Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Job · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Verſ. 1. MY ſoul is weary of my life, &c.] Iob having ſaid in the latter end of the foregoing chapter, that God was of ſuch terrible majeſty and might, that he durſt not plead his cauſe with him, as he would doe with a man as himſelf; here now as it were correcting or recalling what he had ſaid, he profeſſeth that yet his miſeries were ſo great and inſufferable, that he could not forbear breaking forth into complaints and expoſtulations, My ſoul is weary of my life, I will leave my complaint upon my ſelf, &c. Some read the firſt clauſe thus, as we ſee in the margin, My ſoul is cut off while I live, as if he had ſaid, though as yet I live, yet I am in a manner no better then a dead man, and that either becauſe he was in ſuch a ſad condition, that he was more like a dead ſtinking carcaſe then a living man, the life that he lived was not worthy the name of life, or becauſe he was irrecoverably gone, as we uſe to ſay, ready immediately to tumble into the grave, there was but a ſtep betwixt him and death; or elſe thus, my ſoul is in a manner cut off in the midſt of my daies, I was likely enough to have lived many a fair day, but on a ſudden my life is cut off and my daies are ſhortned. But reading this clauſe as it is in our Bibles, My ſoul is weary of my life, either it is an Hebraiſme wherein the ſoul is put for the whole man, my ſoul is weary, that is, I am weary of my life, and it may be meant generally that he was weary of living, or that he was weary of that miſerable life he lived; or elſe it is expreſſed thus by way of emphaſis, My very ſoul, that is the cauſe I live, is weary of my life, I do even from my ſoul loath and abhorre life, and would be glad I were dead. And this he laies down as the ground of his following complaints, to wit, becauſe in ſuch bitterneſſe of ſorrows he was not able to forbear, and withall haply to intimate his hope, that God would the rather bear with him, becauſe by ſo great miſeries he was as it were conſtrained to ſay what he ſaid; or elſe to imply that hereby he was encouraged to give way to his paſſion, becauſe if he ſhould looſe his life for ſpeaking, he ſhould but looſe that he was weary of: and thereupon he adds, I will leave my complaint upon my ſelf, I will ſpeak in the bitterneſſe of my ſoul; where by leaving his complaint upon himſelf, is meant either that he would leave complaining of himſelf, ſince he ſaw that by accuſing and condemning himſelf, he got no eaſe at all, and would now plead his cauſe with God; or elſe that though he ſuffered his ſoul to break forth into complaints, yet his complaints ſhould not reſt upon God but upon himſelf, he would only declare the miſery, of his condition without uttering a word that ſhould tend to the reproach of God, that had laid theſe ſore calamities upon him; or elſe rather that he would abundantly pour out his complaints concerning his ſad and dolefull condition whatever came of it, I will leave my complaint upon my ſelf, &c. as if he ſhould have ſaid, I will give way to my complaints to break forth, they ſtrive for a vent, and I will no longer reſtrain them; if any evil comes of it, at my perill be it, I muſt undergoe it though I have been hitherto afraid to ſpeak, yet now I am reſolved to give the reins to my imbittered ſpirit, I will make a full complaint of my ſufferings, and there at all adventures will leave it upon my ſelf, that God may conſider of it; and let him doe with me as ſhall ſeem good unto him. And ſo theſe words are indeed to the ſame purpoſe with what he had ſaid before, chap. 7.11. I will not refrain my mouth, I will ſpeak in the anguish of my ſpirit, &c. of which ſee the Note there.
