Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 4 · Chapter 30
CHAP. XXX. Verſe 1 But now they that are younger than I, have me in deriſion]
ID quod ei morbo ſuo longè gravius fuerit, ſicut & Hebraei teſtantur, ſaith Mercer. This troubled him much more than all his ſores and ſickneſſes; that every young ſhackrag ſlighted him, and laughed him to ſcorn. In this caſe eſpecially, —Faciles motus mens generoſa capit.Ovid. You ſhall finde ſome, ſaith Eraſmus, that if death be threatned, can deſpiſe it: but to be deſpiſed or belyed, they cannot brook; but leaſt of all by baſe perſons: Qui…zbet ab aquila quam corvo diſcerpi mavnl…. Job was now grown ancient,Cognate ſunt foreign and had been honorable, as he had ſet forth chap. 29. Old-age and Honour, in the Greek tongue, are near a kin: and,
Summa fuit quondam capitis reverentia cani:
Inque ſuo precio ruga ſenilis erat.
But it is a ſigne of gaſping devotion, and that things are far out of order, when the Child behaveth himſelf proudly againſt the ancient, and the baſe againſt the honourable, Eſa. 3.5. as at Bethel, where thoſe ill-bred Children derided the old Prophet, and petulantly cryed after him. Go up thou baldhead, go up thou baldhead, 2 King. 2.23. If the like unworthy uſuage befal us, let it ſuffice us that our betters, Job. David. Chriſt himſelf have ſped no better. Art not thou glad to fare as Phocion? ſaid he to a meaner man, that was to die with him.
Whoſe fathers I would have diſdained to have ſet with the dogs of my ſtock] i.e. To have made my dog-keepers, that they might feed with them as the prodigal ſon did with the ſwine. Dogs are commonly looked upon as paltery carrion Creatures: only ſome, for their minds ſake, and others for certain neceſſary uſes, as ſhepherds, and hunters, make ſome reckoning of them: It was not permitted to a dog to … into the Acropolis, or tower of Athens, for his libidinouſneſs and ill-favour.foreign Plut. foreign p. 175. At Rome they crucified a dog yearly, in deteſtation of thoſe dogs in the Capitol that gave not warning of the approach of an Enemy. Job, it ſeems, had his dog-feeders; men of meaneſt account. Now theſe mens ſons, a beggarly breed, and very raſcals, inſulted and trampled opon this precious man, dealt as baſely and courſely with him, haply, as thoſe fictious fellows in Geneva did with reverend Calvin; whom they not only in contempt called Cain (as Athanaſius was ſomtimes by his enemies called Sathanaſius: and Cyprian, Cyprian; that is, a dunghil-fellow) but alſo named their Dogs Calvin, as Beza in his life reporteth.
Verſe 2. Yea, whereto might the ſtrength of their hands profit me?] For, to ſay the truth, (thus Beza here paraphraſeth) the ſtrength of thoſe young ſtriplings could not have ſtood me in any ſtead at all: and as for the old-age of their fathers, it were ſuch, that having ſpent the greateſt and beſt part of their life partly in idleneſs, and partly in divers wicked & lewd pranks, they might worthily ſeem to have lived in vain, all that while: Thus he. The Greeks ſay, foreign, and the Latines Juniorès ad labores, young men are fit for hard labour, becauſe ſtrong and luſty. But theſe Sanniones in the text were, through idleneſs, meat nullities in the world, ſuperfluities in the earth, Jeremies rotten girdle, good for nothing but to devour victuals: vermine, apes, monkeys, their whole life was to eat and drink (when they could come by it) and ſleep, and ſport, and flear, and jear at Gods afflicted, with words as full of ſcorn as profane wit or rancour'd malice can make them.foreign ſettuag. Theſe are excrements in humane ſociety Peſts, the ſcripture ſtileth them, Pſal. 1.1.
In whom old age was periſhed] Their fathers alſo were old dottrels, in ipſa ſenectute ſenectute carentes, old, but not wiſe; like the Brabanti, Noriae Encom.who are ſaid to be the elder the fooliſher. Some men live long, but are good for little. Non ille din vixit, ſed din fuit, ſaith Seneca of ſomebody; He hath not lived long, but only been long: as a ſhip in a ſtorm, he hath been toſſed much, but ſailed nothing. Thoſe old men who have not gotten wiſdom by long experience, are not worthy of their years, their old age is periſhed, and their honour forfeited: The vulgar rendreth it, They were reckoned unworthy of life it ſelf: Depontani.
Verſe 3. For want and famine, they were ſolitary] Miſerably poor they were, and nittily needy: ſcarce having a rag to their backs, and therefore aſhamed to ſhew themſelves in company of others, propter penuriam, & propter eſuriem, they lurked in by-corners, and ſeldom came abroad, unleſs it were when hard hunger drove the Wolf out of the wood. Slow-bellies they had ever been, and evil beaſts, fitter therefore to live in the Wilderneſs, in former time deſolate and waſte, than in a civil ſociety: or if in any place, at Poneropolis, a City built by Philip King of Macedony, for varlets and vagrants, and with ſuch kind of perſons peopled; that they might not peſter other places. Job would have none ſuch about him: and was therefore, haply, now in his low condition, ſo much hated and affronted by them.
