Exposition of Job 15-17, Commentary on Job · Chapter 17
JOB, CHAP. 17. Verſ. 13, 14, 15, 16.
If I waite, the Grave is mine houſe: I have made my in bed the darkneſſe.
I have ſayd to corruption, Thou art my Father, to the worme, Thou art my Mother and my Siſter.
And where is now my hope? As for my hope, who ſhall ſee it?
They ſhall goe downe to the barrs of the pit, when our reſt together is in the duſt.
JOB proſecutes the former Argument, and ſhewes yet more fully the vanity of thoſe hopes which his Freinds would nouriſh in him about a temporall reſtauration. Hee ſhewes alſo, that though himſelfe ſhould nouriſh them, and even ſtrive to hope, yet hee could no more keepe ſuch hopes from languiſhing, then himſelfe from dying, If I waite, the Grave is mine houſe.
If I waite.
Verbum foreign affinitatem habet cum foreign perpemdiculum, linea.Waiting is an act of the minde, in expectation of ſome future good: The Originall word ſignifies an earneſt waiting, or waiting joyned with much intention of ſpirit, and ſtrong deſires, as if the minde did let out a Cord, or Line, to take hold of the thing, for which we waite. Waiting is nothing elſe but patience lengthened out upon a promiſe. There are three acts of the ſoule upon the promiſes.
Firſt, Beleeving.
Secondly, Hoping.
Dicitis (amici) ſi me humiliem, manere meam expectationem: atqui cemitis vires meas & vitam meam veniſſe ad ultimam lineam quippe mala mea cur…m reſpuunt. Co….Thirdly, Waiting.
We beleeve the truth of the promiſe; we hope for the good layd up in the promiſe; we waite till that good be given out unto us. If I waite (ſaith Job) God waites upon us, and we waite upon God; God waits in mercy, we waite in duty, God waites to be gracious (Iſa. 30.18.) and man waits to be refreſhed with the grace of God. Job, in this place, ſeemes to make light or little of this duty of waiting: If I waite, or although I waite, or what if I waite, what ſhall I get by it? Where's the profit? Or what are my commings in? He tells us what; If I waite, all that I ſhall get by it will be a Grave, or a bed in darkneſſe: And all my preferment will be to call corruption my Father, and to ſay of the Worme, Thou art my Mother, and my Siſter: Here's all I am like to have for all my waiting.
But was this all he looked for by waiting?
Yes, it was all he looked for, and all he thought himſelfe in a capacity to receive in this World (though in that hee was deceived) hee had no expectation but to dye, and goe downe to the duſt; he had no hope to rejoyce in any kindred or alliance, but wormes and corruption, theſe were his Mother and his Siſters and Brethren: If I wait here's all I ſhall have. Thus (as I intimated before) the words carry a ſtrong confutation of thoſe hopes which his Freinds endeavoured to raiſe up in him, that God would raiſe him up,Docet praeciſam eſſe ſibi his malis omnem vitae ſpem vel ſi eam maximè animo fovere velit. Si expectem, i. e. ſi expectare ſtudeam, Merl. and make him as a Prince among the people, if he repented and turned to God. No, ſaith hee, what doe you tell mee of a great Houſe, and of a great Name, of a riſing Sun, and of the morning light, why am I ſo often told of theſe things, I tell you once for all, the Grave is my houſe, darkneſſe is my bed, and the wormes are my kindred and companions; let me heare no more of theſe groundleſſe prophecyings, and unſavory flatteries, for my wound is incurable, and I am at the laſt caſt, If I waite, the Grave is my houſe.
Againe, The word which we tranſlate to waite, comming, as was toucht before,Si aedificavero, infernus domus mea. Rab. Dan. from a Root which ſignifies a Carpenters Line, by which he meaſures his buildings: Some render the Text thus, If I build, the Grave is my houſe: As if hee had ſayd; I have no other houſe to build but a Grave, or when I have builded my beſt, I ſhall have no other houſe but a Grave.
[The Grave.]
The ſame word ſignifieth Hell, as was ſhewed (Chap. 11.8.) and therefore I will not ſtay here upon it: If I waite, the Grave, [Is my houſe.]
He cals the Grave a houſe, becauſe there wee reſt as in a houſe: Man goeth forth of his houſe to labour, and comes home to his houſe for reſt:Aegyptij defunctorum ſepulchra, domos aeternas Appellitant. Diodor. lib. 1. Some tell us that Job calls the Grave his houſe, in alluſion to thoſe formes of making Graves or Sepulchers, uſed in ancient (which are alſo continued in theſe) times, with arches, and contrivances like a houſe.
[And have made my bed in the darkneſſe.]
Intelligi poteſt de lecto bene ornato ſuper quem reponi ſolebant principum cadavera Mauſoleis, quod juxta Hebraeum in plurail dicitur, ſtravi ſtrata mea, magnificum quid ſ… nat & Pompaticum. Bold.He ſpeaks ſtill in proſecution of the alluſion: In a houſe there are Dining Roomes, and there are ſleeping Roomes; there is the Bed-Chamber, and the Bed in the Chamber. The Grave is my houſe (ſaith Job) and there I have a Bed, I have made it: [In the darkneſſe.]
The Grave is a darke place; and the Grave is called Darkneſſe in a double reſpect.
Firſt, Becauſe there is no light of the body there.
Secondly, Becauſe there is no light of the Sun there.
The light of the body is the eye, and the light of the ayre is the Sun; but in the Grave the Sun ſhines not, or if it did, yet there the eye ſees not, therefore the Grave is darkneſſe: I have made my bed in the darkneſſe: And darkneſſe is moſt fit for a bed, ſleepe loves darkneſſe: A working Roome muſt be light, but 'tis no matter how darke a ſleeping Roome be: when we goe to ſleep, if it be not darke, we make it darke, that ſo we may ſleep the better. The Apoſtle gives that as an argument why the Saints ſhould not ſleep as doe others, becauſe they were once darkneſſe, but now light in the Lord. He that is in aeriall light can hardly get his body to ſleep, and will you who are in ſpirituall light compoſe your ſoules to ſleep? All ſorts of ſleepers covet the darke, and therefore they who ſleep in death, are elegantly deſcribed making their b…d in darkneſſe, that ſo they may have (as it were) all accommodations for their reſt, I have made my bed in the darkneſſe.
It may be queſtioned (towards the clearing of this Verſe) Did not Job waite? Why doth he ſay, If I waite? Was hee upon Iffs or Ands about that great and neceſſary duty? Hee reſolved peremptorily (Chap. 14.14.) All the dayes of my appointed time will I waite till my change come: And is hee ſo much changed already into an unreſolvedneſſe about his waiting?
