Exposition of Job 15-17, Commentary on Job · Chapter 16

Exposition of Job 15-17 · Commentary on Job · Chapter 16

p. 282JOB, Chap. 16. Verſ. 12, 13, 14.

I was at eaſe but he hath broken me aſunder: hee hath alſo taken me by my neck, and ſhaken me to peices, and ſet me up for his marke.

His Archers compaſſe me round about, he cleaveth my reines aſunder, and doth not ſpare; he powreth out my Gall upon the ground.

He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a Giant.

JOB ſtill proſecutes the ſame argument, ſetting out his afflictions in their darkeſt colours to the ſeventeenth Verſe of this Chapter, and then with higheſt confidence atteſting, yea calling Heaven and Earth to atteſt both the righteouſneſſe of his wayes towards men, and the rightneſſe of his worſhip tendered unto God.

Theſe three, with the two Verſes following, containe two generall points.

Firſt, He tels us how, and in what manner he was handled by God in thoſe dayes of his affliction, Verſ. 12, 13, 14.

Secondly, He tels us how he behaved himſelfe under the hand of God, or how he was affected with theſe afflictions, Verſ. 15, 16. I have ſowed ſackcloath upon my skin, and defiled my horne in the duſt, &c. As Gods hand was heavy upon him, ſo he held out all the demonſtrations and emblemes of a heavy heart: I ſowed ſackcloth upon my skin.

He begins with, or rather proſecutes the deſcription (for he had ſpoken much of it before) of his ſad afflictions. And becauſe contraries illuſtrate, and ſet forth one another, therefore, he firſt ſhewes what condition he had been in: ſecondly, what he then was in. Our preſent wants and evills are aggravated by our former comforts and enjoyments.

This courſe and method Job takes to aggravate his;

Firſt, Telling us that he was once whole and at eaſe.

Secondly, What hee at that time was, pained and broken to peices.

I was at eaſe.

But how doth this agree with what Job affirmed (Chap. 3. p. 28326.) I was not in ſafety, neither had I reſt, neither was I quiet, yet trouble came. It ſeemes Job was never at eaſe, and yet he ſaith here, I was at eaſe: He that is not in ſafety, and hath neither reſt nor quiet, ſurely, He is in little eaſe.

There is no contradiction between theſe two, we may eaſily reconcile them, and make up the ſeeming difference, thus. When Job ſaith (Chap. 3.) I was not in ſafety, neither had I reſt, neither was I quiet; his meaning is, that his ſpirit did not truſt upon his outward proſperity: He had abundance in the World, but he had no carnall confidence in worldly things. Job never ſayd to his ſoule (when his Barnes were full, and his ſubſtance multiplyed) Soule take thy eaſe, eate and be merry, thou haſt enough layd up for many years. Job had much of the creature in his hand, but he kept it all out of his heart, and when he was furtheſt from miſery, he was farr enough from ſecurity; he did not thinke his life ſafe, becauſe he had ſufficient to live upon, nor was he at reſt, becauſe he was rich. A Beleevers reſt is not in any outward comfort which he receives from God, but in God, from whom he receives all his comforts. So then, Job ſpeakes there of the ſpirituall frame of his heart, but here he ſpeakes of the temporall frame of his worldly eſtate, in which he had eaſe, and the affluence of all good things, no man moleſting him: As if he had ſayd, Time was when I was not at all pinched with poverty in my eſtate, nor blaſted with reproach in my credit, nor tortured with paines in my body; I can remember the time when I was at full eaſe in all theſe: That's his ſenſe in this Text, and between theſe two there is no oppoſition: A man may be at eaſe in the World, and yet not make the World his eaſe, nor reſt upon the World.

I was at eaſe.

Such was my former flouriſhing condition.foreign Pacificus, tranquillus, quietus eram. Fui opulentus. Vulg. The word ſignifies to be peaceable, quiet, or well ſetled, the Vulgar tranſlates, I was a rich man; the ſame word in the Hebrew ſignifies a rich man, and a man at eaſe, for two reaſons.

Firſt, Becauſe riches and eaſe uſually goe together; and unleſſe a man live at eaſe, that is, in outward peace, it is hard to gather riches. Times of Warre and trouble are ſcattering and impoveriſhing times: The rowling Stone gets no Moſſe. As men have the beſt opportunity, ſo they are moſt active to gather wealth p. 284when all is ſtill and quiet: There are but few who know how to fiſh in troubled waters, though ſome make their beſt trade there.

Secondly, The ſame word ſignifies, both to be rich, and to be at eaſe, from the effect; becauſe, men that are rich, uſually take their eaſe; as eaſe and peace give them opportunity to gather riches, ſo riches cauſe them to take their eaſe, both outward civill eaſe, and oft times inward ſinfull eaſe; that is, to ſit downe, and make their riches, and outward accommodations, the very baſis of their quiet and contentment. So the rich are expreſſed (Ezek. 23.42.) Thou ſateſt upon a ſtately Bed, and a Table prepared before it, &c. And a voyce of a multitude being at eaſe was with her, and with the men of the common ſort were brought, Sabeans from the Wilderneſſe, which put bracelets upon their hands, and beautifull Crownes upon their heads: Here's the deſcription of a rich people; and what were they? A multitude being at eaſe, having gotten goodly furniture for their houſes, full tables for their bellyes, pretious ornaments for their hands and heads; that is, having abundance of all things, they gave themſelves up to ſecurity, and tooke their fill in the creature: And by how much the greater a carnall mans worldly felicity is, by ſo much doth it the more tryumph over all jealouſies and ſuſpitious of evill (Revel. 18.7.) Babylon ſaith, I ſit a Queene and am no widdow, and ſhall ſee no ſorrow. Babylon is at eaſe, ſhee feeles no evill, and ſhee feares none. Jeruſalem was once in ſuch a condition through the favour of God, and ſo ſhee ſhall be in due time againe (Zech. 7.7.) Should yee not heare the words which the Lord hath cryed by the former Prophets, when Jeruſalem was inhabited, and in proſperity (or at eaſe) and the Cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the South of the plaine? The South of the plaine, was a Region or Countrey, extreamely infeſted with Enemies, where no man durſt dwell or make his habitation, for feare of hoſtile incurſions: yet Jeruſalem was in ſuch proſperity, or at ſuch eaſe, that the South of the plaine, the open Countreys and unwalled Villages were as ſafe to the Inhabitants as walled and fortified Cities: At ſuch eaſe, and in ſuch ſafety ſhall Jeruſalem be againe, when the Lord ſhall appoint ſalvation unto her, in ſtead of Walls and Bulwarkes.

p. 285I was at eaſe.

Job makes this report of his former proſperity,Miſerationem movet a priore ſtatu. Merc. Primus locus miſerecordiae eſt per quem quibus in bonis fuerit, & nunc quibus in malis ſit oſtenditur. Cic. de Invent. lib. 1. that hee might move his Freinds to pitty him in his preſent miſery. It is a rhetoricall argument: The Orator gives this rule, when we would ſtirr up compaſſion towards a man in miſery, wee muſt firſt deſcribe in what heights he hath ſtood, and then ſhew how low he is fallen; we are not ſo much affected with any mans being in a low eſtate, as with his falling from a low eſtate. When Lucifer the Son of the morning, fals from Heaven, and fals into Hell, to the ſides of the Pit; this ſets all men a wondering (Iſa. 14.11, 12, 15.)

Hence Obſerve.

To have been in proſperity, adds to the burden and bitterneſſe of preſent adverſity.

It is an affliction, never to have been in proſperity; but it is a greater affliction to be caſt downe from a ſtate of proſperity: for him that hath been great, and rich, and powerfull in the World, to become meane, and poore, and powerleſſe,Cor dolet, quam ſcio nunc, ut ſum atque ut fut. Plaut. in Moſtel. Cernite ſim qualis, qui modo talis eram. Ovid. Fuimus Troes et. this pinches ſoare, and goes to the quick. Job aggravates his ſorrows at large upon this account (Chap. 29. Chap. 30.) The Candle of God ſhined upon my head, I waſhed my ſteps in butter, my glory was freſh in me, &c. But now they that are younger then I have me in deriſion, &c. So (Lam. 4.2.) The precious Sons of Sion, comparable to fine Gold, how are they eſteemed as earthen Pitchers, And (Verſ. 5.) They that did feed delicately are deſolate in the ſtreets, they that were brought in up Scarlet embrace dunghils. From delicate feeding to deſolation, from Scarlet to a dunghill is a great change: the dunghill would not be ſo loathſome, were it not for the Scarlet, nor deſolation ſo greivous were it not for the remaining taſte of the late delicate feeding. Every remembrance of the Wormewood and the Gall of their preſent affliction in Babylon, was made more bitter by the remembrance of the Milke and Honney which flowed in the Land of Canaan. They who have alwayes been in a low condition ſcarſe feele or know the want of great things, becauſe they never knew the meaning of their enjoyment.

