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

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

p. 374JOB, Chap. 16. Verſ. 20, 21, 22.

My Freinds ſcorne mee: but mine eye powreth out teares unto God.

O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour.

When a few yeares are come, then I ſhall goe the way whence I ſhall not returne.

JOB having ſtrongly aſſerted his owne integrity, at the ſeventeenth Verſe of this Chapter; and thereupon as ſtrongly imprecated the heavieſt vengeance upon his owne head,foreign Verbum. foreign in hiphil ſignificat Eloqui, facundum eſſe, ſu mitur etiam pro illudere, quia id non ſine ſermonis venuſtate fieri ſolet. Merc. Coll…quutores mei. Vatab. Rhetores. Pagn. Cum amici mei Rhetorica oratione contra me agunt, man…ntibus lachrymis Dei opem imploro. Tygur. in caſe he had not ſpoken truth (Verſ. 18.) Having alſo made his appeale to Heaven, calling God to witneſſe that it was truth which hee had ſpoken (Verſ. 19.) Here at the twentieth Verſe, he gives us a reaſon why hee made that appeale; and the reaſon was, he found no comfort in the creature, he had no hope of helpe on earth, and therefore he reſorts to Heaven.

Verſ. 20. My Friends ſcorne me: but mine eye powreth out teares to God.

There is ſome variety in the tranſlation, but the ſenſe of all meets in one, My Freinds ſcorne me, or Scorners are my Friends: The word ſignifies to deride, or ſcorne, not in a rude homely way, but to doe it with quaintneſſe of ſpeech, or in refined language, to doe it wittily, and cunningly, cloſe and home. Hence the word ſignifies a Rhetorician, or an Orator, and is ſo tranſlated here, by diverſe of the Learned, My friends play the Rhetoricians, they ſpeake eloquently, they compoſe p. 375fine orations, and ſet ſpeeches againſt me; but alas! I onelyonly ſpeak teares.

Yet further it ſignifies to interpret (Gen. 42.23.) Joſeph ſpake unto his Brethren by an Interpreter, it is this word. That's the interlineall reading of this Text,Interpretes ſocii mei. Mont. My Friends are Interpreters, or rather (for that muſt be the meaning) Misinterpreters; they put wrong expoſitions upon all my ſpeeches, and corrupt my Text with their unfreindly gloſſes.

We read in the ordinary acception of the word, My freinds ſcorne me, or, My freinds are ſcorners: As if Job had ſayd, Theſe my freinds, whoſe profeſſion and relation call them to adminiſter ſerious, and wholeſome counſell to my troubled minde, even they breake forth into ſcorne; they powre the Vinegar of their ſharpeſt cenſures, into my already wrankled wounds, in ſtead of the ſuppling, skinning Oyle of comfort and conſolation; — Quis talia fando temperet a lachrymis.and therefore mine eye is preſſed to powre out teares to God: Who can forbeare weeping, while hee is but reporting my ſufferings? How then ſhould I who ſuffer? My freinds ſcorne me, &c.

Hence Obſerve.

The beſt of freinds may prove unfreindly.

Men are but men, and ſo they act: There is no repoſe, eyther upon the wiſedome, or ſtrength, or affection of the creature, they are all mutable, and may doe that which is moſt oppoſite, both to their profeſſion and relation: A Freind, a Scorner! What more unſutable? And that may be a ſecond Note.

Scorne is wholly oppoſite to the Law of love.

He departs farr enough from the rules of freindſhip, who doth not pitty and aſſiſt his afflicted Freind; how farr is hee gone from it, who ſcornes and derides his Freind in affliction?

Thirdly, Conſidering the Perſon who was thus ſcorned; Job, a man beloved of God, the great Favorite of that Age to the King of Heaven.

Hence Obſerve.

They who are highly approved, and honoured of God, may fall under the contempt, and ſcorne of men.

As they who are applauded and flattered, yet adored by men, may be the ſcorne and contempt of God. What Chriſt ſpeakes of things is true of perſons (Luke 16.15.) That p. 376which is highly eſteemed amongſt men is abomination in the ſight of God: So they who are highly eſteemed of God are often an abomination to men; God ſeeth not as man ſeeth, no not as good men ſee; God and good men are not alwayes of an opinion, eyther about things or perſons: and as the worſt of men finde ſome to flatter and applaud them, ſo the beſt of men finde ſome to undervalue and deride them, and they ſometimes finde good men doing ſo. There is no judging eyther of men or of matters, by what is ſayd of them: In this ſenſe all men are, or may be lyars, carrying a falſ report in their mouths: Should we judge concludingly of men by the opinion of man, how baſe and contemptible would many precious ſoules appeare to us? And how precious would many appeare to us, who are onelyonly worthy to be contemned? Chriſt gives the rule (John. 7.24.) Judge not according to appearance (or by the face) but judge righteous judgement: foreign Secundum vultum vel faciem.Wee muſt not judge eyther of things or perſons, till they appeare, nor may we judge of them by appearances, eſpecially not by thoſe appearances which the tongues of men put upon them. The Greek, in that Text of John, ſaith, Judge not according to the face: For though the face in its naturall frame be the Index or diſcovery of the minde; yet as a man may artificially ſet his face to a look altogether unlike his minde; ſo others may ſet a face upon the wayes and actions of a man altogether unlike both the man and his actions. He that had judged Job by the face, which God had put upon his outward condition, or by that which Satan and his Freinds put upon his wayes and actions muſt have judged him eyther an hypocrite, ſerving God onelyonly to ſerve his owne turne, or elſe prophane, caſting off the ſervice of God. All the morally illfavoured faces in the World are of one of theſe two features or complexions; the opinions that went abroad of Job made him appeare like both, and yet he was a man moſt beautifull in the eye of God; a man that had received the faireſt Letters commendatory under Gods owne hand, that ever man had to that day, My Freinds ſcorne me: What then?

But mine eye powreth out teares unto God.

As before he had appealed to God; ſo now his eye powreth out teares unto God.

p. 377The Hebrew is, Mine eye powreth out: foreign Stillare ſeu diffluere inſtar aquarum & ſtillando quaſi attenuari.The word ſignifies to flow forth like water, and to waſt in flowing forth; his eyes were as a Fountaine, which flowes continually, yet retaines a perpetuall ſtock of water; but his ſtrength abated and his ſpirits iſſued with thoſe waters. Mine eye powreth out, we add the word Teares, becauſe teares are the onelyonly eye-waters, or all the waters which flow from the eye, Mine eye powreth out teares.

