Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 4 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Verſe 1. And Job anſwered and ſaid]
BEing nipped and netled with his friends hard uſage of him, and harſh language to him, but eſpecially with Zophars arrogant and lofty preface in the former chapter, he begins now to wax warm, and more roughly and roundly to ſhape them an anſwer.
Verſe 3. No doubt but ye are the people] The ſelect peculiar people, the only Ones, as a man is put for a good man, Jer. 5.1. a wife for a good wife, Prov. 18.22. a name for a good name Eccleſ. 7.1. As Athens was ſaid to be the Greece of Greece, Silius.and as one promiſing to ſhew his friend all Athens at once, ſhewed him Solo… or as the Latine Poet, ſaying of Fabius Maximus.
Hic patriueſt, murique urbis ſtant pectore in uno.
So ſaith Job by an holy jear (not to diſgrace his friends, but to bring them to more modeſty and moderation, if it might be) Certes, ye are not one or two men,Vatab. but ſpecimen totius orbis, an Epitome of the world, or at leaſt the Repreſentative of ſome whole people: ye have got away all the wit from my ſelf and others, whom ye look upon as ſo many wilde aſſes colts in compariſon of your ſelves. Thus the Pope (Simon Magus-like) gives himſelf out to be ſome great thing, Acts 8.9. even the Church-virtual and that in his breſt, as in Noahs Ark, is comprehended all wiſedome and worth: ye know nothing at all, ſaith he (Caiaphas-like) to all others, Job. 11.49. So do his Janizaries, the Jeſuits, who will needs be taken for the only Scholars, Politicians, and Orators of the world. The Church, ſay they, is the ſoul of the world, the Clergy of the Church; and we of the Clergy: the Empire of learning is ours &c.
And wiſedome ſhall dye with you] As being lookt up in your boſomes. Suetonius telleth us of Palaemon the Grammarian, that he was heard to ſay, that Learning was born with him, and would dye with him. The Gnoſticks would needs be held the only knowing men: Illuminates in Spain the only ſpiritual men: Swe…kfeldians in Germany ſtiled themſelves the Confeſſors of the glory of Chriſt: our Antinomians the Hearers of the Goſpel, and of free-grade. But what ſaith Solomon? Let another man praiſe thee, and not thine own mouth, Prov. 27.2. And that which had been much to a mans commendation, if from another, ſoundeth very ſlenderly from himſelf, ſaith Pliny. Aben Ez…, and Rabbi Levi ſet another ſenſe upon this verſe,Ep. 8. lib. 1. as if it were no …, but a plain aſſertion to this effect: Queſtionleſſe you are to be counted … the common ſort of people (ſee John 7.49.) Neither is there in you any thing excellent or extraordinary, that ye ſhould be looked upon, as drained from the dregs, or ſifted from the brans of the very vulgar: your wiſedome, if ever you had any, is even dead and decaied with you, and you have out-lived your prime &c.
Verſe 3. But I have understanding as well as you] Think not that you have engroſſed all the knowledg, and that you have the monopoly of wiſedom in your breſts, for ſurely I may come into the ballance with you, and claim as great a ſhare in underſtanding as your ſelvs. Zophar was pleaſed to call me hollow and heartleſſe, chap. 11.12. But I have an heart (ſo the Hebrew here hath it) that ſeat of underſtanding: and that ſhall appear in the enſuing diſcourſe, where Job proveth, that by ſolid arguments concerning Gods power, wiſedom, &c. which Zophar had but barely propounded. And whereas this patient man was not without his impatiencies, yet he diſcovereth more grace, even in his diſtempers, then his friends did in their ſeeming wiſe carriages. Breaking out in the body ſhewes ſtrength of nature. Some infirmities diſcover more good, then ſome ſeeming beautiful actions.
I am not inferiour to you] Heb. I fall not lower then you. See Nehem. 6.16. Eſth. 6.13. Job 13.2. He meaneth, that he was much their ſuperiour, and did better underſtand the doctrine of Gods providence then they. This he ſpeaketh not out of any vain-glory, or ambitious boaſting; but as David, and Paul, and others after them did, commending themſelves, either in defence of their own wronged innocency, or when it appeared unto them, that the concealing of their good parts and practiſes might turn to the hindrance of the truth, or to the hurt of the Church, or to the impairing and impeaching of Gods glory. In theſe caſes, ſelf-commendation is not unſeemly: but a Job may lawfully ſtand upon, not his compariſons only, but his diſpariſons alſo.
Yea, who knoweth not ſuch things as theſe?] Viz. That God rewardeth the righteous, and puniſheth the ungodly. The Heathen ſaw this by the ruſh-candle of natures dim light. Doth not nature it ſelf teach you? ſaith Paul 1 Cor. 11.14. And again, This ye know, that no whoremonger &c. hath any inheritance in the kingdome of God, and of Chriſt, Eph. 5.5.
Verſe 4. I am as one mocked of his neighbour] Thoſe that ſhould countenance and comfort me, contemn and ſcorn me. I am their laughter and paſtime; ſo he took it, ſith they ſat ſo heavily upon the skirts of his conſcience, and would not weigh his reaſons brought in his own defence.
Who calleth upon God, and he anſwereth him] i. e. I Job do make God my refuge, when theſe jeering neighbours of mine do ſhame my counſel, Pſalm 14.6. and would mock me out of my religion: but God favoureth me though men frown: and where humane help faileth, divine appeareth. Or thus rather: I am derided of thoſe who profeſſe to call upon God, and to hear often from heaven. They are hard-hearted to me, though themſelves have liberally taſted of Gods tenderneſſe: and they pull up the bridg of mercy before me, which themſelves have oft gone over.
