Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 4 · Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI. Verſe 1. But Job anſwered and ſaid.]
Diſproving and refuting that Propoſition of theirs concerning the infelicity of the ungodly by Reaſon, by Experience, and by Divine Authority: All which evince and evidence, that neither is proſperity a proof of mens innocence, nor adverſity a mark of their wickedneſſe, as Zophar and his fellowes would have it. And that they might not any more interrupt him, nor think him too rough, he uſeth a gentle Preface, craving attention, and preſſing them thereunto by many Arguments in the ſix firſt verſes.
Verſe 2. Hear diligently my ſpeech] Heb. In hearing hear. The Greek hath it, Hear, hear; that is, hear me out, have ſo much patience with me as not to interrupt me any more; yea, hear with underſtanding: Let your foreign and foreign meet: draw up your inward ea…es to your outward, that one ſound may pierce both. Lay aſide paſſion and prejudice,Gravis rationis humanae morbus eſt, quòd plerungue ſoleat ea damnare qua aut non intelligat, aut non placu…rit. Brent. ſuffer a word of information, for it is but one word that I have to ſay, &c. the Hebrew is ſingular, and promiſeth brevity. Only this one word Job would that they ſhould heafe double; ſcil. by an after deliberate meditation, as David did, Pſal. 62.11. God hath ſpoken once, twice have I heard that &c.
And let this be your conſolations] Comfort me this way at leaſt, that you wil give me the hearing. Hither you came as Comforters, but by your galling ſpeeches you have grieved and vexed me above meaſure. Now make me ſome amends, and remembring your Office as friends, and your deſign, which was to condole with me, and to comfort me, hear me hardly, and this I ſhall take as kindly, as if in tendereſt compaſſion you had drunk to me in a Bowle of Nepenthes, or had given me a oup of conſolation, as Jer, 10.7. The Vulgar Latine rendreth it, (but not well) Hear I pray for my ſpeech, and repent. The Hebrew robe ſignifieth firſt to repent, and then to comfort, 1 Sam. 15.35. Iſas. 40.1. became the penitent only, get ſound comfort.
Verſe 3. Suffer me that I may ſpeak] Say that it be ſuffering to you to hear me (for now I ſee you have, as they write of ſome Creatures, feb in …re;) yet put your ſelves to the pain of hearing me, and beat me though I am burdenſome to you, though my ſpeeches croſſe the graine of your ſpirits. See 2 Cor. 11.1. I will promiſe you to ſpeak nothing worthy of a ſcoff, ſuch as was that of Theophraſt…, Let him ſhun the …tive man who would not be put into a …it of a feavee.Theoph. Charact … de garrul. Or that of Ariſtotle, before whom when one having made a long and idle diſcourſe, concluded it thus, I doubt I have been too tedious unto you, Sir Philoſopher,Plut. de garrn. lit. with my many words In good ſooth, ſaid Ariſtotle, you have not been tedious to me, for I gave no heed to any thing you ſaid.
And after I have ſpoken, mock on] Heb. M… thou on, thou Zoph…r, (to whom he turned his ſpeech, and very likely his eye alſo) if thou canſt find in thy heart to mock at ſo much reaſon, as I ſhall alledge in mine owne defence, I gainſtand thee not. He wanted no wit that ſaid, If a wiſe man ſpeak evil of thee, or to thee,Chryſoſt. endure him; if a fool, ſlight him. Sile, & funeſtam dediſti plagam, trouble not thy ſelf at his taunts, and thou puniſheſt him ſufficiently.
Verſe 4. As for me, is my complaint to man?] Vult dicere. ſaith Lavater, Jobs meaning is, that he complained not to man, but to God himſelf, who well knew his heart and his innocency, though men miſ-judged him. And this being ſo, how could he be otherwiſe then anxious and ſolicitous, ſith if a man be but to ſpeak to an earthly Prince, he will be afraid? It is ſaid of Charles the Fifth, Emperour, that he ſpake more to God then to men. Job did ſo, it ſeemeth: and this he alledgeth to the ſhame of his hard-hearted friends, who put him to it in this ſort.
Verſe 5. Mark me, and be aſtonied] Heb. Look upon me. He had ſaid before, Hear and hear, now, Behold and ſee if there be any ſorrow like unto my ſorrow. Mark it I ſay, and ſtand amazed at it. Did you ever find any on this ſide hell ſo ſore afflicted as I am? Is it not becauſe you are not duly affected with my miſeries, that ye are ſo regardleſſe of my diſcourſe. Strange, that my ſorrowes ſhould be great enough to work aſtoniſhment, and yet not great enough to deſerve attention. O mark firſt what I ſuffer, and then what I ſpeak.
And (this once done) lay your hand upon your month] Be ſwift to hear but ſlow to ſpeak: yea, ſpare to ſpeak at all in this caſe. The Greek Proverb admoniſheth men either to be ſilent, or to ſpeak ſomething that is better then ſilence. Harpocrates the heatheniſh god of ſilence, was pictured with his finger laid upon his lips.
