Exposition of Job 32-24, Commentary on Job · Chapter 34
JOB. Chap. 34. Verſ. 14, 15.
If he ſet his heart upon man: if he gather unto himſelfe his ſpirit and his breath.
All fleſh ſhall periſh together, and man ſhall turn to his duſt.
IN theſe two verſes Elihu perfects the proofe of what he lately aſſerted, that God is juſt, and that there is no unrighteouſneſſe in him (v. 12.) yea ſurely God will not doe wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert Judgement; For, as Moſes in his dying ſong deſcribes him; He is the rocke, his worke is perfect; for all his wayes are judgement; a God of truth, and without iniquity, juſt and right is he. The firſt argument for the confirmation of this was opened at the 13 verſe. And it was grounded upon the abſoluteneſs and univerſality of his dominion: Here we have a ſecond argument from the ſweet temperament of his power and goodneſs. God hath power enough in his hand at once to deſtroy all fleſh, and to command every man back into the duſt. But he doth not thus put out his power. We live and live comfortably; we enjoy not only our lives, but many mercies of this life; and therefore ſurely God doth not deale rigorouſly, much leſſe unrighteouſly with man. He that doth all men good beyond their deſerts, will not puniſh any man beyond his demerits. He that doth not exerciſe his power alwayes where he might, will not exerciſe it all where he ought not. That's the ſumme and ſcope of Elihu in the context under hand.
Verſ. 14. If he ſet his heart upon man.
To ſet the heart upon any thing or perſon, is a Scripture expreſſion, often uſed, noting more then barely to think upon or mind both or either. It ſignifieth to have deep and ſerious thoughts, to think with conſideration and attention, yea with ſome height and heat of affection. And all this whether that thing which the heart and affections are ſet upon, pleaſe or diſpleaſe, be comfortable or grievous; for both love and hatred, hope and feare, are thoughtfull of, and ſollicitous about their ſeverall objects. Hence that caution (Pſal: 62.10.) If riches encreaſe ſet not your heart upon them; we naturally love riches, and therefore as naturally ſpend many thoughts, both how to get and how to keepe them. If a man have riches, or an encreaſe of riches, it is not unlawfull for him to thinke or them, (yet we ſhould be as ſparing of our thoughts that way as can be, our thoughts and the bent of our ſoules ſhould alwayes be upon God) but that which the Pſalmiſt forbids is the ſetling of our hearts; As if he had ſayd, Let not your thoughts ſtay or dwell there. Riches are themſelves tranſient things, therefore they ſhould have but our tranſient thoughts. Set not your hearts upon them, for they may quickly be unſetled. Samuel beſpake Saul in the ſame language about a worldly concernment, when he went out to ſeek his fathers Aſſes (1 Sam: 9.20.) Set not thy mind on them. 'Tis like Saul was over-burdened with this thought, What's become of, or what ſhall I doe for my fathers Aſſes? Be not ſollicitous about them, ſaith Samuel, greater things are towards thee. Abigail uſeth the ſame forme of ſpeaking to David concerning Naball (1 Sam: 25.23.) Let not my Lord regard this man of Belial, lay not to heart what Nabal hath ſayd or done. Thus Jonadab took off Davids feare, that in one day he had been deprived of all his Sons (2 Sam: 13.33.) Now therefore let not my Lord the King take the thing to heart, to think that all the Kings ſons are dead, for Amnon only is dead. We are as apt to ſet our heart upon our loſſes, as upon our enjoyments. And to ſhew how little Pharoah regarded the heavy hand of God upon him, it is ſayd (after Moſes had turned all the waters that were in the river to blood, Exod: 7.23.) And Pharoah turned and went into his houſe, neither did ſet his heart to this alſo; That is, he ſlighted what God had done. Let God ſpeak, and ſtrike once and againe,Apponere cor eſt vello, decernere, conſtituere. q. d. Si ei ſuus animus ſuggererit. Vatabl: yea a third time, yet hard-hearted men doe not lay it to heart, nor ſet their heart upon it. Thus here in the Affirmative it is ſayd of God, If he ſet his heart upon man; that is, if he doe but intend and mind this matter, he can quickly bring it about, even the periſhing of all fleſh.