I anſwer, This ſuppoſition about waiting, is not a negation, nor is it a note of his irreſolution to waite for any thing, but only for that particular, about which his Freinds were ſo buſie to awaken and heighten his expectations. Job waited upon God for all things which he deſired to have, onelyonly he did not waite upon God for that which the viſible diſpenſations of God ſeemed to tell him aloud, that he ſhould not have, a temporall deliverance; yea, when he ſaith, If I waite, namely, for this thing, it is an Argument that he acknowledged it a duty to waite upon God for all thoſe things, for the receiving of which he had any rule or ground of hope from God: Every exception confirmes the rule. Hee that ſaith he doth not wait upon God about that for which hee hath no warrant, ſaith ſtrongly, that he ought to waite upon God where he hath a warrant.
From which conſequence we may Obſerve this unqueſtionable truth.
That it is the duty of man to waite upon God.
Waiting upon God is a duty of the firſt Commandement; it is a part of naturall worſhip: It is not in mans liberty whether he will waite or no, hee is commanded to waite: David ſpeaks it double, and no doubt he laboured to act it double (Pſal. 40.1.) Waiting, I waited, or I waited patiently upon God: The Apoſtle gives that advice to the Saints (Heb. 10.36.) Yee have need of patience, that after yee have done the will of God, yee may receive the promiſe: There is doing the will of God, and then there is receiving the promiſe; yet we muſt doe ſomewhat after we have done the will of God, before we can receive the promiſe; and that is, we muſt waite upon him: You have need of patience, ſaith the Apoſtle; What kinde of patience? There are three ſorts of patience.
Firſt, The patience of labouring, that he puts in the former part of the Verſe, it is our doing the will of God.
Secondly, There is the patience of ſuffering.
Thirdly, There is the patience of waiting after we have both done and ſuffered the will of God.
We have need of this patience, the patience of waiting, that we may receive the promiſe, that is, the mercy promiſed; God hath preventing mercies, and they come to us before we wait for them; but his rewarding mercies muſt be waited for: he will exerciſe the grace of patience in us, by cauſing us to wait for our reward, as he exerciſeth the graces of love and zeale, in commanding us to doe his will; and uſually without waiting after we have done his will, there is no receiving of the reward for doing his will. And for the promiſes and Propheſies in generall, though God never faile his owne time, yet he ſeldome comes at ours: That great promiſe about the deliverance of the people of Iſrael out of Aegypt, was performed punctually to an houre (Exod. 12.41, 42.) It came to paſſe at the end of foure hundred and thirty yeares, even that very night, it came to paſſe, that God brought out all the Hoſt of Iſrael. The time being out in the night, God did not ſtay till morning, but brought them out that very night: We count it a very veniall ſin to breake our word for a day, or to let a man waite a day beyond the time promiſed; we commonly ſay, A day breakes no ſquare: It is not ſo with God, he keeps his time punctually, he will not break his word one day. Wee read of the ſhortning of evill times, but not of their lengthening, God never makes his people waite for good longer then hee hath promiſed. But though God keep his time exactly, and come juſt at the moment he hath prefixed and foreſhewed, yet we are apt to antedate the promiſe of God, and to ſet it a time before Gods time: We are ſhort ſighted and ſhort breathed; that which is but a moment in the Kalendar of Heaven, ſeemes more then an age to us. Now in this regard there is much need of patience, of waiting patience, to tarry, not onelyonly our time, but Gods time; which is the meaning of the Prophet Habakkuk (Chap. 2.3.) The viſion is for an appointed time, but at the end it will ſpeake and not lye, though it tarry, waite for it, becauſe it will ſurely come, and will not tarry: The Prophet adviſes, Though it tarry, waite for it; there's our duty, yet hee preſently affirmes, It will not tarry: So then it may tarry, and yet it tarryeth not; it may tarry beyond our time, but it tarryeth not beyond Gods time; It will come, and will not tarry; that is, not beyond the time which God hath prefixed, though it may ſoone tarry beyond the time which we have prefixed; therefore if it tarry, waite; there is no remedy but patience.
The Apoſtle James gives the rule (Chap. 1.4.) Let patience have her perfect worke: that is, Let all manner of patience worke in you to the end, and let it worke to all thoſe ends, or purpoſes to which it is appointed. Patience hath her perfect worke.
Firſt, When it puts forth perfect acts.
Secondly, When it perſeveres in acting.
Patience aſcends by three ſteps to the perfection of her worke.
The firſt is a ſilent (not a ſullen) ſubmiſſion or reſignation of our ſelves to the diſpoſe of God (Pſal. 39.9.) I was dumb (ſaith David) and opened not my mouth, becauſe thou didſt it.
Secondly, A kinde of thankfull acceptation, or kiſſing of the Rod which ſmites us: If their uncircumciſed hearts be humbled (ſaith the Lord, Levit. 26.41.) and they accept the puniſhment of their iniquity: The phraſe imports a welcome receiving of it, as of a love-token from the hand of a Freind, or that the Rod is not onelyonly juſtly, but mercifully and graciouſly inflicted: This a great perfection of patience, and to this Jobs patience attained the very firſt day of his ſorrows, while he bleſſed the Name of the Lord, not onelyonly for giving him ſo many good things, but alſo for taking them away (Chap. 1.21.)
The third ſtep, is ſpirituall joy, and ſerious cheerfulneſſe under ſorrowfull diſpenſations: This the Apoſtle exhorts the Brethren to (Verſ. 2.) Count it all joy when yee fall into diverſe temptations: And preſently adds (intimating that the higheſt perfection of patience conſiſts in this joy) Let patience have her perfect worke: As if hee had ſayd, I have told you what the perfect worke of patience is, doe not give check to your patience till it be got up this ſtep, and hath ſet your ſoules, a rejoycing, or (as we ſpeake) a crowing over all your temptations.
Every grace ſhould have its perfect worke in us, and ſo they have, when patience hath its perfect worke; and then patience hath done that perfect work there commanded, when we waite quietly, thankfully, and rejoycingly, till God hath done the worke which he hath promiſed. This waiting patience is alſo called (by Chriſt himſelfe) The poſſeſſion of the ſoule (Luke 21.19.) Poſſeſſe yee your ſoules in patience. What title ſoever we have to our owne ſoules, we have no poſſeſſion of them without patience: As Faith gives us the poſſeſſion of Chriſt, ſo patience gives us the poſſeſſion of our ſelves: An impatient man is not in his owne hands; and as waiting patience gives us the preſent poſſeſſion of our ſelves, ſo it will bring us to the poſſeſſion of all good things elſe that we ſtand in need of to make us happy. The Prophet pronounceth them bleſſed, who waite every bleſſing is a good thing, but to be bleſſed is all good things, not onelyonly is a bleſſing but bleſſedneſſe the reward of a waiter. The Lord is a God of judgement, bleſſed are all they that waite for him (Iſa. 30.18.) Waiting is not onelyonly a duty, but a benefit, yea our bleſſedneſſe. And if any object, How is it bleſſedneſſe, or ſo much as a ſingle bleſſing to waite upon God under this notion as a God of judgement? To have ſayd, God is a God of mercy, bleſſed are they that waite for him, might have taken upon the heart; but to ſay, God is a God of judgement, bleſſed are they that waite for him: How can that be? Is there any deſireableneſſe in judgement?
