Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 4 · Chapter 4

Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms · Commentary 4 · Chapter 4

p. 37CHAP. IV. Verſe 1. Then Eliphaz the Temanite.]

THen, when Job had laid about him in this ſort: and, giving his tongue too much liberty to laſh out, had uttered words little better then blaſphemous and contumelious againſt God: Then Eliphaz, Temanites ille, the firſt-born of Eſau, Gen. 36.Gen 36(ſaith R. Salomon) brought up in the boſom of Iſaac, and ſo inured to Revelations from on high. Others think he deſcended of Teman, nephew to Eſau &c. A man of great wiſdome he was, and of grave diſcourſe: One that could ſpeak his mind fitly, and durſt do it freely. He ſeems to have been … chief of the three for age and authority, and therefore begins: pretending to be moved thereunto by zeal for Gods glory, not a little impaired by Jobs impatiency ſavouring of hypocriſie, and arguing … ficto fucatáque carde fuiſſe, that he had b…en little better then a diſſembler. A cauſeleſſe and uncharitable charge, enough to have driven him into deſperation. The Rabbines ſpeak ſo well of Jobs three friends, that they uſe to ſay in a Proverb,Ba…a bathra Perech 1^o. Let a man either get him ſuch friends as Job had, or elſe get him out of the world, (like as p. 38Chryſippus was wont to ſay, Aut mentem, aut restim comparandam) But Gregory the great ſaith, that theſe three, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar do fitly ſet forth hereticks, who begin to ſpeak ſmoothly at firſt, as if they meant no hurt to him to whom they ſpeak, but only good, to purchaſe his benevolous attention, but ſoone come to ſpeak words which much hurt the hearer, and greatly trouble him &c.

Verſe 2. If we aſſay to commune with thee] Or may we aſſay to commune with thee? Art thou in caſe to be counſelled? and will not an eſſay to this purpoſe further trouble thy patience and diſtemper thee? the eare which taſteth words (as the mouth doth meat) if filled with choler,Bafil. orat. 12. can reliſh no comfort: and the eaſieſt medicines, on mildeſt waters, are troubleſome to ſore eyes. Hony cauſeth pain to exulcerate parts, though in it ſelf it be ſweet and medicinall: children, though at other times they like it and … in,Alex. Aphrod. problem. yet they will not endure to have it come neare their lips, when they have the … ſome patients are mad againſt their medicines: and ſome hearers rage at a reprob… Eliph… knew not but that Job might do as much, and that having newly been in a fearfull fit of paſſion, he might fall into another, as Jonas did; the …rifice of his corruption being not yet cloſed up by repentance: Hence this preamble by way of friendly inſinuation. The like art uſeth Paul with Philemon, and with the Corinthian often.

But who can with-hold himſelf from ſpeaking?] Who that hath any piety toward God, or pity to his offending friend? we uſe to ſay, He that receiveth a courteſie ſell…th his liberty; but true love will not be tongue-tied. Our Saviours mouth was not ſtopped with all the good cheer that Simon the leper made him, Luke 7. neither entertained he the Phariſees with fewer menaces, then they did him eft-ſoons, with meſſes of meat. Job had been doubtleſſe very friendly to his friends, who yet ſpare him not: and had they done it aright with the meekneſſe of wiſedome, they had ſhewed themſelves friends indeed, there being not a better office or evidence of love then this, Lev. 19.17. Friends, as Bees, are killed with the hony of flattery, but quickned with the vinegar of reproofe, ſo it be well managed. The Eagle, though ſhe loveth her young ones dearly, yet ſhee pricketh and beateth them out of the neſt when they are ready for flight.

Verſe 3. Behold thou haſt instructed many] ſc. to do each dayes duty with Chriſtian diligence,Tertui. and to bear each dayes croſſes with Chriſtian patience, thou haſt don't well: But how comes it now to… paſſe quòd dicta factis erubeſcant, that thy preſent doings ſhame thy former ſaying? and that (as it was noted of Demosthenes the Orator) thou art better at praiſing of vertue, then at practiſing of it? Turpe est Doctors &c. Sanctiores ſunt aures plebis quàm corda ſac…rdotum. Hilar.Should not the Phyſician firſt heal himſelf? and ought not the preachers word be Spe…emur agendo; let our profiting appear to all men, let our lives be a true tranſcript of our Sermons. What a ſhame was it, that Hilary ſhould complain that the peoples cares were holier then the preachers hearts: and that Eraſmus by a true jeſt, ſhould be told, that there was more goodneſſe in his booke of the Christian Souldier, then in his boſome! Eliphaz from this ground would here argue, that Job was little better then an hypocrite; a cenſure over-rigid, it being the eaſieſt thing in the world, as a Philoſopher obſerved, to give good counſell, and the hardeſt thing to take it. Dr. Preſton upon his death-bed confeſſed, that now it came to his own turn, he found it ſomewhat to do, to practiſe that which hee had oft preſſed upon others.

And thou haſt ſtrengthened the weak hands] Looſe and lax, feeble and infirme, through many terrors and troubles: to theſe thou haſt ſpoken words which have been as ſinews to their hands, and as ſtrength to their joynts. Job had comforted the feeble-minded, or the diſpirited, the ſick at heart, and ſinking under the ſenſe of ſinne, and fear of wrath, 1. Theſ. … 14. This is an harder work then to raiſe the dead to life, ſaith Luther: this …ne of a thouſand can skill of, Job 33.23. he muſt have feeding lips, and an hea…g tongue that ſhall do it. O quam hoc non eſt omu… um▪ The Chriſtian Romans were able to do it; chap. 15.14. And holy Job was both able and apt, for he did it to many. True goodneſſe is diffuſive of it ſelf, and is therefore compared to the moſt ſpreading things, as fire, water, Sun-light; &c.

