Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 4 · Chapter 28
CHAP. XXVIII. Verſe 1. Surely there is a vein for the ſilver.]
FOr there is a vein, &c. ſo Tremellius readeth it. But here is no reaſon rendered of Gods heavy judgements on the wicked, laſt diſcourſed of: but the unſearchableneſs of Gods wiſdom, and the righteouſneſs of his proceedings aſſerted, whileſt ſome bad men proſper, and ſome good men ſuffer. The reaſon whereof lieth hid (as a River that runneth under ground) from the natural man (and in part, from the ſpiritual alſo) be he never ſo perſpicacious or induſtrious in prying into Natures ſecrets. The ſilver vein lyeth very low, and far out of ſight; yet is found out and known: as alſo is the art of fining it. This art was ſoon learned in the world: and mortals were quickly become metallaries.Ovid, Effodiuntur opes, &c. A great part of this their skill they might have from Adam, according to that of the Divine Chronologer, Ex Adami ſapientiſſimi Doctoris ore promanavit, tanquam ex foule, quicquid in mundo eſt utilium doctrinarum, diſciplinarum, ſcientiae & ſapientiae. He that knew ſo much before his Fall (far more than ever Solomon did) of natures hiddeneſt Myſteries, who can doubt but that afterwards alſo he reteined and imparted to his Nephews a great deal of abſtruſe and rich skill? ſuch as was this here inſtanced, and afterwards by Cicero (amongſt others) celebrated in his ſecond Book, De nat. deor. where diſcourſing of mens witty inventions, he ſaith among other things, Nos aeris, argenti, auri venas penitus abdit as invenimus, &c. We have found out the veins of Braſs Silver, Gold, and other Metals, though deep hid in the bowels of the Earth. Some of the Ancients have wiſhed that we had never found out theſe Metals, becauſe of the great abuſe of them. Joſephus ſaith, that Cain heaped up great ſtore of them. Strabo ſaith, that Phaletius feared,Geog. l. 5. leſt in digging for Gold and Silver, men would dig themſelves a new way to Hell; Et Plutonem brevi ad ſuperos adducturos, and bring up the Devil amongſt them. Some ſay that he haunteth the richeſt Mines, and will not ſuffer them to be ſearched.Auri ſacra fames, &c. Sure it is, that by the inordinate love of theſe metals, he drowneth many a foul in perdition and deſtruction, 1 Tim. 6. So ſubject they are to ſin, as that God made a Law to have them purified before he would have them uſed by his people, Numb. 31.22, 23, &c. who ſhould herein have the minde of thoſe Perſians, Iſa. 13.12.17. which regarded not ſilver, nor were deſirous of gold. If Satan offer them theſe outward things in a temptation, they ſhould anſwer him as Abraham did the King of Sodom, with a God forbid that I ſhould, &c. Gen. 14.23. and ſend them away from whence they came; as Pellican ſent back the ſilver Boul ſent him by the Biſhop for a token,Melch. Adam. with this anſwer, Aſtricti ſunt quotquot Tiguricives, &c. All the inhabitants of our City are ſworn not to take any Gift from a forreine Prince. Or, as that noble Marqueſs Caracciolus anſwered the Jeſuit, who tempted him with money to revolt from the reformed Religion, and to return to Italy. Let their money periſh with them, who eſteem all the gold in the world worth one dayes ſociety with Jeſus Chriſt, &c. Let it be remembred, that gold is that which the baſeſt element yields, the moſt ſavage Indians get, ſervile apprentices work, Midianitiſh Camels carry, miſerable muck-worms admire, covetous Jews ſwallow, unthrifty Ruffians ſpend. Gold makes many men run quick to the Devil on an errand, yea, ſell their ſouls to him, as Pope Sixtus the fifth did, for ſeven years enjoyment of the Popedom. But thou, O man of God, flie theſe things, &c. 1 Tim. 6.11. and while others lay faſt hold on theſe baſe and boot-leſs buſineſſes, lay thou hold an eternal life, verſ. 12. But this obiter only.
And a place for the Gold where they fine it] Or From whence they fine it; Or,Heyl Geo p.77… Which they fine. The Spaniards are ſaid to have found in the Mines of America more Gold then earth. It is accounted of Metals the moſt precious: but it is Opinion that ſets the price upon it. The only material of money amongſt us, is Gold and Silver; but among the Roman Provinces, it was moſt times braſſe,Corium forma publica impreſſum. Seneca. ſometimes leather. The like is ſaid to have been uſed here in England in the time of the Barons wars: And why not? ſince Anno 1574. the Hollanders then being in their extremities, made money of Paſte-board. Who the firſt man was that made money of Gold, Pliny ſaith is uncertain. But Herodotus writeth,Plin lib. 33 Herodot. lib. 1 Plin lib. 7 that the Lydians were the firſt Coyners of Gold and Silver for that uſe. And Pliny, that Caamus the Phoenician was the firſt that found Gold; viz. at the Hill Pangaeus in Thracia; a place that aboundeth with Gold and Silver, as Herodotus teſtifieth.Herod. lib. 7 But ſo did Havilah (afterwards called Suſiana, in Eaſt-India) long before Cadmus was born, Gen. 2.11 Near unto this Land of Havilah, Solinus ſaith, were two Ilands called,Solin. cap. 65 Chryſe and Argyre, that is, the golden and ſilver Ilands, becauſe they were ſo full of thoſe richeſt Metals, Ʋt plerique eas auria ſola prodiderint & argentea habere; that many have affirmed the ſoile thereof to be of gold, and ſilver. Junius thinketh that Solinus and Pliny called this Land of Havilah, (by miſtake of Letters) Babypace, Plin. lib 6. c. 27 Solin. cap. 68 Ibid.the Inhabitants whereof, ſaith Solinus (through hatred of gold, for the hurt it doth mankind) buy up and bury very deep in the earth all the gold they can get. Like as Crates the Theban Philoſopher, is ſaid to have caſt his gold into the ſea for like reaſon (as he pretended when he ſaid, at the ſame time, Abite malae cupiditates: ego vos mergam, ne ipſe mergar à vobis) but indeed, for a name, as Hierome rightly judgeth:Hier. ep ad. Julian conſolat. calling him therefore, Gloriae animal, popularis aurae vile mancipium, a vain glorious fool. There is no hurt in having theſe Metals, ſo we love them not; Divites magis aurum ſuſpiciunt quam coelum Minut. Octav.ſo they do not get within us, as Luke 11.41. ſo we make not our gold our God, nor ſay to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence, Job 31.24.
