to lay his siedge nearer and closer to Iob presuming that though he had not prevailed at the first yet he shall at the second charge let me charge him but once more and then see his fall He will curse thee to thy face JOB 2.1 2 3 4 5 6. Verse 1. Againe there was a day when the sonnes of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them to present himselfe before the Lord. 2. And the Lord said unto Satan from whence commest thou And Satan answered the Lord and said from going too and fro in the earth and from walking up and downe in it 3. And the Lord said unto Satan Hast thou considered my servant Job that there is none like him in the Earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evill and still he holdeth fast his integrity although thou movedst me against him to destroy him without cause 4. And Satan answered the Lord and said skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his life 5. But put forth thine hand now and touch his bone and his flesh and he will curse thee to thy face 6. And the Lord said unto Satan Behold he is in thine hand but save his life AS the Prophet Ezekiel when in vision he had beene shewed one abomination was led forward to a second and a third and a fourth with Come see a greater abomination than this or these Or as the Angell proclaimeth in the Revelation One woe is past and another woe is at hand The same may we say concerning this History of Jobs sorrowes Having shewed you his first affliction in the former Chapter I must now leade on your attentions with Come behold a second a greater then that and having shewed you one woefull day I must now shew you a second Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves This whole Chapter presents us in the generall with Jobs second tryall About which wee may observe these particulars 1. The occasion of it 2. The causes of it 3. The manner of it 4. The consequents of it 1. The occasion of it was Satans appearing at that heavenly Session and being there questioned about that former affliction of Job he answers with slander and desireth that Job may be brought about to a second tryall 2. The causes of this affliction as of the first are two 1. God And 2. Satan 1. God permitting and limiting it 2. Satan provoking and then inflicting it Both are laid downe in the words of the context now read to the end of the sixth verse 3. The manner of this affliction was the striking and smiting of Jobs body with a sore and noysome disease which you have contained in ver 7 8. 4. The Consequents of this affliction or what followed upon it and those are three 1. His wives sinfull councell ver 9. As soone as she saw him thus smitten What saith shee doest thou still retaine thine integrity Curse God and die There 's her counsell 2. His wise and holy reply ver 10. 3. His friends loving visit vers 11 12 13. They hearing of the affliction of Job came from a farre country to see him and to comfort him These are the distinct parts of the whole Chapter These six verses descipher the occasion and the causes of Jobs affliction Satan inciting and provoking the Lord and the Lord permitting and limitting Satan The three first containe the same matter which we have opened and explained in the former Chapter and they are almost word for word the same therefore I shall not need to stay long upon them Only I shall enquire a little further about two things First about the day of this great appearance And secondly about the persons appearing who are said to be the sons of God To the former of these the Jewish Doctors contend much That this was the first day in the recourse or returne of the yeare intimating if not contending that the first day of every yeare was as Gods day of generall Audit in which he conveen'd or called together his Angels to give him an account of all the passages and dispatches of the yeare past and to give them instructions what to doe the yeare comming which opinion I leave under the censure of a learned Interpreter as grosse and groundlesse Others fixe it upon the last day of the weeke affirming that this was the Sabbath day And that this was a convention or Assembly of the Church on Earth for the solemne worship of God upon that day which is here called A presenting themselves before the Lord in concurrence with which opinion the sonnes of God must needs be interpreted holy men I find some affirming that men are not called the sons of God in all the old Testament but the Angels only And so they take that Text Gen 6.2 The sons of God saw the daughters of men c. for the Angels either good or bad who being taken with the beauty of those daughters assuming bodies came into them of whom came the Giants A conceit as monstrous as those Giants and fitter for a fabulist then a Divine On the other extreame Chrysostome denyes that the Angels are at all called the sonnes of God We may walke safely in a middle way betweene these two For both Angels and men are called the sonnes of God Why Angels are called the sons of God hath been shewed Chap. 1. v. 6. Men are called the sons of God for two reasons either for their power or greatnesse so they Gen. 6.2 might be called the sonnes of God because great and powerfull on the earth Or rather secondly for their piety and holinesse by which they resemble God and in which they serve God as a sonne doth the Father Indeed the Apostle affirmes that the priviledge of sonship was brought-in by the Incarnation of Christ who is said In the fullnesse of time to be made of a woman c. That we might receive the adoption of sonnes Gal. 4.5 But in Scripture a thing is spoken of as newly done when it is more fully done Joh. 7.39 The Holy Ghost is said not to be given at that time because he had not been so plentifully given And the Apostle to the Hebrewes speakes as if the way into Heaven had been but then opened because it was then more clearly opened Heb. 9.8 So we are said to receive the adoption of sons when Christ came in the flesh because then our son-ship was more apparant though before it was as reall So then according to this Interpretation the sence of the words is That upon the Sabbath day when the servants of God the faithfull of that age and place were met together to celebrate the publick worship of God Satan the evill spirit who is ever ready to oppose and resist us to interrupt and hinder us when we appeare before the Lord in holy duties came also among them to
Sam. 16.15 who came forth and cursed David still as he came That act was alike opposite both to the rule and word of the 5th Commandement which saith honour thy father c. taking-in the civill father as well as the naturall Shimeis cursing David lightly esteemed David he did not looke upon him in or according to the weightinesse and honour of his Kingly person or of his Kingly office a King is a weighty person a Crowne is a weighty thing Shimei despised and so cursed both Sometime the word is translated directly to despise I will give you two texts for that Gen. 16.4 When Hagar saw she had conceived her Mistresse was despised in her eyes it is the same word with that used here for cursing the meaning is she did lightly esteeme her Mistresse Thus she thought now shall I have the honour of raising Abrahams family now I am at least as good a woman as my mistresse thus she despised Sarah Againe 1 Sam. 2.30 where the Lord saith concerning Elies sonnes Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed I will make little account of them that make little account of me and woe be to those though all the world honour them whom God despiseth That man looses more then honour whom God doth not honour And they who deny God his honour deny him all good and offer him all evill such a dispising of God is a cursing of God Further To curse if we consider it in the nature of the thing and not strictly in the literall sense of the word is to wish evill to a thing or person This also is the meaning of the curse in this place for when Iob explaines this curse in the parts of it he doth as it were with wonderfull art and skill gather together whatsoever may be thought the evill of a day or the evill of a night and calls it up to seize upon them A curse or to curse virtually containes in it all evill As a blessing or to blesse containes in it virtually all good Every mercy we enjoy is a blessing specificated And so any evill that falls upon man as Sword Famine Pestilence c. is a curse specificated Howsoever possibly those things which are in their nature evill and in their matter a curse may be qualified in reference unto some persons into a blessing But take a curse properly and it containeth all evill and only evill in it Therefore as when God had given the world an esse a being that he might give it a bene esse a well being he adds to the work of Creation the word of benediction And God blessed them and said unto them be fruitfull c. Gen. 1.22 28. So afterward when man had sinned and the Lord intended to leave the world groaning under part of those evills which sin had brought upon it he wraps up all in the word of a curse Cursed be the ground for thy sake c. Gen. 3.17 So then when Job curseth his day he wisheth all the evill to it that a day is capable of And Job opened his mouth and cursed his day But what was this day that Job was so angry with it and that his passion doth so burne against it The Text speakes indefinitely Job cursed his day Some understand it of the day of his present suffering he cursed the day on which such troubles befell him And we find sometimes in Scripture that a day put thus alone is an evill or a troublesome day As in the 12th verse of the Prophecie of Obadiah the Lord rebukes the children of Edom thus Thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother that is the day of thy brother Jacobs sufferings the day wherein I had him under my rod and afflicted him So the day of the Lord is the day of the Lords anger when he powres wrath and trouble upon the earth Isa 2.12 The day of the Lord of hostes shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low The day of the Lord or the day of a man undetermin'd often signifies an evill day But here we may rather understand it for that day which was as the occasion or for the occasionall day of all Jobs troubles and that was his birth-day If his birth-day had beene prevented all his troublesome dayes had beene prevented therefore he falls out with that as himselfe explaines it verse 3. Let the day perish saith he there wherein I was borne and the night in which it was said there is a man-child conceived It is usuall to call a mans birth-day his day so the Scripture is conceived to speake Hos 7.5 In the day of our King the Princes have made him sicke with bottles of wine That is on his birth-day which among Princes is commonly solemniz'd with feasting As we reade of Pharaoh and of Herod So then the day is his birth-day the day of his nativity which some take precisely for the day upon which he was borne and others more largely for the annuall returne of that day as if he had laid in a curse for a day whensoever or how often soever it should returne in the yeares of his life A little further to cleare the sense of this curse let us consider the whole matter as we have considered the words There are two or three questions which being debated and resolved will give light to this context Job you see takes upon him to curse First it may be questioned whether a curse be in the power of man or no Can a man curse persons or things Surely blessings and cursings are both in the hand of God whether we respect persons or things There is a ministeriall curse and a ministeriall blessing in the power of man but it is not in the power of any man magisterially to make any thing or person blessed or to make any thing or person accursed It was a great brag which Balack made of Balaam Numb 22.6 I wot saith he that he whom thou blessest is blessed and he whom thou cursest is cursed He thought he had the curse in his command he could curse whom he pleased and what he pleased and when he pleased but he was deceived he reckon'd beyond his strength and beyond the strength of a creature What the Apostle speakes in another case concerning the ministery of the word Paul may plant and Apollos may water but it is God that giveth the increase is as true in this one man may plant a curse and another man may water it with a hearty wish that it may grow but it is God only that giveth the increase of evill and the decrease of good Curses are not in the power of any creature if they were we should have a miserable world quickly How many should we see daily blasted with the breath of malicious execrations Some mens mouthes are full of cursing Psal 10.7