Verſe 4. Thy words hav… upholden him that was falling] So forcible are right p. 39words, well timed and fitted to the preſent neceſſity: they ſhore up the tottering, they catch him before he comes to ground, and prevent his fall. This made Latim…r bleſſe God that ever he came acquainted with that fellow-priſoner of his, that Angel of God (as he called him) John Bradford; he and Ridley, ſo long as they lived, upheld Cranmer by their words and letters; who ſoon after fell, to the grief of the godly party, but roſe again by repentance. It is ſtoried of Ʋrbanus Begius, Mr. Clark in his life.a famous Dutch Divine, that meeting with Luther at Goburg, he ſpent a whole day in conference with him about matters of great moment, of which himſelf writeth, that he never had a more comfortable day in all his life. The Earle of Darby's accuſation in the Parliament houſe againſt Mr. Bradford, was, that he did mo…e hurt (ſo he called good, evil) by letters and conferences in priſon,Acts & Mon. then ever he did when he was abroad by preaching.

Thou haſt ſtrengthened the feeble knees] That bend and buckle under a back-burden of afflictions: this was to be like unto God, who doth not cruſh, but cheriſh the worm Jacob; he doth not break the bruiſed …eed, nor quench the ſmoaking flax: hee H…ſpiſeth not the day of ſmall things, nor ſlighteth the well meant weakneſſes of his upright-hearted people. Now Job as a partaker of the Divine Nature, reſembled God herein, and made it his work to comfort the abject, to ſtrengthen and ſtraighten thoſe that were bowed down with paines and preſſures, to be eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame, chap. 29.15. to diſtribute ſpiritual almes, which is far the beſt in many reſpects, as were eaſie to inſtance.

Verſe 5. But now it is come upon thee] This is a galling. But hitherto Eliphaz had commended Job: now he daſheth all, and draweth a black line over that he had ſpoken once. To commend a man with a But, is a wound in ſtead of a commendation, it ſounds like that which is ſaid of Naaman, 2 Kings 5.…. he was an honourable and a valiant man, But a leper, it ſprinkleth black upon white, and ſo ſmutteth a mans good name, which is ſlander in an high degree.

It is come upon thee] What is come? the evill thou fearedſt, by thine owne confeſſion, chap. 3.25, 26. Or now it is come to thy turne to act what thou haſt taught others.

And thou fainteſt] Thou art down on all four, moſt ſhamefully degenerating into a faithleſſe puſillanimity, and unbelieving impatiency, to the ſcandall of the weake, and ſcorn of the wicked, Nay, thou art not only in a maze, but in a rage, ſo that thy reaſon ſeemes tired as much as thy ſtrength; thou layeſt about thee like an Hercules furens, a man ſtark mad. See the word uſed in this ſenſe, Prov. 26.18 Gen. 47.13.

It toucheth thee, and thou art troubled] It toucheth thee, but ſo tender thou art, and delicate, that a light touch diſquieteth thee: like as ſome mens fleſh, if but razed with a pin, rankleth ſtrait. Invalidum omne naturâ querulum, ſaith Seneca, the weaker any thing is, the more complaintfull.

And thou art troubled] Pitifully put to't, as if utterly undone, becauſe toucht a little; Mira verò constantia! But is this you that were the great teacher, that were ſo forward and forth-putting to preſſe others to a patient and peaceable behaviour under Gods hand? ſhould not thy words be made viſible by thine actions? and thy patient mind ma…e known to all men, fith the Lord is at hand? Hypocrites can talk of duty, as if their tongues did run …p…n pattens, they talk by the talent, but act by the ounce, as did thoſe Phariſees Matth. 23.3. Rom. 2.21. that ſhamed goodneſſe by ſeeming good. Eliphaz here reproacheth Job for ſuch an one, as both here and every where, he and his two companions are too hot and harſh in their cenſures paſſed upon him; which God alſo giveth them the telling of, chap. 42.

Verſe 6. Is not this thy feare, thy confidence &c?] Or thy folly, q. d. Is not thy religion a meere foolery? and haſt not thou rather acted religion, play's devotion, and the fear of God, then been ſerious therein? This was a moſt bitter ſcoffe, a cruell ſhake, and came near his heart. Like as nothing vexed David more then when they laid his religion in his diſh, asking, where is now thy God? So here. By this alteration that affliction hath wrought in thee, thou mayeſt eaſily ſee what thou art, viz. a very painted hypocrite: hard weather ſhewes what health: empty veſſels ſet neere the fire, crack quickly. At the parting way, every dog followeth his own Maſter. p. 40Afflictio virum arguit, &c. Affliction ſhewes a man, it turnes the inſide outward, the bottome of the bag upward; bringing that which was at the bottome, to the top: as that ſtick caſt into the water, made the iron ſwim, 2 King. 6.6. Doth it not appeare (ſaith Eliphaz here) that thou haſt been meerly mercenary, ſerving God whileſt he proſpered thee; and now kicking againſt him, becauſe hee afflicteth thee? See how neer this man cometh, ſaith Mercer, to that firſt inſtigation of Satan, chap. 1.9. in hoc Satanae factus minister, herein acting the divels part though unwittingly, as Peter alſo did, Matth. 16.22, 23.

The uprightneſſe of thy wayes and thy hope?] q. d. Thou haſt taken to thy ſelfe many fair titles, and made a great flaunt, as if there were none ſuch; but what is it all come to? Is it any better then a flask, a foppery, a name, and not a thing? Or if it be a reality, make proofe of it. True grace is operative, and will not lie dormant.

Verſe 7. Remember, I pray thee, who ever periſhed being innocent?] Why? that hath many a one, as the world counteth and calleth periſhing; the Righteous periſheth, and no man layeth it to heart, Iſa. 57.1. And it was given unto the Beaſt to make warre with the Saints, and to overcome them, Rev. 13.7. So it ſeemed to bee, though ſo it never was, Rev. 12.11. The firſt man that dyed, dyed for Religion; ſo early came Martyrdome into the world: and John Baptiſt was put to death in priſon, without all ſhew of law, right, or reaſon, as if God had beene nothing aware of any ſuch matter, Acts & Mon.as that Martyr phraſed it. Indeed, if Eliphaz meant it of periſhing eternally; neither Job, nor any one elſe could produce an inſtance of a godly man ſo periſhing; but for temporall miſeries, 'tis ſure, that never any out of hell have met with more then the moſt holy and harmleſſe heires of heaven; ſee Heb. 11. and you will ſay ſo. But the Scriptures, haply, were not written when Eliphaz uttered this ſpeech; howbeit, he might have obſerved the contrary to what he here ſeemeth to affirme, appealing to Jobs own experience for proof. And the truth is, if men were ſo well read as they might, in the ſtory of their owne lives, they might have a Divinity of their own, by noting experiments; ſuch as that 119 Pſalm is in a manner wholly made up of. Remember, ſaith hee here: and the Philoſopher ſaith, that experience is nothing elſe but multiplex memoria, becauſe of the memory of the ſame thing often done, ariſeth experience. Eliphaz therefore, after that he had given Job his turne to ſearch his experiences, brings forth his owne in the next verſe.