Verſe 2. Iron is taken out of the earth;] that is, out of the Irony vein, which is ſaid to be a droſſie kind of earth, not ſufficiently diſgeſted and hardned to make a ſtone. Of the generation of theſe inferiour Metals,Plin. l. 33. & 34 ſee Pliny and the Chymicks; who yet are not to be hearkned unto, when they tell us; that by their Art they can turn theſe meaner Metals into gold, ſith they are here diſtinguiſhed by their place, matter, form, &c. Neither is gold the end of other Metals (every of which is perfect in its kind;) and beſides, the eſſence of every thing is indiviſible, and the uſe diverſe. Iron can do that which gold and ſilver cannot. Hiſtorians tell us, that Alexanders old ſouldiers, armed with Shields of Iron, conquered a great part of the world: But when as growing rich, they made them ſhields of Silver, and were therehence called Argyraſpides, they were baſely beaten by thoſe whom they had formerly ſubdued. The firſt Inventers of iron and braſſe, Pliny will have to be the Chalybes or Cyclopes. Diodorus, the Idaei, Dactyli, or Vulcan. Vulcanum, inquit, ferri, aris, argenti, auri, omniumque quae igne fabricantur, artem inveniſſe, ferunt. Diod. Sic. 16.And ſurely if Vulcan were the ſame with Tubal-Cain (as ſundry Commentators will have it) Diodorus was not far from the Truth: for he taught men to work in braſſe and iron, Gen. 4.22. Iron they had before, and the Art of uſing it, how elſe could they have plowed the accurſed earth? But this man added to their skil by his invention, he ſharply and wittily taught Smiths-craft, and is therefore by the heathens fained to be the God of Smiths.
And braſſe is molten out of the ſtone.] That is, out of the oare, which is like a ſtone, and is called Cadmia, (as Junius here noteth) perhaps from Cadmus, whom Pliny maketh the firſt that invented the uſe of theſe Metals, which Ariſtotle aſcribeth to Lydus the Scythian, Theophraſtus to Delas the Phrygian. It is probable that theſe were the firſt that ſhewed their Country-men the uſe of theſe Metals, and ſo were by them accounted the firſt Authours of what was elſewhere found out long before.Aes in medii… lapidibus latet … ſed ignis vehementia lapides aris uſque ade… torquentur ut veluti flumen ae… effundant. Bren Some render the Text thus, And the ſtone is melted into braſſe; that is, by melting is turned into braſſe. Many are of opinion that there was anciently an Art of melting ſtones, which is now loſt. Braſſe is as it were incorporated into ſtone or harder matter; but forced forth by the heat of fire. Hence the Vulgar Latine thus rendreth this Hemiſtich, Lapis ſolutus calore, in as vertitur, The ſtone diſſolved by heat, is turned into braſſe. So excellently doth Job here ſet forth the nature of theſe chief metals, as Mercer would have us to take notice.
Verſe 3. He ſetteth an end to darkneſſe] i.e. He (viz. the Miner) brings light down into the dark entrailes of the earth, and fetches out thoſe metals that had long lain hid there, and that elſe would never have been beheld. Though Nature hath taken pleaſure (as One ſpeaketh) to hide all theſe Metals, yet induſtry provideth man of certain marks for to diſcover them, and infallible conjectures to know the time when they muſt be drawn out of their darkneſſe. Habent Metallici ſuas virgas metallicas, Metallaries have their Metal-rods, whereby they ſearch into and diſtinguiſh of metals and minerals.
Quaſque recondi derat,Ovid. Metam. Stygiiſque admoverat undis,
Effodiuntur opes irritamenta malorum.
And ſearcheth out all perfections] ſcil. That is to be found in thoſe ſubterraneous Cells, in that boſom and bottom of the earth: the utmoſt that is there to be had he throughly eviſcerateth, digging many fathomes under ground, where nothing is to be ſeen, but a deadly ſhade; Ex cujus horrore mori quis poſſet; enough to fright one to death; beſide the deadly damps, which ſuddenly breaking out of the veins of the earth, do ſometimes choak the workmen.
The ſtones of darkneſs, &c.] That is, the darkeſt ſtones that lye loweſt of all in the earths bowels, whither one would wonder how any man ſhould ever come; and eſpecially how the Sun and Stars ſhould come by their influences to make thoſe Metals, and the precious Stones, that are ingendred and bred in the darkſom and deadly vaults of the earth.
Verſe 4 The floud breaketh out from the Inhabitant] Broughton rendreth it, from the ſpring. Illa ergo utribus prae grandibus ex multis bonum coriis conſutis indefeſſo labore exhauriuntur, adhibitis ad cam rem rotis & machinis idoneis. Merl.Others, Erumpit fluvius juxta accolam; A River breaketh out neer to the Inhabitant; that is, to the Miner, who is forced to leave the place, till by buckets, wheels, and other fit devices the pits be cleared, ſo that they may fall to work again.
Even the waters forgotten of the foot] Broughton, Ʋnkenned of any foot: Brentius, Quas nemo pedibus vadare poſſit. Unfordable waters, deep and dangerous. To which purpoſe alſo the Tigurines tranſlate the following words; [They are dryed up, &c.] thus, Superant etiam hominis ſtaturam, & quì poterant vadari? They are above the height of a man, and how could they be waded through? But better
They are dryed up, &c.] Heb. They are drawn up, or diminiſhed.
