Exposition of Job 8-10, Commentary on Job · Chapter 10 · Verse 1
JOB Chap. 10. Verſ. 1.
My ſoul is weary of my life, I will leave my complaint upon my ſelf, I will ſpeak in the bitterneſse of my ſoul.
JOB having in the former Chapter juſtified God in afflicting him, and maintained his own integrity, notwithſtanding thoſe afflictions, now returneth to that work, about which he had been too buſie before; yet that,Afflicti ſaepe ſe exonerari putāt, ſi laxis habenis de ſuo dolore querantur & ſuas enumerent calamitates uberrima oratione. Merc. wherein it ſeems he only found (as the caſe ſtood with him) ſome little eaſe and refreſhing, The breathing out of his afflicted spirit in ſad complainings. He reſumes his former lamentation, and renews afreſh what he had been more then large enough in, at the 3d, 6th and 7th Chapters of this book. Here, as there, he ſhews how ill it was with him, and what cauſe he had to be in heavineſſe, under the preſſure of ſo many evils.
And here, more then there,Argumentis utitur à natura Dei & ante-acceptis ipſius beneficijs, quibus mala haec quae immifit Deus magnopere repugnare videantur. Merl. he remonſtrates that he conceived himſelf more hardly dealt with, then ſtood not only with the goodneſſe of God in his nature, but with that goodneſſe which he had formerly acted both towards others and himſelf: This encouraged him about the cloſe of the Chapter (verſ. 20, and 22.) to petition again, that he might have a little refreſhing before he lay down in his grave: and that God would (after theſe ſtorms) return him ſome of thoſe fair daies he had enjoyed, before he returned to the earth, and ſhould be ſeen no more.
His complaint is very rhetoricall and high,Vehemens quidē partibus omnibus & gravis eſt querimonia, …ed medeſta, fi unum …ud optatum exceperis, ver. 18, 19. Merl. yet with an allay or mixture of modeſty. Indeed his ſpirit brake out, and paſſion got head, at the 18, and 19 verſes, where he expoſtulates with God, in the language of the third Chapter, Wherefore hoſt thou brought me forth out of the womb, &c? But abating that exceſſe of his tongue and ſpirit, his complaints are knit up with ſolid arguments, and his Queries put the point reſolutely, yet humbly, home to God himſelf: that he would be pleaſed to ſhew the reaſon of his preſent dealings, and why he varied ſo much from what he had done in former times.
The firſt verſe gives us a generall ground of this and of all his ſorrowfull complaints, The weariſomeneſſe of his life, My ſoul is weary of my life, I will leave my complaint upon my ſelf.
The argument may be formed thus;
He hath reaſon to complain of his afflictions, whoſe afflictions are ſo heavy upon him, and ſo bitter, that he hath reaſon to be weary of his very life.
But thus my caſe ſtands, my afflictions are ſo bitter to, and heavy upon me, that I am weary of my life.
Therefore I have reaſon to complain.
The aſſumption of this ſyllogiſme is contained in the firſt words of the verſe, My ſoul is weary of my life. And the concluſion in the latter; Therefore I will leave my complaint upon my ſelf, I will speak in the bitterneſſe of my ſoul.
My ſoul is weary of my life.
Life and ſoul are often in Scripture put promiſcuouſly for the ſame, but here they differ. The ſoul may be taken two waies.
Firſt, Strictly, as it is oppoſed to the body.
Secondly, In a more large ſenſe (by a Synecdoche of the part for the whole) for the whole man conſiſting of body and ſoul: If ſo here, then the meaning of Job in ſaying [My ſoul is weary of my life] is no more but this, I (Job) am weary of my life; that is, of the marriage or union of my ſoul and body, O that this band (which I (though moſt are grieved at the weakneſſe of theirs) finde too ſtrong) were broken, or a bill of divorce granted for their ſeparation. Life is the band or tie by which ſoul and body ſubſiſt together. And when that band is broken or cut aſunder by the ſtroke of death, the body goes to the grave, and the ſoul or ſpirit returns to God who gave it.
Again, When Job ſaith, My ſoul is weary of my life. Life may be taken either for the act of life, and ſo the ſenſe is, I am weary of living; or it may be taken for the manner of life, and ſo the ſenſe is, I am weary of that courſe or ſtate of life wherein I am. Life is often put (not ſtrictly for the act of living, but) for the ſtate or condition in which a man lives, or with which life is cloathed; The circumſtances and concomitants of life are called life. Thus in our common ſpeech, when a man is in miſery, another ſaith, I would not have his life, or what a life hath he? The Apoſtles character of all naturall men, is, that they are alienated from the life of God (Epheſ. 4.18.) that is, they cannot endure to live ſuch a life as God lives, or as he commands them to live, they cannot endure to be holy, as he is holy, or holy, as he cals them to be holy, in all manner of converſation. Thus Job was alienated from his own life, I (ſaith he) am weary of my life; that is, of a life thus imbittered, thus afflicted.
My ſoul is weary.
The word which we tranſlate [weary] varies the underſtanding of this ſentence. It ſignifies properly to be weakned, foreign Debilitatus, languefactus per metapheram taeedio affectus, offenſus fuit.as alſo to be melted or molten with heat; becauſe a man that is extremely heated or melted by heat, is weakned, his ſpirits and ſtrength being drawn forth and diſſipated. But it is moſt commonly applied to that wearineſſe which ariſes from the diſpleaſedneſſe or irkſomneſſe of our mindes. All burdens upon the body are light, compared with thoſe which reach the ſoul. Three things weary and load the ſoul.