Verſe 8. Even as I have ſeene] And therefore can boldly ſay: for what ſo ſure as ſight? See Numb. 11.23. Gen. 34.1, 2. Diligent inſpection of a thing, and deepe conſideration upon it, makes confidence, which is the fruit of experience.

They that plow iniquity, and ſow wickedneſſe] Here's plowing and ſowing, a myſticall husbandry. Sinners are ſore labourers, great pains-takers; they plot and plow; they ſow and reap, they dig and delve, Prov. 16.27. they weave and ſpin, Iſa. 59.5. They buſie their heads, and beat their brains, as hard ſtudents in their black-art: they labour even unto laſſitude, Jer. 9.5. Hence they are called workers of iniquity; (the vulgar rendreth this text Qui operantur iniquitatem) and ſinne is called a work of the fleſh. How can thoſe but work hard in digging deſcents to hell, who have the divel for their task-maſter, who continually ſpurres them on to a quick diſpatch of the deeds of darkneſſe? Arant, ſerunt, occant ſcelera, as the divels hinds and horſes, they drudge night and day, turning up all the corruptions in their hearts and conveniences in the world, for the effecting of their wicked deviſes.

And ſow wickedneſſe] Nemo repente fit turpiſſimus. Sin goeth on gradually (here is firſt plowing,2 Tim. 3.13.2 Tim 3:13 and then ſowing) wicked men and ſeducers grow worſe and worſe, til at length they are even Satanized; being transformed into ſins image, and bereft of all paſſive power of awaking out of the ſnare of the divel, being taken alive by him at his pleaſure, 2 Tim. 2.26.

Reape the ſame] Not the ſame day it may be, but too ſoone to their ſorrow, they receive the guerdon of their ſinne. Sooner or later, it is ſure, he that ſoweth iniquity, ſhall reap vanity, Prov. 22.8. Jer. 4.18. As every body hath its ſhadow, ſo hath every ſinne its puniſhment: and many times, the one is ſo like the other, that a man may ſafely ſay, ſuch a puniſhment is the product of ſuch a ſinne, Gal. 6.7. p. 41Men ſhall reap the ſame they ſow, and good reaſon. Give them bloud to drink, for they are worthy, Rev. 16.6. God loves to make him a name amongſt men by his Art of Juſticing (as One calleth it) in that moſt exact way of counter-paſſion, or retaliation: And Adonibezek hath got him a fame of ingenuity, by acknowledging as much, Judg. 1.7.

Verſe 9. By the blaſt of God they periſh] He puts himſelf to no great pain to puniſh them: but blowes them away as ſo many duſt-heaps: he nods them to deſtruction, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſ 80.16. he can as eaſily do it, as bid it to be done.Sic Caeſar Metello. Pſal. 64.1.Ps 64:1 If the Lord do but ariſe, his enemies ſhall be ſcattered: and all that hate him flye before him. If he but put his head out of the windows of heaven, as it were, and ſay, Who is on my ſide, who? all the creatures (who for fear of him had hid themſelves, as worms wriggle into their holes in time of thunder) ſhall look out preſently, and offer him their ſervice: ſo that he cannot poſſibly want a weapon to tame his rebels, or a way to bring the wicked to condign puniſhment. He is Eloah, as he is here called; that is, The puiſſant One, the mighty ſtrong God, as Iſa. 9.6. before whom all Nations are as the drop of a bucket, or as the duſt of the balance: No more able to ſtand againſt him,Iſa. 40.15.Isa 40:15 then is the glaſſe-bottle againſt a Cannon ſhot; or down-thiſtle before a whirl-wind. Behold, I will ſend a blaſt upon him (ſaith God concerning Sennacherib, 2 King. 19.7.) and ſo ſet him going. So elſewhere, he threatneth to tread down his ſtouteſt enemies, as ſtraw is troden down to the dung-hill. Neither ſhall he much trouble himſelf in doing this: For he ſhall onelyonly ſpread forth his hands in the midſt of them, as he that ſwimmeth, ſpreadeth forth his hands to ſwim, &c. Iſa. 25.11, 12. to ſignifie, that he ſhall do it with greateſt facility. The motion in ſwimming is eaſie, not ſtrong; for ſtrong violent ſtrokes in the water would rather ſink then ſupport. It is ſaid, that by a look of his out of the pillar of fire and of the cloud, he troubled the hoaſt of the Egyptians, Exod. 14.24. and as the Rocks repelled the boyſterous waves, —Co…antia frangere, frangunt; ſo did He the enemies of his people.

By the breath of his noſtrils they are conſumed.] Heb. By the wind of his noſtrils. This is the ſame with the former. OnelyOnly it is conceived, that Eliphaz here alludeth to the manner of the death of Jobs children by a mighty wind; ſo ſtrong as if God himſelf had breathed it out. By the breath of his mouth He made the world, Pſalm 33.6. and by the ſame breath can He as ſoon, and as eaſily unmake it againe; as he did in the generall Deluge, whereunto the Chaldee Paraphraſt holdeth that Eliphaz here referreth: the remembrance of which ſtanding monument of Gods wrath was freſh and well known when this was ſpoken.

Verſe 10. The roaring of the Lion &c.] Leſt any ſhould think, ſaith an Interpreter, that the blaſt of God above-mentioned carryeth away only ſtrawes and feathers,Mr. Cary…. light and weak perſons into perdition, Eliphaz addeth the weightieſt and the ſtrongeſt, The roaring of a Lion &c. q. d. God by his blaſt can take away or break the ſtrongeſt, the mightieſt lion-like men &c. Under the ſhadow of which alluſions he cloſely ſtrikes at Job. who was once a great man, a fierce ſpoiling Lion in the apprehenſion of his friends, and yet God brought him down. Of tyrants and Oppreſſors compared to Lions, and why, ſee Nahum 2.11, 12. with the Note: and Prov. 28.15. with the note. The proverb is, The Lion is not ſo fierce, as he is painted. But no words can ſufficiently ſet forth the ſavage immanity and cruelty of abſurd and wicked men. See that of Nebuchadnezzar graphically deſcribed, Jer. 51.34. He hath devoured mee, he hath cruſhed me, hee hath made me an empty veſſel, hee hath ſwallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, he hath caſt me out.