grace God would have all the world take notice of this in the Booke of Job that a godly person is in vaine assaulted by friends or enemies by men or devils by wants or wounds Though he be even benighted in his spirit though God himselfe take away the light of his countenance from him yet God would have us learne and know that over all these a true beleever is more then a conquerour For here is one of the greatest battels fought that ever was betweene man and man betweene man and hell yea betweene God and man yet Job went away with the victory True Grace is often assaulted it never was or ever shall be overthrowne 7. This also we may learne That God never leaves or forsakes his totally or finally 8. Lastly The booke teacheth this generall lesson That the iudgements of God are often times very secret but they are never uniust That though the creature be not able to give a reason of them yet there is infinite reason for them These are the generall Uses from the generall scope and intendment of this booke by way of Instruction Secondly This booke serves to convince and reproove that slander of worldly men and of Satan who say that the people of God serve him for their owne ends that they follow him for loaves that they attend upon him for an estate for creature-comforts and concernements The Lord did on purpose cause these things to be acted and this History to be penned for ever to stop the mouth of Saâ—an and of all iniquity and to shew that his people follow him for love for the excellency they find in him and in his service Though he strip them naked of all they have yet they will cleave to him Here is one Confutation 2. It is to convince and reprove all those who judge of the spiriâ—uall estate of those that are under the hand of God in sore afflictions â—y some unbecoming and rash speeches which may fall from them â—n the time of those their conflicts when troubles and sufferings are â—pon them 3. To convince and confute those who judge of mens spirituall eâ—â—ates by Gods dealing with them in their outward estates 4. To convince and confute that cursed opinion that a man â—ay fall finally and totally away from grace and from the favour of God God hath shewed by this History that such an opinion is a â—e If ever any man were in danger of falling quite away from â—race received or might seeme to have lost the favour of God forâ—erly shewed surely it was Job and if he were upheld in the grace â— holinesse and continued in the grace of Gods love notwithstanding all that came upon him Certainly God would have all the world know that free-grace will uphold his for ever 5. To convince all those of pride and extreame presumption who thinke to find out and to trace the secrets of Gods counsell the secrets of Gods eternall decrees the secrets of all his workes of providence Whereas God sheweth them in this Booke that they are not able to find out or comprehend his ordinary works those which we call the workes of nature the things of creation the things that are before them which they converse with every day which they see and feele and have in their ordinary use They are not able to find out the secrets of the aire of the Meteors of the waters of the earth of beasts or birds every one of these puts thâ— understanding of man to a stand and pose his reason they are noâ— able to comprehend the workes of Creation how are they ablâ— then to find out the counsels of God in his Decrees and purposes anâ— judgements And for that end it is that God sets forth heere sâ— much of the workes of nature that all men may be stopp'd in thaâ— presumptuous way of searching too farre into his counsels Hereâ— another Use or scope of this Booke Thirdly there is much for Consolation 1. That all things doe worke for the good of those that loâ—â— God 2. Consolation is this That no temptation shall ever take hoâ—â— of us but such as God will either make us able to beare or make way to escape out of it We can be in no condition cast so low but the hand of Goâ— can reach us find us out send in deliverance and raise us up aâ—gaine Lastly here are two generall Exhortations 1. We are exhorted to the Meditation and Admiration of tâ—â— power and wisdome of God from all the Creatures This is a duâ—â— which this Booke leads us unto for that is the end why so much spoken concerning the workes of Creation that as the Aposâ— saith The invisible things of him from the Creation of the Worâ— may be clearly seene being understood by the things that are maâ— even his eternall power and God-head 2. To glorifie God in every condition to have good thoughts God to speake good words for God in every condition We 〈◊〉 drawne to this by considering how Job though sometimes in â—hemency of spirit he over-shot himselfe yet hee recovers agaiâ— and breaths sweetly concerning God shewing that his spirit was full of sweetnesse towards God even when God was writing bitter things against him as when he saith Though hee kill me yet I will trust in him than which what could expresse a more holy and submissive frame of heart in reference to the dealings of God with him Surely he thought God was very good to him who had that good thought of God To trust him even while hee slew him These things being proposed concerning the Booke in generall will helpe to cast a light thorough the whole at one view And though at this time I shall not enter upon expounding of the Text it selfe yet you have had in some sense the Exposition of the whole Text. If you carefully lay up these Rules they will much advantage and advance your profiting when we come to the Explication of any part IOB 1.1 2. There was a man in the land of Vz whose name was IOB and that man was perfect and upright and one that feared GOD and eschewed evill And there were borne unto him seven sonnes and three daughters c. THis Chapter may be divided into three parts whereof the first containes a description of Job in his prosperous estate from the first to the end of the fifth verse In the second we have the first part of Jobs affliction set downe from the sixth verse to the end of the nineteenth In the third Jobs carriage and behaviour in or his Conquest and Victory over that first tryall are discovered this concludes in the three last verses of the Chapter The description of his prosperous estate is given us in three points First What he was in his person vers 1. Secondly What in his possessions we have an Inventory of his goods vers 2 3 4. Thirdly What in his practise of holinesse verse 5. Where one example or instance is set downe
and the word for low is Bene-Adam sonnes of Adam If we should translate the Text directly according to the letter the words must runne sonnes of men and sonnes of men for sonnes of Adam and sonnes of Ish are both translated sonnes of men Yet when they are set together in a way of opposition the one signifieth low and the other high and so our Translators render it according to the sense not sonnes of men and sons of men but low and high Junius translates to this sence though in more words as well they who are borne of meane men as they who are borne of the honourable A like instance we have Isa 2.9 The meane man boweth down and the great man humbleth himselfe The meane man that is the sonne of Adam and the great man the sonne of Ish the great man in regard of his excellency is by such a circumlocution described to be more then a man not onely the sonne of man but the sonne of an honourable and great man So I finde the word divers times used to signifie the excellency and greatnesse of the person Then further it signifieth not onely a man that is great but it signifieth a man in authority There was a man that is an excellent man a man of worth There was a man that is a man in authority It signifies a Magistrate and so in divers places of Scripture Man is put for a Magistrate especially when it is exprest as here by Ish Gen. 43.11 Carry a present to the man scil to the Governour of the Countrey Jer 5.1 Goe thorough Jerusalem and search and see if you can finde a man What were men so scarce in Jerusalem at that time Was there such a dearth of men that a man could not be found Surely no. Jerusalem had throngs of men in every street The meaning then is explained in the words following if there be any that executeth iudgement that is if there be a Magistrate a publike man that 's the man I meane So in Numb 27.16 We find the word to signifie a Magistrate Let the Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh set a man over the Congregation A man that is a Magistrate for there that 's â—he businesse if you reade the Text you will find it a man in auâ—â—â—rity a man fit to rule And that is it which is meant in Act. â— 31 concerning Christ God saith he hath appointed a day â—â—rein he will iudge the world by that man whom he hath ordaiâ—ed It noteth Christ the man in power in authority because all â—ower in Heaven and in Earth is committed to him So you know â—was usuall among the Romans to call their Magistrates by the â—ame of The men as the Triumviri the Septemviri the Decemâ—iri to call them sometime the three-men sometime the seven â—en sometime the ten-men Those who were the speciall men in â—uthority that were men in place and eminency they carried away the Name of men as it were from all men as if they were the only men So that we have these two things to take notice of when it is said here that Iob was a man you must carry it further then the word is ordinarily taken Hee was a great man he was a man in authority a Magistrate Some carry the Magistracy so high as to set him on a Throne affirming that he was a King a point very much contended for by divers Expositors but that he was a Magistrate in Authority a Chiefe in his Countrey is cleare by that which is exprest of him in Chapt. 29. where he speakes of his deciding mens rights and executions of Justice In the Land of Uz. I will not trouble you with any Geographicall discourse In a word we may consider 3. things about Vz. 1. Why it was called so 2. Where it was seated 3. What manner of people they were that dwelt in Vz. 1. For the Name let it be taken from Vz the Name of a Man And there were three called by that Name in Scripture Gen. 10.23 Gen. 22.21 Gen. 36.28 from either of these Iobs Countrey might derive its name but from which of these would be â— thinke a nice debate yet it is rather ascribed to Vz or Huz the eldest Sonne of Nahor Gen. 22.21 2. For the place where it was seated it is cleare that it was upâ—on the borders of the Sabeans and of the Caldeans and of thâ— Arabians those Easterne people Some affirme that the lot 〈◊〉 the halfe Tribe of Manasses on the other side Iordan which waâ— set forth for them when the people of Israel came into Canaan was the very place where Job lived and that was called Vz. Its cleare that it was neare those parts above mentioned First froâ— Lament 4 2â— There the Prophet Ieremie speaking of Vz saiâ— Rejoyce and be glad O daughter of Edom that dwellest in 〈◊〉 Land of Uz. And Ier. 25.20 he speakes againe of the Lanâ— Uz All the mingled people and all the Kings of the Land of 〈◊〉 they shall drinke of the Cup he mentions the Cup also in tâ—â— place Lam. 4. Rejoyce and be glad O daughter of Edom 〈◊〉 dwellest in the Land of Uz the Cup also shall passe thorough 〈◊〉 thee Secondly Vz border'd upon those Countreyes for thâ— people made out their Parties invaded slew and tooke 〈◊〉 Jobs Estate Cattell and servants therefore the place in all proâ—â—â—bility lay neere these Countries For the Condition and manners of the people It is generally received that they were a people prophane in their lives and superstitious at least in their worship Edumeans and Edomites the descendants of Esau heare ill all the Scripture over Among these Iob lived among these Iob govern'd there he exercis'd those pretious graces and practis'd those excellent duties both of holinesse toward God and of Justice toward men It was in the midst of a sinfull and perverse nation in the Land of Vz. Then Observe First God hath his servants in all places in the worst places There was never any ayre so bad but that a servant of God might breath in it Here God had a choice peece even in the Land of Vz a place of prophanenesse Here was Bethel in Bethaven a House of God in a Land of wickednesse Lot dwelt in Sodome Ioseph in Egypt David in Mesech and in Kedar There were Saints in Caesars wicked Neroes houshold Babylon holds many of Gods people yet let them not make such places their refuge much lesse their election But remember the call Come out of her my people Secondly We may observe from hence this being spoken of Iob to set him forth in the excellency of his spirituall condition that he lived in the Land of Vz. That It is a great honour and a high commendation to be good and do good amongst those that are evill You shall be recorded for it This was one reason why the place is named that the honour of Iob might be lifted up that he was good not
