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

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

p. 239JOB, CHAP. 16. Verſ. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.

Though I ſpeak, my griefe is not aſſwaged: and though I forbeare, what am I eaſed?

But now he hath made mee weary: thou haſt made deſolate all my company.

And thou haſt filled me with wrinkles, which is a witneſſe againſt me: and my leaneneſſe riſing up in me, beareth witneſſe to my face.

He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnaſheth upon me with his teeth, mine enemy ſharpeneth his eyes upon me.

They have gaped upon me with their mouth, they have ſmitten mee upon the cheek reproachfully, they have gathered them ſelves together againſt me.

God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over to the hands of the wicked.

IN the five former Verſes of this Chapter, Job reproved the perſonall faylings of his Freinds towards him; hee now enters upon the confutation of their opinion. This is the conſtant method, both of Job and his Freinds; they never come to the matter till they have fallen upon the man; nor touch the opinion, till they have dealt with the perſon. And this is the tenour of moſt mens ſpirits, to this day, in diſputes and controverſies, and ſome doe not onelyonly deale with the man before the matter, but loſe the matter in dealing with the man, entangling, and engaging themſelves ſo much in perſonall quarrels, that they forget, or deſert the doctrinall quarrell. Job and his Freinds, though they were too mindfull of the former, yet they did not forget the latter, and here Job addreſſes himſelfe unto it. Yet before he enters upon the ſtate of the queſtion, he ſets forth his owne ſtate, and ſhews how it was with him; granting (which Eliphaz had made the ground of his accuſation) that he was in an extreamely afflicted condition, yet denying what he from thence inferred, that he was therefore wicked, or continued knowingly in any ſinfull courſe. He deſcribes his afflictions with much variety of Argument and Elocution, to the ſeventeenth Verſe.

p. 240Firſt, Aggravating them by their unmoveableneſſe, or remedileſneſſe: His ſorrows were ſtubborne, and ſuch as would not yeeld to any kinde of remedy.

Verſ. 6. Though I ſpeake my griefe is not aſſwaged, and though I forbeare, what am I eaſed?

In the former Verſe Job ſpeakes in a high ſtraine of aſſurance, that if his Freinds were afflicted, The moving of his lips ſhould aſſwage their griefe: But it ſeemes, his owne experience had taught him, that the moving of his lips could not aſſwage his owne greife; Though I ſpeake (ſaith he here) my griefe is not aſſwaged.

Hence Obſerve.

A man may doe that for others which he cannot doe for himſelfe. He may comfort others in their ſorrows, when hee cannot comfort himſelfe, he may reſolve others in their doubts, when he cannot reſolve himſelfe, hee may anſwer to caſes which their conſciences put him, when he cannot anſwer his owne; yea 'tis poſſible for a man to ſpeak ſuch words to another, as may turne him from his ſin, and ſave his ſoule, and yet himſelfe continue in ſin, and loſe his owne ſoule for ever. Naturaliſts have a rule concerning the ſenſes, That, when a ſenſible object is brought too neere, or layd upon the ſenſe, it not onelyonly hinders, but takes away the preſent ſenſation. This holds a proportion in rationall actings: the neerer any one is to us in relation, the harder it is to fixe counſell upon him; and becauſe wee are neereſt to our ſelves, therefore it is hardeſt of all to counſell our ſelves.

Our Saviour Chriſt prevents what he foreſaw ſome ready to object againſt him (Luke 4.23.) Yee will ſurely ſay unto me this Proverbe, Phyſitian heale thy ſelfe. The Proverbe in its Originall is (I conceive) to be underſtood perſonally; but as Chriſt ſuggeſts it there, it is to be underſtood Nationally, or Provincially, Heale thy ſelfe, is, heale thy owne Countrey; exerciſe thy power of working miracles there, as well as thou haſt done it in other places; that this is the meaning of it, appeares plainely by the next words, Whatſoever we have heard done in Canaan, doe alſo in thine owne Countrey: For Chriſt as yet had wrought no mighty workes of healing there (Mark 6.5.) But why was Chriſt ſo ſlow in manifeſting himſelfe to p. 241his owne Countreymen? Hee gives the reaſon (Verſ. 24.) And he ſayd, Verily I ſay unto you, no Prophet is accepted in his owne Countrey: The Goſpel of Mark (Chap. 6.4.) adds two cloſer relations, His owne Kin, and his owne Houſe: They in a mans houſe are neerer to him then his kindred abroad, and his kindred are neerer to him then his Countrey-men; now among theſe, a Prophet hath no honour: They know him ſo much, that they doe not reſpect him, or his ſayings. The Jewes ſayd, Is not this the Carpenter, the Son of Mary, the Brother of James, &c. Chriſt being thus neere to them, had little honour among them. Now for as much, as a man is neerer to himſelfe, not onelyonly then his Countrey-men, but then any of his Kin; therefore his owne counſels and comforts have ordinarily ſo little effect upon himſelfe; he is not accepted in his owne breaſt. There are ſome indeed ſo gracious, or great in their owne eyes, that they vvill aske counſell of none but themſelves, nor follow any adviſe but their owne; but uſually man ſeeks out, as being neither able to ſatisfie his owne doubts, nor abate his owne ſorrowes, though poſſibly, more able for both, then he to whom he ſeekes. Though I ſpeake, my griefe is not aſſwaged; and though I forbeare, what am I eaſed?

Some conceive Job ſpeaking here like an Orator, who ſeems to ſtand in doubt vvhat to doe,Eloquar an ſileam? Quid agam? ſi locutus fuero, &c. Vulg. and therefore trembles out his Preface in ſuch vvords as theſe, Shall I ſpeake, or ſhall I be ſilent? Shall I open my lips, or ſhall I forbeare? Jobs paine received no check vvhichwhich way ſoever of theſe he tooke, and therefore it ſeemed vaine to attempt either.

Though I ſpeake.

That is, If I ſtand up in my juſt defence to anſwer, and take away your objections, yet my greife is not anſwered; Nunc eo res redierunt, ut quo me vertam neſciam aut quid agam, nam nec loquendo nec tacendo quicquam proficio. Merc.that is as buſie with me, and as talkative as ever it was; yea, then you object my impatience under ſufferings, as an argument of my ſin.

And though I forbeare.

That is, If I byte in my paine, and ſpeake not, if I ſtand mute, as attentive to heare you ſpeake, yet my ſorrow moves not; yea, then you judge my ſilence an argument of my ſecret guilt, and that all is true which you have ſayd againſt me, becauſe I ſay nothing for my ſelfe. Thus,

What am I eaſed ſayth the Text in our tranſlation? The Hebrew p. 242ſaith, What goeth from me? That is, What of my paine, what of my ſorrow goeth away from me, when I ceaſe, or forbeare to ſpeake? So that,

The generall ſenſe of this Verſe is to ſhew that his troubles were paſt hope of redreſſe; they found no cure; none by ſpeech, none by ſilence: Griefe is ſometimes eaſed by ſpeaking, ſometimes by ſilence, eyther our owne or others.

To ſay nothing is a medicine for ſome mens ſorrow: the ſorrow of others cannot be medicin'd, but by ſaying much: A playſter of words hath cured many a wound, and the more words have been uſed, the more ſome wounds have feſtered, and the anguiſh of them hath increaſed.

Hence Obſerve.

There is no meanes of remedy left for that evill which is not remedyed by the uſe and tryall of contrary meanes.

If neyther ſpeech nor ſilence eaſe a mans minde, what can? We finde ſuch a kinde of arguing (though in a different caſe) uſed by Chriſt (Matth. 11.16, 17.) Where when hee would ſhew how impoſſible, or at leaſt how extreamely difficult it was to pleaſe the Jewes (they vvere a humourous people, and let a man put himſelfe in what poſture he would, they would finde ſome fault, or have ſomwhat to object againſt him) Wherunto (ſaith Chriſt) ſhall I liken this generation? (they vvere ſo untoward, that Chriſt ſpeakes as if he vvere ſtraitned, how to finde out a fit compariſon for them, or could ſcarſe tell to vvhat they vvere like; yet he tells us) They are like unto Children ſitting in the Markets, and calling to their fellows, ſaying, Wee have piped and yee have not danced; we have mourned to you, and yee have not lamented. When a man vvill neyther mourne vvith us, nor rejoyce vvith us, vvhat ſhall we doe vvith him? How ſhall vve pleaſe him? For vvhat company is he fit? That ſuch vvas the tendency of this ſimilitude, appeares plainely in the application vvhichwhich Chriſt makes (Verſ. 18.) For John came neither eating, nor drinking, and they ſay he hath a Devill: They did not like the mournefull, auſtere courſe of John: The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they ſayd, Behold a man gluttonous, and a Wine-bibber, a freind of Publicans and Sinners: They did not like the free converſe of Chriſt. When a people are of this ſpirit, or at this lock, that neither a man vvho is affable and courteous, ready both to receive, and give civilities, is p. 243welcome to them, nor yet he who is auſtere, and reſerved, cloſe, and ſtrict in his way, can give them any content, who, or what can content them? When neyther piping nor mouring, when neither dauncing nor ſorrowing takes with us, what can? When we would deſcribe a perſon whoſe troubleſomeneſſe of ſpirit ſeemes unanſwerable, we ſay of him, He is quiet neither full nor faſting: that is, he is never quiet, or nothing can make him quiet. Abraham ſaith to his Nephew Lot (Gen. 13.8, 9.) Let there be no ſtrife I pray thee, betweene me and thee, and betweene thy Herd-men and my Herd-men, for we are brethren, &c. If thou wilt take the left hand, then I will goe to the right, or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will goe to the left. Now as it is an argument of the ſweeteſt ſpirit, and fayreſt diſpoſition when a man is ready to take eyther hand, rather then breake the peace, ſo it argues the ſowreſt ſpirit, and moſt untractable diſpoſition, when a man will neyther goe to the right hand nor to the left, when he will neither move forward nor backward; when he will neither give nor take, neyther buy nor ſell, there is no dealing with ſuch a man, for he wav…s all the wayes of dealing.

Thus alſo we conclude a people incorrigible, who continue in their ſins, whether God ſmite or heale, whether he deliver them from, or deliver them up into the hand of judgements, becauſe theſe are the utmoſt bounds, or the extreames of all thoſe providentiall diſpenſations which God uſeth at any time to turne a people from their ſin.

Againe, Wee ſay they are unperſwadeable wh…m neyther faire meanes, nor foule, can reduce; ſpeake them faire, they are naught; ſpeake them foule, they are naught ſtill; promiſe them good, they remaine evill, threaten them with evill, they will not be good. You may carry it out in all experiments, whereſoever you finde an evill frame of minde or body, or of affaires, which mends not, or doth not alter for the better, by the application of the other contrary, when the former hath been applyed without ſucceſſe, you may write under it (as to humane helpes) This is a deſperate caſe, a diſtemper incurable,

Yet further, Job in theſe words reflects upon his Freinds; as if he had ſayd, Some men, by complaining and opening their ſoares to thoſe who viſit them in their affliction, finde their Freinds releeving p. 244them preſently with ſound counſell, and powring the oyle of conſolation into their wounded ſpirits; but alaſſe, it is not ſo with me, for whether I ſpeake or hold my peace, it is all one; yee are all againſt me, and are neither perſwaded by my ſpeech nor by my ſilence, to apply proper remedies for the aſſwaging of my griefe, or the eaſing of my paines.

Hence Note.

It is the duty, and ſhould be the care of thoſe who viſit Freinds in affliction, to pick ſomewhat out of what they ſay, or at leaſt to take occaſion from their ſilence, to adminiſter conſolation to their grieved mindes.

When the Servants of Benhadad came to Ahab to ſue for their Maſters life; the Text ſaith (1 Kings 20.33.) The men did diligently obſerve whether any thing would come from him (that is, whether any word of hope would come from Ahab) and they did haſtily catch it: And Ahab had no ſooner ſayd, He is my Brother; but they catcht at this as a word of comfort, they had what they lookt for, and ſayd, Thy Brother Benhadad. If thou owneſt him as a Brother, ſurely thou wilt not uſe him as an Enemy: There is (to the point in hand) a holy cunning in catching up words, which drop from the lips of men in affliction; and 'tis our wiſedome to make improvement of them.