The teeth of the young Lions are broken] Or, pulled out, that they may no more devoure the fleſh, and drink the blood of Gods poore afflicted, that fell into their ſtr…ng-ones. Thus David had prayed, Pſal. 58.6. and this he had proved, Pſal. 3.7. Thou haſt ſmitten all mine enemies upon the cheek-bone: thou haſt broken the teeth of the ungodly. God with his hard and heavy hand had ſo boxed and buffeted them; that they ſpat forth ſome of their teeth; and for the reſt, they might go ſeek them in their throat; as Dares that bold champion in Virgil, (whom when he had been ſoundly beaten by old Entellus) his fellows led away.

Jactantemque utroque caput, craſſumque cru…em

Ore rejectante…m, ſt…ſque in ſanguine dentes.

A juſt hand of God upon ſuch as exerciſing regiment without righteouſneſſe, ravin p. 42and rend, as Lions greedy of their prey, plucking off the skins of their poor ſubjects, and pulling out their teeth;M…c. 3.2. as Melancthon telleth of one Tyrant, who to get great ſummes of money out of his people, uſed to ſend for them: and if they refuſed to anſwer his demands, he would firſt knock out one of their teeth, and then another, threatning to leave them toothleſſe.

Verſe 11. The old lion periſheth for lack of prey] As not being able to hunt, and get it.Quotidiana & domeſticae experimenta hoc docent. Mercer. In Pſal. 30.Ps 30 The meaning is (ſaith One) that men who reign like Lions, that their children who equalled them in cruelty, that their wives who ſurpaſſed them in inſolency, do end their lives tragically; All this is true for the moſt part. Eliphaz ſpeaks of what is uſually done, ſaith another, Or he ſpeaks of what God can eaſily do at any time: and of what God may juſtly do at all times: If he ſuſpend this juſtice, it is for weighty reaſons &c. Some wicked men God puniſheth here, ſaith Augustine, leſt his Providence, but not all, leſt his Patience and promiſe of Judgment ſhould be called into queſtion.

Verſe 12. Now a thing was ſecretly brought to me] Heb. was brought to mee by ſtealth, cloſely and privily, ſo as others were nothing aware of it. See Act. 22.9. with 9.7. Sauls companions heard his voice, but not Chriſts. By this viſion Eliphaz would convince Job, that none are afflicted but thoſe that have well deſerved it: ſith the beſt are defective and blame-worthy, though they ſhould be puriores coelo afflictione facti, as Chryſostome ſaith, as thoſe good ſouls were, that prayed Peter out of priſon, Acts 12.5. Some are of opinion, that this viſion either came from his phantaſie, and ſo was none: or elſe, by an illuſion from Satan. But Mercer holds it to have beene a true viſion from God; although Eliphaz abuſe it in his miſ-application thereof to Job, playing the Sophiſter, after a ſort, whileſt he quite changeth the ſtate of the queſtion, which at this time was, Whether we ought to judge of a mans life and behaviour by the greatneſſe of thoſe troubles and miſeries that he doth ſuffer? This viſion he deſcribeth verbis magnificis & ampu…l…ſis, as for me a thing (or a word) was ſtollen upon me, or ſecretly brought to me, &c. But what ſo great a ſecret was this, ſaith Calvin, that God alone is perfectly righteous, and all men unrighteous in compariſon of him? For anſwer, he calleth it a ſecret (though it be a plain and evident truth) becauſe few conſider it, and improve it to an humble ſubmiſſion to God, and ſuffering his judgments. See a like expreſſion, Pſal. 78.2, 3. &c. I will open my mouth in a parable, which yet was nothing extraordinary, but Poetically ſet out. So Pſal. 49.4. The happy and ſecure eſtate of Saints in trouble, is deſcribed, and the contrary; which though an ordinary argument, and often treated of, yet is called the great wiſedome, the dark ſaying &c.

And mine ear received a little thereof] Nonnihil, pauxillum, quippiam, not all that it might, but as much as it could, as being but a narrow-mouthed veſſel. Vide ut modestè loquatur, ſaith Mercer; ſee how modeſtly the man ſpeaketh, not taking upon him any perfection of knowledge, though he were a man of great underſtanding; his ear caught ſomewhat of that was repealed, and but ſomewhat. The beſt men, whileſt here, know but in part: for why? Wee propheſie but in part, 1 Cor. 13.9. Such is our weakneſſe, and narrow-heartedneſſe, that we cannot take in all of all; no, nor any part of all in the full latitude and extent of it. The greateſt part of that wee know, is the leaſt part of that wee know not, ſaith a Father. Hence thoſe modeſt expreſſions of ſome Philoſophers, and others: This onelyonly I know, that nothing I know, ſaid Socrates: I know not ſo much as this, ſaid another, that I yet know nothing. My greateſt knowledge, ſaid Chytraeus, is to know, that nothing I know. And albeit I am otherwiſe ignorant, ſaith another, yet of mine own ignorance I am not ignorant. Not only in moſt other things am I to ſeeke,Epiſt. 119. c. 21 ſaith Auſtin, but even in the Scriptures (my chief ſtudy, and trade of life) Multo plura neſcio quam ſcio, there are many more things hid from mee, then what I yet underſtand, John 14.4, 5. Thomas ſeemes to contradict Chriſt: Auſtin thus reconcileth it, they did partly know whither Chriſt went, but durſt not once believe that they had any ſuch knowledge; they did not know their own knowledge. The beſt here can ſee but Gods back-parts, and live, as Moſes. Eſay ſaw but his traine in the Temple, and the latter end of that too. Eliphaz his eare caught but the later end, as it were, of a ſentence, only that which the eccho reſounded, a particle of the whole that was whiſpered ſecretly to him. Howbeit, that he received but a little, was not from neglect of the reſt; but from inability to receive more or to receive it more perfectly.

p. 43Verſe 13. In thoughts from viſions of the night &c.] Or in thoughts of the viſions of the night. It appeareth by this and other circumſtances, that this viſion was no fiction or holy fraud (as ſome have conceited) to bring Job to a ſight of his ſinne. Let Papiſts praiſe their St. Dominick for his holy hypocriſie which he taught his Diſciples to make uſe of, to bring people the better to a good eſteem of the faith, and love of vertue. Eliphaz was a better man, then to deale in ſuch depths of the divel: and with ſuch deliberate gravity, put a lie upon God. He was really plodding, he was in thoughts, the word properly ſignifieth branches or bought of trees, which are many, thick, intertwined, and croſſing one another. In the multitude of my perplexed thoughts within me, ſaith David, thy comforts have refreſhed my ſoule, Pſalm 94.19. The ſame word is rendred vain thoughts, or wavering cogitations, Pſal. 119.113. Such as Davids ſoule hated. Carnall hearts are exchanges, and ſhops of vaine thoughts, ſtewes of uncleane thoughts, ſlaughter-houſes of cruell and bloudy thoughts, a very forge and mint of falſe, politick, undermining thoughts: but Eliphaz his thoughts were better buſied; his top-thoughts, thoſe uppermoſt branches of his ſoul were concerning God, and the things of his kingdome: when other men became vain in their imaginations, and their fooliſh heart was darkned, he had viſions of God. In the night-ſeaſon, when dead ſleep fell upon others, he ſlept, but his heart waked, and was free to receive revelations, and to contemplate of them: or perhaps, he was broad awake at that time of night, that he might the better converſe with God and his own ſoule. Abraham had many ſuch ſweet viſions: Iſaac walked out into the fields for the purpoſe: Jacob met with God in this manner, both at Bethel, and at Penuel. Daniel had viſions both of the day, and of the night: ſo had Paul, and other Apoſtles. The Monkes make long relations of revelations, and apparitions that they have had. So do the Enthuſiaſts, and high-attainers; but we are not bound to believe them. Matthew Paris reporteth of Gilbert Foliot, Biſhop of London, Anno Dom. 1161. that one night muſing of the difference betwixt the King and Becket, Arch-biſhop of Canterbury, he heard a terrible voice, ſaying, O Gilberte Foliot, dum revolvis tot & tot, Deus tuus eſt Aſcarot; he taking it to be the divel, anſwered boldly, Mentiris daemon: Deus meus eſt Deus Sabbaoth. Aeneas in Virgil, is ſaid to have his viſions and conferences with his deceaſed friends. Satan loves to imitate God in what he can, that he may deceive with better ſucceſſe: but we have a moſt ſure word of propheſie, and yet a more glorious light of the Goſpel, Heb. 1.2. The promiſed day-ſtar being riſen in our hearts, 1 Pet. 1.19.

Verſe 14. Fear came on me, and trembling] Feare in the inward man, and trembling in the outward. And this is Gods method ſtill; the more he draweth nigh to any man, the more doth rottenneſſe enter into his bones, and he is horribly afraid of Gods judgments, with David; he trembleth at his word with Joſiah, that it may be the more efficacious in his ſoul. Let us have grace (ſaith the Apoſtle) whereby we may ſerve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear. For even our God alſo (and not the God of the Jewes only) is a conſuming fire, Heb. 12.28, 29. foreign, ſaith Baſil: Our King will be ſerved like himſelf, ſerved in ſtate: and although he alloweth us an humble familiarity, yet he expecteth our reverentiall fear; acquainted he will be with us in our walks of obedience; but yet he takes ſtate upon him in his ordinances, and will be trembled at in the addreſſes we make unto his Majeſty; he looks we ſhould bring with us a legall faith, and a legall repentance, as well as an Evangelicall; and that wee ſhould work out our ſalvation with feare and trembling, Philip. 2.12. Terrours and humiliations prepare and poſture the heart for revelations; never is it right, till a man lie low at Gods feet, putting his mouth in the duſt, and crying out,Iſa. 28.Isa 28 Speak Lord, for thy ſervant heareth: there ſhall be only fear to make them understand the hearing: fear met Eliphaz, and made way for the heavenly viſion.

Which made all my bones to ſhake] Heb. the multitude of my bones, or the number of my bones, how many ſoever they be, and they are as many (ſay the Hebrewes) as there are affirmative precepts in the Law. Theſe pillars of my body ſhook ſore, and threatned a downfall.

—Geliduſque per ima cucurrit

Oſſa tremor.—Aeneid. 2

Verſe 15. Then a ſpirit paſſed before my face] Some render it a wind, as a meſſenger p. 44or fore-runner of God near at hand, as 1 Kings 19.11. But better, a good Angel in ſome bodily ſhape, Pſal. 104.4. Luke 24.37. for elſe, how could he be ſeen of Eliphaz, gliding rather then going, as a ſhip upon the face of the waters?

The hair of my fleſh ſtood up] Horripilatus ſum; In a fright the heart falleth down, the haire ſtandeth up; the blood haſtening to the heart to relieve it, as ſoldiers do to the caſtle, when all is likely to be loſt.

Dirigui, ſteteruntque comae —

Verſe 16. It ſtood ſtill] As now ready to ſpeak: an ambulatory voice is hardly heard: The Heavens indeed, are walking preachers, but then they utter but theſe three words,Lib. 2. de Arca, cap. 3. ſaith Hugo, in all Languages, Accipe, Redde, Fuge; that is, Receive mercies, Return duties, Fly offences, and their juſt puniſhments.

But I could not diſcern the form thereof] Heb. The aspect or countenance. Hee was ſo frighted, that his eye could not do its office diſtinctly, to diſcern the thing that was juſt before it. It is naturall to a man to fear at the ſight of an Angel; what then will wicked men do at the laſt day, when the Son of man ſhall bring all his Angels, not leaving one behind him in heaven? Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we perſwade men: and oh that we could perſwade them!

