of two sorts First When wee are called by others who have lawfull power to testifie the truth such is swearing before a Magistrate Secondly When we offer it our selves for the removall of such jealousies as are cast upon us and wee have no other way left to free or vindicate our selves from This latter was the occasion of Jobs Oath as also of those alleadged concerning Paul and Abraham but whether it be an Oath of the one sort or of the other both meet in this that God is appealed to and called to witnesse by such as use them and seeing he is a jealous God who will not hold them guiltlesse that take his name in vaine I shall add some cautions for the bounding and directing of our practice First We may call God to witnesse in weighty matters and unlesse the matter be weighty eyther in it selfe or in the consequents of it wee may not God is my witnesse and God is my Judge are not for common much lesse for vaine things There are two things in every Oath or appeale to God which shew this First An Oath is for confirmation Heb. 6.16 vaine things are not worthy the mentioning much lesse are they worthy the confirming we ought not to strive at all about them much lesse ought we to sweare about them which is an end of all strife Secondly In every Oath or appeale to God there is an invocation of the Name of God but the name of God must not be taken in vaine which it cannot but be when it is taken into our mouthes about a vaine thing Secondly We may call God to witnesse when men give a wrong witnesse of us or will not give a right witnesse for us but if we can have testimony upon earth wee must not goe to Heaven for it God must be our last resort Job found none on earth to witnesse for him and his afflictions were looked upon as sufficient witnesses against him and therefore he was necessitated to make his addresse to God Thirdly When the matter is not onely such as others will not testifie when they might but such as no man can testifie none being privy to it but onely God and our owne soules then wee have a just ground of appeale to God who will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of the heart Jobs sincerity was suspected and that is such a secret as man hath no accesse unto and therefore can give no witnesse to it Who is sincere and who is an hypocrite is resolved onely by the testimony of God and of our owne soules Fourthly We must be sure to call God to witnesse in truth Thou shall sweare the Lord liveth in truth in righteousnesse and in judgement Jer. 4.2 Vnlesse we have a witnesse within us wee must not call God to witnesse who is above us God is ready to witnesse with our consciences but woe to those who call God to witnesse against their consciences Holy Paul called God to record upon his soule 2 Cor. 1.23 that is He did as it were which is also done in every Oath engage or pawne his soule and salvation upon it that he spake the truth When our soules beare record with us we may venture to call God to record upon our soules But some when they have no witnesse from their soules yea when their soules witnesse against them will yet venture to call God to record upon their soules They will needs be tryed by God who dare not abide the just tryall of men such would make God who cannot lye witnesse to a lye They use the glorious God as some doe a sort of miscreants called Knights of the Post who for a Fee will not onely say but sweare what you will This is highest prophanation of the name of God For as he that beleeves not the truth of God makes him a lyar so also doth he that appeales to God for the witnesse of an untruth More partiularly My witnesse is in Heaven my record is on high Job speakes this not onely because he wanted the witnesse of men but because of the high esteeme hee had of the witnesse of God Hence Observe The witnesse of God is the most desirâ—â—ble witnesse The witnesse wee have on 〈◊〉 is nothing worth unlesse we have a witnesse in Heaven Iâ— we have not the inward witnesse of our owne conscience it is little advantage though we have a thousand outward witnesses conscience is more then a thousand witnesses but God is more then ten thousand consciences Therefore never rest in any witnesse till you have the witnesse of God We labour saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.9 and that word signifies not onely an earnest or an industrious but an ambitious labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him As if he had sayd Possibly we might gaine acceptation and applause among men would wee but study to please and apply our selves to them but the favour of men will not serve our turne nor can we sit downe and rest our selves under their shadow Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord was Davids prayer Psal 19.14 David could not beare it that a word or a thought of his should misse acceptation with God It did not satisfie him that his actions were vvell vvitnessed unto by men on earth unlesse his very thoughts were witnessed to by the Lord in Heaven Some as it is sayd of those Rulers John 12.42 Love the praise of men more then the praise of God So long as they have a record here below they little regard his record who is on high There is no greater argument of a carnall minde then this He that loves the praise or testimony of men as much as he loves the praise or testimony of God doth indeed love it more Seeing there is nothing more unequall then an equall partition of our esteeme betweene God and Man Where our obligation unto two is unequall wee can never be discharged by paying each of them an equall summ We have cause to blesse God when we have vvitnesse among men but the witnesse of men should be of no price with us in comparison of the witnesse of God Not onely may wee have recourse to the vvitnesse of God vvhen we cannot obtaine the witnesse of men but wee must preferr the single witnesse of God before a throng of humane witnesses and when wee have enough on earth yet say with Job My witnes is in Heaven The witnesse of the men of this world or of evill men while wee keepe a good conscience is a mercy But as the witnesse of good men is more desireable than the witnesse of all other men and the witnesse of a good conscience is more desireable than the witnesse of good men so the vvitnes of God is more desireable than without which we cannot have it and with which we shal have it the witnesse of a good conscience For
strength such was the power of the man whom Eliphaz describes such his strength He subdued strong Cities he conquered men and he thought he could conquer God too But though to destroy and pull downe intimate strength yet to build and set up Cities requires grater strength This strength also is here ascribed to the wicked man who First either comes to Cities already overthrowne or overthrowes Cities And then secondly builds the Cities which are overthrown that himselfe may dwell in them He will not dwell in Cities built to his hand or in Palaces ready made but he will make goodly Palaces out of desolate places a City wasted by Warr by Fire and Sword shall revive out of the rubbish and recover to its ancient splendor if he undertake it Master Broughton renders clearely to this sense Though hee makes dwellings of Cities ruinated of houses undwelt which were comming to heaps of stone Here 's the compleatnesse of his worldly power He makes flourishing Cities desolate and desolate Cities flourish he dwells in desolate Cities in Houses where no man inhabiteth that is in Cities which he himselfe once made desolate having cast out their proper Inhabitants but hath now re-edified and enlarged for his owne use and honour Hence Observe First That a wicked man cares not wohm he ruines so he may raise himselfe Downe with Kingdomes downe with Cities downe with all so he may stand or have his owne ends Secondly Observe Which is the scope of Eliphaz A man that hath great power among men begins to thinke himselfe strong enough for God also He made earthly Cities desolate and none was able to resist him therefore he hopes to make Heaven desolate and disturbe the throne of God He runs upon his neck c. Againe Some expound this Verse not of the cause of this mans sin but of the punishment of his sin He dwells in desolate Cities Terrores de quibus nuper dictum est non patiuntur impium in familiari hominum consortio vivere ideo desolatorum urbium ruinas latibula quaerit Pined in places where no man dwelt that is He shall dwell alone he shall either refuse or be refused by all good company For this miserable solitude may arise two wayes First From trouble of minde he having oppressed others shall finde himselfe at last so oppressed with the witnesse of his owne conscience that to avoyd it he retires into desolate places into waste Wildernesses into old ruinous buildings where none dwell but the Owle and the Screech-owle Isa 34. He that findes not his owne conscience good company never finds any Secondly This wicked man is cast out from the company of men he hath been a scourge to many and now all are a scourge to him Tyranny growes intolerable to mankinde Dan. 4.33 Hujusmodi tyranni eiiciuntur in exilâ—um Nebuchadnezzar was the greatest Monarch in the World and a proud Tyrant at last he was turned out to grasse his Nobles Lords and Subjects forsook him and he who ruled men lived among Beasts or as the same Prophesie of Daniel reports it Chap. 5.20 When his heart was lifted up and his minde hardned in pride he was deposed or as the Chaldee made to come downe from his Kingly throne and they tooke his glory from him and he was driven from the sons of men c. Which we may answer with Jobs text He was forced to dwell indesolate places The Roman Story tells us of Nero that perceiving himselfe a lost man by the revolt of some