Exposition of Job 38-42, Commentary on Job · Chapter 42 · Verse 16-17

Exposition of Job 38-42 · Commentary on Job · Chapter 42 · Verse 16-17

p. 1015JOB, Chap. 42. Verſ. 16, 17.

16. After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and ſaw his ſons, and his ſons ſons, even four gegenerations.

17. So Job died, being old and full of dayes.

THeſe two verſes conclude the Hiſtory and whole Book of Job, and in them we may conſider theſe ſix things.

Firſt, The length of Jobs life, or how long he lived, even an hundred and forty years.

Secondly, From whence we are to date this account of his life; After this, ſaith the Text, lived Job an hundred and forty years.

Thirdly, We have here the great increaſe of his family; he had not only ſons of his own, but, ſaw his ſons, and his ſons ſons, even four generations.

Fourthly, We may conſider the comfort and content in which he ſpent this long life, and run out thoſe many years, which is implied in thoſe words, He ſaw his ſons, and his ſons ſons, even four generations.

Fifthly, We have the cloſe of his life, So Job died.

Sixthly, The ſtate of life in which he died, ſet forth two ways; Firſt, Being old (or an old man.) Secondly, Full of dayes. So Job died, being old (or an old man) and full of dayes.

Verſ. 16. After this Job lived an hundred and forty years.

He ſurvived all his ſorrows, and ſaw a very bleſſed reſurrection of his comforts and enjoyments. After this, that is, after this unparallel'd affliction was over-paſt, after the Winter of his ſorrows and troubles was over-blown, after the dark night of his calamity was full ſpent, After this lived Job an hundred and forty years. The Septuagint make this expoſition their tranſlation, rendring the Text thus our of the original, After this Plague or blow lived Job, &c. So that, here we have not the account of the whole race of his life, but of his new life, as we may call i…, or, of p. 1016his life, in the third edition of it: For, as there are▪ (if I may ſo ſpeak) three editions of mans life in general, whereof the firſt was a happy one in Adam, as created; the ſecond, miſerable, by Adam, as fallen; the third, more happy than the firſt, as we are reſtored by Chriſt, the ſecond Adam: So there were three editions or volumes (at leaſt) of this one mans life, whereof the firſt was very proſperous, the ſecond very troubleſom, the third more proſperous than the firſt. This proſperous edition or ſtate of Jobs life, continued an hundred and forty years.

But have we no gheſs about the computation of his whole life, or how long he lived in all?

I anſwer, we have none from the holy Scriptures; and therefore, where the Scrip…ure hath not a tongue to ſpeak, I would ſay but little: Yet give me le…ve to report the opinion, both of the Jewiſh Writers, and of ſeveral others, both Greek and Latine, concerning that point.

Firſt, It is generally agreed by the Jewiſh Writers, and by moſt of the Latines, that Job was threeſcore and ten years old at the concluſion of his trouble; and if he were ſeventy when his trouble ended, adding an hundred and forty more after the end of his trouble, it makes up juſt two hundred and ten years, as the general account of his whole life. Thus the Jewiſh Doctors conclude the race of Jobs life, as long as the abode of the children of Iſrael in Egppt, after their coming thither, till their going out.

Secondly, The ſeventy Interpreters give another reckoning, both of the time he lived after his affliction, and of the time before, and ſo conſequentially of his whole life; for thus they tranſlate, After this trouble, Job lived an hundred and ſeventy-years; and all the dayes which Job lived, were two hundred and forty years. Thus they render the Text, but by what warrant I do not underſtand. The ground of this addition, by which ſome endeavour to preſerve the credit of that tranſlation, is this; The Septuagint (ſay they) by after this, do not underſtand only the time when Job was juſt come out of his troubles, but, by after this, they mean the whole time that Job was recovering out of his trouble, and growing up into that greatneſs. As if the meaning of thoſe words, after this, were to be taken thus: After Jobs cattel were doubled, and his Family was compleated, after he had ſeven ſons and three daughters born unto him, and after his daughters appeared p. 1017to be according to their names, and the report made of them in the former context, the faireſt women in all the Land of Ʋz; and after he had diſpoſed of them in marriage, to his comfort and content, after all this was in doing and done, he lived an hundred and forty years. Now, for the doing of all this, they allow thirty years, which being added to the hundred and forty years in the Text, make up the full ſum of an hundred and ſeventy years, as they tranſlate; to which, if we add ſeventy years, which is ſuppoſed to have been the time of his life, when his troubles ended, then the total amounts to two hundred and forty years, which the Septuagint in their tranſlation ſay he lived.

But it may ſuffice to mention this, it being only the opinion, and poſſibly the miſtake of thoſe ancient Tranſlaters. We have no more in Scripture, but that he lived an hundred and forty years after his troubles were ended; and taking it ſtrictly ſo, he muſt needs be a very old man, for he was a perfect man, and had ten children before his troubles began.

After this lived Job an hundred and forty years.

But why doth the Spirit of God reckon up his years? Surely to ſet forth a further bleſſing beſtowed upon Job, than as yet had been named, even the bleſſing of long life. All that is ſpoken of him, is in a way of mercy; and to make the meaſure of his mercies full, this is added or caſt in, that he lived after the dayes of his trouble were ended, an hundred and forty years.

Hence note; Long life is to be reckoned among divine bleſſings; and 'tis a right-hand bleſſing (Prov. 3.16.)

Job had many bleſſings of this life, but his long life on earth was the chiefeſt of meer earthly bleſſings. The firſt Ages of the world had very long livers: Adam, the firſt man, lived well towards a thouſand years, compleat nine hundred and thirty years, after he was created (Gen. 5.5.) which being in a perfect mans eſtate, we may well reckon him as a man of neer a thouſand years old, and neerer to a thouſand than Methuſalah, when he dyed. That whole Chaprer is a clear proof, that all before the Flood lived to a great age.

p. 1018Four reaſons may be aſſigned, why the thread of mans life was drawn out to ſo great a length, in thoſe early ages of the world.