The word ſignifieth ſometimes onelyonly to drop,Tranſlatio eſt a ſtillicidijs. eyther as a Limbeck drops downe the water which is raiſed up by the heat into fumes, or as the Eaves of a houſe drop in a time of raine; ſo, mine eye diſtilleth or droppeth teares. Job had a heate within him which might well cauſe thoſe diſtillations, and ſhowres without him, which might well cauſe thoſe droppings,

This diſtilling, dropping, or powring out of teares, was the powring out of his ſorrows, and there was more in it then ſilent ſorrow, there was a voice in his ſorrows, or a voice of mourning was mingled with his weeping; yea, this word implyes ſpeaking, in many places of the old Teſtament, where to drop is to Propheſie,Phraſi Hebraica ſtillare ſaepe pro loqui ſumitur. and Prophecying is a vocall act (Micah 2.6.) Propheſie yee not ſay they to them that propheſie; the word is, Dropp not: Both are expreſſed (Amos 7.16.) Propheſie not againſt Iſrael, and drop not thy word againſt the houſe of Iſaac. So (Ezek. 21.2.) Drop thy words towards the holy places, and propheſie againſt the Land of Iſrael. And the reaſon of it is, becauſe words fall into the eare of the hearers as drops of raine upon the dry and thirſty ground, both to ſoften and make fruitfull. Jobs teares preacht; the dropping of his eye was a kinde of prophecying: Teares are not words formally, but they are virtually. Weeping is inarticulate ſpeaking: And though God (by reaſon of his infinite, and unchangeable happineſſe) never ſpake that language, yet hee underſtands it fully. There are (ſaith the Apoſtle, arguing againſt ſpeaking in an unknowne tongue) it may be, ſo many kinds of voyces in the World, and none of them are without ſignification (1 Cor 14.10.) The voice of teares is very ſignificant, yet God onelyonly knowes the ſpeciall ſignification of it, man knowes onelyonly the generall, that it ſignifies ſorrow. Poſſibly words went with Jobs teares; but if not, yet his teares had p. 378the force of words: Weeping ſpeakes, though the weeper ſpeake not: Mine eye powreth out (or ſpeaketh) teares.

There are ſeven or eight ſorts of teares ſpoken of in Scripture, and every one ſpeakes.

Firſt, Teares of wordly ſorrow; Eſau had enow of them, he found ſtore of teares when he loſt the bleſſing: He for one morſell of meat ſold his birthright, but hee could not purchaſe it againe, with floods of ſorrow, For he found no place of repentance; that is, hee could not prevayle with his Father Iſaac to change his minde, though he ſought it carefully with tears (Heb. 12.17.) Eſaus teares ſpake his hunger after that which he had ſold to buy off hunger, or to pay a debt to nature.

Secondly, There are the teares of repentance and godly ſorrow; ſuch were thoſe of Mary (Luke 7.38.) who wept and waſhed Chriſts feet with her teares, and wiped them with the haire of her head: Shee had been a ſinner, ſuch a ſinner as bore away the name from all the ſinners in the City: and ſhee mourned ſo for ſin, that ſhee bare away the name from all the mourners in the City: Maries teares ſpake her tender reſpect to Chriſt who ſaveth ſinners, and her abhorrence of her ſelfe for ſin.

Thirdly, There are teares of craft and wicked diſſimulation (Jer. 41.6.) Iſhmael goes forth to meet the men that came towards Jeruſalem, weeping all along as he went: his were made teares, he ſhed teares that he might ſhed blood, and weep himſelfe into an opportunity of doing miſchiefe unſuſpected. Iſhmaels teares ſpake treachery, but becauſe thoſe plain-hearted men could not interpret them, they periſhed.

Fourthly, There are teares of love unfeigned and ſtrong affection: Thus David and Jonathan kiſſed one another, and wept one with another, untill David exceeded (1 Sam. 20.41.) When Jeſus Chriſt wept at the Sepulcher of Lazarus, The Jewes ſayd, Behold how he loved him (John 11.35, 36.) They ſaw his heart at his eyes: Theſe teares ſpake mutuall and reall endearements.

Fifthly, There are the teares of holy prayers, and fervent deſires, Jacob wept and made ſupplication (Hoſ. 12.4.) He cryed and prayed: The voyce of his teares was lowder then the voyce of his ſupplication; and his prayers were (in this ſenſe) even drowned in teares: Jacobs teares ſpake the fervency p. 379of his ſpirit, and his faith in prayer: The Angell underſtood them ſo, and he prevayled.

Sixthly, There are teares of compaſſion for the miſeries of others, Weep with them that weeP, is the Apoſtles rule (Rom. 12.15.) When Nehemiah heard the report of Jeruſalems ruine and of the ſad condition of his Brethren there, He ſate downe and wept (Nehem. 1.4.) His teares ſpake pitty to his Country-men, and zeale for God.

Seventhly, There are the teares of paſſion, in reference to our owne afflictions: Such teares ſpeak humane frailty, or the common infirmity of the fleſh.

Eighthly, There are the teares of damnation: Hypocrites and their aſſociates in Hell are deſcribed, Weeping and wailing and gnaſhing of teeth for evermore: Their teares ſpeak deſpayre, or miſery without hope of remedy.

The tears which Job powred forth, were of the ſeventh ſort, teares of paſſion, or ſorrow, cauſed by the afflicting hand of God, but eſpecially by the unkindneſſes of his Freinds; My freinds ſcorne me, but mine eye powreth out teares unto God. Job knew that as God had a Book for his prayers, ſo a Bottle for his teares; yea he knew teares ſhould be heard as well as prayers. Teares are powerfull Oratours: God reads our hearts in thoſe lines which teares draw on our faces. One of the Ancient Phyloſophers hath adjudged weeping unworthy a man,Lachrymae a viris claris auferendae ſunt mulieribus autem relinquendae. Plat. de rep. Dial. 3. and tells us it is onelyonly for Women and Children to weepe: But as there are teares of effeminate and childiſh puſillanimity, ſo there are teares of heroicall and holy importunity. To weep for feare of ſufferings from man, is indeed below man, but to weep to God when we ſuffer, eyther under the hand of God or man, doth well become the beſt of men; not to weep to God, when we eyther ſuffer or have ſinned, proceeds not from courage, but from ſullenneſſe, and is not the argument of a noble ſpirit, but of a hard heart. Who ſo couragious as David? who feared not a Lyon nor a Beare, who would not be afrayd though an Hoaſt of men encamped againſt him, and though he walked in the valley of the ſhadow of death; yet how often do we read him weeping and crying to God (Pſal. 39.12.) Hold not thy peace (ſaith he) at my teares: David in that caſe, could not hold his peace from crying to God, and he was perſwaded that God would not hold p. 380his peace at his cry; he expected to have his teares anſwered: He did not ſay, Hold not thy peace at my words, or at my prayer, but as importing that his very teares had a voyce and language in them, he deſired that they might be anſwered. David did not weep for feare of men, but in faith to God. And ſo did Job: Mine eye powreth out teares vntounto God: God was the object of his teares, as much as of his prayers. God is above, and yet our teares fall into his boſome: theſe waters aſcend; this raine doth not fall but riſe; theſe ſhowres doe not come from the Clouds, but they peirce the Clouds. As the heate of the Sun drawes the water upward, ſo doth the heate of Gods love. Some of the Ancients uſe ſtrange Hyperbolies about the power and motion of teares, I will not ſtay upon them, we may ſay too much of them; but thus much we may ſafely ſay, that from a heart rightly affected, and touched with the ſenſe, eyther of ſin, or ſuffering, they have much weight in them, and are preſſing upon God: Mine eye powreth out teares unto God.

From the conexion of this latter part of the Verſe with the former:

Obſerve.

When wee are ſcorned by men, it is good for us to mourne to God.

My Freinds ſcorne me, now, I weep and pray: It is beſt for us to apply our ſelves to God when we live in the embraces of men, when all men ſpeake well of us and applaud us, what is all this, if we have not the good word and the good will of God? unleſſe we have an applauſe in Heaven, it will doe us no good to have the true applauſe, much leſſe the flatteries of men on earth. Suppoſe they ſpeake right, and give us but our due, yet we muſt not reſt in that, but goe to God. The good word of God is better to us infinitely, then the beſt vvord of the beſt men; to him let us have recourſe when we have the greateſt favour, and faireſt Quarter in the World; but when the World ſcornes, and rejects us, then is a ſpeciall ſeaſon for us to haſten into the preſence of God; wee ſhould live neereſt and cloſeſt to God, when men caſt us off, or throw us out of their ſocieties and affections.

