Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4

CHAP. XXXII.

BEING now to enter upon the long oration of Elihu, continued six Chapters together, because no mention hath yet been made of him amongst other of Jobs friends; it is necessary to inquire how he came to be one amongst them, and when and upon what occasion he came, and who he was: For his coming, it is conceived, that it was after that he heard of the going of the other three by consent to visit Job, they being all Kings and wise men; he thought, that he would also go to hear their conferences, not doubting, but that he should hear many wise sentences uttered amongst them, whereby he might benefit his understanding: For his person, he is set forth by his name Elihu, signifying, He is my God: Olympiodorus saith, God hearing: But wherefore he interpreteth it so, I know not, it may also be rendered, He is my strength. An excellent name, and therefore the name of many of the people of God, as of the Grand-Father of Samuel, of a certain Prince of the Tribe of Manasseh, of the Nephew of Obed-Edom, and of the brother of David: And not only his name is set down, but more then is said of any of the other three, his stock whereof he came. The Son of Barachel, a Buzite of the kindred of Ram. Whereby it seemeth, that he was by Original a Son of Nahor, the Brother of Abraham: For his Sons are said to be Hus and Buz; so Philip, Necetas, Beda, but Gregory saith, That he is called a Buzite, from a City of the Ansitidan country, and this is more probable, because he is said after this, to be of the kindred of Ram therefore an Buzite, called from the City whereof haply he was Ruler: But some, and Jerome especially place the Ansitidan region in Idumea: Touching Ram, some think, that this was one name of Abraham, first called Ram, when he was in Uz of the Chaldees, then Abram after he was come out, and God promised to exalt him, for Abram signifieth an high Father. Lastly, Abraham a Father of many Nations, for this maketh the Cald. Pharaph. which hath it, Of the kindred of Abraham. And this is followed by Jerome, Beda, and Philippus: If the question be, whether he were not of the kindred of that Ram mentioned in the genealogy of David, who came of Pharez, it is answered, no; For that Ram lived long after Gregory • upon the Name, Country, and Kindred of Elihu, allegorizeth thus, Elihu, signifying He is my God. Is the name of this arrogant man, who had the knowledge of God indeed, and boasted not a little hereof, but by reason of his pride and self-conceitedness, he was a type of all such as lift up themselves, and are proud of their knowledge; for which [Note.] he is also said to be of the kindred of Ram, Excelsus, or High, for highmindednesse, and therefore though he were the Son of Barachel, signifying, Blessed of God, yet he is a Buzite, that is contemptible, for God despiseth the proud and giveth grace to the humble; and therefore it is to be noted, That when Job was bidden to sacrifice for the other three, no sacrificing for Elihu is spoken of, but Who is this, saith the Lord, that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Where in saying, Who is this? He speaketh as to reprobates at the last day: Depart ye workers of iniquity, I know you not. A man of excellent parts then to speak, although he be herein the Son of blessing, for his eloquence and ready utterance of things pertaining to the knowledge of God, yet if he be proud, is contemptible and vile in God's account, and one for whom there is no sacrifice, as there is for those, that have gone astray through error, but afterwards have been turned: For the words of v. 1. So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes: It is not meant that he was so indeed, but in their opinion, for he confessed that he had sinned divers times: Touching Elihu it is said also, that he was angry with Job because he justified himself, and with his friends because they found not what to say more against Job, whom they had all condemned to make good their assertion, and herein he did after the manner of a man that is proud of his wit and piety, he is offended at Job as taking more holiness upon him, and ascribed more to himself then he thought was fitting, in respect of all manner of virtues, and at his friends, as thought by him to be ignorant men in comparison of himself, so proud men think none so good or so wise as themselves, in [Note.] things pertaining to God and to religion, and who so doth thus is a follower of Elihu.

Then Elihu said, I am young and ye are very old, therefore I durst not show mine opinion. Here he beginneth as if he had been full of humility, as he was younger in years, so being willing rather to hear his Elders speak, then to speak himself, which is a thing commendable in young men, but under this cloak of words lay hid much pride and vain glory, for he presently discovereth what he was, viz. one that thought himself wiser then they all, for he saith, There is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the almighty giveth understanding.

Great men are not always wise, neither do the aged understand judgment: For of pride and vain glory saith Gregory, there be four sorts.

First, When a man thinketh that he hath the wisdom that is in him, from himself, as he, whom the Apostle put in mind, saying, What hast thou, that thou hast not received? &c.

Secondly, when he acknowledgeth that it cometh from God; but that he was worthy of it; as the Pharisee that thanked God that he was not as the Publican, contrary to whom, as Paul, who said, by the Grace of God I am that I am.

Thirdly, when he thinketh that he hath more in him then he hath, as the Angel of the Church of Laodicea, who said that he was rich and wanted nothing, yet he was poor, miserable, blind, and naked.

Fourthly, When he thinketh himself wiser then all other men, in two of which Elihu grossly faulted, for he ascribed more to himself then was in him, and despised the wisdom of others in comparison of his own, as the Pharisee also did, preferring himself: And this is to do like the Devil, who would ascend up on high above the other Angels, and set his throne besides the Throne of God, but he had a fearful fall, and so shall all the Proud have.

Least ye should say we have found out wisdom, God thrusteth him down and not man. Vulg. Deus projecit eam, & non homo. But Hebr. it is him, and the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth, hath reproached him; the meaning is, Elihu would now speak, and desireth to be heard by the other three, least they should think that it was not want of wisdom to answer Job that made them now silent, but they seeing that by no words of men he would have his mouth stopped, ceased therefore to speak anymore, because they would leave him to God, who alone could cast him down: Thus Isidorus.

Now he hath not directed his words against me, neither will I answer him with your speeches. Herein saith Gregory, he rightly personeth a proud hearer, who takes nothing as spoken to him, but all against the sins of other men. All the Preacher spareth not to speak against his pride, as well as against the Errors of others, for he will not believe that he is proud, but humble, and thinks himself wiser then his Teacher: For his not answering in their words, it is meant, being applied also to the arrogant in the Church, by maintaining such opinions as Heretics who are without the Church do, and opposing the truths taught in the Church by words, but by Deeds, wherein they go contrary to that which the Church teacheth from time to time.

Elihu makes a kind of rhetorical flourish, wherein he showeth Eloquence, but little matter worth the speaking upon: Whereas N. Tr. hath these words, v. 17. I will show mine opinion, the vul. hath it, I will show my knowledge▪ whereupon Greg. saith the arrogant love to speak, not for the benefit of the hearer, but show to his knowledge, of which he is most proud: But for this he is like unto a vessel without a cover, touching which the Law saith, that it shall be counted unclean, so the man that putteth himself forth to speak, that he may show all the knowledge that is in him, and keepeth not rather a cover hereupon, is judged for this to be proud, and so unclean, for it is our duty to be swift to hear, slow to speak, and not be many Masters for fear of the greater condemnation: Thus He and the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 indeed signifieth my knowledge. But to utter a man's knowledge for the Edification of others, as the faithful Pastors of the Church do, is not pride, but zeal; for so he that desireth to be a Bishop, desireth a worthy work, viz. For the diligent teaching that is in such an one required, and accordingly Timothy is exhorted to preach the word, and to be instant in season and out of season.

For I am full of matter, the spirits within me constraineth me, my belly is like wine, that hath no vent, it is ready to burst like new bottles. A most high degree of pride in a young man thus to arrogate to himself as if he were a Prophet like Jeremiah, who used some such words of himself or an Apostle, for of the Apostles it is said, New Wine must be put in new vessels, otherwise they will burst: Whereas Gregory saith, that all this came from pride in Elihu, Chrisost. contrariwise praiseth him that having so much matter to utter he could so long contain himself from speaking out o • modesty and reverence to his Elders: But Chrisost, was herein in an Error, as may be gathered from the censure of GOD spoken of before; Only Vers. 21. 22. He saith well, that for respect of persons he would not use flattering titles, for so he should endanger himself to be by God cut off, who is offended at it, when a man is to teach and to set forth his truth, and to call sin in whomsoever.

CHAP. XXXIII.

HERE Elihu after the Exordium going before in general to them all, pitcheth singularly upon Job, stirring him up with patience and attention to hear him, verse. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. As he hath done before, Chap. 32. So he goeth on still, saith Gregory, in the loftiness of his mind to speak to Job in a magesteriall manner, as if he were far above him in Wisdom, and Job were not able to reason with him, whereas he saith, verse 2. My tongue hath spoken in my mouth, He meaneth that he would not speak clamourously, but as it were whisperingly to his ear in secret, then commending himself he saith, v. 3. My words shall be of the uprightness of my Heart, &c. V. 4. The spirit of the Lord hath made me, & the spirit of the Lord hath given me life. V. 6. I am formed out of the clay. In speaking which, he showeth that he was not ignorant of the manner of God's making man at the first, as it is set forth by Moses.

Thou hast said I am clean without transgression, neither is there iniquity in me. Here he beginneth to object against Job that which he had in part spoken in way of Apology to clear himself from the evil imputations laid by his friends, upon him, but not taking them in the sense wherein he spake, he vainly reproved him therefore: For Job spake thus only in regard of his great and grievous sufferings, which by doing injustice or wrong, or living in any gross sins, he had not deserved, as the Lord himself acknowledged, Chap. 2. • elling the Devil that he had stirred him up against Job without cause, so that by his punishments it was no part of the Lord's meaning to lay Job open to be a notorious sinner under the vale of piety and holiness, of which he made formerly so great a show, but only to try his faith, and patience, that the Devil might finally be confounded, and Job again more exalted.

Behold in this thou art not just, I will answer thee that God is greater then man: That is, this cannot be righteously spoken, because all men are sinners before God, and therefore being less righteous and GOD greater in righteousness, wisdom, and power, none can without sin, when they suffer, plead their innocence, or freedom from iniquity, and therefore the Righteous being smitten, should rather in silence suffer being persuaded of the righteousness of that great Judge in all his proceedings, who judgeth no man but for reasons known to himself, although unknown to man, and not cry out as being too harshly dealt withal, which indeed is true, but misapplied to Job, who cried not out, as conceiving the contrary, but being necessitated hereunto by the erroneous surmises and inferences made upon his sufferings, by these three men to render him odious to the world, as a notorious sinner.

Why strivest thou against him? for he giveth not account of his matters: For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet men perceive it not. Here Elihu showeth, how vain Job was in desiring to reason with God, as thinking if he could come to talk with him, he should soon bring him to say, that he had dealt too harshly with him, or that notwithstanding all these his Sufferings, he accounted him righteous, and would tell him the reason why he thus judged him; and so withdraw his hand from him again, and restore him to a prosperous estate. For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet men perceive it not. The vul. God speaketh once and will not repeat it the second time, Heb. He will not Cantare, sing it twice, For it is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and the meaning is, he speaketh in his word, and what he hath said therein, we must in all cases look at and not think further to be particularly satisfied by extraordinary answers whensoever we desire, but by the answers that God hath made to others, we are to learn his will towards us: As when Paul having a prick in the flesh; the buffetings of Satan, touching which he sought unto the Lord, he had answer, My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. At this he must look that is afflicted, who is a true servant of God as he was, and be herein comforted, and likewise in all other cases, we my find what God hath once spoken, and this is all the speaking for our satisfaction, that we must expect moreover, as Gregory saith, God's speaking is by his Son JESUS CHRIST: So that when he took flesh his word came into the world, as he is by John called, and although he had formerly spoken divers ways, yet now this is his only speaking, or by his speaking once we may understand the immutability of God, both in his word, and decree, and works, he reverseth nothing unless it be upon repentance and turning from sin he spareth men from the judgments threatened, whilst they live in this world, but look what he shall speak in way of judging at the last day, shall never be reversed of God's speaking once, yea twice, see Ps. 62. 11. whereas he saith, in the present Tence, God speaketh; If it be doubted how this can be understood of the word of God, which was not yet written; or of Christ or his sentencing of men at the last day: It is easily answered, with God there is difference of times; for all are present unto him, and therefore he speaketh in the present of things future.

In a vision, in a dream, when deep sleep falleth upon men; in slumbering upon the bed. Having said, that God speaketh once, now he showeth the divers ways of his speaking, yet whatsoever he saith any of these ways is but more fully to set forth the same things that he plainly speaketh for our instruction and learning in other places: Thus Abraham had God's will revealed to him by vision, and other Prophets had visions, and Joseph had dreams, yea Pharaoh had his dream also, and Nebuchadnezzar, and Belshazzar a vision, but things to come were herein set forth so darkly, that none but Joseph and Daniel could intepret them: but of speaking by Dreams and in the dark of the night a man being asleep in bed, the means of coming to have divine Revelations made unto men, saith Gregory, is set forth, and the dark revealing of things unto them in this world: For as a man in sleep hath his senses bound up, so the senses must be a sleep, as it were, and the desire to earthly things in him; that would understand heavenly, the mind must [Note.] not be set on things below, but on things above, from the cares of the world he must be sequestered and at rest as a man in bed, as Moses went from the Congregation up to the Mount, and being alone with God had his will revealed unto him, and he went likewise to the Ark, to consult with him thereabout from time to time. And when these ways or any other men know all that they can whilst they live here, they know but in part, and see but as in the night in comparison of that, which God knoweth touching the causes and ends of his doings in all things, and of the knowledge shall be in the life to come to all the faithful.

Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man: That is, when the mind is quiet from the noise of worldly tumults, which hindered them from hearing; then the Ears of their minds are opened, and they are reformed by his chastisements, as by most profitable discipline, that is, as in vulgar, Deliver him from pride. The meaning is; man being thus instructed by chastisement, is hereby withdrawn from the evil works, which he practiced before, and consequently from pride, which what it is else, but for a man to lift up himself in disobedience against God in refusing to be subject to him by living according to his commandments.

He keepeth back his Soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword. Here is the benefit of divine discipline by chastisements, as followeth by way of explication.

He is chastened with pain upon his bed, &c. Where by Bed, Gregory underderstandeth, pleasures of sin wherein a man lieth as upon a bed, but being by chastisement healed of the corruption making him to do so, he riseth and taketh up his bed and walketh, as it is said to the disceased man whom Christ healed, which he doth, that instead of living anymore in sinful pleasure, putteth his shoulders under the burden of toilsome labor, in suffering for his manfull resisting of sin. So that his life abhorreth bread, and his Soul dainty meat: His flesh is consumed away that it cannot be seen, And his bones stick out that were not seen his Soul draweth near to the Grave, &c. Here Elihu goeth on to show the great afflictions, whereby God disciplineth some to bring them to his Kingdom. They are so si • k and weak that their stomach quite faileth them, and so their flesh is wasted, and they come even to the brink of the pit of death. From hence that of Ps. 107. 18. seemeth to be taken: Gregory saith, that hereby the benefit coming by afflictions is shown, for thus they that before took delight in vain pleasures of this world, were so mortified unto them, that they abhorred from them all, feeding upon Godly sorrow and pensiveness in thinking upon them. For by bread Christ is sometime set forth, sometime the Doctrine of the word, sometime the grace of spiritual gifts, satisfying and refreshing the Soul; as where the Prophet saith, He that stops his Ears that that he may not hear blood, and shutteth his eyes that he may not see evil, he shall dwell in the high places, and bread shall be given to him. For what is it to stop a man's ears from hearing blood, but from being lead by the temptations of flesh and blood; and what is this bread, that shall be given to such a man, but the refreshing of spiritual grace? Sometime the doctrine of Heretics, as the Harlot representing them, saith, Hidden Bread is sweet. Sometime any corporal food, so sometime by bread is set forth carnal pleasure, as Lament. 1. A people sighing and mourning seeketh bread. That is, The delights of this life; by the flesh wasting, and bones not [Note.] seen before appearing, is also allegorically meant the same fleshly pleasure, which by affliction weareth away, and then the strength of grace set forth by bones, that could not before be seen, appeareth: For till sufferings come, it is unknown what grace is in a man, but then it is manifested, as in the Apostles being scourged and charged not to Preach anymore in the name of Jesus, then their strength in grace shown itself by their answering; We must rather obey God then you. And in that they went away rejoicing. Lastly he is said to draw near to the Grave, because by afflictions men are humbled and see into their own wickednesses, which they did not before, and how worthy are to be proceeded against in all severity and rigor, so that if they were dealt withal according to their deserts, they must needs be destroyed.

If there be a messenger with him, an Interpreter, one of a thousand, to show him his uprightness. Then he is gracious to him, and saith, Deliver him from going into the pit, I have found a ransom. Vulg. If there be an Angel speaking for him, one of the like things, that he may declare the equity of man, he will have pity on him. By Gregory expounded of Christ thus, A poor man being brought so low, as hath been said, by the sight and sense of his sins, if the Angel of the covenant, that is, Christ speaks for him, who is like unto man in one thing only altogether, and although he were also in other things alike, there was great difference betwixt him and other men: The one thing, wherein he was altogether like was, in that he was a very man, consisting of Soul and Body as man doth; borne of a woman and mortal, the things wherein he was not like, he was conceived by the overshadowing of the holy Ghost, and without sin, most holy born of a Virgin, he laid down his life, and at his own will took it up again. And this Angel speaks for sinful man repenting and believing in him, both by his blood shed for him; which as the Apostle saith, speaks better things then the blood of Abel: And by his prayer, John. 17. for his declaring of the equity or righteousness of man, that was by becoming our Righteousness, for he was made of God unto us Wisdom, righteousness, &c. For we have none of our own, but when we come by faith to be made one with him, his righteousness is made ours, none of our sins being now imputed unto us: For the next words; Then he is gracious to him, and saith, Deliver him that is going into the pit, &c. The difference in the Translations is little, and herein Christ is set forth, speaking to the Father, deliver the wretched man before spoken of, being near to the Grave, let him not die eternally, that is so turned from all pleasure-taking in sin, that he mourneth and is sorry therefore, and confesseth himself worthy to die, let not such an one die eternally, but save him, for I have paid his ransom in dying for him.