Provinces and the generall complaint of the people against his insolent Government he wandered up and downe and crept first into a thicket by and by into a Cave with Sporus his filthy Favorite and at last when he heard of the sentence of death given against him by the Senate and that their Officers were hasting to attach him he with a little helpe of one of his Servants cut his owne Throat Thirdly Others interpret these words as noting the wicked mans worldly decay he shall not have a House to put his head in His strong Cities and goodly Palaces shall goe to ruine or he shall be forced to dwell in a ruinous House a House ready to fall about his eares who before lived in ceiled Houses He hath pulled downe other mens houses and now he dwels in houses ready to fall downe he impoverisht others and now himselfe is turned out among the poor Hence Observe That God often makes the punishment of man suitable to his sin The Lord is known by the judgement which he executeth the wicked is snared in the work of his owne hands Psal 9.16 The judgements of God are alwayes just and sometimes their justice is visible As the wicked feel them so all may see them and say Righteous art thou O Lord. The Prophet describes this retaliation of Divine judgement Isa 5.8 9. Woe to them that add House to House and lay Feild to Feild till there be no place that is no place for others to dwell in that they may be placed in the midst of the earth What is the danger of this In mine eare saith the Lord of Hoasts of a truth many Houses shall be desolate many and faire without Inhabitant Here is desolation the reward of desolation and as they took bread from others and puld the cup from their mouthes so their bread shall be taken away and their cup left empty Thus it followes in the Prophet Vers 10. Yea ten Akers of Vineyard shall yeeld one Bath A Bath was a measure among the Jews of Liquids containing as is conceived about eight Gallons So that when he saith Ten Akers of Vineyard shall yeild one Bath the meaning is there shall be a great scarcity of Wine An Aker of Vineyard should not yeild a Gallon of Wine that 's a miserable Vintage And the seed of an Homer shall yeild an Ephah An Homer was a measure for dry things containing ten Ephahs So that when it is sayd The seed of a Homer shall yeeld an Ephah the meaning is they shall reape but the tenth part of the seed sowne which is a miserable Harvest and the highest threat of ensuing Famine Thus the Lord punished them as they had sinned they starved the poore and God threatens to starve them Hunger never pinches so terribly as when it is a punishment sent at the cry of the hungry Againe Isa 33.1 When thou shalt cease to deal treacherously then they shall deale treacherously with thee When the deceiver is deceived and the trecherous dealer ruined by treacherous dealing men then the truth and faithfulnesse of God are eminently exalted And as it is in punishments so often in rewards God doth us good in the same way wherein we have done good The Midwives saved the Males of the Israelites in Aegypt and by this act of pitty built the house of Israel which the Lord took so well at their hands That he built their houses or made their houses flourish Ez.
vocantur quae Ebraeis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in quibus sacrificabant idolis Caeterum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proprie de Deo usurpatur de caelo de Deo in singulari numero de caelo in utroque Drus Dicitur Deus testis in excelsis propter locum aptissimum ad contemplandum tanquam in sublimi specula quicquid agitur Pined wherein the false gods were worshipped or the true God falsely Job puts that word into his appeale which belongs properly to God and signifies in Scripture the place of his glorious residence Jobs record was not onely on high but Bemerumim the Hebrew is Plurall in the heights Some translate it in the Superlative not in excelsis on high but in altissimis in the highests As if he had sayd My witnesse is above all witnesses and therefore he is a witnesse above all exception And Job did well for his purpose to say his record was on high not onely because of the dignity of that which is high but for the advantage which hee hath who is on high or in the highest to be a witnesse God is sayd to be a witnesse in Heaven or on high to shew how easily he can observe and take notice of those things which are below God hath eyes infinitely pure and piercing he beholds all things and hee beholds them from on high as from a watch-tower which renders the object more obvious to the eye The sight is soone intercepted upon a levell but The Lord saith David Psal 14.2 looked downe from Heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seeke God If but one had sought God God had found him out but the report which he makes upon that surveigh tels us They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one Vers 3. Further he saith My witnesse is in Heaven or on high implying that he was such a witnesse as was able to protect him a witnesse who is above all feare and who needs no favour Some witnesses are not onely men of no state but of no conscience Such underlings will be hirelings upon Oath against the truth and are ready to testifie any thing for hope of gaine or for feare of a frown My witnesse saith Job is in Heaven my record is on high such a witnesse he is as cannot be corrupted by gifts such as hath no need of any mans gifts seeing he gives to all men life and breath and all things Hence Observe First That as God is the Judge of all men so hee is their witnesse God is the Judge of all the earth and God is the witnesse of all the earth too Jer. 29.23 Because they have committed villanie in Israel and have committed adultery with their neighbours Wives and have spoken lying words in my name that I have not commanded them even I know and am a witnesse saith the Lord Hee saith not I know and am Judge but I know and am witnesse Let no man hope to escape the judgement of God because there is none to witnesse against him for if God hath not the witnesse of man if our sin be a secret to all the World yet God hath alwayes two witnesses First Our owne conscience Secondly Himselfe An earthly Judge must not be a witnesse his duty is to give sentence not to give evidence hee must determine according to what is alleaged and proved upon testimony given but he cannot give testimony he cannot be Judge and Party too But God is so transcendently Soveraigne that hee is both Judge and Partie he pronounceth sentence and gives in evidence Christ is called The faithfull and the true witnesse Revel 3.14 And yet All judgement is given into his hand John 5.22 27. God judgeth upon his owne knowledge not upon the knowledge of others and therefore as there can be no fayling in so no avoyding of his judgement Secondly Observe It is lawfull to appeale to God or to take God to witnesse An Oath is the calling of God to witnesse and whensoever we appeale to God or call him to witnesse it is an Oath The Apostle Paul tooke an Oath when he sayd Rom. 1.9 God is my witnesse whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son that without ceasing I make mention of you in my prayers Thus in highest holinesse he sware that he prayed for the Romans spirituall good while he was absent from them and had never so much as seene them and that he passionately desired to be present with them and see them that hee might impart unto them some spirituall gift Because being a meere stranger he had not yet made his actions a witnesse of his love to them and because no man can be an unerring witnesse of another mans heart or of the moving of his affections therefore he calls God to witnesse who alone knowes the heart and can tell how much we love eyther himselfe or one another He speakes as much though in another case to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 1.23 Moreover I call God for a record upon my soule that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth As if he had sayd By this my earnest adjuration I assure you that the reason why I have deferred my comming to you was not from any levity of minde or change of purpose in me but onely because I was unwilling to use such severity as the distempers among you call for and would have pressed mee unto being present We find him in the same tenour of speech towards the Philippians Chap. 1.8 For God is my record how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Christ that is I call God to witnesse I love you And againe 1 Thes 2.5 Neyther at any time used wee flattering words as you know nor a cloak of covetousnesse God is witnesse As if he had sayd Had I used flattering words you might witnesse it and that I have not used a cloake of covetousnesse God is witnesse I might have worne a cloak of covetousnesse so closely that you could not have seene it but God could he can judge through the darkest clouds and see through the thickest cloaks and coverings but I appeale to him whether I have put on such a cloake or no. As Paul by Oath purged himselfe from covetousnesse of spirit so Abraham protested by Oath against all covetous practices Gen. 14.22 I have lifted up mine hand to the most high God the possessour of Heaven and Earth that I will not take any thing that is thine This gesture of lifting up the hand when an Oath is taken is there put for an Oath it selfe by which Abraham appealed to God as a witnesse of his sincere intentions in taking up those Armes for the rescue of his Nephew Lot and that as he had overcome his Enemies so he had overcome covetousnesse which was of the two the farr more noble victory This calling of God to witnesse is