I anſwer, Judgement is not there oppoſed to mercy (there's no bleſſedneſſe in being neer ſuch judgement.) We may conſider judgement in a threefold oppoſition.
Firſt, Judgement is oppoſed to anger and ſeverity (Jer. 10.24.) Correct me, O Lord, in judgement, not in thine anger: It is a bleſſed thing to wait upon a God of judgement, in oppoſition to anger, or as judgement imports the golden Bridle of moderation upon the paſſions and affections.
Secondly, Judgement is oppoſed to injuſtice, it is a bleſſed thing to waite upon a juſt God, who will certainely doe us right; it is a miſery, one of the greateſt miſeries under the Sun, to waite upon unjuſt and unrighteous men; but how great a mercy is it to waite upon a juſt, and a righteous God?
Thirdly, Judgement is oppoſed to folly, ignorance, and unadviſedneſſe; thus God is a God of judgement, or wiſedome, and bleſſed are they that waite upon the wiſe; it is a vexation to waite upon raſh, fooliſh, heady men, who doe they care not what, or know not what they doe; but to wait upon a man, much more upon the God of judgement, who knowes how to order and doe all things, who hath the full compaſſe of every cauſe within him, and will time every circumſtance to our beſt advantage (to waite upon this God I ſay) is a high p…i…e of happineſſe: God being ſuch a God of judgement, Bleſſed are they that waite for him; and ſo bleſſed are they, that however he may put them to waite long, yet he at his comming will more then recompence all their waiting; as we finde in that exultation of the Church (Iſa. 25.9.) And it ſhall be ſayd in that day, Loe this is our God, wee have waited for him, he will ſave us; this is the Lord, we have waited for him, wee will be glad, and rejoyce in his ſalvation: Poſſibly ſome had ſayd then to the Church (as was ſayd continually to David, Pſal. 42.3.) Where is your God? Yee have long looked for him, but he doth not yet appeare. The Church having borne thoſes reproaches long, ſees God comming at laſt, and then ſhee breakes forth in tryumph, as if ſhee had held God forth in her hand, and cryes him up, Loe this is our God, wee have waited for him: The words have a ſound of victory, yea of many victories in them. They ſhall in the end overcome all difficulties, who can but overcome their owne hearts to a patient waiting upon God: As true repentance for the evill we have done, ſo holy patience for the good we would receive, ſhall never be repented of.
And (to add that further) though, when (as it appeared here to Job) God in his providentiall actings, determines negatively, and ſpeakes it out by the manner of his workings, that his will is not to give, or doe for us ſuch a thing, it ceaſes to be a duty to waite for it, yet to lay downe the duty of waiting, or to throw it up at any time upon ſuch grounds as theſe foure (which are the uſuall grounds upon which it is layd downe or throwne up) is extreamly ſinfull, and a high contempt of God.
Firſt, It is extreamly ſinfull to give over waiting upon God, as being unwilling to tarry his leiſure. 'Tis the prerogative of God, to date all times, as much as to doe all things for us; our times are in his hand as well as our affaires, and he is the diſpoſer of all things, as in regard of the means, ſo alſo of their ſeaſons. Hence 'tis our duty to waite as a time, ſo all the dayes of our appointed time (how many ſoever they are, they are all of Gods appointment) till our change ſhall come, as Job profeſſed his reſolution to doe (Chap. 14.14.) The Iſraelites are charged (Pſal. 78.41.) For limitting the holy one of Iſrael: How did they limit him? There is a twofold limitting of God: Firſt, to meanes, when we thinke we cannot be ſaved unleſſe we are ſaved our owne way. Secondly, there is a limitting of God to times, he muſt ſave us by ſuch a day, or elſe we cannot be ſaved: Thus the Iſraelites limitted the Holy one of Iſrael, and ſet bounds to him, whoſe power and wiſedome are immeaſurable. God may juſtly limit man, and man never doth juſtly till hee keeps within the limits of God; but it is not a ſin but a high preſumption, for man to limit God: nor is it poſſible for man to breake his owne bounds more by any thing he doth, then by ſetting bounds to God, what, or when he ſhall doe.
Secondly, It is exceeding ſinfull to give over waiting on God for deliverance out of an affliction, becauſe we are eyther diſpleaſed with God who ſends it, or are angry at the affliction ſent. When God throwes a ſtone at us, wee ſhould ſtoop humbly, and taking it up, put it into our boſome (if we doe ſo, though it looke like a worthleſſe Peble, it will quickly change into a precious Pearle, however wee muſt) not like the Dogg rage at it and bite it, which yet many doe. Now they who are vexed at the affliction which God ſends, or at God himſelfe, for ſending the affliction, theſe will never waite upon God for the removing of it. Such was the frame of that wretched King (2 Kings 6.33.) who ſayd, This evill is of the Lord, wherefore ſhould I waite on the Lord any longer? As if he had ſayd, I will never waite for any kindneſſe at his hand, who hath already uſed me thus unkindly: Hee that takes an affliction in ill part at the hand of God, will never expect good from him; or if he doe, it muſt come very ſpeedily, or elſe his waiting is over. 'Tis not unlikely that this King, by the advice of the Prophet Eliſha had waited a little, but he was ſoone weary; Why ſhould I waite any longer? There was reaſon enough why he ſhould, but his unbeleife would not let him ſee what he ſaw, nor underſtand what himſelfe had ſpoken: For the reaſon which he gave, why hee would waite no longer, is the ſtrongeſt reaſon that can be given why he ſhould have waited longer, This evill is of the Lord. 'Tis true, that among men, they, from or of whom evils are, are uſually the unfitteſt to remove them: Men who wound are ſeldome skil'd at curing; but the Lord brings no evill, but what he can remove, nor doth he make any wound but what he can heale; yea no power nor art in the World, can heale the wounds that he makes, or remove the evills which hee brings, but his owne. Hence the patient Beleever cryes out with the Church (Hoſ. 6.1.) Let us returne to the Lord, yea let us waite upon the Lord, for hee hath torne and hee will heale: But the impatient unbeleever ſaith, Let us turne away from the Lord, let us waite upon the Lord no longer, for 'tis he that hath torne us, therefore ſurely hee will not heale us. Grace and corruption may take up the ſame principles, but they draw concluſions from them as contrary, as themſelves are.
Thirdly, It is exceeding ſinfull to give over waiting, as thinking that God cannot helpe. Some ſhorten their patience by ſhortning the hand of God. That ſuch were the apprehenſions of the Jewes, is more then probable by the Prophets Negative aſſertion (Iſa. 59.1.) Behold the Lords hand is not ſhortned that it cannot ſave.