Hitherto Gregory, and the Vulg. followed by him, but the Vulg. since goeth thus, If there be an Angel speaking for him, one of a thousand; That he may declare the equity of man. Wherein it agreeth well with the Hebrew, for the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth both, one speaking and an Interpreter, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 An Angel or messenger. But haply Gregory's copy was false printed, Unus de similibus, being put for, Unus de mille. Whereby he was lead so to expound it; yet take we it rightly, a Speaker or Interpreter one of a thousand, it may be expounded of Christ, who is said by the Preacher to be one of a thousand: For when a man afflicted is brought so low in himself, as hath been said; he is to know that there is an Angel, a comforter above all Angels, said to be one of a thousand; wherein a certain number is put, for an uncertan, a very great number, as the Angels are said to be twenty times ten thousand; and who can this be but Christ often set forth by his name, as Mal. 4. The Angel of the Covenant; and Revel 12. 7. Michael and his Angels, and Jude's Epistle, Michael the Archangel, or Prince of Angels: Neither can any mere Angel be so called, One as God. As Michael signifieth, and Prince of Angels. For although there be orders of Angels, some Archangels, some Angels, yet of the highest order, there is not any one above the rest of his order; so that of any such it cannot be said, one of a thousand▪ The Angel then here spoken of, is neither an Angel by nature, as the Jesuits now teach, grounding hereupon the invocation of Angels, and consequently of Saints departed: For Gregory the great Bishop of Rome, as great in learning as he was, could not find any other Angel here commended unto us, but Christ: Whence note by the way, how far the Church of Rome is degenerated now from that, which it was most anciently; that none may be deceived by the pretence of antiquity: And by the judgment of the same Gregory, the main Tenet of Papists, that the Bishop of Rome is Episcopus Episcoporum, the head of the Church, and of all the Bishops thereof, and Christ's Vicar, that cannot err, is a plain making of him Antichrist, or the forerunner of Antichrist: For so in his Epistle to John Arch-Bishop of Constantinople, he saith, That whosoever taketh upon him to be universal Bishop, and Bishop of Bishops, is either Antichrist for this his pride, or his forerunner: But to leave this, the Angel here spoken of is not a Minister of the Gospel; who because he is a messenger of God, for this his office is called an Angel of the Lord, Mal. 2. 7. and Revel. 1. 2. 3. For although such an one be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 an Interpreter, or Legate, or Embassador, as the word signifieth, and so Philip was to the Eunuch, and we saith Paul, As the Ambassadors of God. Yet that which is added, one of a thousand, agreeth to none but Christ, he then is the Elocutor and Interlocutor and Interpreter, above all others speaking aloud for us miserable sinners, and speaking betwixt God and us, both by his blood and prayer, as was before said; and interpreting the will of God unto us, and his most hidden mysteries, according to that, No man hath seen God at any time, but his only begotten Son hath revealed him. But Calvin and Junius, by the Interpreter here spoken of, understand a faithful Preacher, who is a rare man, and therefore called one of a thousand, that applieth the promises of the Gospel, to the comforting of one that is brought so low, as is before said; whom so doing and declaring to him being troubled about his sins, his righteousness by Christ, he ought to believe and to be comforted herein, and then it shall be so unto him indeed, and Christ's blood shall be his ransom: Again, this seemeth to make that of the Psalmist, saying, Great was the company of Preachers. And at the first there were twelve Apostles, and twelve more sent out to preach; yet admitting that touching Christ, as the principal thing intended here, his Ministers, which are as he for the comforting of a troubled Soul, are not to be excluded: And all this from, Vers. 19. to Vers. 24. seemeth to be spoken for the comfort of Job, if by confessing his sins and repenting in this low ebb of misery, he would take into the way of comfort: Whereby it appeareth, that Elihu, although conceited of himself and his own wisdom, spake by the spirit of God, and that about the greatest mystery of our Salvation: So that his speeches are to be thought none otherwise of, then as parcels of the holy Scriptures, from which as from other parts, excellent instructions may be gathered for our enlightening and comfort.

His flesh shall be fresher then the flesh of a child, he shall return to the days of his youth. That is, A poor distressed man being thus comforted by Christ is renewed, as it were, again in his age, through the grace of regeneration, as the Eagle reneweth his age by casting his bill: For so is everyone converted to the faith of Christ, being born again of the incorruptible seed of the word to endure so forever.

He shall pray to God, and he shall be favorable to him, and he shall see his face with joy, for he will render unto man his righteousness. That is, Being renewed, as is afore said, he shall pray and be accepted, and finally see him as he is in everlasting glory; and that for the righteousness of the man Christ, the Intercessor before spoken of: Others may pray, that live still in sin, and not be accepted of, nor ever come to see his face, but be shut out from his presence; notwithstanding their making of many prayers unto him.

He looketh upon men, and if any man saith, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not: He will deliver his Soul from going into the pit, and his Soul shall see the light. This is the same in effect with that of the Apostle, If we confess our sins, he is faithful to forgive them. As the Prodigal also found it true, And David after that he had sinned, and herein he looks back again to Vers. 18. He keepeth his Soul from the pit. The vulg. Looking at men he saith, I have sinned. And so it is Hebr. And the meaning according to Gregory is; The man that repenteth him of his sins, looketh at the examples of Godly men, living before him, and finding how unlike his ways are to the ways of such men, he is humbled therefore, and confesseth his wickedness: And this argueth one, that now beginneth to have his eyes opened, as they were not before, but blind: For till that his eyes be opened, he seeth nothing in himself, of which he hath need to repent, but now he seeth the foulness of his sins, and therefore his heart is against them, and set to live righteously: And this is the beginning of righteousness in him, that was [Note.] wicked before; but there are many who confess, that they are sinners, but yet are not hereby proved to be righteous, because, if any man reproveth them therefore, they are angry with him, for how doth he repent, although he confess, that is not willing to hear wherein he hath sinned, by another in any particular, but defendeth and stiffly justifieth himself: Such then confess their sins, but believe not that they are sinners, they think by confessing there sins, to be adorned, not to be humble, to seem penitent persons, not to be: For the next words, And it profited me not. The vulg. hath, I receivid not as I was worthy; the word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 To adequate: So that it may be rendered as well equally, as I deserved, as it profited not, as the word also signifieth, and the Vulg. is rather to be preferred, because the true penitent person doth not only confess, that no profit cometh to him by sinning, but hurt, but also that the evil which he suffereth in this world, how great soever it be, is not so great yet as he deserveth: He that doth not so, is not truly penitent, although before he suffereth, he confesseth himself to be a sinner and worthy of all judgments; yet when he cometh to suffering, anl so is tried, he showeth that he was never truly penitent, because he murmureth, and why doth [Note.] he murmur, but because he thinks himself punished, not less, but more then he deserveth, as none truly penitent do. Touching Vers. 28. The word is to be understood of the Convert, who delivers his Soul, when by his will he worketh with the grace of God in thus repenting.

Lee all these things worketh God oftentimes with man. To bring back his Soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living. The vulg. For often times, hath it, Three times, and Hebr. it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Three times. Whereupon Gregory excellently saith, that there be three degrees of perplexities and troubles, through which God bringeth such men as shall be saved.

First, of leaving the sins wherein they have formerly so long lived, [ 1] which is at the time of the conversion of a sinner, for it must needs be grievous to one that hath lived and delighted long in any sin, to leave and loath it, as was noted upon v. 20. the man converted doth, it was as meat and drink unto him before, how hard therefore for him to part with it, and to make tears his meat for it, to mingle his drink with weeping, for when he thinks of turning the pleasure which he took in his former conversation comes to his mind, and the longer he hath lived therein, the faster it holdeth him. Here then ariseth grief and anxiety in the mind; the spirit calling him away from these pleasures, the flesh calling back to them: on the one side the love of a new conversation inviteth him, on the other the use of the old perverse one impugneth it, on this side the love of the heavenly country burtheneth in him, on that the carnal concupiscence in himself slayeth him: For the great pain and trouble that is in leaving sin, Christ compareth it to the cutting off of the right hand, or plucking out of the right eye, which on how great a smart and pain it is: Thus much for the first.

The second, is in time of temptation, that followeth sometime after conversion, before the strong man armed keeps the house in quiet, but now [ 2] being expelled, he laboreth by all means to enter again and repossess it; as it is said of the evil spirit gone out of a man he cometh with seven more worse then himself to enter again: And now the Devil by his Assaults most grievously terrifieth and troubleth the Soul, and conscience of a man, to the making of him to pine away in his flesh, so that his bones stick out, as verse. 21. Which two degrees are notably figured out in the Children of Israel coming out of Egypt, and after that, wandering in the Wilderness: Their coming out of Egypt was full of trouble and anguish, because so soon, as Moses moved for it; they were by Pharaoh more harshly used, then ever before: After they were come out, for a time the Lord used them gently, and would not lead them that way; in which they should see war for a time, least they should be discouraged, but having brought them through the Red Sea, and making them to see the Egyptians drowned and cast up upon the shore, soon after they were diversely assaulted and troubled, many things fell out that made them to murmur, and upon their murmuring they were macerated and consumed by divers judgments forty years together.

The third degree of perplexity is, when death draweth near; for then a [ 3] man considereth that he is near the time of giving account of all his doings before a most strict judge and if he knoweth anything in himself, he is sure that God knoweth more, and if he knoweth nothing, yet God may know something; as Paul saith, that he knew nothing by himself, yet was he not herein justified; for no man liveth so strictly, but, but he must needs acknowledge, that he is not yet without all sin, seeing James saith, In many things we sin all: and John, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. And this perplexeth him greatly, he being not for this reason certain whether he shall be accepted or not, and this third is touched upon, verse. 22. but after this before a man departs out of this life, God cometh by his spirit and fully enlighteneth him, so that he beginneth already to partake of the joys of Heaven, as is concluded, Vers. 28. His life seeth light, when having prayed and humbled himself, again the light of God's countenance is lifted up upon him: And it is to be noted, that his life shall see light, not his death, for none dead in sin have this privilege, but the living and before perplexed and troubled, as hath been said. For the words following, Vers. 32. &c. Elihu having hitherto spoken most divinely, showeth himself again as he was, although inspired to speak thus for our Good and Instruction, yet a palpable Brag-adochian, and full of pride and vain-glory.

CHAP. XXXIIII.

THe ear tasteth words as the palate meat: Of this see before in the words of Job, Chapt. 12. 11. And this Elihu speaketh to prepare those that were willing enough to hear him, viz. Jobs three friends, whom he calleth wise men, v. 2. Desiring them to consider of what he was further about to say, and hereby to judge of Job whether he did not from his own words justly accuse himself for wicked, or no, as they also before had done, but yet seemed since, by more words uttered by Job, to have their mouths stopped.

Let us choose to us judgment, let us know amongst ourselves what is good: Here the proud man, that he might seem to have some humility in him, joineth himself with the other three, and like other Teachers, that be proud, [Note.] do sometimes speak words of humility, although in their hearts they lift up themselves above all others, and therefore this acquitteth them not from pride and arrogancy; whereas he saith, verse. 5. Job hath said, I am righteous, God hath taken away my judgment: Should I lie against my right? my wounds are incurable without my transgression. What the words of Job were, see Chap. 13. 18. I know I shall be justified, Chapt. 23. 10. When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold, Chap. 27. 2, As God liveth who hath removed my cause. Vers. 4. My lips shall not speak iniquity, nor my tongue deceit, &c. And in what sense they were spoken, and it will easily appear that Elihu foully perverted them, and so goeth upon an imaginary ground in his invectives against Job.

What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water? Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, &c. Wherein he bewrayeth himself not to be humble or a true Teacher, like Paul, not desirous by his speaking, if Job had said anything amiss, to bring him to repentance therefore, but one of a large conscience, that would lay more to his charge then he had spoken, and desirous rather to commend his own wit then to edify his hearer: For Paul writing to the Corinthians, in whom he had some things to reprove; beginneth first with their high commendations, and then proceedeth to reproof: But the proud Teacher omitting all the good things [Note.] that be in his Auditors, falleth upon some things only, that are amiss in them, taunting them most insolently hereby, which is the way rather to exasperate and harden them against his Reproofs, though just, then to bring them to amendment; Whereas commending that which is good in them. First maketh such away to reprove Evil, that their hearts being hereby now to love him, they can hardly do any other at his reproofs, but be ashamed and amend whatsoever is amiss in them: The like course also doth the same Apostle take, 1 Cor. 11. 2. When he would reprove some other abuses in them: For the vile taunt wherewith he taunted him, by the scorning wherein he was so ready as one that drinks in water, he meaneth his deriding of such as reproved him, and so walked with the wicked, as Psal. 1. the ungodly are noted to do.

For he saith, It profitetb a man nothing, if he should delight himself with God:

This also was not any of Jobs speeches, but gathered herefrom falsely by Elihu, to make his case the more odious, upon these his speeches so wrested, he falleth to the vindicating of God from all unrighteousness, and showeth it to be a gross fault to impute any unto him, Verse 10, 11, &c. 18, 19. In saying, There is no iniquity in God; but he rendereth, the work of man to him, and dealeth by everyone according to his ways: This is in part true, but if God's dealing in this world be meant; the other part of his speech is false: For there be righteous men, saith Solomon, to whom it falleth out as to the wicked, and wicked men to whom it cometh as to the righteous, although in the World to come, indeed everyone shall surely be rewarded according to his works: If he would herein have spoken truly, he should rather as Gregory noteth, have said; There is no iniquity in God, although he doth not render to everyone according to his works in this World. For that which is not by us understood, is not produced out of unjust balances, his judgments are unsearchable, and his ways past finding out.

God will not condemn without cause, nor subvert judgment. This is also most true, but by Elihu misapplied, for it is one thing to condemn and another to afflict, seeing we are afflicted, that we may not be condemned, but being corrected be saved; as both Solomon teacheth, and Heb. 12. 9.

For who hath given him a charge over the Earth, and who hath disposed the whole World? That is, None hath thus done, but of his own will he made all things in a most excellent manner, and therefore he doubtless ruleth and ordereth all things, touching men most righteously.

If he setteth his heart upon man, if he draweth his spirit and breath unto him. All flesh shall soon fail, and return to ashes together. God setteth his heart upon man, saith Gregory, when he hath a mind to save him, then he draweth his spirit and breath unto him, by making him to look up only to God, and to the things of his Kingdom, and saith, Spirit and breath. Denoting hereby his inward cogitations and outward actions, because the breath is drawn by the organs of the body, which are outward; and so both in the thoughts of his heart and all his actions, he is wholly intent to him, to which when he is come, The flesh faileth. That is, Whosoever is fleshly is brought under, and the body of sin burnt, as it were, by the fire of the spirit into ashes, and so having no more strength: To express which Jeremiah saith, After that thou turnest me, I repented, and when thou shewedst me I smote upon my thigh. For what is it for a man to smite upon his thigh, but to subdue carnal concupiscence: Some take these words as spoken to prove, that God doth not deal unjustly or harshly with men, because if he would set himself thus to do, and not rule rather according to mercy, then according to his power, his might is such, as that as he gave man breath and life at the first, so he can easily withdraw it again, and when he hath done so, what is any man, but one failing and ceasing anymore to be a man, yea because now very dust; as the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth: According to the other exposition, these words: If he setteth his heart upon him. Are understood of man, setting his heart upon God, according to this; if God setteth his heart upon it, that is, upon this thing without regard of mercy as well as justice to destroy man, his breath would soon be gone and he turned to dust: And this is to be preferred, as best agreeing with the words before going.

Shall he that hateth right, govern? Wilt thou condemn him that is most just? Vulg. Can he be healed that loveth not judgment, and how dost thou so greatly condemn him that is just? The Hebr. is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifying either Dominari, or alligare, to bind up. As the Surgeon bindeth up a wound to heal it, and the other words are, Hating judgment, So that it may either be understood of God, and as spoken to the same effect that he spake before, or of man suffering by the stroke of God, but because the next words are: Wilt thou condemn him that is most just? Hebr. Very just. I rather take it to be spoken of God to clear him from all aspersion of injustice: And then these words serve to convince him of too great arrogancy, that dareth thus to challenge God. And this is further proved, Vers. 18. Is is fit to say to a King, Thou art wicked, &c. By an argument, A minore ad majus, and if not to a King, much less to God, in justifying of a man's self, but the Vulg. rendereth this also; Who saith to a King, an apostata. but Hebr. it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 where 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is not of an Interrogation, and cannot be rendered Who, but whether or no is any man so bold with a King to say, Thou art wicked. The word Hebr. is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 one without a yoke, Belial, or if 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 be taken for a particle demonstrative, denoting him that was spoken of before, it may be rendered after these words most just, he saith to the King wicked. It is he that thou censurest, for whom it is free to condemn the highest amongst men, even Kings and Princes, but for opening the mouth against him, it were extreme madness in any man to do it, if he dareth to do it, he shall be sure to hear of it from him; and that therefore he is Belial, although he be a King, as thou Job hast been, if it be taken the other way, it is not true, for some men have been so bold, as to call a King so, and to tell him, Thou hast done foolishly: As Samuel did Saul, and Elijah Ahab.

How much less to him, that accepteth not the person of Prinees. Where the former words are in a smaller print, intimating that they are not in Hebr. But supplied by the Translators, to make the sense good, according to the rendering of Vers. 18. But leave we them out as the Vulg. doth, and read it, That accepteth not, &c. And then it is a reason, why he is no less bold to charge Kings with wickedness, then other men, being all his creatures, as well the highest as the lowest.

In a moment they shall die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without hand. that is, The highest are of so little strength, if God cometh to smite them, that they die suddenly, At midnight, That is, in the darkness of ignorance and the dead sleep of sin, as it is with men commonly at midnight; so the foolish rich man in the Gospel, heard a voice saying to him; Thou fool, this night will they fetch away thy Soul from thee. And the Bridegroom cometh at midnight, and in Egypt the first born were slain at midnight, and the host of Sannacherib; and because the wicked are always passing on in this way throughout all their lives, it is said not Transibunt, saith Gregory; That is, They shall pass, but Pertransibunt, They shall pass through, and the mighty shall be taken away without hand. That is, Without seeing the hand that smiteth them; which is a divine force, invisibly cutting asunder the thread of their lives in a moment, as with their wicked hands to be seen, imbrued in blood, have through their power taken away and spoiled others. If any shall think that he may lie hid and so escape this severity, it is resolved no, the blackest darkness of midnight shall not hide him.

