Job 4 commentary

Satan undertook to prove Job a hypocrite by afflicting him; and his friends concluded him to be one because he was so afflicted, and showed impatience. This we must keep in mind if we would understand what passed. Eliphaz speaks of Job, and his afflicted condition, with tenderness; but charges him with weakness and faint-heartedness. Men make few allowances for those who have taught others. Even pious friends will count that only a touch which we feel as a wound. Learn from hence to draw off the mind of a sufferer from brooding over the affliction, to look at the God of mercies in the affliction. And how can this be done so well as by looking to Christ Jesus, in whose unequalled sorrows every child of God soonest learns to forget his own?

Eliphaz argues, 1. That good men were never thus ruined. But there is one event both to the righteous and to the wicked, Ec 9:2, both in life and death; the great and certain difference is after death. Our worst mistakes are occasioned by drawing wrong views from undeniable truths. 2. That wicked men were often thus ruined: for the proof of this, Eliphaz vouches his own observation. We may see the same every day.

Eliphaz relates a vision. When we are communing with our own hearts, and are still, Ps 4:4, then is a time for the Holy Spirit to commune with us. This vision put him into very great fear. Ever since man sinned, it has been terrible to him to receive communications from Heaven, conscious that he can expect no good tidings thence. Sinful man! shall he pretend to be more just, more pure, than God, who being his Maker, is his Lord and Owner? How dreadful, then, the pride and presumption of man! How great the patience of God! Look upon man in his life. The very foundation of that cottage of clay in which man dwells, is in the dust, and it will sink with its own weight. We stand but upon the dust. Some have a higher heap of dust to stand upon than others but still it is the earth that stays us up, and will shortly swallow us up. Man is soon crushed; or if some lingering distemper, which consumes like a moth, be sent to destroy him, he cannot resist it. Shall such a creature pretend to blame the appointments of God? Look upon man in his death. Life is short, and in a little time men are cut off. Beauty, strength, learning, not only cannot secure them from death, but these things die with them; nor shall their pomp, their wealth, or power, continue after them. Shall a weak, sinful, dying creature, pretend to be more just than God, and more pure than his Maker? No: instead of quarrelling with his afflictions, let him wonder that he is out of hell. Can a man be cleansed without his Maker? Will God justify sinful mortals, and clear them from guilt? or will he do so without their having an interest in the righteousness and gracious help of their promised Redeemer, when angels, once ministering spirits before his throne, receive the just recompence of their sins? Notwithstanding the seeming impunity of men for a short time, though living without God in the world, their doom is as certain as that of the fallen angels, and is continually overtaking them. Yet careless sinners note it so little, that they expect not the change, nor are wise to consider their latter end.

CHAPTER 4

Job 4:1-21. First Speech of Eliphaz.

1. Eliphaz--the mildest of Job's three accusers. The greatness of Job's calamities, his complaints against God, and the opinion that calamities are proofs of guilt, led the three to doubt Job's integrity.

2. If we assay to commune--Rather, two questions, "May we attempt a word with thee? Wilt thou be grieved at it?" Even pious friends often count that only a touch which we feel as a wound.

3. weak hands--Is 35:3; 2Sa 4:1.

5. thou art troubled--rather, "unhinged," hast lost thy self-command (1Th 3:3).

6. Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, &c.--Does thy fear, thy confidence, come to nothing? Does it come only to this, that thou faintest now? Rather, by transposition, "Is not thy fear (of God) thy hope? and the uprightness of thy ways thy confidence? If so, bethink thee, who ever perished being innocent?" [Umbreit]. But Lu 13:2, 3 shows that, though there is a retributive divine government even in this life, yet we cannot judge by the mere outward appearance. "One event is outwardly to the righteous and to the wicked" (Ec 9:2); but yet we must take it on trust, that God deals righteously even now (Psa 37:25; Is 33:16). Judge not by a part, but by the whole of a godly man's life, and by his end, even here (Jas 5:11). The one and the same outward event is altogether a different thing in its inward bearings on the godly and on the ungodly even here. Even prosperity, much more calamity, is a punishment to the wicked (Pr 1:32). Trials are chastisements for their good (to the righteous) (Psa 119:67, 71, 75). See Preface on the Design of this book (see Introduction).

8. they that plough iniquity ... reap the same--(Pr 22:8; Ho 8:7; 10:13; Ga 6:7, 8).

9. breath of his nostrils--God's anger; a figure from the fiery winds of the East (Job 1:16; Is 5:25; Psa 18:8, 15).

10-11. lion--that is, wicked men, upon whom Eliphaz wished to show that calamities come in spite of their various resources, just as destruction comes on the lion in spite of his strength (Psa 58:6; 2Ti 4:17). Five different Hebrew terms here occur for "lion." The raging of the lion (the tearer), and the roaring of the bellowing lion and the teeth of the young lions, not whelps, but grown up enough to hunt for prey. The strong lion, the whelps of the lioness (not the stout lion, as in English Version) [Barnes and Umbreit]. The various phases of wickedness are expressed by this variety of terms: obliquely, Job, his wife, and children, may be hinted at by the lion, lioness, and whelps. The one verb, "are broken," does not suit both subjects; therefore, supply "the roaring of the bellowing lion is silenced." The strong lion dies of want at last, and the whelps, torn from the mother, are scattered, and the race becomes extinct.

12. a thing--Hebrew, a "word." Eliphaz confirms his view by a divine declaration which was secretly and unexpectedly imparted to him.

a little--literally, "a whisper"; implying the still silence around, and that more was conveyed than articulate words could utter (Job 26:14; 2Co 12:4).

13. In thoughts from the visions of the night--[So Winer]. While revolving night visions previously made to him (Da 2:29). Rather, "In my manifold (Hebrew, divided) thoughts, before the visions of the night commenced"; therefore not a delusive dream (Psa 4:4) [Umbreit].

deep sleep--(Ge 2:21; 15:12).

16. It stood still--At first the apparition glides before Eliphaz, then stands still, but with that shadowy indistinctness of form which creates such an impression of awe; a gentle murmur: not (English Version): there was silence; for in 1Ki 19:12, the voice, as opposed to the previous storm, denotes a gentle, still murmur.

17. mortal man ... a man--Two Hebrew words for "man" are used; the first implying his feebleness; the second his strength. Whether feeble or strong, man is not righteous before God.

more just than God ... more pure than his maker--But this would be self-evident without an oracle.

18. folly--Imperfection is to be attributed to the angels, in comparison with Him. The holiness of some of them had given way (2Pe 2:4), and at best is but the holiness of a creature. Folly is the want of moral consideration [Umbreit].

19. houses of clay--(2Co 5:1). Houses made of sun-dried clay bricks are common in the East; they are easily washed away (Mt 7:27). Man's foundation is this dust (Ge 3:19).

before the moth--rather, "as before the moth," which devours a garment (Job 13:28; Psa 39:11; Is 50:9). Man, who cannot, in a physical point of view, stand before the very moth, surely cannot, in a moral, stand before God.

20. from morning to evening--unceasingly; or, better, between the morning and evening of one short day (so Ex 18:14; Is 38:12).

They are destroyed--better, "they would be destroyed," if God withdrew His loving protection. Therefore man must not think to be holy before God, but to draw holiness and all things else from God (Job 4:17).

21. their excellency--(Psa 39:11; 146:4; 1Co 13:8). But Umbreit, by an Oriental image from a bow, useless because unstrung: "Their nerve, or string would be torn away." Michaelis, better in accordance with Job 4:19, makes the allusion be to the cords of a tabernacle taken down (Is 33:20).

they die, even without wisdom--rather, "They would perish, yet not according to wisdom," but according to arbitrary choice, if God were not infinitely wise and holy. The design of the spirit is to show that the continued existence of weak man proves the inconceivable wisdom and holiness of God, which alone save man from ruin [Umbreit]. Bengel shows from Scripture that God's holiness (Hebrew, kadosh) comprehends all His excellencies and attributes. De Wette loses the scope, in explaining it, of the shortness of man's life, contrasted with the angels "before they have attained to wisdom."

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered - For seven days this person and his two friends had observed a profound silence, being awed and confounded at the sight of Job's unprecedented affliction. Having now sufficiently contemplated his afflicted state, and heard his bitter complaint, forgetting that he came as a comforter, and not as a reprover, he loses the feeling of the friend in the haughtiness of the censor, endeavoring to strip him of his only consolation, - the testimony of his conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, he had his conversation among men, - by insinuating that if his ways had been upright, he would not have been abandoned to such distress and affliction; and if his heart possessed that righteousness of which he boasted, he would not have been so suddenly cast down by adversity.

If we assay to commune with thee - As if he had said, Should I and my friends endeavor to reason with thee ever so mildly, because we shall have many things to say by way of reprehension, thou wilt be grieved and faint; and this we may reasonably infer from the manner in which thou bearest thy present afflictions. Yet as thou hast uttered words which are injurious to thy Maker, who can forbear speaking? It is our duty to rise up on the part of God, though thereby we shall grieve him who is our friend. This was a plausible beginning, and certainly was far from being insincere.

Thou hast instructed many - Thou hast seen many in affliction and distress, and thou hast given them such advice as was suitable to their state, and effectual to their relief; and by this means thou hast strengthened the weak hands, and the feeble knees - the desponding have been encouraged, and the irresolute confirmed and excited to prompt and proper actions, by thy counsel and example.

But now it is come upon thee - Now it is thy turn to suffer, and give an example of the efficacy of thy own principles; but instead of this, behold, thou faintest. Either, therefore, thou didst pretend to what thou hadst not; or thou art not making a proper use of the principles which thou didst recommend to others.

Is not this thy fear - I think Coverdale hits the true meaning: Where is now thy feare of God, thy stedfastnesse, thy pacience, and the perfectnesse of thy life? If these be genuine, surely there is no cause for all this complaint, vexation, and despair. That this is the meaning, the next words show.

Remember, I pray thee - Recollect, if thou canst, a single instance where God abandoned an innocent man, or suffered him to perish. Didst thou ever hear of a case in which God abandoned a righteous man to destruction? Wert thou a righteous man, and innocent of all hidden crimes, would God abandon thee thus to the malice of Satan? or let loose the plagues of affliction and adversity against thee?

They that plough iniquity - A proverbial form of speech drawn from nature. Whatever seed a man sows in the ground, he reaps the same kind; for every seed produces its like. Thus Solomon, Pro 22:8 : "He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity." And St. Paul, Gal 6:7, Gal 6:8 : "Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he who soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." And of the same nature is that other saying of the apostle, He that soweth sparingly, shall reap sparingly, 2Cor 9:6. The same figure is employed by the Prophet Hosea Hos 8:7 : They have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind; and Hos 10:12, Hos 10:13 : Sow to yourselves in righteousness; reap in mercy. Ye have ploughed wickedness; ye have reaped iniquity. The last sentence contains, not only the same image, but almost the same words as those used by Eliphaz. Our Lord expresses the same thing, in the following words: Mat 7:16-18 : Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. So the Greeks: - Ατης αρουρα θανατον εκκαρπιζεται.