Verſe 6. Even when I remember I am afraid] Surprized I am with a moſt formidable amazement, when I call to mind and conſider how ill (by the divine Providence) it fareth with me, how well with many wicked; and how little you pity me, or ſeek by ſound reaſon to ſettle my mind; I am ready to cry out, Oh the depth of Gods ſtupendious diſpenſations! Confer Pſal. 73. where David delivereth himſelfe to like purpoſe.
And trembling taketh hold on my fleſh] Heb. My fleſh hath taken hold on trembling. Totus horreo, Horrour hath taken hold on me, Pſal. 119.53. ſuch as makes my body to ſhake and ſhudder. So Habak. 3.16. With chap. 1.3, 13. Job had called upon his friends to mark and be aſtoniſhed: here he propoundeth himſelfe to them for an example. Quod juſſit, & geſſit, as Bernard ſaith of Another. See chap. 18.20.
Verſe 7 Wherefore do the wicked live, become old?] Vivunt, veteraſcunt, they are lively and long lived, ſo that they out-laſt many better then themſelves; being as ſound as Roches, and as vivacious as the ſnail, the property whereof is to live a long while even after the head is off, and the heart out. Of ſome creatures we uſe to ſay, that they have nine lives: of ſome wicked men it may be thought ſo, they do evil an hundred times, and yet their dayes are prolonged, Eccleſ. 9.12. Manaſſeh raigned longeſt of any King in Judah. Pope John the 22 (that Monſter and Mortalliſt) lived longeſt of any Pope, and dyed richeſt. God gives wealth, health, and long life to many wicked, Non aliter ac ſiquis crumenam ingentem auro plenam lutrine injiciat, Gaſp. E….ſaith One: No otherwiſe then as when a man caſts a great Purſe filled with Gold into a Jakes. Now if any ſhall ask, with Job, Why all this? The Apoſtle anſwereth one Queſtion by another, Rom. 922. What if God willing to ſhew his wrath, and to make his power known, endure with much long-ſuffering the veſſels of wrath fitted to deſtruction? What hath any man to ſay to that? And again, who knows not that the Lord hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteouſneſſe, even that day of the Revelation of the righteous judgement, Acts 17.31. Rom. 2.5. The Judge of the earth keepeth his petty Seſſions now, letting the Law paſſe upon ſome few, reſerving the reſt till the great Aſſizes, 1 Tim. 5.24.
Yea, are mighty in power.] Or, Prevaile in wealth, which maketh them mighty: for money is the Monarch of this preſent world, and carryeth all before it.
Verſe 8. Their ſeed is eſtabliſhed in their ſight with them] Some underſtand it of their ſeed ſowne in the fields; not blaſted or waſted, but timely gathered into their Barnes and Granaries; and ſo by Off ſpring, Germina, they taking it literally, conceive to be meant their plants,Multos, ſanos, vegetos, & vivaces. trees, flowers, fruits, all which come kindly, and grow to their minds; But better interpret it of their children and nephews, whom they have many, healthy, luſty and lively, and not unfitly compared to ſeed; as if the parents were but only the husks: and to branches or ſprigs, becauſe they may be, and muſt be bent betime to the beſt things, before they be aged and crooked in their evil practiſes, refuſing to be rectified.
And their Off-ſpring before their eyes] This is the ſame with that before, and is repeated, becauſe a ſingular happineſſe, to ſee their children proſper as much as themſelves. This is a third time inſtanced, ver. 11.
Verſe 9. Their houſes are ſafe from fear] Seculi Latitia eſt impunita nequitia. No domeſtical ſcords, no forraign diſturbances, but peaceable poſſeſſion and enjoyment of that they have; as much welfare as David wiſhed to Nabal, 1 Sam. 25.5. Thus ſhall ye ſay to him that liveth (that is, that liveth proſperouſly, for that's the only life) Peace be to thee, and to thine houſe, and to all that thou haſt.
Neither is the rod of God upon them] So that they ſeem to themſelves and others to be out of the reach of Gods rod. They are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued like other men: Therefore pride compaſſeth them about as a chain,Auguſt. &c. Pſa. 73.5, 6. Vermis divitiarum eſt ſuperbia, It is hard for the rich not be high-minded, 1 Tim. 6.17.
Verſe 10. Their Bull gendreth and faileth not, &c.] All things hit, and nothing miſſeth to make them happy and wealthy; they have profit and pleaſure at will, the world comes tumbling in upon them, as Townes were ſaid to come in to Timotheus his toyles,Plu…. in Syll. whiles he ſlept; and ſo they ſeem to be the only heires of thoſe Promiſes (Exod 23.26. There ſhall nothing caſt their young, nor be barren in the Land. So Deut. 7.14) whereunto notwithſtanding they are perfect ſtrangers; Laban and Nabal for inſtance.