great and mighty power therefore Eph. 1.21 they are called Principalities and powers far above principalities and powers and might and dominions that is farre above all Angels They are called the sonnes of God because they are like God in power and dignity Then againe they are called the sonnes of God because they serve God as sonnes chearfully willingly readily They do not obey as slaves as servants as the best of servants they obey better than the best of servants they obey as children they goe about their worke with filiall and sonne-like chearfullnes and delight Thirdly they are called sonnes because of the great priviledge that God doth vouchsafe them he doth use them as his children as his sonnes they are his Courtiers they are neare him alwaies attending him and continually see his face They have the priviledge of sonnes Came to present themselves before the Lord. Not that the Angels are at any time out of the presence of God for Christ is expresse in that Mat. 18.10 Their Angels doe alwayes behold the face of my Father But they are then said to come and present themselves before God when they come upon some speciall businesse or upon some speciall occasion As it is with us here upon the Earth we are never out of the presence of God for Psal 139. Whether shall I goe from thy presence Yet when we come to pray and are in other holy duties we are said to present our selves before God and to draw neare unto God and God is said to draw neare unto us at such a time and yet God is ever with us and we ever with him So when it is said here that the Angels came and presented themselves before the Lord it noteth only this their readinesse either to give an account of what they had done or to receive directions from God what to doe The Angels are most willing to goe about the service and worke of God and that is all that is here meant by their presenting themselves before the Lord for otherwise they are ever in his presence as Luk. 1.19 The Angell answered and said I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God and am sent to speake unto thee I am Gabriel that stand he speakes in the present time even now while I am speaking unto thee I stand in the presence of God The Angell while he goeth into the world is not absent from God he beholdeth the face of God alwayes The Schoole-men have an odde distinction they say there are assisting Angels and there are ministring Angels Those Angels that are assistants stand alwayes before God and never are sent out about the world upon any occasion Others are ministring spirits as Heb. 1.14 Are they not ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who are the heires of salvation This is Schoole doctrine But there needs no such distinction of some to be assisting or attending and some to be ministring Angels for wheresoever they are they are alwayes in the presence of God and their presenting themselves before God notes only their preparednesse to attend the Lords service in whatsoever he shall employ them And Satan came also among them That is the chief of the evill Angels as it is conceived The word Satan signifieth an Adversary and so it is often times applied to men as concerning Solomon it is said that while he did walke exactly with God there was neither adversary nor evill occurrant the word in the originall is there was no Satan in his kingdome and in the 1 King 11.14 it is said The Lord stirred up Satan an Adversary against Solomon and that accusation which those wretches in Ezra c. 4. sent against the building of Jerusalem is called Sitna they sent Sitna an accusation or an opposing letter It comes from the same root any kind of opposition is called Sitna from Satan who is an opposer It is sometimes used more generally concerning any opposition as the Angell that came to oppose Baalam Numb 22.34 I wist not saith Baalam that there was an adversary that stood in the way But how can it be said that Satan should come among the sons of God I said before that it was but an alluding speech to the dealings of men in their sessions and assemblies and there is no necessity to make every particular of it hold Wee may conceive it thus Satan came also among them It is not said that the sons of God and Satan came and presented themselves before the Lord Satan did not joyne himselfe in with them Satan did not offer himselfe for any good service but thither hee came being so ordered by the over-ruling power of God But can Satan come into the presence of God No otherwise than a blind man can come into the Sun he comes into the Sun and the Sun shineth upon him but he sees not the Sun Satan comes so into the presence of God that he is alwayes seene of God he is never so in the presence of God as to see God It is question'd whether the lapsed Angels ever saw God at all while they stood because if they had seene God it is conceived that vision would have been their confirmation But it is most certaine that the lapsed Angels since their fall never saw God nor ever shall though it be said here Satan came among the sons of God you know what the Apostle Jude teacheth That the devils kept not their place but are reserved in chaines of darknesse against the judgement of the great day We shall open that afterward when we come to speake of his compassing the earth how he doth compasse the earth and yet is reserved in chaines of darknesse But I say there is his seat there is his place and all that is spoken of him in this doth not inferre any the least glimpse or fruition of God or communion with the Angels In regard of his nature he is still a spirit but in regard of his sin he is a miserable spirit he hath lost his excellency though he hath not lost his nature And being a spirit he hath power to passe and repasse to goe up and downe the world to ascend and descend at his pleasure as good Angels may and can when God doth permit him We see here the good Angels are called the sons of God in this learne the priviledge of beleevers they partake with the Angels in this title the Apostle saith Behold what manner of love the Father hath shewed that we should be called the sonnes of God if you would know what manner of love it is it is as great as the Angels in Heaven have Christ tooke not upon him the nature of Angels but hath given us the honour of Angels Fallen Angels could not share with us in the benefit of redemption but we share with the Angels that stand in the priviledge of Son-ship We are the sons of God as well as they and in somewhat beyond them they are created sons but not as we
of For if a man have such and such thoughts and only reserve them to himselfe he is said to speake to himselfe to speake within himselfe So Angels though they have such and such thoughts they do speake to themselves and not to God while they keepe those thoughts within themselves how ever God knowes them all before yet an Angell is said to speake no more to God then he doth intentionally and obedientially as some expresse it make knowne and declare to God his desire that God may take notice of it So here Sathan answereth and saith unto God or he speakes to God these things that is he doth actually intend that God should know thus much of him what he had beene about that he was come now from going to and fro in the earth from walking up and dawne in it From going to and fro c. It may be doubted how Sathan can be said to goe to and fro in the earth and to walke up and downe in it whereas it is expresse in the Epistle of Jude vers 6. that the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their owne habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chaines under darknesse unto the judgement of the great day Now if Sathan if the Angels that fell be in chaines and in chaines of everlasting darkenesse and reserved unto the judgement of the great day how doth Sathan here speake of himselfe as being at liberty going to and fro in the earth and walking up and downe in it I answer That though the devill goeth up and downe yet he is ever in chaines He is in a double chaine even when he goes and circuits the whole earth abroad he is in a chaine of Justice and in a chaine of Providence He is in a chaine of Justice that is under the wrath of God and he is in a chaine of Providence that is under the eye of God he can goe no further then God gives him leave then God lets out and lengthens his chaine So that still he is reserved under chaines even chaines of darknesse when he goes abroad he goes like a prisoner with his fetters upon his heeles But it may be here enquired further if Sathan be thus under the wrath of God and be a condemned spirit if he be in such darknesse how can he intend or attempt plot or execute those designes of temptation for the overthrow of soules and disturbance of the Churches of God throughout the world Will not such torment and horrour of darkenesse disable and unfit him for such curious methods of doing mischiefe can he have his thoughts upon any thing but upon his own wofull condition and miserable estate For this likewise to cleare it we may conceive that Sathan although he be at the present under the wrath of God yet he is not under the fullnesse of the wrath of God he is not yet in extremity he is not yet in that degree of judgement which hereafter he shall receive Sathan is now as full of discontent as he can be but he is not so full of torment as he can be This we see expresly in Mat. 8.29 where the devils say to Christ Art thou come to torment us before our time as noting that there will be a time wherein they shall have more torment their fill of torment such torment as what they now endure compared with it may passe for no torment if not for pleasure Then they shall drinke the very dreggs of the cup of Gods wrath now they doe as it were but sip or taste it The devils though they are already cast downe from their glorious estate yet they are not cast into such a wofull state as hereafter they shall be therefore they may walke up and downe in the world and uncessantly set themselves about the destruction of others For the words From going to and fâ—ro in the earth and from walking up and downe in it Satan here speakes like a Prince therefore some conceive that this is the Prince of devils that is here mentioned in this Text Beelzebub the chiefe of the devils for here he speakes of himselfe as some great Prince that had gone about his Countreyes to view his Provinces his Kingdomes and Cities I come saith he from visiting my severall places and Dominions I come from going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and downe in it These expressions are not to be understood properly for properly spirits such as Sathan is cannot be said to goe or to walke A spirit moveth that is proper to a spirit but properly a spirit doth not walke or goe that is proper only to bodies But the word which we translate from going to and fro is translated by some from compassing the earth or from compassing about in the world and then it is proper the Originall signifying to compasse or circuit about by any king of motion as well as by going Further For the understanding of Satans going to and fro in the earth We must not not conceive that this is all that Satan doth to walke up and down in the world to go to and fro he is no idle peripateticke but by going to and fro in the earth is noted First The exact discovery which Sathan makes of all things in the earth For the word Shut signifieth to enquire to search diligently into a thing It is not a bare going about but it is a going about as a spie to search to enquire to observe and consider diligently all things as one passeth along The same word is used Dan. 12.4 for discoursing we translate it thus Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased now we may wonder how knowledge should be increased by running to and fro up and downe they that would increase knowledge should rather sit still and consider and debate things but the word so some translate it signifies to discourse or dispute of things they shall discourse or goe about to enquire into things and knowledge shall be increased Thus Sathans going to and fro in the earth is a discoursing upon every thing a disputing upon every point and person he doth as it were debate every mans condition as he goeth and every mans estate every mans temper and every mans calling he considers what is fittest to be done against him and how he may assault him with greatest advantage That is the running or going to and fro which is here meant in the Text it is a going to and fro to increase his knowledge and informe himselfe of all things as he goeth The same word is used concerning the good Angels Zach. 1.10 It is said there that they were sent to walke to and fro through the earth it was not a bare passing through the earth but a curious observing and prying into all things as they went we translate it a walking to and fro but it is a walking so as to bring God in intelligence for these were sent out as Christs