Firſt, That they might learn the works of Creation, and be skilled in the courſe of nature, which, having no books nor antecedent ſtudies of men, they muſt collect by obſervation.

Secondly, They lived long, that they might inſtruct others in what themſelves had obſerved.

Thirdly, They lived long, that mankind might be multiplied; for of thoſe long livers (Gen. 5.) when the firſt-born is mentioned, it is ſtill added, they lived ſo many hundred years after, and begat ſons and daughters.

Fourthly, They lived very long, that they might both invent and perfect thoſe Arts and Sciences with which the world afterward abounded, when drawn into writing, and ſet forth by rule. And though after the Flood, the years of the longeſt livers were much ſhort of theirs, yet the holy Patriarchs received a great ſhare of his bleſſing. Abraham lived an hundred ſeventy and five years (Gen. 25.7.) Iſaac lived ſomething longer, an hundred and fourſcore years (Gen. 35.20.) Jacob lived an hundred forty and ſeven (Gen. 47.28.) Joſeph lived an hundred and ten years (Gen 50. ult) Job, if we take in that common account of the antecedent part of his life, lived longer than any of theſe, even two hundred and ten years. The fifth Commandement hath this promiſe (Exod. 20.12.) Honour thy Father and thy Mother, that thy dayes may be long in the Land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee. And the Apoſtle calls that the firſt Commandement with promiſe (Eph. 6.2.) that is, the firſt Commandement with an explicite promiſe (all the Commandements have promiſes implyed to thoſe that obey them) Eliphaz aſſured Job of this bleſſing, in caſe of his repentance (Chap. 5.26.) Thou ſhalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a ſhock of Corn cometh in his ſeaſon: And in this he was a true Prophet.

Now, that long life is a bleſſing, I would ſhew briefly, under theſe ſix conſiderations.

Firſt, It is a bleſſing to have a long opportunity of doing good, of being uſeful and ſerviceable to our generation; long life gives an advantage for that.

Secondly, It is a bleſſing to have opportunity to gain experiences; Firſt, of the various providences of God towards men, whether p. 1019in wayes of judgement or of mercy. Secondly, to get experiences of the manners of men, of the vanity, unfaithfulneſs and inconſtancy of ſome men, and of the goodneſs, faithfulneſs and conſtancy of others. Though we ſometimes ſmart in getting our experiences, yet it may be a great bleſſing to have them.

Thirdly, It is a bleſſing to have an opportunity to hold forth the grace of God to us, and the graces of God in us, by a holy example. The longer we live a natural life, the more we may manifeſt the power of a ſpiritual life, to thoſe among whom we live.

Fourthly, It is a bleſſing to have opportunity for improvement and growth in grace, to attain the higheſt ſtature in, and pitch of holineſs. This benefit we may make of long life, even encreaſe in grace, as our years encreaſe, and grow better as we grow older.

Fifthly, It is a bleſſing to have opportunity to bring up our children in the nurture and fear of God; long life gives liberty for this.

Laſtly, it is a bleſſing to behold the bleſsing of God upon our poſterity; long life gives us opportunity for this bleſsing, and this was Jobs bleſsing eminently. In all theſe reſpects, and many more might be added, long life is a bleſsing.

Yet, let me give this corrective, Long life is but a common bleſſing; it is no diſtinguiſhing bleſsing, it is not a certain love-token from God to man. Bad men have lived long, as appears both in ſacred and common Hiſtories. Old age is then a bleſsing, and good indeed, when we are old in goodneſs, or grow old doing good. Solomons concluſion reacheth this fully (Prov. 16.31.) The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteouſneſs: And Solomon tells us in Eccleſiaſtes, Better is a child that will be ruled, than an old and fooliſh King that will receive no counſel. When we may ſay of any, as the Lord ſaid of ſome (Ezek. 23.43.) O ye that are old in adulteries; when any are old in ſin, woe to ſuch an old age. Better to die young, than live to old age, and then die in ſin. To live to be old men, the old man not dying in us, O how ſad! To ſee ſin young, when the man is old, how odious a ſight is that! Then only old age is good, when we are good in old age. They only die in a good old age (as it is ſaid of Abraham, Gen. 25.8.) who are good dying old. The ſinner of a p. 1020hundred years old ſhall die accurſed. (Iſa. 65.20.) So then, it is knowing, not ignorant old age; it is prudent, not fooliſh old age; it is gracious, not vicious old age, which is indeed the bleſsing; and therefore, though it be a bleſsing, look upon it as a common bleſsing. As riches are good to us, our ſelves being good; ſo is old age, ſuch is a life of many years in this world, good only to thoſe who are good, and do good.

Secondly, When it is ſaid, Job lived an hundred and forty years, we are not to take his living for a bare continuance or indurance in life, for ſo many years; but we are to underſtand his life or living ſo long,Vivere eſt valere. with the cloathing of it, with the good of it: he lived, that is, he lived comfortably, honourably, peaceably, this hundred and forty years. We commonly ſay, To live is to be well; to live, is to flouriſh. Some live, whoſe life is a kind of death. As they who live in (ſinful) pleaſure, are dead while they live, ſo alſo are they who live in great worldly ſorrow. Job lived comfortably and contentedly all that long time of his latter life, even an hundred and forty years.

Hence note, Secondly; Long life, in health, peace and proſperity, is a bleſsing indeed.

