Exposition of Job 15-17, Commentary on Job · Chapter 15
JOB, Chap. 15. Verſ. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.
Art thou the firſt man that was borne, or waſt thou made before the Hills?
Haſt thou heard the ſecret of God? and doeſt thou reſtraine wiſedome to thy ſelfe?
What knoweſt thou that we know not? what underſtandeſt thou that is not in us?
With us are both the gray-headed, and very aged men, much elder then thy Father.
Are the conſolations of God ſmall with thee? is there any ſecret thing with thee?
THe firſt part of this Chapter, is reprehenſory. In the former context two points of reproofe were opened: Firſt Jobs ſuppoſed folly in the ſecond and third Verſes: Secondly, his wickedneſſe, in the fourth, both which were aggravated in the fifth and ſixth.
In this Context Eliphaz gives him a third and a fourth reproofe; a third, for the high conceit he had of himſelfe, and a fourth, for the low conceit he had of the comforts of God, tendered to him by his Freinds; he reproves him for the high conceit he had of himſelfe, in two things: Firſt, as if Job had thought his experience greater then any mans, Art thou the firſt man that was borne? &c. Verſ. 7. Secondly, as if he had thought himſelfe immediately inſpired, Haſt thou heard the ſecret of God, &c. Verſ. 8.
This he illuſtrates by a twofold oppoſition in the ninth and tenth Verſes; Firſt, by the oppoſition of himſelfe and his Freinds in point of knowledge and underſtanding unto Job: As if he had ſayd, Thou lookeſt upon us as underlings, as men unworthy to carry thy Bookes after thee, or to be named the ſame day, but what knoweſt thou, that wee know not? What underſtandeſt thou, which is not in us? Verſ. 9. Thou art not ſo weighty, but we hope we may very well ballance thee, and ſay (without pride or partiality) that our parts are as good as thine. Secondly, by the oppoſition of their party to him and his, Verſ. 10. With us are both the gray-headed, and very aged men, much elder then thy Father: As if he had ſayd, Our party equalls thine, as well as our parts; Haſt thou aged men on thy ſide? ſo have we; Haſt thou the authority of gray haires to back thy opinion? So have we. Haſt thou thy Fathers Copy to ſhew for theſe thy Tenets? So have we. Wee are able to make as great a boaſt of Antiquity as thou thy ſelfe canſt: Doe not thinke that we have received our Learning from ſome new fangled Sect, or from upſtart Opinioniſts of yeſterdayes edition: No, be it knowne unto thee, With us are both the gray-headed, and very aged men, &c.
As thus he reproves Jobs high thoughts of himſelfe, ſo in the fourth place, The low thoughts which he had of them, and the paines they had taken with him, Verſ. 11. Are the conſolations of God ſmall with thee? &c.
Verſ. 7. Art thou the firſt man that was borne.
Numquid ante primum hominem natus es. Pagn. No natu r minus minimo. Eſt aſitatum in omni, ut reor, lingua ut qui in gradu aliquo ad quandam mediocritatem non pervenere, imo qui ininfimo conſtitere gradu, eum eo qui maxime excellit comparentur, cum ironia tamen, ut ſi de homine timido dicas, non es cum Achille conferendus &c. neque aliud voluiſſe Eliphazem arbitror quam ejus eſſe aetatis Jobum in qua non multum ſoleat eſſe ſapientiae. Sanct.Or, as ſome read it, Art thou borne before the firſt man? This is a high ſtraine of Rhetorick, it is impoſſible to be before the firſt; for as there is nothing leſſe then what is leaſt, ſo nothing was before the firſt; but as we ſay, Such a man will ſee the laſt man borne, when we ſee him reſolved to ſtay the longeſt upon a buſineſſe, or deſirous to live very long: So wee may ſay, Such a man was borne before the firſt, or ſurely he is the firſt man that was borne, whom we ſee highly conceited of his owne antiquity: And indeed when Eliphaz askes the queſtion, Art thou the firſt man that was borne? His meaning is to taxe Job for a Punie, or a young man, yet arrogating to himſelfe the glory of longeſt experience; as if he had ſayd, Thou haſt told us that we are but of yeſterday, and objecteſt novelty againſt us, to derogate from our authority, yet ſurely thou art none of the oldeſt, thou art not older then Adam (I beleeve) thou waſt not before the firſt man, that ever was, no nor the firſt man: It is uſuall in many Languages, to compare thoſe who are loweſt in any degree to the higheſt, and the meaneſt to the greateſt, Ironically, or in a way of ſcorne; thus 'tis ſaid to a Coward, or a white-liverd fellow, Thou art no Achilles; to a Dwarfe or one of a low ſtature, Thou art no Goliah; to one of weake parts, ſurely, Thou art no Solomon, no Ariſtotle; ſo of one that is but young, Surely thou art not Neſtor, thou art not Adam, the firſt man that ever was.
Job gave Eliphaz and his Freinds ſome colour to twit him thus, while he ſayd (Chap. 13.5.) O that you would altogether hold your peace, and it ſhould be your wiſedomes: This was as if he had ſayd, You are but ignorant, and the more you ſpeake the more you diſcover your ignorance; And againe, Ch. 12.12. With the ancient is wiſedome, and with length of dayes is underſtanding; where he ſecretly upbraided them as Juniors, and that therefore little or no heed was to be taken to what they ſpake; now ſaith Eliphaz, Art thou the firſt man borne? that is, Art thou the wiſeſt man living? He who thinks himſelfe the firſt man, takes himſelfe for a very wiſe man, even as wiſe as Adam, who was not onelyonly the Father, but the Teacher, and Inſtructer, of his poſterity: In which ſenſe the Jewes ſaid to Chriſt, Thou art not yet fifty yeares old, and haſt thou ſeen Abraham, John 8.57. Thou ſpeakeſt as if thou wert an old man: we know thy age, thou art but a young man, yet thou ſpeakeſt at the rate of thouſands, as if thou wert as old as Abraham, or the ancient of dayes among men, Art thou the firſt man?
Or, Waſt thou made before the hills?
