Job 1

This hallowing God's name by praise is very becoming a Christian; it is unbecoming to murmur, this is a dishonoring of God's name: but it becomes the saints to be spiritual choristers in singing forth the honor of God's name: it is called the garment of praise (Isaiah 61:3) — ho…

The Devil is no recusant, he will be sure to be present in our assemblies: If he cannot hinder us from hearing, he will hinder us in hearing. Job 1:6. When the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, Satan came also among them.

Answer: Perfection there is meant of sincerity. God is best able to interpret his own word, he calls sincerity perfection (Job 1:8): A perfect and an upright man. But who is exactly perfect?

(1.) In acknowledging God's hand; seeing God in the affliction (Job 5:6): Affliction arises not out of the dust; it comes not by chance. Job did eye God in all that befell him (Job 1:22): The Lord has taken away: He complains not of the Chaldeans, or the influence of the planets…

This we shall see to be true in Christ Jesus the head of the Church: for, when he was Baptized, and had received the holy Ghost, Matthew 3, in the form of a Dove, and had this voice of GOD the Father pronounced upon him, that he was his well-beloved son in whom he was well pleas…

Thirdly, when outward means of preservation in this life do abound, as health, wealth, honor, riches, peace, and pleasure, then we must remember to be thankful; because these things always come by the providence of God. Thus Job was thankful both in prosperity and adversity: The…

'It may be God uses him as his rod to lash me, because I by my sin made his enemies to blaspheme him — and shall I be angry with the rod? How irrational would that be?' This also was what quieted Job: he does not rail and vow revenge upon the Chaldeans and Sabeans, but eyes God…

Oh then what manner of persons ought you to be! You have many eyes over you: the omniscient eye of God that searches the heart and minds (Revelation 2:23); the vigilant eye of Satan (Job 1:7-8); the envious eyes of enemies that curiously observe you (Psalm 5:8); the quick and ob…

But when the Lord, in regard of Iobs outward estate, had given him leave, & said, Loe all that he has is in your hand, then did he exercise his power, to the vtmost: yet so farre onely, as he was permitted, and no further. Job. 1. 12. The consideration of this first point, that…

3. Because the act of sinning, comes formally from free-will, which cannot be forced, but may keep out the siege without violence, but yet basely renders. If Satan be the Prince of the air, and can raise mighty storms and winds, that can smite the four corners of a house, which…

And as it is thus for our obedience in doing his will, so is it for our patience in suffering his will, there is a glorious worship given to Christ in patience, when as if so be it be the will of God to call us to suffer, we lay our hands upon our mouths and sit down and quiet o…

1. That temptations come not by chance, not out of the earth, nor merely from the Devil; but God orders them for his own glory and our good. Satan was fain to beg leave to tempt Job (Job 1:12). And the Lord said to Satan, behold, all that he has is in your power, only upon himse…

This is to live by faith: and, as Peter says (1 Peter 3:17), to sanctify God in our hearts. The last: in all things we must give praise and thanks to God: and that for our miseries, and afflictions (Job 1:22); for in them, God mingles his justice, with mercy, whereas he might ut…

Caiaphas supposing that Christ had blasphemed, rent his garments (Matthew 26). When Job did but suspect his children of blaspheming God, he called them and sanctified them (Job 1:5). It is the fault of our days, that many blaspheme by cursing, swearing, etc. without fear, and ma…

Paul says (Colossians 3:20), that children must obey their parents in all things. When the devil had obtained liberty to afflict Job in all things that belonged to him, save his person; he destroyed his children (Job 1:12, 18). And this shows, that the children in respect of the…

The second rule: we must be circumspect lest we sin in the use of the creatures. In this respect Job sends for his children after they had feasted together, and he sanctifies them (Job 1:5). The third rule: we must use the gifts of God with thanksgiving (Romans 14:6).

Saint Jerome's exposition (which I also have followed) is much better, and more agreeable. This phrase of speech is very frequent in Scriptures, as we see in Job 1:1, of whom it is said, that he was an upright and just man, fearing God, and avoiding evil. Solomon also says (Prov…

First, men drink more freely; next, the door is opened to filthy and immodest conversation; and, lastly, no moderation is observed. This was the reason why the patriarch Job was in the habit of offering sacrifices, while his sons were feasting alternately in each other’s houses,…

And therefore be contented to let him judge and requite: for of him shall every one receive, according to his deserts. An example of this we have in the holy man Job, who after all his goods were consumed, his cattle taken away, his children slain, and all that he had wasted, br…

For Sinners also love those that love them. And the Devil himself knew that that Kind of Respect to God which was so mercenary, as to be only for Benefits received or depended on, (which is all one) is worthless in the Sight of God; otherwise he never would have made use of such…

And evil Angels, or Devils, 1 Kings 22. 21, 22. For that Spirit who appeared before the Lord and offered himself to be a lying spirit in the Mouths of Ahab's Prophets, was no other but he who appeared before God, Job 1. who is called Satan. These in the New Testament are called…

And it often appears by their backwardness to entertain charitable thoughts of them, and their being hard to convince that it is really so that they have obtained mercy, and a forwardness to listen to anything that seems to contradict it. The devil hated to own Job's sincerity (…

It was a weighty and savory speech, which a pious pen once saved from your Lordship's lips, namely, that you accounted the prayers of God's ministers and people, the best walls about your house. He that so accounts, doubtless understands that prayer engages providence (Isaiah 45…

It's a greater mercy, to descend from praying Parents, than from the loyns of Nobles. See Job's pious practice, Job 1:5 (2.) What a special mercy was it to us, to have the excrescencies of corruption nipt in the bud by their pious and careful discipline?

