great default, the neglect of Circumciſion.
Sometimes we find the Lord himſelf ſpeaking, as if he were at the mercy, or under the power of man, and therefore calling (in this word) to be looſened or let alone, Deut. 9. 14. Let me alone that I may deſtroy them. The prayer of faith is as a band upon Gods hand, holding him ſo faſt, that he ſeems, as one that cannot ſtrike or deſtroy, till a Moſes will give him leave, by ceaſing to pray unto him. To be ſure we are at Gods mercy, and under his power ſo, that nothing but the prayer of faith can looſen us. And therefore Job doth not attempt to break the cords, or cut them aſunder, nor ſeeks he to untie their knots, but deſires God himſelf to do it, let me alone, looſen me: I will be a priſoner, till thou openeſt the door for my deliverance.
As Jephtahs daughter ſaid to him, (Judg. 11. 37.) when he had bound himſelf and her, in the bands of a raſh vow, Let me alone for two months, or looſen me from the ingagement of my vow for two months, as if ſhe had ſaid, I will not looſe my ſelf by a wilful refuſal, but, doe thou give me a willing diſpenſation. So a godly man beſpeaks the Lord in his ſtraights, Looſen me Lord. Unleſſe God be pleaſed to looſen him, he will be contented, and (when in a good frame of heart, and freeneſs of ſpirit) well-pleaſed with his bands. In ſome ſence he ſpeakes, as Paul and Silas, when they were in priſon (Acts 16. 37.) Let the Lord himſelf come and fetch us out. That is, let us ſee ſuch means of our inlargement and freedome from trouble, as may aſſure us, that the Lord hath looſened and enlarged us. A godly man had a thouſand times rather be put into a priſon by God, than put himſelf into a paradice. He had rather be bound by Gods hand, than looſened by his own. That place toucht before, may reach this ſence (Prov. 24. 10.) if thou fainteſt (ſo we) or looſneſt thy ſelf in the day of adverſity, Thy ſtrength is ſmall; that is, the ſtrengh of thy faith and patience is ſmall. There is nothing diſcovers our weakneſs more than ſtriving to break the cords of our afflictions. The ſtronger we are in faith, in love, in humility, the more quietly we lie bound. Faith ſeeks eaſe and releaſe onelyonly in God: to ſay Lord looſen me, is a duty, to looſen our ſelves, is both our ſin and our puniſhment.
Till I may ſwallow down my ſpittle.
Some conceive, that from this Hebrew word (Rak) which foreign Saliva, undè quidam deducunt Raca, Mat. 5. 22. quod foreign interpretantur, i. e. conſpuendum vel dignum qui conſpuatur Alii a foreign vacum quaſi cerebro vacuus & judicio carens. Druſ.we tranſlate ſpittle, Raca is derived (Mat. 5. 22.) as if to call a man Raca, were as much as to ſay, he is worthy to be ſpit upon, or, that one ſhould ſpit in his face: though others ſpring that word from Rik, which ſignifies empty, as if it were, as much as to call a man, an empty fellow, without wit or brains, or within one degree of a foole, which is the next word in Matthew.
But what is Iobs intendment, in deſiring God to let him alone, Till he might ſwallow down his ſpittle.
Firſt, Some refer it to a bodily diſtemper, as if Iob were troubled with a (a)Inter caetera mala Synanchen habuiſſe ſe perhibet. Hieron.ſquinſie or ſore throat, which hindered the ſwallowing of his ſpittle.
(b)Dimitta me, ut guſtum aliq…em hujus vitae capiam Albert.Another takes it in a Philoſophical notion; as if Iob had ſaid, Lord, let me have ſome eaſe, that I may at leaſt taſt once more, what it is to live, or how ſweet life is. For that ſence of taſt works by the ſalival humour or ſpittle in the mouth, which mixing with the juice or ſap that is in meats, affects and delights the pallate.