as the testimonie of God against us is more terrible than that of our owne hearts 1 Joh. 3.20 If our heart condemne us God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things and therefore knoweth more evill by us and every evill more than our owne hearts doe so the testimony of God for us is more comfortable than that of our owne hearts If our hearts acquit us God is greater than our hearts and knowing all things he knoweth more good by us and every good more than our owne hearts doe who can expresse or tell how pleasant it is to receive this testimonie from God that wee please God Behold saith David Psal 133.1 how good and pleasant a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in unitie But O how good and pleasant a thing it is for God and man to dwell together in unitie for man to be alwayes giving witnesse to God that he is good and gracious and for God to be alwayes giving witnesse to man that he is upright and righteous When conscience speaks us fair we have peace and a continual feast but when God speaks us faire and gives us an euge from Heaven Well done good and faithfull Servants wee have peace which passeth all understanding and not only a joyfull feast but a feast of joyes which are unspeakable and full of glory Yea vvhen wee are at the fullest Tables of this world this is the sauce in our dish and the sugar in our cup Goe thy way saith the Preacher Eccl. 9.7 eate thy bread with joy and drinke thy wine with a merry heart why what 's the matter now For now God accepteth thy workes Thou hast a witnesse in Heaven Thirdly Observe A good man dares appeale and put his cause to God A wicked man will sometimes appeale and put his cause to God out of presumption and impudence but a good man appeales to God in faith and holy confidence As it is an act of grace or favour in God to receive an appeal from man so it is an act not only of grace but of courage in man to make an appeale to God It is an act of grace as it is a part of the worshipp of God but it is an act of courage or as I may call it a daring worke as it is a putting our selves under the justice of God yea an implicit imprecating of the vengeance of God in case wee speake untrue Thus to appeale or sweare is a daring worke and such as no man durst doe if he knew what he did but in a good cause It is a fearefull thing thus to fall into the hands of the living God Some have ventured upon false oathes and appeales to God only for feare of men Such say commonly They had rather trust God with their soules by swearing falsely then man with their estates lives or libertyes by confessing the truth Which is not only as if a man should flee from a Lyon and a Bear should meet but infinitely more than if a man for feare of the biting of a Whippet or of the stinging of a Bee should willingly offer himself to the mouth of a Lyon and to the sting of a Serpent To sweare is not only to set our naked breasts before the Cannons mouth but with our owne mouthes to give fire to it if wee utter falshood Fourthly Observe It is the joy and comfort of an upright heart that there is a God in heaven who knowes his heart and beares witnesse of all his wayes It is the terrour of wicked men to thinke that there is a witnesse in Heaven and a record on high Hypocrites may pretend they rejoyce that God is their vvitnesse but it s only a joy of the tongue and from the teeth outwards or to serve their turne but an upright heart rejoyceth indeed at this he riseth every morning and walks all the day long and at night lyes downe and rests upon this thought God is my record God is my witnesse he hath searched me and knowne me he knoweth my down sitting and my uprising he understands my thoughts a farr off he compasseth my path and my lying downe and is acquainted with all my wayes In the mid'st of all the clamours misapprehensions and mis-judgings of men it is an aboundant refreshing and consolation to the Saints that there sits one in heaven who as he knowes them fully so he judgeth all men rightly and will render to every man according to his vvords Lastly consider the place into which Jobs faith ascended while he speakes of God My witnesse is in Heaven my record is on high Who is in Heaven who is on high you may know whom he meanes when he saith He that is in Heaven he that is on high though his name be not exprest There are Angels in Heaven but they are nothing compared to God there are the soules of just men departed and made perfect in heaven but they are nothing compared to God there 's no name in heaven but God God is all in all in heaven and he should take up all our hearts and thoughts while we are on earth especially when wee discourse of heaven Hence observe Though God be every where yet he is especially in heaven God is upon the earth yea God is in hell If I make my Bed in hell thou art there Psal 139.8 yet when Job acts faith upon God he saith not I have a witnesse on earth but my witnesse is in heaven Psal 2.4 He that sitteth in heaven shall laugh the Lord shall have them in derision God doth not sit as circumscribed in heaven but there the scripture describes him sitting Psal 123.1 Vnto thee lift I up mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the Heavens Christ teacheth us to pray Matth. 6. Our Father which art in heaven and when he himselfe prayed He lift up his eyes to Heaven and said Father the houre is come glorifie thy Sonne c. Joh. 17.1 Jesus Christ speakes to God as in that place and he speaks of heaven as of a place as of a speciall and distinct place to vvhich he lifted up his eyes when he prayed to his Father There is a new Divinity which tels us that Heaven is every place and every place is Heaven But why did Christ ascend why was he carryed up Luke 24.51 when he went to Heaven If Heaven be every where there 's no need of ascending to get into Heaven and wee may as properly descend into Heaven as ascend up to Heaven if Heaven be every where Peter Martyr lying upon his death bed and having many Freinds about him discoursed sweetly of Heaven and heavenly things Bullenger standing by alleadged that of the Apostle Phil. 3.20 Our conversation is in Heaven True sayd the sick man it is in Heaven but not in the Heaven of Brentius Non in caelo Brentij quod nusquam est Vit. P. Mart. which is no where He that makes Heaven every where makes it no where Though God be in all
have been in a godly freind Non malidicendi studio ferebatur quod abono viro prorsus alienum esset Pined Charity suggests a fairer interpretation of this procedure that he spake thus harshly and dealt thus roughly being moved by some unwary passages in Jobs discourse not well understood or misapplyed At which stone how many stumble at this day First misconceiving and then censuring their Brethren being first offended without any just cause given and then giving just cause of offence Had wee once learned to expound each others actions speeches and opinions by the rules of Charity we should not so often no nor at all breake the Laws of Love We shall make a good improvement of this fayling in Jobs Freind if it may be our warning in dealing to deale better with our Freinds There are three parts of this Speech in the first Eliphaz appeares by way of reproofe and reprehension which extends it selfe from the beginning of the Chapter to the end of the thirteenth Verse and he reproves Job upon five points of errour or misbehaviour of all which he conceived him guilty First He reproves him of folly or for speaking that which was unworthy a wise man in the second and third Verses Should a wise man utter vaine knowledge c. Secondly He reproves him of prophanenesse or for doing that which was unworthy a godly man at the fourth Verse Yea thou castest off feare and restrainest prayer before God The summe of both is Thou speakest unwisely and thou actest wickedly which he takes for so plaine a charge that hee makes him his owne accuser as if there needed no evidence but his conscience though hee had as Eliphaz mis-judged daubed up the matter with faire words and colourable pretences Vers 5 6. Thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity Thine owne mouth condemneth thee and not I yea thine owne lips testifie against thee Thirdly He reproves him of pride and arrogance of selfe-conceit and overweening his owne parts and positions Vers 7 8 9 10. Art thou the first man that was borne or wast thou made before the Hills c. As if he had sayd Thou carryest it as if thou hadst engrossed all wisedome as if thou hadst more knowledge and understanding more learning and experience then any man yea then all men living Fourthly he reproves him for slighting and undervaluing the counsels and the comforts tendered to him by his Freinds at the 11. Verse Are the consolations of God small with thee Fifthly he reproves him for his confident sticking or adhering to his owne principles at the 12. and 13. Verses Why doth thy heart carry thee away c. Thus he reproves his morals in the first part of his discourse In the second he confutes his Doctrinals or that which he supposed Job had asserted sc His owne purity and perfections Vers 14 15 16. What is man that he should be cleane Behold he putteth no trust in his Saints c. In the third place he labours to maintaine his owne assertion that God doth afflict none but wicked men Who ever perished being innocent or where were the righteous cut off Eliphaz asseruisset tantum malos hic a Domino affligi idem ille nunc sed apertius ostendit Merc. Chap. 4.7 This he doth both by the authority of the Learned and from the experiences of the Ancient Vers 17. to the end of the Chapter I will shew thee heare me and that which I have seene I will declare which wise men have told from their Fathers and have not hid it c. These are the parts and this the resolution of the whole Chapter Vers 1. Then answared