To live long in the enjoyment of good, is very good. What man is he (ſaith David, Pſal. 34.12.) that deſireth life, and loveth many dayes, that he may ſee good? Keep thy tongue from evil, &c. To live long and ſee good, that is, enjoy good, is the utmoſt that can be deſired in this life. That's the bleſſing, or the good promiſed in the renewed ſtate of Jeruſalem (Iſa. 65.) where, after the Lord had ſpoken of new heavens and new earth, he adds, at the 22d verſe, They ſhall not build, and another inhabit; they ſhall not plant, and another eat; for as the dayes of a tree, are the dayes of my people, and mine elect ſhall long enjoy the work of their hands. He doth not ſay, they ſhall live long, but they ſhall enjoy long; that which they have built and planted, none ſhall invade nor take away from them. Some conceive, this hath reference to the thouſand years, propheſied of (Rev. 20.) wherein the Church ſhall enjoy perfect felicity in this world. To live long in the ſweet enjoyments of health, honour, peace and plenty, for ſoul and body, is a full bleſsing. I grant, ſome good men live long, who yet do not alwayes enjoy good; their old age eſpecially p. 1021is accompanied and encumbered with many bodily diſtempers and grievous pains. Though grace ſets us above the decayes of nature, and the troubles of this life, yet grace doth not exempt nor give us priviledge from either; ſo that greedineſs after many years, is commonly a greedineſs only after many infirmities. Iſaac was a good old man, yet 'tis ſaid of him, that when he was old, his eyes waxed dim, ſo that he could not ſee (Gen. 27.1.) Old age, and dim eyes, and deaf ears, ſhaking hands, and palſied trembling joynts, with manifold diſeaſes, are ſeldom found aſunder: Therefore, Job had an extraordinary bleſsing, to live long and free from all theſe evils, and ſo have any who do ſo. Barzillay was a good old man, yet (2 Sam. 19.25.) he was ſo benummed, and his natural ſenſes ſo enfeebled, that he did not enjoy his life; Can I (ſaid he to David, who invited him to a Court-life, Can I) any more taſt what I eat or drink? &c. That's a bleſſed old age, when we live long, and enjoy comfort with our lives, chiefly when we enjoy the comforts, and act the duties of a ſpiritual life.

Thirdly, Conſider, Job was afflicted but a few months we are ſure, not many years, but God gave him an hundred and forty years of proſperity in this world, after his affliction.

Hence note; God ſometimes doth, and alwayes can recompence our ſhort ſufferings with long comfortable enjoyments, even in this life.

Joſeph, for his thirteen or fourteen years ſlavery and impriſonment in Egypt, had fourſcore years liberty and high advancement there. And though the Lord doth nor alwayes, nor often make ſuch compenſations in this world; yet he will compenſate all the ſufferings of his faithful ſervants, with longer, not only comfortable, but glorious enjoyments, yea, with an eternal enjoyment of glory in the world to come (2 Cor. 4.17.)

Fourthly, Note; The Lord can make our old age, our extream old age, even a youth to us, or as comfortable to us as our youth.

He can give health and ſtrength to the very laſt, he can give a ſpring in the winter of our age. Thus it was with Job; he did not only live long, but flouriſhed in the health of his body, as p. 1022much as in the plenty of his eſtate. The Lord can forbid diſeaſes, he can forbid the Gout, the Stone, or any other pain, to touch the perſon of an old man, if he pleaſeth. Some are even afraid to be old, becauſe of the infirmities of old age; but God, who continues life, can prevent or preſerve us from the natural, as well as the providencial evils of it. Solomon (Eccl. 12.1.) calleth old age, the evil day, and the years wherein there is no pleaſure; and he uſeth it as an argument to move thoſe who are young, to remember their Creator: yet God is able to make old age a good day to us, and to lengthen out our pleaſures (thoſe pleaſures that are ſutable to old age) as long as he is pleaſed to lengthen out our lives; ſo that, the comforts and contentments of our lives, ſhall run parallel with the length of our lives, to the end of our lives. Thus Job lived, he lived comfortably, he lived healthfully, the Lord preventing the decays or uſual dilapidations of his houſe of clay, as will appear further in the next words. After this Job lived an hundred and forty years, And ſaw his ſons, and his ſons ſons, even four generations.

That is, Job lived to be a great great Grandfather; he ſaw his ſons,Quartam generationem intelligo incluſivè, ita ut intelligatur vidiſſe etiam abnepotes, hi enim ſunt in quarto gradu à progenitore ſcil. Abavo. Piſc. and his Grand-children, and his great Grand-children, and his great great Grand-children, four generations. Joſeph (Gen. 50.23.) lived to ſee but the third generation, he was only a great Grand-father. Many among us live to be great Grand-fathers, and great Grand-mothers; but to be a great great Grand-father, that is, to ſee the fourth generation, is very rare. This is recorded of Job, not only to ſet forth the greatneſs of his age, but alſo to ſhew the greatneſs of his bleſsing, and the exceeding greatneſs of the mercy and goodneſs of God to him, in multiplying his Family; he ſaw a numerous iſſue, to take comfort in all that latter part of his life. He ſaw (ſaith the Text) his ſons, and his ſons ſons, even four generations. The learned in that Language, take notice,Verbo videndi pucundiſſimus filioram ac nopotum conſpectus ſignificatur. that the Hebrew word rendred, ſaw, implieth delight; and doubtleſs, Job had a moſt delightful ſight of his ſons, and his ſons ſons. It is no where ſaid, that Job ſaw his ſheep, or his oxen, or any of his riches, to take delight in them; but Job ſaw his ſons, and his ſons ſons; this ſight was thouſand times more pleaſing to him, than the ſight of his fourteen thouſand ſheep, or of his thouſand yoak of oxen.

p. 1023Hence note; To have and enjoy a numerous family, is greatly contentful to man, and a great bleſſing of God.

