An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and the thirty fourth chapters of the booke of Job being the substance of forty-nine lectures / delivered at Magnus neare the Bridge, London, by Joseph Caryl ...

Vers. 21. His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seene, and his bones that were not seene, stick out.

In this verse and the next, Elihu still insists upon his descrip∣tion of the sick mans condition, and in them he gives us two o∣ther sad effects or symptomes of his sickness.

First, The generall wast and consumption of the body (vers. 21.)

Secondly, The utmost perill of life (v. 22.)

Elihu describes the first effect of sicknesse (the first here but the third in order) by two things.

First, By the disappearing of that which used to be seene, and appeare very faire and beautifull; the visible part grows (as it were) invisible, his flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seene.

Secondly, By the appearing of that which used not to be seene; his invisible parts (not so in their own nature, but as to their place, I say, his invisible parts) grow visible, His bones which were not seen, stick out. Thus with much elegancy he sets forth the sorrowfull and deplorable estate of the sick man.

His flesh is consumed away.

As if he had sayd, Before his sicknesse he was full of flesh, fat and faire, but falling into sickness, he falls away, and is worne, (as we say) to skin and bones; his flesh is consumed. Flesh, in Scrip∣ture, is taken two wayes.

• First, Improperly, and Tropically.
• Secondly, Literally or Properly.

In a Tropicall and Improper sense, flesh signifieth our sinfull corruption (Gal: 5.17.) The flesh evermore lusteth against the spirit, that is, the unregenerate part in man against the regenerate.

These two are always contending and combating with one ano∣ther in all those whom Christ hath conquered to himselfe. Happy are they that finde their flesh, in this sense, consuming away; and 'tis that which every man is studying (who knows what godlinesse meanes) the consumption of this flesh, even the mortification of his lusts, of pride and earthliness, of wrath, envie, and unbeliefe.

Secondly, flesh by a figure is put for the whole naturall body, consisting of many parts dissimilar to flesh. Thus the Psalmist complained in prayer, that, the Lord had given the flesh of his Saints, to the beasts of the earth (Psal. 79.2.) that is, he had exposed their bodies, through the rage and cruelty of their ene∣mies, to the teeth and bowells of savage and ravenous beasts.

Thirdly, flesh is also put for the whole man consisting both of soul and body. (Gen. 6.12, 13.) The Lord saw that all flesh had corrupted their wayes. That is, all men (who are made up of a body and soul) had corrupted their wayes by letting loose and acting their sinfull corruptions.

Fourthly, flesh is sometimes put for that which is b••st in man, his greatest naturall perfections, whatsoever in him is lesse then grace, whatsoever is highest in him, below the spirit, is called flesh in Scripture. When Peter (Math. 16.17.) had made that blessed confession which is the rock upon which the Church is built (thou art Christ the Son of the living God) presently Christ tells him flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, that is, the highest, and the most perfect piece of nature hath not taught thee this lesson; the Evangelist saith of all true beleevers (who have received this power (or priviledge) to become the sons of God) they are borne not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh (Joh. 1.13.) that is, the best of the creature, contributes no∣thing to the bringing forth of new creatures, the sons of God.

Fifthly, flesh by a figure is put for all that in religion, or in the worship of God, which is outward, or open to the eye; whatsoe∣ver comes under any humane observation, is but the flesh of Reli∣gion, or the flesh of worship. In this sence the Apostle puts the question (Rom. 4.1.) What shall we say then, that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? What he means by the flesh, he tells us in the next words, he was not justified by works, that is, not by any thing that did appeare, not by any thing done to him or done by him. He was not justified by Circumcision, or

by the use of any externall rite, he was not justified by his own righteousness, or obedience to the Law. The same Apostle also calls the very worship of the Gospell, as to the outward part of it, flesh (Phil. 3.3.) For we are the Circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoyce in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. That is, in any outward work, or priviledge which we have in our Gospell state. All this flesh likewise ought to be con∣sumed in our apprehensions, that is, we must make nothing of it, nor reckon it any thing in our account for justification in the sight of God or acceptance with him.

Secondly, Flesh properly taken is that integrall and similar part of the body, which is opposed to blood and bones, to veins and si∣news. When Elihu saith his flesh is consumed, we are to understand it either in this proper sence, or in the second figurative sence before named, as flesh is put for the whole body; his flesh is con∣sumed, that is, his flesh in opposition to his bones spoken of before, or his flesh that is his outward man

Is consumed.