Eliphaz the Temanite and said Then that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excipiens Sept. Quilibet pro suis socijs velut in solidum respondet ut nunc patet Sopharis enim defensionem contra Jobum manifeste assumit Eliphaz Bold when Job had made an end of answering Zophar then Eliphaz answered or replyed upon Job That 's properly a replication which takes off the answer given to a former Argument and in this Eliphaz also makes a defence for his Brethren Zophar and Bildad These three stood to one another as much as any one of them did for himselfe as if they had all entred Bond and given security for reciprocall assistance Thus the dispute growes hot but still 't is orderly according to that Apostolicall Canon 1 Cor. 14.29 Let the Prophets speake two or three and let the other judge Eliphaz is now up let us consider what he saith Vers 2. Should a wise man utter vaine knowledge The question denyes he should not No man should least of all he The wise man is here opposed to the crafty man at the 5. Verse There is a wide difference betweene wisedome and craft betweene prudence and cunning A crafty man knoweth what is good but he commonly doth what is evill he is able to see the right but if it be not for his turne he turnes from it and cares not to doe wrong A wise man is he that knoweth how to distinguish betweene good and evill and ever aimes to act what is good his understanding is well enlightned and his conscience binds him to follow the light of his understanding as he can see what is just and right so he cannot but embrace and doe it A wise man in Scripture-language is a holy man and a foole is a wicked man holinesse is the best wisedome and wickednesse is the worst of folly Eliphaz seemes to admit Jobs challenge of being a wise man that he might check him with more advantage for speaking so unlike one As if he had said Should a morall wise man much more a spirituall wise man should he that is or pretends to be thus wise as thou dost should he utter vaine knowledge Job at the 12. Chapter of this Booke Vers 2.3.4 objected ignorance or but popular knowledge to his Freinds I have understanding as well as you I am not inferiour to you who knoweth not such things as these as if he had said You thinke your selves among knowing men the highest in knowledge but who knoweth not such things as these Eliphaz turnes it here upon Job by the way of recrimination or counter-charge he brings in a crosse Bill Should a wise man utter vaine knowledge Thou dost arrogate to thy selfe the reputation of a wise man but art thou wise who speakest at such a rate of folly The Image of thy mind is stampt upon thy words it may be seene as well as heard what thou art by what thou speakest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scientiam venti vel ventosam i. e. vanam Numquid sapiens respondebit scientiam venti vel scientiam ventosam Merc. Numquid sapiens respondebit quasi in vētum loquens Vulg. Vaine knowledge The letter of the Hebrew is knowledge of winde or windy knowledge The Metaphor is elegant vaine knowledge is justly called windy knowledge Vaine knowledge makes a great bluster and noise
from the presence of the Lord Here was no appearance of terrour it was the voice of God walking as a freind not marching as an enemy and it was in in thr coole not heat of the day these circumstances argue the guiltinesse of Adam and his Wife who fled and hid themselves at this appearance of the Lord. The voice of God walking was a dreadfull sound in their eares because they had not hearkned to the voice of God commanding Wicked Pashur who opposed the good Prophet is branded with a new name Jer. 20.3.4 The Lord sayd his name shall no more be called Pashur but Magor-Misabib that is Feare round about and in the next Verse the reason is given why this name was given him For I will make thee a terrour to thy selfe He that is a terrour to himselfe can no more be without terrour then he can be without himselfe Nor can any thing be a comfort to him who is his owne terrour And therefore a guilty conscience heares a dreadfull sound what sound soever he heares he ever expects to heare bad newes and he puts fearefull glosses and comments upon that which is good A wicked man interprets all reports in one of these two mischievous senses either To the discredit of others Pessimus in dubiis Augur timor Stat or to the disquiet of himselfe Bring what text of providence you can to him he corrupts it with one of these glosses Yea the faithfull counsells of his owne Friends are dreadfull sounds unto him for he hath a suspicion that while they are counselling him for good it is but a contriving of evill against him or a setting of snares to catch him Againe sometimes God creates a sound or causeth the wicked to heare a dreadfull sound 2 Kings 7.6 The Lord made the Hoast of the Syrians to hear a noyse of Charriots and a noyse of Horses even the noyse of a great Hoast c. Upon this dreadfull sound they arose and fled Sometimes a wicked heart creates a sound and what the Prophet threatens he heares the stone out of the Wall the beame out of the Timber crying against him The Story tells us of one who thought that the Swallowes in the Chimney spake and told tales of him We say in our Proverbe As the Foole thinketh so the Bell clinketh much more may we say As an evill conscience thinketh so every thing clinketh As he that hath a prejudice against another takes all he heares spoken of him and all that he heares him speak in the worst sense and most disadvantageous construction to his reputation so he that hath a preâ—udice against himselfe construes all that he either heares or sees against his owne Peace Hence it is that he doth not onely flee when he is pursued but when none pursue Prov. 28.1 The wicked flies when none pursueth except his owne feares but the righteous is as bold as a Lyon This terrour was threatned in the old Law Levit. 26.36 They that are left alive of you in the time of your Captivity I will send fainting in their hearts in the Land of their Enemy and the sound of a shaking leafe shall chase them What poore spirits have they who are chased by the motion of a leafe The sound of a leafe is a pleasant sound it is a kind of naturall musick Feare doth not onely make the heart move Homines tui non expectato adventu hostis velut transsossi examinantur metu Jun. As the Trees of the Forrest are moved with the winde Isa 7. but it makes the heart move if the winde doe but move the Trees of the Forrest The Prophet Isaiah tells Jerusalem Thy slaine men are not slaine with the Sword not dead in Battell Isai 22.2 With what then were they slaine And how dyed they a learned Interpreter tells us how They were slaine with feare and dyed with a sound of Battell before ever they joyned Battell This answereth the judgement denounced by Moses in another place Deut. 28.65 The Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart and fayling of eyes and sorrow of minde and thy life shall hange in doubt before thee and thou shalt feare day and night and shalt have no assurance of thy life But here some may object Is this the portion of wicked men Doth a dreadful sound in their eares afflict their hearts Have not many such much peace and doe they not either smile or wonder to heart others complaining of an afflicted spirit and beg prayers for the appeasing of their troubled conscience which are matters they have no acquaintance with nor knowledge of I answer First We are not to understand the proposition as if all wicked men have or that any wicked man at all times hath this dreadfull sound in his eare but thus it is very often and thus it may be alwayes thus it is with many and thus it may be with all wicked men A wicked man hath as we say no fence for it no priviledge nor promise to secure him from it Againe though some wicked men have not this dreadfull sound in their eares yea though they have pleasant sounds in their eares like them who sang to the Viall c. Amos 6. yet first their peace is not a true peace secondly it is not a lasting peace thirdly that which they have ariseth from one of these two grounds either from neglect of their consciences or from some defect in their consciences The neglect of conscience from whence this ariseth is twofold either first when they neglect to speake to conscience conscience and they never have a word much lesse any serious conference or discourse either concerning the state of their hearts or the course of their lives and then all 's peace with them Secondly when the speakings of conscience are neglected conscience hath a double voice of direction and correction conscience tells a man what he ought and what he ought not to doe conscience checks a man for not doing what he ought or for doing what he ought not Yet many over power and restrain conscience from this office and never leave opposing till they have silenced yea conquered it Such as these have peace such a one as it is and heare nothing but a sound of delight in their eares while this silence lasteth Againe this may arise from some defect disabling conscience to doe its ordinary or naturall duty the conscience of an evill man may have some goodnesse in it Conscience may be considered two wayes either morally or naturally that onely is a morally good conscience which is pure and holy a conscience cleansed from the guilt of sin by the blood of Christ thus no wicked man can be sayd to have a good conscience That is a naturally good conscience which performes the office or duty to which conscience is appointed conscience is set up in man to performe certaine offices if the conscience of a bad man performe them his conscience in that sense is good The first