Verſe 11 They ſend forth their little ones like a flock.] Sunt quide eorum vitulis intelligunt recens natis, ſaith Mercer, Some underſtand it of young Calves, but better of young children, which have here their name from a root which ſignifieth wickedneſſe, naughtineſſe, to ſhew what little ones are, not Innocents, as we call them, not pueri quaſi puri; foreign, is both a fool and a child. The firſt blanket wherein a child is wrapt, is woven of ſin, ſhame, blood and filth, Ezek. 16.4, 6. Hence Infants were circumciſed, and their foreskin caſt away, to ſhew, that themſelves had deſerved to be ſo ſerved. Parents therefore ſhould ſtrive to mend that by education, which they have marred by propagation. Wicked parents think not on this, though they ſend out their little ones like a flock, but tend them not, keep them not from the Wolf of hel, who ſeeketh to devour them.
And their children dance] Exiliunt, vitulantur, ch…reas ducunt, they skip and leap up and down,Nemo ſobrius ſaltat. Cic. as young cattle, and are taught to dance Artificially, which no ſober man will do, ſaith Cicero: And the better Dancer, the worſe man, ſaid Diogenes.
Verſe 12. They take the Timbr…l and the Harp] They take them, and are taken with them, being melted in ſenſual delights, which wiſe men ſlight. The Philoſopher told the Fidlers, that he could be merry without Muſick. Ariſtotle ſaid, Jupiter is happy,Plut, foreign. and yet no Muſician. One in Plutarch ſaith of the Scythians, That though they had no Muſick nor Vines amongſt them, yet they had God. It is here alledged as a piece of their laſciviouſneſſe and luxury, that they took or touched the Timbrel, &c. Not but that Muſick is lawful, for it is the giſt of God, and a noble Note there) theſe wicked and their children lived in pleaſure upon earth (which is not a place for ſuch a purpoſe: God did not caſt man out of one Paradiſe; that he might make himſelf another) James 5.5. and were like the people of T…mbu… in Affrica, who are ſaid to ſpend their whole time in ſinging and dancing. It is not good for men to take pleaſure in pleaſure, to ſpend too much time in it, as Salomon did, and afterwards Cleopatra. It was not ſimply a ſin in Eſau to go a hunting: but yet the more he uſed it, the more profane he waxed, and came at length to contemn his birth-right.
They rejoyce at the ſound of the Organ] Their mirth was meerly carnal, they did rather revel then rejoice. Their chearfulneſſe did not end in thankfulneſſe; their Muſick made them not more heavenly minded, as it did that late Learned and holy Mr. Eſty, who when he ſat and heard a ſweet conſort of Muſick,D. Hall Art of Div. Medit. ſeemed upon this occaſion, carried up for the time before hand to the place of his Reſt, ſaying very paſſionately, What Muſick may we think there is in heaven? The Inſtrument here mentioned, hath its name (as Mercer noteth) Ab amore oblectatione, & luſu; From love, delight and ſport. Amabit ſapiens, cupient caters, ſaith S…utea.
Verſe 13 They ſpend their dayes in wealth.] Or, in mirth: Hebr. In good. They wallow in wealth, and have the world at will, even more then heart could wiſh, as David phraſeth it in Pſalm 73. which may well ſerve for a Comment upon this Text; And the rich glutton for an inſtance. He in his life-time received his good things, and in a moment went down to the grave, Luke 16.25. True it is, that this is not every wicked mans caſe: for ſome of them live wretchedly, and dye lamentably, being held long upon the rack of a torturing Diſeaſe (as Jehoram) all which is to them no other then a Type and foretaſte of hell, whither they are haſting.
And in a moment they go down to the grave] Ad inferna, to hell, ſaith the Vulgar, they ſpend their dayes in wealth, and end their dayes in woe; their merry dance determineth in a miſerable downfall. Thus that rich man dyed, and was buried; and in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, &c, Luke 16.22, 23. But though the ſame Hebrew word ſignifieth hell and the grave (both which have their names from their unſatiableneſſe, Prov. 30.15, 16) yet here, in a ſutableneſſe to what went before, the grave is to be underſtood; and the ſenſe is, Dicto citius mori…tur, they dye eaſily, ſuddenly, ſweetly, without much pain of body or trouble of mind: there are no bonds in their death, ſaith David, Pſal. 73. They dye without much ado, like a lamb, or like a lamp, that goeth out of it ſelf when the oyle faileth: they go quickly and quietly to the grave: ſome wicked perſons indeed dye piece-meal by a complicate Diſeaſe, and a long lingring Death, as did Antiochus, Herod, Philip 2 of Spain, &c. Dionyſius the Tyrant is ſaid to have envyed a beaſt, whoſe throat he ſaw cut, becauſe he dyed ſo ſoon. Julius Caeſar wiſhed he might dye ſpeedily, ſaith Suetonius. Pliny commendeth ſudden death as the chief felicity of life.M…rs jucunda cujus nulla praceſſes expectatio aut me…. That's a good death to nature which is neither feared nor expected, yet that is the beſt death which hath been longeſt expected and prepared for. Happy is he that after due preparation, is paſſed through the gates of death, ere he be aware. Happy is he that by the holy uſe of long ſickneſſe, is taught to ſee the gates of death afar off, and addreſſeth for a reſolute paſſage. The one dyeth like Eliah, the other like Eliſha, both bleſſedly.