They are gone away from men] Mortalis operâ; by ſuch meanes as men uſe, and are unweariable.Trem. foreign, ſaith a Greek Father, What paines will not men take for gain and emolument?
Per mare pauperiem fugiunt,Horat. per ſaxa, per ignes.
Verſe 5. As for the earth, out of it cometh bread;] That is, Bread-corn: Alma Tellus, Fertilis & ferax. Vatab.plentifully yeeldeth thoſe precious fruits of hers, as they are called, James 5.11. Theſe fruits lye hid in the ſeed for a ſeaſon; and ſo doth likewiſe fire in the flint (whereof ſome underſtand the following words) yet are they brought at length into the light.
And under it is turned up, as it were fire] That is, materials of fire, as coales of &c. or brimſtone which hath fire in it, and doth ſometimes take fire in the Mines. Or gold, which is to be tryed in the furnace, and diverſe ſparkling ſtones created of a ſulphureous matter, ſuch as is that which Pliny and Iſidore call Pyrites Perſicus, and tell us,In vit. Apol. lib 3. cap. 14. that if it be held hard in a mans hand, it burneth. As alſo that which Hiarchas in Philoſtratus calleth Pantarbe, which burneth with a kind of ſweet brightneſſe (ſaith that Authour) that dazleth the eyes of the Beholder, and hath a ſtrange attractive vertue. Thus it ſometimes falleth out, that the upper part of a ground is fruitful, and brings forth graine and graſſe, and underneath are precious ſtones and metals. But commonly where there is gold below, there is the barrenneſt ſoyl above. God and Nature thereby teaching us, that where the love of money (that root of all evil) groweth, there is no good to be found. A harveſt may as well be look'd for in an hedg, as true grace in a gold thirſty-heart.
Verſe 6. The Stones of it are the place of Saphires] Which are excellent Stones, and therefore here joyned with Gold; Quod punctis aureis colluceant, Plin. Vide Boet. Hiſtlapid. lib. 2. c. 42becauſe they ſhine with golden ſparklings, Exod. 24.10. The Sanhedrin ſaw the God of Iſrael, and there was under his feet as it were, a paved work of a Saphire ſtone, &c. To ſhew, ſaith One, that God had now changed their condition, their Bricks made in their Bondage to Saphire. So Iſai. 54.11. God graciouſly promiſeth unto his afflicted Church, that had been toſſed with tempeſts, and not comforted, to lay her ſtones with faire colours, and her foundation with Saphires; to make her windowes of Agates, and her gates of Carbuncles, and all her border of pleaſant ſtones: To render her all glorious within, by the curious Enamel and Embroidery of holy graces, and to beautifie alſo and beſpangle her with outward plenty and proſperity, that ſhe might glitter in the eyes of God and men.
And it hath duſt of Gold] Or, Oar of gold; better then that which our Forbiſher in his Voyage to diſcover the Strait, brought back with him, from which, when there could be drawn neither Gold nor Silver, nor any other Metal,Camb. Eliz. fol. 189 we have ſeen it caſt forth to mend the high-wayes, ſaith Mr.Cambden.
Verſe 7. There is a path which no fowle knoweth] That is, ſay ſome, thoſe places where this Gold lyeth are ſo barren, as they bring forth nothing elſe but gold,Albert. Dionyſ. Aquin. nothing for fowles to feed upon, no not diſcernable by the eye of the Vulture, which ex… celleth in ſeeing afar off, and ſmelleth out his prey at a very great diſtance. But men make their wayes even here, to dig and find out gold, being herein more perſpicacious and ſagacious, then the very Vultures. The covetous would do well to conſider (ſaith a good Authour) that for the moſt part thoſe Countries that are furniſhed with gold, are deſtitute of better proviſion, both temporal and ſpiritual; that it lyeth furtheſt from heaven, and the beſt of it in India, furtheſt from the Church; that though Adam had it in the firſt Paradiſe, Gen. 2. yet in the ſecond we ſhall not need it; but God ſhall be our Gold, and we ſhall have plenty of that which is better then ſilver, Job 22.25. That wiſe men have eſteemed it as the ſtones of the ſtreets, 1 Chron. 1.15. And that the children of wiſdome might not poſſeſs it in their girdles. Matth. 10.19. That wicked men have the moſt of it as their portion, Pſalm 17.14. and that the divel danceth in rich and pleaſant palaces, Iſai. 13.21, 22. &c.
And which the Vultures eye hath not ſeen] Or, the Kites eye, or the Pies, or the Choughs, which yet is ſaid to be ſitiens aur…, deſirous of gold, and to hide it when ſhe hath gotten it, though ſhe can make no uſe of it. Some good Interpreters by this path in the Text, underſtand the Mines themſelves, thoſe under-ground places, as far under ground as the fowles flye above ground; and that are by them and the moſt prey-ſeeking beaſts unkend and untrod; yet thither goeth the Metallary by his Skil and induſtry, letting in both light and vital Aire, Quem follibus arte mirificâ; è ſublims deducit, ut reſpirent artifices, & alantur lucern…: which with wonderful Art he by bellows bringeth from above into thoſe low holes, that the workmen may breath, and the lights may be kept burning.
Verſe 8. The Lions Whelps have not trodden it] Heb. The children of pride (ſee chap 41.34) that is, ſaith Vatablus, belluae truces & immanes; fierce and cruel creatures, which yet paſſe through Mountaines and Vallies and vaſt forreſts, but come not under ground where theſe Metals are; that's no part of their walk. Where the Vulgar had his filii inſtitorum here, Sons of the huckſters, Mercer cannot imagine, and his beſt patrons are hard put to it to defend him.