Job received a great bleſſing, when he had ſons and daughters of his own, as many as before; but when he ſaw his ſons, and his ſons ſons, even to the fourth generation, that was the crown of all his outward bleſsings. Eliphaz fore-ſpake this of him, upon ſuppoſition of his repentance, and profiting under the correcting hand of God (Chap. 5.25.) Thou ſhalt know alſo that thy ſeed ſhall be great, and thy off-ſpring as the graſs of the earth. The children of all men, or all the children of men, are as graſs for fadingneſs (Iſa. 40.6.) But when Eliphaz ſaid, Thy off-ſpring ſhall be as the graſs of the earth, his meaning was, they ſhall flouriſh as the graſs, and they ſhall be many, very many, as the graſs of the earth. David (Pſal. 127.3, 4, 5:) ſpeaks of this great bleſsing, the multiplying of the ſeed of the righteous, as their great contentment; Lo, children are the heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows 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, he hath a great outward happineſs. Many children may contribute to our happineſs many wayes, though ſome have had many unhappineſſes in one. The next Pſalm inſiſts upon the ſame mercy, under other metaphors; Thy Wife ſhall be as the fruitful Vine by the ſides of thy houſe, thy children like Olive-plants round about thy Table; Lo, thus ſhall the man be bleſſed that feareth the Lord. And (verſ. 6.) Yea, thou ſhalt ſee thy childrens children, and peace upon Iſrael. It is a great affliction, a grief of eyes, yea, a breaking of the heart, to behold bad children; but how ſweet a ſight is it, to behold good and obedient children, and them many! There are two conditions very grievous to ſee our children in. Firſt, to ſee them in miſery. Rachel (Jer. 31.15. Mat. 2.) mourned for her children, and would not be comforted, becauſe they were not; ſhe ſaw them murdered before her eyes. Such a ſight had Zedekiah (Jer. 50.10.) the King of Babilon brought his children, and ſlew them before his eyes; he made him ſee that horrid ſpectacle, and then put out his eyes (verſ. 11.) Secondly, to ſee children ſin, and going on in a courſe of ſin; that is a greater, a far greater affliction than the p. 1024former. It is ſaid (Gen. 26.34.) When Eſau was forty years old, he took to wife Judeth, the daughter of Berith the Hittite, which was a grief of mind to Iſaac and Rebecca. To ſee their ſon match among the prophane and uncircumciſed, both in heart and fleſh, was a cut, a wound, a deep wound in their ſpirits. Again (Chap. 27. ult.) Rebecca ſaid to Iſaac, I am weary of my life, becauſe of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, ſuch as theſe which are of the daughters of the Land, what good ſhall my life do me? Better be out of the world, than ſee my ſons miſcarry. Theſe two ſights, to ſee children ſuffering, or to ſee them ſinning, are a pain, not only to the eyes, but to the hearts of parents. But to ſee them, Firſt, Proſperous in their way; Secondly, Pious, keeping the way of the Lord; to have and ſee ſuch children, and childrens Children, to the third and fourth generation, how delightful is this! The Apoſtle John profeſſed (3 Epiſt. ver. 4.) I have no greater joy, than to hear that my children walk in the truth. He means his ſpiritual children, thoſe whom he had converted to the faith, and begotten to Chriſt in the miniſtery of the Word. O what a joy was it to that holy Apoſtles heart, to ſee them walk anſwerably to the profeſſion of the Goſpel, and his expectation! Now as that was ſo great a joy to him, that he had no greater; ſo 'tis an unſpeakable joy when godly parents ſee their natural children ſpiritual, and walking in the truth. To ſee children new born, to ſee them gracious, and to ſee them proſperous alſo, what a bleſſed ſight is this! And this was the ſight doubtleſs which Job had, he ſaw his children, His ſons, and his ſons ſons, to the fourth generation. His bleſſedneſs, as to all without him in this life, was at the higheſt, when he ſaw the proſperity of his children, both in ſoul and body. Thus Job was bleſſed every way, he was bleſſed with riches, bleſſed with long life, bleſſed in the multiplication of his family; he was bleſſed alſo in his death, as appeareth in the next and laſt words of this Chapter and Book.

Verſ. 17. So Job died being old and full of days.

As Solomon ſaid (Eccleſ. 12.13.) Hear the concluſion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandements. So I may ſay now, Hear the concluſion of all men. To fear God and keep his commandements, is the conſumating end of our lives; but to p. 1025dye is the conſuming end of all our lives, and to a good man 'tis an entrance into eternal life; Such, and ſo Job died. The Lord having ſpoken of his life, is not ſilent about his death; The ſtory, the holy ſtory brings Job to his grave: and that could not but be a bleſſed death, which was the cloſe of a gracious life. So Job died. Death is the ſeparation of the ſoul from the body; 'tis the ſleep of the body in the grave, and th… reſt of their ſouls in heaven who dye in the Lord. There is no difficulty in theſe words; take a note or two from them.

Firſt, Death takes all ſooner or latter.

Job lived a long time, but he did not out-live death;Mors ultima clauſula vitae. Mors ultima linea rerum. he enjoyed an hundred and forty years proſperity in this world, yet he left the world; He lived long, yet a day came when he could not live a day longer. 'Tis ſaid of all the long livers (Gen. 5.) They died. Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years, and he died. Seth lived nine hundred and twelve years, and he died. Methuſelah (the longeſt liver in this world) lived nine hundred ſixty and nine years, and he died. Here Job lived an hundred and forty, and ſo he dyed. David put the queſtion of all men (Pſal. 89.48.) What man is he that liveth and ſhall not ſee death? How great or how good, how rich or how wiſe, how ſtrong or how valiant ſoever any man living is, he muſt dye. How long ſoever any man hath lived in this world, he muſt dye, for the world muſt dye; there muſt be a diſſolution of all things, and therefore a diſſolution of all men (Pſal. 82.6, 7.) I ſaid, ye are gods, but ye ſhall dye like men. Kings and Princes, who have the priviledge to be called gods, have not the priviledge of God, not to dye like men. This is a common theam, I intend not to ſtay upon it; only, let me tell you, death will overtake us all ſooner or later, upon a double account.

Firſt, Becauſe it is appointed.

Secondly, Becauſe it is deſerved. It is appointed unto men once to dye (Heb. 9.27.) and all men have deſerved to dye, to dye eternally, and therefore much more to dye naturally (Rom. 5.12.) As by one man ſin entred into the world, and death by ſin, and ſo death paſt upon all men for that all have ſinned. Now ſeing the condition of all men is a dying condition, receive theſe four cautions.

