Exposition of Job 38-42, Commentary on Job · Chapter 42 · Verse 11
JOB, Chap. 42. Verſ. 11. 11. Then came there unto him, all his brethren, and all his ſiſters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, & did eat bread with him in his houſe; and they bemoaned him, and comforted him, over all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him; every man alſo gave him a piece of money, and every one an ear-ring of gold.
IN the former verſe we have the bleſſed turn of Jobs ſtate in general; The Lord gave him twice as much as he had before: In this verſe, begins the particular account of Jobs reſtorings. There were four things wherein Job ſuffered loſs.
Firſt, He ſuffered the loſs of his eſtate.
Secondly, The loſs of his children.
Thirdly, The loſs of his health.
Fourthly, The loſs of his friends.
Jobs repair begins with his laſt loſs; his friends were the laſt that he loſt in the day of his affliction,Inter adverſitates Jobi quaſi praecipua erat quod fuerat ab amicis ſuis deſertus, & ideo hujus adverſitatis primò remedium ponitur. Aquin. but the firſt that he recovered in the day of his reſtoration. The firſt budding or ſpring of Jobs felicity, after ſo long and ſharp a Winter of ſorrow as he had gone thorough, was, the putting forth of freſh and fragrant acts of love from his ancient friends, that of late had forſaken him, and left him in the hour of his temptation.
This verſe, wherein the account is given about this firſt mercy, I may call, or intitle, The addreſs of Jobs friends, and in it we may conſider,
Firſt, How they are deſcribed, or what they are called. Firſt, as to their relation, His brethren, his ſiſters, and acquaintance came. Secondly, in their quantity or number, they came all: Here is all, all, all; All his brethren, and all his ſiſters, and all that had been of his acquaintance before; there was not one miſſing, not one that forbore to make this friendly addreſs unto him.
Secondly, As we have an account who they were that came to him, ſo what they did when they came; and that is ſet forth four wayes in this one verſe. Firſt, They did eat bread with him. Secondly, They bemoaned him. Thirdly, They comforted him. Fourthly, They were very bountiful, and very reſpectful to him; They gave him every one a piece of mony, and every one an ear-ring of gold. Thus you have the ſtate and parts of this verſe, which I call, The addreſs of Jobs friends unto him.
Then came there unto him, all his brethren, and all his ſiſters.
Then. The word in the Hebrew, is the ordinary copulative, And, which hath various rendrings in Scripture, according to the ſtate of the place. Here we tranſlate it, Then, which may have a double reference. Firſt, to the turn of his captivity, Then they came. Secondly, to his prayer for his friends, and the Lords acceptance of him; when God had ſo eminently declared his favour to him and his friends, upon his interceſſion, Then there came unto him, All his brethren, and all his ſiſters.
Brethren and ſiſters are taken two wayes in Scripture.
Firſt, Strictly; and ſo they that are of, or have the ſame parents, at leaſt, one of them, are brethren and ſiſters.
Secondly, Brethren and ſiſters are taken largely, for all of the kindred. The kindred of Chriſt, are called his brethren (Mark 3.31.) Then came his brethren, and his mother, ſtanding without, that is, his kindred; for whether Chriſt had any brother, in a ſtrict ſence, as born of the ſame Mother, we have nothing from Scripture to affirm; it is generally agreed that he had not, his brethren were his kindred at large. Abraham ſpake truly, though not the whole truth (Gen. 20.12.) when he called Sarah his ſiſter, that is, his kinſwoman. Moſes called Iſrael brother to the Edomites, who were diſtant from that people, many degrees, they deſcending from Eſau, theſe from Jacob (Numb. 20.14.) Thus ſaith thy brother Iſrael; that is, Iſrael that is of thy blood, though a great way off, Iſaac being their common Father. Thus here, all Jobs brethren and ſiſters are all his kindred; and not only theſe, but, All that were of his acquaintance before.
The Hebrew is, All that knew him before, that is, had familiarity and converſe with him before. Chriſt (Mat. 7.22.) ſaid of thoſe that did ſo hotly preſs acquaintance upon him, I know you not, ye are not of thoſe that I know, or have had fellowſhip with, you are none of my acquaintance. So that, there was a collection of all Jobs relations and friends at that time, they all flockt to him, and thronged about him, as to and about ſome ſtrange ſight; the fame of his reſtoration was ſoon blown all the Country over. Hence the Septuagint render the words paraphraſtically;Audierunt omnes fratres, quae cunque acciderant ei, & venerunt. Sept. All his brethren heard all that had befallen him; and ſo they came.
But, where was his wife? There is no mention here of her return; ſhe had ſpoken as a fooliſh woman (Chap. 2.10.) and did not anſwer the duty of her relation after that, as he complained (Chap. 19.17.) My breath is ſtrange to my wife, though I intreated for the childrens ſake of mine own body; yet doubtleſs ſhe returned to her duty, and honoured him as her head and husband, now at laſt, elſe the mercy had not been compleat, but defective in a very conſiderable part of it.
Now, in that Jobs reſtoring, or the repair of his loſſes, began with the return of his friends,
Obſerve; The loſs of friends, is a great and grievous loſs.
He that loſeth the affection of friends, loſeth a great poſſeſſion, a great intereſt. Friends indeed are great helps, great helpers; to be in a friendleſs condition, is to be in a helpleſs condition; to have friends, is a very valuable mercy. Let us bleſs God that we have men to friend us, above all, that God is our friend.
Secondly, Theſe words, Then came all his brethren, imply, that when he was in an afflicted condition, none of his friends came at him, neither thoſe that are here called his brethren and ſiſters, nor thoſe that are called his acquaintance.
Hence obſerve; In times of affliction, worldly friends will leave us, and godly friends may prove ſtrange to us.
