not a Country of Mountains or Hills Now saith the Lord even as Egypt by the drawing of Water-courses is made fruitful and abundantly supplied with moisture though no rain falls there so I will water the Wilderness with rain from the clouds as well as they water Egypt Nemo aratorum in Egypto respicit coelum Sen. l. 4. Natur. quest c. 2. Plinius in Panegyr Te propter nullos tellus tuo postulat imbres Arida nec pluvio supplicat herbâ— fovi Tibul. by sluces from the river Nilus Egypt grew very proud or atheistical rather because they had such an advantage by the river which caused one of the Ancients to say There is never a Plow-man in Egypt will so much as look up to Heaven They took not themselves at all beholding to God for the fertillity of their land they had it all from Nilus Well saith the Lord I will moisten the very barren wildernesse it shall be satisfied with rain even as Egypt with the waters of the river The Desert shall be as well watered by rivers from heaven as Egypt is by the river Nilus But whether the Lord had any respect to that or no I dare not assert yet it is plain that the Lord waters the wilderness where no man is even as well as Egypt is watered Now forasmuch as the rain cometh upon the wilderness where 't is very improbâ—ble to have rain Vapores plâ—viosi elevantur maximè ex locis â—umidis unde siâ—ubes plâ—viae non impellerentur à ventis sequeretur quòd nunquam in loâ—is siccis plueretur Aquin. because vapours which are the matter of rain are raised uâ—ually from moist places from the seas and rivers but from the wilderness and from heaths and deserts which are dry places how should vapours rise yet saith God though there is no rain begotten there yet I will send rain thither I will cause the wind to rise and carry the clouds and the thundeâ— shall break the clouds and they shall pour down wateâ—s upon the wilderness Did not the Lord cause the winds to d ive the clouds over wildernesses and desert places and there to unburthen themselves they would be altogether without rain Hence Note Where Nature denies or natural causes produce no rain God can give it The clouds may deny rain to the wildernesse because the wilde ness yiâ—lds no moisture to make clouds yet the Lord sends rain thither Again Consider the wilderness and desert places as they are here hâ—ld forth together with the providence of God concerning them And so Note The care and providence of God extends it self to all places even to places uninhabited It is no wonder that God should provide rain so places that aâ—e inhabi ed but where no man is there to water the eaâ—th to what puâ—pose is that yet the Lord will water such places as it were by his own hand and as 't is said Psal 107.35 Turn the wilderness into standing water and dry ground into Water-springs Though there be no man to eat the fruit which the rain produceth from the earth of which the Text speaks afterward yet God will send rain to make that land fruitful for the beasts sake that they may have grass and green things to feed upon God will provide for the beasts of the earth where there are no men to provide for them nor to be provided for God is a great House-keeper He nourisheth all living creatures as well as men as he preserves so he feeds the beasts of the Earth and the fishes of the Sea as well as men Psal 104.27 These all wait upon thee O Lord that thou maist give them their meat in due season the very fishes in the Sea wait upon God for their meat and so do fowls of the air together with all things moving upon the face of the Earth Psal 145.15 The eyes of all wait upon thee and thou givest them meat in due season and that he may do so he gives them rain in due season He causeth it to rain on the Earth where no man is and upon the wildernesse where there is no man God hath beasts to provide for where men are not and he will not let a beast that he hath made want food the very worms shall have a support of life Hence Christ argues away all undue care and thoughtfulnesse in man for the succours of this life Matth. 6.25 26. Take no thought for your life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your body what ye shall put on Behold the fowls of the air for they sowe not neither do they reap nor gather into barns yet your heavenly Father feedeth them are ye not much better than they Surely ye are therefore ye shall be better provided for than they Hath God a break-fast ready for every little bird that comes chirping out of her Nest Hath he a break-fast ready for every beast in the Wildernesse that comes out of his den and will he not much more provide for you O ye of little faith How encouraging an argument is this to our Faith that the Lord will provide for all men and especially for his own seeing he provides for the fowls of the air and the beasts of the earth where there is no man to give them any food or take any care of them This consideration may strengthen our dependance on God though we are brought into a Wilderness condition where there is no man to pity us or give us a morsel of bread Surely the Lord that feeds the wild beasts where there is no man can and will provide for his own people when the hearts of all men are shut up against them he can make the fowls of the air and the beasts of the earth to bring them food as the ravens did to Elijah Further This is an instance of the inexhaustible treasure of the Lords goodness For if he giveth rain in the wilderness for the beasts of the earth may we not thence infer surely the Lord will take care even of those who are unworthy What have the beasts deserved at the hand of God that he should provide for them Yea the Lord doth not onely give food to those that are of no desert as the beasts but to those that are of ill desert he gives rain to those who are but beasts in the shape of men men of beastly spirits The Lord feeds the Lions and the Bears the Tygers and the Swine of the World that is men like them he causeth his rain to fall upon the just and unjust Matth. 5.45 Satius est prodesse malis propter bonos quam bonis â—cesse propter malos Sen. de Benef. lib. 4. cap. 28. He will rather give good to the bad for the goods sake than be wanting to the good because of the wickedness of the bad and therefore the rain comes not onely upon the just but upon the unjust too This is true also in a spiritual way The
