Exposition of Job 38-42, Commentary on Job · Chapter 41 · Verse 26-34

Exposition of Job 38-42 · Commentary on Job · Chapter 41 · Verse 26-34

p. 760JOB, Chap. 41. Verſ. 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34.

26. The ſword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the ſpear, the dart, nor the harbergeon.

27. He eſteemeth iron as ſtraw, and braſs as rotten wood.

28. The arrow cannot make him flee: ſling-ſtones are turned with him into ſtubble.

29. Darts are counted as ſtubble: he laugheth at the ſhaking of a ſpear.

30. Sharp ſtones are under him: he ſpreadeth ſharppointed things upon the mire.

31. He make the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the ſea like a pot of ointment.

32 He maketh a path to ſhine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.

33. Ʋpon the earth there is not his like: who is made without fear.

34. He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.

IN the former context, we have had an accurate delineation of the ſeveral parts of this mighty creature Leviathan, together with their wonderful operations and effects, even to the terrifying of mighty men, and the putting them upon ſpeedy preparations for death, at his appearance.

In this the Lord gives proof.

p. 761Firſt, Of the imperitrableneſs, or impregnableneſs of the ſcales, skin, and fleſh of this Leviathan.

Secondly, Of the greatneſs of his courage, ſtomack, and ſpirit, in the midſt of greateſt dangers and oppoſitions; both which are ſhewed in the 26, 27, 28, and 29. verſes of this context; which are all of a ſence, and therefore I ſhall very briefly paſs through them.

Verſ. 26. The ſword of him that layeth at him cannot hold.

We have in the compaſs of theſe four verſes, as it were a whole magazine of armes, of war-like inſtruments and engines. Armes are of two ſorts.

Firſt, Offenſive.

Secondly, Defenſive.

Offenſive armes are likewiſe of two ſorts.

Firſt, Such as we ſtrike with, or make uſe of at hand; of which ſort we reckon the ſword and the ſpear.

Secondly, Such as are uſed at a diſtance; of which ſort are arrows, and darts, and ſling-ſtones: All theſe offenſive weapons are here expreſly mentioned. And likewiſe we have here defenſive armes, with which we cover and ſhelter the body, in a time of battle or danger, from taking hurt; of which ſort the helmet is a piece of armour for the head, and the habergeon or breaſtplate, for the fore-part of the body. So that here (I ſay) we have all ſorts of armes. And as we have all ſorts of armes brought together, ſo we have the unprofitableneſs or unſerviceableneſs of them all, or their utter inſufficiency to hurt Leviathan, or to ſave any man harmleſs, or from being hurt by him, as will appear, while I run over and touch upon theſe words.

The ſword of him that layeth at him cannot hold.

The ſword is an offenſive weapon, with which we aſſault our adverſary at hand. Now though a man doth lay at Leviathan with a ſword, that is, uſeth his utmoſt skill and ſtrength to make the ſword enter, yet it cannot hold, or, as the Hebrew is,Reſilit duritiè tergaris repulſus gladius. Bez. will not ſtand or abide; It will either be broken or dulled, and the edge of it turned and abated, or it will rebound without leaving any impreſſion. Maſter Broughton renders, The ſword of him that layeth at him will not faſten. As if God had ſaid; if any be ſo p. 762bold as to come near, with a ſword in his hand, to ſtrike Leviathan, it is to no purpoſe, for ſuch is the ſtrength of his natural armour, ſuch the hardneſs of his ſcales and skin, he is ſo protected, fenced, and fortified with theſe, that the ſword can do him no more hurt than a thruſt or ſtroke with a bull-ruſh. The ſword cannot enter.

No, nor the ſpear.

That's another offenſive hand-weapon, which we uſe at hand.

No, nor the dart.

That's another offenſive weapon, which we uſe at a diſtance. Some put theſe two, the ſpear and the dart, into one, conceiving that by theſe two,foreign lauco profectionis, i. e. quam homo proficiſci facit de manu ſua. Jaculum à jaciendo. Bold. Haſtati ſpargunt heſtas, fit ferreus imber. Ennius. we are to underſtand not a ſpear and a dart diſtinctly, but a darting-ſpear, or the ſpear that goeth forth: For there are two ſorts of ſpears. There are ſome ſpears which are held faſt in the hand of him that aſſaults. There are another ſort of ſpears, called Javelins, which are caſt out of the hand. Thus ſome (I ſay) conceive that we are to put theſe two words into one; Nor can the darting ſpear, or Javelin (which is caſt out of a mans hand againſt an enemy with greateſt force) enter to wound him.

Nor the habergeon.

As if he had ſaid; not only cannot theſe offenſive weapons, ſpear, and dart, or the darting-ſpear, hurt Leviathan; but thoſe armes which a man puts on to ſave himſelf from hurt, cannot protect him: Leviathan will be too hard for him; though he weareth a Coat of Male, an habergeon, though he be clothed all over with iron, back and breaſt, Cap-a-Pe, yet Leviathan can eaſily cruſh him, he can rend his corſlet, as if it were but a rotten-ragg, and tear it off as eaſily as a wiſp of ſtraw; for, as it followeth, Verſ. 27. He eſteemeth iron as ſtraw, and braſs as rotten-wood.

That is, he makes no more of iron and braſs, than we do of a ſtraw, or of a piece of rotten-wood, which crumbles between our fingers, and is broken with the leaſt ſtrain. You may as ſoon wound him with a ſtraw, as with a ſword, and pierce his p. 763Buckler-ſcales, by throwing a rotten ſtick at him, as well as by caſting a dart or javelin at him; he ſlights all your artillery, as if he had reaſon to do it, and fully underſtood that his skin and ſcales were an armour of proof againſt all aſſaults.

Verſ. 28. The arrow cannot make him flee.

Arrows are notable weapons uſed at a diſtance, which being ſhot from a ſtrong bow, and drawn home by a ſtrong arm, wound deeply and deadly; yet Leviathan regards not whole ſhowers of arrows poured upon him. The Hebrew elegancy gives it thus, The ſons of the bow cannot make him flee. Maſter! Broughtons tranſlation holds the metaphor untranſlated, The bows child drives him not away. Arrows are ſometimes called the ſons of the bow, and ſometimes they are called the ſons of the quiver (Lament. 3.13.) becauſe arrows are firſt taken out of a quiver, where they are kept, and ſo are, as it were, children of the quiver; and then arrows are put upon the ſtring of the bow, and being ſhot out of it, may be called alſo ſons of the bow. Arrows come out of the quiver and the bow, as children from parents. And as in this Scripture, arrows are called children, ſo in another, children are compared to arrows (Pſal. 127.4.) As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, ſo are children of the youth; happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them, that is, who hath many children. Here (by the way) give me leave to mind the Reader, that 'tis uſual in Scripture to call any thing that comes out of, or proceeds from another, its ſon or child. Thus corn is called the ſon of the floore (Iſa. 21.10.) O my threſhing, and the corn of my floor; the Hebrew is, O my threſhing, and the ſon of my floor. Corn is called the ſon of the floor, becauſe it comes from the floor, where it is threſhed and delivered by the force of the flail, out of the husk or chaff in which it was bred, and lay as a child in his mothers womb. Thus alſo ſparks which come from the coal, are called ſons of the coal (Job 5.7.) According to this frequent Hebraiſme, arrows are here called the ſons of the bow. The arrow cannot make him flee. Though arrows fly at Leviathan, he ſcorns to flee from arrows, he will ſtir no more when you ſhoot a feathered arrow at him, than if you ſhot only a feather at him. And as he contemns arrows, ſo p. 764Sling-ſtones are turned with him into ſtubble.

