Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 4 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Verſe 1. My ſoul is weary of my life.]
BEcauſe it is a lifeleſſe life. Mortis habet vires, a death more like. Life is ſweet, and every creature maketh much of it, from the higheſt Angel in heaven, to the loweſt worm on earth. The Scripture ſetteth it forth as a ſweet mercy, Gen. 45.28. Lam. 3.39. Esth. 7.3. Jer. 39.18. and 45.5. But God can ſo imbitter it with outward and inward troubles, that it ſhall become a burthen. I am weary of my life (ſaith good Rebecca, Gen. 27.46.) and what good ſhall my life do me? David forced to be in bad company, cryes, Oh that I had the wings of a dove &c. Wo is me that I ſojourn in Meſhech &c. Elias fleeing from Jezabel, requeſted for himſelf that he might dye, ſaying, It is enough Lord, take away my life, for I am not better then my fathers, 1 Kings 19.4. No:Heb. 1…. but God had provided ſome better thing for him (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh in another caſe) for he was ſhortly after tranſlated and taken out of the reach both of Jezabel whom he feared, and of death which he deſired; Sed multi magni viri, ſub Eliae junipero ſedent, ſaith one, Many good men ſit under Eli…s his juniper, wiſhing to be out of the world, if God were ſo pleaſed, that they might reſt from their labours, and be rid of their many burdens and bondages; as in the mean while, they rather endure life then deſire it, as holding it little better then hell, were it not for the hopes they have of heaven hereafter.
I will leave my complaint upon my ſelf] Liberty I will take to complain, whatever come of it. I will lay the reins in the neck, and let my paſſions have their full ſwinge at my peril. See the like chap. 13.3. Verùm Job hac in re nimius, ſaith Mercer, but Job was too blame in doing and ſaying thus; and it is to be attributed to the infirmity of his fleſh, wherewith, although the ſpirit do notably combat, yet the fleſh ſeemeth ſometimes, and in ſome ſort to get the better; Nimis augusta res eſt, …ſpaim errare, ſaith one;Barclai. Euphorm. Triste mortalitatis privilegium eſt; licere aliquando peccare, ſaith another. The ſnow-like ſwan hath black legs: and in many things we offend all: Gold is not to be refuſed becauſe it wanteth ſome grains, and hath a crack &c.
I will ſpeak in the bitterneſſe of my ſoul] And ſo ſeek to eaſe my grief by giving a vent unto it. But it is evident, that ſuch out-burſts and overflowings of the gall and ſpleen come from a fulneſſe of bad humours.
Verſe 2. I will ſay unto God, Do not condemn me] You may ſay ſo, as an humble ſuppliant, but not as holding your ſelf innocent, and therefore harſhly dealt with. The Hebrew is, Do not make me wicked: rather do good, ô Lord, to thoſe that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts; but lead me not forthwith the workers of iniquity, as a melefactor is led forth to execution, Pſal. 125.5.
Shew me wherefore thou contendeſt with me] i. e. Quare ſic me affligas, ſaith Vatablus, why thou thus afflicteſt me, whether for ſin, or for triall; and this Job deſired to know, not to ſatisfie his curioſity, but his conſcience, as one well obſerveth; and that the world might be ſatisfied, the raſh judgment of his friends confuted, and anſwered by a determination from heaven.
Verſe 3. … it good unto thee that thou ſhouldſt oppreſſe?] It is the guiſe of wicked judges to take this counſel, to follow this courſe; whom thou, being a moſt juſt and righteous judge,Beza. canſt not confirm or encourage by thine own example, as it were by a light ſhining from above. Thus Job rhetoricateth; his complaints are high, yet ever with an allay or mixture of modeſty.
That thou ſhouldſt deſpiſe the work of thine hands] i. e. Me thy poor creature; wilt thou do and undo? make a man, and unmake him again for thy minds ſake? Builders uſe not to ruin what they have built: Artificers love and plead for their own handy-work: Fathers foſter their children with all tenderneſſe. Some Authors dote upon their own doings, as Laurentius Valla did upon his Logick, as if there had been none ſuch; calling it in a bravado Log…c…m Laurentinam: and as Ca…pian the Jeſuite did upon his ten leaden reaſons, which he deemed and boaſted to be unanſwerable. Heliod…rus would rather be unbiſhopped, then yeild that his Ethiopick hiſtory (a toileſome toy, but the brat of his brain) ſhould be aboliſhed. The Saints are Gods building, 1 Cor. 3.9. Handy-work; Epheſ. 2.18. Children, Job 1.12. Epiſtle known and read of all men, 2 Cor. 3.2, 3. This if we plead, when ſorely afflicted (as the Church did Iſa. 64.8. And David, Pſalm 138.8. and Job here) we may have any thing. See that notable text Iſaiah 45.11. And that other Iſai. 59.16.