As for inſtance, There was an ancient Profeſſor (as I have been informed) in much diſtreſſe of conſcience, even to deſpaire; he complaining bitterly of his miſerable condition to a Freind, let this word fall, That which troubles me moſt, is, that God will be diſhonoured by my fall: This word was haſtily catcht at, and turned upon him to the aſſwaging of his griefe, Art thou carefull of the honour of God, and doeſt thou thinke God hath no care of thee, and of thy ſalvation? A ſoule for ſaken of God regards not what becomes of the honour of God: Therefore be of good cheere; if Gods heart were not towards thee, thine could not be towards God, or towards the remembrance of his name. Thus words ſhould be watcht, yea and ſilence ſhould be watcht for advantages to eaſe a diſtreſſed ſoule.

Laſtly, Theſe words may referr to God; as if Job had ſaid, Whether I ſpeake, or whether I forbeare, God doth not come in to my helpe, I finde no comfort from him; he puts no ſtop to my paine, nor doth he aſſwage the floods of griefe which p. 245are ready to ſwallow me up. He gives me no eaſe at my complaining cryes, nor doth he give me any, at my patient ſilence. The next Verſe ſeemes moſt ſutable to this expoſition, where Job applyes himſelfe to God, ſhewing what hee did to him, both while he ſpake, and while he held his peace; he wearyed him ſtill, and left him in a wearyed condition.

Verſ. 7. But now he hath made me weary, thou haſt made deſolate all my company.

We may ſee (in this context) that the ſpirit of Job vvas much troubled, by the troubledneſſe of his ſpeech. At this ſeventh Verſe he ſpeakes in the third Perſon, He hath made me weary: and before he gets to the end of it, he ſpeakes in the ſecond Perſon, Thou haſt made deſolate: In the eighth Verſe, Thou haſt filled me with wrinkles: In the ninth Verſe, He teareth me in his wrath: The tenth Verſe is Plurall, They have gaped upon me: Strange kinde of Grammar, ſometimes in the third Perſon, ſometimes in the ſecond, ſometimes in the Singular, ſometimes in the Plurall number; His minde was uneven, or unſetled, and ſo was his diſcourſe. We muſt not play the Criticks with the words of men in paine, nor ſubmit their ſentences to a Deske of Grammarians: Broken language, and incongruities of ſpeech, doe well enough become broken hearts, and wounded ſpirits: God will not call his Schollers in the Schoole of affliction to the Ferula for ſuch faults or falſe Latine falling from their mouthes, either in prayer or conferences, while their hearts are true, and the language of their ſpirits pure.

But now he hath made me weary.

[But Now] Now, is not here a Particle of time onelyonly,foreign or a ſpecification of the ſeaſon, noting that then God eyther began, or ſtill continued to make him weary; but it carryes alſo a ſtrong aſſeveration, or the certainety of the thing; as in that promiſſory exhortation (Hag. 2.4.) Yet now be ſtrong O Zerubbabell, ſaith the Lord, and be ſtrong, O Joſhua. Though you ſee things yet below expectation, though this be a day of ſmall things, yet take heart and encourage your ſelves to carry on this reforming worke. Yet now be ſtrong, even now, when ſo many things might weaken both your hearts and hands, p. 246and be yee aſſured that I will not reject your confidence, but vvill cauſe you to proſper in it.Nunc in principio dictionis quandam cordis dulcedinem connotare ſolet. Bold. And in promiſes, beſides the certainety of the thing promiſed, and the ſpeedy fulfilling of them, it intimates much ſweetneſſe of affection in him that makes the promiſe. On the contrary, in threatnings, and comminations, beſides the certainety and ſpeed of them, it notes the ſharpneſſe and ſeverity of his ſpirit, who gives thoſe threats. So (Iſa. 5.5.) And now goe to, I will tell you what I will doe to my Vineyard. Now, goe too, is chiding cheare. As if the Lord had thus rated them; What? Have you ſerved mee thus, as ſure as I formerly planted and hedged this Vineyard, ſo ſurely will I now pull downe the hedge, and root it up. In this fulneſſe of ſenſe take it here, But now he hath made me weary; certainly or of a truth he hath; I was once ſweetly and ſtrongly hedged about with mercy, But now hee hath made mee weary and deſolate.

He hath made me weary.

He, is not expreſſed in the Hebrew, and therefore there is a doubt who is meant by this He.

Nunc autem oppreſſit me dolor meus. Vulg.Some underſtand it of his griefe and ſorrow, and read it thus, But now it hath made me weary; my paine hath tyred me.

Secondly, Others underſtand it of vvhat had been ſpoken by his Freinds; your tedious diſcourſes, and ſeverer cenſures have quite ſpent my ſpirits, and made me weary.

Our tranſlation leads us to a perſon, and our Interpretation leads us to God; He, that is, God, hath made mee weary. Job every where acknowledgeth that God vvas the Author, and Orderer of all his ſorrows; Now he.

foreign Non ſolum fatigationem denotat. ſed & faſtidium moleſtiſſimum, tum animi tum corporis.Hath made me [weary] Or, He hath wearyed me; it is but one word, and it ſignifies not an ordinary wearineſſe, not ſuch a wearineſſe as comes upon us after a turne or two in the Feilds: A man who walkes into the ayre, to refreſh himſelfe, may come home weary; but it notes ſuch wearineſſe as vvee feele after long and tedious travell, or after a hard journey; yea it notes not onelyonly wearineſſe of body, but the wearineſſe of the minde. It is poſſible for a man to weary his body, and yet his minde remaine unmoved; bare outward action ſtirres not the minde. To ride, to run, to digg, or threſh, weary the p. 247body, not the minde; but thoſe workes which with action have contention in them, as to argue, and diſpute, doe at once exerciſe and weary both minde and body. The vvearineſſe of the minde is the moſt painefull wearineſſe, Jobs wearineſſe takes in both; thou haſt vvearied my body, and vvearied my minde too, I am full of ſoares vvithout, and of ſorrow within. And ſuch was that wearineſſe ſpoken of by the Prophet (Iſa. 47.13.) Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counſels: that is, In going long journeys, to aske counſell of thy adored wiſe men, or Wizzards rather, of Southſayers, and Diviners; In this purſuit thou haſt laboured thy body, and vexed thy ſoule, but profited neither. After all thy travels vvhat haſt thou brought home but wearineſſe? Tyred fleſh, and a tyred ſpirit is all the fruit of our addreſſes for comfort to any but God, or in the way of God.

The Septuagint tranſlate yet higher,Sept. Exponunt de defectu rationis. q. d. vix prae dolore ſum mei compos. Thou haſt made me mad or beſides my ſelfe: The Hebrew word ſignifies to diſtract, or to put one out of his wits: As if Job had ſayd, I am ſcarſe my owne man, being over-burdened with thoſe ſorrowes God hath layd upon me.

Hence Obſerve.

Firſt, A ſtate of affliction is a weariſome eſtate. A man may be vvearyed who never ſtirrs foot from the place where he ſtands or ſits. O the vvearineſſe of a ſick bed! Suffering, vvearies more then doing; and none are ſo vveary as they who are vvearied with doing nothing.

Obſerve Secondly.

Some afflictions are a wearineſſe both to ſoule and body.

There are afflictions which ſtrike quite through; and there are afflictions which are onelyonly skin-deep: As there is a filthineſſe of the fleſh, and a filthineſſe of the ſpirit properly ſo called (for though every ſin of the fleſh, or outward man defile the ſpirit, yet there are many filthineſſes of the ſpirit, which are never acted by the fleſh, or outward man.) Thus the Apoſtle diſtinguiſheth (2 Cor. 7.1.) There are alſo ſome filthineſſes which ſtrike quite through fleſh and ſpirit, body and ſoule. Thus there are ſome afflictions which are meerly upon the fleſh; there are other afflictions vvhichwhich are purely upon the ſpirit; the skin is whole, the body is in health, but the ſoule is vvounded, an Arrow ſticks vvithin: And there p. 248are a ſort of afflictions vvhichwhich ſtrike quite through body and ſoule; as old Simeon tells the Virgin Mary, a Sword ſhall peirce through thy ſoule (Luke 2.35.) or as the Pſalmiſt ſpeakes of Joſeph (Pſal. 105.18.) according to the letter of the Hebrew, Whoſe feet they hurt with fetters, his ſoule came into Iron, or the iron entred into his ſoule: Such afflictions are like the Roll ſpoken of by the Prophet Ezekiel (Chap. 2.) Written with lamentations, mourning, and woe, within and without; Some woes are vvritten onelyonly vvithout, ſome vvoes are writen onelyonly vvithin, others are written without and within. Their Characters are legible upon the fleſh; and their effects deſcend and ſinke into the ſpirit. Jobs afflictions were of this extenſion, he was ſmitten all over, and vvritten quite through with woes and lamentations.

Thirdly, As the word reacheth the diſtemper of the braine. Obſerve.

Some afflictions doe not onelyonly afflict, but unſettle the minde.

They unſettle not onelyonly the comforts, but the powers and faculties of it: a man under ſome afflictions can ſcarſe ſpeak ſenſe vvhile he acts faith, or doe rationally while hee lives graciouſly.

A ſoule that hath grace, yea much grace, may appeare much ſcanted in the uſe of reaſon: As oppreſſion (from men) makes a wiſe man madd (Eccleſ. 7.7.) And the more wiſe a man is, the more madd it makes him: Fooles can beare oppreſſion, and not be troubled much, becauſe they doe not underſtand vvhat juſtice and right meanes; and that's the reaſon why in thoſe parts of the World vvhere Tyrants reigne, they love to keep the people ignorant, poore, and low, for ſuch are not much ſenſible of their oppreſſions; but oppreſſion is very grievous to an ingenious, vviſe, and underſtanding man, and therefore 'tis ſayd to make him madd: The pureſt intellectualls have the quickeſt ſenſe of injuries. Thus alſo ſome afflictions from the hand of God may (in a degree) make a godly wiſe man madd, and put him for a preſent plunge beyond the command of his underſtanding. It is the confeſſion of holy David (Pſal. 73.22.) I was even as a beaſt beefore thee, ſo fooliſh was I and ignorant: If David a godly man acted below reaſon, when he ſaw the proſperity of the wicked; how much more may a godly man act below reaſon, under the p. 249feelings of his owne adverſity. Heman is expreſſe in this (Pſal. 88.15.) While I ſuffer thy terrours I am diſtracted: Yet the word in the Pſalme doth not ſignifie properly the diſtraction of a man that is madd, but the diſtraction of a man that is in doubt; or the diſtraction of a man who knowes not what to doe, not of a man who knows not what he doth, & yet that diſtraction doth often lead to a degree of this; for a man who is much troubled to know what to doe, and cannot know it, grows at laſt to doe he knows not what. We may alſo take in that about diſtraction ariſing from affliction, which was toucht about diſtraction cauſed by oppreſſion: Thoſe Chriſtians, who are higheſt in ſpirituals, and have the quickeſt ſenſe of Gods diſpenſations towards them, doe ſooneſt fall into it; whereas a ſoule upright in the maine, yet being of weake and low parts, and of ſmall experience in the things of God, will goe, yea groane under a heavy burden of affliction all his dayes, and not be much moved with it.

Fourthly, Obſerve.

A godly man may grow extreame weary of his afflictions.

Affliction is the burthen which God layes upon us, and it is our duty, not onelyonly to beare it, but to beare it with contentedneſſe; yea we ſhould labour to beare it with joyfulneſſe. My brethren (ſaith the Apoſtle James, Chap. 1.) Account it all joy when yee fall into diverſe temptations; that is, Into diverſe afflictions. But yet the beſt cannot alwayes rejoyce in temptations, nor tryumph under a croſſe; when affliction according to that deſcription of the word (Heb 4.12.) comes quick and powerfull, as a two edged Sword, and peirceth to divide betweene the ſoule and the ſpirit, the joynts and the marrow, when affliction (I ſay) cuts to the quick, a Beleever is put hard to it; he may be ſo farr (for a time) from tryumphing and rejoycing, that he can ſcarſely finde himſelfe contented or patient; his burden may cauſe him to cry out, O, the wearineſſe!