intelligencers to bring him in a report of the state of things abroad for so there in the vision it is exprest after the manner of men Though Christ needs none to informe him about the estate of his Church and people yet he alludes to the custome of Princes who maintaine Intelligencers in all Courts and Kingdomes to advise them how the affaires of other nations are transacted The very same Originall word is used of God himselfe Zach. 4.10 The eyes of the Lord runne to and fro through the whole earth he is his own Intelligencer exactly discovering and taking notice of every thing that is done in the world So then this is the meaning I have beene going to and fro in the earth saith Satan that is I have fully and throughly taken notice of all passages of all persons in all places of all conditions and sorts of men that is the thing I have beene doing Thus Mr. Broughton translates From searching to and fro in the earth noting his exactnesse of enquiry in his travels Then secondly it noteth the unquietnes of Satan He is an unquiet a restlesse spirit being cast out of Heaven he can rest no where A soule that is once displaced and out of the favour of God hath no place to repose in afterward Now saith he all my businesse is walking to and fro going up and downe Satan hath no rest As the sentence of Cain was Gen. 4. when God had cast him out of his presence thou shalt be a fugitive and a vagabond thou shalt doe nothing but runne up and downe the world as long as thou livest Satan is such a fugitive a vagabond one that runnes up and downe in the world he is an unsetled an unquiet spirit They who are once departed from God can never find rest in any creature but running to and fro is their condition and their curse Thirdly Some understand it thus that Satan makes as it were a recreation of his tempting and drawing men to Hell Satan cannot possibly in a proper sense take any comfort or be refreshed but as one doth well expresse it he himselfe being lost undone and damned seekes to comfort himselfe by undoing and damning others It is a joy to some to have companions in sorrow All Satans delight if we may conceive he hath any delight is in this in making others as bad and miserable as himselfe Therefore it may be he calls his trade of seduction and destruction walking up and downe in the earth as men are said to walke up and downe for refreshing and recreation he speakes of it not as of some toilesome hard journy but as of walking for delight But I conceive the former to be more proper Take two or three Notes from this First Here we may observe That there is no place in the world that can secure a man from temptation or be a sanctuary from Satans assault For Satan goeth to and fro thorough the earth hee is an ubiquitary hee stayes no where but runs every where It is the folly of Popish Votaries that think to shut themselves up in walls from the temptations of Satan Cloysters are as open to Satan as the open field Satan walketh to and fro through the earth Secondly We may note here the wonderfull diligence of Satan Satan is very active to doe mischiefe He walketh to and fro As Peter expresseth it 2 Pet. 5.8 He goeth about as a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devoure There is his diligence and there is his intent Satan speaks nothing of his intent here he conceales that he speakes only as if he went about like a pilgrim walking thorough the earth his maine businesse that he went about to devoure soules is kept in silence but the holy Ghost unmaskes him and discovers the designe of his walking to and fro He seeks whom he may devoure If Satan be thus diligent going about to tempt we ought to be as diligent standing alwayes upon our watch to prevent his temptations Mr. Latimer in one of his Sermons where he taxes the Clergy especially the Bishops of those times for their idlenesse proposeth to them the example of the Prophets and Apostles and of Christ himselfe their diligence in going about to preach should quicken those idlers but saith he if you will not follow their example follow the example of Satan he goeth about in his Diocesse to and fro continually Take example from him in doing evill how to doe good we may take example thus farre from Satan to be as forward to do good as he is to do hurt to be as watchfull against him as he is watchfull against us If this be his busines to go to and fro thorough the earth and his intent be to devour souls then where ever we goe in the world up and downe we ought to be carefull to keep our own souls and gain the souls of others Thirdly We may observe from it that Satan is confined in his businesse to the earth he can get no farther than the earth or to the ayereall part he is called the Prince of the ayre Satan being once cast out of heaven can never get into Heaven more There is no tempter in heaven there is no Serpent shall ever come into the caelestiall Paradise there was one in the earthly Paradise but there shall never be any in the caelestiall Therefore when we are once beyond the earth we are beyond the reach of all temptations we are then at rest from Satans snares and practices as well as from our owne labours Let us now consider what the Lord replyeth or his second Question to Satan Well thou hast been walking to and fro in the earth saith God Hast thou considered my servant Job Tell me hast thou taken notice of such an one Hast thou considered The word is Hast thou put thy heart upon Job So it is word for word in the Originall hast thou laid Job to thy heart Hast thou seriously fully and exactly considered my servant Job And so it is rendred out of the Septuagint Hast thou attended with thy mind upon my servant Job To put a thing upon the heart is to have serious and speciall regard to it as when the Scripture speaks of not putting a thing upon the heart it noteth a sleighting and neglecting of it When the wife of Phineas was delivered and they told her that she had brought forth a son the Text saith she answered not neither did she regard the Hebrew is neither did she put her heart upon it the same word is here in the Text. Thus Abigail speakes unto David As for this sonne of Belial let not my Lord put his heart upon him or as it is translated let not my Lord regard this man of Belial take no notice of such an one as he is he is a foole name and thing doe not regard him doe not put him upon thy heart There are divers such expressions where putting upon the heart is expressed by
was the absence of cloathing or a not using of cloathes it was not the want of cloathing But the nakednesse Job speaks of is the nakednes after the fall properly where nakednesse importeth not only a not having of cloaths but want of cloathing and so nakednesse is a part of that curse and punishment which followed sin Naked came I out of my mothers wombe that is I came into the world in a sad and miserable condition weake and poore And so nakednesse is put not strictly as opposed onely to cloathing but we may take it more largely for the want of all outward comforts whatsoever I came a poore destitute creature into the world I had not onely no cloathing upon my backe but I had no comfort for my body I brought neither Sheepe nor Oxen nor children nor servants into the world with me I had none of these things nothing to helpe me of my owne when I first set footing into the world Some Naturalists considering this kind of nakednesse have fallen out into great complaints against nature or indeed rather against the God of nature as Pliny in the Preface to his 7th booke of his naturall History doth as it were chide with nature for turning man into the world in such a helpelesse forlorne condition as if man were dealt with more hardly then any other creature then any beasts of the field or foules of the aire Other creatures saith he come into the world with haire or fleeces or bristles or scales or feathers or wings or shels c. to defend and cover them but nature casts man naked upon the naked ground This he spake not considering that nakednesse was once no trouble but rather an honour and an ornament and this he spake not knowing whence or how that kind of troublesome nakâ—â—nesse came into the world And this he spake not observing as he might how many wayes God hath provided for the helpe and supply of that nakednesse giving man understanding and reason in stead of weapons and cloathes which also are a meanes for the procuring of all things necessary for the supporting of that naked and weake perishing condition Naked shall I returne thither The difficulty that is in this lyeth onely in that word Thither the doubt is what place he meanes or whither What into my mothers wombe There is no such returne as Nicodemus said Shall a man that is old goe into his mothers wombe and be borne againe Some answer it thus The Adverbe thither doth not necessarily referre to the literall antecedent but in Scripture sometimes Relatives referre to somewhat in the mind or in the thought of the speaker and not to that which was before spoken by him as that of Mary sheweth Joh. 20.15 when she commeth into the garden and findes that Christ was risen she meeteth Christ and supposing him to be the Gardiner saith unto him Sir if you have borne him hence Him what him There was no antecedent mentioned to which Him should relate only Maries mind was so full of Christ that she thought every one would understand what him or whom she spake of as if none could speake of or thinke any thing but of Christ only Therefore she made the relation to that which was in her owne spirit and not to what was formerly exprest So some Interpreters make the thither to be God or the grave I shall returne unto God or I shall return to the grave to the house of the grave as the Chaldee paraphrase hath it For they suppose Job had his mind full of those thoughts therfore he may make a relation to that Another consideration for the clearing of it is this that such Adverbes of place as this is doe not only signifie place but a state or a condition wherein any one is or to which any thing or person is brought as it is ordinary in our speech to say hitherto I have brought the matter that is to this state or to this condition So when Job saith Naked shall I returne thither that is I shall returne to such a condition or to such an estate as I was naked before so I shall returne to a state of nakednes againe But thirdly that which may more clearely carry it the thither which Job here speakes of may be understood of the earth or the grave Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither to the wombe of the earth which is the grave and so there may be in the latter a reference unto the former taking the one properly the other improperly taking the earth for his mothers wombe in an improper sense sc the earth which is the common parent from whence we all came and to which we all returne the earth shall receive and take in all mankind again when man dyes the earth opens her bowels and receiveth him in and which makes her once more a mother the earth at last being as it were with-child or rather bigg with children shall travell in paine and groaning to be delivered shall by the mighty power of God bring forth man-kind againe There shall be a mighty birth from the wombe of the earth at the last day In Scripture the resurrection is called a birth in the day of the resurrection man-kind is a new begotten by God and man-kind is a new-borne that cleares it Psal 2.7 Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee which words are applyed by Paul Act. 13.33 to the resurrection of Christ God hath fulfilled the promise made unto the Fathers unto us their children in that he hath raised up Jesus againe as it is also written in the second Psalme Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee And as Christ so all men but especially all Christians shall be againe begotten by the power of God and borne from the wombe of the earth in the day of their resurrection So much for the understanding of these words Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither I shall collect some Observations from them two wayes First as they containe a generall truth 2. As they are an argument or a reason for the support of a man in such a sad condition as Job was then reduced unto In the former way observe First That every man is borne a poore helpelesse naked creature The soule is naked of all that is good there is not a rag of grace upon it when we come into the world Our bodies are naked too so that we are borne with nothing upon us but only an ugly dresse of sinne such as may justly make God loath us and us a terrour to our selves Naked came I into the world this one thought well taken in and fully digested will lay pride in the dust this thought that we were borne thus naked will strip us of all high and proud thoughts of our selves Secondly Naked shall I returne Note When death commeth it shakes us out of all our