Bows and ſlings were of great uſe in war, before the invention of guns. Thoſe Benjamites were famous, who, as the holy Hiſtory reports them, could ſling ſtones at a hairs breadth, and not miſs (Judg. 20.16.) David went out againſt Goliah the Giant, weaponed only with a ſling, and five ſtones. Slings are no contemptible weapons, ſeing with a ſling-ſtone David overthrew Goliah the Philiſtine, who made the whole hoſt of Iſrael tremble. Yet ſling-ſtones, with this Sea-goliah, Leviathan, are turned into ſtubble, that is, he even blows them away like ſtubble, nor cares he at all for their blows. When the Pſalmiſt would ſhew how eaſily the Lord could ſubdue the enemies of Iſrael, he prayeth againſt them in this manner (Pſal. 83.13.) Make them, O my God, as a wheel, and as the ſtubble before the wind, that is, render them weak, and altogether unable to do miſchief. The Prophet deſcribes the eaſie overthrow of the wicked enemy, by this metaphor (Iſa. 40.24.) The whirl-wind ſhall take them away as ſtubble. And when the Prophet would ſhew how mighty the Lord aſſiſted Abraham againſt his enemies, he ſaith (Iſa. 42.2.) He gave them as the duſt to his ſword, and as driven ſtubble to his bow. Now as in all theſe Scriptures it appears from this ſimilitude, how unable the ſtrongeſt are to ſtand before the Lord, ſo, when the Lord would ſhew how impregnable this Leviathan is, he ſaith, Sling-ſtones are no more to him than ſtubble; yea, and he doubles it, Verſ. 29. Darts are counted as ſtubble.

We had darts in the 26th verſe, yet the original words differ; and 'tis very probable, that as the words differ, ſo the weapons, intended by them, differed alſo, though now unknown to us, and ſo we want names for them, or know not how to name them with a difference.Tanquam ſtipula habentur ab ipſo machinae bellieae. Bez. Some interpret the word in diſtinction from the former, not for darts caſt out of a mans hand, but for ſtones darted out of engines. The Ancients uſed engines, which caſt ponderous ſtones, with mighty violence againſt walls and towers, to batter them down, as we do now with ordnance or great guns. Some have queried, whether great guns were not uſed in that time The word may bear it: But plainly it may ſignifie an engine out of which ſtones were ſlung. Theſe Leviathan counts as ſtubble, yea, p. 765He laugheth at the ſhaking of the ſpear.Cetus non timet comminationem. Aquin.

To ſhake a ſpear, is as it were, to threaten one with a ſpear; and ſo to brandiſh a ſword againſt an enemy, is to defie him, or to bid him do his worſt, or it tells him that you will do your beſt to overcome and conquer him. Leviathan ſcorns when any threaten him with their weapons in hand. If you ſhake your ſpear at him, he laughs at it; that is, he ſlights it, he regards it not. 'Tis the ſame word which is uſed (Job 39.22.) concerning the horſe, at fear he mock…th or laugheth; that is, he laughs at thoſe things which give occaſion, yea, juſt cauſe of fear, and are indeed ſuch as moſt are afraid of. So doth Leviathan, He laughs at the ſhaking of the ſpear. Eliphaz ſaith of a godly man (Job 5.22.) at deſtruction and famine he ſhall laugh. The godly man is ſo fortified with a promiſe and aſſurance of protection and proviſion by God, that neither ſword nor famine can daunt his ſpirit, yea, he, as it were, laughs at them, as Leviathan at the ſhaking of a ſpear.

Thus I have paſſed, or poſted rather, through theſe four verſes, the general ſenſe of them all being the ſame, and that to ſhew that Leviathan is ſo armed by nature, that no artificial arms can hurt him.

This part alſo of Leviathans deſcription, is taken by Bochartus as a further proof, that the Leviathan here ſpoken of, is the Crocodile, whoſe ſcales are not penetrable by the force of any weapon; whereas (ſaith he) the skin of the Whale gives paſſage to the forcible ſtroke or thruſt of any ſharp-edged, or ſharp-pointed inſtrument.

For anſwer to this, I have no more to ſay than what hath been ſaid, at the 15th, 16th and 17th verſes of this Chapter, concerning the ſcales of Leviathan, to which I refer the Reader; and ſhall paſs on, when I have given three or four hints, by way of improvement from the whole.

Firſt, If the Lord hath made a creature that no weapon can hurt, then ſurely the Lord himſelf is exalted above all hurt from the creature; as it is ſaid in another place of this Book (Chap. 35.6.) If thou ſinneſt, what doſt thou againſt him? or if thy tranſgreſſions be multiplyed, what doſt thou unto him? that is, thou canſt not hurt God with thy ſin. Though men by ſin lay at him, as with ſword and ſpear, though they throw their ſling-ſtones of blaſphemy p. 766at him, they cannot hurt him. Gamaliel (Acts 5.39.) gives warning againſt this; take heed what ye do, refrain from theſe men, leſt haply ye be found, even to fight againſt God. They fight againſt God, who ſet themſelves to do miſchief; but what miſchief ſoever they do to men, or among men, they can do none to God, their weapons reach him not. As Solomon tells us (Prov. 21.30.) There is no wiſdom nor counſel againſt the Lord; ſo there is no weapon againſt the Lord: Sword, and ſpear, and dart, whether material or metaphorical, are but ſtubble before him. And as the Lord himſelf is beyond the reach of weapons, and the rage of man, ſo are they who are under the Lords protection; therefore it is ſaid of the Church (Iſa. 54.17.) No weapon formed againſt thee ſhall proſper; that is, it ſhall not have the intended effect of the Smith that made it (as that Scripture ſpeaks) nor of the hand that weilds it. The ſword of him that layeth at the Church of God, ſhall not hold; the ſpear, the dart, nor the habergeon. As none are ſo much aſſaulted as the Church, ſo none are ſo well armed and defended.

Secondly, As no offenſive weapon can hurt the Lord, ſo no defenſive weapon can ſhelter us from hurt, if under the wrath of the Lord. Though we have got an Habergeon, though we have ſcales or bucklers like Leviathan, yet the Lord hath a ſword, a ſpear, a dart, that can ſtrike through them, that is, through all the defences of the moſt hardned ſinners in the world. There is no ſhelter to be found, nor defence to be made againſt the weapons of divine wrath, but only in and by Jeſus Chriſt. God is a ſhield and Buckler, a Helmet and an Habergeon for believers, againſt all offenſive weapons of men or devils; but where ſhall unbelievers find a ſhield or a buckler to ſecure themſelves againſt the offenſive weapons of God!