Carnall men cry out at every burden of duty in the ſervice of God, O what a wearineſſe is it! They are tyred with an houres attendance in holy things; O the burthen! Much more doe they cry out under the lighter burdens of affliction. How tedious is a day, or an houre of affliction; two or three fits of an ague, an aking tooth, a ſoare finger, O what a wearineſſe is this! They ſinke preſently. True Beleevers, as p. 250they have more patience in doing, ſo in ſuffering; yet even their patience doth not alwayes hold out; they, as Job, ſpeak ſometimes mournfully, and complainingly: But now, he hath made us weary.

Thou haſt made deſolate all my company.

Quod loquitur nunc in ſecunda nunc in tertia perſona nihil in ſententia m…tat id quod admodum frequens eſt in Scriptura Pined. foreign Vaſtari ſeu deſolari, ita ut videntes obſtupeſcant & horreant.It was Hee in the firſt clauſe, Thou in the ſecond; hee and thou are the ſame perſon in Jobs Grammar, as was toucht before.

Thou haſt made [deſolate.]

The word Shamam, ſignifies to waſte, and deſtroy, and that not by an ordinary deſtruction, but ſo to deſtroy, as workes the beholders into amazement and wonder: This word ſignifes both to wonder, and to deſtroy; becauſe great deſtructions cauſe wonder.

Thou haſt made deſolate all my company: Thou haſt made ſuch a deſolation among them, that all who are about me lift up their hands (as we ſay) and bleſſe themſelves, admiring to ſee this day. God brought ſuch a deſolation upon Jeruſalem, as ſet the World a wondering (Lam. 4.12.) The Kings of the Earth, and all the Inhabitants of the World would not have beleeved, that the Adverſary and the Enemy ſhould not have entered into the Gates of Jeruſalem: Chriſt will come (at laſt with ſuch mercies) to be glorified in his Saints, as will cauſe him to be admired in all them that beleeve (2 Theſ. 1.10.) He now comes ſometimes with ſuch afflictions to his Saints, as eaſily cauſe them who beleeve much more thoſe who beleeve not to admire. Thou haſt wonderfully deſolated, or waſted, All my company.

Et in nihilum redacti ſunt omnes auctus mei. Vulg.All my [company] The word which we tranſlate Company, is rendred, The joynts or members of the body by the Vulgar Latine, Thou haſt reduced all my members to nothing: As if hee had ſayd, Thou haſt looſened the whole compages, or ſtructure of my bones and body, thou haſt untyed, or cut aſunder all the ligaments that held me together. This tranſlation is but an alluſion; becauſe the members of the naturall body are like a company of men joyned together in a civill or ſpirituall body, which is therefore commonly called a Corporation. Some contend much for this ſenſe, Thou haſt made deſolate all the members p. 251of my body: Eſpecially, becauſe the ſcattering of his Family doth not ſo well agree, or comply (ſay they) with the wearineſſe before complained of, nor with the leaneneſſe, and wrinkles, which are ſpoken of afterward; both which belong properly to the body.

Yet I paſſe that, and take the word as we read it, to expreſſe a diſtinct affliction, thou haſt wearyed me in my perſon, and haſt made deſolate all my company; What company?

Firſt,q. d. deſolaſti omnem Synagogam meam. Bold. Some underſtand it of the company which uſed to flock to his Synagogue, in holy duties, and excerciſes: As if he had anſwered the words of Eliphaz (Chap. 15.34.) The Congregation (or Company) of Hypocrites ſhall be deſolate: Here, ſaith Job, I grant it, God hath made deſolate all my company. The Synagogues, and places of publick meeting were wont to be filled, but now that reſort is ſtayed, they are all ſcattered, or diverted, and thoſe publick places are filled with howlings and lamentations. Thus he grants Eliphaz what he had objected, and yet denyes what hee thnnce inferred, that he was an Hypocrite.

Secondly, Rather interpret it of the company he had in his owne Houſe, or for his particular Family. So it is a renewed complaint of the loſſe of his Children and Servants, of his Freinds and Familiars, who uſed to reſort to him, and ſtay about him.

Thou haſt made deſolate all my company: Some of Jobs company were made deſolate; that is, they were deſtroyed; moſt of his Servants were ſlaine by the Chaldeans, and Sabeans, and all his Children were ſlaine by the fall of a Houſe (Chap. 1.) This company was made deſolate indeed: Yet when he ſaith, Thou haſt made deſolate all my company, his meaning is, as Maſter Broughton tranſlates, Thou haſt made me deſolate of all my company; that is, I am left alone.

Hence Obſerve.

The company of Children, and Freinds, is a very great mercy.

Heman complaines much when he wanted this mercy, Lover and Freind haſt thou put farr from me, and mine acquaintance into darkneſſe. Job makes, as a more particular, ſo a more patheticall enumeration of this loſſe (Chap. 19.13, 14.) To be deſolate in ſo great an affliction, that it is often put for all afflictions; and to be deſolate of company, is the worſt p. 252deſolateneſſe. When David had ſayd, I am deſolate and afflicted, he preſently adds, The ſorrowes of my heart are enlarged (Pſal. 25.16, 17.) A man may be much afflicted, and yet not deſolate, but a man cannot beat all deſolate, but he muſt be extreamely afflicted. When the Prophet would put all the miſeries of the Jewes into one word, he puts it into this (Iſa. 1.7.) Your Countrey is deſolate, your Land ſtrangers ſhall devoure it in your preſence: And when a Land is devoured of ſtrangers, either it is made deſolate of its owne company, or its owne company is made deſolate. Babylon boaſts (Revel. 18.7.) I ſit a Queene, and am no widdow; that is, as I have power, ſo I have reſort and company enough, I am not deſolate: The Apoſtle puts theſe two together, Widdow-hood, and Deſolateneſſe (1 Tim. 5.5.) Now, ſhee that is a widdow and deſolate, &c. So that when Babylon ſaith, I am no widdow, her meaning is, I am not deſolate; and hence the puniſhment of Babylon is threatned in this language (Revel. 17.16.) The ten hornes which thou ſaweſt upon the Beaſt, theſe ſhall hate the Whore, and make her deſolate, &c.

Thoſe ten hornes are ten Kings, who ſometime doted upon the painted beauty of that Whore, and then made frequent addreſſes to her, and did throng about her from all parts of the World; but when once their eyes ſhall be opened, their hearts will ſoone be alienated; They ſhall hate the Whore. And then as they withdraw affection, ſo viſits and meſſages; Babylons Courts ſhall be crouded with Suiters no longer: Thus they ſhall make her deſolate of the company of her old freinds, before they make her deſolate by bringing in new enemies, who ſhall ſtrip her, not onelyonly of her company, but of her cloathes, yea of her skin; they ſhall make her naked, and eate her fleſh, and burne her with fire (Revel. 17.16.) Thus, as the miſery which came upon Jeruſalem, ſo the miſery which ſhall come upon Babylon meet in this, The making of their company deſolate: yet in this they differ, the deſolations of Jeruſalem ſhall be (at leaſt myſtically) repaired, but the deſolations of myſticall Babylon (when they are fully come upon her) ſhall be irreparable.

Man is naturally (as the Philoſopher calls him) a ſociable creature, he loves company; they who are for a ſolitary life, Monkes and Anchorets, ſeeme to have put off the nature of man. p. 253There is an elective aloneneſſe, or retyredneſſe, at ſome times very uſefull for contemplation and prayer: And we are never leſſe alone, then when we are ſo alone; for then God is more ſpecially with us, and we with him. It is ſayd of Jacob (Gen. 32.24.) Then Jacob was left alone, not that Jacobs company had left and forſaken him, but that Jacob for a time had left his company: So, ſome render the Text actively, Hee ſtayed, or remained alone. Jacob ſtayed alone puepoſely, that hee might have freer communion with God in that receſſe and retirement from the creature: It is good for man to be alone from the company of man, that he may enjoy (more fully) the preſence of God.

Yet God himſelfe ſayd at the firſt when man was created, It is not good for man to be alone: There was no morall evill in that aloneneſſe (for when God ſpake this word, there was no ſuch evill in the viſible World) but God called it evill, becauſe it was ſo inconvenient for the civill well-being and inconſiſtent with the naturall propagation of man. And therefore as in reference to both theſe evils, God ſayd with his own mouth, It is not good for man to be alone; ſo in reference to the former of the two, God ſayd by Solomon, Two is better then one, and woe to him that is alone (Eccleſ. 4.9, 10.) Job puts his aloneneſſe among his woes, Thou haſt made deſolate all my company.

But it may be ſaid, Had Job no company? Were not his Freinds about him? Did not theſe three come to mourn with him, and to comfort him? And had they not been in diſcourſe with him all this while?

Yes, he had company, but it was not ſuitable company; he had evill ones about him, as he complaines (Chap. 19. and Chap. 30.) and though his three Freinds were good men, yet to him they were no good company, becauſe ſo unpleaſant in their converſe with him.

Hence Note.

Some company is a burthen.

We ſay of many men, Wee had rather have their roome then their company. Man loves company, but 'tis the company of thoſe he loves. The comfort of our lives depends much upon ſociety, but more upon the ſuitableneſſe of ſociety: It is better to dwell in the corner of a houſe top, then with a brawling Woman in p. 254a wide houſe (Prov. 21.9.) And it is better to be in a Deſert among wilde Beaſts, then in a populous City among beaſtly men. This made the Prophet deſire a lodging in the Wilderneſſe (Jer. 9.2.) The Countrey about Sodome was pleaſant, like the Garden of God, yet how was the righteous ſoule of Lot vexed with the filthy and unrighteous converſation of the Sodomites? How uneaſie are our lives made to us by dwelling among either falſe Freinds or open Enemies?

In the Creation, when God ſaid, It is not good for man to be alone; he ſubjoynes, Let us make him a helpe meet for him. Adam had all the beaſts of the earth about him, but they were no company for him, man knowes not how to converſe with beaſts, or employ his reaſon with thoſe that have none. As, it is not good for man to be alone, ſo to be in company that is not meet for him is as bad, or worſe then to be alone. Therefore ſaith God, Let us make him a helpe meet for him; the making of a Woman brought in meet company for mankinde; yet ſome men are as unmeet company for men as beaſts are, and are therefore in Scripture called Beaſts. Paul fought with ſuch beaſts at Epheſus; there are few places free of them, and many places are full of them. David cryes out, Woe is me that I am conſtrained to dwell in Meſech, &c.

There was company enough, but it was wofull company. The Primitive Saints aſſociated themſelves, they continued in fellowſhip one with another, as well as in the Apoſtles Doctrine, or in breaking of bread and prayer (Acts 2.42.) They were all of one minde, and were therefore f…t to make one body. The communion and fellowſhip of the Saints, is the lower heaven of Saints. And the making of ſuch a company deſolate, is the ſaddeſt deſolation that can be made on earth: Communion of Saints in Heaven, is one great acceſſion to the joy of Heaven. And 'tis a great comfort to the Saints in the midſt of all the ill neighbourhood which they meet with here, to remember that they ſhall meet with no ill neighboures there; none but Freinds there, none but loving Freinds. There ſhall not be a croſſe thought, much leſſe a croſſe word or action among thoſe many millions of glorified Saints for ever, nor ſhall there be any among them there but Saints: no tares in that feild, nor chaffe in that floore, no Goates in that Fold, no nor any Wolves in Sheep-skins, no prophane ones there, no nor any p. 255Hypocrites there. Uunſutable company would render our lives miſerable in Heaven it ſelf. If God ſhould ſay to the godly and the wicked (as David once did to Mephiboſheth and Ziba, Thou and Ziba divide the Land) divide Heaven among you; might they not anſwer (with reverence) as Mephiboſheth did to David, Nay let them take it all to themſelves, O our ſoules come not into their ſecret, and unto their aſſembly let not our honour be joyned: if Swearers, Adulterers, Lyers, ſhould be our company in Heaven, Heaven it ſelfe, were unheaven'd, and everlaſting life would bee an everlaſting death. And that which further argues the burdenſomneſs of unſutable company, is, that even wicked men themſelves cannot but confeſs that they are burdned with the company of thoſe who are good; if ſuch come in preſence where they aſſociate in any ſinfull converſe, how weary are they of their company? How do they even ſweat at the ſight of them? And how glad are they when ſuch turne their backs, and are gone: the onelyonly reaſon why they like them not, is becauſe they are not like them, and they are not good company, becauſe they are good. All company is made deſolate to us, which is not made ſuitable to us. Job had many about him, yet he complaines, Thou haſt made deſolate all my company.