In former time deſolate and waſte] And ſo perhaps haunted by the Devil, as Iſa. 13.20, 21. Brentius rendreth it, Heſternam preſſuram & conſternationem, yeſterdayes preſſures, and fright; that is, ſaith he, The Creditors eagerneſs to be ſatisfied, which frighteth theſe caytiffs, and putteth them to their ſhifts.
Verſe 4. Who cut up Mallows by the buſhes] Pitiful poor fare they are glad of: not ſo good as that of the Baptiſt, Locuſts and wild Honey. Mat. 3. but Mallows, which, together with Aſphodelus, Heſiod mentioneth as poor folks fare. Tremellius rendreth it, Herbas è ſalſilagine cum ſtirpibus, ſalt, and bitter herbs and ſtalks a Brentius rendreth it, Nettles: Some take it for Samphire, which is a kind of Sea-mallows or Sea-purſlain. The Hebrew word comes from another, that ſignifieth ſalt; and ſounds like the Latine Malva, Ut famem qu… quo modo ſedarent. Merc.and the Engliſh Mallows. Courſe and homely Proviſion the wretches were glad to make uſe of, to appeaſe the cruel hunger that devoured them. And this hath been ſometimes the caſe of better men; as of thoſe Worthies, who wandered in deſarts, and in mountains, in dens and caves of the earth, Heb. 11.38. The Duke of Lorraine had proſcribed ſome thouſands of his Proteſtant ſubjects, who were thereby forced to ſeed upon leaves of trees and graſs of the fields, till the Senat of Straſbrough, overcome by the importunity of their Divines, took them in,Sculset. Annal. and relieved them, till they could be otherwiſe provided for. In the late Wars of Germany, people were found dead in the high-wayes with graſs in their mouths, periſhing for want of better food.
And Juniper roots for their meat] Theſe, though they ſurpaſs all other in bitterneſs, were their ordinary food. Our forefathers, as they coloured their bodies with Woad, (and were therefore called Picts) this was their fine clothes: ſo their food was barks of trees, and roots, ſay our Chroniclers. Is not the matter well amended with us? and ſhould we not ſerve the Lord with joyfulneſs in the abundance of all things, Deut. 28.47. Lavater thinks, That theſe poor people for a living digged up Juniper-roots, and ſold them to others for the uſe of perfuming.
Verſe 5. They were driven forth from amongſt men] E corpore, ſaith Tremellius, out of the Body; that is, out of the Community, as not fit to live in a Common-wealth. The Jews are, for their inexpiable guilt, baniſhed out of the world, as it were by a common conſent of Nations. Out of England they were exiled for ever by King Edward the Firſt, anno 1290. Out of France, 1307. Out of Spain, 1492. Portugal, 1597. Naples and Sicily, 1539. In Turkey they pay for the very heads they wear: but in Cyprus if a Jew be taken (though driven thither by tempeſt) he is put to death immediately. Countrey they have none, nor Reſtingplace any where. In Jeruſalem there are not to be found, at this time, as hundred houſhoulds of them: Indeed in Conſtantinople and Theſſalonica, there are eſteemed to be about 160000.Breerwoods enquiries. Jewes; who yet are exceedingly contemned and hated there: and at every Eaſter in danger of being ſtoned by the Chriſtians, becauſe at that time, they crucified our Saviour,Biddulph. derided, and buffetted him. All this, and more they ſuffer; and yet they continue, by a juſt judgement of God, upon them, wofully hard-hearted, blood-thirſty, theeviſh, treacherous, flagitious. Howbeit there is a remnant according to the Election of Grace, Rom. 11.5. Anno Dom. 1536. at Weiſſenſten in Germany, a Jew for theft (they had cryed after him with Hue and cry, as after a thief) was in this cruel manner to be executed: He was hanged by the feet with his head downward, betwixt two dogs, which conſtantly ſnatcht and bit at him. The ſtrangeneſs of the torment moved Jacob Andreas (a grave Divine) to go to behold it: Coming thither, he found the poor wretch, as he hung, repeating verſes out of the Hebrew pſalms, wherein he cryed out to God for mercy. Andreas hereupon took occaſion to counſel him to truſt in Jeſus Chriſt,Melch. Adam in viz. the true Saviour of mankind. The Jew embracing the Chriſtian Faith, requeſted but this one thing, That he might be taken down, and be baptized, though preſently after he were hang'd again, (but by the neck, as Chriſtian malefactors ſuffered) which was accordingly granted him.
They cryed after them, as after a thief] Preſuming that, by doing nothing, they had learned to do naughtily: and that having nothing of their own, and not willing to work, they lived by rapin and robbery. Such therefore as theſe they ſerved as Philip of Macedony did a couple of his idle (and therfore evil) ſubjects; he made the one of them run out of the Countrey, and the other drive him. Solon made a law at Athens, that every man once a year ſhould ſhew the Magiſtrates by what Art or Trade he maintained his Family. This if he could not do to their good liking,Melanct. he was preſently expelled the City. At Corinth alſo, Periander ordained, That if any man ſpent freely, and could not make it appear that he got it honeſtly, he ſhould without further proceſs of law, be truſſed up for a thief.
