Exposition of Job 8-10 — Joseph Caryl

Exposition of Job 8-10 · Joseph Caryl

JOB Chap. 10. Verſ. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.

Thine hands have made me, and faſhioned me together round about; and yet thou doeſt deſtroy me.

Remember, I beſeech thee, that thou haſt made me as the clay, and wilt thou bring me into duſt again?

Haſt thou not poured me out as milk, and crudled me like cheeſe?

Thou hast cloathed me with skin and fleſh, and haſt fenced me with bones and ſinews.

Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy viſitation hath preſerved my ſpirit.

And theſe things haſt thou hid in thine heart, I know that this is with thee.

AT the third verſe of this Chapter, we found Job queſtioning with the Lord, Is it good for thee that thou ſhouldest oppreſſe? That thou ſhouldeſt despiſe the work of thine hands? In theſe words he inſiſteth upon, and illuſtrateth that argument, by fitting it to his own condition; As if he had ſaid, Lord, ſeeing thou wilt not deſpiſe the work of …ine hands, why ſhouldeſt thou despiſe me? Am not I the work of thy hands? Thine hands have made me, and faſhioned me together round about, and yet thou doſt deſtroy me. The whole context argues out this point: wherein we may obſerve,

1. His forming or making, ſet down in generall at the eighth verſe, Thine hands have made me, and faſhioned me together round about.

2. The matter out of which he was formed and made, at the ninth verſe, Remember, I beſeech thee, that thou haſt made me as the clay.

3. His forming is drawn out in particulars. Wherein we have,

Firſt, His conception at the tenth verſe, Haſt not thou poured me out as milk, and crudled me as cheeſe?

2. The conjunction or ſetting together of his patts, at the 11. verſe, Thou haſt clothed me with skin and fleſh, and haſt fenced me with bones and ſinews.

3. The quickning of his parts thus joyned and ſet together, at the 12. verſe, Thou haſt granted me life.

4. The preſervation of his life, in the ſame verſe, Thou haſt given me life, and (not only ſo, but) favour, and thy viſitation doth preſerve my ſpirit.

5. Laſtly, We have Jobs ſtrength of aſſurance, or his aſſertion concerning all this at the 13. verſe, Theſe things thou haſt hid in thine heart, I know that this is with thee; as if he had ſaid, Lord, Thou knoweſt all is truth which I have spoken.

There are three opinions concerning the connection or tie of theſe words with thoſe that went before.

Firſt, Some conceive that Job perſiſteth in the ſame matter handled, in the words immediately foregoing, exalting the knowledge of God concerning man upon this ground, becauſe God made man. Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked. How did Job know that? He muſt needs know what man is, who made man, Thine hands have made me and faſhioned me together round about; foraſmuch as I am thy work, a piece of thy framing, ſurely, thou knoweſt what thou haſt framed: thou who hadſt knowledge enough to make me, haſt a perfect knowledge of what thou haſt made me. We may joyn it alſo with the later clauſe, None can deliver out of thine hand; Why? Thine hands have made me and faſhioned me. Is it poſſible for the work to deliver it ſelf out of the hand of him who wrought it? Is that which is formed too ſtrong for him that formed it, when as the ſame hand which gave it form, gave it ſtrength? We finde this argument as to the former part (Pſal. 94.9.) where from the work of God in our naturall conſtitution, the holy pen-man proves the fulneſſe of his knowledge concerning us in every condition; Ʋnderſtand ye brutiſh (he ſpeaks to men, who acted more like beaſts then men) He that planted the ear, Shall he not hear? He that formed the eye ſhall he not ſee? As if he had ſaid, He that made the ear, is all hearing; and he who formed the eye, is all eye, all ſight. The argument holds ſtrong from Gods power in forming man, to his power of knowing man, and to his power of diſpoſing man.I am teneo huj… rei cauſam; cum enim manus illius me fecerint, jure ſuo poteſt Deus me deſtruere Cajet. That's the firſt way of dependance.

Secondly, Job may be conceived, as rendering an account of thoſe things about which he had taken the boldneſſe to interrogate the Lord, at the third verſe. Here he anſwers his own queſtion; as if he had ſaid, now I ſee well enough why thou maiſt deſpiſe and deſtroy thy work, It is thy work; I will go no further for a reaſon to vindicate thee in breaking me to pieces then this, That thine hands have ſet me together: Thou haſt made me, and thou maieſt unmake me; thou haſt rais'd me up, and thou maieſt pull me down. So the copulative (vau) in the originall, which we tranſlate by the adverſative, yet, is taken for a conjunction cauſall; and ſo it is frequently uſed in Scripture (Gen. 30.20.) Dust thou art, and to duſt thou ſhalt return; The ſenſe is, Duſt thou art, therefore to duſt thou ſhalt return (Exod. 15.23, 24.) The waters were bitter, and the people murmured; that is, The waters were bitter, therefore the people murmured; thus here, Thine hands have made me and faſhioned me, therefore thou doſt deſtroy me. He that builds the houſe at his own charge, and by his own power, may ruin it at his own pleaſure.

Ex ſua formatione artificis miſericordiam movet, & ex commemorato priſtino beneficio, alia denuò efflagitandi anſam arripit. Pined.Thirdly, The words may carry the ſenſe of a ſtrong motive to prevail with God, to handle Job more gently, or to deal more tenderly with him; why? The Lord had beſtowed much care and coſt to make and faſhion him: therefore he will ſurely pity and ſpare him. There is a naturall motion of the heart in every agent, towards the preſervation of that which proceedeth from it. Creation is followed with providence. If a ſpeechleſſe and liveleſſe creature could ſpeak and underſtand, it would argue with it's maker (in Jobs caſe) as Job doth, Doſt thou yet deſtroy me? David ſtrengthens his heart to ask good at the hands of God, becauſe he had ſpoken good concerning him (2 Sam. 7.27.) Thou, O Lord of Hosts, God of Iſrael, haſt revealed to thy ſervant, ſaying, I will build thee an houſe, therefore hath thy ſervant found in his heart to pray this praier unto thee. Now, if David were not only emboldned to ask, but even aſſured to receive mercy, becauſe God promiſed to build him a houſe, that is, to proſper his eſtate and family, how much more might Job be encouraged to pray for, and expect mercy from the hand of God, becauſe God had already framed and built that naturall houſe, his body? The Prophet Iſaiah being about to plead with God for new mercies, preſents him with a catalogue of his old mercies (Chap. 63.7, 8, 9.) I will mention the loving kindeneſſes of the Lord, and the praiſes of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath done unto us, and the great goodneſſe towards the houſe of Iſrael, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his loving kindeneſſes, &c. Having thus at large told the Lord what he had done, the Prophet (in a holy zeal) contends with him about what he was doing (verſ. 15.) Look down from heaven, and behold from… the habitation of thy holineſſe, and of thy glory; where is thy zeal, and thy ſtrength, the ſounding of thy bowels, and of thy mercies towards me, Are they restrained? Doubtleſſe thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, &c. As if he had ſaid, That great ſea of thy goodneſſe hath ſent out abundant ſtreams of good things heretofore, and are all thoſe ſtreams now dried up, and the ſprings exhauſted? What's become of thy zeal and ſtrength and compaſſions? Are they all ſpent and gone? Thus Job ſeems to plead here, thine hands have made me,Et ſic repentè praecipitas me. Vulg. Antitheſi beneficiorum ampliſſimorum, in ſe à Domino collatorū, exaggerat iram qua nunc in ſe deſaevit ac afflictiones, quibus exagitatur. Jun. thou haſt done thus and thus for me, and wilt thou now deſtroy me? According to this interpretation the later clauſe of the verſe is rendered by an interrogation, Thine hands have made me, and faſhioned me, and doſt thou yet deſtroy me? What; thou my maker deſtroy me! Remember, I beſeech thee (ſo in the next verſe) that thou haſt made me as the clay, and wilt thou bring me into the duſt again? Thus by a ſpecification of the great outward benefits which he had received from the hand of God, he ſeems to aggravate his preſent ſorrows, and to ſolicite future mercies.

Thine hands.

Hands are often aſcribed to God, as was ſhewed, verſ. 3. Many things are made with the hand; The maker of all things is without hands, and yet he is all hand. Hence all things that were made, are ſaid to be made by the hands of God; not only the forming of man, but the forming of the heavens and of the earth, is the work of his hand (Pſal. 102.25. Pſal. 95.5. both are put together) (Iſa. 48.13.) Mine hand alſo hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath ſpanned the heavens. Whereſoever the great works of God are expreſt, a hand uſually is expreſt as the inſtrument working them, yet his hand wrought the leaſt as well as the greateſt, a worm of the earth, as well as man upon the earth, or the Angels in heaven.

The heads of men have run into great variety of opinion, about theſe hands forming man.

Firſt, Many of the Ancients underſtand by the hands of God,Ambroſ. in Hexam Hom. 11. Baſil, &c. The Sonne of God, the ſecond Perſon in the Trinity, and the holy spirit of God, who is the third, Thine hands have made me, that is, the Sonne and the holy Spirit, who were aſſiſtant to, and of counſell with the Father at the Creation of man, And God ſaid, Let us make man in our image after our likenes, Gen. 1.26.

Others expound hands literally and formally, not as if God had hands (that's below their conceit) but thus, It hath been ſaid of old, that when God at firſt formed man, the Sonne took upon him an outward ſhape, or the ſhape of a man; and ſo (ſay they) Chriſt (not made man, but) in the form of man formed man.

Thirdly, The hands of God are all ſecond cauſes, which God uſeth toward the production of any effect.Cauſis ſecundis veluti quibuſdā manibus utitur Deus ad producendas res ſublunares. Aquin. All hands work for God, they work for him, while they are ſet a work againſt him; and ſo may be called, The hands of God. Mans making ſince the Creation, is not an immediate work; the Creation of the firſt man was. Yet it is ſo much the work of God ſtill, that every man is the work of his hands, as well as the firſt man. All inferiour cauſes concurring to the making of man are the hands, by which God maketh man.

Fourthly, The hands of God, are generally taken for the power and wiſdom of God. The hand of power acts, what the hand of wiſdom doth contrive. As the hand is often put for power, ſo to put any thing into the hand of another, is to put it into his power. That grant which was made to Satan at the beginning of this book, runs in this ſtrain, Behold, be (meaning Job) is in thine hand (that is, Thou maiſt do with him what thou wilt) only ſave his life (Chap. 2.6.)

The Schoolmen determine the hands of God to be the underſtanding and will of God, which they call, The executive power of God; by theſe he determines what ſhall be done, and doth what he predetermines. The very decree and purpoſe of God, is called the hand of God (Act. 4.28.) Of a truth, againſt thy holy childe Ieſus, whom thou haſt anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Iſrael were gathered together, for to doe whatſoever thy hand, and thy counſel determined before to be done. Gods hand was the ſoveraign power of God, over-ruling thoſe evil inſtruments to fulfill his holy counſels, while they intended only to fulfill their own wicked counſels.

We may beſt interpret Iob in the fourth ſenſe, Thine hands have made me and faſhioned me, Tu pro tua poteſtate tuo que jure Bez.that is, I am made and faſhioned by thy power and wiſdom, I am a piece of thy forming. None but the only wiſe, and all-powerfull God, could produce ſuch an effect as I am.

Have made me and faſhioned me.

Here are two words which ſome diſtinguiſh by referring the one to the body, the other to the ſoul. We need not be ſo accurate about theſe words. But thus much is plainly noted in them, that the Lord was exceeding accurate about this work, the faſhioning of man. Both words have their ſpeciall elegancies.

The firſt, which we tranſlate made, ſignifies more then to make, foreign In ſua prima ſignificatione denotat, dolore afficere.it ſignifies to make exactly and curiouſly. It is a word proper to Artificers, who work, or ſhould work with an equall mixture of diligence and knowledge, of pains and skill: Artificers mingle their heads, and their hands in every thing they undertake, and beſtow more ſtudy then toil upon their works.

This word is tranſlated alſo to grieve, vex, or to put one to trouble. The perverſe carriage of the people of Iſrael toward the Spirit of God, is expreſſed by it (Iſa. 63.10.Panis anxietate magna & labore partus.) They rebellid and vexed his holy Spirit. And that bread of ſorrows, that is, bread gotten by ſorrowfull or hard labour is delivered in this term (Pſ. 127.2.) See a further explication of the word, Chap. 9. verſ. 27. pag. 352.

God is not put to any pain at all in making man,Deus nō ſe fatigavit in homine condendo; Sed de Deo Scriptura hominis more loquitur, quaſi ſumma cura & anxietate ad eū formandum uſus eſſet Deus, ut nihil ad ejus perfectionem deeſset. Merc. Manus tuae dolore afficiunt me, quae ſecerunt me. Jun. he doth all his works with infinite delight and eaſe. Nothing is hard to him who can doe all things: Omnipotency never meets with any difficulty. But God is expreſt in making man by a word, ſignifying ſolicitouſneſſe and painfull care, implying, That man is made as thoſe things are, upon which man beſtows greateſt pains and care. Man doth not look like a piece of work ſlubbered over ſlightly, or clapt up in haſte. The moſt wiſe God, who ſhewed his manifold wiſdom in the work of redemption, ſhewed much of his wiſdom in the work of creation; He made man (as we ſpeak) in print.

A learned tranſlatour renders, Thy hands put me to pain, which have made me; as if Iob had complained here of the pain vvhichwhich God put him to after he had made him, rather then exalted God for the pains he ſeemed to have taken, when he made him. But we may better keep to our rendering, Thine hands have made me, and Faſhioned me.

The making of man importeth his being: The faſhioning of him, the outward formality of his being. Man receives not only his nature, but his figure from God. The vvord ſignifies to trim or poliſh,foreign Eſt aliquid facere, ſed ornate & polite, rem omnibus modis perfectam efficere. to do a thing curiouſly and compleatly (Gen. 1.31.) God ſaw all that he had made, and behold it was very good. He ſaw all vvith delight and higheſt content: for, he had put all into a compoſure of moſt exquiſite comelineſſe, and perfect beauty. A due and proper faſhion to the eſſence of comelineſſe. Thine hands have not only made, but faſhioned me, and that not in part only, but as it followeth, foreign Alludere videtur ad figuli rotam Pined. Artifices opus pene abſolutum curioſe circumspiciunt, ut ſi quid oculis ingratum deprehendant, corrigant. SanctTogether round about.

This is no pleonaſme or ſuperfluity of ſpeech; for though when a thing is made and faſhioned, it is ſuppoſed to be made round about, yet here to ſhew the exactneſſe of God in making man, Iob ſpeaks as if God had reſolved to have all of his own doing, and vvould not truſt the leaſt part of this vvork into the hand of any other, Thine hands have made me, and faſhioned me together round about. Which vvords are, ſay ſome,

Firſt, An alluſion to the art of a potter, who formeth and faſhioneth earthen veſſels, turning them often about and about upon his wheel. Or it may be an alluſion to a Statuary, or to a painter, vvho having a curious coſtly piece in hand, goes about it, and views it round on every ſide: That if any thing ſute not his eye, his fancy, or the rule of art, he may correct it.