The juſt upright man is laughed to ſcorn] Shame ſhall be the promotion of fools, Prov. 3.35. and ſuch a diſſembler as Doeg may well be derided, Pſalm 52.6, 7. But what hath the righteous done? And why ſhould juſt, upright Job be laughed to ſcorn?Iſa. 8.18. But this is no news: Chriſt and his people have ever been for ſigns, and for wonders in this mad world, alwaies beſides it ſelf in point of ſalvation. He that departeth, from evil, maketh himſelf a prey, or is accounted mad, Iſai. 59.15. If he will needs be a just upright man, if he will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus (if he be ſo ſet upon it, that none ſhall hinder him) he ſhall ſuffer perſecution, this of the tongue howſoever, 2 Tim. 3.12. A wolf flieth not upon a painted ſheep; we can look upon a painted toad with delight: it is the reality of godlineſſe that is hated.
Verſe 5. He that is ready to ſlip with his feet] He who is in a declining, tottering condition, ready to fall and periſh under the burden of his afflictions, though formerly he was looked upon and made uſe of as a lamp or torch, yet when he is at an under, and brought low, is ſhamefully ſlighted by ſuch as have the world at will: like as a torch when waſted and waxen ſhort is caſt out of the hands, and trodden on with the feet of him that held it. The holieſt men, if afflicted, do but ſmother in ſtead of ſhining. When Chriſt himſelf was a man of ſorrows, he was therefore deſpiſed and rejected of men, who hid, as it were, their faces from him, and eſteemed him not, Iſa. 53.3. The Prodigals elder brother ſpeaks ſcornfully of him, becauſe poor, Luke 15.30. This thy ſon; he ſaith not, This my brother &c. Gregory ſaith, that the poor juſt man is here compared to a lamp extinct, becauſe he ſhineth inwardly by the vertue of an upright heart: but outwardly is as it were extinct, becauſe there is nothing outward to commend him; no glorious appearel, no goodly houſes, &c. whence they are ſlighted by the rich wretches of this world. But ſuch a lamp (ſaith he, following the Vulgar tranſlation) is ſet for an appointed time; that is, the day of judgment, when he ſhall ſhine moſt brightly, even as the Sun &c. when the worlds favourites ſhall be thruſt into utter darkneſſe.
Verſe 6. The tabernacles of robbers proſper] By Robbers here underſtand all ſuch as ſin againſt the ſecond table, but eſpecially oppreſſors, and wrong-dealers, whether by force or fraud. As by thoſe that provoke God (quires Dei interturbant, ſo the Tigurines tranſlate) that irritate and diſquiet him, attempting to put him out of temper, are meant ſinners againſt the firſt table. See the like 1 Tim. 1.13. I was (againſt God) a blaſphemer, (againſt man) a perſecutor, againſt both injurious: but I obtained mercy, ſpecial mercy. So do not theſe Robbers and God-provokers in the text: thrive they may, and be in a peaceable condition; yea, they may be ſecure and confident of the continuance of their proſperity: confidences are to them; ſaith the Hebrew verity; for they truſt in uncertain riches, whiles God bringeth into their hands, viz. whatſoever they wiſh, yet not as love-tokens, but as wrath-tokens: theſe fatting beaſts are but fitting for the ſlaughter. God oft giveth that in wrath to ſome, which he with-holdeth from others in great mercy. Mean-while Zophars twofold aſſertion in the former chapter, verſe 17, 20. that good men proſper here, and bad men ſuffer, falls to the ground; whiles Job diſproves it, 1. By experience in this verſe and the former. 2. By the teſtimony of the creatures, thoſe Catholick preachers, ver. 7, 8, 9, 10. 3. By the teſtimony of the ſenſes, and of ancient men, verſe 11, 12.
Verſe 7. But ask now the beaſts of the earth, and they ſhall teach thee] Even the wildeſt of them that abide in the wilderneſſe: there is not one of theſe, or elſe of the fouls of the air, but can both teach thee, and tell thee that the world is ordered by a providence, that God is Powerful, Wiſe, Juſt, &c. and muſt therefore be loved and ſerved. That he ſuffereth the bad to oppreſſe the good, as the great beaſts do devour the little ones; as the hurtful fouls deſtroy the harmleſſe; as the great fiſhes eat up the ſmaller: man, who was once the Captain of Gods ſchool, is now, for his truantlineſſe, turned down into the loweſt form, as it were, to learn his A b c again; yea, to learn it of the meaneſt creatures. See Prov. 6.6. Jer. 8.7. Matth. 6.26. where it appeareth, that in the Ant, Stork, Swallow, &c. God hath ſet before us, as in a picture, the lively reſemblance of many excellent vertues, which we ought to purſue and practiſe. Theſe are the right lay-mens-books, the images that may truly teach people the knowledg of God, and of his will, of themſelves, and of their duties: which we ſhould the rather learn; becauſe God hath given us wiſedome beyond them, Job 37.11. and yet by ſending us to them, ſhameth our dulneſſe and diſobedience.
Verſe 8. Or ſpeak to the earth, and it ſhall teach thee] Teach thee? What?Terra quam termius docet terram quam gerimus. ſurely many good leſſons; as that of humility and modeſty, conſidering out original: that of fruitfulneſſe, whiles ſhe liberally yeilds her riches and ſtrength, and brings forth food for the maintenance of thoſe innumerable armies of creatures that live upon her: but eſpecially, and for the purpoſe, this the earth teacheth, that the tabernacles of robbers proſper, that oppreſſors ſwallow down moſt of her delicates, eat the fat, and drink the ſweet, ruffle in her ſilks, and rifle in her hid treaſures of gold and ſilver.