Again, ſome in allegorizing this Scripture, ſay, that Leviathan is an emblem of the Devil. Now, though it be a truth, that no outward weapon, no ſword nor dart can terrifie or hurt the Devil, yet the Lord hath furniſhed us with weapons that can pierce the Devil, that Leviathan, and defend us from his power (Eph. 6.14, 15, 16.) The ſword of the Spirit, the Word of God, will wound that old Leviathan; the Breaſt-plate of Righteouſneſs, the Helmet of Salvation, the Shield of Faith, will preſerve us from woundings, in the midſt of all his fiery darts. How p. 767ſoon would the Devil, that cunning, and curſed, and cruel Darter and Archer, wound our ſouls to death, with his fiery darts and poyſonous arrows, if the Lord had not given us a ſhield, a breaſt-plate, and an helmet, more impenetrable than the ſcales of Leviathan!

Laſtly, This deſcription of Leviathan, carrieth in it a fit reſemblance of a hardned ſinner, of a ſinner reſolved upon his evil wayes. Some ſinners come at laſt to ſuch a hardneſs, that they are like Leviathan, nothing will pierce them; the ſword of the Spirit doth not enter them. Though you lay at them with all your might in the Miniſtry of the Word, though you caſt darts, and ſhoot arrows of terrible threatnings againſt them, they eſteem them but ſtraw and ſtubble; ſin hath ſo hardned them, that they (as we may expreſs it) are Sermon-proof, threatning-proof, yea, judgement-proof too, as to amendment by them, though they are broken and periſh under them. Let God ſay what he will in his Word, or do what he will in his works, they regard it not; they laugh at the ſhaking of theſe ſpears. As a man that hath armour of proof, cares not for ſword or ſpears, fears not an arrow nor a bullet; ſo 'tis in a ſpiritual ſenſe with reſolved ſinners: God having as a juſt judgement for former ſins, given them a ſhield upon their hearts (as the word ſignifieth, Lam 3.65.) which we render ſorrow of heart, and put in the margin obſtinacy, that is, hardneſs of heart, they then account reproofs, threats, admonitions, the moſt terrible words in all the armoury of God, no more than a ſtraw or rotten wood. Woe to theſe Leviathans, to thoſe who harden their hearts againſt the Word of God. Who hath hardned himſelf againſt the Word of the Lord, and proſpered? And let all ſuch know, that (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 Cor. 10.4.) The weapons of our warfare are not carnal (that is, weak, dull, edgeleſs, pointleſs tools) but mighty through God, &c. And that, though now they prevail not to converſion, yet they will prevail to condemnation; and that while they go on to ſin, they are but going (as Solomon ſpeaks of the young wanton, Prov. 7.22.) As an Ox goeth to the ſlaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the ſtocks, till a dart ſtrike through his liver. God will have a dart at laſt, which ſhall enter, a dart which thoſe Leviathans ſhall not count ſtubble, nor find to be ſo.

The Lord proceeds to deſcribe Leviathan, and, as we may conceive, p. 768to give a further demonſtration of the hardneſs of his ſcales and skin.

Verſ. 30. Sharp ſtones are under him, he ſpreadeth ſharpe pointed things upon the mire.

Mr. Broughton reads it, His underneath-places be as ſharp-ſheards. The word rendred Sharp ſtones, properly ſignifies the ſharp pieces of a pot-ſ…rd; that is, ſtones or other hard things, as ſharp and pricking as the pieces of a broken pot-ſheard. We may expound this verſe two wayes.

Firſt, As being a proof of the hardneſs and firmneſs of Leviathans skin and fleſh; ſo hard they are, that he can lye down and reſt himſelf upon hard and ſharp ſtones, even upon the ſharp tops of rocks in the Sea, as we lye down upon our beds. Sharp ſtones are under him, but he feels them not; which may be the meaning alſo of the next words.

He ſpreadeth ſharp pointed things upon the mire.

That is, Leviathan like ſome hardy man, or iron-ſides, ſcorns to lye ſoft on the ouze or mire, but laying, as it were, ſharp ſtones upon it, ſhews what he can endure without hurt. And ſo I conceive theſe words, He ſpreadeth ſharp-pointed things upon the mire, may be thus underſtood and read, He ſpreadeth himſelf upon ſharp-pointed things, as if it were upon the mire.

Secondly, We may expound this verſe as to the falling off of darts caſt, and ſtones ſlung at him, or as to the breaking of ſwords and ſpears upon his ſcales, when aſſaulted with them. As if it had been ſaid, If you caſt darts, or ſling ſtones at him, they do not enter, but drop down under him; or, if you aſſail him with ſword and ſpear, the ſword breaks, the ſpears point is ſnapt off, and falls under his body. Thus he ſpreadeth ſharp pointed things upon the mire, or ſpreadeth the mire all over with ſharp pointed things. As after a well-fought battel at Land, we may ſee the field ſpread over with pieces of ſwords and ſpears, and other broken weapons; ſo is the bottom of the Sea (could you ſee to the bottom of it) after a skirmiſh, or day of battel with Leviathan. This is a probable ſenſe, but I rather take the former, as ſhewing the hardneſs of his skin and ſcales, by his inſenſibleneſs of any ſharp or hard thing that he reſts himſelf upon.

p. 769All that I ſhall add is this: It were well for us, if in this caſe we could be like Leviathan, if we could harden our ſelves, or inure our ſelves to hardſhips, to lye with ſharp ſtones under us. Surely our fleſh is much too tender and ſoft, and our skin too delicate for the endurance of a lodging upon hard ſtones, and ſharp pointed things. The Apoſtle gives a ſutable word of advice to Timothy (2 Tim. 2.6.) Do thou endure hardſhip, as a good ſouldier of Jeſus Chriſt. We ſhould labour to endure hardſhip, and to fare hard, and to lye hard. Edmond, a Saxon King in this Land, was called Iron-ſides. I fear there are few Iron-ſides among us, ſuch I mean, as are fit and ready to endure hardſhip, to ſuffer hard things at Chriſts call, and for his Name ſake: We ſhould be content, as the Church once was (Pſal. 68.30.) to lye among the pots, yea, as Leviathan, upon the pot-ſheards, in that behalf. The old Martyrs were patient, while they lodged in a coal-houſe, and ruſſeled among the ſtraw. Though the Lord doth not exerciſe with ſuch hardſhips, yet 'tis the duty of every Chriſtian to get his heart into readineſs and willingneſs to endure them. Though all the followers of Chriſt are not honoured with ſufferings for him; yet they who have nor, at leaſt who pray not that they may have, a ſpirit of ſuffering, are not worthy to follow him, nor to be called his Diſciples, (Mat. 10.38. Mat. 16.24. Luke 14.26.) Verſ. 31. He maketh the deep to boyl like a pot, he maketh the Sea like a pot of ointment.