The Originall word signifies to wax old;* 1.1 for as when a man re∣covers from sicknesse, his flesh is said to returne like the flesh of a child. So when he is under the extreamity of any sicknesse, his flesh, as it were, waxeth old, or withereth like the flesh of an old man. Thus 'tis translated (Lam••n. 3.4.) My flesh and my skin hath he made old; that is, though I am not old in yeares, or how young soever I am, yet God, by many sufferings, hath made me look like an old man; I am decayed and weake. David speaking of wicked worldly men, tells us, (Psal. 49.14.) Their beauty shall consume in the grave; As death and the grave make a totall and finall consumption of the beauty of bad men, that is, of all that splendour and bravery wherein they lived, while they lived in the body; so paines and sicknesses do exceedingly consume the body, and eate out the flesh. As a tyrannicall oppressor eates out the people under his government, in which sence this word is applyed (Dan. 7.25.) Or as a garment is worn out by time and using. The flesh is often in Scripture compared to a garment, and dying to uncloathing; because when we dye we put off the flesh. The garment of the flesh, that beautifull garment waxeth old and weares out apace on a sick bed. Sicknesse not only staineth

and abateth the beauty of it, but wasteth it deeply, so that, as it followeth

it cannot be seene;

Or as Mr Broughton renders, his flesh wasteth away from sight, or he hath no flesh left to be seene.

Againe, When it is sayd, his flesh is consumed away that it cannot be seene, some expound it thus; His flesh is so consumed away, that the seer withdraweth from it; or no man cares to see it, that is, the sick man is so discoloured and wasted, that visiters and spectators start and are almost frighted to looke upon him. The flesh of man in a healthfull and flourishing condition, is a lovely spectacle, and draws beholders, but the flesh of a very sick man is a gastly spectacle and a regreet to the beholder. We love not to see that which we doe not like. Beauty attracts, deformi∣ty withdrawes the eye. It is sayd of Jesus Christ himselfe, that he was so deformed by his sufferings (Isa: 52.14.) that many were astonish'd at him (his vissage was so marred more then any man, and his forme more then the sons of men) and (Isa: 53.3.) We hid as it were our faces from him, he was despised and we estee∣med him not; that is, he was so dis-figured by sorrow, that no man cared to look upon him. Thus 'tis often with the sick. And this is a profitable and a probable sense of the text in hand; His flesh is consumed away, and then he who before delighted to see it, is troubled at the sight of it, or is rather affrighted then pleased in seeing it.

* 1.2There is yet a fourth reading, which further aggravates the sick mans consumption; His flesh is consumed in sight; that is, say some, his flesh doth consume so fast, that a man may almost see him consume; as we say of some plants, they grow so fast, that we may, almost, see them grow; so we may say of those that de∣cline and fade much, we may see them consume, their flesh con∣sumeth even to the eye or to view. He that lookes stedfastly up∣on them, may see them fade and wither like a flower, yea they seeme to fade by his looking or fixing his eye on them.

Hence note.

First, The flesh of man is a very fading and declining thing.

It quickly consumes and drips away in a disease; A violent feaver or any other acute disease, dries up the spirits, and drinkes