Firſt, Prepare for death. There is no avoiding it at the long run, therefore be ready to entertain it at laſt; and, becauſe we p. 1026may dye at any time, be preparing for death at all times. How miſerable are they who are ſo old that they cannot live, and yet ſo unprepared that they are afraid to dye? Job died, and we muſt: If ſo, Is it not our wiſdome to prepare for death?

Secondly, Submit quietly to the arreſt of death. There is no ſtriving with the decrees of God. Our death is under a divine appointment (Eccleſ. 8.8.) There is no diſcharge in that war, no priviledge to be pleaded, no exemption, no preſcription. Your ſtrength cannot ſtand againſt the aſſaults of death, your prudence and policy cannot find any way of eſcape from it, nor can your piety or godlineſs deliver you out of the hands of natural death. As there is no work, nor deviſe, nor knowledge in the grave whither we are going (Eccleſ. 9.10.) ſo there is no knowledg, no device, no wiſdom, can keep us from going into the grave, no, not our graces. Grace is as ſalt to the ſoul, preſerving it from moral corruption for ever: But it cannot keep the body from natural corruption in this world,Mors eſt nobis nimis domeſtica, utpote quam in viſcaribus noſtris circumſerim…. Plutarch. in Conſol. ad Apoll. becauſe our graces in this world are mingled with corruption. Death is domeſtical to us, that is, we have the ſeed of it within our ſelves, we carry it daily in our bowels and in our boſomes; therefore ſubmit quietly to it, for there is no avoiding it.

Thirdly, Seing all muſt dye, get that removed which is the troubler of a death-bed, and the ſting of death; get that removed which makes death bitter, get that removed which makes death, the King of terrours, ſo terrible, that is, ſin. This ſhould be our ſtudy all the days of our life, to get rid of ſin, to be dying to ſin daily; becauſe we muſt dye at laſt, and may dye, for all that we know, or can aſſure our ſelves, any day we live (1 Cor. 13.56.) The ſting of death is ſin. Whenſoever, or in what way ſoever we dye, it will be well with us, if the ſting of death be firſt pulled out; and whenſoever we dye, after never ſo long a life, it will be miſerable, if we dye in our ſins; as Chriſt told the Jews in the higheſt threat, I go away, and ye ſhall dye in your ſins (John 8.21.) They that dye in their ſins, dye a double death at once, a temporal and an eternal death together. And to thoſe who have got the ſting of death pulled out, that is, the guilt of ſin removed and waſhed off by the blood of Chriſt, I would,

Fourthly, Take this caution. If you would have death eaſie to you, dye more and more to ſin daily. Some, who are dead to ſin, p. 1027may find much life of ſin remaining in them; and they who have much of the life of ſin in them will never dye eaſily, they will find ſtrong bands in their death, which, in another ſenſe, ſome wicked men find not (Pſal. 73.4.) While either ſin, or ſelf, or the world are lively in us, death will be greivous to us: Therefore let them who are dead to ſin, never think themſelves dead enough to it while they live; they who are moſt dead to ſin and the world, have the ſweeteſt and moſt comfortable paſſage out of the world. So Job dyed, Being old.

It muſt needs be that Job was an old man, when he had lived an hundred and forty years after all his changes before this change came: Why then is it added, he died being old, or being an old man? Surely, to teach us this leſſon.

Old age and death cannot be far aſunder.

'Tis a truth, young men and death are not very far aſunder, youth and death are at no great diſtance; but when we ſee an old man, we may conclude, that death and he are very near neighbours. While we ſee an old man with his ſtaff in his hand, we may ſay, he carrieth a rapper in his hand, by which at every ſtep he knocks at the door of the grave. There is no man, not the youngeſt man, that can reckon certainly upon one day beyond what he hath, and therefore Solomon admoniſheth us (Prov. 27.1.) Beaſt not of to-morrow, for thou knoweſt not what a day may bring forth. And the Apoſtle James checks thoſe, who would reckon upon a day, he tells them upon the matter, That they reckon without their hoaſt (James 4.13.) Go to now, ye that ſay to day, or to-morrow we will go into ſuch a City, and continue there a year, and buy, and ſell, and get gain: And then at the 14th verſe, Whereas ye know not what ſhall be on the morrow; for (ſaith he) What is your life? it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little while, and then vaniſheth away. They that are youngeſt have not a day, nor an hour in their power to reckon upon; what then have they that are old? We may ſay of them, They are even paſt their reckoning. A woman near her time will ſometimes ſay, ſhe hath but a day to reckon; and ſome will ſay, they have never a day to reckon: old men may ſay ſo, they have not a day to reckon. Young men may dye; old men muſt dye: Then let old men be much in the meditation of p. 1028death, let them be often looking into their graves; their gray hairs that do ſo, are found in the way of wiſdom. Job dyed, being old: There was no longer ſtaying for him in this world. Once more,

Job dyed being old, And full of days.

There is a twofold fullneſs.

Firſt, A fullneſs of ſatiety.

Secondly, A fullneſs of ſatisfaction.

They are full in a way of ſatiety, who loath that which they are filled with, 'tis burthenſome to th…m. They are full in a way of ſatisfaction, who having enough, are pleaſed, and deſire no more. Some expound this Text of Job, in the former ſence, he was full of days, that is, he had a fullneſs of ſatiety upon him, he had lived ſo long, that his life was a burden to him, he had lived till he was weary of living, his life was tedious and grievous to him. It is ſaid (Revel. 9.6.) In thoſe days ſhall men ſeek death, and ſhall not find it; and ſhall deſire to dye, and death ſhall flee from them. That which moſt flee from, ſome purſue, and it fleeth from them. None are ſo unfit to dye, as they who upon the account ſpoken of in that Text, ſeek death and deſire to dye. I do not conceive, that Job was full of days in the former notion, as the ſtomack may be full of meat and loath it, or be burthened with it, but as having had enough of it, though well liked to the laſt morſel. And I am ſure he was not full of days, when he dyed in the latter notion, as one wearied with the troubles of his life; for all his latter days were a bleſſing to him, and he bleſſed in them all: His laſt days in this world being his beſt days of worldly enjoyment, he could have no reaſon upon any worldly account to deſire a departure out of the world.

