Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 4 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. Verſe 1. Then anſwered Zophar the Naamathite.
WIth a moſt bitter invective, ſavouring more of paſſion, then charity; Zophar rejoyneth, or rather revileth innocent Job, miſ-interpreting his meaning, verſe 4. and laying to his charge, 1. Loquacity or talkativeneſſe. 2. Lying. 3. Scoffing at Gods good providence, and mens good counſel. 4. Self-conceitedneſſe and arrogancy, beſides raſhneſſe, boldneſſe, &c. For want of better arguments againſt him, he falls foul upon him in this ſort. And if the adverſaries of the truth do the like by us (as our Saviour ſaith they will, Matth. 5.11. and as himſelf, after Job and many other of his members, had the experience of it) we muſt not be over-troubled. Zophar ſignifieth a watcher, he watched for Jobs halting, and took him up before he was down: he is ſtiled the Naamathite from Naamah (a city in the land of Ʋz, eighteen miles from Jobs Pyramis, ſaith Adricomius) which ſignifieth …air. But he dealeth not ſo fair with his friend, as had been fit, for he giveth him no honour or reſpect at all, but treateth him with ſingular ſharpneſſe and violence, or rather virulence of ſpeech: hear him…elfe.
Verſe 2. Should not the multitude of words be anſwered] Should not he who ſpeaketh what he will,Nunquid qui multa loquitur, non & audiet? Vulg. hear what he would not? yes, Job ſhall now, or you'l want of your will: but if Job have talked more then his part came to (the truth is, his ſpeeches are longer then any of thoſe his three friends, which are all, except that firſt made by Eliphaz, chap. 4. and 5. comprehended in one chapter, whereas his take up two, three, or more) he may well be excuſed, conſidering the ſharpneſſe of his diſeaſe, the ungentleneſſe of his friends, and the ſenſe of Gods diſpleaſure, which his ſoul laboured under. Zophar and the reſt looked upon him as a wretched hypocrite, and were angry that he would not yeild himſelf ſo; they accuſed his former converſation as wicked; what way had he therefore to defend and aſſert his own integrity, but by words? and muſt he yet paſſe for a pratling fellow, a man of lips, a very wordy man, one that loveth to hear himſelf talk, becauſe he will not be by them out-talked, and over-born by their falſe charges? Moſt ſure it is, that profane and profuſe babblings are to be avoided, and to bring fulneſſe of matter in fewneſſe of words, it is very commendable. Quàm multa quàm paucis! ſaid Tully of Bru…s his Laconical Epiſtle; how much is here in a little! but 1. Every man cannot be a ſhort-ſpoken Spartan: It is reported that in Luthers houſe was found written, Melancthou hath both matter and words: Luther hath matter, but wants words; Eraſmus hath words at will, but wants matter. Every one hath his own ſhare: all are not alike-gifted. 2. He is to be accounted talkative, who uttereth unprofitable words, and far from the purpoſe, beſide the point: and ſo Zophar himſelf was to be blamed in this whole diſcourſe of his, wherein he talketh much, but ſpeaketh little. Concerning the infinite and unſearchable wiſedom of God, he argueth truly and gravely, but yet nothing fitly to convince Job, who himſelf had ſaid as much and more of the ſame ſubject. The counſel alſo that therehence he giveth Job, doth little or nothing concern him: it being the ſame in effect that Eliphaz and Bildad had ſaid before him: Zophar therfore was the locutuleius, the talkative man here mentioned, rather then Job, the lip…-man, adverſus ſua ipſius vitia facundus ſatis: and as Bion was wont to ſay, that the Grammarians of his time could diſcourſe wel of the errors of Ʋlyſſes, but not at all ſee their own; ſo it befell Zophar.
And ſhould a man full of talk be justified?] Heb. a man of lips, ſo called, as if he were made all of lips, and had no other members. Shall ſuch an one be ever a whit the better thought of? Not among wiſe men ſurely, what ever he may amongſt his fellow fools: for in multiloquio ſtultiloquium: Some gravel and mud paſſeth away with much water; ſome vanity with much talk: it is no wiſedom for a man to lay on more words then the matter will well bear. A good Orator, ſaith Plutarch, will ſee that his words and his matter be matches. And Heſiod ſaith, that words, as a precious treaſure, ſhould be thriftily husbanded, and warily waſted: eſpecially ſith an account is to be rendred, as our Saviour aſſureth us, Matth. 12.36. yea, by thy words (he ſaith not, for thy words) thou ſhalt be justified, and by thy words (if ſuperfluous and ſinful, waſt and wicked) thou ſhalt be condemned, verſe 37.
Verſ. 3. Should thy lyes make men hold their peace?] Or, Thy toyes, toilſome toyes, hammered in thine own head, hatcht in thine own heart, which is deceitful above all things, and ſo a fit ſhop to frame lies in: but ſhould we be ſilent at the hearing of them, and ſo become guilty of thy ſin by a tacit conſent? Can any mortall wight hear what thou haſt ſaid in behalf of thine own imaginary innocency? chap. 6.29, 30. And how bold an appeal thou haſt made to God as a witneſſe thereof chap. 10.7. and not reply upon thee, and reprove thee? The truth is, had Job been a liar, as Zophar would make of him, (even mendaciorum loquaciſſimum, as Tertullian ſaith of Tacitus, one that fearing his many words would not carry his cauſe, had intermixed divers untruths the better to grace the buſineſſe) he ought not to have been forborn by Zophar or any elſe, that wiſhed well to his ſoul: But it was far from good Job to be guilty of this foul ſin, ſo hated of God, ſo like the divel, ſo inconſiſtent with religion. Christianus eſt, non mentietur, he is a Chriſtian, you may be ſure he will not lie, was the old argument; he will rather die then lie; Davia indeed in a diſtreſs, roundly told two or three lies together to Abimelech the high-prieſt, who ſuſpected that he fled as a proſcribed perſon 1 Sam. 21.2, 8. So 1 Sam 27.10. But that he allowed not this ſin in himſelf it appeareth in that 1. He had choſen the way of truth, his election was truth Pſalm 119.30. And 2. He prayed againſt the contrary evil, Remove from me the way of lying, Pſalm 119.29. He was not one of thoſe that took faſt hold of deceit, as Jeremiah phraſeth it chap. 8.5. Much leſſe was Job; however Zophar was miſtaken in him, as he was much more in his next charge, wherein he maketh him a ſcoffer of God and good people.
And when thou mockeſt, ſhall no man make thee aſhamed?] Job is made a mocker here; yea, a ſcorner, and derider, as the word ſignifieth, ſuch as David deſcribeth, Pſalm 22.6. and the Author to the Hebrewes, chap. 11.36. where he ſpeaks of cruel mockings, ſuch as the Scripture every where (but eſpecially in the Proverbs) brandeth for the worſt ſort of ſinners: See Pſalm 1.1. where the Septuagint tranſlate for ſcorners,foreign. Peſts: as elſewhere Incorrigible, Prov. 21.1. Naught, Prov. 9.12. Proud, Prov. 3.34. Workers of iniquity Pſalm 119.51. But where did Job mock in Zophars judgment? Firſt, he ſpoke contemptuouſly (as he thought) of God, as chap. 10.3. Is it good unto thee that thou ſhouldſt oppreſſe? &c. And whereas he ſpake better ſometimes of Gods wiſdom and righteouſneſſe, Zophar thought it was but from the teeth-outward: but poor Job had little lift or leiſure to mock and jear: next, he mocked his friends for ſaying that he was juſtly afflicted; ſaying, that they were cold comforters, void of Gods fear, mercileſſe men &c. This they took in very ill part, and Zophar thinks to make him aſhamed of it: for ſaith he,
Shall no man make thee aſhamed?] ſc. By refuting thee, and by bringing thee to a due ſight of thine error: this good office he that ſhall undertake to do for another, muſt be ſure that he be able to do it effectually, elſe better not to attempt it. When Carolostadius oppoſed Luthers Conſubſtantiation but weakly and inſufficiently, Zuinglius ſaid,Non ſatis humerorum haberet. he was ſorry, that ſo good a cauſe wanted ſhoulders.
Verſ. 4. For thou haſt ſaid.] Thou haſt confidently affirmed; and this he makes to be a loud lie, and not an idle word only. But where and when had Job ſaid it? Did not Zophar openly play the Sophiſter, ſo interpreting what Job had ſpoken chap. 6.10. and 9.22. and 10.7. in defence of his innocency, as if Job had maintained that he was free from all ſin; whereas notwithſtanding, he had very often witneſſed and confeſſed himſelf to be a ſinner, inſomuch, as that albeit he were without ſin, yet he could not be accounted clear and pure in the ſight of God? But Zophar took theſe for good words only, and was therfore ſo ſharp-ſet againſt him. So Cyril and Theodoret miſtook one another, and objected hereſie mutually: when as afterwards it appeared, that they were both of one judgment. Charity would have taught Zophar to have taken Job in a better ſenſe, and to have ſaid of him as Cruciger did of Luther, eum commodiùs ſentire quàm loquitur, dum efferveſcit, that he held right, though in his heat he ſpake not ſo fitly as might be wiſhed; good mens words are reverenter gloſſanda (as one ſaid of the Lawes) to have a reverent gloſſe put upon them, and not by a ſpiritual unmannerlineſſe, to be taken with the left hand; when they might and ought to be taken with the right.