Firſt, The filth and guilt of our own ſins. I will ſprinkle you (ſaith the Lord, Ezek. 36.31.) with clean water, &c. What's the effect of this? It follows, Then ſhall you remember your own evil waies, and loath or be weary of your ſelves (it is this word) becauſe of all your abominations. As if the Lord had ſaid, before I change your hearts, ye ſinne, and are not wear… of your ſins, nay, ye make a ſport of, and dally with them: But when I ſhall work that great change upon your hearts, your opinion and apprehenſions of ſin will change too: nothing will be ſo bitter or burdenſome, ſo unpleaſant or weariſome to your ſouls as ſinne. Fools make a mock of ſin; they who are truly wiſe, mourn and groan under the ſenſe and weight of it.
Secondly, The unſutableneſſe and perverſeneſſe of other mens manners or diſpoſitions weary the ſoul, The righteous ſoul of Lot was vexed from day to day in ſeeing and hearing the unrighteous deeds of the debauched Sodomites (2 Pet. 2.8.) The ſoul of God is ſaid to be wearied by ſuch courſes of the ſons of men (Pſal. 95.10.) Fourty years long was I grieved, or wearied, with that generation. The Lord (as we may ſpeak with reverence) was even weary of his life, he had ſuch a troubleſome people to deal with; they grieved him at the heart (as the old world did, Gen. 6.6.) and were a heavy burden to his Spirit. That's the Apoſtles language, in his deſcription of that peoples frowardneſſe, and of Gods patience towards them (Act. 13.18.foreign.) He ſuffered their manners fourty years in the wilderneſſe; which ſome render, He bare them as a burthen; the continuall murmurings and unbelief of that people were to the Lord (who is yet above all paſſion) as a heavy weight is to a man, or as the peeviſhneſſe and unquietneſſe of a ſucking childe is to the nurſe, as our tranſlatours conceive the Greek word ſhould rather be. Thus alſo he reproves the ſame people by the Prophet (Iſa. 43.24.) Thou haſt wearied me with thine iniquities. And Chriſt (though by another word) ſpeaks the ſame thing of his own Diſciples (Mark 9.19.foreign Tolero, foreign autem d…untur tranſlatitiè qui volentes onus ſubeunt, & ſub eo perdurant. when the man poſſeſt with an unclean ſpirit being brought to them, they could not caſt him out) How long ſhall I be with you? How long ſhall I ſuffer you? I am wearied with your unbelief, O ye of little faith. The Diſciples were ſtill ſo ſlow of heart, and came ſo ſhort of a Goſpel-ſpirit, that Chriſt profeſſeth, He was burthened even with them, How long ſhall I ſuffer you? The il manners of all, are a wearineſſe to the good, but theirs moſt who are neereſt to them. Which is alſo the reaſon, why a godly man is wearied moſt of all with the corruption of his own heart, for that is neareſt to him of all.
Now, as our own ſins, and the il manners of others weary the ſoul: ſo
Thirdly, The pains and troubles which are upon the body often cauſe ſuch grief of minde, as is an extream wearineſſe to the ſoul: That's the meaning of this text [My ſoul is weary of my life] That is, my life is filled with ſuch outward troubles, as fill my inward man with trouble, and weary my very ſoul.
Verbum foreign exſententia. R. David, & R. Mardoc. ſignificat excidere aut ſuccidere. Exciſa eſt anima mea…n me, Pag. Vatao. &c. A…um eſt de vita mea, en mar or, vel perinde ac ſi mortu…s p…are ſum.Secondly, The word is tranſlated by divers of the learned Rabbies, To cut, yea to cut off, as with a ſword, or any other edged inſtrument: Theſe render Jobs minde thus, My ſoul is cut off in me; or, My ſoul is cut off from my life; As if he had ſaid, My daies are at an end, I am ready to die, the threed of my life is cut, I am but a dead man. While life continues, ſoul and body are as it were one peece, but death divides them; or the recourſe of night and day, runs the threed of time thorow our lives, till our web (longer or ſhorter) be finiſhed, and then the threed is cut. To which ſimilitude Hezekiah alludes in his mourning death-bed ſong, as he ſuppoſed (Iſa. 38.10, 12.) I ſaid in the cutting off of my daies, &c. Mine age is removed from me, as a ſhepherds tent, I have cut off like a Weaver my life, he will cut me off with pining ſickneſſe, or from the thrum, which being woond about the beam, the Weaver having finiſhed his work, cuts the web off from it. The ſame word in the Hebrew ſignifies pining ſickneſſe, and a thrum, becauſe of the thinneſſe and weakneſſe of it. My life (ſaith Hezekiah) is ſpent, I am at the very laſt caſt, the yern of time is all wrought off, therefore my life is ready to be cut off. I am a borderer upon death, and to be numbred among the dead, rather then among the living. Such a ſenſe this reading gives the text of Job, My ſoul is cut off from my life.Denotat displicentiam qua homo interius tabeſcit prae doloru ſenſu. Propriè ſignificat foreign, i. e. remputidā & quae nauſeā parit averſari.
