Exposition of Job 38-42, Commentary on Job · Chapter 42 · Verse 12-13

Exposition of Job 38-42 · Commentary on Job · Chapter 42 · Verse 12-13

p. 976JOB, Chap. 42. Verſ. 12, 13.

12. So the Lord bleſſed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: For he had fourteen thouſand Sheep, ſix thouſand Camels, and a thouſand yoak of Oxen, and a thouſand She-Aſſes.

13. He had alſo ſeven ſons and three Daughters.

IN theſe two verſes we have the ſecond and the third part of Jobs reſtauration: His friends were reſtored to him in the former verſe; his further reſtauration is ſet down in theſe two verſes.

Firſt, generally at the beginning of the 12th verſe: So the Lord bleſſed the latter end of Job more than his beginning.

Secondly, Particularly; and

Firſt, With reſpect to his Cattle of outward eſtate; for he had (ſaith the Text) Fourteen thouſand ſheep, and ſix thouſand Camels, &c.

Secondly, With reſpect to his iſſue or children, (verſ. 13.) He had alſo ſeven Sons and three daughters.

Verſ. 12. So the Lord bleſſed the latter end of Job more than his beginning.

In theſe words we may take notice of four things.

Firſt, the means, or as I may call it, the procuring cauſe of Jobs increaſe, or of his growing and flowing proſperity; it was a bleſſing.

p. 977Secondly, We have here the Author or Fountain of this bleſſing; it was the Lord.

Thirdly, We have the Subject of this bleſſing, as here expreſt; and that was the latter end of Job, or Job in his latter end.

Fourthly, We have the quantity or greatneſs of this bleſſing, which is expreſt comparatively, it was more than his beginning. The Lord bleſſed his beginning, but his latter end was more bleſſed.

I ſhall conſider the two firſt together, the cauſe of his flowing proſperity, a bleſſing; and the Author, or fountain of it, the Lord, the Lord bleſſed. There is a twofold way of bleſſing.

Firſt, a wiſhing or deſiring of a bleſſing: We are not thus to underſtand it here, as if the Lord did only wiſh a bleſſing upon Job.

Secondly, There is a commanding of a bleſſing, and ſo we are to underſtand it here. The Lord bleſſed, that is, the Lord commanded a bleſſing, or effectually poured out a bleſſing upon Job. The word bleſſed (The Lord bleſſed) hath two things in it.

Firſt, It implyeth plenty and abundance, a copious and a large proviſion of good things. For as the word [abundare] in Latine, and to abound in Engliſh,Sicut abundare ab undis Latinè dicunt; ita videri poſſunt Hebraei foreign quaſi affluentiam denominare à fonte aut piſcina, quam appellant Berecah. comes (ſay Grammarians ab unda) from water, becauſe waters abound and flow; ſo this Hebrew word [Beracah] which ſignifieth a bleſſing, comes from, or at leaſt, is near in ſound to the word Berecah, which ſignifieth a Fiſh-pond, where there is a great confluence of waters, and a great multiplication of fiſhes, or, a Fountain, from whence waters flow continually. So that to bleſs, notes the bringing in of abundance, or of a great increaſe, like the waters of a Fiſh-pond, or Fiſh in the waters. To increaſe as Fiſh, is to increaſe abundantly. It is ſaid of the Children of Iſrael, They multiplyed like fiſh (that's the ſignificancy of the word uſed Exod. 1.12.) while they were under the oppreſſion of the Egyptians.

Secondly, This Expreſſion, The Lord bleſſed, Dei benedicere idem eſt quod benefacere. Beatum non facit hominem niſi qui fecit hominem. Auguſt. Epiſt. 52 ad Macedon.imports a powerful effect following it. The Lord bleſſed the latter end of Job; that is, he made his latter end very bleſſed. As the Lords ſaying is doing, as his word is operative, and will work; ſo the Lords bleſſing or well-ſaying, is well-doing; his ſaying is doing, whether for good or hurt. Man bleſſeth man by wiſhing or praying for a bleſſing upon him, or that God would do him good: Man bleſſeth p. 978God, when he praiſeth him for his goodneſs, and for the good which he hath done, either to himſelf or others: But when God bleſſeth man, he doth more than wiſh, he makes him bleſſed. Man bleſſeth man miniſterially; God bleſſeth man effectually, as he alſo did the ſeventh day (Gen. 2.3.) And therefore the Lord is ſaid to command the bleſſing (Levit. 25.21.) eſpecially in Sion, even life for evermore (Pſal. 133.5.) Nor was it leſs than a command, by which The Lord bleſſed the latter end of Job more than his beginning.

Hence Note; The good word or bleſſing of God, is enough to procure the good of man.

Every word of God hath its effect; he ſpeaks no vain words: his Word going out of the mouths of his Miniſters, returns not to him void, but accompliſheth that which he pleaſeth, and proſpers in the thing whereunto he ſends it (Iſa. 55.11.) that is, either for the conviction or converſion of thoſe that hear it. Surely then, the word of bleſſing going out of his own mouth, ſhall not return to him void, or without effect. David ſpake thus of, or to God (Pſal. 145.16.) Thou openeſt thine hand, and ſatisfieſt the deſire of every living thing. When the Lord opens his hand, he alſo opens his heart: and when his heart and hand open, his mouth opens too; that is, he gives forth a word of bleſsing, and he gives it forth to ſatisfaction, Thou ſatisfieſt every living thing. And again (Pſal. 104.28.) Thou openeſt thine hand, they are filled with good. They, that is, whatſoever lives upon the earth or in the Sea, wait upon thee (as it is ſaid, verſ. 27.) that thou maiſt give them their meat in due ſeaſon; that thou giveſt them, they gather; thou openeſt thy hand, they are filled with good. The hand of God is full of good, and his bleſsing fills all with good, out of his hand.