Doubtleſs, among thoſe brethren, ſiſters and acquaintance of Job, ſome, that I ſay not, many, were godly, yet even they left him, in the day of his diſtreſs. Men are but men, and they oftentimes ſhew themſelves unconſtant to man. As Chriſt had thoſe that followed him for the loaves,Amicitia mundi ſequitur marſupium. ſo have we too. Friendſhip followeth the purſe, the bag; and when all is gone, ſuch friends are gone. When Chriſt himſelf was in affliction, thoſe that were in neer relation to him, his very Diſciples, left him; they all left him, and Peter denied him. When the Apoſtle Paul was in a great affliction, and ſtood as a priſoner, to anſwer for his life before Nero, his friends durſt not appear; At my first anſwer (ſaith he, 2 Tim. 4.16.) no man ſtood with me, all men forſook me. He had not a friend that would own him, nor appear for him, in the time of his affliction and perſecution; and he prayed that God would not lay it to their charge, that they had been thus unfriendly to him.
Then, Firſt, Let us not truſt in friends, no, not in a brother; and not only, not in a brother at large, but not in a brother in the ſtricteſt ſence, not in a brother of the ſame blood and bowels with us, no, not in a brother of the ſame faith with us (Mich. 7.5.) Truſt ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide; keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lyeth in thy boſom. Truſt not in neereſt friends, no, not in godly friends; they may fail: Though we are to truſt them ſo, as not to ſuſpect them, yet we are not to truſt them ſo, as to rely upon them, or to make them our ſtrength; for then they prove Egyptian reeds, which will not only not ſupport, but wound us. That's good counſel (Iſa. 2.21) Ceaſe ye from man (let him be who he will, though a brother, though of moſt intrinſick and neereſt acquaintance, though never ſo great and potent, yet ceaſe from him; the reaſon there given, is) his breath is in his noſtrils; the man is frail, his life is ſhort and uncertain, he may not laſt long. And we may take another reaſon from the Point in hand; his love is uncertain, as well as his life, and his affections ſeldom laſt long; let us therefore have weaned affections from thoſe that affect us, and are friendly to us.
Then, Secondly, 'Tis our wiſdom to get Chriſt for a friend; he is a friend for ever: He that would have a friend to ſtick to him in adverſity, as well as proſperity, let him get Chriſt to be his friend, who is unchangeable, whoſe love fails not; that's our greateſt and ſureſt intereſt. Chriſt having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end (John 13.1.) That's the ſpirit of unfeigned friendſhip (Prov. 17.17.) A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adverſity. That's true of a real friend, who lives up to the rule of friendſhip, He loveth at all times, and therefore to the end. When the Prophet Malachi ſaith (Chap. 1.6.) A ſon honoureth his father, his meaning is, a ſon ſhould or ought to honour his father, or, a ſon who knoweth his duty, will honour his father; ſo, a friend ought to love at all times, and a true friend will: yet that Scripture in the Proverbs is chiefly true of Chriſt, and abſolutely true of him only; he alone is ſuch a friend as loves at all times. Hence that divine challenge (Rom. 8.35.) Who ſhall ſeparate us from the Love of Chriſt? And then the Apoſtle proceeds from who, to what. As no perſon, ſo no thing, can ſeparate us from the love of Chriſt. Shall tribulation, or anguiſh, or peril, or ſword? ſhall theſe ſeparate us from the love of God? no, theſe ſhall not, theſe cannot; theſe cannot make Chriſt ſtrange to us, nor love us the leſs; he loves in tribulation, as well as out of tribulation; in ſtreights, as well as in our greateſt inlargements; in ſickneſs, as well as in health; in diſgrace with men, as well as when moſt honoured and cryed up by them; when naked, as well as when cloathed; as well in rags, as in the richeſt array. Hence that confident concluſion (verſ. 38.) I am perſwaded, that neither death, nor life, &c. ſhall be able to ſeparate us from the love of God, which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord. And if ſo, then we ſee where our true intereſt lyeth: Let us make ſure of Chriſt; he will never leave us; all earthly friends may. Friends are a great mercy, but they are not a ſure mercy.
Again, Conſider Jobs friends, who came not at him when in that afflicted condition; yet as ſoon as ever God turned his captivity, and made him proſper in the world, then they would own him, then they came.
Hence note, Thirdly; Such as are no friends in adverſity, will readily ſhew themſelves friendly in proſperity.
That they came then, is an intimation, if not a proof, that they came not before; but then they came. What Chriſt ſpake in another caſe, I may apply by way of alluſion to this; Where the carcaſe is, thither will the Eagles be gathered together. When Job was up, his friends appear'd. All are ready to worſhip the riſing Sun. When the face of things and times change with us, then the faces of friends change towards us, then they have other reſpects and countenances for us; this ſpirit of the world hath been anciently obſerved,Si fueris foelix multos numerabis amicos. Tempora ſi fuerintnubila ſolus eris. even by Heathens; If you be happy, or reſtored to happineſs, you ſhall number many friends, though you had none before. Such friends, are like thoſe birds that viſit our coaſts in Summer, when 'tis warm weather, when every thing flouriſheth and is green, then ſome birds viſit us, who all the Winter, when 'tis cold, froſt and ſnow, leave us.
Fa…ther, it may be conceived, that ſeveral of Jobs friends left him, not only upon the occaſion of his poverty and want, but upon the ſuppoſition of his hypocriſie and wickedneſs; many of them might have the ſame opinion of him, which thoſe three had, who particularly dealt with him, that ſurely he was a bad man, becauſe the Lord brought ſo much evil upon him. Now, when the Lord reſtored Job, they had another, a better opinion of him, the Lord alſo giving a viſible teſtimony of his accepting Job.
Hence note, Fourthly; God will one time or other vindicate the integrity of his faithful ſervants, and ſet them right in the opinion of others.