For he will not lay upon man more then right, that he should enter into judgment with God. Vulg. For it is no more in the power of man, that he should come to God to judgment. Hebr. He will not put upon man anymore, for it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 To come into judgment with God. In expounding this, Gregory is very large, by man's coming into judgment with God, understanding that judgment, of which the Apostle saith; If ye would judge yourselves, ye should not be judged. And this is when a man keepeth court, as it were, in his own conscience, examining his evil doings, acknowledging them and condemning himself therefore, and suffering by extreme grife and sorrow in his mind for them; For in him that judgeth himself as he should, there is nothing wanting that is in a Court of justice; for the conscience accuseth, and heapeth up all the evils that a man hath done against himself, reason condemneth him, and fear bindeth him, and grief tormenteth him: If the words be thus understood, they must be taken as a prescription of a remedy against the miseries, that they shall be in, that die in darkness, sleeping as at midnight securely in their sins. That man that would not have it fall out thus unto him, must prevent that judgment, when all men shall be brought before God to judgment, by coming into judgment with him whilst he liveth here: And then this is as if he had said, whereas now man hath done evil; and no evil that he doth, lieth hid from God: This is all that God putteth upon him therefore, or requireth at his hands, that he may escape Destruction, that will otherwise suddenly come, viz. To come speedily into judgment with God, by judging himself, as hath been said: For further illustration whereof he saith, that this tormenting of ourselves by sorrow for our sins, was figured out by the fire which the Priests were commanded to kindle every morning in the Tabernacle, and to keep it continually burning; for so he that would [Note.] escape Hell fire, ought first in the morning to set himself awork about judging himself for his sins, and so mourn daily for them: And as Jeremy being in the Dungeon was bidden to put Ropes under his Arms, and old rags, that he might be lifted out and not perish there; so he that would be lifted out of the dark dungeon of sins, must take the help of God's Laws, binding them about him, rhat looking hereat be may be put to pain and sorrow, considering his miserable Estate through his breaking of them, which are so harsh, and so terribly threaten sinners, and be heaved up hereby out of this dungeon by having now more regard unto them, to live according to them; and that he may not be pained and pierced hereby unto desperation, look at old Examples of the Faithful, and how many of them have fallen and been judged and yet have had mercy again extended unto them, and so have been set in a salutiferous Estate: Thus Gregory by allegorizing, which because it is for mattr most true and useful for us, I have thus largely set down. But for the literal meaning, it is, that wicked men are not to expect further warning, before that God cometh into judgment with them to cut them off; which as he said before, shall be done suddenly, and not after the manner of men, that keep Courts of justice, apprehending, and committing and setting a day to judge Malefactors; then hearing Witnesses and pleadings, and so proceeding to judge them: And this Elihu speaketh, because Job had desired that he might come to the Throne of God, and plead his cause with him: And thus understood, we may note that now is all the time that God giveth unto man to repent; that he may escape his judgments, he will give [Note.] him no more warning by a judicial proceeding in time: But if he expecteth this, and so delayeth; he shall be deceived, and feel his stroke to his everlasting destruction before he seeth it coming, and who then is so hard hearted as not to be awakened hereby from his security to speedy repentance: Some will have the meaning to be, that God in judging men will lay no more to their charge then he justly can: Some that God hath not put it into the power of man to come and bear a part with him in judging what is fit for him to do.

He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead: As at the day of judgment innumerable men shall be cast away and broken with God's just judgments, which shall be done openly and visibly, and others received into his Kingdom, so it is now daily done, although we see it not so plainly; many that seem to be strong in Faith and Grace, either have it not in truth or fall away and perish, but others being before void of Grace, are converted, and so are set instead of them into the state of Grace and Salvation. As the Jews being rejected the Gentiles were taken into God's favor in their stead, and Judas was broken in pieces, but the thief upon the Cross, was healed and saved.

Therefore he knoweth their works and overturneth them in the night, that they are destroyed: Because God is said before to break multitudes in pieces, and he is most just; it appeareth, that he knoweth their most secret evil works, and when they know not or are not aware of it, he overthroweth them therefore. And here Gregory noteth, that the might setteth forth sin, and that by sinning men are blinded, one sin being by God's judgment, made unto them the cause of another, whereof yet they have no perceivance anymore, then a man can see colors in a dark night; and by being filled with all manner of sin and wickedness, they come to be overthrown in regard of grace, and so are destroyed everlastingly: As the Gentiles being darkened first by idolatry, were after given over to a reprobate sense: And this is the case of Believers under the Gospel, even innumerable Christians are broken in pieces, according to the phrase used, Vers. 24. For even of them many be called, but few chosen, which was before by Jeremiah, saying; The days come, that the City shall be built unto the Lord, by the Tower of Hananeel, to the gate of the corner: And the measuring line shall go over against it by the hill Gareb: the vul. Tr. Ultra normam mensurae. For what is the Lord's city here spoken of, but the Church, which cometh from the Tower Hananeel, signifying the grace of God, to the gate of the corner joining two walls, together, whereby Jews and Gentiles are set forth, who together make one Church, but the measure not staying here, goeth yet a great way further, beyond the measuring line, to show that there should be very many in the Church, who should walk by no rule, and these be the innumerable to be broken to pieces.

He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others: Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways, &c. For these words, In the open sight of others. In vulg. is, In the place of the seeing. So likewise Hebr. that is, The true faithful Servants of God, who are not in darkness but in the light, seeing and making use of these his judgments against the wicked, to fear him the more.

When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? And if he hideth his face, who can behold him? Whether it be against a Nation or a man only. That is, Hereby it appeareth, that great men who are Tyrants, are smitten by God, as was before said, at the cries of the poor coming up unto him against them, because as when a man's ways please God, he shall have peace and prosperity, let men work against him what they can; but contrariwise if he for his wickedness absenteth himself, as it were, not looking now anymore with a favorable eye upon him, how can that Prince, yea or if it be a Nation, that turneth wicked, behold the light of his countenance; that is, His face turned towards him, or if any were to uphold him in such a prosperous condition; or although men be wicked, and GOD beareth with them for a time, during that time, none can overthrow their quiet: But this time being out, and their sins being full, as it was said of the Amorites, they shall not now see GOD anymore looking upon them in favor, but in wrath filling them with trouble.

That the hypocrite reign not, least the people be ensnared. Vulg. Who makes a man an hypocrite to reigning for the sins of the people. Hebr. From the reign of an hypocrite, from the snares of the people, or from a man an hypocrite reigning. Which words have reference to God's hiding of himself, Vers. 29. They being here named, from whom he hideth himself for their wickedness, Viz. The King that is an hypocrite so called, because when he was thus by the consent of the people preferred, they expected all good from him, but he proveth contrary, an Oppressor, and a ringleader in ways of vice and error; and The snares of the people. That is, From the people being thus ensnared and subjected by one that proveth contrary to their expectation, but worthily because they deserve none better: As it is said of Phocas, when he was Emperor, a certain devout man pleading with the Lord, and saying, Why dost thou make such a man Emperor? Had an answer thus, Because I could not find any worse to set over you being so wicked.

Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend anymore, &c. Proud Elihu falleth to teaching of Job again, a man wiser then himself, what he should have done upon his grievous sufferings, and to have justified himself as unworthy hereof.

Should it be according to thy mind, he will recompense it, whether thou refuse or choose, and not I, therefore speak what thou knowest. The vulg. Hath God required it, Eam, of thee, because it displeased thee; for thou begannest to speak, not I, and if thou knowest any better speak. Hebr. Shall it come from thee what he shall recompense, because thou hast refused, because thou hast chosen and not I, and what thou knowest speak. Gregory following the Vulg. saith, By these words, Hath God required it of thee, &c. He meaneth, if I have spoken otherwise, then I ought to do, thou shalt not answer for it, neither is it his will, that thou shouldst judge me therefore, though thou beest offended at it, but God shall judge me; and for thee thou hast no cause, for not I but thou begannest to speak: But herein I can see no such good sense, as to rest in it: And others following divers Translations, satisfy not in any sense given by them; but keep we close to the Hebrew, and this will appear to be the meaning: Having in the former words shown him, what he should say in all humility, now to press him to it, he putteth it to his own conscience, to say, whether he thinketh that God will be directed by him, how to deal with him, because he seemed in his speeches beforegoing, to refuse his dealings, by patiently bearing his sufferings; and to choose some other way of being dealt withal; which Elihu saith, that he would never do, neither thought he it lawful: contrary to which if Job knew anything, he willeth them to speak out, as Junius rendereth it.

Let a man of understanding tell me, and a man of wisdom hearken to me. Job hath spoken without knowledge, &c. Here insolency breaketh out again in Elihu against Job, after many things spoken by him very divinely, and all the arrogant likewise, although sometimes they speak very well, yet they soon show themselves what they are, and the pride that is in them.

My desire is, that Job may be tried to the end, because of his answers for wicked men: For he addeth rebellion to his sin, &c. The vulg. My Father, let Job be tried to the end, cease not from a man of iniquity, The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth either, My Father or my will. But I rather take it, that Elihu now turneth himself to God, seeing that all which he or the other three had said, was but lost labor towards the making of Job to humble himself, and confess his sins, he would not take of his punishments, but still hold him under, as he was well worthy: For the next words they are Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 For the returns in men of wickedness. That is, His answers returned, which are common in wicked men: For although Job said nothing, it seemeth by Vers. 37. That he shown signs of derision and disdain, at all that had been spoken, which made Elihu to rage now against him, and say, He addeth rebellion to his sins, and clapeth his hands, &c.

CHAP. XXXV.

THinkest thou that to be right, that thou saidest, My righteousness is more then God's: For thou saidest, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin? This also Gregory noteth, was nowhere spoken by Job in these words, but whatsoever he spake near unto it, could not justly be reproved, as hath been before shown.

I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee. Look to the Heavens, &c. Elihu having laid a false foundation to himself, of another Oration, though it be true, which he henceforth saith, yet herein he speaketh nothing that toucheth Job, but may afford profitable instruction to us: He proveth by the highest of the Heavens, then which God is higher, that man cannot profit or hinder God, if he be righteous or wicked: For how should anything done by him reach up to God, when as they cannot reach up to these visible Heavens: We may by that which we do, profit or hurt men like to ourselves, and ourselves also; because If thou beest wise, saith Solomon, thou art wise for thyself; and if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it: And David, My goodness extendeth not to thee, but to the Saints upon Earth: If God speaketh at any time as being troubled at men's sins, as where it is said, it grieved him at the Heart, that he had made man: this is but after the manner of men in stooping to their capacity, and not because indeed he, is subject to any passion, as men are, that we might be the more affected with our sins, for our provoking of God, and repent and turn from our sins, because our greiving of him cannot be but to our great grief, for suffering by his taking revenge upon us, and to our confusion, as Jeremiah saith, Do they provoke me to anger and not themselves to the confusion of their own faces?

By reason of the multitude of oppressions, they make the Oppressed to cry, &c. Having shown before that men may hurt or profit one another in general, now he proceedeth to declare the same more particularly. For the Oppressions here spoken of, they are not only to be understood in respect of worldly things, by taking away of which, poor men are made to cry out, but in respect of spiritual Oppressions, whereby the Soul is made poor, and miserable, and blind, and naked, as the Lord saith of the Angel of the Church of Laodicea: For they oppress others this way, that by their evil Examples corrupt their minds from the sincerity of the truth, drawing them to sin and Error: For this is a more grievous Oppression then that, because [Note.] Oppressors in respect of our Goods, do but seek to invade, and deprive us of things without, wherein our happiness lieth not, these of Goodness within, in which our happiness lieth: These rage through the love of thing 〈…〉 e through the hatred of virtues, those envy that we have anything, •• e •• that we live: Those study to take away outward things that please them, these to dispute inward things that displease them. By how much therefore the life of manners excelleth the substance of things, so much the more grievous is the oppressing evil livers that offer violence to our manners: And yet to show, that there are not a few, but very many that do so, it is here said, Through the multitude of Oppressors, and for the Arm of the mighty they cry out: Which is added to show, that wicked men if they have power, what they cannot effect by evil examples, they will compel to for fear of their power ready to be used against the uncorrupted virtuous: And whereas he that seeketh to corrupt by his evil example, useth only the voice of persuasion; he that for fear will make men yield to that which is evil, speaketh by the Arm of Tyranny; whilst we see the examples of evil actions, we do but hear the noise of a Corrupter in our ears, but when by force we are compelled to sin, we feel a Tyrant in our hearts: But the minds of these that are immovably fixed in God, do as much contemn these things, as they know them to be against his will: For expecting the rewards of Eternity, they take strength from adversity, knowing that the harder fight they have, the more glorious Crown of victory they shall have: And therefore being pressed with Adversity, they increase in spiritual strength; as the fire which seemeth by blowing to be put out, hath the flame thereof increased, so they by that, through which it is thought they will be made to fall, are more strengthened.

But none saith, Where is God my Maker, who giveth songs in the night? Having shown how men cry out for oppressions, V. 9. now he toucheth upon the cause of such impatience, and crying out, it is for want of consideration, that our sufferings come all from God; although men be the Instruments, and if they that suffer consider this, and believe in, and fear him, they shall in the night of Adversity have so great joy, that it shall make them instead of crying out to break out, into singing, as did Paul and Silas, who had been sore scourged, and immediately at midnight in prison sung a Psalm. And David having said, Thou art my refuge from the pressure that hath compassed me about, addeth, My Exultation. As to Ezek. a book was given wherein were written Lamentations, a song and woe. For what is this book, but the book of God, wherein joyful things are written, but withal heavy sufferings to be born, causing sorrow and lamentation first, and then shall follow singing for joy. Now that we may be comforted in these things, we must look to God our Maker, which we do when we consider, that he, who made that which was not, leaveth it not without Government, being made: he who made man, never leaveth him to be unjustly tormented, neither doth he suffer through neglect that to perish, that is, who created that which was not, that it might be: And this seemeth by Elihu to be spoken in answer to the question made by Job, Chapt. 21. 7. Why do the wicked live, and Tyrants oppress the poor? It is because no man looketh to his Maker, and if he would, he should have joy to alienate his sorrow that is oppressed.

Who teacheth us more then the beasts of the Earth, and makes us wiser then the fowls of Heaevn. By the Beasts of the Earth saith Gregory, we may understand sensual men who set their minds upon the base things of this world, and by the Fowls of the Air, the proud, who are elevated in their own conceits upon the wings of arrogancy, as birds that fly aloft in the air. Of the first of these the Psalmist speaketh, saying, Be not so rude and ignorant, as the horse and mule: And the Apostle, There be some whose God is their belly, their Glory their shame, that mind Earthly things. Of the other, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, Pharaoh, and Diotrephes, together with the Pharisee, are Examples: Or by the beasts understand the wicked, of whom it is said, Man being in honor, understandeth not, but is like to the beasts that perish, by the fowls, Devils, who are called the Prince of the Air, and are set forth by the fowls of the air in the parable of the sower, that went out to sow. Now man who is one that knoweth God, as was before said, is taught more then these, that is, to be heavenly minded, when they are earthly, to be humble, when they are proud, to be righteous, when they are wicked, and to be godly wise, when the Devil is maliciously subtle like the Serpent: If by the beasts of the Earth, and fowls of Heaven we understand the creatures properly so called. The meaning is, although they have some understanding by the instinct of nature, for which some of them be admirable, especially the fowls of the Air, whose cries or singings are often ominous, and so be many of their doings, as of the Stork, the Crane, and the Swallow, that know to go out of cold Countries in Winter, and to come again in Summer, yet God hath put more understanding into man, so that he should not do like them, one making a prey of another, as beasts and birds of prey do, and Oppressors of whom he spake before, do likewise: But this is horrible ingratitude to God, and an intolerable abuse of this his gift of understanding.

There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men: That is, just men, who know God that made them; being oppressed by the wicked in this World, cry out unto God to be delivered, but he answereth them not by delivering them, because evil men that oppress them, are herein proud, to lift up their hands against God, in smiting of his Servants, and their success in so doing puffeth them up more and more, they taking this for a sign of God's favor, and good liking of their Tyrannicall proceedings, that their condemnation at the last may be the greater: For when the Righteous being oppressed cry unto God for deliverance, it is more for the good of these that persecute them, then through the desire that they [Note.] have to be freed from their sufferings: For sometimes when God standeth up by his power, and miraculously saveth his faithful Servants, even the most hard hearted seeing it are converted, as Nebuchadnezzar at the sight of the miraculous deliverance of the three Children whom he cast into the fiery Furnace: But if they be such, as God will not show any mercy to, he answereth not the desires of the righteous, oppressed by them, because of the intolerable pride of Persecutors, that by their success in these their wicked ways, being still lifted up higher, they might take the greater fall in the end: So that wicked persecutors are in worse [Note.] case, when they prosper in their designs against the just, then when they are stopped in their proceedings, and the just are delivered out of their hands, for now they take heart to themselves, to go on in their evil ways to inevitable destruction, whereas by being stopped, so as hath been said, they might have been converted and saved. For this it is said, Prosperity stayeth the fool. And of Antichrist, that he hath power given him to do, a thousand two hundred and sixty days, and that he maketh war with the Saints and prevaileth, and likewise of Antiochus, Epiphanes, his forerunner, or these words; For the pride of evil doers. May be expounded of those, that cry and are not heard to be delivered from their oppressions, because they are not humbled, but proud and wicked still: Some will have these words, They have none answer for the pride of evil doers. Understood thus, They of whose oppressions he spake before, are not heard to be delivered from proud oppressors, but are still kept under by them. Lastly, Some understand it of oppressors themselves, who may pray for success in their ways, or as Dives in Hell torments, but have no answer of comfort: But I rest in the first, being in all things as true, as occult and witty; and yet it may look as well at the unworthiness of those that cry for their unhumbled and unconverted hearts, in either [Note.] of which cases no man must look to prevail, although they make many prayers, and for pride of heart in such as pray in particular, and want of humility. See the example of the Pharisee, Luke 18.

Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it. Vulg. For God will not hear in vain, and the Almighty will behold, or into the causes of everyone. The N. Tran. Is here most exactly according to the Hebr. And therefore Gregory's or others Expositions hereupon, are without ground: The meaning is plain, as he had yielded this as a cause, why men praying are not heard, so here he giveth a reason thereof: They are not heard because they pray unhumbled and unsanctified, and such vain men praying, God will not hear, or regard it whatsoever they say,

Although thou sayest, thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him, therefore trust thou in him. Here is incouragment for such as in humility and faith, purging their hands from sin, and extending them to do good, seek unto God, although for his long delaying to answer them, they may think, that he seeth or considereth not, as the Vulg. hath it, For there is judgment before him. That is, He will deal justly and mercifully by thee at length, yea and whilst he delaieth to answer, he is working thy cure, as the Surgeon, that is long in cutting a putrifyed soar, not seeming [Note.] to regard the desires of the pained Patient, that prayeth him to have done, but knowing what is necessary to be done for his best good, he still keepeth him under his hand; so God many times dealeth with a faithful person, whilst he thinketh, that he neglecteth him, he is curing of him; therefore saith he, Trust thou in him: Stay thyself upon this, that he knoweth what is best for thee, and therefore if he deferreth his answer, it shall be for thy good.