And ſhine upon the counſel of the wicked] That is, favour and further their deſigns: God makes his Sun to ſhine upon ſuch, but himſelf never ſhineth upon them: he may be angry enough with men, though they outwardly proſper; yea, to proſper in ſin is a moſt heavy judgment. See Zac…. 1.15. with the note there.
Verſe 4. Haſt thou eyes of fleſh?] Which ſee but the ſurface of things, and not that neither in the dark. Haſt thou not fiery eyes Rev. 1.14. that need no outward light, but ſee by ſending out a ray, and pierce the inward parts alſo? Haſt thou not made the eye? yea the optick vertue in the eye, which ſeeth all, and is ſeen of none? If the Sun be the eye of the world, God is much more; the Greeks give him his name from ſeeing,foreign. becauſe he ſeeth through and through: eyes he hath, but not of fleſh: he ſeeth, but not as man.
Or ſeeſt thou as man ſeeth?] Art thou ſubject to errour, ignorance, partiality, popularity, &c. Proceedeſt thou not according to truth (yea, truth in the inward parts) and not according to opinion or appearance? Of a good Judg it is ſaid, that he doth neque ſuſpicere, nec deſpicere, nec reſpicere, nec circumſpicere; neither look up nor down, nor this way nor that, but ſtraight forward to the cauſe, and not to the perſon. Of a juſt law it is ſaid, that it is an heart without affection, an eye without luſt, a mind without paſſion, a treaſurer which keepeth for every man what he hath, and diſtributeth to every man what he ought to have; ſo and much more then ſo is God, whatever thoughts might ariſe ſometimes in Jobs heart to the contrary.
Verſe 5. Are thy dayes as the dayes of man?] Art thou mortal and ſhort-lived as ſorry man is, that thou proceedeſt in this ſudden and ſevere manner, as if thou ſhouldeſt not have time enough to try me, and to take an order with me? Art not thou eternal, and doſt thou not know in the indiviſible moment of thine eternity, all what hath been, is, and ſhall be? Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world, Acts 15.18. yea, long before. The truth is, neither foreknowledg, nor remembrance are properly in God, ſith all things both paſt and future are preſent with him, Rom. 4.17. 2 Pet. 3.8. Jer 1.5, 6, 7. Pſal. 139.2. and all things without him are but as a point or ball, which with as much eaſe he diſcerneth, as we turn our eyes.
Are thy years as many dayes;] It is well obſerved that Gods time is ſet out by years, mans by dayes; his time is ſo ſhort, that it is reckoned by the ſhorteſt compleat time, a day. The dayes of our years are threeſcore and ten, Pſalm 90.10. As for God, he is not only the Ancient of dayes, Dan. 7.9. But the dayes Ancient, for he made the day.
Verſe 6. That thou enquireſt after mine iniquity &c.] viz. By ſtrong pains, and mighty terrours: as judges ſometimes make inquiſition by torture, to find out treaſon or other hainous offence. What, wouldſt thou that I ſhould confeſſe my ſelf a wicked perſon?
Verſe 7. Thou knoweſt that I am not wicked] A lewd liver, and a rank hypocrite as theſe men would make of me; a ſinner I am, but I allow not, wallow not in any known ſin: there is no way of wickedneſſe found in me; hypocriſie reigns not in my heart: Haeret in regenitis peccatum, ſaith one, ſin abideth in the beſt; yet they may not, they muſt not be called wicked.Cyril. lib. 9. i… Julian. Julian the Apoſtate affirmed that Peters halting at Antioch, was ſo taxed by Paul, that Peter muſt needs be an hypocrite; but this cavil and calumny can never be proved from Pauls words, for not every one that through infirmity diſſembleth ſometimes, is preſently an hypocrite. It is upon thy knowledge, ſaith Job, that however I am weak, yet wicked I am not: my great ſcumme is not in me, Ezek. 24.11, 12. The good heart admits not the mixture of any ſin; like right wine or hony, as the ſcumme ariſeth, it ever caſteth it out: as ſpring-water worketh it ſelf clean: as the ſea will endure no poiſonful thing, but caſts it up upon the ſhore, ſo a Chriſtian cleareth himſelf of ſin. Well it may cleave to it for a while, as droſſe doth to ſilver, but it entreth not into the frame and conſtitution: Job is confident of that, and will venture all upon it.