it be in regard of personall troubles or nationall troubles to hold fast and keepe close to God in such distresses is admirable To continue good while we suffer evill is the height and crowne of goodnesse As it is that which putteth one of the greatest aggravations upon the sinfulnesse of men that they will hold fast their sinnes in the middest of judgements The Prophet Amos with much elegancy of speech and vehemency of spirit urgeth this against the Jewes Cap. 4. I have given you cleannesse of teeth yet have yee not returned unto me I have with-holden the raine yet have yee not returned unto me I have smitten you with blasting yet have ye not returned unto me I have sent among you the pestilence and the sword yet have yee not returned unto me saith the Lord. The Prophet Ieremy takes up the same argument having before spoken of judgements sent upon them Yet saith he they hold fast deceit and refuse to returne Cap. 8.5 they held fast deceit though they were afflicted that aggravated their sinfulnesse Now I say as it makes sinne out of measure sinfull to hold it fast when God afflicteth so it makes grace out of measure gracious putteth a wonderfull splendour and glory upon it if we hold fast our grace when troubles and afflictions meet us in the holding of it forth and God will put an Emphasis upon such a one for grace as he did upon Ahaz for his sinne 2 Chron. 28.22 In the time of his distresse did he trespasse yet more against the Lord This is that King Ahaz that brand is put upon him So there is an honour stamp'd on Job in this testimony that in the time of his distresse he did yet more good This is that Job to serve beleeve and love God more in distresse this is integrity to a wonder this drawes the heart of God toward such and makes them truly glorious in the eyes of godly men That which followes in the text doth yet more advance the honour of Job in this victory still he holdeth fast c. Though thou movedst me against him to destroy him without cause Though thou movedst me The word here used to move signifieth more than a bare motion it carries in it a perswasion and more then a bare perswasion it carries in it a vehement instigation As when a man doth perswade a thing by arguments and strong reasons that is the force of the word as in that place 1 King 21.25 There was none like Ahab which did sell himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord whom Jezabel his wife stirred up stirred up is the word in the text thou movedst me Jezabel moved Ahab incited him never gave him over by arguments and reasons by this consideration and that consideration to doe wickedly in Israel So here Satan did as it were plie God with arguments and reasons to instigate him against Job Thou didst move me against him Satan is a cunning Oratour and knowes how to handle a matter that it may take with greatest advantage Some may question how can this be Will God be mooved by Satan Is not the Lord unchangeable Have Satans words and arguments such power with God to moove him to doe a thing I answer it two wayes We may cleare it first thus As the Saints and people of God in prayer are said to move God and to prevaile with God they are said to carry a businesse with God Now you know what they doe in prayer they doe not only spread a petition barely before God but they strengthen it with all the arguments they can argument upon argument pleading upon pleading yet the Lord himselfe is not stirred he is not changed at all by the prayer of his people it is not to be thought that the Lord upon the prayers of his people takes up any new thoughts or puts on any new resolutions to doe this or that for a mercy that is but a day old in regard of our prayer obtaining it is an eternity old in regard of God purposing it therefore God is not changed at all but he is said to be moved to give or doe as or when we pray because he giveth and doth what he himselfe had purposed to give when we should pray for as God from all eternity did purpose to give to his people such and such mercies so he did purpose and decree to give them when they prayed Now then as it is in regard of his peoples prayer and seeking for mercy they move God but it is onely the bringing forth of that which he had in his heart from all eternity to doe for them So here in this case God had a purpose from all eternity to try Job and likewise he did purpose the way and the meanes of it that it should be done upon the motion and instigation of Satan For although God cannot be moved by any to doe a thing which before he intended not he is unchangeable yet as by his eternall will and counsell he doth produce things in time So likewise from eternity he did order and will the manner of their producing he purposed to do good for his Church upon the supplications of his servants and sometimes to afflict his Church or servants at the instigation of Satan Secondly This place thou movedst me against him is to be understood by a figure very frequent in the Scripture God speaking of himselfe after the manner of men because as men usually when they do a thing are moved by others to do it and by perswasions are sometime prevailed with to doe that which they intended not an houre before So God is said to doe a thing upon motion though he intended it from eternity often descending to expresse himselfe by that which is common to men though his manner of doing it be transcendent infinitely beyond men From the force of this word so explained Thou movedst me against him Observe That Satan is an earnest and importunatè solicitour against the people and Church of God he without ceasing provokes God against them he bends his wits and straines his language to the height in pleading against them to get them delivered up into his hands or into the hands of his instruments And if Satan be thus zealous so importunate a sollicitour against the Saints It may teach us to be as earnest and zealous for the Saints Satan doth not onely move but he moveth by arguments he incites It is not enough to pray by proposing our desires but we must pray enforcing and pressing our desires such a holy unquietnesse of spirit as is expressed by the Prophet Isa 62.1 For Zions sake will I not hold my peace and for Jerusalems sake will I not rest c. Such was that required of the Watch-men set upon the walls of Jerusalem which should never hold their peace day nor night Yee that make mention of the Lord or yee that are the Lords remembrancers keepe not silence and give him
endure from the hand of God or man This Christ approves and commends in his Disciples Luk. 22.28 Yee are they saith he who have continued with me in my temptation It is an easie peece of friendship or discipleship to continue with Christ at a feast or at a full Table but in a temptation to continue with him speakes a Disciple indeed Some friends are like the Swallow they come in the Summer and sing with you but when it is Winter cold and frost then farewell they must seeke a warmer climate These are summer friends while the summer of comfort the summer of riches the summer of outward contentment lasteth you cannot be rid of them but if the winter come the winter of trouble and sorrow and poverty and sicknesse they are gone they will not once look on you they passe on the other side of the way as the Levite did when he saw the man lye wounded and weltring in his blood Luk. 10.32 these are summer friends not winter friends not Secondly observe this As it is an act and an argument of friend they ship to doe thus so it is likewise a duty to doe thus It is a duty to mourne with those that mourne and to visit those that are in affliction Many looke upon it only as a complement to visit their sad friends we must looke upon it as a duty Christ puts it Mat. 25.36 as one of those visible acts of duty upon which he will pronounce the blessing of that great day Come ye blessed why I was sick and ye visited me Christ is not sick in his person he is in Heaven where is no sin and therefore no sicknesse shall ever enter and indeed he never was sick in his person when he was here upon the earth Christ did not beare our personall infirmities he bore only our naturall infirmities I know it is said he bore our sicknesses by compassion and by compensation but he was not sick Whereas then Christ saith I was sick he meanes sick in his members And when he saith ye visited me he meanes his sick distressed servants he takes it so kindly when done to his that he reckons it as done to himselfe It is an act you see and an office of love upon which Christ hath a speciall eye The Apostle James chap. 1.27 doth as it were put all Religion in this It is such a fruit of Religion as doth evidence the truth of Religion and therefore hath obtained not only the name of Religion but is made the defenition of Religion· Pure Religion saith he and undefiled before God the Father is this What is it To visit the fatherlesse and the widdow in their affliction This is a definition from the effect It is not put in generall that to visit the fatherlesse and the widdow but to visit them in their affliction is pure Religion that is this is a fruit that which groweth up from the roote of pure Religion if pure Religion live in the heart this will be a fruit in the life Wherefore looke not upon the visitation of a disconsolate friend as a matter of indifferency but of duty and doe it not only for love but for conscience Thirdly The text saith as soone as they heard or when they heard of all the evill that was come upon Job they came to mourne with him Then Observe The very report of an others suffering should move us to mourne and suffer with him Report should bring us when we doe but heare of such a thing It is very unwarrantable to judge or censure a friend upon report and heare-say but a report is warrant enough to pitty and pray for him to visit and comfort him Remember them that are in bonds saith the Apostle Heb. 13.3 as bound with them Remember them Remembrance is of things and persons which are absent remember them though you see them not though absent from you yet make their case as present be as bound with them be as afflicted with them yea hasten into their presence Beare one anothers burthens Gal. 6.2 Rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weepe with them that weepe Rom. 12.5 Be ye all of one mind having compassion one of another 1 Pet. 3.8 are Apostolicall rules for and tryals of Gospell-love It was a sad condition that David was in and it was a very sinfull condition that others about him were in when he saith Psal 69.20 I looked for some to take pitty but there was none and for comforters but I found none But if it be sinfull not to ease when it is in our power the sorrowes of others how sinfull is it to adde to their sorrow Such David found typing Christ in his sufferings who gave him gall for meate and in his thirst they gave him vinegar to drinke Thus the Lord complaines of those Heathen by the Prophet Zacharie Zach. 1.15 I was but a little displeased with my people and they helped forward the affliction Againe If it be a duty to mourne over the afflictions of others how exceeding sinfull is it to rejoyce at the afflictions of others This was Edoms wickednesse reproved by the Prophet Obadiah vers 12. Thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger neither shouldest thou have rejoyced over the children of Judah in the day of their affliction neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distresse We may further presse this point in reference unto the present condition of our bretheren in many places of this Nation in reference to the whole Nation of Ireland yea of the whole Church of God Are they not all mourners And if we are to mourne with private friends much more then with publick with whole Kingdomes and Churches We may bespeake all passengers in the language of the Prophet Jeremie lamenting over the desolations of Jerusalem Is it nothing to you all you that passe by England Ireland Is it nothing to you that travell though but in meditation into the Churches of Christ in Germanie c. We reade of Nehemiah Cap. 1.4 when he heard the report of Jerusalems desolation though himselfe was farre off at Babylon though himselfe was rich and full and preferr'd in the Court of that Persian Monarch yet he mourned many dayes And Daniel Cap. 10.2 mourned three full weekes that is one and twenty dayes together over the distressed estate and condition of his people Jeremie wisheth Oh that my head were a fountaine of teares that I might weepe night and day for the slaine of the daughter of my people Chap. 9.1 We have had many slaine choice ones slaine this should be matter of mourning to us Take heed of such a spirit as is reproved in those Amos 6. Who sate upon beds of Ivory and stretched themselves upon their couches who eate the lambs out of the flocke and the calves out of the midst of the stall Who chaunted to the sound of the viol and invented to themselves instruments of