Job goes on yet to deſcribe his troubles; he wanted deſireable company about him, but he had ſtore of witneſſes againſt him; he was emptyed of his comforts, but filled with ſorrowes, as might be ſeen in the ſymptomes and effects of ſorrow.

Verſ. 8. Thou haſt filled me with wrinckles, which is a witneſſe againſt me: and my leanneſſe riſing up in me, beareth witneſſe to my face.

As if he had ſayd, Though I hold my peace, and ſay nothing, Si vellem caelare aut verbis extenuare dolorem meum rugae meae teſtimonium daub &c.though I doe not aggravate my griefe, yea though I ſhould extenuate and hide it, yet there are witneſſes enow of it; my wrinkles ſpeake my griefe, and my leanneſſe ſhewes that I am feaſted with the ſowre hearbes of ſorrow: That's the generall ſenſe of this Verſe.

Thou haſt filled me with wrinkles.

It is but one word in the Hebrew, we might render it, Thou haſt wrinkled me; or as Maſter Broughton, Thou haſt made me all wrinkled. The word is not found in this ſenſe any where elſe p. 256in Scripture;foreign Rugas contraxit active corrugavit. foreign & corrugaſtime Non alibi quam in hoc libro in ſcriptura reperitur. Quod ſuccidiſti me, teſtimonio eſt. Merc. but very frequently among the Rabbins. There are alſo two other ſignifications of it which Interpreters have taken in here.

Firſt, It ſignifies, To cut off, or to cut downe (Chap. 22.15, 16.) Haſt thou marked the old way which wicked men have troden? Which were cut downe out of time: That old way was the way of ſin (the way of holineſſe is the oldeſt way, but the way of ſin is a very old way.) They who have trod the way of ſin, were cut downe by judgement, and they were cut downe out of time; that is, the courſe of divine Juſtice prevented the courſe of nature, and ſtruck them to death before death uſeth to ſtrike. So ſome render it here, and then the ſenſe riſeth thus, Thou haſt cut me downe by the ſtroke of theſe afflictions, and this is a witneſſe againſt me.

In ſignificatione Chaldaica exponitur pro ligare & conſtringere.Secondly, The word according to the Chaldee, ſignifies to binde, and faſten one with Cords, or with fetters of Iron, as Malefactors are bound in Priſon (Prov. 5.22.) His owne iniquity ſhall take the wicked, and he ſhall be holden with the Coards of his ſin. The Hebrew word which we render to hold, or faſten, is expreſſed by this of Job in the Chaldee Paraphraſe. Taking this ſenſe of the word, the interpretation given of the whole is, Thou haſt bound, or ſtraitened mee with the cords of my affliction, Quod his dolorum vinculis conſtrictum me tenes, ne qua elabi queam, teſtimonium fecit in me. Merc.leſt I ſhould get out, or make an eſcape, and this is a witneſſe againſt me: There is a truth in both theſe readings, as to this place; but becauſe wrinkles are more proper to the leanneſſe which followes, therefore I ſhall not ſtay upon them, but keep to our owne reading.

Thou haſt filled me with wrinkles.

Wrinckles are cauſed two wayes.

Firſt, Through old age; for then the moyſture of the body being conſumed, and ſo the skin contracted, wrinckles appeare: Theſe naturall wrinckles cannot be avoyded, if nature hold out to old age.

Secondly, There are accidentall wrinckles, ſuch as are cauſed by ſtrong diſeaſes, which ſucking up, or drawing out the moyſture of the body, fade the beauty of it. Great ſickneſſes haſten on gray hayres, and make a young man looke old. Job was not filled with the wrinckles of old age (hee was in the ſtrength of nature at that time) but he was filled p. 257with the wrinckles of ſickneſſe and ſorrow; griefe had made furrows in his face, and his teares had often filled them: we commonly ſay, Sorrow is dry; 'tis ſo, becauſe it is a dryer. Solomon tels us, that A merry heart doth good like a medicine, but a broken ſpirit (which is the effect of much ſorrow) dryeth up the bones (Prov. 17.22.) The Church cryes out in the Book of Lamentations, My fleſh and my skin he hath made old (Lam. 3.4.) How did God make them old? He made them old not by giving them many yeares, but by giving them many troubles. Many troubles in one yeare, will make a man older then many yeares.

We have heard of ſome, whoſe hearts being filled with vexing cares have filled their heads with gray hayres in a very ſhort time. As ſome have an Art to ripen Fruits, before nature ripens them; ſo the Lord hath a power to haſten old age, before nature makes us old. Thou haſt made my skin old; that is, full of wrinckles and leanneſſe; theſe are the liveries which old age gives. The Apoſtle aſſures us, that Chriſt ſhall one day preſent the Church to himſelfe, in the perfection of ſpirituall beauty and glory; that beauty and glory is deſcribed by the removall of that from her ſpirituall eſtate, which Job complaines of in his temporall eſtate: Job was full of ſpots and wrinkles, but ſhee ſhall appeare, Not having ſpot or wrinckle (Epheſ. 5.27.) that is, Without any note or marke of old age upon her. A ſpot defaceth the beauty of a Garment, and wrinckles ſpoyle the beauty of the face. An old Garment is full of ſpots, and an old face is full of wrinkles. Old things paſſe away when we are made new creatures by grace; yet in that ſtate (becauſe we are not perfectly freed from the old man) our garments have ſome ſpots, and our faces ſome wrinkles upon them: But in the ſtate of glory, when all old things, even all the image of the old Adam ſhall be totally aboliſhed, we ſhall not have ſo much as one ſpot or one wrinkle. Beleevers have now a righteouſneſſe in Chriſt without ſpot or wrinkle, or any ſuch thing; they ſhall then have a holineſſe in themſelves, without ſpot or wrinkle, or any ſuch thing▪ that is, They ſhall not onelyonly not have any ſpot or wrinkle upon them, but they ſhall have nothing like it, nothing which hath any relation to it, nothing which either themſelves or others ſhall miſtake for it, they ſhall neither ſuſpect nor be p. 258ſuſpected to have a ſpot or a wrinkle about them. A perfect ſoule-ſtate, and a perfect ſtate of body, hath no wrinkle in it. Job to ſhew the decayes and blemiſhes of his body, ſaith hee was full of wrinkles.

Againe, Theſe wrinkles by an elegant metaphor may referr to his whole outward condition: For as a mans face is wrinkled when he growes old, ſo are his riches when he growes poore, and ſo is his honour when he growes out of repute. Poverty is the wrinkle of riches, and diſgrace is the wrinkle of honour; we may take in all three here, for not onelyonly was Jobs body, but his wealth and honour were extreamely wrinkled, and therefore he had great cauſe to cry out according to all the the interpretations, Thou haſt filled me with wrinkles.

Which witneſſe againſt me.

I ſhall give the meaning of that, when I have opened the latter clauſe, where it is repeated, My leanneſſe riſing up in me, beareth witneſſe to my face: both parts of the Verſe have the ſame meaning.

My leanneſſe riſing up in me.

Some thinke, that Job anſwers vvhat Eliphaz had given, as part of the deſcription of a vvicked man, in the fulneſſe of his proſperity (Chap. 15.27.) where he tells us, that, Hee covereth his face with fatneſſe, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks; as if he had ſaid, Freind Eliphaz, thou haſt told me, that wicked men are fat and full, if ſo, what are they who are leane and meagre? canſt thou according to thy owne rule, read wickedneſſe in my phyſiognomie? My leanneſſe riſeth up in me, canſt thou raiſe an argument from that againſt me?

My leanneſſe.

Jobs body was leane, his Purſe and Name were leane, his leanneſſe and his wrinkles were of the ſame extent, both reaching all his worldly concernments. The Lord threatens Idolaters (Zeph. 2.11.) that he will famiſh, or make leane (ſo we put in the Margin) all their Gods. Jehovah, the true God, who ſaith to man (Pſal. 50.12.) If I were hungry, I would not tell thee, tels theſe falſe Gods, that hee will make them hungry: But what was the meat of theſe Gods? It was the p. 259honour and credit, the worſhip and ſervice which they had among men. Indeed they who deny the true God, his due honour and worſhip, doe what they can to famiſh, or make him leane; and when the true God (as he hath done by the Preaching of the Goſpel) turnes men from Idols to ſerve, and worſhip him the living God, then he famiſheth thoſe Gods: When Idols loſe their eſteeme, their leanneſſe riſeth up, and they goe downe. Thus alſo it is with man, his leanneſſe may be ſaid to riſe when his credit fals.

Further, There is a twofold leanneſſe.

Firſt, Of the ſoule, or inward man.

Secondly, Of the body, or outward man.

When the Jewes luſted in the Wilderneſſe, and called for fleſh to ſatisfie the fleſh: God (ſaith the Text, Pſal. 106.15.) gave them their requeſt, but ſent leanneſſe into their ſoule. The ſoule in a proper ſenſe, is neither fat nor leane, and therefore the ſoule in this place of the Pſalme, muſt be taken improperly, or elſe the leanneſſe of it muſt. The ſoule is put improperly for the body, or for the whole man, and ſo, he ſent leanneſſe into their ſoules, is, the curſe of God cauſed them to pine ſecretly, or he ſlew the fatteſt of them (openly) and ſmote downe the choſen men in Iſrael: So this leanneſſe is expounded (Pſal. 78.31.) as if he had ſayd, God made them a thin and a leane company before he had done with them. Yet beſides this (I conceive) the Text doth intend ſome ſpirituall judgement; and then the ſoule is taken in a proper ſenſe, but leanneſſe in an improper ſenſe: and ſo, he ſent leanneſſe into their ſoules, is, while they inordinately deſired meat for their bodies, God withheld the ordinary food of their ſoules: He did not adminiſter his grace and holy ſpirit (which are the fatners of the ſoule) while they were thus hungry after dainties for the fleſh.

Jobs Freinds thought him a leane ſoule, but he here confeſſes the leanneſſe of his body; and in that his continuall ſorrow the cauſe of it. So the Prophet cryes out, My leanneſſe, my leanneſſe, woe unto me (Iſa. 24.16.)

My leanneſſe [riſing up.]

Fatneſſe riſeth up, and not leanneſſe, when a man growes leane, his fleſh fals, and abates; skin and bone ſtick together, p. 260Why then doth hee ſay, My leanneſſe riſeth up?

Though, when a man is leane, his fleſh falls, yet his bones riſe: A fat mans bones are (as it were) buried in fleſh, you can ſcaſe feele his ribs, but when he growes leane, his bones ſtick out, and riſe up: That is the meaning here, my leanneſſe riſing up.

Maciei videtur dare perſonam ut paulo ante rugis.Job aſcribes a rationall act, both to his wrinkles and to his leanneſſe, as if both did ſpeak, and which is more, give evidence concerning him; he brings them forth as witneſſes at the barr, this ſpeakes, and that ſpeakes, he doubles it, My wrinkles witneſſe againſt me, and my leanneſſe riſing up witneſſeth to my face: When a witneſſe is to give in his evidence in any cauſe before a Judge, he riſeth up, or ſtandeth forth, that all may ſee him; Job preſents his leanneſſe in the proper poſture of a witneſſe riſing up.

The Originall varies ſomewhat in the latter clauſe from the former; we render both by vvitneſſing, but vve may read it thus, Thou haſt filled me with wrinkles, that hath been, or is a witneſſe, or (as Maſter Broughton reads) a proofe, my leanneſſe riſing up (or vvhichwhich riſeth up againſt me) anſwers (or ſpeaketh) to my face. The meaning is, Theſe outward evils are evidence enough to my Freinds, that God is angry with me, and that I am wicked againſt God.

