An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-eighth, thirty-ninth, fortieth, forty-first, and forty-second, being the five last, chapters of the book of Job being the substance of fifty-two lectures or meditations / by Joseph Caryl ...

JOB, Chap. 42. Vers. 11. 11. Then came there unto him, all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his ac∣quaintance before, & did eat bread with him in his house; and they bemoaned him, and comforted him, over all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him; every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an ear-ring of gold.

IN the former verse we have the blessed turn of Jobs state in general; The Lord gave him twice as much as he had before: In this verse, begins the particular account of Jobs restorings. There were four things wherein Job suffered loss.

First, He suffered the loss of his estate.

Secondly, The loss of his children.

Thirdly, The loss of his health.

Fourthly, The loss of his friends.

Jobs repair begins with his last loss; his friends were the last that he lost in the day of his affliction, but the first that he reco∣vered in the day of his restoration. The first budding or spring of Jobs felicity, after so long and sharp a Winter of sorrow as he had gone thorough, was, the putting forth of fresh and fra∣grant acts of love from his ancient friends, that of late had forsa∣ken him, and left him in the hour of his temptation.

This verse, wherein the account is given about this first mer∣cy, I may call, or intitle, The address of Jobs friends, and in it we may consider,

First, How they are described, or what they are called. First, as to their relation, His brethren, his sisters, and acquaintance came. Secondly, in their quantity or number, they came all: Here is all, all, all; All his brethren, and all his sisters, and all that had been of his acquaintance before; there was not one missing, not one that forbore to make this friendly address unto him.

Secondly, As we have an account who they were that came to him, so what they did when they came; and that is set forth

four wayes in this one verse. First, They did eat bread with him. Secondly, They bemoaned him. Thirdly, They comforted him. Fourthly, They were very bountiful, and very respectful to him; They gave him every one a piece of mony, and every one an ear-ring of gold. Thus you have the state and parts of this verse, which I call, The address of Jobs friends unto him.

Then came there unto him, all his brethren, and all his sisters.

Then. The word in the Hebrew, is the ordinary copulative, And, which hath various rendrings in Scripture, according to the state of the place. Here we translate it, Then, which may have a double reference. First, to the turn of his captivity, Then they came. Secondly, to his prayer for his friends, and the Lords acceptance of him; when God had so eminently declared his fa∣vour to him and his friends, upon his intercession, Then there came unto him,

All his brethren, and all his sisters.

Brethren and sisters are taken two wayes in Scripture.

First, Strictly; and so they that are of, or have the same parents, at least, one of them, are brethren and sisters.

Secondly, Brethren and sisters are taken largely, for all of the kindred. The kindred of Christ, are called his brethren (Mark 3.31.) Then came his brethren, and his mother, standing with∣out, that is, his kindred; for whether Christ had any brother, in a strict sence, as born of the same Mother, we have nothing from Scripture to affirm; it is generally agreed that he had not, his brethren were his kindred at large. Abraham spake truly, though not the whole truth (Gen. 20.12.) when he called Sarah his sister, that is, his kinswoman. Moses called Israel brother to the Edomites, who were distant from that people, many degrees, they descending from Esau, these from Jacob (Numb. 20.14.) Thus saith thy brother Israel; that is, Israel that is of thy blood, though a great way off, Isaac being their common Father. Thus here, all Jobs brethren and sisters are all his kindred; and not only these, but,

All that were of his acquaintance before.

The Hebrew is, All that knew him before, that is, had familia∣rity

and converse with him before. Christ (Mat. 7.22.) said of those that did so hotly press acquaintance upon him, I know you not, ye are not of those that I know, or have had fellowship with, you are none of my acquaintance. So that, there was a collection of all Jobs relations and friends at that time, they all flockt to him, and thronged about him, as to and about some strange sight; the fame of his restoration was soon blown all the Country over. Hence the Septuagint render the words paraphrastically; All his brethren heard all that had befallen him; and so they came.

But, where was his wife? There is no mention here of her re∣turn; she had spoken as a foolish woman (Chap. 2.10.) and did not answer the duty of her relation after that, as he complained (Chap. 19.17.) My breath is strange to my wife, though I in∣treated for the childrens sake of mine own body; yet doubtless she returned to her duty, and honoured him as her head and husband, now at last, else the mercy had not been compleat, but defective in a very considerable part of it.

Now, in that Jobs restoring, or the repair of his losses, began with the return of his friends,

Observe;

The loss of friends, is a great and grievous loss.

He that loseth the affection of friends, loseth a great possession, a great interest. Friends indeed are great helps, great helpers; to be in a friendless condition, is to be in a helpless condition; to have friends, is a very valuable mercy. Let us bless God that we have men to friend us, above all, that God is our friend.

Secondly, These words, Then came all his brethren, imply, that when he was in an afflicted condition, none of his friends came at him, neither those that are here called his brethren and sisters, nor those that are called his acquaintance.

Hence observe;

In times of affliction, worldly friends will leave us, and godly friends may prove strange to us.