And there is none (or nothing) that can deliver out of thine hands] q. d. Thus thou, Lord, knoweſt it to be with me, that I have no wicked heart: but for this,Junius. I expect not to be delivered, for thou canſt ſtill find matter in me for which to lay thine hand upon me: But the more I ſubmit my ſelf, the more mild ſhouldſt thou ſurely be in thy dealings toward me; as a Lion to a man crouching to him: as Paul ſaid, I know nothing by my ſelfe, yet am I not thereby juſtified 1 Cor. 4.4. So Job ſaith, Lord, thou knoweſt nothing by me, yet hereby I cannot be delivered.
Verſe 8. Thine hands have made me,] Or throughly and accurately wrought me, as it were, with much pains and labour: thou haſt exactly faſhioned all my members; not that God either hath hands, or putteth himſelf to pains; for he doth his worke without either tool or toil, Iſai. 40.28. But this is attributed to him after the manner of men, to ſhew the curious workmanſhip ſhewed in mans creation, the maſterpiece of all his works of wonder. This David ſweetly s;ingeth of Pſalm 139. and Galen admireth in that excellent book of his De uſu partium humani corporis, ſetting forth the praiſes of that God whom he knew not, and ſinging an hymn unto him.Lib 3. Man, ſaith one, is cura divini ingenii, he is Gods ſcutcheon wherein he hath portrayed all the titles of the moſt excellent beauties of the world. The Sun, Moon, and Stars, are but the works of Gods fingers, Pſalm 8. but man is the work of his hands, Pſalm 139.14. He is the moſt beautiful building of a moſt wiſe architect, ſaith Euripides: the bold attempt of daring nature, ſaith another heathen: the greateſt of all miracles, ſaith a third. David ſpeaking of him, and of Gods goodneſs to him, begins to wonder before he ſpeaketh, and leaves off to ſpeak, but not to wonder, Pſalm 8.…, 9.
And faſhioned me together round about] A metaphor from potters, who make their work by turning it round till it be all finiſhed. Jer. 18 3. Thou haſt faſhioned me, and made me in every point, ſo Broughton rendreth it. Totum me, non dimidium. Thou haſt made the whole, and every part of me from top to toe, not my nailes excepted, (as Mercer hath it) with extraordinary care and cunning, beſtowing upon me mercies enow betwixt head and foot, to fill a volume. Who is there (ſaith Galen) which looking but upon the skin only of mans body, wondreth not at the artifice of the Creator? but eſpecially he was amazed at the manner of the motion of the lungs by Syſtole and Diastole, and would needs offer hecatombs to that God whoſoever he were, that was Author of ſo admirable and excellent a piece of work.
Yet thou doſt deſtroy me] And this ſeemeth ſtrange to me, Doſt thou yet deſtroy me? (ſo ſome read this text) wilt thou ſwallow me up quick and devour me, as the greater fiſhes do the leſſer? (See the Note on verſe 3.) Careſt thou not that I am thy workmanſhip created unto good works, Eph. 2.10? One in whom thou haſt erected the fair fabrick of the new man? for this alſo Job may here very likely referre to.
Verſe 9. Remember, I beſeech thee, that thou haſt made me as the clay:] Remembrance and foreknowledg are not properly in God, as was noted before on verſe 5. But he is ſaid to remember us, when he relieveth us, Pſalm 136.23. and 9.18. 1 Sam. 1.19. That thou haſt made me &c. viz. in thoſe Protoplaſts, my firſt parents, formed out of the ground, Gen. 2.7. whence the Heathen Philoſopher could ſay,foreign Arian. in Epict. that man is nothing elſe but a piece of clay weakly made up: or thou haſt wrought me like clay, ſc. in the womb, where thou haſt framed and formed my body, as the potter worketh his clay, well-tempered, into an earthen veſſel. Here then Job in-minds the Lord (by the matter whereof he was made) of the frailty, vility and impurity of his nature (Lutum enim conſpurcat omnia, ſic & caro) to move him to a mitigation of his miſery. See Pſal. 103.14. and 78.39.
Wilt thou bring me into the duſt again] viz. By thoſe grievous torments: Or, And that thou wilt bring me into duſt againe: for ſo thou haſt ſaid, to duſt ſhalt thou return, Gen. 3.19. And it is appointed for all men once to die, Heb. 9.27. Oh therefore that I might have ſome ſmall reſt and reſpite, before I go hence, and be no more ſeen, Pſal. 39.12, 13.