often doth Job in this Booke breath forth patience humility faith love and stedfast trust in God whatsoever he should doe with him these ballance his complainings yea indeed they over-ballance them so much for the setling of our judgements about Jobs patience that they leave not so much as an opinion of the contrary Fifthly Take this into consideration that though he did complaine and complaine bitterly yet he recovered out of these complainings he was not overcome by impatience though some impatient speeches came from him he recalls what he had spoken and repents for what he had done See how he submitteth himself Cap. 42. how low he lies before God even in the dust and saith I will speake no more If I have been impatient I will use no more impatient speeches If I have been impatient I repent of it I repent of it in dust and ashes To repent of impatience takes away the imputation of impatience and to say I will doe evill no more gaines through the mercy of God in Christ an acceptance of us as if we had done no evill A man is a conquerour though in the battell he suffers many foiles and receiveth many wounds and looseth much blood though for a great while in the day a man be worsted yea though a whole Army be worsted yet if in the evening in the close of the day he and they keep the field and foile the enemy the day is wonne and victory goes on this side Job was in a great battell in a sore fight of afflictions though it be granted that he received some wounds and had some foyles and sometimes lookes as if he had been beaten and speakes as if he had been overcome yet in the close in the evening in the making up of all he went away a conquerour the conclusion was victory and glory Iob had the victory and God had the glory Therefore as the Apostle Iames Chap. 5.11 when he speakes of enduring with joy referres us to the end of Iobs day of trouble to the end which the Lord made yee have heard saith he of the patience of Job and have seene the end of the Lord. So looke to the end of Iob to the end which through the strength of the Lord Job made and there you shall see patience having a perfect worke or the perfect worke of patience Looke not alone upon all the actings of Iob when he was in the height and heate of the battell looke to the onset he was so very patient in the beginning though vehemently stirred that Satan had not a word to say looke to the end and you cannot say but Iob was a patient man full of patience a mirrour of patience if not a miracle of patience a man whose face shined with the glory of that grace above all the children of men So much for that Question I shall now adde two or three points of Observation The first thing then that we may observe from hence is this If we compare Iob in the two former Chapters with Iob in the third we shall find that the case is altered with him he scarce speakes like the same man Hence observe in the generall That the holiest person in this life doth not alwayes keepe in the same frame of holinesse There is a great deale of difference betweene what he spake in the former chapters when he heard of and felt these things first and what he speakes now The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. Shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evill This was the language we lately heard but now cursing certainely his spirit had been in a more holy frame more sedate and quiet then now it was At the best in this life we are but imperfect yet at some time we are more imperfect then we are at an other Faith is never very strong yet at some time faith is weaker then at an other Our love to Christ is never very hot but yet at some time it is colder then at another we cannot keepe it in the same degrees of heate A man at one time can both doe and suffer and a while after he can neither doe nor suffer as he could at that time he is out of frame and bungles in both Take the life of a Christian all together it is a progresse it is a continuall growing yet take his life apart consider him in every circumstance and stage of his life then there are many stops and stands in his life yea many declinings As it is with a child Take a child and his life from his birth to his full age is in a growing condition yet consider him at some particular time and the child may abate the child may not only not be stronger but much weaker then he was a yeare or a moneth before So it is with us from the first houre of our spirituall life till we attaine full stature of it in Christ Onely this is our comfort that in Heaven our soules shall be set up in such a frame of holinesse as shall never be moved nor abated in the least degree Looke in what frame the hand of God sets us up in that day we shall continue so to all eternity and that will be the highest and most exquisite frame both of holinesse and of delight But now wee are up and downe one day patient and another day impatient now beleeving and another day distrusting now the heart melts and is very tender anon it is very hard and relentlesse How meeke a man was Moses not such a man for meekenesse upon the face of the whole earth and yet at one time passionate and at another so angry that he spake unadvisedly with his lips How full of faith was Peter at one time how resolv'd to stick close to Christ yet shortly after how full of feare and for feare denying Christ We who receive good gifts and perfect guifts are subject to turnes and variations onely he from whom every good and perfect guift comes is without variablenesse or shadow of turning Secondly observe That great sufferings may fill the mouthes of holiest persons with great complainings Job was not only afflicted but afflicted greatly Job did not only complaine but he complained greatly You see what complainings David made in his great troubles Psal 77.2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord my sore ran in the night and ceased not my soule refused to be comforted So Heman Psal 88.3 My soule is full of troubles and my life draweth nigh unto the grave and verse 15. I am afflicted and ready to dye from my youth up while I suffer thy terrours I am distracted Hezekiah under the greatnesse of his affliction Isa 38.14 saith Like a Crane or Swallow so did I chatter I did mourne as a Dove c. Jeremie a holy Prophet speakes if not out-speakes Job in his complaint Chap. 20.14 Cursed be the day wherein I
the most exquisite and costly ornaments hung with the most curious and lively pictures if there be no light there the beauty of all is lost to us darknesse staines it you may have as good a sight in a dungeon as there Againe take it for Metaphoricall or improper darknesse that also staines the beauty of the creature if you have never so great a stock and estate of riches or honour c. let but sorrow and trouble warre and divisions arise the beauty of all is stained What is honour then but higher unhappinesse And what are riches then but golden thoâ—â—â—s What is liberty then but freer misery And what is strength then but stronger paine and an ability to beare a heavier burden of affliction The glory and beauty of the creature is gone in darke times when such a day comes as Joel speakes of a day of blacknesse and gloominesse wher 's your bravery what becomes of your finenesse But that which staines the creature most is mysticall darknesse the darknesse of ignorance and of sin the darknesse of guilt and of Gods displeasure O how is the beauty of the soule which is farre more glorious then all visible creatures how is the beauty of that stained when it lyes under any of these darknesses Hence therefore we see what a blessing light is and how we are bound to blesse God for light for naturall light for the outward light of a comfortable condition but especially for the light of his countenance which is better then life for the light of knowledge for the light of grace how should we for ever blesse the Father of lights Let a cloud dwell upon it This is the fifth branch of the curse A cloud as naturalists teach is a thick vapour raised up by the heate of the Sun to the middle region of the ayre and there-by the cold condensed becomes so thick that it stopps and intercepteth the light Cloudes and darknesse goe together as in the 97th Psalme ver 2. if there be clouds there is darknesse Clouds and darknesse are round about him So that to say let a cloud dwell upon it is but a further exemplifying of the same thing before it was let darkness be upon it now let a cloud dwell upon it Dwelling notes the continuance and consistency of darknesse he doth not say let a cloud passe over it for clouds properly are unfixed clouds move continually and are carried on the wings of the wind But Job would have his cloud a fixed cloud a cloud so black and so strong as might not be dissolved but cause a continued ecclipse upon the day A cloud and the dwelling of a cloud imports sometime the care and protection of God over his people Exod. 40.38 We reade of a cloud that was continually over the Tabernacle a cloud was over it by day and a pillar of fire by night In the fire there was direction in the cloud protection and mercy in both So Isa 4.5 God promiseth to create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion and upon her assemblies a cloud Which is expounded in the close of the verse For upon all his glory his Church and Saints there shall be a defence But here the cloud and the dwelling of it notes continued darknesse As if Job should have said If the light doe shine upon that day I wish that a curtaine might be drawn perpetually between the world and the Sun let a cloud dwell before the face of the Sun which may muffle it and intercept those beames which would enlighten and refresh the earth Clouds are refreshings yet clouds you see may prove afflictions As a cloud is a protection at one time so it may be an affliction at another As a cloud shadowes us from the heate it is a blessing but as a cloud ecclipses the light so it is a curse The same creature may be employed both for a curse and for a blessing Yet further Job would not only have it a dwelling cloud but a condensed cloud Some clouds are so thinne that the Sun appeares and light shines thorough them Job desires this may be thick enough not only to cause darknesse but to cause blacknesse Which is the last branch of his curse upon his day Let the blacknesse of the day terrifie it Jobs heart was so full of passion that his sorrowes could not come out at once he takes time and breath Now saith he let the blacknesse of the day terrifie it Blacknesse is more then darkenesse therefore we find blacknesse an addition to darknesse in the Epistle of Jude ver 13. where giving divers elegant characters of wicked men whom he calls spots in their feasts of charity clouds without water trees without fruit raging waves of the sea foaming out their own shame wandring Starres And what is the portion of men thus qualified but Hell wrath and vengeance So he tells us in the next words To whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever Darknesse and the blacknesse of darknesse is the portion of those that shall for ever lie under the wrath of God blacknesse of darknesse is the beauty of Hell that fire will besoote the damned to all eternity Then the blacknesse of darknesse is the darkest darknesse that can be imagined blacknesse of darknesse was Egypts plague that was darknesse and thick darknesse darknesse to be felt Exo. 10.21 so darke that no man could see another neither arose any from his place for three dayes ver 23. this was blacknesse of darknesse the picture of Hell that chamber of darknesse The word in the Hebrew signifieth heate and blacknesse The reason is given because heate makes things black and sworthy from the same word those Idolatrous Priests spoken of 2 King 23.5 were called Chemarims or the black Priests and they were called so either from the black vests or garments which they commonly wore or from the heate and fire of their furious zeale either in the defence or exercise of their superstitious worship or from the smoaky incense which they offered fit enough to black themselves but no way pleasing unto God Let the blacknesse of the day terrifie it Terrifie what Terrifie the day The day is not capable of feares or of afrightments but the meaning is this let the blacknesse of the day make it a terrible day or let it be a terrible day by reason of the blacknesse of it As we use to say such a day was a terrible day it was a black day Changes in the course of nature are full of terrour That which is proper and naturall to the day is light therefore to see the day covered with blacknesse must needs affright us when we looke for light as they in the Prophet and behold darknesse that troubles but when we looke for light and behold blacknesse that terrifies The vulgar Latine translation reades it thus Let as it were the bitternesses of the day terrifie it The bitternesses of the day are those sad accidents and