There is a twofold recourſe to God, whereof the firſt is from choice, the ſecond from neceſſity. It is beſt to make our p. 381recourſe to God upon choiſe, but he will not refuſe us if neceſſity drive us to him, God is moſt worthy to be our choyce, but he is willing to be our refuge; yet he is indeed a refuge to thoſe onelyonly in evill times, who have made him their choyce in the beſt times. When all goes well with us in the World, we ſhould not thinke our ſelves well till we enjoy God: It is good for me to draw neere to God, ſaith David (Pſal. 73.28.) It is good for me to doe it in good times, in the beſt times, this I make my election: And when David ſaith, It is good, he meanes, it is beſt; that poſitive beares the ſenſe of a Superlative: and therefore he had ſayd a little before (Verſ. 25.) Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee: But in an evill time, God is both the choyce and the refuge of his people. He is our refuge properly to whom we come when others caſt us off, and hee is our choyce to whom we come, when others call for us, and ſeeme ambitious to be kinde unto us. It is not thank-worthy to make God barely a refuge, to come to him becauſe wee can goe no where elſe; we ſhould thinke our ſelves no where till we are in his preſence whereſoever we are, and that we have nothing till we have him, whatſoever we have. Not to preferr the leaſt of God before all the World, is not onelyonly un-ingenuous in us, but ſinfull againſt, and diſhonourable unto God. Job who here wept to God in his low eſtate, had often rejoyced in God in his beſt eſtate, and preferred him before his cheifeſt joy: They may confidently weep to God in ſad times, who have delighted themſelves with God in comfortable times.

Secondly, Obſerve.

Liberty of addreſſe to God, when men ſcorne and reject us, is the great priviledge of the Saints.

Every man cannot do this; can the men of the world powre out teares to God when they are ſcorned by the world? can they powre out prayers to God, when they are ill intreated by the world? Can they goe into the imbraces of God, when they are caſt out by men? they cannot. They can vexe themſelves, when they are vexed by others, and perhaps vexe thoſe that vexe them; they can be angrie when they are ſcorned, and perhaps ſcorne their ſcorners, but how to ſpread their condition before God, or to powre out tears to him they know not: p. 382they who can doe thus are honoured by God, when ſcorned by men, and God will powre out comforts into their boſomes who can powre their teares into his, they can never be at any loſſe, who finde out God to weepe to.

Job having thus given the reaſon of his appeale to Heaven, enforceth it farther with a ſtong wiſh, according to our tranſlation, which is alſo confirmed by the concurring vote of divers other tranſlations.

Verſ. 21. O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his Neighbour.

foreign Ʋtinam diſputare poſſet vir cum deo et filius hominis ſodali ſuo. Pagn. Optat ex aequari haeo duo, hominis cum deo, et hominis cum homine diſceptationem. Merc. Certe hic aliquid ſubauditur ut, et quis deo viro, vel ut faciat ac concedat Deus ſc: hoc viro Merc.The Summe of his deſire may be drawne up into this Breife, that he might argue his caſe as freely with God, as men of the ſame rank and degree, argue out their caſes with one another. Some expound it as a correction of his boldnes in appealing to God. As if he had ſaid I have indeed called God to witnes, but what am I, or what is my Fathers houſe, that God ſhould deſcend to my concernments? The infinit diſtance which is between the Creator and the creature ſeemes to forbid and check my motion, bidding me keep within my owne line or ſpheare, and medle with my equals; But O that I might ſpeake with God, as man with man, or man for man, I doubt not but I ſhould carry the day, and prove my ſelfe innocent; not that Job intended a controverſie with God, or would ſtand upon (his defence with the moſt high.

I have before ſhew'd how far this was from the temper of his broken ſpirit. All that he intends by the propoſall of this deſire, is the gaining of an opportunity to ſet himſelfe right in the opinion of men, by that impartiall d…ciſion of his cauſe, which he was vvell aſſured God would give upon the whole matter in queſtion betweene him and his friends, if once he would be pleaſed to vouchſafe him a free and familiar hearing of it. As if he had further ſaid, I have not apealed to Heaven, becauſe I am unwilling to have my condition knowne on earth, Ʋtinam mihi con…ederetur cauſam meam adverſum vos apud Dei Tribunal diſceptare ſicut agere homines cum hominibus conſueverunt. Bez.that men ſhould ſee the worſt of me; for my deſire is that I might plead before God, as a man for his Neighbour, and that I might be laid open in open Court, by the evidence of witneſſes, and a full examination of my cauſe. Taking theſe explications of the text, in the forme of a wiſh, The ſcope of it ſeemes, to be the ſame with what he ſpak before, (Chap. 9. 33.34.35.) God is not a man as I am, that I ſhould anſwer him, and we ſhould come together in judgement, neither is there any Dayes-man, p. 383betwixt us, &c. In which words, as in theſe before us, while Job lifts up the Majeſty of God, and humbleth himſelfe, as unworthy, to have to doe with God, yet he diſcovers the vehement longings of his ſoule to receive a judgement or determination from God in this ſuit or controverſie, which had depended ſo long between him and his friends.

The Obſervations which ariſe from this reading and ſence of the Text, are of the ſame ſtraine, with thoſe formerly given upon that, and ſome other paſſages, where Job knowing his own uprightnes and integritie, declares not only willingneſſe, but extreame earneſtneſſe, to have his cauſe tryed at the Bar, and before the Tribunal of God, who both ſaw his wayes, and ſearched his heart: who as he had juſtified him from all guilt in reference to himſelfe, by not imputing ſinne unto him, ſo he would juſtifie him againſt the ſinnes, which men imputed to him, by ſaying he was not at all guilty.

Theſe points having been more then once hinted already, I ſhall not inſiſt upon them here.

Secondly, The words are rendred as noting the deſigne which Job had in powring out teares to God, and then the connection betweene this and the former verſe ſtands thus;Apud Deum ſtillat oculus meus utdiſceptet cauſam viri cum deo, ſicut filius hominis cauſam amici ſui. Jun. I powre out teares to God, that he would be pleaſed to plead the cauſe of a man with God, as the Sonne of man pleades the cauſe of his friend. Mr. Broughton joynes fully with this, Ʋnto the puiſſant doth mine eye drop, that he mould decide the cauſe for earthly-wight before the puiſſant: as the ſonne of Adam doth with his Neighbour.

Our tranſlation carries the ſence of a wiſh; that a man might have liberty to plead with God, as man with man; this carries the ſence of a wiſh, that God would plead the cauſe of a man with God, as a man pleades the cauſe of his friend; which is indeed to deſire God to be his advocat.Ad Deum ſtillat oculus meus ut judicet viro cum Deo, & ſilium hominis reſpectu proximi ſui. Coc. How God is an advocat with God, wil appear further in the proſecution of the text.

A third reading keepes to this dependance upon the former verſe, and to the ſame ſcope of this, yet varyes the tranſlation, Thus, Mine eye powreth out teares to God, that he would judge for a man with God (and that he would judge) the Sonne man in reſpect of his Neighour.

The firſt reading makes the latter branch of the vvords a deſcription of the manner how Job deſired to plead with God even as man doth with man. The ſecond makes it a deſcription p. 382duplicate page p. 383duplicate page p. 384of the manner how Job deſired God to plead the cauſe of man with God, even as man pleades with man; This third makes it a ſecond diſtinct deſire, and the whole verſe to conſiſt of two diſtinct deſires.