And the fiſhes of the ſea ſhall declare unto thee] Theſe muti magistri have ſomewhat alſo to ſay to thee, and by a dumb kind of eloquence read thee a divinity-lecture, whileſt they are able to produce many ſuch particular examples of violence in the ſeas; and will further declare (or ciphe up unto thee) how oft they are ſerved up to great mens tables, and do fill the far paunches of oppreſſors. It is not unlikely that Job, in this frequent ſending Zophar to ſchool to the unreaſonable and inanimate creatures, cloſely twitteth him with thoſe quicker queſtions of his, chap. 10.8. What canſt thou do? what canſt thou know, &c.? giving him alſo to know that he need not travel ſo far as heaven or hell for inſtances of Gods infant… power and wiſedome, ſith we may contemplate the foot-ſteps of God in each creature: and ſith he is ſo neere unto us,foreign Acts 17. that hee may bee almoſt felt with our hands, as Paul ſpeaketh.
Verſe 9. Who knoweth not in all theſe &c.] Or, By all theſe forementioned creatures &c. and therefore Zophar, you have ſhewed no more wiſedome in your lofty diſcourſe,Theologia cryptica. then the birds, beaſts, and fiſhes have taught and told us. It is a ſilly vanity to pretend myſteriouſneſſe about vulgar truths; to dig deep for that which lieth above ground; to talk of new truths, and never before heard of, when as the hearer may well ſay, as here, Who knowes not ſuch things as theſe? Of ſome in theſe dayes it is obſerved, that they call upon their hearers to mark, it may be they ſhall hear that which they have not heard before: when the thing is either falſe, or if true, no more then ordinarily is taught by others.
That the hand of the Lord hath wrought this] That he alone made all without tool or toile, and that he alone manageth and ordereth all according to the good pleaſure of his will: neither need he ſubſcribe his name to his work; for the very things that he hath made, proclaim that he made them. Mean while, hereby we may ſee how much we are beholden to Aristotle, Elian, Geſner, and other Learned men, who have written bookes concerning the Natures of living creatures.
Verſe 10. In whoſe hand is the ſoul of every living thing] That is, the life of every beaſt, flowing from a ſenſitive ſoul, Lev. 17, 10, 11. This, God both giveth to the creature, and conſerveth it: he ſuffereth it not to be taken away from little ſparrows, or the like, without order from him: much leſſe befalleth any ſuch thing to man without his ſingular providence, ſith our very hairs alſo are numbred, Matth. 10.30. Luke 12.7. The Jew-doctors do therefore offer manifeſt injurie to Job, when they ſay, that he held indeed that God created, and doth preſerve the ſeveral kinds of things, but permitteth the particulars and individua's to hap-hazard; whereas here he delivereth his judgment plainly to the contrary, when he ſaith,
And the breath of all mankind] Heb. The ſpirit of all mans fleſh (and ſo Broughton readeth it) that is, of every mans body: hence God is called the God of the ſpirits of all fleſh, Numb. 16.22. and the Father of Spirits, Heb. 12.9. and the Former of the ſpirit of man within him, Zech. 12.1. My times are in thine hand, ſaith David, Pſalm 31.15. God preſerves our lives as a light in a lantern: and we may be glad it is in ſo ſafe an hand; we ſhould therefore honour him, as Daniel telleth Belſhazzer, Dan. 5.23. yea, let every thing that hath breath praiſe the Lord, Pſalm 150.6. Or as the Hebrew hath it, Let every breath praiſe the Lord: as oft as we breathe, we are to breathe out the praiſe of God, and to make our breath like the ſmoak of the Tabernacle:Iſai. 3. ult. this we ſhould do the rather, becauſe our breath is in our nostrils, every moment ready to puffe out, and the grave cannot praiſe God, death cannot celebrate him, Iſai. 38.18.
Verſe 11. Doth not the ear try words &c.] The mind may as eaſily conceive of theſe truths, as the ear judgeth certainly of the variety of ſounds, and the tongue of the diverſity of taſtes: neither may you think that I will, without any examination or diſtinction, allow of your diſcourſes; or that I can take it well that you reject, as void of reaſon, whatſoever I have ſaid, without once weighing it. The ear is one of the two learned ſenſes, it is an inſtrument of diſcipline: only it ſhould be kept clean and free from prejudice or paſſion, which will be as gall in the eare. See Exod. ….9. Demosthenes called oft upon his Athenians to get their eares purged of tholer:Quadam animalia fel in aure geſtant. Ozen. moznajin. and Alexander, when he heard a cauſe, was wont alwaies to keepe foreign one eare free for the other party: he would not be prepoſſeſſed. Mercer obſerveth, that the Hebrew word for an ear, doth in the duall number ſignifie a pair of balancer, to note, that a judicious Chriſtian taketh not up truth upon truſt, but conſidereth firſt, and afterwards believeth; he tryeth all things, and then holdeth firſt that which is good, but abſtaineth from all appearance of evil, 1 Theſ. 5.21, 22. The ear and the mind are in the Greek tongue very like in ſound: the mind judgeth of the truth of words by the ears,foreign as the hearn in a pair of balances determineth the juſt weight of things by the two ſcales. He that is ſpiritual diſcerneth all things, 1 Cor. 2.15. he hath ſpiritual ſenſe…. Philip. 1.9. ſenſes exerciſed, habitually exerciſed, to … good and evil, H…b 5.14. his ſervice is a rational ſervice, Rom. 12.1 his obedience the obedience of faith, Rom. 16.26. Whereas the natural man is carried away as he is led, 2 Cor. 12.2. pulled away with the errour of the wicked, 2 Pet. 3.17. taken priſoner by ſeducers, 2 Tim. 3.6. and by them made prize of, Col. 2.8. as having either no skil, or no will to examine what is doctrinally propounded to him.