Job grants that thoſe wrinkles, and this leanneſſe vvere witneſſes of his afflictions, he never queſtioned their teſtimony, as to that point, neither indeed could he. Jonadab ſayd to Amnon, Why art thou being the Kings Son, leane, or thin, from day to day, wilt thou not tell me? (2 Sam. 13.4.) His leanneſſe told his Freind plaine enough, that all was not vvell; he read that in his face, onelyonly hee could not read the particular illneſſe there.Magnum certè peccatum, quod tantum in florente illa aetate deformitatem & ſenilem ſpeciem induxit. Putant tantas afflictiones teſtes eſſe magnae culpae & irae Dei. Coc. If vve ſee a young man, eſpecially the Son of a Great man, or of a King (who is waited upon with all worldly delights) vvrinkled, and leane, is it not a witneſſe that he hath been ſick, or is overwhelmed vvith ſorrow? theſe teſtifie to his face, he cannot conceale it.

But Jobs Freinds ſaid, theſe were vvitneſſes of his ſin: they produced the wrinkles of his body as a vvitneſſe of his vvrinkled ſoule; and the leanneſſe of his outward man, as an argument of his inward leanneſſe; they ſayd, theſe teſtified plainely, that he was not onelyonly a great ſinner, but an Hypocrite: p. 261And thus they argued all along, this vvas their conſtant plea; Job muſt needs be (according to this opinion) a man of an evill life, becauſe his life was filled with evills: Thou haſt filled mee with wrinkles, which is a witneſſe againſt me, &c.

Hence Obſerve.

Firſt, Great afflictions leave their marks behinde them.

Little afflictions leave no wrinkles, no leanneſſe behinde them, vve recover out of them, and nothing appeares of them; as it is in ſinning, ſome ſins leave no mark, ſuch are our daily infirmities, and common failings; but there are other ſins, which leave a mark behinde them, you cannot get them off ſuddenly, it may be you cannot claw off the marks of ſome ſins as long as you live: though the ſin be fully pardoned, yet the mark, the vvrinkle, the leanneſſe of it may remaine to your dying day. David being defiled with adultery and murder, prayes, Cauſe the bones which thou haſt broken to rejoyce: Thoſe two vvere ſuch ſins as broke his very bones; they vvere to his ſoule, as the breaking of a bone is to the body: If a man break a bone, though it be vvell Set, yet it leaves a mark. David carryed the skarr of thoſe ſins to his Grave: Though God had forgiven thoſe ſins, and did not remember them, to impute them to David, yet when God had occaſion to ſpeake of David to his higheſt commendation, he could not forbeare the mention of thoſe ſins (1 Kings 15.5.) David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aſide from any thing that he commanded him all the dayes of his life, ſave onelyonly in the matter of Ʋriah. The vvrinkle or ſtaine of that ſin ſtuck upon Davids reputation, when the guilt of it vvas quite removed, and vvaſhed off from his perſon. 'Tis ſo with afflictions, ſome afflictions leave no mark, others goe deep: Though all afflictions are light comparatively to the weight of glory, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks (2 Cor. 4.17.) For our light affliction which is but for a moment, workes for us a farr more exceeding, and eternall weight of glory: Yet afflictions being compared among themſelves, ſome are light, and ſome are heavy: As a Cart that is heavy laden, cuts deep into the earth, and tells you where it hath gone; ſo doth the vvheele of a heavy affliction drawne over body, ſoule, or ſtate.

p. 262Secondly, Obſerve (which is the naturall theologie of the Text.)

Wrinkles, and leanneſſe in youth, or ſtrength of age are an argument of extraordinary ſorrow.

Thirdly, Take the words according to the ſenſe of Jobs freinds, which Job alſo hints as meeting with their objection, They witneſſe againſt me: that is, You uſe them, you bring them as witneſſes againſt me:

Then Note.

Great afflictions are looked on as proofes, or witneſſes of great ſins.

We no ſooner heare of, or ſee a man under great afflictions, but our firſt thought is ſurely he hath committed ſome great ſin. This is almoſt every mans ſuſpicion; but it is an ill grounded ſuſpicion. This point was ſpoken to (Chap. 10.17.) where Job tels the Lord, Thou haſt renewed thy witneſſes againſt me, &c. There 'twas ſhewed how afflictions are brought in by God and man as a vvitneſſe; and this was the greateſt evidence, and (upon the matter) all the evidence which the Freinds of Job brought againſt him, his wrinkles, and his leanneſſe: I ſhall here onelyonly add this caution.

Take heed of paſſing judgement upon the evidence of ſuch vvitneſſes as theſe, wrinkles, and leanneſſe; for though every vvrinkle vvitneſſe that a man is a ſinner (were it not for ſin we ſhould have remained ever in our body and outward condition, as Beleevers ſhall be reſtored by Chriſt, without a wrinkle) yet they are not vvitneſſes that a man is wicked: I may ſay two things of theſe vvitneſſes.

Firſt, They are alwayes doubtfull witneſſes.

Secondly, For the moſt part they are falſe witneſſes.

It is a very queſtionable and uncertaine evidence which afflictions give againſt us: For no man knowes love, or hatred, by all that is before him: We can but gueſſe at the beſt, by vvhat they ſay.Rugae meae teſtimonium dicunt contra me, & ſuſcitatur falſiloquus adverſus faciem meam contradicens mihi. Vulg. But uſually they beare falſe witneſſe againſt the innocent; ſo they did againſt Job; they witneſſed that of him to his Freinds which was not right. Therefore the Vulgar tranſlates the latter branch (though not well to the letter of the Originall, yet well as to the ſenſe) A fal…e witneſſe is riſen up againſt my face, contradicting me; that is, Oppoſing or weakning all that I have ſaid concerning my owne innocence. p. 263Yea if we make affliction a witneſſe, we may rather make it a witneſſe of ſincerity, and of grace, a marke of adoption and ſonſhip, a mark of divine Favour and Fatherly love, then of mans wickedneſſe, or of Gods rejection and disfavour. The word is cleere and expreſſe for this (Heb. 12.6, 7, 8.) For whom the Lord loveth he chaſteneth, and ſcourgeth every Son whom he receiveth, &c. But if yee be without chaſtiſement whereof all are partakers, then are yee Baſtards and not Sons. So then, our wrinkles and our leanneſſe may upon Scripture warrant, be brought as witneſſes for us, but we have no warrant to conclude upon their witneſſe, either againſt our ſelves, or others.

But it ſeemes Job had a higher witneſſe againſt him (if ſuch witneſſes might be allowed) then a wrinkled skin, or a leane face: Behold now his torne fleſh, and his limbs rent in ſunder, as if (not onelyonly like Daniel) he had been caſt into a Lyons Den, but as if (which Daniel did not) he had felt the worſt of the Lyons teeth and pawes.

Verſ. 9. He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me; he gnaſheth upon me with his teeth, mine enemy ſharpeneth his eye upon me.

Strange language! He teareth me in his wrath who hateth me. Job gives us a deſcription of the Lords dealing with him, in alluſion to the fury of wilde Beaſts, Lyons, Tygers, and Bears, who gnaſh their teeth, and ſparkle with their eyes, when they either fight one with another, or fall upon their prey.

He teareth me in his wrath who hateth me.

'Tis doubted whom Job meaneth by this Tearer: Some judge this Title applicable onelyonly to the Devill, and interpret Job ſpeaking of him; the Devill hateth me, He teareth me in his wrath: Job was delivered into the hand of the Devill (Chap. 2.) And this is the courtſhip of Hell, He teareth.

Secondly, Others underſtand it of his extreame paine and torturing diſeaſe, that tore him like a ſavage Beaſt.

A third expounds it of his Freinds, as if he compared them to wilde Beaſts, who in ſtead of comforting his ſpirit, did (upon the matter) teare his fleſh between their teeth.

p. 264Fourthly, 'Tis conceived, he meanes thoſe vaine ones of whom hee ſpeakes (Chap. 19.) that came about him, and troubled him.

But fifthly, and moſt generally, this Text is interpreted of God himſelfe, He teareth me in his wrath who hateth me. For though Job ſpeaks here diſtractedly, diſcovering rather his griefe then his enemy; or as a man wounded and ſmitten in the darke,Ejuſmodi querimoniae in neminem certo jactatae afflicti hominis propriae ſunt. he perceives he hath an enemy, he feeles the ſmart, and beares the blowes, but he is not able to ſee who hurts him, yet in this confuſion of language, his heart was ſtill upon God who ordered, and diſpoſed all thoſe armies of ſorrow, which aſſaulted him on every ſide.

He [teareth] me in his wrath.

The Hebrew word Taraph is neer in ſound to our Engliſh Teare, foreign Ferarum praedam rapientium & lacerantium proprium eſt.and it ſignifieth to teare as a Lyon his prey (Gen. 49.9.) Judah is a Lyons whelpe, from the prey my Son thou art gone up. The ſame word in the Verbe, notes Tearing, and in the Nowne a prey, becauſe the prey is torne by the teeth, or clawes of the Lyon.

foreign Eſt totis viribus adverſari, idem cum Satan, unde & Satanas dictus. Ira ſua rapit quaſi odio inteſtino proſequatur me. Jun.He teareth mee in his [wrath.] Wilde Beaſts teare not ſo much from wrath, as for hunger; they teare out of a deſire to fill themſelves, rather then out of malice to deſtroy others. But Job ſaith, He teareth me in his wrath who [hateth] me.

The word ſignifies not an ordinary, but an inward hatred, and with the change of a letter it is the ſame by which the Devill is expreſſed, Satan, an adverſary, or the adverſary; ſo called becauſe of his extreame hatred againſt mankinde, yea againſt Chriſt himſelfe. Job ſpeakes of God as if he bare ſuch a hatred againſt him as Satan doth,foreign Frenduit dentibus; eſt invidentium, iraſcentium, irridentium habitus. Loquitur ad ſimilitudinem beſtiae quae homini comminando dentes contra ipſum parat. Aquin. an inward perfect hatred.

Thus ſome tranſlate, He proſecutes me with inward hatred: A hard expreſſion of God; Doth he teare a harmeleſſe ſoule, and teare him in wrath? Yet this is not all; to make up the meaſure of this exceſſive language, take two aggravations more.

He gnaſheth upon me with his teeth.

Job purſues the alluſion ſtill: Beaſts (as it were) whet their teeth that they may devoure their prey: This action of gnaſhing the teeth is aſcribed to men, and it notes four things.

p. 265Firſt, Extreame envy (Pſal, 12.10.) The wicked ſhall ſee it and be grieved, he ſhall gnaſh with his teeth and melt away; the deſire of the wicked ſhall periſh: But at what was this wicked man greived, till he gnaſhed his teeth? Was it a griefe of compaſſion at the miſery of others? No, it was a griefe of envy at the proſperity of others, as is cleare from the words immediately foregoing. The horne of the righteous ſhall be exalted with honour: Envy is the vexation and depreſon of our owne ſpirits, at the exaltation of another man in riches or in honour. It is not a ſickneſſe catcht from another mans diſeaſe, but a ſickneſſe catcht from another mans health.

Secondly, Gnaſhing of the teeth, notes extreame deriſion, or higheſt contempt and inſultation over a man in miſery (Pſal. 35.15, 16.) But in mine adverſity they rejoyced, and gathered themſelves together (that is, then gathered themſelves together for joy, or to rejoyce) yea the very abjects gathered themſelves together (ſuch as all honeſt, or civill men had caſt out of their company and ſociety, aſſociated and knotted themſelves into companies) againſt me, they did teare me (that is, my good name) and ceaſed not; with hypocriticall mockers at feaſts, they gnaſhed upon me with their teeth: Where it is alſo obſervable, that we have the former act complained of by Job, joyned with this, Tearing, with gnaſhing of the teeth.

Thirdly, Gnaſhing of the teeth is the effect of extreame paine; thus the damned in Hell ſhall gnaſh their teeth for ever (Matth. 8.12. Matth. 13.42.) That gnaſhing of teeth ariſeth from a mixed paſſion, partly from envy, and partly from ſorrow; envy at the good which the Saints enjoy, and ſorrow at the evill which themſelves feele; hence comes gnaſhing of teeth in Hell.