As Leviathan troubles Sea-men, ſo he troubles the Sea;Totum oceanum turbat. Jun. he macerates and vexeth the waters, he diſturbs the whole Ocean where he is, or whereſoever he comes. This is illuſtrated by a double ſimilitude; Firſt, of a boyling pot, He maketh the deep like a boyling pot. Secondly, He maketh the Sea like a pot of ointment: Or, as Mr. Broughton renders it, He ſets the Sea as a ſpicers Kettle; that is, all in a ſume and foam. Spices mingled in a kettle to make ointment, boyl vehemently upon the fire; any liquor boyling is moved, and the more it boyles, the more it moves. Thus Leviathan bluſtring in the deep, cauſeth it to look like a boyling pot, or like a pot of ointment. This ſhews the force of Leviathan; he makes ſuch a buſſel, that he, as it were, raiſeth a p. 770ſtorm in the Sea: a fiercely boyling pot over the fire, much reſembles the Sea when the waves foam, and the waters are enraged by the winds. The mighty power of God is ſet forth in Scripture, calming the Sea when 'tis ſtormy, and raiſing ſtorms when it is calm, as might be ſhewed in many Scriptures. Leviathan can trouble the Sea, when God hath made it quiet; but he cannot quiet nor calm it, when God hath made it ſtormy. Leviathan is of a turbulent nature, and he deals only in ſtorms; his reſtleſs ſpirit will not let the Sea reſt, he makes it boyl like a pot, &c.

That which is ſaid of Leviathan in his turmoiling the Sea, may well repreſent the ſpirit of wicked men, who in this are like Leviathan; they (as the Prophet ſpeaks (Iſa. 57.20.) are like the troubled Sea, when it cannot reſt; and as themſelves are like the troubled Sea, having continual tumultuations in their own breaſts, ſo they often make others like a troubled Sea.

I ſhall not here omit what the learned Bochartus takes notice of in this verſe, both for and againſt his Aſſertion, That Leviathan is the Crocodile.

Firſt, Though it cannot be denied, that the Whale makes a greater ſtir in the Sea, and troubles the waters more than the Crocodile (the Whale being much the greater of the two) yet he conceives the latter part of the verſe (where 'tis ſaid, He makes the Sea like a pot of ointment) very peculiar to the Crocodile. For (ſaith he) many Writers commend the fragrancy or ſweet ſmell which the Crocodile ſends forth, much like that of musk, or the Arabian ſpices, inſomuch that ſome think Amber-greeſe is taken from that Animal. And hence he concludes, it may well be ſaid, that he (where he comes) makes the Sea like a pot of ointment, which gives a fragrant ſmell, then eſpecially when ſtirred, as Leviathan is here ſaid to ſtir. This is indeed a rare obſervation, and ſuch as Bochartus might well ſay, he could not enough admire, that the Ancients ſhould give no hint at all of; his teſtimonies for it, being from Authors of ſomewhat a late date, which the Reader may peruſe for his fuller obſervation, if he pleaſe. I would not raiſe any ſuſpition about the truth of the thing, which Bochartus ſaith cannot but be true, it being aſſerted by the unanimous vote of people of all Nations, Indians, Arabians, Egyptians, Aſſyrians and Americans.

All that I ſhall ſay to it, is only this, That the Text in Job having p. 771this ſcope to deſcribe the turbulency of Leviathan in the Sea, ſeems not to reſpect the ſavour or ſmell of the pot of ointment, but only the troubled motion or ebullition of it, when 'tis boyling over the fire: And in that reſpect, the Whale maketh the Sea like a pot of boyling ointment, as much as, yea, more than the Crocodile.

The ſecond thing which Bochartus takes notice of in this verſe, is an objection which may be raiſed from it, againſt his opinion. The Lord ſpeaks of Leviathan, as being in the Sea, and (which is a word of the ſame ſignificancy) in the deep. Now, the Crocodile is not a Sea-animal, but a River-animal, therefore Leviathan is not a Crocodile. To this he anſwers,

Firſt, That the River Nilus is called the Egyptian Sea (Iſa. 11.15.) and quotes a Jewiſh Doctor, who expounds it ſo. To this I may reply, That other learned men (and among them the late Annotators upon our Engliſh Bible) deny that expoſition, and are very confident, that by the Egyptian Sea, is meant (not Nilus, but) the Red Sea, which out of the main Ocean ſhoots into the Land, in form and faſhion of a tongue.

Secondly, He anſwers, that not only the River Nilus, and the Lakes adjoyning to it, which abound with Crocodiles, but ſeveral other great Lakes, both in holy Writ, and by many Writers, are called Seas; and therefore he concludes, the argument will not hold, that by the name Leviathan the Crocodile cannot be ſignified, becauſe the Sea is here aſſigned as the ſeat or habitation of Leviathan.

I grant this is is not a concluding argument againſt the Crocodile, yet from theſe words we may gather a probable argument for the Whale; for as the word Sea is taken ſometimes in a large ſenſe, for great Rivers and Lakes where Crocodiles are, ſo in ſtrict and proper ſenſe, it alwayes ſignifies the Ocean, where Crocodiles are not. And the Scripture tells us, that the proper place appointed by God for the moſt proper Leviathans ſeat, is not the Sea, in a large and improper ſenſe, but in that which is moſt ſtrict and proper, even that which is called the great and wide Sea (Pſal. 104.24, 25.) as was ſhewed before. And that we have reaſon to believe, that God ſpake to Job of and about the moſt proper and eminent of all thoſe animals, which by Scripture allowance may be called Leviathan, was there alſo ſhewed. And if ſo, then we p. 772muſt neceſſarily underſtand the great and wide Sea, by that Deep in the Text, which Leviathan maketh to boyl like a pot, and by that Sea alſo, which he (by his boyſterous motion) makes like a pot of ointment.

Thus the Lord in this verſe, hath told us what work Leviathan makes when he is below in the deep, and raiſing himſelf towards the ſurface of the Sea; in the next he tells us, what he doth when he ſwims aloft.

Verſ. 32. He maketh a path to ſhine after him, &c.

That is, he ſwims with ſuch force and violence neer the ſurface of the water, that you may ſee a plain path behind him; he makes a great foam or froth upon the waters, which ſhines like a beaten way.