This may comfort the godly in their loweſt condition. What was it that raiſed Job from poverty to riches, from weaknes to ſtrength, from the dunghil to the throne? Only this, The Lord bleſſed him. Though all be loſt, his word of bleſsing will reſtore all again. If eſtate be loſt, his bleſsing will make us rich; if health be loſt, his bleſsing will make us well; if ſtrength be loſt, his bleſsing will renew it; if credit be loſt, his bleſsing will repair it, and get us honour for diſgrace or reproach. The bleſsing of the Lord is every p. 979good thing to us, and doth every good thing for us. As it is dreadful to ſtand under the droppings of a curſe; to be curſed is every evil: ſo happy are they who ſtand under the ſweet influences of a promiſe; to be bleſſed is every good. And if God bleſſeth us, the matter is not much, who curſeth or wiſheth ill to us. The curſe cauſeleſs ſhall not come, nor can any curſe come where God hath bleſſed.

But ſome may enquire, who are they that the Lord will bleſs? To be bleſſed, is not every mans portion. A man may be rich, yet not bleſſed; great, yet not bleſſed; healthful, yet not bleſſed: A man may have many bleſsings, for the matter, yet not be bleſſed. This then is a material queſtion, Who are they that may expect a bleſsing from God upon their ſouls, upon their bodies, upon their eſtates, upon their families, upon their all?

I anſwer, Firſt, In general; They that are in a ſtate of grace, they that are in the Covenant, or as the Apoſtle calls them (Heb 6.17.) Heirs of promiſe: Theſe are the bleſſed of the Lord; and theſe, both great and ſmall, the Lord will bleſs (Eph. 1.3.) Bleſſed be God, who hath bleſſed us with all ſpiritual bleſsings in heavenly things in Chriſt. Being in Chriſt, we are in Covenant; and being there, we cannot miſs being bleſſed with all ſpiritual bleſsings, and with whatever is a needful bleſsing, in outward things to: He that bleſſeth in the greater, will not with-hold his bleſsing in the leſs, according to our need.

Secondly, As they are the general ſubjects of the bleſſing, who are in the Covenant of grace, or in Chriſt, ſo are they more ſpecially, who act graciouſly, and walk as they have received Chriſt; for a perſon that is in a ſtate of grace, may hinder the bleſſing from flowing down upon his ſoul, upon his body, upon his eſtate, upon any thing, upon every thing he hath and doth, by acting ſinfully, and walking unevenly. David put the queſtion (Pſal. 24.3.) Who ſhall aſcend into the hill of the Lord? &c. and anſwered it (verſ. 4, 5.) He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart, who hath not lift up his ſoul to vanity, nor ſworn deceitfully; he ſhall receive the bleſſing from the Lord, and righteouſneſs (that is, a righteous reward, or a reward according to righteouſneſs) from the God of his ſalvation. Solomon aſſerts the preſent performance of what is only promiſed in this Pſalm; he ſaith not, The juſt ſhall receive the bleſſing, but they have actually received it (Prov. p. 98010.6.) Bleſſings are upon the head of the juſt. By the juſt man we may underſtand; Firſt, him that is in a juſtified ſtate, or him that is juſt by faith; Secondly, him that walks in a juſt way, or that do juſtly: And they who are indeed juſtified, are not only engaged by that high act of grace to do juſtly, but are either conſtantly kept in doing ſo, or are ſoon brought to ſee they have not done ſo, and to repentance for it. Juſt and upright men, in theſe two notions, are ſo much bleſſed, that they are a bleſſing (Prov. 11.11.) By the bleſſing of the upright, is the City exalted. As an upright man wiſheth and prayeth for a bleſſing upon the City where he liveth, ſo he is a bleſſing to it, and that no ſmall one, but to the greatning, enriching, and exaltation of it. He that is good in his perſon, becomes a common good to Cities, yea, to whole Nations; ſuch are a bleſſing, becauſe they receive ſo many bleſſings (Pro. 28.20.) A faithful man ſhall abound with bleſſings. This faithful man is one that acts and doth all things faithfully, as appears by his oppoſition (in the ſame verſe) to him that maketh haſt to be rich, of whom the Text ſaith, he ſhall not be innocent; that is, he muſt needs deal unfaithfully or unrighteouſly; for in making ſuch poſt-haſt to riches, he uſually rides (as we ſay) over hedge and ditch, and cannot keep the plain way of honeſty.

Thirdly, As they who are in a ſtate of grace, and they who act graciouſly in that ſtate, ſo they who worſhip holily, or holy worſhippers, have a ſpecial promiſe of the bleſſing. As Sion is the ſeat of holy worſhip, ſo there the Lord commandeth the bleſſing upon holy worſhippers (Pſal. 133.3.) And again (Pſal. 115.12, 13.) He will bleſs the houſe of Iſrael, he will bleſs the houſe of Aaron, he will bleſs them that fear the Lord, both ſmall and great; that is, the generality of holy worſhippers ſhall be bleſſed. The fear of the Lord is often put in Scripture, for the worſhip of the Lord; and ſo they that fear him, are the ſame with them that worſhip him.