As the mouth taſteth his meat] Heb. the palate, which is the proper inſtrument of taſting: Now the order of nature requireth (ſaith one) that ſeeing our bodily ſenſes, are ſo nimble and able to diſcern what is ſowr, what ſweet, &c.Senſorium. Merlin in loc. our underſtandings alſo ſhould do the ſame by right reaſon: and the contrary is very abſurd and unbecoming a man; neither can there be any good excuſe made for our dulneſſe, if we bend not our minds to the ſearch of the truth, for as much as there is ſo much adoe made to pleaſe the palate, eyes, eares, and other ſenſes: Catullus wiſhed all his body were noſe, that he might-ſpend all his time in ſweet ſmells. Philoxenus, that his neck were as long as a Cranes, that he might take more delight in meats and drinks (it ſeems that he placed taſting not in the mouth, but in the throat.) Boccace the Italian Poet ſaid, that he was born a… amore delle donne, for the love of women: and of a prodigal pleaſure-monger in London, we read,Theatre of Gods judgm. that to pleaſe all his five ſenſes at once, he allowed to the delight of every ſeveral ſenſe, a ſeverall hundred pound. See the Note on Amos 6.6. There is a ſancta crapula, an holy gluttony, as Luther calleth an hearty feeding on divine viands, a finding fatneſſe and ſweetneſſe beyond that of the hony and hony-comb in Gods Ordinances,Pſalm 63.5, 6. crying to Jeſus Chriſt as the Spouſe doth Cant. 8.13. Cauſe me to hearken to thy voice: and obeying him, thus beſpeaking us, Eat ô friends, drink. yea, drink abundantly ô beloved, till you are even inebriated with loves, Cant. 5.1.
Verſe 12. With the ancient is wiſedome] Heb. with the decrepit, who have a long, long being upon earth, and are now become wondrous old, even four-ſcore and upward: with ſuch is wiſedome, or elſe it is a ſhame for them. See 1 John 2.12. Heb. 5.12. True it is, that wiſedome doth not alwaies lean upon a ſtaffe, nor look through ſpectacles. Age is no juſt meaſure of wiſedome: there are beardleſſe ſages, (as was Solomon) and gray-headed children, as Rehoboam. Macarius was called foreign, the old youth; (Samuel, Daniel, Timothy were ſuch.) When Arſacius, who ſucceeded Chryſoſtom, was an old dotrel of fourſcore years,Anton. tit. 10. cap. 9. adorandae rubiginis, (as one ſaith of ſome ancient Authors:) and Nectarius who ſucceeded Nazianzen, was a meer novice, and preferred to that place, only becauſe he was of a venerable aſpect, and of a biſhop-like preſence and deportment.Venerandā canitie, & vulva ſacerdote digno-Baron. Of the Brabants Eraſmus teſtifieth, that the elder they are, the fooliſher. And Job here ſeemeth to tax his friends, that though old, yet they were not over-wiſe, not worthy of their years: ſith they underſtood not what he ſpake concerning Gods providence: Is wiſedome with the ancient, ſaith he, and underſtanding in length of dayes? ſo ſome read it queſtion-wiſe, q. d. it ill appeareth.
And in length of dayes, underſtanding] By reaſon of their much obſervation, and frequent experience, together with their ability to draw other things out of thoſe they have obſerved, and from former events to preſage future. This is to be underſtood of ſuch old men as are like flowers, which have their roots perfect, when themſelves are withering; as with roſes, keep a ſweet ſavour though they loſe their colour; as with the Sun, ſhine moſt amiably at their going down. But leſt we ſhould attribute too much to ſuch ſages, Job ſhewes in the next verſe, that all their wiſedome is but derivative, and that all their underſtanding is but a ſpark of Gods flame, a drop of his Ocean.
Verſe 13. With him is wiſedome and ſtrength &c] Wiſedome, ſtrength, counſel, and underſtanding, are all concentred in the Ancient of dayes: compleat he is in all excellencies and perfections, all which do meet in him, and continue alwaies in the higheſt degree. The mighty God fainteth not, neither is weary: there is no ſearching of his underſtanding Iſai. 40.28. He is alſo no leſſe good then great and wiſe; good, original, univerſal, all-ſufficient, and ſatisfactory, proportionable, and fitting for our ſoul; which as it was made by him, and for him, ſo it is never at quiet till it reſteth in him. See chap. 9.4.
He hath counſel and underſtanding] Counſel he hath, but without conſultation: Wiſedome, but without experience: Knowledg, but without diſcourſe: Decree, but without deliberation:Aug. Loquimur de Deo &c. we ſpeak of God. ſaith one, not as we ought, but as we are able. And theſe things we ſpeak of God (ſaith another Father) becauſe we find not what better to ſpeak of him. But Job hath a mind to ſay the utmoſt that may be ſaid.