Verſ. 2. I will ſay unto God, do not condemn me, &c.] Many Expoſitours conceive, that before Iob comes to plead with God, and to pour out his complaints before him, as he had reſolved he would doe, he doth here deprecate the indignation of the Lord therein, Do not condemne me, that is, though I take a little freedome to plead my cauſe before thee, do not blame me, be not offended with me for it, yea though any thing ſhould ſlip from me raſhly or inconſiderately, charge it not upon me; which is much as Abraham ſpake when he pleaded with God, Gen. 18.30. Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will ſpeak. But the moſt of Expoſitours do I conceive better underſtand this to be the effect of theſe words, to wit, that either God would withdraw his hand from puniſhing him ſo ſeverely as he had done, or elſe that he would ſhew him, why it was that he contended with him. Do not condemne me, that is, deal not with me thus as a wicked wretch, whom thou haſt condemned to be caſt off and deſtroyed; By the judgements thou haſt laid upon me, thou doſt in a manner proclaim me to be ſuch a one, and ſo all men are ready to judge, and therefore either acquit me from this cenſure by withdrawing the ſtroke of thine hand, or elſe shew me wherefore thou contendeſt with me. Queſtionleſſe Iob was not ignorant, that by ſin he had deſerved to be condemned and ſeverely puniſhed, but he argues with God here as in relation to the Covenant of grace, which God had made with our firſt parents after the fall, wherein God was pleaſed to promiſe pardon of ſins, and all other bleſſings to thoſe that by faith embracing the promiſed ſeed ſhould thereupon fear him, and endeavour to walk holily and righteouſly before him all their daies; Now becauſe Iob was not conſcious to himſelf, but that he had thus as one in Covenant with God, ſincerely given himſelf to ſerve and fear him, therefore he deſires that he would not condemne him and caſt him off, but that he would ſhew him what it was he aimed at in afflicting him ſo, or what it was in him wherewith he had been provoked to deal ſo ſeverely with him, that ſo he might amend what was amiſſe, and not provoke him any longer.
Verſ. 3. Is it good unto thee, that thou shouldest oppreſſe? &c.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, that is farre from thee, thou art not wont to doe ſo: and there are three particulars which he mentions, that he would imply are not with any reaſon to be conceived of God. 1. That he ſhould oppreſſe him. 2. That he ſhould deſpiſe the work of his own hands, and 3. That he ſhould shine upon the counſell of the wicked. By oppreſſing him is meant a cauſeleſſe laying ſo many judgements upon him, both in his eſtate, children and perſon; by deſpiſing the work of his own hands is meant the deſtroying of his creature as a worthleſſe deſpicable thing, without ſo much as vouchſafing firſt to try, convince and condemn him; and by ſhining upon the counſell of the ungodly is meant favouring and proſpering their counſells and endeavours; Now none of theſe, Iob would have us know, can be charged upon God: for this phraſe, Is it good unto thee that thou shouldeſt oppreſſe? that thou shouldeſt deſpiſe the work of thine hands? &c. doth imply either that it cannot be juſt and right in the eyes of God, who is infinitely juſt and good, and hates all oppreſſion in others, to deal thus with his poor creature; or elſe that it could be neither pleaſure, nor profit, nor honour to the Almighty to deal ſo with man, and that therefore however ſinfull men ſitting in ſeats of juſtice, may out of by-reſpects to ſome advantage that is like to redound to themſelves, or merely to pleaſe themſelves, oppreſſe the innocent and favour the wicked, yet no ſuch advantages can move God unjuſtly to oppreſſe or deſtroy his creature. Beſides becauſe he is the work of his own hands, he cannot make ſo little account of him, as to deſtroy him without cauſe. Every workman loves the work which himſelf hath made; a potter when he hath made a veſſell of clay, will not without any cauſe take it and daſh it againſt a wall; and much leſſe then can we think that God, whoſe tender mercies are over all his works, Pſal. 145.9. will cauſeleſſely deſtroy his own creature, whatever he may doe by his ſovereign power: As for that laſt clauſe, or that thou shouldeſt shine upon the counſell of the wicked, though divers Expoſitours underſtand it to be ſpoken as in relation to Iobs friends, namely that God by laying ſuch heavy judgements upon Iob, might ſeem to favour and make good their judging him to be an hypocrite, yet in regard I can hardly think that becauſe theſe his friends did raſhly and unjuſtly cenſure him to be a wicked hypocrite, therefore he would runne into the ſame ſin of judging them to be wicked men, I ſhould rather conceive that Iob ſpake this generally, of Gods favouring wicked men without reſpect to any particulars, or that he might have reſpect, if to any, to thoſe Sabeans and Chaldeans, who had unjuſtly ſurpriſed his eſtate, and went away tryumphing in their good ſucceſſe; though God may proſper wicked men, yet he never favours them or their wicked deſigns.