Verſe 10. Haſt thou not poured me out as milk] Or, melted me, that is, made me of ſome ſuch thing as liquid and white milke. Generationem hominis deſcribit; Man is a very mean thing in his firſt conception, modeſtly here ſet forth by the making of cheeſes.Vatab.
Ʋnde ſuperbit homo, cujus concept…o turpis,
Naſci poena, labor vit…, neceſſe mor…?
Concerning mans formation in the womb, ſee the Naturalliſts, and Lactantius de Opificio Dei cap. 12. but eſpecially Pſalm 139. where, and in this text there is enough ſpoken to ſatisfie us about this great natural myſtery, ſaith Mercer: that is a good Moral that one maketh of it; God ſtrains out the motes of corruption from a godly-man, while his heart is poured out like milk with grief and fear, whereby the iniquity of Jacob is purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his ſinne, Iſa. 27.9.
And crudled me like cheeſe] Siccaſtiſſimo ore, & elegantibus metaphoris, ſaith an Interpreter,Bodin. theat. natur. 434. Ariſt. de gen. anim. cap. 20. i. e. Thus in a moſt modeſt manner, and with elegant metaphors, doth Job, as a great Philoſopher, ſet out mans conception in the womb. Ariſtotle (whoſe manner is obſcurioribus obſcura implicare, as Bodin obſerveth) hath ſome ſuch expreſſion as this, but nothing ſo clear and full.
Verſe 11. Thou haſt clothed me with skin and fleſh] Out of that ſoft and liquid ſubſtance (the ſlime of my parents loins) groſſed firſt into a rude fleſhy maſſe, and conſolidated, Thou haſt made not only a thin skin, and firm fleſh, but alſo hard bones, and knitting nerves; and all this for a garment or guardment to thoſe more noble inward parts, the brain, heart, liver, &c. which Job here accounts to be the man, when he ſaith, Thou haſt clothed me, that is, my vital parts with the upper garment of skin, and with the under-garment of fleſh, all which, and the reſt of the parts, both ſimilar and organical, are in their original but the ſame matter which God hath thus diverſified, and all by the book, Pſalm 139.16. Had he left out any member in his common-place-book, thou hadſt wanted it, ſaith one.
And haſt fenced me with bones and ſinews] Bones are the pillars of the body, giving it ſtability, ſtraightneſſe and forme. The Rabbines ſay, there are as many of them in mans body, as there are affirmative precepts in the law, that all his bones may ſay, Lord, who is like unto thee &c? Pſal 35.10. By the ſinews are the bones knit together, that upon them man may move from place to place, as he pleaſeth. Senſe alſo and Motion is by theſe, in their wonderful and inexplicable conjugations, conveyed to the reſt of the parts. It is God alone that knoweth how the bones (think the ſame of the ſinews, arteries, veins, griſtles, fleſh and blood &c.) do grow in the wombe of her that is with child, Eccleſ. 11.5. The Anatomiſts find out every day almoſt new wonders; and an Ancient ſtileth Man the miracle of miracles. Beſides what is ſeen,Mr. Caryl. God hath pack many rarieties, myſteries, yea, miracles together in mans cheſt. And ſurely, ſaith one, if all the Angels in heaven had ſtudied to this day, they could not have caſt man into a more curious mould, or have given a fairer, or more … edition of him.
Verſe 12. Thou haſt granted me life] i. e. Into my body thus formed and organized, thou haſt infuſed a ſoul,Vatab. that principle of life quickned me in the womb, and brought me alive out of it: which becauſe it is a miracle of mercy, therefore … addeth favour, thou haſt granted me (Heb. thou haſt wrought with me) life and fav…. Thou haſt dealt life and goodneſſe unto me; that is, thou haſt given me life accompanied with thy goodneſſe and bleſſings; ſo Beza ſenſeth it. Some underſtand it of the reaſonable ſoul; others of the beauty of the body according to Iſa. 40 6.
And thy viſitation hath preſerved my Spirit] i. e. Thy good providence hath ſafe guarded me from innumerable deaths and dangers. Puerilitas eſt periculorum pelagus, children are apt to run into miſchief; and thoſe of riper years are ſubject to a thouſand diſaſters and evil-occurrences. Gods ſpecial care is exerciſed over his, as is ſweetly expreſſed Pſalm 121. and Pſalm 23. (Davids paſtoral:) and Pſalm 3. where David doubteth not of ſafety, though aſleep, and in the midſt of enemies, becauſe God ſuſtained him: when as Samſon and Iſhboſheth, a ſleep in the midſt of friends, were circumvented, becauſe deſerted by him: oh pray, pray, that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt would be ever with our ſpirits: viſit him in duty, that he may viſit us in mercy.