Aesch. Ἑπτα επι Θηβαις, ver. 607. "The field of iniquity produces the fruit of death." Ὑβρις γαρ εξανθους εκαρπωσε σταχυν Ατης, ὁθεν παγκλαυτον εξαμᾳ θερος.

IB. Περσαι, ver. 823. "For oppression, when it springs,

Puts forth the blade of vengeance; and its fruit

Yields a ripe harvest of repentant wo." - Potter.

The image is common every where because it is a universal law of nature.

By the blast of God they perish - As the noxious and parching east wind blasts and destroys vegetation, so the wicked perish under the indignation of the Almighty.

The roaring of the lion - By the roaring lion, fierce lion, old lion, stout lion, and lion's whelps, tyrannous rulers of all kinds are intended. The design of Eliphaz in using these figures is to show that even those who are possessed of the greatest authority and power - the kings, rulers, and princes of the earth - when they become wicked and oppressive to their subjects are cast down, broken to pieces, and destroyed, by the incensed justice of the Lord; and their whelps - their children and intended successors, scattered without possessions over the face of the earth.

The old lion perisheth - In this and the preceding verse the word lion occurs five times; and in the original the words are all different: -

1. אריה aryeh, from ארה arah, to tear off.

2. שחל shachal, which as it appears to signify black or dark, may mean the black lion, which is said to be found in Ethiopia and India.

3. כפיר kephir, a young lion, from כפר caphar, to cover, because he is said to hide himself in order to surprise his prey, which the old one does not.

4. ליש lavish, from לש lash, to knead, trample upon; because of his method of seizing his prey.

5. לביא labi, from לבא laba, to suckle with the first milk; a lioness giving suck; at which time they are peculiarly fierce.

All these words may point out some quality of the lion; and this was probably the cause why they were originally given: but it is likely that, in process of time, they served only to designate the beast, without any particular reference to any of his properties. We have one and the same idea when we say the lion, the king of beasts, the monarch of the forest, the most noble of quadrupeds, etc.

Now a thing was secretly brought to me - To give himself the more authority, he professes to have received a vision from God, by which he was taught the secret of the Divine dispensations in providence; and a confirmation of the doctrine which he was now stating to Job; and which he applied in a different way to what was designed in the Divine communication.

Mine ear received a little thereof - Mr. Good translates, "And mine ear received a whisper along with it." The apparition was the general subject; and the words related Job 4:17, etc., were the whispers which he heard when the apparition stood still.

From the visions of the night - "It is in vain," says Mr. Good, "to search through ancient or modern poetry for a description that has any pretensions to rival that upon which we are now entering. Midnight-solitude - the deep sleep of all around - the dreadful chill and horripilation or erection of the hair over the whole body - the shivering, not of the muscles only, but of the bones themselves - the gliding approach of the spectre - the abruptness of his pause - his undefined and indescribable form - are all powerful and original characters, which have never been given with equal effect by any other writer."

Mr. Hervey's illustration is also striking and natural. "'Twas in the dead of night; all nature lay shrouded in darkness; every creature was buried in sleep. The most profound silence reigned through the universe. In these solemn moments Eliphaz, alone, all wakeful and solitary, was musing on sublime subjects. When, lo! an awful being burst into his apartment. A spirit passed before his face. Astonishment seized the beholder. His bones shivered within him; his flesh trembled all over him; and the hair of his head stood erect with horror. Sudden and unexpected was its appearance; not such its departure. It stood still, to present itself more fully to his view. It made a solemn pause, to prepare his mind for some momentous message. After which a voice was heard. A voice, for the importance of its meaning, worthy to be had in everlasting remembrance. It spoke, and these were its words:"

Shall mortal man - אנוש enosh; Greek βροτος poor, weak, dying man.

Be more just than God? - Or, האנוש מאלוה יצדק haenosh meeloah yitsdak; shall poor, weak, sinful man be justified before God?

Shall a man - גבר gaber, shall even the strong and mighty man, be pure before his Maker? Is any man, considered merely in and of himself, either holy in his conduct, or pure in his heart? No. He must be justified by the mercy of God, through an atoning sacrifice; he must be sanctified by the Holy Spirit of God, and thus made a partaker of the Divine nature. Then he is justified before God, and pure in the sight of his Maker: and this is a work which God himself alone can do; so the work is not man's work, but God's. It is false to infer, from the words of this spectre, (whether it came from heaven or hell, we know not, for its communication shows and rankles a wound, without providing a cure), that no man can be justified, and that no man can be purified, when God both justifies the ungodly, and sanctifies the unholy. The meaning can be no more than this: no man can make an atonement for his own sins, nor purify his own heart. Hence all boasting is for ever excluded. Of this Eliphaz believed Job to be guilty, as he appeared to talk of his righteousness and purity, as if they had been his own acquisition.

Behold, he put no trust in his servants - This verse is generally understood to refer to the fall of angels; for there were some of those heavenly beings who kept not their first estate: they did not persevere to the end of their probation, and therefore fell into condemnation, and are reserved in chains of darkness unto the judgment of the great day; Jde 1:6. It is said he put no trust in them - he knew that nothing could be absolutely immutable but himself; and that no intelligent beings could subsist in a state of purity, unless continually dependent on himself, and deriving constant supplies of grace, power, and light, from him who gave them their being.

And his angels he charged with folly - Not chargeth, as many quote the passage. He charged those with folly who kept not their first estate. It does not appear that he is charging the others in the same way, who continue steadfast.

The several translations of this verse, both ancient and modern, are different from each other. Here are the chief: -

In angelis suis reperit pravitatem, "In his angels he found perverseness," Vulgate. The Septuagint is nearly the same. II met la lumiere dans ses anges, "He puts light into his angels," French Bible. Even those pure intelligences have continual need of being irradiated by the Almighty; wa-bemalakui neshim temcho, "And he hath put amazement in his angels," Syriac. The Arabic is the same. In angelis suis ponet gloriationem, "In his angels he will put exultation," Montanus. The Hebrew is תהלה toholah, irradiation, from הלה halah, to irradiate, glister, or shine. In this place we may consider angels (מלאכים malachim) as heavenly or earthly messengers or angels of the Lord; and the glory, influence, and honor of their office as being put in them by the Most High. They are as planets which shine with a borrowed light. They have nothing but what they have received. Coverdale translates the whole verse thus: Beholde he hath founde unfaythfulnesse amonge his owne servaunts and proude disobedience amonge his angels. The sense is among all these interpreters; and if the fallen angels are meant, the passage is plain enough.

How much less - Rather, with the Vulgate, How much more? If angels may be unstable, how can man arrogate stability to himself who dwells in an earthly tabernacle, and who must shortly return to dust? Crushed before the moth? The slightest accident oftentimes destroys. "A fly, a grape-stone, or a hair can kill." Great men have fallen by all these. This is the general idea in the text, and it is useless to sift for meanings.

They are destroyed from morning to evening - In almost every moment of time some human being comes into the world, and some one departs from it. Thus are they "destroyed from morning to evening."

They perish for ever - יאבדו yobedu; peribunt, they pass by; they go out of sight; they moulder with the dust, and are soon forgotten. Who regards the past generation now among the dead? Isaiah has a similar thought, Isa 57:1 : "The righteous perisheth, and No Man Layeth It to Heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come." Some think that Isaiah borrowed from Job; this will appear possible when it has been proved, which has never yet been done, that the writer of this book flourished before Isaiah. If, however, he borrowed the above thought, it must be allowed that it has been wondrously improved by coming through his hands.

Doth not their excellency - go away! - Personal beauty, corporeal strength, powerful eloquence, and various mental endowments, pass away, or are plucked up by the roots; they are no more seen or heard among men, and their memory soon perisheth.

They die, even without wisdom - If wisdom means the pursuit of the best end, by the most legitimate and appropriate means, the great mass of mankind appear to perish without it. But, if we consider the subject more closely, we shall find that all men die in a state of comparative ignorance. With all our boasted science and arts, how little do we know! Do we know any thing to perfection that belongs either to the material or spiritual world? Do we understand even what matter is? What is its essence? Do we understand what spirit is? Then, what is its essence? Almost all the phenomena of nature, its grandest operations, and the laws of the heavenly bodies, have been explained on the principle of gravitation or attraction; but in what does this consist? Who can answer? We can traverse every part of the huge and trackless ocean by means of the compass; but who understands the nature of magnetism on which all this depends? We eat and drink in order to maintain life; but what is nutrition, and how is it effected? This has never been explained. Life depends on respiration for its continuance; but by what kind of action is it, that in a moment the lungs separate the oxygen, which is friendly to life, from the nitrogen, which would destroy it; suddenly absorbing the one, and expelling the other? Who, among the generation of hypothesis-framers, has guessed this out? Life is continued by the circulation of the blood; but by what power and law does it circulate? Have the systole and diastole of the heart, on which this circulation depends, ever been satisfactorily explained? Most certainly not. Alas, we die without wisdom; and must die, to know these, and ten thousand other matters equally unknown, and equally important. To be safe, in reference to eternity, we must know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent; whom to know is life eternal. This knowledge, obtained and retained, will entitle us to all the rest in the eternal world.

If we, &c. - He speaks with great modesty. He will not undertake the cause alone, but joins his friends with him. He will not promise much, but only assay, or try if he could propose any thing pertinent to Job's case. Withhold - When he hears such words from such a person as thou art.

Feeble knees - Such as were weak hearted, and fainting under their trials.

Thy fear - We now plainly see what was the nature of thy fear of God, thy confidence in him, the uprightness of thy ways, and thy hope in God's mercy. Thy present carriage discovers that it was but mere talk and appearance.

Innocent - Therefore thou art guilty of some great, though secret crimes, and thy sin hath now found thee out. Cut off - By the sickle of Divine vengeance before his time, which is like to be thy case. Eliphaz here advances another argument to prove Job an hypocrite; taken not only from his impatience under afflictions, but from his afflictions themselves.

Even - As thou hast never seen any example of a righteous man cut off, so I have seen many of wicked men cut off for their wickedness. They - They that designedly work wickedness, first preparing themselves for it, and then continuing to execute it, as husbandmen first plow the ground, and then cast in the feed. Reap - The fruit of their iniquity, the just punishment of it.

The blast - Of his nostrils, as it follows; by his anger, which in men shews itself, in the nostrils, by hot and frequent breathings there, by a secret, but mighty judgment of God, they are blown away as chaff by the wind.

The roaring - Nor can they escape, even were they strong as lions, yea, as the strongest and fiercest of them. Broken - Which is true literally; the lions when taken having most commonly their teeth broken, as ancient and modern writers relate. But this is meant of powerful tyrants, who are fitly compared to lions, Ezek 32:2 38:13, who though for a time they persecute and oppress other men, yet in due time they are restrained, and broken, and crushed in pieces by the mighty power of God. Possibly he may secretly accuse Job, or his children, that being persons of great wealth and power, they had abused it to ruin their neighbours, and therefore were justly cut off.