I grant, a good man though he hath not lived many days may be full of days, even to wearineſs, by reaſon of his temptations, corruptions, and ſins; of which kind of wearineſs the Apoſtle ſpeaks (2 Cor. 5.2.) In this (earthly houſe of the body) we grown earneſtly, deſiring to be clothed upon with our houſe, which is from heaven. And upon this account poſſibly, Job himſelf might be weary of his life, and deſire the death of his body, that he might be delivered from the body of that death. But Jobs p. 1029worldly life was as ſweet as it was long, he was as full of bleſſings as he was of days; and therefore, doubtleſs, he was only ſatisfied with living, not tired with it: He did not loath his natural life, nor did he hunger after a longer life in this world; he hungred after eternity, not time: He did not hunger after a longer life, as they do who have their portion in this life, how long ſoever they have lived. A worldly man is never ſatisfied with living in the world; he never hath his belly full of living here, while he ſees he may (as Job might) fill his belly with the good things of this life. But as Job had lived very long, and very well on earth, ſo he knew there was a better life to be had in heaven; and therefore was full of days, both as having had many, and as having no deſire after more on earth. As he was not (which David deprecated, Pſal. 102.24.) taken away in the midſt of his days; ſo he was willing to come to the end of his days; and for that reaſon, might well be ſaid to dye, being old and full of days.

Secondly, Theſe words, ſo Job died, being old and full of days, may note as his willingneſs to dye, ſo the eaſineſs of his death; he was come to a full ripeneſs for death. Fruit that is fully ripe is ſoon gathered, and ſometimes drops off alone from the tree. Job was every way ripe for death; his body was ripe, he was full of days; his ſoul was ripe, he was full of grace: ſurely then his was a ſpontaneous death, a very ſweet way of dying. His natural ſtrength was not much (being old) to make reſiſtance againſt death; and his ſpiritual ſtrength was ſo much, that it cauſed him to make no reſiſtance againſt it, or rather at once joyfully to embrace and overcome it.

Thirdly, Theſe words, ſo Job dyed being full of days, may have this ſpiritual meaning; His days were full. He did not live empty days, or void, blank days; but as he was full of days, ſo his days were full, full of good works and holy duties. That mans days are empty, though he be full of days, or how many days ſoever he hath lived, who hath lived in vanity, and done little good with his life. But we have reaſon to ſay, Job dyed full of days, becauſe his days were full of good done, as well as of good received; he had not a long being only, but a long life in the world, living to good, yea, his beſt in duty both to God and man. Thus Job dyed being old, and full of days. From this latter part of the verſe,

p. 1030Obſerve; Firſt, When a godly man dyeth, he is ſatisfied with the time he hath lived, he hath his fill of days, he craves no more.

Though no length of this life can ſatisfie him, yet he is ſatiſfied with the length of his life. A godly man in ſome caſes may crave a little more time; He may ſay, as (Pſal. 102.24.) O take me not away in the midſt of my days, and (as elſewhere) O ſpare me a little, that I may recover my ſtrength, before I go hence, and be no more (Pſal. 39.13.) Yet this is a truth ſpecially as to good old men (living as Job had done) when they dye, they have had their fill of living. A Heathen ſaid, and he ſpake it after a heatheniſh manner;Si mihi quis Deus largiatur ut ex hac aetate repueraſcam, & in cunis vagiam valdè recuſem. Cato. If any God would give me the priviledg to be young again, and to cry in a Craile, I would not thank him for it, I have had living enough. If a vertuous Heathen hath ſaid ſo by the light of reaſon and morality; then, doubtleſs, a godly Chriſtian may much more ſay ſo through the power of faith and grace. It cannot be ſaid of all men who dye (as Job did) being old, that they in this notion dyed (as Job did) full of days: For as ſome godly young men have been fully ſatisfied with a few days, and have ſaid they have lived as long as they deſired, and could ſay with Paul, We deſire to be deſolved, and to be with Chriſt, which is far better (Phil. 1.23.) Yet ſome old men are very much unſatisfied with their many days; ſome old men would be young again: This argues they have made but little improvement of their days, or that they have got little, if any thing, of that all their days, which ſhould be the ſtudy of every day, an intereſt in the death of Chriſt, and ſo a readineſs for a better life. For an old man to wiſh himſelf young again, is like one who with great labour hath clamber'd up a ſteep hill, and wiſheth he were at the foot or bottome of it again; 'tis as if a man, who (having been long toſt in a ſtorm, between rocks and ſands) is got near a ſafe harbour, ſhould wiſh himſelf out at ſea again. They have not a true taſt, much leſs, a lively hope of that life which is to come, who would return to this upon ſuch hazardous and uneaſie terms?

p. 1031Secondly, As theſe words note a readineſs or a willingneſs to dye,

Obſerve; A good man is willing to leave this world.

He is not thruſt nor forced out of it, but departs; he is not pluck't off, but falls off like ripe fruit from the tree; His ſoul is not required of him (as 'tis ſaid of the rich man, Luke 12.20.foreign.) but given up, and reſigned by him; he is not taken, but goes out of the world. It is ſaid indeed (Pſal. 57.1.) Merciful men are taken away (by Gods commiſſion given to death) from the evil to come; but they are not taken away from (as being unwilling to part with, and leave) any preſent good. A gracious man hath uſually a readineſs to dye, in a twofold notion. Firſt, As readineſs ſignifies preparedneſs; Secondly, As readineſs ſignifies a willingneſs to dye: And always the firſt readineſs promotes the ſecond. The more prepared any one is to dye, the more willing he is to dye. That man can ſay, Lord, now let thy ſervant depart in peace, whoſe eye of faith hath ſeen his ſalvation. We (ſaith the Apoſtle, ſpeaking of believers, 2 Cor. 5.8.) are willing to be abſent from the body, that is, to dye. And the word there uſed ſignifies not only the freeſt choice, but (if I may ſo ſpeak) the good will or good pleaſure of mans will, as it often ſignifies God's. As a godly man hath a peculiar way of living, ſo of dying; and the reaſon of both, is, becauſe he ſees bleſſed eternity beyond time, and himſelf, by a well-grounded (that is, a Scriptural) hope, a partaker of the bleſſedneſs of it.