Thirdly, The word ſignifies a reluctance or diſplicency of ſpirit, ariſing from the ſight and ſenſe of that which is very loathſome, filthy, and of an evil ſavour. It anſwers the Greek work rendered, Abomination (Matth. 24.15.) The abomination of deſolation; he means the Romans, who being Idolaters, their worſhip was abominable, and who being Lords of the world, their power was formidable, and laid all countries waſte and deſolate, which oppoſed them, or which they had a minde to oppoſe. And ſo when Job ſaith, My ſoul is weary of my life; his meaning is repreſented thus, My ſoul refuſes to inhabit, or to act ſo filthy a body as mine; My ſoul loaths to dwell, or ſtay any longer in this naſty lodging: As David (Pſal. 120.5.) ſpeaks of his wearineſſe in dwelling amongſt wicked men, becauſe of their morall filthineſſe, or the pollution of their mindes and waies. Woe is me that I ſojourn in Meſhec; that I dwell in the t…nts of Kedar; So Job ſeems to ſpeak, in reference to the naturall pollution and filthineſſe of his own body. Woe is me that I ſojourn in ſuch a diſeaſed body, and dwell (which yet will not die) in ſuch a dying careaſe. The noble tenant, my ſoul, is wearie of ſtaying in ſuch a ſtinking and filthy habitation, and I perceive (for I have moved him hitherto in vain) the great land-lord will neither repair it, nor as yet let it fall. As then, a man, who lives in an ill or incommodious houſe, ſaith, I am weary of dwelling in it; or as a man that hath a filthy garment, ſaith,R Moyſes cum alijs Hebraeis doctoribus exiſtimat propriam vocis ſignificationem eſse, litigare aut contendere. Litigavit anima mea in vita mea. I am weary of wearing it: So ſaith Job here, My ſoul is weary of my life, were I well rid of it, I ſhould be well,
Fourthly, Many of the Jewiſh Doctors tell us that the moſt ſtrict and proper ſignification of this word, is, To contend or ſtrive, to chide or wrangle (we may give it in that homely language.) As if the meaning of Job were, My ſoul doth even contend, chide and wrangle with my life, my ſoul conteſts and disputes the matter with my life, why it will not end, that I may get out from this body of mine, and goe beyond the reach of theſe afflictions. The 95. Pſalm, verſ. 10. is ſo tranſlated,Litigavi, Pag Fourty years long did I contend, chide or conteſt angerly with that generation: The Lord did often chide with the people of Iſrael, and they uſed to chide with Moſes; whence one place was called Meribah, yea, through their unbelief they did chide with God himſelf, and (there is no reaſon duſt and aſhes ſhould have the laſt word) God alſo gave them their chidings, and told them plainly their own, more then once. Thus the ſoul of Job chid his life, what's the reaſon that I am held in this condition, why wilt not thou be gone, that I may be at reſt? Carnall men chide with their lives for haſtening ſo faſt away, becauſe they know of no reſt, or have hope of none hereafter. A godly man may be brought to chide with his life for making no more haſte away, becauſe he findes none, or ſo little reſt here. Elihu (Ch. 33.19) deſcribing in the method which God uſes to humble proud man, ads, He is chastened alſo with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with ſtrong pains; He is chaſtened; the word ſignifies alſo reproving, or convincing by arguments, and that in a quick and paſſionate, as well as in a rationall and ſolid way. Now, while afflictions chidingly ſmite us, we are apt to chide them, and give them at leaſt a word for a blow. Job did not only chide with his afflictions, but with his life, becauſe it would not depart and be gone, being ſo unkindly uſed and imbittered by afflictions. His ſoul did even chide his life out a doors.
Crudelis effecta eſt anima mea. Chald. Homo qui ſibi ipſi mortem precatur adverſum ſe ſaevire videtur.The Chaldee paraphraſt gives the meaning yet higher, My ſoul is grown cruell againſt my life; As if he had ſaid, I am ſo exceedingly afflicted and pained, that my ſoul begins to rage againſt my life, I can hardly hold my own hands off from my life, and I would not have God hold his. Let not my life be ſpared, how glad ſhould I be to ſee it poured out, Anguiſh is come upon me (as the Amalekite reports of Saul, 2 Sam. 1.9.) becauſe my life is whole in me. O that God would ſtand upon me and ſlay me; my ſoul is hardned againſt my life (like the Oſtrich againſt her young ones, Chap. 39.16.) as if it were not mine. Let me die, and that ſhall be a favour, ſmite me, and that will be to me as a precious ointment, though it break my head, and let out my troubled ſpirits. Then we are cruell to our lives, when we care not what's done to us, or how we are, uſed ſo we may be rid of our lives.
But (to paſſe this) our tranſlation is clear and ſignificant, My ſoul is weary of my life.] I am ſo weary of the pains wherein I live, that I had rather my life ſhould end, then my pains ſhould continue.
Job complained in the third Chapter, he complained at the ſixth and ſeventh Chapters, he erred twice, yea thrice upon this point before, yet now we hear him complaining, as if he had not complained at all. This was Jobs infirmity: though ſomewhat hath, and more may be ſaid to take off thoſe aſperſions which his friends caſt upon him for complaining, yet no doubt it was his ſinne to complain; eſpecially to break out ſo often, and in ſuch bitter complainings. Hence obſerve,
A godly man may (poſſibly) fall often into the ſame ſin.