office or work of conscience is to observe and take notice of what we doe conscience should as it were keep a Day-Book and follow us up and downe with Pen and Inke to write all our motions A second worke of conscience is to testifie what we have done and which way we have moved A third is to accuse us when we doe evill and to acquit us when we doe well Now as a wicked mans conscience is alwayes morally evill because stained and polluted with sin So many times his conscience is naturally evill too that is it will neither take notice of nor check him for his sin When the wicked mans conscience is in this evill state he thinkes his state good enough and so he is at quiet Casuists tell us of foure sorts of evill consciences all which may live out of the hearing of these dreadfull sounds First A blind ignorant conscience that cannot discerne between morall good and evill Secondly A secure conscience which thinkes not of any penall evill Thirdly A dull lazy sleepy conscience which hath little or no sense either of what is done or suffered Fourthly A feared conscience which is altogether senselesse A conscience thus disabled to performe its worke being either blind secure sleepy or feared is tame and quiet with the worst of men But all this while though this wicked man hath some ease yet he hath no peace his conscience while seared is farr enough from being setled his conscience while asleep is farr enough from rest It is with such as with some sick men aske them how they doe they will say Very well when as indeed they are so sick that they know not how ill they are they take death it selfe for health and their not feeling of paine for the curing of their disease But when the conscience of a wicked man is once enlightned softned and awakned he cannot but have these dreadfull sounds which will neither give nor let him receive any rest Conscience will awake at last and speak terrible things conscience will be a Bounnerges a terrible Preacher thundring out not only a chiding reproofe but a sentence of condemnation and then the wicked will even gnash their teeth because conscience did no sooner use its teeth they will gnaw their tongues for sorrow because conscience had no tongue to speak or they no eares to heare what it spake till it was too late A dreadfull sound is in his eare In prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In paâ—e The Hebrew is In peace the destroyer shall come upon him Peace is so neer allyed and so great a freind to prosperity that one word may well serve both The wicked mans destroyer shall be to him like Joab to Abner and Amasa shedding the blood of Warr in Peace and putting that blood upon the Girdle about his loynes c. 1 Kings 2.5 But some may demand How doth this suite with the former Verse Where Eliphaz told us that A wicked man travells in paine all his dayes How is he in prosperity if he travells all his dayes in paine I answer The denomination is given from the greatest part of a wicked mans life and that is trouble and paine Or secondly if an instance can be given of any wicked man that hath had more good dayes then evill or that hath had no ill dayes at all in regard of any outward trouble and paine then we may reconcile the Text thus his prosperity is beside his state yea Est amplificatio malae cujusdam impiorum securitatis q. d. si contingat impium nihil timere sed secure agere tunc inopinato opprimetur Pined in his very prosperity he is in paine In the midst of laughter his heart is sorrowfull and the end of his mirth is heavinesse Prov. 14.13 His is but a seeming not a reall prosperity Further these words are an aggravation of his misery because if at any time he appeares prosperous and free from feare then sudden destruction overtakes him Or lastly The destroyer may be sayd to come upon him in prosperity because in his best dayes he feares the destroyer he suspects danger when he sees none and is therefore never out of danger Who this destroyer is is left here at large Et cum pax sit ille insidias suspicatur Vulg. Omnia etiam tuta tyranni impii timent Merc. no particular one is specified but any terrible one is intended Eliphaz doth not say A Destroyer but The Destroyer One both powerfull and skilfull to destroy shall come upon him He shall not onely come to him but come upon him to come upon is to invade or to assault A freind comes to a man with kindnesse and embraces to visit or salute him an Enemy comes upon a man with blowes and violence to wound and destroy him In prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him Hence Observe When wicked men thinke themselves most safe they are neerest to destruction 'T is seldome that they thinke themselves safe and when they doe they are furthest from safety When the wicked spring as the grasse and when all the workers of iniquity doe flourish it is that they shall be destroyed for ever Psal 92.7 Their temporall short spring is not onely an antecedent but an argument of their eternall Winter And their Winter is not the going downe of the sap to the root but the pulling of them up by the roots they shall be destroyed Job 20.22 In the fulnesse of his sufficiency hee shall be in straits When it is full Sea with him his Channell shall be dryed up It was sayd to that Foole Luke 12.20 This night thy soule shall be taken from thee The destroyer came upon him indeed in his prosperity when he sang himselfe asleepe with Soule thou hast goods layd up for many yeares he could not keep his soule one night 1 Thes 5.3 When they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction commeth upon them as travaile upon a woman with Childe and they shall not escape The generall destruction of wicked men in the day of judgement shall come as a theefe in the night We have a representation of this in that wofull tragedy which the Lord acted upon the Egyptians Exod. 12.30 At midnight there was a grevious cry he came upon them as a theefe in the night for the Lord smote all the first borne of the Land of Aegypt they dyed in their warme beds in prosperity the destroyer came upon them This is bad enough yet not the worst of the condition of wicked men For Vers 22. He beleeves not that he shall returne out of darknesse he is waited for of the Sword This is a further account of the inward misery or paine which afflicts the spirit of a wicked man He beleeves not that he shall returne out of darknesse Hee looketh not that he shall escape from darknesse So Master Broughton There are five interpretations given about this darknesse out
himselfe What the day of darknesse is learne upon the former Verse He beleeveth not that he shall returne out of darknesse there I shewed a fivefold darknesse here I shall reduce it to one of these two The day of darknesse is either the day of death or the day of affliction so 't is taken Eccles 5.17 All his dayes hee eateth in darknesse that is hee is in sorrow all his dayes Though he hath Sun light or Candle light enough at his Table yet he hath no light in his heart So the Prophet Amos 5.20 Shall not the day of the Lord be darknesse and not light Even very darke and no brightnesse in it There is a day of the Lord which is nothing but light and there is a day of the Lord which is nothing but darknesse that is of tribulation and anguish upon the soule that sins The Prophet Joel calls it A day of darknesse and of gloominesse a day of clouds and of thick darknesse He knowes that the day of darknesse is Ready at hand The word which we translate ready signifies two things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paratum firmum stabilem certum esse denotat Drus First that which is prepared Secondly that which is established or confirmed We translate to the former the day is ready or prepared others render to the latter sense the day is established and setled his day of darknesse shall certainely come upon him And whereas wee translate Ready at hand noting the neernesse of the danger Others Tygurina per manum intelligere videtur ipsa impiorunt scelera per paraphrasim sic sententiam elucidat Scit quod suis factis periculosa tempora accersierit to note the cause of the danger render He knowes that his owne hand hath made a day of darknesse that is The villanies and wickednesses which he hath committed cause the clouds of judgement to gather and look black upon him his unrighteousnesse hath hastned on his ruine and wrapt him up in darknesse He hath brought an evill day upon himselfe by his evill deeds or as the Prophet speaks His destruction is from himselfe He hath pulled downe his House with his owne hands and is the sole author or contriver of his owne sorrows This is an experienced truth but I rather take the words as we render The day of darknesse is ready at hand that is it is neer and will shortly seize upon him Hence Observe First Many a wicked man growes into an assurance of his approaching misery It is as hard to perswade some wicked men that their state is naught as it is to perswade some good men that their state is good yet as many of the Saints conquer unbeleife and come not onely to have some hopes but high assurances that there is a day of mercy at hand for them that they are in a present happy state and eternall happinesse waite for them so a wicked man after long debate may have his unbeleife conquered and though he hath been sowing pillowes under his owne elboes though he hath slighted all the Counsells Admonitions and threatnings of faithfull Freinds though notwithstanding all this he continue long speaking peace to his owne soule and saying all is well yet I say this man may have his unbeleife conquered and know at last that there is a day of darknesse ready at hand when his eyes are opened to see what he hath done and what he hath been he sees that God hath rejected all his confidences and that he shall