Fourthly, It is exceeding ſinfull to give over waiting upon God, by turning aſide to ſinfull wayes: Some finde out (as they ſuppoſe) neerer wayes to helpe themſelves, then by attending upon God; they like not (as ſuch have prophanely called them) thoſe pious delayes: and ſo over Hedge and Ditch they will, to the overtaking of their owne ends. The Prophet Jeremiah deſcribes ſuch (Chap. 18.12.) And they ſayd, there is no hope; or, our caſe is deſperate, all's loſt. What then? but we will walke after our owne deviſes, and every one doe after the imagination of his evill heart: The Lord had told them (Verſ. 11.) Behold I frame evill againſt you, and deviſe a device againſt you. But did the Lord deviſe a device, meerely to enſnare them, or did he frame evill againſt them onelyonly to undoe them? No, his ayme was their repentance, not their ruine, and therefore he adds in the ſame Verſe, Returne yee now every one from his evill wayes, and make your wayes and your doings good: As if the Lord had ſayd, Though I am about to frame evill againſt you, yet doe yee returne to me and all ſhall be well. How doe they reſent this threatning and this Counſell? They grow deſperate upon it: And ſeeing God had brought them into ſuch ſtraits, they would get out as well as they could: And as he was deviſing devices againſt them, ſo they had devices of their owne, and them they would follow. Thus they would not waite upon God for a remedy in the way of repentance for their old ſins, but they would provide themſelves a remedy by running into new ſins: They had a device in their heads, which ſhould match the device of God.
Now what the Prophet ſubjoynes (Verſ. 13, 14, 15.) as a ſtrong redargution of that people who refuſed to waite upon God in that way, the ſame may we ſay to all thoſe who refuſe to waite upon God in any way. The Virgin of Iſrael (he cals her ſo to minde her what ſhee ſhould be, not to commend her for what ſhee was) hath done a very horrible thing, will a man leave the Snow of Lebanon, which commeth from the rock of the feild? Or, will a man (as our Margin hath it) leave my feilds for a rock, or for the Snow of Lebanon? that is, Will any traveller be ſo fooliſh, as to leave the plaine feilds, where hee may paſſe with eaſe and pleaſure, without let or hinderance to climbe over craggy Rocks and precipitious Hils? will hee leave a beaten path, to goe through vaſt Woods and deſolate Forreſts covered with Snow, where no track or footſteps are to be ſeene? or (as it followes in that Verſe) ſhall the cold flowing waters which come from another place be forſaken: or, ſhall the coole running waters be forſaken for ſtrange waters: that is, Will any man who hath freſh Fountaine-water of his owne at home, goe to ſeeke water in a ſtincking Ditch, in ſtanding pooles, and miery puddles when he is a thirſt? Such is the choice or exchange which they make, who ceaſe waiting upon God in his wayes, and turne aſide for helpe to their owne crooked wayes, Stumbling (as the Prophet ſpeakes at the fifteenth Verſe of the ſame Chapter) in their wayes from the ancient paths, to walke in paths, in a way not caſt up, or, where no Cauſey is. Though the hand or providence of God doth ſometimes bring his people (as the Prophet ſpeakes (Iſa. 42.16.) By a way which they knew not, and leads them in paths that they have not knowne: that is, Into a way which they knew not, by any former teachings of men, or experiences of their owne; yet his hand never leads them into any way, which is not caſt up, or which may not be made out, by ſome rule or example in the word: To leave waiting upon God in his ordinary wayes, and to goe in any extraordinary way which hath no ground in the word, is purely to follow our owne wayes, and to goe after the imaginations of our evill hearts.
Job in this place apprehended it unſeaſonable for him to waite for thoſe worldly attainments and enjoyments which his Freinds promiſed him; but he was not unwilling to tarry the Lords leiſure, nor was he diſpleaſed with God for afflicting him, nor did he ſay, God could not helpe him, much leſſe did he turne from God to any wicked way to helpe himſelfe, when he ſayd, If I wait, the Grave is mine houſe.
Secondly, Obſerve from it.
A good man may give up all his worldly expectations.
A Beleever may in this ſenſe be an unbeleever, and lay down all his hopes in this life, of long life and of good dayes, of riches and temporall greatneſſe: When Freinds bid ſuch on their ſick beds, Be of good cheere, we hope to ſee you abroad ſhortly; we hope God will raiſe you up againe, they will even forbid thoſe comforts, and ſay, Doe not intice us back into the World with theſe hopes, the Graves are ready for us, and we have made our bed in the darkneſſe; it is not for us to looke for life here, indeed to live to us is Chriſt, but to dye is gaine. A Beleever can willingly part with all his earthly poſſeſſions for heavenly hopes, much more can he joyfully part with all his earthly hopes for the poſſeſſion of Heaven.
Thirdly from theſe expreſſions, The Grave is my houſe, I have made my bed in the darkneſſe.
Note.
A Beleever looks upon death as a ſtate of reſt,
As the whole houſe is a place of reſt compared with the World abroad, ſo the Bed is the ſpeciall place of reſt (Revel. 14.14.) Bleſſed are the dead which dye in the Lord, from henceforth, they reſt from their labours, and their workes follow them: They ſhall follow their worke no more, who are followed by their works. The Grave is the houſe and bed of the body to all who dye: Heaven is the houſe and reſt of the ſoule to all thoſe why dye in the Lord. Saints have here a reſt in their labours, they ſhall hereafter have a reſt from their laboures.
Laſtly, Whereas the bed of death is made in darkneſſe.
Obſerve.
There is nothing deſireable in death, as conſidered in it ſelfe.
A darke condition is the worſt condition: Darkneſſe which in Scripture ſignifies all evill is a word good enough to expreſſe the ſtate of death by: What deſireableneſſe there is in death, what pleaſures in the Grave, will appeare further in thoſe arguments which death uſeth to invite us home to its houſe, the Grave, in the next Verſe, vvhichwhich tels us our moſt lovely companions, yea our ſweeteſt and moſt endeared relations there, are, Corruption and Wormes.
Verſ. 14. I have ſayd to corruption, Thou art my Father, and to the worme, Thou art my Mother, and my Siſter.
Hyperbolae ſunt quibus ſignificat ſe omnem jam vitae cogitationem abdicaſſe. Jun.This Verſe is of the ſame ſenſe with the former; onelyonly here, Job breaks into an elegant variation of new metaphors, and hyperbolicall expreſſions.
[I have ſayd.]