satisfied And this may be a great reproof upon the insatiableness of many men they in this are much worse than the desolate and wast ground that may be satisfied that will crave no more But whereas Solomon saith there are four things that say not it is enough Prov. 30.15 16. Of all things the desires of man are most unsatiable and say not it is enough It was a great word which Esau spake I have enough my brother Gen. 33.9 and I fear he hath but a few brethren in that saying Among the four things which in Solomons ob ervation say not it is enough the earth is one in the place last mentioned But mark It is the earth that is not filled with water For where God is pleased to fill the earth with water then as this Text in Job speaks it is satisfied He causeth it to rain on the wilderness to satisfie the desolate and wast ground Further This may also comfort us in all our wants For doubtless the Lord who takes care to satisfie the senseless ground will satisfie his believing people early with his mercy Psal 90.14 when they cry to him yea he will satisfie them not onely with good in this life but with long life will he satisfie them and shew them his salvation Psal 91.16 He will abundantly blesse Sions provision What is that The Word and Ordinances chiefly and satisfie her poor with bread with the bread of life especially Lastly God sends rain to satisfie the desolate and wast ground Hence Note God hath rain enough for all places He can spare it for waste ground and wildernesses And therefore if he supplieth not our pastures corn-fields and gardens with rain it is not because he cannot send it or hath not enough to send but it is to punish us for sin God doth not withhold rain from any place because he is sparing of his treasures is more for laying them up than giving them out but because he is provoked by the unthankfulness of man for or by his abuse of his former bounties The Lord forbids the clouds to drop down the rain upon inhabited places and bids them convey it to waste wildernesses when inhabited places have not honoured him for it nor brought forth fruits of righteousness answerable to the fruits of the earth by the blessing of rain Thus also Christ will take the kingdome that is the kingdome of the Gospel the rain of holy doctrine from an unthankful and unfruitful people and give it to a Nation that will bring forth the fruits of it as he threatned the Jewes Matth. 21.43 and afterwards fulfilled that threatning upon them Acts 13.46 Lo we turn to the Gentiles Ye having refused and abused the offers of Christ made to you by us we will now go with our rain to the wast and desolate ground or to the wilderness that is to the Gentiles and they will receive it and be thankful The scarcity of Gospel mercy which God brings upon any place Sic sterilitas agrorum divitiae fertilitas est deserti is a punishment of their barrenness under Gospel means And have not we cause to fear at this day that forasmuch as we are so like that earth spoken of Heb. 6.8 which drinketh in the rain yet instead of fruit meet for his use by whom it is dressed beareth briars and thorns have not we cause I say to fear that we are nigh to some curse and burning or that the Lord will carry away the rain to Heathens who as yet are a desolate and waste ground 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eâ—itum germinis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proprie herba renera Exitum herbae vocat herbam primúm è terra prodeuntem Drus To cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth The natural effect of rain is growth or to cause the bud of the â—ender herb to bring forth If God denies water to manured and well husbanded lands they wither and even desolate desarts and waste grounds flourish when God waters them then the bud of the tender herb springs forth Hence Note Natural causes produce proper natural effects When God sends rain on desolate places they bud and spring forth When the rain falls the herb flourishes where the Sun shines the grasse grows And surely thus it is in spirituals spiritual causes bring forth spiritual effects if the Lord sends the rain of the word upon desolate souls the soul receiving it will bud and the tender herb will bring forth Moses Deut. 32.1 2. compared his Doctrine to the small rain upon the tender herb and to the showres upon the grasse How green are the herbs after rain and the grasse after showres Herbs and grasse bear witness to the bounty and goodness of God in giving sweet showres of rain Natural rain is seen in their looks and so should spiritual in our lives And if where the rain of the word falleth they that receive it do not bud and blossome and bring forth fruit the desolate wilderness will rise up in judgement against them the waste grounds will condemn them They will say Lord you sent rain upon us and lo here are our buds and our blossomes yea here 's the fruit which we have brought forth Will not this shame our barrenness Hath the Lord divided the Water-course of the Gospel and caused it to rain on us from day to day and shall not we shew our buds and blossomes of holiness our fruits of faith and repentance that he may come into his garden and eat of his pleasant fruits How dreadful Shall the waste wildernesses and desolate grounds bring forth when the rain fâ—lls upon them and shall not the Church It is not bare professing but fruit-bearing which honours God John 15.8 It is uncomely if so much as a leaf of profession withers Psal 1.3 But how green soever the leaves of our profession are yea though they should retain their greenness under the hottest and most scorching Sun of Persecution yet what would it advantage us if our leaves are not accompanied with good fruits Now If any should ask What mean you by good fruits Or what fruits are good I shall close the point in hand with an Answer to these Questions These good fruits considered in reference to their efficient cause are called fruits of the spirit Gal. 5.22 and in reference to the matter of them they are called fruits of righteousness Phil. 1.11 but in reference to the beginning or occasion of them they are called fruits meet for repentance Matth. 3.8 In general all that is good fruit which is conformable to the Word of God whether it be the conformity of our natures to it in conversion or the conformity of our wayes to it in our daily conversation More particularly these good fruits are of two sorts First Inward fruits or those which we bring forth within that is in our hearts these are secrets and only known to God Secondly Outward fruits which we bring forth in