But now because it is not so, he hath visited his anger, yet he knoweth it not in great extremity. Vulg. For now he bringeth not in his anger, neither doth he revenge wickedness very much. Hebr. And now for his wrath is no visitation, and he knoweth not in a multitude very much, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Berashmad in multitudine valde, Or now because nothing, his anger hath visited, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 may be rendaed in a very great multitude: And so it will come near to N. Tr. If by a very great multitude we understand, Of miseries. But in Vulg. both the Original is varied from, and the sense altered, which is, Because men in misery do not so; that is, Put not their trust in him, but because of his deferring to answer, fall to despair, their visitations are in wrath, and they shall not know or find God thus working for their good, although they be very much visited, or with a very great multitude of judgments and troubles in this World.

Andh itherto Elihu hath spoken well; but Vers. 16. in saying, that Job therefore multiplied words in vain, he shown again the great arrogancy of his mind.

CHAP. XXXVI

HERE Elihu resumeth that argument again, which he had in hand, Chap 35. 2. Where he challenged Job for saying, My righteousness is more then God's. Contrary to which he saith, Vers. 3. I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker. But herein again, he showeth his arrogancy, because that in way of boasting of his superbund ant knowledge, he saith thus, and Verse 2. That he hath yet more to say for God. It is the part indeed of every good Teacher to fill himself with such knowledge, to speak for God again and again, that all men may ascribe unto him the glory of most exact righteousness, and of all goodness: But herein lieth a fault, if he venteth his inostentation, [Note.] not that God may be reverenced, but that he for his eloquence and great learning may be praised.

For my words shall not be false, he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee. Vulger, Perfect knowledge shall be proved unto thee. But we shall not need to alter the word, but only to expound it, and this Vatablus doth well thus; Perfect knowledge. That is, God is with thee. Or I know, that thou accountest whatsoever cometh from God, to he spoken according to perfect wisdom and knowledge; and therefore my speeches shall be of force with thee touching God's equity and righteousness in all his dealings, for so much as I shall speak nothing but his truth, and what comes from him.

Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any; he is mighty in strength and wisdom. Vulg. God casteth not away the mighty, seeing he is mighty. Hebr. Casteth not away or refuseth not the mighty strong heart. It is an argument drawn from God's supremacy, and the sovereign power that he hath over all, to prove that he is not against the power and authority of men, if it be used as it ought to be: But if he that is in authority, abuseth it, to the elevating of his heart in pride, looking upon his subjects, as if they were not made by the same hand, or of the same metal with themselves, and despising their counsel, he thinketh himself only wise, because he is greatest; God will pull him down and make him despicable, as he did Nebuchadnezzar: For men being all equal by nature, one is lifted up above others because of sin, to use his power for the suppressing of it only; otherwise being as David, who said, My eyes are not haughty, I have no proud looks. Taking of his power, as Gregory saith, that which helpeth, and to expel that which tempteth, to look upon himself, set up hereby as but equal yet with others, but in the zeal of revenge taking upon sin, to prefer himself before them: As Peter, who had a principality in the Church committed unto him, yet having to do with Cornelius, that carried himself too lowly towards him; he said, I also am a man. Thus making himself equal to him, but when with Ananias and Sapphira, he extended his power to the striking of them down dead, for their lying to the holy Ghost: And Paul also to the Thessalonians saith, We were as little ones amongst you, but to the Corinthians sinning: Will you that I come unto you in a rod, or in the spirit of meekness? The chief place therefore is ruled well, when we rule rather over vices then men: The scope of Elihu in thus saying, was to prove Job wicked, and God just; because otherwise God would not have turned him out of his ample possessions, as he had done. And to these words answereth, Verse 6. He giveth not life to the wicked, but right to the poor. That is, Such as abuse their sovereign power to pride, shall come to ruin, but the humble, as in equity it is meet, shall be preserved.

He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous, but with Kings are they on the Throne, &c. Here he further amplifieth that which he said of God's righteous, dealing with mighty men, that be righteous, they are not brought down but established.

Then if they be bound in fetters, and held by cords of affliction, he will show them their works. God's eyes are not only upon the righteous reigning, but also upon the wicked; so that the one being exalted, the other are pulled down: As Manasseh, who was, as is here said, bound and carried into Babylon; but then being better instructed by his chastisement he came to live in prosperity again, as followeth, Verse 9. 10. 11. But if then they obey not, they shall die by the sword, and perish without knowledge. That is, The sword of God's justice cutting them off, and after death, like the foolish Virgins, go into perdition.

But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath, they cry not when he bindeth them. That is, When they are bound in bonds of affliction, before spoken of, they cry not in prayer, but heap up wrath against the day of wrath: As Paul maketh up this saying, They die in youth, and their life among the unclean. Vulg. Their Soul should die in a tempest, and their life amongst the effeminate. Hebr. Either in childhood or an hard death, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and for amongst the unclean is amongst harlots. The hypocrite having born himself [Note.] as a pure and holy person, when he is in the bonds of misery, crieth not out in confessing his sins and praying, because he is ashamed so to do, although he be kept under, even to the death; for he had rather die then disclose anything against himself, that he may be saved, for so he thinketh that his wickedness, which always before hid, will come to light to his perpetual disgrace, according to Verse 13. But here it is shown, how they shall smart for it, by dying a tormenting death, as their life hath been lead in secret in all fleshly pleasure: For this is noted to be a property of an hypocrite to be given to the flesh: Both by Peter, and by Jude in Epistle: And in all this Elihu girdeth at Job, as being such an one.

He delivereth the Poor in affliction, and openeth their Ears in oppression: Here he returneth again to the humble brought to obedience by affliction, of whom he spake, Vers. 10. In the same phrase of opening their Ears.

So he would have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, &c. To Job it was not so, saith he, as God would have been ready to have dealt by him, if he had not stopped his Ears against discipline, refusing to confess his sins, and standing upon his justification.

But he fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: That is, brought upon himself judgments to the full.

Because there is wrath, beware least he take thee away with his stroke, then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. Vulg. Let not Wrath therefore overcome thee, that thou shouldest oppress any man; nor the multitude of places incline thee. But in more corrected Translations it is, multitude of gifts. But all that cleave to the Original have it as in New Tran. which is most true, so that Elihu doth not here counsel Job as he may seem according to the Vulgar, what to do; if he should recover his former prosperous Estate, but that being beset with so great misery, declaring the wrath of God to be great against him, he should speedily repent, as not knowing how short a time he should live to do, and if hapened to dy thus, then no ransom could save him from everlasting destruction: If he should think by his riches to be ransomed, as men are out of captivity from the Enemy, he addeth V. 19. Will he esteem thy riches, no not the gold, nor all the forces of strength: The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 first and chiefly signifieth crying, then riches; but because he spake before of ransom, it is best rendered riches: According to this Saint Peter saith, that we are not redeemed with corruptible things, as Gold and silver, &c. And if a man think by his great power yet to be delivered from death, all the strength of men cannot do it, as we may see in Pharaoh and his host, and in Sannacherib King of Assyria.

Desire not the Night when people are cut off in their place. Vulgar, Protract not the night that people's should come up for them. Expounded by Gregory thus, Being fallen into temptations, cut off the darkness of sadness the sooner, least what high things thou hast thought in tranquility, turn in thy trouble to the coufusion of darkness, Heb. Respect or desire not the night for the ascendings of people under them: The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 also sometime signifieth cutting off, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 either under them, or for or in their place: This being very obscure, divers Expositors bring divers Expositions, but the true dependeth upon the right rendering of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Anhelare, earnestly to desire, the meaning then is, think not long for an opportunity to come secretly and suddenly, as in the night upon others, to rob and spoil them of their possessions, as ambitious worldly Kings do oftentimes, thus by invading their Inheritances, expelling them and placing their own men in their stead: As the tribe of Dan did by the men of Laish; who dwelt securely, and so in the night of their security, came upon them and expelled them out of their land, and took it into their possession. For Job being a King, as hath been before said, and by Elihu counted a Tyrant, he may well be thought in exhorting him to turn from other sins, that God might restore him again to his Pristine Wealth and dignity; now to come to speak against this, as a most capital one, viz. of lying in wait, as Robbers do in the night, and such sometimes as fight to get other men's Lands and Goods from them to enlarge their own, and being thus understood, the words agree, whether they be rendered ascendings of of people's under them; That is, being subdued thus by him a King coming suddenly upon them with his army or Ascendings of people in their stead, by force expelling them that he comes upon; and placing others in their room, as the King of Assyria, having subdued the land of Israel, brought others from divers places to dwell in their City Samaria: And this is a good Admonition indeed for Tyrants, but misapplied to ob; who abhorred from such doing, as appreareth, Chapt. 30. 31.

Take heed, regard not iniquity, for this hast thou chosen rather thou affliction. vulgar. Thou hast begun to follow this after misery: Hebr. Thou hast chosen this from perverseness, or pravity, or adversity first caused hereby. And the meaning is, cease from sinning, which I cannot see that thou hitherto dost, but rather increasest it; more malignity being caused in thee by that which thou hast before ill done, and more misery and sufferings therefore, rather then being made penitent, and so in way of deliverrnce: And this he speaketh in relating to that which he had said before, that Job justified himself above God; for who so doth thus, and makes no better use of his sufferings, chooseth sin, or preferreth it still, as it were, when by his chastisement he [Note.] should rather be reclaimed from it, and so is well worthy, without any commiseration to be had of him to suffer still, and to perish in his sufferings: And to choose from, is better rendered After then Rather, which perplexeth the sense, but rendering it From, makes it plain, because he that doth thus is first afflicted, and then instead of repenting, there followeth in him more sinning.

Behold God exalteth by his power, who teacheth like him? vulg. God is high in his strength, none amongst the Law-givers is like unto him. The sense being the same, but New Translat▪ better rendereth the words: Here Elihu labors to make Job and all men patient in affliction, and to ascribe when they are most sharply dealt with all, Justice, Equity, and Mercy to him, patiently resting in his ways of teaching, as wherein he excelleth all other Teachers. For though he seemeth to be very harsh in laying such grievous things upon men, yet they that fear and trust in him, shall surely be delivered, when by judging them he hath wrought this good work in them, whereas other Teachers are not able to do so to them that are taught by them.

Who hath enjoined him his way, or who can say thou hast wrought iniquity? vulg. Who can search out his ways: Hebr. Who visiteth upon him his ways. Here Elihu after extolleth the ways whereby God teacheth men, proceedeth to prove the same, by this, that there are none above him to be his visitors, to reprove or allow by their authority what he doth, but he is Lord over all, so that no man can say, that what he doth is unjust, what way soever he taketh with men, for he doth all things for the best of such as love him, and are chosen of his purpose.

Remember thou magnify his work which men behold. Everyone may see it, man may behold it afar off: For Men behold, the vulg. hath, Mensing, the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth to sing, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a Singer, yet it is also rendered Behold, the meaning is to the end, that thou mayst fear to speak against him in anything, look up to his works of creation, the Sun, Moon, and Starrs, and hence learn of what power and wisdom he is, as Rom. 1. 19. to reverence him whatsoever he doth to thee.

Behold God is great and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out. As he had by other super-excellencies extolled God before, so now he proceedeth further in the same argument, praising him from his immensily, of which we cannot attain to a perfect knowledge, and his Eternity being without beginning, or end of his days, as elsewhere it is also spoken of him.

He maketh small the Rain, &c. From showing the excellency of God in himself, now he cometh to show it in his works, in the making the rain and the clouds, of which enough before, and in Psalms, v. 29. Can any understand the spreading of his clouds, or the Raies of his tabernacle? he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea: vulg If he will extend his clouds as his tent, and lighten with his light from above, he shall cover the things of the sea, Heb. Yea if he shall understand, That is, can any, &c. Us in New Tr: which is to be preferred, he goeth on to his great works of Thunder, and Lightning, which also show him to be most great and terrible; the Thunder is called the noise of his tent, or dwelling place, because it is God's voice terribly uttered from Heaven, the Seat of his Majesty, of which see, Psal. 29. This he saith none can understand, because that although the Philosopher assigneth it, (viz. The kindling of a fat vapor exhalled from the Earth into the middle Region of the Air by the heat of the Sun piercing it: For then as an hot iron thrust into water maketh a noise, so is this terrible great noise made in the Clouds, which are sometimes said to be round about God's habitation) yet no man can understand to the full, how this noise of thunder crack after thunder crack is made so strangely, striking men and other things here, and as God will, some being burnt within, no outward burning appearing upon them in a most miraculous manner: But what is meant by this, Covereth the bottom of the Sea? Hebr. The roots of the Sea, and what are these but the mountains about the Sea, from whence as Sap cometh from the roots of a Tree into it, so Springs of water run into the Sea and the rain falleth down by them into it. And for the Clouds covering the Mountains, Pliny noteth, that sometime a vapor is upon a Mountain as thick as a cloud, which is a sign of some t • rrible tempest to come: Gregory of all this makes this allegorical exposition, The Apostles are as the rain in their heavenly Doctrine, for which as hath been shown upon other places, they are often thus compared in their teaching, they also are as clouds, but false Teachers as clouds without water, and they thundered and lightened, when joining miracles to their teaching, they struck such fear into rude and barbarous men, that when as by wars they could not be terrified and made quiet, hereby they were; and that, as he hath it following, the Vulg. Covering the hinges of the Sea; that is, The extreme parts of the World: And whereas as followeth, Verse 31. By them he judgeth the people, and giveth meat in abundance. Hereby is set forth how Preachers are by God made as Judges over the people, to absolve from sin, and to bind up in sin; and the same, that are as thunder and lightning terrible to all parts of the World, which shineth suddenly from one end of the Earth to the other, minister also meat to the Soul; as the clouds, out of which both rain and thunder come, cause Corn to grow, and Grass, which are meat for Man and Beast: For the literal sense, he judgeth the people by them, when being provoked by sin, he turneth Rain and Thunder into judgment, many being by it coming inordinately impoverished, famished, destroyed, and some burnt and made terribly to perish; but others upon whom the rain falleth as a blessing, are comforted and enriched, and the thunder is made a means of safeguard unto them, their enemies being hereby destroyed, as in the days of Samuel, he praying, God thundered upon the Philistines, and slew them: And in the time of Aurelianus an Emperor, the Christian band that was in his Army, prayed in the want of water, and there came thunder and rain, whereby his Army was refreshed, and the tempest smiting upon the face of the enemy, advantage was given to the Army, to the overthrowing of them, whence for the perpetual remembrance hereof, it was called Cohors fulminea.

With clouds he covereth the light, and comanded it not to shine, by the cloud that cometh betwixt. The noise thereof showeth concerning it, and the Cattle also concerning the vapor. Vulgar, He hath hidden the light in his hands, and commanded it to return again; he telleth his friend thereof, that it is his possession, and that he may ascend unto it. Hebrew, Above his hands or clouds. For 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth either, He hath hid the light, and commandeth concerning it, in that which accurreth, or in the returning commandeth concerning it, Which is all one with the Vulgar in sense; He commandeth the light of the Sun, when it hath been for a time hidden by the clouds, which are his hands, as it were, held under it, to show itself and shine again: It is an explication of that which went before, Verse 31. Showing, how by the clouds dropping down rain, and the light of Heaven; that is, The Sun after this shining, and so having intercourse one with another, he judgeth people, as there was said, and giveth them meat: For this causing of the Sun to lie long hidden, and rain and cold to abound extraordinarily, is a judgment; but coming by intercourse, a blessing: And so the sense of these words is plain, only he passeth herein from one light of lightening to another of the Sun shining, as he might well do, although he mentioned not it before particularly; because the Sun is the light, causing that light, as hath been already shown: But for the words of Verse 33. It is harder to find out the true meaning, to find which yet we shall have recourse to the Hebrew Text, which is this; He shall show his friend concerning it a possession above ascending, or upon an ascent. The meaning whereof is, As he judgeth the people in this World, as is aforesaid, by fair weather and foul; so if any man be his friend, as it is said of Abraham, that he was, he will show to him concerning his ways wherein he goeth towards man; a far greater matter concerning them, whereby he shall have more comfort, Viz. The heavenly Inheritance which is above, which he shall see by faith here, and to the Possession whereof he shall come hereafter: Many other expositions there be, but I will neither trouble myself, nor the Reader in mentioning them; for this is the right meaning, as will easily appear to the Judicious, if he looketh well to the signification of the words in the Hebrew Text, and so greater comfort is here spoken to those that love God, and are his friends, then this World can afford; as before comfort was spoken to all such, in respect of Worldly blessings; although for the present, they be in great misery.

CHAP. XXXVII.

AT this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place. Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth. Here Expositors agree not about these words, At this, Whether they be to be referred to the thunder before spoken of, or to the words following, which he was now about further to utter, touching other works of God, whereby he also speaketh, or other sounds that are heard extraordinarily, when God at some particular times is pleased to reveal himself, and his will to men; as when he came down upon Mount Sinai, with a great noise both of thunder, and a voice distinctly speaking out his commandments; and in the time of the Gospel, causing a great noise and rushing to be heard, when he filled his Disciples with the holy Ghost: By Ezekiel also he caused a great sound to be heard of the Cherubims, Wings, and Wheeles; and by John when he made his Revelation to him of things to come. And to this I rather subscribe, because of the ordinary thunder and lightening, he had spoken enough before; and although this is also called his voice, yet it is not said to be the voice coming out of his mouth, which seemeth rather to be of sound, tending to instruction; as Aquinas well noteth, and as the noises at special times before spoken of did: And such a noise cannot but cause trembling, as that also, which shall be made at the day of judgment shall most do; When the Heavens shall pass away with a noise. As Peter speaketh, such sounds therefore he biddeth us here to attend unto, which have always filled men with fear and amazement, that the Majesty and dreadfulness of God being hereby considered, we may stand in awe and humble ourselves before him; and not be lifted up, out of an imagination of any goodness in us, that will hold with God's justice, when he shall show himself and speak as he doth in the next Chapter. When Job himself humbly acknowledged his sins, and durst not stand anymore upon his own justification: So that these words may seem to come from the spirit speaking in Elihu, to prepare to the hearing of God speaking there; and that at the first he said not in vain; The spirit within me constraineth me. Gregory taking these words, as cohering with those going before, Verse 33. Where he ended with the possesion above; that is, The heavenly Inheritance, saith, That Elihu in speaking of his trembling, and his heart removing out of the place; showeth, That when a man entereth into this consideration, his heart is removed, because it is now gone from worldly things, upon which it was set before; being altogether taken up with [Note.] heavenly: But who so doth thus, doth it not without fear and trembleing, to think in what danger he was before, whilst his heart was set upon Worldly things; of loosing this glorious Inheritance, and being cast into the pit of destruction: And for the words of Vers. 2. He hath, He shall hear an hearing in the terror of his voice. That is, Whosoever cometh to the like consideration of that Inheritance, is not without terror at his voice, and the sound that cometh out of his mouth: For he thinketh upon the sins which he hath done, the worldliness of his mind formerly, and the frauds and oppressions, whereby he hath gotten worldly Goods; and his uncharitableness, together with the terrible sentence of the strict Judge: In regard of all which he cannot but tremble and fear, when his eyes are opened, to see in what danger he was of loosing that glory every moment, and of falling into such extreme misery; although by God's grace he hath his ears opened to hear the voice, whereby he is turned and comes to better hopes; for he heareth not only the voice, but the sound of his mouth, which always is terrifious, although it be a sounding of that which tendeth to comfort, to such as he meaneth to save: As it is said, not only of Israel hearing it at Mount Sinai, but also of Moses, that he trembled and quaked: In all which he speaks excellently, but only the words are not, He shall hear an hearing; but hear ye. But to the same effect, as if he had said, As I tremble at hearing, so do ye in the sense hitherto spoken of, if ye would have this comfort.