Verſe 14. Therefore they ſay unto God, Depart from us.] Leſt any ſhould think, ſaith Merlin here, that Job ſpeaks of ſuch wicked as uſed a moderation in ſinning, and (as the Hiſtorian ſaid of the Emperour) rather wanted vice, then were vertuous.Magis extra vitia, quam cu… vir…utib…m. Tacit. He deſcribeth their great impiety by a rhetorical imitation, expreſſing the language of their heart, which is moſt baſe and blaſphemous. For firſt they beſpeak God as if he were ſome low-prized ſcoundrel; Apage, Be packing: thus they reject his acquaintance, and would be rid of his company. Porro rejiciunt Deum quot quot verbum e…us contemnunt, ſaith Brentius here: Now they reject God, who ſlight his Word, and caſt his commands behind them, Pſal. 50.17. Hence it follows by way of explication.
For we deſire not the knowledge of thy wayes.] Lo, they proſeſſe themſelves to be of the number of thoſe, Qui us liberius peccent, libenter ignorant, who are wilfully ignorant, and like not to retain God in their knowledge. Rom. 1.28. or if they profeſſe to know him, yet in works they deny him, being abominable, diſobedient, and to every good work reprobate, Tit. 1.16. Wicked men cannot abide God, ſuch is their evil heart of unbelief, Heb 3.12. they get as far from him as they can, with Cain, and not only deſire him to depart out of their coaſts with thoſe ſwiniſh Gergefires, but churliſhly ſay unto him, as here, Avaunt, Room for us. They will neither have God in their heads, Pſal. 10.4. nor hearts, Pſal. 14.1. nor words, Pſal. 12.4. nor works, Tit. 1.16. See this exemplified in thoſe perverſe Jewes, lying children, children that would not hear the Law of the Lord; which ſaid to the Seers, ſee not, —Get ye out of the way, turn aſide out of the path; i.e. out of this tract of truth in dealing ſo plainly, and reproving us ſo roundly, Cauſe the Holy One of Iſrael to ceaſe before us, let us henceforth hear no more of him, Iſai. 30.10, 11. Now for ſuch miſcreants as theſe, who can ſay, it is otherwiſe then righteous, that God ſhould regeſt one day upon them, Depart from me, ye wicked? (He loves to retaliate.) And that they who now ſay unto him, We deſire not the knowledge of thy wayes, ſhould hear from him, I tell you, I know you not, Luke 13.27?
Verſe 15. What is the Almighty that we ſhould ſerve him?] Here the rotteneſſe of their hearts bliſtereth out at the lips of theſe rich wretches, theſe fat Bulls of Baſan, ſuch as was Pharaoh that ſturdy rebel, who asked this very queſtion in the Text, What, or Who is the Almighty,He ſeemeth to rehearſe the very words of Pharoah. Diod. &c? Exod. 5.2. and had a large Reply made him by one plague upon another, till he was compelled to anſwer himſelf, The Lord is righteous. Forced he was to ſpeak fair whiles held upon the Rack, if for nothing elſe, yet that he might get off. Such Queryings as this carry greateſt contempt in them, and would lay the Almighty quite below the required duty: as if Almighty were but an empty title, and that he could do neither good nor evil, Zeph. 1.12. that it was to no purpoſe or profit to ſerve him, that the gaines would not pay for the paines, &c.
And what profit ſhould we have if we pray unto him?] Hebr. If we meet him, viz. by our prayers, Jer. 7.16. Am. 4.12. ſee Mal. 3.14. with the Note. Children will not ſay their prayers unleſſe they may have their Breakfaſt; nor hypocrites pray, but for ſome profit. They pretend ſometimes to meet God, but they draw not near with that true heart, mentioned, Heb. 10.22. in ſeeking God they meerly ſeek themſelves, as Spira ſaid he did. In Parabola ovis capras ſuas quaerunt; No penny, no Pater Noſter. And as the Wolfin the Fable, having ſpelled Pater, and being bid put together, ſaid Agnus: ſo when theſe pray, their hearts are upon their halfe penny Ezek. 33. They follow Chriſt for the loaves, and ſerve him no longer, then he ſerves their turnes.
—Rarae fumant ſoelicibus arae.
Verſe 16. Lo their good is not in their hand] that is, They are not inriched by their own induſtry, Prudence, Piety, &c. but God hath exalted them thus, that he may bring them down again with the greater poiſe: So ſome ſenſe the Text. Others thus, Their good is not in their hand; that is, they are not Maſters of them, but are maſtered by them: they are ſervants to their wealth, as the Perſian Kings were to their Wives or Concubines,Plut. Captivarum ſuarum caprivi: And as thoſe ſtall-fed beaſts in the Goſpel, the Recuſant Gueſts I mean, that had bought Farmes, Oxen, &c or rather were bought of them. —Difficile eſt opibus non tradere m…res. Others make this the ſenſe, and I concur with them, Theſe wicked rich men, buried in a bog of ſecurity, contemne God as if they had their happineſſe in their own hands, and were petty-gods within themſelves. But they are deceived; All is in Gods hand, who can take away their wealth when he pleaſeth. Theſe men may fall ſooner then whey roſe, ſith they ſubſiſt meerly by Gods manutenſion, and he may do with his own as he liſteth.