our lives these are or may be seen of men yet they must not be brought forth that we may be seen in doing them but that men seeing our good works may glorifie our Father which is in Heaven Matth. 5.16 Our inward good fruits which are indeed our choicest and most spiritual good fruits are of three sorts First Good Thoughts To do good is best for others but to think good or to have many good thoughts is the best proof that we our selves are good Solomon saith Prov. 12.12 The root of the righteous yieldeth fruit The root of a righteous man is his heart and the first-fruits of a good heart are good thoughts He is a precious person and hath a precious heart that can say as holy David did Psal 139.17 How precious are thy thoughts unto me O God how great is the sum of them That is the thoughts which I have of thee O God are exceeding precious unto me and I have many very many of them more than I am able to sum or reckon up Secondly Good affections are good inward fruits such are godly sorrow joy in God love to God longing after God Psal 27.4 Psal 42.1 2. Isa 26.9 hatred of evil all these movings of the heart are good and precious fruits Thirdly which are the issue and result of both the former good purposes and holy resolves to cleave fast to God to stick as David expresseth it Psal 119.31 to his testimonies wayes and truths at all times especially in times of trial or to continue with Christ in his temptation these are very good inward fruits Psal 17.3 Dan. 1.8 Acts 11.23 Outward good fruits are of two sorts First Good words are good fruits The lips of the righteous feed many Prov. 10.21 Edifying words Eph. 4.29 words of exhortation to good Heb. 3.13 words of reproof as to evil Gal. 6.1 words of comfort to the sad and sorrowful 1 Thess 5.14 all these words are good fruits Secondly Good works first of holiness towards God secondly of righteousness and love towards all men thirdly of charity to the poor all these are outward good fruits and all these the Lord looks for where-ever or upon whomsoever he sends the rain of his word JOB Chap. 38. Vers 28 29 30. 28. Hath the Rain a Father or who hath begotten the drops of dew 29. Out of whose Womb came the Ice and the hoary frost of Heaven who hath gendred it 30. The Waters are hid as with a stone and the face of the deep is frozen THe Lord having questioned Job in the former context about the course of the Rain and the free dispensation of it even to those places where no man is and to the Wilderness where there is no man here he questions him about the cause and original of the Rain and not only of the Rain but of the Dew the Ice and the Frost So then in these three verses we have four Questions First about the Rain and Secondly about the Dew in the 28th verse Thirdly about the Ice and Fourthly about the Frost in the 29th verse together with the marvelous force and effects of it vers 30. Vers 28. Hath the Rain a Father The Inquiry is who is the Father of the Rain that is who is the Author what is the cause of it Not as if the cauâ—e of that or of the other Meteors here mentioned could not at all be known but to shew First That much of them all is unknown There are many things in this lower Sphear beyond mans Sphear even these are not propagated altogether according to our understanding or apprehensions of them Secondly To shew that he must be plentifully stored with all sorts of good who as a Father begets and as a Mother brings forth such useful and necessary things for the preservation of living Creatures Thirdly To shew that these creatures are not produced by causes which are constant and unvariable in nature but proceed from and daily depend upon the power and will of God who somtimes checks and stops the course of Nature and at other times impregnates it for the production of these effects or brings them forth by the Midwifery and help of second causes Fourthly When the Lord propounds the Question under this Relation of a Father he would shew or teach us that he gives Rain and Dew to the earth as a father gives food and other requisites to his children Further This seems to be the design of God in putting these Questions to Job that forasmuch as he could not fully comprehend the causation and production of these things much less was able to cause or produce them himself but must receive them from the power and according to the dispose and providence of God therefore he should refer all his concernments to the same Providence and so rest satisfied whether God sent him a sweet and refreshing Rain and Dew or a grievous and afflictive season of Ice and Fâ—ost Thus we may conceive the general scope of this Context Now to the particulars Hath the Rain a father The question may be resolved both negatively and affirmatively First Negatively the Rain hath no Father that is on earth or among men There is no creature power that can produce a drop of Rain Secondly affiâ—matively Hath the Rain a father Yes it hath God is the Father of the Rain The Rain is not fatherless there is one who will own the Rain as his child or issue The causation of Rain is a great secret in nature a secret about which though wise and learned men have discoursed much and given out much light about it yet they have not reached the utmost nor attained the full knowledge of it and the reason of that is because the Rain hath a Father whose wayes and workings as in the first constitution of Nature so in the daily motions of it exceed our knowledg Hath the Rain a father Not on earth Nor are the Heavens the Father of the Rain the God of Heaven is As not a shower no nor a drop of Rain falls on the earth at the will or by the power of man Si quis alium praeter Deum pluviae patrem quaerat is erit vapor qui ex humidis locis entractus eâ— alevatus a Solo concrescit in nebulam aut nubem et inde a Sole repefactus liquescit et solvitur Sanct. so not by the power of the Sun drawing up the vapours and dissolving the Clouds nor by the Winds scattering the Clouds The Sun may shine the Moon may change the Winds may blow and turn long enough yet no Rain till the Lord gives the Word Some and that not improperly have called the Sun The father of the Rain The Sun draws up those vapours from the earth into the Air which are the matter of Rain and there those vapours are condensed into Clouds and afterwards rarified and dissolved into Rain yet these natural causes produce these effects only as God sets them on work and he can