If he ſet his heart upon man.
foreign Valet contra. Si poneret concra eum cor ſuum. i. e. ſi ſibi proponeret hoſtiliter eum aggredi. Piſc:The text is rendered alſo, If he ſet his heart againſt man: The Hebrew particle ſignifieth not only upon, but againſt (Amos 7.16.) Propheſie not againſt Iſrael, &c. And the generall ſence of that reading may be given two wayes.
Firſt, If he ſet his heart againſt man, to enquire ſtrictly into his life and wayes, if he ſhould critically mark all his errours, or faults, and ſo reſolve to proceed againſt him, he might ſoon make an end of him, as it followeth in the next verſe. As the ſtrongeſt, ſo the beſt and holyeſt of men are not able to ſtand before him. Thus the words are an anſwer given by Elihu to that frequent requeſt of Job, that God would let him come near to judgement, and hear his cauſe argued and debated before him, even at his Bar; but ſaith Elihu (according to this ſence) If God ſet his heart againſt man, if he doth but ſtrictly enquire into his condition, courſe, and converſation, it would be ſad with him; All men muſt periſh. Thoſe two places in the Pſalmes anſwer this interpretation fully, (Pſal. 130.3.) If thou Lord ſhouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who ſhould ſtand? That is, No man ſhall; We cannot ſtand in our righteouſneſs before God, how then ſhall we ſtand in our iniquities! And therefore the ſecond Text deprecates the Lord's ſevere enquiry into our pureſt and moſt perfect ſervices, (Pſal. 143.2.) Enter not into judgement with thy ſervant, for in thy ſight ſhall no man living be juſtified.
Secondly, If he ſet his heart againſt man, that is, If he have a general purpoſe to deſtroy and ruine him by his abſolute Soveraignty, he can eaſily do it; what God hath a minde to do, or only willeth it to be done, he hath power enough to do it: He can make any man miſerable, and not only ſtrip him of the comforts of this life, but of his life too: And as he hath power enough, if he would uſe it, ſo he hath ſoveraign unqueſtionable authority enough to bear him out in the uſe of his power. Now, ſeeing God who is cloathed with this abſolute power, yet doth not exerciſe ſuch a power, but having given man a being, continues to very many men a comfortable being in this world, and doth not willingly grieve or afflict any of the children of men, nor execute any vengeance upon them without their deſert; ſurely then God is righteous, he will not do wickedly. Thus we have the importance of the Tranſlation, If he ſet his heart againſt man: We ſay, (which alſo beareth fairly enough the ſame ſence) If he ſet his heart upon man.Si direxerit ad eum cor ſuum ſpiritum illius & flatum ad ſo trahet, Vulg.
If he gathereth unto himſelf his Spirit and his breath.
Some render it thus; If he ſet his heart upon (or againſt) man, he will gather unto him his ſpirit and his breath: and then, as it followeth, All fleſh ſhall periſh together.
We repeat the ſuppoſition according to the Hebrew Text; If he ſet his heart upon man; If he gather to himſelf his ſpirit and his breath, then &c. Take either reading, the general ſenſe is the ſame, and in brief 'tis this; If God have a minde to it, he can quickly thrust all men out of the world. He that gave man his ſpirit and his breath, can at pleaſure recal both, and then all fleſh periſheth and turneth again unto (what it once was) duſt.foreign The Hebrew word which we render to gather, ſignifieth to add one thing or perſon to another: When Rachel had conceived and bare a ſon, (Gen. 30.22, 23.) ſhe called (from this word) his name Joſeph, and ſaid, the Lord ſhall add to me another ſon. Thus here, If God add, or gather to himſelf his ſpirit and his breath, that is, the ſpirit and breath of man, &c. We may diſtinguiſh between theſe two,Spiritus animam, & flatus vitam quae ab anima provenit & conſervatur ſignificat; ego opin…r idem eſſe hoc loco. Sanct. ſpirit and breath (Some inſiſt much and curiouſly upon this diſtinction) The ſpirit denoting the ſoul or the internal rational power of man, and the breath that effect of life which followeth or floweth from the union of ſoul and body. The life of man is often expreſſed by breath; Ceaſe ye from man, whoſe breath (or life) is in his noſtrils; (Iſa. 2.22.) If once man's breath goeth out, his life cannot ſtay behinde; the ſpirit of a man is in this ſence diſtinct from his breath; for when the breath is vaniſhed, and is no more, the ſoul or ſpirit liveth. The Apoſtle in his prayer for the Theſſalonians (1 Theſſ. 