'Tis good in one ſenſe, to make a path ſhine after us; that is, by the holineſs and righteouſneſs of our lives. The path of the righteous ſhines as the morning light (Prov. 4.18.) A righteous man walketh not in dark, black, defiled, filthy pathes; his are paths of light, and ſuch as lead to that bleſſed inheritance among the Saints in light. But the path of an unrighteous man, ſhines only like Leviathans path, with an ugly foam or froth, or at beſt, 'tis but like the ſhining of a pinching froſt, or of an aged head, which is not whiteneſs,Aeſtimabit abyſſum quaſi ſeneſcentem. Vulg. Ʋſitatum eſt ut canum & incaneſcere mare dicatur. Haec inter tumidi late maris ibat imago. Aurea, ſed fluctu ſpumabant caerula cano. Virg. l. 8 Aeniad. deſcribens navale bellum Auguſti at que Antonii. Tota que remigio ſumis inca…uit …de. Catullus but hoarineſs, and ſo 'tis ſtill like Leviathans path; as it followeth in the latter part of the verſe.

One would think the deep to be hoary.

The word ſignifies the hoarineſs of the head of an old man. When we grow old, our hair changeth colour, and the head is hoary. Leviathan makes ſuch a foamy path, that one would think the Sea gray-headed, or that a hoary froſt covered the Sea. That metaphor was often uſed by the old Poets.

All I ſhall ſay from this verſe, is, to take notice of the good providence of God, that this hurtful and dangerous creature Leviathan gives ſuch warning where he is. While he lies below in the Sea he can do no hurt; and as often as he raiſeth himſelf up, he makes a path to ſhine, he makes the Sea hoary, by which we may the more eaſily diſcover and avoid him; whereas otherwiſe, he might do miſchief unawares, or eaſily ſurprize the unwary paſſenger. 'Tis mercy, when they who, like Leviathan, are able to p. 773do much hurt, make ſuch a path ſhine after them, as gives any an opportunity to eſcape them, and keep out of danger. Thus we have as it were, the picture of Leviathan, drawn by the hand of God himſelf: And from all, it appears that he is a very None-ſuch, or that his fellow is not to be found, he hath no equal in the viſible world, ſuch another is no where to be had.

Thus the Lord concludes.

Verſ. 33, 34. Ʋpon the earth is not his like, who is made without fear: he beholdeth all high things: he is a King over all the children of pride.

Theſe two verſes contain the cloſe of all; they are, as it were, the Epilogue, the Epiphonema, or cloſing words, with which the Lord ſhuts up his whole diſcourſe about this creature. (As if he had ſaid, Why ſhould I wade further in a deſcription of him by particulars? I will ſay all, I will wind up all in a word; he is ſuch a one, as in the earth there is not his like. Or, as if the Lord had ſaid to Job, I told thee before of Behemoth, that he is the chief of my ways; yet he comes far ſhort of Leviathan, for upon earth there is not his like. Leviathan is not only the chief in his own dominion, among the fiſhes of the ſea, but alſo among the beaſts of the earth, the ſtrongeſt and ſtouteſt of which are not to be compared with him.

Before I proceed with the opening of theſe two verſes, according to our tranſlation, which generally holds out Leviathan to be the Whale; and before I touch ſome other tranſlations, which bear the ſame interpretation, I ſhall propoſe the tranſlation and interpretation given by the learned Bochartus, which accommodates theſe two concluding verſes fully to the Crocodile. His tranſlation runs thus, and ſo doth his interpretation, as followeth,

There is not his like upon the dust, ſo made, Non eſt ei ſimile ſuper pulverem, ita factum, ut non atteratur.that he ſhould not be bruiſed (or broken) He tranſlates the Hebrew (foreign) not as we, upon the earth, but, upon the dust, thereby implying that a creeping thing is here intended by Leviathan: For (ſaith he) the feet of the Crocodile are ſo ſhort, that he rather creepeth than goeth; and therefore he may well be reckoned among creeping things: And hence Serpents (being creeping things) are called Serpents of the dust (Deut. 32.24.) Now though the Crocodile p. 774be a creeping thing, yet he differs from ordinary creeping things and Serpents; for they may eaſily be trodden upon and bruiſed, as the Lord ſaid to Adam concerning the Serpent (the Devil) it (that is, Chriſt the ſeed of the woman) ſhall bruiſe thy head (Gen. 3.15.) But the Crocodile is made that he ſhould not be bruiſed, that is, he is ſo made, by reaſon of his implanted ſtrength, and the hardneſs of his ſcales, that he cannot be bruiſed nor cruſht.foreign ut non timeret, velut eſſet fine timore. Others (ſaith he) render the latter part of the verſe, Made that he ſhould not fear, or to be without fear. But I had rather keep the primary and proper ſignification of the word or verb (foreign) becauſe it is not altogether true of the Crocodile, that he is without fear; ſome Authours writing of him, that he flies from thoſe that aſſault him boldly, and is very bold upon thoſe that are afraid of him, and fly from him. But even the ſame thing (ſaith he) may be ſaid of Whales, who ('tis known) haſten away upon the hearing of any noiſe, or craſhing ſound.Etiam quicquid altum eſt deſpicit: Rex eſt ſupra omnes filios elationis. Thus upon the 24th verſe.

His tranſlation of the 25th is near ours in the words of it. Moreover he deſpiſeth whatſoever is high, he is a King above all the ſons of elation or hight. Beſides (ſaith he) that the Crocodile hath many things, upon the account of which he is to be preferred before other creeping creatures; he alſo deſpiſeth whatſoever is high, even the ſons of highneſs, that is, thoſe animals who have higher, or taller bodies, and longer legs than he, by the help of which they are raiſed up on high, even over theſe he kings it, being confident he hath greater ſtrength than they: For how high ſoever they lift up themſelves, yet he can eaſily bring down the greateſt of them flat to the ground, with one ſtroak of his tail, and then kill them, and tear them to pieces. And that the Crocodile doth thus conquer,foreign filii elationis. and king it over, the ſtouteſt and proudeſt beaſts, the learned Authour gives many proofs, from the authority both of ancient and late Writers. So then (as he concludes) thoſe animals which are higher and taller in ſtature than the Crocodile, are thoſe ſons of elation or pride (as Job 28.8.) and ſo ſtand oppoſed to reptiles or animals creeping on the duſt, ſpoken of in the former verſe. Thus far the learned Bochartus gives us his tranſlation and underſtanding of theſe two verſes, compleating the deſcription of Leviathan.

I ſhall now conſider our own tranſlation.

p. 775Ʋpon the earth is not his like.

But in what is it, that Leviathan exceeds all creatures on earth? ſo that he hath not his like, or there is no compariſon to him, as ſome render the words.

I anſwer, In theſe two things, both which appear by what hath been ſaid before, and one of them is expreſt in that which follows.

Firſt, There is none like him for greatneſs.