Verſe 13. And thoſe things haſt thou hid in thine heart] Legendum hoc cum ſtomach…, ſaith Mercer: And haſt thou indeed hid theſe things in thine heart? What things meaneth Job? his afflictions, which God was long before preparing for him, and now took his time to lay load upon him, to be revenged on him at unawares, and at greateſt advantage. If this be the fenſe of Jobs words (as ſome would conclude from the next verſes) he was mightily miſtaken; and this was atrox querimonia, a grievous complaint, and unworthy of God, who lieth not at the catch, nor pretendeth fair, when he intendeth otherwiſe. A Cain may do ſo to Abel, Eſau to Jacob, Abſolom to Amn…n, Joab to Amaſa &c. The Creator needs not daub or prevaricate thus with his creatures: if Job thought he did with him, Job was utterly out, though for confirmation he adde, I know that this is with thee; I am ſure that thou haſt dealt thus cloſely and covertly with me, and that thy plagues have ſurprized me. O theſe ſtill revenges! Merlin and others underſtand by thoſe thing hid in Gods heart, and which he was well aſſured could not have befallen him without Gods will and decree, the mercies which in the former verſes Job had recounted and reckoned up, viz. his conception, quickening, preſervation; all which he looked upon as love-tokens coming out of the heart of God, and from the ſpring of ſpecial love. Here then we ſee whence we may fetch comfort when moſt hardly beſtead: namely, from thoſe effects whereby God ſealed up his love to us in forming us in the womb; but eſpecially in his Covenant of Grace, that bee-hive of heavenly honey, whereby he hath ingaged to be our God even from the womb to the tomb; yea, to all perpetuity. Hereunto Job had reſpect, and ſo had David, Pſalm 22.10, 11. and Pſalm 25.10.
Verſe 14. If I ſin, then thou markeſt me] Though through humane frailty only I offend (& ni…is dedignatur mortalitatem qui peccaſſe erubeſcit,)Enphorm. thou ſoon noteſt it, thou followeſt me up and down, as it were, with pen, ink and paper, to ſet down my faults. How then, ſay ſome, that God ſees not ſin in his children? Job thought the Lord was over-ſtrict with him (which yet could not be) and that he put no difference betwixt him and thoſe that were notoriouſly wicked, as the next words import.
And thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity] That is, from the puniſhment of mine iniquity. Verba diffidentis, ſaith Mercer: words ſpoken according to the judgment of the fleſh, ſaith Diodate, which holdeth Gods viſitations to be puniſhments and vengeances.
Verſe 15. If I be wicked, wo unto me] Here he bringeth a Dilemma, whereby he declareth himſelf every way miſerable, faith Mercer; whether he be bad or good, ſuffer he muſt without remedy. If I be wicked, woe unto me; wo is the wicked mans portion; tell him ſo from me, ſaith God, Iſai. 3.10, 11. Though he love not to hear on that ear, but can bleſſe himſelf in his heart, when God curſeth him with his mouth, Deut. 29.19. And a godly man ſetteth the terrour of ſins woes before his fleſh, that ſlave, that muſt be frighted at leaſt with the ſight of the whip. Wo be to me, ſaith Paul, if I preach not the Goſpel, 1 Cor. 9.16. Or if, when I have preached to others, I my ſelf ſhould be a caſt-a-way verſe 27. which to prevent, he kept under his body (his corruption) and gave it a blue eye: for we are not debters to the fleſh, ſaith he, Rom. 8.10. We owe nothing but ſtripes and menaces, curſing it in every cruſe &c.
And if I be righteous, yet I will not lift up my head] Indeed I cannot, becauſe I am ſo bowed down with changes of ſorrows, armies of afflictions: my pains are continued, and I ſhall ſurely ſink under them: much adoe I have now to keep head above water. Others make this a deſcription of Jobs humility, I will not lift up my head, viz. in pride, but humble my ſelf to walk with my God, as that poor publican did who ſtood afarre off, and would not lift up ſo much as his eyes to heaven, Luk. 18.13.
I am full of confuſion] Caſt upon me by my friends, who reproach me for an hypocrite, and make my cheeks glow. The fulneſſe of an aſperſion may poſſibly put an innocent perſon to the bluſh: and it is the property of defamations to leave a kind of lower eſtimation many times, even where they are not believed. This was the confuſion that Job complained of, the ſtomack of his mind was full of it, even to ſatiety and ſurfet.