He directeth it under the whole Heaven, and his lightnings to the ends of the Earth. Hebrew, His light. That is, In coming with the sound of his voice to men, for their conversion, as hath been said, he is not partial, but by the same teaching, he sendeth forth light into all parts of the Earth; so that none can complain, if they come not finally to that Inheritance, that he wanted light to see, how he might attain thereunto.

After this a voice roareth, he thundereth with the voice of his excellency and will not stay them when his voice is heard. Here may seem to be a description of the ordinary thunder, roaring after the lightning: But it is also by Gregory thus allegorized upon after light, whereby a man cometh to see and consider what he hath been, he is terrified and sorroweth for that, in which before he joyed; and hereby, as by thunder, he apprehendeth the greatness and almighty power of the Lord: And he shall not be found, when his voice shall be heard. For so he readeth it, that is, The spirit of the Lord, by what way he cometh into his heart: According to that saying of our Lord, The wind bloweth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but thou knowest not whence it cometh, or whither it goeth, so is he that is born of the spirit. But Hebrew, He will not retard or supplant them, when his voice is heard. That is, Who so heareth and obeyeth his voice, shall not be deceived, or for his former sins be kept from the Inheritance before spoken of, but certainly attain unto it, but such as harden their hearts, and will not hear this voice shall.

God thundereth marvelously with his voice, great things doth he which we cannot comprehend. By that which hath been said, it appeareth, that GOD doth wondrous things by his thundering voice, piercing the hearts of the penitent with sorrow: But being about next to show other mighty works of God, he prepareth to attend thereunto, by saying, Which we cannot comprehend. And what these are is shown, Verse 6. For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the Earth, and likewise to the small and great rain of his strength. The Snow is here mentioned, as wherein God speaketh, as by a voice, his wonderful power, for it is wonderful, that in the lowest part of the Air, it should be turned into Snow, and not above, where it is coldest, that it should snow upon the Earth, but never upon the Sea, as Pliny saith, That snow should lie continually upon Mount Aetna, where fire flameth out, that no snow falleth in Egypt, but in Tartaria, an hot Country, sometime it snoweth in Summer & the time of heat, that it fatneth the Ground, that the white snow sometimes bringeth forth red Worms; of the small rain he spake before, but now both of small and great wherein his power is seen.

He sealeth up the hand of every man, that all men may know bis work: Heb. in the hand of every man: That is saith Gregory, if any man will not be moved by his works of wonder to fear him, but both against them and his Ministers teaching, harden themselves to go on in sin for they, as hath been often shown are set forth by rain and clouds) yet they carry a witness continually about them, which is as a Testimony sealed up against them, in their hands; and this is each man's own work, which his conscience knoweth, whereby he shall be condemned at the last day.

Then the Beasts go into Dens, and remain in their places. Here after speaking of men's knowing and having each one his evil work sealed up in his hand (which as Gregory saith, is shown by their keeping out of the sight of other men, when they do evil) here, I say, followeth something, whereby is shown that beasts being terrified by storms and Tempests in the night, which is their time of their going forth to seek their prey; keep in their Dens fearing to come out, to express which further to be his meaning, he addeth, v. 9. Out of the South cometh the whirlwind or tempest, and cold out of the North: That is, making them so to do, the Vulg. For the North hath Arcturus, of which see before, Chapt. 9. 9.

By the breath of God frost is given, and the breadth of the waters straitened: The Vulg. God blowing fost bindeth up, that is, the waters: Again the waters are poured out most largely. But herein the Translator followed his own sense, because the South and he North were spoken of before, supposing this to be a further amplification of the effects of these two winds, the one causing frosts, the other dissolving both frost and snow, upon the melting whereof waters flow abundantly and enlarge the Rivers into which they run: But it is rather to be taken as an effect of the North wind only, called here, God's breath, which doth both bind up the Earth with frosts and steighters the waters by Ice, with which they are bound in, for in either of these the wonderful power of God appeareth, which should make all men to fear him, which is the scope of all his discourse.

Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud, he scattereth the bright cloud: And it is turned round about by his counsels, &c. He causeth it to come, whether for correction, &c. He is said to weary the thick cloud by watering, by a Prosopopeia, which is done, when abundance of water cometh therefrom, sometime in way of judgment, and sometime of mercy, as is further added. The words, Whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy, The vulgar hath, Whether for a Tribe, as the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 also signifieth, Or for his Land: But the Sept. also herein agreeth with New Translat. and it is a distinction of the effects of rain and weather, as hath been before said, coming as a curse or as a blessing, to the wicked as a curse, but to his Land denoting the Righteous, as a blessing.

Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine? Having spoken to all of them at large about the wonders which God worketh, v. 14. He turneth again to Job in particular, challenging him to say if he knew these things touching the Clouds, that is, how God causeth it to be so, for that it is so we all know, but that knowledge is too wonfull for any man, and is in God only from hence, v. 17. He proceedeth to things here below, how our Garments are made warm, the South wind blowing: Wherein we cannot be warm enough before, if it be a North wind, of which variety of Effects of the Winds, who is the cause but God.

Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a molten looking Glass, God hath done, and doth all these Acts of power, which argue him to be infinitely gteater then any man, how then darest thou (O Job) challenge him to come as it were, into the lists with thee, thinking if he would to have the better of it. For the thing here spoken of, after thick clouds, and bright clouds made and called so by bright lightening, he proceedeth here, as some think to the Heavens which are higher then the place of Meteors, but it is rather to be held, that he cometh lower to the Air about us, which is often called Heaven: And Gen. 1. the Firmament, to intimate the firmness thereof, as it is here said to be strong, and as a Looking Glass, because although it be thin, yet it is firmly established, and being stirred, as when the wind bloweth, it appeareth to be very strong by the effects thereof, and therefore arguing an almighty power, that makes it so, and like Glass, through which for the tenuity of it, we may see up to the sky and Stars above, the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 will also bear the reading of it by the Heavens, the sky or Clouds which are in the Air.

Tell us what we shall say unto him, for we are covered with darkness: A notable scoff, the meaning, we confess ourselves to be so ignorant, that we know not what to say to his great works, so wonderfully and beyond our capacity hath he made them, and therefore if we were to come to speak before him as thou wishest, that thou mightest do, about the secrets of providence; we know much less what to say, and therefore do thou we pray thee tell us.

Shall it be told him that I speak? surely if a man speaketh he shall be swallowed up. vulg. Who shall tell him what I speak? if a man speak he shall be devoured: Hebr. for if a man speaketh, he shall be devoured and shall it be told him, because I speak, or the last clause may be rendered, thus, For if he speaks man shall be devoured: That is, if God speaketh, man who before he cometh to speak, thinks that he shall be able to reason with him, shall be quite confounded, and his words as it were, swallowed up by his profound wisdom, and he made unable to speak one word for himself. For it is with men when they hear God speak, as when they have seen some glorious apparition, wherein he hath shown himself being as dead men; for so the people of Israel hearing him speak from mount Sinai were filled with so great fear, that they thought if he should speak in their hearing anymore, they should all die. For the first clause, it is as if he had said; I for my part dare not be so presumptuous as to cause it to be told him, that I have said I would speak face to face as Job hath desired; far be it from me to wish any such thing, for so I should soon pay for my boldness.

And now men see not the bright light that is in the Clouds; but the wind passeth and cleanseth them. Fair weather cometh out of the North. vulg. But now they see not the light, the Air shall soon be gathered into clouds, and a wind passing fugateth them. The New Translation agreeth best with the Hebrew, and for the meaning it is to be understood, that Elihu having interrupted his discourse about God's wonderful works, by speaking to Job again by name: Now returneth again to the same argument, for having before said much of the Clouds, now he speaketh of another wonderful work of God about them, that one while they hide the light from us, that is, the light of the Sun from shining, as when the air is overcast with clouds, but within a while the wind scatters them again and fair weather beginneth towards the North; the vulg. rendereth it Aurum, Gold; hecause of the golden color of the sky appearing when it is fair, and indeed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 doth signify Gold, With God is terrible Majesty; vulg. Terribble praise: the word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Majesty, Power, Honor, or Confession, that is, honor for all that was said before of him; and praise which men do with all fear and reverence give unto him, as Kings and Judges are exhorted to do, Psal. 2. And therefore Job must needs be censured who is so irreverent towards him.

Here the reason is shown why men carry themselves so reverently towards God, although we cannot find out the reason of his mighty acts, yet it is certain, That in plenty of justice, he will not afflict. For which it is said; Therefore men do fear him, and he respecteth not any that are wise of heart: Hebrew, Verse 23. Much justice and judgment he will not afflict. That is, Although he be excellent in power yet he will not afflict, and make the innocent to suffer; which is most true if it be understood of eternal judgments; or of judgments here coming in wrath; but if he spake it of Job it was not true: For the next words they are the same in part with that saying of the Psalmist; There is mercy with thee, therefore shalt thou be feared. But who are the wise-hearted that he respecteth not; as is said in the last words; The Vulg. hath it; That seem to be wise. As also it may be best expounded such as fear him; and the wise in their own heart or conceit, are here opposed the one to the other; and because he took Job to be of this sort, he again girdeth at him herein, who he thought not to fear God, because he spake as seemed to him most insolently.

CHAP. XXXVIII

WHO is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? GOD is said, Vers. 1. To have answered Job out of a whirlwind; and in answering it is shown here first, what he said to Elihu; for so it is taken by Gregory and Ferus, and others commonly, then what he said to Job, the one he condemned, as a man that he knew not, or would take no notice of; as was partly touched before, Chap. 32. The other although he speaketh somewhat sternly to him, by way of castigation, for some words that came from him through the extremity of his passions, yet he left not after this, his terrifying of him without comfort, he but repenting hereof and humbling himself, was both more justified, then his three friends, in his sayings; and finally had his captivity turned, and was blessed much more in these worldly things, then ever before. Elihu is said by his words, to darken knowledge, saith Gregory, because he spake out of arrogancy; for although he spake the truth, yet by proud speeches intermingled, that which he spake according to knowledge was darkened in him, and unacceptable, as wicked speeches, which are as all sin, counted darkness, [Note.] for so Alms-Deeds done in pride or vain-glory, and prayers are rejected, Mat. 6. Then to Job he said; Gird up thy loins like a man, and I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. To gird up the loins, saith Greg. is commonly put for girding by continency, because lust lieth in the loins, and they are girt, when they are kept in and slow not forth; according to which it is said, Let your loins be girt about, & your lights burning. But because Job was continent, he is not bidden to gird up his loins in this sense, but to keep pride from swelling in him therefore: But it is not to be taken either of these ways in this place, but rather that he should strengthen himself, as a valiant man, prepared to the encounter with him, if he could; because he had before desired, that he might come to his Throne to contend in judgment with him: But now saith the Lord, I am come and thou hast thy desire, answer me then to that which I shall ask thee: But touching God's demanding, and man's answering, Gregory again saith, this is done three ways.

1. By severely punishing, as he did Job, when he answered by patience.

2. By propounding some very hard thing to be done, as to Abraham, to sacrifice his Son, which he answered by obedience.

3. By opening or hiding things from us, he asketh us, as he did Paul, by abundance of revelations, to see whether he would be puffed up, which he answered by humility; for he said, we are not sufficient of ourselves to think a good thought, and again, In me, that is in my flesh, is no good thing. So Job having been hitherto demanded by sufferings, is now demanded by words; whether he such, and such sublime things, that seeing he did not, he might also answer in humility, how greatly soever he abounded in knowledge, as his former speeches shown that he did.

Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the Earth? Who hath laid the measures thereof, if though knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Verse 6. Whereupon are the foundations of it fastened, or who hath laid the corner stone thereof? Here because mention is made of the corner stone of the Earth laid, and this cannot be properly understood, he will have all taken allegorically: By the earth, the Church is to be understood, or Congregation of all sorts, that hear the word of God, as in the Parable of the sower, the hearers are set forth by the earth, the foundations, because they were first in embracing and propagating the faith, to whom others were soon added, were the Apostles, as they are set forth, Ephesians 2. 20. For to prefigure them, the high Priest bare upon his breastplate twelve precious stones, to show, how dear those twelve were to the Lord: And it is to be noted, that he saith foundadations in the plural number, not foundation, for then Christ must have been meant who is the foundation; and such a foundation as that no man can lay any other; wherefore by foundations the Apostles are meant, nad by one principal stone, called the corner stone, upon which both these foundations and all the rest of the building resteth, CHRIST JESUS: Where it is to be noted, That it was a doctrine not learned in Gregory's time, that the Pope of Rome is the foundation of the Church, [Note.] and that when the Lord said to Peter; Upon this Rock I will build my Church. He meant Peter and his successors in the Bishopric of Rome: And to make this Exposition good, he saith, That God's laying of these foundations are spoken of, as a thing done, before that Job was born, because that in the counsel and decree of God, it was thus done from before the beginning of the World. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest, or who hath stretched the line upon it? That is, Who took in some of the Nations or particular persons into the Church, excluding others: As it is said of Paul, that a man at Macedonia appeared in a vision to him in the night, and said, Come and help us; when as he thinking to go into Asia, was by the spirit forbidden: Likewise one offering to follow Christ, was answered; The Foxes have holes, and the fowls of the Heaven have nests, &c. To put him off, but another was called to follow him, and delaying, and saying, Let me go first and bury my Father. He was not permitted, but bidden again; Let the dead bury their dead, but follow thou me. And when the Temple was to be measured, Rev. 11. It is said, Leave out the outer Court and measure it not: whereby who are set forth, but such as are in the broad way, and why some are within the measure and some without, who can tell but God only? And hitherto of the allegory: Other Expositors expound it altogether according to the letter, as Chrysostom, Theodoret, Phillippus, &c. And thus the meaning is, whereas Job complained of God's harshness dealing with him, as if he had said, (O Job) What art thou to complain thus, as if my providence ordered not things rightly towards thee; when as by the very earth, out of which thou and all men were first made, (when Adam was made out of it, as the common stock from whom all men came) My just and wise proceedings appear in making and establishing it, as it were, by line and measure, and that I am not unjust in the framing of any part thereof; but have done all things for the best benefit of my creatures, both Men and Beasts living thereupon: Is it probable, these things being so, that I will lay any judgments unjustly upon man, for whose sake I have made them all: Surely when I did these great works, I had no man with me to counsel me, or to keep me from erring, and for thy part, thou were then, Non ens, and long after, and what a presumption then is it in thee to call any of my doings now in question, as if I that have hitherto done and ordered all things, so as that no exception could ever be taken hereunto, had in thy particular case done amiss: Moreover man did not only not counsel me, but forsomuch as he had not then any being, he could not then, neither can he since see into the reason of my doings, but they must needs lie hidden from him any further then I have been pleased, or shall be pleased to reveal them, and if it be so in respect of things natural, how much more in respect of things supernatural, or of things that I sometimes do extraordinarily towards the Sons of men. And if it be so (O Job) thou oughtest to have been so patient in thy sufferings, as not to have expostulated with me hereabout, but to have laid thy hand upon thy mouth. And upon the same Grounds it is the part of us all humbly to acknowledge our own ignorance touching God's sad providences towards us in any particulars, [Note.] and when any one of us suffereth extraordinarily, when we have with an upright heart lived in his fear, in silence to bear it without complaining of his dealing harshly with us, or being discouraged from the good way wherein we are, as being sure that after he hath thus tried our Faith and Patience, he will crown us again with greater blessings, as he did his faithful Servant Job, forever. The coherence of the answer here made by God unto Job with his speeches before going, being thus set forth, and the scope and drift of the place. Now for the Exposition of the things spoken according to the letter it is easily made: God before the making of any man, to show his Wisdom, Power, and Goodness towards him, made the Earth; whereupon he dwelleth, and out of which he is sustained most wisely establishing it, as upon most sure foundations, never to be moved and he made it, as a Carpenter buildeth and layeth the foundation of an house by line and measure, the Heavens being as it were the Roofe, the Air the middle part, and the earth the basis or foundation, which also is set upon its own foundations the center, wherein all the parts thereof meet, as all the lines of a circle do in its center, for which also this is called the corner stone, whereby the foundations of a building, the sides of the walls coming together and resting upon it are sustained.

When the morning stars sang together, and all the Sons of God shouted for joy. By the morning stars here, who can be understood, but the Angels; being all as bright morning stars for their heavenly Glory? For in the beginning God made the Heaven and the Earth: First the Heaven, whereby both it, which is above our sight, called otherwise the third Heaven, or the Emperian Heaven, which is the Throne of God; and the Seat and Habitation of his Angels, and the Angels the Inhabitants thereof are meant, and also the starry Heaven, then the Earth had the foundations thereof laid, and at the laying of them the Angels sang Praises to God. And they as Gregory saith, are set forth by the name of morning stars, because as the morning showeth that the Sun is coming, so the Angels appearing at the birth of Christ, the Son of righteousness, a great multitude of them sang, Glory to God on high, on Earth peace, good will towards men. This then is the thing here pointed at, and whereas it was not done thus till long after, it is to be understood that God, to whom all things are present, calleth and speaketh of things to come under the Old Testament, as already done, when they are not to be done, till under the New. And the Sons of God at the laying of the foundation of the Earth, that is, of the Church, then shouted for joy, as the Angel foretold to the shepherds, saying, I bring you tidings of great joy that shall be to all people: And at this Elizabeth the Mother of John Baptist rejoiced, and Zacharias his Father brake out into these words of blessing God, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel: And Simeon & the Apostles, and all other faithful people at the coming down of the Holy Ghost, and the Samaritans being converted, and the Apostles even in the midst of their sufferings. For the literal meaning, they that adhere only to it, by the morning stars understand all the stars, holding them to be so called for their rising and beginning their motions in the East, where the morning first appeareth, and that the stars are also called the Sons of God; because by him created in such shining Glory, and that singing and shouting together, is ascribed to them, because of their sweet Harmony and consent in their daily motions, making music in God's Ears, as it were, and some hold that this music is audible, although the sound thereof cometh not to our Ears; but all this is confuted by the consideration of the time of their singing, which was at the laying of the foundations of the great frabrick of the earth, which was before the making of the stars, Viz. The first day, whereas they were made the fourth day: Therefore as most Expositors understand it of the Angels, let us understand it all, yet not as they generally do of the same called Stars, and the Sons of God; if, as Gregory saith, it be spoken allegorically, as it seemeth to be, but if the literal sense be followed, and it be here shown, what was done at the Creation; we may by the same Angels, understand both Stars and Sons: of setting forth Angels by the name of Stars, see Revel. 1. The seven Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches. And for morning Stars, see Isa. 14. 12. Where the Angels that fell are altogether called by the name of Lucifer, the Son of the Morning; that is, Morning Stars, implying that the Angels at the first had the name of morning Stars, or Angels indifferently: It is meant then, that those Inhabitants of Heaven passed not over that great work of creating the Earth, as it was not meet that they should, without a Jubilee of praise to the Creator; implying the joy that they took therein, as a work most excellently wrought, and what is man then so inferior to Angels as the Earth, out of which he was made to Heaven, but only in respect of his Soul, that he should detract from him in respect of anything done by him?

Who shut up the Sea, as it were, with doors, when it brake forth as issuing out of the womb? When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness the swaddling band. And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors; saying, Hitherto thou shalt come. Upon these words, When it issued as it were, out of the womb. There be divers expositions of some, conceiving it to be spoken of the gathering of the waters together into one place, when they at the first covered the whole face of the Earth; but this was rather a bringing of them into a Womb or Prison, as it were, then an issuing out, which implieth the enlarging of them in respect of their place: Some say, that this womb is God's omnipotency, wherein these waters all were before their creation, as in a most fruitful womb, as also were all other things, and when they were created they came forth, and when put into one place, shut up as with doors: Others say, That this womb is the earth, out of which God by his almighty power first brought forth the waters all over the earth covering it; and then gathering and shutting them up in one place; for when God created the Heaven and the Earth in the beginning, nothing is said of the waters; so that most probably they were in the earth, which being created they immediately issued out and covered it, but upon the third day were brought from this overflowing, to a place about which bounds were set, where are shut in as at this day: And this I take to be the best, and without all exception, although I have nothing to say against the second. Gregory hereupon allegorizeth thus, The Sea setteth forth Persecutors, the womb out of which their rage to persecute the Church of God cometh, is their malicious heart; As the Psalmist saith, He hath conceived mischief and brought forth iniquity. This iniquity is conceived, when thoughts of persecuting arise in the mind, and it is brought forth, when it is acted accordingly: But God shutteth up this Sea, as with doors, when he suffereth them not to proceed so far as they would, but saith to such proud waves, Thus far ye shall come and no further; as is said, Vers. 11. And to the Sea are the wicked compared, where he saith, They are like the raging Sea, that never is quiet. And the Psalmist, He ruleth the raging of the Sea, and the madness of his people. Where the one is compared with the other, and Psalm. 2. Why do the Gentiles rage. Alluding [Note.] to the same: And this is a singular comfort to the faithful in all times of persecution and trouble, when the power of persecuting enemies seemeth to be irresistible, to consider, that they are but as the raging Sea yet, which moveth no further then he appointeth it, to whom he setteth the bounds, within the compass whereof they must keep; so how far soever Persecutors go, it is no further then God hath appointed them, as for place so for time, and the persons overwhelmed hereby: And all this being ordered by his providence, who so dearly loveth us, no doubt, but it shall be turned to the best: For the cloud mades the covering thereof, and thick darkness the swaddling bands. Hereby is set forth, the darkness of ignorance and malice, cast over their eyes by the God of this World, making them to dare blindly to go on thus, to their own ruin in the end, through the unbelief of their heart; and that whereby they are restrained from going any further, is called Swadling bands, to intimate, that when God will, these raging Persecutors shall be bound feet and hands, as weak Infants with swaddling bands, and so unable to stir anymore to hurt his Church or any members thereof: For the literal meaning, some by the cloud and darkness clothing the waters, as it were, understand the darkness at the creation, said to be upon the face of the deep: Some, the clouds over the Sea, covering it often times as a garment, whereby it seemeth to be bound in, as with swaddling bands, when it is herewith compassed, although not hereby so bound, as not to run any further, for which there are other boundaries set as doors, Verse 10. 11. But what is the meaning of these words; Brake up for it my decreed place. Vulgar, And compassed it with my bounds. Hebrew, And laid upon it my Statute. For 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth Statuere, disceruere, as well as to Break. And being thus rendered, it is easy to be understood, but obscured by the rendering of New. Tran.

Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days? and caused the day-spring to know his place, That it might take hold of the ends of the Earth; that the wicked might be shaken out of it? Vulg. And shaking hast thou held the extreme parts of the Earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it. Hebr. To lay hold upon the wings or extreme parts of the Earth. And thus the sense is plain, but not according to New Tran. and the Vulg. although it speaks to the sense, goeth from the words in the Original without cause: It is, as if he had said further to Job, Hast thou ever had the power to make the light of the morning to appear, or to shake the earth, by laying hold upon the ends thereof, to bring wicked men into it, by swollowing them up to their destruction, as God doth sometimes by earthquakes, and as he did Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, by an earthquake, making the earth to gape and to swollow up both houses and men in divers places: And laying hold upon the wings of the earth, is spoken of, in alluding to the manner of men; as of Samson, who laid hold upon the posts of the house, whereupon the Philistines were to their destruction. For the allegory, by the morning understand, Christ borne of the Virgin Mary, for then to show the morning rising, or the day-spring from an high, as Zacharias calleth it, a Star came and stood over the place where he was born, arising first in the East, to the wise men; that came from thence to worship him: Of the ordering of this mornings rising, none but the most high hath power, or in respect of the time: And whereas morning is named the second time; Hast thou made the morning to know her place? The Church is meant by the morning, of which it is said, Song. 6. Who is this, that riseth as the Morning? And in speaking of making her know her place, the place prepared for her in Heaven may be understood: Touching which our Lord saith, I go before to prepare a place for you, for in my Fathers House are many Mansions: And at the end of the world, Come ye blessed of my Father into the Kingdom prepared for you: And then he laying hold upon the ends of the Earth by his judgments, with fire and brimstone shall shake all the wicked out of it to hell fire forever and ever; as is taught, Mattb. 25. Of this shaking also, not only of the Earth, but of the Heaven, the Apostle speaketh saying; He shall shake not only the Earth, but the Heaven.

It is turned as clay to a seal, and they stand as a Garment, Vulgar, It or the seal shall be restored as clay, and stand as a garment. Hebr. It is turned or perverted as a clay seal, &c. This is spoken as a further amplification of that which was before said touching wicked men and their shaking out of the earth, he being as a Seal of clay, when this is done, is perverted becoming now but as a garment, by the putting on of which he is neatly formed or fashioned, but Death coming he is corrupted as a Garment eaten with Moths, being eaten with worms and changed into dust from whence they were taken, that is, all men. Now for the setting forth of man by a seal of clay, the reason of his being thus called is for the image of God stamped upon him in his creation, he being but clay taken out of the earth, and for sin dealt with, as he is worthy, this Seal disanulled as a clay Seal may easily be, and he being now from the image of God, who is everlasting, turned to be like a corruptible Garment, having nothing but an outside, all that is good within him being corrupted and married; for so David compareth man to a thing consumed by Moaths as Garments are, hence concluding him to be vanity, a very nothing in respect of that which he was by his creation. Some understand this of the change of things in appearance, when the light ariseth from that which they seemed to be in the night, the wicked, that have robbed in the night by their Garments put on disguising themselves, as that they cannot best known; others understand it otherwise, but because this stands with best reason and sense I rest herein: And so the state of man is set forth to be such, as that for that excellent one wherein he was first made, being like unto God, he is turned to be but [Note.] as it were a man of clouts, a dead and contemptible thing; howsoever be decketh himself with garments, that he may appear glorious.

And from the wicked the light shall be holden, and their high, Arm shall be broken. Here the misery of sinners is further set forth in respect of the light as man falling into sin had his understand darkened, and was deprived of that light, which he had before, so they that live and go on in sin shall finally be deprived of everlasting light, being cast into utter darkness, and then how highly and proudly soever they carried themselves, they shall be made weak, and poor, and low forever.

Hast thou entered into the springs of the Sea, or walked in the search of the Depth? The Lord having a little digressed in his speech from the works of creation to terrify wicked men; now returneth again unto them, and he speaketh of man's inability to search into the depth of the Sea, to prove hereby, that he is much less able to search into the secrets of his doings, to find out the reason hereof: From hence he passeth on to the same effect, to speak of man's not being able to know what is within the Gates of Death, or in what Estate each one is after Death. Then to his inability to find out the breadth of the Earth, which he hath made; That is, the whole compass of it; for although there be some men, who pretend, that they can do this, yet their determinations herein are but conjectures upon uncertain Grounds. From hence he proceedeth to the light and darkness, touching the place whereof, and how there is this intercourse of day and night continually he is ignorant: And touching all these he concludeth, that man of himself cannot have the knowledge because he was unborn, when Sea, and Earth, and Light, and darkness first were, as was also touched upon before, V. 4.

He passeth on to man's ignorance touching the Snow and Hail, which he saith, that he prepared against the time of trouble, of battle and war. Which is commonly understood of causing these to come as judgments upon wicked men, because a miraculous hail, with which fire was mingled was one of the judgments of Egypt, and hailstones in Joshua his time were cast down upon the Canaanites. And for hail this often falleth in a tempestuous manner; and doth much hurt to Corn and other growing things, but for snow, that most commonly fatneth the Ground, and makes it the more fruitful, yet sometimes both men and beasts in deep snows are wildred and destroyed, and this is here called God's making War as it were with men for their sins. But how Snow or hail, are thus at sometimes enforced, or come to be made, man knoweth not, but only Conjecturally.

By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the East wind upon the Earth? By this scattering light lightnings are best understood, because they sometimes are in one place and not in another. But for scattering the East wind, we may with better sense, and as agreeably to the Hebrew, render it, Scattering from the East upon the Earth, only the word From, is here understood, and by these words the place is shown, from which lightnings for the m • st part come, for so Christ speaketh hereof, As lightning cometh from ••• hast and shineth to the west, &c.

The same o • lightning for explication is again repeated, together with that work o • watering with Rain even the Wilderness, where no man liveth, by which his providence appeareth even over the wild beasts, that keep there. From the Rain he proceedeth to the Ice, hard like a stone, covering the waters

Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades? or loose the bands of Orion▪ Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or guid Arcturus with his Sons? O • there signs, see before, Chap. 9. 9. For Mazzaroth the Vulg. hath Luciferum: Some expound it of the Planets, and some of Stars in general, in ordering of which, and bringing forth now some, then other some, the wonderful wisdom and power, and providence of God appeareth, doing herein as a General by his Armies. He setteth forth his Almighty power again, by instancing in the clouds, raining and lightning.

Who hath given wisdom to the inward parts, and understanding to the heart? From other works of Creation, he proceedeth here to man, who if he hath any wisdom, must ascribe it unto God; and therefore not think himself able to come into judgment, and reason with him. For Verse 39. 40. 41. see Psalm. 104. and Psalm. 147.

CHAP. XXXIX.

KNowest thou the time when the wild Goats of the Rock bring forth, or when the Hinds calve? The vulg. For wild Goats hath Ibices, some, a beast partly like a Goat, partly an Hind, whatsoever it be, the thing for which it is here spoken of, is that which is common to it and the Hind, the secrecy of the bringing forth, no man knowing when it is; but for the Hind, it is noted to be with great difficulty, Psal. 29. Where it is said, That the voice of God maketh the Hind to calve, upon which, see the nature of the Hind: The Lord in setting forth admirable providence over his Creatures upon Earth, Beasts, and Fowls; having begun with Lions, Chap 38. 39. the King of Beasts, and the Ravens, singleth out some others, that be of greatest note, wherein man is posed, not being able to know the ways or secrets of these, much less of God that made them all. Gregory who hath his moralls upon all things, having shown that by the Lions spoken of, Chap. 38. The Apostles are set forth, to whom people being converted, were as a prey, so much good did it them, as their meat: And that by the Ravens, the Gentiles black by sin, are set forth, who are fed by God, when converted with the consolations of his word; saith, That in the South parts about Nile in Egypt, that are called Ibices, but in the East and West parts, little fourfooted Beasts, that keep upon Rocks, and bring forth there, are thus called: And for the Hinds he saith, That they destroy Serpents, and their nature is in swimming over Rivers, to go one after another, and each one to lay her head upon her that goeth before, the better to be borne up in the water, and when the foremost is weary, she cometh behind, and so the rest by course: By which Beasts, Preachers are set forth, who bring forth upon the Rock Christ, upon whom they bear themselves all together, and through virtue received from him, as the Hinds, kill Serpents, that is, Sins, where they come, and by becoming all things to all, and bearing their burdens with much difficulty, bring forth in a most admirable manner; for the words, Verse. 2. Canst thou number the months that they fulfill? Or when they will bring forth. That is, Can any man know, when they will be formed to new Creatures, who are under the Ministers teaching, here being so much required for the making of them such. 1. Knowledge. 2. Life of grace. 3. Growth. 4. Strength as it were of bones, as in a Child that is born into the World.

They bow themselves, bring forth their young ones, and cast out their sorrows: Ministers of the Gospel bow themselves when they stoop to the capacity of their Auditors, giving milk to babes and not strong meat; for then there is most likelihood of bringing forth unto God. The Vul. for these words they cast out their sorrows, hath it, Emittunt rugitus, They mourn as extremely pained in bringing forth: For the faithful Servants of God travel not thus without much anxiety and sorrow, by reason of the hardness of the people's hearts and of their indociblenesse, and the Hebrew will better bear this rendering: They send out sorrows.

Tbeir young ones are well liking, they are fed with corn, they go forth and turn not to them again: That is, these spiritual Children thus brought forth are fed with the Word, till that through their being thus fed they are filled so with Knowledge that they can live now the life of Grace, without being further taught by men; according to that which was prophesied, They shall no more teach them, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall know me from the greatest to the least: But alas who cometh to such perfection of knowledge [Note.] in these days, and if they do, how many keep it and loose it not again? So that they have continual need of teaching still, although not in the first principles, such as this is, Know the Lord, one God and three persons, &c. To worship and serve him only, and not any Idols or false God's. And because to know God, is to live and do so in all things as he requireth, there is need always by Preaching to be stirred up hereunto, as by stirring up a fire it is kept burning, otherwise it goeth out; so Zeal against sin must by Preaching be stirred up from time to time, as the fire in the Temple was daily renewed.

Who hath sent out the wild Ass free, or who hath loosed the bands of the wild Ass. Verse 6. 7. 8. Whose house I have made the Wilderness, &c. Here is another wonderful thing in the Creatures, the Ass being of all Beasts, that men use for labor, the stillest and slowest in going, and most easily ruled, for which it is said; The Ox knoweth his owner and the Ass his masters crib. Yet God hath made one sort of them very swift and indomable by man, feeding them hy his providence in barren Wildernesses, especially in the Wilderness of Arabia, where this sort of Asses most abound, and of their swiftness in running Xenophon writeth saying, That Cyrus passing that way with his horsemen, there were many of them, who being stirred, ran so swiftly away, that some horsemen following, could not come near them, then standing still, but when the horsemen approached, they fell again a running as before, thus deluding them; and to these the Wilderness is as an house, where they keep: neither can men take or bring them away from thence, and although there be little food, yet by God's providence, they are sustained and strengthened hereby to this swiftness. Now of this he telleth Job, to intimate, that whereas he in prosperity, had great and spacious grounds indeed, to keep his Asses and Oxen in, and an ample family, as men count spacious and ample, so that he was the greatest man in all the East, as was before said, yet Jobs grounds and house was nothing to his, and that both he and all men might know hereby, the greatness and excellency of God above men, who hath the vast Wilderness, as an house wherein to keep abundance, both of these and of other wild Beasts, and keeping them lusty, where but very little food is to be had, and although men cannot rule them, because they are too swift for them, yet God can and doth; which should make man to reverence him so, as not to dare to lift up his voice upon any occasion against him: And from hence also we may gather, that a little is enough to sustain men in the wilderness of this World: As the [Note] Children of Israel also were here sustained, having nothing to eat, but what God sent them down from Heaven from day today, forty years together, that as it is said of nature; Exigno natura cententa, It is content with a little, so we should be as the Apostle exhorteth us, saying, Whilst we have food and raiment, let us herewith be content. Which maketh both against Gluttons and Drunkards, whom nothing will suffice but excess, and against the covetous, who thinking all that they have to be too little, either murmur at their having no more, or gaping after abundance, are set upon getting these Worldly things without end, by hook and crook, right and wrong: Some take occasion from hence, and because it is further said, Verse 7. He despiseth the mnltitude of the City. From hence some take occasion to commend an Eremiticall and solitary life, far from the frequency of people, to be the more free to divine contemplations: But this is far fetch • d and rather proveth them that do so, when there is no necessity, as in time of persecution, to be no better then wild Asses. The Allegory of Gregory is far better here, who will have the faithful by this description set forth, who because their minds are taken up with heavenly things, despise the courses of those that are altogether for worldly, are basely counted of by the world as Asses, which are most [Note.] silly and dull; but indeed such only are free, all others like Asses under the yoke of the World, in whom the spirit and generosity of mind; that is, in these is altogether wanting, because he saith, Who hath sent the wild Ass out free? For it is a freedom not to covet or desire the Goods of this World, or the dignities hereof, contrariwise it is servitude and bondage to covet them; for prosperity being affected in worldly things, press the mind, as it were, with a yoke of servitude and adversity, when it is seared: But he that hath shaken off worldly desires from his mind, enjoyeth a certain felicity in this life, when he joyeth not much in prosperity, nor is straitened by adversity: How worldly men are yoked, Christ showeth, saying; Come to me all ye that be weary and heavy laden, take my yoke upon you, for my yoke is easy and my burden light. But it is an harsh heavy yoke to be under worldly temporal things, to be ambitious of earthly, to hold things fading, to desire to stand in things not standing, to desire things passing away, and not to be willing to pass away with things that pass away. For whilst all things against a man's desire flee away, which before afflicted the mind with a desire of getting, they afterwards press with a fear of Loosing. In saying, Who setteth the Wilde Ass free? He meaneth, who but God; so God can free man's mind from these desires, but man cannot free himself, so is he held hereby when he thinketh to shake it off through the fear of want to come; he is still held fast hereby; therefore to God we must seek, that he would set us thus free, and as Christ saith, If the Son makes you free, ye are free indeed. The Christians that thus neglected worldly things for Heavenly, were hereby traduced by Heathens, that they were a slothful Generation like the Ass. But Tertullian answereth in their behalf; saying, We are accused to be idle persons, and such as refuse to employ ourselves in worldly businesses. How can this be? We living amongst you and being habited, instucted in Trades, and of the same necessity, that ye are, to get our livings by labor. For we are neither Brachnans nor Gymnosophists of the Indians: for such, also other Philosophers, did nothing towards a living, but gave themselves wholly to study, we are not, Silvicolae, Livers in woods, as Exiles, only we temper ourselves, that we may not use the things of this life ill, or without measure: The refore we dwell in this world together with you, not without Courts, Bathes, Taverns, Shops, Stables, Fairs, and other Commerces. Whereby we may see, that no Christians did then count it a point of piety to sequester themselves from the Society of men, to live either Eremites, Anchorites, or Cenobites, but each one in his Lawfull calling, tending his business as other natural men did.