never prosper in them Secondly Observe That for a man to be assured of his owne misery is the height of misery Eliphaz puts it here among the punishments of wicked men This assurance makes his heart shake this knowledge is full of feare and therefore full of torment As to know that a day of light and deliverance is ready at hand is light while we are in darknesse and deliverance while we are in trouble So to know that a day of darknesse and misery is ready at hand is darknesse to wicked men while they are in externall light and misery in the midst of all their mirth And as it is the highest comfort of the Saints to know that they have eternall life to know that they are in the favour and live in the love of God a man may be in it and not know it and then though he shall doe well at last yet his state is but uncomfortable and he that is an heyre of Heaven may walke as an heyre of Hell with a troubled spirit but to know that it is so this is Heaven before we come at Heaven so it is the deepest sorrow of any man in this life to know that he hath eternall death an assurance of this setled upon the spirit though I conceive a man cannot have an absolute assurance of it yet to have strong impressions upon the spirit that he shall never be saved or that Hell is prepared for him this is Hell before he is cast into Hell A soule that doubts of mercy and of the favour of God is in a very sad condition but the condition of that soule is unexpressibly sad which is assured of judgement and of the wrath of God Thirdly Observe That as a wicked man may know that he shall be miserable in the end so hee may know that his misery is neere at hand An evill conscience awakened is the worst Prophet it is full of sad presages like Micah to Ahab Haec est paenae impii pars nou modica quod cogatur ipse sibi ominari malum Pined it never Prophesied good but evill and it doth not onely Prophesie of evill afarr off but neer or ready at hand 'T is true an evill conscience usually puts the evill day farr off 2 Pet. 3.4 There shall be scoffers saying Where is the day of his comming c. The day of darknesse is farr enough off it hath been long talked of but we doe not see it say these despisers But when an evill conscience is awakened then he sees evill neer and himselfe dogg'd at the heeles or as the former Verse speakes Waited for of the Sword As a Beleever when the eye of faith is cleare sees mercy neer at hand Faith makes God neer and then all good is neer So an Unbeleever when the eye of his conscience is cleared sees misery neer Observe Fourthly The misery of a wicked man is unmoveable His day of darknesse is established by an irrevocable decree there is no getting it off he is under a Divine Fate A day of darknesse may come over the Saints but that day blows over David sayd once of his day of light It shall never be dark and of his Mountaine it shall never be removed yet he was deceived But a wicked mans day of darknesse shall never be light nor can he use any proper meanes to turne his day of darknesse into light He cannot pray and it is pâ—â—â—er that turnes darknesse into light he cannot
the right hand let him give thee a smarter a hander blow that is If a man disgrace thee a little reward him not with disgrace but prepare to beare a greater turne the left cheek And the reason of this was because slaves and condemned persons were thus smitten as also such as were supposed to speake irreverently to the Magistrate Hence it was that when Paul had spoken freely to the Councell saying Men and brethren I have lived in all good conscience before God untill this day presently Ananias the high Priest commanded those that stood by him to smite him on the mouth Acts 23.1 2. In which case Christ himselfe was smitten by an Officer that stood by John 18.22 From all which Scripture testimonies it is more then manifest that to smite a man on the cheek is to disgrace because they who fell under disgrace were usually smitten on the cheek and this I take to be the most suitable interpretation of Jobs complaint in this place They smite me on the cheek reproachfully Hence Observe First The best Saints on earth have been smitten and deepely wounded with reproach God himselfe gave an honourable testimony of Job there was none like him he had no peere on earth for holinesse and uprightnesse yet men gave testimony against him as if he had been the scumm of the World for unholinesse and hypocrisie David a man after Gods owne heart was not onely reproached but a reproach among all his Enemies but especially among his neighbours or neerest Freinds both in habitation and relation and he heard the slander of many Psal 31.11 13. The word of God was made a reproach to the Prophet Jeremy Chap. 20.8 And the spirit was made a reproach to the Apostles Acts 2.13 Others mocked saying These men are full of new Wine When indeed they were filled with the holy Ghost Vers 4. Drunkards made Songs upon David but the Apostles were sung about for Drunkards We are fools saith Paul that is We are so called and accounted for Christ and being defamed or as the word bears blasphemed to speake against any thing of God in Man is blasphemy as well as speaking directly against God we entreat And to shew that this was no prick with a Pin or small scratch upon their credit which made him complaine hee tels us what this fame did amount unto We are made as the filth of the World and as the off-scouring of all things unto this day 1 Cor. 4 13. The whole World lieth in wickednesse which is a morall filthinesse so that to be the filth of the World is to be the filth of filthinesse the filth of a cleane thing is bad enough what then is the filth of a filthy thing The off-scouring of any thing is base then what is the off-scouring of all things which must needs include the basest things These Apostles who were the ornament and glory the purest and most refined peeces of the whole inferiour World were yet made not that these reproaches did at all change them from what they were in themselves but they made them to be in the opinion of others what they least of all were the rubbish and the refuse the sweepings and the drosse of the whole World The Apologies of Tertullian and others doe abundantly testifie what reproaches the Primitive Christians suffered both in reference to their practice and worship Athanasius was called Sathanasius as if he had been a Devil incarnate by the Abbettors of the Arrian Heresie which he stiffely opposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est stercoreus hinc Coprion scarabeus a luto scilicet Bech de Orig. Ling. Lat. And some who were displeased with the Opinions and Writings of Cyprianus called him in contempt Coprianus or one that gathers dung as if his Bookes were nothing but dung heaps How Luther Calvin and other Reformers of the former age were smitten reproachfully both by the tongues and Pens of the Popish Party is knowne of all these parts of the World And how much this trade which is indeed the Devils trade of slandering the footsteps of Gods annoynted ones is continued unto this day we have but too much evidence A man can scarse appeare indeed for God but he is thus smitten on the cheek by men Religion and the power of godlinesse have ever been an occasion of contention and for the most part to smite with reproach hath been the manner of contending There are not many enemies of good men who have a Sword to draw against them but all the Enemies of good men have ill words enow at command to throwe against them and of them they are seldome sparing And though which is bad enough yet no better can be expected of them this trade of reproaching be driven most by evill men against those who are good yet which is farre worse wee may learne from this instance betweene Job and his Freinds for even they did not spare to reproach him that which shall be A second Observation A good man may so farr forget himselfe as to speake reproachfully against his Brother Yea the reproaches of Professors one against another have been as they are the saddest so the sharpest and bitterest reproaches They who agree in most things take it most unkindely when they differ in any thing and are more ready to revile one another about the points wherein they differ then to blesse God for those wherein they are agreed The Papists did not more reproach Luther and Calvin whose judgements concurred in opposing them then Lutherans and Calvinists have reproached each other where they are opposite in judgement The corrupt remaines even in good men tell them that whosoever differs from them stands in their light and obscures their excellency and therefore that themselves may shine the brighter in what they hold they little care when master'd by selfe and passion how obscure yea foule they render them who hold the contrary While Infidels reproached Christians it was the glory of Christianity and while the wicked reproach the godly it is the glory of godlinesse but while one Christian reproaches another the glory is departed from godlinesse Is it not enough that the Servants of God are thus smitten by the world must they needs smits their fellow-Servants and revile those who are upon the maine in the same way of God wherein they are onely because they are not fully in their way Yea when possibly they may be in a higher and more perfect way then they Is it not enough that the Bryars and Thornes which are among the Lillyes teare and scratch them Shall the Lillyes degenerate into Bryars and Thornes one towards another Or if at any time a Lilly of the one side teare and be harsh should not the Lilly on the other side be kinde and gentle If Israel transgresse let not Judah offend too Luther was often at Sharps with Calvin but Calvin professed and that was a Noble profession Though Luther call me Devill yet I will honour Luther as