Verſe 14. Beheld, he breaketh down, and it connot be built again] As he did the old world, Sodom and Gomorrah, many Monarchies and Empires, the Tower of Babel, and other caſtles and houſes which now live by fame only, If at all. If God have a mind to mine theſe, who ſhall raiſe or repair them? Julian the Apoſtate, in ſpite to the Chriſtians,Am. Marcel. lib. 23. Socrat. 3. Theod. Ruffin. ſet the Jewes awork to reedifie the Temple at Jeruſalem, but they could never effect it, by reaſon of a terrible earth-quake, that ſlew the workmen, and marred the materials. The Arian Biſhops held a ſecond Council at Nice, with purpoſe to have aboliſhed the memory of the firſt, together with the Nicene Creed,Func. and to have eſtabliſhed Arianiſm: but God diſappointed them, and ſent them packing thence by a huge earth-quake, which overturned a great part of that city, and deſtroyed a number of people. Constans Nephew to Heraclius the Greek Emperour,Theophanes. Zonaras. Cedrenus. Job. de Columnae in Mari historiarum. Gen. Chronol. and (three hundred years after him) Othe Emperour of Germany, indeavoured, but in vain, to make Rome the ſeat of their Empires, as anciently it had been. God would not ſuffer it ſo to be, ſaith Genebrard, becauſe the Kingdom of the Church, foretold by Daniel, was to have its ſeat there. If he had ſaid, the kingdome of Antichriſt foretold by Paul, and John the Divine, he had hit the nail on the very head.
He ſhutteth up a man, and there can be no opening] He clappeth him up cloſe priſoner, as Manaſſeh, Zedekiah, Bajazet, Boniface the 8. &c) or faſteneth him to his bed by ſome chronical diſeaſe (as he did Abimelech, Ahaziab, Aſa, Aeneas, Acts 9.33.) or otherwiſe ſtraiteneth him that he knows not how to help himſelf, as he did Pharaoh, Saul (when the Philiſtims were upon him of every ſide) thoſe refractaries in Iſaiah, chap. 9.2. and ſhall do the whore of Babylon, Rev. 18. when her lovers ſhall bewail her, but not be able to beſtead her, ver. 9, 10. For when God ſhutteth up any in this ſort, they muſt lie by it till he pleaſe to releaſe them, and extricate them, as he did Joſeph Jehoſhaphat, David, Peter, Valentinian. and many others, when they were even forſaken of their hopes.
Verſe 15. Behold he with-holdeth the waters, and they dry up] He not only when he pleaſeth, impriſoneth men, but waters alſo, that they cannot get out of the clouds, thoſe bottles of rain, thoſe airy ſponges, veſſels as thin as the liquor that is contained in them: it is from the power of God that they diſſolve not upon us at once, and overwhelm us. Bartholinus reports that in the year of grace 1551. a great number of men and cattle were drowned by the ſudden breaking of a cloud, divers vine-yeards,De meteor. li. 2. ſtone walls, ſtrong houſes, were deſtroyed and ruined. At ſea ſometimes, ſhips are by the ſame means ſunk, ſea-men call it a ſpo…t. Again, it is by the anger and judgments of God that the clouds are ſometimes ſo cloſed up, that they yeild no more water then iron or adamant: If I ſhut up heaven, ſaith he, that there the no rain, 2 Chron. 7.13. and Deut. 28.23, 24. God threateneth, as a puniſhment of mens ſin, that the heavens over their heads ſhall be braſſe, and the earth under them ſhall be iron; that the rain of their land ſhall be made powder and duſt: from heaven ſhall it come down upon them &c. by exceeding great drought, grains of duſt ſhall aſcend into the air with the wind, and come down as the drops of rain in a ſhower when it is kindly weather. Thus it was in A…obe dayes 1 King. 18. See Joel 1.20. with the Note.
And they dry up] The rivers, fruits of the earth, roots of trees, all dry up, languiſh, and periſh, feavers alſo, and other acute diſeaſes abound.
Alſo he ſendeth them out, and they overturn the earth] They did ſo with an accent in the general deluge, and in Deucalious flood in Theſſaly, beſides many other great tracts and parts of the earth over-turned by water. Pliny and Seneca give us ſundry inſtances of towns and countries laid waſte by water. What great hurt was lately done about Amſterdam by water, and what breaking down of bridges, mills, and other houſes,Prin. Nat. hiſt. lib. 2. cap. 90.92. Sen. Nat. quaſt. lib. 6. cap. 23. by exceſſive rain, and floods thereupon, beſides marring of grounds, and rotting of cattle in many places amongſt us, needeth not here to be related.
Verſe 16. With him is ſtrength and wiſedome] i. e. Such ſtrength as he exerciſeth moſt wiſely, mightily and righteouſly. Sic volo, ſic …, ſaith the Tyrant, Right or wrong, thus it ſhall be: Volumus & …u…emus, ſaith that man of ſin, wee will and command &c. neither muſt any one mute or ſay ſo much as what doſt thou? upon pain of damnation. When Constantius would have Paulinus, Lucifer, and other Biſhops ſubſcribe againſt Athanaſius, and communicate with the Arians, he yeilded to no other reaſon but this, Quod ego volo, pro canone fit, Do as I bid, or get you into baniſhment. But God, though he hath all power in his hand, and may do whatſoever he pleaſeth, yet with him is ſtrength and equity (ſo Vatabius rendreth the word Tuſbijah here uſed) or the being, ſubſtance, and permanency of all creatures (ſo Munster) which ſubſiſt meerly by his manutention: or, the rule and certain law of wiſedome and judgment, by which wiſedome acteth, ſaith Mercer. So then the Lord, though he make his will a law, yet he cannot do otherwiſe then well, becauſe nothing but wiſedome and equity is in it.