God ſuffered Jobs integrity to lie under a cloud of ſuppoſed hypocriſie, but at laſt the Lord reſtored him to his credit, as well as to his eſtate, and made his unkind, and not only ſuſpicious, but cenſorious friends, acknowledge that he was upright and faithful. The Lord promiſeth (Pſalm 37.6.) to bring forth the righteouſneſs of his ſervants as the light, and their judgement as the noon-day; that is, a right judgement in others concerning them, as well as the rightneſs of their judgement in what they have done and been, or his own moſt righteous judgement in favour of them. They who had a wrong judgement, and took a falſe meaſure of Job (meaſuring him by the outward diſpenſations of God, and judging of his heart by his ſtate, and of his ſpirit by the face of his affairs) theſe were at laſt otherwiſe perſwaded of him. 'Tis, as the way, ſo the ſin and folly of many, to judge upon appearance, upon the appearance of Gods outward dealings; they conclude men good or bad, as their outward condition is good or bad; and therefore, the Lord, to redeem the credit of his faithful ſervants that lye under ſuch miſapprehenſions, ſends proſperity, and manifeſts his gracious acceptance of them, that men of that perverſe opinion may be convinced, and delivered out of their error.
Note Fifthly; The Lords favouring us, or turning the light of his countenance towards us, can ſoon cauſe men to favour us, and ſhine upon us.
See what a change the Lord made at that time, both in the ſtate of things, and in the hearts of men, when the Lord outwardly forſook Job; friends forſook him, children mockt him, acquaintance deſpiſed him, his very ſervants ſlighted him: yet no ſooner did the Lord return in the manifeſtations of his favour, but they all returne, deſiring to ingratiate themſelves with him, and ſtrive who ſhall engage him moſt. God can quickly give us new friends, or reſtore the old.Exple… contumelias honoribus, detrimenta muneribus, execrationes precibus. The hearts of all men are in the hand of the Lord, who turns them from us, or to us, as he pleaſeth. When God manifeſts his favour, he can command our favour with men. Though that which is a real motive of the Lords favour to his people, their holineſs, and holy walkings, gets them many enemies, and they are hated for it by many; yet the Lord diſcovering or owning the graces of his ſervants, by ſignal favours, often gets them credit, and ſets them right in the opinion of men. Thus it was with Job; all his friends returned to him, upon the Lords high reſpect to him in turning his captivity.
Again, in that Jobs friends came to him,Cui dominus favet, ei omnia favent.
Obſerve, Sixthly; It is the duty of friends to be friendly, to come to and viſit one another.
It is a duty to do ſo in both the ſeaſons, or in all the changes of our life: It is a duty to do ſo in times of proſperity, when God ſhines upon our Tabernacle. When any receive extraordinary mercies, it is the duty of friends to ſhew them extraordinary courteſies, and to bleſs God for them, and with them. When Elizabeths neighbours and couſins heard how the Lord had ſhewed great mercy upon her, they rejoyced with her (Luke 1.58.) It is a duty to rejoyce with thoſe that rejoyce, and to come to them that we may rejoyce with them. It is a duty alſo to viſit thoſe that mourn, and to mourn with them. Friendly viſits are a duty in all the ſeaſons of our lives.
Once more. Then came all his brethren, &c. It was late e're they came, but they came.
Hence Note; It is better to perform a duty late, than not at all.
They had a long time, even all the time of his long affliction, neglected, or at leaſt ſlackned this duty of viſiting Job; yet they did not reaſon thus with themſelves; It is in vain to viſit him now, or our viſiting him now may be thought but a flattering with him, or a fawning upon him: No, though they had neglected him before, they would not add new to their old incivilities. We ſay of repentance (wch is a coming to God) Late repentance is ſeldom true, yet true repentance is never too late. None ſhould think it too late to come to God, though they have long neglected him; nor ſhould ſinners, who have long neglected God, be diſcouraged: Though it be beſt for us, and our duty, to repent betimes; yet God will not refuſe a ſinner at any time, who indeed repents. Now as late repentance, ſo any late duty, is better than none, or than a total neglect of it. Jobs friends came to him, though late, and were friendly received. But what came they for? or what did they when they came? That's ſet forth in four things, as was ſhewed in opening the Text.
Firſt, The Text tells us, They did eat bread with him in his houſe.
I ſhall not ſtay upon that nicety which ſome take notice of, that when bread and water are named together, they alwayes ſignifie poor fare (1 Kings 18.4.) Obadiah fed the Prophets whom he ſecured from the fury of Jezabel in Caves, with bread and water: He could not feaſt them there, but gave them what might keen them alive. So that threatning (Iſa. 3.1.) imports they ſhould not have neceſſaries. But when bread is put alone, that ſignifieth (ſay they) a full, or at leaſt, a very competent and comfortable proviſion (2 S…m. 9.7.) And ſo to eat bread together is to feed liberally together. Yet I find theſe two, bread and water, put together, and ſignifying a full Table in one place of Scripture. When that Syrian Army, ſmitten with blindneſs, was led by Eliſha into Samaria, the Prophet ſaid (2 Kinge 6.22.) Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink; then it followeth, he (that is, the King of Iſrael) prepared great proviſions for them. The greatneſs of the proviſion which the King p…epared for them, is not ſpoken of only with reſpect to their number (an army being many, cannot be fed with a little) but with reſpect to the nobleneſs of their entertainment; which yet I conceive was but anſwerable to what the Prophet deſired, when he ſaid, ſet bread and water before them. As if the meaning were, Make them good chear: So that bread and water may imply plenty,Praefigurat hic Jobus Chriſtum poſt reſurrectionem, honoribus reſtitutum, honoratem non tantum ab Apoſtolis, ſed etiam patribus Judaeis et Gentilibus fidelibus, et in domo ejus Eccleſia convivantibus, Paſſionem ipſius cum dolore recolentibus, et in coeleſti aulacum ipſo panem vitae comeſturis. Greg. l. 35. Moral. c. 9, 10, 11. as well as bread alone. Jobs friends
Did eat bread with him. Not the bread of mourners (as ſome expound) of which we read (Deut. 26.14. Hoſ. 9.4.) but the bread of rejoycers. I ſhall not omit to mind the Reader of what one of the Ancients meditated upon this paſſage. Job (ſaith he) doth here prefigure Chriſt after his reſurrection, reſtored to his honours, and honoured, not only by his Apoſtles, but alſo by the fathers, both Jewes and Gentiles; the faithful flocking to him, and feaſting with him in his houſe the Church, there with ſorrow remembring his ſufferings, and in that heavenly Court eating with him the bread of life. Chriſt after his reſurrection called his Apoſtles to eat bread with him; as here, after Jobs reſtitution, which may be called his reſurrection, 'tis ſaid, All his friends came and did eat bread with him in his houſe.