The counſell of the wicked is far from me] I am ſo far from envying their proſperity, that I cannot approve of their courſe of life, for all their wealth. I am not of their judgment, I like not of their way. Oh my ſoul come not thou into their ſecret. Let their money periſh with them (ſaid that noble Italian Convert to a Jeſuit,Caracciol…. who tempted him with a great ſum) who eſteem all the gold in the world worth one dayes ſociety with Jeſus Chriſt, and his Holy Spirit; and curſed be that Religion for ever, &c.
Verſe 17 How oft is the candle of the wicked put out?] q.d. Diod.I confeſſe that which you ſay concerning Gods judgements upon the wicked to be ſometimes true in this world; yet it is not ſo continually, nor ordinarily, but very oft their lamp is extinguiſhed, their comforts damped, and hopes of better daſhed: they are all on the ſudden left in the dark, caſt into ſtraits inextricable, plunged into ſorrowes inexplicable, and yet all theſe are but the beginning of ſorrows. For
How oft cometh deſtruction upon them?] Utmoſt deſtruction, irreſiſtible ruine, that comes on in manner of a black cloud, or fierce ſtorme, undoing calamity, overflowing ſcourge, a tempeſt from which there is no covert. The Vulgar renders it thus, How oft is there an inundation upon the wicked!
God diſtributeth ſorrowes in his anger] Gives them their lot of greateſt ſorrowes, as by a line, Luke 12.46. ſuch ſorrowes as a travelling woman ſuffereth,Spec. bell. ſac. or ſuch as were thoſe of Monſieur Mylius, an ancient Miniſter at Heidelberg, when taken by the Spaniard, firſt they abuſed his daughter before his eyes, and then they tyed a ſmall cord about his head, which with truncheons they wreathed about till they ſqueezed out his braines. The Text implyeth that though in this world many ſorrowes are to the wicked, yet theſe are no ſuperſedias to their ſufferings in hell;Pſal. 32.10. but now they receive only a ſmall portion or part of their puniſhments, there they ſhall be paid to the full: here they ſip of the top only of Gods cup, there they ſhall ſuck up the dregs thereof, though they have eternity to the bottom. This ſhall be the portion of their cup, and but a portion, Pſal. 11.6.
Verſe 18. They are as ſtubble before the wind] Leſt any man ſhould ſay, How can theſe things befal thoſe that are ſo ſtrongly ſet, & firmly built? Well enough, ſaith Job, ſith when they are beſt bottomed or underlaid, they are but as ſtubble before the wind, &c. Haec conſideranda, ſaith Mercer, theſe things would be laid to heart, for hereby it appeareth that the wicked ſhall be deſtroyed ſuddenly, and certainly, certò, citò, penitus, Iſai. 17.13. That they can no more ſtand before a puniſhing God, then thiſtle-down before a whirle-wind, or a glaſſe-bottle before a Cannonſhot.
Verſe 19. God layeth up his iniquity for his children] that is, the puniſhment of his iniquity, whilſt he viſiteth the ſins of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate him, Exod. 20.5. Neither doth this contradict that of the Prophet Ezekiel, The ſon ſhall not dye for the iniquity of his farher, chap. 18.17. Nor that of the Apoſtle, Every man ſhall bear his own burden, Gal. 5.6. for the meaning of thoſe worlds is, that no man be damned for the ſin of his father, nor one man for the ſin of another, unleſſe by commiſſion or approbation, or ſome way or other he make it his own. But for temporal puniſhments there is none but (by occaſion of others ſins) may have their portion in them: and wicked parents leave Jobs Legacy to their children (ſee 2 Sam. 3.29.) yea though they prove to be good children, 1 King. 14.12, 13. for whom God layeth up their parents iniquity in the treaſures of his juſtice to be produced in due time.
He rewardeth him.] For every tranſgreſſion and diſobedience; that is, every Commiſſion and Omiſſion, receiveth a juſt recompence of reward, Heb 2.2. God will abate him nothing.
And he ſhall know it.] Know it to his coſt; Vexation ſhall give underſtanding: he that before this judgement came, would know nothing of the bitter effect of ſin upon him and his, now hath his eyes forced open (as the blind Mole is ſaid to have by the pangs of death) and cryes out with the Lyon in the ſnare, Si praſciviſſem, Oh! if I had foreknown the miſchief, &c. The wicked are wiſe too late, the fool paſſeth on, and is puniſhed: he knows not the evil of ſin, till he feels it.
Verſe 20. His eyes ſhall ſee his deſtruction.] His ſlaughter, ſaith the Greek, his breaking to pieces, ſaith the Chaldee: this he ſhall ſee with his eyes, the deſtruction of his perſon, and ruine of his Family. The ſight of evil is a grief to ſee, as well as the feeling of it is a pain: and that's complete deſtruction which is not only felt but ſeen. Zedekiah firſt ſaw all his children ſlain, and then had his eyes put out. Mauric…us had the like woful ſight, and then was ſtewed in his own broth by the Traytor Ph…as.
