Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Job · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Verſ. 1. IS there not an appointed time to man upon earth? &c.] Some read the firſt clauſe of this verſe, Is there not a warfare to man upon earth? and accordingly conceive that mans life is by Iob here compared to a warfare, both becauſe as ſouldiers are continually expoſed to variety of dangers, and all kind of hard labour and ſorrows, hunger and thirſt and heat and cold, and watching and weariſome travels &c. So is man in this life ſubject to all kind of miſeries: and likewiſe as ſouldiers are hired but for a time, and then receive their pay, and at length are diſcharged, ſo is it with men, there is a time, to wit, the hour of death, when they are diſcharged from all the miſeries of this life. But the beſt tranſlation I conceive is that in our Text, Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? for that beſt agreeth with the ſecond clauſe, are not his daies alſo like the daies of an hireling? However the meaning of the words is evident, for Iob here returns (as he had deſired his friends they might do, verſ. 29. of the former chapter) to a review of his eſtate, and undertakes to make it manifeſt to them, that it was not ſuch an heinous offence as they would make it, that he had wiſhed for death and deſired that God would cut him off, conſidering the grievous miſery that he endured; to which end in the firſt place he here wiſheth them to conſider, that there is an appointed time for man upon earth? and that his daies alſo are like the daies of an hireling, that is, as the hired ſervant is hired but for a certain time, and ſo though he endures much hard labour during the time of his ſervice; yet that time being run out, then there is an end and he takes his reſt, ſo is it with man, God hath allotted him a ſet time for his daies upon earth, which are indeed few and full of labour and ſorrow, like the daies of an hireling; but then death brings reſt, ſo from thence afterwards concluding that it was no more ſtrange that he ſhould deſire death, (eſpecially if the unuſuall miſeries that he underwent were all weighed,) then that an hireling ſhould deſire an end of his hard ſervice &c.
Verſ. 2. As a ſervant earneſtly deſireth the shadow.] That is, the night; and indeed as in all places the reſt and cool of the night is moſt welcome to the weary labourer, ſo eſpecially in thoſe hot countries where they muſt needs by day be ſcorched with the ſcalding heat of the Sun.
Verſ. 3. So am I made to poſſeſſe moneths of vanity, &c.] That is, in ſuch a ſad and weariſome condition, panting and longing after ſome eaſe and reſt, do I ſpend my daies, only it is worſe with me then it is with the ſervant and hireling: for he when he hath wrought all day, receives his wages at night, and then can lie down quietly and take his reſt; but I am in miſery whole moneths together, and when the night comes, that is as laborious and troubleſome to me as the day is, and that is all the wages and the reward I have for the miſery I undergoe, and therefore well may I deſire the ſhadow of death, as the labouring ſervant doth the ſhadow of the night, as knowing in this life reſt I ſhall find none. By moneths of vanity are meant moneths of reſtleſſe miſery, wherein he enjoyed no comfort, nothing of the good and reſt he expected but mere vanity and vexation of ſpirit, and when he ſaith he was made to poſſeſſe theſe moneths of vanity, his meaning is that theſe ſad times and ſore afflictions were certainly and unavoidably impoſed upon him, by the hand of God, and lay upon him continually without intermiſſion; in which regard he had cauſe enough to deſire he might die and be rid of theſe miſeries.
Verſ. 5. My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of duſt, &c.] This he mentioned to ſhew the ſtrangeneſſe of his miſery, and ſo why he thought the time of his life ſo tedious and irkſome, to wit, that his fleſh was clothed, that is, covered all over from head to foot as with a garment with worms and clods of duſt; where by worms are meant either lice or very worms which do ſometimes breed in the corruption that diſtils out of ſores and ulcers, when they are not conſtantly waſhed and kept clean, and by clods of duſt are meant either the very clods of duſt which whilſt he lay tumbling on the ground did cleave to his ulcerous body, or rather the very dry ſcabs of his ſores which were like clods of duſt, or the ſcurf wherewith, when he had clawed his ſcabs, his fleſh was overſpread and that his skin was broken, to wit, chapped with extreme dryneſſe, or broken with ulcers, and ſo with the filth and corrupt matter that iſſued thence very loathſome.
Verſ. 6. My daies are ſwifter then a weavers shuttle, and are ſpent without hope.] That is, my life is ſuddenly ſpent in a manner, and gone without hope of recovery. And this Iob adds to prevent an objection, which his friends had indeed harped upon, chap. 5.18, &c. to wit, that if he would repent and turn to God as he ought to doe, God would put an end to all his miſeries, and prolong his daies; No ſaith he, there is no hope of that, I may plainly ſee that my end is at hand, and why ſhould I then wiſh for any thing but the haſtening of my death, to put an end to my miſeries.