Hence Note; For friends to eat, yea, to feaſt ſoberly together, is not only lawful, but ſomtimes a duty.
The creatures are given to us, not only for our neceſſity, but for our comfort, and to maintain ſociety. Solomon ſaith (Eccl. 8.15.) Then I commended mirth, becauſe a man hath no better a thing under the Sun, than to eat, and drink, and to be merry. He ſpeaks not of a ſenſual mirth and eating, like voluptuous Epicures, but of eating with gladneſs and ſingleneſs of heart, as 'tis noted of the Primitive Saints (Acts 2.46.) There is no worldly thing better than to eat and drink with ſobriety in the uſe of the creature, and with ſingleneſs of heart one towards another. To uſe what we have, is better than the having of it. To eat together is good, with theſe limitations or cautions. Firſt, if we eat to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10.31.) Secondly, if we eat with joy in God (Eccl. 9.7.) Thirdly, if we eat taſting and remembring the goodneſs of God (Deut. 6.11, 12.) Fourthly, if we eat fearing to offend God, and wrong our ſelves with acceſs (Prov. 23.1, 2. Luk. 21.34.) Fifthly, if we have a ſenſe of the afflictions of others (Amos 6.6.) eſpecially of thoſe who have nothing to eat. Sixthly, if we eat with thankfulneſs, or giving thanks to God, who ſatisfies our hunger (Mark 8.6. John 6.11.) Seventhly, if we eat with charitableneſs, giving a portion of what we have in plenty, to thoſe that are in want and hungry (Jam. 2.15, 16.)
Again, They came to eat bread with Job in his houſe. See the nobleneſs of Jobs ſpirit. Doubtleſs, when they came they made their Apologies, pleaded their excuſe, and confeſſed that they had failed in friendſhip, and had not lived up to the law of love. Courteous and noble ſpirited Job took all well, paſt by all diſcourteſies, welcomed and embraced them: He did not only not upbraid them with former unkindneſſes, why came ye not to me in the day of my trouble and affliction, in the day of my diſtreſs and ſorrow? where were ye? Thus ſome would have rounded them; ye come to me when all is well with me; but where were ye when I wanted comfort and company? Job, I ſay, did not only not upbraid them with their former unkindneſſes, when they came to him, but took their coming kindly. When the Elders of Gilead came to Jepthah, to deſire him to be their Captain againſt the children of Ammon, he ſaid (Judg. 11.7.) Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my fathers houſe? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in diſtreſs? Jepthah caſt their ill carriage towards him in their teeth, and only not rejected them and their requeſt. Thus Job might have ſaid, why did you leave me in the time of my diſtreſs? &c. but we have no ſuch language from this good man, not a word of that.
Hence Note; It becomes us to accept the love of formerly unkind friends, and not to twit them in the teeth with their unkindneſſes.
Job well underſtood that it was a part of his tryal and burden from God, that his friends forſook him, and were once uncivil to him: therefore he would not burden them with it. A godly man conſiders, it is of the Lord if friends prove unfriendly to him, and that it is for tryal whether he can truſt upon and cleave unto God alone when friends leave him. Thus to receive unfriendly friends is to be perfect (in our meaſure) as God is perfect. How unkindly have we dealt with God! and yet when we come to him he accepts of us. They that are ſenſible how they have refuſed the Lord ſomtimes, and that he hath yet graciouſly accepted of them, they (I ſay) will be ready to accept of friends that have been froward and unkind to them: It is much the will of God, that we ſhould do ſo, and 'tis a great part of our conformity unto God when we do ſo. It was very well that Job gave fair reſpect to his friends, and treated them lovingly when they came to him; and it was well, and but their duty that they came to him.
Yet this was not all they did; Jobs friends did not only come and eat bread with him (thar had been but according to the cuſtom of common friends) they went further,
They bemoaned him. That's the ſecond friendly office which they did him. The word ſignifies, to ſhake the head; ſo the Latine Tranſlation renders it, His friends came to him, and moved their heads over him, ſo expreſſing their compaſſion.Moverunt ſuper eum caput. Vulg. Conſolati ſunt eum et mirati ſunt ſuper omnibus, &c. That geſture of moving the head, was uſed ſomtimes in deriſion, ſomtimes in admiration, in which latter ſenſe the Septuagint take it here, They comforted him, and wondered at all the evills that God had brought upon him. It might well move wonder, that ſo good a man ſhould ſuffer ſo much evil; yet this geſture of ſhaking the head, is rarely, if at all uſed in way of admiration; whereas, in way of compaſſion,foreign eſt propriè migrare, unde pro condolere ſumitur; quod qui aliquem ſolari volunt & ejus vicem dolere, è loco ſuo ut id faciant ſoleant migrare. nothing is more uſual, and it complyeth fully with our tranſlation, they bemoaned him. As they feaſted with him, ſo they bemoaned him, and condoled his former ſad ſtare; and to do ſo is a proper act of ſincere love and friendſhip.