Fourthly, They are the bleſſed of the Lord, who truſt the Lord for all, and ſo make him the all of their truſt (Pſal. 34.8.) O taſt and ſee that the Lord is gracious; bleſſed is the man that truſtith in him; that is, in him only or alone, being convinced of the utter inſufficiency of the creature. That man is curſed, who truſteth in man, and maketh fleſh his arm (Jer. 17.5.) therefore, pure truſt in God hath the bleſſing.

p. 981Fifthly, They that are a bleſſing unto others, ſhall have the bleſſing from the Lord. What it is to be a bleſſing to others, read at large in the 29th Chapter of this Book (verſ. 11.) and in 31. Chapter (verſ. 20.) They that do good to others, they eſpecially who do good to the ſouls of others, are a bleſſing to others. Now, they who do good, they ſhall receive good themſelves (Prov. 11.25.) The liberal ſhall be made fat, and he that watereth, ſhall be watered alſo himſelf. He that watereth is a common good, a bleſſing to the place where he lives, a bleſsing to the rich, a bleſsing to the poor, a bleſsing to relations, a bleſsing to ſtrangers; upon ſuch, the Scripture aſſures the bleſsing of the Lord.

Sixthly, They who promote the worſhip and ſervice of God, they that are friends to the Ark of God, ſhall be bleſſed (2 Sam. 6.11.) The Lord bleſſed the houſe of Obed-edom, becauſe he entertained the Ark, ſhewed kindneſs to the Ark, and was ready to do any ſervice for the Ark of God; he will be a friend to the true friends of his Church.

Seventhly, They ſhall receive a bleſsing of God, who ſtrive in prayer for his bleſsing. Jacob was bleſſed; but he w…eſtled for it. They that would have it, muſt ask it with a gracious importunity; they that ſeek it diligently, ſhall find it.

Theſe are the chief characters of the perſons whom the Lord will bleſs. And ſeeing his bleſsing is ſo effectual for the procurement of our good, we ſhould above all things labour to procure his bleſsing. When Jacob wreſtled with the Angel, he asked nothing of him but a bleſsing (Gen. 32.26.) He did not ſay, I will not let thee go, except thou deliver me from my brother Eſau; he did not ſay, I will not let thee go, unleſs thou make me rich, or great; he only ſaid, I will not let thee go, except thou bleſs me; let me be bleſſed, and let me be what thou wilt, or I can be. What ſhould we deſire in compariſon of the bleſsing of God, ſeeing his bleſsing (ſtrictly taken) is the fruit of his fatherly love! A man may be rich, and great, and honoured among men, yet not beloved; but he that is indeed bleſſed, is certainly beloved of God. Eſau could not obtain the bleſſing: Now what ſaith the Lord by the Prophet of him, as the Apoſtle quotes the Prophet? (Rom. 9.13.) Eſau have I hated. Eſau got much riches, but he could not get the bleſsing, for he was hated of the Lord; and p. 982therefore it is ſaid (Heb. 12.17.) He found no place for repentance, though he ſought it carefully with tears; that is, he could not make Iſaac repent of bleſsing Jacob (though through a miſtake, yet) according to Gods appointment; he could not prevail with him, no, not by tears, to take off the bleſsing from his brother Jacob, and place it upon himſelf: And the reaſon why the bleſsing remained with Jacob, was, becauſe he was loved of God. The bleſſing muſt go, where the love goes. The loved of the Lord, are and ſhall be bleſſed; and they who are bleſſed, have all good with a bleſsing. (Read, Gen. 24.35. Gen. 26.13. Gen. 28.3. 2 Sam. 6.11. Pſal. 107.38.) Yea, as God giveth all good with a bleſſing, ſo he giveth himſelf, who is the chief good, beſt of all, and bleſſed for evermore, to thoſe whom he bleſſeth.

Then how ſhould we deſire the bleſsing of God, or to be bleſſed by God? It is wonderful, how paſsionately, and even impatiently, the Votaries of Rome deſire the Popes bleſsing; they think themſelves made men, if they can but have his bleſsing. I have read of a Cardinal, who ſeeing the people ſo ſtrangely deſirous of his bleſsing,Quando quidem populus hic vult decipi, dicipiatur. ſaid, Seeing this people will be deceived, let them be deceived. But we cannot be too deſirous of a bleſsing from the Lord; if we have a bleſsing from him, and he bleſs us, we cannot be deceived; we can never miſs of comfort, if he bleſs us.

But whence is it then, that ſome look ſo much after creature-helps, not minding the bleſsing of God? Doubtleſs it ſlows or ſprings from one of theſe three bad fountains or bitter roots.

Firſt, From ignorance; they know not what the bleſsing of God means; for, as Chriſt told the woman of Samaria (Acts 4.10.) If thou kneweſt the gift of God, thou wouldſt have asked, &c. So, did they know what it is to be bleſſed of God, they would ask it above all things. It proceeds,

Secondly, From a ſpirit of profaneneſs in many; they deſpiſe God in their hearts, and think it below them to call for his help or bleſsing. Of ſuch David ſpeaks (Pſal. 14.6.) Ye have ſhamed the counſel of the poor, becauſe the Lord is his refuge; or, becauſe ('tis all one in effect) he lives upon the bleſsing of God, you are aſhamed of this; this is poor counſel, think you, as it is the counſel of the poor; this truſting in God, this making God our p. 983refuge, this living upon the bleſsing of God, is a pitiful life, ſay you. The wicked through the pride of his countenance, will not ſeek after God, God is not in all his thoughts, or not at all in his thoughts, to ſeek unto him, and depend wholly upon him (Pſal. 10.4.) As Ezra was aſhamed to require of the King a band of ſoldiers and horſemen, to help them againſt the enemy in the way, becauſe he had ſpoken unto the King, ſaying, the hand of our God is upon all them for good, that ſeek him, &c. (Ezra 8.22.) So, prophane perſons are aſhamed to ask help of God, and his bleſſing at any time, but then eſpecially, when they have bands of ſoldiers and horſemen to help them, as will appear further in the next thing. For,