Verſ. 4. Haſt thou eyes of flesh? or ſeeſt thou as man ſeeth?] As if he had ſaid, thou ſeeſt into the ſecrets of mens hearts, and doſt not behold only that which appears outwardly as man doth, yea thou knoweſt all things perfectly. And this Iob adds either to ſhew, that therefore God could not deal with him as he did, out of ignorance; though his friends not knowing his heart, condemned him for an hypocrite, yet God the ſearcher of all hearts could not be ſo deceived: or elſe to intimate that God therefore needed not by laying ſuch ſore afflictions upon him, to endeavour to make a diſcovery of what he was or what he had done, as earthly judges are ſometimes forced by tortures to ſearch into the ſecret offences of thoſe that are to be tryed before them. I know that ſome Expoſitours do give other interpretations of theſe words; as that God is not wont for ever to look with a fierce and revengefull eye upon thoſe that have ſinned againſt him, as men uſe to doe, as it is ſaid of Saul, 1 Sam. 18.9. Saul eyed David from that day and forward, or, that God looks not upon men with partiall eyes when he judgeth them, as men doe that are blinded with gifts, and corrupt affections, whether anger or love, and taken with the outward ſplendour of men, and ſo deſpiſe the poor and favour only the great and mighty, which agrees with that expreſſion the prophet uſeth concerning Chriſt, Eſa. 11.3. He shall not judge after the ſight of his eyes, &c. or, that God judgeth not men by their actions only, which is the only way of mans judging, but by that which he ſees in the men; he judgeth them by that which they alwaies are, and not by that which they ſometimes act. But the firſt expoſition is farre moſt agreeable to the drift of Iobs ſpeech.
Verſ. 5. Are thy daies as the daies of man? &c.] That is, they are not as the daies of man; and this may be underſtood generally, to wit, that God is not ſubject to any ſuch infirmities as man is. But becauſe of thoſe following words, Are thy years as mans daies, that thou inquireſt after mine iniquity, and ſearcheſt after my ſin? it may more particularly be meant either 1. Of the immutability of God, that he is not as man changeable and inconſtant, to day a friend, to morrow an enemy; and therefore it could not but ſeem ſtrange to him, that after ſo many clear manifeſtations of his love to him, all ſhould be now turned into ſuch extremity of indignation againſt him; or 2. Of the eternity of God, that he is not ſhort-lived as mortall man is, that hereupon he ſhould deal with him in ſo great ſeverity, heaping upon him ſuch a multitude of miſeries, leaſt he ſhould not have time to ſearch out his ſins, or to puniſh him for them when he had found them out; in reference whereto ſome obſerve, that only daies are here aſcribed to frail man, but years to the immortall ever-living God; or 3. Of the omniſcience of God, and that in relation alſo to his eternity, namely that whereas man gains knowledge by degrees in continuance of time, God is eternall, his life conſiſts not in a ſucceſſion of daies and years, and ſo he knows all things paſt, preſent and to come in the indiviſible moment of his eternity, and therefore there was no need that by long continuing tortures and enquiries he ſhould thus labour to ſearch out his iniquity and ſin.