Fourthly, Gnaſhing of teeth is an argument of extreame wrath and anger (Acts 7.54.) where it is ſayd of Steevens at once Auditors and Enemies, When they heard thoſe things, they were cut to the heart (Peters Auditors, Acts 2. were prickt at the heart with godly ſorrow, Stevens Auditors were cut to the heart with ungodly anger) and they gnaſhed upon him with their teeth. The gnaſhing of teeth here ſpoken of is the concommitant of ſuppoſed wrath, He teareth me in his wrath, and gnaſheth upon me with his teeth.

Yet further: p. 266Mine enemy ſharpeneth his eyes upon me.

This notes the fierceneſſe of an enemy: Wilde Beaſts when they fight, whet their eyes as well as their teeth; and a man that is extreamely enraged, looks upon his oppoſite as if he would looke through him: Thus Job repreſents the Lord in all the poſtures of an enemy, Hee ſharpeneth his eyes againſt mee.

foreign Acuit, deterſit gladium ut ſplendeat, ad terrorem polivit inſtrumenta ferrea autanea. Placidis oculis aliquem intuemur quando facta ejus bene interpretamur. Aquin.The word ſignifies to ſharpen as a Sword, or a Speare, or any inſtrument of Iron is ſharpened (1 Sam. 13.20.) There was no Smith in Iſrael; but all the Iſraelites went downe to the Philiſtims to ſharpen every man his ſhare, &c. That word is uſed here, Mine enemy ſharpeneth his eye like a Sword, as if he would ſtrike me through with his eye; we ſay a man hath a peircing eye, when he looks very angerly.

When we are well pleaſed, kindneſſe is ſeen in our eyes; we give our Freinds a pleaſant and gentle looke; Chriſt tels the Spouſe (Cant. 4.9.) Thou haſt raviſhed mine heart, my Siſter, my Spouſe, thou haſt raviſhed my heart with one of thine eyes. The Hebrew is, Thou haſt taken away my heart with one of thine eyes.Per metaphoram ad ſcintillationem oculorum transfertur, ubi oculi ad modum aeris candentis, vel lampadis ardentis vel aurorae radios vibrare dicuntur. Bold. Ingenii vim in eo fulgor oculorum oſtendebat, quorum a…iem inſtar ſiderum vibrantem intentius eum intuentes ferre non poterant. Pezel. Melliſ. Hiſt. par. 2da. Knolles Turk. Hiſt. A holy love-looke ſtole away Chriſts heart; he could not but love the Church when (through the comlineſſe which he had put upon her) ſhee looked ſo lovely on him. As thus a look of love from the Churches eye ſtole away Chriſts heart, ſo a look of mercy from Chriſts eye broke Peters heart, yea and opened the Flood-gates of his eyes too (Luke 22.61, 62.) And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter, and Peter went out and wept bitterly.

There are ſoft looks as well as ſoft words, and there are hard looks as well as hard words: The eye is a Speare and an Arrow, yea a ſharp Sword as well as the tongue; He ſharpneth his eyes upon me, as if he would ſtab me to the heart with a glanſe of his eye. The eye hath its ſcintillations, its ſparklings, even as bright burniſht Braſſe, or as a burning Lampe, or as the morning Sun ſends forth his rayes and beames; ſuch ſcintillations doth the eye of ſome men ſend forth naturally. The Romane Hiſtorians report of Auguſtus Caeſar, and our Turkiſh Hiſtorian reports of Tamerlane, that ſuch a majeſtick luſtre ſparkled from their eyes, as dazled the eyes of their beholders, which (ſaith my Author) cauſed the latter in a comely p. 267modeſty to abſtaine from looking earneſtly upon ſuch as ſpake with him. What the eyes of theſe great Princes did naturally, the eyes of many doe when they looke paſſionately. Chriſt hath a ſharpe eye, ſo ſharpe, that his eyes (as repreſented to John in a Viſion) were like a flame of fire (Revel. 1.14.) The eyes of God are ſo ſharpe naturally, or according to the excellency of his nature, that no eye can behold his face; and himſelfe beholdeth not onelyonly every face, but peirceth into every heart; yet beſides this naturall ſharpneſſe of his eye towards all, he angerly ſharpens his eye againſt his Enemies; God was indeed Jobs Freind, and Job was Gods Favorite, yet here he ſpeakes of God (as he had alſo done before) as of his Enemy; and as of an Enemy, declaring himſelfe at his eye, Mine enemy ſharpeneth his eye upon me.

Job attributes this to God, in the extremity of his paine;Adverſarium ſuum vocat Job non amicos ſolum ſed omnem creaturam, quae reſiſtit Domino reſiſtente, accuſat Domino accuſante, damnat Domino damnante, aut ipſum Deum adverſarium intelligas. Brent. this was the voice of his fleſh, it was not the voyce of Job himſelfe: this was the voice of his ſenſe, not the voyce of his Faith, Would you know what was the voyce of Job himſelfe, or of Jobs Faith? Heare that (Chap. 13.15, 16, 18.) Though he kill me, yet will I truſt in him He alſo ſhall be my ſalvation, and I know that I ſhall be juſtified. Heare againe his Faith ſpeaking (Chap. 19.25.) I know that my Redemeer liveth, and I ſhall ſee him againe with theſe eyes: Though ſenſe ſaw God as an Enemy ſharpening his eyes upon him, yet Faith ſaw God his Redeemer, in this aſſurance, that he alſo ſhould behold him with an eye of ſenſe, I ſhall ſee him with theſe eyes.

Hence Obſerve.

Firſt, That God dealeth with thoſe whom he loveth dearely, as if he hated them.

Secondly, They whom God doth love, may be under a preſent apprehenſion that God hates them.

I only name theſe points as ariſing from this place; they have been handled (Ch. 13.24. Ch. 14.13.) upon thoſe words, Ʋntill thy wrath be paſt; and therefore I ſtay not upon them here.

Thirdly, Note.

God (to ſenſe) doth ſeeme to excerciſe a kinde of cruelty (even the cruelty of wilde Beaſts) towards thoſe whom hee dearely loves.

What are tearing and gnaſhing of teeth? What is the ſharpening of the eye? Is not any one of theſe, much more all p. 268theſe in one, the diſcovery of cruelty. Job ſaith all this: and doth not Hezekiah ſay as much (Iſa. 38.13.) I reckoned till morning, that as a Lyon, ſo will he breake all my bones, from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me. We finde God taking upon himſelfe thoſe ſimilitudes, not onelyonly in reference to his Enemies, but alſo to his owne people; for as he deales with the wicked when they provoke him, ſo in proportion with his owne. Outward diſpenſations make no difference; I will take vengeance, I will not meet thee as a man (Iſa. 43.3.) that is, I will not ſhew ſo much as any humane pitty or compaſſion, much leſſe Divine, but I wil meet thee as a Beaſt. Thus God threatned to deale with Babylon; and thus he appeares to deale with Sion, with the choiſeſt Sons and Daughters of Sion.

And thus he profeſſed (Hoſ. 5.14.) For I will be unto Ephraim as a Lyon, and as a young Lyon to the Houſe of Judah; I, even I, will teare and goe away; I will take away and none ſhall reſeue him.

Job having ſhewed what hard uſage he had from God himſelfe, who appeared as an enemy, proceeds now to ſhew what hard and courſe uſage he had from men, who were indeed his enemies, into whoſe hands God had delivered him.

Verſ. 10. They have gaped upon me with their mouth, they have ſmitten me upon the cheeke reproachfully, they have gathered themſelves together againſt me.

The perſon is now changed, as alſo the number; before it was He, now They: And who were they? We have no Names to give them; onelyonly in generall. Theſe were the inſtruments which God let looſe upon him; his Freinds, ſay ſome; his Enemies ſay others. Whoſoever they were, doubtleſſe they were either downe right Enemies, or Enemy like Freinds; their owne behaviour ſpeakes them ſo, They have gaped upon me, &c.

He varies, or heightens their enemy-like behaviour by three expreſſions.

Firſt, They have gaped upon me with their mouth.

Secondly, They have ſmitten me upon the cheek reproachfully.

Thirdly, They have gathered themſelves againſt me.

I ſhall open them diſtinctly.

p. 269Firſt, They have gaped upon me with their mouth.

Gaping with, or opening the mouth, implyes two things.

Firſt, Scorne and deriſion (Lam. 2.16.) All thine enemies have opened the mouth againſt thee, they hiſſe and gnaſh the teeth; they ſay we have ſwallowed her up: certainely this is the day we looked for. The Church in affliction was afflicted with ſcornfull geſtures.

Secondly, As gaping with the mouth notes ſcorne, ſo alſo cruelty; he that gapes at another, tels him (though he ſay nothing) that he could devoure him, and eate him up (as we ſay) Without Salt, Such a one ſhewes that hee needs no Sauce (Pſal. 22.13.) They gaped upon me with their mouthes, as a ravening and roaring Lyon: A Lyon gapes at his prey to devour it; Job often complaines both of the contempt and cruelty of many againſt him; and their gaping upon him includes both; which are alſo againe intimated in the next clauſe.

They have ſmitten me upon the cheek reproachfully.

Some render it, Reproaching me, they have ſmitten me on the cheek: Smiting on the cheek is taken two wayes.

Literally.

Metaphorically.

What literall ſmiting is, all know, and moſt have felt, but had Job any about him who uſed him thus rudely? I conceive, not; and therefore we may underſtand him metaphorically. So, ſmiting on the cheek, is to reproach: And theſe words, They have ſmitten me on the cheek reproachfully, are no more nor leſſe, then, They have reproached me. To ſmite on the cheek, is a thing ſo reproachfull, that, by an Hebraiſme,Percutere maxillam Hebraica locutio eſt, quae ſignificat graviſſima contumelia aliquem afficere. it ſignifieth to reproach (Lam. 3.30.) He giveth his cheek to him that ſmiteth him, which is expounded in the latter clauſe by this, he is filled full with reproach. The ſufferings of Chriſt, which were full of reproach, are thus Propheſied, I gave my back to the ſmiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the haire: I hid not my face from ſhame and ſpitting (Iſa. 50.6.) Chriſt was ſmitten on the face literally (Matth. 26.67.) Then did they ſpit in his face and buffeted him, and others ſmote him with the palmes of their hands. Hee was ſmitten alſo tropically, being put to open ſhame, and diſgracefully dealt with. That of the Apoſtle p. 270cleares this ſenſe (2 Cor. 11.20.) Yee ſuffer a man to bring you into bondage, if a man devoure you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himſelfe, if a man ſmite you on the face, that is, If he diſgrace you: So the Apoſtle expounds it (Verſ. 21.) I ſpeake concerning reproach. Paul (Chap. 12.) had a meſſenger of Satan ſent to buffet him, to cuffe, or ſmite him with the fiſt, ſo the word ſignifies; what that was, at leaſt in part, hee explaines (Verſ. 10.) I will therefore take pleaſure in reproaches. Thus the Prophet deſcribes the diſhonour which ſhould be put upon the Judge (Micah. 5.1.) Now gather thy ſelfe in Troops, O daughter of Troops, he hath layd ſeige againſt us; they ſhall ſmite the Judge of Iſrael with a rod upon the cheek, that is, The Enemy ſhall powre contempt upon thy Kings and Princes;Cum aliquis propter gravem aliquam ignominiam pudefit, licet vis omnis abſit, & plaga verberari dicitur in maxilla. Sanct. in Mic. c. 5. v. 1.Mic 5:1 in which ſenſe they may be ſayd to be ſmitten upon the cheek, though no rod nor hand touch them. And ſome interpret that (Mat. 5.39.) If any man ſmite thee on the right cheeke, turne to him the left alſo, not of hand, but tongue ſmiting, or of ſuffering reproach. As if Chriſt had ſayd, If any one diſgrace thee a little, beare it, yea though he ſhould diſgrace thee a great deale more, yet beare it: Smiting upon the right cheek, notes a leſſer injury received. When a man ſmites another on the right cheek, he ſmites with his left hand; the left hand ſtrikes the right cheek, and the left hand is the weaker in moſt, and gives a weaker blow. If thou receive a blow on thy right cheek with the left hand, turne the other, and let him ſmite thee with the right hand, let him give thee a ſmarter, a hander blow: that is, If a man diſgrace thee a little, reward him not with diſgrace, but prepare to beare a greater, turne the left cheek. And the reaſon of this was, becauſe ſlaves and condemned perſons were thus ſmitten, as alſo ſuch as were ſuppoſed to ſpeake irreverently to the Magiſtrate.