Thirdly, This mindleſsneſs and regardleſsneſs of the bleſſing of God proceeds in ſome, from confidence in an arm of fleſh, either their own or others. The Prophet reproved the Jews for this in the day of their trouble (Iſa. 22.8, 9, 10, 11.) And he (that is, God) diſcovered the covering of Judah (that is, what Judah covered himſelf with, or thought himſelf ſafely ſheltered by from all danger; what was that? the next words tell us) thou didſt look in that day to the armour of the houſe of the Forreſt; ye have ſeen alſo the breaches of the City of David, that they are many, ye have fortified the wall, &c. but ye have not looked to the maker thereof, neither had reſpect unto him that faſhioned it long ago. The meaning of all is this; ye relyed upon, and put confidence in your own ſtrength, but looked not after, nor ſought unto me for my bleſsing; ye thought ye ſhould do well enough, if your magazines were well ſtored, and your City well fortified, and therefore neglected me. The ſame Prophet (Chap. 31.1.) ſhews the ſame reaſon why they neglected God, why they looked not to the holy One of Iſrael, nor ſought the Lord; it was, becauſe they went down to Egypt for help, and ſtayed on horſes, and truſted in charets, becauſe they were many, and in horſemen, becauſe they were very ſtrong. We cannot truſt in God, and creatures too. If God alone be not truſted to, he is not at all truſted; and they who put their truſt in any creature, withdraw it from God, and make that creature their God. They cannot ſo much as mind, much leſs ſeek a bleſſing from the true God, who chuſe to themſelves another God.

p. 984Again, ſeeing the Lords bleſsing is effectual, then whatever our ſucceſſes and increaſes are, let us aſcribe all to his bleſsing. Do not ſacrifice to your own nets, nor burn incenſe to your own drags, but ſay, this hath God wrought, the bleſsing of the Lord hath brought it to paſs. As the Apoſtle ſpake about ſpirituals (1 Cor. 3.6.) I have planted, Apollo watered, but God gave the increaſe; ſo 'tis in temporals, all our encreaſings are of God: Therefore let us ſay with the Pſalmiſt, Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thy Name be the praiſe. Do not thank your wit for riches, nor your induſtry for increaſe, nor your ſtrength for victory, not any humane help for any of your attainments: The race is not to the ſwift, nor the battel to the ſtrong, neither yet bread to the wiſe, nor yet riches to men of underſtanding, &c. (Ecrl. 9.11.) All is of God, it is his bleſsing upon the means, which makes the means ſucceſsful.

But ſome may ſay, are all men to aſcribe all their ſucceſſes and increaſes to the bleſsing of God?

I anſwer, Negatively; All encreaſes and outward ſucceſſes are not to be aſcribed unto, nor fathered upon God. A man may encreaſe in riches, and double his eſtate, as Jobs was, yet not by the bleſsing of God: Only that comes by a bleſsing from God, which is got in Gods way, or by good means, according to the characters before hinted of the perſons whom the Lord will bleſs; for they who either make a profeſsion of diſhoneſty, or are diſhoneſt in their profeſsion, let them take heed of pinning their ſucceſſes upon God, and of thanking him for them. Many ſay in their hearts, and ſome are not aſhamed to ſay it with their mouths, Honeſt dealers muſt die beggars. They never came by riches in the way of a bleſſing, who ſay honeſty is the way to poverty; much leſs, they whoſe conſciences know and tell them (though others know it not, and ſo cannot tell them) that they have enriched themſelves by the wrong, or raiſed themſelves by the ruin of others.

Job was enriched and raiſed high, and the Text aſſures us what enriched him, what raiſed him; The Lord bleſſed The latter end of Job, more than his beginning.

We have ſeen the Author of this bleſsing: Theſe words ſhew p. 985the ſubject of this bleſsing, The latter end of Job, foreign Prae initio ejus.or Job in his latter end, together with the quantity and abundance of this bleſſing, More than his beginning. The Lord bleſſed The latter end of Job.

That is, Job in the latter part of his life; and he bleſſed it more than his beginning, that is, than the former part of his life. God bleſſed, and greatly bleſſed the former part of Jobs life, for he was the greatest man of all men in the Eaſt; but now Job ſhall be greater than Job, he ſhall be greater than himſelf. His affliction razed down his houſe, and all he had, to the very foundation; but when God would hold the plummet in his hand, and rebuild him, to what an amazing height did his houſe ariſe! The Lord bleſſed his latter end, more than his beginning. The words are plain, and need no comment. From them we may obſerve, Firſt, The latter part of a good mans life, is the best part of his life.