Not the fierce Lion paſſed by it] Heb. The huge Lion. There are ſeven names of Lions obſerved in Scripture, whereof here are two in this verſe, of like ſound the one to the other. The Tigurines render it here, the Leopard; the Vulgar Latine, the Lioneſſe: And his Paraphraſt hath the whole verſe thus, Thoſe wild beaſts, whoſe ſavage humour ſearcheth out the moſt ſolitary places, could never yet find them; and the Lioneſſes, which run every where when they have loſt their little ones, have never approached them.
Verſe 9. He putteth forth his hand upon the Rock] He, that is, Mortal man, the Miner, ver. 4. (not God, as Mercer would have it) putteth forth his hand: ſcil. to dig down theſe rocks, that he may come at that Treaſure, and make himſelf Maſter of that ſpoil, that is hidden in their entrailes.
Nil tam difficile eſt, quod non ſollertia vincit.
Alexander the Great being asked, How he ſo ſoon over-ran the Univerſe? Anſwered, I never held any thing impoſſible to be atchieved. When he had heard of any thing dangerous to be done, or unlikely, he would the rather ſet upon it, and ſay, Jam periculum par animo Alexandri, This is an Enterpriſe fit for an Alexander. So of Julius Caeſar, (who had in his time taken a thouſand Townes, conquered three hundred Nations, taken priſoner a million of men, and ſlaine as many) ſings the poet
Lucan.—Caeſar in omnia Praecep…
Nil actum credens, dùm quid ſupereſſet agendum
Fertur atrox.—
Difficulty doth but whet on Heroick ſpirits; it wakeneth, but not any way weakneth the couragious and induſtrious. Hannibal made his way through the Alps, by breaking down a huge Rock putrified with fire, and vinegar powred thereon. Hence Juvenal,
Juvenal. Sat. 10 Liv …c. 3. Silyus.—Oppoſuit natura Alpemque nivemque
Deduxit ſcopulos, & montem rupit aceto.
He overturneth the Mountains by the roots] Or, He turneth it up at the roots of the mountains; ſcil. which he mineth, by the obſtinacy of his labour. —Labor improbus omnia vincit.Iſid. Peluſ. lib. 3 epiſt. 24 foreign, ſaith Iſidore, the love of mony is daring and deſperate.
Verſe 10. He cutteth out Rivers among the Rocks] i.e. By cleaving hardeſt Rocks he drawes in ſtore of water to waſh the inward parts of the earth, that he may ſee what Gold lyeth hid there: as alſo, to waſh and purge his metals, which require much waſhing This is the work of his hands. And then for his eye, and as a reward of his labour (for the diligent hand maketh rick, Prov. 10.4. and in all labour there is profit, Prov. 14.23.)
His eye ſeeth every precious thing] Heb. Every price; or, All preciouſneſs: Whatſoever is rare. ſo Tremellius rendreth it. His houſe is filled with all precious and pleaſant riches, Prov. 24.4. Dii …aboribus omnia vendunt, ſaid the Heathens. God ſells all good things to men for their pains taking.
Verſe 1…. He bindeth the floods from overflowing] Heb. From weeping; that is, (by an elegant Metaphor) from diſtilling and dropping, as thoſe under-ground waters uſe to do: but the Miner bindeth them; that is, he dammeth them up, and diverteth them, that they may not fall into his pit and mar his work. Thus he removes all lets, and devoures all difficulties, and all for a little pelfe which periſheth in the uſe, and will rather hinder from, then help men to heaven. How much more ſhould we labour for the true Treaſure,Tertul. the Pearl of price, the one thing neceſſary, &c? Si tanti vitreum, quanti veram margaritum? All thoſe outward things are nec vera, nec veſtra, as Auſtin elegantly: They are neither true riches, nor ours, but anothers, as our Saviour telleth us, Luke 16.12. Ariſtotle alſo teacheth us, That wiſe men may get riches,foreign Polit. lib 1. but not make it their buſineſſe. Brentius reads this Text, Perplexa fluminum gyrat; He turneth about the crooked Rivers, putting them into a new channel, that he may get the gold and precious Stones that lye in the bottom; for there are ſome gold-flowing Rivers: ſuch as are Ganges in India, Pactolus in Aſia, Tagu… in Spain, the Rhine in Germany, &c.
And … that is hid he bringeth to light] Contrary to the Deſign of Nature, he revealeth her ſecrets, and diſcovereth all that ſhe hideth by this raking out of her riches, and making thoſe things that lye couchant in her bowels as common as if they grew above-ground.
Verſe 12. But where ſhall wiſdom be found?] Here is now the other part of the Antitheſis, and the ſecond part of the Chapter; which is nothing ſo hard as the former was. Wiſdom is either natural or ſpiritual, 1 Cor. 2. earthly, or heavenly; Jam. 3 the wiſdom here enquired after is ſupernal and ſupernatural: ſuch as can neither be found upon the earth, or digg'd out of it: ſuch as cannot be fathomed or found out by humane abilities, or by natural reaſon. But God revealeth it unto his by his Spirit: for the Spirit ſearcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God, 1 Cor. 2.10. And with this Heifer muſt all thoſe plow, that will finde out his riddles.Lud. viv. in Aug …e C. D. l. 22. c. 6. Lucioſi & qui hebeti ſunt viſu. ſaith Vives, Thoſe that are weak-ſighted and ſand-blind, if at any time they look wiſhly upon any thing with deſire to ſee it the better, they ſee it ſo much the worſe, and nothing ſo well as they did before. Think the ſame of the moſt accute and perſpicacious Naturaliſt: when he comes to look into the things of God, he is not only ſand-blind, but ſtark-blind, 1 Cor. 2.14. he will not ſee (and therefore who ſo blind?) he hath an Antipathy to divine truths: he loveth the Law better than the Goſpel, and any Truth better than the Law. And as for this high point of heavenly wiſdom (called here illa ſapientia, with an emphaſis) whereby is underſtood, that Gods judgements are all juſt, even then when he afflicteth the godly, and proſpereth the wicked, he cannot comprehend it, or yield to it; but is ready to turn flat Atheiſt upon it, as Averrces did: denying the divine Providence, and conceiting that all things were carried on by Fate and Fortune. Jobs enemy-freinds herein were no wiſer than they ſhould be, when they thus raſhly cenſured him for wicked, becauſe afflicted: and preſumptuouſly took upon them to give a reaſon of Gods proceedings in his various diſpenſations with as much confidence as if they had been of Gods privy counſel, whereas they ſhould have conſidered, that Gods judgements are unſearchable, and his wayes paſt finding out: and that he who herein is ſcholar to his own reaſon, is ſure to have a Fool to his Maſter.