Verſ. 7. O remember that my life is wind:] Iob having as he thought cleared it ſufficiently, that a man in miſery might as well long for death and deſire it, as the hireling may deſire the night for reſt &c. eſpecially being in ſuch a condition as he was, without hope of ſeeing any other end of his miſery but only death, he turns here his ſpeech to God, and deſires him to remember that his life was but a blaſt of wind, that is, ſuddenly gone without hope of recovery (as the Pſalmiſt alſo expreſſeth it, Pſal. 78.39. he remembred that they were but flesh, a wind that paſſeth away and cometh not again.) intending thereby, that his deſire was, that ſince he was in ſuch a hopeleſſe condition, the Lord would therefore not let his hand be ſo heavy upon him, but ſuddenly cut him off, and ſo put a period to his ſorrows.
Mine eye shall no more ſee good.] That is, I ſhall certainly die, nor ſhall ever live to enjoy good day more in this world: for in the ſcripture phraſe to ſee good, is nothing elſe but to enjoy good; Ier. 17.6. He shall be like the heath in the deſert, (ſaith the Lord of him that truſteth in man) and shall not ſee when good cometh. And ſo alſo to ſee evil is to ſuffer evil, Pſal. 90.15. Make us glad according to the daies, wherein thou haſt afflicted us, and the years wherein we have ſeen evill. and to ſee death is to die, Pſal. 89.48. What man is he that liveth and shall not ſee death?
Verſ. 8. Thine eyes are upon me and I am not.] That is, I ſhall be cut off or ſhall not be found amongſt the living, as Rahell weeping for her children, refuſed to be comforted for her children becauſe they were not, Ier. 31.15. and Gen. 42.13. The youngeſt is this day with our father, and one is not. As for the firſt words of this clauſe concerning Gods eyes being upon him, there may be ſeverall expoſitions given of them. 1. That they are ſpoken to ſet forth the frailty of his life, that if God ſhould but caſt his eyes upon him to cut him off, he ſhould ſoon be deſtroyed, one glaunce of his eyes would do it. 2. That they are ſpoken as a motive to perſwade the Lord, to ſhew him mercy ſpeedily, becauſe elſe help would come too late; if God ſhould relent, and turn his eyes in mercy upon him, he ſhould not be found amongſt the living, to whom mercy could be ſhewed, and 3. That they are only ſpoken, as that which went before, to ſet forth his hopeleſſe condition, how certain it was that the miſery he lay in would at length, yea and that ere long too, make an end of him, and therefore conſequently that he had reaſon to deſire that God would not prolong his miſery, but cut him off inſtantly, for having in the former words ſaid that the time was coming when thoſe that ſaw him ſhould ſee him no more, he adds, thine eyes are upon me and I am not, that is, yea if thou ſeekeſt for me amongſt the living thou ſhalt not find me, Iob herein ſpeaking of God, as is uſuall, after the manner of men. And this I conceive to be the beſt expoſition, becauſe it agrees beſt with the drift of Iobs ſpeech, and that which went before.
Verſ. 9. So he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.] To wit, to live in this world as formerly, as Iob explains himſelf in the following verſe, He shall return no more to his houſe &c. Iob therefore doth not in theſe words ſpeak as one that knew not or believed not the reſurrection of the dead at the laſt day, but only ſhewed the impoſſibility of mans returning after he is once dead and laid in the grave, to live again in this world amongſt his friends and acquaintance as formerly.
Verſ. 10. Neither shall his place know him any more.] That is, he ſhall no more come to enjoy the place of office or dignity which formerly he enjoyed, or he ſhall be no more known in the place of his habitation amongſt his family and friends as formerly; as it is ſaid of the flouriſhing flower of the field, Pſal. 103.16. The wind paſſeth over it and it is gone, and the place thereof shall know it no more, that is, it ſhall be no more ſeen in the place where it grew.
Verſ. 11. Therefore I will not refrain my mouth, &c.] That is, ſince my grief and miſeries are ſo intolerably great, and my condition in that regard deſperate without hope of recovery, I will never forbear to ſpeak, or reſtrain my ſelf in ſpeaking, but will rather pour out my complaints freely in whatſoever my ſoul imbittered with grief ſhall ſuggeſt to me, and ſo hereby will eaſe my mind overladen with anguiſh and ſorrow whilſt I may do it, there being no hope of redreſſe or eaſe any other way for me.