Verſe 6. To dwell in the clifts of the vallies] Like wilde beaſts and Serpents: which theſe idle perſons will rather chuſe to do, and ſuffer any hardſhip, then labour for their livings, and do good in their places; earning it before they eate, and contributing ſomething to the weal-publick, as Bees bring their honey to the common hive: This, thoſe that will not do, are worthily caſt-out, and made to dwell in the clifts, &c. In the time of Cato Cenſorius. when any one would be a Citizen of Rome, they took his hand betwixt theirs; and if it felt ſmooth and ſoft, they preſently as an idle vagabond, gave him his Mi…timus: but if hard and knotty, they forth with admitted him to dwell in their City. And if a malefactor were apprehended whoſe hands were labouring hands, his puniſhment ſhould be mitigated, though his Crime were grievous: as if otherwiſe, a ſevere puniſhment was inflicted for a light offence.
Verſe 7. Among the buſhes they brayed] Through grief and diſcontent at their low condition and many miſeries; which yet they would rather bootleſly bewayle, than take a right courſe to remedy. They luſt and have not, they kill (themſelves through idleneſs,) and deſire to have (if it would come without labour) but cannot obtain, Jam. 4.2. And hence they bray like the wild-Aſs when empty, and roar as the Lion when hunger-bit.
Ʋnder the Nettlès were gathered together] Or they were pricked, whealed, (as we call it) Ʋrti…a ab urendo, they were nettle-ſtung, whileſt they got under thoſe weeds for ſhelter and warmth. All this Job relateth of thoſe that derided him: not to be even with them, or out of a deſire to diſparage them, but to aggravate the indignity of his miſuſage, and to comfort himſelf, as Seneca in like caſe did; Malè de me loquuntur, ſed mate; They ſpeak evil of me: But who are they? baſe perſons, and wicked above meaſure: and, oh how eaſie a thing it is to wagge a wicked tongue! eſpecially when the devil hath the doing of it, as he hath in this kind of men,Lavat. qui revera as aperiunt, & atabolum loqui ſinunt; whoſe mouth the Devil borroweth to vent the language of hell by.
Verſe 8. They were children of fools, yea, children of baſe men] Homines flagitioſiſſimi, etiam homines ignominioſiſſimi afflictiſſimi erant, extorres, ſo Tremellius tranſlateth; Naught all over they were, and nought eſteemed: what wonder therefore if heavily afflicted, and relegated? Their poverty was ſelf-procured, and therefore unpitied; they had brought themſelves into the briars, and alſo in their fathers iniquities they were pining away with them, Levit. 26.39. Evil eggs they were of evil birds, …ihili homuncimes & ingloris, as the Tigurines tranſlate, fellows of no faſhion, and as little account, terrae filii, earth-ſprung Muſhromes, men in whom all true wiſdom was faded and decayed, ſapleſs perſons Nabals, Nebulones.
They were viler then the earth] Terrâ quam ferimus, terrâ etiam quam terimus: Or, they were ſmitten out of the earth, driven out of the land, ſc. by me when I was in power: but now theſe vile varlets ſhew themſelves again, and trample upon me with the feet of pride and petulancy: Leoni mortuo vel mus inſultat.
Verſe 9. And now I am their ſong] They compoſe Comedies out of my Tragedies, and make themſelves merry in my miſery; they not only make Balads and Sonnets of my ſufferings, but alſo play them upon their Inſtruments, as the Hebrew word importeth.
Yea, I am their by-word] Sermonis argumentum, the matter of their Diſcourſe; I am all their talk,De me confabulantur & contemptim loquuntur. Diſc. neither have they any thing elſe whereof to chat and babble, but only of me, yea to make my diſgraces to paſſe into a Proverb, they call all miſerable men by my name. The Ale-ſtakes ſerved David in like ſort; the Drunkards upon their Ale-bench toſſed his name as Dogs do carrion, making him their ballad and their by-word, Pſal. 69.12. The whole Church complaineth of the like contempt, Pſal. 79.4. Lam. 3.14, 63. Ezek. 33.32. Thus when the invincible Armada, as they called it, was coming for England, Don Bernardino Mendoza, the Spaniſh Embaſſadour in France, Cambd. Eliz.ſolaced himſelf with a vain and falſe Poem or Song of Englands miſeries: which as a tryumph before the victory, he abſurdly printed. The Gunpowder-Traytors alſo did the like in their ſevenfold Pſalmodie, as they called it; that divelliſh ditty, which ſecretly the Papiſts paſſed from hand to hand with Tunes ſet to be ſung or plaid.Spec. Bell. Sacr. The matter conſiſted of railing upon King Edward 6, Q. Elizabeth, K. James, and others; of Petition, Imprecation, Propheſie, and praiſe.