Hence Note; It is our duty to pity and bemoan the afflicted.
We read of Ephraim bemoaning himſelf (Jer. 31.18.) and there is a twofold bemoaning of our ſelves. Firſt, With reſpect to the ſins that we have committed. Secondly, There is a bemoaning of our ſelves, as to our afflictions; and poſſibly both are to be underſtood in that place concerning Ephraim. 'Tis a duty alſo with reſpect to others; we ought to bemoan thoſe that are in ſufferings, and thoſe that have ſinned, as well as our own ſins or ſufferings. And though, that which gives us the greateſt occaſion of bemoaning others is their ſin, yet 'tis a great duty alſo to bemoan thoſe that are under ſufferings, and to have bowels of compaſſion, or a fellow feeling of their afflictions.
But it may be objected, what need had Jobs brethren to bemoan him now that he was delivered out of his afflictions, and his captivity turned? were not theſe bemoanings improper and unſeaſonable?
I anſwer, Firſt, Though Job was come out of his afflictions, yet he was but very lately come out of them; he was yet, as it were, upon the borders of ſorrow, and was come only a ſtep out of his troubles; ſo that his tears were then ſcarce wiped away, or dryed up, and the ſorrow of his late adverſity was even forced to intermingle with the joy of his newly begun proſperity: The remembrance of his affliction was, doubtleſs, yet very ſtrong upon him, and the pain of it ſcarce off him; he had, as yet, a taſt of the wo…mwood and gall of that moſt bitter cup, of which he had, a little before, drank ſo deeply; his wound was but in healing, not quite healed; and therefore they might well bemoan him, as to his former afflictions, in that morning or day-break of his mercies. Joy and ſorrow uſe to conflict together, and ſtrive for maſteries, whether the one ſhall keep, or the other get the ground, at the beginning of all great changes.
Secondly, This act of Jobs friends in bemoaning of him, might reſpect not only the abiding ſenſe of his former affliction, but the ſharpneſs, and ſoreneſs of it, while it was upon him; ſo that, as his own remembrance of his former ſufferings might ſtill hang upon him, ſo while his brethren, and other viſitants, remembred how grievous and tedious his ſufferings had been, it might well ſtir their compaſſions, and cauſe them to bemoan him.
Thirdly, Job had none to bemoan him, while the affliction was actually upon him; Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, ſaid he in the 16th Chapter, yet found little or no pity from any: Now that being a great part of his ſuffering, that he had none to pity him while he ſuffered; the Lord ſent his brethren to him, when he was new come out of his ſufferings, to perform that duty to him, which ſhould have been done him while he ſuffered.
Further, Becauſe we ought not only to pity and bemoan our friends in adverſity, but to help them out, and make a perfect cure; therefore Jobs friends proceed to that duty alſo: For, having bemoaned him, the text ſaith, They comforted him.
That is, they uſed all the means they could to comfort him, they gave him comfortable words, cordial conſolations. Job himſelf had been a great comforter of others (as Eliphaz acknowledged in the 4th Chapter) and now he hath his comforters; even they comforted him concerning his former miſeries, who formerly had been miſerable comforters.
From the method of their proceeding; Firſt, They bemoaned him; and, Secondly, They comforted him,
Note; We can never truly comfort others, till we have pitied others.
Comforting begins at pittying. It is poſſible to pity one, and not to comfort him: Some will give bemoaning words, yet are not able to miniſter real comforts; ſo then, there may be pittying without comforting, but there cannot be comforting without pitying. God himſelf is thus expreſt (2 Cor. 1.3, 4.) Firſt, He is called, The father of mercies, that is, he is full of pity, full of compaſſionate bowels. And then, Secondly, He is called, The God of all conſolation. He is a comforting God, becauſe a pittying God. If God were not pitiful and compaſſionate, we ſhould have to comfort from him: ſo it is with men, if we pity not others we cannot comfort them. Job called his friends miſerable comforters (chap. 16.2.) They came to mourn with him, and to comfort him (chap. 2.11.) but had they more affectionately mourned with him, they would have more effectually comforted him. They did not pity him enough in his miſery, and ſo they proved but miſerable comforters to him.
Secondly, From the work it ſelf,
Obſerve; To comfort thoſe that are in affliction is our duty, and a work of charity.
To miniſter comfort to the ſorrowful, is a greater point of charity, than to miniſter bread to the hungry, or clothing to the naked. As the ſoul is better than the body, ſo thoſe acts of charity, which offer relief to the ſoul in any kind, are better than thoſe by which the body is relieved. Though to give bread be more coſtly to us than good wo…ds (we uſe to ſay good words are cheap) yet good and comfortable words are worth much more than bread, they are better than gold, yea, than fine gold, ſweeter alſo than the honey, and the honey-comb. The Apoſtle gave this duty in charge to believers (1 Theſſ. 5.11.) Comfort your ſelves together, and edifie one another. And at the 14th verſ. Now we exhort you brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble minded, ſupport the weak. The weak, in the latter words, are the ſame with the feeble in the former; and the ſupport ſpoken of in the one, is nothing elſe but the comfort ſpoken of in the other. Comfort to a feeble mind, is like a prop or a pillar to a feeble building, the ſupporter of it.
And becauſe it is ſo important a work, to comfort feeble minds I ſhall briefly name ſome ſpecial caſes, wherein the mind of man is feeble, and then hint what word of comfort is moſt proper for its ſupport, in each caſe.
Firſt, If the mind be infeebled by outward wants, apply that comfortable Scripture (Mat. 6.32, 33.) Your father knoweth that ye have need of thoſe things; which if received by faith will give the mind great ſupport in that caſe.