5.23.) puts ſoul and ſpirit together: The very God of peace ſanctifie you wholly, and I pray God, your whole ſpirit, and ſoul, and body, be preſerved harmleſs unto the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. There ('tis moſt probable) by the ſoul, he intends the inferiour powers in man, or his affections, and by the ſpirit, his higher powers of reaſon and underſtanding: yet the ſpirit is often put for that whole part of man which is contradiſtinct to his body. Into thy hands I commend my ſpirit: that is, my ſoul, not forgetting my body: And I conceive, we may ſafely expound it here in that latitude, as comprehending the whole inner man. Yet it is all one, as to the ſence of this place, whether we take ſpirit and breath diſtinctly or for the ſame; the ſpirit being ſo called from ſpiration or breathing; If he gather unto him his ſpirit, and his breath. The gathering of the ſpirit and breath of man unto God, is but a periphraſis or circumlocution of death, or of man's departure out of this life; when man was formed or created (Gen. 2.7.) it is ſaid, God breathed into him the breath of life, and man became a living ſoul: And when man dyeth, his breath or ſpirit may be ſaid to be gathered or returned back unto God; ſo then, the meaning of Elihu in this double ſuppoſition, (If he ſet his heart upon man, if he he gather to himſelf his ſpirit and his breath,) is clearly this, if God were once reſolved, or ſhould but ſay the word, that man muſt preſently die, die he muſt, and that preſently.
Hence Note, Firſt, God can eaſily do whatſoever he hath a minde to do.
If he do put his heart upon the doing of any thing, it is done; Men often ſet their hearts, yea and their hands unto that which they cannot do; if men could do that which they ſet their hearts to do, or have a minde to do, and thereupon ſet their hands to do, we ſhould have ſtrange work in the world. 'Tis a mercy to many men, that man is often fruſtrated in his thoughts and purpoſes, in his attempts and undertakings; and 'tis a glorious mercy to all that have an intereſt in God, that God never loſt a thought, nor can be hindred in any work he ſetteth his heart upon. He that can lett or ſtop all men in their works, can work, and none ſhall lett or ſtop him. What God will do, is not defecible or undoeable (if I may ſo expreſs it) by any power in heaven or earth. And as God can do what he will, and ask no man leave, ſo he can do what he will without trouble to himſelf; 'tis but the reſolve of his will, the turning of his hand, or the caſt of his eye (all which are ſoon diſpatcht) and 'tis done. Thus God breathed out his wiſhes for the welfare of Iſrael, (Pſal. 81.13.) O that my people had hearkned unto me, &c. I ſhould ſoon have ſubdued the…r enemies, and turned my hand against their adverſaries. As if he had ſaid, I could and would have eaſed them of all their enemies, even of all that roſe up againſt them eaſily, even with the turning of my hand: What is more eaſily done, or mo…e ſpeedily done, then the turning of a hand? Many things are hard to man, (and indeed very few things are eaſie to him, except it be to ſin, or to do evil, he can do evil eaſily) ſome things are not only hard, but too hard, impoſſible for man; but there is nothing hard, much leſs too hard for God, he can eaſily do the hardeſt things; yea, the hardeſt things are as eaſie to him as the eaſieſt; for as (Pſal. 139.12.) Darkneſs hideth not from the ſight of God, the darkneſs and the light are both alike to him; ſo hardneſs hinders not the work of God, hardneſs and eaſineſs are both alike to him, if he ſet his heart upon it. From this general truth, take two inferences.
Firſt, How ſhould we fear before this God? How ſhould we tremble at the remembrance of, and walk humbly (in our higheſt aſſurance) with this God? We are much afraid to diſpleaſe thoſe men who can eaſily hurt us, and in whoſe hand it is to ruine us every hour: But O how little are we in this thought to fear the Lord, to take heed of diſpleaſing the Lord, who can with eaſe either help or hurt, either bring ſalvation or deſtruction, who in a moment can thruſt the ſoul out of the body, and caſt both into hell.