If you carefully lay up these rules, they will much advantage and advance your profiting, when we come to the explication of any part. Job 1:1-2. There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job, and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God and eschewed evi…

Whereby wee see, that wandring beggers are not to bee suffered in Church or common wealth; for they live without any calling, and so transgresse Gods will: yea their course of life is here also condemned, that spend their life in sports and gaming; for such a life is rebellion a…

Thus hee gaue the Israelites a King in his wrath, Hos. 13. 11. and so hee gaue them Quailes, for while the meate was in their mouthes, the wrath of God came upon them, Psalm. 78. 30, 31. Thus the deuils had their request graunted, to enter into the heard of swine, Matth. 8. 31,…

She answers, whatever the most part of the world do, yet these who have spiritual senses, love Christ as I do. The difference between this and the former expression in the end of the third verse is in two: 1. Though the persons be the same, yet she gives them different styles; t…

So careful is he for their safety, that he creates upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all the glory shall be a defense (Isaiah 4:5). Not a particular saint, but is hedge…

Though but few such are recovered, yet how know you but the hand of mercy may pull you, as a brand out of the fire, if now you will return and seek it with tears? Though it be a fire that consumeth to destruction, as Job calls it, Job 1. 12. yet it is not an unquenchable fire, t…

How highly soever Men prize such Commodities, yet reason tells them, It were better these should perish, than Life. Satan himself could say, Job 1. Skin for skin, and all that a Man has, will he give for his Life.

That prosperity and success in Trade is from the blessing of God, I suppose few are so Atheistical, as once to deny or question. The Devil himself acknowledges it, Job 1. 10. You hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the Land.

And as he compares her to the lily among the thorns, so she him to the apple tree among the trees of the wood: and she adds this reason of it, even because he has the two eminent things of trees, which the residue of them have not: 1. Fruit for food. 2. Shade for refreshment: of…

They are the sons of God, and so of the family whereunto the adopted person is to be admitted, and therefore it concerns them to know, who are invested with the rights of that family, that they may discharge their duty towards them. Unto them then it is declared, that believers…

As bond servants were a master's possession forever: so covenanted servants are his possession for the time of their covenant. When God gave the devil leave to seize on all that Job had, by virtue of that permission he seized on all kinds of Job's servants bond and free, as well…

A Christian must not only look to the malice of Satan in his temptations, but to the justice of God. Look, as in outward afflictions, we are not to reflect upon instruments; Job did not say, The Chaldean and Sabean has taken, but, The Lord has taken (Job 1:21). So in these spiri…

Satan is in God's chains, he could not enter into the herd of swine without leave; therefore certainly he cannot get among the sheep of Christ's fold. It's the saying of Tertullian, If the bristles of swine be numbered, the hairs of our head are numbered; therefore you had need…

How soon can God blast them? It's at his pleasure to do what he will with you: He gave Satan power over Job's estate (Job 1:12): Behold all that he has is in your power. Our life is continued to us by the indulgence of God, and by his providential influence and supportation.

When you have bolted the door upon you, and shut other company out, you do not lock out Satan; he is always at hand, ready to disturb us in holy duties; wherever the children of God are, he seeks to come at them. When the Sons of God met together, Satan was in the midst of them…

The care of his providence has its degrees; it is more intensively exercised about things of worth and value, and most of all about the life of his saints. When Satan had a commission to exercise Job, first his person was exempted (Job 1:12): "Upon himself put not forth your han…

The world is Satan's walk, the devil's circuit: From where do you come? From compassing the earth (Job 1), a place defiled with sin (Isaiah 24:5), given to the children of men (Psalm 115:16). Here God will show his bounty to all his creatures, to beasts, and all kind of men; it…

This is mentioned because our too much love to worldly things is the special hindrance of obedience, it takes off our hearts from the love and care of it: and then when he says not to covetousness, herein implies his own esteem and choice, as preferring God's testimonies above a…

We storm, if we look no further than second causes; but one that looks on it as an immediate stroke of God's providence, has nothing to reply by way of murmuring and expostulation. So in loss of good children, how do we rave against instruments, if we look no further? but if we…

In those countries, when they lay in the fields, they made fires about them to keep off the wild beasts: so God when he sees it fit to excuse his people from trouble, he can in the most unsafe times, and when they are weakest, protect them by his secret hand; bridling their enem…

1. When he loses his patience and meek submission to God's will. Thus the Lord tried Job by the Sabeans and Chaldeans (Job 1:15, 17), who took away his oxen, and camels, and all his stock; yet Job meekly submitted to the Lord's will (verse 21): "The Lord has given, and the Lord…

Now this fretting, quarrelling, impatient humor which often shows itself against God even in our prayers and supplications, is quelled by nothing so much as by being frequent in praises and thanksgivings. (Job 1:21) The Lord has given, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the…

2. The influence it has upon keeping God's precepts. 1. In general, this is one demonstration of it, that the most eminent servants of God have been commended for their fear of God; Job 1:1 is said to be a man perfect and upright, one that feared God, and eschewed evil. He had a…

I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away (Job 1:21). 2. The meritorious cause is sin (Lamentations 3:39).

Ever since it has been every man's lot to come into and go out of this world naked, to show that he has no right to anything, but lives on the alms of God's charity and grace (all [reconstructed: we] have or hold between our birth and death is clear [reconstructed: gain] and mer…

God orders, and disposes, and times all our temptations: Satan cannot do what he pleases, but what God pleases. He had not power to touch Job till God gave him leave (Job 1:12); and when he had power he could go no further than the wise God gave him order. In temptation it is no…