And where is the place of underſtanding?] As there is no vein to be found of the divine wiſdom, ſo neither any known place (as there is for gold, ſilver, precious ſtones) where it ought to be ſought, ſave only of God by Prayer, Jan. 1.5 Man, whatſoever good ſucceſs he hath in the forementioned ſearches, he is nothing ſo happy nor dextrous in that of divine underſtanding. Epiphanius reſembleth him to the Mole, which doth all his work under ground: but if once he be brought above ground, as he is ſtark-blind, ſo is he every way a weak and contemptible creature. The beſt that are, ſee but in part, and are ſometimes at a loſs, about the reaſon of Gods moſt righteous proceedings, which men muſt mirari, & non rimari, ſilently adore, and not over-curiouſly ſearch into: There is a learned ignorance, ſaith Calvi…, of thoſe things, quae ſcire nec datur, nec fas eſt, which it is neither granted us, nor fit for us to know: and in this, the very deſire of knowledge is a kind of madneſs. Let that ſaying of Xenophanes be remembred; There is no great difference whether a man ſet his feet or his eyes in another mans houſe without his leave.Plut. de curioſitat. Arca… Dei ſunt arca Dei, Gods ſecrets are Gods Ark; pry not, leſt ye come halting home, for ſo doing.
Verſe 13. Man knoweth not the price thereof] Or, the order thereof, in what manner and method God proceedeth: no, though in other things he knew as much as Homer did, of whom one ſaith that he, was foreign, a man that knew all humane affaires: Or as Ariſtotle did, whom ſome have called an Eagle faln from the clouds: or as Hierom, quem nullum ſcibile lat…it, who knew all that was knowable: or as Biſhop Andrew, whom one calleth (but how truly I enquire not) a gulf of learning. Sure it is, that man (ſorry man) knoweth neither the price of divine wiſdom, for it is invaluable: nor the place of it, for it is inveſtigable: nor the order of it, for that is unattainable till we come to heaven: there being a wheel within a wheel, Ezek. 1. and Providence ſhall one day be unriddled.
Neither is it found in the land of the living] That is, here upon earth, by any humane wit or induſtry: In other texts of Scripture, the time while we live in this world, is called, the day, Joh. 9.4. and the light of the living, Pſal. 56.13. in oppoſition to death, which is called, a land of darkneſs, as darkneſs it ſelf, Job 10.22. where they that inhahite are ſaid to be free among the dead, Pſal. 88.5 free of that company, ſee Eſay 38.11. None but thoſe that live ſpiritually, and have ſenſes habitually exerciſed to diſcern good and evil, Heb. 5. ult. can ſee any thing of the worth of this wiſdom, ſo as to ſeek after it as ſilver, and prize it above gold: for ignoti nulla cupido, men covet not what they value not. Now the Cock on the dunghil knows not the price or place of this ineſtimable jewel, and therefore ſlights it. Thoſe Epicures eſpecially, qui ſnaviter vivunt, (as the vulgar here tranſlateth) who live in pleaſure upon earth, and are wanton, Jam. 5.5.
Verſe 14. The depth ſaith, It is not in me] It is not to be had above ground, may ſome ſay; but what, under-ground? Not there neither, faith Job: for the Abyſſe ſaith, that is, if it could ſpeak it would ſurely ſay, It is not in me; and the Sea gives us in the ſame verdict: dig to the centre of the earth, dive to the bottom of the ſea, you ſhall hear no tale or tydings of her: ſhe neither groweth with gold and precious ſtones in the earth, nor with Pearls and Coral in the ſea: we muſt be taught of God; and the holy Spirit muſt joyn himſelf to our chariot (as Philip did to the Eunuches, Act. 8.29.) he muſt teach us this wiſdom from above, or we can never learn it, Iſa. 54.13. A man may read the figure on the Dial, but he cannot tell how the day goes, unleſs the Sun ſhine upon the Dial: We may read over the book of the Creature, and the book of the Scripture, but we cannot learn to purpoſe, till the Spirit of God ſhine into our hearts, 2 Cor. 4.6. The Goſpel is full of jewels; but they are lockt up from ſenſe and reaſon, 1 Cor. 2.10. The Angels in heaven are ſearching into theſe ſacred depths, 1 Pet. 1.12. and know not ſo much, but they would fain know more of this manifold wiſdom of God, foreign Eph. 3.10.that hath ſuch an abundance of curious variety in it, (as the word there ſignifieth) even ſuch as is ſeen in the beſt pictures or textures.