troubles which fall out upon that day To which sence the Chaldee Paraphrase thus expounds it let such bitternesses of the day afflict it as the Prophet Jeremie was afflicted with for the destruction of the Temple or as Jonas when he was cast into the sea Hard bondage made the lives of the Israelites bitter Exod. 1.14 And when the Lord threatens to turne their feasts into mourning and their songs into lamentation he concludes thus and I will make it as the mourning of an only sonne and the end thereof as a bitter day Amos 8 10. Hence afflictions are called gall and wormewood bitter things And the Chaldeans whom God made so great a scourge to his own people are called a bitter Nation Hab. 1.6 We have opened these words which concerne the curse upon Jobs day Now followes his curse upon the night Verse 6. As for the night let darknesse seize upon it let it not be joyned to the dayes of the yeare let it not come into the number of the months Verse 7. Loe let that night be solitary let no joyfull voice come therein He goeth on in his former passionate Rhetorick to loade the night with as many evills if not more as he had done the day As for that night let darknesse seize upon it We have heard of darknesse before darknesse upon the day What doth Job meane here to call for darkenesse upon the night The night is it selfe full of darknesse yea darknesse is proper to the night Is it any curse to say let wormewood be bitter or to say let leade be heavy the naturall property of a thing cannot be the punishment of a thing How is it then that Job saith Let that night be darknesse or Let darknesse seize upon it Though it be true that darknesse is proper to the night yet there are degrees of darknesse and every darknesse is not proper to the night The word here used for darknesse is observed by Grammarians to signifie an extraordinary thick darknesse yea darknesse joyned with tempest Let thick tempestuous darknesse seize upon or take hold of that night for the word signifies to graspe or take a thing in ones hands let darknesse graspe it Though the night be darke yet it may be darker we call some nights light nights in comparison of others Note from this That there is no estate so ill but it is possible it may be worse The night is darke yet you may super-adde darknesse to it and though the condition of any person or people be as the night darke yet the darknesse may increase more and more to a perfect night You know what God saith concerning the people of the Jewes when he threatned them with troubles I will punish you yet seven times more for your sinnes God can make such a night as that the former night shall seeme a day to it God can adde darknesse to the darknesse of the night God can adde bitternesse to the bitternesse of womewood and make leade more heavy then leade There is no man on earth in so sad a condition but he may be in a worse Art thou poore God can send thee such poverty as that thy former poverty was riches compared with this Art thou weake and sick God can adde more sicknesse and make thee so weake that thy former sicknesse may be accounted health and thy weaknesse strength compared with this In this sense darknesse seizeth upon the night He wishes a second evill upon that night Let it not be joyned to the dayes of the yeare Some reade it thus Let it not be computed in the dayes of the yeare Others Let it not be in the dayes of the yeare This is another evill he calls down upon the night The glory of the night consisteth in its conjunction to the day hence light and darknesse put together come both under the denomination and notion of day Night is called day as being a part of the naturall day Now that which is the chiefe priviledge of the night this curse strikes at Job would have it rent and disjoynted from the day Let it not be joyned to the dayes of the yeare Disunion and division is a great curse when the night is not joyned to the day it is the curse of the night The Rabbins have a conceit why after the worke of the second day was finished God beholding what he had done did not adde any approbation to it when he made the light which was the first dayes worke he approves it God saw the light and said it was good but to the work of the second day God subjoyned no approbation by saying it was good The reason I say which many of the Rabbins give of it was this because then was the first disunion that made the first second that ever was all before was one sub unissimo Deo under the one-most God I shall leave this phancie to the Rabbins But there is somewhat in the notion it selfe namely that division and disunion are the evills of the creature The night hath glory by union with the day the weakest things and the obscurest things havean honour by being joyned with the stronger more excellent And as these naturall disunions are the affliction of naturall things so civill disunions and civill divisions are much more the affliction of people and Nations Christ assures us that the strongest Kingdome divided cannot stand Mark 3.24 Weake things are strong by union and that not only by union with the strong but by union among themselves Weake things united are strengthened joyne weake with weake and they are strong And things obscure united are honourable especially if united with that which is honourable The glory of the wife is in the band of union with her husband she shines with the rayes of her husbands honour whatsoever naturall or civill excellency is in him reflects upon her The woman is the glory of the man as the Apostle speakes 1 Cor. 11.7 in regard of subjection It is mans glory that God hath given him superiority over so excellent a creature But in another sense the man is the glory of the woman she communicates with him in all his dignity how great soever Thus also the day is the glory of the night The night shines by her marriage with the day Job sues out a divorce betweene them Let it it not be joyned to the dayes of the yeare And let it not come into the number of the moneths The Originall may be translated in the number of the Moones The same word among the Hebrewes signifieth the Moone and a moneth as likewise among the Grecians And the reason is because their moneths were counted by their Moones and the Moone is renewed every moneth Every Lunation made a Moneth and thirteene Lunations made a yeare their moneth consisting of 28 dayes which is a Lunary moneth So that when Job saith Let it not come into the number of the moneths he would take away one speciall benefit of the
those plaine-hearted mourners but for those also who are skillfull in lamentations such as Jeremie to set a song in the highest straines of lamentation for the bewailing of our troubles And say let such lament our day as lamented Jerusalem let such lament it as have lately lamented Germany such as now lament the ruines and desolations of Ireland Verse 9. Let the Starres of the twi-light thereof be darke let it looke for light but have none neither let it see the dawning of the day This is the last part of the curse which Job passeth upon his night Let the Starres of the twi-light thereof be darke Some comforts of the night are naturall others are accidentall Job in the former verses wishes away the accidentall comforts The meeting of friends and the voice of musick In this verse he removes the naturall comforts of the night which are two First The present light of the Starres Secondly The expected light of the Sunne The first comfort of the night is that though it be darke by the absence of the Sunne yet there is some light by the presence and shining of the Starres And it is a greater comfort in the night to remember that though now I have no light but from a glimmering Starre yet shortly the light of the glorious Sunne will shine upon me But in how darke a condition is the night when the Sunne is gone and the Starres too when the Starres are clouded from shining and the Sunne stayed from rising This Job wishes as the state of that night Let the Starres thereof be darke yea let it have no hope to see the Sun that is let it be an everlasting night Let the Starres of the twi-light thereof be darke By twilight we are to understand the beginning of the night or the evening when the Starres first appeare the word signifieth both twi-lights the twi-light of the evening and the twi-light of the morning The Starres of the twi-light are those resplendent Starres so much observed by Astronomers and observable by the Vulgar which shine in the evening and the morning When Job would have these Starres of the twi-light to be darke Heat once takes away a three-fold benefit from the night First These Starres are a great ornament to the night What a glorious spectacle is it to see the canopie of Heaven bespangled with the Starres as a garment set with Studs or Oes of Gold Secondly The Starres are a great delight and comfort in the night Thirdly The Starres are for direction and as guides in the night Hence Sea-men and Travellers mourne when they cannot see the Starres The Starres are the Marriners guide in the night While his hand is upon the helme his eye is toward Heaven and in the Heavens his eye is upon the site and motion of the Starres The woefull condition of those Sea-men in the storme is thus exprest Acts 27.20 Now when for many dayes neither Sunne nor Starre had appeared When Sea-men feele a storme in the night and cannot see a Star in the night their case is almost desperate Though the light of a Star be little yet the benefit is very great Let it looke for light but have none The Hebrew is Let it looke for light and none which is an usuall Illeipsis we supply the word have Let it looke for light and have none Let it looke for light He putteth that in to aggravate the sorrow of that night I would have this night expect the light let it waite and looke for it earnestly but let it have none let it be full of hopes but empty of enjoyments Let that night know no succession of a day whereas usually the Sun goes and returnes it sets and rises now let it goe and not returne let it set and never rise againe Neither let it see the dawning of the day He doth not only wish away full cleare and perfect light but the dawning of the day which is imperfect light let not so much as the beginning or first moment of a morning succeed that night The words in the Originall are Let it not see the eye-lids of the morning It is a very elegant expression noting the first breakin gs of light when the Sun peepes above the Horizon which Poets call the Raies of light streames of light or the wings of the morning As our Lord Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse is said to rise with healing in his wings Mal. 4.2 So the eye-lids of the morning alluding to the Sun which is the eye of Heaven and when the day dawneth the eye-lids of Heaven open the Sun awakens and looks out Even as when a man awakes first his eye-lids open These rayes of the Sun are compared to eye-lids because like the eye-lids they twincle or move continually darting themselves forth into the ayre and upon the earth In that Job forbids the Star-light and would take away the hope of Sun-light from that night Observe first That in sad times small comforts may passe for great mercies In the day time no man lookes after the Starres Star-light is not valued while Sun-light is enjoyed but in the night a Star is a welcome sight He that is full saith Solomon despiseth the honey-combe but to the hungry soule every bitter thing is sweet When a man is hungry and wants a little is pleasant to him as our proverbe hath it Halfe a loafe is better then none A great Emperour once dranke puddle-water with more delight he professed then ever he had done the most delicious wines Sad times and hardship make that pleasant and very acceptable which in plenty we slight and passe by Hence it followes That the removing of small comforts in sad times are great afflictions If Starres which have but little light be taken from the night a great affliction is added to the night Some can loose more then another mans all and yet feele it not yet thinke they have lost nothing We are not troubled at the losse of small things when we enjoy greater But when all wee have are small then any thing we loose is great As in Nathans Parable 2 Sam. 12. when the poore man having lost but one Lambe had lost all he complaines greatly Secondly Job saith Let it looke for light but have none There is much in that He doth not say Let this night have no light but let it looke for light and have none From this we may observe That the want of that afflicteth us most which wee expect most If the night that is man in the night did not expect and looke for light it would not be much troubled with the absence of light To loose our expectation is more then the losse of the thing expected It is said of Siseras mother Judg. 5.28 when her sonne was upon that expedition against the people of God that shee looked out at a window and cryed through the lattesse why is his chariot so long in coming why tarry the wheeles of his