Secondly, We may hence make a ſtrong inference for the comfort of the people of God, when their ſtraits are moſt pinching, and their difficulties look like impoſſibilities, and are ſo indeed, while they look to man; when their enemies are ſtrongeſt, and the mountains which ſtand in the way of their expected comforts greateſt, if then God will be entreated to ſet his heart, and caſt his eye upon them, their ſtraits are preſently turned into enlargements, difficulties become eaſie, and mountains plains. If we can but engage the Lord, (his own promiſe is the ſureſt engagement, and indeed all that we can put upon him, or minde him of, if (I ſay) we can thus engage the Lord) to be with us, who can be (to our hurt, many will be to their own) againſt us.
Secondly Note.
Our life is at the beck, diſpoſe and pleaſure of God.
He can gather the ſpirit and the breath to himſelf whenſoever he pleaſeth; (Pſal. 104.29.) Thou hideſt thy face and they are troubled, and thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their duſt. If God hideth his face from us, 'tis death while we live; but if he take away our breath, we cannot live, but die. (Pſal. 90.3.) Thou turneſt man to deſtruction, and ſayeſt, Return ye children of men. Here's man turning and returning upon the ſaying of God; man turneth to death, he returneth to duſt, and ſhall at laſt return from the duſt, and all this when God ſaith he muſt. Our life is a very frail thing, and it is in the hand of God to continue or take it away; to let us hold it, or gather it home to himſelf.
Thirdly, From the manner of ſpeaking, If he gather to himſelf his ſpirit and his breath;
Note.
When man dieth, he is gathered to God.
When (as Solomon allegorizeth the death of man, Eccl. 12.6, 7.) The ſilver cord is looſed, and the golden bowl broken, &c. Then ſhall the duſt (that is, the body) return to the earth as it was, and the ſpirit ſhall return to God who gave it; that is, each part of man (when he departeth this world) ſhall go its proper way, and return to that which is moſt congenial to it; his body to the earth, from whence it is; his ſoul to God, of whom it is. God is a Spirit, the creating Spirit, and our created ſpirits are gathered to God when they are ſeparated from the body; yet remember there is a two-fold gathering or returning of the ſpirit to God.
Firſt, To abide and be bleſſed with him for ever; thus the ſpirits of believers or ſaints only are gathered to God when they depart out of this world.
Secondly, There is a gathering of the ſpirit to God, to be judged and diſpoſed of by him, to receive a ſentence of life or death from him. And thus the ſpirit of every man or woman that dieth, is gathered to God, be they good or bad, believers or unbelievers, (Heb. 9.27.) It is appointed for men once to die, but after this the judgement. 'Tis the Statute Law of God, man muſt die, and the ſound of Judgement is at the heels of death. That Text ſaith, but after this the Judgement. The general day of judgement ſhall not be till the reſurrection of man from the dead; But there is a perſonal judgement, or a determining of every mans ſtate when he dieth; and for that end every mans ſpirit is gathered to God to receive his ſentence. The ſpirits of wicked men are gathered to him and condemned, the ſpirits of the righteous are gathered to him and acquitted: We are come, ſaith the Apoſtle (Heb. 12.23.) to God, the Judge of all, and to the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect. David knew he muſt be gathered to God, but he earneſtly deprecated ſuch a gathering as moſt ſhall have, (Pſal. 26.9.) Gather not my ſoul with ſinners, nor my life with bloody men. It is this word, when ſinners die, they are gathered; but David would not be gathered as they are gathered; They are gathered to God, but it is that they may be for ever ſeparated from him; they are gathered to a day of vengeance and wrath: Therefore David prayed, Gather not my ſoul with ſinners. Death is called a gathering in a threefold reference.
Firſt, A gathering to our people. Thus it is ſaid of Aaron, (Num. 20.24.) Aaron ſhall be gathered unto his people, for he ſhall not enter into the land, &c. Death ſeparates the people of God from their people, that is, from thoſe that are like them on earth, but it will be a means of bringing them into the ſociety of their people, or fellow believers who are gone before them into heaven.