Verſe 15. It cannot be gotten for gold] Non emitur, nec aeſtimatur, it is not purchaſed or procured with money, as other learning may, (en precium & praeſtantiam ſapientiae) with a great ſum obtained I this freedom, ſaid that Colonel, Act. 22.28. So may many ſay of their learning, they have ſufficiently paid for it. Cleanthes parted with all he had for learning. Plato gave thirty thouſand Florens for three Books. Reuchlin gave the Jew that taught him Hebrew, a Crown for every hours pains. Hierome got his skill in that language with the hazard of his life, and held it a good bargain.Hen Beaeuford. in Hen. 6. time. Act. and Mon. But here's no ſuch trading; ſee Act. 8.18, 19, 20. Fie (quoth that rich and wretched Cardinal, when he ſaw he muſt die) will money do nothing? will not death be hired? may not heaven be purchaſed? No, no, God is no Money-merchant: his Kingdom is not partum, but paratum. Mat. 25.34. his grace is gratuitous, Mat. 13.11. To you it is given (and what more free than gift?) to know the myſteries of the Kingdom of God. And to you it is given (freely given) on the behalf of Chriſt, not only to believe on him,Vega. &c. Phil. 1.29. That proud merit-monger, that ſaid, Gratis non accipiam; I will not have Grace or Grace or Glory of free-coſt, could not but go without both.
Verſe 16. It cannot be valued] Heb. Thrown on the ground, as Wares were wont to be, and are yet, when they are ſet to ſale, and to be prized or valued.
With the gold of Ophir] The word here rendred gold, is not the ſame with that in the former, or thoſe in the following verſes. Five ſeveral times gold is here mentioned (becauſe ſo highly prized among men) and in four ſeveral words. Jerom on Jer. 10. obſerveth, that the Hebrew have ſeven ſeveral words for gold; and five ſeveral ſorts are here inſtanced. That here mentioned, is a ſpecial name for the moſt ſplendent and gliſtering gold, Pſal 45.10. Dan. 10.5. Cant. 5.11. Of it comes Michtam of David, or Davids golden Pſalm, Pſal. 16.1. his ingot of gold: Broughton thinks it to be no Hebrew word, but the name of gold in Ophir; Obrizium dictum volunt, quaſi Ophirizium: Ophir is Peru, ſay ſome: Others, an Iland in the Indies, where the moſt precious gold was to be had, called alſo gold of Parvaim, 2 Chron. 3.6. This is ſuppoſed to be in Havilah, Gen. 2.11. It is called perfections of gold, 2. Chron. 4.21.
With the precious Onyx, or the Saphir] The Onyx is a ſtone ſaid to be found in the River Ganges, and to be of a white colour, like the white of a mans nail, whence it hath its name. See of it, Plin. lib. 37. cap. 6. Boet. Hiſt. Gem. lib. 2. cap. 90. The Saphir is a ſtone of a sky-coloured blue, or of a light-coloured purple.
Verſe 17. The gold, and the chryſtal cannot equal it] For Chryſtal ſome reade Diamond; others, Adamant. It hath its name from its purity and tranſparency. Junius rendreth it therefore nitidiſſima gemma. It ſeems to be, ſaith One, the laſt attempt of nature, and makes us finde heaven on earth.
And the exchange of it ſhall not be for jewels (or veſſels) or fine gold] Of Phez-gold, ſo Broughton renders it; and would have it come from Feſſe in Barbary. The Arabians now call gold Phes. Of this ſolid faſt gold were made many precious Jewels or Veſſels, like that French coyn in the Hiſtorian,Vas auri puri puti. in qua plus f…rmae quam ponderis, in which was not ſo much weight as workmanſhip; Prov. 25.11. Apples of Gold, in Lattices of Silver; or put in a Caſe of Silver cutwork.
Verſe 18. No mention ſhall be made of Coral] No talk of Coral or Carbuncle, of Pearl, or any other the rareſt and richeſt Jewels in all the world. We read of Cleopatra, that vying with Antony in luxury, ſhe drunk up a Pearl of incredible price diſſolved in vineger; and of Charles Duke of Burgundy, Macrob. Sat. lib 5. cap. 17 Alſted. Chrono….that in the Fight at Nanſey, he loſt a Diamond of that worth, ut eo tota aliqua regio emi poſſet, that therewith a man might have bought a whole country. It was afterwards ſet in the Popes triple-Crown; but no way worthy to be mentioned in the ſame day with wiſedom.
For the price of Wiſdom is above Rubies] Which are ſo called from their lovely redneſs; ſee Lam. 4.7. Pearls ſome render it: of which Pliny ſaith,Plin. lib. 9. c 35. Principium culmenque rerum omnium pretii margaritae tenent; Pearls are the principal of all precious things. They were ſo of old; but they are not ſo now-adayes. What huge ſums were once given for Saints Reliques (as they called them) and Popes-Pardons? but now the world is grown wiſer. England is no more a babe: there is no man here,Acts & Mon. 990 but now he knows that they do fooliſhly, that give gold for lead, more weight of that, then they receive of this. This and much more to the ſame purpoſe, ſpeaketh Henry 8. (in his proteſtation againſt the Pope) who yet, as a faint Chapman, went not to the price of this true wiſdome; as appeareth by that publick ſpeech of his in Parliament, There are many that are too buſie with their new Sumpſimus, and others that dote too much upon their old Mumpſimus, the new Religion, though true, he envied: the old, though his own, he deſpiſed, being as a ſpeckled bird, or a cake half baked &c.