Firſt, That God would judge for a man with God.

Secondly, That God would judge the Sonne of man in reſpect of his Neighbour.

In the former he petitions for mercy with God; in the latter for right againſt man; or in the former he ſues for a judgement of acceptation for himſelfe, and in the latter for a judgement of reproofe, and redargution upon his friends.

This difference is grounded upon the different conſtruction of the vvords in the originall. For the word which is rendred to plead or judge, is conſtrued with, or governs (as gramarians ſpeake) the Dative caſe in the firſt, and the Accuſative caſe in the latter clauſe of the verſe.

Hence the former is rendred,

That he would judge or plead for a man with God, which notes favour and a benigne defence or patronage of his cauſe with God, ſo this is uſed by the Prophet (Iſai. 11.4.) He ſhall reprove (argue, judge or plead) with equity for the meeke of the earth; that is, he ſhall reprove or plead in favour of the meeke, or on their ſide, he ſhall undertake their cauſe, and make their defence for them. And thus at laſt God did judge or plead for Job, giving ſentence in his behalfe, and caſting the ſcales on his ſide againſt his friends, and therefore the latter clauſe is rendred, thus,

That he would judge the Sonne of man in reſpect of his Neighbour; that is, that he would reprehend and reprove him for the wrongs vvhichwhich he hath don… to, and for the uncharitable cenſures vvhichwhich he hath layd upon his Neighbour. The meaning of the whole verſe according to this tranſlation, may be repreſented and paraleld in that prayer of David, (Pſal. 35.1, 2, 3.) Plead my cauſe O Lord with them that ſtrive with me; fight againſt them that fight againſt me, &c. ſay unto my ſoule, I am thy ſalvation. Thus Job, as David, deſires the Lord to ſpeake a word of comfort to him, and to tell his enemies, or his uncomfortable friends their owne.

I ſhall only leave one obſervation upon this expoſition,

When Chriſt comes gratiouſly to aſſert the innocency of his owne p. 385people, he will ſeverely rebuke thoſe who have done them wrong. Laban had given Jacob hard uſage, vvhile he was a Servant in his Houſe, and when he was gone, Laban perſued him vvith hard thoughts, but God pleaded for Jacob, and rebuked Laban (Gen. 31.42.) the Prophet foretels, That the mountaine of the Lords houſe ſhall be eſtabliſhed in the top of the mountaines, that is, he vvill not only deliver, but advance his oppreſſed Church, The houſe of the God of Jacob, (Iſai. 21.2, 3.) and when he doth this, He ſhall judge among the Nations, and ſhall rebuke many people (Verſ. 4.) Some have obſerved the ſame difference in theſe latter words of Iſay, which hath been noted in the text of Job, and render it thus, He ſhall judge among the Nations, that is, the Heathen Nations who have vexed his Church, And he ſhall rebuke or plead (it is the ſame word in the Grammaticall conſtruction, as here in Job) For, (or in the behalfe) of many people; that is, for many of his owne people, who have been oppoſed by thoſe Nations; the effect whereof wee have in the next words, And they ſhall beate their ſwords into plow-ſhares; that is, God will ſo judge thoſe Nations, that his people ſhall not need to ſtand upon their guard, or learne warr any more; becauſe their enemies ſhall either be turned to them, or be totally overturned▪ woe to the Nations, when God ſtands up for his people, he will certainly ruine Babylon, when he undertakes the controverſie, and pleades the cauſe of Zion. Yea the day haſtens when he will Convince all that are ungodly, of all the hard ſpeeches which ungodly ſinners have ſpoken againſt him (Jud. verſ. 15.) that is, againſt his people, for his ſake.

Fourthly, Beſides theſe three expoſitions of the Text, I finde another which is more litterall, and yet more ſpiritual then any of the three: and it is that which our late learned Annotators have given us, Mine eye powres out teares unto God.

And he will plead for a man with God, and the Sonne of man for his friend, The mind of which tranſlation is this, He, that is, Chriſt Jeſus the Mediatour betweene God and man will plead for a man, that is, for me; he ſpeakes in the third perſon for modeſties ſake, though he meanes himſelfe; he will plead for me, (though you plead never ſo much againſt me) for me (I ſay) he will plead with God, that is, with God his Father: the Hebrew word here uſed for God, is in the ſingular number, Eloah, p. 386not Elohim, and ſo it is in the cloſe of the former verſe, Mine eye powreth out teares, to (Eloah) God, and he will plead with God, which more then intimates a diſtinct perſonalitie or ſubſiſtence in the divine nature, One, who is, and is called God acting towards another, who is, and is called God, though God be but one or (uniſſimus) One-moſt in nature. Job weepes to God the Son, in aſſurance that he will plead for him with God the Father, He will plead for a man with God.

And the Son of man, that is, Jeſus Chriſt; whom he called God before, he cals now, The Sonne of man, this Title is frequently attributed unto Chriſt in the New-Teſtament (Matth. 8.20.) The Foxes have holes, &c. but the Sonne of man hath not where to lay his head, ſo (Matth. 10.23.11.19.12.8. &c,) Jeſus Chriſt is called the Sonne of man,

Firſt, to ſhew the truth of his humane nature, he being lineally deſcended from David, according to the fleſh, and is therefore ſtyled, The Sonne of David.

Secondly, to ſhew the depth of his abaſement, Chriſt humbled yea emptyed, and nothing'd himſelf, when Being in the forme of God, he was made in the likeneſſe of men (Phil. 2.) when being the Sonne of God, he ſubmitted to ſo meane a ſtyle, The Sonne of man. Ezekiel amongſt all the Prophets is ofteneſt called Son of man. The reaſon which ſome aſſigne is very probable, That God ſpake to him under that Title, to keep him humble in the midſt of his many viſions and revelations, for which, end, Paul in the ſame caſe had A I horne in the fleſh, the Meſſenger of Satan to buffet him (2 Cor. 12.) and though Jeſus Chriſt needed nothing either to make or keepe him humble (he being infinitely beyond the reach of pride) yet he needed much to ſhew and give proofe how humble he was. Nor could there be any greater evidence of it, then this, that he was pleaſed to be The Sonne of man. Yet I conceive, Son of man may be here only an Hebraiſme denoting man, which kinde of ſpeaking is alſo uſuall among the the Greekes. And that Job might ſpeake of Chriſt under this notion, is cleare from that faith which he diſcovered in the myſterie of his incarnation, that great myſterie of godlines, God manifeſted in the fleſh, of which he ſpake ſo confid…ntly (Chap. 19.25, 26, 27.) I know that my Redeemer liveth▪ and that he ſhall ſtand at the latter day upon the earth, whom I ſhall ſee for my ſelfe, and mine eyes ſhall behold, &c. Job believed, p. 387that he ſhould ſee this Redeemer with humane eyes, and therefore he did believe, that his Redeemer ſhould have a humane Nature, or be The Son of man. Jeſus Chriſt, was A Son of man, in reference to his participation with us in all things, which concerne created nature, And he was The Son of man, by way of Eminency in reference to his freedome from any participation with us in corrupted nature, otherwiſe then in the paenall effects of that corruption as the Apoſtle ſtates it (Heb. 2.17. chap. 4.15.) In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, and he was tempted in all points, like as we are, yet without ſinne. He that is in all things like man except ſinne, is rightly called The Sonne of man, for ſinne is not at all the forme, but all the deformity of man: Hence Jobs faith propheſied, The Sonne of man will plead,

For his friend. The word in the Hebrew comes from a root which ſignifies to feed either our ſelves or others, becauſe friends uſe often to feed together, and ſometimes one friend ſeeds, or provides, and offers food to another. It is taken ſometimes largely for a Neighbour, and not ſeldome ſtrictly for a ſpeciall friend (Deut. 13.6.) if thy friend who is as thine own ſoule entice thee, &c. that is, if the nereſt and friend that thou haſt in the world entice thee, &c. in this ſtrict ſenſe the word is to be taken here; Job was not one of Chriſts friends at large, he was a ſpecial a Boſome-friend, Job was not (according to the known uſe of that word among us) A friend of Chriſt extraordinary, but he was Chriſts friend in ordinary, a man who dayly convers'd with Chriſt, and Chriſt with him; a man who dayly performed Offices of dutifull love to Chriſt, and a man to whom Chriſt dayly performed the Offices of bountifull and mercifull love. Hence his holy aſſurance that Chriſt would perform that Office of mercy for him, The Son of man will plead for his fiend.