suspend their working as often as he will And therefore the simple and plain meaning of this question is the Rain owes its original to God and must call him father And that 's the observation which riseth out of this question Hath the Rain a Father God and God alone is the Father of the Rain Without him it had never been and that it is continued is by his power and providence that the frame of nature is so disposed that second causes are so ordered and furnished as to produce Rain proceeds from or comes to pass by the Lord alone The Prophet spake this in a time of great drought Jer. 14.22 both in the negative and in the affirmative and he proposed two questions or the question twice intending the negative First Are there any among the Vanities of the Gentiles that can cause Rain By the vanities of the Gentiles we are to understand their Idol gods Idols are vanities or nothings and can they who are nothing do this great thing give Rain That 's the first question Can Idols cause Rain surely they cannot But will it not rain of course will not the Heavens one time or other yield Rain That 's the second Question Can the Heavens give showers No As Idols or false gods cannot give Rain so neither can the Heavens if forbidden give Rain they act not their power in their own power The Heavens cannot give Rain if God gives them a command to the contrary and the God of Nature can check and countermâ—nd the course of Nature both on earth and in the Heavens when he will Though those bottles the Clouds be never so pregnant and full of Rain yet he can stop them So then neither the Idols nor the Heavens can do it if God say No yea if he give not forth a word of command if he bids not the course of Nature proceed the Heavens over our heads will be Brass and the eaâ—th under us as Iron and therefore the Prophet in the latter part of the verse tells us expresly who is the Father of the Rain Art not thou he O Lord our God Therefore will we wait upon thee for thou hast made all these things As if he had said O Lord thou hast made them and therefore thou hast both the right and the power to dispose of them What can be said more clear and full for the confirmation of this poynt Many other Scriptures say the same thing Read Deut. 28.12 Psal 147.8 Jer. 5.24 Amos 4.7 So then though there are natural causes of Rain yet God is the first cause and it is at his pleasure that these natural causes either pâ—oduce their effects or are stayed from pâ—oducing them It Rains not by accident nor by any concatenation of second causes but according to the appoyntments and pleasure of the great God 'T is no small part of our duty to eye God in causing these common things and 't is a great piece of Atheism or a disowning of God to tye them up to natural causes Now If God be the Father of the Rain we may hence infer First That God is the Father of all Creatures and the supream cause of all effects in the creatures As a Father is the second or instrumental cause of his Sons Being so God is the supream efficient cause of all Beings and Entities Not only Animals and Rationals but the very inanimates and sensless creatures are of a Divine extraction God is the Fountain of their Being And if God be and must be acknowledged as the Father of all Creatures even of the Rain then Secondly God is much more the Father of Mankind The Apostle voucheth that to the superstitious Athenians as a Divine truth out of their own Authors Acts 17.28 As certain also of your own Poets have said for we are also his off spring we are sprung from him as Branches from the Root or as Streams from the Fountain Not that we are as the Streams with the Fountain or the Branches with the Rooâ— of the same Nature with him which to imagine were highest Blasphemy but we take or receive our Nature from him that is he hath made us to be what we are and in him that is in dependance upon him we live and move and have our Being Thirdly If God own himself as a Father to all things and to all men in a general way of Nature then much more doth he own himself a Father to all his people in a way of grace What the Apostle saith of his Title Saviour 1 Tim. 4.10 He is the Saviour of all men especially of those that believe so I may say of this Relation Fatâ—er God is the Father of all men but especially of those that believe The fatherhood which stands in gâ—ace is the highest and most excellent fatherhood which God beareth to any of his Creatures As to this â—he Apostle Jam. 1.18 saith Of his own will begat he us by the Word of Truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his Creatures that is as I conceive that believers they only are begotten with the word of truth considered with all other creatures to whom God is a Father in a common way should have the honour to be called the chief of his creatures The first fâ—uits were chief among the fruits of the earth The first born both of man and of beast were the Lords portion Exod. 13.1 therefore chief This honour have all the Saints the Birth-right is theirs and theirs is the Blessing They as all holy things are dedicated to God and graciously accepted with him as a chosen Generation as a peculiar people He who is Lord over all and Father of all both things and persons as they stand in the whole compass of Nature is eminently and with endeared affections a Father to all them who believe and are actually in a state of grace Fourthly If God be a Father to all creatures and to man more than to inferiour creatures and to true Beleevers more than to other men then as his fatherhood is extended so is his fatherly care God will not be wanting to any as a Father to whom he is upon any account a Father He takes care of the fruits of the earth and of the beast of the field and of all mankind he feeds them all and cloaths them all and protects them all but they who are a kind of first-fruits of his creatures and bears the image of his holiness or his Image in holiness have a special portion and proportion of his care over them and love to them and provision for them What can he deny to us as a Father who hath vouchsafed to be our father Hath the Rain a father Or who hath begotten the drops of Dew This latter part of the verse is of the same meaning with the former The word which we translate hath begotten Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Chal et de viro et de muliere dicitur et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