Verſe 19 The Topaz of Ethiopia ſhall not equal it] Of the Topaz, ſee Plin. lib. 36. cap 8. It ſeemeth to have the luſtre of Gold, and purity of Chryſtal, and thoſe agreeable mixtures of colours, which make the purple of Kings. The operations of this Stone are many and rare, as Rueus ſets them forth.Lib. 2. cap. 9
Neither ſhall it be valued with pure gold] Plato ſaith as much of moral wiſdome, foreign, No Gold or Gem ſo gliſtereth. And elſewhere he ſaith, that if moral vertue could be beheld with mortal eyes, mirificos ſui amores excitaret, it would wonderfully enamour men. Aurelius the Emperour would ſay, That he would not leave the knowledg he might learn in one houre, for all the gold that he poſſeſſed. Alphonſus King of Arragon profeſſed, That he would rather chuſe to loſe his Jewels then his Books, his Kingdomes (whereof he had many,) quam literas, quas permodicas ſcire dicebat, Val. Max. Chriſtian. 118, 237then that little Learning he had attained unto. Many have been ſo taken with the ſtudy of the Mathematicks, that they could have lived and dyed in it. Vae igitur ſtupari noſtro, Leo Digges.Wo then to the world becauſe of wiſdome: This incomparable Wiſdome of God in a myſtery, as the Apoſtle calleth it. Haec quia pr… vili, ſub pedibuſque jacet.Ovid, Money is moſt mens ſtudy, not without an horrible neglect of pietie, which yet is the principal thing, Prov. 3. and profitable to all things, 1 Tim. 4.8. as that which hath the promiſe of both lives, ibid. Now the Promiſes are exceeding great and precious things, 2 Pet. 1.4. even the unſearchable riches of Chriſt, Epheſ. 3.8. Such gold as cannot be too deer bought, Matth. 13.44.46. nor too far fet, no, though ſo far as the Queen of Sheba came to hear the wiſdome of Solomon; and could have been content to have changed her throne for his footſtool. Sure it is, ſhe was no niggard, but parted with abundance of precious things and ſweet odours for that wiſdome which ſhe held (and worthily) far more ſweet and precious then all her annual entradoes. Sure it is, that if the mountaines were Pearle, the huge Rocks Rubies, and the whole Globe a ſhining Chryſolite, yet all this were nothing to the worth of the wiſdome here commended. How greatly bound then are Gods people to bleſſe his Name for communicating unto us this unvaluable treaſure by his Word and Spirit, 1 Cor. 2. Hath he not written for us excellent things in counſels and knowledge, Prov. 22.20? hath he not made his Son, that eſſential wiſdome of his, to become unto us, Wiſdome, Righteouſneſſe, Sanctification and Redemption, 1 Cor. 1.30? Should ſome earthly Prince give us a rich Ring off his finger wherein there were a Chryſolite, a Saphire, a Topaz, or ſome other precious Stone, how highly would we honour him, and what would we not be ready to do or ſuffer for him? And ſhall we not much more do ſo for God, rich in mercy plenteous in goodneſſe, abundant in kindneſſe and in truth, who giveth us all things richly to enjoy? O pray for that bleſſed ſight, Epheſ. 1.18. and 3.18. and reckon one grain of grace more worth then all the gold of Ophir; one remnant of faith beyond all the gorgeous and gay attire in the world.
Verſe 20. Whence then cometh wiſdome, &c?] See the Note on verſe 12. q. d. No where ſurely is ſhe to be found but with God the fountain of wiſdome, verſ. 23. To ſeek her elſewhere is but laborious loſſe of time; witneſſe the Philoſophers anxious, but bootleſſe diſquiſitions after the Summum Bonum, the true bleſſedneſs of chief good; about which there were eight ſeveral opinions, and yet all out.
Verſe 21.Maxima pars eorum quaeſcimus eſt … pars cor…m quae neſcimus. Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living] As hath beene before ſet forth verſe 13. They that ſee moſt into it, ſee but in part, and muſt needs ſay, that the greateſt part of their knowledg, is the leaſt part of their ignorance. Something they know of his revealed will, but nothing at all of his ſecret. Whereunto we may add, that there are many occult qualities in nature, the reaſon whereof the wiſeſt men undertand not.
And kept cloſe from the fowles of the Aire] Which yet fly very high, and ſeem to touch the clouds of heaven; as the Eagle which delighteth in high-flying. Some wil have the Angels (elſewhere ſet forth as winged creatures) to be here meant: who although they ſtand alwayes in Gods preſence, and ſee much of his Majeſty, yet not at all, nothing neer, Iſai. 6. they cover their faces with their wings, as with a double ſcarf, (as not not able to behold his glory) and make their addreſſes unto him with greateſt ſelf-abaſements.
Verſe 22. Deſtruction and death ſay, &c] That is, the dead in the grave, and damned in hell,Junius. as ſome gloſſe it. Others, man in his corrupt eſtate, though a child of death yet capable of ſalvation; and the wiſedome of God hath found out a way to ſave him by his Son, letting in life by the car, according to that, Hear and your ſouls ſhall live. The dead (in ſins and treſpaſſes) ſhall hear the voice of the Son of God (in the preaching of the Word) and ſhal live, Vatabl. Iſaiah 55.3the life of grace here, and of glory hereafter, John 5.25. Theſe have heard of Gods wiſdome in his various dealings with the ſons of men, and that with their ears: both with the griſtles that grow on their heads, and with the inward ears of their minds, ſo that one ſound hath pierced both; but yet the one half hath not been told them, they can truly ſay, as the Queen of Sh… ba ſaid to Solomon, Thou haſt added Wiſdome and goodneſſe to the fame, 1 Kings 10.7. And as David in the perſon of Chriſt, Pſal. 16.11. Thou wilt ſhew me the path of life: whereby is hinted, that Chriſt himſelf as man did not ſo fully underſtand in the daies of his fleſh, the unconceivable joies of heaven, as he did afterwards, when his whole perſon was glorified with the glory which (as God) he had with the Father before the world was, John 17.5.
Verſe 23 God underſtandeth the way thereof] The only wiſe God, who alone knowes her price, knowes her retreat. Haec ſunt inferni & mortis verba, ſaith Brentius; Theſe are the words of hell and of death. But we may better take them, as ſpoken by Job himſelf; which yet are to be underſtood, not as if Job thought that there was any place, out of God, where his wiſdome might be ſought; or any way, out of himſelf to go to it. But theſe things are ſpoken after the manner of men, ſaith Merlin: for wiſedome is in God, yea God is wiſdome it ſelf. For the wiſdome of God is nothing elſe, but the moſt wiſe God: ſith whatſoever is in God, is God. Therefore ſeeing he is well known to himſelf, how can his wiſdom be but as well known unto him? His infinite knowledg and underſtanding is in ſome ſort ſhadowed out unto us in the words following.