The vvords thus opened are (as I may ſay) An Epitome of the Goſpel, a little goſpel, yea I may cal them the whole Goſpel; what is the Goſpel but this good newes, that Chriſt, God-man mediates for his people. All that Chriſt was is expreſſed in this, what ſo-Chriſt did more then this on earth, is implyed in this, and this is all Chriſt now doth, for us in Heaven, He ever lives to make interceſſion for us ſaith Saint Paul (Heb. 7.25) which is the ſame in effect, with what holy Job profeſſeth in this Text, Hee will plead for a man with God, and the Sonne of man for his Friend.

p. 388There is one thing further to be noted, for the clearing of this Text: For poſſibly the Reader may ſcruple how the ſame words ſhould be rendred by ſome, as a wiſh, O that one might plead for a man with God: and by others as a concluſion, He will plead with God for a man. Againe, how the latter branch ſhould be rendred by ſome in the forme of a ſimilitude, As a man for his neighbour, and by others as a direct aſſertion, And the Son of man for his Freind.

I anſwer to the firſt, That the ſame word may be thus diverſly rendred according to differing Moods of Grammar; and ſo the ſigne of the Optative Moode which is in the forme of a wiſh, is by ſome judged moſt ſutable to the ſcope of this place. So that a wiſh may here be underſtood and ſafely ſupplyed, though it be not expreſſed.

To the ſecond ſcruple I anſwer, that the particle Vau, in the Hebrew, placed at the beginning of a word, though it be uſually taken as a Conjunction, knitting one ſentence to another, yet according to the exigence, and ſcope of the Scripture, it undergoes diverſe other ſignifications.

As firſt, A diſjunctive (Exod. 12.15.) Ye ſhall take it out from the Sheep, or from the Goates: The Hebrew is, And from the Goates; but becauſe the Law did not command both, but gave a liberty to chuſe eyther of the two; therefore we render not And, but Or, from the Goates: So (Judg. 11.31.) See the Margin of our Bibles; which ſhewes that Jepthtah did not binde himſelfe to offer up whatſoever ſhould meet him, in Sacrifice, but one of the two he did binde himſelfe to, eyther to dedicate that to the Lord, or to offer it up for a burnt Offering.

Secondly, It is often uſed Adverſatively, and is rendred, But (Gen. 42.10. Pſal. 44.17, &c.)

Thirdly, Cauſally, and it is rendred For (Pſal. 60.11. Iſa 64.5. &c.)

Fourthly (Beſides diverſe other acceptions of it, which I ſhall omit) it is uſed Comparatively, or as a Note of likeneſſe (Prov. 25.25.) As cold water to a thirſty ſoule, ſo is good newes from a farr Countrey: The Hebrew is, And good newes. So (Pro. 26.7.) and very frequently in that Book. Thus in the Text the particle (Vau) is taken by ſome as a note of likeneſſe; comparing the two parts of the Verſe with each other; but p. 389by others it is taken onelyonly as a conjunction copulative, knitting both parts of the Verſe together: He will plead for a man with God, and the Son of man for his Freind.

From the words according to this latter readin…

Obſerve, Firſt.

There is an Advocate between God and Man.

Sin hath made a breach, there needs a Mediator to heale it. God and ſinfull man are (as we ſpeake) Two, and they cannot be made One but by a Third. Man was created in a ſtate of amity with God, that ſtate needed no Mediatour; man being reſtored is in a ſtate of reconciliation unto God, that ſtate needs a Mediatour, both to ſettle and continue it: And hee who is the Mediatour betweene both parties, is an Advocate, a pleader, a Patron for the one partie. There was need of a Mediatour, even in regard of God himſelfe, that both his State might be preſerved, and his Juſtice ſatisfied: But there was need of an Advocate, onelyonly in regard of man, that ſo his wants and miſeries might be declared, and that mercy together with helpe in the time of need might be obtained. The Apoſtle (Gal. 3.20.) deſcribing the nature of a Mediatour, ſaith, A Mediatour is not of one, or (as we ſupply) not a Mediatour of one. A Mediatour is of two, yea and for two. But an Advocate, though he be betweene two, yet he is but for one, or of one, eyther of one individually taken, or of one ſpecifically taken, eyther of one man, or of one ſort or company of men, who though they are many in number, yet their ſtate, or caſe is one. Thus Chriſt is an Advocate for one, or of one; all that he is an Advocate for, being in one and the ſame condition for the maine, though ſome particulars in every mans caſe may vary▪

The Greek word which is rendred Advocate in the New Teſtament is applyed to the holy Ghoſt: But there is a great difference betweene Chriſt his being a Paraclete, or an Advocate, and the ſpirits being an Advocate (John 16.7.) If I goe not away (ſaith Chriſt) the Comforter (or the Advocate) will not come unto you: that is, The holy Ghoſt, will not come unto you. One Advocate goeth away, that the other Advocate may come. Chriſt is an Advocate by way of impetration, the ſpirit is Advocate by way of application: Chriſt is an Advocate vvith God, to get mercy for us; the ſpirit is an Advocate with us, p. 390to prevaile on our hearts to receive that mercy: Though Chriſt be our Advocate in Heaven, pleading for us with the Father, yet if we had not the ſpirit to plead in our hearts on earth, we …ould never receive the good that Chriſt hath purchaſed for us of his Father. Chriſt appeares for us in Heaven (Heb. 9.24.) He appeares as an Atturney in Court for his Client; he is gone to Heaven to appeare for us; the ſpirit comes from Heaven and appeares in us. Chriſt began the worke of his interceſſion here (John 17.) Hee is gone into Heaven to continue and perfect it. The ſpirit doth both begin and perfect his interceſſion here; he doth not plead for us, but in us; or the ſpirit makes interceſſion for us by ſtirring us up to prayer, by teaching us how to word and mould, or rather how to ſigh and groane our prayers; Chriſt makes interceſſion for us, by preſenting, and tendering thoſe prayers to the Father which the ſpirit helpes us to make, or by making prayers for us himſelfe to the Father.

Some diſpute how, they inquire much after the manner how Chriſt makes interceſſion or performes the office of an Advocate for us; but it is enough for us to know that hee is an Advocate, or that he makes interceſſion for us, though we are not able to deſcribe the manner how: Whether it be,

Firſt, OnelyOnly by preſenting himſelfe to the Father, and his appearing for us, which is an equivalent, if not a formall interceſſion:

Or ſecondly, By the tendering of his righteouſneſſe, and merits, as ſatisfaction to the Father.