Scattered - Gone from their dens several ways to hunt for prey, and can find none.

Now - To convince Job of the sin and folly of impatience, Eliphaz relates a vision he had had, perhaps since he came to him. Which in that age and state of the church, before the holy scriptures were written, was the usual way of God's discovering his mind to those that sought him. A thing - Heb. a word, from God, a message. Secretly - Heb. was stolen, or brought by stealth unto me, privately and secretly, as the word of God used to come to the prophets, being spoken in their ear, as it was to Samuel, with a low and still voice. He does not pretend to have understood it fully; but something of it he perceived. How little a portion is heard of God! How little do we know of him in this world.

In thoughts - These thoughts arose from the visions of the night, which it is probable he had seen before. Visions differed from dreams herein, that God imparted his mind to men in dreams when asleep, but in visions, when they were awake. And these visions sometimes happened by day, but most frequently by night. Sleep - In the dead of the night, when men usually are in a deep sleep; though Eliphaz was not now asleep.

A spirit - An angel in visible shape, otherwise he could not have discerned it. Stood up - Through that excessive horror caused by so glorious, unusual, and terrible a presence.

Stood - Having passed by him to, and again, he made a stand, and addressed himself to speak. The form - Exactly and distinctly. An image - I saw some visible resemblance, though in a confused manner. Silence - The spirit, which possibly had made some noise with his motion, now standing still made no noise; all other persons and things about me were silent, and I also kept in my voice and breath, that I might distinctly hear. In the Hebrew, the words run thus, silence and a voice I heard.

More just - Pretend more strictly to observe the laws of justice? Shall (enosh) mortal, miserable man (so the word signifies) be thus insolent? Nay, shall geber, the strongest and most eminent man, stand in competition with God? Those that find fault with the directions of the Divine law, the dispensations of the Divine grace, or the disposal of the Divine providence, do make themselves more just and pure than God: who being their maker, is their Lord and owner: and the author of all the justice and purity that is in man.

Servants - They are called his servants by way of eminency, that general name being here appropriated to the chief of the kind, to intimate that sovereign dominion which the great God hath over the angels, and much more over men. With folly - Without all doubt, this refers to those angels who foolishly and wickedly fell from God.

How, &c. - The sense is, what strange presumption then is it for a foolish and mortal man, to make himself more just than God. In them - Who though they have immortal spirits, yet those spirits dwell in mortal bodies, which are great clogs, and incumbrances, and snares to them. These are called houses, (because they are the receptacles of the soul, and the places of its settled abode) and houses of clay, because they were made of clay, or earth, and to note their great frailty and mutability; whereas the angels are free spirits, unconfined to such carcasses, and dwell in celestial, and glorious, and everlasting mansions. Whose - Whose very foundation, no less than the rest of the building, is in the dust; had their original from it, and must return to it. We stand but upon the dust: some have an higher heap of dust to stand upon than others. But still it is the earth that stays us up, and will shortly swallow us up. Before - Sooner than a moth is crushed, which is easily done by a gentle touch of the finger. Or, at the face of a moth. No creature is so contemptible, but one time or other it may have the body of man in its power.

Destroyed - All the day long, there is not a moment wherein man is not sinking towards death and corruption. Perish - In reference to this present worldly life, which when once lost is never recovered. Regarding - Heb. without putting the heart to it, this is so common a thing for all men, though never so high and great, to perish in this manner, that no man heeds it, but passes it by as a general accident not worthy of observation.

Excellency - Whatsoever is by common estimation excellent in men, all their natural, and moral, and civil accomplishments, as high birth, great riches, power and wisdom, these are so far from preserving men from perishing, that they perish themselves, together with those houses of clay in which they are lodged. Without wisdom - Even without having attained that only wisdom for which they came into the world. Shall such mean, weak, foolish, sinful, dying creatures as this, pretend to be more just than God, more pure than his maker? No: instead of quarrelling with his afflictions, let him admire that he is out of hell.

1. THen [Eliphaz the Temanite ] answered, and said.

Who spake first, because possibly he was the eldest, or of greatest Authority or Zeal.

2. If we assay to commune with thee, [wilt thou be grieved? ] [But who can with▪hold himself from speaking? ]

Or, (without a Note of Interrogation) thou wilt be grieved. Our words will undoubtedly vex thee, and not comfort thee, as we intended and desired to do. We must not use words of Comfort, but of sharp Reproof, which will be irksom to thee: and this makes me desire to be silent, if it were possible.

When he hears such unreasonable and ungodly Words coming from such a Person as thou art, whereby thou dost accuse thy Maker, and reproach his Providence, and contemn his Blessings. No man who hath any respect to God, or love to thee, can forbear reproving thee.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1+ letters] [illegible: 1 word] ▪; Heb. [illegible: 1 word] can [illegible: 1 word] from [illegible: 1 word]

3. Behold, [thou hast instructed many, ] and [thou hast strengthened the weak Hands. ]

Teaching them those Lessons which thou hast not learned and wiltst not practise, to wit, patiently to bear afflictions and to submit to Gods will and Providence in all things, which thou most shamefully refusest to do.

By administring Supports and Comforts and Counsels to such as were unable to bear their Burdens, or to do their duty.

4. Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble Knees.

Ready to sink under their pressures, or to fall from God, or into sin, (as that word is used, 1 Cor. 10. 12. Gal. 6. 2. and elsewhere) through despondency and distrust of Gods Providence and Promise, or through Impatience.

Such as were weak hearted, and fainting under their Trials. See Isa. 35. 3. Dan. 5. 6. Heb. 12. 12.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 span]

5. But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest, it toucheth thee and thou art troubled.

i. e. The evil which thou didst fear, Ch. 3. 25. and which was come upon those whom thou didst so comfort.

Thou allowest in thy self what thou wouldst not bear in others. What in them was a Vice, in thee, it seems, is become a Virtue. Thou art wise for others, but not for thy self; a good Physician to cure others but not thy self; quick fighted to see the faults of others, but blind to thine own.

It is now come to be thine own case.

6. Is not this thy Fear, thy Confidence, the Uprightness of thy Ways, and thy Hope?

So the sense is, We now plainly see what was the nature and Complexion of thy Fear of God, thy Confidence in him, the Uprightness of thy Ways, and thy Hope in Gods Mercy, which thou didst make shew and boast of, and for which thou wast become so famous. Thy present carriage discovereth to thy self and others, that it was but meer Talk and appearance, and there was nothing sound and sincere in it. In thy prosperity it was easie to make a splendid profession of Religion; but men are best known by Affliction, and this now sheweth of what metal thou art made: For now thou dost cast off thy Fear of God, and all thy Confidence and Hope in him, and hast let go that Integrity of thy ways, which hitherto thou didst seem to hold fast; whereas true Piety is uniform, and constant, and stedfast in all varieties of conditions, and under all Trials and Temptations. But this Translation removes the and from its proper place, and changeth the Order of the words, which is this in the Hebrew, thy Hope, and the Uprightness of thy ways, which words may be restored to their own Order, and with that variation our Translation may stand, and this seems to be the true sense. And so here are four distinct Questions, Is not this thy Fear? Is not this thy Confidence? Is not this thy Hope? Is not this the Uprightness of thy ways? But others make only two Questions, and render the words either thus; Is not (or rather, Was not) thy Fear (of God) thy Confidence? And the Uprightness of thy Ways thy Hope? i. e. Did not thy Fear of God, and the Integrity of thy Life, of which thou didst make such eminent Profession, proceed only from the love of thy self, and of this present World? And from thy Confidence and Hope that God would bless and prosper thee for it? For now when God withdraws his Favour and Blessings from thee, thy Religion is vanished, and thou hast cast off all Fear and Reverence of God, as thy impious Speeches shew. Or thus: Would not thy Fiar be thy Confidence, and the Uprightness of thy Ways thy Hope? i. e. If thou hadst indeed that Fear and Integrity to which thou pretendest, it would give thee good ground of Hope and Confidence in the midst of all thy distresses, and thou wouldst not so faint and sink under thy Calamities, as now thou dost, for want of a solid foundation of true Prety. But both these Translations, besides other Inconveniences, stumble at the same stone, and pervert the Order of the Words in the Hebrew Text, of which see before; which is not to be allowed without some kind of necessity, which is not in this case.

7. Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?

Give me one Example hereof out of all thy Experience or Reading.

i. e. Was so utterly undone, as thou art, so miserably afflicted by such unparallel'd and various Judgments from God and Men, all conspiring against thee.

Who had not by his wickedness provoked so merciful a God to do that which is so unusual, and in some sort unpleasing to himself. Therefore thou art guilty of some great, though secret, Crimes, and thy Sin hath now found thee out, and hath brought down these stupendious Plagues upon thee.

By the Sicle of Divine Vengeance before his time, which is like to be thy case. His Judgment herein was rash and false, but not without some appearance of Truth: For God had made many Promises, not only of spiritual and eternal, but also of temporal Blessings, to all that should faithfully serve and obey him, which accordingly he did from time to time confer upon them, as we see by the Examples of Noah, Lot, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and doubtless many others which had lived in or before their days. And this was Gods usual method under all the times of the Old Testament, as we see by the People of Israel, who were generally either in an happy and flourishing▪ or in an afflicted and miserable State, according to their Obedience to God, or their Apostacy from him. And therefore it is not strange that they fell into this mistake: But allowing for this mistake, and the consequence of it, his uncharitable Opinion of Iob, the method which he useth with Iob is commendable, and to be imitated by others in their dealing with persons in Sickness or Affliction: For he doth not flatter him in his Sins, nor immediately and unseasonably apply Comforts to him; but endeavours to convince him of his Sins, and to bring him to Repentance, as the only regular way to his Remedy.

8. Even as I have seen, they that plough Iniquity, and sow Wickedness, reap the same.

As thou hast never seen any Example of a Righteous man cut off so on the contrary I have seen many Examples of wicked men cut off for their wickedness. Or, As far as I have observed. Or, But as I have seen or experienced.

They that designedly and industriously work wickedness, first plotting and preparing themselves for it, and then continuing to pursue and execute it, as Husbandmen first plow up and prepare the ground, and then cast in the Seed. Compare Prov. 22. 8. Hos. 10. 13.

i. e. Iniquity, or such trouble or Injury (for so also the Hebrew word, Aven, signifies) as they cause to others. Or, the fruit of their Iniquity, the just Recompence and Punishment of it, which is oft called Sin or Iniquity, as Gen. 4. 7. Numb. 12. 11. and 16. 26. and 32. 23. Compare Gal. 6. 7, 8.

Marginal references: Psal. 7. 14. Prov. 22. 8. Hos. 10. 13.