up the moysture, and how soone doth such a man decay! and as the extremity of a disease, so extreame want of food or famine consumes the flesh. Hunger having nothing to eate, feeds upon the flesh of the hungry, till all be eaten up. We read (Lam: 4.8.) how rudely famine dealt with the flesh of those delicate Nazarites, who were purer then snow, whiter then milke, they were more ruddy in body then rubyes, their polishing was of Saphire; yet the next words tell us, Their visage is blacker then a coale, they are not knowne in the streets, their skin cleaveth to their bones: it is withe∣red, it is become like a sticke. And though a man escape sicknesse, and famine doth not eate up his flesh, yet time (that great eater) will, old age will wast what famine and sicknesse have not toucht. As the Prophet threatned, what the Caterpillar hath left, the Can∣ker-worme shall devoure; so what sicknesse leaves, time will certainly consume. Thus bodily flesh is every way liable to a con∣sumption; and therefore the Prophet being commanded to cry, and putting the question, what shall I cry, had this answer, All flesh is grasse. (There indeed flesh is taken in the most comprehensive notion, as to all externalls; not only the flesh of the body, but all the riches, honours, and dignities of this world, come under the name of flesh there) All flesh is grasse (Isa: 40.6.) But why doth he call it grasse? 'Tis so under a two-fold consideration. First, for the greenenesse and fairenesse of it. God hath put beau∣ty upon this fading flesh, both for the comfort, and for the tryall of man; that flesh is faire as a flower, is matter of delight; and to abstract our thoughts or weane our hearts from that which is faire and delightfull, is matter of tryall. How hardly are we taken off from affecting flesh, our owne or others, while this grasse continues beautifull and greene! Secondly, Flesh is grasse, because soone gone (as it followeth in the Prophet) The grasse withereth and the flower fadeth, because the Spirit of the Lord (or his breath like a blasting East winde) bloweth upon it; Which yet some ex∣pound more spiritually, of the Spirit of God discovering the va∣nity and mutability of all earthly things to the soule, for that pre∣sently causeth the gayest and best of them to wither or be as a withered flower before our eyes. In which sense David sayd (Psal: 119.••6.) I have seene an end of all perfection. Take flesh in the largest sense, and 'tis a consuming thing; The fashion (or scheame) of the world passeth away, and so doth the fashion of all

those perfections, or most perfect enjoyments, which are but of a worldly birth and extraction. Flesh under every forme is a fading thing, especially the flesh of the best-form'd face & body of man. Whence take these six inferences. If the flesh the fairest outside of man be a fading thing, then

First, Be not desirous, much lesse ambitious, to make a faire shew in the flesh; for it may prove but a vaine shew, and at last, not so much as a shew. Flesh may so consume away, that it can∣not be seene. When the Apostle tells us of some, who desire to make a faire shew in the flesh (Gal: 6.12.) he specially meanes it of those that brave it and boast themselves in the outward part of religion, and would appeare much in the forme; 'Tis a most vaine thing to desire, to make a faire shew in the flesh of spirituall things, as hypocrites and formalists doe; And 'tis a very vaine thing to de∣sire to make a faire shew in the flesh of corporall things, as proud and vain-glorious men love to doe. Many desire to make a faire shew in the flesh of their bodyes, they love to have faire faces, and faire skins, to be fairely drest and deckt, is a great part of their care. But take heed of desiring to make a faire shew in this or in any thing that is called flesh. For when you have done all, flesh will be a nothing; And after you have bestowed much cost upon the flesh of this body, that it may be seene, a sickness may come and consume it, that it cannot be seene.

Secondly, Take heed of priding your selves in the flesh, when your flesh (possibly unsought by you) makes a faire shew; Though you have beauty, and the goodliest structure of body that ever was seene, though you have riches and honour, the highest built estate that ever was enjoyed, what have you to be proud of? will it not consume and moulder away? may it not melt like a snow-ball, or like wax before the fire? be not proud of any thing called flesh, how goodly a sight soever it is to th•• world, for in a little, in a very little time, there may be nothing of flesh left in sight. His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seene.

Thirdly, Be not over-carefull to provide for your flesh, the outward man, this body, or any thing that concernes it. As the Apostle utterly forbids us to make provision for the flesh, to fullfill the lusts thereof (Rom: 13.14.) that is, those lusts that are ex∣ercised in the flesh; so, be not much carefull, not at all unduely

carefull to make provision for your flesh, to satisfie the necessities of it; for 'tis but a perishing thing. Be not carefull what you shall eate and drinke, and wherewith you shall be clothed, as Christ himselfe adviseth (Math: 6.) The flesh that you prepare for your flesh, is not more perishing then the flesh for which it is prepared. Meates for the belly and the belly for meates, but God shall destroy both it and them (1 Cor: 6.13.) It will not be long before there shall be an end both of the meate that is eaten, and of eating meate.

Fourthly, If the flesh may soone be so consumed by the hand of God that it cannot be seene, then be not unwilling to wast and consume your flesh which is seen in working for God, or in doing good worke, which is the worke of God: your flesh may consume upon worse termes quickly, then working for God, why then should you be unwilling to consume it in Gods worke? Are not some so tender of their carkasse, and their skin, that they are a∣fraid (though that feare be their shame and sin) of taking too much paines in the worke of God, lest they should dammage their bodyes, endanger their health, and consume their flesh? This flesh will wast with idleness, is it not better to wast it by industry in usefull services? The Apostle was willing to spend and be spent in the service of the Corinthians; That is, he was willing to spend not only his purse and his paines, but to be spent as to his bodyly strength, health and life. He cared not for his owne flesh, so he might be serviceable to their spirits, and promote their spi∣rituall good, (2 Cor: 12.15.)