Secondly,aDicit in circuitu, quod corpus videtur animae eſſe in circuitu, ſicut veſtimentum veſt ito, aut ſicut domu habitatori Aquin. Others conceive that this round about, is only a circumlocution for the body, becauſe the body encompaſſeth the ſoul round about, as a garment doth the body, or a houſe the inhabitant.

Thirdly,bTotum dicit ut ad ſingula corporis membra referatur. Idem eſt, quod latinus dicit intus & extra, intus & in cate, à capite ad pedes. Quantus, quantus ſum, magna Dei cura & artificio elaboratus ſum. Pined. foreign. Together round about, is (as vvas touched before) me in every part, or all me. When ſome took offence at Chriſts healing of a ſick man upon the Sabbath-day, he anſwers, Are ye angry at me, becauſe I have made a man every whit whole on the Sabbath day? (Joh. 7.23.) or that I have made the whole man vvhole, not leaving any unſound limb about him? There is a like phraſe (Luk. 11.40.) vvhichwhich may illuſtrate this; Ye fools, Did not he that made that which is without, make that which is within alſo? That is, Did not he that made man, make him together round about; Did not he make vvhatſoever is man? So, Iobs together round about, is, as if he had ſaid, Thou haſt made me within and without from head to foot; thou haſt made me all that I am; how great, how good, how ſtrong, how beautifull ſoever I am, I am made by thee. Thou (as David ſpeaks, Pſal. 139.5.) haſt beſet or formed me (ſo the Hebrew) behinde and before, and laid thine hand upon me.foreign Formaſti me.

Fourthly, By together round about, vve may underſtand all vvithout man, vvhichwhich man hath about him. Thou haſt made and faſhioned not only my body, but my eſtate, my honour, my friends, my children (children round about the Table, Pſal. 128.2.Per circuitam omnia etiam illa intelligamus quae hominem cingunt, ſc facultates, liberos, familiam univerſam.) Thou haſt given me all that I have about me; Whatſoever I am, I am made and faſhioned by thine hands: So the phraſe is uſed, Chap. 19.9, 10. He hath ſtript me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head, he hath deſtroied me on every ſide; or, he hath deſtroied me round about, that is, All that he hath made round about me, he hath taken away from me; he hath ſtript me of all he once clothed me vvith. M^r Broughton tranſlates much to that ſenſe, Thou haſt faſhioned me and made me in every point; that is, Look vvhatſoever I am conſiderable in, under vvhat notion ſo ever I may be taken, Thou haſt made me and faſhioned me in all.

Obſerve, Firſt,

The making of man now, is the work of God, as well as the making of the firſt man was.

Iob doth not ſay, The Lord did once make and faſhion man, but thine hands have made me: He aſcribeth his own making to God, as vvell as Adams. The ſtructure and frame of nature is the vvork of God, not of nature: Nature and naturall cauſes are nothing but the order in vvhichwhich God vvorketh. God turneth or changeth, ſtops or ſets them forward as he pleaſeth.Natura nihil aliud eſt quam divinorum operumordo. Brent. Second cauſes vvork purely at the vvill of God, though means be uſed by man, yet the effect is Gods. Corn groweth in the field by the hand of God. You vvill ſay, What then doth the hushandman? What doth the earth? What do the Sunne and rain? Doe not all theſe vvork? All thoſe are nothing but the order vvherein, and by vvhichwhich the hand of God makes the corn to grow; for let all thoſe ſecond cauſes vvork as hard as they can, yet the corn grows not, unleſſe God ſpeak the word; His ſteps, not the husbandmans drop fatneſſe; It is he, not the Sunne or the rain, which makes the valleys ſtand thick with corn, to laugh and ſing. As in ſpirituals ſo in naturals, he that planteth, and he that vvatereth is nothing, but God that giveth the increaſe. The Pſalmiſt ſpeaks excluſively of man, as to the point of mans making, and he putteth an emphaſis upon it, as if man did not take notice enough, if a… all, of this, that in this man is nothing, Know ye, that the Lord he is God, Pſal. 100.3.it is he that hath made us, and not we our ſelves. There may be a great deal of grace acted in acknowledging God to be the authour of nature: yet I conceive the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks there rather of Gods making us in grace then in nature.

Secondly, Obſerve, Iob recounting what God had done for him, brings in, Thy hands have made me and faſhioned me, then,

Our making and naturall conſtitution are to be reckoned amongst the great benefits received from God.

Pſal. 139.14. I will praiſe thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. The making of a man is a wonder: though the frequency of it makes the wonder little obſerved, yet the wonder is not (in it ſelf) the leſſe. David, who had ſerious and holy thoughts about naturall things, confeſſeth, I am fearfully and wonderfully made. A Heathen had three reaſons for which he uſed eſpecially to thank God. One of them was this, becauſe he had made him a man. If men, who have but the light of nature can ſee ſo much of God in nature, How much of God ſhould we ſee in nature, who have the light of grace to ſee it by!

Thirdly, From the words put together, Thine hands have made me and faſhioned me together round about, Obſerve

The whole faſhion and fabrick of man is from God.

From which generall take theſe conſectaries.

See more of this point before at the third verſe of this Chapter, pag. 443.Firſt, Then do not undervalue the body, it is the work of God, He hath faſhioned it round about. We alwaies look upon and value our bodies too much, when we are proud of them; but we can never look upon or value our bodies too much, while we are thankfull for them; and that we may be ſo, we ought to view every room of this houſe of clay, from ſtory to ſtory, from the garret to the cellar, from the crown of the head to the ſole of the foot, that we ſeeing the wonderfull works of God, may have our hearts enlarged in his praiſes. Some have put ignoble titles upon the body of man, calling it a priſon, or a ſhackle. The body is not a priſon, it is a palace; it is not a ſhackle, it is an organ, a fit inſtrument for the ſoul to uſe and act by. If at any time the body be unuſefull to the ſoul, that proceeds from ſinfull corruption, not from its naturall conſtitution.

foreign.But the Apoſtle (Phil. 3.21.) calleth our body, a vile body, or the body of our vileneſſe. Mans body is not vile, as God made it (ſo it is a ſtately ſtructure) but as ſin hath made it. The Apoſtle cals it vile, not abſolutely, and in it ſelf, but relatively. The body clothed with mortality is vile, compared with the body, when it ſhall be clothed with glory, and that glory like the glory of the body of Chriſt, as is aſſured us, Who ſhall change our vile body, that it may be faſhioned like unto his glorious body; The words carry an alluſion to thoſe who changing old and broken veſſels, deſire to have them wrought in the beſt, and neweſt faſhion. The body of Chriſt is the richeſt piece of Gods work, and this ſhall be the patern of ours; as here upon earth the ſpirits of believers are of the ſame faſhion with Chriſts (the ſame minde is in the Saints, which was in Chriſt, there is but one draft of grace (in the main) upon the ſouls of all holy men, and that is a copy of Chriſts, his being the originall) So in heaven the bodies of all believers ſhall be of the ſame faſhion with Chriſts. There ſhall be but one draft of glory in the main (for degrees do not vary the kinde) upon the body of Chriſt, and the bodies of all his members. In reference to this future change of the body, the body in its preſent ſtate, is vile.

Secondly, Hence it follows, That as we muſt not undervalue the frame of mans body in generall, as imperfect; ſo we may not deſpiſe any for their ſpeciall bodily imperfections. It is God who hath made and faſhioned them round about. It is ſaid (2 Sam. 5.8.) that the blinde and the lame were hated of Davids ſoul. Yet to hate any for defects in the body, is a very great defect in the ſoul: and to contemn any for naturall blemiſhes, is a ſpirituall blemiſh. How then could David hate the blinde and the lame, and not ſin, or are we to number this among his ſins? There are two expoſitions of thoſe words upon either of which we may clear the difficulty.

Firſt, That when David ſent to ſummon that fort, the Iebuſites who were the defendants, truſting in the ſtrength of the place, told David in ſcorn that he muſt firſt conquer the blinde and the lame. As implying that blinde and lame ſouldiers, were gariſon good enough to deal with his great Army upon the advantage of ſuch a fortreſſe.

Secondly, The blinde and the lame, may rather be the Idols and ſtrange Gods which the Iebuſites worſhipped, of whoſe protection, they were not the leſſe confident, becauſe the Jews counted them but blinde and lame. As if they had ſaid, even theſe gods, which you call blinde and lame, ſee well enough what ye are doing, and will come faſt enough, and too faſt for your eaſe, to our aid and ſuccour. Theſe blinde and lame gods were juſtly hated of Davids ſoul, but he had learned better then to hate men, who were made lame or blinde by God.

Thirdly, Seeing all men are faſhioned round about by the hands of God, then as we muſt not deſpiſe any for their bodily imperfections, ſo not envy any for their bodily perfections. Some are as much troubled to ſee another have a better body, or a more beautifull face, as many are (alike ſinfully both) to ſee another have a better purſe, or a more plentifull eſtate then themſelves.

Fourthly, Let not the thing formed, ſay to him that formed it, Why haſt thou made me thus? If thy earthly Tabernacle be not ſo highly, ſo ſtrongly built, if the materials of it be not ſo pure, or not ſo exactly tempered, if thou haſt not ſo good a conſtitution, ſo elegant a compoſition, if thou art not ſo adorn'd and poliſh'd, as ſome others are; yet be not diſcontented, the hands of God have made and faſhioned thee round about. It is a great honour to a veſſel, that he made it, though he have made it (in this ſenſe) a veſſel of diſhonour.

Fiftly, If God hath faſhioned our bodies, then we muſt not put them out of faſhion. It is dangerous to deface the work of God, to undo that which God hath done, to unmake that which God hath made. How ſad is it that any ſhould pull down a building of Gods own ſetting up, without warrant from God! Self-murder, or the murder of another, is an high affront to God, and ſhould have a ſevere revenge from man. He that ſheds his own bloud takes revenge upon himſelf, And who ſo ſheddeth mans bloud, by man ſhall his bloud be ſhed, for in the image of God made he man (Gen. 9.6.) As what God hath joyned by a civil, ſo by a naturall band, Let no man put aſunder.

Laſtly, If thou art made and faſhioned by God, then let God have the uſe of all thou art. Let God dwell in the houſe, which he hath ſet up. Let thy body be imploied for God; he that made it, hath moſt right to it. Every thing in man ſhews forth the wiſdom and goodneſſe of God towards man, let every thing in man ſhew forth obedience and ſubmiſſion unto God. This was the ground of Davids praier (Pſal. 119.73.) Thy hands have made me and faſhioned me, give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments; as if he had ſaid, Lord, I would uſe this body, this ſoul, this all, which thou haſt made, for thy glory, therefore give me underſtanding that I may learn thy will, I would not do the will of another, while I dwell in thy houſe, and am thy tenant at will. I would not imploy thoſe members which thou haſt given me, to fulfill the Law of ſin, or the commands of Satan. The Apoſtle is clear upon this argument in reference to redemption (1 Cor. 6.19.) Ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price; therefore glorifie God with your bodies, and in your spirits, which are Gods; Now as in the work of redemption we are of God by grace, ſo in the work of creation we are of God by nature. The reaſon holds in both, glorifie God with your bodies, which are not your own, but Gods. It is uſuall in letting out of houſes to put a clauſe in the leaſe, that the houſe ſhall not be imploied to ſuch and ſuch uſes, but only to ſuch as are expreſſed in the indenture. Surely the Lord who hath built and furniſhed theſe houſes, hath taught us how to imploy them, and what trade to exerciſe in them, even the trade of holines. Take heed you do not let out any room or corner of a room in this houſe for ſin to trade in, or for the work of iniquity. This is to let out a houſe of Gods making to the devils uſing.

Yet thou doſt deſtroy me.

The word ſignifies to ſwallow up; foreign Abſorbere eſt morſicatim deſtruere. Coc. Deglutio ſignificat omnimodā exterminationē, resum que omnium profundiſſimum exitium. foreign.and to ſwallow up with greedineſſe, Pſal. 52.4. Thou loveſt all devouring (or ſwallowing) words; words which ſwallow down thy neighbours credit, and devour his good name, as one morſel. The holy Ghoſt expreſſeth our finall victory over death, by a word which reacheth this ſenſe (1 Cor. 15.54.) Death is ſwallowed up (or drunk down) in victory; death is drunk up at a draught. Chriſt called his ſufferings (by which he got this victory) a cup. The Apoſtle uſes the ſame word again (2 Cor. 5.4.) That mortality might be ſwallowed up of life. When this mortall ſhall have put on immortality, death ſhall be ſwallowed up in victory, that is, there ſhall be a compleat victory over death, and not only ſo, but mortality ſhall be ſwallowed up of life. In heaven there ſhall be no death, nor any thing like death, nothing bearing any the leaſt reſemblance of it's image, or letter of it's ſuperſcription, nothing of mortality ſhall be found or felt there: There mortality ſhall be ſwallowed up of life; here Job complains that his life was almoſt ſwallowed up of mortality. Yet thou doſt deſtroy, or ſwallow me up: As thou haſt already ſwallowed up my eſtate, ſo thou ſeemeſt reſolved to ſwallow up my very breath. When Joab beſieged Abel, a wiſe woman out of the City cried unto him, Thou ſeekest to deſtroy a City in Iſrael; why wilt thou ſwallow up the inheritance of the Lord? 2 Sam. 20.19. Job ſaw a great Army of afflictions encamping about him: and he ſeems to cry out to the Lord of thoſe hoaſts, why ſeekeſt thou to deſtroy thy ſervant, why wilt thou ſwallow me, who am the vvork of thy hands?

Diſtinctio Habraeorum magis poſtulat, ut verba praecedentia, ſimul circumqua que cum his jungantur, & abſorbiſtime, Merc.Gramarians obſerve from the exacteſt reading of the Hebrew, that the former words [Together round about] ſhould be joyn'd with theſe [Thou doſt deſtroy me] Thine hands have made me, and faſhioned me, and yet thou doſt deſtroy me together round about; that is, Thou makeſt an utter end, a totall conſumption of me.