Doubtless, among those brethren, sisters and acquaintance of Job, some, that I say not, many, were godly, yet even they left him, in the day of his distress. Men are but men, and they often∣times shew themselves unconstant to man. As Christ had those

that followed him for the loaves, so have we too. Friendship fol∣loweth the purse, the bag; and when all is gone, such friends are gone. When Christ himself was in affliction, those that were in neer relation to him, his very Disciples, left him; they all left him, and Peter denied him. When the Apostle Paul was in a great affliction, and stood as a prisoner, to answer for his life be∣fore Nero, his friends durst not appear; At my first answer (saith he, 2 Tim. 4.16.) no man stood with me, all men forsook me. He had not a friend that would own him, nor appear for him, in the time of his affliction and persecution; and he prayed that God would not lay it to their charge, that they had been thus unfriendly to him.

Then, First, Let us not trust in friends, no, not in a brother; and not only, not in a brother at large, but not in a brother in the strictest sence, not in a brother of the same blood and bowels with us, no, not in a brother of the same faith with us (Mich. 7.5.) Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide; keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lyeth in thy bosom. Trust not in neerest friends, no, not in godly friends; they may fail: Though we are to trust them so, as not to suspect them, yet we are not to trust them so, as to rely upon them, or to make them our strength; for then they prove Egyptian reeds, which will not only not support, but wound us. That's good counsel (Isa. 2.21) Cease ye from man (let him be who he will, though a brother, though of most intrinsick and neerest acquaintance, though never so great and potent, yet cease from him; the reason there given, is) his breath is in his nostrils; the man is frail, his life is short and un∣certain, he may not last long. And we may take another reason from the Point in hand; his love is uncertain, as well as his life, and his affections seldom last long; let us therefore have weaned affections from those that affect us, and are friendly to us.

Then, Secondly, 'Tis our wisdom to get Christ for a friend; he is a friend for ever: He that would have a friend to stick to him in adversity, as well as prosperity, let him get Christ to be his friend, who is unchangeable, whose love fails not; that's our greatest and surest interest. Christ having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end (John 13.1.) That's the spirit of unfeigned friendship (Prov. 17.17.) A friend lov∣eth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. That's true of

a real friend, who lives up to the rule of friendship, He loveth at all times, and therefore to the end. When the Prophet Ma∣lachi saith (Chap. 1.6.) A son honoureth his father, his meaning is, a son should or ought to honour his father, or, a son who know∣eth his duty, will honour his father; so, a friend ought to love at all times, and a true friend will: yet that Scripture in the Pro∣verbs is chiefly true of Christ, and absolutely true of him only; he alone is such a friend as loves at all times. Hence that divine challenge (Rom. 8.35.) Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ? And then the Apostle proceeds from who, to what. As no person, so no thing, can separate us from the love of Christ. Shall tribulation, or anguish, or peril, or sword? shall these sepa∣rate us from the love of God? no, these shall not, these cannot; these cannot make Christ strange to us, nor love us the less; he loves in tribulation, as well as out of tribulation; in streights, as well as in our greatest inlargements; in sickness, as well as in health; in disgrace with men, as well as when most honoured and cryed up by them; when naked, as well as when cloathed; as well in rags, as in the richest array. Hence that confident conclusion (vers. 38.) I am perswaded, that neither death, nor life, &c. shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. And if so, then we see where our true interest lyeth: Let us make sure of Christ; he will never leave us; all earthly friends may. Friends are a great mercy, but they are not a sure mercy.

Again, Consider Jobs friends, who came not at him when in that afflicted condition; yet as soon as ever God turned his cap∣tivity, and made him prosper in the world, then they would own him, then they came.

Hence note, Thirdly;

Such as are no friends in adversity, will readily shew them∣selves friendly in prosperity.

That they came then, is an intimation, if not a proof, that they came not before; but then they came. What Christ spake in another case, I may apply by way of allusion to this; Where the carcase is, thither will the Eagles be gathered together. When Job was up, his friends appear'd. All are ready to worship the rising Sun. When the face of things and times change with us, then the faces of friends change towards us, then they have other re∣spects

and countenances for us; this spirit of the world hath been anciently observed, even by Heathens; If you be happy, or restored to happiness, you shall number many friends, though you had none before. Such friends, are like those birds that visit our coasts in Summer, when 'tis warm weather, when every thing flourish∣eth and is green, then some birds visit us, who all the Winter, when 'tis cold, frost and snow, leave us.

Fa••ther, it may be conceived, that several of Jobs friends left him, not only upon the occasion of his poverty and want, but upon the supposition of his hypocrisie and wickedness; many of them might have the same opinion of him, which those three had, who particularly dealt with him, that surely he was a bad man, because the Lord brought so much evil upon him. Now, when the Lord restored Job, they had another, a better opinion of him, the Lord also giving a visible testimony of his accepting Job.

Hence note, Fourthly;

God will one time or other vindicate the integrity of his faith∣ful servants, and set them right in the opinion of others.