Secondly, Death is called a gathering to our Fathers, (2 Chron. 34:28.) Behold I will gather thee to thy Fathers, and thou ſhalt be gathered to thy grave in peace. There's a gathering to a more ſpecial company, and that with other like Scriptures are an argument that we ſhall know our relations in heaven. For, to be gathered to our Fathers, ſpoken of in the firſt part of the verſe, is more then to be gathered to the grave, ſpoken of in the latter; and by our fathers, we are to underſtand more of our fathers then the grave hath in its keeping (which is but their bodies) even their ſouls, which are kept in heaven.
Thirdly, According to the phraſe of this Text, death is called a gathering to God; If he gather unto himſelf his ſpirit and his breath.
Whence Note, Fourthly.
The ſpirit or ſoul of man hath its original from God.
It is of him to whom it returneth; The ſoul or ſpirit of man is of God in a more ſpecial way then his body is; for though God giveth both, yet the Scripture (in the place before named) ſpeaks of the ſoul as the gift of God, but paſſeth by the body; (Eccleſ. 12.7.) The duſt ſhall return to the earth, as it was; and the ſpirit ſhall return to God who gave it. 'Tis God, not man alone, who hath given us theſe bodies, but 'tis not man, but God alone who hath given us theſe ſpirits; therefore men are called the fathers of our fleſh, that is, of the body, in way of diſtinction, from God, who is the father of ſpirits (Heb. 12.9.) We have had fathers of our fleſh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence, ſhall we not much rather be in ſubjection to the Father of ſpirits, and live; that is, ſhall we not rather be ſubject to God then to man? Father of ſpirits is an Attribute or Title too high and honourable for any but God. One of the Ancients in his gracious breathing after God, brake out into this holy Paſſion; My ſoul (O God) came from thee, and my heart is unquiet or reſtleſs until it return to thee again; God is our center, and our reſt: He gathereth to himſelf mans ſpirit; and when he doth ſo, what then? what's the iſſue of it? Elihu tells us what in the next verſe,
Verſ. 15. All fleſh ſhall periſh together, and man ſhall turn again to his dust.
As if he had ſaid, As ſoon as ever the ſpirit is gathered, the fleſh is conſumed, or, as we render, periſheth.
All fleſh, may be taken in the largeſt ſence, not only for all men that live, but for all living creatures: Thus largely Moſes extendeth it, (Gen. 6.17.) Behold, ſaith the Lord, I will bring a flood of water to deſtroy all fleſh; that is, all the Beaſts of the earth, and Fowls of the ayre, together with Mankinde, except a few of each in the Ark: ſo (Pſal. 136.25.) Who giveth food to all fleſh, (that is, to man and beaſt) for his mercy endureth for ever. Yet ſome underſtand this firſt part more narrowly, for all fleſh except man; becauſe he addeth in the latter part of the verſe, and man ſhall return again to his duſt: But I conceive we are to take all fleſh here for all men, and only for men, it being uſual in Scripture to put the ſame thing twice, under different expreſſions. So then
All fleſh, that is, every man, be he who he will, ſhall periſh. Thus as all fleſh is reſtrained to man, ſo it extendeth over all men, yea over all things of man (Iſa. 40.6.) All fleſh is graſs, and all the goodlineſs thereof as the flower of the field; that is, all men are periſhing, and all that man hath, meerly as a man, is as fading and periſhing as himſelf is.
Some take notice, that man was not called fleſh till after his fall; It's ſaid before, when God ſet him up in that primitive purity of his Creation, Man became a living ſoul. He was not ſpoken of at firſt as fleſh, but as a living ſoul, (Gen. 2.7.) but as ſoon as man had ſinned, he was called fleſh, as if he had no ſoul. There may two other reaſons be given why man is called fleſh, both following from the former. Firſt, Becauſe man ſince his fall doth moſt for his fleſh, and neglects his ſoul altogether, till being planted into the ſecond Adam, he is brought out of that wretched condition into which he fell by and with the firſt Adam. Secondly, He is called fleſh, becauſe, ſince the fall man is become weak and frail, both as to Naturals and Morals, (Gen. 6.3.) My ſpirit ſhall not alwaies ſtrive with man, for that he alſo is fleſh: As if the Lord had ſaid, Now man declareth himſelf to be fleſh indeed, he acts like an impotent ſorry creature, he acts as if he ſcarce had a ſoul in him, as if he were no more then the beaſts of the earth: My ſpirit ſhall not alwaies ſtrive with man, for that he alſo is fleſh; and therefore (v. 30.) God told Noah, The end of all fleſh is come before me; that is, Man, and all his worldly glory, ſhall all be ſwept away with a deluge of water, as here, All fleſh ſhall periſh together.