The Greek Poet tels us of Hecuba, not daring for ſhame,Euripides. ſo much as to lift up her eyes, or look Polymneſtor in the face, becauſe ſhee had been a Queene, but was then a poore Captive. p. 286Common Captives can eaſily lift up their eyes and cryes to thoſe that are in proſperity, for releife and help whereas others who have lived at eaſe, can with more eaſe ſtarve then begg.

As a downefall from a ſeeming height in ſpirituals into the mire of ſin, hath more wickedneſſe in it then a bare continuance in ſin; ſo a downefall from a reall hight in temporals into the mire of miſery, hath more trouble in it, then a bare continuance in miſery. They who have made a fayre ſhew, or an outward flouriſh in the Faith, and afterward fall back, are worſe then thoſe who never made any ſhew at all. It is ſad for any one to live openly in ſin; but for ſuch as have made an open profeſſion of godlineſſe, to apoſtatize, and fall back to ſin, this is matter of ſaddeſt lamentation: For as the Apoſtle Peter ſpeakes, It had been better for them that they had not knowne the way of God, then after they have knowne it to turne from the holy Commandement: It is better (in ſpirituall reſpects) never to have been a Profeſſor, then to be an Apoſtate. Thus alſo it is better (in civill reſpects) never to have been high, or great in the World, then after all this to ſuffer a miſerable downfall, and to be numbred among the loweſt of the People.

And in this we may ſee the wonderfull love of Jeſus Chriſt to poore ſinners, who ſuffered ſo great a change for our ſakes; he might well ſay, I was at eaſe, but hee hath broken me aſunder. Chriſt was broken all to peices for us, hee was broken and bruiſed for us, but he had been at eaſe: How great was his love vvho vvillingly ſuffered, not onelyonly for ſinners, but as a ſinner, having reigned in righteouſneſſe from all eternity? The Apoſtle uſeth this argument, more then once, to advance the kindneſſe of Chriſt to ſinfull man (2 Cor. 8 9.) Beloved, You know the grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who though he were rich, yet he became poore for our ſakes; that we through his poverty might be made rich: For Chriſt vvho vvas rich to become poore, argues the riches of his love; this ſhewes the great affection he bare to us, becauſe it ſhewes that he bare ſuch great affliction for us.

Againe (Phil. 2.6, 7.) Who being in the forme of God, thought it no robbery to be equall wioh God; but made himſelfe of no reputation. and tooke upon him the forme of a Servant: He emptyed himſelfe, p. 287to fill us, and to raiſe our reputation vvith his Father, layd downe his owne.

Now ſeeing Jeſus Chriſt ſuffered ſuch a vvondrous change, from the forme of God to the forme of a Servant, from the fulneſſe of God, to the emptineſſe of the meaneſt man; this is the higheſt teſtimony of his love. The courſe vvhichwhich Chriſt did run to ſave us, declares that there went as much of his love, as of his worthineſſe to ſave us: For as no creature had worth enough to ſave us any way, ſo no creature had love enough to ſave us in ſuch a vvay. If one had come out of poverty and miſery to dye for us, it had ſhewed vvonderfull love, but to leave riches and become poore, to leave glory and become baſe, to leave fulneſſe and become empty, to leave (in regard of viſible manifeſtations) his God-head, and become Man: How unchangeable was his heart to us, who yeelded himſelfe up to ſuch changes for us? He being at eaſe was broken aſunder that we might not be broken, or rath r that vve might be made vvhole for ever.

Secondly, I was at eaſe: What follows? He hath broken me aſunder.

Hence Obſerve.

All worldly proſperity may quickly be daſht and loſt.

Doe not think any new thing happens under the Sun, when you ſee men that were at eaſe, broken, men that were full, empty, men that were rich, impoveriſhed, men that vvere in health, ſick. The holy Apoſtle (1 Cor. 7.30.) at once counſels and commands us, Ʋſe the World, as not abuſing it, that is, uſe it vvell: There is much evill in the World, y…t we may, yea we muſt make a good uſe of the World: Why? Becauſe the faſhion of this World paſſeth away. As faſhions in the World alter and change every day, ſo doth the faſhion of this World; there is a World to come, the faſhion wherof ſhall never go or paſſe away; but the faſhion (or ſcheme) of this World paſſeth continually. The word which we tranſlate faſhion, ſignifi…s a Geometricall figure, or artificiall form, habit, veſture, as alſo any rhetoricall fineneſſe or bravery of words: Now all the beauty of this World is but like ſome of theſe ſchemes, which have more ſhew then ſubſtance in them; and the whole World below put together, is but like a Pageant, or Mask, on the ſcene p. 288whereof many perſons are repreſented to act their parts, but they ſoon diſappeare, and the ſtage or ſcene it ſelfe is pulled downe.

As thus the whole World paſſeth awy, ſo doth the ſtate of each man in the World. And as there is in the World an affected varying of faſhions, or a voluntary paſſing from one vaine faſhion to another, from one proud faſhion to another; ſo there is an inflicted variety of faſhion in the World; God makes man paſſe from one faſhion to another, whether he will or no, or much againſt his will; when his faſhion was fulneſſe, he makes it emptineſſe, when his faſhion was riches, he makes it poverty; when his faſhion was Peace and quietneſſe, hee makes it Warr and confuſion; theſe are the changes which God makes among the faſhions of the World. The pride of man changes from one vaine faſhion to another; the providence of God changes man from his moſt delightfull, to a mournfull faſhion: And when the Garments of outward proſperity ſeem to us ſo ſtrong, that they will never vveare out, how much or how long ſo ever we weare them, hee teares and breaks both them and us, as Job complaines with his next breath.

He hath broken me aſunder.

foreign A … foreign contrivit, irritum fecit. Verba grandia ſelegit ad … agg…randam mali ſui vim. Merc. In conjugatione quadrata auxeſin habet. Merc q. d. Frequentatis ictibus in minutiſſimas partes contri vit me. Bold.This ſentence is but one word in the Hebrew, yet more then a ſingle word; it is elegantly doubled in conſtruction to imply double affliction. Grammarians tell us, that two words put together, or the ſame word twice put encreaſe the ſenſe. Ordinary words will not ſerve to expreſſe an extraordinary condition; he ſpeakes great and compounded words, becauſe his ſorrows were great and compounded ſorrows. Jobs was not a ſingle, but a double breaking; yea, his vvas a manifold breaking: He vvas often broken, and utterly broken; the repeated ſtroaks which fell upon him (by divine diſpenſation) from all hands, had beaten him to duſt and atomes: He hath broken me in ſunder.

Further, The root of the vvord ſignifies, to make voyd, to diſſipate, to ſcatter, to bring to nought, or to make nothing of (Pſal. 33.10.) The Lord brings to nought the counſell of the heathen. So againe (Iſa. 8.10.) It is uſed often for breaking the Law, by frequent and vvilfull ſinning againſt it. Proud p. 289ſinners vvould break the Law in ſunder, or pull it all in peices: They have made voyd thy Law (Pſa. 119) As if they would not onelyonly ſin againſt the Law, but ſin away the Law, not onelyonly vvithdraw themſelves from the obedience of it, but drive it out of the World; they would make voyd and repeale the holy acts of God, that their owne wicked acts might not be queſtioned; and leſt the Law ſhould have a power to puniſh them, they vvill deny it a power to rule them; that's the force of the ſimple vvord here uſed, as applyed to higheſt tranſgreſſing againſt the Law of God.

Now as vvicked men by ſinning, vvould batter the Law to peices, ſo God by afflicting doth ſometimes break good men to peices. Conſider what courſe uſage the holy Law of God hath in the hearts and lives of vvicked men; O how they tear it and vex it, and batter it every day: Thus doth the Lord deal vvith many of his holy ſervants vvho (had they their vviſh) would not make the leaſt breach in the Law, and vvhoſe hearts are often broken vvith godly ſorrow, becauſe they cannot but break it, yet to theſe he doth not onelyonly give a bruiſe or a blow but breaks them aſunder.

There is yet another elegancy in the ſignification of the vvord: For as Hebreicians obſerve, it notes a bruiſing, like that of Grapes, or Olives, vvhichwhich are trodden in a preſſe, to make Wine or Oyle;Confractus ſum velut uvae aut olivae in torculari. hence alſo a Noune from this Verbe ſignifies the Wine-preſſe (Iſa. 63.3.) Now Grapes and Olives being trodden, are broken and bruiſed in peices; not onelyonly is their forme and beauty totally ſpoyled, but all their ſweetneſſe, juyce, and liquor, is vvrought out of them, and they are left as a dry lumpe.