God suffered Jobs integrity to lie under a cloud of supposed hypocrisie, but at last the Lord restored him to his credit, as well as to his estate, and made his unkind, and not only suspicious, but censorious friends, acknowledge that he was upright and faithful. The Lord promiseth (Psalm 37.6.) to bring forth the righteous∣ness of his servants as the light, and their judgement as the noon-day; that is, a right judgement in others concerning them, as well as the rightness of their judgement in what they have done and been, or his own most righteous judgement in favour of them. They who had a wrong judgement, and took a false measure of Job (measuring him by the outward dispensations of God, and judging of his heart by his state, and of his spirit by the face of his affairs) these were at last otherwise perswaded of him. 'Tis, as the way, so the sin and folly of many, to judge upon appearance, upon the appearance of Gods outward dealings; they conclude men good or bad, as their outward condition is good or bad; and therefore, the Lord, to redeem the credit of his faithful servants that lye under such misapprehensions, sends prosperity, and ma∣nifests his gracious acceptance of them, that men of that perverse opinion may be convinced, and delivered out of their error.

Note Fifthly;

The Lords favouring us, or turning the light of his countenance towards us, can soon cause men to favour us, and shine upon us.

See what a change the Lord made at that time, both in the state of things, and in the hearts of men, when the Lord outwardly forsook Job; friends forsook him, children mockt him, acquain∣tance despised him, his very servants slighted him: yet no soon∣er did the Lord return in the manifestations of his favour, but they all returne, desiring to ingratiate themselves with him, and strive who shall engage him most. God can quickly give us new friends, or restore the old. The hearts of all men are in the hand of the Lord, who turns them from us, or to us, as he pleaseth. When God manifests his favour, he can command our favour with men. Though that which is a real motive of the Lords favour to his peo∣ple, their holiness, and holy walkings, gets them many enemies, and they are hated for it by many; yet the Lord discovering or owning the graces of his servants, by signal favours, often gets them credit, and sets them right in the opinion of men. Thus it was with Job; all his friends returned to him, upon the Lords high respect to him in turning his captivity.

Again, in that Jobs friends came to him,

Observe, Sixthly;

It is the duty of friends to be friendly, to come to and visit one another.

It is a duty to do so in both the seasons, or in all the changes of our life: It is a duty to do so in times of prosperity, when God shines upon our Tabernacle. When any receive extraordinary mercies, it is the duty of friends to shew them extraordinary courtesies, and to bless God for them, and with them. When Elizabeths neighbours and cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her, they rejoyced with her (Luke 1.58.) It is a duty to rejoyce with those that rejoyce, and to come to them that we may rejoyce with them. It is a duty also to visit those that mourn, and to mourn with them. Friendly visits are a duty in all the seasons of our lives.

Once more. Then came all his brethren, &c. It was late e're they came, but they came.

Hence Note;

It is better to perform a duty late, than not at all.

They had a long time, even all the time of his long affliction, neglected, or at least slackned this duty of visiting Job; yet they did not reason thus with themselves; It is in vain to visit him now, or our visiting him now may be thought but a flattering with him, or a fawning upon him: No, though they had neglect∣ed him before, they would not add new to their old incivilities. We say of repentance (w^ch is a coming to God) Late repentance is seldom true, yet true repentance is never too late. None should think it too late to come to God, though they have long neglected him; nor should sinners, who have long neglected God, be discouraged: Though it be best for us, and our duty, to repent betimes; yet God will not refuse a sinner at any time, who indeed repents. Now as late repentance, so any late duty, is better than none, or than a total neglect of it. Jobs friends came to him, though late, and were friendly received. But what came they for? or what did they when they came? That's set forth in four things, as was shewed in opening the Text.

First, The Text tells us, They did eat bread with him in his house.

I shall not stay upon that nicety which some take notice of, that when bread and water are named together, they alwayes signifie poor fare (1 Kings 18.4.) Obadiah fed the Prophets whom he secured from the fury of Jezabel in Caves, with bread and water: He could not feast them there, but gave them what might keen them alive. So that threatning (Isa. 3.1.) imports they should not have necessaries. But when bread is put alone, that signifieth (say they) a full, or at least, a very competent and comfortable provision (2 S••m. 9.7.) And so to eat bread together is to feed liberally together. Yet I find these two, bread and water, put together, and signifying a full Table in one place of Scripture. When that Syrian Army, smitten with blindness, was led by Eli∣sha into Samaria, the Prophet said (2 Kinge 6.22.) Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink; then it follow∣eth, he (that is, the King of Israel) prepared great provisions for them. The greatness of the provision which the King p••epared for them, is not spoken of only with respect to their number (an army being many, cannot be fed with a little) but with respect to the nobleness of their entertainment; which yet I conceive was but answerable to what the Prophet desired, when he said, set bread and water before them. As if the meaning were, Make them good

chear: So that bread and water may imply plenty, as well as bread alone. Jobs friends

Did eat bread with him. Not the bread of mourners (as some expound) of which we read (Deut. 26.14. Hos. 9.4.) but the bread of rejoycers. I shall not omit to mind the Reader of what one of the Ancients meditated upon this passage. Job (saith he) doth here prefigure Christ after his resurrection, restored to his honours, and honoured, not only by his Apostles, but also by the fathers, both Jewes and Gentiles; the faithful flocking to him, and feasting with him in his house the Church, there with sorrow remembring his sufferings, and in that heavenly Court eating with him the bread of life. Christ after his resurrection called his Apostles to eat bread with him; as here, after Jobs restitution, which may be called his resurrection, 'tis said, All his friends came and did eat bread with him in his house.