There is a two-fold periſhing; Firſt, By way of annihilation. Secondly, By way of tranſmutation. When Elihu ſaith, all fleſh ſhall periſh, we are not to underſtand it of annihilating all fleſh; (God can do that, he can turn man back into that nothing out of which he was made) but the periſhing in the Text importeth only a change. Death is called a change, & a change to periſhing, as that good & great woman ſaid, I will go in unto the King, and if I periſh, I periſh, (Heſt. 4.16.) that is, If I die, I die. The Prophet laments (Iſa. 57.1.) The righteous periſheth, and no man layeth it to heart. All fleſh ſhall periſh foreignTogether.
That is, without exception, one as well as another, rich and poor, high and low, ſtrong and weak, all are alike in the hand of God, (Pſal. 33.13.15.) The Lord looketh from heaven, he beholdeth all the ſons of men, &c. he faſhioneth their hearts alike, or together; that is, he faſhioneth the hearts of all men: God doth not ſo faſhion mens hearts alike, as to make them all alike, (faces do not differ ſo much as hearts) but as he faſhions one mans heart, ſo anothers; he faſhions the heart of a King, as well as the heart of a begger: All fleſh ſhall periſh together; none either by power or policy can ſtand against a diſpleaſed God.
Again, We may take the word together, for all at once, God can make a total devaſtation in the earth, and ſweep all away as filth with the beſome of deſtruction; He can deſtroy all the world, of all men, who are the chiefe part of the world, together, or at one blow; ſo that (as the Prophet Nahum ſpeaks, Chap: 1.9.) Affliction ſhall not riſe up a ſecond time. All fleſh ſhall periſh together, And man ſhall returne againe unto duſt.
Or he ſhall goe backe unto duſt, that is, he ſhall dye: that's the ſentence which God gave upon man when he had ſinned (Gen: 3.19.) In the ſweat of thy face ſhalt thou eat bread, till thou returne unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken, for duſt thou art, and unto dust ſhalt thou returne. Man was duſt before he ſinned; yet he had not returned to duſt, if he had not turned from God by ſin. Sin brought in death, and death brings us to the duſt. All fleſh ſhall periſh together, and man ſhall returne againe unto duſt.
Hence obſerve.
There is no one man hath more priviledge then another, against the ſentence of death.
The Greateſt Prince dyeth as ſoone as the meaneſt peaſant. Death can as ſoone and as eaſily breake into the ſtrongeſt fort or tower of ſtone, as into the meaneſt cottage of reeds. High and low ſhall periſh together. Let none hope to ſecure themſelves by any thing of this world from going out of this world. Riches availe not in the day of death (Pro: 11.4.) High Titles and honours availe not, ſtrength availeth not, beauty availeth not, none of theſe can be a protection, if God ſend out a writ or ſummons to the grave. Happy are they who get an aſſurance of life after death, for none have an aſſurance of life againſt death.
Againe, In that death is here expreſſed under this notion of periſhing.
Obſerve.
Man is but in a periſhing condition while he is in this world.
As all the things of the world are, ſo is man, while he abideth (if I may ſay he abideth) in this world. Chriſt earneſtly exhorts (John 6.27.) Labour not for the meat that periſheth. Why ſhould we labour, that is, ſet our ſelves with our whole ſtrength and might to purſue periſhing things, ſeeing we our ſelves are periſhing? The more periſhing we are, the more reaſon we have to looke after and labour for thoſe things which doe not, which cannot periſh. When the Apoſtle ſaith (1 Pet: 1.18.) We are not redeemed with corruptible things from our vaine converſation, &c. He doth not inſtance in flowers or fruits of the earth, which quickly rot, but in gold and ſilver, which are the moſt durable and laſting metalls; even theſe are corruptible; but we our ſelves as to this bodyly life, are corruptible, not only as gold and ſilver, but as the moſt fading flowers and ſummer fruits of the earth.