1009. Inward beauty most desirable 1010 Beginning taken two ways 623 Behemoth described six wayes 606 607. Behemoth may signifie all the beasts of the field 609. Why though a word of the plural number applicable to one 609. Behemoth how the chief of the wayes of God 624 Beholding of things or persons twofold 577 Believers why called the first fruits of Gods creatures 221. A believer mounts high like the Eagle especially in two things 478. Believers do not only mount high but abide on high 480 Belief that which is much desired in some cases is hardly believed 454. Why the same word signifieth to stand fast or steddy and to believe 456. Birth new birth three things in it 322 Blessing two wayes of blessing one 977. The blessing of God effectual for the good of man 978. Seven characters of those whom the Lord will bless 979 980. They who are blessed are also loved of God 981. Three things whence it is that many mind not a blessing from God 982. All successes are not from the blessing of God 984. Temporal things are blessings but spiritual things are the best blessings 989. How we may know when temporal things are a blessing and come to us in love 990 Bochartus his opinion that Behemoth is not the Elephant but Hippopotame 611 612. Borrowing fear not to lose what God borrows of us 951 Brethren and sisters two wayes taken Scripture 956 Building two things most considerable in it both eminent in Gods building the World 59 C Canutus his answer to his flattering Courtiers 110 Captivity how taken in Scripture 931 Any affliction is a kind of captivity 932 Care to be cast upon God 177. Care of God over the beasts of the earth and fowls of the air should convince man that God will take care of him 279 288. Care of God to provide for the vilest creatures 296. Care of God for his p ople seen in two things 643 Carefulness what to be avoided 746 Carnal men judge of God by themselves 834 Causes natural causes produce natural effects and so do spiritual causes spiritual effects 214 Charity a great trial of it 880 Children not to charge their parents when able to help themselves 324. They who excel in any thing are elegantly called the children of it 781 Children a great blessing 993. Parents duty in naming them See names how it is a blessing to have many children 1023. Good children a great joy 1024 Christ his eternity 45. He is the corner-stone 69 70. Christ a light for two great ends 122. Christ compared to a Lion in four respects 283. Christ resembled by the Hind in three things 312. Why Christ is called a horn of salvation 381. Christ like the Eagle shewed in seven things 489 490. Christ a relief against all evil 648. Christ the best friend 958 Church a vain thing to oppose it 685 Church set out by Christ in her spiritual excellencies 721. God terrible in the Church 729 Cloathed to be cloathed with any thing what it imports 428 429 Cloud how a garment to the sea 101. Clouds called the Arcenal of heaven why 192. The wisest men can neither tell how many the clouds are nor fully what they are 272 Cock why crows at Mid-night 254. He is a natural clock 270 Cold whether natural or spiritual is a great binder 243 Comforting the sorrowful a great duty 967 Six cases which call us to comfort others together with so many ways of ministering comfort to them 968. Four considerations moving to this duty 969 Command of God creating 114 115 Comeliness it consisteth in three things 717 Company no company pleaseth but such as is sutable 340 Compulsion grievous to beasts much more to men 341 Condemnation of self what good 545 Confession of sin when right 525 Contending of two sorts 497. How man contendeth with the word how with the works of God 497 498. There is a spirit in weak man ready to contend with the strong God 499. In two cases we are apt to contend with God about his works 501. Four considerations moving us to beware of all contendings with God 502 503. In what way we may contend with God 503 504. They who contend with God would seem wiser than he 505 Conversion why so difficult a work 360 Covenant Hebrew word notes two things and why 670 Counsel what it is 25. The word counsel put absolutely or alone notes Gods counsel 25 Counsel of God may soon be darkned by us 30. Some do it intentionally the greatness of their sin 30 31 Courage where God gives courage man cannot make afraid 438. True courage fears not present danger 449 Craft Some creatures full of it 292. What some cannot do by strength they do by craft 292 293 Creation that work calls us to praise God 89. Four things in creation move us to praise God 90 Creatures God can make any of them hurtful to us 188. Two things shew the power of God in the creature 189. Several degrees of excellency in the creatures 625. An inference from it 626. God can easily subdue the strongest creatures 638. Two inferences from it 638 639. God to be magnified in the qualities and quantity or bigness of his creatures 663. All creatures made serviceable to man 672. Some creatures terrible to man 690. An inference from it 690. God pleased in setting forth the natural excellencies of his creatures 718. The excellencies of the creature shew the excellency of God 722. God would have man know the excellencies of the creature 723 Crocodile not tongueless 662 D Danger to leave any thing in danger and not provide against it is great folly 402. Dangers put all creatures to their utmost shifts 419. They who think themselves out of danger despise danger 420. Danger is the Element of courage 446. It is best not to do or quickly give over doing that which is dangerous 680. They are cruel to themselves who run upon danger unadvisedly 692. Great dangers may make the stoutest afraid 753. Great dangers put bad men upon repentance 758 Darkness what 166 Day of Judgment like to be a terrible day 18. It will be a discovering day 125. Days when and whose days may be said to be full 1029 1031. Day-light never riseth two days together exactly in the same place 126 Death the Gates of it what 151 152 154. No man knoweth how or in what manner he shall dye 155. Death takes all and that upon a two-fold ground 1025. Four cautions from it 1025. A good man willing to dye 1031 Deering his discourse upon his death-bed 168 Deliverance out of trouble is Gods work 933. He can soon work it 934 Demanding of two sorts 818 Desire what we most desire we would fain be at 441 444 457 Devil in bonds always 111. Devil like the Hawk 473. With what weapons we may prevail against him 766 Dew how caused 222. Two things considerable in the falling of the dew 222. God the Father of it 223. The great benefit of