Secondly, There is none like him for his fearleſneſs or ſtoutneſs, and therefore it is ſaid, he is made without fear: Melius ſuprema inter animantia vù ac fortitudo deſcribi non potuit, quàm tot aliis prius dictis, addendo impavidum cor. Bold. Qui factus eſt, ut nullum timeret. Hierom.As if the Lord had ſaid, There is no creature upon earth ſo ſtout, but may be made afraid, the very Lion may be skared. Naturaliſts ſpeak of ſome ways, whereby the Lion is made afraid, but nothing can make Leviathan afraid, he is made (as one tranſlation hath it) That he ſhould fear nothing, or no man, neither one nor other. And as he feareth none, ſo all are or have reaſon to fear him; but when the moſt dreadful things appear, there is not the leaſt appearance of dread in him. Is not Leviathan full of courage, ſeing he is altogether fearleſs? Where there is no fear there is nothing but courage, or courage at the height. It hath been noted in hiſtory, concerning ſeveral great men of the world, that notwithſtanding all their greatneſs, they have been very full of fear, they eſpecially, who have been either unrighteous or cruel in the exerciſe of their power: But Leviathan, though he be great, and cruel too, yet he hath no fear. Fear (as was ſaid before) is that trouble of mind, which ſeizeth upon us at the apprehenſion of ſome impending, or near-hand danger. Leviathan is, not ſaid to be without fear, as they who are not apprehenſive of danger, but as they, who though they ſee and apprehend great danger near them, yet fear it not. Ʋpon the earth is not his like, who is made without fear. From the former part the verſe,

Obſerve, Firſt; It is of God that the creatures are diſpoſed into ſeveral ranks and degrees, that one exceeds and excells another.

In ſome things there is a likeneſs among all creatures, and there may be ſomething wherein one exceeds them all, and hath none like him; that it is ſo, is of God. Some men are ſo bad, that p. 776they have not their like; it was ſaid of Ahab, there was none like him. There are alſo men ſo good, that there are none like them, as the Lord ſaid to Satan of Job (Chap. 1.8.) Haſt thou not conſidered my ſervant Job, that there is none like him in the earth. There God ſpake of Job with reſpect to his holineſs and righteouſneſs, as here of Leviathan, with reſpect to his greatneſs and fearleſsneſs; Ʋpon the earth there is not his like. Now as it is of the Devil, that any are beyond all others in wickedneſs; ſo it is of the Lord, that any exceed others in goodneſs, in holineſs, in patience, in righteouſneſs, in faith, in faithfulneſs, in fruitfulneſs; this is by ſpecial diſpenſation from the Lord. It is alſo of the Lord, that any among the irrational creatures exceed their fellows, as was further ſhewed concerning Behemoth, from thoſe words in the fortieth Chapter, He is the chief of the ways of God; and as here it is ſaid of Leviathan, There is none like him, who is made without fear.

Hence note, Secondly; It is of God that one creature is leſs fearful than another.

As the outward compoſure of the creature is of God, ſo alſo is the inward diſpoſition. Some creatures are (as I may ſay) nothing but fear; ſuch is the Hare; whence we ſpeak proverbially, as fearful as a Hare. The Hart is a goodly creature, yet a little dog will make a hundred of them run. But there are other creatures, that may be ſaid to have no fear at all; Solomon gives that character of a Lion (Prov. 30.30.) There are three things which go well, yea four, that are comely in going, a Lion which is ſtrongeſt among beaſts, and turneth not away from any, that is, fears not any. And as among irrational creatures, one is more fearleſs than another, ſo it is among men; one is of a fearful ſpirit, and another of a couragious ſpirit. This alſo is of God, yet there are ſpecial and particular reaſons, why ſome men are fuller of fear than others.

Again, when the Lord would expreſs the perfection of this creature, he ſaith, He is made without fear.

p. 777Hence note, Thirdly; The leſs fear, the more perfection, unleſs it be of that fear which is our perfection, the fear of God: then indeed the more fear the more perfection.

We may diſtinguiſh of fear: There is godly fear, and natural fear. The leſs natural fear, the more perfection; but the more godly fear: The more perfection; the more we fear God, the more perfect we are; but the leſs of natural fear, or fear of the creature we have, the more perfect we are. The perfection of the godly is often expreſt by being above, or by being delivered from fear (Pſal. 91.5.) Thou ſhalt not be afraid for the terrour by night, nor for the arrow that flyeth by day. The Lord ſaith to many, fear; but there are but few of whom he ſaith, and for whom he undertakes, that they ſhall not fear; eſpecially, in a time of ſuch great fear, as is ſpoken of in that 91ſt Pſalm, a time of Plague, and that in the heat, when the ſlain of the Lord are many, and men fall by thouſands on the one hand, and on the other. Truſt in God is the ſpecial qualification of the perſon, who ſtands under the protection of that promiſe in the Pſalm laſt mentioned. And the ſame promiſe is made to a man fearing God (Pſal. 112.7.) No evil tidings ſhall make him afraid. David profeſſed this gracious fearleſsneſs (Pſal. 46.2.) Although the earth be removed, and the hills be carried into the midſt of the ſea, yet will not I fear. And again (Pſal. 23.4.) Though I walk through the valley of the ſhadow of death, I will fear no evil. 'Tis the perfection of a man not to fear outward dangers; therefore Chriſt rebuked his Diſciples (Mat. 8.28.) Wherefore did ye fear, O ye, of little faith? Their faith was very little, elſe their fear would not have been ſo great. Now as it is thus in man; the leſs of natural fear, the greater is his perfection: ſo alſo among other creatures, it is a note of their perfection, to be made without fear; for it ſhews the greatneſs of their courage, as alſo of their ſtrength. And, this is abſolutely the perfection of God, whoſe infinite inſuperable power and ſtrength, is anſwered with a moſt conſtant ſerenity and immutability of mind, who as he wants nothing, ſo he fears nothing. Thus our tranſlation carrieth the verſe: I ſhall touch upon a ſecond, before I part with it.

p. 778Non eſt in pulvere poteſtas ejus. Coc. Verbum foreign ſignificat dominatum & poteſtatem, & quia quae dominatum habent ſuper reliqua ſolent eſſe materia comparationum & ſimilitudinem, ideo ſignificat comparare, vel aſſimilare.His dominion is not over the duſt: he is made without fear. The reaſon of this variety of tranſlation is, becauſe the word which we render [like] ſignifies power or dominion; and the reaſon why the ſame word ſignifies to have power, as alſo to compare or be like, is, becauſe thoſe things which are great above others, uſe to be the matter of compariſon: And hence it is, that as we, and others, render, upon earth none is like him, or to be compared to him; ſo others, taking the word ſtrictly and properly, ſay, his dominion or magiſtracy is not upon the earth.

The text thus read, ſhews the Lords great goodneſs to men upon the earth; that having made ſuch a huge, vaſt, dreadful creature, he hath not given him any power or dominion upon the land, but by his providence hath ſhut him up in the ſea, where he can do leſs hurt: for if Leviathan, or a creature of his bigneſs and power, ſhould live upon the land, there were no living by him, either for man or beaſt. As it is an argument of Gods care of, and benignity to mankind, that thoſe land creatures, Lions, Tygers, &c. which deſtroy and prey upon others, are ſo ordered, that in the day time, they retire to their dens (Pſal. 104.22.) and when night comes, then they go abroad: God ſhuts them up in the day time, when they might do moſt hurt, or hinder man from doing good, that is, the duties of his calling abroad in the open fields. (ver. 23.) 'Tis alſo a great part of the wiſdom and good providence of God, to ſhut up the Leviathan within the bounds of the ſea; his power, his dominion is not over the duſt, or upon the land. The Author of this tranſlation gloſſeth it thus: How ſmall a matter were it, ſaith he, to ſay, that Leviathan hath not his like upon earth; far another thing is here intended or handled. Here Divine providence is hinted to us, which gives laws and limits to earth and ſea, and to all things contained in them: He hath not formed, nor fitted the body of Leviathan with members of uſe upon the earth; therefore the ſea is his dominion, not the land. This is a truth, and a uſeful conſideration.