Verſ. 7. Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked, &c.] Having in the foregoing verſes reckoned up many particulars which could not be conceived of God; as that he ſhould oppreſſe or deſpiſe the work of his own hands, &c. here now Iob applyes theſe things to himſelf, and ſhews how ſtrange Gods dealing with him was in theſe regards, thereby alſo to imply his deſire that God would remove theſe ſore calamities from him, and not deal otherwiſe with him, then he dealt with any of his ſervants beſides. Accordingly therefore for the words of this verſe, Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked, and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand, Some conceive they are added in reference to the words in the two foregoing verſes, and that to proove that God needed not to goe on in ſuch a way of ſearching out his ſins, as men are wont to doe, to wit, by long continuing tortures, and that 1. Becauſe he knew his heart, and therefore could not be ignorant of his integrity, Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked, that is, of thy ſelf without any ſearch or enquiry thou knoweſt that my heart is upright, and that I am not a wicked man; and 2. Becauſe there was no poſſibility that he ſhould eſcape out of his hand; None can deliver out of thine hand, as if he ſhould have ſaid, malefactours are wont to be ſhut up faſt in priſon, to be ſhackled and bound in fetters and chains, leſt they ſhould eſcape the judgement that is to be executed upon them; yea and ſometimes judges proceed with the greater rigour to bring thoſe they have in their hands to confeſſe the evil they ſuſpect they have done, as fearing leſt they ſhould by ſome higher power be fetched out of their hands, before they have gotten that out of them which they deſire to know; But now, Lord, there is no cauſe why thou ſhouldeſt thus ſhackle and coop up me, as thou ſeemeſt to doe, to be ſure to make me forth-coming, ſince there is no poſſibility that any man ſhould eſcape out of thy hand, either by flight or reſcue. But now again others doe, and I think better, referre theſe words to that which Iob had ſaid before, verſ. 3. Is it good unto thee that thou shouldeſt oppreſſe? and accordingly conceive that they are added to ſhew, that ſince it was no way likely that God would cauſeleſſely oppreſſe a poor wretch that was not able to withſtand him, how ſtrange therefore it muſt needs ſeem to him, that God ſhould ſo cruſh him as he had done, both becauſe he durſt ſay that God knew that he was not wicked, though he could not juſtifie himſelf as free from ſin, as himſelf had formerly confeſſed, chap. 9.20. yet he durſt ſay that God knew that his heart was upright, Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked (and it was indeed a very notable evidence of a clear conſcience, that the hand of God being ſo heavy upon him, and his friends charging him ſo expreſſely with hypocriſie, he ſhould notwithſtanding thus courageouſly appeal to Gods knowledge of him that he was not wicked) and alſo becauſe he was by no means able to ſave himſelf from Gods unreſiſtable power, none can deliver out of thine hand; when humane powers oppreſſe, there is one above them that can deliver the oppreſſed, as Solomon ſaith, Eccleſ. 5.8. He that is higher then the higheſt regardeth, and there be higher then they; But now none can deliver out of Gods hand, and therefore the innocent and righteous would be in an ill condition, if he ſhould oppreſſe them. And this is the argument whereby Iob doth here covertly plead with God to remove his hand from him.
Verſ. 8. Thine hands have made me and fashioned me round about, &c.] That is, in every part all my body over; yea every member of my body and every faculty of my ſoul; the meaning is, that he was wholly the work of Gods own hands, that there was not the leaſt piece of him from head to foot, within or without, not ſo much as the nailes upon his fingers and toes, which the Lord had not wrought and faſhioned with all poſſible diligence, care, and skill; and in the words there may ſeem to be an alluſion to a carefull and cunning workman, that uſeth when he hath made any choice piece, to turn it this way and that, & to look round about to ſee if there be any thing that is defective, or that may be made more curious and exact then as yet it is. Now for the connection of theſe words with that which went before; Some conceive, that Iob here prooves what he had ſaid in the foregoing verſe, to wit, that God knew that he was not wicked, and that none could deliver out of his hands, namely, becauſe God made him, and he muſt needs know man that made man, neither was it poſſible that the work ſhould deliver it ſelf out of the hand of him that formed it; and indeed that God muſt needs know man perfectly is prooved by the ſame argument, Pſal. 94.9. Vnderſtand ye bruitish.— He that planted the ear shall not he hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not ſee? But I rather conceive that Iob adds this alſo in reference to what he had ſaid before, Is it good unto thee that thou shouldeſt deſpiſe the work of thine hands? intimating how ſtrange it ſeemed to him that God ſhould deſpiſe his own workmanſhip, eſpecially a piece of ſuch excellency as man was; and that yet he could not judge otherwiſe but that thus it was with him: for God had made him, and yet, ſaith he, thou doeſt deſtroy me, as if thou madeſt no reckoning of me: oh how wonderfull are thy judgements, and thy waies paſt finding out! Indeed becauſe there is no wonder at all in it, that God ſhould deſtroy wicked men, though they were the work of his hands (concerning the old world the Lord ſaid, I will deſtroy man, whom I have created, Gen. 6.7. and concerning the rebellious Iews by the prophet, Eſa. 27.11. He that made them will have no mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no favour) therefore ſome Expoſitours conceive, that thoſe words Thine hands have made me and fashioned me are meant, not only of Gods firſt forming him in his conception, but alſo of the work of Regeneration, when the Lord by the ſpirit of Grace, did renew his image in him, and made him a new creature, this being that which ſeemed ſo ſtrange to Iob, that being ſuch a one, yet God ſhould deſtroy him. But methinks it is evident, that the words do intend only the faſhioning and framing of Iob in his firſt conception; yet indeed that which Iob mentions as the matter of his wonder, is not ſo much that he ſhould deſtroy the work of his own hands, as that he ſhould doe it cauſeleſſely (for ſo Iob conceived it was with him) as if he minded not his own handy-work, as is noted before, verſ. 3. And beſides this complaint may imply a deprecation, Thou ſeemeſt reſolved to deſtroy me, but doe not, conſider that I am the work of thine own hands, as it follows in the next verſ. Remember I beſeech thee that thou haſt made me, &c.