It is often ſo, I do not ſay, it is alwayes ſo, in outward things, God deals not with all alike; but it is often ſo, God gives them their beſt at laſt, even in the things of this life. As the Governour of the Feaſt ſaid to the Bridegroom (John 2.) Thou haſt kept the beſt wine till now. So the Lord often keeps the beſt wine of outward comforts, to the very laſt of our lives. Bildad put it only as a ſuppoſition to Job (Chap. 8.7.) If thou wert pure and upright, ſurely then he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteouſneſs proſperous; though thy beginning was ſmall, yet thy latter end ſhould greatly increaſe. But we may reſolve it as a Poſition concerning Job; ſurely he was pure and upright, for God did awake for him, and made the habitation of his righteouſneſs proſperous; his beginning was (comparatively) ſmall, but his latter end did greatly encreaſe, or he had a great encreaſe at his latter end. And though this be not alwayes true, as to outward things, that the Lord bleſſeth the latter end of a good man more than his beginning; yet it is always true, as to ſpiritual things, it is always true, as to the beſt things. The Lord gives his people their beſt ſoul-bleſsings at laſt; though they have great good before, yet greater good, or their good in a greater meaſure then; he gives them more grace, more of his Spirit, more of his p. 986comforts, and their latter end is moſt bleſſed, as it is the beginning of endleſs bleſſedneſs. Abraham ſaid to the rich man in the Parable, Son, remember thou haſt had thy good things, and Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. The Lord deals beſt with all his people at laſt, one way or other; to be ſure, all ſhall be well with them in the latter end. Solomon ſaith (Eccl. 7.8.) Better is the end of a thing, than the beginning. And he ſaid ſo, not becauſe all things end better than they begin; but becauſe when things or perſons end well, it is then ſurely well with them, whatever their beginning was. That is well, which ends well.

Hence, let us be minded not to judge the work of God before the latter end. The works of God ſeem croſs many times to his people; but he will ſet all right, and make them amends for all at the latter end. The Apoſtle James calls us to conſider Job's latter end (Chap. 5.11.) Ye have heard of the patience of Job (that is, you have heard of his ſufferings in the fleſh, and of his ſuffering ſpirit) and ye have ſeen the end of the Lord; that is, what end the Lord made for him. Some give another interpretation of theſe latter words (as was ſhewed formerly) but this I conceive moſt clear to the context, Ye have ſeen the end of the Lord, that is, what end the Lord made for Job: Though the middle part of his life was very grievous, yet God changed the Scene of things, and his end was very glorious. David (Pſal. 37.37.) would have the end of upright men marked and well conſidered; Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, the end of that man is peace. Poſsibly he hath had a great deal of trouble in his way, but his end is peace. Let not us be offended at the croſſes which we meet with in the courſe of our lives, but look to the promiſed crown at the concluſion of our lives. Let us not ſtay in the death of Chriſt, nor in the grave of Chriſt, but look to the reſurrection and the aſcenſion of Chriſt. You may ſee thoſe who are Chriſts on the Croſs, and in the Grave, but mark and you ſhall ſee their reſurrection and aſcenſion. The two witneſſes are repreſented ſlain, yet raiſed, and then aſcending up to heaven in a cloud, their enemies beholding them (Rev. 11.11, 12.) Deſpiſe not the day of ſmall things (Zech. 4.10.) the latter end may have a great encreaſe; deſpond not in the day of ſorrowful things, for the latter end may be full of joy. There are three things which ſhould much comfort us in our afflictions.

p. 987Firſt, That they cannot laſt alwayes, they will have an end.

Secondly, That while they laſt, or before theyh ave an end, they are medicinal and healthful, they are for our good while they continue upon us, or we in them.

Thirdly, (which we have in the Text) we may expect, that as they ſhall ſurely have an end, ſo that they will end comfortably. No chaſtning for the preſent (ſaith the Apoſtle, Heb. 12.11.) ſeemeth joyous, but grievous; nevertheleſs, afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteouſneſs, unto them which are exerciſed thereby. God will not only bring our troubles to an end, but he will give us ſweet fruit at the end of them, as a recompence for all our troubles. God will not only bring our ſufferings to an end, but to ſuch an end as will make us gainers by them. Thoſe are even deſirable and lovely loſſes, which iſſue in ſuch advantages.

Secondly, In that the Lord gave Job ſo great an advance in worldly things,

Obſerve; The Lord ſometimes gives his people much more of this world, than they deſire, or ever looked after.

Job was far from praying for ſuch an encreaſe, he never deſired that his earthly ſubſtance ſhould be doubled in his latter end: Indeed, we find him once wiſhing that it were with him as in his beginning, but he wiſhed not for more (Chap. 29.2.) O that it were with me as in the months past, as in the day when the Lord preſerved me, when his candle ſhined upon my head, and by his light I walked through darkneſs. Job wiſhed that he were in as good a condition as he once had, but he never wiſhed that all might be doubled, or that his latter end ſhould be more than his beginning; yet the Lord gave him more, gave him double to his beginning, God exceeded his prayers and his wiſhes. As the Lord is able to do exceeding abundantly for us, above all that we ask or think (Eph. 3.20.) ſo he often doth; and uſually, therefore, moderates the deſires and askings of his people, as to the things of this world, that he may out-give their askings, and out-do their deſires.

Thirdly, The Lord made Job the greateſt man in the Eaſt in p. 988his beginning, but he bleſſed his latter end more than his beginning.

Hence note; How much ſoever the Lord gives at one time, he can give more at another.

God gave Job good meaſure before, but now according to that expreſſion (Luke 6.38.) he gave him good meaſure, heaped up, preſſed down, and running over. Let us not ſay, when God hath given us much, or done much for us, he can give or do no more for us: he hath more in his treaſure of temporal good things, and he hath more in his treaſure of ſpiritual good things, than he hath yet given out to any; he can give more faith, how much faith ſoever he hath given; he can give more patience, how much patience ſoever he hath given, and ſo of every grace and good thing. The Lords ſtock and treaſure can never be drawn dry; he is an ever-over-flowing fountain. If you had much at the beginning, you may have much more at the latter end. So much of theſe words, as they hold out the reſtoring of Jobs eſtate in general; the particulars are ſumm'd up in the cloſe of the verſe: For he had fourteen thouſand Sheep, and ſix thouſand Camels, and a thouſand yoke of Oxen, and a thouſand She-Aſſes.

The encreaſe of his eſtate is here ſet forth in cattel only, as his firſt eſtate was (cattel were the riches of thoſe times and Countreys) yet doubtleſs his eſtate encreaſed in every thing or kind. Firſt, his family and ſervants encreaſed, to look to ſo many cattel. Secondly, his Lands and paſtures encreaſed to feed them. Thirdly, his houſe and buildings encreaſed, to receive and lodge ſo numerous a Family. Fourthly, his honour and dignity increaſed. Some affirm, that whereas before, he had only ſome ſmall principality under his government, now he was declared King over all the Land of Ʋz. Thus all ſorts of good things were given him double; but whether at once, or by degrees, is not expreſt.

Some of the Rabbins have a fancy, and it is a wild one, that Jobs cattel which were taken from him, were not carried quite away, but only driven into ſome other Country, and there kept; ſo that when he was reſtored, they were brought home to him again, with this double encreaſe. This may well go for a fancy; p. 989for, not his own cattel, but cattel of the ſame kind, were reſtored to him double. There is no difficulty in theſe words. The Lord bleſſed the latter end of Job more than his beginning, giving double or twice as many Sheep, Oxen, Camels, Aſſes, as he had before.

Hence note; Outward good things, Sheep and Oxen, Houſes and Lands, Gold and Silver, are a bleſſing, as they come from God unto his ſervants.

Here is nothing ſaid of the beſt things; all was but Sheep and Oxen, yet in theſe Job received a bleſsing. The Lord (Deut. 28.4.) made large promiſes of bleſsings to his obeying people, or to his people in caſe of obedience, and all in outward comforts; Bleſſed ſhalt thou be in the City, and bleſſed ſhalt thou be in the field; bleſſed ſhall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattel, the encreaſe of thy kine, and the flocks of thy ſheep; bleſſed ſhall be thy basket, and thy ſtore. Spiritual things are the beſt bleſsings; ſpiritual things are not only the nobleſt, but the moſt neceſſary bleſsings. The favour of God, the light of his countenance, pardon of ſin, grace in our hearts; theſe are excellent bleſsings, and theſe make us exceedingly bleſſed; and no doubt but Job did chiefly look after theſe bleſsings; this good man deſired the light of Gods countenance, the ſhinings of his face upon him, the workings of his grace and ſpirit in him, the evidences of his love to him, infinitely above cattel, corn and wine. A godly man accounts himſelf but in a poor condition, if he were to reckon all his eſtate in Houſes and Lands, in Sheep and Oxen; yet theſe are a bleſsing from the Lord upon him, and ſo he accounts them. And ſtill it muſt be remembred, which hath already been touched, that before the coming of Chriſt, before there was a full diſcovery, and a clear manifeſtation of the grace of God in Chriſt to his people, they in thoſe times were much led and fed with promiſes of temporal bleſſings. The faithful were allured to heaven by earthly things. Jeſus Chriſt (who came down from heaven to lift us up thither, who took our nature, that we might partake of the divine nature, who was cloathed with our fleſh, to ſhew that God dwelleth in us, and hath joyned us to his glory and immortality; Jeſus Chriſt, I p. 990ſay) was known only in ſhadows and remote propheſies, in thoſe times, and therefore it was neceſſary the Lord ſhould deal with them accordingly, and allure them by promiſes of cattel, and corn, and children, eſpecially by the promiſe of long life (which hath the greateſt reſemblance to, and bears the faireſt image of eternal life) and all becauſe the heavenly life was not then ſo perfectly diſcovered, as it is now in theſe Goſpel-times. For though it be a truth, that all the good things of the world are not ſufficient to make a love-token, yet God gives thoſe good things to his people as tokens of his love, and they ſee love in them; and theſe leſſer good things are then beſt to us, when we can look on them as bleſsings coming from the love of God, which we may do,

Firſt, When we can ſay we have got and keep them with a good conſcience.

Secondly, When we uſe and order them with prudence.

Thirdly, When we diſpence them charitably and freely, according to the needs and neceſsities of others. When we truly and intentionally honour God with our ſubſtance, in doing acts of love, it ſhews that he hath given it us in love.

Fourthly, When the Lord with encreaſe of riches, gives us an encreaſe of grace, when our ſouls thrive as well as our eſtates, then we may look upon riches as coming to us in love. Sheep and Oxen, Gold and Silver, without a juſt, and wiſe, and gracious poſſeſsing and uſing of them, prove curſes at laſt, not bleſsings, ſnares, not favours. There are none ſo unhappy as fooliſh rich men, none ſo baſe as covetous rich men, none ſo intollerable as proud rich men, none ſo vile and deſpicable as ſluggiſh voluptuous rich men, none more ungodly and irreligious, than they who having riches, truſt in them, and dote upon them; only when the Lord gives ſpiritual things with temporal, grace with goods, they are mercies to us. When Luther received a favour from a great Prince, he began to be afraid that God would put him off with ſuch things. A godly man receives a portion in earthly good things, but he will not take all the good things of the earth for his portion.