Verſ. 12. Am I a ſea, or a whale, that thou ſetteſt a watch over me?] That is, am I ſuch a monſter of men, that thou muſt deal with me, as with no other man? am I ſo proud and rebellious againſt thee, or likely to break forth with ſuch fury and unreſiſtable rage upon men to hurt them, as the ſea doth ſometimes, and even to ſwallow them up as the whale ſwallows up a multitude of ſmaller fiſhes, and overturns ſhips and gallies when they come in his way, that thereupon as thou haſt ſet barres and dores to ſhut up the ſwelling waves of the ſea, ſaying, hitherto shalt thou come and no farther, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed, & as thou doſt by thy providence watch in a ſpeciall manner over the whale the king over all the children of pride (as he is called, ch. 41.34.) and haſt ſhut him up within the bounds of the great Ocean, that ſo the leſſer fiſh may the more ſafely live in other ſeas, ſo thou ſetteſt a watch over me, curbing and reſtraining me with theſe ulcers, and many other miſeries leaſt otherwiſe I ſhould break forth into rebellion againſt thee, or to the deſtruction of thoſe that live about me; or is there ſuch an overbearing might and ſtrength in me, as in the ſea or the whale, that nothing but the almighty power of God can withſtand or reſtrain me, that no leſſe then theſe many grievous and mighty afflictions can keep me within compaſſe? as if he ſhould have ſaid, ſurely it is not ſo; I have neither been ſo ſtubborn againſt God, nor ſo harmefull to men that I ſhould need to be ſo ſhackled, nor am I ſo ſtrong, but that a ſmaller matter, if there had been any ſuch danger, might have kept me in.
Verſ. 13. My couch shall eaſe my complaint:] That is, my couch ſhall eaſe my pain and ſorrows, the cauſe of my complaint, by yielding me ſome little refreſhing reſt and ſleep, and ſo conſequently ſhall allay the bitterneſſe of my complaints too.
Verſ. 14. Then thou ſcarest me with dreams, and terrifieſt me through viſions.] Dreams and viſions may be meant both of one and the ſame thing; or elſe we may thus diſtinguiſh them, that whilſt he ſlept he was ſcared with terrible and fearfull dreames, and whilſt he lay awake, with ghaſtly ſights and viſions. It is indeed moſt probable that Satan did both waies ſeek to diſturb him, that ſo he might the better drive him to deſpair; and that this it is which Iob here complains of and bemoans; and yet becauſe Satan can do nothing, but as he receives a Commiſſion from God, therefore Iob ſpeaks thus to God, Thou ſcareſt me with dreames, and terrifieſt me through viſions.
Verſ. 15. So that my ſoul chooſeth ſtrangling; and death rather then my life.] That is, hereupon it is that I had rather die, if I might have my choice, yea though it were by any kind of death, rather then to live in this miſerable condition, wherein I now live: for ſtrangling he mentions in the firſt clauſe, to ſignifie that he would preferre any violent, bitter, ſhamefull death before life; and the ſecond clauſe, death rather then my life; which is in the originall death rather then my bones, diſcovers the ground of his choice, to wit, the miſerable condition wherein he lived, being become a very Anatomy, nothing but skin and bones, or having a body that was conſumed and rotted even to the very bones, which made him chooſe any death rather then ſuch a life: and indeed conſidering that Satan deſired at firſt, that God would touch his flesh and his bones, we need not doubt but he had gone, as deep as his Commiſſion would permit him.
Verſ. 16. I would not live alway:] To wit, in this world, and in this ſad and miſerable condition, wherein I now live; my ſorrows make me loath life, ſo that if I might live alwaies and never die, I ſhould rather chooſe to die, then to live under ſuch a burden of affliction as now I endure.
Let me alone for my daies are vanity.] That is, do not ſupport and continue me in this miſery, but let me alone that I may die, for my daies are no better then vanity, and why ſhould I deſire to live in ſuch a vain condition? or elſe withdraw thine hand, and do not afflict me ſo grievouſly; for there will be no need of it, my daies are very vanity, ſo that a ſmaller thing then what I ſuffer would ſoon make an end of me.