Further, From that other deſcription of death, as 'tis called a returning againe unto duſt.
We learne.
Man is of the duſt.
Unleſſe man, as to his body, were of the duſt when he began to live, he could not be ſayd to returne unto duſt when he dyeth, or departs this life. Many men pore upon their pedegree, and heir minds ſwel with pride, becauſe they are of ſuch or ſuch a noble deſcent; but let them remember, man is of the duſt. The ſoule or ſpirit of man is indeed from above, as was ſhewed before; and the body of man is (I grant) a compound of all the foure Elements. Our bodyly ſpirits (ſay Naturaliſts) are of the fire, our breath of the ayre, our blood of the water, and our fleſh and bones are moſt properly of the duſt of the earth; yet the whole body of man is denominated duſt or earth, or as the Apoſtle ſtileth it (2 Cor: 5.1.) 'Tis an earthly houſe; If our earthly houſe of this tabernacle were diſſolved. For though we may truely ſay, there is water, and ayre, and fire in this houſe, yet becauſe earth is the predominant Element, the whole body beares the denomination of that. God is not ſayd to forme man of the water, or ayre, or fire, but of the duſt of the ground (Gen: 2.7.) though all thoſe as well as earth were ingredients in the compoſition and formation of mans body. As man with reſpect to his ſpiritualls and moralls, is denominated from that which is chief in him, ſo with reſpect to his naturalls. Every man hath the ſeeds and principles of all ſin in him, yet many men are knowne and expreſſed by ſome ſpeciall ſin. Thus one is called a covetous man, another a malicious man, &c. becauſe covetouſneſſe and malice are their predominant ſins in practice, though the principles of all other ſins are in them. So for grace, one is ſayd to be a patient man, and another an humble man, and a third, a ſelf-denying man. Though where any grace is all graces are, yet a godly man is knowne by that grace which acts moſt eminently and vigorouſly in him. In this notion man is ſayd to be of the duſt, and to returne to duſt, as if he were nothing but duſt, becauſe duſt is the predominant Element in the naturall conſtitution of man.
And if ſo, then this is an humbling conſideration. Some walke as if they thought the ground or earth not good enough for them to goe upon. Moſes ſetting forth the dreadfullneſs of famine, as a puniſhment threatned the Jewiſh nation in caſe of diſobedience, tells us it ſhall fall on all ſorts, both of men and women (Deut: 28.56.) The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to ſet the ſole of her foot upon the ground for delicateneſs and tenderneſs, &c. Some are loth to put their feet to the ground, whereas the beſt foote that ever trod upon the ground, is duſt as wel as the ground trodden on, and 'tis but duſt to duſt when they are in the duſt, and dirt to dirt if they fall into the dirt. The Apoſtle, among other reaſons, for this alſo, calleth the body of man a vile body (Phil: 3.21.) Who ſhall change our vile body that it may be faſhioned like unto his glorious body. Our bodies are vile, chiefly from the contagion of ſin, that hath made them moſt vile; But they are comparatively vile, with reſpect to the very matter out of which they were all repreſentatively made when the firſt man was made, without the leaſt taint or touch of ſin. Man at beſt as to the body is but a little breathing duſt or moving clay. And did we ſpiritually look upon the matter of our bodyes, it would exceedingly humble our ſpirits, and keep them low even when like Jordan they are ready to over-flow all the banks of modeſty, and moderation. We heare of a bird, who priding himſelfe in ſpreading and peruſing his fine feathers, is preſently as it were, aſhamed by looking down upon his owne black feete. Surely did man often conſider that his whole body is of the earth, it would be an excellent meanes to keepe his heart in a lowly frame, how highly ſoever himſelfe is exalted in the earth.