Some conceive, that by the Hills he meanes the Angels, Philippus ſequutus Auguſtinum, contendit hoc loco angelos collium nomine intelligi. Ad facies collium. Heb. Num formatus es ante mundum conditum, nam colles una cum terra formati fuerunt aliquot diebus ante hominem. Druſ.but that Expoſition ſmels too much of the Allegory: Take the Hills litterally, for the uppermoſt parts or boſſes of the earth; the Originall is, Waſt thou formed or made before the face of the hills? which is an Hebraiſme. Some interpret the Hills by a Synecdoche, for the whole earth, then the ſenſe is, Waſt thou formed before the earth? The firſt man was formed out of the earth, and art thou older then the earth? So that here Eliphaz puts him by a challenge of greater antiquity then in the former part of the Verſe, Waſt thou the firſt man that was borne, or waſt thou made before the earth? the earth is elder then man, both had not the ſame birth-day.
Againe, as the Hills are a part of the earth, ſo they may be ſayd to be borne the firſt of any part of the earth: For the earth was covered with water, it was a great deep, till a word of command came from God, that the waters ſhould retire to certaine Channells, and receptacles which his wiſedome had aſſigned them; now when the waters were thus gathered and put into thoſe vaſt Veſſells, then the Hills, and Mountaines,Quod prius conſpicuum eſt antiquius eſſe vide…ur. which are the higheſt parts of the earth appeared firſt, and ſo the Mountaines are elder in regard of view, th…n the Plaines and Valleys of the earth. That is ſayd to be firſt which appeareth firſt: So then, whether we take hills by a Synecdoche for the whole earth, or plainely for a part of the earth, both reach at higheſt antiquity. There is an opinion (I confeſſe) which if true, takes away the ground of this notion, That hills and mountaines grew up, or were as ſo many excreſcencies of the earth, ſince it was created, and that they grow dayly (as Naturaliſts expreſſe it) by Juxtapoſition. But I fully adhere to their judgement (under which this notion ſtands ſafe) that the earth was diſtinguiſht into hills, plaines, and valleys, by the ſame immediate power which created it, though I eaſily grant that many hills have been accidentally cauſed, and caſt up ſince, eſpecially in the deluge. And this doth more advance the wiſedome of God in the frame of this mighty maſſe, which hath in it greater ornament, and yeelds greater delight by this variety, then if it had been ſmoothed all over into Plaines and Levels.
Quod longe anti ſuum, montium & collium comparatione indicari ſolet.Further, to cleare the Text, conſider, that it is uſuall in Scripture, when a thing of great antiquity is ſpoken of, to compare it to the Hills, Prov. 8.23, 24, 25. Wiſedome (which is Chriſt) ſpeakes thus, I was ſet up from everlaſting, from the beginning, ere the earth was, when there were no depths I was brought forth; when there were no fountaines abounding with water, before the mountaines were ſetled; before the Hills was I brought forth; while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the higheſt part of the duſt of the World. Where note alſo by the way, a full confirmation of the opinion even now aſſerted, that God made the Hills immediately, which are here alſo called, The higheſt part of the duſt of the earth. Againe (Pſal. 90.2.) O Lord thou haſt been our dwelling place in all generations; which he explaines in the next words, Before the mountaines were brought forth, from everlaſting to everlaſting, thou art God. Old Jacob ſpeakes this Divine Philoſophy upon his death-bed, while he was bleſſing his ſonne Joſeph (Gen. 49.26.) The bleſſings of thy Father have prevailed above the bleſſings of my Progenitors, above the utmoſt bounds of the everlaſting Hills: Once more, Hab. 3.6. He ſtood and meaſured the earth, he beheld, and drove aſunder the Nations; and the everlaſting Mountaines were ſcattered, the perpetuall Hills did bow: Now a thing is called everlaſting, either ſtrictly, becauſe it ſhall laſt for ever, or becauſe it laſteth very long; in this latter ſenſe, the Hills are everlaſting: The Hills were from the beginning, and ſhall continue to the end. As for Job, he began to live but lately, and he muſt ſhortly dye: Waſt thou made before the Hills? Eliphaz proceeds to a ſecond branch of his third reproofe.
Verſ. 8. Haſt thou heard the ſecret of God, or doeſt thou reſtraine wiſedome to thy ſelfe?
As if he had ſayd, Poſſibly thou wilt wave or not ſtand to this plea of thy great antiquity. What is it then that ſwells thee into ſuch proud and daring thoughts of thy infallible knowledge? Is it becauſe, Thou haſt heard the ſecret of God.
The Hebrew word ſignifies either counſell,foreign Secretum vel conſilium. foreign, arcana, indicendae Aquil. foreign, Theod. or any thing that is ſecret and myſterious; ſome render it, Haſt thou heard things unſpeakable: when the Apoſtle was caught up to Heaven (2 Corinth. 12.) He heard words unſpeakable which it is not lawfull for a man to utter: Haſt thou heard unutterable ſecrets? A ſecond tranſlates, Haſt thou heard the myſteries of God? A third, Haſt thou had diſcourſe with God? or haſt thou heard God diſcourſe about the great things of wiſedome? The Septuagint,foreign. Conſtitutionem domini audiviſti & conſiliario te uſus eſt Deus. Sept. Eadem vox quae eſt ſecretum, eſt etiam conſilium aut concilum, quod in conciliis arcana tractantur; & conſilia non niſi ſecretò iniri debent Pined. Haſt thou heard the conſtitutions of Heaven, or knoweſt thou in what manner God hath ſetled all the affaires of mankind, naturall, civill, and ſpirituall? Art thou of privy counſell to the King of Heaven? or art thou a member of the Celeſtiall conclave? Thus he reproves him for arrogating to himſelfe ſuch knowledge, as is not attaineable, but by ſpeciall inſpiration, or revelation from God himſelfe. The Prophet puts the queſtion (Jer. 23.18.) Who hath ſtood in the counſell of the Lord, and hath perceived and heard his word? Who hath marked his word and heard it? So the Apoſtle (Rom. 11.34.) Who hath knowne the minde of the Lord, or who hath been his Counſellor? God is able to make knowne the whole myſtery of his will in a moment to the meaneſt ſoul, he can let in ſtoods upon the underſtanding without our ſtudy; he can make a foole wiſe, and drawing back the curtaine of ignorance, irradiate the darkeſt minde with the cleareeſt light of all things knowable: But haſt thou heard ſuch ſecrets?
There are two ſorts of Divine ſecrets:
Firſt, Secrets of Providence:
Secondly, Secrets of Doctrine.
The former are of ſuch things as God will doe; the latter, ſuch as Man is either to doe or beleeve: God reveales both to his people. The ordinary way for us is by the Word written, the extraordinary by a word ſpoken: Thus God opened his ſecrets to the ancient Prophets and Apoſtles. The Prophet Amos (Chap. 3.7.) ſpeakes of the ſecrets of providence, Surely the Lord will doe nothing, but he revealeth his ſacrets to his Servants the Prophets: And the Lord himſelfe ſaith of Abraham, Shall I hide from Abraham the things that I am about to doe: Now as there is a revealing of Providence, or of the workes of God, ſo there is a revealing of Doctrines and of the holy Truths of God. This he promiſeth (Joel 2.28.) I will powre out my ſpirit upon all fleſh, and your Sons and your Daughters ſhall propheſie, your old men ſhall dreame dreames, your young men ſhall ſee viſions: Young men, cannot claime to be the firſt men, they were not before the Hills, yet to them the viſions of Heaven are promiſed: Yet we muſt not neglect that command of our attendance upon the teachings of the Word, becauſe wee have received a promiſe of the teachings of the Spirit. The ſpirit uſually teacheth by the Word, never againſt it; and it is a tempting of God, while he gives us meanes, to linger after immediate Revelations: yea, when the Lord reveales himſelfe immediately, he uſes to doe it without mans fore-thought or expectations. The Prophets did not ſet themſelves to receive Revelations from God, but his Spirit came upon them with mighty power and irreſiſtible evidence. And though God doth reveale ſome of his ſecrets, yet he hath ſecrets which he will not reveale: The ſecret of the Lord is with them that feare him (Pſal. 24.14.) And his ſecret is with the righteous (Prov. 3.32.) This ſecret is either the good will and favour of God, of which the World knowes nothing, or the good Word and Faith of God of which the World knowes as little: Both theſe ſorts of Divine ſecrets are with the righteous, and men fearing God; but the ſecrets of his Counſel are reſerved in his owne breaſt. He reveales to his people the ſecrets of his bounty, and of their duty, what he will doe for them, and what they muſt doe for him; but many things which himſelfe will doe ſhall never be revealed but by the doing of them: Haſt thou heard the ſecrets of God?
And doeſt thou reſtraine wiſedome to thy ſelfe.
That is,foreign Detrahis ad te; quod ſenſu in idem recidit cum eo quod eſt tibi aſcribis fraudando alios negatam aliis ſapientiam tibi aſſumpſiſti ex divino arcano. Sapientia ultra te ſuos terminos non porriget? Tygur. Doeſt thou thinke there is no wiſedome beſides thine? art thou at the very border and utmoſt limit of knowledge and underſtanding? is all beyond thee ignorance and folly? Haſt thou got and engroſſed all the learning from others, and reſerved it to thy ſelfe alone as thy peculiar, with which none muſt intermedle without a licenſe obtained from thee? haſt thou the monopoly of wiſdome? or is all but enough for thee? Shall none of thy neighbours ſhare with thee? This is either a charge of greater arrogancy then the former, Doeſt thou reſtraine wiſedome to thy ſelfe? or at leaſt a charge of greateſt uncharitableneſſe; goodneſſe is diffuſive, and ſo is wiſedome, and it is the duty of good men to diffuſe wiſedome. When they have heard the ſecrets of God, they muſt communicate them to others, not reſtraine all to themſelves. But I conceive Eliphaz intends onelyonly the former charge.
Hence obſerve:
It is the higheſt ſtraine of pride for a man to reſtraine wiſedome to himſelfe: or to thinke himſelfe ſo wiſe, that all muſt addreſſe to him for wiſedome: God hath not given all wiſedome to any one man, or ſort of men, though he hath truſted ſome with more Talents of it then he hath done others. The Prieſts lips of old under the Law, and ſo the lips of Miniſters under the Goſpel, ſhould preſerve knowledge; and the people ſhould ſeek both Law and Goſpel at their mouth (Mal. 2.7.) Yet neither might the Prieſts then, nor may Miniſters now, reſtraine wiſedome to themſelves. The rule of the Apoſtle is, Be not wiſe above what is written; that is, above holy Writ, or above what is written from the immediate dictates of the Spirit of God. They are (as we ſay) fooles in Print, who ſay they are wiſe above what is thus written; but we may be wiſe above what is ſpoken or written by any man, for no man ought to reſtraine all wiſedome to himſelfe; to doe ſo is the top-ſtaire of Antichriſtian pride. The Pope reſtraines wiſedome to himſelfe; he boaſts that he hath the ſecrets of God, and that all muſt come to him if they will have them unlockt and opened: His ſentences from the Chayre are Oracles, and there he is infallible; all are obliged to receive what he ſaith, becauſe he ſaith it: no man muſt ſcruple, much leſſe oppoſe or contradict it. Thus to impoſe upon men is to ſet our ſelves in the place of the God of Heaven; yea, to arrogate to our ſelves that we are Gods on earth. So the Apoſtle hath characteriz'd that man of ſin (2 Theſ. 2.4.) He oppoſeth and exalteth himſelfe above all that is called God, or that is worſhipped (that is, above all civill powers or Magiſtracy) So that he as God ſitteth in the Temple of God, ſhewing himſelfe that he is God. And as he out of all meaſure wickedly, ſo many others in a very great meaſure have ſhewed themſelves as God, while they have taken upon them (as we ſpeake proverbially) To give the Law, yea, to give the Goſpel to other mens conſciences, or to bind up all mens tongues and judgements unto the rule of their apprehenſions. When the Apoſtle had called God to record, that he alwayes purpoſed to be bold and plaine with the Corinthians, he preſently ſubjoynes this corrective (2 Cor. 1.24.) Not that we have Dominion over your Faith, but are helpers of your joy: As if he had ſayd. Doe not thinke that I take upon me as a Lord over your conſciences, to charge any command or obſervations of my owne upon them: No, I am but as a ſervant of God to inſtruct you in his counſels, and to comfort you with his promiſes.
The Grecians, who were men of great knowledge and learning, a very witty and Philoſophicall people, called all other Nations Barbarians: Such pride appeares among ſome (in name) Chriſtians, they ſpeake and act as if all knowledge and truth were centred in them, or as if all were in the darke who ſee not by their light. Knowledge is apt to puffe up, how are they puffed up, who thinke they know all? though indeed they who thinke they know any thing, know nothing as they ought to know, 1 Cor. 8.2. God reveales that to Babes and Sucklings, which he hides from ſuch wiſe and prudent ones, who reſtraine all wiſedome to themſelves. God in judgement reſtraines wiſedome from them, who in pride reſtraine it to themſelves; and as God takes all wiſedome from them, who in another ſenſe reſtraine wiſedome to themſelves, that is, who will not uſe it becauſe they have but one Talent of it, or but a little; ſo he will give them no wiſedome at all, who thinke they are poſſeſſors, or Lord-Treaſurers of all the Talents of it, as if all wiſedome were layd up in them. The Bab…s and Sucklings, ſuch as are low, humble, and meek, are the objects of this bounty; as for the proud, God beholdeth them affar off: and they can never get neere wiſedome who are farre from the God of wiſedome. While ſuch vainely reſtraine wiſedome to themſelves, the hand of God is juſtly reſtrained from beſtowing it upon them.