Verſ. 17. What is man, that thou shouldeſt magnifie him? &c.] This is not meant of the great bleſſings, which God hath poured forth upon men, concerning which the like expreſſions are uſed in other places, as Pſal. 8.45. &c. and Pſal. 144.3. to wit, that ſuch a baſe wretch as man is, was not worthy of ſo much honour, as God had done him, and did him daily in making ſuch precious account of him, in cauſing all the creatures even the Angels themſelves to be ſerviceable to him, yea in keeping ſuch a watchfull eye of providence over him to ſupport and protect him and to ſupply him with all things requiſite for him day after day; But firſt it may be meant of the great honour and riches, whereto God doth many times advance men, and had advancad Iob in particular; reflecting upon his former greatneſſe, (for he was the greateſt man in the Eaſt) and conſidering how extremely miſerable he was now become, he breaks forth into this expoſtulation, what is man that thou shouldeſt magnifie him? &c. Why ſhould the Lord doe ſo much to magnifie and ſet up a man, that may be ſo ſuddenly caſt down again? It is as if a man ſhould lay out much to trim and adorn a houſe that may be caſt down with every puffe of wind, or 2. Rather it is meant of his afflictions and his continuall overpreſſing evils, to wit, that it was too great a magnifying of ſo baſe and deſpicable a worm as man is, that the great God of heaven and earth ſhould ſo ſollicitouſly contend with him, as a Prince ſhould too much honour a poor ſervant, that ſhould bend all his might to contend with him, and to prevail over him, watching daily to take ſome advantage againſt him, and making it his great ſtudy and buſineſſe to cruſh and ruine him. So that as David ſpake to Saul, 1 Sam. 24.14. After whom is the King of Iſrael come out? after whom doſt thou purſue? After a dead dog, after a flea; ſo doth Iob here ſpeak to God, What is man that thou shouldeſt magnifie him? as if he ſhould have ſaid, it is ſtrange to me, that thou ſhouldeſt vouchſafe ſo farre to honour ſuch a baſe vild wretch as man is, as to contend with him, that thou shouldeſt ſet thine heart upon him, that is, that thou ſhouldeſt mind or regard him, that thou ſhouldeſt ſo ſollicitouſly intend him, either to cruſh him, as if there were any danger in him, or to humble him, and to doe him good by the evils thou layeſt upon him, that thou shouldeſt viſit him every morning, and try him every moment, that is, that thou ſhouldeſt ſo continually day after day, yea every moment of the day, and ſo diligently (as thoſe that riſe early in the morning to diſpatch their buſineſſe they deſire earneſtly to be done) obſerve and mark his waies and follow him with thy chaſtiſements and tryalls. The whole drift of this ſpeech is to ſhew, that poor baſe man was not worthy of ſo much honour, that the great God of heaven and earth ſhould ſo farre buiſy himſelf about ſuch a wretch to contend with him, and to ſhew forth his power againſt him.
Verſ. 19. How long wilt thou not depart from me? &c.] That is, how long will it be ere thou wilt give over afflicting me, and let me be at eaſe, though it be but for a moment, till I ſwallow down my ſpittle, that is, for a little while, even but whilſt I take my breath, which is the very expreſſion Iob uſeth afterward, chap. 9.18. He will not ſuffer me to take my breath.
Verſ. 20. I have ſinned, what shall I doe unto thee, O thou preſerver of men?] As if he had ſaid, It is true indeed, that I have ſinned, though I cannot yield what my friends would charge upon me, that I have been ſecretly a wicked and vild hypocrite, and ſo have drawn theſe extraordinary calamities upon my ſelf; yet that I have many waies ſinned, and provoked thee by my ſins to diſpleaſure, I freely acknowledge, there is no need that thou ſhouldeſt hold me ſtill upon the wrack to draw this from me, I freely confeſſe it, and what shall I doe unto thee, O thou preſerver of men? that is, teach me, O Lord, what I ſhall doe: or rather, I know not what to doe: I cannot make that undone which is done, I can no way juſtifie or excuſe my ſins before thee, who art the ſearcher of the heart and reins, I can by no means make thee amends for that I have done, or ſatisfie thy juſtice, all I can doe is thus to confeſſe and acknowledge my fault, and ſeeing therefore thou art the gracious preſerver of men, ſeeing thou doſt of thy great goodneſſe nouriſh, cheriſh, defend, and ſuſtain men, and takeſt it as one of thy glorious titles that thou art the Saviour and preſerver of men, why doſt thou deſtroy me whilſt thou preſerveſt others, and dealeſt not with me according to thy wonted grace and goodneſſe to other men?
Why hast thou ſet me as a mark againſt thee? &c.] That is, ſeeing I confeſſe my ſins, and humble my ſelf before thee, why doſt thou ſtill follow me with ſo many miſeries, and afflictions, as if thou hadſt culled me out from others, as a mark againſt whom thou didſt mean to empty thy quiver, and as it were to make it thy ſport to make me miſerable, ſo that I am a burden to my ſelf, that is, I am not able to endure my ſelf, my very life and being is a burden to me: Parallel hereto is that complaint of the Church, Lam. 3.12. He hath bent his bow, and ſet me as a mark for the arrow, and that of Iob elſewhere, chap. 16.12, 13. He hath taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and ſet me up for his mark. His archers compaſſe me round about, he cleaveth my reins aſunder.
Verſ. 21. And why doſt thou not pardon my tranſgreſsion? &c.] Why doſt thou not, according to thy wonted grace to others, freely forgive all my ſins and tranſgreſſions, removing them all out of thy ſight, that then accordingly alſo thou mayſt withdraw thine hand from correcting me?
For now shall I ſleep in the duſt &c.] That is, if thou doſt not ſend help ſpeedily, I ſhall quickly be laid in the duſt, and thou shalt ſeek me in the morning and I shall not be, that is, and then if thou ſhouldeſt make never ſo much haſt to help me, it would be too late: for thou ſhouldeſt not find me in the land of the living, amongſt thoſe that are capable of thy goodneſſe and mercy.