The deceived, and the deceiver are his] This Job produceth as a proof of Gods inſuperable ſtrength, and unſearchable wiſedome, that he hath an over-ruling hand in the artifices and ſlights of men, even the cunning craftineſſe (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh) Eph. 4.14. Whereby they lie in wait to deceive. Theſe he not only and barely permitteth in his juſt judgment upon the deceived (whether through ignorance, or idleneſs) but diſpoſeth alſo, & ordereth both the deceiver and the deceived, (whether in ſpiritual things, or civil) to his own righteous ends, and holy purpoſes. See Ezek. 14.9. 1 Kin. 22.19, 20 2 Theſ. 2.11. Iſa. 19.14. and then conclude with Job, that wiſedom and ſtrength are his, who can thus draw light out of darkneſſe, and powerfully order the diſorders of the world to his own glory, and the good of his people: For there muſt be hereſies, that they which are approved may be made manifeſt, 1 Cor. 11.9. Mean-while, here is the comfort of every good ſoul, that none can take them out of the Father hands, Job. 10.29. and it is impoſſible that the elect ſhould be totally and finally deceived, becauſe both the deceived and the deceiver are Gods: by him, and from him, and for him are deceivers and deceived, (ſo Broughton tranſlateth this text). By him, for he ſuffereth and ordereth them: From him, for he ſendeth them: And For him, for they promote his glory, and ſerve his ends. He many times ſuffereth the tree of the Church to be ſhaken, that rotten fruit may drop off. There are the ſet this ſenſe upon the words; they are both in Gods hands, the deceiver to have revenge taken upon him, and the deceived who revengeth not himſelf to have his cauſe righted, as 1 Theſ. 4.6. an argument both of Gods wiſedome to find out the deceiver, how ſubtle ſoever: and likewiſe of his power in puniſhing them, how potent ſoever.
Verſe 17. He leadeth counſellors away ſpoiled] Viz. Of wit, wealth, and honour. This ſhould be a warning to ſuch not to take ill cauſes in hand, not to call evil good, and good evil, not to juſtifie the wicked for a reward, and to take away the righteouſneſſe of the righteous from him; not to bolſter out a bad cauſe, and to outface a good, leſt if they improve their wits and parts to ſo evil an end, God make them as deſpicable as before they were honourable. They may ſee what the Lord did to Abitophel that Oracle of his time, to Pharaohs counſellors, Iſa. 19.11, 12. to Pharaoh himſelf, Ex. 1.10. with Pr. 28.15.
And he maketh the Judges fools] Broughton rendreth the verſe thus, He brings Counſellors to badneſſe, and Judges to ſtark madneſſe: He infatuateth them, not by infuſing folly into them any more, then the Sun when he ſhineth not in our Horizon, cauſeth darkneſſe in the air, which of it ſelf, and of its own nature is dark: But when God with-holdeth that light of wiſedome which he had imparted to a man, his in-bred darkneſſe muſt needs ſhew it ſelf. More then this, it ſometimes cometh to paſſe, that when God delivereth a man up for his ſins to a reprobate ſenſe to an injudicious mind, he is thenceforth deprived ſometimes of natural wiſedome, and common ſenſe, that the divine revenge may be the more apparent.
Verſe 18. He looſeth the bonds of Kings] He degradeth them, taking away all command and authority from them, which is the bond that bindeth the people to obedience and ſubjection; Job 30.11. Iſai. 45.1, 5. as our Henry the third,Daniel. who was called Regni dilapidator, ill beloved of his people, and far a leſs King (ſaith the Chronicler) by ſtriving to be more then he was: the juſt reward of violations.
And gardeth their loins with a girdle] With a rope, ſay the Vulgar: he brings them from the throne to the priſon: he layeth affliction upon their loynes,Val. Max Chriſt. pag. 267. as Pſalm 66.11. An inſtance hereof (beſide the late King, and Corradinus King of Germany likewiſe beheaded at Naples) we had here in Richard the ſecond, brought forth in a royal robe to be depoſed, and then hunger-ſtarved in priſon: as alſo in Henry the ſixth, who having been the moſt potent Monarch for dominions that ever England had, was afterwards (when depoſed) not the Maſter of a mole-hill, nor owner of his own liberty, but baffled and beaten by every baſe fellow. Some Interpreters make the ſenſe of this to be thus; God ſometimes looſeth the bonds, into which Princes are brought, and advanceth them again to kingly dignity, the enſign whereof, was of old a precious girdle. So it befell Manaſſeh, Nebuchadnezzar, Jehoiakins, reſtored and honoured againe as a king, by Evilmerodach, 2 Kings 25.28 Hiſtorians write, that Nebuchadnezzar was ſo offended with his ſon and ſucceſſor Evilmerodach, as he caſt him into priſon, and that in priſon he and Jehoiakim became acquainted together, whence his advancement afterwards.
Verſe 19. He leadeth away Princes ſpoiled] Or Prieſts Ducit ſacerdotes inglerias, ſo the Vulgar tranſlateth, He leadeth away the Prieſts without glory, diſhonoured. Prieſts were generally much eſteemed and priviledged in all ages. Alexander the great gave greateſt reſpect to Jaddus the Jewiſh High-Prieſt. When the Gauls had burnt Rome, and were beſieging the Capitol, Caius Fabius Dorſo, attired as a Prieſt, with his ſacrifice, and other neceſſaries in his hand, marched through the midſt of the enemies, aſtoniſhed at his reſolution, offered his ſacrifice on the hill Quirinalis, and returned in ſafety. The Bardi, a kind of Prieſts, were here in Albion of ſuch eſteem among the greateſt commanders, that if two armies were even at puſh of pike, and a Bard had ſtep'd in betwixt them, they would have held their hands, hearkned to his advice, and not have offered to ſtrike till he were out of danger: Magna fuit quondam capitis reverentia ſacri. Howbeit, ſuch alſo have been carried captive, and ſlaine by the enemy, as was Seraiah the high-prieſt by Nebuchadnezzar; and before him the two ſons of Eli (whoſe white Ephod covered foul ſins) ſlain by the Philiſtims. The Lord hath deſpiſed in the indignation of his anger, both the King and the Prieſt, Lam. 2.6. Both the Prophet and the Prieſt go about into a land that they know not, Jer. 14.18. The word Cohen is uſed indifferently to ſignifie a Prieſt, or Prince, an Eccleſiaſtical or ſecular Governor. Broughton rendreth it here Dukes; others, Preſidents or praefects of Provinces: Honour is no ſhelter againſt the wrath of God.