Eliphaz having thus reproved Job for entitling himſelfe to ſo rich a ſtock of knowledge, either brought in by his owne long experience, or from the ſpeciall inſpirations and teachings of God; proceeds to challenge to himſelfe and his Freinds a knowledge equall at leaſt to what he really had, in the ninth and tenth Verſes.
Verſ. 9. What knoweſt thou that we know not, what underſtandeſt thou that is not in us?
He retorts what Job ſaid, Chap. 12.3. I have underſtanding as well as you, I am not inferiour to you. Here Eliphaz tells him, we have underſtanding as well as you: Hath God revealed all knowledge to thee, ſurely we know as much as thou.
What knoweſt thou which we know not?
The words are plaine, and need no explication;Dic age quae ſunt tuae partes. they ſound as if hee had ſayd, Come ſhew thy skill, and open thy hidden treaſures; thou haſt ſhewed nothing yet, but what is common to us and others; thou ſeemeſt to ſpeake of myſteries, of things that are unknowne, and ſecret to this day, but ſurely thou haſt not traded much in theſe; For, What knoweſt thou that we know not? thou haſt not yet produced any ſuch peice of knowledge; if ſuch precious matter be in thee, wrap it not up in the napkin of ſilence any longer, bring it forth, that we alſo may know it.
Hence obſerve:
Firſt, Man is apt to ſtand upon termes of compariſon with man; Qui velit ingenio cedere rarus erit.he cannot beare it that another ſhould be thought or thinke himſelfe wiſer or more knowing then he: Some are not troubled becauſe they know little, but becauſe they are eſteemed leſſe knowing then others, What knoweſt thou that we know not?
Secondly obſerve, Though ſome men are of higher parts, and better naturall abilities then others, yet what one man knoweth, others may; No man can boaſt himſelfe beyond the line and degree of man. For as the heart of man anſwers the heart of man in ſinfulneſſe, ſo in a poſſibility of goodneſſe. One man may be as holy as another, as wiſe and knowing as another; onelyonly God is more holy, wiſe, and knowing then any man can be; hee knoweth many things which no man knoweth nor can know. But though it be a ſtraine of pride, for one man to ſay to another, What knoweſt thou that I know not? Yet it is a truth that one man may know as much as another: and though ſome men know that which another man (in regard of ſome perſonall impediments) neither doth nor can know, yet the humane nature in every perſon is capable of the ſame, both kind and degree of knowledge.
Thirdly, Eliphaz is about to reprove the pride of Job, as he conceives, and he doth it (as was but now toucht) in ſuch a manner as ſpeaks his owne pride, What knoweſt thou that we know not, is the language of a high minde: I am as good and as wiſe as thou: though it may be ſo, yet it is uncomely to ſay ſo.
Hence obſerve:
Some in reproving other mens faults, runne into the very ſame faults themſelves; the reproofe of a fault may not onelyonly be faulty, but the fault which is reproved. A man may reprove pride with much pride, and leſſer vanityes, with abundance of vanity. All that good men ſpeak for good, doth not begin at a principle of goodneſſe; their owne corruption may riſe up againſt the corruptions of others, and ſin is often heard chiding vice. How many are there who check paſſion, with paſſion, and are very angry in diſlike of anger; you ſhall have ſome men ſpeake againſt bitterneſſe of ſpirit with a bitter ſpirit, and while they are taxing their Brethren with making breaches or with an unwillingneſſe to peace, diſcover much unpeaceableneſſe, yea an unwillingneſſe to have thoſe breaches healed.
Diogenes was obſerved to trample upon the pride of Plato with greater pride; and he who to rebuke pride in Apparrell, wore himſelfe an unhandſome and torne Coate, was rightly told that his pride was ſeene through the holes of his Coate. There may be as much oſtentation in wearing ſordid, as there is in wearing the gayeſt Cloathes. It was a ſhame for Heathens to declare their owne folly, while they declaimed againſt the folly of their neighbours; how ſcandalous then is this in Chriſtians?
Verſ. 10. With us are the gray-headed, and very aged men, much elder then thy Father.
This Verſe is the proofe of the former; ſome thinke the compariſon lyes betweene Jobs Friends and himſelfe. We are thy Seniors, yet thou ſpeakeſt as if thou wert the oldeſt man amongſt us: Here are two termes in the Text, which ſeeme to diſtinguiſh old age.
Firſt, Gray-headed.
Secondly, Very aged, much elder then thy Father.
Among the Jewes, a man was counted old at threeſcore, which they called, The firſt old age:Prima ſenectus foreign dicitur unde foreign ſenex: media ſenectus foreign dicitur & incipit ab anno 70. & durat uſque ad 80. annum; ad quam qui pervenit poſtea foreign decrepitus dicitur, quod eſt ultimae ſenectutis vocabulum, quae durat uſque ad vitae finem vel uſque ad annum 100. Nam filius centum annorum habetur pro mortuo. Druſ. Etiam Eliphaz qui canus eſt, & Bildad qui decrepitus eſt inter nos, & Sophar qui major eſt patre tuo diebut. Targ. At ſeventy he was expreſſed by the word which we tranſlate Gray-headed, and that was his title till he arrived at Foureſcore; from that to the end of life, the whole ſtate was called, Decrepid old Age; and they who reached thoſe yeares, were expreſſed by the word which we render Very aged men, or as we ſay, men having one foot in the Grave; for he that was an hundred yeares old, was not numbred among the living, but among he dead. The Chalde Paraphraſt applyes the diſtinction thus; With us is Eliphaz, who is gray-headed, and Bildad who is decrepid, and Zophar who is older then thy Father. Hierome gives Eliphaz the precedency in age, affirming that he was the eldeſt Sonne of Eſau, and that at the time of this diſpute, he was no leſſe then a hundred and fifty yeares old, Jobs Father ninety, and Job himſelfe ſeventy. But I ſtay not upon theſe conjectures.