Again, Theſe vvords are read by ſome vvith an interrogation, Thine hands have made me and faſhioned me, and doſt thou yet deſtroy me? The queſtion doth not alter, but quicken the ſenſe, and render it more preſſing and patheticall, Wilt thou deſtroy me thus exactly,Licet ſenſus non multum diverſus ſit, interrogatio tamen ſenſum reddit valde acrem, & incitatum. Merc. whom thou haſt made ſo exactly? The (yet) in the text ſounds out an admiration. As when God (Amos 4.) had brought many judgements upon Jeruſalem, and found them ſtill impenitent, he conchides the narrative of every one, with, Yet have they not returned unto me; As if he had ſaid, What a wonder is here? So Job repeating the favours of God to him, concludes with a yet thou doſt, or doſt thou yet deſtroy me? As if he had ſaid, What a wonder is here? How unſearchable are thy judgements, O God, Quem diligentiſſimè feciſti diligentiſſimè deſtruis.and thy waies paſt finding out? Thus he ſets what God then did, in oppoſition to what he had done, that ſo the conſideration of former mercies might provoke him to remove or mitigate preſent judgements. Doſt thou deſtroy me who haſt made me?

Hence obſerve,

Firſt, That to minde God of making us, is an argument to ſtay his hand from breaking us.See more of this point, ver. 3 p. 445.

It repented the Lord (ſaith Moſes, Gen. 6.6.) that he had made man, and it grieved him at the heart. This repentance and grief did not ariſe from his making of man; but from that neceſſity which his own juſtice and honour laid upon him to deſtroy man whom he had made; as it follows in the next words, And the Lord ſaid, I will deſtroy man whom I have created. The words ſhew the reſolution of God, not his propenſion; it went to his heart to do it. If God repented and grieved (underſtand both by a figure) becauſe he had made man, whom he muſt deſtroy, then it cannot but be a grief to him to deſtroy that which he hath made. It is as eaſie to the power of God to undo, as it is to do: but it is not ſo eaſie to his will to undo, as it is to do.

Secondly, Obſerve, Afflictions deſtructive to the outward man, may be the lot of the beſt men.

God never deſtroies that ſpirituall creature, which the hand of his grace hath made and faſhioned: but he doth ſometimes deſtroy the naturall creature of thoſe who are ſpirituall.

Thirdly, Obſerve, A good man will make honourable mention of the goodneſſe of God to him, while he is under greatest evils.

Job writes the naturall hiſtory of Gods power and wiſdom in his conſtitution, while deſtruction was knocking at his doors. Though God will deſtroy what he hath made, yet he ought to be glorified for what he hath made. The praiſe of God for faſhioning us, is never ſo comely, as when he is putting us out of faſhion.

Fourthly, Obſerve, God doth that ſometimes which is moſt improbable he ſhould do.

He acts ſtrangely in waies of mercy, and ſtrangely in waies of judgement. He ſaves thoſe whom we expect he ſhould deſtroy, and he deſtroies thoſe whom we expect he ſhould ſave. The Kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world would not have believed that the adverſary and the enemy ſhould have entred into the gates of Jeruſalem (Lam. 4.12.) and who would have believed that the adverſary and the enemy, ſorrow and deſtruction ſhould have entred into the gates of Job? God comes with ſuch afflictions upon his people now, as make him to be admired by all the world. Chriſt vvill come vvith ſuch mercies at the laſt, as vvill make him to be glorified in his Saints, and admired in all them that believe (2 Theſſ. 1.10.) Chriſt vvill exceed, not only our unbelief, but our faith.

In the former verſe Job pleaded vvith God, as his maker, he proceeds ſtill in the ſame argument, and re-enforceth it from a ſpeciall intimation of the matter out of which he vvas made, clay.

Verſe 9. Remember, I beſeech thee, that thou haſt made me as the clay' and wilt thou bring me into duſt again?

Remember, I beſeech thee.

foreign Recordatus eſt, memor fuit, odoratus ſuit, quā, do de ſacrificijs uſurpatur. Odoretur omnia muneratua. Jun. Zachar, mas aut à memoria qua magis pollet quam mulier, aut quia memoriam, & nomen familiae conſervat. Buxtorf.Job ſpeaks heartily, his ſpirit was in a heat, Remember, I beſeech thee. The originall vvord is applied to a ſenſitive act, as well as to a rationall (Pſal. 20.3.) The Lord remember, or ſmell all thy offerings. Memory is the ſavour or ſent of things preſerved in the minde. The Hebrews expreſſe man, or a male childe, by a word of that root, and they give two reaſons of it. Either, firſt, becauſe man is of a ſtronger memory then the woman. Or, ſecondly, becauſe the man-childe preſerveth the memory of the family, and is a monument of his fathers honour, his name being carried on from generation to generation; in oppoſition to which, women or females are called Naſhim, which vvord implieth forgetfulneſſe, becauſe the…r names and titles are ſwallowed up in their husbands, and forgotten when they are married.

Memory or the act of remembring is improperly applied to God. For remembrance is of things paſt, but to God all things are preſent. Memory is the ſtore-houſe wherein vve lay up ſeverall notions, and keep records of vvhat hath been done, which by an act of the underſtanding vve review and fetch out again. All things are ever open before God. He needs not turn leaves or ſearch regiſters, he needs not ſo much as ſtrain a thought to recall vvhat is paſt; that vvhichwhich vvas from the beginning, and ſhall be to the end, yea, to that vvhichwhich hath no end, eternity, is alwaies before him. God is ſaid to remember, or to forget vvhen he acts like a man, vvho remembers or forgets; but there is no act either of forgetfulneſſe, or of remembrance in God.

Remembring implieth two things in God.

Firſt, A ſerious attention to the perſon and conſideration of the thing vvhichwhich he formerly ſeemed to ſlight, or lightly to paſſe by. We alſo remember by minding and thinking upon vvhat is preſent, as well as by recalling what is paſt.

Secondly, To remember, notes a ſpeedy ſupply of our wants, or actuall deliverance out of dangers. God remembers us when he favours us, he remembers us, when he pities us, he remembers us, when he relieves us, Who remembred us in our low eſtate, Pſal 136.23. that is, who brought us out of our low eſtate. The needy ſhall not alway be forgotten (Pſal. 9.18.) not alway, no nor at any time, the Lord doth not at all forget any, much leſſe ſuch needy ones, as that Scripture intends. The meaning is, they ſhall not alway be undelivered, their eſtate ſhall not lie for ever unconſidered, and their cry unattended to. God will not deal with them, nor ſuffer others to deal with them, as if he had forgotten them. Hannah was long under that affliction of barrenneſſe, and when the Lord gave her conception, it is ſaid, He remembred Hannah (1 Sam. 1.19.) his thoughts were ever upon her, and upon her petition, but when he granted her petition, then he remembred her indeed. As we then remember God, when we obey his commands: ſo God remembers us then, when he fulfils our requeſts. Remember, I beſeech thee.

As it is our duty to remember the Lord: ſo it is our priviledge that we may put him in remembrance.

It is a priviledge, and a very great one to be a remembrancer to the king of heaven. The Prophet deſcribes ſuch an office (Iſa. 62.6.) Ye that make mention of the Lord, or nearer the Hebrew, Ye that are the Lords remembrancers, keep not ſilence, and give him no reſt. Great Princes have an officer called their Remembrancer, and they need remembrancers. It is at once their honour and their weakneſſe to have them. They cannot retain all buſineſſes, and preſerve a record within themſelves of all affairs within their Kingdoms: It is an honour to God that he hath remembrancers, but it is his greater honour that he hath no need of them. Himſelf is the living record of all that hath been done, or is to be done. Knowledge is above memory, and he that knows all things is above remembrancers. God is willing we ſhould ſpeak to him after the manner of men: but we muſt not conceive of him after the manner of men. We muſt not think he hath forgotten us, though we may beſeech him to remember us.

There are four things which the Saints uſually move the Lord to remember.

Firſt, His own mercies, Remember, O Lord thy tender mercies, was Davids praier (Pſal. 25.6.) Hath God forgotten to be gracious? was Davids queſtion and infirmity (Pſal. 77.9.) yet God acts ſometimes, as if he had forgot his nature, or had need to be minded to do what he is. God can no more forget himſelf, then deny himſelf, no more forget to be gracious then ceaſe to be: yet he gives his people leave, yea a charge, to move him to do, what he cannot but do, what he is reſolved, yea what he is ready to do. Mercy pleaſeth God ſo much, that he often appears diſpleaſed on purpoſe, that we may remember him of his mercy. He delights we ſhould deſire, what he delights to grant.

Secondly, The Saints uſually minde God of his Covenant. God is ever mindefull of his Covenant (Pſal. 111.5.) yet he loves to be minded of it. His royall title is, The God that keepeth Covenant for ever; yet he loves to be deſired not to break it. Thus Jeremy begs for the Jews, the Covenant-people of God. Do not abhor us for thy name ſake, Do not diſgrace the throne of thy glory, remember, break not thy Covenant with us. Jer. 14.21. The Pſalmiſt praies upon the ſame ground, Have reſpect to the Covenant, for the dark places of the earth, are full of the habitations of cruelty; As if he had ſaid, Lord, Thou haſt made a Covenant to preſerve and protect thy people, but now they are oppreſſed; The dark places, that is, places full of ignorance and wickedneſſe (which are ſpirituall darkneſſe) are full of cruelty: Holy knowledge hath no ſuch enemy as ignorance. Or the dark places are full, &c. may be thus underſtood, there is no ſuch obſcure corner or by-place in the land, but their malice ſearcheth it out for the vexation of thy people. We are ſo far from having liberty to ſerve thee publikely in the light, that we feel the cruelty of bloudy minded men, though we do it ſecretly or in the dark. Now Lord it is time for thee to remember thy Covenant.

Thirdly, The Saints uſe to put God in remembrance of the rage and blaſphemies of his and their enemies. Thus the Church of the Jews cries unto the Lord (Pſal. 137.7.) Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Ieruſalem, who ſaid, raſe it, raſe it, even to the foundation thereof. When a man is wrong'd who intends revenge, he will ſay to the party wronging him, well, Remember this, or, I ſhall remember you for this. Revengefull men have ſtrong memories: ſo hath the God to whom vengeance belongeth. He will certainly remember the ſinfull, revengefull cry of Edom againſt Jeruſalem, though the ſins of Jeruſalem did cry to him for vengeance. The Pſalmiſt is as earneſt in another place, urging the Lord to remember for his own intereſt, as here for the intereſt of his Sion (Pſal. 74.18.) Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O Lord, and that the fooliſh people have blaſphemed thy Name. As if he had ſaid, Pray, Lord, take a note of this, make a memorandum of this, That the enemy hath reproached thy Name: God will remember it, if any of his ſervants are reproached, much more when himſelf is.

Fourthly, The Saints remember God of their own frailty, and that two-fold. Firſt, Naturall, Secondly, Spirituall. Remember how ſhort my time is, wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? (Pſal. 89.47.) Man is a frail ſhort-liv'd creature, and it is ſome comfort to him, that God knows he is ſo. That which Job puts the Lord in remembrance of, is his naturall frailty; ſome underſtand it alſo of his ſpirituall, Remember, I beſeech thee, That thou haſt made me as the clay.

The LXX reads it, Thou haſt made me clay. foreign. Sept. foreignThe word ſignifies cement or morter, which are mixt of earth & water, Thou haſt made me as tempered clay. When the originall of man is deſcribed,Propriè ſignificat cementum, vel terram aqua mixtam. it is ſaid, The Lord formed man duſt out of the ground, or, of the duſt of the ground (Gen. 2.7.) here Job ſaith, Thou haſt made me as the clay, or, Thou hast made me of the clay; the ſenſe is near the ſame, whether we take clay for the matter out of which man was made, or for the ſimilitude according to which man was made. Job ſpeaks of himſelf with reſpect to creation: for,In memoriam revoca, ut me è luto primùm, i. e. primum hominē unde orti caeteri formaris. figuli more. Merc. according to the ordinary courſe of generation, man is not made of clay. The firſt man was made of clay, and of him all men are. We derive our pedigree from the dirt, and are a kin to clay. Job might ſay, and ſo may any man, Thou haſt made me of the clay. However Job was, and man now is made as the clay; that is, frail, brittle and weak. We are compoſed of materials, which will quickly crack and break. When the holy Ghoſt would deſcribe how eaſily Chriſt can ſhatter to pieces all the oppoſites of his Kingdom, it is ſaid, He ſhall daſh them in pieces like a potters veſſel: A potters veſſel will not bear blows, eſpecially not the blows of ſuch an inſtrument, as is there ſpoken of, an iron rod: He ſhall break them with a rod of iron (Pſal. 2.9.) we may break a potters veſſel with a little wand, or a weak reed, how then ſhould it endure the weight and hardneſſe of an iron rod? The Spirit of God ſeems to delight in this alluſion, and therefore takes it up often, Read, Iſa. 45.9. Iſa. 64.8. Rom. 9.21. We have the ſtate of the Jews, deſcribed under this notion (Jer. 18.4.) The Lord bids Jeremy go down to the potters houſe, he obeys, and found the potter working a work on the wheel, And the veſſel that he made of clay, was marred in the hand of the potter, ſo he made it again another veſſel, as ſeemed good to the potter to make it. Then, the Word of the Lord came to him, ſaying, Cannot I do to you as this potter? ſaith the Lord, Behold, as the clay is in the hand of the potter, ſo are ye in my hand, O houſe of Iſrael. I can form you, and I can break you, I can put you into what condition I pleaſe, and ye ought not to be diſpleaſed at it. A potters veſſel is an embleme of the ſtrongeſt Kingdoms, How much more of the ſtrongeſt men?

That we are made of clay, intimates three things, at all which Job ſeemeth to aim, when he ſaith, Thou haſt made me as the clay.

Firſt, The excellency of mans frame. He is not thruſt together like a rude lump or maſſe of earth, but curiouſly wrought (Pſal. 139.15.) To make a veſſel of clay is an artificiall work, not a naturall. It requireth much pains, but more skill. Whence Job argueth, Thou haſt made me as the clay; Thou haſt ſhewed thy heavenly wiſdome in ſhaping and contriving me, as a veſſel of honour for thy uſe, And wilt thou bring me into duſt again? The remembrance of that love and care which God hath laid out upon us in our conſtitution, is an argument moving him to pity and compaſſion, as was ſhewed at the third verſe.

Secondly, That God hath made us of clay, ſhews our utter inability to contend with God, and to ſtand againſt his ſtroaks: It is, as if Job had ſaid, Lord, Surely thou forgetteſt of what mettall I am made, thou thinkeſt I am made of a hard rock, or of invincible Adamant, that I am compounded of iron, and other the ſtrongeſt materials; Alas, Lord, there is no ſuch matter, I am made but as the clay; A great deal of power and wiſdome appeared in making me, but a little power will ſerve to ruine me; I am no ſooner toucht but crackt. Why then doſt thou plant all thy Ordnance, and diſcharge ſo many volleys of ſhot against me? Lord, What am I? Am I a wall of braſſe, or a bulwark of ſtone? Thou knowest I am but a wall of clay, a paper wall, a potters veſſel, a little moistened earth. Will any man prepare Cannon to batter a cottage, or a beetle to kill a flie? Thy providence needs not make ſuch proviſion againſt me, or handle me ſo roughly: that which is weak cals for tender uſage, and that which is weak may laſt long, if tenderly uſed; a glaſſe with care will continue many ages. Deal gently with thy ſervant, Remember, I beſeech thee, thou haſt made me as the clay.