Now, as all ſpiritual things are better than temporal, ſo among temporals, ſome are better than others. Job received good things when his cattel were doubled, but he had better bleſsings of this p. 991life reſtored to him than thoſe; his eſtate reſtored double in cattle was nothing to his children reſtored ſingle, as it follows in the next words.

Verſ. 13. He had alſo ſeven ſons, and three daughters.

This is the third part of Jobs reſtauration ſons and daughters. We may conſider this bleſſing, Firſt, In the number, Secondly, In the ſex. In number, his children were ſeven and three. As to ſex, they were both ſons and daughters; he had ſeven ſons and three daughters, in all ten, juſt the number he had before, as we read at the ſecond verſe of the firſt chapter.

Some of the Jewiſh Rabbies (before ſpoken of) ſay, his former children were not indeed ſlain, but removed during the time of his affliction, and that, being ended, were reſtored the ſame both in number and perſon. This is as groundleſs a dream as the other about his cattle, and ſo I leave it. For,

That his children were really ſlain with the fall of the houſe where they were feaſting, the hiſtory makes evident in the firſt chapter; and that he had the ſame number of children (not the ſame children) reſtored, is all that is evident in this.

Only here a queſtion ariſeth, and ſome trouble themſelves much about it, to little purpoſe, how to make good that of the 8th ver. where 'tis ſaid, The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before, whenas he had but juſt ſo many ſons and daughters as he had before. Here is no doubling of them, and it may be thought, that the Lord, being now bleſſing his latter end more than his beginning, ſhould have given him more children, double children, becauſe the more children the greater is the bleſſing.

I anſwer, Firſt, Negatively. The reaſon why his children were not double, though his cattle were, was not, Firſt, Out of any want of power in God, he could have doubled his children as well as his cattle. Nor was it, Secondly, For want of love or good will to Job: Nor was it, Thirdly, (As,Tertul. lib. de patientia. c. 14▪ one of the Antients, Tertullian, gives the reaſon) that Job might never want ſomething to exerciſe his patience with while he lived, foraſmuch as he ſaw himſelf ſhortned in that mercy. Nor was it, Fourthly, (As Aquinas conceived) becauſe, if his children had been doubled as well as his eſtate, then his children would not have p. 992had a double eſtate, nor more than they ſhould have had before. Forty proportionably divided among twenty, yields each of them no greater a portion, than twenty will do to ten. Nor was it, Fifthly, Becauſe the Lord would not have him over-burdened with cares about their education; none of theſe were any reaſon, why Jobs children were not doubled to him in number, as well as his cattle. And therefore,

I anſwer affirmatively,

Firſt, For the word double, or twice as much, in the Text, which this ſeems not to come up unto, we may eaſily ſalve that difficulty, for the Text ſpeaks not of perſons, but of things, or of his ſubſtance, with reſpect to doubling or a twice as much. As for his children they come in with an alſo, as an additional bleſſing to all the reſt; He had alſo ſeven ſons, and three daughters.

Secondly, Thoſe words twice as much, need not be taken ſtrictly, as was ſhewed before; Job might, and doubtleſs did receive a double mercy in his children, though their perſons were not doubled nor multiplied, as will appear further afterwards.

Thirdly, I anſwer, it was the pleaſure of the Lord; to give him no more than the ſame number of children, and that may ſuffice us.

Fourthly, Some of the Ancients are much pleaſed with this other anſwer, ſaying, Job, in a ſence, had his children doubled; for his ſlain children were not loſt, but gone before, and lived ſtill in a bleſſed ſtate: They having immortal ſouls, and being the ſeed of the righteous, their father had reaſon to believe them ſafe in Abrahams boſome. Thoſe children are not loſt to their parents when they dye, Tibi non perit qui Deo non perit. Non numero ſed valore, quod occultè inſinuatur in filicabus, quae pulcherrimae fuiſſe leguntur. Aquin.who are not loſt to God, or are not themſelves loſt children.

Fifthly, Though Jobs children were not doubled in number as his cattle were, yet we may judge them doubled to him in goodneſs and vertuous qualities. The beauty of his daughters is expreſſely noted in the following words: And ſhall we think that God, who had a bleſſing for Job, bleſſed his children only with fading bodily beauty? doubtleſs, their minds were more richly indowed, and their ſouls more beautiful than their bodies. And if Jobs daughters were ſuch, we may well conceive his Sons were not inferiour to them in gracious qualifications, and that they much exceeded the ſons he had before his affliction. Some have p. 993ſpoken doubtfully, at leaſt, of Jobs former children, as if (though good, yet) not very good; and they give two reaſons for it out of this book. Firſt, Becauſe, when they went to feaſt at each others houſes Job uſed to offer ſacrifice, fea…ing his children had curſed God in their hearts. Secondly, Bildad (chap. 8.4.) ſeems to lay a blot upon his former children, If thy children (ſaith he) have ſinned againſt him, and he have caſt them away for their tranſgreſſion, &c. which may intimate the ſinful miſcarriages of his former children in the courſe of their lives, as well as that dreadful accident by which they dyed. Yet, I conceive, we need not caſt any ſuch blot upon them; they might be good, though theſe were better, and ſo a double mercy to their father. He had alſo ſeven ſons, and three daughters.

Hence note; Children are great bleſſings.