That is, I have (as it were) called to, and ſaluted the retinue and attendants of death, as my freinds and kindred: As I have made my bed in the Grave, and as that is my houſe, ſo now I am finding out my houſhold relations; I ſay to this, Thou art my Father, and to that, Thou art my Mother and Siſter.
foreign Eſt clamare vocare appellare, & per electionem nominare, elegans proſopopeia: per quam Job tumulum alloquitur. Bold.The word which we render, I have ſayd, &c. ſignifies not barely to ſay, but to cry, or call out: I have called out to corruption; ſo Maſter Broughton, To the pit I cry, O Father, O Siſter, O Mother to the Worme: not barely, I have ſayd, but I cry, and not barely, I cry Father to the pit, but he adds alſo a note of exclamation, O Father.
Secondly, The word imports not generally a calling, or crying out, to any one that comes next, but to ſome ſpeciall perſon, by way of election and choice, or to ſuch as vve know vvell, and are acquainted with, as the termes of Father, Mother, and Siſter imply.
Verbum foreign ſignificat etiem occurrere alicui, nam occurrentem ſolemus ſalutatione vel interrogatione aliqua proprio nomine appellare.Further, the word ſignifies, not onelyonly to call aloud, and to call with election, but to goe forth on purpoſe to call a Freind, or to invite him in: As when we ſee an acquaintance comming towards us, or our dwellings, we ſtep out to meet and welcome him, ſo the word may beare in this place: As if Job ſeeing death drawing towards him, had gone out, and ſaid O corruption my Father, O wormes my Mother, my Siſter, vvelcome, vvelcome, ſuch an elegancy the word yeelds us.
I ſhall not here ſtay upon any anxious diſquiſition about the propriety of theſe relations, how Job cals corruption his Father, and the vvorme his Mother and Siſter, or in drawing out compariſons about them; vve are to looke onelyonly to a generall proportion, not to an exact propriety in theſe words; there's no need to make out parallels between corruption and a Father, or betweene wormes and a Mother, or a Siſter.
OnelyOnly thus much may be aſſerted particularly.
Firſt, He ſpeakes thus to ſhew that he looked on death, not onelyonly not as an enemy, but not as a ſtranger. Death and he were well acquainted.
Secondly, He ſpeakes thus to ſhew, that death vvas not only not a ſtranger to him, but as one of his kindred: He vvas upon as fayre termes vvith death, as vvith Father and Mother.
Thirdly, Job ſpeakes thus to ſhew,Ʋt oſtendat mortem ſibi in votis eſſe, cunctis illum amicitiae & neceſſitudinis nomininis compellat. Pinet. that he did not onelyonly looke upon death as in a neere relation to him, but as having a kinde of delight and contentment in death: vvhat is more ſweet to a man vvho hath been in a long journey, and is returning home, then to thinke that he is comming to his Father and Mother, to his Brethren and Siſters? As nature gives us kindred by blood, ſo it is a cuſtome to adopt and ſtampe to our ſelves kindred by kindneſſe; one vve call Father, and another vve call Mother; one is our Brother, a ſecond is our Siſter, a third our Cozen, by the mutuall tyes or by the receits and returnes of curteſie. Thus we are to take theſe compellations, as intimating vvith vvhat ſpirit Job entertained the thoughts of death, even with no other then if he had beene to fall into the embraces of Father, and Mother, and Siſter: He ſayd to corruption, as we ſhould ſay to wiſedome (Prov. 7.4.) Say unto wiſedome, thou art my Siſter, and call underſtanding thy Kinſwoman: that is, Acquaint thy ſelfe with, and be familiar vvith vviſedome, ſo ſhalt thou keepe thy ſelfe (vvhichwhich is both thy vviſedome and thy happineſſe) a ſtranger, From the ſtrange Woman (Verſ. 5.)
Further, it may yet be enquired, what it is which Job cals Corruption and the worme, I have ſayd to corruption, &c. What is this corruption? There are two opinions about it.
Firſt, Some interpret him ſpeaking to the corruption, and wormes which had already ſeized upon his body; for his diſeaſes and ulcerous ſores had bred corruption and wormes: As if he had ſayd, I may well call corruption my Father, for I am already full of corruption, I may well call the worme my Mother, my ſiſter, for the wormes creep in and out at my ſores continually: my body is as if it had layne already in the Grave, full of corruption and wormes.
Secondly, Others expound him ſpeaking to, and of, the corruption, and wormes which waited his comming into the Grave. The vvord in the Text which wee tranſlate Corruption, ſignifies alſo the Grave; becauſe bodies doe not onelyonly corrupt in the Grave,foreign Fovea, corruptio, quod in fovea corpus corrumpitur. but quickly turne to corruption. As ſoone as a body is dead, it is a carkaſſe, and after it hath been a while a carkaſſe, 'tis nothing but corruption: Hence ſome render it, not, I have ſayd to corruption, but to the pit, or grave; ſo Maſter Broughton To the pit I cry, O Father, to the worme, O Mother, O Siſter. The Grave is ſo proper a place for corruption, that 'tis proper enough to expreſſe corruption by the Grave.
And beſides thoſe wormes which are generated out of the putrefaction of mans body, there are vvormes ready generated in the Grave to entertaine us; wormes are the proper inhabitants of the Grave; there they keep houſe as Father and Mother, and Siſter, to vvelcome and embrace ſuch as deſcend into it.
Maſter Fox reports of Doctor Taylor, a famous Martyr of Chriſt in Queene Maries time, who vvas burned at Hadley in Suffolke, that when he knew he ſhould ſuffer death by fire, he ſayd, I have been deceived my ſelfe, and I ſhall deceive many at Hadley, when ſome hearing this, began to hope he would recant and ſhrink from that profeſſion of the Goſpel which hee had made: At laſt he explained himſelfe, I am a man of a very full fat body, which I had hoped, ſhould have been buryed in Hadley Church-yard, but I ſee I am deceived; and there are a great number of wormes there, which might have had good cheere upon my carkaſſe, but I ſhall deceive them all, my body being to be burned. The Earth breeds wormes in its owne bowels, and our body which at the beſt and alive are but refined earth, being once dead yeeld another race of wormes. Job may be ſuppoſed ſpeaking unto both, or eyther, I have ſayd to the worme, Thou art my Mother and my Siſter.
We may hence Obſerve.
That ſome Beleevers are ſo farr from fearing, that they are familiar with death.
Other Texts in the former paſſages of this Book, have occaſioned like Obſervations; yet as often as this occaſion is renewed it will not be unprofitable to renew this Obſervation: To vvrite the ſame things vvhere wee read the ſame things (yet the Reader will not finde them the ſame) is not unprofitable.