Therefore ſee thou mine affliction] My preſſing and piercing affliction, ſee it and remedy it, as Pſalm 119.153. Let not all my trouble ſeem little unto thee, as Nehem. 9.32. See Lord, ſee, behold it is high time for thee to ſet in.
Verſe 16. For it increaſeth] Heb. For it lifteth up it ſelf: it even boyleth up to the height, or it waxeth proud, as the proud ſurges of the ſea: Broughton rendreth it, Oh haw it fleeth up! Why how? Surely, as a fierce lion, ſo it hunteth me: it riſeth upon me, as a Lion rampant doth upon his prey, or as a Lion when he is purſued, gives not place, hides not his head, but comes into the open fields as holding it a diſgrace to withdraw, ſo ſome ſenſe it: Or,
Thou hunteſt me as a fierce Lion] Tanquam …e. God when he afflicteth men, is oft compared to a Lion: or Tanquam leonem, as if I were a ravening Lion; ſo thou hunteſt me,Iſa. 38.13. Hoſ. 5.14. Hoſ. 13.7. ſetting thy nets and toyls, making thy ſnares and pits ut capiar ad occiſionem (ſo the Septuagint) that I may be taken and deſtroyed, as 2 Pet. 2 12.
And again thou ſheweſt thy ſelf marvellous upon me] Heb. And thou returneſt. Here Job ſheweth, ſaith an Interpreter, what a confidence he had, that God returning to him in mercy would do wonderfully for him in the end: the word turning here,Ab. Ezr. and the turning his captivity, chap. 42. ſo aptly anſwering the one to the other to approve this expoſition. But others underſtand it of the continued or repeated acts of Jobs affliction unâ vi…e poſt aliam; as if he ſhould ſay, thou clappeſt on one affliction upon another: my pains know not only no period, but no pauſe: thou layeſt upon me extraordinary ſorrows, as if thou wouldſt declare in me alone, quàm mirus ſis artifex, what an excellent artiſan thou art when thou pleaſeſt, and what thou canſt do againſt a poor creature: ſurely thou haſt made my plagues wonderfull, Deut. 28.59. So the Apoſtles were made a gazing-ſtock, a theatre, a ſpectacle of humane miſery, 1 Cor. 4.9.
Verſe 17. Thou reneweſt thy witneſſes againſt me] Theſe freſh witneſſes were divels ſay ſome; Jobs friends, ſay others, his dolorous ſufferings rather, ſaith Austir, thoſe open witneſſes of ſome ſecret wickedneſſe in Job, as the world would eſteem them. See chap. 16.8. Ruth 1.21. Thus the Jewes cenſured our Saviour, Iſa. 53.3, 4. The Barbarians Paul, Acts 28. and thoſe in the Goſpel them that periſhed by the fall of the tower of Siloam. And how many precious men as well as Job, have been caſt upon this evidence for traitors and rebels againſt the higheſt majeſty? J…u… thinks, that when Job uttered the words of this text, he felt ſome new pains growing upon him and increaſing.
Thou in reaſeſt thine indignation upon me] Or within me, as chap. 6.4. and this was it that put a ſting into his ſufferings; Gods heavy diſpleaſure ſeemed to be kindled againſt him. Be not thou a terrour unto me ô Lord, ſaid Jeremy, and then I ſhall do well enough with the reſt.
Changes and warre (or armies) are upon me, or againſt me] Variety of troubles come trooping and treading, as it were, on the heels of one another: fluctus fluct…um …rudi…: there is a continual ſucceſſion of my ſorrows, freſh forces ſent againſt me &c. We ſee then that Job complained not without cauſe, though he kept not alwaies within compaſſe, as appeareth by that which followeth.
Verſe 18. Wherefore haſt thou brought me forth out of the womb?] Why? but was not that a mercy? David eſteemed it ſo, and gives God the glory, Pſalm. 22.9. But diſcontent is an utter enemy to thankfulneſſe. The bird ſings not till ſhe have taken up her ſtand to her mind. Some mens eyes are ſo bleared and glazed with tears for what they want, that they cannot ſee what good they have, cannot ſee mercies for bleſſings. Job here in a diſtemper wiſheth himſelf, (as he had done before, chap. 3. Who can underſtand his errors? Pſalm 19.12.) either unborn, or preſently dead, without the diſtance of one day betwixt his birth and his burial. In quo errorem erravit non levem, vir alioqui pientiſſimus; this was a worſe wiſh then if he had deſired that his life might be preſently taken away from him, for herein he ſheweth himſelf unthankful to God for all his former benefits: and not ſo only, but angry with God for the good he had done him: thus we have ſeen dogs in a chafe fly at their maſters, and children in a pelt ſtrike at their parents. But theſe were the voices of the fleſh luſting againſt the ſpirit, which afterwards (being juſtly reprehended for them, firſt by Elihu, and then alſo by God himſelf) he repreſſed and repented of in duſt and aſhes, Pſalm 42.6.
Oh that I had given up the ghoſt, and no eye had ſeen me] ſc. with delight; for what pleaſure is there in ſeeing a dead corps, eſpecially a ſtill-born child? ſee Gen. 23.4. with the Note. This text teacheth us, ſaith an Interpreter, what ſad effects extreme grief and pain worketh in the very beſt: it diſtempereth their ſpirits, and ſo diſturbeth them, that their complaints look like the blaſphemies of the wicked, and they ſometimes wiſh abſurd things, diſhonourable to God, and prejudicial to themſelves.
Verſe 19. I ſhould have been as though I had not been] Here he ſings the ſame ſong as chap. 3. and 6. It is hard to ſay how oft a child of God may diſcover the ſame infirmity. Our lives are fuller of ſins then the firmament is of ſtars, or the furnace of ſparks.
I ſhould have been carried from the womb to the grave] He makes mention of the grave as a deſirable place, which yet in the two laſt verſes he deſcribeth as a place of darkneſſe and diſorder. Thus Job himſelf was in the dark; and in his paſſion he throweth out words without wiſedome; Itaque ſolicitè orandus eſt Dius, ſaith one here, God is therefore to be earneſtly intreated, that when we are hard put to't with pain and miſery, we may not give way to unruly paſſion, nor ſuffer our tongues to out-laſh, as they will be apt to do. See Pſal. 39.1. confer Pſal. 22.77.88 & 89. and we ſhall ſee David well nigh as far out, as Job in his complaints and wiſhes; but God can put a difference between the godly and ſin in them, as between poiſon and the box that holdeth it. He can alſo pity them, as we do poiſon in a man, which yet we hate in a toad &c.
Verſe 20. Are not my dayes few?] And oh that they might not be alſo evil! ſith I ſhall not much trouble the world, oh that I might not find much trouble in the world! What man is he that would fain ſee good dayes, ſaith David, Pſalm 34.12? What man is he that would not, ſaith Austin in anſwer to him? Job and David joyn in one and the ſame ſuit for a truce from trouble, ſith their time here was ſo very ſhort, Pſalm 39.13. and 89.47.
Ceaſe then, and let me alone] After he had vented his paſſions, he fals again to his prayers. Ye have done all this wickedneſſe (ſaith Samuel to the people who had been over-importunate for a King) yet turn not aſide from following the Lord &c. 1 Sam. 12.20. Whileſt prayer ſtands ſtill, the whole trade of godlineſſe ſtands ſtill. Saints, though they have ſinned, yet muſt not reſtrain prayer, but go home to God again with ſhame in their faces, and tears in their eyes, and he will ſpeak peace; only they muſt be ſenſible that their Father hath ſpit in their faces &c.
That I may take comfort a little] A modeſt requeſt: the poor man ſpeaks ſupplications, begs a farthing. They who are lowly, make low demands. Oh that I were but a door keeper! oh that Iſhmael might live in thy ſight &c.
Verſe 21. Before I go whence I ſhall not return] Before I go out of this world, never more to return hither to enjoy the comforts that are here to be had. Death is a departure hence, 1 Pet. 1.15. Luke 9.31. And ſo the Ancients (Irenaeus, Clement, and others) uſed to call it: I ſhall change my place, but not my company, ſaid that dying Saint who had here walked with God in uprightneſſe,Tertul. and was now to bid adieu to all worldly intereſts. The old Romans were wont to ſay of a dead friend, Abiit, & everſurus eſt, He is gone, and will come again. It ſeems hereby that they had ſome darke notions of a Reſurrection; whence alſo their Poets called a dead body, a ſoul; — animamque ſepulchro condimus. The Hebrews did the like,Virg. Aeneid. Numb. 5.2. and 9.10. and 19.11. Hag. 2.14. as having a more ſure word of Propheſie: and Job was clear in this point, firmly believing the reſurrection of his body, chap. 19.26, 27. It muſt needs be therefore that he ſpeaks here of not returning into this world. See the like chap. 16.22. Pſalm 39.13. 2. Sam. 12.23.