9. By the blast of God they perish, and by the Breath of his Nostrils are they consumed.

To wit, Of his Nostrils, as it here follows; i. e. by his Anger, which in Men shews itself, in the Nostrils, by hot and frequent Breathings there, and therefore by an Anthropopathy is ascribed to God: by a secret and oft undiscerned, but mighty and powerful, Judgment of God, by which they are blasted and blown away as Chaff by the Wind, as the Phrase is, Psal. 1.

Marginal references: That is, by his Anger, as Isa. 30. 33. Exod. 15. 8. Chap. 1. 19. and 15. 30. Isa. 11. 4.

10. The roaring of the Lion, and the voice of the fierce Lion, and the Teeth of the young Lions are broken.

Understand vanisheth, or perisheth, out of v. 9. or, is restrained, or suppressed, as may be gathered out of the following Branch of this Verse.

Which is true literally; the Lions when taken having most commonly their Teeth broken, as antient and modern Writers relate. But this is here mystically meant of wicked and Powerful Tyrants, who are oft and fitly compared to Lions, Ezek. 32. 2. and 38. 13. 2 Tim. 4. 17. who though for a time they persecute and oppress other men, yet in due time they are restrained, and broken, and crushed in pieces by the mighty Power of God appearing against them in some eminent Judgments. Possibly he may secretly accuse Iob, or his Children, or both, that being persons of great Wealth and Power in those parts, they had wickedly abused it to ruine their Neighbours, and therefore were justly cut off.

Marginal references: Psal. 34. 10. and 35. 17.; Psal. 58. 6.

11. The old Lion perisheth for lack of Prey, and the stout Lions Whelp[illegible: 1+ letters] are scattered abroad.

Because they cannot go▪abroad to seek it, and their young ones either cannot find, or do not bring it to them. See Psal. 59. 14, 15. and 109. 10.

Gone from their Dens several ways to hunt for Prey, and can find none.

12. Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine Ear received a little thereof.

Heb And, or, Moreover, I will further convince thee by a Vision which I had relating to such matters as these. That here follows a Relation of a Vision is apparent from the punctual description of all its Circumstances. To think as some do, that this was but a Fiction and Artifice which Eliphaz used, that his words might have more Authority with Iob; or that this was a Diabolical Delusion seems to be both uncharitable and unreasonable, partly because Eliphaz, though under a mistake concerning Iob's case, was doubtless a wise and good man, and therefore would not needlesly make himself a Lyar for Iob's Conviction; and partly from the matter of this Vision, which is no way suitable to the Nature or Designs of the Devil, but holy and agreeable to the Divine Majesty and purity, and useful for mens Instruction, and Humiliation, and Reformation. It was therefore a Divine Vision, which in that Age and State of the Church, before the holy Scriptures were written, was the usual way of Gods discovery of his Mind to those that sought to him.

Heb. A word, to wit, from God, as Prov. 13. 13. a Doctrine or Message.

Heb. was stoln, or brought by stealth into me, i. e. privately and secretly, as the word of God used to come to the Prophets, being spoken in their Ear, as it was to Samuel, 1 Sam. 9. 15. and the like to Moses, so as Pharaoh, though present, could not hear nor observe it, Exod. 11. 1. with a low and still voice, a secret Whisper. This is opposed to the more publick Delivery of Gods Word by the Prophets to the People, which was done by crying aloud, Isa. 58. 1.

i. e. I heard.

Or, a parcel thereof, i. e. of Gods word, not of that particular Word which God had now delivered to Eliphaz, which doubtless God would so speak, that he to whom he directed his Speech might hear it all, and Eliphaz certainly would be as careful not to lose a Syllable of it; but a parcel of Gods Word in General, which this indeed was. And withal this may be a modest and humble Expression, arising from a deep sense of his own Infirmity, and the small measure of his knowledge of divine things, whereof he knew only some little fragments and parcels, as Paul said, We know but in part, 1 Cor. 13. 9. As if he had said, Many I doubt have more familiar acquaintance with God, and more full Revelations from God than I can pretend to, but a little of that Treasure God hath been pleased to impart to me.

Marginal references: Heb. by stealth.

13. In thoughts from the Visions of the Night, when deep sleep falleth on men.

In the midst of my Thoughts, or, by reason of my thoughts, my perplexing thoughts. The word properly signifies a branch, and thence a Thought, as 1 King. 18. 21. which proceeds from the Mind as Branches from a Tree, and a perplexing thought, which is entangled like the Branches of a Tree. These thoughts were the occasion of the following Fear.

In the midst of my Thoughts, or, by reason of my thoughts, my perplexing thoughts. The word properly signifies a branch, and thence a Thought, as 1 King. 18. 21. which proceeds from the Mind as Branches from a Tree, and a perplexing thought, which is entangled like the Branches of a Tree. These thoughts were the occasion of the following Fear.

This may belong either to the thoughts last mentioned, or to the Fear following; both which did arise from the Visions of the Night, i. e. from the great importance and the terribleness of such Visions, whereof probably he had had former Experience, and now had an Expectation of another of them which God had raised and wrought in him, to prepare him the better for the reception of it. Visions differed from Dreams herein, that God imparted his Mind to a man in Dreams when he was asleep, but in Visions, when they were awake. And these Visions sometimes happened by day, as Luk. 1. 22. Act. 10. 17. and 26. 19. but most frequently by night, whence we read of Vision, or Visions of the night, as Gen. 46. 2. Iob 20. 8. and 33. 15. And such this was which made it the more terrible.

f In the dead of the Night, when men usually are in a deep sleep; though Eliphaz was not now asleep, as appears from the nature of a Vision, and from the following words

Marginal references: Chap. 3[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ 1[illegible: 1+ letters].

14. Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my Bones to shake.

Either caused by the apparition following: or sent by God to humble him, and to prepare him for the more diligent attention to, reverent reception of, and ready compliance with, the divine Message.

Marginal references: Heb. met me.; Heb. the multitude of my bones.

15. Then a Spirit passed before my face, the Hair of my Flesh stood up.

Heb. And, or For, as this particle is oft used. So this was the reason of the foregoing Thoughts and Fear.

An Angel in some visible shape, otherwise he could not have discerned it, nor would have been affrighted at it.

i. e. Of my Body, as Flesh is taken, Gen. 2. 24. Psal. 16. 9. and 119. 120.

Through that excessive horrour caused by so glorious, unusual, and terrible a presence. Which God used to excite in men upon such occasions to convince them, that it was not a vain Imagination or Illusion, but a real Vision and Revelation, and that from God.

16. It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: An Image was before mine Eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,

Having passed by him too and again he made a stand, as one that had some business with him, and addressed himself to speak to him.

To wit, exactly and distinctly, so as to know what or who it was.

I saw some corporeal or visible Resemblance, though in a confused manner.

The Spirit, which possibly had made some noise with his motion, now standing still made no noise; all other persons and things about me were silent, and I also kept in my Voice and Breath, as much as I could, that I might distinctly hear what I perceived the Spirit was speaking to me. In the Hebrew the words run thus, Silence and a voice, (i. e. A silent, or still, or low voice, by a very common figure called, Hendiadis) I heard.

Marginal references: Or, I heard a still voice.

17. Shall mortal Man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

The Sense is, Thou O Iob dost presumptuously accuse God for dealing harshly and unrighteously with thee, in sending thee into the World upon such hard terms, and punishing an innocent and righteous man with such unparallel'd severity; but consider things calmly within thy self, If God and thou come to a Trial before any equal Judge, canst thou think that thou wiltst go away justified, and the great God shall be condemned. No righteous man will punish another without cause, or more than he deserves; and therefore if God do so with thee, as thy words imply, he is less just than a man: which is blasphemous and absurd to imagine.

A great and mighty man, as this word signifies, a man eminent for Wisdom, or Justice, or Power, or any other perfections, such as thou art thought by thy self or others to be; who therefore might expect more favour than a poor miserable and contemptible man, which the word, enosch, used in the former Branch, signifies. So he anticipates this Objection which Iob might make.

An unanswerable Argument against Iob, He made thee, and that for himself and his own Glory, and therefore hath an unquestionable right to deal with thee, and dispose of thee, the work of his Hands, as he sees fit. Wo to him that striveth with his maker, Isa. 45. 9. Besides he made man just and pure, if any man have any thing of Justice or Purity in him, it is derived from God the undoubted and only Fountain of it, and therefore it must necessarily be in God in a far more eminent degree.

18. Behold, he put no trust in his Servants ; and his Angels he charged with Folly:

This deserves thy serious consideration. These and the following words seem to be the words of Eliphaz, explaining the former Vision, and applying it to Iob's Case, and enforcing it by further Arguments.

i. e. In his Angels, as appears both by the next words of this Verse, where they are called by way of Explication and Restriction, his Angels; and by the next Verse where men are opposed to them. They are called his Servants by way of Eminency, that general name being here appropriated to the chief of the kind, as is very usual in all Authors in like cases; and withal to intimate that Soveraign Dominion which the great God hath over the glorious Angels, and much more over men, by vertue whereof he hath an unquestionable Authority to treat them according to his good Pleasure. And these God is said to put no trust in, because he could not be confident that they, if left to themselves, and destitute of the succours of his Power and Grace, would continue to be loyal, and faithful, and serviceable to him, and would not revolt from him, as some of their Brethren had done. And for this cause God was pleased, after some time of Trial, to give some special and further Grace, either by Christ or otherwise, whereby they should be infallibly confirmed in the State of Grace & Felicity.

Or, with Vanity: i. e. He discerned Folly and Vanity in the Angelical Natures, when he had first made them; which although he saw and pronounced them, no less than the visible Creatures, Gen. 1▪ to be very good in themselves, & free from the least degree or tincture of sin; yet comparing them with himself, and considering them in themselves alone, he saw something of Folly and Vanity in their very Natures, because they were Creatures, and therefore Subject to manifold changes, and, among others, to fall from God, or into sin; as it appeared by the sad experience of some of them. Seeing therefore the Angels, which so far exceed Mankind in Wisdom, and Strength, and Purity, and Justice, and all other perfections, do fall incomparably short of God in these things, it is most absurd as well as impious, to think that Man is more just or pure than God, as was said, v. 17. and as thou, O Iob, seemest to surmise. Others, Nor (Heb. And not; the negative Particle being repeated out of the former Branch of the Verse, as it is Psal. 9. 18. Prov. 17. 26. and elsewhere,) in his Angels, in whom (both which particles are frequently understood, as hath been proved before) he put Light, or splendor, to wit, singular Wisdom, and Purity, beyond what he put in Man.

Marginal references: Chap. 15. 15. and 25. 4. 2 Pet. 2. 4.; Or, not in his Angels, in whom he put light.

19. How much less on them that dwell in Houses of Clay, a whose Foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the Moth?

Understand, doth he put trust in them, &c. Or, How much more, understand, doth he charge folly on them, &c. Either of these supplements are natural and easie, being fetched out of the former Verse, and necessary to make the sense compleat. The sense is, what strange presumption then is it for a foolish and mortal man to pretend to an higher Priviledge than the Angels do, to make himself more just than God, or to exalt himself above or against God, as thou dost?

i. e. On men, as it follows, who thought they have immortal Spirits, yet those Spirits dwell in mortal Bodies, which are great Debasements, and Clogs, and Encumbrances, and Snares to them; and which are here called Houses, (because they are the Receptacles of the Soul, and the places of its settled and continual abode) and Houses of Clay, and Earthly Houses, 2 Cor. 5. 1. partly because they were made of Clay, or Earth, Gen. 2. 7. 1 Cor. 15. 47. and partly to note their great frailty and mutability; whereas the Angels are free Spirits, unconfined to such Carkasses, and dwell in celestial, and glorious, and everlasting Mansions.

Whose very Foundation, no less than the rest of the Building, is in the dust; who as they dwell in Dust and Clay, so they had their Foundation or Original from it, and they must return to it, Eccles. 12. 7. And, as to their Bodies, lie down and sleep in it, Dan. 12. 2. as in his long home, Eccles. 12. 5. and the only continuing City which he hath in this World.

Heb. they crush them, i. e. they are or will be crushed. The Active Verb used Impersonally, as it is Ch. 7. 3. and 34. 20. Prov. 6. 30. Luk. 12. 20.

i. e. Sooner than a Moth is crushed, which is easily done by a Gentle touch of the Fingers. An Hyperbolical Expression. So the Hebrew word, liphne, commonly signifying place, doth here note time, as it is used, Gen. 27. 7. and 29. 26. and 36. 31. Or, at the face or appearance of a Moth. No Creature is so weak and contemptible, but one time or other it may have the Body of Man in its power, as the Worms, the Moths Cousin-Germans, have in the Grave. But he instanceth in a Moth rather than a Worm, because it is the weaker of the two, and because it better agrees with the similitude of an House, in which Moths commonly are more frequent, and powerful, and mischievous, than Worms. How then canst thou think, O Iob, to contend with thy Maker, that must become a Prey to such small and impotent Creatures?

Marginal references: 2 Cor. 5. 1.

20. They are destroyed from Morning to Evening; they perish for ever without any regarding it.

Either, 1. Speedily, between Morning and Evening, like the Grass, they flourish in the Morning, and in the Evening are cut off, Psal. 90. 5, 6. Or rather, 2. All the day long, as the Phrase is, 2 Cor. 11. 25. There is not a moment wherein Man is not sinking and drawing on towards Death and Corruption.

As to humane appearance and the course of Nature, as many such like passages are to be understood in this Book; or in Reference to this present and worldly Life, which when once lost is never recovered, Iob 16. 22. Psal. 39. 13.

Heb. without putting the Heart to it, the word Heart being understood here, as also Ch. 23. 6. and 34. 23. Isa. 41. 20. as may appear by comparing 1 Sam. 9. 20. 2 Sam. 18. 3. Isa. 41. 22. and 57. 1. Where the same Phrase is used, and the word Heart expressed. The meaning is either 1. Yet few or no men that survive them lay it to Heart as they should do. Or, 2. They perish beside the Expectation of all men, when both themselves and others thought their Mountain was so strong, that it could not be removed. Or rather, 3. This is so common a thing for all men, though never so high and great, to perish in this manner, that no man heeds it, but passeth it by as a general accident not worthy of observation. Oth. No man procuring or furthering it; Heb. without any mans putting the hand to it, i. e. They perish of themselves without any violent hand.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] in [illegible: 1 word].; Heb. [illegible: 1 word] the Heart.

21. Doth not their excellency which is in them, go away i? they die even without Wisdom .

Whatsoever is really or by common estimation excellent in men, all their natural, & moral, & civil accomplishments ashigh birth. great riches, power and wisdom &c. These are sofar from preserving men from perishing, as one would think they should do, that they perish themselves together with those houses of clay in which they are lodged. Or. go away (i. e. die and perish as that phrase is oft used, as Gen. 15. 15 Ios. 23. 14 Iob 10. 21. Psal. 58. 9. Eccles. 12. 5. Mat. 26. 24.) with (as Beth is oft used) them: it doth not survive them

Either 1. Like fools. Wise men and fools die alike, Eccles. 2. 16. Or 2. they never attain to perfect wisdom, to that wisdom which man once had, much less to that wisdom which is in God, which Iob conceiteth he hath; otherwise he would not so boldly censure the counsels and works of God as unrighteous or unreasonable, because his humane and narrow capacity cannot fully understand them. Moreover, as folly is oft put for unrighteousness and wickedness; so is wisdom for justice and goodness; which is so known, that it is needless to prove it; and so by wisdom here may be meant that perfect justice and purity, which Iob arrogated to himself, and which Eliphaz here denies to all men, v. 17, &c.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] 39. 11. [illegible: 1 word]. 14.; [illegible: 1 word]. 36. 12.

Job 4:1

In reply to Sommer, who in his excellent biblische Abhandlungen, 1846, considers the octastich as the extreme limit of the compass of the strophe, it is sufficient to refer to the Syriac strophe-system. It is, however, certainly an impossibility that, as Ewald (Jahrb. ix. 37) remarks with reference to the first speech of Jehovah, Job 38-39, the strophes can sometimes extend to a length of 12 lines = Masoretic verses, consequently consist of 24 στίχοι and more. Then Eliphaz the Temanite began, and said:

Job 4:2-5   2  If one attempts a word with thee, will it grieve thee?

And still to restrain himself from words, who is able?   3  Behold, thou hast instructed many,

And the weak hands thou hast strengthened.   4  The stumbling turned to thy words,

And the sinking knees thou hast strengthened.   5  But now it cometh to thee, thou art grieved;

Now it toucheth thee, thou despondest.

The question with which Eliphaz beings, is certainly one of those in which the tone of interrogation falls on the second of the paratactically connected sentences: Wilt thou, if we speak to thee, feel it unbearable? Similar examples are Job 4:21; Num 16:22; Jer 8:4; and with interrogative Wherefore? Isa 5:4; Isa 50:2 : comp. the similar paratactic union of sentences, Job 2:10; Job 3:11. The question arises here, whether נסּה is an Aramaic form of writing for נשּׂא (as the Masora in distinction from Deu 4:34 takes it), and also either future, Wilt thou, if we raise, i.e., utter, etc.; or passive, as Ewald formerly,In the second edition, comp. Jahrb. ix. 37, he explains it otherwise: “If we attempt a word with thee, will it be grievous to thee quod aegre feras?” But that, however, must be נסּה; the form נסּה can only be third pers. Piel: If any one attempts, etc., which, according to Ewald’s construction, gives no suitable rendering.

If a word is raised, i.e., uttered, דּבר נשׂא, like משׁל נשׂא, Job 27:1; or whether it is third pers. Piel, with the signification, attempt, tentare, Ecc 7:23. The last is to be preferred, because more admissible and also more expressive. נסּה followed by the fut. is a hypothetic praet., Supposing that, etc., wilt thou, etc., as e.g., Job 23:10. מלּין is the Aramaic plur. of מלּה, which is more frequent in the book of Job than the Hebrew plur. מלּים. The futt., Job 4:3., because following the perf., are like imperfects in the western languages: the expression is like Isa 35:3. In עתּה כּי, Job 4:5, כּי has a temporal signification, Now when, Ges. §155, 1, e, (b).

Job 4:6-11   6  Is not thy piety thy confidence,

Thy Hope? And the uprightness of thy ways?   7  Think now: who ever perished, being innocent?!

And where have the righteous been cut off?!   8  As often as I saw, those who ploughed evil

And sowed sorrow, - they reaped the same.   9  By the breath of Eloah they perished,

By the breath of His anger they vanished away. 10  The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the shachal,

And the teeth of the young lions, are rooted out. 11  The lion wanders about for want of prey,

And the lioness’ whelps are scattered.

In Job 4:6 all recent expositors take the last waw as waw apodosis: And thy hope, is not even this the integrity of thy way? According to our punctuation, there is no occasion for supposing such an application of the waw apodosis, which is an error in a clause consisting only of substantives, and is not supported by the examples, Job 15:17; Job 23:12; 2Sa 22:41.We will not, however, dispute the possibility, for at least in Arabic one can say, zı̂d f - hkı̂m Zeid, he is wise. Grammarians remark that Arab. zı̂d in this instance is like a hypothetical sentence: If any one asks, etc. 2Sa 15:34 is similar. תקותך is the permutative of the ambiguous כסלתך, which, from כּסל, to be fat, signifies both the awkwardness of stupidity and the boldness of confidence. The addition of הוּא to מי, Job 4:7, like Job 13:19; Job 17:3, makes the question more earnest: quis tandem, like זה מי, quisnam (Ges. §122, 2). In Job 4:8, כּאשׁר is not comparative, but temporal, and yet so that it unites, as usual, what stands in close connection with, and follows directly upon, the preceding: When, so as, as often as I had seen those who planned and worked out evil (comp. Pro 22:8), I also saw that they reaped it. That the ungodly, and they alone, perish, is shown in Job 4:10. under the simile of the lions. The Hebrew, like the oriental languages in general, is rich in names for lions; the reason of which is, that the lion-tribe, although now become rarer in Asia, and of which only a solitary one is found here and there in the valley of the Nile, was more numerous in the early times, and spread over a wider area.Vid., Schmarda, Geographische Verbreitung der Thiere, i. 210, where, among other things, we read: The lion in Asia is driven back at almost all points, and also in Africa has been greatly diminished; for hundreds of lions and panthers were used in the Roman amphitheatres, whilst at the present time it would be impossible to procure so large a number. שׁחל, which the old expositors often understood as the panther, is perhaps the maneless lion, which is still found on the lower Euphrates and Tigris. נתע = נתץ, Psa 58:7, evellere, elidere, by zeugma, applies to the voice also. All recent expositors translate Job 4:11 init. wrongly: the lion perishes. The participle אבד is a stereotype expression for wandering about viewless and helpless (Deu 26:5; Isa 27:13; Psa 119:176, and freq.). The part., otherwise remarkable here, has its origin in this usage of the language. The parallelism is like Psa 92:10.

Job 4:12-16 12  And a word reached me stealthily,

And my ear heard a whisper thereof. 13  In the play of thought, in visions of the night,

When deep sleep falleth on men, 14  Fear came upon me, and trembling;

And it caused the multitude of my bones to quake with fear. 15  And a breathing passed over my face; 16  It stood there, and I discerned not its appearance:

An image was before my eyes;

A gentle murmur, and I heard a voice.