My doctrine is pure] Clear as chryſtal, tranſparent as a chryſtal glaſſe with a light in the midſt; you may ſee through it, and find no flaw or filth in it: Job was no profeſſed preacher, yet he had not concealed the words of the Holy One, chap. 6.10. As he had received the knowledg of the truth from parents and teachers (the word here rendred doctrine, comes from a root that ſignifieth to receive) ſo he had freely and purely imparted it to others, commending it unto them as ſound and ſincere, and therefore well worthy of all acceptation. But that which troubled Zophar and his two fellows was, that Job ſhould affirm that God did afflict good men in this world as heavily as bad men, which yet was an irrefragable truth, ſuch as Job reſolved to live and die in.
And I am clean in thine eyes] i. e. I am not ſinleſſe, but ſincere and upright, no hypocrite (as you have charged me) no worker of iniquity, but one that would be cleanſed from all filthineſſe of fleſh and ſpirit, and do by the daily practice of mortification, purifie my ſelf as God is pure: more then this Job ſaid not, though Zophar thought he did, and therefore wiſheth in the next words that God himſelf would convince him of his errour.
Verſe 5. But oh that God would ſpeak &c.] For we do but loſe our ſweet words upon thee, ſith thou art ſet, and ſo wedded and wedged to thine own will and way, that thou canſt not be removed and rectified, but by an extraordinary touch from the hand of heaven; O therefore that God would ſpeak and open his lips againſt thee, and for us: for ſo Zophar doubts not but he would do; but if it proved otherwiſe chap. 42. Job was juſtified, and theſe three condemned, becauſe they had not ſpoken of God, (or to God, as in this text) the thing that was right, verſe 7. but had been Satans inſtruments to diſcourage Job… and to drive that good man to many paſſionate ſpeeches. Some men (and women too, as Sarah, Gen. 16.5.) are over-haſty to ſend for God, as it were, by a poſt, to decide their controverſies: who, if he ſhould come at their call, would certainly pronounce againſt them.Pſal. 37. Eccleſ. 5.2. Fret not thy ſelf therefore to do evil: be not raſh with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be haſty to utter any thing in this kind before God, or to intereſt him in thy quarrels and controverſies, for he will ſurely paſſe an impartial ſentence, …either is there any iniquity with the Lord our God, nor reſpecting of perſons, nor rec…iving of gifts, 1 Chron. 19.7. One Interpreter from this wiſh of Zophar noteth, that it is an ordinary practice of hereticks (Satans factors) to mention God, as approving of their errors, if by ſpeaking he would from heaven declare himſelf plainly; and that therfore we ſhould take heed of thoſe that labour to work upon us this way, when by right reaſon they are able to evince nothing that they ſay.
Verſ. 6. And that he would ſhew thee the ſecrets of wiſedome] This may be underſtood of Gods law (ſaith Diodate) or of the hidden wayes of his providence; which if God would ſhew Job, he ſhould at once ſee that he miſtook much, and knew little of thoſe many myſteries that are both in the word and works of God, in all divine diſpenſations, which are ſuch as none can unriddle but God himſelf; neither can we ſee them till he ſhew them. It is well obſerved, that the word here rendred [ſhew] ſignifieth to interpret and expound that which is dark, myſterious and enigmatical; and till God ſhew us in this ſort, we remain ignorant both in the book of the creatures, and in the book of the Scriptures. Oh pray that ye may be all taught of God, that he would ſhow you great and mighty things which you know not, Jer 33.3. that he would ſo open your eyes, that ye may behold wondrous things out of his Law, Pſalm 119.18. &c.
That they are double to that which is] Sunt enim Deo judiciorum duo genera, ſo the Tigurines tranſlate the words, for God hath judgments of two ſeveral ſorts, viz. open and ſecret, ſuch as thou with all thy skill canſt not dive into. The Hebrew is, dovbles to the being; that is, ſaith one, manifold more then is by thee apprehended; and although God hath afflicted thee according to what he hath revealed, yet he might afflict thee more, if he ſhould proceed according to the height of his ſecret wiſedome: thy plagues ſhould be double to that which is, if God ſhould deal rigorouſly with thee: there is reaſon therefore thou ſhouldſt be patient, ſith thy ſins are far more then thy ſufferings.
Know then that God exacteth of thee leſſe then thine iniquity deſerveth] This is a meditation that may be of ſpecial uſe, as to humble us, ſo to ſtanch murmuring, and to ſtrengthen patience under preſent preſſures. See Ezra 9.13. with the Note. Junius rendreth it acknowledg at leaſt that God exacteth ſomewhat of thee for thine iniquity: ſomewhat it is, and but ſomewhat, ſith hell is the juſt hire of the leaſt ſin, and it is the Lords mercy that we are not conſumed Lament. 3.22.
Verſe 7. Canſt thou by ſearching find out God?] i. e. The nature of God, or the courſe of his providence, and the reaſon of his proceedings? thou canſt never do it: Neither did Job ever take upon him to do it, but had excellently and accurately ſet out the ſame things chap. 9.4. &c. that Zophar here doth; ſo that he might well have ſpared his pains in this diſcourſe as to Job; but that being too pertinacious in his evil opinion of him, he choſe rather to thwart him, then to cloſe with him, as contentious people uſe to do.
Canſt thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?] No nor the brighteſt Angel in heaven, the higheſt graduate in glory. Find him we may poſſibly, but not find him out, much leſſe find him out to perfection. Tantum recedit, quantum capitur, Orat. 1.ſaith Nazianzen. The nearer you draw unto God, the further off he is from you,De mirabil. auſcult. and you are as much to ſeek as ever: he is indeed like the pool Polycritus writeth of (cited by Aristotle) which in compaſſe at the firſt ſcarce ſeemed to exceed the breadth of a ſhield, but if any went in to waſh, it extended it ſelf more and more. A Country fellow thinks, if he were upon ſuch a mountain, he could touch heaven, and take a ſtar in his hand; but when he comes thither, heaven is as far off as it was &c. So it is here; eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard &c. 1 Cor. 2.9. Chryſostome ſpeaking of Gods love in Chriſt, ſaith, I am like a man digging in a deep ſpring: I ſtand here, and the water riſeth up upon me, and I ſtand there, and ſtill the water riſeth upon me. What the Apoſtle ſaith of this infinite love of God, that it paſſeth knowledge, as having all the dimenſions Epheſ. 3.18, 19. the ſame is true of the wiſedome of God, as Zophar ſetteth forth in the following verſes.
Verſe 8. It is as high as heaven, what canſt thou doe?] And much higher; it is as the highneſſes of heaven (ſo the Hebrew hath it) which is ſo high, that one would wonder we ſhould be able to behold the ſtarry skie (which yet is but as the marble wall round about the palace) and the very eye not be tired in the way. See the Note on Prov 25.3. How high that ſecond heaven is, may hereby be gathered, in that the ſtars (whereof thoſe of the firſt magnitude are ſaid to be every one above 107. times as big again as the whole earth) do yet ſeem to us but as ſo many ſmall ſparks or ſpangles: but how high the third heaven is above them, cannot be conjectured Epheſ 4.10. And yet the wiſdom of the Almighty is far above that. But what meaneth Zophar by theſe cutted queſtions of his, What canſt thou doe? and what canſt thou know? He thought belike, that either Job conſidered not what he had ſaid, when he ſo ſet forth Gods wiſedom, and his own ſhallowneſſe: or elſe that he contradicted himſelf, when he nevertheleſs ſtood ſo much upon his own integrity, and complained ſo greatly of his miſery, as of an injury
Deeper then hell] Which where-ever it is, appeareth by this and other texts of Scripture, as Revel. 14.11. Deut. 32.22. Pſalm 55.15. Prov. 15.24. &c. To be …, Ʋbi ſit, ſe…tient, qui curi…ſiùs quae…nt, ſaith one; where it is, they ſhall find one day, who ever curiouſly enquire. The word here rendred hell; ſignifieth the lower and more remote parts of the earth: and David telleth us, that the wicked ſhall be turned into hell, into the loweſt part of it, as the He licale there implieth Pſalm 9 17.
Verſe 9. The meaſure thereof is longer then the earth:] Wherein, ſome kingdomes are of a very great length, as thoſe of the Turks, and of the Tartars at this day. How long then in the earth it ſelf? Some have undertaken to tell in how many dayes a nimble footman might meaſure it, but that's but a conjecture. It muſt be remembred, that theſe things are ſpoken after the manner of men; for the wiſedom of God can neither be meaſured nor numbred: of his understanding there is no number, ſaith the Prophet, Pſalm 147.5. Archimedes the Mathematician vaunted, that he by his skill in Arithmetick, could number up all the ſand or duſt that is in the whole world habitable and inhabitable. But who can caſt up the extent of the Divine wiſedom.
And broader then the ſea] Which yet David calleth the great and wide ſea, Pſalm 104.25. Breadth is aſcribed to the ſea, becauſe of its huge extenſion, marriners for many dayes together whiles they ſail upon the main, ſee no land, but only sky and water. Gods wiſedom goes beyond all theſe: neither muſt we think to lade this Ocean with our cockle-ſhell. We may ſooner drain the ſea with a ſpoon; then the perfections of God with our largeſt underſtandings.
Verſe 10. If he cut off and ſhut up] Heb. If he change, viz. his courſe or way of proceedings toward men, either to ſhut them up cloſe priſoners, or otherwiſe to put them to ſuch ſtraits that (Job-like) they know not what to do, or which way to turn themſelves.
Or gather together] viz. His witneſſes, ſay ſome, againſt an offender, his armies and military forces, ſaith the Chaldee paraphraſt, to ruine his enemies: his outcaſts, ſay ſome interpreters, according to that Pſalm 147.2. The Lord doth build up Jeruſalem, he gathereth together the out-caſts of Iſrael. If he do any or all of theſe to ſhew his ſoveraignty, as well he may;
Then who can hinder him] Heb. turn him away, or put a ſtop to him? If God ſhould do and undo, confound all things, turn the world upſide down, who ſhall contradict him or queſtion him? May he not do with his own as he pleaſeth?Atqui non erat neceſſe haec à Zophar dici, quum de his jam & eadem dixiſſet Job. Merc. And might not Zophar have ſpared thus to have ſpoken to Job; ſith Job had ſaid the ſame to him in effect before? But Zophars deſign was to prove hereby that he who is by God brought into ſtraits, is a wicked liver. He therefore in the two following verſes glanceth at him as vain, wicked, bruitiſh, and not unlike to a wilde aſſe-colt, ſuch as God would ſurely tame and tutor to better things by afflictions, and ſo bring him to hand.
Verſe 11. He knoweth vain man, he ſeeth wickedneſſe alſo] Doubtleſſe he beholdeth faithleſſe men, mortals of vanity, head-long and head-ſtrong wights; homines falſitatis (ſo Cajetan rendreth it) men of falſe-hood; homines mendaces (ſo Pagnine) lying perſons, ſuch as thou Job art preſumed to be by thy impious words, and grievous puniſhments: He ſeeth wickedneſſe, inanitatem & iniquitatem, vanity and villany: God ſeeth all, how cloſely and cleanly ſoever hypocrites think to carry the matter; firſt, hiding God from themſelves, and then vainly hoping to hide themſelves alſo from God; but his eyes behold, his eye-lids try the children of men; Pſalm 11.4. He ſeeth their wickedneſſe or unreaſonableneſs (as the word properly ſignifieth) for wicked men are abſurd men, 2 Theſ. 3.2. they are compact of meer incongruities, ſolecizing in opinion, ſpeeches, actions, all.
Will he not then conſider it?] ſc. To judg and puniſh it? Man maketh no great matter of ſin, but God doth. He will bring every work into judgment, with every ſecret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil, Eccleſ. 12.14. he will ſee that every tranſgreſſion and diſobedience ſhall receive a juſt recompence of reward, Heb. 2.2. This Zophar doth not only affirm, but puts i… home ſtrongly by a queſtion (wherein he cloſely taxeth Job of hypocriſie) Will he not conſider it? Some read it without a queſtion thus, But he (that is man) conſidereth not, is without underſtanding of Gods wiſedom and juſtice, being dull and ſtupid like a wild aſſe-colt, as it followeth.
Verſe 12. For vain man would be wiſe] Heb. Hollow man, that is, as void of grace, as an hollow tree is of heart of oak. Would be wiſe.] Heb. would be hearty, …gregiè cordatus home, there is an elegancy in the Original that cannot be Engliſhed. Wilt thou know, O vain man, foreign.ſaith St. James chap. 2.20. The Greek is, thou empty man, thou that haſt nothing in thee, and yet art highly conceited: thou that art (Ephraim-like) a ſilly dove without an heart, Hoſ. 7.11. and yet in ſuperbiam erect… (as the Vulgar here hath it) raiſed up to pride: that little knowledge he hath, puffeth him up, 1 Cor. 8.1. So hollows-like is the natural ſoul, or rather ſo bladder-like, like, that filled with earthly vanities, it growes great, and ſwelleth in pride: but prick'd with the leaſt pin of piercing grief, it ſhriveleth to nothing. The Prophet Iſaiah fitly compareth it to a bul-ruſh, chap. 58.5. the colour whereof is freſh, the skin ſmooth: but if you pill it, what is under but a kind of ſpongious, unſubſtantial ſubſtance, of no uſe in the world worth the ſpeaking of? Formalliſts and pretenders to holineſſe, are flat nothing, worſe then nothing, iniquity, Matth. 23.28.
Though man he born as a wilde aſſes colt] Take him in his pure naturals, he is no wiſer;Eph. 4. created he was in Gods image, which conſiſted in knowledg, righteouſneſſe and holineſſe: knowledg in his underſtanding, rightneſſe or ſtraightneſſe in his will, and holineſſe in his affections. But ſince the fall, all this is loſt and gone quite: he hath principium laeſum, neither can he know the things of God, no though he be foreign, a ſouly man, one that doth excolere animam, ſuch as Tully and Aristotle: yet is he in ſpirituals, as blind as a beetle, a meer aſſe-colt: a colt is none of the wiſeſt creature, much leſſe an aſſe-colt, leaſt of all a wilde aſſe-colt; and yet ſuch is man, ſenſual man, Judg. 19. ſapleſſe man, Pſalm 14.1. he is as an aſſes foale for rudeneſſe, a wilde aſſes for unrulineſſe, untamed, and untractable. Surely, as a wilde aſſe-colt, (ſaith Gregory upon this text) not uſed to the yoak, runneth up and down the large fields and woods at his pleaſure, and when he is weary, lieth down, and thus doth from day to day: So man by nature is licentious, running as his luſts carry him, to all manner of ſin, and giveth not overrunning till he is weary: he will not be held in by any reins, or kept to do the work he ſhould by any yoak which the Lord by teaching ſeeks to put upon him. Surely (ſaith another) God is fain to deal with ſuch,Marbury. as men do with frisking jades in a paſture, that cannot take them up, till they get them to a gate:Theatr. hiſt. pag 127.128. ſo till the hour of death &c. Thomas Blaverus chief counſellour ſometime to the King of Scots, believed not that there was God or divel, heaven or hell, till he came to die, and then cryed out, he was damned: ſo alſo died one Arthur Miller: Sword againſt ſwear. pag. 34. Hiſt. of world.and before him, a deſperate Dean of Pauls. When death comes (ſaith Sir Walter Raleigh) which hates and deſtroys men, that is believed. But God that loveth and maketh men, he is not regarded. O eloquent death! O mighty death! whom none could adviſe, thou art able to perſwade &c.
Verſe 13. If thou prepare thine heart] viz. to meet God, Amos 4.12. humbly ſubmitting to his juſtice, and heartily imploring his mercy. The ſumme of what Zophar ſaith in the following verſes, is this; if thou truely repent, thou ſhalt proſper: as if not, thou ſhalt periſh: this he might have ſaid more fitly to moſt of us, who are deeply guilty (ſaith Lavater) then to Job, who was nothing ſo ſinful as we are, and yet much more penitent. But Zophar calls upon him to quarrel with his faults, and not with his friends, and to break off his ſins by repentance; without which, if he ſhould have peace, it would be but like thoſe ſhort interims between the Egyptian plagues.
And ſtretch out thine hands towards him] Heb. And ſpread thy palmes to him: ſo in prayer for pardon of ſin, and power againſt ſin: for this ſtretching out, or ſpreading of the hands, is a prayer-geſture, wherein Gods people come formâ pauperis, holding out the hand to receive mercy, as beggars do an alms: or as men beg quarter for their lives with hands held up: or laſtly, as he that is faln into a ditch, or deep pit, and cannot get out, lifteth up his hands, and cryeth out for help. See Exod. 17.11, 12. and 19.29. 1 Kings 8.22. Pſalm 141.2. It appeareth that the Ancients prayed not with their hands joyned together, or a little way lifted up, but with their arms ſtretcht abroad, and the palms of their hands turned up towards heaven.
Verſe 14. If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away] Caſt away all thy tranſgreſſions, and throw thy luſts out of ſervice. Hands lifted up in prayer muſt be pure, 1 Tim. 2.8. for the fountain of goodneſſe will not be laden at with foul hands Iſai. 1.15, 16. Good therefore is the counſel of Jeremiah, chap. 4.14. and of St. James, chap. 4.8. The Prieſts had their laver to waſh in before they ſacrificed, and their brazen altar to offer on before they burnt incenſe. He that comes to pray, having not firſt purged himſelf of all filthineſſe of fleſh and ſpirit, doth (ſay the Jew-doctors) as he that cometh to offer a clean beaſt, but holds an unclean one in his hand. By iniquity in the hand here, Beza and others underſtand wrong-dealing, either by fraud or force, by ſtrength or ſlight of hand: and then Zophar preſſeth Job to restitution: away with it, ſaith he, ſend it home to the right owner: elſe you will cough in hell, and the divels will laugh at you, ſaith Latimer.
And let not wickedneſſe dwell in thy Tabernacles] i. e. In thy family,Joſh. 24.15. …ſth. 4.16. and whereever elſe thou haſt to do; I and my houſe will ſerve the Lord, ſaith Joſhuah: I and my maids, ſaith Eſther. Davids care for the reforming and well-ordering of his houſhold, and of his whole kingdom, See Pſalm 101. throughout. Such a man is really as he is relatively. Thoſe Governors of families and countries ſhew themſelves perfect ſtrangers to the practice of repentance, who make no other uſe of their ſervants and ſubjects, then they do of their beaſts; whiles they may have their bodies to do their ſervice, they care not if their ſouls ſerve the divel. This will lye heavy one day.
Verſe 15. For then ſhalt thou lift up thy face without ſpot &c.] Repentance muſt be performed in faith, or elſe it will prove to be poenitentia Iſcariotica, a Judas-like repentance. Lord (ſaid that dying Saint) caſt me down as low as hell in repentance, and lift me up by faith into the higheſt heavens in confidence of thy ſalvation. Zophar, that he may move Job kindly and rightly to repent, promiſeth him thereupon malorum ademptionem, bonorum adeptionem, freedome from evil, and fruition of good. And firſt, thou ſhalt lift up thy face without ſpot, i. e. Thou ſhalt be full of comfort and of confidence, not caſting down thy countenance, as guilty Cain but looking up boldly and cheerfully, as St. Steven did, Acts 7.15. they ſaw his face as it had been the face of an Angel.
Ibat ovans animis & ſpe ſua damna levabat.
Yea, thou ſhalt be ſtedfaſt] Or durable and compact as a molten pillar; thine heart ſhall be eſtabliſhed with grace, thy mind with peace: thine outward eſtate with a laſting felicity.
And ſhall not fear] ſc. The loſſe of thoſe enjoyments. To be freed from the fear of evil, is better then to be freed from evil: and a great part of the Saints portion both on earth and in heaven, lies in their deliverance from fear, Luke 1.74. Pſalm 112.7. See Zepb. 3.13. Iſa. 17.2. Repent, and thou ſhalt fear no more a revolution of any thy troubles.
Verſe 16. Becauſe thou ſhalt forget thy miſery] There being no fear left, or foot ſtep thereof remaining to renew thy grief, Gen. 41.30. Remember thy former trouble thou ſhalt, with thankfulneſſe for a better condition now, but no otherwiſe: all the marks of former affliction ſhall be worn out. See Iſa. 65.16.13. ſo that thou ſhalt diſcount all the evil thou haſt endured.
And remember it as waters that paſſe away] As a land-flood, ſoon gone, as a light cloud quickly over: or as Noahs flood which that good man thought upon: when it was paſt, with thankfulneſſe to God, offering ſacrifice for his ſafety. So ſhalt thou Job: and as a man ſeldome thinketh how much water paſſeth by his habitation by day and by night; or if he do; yet its no trouble to his mind, no more ſhall the remembrance of by-paſt miſeries be to thine.
Verſe 17. And thine age ſhall be clearer then the noon-day] The reſt of thy life which thou giveſt for loſt, ſhall be the very prime part of thy time for glory. Solid glory ſpringeth out of innocency of life, beneficence toward all men, acts done valiantly and ſucceſfully with juſtice and moderation of mind: whereunto is added the conſtant applauſe of good men, proceeding from an admiration of ſo great vertue. This Zophar promiſeth Job upon his true repentance, with a daily increaſe thereof, as the Sun ſhineth more and more unto the perfect day. Fame followeth vertue, as the ſhadow doth the body at the very heels. If there be any vertue, if any praiſe, ſaith the Apoſtle Philip. 4.8. Where the one is, the other will be. Abel for his faith and righteouſneſſe is yet ſpoken of (as ſome render Hebr. 11.4.) though dead long agoe. The Righteous ſhall be had in everlaſting remembrance, Pſalm 112.6.
Thou ſhalt ſhine forth, thou ſhalt be as the morning] Iſai. 58.8. Or, If thou doſt wax obſcure, yet thou ſhalt match the morning which diſperſeth darkneſſe, and conquers it by the approaching light. Look how the Moon wadeth out of a cloud, ſo ſhall thine over-caſt righteouſneſſe break, forth as the light, and thy judgment as the noon-day, Pſalm 37.6.
Verſe 18. And thou ſhalt be ſecure, becauſe there is hope] It's a ſpiritual ſecurity that's here promiſed, which is a fruit of faith, quelling and killing diſtracting and diſtruſtful fears; faith, I ſay, unfaigned 1 Tim. 1.5. which produceth hope unfailable Rom. 5.5. Hope is the daughter of faith, but ſuch as is a ſtaffe to her aged mother.
Yea, thou ſhalt dig about thee] That is (ſaith one Interpreter) by ſearching to find out how to do all things for the beſt, thou ſhalt proſper in all. Others ſenſe it thus,Eugub. Tigur. thou ſhalt be ſecure as they that lye in trenches. Rabbi David, Thou ſhalt dig only about thy city, and not need to make any walls about it for thy ſecurity. Others,Lavater. thou ſhalt labour hard, and ſleep ſoundly thereupon. Or thus, God ſhall ſo encompaſſe thee with his ſafe protection, as if thou doſt but dig a place to pitch thy tent in, thou ſhalt enjoy thy ſelf ſafelier therein then otherwiſe thou wouldſt do in a walled city.
And thou ſhalt take thy reſt] God will keep off thoſe gnats of cares and fears, that might diſquiet thee. We read of ſome great Princes that could not ſleep; as Ahaſuerus Esth. 6.1.Daniel Thulin. Richard the third of England; and Charls the ninth of Franc, after that barbarous Maſſacre at Paris: but David could Pſalm 3. and 4. becauſe God was his keeper. No marvel that Philip ſleepeth ſoundly, when Antipater (his faſt friend) watched by him the while. Job and all Gods beloved ones ſhall ſleep on both ears, Pſalm 127.2. reſt ſecurely and comfortably. What ſhould hinder,In utramvis aurem. when the keeper of Iſrael, who neither ſlumbreth nor ſleepeth, ſhall watch over them for good?
Verſe 19. Thou ſhalt lie down, and none ſhall make thee afraid] Thou ſhalt walk about the world like a conquerour, being ever under a double guard, the Peace of God within thee, Philip. 4.7. and the Power of God without thee 1 Pet. 1.5. neither ſhall any enemy come upon thee in the night to fright and to diſturb thee, which is a great mercy. It is not long ſince we of this Nation did eat the bread of our ſouls in peril of our lives, neither could we reſt in our beds for the ſound of the trumpet, the alarm of warre: Destruction upon deſtruction was cryed &c. Jer. 4.19, 20. Should this ever be forgotten?
Yea, many ſhall make ſuit unto thee] Heb. Shall intreat thy face: yea, they ſhall tire thee out with their intreaties. Many ſeek the Rulers favour, Prov. 29.26. he is even thronged with ſuitors, ſo that he cannot be without a Maſter of Requeſts. Hence the Poet Orpheus faineth that Litae or Supplications and Petitions are Joves daughters:foreign Orph. in Arg. and that they are ever attending at his throne. Here then Zophar promiſeth Job, that upon his return to God he ſhall be as great a man as ever; and that many, yea, that his very enemies ſhall not only not moleſt him, but fear his power,Jer. 30.17. and beg his favour. And whereas once it was, this is Job whom no man feeketh, after, then the rich among the people ſhall intreat thy favour, Pſalm 45.12. and all that deſpiſed thee ſhall bow themſelves down at the foals of thy ſeet, Iſai 60.14. See Iſai 45.14. Rev. 3.9. Prov. 19.6. Lo this is the honour God putteth upon holineſſe, Holy and reverend is his name; and therefore reverend becauſe holy: ſo alſo is ours,Pſalm 111.9. Iſai. 43.4. Howbeit we have cauſe to complain, that in theſe laſt and worſt times,Omnes quodammodo mali eſſe coguntur, ne viles habeantur. Sal. lib 4. as the Turks count all fools to be Saints, ſo men with us account all Saints to be fools; and not a few turn to unholineſſe, leſt they ſhould be deſpiſed.
Verſe 20. But the eyes of the wicked ſhall fail] Contraries illuſtrate one another: and Zophar willing his words ſhould ſtick and work, thinks to leave a ſting in Jobs mind by telling him what he muſt truſt to if he perſiſt in his ſin. And firſt, his eyes ſhall ſaile: Ʋt vehementiùs vellicet & fodiat inopinatum, ut putabat Job… animum. Merl. Speed.The eye is a principal part of the body: and the failing of the eyes followeth either upon ſome ſudden fright, or upon much weeping, Damen. 2. Pſalm 88. and 38. (we read of one Faustus ſon of Vortiger King of Britain, who wept out his eyes) or too long looking after the ſame thing, or on the ſame object. The wicked, ſaith Zophar, ſhall never want frights and griefs; they ſhall alſo look many a long look after help, but none ſhall appear Lam. 4.17. their hopes ſhall be fruitleſſe their projects ſucceſſeleſſe.
And they ſhall not eſcape] Heb. refuge or flight ſhall periſh from them… miſeries and miſchiefs they ſhall never be able to avert or avoid; many ſorrows ſhall be to the wicked Pſalm 32.10. and although they may think to get off, of out-run them, yet it will not be, Amos 2.14. Pſalm 142.4. Saul for inſtance. God hath forſaken me, ſaith he, and the Philiſtims are upon me, 1 Sam. 28.15.
Their hope ſhall be as the giving up of the Ghoſt] Broughton rendreth it, Their hope is nought but pangs of the ſoul. Of that which yeildeth but cold comfort, we uſe to ſay, It comforteth a man like the pangs of death: the Vulgar hath it, Their hope ſhall be the abomination of their ſoul: the Tigurine, Their hope ſhall be moſt vain, even as a puffe of breath which preſently paſſeth away, and cometh to nothing. Some Rabbines make this the ſenſe, Their hope ſhall be as the ſnuffing of the breath: that is, they ſhall be ſo angry at their diſappointments, that they ſhall vex and ſnuffe at it. According to our tranſlation, the wicked mans hope is ſet forth as utterly forlorn, and at an end for any good ever to befall him. The godly mans hope is lively, 1 Pet. 1.3. and the righteous hath hope in his death, Prov. 14.32. Cum expiro ſpero is his motto: whereas the wickeds word when he dieth is, or may be, ſpes & fortuna valete, my life and hope endeth together; Spes eorùm expiratione animae, ſo Tremellius rendreth the text: Death cauſeth in the wicked a total deſpair, and a moſt dreadful ſchreek giveth the guilty ſoul, when it ſeeth it ſelf launching into an infinite ocean of ſcalding lead, and conſidereth that therein it muſt ſwim naked for ever.