For the first, the Rationality of it. Holy Job doth not speak of his death without some cause, but for the ground and reason foregoing. By the great force of my disease is my garment changed, it binds me about as the Collar of my Coat; and then he breaks out into this holy meditation, For I know thou wilt bring me to death. From thence observe, That it is a very Rational thing in weakness to have holy meditations about death. 1Job lay under a disease, that even was ready to choke and strangle him, and then he breaks out into this holy meditation, For I know thou wilt bring me to death, &c. It is observable, the Ancients take notice that David made three Psalms, when he lay upon his sick-bed, Psalm. 6 Psalm 30. Psalm 39. and in all those Psalms there are divine raptures and holy meditations about death. Job. 17. 1. My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the grave is ready for me. He doth not mean an ill savour ⟨p. 203⟩in his breath, but it was an obstruction and stopping in his breath, that is, he was short-breathed, and straitened under a violent disease. It is conceived that Job had that disease which is called the Tissick, and the consideration of this disease, made him think that the grave was ready for him. So Heman lay undo a violent disease, Psal. 88. 3, 4, 5. For my soul is full of trouble, and my life draws nigh to the grave, 2I am accounted with them that go down into the pit, I am as a man that hath no strength, free among the dead, like the stain that lye in the grave, whom thou numberest no more, and they are cut off from thy hands. When sickness is in the chamber, then death is at the window. Diseases are but the messengers, harbingers and fore-runners of death; in the Prophets phrase, Death is come up into our windows: 3When diseases are in the house, then death is at the threshold. So Job reckoneth, When I lye down, 4I say, when shall I rise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro, unto the dawning of the day, and then he saith, My flesh is clothed with worms, and clods of dust. My skin is broken, and become loathsome.
For the first, the Rationality of it. Holy Job doth not speak of his death without some cause, but for the ground and reason foregoing. By the great force of my disease is my garment changed, it bindes me about as the Collar of my Coat; and then he breaks out into this holy meditation, For I know thou wilt bring me to death. From thence observe, That it is a very Rational thing in weaknesse to have holy meditations about death. 1Job lay under a disease, that even was ready to choak and strangle him, and then he breaks out into this holy meditation, For I know thou wilt bring me to death, &c. It is observable, the Ancients take notice that David made three Psalmes, when he lay upon his sick-bed, Psalm. 6 Psalm 30. Psalm 39. and in all those Psalmes there are divine raptures and holy meditations about death. Iob. 17. 1. My breath is corrupt, my dayes are extinct, the grave is ready for me. He doth not mean an ill savour ⟨p. 203⟩in his breath, but it was an obstruction and stopping in his breath, that is, he was short-breathed, and straitned under a violent disease. It is conceived that Job had that disease which is called the Tissick, and the consideration of this disease, made him think that the grave was ready for him. So Heman lay und• a violent disease, Psal. 88. 3, 4, 5. For my soul is full of trouble, and my life draws nigh to the grave, 2I am accounted with them that go down into the pit, I am as a man that hath no strength, free among the dead, like the stain that lye in the grave, whom thou numbrest no more, and they are cut off from thy hands. When sicknesse is in the chamber, then death is at the window. Diseases are but the messengers, harbingers and fore-runners of death; in the Prophets phrase, Death is come up into our windowes: 3When diseases are in the house, then death is at the threshold. So Job reckoneth, When I lye down, 4I say, when shall I rise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro, unto the dawning of the day, and then he saith, My flesh is clothed with wormes, and clods of dust. My skin is broken, and become loathsome.
- 1•oct 1.
- 2Psa. 88. 3, 4 5.
- 3ler. 9. 21.
- 4Job 7. 4, 5.