Verſ. 9. Thou haſt made me as the clay, and wilt thou bring me into duſt again?] Here Iob proceeds to deſire God to be favourable to him from the foregoing conſideration, that he was the work of his own hands, which he farther enlargeth in the following verſes. In the firſt words, Thou hast made me as the clay, ſome hold that he hath reſpect to the creation of our firſt father Adam, in whom we were all made of earth, of the duſt of the ground, Gen. 2.7. or elſe to his conception in the womb of his mother, where the firſt materialls whereof he was made were ſuch, that it might well be ſaid, that he was at the firſt no better then clay; But if he had had reſpect to either of theſe, he would not have ſaid that he was made as the clay but of clay. Rather therefore the meaning is only this, that as a potter doth form and faſhion the clay which he makes into a veſſel, ſo God had wonderfully ſhaped and faſhioned him in the womb of his mother; and however ſome alſo conceive, that the drift of this is to deſire the Lord to deal more gently with him, as conſidering of what brittle principles he was made, Thou haſt made me as the clay, and wilt thou bring me into duſt again? that is, thou haſt made me as brittle as a veſſel of clay, ſo that thou needeſt not lay thine hand ſo heavy upon me, to bring me back into duſt again; yea ſince I am ſure ere long to molder into duſt again, let that ſuffice, and do not make me live that ſhort time I have to live, in ſuch extreme torment and miſery as now I doe; yet I ſhould rather judge that the chief thing he ſtill pleads is, that ſince God had ſo wonderfully made him, he would not now cauſeleſſely deſtroy the work of his own hands: for though he had many times in a paſſion wiſhed himſelf dead, yet it is no wonder at all, that when he comes to plead with God, he ſhould deſire him to ſpare his life, at leaſt that he would not with ſuch fury and indignation grind and beat him to duſt, as by his preſent proceedings with him, he ſeemed reſolved to doe.
Verſ. 10. Haſt thou not poured me out as milk, and crudled me as cheeſe?] Thus he modeſtly expreſſeth how wonderfully he was by the mighty power of God conceived in the womb of the ſeed of his parents, which being firſt poured forth as milk, (whereto in colour it is not unlike) afterwards was congealed and crudled together like cheeſe, and ſo became an imperfect embryo. And hereby Iob ſeeks to ſet forth what a rare and choice piece man is, eſpecially conſidering of what vild and ſordid principles he is made. We wonder not much to ſee a cheeſe made of crudled milk; but that a living man bearing the image of God, and ſo artificially and curiouſly framed and joyned together in every part, ſhould be made of ſuch baſe materialls, this is exceeding wonderfull; and the more it heightened the worth of Gods workmanſhip in the forming of man, the ſtranger it ſeemed to Iob, that God ſhould deſpiſe ſuch a precious piece of his own handywork.