Will the Unicorn serve thee, or abide by thy Crib? This is also another notable Beast, in which the power of God doth greatly appear: It is by the Vulg. rendered, Rinoceros, by some it is also called, Monoceros, but that is the Greek name taken from the one horn that it hath, because 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth one, and Ceros, an horn, Unicorn the Latin, and he hath the name of Rinoceros, from the growing of his horn from his Nose. To set forth his great strength, it is said, of Israel by Balaam, He hath the strength of an Unicorn. It seemeth by the various description made of him by divers Writers, that there be more sorts of them, one called a Rinoceros, and another Monoceros or Unicorn. Aelianus saith, that there be wild Asses in India of the bigness of an Horse, having one horn in the midst of their foreheads, in length a Cubit and half, and so sharp, that herewith he pierceth through the hardest things. Of this Pliny writeth, that he is like an horse in his body, his head like an Hart, his feet like an Elephant, and tail as a wild Boar; having an heavy lowing, and one black horn two cubits long, Strabo saith that he is as long as an Elephant, but of shorter thighs, and therefore not so high in form like an Ox of a Box color, or an Elephants, his Rictus or opening of his mouth, like a wild boar, and his skin so thick and hard, that the sharpest instrument of Iron cannot pierce it, and this beast also is one that cannot be taken alive by man. But because God can, he is mentioned as another of his works of wonder. Man may make use of many other beasts to do his Husbandry work, but of this, though fitted by stature and strength to do most, he is able to do none, and therefore a poor weak worm to Godward.

Who gave the goodly wings to the Peacocks? Or Wings and seathers to the Ostrich? But before I speak of this, a word more of the Unicorn: The mighty men of this world, are hereby set forth, saith Gregory; who lift up their horns on high, against which it it is said in the Psalms, Lift not up your horns on high: For long it was, before that Kings and Emperors could be brought in to labor in the Vineyard, as the Unicorn cannot be made to work, but rather with their terrible horns pushed and pierced men, that embraced the faith of Christ; neither could the Apostles, the most able of all other men, take them, but God in his good time brought them into the field of his Church, and since by their strength, they have done him great good service. But to return to the Peacock and Ostrich, The Vulg. hath it, Pennae ni Struthiouis simile est penae heodis & accipitris, An Ostriches Feather or wing is like that of the Ierfaulcon or the Hauke: The meaning according to Greg. is, The Ostrich hath wings as well as the Hauke, but the Hauke fleeth most swiftly, and the Ostrich cannot flee at all. Hebr. it is, The Wing of the Singers or Criers extended, is the wing of the Stork, or Ostrich: For the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth both, to make sense in our tongue, the wings of these birds or Fowls, that are noted, for singing or crying, are extended, if the wings of the Stork and Hauke be, that is, the Ostriches, that cry so loud have their wings spread, as if they could, and were about to flee as well as a Stork or Hauke, but the one fleeth not, as was said before: And the other two do a far off, as the Stork over the Sea in time of cold, coming again in time of warmth, of which Jeremiah also speaketh, or most swiftly, as the Hauke. And by whom this is done, is it not God that putteth this marvelous difference. Pagnin. (because 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth to exult, as well as to cry or sing, and the Peacock is a fowl, that exulteth much in respect o • his painted tail, when he setteth it up to make it show most glorious) saith, that haply the Peacock is to be understood here; but it is most improbable, because if Peacocks were meant, God would not only have given so light a touch upon it, and then passed on to the Ostrich, without saying anymore of it, contrary to his manner in speaking of any other Creature, neither doth he in all this discourse propound two to our consideration together, but one alone, as being admirable enough for us to meditate singly upon, before we come to another, neither is there any word in the Text signifying who gave, and if 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 be tendered wing, the New Translation were much mistaken in thinking, that the Peacock was here pointed at, seeing his beauty is not so much in his Wings as in the feathers of his tail. It is then certainly, a comparison which is here propounded betwixt the Stork, and Hauke, and Ostrich, of which last the Lord meant to speak further, as upon a Creature greatly to be noted for the wonderfulness thereof, both in the form and strange qualities of leaving Egs, which yet by God's providence are cared for, and come many of them to be living Ostriches, although by their Damm thus neglected, either in respect of sitting upon them to bring them to life, or when they begin to live; of feeding them. For rendering the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ostrich, I see no reason, because 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is mercy, and the Ostriches have none in them, but the Stork so much, that she pecks herself, till the blood runneth out to feed her young ones. Touching the Ostrich, she is between a beast and a fowl, having so thinn Feathers, and so heavy a Body, that she cannot flee, but only lifts up her wings and runneth very swiftly. Aelianus saith, that the Ostrich is almost as great as a Camel, being therefore called Struthio Camelus; and because her buttocks are bare and without Feathers, she cannot sit upon her young to bring them to life, yet some say that she layeth 80. Egs, and having a faculty of discerning, which of them will prove Ostriches, and which will come to nothing, she leaveth some of them upon the sand, and upon other some sitteth and hatcheth them, but this appeareth to be a fiction, because the Lord saith, that she leaveth them for want of wit to consider, to what dangers they lie open, and of memory to find them out again being laid, but God by his providence through the heat of the Sun, hatcheth and giveth them life, and sustaineth them most admirably, for which this, as another great wonder in nature is worthy to be spoken of, to show the almighty power of God. Allegorically the Ostrich setteth forth the Hypocrite, who seemeth to have, wings whereby to soar up towards Heaven, but worldly things lie so heavy in his mind, that he cannot stir from the earth, and his feathers be too few to flee thus withal: That is, his graces, whereof he hath none but common to the wicked and the righteous, praying and preaching with the mouth, hearing with the ear, keeping days of fasting, and alms-giving, and paying of tithes; but herein the hypocrites of these times, come short of those of old, some not duly paying or willingly paying any, and they that do, not being so strict as herein to go to the tythe of Mint, Annis, and Comin; although the Lord saith, that this ought to be done also: For the graces, wherewith his feathers must be thickened, but in him wanting, they are love, joy in the spirit, meekness, and humility, temperance, faith, and so forth, as they are together set forth, Gal. 5. 22. And if the hypocrite be represented by the Ostrich, then the Godly indeed and sincere are here set forth by the Stork and Hauke, which hath a little body, but many feathers, so that she can easily flee upward; that is, little flesh and a great deal of spirit, against which, although the flesh striveth, yet the spirit prevaileth, and they are hereby lead, and made like spiritual bodies, and to have their conversation now in Heaven, to which their bodies shall verily be made apt to ascend, as Christ did in body, when they shall be changed and made like unto his glorious body.

Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in the dust. Here an hypocrite is further described by his carelessness in respect of his people, if he be a Pastor, or of his Children, if he be a Father; for such a [Note.] Pastor, although he preacheth, yet he travelleth not through care of the Flock committed unto him: As Paul, till Christ be formed in them, but leaveth them in the Earth, as it were, and in the dust for want of any discipline using through an earnest desire to see them reformed, whereby it cometh to pass, that notwithstanding all his teaching and preaching, as they were earth and dust, so they are still, and as hotly set upon the dust and dung of this World, as if they had never heard of not setting their hearts hereupon; for which it is said, Warmeth them in the dust. And so as when the Ostriches egg cometh to be hatched, it is but an Ostrich like her self: So they that live under such a Ministry, are but hypocrites like to their Teachers, having a form of godliness only, but void of the power of it, coming indeed to the word preached, and the Sacraments, and praying long and often, but not keeping themselves unspotted of the World, by not doing anything that is base and wicked, after the manner of worldlings, by lying, stealing, deceit, oppression, or following in secret the lusts of the flesh, or by pride, envy, malice, or desire of revenge, or strife, or debate, slandering, railing, or bitter speaking: For by these or any of these they are spotted, as one upon whom black and stinking dirt is cast; yea Jude calleth them spots and blots, and as they are spots, so they want another substantial point of pure religion: that is, Charitablenesse, for both these put together, make a pure religious Person: To visit the Fatherless and Widdowes in their adversity, and keep a man's self unspotted of the World. All other religion, when this is not done, being vain: The Pastor then that hath no more care of these things, then an Ostrich of her eggs, to propound and stir up to all of them, as wherein the power of religion lieth, or having preached them up crieth them down again, in his own life and example, or that is not vigilant against the gross sins of the people, both to cry out against them, and to censure particular persons that be such, by the exercise of the keys committed unto him, is not tender hearted, as the Minister of Christ ought to be, but hard-hearted, as the Ostrich against her own eggs, and all his labor is in vain, although through his foolishness he is not sensible hereof, and therefore feareth nothing: And as it is with the Pastor, so it is with the Parent, that leaveth his children upon the Earth, by bringing them up in an earthly and worldly manner, seeking to warm them with the dust and dross of worldly, wealth, but not in the information and fear of the Lord, at the least no further, then that fear of God for outward performances, as hath been already said, that wherein the power of it consisteth, being neglected, the fleeing of all sin, and doing of all good: And if they be judged hard-hearted, whether Pastors or Parents, that do thus, what do they else, as long as they do so, but labor with an impenitant heart; whereby They heap up to themselves, wrath against the day of wrath. And although in this their way they fear nothing, their labor is vain; and so when the Lord of the Vineyard cometh to pay his laborers, that which they have done, being all vain, they shall be dismissed without any such pay, and be paid according to their works by the just Judge, who to them That by patient continuance in well doing, seek immortality, will give everlasting life, but to evil doors, shame and contempt.

As the Ostrich thus hardeneth herself against her eggs, having no fear for the want of knowledge and understanding, of which God hath deprived her: So such Pastors and Parents are foolish, and it is for want of wisdom, that they do so, as hath been said, to their own utter ruin afterwards; according to the saying, Quos vult perdere dementat Jupiur. God infatuateth them, whom he will destroy.

When she lifteth up her self on high she scorneth the horse and his rider. Here by the Horse and his rider in the Allegory understand, the faithful Servants of God, in whom the flesh is as it were, the Horse, and the spirit the rider; the Ostrich scorning, these is the wicked hypocrite, who keepeth his wings close to his body, when he wanteth power, and is kept under, but when at any time he cometh to have power, he is bold to use the true faithful Servants of God most contempteously, before he keepeth low through sained humility, but now he lifteth himself up on high through pride, and doth despite unto the very spirit of God, in despising them: And herein the Popes of Rome, have notoriously discovered themselves to be Ostrich-like hypocrites, being in times past, Servi servorum Dei. But now though they write themselves so still, Domini dominantium: Above Kings and Emperors, most despitefully using those of the reformation, who are as the Horse and his rider, stirred up against them for their abominations, and not much unlike unto them are all that having sometimes shown themselves so lowly, that whatsoever they suffered, they were yet contained through reverence to the higher powers, from lifting up themselves, but having gotten opportunity fear not to do it: But this Horse and rider will be too good for all such Ostriches in the end, and then they shall smart for such contempts and elevations; as is shown, Revel. 19.

Hast thou given the Horse strength, hast thou clothed his neck with thunder. For the Horse, what a courageous Creature the war Horse is we all know, that is right bred, and therefore we shall not need to prosecute the description of him according to the Letter; but allegorically with Gregory understand by the Horse, as before Verse 18. God's faithful Servants, who through the spirit of God that is in them, are most courageous and without fear of any Creature: To such God giveth strength. First, To subdue sin in themselves, then clotheth their necks with thunder, terriblly to thunder against the sins of others; as the courageous Horse filleth the air with neighing when amongst others he goeth to battle. According to this James and John were called, Boanerges, Sons of thunder. And not without reason is this spiritual Horse said to be clothed about his neck with thunder, when as the noise that he maketh by neighing, is within coming from his throat; but to intimate, that he weareth the Law, which he preacheth as a chain about his own neck, which is, when he is graced by living according to the same.

Canst thou make him afraid as a Grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible. The Horse is here further spoken of, by way of comparison with a Locust or Grasshopper, because Locusts also are said to go forth as an Army, and God raised a mighty Army of them against Pharaoh and the Egyptians, and they are by John described as representing war Horses: But although they have some form of Horses, yet they are not herein like unto them ordinarily, that they can do nothing with all their accommadations about them like unto war Horses, they are afraid of man, and are weak creatures, unless they be extraordinarily stirred up by God, but the war Horse is naturally fierce and courageous, and cannot be terrified; but whereas the Grasshopper singeth weakly, he neigheth strongly and terribly: For the allegory, that which is here further added, setteth forth a second property of a faithful Servant of Christ, as one was set forth before in his strength and strong neighing, like terrible thundering, Viz. The stirring up of himself by his neighing to be more heavenly, for which after his neighing spoken of, he saith, He paweth the Valley with his feet. The vulg. nearer to the Hebrew, He diggeth the earth with his hoof. That is, treadeth worldly things underfoot, when he is strengthened, as aforesaid, which he doth, that esteemeth not of them in comparison of Christ, but counteth them dross and dung, as Paul did. 3. As the Horse rejoiceth to go to war, so the faithful Preacher at temptations by sufferings, wherewith he is assaulted in time of his spiritual warfare, as the Apostles did, when they were scourged for preaching Christ, they rejoiced; and as by the courage of Horses, courage is put into the man, so by the courage, and exultation of the Preacher in sufferings, other Christians are encouraged cheerfully to encounter with sufferings likewise. 4. Because it is said that the Horse so crieth, Ah, ha, at the rattling of the spears, and sound of the Trumpet, at which others are afraid; so the faithful Servants of God, shall not fear at the last day, the things that others fear, the terrible signs appearing in Heaven, and Trumpet sounding; but as Christ biddeth them, lift up their heads with joy, for the time of their redemption draweth near, and likewise, whereas the wicked are terrified at the approach of death, they triumph as Conquerors, as knowing that it is but a dissolution, that they may be with Christ. Lastly, As it is said of the Horse, That be smelleth the battle a far off. So that it cometh not upon him unexpectedly; in like manner the courageous Christian is always in expectation of sufferings, and therefore they cannot come unexpectedly upon him, but being prepared for them, when they come he is not hereby terrified, as others are: For the literal application, it is the same that hath been often spoken, from such strength and courage by God put into an Horse, but not into a Grasshopper, to be made for his infinite power, that doth all this, to reverence him, and for our parts each one in particular seeing the diversity of gifts by God given to divers Creatures, one having [Note.] that which another hath not, and yet that creature in some respects not so free, as others that want them are, for the Horse with his courage serveth man and not himself in war, the wild Ass hath not that courage, but more swiftness, and so keepeth himself from servitude, and so doth the Unicorn; seeing I say, it is thus with Beasts, we ought to be content, although other men have more given to them in any respect then we have, for it is the will and providence of God, that makes it thus [Note.] to be. Lastly, Because many of the creatures of God spoken of, and further to be spoken of, do far excel men in strength, and are formidable to them, yea the Horse would be, if he were not unto man subdued, but all are subject to God, and by God these courageous Horses are made subject to men; let us much more be ashamed to be rebellious against him, being fully assured, that if we still hold on so, how great soever any of us be in this World, we shall be reduced to subjection, though not of our own will yet of necessity, to God's Jailor the Devil, who so proudly despised or carelessly neglected to serve God, as he required.

Doth the Hauk flee by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings towards the South. Vulg. An ex sapientiam tuam plumescie. And the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth either Volare or Plumescere, to fly or to grow feathery. And it is by Gregory understood, of her casting some feathers, and other growing anew, for which purpose the Hauks that be wild, get them into warm places, and spread their wings southward to the heat of the Sun, that the old feathers may come out from year to year, and new ones grow: Allegorically, as by the Hank before in another respect, so here understand, the faithful for this, that they being heat by the spirit of God, wherewith Christ the Son of righteousness shineth upon them, cast off the old man with his lusts and concupiscence, and put on the new: Of renewing their age like the Eagle, see Psal. 103. And being born anew, John 3. 5. And of becoming new creatures, if we be in Christ, 2 Cor. 5. 17. But it is to be noted, that the Hauke is said, Expandere; To open wide her wings towards the South, to denote a man's laying open of his sins towards this Sun, by humbly confessing them, whereby they may be made to shed off, and new to come in their stead, because he that confesseth and forsaketh his sins, shall have mercy, but not otherwise.

Doth the Eagle at thy command make her nest on high. She dwelleth upon the Rock, &c. And seeketh her pray a far off. The Eagle is another wonderful thing in nature for her high flying, even above all other Fowls of the air; and for her looking with open eyes upon the Sun, when it shineth brightly; and according to her high flying, so she maketh her nest upon the top of an high most harsh and craggy Rock, sitting there exposed to wind and weather: Hereby the faithful are set forth, who are made so not by the will of man but of God; as the Psalmist also compareth them to an Eagle, for such a man maketh his nest upon a craggy Rock; when for the love of God and heavenly things, he careth not what hardship he endureth in this World, being as well content with poverty as with riches, with bonds as with liberty of body, and with death as with life here, and he seeth more into the mysteries of God, then any other man, being comforted at the sight of him herein, wherein others cannot look, or with their eyes behold, through the weakness of their understanding; according to that of the Apostle, The spiritual man discerneth all things, the natural cannot, because they are spiritually discerned. For this Eagles seeking of her prey a far off, this setteth forth the Saints seeing the joys of Heaven by the eye of faith, from which they are yet far, but feed hereupon by comfort, which they take herein.