When the Lord told Abraham (Gen. 15.2) I am thy ſhield, and exceeding great reward, Abraham ſaid, Lord what wilt thou give me, ſeing I go childleſs? As if he had ſaid, what is an inheritance without an heir? Children are a bleſſing which God many times denieth his own children: God denied Abraham that bleſſing long, yet gave it him at laſt. Abrahams ſervant reporting the bleſſings of God beſtowed upon his maſter, put this as chief (Gen. 24.35.) The Lord hath bleſſed my maſter greatly, he is become great, he hath given him flocks and herds, ſilver and gold, men ſervants and maid ſervants (what follows?) and Sarah my maſters wife, bare a ſon to my maſter, when ſhe was old. Abrahams ſervant counted this the complement of all his maſters outward bleſſings, that as the Lord had given him a great eſtate, ſo a ſon to inherit and poſſeſs it after him. And if children be a bleſſing? let all who have them take heed of looking upon them as a burthen.

And ſeing they are a bleſſing of the Lord, ſeing they come from him, let all who have them be admoniſhed to bring them up for him, or, as the Apoſtle directs, In the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Whatever we receive from God we ſhould uſe for him, and return to him; our eſtates ſhould be ſerviceable to the Lord, and above all we ſhould labour to make our children ſerviceable to him.

p. 994Thus we have ſeen the three parts of Jobs reſtauration. Firſt, His friends; Secondly, His wealth; Thirdly, His children, were reſtored to him. But Job had four loſſes, and we hear nothing about the reſtoring of the fourth. Firſt, He loſt his ſubſtance; Secondly, His children; Thirdly, His health; Fourthly, His friends: Here's a reſtoring of three of them, but nothing is ſpoken of the fourth, which I place third, the reſtoring of his health. Now health being the chief of outward bleſſings, better than ſheep and oxen, and whatever we can have in this world, why was not the reſtoring of that mercy mentioned?

I anſwer, Though the reſtoring of his health and ſtrength be not expreſt verbally, yet it is expreſt equivalently or vertually; for when it is ſaid he offered ſacrifice, when it is ſaid he did eat bread with his friends in his houſe, theſe are proofs of his health; and what was laſt ſpoken, that he had ſo many children, proves it much more. So then, though this fourth part of his mercy, be not mentioned, yet it is implied in all that went before.

But, that being granted, 'tis further queried, when his health was reſtored? whether before he prayed for his friends, or in the time of his prayer for his friends? or whether after all was done? Some make hot diſputes about this matter, which ſurely is not much material, if we knew the certainty of it; nor do I know how any ſhould attain the certain kuowledg of it, ſeing the Scripture is utterly ſilent, as to any determination of it.

There is one queſtion more. The text ſaith, God gave Job twice as much in cattle, &c. but here is nothing ſaid of his twice as much in grace, here is no mention of any amendment in his ſpiritual ſtate; his goods were doubled, but was his goodneſs? did Job recover only in temporals?

I anſwer, Firſt, The graces of Job were never loſt, as his cattle and children were; and therefore there needed no mention of the reſtoring of his graces. Satan, by the Lords permiſſion, put him to it, and tried all his graces, but could not rob him of one.

Secondly, Jobs graces were not only not loſt, but doubled in that exerciſe or combate. True grace encreaſeth by the ordinary uſe of it, much more by the extraordinary trials of it. And doubtleſs Job, who was ſo eminently gracious, increaſed in every grace, while he continued in this fiery trial. He ſaid of himſelf p. 995(chap. 23.10.) When he hath tried me I ſhall come forth as gold. I ſhall come out better than I came in. He loſt droſs and corruption in the trial, but no grace, nor any degree of grace; his graces were doubled or increaſed. A believer thrives (as to the inner man) in affliction, how much ſoever he loſeth and goeth backward as a man. As the time of affliction is a ſpecial time for the uſing of grace, ſo for the increaſing of it: Grace never grows more in a gracious heart than in a day of trouble. And though poſſibly a godly man doth not ſenſibly, or to appearance grow in grace preſently, yet he truly doth ſo, and in due time it will appear that he hath done ſo: We may take this chapter for a proof of it. God himſelf found Job much bettered in his graces, elſe he had not uſed him as a mediator for his friends, which was as high a ſpiritual honour as could be put upon him, acceptance being promiſed and given him in that work. Nor would the Lord have uſed that endearing word, My ſervant, my ſervant Job, four times in one verſe, had not Job improved in his ſervice, which could not be but by the improvement of his graces. God called Job ſervant once in the firſt chapter; ſurely he was become a better ſervant now that the Lord ſeemed ſo much delighted to call him ſervant in this laſt chapter of the book, when he had taken full trial of him by ſuffering, as formerly by doing. We may well conclude, Job was become a more humble ſervant, a more profitable ſervant, a more holy ſervant, a more ſpiritual ſervant, than ever he had been, when we find the Lord inſiſting ſo much upon, and ſo often repeating that relation to him, My ſervant Job. His ſufferings had mended his ſervice, and his paſſive obedience had fitted him more for active. God was ſo much pleaſed with his ſervice, that he took pleaſure to call him ſervant. So then, we may anſwer the querie propoſed; Jobs increaſe was not only in cattle (that had been but a poor increaſe) his increaſe was alſo in grace and goodneſs; and he who was a ſervant of the Lord before, was then a more approved ſervant.

The Lord having told us, in the cloſe of this verſe, how many ſons and daughters Job had, he is pleaſed to give us a character or deſcription of his daughters in the two verſes following.