Or thirdly, By expreſſing our wants and his deſires for us: Whether by all theſe, or by which of theſe, or whether by ſome other way, is not determinable by us; yet this is cleare that he performes the office of an Advocate for us, and that we receive every good thing from the hand of God, through his hand.

Further, Chriſt may be conſidered:

Firſt, As an Advocate for the whole Church: There are ſome cauſes of common concernement to all the people of God. Thus he was an Advocate for Jeruſalem, when under bonds and captivity in Babylon (Zech. 1.12.) Then the Angell of the Lord (not a created, but the creating Angell, or the Angel of the Covenant, who is the Son of God) anſwered and ſayd, O p. 391Lord of Hoſts, how long, wilt thou not have mercy on Jeruſalem, and on the Cities of Judah againſt which thou haſt had indignation theſe three ſcore and ten yeares.

And as Chriſt pleads for the whole Church, ſo for every particular member of the Church, and that alſo under a twofold notion.

He is Advocate, firſt, to take away our ſins; If any man ſin (ſaith the Apoſtle John, 1 Epiſt. 2.1.) we have an Advocate with the Father, Jeſus Chriſt the righteous, &c.

Secondly, Chriſt is an Advocate for us with the Father in our ſufferings and troubles, to get them taken off from us, or ſanctified to us. Doubtleſſe Job made uſe of Chriſt continually as an Advocate, to take off the guilt of ſin; yet here he makes uſe of Chriſt as an Advocate to get off his ſufferings, eſpecially theſe misjudgings of his Freinds, who deeply cenſured and aſperſed him, becauſe of his ſufferings; yea a Beleever makes uſe of Chriſt as an Advocate, to get any good thing, whether little or great, whether for ſoule or for body, as much as he doth for the removing of any evill, whether of ſin or trouble.

Secondly, Obſerve.

The Doctrine of a Mediator betweene God and Man was knowne and beleeved in the World, long before Chriſt came into the World.

Many ſaw Chriſt by Faith before he was ſeene in the fleſh: Faith is the ſubſtance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not ſeene (Heb. 1.1.) And as it is the evidence of things, ſo of perſons that are not ſeen. Chriſt tells the Jewes (John. 8.56.) Your Father Abraham rejoyced to ſee my day; and he ſaw it and was glad: And when the Jewes quarrelled at this, Thou art not yet fifty yeares old, and haſt thou ſeen Abraham? Jeſus ſayd unto them, Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, before Abraham was, I am. As Abraham ſaw his day by Faith, ſo David in ſpirit called him Lord (Mat. 22.43.) And as theſe perſons, with all the holy Elders ſaw Chriſt by Faith in the promiſe, ſo the whole Ceremoniall Law was a repreſentation of Chriſt to faith by ſenſe: Every ſlaine Sacrifice ſpake the death of Chriſt, and the ſprinkling of that blood, the ſprinkling of their conſciences and ours for the remiſſion of ſins: Yea, They did all eate the ſame ſpirituall meat (that is, the ſame which we now eate) and did all drinke the ſame ſpirituall drinke; for they dranke of that ſpirituall Rock p. 392that followed them (and leaſt we ſhould miſtake what was meant by that Rock, the Apoſtle expounds it himſelfe) And that Rock was Chriſt. The Rock did not follow them, but Chriſt who was ſignified by that Rock did follow them. They who are built upon Chriſt the Rock, ſhall never be moved, yet Chriſt is a moving, as well as a living Rock, to thoſe who are built upon him; whither ſoever they move, he follows them. Thus Jeſus Chriſt was meate and drinke to the Jewes as well as to us; for he is the Lamb ſlaine from the foundation of the World (Revel. 13.8.) that is, The vertue ot his death ſaved all who have been ſaved from the foundation of the World. As Chriſt was ſlaine from Eternity in the counſell of God; ſo he was ſlaine from the beginning of time in the promiſe of God (Gen. 3.15.) which was the publication of his death; he was then alſo ſlaine as to the heart of Beleevers, whoſe Faith (having once a word for it) makes that which is abſent, in regard of place, ſpiritually preſent, and that which is not, in regard of time, truely to be.

Thirdly, Obſerve.

The Mediatour betweene God and man hath beene knowne and beleeved in all Ages under a twofold nature, both God and Man.

We have both in this profeſſion of Jobs Faith: He beleeved the Mediatour to be God, for he ſaith, Mine eye powreth teares to God. There is the divine nature. He beleeved that the Mediatour ſhould be man, and therefore adds, The Son of man for his freind; there is his humane nature; ſo that not onelyonly the generall Doctrine of the mediatorſhip of Chriſt, but this particular about the conſtitution of his perſon as Mediator, was alſo knowne. Had not our Advocate been man he could not have ſuffered for us, and had hee not been God he could not have ſatisfied for us. Theſe points of Goſpel Catechiſme are ſo neceſſary and fundamentall, that in every Age Beleevers have in ſome meaſure been inſtructed about them. And whereas the Apoſtle ſaith (1 Tim. 2.5.) There is one Mediatour betweene God and men, or, of God and men the man Chriſt Jeſus: He doth not add man, to exclude the Divine nature from the Mediatorſhip, but emphatically to demonſtrate that nature, in which he gave himſelfe a ranſome for us, of which he ſpeakes in the next Verſe. For though the ranſome was paid by him who is God, or had a divine nature, yet it was paid p. 393in the Manhood, or humane Nature onelyonly. The humane ture was the matter of our ranſome, but from the Divine nature gave worth and value to it.

Further Job ſpeakes with much confidence and aſſurance, both of Chriſts willingneſſe to undertake his cauſe, and of the ſucceſſe or good iſſue of his cauſe, if once Chriſt did but undertake it: He will plead for a man with God.

Hence Obſerve.

Fourthly, Chriſt is very ready to ſpeake for, and plead the cauſe of poore ſinners before God his Father.

He will doe it, ſaith Job; Chriſt is eaſie to be entreated, hee is found of thoſe that ſeek him not, then ſurely hee will be found of thoſe that ſeek him. His promiſe is (John 6.37.) Him that commeth unto me, I will in no wiſe caſt out: As if hee had ſayd, Whatſoever I doe, I will not doe this: And when he ſaith, he will not doe this, his meaning is, that he will doe much more for them, then the not doing of this comes to; hee will readily receive their perſons, and undertake their ſuites, though they have no Fee to give him, nothing to move him, but the need they have of him.

Fifthly, Obſerve.

Chriſt is a powerfull, and an effectuall Mediatour with the Father.

He carries the day; he is a prevailing Mediatour. Chriſt is ſuch a Phyſitian, that no man ever dyed under his hand, and he is ſuch an Advocate, that no mans cauſe ever miſcarryed under his hand. The Arminians maintaine a propitiation made, or a Sacrifice offered by Chriſt for all, yet they dare not ſay, it is effectuall for all; but the interceſſion of Chriſt (in their opinion) is effectuall for all. Chriſt dyed (ſay they) for thoſe that hee doth not ſave; but Chriſt prayeth for none but thoſe that ſhall be ſaved. They are not for univerſall Interceſſion, though they are for an univerſall Sacrifice, or propitiation; and their reaſon is, becauſe they cannot deny but many ſhall periſh for ever, which yet they could not, did Chriſt but pray for them. We beleeve that his Sacrifice is as effectuall as his Interceſſion; and that therefore he dyed for none but thoſe for whom he prayes, his Interceſſion being for the drawing out, and bringing home the benefit of his Sacrifice to thoſe, and to all thoſe for whom he offered himſelfe to God. But to the point in hand, The Arminian p. 394who leaves the death of Chriſt in the hand of mans free will, aſſiſted onelyonly by generall Grace, to make it effectuall to himſelfe, or not, he (I ſay) aſſerts the Interceſſion of Chriſt not onelyonly ſufficient, but effectuall for all, in whoſe behalfe he intercedes: So that we are ſure all ſhall goe well with us in the Court of Heaven, while we have Chriſt our Advocate with the Father.