Doctrine is the purity of it and the sincerity of prayer is the purity of it Job did not boast his prayer pure without infirmity but he did professe it pure without hypocrisie Yet besides this casting out of hypocrisie there are diverse ingredients to be taken in towards the composition of a pure prayer of which I shall touch more distinctly by and by We read in the Institutes of the Ceremoniall Law of pure Myrrhe of pure Frankincense of pure Oyle of pure Incense all which concurred to pure worship among the Jewes and typed out all pure worship both among Jewes and Gentiles of the latter the Lord saith Mal. 1.11 From the rising of the Sun unto the going downe of the same my name shall be called upon among the Gentiles and in every place Incense shall be offered unto my name and a pure offering This pure offering Job intends when he saith My prayer is pure Under these two There is no injustice in my hand and my prayer is pure Job conteines the whole duty of man both to God and to man Here is Justice comprehending the dutyes of the second Table His duobus membris utramque tabulam complectitur Merc. and Prayer comprehending the duties of the first Table Thus Job was compleat in all the will of God and had respect to all his Commandements And thus he verified Gods testimony of him Chap. 1.1 and approved himselfe to be A man perfect and upright fearing God and eschewing evill which is the whole duty of man From the words in generall Observe First Man hath great support in bearing afflictions from the witnesse which his heart gives of his owne integrity 'T is matter of wonder that ever Job should beare so many burdens and endure breach upon breach till wee remember that though he had many breaches upon his body and estate yet he had none upon his conscience Indeed his spirit had breaches by way of tryall and temptation from God but it had none by way of disobedience against God The spirit of a man saith Solomon will sustaine his infirmities Prov. 18.14 There are two sorts of infirmities First Sinfull infirmities such are impatience doubtings deadnesse of heart and vanity of thoughts Secondly Penall or painefull infirmities such as are poverty sicknesse diseases or any outward crosse whatsoever These latter are the infirmities which Solomon meanes and these the spirit of a man will sustaine even while his flesh or body sinks under them Yet here spirit is not taken meerely in opposition to bodily or materiall flesh though the spirit under that Physicall notion is able to beare much more then the body can but as spirit is opposed to spirituall and sinfull flesh that is to a carnall corrupt minde The spirit of a man furnished with grace supported with the favour of God and the testimony of a good conscience will sustaine all his infirmities that is cause him to beare with much not onely patience but courage and cheerfulnesse the heaviest burdens of affliction which eyther the wisedome of God doth or the malice of man can lay upon him Holinesse makes the weake strong and the strong like Giants to endure all shocks of trouble and hardship A whole skin feeles no smart though you bath it with brine and if a man have a sound conscience if his spirit be not galled and raw he is able to stand at any time and sometimes to rejoyce in the saltest waters of worldly sorrow For though he be not as was shewed before senslesse of or without outward smart yet having no inward smart which is the worst smart hee is above it The paines and wants of the body are almost lost and swallowed up in the comforts and enjoyments of the minde A wounded spirit who can beare A spirit unwounded what can it not beare He that hath no injustice in his hands hath much peace in his heart and while our prayer is pure our spirits will not be much troubled in any of our troubles Secondly Observe It is possible to live without any knowne sin Job knew of no injustice in his hand nor was he conscious of any impurity in his prayer The Apostle John writes to Saints of all Ages and Statures under the title of His little Children not to sin 1 John 2.1 And in that he doth not only admonish them of what they ought not to doe but of what they might attain not to doe For though he that saith he hath no sin deceives himselfe and sins in saying so 1 Joh. 1.9 yet it may be sayd of some without sin and they in Jobs case may say it of themselves without sin that they sin not The best Saints have and know they have sin in their natures and sin in their lives yea and sometimes they fall into great sins yet such a degree of holinesse is attaineable in this life that a man may be sayd not to sin For then in a Gospell sense we are sayd not to sin when we cast off and are free from all grosse and scandalous sins and doe both carefully avoyd and make conscience of the least and the most secret sin Zacharie and Elizabeth Luke 1.16 were both righteous before God walking in all the Commandements and Ordinances of the Lord blamelesse that is They did not live in any open or knowne sin they lived so that no man could blame them or bring any just complaint against them eyther in matters of morality which seeme to be meant in the word Commandement or in matters of worship which seeme to be meant by the word Ordinance And when I speak of not living in any knowne sin I meane not onely that Saints may rise so high as not to live in any sin which the World takes notice of but they may yea and often doe arrive at that hight of holinesse not to live in any sin knowne to themselves if once a true Beleever discovers sin he cannot owne it much lesse live in it be it injustice or wrong towards men be it any fayling in the worship and service of God he will not suffer it to lodge with him He that hath grace in his heart cannot live with injustice in his hand there is an inconsistence between these two a life of grace and to live in sin Sin may be much alive in him that hath grace but he cannot live in sin he may be often tempted to the act of it and sometimes possibly overtaken with it yet he cannot live in it He cannot keep injustice in his hand nor frame an impure prayer in his heart A good man may doe an act of injustice but he continues not unjust he restores what he hath taken unjustly from men and repents before the Lord but usually he is not conscious to himselfe of doing unjustly towards men If a Laban one with whom hee hath had converse and dealing twenty yeares together should come and search his house he is able to say to him as honest Jacob did to his Uncle
spoke my conscience and the truth The Jewes accused Christ falsely yet called for his blood upon their heads therefore God gave them their wicked wish and they lye under the weight of this imprecation to this very day they prayed that the blood of Christ might be upon them and it is upon them As God poures the blood of Christ upon some in mercy so upon others in wrath The blood of Christ is upon Beleevers to wash and cleanse them from their sins but the blood of Christ hath been upon the Jewes to condemne and scatter them as a vile people all the World over for their sin The Lord hath been most exact in answering this cry even in the very place where they made it The History of the Jewes reports that about thirty eight years after this dreadfull curse upon themselves Herod called the Jewes together and demanded a summ of Money of them for making a water-course which they refusing to give he sent for Souldiers to come secretly armed who slew great multitudes of them in that place where they cryed Let his blood be upon us c. At another time Florus who was Generall of the Common Souldiers made a second and that a more bloody massacre of them there And when Jerusalem was taken by Vespasian the blood of Christ was powred upon the heads of many hundred thousands who were slaine by Fire and Sword Famine and Pestilence besides more then seven thousand of them who were led Captive And the Story informes us further that Caesar sold the younger and common sort of those Captives at that contemptible rate of thirty a penny as they or their Fathers sold Christ for thirty pence so by the just judgement of God thirty of them were sold for a penny There was never any people in the World who tasted more justly or more deeply of that cup of self-cursing then the Jews have done yet many persons have tasted deeply of it too besides the Jewes This sin hath so much not only of wickednesse but boldnesse in it that God never lets it goe altogether unpunished though being repented of it may be pardoned Master Perkins in his Booke of the right government of the tongue touching upon this point tels us of certaine English Souldiers in the time of King Edward the sixth who were cast upon the French shore by a storme in which stresse they went to prayer that they might be delivered but one Souldier in stead of praying cryed out Gallowes take thy right or claime thy due and when hee came home he was hanged indeed Master Fox in his Booke of Acts and Monuments hath a notable example to this purpose of one John Peters Keeper of Newgate who was wont at every ordinary thing he spoke whether it were true or false it made with him no great matter to averr it with this imprecation if it be not so I pray God I may rot before I dye and so it came to passe I might give many such instances of rash imprecations which God hath followed with severest vengeance I shall add one more which is fresh in the memory of many yet living of a Gentleman of quality a Knight Sir Gervaise Ellowayes that suffered at the Tower-hill about the death of Sir Thomas Overburie who confessed it was just with God that hee should undergoe that ignominious death for oft in Gaming sayd he I have