Hence Note;

For friends to eat, yea, to feast soberly together, is not only law∣ful, but somtimes a duty.

The creatures are given to us, not only for our necessity, but for our comfort, and to maintain society. Solomon saith (Eccl. 8.15.) Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better a thing under the Sun, than to eat, and drink, and to be merry. He speaks not of a sensual mirth and eating, like voluptuous Epicures, but of eating with gladness and singleness of heart, as 'tis noted of the Primitive Saints (Acts 2.46.) There is no worldly thing better than to eat and drink with sobriety in the use of the creature, and with singleness of heart one towards another. To use what we have, is better than the having of it. To eat together is good, with these limitations or cautions. First, if we eat to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10.31.) Secondly, if we eat with joy in God (Eccl. 9.7.) Thirdly, if we eat tasting and remembring the goodness of God (Deut. 6.11, 12.) Fourthly, if we eat fearing to offend God, and wrong our selves with access (Prov. 23.1, 2. Luk. 21.34.) Fifthly, if we have a sense of the afflictions of others (Amos 6.6.) especially of those who have nothing to eat. Sixthly, if we eat with thankfulness, or giving thanks to God, who satisfies our hun∣ger (Mark 8.6. John 6.11.) Seventhly, if we eat with chari∣tableness, giving a portion of what we have in plenty, to those that are in want and hungry (Jam. 2.15, 16.)

Again, They came to eat bread with Job in his house. See the nobleness of Jobs spirit. Doubtless, when they came they made their Apologies, pleaded their excuse, and confessed that they had failed in friendship, and had not lived up to the law of love. Courteous and noble spirited Job took all well, past by all discour∣tesies, welcomed and embraced them: He did not only not up∣braid them with former unkindnesses, why came ye not to me in the day of my trouble and affliction, in the day of my distress and sorrow? where were ye? Thus some would have rounded them; ye come to me when all is well with me; but where were ye when I wanted comfort and company? Job, I say, did not only not upbraid them with their former unkindnesses, when they came to him, but took their coming kindly. When the Elders of Gilead came to Jepthah, to desire him to be their Captain against the children of Ammon, he said (Judg. 11.7.) Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my fathers house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress? Jepthah cast their ill carriage towards him in their teeth, and only not rejected them and their request. Thus Job might have said, why did you leave me in the time of my distress? &c. but we have no such language from this good man, not a word of that.

Hence Note;

It becomes us to accept the love of formerly unkind friends, and not to twit them in the teeth with their unkindnesses.

Job well understood that it was a part of his tryal and burden from God, that his friends forsook him, and were once uncivil to him: therefore he would not burden them with it. A godly man considers, it is of the Lord if friends prove unfriendly to him, and that it is for tryal whether he can trust upon and cleave unto God alone when friends leave him. Thus to receive unfriendly friends is to be perfect (in our measure) as God is perfect. How un∣kindly have we dealt with God! and yet when we come to him he accepts of us. They that are sensible how they have refused the Lord somtimes, and that he hath yet graciously accepted of them, they (I say) will be ready to accept of friends that have been froward and unkind to them: It is much the will of God, that we should do so, and 'tis a great part of our conformity unto God when we do so. It was very well that Job gave fair respect to his friends, and treated them lovingly when they came to him;

and it was well, and but their duty that they came to him.

Yet this was not all they did; Jobs friends did not only come and eat bread with him (thar had been but according to the custom of common friends) they went further,

They bemoaned him. That's the second friendly office which they did him. The word signifies, to shake the head; so the Latine Tran∣slation renders it, His friends came to him, and moved their heads over him, so expressing their compassion. That gesture of moving the head, was used somtimes in derision, somtimes in admiration, in which latter sense the Septuagint take it here, They comforted him, and wondered at all the evills that God had brought upon him. It might well move wonder, that so good a man should suffer so much evil; yet this gesture of shaking the head, is rarely, if at all used in way of admiration; whereas, in way of compassion, nothing is more usual, and it complyeth fully with our translation, they bemoaned him. As they feasted with him, so they bemoaned him, and condoled his former sad stare; and to do so is a proper act of sincere love and friendship.

Hence Note;

It is our duty to pity and bemoan the afflicted.

We read of Ephraim bemoaning himself (Jer. 31.18.) and there is a twofold bemoaning of our selves. First, With respect to the sins that we have committed. Secondly, There is a be∣moaning of our selves, as to our afflictions; and possibly both are to be understood in that place concerning Ephraim. 'Tis a duty also with respect to others; we ought to bemoan those that are in sufferings, and those that have sinned, as well as our own sins or sufferings. And though, that which gives us the greatest occasi∣on of bemoaning others is their sin, yet 'tis a great duty also to bemoan those that are under sufferings, and to have bowels of compassion, or a fellow feeling of their afflictions.

But it may be objected, what need had Jobs brethren to be∣moan him now that he was delivered out of his afflictions, and his captivity turned? were not these bemoanings improper and unseasonable?