Verſ. 11. Thou haſt clothed me with skin and flesh; &c.] He tearms his skin and fleſh a clothing, either in reference to his ſoul, which is the chief of man, and to which the body is as it were a garment, which it wears during its abode here in this world, and then at the hour of death puts it off, and laies it by for a time, whence is that of the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 5.4. where thoſe that die are ſaid to be unclothed; or elſe rather in reference to the inward, and more noble and tender vitall parts, the heart, liver, brains, and bowells, which are clothed and covered with fleſh and skin, eſpecially the vitall parts; which are therefore alſo ſaid to be fenced with bones and ſinews, as alluding to the fence of the ribs, and the orderly juncture of other bones and ſinews, whereby the inward, eſpecially the vitall parts, are kept ſafe and preſerved. However Iob ſtill proceeds to ſhew how wonderfully he was formed in his mothers womb, when the ſame liquid ſubſtance, which a while was but as crudled milk, became ſeverally in ſome part skin and fleſh, and elſewhere bones and ſinews; all which tends ſtill to ſet forth how ſtrange it was to him, that God ſhould cauſeleſſely deſtroy what he had made with ſo many miracles of wiſedome and skill.
Verſ. 12. Thou haſt granted me life and favour, &c.] That is, ſay ſome Expoſitours, of thy free grace and favour thou haſt granted me life. But rather by life and favour two diſtinct mercies are meant, to wit, that God did not only adde a living ſoul to the body, which was ſo wonderfully and curiouſly faſhioned and made, but alſo many other mercies and comforts to make life ſweet and pleaſant to him, as eſpecially reaſon and underſtanding, wherein man excells all other living creatures, together with thoſe excellent gifts of wit, judgement, memory, ability to ſpeak and diſcourſe, and the like; and then alſo beauty, which is moſt properly called favour, health, and ſtrength, and liberty, good education and inſtruction in all kind of knowledge, both humane and divine; yea under this word favour may be comprehended all other requiſite accomodations for his life and well being, as food and raiment, &c. And then to this he addes too Gods carefull preſerving of him, and thy viſitation hath preſerved my ſpirit,, that is, thy providence hath continually watched over me, and ſecured my life in many dangers; and indeed conſidering how ſtrange it is, that the child ſhould live in the ſtreights of the mothers womb, and what dangers it paſſeth through, both in the birth and afterwards, well might Iob admire the ſollicitous and conſtant providence of God, in ſuſtaining and preſerving him alive after he had made him.
Verſ. 13. And theſe things haſt thou hid in thine heart; I know that this is with thee.] Some Expoſitours referre thoſe words (theſe things) to the calamities which he now ſuffered; as if Iob had ſaid in a kind of paſſion and diſcontent, I know that all the time thou ſhewedſt thy ſelf thus favourable to me, thou hadſt a reſolution to bring all theſe miſeries upon me; even as a man that intends to be revenged on one that hath wronged him, doth yet cunningly conceal what he intends till he can get a fit opportunity to doe it: ſo thou didſt not diſcover till now what evil thou intendedſt againſt me, but even then I know it was hidden in thine heart: But this is ſomewhat too harſh to be conceived of Iob, and therefore others referre them (and I think upon better ground) to thoſe gracious diſpenſations of Gods providence towards him, whereof he had immediately before ſpoken, to wit, his wonderfull conception and preſervation, and many other favours that God had afforded him; and yet they differ in their judgement concerning the meaning of the words; for ſome think that Iob therein ſpeaks of mans inability fully to comprehend thoſe ſecrets of Gods providence, whereof he had ſpoken, And theſe things haſt thou hid in thine heart, that is, how thou haſt done theſe things no man exactly knows, that is a ſecret which lies hid in thine own heart; but that theſe things were as I have ſaid, ſo much I underſtand, and I know this is with thee. And then others conceive the meaning to be this, And theſe things haſt thou hid in thine heart; I know that this is with thee, that is, I know thou doſt remember that I am the work of thine hands, and therefore am perſwaded that thou wilt not cauſeleſſely deſtroy me, though indeed for the preſent thy dealing is ſuch with me, that thou doſt not diſcover any ſuch thing; thou knoweſt better then I how wonderfully thou haſt made me, and how tenderly thou haſt preſerved me, though now thou hideſt thy ſelf, as if thou didſt not regard the work of thine own hands: neither indeed can I comprehend how it ſhould come to paſſe, that having formerly ſhown me ſuch favour, thou ſhouldeſt now afflict me ſo ſorely. And this as it is the moſt ordinary, ſo I conceive it is the beſt expoſition of the words: they contain an aſſertion of Iobs aſſurance that God loved him, even whilſt he laid ſuch ſore afflictions upon him, and withall it may be alledged, as an argument to move God not to deſtroy him, ſince hereby he ſhould looſe all he had formerly done for him.