used this wish I pray God I be hanged if it be not so I wil conclude this point with a neerer instance A Woman who accidentally came into the Congregation while this word was Preached did afterwards by writing certifie me that shee being convinced in conscience of her sin in wishing evill upon her selfe thereby to cover a sin which shee had committed but denyed did feele the sad effects of it according to her wish begging earnest prayers that it might be forgiveâ— her and that God would be entreated to take off his hand Let those wretches heare and feare and doe no more so presumptuously who feare not to wish The Devill take them and God damne them lest indeed God let the Devill loose upon them and take them at their word And here it may be observed that such as are most guilty are most apt to imprecate vengeance upon themselves that they may appeare guiltlesse They have no way left to perswade others that they are good or have not done evill but by wishing evill to themselves Such is the stupidity of a misled conscience that when it is deepest in sin it dares defie Gods justice to gaine an opinion among men of its owne innocency O earth cover not thou my bloood More particularly Observe Great sins bloody sins especially this sin of shedding innocent blood shall not passe undiscovered God will give a tongue to the earth he will make speechlesse creatures speak rather then blood shall be concealed Blood may be concealed a long time but blood shall not alwayes be concealed Gen. 4.7 What hast thou done The voyce of thy Brethers blood cryeth to me from the ground The blood had no voyce and the ground was silent blood hath no more voyce of its owne then water hath or then a Fish that lives in the water hath these did not speake formally but the Lord speakes thus to shew that hee will certainely bring bloody sins chiefely the sin of blood to light The justice of God in all Ages hath sent out his Writ of enquirie after bloody men and for the blood of the innocent Psal 9.12 When he maketh inquisition for blood he remembreth them he forgetteth not the cry of the poore But doth not the Lord make inquisition for all sin Or is there any sin that God doth not enquire after Surely no there was never any sin committed in the World but the Lord inquired hath after it sin shal not be lost God wil finde it out and keep it upon record But when it is sayd God makes inquisition for blood it argues the greatnesse of that sin For while that act of God which extendeth to every sin is appropriated to some one particular sin it is an argument that God takes speciall noâ—ice of it or that it is a very provoking sin Though God makes inquisition for all sin yet as if he would let all other sins passe unsought and un enquired after it is sayd onely of this sin that he makes inquisition for it we finde not the like expression about any other particular sin in all the Book of God though it be a truth that hee enquires for all sin Thirdly Observe O earth cover not thou my blood Innocency feares no discovery Come who will Angels from Heaven Devils from Hell Men on Earth let all creatures be summoned into one Jury of grand Inquest an innocent person will neyther run nor hide his head for it He whose heart beares witnesse with him feares no witnesse that can be brought against him While conscience acquits the matter is not much who accuseth
speakes of it in the most comfortable expressions Death it selfe is so embalmed yea and cloathed in the holy language that there is even a sweetnes and a beauty in it When a man hath worne a suit of Apparrell a great while and hath even worne it out or it becomes foule and nasty would he not be glad to put that off and get a new one upon his back therefore death is called an uncloathing a putting off the flesh there is no hurt in that when a man hath tyred himself all the day at his work would he not gladly go to bed therfore death is called rest or sleep Under these or the like considerations held forth in Scripture we may as it were burie al hard thoughts of death as was further shewed Chap. 14.12 especally while we remember that as now life is by many degrees bits or morsels swallowed up of mortality so then death shall at one bit or morsell be swallowed up of life 2 Cor. 5.4 For Christ hath not onely conquered but abolished death and hath brought not onely life but immortality to light through the Gospell 2 Tim. 1.10 Life is good yet when it may be sayd of a life it shall dye that puts an evill into life But if life be good how good is immortality which is a life that cannot dye Sixthly Note Job is very importunate to have a blot upon his good name wiped out his conscience was cleere his soule was well he could say Chap. 13. Hee is my Saviour and I know that I shall be justified yet because he was under aspersions and harsh censures he hastens to have these taken off because he was to dye shortly If we should on this ground be carefull to settle our outward estates and credits how much more should we be carefull upon this ground to see that our soules be well settled How should each one say I will hasten to get my sins pardoned my person justified I will hasten to have all cleer between God and my soule For when a few yeares are come I shall goe the way whence I shall not returne And if I doe not see these things done while I am here I shall never come back to see them done nor can they be done at all in the place whither I am going There is no repenting no reforming no beleeving in the grave if our spirituall change be not before our naturall change it will never be This â—rgument should provoke us to settle the affaires of our soules speedily It is not unlawfull nay it is a duty to vindicate our credit and to order the affaires that concerne this life because we have not long to live The hast of death should make us hast our worke even the worke of this life much more upon this ground should we see that our hearts be setled that our eternall peace be setled how should the haste of death make us haste the worke of the life which is to come But as it should make us hasten that worke so it must not make us huddle that worke or slubber it over or doe it to halves Such haste is waste indeed For if we leave our soules halfe setled and our peace halfe made and our repentance and turning to God in the midd way we shall never come againe to finish and perfect them no more then we shall to begin them Therefore set speedily about the worke and give your selves no rest till the worke be perfected for when a few dayes are come you shall goe the way where yee shall not returne Lastly Which was Jobs speciall case It is an affliction for any man to dye under a blott of disgrace Our credit and good name should be precious to us while we live especially wee should be carefull to dye with good credit and not to let a blott lye on us when wee are going out of the World Job would not dye under the name of an Hypocrite or an Oppressour with which black titles he had been charged by his Freinds It is a mercy to goe to the Grave with honour among men and to dye desired though it be enough that we goe to our Grave having honour with God and being desired of him A good name is a Box of oyntment powred forth and a good report especially among those that are good is as the embalming of our memories to posterity And yet the Saints are not so sollicitous for repaires in honour because of that esteeme which they have of their owne esteeme that 's the straine of ambition and they have learned to goe through good report and evill report through honour and dishonour they know how to goe forth without the Campe bearing the reproach of Christ But they are unwilling that Christ should beare their reproach or that his name should be dishonoured through them And therefore seeing they desire while they live to adorne the Doctrine of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in all things they cannot but be carefull before they dye to remove from their owne names whatsoever might reflect dishonour upon his How neer Job was in his owne opinion to the valley of the shadow of death is yet more evident in the first words of the next Chapter Here he onely tells us he must dye shortly there he tells us upon the matter that he was dead already here he saith When a few yeares are come I shall goe there he saith not onely that he had no more yeares to come but no more dayes My dayes are extinct c. JOB CHAP. 17. Vers 1 2 3 4 5. My breath is corrupt my dayes are extinct the Graves are ready for me Are there not mockers with me And doth not mine eyes continue in their provocation Lay downe now put me in a surety with thee who is he that will strike hands with me For thou hast hid their heart from understanding therefore shalt thou not exalt them He that speaketh flattery to his freinds even the eyes of his Children shall faile THE beginning of this Chapter pursues the Argument layd downe in the close of the former Or as a learned Expositor speaks Job in this doth enliven the premises Hoc capite intendit inanimare praemissa Aquin. and as it were put fresh spirits into what he had spoken before For whereas he had before desired the Lord to hasten his cause to a day of hearing because his day of death hastened Cha. 16. Vers 22. When a few yeares are come I shall goe the way whence I shall not returne Here to shew that hee was a dying man he describes himselfe as a dead man My breath is corrupt my dayes are extinct the graves are ready for me Secondly There Job made an appeale to God O that a man might plead with God as a man pleads with his Neighboâ—r Vers 21. And hee gives the reason why My Freinds scorne mee Vers 20. He doth the same here in other language Vers 2. Are there not mockers with me And doth