having questioned Job about his skill and knowledge in those Meteors the Rain the Dew the Ice and Frost all which were wrought in the Air rises yet higher questioning him about the Stars of heaven and their ordinary effects upon the earth and all sublunary bodies In these three Verses the Lord points at the four quarters or seasons of the year over which the four Stars or Constellations mentioned in this context have a predominance according to the appointment of God in the course of nature He points at Spring and Winter in the 31. verse he points at Summer and Autumn in the 32. verse and he speaks of both more generally in the 33. verse The sum of the 31. verse may be thus given as if the Lord had said O Job Canst thou alter the seasons of the year First Canst thou retard or keep back the Spring canst thou hinder the rising and appearance of the Pleiades or seven Stars so called canst thou stop the destillation of their influences proper to the introduction of that season Or Secondly Canst thou keep off the Winter that it come not or hasten it away when it is come by dissolving the colds and frosts with which the constellations of that season bind up the earth and so shorten that unkind and comfortless quarter of the year This is the plain meaning of the Text and of those hard or strange words Pleiades Orion Mazzaroth Arcturus used in it all which Constellations are conceived to have their special operations upon the four quarters of the year respectively For â—fficit quidem Sol accessu recessu suo istas anni tempestatos sed habet praeterea adjunctâ—s adjuvantes causas Merl. though the access of the Sun hath the chief hand in making Spring and Summer and the recess of the Sun in making Autumn and Winter yet the Sun doth it not alone but hath the aid of other adjuvant causes in nature by which those great changes are in part effected and produced Further the Reader may take notice that three of these four Stars or Constellations as expressed in our Translation Pleiades Orion Arcturus are not literally in the Hebrew Text nor were they known by those names when either Job or the Pen-man of this book lived but were long after brought into use by the learned Grecians and from them derived unto us and we make use of these names according to the received opinion expounding the Hebrew names by them I shall not stay here in opening their derivations or significations in either language having done it already at the ninth verse of the ninth Chapter of this book where Job himself spake of these constellations attributing this glory to God that he it is who makes Arcturus Orion Pleiades and the Chambers of the South which last are supposed to be the same with Mazzaroth here in this verse Vers 31. Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades That is canst thou stop their rising or the giving forth of their influences which open the earth by a kindly warmth cause grass and corn herbs and flowers plants and trees of all sorts to spring and put forth canst thou bind them up from exerting their natural effects and proper operations certainly thou canst not He that is bound cannot do what he would nor what he could nor what he daily did when at liberty The Philistims had a great mind to bind Sampson supposing that then he could not put forth his mighty strength to mischief them Prisoners when bound and laid in chains can do nothing As there is a binding to do so a binding not to do and that not only with material cords Pleiades sunt septem stellae qâ—ae ortu suo primae navigationis tempus ostendun â—â—unde Graecis dicuntur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est navigare Vergiliae Latinis à vero quo tempore oriuntur but metaphorical vows oaths and promises We commonly say He that is bound must obey But can any bind the Stars to obedience what or who but God can bind or stay either the constant motions or ministrations of the Stars Sampson could not be bound by the Philistims till he betrayed himself and discovered the secret where his strength lay Who knows where the strength force and vertues of the Stars lye or if any knew that secret could they climb up to the Stars and cut off that lock wherein their strength lyeth or break the pipes by which their influences are conveyed down to the earth Canst thou bind The sweet influences of Pleiades The word rendred Influences signifies Delights or delicacies Fructus delicatos Pagn or delicate fruits and therefore that Garden full of sinless pleasures which God himself planted for man in his state of primitive innocency and felicity is called from this word the Garden of Eden Gen. 2.15 that is a place of delight commonly known by the name of Paradice and hence we well translate sweet Influences the Hebrew is Delights 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est deliciari aut voluptate deliciis abundâ—â—e Mr. Broughton translates Delicacies and the interlineal Canst thou bind the delicate fruits that Pleiades brings forth That is the green herbs the flowers with other delicacies and delights which accompany the Spring canst thou hinder their budding or appearing at Spring-time When the deformity dirt of Winter depart or pass away then there is a new face of things then every bush flourisheth then the trees and fields put on their ornaments then the singing of birds fills the Air and makes it resound with their harmony and melodious musick The word is rendred Dainties Gen. 49.20 and an adverb coming from this is used Lam. 4.5 They that did fare delicately are desolate in the streets As also 1 Sam. 15.32 Agag came unto him delicately Canst thou bind the sweet Influences Of Pleiades The Greeks express Winter by a word just of the same sound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Hebrew word Chymah by us rendred Pleiades as if this respected the Winter or were a cold Constellation but certainly here it relates to the Spring and considering that in this place the Pleiades are said to give out sweet Influences the delights and delicacies of the earth the word must needs be meant of or intend a benigne and favourable Star a Spring-star rather than a Winter-star and therefore the Latines give this Constellation its name from the Spring Vergiliae quasi veris vigiles because then it appears of which see more Chap. 9.9 Further When this Star or company of Stars these Pleiades or seven Stars are spoken of by name we by a Synechdoche may understand all the Stars for what influence soever any Star is impowered with or putteth forth who can hinder Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades Hence observe First God hath planted a virtue in the Stars of heaven which they shed down upon the earth The creatures of the earth are as