And that we may have fulneſſe of confidence to come to God by Chriſt, let us conſider theſe five things.

Firſt, Chriſt is moſt wiſe to mannage our cauſe; ſo wiſe that he is the wiſedome of the Father: If we had an Advocate at the Barr, furniſht with as much wiſedome as the Judge, it were a great ſtep to obtaine in a right ſuite.

Secondly, Chriſt is an eloquent Advocate, a powerfull Orator. As the Lord hath given him the tongue of the learned, that he ſhould know how to ſpeake a word in ſeaſon to him that is weary (Iſa. 54.4.) So he hath a learned tongue to ſpeake a word for him that is weary: Chriſt is the Eſſentiall word, and the flower of all declarative words is with him; when he ſpake on earth, he ſpake with authority (Matth. 7.29.) All wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth (Luke 4.24.) Yea, his hearers ſomewhere teſtifie, never ſpake man as this man ſpeaketh: And as no man ever ſpake like him to man, ſo no man ever ſpake like him to God.

Thirdly, Chriſt is a faithfull Advocate; his interceſſion is a part of his Prieſtly office, wee have a faithfull high Prieſt, ſaith the Apoſtle, therefore a faithfull Advocate: He will never eyther deſert our cauſe, or betray it; he is as ſure to us as our owne ſoules; yea, hee and the ſoules of his are one.

Fourthly, Chriſt is a mercifull Advocate, hee layes our cauſe to heart, our cauſe is his cauſe: Hee hath eſpouſed the Intereſts of his people, and doth all for us upon his owne account. When Saints are perſecuted, we may tell him that he is perſecuted, and that hee is afflicted when they are: The Church may plead with Chriſt to plead for the removing of her ſufferings, under the title of his ſufferings, he being the head of the Church, and the Church being his body. Chriſt is, as a faithfull, ſo a mercifull high Preiſt (Heb. 2.17.) and the Apoſtle ſaith, That in all things it behoved him to be like p. 395his brethren, that he might be ſo. Chriſt had an ability of ſufficiency to be mercifull to us, as God, though hee had never been made like unto us by becomming man, but hee had not that ability (as ſome ſpeake) of Idoneity, or fitneſſe to be mercifull. His being made like unto us, hath given him a double Idoneity, for the tenderneſſe of his heart towards us.

Firſt, In that he himſelfe hath ſuffered being tempted (Heb. 2.18.) His paſſions in the fleſh were great.

Secondly, In that himſelfe ſuffers ſtill in all our temptations, his compaſſions with our fleſh are great.

Now an Advocate, who eyther hath had an experience of trouble in his owne perſon, or is full of the ſenſe of his Clients trouble, and feeles his ſmart, will certainely doe his utmoſt to releeve him; becauſe in his releife, himſelfe is releeved alſo.

Fifthly, Chriſt is the Favorite of the Judge; it is a great advantage to have one pleading for us at the Barr, who is in favour with the Bench: Chriſt is highly in favour with the Bench: God hath teſtified from Heaven, This is my wel-beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed (Matth. 3.17.) The Judge is our Advocates Freind and Father.

Laſtly, That we may be further aſſured that he will doe his utmoſt for us. Our Advocate calls us his Freinds: As the Judge is his Freind, before whom he pleads, ſo every Saint is his Freind for whom hee pleads. Some will doe more for freindſhip then for a Fee. We know it is ſo with Jeſus Chriſt, he pleads for his people, becauſe they are his Freinds: This, Job makes uſe of here, Hee will plead for a man with God, and the Son of man for his Freind. As if Job had ſayd, I know I have a Freind of Chriſt, and Chriſt lookes on me as his freind, and therefore I have higheſt confidence that he will plead my cauſe, and take off this ſcandall. So much for Jobs earneſt deſire upon his appeale, that his cauſe might come to a hearing, and that Chriſt would undertake the pleading of it before his Father.

He gives a reaſon, in the laſt verſe why he was thus preſſing to have the buſineſſe brought to an iſſue; why he did thus appeale to God as his witneſſe, why he did powre out p. 396teares to Chriſt, that he would plead for him? Why all this?

Verſ. 22. When a few yeares are come, then ſhall I goe the way whence I ſhall not returne.

Deum vellem jamjam in preſentia diſceptationem in ſe recipere quia ad mortem propero Jun.As if He had ſaid, For as much as I muſt dye ſhortly, I deſire to have this difference taken up before I dye, I cannot live long in this world, and I would not goe out of the world, under ſuch a cloud as is now upon me: Is it not time for me to haſten my cauſe to an end when mine end haſtens? and to get my buſines determined before my yeares are?

Anni numeri. Heb. i. e. qui numerati ſunt adeo et breviſſima periodo circumſcripti.Heb 1When a few yeares are come.

The Hebrew is, yeares of number, that is, Yeares which may eaſily be numbred (Iſai. 10.19) The trees that remaine ſhall be few that a Child may write them, they ſhall be trees of number, that is, a ſmall number, and (Gen. 34.29.) Jacob ſaith, We are but few, the Hebrew is, We are men of number, we may ſoone be told, a Child may tell us, and yet you provoke Citie and Countrie againſt us. We very well tranſlate according to the Hebraiſme, yeares of number, a few yeares. When a few yeares are come.

I ſhall goe the way whence I ſhall not returne.

What way is that (which hath, Veſtigiv nulla retrorſum) where all ſteps are forwards, and none backward: this is ſuch a way as wee meet not with in all our earthly travels, yet every man on earth is travelling towards ſuch a way: travell which way you will, you have as many ſteps backwards as forwards, men comming, and going: but (ſaith Job) I ſhall goe the way I ſhall not returne.

What way is this,? This is the way of all fleſh (Joſhua 23.15. 1 King 2.2.) This is the way to the grave, that way hath no ſteps backwards.

But are there no returne from the grave?

It is true, ſome have riſen; there have been ſome firſt fruits of a reſurrection: but they who have come from the grave are ſo few, that their foot-ſteps are worn out by thoſe many & many thouſands of thouſands who have gone to the grave. What multitudes have gone the way to the grave, and are not returned? p. 397ſome few have returned, but theſe ſo few, that we may ſtill affirme, the way to the grave knowes no returning. That which is very rarely done (the contrary being very frequently done) is ſaid not to be done at all, or never to be done.

But Job ſeemes to deny his owne returne; he ſpeakes as if he ſhould not be only lodged for a while, but loſt for ever in the grave; I ſhall goe the way, whence I ſhall not returne.

I anſwer, That Jobs faith was clear in the point of the reſurrection of the body appeares by the confeſſion which he makes (Chap. 19.25, 26.) and therefore when he ſaith, I ſhall not returne, his meaning is (as was ſhewed upon a like paſſage Chap. 10.21.

Firſt, That he ſhould not returne by any power of nature.

Secondly, That he ſhould not returne to a State of nature; he believed fully that he ſhould returne by the power of God, to an eſtate of glory. Our bodies which are ſowen naturall bodies, ſhall be raiſed ſpirituall bodies. Though that which was ſowed ſhall returne, yet vvhen it returnes it ſhall not be as it was ſowed.