Secondly, In caſe of the loſs or death of friends; the Apoſtle hath put words into our mouths for the comforting of ſuch (1 Theſſ. 4.13.) chiefly theſe two ways. Firſt, By remembring that their friends are only aſleep in Jeſus, or gone to ſleep in the boſome of Jeſus. Secondly, That they ſhall be raiſed again at the coming of Jeſus.
Thirdly, In caſe of ſuffering and perſecution, read comfort and ſupport, Mat. 5.11, 12, 13. 1 Pet. 4.12, 13, 14.
Fourthly, In caſe of bodily ſickneſs, or any chaſtenings from the hand of God, we have a ſtore or treaſure of comforting words, Heb. 12. from the 5. to the 14th verſe.
Fifthly, In caſe of deſertion, or Gods hiding his face, take comfort from Iſa. 50.10. Iſa. 54.7, 8.
Sixthly, When any are under the ſence of divine wrath for ſin, they may take comfort by meditating all thoſe Scriptures which hold out the free grace of God to ſinners, and the full ſatisfaction which Chriſt hath made for ſin to the juſtice of God, and ſo for deliverance from the wrath which is to come (1 Theſſ. 1.10.) Theſe are the principal caſes wherein we need a comforter; and moſt of theſe, if not all, met in Jobs caſe. He was poor and had loſt all, that was the firſt caſe; his children were dead, that was the ſecond; he was perſecuted, vexed, and reproached, that was a third; he was ſick and weak in body, that was a fourth; he was under grievous deſertions, that was a fifth; he was alſo under the ſence of wrath, the arrows of the Almighty drunk up his ſpirits. All theſe evils God brought upon him, and ſome of them in the higheſt degree; and though he were then got out of them all, yet (as was ſaid before) being got but a little way out of them he needed comfort; and therefore his new-come old friends and acquaintance, bemoaned and comforted him, as a man newly come out of great affliction.
And we ſhould be much in this duty of comforting others upon theſe conſiderations.
Firſt, Comfort upholds the ſoul, when burdened or weakned, from ſinking.
Secondly, Comfort quiets the ſoul, when toſt up and down as with a tempeſt; comforts wiſely and ſeaſonably miniſtred will make a great calm. Comfort is the repoſe and reſt of the ſoul.
Thirdly, Comfort quickens and revives the ſoul when dying away with ſorrow; comforts are cordials: For which cauſe we faint not (2 Cor. 4.16.) And what the cauſe was which kept them from fainting, we may find both in the verſe, going before, in thoſe words, All things are for your ſakes (verſ. 15.) or in the verſe following, Our light affliction, &c. (ver. 17.) Comforts either prevent and keep us from qualms and ſwoonings, or bring us out of them again. Give wine to him that is of a heavy heart; let him drink and forget his ſorrow (Prov. 30.6, 7.) Give him this wine of comfort, and it will renew his ſpirit more than wine.
Fourthly, Comfort confirms and eſtabliſheth the ſoul, when we are ready to let go our hold. The Apoſtle ſent Timotheus, to eſtabliſh and comfort the Theſſalonians concerning their faith (1 Epiſt. 3.2.) that is, to eſtabliſh them in the faith (both in the doctrine and grace of faith) by comforting them.
Jobs friends might ſee cauſe of comforting him upon many conſiderations, poſſibly upon moſt of theſe: The Text ſaith only, They comforted him Over all the evil which the Lord had brought upon him.
The plaiſter was as broad as the ſoar, or they adminiſtred as many plaiſters as there was ſoars; They comforted him over all the evil, &c. This directs us to a great point of holy prudence in comforting the ſorrowful, even to comfort them in or about every thing, which hath been an occaſion of their ſorrow. When we are to ſtop the holes of a leaking veſſel, if we ſtop three or four, and leave but one, we indanger all the liquor in the veſſel; you were as good ſtop none at all, as not ſtop all: ſo it is in this caſe; therefore ſee how wiſely Jobs friends carried it, They comforted him over all the evil Which the Lord had brought upon him.
And all that was the evil of ſuffering. The Lord is the bringer of ſuch evils upon all that ſuffer them, even upon his deareſt and moſt faithful ſervants; thoſe evils come from him who is only good, and altogether good: The Lord takes theſe evils to himſelf, I create evil (Iſa. 45.7.) and faith the Prophet (Amos 3.6.) Shall there be evil in a City, and the Lord hath not done it? As the Lord owns theſe kind of evils, ſo we honour God in acknowledging him the Author of them. Our croſſes are of God, as well as our comforts; our poverty, as well as our riches; our ſickneſs, as well as our health. This point hath occurred more than once from other paſſages in this Book, and therefore I ſhall adde no more now.
This was the third labour of love which the brethren of Job beſtowed upon him, They comforted him over all the evil which the the Lord had brought upon him.
Yet this was not all, they did not only beſtow a mouthful of good words upon him (I ſpeak not lightly of good words, they are a weighty piece of charity) Good words are much better (as was toucht before) than gold and ſilver, and may be much more beneficial and uſeful to the receiver, than thouſands of gold and ſilver: Yet, I ſay, Jobs friends did not only beſtow a mouthful of good words upon him, for the removal of his inward grief, but they brought their handsful of good things to beſtow upon him, for the making up of his outward loſſes; and this was the fourth act or office of love which they did him, as it followeth, Every man alſo gave him a piece of money, and every one an ear-ring of gold.
Here was real kindneſs, as well as verbal. Though good words (as was ſaid) be a great charity, yet 'tis no charity to give nothing but good words where more is needed, unleſs this be our caſe, that indeed we have nothing more to give. The charity of ſome is only in words, to thoſe who are in extream need of more; and it is only ſo, not becauſe they have no more in their hands to give, but, becauſe they have no hearts to give more. To ſay to a naked or hungry one, be clothed and ſed, or to give a large parcel of condoling and bemoaning words, and then do nothing, no not give a Doit, for the ſupply of his wants; is this love or charity? Jobs friends loved him now, not in word and in tongue only, but indeed and in truth; their deeds ſhewed the truth of their love.