Hence it was that when Paul had ſpoken freely to the Councell, ſaying, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conſcience before God untill this day: preſently Ananias the high Prieſt, commanded thoſe that ſtood by him to ſmite him on the mouth (Acts 23.1, 2.) In which caſe Chriſt himſelfe was ſmitten by an Officer that ſtood by (John 18.22.) From all which Scripture teſtimonies it is more then manifeſt, that to ſmite a man on the cheek, is to diſgrace, becauſe they who fell under diſgrace, were uſually ſmitten on the cheek: and this I p. 271take to be the moſt ſuitable interpretation of Jobs complaint in this place, They ſmite me on the cheek reproachfully.

Hence Obſerve.

Firſt, The beſt Saints on earth have been ſmitten and deepely wounded with reproach.

God himſelfe gave an honourable teſtimony of Job, there was none like him, he had no peere on earth, for holineſſe and uprightneſſe; yet men gave teſtimony againſt him, as if he had been the ſcumm of the World, for unholineſſe and hypocriſie. David, a man after Gods owne heart, was (not onelyonly reproached, but) a reproach among all his Enemies, but eſpecially among his neighbours (or neereſt Freinds both in habitation and relation) and he heard the ſlander of many (Pſal. 31.11, 13.) The word of God was made a reproach to the Prophet Jeremy (Chap. 20.8.) And the ſpirit was made a reproach to the Apoſtles (Acts 2.13.) Others mocked, ſaying, Theſe men are full of new Wine: When indeed they were filled with the holy Ghoſt (Verſ. 4.) Drunkards made Songs upon David, but the Apoſtles were ſung about for Drunkards.

We are fools, ſaith Paul (that is, We are ſo called and accounted) for Chriſt, and being defamed (or as the word bears, blaſphemed, to ſpeake againſt any thing of God in Man, is blaſphemy, as well as ſpeaking directly againſt God) we entreat. And to ſhew, that this was no prick with a Pin, or ſmall ſcratch upon their credit, which made him complaine; hee tels us what this fame did amount unto, We are made as the filth of the World, and as the off-ſcouring of all things unto this day (1 Cor. 4 13.)

The whole World lieth in wickedneſſe (which is a morall filthineſſe) ſo that to be the filth of the World is to be the filth of filthineſſe; the filth of a cleane thing is bad enough, what then is the filth of a filthy thing? The off-ſcouring of any thing is baſe, then what is the off-ſcouring of all things, which muſt needs include the baſeſt things? Theſe Apoſtles who were the ornament and glory, the pureſt and moſt refined peeces of the whole inferiour World, were yet made (not that theſe reproaches did at all change them from what they were in themſelves, but they made them to be in the opinion of others, what they leaſt of all were) the rubbiſh, and the refuſe, the ſweepings, and the droſſe of the whole p. 272World. The Apologies of Tertullian and others, doe abundantly teſtifie what reproaches the Primitive Chriſtians ſuffered, both in reference to their practice and worſhip. Athanaſius was called Sathanaſius (as if he had been a Devil incarnate) by the Abbettors of the Arrian Hereſie, which he ſtiffely oppoſed:foreign eſt ſtercoreus, hinc Coprion ſcarabeus, a luto ſcilicet. Bech de Orig. Ling. Lat. And ſome who were diſpleaſed with the Opinions and Writings of Cyprianus, called him in contempt, Coprianus, or one that gathers dung, as if his Bookes were nothing but dung heaps.

How Luther, Calvin, and other Reformers of the former age, were ſmitten reproachfully, both by the tongues and Pens of the Popiſh Party, is knowne of all theſe parts of the World: And how much this trade (which is indeed the Devils trade) of ſlandering the footſteps of Gods annoynted ones, is continued unto this day, we have but too much evidence. A man can ſcarſe appeare, indeed, for God, but he is thus ſmitten on the cheek by men. Religion and the power of godlineſſe have ever been an occaſion of contention, and for the moſt part, to ſmite with reproach, hath been the manner of contending.

There are not many enemies of good men, who have a Sword to draw againſt them, but all the Enemies of good men have ill words enow at command to throwe againſt them, and of them they are ſeldome ſparing: And, though (which is bad enough, yet no better can be expected of them) this trade of reproaching be driven moſt by evill men againſt thoſe who are good, yet (which is farre worſe) wee may learne from this inſtance betweene Job and his Freinds (for even they did not ſpare to reproach him) that (which ſhall be,

A ſecond Obſervation.)

A good man may ſo farr forget himſelfe, as to ſpeake reproachfully againſt his Brother: Yea, the reproaches of Profeſſors one againſt another, have been (as they are the ſaddeſt, ſo) the ſharpeſt and bittereſt reproaches. They who agree in moſt things, take it moſt unkindely when they differ in any thing; and are more ready to revile one another about the points wherein they differ, then to bleſſe God for thoſe wherein they are agreed. The Papiſts did not more reproach Luther and Calvin, whoſe judgements concurred in oppoſing them, p. 273then Lutherans and Calviniſts have reproached each other, where they are oppoſite in judgement: The corrupt remaines even in good men, tell them that whoſoever differs from them ſtands in their light and obſcures their excellency, and therefore that themſelves may ſhine the brighter in what they hold, they little care (when maſter'd by ſelfe and paſſion) how obſcure, yea foule they render them, who hold the contrary.

While Infidels reproached Chriſtians, it was the glory of Chriſtianity, and while the wicked reproach the godly, it is the glory of godlineſſe; but while one Chriſtian reproaches another, the glory is departed from godlineſſe. Is it not enough that the Servants of God are thus ſmitten by the world, muſt they needs ſmits their fellow-Servants, and revile thoſe who are (upon the maine) in the ſame way of God wherein they are, onelyonly becauſe they are not fully in their way? Yea, when poſſibly, they may be in a higher and more perfect way then they? Is it not enough that the Bryars and Thornes, which are among the Lillyes, teare and ſcratch them? Shall the Lillyes degenerate into Bryars and Thornes one towards another? Or if at any time a Lilly of the one ſide teare, and be harſh, ſhould not the Lilly on the other ſide be kinde and gentle? If Iſrael tranſgreſſe, let not Judah offend too▪ Luther was often at Sharps with Calvin, but Calvin profeſſed (and that was a Noble profeſſion) Though Luther call me Devill, yet I will honour Luther as a Servant of God.

Holy Job cannot be excuſed for his faylings in this, who as he complaines here, that he was reproached by his Enemies, yea and by his Freinds too, yet he gave his Freinds ſome advantage to complaine alſo of harſh words, if not of reproaches caſt upon them.

Thirdly, Obſerve.

Reproach is a very heavy burthen.

Remember (Lord) the reproach of thy Servant, how I doe beare in my boſome the reproach of all the mighty people, wherew…th thine Enemies have reproached thee, O Lord, wherewith they have reproached the footſteps of thine annoynted (Pſal. 89.50, 51.) And againe (Pſal. 69.9.) The reproaches of them that reproached thee, are fallen on me. Yet more (Pſal. 42.10.) As with a Sword in my bowels (or in my bones) they reproach me, while they ſay, &c. Reproach is not onelyonly a burden upon the back, but a p. 274Sword in the bowels. A reviling, reproaching tongue is compared in Scripture to three things.

Firſt, To a Raiſor.

Secondly, To a Sword.

Thirdly, To an Arrow.

A Raiſor is ſo keene, that it takes off every little hayre, reproach cuts a hayre, it will have to doe even with undiſcernable evils. A Sword wounds at hand, and ſmites thoſe that are neere; an Arrow wounds afarr off: So that whether a man be farr off, or neer, whether his error be ſmall or great, or but imaginary; it is all one to a reproachfull ſpirit, his tongue ſerves him for all turnes: David was tryed by all manner of reproaches; but thoſe which pinched and preſſed him moſt, were his reproaches about ſpirituall things. Any reproach is bad enough, but a reproach in Religion, is worſt; to be reproached with our prayers, and with our God, Where is your God? Such reproaches, how deep doe they goe? They ſtrike to the very heart. Credit is a precious commodity; a man is more tender of it, then of his fleſh; now all reproach falls upon our credit, and the more excellent that peece of our credit is, upon which the reproach fals, the more greivous is that reproach to us. Credit in ſpirituall things is the moſt excellent credit: Thus David was reproached, and ſo was Job, Is this thy feare, and thy confidence? Is this the thing thou haſt ſo long boaſted of? Chriſt was to beare the greateſt burden of affliction, and therefore he did not onelyonly beare the Croſſe, but reproach with it; he ſuffered death, and reproach with death; he ſuffered the ſhamefull death of the Croſſe, in which there was more then a reproach, a curſe, Curſed is every one that hangeth on a Tree: Chriſt muſt dye an ignominious death, as well as a painefull, and the ignominy was a heavier burden then the paine. Wee are exhorted (Heb. 13.13.) To goe out bearing his reproach; as intimating that to beare the reproach of Chriſt, would be harder to us, and a ſtronger temptation, then to beare the croſſe of Chriſt. As the greateſt part of Chriſts ſufferings for us, was to beare our reproach, ſo the greateſt part of our ſufferings for Chriſt is to beare Chriſts reproach: Let us goe forth unto him without the Camp, bearing his reproach. And indeed reproach is ſo great a burden, that were not this conſideration in it; p. 275that is, Chriſts, no man would bear it; and they will yeeld to doe any thing rather then ſuffer reproach, who are not able to ſay that their reproach is the reproach of Chriſt. Moſes looked upon his reproach, as the reproach of Chriſt, he did not eſteeme his owne reproach, but the reproach of Chriſt greater riches, then the treaſures of Aegypt (Heb. 11.26.) Our reproach is nothing but dung or droſſe which hath weight in it to preſſe us, but no worth in it to enrich us; but the reproach of Chriſt is treaſure, which though it have weight in it to preſſe us, yet it hath abundance of worth in it to enrich and crowne us. The Apoſtle cals it, The reproach of Chriſt, both becauſe Chriſt did beare ſuch reproach himſelfe, and becauſe Chriſt owned Moſes in bearing that reproach; yea he owned that reproach which Moſes bare, as if he had borne it himſelfe; while we are reproached for Chriſts ſake, Chriſt is reproached; and though it ſhould grieve us that Chriſt is reproached in us, yet it may comfort us, that Chriſt takes our reproach as his. They have ſmitten me on the cheek reproachfully, and yet they have not done with me.

They have gathered them ſelves together againſt me.

It ſeemes they contemned and reproached him ſingly, or every man apart; but they joyned altogether in conſulting and plotting againſt him.

The word that we tranſlate to gather together, hath a ſecond ſignification, namely, to fill, either as a roome is filled with Goods, or Perſons, or as the ſtomack is filled with meat,foreign 1. Implere complere. 2. Colligere, congregare quod rebus collectis impleantur loca. or food, or as an Army with Men. Hence Maſter Broughton tranſlates, They come by full Troops upon mee: And another, They will be filled with me, or upon me. The Vulgar explaines it thus, They are filled or ſatiated with my puniſhment: or as a third, They have taken their fill of pleaſure at my miſeries. The reaſon of this ſenſe ariſeth from the former; becauſe, where many things or perſons are gathered together, they fill up that place.

Firſt, It ſignifies to gather together, as men are gathered in a civill Society, and combination: Job ſuppoſed his Freinds conſpired his hurt, and that they gathered themſelves together againſt him, who pretended to gather themſelves together for p. 276him; or wee may apply this to his profeſſed Enemies, who were very unanimous to vex and trouble him.

Hence Note.

Super me implebuntur. Mont.Men are apt to agree in doing hurt.