Now look vvhat Grapes and Olives are, vvhen taken out of the Preſſe; even ſuch a lumpe vvas Job; he vvas broken aſunder in the Wine-preſſe, though not of Gods vvrath, as his Freinds mis-judged, yet in the Wine-preſſe of his chaſtiſements and ſevereſt tryalls; all his vvorldly moyſture vvas ſqueezed out, and his earthly glory vvas quite defaced, he had nothing left of that, but (as it were) a dry huske; yet his ſpirituall eſtate was ſtill juicy, and his ſoule by theſe preſſings, treadings, and breakings, had diſtilled much ſweet Oyle and Wine, and much more was ſtill remaining in him. From theſe heightned ſignifications of the word layd together;

p. 290Obſerve in generall.

God doth not onelyonly afflict thoſe whom he loves, but afflict them ſoarely and ſeverely.

He afflicts ſome, not onelyonly to the empayring and abating, but to the undoing and ruining of their outward comforts, and worldly enjoyments: Nothing can be ſayd to deſcipher an afflicted ſtate beyond what this word will beare. And that God doth afflict his choſen ones to the utmoſt rack of this phraſe, will appeare alſo from all that follows to the end of the fourteenth Verſe; the opening of which will be a continuall proofe and illuſtration of this great and often experimented truth, upon, and among the precious Sons of Sion: This I ſhall hint all along, beſides thoſe obſervations which ariſe out of them: He hath broken me aſunder, and what follows, in the ſame Verſe; He hath alſo taken me by my neck, and ſhaken me to peices.

Is not this to deale ſeverely? A loving Father takes his Son about the neck and kiſſes him; what a rough ſalute did the Lord give this Son of his, when he tooke him by the neck, and ſhook him to peices? Such a carriage ſeemes not to be after the manner of men, much leſſe after the manner of Fathers; yet this was the manner of God to Job, who was alſo his Freind and Father.

He hath taken me by my neck.

The neck is as the tower and ſtrength of the body, and when a man is taken by the neck, he is aſſaulted in his chiefeſt ſtrength, and taken at the greateſt advantage.

There is a threefold metaphor, or alluſion in theſe words, which being conſidered diſtinctly, will let out their meaning yet more fully.

Firſt, They beare an alluſion to Wreſtlers, who take one another by the neck, or collar; he that is the ſtrongeſt, not onelyonly takes his Antagoniſt by the neck, but ſhakes him, as if he would ſhake him to pieces. God wreſtled with the Patriarch Jacob literally and corporally (though the greateſt labour and ſtreſſe of Jacobs wreſtling was ſpirituall and internall) And when he ſaw that he prevailed not (Jacob prevailed with God for ſo much ſtrength, that now God could not (according p. 291to that diſpenſation) prevaile againſt Jacob, yet) he touched the hollow of Jacobs thigh, and made him halt. God wreſtled with Job, not corporally, yet in corporall things, the ſtreſſe alſo of his wreſtling was ſpirituall, and he prevailed with God, and over Satan; yet God was pleaſed not only, for the preſent, to touch a joynt, and make him halt, but even to ſhake every joynt and limbe to peices.

Secondly, It is an alluſion to Sergeants or Bailiffs, that are ſent to areſt men for debt, or for their evill deeds: This ſort of men are boyſterous enough, they having power will not forbeare to lay hold on Perſons obnoxious, and take them by the neck, when they attach them. We have that uſage expreſſed (Matth. 18.28.) The evill Servant, to whom the Lord had forgiven ten thouſand Talents (a vaſt debt) found one of his fellow Servants, who owed him an hundred pence (an inconſiderable ſumm) and would needs exact the utmoſt from him: the Text ſaith, The ſame Servant went out, and found one of his fellow-ſervants, which ought him an hundred pence, and he layd hands upon him, and took him by the throat, ſaying, Pay me that thou oweſt: He took him by the throat, the word ſignifies properly to choake,foreign Premebat ſauces illius debitoris tanquam ſuffocaturus: obtorto collo premebat. Eraſ. or to take another ſo rudely by the throat, as to choake, or (as wee ſay) throttle him. It is tranſlated to choake with water (Mark 5.13.) and is applyable to any violent act by which the breath is ſtopt, eſpecially to taking by the neck, or throat.

Thirdly, It is an alluſion, as ſome conceive, to Conquerers in Warr, who when they have worſted an Adverſary, take him by the neck, and make him their priſoner: As it is the laſt act of tryumph and inſultation over an Enemy, to tread upon his neck (Joſh. 10.24.) Joſhua called all the men of Iſrael, and ſayd unto the Captaines of the men of Warr, which went with them, Come neere and put your feet upon the necks of theſe Kings: and they came neer and put their feet upon the necks of them; Now as it is (I ſay) the laſt act of tryumph to tread upon the necke: ſo it is the firſt act of tryumph to take by the neck. Job thought himſelfe uſed thus, Hee hath taken me by the necke, as a Wraſtler, as a Sergeant, or as a Victor in Warr.

p. 292And hath ſhaken me to peices.

I will not let it paſſe unobſerved, that the word which we tranſlate to ſhake to peices, is but one in the Hebrew, but as that which we render to break aſunder, ſo this is doubled to highten the ſenſe, and intimate no ordinary, but a terrible ſhaking; ſuch a ſhaking as is followed with ſcattering, or a ſhaking,foreign A radice foreign contrivit cum diſperſione, ſicut teſta: vel in minutiſſima fragmenta comminuit. Druſ. like the breaking of a potters Veſſell with an Iron Rod. The word is uſed to ſignifie the irreſiſtable efficacy of the Word of God, whether to convert, or to confound, to break the ſtony heart into contrition for ſin, or to batter the obſtinate heart, which continueth in ſin. Is not my word a fire? (ſaith God) The word of God is a fire, to conſume the droſſe and corruption that is in the hearts and lives of men. And is not my word a Hammer? What kinde of Hammer? A Hammer that breaketh the rock in peices? Yes, the word of God is all this, 'tis a fire, and 'tis a Hammer, it burnes, it batters all that ſtands before it. Now as the Word of God is to the hearts of men, ſo the Rod of God is to the eſtates of men; it ſhakes, ſhatters, and breakes them to peices: To ſhake, or break a man to peices, is in common ſpeech applyable to the eſtates of men, as well as to their perſons, for of ſuch a man we ſay, He is broken.

The Septuagint reads this clauſe with an expoſitory addition,foreign. Sept. He hath taken me by the hayre of the head, and ſhaken me. They who follow that reading, interpret it, by a metaphor, He hath taken me by the hayre; that is, by my outward eſtate, by my riches, honour, and greatneſſe (theſe are to men, as the hayre is to the head, ornaments, yet excrements) he hath taken me by theſe haires, even all my outward ſplendor, and glory, and ſhaken them in peices.

All this diverſity, whether of reading, or expounding the Text meets in the maine point, That God deales ſeverely with many whom he loves dearely.

He hath ſhaken me in peices, and yet he hath not done with me; as the Lord broke and ſhooke me aſunder when I was whole, ſo he wounds me, now I am broken: If he can but finde enough of me left together to make a mark of, I ſhall be ſure to feele his Arrows.

p. 293And ſet me up for his mark.

Job was caſt downe by affliction, and yet he was ſet up to receive more affliction: 'Tis a Proverbiall ſpeech,Proverbialis locutio quo ſignificamus aliquem eſſe omnibus telis & injuriis propoſitum. ſignifying that a man is made the common receit, or ſubject of miſery. A Mark is purpoſely ſet up to receive Arrows, Darts, or Bullets ſhot at it; ſo that for a man to be ſet up as a mark, is to ſtand as a common object, upon which all calamities center themſelves; what Job here complaines of, he had expoſtulated with God about (Chap. 7.20.) Wherefore haſt thou ſet me up as a marke, ſo that I am a burden to my ſelfe? I ſhall ſpeake the leſſe to it here, having ſpoken to it there already.