They gave him every one of them a piece of money.
There are two readings of this clauſe. The word which we here render a piece of money, ſignifies alſo a ſheep; according to which Maſter Broughton tranſlates, and ſo do others,Dederunt ei quiſque pecudem unam. Bez. They gave him each one a lamb, we ſay, a piece of money; the ſame word ſignifying both, as is plain from other Scriptures (Gen. 37.19.) And he (that is, Jacob) bought a parcel of a field, where he had ſpread his tent at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechems father, for an hundred pieces of money, or lambs, as we put in the Margin. The ſame thing is reported again, in the ſame words (Joſh. 24.32.) Now the reaſon why that word is rendred both a lamb and a piece of money, is, ſay ſome, becauſe money in thoſe times, bare the ſtamp or figure of a lamb upon it; as in ſome times and places money or coin was ſtamped with the figure of an oxe; from whence came that Proverb, The oxe is upon his tongue, that is, he ſpeaks as he is bribed. A ſecond reaſon given of it, is, becauſe the riches of the Antients was moſt in cattle;Recunia à pecore dicta eſt. Plin. l. 18. c. 3. Severus rex ovium boumque effigie primus …s aſſignavit. Plin. and that kind of riches being as money, by which all things are valued, and by which they made their payments, therefore the ſame word was uſed for cattel, and for coin or money. The Latine word for money is alſo derived from another, which ſignifies cattle. And it is reported by Pliny, that Severus firſt ſtampt money with the effigies or image of ſheep and oxen.
They gave him every one a piece of money, or a lamb.
Some are moſt for that reading, they gave him a lamb, becauſe that ſeems moſt anſwerable to the loſs of Job; he loſt all his cattle, and now every one brought him a lamb: But it is not much to the matter, whether we take their reading or ours. If it were a lamb, it was worth a piece of money; and if it were a piece of money, it would buy a lamb.
But, why did they bring Job either a piece of money or a lamb? I anſwer.
Firſt, To teſtifie their renewed friend-ſhip, or as a ſignification of their love, and ſo to ingratiate themſelves with him.
Secondly, It might be towards the repair of his loſſes; every one brought him ſomewhat; yet I conceive they beſtowed thoſe gifts upon him, rather as an honour than a relief, yet poſſibly they might intend both in giving them. Upon the one account or the other, or upon both, the Lord brought over Jobs friends to congratulate him with theſe preſents. It hath been an ancient uſage to preſent Princes with gifts in way of honour and homage, as appears plainly from what is of the refuſal of ſome called Sons of Belial (a Title of diſgrace beſtowed by the Spirit of God upon none but the worſt of men) to bring preſents unto Saul, the firſt King of Iſrael (1 Sam. 10.27.) And many ſuperiors in any kind think themſelves ſlighted, if they have not gifts from their inferiors. Job was a Prince, the greateſt man of the Eaſt, and for that reaſon it was but a duty in his friends to bring him preſents. Every one gave him a piece of money (or a lamb) And every one an ear-ring of gold.
Gemmas à fronte pendentes. Vulg. M…ntl… demiſſum, Sept.There is ſom: diſpute what this ear-ring of gold was. The word is tranſlated (Iſa. 3.21.) A noſe jewel; which was not a jewel to hang upon the noſe, but a jewel that was faſtned upon the forehead, and hung down towards the noſe. In other places it is called an ear-ring (Gen. 24.47. Gen. 35.4. Ezod. 35.22.) Such jewels were doubtleſs uſed, and worn by g…eat perſons in the Land of Ʋz, where Job dwelt, and was chief among them. Jobs friends brought him not only preſents of money or cattle, which are uſeful to all,Honoraria obtulerunt. Jun. Munere haec erant, tum amicitiae, tum obſequii ſymbola. Sic enim viri principes munere ſalutabantur. but jewels, which are ornamentals, and uſed only by perſons of noble quality or of great eſtate. An ear-ring in ſome mens ears, would be no more becoming nor better placed, than a jewel in a ſwines ſnout; to which Solomon compares beauty in a woman without wit, diſcretion, and underſtanding. A jewel, or an ear-ring, is not for every mans wearing. The preſents brought Job, ſhewed him a perſon of honour. Every one alſo gave him a piece of money, and every one an ear-ring of gold.
Hence Note, Firſt; To ſend or bring gifts in many caſes, is not only lawful, but neceſſary, and a duty.
Though both the giving and taking of gifts, heareth ill, in Scripture and common language, yet there are ſix ſorts of gifts which may lawfully be given and taken; and there is a ſeventh ſort, which none ought either to give or take.
Firſt, Gifts of pure charity, or Eleemoſinary gifts, ſuch as are beſtowed upon, and diſtributed among the poor, are a duty. We ſhould be much in gifts of charity for this very reaſon; becauſe to give them is not ſo much a bounty, as a duty: A part of all we have, is due to thoſe that have nothing.
Secondly, There are gifts of reſpect to thoſe who are not in want, yea, to thoſe who abound; theſe are honorary gifts. 'Tis lawful, and a duty alſo to bring gifts to Kings and Princes, as was ſhewed in opening the words. When Chriſt is ſpoken of as a King, the Scripture ſaith, The Kings of Tarſhiſh, and of the Iſles ſhall bring preſents; the Kings of Sheba and Seba ſhall offer gifts (Pſal. 72.10.) And as that holy Propheſie ſaith it ſhould be ſo, ſo the holy Hiſtory ſaith it was ſo; the wiſe men of the Eaſt came with gifts to Chriſt, as ſoon as he was born (Mat. 2.)