I answer, First, Though Job was come out of his afflictions, yet he was but very lately come out of them; he was yet, as it were, upon the borders of sorrow, and was come only a step out

of his troubles; so that his tears were then scarce wiped away, or dryed up, and the sorrow of his late adversity was even forced to intermingle with the joy of his newly begun prosperity: The re∣membrance of his affliction was, doubtless, yet very strong upon him, and the pain of it scarce off him; he had, as yet, a tast of the wo••mwood and gall of that most bitter cup, of which he had, a little before, drank so deeply; his wound was but in healing, not quite healed; and therefore they might well bemoan him, as to his former afflictions, in that morning or day-break of his mer∣cies. Joy and sorrow use to conflict together, and strive for ma∣steries, whether the one shall keep, or the other get the ground, at the beginning of all great changes.

Secondly, This act of Jobs friends in bemoaning of him, might respect not only the abiding sense of his former affliction, but the sharpness, and soreness of it, while it was upon him; so that, as his own remembrance of his former sufferings might still hang upon him, so while his brethren, and other visitants, remembred how grievous and tedious his sufferings had been, it might well stir their compassions, and cause them to bemoan him.

Thirdly, Job had none to bemoan him, while the affliction was actually upon him; Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, said he in the 16th Chapter, yet found little or no pity from any: Now that being a great part of his suffering, that he had none to pity him while he suffered; the Lord sent his brethren to him, when he was new come out of his sufferings, to perform that duty to him, which should have been done him while he suffered.

Further, Because we ought not only to pity and bemoan our friends in adversity, but to help them out, and make a perfect cure; therefore Jobs friends proceed to that duty also: For, hav∣ing bemoaned him, the text saith,

They comforted him.

That is, they used all the means they could to comfort him, they gave him comfortable words, cordial consolations. Job himself had been a great comforter of others (as Eliphaz acknow∣ledged in the 4th Chapter) and now he hath his comforters; even they comforted him concerning his former miseries, who former∣ly had been miserable comforters.

From the method of their proceeding; First, They bemoan∣ed him; and, Secondly, They comforted him,

Note;

We can never truly comfort others, till we have pitied others.

Comforting begins at pittying. It is possible to pity one, and not to comfort him: Some will give bemoaning words, yet are not able to minister real comforts; so then, there may be pittying without comforting, but there cannot be comforting without pi∣tying. God himself is thus exprest (2 Cor. 1.3, 4.) First, He is called, The father of mercies, that is, he is full of pity, full of compassionate bowels. And then, Secondly, He is called, The God of all consolation. He is a comforting God, because a pittying God. If God were not pitiful and compassionate, we should have to comfort from him: so it is with men, if we pity not others we cannot comfort them. Job called his friends miserable com∣forters (chap. 16.2.) They came to mourn with him, and to com∣fort him (chap. 2.11.) but had they more affectionately mourn∣ed with him, they would have more effectually comforted him. They did not pity him enough in his misery, and so they proved but miserable comforters to him.

Secondly, From the work it self,

Observe;

To comfort those that are in affliction is our duty, and a work of charity.

To minister comfort to the sorrowful, is a greater point of cha∣rity, than to minister bread to the hungry, or clothing to the naked. As the soul is better than the body, so those acts of charity, which offer relief to the soul in any kind, are better than those by which the body is relieved. Though to give bread be more costly to us than good wo••ds (we use to say good words are cheap) yet good and comfortable words are worth much more than bread, they are better than gold, yea, than fine gold, sweeter also than the honey, and the honey-comb. The Apostle gave this duty in charge to believers (1 Thess. 5.11.) Comfort your selves together, and edifie one another. And at the 14th vers. Now we exhort you bre∣thren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble minded, sup∣port

the weak. The weak, in the latter words, are the same with the feeble in the former; and the support spoken of in the one, is nothing else but the comfort spoken of in the other. Comfort to a feeble mind, is like a prop or a pillar to a feeble building, the supporter of it.

And because it is so important a work, to comfort feeble minds I shall briefly name some special cases, wherein the mind of man is feeble, and then hint what word of comfort is most proper for its support, in each case.

First, If the mind be infeebled by outward wants, apply that comfortable Scripture (Mat. 6.32, 33.) Your father knoweth that ye have need of those things; which if received by faith will give the mind great support in that case.

Secondly, In case of the loss or death of friends; the Apostle hath put words into our mouths for the comforting of such (1 Thess. 4.13.) chiefly these two ways. First, By remembring that their friends are only asleep in Jesus, or gone to sleep in the bosome of Jesus. Secondly, That they shall be raised again at the coming of Jesus.

Thirdly, In case of suffering and persecution, read comfort and support, Mat. 5.11, 12, 13. 1 Pet. 4.12, 13, 14.

Fourthly, In case of bodily sickness, or any chastenings from the hand of God, we have a store or treasure of comforting words, Heb. 12. from the 5. to the 14th verse.

Fifthly, In case of desertion, or Gods hiding his face, take comfort from Isa. 50.10. Isa. 54.7, 8.