The ſcope of Elipqaz in theſe words may be reduced to this account: As if he had ſayd, We need not depend on thy Authority or antiquity; For with us, that is, on our ſide, or of our party and opinion, there are men gray-headed, yea, very aged, much elder, not onelyonly then thy ſelfe, but, then thy Father. Therefore doe not thou charge us with novelty, know, that we have received our Doctrine from venerable Anceſtors; if thou haſt learned theſe things of thy Father, and drunke in thy opinion from the Aged, ſo have we: Nor doe we eſteeme the Tenets of our fore-fathers meerely by the number of dayes which they lived, but by the wiſedome and piety with which they were enriched.
It is obſervable in Scripture, that Teman (from whence Eliphaz came) was a famous Schoole of Learning (Jer. 49.7.) Thus ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, is wiſedome no more in Teman? Hee ſpeakes of it, as of a knowne place for knowledge and wiſedome; What? Is wiſedome no more in Teman? As if we in England ſhould ſay, Is there no more learning at Oxford or Cambridge? are the lights extinguiſht, and the fountaines dry? Thus Eliphaz aſſerts that his ab…ttors and inſtructers in the opinion he maintained, were both old, and learned old men.
From this conteſt about Antiquity and ancient men ſo often renewed and ſo much urged betweene Job and his Friends. We may obſerve:
Firſt, That they who have moſt yeares upon their backs, are, or may be ſuppoſed to have moſt knowledge and wiſedome in their heads and hearts.
Secondly, They who have Antiquity on their ſide, are apt to conclude that they have Truth on their ſide. That which is indeed moſt ancient is moſt true; yet there are very many very ancient untruths: It is no new thing to ſee a gray-headed errour, and a falſe Doctrine much older then our Fathers.
But I ſhall not proſecute either of theſe points, having met with matter of this ſtraine before, Chap. 8. v. 8, 9, 10. Chap. 12. v. 12. to which places I refer the Reader.
Eliphaz having finiſhed his third reproofe of Job for his arrogancy, and the high conceit he had of himſelfe, proceeds to a fourth, and that is (as hath been ſayd) for the low conceit which he had of the comforts tendered him in the Name of God.Num parum a te conſolationes Dei. Heb. Supplendum eſt verbum reputantur. Numquid grande eſt ut conſoletur te Deus? Vulg. q. d. facile eſt Deo ut te ad ſtatum proſperitatis reducat. Aquin. Exiſtimaſnè tuis aerumnis non poſſe Deum parem conſolationem afferre.
Verſ. 11. Are the conſolations of God ſmall with thee, or is there any ſecret thing with thee?
Theſe words undergoe much variety of interpretation; the Vulgar Latine, neer which ſome others tranſlate, gives a faire ſenſe, but at too great a diſtance from the letter of the Originall; thus, Is it a great thing that God ſhould comfort thee? As if he had ſayd, Art thou ſo low that all the conſolations of God are not able to raiſe thee up? Is it a worke too big for God himſelfe to comfort thee? Cannot he change thy outward and inward ſorrowes into joyes? Will not the conſolations of one that is infinite ſerve thy turne? Hath not hee balme enough in ſtore to heale thy wounds, nor treaſure enough in ſtock to repaire thy loſſes? Tis no hard thing with God to comfort the moſt diſconſolate ſoule that ever was; he that made light to ſhine out of darkneſſe, can give us light in our thickeſt darkeneſſe:An minores ſunt conſolationes dei, quàm ut te conſolari poſſint? Vatab. This is a truth, but for the reaſon above, I ſtay not upon it.
The Septuagint tranſlation is farre wider then the former, Thou haſt received but few wounds, in compariſon of the ſinnes that thou haſt committed; which is a Paraphraſe, not a tranſlation, and ſuch a Paraphraſe as ſeemes to lye quite without the compaſſe of the text: The meaning and intendment of it may be given thus; as if he had ſayd, Thou complaineſt that thou art greatly afflicted, that thy ſorrowes are innumerable, Pauca prae iis quae peccaſti accepiſti vulnera. Sep.but if thou conſidereſt thy great and many ſinnes, thy ſufferings are few, yea, thy ſufferings may rather be called conſolations, and thy loſſes gaines: Are the conſolations of God ſmall to thee, ſeeing thou haſt ſinned ſo much? When God layes but a little affliction upon ſinfull man, he may be ſayd, to give a great deale of mercy.
A third gives this ſenſe,An conſolationes Dei tam contemptibiles judicas ut projiciat eas ante blaſphematores. Are the conſolations of God ſmall to thee? That is, Doeſt thou eſteeme the conſolations of God ſo cheape, that he will give them to ſuch a one as thou? or that hee will laviſh them out upon the wicked, and caſt theſe Pearles to Swine, to ſuch as are blaſphemers and contemners of God?
But why doth Eliphaz call theſe the conſolations of God? Did God adminiſter them to Job with his owne hand, or did he ſpeake to Job from Heaven? Some conceive that though he and his Freinds ſpake them, yet Eliphaz calls them the conſolations of God, by an Hebraiſme, becauſe he judged them great conſolations. Thus in Scripture, The Mountaine of God, Suas et ſociorum conſolationes, vocat Dei conſolationes non ſine arrogantia & faſtu. Druſ.and the River of God, are put for a great Mountaine, and a great River; ſo here. As if he had fayd, Thou haſt received many great conſolations from us thy Freinds, and doeſt thou account them ſmall? But I rather take the ſenſe plainely, that he calls them ſo, becauſe God is the author and giver, the fountaine and originall from whom all conſolations ſpring and flow.
The Conſolations of God are two-fold:
Firſt, Ariſing from good things already exhibited to us.
Secondly, From good things promiſed to us.
The Conſolations of God in this place, are good things promiſed, or offered: Promiſes are Divine conveyances of Conſolation. The Freinds of Job had made him many promiſes, that he repenting, God would make his latter end better then his beginning, &c. Hence Eliphaz tells him that he had ſlighted the conſolations of God. Any man who reads his ſtory may wonder why he ſhould: Surely Job was not in caſe to refuſe comfort, conſidering how he was ſtript of all comfort. The full ſoule indeed loatheth the honey Combe, but to the hungry ſoule, every bitter thing is ſweet; that is, thoſe things which dainty palates diſtaſt, he eates very ſavourly. Job was kept ſhort and low enough, he had nothing of conſolation left, either without or within; he was poore and ſore without, he was full of horrour, and terrour within: the arrowes of the Almighty had even drunk up his ſpirit, and layd all his comforts waſt, and doth he yet neglect or undervalue comforts? 'Tis true, he had reall conſolations, as appeares by that profeſſion of his aſſurance of Gods favour towards him, I know that I ſhall be juſtified; yet he had no ſenſible conſolations; his frequent complaints ſhew he had not. So then, the conſolations of God (for eſteeming which little he is reproved) were the promiſes of conſolation made to him in the name of God by the Miniſtry of his Friends. Are the conſolations of God ſmall unto thee?