And he ſhall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.] Heb. The ſcalding hot wrath, worſe than that Cup of boyling Lead turned down the throat of a certain drunken man, by the command of the Turkiſh Baſhaw. Jeruſalem drank wrath to drunkenneſs, and had none to guide her; as a drunken man had need to have, Iſa. 51.17. The Nations were to drink it to madneſs, Jer. 25.10. Babylons brats ſhall drink of the wine of God's wrath, Rev. 14.10. (Poyſon in wine works more furiouſly than in water) their irreparable ruine is ſet forth to the eye as it were, when Rev. 18.21. an Angel, a mighty Angel taketh a ſtone, a great stone, even a milſtone, which he caſteth and with impetuous force thruſteth into the bottom of the ſea, whence it cannot be buoyed up. Now what is a mighty Angel to the Almighty God, who hath his, Name Shaddai, from deſtroying, as ſome are of opinion?
Verſe 21. For what pleaſure hath he in his houſe after him?] Hoc est, Omnia impiorum, etiam poſt mortem eorum, maledicta erunt, ſaith Brentius; All that belongs to the wicked ſhall be accurſed, even after their death, though ſome are ſo deſperately ſet upon wickeneſs, that they will have their ſwinge whatſoever come of it, either to themſelves, or their children after them. Sic fere foreign ſunt improbi, ſo unnatural they are many of them,foreign Sueton de T…berio. that, ſo they may ſatisfie their own ſinful and ſenſual deſires, let their poſterity ſink or ſwim, let them ſhift as they can, they care not. Dives in Hell ſeemed ſomewhat careful of his brethren; but ſelf-love moved him to it: for he knew well, that if they were damned, he ſhould be double damned, becauſe they had ſinned by his example and encouragement.
When the number of his months ſhall be cut off in the midſt.] Mortis periphraſis; that is, when he ſhall die, ſaith one. But that's not all. Impius moritur importunè, The wicked dieth in an ill time for himſelf; then when it were better for him to do any thing, then to die. Many of them live not out half their dayes, Pſal. 55.25. Eccleſ. 7.17. God cut off Elies two ſons in one day; and further threatned their father that there ſhould not be an old man left in his houſe for ever, 1 Sam. 2.32. Hezekiah, when he thought he ſhould die, complained that he had cut off his life like a Weaver, Eſa. 38.12. who cuts off the Web from the Thrum. But the Saints (ſuch as he was) die not till the beſt time, not till that time when, if they were rightly informed, they would even deſire to die.
Verſe 22. Shall any teach God knowledge?] None but a preſumptuous Fool will take upon him to do that: ſuch as was Alphonſo the wiſe (the Fool rather) who feared not to ſay openly,Roderic. ſanct. H…ſt. Hiſpan. p. 4. ch. 5. That if he had been of Gods Council at the Creation, ſome things ſhould have been better made, and marſhalled. The wiſeſt men are benighted in many things; and what light ſoever they have, it is from the Father of Lights, whoſe judgements are unſearchable, and his wayes paſt finding out: what a madneſs were it therefore for any mortal to preſcribe to the Almighty, or to define whom, when, by what means, and in what meaſure he muſt puniſh offendors? Herein Jobs friends took too much upon them; and he gives them the telling of it, wiſhing them to be wiſe to Sobriety, and not to give Laws to God, who well knoweth what he hath to do, and how to order his earthly kingdom. To diſallow of his dealings, is to reach him knowledge; which is greateſt ſawcineſs.
Seeing he judgeth thoſe that are high.] Excelſos in exc…lſis, the Angels, who are ſo far above us in all manner of excellencies, and yet are ignorant of the wiſdom of Gods wayes, which they know but in part; for how little a portion is heard of him? Job 26.14. His judgements therefore are rather to be adored, than pryed into: Mirarioportet, non rimari, let us reſt contented with a learned ignorance.
Verſe 23. One dieth in his full ſtrength.] Iſte moritur, There's one dieth in his very perfections; or, in the ſtrength of his perfection, when he is in the Zenith, in the higheſt degree of earthly felicity: And he ſeemeth to point at ſome one eminent wicked perſon, well known to them all. Confer Eccleſ. 9.2. God is pleaſed to do wonderful contradictory things in mans reaſon: ſo that we muſt needs confeſs an unſearchableneſs in his wayes. In hoc opere, ratio humana talpâ magis caec…eſt, ſaith Brentius; In this work of his, humane reaſon is blinder then a Mole: Averroes turned Atheiſt upon it: and Ariſtotle was little better, as being accuſed at Athens and baniſhed into Chaelcis, quod de divinitate malè ſentiret.
Being wholly at eaſe and quiet.] At eaſe in body and quiet in minde. The common ſort ask, What ſhould ayle ſuch a man? The Iriſh, What ſuch an one meaneth to die?