Sixthly, When any are under the sence of divine wrath for sin, they may take comfort by meditating all those Scriptures which hold out the free grace of God to sinners, and the full sa∣tisfaction which Christ hath made for sin to the justice of God, and so for deliverance from the wrath which is to come (1 Thess. 1.10.) These are the principal cases wherein we need a comforter; and most of these, if not all, met in Jobs case. He was poor and had lost all, that was the first case; his children were dead, that was the second; he was persecuted, vexed, and reproached, that was a third; he was sick and weak in body, that was a fourth; he was under grievous desertions, that was a fifth; he was also un∣der the sence of wrath, the arrows of the Almighty drunk up his

spirits. All these evils God brought upon him, and some of them in the highest degree; and though he were then got out of them all, yet (as was said before) being got but a little way out of them he needed comfort; and therefore his new-come old friends and acquaintance, bemoaned and comforted him, as a man newly come out of great affliction.

And we should be much in this duty of comforting others upon these considerations.

First, Comfort upholds the soul, when burdened or weakned, from sinking.

Secondly, Comfort quiets the soul, when tost up and down as with a tempest; comforts wisely and seasonably ministred will make a great calm. Comfort is the repose and rest of the soul.

Thirdly, Comfort quickens and revives the soul when dying away with sorrow; comforts are cordials: For which cause we faint not (2 Cor. 4.16.) And what the cause was which kept them from fainting, we may find both in the verse, going before, in those words, All things are for your sakes (vers. 15.) or in the verse following, Our light affliction, &c. (ver. 17.) Comforts either pre∣vent and keep us from qualms and swoonings, or bring us out of them again. Give wine to him that is of a heavy heart; let him drink and forget his sorrow (Prov. 30.6, 7.) Give him this wine of comfort, and it will renew his spirit more than wine.

Fourthly, Comfort confirms and establisheth the soul, when we are ready to let go our hold. The Apostle sent Timotheus, to establish and comfort the Thessalonians concerning their faith (1 Epist. 3.2.) that is, to establish them in the faith (both in the doctrine and grace of faith) by comforting them.

Jobs friends might see cause of comforting him upon many considerations, possibly upon most of these: The Text saith only, They comforted him

Over all the evil which the Lord had brought upon him.

The plaister was as broad as the soar, or they administred as many plaisters as there was soars; They comforted him over all the evil, &c. This directs us to a great point of holy prudence in comforting the sorrowful, even to comfort them in or about every thing, which hath been an occasion of their sorrow. When we are to stop the

holes of a leaking vessel, if we stop three or four, and leave but one, we indanger all the liquor in the vessel; you were as good stop none at all, as not stop all: so it is in this case; therefore see how wisely Jobs friends carried it, They comforted him over all the evil

Which the Lord had brought upon him.

And all that was the evil of suffering. The Lord is the bringer of such evils upon all that suffer them, even upon his dearest and most faithful servants; those evils come from him who is only good, and altogether good: The Lord takes these evils to him∣self, I create evil (Isa. 45.7.) and faith the Prophet (Amos 3.6.) Shall there be evil in a City, and the Lord hath not done it? As the Lord owns these kind of evils, so we honour God in acknowledg∣ing him the Author of them. Our crosses are of God, as well as our comforts; our poverty, as well as our riches; our sickness, as well as our health. This point hath occurred more than once from other passages in this Book, and therefore I shall adde no more now.

This was the third labour of love which the brethren of Job be∣stowed upon him, They comforted him over all the evil which the the Lord had brought upon him.

Yet this was not all, they did not only bestow a mouthful of good words upon him (I speak not lightly of good words, they are a weighty piece of charity) Good words are much better (as was toucht before) than gold and silver, and may be much more beneficial and useful to the receiver, than thousands of gold and silver: Yet, I say, Jobs friends did not only bestow a mouthful of good words upon him, for the removal of his inward grief, but they brought their handsful of good things to bestow upon him, for the making up of his outward losses; and this was the fourth act or office of love which they did him, as it followeth,

Every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an ear-ring of gold.

Here was real kindness, as well as verbal. Though good words (as was said) be a great charity, yet 'tis no charity to give nothing but good words where more is needed, unless this be our case, that indeed we have nothing more to give. The charity of some

is only in words, to those who are in extream need of more; and it is only so, not because they have no more in their hands to give, but, because they have no hearts to give more. To say to a naked or hungry one, be clothed and sed, or to give a large parcel of condoling and bemoaning words, and then do nothing, no not give a Doit, for the supply of his wants; is this love or charity? Jobs friends loved him now, not in word and in tongue only, but indeed and in truth; their deeds shewed the truth of their love.

They gave him every one of them a piece of money.

There are two readings of this clause. The word which we here render a piece of money, signifies also a sheep; according to which Master Broughton translates, and so do others, They gave him each one a lamb, we say, a piece of money; the same word signifying both, as is plain from other Scriptures (Gen. 37.19.) And he (that is, Jacob) bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechems father, for an hundred pieces of money, or lambs, as we put in the Margin. The same thing is reported again, in the same words (Josh. 24.32.) Now the reason why that word is rendred both a lamb and a piece of money, is, say some, because money in those times, bare the stamp or figure of a lamb upon it; as in some times and places money or coin was stamped with the figure of an oxe; from whence came that Proverb, The oxe is upon his tongue, that is, he speaks as he is bribed. A second reason given of it, is, because the riches of the Antients was most in cattle; and that kind of riches being as money, by which all things are valued, and by which they made their payments, therefore the same word was used for cattel, and for coin or money. The La∣tine word for money is also derived from another, which signifies cattle. And it is reported by Pliny, that Severus first stampt money with the effigies or image of sheep and oxen.