And overthroweth the mighty] Such as might ſeem unmoveable, as a rock or tree firmly rooted; theſe God ſhaketh and ſhattereth to pieces, he rooteth them up, and ruineth them. Let no man think to prevail by ſtrength, 1 Sam. 2.9. ſith the weakneſſe of God (if any ſuch thing there were) is ſtronger then men, 1 Cor. 1.25. He will ſmite his enemies (as ſo many puny-boyes) in the hinder-parts, and ſo put them to a perpetual reproach, Pſalm 78.66. Yea, he will not only ſmite them on the loins, but through the loins, (Deut. 32.11.) that they never riſe again. Let them therfore learn to meddle with their match, Eccl. 6.10. and take heed how they fall into the puniſhing hands of the living God.
Verſe 20. He removeth away the ſpeech of the truſty] Or, of the eloquent, as Demosthenes the moſt eloquent of the Greeks, being by them frequently ſent as an Ambaſſadour to Philip King of Macedony, thrice ſtood ſpeechleſſe before him, and thirty ſeveral times forgat thoſe things which he had thought to have ſpoken, as Tz…tzes teſtifieth,Chiliad. 7. So Latomus of Lovain, that Apoſtate and Perſecutor of the truth, having prepared an elegant Oration to make to Charls the fifth Emperour, was ſo confounded, that he could hardly ſpeak a word of ſenſe; the grief whereof broke his heart. The Counſellor, and the Eloquent Orator, the Prudent, and the Ancient are reckoned up as the ſtay, and the ſtaffe, the beauty, and bulwark of a Nation, Iſa. 3.2, 3 Theſe God removeth at his pleaſure, and for a general judgment, cauſing either them to dye, or their abilities to die and decay, or croſſing their attempts that they ſhall ſpeak perſwaſively, but not perſwade people, but be ſlighted and exploded of all.Veracium. Yea, though they be Truth-ſpeakers (ſo the Vulgar hath it;) or Truſty (as our tranſlation) Confiding men, as they are called, worthy to be truſted; ſuch faithful counſellors as Polybius was to Scipio, who never miſcarried in any thing wherein he followed his advice, as the Hiſtorian teſtifieth: yet God can remove or change the ſpeech of ſuch, by leaving them to their own unfaithfulneſſe and inconſtancy, as we have plentifully experimented in theſe late diſcriminating and ſhedding times.
And taketh away the underſtanding of the aged] Heb. And taketh the ſenſe, or ſavour, or raſte of the Elders or Senators, that they ſhall be no more able to diſcern and determine what is true or falſe, right or wrong, then old Barzilla… could skill of the Court-meates and muſick. See this threatned, Iſai. 29.14. Such old men as either were bred Scholars, or have had much experience in the management of great affairs, are preſumed to be of great underſtanding: but God can either take ſuch away, as he threateneth to do, Iſa. 3.3, 4. or take away their wiſedome, to render them uſeleſſe to the publick: as it is reported of Theodorus Gaza, and of Albertus Magnus, thoſe great Scholars, that for certain years before they died, they did ſo dote, and were ſo childiſh, that they could not write their own names, or read a letter on the book. Let therefore the Eloquent, and the aged take heed they abuſe not their abilities, leſt they forget and loſe them.
Verſe 21. He poureth contempt upon Princes] Or Nobles, or Gentlemen, which are, or ſhould be free, bounteous, munificent benefactors: if they be not Nedibim, foreignbut Nebalim, liberal, but churliſh, (ſee theſe oppoſed Iſa. 32.5.) it is juſt in God to pour contempt, to lay abundance of ſhame and ſcorn upon them, as ſordid, penny-fathers, ignoble, Euclio's, poor-ſpirited men, the baſe brood, or rather, blot of their better fore-fathers. Of out Edward the ſecond it is chronicled, that never was Prince received with greater love and opinion of all then he; or never any that ſooner loſt it; for his very firſt action in recalling his minion Pierce Gaveſton, Daniel.diſcovered an head-ſtrong wilfulneſſe, that was uncounſellable: hence he was ſlighted by his ſubjects, purſued by his wife and ſon, and at length cruelly murthered. Mercer obſerveth, that David hath the ſelf-ſame words, Pſalm 107.40. that are found here, and verſe 24. Neither need we wonder, ſith they both ſpake by the ſame ſpirit.
And weakneth the ſtrength of the mighty] Heb. He ſlackneth the girdle of the impetuous, that like ſtrong ſtreams in narrow ſtraits, bear down all before them. So do Souldiers in warre; ſee 2 Sam. 22.16. Job 6.15. But God can looſe their girdles (or belts, which bind their garments, and buckle their armour cloſe to them) he can diſpirit them, and make them feeble and faint-hearted, as he did Samſon, and thoſe Aſſyrians Pſalm 76.5, 6. By this whole diſcourſe of Job it appeareth, that he had very diligently obſerved Gods providence, and way of adminiſtration in the ſeveral ranks of men, and alterations of common-wealths; whereby he had learned ſecretly to admire and adore Gods judgments, which thing we ought alſo ſemblably to do.