I may say fed and fattened from heaven All Vegetatives grass herbs plants flowers trees all Sensitives beasts of the earth fowls of the air yea and rational creatures too all men who breath in the air and walk upon the earth are refreshed and fed by the influences of heaven by the clouds and stars Further the Stars send down their influences not only upon living creatures in their three ranks but even upon inanimate creatures the minerals the stones that lye deep under the earth the precious gems with those of a courser grain receive much from the influences of the Stars So then all earthly bodies receive and derive their vigor and beauty from the heavenly the Sun and Moon have the greatest power and there is a very great power in the Stars and Constellations in the Pleiades Orion and Arcturus for the production of great effects Secondly In that 't is said Canst thou bind or stop the Influences of Pleiades Observe It is not in the power of man of any man to hinder or stay the virtue of the stars from falling down upon the earth What God will do by the creature no man can undo If God set those heavenly bodies at liberty and bids them send down their influences man cannot lock them up nor imprison their powers nor bind them from working And hence we may inferr First if none can bind the influences nor stay the comfortable virtue of the stars when God is pleased to let them out then much less can any bind or hinder the influences of the Spirit When God is pleased to send his Spirit to work upon the heart of man who can lett him There is a threefold influence or work of the spirit of God upon the soul of man First To enlighten or to give the light of the knowledge of his own glory in the face of Jesus Christ Who can hinder God when he purposeth thus to instruct and teach the ignorant and make them wise unto Salvation wiser than their teachers who can hinder it Secondly To convert to work faith and repentance together with love humility c. These graces are destilled and drop down from the Spirit of God upon the soul and who can hinder the Spirit from working them in the most hardened and unbelieving souls in the most vain proud and presumptuous soul the barren'st wilderness dryest heath such are persons unconverted are made fruitful by the influences of the Spirit Thirdly To refresh and comfort There are unspeakable influences of joy destilled from the spirit upon believers and when God will let them down from heaven who can lett them what can let them All the troubles and sorrows all the pains and tortures that men can invent or inflict upon a believer cannot bind these influences of the Spirit nor hinder joy in believing The greatest evils of this life can neither shut up nor shut out that comfort which the Spirit speaketh The most churlish winds that can blow from the coldest quarters of the world cannot chill much less kill or blast those fruits of the Spirit Love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness saith meekness temperance mentioned by the Apostle Gal. 5.22 23. The soul grows green like a Garden or Pasture in the Spring the soul bud's blossom's and brings forth these blessed fruits abundantly when fed with these dainties and delicacies of the Spirit Those great floods of trouble and persecution which the Serpent any where or at any time casts out of his mouth cannot prevail against the least drop of Consolation wrought in the heart by the Spirits influence Paul and Silas were bound in Prison but there their persecutors could not bind the sweet influences of the Spirit from comforting them nor daunt them by any terror from triumphing in Christ they could sing in Prison yea they sung at Midnight Secondly We may Inferr If God hath placed the Stars in heaven to drop down sweet influences upon us then at every sight of the Stars our hearts should be raised up in the admiring thoughts of the wisdom goodness and power of God We usually look upon the Stars as if they were only so many lights bespangling the Canopy of heaven and sparkling as so many fires in the firmament but we seldom consider their virtues their influences or the wonderful effects which they produce How few are there who behold the heavens with Davids eyes Psal 8.3 4. When I said he consider thy heavens the work of thy fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast made What is man that thou are mindful of him God is mindful of man not only to give him light by the Moon and Stars by the benefit whereof he sees other things but God gives many unseen benefits by the Moon and Stars The influences of the Stars are as beneficial to us Qui negat esse Deum spectet modo fidero câ—li Sidorâ— qui spectat non negat esse Deum and as great a treasure as their light We indeed have great cause as we are commanded Psal 136.7 8 9. to pay the tribute of thanks to God for setting up the Sun Moon and Stars in the heavens to give us light O give thanks to him that made great lights the Sun to rule by day the Moon and Stars to rule by night Yet we must not confine our thankfulness to God for them only as they give us light for they give us heat as well as light and wonder working influences as well as either Moses their civil Father blessing the twelve Tribes as Jacob their natural Father did before his departure out of the world thus bespake the blessing upon Joseph Deut. 33.13 14 15. Blessed of the Lord be his land for the precious things of heaven for the dew and also for the deep that coucheth beneath and for the precious fruits brought forth by the Sun and for the precious things put forth by the Moon and for the chief things of the ancient mountains and for the precious things of the lasting hills and for the precious things of the earth and the fulness thereof c. Here we have two sorts of precious things First The precious things of heaven Secondly The precious things of the earth of the hills and mountains The former precious things are the cause the latter the effect The precious things of heaven are the influences of the Sun and Moon under which we are to comprehend the influences of the Stars these cause or produce the precious things of the earth that is Grass Hearbs with all sorts of Vegetables growing upon the surface of the earth they produce also the precious things of the ancient mountains and of the lasting hills that is gems or precious stones gold and silver together with all sorts of inferiour minerals Now if the Stars by their influences yield us all these precious things have we not much cause to admire both the power of God who hath implanted those vertues and opperations in them as also his