Verſ. 14. If I ſin, then thou markeſt me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.] Some referre this to the laſt words of the foregoing verſe; I know, ſaith Iob there, that this is with thee, and here he expreſſeth what was with him, If I ſin, then thou markeſt me, &c. Others referre it to the 12 verſe, there he had ſaid, Thou …aſt granted me life and favour, &c. But now here he adds, that though God had been ſo many waies favourable to him, yet God would not bear with him, if he did not walk uprightly, If I ſin, then thou markeſt me, &c. But more generally it is thought, that Iob here enlargeth himſelf as in relation to the laſt branch of his former expoſtulation, verſ. 3. Is it good unto thee, that thou shouldest shine upon the counſell of the wicked? for becauſe by laying ſuch ſore calamities upon him, he ſeemed to favour thoſe that condemned him for an hypocrite, or at leaſt not to be ſuch an enemy to prophane wretches as he was to him, or rather becauſe Gods ſeverity in puniſhing every ſin of his (though he were not wicked) was a clear proof, that God was farre enough from ſhining upon the counſell of the wicked, therefore he alledgeth here how ſeverely God dealt with him, If I ſin, then thou markeſt me, &c. where by (marking him) is meant either Gods keeping a watch over him to make ſure he might not eſcape puniſhment, or elſe rather Gods obſerving every ſin he committed, If I ſin, then thou markest me, &c. that is, thou takeſt notice (which is very hard) of every fault I commit, and keepeſt a ſtrict account of it, reſolved to let no ſlip of mine paſſe unpuniſhed.
Verſ. 15. If I be wicked, woe unto me, &c.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, whether I be wicked, or righteous, it is all one, I can however hope for no releaſe of my miſery; which agrees with that chap. 9.22, where he ſaith that God deſtroyeth the perfect and the wicked: for if I be wicked, woe unto me, that is, then I were in a wofull condition indeed, I have then deſerved the woe and miſery that is upon me, and it is juſt that I ſhould ſuffer what I do ſuffer, yea worſe and worſe I might well expect even unto eternity; and if I be righteous, one that ſincerely fears God, and deſires to obey his commands, yet will I not hold up my head, I dare not for that ſtand to juſtifie my ſelf, or I cannot for that chear my ſelf with any hope or comfort; and the reaſon why he ſaid thus, might be, either becauſe he knew that however righteous he was, yet many things he had done amiſſe, for which God might ſeverely and yet juſtly contend with him; or elſe becauſe the ſorrows he endured were ſo extreme, that he could not any way comfort himſelf; and thereupon he turns himſelf at laſt to God, deſiring him to take pity of him, I am full of confuſion, that is, the more I think of my eſtate, the farther and farther am I ſtill plunged in confuſion, being overwhelmed with diſtracted thoughts, not knowing what to think of my condition, nor wherewith to chear up my ſpirit, therefore ſee thou mine affliction, that is, conſider in what a ſad and miſerable condition I am, and have compaſſion on me.
Verſ. 16. Thou huntest me as a fierce lyon, &c.] Some Expoſitours conceive that it is himſelf that Iob compares to a lyon, and ſo underſtand the words thus, that as men hunt a fierce lyon that hath ranged up and down and done much miſchief, following him with all violence till they have at laſt taken him and ſlain him, ſo the Lord dealt with him: as if he had been ſome fierce proud wretch, that had been miſchievous to the place where he had lived, God had hunted him wirh variety of plagues that he might deſtroy him; much according to that which Iob had formerly ſaid, chap. 7.12. Am I a ſea or a whale that thou ſetteſt a watch over me? But others do better hold that it is the Lord whom Iob compares to a lyon, thou hunteſt me as a fierce lyon, that is, thou as a fierce lyon (before whom no beaſt can ſtand) doſt with all violence purſue me with thy judgements, and by thy unreſiſtable ſtrength doſt rend and tear me in pieces▪ which indeed agrees with thoſe expreſſions we find elſewhere concerning God, Hoſ. 5.14. I will be unto Ephraim as a lyon, and as a young lyon to the houſe of Iudah: I even I will tear and goe away, &c. and that of Hezekiah, Eſa. 38.13. as a lyon ſo will he break all my bones.