An image was before mine eyes] But I could not tell what to make of it. It is not the will of God that man ſhould repreſent him by an image. The Jewes, after the captivity,Deut. 4.15, 16Deut 4:15Deut 4:16 were ſo farre from idolatry, that they would not admit a Carver or Painter into their City. The Turks will not endure any image, no, not upon their coines, becauſe of the ſecond Commandment. Varro ſaith, he that firſt brought in Imagery (and that is thought to be Ninus King of Babylon) ſuperstitionem auxit, metum dempſit, increaſed ſuperſtition, and tooke away feare. The wiſer heathers held, that God was too ſubtle for ſinew or fight to ſeize upon: and the Greeke Painters, when they would draw the image of their Jupiter in a Table, they were ſtill mending it, but never ending it; ſaying, that herein they ſhewed him to be a god; for that they might begin to paint, but could not perfect him.

There was ſilence, and I heard a voice] It was fit there ſhould be ſilence and ſedateneſſe of ſpirit, when a divine voice was to be heard. Let all the earth keepe ſilence before God, Hab. 2.20. When the ſeventh ſeale was opened, there was half an houres ſilence in heaven, Rev. 8.1. What a noiſe is there in many mens hearts even whiles they are hearing what the Lord God ſpeaketh unto them? what bargaining, lawing, projecting, running into another world (as men in dreams do) ſo that they can tell no more what the preacher ſaid, then the man in the moon can! Silence is a good preparative to audience; ſpeak Lord, for thy ſervant heareth: Let the woman (and ſo the man too) learn in ſilence. Let by-thoughts, ſwarming and humming in our hearts, like the flies of Aegypt, be barred out: let the divel, interrupting us with his ſuggeſtions, as the Pythoniſſe did Paul and his companions, be haltred up. Let even good thoughts, if unſeaſonable and heterogeneall to the work in hand, be turned out of doores; let us ſay to them, as Huſhai did to Achitophel, thy counſel is good, but not now; how ſhall we elſe hear with attention and affection? how ſhall we liſten as for life, and hearken diligently with much heed? Iſa. 21.7.

Verſe 17.Miſer, aerumnis et peccatis obnoxius. Shall mortall man] Sorry ſinfull man, a very mixture and hodg-podg of dirt and ſin.

Be more juſt then God?] Or, be juſt rather then God, as Luke 18.14? This is the matter of the viſion; and it is (ſaith Diodate) a revelation of the doctrine of the free remiſſion of ſins, and of the ſinners juſtification by grace, through his faith in the promiſed Mediator. But Eliphaz turns it another way, and miſ-applying it to Job, would there-hence evince, that all his preſent ſufferings were the proceeds of his owne ſin, and ſo from the proceſſe of Gods juſtice. The truth is, Job had blurted out ſome words in the former chapter, that reflected ſomewhat upon God: he had alſo bitterly curſed the day and ſervices of his birth: this latter, if Eliphaz had ſharply reproved Job for, hee had done him a friendly good office: But he waves that part, & quae desperat reniteſcere poſſe, relinquit; the other of clearing Gods juſtice, he takes up and preſſeth it too farre, to prove this unſound poſition; That whoſoever is greatly afflicted by God, and for a long time together, that man is to be numbred with the wicked, though no other evidence or witneſſe appear or ſpeak p. 45a word againſt him: for if he be innocent, how ſhall God be juſt that puniſheth him? But Eliphaz ſhould have known, that afflictions are of two ſorts, Penal and probationall; theſe later are not ſimply for puniſhment of mens ſins, but for triall and exerciſe of their graces, to humble them, to prove them, and to do them good at their latter end, Deut. 8.16. Wait but till God have made an end of his work (and we muſt not judge of Gods works, ſaith Peter Martyr, ante quintum Actum, before the fifth Act) and we ſhall ſee the effect both juſt and good. This Job had ſcarce patience to doe, as appeareth by ſundry paſſages of his; howbeit he ever preſerved high and holy thoughts of God, neither at any time queſtioned his juſtice and purity, or complained of his dealings with him, and diſpenſations toward him as unrighteous, though now and then through the extremity of his pain, the anguiſh of his ſpirit, and the provocation of his friends, ſome unwary ſpeeches ſlipt from him.

Shall man be more pure then his maker?] Take man in his prime and pride, in his beſt eſtate, and utmoſt ſtrength, when, and wherein he is moſt a man,foreign Vir à viribus, a man of the firſt magnitude, of the higheſt elevation (as one fitly phraſeth it) both in parts, gifts and graces; ſhall he be more pure then his Maker? never think it. Man compared with his Maker, hath no purity or righteouſneſſe at all, no, not ſo much as a ſhew or ſhadow of it: juſt he may be, or pure by participation from God, (ſaith Austin) but neither juſt nor pure in compariſon of God; he ſurpaſſeth all notion, and ſurmounteth all creatures, he hath no parallel; ſo true he is, that all men are liars; ſo pure, that all men are filthy; ſo juſt, that all men are wicked; ſo incomparably great and glorious, that the Angels make their addreſſes to him with greateſt ſelf-abaſement. For why?

Verſe 18. Lo he put no truſt in his ſervants, &c.] thoſe meniall, domeſtick ſervants of his, the holy Angels that wait upon him, and are at his hand to doe his will: Servant is a name of office; and they delight rather to be called Angels, (that is, Meſſengers) and miniſtring ſpirits, then Principalities, Thrones, Dominions, &c. Now in theſe God put no truſt, he found no ſuch cauſe to confide in them, becauſe not perfectly ſure and loyall to him, further then upheld and aſſiſted by himſelfe: the vulgar Latine hath it thus, They that ſerve him are not ſtable; that is, the good Angels are not ſtable by their own ſtrength, but by Gods ſtabliſhing of them to ſtand when others fell. Hence Pſal. 68.17. the Angels are called Shinan, as Gods ſeconds, ſay ſome; the Nobles of that Court, the very next unto him: but others ſay they are ſo called from their changeable ſtate, now taken away by Chriſt, under whom they are as an head of government, of influence, of confirmation, but not of Redemption, as we. Chriſt, as God, giveth them their being, and all their excellencies. As Mediator alſo, he maketh uſe of their Miniſtery, for the ſafe-guard and comfort of his people.