Verſe 10. They abhor me, they flee far from me] As if I were a Leper or a Bugbear, or that my breath were infectious; like that maid ſpoken of by Avicen, who feeding upon poyſon, was her ſelf healthy, yet infected others with her venemous breath. Job was wont to be honoured; now he is as much abhorred. People were uſed to hang upon his lips for learned counſel, but they ſtand aloof off, and keep at a diſtance. They looked upon that face of his as the face of an Angel, which now with utmoſt deſpight and deteſtation, they ſpit upon and ſpare not. At vertutes evertere non poſſunt, as Demetrius Phalereus ſaid, when the Athenians threw down the many Statues they had once erected in honour of him, But they cannot throw down my vertues and valiant acts, whereby I deſerved thoſe Statues. Job was not without his cordial in this ſad and ſudden change of his condition. For firſt, the Bird in his own boſom ſang ſweetly ſtill, as birds in the Spring tune moſt melodiouſly, when it raines moſt ſadly. And ſecondly, What if theſe miſcreants prate againſt Job with malicious words, as Diotrephes did againſt Demetrius, 3 John 10. Yet it is enough for Job or Demetrius that they have a good report of all men; that is, of all good men, who indeed are the only men (as a good name only is a name, Eccleſ 7.1. and a good wife only a wife, Prov. 18.22.) to be reckoned on; and of the truth it ſelf, that's more, ver. 12.
And ſpare not to ſpit in my face] In ſignum videlicet maximi contemptus & indignationes; JuniusIn token of greateſt contempt and indignation, as Numb. 12.14. Iſai. 50.6. Deut. 25.9. The face is the table of beauty or comelineſſe: and when it is ſpit upon, it is made the ſeat of ſhame. Their words were, likely, ſuch as the Engliſh Barons here ſaid of the Popes that excommunicated them, Fye on ſuch raſcal ribaulds &c.Marcidi. ribauldi Mat. Pariſ. Our Lord Chriſt alſo was ſpit upon in like manner, that he might cleanſe our faces from the filth of ſin, and make them ſhine with his beames, 1 Job. 3.2.
Verſe 11. Becauſe he hath looſed my cord] i.e. God hath taken away mine Authority, whereby I heretofore kept them in order, and made them more obſequious, ſo that now like head-ſtrong horſes, having gotten the bit between their teeth, they run whitherſoever they liſt; and riſe up againſt their Rider. It is God who caſteth contempt upon Princes, Pſal. 107.40 Job 12.21.as he did upon Solomon in his old age, upon his ſon Rehoboam, upon Ephraim, Hoſ. 13.1. (ſee the Note there) upon out Edward 2, and Henry 6. Some render it, He hath looſed my Bow ſtring, in reference to chap. 29.20. So that I cannot now ſhoot at thoſe that ſlight me. Job was diſarmed and diſabled to do as he deſired, as Philip King of France, was in the battle between him and Edw. Dan. Hiſt. f 2373. King of England, at the inſtant whereof there fell ſuch a piercing ſhowr of rain, as diſſolved the ſtrings of his Archers, and made their Bowe unuſeful.
And afflicted me] When a tree is felled, each man pulleth off a branch, ſaith the Great Proverb. When a dog is worried, every Curr will fall on him, and have a fling at him. When a Deer is wounded, the whole Herd will ſet againſt him, and thruſt him out of their company: So when God hath afflicted Job, every baſe beggerly fellow ſate heavy upon his skirts. This was an addition to his affliction.
They have alſo let looſe the Bridle upon me] Thoſe. Inſolents; having pulled their heads out of the halter, lay the raines in the neck, and run riot; yea,Effraenare in … in…ecti ſunt, Jun. they run at tilt againſt me, as it were, beyond all reaſon and meaſure, without fear, ſhame or manners. For, Ʋpon me, ſome read, Before me; q.d. Now they dare do any thing even in my preſence, who formerly ſtood in aw of me.
Verſe 12. Ʋpon the right hand riſe the youth] Brought on readeth, The Springals. The Hebrew hath it, The bloſſom, or the young birds the youngſters,Vix puberes, Such as are ſcarce out of the ſhel. the boyes ſcoffed and abuſed Job. The lawleſs rout, riding without raines, took a licentious boldneſſe to deſpiſe and deſpite him, becauſe he was ever moſt ſevere againſt their unruly practiſes.
They puſh away my feet] They trip up my heeles, as we phraſe it, and lay me along. Vide admirandam humanae ſortis varietatem, faith Brentius here: i.e. See the ſtrange turnes of humane condition. Job was wont to have the chief Seats in the Temple, and Salutations in the Market-place; now he cannot have a room my where to ſtand in, but every paltry boy is puſhing him down. May it not be ſaid of Job, as it was of that Emperour, that he was fortunae pila & luſus? But he ſaw God in all.
And they raiſe up againſt me the waie of their deſtruction] Allegoria …aſtr…nſi, Job borroweth this expreſſion from the Camp, as he doth many more from other things, whenſoever he ſpeaketh of his great afflictions, and the contempt that was caſt upon him. Ʋpon me they tread the paths of their unhappineſſe, ſo Beza; that is, they make a path in which they may practiſe that their malapert boldneſſe in doing miſchiefe. They beat their paths by running up and downe therein, to undo me, ſo Vatablus: They caſt upon me the cauſes of their wa…; ſo Broughton.