Yet, I conceive, the Lord doth here rather highten the power of Leviathan, by ſaying, He hath not his like on earth. For it being taken for granted that he hath not his like in the ſea, nothing could be ſaid more to ſet forth his greatneſs than this, that he hath not his like at land. And ſome of the Hebrew Doctors ſay, p. 779the Lord ſpake thus, becauſe beaſts on the land are ſtronger than fiſh in the ſea; and they give a reaſon for it, upon a Philoſophical ground, becauſe much moiſture weakens. Therefore the wonderful, even, preternatural ſtrength of Leviathan appears in this; that he being a water animal, ſhould yet be both bigger and ſtronger than any beſt of the earth. Ʋpon the earth there is not his like, who is made without fear. Which, as it is here aſſerted, ſo it is demonſtrated in the following words.

Verſ. 34. He beholdeth all high things: he is King over all the children of pride.

There is a three-fold interpretation of thoſe words, in the former part of this verſe, He beholdeth all high things: Underſtanding by the Relative [He] Leviathan (for there is another reading which I ſhall touch in the cloſe.)

Firſt, Theſe words may be expounded, as an argument of the mighty courage of Leviathan. He (as it was ſaid before) is made without fear, for he beholdeth all high things; that is, let things or perſons be never ſo high, never ſo great, never ſo formidable, he beholdeth them boldly; he doth not wink and look, but with open face beholds the moſt high and terrible things,Omne ſublimo videt; eſt velut declaratio praecedentium. Factus eſt ut nullum timeret. Bold. for (as it is ſaid before) he is made without fear.

Secondly, He beholdeth all high things, that is, he beholdeth them with diſdain, as if this were a ſignification of the matchleſs pride of Leviathan: He looks upon high things, how high ſoever they are, as his underlings, or as if they were not good enough for him, to beſtow a look, or a caſt of his eye upon. He is (as one gives his character) pride throughout, or nothing elſe but a piece of pride, extreamly proud.Videre pro contemnare. Totus ſuperbia eſt. Nicetas. Thus to behold is to contemn, and in that ſence we find it uſed in many Scriptures; ſo ſome expound that (Cant. 1.6.) Look not upon me, becauſe I am black, becauſe the ſun hath looked upon me, that is, do not contemn me (ſaith the Church) becauſe of my blackneſs by perſecution. So (Job 37.24.) He (that is, God) reſpecteth not any that are wiſe of heart: The Lord looks upon the wiſeſt men of the world, as unworthy of a look; he looks upon them as infinitely below him; and if any are proud of their wiſdom, he looks upon them with diſdain, he beholds them, and deſpiſeth them and their wiſdom. It is ſaid of Goliah (1 Sam. 18.42.) p. 780when David came to him, he beheld him and diſdained him, that is, he beheld him with diſdain: When the Giant looked about, and ſaw David a youth, he diſdained him as no match for him. Leviathan is ſuch a Goliah, He beholdeth all high things, be they never ſo high, with a kind of diſdain.

Hence, Note; They who are great in any kind, are very apt to deſpiſe others, or to look upon them with diſdain, as if they were nothing to them.

Looks of diſdain, deſpiſing looks, are very common in the world. With what a diſdainful eye did the Phariſee behold the Publican (Luke 18.9, 11.) I am not as other men are, Extortioners, Ʋnjuſt, Adulterers, or even as this Publican, this pittiful fellow. Pride in ſelf, is always accompanied with contempt of others, and cauſeth it. The Title of that Parable in the 16th of Luke is, He ſpake this Parable, to certain that truſted in themſelves, that they were righteous, and deſpiſed others. 'Tis the ſpirit of a Leviathan, he beholds all high things, how much more low things with diſdain. Yet,

Thirdly, Some expound theſe words as an argument, not of the pride,Nihil meditatur, non magnum eſt peririphraſis animi res magnas conſectantis. ſc. reſpicere ad id quod ſublime eſt, et nunquam in re humili ſenſum, aut intentionem defigere. Sanct. Non vacat exiguis rebus adeſſe Jovi. but greatneſs and nobleneſs of Leviathans ſpirit, who as he is the higheſt of elementary animals, ſo he beholds all high things, he will not meddle with inferiour matters, they are below him. Great men are for great matters. The Heathens ſaid of their Jupiter, He had no leiſure to attend upon, or have to do with ſmall affairs. Small matters will not go down with Leviathan, he is alwayes looking at great. Such is the ſpirit of worldly men; they like Leviathan, behold all high things; not the high things of Heaven, but the high things of earth; they are not heavenly-minded, but high-minded. A godly man is heavenly-minded, a carnal man is high-minded. David profeſſed (Pſal. 131.1.) Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty, neither do I exerciſe my ſelf in great matters, in things too high for me. What was too high for a King? for a David? yet King David ſaid, his heart was not haughty, nor his eyes lofty, looking at high things; he looked at thoſe things which concerned his duty, to ſerve God, and his generation, by the will of God, or as God would have him (Acts 13.36.) he was heavenly-minded, and not high-minded. Solomon ſpeaks of a generation (Prov. 30.13.) O how lofty are their p. 781eyes, and their eye-lids are lifted up. What generation was this?Habet hoc magnanimus, ut mediocribus contentus, maxima negligat. Sen. Superbus vero puſillum animum habet, ergo nunquam mediocribus contentus eſt, ſed inhiat ad majora. It was the generation of proud, vain, men; O how lofty are their eyes! who can tell how lofty they are! no mean thing will content them. They have ſuch a hunger after high things, that nothing low is food for them. A godly man is not ſatisfied with matters which are truly low and ſmall (to him the greateſt things in the world are ſo) yet the lower, the leſſer, the leaſt things of this world will ſerve his turn, as to contentation with them. Leviathan beholdeth all high things, and therefore as it followeth, He is a King over all the children of pride.

That is, he is the chief of all proud ones.