I ſay ſome Beleevers are familiar vvith death, I am farre from ſaying that he vvho is not, is no Beleever: There are not in all, the ſame degrees of holineſſe, though holineſſe be the ſame in all; but a Beleever may arrive at ſuch a compoſure of ſpirit, at ſuch a ſtature of holineſſe, as not to feare death. There are ſome Beleevers (and it is their ſin) who are but little acquainted vvith death, they ſeldome goe out to the Grave, or look into the pit they are going to; he that hath often converſed with death in the meditation (vvhichwhich is a Beleevers vvay) of the death of Chriſt, cannot be affrayd to dye if he know what that death of Chriſt meanes vvhichwhich he hath meditated upon. He that knowes it throughly, may (as the Prophet ſpeakes in another caſe, Iſa. 11.8.) play upon the hole of this Aſpe, and put his hand upon the den of this Cockatrice; yea, ſuch a Beleever may not onelyonly play and put his hand upon the Grave, which is the hole of this Aſpe, and the den of this Cockatrice, but he can play with the Aſpe it ſelfe, and take up the Cockatrice in his hand; with this Aſpe or Cockatrice he can ſport himſelfe as with a Brother or a Siſter.
O how different are the thoughts of carnall men, and their vvords of death? How dreadfully doe they ſpeake and think of the Grave? An Unbeleever ſaith of the Grave, It is a priſon, not a houſe; he findes no bed in darkneſſe, 'tis to him a Dungeon, he ſaith to corruption, Thou art my foe, and to the wormes, yee are to me as Feinds and Furies: Hee cannot beare the thought of them, much leſſe their ſight and preſence. Saints ſpeak courtingly of death; there is a kinde of holy courtſhip in the language of Job: Agag (1 Sam. 15.32.) came out to Samuel delicately; for ſayd he, Surely the bitterneſſe of death is paſt: but he was deceived, for Samuel hewed him in peices; and when he ſayd, the bitterneſſe of death is paſt, hee meant death was paſt. Hee did not beleeve, but that death would be bitter when ever it ſhould come; but he thought death was paſt for that time how ever, and ſo he came out delicately, hee ſtood as a Courtier, yea as a King before Samuel, becauſe he had eſcaped (as he ſuppoſed) that King of terrours. Thus the Saints come out delicately indeed, and court it, in the very face of the King of terrours, for they know the bitterneſſe of death is paſt, though they were aſſured they muſt dye preſently: They doe not ſay, Death is paſt, they know death will come, and they muſt dye, but the bitterneſſe is paſt, the Gall and Worme wood is taken out; and upon this account they can ſay to corruption, Thou art my Father, and to the Worme, Thou art my Mother, and Siſter.
Thirdly, Note.
Corruption and wormes are the portion and companions of the dead.
OnelyOnly Jeſus Chriſt was exempt from this portion, who though he ſubmitted himſelfe to death for ſinners, yet having no ſin himſelfe, he was not at all ſubject to death, nor was it poſſible that hee ſhould be holden of it: hee was the holy one, he had no corruption in his ſpirit, and therefore his fleſh ſaw no corruption (Acts 2.31.) But as for all fleſh, they having corrupted all their wayes, their fleſh ſhall ſee corruption in the end.
Take two Corolaries from this.
Firſt, Let no man glory in bodily beauty, in honours, or alliances. Corruption will ſhortly ſeaze upon the moſt beautifull body, wormes will crawle upon the ſmootheſt cheeks, upon the fayreſt face, and into that mouth which now boaſteth great things, and ſpeakes ſo proudly; this earth muſt turne to earth, and then the greateſt kindreds, and nobleſt Pedigrees, will be loſt or ſwallowed up in this, Corruption is my Father, and the worme my Mother, and my Siſter: Man is corruptible, while he lives, and when hee dyes he is corruption. Every man living is but a worme; Jeſus Chriſt who abaſed himſelfe to the loweſt condition of man, ſaith, I am a worme and no man (Pſal. 22 6) When man dyes, as he goes to the wormes, ſo he makes wormes; who would be proud of his fleſh, did he know that 'tis but corruption and wormes once removed, and that it muſt ſuddenly move back againe to corruption and wormes,
Secondly, Seeing death hath nothing of its owne but darkneſſe, corruption, and wormes, which are all unpleaſing and a regret to fleſh and blood, therefore live much in Chriſt, who onelyonly gives a remedy againſt all theſe evills: If we live in the Grave of Chriſt, that will make the darkneſſe of our Grave light, and the corruption of it ſweet unto us. He that upon good intereſt can ſay to Chriſt, Thou art my Father, thou art my Brother, thou art my All, can ſay rejoycingly to corruption, Thou art my Father, and to the worme, thou art my Mother, and Siſter. Relation to Chriſt is ſo comfortable, that it overcomes the diſcomfort of our moſt unpleaſant relations. That which raiſed the ſpirit of holy Job to theſe free complyances with death, was the light which hee had (even in thoſe darker times) about the Redeemer, of which as the nineteenth Chapter gives us a cleare and an illuſtrious proofe; ſo the next Verſe gives us more then an intimation.
Verſ. 15. And where is now my hope? And as for my hope, who ſhall ſee it?
He that cheerfully queſtions, Where is my hope? puts it almoſt out of queſtion, where his hope is.
[Where is now my hope?]
Had Job loſt his hope, or was it to ſeeke? Davids enemies interrogate him (and that interrogatory was as a Sword in his bones, or as a Dagger at his heart) Where is now thy God? (Pſal. 42.10.) their meaning was, Thy God is no where, he is not to be found, thou haſt none to helpe, none to deliver thee: Job puts the queſtion himſelfe, and hee puts it to himſelfe, Where is now my hope? His meaning is not, that it was no where, but that it was not there where ſome would have it.
Hope may be conſidered two wayes, eyther as taken for a grace acting in us, or as taken for ſome good upon which that grace acts: Jobs queſtion concernes not hope as it is a grace acting in us; he that hath that hope knowes where it is, and where it is once it abides forever; Hope is no remover, it is an abiding grace (1 Cor. 13.13.) Now abideth faith, hope, and charity, theſe three: Theſe are abiding graces; theſe muſt and ſhall keep houſe, not onelyonly in the Church militant in generall, but in the ſoule of every true member of the Church: and if in reference to this hope, Job had queſtioned, Where is now my hope? He might have anſwered, It is in thy heart; the grace of hope dwels there. This grace of hope is no fading quality but a ſetled power: Hope doth not alwayes act, but it always is, where it ever was: It is not alwayes a lively hope, but it is alwayes a living hope. As Eliphaz checks Job (Chap. 4.4.) Is this thy hope: So many a Beleever deſerves to be checkt and chiden, becauſe his hope is not more ſtrong and ſtirring, becauſe his hope is ſo unlike hope, eſpecially ſo unlike that hope, which hee ought to have, after ſo much experience. What? Is this thy hope? is this all? you have talked of hope all this while; is this all you have to ſhew for it? this is a poor peece of hope, a hope unworthy of thee. Some good men may juſtly fall under this check, and whereas hope maketh not aſhamed, they may for a time be aſhamed of their hope; yet it is with them as with thoſe Trees of which the Prophet ſpeakes (Iſa. 6.13.) whoſe ſubſtance is in them, when they have caſt their leaves; So the holy ſeed ſhall be, and is the ſubſtance of it; and though for a time it appeare not, and ſo may beare this queſtion, Where is it? yet it will appeare againe, and by bearing fruit, anſwer for it ſelfe, Here I am.