greater while against the Laws of piety ye have judged of a mans holiness by his outward unhappiness and have censured him as a bad man because he hath in this world endured so much evil This hath been your sin ye have in this dealt foolishly with my servant Job therefore hasten to him and do as I have said Lest I deal with you ac-according to your folly Hence note First Sin is folly And not only is it simple folly which a man committeth for want of wit or because he hath little understanding what a man doth for want of wit and understanding is simple folly but sin is wicked folly which is the abuse of wit and parts and gifts yea the overflowing of lust And though we cannot charge these men that they did intentionally use their wit and parts to grieve Job yet it proved so though it was not the end or design of them that spake yet it was the issue of their speech they did him a great deal of wrong and doubtless Satan stirred much or provoked them to use their parts and gifts to imbitter the spirit of the poor man and God left them to do it This was their folly and all such actings or speakings are no better nor do they deserve better or softer language This word folly is often applied in Scripture to sin especially to great sins Another word is used in the Proverbs of Solomon but in several other places sin is expressed by this Gen 34.7 When that great affliction fell upon Jacob the ravishing of Dinah her bretâ—â—â—â— came home very wroth saying He hath committed folly in â—â—â—â—â—l So Judges 19.23 Judges 20.6 the abusing of the Levites Concubine is called the committing of folly Whoredom is expressed by folly Deut. 22.21 And this word with reference I conceive to the sin of whoredom which is spoken of in that place is translated villany Jer. 29.23 All sin is folly especially any great sin is so For First It is a folly to hurt our selves No man can hurt us if we do not hurt our selves by sin The Apostle Peter saith 1 Epist 3.13 Who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good 'T is strange that any should Though it be true enough that many have had not only a will to harm them that follow good but have actually done them many and great outward harms yet this is a great truth none can indeed harm them that follow good because all harms turn to their good Nothing can hurt us but our sin Secondly Sin is folly for in sinning we strive with one that is too hard for us Do we saith St. Paul 1 Cor. 10.23 provoke the Lord to jealousie are we so simple are we stronger than he Thirdly It is folly to do that by which we can get no good that 's the part of a fool Rom. 6.21 What fruit have ye of those things whereof ye are now ashamed What have ye got by them have ye made any gains or earnings to boast of the end of those things is death is it not folly to begin that which ends in death and that a never-ending an eternal death Fourthly It is folly to sin for by that at best we run a hazard of our best portion for fading pleasures and perishing profits If we have any pleasure by sin it is but pleasure for a season and that a very short one too What a foolish thing is it to venture things that are incorruptable for perishing things It were a great folly for a man to venture gold against grass they do infinitely more foolishly who sin against the Lord for all that they can get by it is not so much to what they hazard as grass to gold Mat. 16.26 What is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul As all flesh is grass so all that flesh lusteth after is no better What kind of Merchants what kind of Exchange-men are they that will traffick or truck away their souls for the profits or pleasures of sin and 't is for one of these that most if not all men traffick away their souls Secondly Observe When God dealeth mâ—st severely with sinners he dealeth justly with them What rod soever he layeth upon their backs what shame what poverty what sickness he affl cts them with It is but according to their folly they have but their own they have no reason to complain The Prophet told the people of Israel as one man when under grievous affl ctions Jerem. 4.18 Thy ways and thy doings have procured these things unto thee Thou hast no reason to complain for thy punishment is of thy own procurement that is thy sin is visible in thy punishment thou eatest but the fruit of thy own doings how bitter soever it is Another Scripture saith Num. 32.23 Your sin shall find you out that is you shall suffer according to what you have done and reap what ye have sowed And is it not folly to sow to the corrupt flesh when of the flesh we shall reap corruption Gal. 6.8 The flesh is a corrupt thing and can yield us no better a thing than it is the effect is like the cause corruption that is a miserable condition both here and hereafter now and for ever Thirdly Note The Lord will not pass by nor spare no not a godly man when he sinneth and repenteth not All this is included in the going of these men to Job As if the Lord had said I will punish you Eliphaz and Bildad and Zophar for your folly unless ye repent They that are in a state of grace cannot expect favour from the Lord unless they turn from their sin and give him glory by repenting and believing Good men doing evil may suffer for it as well as the worst of men The Lord will see a work of repentance and selâ—-humbling a work of faith looking to Christ the sacrifice else he will deal with them even with them as he threatned these good men according to their folly But what was the folly of Eliphaz and his two friends for which the Lord threatned to deal so severely with them The latter part of the verse tells us what God accounted and called their folly In that ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right The Lord had told them as much at the seventh verse My wrath is kindled against you because ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right Here the Loâ—d pointeth them to their sin again and layeth his finger afresh upon the soar But why doth he so Take these three reasons why Probably the Lord repeated these words First To shew that he was very sensible of their sin in speaking amiss of him and very angry with them for it They provoked the Lord much when they measured him as it were by themselves or by their own meet-wand in his ways of