They gave him every one a piece of money, or a lamb.

Some are most for that reading, they gave him a lamb, because that seems most answerable to the loss of Job; he lost all his cattle, and now every one brought him a lamb: But it is not much to the matter, whether we take their reading or ours. If it were a

lamb, it was worth a piece of money; and if it were a piece of money, it would buy a lamb.

But, why did they bring Job either a piece of money or a lamb? I answer.

First, To testifie their renewed friend-ship, or as a significa∣tion of their love, and so to ingratiate themselves with him.

Secondly, It might be towards the repair of his losses; every one brought him somewhat; yet I conceive they bestowed those gifts upon him, rather as an honour than a relief, yet possibly they might intend both in giving them. Upon the one account or the other, or upon both, the Lord brought over Jobs friends to con∣gratulate him with these presents. It hath been an ancient usage to present Princes with gifts in way of honour and homage, as appears plainly from what is of the refusal of some called Sons of Belial (a Title of disgrace bestowed by the Spirit of God upon none but the worst of men) to bring presents unto Saul, the first King of Israel (1 Sam. 10.27.) And many superiors in any kind think themselves slighted, if they have not gifts from their infe∣riors. Job was a Prince, the greatest man of the East, and for that reason it was but a duty in his friends to bring him presents. Every one gave him a piece of money (or a lamb)

And every one an ear-ring of gold.

There is som: dispute what this ear-ring of gold was. The word is translated (Isa. 3.21.) A nose jewel; which was not a jewel to hang upon the nose, but a jewel that was fastned upon the fore∣head, and hung down towards the nose. In other places it is called an ear-ring (Gen. 24.47. Gen. 35.4. Ezod. 35.22.) Such jewels were doubtless used, and worn by g••eat persons in the Land of Ʋz, where Job dwelt, and was chief among them. Jobs friends brought him not only presents of money or cattle, which are useful to all, but jewels, which are ornamentals, and used only by persons of noble quality or of great estate. An ear-ring in some mens ears, would be no more becoming nor better placed, than a jewel in a swines snout; to which Solomon compares beauty in a woman without wit, discretion, and understanding. A jewel, or an ear-ring, is not for every mans wearing. The presents brought Job, shewed him a person of honour. Every one also gave him a piece of money, and every one an ear-ring of gold.

Hence Note, First;

To send or bring gifts in many cases, is not only lawful, but ne∣cessary, and a duty.

Though both the giving and taking of gifts, heareth ill, in Scrip∣ture and common language, yet there are six sorts of gifts which may lawfully be given and taken; and there is a seventh sort, which none ought either to give or take.

First, Gifts of pure charity, or Eleemosinary gifts, such as are bestowed upon, and distributed among the poor, are a duty. We should be much in gifts of charity for this very reason; because to give them is not so much a bounty, as a duty: A part of all we have, is due to those that have nothing.

Secondly, There are gifts of respect to those who are not in want, yea, to those who abound; these are honorary gifts. 'Tis law∣ful, and a duty also to bring gifts to Kings and Princes, as was shewed in opening the words. When Christ is spoken of as a King, the Scripture saith, The Kings of Tarshish, and of the Isles shall bring presents; the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts (Psal. 72.10.) And as that holy Prophesie saith it should be so, so the holy History saith it was so; the wise men of the East came with gifts to Christ, as soon as he was born (Mat. 2.)

Thirdly, There are gifts of courtesie from equals. One friend sends a gift to another, in testimony of love and kindness, or as rejoycing in the goodness and kindness of God to them, in deli∣vering them from any evil (as Jobs case also was) These are congra∣tulatory gifts.

Fourthly, There are gifts of bounty, such are from superiors to inferiors, to testifie their greatness and magnificence.

Fifthly, There are gratulatory gifts, in token of thankfulness for benefits and favours received.

Sixthly, There are gifts of incouragement to those that are in∣dustrious and deserve well, which we may call remunerative gifts: These are as oil to the wheel of ingenuous spirits in a good work; it is lawful at any time, and sometimes necessary, to bestow such gifts.

Seventhly, There are gifts of bribery, which pervert justice, and put out the eyes of Judges: They are not the rewards of in∣dustry, but the wages of unrighteousness; such as Balack would

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have given Balaam, he offered him great gifts, I will promote thee to honour. But what was it for? even to hire him to curse the people of God. Let all take heed of giving or taking gifts to pervert justice, or to encourage any in the doing of any wicked∣ness or unworthiness; these are corruptive gifts.

Further, Whereas they gave not only a piece of money or a lamb, but every one an ear-ring of gold; which we may consider not only as to the matter, as it was gold, but as to the form, as it was an ear-ring, or an artificial piece of gold, & that an ornamental piece of gold; they might have given gold (and probably they did) in the pieces of money which they gave him, but they gave him ear-rings also, in which the fashion or use is most considerable, and the workmanship more worth than the mettal.

Hence, Note;

It is lawful to wear ornaments.