The ſame Originall word is not uſed in both places, though the ſenſe be the ſame: There Job ſpeakes in a Paraphraſe, Thou haſt ſet me oppoſite, or over againſt thee: A foreign ſervo, quod eum diligenter obſervent jaculatores ne oberrent. foreign, propriè ſig. ſignum praefixum ſagittantibus, unde quod animo deſtinamus aut praeſigimus ſcopus eſt. Eraſ.Here he uſes a ſingle terme, which notes a mark, ſtrictly taken; for it comes from a root which ſignifies to obſerve; becauſe the mark, or white, is diligently obſerved by him that ſhoots; the Archer keeps his eye upon the mark, that he may ſend his Arrow to the mark. A mark is that to the eye in ſhooting, which the end is to the minde of man in all his wayes of acting; and therefore our Engliſh word Scope from the Greek (foreign) which properly ſignifies an Archers marke, is uſed figuratively to ſignifie the end which we deſign to our ſelves in every undertaking. And hence the eye with which we take ayme, is put for the end (Matth. 6.22.) If thine eye be ſingle, the whole body is light; that is, if the end, or the thing that thou aymeſt at be juſt and right, all thy actions will be right too: Every man is regulated by his end, all hee doth, lookes that way; therefore if thy end and ayme be honeſt and ſincere, all thy wayes and workes will be ſuch. So then, as the end is the mark of the minde, ſo a mark is the end of the eye; it directs all unto it. And while Job ſaith, He hath ſet me up as a mark, his meaning is, I am the Butt or White, at which the Lord aymes all his Arrowes, hee empties his Quiver at my breaſt. Ego ipſe poſitus fui in ſcopum ut mille jacula, mille ſagittas exciperem.So the Church cryes out (Lam. 3.12, 13.) He hath bent his bow, he hath ſet me as a mark for the Arrow; he hath cauſed the Arrowes of his Quiver to enter into my reynes: The Hebrew is, He hath cauſed the Sons of his Quiver to enter into my reynes. Arrows are the Sons of the Quiver: Sons are called Arrows (Pſal. 127.4, 5.) p. 294As Arrowes in the hand of the mighty, ſo are the Children of the youth, bleſſed is the man that hath his Quiver full of them. Now as Sonnes are compared to Arrowes in a Quiver, ſo Arrows are compared to Sons, becauſe as Sons are together in their Fathers houſe, ſo are Arrows in the Quiver. Chriſt is deſcribed by old Simeon, as a mark ſet up to ſhoot at (Luke 2.34, 35.) This Childe is ſet for the falling and riſing of many in Iſrael; Significat Chriſtum veluti ſcopum fore, quem omnes certatim figere contendant. Bez.and for a ſigne to be ſpoken againſt: What ſigne? A Butt ſigne, or a Butt mark. A ſigne to be ſpoken againſt; that is, All ſhall direct the Arrowes of their words againſt him. Bitter vvords are compared to Arrows; many ſhowres of theſe were ſhot againſt Jeſus Chriſt: He vvas aymed at on every ſide, by envious ſpirits and malevolent tongues: He might ſay as Job, Thou haſt ſet me up as a mark.

Obſerve from this Alluſion.

Firſt, The Servants of God muſt expect many afflictions from the hand of God.

A mark is not ſet up (or it is very rarely ſet up) for one ſhot: As God hath more mercies then one in ſtore for his people, ſo he hath more Arrows then one for them in his Quiver. When thou haſt received one ſhot, prepare for a ſecond, and a third.

Obſerve.

Secondly, God ſeemes to take pleaſure in afflicting his people.

This alſo contributes to the proofe of the generall Obſervation before given: For the more pleaſure any one takes in afflicting, the more ſeverity he ſhewes in afflicting. A Father chaſtiſeth his Childe with teares in his eyes; every ſtroake vvhichwhich a vviſe Father gives his Childe, is as a wound to himſelfe, and this abates the ſmart of the blow; but for Fathers to doe it as the Apoſtle ſpeakes (Heb. 12.) For their pleaſure, or vvhen it pleaſeth a Father (in that ſenſe) to doe it, this encreaſeth the ſmart. The ſufferer feeles moſt paine vvhen it is a pleaſure to another to make him ſuffer. Now, vvhat is ſhooting at a mark? No man ſhoots at a marke for toyle, to make a labour, and a buſineſſe of it, but men ſhoot at a mark for their recreation, and pleaſure.

God delights not properly in the ſorrows and ſufferings of his people; he is not like thoſe cruell Tyrants, vvho faſten their Captives to a Poſt, and then ſhoot them dead for ſport: p. 295God doth not willingly, much leſſe ſportingly, afflict the Children of Men (Lam. 3.33.) yet it pleaſeth him to afflict them; yea, as Job ſpeakes (Chap. 9.) He laughs at the tryall of the innocent; that is, He carryes himſelfe (as to their ſenſe) as if he did not regard vvhat they ſuffered, though indeed he be infinitely tender of them in all their ſufferings; yet becauſe they doe not alwayes underſtand the language of this laughter, it makes them cry out as if God had forſaken them, and were either really turned an Enemy againſt them, or at leaſt, did not uſe them as his Freinds; from which neer relation, nothing appeares more remote, then to be ſet up and ſhot at as a mark.

Obſerve.

Thirdly, Affliction doth not hit the Saints by chance, but by direction.

There is a great difference betweene ſhooting at randome, and ſhooting at a mark. God doth now draw his Bow at a venture (as he who ſlew Ahab did, 1 Kings 22.34.) or ſhoot at the vvhole hoſt of mankinde, let the Arrow light where and on vvhom it vvill, but he ſingles out the particular perſon, whom he intends to hit. Every one of his Arrows goes upon a ſpeciall errand, and touches no breaſt but that againſt whom it vvas ſent: And as this ſpeakes the honour of God, who determines as much, upon whom, as vvhat to doe, and chuſeth out thoſe at vvhom he meanes to ſhoot, as vvell as the meanes by vvhichwhich he ſhoots at them; ſo it ſhould eſtabliſh our hearts to receive his ſhot, and in this ſenſe to be like a ſenſeleſſe mark which ſtirrs not from the Arrow, nor vvithdrawes from the deadly Bullet. It is not onelyonly the grace, but the glory of a Beleever, when he can ſtand as a But-mark, and take affliction quietly. The Apoſtle ſpeakes neer this language, and fully this truth (1 Theſ. 1.3.) I would that no man ſhould be moved for theſe afflictions; for you your ſelves know that we are appointed thereunto; As if he had ſayd, I would have you ſtand as Poſts, notwithſtanding all theſe afflictions: Not that he would have them careleſſe, or ſecure; but couragious, and full of holy undauntedneſſe: I would have no man flinch, or ſtirr a foot, no more then a mark that is ſhot at, Why? Knowing that wee are appointed thereto: As a mark is appointed to be ſhot at, and ſet up on purpoſe that the Arrow may be directed againſt it; p. 296ſo the Lord ſets up his Saints and Servants on purpoſe, that he may ſhoot the Arrows of affliction at them; therefore let us keep our ground and not be moved. We honour God, yea it is our honour alſo, when we are unmoveable in active obedience as the Apoſtle exhorts (2 Cor. 15.58.) Wherefore my Brethren be ſtedfaſt and unmoveable, alway abounding in the worke of the Lord, for as much as yee know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. But as it is our honour, and Gods honour too, when we are unmoveable in doing the will of God; ſo it is a greater honour, both to him and us, when we are ſo in ſuffering his will, or in paſſive obedience; when wee ſtand to it, and move no more in way of cowardiſe and impatience then a Poſt when it is ſhot at. This is the glory of a Chriſtian, and it is his duty; this is the glory of God, and it is his due; though it be put here as an aggravation of the greatneſſe of Jobs affliction, that he was ſet as a ſtanding mark, yet it is a hightning of our praiſe, contentedly to be ſo.

God will make wicked men his ſtanding mark to all eternity, againſt whom he will ſhoot the Arrowes, the poyſoned Arrows of his indignation, which ſhall drinke up their ſpirits, and yet their ſpirits ſhall not be conſumed. God makes his precious Servants and faithfull people, his ſtanding mark for a time, they feele the Arrowes of affliction, and are deeply wounded; as Job further proſecutes his ſad condition, continuing the Allegory in the next Verſe.

Verſ. 13. His Archers compaſſe me round about, he cleaveth my reynes in ſunder.

foreign Magni ejus. ſed hic quadrare non poteſt. Licet enim foreign Sig. magnitudinem ſive in quantitate continua ſive in diſcreta, hic tamen in diſcreta eſt accipienda, a multitudine enim ſagittarii dicuntur Rabim.God hath a Bow, he hath his Arrowes, and his Archers, all ready at a call. The decree of God is his Quiver, his Arrows are his purpoſes, and the Inſtruments which execute them are his Archers; whether rationall or irrationall, whether men, or things, any thing which God uſeth to afflict man by, is his Archer: His Archers have compaſſed mee about: The word is (Rabbi) His Archers, from Rab, great; ſo ſome read it, His great Ones have compaſſed me about. The word Rab, doth not onelyonly ſignifie greatneſſe in bulke, or continued quantity, but in number or diſcreet quantity. Hence Archers are called, Rabbi, great ones, not from their magnitude, but from their multitude, becauſe Archers goe in company; p. 297two at the leaſt, and uſually many are a ſet; or they are called many, becauſe every one hath many Arrows, Men carry but one Sword, and one Speare, but they carry many Arrows, therefore the word ſignifies many. His Archers, or many, compaſſe me round about. Hence note in proſecution of the ſame point,

That, God hath variety of meanes to afflict.

He can make any creature his Archer; and he hath many Quivers full of Arrows. Old Jacob ſayd of Joſeph (Gen. 49.23.) The Archers ſhot ſore at him, and grieved him. Joſeph was a mark of envy, becauſe God had put ſo many markes of honour upon him: His owne Brethren were the Archers. Job had many Archers ſhooting at him: I can name you ſeven eminent Archers that ſhot at Job.

Firſt, Heaven was an Archer, the heavens ſhot fire, which burnt up his flocks of ſheep.