The fut. יגגּב, like Jdg 2:1; Psa 80:9, is ruled by the following fut. consec.: ad me furtim delatum est (not deferebatur). Eliphaz does not say אלי ויגנּב (although he means a single occurrence), because he desires, with pathos, to put himself prominent. That the word came to him so secretly, and that he heard only as it were a whisper (שׁמץ, according to Arnheim, in distinction from שׁמע, denotes a faint, indistinct impression on the ear), is designed to show the value of such a solemn communication, and to arouse curiosity. Instead of the prosaic ממּנוּ, we find here the poetic pausal-form מנהוּ expanded from מנּוּ, after the form מנּי, Job 21:16; Psa 18:23. מן is partitive: I heard only a whisper, murmur; the word was too sacred and holy to come loudly and directly to his ear. It happened, as he lay in the deep sleep of night, in the midst of the confusion of thought resulting from nightly dreams. שׂעפּים (from שׂעיף, branched) are thoughts proceeding like branches from the heart as their root, and intertwining themselves; the מן which follows refers to the cause: there were all manner of dreams which occasioned the thoughts, and to which they referred (comp. Job 33:15); תּרדּמה, in distinction from שׁנה, sleep, and תּנוּמה, slumber, is the deep sleep related to death and ecstasy, in which man sinks back from outward life into the remotest ground of his inner life. In Job 4:14, קראני, from קרא = קרה, to meet (Ges. §75, 22), is equivalent to קרני (not קרני, as Hirz., first edition, wrongly points it; comp. Gen 44:29). The subject of הפחיד is the undiscerned ghostlike something. Eliphaz was stretched upon his bed when רוּח, a breath of wind, passed (חלף( dessap, similar to Isa 21:1) over his face. The wind is the element by means of which the spirit-existence is made manifest; comp. 1Ki 19:12, where Jehovah appears in a gentle whispering of the wind, and Act 2:2, where the descent of the Holy Spirit is made known by a mighty rushing. רוּח, πνεῦμα, Sanscrit âtma, signifies both the immaterial spirit and the air, which is proportionately the most immaterial of material things.On wind and spirit, vid., Windischmann, Die Philosophie im Fortgang der Weltgesch. S. 1331ff.

His hair bristled up, even every hair of his body; סמּר, not causative, but intensive of Kal. יעמד has also the ghostlike appearance as subject. Eliphaz could not discern its outline, only a תמוּנה, imago quaedam (the most ethereal word for form, Num 12:8; Psa 17:15, of μορφή or δόξα of God), was before his eyes, and he heard, as it were proceeding from it, רקל דּממה, i.e., per hendiadyn: a voice, which spoke to him in a gentle, whispering tone, as follows:

Job 4:17-21 17  Is a mortal just before Eloah,

Or a man pure before his Maker? 18  Behold, He trusteth not His servants!

And His angels He chargeth with imperfection. 19  How much more those who dwell in houses of clay,

They are crushed as though they were moths. 20  From morning until evening, - so are they broken in pieces:

Unobserved they perish for ever. 21  Is it not so: the cord of their tent in them is torn away,

So they die, and not in wisdom?

The question arises whether מן is comparative: prae Deo, on which Mercier with penetration remarks: justior sit oportet qui immerito affligitur quam qui immerito affligit; or causal: a Deo, h.e., ita ut a Deo justificetur. All modern expositors rightly decide on the latter. Hahn justly maintains that עם and בּעיני are found in a similar connection in other places; and Job 32:2 is perhaps not to be explained in any other way, at least that does not restrict the present passage. By the servants of God, none but the angels, mentioned in the following line of the verse, are intended. שׂים with בּ signifies imputare (1Sa 22:15); in Job 24:12 (comp. Job 1:22) we read תּפלה, absurditatem (which Hupf. wishes to restore even here), joined with the verb in this signification. The form תּהלה is certainly not to be taken as stultitia from the verb הלל; the half vowel, and still less the absence of the Dagesh, will not allow this. תּרן (Olsh. §213, c), itself uncertain in its etymology, presents no available analogy. The form points to a Lamedh-He verb, as תּרמה from רמה, so perhaps from הלה, Niph. נהלא, remotus, Mic 4:7 : being distant, being behind the perfect, difference; or even from הלה (Targ. הלא, Pa. הלּי) = לאה, weakness, want of strength.Schnurrer compares the Arabic wahila, which signifies to be relaxed, forgetful, to err, to neglect. Ewald, considering the ת as radical, compares the Arabic dll, to err, and tâl, med. wau, to be dizzy, unconscious; but neither from והל nor from תּהל can the substantival form be sustained.

Both significations will do, for it is not meant that the good spirits positively sin, as if sin were a natural necessary consequence of their creatureship and finite existence, but that even the holiness of the good spirits is never equal to the absolute holiness of God, and that this deficiency is still greater in spirit-corporeal man, who has earthiness as the basis of his original nature. At the same time, it is presupposed that the distance between God and created earth is disproportionately greater than between God and created spirit, since matter is destined to be exalted to the nature of the spirit, but also brings the spirit into the danger of being degraded to its own level.

The Address of Eliphaz. (b. c. 1520.)

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, 2 If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking? 3 Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. 4 Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. 5 But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. 6 Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?

In these verses,

I. Eliphaz excuses the trouble he is now about to give to Job by his discourse (v. 2): "If we assay a word with thee, offer a word of reproof and counsel, wilt thou be grieved and take it ill?" We have reason to fear thou wilt; but there is no remedy: "Who can refrain from words?" Observe, 1. With what modesty he speaks of himself and his own attempt. He will not undertake the management of the cause alone, but very humbly joins his friends with him: "We will commune with thee." Those that plead God's cause must be glad of help, lest it suffer through their weakness. He will not promise much, but begs leave to assay or attempt, and try if he could propose any thing that might be pertinent, and suit Job's case. In difficult matters it becomes us to pretend no further, but only to try what may be said or done. Many excellent discourses have gone under the modest title of Essays. 2. With what tenderness he speaks of Job, and his present afflicted condition: "If we tell thee our mind, wilt thou be grieved? Wilt thou take it ill? Wilt thou lay it to thy own heart as thy affliction or to our charge as our fault? Shall we be reckoned unkind and cruel if we deal plainly and faithfully with thee? We desire we may not; we hope we shall not, and should be sorry if that should be ill resented which is well intended." Note, We ought to be afraid of grieving any, especially those that are already in grief, lest we add affliction to the afflicted, as David's enemies, Ps. lxix. 26. We should show ourselves backward to say that which we foresee will be grievous, though ever so necessary. God himself, though he afflicts justly, does not afflict willingly, Lam. iii. 33. 3. With what assurance he speaks of the truth and pertinency of what he was about to say: Who can withhold himself from speaking? Surely it was a pious zeal for God's honour, and the spiritual welfare of Job, that laid him under this necessity of speaking. "Who can forbear speaking in vindication of God's honour, which we hear reproved, in love to thy soul, which we see endangered?" Note, It is foolish pity not to reprove our friends, even our friends in affliction, for what they say or do amiss, only for fear of offending them. Whether men take it well or ill, we must with wisdom and meekness do our duty and discharge a good conscience.

II. He exhibits a twofold charge against Job.

1. As to his particular conduct under this affliction. He charges him with weakness and faint-heartedness, and this article of his charge there was too much ground for, v. 3-5. And here,

(1.) He takes notice of Job's former serviceableness to the comfort of others. He owns that Job had instructed many, not only his own children and servants, but many others, his neighbours and friends, as many as fell within the sphere of his activity. He did not only encourage those who were teachers by office, and countenance them, and pay for the teaching of those who were poor, but he did himself instruct many. Though a great man, he did not think it below him (king Solomon was a preacher); though a man of business, he found time to do it, went among his neighbours, talked to them about their souls, and gave them good counsel. O that this example of Job were imitated by our great men! If he met with those who were ready to fall into sin, or sink under their troubles, his words upheld them: a wonderful dexterity he had in offering that which was proper to fortify persons against temptations, to support them under their burdens, and to comfort afflicted consciences. He had, and used, the tongue of the learned, knew how to speak a word in season to those that were weary, and employed himself much in that good work. With suitable counsels and comforts he strengthened the weak hands for work and service and the spiritual warfare, and the feeble knees for bearing up the man in his journey and under his load. It is not only our duty to lift up our own hands that hang down, by quickening and encouraging ourselves in the way of duty (Heb. xii. 12), but we must also strengthen the weak hands of others, as there is occasion, and do what we can to confirm their feeble knees, by saying to those that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, Isa. xxxv. 3, 4. The expressions seem to be borrowed thence. Note, Those should abound in spiritual charity. A good word, well and wisely spoken, may do more good than perhaps we think of. But why does Eliphaz mention this here? [1.] Perhaps he praises him thus for the good he had done that he might make the intended reproof the more passable with him. Just commendation is a good preface to a just reprehension, will help to remove prejudices, and will show that the reproof comes not from ill will. Paul praised the Corinthians before he chided them, 1 Cor. xi. 2. [2.] He remembers how Job had comforted others as a reason why he might justly expect to be himself comforted; and yet, if conviction was necessary in order to comfort, they must be excused if they applied themselves to that first. The Comforter shall reprove, John xvi. 8. [3.] He speaks this, perhaps, in a way of pity, lamenting that through the extremity of his affliction he could not apply those comforts to himself which he had formerly administered to others. It is easier to give good counsel than to take it, to preach meekness and patience than to practise them. Facile omnes, cum valemus, rectum consilium ægrotis damus—We all find it easy, when in health, to give good advice to the sick.—Terent. [4.] Most think that he mentions it as an aggravation of his present discontent, upbraiding him with his knowledge, and the good offices he had done for others, as if he had said, "Thou that hast taught others, why dost thou not teach thyself? Is not this an evidence of thy hypocrisy, that thou hast prescribed that medicine to others which thou wilt not now take thyself, and so contradictest thyself, and actest against thy own known principles? Thou that teachest another to faint, dost thou faint? Rom. ii. 21. Physician, heal thyself." Those who have rebuked others must expect to hear of it if they themselves become obnoxious to rebuke.

(2.) He upbraids him with his present low-spiritedness, v. 5. "Now that it has come upon thee, now that it is thy turn to be afflicted, and the bitter cup that goes round is put into thy hand, now that it touches thee, thou faintest, thou art troubled." Here, [1.] He makes too light of Job's afflictions: "It touches thee." The very word that Satan himself had used, ch. i. 11, ii. 5. Had Eliphaz felt but the one-half of Job's affliction, he would have said, "It smites me, it wounds me;" but, speaking of Job's afflictions, he makes a mere trifle of it: "It touches thee and thou canst not bear to be touched." Noli me tangere—Touch me not. [2.] He makes too much of Job's resentments, and aggravates them: "Thou faintest, or thou art beside thyself; thou ravest, and knowest not what thou sayest." Men in deep distress must have grains of allowance, and a favourable construction put upon what they say; when we make the worst of every word we do not as we would be done by.