Fifthly, Be not unwilling to waste and consume your flesh in duty with God; as the flesh consumes in work for God, so in du∣ty with God, in prayer and fasting and selfe-humbling, these are duties with God. Some are afraid of taking too much paines in these soule-workes with God, lest they hurt their bodies, their flesh. We can never lay out our strength, or bring our flesh to a better market, we can never put it off at a higher rate (if it must be put off) then in wayes of communion with God. Yet let us re∣member we have a promise, that our bodyes shall thrive as well as our soules, even in those duties of communion with God, which are most expensive and severe to our flesh, prayer with fasting. (Isa: 58.61.) And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and sa∣tisfie thy soule in drought, and make fat thy bones. Which though

it may have a more spirituall meaning, yet there is a truth in it as to the poynt in hand. Holy Fasting, which is a soule-fatning duty (as all agree) is under a gracious promise, that it shall also be a body-fatning, yea a bone-fatning duty. Now, though we have a good assurance, that while we are trading with God for the gaine and encrease of our soules, our bodyes shall not waste nor be loo∣sers, yet we should be ready to waste and weare off the flesh from our bodyes for the gaine and encrease of our soules.

Sixthly, Why should we be unwilling to offer our flesh to be consumed by the fury of men, or by the rage of flames in the cause of God, seeing it may ere long consume by sickness and not be seene? why should we be afraid to let our flesh consume or rot in prisons, or by tortures for Christ, seeing a disease will doe it, and hath often done it? Thousands of the blassed Martyrs, and suffering Saints, have rejoyced they had flesh to consume when God called them to it. So some interpret that Scripture before mentioned (2 Cor: 12.14.) where the Apostle professed, I am willing to be spent for you (how spent? as an offering or sacrifice by fire) in the service of your faith, and in bearing my witness to those truths of the Gospel which I have preached to you. And indeed, he in that sense, spent his flesh at the last, he suffered death, and let his flesh fall, in holding up and holding out the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is better that our flesh should be thus consumed (if God call us to it) then that we leave it to be consumed by age or sickness, by wormes or rottenness. How freely should we offer up this flesh to so noble a consumption, seeing we cannot keepe it long from so meane a consumption, doe what we can?

Secondly, Note.

Sickness is a consumer; sickness is a consumer of all that will consume.

It consumes the body, and it consumes the purse, yea it con∣sumes all our worldly comforts and concernments, it consumes every thing but grace. We say, A time of sickness is a spending time; the usuall reference of that expression, is to spiritualls. In health we gather grace and lay up truths, which we spend in sickness. But though sickness be a spending time, yet, it is not (I am sure it ought not to be) a wasting time to grace and spiri∣tualls.

A spending time it is, that is, a time wherein a godly man may lay out a great deale of his spirituall stock and heavenly trea∣sure, a great deale of faith and patience, a great deale of sweet contentation and selfe-submission to God. But sickness is not a wasting time to any of these graces or heavenly treasures; yea where grace is reall and active, it is not only not wasted or con∣sumed, but encreased and improved, occasionally, by sickness; God having promised, that all things shall worke together for good to them that love him (Rom: 8.28.) will not suffer the best things of those that love him (their graces) to take hurt by the worst of bodyly sicknesses. Sickness doth only dammage the body, and de∣face the beauty of the flesh; and it quickly doth, as Elihu affirme of his sick man in the text, His flesh is consumed away, that it can∣not be seene, yea, as it followeth

And his bones that were not seene, stick out.