Verſe 22. He diſcovereth deep things out of darkneſſe] As he did to Joſeph and Pharaoh by dreams, to the Prophets by viſions and revelations, and ſtill doth to his people by his Spirit: for the Spirit ſearcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God, 1 Cor. 2.10. He bringeth to light alſo the hidden things of darkneſſe, helliſh conſpiracies, as in the Powder-plot, the deep reaches of Kings to maintain their authority, and compaſſe their deſigns, reſolving to ſuffer never a rub to lie in their way, that might hinder the true running of their bowle. Philip de Comines dived ſo deep,Heyl. Geog. and wrote ſo plainly of the Stately affairs (thoſe arcana imperii) that Katharine de Medices (Queen-mother of France) was wont to ſay, that he had made as many hereticks policy, as Luther had done in Religion: ſhe ſaw not that God had ſet Comines awork, and that he will yet further bring out to light (that all men may ſee) the ſhadow of death; that is, the things that are moſt abſtruſe, and moſt unlikely ever to have been diſcovered: ſee Matth. 16.26. with the Note: and ſay, Wo to them that ſeek deep to hide their counſel from the Lord, Iſai. 29.15. The powder-plot was a deep thing of darkneſſe, it was under ground, they were ſo long digging in their vault of villany; and a long time it was ſecreted under oaths, and ſtrongeſt concealments: But a bird of the air revealed it, and that which had wing told the matter, Eccleſ. 10.20. It was a quill, a piece of a wing brought all to light by a blind letter put (by a providence) into a wrong hand: the danger was at the very foreign, within eight hours of being acted, when from a match ready fired, we received a matchleſſe deliverance: Say then, foreign
Verſe 23. Hee encreaſeth the Nations, and destroyeth them] It is all one with God, whether againſt a ſingle man, or a whole Nation, Job 34.29. when he once taketh them to do. The wicked ſhall be turned into hell, and (that they may not hope to eſcape becauſe a multitude) all the nations that forget God, Pſalm 9.17. Soon after the flood, the Babel-builders were ſcattered, Sedom and her ſiſters were not only conſumed with fire from heaven, Gen, 19. but thrown forth for an example ſuffering the vengeance of eternal fire, Jude 7. ſome Nations were ejected, and others ſubſtituted, Deut, 2.10, 12, 20. Some utterly waſted and rooted out, as the Edomites, Ammonites Moabites, &c. that live by fame only; others not ſo much as by fame, their very names being blotted out from under heaven. The cities be waſted without inhabitant, and the houſes without man, and the land is utterly deſolate, Iſai. 6.11. Now all this is the Lords own doing, and ſhould be marvellous in our eyes. Hee plants and plucks up, hee builds and breakes downe, Jerem. 31.28.
He enlargeth the Nations, and ſtraitneth them again] Or That he may ſtraiten them again, ſo in the former clauſe, That he may deſtroy them: This if he may juſtly do to whole nations, why ſhould it ſeem ſo ſtrange, that he ſuffereth particular perſons though wicked, to proſper for a ſeaſon; and though righteous for a while, to ſuffer hardſhip?
Verſe 24. He taketh away the heart of the chiefe of the people] That is, of the greateſt part of the people of the world (ſay ſome) theſe God ſuffereth to walk in their own wayes, Acts 14.16. To become vain in their imaginations, and their fooliſh heart is darkned; profeſſing themſelves to be wiſe, they became fools, Rom. 1.21, 22. As the Philoſophers of old, and the Chineſes at this day, who are known to be ingenious, and uſe to ſay of themſelves, that all other nations of the world ſee but with one eye, they only with two; yet continue they groſſe Idolaters,Deſcrip. of the world, of China and Cataia. meer heathens, having no leſſe then an hundred thouſand gods, which they worſhip one while, and whip another, if they come not at a call. But the moſt Interpreters, by chief, or heads of the people, here underſtand their Governors, of whom though Job had ſaid as much in effect before, (17) viz. that God diſpiriteth and beſotteth them for a plague to the people who follow their Rulers (and fall with them) as the body of a beaſt followeth the head, yet becauſe few obſerve and improve this truth, therefore he repeateth and illuſtrateth it by three elegant Similies. And firſt,
He cauſeth them to wander in a wilderneſſe &c.] Not knowing which way to extricate themſelves, they beat their brains about it, but to no purpoſe; they are ſo bewildered and puzzled, as if they were treading a maze: and this God cauſeth, he is active in it, whiles he with-draweth his light, and delivereth them up to their own fooliſh hearts, and to the Prince of darkneſſe, to be further benighted, 2 Cor. 4.4.
Verſe 25. They grope in the dark without light] This is the ſecond Similie, ſetting forth this judiciary act of God in taking away the heart of the heads of the earth: grope they do, and would fain find out a way by feeling, but they feel darkneſs, and not light (ſo the Hebrew hath it) they try to help themſelves and their people out of miſery, as the laſt Greek Emperour did notably; but it would not be.Turk. hiſt. 345.
And he maketh them to ſtagger like a drunken man] Who having loſt the uſe of reaſon, knoweth neither where he is, nor what he was, but reeleth and falleth oft, and cannot riſe again, much leſſe go forward. So fareth it with evil rulers when God ſmiteth them with a ſpirit of giddineſſe, and of ſlumber. See Iſa. 19.24. and 04.20.