Secondly, The Ayre was an Archer, that ſhot winde, and downe fell the Houſe upon his Children.

Thirdly, The Chaldeans and Sabeans were Archers, and they ſhot ſpoyling and plundering, they tooke away all his Cattell, and ſlew his Servants with the edge of the Sword.

Fourthly, The Devill was an Archer, he ſhot diſeaſes, and wounded his body all over with ſoares.

Fifthly, The earth was an Archer, and that ſhot Wormes, he was cloathed with Worms, and clods of Earth.

Sixthly, His Wife was an Archer, or an Archereſſe, ſhe ſhot terrible Arrows, evill and bitter words.

Seventhly, His Freinds were Archers, they ſhot reproofes, and uncomfortable comforts; they peirced him with their ſalyes, and the very meanes that they uſed to heal him, grieved him more.

All theſe ſhot at him, hee muſt needs have many hurts, who was compaſſed about with ſo many Archers; David felt the anguiſh of theſe Arrows (Pſal. 38, 1.) O Lord rebuke me not in thy wrath, neither chaſten mee in thy hot diſpleaſure: For thine arrows ſtick faſt in me, and thy hand preſſeth me ſore: David was full of Arrows, what thoſe Arrows were, is not determined in the Text. One of the Ancients ſaith, They were the threatnings of God, with which his conſcience was wounded for ſin, as for his body and outward eſtate, they were in a whole skin; 'tis true, judgements or wrath threatned, p. 298wound the ſpirit deeper then judgements or wrath executed wound the outward man; and as the whole word of God, ſo that part of it eſpecially which conſiſts of threatnings, is as the Apoſtle ſpeakes (Heb. 4.12.) Quick and powerfull, and ſharper then any two-edged Sword, peircing, even to the dividing aſunder of the ſoule and ſpirit, &c. Yet I rather conceive, that Davids Arrows were bodily troubles or diſeaſes, already inflicted, the immediate cauſe of which was the anger of God, and the cauſe of that vvas his owne ſinne, both vvhichwhich are expreſſed at the third Verſe, There is no ſoundneſſe in my fleſh, becauſe of thine anger, neither is there any reſt in my bones, becauſe of my ſin: When ſin ſtirrs up the anger of God, the anger of God can quickly ſend his Arrowes abroad; nor is there any thing in this World ſo neere unto us, but hee can make an Arrow, or an Archer of it; His Archers compaſſe me round.

And ſee what kind of Archers his were, they were no bunglers, they were good marks men; like the left handed Benjamites (Judg. 20.16.) They could ſhoot at a haires breadth and not miſſe: For it follows: He cleaveth my reines aſunder.

They are expert Archers who can cleave the reines: The reines are in the middle of the back, he that ſhoots at a Butt, and hits the middle of it ſhoots exactly; the whole Butt is not the mark, but the White vvhichwhich is ſet (according to a Geometricall proportion) in the middle of it. He that hits the mark, hits the middle of the Butt; but he that cleaves the Pin (that's the Archers Dialect) which faſtens the mark to the Butt, That's the Archer, or That's He (as they alſo uſe to ſpeake at their ſport) he wins the prize:Renes ſedes ſunt affectus & libidinis vehementiſſimi. Renum nomen in Hebraeo a deſiderando dicitur. foreign Vulnerare renes eſt tenuiores affectus configere. An Archer may hit the man, and not his reynes, but to hit his reynes is skilfull archery: Jobs Archers were thus cunning in their art, They compaſſe mee about, and cleave my reynes aſunder: That's the firſt.

Further, We may underſtand it by a metaphor, and ſo two wayes.

Firſt, The reynes being the ſeat of deſire, as Naturaliſts ſpeake; ſome interpret he cleaveth my reines aſunder, thus, He ſmites me in that which is to me moſt pleaſant and deſireable: and p. 299then, the ſeat of affection is put for the thing which we affect. This holds out a profitable truth.

God can wound us in that upon which wee moſt entirely ſet our affections.

He knowes how to cleave our very reines aſunder, and he often doth it; that which vve inordinately love, is uſually the mark at vvhichwhich he aymes his Arrow: The readyeſt vvay to loſe any comfort, is to over-love it (I add that by vvay of caution, not of direction.) And indeed, though it be a great deal of ſmart to us, yet it may prove a great deal of eaſe to us, to be vvounded in that which vve over-love. God in much mercy to thoſe he loves, takes that from them vvhichwhich they love too much, that ſo they may love him the more, to whom all their love, and more if they had it, is but due: He cleaves their reines, that their reines may cleave to him.

Secondly, The reines in a metaphor,Renes occultiſſima denotant cor intelligit renes conſulunt. ſignifie that which is moſt ſecret, and hidden (Pſal. 16.7.) My reines alſo inſtruct me in the night ſeaſon; that is, my moſt inward thoughts inſtruct me, I have ſecret communion with my ſelfe, and my heart reads me a curtaine Lecture every night; My reines inſtruct mee in the night ſeaſon. This metaphoricall interpretation, gives us this plaine Note.

God peirceth into our moſt retired thoughts, and can puniſh our moſt ſecret ſins.

Thoſe ſins which lye as much out of ſight, as the reines doe, he ſeeth, and he ſeeth them as plainely as an Archer doth the White, or marke, which ſtands open to the eye; for all things are naked and manifeſt (anatomiz'd, or cut open to the reines of the back, ſo much the word beares, and ſo manifeſt are we) before his eyes with whom we have to doe.

Take it literally, and then to cleave the reines is an expreſſion of putting a man to the greateſt ſorrow, or paine, imaginable; if the back vvere chyned (as we ſpeake) and cut quite downe, through the reynes, this would be an exquiſite torment; the reynes are a very tender part: A deep vvound in ſome other parts of the body, is but a ſcratch, and ſuch vvounding were a kinde of embracing, in compariſon of that.

Secondly, To cleave the reynes, is to weaken, becauſe the reynes, or the loynes, are the ſtrength of a man, or of any p. 300creature; Loe his ſtrength is in his loynes, ſaith God of Behemoth, Elumbem reddere.which is as ſome thinke the Elephant (Job. 40.16.) And a man of no loynes, is a man of no ſtrength, in common language.

Thirdly, To cleave the reynes, is to give a mortall wound. Chyrurgions and Phyſitians obſerve, That if the reynes be ſtruck through,Mala immedicabilia indicat. there is no helpe for it; cleaving the reynes is much like peircing the heart; this is preſent death, and that leaves no hope of life, the wound of it is incurable.

There is a fourth interpretation, He cleaveth my reynes, may note the torture of any acute diſeaſe, eſpecially that of the Stone in the reynes, or kidneys; which is as it were the cutting of the back aſunder; poore Patients under it are often heard ſo complaining: O 'tis like a ſharpe Knife; the Stone is not onelyonly a grinding, but a cutting paine.

I ſhall onelyonly lay in the conſideration of theſe foure gloſſes from the literall ſenſe of the word, to a further making out of the firſt generall Obſervation, That God often deales very ſeverely in outward, or preſent diſpenſations, with many of his deareſt Servants: He doth that which they may call cleaving of the reines, and that, in the eaſieſt of the foure ſenſes, is a very ſevere diſpenſation; much more (which wee may ſuppoſe) when the paine of all foure meets in one man; as doubtleſſe they did in Job; He cleaveth my reines aſunder.

And doth not ſpare.

foreign Pepercit, ignonovit, propitius fuit. Nullam Domini in me miſerecordiam, ſed omnigenam ſaevitiam experi…r. Merc.He that doth not ſpare, uſeth the utmoſt extreamity, and ſhewes no pitty or Indulgence: to ſpare, is both an act, and one of the kinds of mercy: Sparing is oppoſed to ſeverity, it is a doing leſſe againſt another then we may, and that two wayes.

Firſt, When wee doe leſſe then wee can. Wee having power, though no right to doe more then we doe, no nor to doe ſo much as we doe: Thus a Theefe may be ſayd to ſpare a man, when he doth not take all from him, life and all.

Secondly, When vve doe leſſe againſt another then we may, both according to the right of our cauſe, and the power in our hands: Thus a Magiſtrate ſpares a Theefe; or a Creditor his Debtor; when the one exacts not the vvhole puniſhment, nor the other the whole Summ due. And in this ſenſe God p. 301ſpareth the Sons of men; he hath both power and right to puniſh ſinfull man to the utmoſt, but he ſpares him: To hold the hand, though but a little, is ſparing merccy; but Job found not this mercy, He doth not ſpare; as if he had ſayd, The Lord layes on, layes on, and doth not forbeare.

Hence Obſerve.

There is mercy in ſparing.

There is a fivefold mercy of God:

Firſt, Rewarding mercy, towards thoſe who have done well.

Secondly, Pardoning mercy, which is exerciſed towards thoſe who have done ill, or towards paſt ſin.