Even to the land of darkneſſe &c.] See the Note on verſe 22.
Verſe 22. …land of darkneſſe &c.] This is not a deſcription of hell, and of the ſtate of the damned (as ſome would have it) for Job never meant to come there, no more then Jacob did, Gen. 37.35. and 42.38. But it is ſuch an elegant deſcription of the grave, … exceedeth the phantaſie of Poets, and the rhetorick of all heathen Orators. There is ſomething like it in Davids Pſalms, eſpecially Pſalm 88.11, 12. where the grave is called a place of perdition, a land of forgetfulneſſe, and of darkneſſe, whereinto they who deſcend; praiſe not God, Pſalm 115.17. In reſpect of their bodies they do not, they cannot, Iſai. 38.18. Hell, indeed, is much more a land of darkneſſe, as darkneſſe it ſelf; it is that outer-darkneſſe; a darkneſſe beyond a darkneſſe, as the dungeon is beyond the priſon; and the pains of hell are the chains of darkneſſe. now death is …e…a…binger to the wicked, and hence it is ſo dreadful in the apprehenſion and approach of it, that mens hearts do even die within them, as Nabals did, through fear of death; and they tremble thereat as the trees of the wood, or leaves of the forreſt, with Ahaz, Iſai. 7.2. Darkneſſe we know, is full of terrour: the Egyptians were ſorely a frighted by their three dayes thick darkneſſe, in ſo much as that none ſtirred off his ſtool all that while, Exod. 10.23. and it was the more terrible, doubtleſſe, becauſe they had no warning of it, as they had of other plagues. How oft do men chop into the chambers of death (their long-home the grave) all on the ſudden, as he that travelleth in the ſnow, may do over head and ears into a marle-pit? Death of any ſort, is unwelcome to nature, as being its ſlaughterman: but when ſudden, It is ſo much the more ghaſtly; and thoſe that deſperately dare death to a duel, cannot look it in the face with blood in their cheeks: only to thoſe that are in Chriſt, the bitterneſſe of death is paſt, the ſting of it pulled out, the property altered, as hath been already noted. Chriſt, the Sun of Righteouſneſſe, ſaith a Learned Expoſitor here, lay in the grave, and hath left perpetual beams of light there for his purchaſed people.Mr. Caryl. The way to the grave is very dark, but Chriſt hath ſet up lights for us &c.
And of the ſhadow of death] The ſhadow is the dark part of the thing; ſo that the ſhadow of death is the darkeſt ſide of death, death in its moſt hideous and horrid repreſentations: the ſhadow of death is the ſubſtance of death, or death with addition of greateſt deadlineſſe.
Without any order] Heb. and not orders, What then? confuſion ſurely, without keeping to rules or ranks: mens bones are mingled in the grave; whether they have been princes or peaſants, it cannot be diſcerned: Omnia mors aequat; as cheſſe-men are put up all together in the bag when the game is ended, without diſtinction of King, Duke, Biſhop. &c. ſo here: Junius rendreth it, expertem viciſſitudinum, without any interchanges, diſtinctions, viciſſitudes, or varieties (as of day, night, ſummer, winter, heat, cold, &c.) of which things conſiſteth the greateſt part of the brevity of this world.
And where the light is … darkneſſe] How great then muſt needs be that darkneſſe? as our Saviour ſpeaketh in another caſe, Matth. 6.23. Surely when by the return of the Sun; there is light in the land of the living; in the grave all is abyſſed and ſunk into eternal might: as the bodies of thoſe two ſmothered Princes were by their cruel Uncle Richard the third, in the black-deeps, a place ſo called at the Thames-mouth: in the grave light and darkneſſe are both alike: and as the Images in Popiſh Temples ſee nothing, though great wax candles be lighted up before them: ſo the cleareſt light of the Sun ſhining in his ſtrength would be nothing to thoſe that are dead and buried. Let this be much and often thought on: mors tu…, mors Christi &c. Cyrus that great Conqueror lying on his death-bed, praiſed God, ſaith Xenophon, that his proſperity had not puffed him up; for he ever conſidered that he was but mortal, and muſt bid adieu to the world. Charls the fifth Emperour of Germany cauſed his ſepulcher and grave clothes to be made five years before his death, and carried them cloſely with him whitherſoever he went. Samuel ſent Saul newly annointed to Rachels ſepulcher, 1 Sam. 10.24. that he might not ſurfet upon his new honours, &c.