2. As to his general character before this affliction. He charges him with wickedness and false-heartedness, and this article of his charge was utterly groundless and unjust. How unkindly does he banter him, and upbraid him with the great profession of religion he had made, as if it had all now come to nothing and proved a sham (v. 6): "Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways? Does it not all appear now to be a mere pretence? For, hadst thou been sincere in it, God would not thus have afflicted thee, nor wouldst thou have behaved thus under the affliction." This was the very thing Satan aimed at, to prove Job a hypocrite, and disprove the character God had given of him. When he could not himself do this to God, but he still saw and said, Job is perfect and upright, then he endeavoured, by his friends, to do it to Job himself, and to persuade him to confess himself a hypocrite. Could he have gained that point he would have triumphed. Habes confitentem reum—Out of thy own mouth will I condemn thee. But, by the grace of God, Job was enabled to hold fast his integrity, and would not bear false witness against himself. Note, Those that pass rash and uncharitable censures upon their brethren, and condemn them as hypocrites, do Satan's work, and serve his interest, more than they are aware of. I know not how it comes to pass that this verse is differently read in several editions of our common English Bibles; the original, and all the ancient versions, put thy hope before the uprightness of thy ways. So does the Geneva, and most of the editions of the last translation; but I find one of the first, in 1612, has it, Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, the uprightness of thy ways, and thy hope? Both the Assembly's Annotations and Mr. Pool's have that reading: and an edition in 1660 reads it, "Is not thy fear thy confidence, and the uprightness of thy ways thy hope? Does it not appear now that all the religion both of thy devotion and of thy conversation was only in hope and confidence that thou shouldst grow rich by it? Was it not all mercenary?" The very thing that Satan suggested. Is not thy religion thy hope, and are not thy ways thy confidence? so Mr. Broughton. Or, "Was it not? Didst thou not think that that would be thy protection? But thou art deceived." Or, "Would it not have been so? If it had been sincere, would it not have kept thee from this despair?" It is true, if thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength, thy grace, is small (Prov. xxiv. 10); but it does not therefore follow that thou hast no grace, no strength at all. A man's character is not to be taken from a single act.

7 Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? 8 Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. 9 By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed. 10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken. 11 The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.

Eliphaz here advances another argument to prove Job a hypocrite, and will have not only his impatience under his afflictions to be evidence against him but even his afflictions themselves, being so very great and extraordinary, and there being no prospect at all of his deliverance out of them. To strengthen his argument he here lays down these two principles, which seem plausible enough:—

I. That good men were never thus ruined. For the proof of this he appeals to Job's own observation (v. 7): "Remember, I pray thee; recollect all that thou hast seen, heard, or read, and give me an instance of any one that was innocent and righteous, and yet perished as thou dost, and was cut off as thou art." If we understand it of a final and eternal destruction, his principle is true. None that are innocent and righteous perish for ever: it is only a man of sin that is a son of perdition, 2 Thess. ii. 3. But then it is ill applied to Job; he did not thus perish, nor was he cut off: a man is never undone till he is in hell. But, if we understand it of any temporal calamity, his principle is not true. The righteous perish (Isa. lvii. 1): there is one event both to the righteous and to the wicked (Eccl. ix. 2), both in life and death; the great and certain difference is after death. Even before Job's time (as early as it was) there were instances sufficient to contradict this principle. Did not righteous Abel perish being innocent? and was he not cut off in the beginning of his days? Was not righteous Lot burnt out of house and harbour, and forced to retire to a melancholy cave? Was not righteous Jacob a Syrian ready to perish? Deut. xxvi. 5. Other such instances, no doubt, there were, which are not on record.

II. That wicked men were often thus ruined. For the proof of this he vouches his own observation (v. 8): "Even as I have seen, many a time, those that plough iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap accordingly; by the blast of God they perish, v. 9. We have daily instances of that; and therefore, since thou dost thus perish and art consumed, we have reason to think that, whatever profession of religion thou hast made, thou hast but ploughed iniquity and sown wickedness. Even as I have seen in others, so do I see in thee."

1. He speaks of sinners in general, politic busy sinners, that take pains in sin, for they plough iniquity; and expect gain by sin, for they sow wickedness. Those that plough plough in hope, but what is the issue? They reap the same. They shall of the flesh reap corruption and ruin, Gal. vi. 7, 8. The harvest will be a heap in the day of grief and desperate sorrow, Isa. xvii. 11. He shall reap the same, that is, the proper product of that seedness. That which the sinner sows, he sows not that body that shall be, but God will give it a body, a body of death, the end of those things, Rom. vi. 21. Some, by iniquity and wickedness, understand wrong and injury done to others. Those who plough and sow them shall reap the same, that is, they shall be paid in their own coin. Those who are troublesome shall be troubled, 2 Thess. i. 6; Josh. vii. 25. The spoilers shall be spoiled (Isa. xxxiii. 1), and those that led captive shall go captive, Rev. xiii. 10. He further describes their destruction (v. 9): By the blast of God they perish. The projects they take so much pains in are defeated; God cuts asunder the cords of those ploughers, Ps. cxxix. 3, 4. They themselves are destroyed, which is the just punishment of their iniquity. They perish, that is, they are destroyed utterly; they are consumed, that is, they are destroyed gradually; and this by the blast and breath of God, that is, (1.) By his wrath. His anger is the ruin of sinners, who are therefore called vessels of wrath, and his breath is said to kindle Tophet, Isa. xxx. 33. Who knows the power of his anger? Ps. xc. 11. (2.) By his word. He speaks and it is done, easily and effectually. The Spirit of God, in the word, consumes sinners; with that he slays them, Hos. vi. 5. Saying and doing are not two things with God. The man of sin is said to be consumed with the breath of Christ's mouth, 2 Thess. ii. 8. Compare Isa. xi. 4; Rev. xix. 21. Some think that in attributing the destruction of sinners to the blast of God, and the breath of his nostrils, he refers to the wind which blew the house down upon Job's children, as if they were therefore sinners above all men because they suffered such things. Luke xiii. 2.

2. He speaks particularly of tyrants and cruel oppressors, under the similitude of lions, v. 10, 11. Observe, (1.) How he describes their cruelty and oppression. The Hebrew tongue has five several names for lions, and they are all here used to set forth the terrible tearing power, fierceness, and cruelty, of proud oppressors. They roar, and rend, and prey upon all about them, and bring up their young ones to do so too, Ezek. xix. 3. The devil is a roaring lion; and they partake of his nature, and do his lusts. They are strong as lions, and subtle (Ps. x. 9; xvii. 12); and, as far as they prevail, they lay all desolate about them. (2.) How he describes their destruction, the destruction both of their power and of their persons. They shall be restrained from doing further hurt and reckoned with for the hurt they have done. An effectual course shall be taken, [1.] That they shall not terrify. The voice of their roaring shall be stopped. [2.] That they shall not tear. God will disarm them, will take away their power to do hurt: The teeth of the young lions are broken. See Ps. iii. 7. Thus shall the remainder of wrath be restrained. [3.] That they shall not enrich themselves with the spoil of their neighbours. Even the old lion is famished, and perishes for lack of prey. Those that have surfeited on spoil and rapine are perhaps reduced to such straits as to die of hunger at last. [4.] That they shall not, as they promise themselves, leave a succession: The stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad, to seek for food themselves, which the old ones used to bring in for them, Nah. ii. 12. The lion did tear in pieces for his whelps, but now they must shift for themselves. Perhaps Eliphaz intended, in this, to reflect upon Job, as if he, being the greatest of all the men of the east, had got his estate by spoil and used his power in oppressing his neighbours, but now his power and estate were gone, and his family was scattered: if so, it was a pity that a man whom God praised should be thus abused.

12 Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof. 13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, 14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake. 15 Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: 16 It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying, 17 Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker? 18 Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly: 19 How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth? 20 They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it. 21 Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.

Eliphaz, having undertaken to convince Job of the sin and folly of his discontent and impatience, here vouches a vision he had been favoured with, which he relates to Job for his conviction. What comes immediately from God all men will pay a particular deference to, and Job, no doubt, as much as any. Some think Eliphaz had this vision now lately, since he came to Job, putting words into his mouth wherewith to reason with him; and it would have been well if he had kept to the purport of this vision, which would serve for a ground on which to reprove Job for his murmuring, but not to condemn him as a hypocrite. Others think he had it formerly; for God did, in this way, often communicate his mind to the children of men in those first ages of the world, ch. xxxiii. 15. Probably God had sent Eliphaz this messenger and message some time or other, when he was himself in an unquiet discontented frame, to calm and pacify him. Note, As we should comfort others with that wherewith we have been comforted (2 Cor. i. 4), so we should endeavour to convince others with that which has been powerful to convince us. The people of God had not then any written word to quote, and therefore God sometimes notified to them even common truths by the extraordinary ways of revelation. We that have Bibles have there (thanks be to God) a more sure word to depend upon than even visions and voices, 2 Pet. i. 19. Observe,

I. The manner in which this message was sent to Eliphaz, and the circumstances of the conveyance of it to him. 1. It was brought to him secretly, or by stealth. Some of the sweetest communion gracious souls have with God is in secret, where no eye sees but that of him who is all eye. God has ways of bringing conviction, counsel, and comfort, to his people, unobserved by the world, by private whispers, as powerfully and effectually as by the public ministry. His secret is with them, Ps. xxv. 14. As the evil spirit often steals good words out of the heart (Matt. xiii. 19), so the good Spirit sometimes steals good words into the heart, or ever we are aware. 2. He received a little thereof, v. 12. And it is but a little of divine knowledge that the best receive in this world. We know little in comparison with what is to be known, and with what we shall know when we come to heaven. How little a portion is heard of God! ch. xxvi. 14. We know but in part, 1 Cor. xiii. 12. See his humility and modesty. He pretends not to have understood it fully, but something of it he perceived. 3. It was brought to him in the visions of the night (v. 13), when he had retired from the world and the hurry of it, and all about him was composed and quiet. Note, The more we are withdrawn from the world and the things of it the fitter we are for communion with God. When we are communing with our own hearts, and are still (Ps. iv. 4), then is a proper time for the Holy Spirit to commune with us. When others were asleep Eliphaz was ready to receive this visit from Heaven, and probably, like David, was meditating upon God in the night-watches; in the midst of those good thoughts this thing was brought to him. We should hear more from God if we thought more of him; yet some are surprised with convictions in the night, ch. xxxiii. 14, 15. 4. It was prefaced with terrors: Fear came upon him, and trembling, v. 14. It should seem, before he either heard or saw any thing, he was seized with this trembling, which shook his bones, and perhaps the bed under him. A holy awe and reverence of God and his majesty being struck upon his spirit, he was thereby prepared for a divine visit. Whom God intends to honour he first humbles and lays low, and will have us all to serve him with holy fear, and to rejoice with trembling.