Thirdly, Preventing mercy, when hee keeps us from evill, whether it be the evill of ſin, or of puniſhment.

Fourthly, Delivering mercy, when though he let us fall into the evill of ſin or puniſhment, yet he is pleaſed to help us up, and takes us out againe.

Fifthly, There is Sparing mercy; if while we are in affliction God deales gently with us, this is ſparing mercy: As God was not pleaſed to prevent Jobs ſorrows, nor to deliver him from them, ſo he did not ſpare him in them, his hand continued heavy upon him, he had no eaſe.

There is a fourefould degree of this ſparing mercy of God.

Firſt, Not to puniſh at all: thus God ſometimes ſpares his owne people, as a Father ſpares his Son that ſerveth him (Mal. 3.17.) Though they faile, yet he paſſeth it by, and doth not reckon with them for it. The Lord repreſented himſelfe to Amos, forming Graſſe-hoppers, which eyther in kinde, or in a figure (ſhaddowing the Aſſyrians) threatned to devoure the Land; this Viſion put the Prophet upon that earneſt prayer, O Lord God forgive, by whom ſhall Jacob ariſe for he is ſmall? The Lord repented for this, it ſhall not be ſaith the Lord (Amos 7.1, 2, 3.) Here was ſparing mercy, and this is repeated a ſecond time (Verſ. 6.) yet in the third Viſion of a Plumbe line (by which God was noted, taking exact notice of all the unevenneſſe and crookedneſſe of that people in that Viſion, I ſay) as the Prophet ſuſpended prayer, ſo the Lord being reſolved, no longer to ſuſpend their puniſhment, ſaith, I will not paſſe by them againe any more: that is, I will ſpare them no more which is againe repeated (Chap. 8.2.) where by a Basket of Summer p. 302fruit, the Lord ſhewed their ripeneſſe in ſin, and his readineſſe to puniſh, and not to ſpare.

Secondly, It is ſparing mercy, when puniſhment is deferred, or adjourned to a further day; thus the Lord ſpared the old World, a hundred and twenty yeares, My ſpirit ſhall not alway ſtrive: It did a long time, he ſpared them many yeares to draw them to repentance, and to leave them inexcuſable, becauſe they repented not.

Thirdly, It is ſparing mercy, when judgement is moderated: When though God puniſh, yet he doth not puniſh to the full; when though the cloud break, yet he lets but a few drops fall on us, and doth not powre out ſhowres, or make an inundation to overwhelme us; when though he ſtrike, yet he gives but few ſtrokes; yea, if he abate but one ſtroke, it is ſparing mercy. The Jewes (2 Cor. 11.24.) gave Paul, forty ſtripes, ſave one; and in this they would be thought to be mercifull, becauſe they might have given him forty by the Law (Deut. 25.3.) therefore to abate one, was ſparing mercy. As to puniſh beyond the Law, though it be but a little beyond, is cruelty; ſo to puniſh leſſe, though it be but a little leſſe, is mercy: And this is brought in as an argument of great mercy (Pſal. 78.38.) But he being full of compaſſion, forgave their iniquity, and deſtroyed them not: yea many a time turned he his anger away, and did not ſtirr up all his wrath: They felt his wrath, but God did not ſtirr up all his wrath; they were ſmitten, but not deſtroyed, Juſtice did not make an utter end of them, there was mercy in that. The like read (Jer. 30.11. Jer. 46.28.) I will not let thee goe altogether unpuniſhed (yet I will ſpare thee, though I puniſh thee) I will correct thee in meaſure, I will not make a full end of thee. But are not all the corrections of God, yea and his judgements too done in meaſure? All the judgements of God are done in meaſure, as meaſure notes a rule of equity, but not as meaſure notes a rule of equality. Againe, to doe a thing by meaſure doth not alwayes note the rule by which it is done, but the degree in which it is done. And ſo to doe a thing in meaſure is to doe it moderately; as when it is ſayd (John 3.24.) That God gives not the ſpirit by meaſure to Chriſt: the meaning is onelyonly this, hee gives him the ſpirit abundantly, infinitely, without ſtint or limit: So when it is ſayd, that he corrects man in meaſure, the meaning p. 303is onelyonly this, that he corrects him moderately, mercifully, with many ſtints and limits. It is of the Lords mercy, (ſaith Jeremie Lam. 3.22.) What? That we are delivered? That we are crowned with comforts? Theſe are of the Lords mercy indeed, but hee ſpeakes not of theſe, the mercy hee ſpeakes of is, That we are not utterly conſumed. What kinde of mercy is this? Sparing mercy. Suppoſe God take away many Children, yet if he leave but one, here is ſparing mercy to the Parents: Suppoſe hee take many hundreds, and thouſands of a mans eſtate, yet if he leave him a little to buy Bread, and to ſtand betweene him and Beggery, this is ſparing mercy: Suppoſe we are much conſumed, yet if we are not utterly conſumed, this alſo is ſparing mercy. In the Propheſie of Daniel, we read of a goodly tree, And behold a watcher and an holy one came downe from Heaven, and cryed aloud Hew downe the Tree and cut off his branches, ſhake off his leaves and ſcatter his fruit, &c. Nevertheleſſe leave the ſtumpe of his root in the earth, &c. Though it was judgement to ſhake off the leaves and fruit, to hew downe the boughes and ſtock, yet it was ſparing mercy to leave the roote, that gave hopes it might grow againe, and not be utterly conſumed; 'tis ſparing mercy when any thing is reſerved: But God did not ſpare Job, he took all; he did not leave him (as we ſay) A Shirt to his back, nor a ſound patch in his skin: Satans power had no limit put to it, but as to life onelyonly (Chap. 2.6.) Behold he is in thine hand, but (or onelyonly) ſave his life: There was indeed ſomewhat of ſparing mercy in that, and that was more then Satan would have ſpared, yet it was but ſo much as without which he could not have groaned out this complaint, as to the loſſe of all other comforts, He doth not ſpare.

Fourthly, There is a ſparing mercy of God in the very act of afflicting, when hee ſhewes that he is unwilling to afflict, or diſcovers tenderneſſe to them that are afflicted (Lam. 3.12.) He doth not willingly afflict nor greive the children of men. As there are many who will ſerve God in an outward forme of worſhip, whom yet they neither ſerve nor worſhip with their will: So God will afflict ſome, whom he doth not afflict with his will; he doth not give out his ſpirit, or take delight in ſmiting, while he ſmites them. Thus the Lord expreſſed himſelfe towards his ancient people the Jewes; he threatens p. 304Iſrael, That the Aſſyrian ſhall be his King; that is, the Aſſyrian ſhall carry them Captives to Babylon and exerciſe a tyrannicall power over them (Hoſ. 11.5.) Yea, the Sword ſhall abide on his Cities, and ſhall conſume his branches (Verſ. 6.) Now though God were reſolved to doe this, and did alſo bring it to paſſe; yet he ſaith (Verſ. 8.) How ſhall I give thee up Ephraim? How ſhall I deliver thee, Iſrael? (ſc: into the Enemies hand) How ſhall I make thee as Admah? How ſhall I ſet thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together: I will not execute the fierceneſſe of mine anger, I will not return to deſtroy Ephraim: that is, I will not deſtroy him wholly, by redoubling evill upon him: I will deſtroy once, but I will not returne to deſtroy, a remnant ſhall be ſaved. The Lord gave up Ephraim, but he did not make Ephraim as Admah, and Zeboim, he did not utterly ruine him; and what hee did againſt Ephraim, he did it with a ſecret conteſt in his owne ſpirit, How ſhall I doe this? I doe it not with my heart, and whole minde, my heart is turned within me, while my hand is turned againſt thee; it grieveth me while thou art grieved, while I kindle this fire of affliction in thy borders, the fire of compaſſion kindles in my owne bowels; My repentings are kindled together, while I puniſh thee for thine impenitency, and my heart is turned within me, while I muſt correct thee, for refuſing to returne (Verſ. 5.)

Nero being deſired to ſigne a Writ for the execution of an Offender, was ſo pittifull at his firſt entrance upon the Empire (though he proved a Monſter for cruelty after) that he could hardly be perſwaded, or wrought to ſubſcribe it, and when he did it,Quam vellem neſcire literas. in doing it he ſayd, How glad ſhould I be if I could not write my name; which wiſh occaſioned Seneca his Tutor, to write a Book of Clemencie, in which he extols Nero, as the patterne and mirrour of clemencie: When either God or man doe acts of ſevereſt Juſtice, with meltings of ſpirit, and tenderneſſe of affection towards thoſe who fall under their hand, thoſe acts of Juſtice have a great temperament of ſparing mercy in them.