Verſe 13. They marre my path] That is, all my ſtudies and endeavours; they obſtruct all paſſages whereby I might hope for help, as if they were reſolved upon my ruine.
They ſet forward my calamity] See Zach. 1.15. ſee the Note there. Or they count it profitable to them to vex me: So great is there malice againſt me. And though it do them no good yet if they may do me hurt, they have enough.
They have no helper] Neither need they any to animate them,foreign or egg them on to miſchief, who of themſelves are over forward, though but ſmall and young, as Vajezatha, Hamans youngeſt ſon was. See the Note on Eſth. 9.9.
Verſe 14. They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters] Quaſi irruptione latâ in vedunt me. As Souldiers when they have made a breach in a wall, come tumbling in upon the Town, and ſack and ranſack it, yea, raze it, and harraſſe it; ſo have theſe dealt with me.
They rolled themſelves upon me] Labouring wholly to ſuppreſſe me, Gen. 43.28. Taking occaſion by this my downfal, which they ought rather to have lamented and pitied▪ they unmercifully fell upon me, as if themſelves had lived out of the reach of Gods rod.
Verſe 15. Terrors are turned upon me] I am horribly afraid of thy judgements as David expreſſeth it; and this was it that pointed and put a ſting into all other ſufferings, for a wounded conſcience who can bear? If the ſhoulder be galled, the burden wil be very tedious and irkſom. Be not thou a terror unto me, Lord, ſaith J… and then I care not much what elſe ſoever befalleth me. But why were theſe terrours ſo troubleſome?
They purſue my ſoul as the wind] Brentius rendreth … my liberality or, They take away from me all the chearfulneſſe … of my mind; whereby heretofore I ſuffered ſo many calamities, and ſhrank not; for the joy of the Lord was my ſtrength, and ther… nothing … amiſſe to me. Thou hath ſtrengthned … with ſtrength in my ſoul, Ps;al. 38.3 and uphold me with thy noble ſpirit, Pſal. 5….12. The Chaldee hath it, Kingly Spirit, and it is the ſame word in the Original that is here rendred,Animaem meam nobilem & inc…tam. Vat. My ſoul: It is, my Princeſs, or, my Nobility, for ſo the ſoul is the more noble part. David calleth it his Glory, Pſal. 16.9. and his Darling, Pſal. 22.21. Some of the Jew-Doctors make it the ſame with welfare, in the words following: but that's not likely.
And my welfare paſſeth away as a cloud] i.e. Totally, as before; irreſiſtibly like the wind: Job aboundeth with ſimilitudes,…rorum vim ſimi… a vent illuſtrat, & ſatutem à ſe abcunt in ſimilitudine nubis. Merl. which do notably illuſtrate. He would ſay, I am utterly deprived of all means of avoiding this miſery.
Verſe 16. And now my ſoul is powred out upon me] Now that I am under theſe inward terrors, I am become ſtrengthleſſe, even weak as water, my ſoul doth melt away for grief, as Pſal. 42.4. and I am as an hollow tree, wherein there is not any heart of Oak: I am utterly diſpirited.
The dares of affliction have taken hold upon me] And ſo hard hold, that I deſpair of ever getting looſe whiles alive.
Verſe 17. My bones are pierced in me in the night ſeaſon] Sleep is the Nurſe of Natura and the ſweet parentheſis of mens griefs and cares. But Job had ſo many aches and ailements in his body, (over and above the terrours and troubles of his mind) that reſt he could take none at all in the night ſeaſon, when all creatures are wont to be at quiet. For why? the very marrow of his bones raged through intolerable paine: as if it had been run through with a Tuck. Nay ni…e,
And my ſinewes (or, My Pulſes) take no reſt.] Heb. Sleep not; My ſinewes or arteries are rackt with the Cramp; and my pulſes, by the force of a Feaver, beat exceſſively,Vatabl. and pant without intermiſſion: Qui tamen minui deberent, qui… cal… retrabitur in partem interiorem; which yet ſhould move more ſlowly by night, becauſe then the heat is drawne into the internal parts.
Verſe 18. By the great force of my Diſeaſe is my garment changed] ſoil. ſudore, cru…te, ſanit, ſanguine; By the matter that my Diſeaſe forceth outward in Boils and Botches, is my garment (which once was decoru & Magiſtratus inſigne. the Enſign of my Authority) utterly ſtained and ſpoiled, loathſom to my ſelf, and noyſom to others.Merlin. Totum cruentem & ſordidatum. Merc. Every one (ſay ſome Chymicks) hath his own Balſom within him: his own bane it is ſure he hath. Phyſicians hold, that in every two years there is ſuch ſtore of ill humours and excrements ingendred in the body, that a veſſel of one hundred ounces will ſcarce contain them. Now if theſe, by Gods appointment (for he is the great Centurion, Matth. 8.9. who hath all diſeaſes at his beck and check) break outward, what an ulcerous Leper and Lazar muſt that man needs be? This was Jobs caſe, and Munſters, (who called his ſores, Gemmas, & precioſa Dei ornamenta, Gods Gems and Jewels,Job. Manl. loc. c…. p. 127 where with he decketh thoſe whom he loveth) and King Philips of Spain who, beſides many other diſeaſes, had ingentem puris ex ulceribus reaundantiam, qua binas indies ſcutellas diuits paedore impleret; Abundance of filthy matter iſſuing out of his ſores,Carol Scriban. Inſtit. Princep. cap. 20 inſomuch as that no change of cloathes, or Art of Phyſicians could keep him from being devoured by Lice and Vermine thereby ingendred.
It bindeth me about as the collar of my coat] It is become ſo ſtiff and ſtarky, that it wrings me and hurts me, as an uneaſie collar girds and gripes a mans neck: As the edge of my coat in gards me, ſo Broughton readeth it. Beza rendreth this latter part of the verſe thus He (God) comp…ſſeth me about as the collar of my coat. Piſcato… the whole, thus: By the greatneſſe of his (Gods) ſtrength, (which he putteth forth in ſcourging me with diſeaſes) my garment changeth it ſelf, (putteth on, as it were, another … of ſcab… and ſcurf,) As the mouth of my coat he (God) girdeth me; …, he pincheth my body with diſeaſes. But the former …ding is better.
Verſe 19. He … caſt me into the mire] My Diſeaſe hath ſo Vatablus ſenſeth it. Others, God hath as it were trampled me to dirt, thrown me into the kernel, and ſo done me the greateſt diſgrade that can be.
And I am become like duſt and aſhes] Like a duſt-heap behind the door, cad…vei… … ſaith Merca…: Being covered all even (ſaith Beza) with the … and … that full from my …; I am become more unlike unto the unprofitable duſt and aſhes, then unto a living man. Duſt and aſhes are not more like, one another, then their names are in the Original: ſic foreign, cinis, See Gen. 3.19. and 18.17.
Verſe 20 I cry unto thee, and thou doſt not hear me] This was a ſore trial, that God ſhould caſt him into ſtraits, and there leave him. His enemies indeed he uſually dealeth ſo by, Ezek. 22.20. and 29.5. but not by his ſervants, Heb. 13.5. Or if he do leave them, yet he will not forſake them. The mother leaves her child ſometimes, but when he ſetteth up his note and cryeth luſtily, ſhe haſteneth to help him. So doth God: But now Job cryed unto him, and was not heard or anſwered, to his thinking at leaſt, and that was a great cut to him, as Pſalm 22.2.
I ſtand up] ſcil. To make ſupplication to my Judg, as Haman ſtood up to make requeſt for his life, Eſth. 7.7. as the Publican ſtood and prayed, Luke. 18.13. and as Moſes and Samuel are ſuppoſed to ſtand before God in prayer for their people, Jerem. 15.1. Hence that Proverb amongſt the Jewes, Abſque ſtationibus, non ſtaret mundus. Did not the Saints ſtand in prayer, the world could not ſtand.
And thou regardeſt me not] This was but a Miſtake in Job, for the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his eares are open to their prayers. Only God anſwereth our prayer, non ſecundum voluntatem, tamen ad utilitatem: Not alwayes or as ſoon as we would, but doth that which is better for us, and takes it ill to be miſconſtrued, as he was by Job, witneſſe the next words, bloody words indeed,Accuſat ergo Job Dominum mendacii. Brent. Contumelioſus videriſpoteſt. Merl. and not far from Blaſphemy.
Verſe 21 Thou art become cruel to me] Mutatus es mihi in tyrannum. thou art turned Tyrant towards me, ſo Brentius rendreth it: and the like he had ſaid before, chap. 16.13. and 19.8, 9, 10. out of the vehemency of his pain, and he ſenſe of his fleſh, which ſhould have been ſilenced, and faith exalted; the property whereof, is to pick one contrary out of another (as life out of death, aſſurance of deliverance out of deepeſt diſtreſſes, Deut. 32.36.) and to perſwade the heart that God concealeth his love, out of increaſement of love, and in very faithfulneſs afflicteth his darlings, that he may be true to their ſouls, Pſal. 1.19.75.
With thy ſtrong hand thou oppoſeſt thy ſelf againſt me] Heb. Thou bateſt me, Satanically hateſt me; Inteſtinum odium exerces adverſum me; Tremell.and accordingly thou doſt practiſe all thy might upon me. Thus Job in his heat, and that he may not ſeem to rage without reaſon, he ſubjoyneth
Verſe 22. Thou lifteſt me up to the wind] Thou whiffleſt and wherrieſt me about as chaff, or thiſtle-down. Pro libidine tractas me, thou uſeſt me at thy pleaſure.Brent.
Thou cauſeſt me to ride upon it] Upon the wings of the wind, lifting me up aloft that I may fall with the greater poiſe, as the Eagle is ſaid to do the Tortoiſe; Ʋt lapſu graviore ruam.—
Thou diſſolveſt my ſubſtance] Or, Thou melteſt my wiſdome: I have neither fleſh nor reaſon remaining. The iſſue that he expecteth of all theſe his forementioned miſeries, followeth,
Verſe 23. For I know that thou wilt bring me to death] Such hard thoughts had Job of God, and ſuch heavy thoughts of himſelf. Nam experior, mors avocat me. ſo Tremellius: For I feel it, death calleth me away. Sic ludis mecum, ut facilè conjiciam mihi moriendum eſſe ſaith Brentius: Thou ſo dallieſt with me. that I plainly perceive I muſt ſhortly dye, there's no avoiding of it.2 Cor. 1.8.9, 10 Thus good Job was preſſed out of meaſure; above ſtrength, inſomuch as be deſpaired even of life, and had the ſentence (or denunciation) of death in himſelf, &c. But God was better to him then his fears, and delivered him from ſo great a death: this is uſual.
Qui nil ſper are poteſt, deſperet nihil.
And to the houſe appointed for all living] That is, the grave, Pſal 49.14.foreign and 89.48. that Congregation houſe of all living, (as heaven is called, the Congregation houſe of the firſt born, Heb. 12.23.) the publick or common meeting place, as Iſai. 14.13. the houſe of conſtitution or aſſignation to all living (as the Hebrew here hath it) that is, to all men, who are by an excellency called, every creature, Mark 16.15 as being the beſt living creatures upon earth.
Verſe 24 Howbeit he will out ſtretch not his hand to the grave] He will not dig up the dead (as the Papiſts dealt by Bucer and others) to afflict them any more. Quid facere poterunt? Occident? Nunquid, reſuſcitabunt ut iterum occidant! What can they do? (ſaid Luther concerning his enemies who threatned him) Will they kill me? but what then? Will they raiſe me up to life again, that they may kill me again? No: Charles the Fifth Emperour, when he might have done that, and was moved to do it, would not. Mors requies aerumnarum. Dead men are at reſt, was Chaucers Motto. There, (in the grave) the wicked ceaſe from troubling, and there the weary be at reſt, chap. 3.17. Thus Job ſpeaketh, going no further then the afflictions of the body, as being for his own part fearleſſe of eternal puniſhment. But as for the wicked, when they dye out of bodily miſery, it is but as the mans flying from a Lion, and a more ſavage Bear meeteth him: or going from it into the houſe (this houſe mentioned in verſe 23.) and that more venemous Serpent, (the Divel, who hath the power of death, Heb. 2.14.) there biteth him, Amos 5.19.
Though they cry in his deſtruction] i.e. Whiles God is cruſhing or killing of them. Or, Is there any cry in his deſtruction? It was never yet known that dead men made moane; what ever the Popiſh Legenders tell us of one that cryed out, I am dead, I am judged, I am damned; which gave occaſion to Bruno to found the Carthuſian Order.
Verſe 25. Did I not weep for him that was in trouble?] Rurſum, per pathos, excandeſcit. Here Job wondreth,Mercer. and is much moved again at his unpitied condition, ſith himſelf was ſo pitiful to the afflicted. He could ſafely ſay with Cyprian, Cum ſingulis pectus meum copulo, moeroris & funeris pendera luctuoſa participo, cum plangentibus plango, cum deſtentibus deſteo. He had teares ready for the afflicted, and wept with thoſe that weep: not for a Complement, as the Braſilians, who Ʋt flerent, oculos erudière ſuos. Nor out of melch-heartedneſſe,Ovid. as Gordian the Emperour, who would weep for the beating of a boy at School. But out of hearty compaſſion and commiſeration, as good Nehemiah, chap. 2.2. and thoſe Chriſtian Hebrewes, chap. 10.33, 34. Now for as much as the merciful have the promiſes of mercy made unto them, Matth. 5.7. James. 2.13. And all men ſay, Ab alio expectes, alteri quod feceris, Job marvelleth at others hard heartedneſſe toward him, and expoſtulateth the unkindneſſe.
Was not my ſoul grieved for the poor?] Into whoſe caſe good Job put himſelf, and ſo became mendicorum maximus (as Salvian ſaith of Chriſt,Ad Eccleſ. Carbol. l. 4 becauſe he ſhareth with his Saints in all their neceſſities) he drew out not only his ſheaf, but his ſoul to the hungry, (Iſai. 58.7, 10) and ſatisfied the afflicted ſoul; this was right. Contriſtata eſt anima mea ſuper egenum. Some render it, Restagnavis lachrymis anima mea, My ſoul ſtood with tears, like a ſtanding pool. Others ustulatur, foreign, My ſoul burneth; which is agreeable to that of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 11.29. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not?
Verſe 26 When I looked for good] According to that general rule, and the common courſe of Gods proceedings, With what meaſure ye mete, it ſhall be meaſured to you again, Matth. 7.2. With the merciful thou wilt ſhew thy ſelf merciful, Pſal. 18.16. Middah cenegedh middah, ſay the Hebrewes; Men ſhall have meaſure for meaſure, like for like. Hence Job expected to have all things at will, but it fell out ſomewhat otherwiſe; and this puzled him, he could not unriddle theſe croſs occurrences. He could almoſt find in his heart to think, that he was therefore ſo little pitied by others, becauſe he had been ſo pitiful to others.