And as man, while he lives is from the duſt; ſo when he dyeth (that's another humbling conſideration) his body not only returneth unto duſt, but turneth into duſt. David, as the figure of Chriſt cryed out (Pſal: 22.15.) Thou haſt brought me into the dust of death. Duſt and death are neere acquaintance, and all that dy, grow quickly into neerer acquaintance with the duſt. It is ſayd (Pſal: 103.14.) The Lord knoweth our frame, he remembreth that we are but duſt. But what advantage is that to us, that the Lord knoweth the one, and remembreth the other? I may anſwer as the Apoſtle doth to another queſtion (Rom: 3.2.) much every way, chiefly, becauſe he will pitty us and ſpare us and deale tenderly with us, as conſidering how frayle we are. Now as it may be our comfort that God remembreth we are but duſt, ſo 'tis our duty to remember that we are but duſt, and that we muſt to the duſt. Shall God remember that we are duſt, and ſhall not we remember it our ſelves? Did we more remember that we are duſt, we ſhould more prepare for our return to the duſt. Yea, I may ſay, we ſhould be more in heaven, if we were more in our duſt; that is, the gracious and ſerious meditation of our naturall vilenes and infirmities would provoke us to looke heaven-wards, and prepare for heaven, where theſe our naturall bodyes ſhall become ſpirituall (1 Cor: 15.44.) that is, they ſhall be like ſpirits (though not turned into ſpirits) living without food or ſleep, living free from wearineſs and ſickneſs, from paines and languiſhments, yea free from the remoteſt feare of ever dying or returning againe into duſt. Such as theſe and many more would be our ſoules advantages, did we often (as becomes us) remember that our bodyes are of the earth, and muſt ſhortly be earth againe. Thus to be earthly minded, is the way to be heavenly minded. Many are earthly minded, that is, they mind earthly things, but few mind that themſelves are earth. In what holy heights and elevations of ſpirit ſhould we be, if we could ſpiritually remember how low we once were, and how low, as to our bodyes, we within a few dayes ſhall be.
Laſtly, This truth ſhould take us off from all creature-confidence from truſting in man. Curſed is the man (ſaith the Lord, Jer: 17.5.) that truſteth in man, and maketh fleſh his arme. 'Tis a curſed thing for man to truſt in man, becauſ… truſt is an honour proper to God; he alone is to be truſted: And as it is a curſed, ſo it is alſo a fooliſh thing to truſt in man. David a Great Prince giveth us this counſel from God (Pſal: 146.3, 4.) Put not your truſt in Princes, nor in the ſon of man in whom there is no help; his breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth (or to his duſt) in that day all his thoughts periſh, happy is the man that hath the God of Jacob for his help. What can duſt do for duſt? what can duſt get by duſt? that which is weake may become ſtrong, by truſting to, or leaning upon that which is ſtrong; the weakeſt man is ſtrong enough, while he truſteth upon the ſtrong God; but if weake truſt upon weake, how ſhall it be made ſtrong. Therefore let all fleſh hearken to the words of the holy Prophet (Iſa: 2.21.) Ceaſe ye from man, whoſe breath is in his noſtrills; for wherein is he to be accounted of? Man himſelfe is a ſoone-ceaſing creature (David uſeth the noune of this verbe to expreſſe himſelfe ſo, Pſal: 39.4.) and therefore we have reaſon to ceaſe from man, to ceaſe from any high eſtimation of the higheſt men, much more from any confidence in them. What can we aſſure our ſelves of from any man living, ſeeing he hath no aſſurance of his owne life? The Prophet would have us underſtand that, while he ſaith, his breath is in his noſtrills; Mans life is gone as ſoone as his breath is gone, and how ſoone may that be gone! David deſcribeth a proud man, puffing at his enemies (Pſal: 10.5.) He is puffed up and ſwelled with high conceits of himſelfe, as if he had ſome great matter in him, and he puffs at others as if he could do ſome great matter againſt them, forgetting that himſelfe is but (as to his being in this world) a puffe of wind, which paſſeth away. As then, we need not feare what hurt man can doe us, ſo we ſhould not hope nor have any expectation from him that he by his owne power (how great ſoever his power is) can doe us any good. Wherein (as to either of theſe purpoſes) is man to be accounted of? Man is an excellent creature, a creature of high account, as bearing the image of God, his ſoul is of more worth then the gaine of the whole world (Math: 16.26.) and thus he is more to be accounted of, then all that in the world is moſt accounted of; But conſider him as to the fraylety of his life, and the poſſibility, yea probability of his ſuddaine paſſage out of this world, and then, wherein is he to be accounted of? If we oppoſe man to God, or compare man with God, or truſt man in ſtead of God, he is as vaine and worthleſſe as any thing, a thing of nothing, or leſſe then nothing.