Hence obſerve:
Firſt, That conſolation is the gift, and proper worke of God. Thou (ſaith David, Pſal. 71.21.) ſhalt encreaſe my greatneſſe and comfort me on every ſide: The Lord ſhall comfort Sion, he will comfort all he waſt places (Iſ. 51.3.) And againe, As one whom his Mother comforteth, ſo will I comfort you, and you ſhall be comforted in Jeruſalem. God comforts as a Mother, tenderly, and he comforts as a Father, yea as a Maſter, effectually, I will comfort you, and yee ſhall be comforted. As the corrections of God are effectuall, and proſper in the worke for which they are ſent, ſo alſo are his conſolations. Ephraim ſayd (Jer. 31.18.) Thou haſt chaſtiſed me, and I was chaſtiſed. So every ſoule, whom God comforts, ſhall ſay, Thou haſt comforted me, and I was comforted. This the Apoſtle ſpeaks out to the praiſe of God (2 Cor. 1.3, 4.) Bleſſed be God the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt the Father of mercies, and the God of all conſolations; all conſolation belongs to God; he hath all comfort in his owne power, and diſpoſe; there is not any creature in the World can give out the leaſt dram of comfort to us without the commiſſion or leave of God; it is poſſible for one man to give another man riches, but he cannot give him comfort; man may give honour to man, but he cannot give him comfort. A man may have a pleaſant dwelling, a loving Wife, ſweet Children, and yet none of theſe a comfort to him.
The conſolation of all our poſſeſſions and relations is from God: Whoſoever would have comfort, muſt trade to Heaven for it, thats a commodity can be found upon no earthly coaſt, you may fetch in wealth from many coaſts of the earth, but you cannot fetch in comfort, till you addreſſe your ſelves to the God of Heaven. We can procure our owne ſorrow quickly, but God onelyonly makes us to rejoyce; our releife from outward affliction or inward griefe is the gift of God. He onelyonly can comfort us in outward afflictions who can command the creature, and he onelyonly can comfort us againſt our inward griefes, who can convince the conſcience. None can doe either of theſe but God; therefore conſolations are from God. Luther ſpake true, It is eaſier to make a World then to comfort the conſcience; the Hebrew phraſe to comfort, uſed in diverſe places of the old Teſtament, is, To ſpeake to the heart: Now God onelyonly can ſpeake to the heart; man can ſpeake to the eare, he can ſpeake words, but he can goe no further. Therefore the act and art of comforting belongs properly to God; Chriſt is the true Noah: Lamech ſaith of Noah, Gen. 5.29. This man ſhall comfort us, concerning our worke and the toyle of our hands; it was not in Noah to comfort but as God made him a comfort, and he was ſaid to comfort as a type of Chriſt, Chriſt is true comfort, He is comfort cloathed in our fleſh, he is (as it were) comfort incarnate: Noah ſent a Dove out of his Arke, which returned with an Olive branch, Jeſus Chriſt ſends the holy Ghoſt who is called the Comforter with the Olive branch of true peace to our wearied ſouls; and to ſhew that it is now the higheſt act of Chriſts love & care as mediator, to give comfort, he promiſed to ſend the holy Ghoſt, when himſelfe was taking his leave of the Church, in regard of any viſible abode or bodily preſence: being ready to aſcend and ſtep into Heaven; he ſayd, I will ſend the comforter. When God rained fire and brimſtone from Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah, it is ſayd by ſome of the Ancients, that he ſent a Hell out of Heaven: But when he powres the holy Spirit from Heaven upon his Sion, we may ſay he ſends a heaven out of heaven. Heaven above is nothing elſe but holy comfort, and the comforts of the holy Spirit, are the onelyonly Heaven below.
How highly then ought we to eſteeme, how carefully to maintaine communion with God, who hath all comfort; ſeeing comfort is more to us then all we have. If wee have comfort, let our eſtate be what it will we are well enough; comfort is as the ſpring of our yeare, as the light of our day, as the Sun in our Firmament, as the life of our lives. Have we not reaſon then to draw, yea, to preſſe neerer unto God, who hath all comfort in his hand, and without whom the beſt things cannot comfort us? Not our riches, nor our relations, not Wife, nor Children, not health, nor beauty, not credit nor honour, none of theſe can comfort us without God, and if God pleaſe he can make any thing comfort us; he can make a cruſt of dry bread a feaſt of fat things, a cup of cold water, a banquet of Wine to us. And as he can make our comforts croſſes, ſo our croſſe a comfort, as David ſpeakes (Pſal. 23.4.) Thy rod and thy ſtaffe comfort me, not onelyonly the ſupporting ſtaffe, but the correcting rod ſhall comfort, if God command it to be a comforter: Who would not maintaine communion with this God who can make a comfort of any thing, who can anſwer every croſſe with a comfort; If we have a thouſand croſſes, God hath ten thouſand comforts; hee can multiply comforts faſter then the World can multiply croſſes.
Againe, if God be the God of all conſolation, then goe to God for conſolation; as the Angel ſaid to the women when they came to the Sepulcher enquiring for Chriſt, Why ſeek yee the living among the dead, he is riſen, he is not here: So I may ſay, Why ſeek yee living comforts among dead or dying creatures; Seeke them there no longer. Job complaines in this Booke, When I ſayd my bed ſhall comfort me, then thou ſcareſt me with dreames (Chap. 7.) Job went to a wrong place, when he went to his bed for comfort; moſt ſoules miſſe of comfort, becauſe they goe to a wrong place for it: one goes to his bed, another to his freind for comfort, a third to his wife and Children, theſe, ſaith he, ſhall comfort me; alas, why ſeeke yee the living among the dead, none of theſe can comfort, though theſe may be meanes of comfort. Who or whatſoever is the inſtrument, God is the author of all our comfort; whatſoever hand brings it, God ſends it; God (ſaith Paul) who comforteth thoſe who are caſt downe, comforted us by the comming of Titus (2 Cor. 7.6.) Titus was a good man and brought good tydings, yet Paul doth not ſay that the comming of Titus did not comfort them; but, ſaith Paul, God comforted us by the comming of Titus; Tis not your freind who comforts you, but God who comforts you by the comming of ſuch a freind, when you are in ſorrow; by ſending in ſuch reliefe, when you are poor; by ſending ſuch medicines, when you are ſick, ſuch ſalves when you are ſore, ſuch counſell when you are in doubt and know not what to doe.
Once more, It is happy for Saints that conſolation is in the hand of God; if it were in the hand of the creature, ſure they ſhould have but little of it, but it is in the hand of God. There are theſe foure conſiderations which may comfort Saints, that comfort is in the hand of God.
Firſt, Conſidering his nature, he is willing and ready to do good; he is full of compaſſion, and to ſhew mercy pleaſeth him more then it releeveth us.
Secondly, Conſidering his relation to his people: he is a Father. Will a Father let a Child lye comfortleſſe, when he can help him? he is our Husband, he is our Freind, all relations provoke God to give out comfort to the Saints.
Thirdly, Conſidering his Omniſcience and Omnipreſence; he knowes where the ſhooe wrings, he knowes what comfort we want; a freind (poſſibly) hath the comfort in his hand, which we need, and he may be willing to give it out unto us, but he knowes not wherein we are pinched; God tells Moſes, I have ſeen, I have ſeen the afflictions of my people in Aegypt. And as he knows how it is with us, ſo we are ever within his reach, he can lay his hand upon every joynt where wee are pained, and put a Plaſter upon every wound: here is our happineſſe. Chriſt would take off his people from extraordinary cares about the things of the World, by this argument, Your Father knowes that ye have need of theſe things, Matth. 6.32. your Father who carryes the purſe knowes your want.
Fourthly, Conſider his Omnipotence, he is able to comfort; he can command, yea create comforts, he can bring his comforts through an army of ſorrowes to a poore ſoule, yea he can leade comfort through an Army of Devils and temptatio…s, to a poore ſoule; he is Almighty, there is nothing too hard for him to doe, nor is he hard to be entreated to doe that which gives eaſe unto his people.
Secondly, Obſerve:
Conſolations rightly adminiſtred by men, are the conſolations of God: While man ſpeakes, God commands; Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, ſpeake comfortably to Jeruſalem, tell her that her warfare is accompliſhed, and her ſin pardoned (Iſa. 40.1.) As all the counſells, reproofes, and Doctrines which the Miniſters of Chriſt diſpenſe according to the forme of wholeſome words delivered either in the Law or Goſpel, are the counſels, inſtructions, reproofs and Doctrins of God; ſo alſo are their conſolations. And thats the reaſon why God takes it ſo ill at the hands of men, when his Meſſengers, who bring either inſtruction, or conſolation, are refuſed; becauſe himſelfe is refuſed when they are, and his conſolations are diſeſteemed when theirs are.
Thirdly, Obſerve:
To account the conſolations of God ſmall, is a very great ſinne: Moſes rebukes rebellious Korah and his confederates, for undervaluing the priviledge which they (as Levites) had to be neer God in holy Services (Numb. 16.9.) Seemeth it a ſmall thing unto you, that the God of Iſrael, hath ſeparated you from the Congregation of Iſrael, to bring you neere to himſelfe to doe the ſervice of the Tabernacle? &c. If it were their ſin to count it a ſmall thing to be called neer to God in holy adminiſtrations, how great a ſin is it in any man to count it a ſmall thing, that God draws neer to him with heavenly conſolations? Though the conſolations of God to us be ſmall comparatively to what ſome others have, yet we muſt not account any conſolation of God ſmall; and that upon two grounds:
Firſt, becauſe of our owne unworthineſſe; the leaſt conſolations are great, conſidering how little we are, as Jacob ſpeaks, (Gen. 32.10.) I am not worthy the leaſt of all thy mercies: Hee thought little mercies too big for him, becauſe he was little in his owne eyes, They who have great, yea any thoughts of their owne merits, leſſen the mercies of God; but hee who ſees he deſerves nothing but ill, ſees abundance of mercy in the ſmalleſt good.
Secondly, Smalleſt conſolations are very great, becauſe they proceed from a great God. As no ſin is ſmall, though comparatively to another ſin, it may be ſmall, becauſe it is committed againſt the great God; ſo no conſolation is ſmall becauſe it comes from the great God. God puts an impreſſe of his owne greatneſſe upon the leaſt things that are done or given by him; though he give but a peny, yet it hath the image and ſuperſcription of him, our infinite and eternall Caeſar: therefore ſee you ſlight it not. As a good heart is carefull to performe the leaſt duty, and to avoyd the leaſt ſin, or as a good heart calls no duty little, which God enjoynes nor ſin little which God forbids, ſo a good heart is thankfull for the leaſt mercy, and calls no conſolation ſmall, which God, the great God ſends.
Fourthly, Obſerve:
That great afflictions take away the ſenſe of tendered mercies; Conſolations for the matter were offered unto Job, but his palate was ſo diſtempered with the gall and wormewood of his afflictions, that he could not taſte them. Phineas his Wife regarded not the joyfull newes, that ſhee had brought forth a Man Child, while ſhe was overwhelmed with ſorrow, that the Arke of God was taken. While the Iſraelites were under hard Taske-Maſters in Aegypt, they could not attend to the voice of Moſes and Aaron, who told them of deliverance; their troubles and burdens wert ſo heavy, that they looked upon Moſes as a trouble, or as a burden, when hee came to mediate their releaſe. And as the Idolatrous Iſraelites who ſacrificed their Children to Moloch, beat up Drumms, and uſed loud-ſounding-Inſtruments, to drowne the cry of the poore Children, that they might not be heard; ſo ſome afflictions cry ſo loud, and many cry ſo loud in their afflictions, that they drowne the ſweet melody and muſick of thoſe conſolations that are ſounded in their eares. Great complaints render great conſolations ſmall; Job was not without ſome blame in this, for though his patience was great, yet had it beene greater, he might have miſſed this reproofe from his Friends, Are the conſolations of God ſmall to thee?
And is there any ſecret thing with thee?
The meaning appeares thus,Et verbum latens tecum. Heb. Are the conſolations of God which we have offered ſmall unto thee, becauſe thou haſt ſome ſecret hidden thing in thy breaſt: This ſecret thing is opened three wayes.
Firſt, in reference to comfort, as if he had ſaid, Haſt thou ſome ſecret comfort beſides what we have offered, haſt thou conſolations of thy owne, which cauſe thee to neglect the conſolations of God? As in the Goſpell, when the Diſciples prayed Chriſt to eate, he told them, I have meat to eate that ye know not of (John 4.31, 32.) Chriſt had ſecret bread,Eſt ne apud te divinum aliquid recenditum in mente tua, prae quo noſtras conſolationes Divinas contemnis? Merc. Iſtae quas ab ipſo Deo acceptas a ferrimus conſolationes leviores ſunt quam ut eas probare poſſes: nimirum quod apud te quidpiam magis reconditum deliteſcat. Bez. Aut aliquid abſcondit eas apud te. Jun. i. e. Ita perſtringit oculos animi tui, ut illas non percipias, quai res involucris tectas, Jun. Verba tua prava hoc prohibent Vulg. Apud te potius eſt incantatio & mendacium etſi prae te veritatem ſeras. Rab. Abr. foreign Occulium malum incantationem vel mendacium denotat. his work was his food, My meat is to doe the will of him that ſent me: So here, What? haſt thou meate which we know not of? Some hidden Manna beyond what wee have told thee of, that thou careſt not for our proviſions?
Secondly, others give the meaning thus, Haſt thou ſome ſecret conceit of thy owne wiſedome, above ours? Or is there ſome unknowne worth in thee, that exempts thee from this generall rule, or way of comfort; Doeſt thou ſo abound in thy owne ſenſe, that thou haſt no need of our Notions? Is all we ſpeake below thee?
Thirdly, they are ſuppoſed to aime at ſome ſecret ſinne or guilt, which hindered and unfitted Job to take in their Cordialls and conſolations, till it were purged out, or vomited up by ſound repentance.
So one renders the Text, Doth any thing hide them with thee? The word ſignifies to hide and cover (2 Sam. 19.4.) David covered his face: ſo here, doth ſomewhat hide, wrap up, and cover theſe conſolations that thou canſt not receive them? or what vayles the eye of thy minde, that thou canſt not behold what we hold out to thee, or not finde out the meaning of it? If our Goſpell be hid (ſaith the Apoſtle) it is hid to thoſe that are loſt, in whom the God of this World hath blinded the eyes of them, &c. (2 Cor. 4.3, 4.) Thus Eliphaz ſeemes to beſpeake Job. If the conſolations of God be ſmall to thee, doth not ſomewhat blinde thy eyes? Doth not ſome cloud hide them from thee? Doth not prejudice againſt us, or ſome cloſe ſin in thy ſelfe interrupt thy ſight?
This is hinted by the old Latine Tranſlator, who ſaith, Thy evill words (or the evill matter that is in thee) hinder this.
One of the Rabbins gloſſeth it thus, and the Originall reaches it, Some lye, ſome inchantment, or witchery hath ſeized upon thee, though thou pretendeſt truth. The Apoſtle ſpeakes to this ſenſe (Gal. 3.1.) O fooliſh Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that you ſhould not receive the truth: Witchery or Inchantment gives a ſecret wound. Is there any ſecret thing with thee? Haſt thou any ſecret comfort for thy ſelfe, any ſecret conceit of thy ſelfe, any ſecret ſinne in thy boſome hindering the effectuall working, or due prizing of thoſe cordialls which we have given thee?
The firſt of theſe ſecret things never ſtands in the way of receiving conſolation; he that hath hidden comfort in him, will not refuſe ſpoken comforts; nor doe I thinke that Eliphaz aymed at that, unleſſe in ſcorne, as ſome reſolve it:Malo in bonum ſumi, licet hoc in eum Eliphaz dicat, eum ridens. Merc. but rather at one of or both the latter, though miſtaken in both. Yet his ſuſpition gives us a ground for theſe two Obſervations.
Firſt, That a man who is full of his owne wiſedome, is not fit to receive inſtruction, counſell, or conſolation from others; Intus exiſtens prohibet alienum.that which is within hinders that which comes from without: When a man thinks himſelfe wiſer then his teachers, he will not be taught, nor learne wiſedome by them. Some might have knowne much, if they had not preſumed they knew enough. There is no greater impediment of knowledge, then an opinion of it.
Secondly, Obſerve, A ſinne kept cloſe, or ſecret within us, hinders the effect and working of the Word: Though comforts, and counſels are given, they will not operate, where ſecret corruption lyes at heart; the filthineſſe and corruption of the ſtomach, hinders digeſtion, till it be purged out: Phyſitians remove ill humours before they preſcribe Cordialls, elſe they doe but nouriſh the diſcaſe. 'Tis ſo in Spiritualls; the Apoſtle Peter gives the rule (1 Epiſt. 2.1.) Wherefore laying aſide all guile, hypocriſie, and envy, and evill ſpeaking, as new born Babes deſire the ſincere milke of the Word, that yee may grow thereby. As if he had ſaid, Till you caſt out theſe, you will never thrive under the Word; if a man be to ſow Seed in his Garden, he will pull up the Weeds, and throw away the Stones, elſe the Seed will not ſpring up to perfection. The Prophet tells the Jewes (Jer. 5, 25.) Your ſins hinder good things from you: as ſin hinders good from comming to us, ſo it hinders the Word from working good in us. Though the proper buſineſſe of the Word be to caſt out, or pull up this ſecret ſin, yet there is a great ſtop given it while any ſecret ſin is nouriſhed, or not caſt out. That's the reaſon why ſo many precious promiſes take not upon the heart, ſome ſin, ſome corruption obſtructs their operation; and (like the theefe in the Candle) waſteth away their ſtrength and light.
As the Lord ſayd to Joſhua when the people of Iſrael fled before the men of Ai, There is ſome accurſed thing among you, therefore they cannot ſtand before their Enemies. So I may ſay, when any ſtand up againſt the Word of God, or reſiſt the conſolations which are offered them; ſure there is ſome accurſed thing, ſome hidden Wedge of ſtolne Gold, or ſome Babyloniſh Garment treaſured in, or wrapt about your hearts, and therefore yee can neither ſee nor ſubmit to the counſells of God for your good.
This is a uſefull truth for us, though an undue charge on Job; and yet his Freind proceeds (if a higher charge can be) to charge him higher, as will appeare in the two Verſes following.