For as it is in ſinning, when a Beleever falls into a great ſin, yet becauſe his heart cannot goe fully with it, he cannot delight or take pleaſure in it, therefore his may be called Sparing ſinfulneſſe: whereas a carnall heart committing onelyonly a p. 305little ſin, for the matter yet, becauſe he delighteth in it, and is pleaſed with ſin, he doth not ſpare to ſin. Now (I ſay) as it is in ſinning, ſo in puniſhing; he doth not ſpare to puniſh, who doth it with his whole heart, and takes delight in it, though the actuall puniſhment be but little, whereas he whoſe heart retreats while his hand is ſtretched out in greater puniſhments, may be ſayd to ſpare in puniſhing.

Hence, to ſhew that God exacted the utmoſt of his Juſtice upon his Son our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, when hee ſtood in our place; the Apoſtle ſaith (Rom. 8.32.) He ſpared not his Son. How did he not ſpare him? He did not ſpare him any of theſe foure wayes. He did not ſpare him, ſo, as not to puniſh him at all; for the Cup could not paſſe from him. He did not ſpare him by deferring the time, but when the houre was come that he muſt ſuffer, he ſuffered in that moment. Nor did he ſpare him in the degree, he ſuffered to the utmoſt for our ſins, God did not abate one drop out of his Cup, not one dram of the weight of his ſorrows: Yea fourthly, God did not ſpare him, in regard of the affection with which he puniſhed him: The Lord may be ſayd willingly to afflict him for the ſins of the Children of men, though he doth not willingly afflict the Children of men; He was pleaſed to bruiſe him (Iſa. 53.) and that ſignifies not onelyonly (Voluntatem Dei) that it was the purpoſe and reſolution of God, that his Son ſhould be bruiſed for our ſins; but it ſignifies alſo (Voluptatem Dei) the delight, and contentment that the Lord had in bruiſing his Son. He did not ſpare, but gave him up with his heart, to thoſe puniſhments which were due to ſinners. God ſhewed no more relenting towards his Son, when he ſtood ſuffering in the place of ſinners, then he doth to thoſe ſinners who ſtand in their owne place to ſuffer without his Son: Yea, God the Father did not onelyonly not relent, or ſhew any yearning of bowels towards his Son in that ſuffering condition, but (as to ſenſe and preſent apprehenſion) he hardned his heart towards him, which cauſed that greivous out-cry of Chriſt upon the Croſſe, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me?

Not that God did really withdraw his love in the leaſt, from his Son, but he did infinitely delight to ſee his Juſtice ſatiſfied; and his Son as a Conquerour, bearing up under the weight of it. Thus the Lord tooke pleaſure in afflicting his p. 306Son, or (as Job ſpeaks, Chap. 9.) He laughed at the tryall of that innocent and Holy one: And indeed, without this, the worke of our redemption had not been accompliſhed by a full ſatiſfaction to divine Juſtice, for it would have had ſomewhat of mercy in it towards the Redeemer, as well as it is all mercy towards the redeemed: But as it is all of mercy to us, ſo it was to be nothing at all of mercy to Jeſus Chriſt, that ſinners are redeemed: he was to have no more of his Father then he payd for, and his Father did not ſpare him, but made him pay the utmoſt Farthing, that upon the caſting up of the account betweene himſelfe and ſinfull man appeared a due debt unto his Juſtice. Job complaines, that he was not ſpared, yet the truth is, that, every man how much ſoever he ſuffers on this ſide Hell, hath ſomewhat of ſparing mercy in his ſufferings.

Secondly, Foraſmuch as Job being about to ſhew the extremity of his affliction, tells us, That God did not ſpare.

Obſerve.

Sparing mercy is the loweſt degree of mercy: If God deny ſparing mercy, he denyes all mercy.

It is argument enough that God ſhewed Chriſt no mercy, when the Apoſtle ſaith, He did not ſpare him. That we ſinners might have all mercy, he that ſaved us from our ſins had none. The Angels who ſinned found no mercy, no ſacrifice was provided for them, God caſt them downe to Hell, and delivered them into chaines of darkneſſe, to be reſerved unto judgement: All which puniſhments are affirmed by the Apoſtle Peter, as the reſult of this Negative, God ſpared not the Angels (2 Pet. 2.4.) The ſame Apoſtle tels us alſo in the next Verſe, that, God ſpared not the old World, but ſaved Noah, the eight perſon, a Preacher of righteouſneſſe, bringing in the Flood upon the world of the ungodly. Neyther the Angels who apoſtatiz'd from God, nor the old ungodly World had any ſhare in ſparing mercy. Job looked upon himſelfe (in reference to preſent peace) as one in their caſe, He doth not ſpare, which appeares further in the next clauſe.

He powreth out my Gall upon the ground.

foreign Fel ab amaritudine. Viſcera. Vulg.The Originall word vvhichwhich vve render Gall, ſignifies properly, bitterneſſe, becauſe the Gall is ſo. Peter ſpeaking to p. 307Simon Magus (Acts 8.23.) puts theſe two together, I perceive that thou art in the Gall of bitterneſſe: He that continues in ſin, lives in the Gall of ſpirituall bitterneſſe, and he whoſe Gall is powred out, is in, or ready to goe into the gall or corporall death. For as cleaving of the reines, implyed the receiving of a deadly wound; ſo powring out the Gall upon the ground, is a proverbiall, ſpeaking preſent death. When the gall is out, the bowels are out; the gall is affixed to the Liver: So that, it is as much as to ſay, He kils me dead, or I am now upon the borders of death it ſelfe: When the gall is indeed powred out, we cannot live; and he who is afflicted to ſuch a height, that he cryes, my gall is powred out, may well he numbred among the dead. The reaſon or originall of this ſpeech was this (as I conceive) becauſe when a wilde Beaſt, or any other (which are fit for mans eating) are taken and ſlaine, it is uſuall when the bowels are pulled out, to cut off, and throw away, or powre out the Gall upon the ground, leſt the overflowing of it ſhould diſreliſh the neighbouring parts: So that Job in this doth onelyonly proſecute the former theame of his greevious ſufferings, or that he was (as Paul ſpeakes of himſelfe (2 Cor. 1.18.) preſſed out of meaſure, above ſtrength, inſomuch that he deſpaired even of life; which he gives us yet more fully in the next Verſe.

Verſ. 14. He breaketh me with breach upon breach, and runneth on me like a Giant.

Job varies into all manner of inventions and alluſions,foreign Vi diſrupit, erupit. Poeticè variat orationis modos lugubres. to ſet forth both the conſtancy and extremity of his afflictions. As before he compared himſelfe to a marke, againſt which Arrows are ſhot; ſo now to a Stone wall, or fortified Towre, againſt which, battering Rams of old, and Cannons in latter ages, are uſually planted to make a breach, that the Souldiery may come up to the aſſault.

He breaketh me with breach upon breach.

Some men are like fortified Cities, which cannot be eaſily entred, yet when the Lord of Hoſts drawes up his Armies and beſeigeth them, he hath Artillery and Ammunition enough to thunder downe their higheſt Towers, and to make breach upon breach in their thickeſt walls. Satan complaines (Ch. 1.) p. 308Thou haſt made a hedge about him: Jobs hedge was the protection of God; that hedge was ſo ſtrong that Satan could not pull up a ſtake of it, nor make a gap in it, till God gave him leave. But though Job (as this ſimilitude implyes) were like a wall or fortified tower, yet God had made breaches in him; God can ſoone breake our eſtates, our ſtrength, our health, our comforts, our peace, our all. And when Job ſaith, he breaks me with breach upon breach; he meanes a multitude of breaches made together, or continuall breaches, made one after another: Jeremy laments (Chap. 4.16.) My bowels, my bowels, I am pained at the very heart, my heart makes a noyſe in me: Why doth he thus double upon theſe words, My bowels, my bowels, my heart, my heart? The twentieth Verſe gives us an account of that, Deſtruction upon deſtruction is cryed, for the whole Land is ſpoyled: Deſtruction upon deſtruction is totall deſtruction. Thus Sampſon repeats his Victory over the Philiſtines (Judg. 15.16.) With the Jaw-bone of an Aſſe heaps upon heaps; or (as the letter of the Hebrew) an heap, two heaps; that is, I have made a great ſlaughter; or as himſelfe explaines it in the cloſe of the Verſe, I have ſlaine a thouſand men. Wee have the Prophet Ezekiels threat in the ſame language (Chap. 7.26.) Miſcheife ſhall come upon miſcheife, and rumour ſhall be upon rumour: When the Prophet Iſaiah would convince the Jewes of their unteachableneſſe, that whereas (as the Apoſtles ſpeakes, Heb. 5.12.) They ought to be teachers; yet they had need to be taught the firſt principles of the Oracles of God, like little Children, who muſt have the ſame precepts and lines often and often inculcated upon them, he gives it us in the forme of this Text (Iſa. 28.10.) For precept muſt be upon precept, line upon line; that is, they muſt be continually followed with precepts, they muſt have many, and yet they ſcarſe learne one; or (as others expound that place) the Prophet deſcribes the ſcornefulneſſe of that people who jeered the Meſſengers of God for their frequency in Preaching, with a riming ſcoffe, Precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little, and there a little; which ſingle tearms the Prophets had often uſed in their Sermons. Now which way ſoever we take the proper ſenſe of that place; yet the common ſenſe of the words reaches this in Job: for precept upon precept, ſpeakes there a multitude of precepts, even as here, breach p. 309upon breach ſpeakes a multitude of breaches, or breaches all over. And the Apoſtle Paul expreſſeth himſelfe in this ſtraine, while he gives the reaſon of the recovery of Epaphroditus from a dangerous ſickneſſe (Phil. 2.27.) He was ſick (ſaith Paul) nigh unto death, but God had mercy on him; and not onelyonly on him, but on mee alſo, leaſt I ſhould have ſorrow upon ſorrow; that is, many ſorrows heaped up together: So then, when Job complaines of his breaking with breach upon breach; the plaine meaning is, that he had many, very many breaches: His very wounds were wounded, there was nothing in him,Vulnera ipſa vulnerat. Non habet in nobis jam nova plag… locum. or about him to be ſmitten, but what had been ſmitten already. As if he had ſaid, I am ſo full of breaches and afflictions, that there is no whole ſpace or roome left for a new breach, for another affliction: As he that lyes upon the ground can fall no lower, ſo he that is all broken cannot be broken any more.