And his Angels he charged with folly] That is, he ſpared not the angels that ſinned, as St. Peter expounds it, 2 Pet. 2.4. Their ſinne is ſaid to be folly, that is pride and ſelf-confidence. How this folly and madneſſe of theirs (pravity, the vulgar rendreth it) ſhewes it ſelf, whither in affecting a divinity, or in envy ſtirred up by the Decree of exalting mans nature above Angels in and by Chriſt, and appointing them to be good mens guardians, which office they ſcorned; or whether their pride appeared by tranſgreſſing ſome commandments in particular, not expreſſed, as Adams was, it is hard to ſay. Sure it is, that they abode not in the truth, that they kept not their ſtation &c. and that the good Angels ſtand, and are out of danger of ever falling, it is of divine grace. Hence Exod. 25.19. the Cherubims ſtand upon the Mercy-ſeat, and are made of the matter thereof.

Verſe 19. How much leſſe in them that dwell in houſes of clay] Or how much more (in reference to the latter part of the preceding verſe) may God charge men with folly and pravity? And how much more ought he to acknowledge, that hee cannot ſubſiſt nor ſtand before Gods judgment (as verſe 17) but only by his gracious pardon and abſolution?

That dwell in houſes of clay] Periphraſis eſt hominum, ſaith Mercer: this is a deſcription of men, as oppoſed to Angels, thoſe inhabitants of heaven, called therefore the Angels of Heaven, Matth. 24.36. Gal. 1.8. the courtiers of that heavenly Jeruſalem, Heb. 12.22. in and with which, it may ſeem, they were created: as Chriſts ſoule was in and with his body in the virgins womb, the ſame moment. p. 46Hence they are alſo ſaid to be in heaven, when as men and other things here below are ſaid to bee on earth, Matth. 6.10. on the ſurface only, as ready to bee ſhaken off, and as having here no continuing City, Heb. 13.14. no manſions till they come to heaven, John 14.2. no ſetled abode: ſome huts we have here, rather then houſes;foreign. clayie cottages, earthy tabernacles, as Paul after Plato calleth mens bodies, 2 Cor. 5.1. And ſo the moſt interpreters underſtand theſe words of Eliphaz concerning the body of man (rather then of his houſe he dwells in here, made up of clay and duſt a little refined and ſublimated by art or nature) which is nothing elſe but a clod of clay neatly made up. What is man (ſaith Greg. Nazianzen out of Gen. 2.7. but foreign,foreign cinis. Gen. 3.19. Gen. 18.21. Hor. Carm. l. 4. Od. 7.Gen 3:19Gen 18:21 ſoule and ſoile, breath and body, a puffe of wind the one, a pile of duſt the other? no ſolidity in either. Pulvis & umbra ſumus, ſaith the Poet, and foreign, ſaith the Greeke Proverb. Man is but an earthen pot. The firſt man, Adam, was of the earth earthy, 1 Cor. 15.47. And no better are the beſt, quos ex meliore forſan luto finxit Titan, who are made of the fineſt common mould: but as the finer the metall, the purer the matter of any glaſſe or earthen veſſel, the more ſubject it is to break; ſo are they to die: for why?

Their foundation is in the duſt] The houſe is but weak, and yet the foundation weaker, terra friabilis, flying, light, unſtable, unmoveable, duſt that is ſoone wherried and whirled about with every puffe of wind. Hence the Apoſtle calleth mans body not an houſe only (in reſpect of 1. the comely and orderly workmanſhip thereof. 2. The ſoule which inhabiteth it) but a tabernacle which hath no foundation, and is tranſportative, 2 Cor. 5.1. oppoſing to it building, which is firm and ſtable. Hence David, Omnis Adam eſt totus Abel, ſaith hee. Verily every man in his beſt eſtate (when he is beſt founded and ſetled on his beſt bottome, when he is under-layd on all ſides, and ſeemes ſet to live) is altogether vanity, Pſal. 39.5, 12. So Pſal. 144.4. Adam is Abels compeere, or man is like to vanity; what can he be better, when as

They are cruſhed before the moth] He ſaith not, before the Lion, but before the moth. Now what a poor thing is man, that a moth may cruſh him, that a flie may choak him, as it did Pope Alexander; that a light bruiſe on his toe may kill him, as it did Aemilius Lepidus; Plin. lib. 7. cap. 53.that a poiſoned torch may light him to his long home, as it did the Cardinall of Lorrain? I have known, ſaith one, death admitted in by a corn on the toe; and though the hurt were ſo farre off the heart, yet the man died upon it.Purchas. Another I knew, who ſeeming to have conquered the elements, the wide Ocean, wilde wildernſſe, wilder beaſts, wildeſt men, hotteſt climates; after ſixteen yeares abſence, returned home, and died of an hurt in his thumb. Mr. Terry a great traveller, telleth of a Noble man in the great Mogols Court, who ſitting in dalliance with one of his women, had an haire pluckt by her from his breſt; this little wound,Lawl. liberty in a Serm. at Pauls by Edm. Terry. p. 21. made by that ſmall and unexpected inſtrument of death, preſently feſtered; and turning to an incurable Canker, killed him. God needs no bigger a launce then an hair to kill an Atheiſt, as this dying man acknowledged. But beſides all ill accidents and caſualties from without; look how the garment breeds the moth, and then the moth eates the garment: ſo mans own diſtempered body breeds ill humors,The New-lander cure. pag. 23. they diſeaſes, and theſe breed death, as one well obſerveth upon this Text. It is holden for certain, that in every two yeares, there is ſuch ſtore of ill humours and excrements ingendred in the body, that a veſſel of one hundred ounces will ſcarce containe them. Ipſa ſuis augment is vita ad detrimenta impellitur. ſaith Gregory, & inde deficit unde proficere creditur. Life weareth out by the very meat that maintaineth it; and every man hath his bane about him.

Verſe 20. They are destroyed from morning to evening] Heb. They are beaten to pieces, as in a mortar, with one ſorrow upon another, till the very breath be beaten out of their bodies at length; and all this from morning to evening, all the day long, or all their life long,Per totum diem. Druſ. which is here ſet forth (for the brevity of it) by an artificial day, and ſuch alſo as no man can be ſure he ſhall have twelve hours to his day: for how many are there whoſe Sun hath ſet at high-noon? in the prime and pride of their dayes, have they been ſuddenly ſnatcht away by the hand of death: yea, how many ſee we whoſe ſun ſetteth in the very riſing, ſo that they are carried from the birth to the buriall? Every houre, ſurely, we all yield ſomewhat unto death, and a very ſhort cut hath the longeſt liver of all, from the grave of the womb to the p. 47womb of the grave. Eliphaz here ſeemeth to compare us to thoſe creatures called Ephemer…bii, which are young in the morning, middle-aged at non,Ariſtot. and dead … night; they begin and end their lives in a day. Mans life is a vapour, ſaith St. James, a bubble, ſay the Heathens, a blaſt, a dream, a ſhadow, a dreame of a ſhadow &c.