the spheare of nature can see no misery so miserable or evill so bad as not to be But a Divine can he sees two things worse First An everlasting staine and guilt of sin lying upon the soule Secondly The everlasting wrath and displeasure of God powred out upon the whole man Hence Christ saith of Judas who betrayed him Mat. 26.24 It had beene good for that man if he had not been borne because that accursed act joyned with his impenitence and unbeleefe subjected him to everlasting misery to wrath for evermore It had been good he had never been borne rather then to fall into such a sin and from that to fall into Hell Not to be borne is in this place as much as not to be And it had been good for him not to have beene borne is as much as to say it had been better for him not to have beene borne It had been better for him not to have been then to have committed such a sin to lie under such wrath and to loose such happinesse for ever Though a state of damnation considered abstractedly be better then no state at all that is then a not being yet in the concrete it is not better to be damned then not to be In it selfe eternall misery is better then a non-entity but a man eternally miserable is worse then a non-ens And without doubt it will be the eternall desire of the damned and that desire is both a part and an encrease of their misery that they never had been or now might cease to be rather then continue to be miserable Now to shut up and resolve the question as to the ground of it Jobs complaint in this Text I say Job was only in the present feeling of temporall troubles and he was beyond the feare of eternall Therefore number this among his failings that he wisht he had never been conceived because he was thus afflicted JOB 3. Ver. 14 15 16 17 18. Verse 14. With Kings and Counsellours of the earth which build desolate places for themselves Or with Princes that had gold who filled their houses with silver Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been as infants which never saw light There the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary be at rest There the prisoners rest together they heare not the voice of the oppressour c. FRom the 10th verse of this Chapter to the end of the 19th we have shewed you that Job layeth downe the cause of his former bitternesse and complainings against his day At the 10th verse he is angry because it hindred not his conception and his birth And at the 13th he giveth a further cause of that cause For then saith he I should have been at rest Now being about to prove that in death he should have found rest he doth it by an induction of particulars As if he had thus said Where all sorts of persons even they who have been hardest wrought and most troubled in the world find rest there surely I should have found rest also But in death persons that have been hardest wrought and most troubled in the world find rest therefore there I should have found rest too Now for the proving of this assumption that in death all sorts of persons find rest even those who have been most travail'd tired and worne out in the world To prove this I say he gives instance in divers almost all rankes degrees and conditions of men First In those who are great rich and wise in Kings and Counsellours of the earth which build desolate places for themselves And in Princes who had gold who filled their houses with treasure c. With Kings and Counsellors of the earth With Kings The word here used properly noteth such as rule by Law such as are opposed to Tyrants who rule according to the dictates of their own will With such Kings Counsellours are usually joyned With Kings and Counsellours of the earth Great Princes have their Councells and it is a happy conjunction when good Kings and good Counsellours meet together Yea many times bad men are good Kings when they are attended with good Counsellours Whereas evill Counsellours often make a good man a bad King and by their poisonous whispers and instillations at the eare corrupt the hearts and taint the spirits of the best Princes In the multitude of Counsellours saith Solomon Prov 15.21 there is safety The safety of Kings and the safety of Kingdomes doth consist in following this multitude Where there are good Counsellours and a multitude of them we may expect good and much good a multitude of blessings upon a Nation Now when Job had named these eminent persons Kings and Counsellours he addeth somewhat further by way of their description he giveth as it were a character of them from their studies and imployments With Kings and Counsellours of the earth which build desolate places for themselves It may seeme very doubtfull what is here meant by these desolate places and the building of them The word in the Hebrew is desolations or destructions It comes from Charab which signifies to dry up because dry places are desolate places as a desolate wildernesse for the drinesse of it being unfit to sustaine man or beast Hence the name of the Mount Horeb Exod. 3.1 called so from drinesse because there was no water Deut. 8.15 The same word also signifies a sword because the sword as we see by woefull experience makes places desolate But what Job should meane by this That Kings and Counsellours of the earth build solitary places for themselves is questionable First Some take it for an expression of vast and mighty buildings Pallaces and houses of such largenesse and content that when great Princes and Kings have their full retinue and families in them they can scarce be seen But I see no reason at all for that sense and therefore I passe it a little touch will make that opinion desolate Others by these desolate places conceive that Job meaneth Forrests and Parkes places of pleasure which Kings and great men use to build and make up for delight and recreation Or thirdly That by desolate places are meant houses built in desolate or solitary places in Woods and Forrests Princes and great men wil have their houses farre remote from Townes and places of resort that they may be free from suitors and retire when they please from the throng of the multitude It is said concerning Solomon 1 King 7.2 that after he had built the Temple and his own house for his Kingly residence he built a house in the Forrest of Lebanon But this may be called a building in rather then a building of desolate places Fourthly Rather I conceive that Kings and Counsellours of the earth may be said to build desolate places when finding places desolate and ruined they with vast expences raise up and build stately Fabriques upon them to get themselves a name As want and poverty warre and
no rest till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the Earth Isa 62. ver 6 7. This duty is now doubled on us by the great afflictions and greater feares of Sion When Christ was in his agony he prayed more earnestly Luk. 22.44 And when his Church is in an agony we ought to pray more earnestly At such a time we must mingle more fire with our prayers we must pray more fervently At such a time we must mingle more water with our prayers wee must pray more repentingly We must with Jacob Hos 12. weepe and make supplication At such a time we must mingle more faith with our prayers we must pray more beleevingly In a word at such a time every prayer must be a pleading yea a wrestling with God a wrestling with resolution not to let him goe untill wee have got a blessing till wee prevaile with God to destroy his Churches enemies as Satan in the text moved God to destroy Job his servant and his friend So it followes Thou movedst me against him to destroy him To destroy him The word Destroy signifieth to swallow up or to devoure You have it Gen. 41.4 where it is said that the seven leane eares and seven leane kine did devoure or eat up the seven full eares and the seven fat kine And Exod. 7.12 the text saith That Moses his rod did swallow up the rods of the Magicians Psal 124.3 Vnles the Lord had been on our side they had swallowed us up quicke In all these places it is the same word we have here thou movedst me to destroy him In the former Chapter where Satan desired God to touch Job I shewed what kind of touches Satan desired to lay upon the people of God you see it now cleared by God himselfe Thou movedst me to destroy him to swallow him up Thy words were moderate and diminitive doe but touch him but thy intentions were bloody and destructive thou movedst me to destroy him to make an end of him that was thy meaning Without cause But will the Lord the wise God doe any thing without cause A wise a prudent man will not doe any thing without cause though Satan may be so brutish and unreasonable to move God to doe a thing for which there is no cause would the Lord be so perswaded by his motion to doe it without cause The text seemeth here to speake so thou movedst me to destroy him without cause and God hearkned to his motion before and gave him up all his estate to doe with it what he pleased Briefly to cleare this Without cause It is the same originall word used in the former Chapter Doth Job serve God for nought or without cause as was then opened so here Thou movedst me against him to destroy him without cause or thou movedst me against him for nothing or for nought We may consider this phrase of speech without cause three wayes First in reference unto Satan Secondly in reference unto God Thirdly in reference unto Job himselfe From each of these considerations light will shine into this point First in reference unto Satan God tells Satan thou movedst me against him without cause that is Job never gave thee any cause why thou shouldest make such a motion against him Job had never wronged thee or done thee any hurt as David saith of his enemies they are mine enemies without cause I was never injurious or unjust unto them So Satan was Jobs enemy without cause Job never gave him occasion Indeed the holinesse and goodnesse of Job was Satans griefe and Satans trouble but for any other trouble or wrong Job never did him therâ—fore without cause it was in reference unto Satan 2. In reference unto Satan without cause that is Thou didst not alleadge any sufficient cause or charge him with any particular crime thou didst onely bring in a generall suspition against him there was not so much as a common fame as you know it was a course to accuse men upon common fame So saith God here it was nothing but a suspition raised out of thine owne braine as indeed those common fames that we heard of not long since upon which many were accused yea condemn'd were only suspitions borne in the brains of those men So here Job was charged meerly upon the suspition of Satan there was no crime directly alleadged nor any evill report in the world against him cause was not shew'd legally therefore without cause thou movedst me against him 3. In reference unto Satan without cause that is it now appeareth upon the tryall that thou didst move me against him without cause that which thou didst pretend to be the cause was not found in Job thou pretendest he was an hypocrite and served me for himselfe now thou seâ—st thy selfe confuted it appeareth he did serve me for nought sincerely and not for his owne endâ— He is no painted sepulcher no rotten self-seeker If we consider the words in the second place with reference unto God Thou didst move me against him without cause then we must take heed of thinking that God doth any thing without cause No the wise God doth every thing in number weight and measure he doth every thing upon great reason upon the highest reason God will not doe the lowest thing but upon the height of reason he doth the least thing upon greater reason than the greatest Polititians in the world doe the greatest Therefore God had reason important reason to give Job up to be afflicted He did it for the tryall of Job he did it for the magnifying of his free-grace and the graces of his free Spirit in his weake creature he did it that Job might be set up as an example of patience he did it to discover the slander of the devill therefore he did it for strong reasons it was not without cause in reference unto God himselfe Lastly If we consider it in reference unto Job it was not absolutely without cause neither for though there was not that cause in him which Satan pretended namely grosse hypocrisie yet if the Lord should search and sift him narrowly as if he should search and sift the holiest of his servants his pure eyes and holy nature would find sinne enough in them which might justifie him or shew to his justice sufficient cause take the sinne in it selfe not onely to afflict them temporally but to lay his hand upon them for ever Should God I say have tryed him thoroughly and looked upon sinne in it selfe he might finde cause to afflict him in regard of his sinne So then absolutely in reference unto Job it was not without cause God might have found cause in regard of his sinne But there were other causes in reference unto Job it was to try Iob to exercise Iob it was that Iob might have further honour after the tryall There might have been a reason in sinne if the Lord had marked iniquity And there were many reasons in referrence to his good why