Not only may we wear that which serves for a covering to the body, but that which is for the adorning of it. An ear-ring is an ornament. As all are to wear cloths to hide their shame and naked∣ness, so some may wear robes, to shew their state and greatness. Job received ear-rings; he did not cast them by as vain things. When Abraham sent his servant to take a wife for his Son Isaac, he stored him with cabinets of precious jewels to bestow upon her (Gen. 24.) and when he found Rebeccah at the well, and found who she was, he took a golden ear-ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold, and gave them to Rebeccah. And afterwards, when her parents had given consent to the marriage, then (ver. 53.) The servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebeccah, &c. Abraham would not send such things to a Wife for his Son, had they been vain in their own nature, or sin∣ful in their use. Yet take the point with these cautions. We may wear ornaments, but,

First, We must not be proud of them.

Secondly, We must not set our affections upon them.

Thirdly, We must beware of an affectation in wearing them.

Fourthly, We must take heed of wastfulness; we may not lavish out an estate upon ornaments, nor make our selves poor, to make our selves fine.

I grant some Scriptures speak negatively in appearance, as to the use and wearing of jewels and ornaments (1 Tim. 2.9.) In like manner also let women adorn themselves in modest aparel, in shame fastness and sobriety, not with broidened hair or gold, or pearl, or castly array. This Scripture seems to cross the point directly, and so doth that other (1 Pet. 3.3.) Whose adorning (speaking of women) let it not be that outward adorning of plating the hair, and of wearing of gold, and of putting on of aparel; but let it be the hid∣den man of the heart. How then can good women wear these ornaments?

I answer, These Scriptures do not absolutely forbid the wearing of ornaments, but only as to those exceptions before given, to wear them in pride, or to set our affections upon them, or to affect them, or to wear them wastfully, beyond our purse and place; such wearing of ornaments is indeed unlawful. Again, it is not sinful to have or use ornaments, but to make them our orna∣ments, that is sinful; our adorning must be the hidden man of the heart, that must be grace: That this is the Apostles mind is clear, because he saith their adorning must not be the putting on of apparrel, as well as not the plating of the hair, and wearing of gold. Therefore the negation is not absolute, but comparative; let not them count these their ornaments, but grace or the hidden man of the heart. As the Lord saith, I will have mercy and not sacrifice, that is, mercy rather than sacrifice; so, I will have the hidden man of the heart, not costly jewels and apparel, your orna∣ment; that is, I esteem the one much rather than the other, and so ought you to esteem both your selves and others accord∣ingly.

Take this caution further. Times of affliction and suffering, are very unseasonable to wear ear-rings of gold and ornaments. When there is any great appearance of the displeasure of God against a people; then how unsutable are all our pleasant things! The Lord said to the people of Israel, Put off your ornaments, that I may know what to do with you (Exod. 32.) When we live in such a time, in humbling days, or are called to humbling duties, we should be very watchful about these things, and rather appear in raggs than robe••, with dust upon our heads, rather than with orna∣ments upon our backs.

Thus far of the first part of Jobs restauration, the return of his friends, and the significations of their friendliness towards him, eating bread with him, bemoaning him, comforting him, and pre∣senting him with gifts of honour, if not of enrichment, pieces of money, and earings of gold: Yet all their civilities and bounties reached but a little way, if at all towards that restauration which the Lord intended him, the doubling of his whole estate, which he soon received in full measure, heaped up, pressed down, and running over, as will appear in opening the two next verses, and those which follow to the end of the chapter.

Notes

• Inter adversi∣tates Jobi qua∣si praecipua e∣rat quod fuerat ab amicis suis desertus, & ideo hujus adver∣sitatis primò remedium poni∣tur. Aquin.
• Audierunt om∣nes fratres, quae cunque ac∣ciderant ei, & venerunt. Sept.
• Amicitia mun∣di sequitur marsupium.
• Si fueris foe∣lix multos nu∣merabis amicos. Tempora si fue∣rintnubila solus eris.
• Exple•••• contu∣melias honori∣bus, detrimenta muneribus, exe∣crationes preci∣bus.
• Cui dominus fa∣vet, ei omnia favent.
• Praefigurat hic Jobus Christum post resurrectio∣nem, honoribus restitutum, ho∣noratem non tan∣tum ab Apostolis, sed etiam patri∣bus Judaeis et Gentilibus fide∣libus, et in do∣mo ejus Ecclesia convivantibus, Passionem ipsius cum dolore re∣colentibus, et in coelesti aulacum ipso panem vitae comesturis. Greg. l. 35. Mo∣ral. c. 9, 10, 11.
• Moverunt su∣per eum caput. Vulg. Consolati sunt eum et mirati sunt super om∣nibus, &c.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 est propriè migrare, unde pro condolere sumitur; quod qui aliquem solari volunt & ejus vicem dolere, è loco suo ut id faci∣ant soleant mi∣grare.
• Dederunt ei quisque pecu∣dem unam. Bez.
• Recunia à pe∣core dicta est. Plin. l. 18. c. 3. Severus rex ovium boum∣que effigie pri∣mus ••s assigna∣vit. Plin.
• Gemmas à fronte penden∣tes. Vulg. M••ntl•• demis∣sum, Sept.
• Honoraria ob∣tulerunt. Jun. Munere haec erant, tum ami∣citiae, tum ob∣sequii symbola. Sic enim viri principes mu∣nere salutaban∣tur.