Where grace taketh hold of the heart, it breaks the cuſtom and ſpoils the trade of ſinne; yet a godly man may ſinne over the ſame ſinne, and renew the ſame tranſgreſſion. The trade of ſinne is ſpoiled, when the ſoul leaves deviſing, plotting, contriving ſinne, which acts denominate a worker of iniquity. The cuſtom of ſinne is broken, when though the ſame ſinne be committed again, yet the ſoul puts in it's plea and complaint againſt it. 'Tis here as in civil things, if we make our challenge or demand, the cuſtom is gone, though the acts be renewed by the power and prevalency of the oppoſite party; yet, when I ſay a godly man may fall into ſinne often, I mean not of groſſe and ſcandalous ſins; God doth not let his people fall often into the mire. Noah was not often drunk, nor did David commit adultery often, or more then once. The grace of God which bringeth ſalvation, teacheth us to deny ungodlineſſe and worldly luſts. And if a godly man fall often into any the leaſt ſin, yet he lies not in ſinne, becauſe he renews repentance, as often as he ſins, and riſes as often as he fals: he reſolves (through the ſtrength of Chriſt) never to ſinne, when through his own weakneſſe, and the violence of temptation, he is ſoon after over-taken or ſurpriz'd with ſinne. David profeſſeth (Pſal. 119.30.) I have choſen the way of truth; His election was truth; truth of heart, which is oppoſed to hypocriſie; truth of judgement, which is oppoſed to errour; and truth of ſpeech, which is oppoſed to lying; yet he ſlipt with his tongue, more then once, and told an untruth, more then one. He cannot be acquitted from this failing, when he anſwered Ahimelech the Prieſt, The King hath commanded me a buſineſſe, and hath ſaid unto me, Let not any man know any thing of the buſineſſe whereabout I ſend thee, and what I have commanded thee; and I have appointed my ſervants to ſuch a place (1 Sam. 21.2.) He again faulters with his tongue, and ſpeaks either falſly or doubtfully, when the King of the Philiſtines asked him, Whether have ye made a rode to day? And David ſaid, againſt the South of Iudah, &c. (1 Sam. 27.10.) when as his invaſion was againſt the Geſhurites, and the Ge…rites, and the Amalekites (verſ. 8.) He that overcame the Bear, the Lion, and Goliah the Giant, is overcome by fear, and the mother of it unbelief. Davids example ſhould be no encouragement, ſhall be no excuſe to thoſe who willingly fall often into the ſame ſinne. A good man is not priviledg'd from doing it, but no man is priviledg'd to doe it. Such examples muſt not teach us to ſinne, but they teach us how unable we (alone) are to keep our ſelves from ſinne: they teach us alſo, what need we have to depend upon, and look up to Chriſt, that we may be kept from ſin: if he leave us but a little unto our ſelves, the fleſh will diſcover much of it ſelf, and we ſhall quickly ſhew what our natures are, though we are renewed by grace. We muſt truſt to the ſupplies, not to the receipts of grace.
Secondly, When Job ſaith [My ſoul is weary of my life.] We learn; That
Soul and life in man are two diſtinct things.
For howſoever (as was toucht in explication) the ſoul is often put for the whole man, and ſo the ſenſe of, my ſoul is weary, may be but this, I am weary of my life: yet the holy Ghoſt would never denominate all man by that, which is … not a part of man. That's a brutiſh opinion which makes the ſoul nothing, or nothing elſe but life, and this life no more in entity then the life of a beaſt, which vaniſheth, when it dieth. That theſe opinioniſts tell us, they believe the body ſhall riſe again by the power of God, cannot ſatisfie for this fall, which their opinion gives the ſoul: neither doth the immortality of the ſoul at all contradict, (which was threatned for, and is the wages of ſin) the death of the whole man. For death conſiſts not (if we may ſay a privation doth conſiſt) in the annihilation, but in the ſeparation of thoſe parts of man, ſoul and body, which by life are united and kept cloſe together.
Thirdly, When Job ſaith, My ſoul is weary of my life, we learn,
That the life of man may grow to be a burthen to him.
In the third Chapter Job wiſhed for death, his wiſh was examined there, about the lawfulneſſe of it, I ſhall now only examine (a touch about which was given lately) whence this wearineſſe of life cauſing wiſhes to be rid of life doth ariſe. There is a wearineſſe of life incident only, and proper to wicked men. And there is a wearineſſe of life, which may grow upon the beſt of men. Take a brief account of the uſuall grounds of both.
Firſt, Carnall men are often ſick with diſcontent, and die of a humour: If the Lord will not give them their luſts, they bid him take their lives. Neceſſaries and competencies will not ſatiſfie them, they muſt have ſuperfluities; they languiſh, if they have not quails to their Manna, as Iſrael once deſired and had. Was it any thing but this, which made Ahab goe home ſullen and ſad? Sullen ſadneſſe is a degree of this wearineſſe. Ahab had a Kingdom, and yet he could not live without a vineyard. He that takes away another mans life to obtain what he deſires, thinkes his own life ſearee deſirable, unleſſe he may obtain it. There was a ſpice of this diſtemper in Jonah, though a good man, and a Prophet (Jonah 4.8.) becauſe the Lord did but kill his gourd, kill me too, ſaith Ionah, He wiſhed himſelf to die, and ſaid (his gourd being dead) It is better for me to die then to live. It is an exceſſe of deſire, when we deſire any outward thing (much more when we deſire things unneceſſary, things not to ſupply our wants, but to ſerve our luſts) As Rachel did children (who are the beſt and nobleſt of outward things) Give me them, or elſe I die, (Gen. 30.1.)