Thirdly, That we are made as the clay, ſhews our eaſineſſe to be overcome by temptation, and our obnoxiouſneſſe to ſin. Sin is (in its kinde) as ſpirituall, as grace is, yet our ſinfull corruption is figuratively called, the fleſh. foreign, ad circumagendum proclivis: Metaphora ducta à laciniotis & talaribus veſtibus, quae currentibus in ſtadio non ſunt aptae.One reaſon (I conceive) of which may be this, becauſe fleſh, taken properly, is an occaſion of ſin. As the ſenſitive part is a ſervant, ſo a ſnare to the rationall, much more to the ſpirituall. The fleſh is at once the organ, and the burthen of the ſpirit. The Apoſtle calling Saints to run the race of holineſſe with patience, gives a very ſutable advice, Let us lay aſide every weight, that is, all carnall comber; he that would ſhew himſelf light of foot, will not take a burden upon his back, he caſts off his very garments; to which the next words of the Apoſtle ſeem to allude, Caſt off every weight, and the ſinne which doth ſo eaſily beſet us: So a garment doth, eſpecially a long garment, which in running daggles and folds about our heels. The reaſon why our ſinfull corruption is compared to ſuch a garment, is, becauſe it is ſo much aſſiſted by this body of clay, the fleſh, which is as a long garment to the ſoul, hanging about it, and beſetting it, on every ſide.

From which ſenſe Iob ſeems thus to move the Lord, Suppoſe I have ſinned (he had ſaid, verſ. 7. Thou knoweſt I am not wicked, but ſuppoſe I have ſinned) and have had my failings, yet, Lord, Remember thou haſt made me as the clay, I am not a pure ſpirit, as Angels are, I have a body of earth about me, which clogs and hinders me in every duty, which many waies endangers me unto every ſinne. God himſelf takes up this as an argument to ſpare ſinfull man (Pſal. 78.39.) when the people of Iſrael rebelled againſt him, He many a time turned his anger away, and did not ſtir up all his wrath. What ſtaid him? The next words give a reaſon; for he remembred that they were but fleſh; that is, weak and very ſubject unto ſin. This argument prevails again (Pſal. 103.14.) Like as a father spareth his children, ſo the Lord pitieth them that fear him; Why? For he knoweth their frame, he remembreth that they are duſt. As if the very matter out of which man was firſt made, though without ſin, were ſome diſadvantage to him in the reſiſting of ſin. It was a diſadvantage before man had any ſinne in him, how much more is it now, when moſt men have nothing at all in them, but ſin, and the beſt have very much. That which is born of the fleſh (ſaith Chriſt, Ioh. 3.6.) is fleſh. His meaning is, corrupt nature can produce none but corrupt acts. It is a truth alſo, that our pure nature, becauſe it was conſtituted (as of other parts, ſo) of fleſh (the ſoul like a ſparkling diamond, being ſet in clay) was thereby rendered more prone to fleſhly or ſinfull acts. Naturall fleſh (in its beſt ſtate) is more apt to bring forth spirituall fleſh (namely ſinne) then a spirit is. Angeli idcirco irremiſſibilitèr peccaverunt, quia tanto robuſtius ſtare poterant quanto eos carnis commix tio non tenebat. Greg. Moral in locAnd that's a reaſon among others, which ſome give, why God was ſo irreconcilably angry with the Angels which fell, why he did never ſo much as mention them in a way of mercy, or diſcovered a thought of them for good ſince their fall (I ſay) one reaſon given is this, Becauſe God could not remember that Angels were made as the clay, or formed out of the duſt; They were created ſpirits, pure ſpirits, they had no clogs of fleſh and bloud about them, no fogs, no miſts vapouring up from a ſenſitive part to cloud their intellectuall. They had the more power to continue pure, becauſe they were free from any earthly and elementary mixtures. Their ſin was a compound of more evils, becauſe their nature was ſo ſimple. Angels having no tempter without them, no fleſh about them, turned themſelves away from God, meerly upon the freedom of their own wils. As every good action is by ſo much the better, by how much it hath a freer concurrence of our wils: ſo is every evil action ſo much the worſe. The ſinne we commit is the greater, by how much we have had the leſſe provocation to commit it. The ſinne of our firſt parents in eating the forbidden fruit, was aggravated in it ſelf, becauſe God gave them ſuch plenty and variety of other fruits to eat: but it was leſſened in compariſon of the Angels ſinne, becauſe they had more provocations to ſinne, then the Angels had. The bait of the temptation againſt our firſt parents, was laid in their conſtitution, which being corporall and earthly, muſt needs be delighted with earthly objects. The forbidden fruit was pleaſant to the eye, there the fleſh took it, And it was pleaſant to the taſte, there the fleſh took it again. Theſe provocations man had over and beſides that of the Angels, a hope or a deſire to mend his condition, and to become like unto God. A body of earth hath a ſutableneſſe to all earthly allurements. Every like hath a naturall tendency and motion towards its like. This moves the Lord to pity ſinfull man, though man muſt not hence plead impunity for ſinne. The meaſure and degrees of ſin upon ſuch actings are abated, but the acts do not therefore put off the nature of ſinne. A ſinner in duſt and clay cannot be excuſed, yet is not ſo much polluted, and more to be pitied then a ſinning spirit. And that's a third notion in which we may expound Iob, beſeeching God to remember, that he hath made him as the clay.

I might write many things in this clay out of which man was made; but I have met with other paſſages already of the ſame ſubject, eſpecially in the fourth Chapter, verſ. 19. in thoſe words,Materia ex quae orti ſumus nobis ad modeſtiā magiſtra eſse debet, quid enim luto ſive argilla vilius? Sanct. Whoſe foundation is in the duſt; which Text being near of the ſame importance and interpretation with this in hand, I ſhall rather refer the Reader thither, then inſiſt upon the ſame deductions and inferences a ſecond time. Take only this in generall. Our reflection upon the matter out of which we are extracted, ſhould leſſon us to low and modeſt thoughts of our ſelvs: for what is lower then the earth. We ſay, He that lieth upon the earth, hath not whence to fall; It is as true, He that riſeth out of the earth, hath nothing in himſelf whence he ſhould be lifted up.

Remember that thou haſt made me as the clay, and Wilt thou bring me into the duſt again?

To be brought to the duſt, is firſt a circumlocution or deſcription of death, Pſal. 30.9. Shall the duſt praiſe thee, ſhall it declare thy truth? That is, ſhall I praiſe thee when I am among the dead? What profit is there in my bloud, when I go down to the pit? Not that profit ſure, I cannot bring thee in the tribute of praiſe, when my life's gone out.

Secondly, To be brought to the duſt, is a deſcription of any low and poor condition, Pſal. 22.29. All they that be fat upon the earth (that is the great and mighty) ſhall eat and worſhip, All they that go down to the duſt (that is, the mean and baſe) ſhall bow before him. As if he had ſaid, rich and poor, high and low, the King and the beggar, have alike need of ſalvation by Jeſus Chriſt, and muſt ſubmit unto him, that they may be ſaved, for as it there follows, None can keep alive his own ſoul. The captivity of the Jews in Babylon is expreſſed under thoſe notions of death, and of dwelling in the duſt, Iſa. 26.19. to ſhew how low they were brought; even ſo low, that no power but his, who can raiſe the dead could work their deliverance.

Job ſaw himſelf brought to the duſt of a low condition, of poverty and of diſgrace, and he feared he ſhould be brought to the duſt of death, and of the grave. That's the meaning of this expoſtulating querie, And wilt thou bring me into the duſt again? He was not at all brought out of the duſt of his affliction, and therfore he could not ſay of that, Wilt thou bring me into the dust again?

The words are read three waies.

1. As an Aſſertion.

2. As an Interrogation.

3. As an Admiration.

Firſt, Many Interpreters give them as a plain aſſertion, Remember, that thou haſt made me as the clay, and thou wilt bring me into the duſt again.

Secondly, Others read them (as we) with an interrogation, Remember, that thou haſt made me as the clay, and wilt thou bring me into the duſt again?

Thirdly, Some heighten them into an admiration, Thou haſt made me as the clay, and (what?) wilt thou now bring me into the duſt again! What a wonder is this? Could I have expected ſuch a ſudden change as this!Quoad naturam viliſſimus ſum, quoad judicium tuum morti addictus, ut in pulverem revertar, utrum que debet te commovere, ut parcas mihi in vita, Coc. Particula & pro ſic ſumenda eſt, & futurum potentiale eſt, decentiam vel debitum, vel jus, vel poteſtatem denotans, q. d. ſicut me tanquā cementum compegiſti, eadem poteſtate cum volueris in terram reduces nulla mihi illa…o injuria Bol.

Take the words as a direct aſſertion, Thou wilt bring me into the duſt again. So they may have reference to the decree of God concerning man, as thoſe before had to the creation of man. As if he had ſaid, By creation and naturall conſtitution, I am frail and weak, made of the clay, by thy purpoſe and decree I am appointed unto death, Thou wilt bring me into the duſt again, therefore spare me for the ſhort time I have to live.

Some change the conjunction [And] into the adverb of likeneſſe, ſo, to note a right, power, or priviledge, and the text runs in this form, Remember, that as thou haſt made me of, or as the clay, ſo thou maiſt (it is thy priviledge, none can contradict thee in it, and thou doeſt me no wrong in it, thou maieſt) as thou haſt purpoſed, bring me to the duſt again. Though it be common and naturall to all creatures mixt of elements, to be reſolved and turned back into that out of which they were made, that is to die; yet to man it is more then naturall; there is a decree upon it, beſides the naturality of it: Man dieth by a ſtatute-law of heaven. To die is a penalty inflicted upon man for ſinne, for he had not been under a neceſſity of dying, if he had not ſinned. And therefore though God formed man (as the holy ſtory informs us (Gen. 2.7.) out of the duſt of the earth, yet ſo long as man ſtood, he never ſaid to him, To duſt thou ſhalt return; God only put a ſuppoſition, that in caſe man did fall, he ſhould ſurely die. But when man had fallen by ſin, then he hears what he was, and what he muſt be, For duſt thou art, and unto duſt thou ſhalt return (Gen. 3.19.) As if God had thus beſpoken ſinfull man. Thy body was framed out of dust, and now I charge this burden upon thee, thou ſhalt return to the duſt again.

It is a Queſtion (and I ſhall touch upon it.) Whether death were naturall to man or no? Whether man were made mortall, or whether he made himſelf mortall? Some affirm, That death was naturall, not accidentall or occaſionall to man-kinde. They argue for this opinion,

Firſt, thus, Adam died not the death of the body, or a naturall death, when he had ſinned, therefore the death of the body was not inflicted for ſin upon his perſon, and his poſterity, but was ſeated in, or a conſequent of his nature.

I anſwer, Though Adam died not preſently a naturall death, yet he was preſently made ſubject or liable unto death; the ſentence was paſt upon him, though the ſentence was not executed upon him. A malefactour who is caſt at the barre, is a dead man in law, though he be reprieved from the preſent ſtroke of death.

Again, Though death it ſelf did not inſtantly ſeize upon him, yet the ſymptoms of death, and tokens of mortality did. Fear and ſhame, pains and diſtempers, ſweat and wearineſſe quickly ſhewed themſelves as ſo many harbingers or forerunners of his approaching diſſolution: we ſee and feel death in theſe, before we ſee or feel death it ſelf. Theſe bid us prepare our bodies for the grave, and our ſouls for heaven.

Secondly, Others reaſon thus, Chriſt hath delivered his people, the elect, from all that puniſhment, which the ſin of Adam did contract and deſerve; but Chriſt hath not delivered his elect, his own people, from turning to the duſt. Godly men die as well as the ungodly, believers as well as infidels, therefore (ſay they) the death of the body was not procured by ſin.

I anſwer, Whatſoever is an evil in death, Chriſt hath delivered his people from; he hath taken away all that from death, which is puniſhment or annoiance, though death be not taken away. Chriſt hath freed us from the effects of ſin, as he hath freed us from ſin it ſelf, that is, from their prevalence and dominion over us, not from their preſence or being in and upon us. Hence the Apoſtle (1 Cor. 15.) triumpheth over death, O death, where is thy ſting? O grave, where is thy victory? As if he had ſaid, Death once had a power over man to ſting him to death, death once had a victorious power, and would have bin the great conquerour, riding in triumph over all the poſterity of Adam: but now death hath neither ſting nor ſword to uſe againſt believers, it hath nothing of victory over the Saints. It is now but a ſleep, a ſleep in Chriſt, a reſt from labour, a putting off the rags, the worn rags of mortality, that we may be dreſs'd in the robes of glory. The evil of death is removed, and that which remains of death (the ſeparation of ſoul and body) proves the greateſt good to both, it being but a preparatory to their everlaſting union.

Thirdly, It is argued, That death and corruption were naturall to man, becauſe the matter out of which man was made, was dying and corruptible;Omne principiatum ſequitur naturam principiorum. for that which is made, muſt follow the nature of that principle out of which it is made. The effect cannot be (ſay they) more noble then the cauſe, nor the ſubject conſtituted, more durable then that which goes into its conſtitution.

To clear up an anſwer to this, we muſt diſtinguiſh of a three-fold immortality.

1. A primitive, ſimple, independent, eſſentiall immortality; this is proper and peculiar to God, in which ſenſe the Apoſtle affirmeth, He only hath immortality (1 Tim. 6.16.)

2. There is a derivative, dependant, eſſentiall immortality. Some ſubſtances have no ſeed of corruptibility, nor of death in them. Being either ſeparate from all matter, which is the ſeat and root of corruption, as the Angels, or united to matter, yet ſo as not being produced from it, or having any affinity with it, ſuch are the ſouls of men. Whole man in his creation was not immortall either of theſe waies;foreign. Graec. Int. a part of man was, but man was not created immortall: Man was of a middle ſtate and condition, neither altogether ſo mortall, nor altogether immortall, but capable of either.

3. There is an immortality by the power or gift, by the mercy or juſtice of God. The power and juſtice of God ſhall give an immortality to the bodies of the damned in hell, they ſhall ever live a dying life, who were dead all while they lived. They who have ſlighted the mercy of God, ſhall be upheld by his power, to endure his juſtice to all eternity; wicked men would have ſinned with delight for ever upon the earth, if they could have lived for ever upon the earth, and they ſhall live for ever with pain in hell to ſuffer for their ſinne.