Verſe 24. His Breſts are full of milk, and his Bones, &c.] He is well lined within, as we ſay, having abundance of good blood, and freſh ſpirits in his body: fat and plump, and well liking. He is encloſed in his own fat, Pſal. 17.10. His back is well larded, and his bones are moiſtened with marrow; which Plato ſaith,Plat. in Tim…. is not only the ſourſe and ſeminary of generation, but the very ſeat of life. Now ſuch a ſtate of body as is here deſcribed, is no defence at all againſt death, ſaith Job: Nay, it is a preſage, and a forerunner of it many times. For ultimus ſanitatis gradus eſt morbo proximus, ſay Phyſicians; the higheſt degree of health is neareſt to ſickneſs: We many times chop into the earth before we are aware; like a man walking in a field covered with Snow, who falleth into a pit ſuddenly.
Verſe 25. And another dieth in the bitterneſs of his ſoul.] Heb. And this dieth with a bitter ſoul; in a ſad and ſorrowful condition: having ſuffered many a little death all his life long, (as godly men eſpecially uſe to do, being deſtitute, afflicted,Heb. 11. tormented, ſeldom without a croſs on their backs) and then dieth not only in the ſorrows of death, but in the ſorrows of life, which to him hath been a liveleſs life, becauſe a joyleſs life.
And never eateth with pleaſure.] Either becauſe he hath but Priſoners pittance, which will neither keep him alive, nor ſuffer him to die. Or, if he ſit at a full table, yet his body is ſo ill affected by ſickneſs, or his mind with ſorrow, that he finds no good reliſh in what he eateth. That it is better with any of us, ſee a mercy and be thankful.
Verſe 26, They ſhall lye down alike in the duſt; and worms, &c.] Death and Afflictions are common to them both, as Eccleſ. 9. How then do ye pronounce me wicked, becauſe afflicted, and free among the dead, free of that company, &c?
And the worms ſhall cover them.] Who haply were once covered with coſtlieſt cloathing. The beſt are but worms-meat: why then should we pamper and trick up theſe Carcaſſes, &c…
Verſe 27. Behold I know your thoughts.] ſc. By your words; as it is no hard matter for a wiſe man to do, Prov. 20.5. for otherwiſe, God only knoweth the heart, 1 Pet. 1.24. Pſal. 139.3. it is his royalty: But when men diſcover their thoughts by their diſcourſes, looks, geſtures, &c. we may ſay as Job doth here, I know your thoughts; and that by the wicked wretch deſcribed by you, my ſelf is intended: this I am well aware of, though you hover in generals, and ſpeak in a third perſon.Lib. 1. foreign, oblig. Bartolus writeth of Dr. Gabriel Nel…, …hat by the only motion of the Lippes, without any utterance, he underſtood any mans thoughts: The like ſome ſay they can do by looks. The Italians have a proverb, That a man with his words cloſe, and his countenance looſe, may travel undiſcovered all the world over.
And the devices which you wonderfully imagine againſt me.] viz. To take away, as it were by violence, my Credit and Comfort: this is the fouleſt theft; avoid it.
Verſe 28. For ye ſay, Where is the houſe of the Prince?] Ye ſay, though not in ſo many words, yet upon the matter, Where is this mans (Jobs) princely pomp and port, that but even now was ſo ſplendidous? A Prince they called Job in a jear,Per ironi…m & antiphrafin. Va…ab. and by contraries (ſaith Vatablus,) becauſe he had been rich, and ſhould have been liberal, and munificent, but had not been ſo. The Apoſtle calleth the Phariſees and Philoſophers in like ſort, Princes of this world, 1 Cor. 2.8.
And where are the dwelling places.] The Palaces, large and lofty,Junius. ut ſunt pratoria et principum aedes, as the houſes of Princes uſe to be. Lavater rendreth it,Taber…cillum babitacul…t … The Tabernacle of Tabernacles, as Gentlemens houſes amongſt us are called, Places, Halls, Courts. &c.
Of the Wicked?] viz. Of Job and his Children; the eldeſt ſons eſpecially, which was blown down, chap. 1.18. As if it might not befal a good man alſo to have his houſe plundered, burnt, his children brained, &c. They had often in their diſcourſes jerked at Jobs children.
Verſe 29. Have ye not asked them that go by the way?] The cauſe of that their raſh judgement, Job ſheweth here to be their ignorance of things known to every ordinary paſſenger, and ſuch as whereof there are many pregnant proofes and Examples every where. Some by them that go by the way, underſtand men by experience ſuch as have gone many voyages, &c. made many obſervations in their Travels of things remarkable: their notes are here called their tokens. By thoſe that go by the way, others underſtand Abraham the Hebrew (ſo he is called, Gen. 14.13. that is, that Tranſ-Euphrataean; Or, He that paſſed over the River Euphrates, when he paſſed by the way from Chaldea to Canaan) and his Progeny Iſaac and Jacob, who were paſſengers and pilgrims; and could tell by experience, that men greatly afflicted may be yet favoured of God, and in due time delivered. Abraham had ten ſore trials, and yet the friend of God. Iſaak, beſides many other ſharp afflictions all along his pilgrimage, was blind for above twenty years before his death. Few and evil were the dayes of the years of Jacob, his whole life almoſt one continuate affliction; and yet it was, Jacob have I loved. Of all this, Job likely was not ignorant, and why ſhould his friends?