Union is not alwayes a ſigne of a good cauſe: 'Tis but ſeldome we can agree to doe a common duty. Good men want the cement of love in a good cauſe; evill men ſeldome want it in a bad. Behold (ſaith God, Gen. 11.5, 6.) This people are one, and they all ſpeake one language: their language was one, and ſo were their hearts, to build a Tower, whoſe top might reach to Heaven: The builders of Babel are more united, then the builders of Sion. The Pſalmiſt complaines of the Enemies oneneſſe (Pſal. 83.5, 6, 7. They have conſulted together with one conſent (or heart) they are confederate againſt thee. Gebal, and Amon, and Amalek, the Philiſtims, and them that dwell at Tyre: Aſhur is alſo joyned with them, &c. All Nations, even Hetrogeniall Nations, can joyne in miſchiefe; men of ſeverall Kingdomes, and ſpirits, Pilate and Herod joyne to crucifie Chriſt; but as it is moſt beautifull and pleaſant (Pſal. 133.) So, O how hard a thing is it for Brethren to dwell in unity. They who have one God, one Lord, one Faith, one Spirit, one Baptiſme, one Hope; yea they who (in one ſenſe) are one Body, and one Spirit (Epheſ. 4.4, 5.) are ſeldome one.

Satiati ſunt paenis meis. Vulg. In malis meis voluptatem ſuam exploverunt Tygur.From that ſecond ſenſe of the word, They have filled, or ſatiated themſelves with me.

Note.

It is a kinde of pleaſure to ſome to ſee others in paine.

We ſhould be pained with the paine of others; fellow-feeling is a duty; how farr are they departed from this duty, who are ſo farr from feeling the ſufferings of others, that they take pleaſure in their ſufferings?

There are two ſorts of pleaſure, which every good man ſhould abhorr.

Firſt, Pleaſure in ſin, our owne, or others: The worſt that was ſayd of the wicked Gentiles was this, They not onelyonly doe ſuch things, but take pleaſure in them that doe them (Rom. 1.32.)

Secondly, Pleaſure in the ſufferings and ſorrows of others; ſome doe not onelyonly put others to the ſuffering of ſorrow, but take pleaſure in the ſorrow which they ſuffer; they make their teares as Wine, their aſhes as Bread; and untill they ſee p. 277them weeping and feeding on aſhes, their owne Wine is as teares, and their Bread as aſhes to them. Haman came full from the Queenes Banquet, and he was invited by her to a ſecond Banquet the next day, yet ſtill he was hungry, and ſayd (Heſt. 5.13.) All this avayleth me nothing, ſo long as I ſee Mordecai the Jew ſitting at the Kings gate: 'Tis like, Haman had eaten and drunke freely, yet the Banquet had not filled his belly: All this availeth me nothing. More then forty of the Jewes bound themſelves under a curſe, that they would neyther eate nor drink till they had killed Paul (Acts 23.12, 13.) It would have been better to Haman then meate and drinke to have killed Mordecai, and all the Jewes.

Some have been heard to ſay, O how ſweet is revenge! What a pleaſant draught is a draught of blood! Spightfull ſpirits hunger and thirſt for the downefall and miſery of thoſe who ſtand in their way; nor will any thing ſatisfie hatred, but the ruine of thoſe who are hated; and when once they ſee them ruined, they are ſatisfied; as envy is troubled at the good which another enjoyes more then at all the evils which it ſelfe feeles; ſo malice is more ſatisfied with the evils which befall others, then with all the good which it ſelfe enjoyes (Ex. 15.9.) The enemy ſayd, I wil purſue, I will overtake, I will divide the ſpoyle, my luſt ſhall be ſatisfied upon them. Pharoah and his Courtiers, yea all the Aegyptians hungred and thirſted for the fleſh and blood of Iſrael: They had a luſt, or a longing rather (as women with Childe have ſometimes inordinate appetites after ſtrange meates) to eate mans fleſh, and drink the blood of the ſlain: Revenge is as craving a luſt as covetouſneſſe, but it is a luſt more eaſily ſatisfied then covetouſneſſe. This encreaſes by receiving what it deſires, but that (if it may have it) is ſatisfied: That which covetouſneſſe receives, is onelyonly as fewell to a fire, but that which revenge receives,Appetitus finis eſt infinitus. is as food to the ſtomack; the deſire of the end is infinite, but the end being once attained, deſire is at an end: Yee are filled with mee.

Job having thus deſcribed the inſtruments and manner of his affliction, turnes his thoughts from them to the ſupreame efficient, and orderer of his afflictions.

p. 278Verſ. 11. God hath delivered me to the vngodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.

The words ſeemeth to b…are an alluſion to the proceeding of an earthly Judge, who having tryed a Malefactor, and found him guilty, pronounceth ſentence of death upon him, and then delivers, or turnes him over to thoſe who…e office it is to ſee execution done accordingly.

The word which we render to deliver, ſignifies alſo to ſhut up, which ſuites well with the former notion; for a condemned Perſon is more cloſely ſhut up, and more narrowly watcht, then before: But who were the ungodly to whom he was delivered, and the wicked into whoſe hands, or power he was turned? Theſe were not onelyonly the Chaldeans, and Sabeans, but alſo all ſuch as ſhewed any malice againſt him, or willingly afflicted him in his afflictions.

The words carry in them a correction of his former complaint, as if he had ſayd, Why doe I trouble my ſelfe with men, why doe I complaine of their unkindneſſe or cruelty againſt me? foreign A via divertit, deflexit, declinavit.God hath done it; he hath delivered, and turned mee over (as a Magiſtrate doth a Malefactor whom he hath condemned) into the hands of theſe tormenters, he hath ſealed a writ for my execution. Thus Job aſcribes all to God, hee ſometimes wrangles with men, but as often before, ſo now againe, he lookes beyond them, at once ſeeing and adoring the hand of God, putting him, and his eſtate into the hands of men.

Hence Note.

Firſt, Wicked men are ordered by Providence.

They cannot take till God puts into their hands: a Sparrow fals not to the ground without God, much leſſe doth a godly man fall into the hands of the wicked without God. They doe but execute what God decrees, though they doe it without any reſpect to his decrees, and quite croſſe to his commands. Many will be found at once executing the decrees and diſobeying the commands of God.

Secondly, God delivers his deareſt Children into the hands of wicked men, for tryall and correction.

Their graces and goodneſſe appeare moſt, when they are under the handling of evill and graceleſſe men. Many of their corruptions are purged out, while they are in their power p. 279who are not at all purged from their corruption. Foule hands may ſerve to waſh that cleane which is foule, and they who are but droſſe, may fetch off the ruſt which cleaves to the pureſt mettall.

Thirdly, Note.

It is an aggravation of affliction to be given up to wicked men.

It is an affliction to be in their company, what is it then to be under their power? Woe is me, ſaith David, Eſt hoc in judicio Domini graviſſimum quod adverſariis videatur Favere, & a parte eorum ſtare, conſilia conatuſque ipſorum contra nos proſperando. Brent.that I dwell in Meſhec, how wofull then is it to be a Priſoner in Meſhec? While God keeps the Rod in his owne hands, the ſmart is not ſo greivous: We learne this in Davids choiſe (2 Sam. 24.14.) when three evils were offered him, he reſolves, Let me fall now into the hand of the Lord (for his mercies are great) and let me not fall into the hand of man. A good man can eaſier dye by the hand of God, then receive a ſlight wound by the hand of an Enemy: As thoſe comforts are ſweeter, ſo thoſe ſufferings are not ſo bitter which Beleevers receive immediately from God.

It is hard to ſuffer from equals, much more from inferiours, but moſt of all when we ſuffer the fatherly diſpleaſure of God, from thoſe who are the objects of his diſpleaſure as a Judge. Let the righteous ſmite me (ſaith David, Pſal. 141.) a reproofe from them is oyle, but a reproofe from the wicked is Gall and Viniger to a godly heart: The reaſon why a godly man chuſes rather to be ſmitten by the righteous, then the wicked, is, becauſe they have ſomewhat, poſſibly, much of God in them; therefore much more doth hee ſay, Let the righteous God ſmite me. It is a mercy, if we muſt needs be chaſtiſed, when God will chaſtiſe us himſelfe, and not give us into the hands of men whoſe mercies are cruell.

There are two things which make it ſo greivous to the people of God, when they are delivered up into the hands of the ungodly.

Firſt, Their cruelty: Their mercies are cruell, how unmercifull then are they in their cruelties? As they know no meaſure in ſinning againſt God, ſo they keep none in vexing man. The Lord promiſeth (Pſal. 126.3.) The Rod of the wicked ſhall not reſt upon the lot of the righteous; implying, that by the good will of evill men it ſhould reſt there; they would never take it off, if God did not.

p. 280Secondly (which troubles more then the former) Their blaſph…my. And that firſt againſt God himſelfe, as if he either could not deliver out of their hands (2 Chron. 32, 14.) What is your God that he ſhould be able to deliver you out of my hand (Pſal. 42.) Where is now their God? Thus the wicked Jewes into whoſe hand God delivered his Son, did even dare God to come to his reſcue (Mat. 27.43.) or, as if he took their part, and favoured the cauſe which they have in hand. Secondly, They blaſpheame, or ſpeak evill both of the wayes and people of God. What's become of your prayers now? Where's your faſting now? Of which you boaſted, that it would doe ſuch wonders. It is a ſoare affliction to be under the rule of wicked men, much more to be under their rage: that prophetick curſe which David denounceth againſt his Enemy, is thus expreſſed (Pſal. 109.6.) Set thou a wicked man over him: A wicked man were better be under the power of good men, then of the wicked (for a good man cannot be ſo ſevere to a wicked man, as one wicked man is to another) but if a wicked man be ſo cruell to wicked men who are ſo like him, how cruell muſt he needs be to godly men who are altogether unlike him?

Fourthly, Note.

Godly men looke through all ſecond cauſes to the firſt.

As they reſt not in the creature for the good which they receive, ſo they ſtay not in the creature when they receive evill; they ſee a hand of God in and over all.

Note Fifthly.

We glorifie God as much in acknowledging afflictions, as in acknowledging mercies and bleſſings to come from him.

He is the Author of both; he takes it as much upon him, that he creates darkneſſe, as that he formes light; that is, As the next words expound it, That hee creates evill as well as makes peace (Iſa. 45.7.) Now if the Lord challenges this as a part of that glory which he will not give to Idols, then, we give him the glory of the onelyonly true God, while wee acknowledge this.

Sixthly, Note.

There is no way to ſettle or quiet the heart till it looke up to God as the diſpoſer of our troubles.

This was Jobs laſt reſort: And this was Davids when Shimei p. 281curſed him, God hath bid Shimei curſe: This kept downe thoſe angry motions, which muſt elſe have boyled up as high in his ſpirit, as they did in Abiſhaes, himſelfe being more deeply concerned in it then Abiſhai was. Job having diſcovered this frame of ſpirit more then once before, I here onelyonly touch upon it.

Laſtly, Take this comfortable Corolary from the whole.

Though God doth often deliver his choyceſt Servants into the power of wicked men, yet he never delivers them up to the will of wicked men: They cannot doe with his people what they pleaſe, they ſhall onelyonly doe what God himſelfe pleaſeth, though they diſpleaſe God highly in doing it. God never turnes the leaſt of thoſe who beleeve in his Name, out of his owne hand, though he turne them over into the hand of the ungodly: as God keeps his title to them ſtill, ſo hee ſtill keepes the poſſeſſion of them. Saints in the hand of the vileſt men, are in the hand, or poſſeſſion of God two wayes.

Firſt, They are in the hand of his power, he can fetch them out of the hands of men when he will.

Secondly, They are under the hand of his care; and this five wayes.

Firſt, To provide, that though they endure much hardſhip in their hands, yet they ſhall receive no hurt; God doth not turn his into the hands of evill men for evill, but for good.

Secondly, He hath them in the hand of his care to furniſh them with ſtrength to ſuffer.

Thirdly, To teach them how to profit by ſufferings.

Fourthly, To moderate the hands of the wicked towards them, their hands ſhall not be heavier then he hath appointed, they ſhall not give you a ſtroak more then hee hath numbred out.

Laſtly, As to order how much, ſo likewiſe how long they ſhall ſuffer: Our times are in Gods hand, when we are in the hand of men. As they cannot add a drop to our cup, ſo not a Sand to our Glaſſe, beyond what the Lord hath appointed out.