The power, goodneſſe and mercy of God, ſhall much more give immortality to the bodies of the Saints in glory; they who have had a will to delight in obeying God that ſhort time they lived on earth, ſhall have a power to live for ever in delight, praiſing God in heaven.

The body of man in the ſtate of innocency had an immortality, by the gift of God; yet with condition, that he did ſubmit to that rule which God gave him to live by. Doe this and live, Adamus habuit potentiam non moriendi, non impotentiā moriendi. Adamus peccans non ſolum potuit mori, ſed non potuit non mori. Quicun que dicit Adamum primū hominem mortalem factum, ita ut ſive peccaret, ſive non peccaret, moreretur in corpore hoc eſt, de corpore exiret non peccati merito, ſed neceſſitate naturae; Anathema ſit. Concil. Melivit. Can 1.was the law of Adams life. Adam had not an impoſſibility to die, but a poſſibility not to die; This was the ſtate of immortality in the ſtate of innocency. Man had not fallen into the grave, if he had not fallen into tranſgreſſion. His life was made as long as his obedience, if he had not turned from God, he had not returned to the earth. Death was convaied in by ſin, and our poſſibility not to die, was not only loſt, but changed into a neceſſity of dying. So then, man is brought to duſt, not becauſe his nature was ſubject to corruption, but becauſe ſin hath corrupted his nature. When he abuſed the liberty of his will, he was ſubjected to this neceſſity againſt his will. By an irreverſible ordinance of heaven, It is appointed unto men once to die, Heb. 9.27. Iob ſpeaks, to that point of Gods law concerning man, Thou haſt made me as the clay, and thou wilt bring me into the duſt again.

Thus the words are taken as an aſſertion of the power and priviledge of God, to unmake and pull down man, whom he had made and ſet up.

If we read the words by way of interrogation or admiration: ſo Iob ſeems to intend them as an allay to mitigate the preſent ſeverity of the Lords proceeding with him, Thou haſt made me of the clay, but a while ago, and wilt thou bring me into the duſt again? O ſpare me a little before I go hence, and ſhall be ſeen no more: It will not be long before there muſt be an end of me, O let me have a more comfortable being and breathing, while I am here.

When Satan provoked the Lord againſt Ieruſalem, to deſtroy it, the Lord anſwered (Zech. 3.2.) Is not this a brand pluckt out of the fire? As if he had ſaid unto Satan, Art thou moving me to throw this people into that fire of affliction, out of which they were ſo lately ſnatcht? Ieruſalem was in the fire but awhile ago, and ſhall I caſt it in again? Iob pleads in the ſame form, though not in the ſame matter, I was clay but the other day, and Lord, ſhall I to duſt again to day? Let we ſee ſome quiet daies, before I ſee the end of my daies. Gild over this clay of mine with the ſhinings of thy face upon me, before thou rendereſt me duſt again.

I have more then once had occaſion to touch this argument, and ſhall therefore paſſe it here.

Iob having thus ſet forth his naturall conſtitution, in the matter of it, as he was made of clay, goeth on to deſcribe himſelf more diſtinctly; firſt, in his conception of his whole body; ſecondly, in the formation and delineation of his parts.

Verſe 10. Haſt thou not poured me out as milke, and crudled me like cheeſe?

Lacti ſimile initio ſemen, poſtea admirabili Dei opere non ſecus ac caſeus conereſcit, & con ſolidatur, ut membra paulatim conformari incipiant. foreign Notat reiliqu… dae concretionē coagulationem vel condenſationem.Under the modeſt ſhadow of this verſe, that great naturall myſtery of mans generation and conception is contained. The former word ſignifies not only the pouring forth of liquids, but the melting and diſſolving of the hardeſt mettals, iron, braſſe, &c. that they may be fitted to run or be poured forth, Ezek. 22.21, 22. And as this ſignifies the ſoftning and melting of that which is hard, ſo the next word (which we tranſlate crudled) ſignifies the hardening or thickning of that which is ſoft and fluid. Moſes uſeth it in deſcribing the miraculous dividing of the red ſea, Exod. 15.8. The flouds ſtood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the ſea. The Prophet Zephany uſeth it for the ſetledneſſe and reſolvedneſſe of a people in ſinne (Chap. 1.12.) The Lord (ſaith he) will puniſh the men that are ſetled (we put in the margin curded or thickned) on their lees. I might from theſe proprieties of the originall words, illuſtrate that ſecret of mans originall. But foraſmuch as the Spirit of God hath drawn a curtain, and caſt a vail of metaphors over it, therefore I intend not to open or diſcover it.foreign, &c. Ariſt. de gen. Animal. c. 20. Ancient Philoſophers have ſpoken of theſe naturall operations in a like language, and under theſe ſimilitudes: I ſhall only ſay in generall, that theſe two expreſſions; Firſt, Thou haſt poured me out as milk; ſecondly, And crudled me like cheeſe, are appliable to that ſpeciall contribution, which God hath charged upon each parent, towards that great work, the continuation of their own kinde,Miſeret at que etiam pudet, aeſtimantem quā ſit frivola animantium ſuperbiſſimorum origo, Plin. l. 7. c. 7. and the raiſing up of a poſterity in their place, to ſerve himſelf and their generation. Learn hence,

Fitſt, That man hath reaſon to be humbled at the meannes and manner of his original.

What hath he to be proud of in the world, who that he might be prepared for his coming into the world, was poured out as milk, and curdled as cheeſe. Let not man be high minded, whoſe beginning was ſo low and homely.

Learn ſecondly, Our naturall conception is from God.

Men (in a ſtrict ſenſe) are called, The fathers of our fleſh, Nihil de genitoribus aut ſeminibus naſcitur, ſi ea non operetur Deus. Auguſt. in Pſal. 118.and God the father of ſpirits (Heb. 12.9.) Yet God hath the chief title to the father-hood of our fleſh, as well as the ſole title to the fatherhood of our ſpirits, Thou hast poured me out as milk, and thou haſt crudled me like cheeſe; here is no mention of his father, none of his mother, but as if the Lord had wrought all by an immediate power, he aſcribes the whole effect to him. Thou haſt poured me out as milk, &c. We are alſo his off-spring, as the Apoſtle tels the Athenians out of their own Poets, Act. 17.28.

Thirdly, This gives caution to all whom the Lord hath called, or ſhall call to the ſtate of marriage, to be holy in that eſtate. Marriage is honourable (Heb. 13.4.) and the bed undefiled, but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge; no wonder if God have a reſpectfull eye to the undefiled in that relation, and a revengefull eye upon the defilers of it; ſeeing as his own authority inſtituted it, ſo his own power acts ſo eminently in it. Our conception, our formation, our birth and production are all aſcribed to, yea aſſumed by God himſelf. Of which ſecond act the next verſe gives us a noble and an elegant proof.

Verſe 11. Thou haſt clothed me with skin and fleſh and fenced me with bones and ſinews.

Job proceeds like a great Philoſopher about the production of man. For when by that former work of nature,Semen in utero mulieris, primis ſeptem d ebus conglobatur, coagulatur, ſit que ad capiendam figuram idoneū. Gel. the matter is poured out and crudled. God by nature makes a further progreſſe, and prepares for another work, the forming and faſhioning of that unſhapen lump into the parts and lineaments of an organicall body. Some Naturaliſts undertake to tell us exactly what is wrought the firſt ſeven daies, and what the next, when the brain, heart and liver are formed, and when the fleſh, the bones, and ſinews.Gal. l. 7, de ſem. ex doctrina Hippocratis. The ancient and learned Phyſicians have diſtinguiſhed this whole work of God in perfecting mankinde into four periods. The firſt is, while the matter or principles out of which man is made being mingled together, retain their own form. The ſecond is, when thoſe principles are groſſed into a rude fleſhy maſſe. Theſe two periods Job hath taught us long before Galen and Hippocrates in the former verſe, under thoſe notions of pouring out as milk, and curdling as cheeſe. The third period is, when a repreſentation is made of thoſe principall parts the brain, the heart, and the liver, together with the threeds, and (as ſome allude) the warp of mans conſtitution, or as others, the lines and ſhadows of a man, ſuch as a skilfull artiſan makes with a ruder penſil, when he is about to draw a curious picture. The fourth period is, when both the ſimilar and organicall parts, are compleated and alſo beautified with proper and lively colours. Theſe two later periods are deſcribed by Job in this verſe, and in the beginning of the next.

Thou haſt clothed me with skin and fleſh.

foreign Nudavit.The originall word for skin, comes from a root ſignifying naked. We commonly ſay he is naked, who hath nothing upon him, but his skin. And Job who here ſaith, Thou haſt clothed me with skin, ſaid, Chap. 1.20. Naked came I out of my mothers womb, and naked ſhall I return thither: That is, with nothing but my skin. He that wears only skin and fleſh hath no artificiall clothing, but he hath a naturall clothing. We are dreſt in garments taken out of the Wardrobe of God and nature before the world puts a rag upon us. Thus man is born naked, yet clothed, unarmed, yet fenced.

Pellis ita dicta quod externas injurias tegendo repellat. Druſ. Ʋlterius progreditur informatione faetus, nam poſt corſolidatum ſemen, & formata jam mēbra, accedunt extrinſecus cutis & caro, ad protegenda interiora, quae abſ que hoc velut ſepimento & munimento eſsent obnoxia & expoſita periculis. Merc.Thou haſt clothed me with skin and fleſh, &c.

Which ſome interpret in reference to the ſoul, which is covered over and encloſed with the skin and fleſh.

But this clothing of skin and fleſh refers rather to thoſe inward, more noble and tender parts, the heart, liver, brain and bowels, theſe are encloſed with skin and fleſh, leſt they ſhould take cold; theſe are fenced with bones and ſinews, leſt they ſhould take hurt. Hence death is called an unclothing. Death ſtrips us, not only to the skin, but of the skin, We that are in this tabernacle, do groan, being burdened, not for that we would be unclothed, (2 Cor. 5.4.) that is, not that we would put off this garment of skin and fleſh, this naturall clothing, but we would have a ſupernaturall clothing upon it, even a veſt of glory put upon theſe veſts of frailty. This Scripture in Job is of the ſame language with that of Paul, Thou haſt clothed me with skinne and fleſh.

It is ſaid of the vertuous woman (Prov. 31.21.) That ſhe is not afraid of the ſnow for her houſhold, for all her houſhold are all clothed with skarlet, or, double garments. The great and moſt wiſe God hath prepared ſuch clothing for mans inward parts, that he needs not fear ſnow or cold, he hath provided double garments, two ſutes, skin and fleſh. Fleſh is an under garment, and skin is an upper garment: fleſh covers the bones, and skin covers the fleſh. Anatomiſts obſerve, That man hath two diſtinct coats of skin upon his fleſh, or mans skin is a lined garment, yet differing from other garments, for here the lining is uppermoſt. This uppermoſt skin, or as ſome call it, the ſcarf-skin is without ſenſe, you may thruſt a needle thorow it without pain. There was great reaſon it ſhould be ſo, that it might defend the skin under it from externall injuries, as alſo attemper the exquiſite ſenſe thereof, and ſo become the medium or mean of touching: for all ſenſation is made by ſome mean, and is either altogether hindered, or much diſturbed by the immediety of the object and the organ. Hence when this cuticle or ſcarf-skin is off or broken, the gentleſt touch upon that bared part, breedeth much pain, but ſpoileth the true ſenſation. Under this curtain or ſcarf-skin, the true and proper skin lieth; The Greeks call foreign, becauſe it may be flaied off, or foreign, quaſi foreign, a band, becauſe it compaſſeth or knitteth together the whole body. This skin is a ſeameleſſe garment, yet it hath divers out-lets made for the relief and eaſe of nature; ſome of which are obvious to ſence, others called pores, are both innumerable and imperceptible.

To this double veſture of skin, fleſh is added, as having according to Jobs philoſophy, an immediate conjunction or contiguity with one another. But our Philoſophers in their profeſſed deſcriptions of mans anatomy, place two parts between the skin and the fleſh, namely, fat and the fleſhy membrane. Concerning which, they who pleaſe may conſult the writings of learned Naturaliſts. I ſhall not ſtep out into ſuch digreſſions.

Further, As God hath given us a clothing of skin and fleſh: ſo he hath given us armour under that clothing. Thou haſt fenced me with bones and ſinews.

The word which we tranſlate fenced, is the ſame uſed, Chap. 1.10. where Satan tels the Lord that he had ſecured the ſtate of Iob, ſo, that he could not come nigh it, Haſt not thou made an hedge about him? The devil made many aſſaults againſt Job, but he could not batter down that hedge, it was Cannon-proof. As the ſtate, ſo the body of Job was fenced: if we look upon the skelleton of a man, we ſhall ſee the proportion of an armour, breſt and back formed up with bones and ſinews.

foreign Oſſa à robore & firmitate dicta.Bones are for ſtrength and ſinews for motion, bones being firm and ſtiff in themſelves are moveable by the ſinews. There are other parts of the body which concur to the making up of this armour, griſtles, muſcles, ligaments, membranes, all which ſerve for motion, faſtning and defence, as well as bones and ſinews: but theſe being the principall and moſt known are here expreſſed for all the reſt.

foreign Hippocr.Bones give the body ſtability, ſtraitneſſe and form. They are as the carcaſe of a ſhip, whereto the reſt of the parts are faſtned, and by which they are ſuſtained. They are as the poſts, pillars, beams and rafters of a houſe, by whoſe knittings and contignations the whole building is both proportioned and ſupported. And though the bones are for number very many, and in their forms exceeding various, ſome thick, ſome thin, ſome plain, ſome hollow, ſome of a greater, others of a leſſer bore, yet are they ſo connected and fitted together by articulation or by coalition, by contiguity or continuity (as the Anatomiſts ſpeak) that they all appear as one bone, or pack of bones,

Sinews or nerves derive their pedigree from the brain, and are the organs by which the animall ſpirits are conveyed, and flow into the whole body, and with them both ſenſe and motion. Sinews have ſo much of ſtrength in them, that the ſame word is put to ſignifie both ſtrength and ſinews, and to do a thing ſtrongly and vigorouſly, is to doe it (nervosè) ſinewouſly. It is wonderfull which Naturaliſts write of the conjugations and uſes of the ſinews, to whoſe labours I referre the ſtudious Reader for further ſatisfaction. I have given enough to ſhew, what this Text cals me to, That God hath indeed clothed man with skin and fleſh, and fenced him with bones and ſinews.

Some have quarrelled with the wiſdom and goodneſſe of God, for turning man altogether naked and unarmed into the world. This Scripture is enough to confute the unreaſonableneſſe of that quarrel. Job thankfully acknowledgeth, That he was both clothed and armed, though not in the ſenſe of theſe complainers. It is more honourable for man to make himſelf artificiall clothing and arms, then to have had none but naturall; God hath given man reaſon to invent, hands to prepare, and a tongue to call for thoſe things which by a Law of nature are impoſed upon other creatures; the power of reaſon, and the skill of the hand are a better ſafeguard to man then any the beaſts have, and can provide whatſoever man wants to ſecure him either from cold or danger. And though the body, as now it ſtands, be but (as it were) the ſepulchre of that which God at firſt created, though we lie open to ſo many diſeaſes and deaths, that the ſoul may well be ſaid to inhabit an unwalled, and an unfortified City, yet man hath great cauſe for ever to extoll the bounty of God in thoſe ſtill continued ennoblements of this earthly manſion, his mortall body. Yea, The noble ſtructure and ſymmetry of our bodies, invites our ſouls not only to thankfulneſſe, but to admiration. One of the Ancients ſtileth man a great miracle. Another, The miracle of miracles: A third, The meaſure of all things: A fourth, The patern of the univerſe, the worlds epitome, The world in a ſmall volume, or a little world. They alſo have diſtinguiſhed the whole frame of the body into three ſtories, in alluſion to a like frame obſervable in the world. Firſt, The ſuperiour, which they call intellectuall or angelicall, becauſe they conceived it to be the habitation of Angels or Intelligences. The ſecond or middle part they call celeſtiall or heavenly, the ſeat of the Sunne and ſtarres. The third, Elementary, in which all corporeall creatures are procreated and nouriſhed. This diviſion of the world is eminent in man, for he alſo is a building of three ſtories. The head which is the ſeat of reaſon, the manſion, the tower of wiſdome and underſtanding is placed higheſt: the breſt or middle venter is the celeſtiall part, wherein the heart, like the Sun is predominant; ſome have called the Sun, The heart of the world; and the heart, The Sunne of mans body, by whoſe luſtre, beams and influences, all the other parts are quickned and refreſhed; hence we ſay, when the heart fails all fails, and while the heart holds, all holds. The third part of the body, or the lower venter containing all parts neceſſary for the nutrition of individuals, or the propagation of the ſpecies, carrieth a cleare reſemblance with the elementary or loweſt parts of the univerſe.

There are five things in particular, which as ſo many rounds of a lather, may help us to raiſe our thoughts higher in the duty of holy admiration about this work of God.

Firſt, That God frameth up this goodly and beautifull fabrique out of ſuch mean and improbable materials. To conſider out of what ſtuff our bodies are made, advanceth the honour of him who made us. Man can make his work (except the form) no better then the matter out of which he formeth it. But as the form of mans body is better then the matter, ſo the matter becomes better then it was, before it received that form.

Secondly, The matter out of which God maketh man is originally homogeneall, or but of one kinde, yet there is a ſtrange heterogeny or variety in the very ſubſtance, as well as in the ſhape of the ſeverall parts; which are therefore divided by the ſurvaiers of this building, into parts ſimilar and diſſimilar. Is it not incredible to meer reaſon, that one lump ſhould be ſpread out into thin, tender skin, wrought into ſoft fleſh, extended into tough ſinews, hardened into ſtrong bones; that one piece ſhould make an outward jerkin or caſſock of skin, an under garment of fleſh, columns and rafters of bones, bands and ties of ſinews; that the ſame ſhould make veins like chanels to carry, and blood like water to be carried into every part to moiſten and refreſh it? When an Artificer buildeth an houſe, he requires more materials then one, he muſt have ſtones and timber, iron, lead,Quomodo ex re tantula & ſibi ſimili, tamvariae & diſcrepantes partes extiterunt; haec profecto eſt ſtupenda omnino opifi…i… noſtri ſapientia & vis ad quicquid efficiendū. Merl. &c. to compleat his fabrique: but the Lord frameth all the parts, rooms and contrivances of the body out of one and the ſame maſſe. Thou doſt not know (ſaith Solomon) how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with childe (Eccleſ. 11.5.) Who can know by a meer rationall demonſtration, how a ſolid ſubſtance ſhould grow out of that which is ſo fluid? And that parts materially, as well as figuratively unlike, ſhould ariſe out of a like matter?

Thirdly, The work of God in the framing of man is internall, as well as externall. A ſtatuary, or an engraver will make the image or pourtraiture of a man, but his work is all outward, he cannot make bowels, or faſhion a heart within, he cannot cut out veins, bones and ſinews. The greateſt wonders of creation are unſeen. God hath packt many rarities, myſteries, yea, miracles together in mans cheſt. All the vitall inſtruments and wheels, whereby the watch of our life is perpetually moved from the firſt hour to the laſt, are locked up in a curious internall cabinet, where God himſelf prepared the pulleys, hung on the weights, and wound up the chime by the hand of his infinite power, without opening of any part; As our own learned Anatomiſt elegantly teacheth us in the Preface to his ſixth book.

Fourthly, The dimenſions, proportions and poiſe of mans body are ſo exact and due, that they are made the model of all ſtructures and artificials. Caſtles, Houſes, Ships, yea the Ark of Noah was framed after the meaſure and plot of mans body. In him is found a circulate figure, and a perfect quadrat, yea the true quadrature of a circle, whoſe imaginary lines have ſo much troubled the Mathematicians of many ages.

Fifthly, In every part uſefulneſſe and commodiouſneſſe, comelineſſe and convenience meet together. What beauty is ſtampt upon the face? What majeſty in the eye? What ſtrength is put into the arms? What activity into the hands? What muſick and melody in the tongue? Nothing in this whole fabrique could be well left out or better placed, either for ornament, or for uſe. Some men make great houſes which have many ſpare rooms, or rooms ſeldom uſed; but as in this houſe there is not any one room wanting: ſo every room is of continuall uſe.

Was ever clay thus honoured, thus faſhioned? Galen gave Epicurus an hundred years to imagine a more commodious ſcituation, configuration or compoſition of any one part of the body; And ſurely if all the Angels in heaven had ſtudied to this day, they could not have caſt man into a more curious mould, or have given a fairer and more correct edition of him. This clay cannot ſay to him that faſhioneth it, What makest thou? Or this work, he hath no hands, (Iſa. 45.9.) The Lord hath made man ſo well, that man cannot tell which way to be made better; This work cannot ſay, He that wrought me had no hands, that is, I am ill wrought; as to ſay, you have no eyes, you have no ears, are reproofs of negligence and inadvertency, both in hearing and ſeeing. So when we ſay to a man, Surely you have no hands, our meaning is, he hath done his work, either ſlothfully or unskilfully. But this work of mans body ſhall not need to ſay unto God, he hath no hands, he hath given proof enough, that hands and head too were imploied about this work. Let us make it appear that we have hands and tongues, and hearts for him, that we have skin and fleſh, bones and ſinews for him, that we have ſtrength, and health, and life, and all for him; ſeeing all theſe are alſo derived from him, as appears in the next words, Thou hast granted me life and favour.

Job having thus deſcribed the naturall conception and formation of his body, deſcendeth to his quickning and preſervation. When God had formed man out of the duſt of the earth, he then breathed into him the breath of life, and man became a living ſoul; and thus when God hath formed man in the womb, given him skin and fleſh, bones and ſinews, then he gives life and breath and all things neceſſary, to the continuation of what he hath wrought up to ſuch excellent perfections. Our divine Philoſopher teacheth us this doctrine.

Verſe 12. Thou haſt granted me life and favour, and thy viſitation hath preſerved my ſpirit.

This verſe holds out to us the great Charter of God to man, conſiſting of three royall grants. Firſt, Life. Secondly, Favour. Thirdly, Viſitation. The bounty of God appears much in granting life, more in granting favour, moſt of all in his grant of gracious viſitations. Thou haſt granted me life, &c.

foreign Vitas feciſti. Mont. Vitam dispoſuiſti mihi. Sep. Quaſi debito loco & ordine.The letter of the Hebrew is, Thou hast made, or fitted for me life and favour. The ſoul is the ornament of the body, life the luſtre of our clay. Thou haſt not thrown or hudled my life into my body, Thou haſt put it in exquiſitely and orderly. The frame of the body is an exquiſite frame, but the frame, the faculties and powers, the actings and motions of the ſoul are farre more exquiſite. The inhabitant is more noble then the houſe, and the jewell then the cabinet. As the life is better then meat, and the body then (artificiall) raiment (Mat. 6.25.) So the life is better then the body, which is to it a naturall raiment.

Thou haſt granted me life, &c.

Life is here put metonymically for the ſoul, of which it is an effect, as the ſoul is often put for the life, whereof it is a cauſe.

We tranſlate in the ſingular number, life, the Hebrew is plurall, Thou haſt granted me lives. But hath a man more lives then one? Some underſtand Job ſpeaking not only of corporall, but ſpirituall life; as our naturall life is the ſalt of the body, to keep that from corrupting: ſo ſpirituall life, or the life of grace, is the ſalt of the ſoul, to keep that from corrupting.

Secondly, Thou haſt granted me lives, that is, ſay others, temporall life and eternall life.

Thirdly, Lives may be taken for the three great powers of life. Man hath one life conſiſting of three diſtinct lives: For whereas there is a life of vegetation and growth, ſuch as is in trees and plants: and a life of ſenſe and motion, ſuch as is in beaſts of the earth, fowls of the air, and fiſhes of the ſea: And a life of reaſon, ſuch as is in Angels, whereby they underſtand and diſcourſe; theſe three lives, which are divided and ſhared among all other living creatures, are brought together and compacted into the life of man. Whole man, is the epitome or ſumme of the whole Creation, being enriched and dignified with the powers of the inviſible world, and of the viſible put together, under which notion we may expound this Text, Thou haſt granted me lives; a three-fold life, or a three-fold acting and exerciſe of the ſame life.

Thou haſt granted me lives.

Obſerve hence, Life is the gift of God.

With thee is the fountain of lives, the well,foreign Vena vitarum. or the vein of lives (Pſal. 36.9.) The Pſalmiſt alludes, either firſt to waters which flow from a fountain, and ſo doth life from God. Or, ſecondly, To metals, With thee is the vein of lives; as all minerall veins, the veins of gold and ſilver, of lead and iron, &c. lie (as it were) in bank, in the boſom and bowels of the earth: ſo doth life in God. There is not the leſt vein of this quick-ſilver, in all the world, but comes from him. Or, thirdly, The Pſalmiſt alludeth to the veins of the body, which as ſo many rivers and rivolets, derive their bloud from tha… red-ſea the liver. God hath a ſea of life in himſelf, and all that live are fill'd with life from him. This is one of his royall titles, The living God; He is, The living God, not only ſubjectivè, becauſe he liveth, but effectivè, becauſe he enliveneth and quickneth all living creatures, From him we receive life and breath (Act. 17.25.) In him we live, and move, and have our being, verſ. 28. In him we live, &c. that is, by him, or thorow him, as the ſame Apoſtle teacheth (Rom. 11.36.) The ſame power giveth us being, and maintains it. This is true,Iovis omnia plena. Virg. Iupiter eſt aether, eſt terra Iupiter coelumque & omnia Iupiter, & fiquid ſupra. Aeſchyl. yet the context carrieth the prepoſition [In] further. For the Apoſtle having aſſerted, verſ. 27. He is not farre from every one of us; ſubjoyns this as a proof, For in him we live &c. implying, That man is, in a ſenſe, contained in, or inveſted with God. The divine nature cannot be circumſcribed with any thing, yet circumſcribeth all things: For which Paul refers the Athenians to Heathen Poets, who ſpake this truth in a carnall language, yet ſuch as might be ſpiritualiz'd by a ſanctified underſtanding. The reſult of which is, That God is the authour and conſervatour of our lives. This glory is given alſo unto Chriſt, who is called, The Prince of life, becauſe he hath life at command, The Sonne quickneth whom he will. Chriſt hath the power, not only of naturall, but of ſpirituall and eternall life, He is the Prince of lives. Iob ſpeaks in the language of Princes, Thou haſt granted &c. As they make out grants of lands and offices, ſo God makes a grant of life. The civil godſhip of Kings and Magiſtrates appears much in this, that they can grant a forfeited life, either by reprieve for a time, or by pardon for ever. It is ordinary with men, to grant others leaſes for their lives, but they cannot grant them life. Princes can grant an offender a leaſe of that life which he hath, but no Prince can grant life to thoſe who have it not.foreign Denotat imp…n ſum ſtudiū vel exuberantiam boni. Coc. Anguſta in…ecentia eſt ſecū dum leges juſtū eſſe; latius officiorum pater quam juris regula. Quam multa pietas, humanitas, liberalitas exigunt, quae omnia extra publicas tabulas ſunt? Sen l. 2. d…ira. Virtutum quaedam ſeminaria tribuiſti mihi & praeſertim miſericordiae, quam ſibi innatam ipſe fatetur, Job 31.18. Aquin That's Gods peculiar, Thou haſt granted me life, And favour.

The word ſignifieth the pureſt, ſincereſt, and moſt tender kindeneſſe, the fulleſt favour, the moſt courteous courteſie, Gen. 21.23. chap. 24.49. Exod. 15.13. Ruth 1.8. Hebricians tell us, That it noteth an exuberancy of kindeneſſe, ſuch as breaks the bounds, and exceeds the ordinary laws of love. It is but a poor way of loving, to love only by rule and meaſure. There is no true love can act beyond the rule which God gives, but love quickly exceeds the rules of men. Hence the Jews call thoſe Chaſidim, who are not only juſt by ſtatute, giving every man his right, paying every man his due, but noble, heroicall, free-hearted and open-handed in their diſtribution of favours.

One Expoſitour by favour underſtands the ſeeds of grace and vertue, eſpecially of charity and mercifulneſſe, which (ſaith he) ſeem to have been connaturall to Iob.

Another interprets favour by*Liberum arbitrium tribuiſti mihi Cajet. free-will. But I paſſe theſe as perverſions, not expoſitions of Scripture. And ſhall repreſent what is both ſafe and ſutable.

Firſt, Some reſtrain this favour to that which he received in the womb before he was born, or the favour which he had to be born, which is to be reckoned among very valuable favours. Thou art he that took me out of the womb, was Davids thankfull acknowledgement, Pſal. 22.9. The womb is to all infants a temporary priſon, and to ſome a grave. It is favour to have thoſe gates unlockt, and the little priſoner ſet ſafe at liberty.

Secondly, We may interpret it as an adjunct, or an adverb, Haebraiſmus eſt qua…do ex duob…, ſimul poſitis ſubſtantivis unum adverbia. liter ſumitur al…erum que determinat. Bold.ſhewing how the Lord granted him life; It is an uſuall Hebraiſme to put the later of two Subſtantives adverbially, Joſh. 2.14. We will deal kindely and truly with thee, ſay the Spies to Rahab. The Original is, We will deal kindeneſſe and truth to thee; which is alſo rendered kindeneſſe in truth, or kindeneſſe truly, that is, thou maieſt truſt us: we do not flatter thee, and we will not deceive thee. So here, Thou haſt granted me life and favour; That is, life by favour, or life favourably; importing, That the receit of life, is the receit of a great mercy; as if Iob had ſaid, I could not deſerve that thou ſhouldeſt beſtow life upon me: When I was firmed and faſhioned in the womb, it was thy favour to quicken me: Mercy put breath into thoſe tender principles, and firſt rudiments of my body. And ſeeing not only ſenſe and motion, are brought in by life, but reaſon alſo, and all the noble operations of it, Iob had reaſon enough to ſay, Thou haſt granted me life, as a great, or with abundant favour. Hence obſerve,

Life is a ſpeciall favour of God.

There are divers ſorts of creatures which have not the favour of life beſtowed on them, no not the loweſt degree of life. The Lord hath given man not only l…fe, but the higheſt degree of life; this is a high favour. It was Satans argument (chap. 2.) Skin for skin, and all that a man hath, will he give for his life; As if he had ſaid, What is a mans bo…y to his life? What are his eſtate, his lands, his gold and ſilver? What are all theſe dead commodities to his life? Life is the moſt p…ecious of naturall bl…ſſings. A worm (under this conſideration) is a more noble creature then the Sun, becauſe a worm hath life, which the Sun hath not. The loweſt of a ſuperiour order, is better then the higheſt of an inferiour; Though the Sun be the excellenteſt of all inanimate creatures, yet it moves (though in heaven) in a lower orb, then any thing that lives groveling on the earth. A leaf is more excellent then a pearl or a diamond, becauſe a leaf hath a life in it, which theſe have not; That opinion of voluptuous Atheiſts or Epicures, delivered us by the Preacher, hath a truth in it, A living dog is better then a dead lion (Eccl. 9.4.) For though (as that voice ſpake from heaven, Revel. 14.13.) Bleſſed are the dead that die in the Lord, and though curſed are the living that live without the Lord: In which ſenſe the pooreſt dead dog is better then the proudeſt lion alive; Yet, conſider man only within the line and compaſſe of naturall life; Then he that lives in the worſt condition, is better then he that once was in higheſt dignity, but now is dead. It is uſuall in Scripture by a dogge to ſet forth the vileſt eſtate of man, and the moſt excellent by a lion. When Mephiboſheth would ſhew how low he was in his own eyes, though the ſon of a noble Prince, he joyns theſe two, Dead and a dog together, 2 Sam. 9.8. What is thy ſervant, that thou ſhouldſt look upon ſuch a dead dog as I am? He cals himſelf not only a dog, as Chriſt did the woman of Canaan, and as ſhe acknowledged her ſelf to be, but to lay himſelf as low as lowneſſe it ſelf, he cals himſelf a dead dog, implying, That life giveth ſome honour, and caſteth a luſtre upon every ſubject, which it inhabits, though it be the meaneſt. When Eſau was near periſhing with hunger (Gen. 25.32.) he reſolves thus, I am at the point to die, and what profit ſhall this birth-right do to me? As if he had ſaid, Shall I keep my birth-right, and loſe my life? My life is more precious. Thus he ſpake, and he ſpake profanely in it; yet there is ſome truth in what he ſpake; for if we take birth-right preciſely in the notion of a civil priviledge; ſo life is better then a birth-right; but he is called profane Eſau, becauſe there was a ſpirituall priviledge in his birth-right, which he ought to have valued above his life. Any ſpirituall good thing is better then naturall life, but life is the beſt of naturall, and better then all civil good things. When the Prophet would expreſſe how great a bleſſing a King was to his people, he called him, The breath of their noſtrils, Lam. 4.29. and, live for ever, was the higheſt apprecation given the Babylonian Kings. The moſt noble imitations of art are about this piece of nature; It is the ambition of a painter to draw to the life, or to ſhadow the motions and actings of life. When we would commend a picture, we ſay, It is done to the life; How precious a favour is reall life, the very ſhadow of which is of ſo great a price? He that laieth down his life, paieth the greateſt debt, whether to juſtice or to nature. Chriſt went to the higheſt price for, and ſhewed the greateſt favour to ſinners, when he parted with, and pawned this jewell for them, his precious life.

This ſhould minde parents, as to pray for quickning after conceptions, ſo to give thanks when the embryon is quickned.

Now if this naturall life be ſuch a favour, What is ſpirituall and eternall life? Thou haſt given me life and favour, Cheſed omnia beneficia Dei promiſcuè complectitur. Coc. Non ſolum vitam dediſti, ſed cumulaſti banis omnibus, quae ad victum, honorem, & rem vitae neceſſariam pertinent. Hoc nomine cō plectitur etiam omnia beneficia, quae ultra vitā Deus homini concedit, dum educandum eū, inſtituendum, & informandū in lege ſua & timore curat. Merc.or life as a favour.

Thirdly, By favour, in conjunction with life, we may underſtand the accidents of life; that is, thoſe good things which accompany and accommodate our lives, Thou haſt given me life, not a bare life, not a meer ſubſiſtence or being in the world, but with life thou haſt alſo given me favour, many mercies and comforts to make my life ſweet and pleaſant to me.

Beſides, favour takes in not only thoſe outward comforts of health, ſtrength, liberty, plenty, but thoſe inward ornaments of life alſo; good education, and inſtruction in knowledge both humane and divine. It appears Iob had a fair portion of theſe favours. His was not a naked, but a clothed ſoul, a ſoul gilded and engraven all over with heavenly truths.

So that Job in this word reports the bounty and munificence of God towards him, in all the former additions and accompliſhments of his life. Many have lives which they ſcarce look upon as a favour. Some accidents of life, are more worth then the ſubſtance of it. Our well-being is better then our being. It may prove a deſirable favour to be rid of life. In which ſenſe Iob ſpake of himſelf at the firſt verſe of this Chapter, My ſoul is weary of my life. His life was then a burden, but once a favour. Thou haſt granted me life with favour.

Fourthly, Iob may here intend ſpirituall and eternall favour.Quoniam Cheſed ſignificat aliquid perfectum in amore; idcirca ſlatuimus Iohum hic intelligere iſtā foreign ſive ſtudium quod Deus exercet erga ſuos qu…s facit filios ſuos in Chriſto. Coc. Cheſed ſignifies the grace or favour of God in Chriſt (Pſal. 89.33.) My loving kindeneſſe will I not take from him, nor ſuffer my faithfulneſſe to fail. If he fail in duty, I will chaſten him in mercy, I will not remove mercy from him. The Vulgar tranſlates, Thou haſt given me life and mercy, which ſome expound of that ſpeciall mercy, the pardon of his ſinne, and his waſhing from originall corruption; As if Iob had ſaid, I partake not only of life, but alſo of that which is better then life it ſelf, Thy favour or loving-kindeneſſe, Pſal. 63.4. The favour of God in ſpirituall things, (in pardoning ſin, in regenerating the ſoul, in ſending the holy Spirit) is the perfection of his favour. What is man without that favour which makes him a ſonne of God, but even a beautifull, or at moſt, a rationall beaſt? as David cals him, Pſal. 49.21. And ſhould a man give thanks for outward favours only, without any reflection upon ſpirituall; a beaſt, could he ſpeak might give ſuch thanks. The life of ſenſe and growth is a mercy, but beaſts and plants live thus: The life of reaſon is a greater mercy, but wicked men live thus; many are in hell, unto whom God granted this life, and they would be glad God would call in his grant, and take it from them: But unto theſe three lives God adds a fourth to his elect, even a life of grace through Jeſus Chriſt. This is the favour of favours, and the bleſſing of all our bleſſings, except this favour be granted with our lives, it were better for us never to have had a grant of our lives. It is more eligible not to have been born, then not to be born again.

Cheſed ſumitur pro venuſtate corporis, Coc.There is a fifth Interpretation, taking the word Cheſed for corporall favour, or the beauty of the body, we ſay, ſuch an one is well favoured, he hath an excellent feature; the favour of a man is ſeen in the feature of his face. Favour is the perfection of beauty. Some have a clear mixture of white and red, yet no favour. In this ſenſe the word is uſed (Iſa. 40.6.) where the Lord makes a proclamation, The voice ſaid, Cry, and he ſaid, What ſhall I cry? All fleſh is graſſe, and the goodlin…ſſe thereof as the flower of the field; The word which we tranſlate goodlineſſe, is Cheſed, All fleſh is graſſe (man withers quickly) and Cheſed, the goodlineſſe thereof, all of man, his favour, beauty, ſtrength, all theſe are as the flower of the field. Some read goodneſſe for goodlineſſe; the ſenſe holds, if we take it ſo: the naturall, the morall goodnes of man is but a flower. As no goodlines, ſo no goodnes of man, except ſpiritual, laſteth long, and that laſteth long and long, even for ever. Grace is not as the flower of the field, that is durable ſubſtance: that (as the Prophet ſpeaks there of the Word of God in v. 8.) ſhall ſtand for ever. The grace of God is as laſting as the Word of God, for his Word is the externall ſeed or principle of grace. But all other goodneſſe and goodlineſſe of man, how good, how goodly ſoever, his other beauty, how beautifull ſoever, his ſtrength how ſtrong, his favour how well favoured ſo ever, is but as the flower of the field, which is either cut down while it is green, or ſoon fades while it ſtands.

Take favour in this ſenſe, and the ſenſe of the whole verſe is harmonious and ſound. Thou haſt granted me life; my body is formed and quickned, and more then ſo, Thou haſt given me favour, my body is full of beauty and comelineſſe. The comelineſſe of the body is a favour received, and many receive favour, becauſe they are comely. From either of which conſiderations we may call the comelineſſe of the body favour, and it is no common favour, God denies this to many; he grants them the life of nature, but not favour, yea, he grants many the life of grace, but not favour. Beautifull ſouls are often ill-houſed; and filthy ſouls clearly houſed; 'tis admirable when both beauties meet in the ſame man; Moſes was a goodly childe (Exod. 2.2.) and a good man. As grace in the inward man is the beſt favour, ſo favour is gracefull to the outward man.

Thou haſt granted me life and favour, And thy viſitation hath preſerved my spirit.

Here is the third benefit of this Royall grant, foreign Inspectio. foreign Sept.The viſitation of God. One reads, Thy preſence. A ſecond, Thy aſſistance. A third, Thy inspection, thy over-looking or ſuper intendency hath preſerved my spirit. The Hebrew word ſignifies, The viſitation of a ſuperiour over an inferiour, as when maſters enquire into their families, or governours into their Colledges and Hoſpitals,Viſitatio eſt Dominorum & ſuperiorum, cum ad Deum refertur, denotat providentiam. Pined. to ſee whether the ſtatutes and orders appointed by the founders and benefactours be obſerved. There is a three-fold viſitation of God held forth in Scripture.

1. A viſitation of condemnation. God viſits to take vengeance by deſtructive puniſhments, when warning is not taken, nor repentance ſhewed after corrective puniſhments. Shall not I viſit for theſe things, ſaith the Lord? Shall not my ſoul be avenged on ſuch a Nation as this? Jer. 5.9.

2. A viſitation of correction (Pſal. 89.32.) If thy children forſake my law, &c. then will I viſit their tranſgreſſion with the rod, and their iniquity with ſtripes; Nevertheleſſe my loving kindeneſſe will I not utterly take from him, &c, Though they break my laws, yet I will not break my Covenant, they ſhall ſmart for it, but they ſhall not periſh for it. This is a fatherly viſitation.

3. A viſitation of conſolation. And this two-fold. 1. For deliverance out of an evil eſtate, and that either temporall, the Lord is ſaid to viſit his people Iſrael, when he delivered them out of Aegypt (Exod. 4.31.) or ſpirituall and eternall, God hath viſited and redeemed his people ſaith the bleſſed Virgin (Luk. 1.68) that is, he hath viſited his people, to redeem them from ſin and Satan, death and hell, by Jeſus Chriſt.

Secondly (Which is moſt proper to this Text) there is a viſitation, for protection in a good eſtate. When God (having cauſed our line to fall in a fair place) draws his line of providentiall communication round about us; So M. Broughton tranſlates, Life and loving kindeneſſe haſt thou dealt to me, and thy providence preſerveth my ſpirit. As if Iob had ſaid, Thou didſt not only give me life and favour, but thou didſt protect me for many years in the enjoyment of thoſe favours. Providence was the hedge, not only of his outward, but of his inward eſtate, Thy viſitation hath preſerved my ſpirit.

foreignThe verb which we tranſlate, hath preſerved, ſignifieth to preſerve,Summa ſolertia at que diligentia proſpexit, cavit, oberravit, ut ſolent cuſtodiae & excubiae nocturnae, vel gregum cuſtodes both by ſtrength and watchfulneſſe. The Noun expreſſeth a Watch-tower in Hebrew, becauſe a watch-man ſtandeth upon his Tower, and looks round about him, to eſpy and give notice of approaching dangers. The Lord preſerveth both waies, by his watchfulnes, and by his ſtrength: his eie is wakefull enough, and his arm is powerfull enough to preſerve us. He that keepeth Iſrael doth neither ſlumber nor ſleep (Pſal. 121.1.) the creatour of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary (Iſa. 40.28.) He that is thus wakefull can eaſily viſit, and he that is thus powerfull, can eaſily preſerve thoſe whom he viſiteth.

Thy viſitation hath preſerved my spirit.

But how did the viſitation of God, preſerve the spirit of Iob? Or what are we to underſtand by his ſpirit, which was thus preſerved?

The ſpirit of a man is taken three waies;

Firſt, For life. Thus God keepeth us from death, while he preſerves our ſpirits.

Secondly, For the ſoul. Thus God preſerveth our ſpirits, while he keeps us from falling into, or from falling in temptation; while he keeps our corruptions from prevailing, and our graces from decaying.

Thirdly, The ſpirit of man is taken for his courage. Thus God preſerveth our ſpirits, while he keeps us from needleſſe fears, and cowardly deſpondencies. Doubtleſſe Iob had experience of the viſitation of God preſerving his ſpirit in all theſe ſenſes, yet here he ſeems chiefly to intend the preſervation of his life, which God had granted him with favour, or of thoſe comforts which were granted him with his life.

Hence obſerve. Firſt in generall,

That what God granteth, he preſerveth.

It is a part of his grant, that he will preſerve. Should the Lord beſtow the greateſt ſtock of mercy upon us, and leave us to the wide world, we ſhould quickly looſe all; God is not like the Carpenter or the Maſon, who buildeth up a houſe, and then leaveth it to it ſelf, or to the care of others. The Lord ſurveys what he builds, and keeps up what he ſets up; all would come down elſe. Providence ſucceedeth Creation, or Providence is a continued Creation. Aſſoon as ever the Lord had made man, and a garden, He took the man and put him into the Garden, which he had made, to dreſſe it, and to keep it (Gen. 2.15.) God putteth the creatures under mans charge, yet he keepeth all creatures in his own charge, and eſpecially man: A Garden without a man to viſit it would ſoon be a wilderneſſe. And man without God to viſit him, would ſoon be, or be in a wilderneſſe, either out of order, or in danger. Achiſh promiſeth David, I will make thee the keeper of my head for ever (1 Sam. 28.2.) His meaning was, he ſhould be Captain of his guard. Great Princes have their guards, they have keepers of their heads. The great King of heaven and earth is a guard to the meaneſt man, and the keeper of his head. God enquires of Cain for his brother Abel (Gen. 4.) Where is Abel thy brother? What is become of him? Cain was angry at the queſtion, Am I (ſaith he) my brothers keeper? We ought to be one anothers keepers; our mutuall viſitations ſhould preſerve one anothers ſpirits. Some are apt to think themſelves too good for the work: others, that the work is too hard for them. It is our comfort, and it may be our aſſurance, that God hath neither of theſe thoughts, The Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy ſhade upon thy right hand. The Sunne ſhall not ſmite thee by day, nor the Moon by night. The Lord ſhall preſerve thee from all evil; He ſhall preſerve thy ſoul: The Lord ſhall preſerve thy going out and thy coming in, from this time forth and for evermore (Pſal. 121.5.) How large a writ or patent of protection is granted here? No time ſhall be hurtfull, neither day nor night; which include all times. Nothing ſhall hurt, neither Sunne nor Moon, nor heat nor cold. Theſe include all annoiances. Nothing ſhall be hurt, Thy ſoul ſhall be preſerved, thy out-goings and thy comings in ſhall be preſerved. Theſe include the whole perſon of man, and him in all his juſt affairs and actions. Nothing of man is ſafe without a guard, and nothing of man can be unſafe, which is thus guarded. They ſhall be kept, who can ſay, The Lord is our keeper. And they cannot be kept, no not by legions of Angels, who have not the Lord for their keeper. None can keep us, but he, and he hath promiſed to keep us for evermore. Some men are weary of their offices, and ſome are put out of office;Praefecturam ejus accipiat alter, id eſt, omnia quae in ejus cura ſunt quae ſub ſua poteſtate habet. God is neither. In that Prophetical curſe againſt Iudas, tis ſaid, Let another take his office (Pſ. 109.8.) What office? It is this word, and notes there the office of looking to, or of preſerving the ſouls of others, we commonly call it, The cure of ſouls. Such is the office of all the Miniſters of Chriſt, That's Epiſcopacy by divine right; this in the text is divine Epiſcopacy. That word which here in Job we tranſlate viſitation, and in the Pſalm now cited, office, is called Epiſcopacy by the Apoſtle (Act. 1.21.) Chriſt is the great Biſhop or viſitour both of our ſouls and bodies. He is the oecumenicall Biſhop. The whole world is his Dioceſſe, He preſerveth man and beaſt. See more of this point, Chapter 7.20.

Again, For as much as this viſitation which extendeth to the whole man, is here in the letter determined upon the ſpirit. We may obſerve,

Firſt, Taking ſpirit for life,

That as our well-being, ſo our being in the world is at the daily diſpoſe of God.

The living God not only giveth, but maintaineth our lives. We live not by bread, while we are healthy, nor by medicines, when we are ſick; but by the Word of God. His viſitation doth all.

Secondly, Take spirit for the ſoul, then we are taught,

That our ſouls are not independently immortall or incorruptible.

As the life of the whole man is not, ſo neither is the life of the ſoul, of, or in it ſelf, without ſupport from God. The Angelicall ſpirits who were never married to bodies of earth, ſtand not meerly by Creation, but by Providence. The viſitation of God preſerveth thoſe ſpirits, how much more the ſpirits of men, which are eſpouſed to duſt and clay.

Thirdly, As ſpirit ſignifieth the ſoul, not only in it's naturall, but in it's ſpirituall ſtate, or in the ſtate of grace, We learn,

That our ſpirituall ſtook and treaſure are in danger, and would decay, if the power and care of God did not preſerve our spirits.

Grace cannot keep it ſelf, if left to its ſelf. We ſhould looſe, not only degrees of grace, but all grace, were it left in our own hands. But becauſe it is grace, therefore it is not left in our own hands, and becauſe grace is not left in our own hands, therefore it cannot be loſt. So the Apoſtle clearly (1 Pet. 1.4.) We are kept by the power of God through faith unto ſalvation. The word ſignifies to keep, as a City beleaguered without by a ſtrong enemy, is kept by a Gariſon within. Man at the firſt had an excellent eſtate in ſpirituals; though it cannot be ſaid (properly) that he had grace (for that is in the hand of a Mediator) yet he had the image of God, and perfect innocency, but becauſe God did not viſit his ſpirit by freſh aſſiſtances, he was ſtript of all, and fell from the throne of his created glory. As God viſits our ſouls by preventing grace, to give us what we had not: ſo he viſits us by his preſerving and perſevering grace, to continue what he hath given.

Laſtly, Foraſmuch as (though God createth and careth for the whole man, yet) the viſitation of God is expreſſed only, as to the ſpirit. We may obſerve,

That God doth chiefly take care of, and provide for the spirit or ſoul of man.

When God formed the body of man at firſt, out of the duſt of the earth, and breathed into his noſtrils, the breath of life, it is not ſaid he became a living body, or a living man, But, man became a living ſoul. So here, the work of providence is not enlarged to the whole man, but reſtrained to his ſpirit; As if the Lord did ſcarce thinke our bodies either worth, or needing a viſit in compariſon of our ſpirits. And ſeeing God cares for nothing in us, ſo much, as for our ſpirits, ſhould not our care be chiefly for our ſpirits? The ſoul is (upon the matter) all man, ought not man to be moſt of all for his ſoul? Shall the thoughts of God be moſt buſied, his care and inſpection moſt fixed upon our ſpirits, and ſhall not ours? While Chriſt in a manner diſchargeth us of our outward man (Mat. 6.25.) Take no thought for your life, what ye ſhall ear, or what ye ſhall drink, nor yet for your body, what ye ſhall put on, His meaning was, to charge us more deeply with the inward man; yet how many are there, whoſe outward man ſtands them in more coſt and care, in more thoughts and viſitations for one day, then their ſpirits or inward man doth for a whole year, yea, for their whole lives! Viſitations are frequent and ſerious for the preſerving of the body: but where ſhall we finde ſerious thoughts of viſiting the ſoul?

Take this word further, If it be the viſitation of God which preſerveth our ſpirits, we ſhould often viſit God with praier, intreating him to continue theſe viſitations. Praier is our viſiting God, as providence is Gods viſiting of us, & we ſhould viſit God by praier, not only (as they, Iſa. 26.) in trouble, but in our peace: we ſhould deſire him to viſit our eſtates, our families, but eſpecially our ſouls and ſpirits in their moſt flouriſhing condition. The Apoſtle uſeth it as an argument to keep us from diſtracting thoughts (Phil. 4.2.) Let your moderation be known unto all men, The Lord is at hand; be carefull in nothing, but in every thing by praier and ſupplication, let your requests be made known unto God. The Lord is at hand, let not your hearts be troubled. Viſit God in duty, who is at hand to viſit you in mercy. Though there be an infinite diſtance between God and man, yet God is not farre from any man, and he is ever near ſome men. Let not us be ſtrangers to God, when we hear he maketh continuall viſits to us. Thy viſitation doth preſerve my ſpirit.

Verſe 13. And theſe things haſt thou hid in thine heart, I know that this is with thee.

Some read the firſt clauſe (which adds ſharpneſſe to it) with an interrogation. And haſt thou hid theſe things in thine heart? Is it ſo with thee, or haſt thou dealt ſo with me indeed?

The heart of God, is the will, purpoſe or decree of God; Theſe are a vaſt repoſitory, wherein all things are laid up.

And theſe things hast thou hid, &c.

What things? what is the antecedent to theſe things?

1. Some ſay, His afflictions, Theſe things, that is, theſe afflictions, which thou haſt now laid upon me, were hid in thine heart: thou haſt ſhewed me many favours, while in ſecret thou didſt prepare rods for me.

2. The antecedent to theſe things is mercy, life, favour and viſitation, ſpoken of before, ſay others; As if Job had ſpoken thus, This bill of bl…ſſings now read, theſe priviledges now reekoned up, were hidden in thi…e heart: thou haſt had gratious intentions towards me, while thou haſt been ſmiting me.

I know all this is with thee.

Scio quia univerſorum me m…eris Vulg.That is, Thou remembreſt all this, and keepeſt a record of it by thee; The Vulgar makes this the text, I know thou remembreſt all things, or all men.

Some (ſuppoſing the antecedent to be his afflictions) make out this harſh and unbecoming ſenſe;Quaſi haec mala velut in animo recondita in tempus opportunum aſſervaſset ut nec opinantē opprimeret. Atrox querimonia. Merl▪ As if Job had thus uttered his minde to God, I now perceive thou hast had coles of anger raked up in the aſhes, while thoſe warm beams of love did ſhine upon me. Thou haſt held out mercy in thine hand, but ſomewhat elſe lay in thine heart. This interpretation, in the common underſtanding of it, is moſt unworthy of God. It is the wickedneſſe of men to ſpeak fair, and to doe ſome courteſies, while cruelty and revenges are hid in their hearts. When Eſau (Gen. 27.41.) ſaw himſelf defeated of the bleſſing by his brother, He ſaid in his heart, The daies of mourning for my father are at hand, then will I ſlay my brother Iacob: Here's the character of malice, he gave neither brother nor mother ill language, but he ſaid in his heart. The holy God never ſpeaks good to them, to whom he intends evil. The Creatour needs not daub or pervaricate with his creatures.

I grant indeed that the Lord giveth wicked men many outward favours, and ſpeaks them fair in his works, but he never ſpeaks them fair in his Word, Say, Woe to the wicked, it ſhall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands ſhall be given him (Iſa. 3.11.) Men are apt to flatter, but flattery is much an abomination to the Lord, as it is below him.

I grant alſo, That the Lord giveth his own people many favours, and ſpeaketh reall kindeneſſes to them, while he hides affliction in his heart. What evil ſoever he brings upon them, he hath thoughts to do them good, and hath nothing but good for them in his thoughts.

We underſtand by thoſe hidden things, the mercies which Iob with his laſt breath had enumerated: then the words import two things:

Firſt, An argument to move the Lord not to deſtroy him, or or to aſſure his own heart that he would not. As if he had ſaid, Lord, I know thou remembreſt well, what thou haſt done for me, what coſt thou haſt been at in making me at firſt, and in preſerving me hitherto; ſurely then thou wilt not pull all down in a moment.

Secondly, The words may import that the Lord in afflicting Job had uſed only a kinde of ſacred diſſimulation. A diſſembler carrieth himſelf, as if he had no intent to do what he is reſolved to do; It is uſuall with men thus to diſſemble hatred, and ſo have ſome their love. He that purpoſeth much good to another, hideth it ſometimes under ſowre language and unkindeſt uſage. Ioſeph had moſt endeared affection toward his brethren, yet he put a diſguiſe of anger upon it, acting the part of a ſevere man, who lieth at catch to finde out advantages and pick quarrels. Ioſeph uſed many ſtratagems of love, to entangle his brethren, and wrapt up his good will, in hard ſpeeches and rough carriages: Nothing appearing leſſe then what indeed he moſt was, A loving brother, forgetfull of nothing but injuries; Job ſeems to have had ſuch a conception of God, while he ſaith, Theſe things hast thou hid in thine heart; And then his ſenſe riſeth thus, Lord, I know thou beareſt favour and good will towards me ſtill. The fire of thy love is not extinct but covered. Thou doſt but perſonate an enemy, thou art my friend: thou draweſt a cloud betwixt me and the light of thy countenance, but thy countenance is ſtill as full of light towards me as ever, and though I ſee nothing but ſorrows on every ſide, yet I know mercies are hid in thine heart. Thus the words are an aſſertion of Jobs faith and aſſurance, that God loved him, while his chaſtnings lay moſt heavy upon him. Hence obſerve, Firſt,

That the Saints while they are ſtrong in faith, are able to diſcern the favour of God through the clouds and coverings of his moſt angry dispenſations.

This they can do, and when they can, they are arrived at a great height in grace. To maintain our intereſt in Chriſt through diſadvantages, is ſtrong faith. The woman of Canaan (Mat. 15.26.) knew her pardon and acceptance were hid in the heart of Chriſt, while he called her dog, and would ſcarce vouchſafe to caſt an eye upon her. Faith did this, and faith can do the like at this day. But every true faith will not do it. There is a kinde of miracle wrought in ſuch believing: So Chriſt concludes with that woman (ver. 28.) O woman great is thy faith. Truth of grace is not enough for every work of grace: ſome works will not be done without ſtrength, as well as truth. Weak faith is ready to ſay, Mercy is loſt, when it is but hidden, and that God means us no good, when we doe not enjoy good. But the ſtrong faith ſpeaketh on this wiſe; Lord, I know there is mercy in thine heart towards me, though I ſee nothing in thy face but frowns, and feel nothing from thy hand but blows. Let God do what he pleaſeth with me, I will not have a jealous thought of him, or ſuſpect his intentions towards me, whatſoever his actions be. Secondly, obſerve,

We may gather arguments of ſupport in our greateſt ſufferings from the apprehenſion of concealed mercies.

The skill and holy ſubtilty of faith can winde it ſelf in Gods boſome, and from what it findes lying ſecretly there for us, encourages us to bear what is openly laid upon us.

Laſtly, Obſerve, A believer looks upon all his receits, as coming out of the heart of God.

As he can look into his own heart, and ſee all the Commandments and revealed counſels of God hidden there, ſo he can look into the heart of God, and ſee all the comforts he wanteth hidden there. Men of the world, take their comforts only from the hand of God, Saints take theirs from the heart of God. It putteth the price upon every bleſſing, when we can look upon ſpeciall love, as the ſpring of it. Look how much of the heart of our friend we can ſee in a courteſie, ſo much true value there is in it. Hence it is uſuall with man, when he would expreſſe his freeneſſe to thoſe who deſire a favour at his hands, to ſay, Yes, Take it with heart and good will, you have it with all my heart: We reade of one, who complained he had received but a golden cup, when he ſaw another receive a kiſſe from a noble Prince. A kiſſe is a better gift then a cup of gold. Love is the richeſt preſent. How happy then are they, who have the golden cup, and a kiſſe too? much from the hand, and all from the heart, from the love of God.

Job having thus reviſed and read over the particular of his former mercies received from the bounty and free love of God, revives his complaint about, and renews his deſire of deliverance from preſent ſorrows in his next addreſſe to God.

Exposition of Job 8-10, Commentary on Job · Chapter 10 · Verses 8-13