Maſter Broughton renders it thus, he is a King over all wild kind. And a Modern Interpreter abroad,Eſt que regina ſuper omnes feras. Jun. Ipſe que regem agit in feroces univerſos. Tygur. Inter omnia ſuperba primas tenet & eſt facile princeps. Merc. Filias ſuperbiae; i. e. ſuperbos, juxta idioma Hebraeorum. Filius rei alicujus nuncupatur phraſi Hebraico, qui re aliqua inſigniter excellit. rendring the Hebrew word, by a Latine feminine, ſaith, ſhe is a Queen over all the wild kind, or over all ſavage beaſts. Thus ſeveral render it, according to the ſtrict words of the Hebrew, he is a King over all wild beaſts. The Septuagint tranſlate, he is a King over all that are in, or that inhabit the waters; others, that move upon the earth, as the learned Reader may ſee in the margin. Now, becauſe thoſe wild ones, of one kind or another, are proud, and prouder than tame beaſts; therefore we render, He is a King over all the children of pride: That's an Hebraiſme, children of pride, for proud children, or for thoſe that are extreamly proud. They who excel in any thing are ellegantly called the children of it, as if they were begotten by it, or born of it; they bear the likeneſs of it, as children do of a parent. Some perſons (as Leviathan here) are ſo like pride, that they may well be called children of pride, as if pride it ſelf had begotten them, and were their father, or the mother that brought them forth and nurſed them, or brought them up.

But why is Leviathan called a King over all the children of pride?

I conceive the chief reaſon to be that which I ſhall give in this Obſervation, becauſe Leviathan hath more to be proud of, than the proudeſt of the world.

They that have moſt to be proud of in nature, have not ſo p. 782much to be proud of as Leviathan. What had any natural man (as to the body) to be proud of in compariſon of him? is he proud of his ſtrength? 'tis weakneſs to the ſtrength of Leviathan. Is he proud of his comelineſs, or the exact compoſure of his body? Leviathan excels him in that. In many particulars Leviathan hath that in him, which may occaſion pride, or him to be proud beyond thouſands. And we may conceive, that the reaſon why the Lord brings this in the cloſe, is to humble Job, who had carried it too proudly,In ſuperbis narrationem terminat, ut oſtentat hoc praecipuè Job fuiſſe timendum, ne Diabolus qui cum expetierat adtentandum praecipuè eum ad ſuperbium inducere conaretur. Aquin. and ſtoutly towards God. And therefore Job was ſpecially to beware of this, leſt the Devil, who deſired to tempt him, ſhould prevail upon him, by ſuggeſting proud and high thoughts of himſelf, and ſo make him a ſubject of his own kingdom; for he is that myſtical Leviathan, who kings it to purpoſe over the children of pride. As if the Lord had ſaid to Job, Lay down all thoughts and words, which have any ſavour or tincture of pride. Wilt thou be proud of this, or that, or any thing? know that in his kind, I have given more to Leviathan to be proud of, than to thee: And conſider under whom thou art to reckon thy ſelf, if thou art lifted up in pride, even under Leviathan, for he is a King over all the children of pride. And though Leviathan be exceeding proud and haughty, yet I can quickly bring him down; ſurely, then I can bring thee down, yet more than hitherto I have done. Therefore, O Job, do not contend any more with me, be not unquiet under my hand, who am indeed thy King.

Lapſi videntur qui hoc de Leviathan, vel etiam de Satana interpretati ſunt. Coc. Tenebras offudit interpretibus, omiſſio relativi, &c. Coc.This leads me to another reading of the verſe, which makes the antecedent to he, not Leviathan, not the Devil, but God himſelf.

He that beholdeth all high things, is a King over all the children of pride; That is, God, who beholdeth all high things, and is higher than the higheſt (Eccleſ. 5.8.) he is above the proudeſt men. So then theſe words, he beholdeth all high things, having the Relative That ſupplyed, are a circumlocution of God. God indeed beholds all high things, and high perſons: Let men be never ſo high God beholds them. And as he beholdeth all things, ſo he is higher than the higheſt things, he is a King over all the children of pride, who are the higheſt among men, or high above all men in their own conceit. The Lord, as a King, can rule and over-rule the proud, he can bring down their high looks; the Lord ſaid to Job (which may give ſome light to this interpretation) when he would p. 783ſtir him up, to conſider himſelf what he was able to do, and to do his beſt (chap. 40.12.) Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low. Canſt thou do it? canſt thou look on every one that is proud, and bring him low? Thou canſt not, but I can. God beholdeth all high things, he hath them all before him, and is a King over them; he can make the proudeſt, and ſtouteſt, and greateſt that are in the world ſtoop to him. That Great Monarch Nebuchadnezzar, who lorded it over the greateſt of the world in his days, was at laſt brought to confeſs, that the Lord was a King over all the children of pride (Dan. 4.37.) Now I Nebuchadnezzar praiſe, and extol, and honour the King of heaven, all whoſe works are truth, and his ways are judgment, and thoſe that walk in pride he is able to abaſe. In this ſence God is a King over all the children of pride.

Now though the words, according to the ſenſe given of this laſt reading, may ſafely be applied to God; yet as moſt among late Interpreters underſtand them literally of Leviathan, ſo many of the antients, who have written upon this Book, turn this whole deſcription of Leviathan into an Allegory of the Devil (as was toucht before) and to make it out they have run into many needleſs ſpeculations. But I conceive, though it be true, that many things ſpoken of Leviathan are applicable to the Devil, as alſo to Tyrants, to Antichriſt, and all wicked men; and ſome, who are very ſparing in urging the Allegory, yet grant we may, when we read what is ſaid of Leviathan, reflect upon the Devil, and conſider what a mighty power he hath to do miſchief, if the goodneſs and power of God did not reſtrain him: Yet 'tis ſafeſt to keep to the plain ſenſe, and not to buſie our ſelves much in transforming the holy Scriptures into Allegories, in which ſome have been over-bold; nor ſhould any venture to draw Allegories, but out of a natural meaning, as the Apoſtle Paul did in the 4th Chapter of his Epiſtle to the Galathians.

I ſhall only adde, that as from the nature of this Leviathan (ſuppoſed to be the Whale) we may receive many inſtructions; ſo the Lord doth ſometimes Preach or Propheſie to whole Nations by him, that is, he gives warning by him to Nations, of ſome great things which ſhall come to paſs among them. 'Tis the obſervation of an Interpreter upon this place. God (ſaith he) propheſies p. 784to people and nations by the Whale or Leviathan. Deus catos quaſi poenitentiae precones facit, dum inſolitis locis apparentes bella, & alias clades nuncient ut homines poenitentiam agant. Scult.And as other places (he was a Germane) ſo we, have had warnings by him; for (ſaith he) in the year 1620, there was a Whale caſt upon the ſhore of a great river far within the land, twenty and five ells long and a half, immediately before the great wars, changes, and troubles which befel Germany. Hence he infers, when theſe mighty fiſhes come into places which are out of their way and road, or when God caſts them upon unwonted ſhores, it foreſhews ſome unwonted thing, or that God will bring gueſts among them, that they never thought of.

Thus I have done with this long and large deſcription, which the Lord makes of Leviathan. There remains only one chapter more, which gives us the full effect and iſſue of all the dealings of God with Job, and of his ſpeakings to Job, about Behemoth and Leviathan: All was to humble him; and we ſhall ſee him deeply humbled, and eminently reſtored, in the next chapter.