Secondly, Take hope for that good upon which our hope is ſet, or for the object of hope. There is a twofold object of hope.
Firſt, Eternall, and heavenly.
Secondly, Temporall, and earthly.
Spirituall things are the hope layd hold upon (Heb. 6.18.) That by two immutable things in which it is impoſſible for God to lye, we might have a ſtrong conſolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope ſet before us: This Scripture teacheth us, that as there is a hope by which we lay hold, that's the grace of hope; ſo there is a hope upon which we lay hold, that's the good for which we hope. God himſelfe, and all the good things of eternall life, which God hath promiſed, are this hope. This hope alſo Job had, and he knew where it was: as he knew he had the grace of hope in his heart, ſo that hee had the choyceſt good of hope in Heaven, nor would he have parted with this hope for all the poſſeſſions in the World.
But as hope (whether in the object or in the actings of it) reſpects temporall, or earthly things; Job ſaith, And now where is my hope? that is, If I waite and hope about theſe things, my labour is loſt, my hopes are vaine and vaniſhing, yea already vaniſhed, as the next clauſe (which is of the ſame ſenſe with this, and therefore needs no explication) further ſheweth.
And for my hope who ſhall ſee it?
That is, Who ſhall ſee that which you would have me hope for? You would perſwade me that I ſhall be a great man; if I ſhould take up ſuch a hope, who ſhall ever ſee it made good, who ſhall ſee it fulfilled? No man ſhall.
And becauſe the word which wee tranſlate Hope in both parts of this Verſe, ſignifies alſo a Congregation, Ecquis me talem intuebitur, qualem me futurum dicitis? Bez.or the meeting of many things or perſons together: That firſt and great congregation of waters, or rather the congregating of thoſe waters is expreſſed by it (Gen. 1.9.) and in a like ſenſe 'tis uſed concerning perſons (Jer. 3.17.) Hence the whole Verſe is thus rendred, And where now is my congregation? foreign Significat congregare & congregationem. Et ubi nunc congregatio mea, & congregationem meam quis intuebitur? Bold.And as for my congregation who ſhall ſee it? As if he had ſayd, If yee aske after my congregation or family, 'tis in the Grave; there's all that I looke for, there's my Father and Mother, there's my Siſters, and will any man goe downe with me into thoſe chambers of darkneſſe to viſit my congregation, to ſee my family: this is all the family which I have in my eye, and whoſe eye elſe is greedy to ſee this?
I might from this Verſe turne back to that Obſervation lately given; That a true Beleever is ſometimes able to make tryumphant reports about the wrack of his worldly hope; he can ſay, Where is it? and who ſhall ſee it? With dry eyes when the will of God removes it out of his ſight.
David treating of the vanity of worldly things (Pſal. 39.7.) concludes in the mids of all his outward enjoyments, And now Lord what waite I for? where is my hope? or, What doe I hope for? ('tis all one) my hope is in thee; not in the World, not after worldly things; hee eaſily gave up his hope there: The more hope we have in God, the leſſe we have in and about the creature. Job had much hope in God, but he had none, not onelyonly in, but none for the creature. All thoſe hopes were in his light, as himſelfe was, dead or dyin… and therefore fit onelyonly to be buryed out of his ſight, as he ſpeaks in the next Verſe,
Verſ. 16. They ſhall goe downe to the barrs of the pit, when our reſt together is in the duſt.
[They ſhall goe downe.]
Spes meae, omnia mea; recte in plurali dicit, ſignificans non ſpem tantum ſibi ab illis propoſitam ſed & omnes alias ſpes hujus vitae. Merc.Who? or vvhat ſhall goe downe? There is no expreſſe Relative in the Hebrew: They, that is (ſay ſome) theſe hopes; he ſpeakes in the plurall Number, as if hee had ſayd, All my hopes about this life are going downe to the pit. The beſt of worldly hopes, and worldly things, are dying and periſhing, mine are to me as dead and periſhed.
Secondly, Others underſtand it of Job himſelfe; for the word vvhichwhich wee tranſlate Barrs ſignifies alſo the members of the body. foreign Vectes ſignificat, & ea omnia quae velut vectes aliquid ſuſtentant. Aliqui Rabbini ad ipſum. Jobum referant, quod ipſius fulchra, i. e. membra, brachia, vires, robur deſcendent. Vectibus ſepulchralibus deſcendent. Jun. M…ae videbitis iſtas expectationes quas praedicatis, una cum corpore ferretro efferri in ſepulchrum. Jun.As if he had ſayd, I my ſelfe ſhall goe downe to the Pit, or Grave.
A third thus, They ſhall deſcend upon the barrs of the Grave: The meaning is, Yee ſhall quickly ſee mee and all my worldly hopes which yee ſo much ſpeake of, put together in a Coffin, and carryed out upon a Beire to the Grave for buriall.
This going downe to the barrs of the Pit, according to our reading, imports, that he and his hopes ſhould deſcend to the lower parts of the earth, the Grave, and be buryed there; the pit would ſhut him in, and make him faſt enough. The Grave is a Priſon, and there are Barrs or bolts belonging to that Priſon vvhichwhich ſhut the Priſoners in; there's no breaking of that Priſon: The Decree of God is the Barre of the Grave, and his purpoſe locks it up till the day which himſelfe hath appointed for the reſurrection from the dead, and the judgement vvhichwhich is to follow. As the evill Angels are reſerved in chaines of darkneſſe to the Judgement of the great day, ſo are the bodies of men chained and barred downe in the darkneſſe of the Grave, till God ſends out the Arch-angel with the ſound of a Trumpet to ſummon them to his Barr.
Yet further, theſe words are interpreted as ſpoken in deriſion of thoſe overtures which his Freinds made to him about worldly happineſſe:Per irriſi…nem haec dicta ſunt. Cajet. As if he had ſayd, You perſwade me that I ſhall have much good in the World: very well, let it be ſo, but doe you thinke that I can carry my Goods, my Houſes and Lands, my Silver and Gold, my Corne and my Wine, to make merry with in the Grave? Shall I, and the greatneſſe you promiſe me live together in the Grave, and make our abode in darkneſſe? The Septuagint ſeeme to favour that ſenſe, rendering it,An bona mea mecum ad infernos deſcendent, aut pariter ſuper pulverem deſcendemus. Shall my Goods goe with me to the Grave, or, ſhall wee deſcend into the duſt hand in hand; vvhen I ſurrender this battered Fort into the hands of death, ſhall I march out with Bagg and Baggage to theſe Subterranean dwellings? The Apoſtle affirmes, That we brought nothing with us into this World; and (he doth more then affirme) It is certaine (ſaith he) we can carry nothing out (1 Tim. 6.7.) And therefore vvhat doth it availe a dying man to tell him of riches, ſeeing vvhen he dyes he muſt leave all his riches.