Flesh and bones are the two eminent materialls of this faire and most regular building, The Body of man. The Bones of a healthy and strong man, are not seene because they are covered with flesh; they are only felt or perceived through their cloth∣ing, skin, and flesh. God hath put these very comely and beauti∣full garments as a covering upon our bones: but sickness pulls a∣way these coverings, it pulls away the cloaths from our bones, and makes them appeare, as it were, naked. When the fat is dript away, and the flesh is spent, the bones seeme to start out. We commonly say of a man that hath been consumed by a lingring sickness, He is a very Skelleton, he lookes like an Anatomy, which is nothing else but a pack of bones, the flesh is gone. Thus Da∣vid mourned (Psal: 31.10.) My life is spent with griefe, my yeares with sighing, my strength faileth because of mine iniquity: and my bones are consumed. The sin-sickness of a sencible soule consumes the bones, more then any bodyly sickness. This was not only the consuming but the breaking of Davids bones (Psal: 51.8.) And as his sorrow for his owne transgressions, so his sor∣row for the afflictions of Sion, had the like effect in him (Psal: 102.3, 4, 5.) My dayes are consumed like smoake or into smoake (they vanish like smoake) and my bones are burnt as a hearth. My heart is smitten, and withereth like grasse; so that I forget to eate my bread; By reason of the voyce of my groaning, my bones cleave to my skin.

* 1.3Some read this Text, His bones are diminished, lessened, wast∣ed, or broken in pieces, as if the consumption reached not only his flesh but his bones too. That's a fierce disease which at once invadeth and wasteth the bones. The word which we render to stick out, signifieth in the Syriack Idiom, the abating lessening or breaking of any thing into lesser parts or pieces. And so those words (are not seen) in the text (which according to our tran∣slation refer to the time of health, when a man is so fat and full fleshed, that his bones cannot be seen, scarcely felt, those words I say) are referred according to this translation to the time of sickness, which is supposed so to diminish and wast the bones, that by an ordinary straine of Rhetorick they are said, not to be seen. His b•••••••• are diminished, they are not seen. We also render this word•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that first propheticall word concerning our restoring by Christ (Gen. 3.15.) by bruising. It (that is the womans seed) shall bruise thy head (that is the Devills) and thou shalt bruise his heele. When bones are bruised, and as it were shuffled together, they cannot be seen in their proper places, or as once they were fixt by nature. This various reading doth not vary the generall sence of the Text, but only heighten and encrease it. We render fully and significantly, his bones that were not seen, stick out.

Hence note.

There is no man so strong, there is nothing in man so strong that can stand out against the strength of sickness.

Our bones are not made of brasse, sickness will diminish them, and pain master them.

Secondly, Whereas 'tis said, His flesh (that was seen) is not seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out, or are seen.

Observe.

Sicknesse makes a wonderfull change in man.

It puts that out of sight which was seen, and it brings that in sight which was not seen; This holds true, not only as to that which is naturall in man, his flesh and bones, of which this text treats in the letter; but 'tis true also as to that which is morall and spirituall in man, his virtues and his vices, his graces, and his lusts or corruptions. How often is the flesh (in a morall sence) that

is, the outward profession of a hypocrite consumed in sickness, and no more seen; will the hypocrite alwayes call upon God? (Job 27.10.) He will not. He that doth all to be seen (that's the character of a hypocrite (Math. 6.5.) will in a little time doe such a little or rather such a nothing in Religion, that it can∣not be seen at all. His profession is sick, when he is fick; and then also that which was not seen sticks out; the hypocrite covereth many of his corruptions, his impatiency, murmuring, and unbelief, in a day of prosperity with the skin at left or fair shew of faith, but in a day of trouble those dead bones appear, and stick out. A day of sorrow, sicknesse, and trouble is a great discoverer; it occasions the appearance and sticking out of many base lusts that were not seen before. 'Tis so also in the better way with godly men, their corruptions, that appeared upon them before, are abated, wasted, and consumed by affliction, and many of their graces which lay hid and unseen, stick out and appear gloriously in a day of trouble, or upon a sick bed. Their patience & submission of spirit under the hand of God, their long-sufferance and sweet self-resignation to the will of God, which lay hid, shew themselves. Sicknesse and affliction make wonderfull changes and discoveries both as to the outward and inward man; 'tis seldome seen or known either how good or how bad any man is, till he is in paine or reduced to some extrea∣mity; till his very bones are vexed, or till, as Elihu further de∣scribes the sick man in the next verse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 sonuit consenuit in pi∣et consumsit.
• * 1.2

  Quid si carnem consum•• à visu, per elegantom hyperbelen es∣set, tam mani∣festè indies mar∣c••ssere, ut quasi ab ipso respici∣entis oculo con∣sumi videa∣tur. Bold:
• * 1.3

  Et comminuen∣tur ossa ejus, non videntur; interpretantes vocem 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in significatione Syriaca. Pisc. Significationē Syriacam malo quam omnes penè hebraei se∣quuntur. Merc: