Exposition of Job 8-10, Commentary on Job · Chapter 9 · Verses 25-26
JOB Chap. 9. Verſ. 25, 26.
Now my daies are ſwifter then a post, they flee away, they ſee no good.
They are paſſed away as the ſwift ſhips, as the Eagle that haſteth to the prey.
THeſe two verſes are a confirmation of Jobs former argument; As he had ſhewed in generall, that the wicked are exalted, and the innocent afflicted; ſo now he ſhews the later branch from his own experience or example.
Verſe 25. My daies are ſwifter then a poſt, they flee away, they ſee no good, &c.
We have here three ſimilitudes, by which Job ſets forth the uncertainty of his proſperous eſtate, and how ſoon the time wherein he enjoyed it was blown over.
1. The ſimilitude of a Poſt.
2. The ſimilitude of a Ship.
3. The ſimilitude of a Eagle.
As in the ſeventh Chapter he uſed three ſimilitudes, viz.
1. of A weavers ſhuttle.
2. of The winde.
3. of A diſſolving cloud.
So here he bringeth in three more to clear the ſame point.
Jobs thoughts travel'd thorow all parts of the world to finde out illuſtrations of mans frailty. In theſe two verſes three of the four elements are enquired into, The earth, The air, and the water. A poſt upon the earth, A ſhip upon the water, an Eagle in the air, are called in as witneſſes to this truth.
Now my daies are ſwifter then a poſt, &c.
Now my daies;] That is, my proſperous daies, ſo Mr Broughton gloſſes. Troubleſome times are all night and darkneſſe, yet we may take it of daies in generall; They are ſwifter then a post.
foreign Levitas & velocitas, tam ex Graeco quam Hebraeo etiam Latino pro eodem accipiuntur. Levis armatuturae milites celeriter ſubveniunt. foreign Curſor, qui ex una urbe in alteram, &c. proficiſcitur cum literis aut nunciis.The word which we tranſlate ſwifter, ſignifies any thing that is light, becauſe light things are quick in motion. We call a man that is ſwift of foot, light of foot. And here it is joyned with that, which among men is moſt ſwift and paſſing, a poſt, who rides or runs without any ſtop or ſtay, without the leaſt conſiderable ſtop or ſtay: So that it is grown into a proverb: To run poſt, or, To ride poſt, is as much as to be in haſte: To ſay, You are in poſt haſte, is to ſay, you are in great haſte. My daies (ſaith Job) are ſwifter then a post, they out-runne thoſe curreers ſent out upon the moſt important meſſages. The poſt, whether ſent to carry news, good or bad, or intelligence for the diſpatch of buſineſſe, publike or private, is engaged to ride hard; he muſt not ſpare horſe-fleſh, or (as we commonly ſpeak) ſuffer the graſſe to grow under his horſe-heels. Hence obſerve,
Firſt, Time is very ſwift, 'tis gone ſuddenly.
My daies are ſwifter then a poſt. We ſeldome conſider, or conſider as we ought this common truth. We live, for the moſt part, as if we could not tell how to get rid of our time; or, as if we were weary of our time, and knew not how to ſpend it out, as if time were rather chained to a ſtanding poſt, then were like a running poſt. The Ancients emblem'd Time with wings, as if it were not running, but flying.
The next word in the text comes neer that ſenſe, They flee away. My daies (ſaith Iob) flee away. The word doth not ſignifie flying, as a fowl with wings, but fleeing as a fugitive from hard bondage, or as a man from ſome imminent danger, which, becauſe 'tis done with ſpeed, therefore the word imports any ſpeedy motion, eſpecially that of a poſt. A poſt riding or running, is an excellent embleme of Time. There are many conſiderations in poſt-riding, which ſhew how exceeding ſpeedy time muſt be, to which it is here compared.
Firſt, A poſt rides upon fleet or ſpeedy horſes.
Secondly, He rides his horſes upon their ſpeed; a man may have ſpeedy horſes, and goe ſoftly, but a poſt ſpurs on.
Thirdly, A poſt hath change of horſes at every ſtage, that he may keep them upon their ſpeed.
Fourthly, He hath horſes ſtanding ready for change, they are not to fetch out of the field, or to make ready when he comes to his ſtage, it is but leaping into the ſaddle and away.
Fifthly, He that rides poſt, makes no long meals, much leſſe feaſts, he takes a bit and away.
Sixthly, He lies not long a bed, he ſcarce goes to bed till he comes to his waies end.
Seventhly, A poſt hath extraordinary pay for his ſervice, and that will cauſe him to make ſpeed.
Eighthly, Sometimes he rides upon pain of death, with a halter about his neck. No man will loiter, when his life laies on't.
Ninthly, If a man rides poſt, all muſt give him way, he picks and chooſeth his path, and no man muſt hinder him.
Tenthly, He ſtaies not to ſalute, much leſſe like other travellers to gaze and view the Countrey, the Towns, buildings, Gardens, &c.
All theſe things laid together, evince, that the Poſt makes ſpeed. Yet, ſaith Job, My time out-runneth the poſt, my time goes faſter then he: The poſt muſt ſtay a little ſometimes, but time will not ſtay at all: The poſt muſt ſtay for change of horſes, but the charriot of the Sunne never ſtaieth to change horſes (the Sun is the meaſure of time) and that makes no ſtop, hath no ſtages or baiting places, Our daies are ſwifter then a poſt.
Further, Experiences ſpeak this moſt true of that ſpeciall time, the time of proſperity. The beſt things of the world are in a moveable, in a paſſing, poſting condition. They ſcarce abide with us long enough to learn what they are. If a man ride poſt, we can hardly diſcern who he is; the good things of the world, the pleaſures and profits, the form and faſhion of it paſſe away ſo faſt, that none can perfectly report what they are, excepting this, Tranſitory and vain: As the artificiall faſhions of the world, the faſhions in building and in apparell, paſſe ſo ſpeedily, that few know what the faſhion is, before 'tis gone; a new one is abroad, before the greateſt number are in the old: So the naturall faſhions of worldly things (ſome in themſelves, all as to our enjoyment) the excellency and dignity, the luſtre and beauty of the creature are out of ſight, before we can well ſay of what colour and ſhape, or what manner of things they were. When the Painter takes the perfect feature of a mans face, or the lineaments of his body, he muſt ſit. The world ſits not ſo long with any man, as for him to take the picture of it. Creatures periſh in their uſing, while they are in our hands we know not what they are, for even then they are periſhing and declining from what they were. One ſaid, when a creature-comfort was taken from him, If I had it again, me thinks I could enjoy it; we ſeldom enjoy what we have. And what we have is alwaies in tranſitu, paſſing from us, while we have it; it is in motion, while in poſſeſſion. We can ſcarce be acquainted with it, becauſe it ſtaies ſo little with us. Hence Job concludes this ſimilitude.
They ſee no good.
My good daies run ſo faſt, that I cannot ſee the good of them. Not to ſee good, is, not to have the leaſt experience of good. For the eye takes in it's objects, and judges of them (ſo much Philoſophers teach) ſooner then any other ſenſe. The eye is not long about it's buſineſſe. It is the ſenſe of quickeſt diſpatch. So that it is, as if Job had ſaid, The good things of this life are ſo tranſient, that I am ſo farre from feeling or taſting them, &c. that (which is done with the leaſt delay,Omnia mihi praerepta ſunt priuſquam ea ſenſerim. Bez. and expence of time) I have not time enough to ſee them. When men ride upon ſpeed, or when any thing paſſes ſwiftly before us, we have but a glimpſe, ſcarce a ſight of thoſe objects.
Beſides, To ſee good is to enjoy good, as was ſhewed, Chap. 7. verſ. 7. And when he ſaith, they (ſcil. his daies) ſaw no good, his meaning is, that he ſaw no good in his daies. Till there is a conſiſtency or a fixedneſſe of good, there cannot be a full enjoyment of good. The reaſon why in heaven we ſhall have ſo much happineſſe, is, becauſe all the good in heaven is a fixed good. Time paſſes, but eternity ſtands. Eternity is a fixed Now. The things of heaven ſhall not periſh in the uſing, nor ſhall the faſhion of them paſſe away. In heaven viſion will be everlaſting, we ſhall ever ſee good, and that ever-ſeeing ſhall be an ever-enjoying of good. Here on earth we ſee God thorow a glaſſe darkly, and we ſee all good in ſuch poſt-haſte, paſſingly, that we rather ſee it not, then ſee it. Eſpecially while we remember that good paſſes by us in the company, yea in a croud of evils, our ſight of it (as when we are called to behold one man riding ſpeedily among many) muſt needs be hindered. Yea oftentimes evils ſtand ſo thick about us, while good poſts by us, that we cannot look thorow them to the good, which is before us. In heaven, as good ſtands to our eye, ſo it ſtands alone, there's no interpoſition of evil to eclipſe the beauty, or darken the ſight of it. There we ſhall ſee, and ſee nothing but good. Here we ſee much beſides, yea ſee either none at all, or very little good, and that but a little.
They flee away, they ſee no good.
From the Poſt, who runneth upon the Land, Jobs next compariſon carries us to the motion of a ſhip at ſea, and anon to that ſwifter motion of an Eagle in the air.
Verſe 26. They are paſſed away as the ſwift ſhips, as the Eagle that haſteneth to the prey.
They are paſſed.
That is, my daies are paſſed, and with them all the contents and comforts which I had in thoſe daies: we are to take daies, as cloathed with all their contentfull occurrences and circumſtances.
They are paſſed away.foreign
Or, they are glided away inſenſibly.
As the ſwift ſhips.foreign Navis ab foreign
Not only as the ſhips, but as the ſwift ſhips. A ſhip is a fabrique for the ſea,In Pibil, obvenire, occurrere fecit; quae ſic dicta eſt, quod remigum aut ventorum impetu impedatur & ſeratur. a houſe upon the ſea, a moveable houſe; and as it moveth variably; ſo it moveth ſwiftly: The inconſtancy of the windes makes the motion of the ſhip unconſtant; and the ſtrength of the windes makes the motion of the ſhip ſwift. So that to ſay, His daies paſſed as a ſhip, is an aggravation of their ſudden paſſage. A ſhip paſſeth without any ſtop from it ſelf: The ſhip needs not ſtay to bait, to ſleep or reſt while it is upon it's journey; whatſoever they doe who are within the ſhip, the ſhip moves on, if they prepare it for motion.
Job puts an emphaſis upon this compariſon, His daies were not only as a ſhip, but as a ſwift ſhip, there is much in that addition.
The Hebrew is, My daies are as the ſhips of Ebeh, which is diverſly rendred.
Ebeh, flumen rapidiſſimum in Arabia, Rab. S…l. Bold.1. Some take the word Ebeh to be the name of a river in the Eaſtern part of the world, about Arabia, neer the place where Job lived. A late traveller hath obſerved a river of a very ſwift motion, neer Damaſcus, and not farre from the ſepulchre of Job. Now a ſhip that moveth in a ſwift river, beſides that it may have the winde, hath alſo a great addition to the ſpeed of it's motion from the force and ſtrength of ſuch a current. Thus, ſaith Job, My daies move as the ſhips upon Ebeh, as ſhips upon the ſtreams of that fierce, ſwift river, which goe down with ſpeed; as we ſee boats with the tide, and ſo proportionably greater veſſels, where there is a river and a current proportionably to bear and carry them.
foreign Deſideravit. Naves voluntarie, vel deſid rij. ſc. ſummo deſiderio ad portum properantes.2. Others conceive the word, not as a proper name, but as ſignifying deſire, from Abah, to deſire with earneſtneſſe, and then the ſenſe is rendered thus, My daies are paſſed away as ſhips of deſire; that is, as ſhips, which being laden with rich commodities, the Maſter and the Pilot deſire earneſtly to bring the ſhip ſpeedily to her port, that ſo they may put off the commodities, and make ſale of the rich lading that is in her. The winde doth not ſo much fill the ſails of ſuch a ſhip, as deſire doth the mindes of her mariners.Vir defideriorū. Thus Daniel was called a man of deſires, becauſe he was a man ſo precious and deſirable. A ſhip richly laden is much deſired; ſuch a ſhip is a great charge to the owners and merchants, they therefore ſend to ſpeed the ſhip home, as faſt as they can. Thus (ſaith Job) My daies paſſe as a ſhip that hath the moſt deſired commodities.
3. The Chaldee and others, give a further note upon it, deriving the word from Abah, whence Ebih, which ſignifies a ſtalk growing up early from the earth,Fructus primitivus. and bringing forth the firſt ripe fruit of any kinde; and ſo it is put for any early ripe Summer fruit, for early plums, apples, cherries, &c. Naves poma portantes. Vul.And then the ſenſe is, My daies are like to a ſhip which carrieth early fruit: So the Vulgar, Like a ſhip carrying apples.
Now a ſhip that carries ſuch fruit makes great haſte,Pertranſeunt cum navibus fructus delicatos portantibus. Targ. becauſe the fruit will ſpoil and rot, if not ſpeedily put off. Ripe fruit is a commodity that will not keep; unleſſe they have a quick paſſage, all is loſt. My daies (ſaith Job) paſſe even as a ſhip that carries ripe Summer fruit, which are haſted away with all ſpeed, leſt they periſh before they come to the port.
4. There is another ſenſe given by thoſe,foreign In micari, piratarum naves, quae onèrariae non ſunt, ſed tactumad capiendam praedam. who derive the word from a root, which ſignifies, to hare and oppoſe, or to be an adverſary; and then it is thus rendered, My daies paſſe away as a Pirats ſhip; or as a ſhip that goes out to take a prey, as a ſhip that goes out to take prizes upon the ſea. Now we know, when ſhips go out either upon piracy, which is robbery at ſea, or upon any lawfull way of taking prizes by publike authority: theſe ſhips of all others are the ſwifteſt, they are prepared on purpoſe to make way and overtake other ſhips; their lading is not burden but ballaſt, that they may be ſwift of ſaid; ſo ſaith Job, My daies paſſe away like a ſwift ſhips; not like ſome great Merchant-ſhip deeply laden, which can make no great way in the ſea, but as a ſhip of piracy, that hath nothing in her but weapons, artillery and ammunition, to oppoſe thoſe they meet, ſuch are as your nimble Frigots, Fly-boats, and Catches, which ſail with every winde, or Galleyes which paſſe without winde, carried with ſtrength of arms and oars, all being veſſels uſed to runne in upon, and ſurprize a booty. This alſo is a good interpretation; and ſo M. Broughton tranſlates it, My daies doe fleet away as the Pirats ſhips. That's the ſecond ſimilitude, My daies are paſſed away as the ſwift ſhips.
And as an Eagle hasteneth to the prey.
This is the third ſimilitude. A ſhip moveth ſwiftly, eſpecially a ſhip upon a ſwift river; or a ſhip laden with deſirable commodities; or a ſhip laden with Summer fruit; or a pirats ſhip, a man of war. But here is an inſtance implying greater ſpeed then that of the moſt ſpeedy ſhip. As …n Eagle haſteneth to the prey.
An Eagle of all the fowls in the air is the ſwifteſt and ſtrongeſt of wing: An Eagle is the chief of birds. We finde in Scripture, ſwiftneſſe expreſſed by this ſimilitude of an Eagle (Hab. 1.8.) the Chaldeans who invaded the people of Iſrael, are thus deſcribed, Their horſ-men ſhall come from farre, they ſhall flee as the Eagle that haſteth to eat. See the like inſtances, Jer. 48. Jer. 49. Ezek. 17. And in Iſa. 40.31. They ſhall renew their ſtrength, they ſhall mount up with wings as Eagles, &c. noting the exceeding ſwiftneſſe of the Saints in the waies of God, the ſpeed they ſhall make in waies of holineſſe, though the youths faint, and the young men utterly fall, yet they that wait upon the Lord ſhall mount up with wings as Eagles, that is, they ſhall be ſwift and ſtrong.
But here is more expreſſed then the naturall ſwiftneſſe of the Eagle, here is ſomewhat occaſionall, which adds wings to her wings. We had four interpretations of the ſhips ſwiftneſſe. Here is one expreſſion exceeding all thoſe four, An Eagle haſtening to the prey.
Quoniam avid…ſſinè appetit, ideo perniciſſimè volat. San.An Eagle is a greedy fowl. Hence that of Chriſt (Matth. 24.) Where the carcaſe is, there the Eagles gather together; that is, look where ever there is any prey, there you ſhall have Eagles: if there be a carcaſe to be had, the Eagle will be ſure to make towards it, My daies (ſaith Job) are paſſed away, as the Eagle haſteneth to the prey. The Naturaliſts obſerve, that the Eagle ſoars aloft in the air, ſo high, that the eye of man cannot diſcern her, yet the Eagle is of ſuch a piercing eye (Eagle-eied is a proverb for quick-ſighted) that ſhe can diſcern her prey upon the earth, yea in the water, and aſſoon as the Eagle eſpies her prey, ſhe pours or ſowces down upon it like a thunderbolt,Tanquam fulme… ſe è ſublimi in terram jaculatur. like a bullet out of a gun, or an arrow out of a bowe. Thus Jobs daies paſſed as an Eagle in her flight, and not in her ordinary flight, but as an Eagle that haſteneth to the prey, when hunger adds ſwiftneſſe to her wings; ſuch was the paſſage of his daies.
There is ſomewhat further obſervable in this, from the tranſlation of the Seventy, who render it thus, Is there any ſign or mark in the way of a ſhip, or of an Eagle? So the meaning of Job ſhould be, that his life, in reſpect of former comforts and contentments,Numquid eſt navibus veſtigium viae, aut aquilae volantis &c. Sept. was paſt away, and had left no marke, no ſign behinde it. The ſhip in the ſea paſſeth away, and there is no rode, no tract left; and the Eagle in the air paſſeth, and you cannot ſee where the Eagle made her flight, the air cloſeth preſently, there is no way to be ſeen: Solomon uſeth thoſe ſimilies, Prov. 30.19. There be three things which I know not, the way of an Eagle in the air, the way of a Serpent upon a rock, and the way of a Ship in the Sea: Quae nullum ſui curſus ſignum relinquunt per aviū volatū & navium tranſmiſſionem ſignificantur. Sanct.And it is frequent in Authours to expreſſe thoſe things which paſſe away, not leaving any tract or print behinde them, by the motion of a ſhip in the ſea, and of an Eagle in the air.
Hence note, That
The beſt of worldly things when they are gone, are as if they had never been.
There are two motions which will certainly leave a mark behinde them: Firſt, motions in ſin. 2. In holineſſe: Every ſtep we tread in the waies of ſin, or of holineſſe, leaves a print, a remembrance behinde it; but when the riches and honours, the pleaſures and contentments of this life are paſt, nothing remains of them. It is ſaid, Dan. 8.5. (which may ſerve for the illuſtration of this place) in the viſion of the He-goat, that he touched not the ground: that He-goat was a type of Alexander the great, who ſet up the Grecian Empire, and he is compared to a He-goat, which did not touch the ground, becauſe of his ſpeedy conqueſts. When man or beaſt runs upon the ground with extreme ſpeed, we ſay they do not touch the ground. When the Hare leaves a deep tract, the hunter knows ſhe runs ſlowly, and is almoſt ſpent. Alexander conquerd the world ſooner then a man could well travell over it. And as Alexander came in, ſo he paſſed out, both in his perſon and poſterity: For within a ſhort time no man could tell what was become of the Grecian Monarchy; the conqueſts of Alexander could not be found, no more then the way of a ſhip in the ſea, or of an Eagle in the air, or of a man running ſo faſt that he leaves no print behinde him.
Secondly, Taking both theſe ſimilitudes in the ordinary notion, as they import the ſwift paſſage of Jobs proſperity. Tis queſtioned, How Job can be excuſed for ſpeaking thus ſleightly and undervaluingly of his temporall eſtate, which was ſo raiſed, and ſo enriched, that he was an eye-ſore to the devil;Iob uſ que ad Satanae invidiam, benedictam donium, benedictā familiam habebat. Satan envied him, becauſe of his abundance. And doth he now make nothing of it? Was it nothing to be the greateſt man in the Eaſt? Is he not very unthankfull for, or very forgetfull of the goodneſſe and bounty of God to him? Should he not rather have ſaid, I have had my daies of proſperity, my worldly comforts, and I enjoyed theſe a long time?
I anſwer, Job ſpeaks not this to obſcure the favours of God to him, or ungratefully to paſſe by his bleſſings; but he anſwers the objection of his friends, and maintains the argument he brought againſt them. His argument was, That the eſtate of a godly man in this life, is as tranſitory and as brittle, as the eſtate of a wicked man, and that therefore there can be no diſtinction made of men by outward diſpenſations: To clear which, he ſaith, Look to my good daies, they are paſt away ſwiftly, and there's nothing remaining of them. Whence obſerve,
That the outward eſtate of the beſt men in the world, is as tranſitory and fading as that of the worſt in the world.
My daies (ſaith Job) my comfortable daies are paſſed away, Every man at his best eſtate is altogether vanity Pſal. 39.5. It is not only a wicked man, whoſe outward eſtate is vain, but every mans; Davids crown and ſcepter were fading, vaniſhing flowers. Abraham and all the Patriarchs ſaid (Heb. 11.) We have here no continuing City; neither City nor Citizens have long continuance here. The Apoſtle (1 Cor. 7.31.) ſpeaks to the Saints, and bids them take their hearts off from the world, and not to drench or ſteep their ſpirits in things here below; why? The faſhion of this world paſſeth away, the faſhion of the world in your hands; if you have the world in your hands, the faſhion of it will periſh there, aſſoon as in the hands of other men. Doe not thinke that the world is put into an abiding ſtate, or into an unalterable faſhion for your ſakes. A godly man and a wicked man (though made of the moſt different faſhion) live in a world, and poſſeſſe worldly things of the ſame faſhion.Quemad modum qui navigat, ſive ſtet, five ſedeat vidit quia impul…u navis ducitur: ita & nos, ſive vigilantes▪ ſive dormientes, ſive ta centes, ſive toquentes, ſive nolentes, ſive volentes, per momenta temporum quotidie in fi…em tendim…. Greg.
Secondly, As from the firſt ſimilitude, ſo from theſe we learn, How tranſitory our time is. See how Job multiplies compariſons, That if we will not learn by the firſt, we might yet be convinced by a ſecond and a third. Goe to the land, ſee time upon the ſpur, in the ſwift riding Poſt. Goe to the ſea, ſee time upon the windes, in the ſwift ſailing Ship. Goe to the air, ſee time upon the wing, in the ſwift flying Eagle. Theſe all preach the ſpeedy paſſage of time. How ſad is it to ſee men live, as if their daies were ſnailp…c'd, not poſt-pac'd as if time lay alwaies at an anchor, or were winde-bound, and could not uſe her ſails? as if it had leaden heels and not wings, or were bound hand and foot, and could not ſtir? The Apoſtles caution is, …deem the time; and now we have the Apoſtles argument to enforce it, The daies are evil. If time goe out of your hand, you cannot fetch it back again; there is no rhetorick can recall it, or price redeem it: Time is ſuch a commodity, as all the power in the world cannot recover, if leſt and let ſlip. If all the Crowns and Kingdoms of the world ſhould be laid down as a reward for the bringing back of one hour, yea of one moment of time, they could not obtain it. Therefore improve the preſent time: No time is yours, but the preſent, the time that's gone comes no more; the time that is to come, may finde you gone before it comes: your time is only the preſent time, and that is paſt aſſoon as preſent.
But not to ſtay long upon that which moveth ſo ſwiftly, our daies and time: I will paſſe to the other branch, wherein Job further clears the point in the five following verſes.