Laſtly, whereas Job ſaith, I ſhall not returne, his meaning is, vvhen I dye, or if I dye, I ſhall no more returne to my houſe and dwelling in the vvorld, I muſt take my leave of all theſe things for ever. My place ſhall know me no more, as he ſpeakes to the ſame ſubject (Chap. 7.10.)

From the firſt branch of the verſe note.

The yeares of mans life are few.

You may quickly number them.

Secondly, As the yeares of mans life come about quickly, ſo when they are come, vve muſt goe certainely, vvee muſt goe with death. I ſhall goe (ſaith Job) there is no hindring, no ſtopping of that journey; it will not ſerve any mans turne to ſay, He hath no mind to goe, he muſt goe; it will not ſerve any mans turne to ſay He is not at leiſure to goe, he muſt go; it will not ſerve any mans turne to ſay, he is not fit to goe, He is not prepared to goe, he muſt goe as he is, fit or unfit, prepared or unprepared, he muſt goe. It will not ſerve any mans turne to ſay, he will give all the treaſure in his houſe, all the money in his purſe, to be ſpared this journey, he muſt goe. It will not ſerve any mans turne to ſay, he will get another to goe for him, or he will ſend one in his rooome. There is no p. 398dying by proxie; every man when his few yeares are come muſt goe in perſon.

Thirdly Obſerve.

A Believer can ſpeake of death familiarly.

It is a comfort to him in his ſorrowes, to thinke that he ſhall dye ſhortly, When a few yares are come, I ſhall goe the way, &c. he ſpeakes pleaſantly, the mention of death was a life to him, Jobs life was a kinde of death, and therefore to him eſpecially death would be a kind of life; were our hearts rightly affected, they that have the moſt lively life, would thinke death better th…n this life, I deſire (ſaith Paul) to be diſſolved, and to be with Chriſt, which is beſt of all. Death was better to him then life, and leſt any ſhould ſay, no marvaile if Paul deſired to dye, who could ſcarſe tell where to live, and no marvaile if he would dye once for all, who was in deaths often: to prevent this cavil, he adds, Which is beſt of all. Barely to dye is better to ſome then a troubleſome life, but to dye and be with Chriſt, is better then the beſt life, much more is it better then that life in this world, which is a continuall death, as Jobes was, how ſhoul ſuch a man ſing out Job's verſe, When a few dayes are come, I ſhall goe the way, whence I ſhall not returne.

Fourthly Obſerve.

It is good to put death before us under the eaſieſt notions.

Here Job cals it only a going, a going out of the world, that is all, he elſewhere cals it a ſleepe, and the Spirit of God every where (in reference to Saints) ſpeakes of it in the moſt comfortable expreſſions. Death it ſelfe is ſo embalmed, yea and cloathed in the holy language, that there is even a ſweetnes and a beauty in it. When a man hath worne a ſuit of Apparrell a great while, and hath even worne it out, or it becomes foule and naſty, would he not be glad to put that off, and get a new one upon his back? therefore death is called an uncloathing, a putting off the fleſh; there is no hurt in that; when a man hath tyred himſelf all the day at his work, would he not gladly go to bed? therfore death is called reſt or ſleep. Under theſe or the like conſiderations held forth in Scripture, we may (as it were) burie al hard thoughts of death, as was further ſhewed (Chap. 14.12) eſpecally while we remember that as now life is by many degrees, bits or morſels, ſwallowed up of p. 399mortality, ſo then death ſhall (at one bit or morſell) be ſwallowed up of life (2 Cor. 5.4.) For Chriſt hath not onelyonly conquered, but aboliſhed death, and hath brought, not onelyonly life, but immortality to light through the Goſpell (2 Tim. 1.10.) Life is good, yet when it may be ſayd of a life it ſhall dye, that puts an evill into life: But if life be good, how good is immortality, which is a life that cannot dye?

Sixthly, Note, Job is very importunate to have a blot upon his good name wiped out; his conſcience was cleere, his ſoule was well, he could ſay (Chap. 13.) Hee is my Saviour, and I know that I ſhall be juſtified, yet becauſe he was under aſperſions and harſh cenſures, he haſtens to have theſe taken off, becauſe he was to dye ſhortly.

If we ſhould on this ground, be carefull to ſettle our outward eſtates and credits; how much more ſhould we be carefull upon this ground to ſee that our ſoules be well ſettled? How ſhould each one ſay, I will haſten to get my ſins pardoned, my perſon juſtified; I will haſten to have all cleer between God and my ſoule; For when a few yeares are come, I ſhall goe the way whence I ſhall not returne: And if I doe not ſee theſe things done, while I am here, I ſhall never come back to ſee them done, nor can they be done at all in the place whither I am going There is no repenting, no reforming, no beleeving in the grave: if our ſpirituall change be not before our naturall change, it will never be. This …rgument ſhould provoke us to ſettle the affaires of our ſoules ſpeedily. It is not unlawfull, nay, it is a duty to vindicate our credit, and to order the affaires that concerne this life, becauſe we have not long to live: The haſt of death ſhould make us haſt our worke, even the worke of this life; much more upon this ground ſhould we ſee that our hearts be ſetled, that our eternall peace be ſetled, how ſhould the haſte of death make us haſte the worke of the life which is to come? But as it ſhould make us haſten that worke, ſo it muſt not make us huddle that worke, or ſlubber it over, or doe it to halves. Such haſte is waſte indeed: For, if we leave our ſoules halfe ſetled, and our peace halfe made; and our repentance and turning to God in the midd way, we ſhall never come againe to finiſh and perfect them, no more then we ſhall, to begin them. Therefore ſet ſpeedily about the worke, and give your ſelves no reſt till p. 400the worke be perfected; for when a few dayes are come, you ſhall goe the way where yee ſhall not returne.

Laſtly, Which was Jobs ſpeciall caſe.

It is an affliction for any man to dye under a blott of diſgrace.

Our credit and good name ſhould be precious to us while we live; eſpecially wee ſhould be carefull to dye with good credit, and not to let a blott lye on us when wee are going out of the World. Job would not dye under the name of an Hypocrite, or an Oppreſſour, with which black titles he had been charged by his Freinds. It is a mercy to goe to the Grave with honour among men, and to dye deſired; though it be enough that we goe to our Grave having honour with God, and being deſired of him. A good name is a Box of oyntment powred forth; and a good report (eſpecially among thoſe that are good) is as the embalming of our memories to poſterity. And yet the Saints are not ſo ſollicitous for repaires in honour, becauſe of that eſteeme which they have of their owne eſteeme (that's the ſtraine of ambition) and they have learned to goe through good report and evill report, through honour and diſhonour; they know how to goe forth without the Campe, bearing the reproach of Chriſt: But they are unwilling that Chriſt ſhould beare their reproach, or that his name ſhould be diſhonoured through them. And therefore ſeeing they deſire while they live, to adorne the Doctrine of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt in all things, they cannot but be carefull before they dye, to remove from their owne names whatſoever might reflect diſhonour upon his. How neer Job was (in his owne opinion) to the valley of the ſhadow of death, is yet more evident in the firſt words of the next Chapter: Here he onelyonly tells us, he muſt dye ſhortly, there he tells us, upon the matter, that he was dead already; here he ſaith, When a few yeares are come, I ſhall goe, there he ſaith not onelyonly that he had no more yeares to come, but no more dayes: My dayes are extinct, &c.