Secondly, Some wicked men are wearied of their lives by the horrour of their conſciences. A hell within, makes the world without a hell too. They who have a ſight of eternall death (as the wages of ſin) without the ſight of a remedy may ſoon be weary of a temporall life. As much peace of conſcience and ſoul joy in believing, makes ſome of the Saints wiſh themſelves out of the body; ſo alſo doth trouble of conſcience, and grief of ſoul make many of the wicked. A man who is not at all weary of committing ſin may be weary of his life, becauſe he hath committed it. And he, who was never troubled that his wickedneſſe is as an offence againſt God, may feel his wickedneſſe extremely offenſive againſt himſelf. To ſuch a ſoul the evil of ſinne is ſo great an evil of puniſhment, that he is ready to cry out with Cain, My puniſhment is greater then I can bear. Yea, what his guilty conſcience feared, comes to be the deſire of many under the ſame guilt, That every one that findeth them would ſlay them: And ſome are ſo weary of their lives at the ſight of ſinne, that they make away their lives themſelves, hoping to get out of the ſight of ſin. There are ſins which cry to God for vengeance, and ſome cry to the ſinner himſelf for vengeance. This cry was ſo loud and forcible in the ears of Judas, that it cauſed him to go away and hang himſelf. And what made Ahithophel weary of his life, but his wickedneſſe? The rejecting of his counſel was not ſo much the reaſon of it, as the ſinfulneſſe of his counſel: A good man may be troubled at others, when his good counſel is not accepted, but he grows not unacceptable to himſelf; nay, he is well-pleaſed that he hath given honeſt counſel, though none will take it, though all are diſpleaſed at it. But they who aim not at the pleaſing of God in what they doe, thinke themſelves undone (and die they will) if they pleaſe not men.
Thirdly, Inordinate cares for the things of this life, make others weary of their lives. He that cannot caſt his care upon God, may ſoon be caſt down himſelf. Chriſt. (Luk. 21.34.) cautions his Diſciples, Take heed leſt your hearts be over-charged with the cares of this life. That which Chriſt would prevent in the Saints, fals often upon carnall men, their hearts are over-charged with cares, cares are compared to a burden, and they are compared to thorns, they doe not only preſſe, but vex and wound: Their weight preſſes ſome to death, their ſharpneſſe wounds others to death: And not a few would go out of the world, becauſe they cannot get ſo much of it, as they would.
Theſe things (among others) make wicked men weary of their lives. There are other things which make godly men weary of their lives; ſuch are theſe,
Firſt, The violence of Satans, and the worlds temptations. The ſoul would gladly be rid of the body, that it might be beyond the reach and aſſaults of the devil, and his aſſiſtants. There's a ſerpent every where, but in the heavenly paradiſe. Only they complain not of temptation, who are willing ſlaves to the tempter. The Apoſtle (1 Cor. 10.13.) aſſures the Corinthians, There hath no temptation taken you, but ſuch as is common to man; but God is faithfull, who will not ſuffer you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation alſo make a way to eſcape, that ye may be able to bear it, as if he had ſaid, Temptations are ſore burdens, and although yours hitherto have been but ordinary temptations, ſuch as uſually befall the Saints, though yours be moderate afflictions, and … common ſtature, ſuch as in the eye of reaſon any man may … with by a common aſſiſtance of grace; yet there are temptations, which (if God, the faithfull. God ſhould not come in with greater aſſiſtances then uſuall) you are not able to bear. They who wrestle with more then fleſh and bloud, alwaies need more then the ſtrength of fleſh and bloud to help them in their wrestlings. And becauſe they are often aſſaulted with greater ſtrength, therefore they are aſſiſted with greater ſtrength. For if God doe either with-draw his help from the Saints, or leave them to wreſtle with Satan alone, and to fight ſingle with his Armies, or if he doe, not proportion the aid he ſends to the temptation he permits, they are ſadly over-charged, though they can never be totally overcome; and 'tis poſſible to grow weary of the battell, though we are aſſured of the victory. It is the honour of the Saints to conquer, when they are tempted, but it is their happineſſe to be above or without temptation. How many poor ſouls put up bils of complaint, and beg praiers againſt temptations. Paul praid thrice, that is, often and much, when the meſſenger of Satan buffeted him: whether his were an inward or an outward temptation is doubted, but without doubt that temptation made his life burdenſome to him, till he received that anſwer from God, My grace is ſufficient for thee.
Secondly, The Saints are wearied with the weight of their ſinfull hearts. Inward corruption burdens more then outward temptation: and were it not for corruption within, temptation without could not be very burdenſome: The devil tempted Chriſt, but becauſe he found nothing at all in him, complying with, or ſutable to his temptations; therefore Chriſt threw them off with eaſe. That enemy without could doe us no hurt (he might put us to ſome trouble) if he found no correſpondence within. The traitour in our own bowels, opens our ports, and lets in the adverſary. His ſparks could never enflame us, if he found no tindar in us. The baſeneſſe and unbelief, the luſts and vanities of our mindes are apt to take fire at every injection. A gracious ſoul cannot live here without ſinne, and yet can eaſier die then ſinne. Paul (Rom. 7.24.) cries out, O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from the body of this death, or from this body of death! That is, from my body which is ſubject to death by reaſon of theſe remains of carnall corruption, or from my carnall corruptions, which are the remains of my ſpirituall death, and are worſe to me then any death. All the afflictions of his …, and the pains of his body, were but a play, and a kinde of ſo … compared with the trouble which this body of death put him to. He rejoyced in tribulation, but he could not but mourn under corruption. Many poor ſouls are ſo vexed with theſe myſticall Canaanites, that their ſpirituall Canaan (the ſtate of grace) is to them like Egypt, the land of their captivity. And when they are commanded to rejoyce, they anſwer, if we could not ſin, we could rejoyce, How ſhall we ſing the Lords ſong in a ſtrange land? O that we might goe home.
Thirdly, The Saints grow weary of their lives through the wickedneſſe of other mens lives, not only doe their own corruptions burthen them, but (which ſhews the holineſſe of their hearts more) the corruptions of others. The ſinfulneſſe and pollutions of the times and places wherein they live, eſpecially of perſons they are related to, makes their lives grievous, and imbitters all their comforts. Rebekah that good woman, tels her husband Iſaac (Gen. 27.46.) I am weary of my life, becauſe of the daughters of Heth, for if Iacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, ſuch as theſe which are of the daughters of the land, What good ſhall my life doe me? The ſweetneſſe of my life is gone, if this ſon miſcarry, as his brother hath done before him. The Prophet Jeremy cries out, O that I had in the wilderneſſe a lodging place of waifaring men, that I might leave my people, and go from them; What made him ſo weary of living among them? (and that was but a ſtep on this ſide, being weary of his life.) The next words ſhew us, They be all adulterers, an aſſembly of treacherous men (Jer. 9.2.) Better be in a waſte wilderneſſe among vvilde beaſts, then in a populous City, among beaſtly men. 'Tis a part of our compleat happineſſe in heaven, that vve ſhall have no ill neighbours there. They vvho are evil can take pleaſure in thoſe who do evil. But the more holineſſe any one hath, the more is he burthened with the unholineſſe of others. And that's the reaſon why God himſelf is expreſt to be ſo exceedingly burdened with the ſins of men, to be wearied and broken with them, to be laden with them, as a Cart with ſheaves, He is infinitely holy. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God (Epheſ. 4.30.) The Spirit is ſo holy, that ſin (which is unholineſſe) grieves him preſently. And in proportion, look how much any man is more holy then others, by ſo much is he more afflicted with the impurity of others. As the holy Spirit of God, who is all holy: ſo the ſpirits of holy men (who yet have a mixture of ſin) cannot but be afflicted with the ſins of men.
Fourthly, Some of the Saints would part with this life, becauſe they have got ſuch aſſurance and evidence of a better life. When much of eternall life appears to a godly man, he is weary of a temporall life. Naturall things are but burdenſome trifles to thoſe who are ſtored with ſpirituall. Chriſt ſaith (Luk. 5.39.) No man having drunke old wine, ſtraight way deſireth new, for he ſaith the old is better: He that taſtes what is better then he enjoyes, is unſatisfied with all he enjoyes. We can hardly be perſwaded what we have is good, when we ſee better of the ſame kinde. How much more hardly is this perſwaſion wrought in us, that earthly things (which differ in kinde from heavenly) are any great good, when heavenly things are open before us. When the Diſciples (at the transfiguration) had but a glimpſe of glory, They ſay, It is good to be here, Let us build three tabernacles. They do not ſpeak comparatively, as if now they had met with ſomewhat, better then ever they had before; but poſitively, as if they had never met with any good before. When the Spirit carries the Saints into his wine-cellar, and gives them a draught of everlaſting conſolations, the wine of worldly comforts will not down; they begin to diſreliſh the dainties and delicacies of the creature. A true ſight of heaven makes the earth ſcarce worth the looking after, or the living in. Such live, becauſe God will have them live to doe him ſervice, not becauſe they deſire to live to ſerve their own ends. Paul was in a great ſtraight betwixt two (Phil. 1.23.) whether he ſhould depart or abide in the fleſh: but the ſtraight was not in reference to himſelf, he was aſſured, dying would be to him, but a travelling to Chriſt, and therefore death was to him an eaſie election. His ſtraight was only this, whether he ſhould not abide ſtill in the fleſh, to to ſupply the needs of the Church, and forbear glory a while, that he might prepare others for glory. The ſame Apoſtle (2 Cor. 5.4.) ſaith in the firſt verſe, We know that if the earthly houſe of this tabernacle be diſſolved, we have a building of God, an houſe made without hands, eternall in the heavens. When their faith was thus upon the wing, ſoaring up to the aſſurance of an houſe made without hands; they grew weary of their ſmoaky cottages preſently; they could not endure to live in thoſe poor lodges, corruptible bodies, having a view of ſuch glorious pallaces; therefore he adds, In this we groan earneſtly, deſiring to be clothed upon with our houſe, foreign.which is from heaven. The word ſignifies groaning, as a man that hath a weighty burden lying upon him, which makes him fetch his winde even from his bowels. The body is the burden, rather then the houſe or the clothing of the ſoul, when once the ſoul knows it ſhall be clothed with an houſe, which is from heaven. As (I ſaid before) much of hell in this life makes wicked men vveary of this life, ſo alſo doth much of heaven.Cic. in Tuſcul. Queſt de Cleombroto. The Roman Oratour tels us, that a young man, who lived in great proſperity, having read Plato about the immortality of the ſoul, was ſo affected, that he threw himſelf violently from a high wall into the ſea, that he might have a proof of that immortality, by his experience of it. The Goſpel forbids ſuch haſte, and knows no ſuch vvaies to happineſſe. As Chriſt (not vve) hath purchaſed that eſtate; ſo Chriſt muſt lead us (we muſt not thruſt our ſelves) into the poſſeſſion of it: but yet the earneſts, the fore-taſtes and firſt-fruits of heaven, which the Saints finde in this life (though they be ſuch as eat the marrow and fatneſſe, ſuch as may have the very cream and ſpirits of the creature to live upon) make them groan often and earneſtly for the next life. This is good, but heaven is better.
Laſtly, Which is the caſe of this text, the Saints may grow vveary of their lives from the outward afflictions and troubles of this life. Sickneſſe and pains upon the body, poverty and vvant in the eſtate, reproaches and unkindeneſſes put upon our perſons, vvith a thouſand evils to vvhichwhich this life is ſubject every day, cauſe many to vviſh and long for an end of their daies. And though they are ready to ſubmit to the vvill of God, if he have appointed them to a longer conflict vvith theſe evils, yet they cannot but ſhew their vvilligneſſe, yea their gladneſſe to part vvith their lives, that they may part vvith ſuch troubles accompaning their lives.
And as the afflictions of the body naturall, ſo of the body politike may make them vveary of their lives. How many in Germany and Ireland have been ſo vvearied vvith hearing the voice of the oppreſſour, that they have vviſhed themſelves in their graves, only to get out of their hearing. And vvith us, ſince theſe troubles began, have not many been tired with living? Have they not cried after death, and wooed the grave, as being weary of the world? The Prophet (Iſa. 32.2.) ſpeaks of a weary land. A man (meaning Chriſt) ſhall be as the ſhadow of a great rock in a weary land. The land it ſelf (being inſenſible) could not be weary; but he cals it a weary land, becauſe the inhabitants living in the land, were wearied with the troubles and continuall vexations which they found there. In theſe caſes the ſoul of a believer ſtands (like Abraham when the Angels paſſed by) at the tent door of his body, ready to come forth, looking when God will but call, yea, he cries out, that he may be called (in the language of Job) My ſoul is weary of my life.
I will leave my complaint upon my ſelf, I will speak in the bitterneſſe of my ſoul.
I will leave, &c.] That is, I will carry my complaint no further, it ſhall trouble none but my ſelf.
The originall ſignifies alſo to ſtrengthen or fortifie (Nehem. 3.8) They fortified Jeruſalem unto the broad wall; we put in the Margin; They left Jeruſalem to the broad wall: So the ſenſe of Job may be this, My pains do not abate, but increaſe, why then ſhould I remit or abate my complaint, I will ſtrengthen my complaint as long as my ſorrows are ſtrengthened.
My complaint.
That word hath been explained before, it ſignifies an inward, as well as an outward complaint, and that moſt properly. Some tranſlate it ſo here, I will groan in ſilence with my ſelf. Per mittam mihi muſſitationē. Tygur. Silentio egomet ingemiſcam & Philoſophabor. Polychron. Deponam à me querimoniam meam. Jun.But the text requires, rather that we interpret it of an externall complaint, formed up into words. The Septuagint are expreſſe, and ſo is Auſtin, I will leave my words upon my ſelf: both interpreting it of a vocall declaration of his minde and meaning.
The greateſt difficulty lies in thoſe words [upon my ſelf] One renders, I will leave my complaint off, or lay it aſide from my ſelf. As if Iob meant to give over this work of complaining, and to compoſe his heart to quietneſſe, how unquiet ſoever his eſtate continued. But his following practice ſeems to confute this interpretation, and to deny any ſuch intention.
Others give this ſenſe, I will ſpeak at my own peril, and if any danger or inconvenience come of it, I will bear it my ſelf. I will run that venture. Job uſes ſuch language (chap. 13.13.) Hold your peace, let me alone that I may speak, and let come on me what will. We may gloſſe it with that heroicall reſolution of Queen Eſther (Eſth. 4.16.) So will I go in unto the King, which is not according to the Law, and if I periſh, I periſh. The Hebrew prepoſition hath various acceptions.
Praepoſitio foreign frequenter per ſuper, nonnunquam per cum & aliquando per adverſus redditur. Nihil contra Deum, in me tantum deſaeviam. Pined.Firſt (As we) It is tranſlated Ʋpon. Secondly, With. Thirdly, Againſt. Fourthly, Concerning or about.
We may take in any of, or all theſe tranſlations. And from all, the meaning of Job ſeems to riſe thus, I intend not to ſpeak a word againſt God, I will not charge the Almighty with injuſtice, or with rigour, to doe which were highest wickedneſſe; I purpoſe indeed to complain, but I will complain only upon, or with my ſelf, concerning or againſt my ſelf, I will not utter a word againſt the wiſdome of God, or accuſe his providence. I will not ſhoot an arrow againſt heaven, or ſend out a murmur againſt the most high.
There are two waies of leaving our complaints upon ourſelves,
Firſt, When we let them lie wholly upon our ſelves, and will not go to God for ſtrength or patience to bear them. Who can ſufficiently mourn over them, who leave their complaints in this ſenſe upon themſelves? It is ſinfull and fooliſh to leave our complaints thus upon our ſelves: 'Tis a duty to leave them upon God, and to pour them into the boſom of Christ, who can, and who only can either eaſe us of them, or make them eaſie to us: who can, and who only can take off our burdens, or enable us to carry them. The burden of our ordinary cares will break our backs, if left upon our ſelves; how then ſhall we in our own ſtrength ſtand under the burden of extreameſt ſorrows?
Secondly, We leave our complaint upon our ſelves. When we make no excuſes or evaſions, but plainly charge the fault upon our ſelves. Thus we ought to leave all our complaints upon our ſelves. It is ſinfull and fooliſh to charge any of them wholly upon the devil, or at all upon God. An honeſt heart takes them home, and ſaith, God is righteous, but I am a tranſgreſſour, what he hath done he may do, and he hath done juſtly in all that he hath done. This is the ſenſe of Iobs reſolution, I will leave my complaint upon my ſelf.
Hence obſerve,
Whatſoever a godly man ſuffereth, he will not charge God with it, but himſelf.
He is more carefull of the honour of God, then of his own peace, and had rather die then the glory of God ſhould ſuffer. O Lord (ſaith Daniel, chap. 9.7.) righteouſneſſe belongeth unto thee, but unto us confuſion of face; And (verſ. 14.) the Lord is righteous in all his works which he doth, for we obeyed not his voice. When the Angel was ſmiting Iſrael with the plague of peſtilence, David beſpeaks the Lord in reference to the people, Loe, I have ſinned, and I have done wickedly; but theſe ſheep, What have they done? Let thine hand I pray thee be againſt me, &c. (2 Sam. 24.17.) I take the blame to my ſelf, Lord, upon me let thy ſtroak be, even upon me, not upon Iſrael: So ſaith the ſoul, in reference unto God, upon me be the blame of all the troubles and afflictions which I feel, not upon God, What hath God done? All that he hath done is right, and juſt, and good. It is an argument of a holy frame of heart, to be often judging our ſelves, and alwaies acquitting of God: To be often complaining of our ſelves, and to be ever exalting God: To be alwaies thanking him for our comforts, and alwaies ſaying, we may thank our ſelves for our ſorrows. Whatſoever the Lord ſaith or doth concerning us, we ſhould not only ſay with Hezekiah (when a ſad meſſage was brought him, 2 King. 20.19.) Good is the Word of the Lord, but alſo, Good are the works of the Lord. Many men are ready to lay their ſins (much more their ſorrows) upon God. So the Apoſtle repreſents them (Rom. 9.19.) Thou wilt ſay unto me, Why doth he then finde fault? Why doth God complain of us? we have more reaſon to complain of, and charge our faults on God. If he hardeneth whom he will, Why are we blamed for being hardened? For who hath reſiſted his will? Thus they queſtion God, Who hath reſiſted thy will? whoſe lives are nothing elſe but a continued warre againſt, and reſiſtance of his will. They who ſtrive moſt to comply with the will of God, complain often of themſelves for reſiſting it. And though they know God hardeneth vvhom he vvill, yet they will not leave the hardening of any upon God, as his fault, but as his prerogative. They confeſſe it to be as great an act of holineſſe in God, to harden ſome men in ſin, as it is to ſoften others by his grace: Mercy appears chiefly in the one, juſtice appears chiefly in the other, but holineſſe equally in both.
I will speak in the bitterneſſe of my ſoul.
A bitter ſoul bringeth forth bitter words. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth ſpeaketh. If there be abundance of joy in the heart, the mouth will ſpeak joyfully; and if there be abundance of ſorrow in the heart, the mouth ſpeaks ſorrowfully.Loquar quicquid mihi afflictio ſuggeſſerit. As when there is abundance of filth in the heart, the mouth ſpeaks filthineſſe. We may ſee the lines and image of mans minde drawn upon his words. One man ſpeaks in the anger of his ſoul, and he ſpeaks angerly. Another ſpeaks in the pride of his ſoul, and he ſpeaks proudly. A third ſpeaks in the profaneneſſe of his ſoul, and he ſpeaks profanely. Again, one ſpeaks in the courage of his ſoul, and he ſpeaks couragiouſly. Another ſpeaks in the patience of his ſoul, and he ſpeaks patiently. A third ſpeaks in the faith of his ſoul, and he ſpeaks beleevingly. There is a neerneſſe to this ſenſe, in that of the ſixtieth Pſalm (verſ. 6.) God hath ſpoken in his holineſſe; and we are aſſured he cannot but ſpeak holily, who is all holy. I (ſaith Job) will speak in the bitterneſſe of my ſoul, and he ſpake bitterly; his ſoul was bitter, and ſo was his ſpeech too.
What he means by the bitterneſſe of his ſoul, hath been opened heretofore, in the third Chapter, and in the ſeventh Chapter, verſ. 11. thither I refer the Reader.
In brief, I will ſpeak in the bitterneſſe of my ſoul, is either this, I will let out the ſorrows of my heart at my tongue, and it ſhall appear by what I ſay, what I feel. Or
Further, I will ſpeak in the bitterneſſe of my ſoul, may be taken as an Apology for what he ſpake. As if he had ſaid, Doe not charge my complaint upon my own account, Nō rā mea futura ſunt verba, quam meae amaritudinis, haec enim imperat & extorquet orationem.If I ſpeak bitterly, it is not I that speak, but the bitterneſſe that is in me. As Paul, when he did what he would not, pleads in the ſeventh of the Romans, It is no more I that doe it, but ſinne that dwelleth in me. It is not I Paul an Apoſtle, not I regenerate Paul, but the remains of unregenerate Paul, of Paul a Phariſee, which rebell againſt the Law of God. In the ſame manner ſaith Iob here, and ſo ſay the Saints; Are we at any time impatient, and complain more then becommeth us, know it is not we that ſpeak, but the bitterneſſe of our hearts. The thing which we would not, that ſpeak we; and therefore it is not we that ſpeak, but the ſorrow that dwelleth in us.
So then, ſpeaking in the bitterneſſe of the ſoul, notes either the exceſſe or greatneſſe of a complaint, or the cauſe and ſpring of a complaint. The complaints of Job came not from the ordinary temper of his ſpirit, but from the troubles of his eſtate, diſtempering his ſpirit; he deſired rather to be praiſing and glorifying God for his receits, then complaining over his own wants. But his wants were ſuch, as he could not refrain from complaining I will ſpeak in the bitterneſſe of my ſoul.
But what ſpeaks he?
As when he firſt ſpake theſe words (Chap. 7.11.) he preſently turned his ſpeech to God, deſiring him to deal more ſweetly with him, and puts the queſtion, Am I a Sea or a Whale? &c.
So here, after he hath ſet forth his reſolvedneſſe to complain, he preſently turns his ſpeech to God, imploring favour, I will ſay unto God, doe not condemn me (verſ. 2.) and he puts the queſtion (verſ. 3.) Is it good unto thee that thou ſhouldeſt oppreſſe? As if he had ſaid, Lord, I cannot but complain of my condition, and I muſt take the boldneſſe to complain to thee; but I will not complain of thee, as if thou wert mine enemy; nor will I contend with thee, as if thou wert a party, my meaning and ſcope is only this, to ſupplicate thee as my Judge. I will ſay unto God, Doe not condemn me, &c.