Verſe 24. For he looketh to the ends of the earth] He is foreign,Baſil. all eye: ſo that together and at once he beholdeth all things in the whole courſe of Nature, and under the whole cope of heaven. His eyes behold, his eye-lids try the children of men, Pſal. 11.4. Where the former pointeth out Gods knowledg, the latter his judgment, his critical deſcant, ſaith One. And ſurely this All-ſeeing eye of God, ſaith another Interpreter) ſhould keep us within the compaſſe of obedience, as much as any thing; ſith he who is our Judge, is a conſtant eye-witneſſe of our cogitatious, communication and whole converſation. Cave, ſpectat Cato: Take heed. Cato ſeeth you, was an old watch-word among the Romans, and a retentive from vice. How much more ſhould this be among Chriſtians? Ne pecces, Deus ipſe videt; Be adviſed, God beholdeth you. Think not that he who is inviſible cannot ſee, or that becauſe he is the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity; therefore he cannot ſee ſo far as earth; for he looketh to the ends and extremities of the earth, his eyes run to and fro, they are in every place beholding the evil and the good, Pro. 15.3. The world is to him as a ſea of glaſſe, Rev. 4.6. He ſeeth through it, and every man before him is all window: he ſeeth the very entrals of the ſoule, the heart of the heart, All things are naked and open before him, ſaith the Apoſtle, Heb. 4.13. Naked for the outſide, and open for the inſide of them: the word ſignifieth, diſſected, quartered, and as it were, cleft through the back-bone: He ſearcheth the Raines, thoſe ſeats of Luſt and moſt abſtruſe parts of the body, ſo wrapt up in fat and fleſh, as if no eye ſhould come at them.
And ſeeth under the whole heaven] His providence like a well drawn picture, looketh every way, and extendeth to every the leaſt and lighteſt occurrence; governing all things wiſely and powerfully, and ordering the diſorders of the world to his own glory. Epicures and Atheiſts would ſhut him up in heaven, as hath been before noted, as if he did neither know nor do any thing here below; but they will find it otherwiſe.
Verſe 25 To make the weights for the wind.] He ordereth wind and water, raine and thunder, Pondere, menſura, numero facit omnia,— therefore wiſdom is with him. The winds he weigheth in a balance, then when they ſeem to blow where they liſt, piercing through the aire with their violent blaſts, God ſets them their bounds, and appoints them their proportion: He ſends them out as his Poſtes, and makes them pace orderly.
And he weigheth the waters by meaſure] Both the raine, (not a drop falls in vain in a wrong place, or at randome, but by a divine Decree, as a witneſſe of his Wiſdome and Goodneſſe, Acts 17.14) and the ſea and Rivers: neither doe the winds blow, nor the waters flow without the Lord, who is the great Moderatour, that meaſureth the waters in the hollow of his hand, &c. Iſai. 40.12.
Verſe 26. When he made a Decree for the rain] And hence it is, that it raineth upon one City, and not upon another, Am. 4.7. See the Note there. The riſe of rain out of vapours drawn up from the earth by the heat of the Sun, and the generation of it in the clouds, is no leſſe wonderful, then the uſe of it is neceſſary for the refreſhing and fatning of the earth; allaying the heat, and nouriſhing the herb and tree, &c. Theſe ſhowres may ſeeme to ariſe, and be carried up and downe at randome, and without a Law; but Job aſſureth us, that God maketh a decree, a Statute, or a bound for them, and that he gives, or with holds rain at his pleaſure.
And a way for the lightning of the thunder] Or, for the lightning and the thunder: In both which there is much of God to be ſeen and heard; theſe being the Harbingers, as it were, and Officers to make roome for him, and to manifeſt his power, which the greateſt muſt acknowledg, Pſal. 29 1, 2. and the Saints muſt take comfort in verſe 11. As for thoſe impious wretches, that ſlight theſe wonderful works of Almighty God, & ſpeak baſely of them (as he of whom Mr. Perkins ſomewhere writeth, that hearing it thunder, ſaid it was nothing but Tom Tumbrel a hooping his tubs, & was thereupon killed with a thunder-bolt: and thoſe old Italians that uſed in time of thunder, to ring their greateſt bells, and ſhoot off their greateſt Ordnance, &c. on purpoſe to drown the noiſe of the heavens:) As they are worſe then Pharaoh and Caligula, and other heathens, who ſtiled their chief god, Altitonans, the high-Thunderer: ſo they ſhall one day ſee the Lord Chriſt ſuddenly coming upon them as lightning, and dreadfully thundering out that diſmal Diſcedite, Go ye curſed.
Verſe 27 Then did he ſee it, and declare it, &c.] Or, Then doth he ſee it, and number it, &c. ſcil. When he ordereth winds, waters, and other creatures, he hath wiſdom ready & in numerat…, as we ſay; as well known, and as familiar as men have thoſe things they daily deal in. Illa vero verborum congeries, faith an Expoſitour, This heap of words,Merlin. God ſaw it, numbred it, prepared it, ſearched it out, ſerveth but to ſhew how intimate wiſdom is with God, and how proper to him. And leſt any ſhould ſay, Hath God then communicated no heavenly wiſdom to his creature? Yes, ſaith Job, but ſuch as is thus circumſcribed;
Verſe 28 But unto man he ſaid &c.] q.d. Let him not curiouſly pry into Gods ſecrets,Infignis eſt hic locus. Mercer. nor raſhly cenſure others (as you have done me) but out of a reverential fear of God, eſchew evil and do good, for this ſhall be his wiſdom, Deut. 4.6. and the contrary, Jer. 8.9. See like exts, Deut. 29.29. Eccleſ. 12.13. Pſal. 111.10. Prov. 1.7. and 9.10. with the Notes.