Thirdly, There are gifts of courteſie from equals. One friend ſends a gift to another, in teſtimony of love and kindneſs, or as rejoycing in the goodneſs and kindneſs of God to them, in delivering them from any evil (as Jobs caſe alſo was) Theſe are congratulatory gifts.
Fourthly, There are gifts of bounty, ſuch are from ſuperiors to inferiors, to teſtifie their greatneſs and magnificence.
Fifthly, There are gratulatory gifts, in token of thankfulneſs for benefits and favours received.
Sixthly, There are gifts of incouragement to thoſe that are induſtrious and deſerve well, which we may call remunerative gifts: Theſe are as oil to the wheel of ingenuous ſpirits in a good work; it is lawful at any time, and ſometimes neceſſary, to beſtow ſuch gifts.
Seventhly, There are gifts of bribery, which pervert juſtice, and put out the eyes of Judges: They are not the rewards of induſtry, but the wages of unrighteouſneſs; ſuch as Balack would duplicate page duplicate page have given Balaam, he offered him great gifts, I will promote thee to honour. But what was it for? even to hire him to curſe the people of God. Let all take heed of giving or taking gifts to pervert juſtice, or to encourage any in the doing of any wickedneſs or unworthineſs; theſe are corruptive gifts.
Further, Whereas they gave not only a piece of money or a lamb, but every one an ear-ring of gold; which we may conſider not only as to the matter, as it was gold, but as to the form, as it was an ear-ring, or an artificial piece of gold, & that an ornamental piece of gold; they might have given gold (and probably they did) in the pieces of money which they gave him, but they gave him ear-rings alſo, in which the faſhion or uſe is moſt conſiderable, and the workmanſhip more worth than the mettal.
Hence, Note; It is lawful to wear ornaments.
Not only may we wear that which ſerves for a covering to the body, but that which is for the adorning of it. An ear-ring is an ornament. As all are to wear cloths to hide their ſhame and nakedneſs, ſo ſome may wear robes, to ſhew their ſtate and greatneſs. Job received ear-rings; he did not caſt them by as vain things. When Abraham ſent his ſervant to take a wife for his Son Iſaac, he ſtored him with cabinets of precious jewels to beſtow upon her (Gen. 24.) and when he found Rebeccah at the well, and found who ſhe was, he took a golden ear-ring of half a ſhekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten ſhekels weight of gold, and gave them to Rebeccah. And afterwards, when her parents had given conſent to the marriage, then (ver. 53.) The ſervant brought forth jewels of ſilver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebeccah, &c. Abraham would not ſend ſuch things to a Wife for his Son, had they been vain in their own nature, or ſinful in their uſe. Yet take the point with theſe cautions. We may wear ornaments, but,
Firſt, We muſt not be proud of them.
Secondly, We muſt not ſet our affections upon them.
Thirdly, We muſt beware of an affectation in wearing them.
Fourthly, We muſt take heed of waſtfulneſs; we may not laviſh out an eſtate upon ornaments, nor make our ſelves poor, to make our ſelves fine.
I grant ſome Scriptures ſpeak negatively in appearance, as to the uſe and wearing of jewels and ornaments (1 Tim. 2.9.) In like manner alſo let women adorn themſelves in modeſt aparel, in ſhame faſtneſs and ſobriety, not with broidened hair or gold, or pearl, or caſtly array. This Scripture ſeems to croſs the point directly, and ſo doth that other (1 Pet. 3.3.) Whoſe adorning (ſpeaking of women) let it not be that outward adorning of plating the hair, and of wearing of gold, and of putting on of aparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart. How then can good women wear theſe ornaments?
I anſwer, Theſe Scriptures do not abſolutely forbid the wearing of ornaments, but only as to thoſe exceptions before given, to wear them in pride, or to ſet our affections upon them, or to affect them, or to wear them waſtfully, beyond our purſe and place; ſuch wearing of ornaments is indeed unlawful. Again, it is not ſinful to have or uſe ornaments, but to make them our ornaments, that is ſinful; our adorning muſt be the hidden man of the heart, that muſt be grace: That this is the Apoſtles mind is clear, becauſe he ſaith their adorning muſt not be the putting on of apparrel, as well as not the plating of the hair, and wearing of gold. Therefore the negation is not abſolute, but comparative; let not them count theſe their ornaments, but grace or the hidden man of the heart. As the Lord ſaith, I will have mercy and not ſacrifice, that is, mercy rather than ſacrifice; ſo, I will have the hidden man of the heart, not coſtly jewels and apparel, your ornament; that is, I eſteem the one much rather than the other, and ſo ought you to eſteem both your ſelves and others accordingly.
Take this caution further. Times of affliction and ſuffering, are very unſeaſonable to wear ear-rings of gold and ornaments. When there is any great appearance of the diſpleaſure of God againſt a people; then how unſutable are all our pleaſant things! The Lord ſaid to the people of Iſrael, Put off your ornaments, that I may know what to do with you (Exod. 32.) When we live in ſuch a time, in humbling days, or are called to humbling duties, we ſhould be very watchful about theſe things, and rather appear in raggs than robe…, with duſt upon our heads, rather than with ornaments upon our backs.
Thus far of the firſt part of Jobs reſtauration, the return of his friends, and the ſignifications of their friendlineſs towards him, eating bread with him, bemoaning him, comforting him, and preſenting him with gifts of honour, if not of enrichment, pieces of money, and earings of gold: Yet all their civilities and bounties reached but a little way, if at all towards that reſtauration which the Lord intended him, the doubling of his whole eſtate, which he ſoon received in full meaſure, heaped up, preſſed down, and running over, as will appear in opening the two next verſes, and thoſe which follow to the end of the chapter.