Thirdly, Note; They dye full of days, who fill their days, or whoſe days are full.

That is, who fill their days with or whoſe days are full of the fruits of righteouſneſs, of faith and repentance, of love and charitableneſs. Stephen (Acts 6.8.) was full of faith and power. They dye full of days in old age, who, as it is ſaid (Pſal. 92.14.) bring forth (ſuch) fruit in their old age; Nulla dies ſinelinea. Apelles. Diem perdidi. Veſpatian.who dye as Dorcas (Acts 9.36.) full of good works, and almeſ-deeds which they have done. It was ſaid of a famous Painter, No day past him without drawing a line. A Romane Emperour ſaid, I have loſt a day, when p. 1032he did no good that day. We may well reckon thoſe days loſt in which we do no good, in which we draw not ſome white line, ſome golden line of grace and holineſs. Then what account will their days come to, who paſs not a day, but they draw black lines, filthy lines of ſin and wickedneſs, or whoſe days are all blotted with the worſt abominations of the day they live in? If thoſe days are empty and loſt, wherein we do no good, and are not made better; what then becomes of their days, and where will they be found, but in the Devils Almanack, who do nothing but evil, and daily become worſe and worſe? So then, they only dye full of days, who live doing the will of God, and denying their own; who live mortifying corruptions, and reſiſting temptations; who live exerciſing their graces, and anſwering their duties to God and man: This, this is to live our days, and to dye full of days.

Again, as their days are full, who are full of grace in themſelves, and of good works towards men; ſo are theirs who are full of the mercies and bleſſings of God, eſpecially, theirs, whoſe days are full of ſoul mercies and bleſſings, whoſe hearts are full of peace with God, full of joy in God, full of aſſurance of the glory of God. They whoſe days are filled with theſe divine enjoyments, dye full of days, how few days ſoever they have lived in this world: They who live thus, live many days in one day; they who live thus, have the taſt and firſt fruits of eternity every day; and therefore cannot but be ſatisfied with their days, be they many or be they few.

He that dwelleth in the ſecret place of the most high (Pſal. 91.1.) that is, who truſteth fully in God for ſafety by Chriſt in this world, and for ſalvation in the next, ſtands under the ſhadow and ſweet influences of many promiſes, mentioned in that Pſalm for the preſervation and prolongation of his life, in the midſt of a thouſand deaths and dangers; all which are ſummed up in that promiſe given at the 16^th or laſt verſe of the Pſalm, With long life will I ſatisfie him, and ſhew him my ſalvation. The Hebrew is, with length of days will I ſatisfie him: Which as it is true, and firſtly intended in that Pſalm, of a long life here, and hath in that ſenſe been often fulfilled …o thoſe who truſt in God fully: God gives to ſuch not only a preſent eſcape from death in a time of Peſtilence, but gives them long life, or their fill of living afterwards p. 1033even in this world; yet that which doth chiefly ſatisfie them, is, that long life, of which the longeſt life in this world is but a ſhadow, and to which it is a very nothing. What is this long life? Surely, not a life of an hundred and forty years long, as Job's was. Job was ſo ſatisfied with the length of his life, that he was willing to the (as hath been ſhewed) but Job was not ſo ſatisfied with it, as to take that for his long life. Every man would be ſatisfied; but what doth ſatisfie a godly man? what doth he hunger after for ſatisfaction? Is it after honours? No; Is it after riches? No; Is it after pleaſures? No; Is it after many dayes here? No; What is it then? Nothing can ſatisfie the hunger of a gracious ſoul, but life after this life, the long and bleſed life of eternity; and that is chiefly intended him in that promiſe, With long life will I ſatisfie him, and ſhew him my ſalvation. No length of life can ſatisfie us, but as in it we have the fore-ſights and fore-taſts of everlaſting life, or of that long life, which is eternal ſalvation: With this Job was ſatisfied, with this the old Patriarchs were ſatisfied. It is ſaid of Abraham (Gen. 25.8.) He died in a good old age, an old man and full (of years). O… Iſaac alſo it is ſaid (Gen. 35.28, 29.) He died, being old and full of dayes: both had their fill of time; but that which filled them both, and that which only can fill any, whoſe lives are yet meaſured by time, is the hope of a bleſſed eternity.

I ſhall cloſe the Point with an anſwer to this queſtion; why no more is ſaid of Job, but, That he died being old and full of dayes, whereas in both thoſe places laſt named, concerning Abraham and Iſaac, it is not only ſaid, that they died being old and full of days, but this is added, And were gathered to their people. Abraham died, and was gathered to his people: Iſaac dyed, and was gathered to his people: Why is it not alſo ſaid of Job, ſo good a man, dying full of dayes, and fuller of graces, that he was gathered to his people?

I anſwer, Abraham and Iſaac lived and died among a people, who were (as themſelves were) in Covenant with God; whereas Job lived among the Idumeans, ſome affirming him to be of the poſterity of Eſau, others, of Abraham, by his ſecond wife Keturah: Now all the ſons which Abraham had by her, he ſent away from Iſaac his ſon (while he yet lived) Eaſtward into the Eaſt Country (Gen. 25.6.) So that it being doubtful (at leaſt) whether the people, among whom Job lived, were a godly people or p. 1034no, and that they were not, being more probable (as was ſhewed, if not concluded, in opening the firſt verſe of the firſt Chapter; for this reaſon I ſay) we may ſuppoſe (for the Scripture determines nothing in this matter) that when the death of Job was ſpoken of, nothing was ſpoken of his being gathered to his people. So Job died being old and full of dayes.