And again thou sheweſt thy ſelf marvellous upon me.] This may be underſtood thus, that as formerly God had marvellouſly bleſſed Iob, inſomuch that he was the greateſt of all the men of the Eaſt, chap. 1.3. and for piety and grace there was none like him in the earth, verſ. 8. ſo now again God did as marvellouſly puniſh him. But the moſt ordinary expoſition I conceive is the beſt, to wit, that as his ſufferings were very great and bitter, ſo they were ſucceſſively renewed again and again upon him: and this phraſe thou sheweſt thy ſelf marvellous upon me is uſed to imply, either that the plagues were wonderfull that God had laid upon him, inſomuch that he was become a ſtrange ſpectacle of miſery to all that looked upon him, and men therefore ſtood amazed to behold his condition, and Gods dealing with him was, as if God intended him for a preſident, upon whom he would ſhew what he could doe, and how many new ſtrange waies God had to torture him; or elſe that it was ſtrange and marvellous, that God who was ſo abundant in mercy and compaſſion ſhould deal with him, a man that feared God, as if it were ſome prophane wretch that he had in hand. However in thoſe laſt words, (upon me) there ſeems to be ſome emphaſis, and again thou sheweſt thy ſelf marvellous upon me, that is, upon me that am in a manner half dead already.
Verſ. 17. Thou reneweſt thy witneſſes againſt me, &c.] That is, thou doſt continually come upon me with new plagues, which are witneſſes of thy diſpleaſure, and by mine uncomfortable friends are taken as evidences, whereby thou beareſt witneſſe for them againſt me, that thou doſt eſteem me no better then an hypocrite.
Changes and warre are againſt me.] That is, changes of warre: the meaning is that many and divers miſeries and ſorrows did continually aſſail him; as in the warre ſeverall troops and companies of ſouldiers do ſucceſſively one after another renew and maintain the fight, ſo it was with him, whoſe troops of divers calamities did ſucceſſively afflict him, ſo that he was continually aſſaulted, and had ſcarce any breathing time to reſt himſelf.
Verſ. 18. O that I had given up the ghoſt, and no eye had ſeen me!] Either he wiſheth that he had died in the womb, that ſo waſting there away he had never been born, and then no eye had ſeen him, which agrees with the foregoing words, wherefore then haſt thou brought me forth out of my mothers womb? or elſe that he had died in the womb or ſo ſoon as he was born, and ſo no eye had ſeen him alive, or he ſhould have been carried preſently to his grave before there had ſcarce any notice been taken of him. And indeed it may well be, as ſome expoſitours conceive, that in that clauſe, that no eye had ſeen me, he had reſpect to that great eſteem amongſt men, which he had formerly enjoyed, and ſo his meaning might be to imply, that however in his former proſperity the eyes of men had been much upon him, and he had been much obſerved, and reſpected of all that knew him, yet conſidering the grievous miſeries he had ſince ſuffered, it had been happy for him if no eye had ever ſeen him.
Verſ. 22. A land of darkneſſe▪ without any order, and where the light is as darkneſſe.] A deſcription this is of the grave or the region of death: and it is ſaid to be without order, becauſe there are there no viciſſitudes or diſtinctions of times, perſons, &c things diſpoſed in order, which is indeed the beauty of the land of the living: no viciſſitudes of day and night, winter and ſummer, joy and ſorrow; no diſtinction of ages or degrees, the oldeſt do not go thither firſt, and then the young, the rich firſt and after them the poor; and when they are there, the bones and duſt of Princes and beggars lie confuſedly tumbled together without any difference. As for the laſt clauſe where the light is as darkneſſe, the meaning is only this, that when the Sun ſhines brighteſt elſewhere, there is nothing but pitchy darkneſſe there: or that there is nothing there but darkneſſe; if we can imagine any thing to have a ſhew of light in the grave, that very light is as darkneſſe.