II. The messenger by whom it was sent—a spirit, one of the good angels, who are employed not only as the ministers of God's providence, but sometimes as the ministers of his word. Concerning this apparition which Eliphaz saw we are here told (v. 15, 16), 1. That it was real, and not a dream, not a fancy. An image was before his eyes; he plainly saw it; at first it passed and repassed before his face, moved up and down, but at length it stood still to speak to him. If some have been so knavish as to impose false visions on others, and some so foolish as to be themselves imposed upon, it does not therefore follow but that there may have been apparitions of spirits, both good and bad. 2. That it was indistinct, and somewhat confused. He could not discern the form thereof, so as to frame any exact idea of it in his own mind, much less to give a description of it. His conscience was to be awakened and informed, not his curiosity gratified. We know little of spirits; we are not capable of knowing much of them, nor is it fit that we should: all in good time; we must shortly remove to the world of spirits, and shall then be better acquainted with them. 3. That it puts him into a great consternation, so that his hair stood on end. Ever since man sinned it has been terrible to him to receive an express from heaven, as conscious to himself that he can expect no good tidings thence; apparitions therefore, even of good spirits, have always made deep impressions of fear, even upon good men. How well it is for us that God sends us his messages, not by spirits, but by men like ourselves, whose terror shall not make us afraid! See Dan. vii. 28; x. 8, 9.

III. The message itself. Before it was delivered there was silence, profound silence, v. 16. When we are to speak either from God or to him it becomes us to address ourselves to it with a solemn pause, and so to set bounds about the mount on which God is to come down, and not be hasty to utter any thing. It was in a still small voice that the message was delivered, and this was it (v. 17): "Shall mortal man be more just than God, the immortal God? Shall a man be thought to be, or pretend to be, more pure than his Maker? Away with such a thought!" 1. Some think that Eliphaz aims hereby to prove that Job's great afflictions were a certain evidence of his being a wicked man. A mortal man would be thought unjust and very impure if he should thus correct and punish a servant or subject, unless he had been guilty of some very great crime: "If therefore there were not some great crimes for which God thus punishes thee, man would be more just than God, which is not to be imagined." 2. I rather think it is only a reproof of Job's murmuring and discontent: "Shall a man pretend to be more just and pure than God? more truly to understand, and more strictly to observe, the rules and laws of equity than God? Shall Enosh, mortal and miserable man, be so insolent; nay, shall Geber, the strongest and most eminent man, man at his best estate, pretend to compare with God, or stand in competition with him?" Note, It is most impious and absurd to think either others or ourselves more just and pure than God. Those that quarrel and find fault with the directions of the divine law, the dispensations of the divine grace, or the disposals of the divine providence, make themselves more just and pure than God; and those who thus reprove God, let them answer it. What! sinful man! (for he would not have been mortal if he had not been sinful) short-sighted man! Shall he pretend to be more just, more pure, than God, who, being his Maker, is his Lord and owner? Shall the clay contend with the potter? What justice and purity there is in man, God is the author of it, and therefore is himself more just and pure. See Ps. xciv. 9, 10.

IV. The comment which Eliphaz makes upon this, for so it seems to be; yet some take all the following verses to be spoken in vision. It comes all to one.

1. He shows how little the angels themselves are in comparison with God, v. 18. Angels are God's servants, waiting servants, working servants; they are his ministers (Ps. civ. 4); bright and blessed beings they are, but God neither needs them nor is benefited by them and is himself infinitely above them, and therefore, (1.) He puts no trust in them, did not repose a confidence in them, as we do in those we cannot live without. There is no service in which he employs them but, if he pleased, he could have it done as well without them. He never made them his confidants, or of his cabinet-council, Matt. xxiv. 36. He does not leave his business wholly to them, but his own eyes run to and fro through the earth, 2 Chron. xvi. 9. See this phrase, ch. xxxix. 11. Some give this sense of it: "So mutable is even the angelical nature that God would not trust angels with their own integrity; if he had, they would all have done as some did, left their first estate; but he saw it necessary to give them supernatural grace to confirm them." (2.) He charges them with folly, vanity, weakness, infirmity, and imperfection, in comparison with himself. If the world were left to the government of the angels, and they were trusted with the sole management of affairs, they would take false steps, and everything would not be done for the best, as now it is. Angels are intelligences, but finite ones. Though not chargeable with iniquity, yet with imprudence. This last clause is variously rendered by the critics. I think it would bear this reading, repeating the negation, which is very common: He will put no trust in his saints; nor will he glory in his angels (in angelis suis non ponet gloriationem) or make his boast of them, as if their praises, or services, added any thing to him: it is his glory that he is infinitely happy without them.

2. Thence he infers how much less man is, how much less to be trusted in or gloried in. If there is such a distance between God and angels, what is there between God and man! See how man is represented here in his meanness.

(1.) Look upon man in his life, and he is very mean, v. 19. Take man in his best estate, and he is a very despicable creature in comparison with the holy angels, though honourable if compared with the brutes. It is true, angels are spirits, and the souls of men are spirits; but, [1.] Angels are pure spirits; the souls of men dwell in houses of clay: such the bodies of men are. Angels are free; human souls are housed, and the body is a cloud, a clog, to it; it is its cage; it is its prison. It is a house of clay, mean and mouldering; an earthen vessel, soon broken, as it was first formed, according to the good pleasure of the potter. It is a cottage, not a house of cedar or a house of ivory, but of clay, which would soon be in ruins if not kept in constant repair. [2.] Angels are fixed, but the very foundation of that house of clay in which man dwells is in the dust. A house of clay, if built upon a rock, might stand long; but, if founded in the dust, the uncertainty of the foundation will hasten its fall, and it will sink with its own weight. As man was made out of the earth, so he is maintained and supported by that which cometh out of the earth. Take away that, and his body returns to its earth. We stand but upon the dust; some have a higher heap of dust to stand upon than others, but still it is the earth that stays us up and will shortly swallow us up. [3.] Angels are immortal, but man is soon crushed; the earthly house of his tabernacle is dissolved; he dies and wastes away, is crushed like a moth between one's fingers, as easily, as quickly; one may almost as soon kill a man as kill a moth. A little thing will destroy his life. He is crushed before the face of the moth, so the word is. If some lingering distemper, which consumes like a moth, be commissioned to destroy him, he can no more resist it than he can resist an acute distemper, which comes roaring upon him like a lion. See Hos. v. 12-14. Is such a creature as this to be trusted in, or can any service be expected from him by that God who puts no trust in angels themselves?

(2.) Look upon him in his death, and he appears yet more despicable, and unfit to be trusted. Men are mortal and dying, v. 20, 21. [1.] In death they are destroyed, and perish for ever, as to this world; it is the final period of their lives, and all the employments and enjoyments here; their place will know them no more. [2.] They are dying daily, and continually wasting: Destroyed from morning to evening. Death is still working in us, like a mole digging our grave at each remove, and we so continually lie exposed that we are killed all the day long. [3.] Their life is short, and in a little time they are cut off. It lasts perhaps but from morning to evening. It is but a day (so some understand it); their birth and death are but the sun-rise and sun-set of the same day. [4.] In death all their excellency passes away; beauty, strength, learning, not only cannot secure them from death, but must die with them, nor shall their pomp, their wealth, or power, descend after them. [5.] Their wisdom cannot save them from death: They die without wisdom, die for want of wisdom, by their own foolish management of themselves, digging their graves with their own teeth. [6.] It is so common a thing that nobody heeds it, nor takes any notice of it: They perish without any regarding it, or laying it to heart. The deaths of others are much the subject of common talk, but little the subject of serious thought. Some think the eternal damnation of sinners is here spoken of, as well as their temporal death: They are destroyed, or broken to pieces, by death, from morning to evening; and, if they repent not, they perish for ever (so some read it), v. 20. They perish for ever because they regard not God and their duty; they consider not their latter end, Lam. i. 9. They have no excellency but that which death takes away, and they die, they die the second death, for want of wisdom to lay hold on eternal life. Shall such a mean, weak, foolish, sinful, dying creature as this pretend to be more just than God and more pure than his Maker? No, instead of quarrelling with his afflictions, let him wonder that he is out of hell.

CHAP. 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. (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 [illegible: 1 word] 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 [illegible: 1 word] ficto fucatáque carde fuiſſe, that he had b[illegible: 1 letter]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[illegible: 1 letter]a bathra Perech 1o. Let a man either get him ſuch friends as Job had, or elſe get him out of the world, (like as Chryſippus 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 [illegible: 1 word] in,Alex. Aphrod. problem. yet they will not endure to have it come neare their lips, when they have the [illegible: 1 word] ſome patients are mad againſt their medicines: and ſome hearers rage at a reprob[illegible: 2 letters] Eliph[illegible: 3 letters] 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 [illegible: 1 letter]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[illegible: 1 letter]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[illegible: 1 letter] 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[illegible: 1 letter]rdotum. Hilar. Should not the Phyſician firſt heal himſelf? and ought not the preachers word be Spe[illegible: 2 letters]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. [illegible: 1 letter] 14. This is an harder work then to raiſe the dead to life, ſaith Luther: this [illegible: 4 letters]ne of a thouſand can skill of, Job 33.23. he muſt have feeding lips, and an hea[illegible: 3 letters]g tongue that ſhall do it. O quam hoc non eſt omu[illegible: 1 letter] 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[illegible: 1 letter] upholden him that was falling] So forcible are right words, 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[illegible: 1 letter]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[illegible: 1 letter]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 [illegible: 1 letter]eed, nor quench the ſmoaking flax: hee H[illegible: 1 letter]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.[illegible: 1 letter]. 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[illegible: 1 letter]e known to all men, fith the Lord is at hand? Hypocrites can talk of duty, as if their tongues did run [illegible: 1 letter]p[illegible: 1 letter]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. Afflictio 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. 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. Men 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. 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. 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 onely 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[illegible: 1 letter]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. Onely 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[illegible: 1 letter]. 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[illegible: 1 letter]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[illegible: 2 letters]em Ore rejectante[illegible: 1 letter]m, ſt[illegible: 1 letter]ſque in ſanguine dentes.

A juſt hand of God upon ſuch as exerciſing regiment without righteouſneſſe, ravin and rend, as Lions greedy of their prey, plucking off the skins of their poor ſubjects, and pulling out their teeth;M[illegible: 1 letter]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. 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[illegible: 1 letter]l[illegible: 1 letter]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 onely 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.

Verſe 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. [non-Latin text not transcribed], 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. 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 or 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, 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 a 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, [non-Latin text not transcribed] 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. Hence 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; [non-Latin text not transcribed]. 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 [non-Latin text not transcribed], [non-Latin text not transcribed] cinis. Gen. 3.19. Gen. 18.21. Hor. Carm. l. 4. Od. 7. 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 [non-Latin text not transcribed], 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 womb of the grave. Eliphaz here ſeemeth to compare us to thoſe creatures called Ephemer[illegible: 1 letter]bii, which are young in the morning, middle-aged at non,Ariſtot. and dead [illegible: 1 word] 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[illegible: 1 letter] him off from all time of repentance, acceptation and grace for ever, ſince he could die but once onely, 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 [illegible: 1 letter]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. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. 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. and 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 [illegible: 1 word]. Now at death, this excellency of a man departeth, returneth to God that gave it, Ecleſiaſ [illegible: 1 letter].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, as 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. 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. which drowne mens ſoules in perdition and deſtruction?