Thirdly, theſe words are taken, as the diſcription of a man ready to die, who is diſabl'd, either to ſwallow his ſpittle, or to void it. As if he had ſaid, I am now even at the point of death, let me alone a little; Davids prayer comes near this ſenſe, Pſal. 39. 13. O ſpare me that I may recover ſtrength, before I go hence, and be no more.
Fourthly, It may be taken proverbially, and that two waies.
Firſt, To note the ſhorteſt time, even ſo much as may ſerve a Serno proverbialis talis eſt, neque ad ſcalpendas aures mihi otium eſt.man to ſpit. As if he had ſaid, O let me have a little intermiſſion, a little reſpit; ſuch is the ſence of that phraſe, Chap. 9. 18. He will not ſuffer me to take my breath. And the like are thoſe, uſed in ſome countries, I have not leiſure or time to ſcratch my ear, or to pare my nails. My ſorrows know no interim: my feaver is one continued fit, I have no well daies, no nor a good hour; Ne tantillum quidem temporis eſt quō non tenter a…te. Coc.therefore let me at leaſt have ſo much time of eaſe, as I may ſwallow my ſpittle, let me have the ſhorteſt time. That I may once more know (though but for a moment) what it is to be without pain. To whlch interpretation, that alſo ſubſcribes, which makes theſe words to be a circumlocution for ſilence. For while a man is ſwallowing his ſpittle, his ſpeech ſtops: he cannot bring up his words, and let down the ſpittle at the ſame time; ſo his meaning is, I am forced to complain continually, I would be ſilent, and forbear ſpeaking, but my grief will not ſuffer me.
The ſecond proverbial underſtanding of the word, is, that they Elegans proverbialis loquutio ad denotandum diligentem in alium intuitum quo minim as in alio diſcernet actiones. Saliva ferè imperceptibiliter obſorvetur.import, a very ſtrict watch held upon another, in all his motions: ſo that he cannot ſtir a finger, or move his tongue (ſilently) in his mouth unobſerved. If I do but ſtir my tongue, to ſwallow my ſpittle (which is one of the moſt unperceivable acts of man) thou takeſt notice. O do not hold ſo ſtrict a hand, and ſo curious an eye upon me. Let me have a little liberty, do not examine every failing, do not queſtion me upon the leaſt infirmity.
From the former proverbial expoſition. Obſerve, firſt,
Afflictions are continued upon ſome without any intermiſſion. Iob had not ſo much whole skin, as one might ſet a pin on, nor ſo much whole time, as a man might ſpit in. Every hour brought a wound with it, and the renewing of every moment, renewed his affliction. Obſerve ſecondly;
A ſhort refreſhing may be a great mercy. Dives in hell deſires not a large draught, but a drop of water, which alas! could not have eaſed him ſo long, as a man is ſwallowing down his ſpittle. The eternity of pain in hell, ſhall not find ſo much abatement, as that, either in time, or in degree, Every affliction in this life, by how much it is with leſs intermiſſion, by ſo much the more like it is to hell, and every comfort by how much the more it is unbroken, and without ſtops, by ſo much it is the more like to Heaven. Conſider then your mercies, who have un-interrupted mercies, dayes and years of eaſe, and not pained ſo long, as a man is ſwallowing down his ſpittle: your mercies are like the glory, and the joy of Heaven.
From the latter proverbial expoſition. Note,
That God, obſerves the leaſt, the moſt ſecret motions of man. He tels our ſteps, our wandrings; and thoſe not onelyonly corporal, but moral and ſpiritual. He knows how many ſteps our hearts fetch every day, and how far they travel, Thou haſt ſearched and known me, (ſaith David, Pſal. 139. 1, 2.) and this ſearch is not made in the out-rooms onelyonly, but in the inner parlour and cloſeſt cloſets, Thou underſtandeſt my thoughts, and thoſe (not onelyonly preſent, or produced, but to come and unborn) thou knoweſt them a far off. What can ſcape that eye, which a thought cannot? And he that ſees man ſwallowing down his ſpittle, how ſhall not he both hear and ſee him, coffing up and ſpitting out the rottenneſs and corruption, the filth and flegm of his ſinful heart?