Her young ones also suck up blood; and where the slain are, there is she. That is, Referring it to weaker Christians, although they cannot see so far into the things of God, yet they know Christ crucified for them, and shedding his blood, and by faith, and receiving his supper, they fed upon his blood; for to express this to the Corinthians, that were yet as babes, he saith, that amongst them he desired to know nothing but Christ and him crucified; that is, to instruct them in nothing else, as being uncapable yet of more profound teaching, Where the slain are, there is she. To the same effect of that of Christ, Where the dead carcase is, theither will the Eagles resort. Whereby is meant, that as the Eagles follow Armies, that when any be slain, they may prey upon them: So the Christian is where Christ is, who was slain for our sins, living in his Church, where his body or flesh is to be eaten, and after death, ascending to be always where he is, first in Soul, then both body and Soul, reunited at the last day to eat of the hidden Manna, and so to be blessed for evermore.

CHAP. XL.

SHall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? He that reproveth God let him answer it. Here the Lord, after many questions moved to Job, presseth him to answer (since God by that which hath been said clearly appeareth to be of infinite Power, Wisdom, and Goodness) and to declare what excellency was in him, wherein none else could compare with him; if he could, because he stood so much upon his Righteousness, and if he could not, then to repent of that which he had spoken, and to cease to speak anything magnifically of himself anymore. For whilst man compareth himself with other men, it may seem to him, that he is extraordinary, and ought not to be dealt withal in rigor, but let the most just man that is, look up to God; and consider the super-excellencies that are in him by his creatures so wonderfully and variously endued with qualities, excelling those in many things that be in man, and then he shall find nothing in himself, whereof to boast, but cause of humiliation and silence, howsoever the Almighty is pleased by his severest judgments to try and prove him. And accordingly Job having heard all this, humbleth himself and resolveth upon silence, and not once to mutter more against God's doings, thus declaring his humble subjecting of himself unto him, whether to live or die: For he saith, Behold I am vile, what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my Mouth. Once have I spoken, but I will not answer, yea twice, but I will proceed no further. As if he had said, whilst I had to deal with men, I was bold divers times to answer them, and to justify my complaint, that I made at the first, Chapt. 3. and to speak as if I were wronged, and as wishing to come and plead my cause before thee, but now that Majesty hath vouchsafed to speak, I see thy excellency to be incomparable, and my vileness in comparison of thee to be so great, that I will not come into the lists to contend with thee, but loe I am here in silence ready to bear whatsoever thou layest upon me. And as Job, so the best man living, shall not [Note.] be able to speak when God appeareth, if he be lifted up with any conceit of his own Righteousness, as thinking that he hath not so ill deserved, as to suffer what he doth. And therefore let us set ourselves in God's presence now whilst we live; if by pride or any way else we have offended, and as if he already were come to reprove, humble ourselves unto him, confess our vileness, and cease speaking presumpteously or doing wickedly anymore, and so we shall find mercy again at his hands as Job did. For if so just a man as Job had his mouth stopped, and now saw so much vileness in himself, that he thought himself unworthy to answer one word; how much more shall wicked men then when God shall appear to judge the quick and the dead, see their abominable vileness, and be confounded hereat, being stricken speechless, and so be taken away and bound hand and foot and cast into utter darkness, as the man that came to the Marriage Supper of the King without a wedding Garment was.

The Lord beginneth to speak again out of the Whirlwind, as he did, Chapt 38. 1. And he spake thus to humble Job, who before had too much lifted up himself; to Elijah he spake with a soft and still voice, when he spake to comfort and instruct him, but to Job his voice came out of a Whirlwind to terrify and humble him. But when it is said, that God spake, it is to be understood by his Angel, as Gregory saith, Although he sometimes speaketh without an Angel mediating betwixt him and men, yet this is, when no voice is heard with the Ear outwardly, but by Revelations made to the Heart inwardly, as he spake to the Prophets: but when he spake by words and syllables to the bodily Ear, he used his Angels for his Iustruments of speaking, as when he gave the Law upon mount Sinai, where the Lord is said to have spoken all those words, the Apostle saith, that the Law was given by the Mediation of Angels▪ for it was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator.

Wilt thou also disannul my judgment, wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayst be righteous? The man that is just being smitten, if he finds himself grieved at his sufferings, hereby doth in effect condemn the proceedings of God in smiting him, although he speaketh not; but is silent as Job now resolved to be. For he doth not acknowledge his judgments to be just, unless in taking part as it were with God, he riseth upon against himself, saying, I am worthy to be thus dealt withal, although I know nothing by myself. For if there be no sin in him, for which he is made so grievously to suffer; yet because God hath another end by sufferings to make a just man more just, and to increase his Grace in him, that is, the Grace of patience, that he may have the more sure hope, it is in him a condemning and disannulling of God's judgments not to confess that he is just in all his ways and righteous in all his works. And therefore Job having not done so since his three friends came to visit him, the Lord to make him take notice of this his oversight thus challengeth him, as if to justify himself he condemned him, that we may all learn in our sufferings to stand stiffly still to the [Note.] justifying of God's proceedings against us, though we know not the cause, even as we would not be found guilty of so heinous a crime as this, to condemn God in any of his proceedings, but such as howsoever we suffer, still give Glory to him, that we may finally be Glorified by him forever.

Hast thou an Arm like God? Or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? When God speaketh of his Arm and voice here, or else where, it is spoken of him, we must not conceive with the Anthropomorphites, that he hath such parts, or a Body whereby he uttereth a voice, as man doth; but hereby as by similitudes he is set forth by condiscending to our capacities, who knew no strength in man to do mighty things but his Arms, nor voice, that he can utter; but by his tongue and through his Throat. And in this sense God is also sometimes set forth as an Eagle having wings, under which she covereth, or upon which she beareth her young ones, and by an Hen. But the Arm of God is his almighty power, and his voice his wisdom, for which Christ by whom all things were made, is called the Power of GOD, and the Wisdom of GOD, and his mighty hand and streched out Arm, And the word which was with God and was God.

Deck thyself with Majesty and beauty, and array thyself with glory and excellency: Abase everyone that is proud. For this the Lord doth, as he saith, Esa. 2. Here Job having humbled himself to God, hath further reason shown him, why he should so do, Viz. Because he cannot deck himself with Majesty, and Glory as God doth, neither can he abase the proud as he can, and therefore as an infirm Creature, that cannot save himself, it became him to demean himself towards God most humbly. Of God's Glory and Majesty, it is often spoken in the Psalms, and how he can abase the proud, is shown in his bringing of a flood upon the Giants drowning them all, and his destroying of proud Pharaoh and his host, and Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar; but alas what can the mightiest of men do, unless God strengtheneth him. Now every man that liveth in sin is proud, but upon some God looketh to make them repent; as Christ looked upon Peter, and then he was abased by being made to weep bitterly, to his greater future exaltation; upon others he looketh to confound them, and to bring them down that stand stiffly and stoutly in their sins, and will not be humbled.

Behold now Behemoth which I made with thee, he eateth grass like an Ox. His strength is in his loins and his force in the navel of his belly. What is meant by Behemoth is not amongst Expositors agreed: The word Behemah signifieth a Beast, of which Behemoth is the plural number, Beasts: Some most absurdly hold that it is a Beast, which we know not, of a monstrous greatness, called by the name of Behemoth, being seven miles long and broad, his head a mile, and his tail a mile, eating up daily the grass growing upon a thousand Hills, which being tread down one day, springeth abundantly again the next, and that this Beast God will kill at the time of the resurrection thereof, to make a feast for his Saints, thus Lyra out of some Rabbins: Some again will not have any one Beast, but all Beasts meant hereby, as the word signifieth, in some of which all [ 2] the things here spoken of are, and they were made the same day that man was, and therefore being that which is here said, Made with thee. agreeth well, if the word be so understood. 3. Some understand the Elephant by Behemoth, either for his excellency above all other Beasts in the bigness and strength of his body, so called, because equal herein to many Beasts put together: And there are many that say, that the Hebrews call the Elephant commonly by his name, and none other, for which both they and the Hebrews many of them understand the Elephant, and all things in the description agree most aptly to this Beast, and it is not probable, that God having spoken of other mighty Beast in particular, wherein his power doth most notably appear, would omit particularly to speak of the Elephant, the greatest and mightiest of them all: And that which is said of Behemoths being made with him, doth well agree to the Elephant, if either we look at the time of the creation of the Beasts and of Man the same day, or the familiarity of Elephants with men, being so apt to learn their qualities, and having memory and understanding like men, and a kind of love to them, if they be brought up with them, doing them great good service, both in peace and war, and keeping watch, as it were, about men's houses, and peculiarly possessed by Kings, whereof Job was one: Some also note, that he representeth Oxen in his horns by the fangs that grow out of his mouth like horns, but yet in his trunk he is unlike him, although in eating grass and boughs of Trees also like him: For the strength also said to be in his loins, it well agreeth to the Elephant, who is so strong, that he can bear an wooden Tower upon his back, and upon that two and thirty men standing to fight therefrom, and with his trunk he overthroweth Trees, and then feedeth upon them.

He moveth his tail like a Cedar, the sinews of his stones are wrapped together. This seemeth not to agree to the Elephant, because being so great a Beast, he hath so little a tail and without hair, as that it cometh not down to cover him behind, as other Beasts tails do, neither hath he any use thereof so much, as to beat flies away from annoying him in his Posteriorums, but only with the wrinkles of his hard skin there, upon which they come, he by contracting it killeth them: But the word rendered Moveth. Hebr. is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to love or to pleasure in, or is pleased with, for the comparison made with the Cedar, it seemeth to be in resepct of the small leaves, which that great Tree hath in comparison of other Trees, being narrow and pricky at the end, like those of the Fir Tree; and the meaning is, the Elephant, a great Beast, hath a lesser tail then other Beasts, and with few hairs upon it, as the Cedar hath smaller leaves, and yet takes as much pleasure in it, as if it were greater. The sinews of his stones are wrapped together. This also agreeth to the Elephant, which is most remarkable for his genitall members, being for his greatness very small, and in a manner wrapped up in his body: And as these be, so is his lust small to the Female, never coming together with her for Generation. but in secret, and when she is once filled, not having to do with her anymore, as some say, all his life time; and she bringeth forth only one at a time, and that no bigger then a year old Calf, although it groweth afterwards to be the greatest of all Beasts by far: But that of the Elephants coming together, never but once in their life time for generation, who can believe, because that so, there being but one bred for two, the old dying, though they live long as some say, two hundred or three hundred years, they would either by death natural, or by being killed, decrease in time and be worn out, till that none were left upon earth; for Verse 18. His bones are like strong pieces of brass, like bars of Iron. Which is so said, because he is the strongest of all other Beasts.

He is the chief of the ways of God, he that made him, can make his sword to approach unto him. The Vulg. and Hebr. have the beginning of the ways of God, it being said thus of the Elephant, not because nothing was made before it, but haply either none of the Beasts, or it is thus said, because the chief amongst the Beasts, called the ways of God, because that in making of them, whereof many be so exceedingly strong, God took away to declare his power upon earth unto men; for his making of his sword to approach unto him, something that this is done, when he is hunted and killed by the Indians, for of their hunting of them, both Aristotle and Aelianus write: Some, when the Unicorn pierceth and killeth him with his sharp horn, and this being done indeed, it may be said to be done by the sword of God, but it is rather to be thought, that the meaning is, however he be the strongest of all Beasts, and none dare approach unto him, yet God hath a sword whereby he can cut him off when he pleaseth; that is, By his power, which nothing can resist, Verse 21, 22, 23. show his feeding and places of his abode, he is not a Carnivorous wild beast, but harmless, for all his great strength, other Beasts feeding about him without fear, and he is shadowed by the Trees in watery places, in which he much delighteth, by reason of his great heat, and near a Tree he getteth him, in the shadow thereof to rest him by leaning against it, because he cannot bend his knees to lie down.

He drinketh up a River, and hasteth not; he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth, To oppress or to take by force, Rapere. And therefore it may be read, he will do, as it were, some violence to a River, when he cometh to drink at it, he drinketh through the greatness of his body, and of his thirst so great a quantity, that the running of the stream is even stayed hereby, as if it were by force for the time: And it is said, he hasteth not, because as Aelianus writeth of him, he drinketh not, till he hath first by going into and stirring the water made it pudly, for he loveth not clear waters; and for the quantity, Aristotle saith, That he drinketh fourteen Ampharas or Tankers in the morning, and eight at night; but as Aelianus also saith, he goeth long without drinking, even days together, that which is spoken of the River Jordan, is added by way of Hyperbole, further to set forth the same.

He taketh it with his eyes; his nose pierceth thorough a snare. He will take it with his eyes as with an hook. But Hebr. There is no hook spoken of, and Vatablus giveth this for the sense, he when he beginneth to drink, is so greedy of it, that he thrusteth in his head up to the eyes; but it is rather meant, that in his eye, all the water that he cometh to, is scarce enough to quench his thirst, as the common saying is, Better fill his belly then his eye: And hitherto of Behemoth, as hereby an Elephant is thought to be meant: Now the Fathers generally and many new Writers also hereby understand, the Devil, who is let forth by the name of Beasts or Behemoth, for they are all one, because he being made an Angel of light at the first by falling, was abased as a beast, as it is said of man being in honor, that he became like to the Beasts that perish, Ps. 49. So the Devil falling was like to Beasts, the Serpent, the Lion, the Dragon, to all which he is compared; and herein to all Beasts, that he perisheth, having also in him the evil qualities of all Beasts, the subtlety of the Serpent, the cruelty of the Lion or Dragon, the devouring and destroying quality of all Beasts, yea even of the gentlest, which if they come into Orchards or cornfeilds, or other like Grounds, they destroy with their mouths and feet all things, as the Ox with whom is he compared, and said, to eat hay like him, of which by and by. As therefore men by living like Beasts come to be beasts, as the dogged and quarelsome are dogs, the Drunken are Swine, the Luxurious, Horses, the Cruel, Lions, the Subtill to deceive, Foxes, the poisonous tongued, Serpents, &c. Of which we read in divers plces of the holy Scriptures, so the Devil for his being like the Beasts is called Behemoth. And to show that a man who liveth like a Beast, is a very beast, through following his sensual Lusts, and his want of the Knowledge of God only to be high and excellent; one man Nebuchadnezzar had his understanding taken from him, and like a Beast, was driven from amongst men, and eat Grass like a Beast, and lived amongst Beasts seven years. Moreover to make it the more probable, that the Devil is meant by Behemoth in this place, the words before going are to be looked at, Look upon everyone that is proud, and bring him down, Vers. 13. For who so proud as the Devil, and by man not to be subdued, if he had meant the Elephant, he would not certainly have brought him for an Example of such pride, for he is by man to be subdued, as all other Beasts, as both David showeth, and James affirmeth, wherefore when he instanceth in Behemoth, saying, Beholdhim, some other thing must needs be meant, and not the Elephant, and this is the Devil. And to the Elephant agreeth not that which followeth, v. 19. He is the beginning or chief of the ways of God: But to Angels who were first made the first day of the Creation of the world, whereas the Beasts were all made upon the sixth day, neither is there anything in the next words to the contrary, Which I made with thee: For in saying thus, may as well be understood one made any of the six days, as upon the sixth, because, as Gregory noteth, it is said of all the six days as of one day: Thus the Lord made the Heavens and the Earth in the day that he created them, and every plant of the field: Which may be understood as spoken of the matter, out of which all things, were made, that is, the Earth, so that although man were not made the same day, that the Angels were, yet for so much as the Earth was then made, containing the matter out of which he was formed: he might be said to be made with them, and they with him, or he is said to be made with him, now that by him he was thus smitten to try his power upon him; and thus he saith, I have made him with thee, that is, to come but with thee, that thou finding thyself unable to deliver thyself out of his hands, mayst not dare to contest with me. And in saying, Whom I have made with thee, he meaneth not making, as of Beasts and other Earthly Creatures, but as of one after God's image as man is, for in the Angels there is some Representation of his Glory and Holiness by their first Creation, as in man of his Dominion, Righteousness, and Holiness.

But how is that true touching the Devils, or Devils, because they are called Behemoth, in the plural number (because although they are as one, and accordingly are spoken of in the words following, in respect of their evil qualities; yet they are merry) that he is said to eat hay or Grass like the Ox?

Answ. By Grass man may well be understood, because it is said of him, All flesh is Grass, and the Glory of it as the flower of the field, Esa. 40. 6. 1. Pet. 1. 24. The Devil then eateth Grass or Hay like the Ox when he eateth up and devoureth fleshly men in greatest prosperity, as he doth when they die, as we may see in the Example of the rich Glutton, Luk. 16. And all men that are withered like hay, having no sap or substance of Grace in them. For as men generally are likened to Grass, so some are as Hay or stubble, 1 Cor. 3. 11. 12. devourable or combustible, that is, which may and shall be devoured by Beasts, that is Devils, or the fire of the last day. Sometime indeed the Devil is likened to a roaring Lion, but then men whom he devoureth come under the notion of flesh, because flesh and blood properly are the food of Lions.

His strength is in his loins, and his force in the Navell of his Belly. What loins or navel hath the Devil, that is a spirit?

Answ. By his loins may be understood lust in men, because the loins are the seat of the seed of Generation in them: And by the Navell lust in women, it being the seat in them. Yet some will have by the loins understood lust, and by the belly, intemperance about meats and drinks, which as the Apostle saith, are for the belly, but God will destroy both it and them, because they say the Navell is not in women the seat of their seed, but the womb. Not to contend about this, it is certain, that from the belly full fed cometh lust both in men and women, and therefore it is said, Sive cerere & baccho friget venus, without Bread and Wine venery is frigid. In saying then that his strength is in his loins and Navell of his belly, he meaneth the loins and bellies of Libidinous and intemperate men and women, these are said to be the Devils, because by these sinful courses which [Note.] they take, made his, and therefore, whereas the Apostle saith, that the Fornicator is the member of an Harlot, so he may be said to be the loins of the Devil, and she the belly of the Devil, whereby his power cometh to be thus great, and he to be so mighty to eat, and to lift up multitudes of men and women, as the Ox doth Grass or hay, as Balaam sometime said of the Children of Israel, in respect of himself and his Moabites, and of the like condition are Gluttons and Drunkards of both Sexes. For all Whoremongers and Whores are strong instruments of the Devil, Women to overcome men, and men women, and his very members, which they give to sin to serve him and it, contrary to that of the Apostle, Rom. 6. And the like is to be held touching Gluttons and Drunkards, especially Drunkards, who are strong instruments of the Devil; greatly prevailing against temperance almost in all men.