Job had breach upon breach in his eſtate, his Cattle, and goods were taken away: Job had breach upon breach in his Family, moſt of his Servants, and all his Children were deſtroyed: Job had breach upon breach in his body, that was ſick and ſoare: Job had breach upon breach in his credit, hee was called Hypocrite againe and againe: Job had breach upon breach in his ſoule, that was filled with feare and terrour from the Lord.

Hence Note.

The beſt Saints on earth are ſubject, not onelyonly to great, but various troubles, to breach upon breach.

God is pleaſed to ſmite them ſundry times, and he ſmites them ſundry wayes: 'Tis no argument that a man ſhall be no more afflicted, becauſe he is afflicted, or that God will not ſmite againe, becauſe he hath ſmitten already. God doth not ſtay his hand by looking upon the number, but upon the effect and fruite of our afflictions: Every Childe of his, whom he corrects, muſt looke for more corrections, till repentance hath had its perfect worke, and every Champion of his whom he tryes, muſt looke for more tryalls, till faith and patience have had their perfect worke. God would not give his Children ſo much as one blow, or one breach, not ſo much as a little finger of theirs ſhould ake, were it not for one of theſe ends, and untill theſe ends be attained, they ſhall have many blowes and breaches, even till the whole head be ſick, p. 310and the whole heart faint, till from the ſole of the foot, even unto the head, there is no ſoundneſſe in them, but wounds and bruiſes and putrifying ſoares. As the Vine-dreſſer cuts, and cuts,Ʋt in vineis labor labori, cura curae, ſemper additur, &c. Sanct. prunes, and prunes the Vine, this day and the next day, becauſe once cutting or pruning will not ſerve to make it fruitfull: So the Lord prunes, and cuts, and pares, and breaks, and breaks, not to deſtroy his people, but to make them (as pleaſant Vines) bring forth abundantly, eyther the fruits of godly ſorrow for their ſins committed againſt him, or the proofes and experiments of the graces which they have received from him. This latter was Jobs caſe, and the cheife cauſe why he was broken with breach upon breach. And no ſooner had the Lord by his roaring Cannon, made breaches in him, fayre, and aſſaultable, but he preſently takes his advantage, as Job ſhewes elegantly (purſuing the Allegory) in the laſt clauſe.

He runs vponupon me as a Giant.

foreign Sicut fortis potens idem valet Gigas & foreign.When a breach is made in the wall, the beſeigers run up to aſſault and ſtorme the place. Job keepes to the Souldiers language, the Lord hath made breach upon breach, and now He runs upon me as a Giant. There are three things in this expreſſion.

Firſt, The ſpeed which God made to aſſault him, He runs.

Secondly, The ſtrength that God puts forth in aſſaulting him, he runs, not as a Childe, not as a weak man, no nor as the ordinary ſort of ſtrong men; but as a Giant, or mighty man, who exceeds other men as Goliah did David, both in ſtrength and ſtature.

Quando aliquis dicitur aut currere, aut aliquid agere, ſicut Gigas, nihil aliud denotat, quam magno animo & ſtrenuè rem aliquam aggredi. Bold.Thirdly, Running as a Giant, notes courage as well as ſtrength. A Giant runs fiercely and feareleſly.

David compares the Sun at his riſing, to a Bridegroome comming out of his Chamber, and to a Giant, or ſtrong man (it is the word of this Text) who rejoyceth to run a race (Pſal. 19.5.) Giants are ſwift, and Giants are ſtrong; Some men are ſtrong but not ſwift of foot, but no man can be ſwift of foot unleſſe he be competently ſtrong, Giants are both in exceſſe: And therefore Job puts both together, He runs upon me as a Giant. And yet (I conceive) this running doth rather imply the fierceneſſe of the Giant, then his ſwiftneſſe. Giants p. 311are dreadfull and terrible to behold; they are called Nephilim in the Hebrew, of diverſe Texts, which comming from the root, Naphal, to fall, ſignifies fallers, and that in a twofold ſenſe.

Firſt, Becauſe they Apoſtatiz'd or fell from God, his truth and worſhip, which Moſes ſeemes to intimate, while he deſcribes the firſt great perſonall defection of the World (Gen. 6.4.) There were Giants in the earth in thoſe dayes: theſe he oppoſeth to the Sons of God, in the ſame Verſe, who had alſo greatly corrupted themſelves, ſo that (Verſ. 5.) God ſaw the wickedneſſe of man was great upon the earth: For the Sons of God, they who owned a profeſſion of Religion (being the Poſterity of Seth, they) mingled themſelves with the wicked of the World; as for the Giants, they diſowned God, and were totally departed, or fallen from his obedience, and were therefore as ſome apprehend, called Nephilim, or Fallers.

Secondly, They were ſo called, becauſe either through the vaſtneſſe of their ſtrength and ſtature, or through the feirceneſſe of their mindes and ſpirits, they were men of violence, great oppreſſors, cauſing others to fall before them: In ſo much that the very name of a Giant was dreadfull. And when thoſe unbeleeving Scarchers of Canaan brought up an evill report of that Land, the worſt which they could ſay of it to the diſcouragement of their Brethren, was this (Numb. 13.33.) And there we ſaw the Giants, the Sons of Anak, which came of the Giants: and we were in our owne ſight as Graſſe-hoppers, and ſo we were in theirs. Men of ſtrength and courage were as much afrayd at this ſtory of Giants, as Children are of Bugbeares and Fayries.

So then, when Job ſayd, That God did run upon him as a Giant, his intent was onelyonly to ſhew, with how much terrour God was pleaſed to cloath himſelfe, and how much ſtrength he put forth, while he thus contended with him. The truth is, God needs not lay out his ſtrength to afflict man, he can cruſh the ſtrongeſt of men as a moth, with the touch of his finger. The weakneſſe of God is ſtronger then man; yet God in afflicting his people, will ſometimes perſonate a mighty man, exerciſing his power to the utmoſt, and arming himſelfe from head to foot, while he combates with an enemy: which ſtill confirmes the generall Obſervation, That God doth not onelyonly p. 312afflict ſuch as he loves, but he afflicts them ſorely. Doth he not ſo, when he ſhaks them in peices? Doth he not ſo, when he ſets them as his mark? When a multitude of skilfull Archers compaſſe them about; when he cleaves their reines aſunder; when he powres out their Gall upon the ground? Doth he not ſo, when he ſets Engines of battery to make breach upon breach, and then runs up as a Giant to the aſſault? Thus God hath dealt with many precious ſoules, and thus he dealt (beyond his dealings with many) with his precious Servant Job.

And as no man, eyther in his eſtate or health, either in his credit or comforts, is ſo ſtrong a wall, but God by his Artillery can quickly make a breach upon him; ſo who is able to ſtand in the breach, or make it good, when God comes up to the aſſault? Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be ſtrong in the dayes that I ſhall deale with thee? ſaith the Lord (Ezek. 22.14.) When the Lord as a Giant runs upon man, the ſtrongeſt Giant among the ſons of men, is but as a Pigmie, yea but as a Piſmire, he is but as the Chaffe before the winde, or as the potters Veſſell before the Iron Rod. But though fleſh and blood cannot ſtand in the breach when God aſſaults; yet Faith and patience can. Moſes by Faith ſtood in the breach, and turned away the wrath of God, when he came to deſtroy Iſrael (Pſal. 106.23.) Job by patience ſtood in the breaches which God made upon him, when he ſeemed utterly to deſtroy him.

For what did Job to God, when God did all this to him? Did he oppoſe? Did he ſtrive with his Maker? The two next Verſes ſhew, that prayers and teares were all the Weapons he uſed in this holy Warr with God.