Maſter Broughton tranſlates plainely thus, To the midſt of the Grave all ſhall deſcend, when wee ſhall goe downe together in the duſt. From which, our reading of the latter clauſe varies but a little.
When we ſhall reſt together in the duſt.
The vvord vvhichwhich we expreſſe by reſt, is derived by ſome, from a root ſignifying to deſcend, or goe downe; hence the difference of tranſlation. The Hebrew particle (im) which we render When, ſignifies alſo For, or Foraſmuch: Further, it is ſometimes taken conditionally, for If, as alſo interrogatively for (utrum) whether; according to all which acceptions, this clauſe hath undergone a variety of reading.
But I paſſe them by, and keep to our owne, When our reſt together is in the duſt, or, for as much as we ſhall reſt together in the duſt. Of this reſt I have ſpoken before (Chap. 3.17.) There the weary be at reſt, thither I referr the Reader: Wee may alſo take Jobs ſenſe in this place, by that which hee ſpeakes ſo cleerely out to this point (Chap. 30. Verſ. 23.) For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the houſe appointed for all living. I ſhall not ſtay here to draw out Obſervations; matter of this purport, about the certainty of, and about our reſt in death, having occurred heretofore: All that I ſhall add for the cloſe of this Verſe and Chapter, ſhall onelyonly be an offer towards the reſolution of a doubt, vvhichwhich may ariſe upon the vvhole matter of Jobs continued reſolves for death, and his refuſals of any entertainment of the hopes of life.
Hence it may be queſtioned, Did not Job ſin in giving up his hope, and in refu ing to be comforted, when his Freinds, wiſe and godly men, laboured to aſſure him of deliverance?
I anſwer, Firſt, Job was vvilling to be comforted, but hee did not like their way of comforting, which vvas indeed a wounding; for the promiſes vvhichwhich they made him, did all along carry an implication of his guilt, they never promiſing him any deliverance, but upon the ſuppoſition of his repentance from thoſe wickedneſſes, vvith vvhichwhich they charged him; vvhereas hee utterly denyed their charge in the ſenſe which they layd againſt him.
Secondly, I anſwer, Wee cannot altogether acquit Job from blame, in judging his ſtate ſo deplorable and remedileſſe. For though with an eye to the creature, and all ſecond cauſes, there was no probability, or poſſibility for his recovery, yet Job ſhould have raiſed his hopes upon the power and Al-ſufficiency of God; he might have remembred that as his affliction was extraordinary, and the hand of God very viſible in it: So his deliverance alſo might have been as extraordinary, and that God could have put forth as ſtrong, and as viſible a hand to reſtore him as he did to caſt him downe: 'Tis ſayd of Abraham (Rom. 4.18, 19.) that he againſt hope, beleeved in hope; nothing appeared for the ſupport of his hopes, yet Abraham did not ſay, Where is my hope? or why ſhould I waite for Children, He conſidered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred yeares old, neyther yet the deadneſſe of Sarah's wombe: Theſe naturall impediments came not to his minde, while he had a word from the Lord of nature, Hee ſtaggered not at the promiſe of God through unbeleife, but was ſtrong in Faith, giving glory to God. But we may ſay of Job (from the continuall tenour of his owne anſwers) that he conſidered his owne body as dead too much, and ſo attained not to Abrahams ſtrength of Faith.
Yet we have three things to ſay for him: Firſt, there was a great difference between his caſe and Abrahams; Job had no ſuch ground of Faith as Abraham had; Abraham received a ſpeciall, yea an abſolute promiſe from God, that he ſhould have a Son, but Job received only a conditionall promiſe from man, grounded upon the generall promiſes of God, that he ſhould be reſtored: This conſideration abates much from the objection of his unbeleife; though it cannot be denyed, but his Faith might and ſhould have riſen higher upon the power of God, who as he was Al-ſufficiently able, ſo he did afterwards actually raiſe him up.
Secondly, The deſigne of God being in Jobs example to ſet forth a patterne of patience, as his deſigne was in Abrahams example to ſet forth a patterne of Faith, he was pleaſed to let Jobs Faith run it ſelfe out about ſpirituals and eternals, not minding temporals, that ſo his patience might have a perfect worke in bearing the full weight of his affliction to the end, while his Faith did not ſo much as put under a little finger to eaſe him with the leaſt beleife, that it ſhould (as to this life) be taken off, or have an end.
Laſtly, (As 'twas hinted) Job had much Faith to ſome purpoſes, though none to this; hee had a full truſt in God, though he ſhould kil him, but he had no truſt that God would not kill him; he beleeved God loved him while he did afflict him, though hee did not beleeve that God would deliver him from his afflictions. As no mans Faith workes alike at all times, ſo 'tis rare that any mans Faith workes alike to all things: Some who beleeve and hope mightily for the things of Heaven, have but little, eyther Faith or Hope for earthly things: Not becauſe a Faith which ſerves for Heaven, is not enough ('tis rather more then enough) to ſerve for Earth: But becauſe moſt of thoſe whoſe Faith is ſtrong and much enlarged for Heaven, take ſo much ſatisfaction there, and are there ſo much at home, that they account themſelves Pilgrims and ſtrangers here, and are not much mindfull (as the Apoſtle ſpeakes, Heb. 11.15.) or deſirous of their earthly Countrey and concernments. What wee doe not much deſire to have, wee doe not much beleeve (though we beleeve) that we ſhall have it. A full ſoule, ſaith Solomon, loatheth the Honey combe: Thoſe ſoules which are full of Heaven (though they doe not loath, yet they) are not hungry after (though they can thankfully receive and enjoy) any Honey-combe of this World. No man having drunk old Wine, ſtraightway deſireth new, for hee ſaith the old is better (Luke 5.39.) Doubtleſſe Job had drunk the old Wine of Gods favour and love in the Redeemer, and ſo his thirſt was much ſlacked, if not totally quenched towards the new Wine of a temporall reſtauration. And hence we may not onelyonly charitably, but more then probably conclude, That it was not for want of Faith, that Job did not beleeve or hope for what his Freinds promiſed him, but becauſe he had employed his Faith upon better and more pleaſing p…iſes.
Thus Job hath finiſht his anſwer to the ſecond charge of Eliphaz: And (through the helpe of Chriſt) ſomewhat is here tendered for the illuſtration and expoſition of it. His other two Freinds, Bildad, and Zophar, ſtand ready to enter the Liſts with him, and to renew their charge; what they ſayd, and what anſwer they received, ſhall (if God continue life and ſtrength, with theſe peaceable opportunities) in convenient time be preſented to publick view.