This is that Job, who was,

Firſt, A ſorrowful man, yea, even a man of ſorrows (for a time among men) as ſome expound his name.

Secondly, A man hated (by Satan at all times) as others expound his name.

Thirdly, A man highly approved and loved of God, as appears by the teſtimony which he gave of him, both firſt and laſt.

This is that Job, who was,

Firſt, Famous for the afflictions with which God exerciſed and tryed him to the utmoſt.

Secondly, More famous for his patience and conſtancy under thoſe afflictions and tryals.

Thirdly, Moſt famous for his wonderful deliverance out of thoſe afflictions and tryals.

This is that Job, who was,

Firſt, Famous for his riches and proſperity.

Secondly, More famous for his vertues and integrity.

Thirdly, Moſt famous for his victory over Satan in his deepeſt adverſity.

This is that Job, who was,

Firſt, Reviled by his Wife.

Secondly, Reproached by his Friends.

Thirdly, Deſerted by his neareſt Relations, in the day of his greateſt need.

This is that Job, who was,

Firſt, Unjuſtly accuſed of, charged with, cenſured for, the worſt of iniquities.

Secondly, Who ſtoutly maintained his own innocency againſt all thoſe cenſures and charges.

Thirdly, Who was clearly acquitted from them all, by the teſtimony of his own conſcience alwayes, and by the teſtimony of God himſelf in the end.

This is that Job, who was,

p. 1035Firſt, Greatly diſtreſſed by the malice of the devil, through the permiſsion of God.

Secondly, Mightily ſupported againſt the malice of the devil, by the power of God, in all his diſtreſſes.

Thirdly, Fully reſolved to truſt in God with all his heart, though he died under his hand, in never ſo great diſtreſs.

This is that Job, who,

Firſt, In the greatneſs of his pain, expoſtulated ſometimes with God over-boldly; yet,

Secondly, At the laſt ſubmitted and humbled himſelf at the foot of God meekly.

Thirdly, Was honoured as a Mediator for his miſtaken friends, and accepted in it by God graciouſly.

Once more, This is that Job, who,

Firſt, After his reſtoring, was filled with the bleſsings of this life.

Secondly, Lived long, even to fulneſs of dayes, in the full enjoyment of thoſe bleſsings.

Thirdly, Died peaceably, and paſſed ſweetly into the enjoyment of a better, of a longer, even an eternal life.

Thus I am come to the end of Job, and to the end of the Book of Job; yet before I end let me leave theſe five words, as ſo many Uſes of the whole Book of Job.

Firſt, While you live in this world, live in the expectation of, and preparation for changes: Job met with them, and who may not?

Secondly, Be patient under all the troubleſom changes which you meet with in this world: Job is your pattern.

Thirdly, Never meaſure the heart of God towards you, by his hand upon you; judge not of your ſpiritual eſtate, by what appears in your temporal. That was the grand miſtake of Jobs friends, and it was his honour to withſtand them in it, and to ſtand faſt to his integrity, in the loweſt fall of his eſtate in this world.

Fourthly, What-ever God doth to you, or with you, ſubmit freely to him: So did Job at firſt.

Fifthly, and laſtly, How low ſoever you are brought, yet hope for a good iſſue, poſsibly, in this life, aſſuredly in that life which is to come. Job found both at laſt.

To cloſe all, There are examples of two ſorts recorded in the p. 1036holy Scriptures. Firſt, for caution, To the intent we ſhould not luſt after evil things, as they alſo luſted. Secondly, for imitation, To the intent we ſhould do good things, which they al…o did; and ſuffer evil things, with the ſame mind, and in the ſame manner, as they likewiſe ſuffered. Holy Job may be to us an example of caution in ſome things, for even he had (and who hath not) his failings: He al…o may be an example in many things, how both to do good, and ſuffer evil. And among all imitable examples (except that of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, of whom in ſome reſpects, Job may be called a type, and the things which hap'ned to him in his ſufferings, may be called (as the Apoſtle uſeth the word in another caſe, 1 Cor. 10.11.) types of what hap'ned to Chriſt in his; I ſay, among all imitable examples, except his) this of Job is one of the moſt emi…nt in doing, & the moſt eminent of all in ſuffering. Let him therefore be our pattern to do and ſuffer by, our copy in both to write by, our mirror or looking-glaſs to obſerve the diſcompoſures, and compoſe the features and motions, both of our outward and inward man by; let us admire and follow his unſpotted integrity in morals, his ſervent zeal about ſpirituals, his unſhaken faith, and hope for eternals; let us admire and follow his moderation in a high eſtate, his contentation in a low eſtate, his ſtedfaſtneſs with, and for God, in every eſtate.

He that ſtayeth in the bare ſpeculation of what is written by inſpiration from God in the Text, or of what is written through the help of God, by the ſtudy of man in the Expoſition of this Book, is like unto a man, beholding his natural face in a glaſs ('tis the Apoſtle James his compariſon, in the firſt Chapter of his Epiſtle to the ſcattered Tribes) for he beholdeth himſelf, and goeth his way, and ſtraightway forgetteth what manner of man he was, that is, he forgets his own ſpots & defects, and ſuffers them to encreaſe to more ungodlineſs: But he that reduceth or brings down his ſpeculation to action at all times, and to a preparation for ſuffering, and free ſ…bmiſsion to the will of God, without any hard thoughts of God, in hard times, and ſo conforming himſelf to what he ſeeth in this glaſs, continueth in it; this man ſhall be bleſſed (as Job was, though not in the ſame manner as Job was) both in doing and ſuffering; and after he hath ſuffered a while, ſhall be perfected and lifted up far above the reach of ſuffering, and (which is far better) above the fear of ſinning any more for ever.

FINIS.