And do ye not know their tokens?] Or, Their tokens you ſhall not be eſtranged from, Broughton thus; So ye would not make their ſignes ſtrange. There will be ſo much evidence of truth in what they ſay, that you will not be able to gainſay it.
Verſe 30. That the wicked is reſerved to the day of deſtruction] Here's the Paſſengers verdict; viz that wicked men ſhal ſcape ſcot-free, and flouriſh for a ſeaſon: nevertheleſſe their preſervation is but a reſervation (as Pharaoh, Sennacherib, and others have found it,) and if they flouriſh for the preſent, it is that they may be deſtroyed for ever, Pſal. 92.7. Others read this verſe more ſuitably to the next, thus, That at the day of deſtruction the wicked is kept back and they are carried out in the day of wrath; that is, they are oft ſpared whey the teſtimonies of Gods wrath are rife againſt others.
Verſe 31. Who ſhall declare his way to his face; &c?] Who ſhall be ſo bold, as to deal plainly with this rich wretch, and tell him his own? Divitibus ideo deeſt amicus, qu…a nihildeeſt. Great men have many flatterers, and not a few mutterers againſt them, but very few that will faithfully ſhew them their ſin, and forewarn them of their danger, leſt they meet with the ſame hard meaſure, that the Hares in the Fable did, who taking upon them to reprove the Lion, were torn in pieces by him for the ſame. Truth breedeth hatred: and although ſhe be a good Miſtreſſe, yet they that follow her too cloſe at heels, may hap to have their teeth-ſtruck out. But truth, downright truth, muſt be ſpoken, however it be taken. Elias dealt roundly and impartially with wicked A…ab, Jeremy with …ſiah …s ſons and ſucceſſours, the Baptiſt with Herod. Chriſt with the Elders and Phariſees, that noble General Tra…an, with Valens the Arian Emperour, telling him, That by his perſecuting the Orthodox, he had loſt the day, abandoning the Victory, and ſending it away to the enemy.
And who ſhall repay him what he hath done?] q.d. Men dare not, (for who will take a Lion by the beard, or a Bear by the tooth?) God will not puniſh him here, therefore he muſt needs ſcape unpuniſhed. This is by Gregory fitly referred to Antichriſt, who may not be admoniſhed, and wil not be puniſhed: but thinks to bear out his moſt malap…rt miſdemeanour, becauſe it is —facinus majoris abolle, the fact of a great one.
Verſe 32 Yet ſhall he be brought to the grave.] He that was erſt ſo ſtern and terrible, ſhal ſhortly be laid low enough, and then le…ni mortuo vel mus inſultabi…, Though he were ſuch a ſon of Belial, that none could ſpeak to him (as Nabal was, 1 Sam. 25.17) yet death will ſpeak with him, and confute this proud haughty Scorner, that dealeth in proud wrath.Hiſt. of World. When death comes (ſaith Sir Walter Raleigh) which hates and deſtroyes men, that's believed and obeyed; But God, that loveth and maketh men, he is not regarded. O mighty death! O eloquent death! whom none could adviſe, thou art able to prevail with.
And ſhall remain in the Tomb] Heb. He ſhall watch over the heap, ſuper tu…lum o…mul… … in area conſtructo ſimilem; as a Watch-man, there he is fixed and keeps this place.Lavat. Or, He ſhall be watched in the Tomb.
Verſe 33. The clods of the valley ſhall be ſweet unto him] Here he ſaith the ſame as before, but more poetically, and is variouſly rendred. The Vulgar alluding to an old Poeticall Fable, readeth it thus. He ſhall he ſweet to the ſand of Cocytus, which is fained to be one of the Rivers of Hell, or an infernal Lake, ſo called from the moan there made by damned Ghoſts, who ſhould be glad, of his arrival there. Hell from be …ath as …ured for him to meet him at his coming, as 'tis ſaid of the Aſſyrian Tyrant, Iſai. 14.9. Others better expound it thus, He ſhall taſte ſo much bitterneſs whiles he treads upon the clods of the earth, that the clods under the earth ſhall be reckoned ſweet unto him. And Oh how well pleaſed would he be if he might forever lye hidden there, and never riſe up again to come to judgement!Caten. Grac. And as it is with one wicked man departed, ſo it is with all other, whether they dyed before, or ſhall dye after.
Verſe 34. How then comfort ye me in vain?] Sith ye apply nothing rightly to me, nor affirm nothing rightly of me, but inſtead of comforting me, which you came for, ye trouble me? And ſuch are all thoſe conſolatiunculae creaturulae, (as Luther finely phraſeth it) petty-creature-comforts; wateriſh, and empty buſineſſes, an unſubſtantial ſuſtance, as one ſaith of the bulruſh.
Seeing in your anſwers remaineth falſe-hood.] Or, Provarication, or double-dealing: fowle miſtakes, and little leſſe then malice.