When I waited for light, then came darkneſſe] Things grew every day worſe and worſe with me, mending like ſowre Ale in Summer, as we ſay. Thus it fates many times with Gods beſt ſervants; theſe children of light walk in darkneſſe, nevertheleſſe let them truſt in the Name of the Lord, and ſtay upon their God, in the faile of all outward comforts, Iſai. …0.10. Habak 3.17, 18. This is the tryumph of faith, which tells the ſoul, that things muſt go backward before they can come forward, and when matters are at worſt they will mend.
Verſe 27 My bowels boyled, and reſted not,] Being toſſed and tumbled with continual boyling and bubbling,Ollae more inſonuerunt. Merc. rumbling and making a rattle (as the word ſignifieth) whether through paſſion or compaſſion. With moſt compaſſionate ſympathy (ſaith one learned Paraphraſt) did my bowels yearn over the afflicted, ſo that I could have no quiet in my ſelf, for grieving and taking thought for them: I was ſeldome or never without ſorrow for ſome one or others affliction.
The dayes of affliction prevented me] Previſion ſhould have hindred this prevention: Evils fore ſeen come no whit the ſooner, but far the eaſier. It is a labour well loſt if they befall us not; well ſpent if they do: whereas coming on the ſudden, they find weak minds ſecure, make them miſerable, leave them deſperate. Expect them therefore and prepare for them: Darts foreſeen are dintleſs.
Verſe 28 I went mourning without the Sun] Ater ambulo, ſed non ob Solem; I am not Sun-burnt, but heart burnt; black and diſcoloured without, becauſe parched and dryed up within by the force of my diſeaſe and my griefe, wherewith I am pained, pined, and even periſhed.
I ſtood up and cryed in the Congregation] Which was not very handſome, but I could not hold. Riſe I did, and roar I muſt amidſt the preaſs of people, whatever they ſhould think of me. So Mordecai went out into the midſt of the City, and cryed with a loud and a bitter cry, and came even before the Kings gate, &c. Eſth. 4.1, 2. In extreme heavineſſe men care not to keep decorums.
Verſe 29. I am a brother to Dragons, &c.] i.e. I utter a very lamentable voice, or rather noiſe, like Dragons, which ſucking the Elephants blood till he fall down dead upon them, and quell them with his huge bulk, make an horrible howling;Plin. Solin. ſo horrible and hideous ſay ſome, that they amaze, yea, kill thoſe that hear it.
And a companion to Owles] I give forth rude and confuſed cryes, as if I howled with Owles, or grunted with Oſtriches. We uſe to ſay of ſuch, that they roar like Beares, and bellow like Bulls, filling the air with their Out-cryes. Young Oſtriches caſt off by their Dams, Job 39.14. Lam. 4.3. make pittiful moan; ſo do the young Ravens for like cauſe, Pſal. 147.9. Job cryed out more like a beaſt then a man, in his pain and miſery. This the Stoicks cenſured as effeminate, and would not allow a wiſe or valiant man to ſigh, or cry, or ſhew any token of grief whatever befel him. But this was to deſtroy nature, and to transform men into ſtocks and ſtones void of ſenſe. The Patriarks bewailed their deceaſed friends. David, likely, was not ignorant of the Gentiles proverb, Weeping becometh not a King; yet he wept abundantly, yea,Eurip. —foreign he out-wept Jonathan: As the better any one is the more inclined to weeping and lamentation, which yet muſt be duly moderated.
Verſe 30 My skin is black upon me] Through the violence of the Feaver, and aduſt matter, his skin was as black and mud-coloured as the waters of the River Nilus. which hath its name Sihor in the Hebrew, from this root, Jer. 2.18. The Ethiopians skin is black, but that's natural to them, and they think it beſt ſo, and therefore paint the divel white, &c.
And my bones are burnt with heat] In the Feaver they call Epialis, the heat is all inward, and dryeth up the radical moiſture. Job complaineth of ſuch a diſtemper, and ſo doth David, Pſal. 32.3, 4. and Solomon telleth us, that a heavy heart dryeth up the bones. Beza expoundeth it of the Jaw-bone, dryed and pined away for want of moiſture.
Verſe 31. My harp alſo is turned to mourning] All the dayes of the afflicted are evil, Prov. 15.15. his Harps are hanged up,Intempeſtivae … in luctu Muſic Eccluſ 22.6. foreign Sophoc… Val. Max. Chr… pag. 262 his Lute no longer … but for melancholy airs; his Song nothing but Lachrymae, doleful ditties: his Organs, and all thoſe Inſtruments that were wont to divert him, are condemned either to ſigh or to be ſilent. Gillimer, overcome and beſieged by Belliſarius, ſent to requeſt of him three things; 1. a loaf to eaſe his hunger, 2. a harp to eaſe his grief, 3. a ſponge to dry up his tears. Such mournful Muſick was Jobs, if any at all.