They periſh for ever] That is, they die once for all. For if a man die, ſhall hee live againe? Job 14.14. No ſuch matter. In this warre as there is no diſcharge, Eccleſ. 8.8. ſo neither is it granted to any man to erre twice: therefore Austin ſaid that he would not for the gain of a million of worlds be an Atheiſt for halfe an hour: becauſe he knew not but God might in that time call for him, and cu… him off from all time of repentance, acceptation and grace for ever, ſince he could die but once onelyonly, and after death judgment: every mans deaths-day is his doomes-day, Heb. 9.27.

Without any regarding it] Heb. putting ſc. his heart to it, or laying it upon his heart, as every man living ſhould do, Eccleſ. 7.2. but that few or none ſo do. See Iſa. 57.1. David did, when hearing of his childs deceaſe, he ſaid, I ſhall go to him, 2 Sam. 12.23. And Moſes ſeeing the peoples carcaſſes fall ſo faſt in the wilderneſſe, prayed for himſelf and the reſt, So teach us to number our dayes, that wee may apply our hearts to wiſedome, Pſal. 90.12. Every dead corps is a Monitor, a dumb preacher: Etiam muta clamant cadavera. Abel, though dead, ſpeaketh; but how few hearken to him? Dives thought that if one came from the dead to fore-warn his brethren, great matters would be done. Petrus Sutorius telleth of one, that preaching a funerall Sermon on a religious man, as he calleth him, and giving him large commendations, heard at the ſame time a voice in the Church, Mortuus ſum, judicatus ſum, damnatus ſum, I am dead, I am judged, I am damned.Pet. Sutor. de vita Carth. This very much wrought upon the heart of Bruno, ſaith he, and occaſioned him to found the Carthuſian order. Waldus a French Merchant, was ſo affected with the death of one that died ſuddenly in his preſence, that he thenceforth became a right godly man, and the Father of the Waldenſes, thoſe ancient Proteſtants in France, called alſo, The poor men of Lions. But oh the dead lethargy, the ſpirit of fornication that hath ſo beſotted the minds of the moſt, that they can ſee death, and yet not think of it! they can look into the dark chamber of the grave, and never make the leaſt preparation for it: if for preſent they be ſomewhat affected, and have ſome good impreſſions, yet they ſoon vaniſh, as the water circled by a ſtone caſt into it, ſoone returns to its former ſmoothneſſe; as chickens run under the wings of the hen, whiles the kite is over them, or in a ſtorm; but ſoon after get abroad againe, amd duſt themſelves in the Sun. As Nebuchadnezzar had ſeen a viſion, but it was gone from him; ſo here, if men at the houſe of mourning have …ome good motions, they improve them not to reſolutions, or draw not forth their reſolutions into execution &c.

Verſe 21. Doth not their excellency which is in them go away?] Journyeth not their excellency with them? ſo Broughton rendreth it. By their excellency here, ſome underſtand the ſoule, called by David his glory. A Philoſopher ſaid,Favorium. there was nothing excellent in the world but man, nothing in man but his ſoul. The Stoicks affirmed, that the body was not a part of a man, but the inſtrument, or rather, the ſervant of the ſoul. Hence the Latines call the body Corpus or Corpor (as of old they ſpeak) quaſi cordis puer ſive famulus. And Plato ſaith,Camer. foreign. that that is not the man that is ſeen of him; but the mind of a man, that's the man. And in the 19 verſe of this chap. man is ſaid to dwell in an houſe of clay; that is, the ſoul to inhabit the body. The ſoul goes away with the name of the whole perſon: the ſoul indeed is the man in a morall conſideration, and is therefore elſewhere called the inward man, 2 Cor. 4.16. 1 Pet. 3.4.2 Cor 4:161 Pet 3:4and the hidden man of the heart: the body compared to it, is but as a clay-wall encompaſſing a treaſure, a courſe caſe to a rich inſtrument, a leathern ſheath to an excellent blade, Dan. 7.15. or as a mask to a beautiful …. Now at death, this excellency of a man departeth, returneth to God that gave it, Ecleſiaſ ….7. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth, in that very day his thoughts periſh; even the moſt excellent effects of his mind and ſpirit, as the word ſignifieth, Pſal. 146.4 And as that, ſo all other excellencies go away at death, Pſal. 39.11. and 49.13. even the whole goodlineſſe of man, Iſa. 40.6. whether it be the good things of the mind, p. 48as wiſedome, ſcience, conſcience, judgment: or of the body, as beauty and health; or of fortune (as they call it) as favour and applauſe, together with plenty of proſperity. No mans glory goeth down with him into the grave, Pſal. 49.16. Where is now the flouriſhing beauty, and gallantry of Caeſar, ſaith one? his armies and honours, his triumphs and trophies? where are the rich fools great barnes? Nebuchadnezzars great Babel? Agrippa's great pomp &c? Have not all theſe made their bed in the dark, leaving their excellency behind them? Are they not (many of them) gone to their place, as a ſtone to the center, or as a foole to the ſtocks?

They dye even without wiſdome] Heb. They die, and not with wiſedome; They die like ſo many beaſts (but for their pillow and bolſter) without any care to lay hold on eternall life;1 Sam. 3.33.1 Sam 3:33 they die as a fool dieth. Not in wiſedome; that is, in abundance of folly, ſaith Pineda: and this is moſt mens caſe; their wit ſerves them not in this weighty work of preparing to die; they put farre away the thoughts of it, and hence they die tempore non ſuo, Eccleſ 7.17. when it were better for them to do any thing, rather then to die. To live with dying thoughts, is an high point of heavenly wiſedome, Pſal. 90.12. Deut. 32.29. How might one ſuch wiſe Chriſtian chaſe a thouſand fooliſh and hurtfull luſts,1 Tim. 6.4.1 Tim 6:4 which drowne mens ſoules in perdition and deſtruction?