or wings of the earth The prophet Malachi comforts those that fear the Name of the Lord with this promise The Sun of Righteousness shall arise to them with healing in his wings The Sun-beams or the light that is conveyed in those beams are compared to wings and they are spread to the very wings of the earth and extend themselves over the whole Hemisphere The morning light like lightning is diffused from East to West in a moment When it is day with one half of the world 't is night with the other but where the Sun comes it gives light all over that half-face of the earth The Sun is an universal benefit and therefore the most excellent outward benefit We say of every good thing by how much 't is the more common communicative and extensive by so much the better it is As evil by how much it spâ—eads it self the further by so much the worse it is so good by how much the more it spreads it self it is the better As the natural light of the day so the spiritual light of the Gospel is very diffusive When the Gospel was first preacht by the Apostles of Christ the day-spring from on high then visiting the world O how speedily did that take hold of the ends of the earth David Psal 22.27 speaking of the Prophetical Office of Christ in sending forth the light of his truth saith All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to God What caused the ends of the earth to remember and what did they remember Surely it was the light of the Gospel taking hold of the ends of the earth which caused the ends of the earth to remember God and themselves they saw their danger and their duty and so turned to God By the ends of the earth in that place of the Psalm we are to understand the inhabitants of the utmost parts of the earth who had never remembred themselves never considered themselves never awakened out of sin never turned to God if the light of the Gospel had not shined to them The natural light is not onely very extensive but powerful and so is the light of the Gospel it goes to the ends of the earth with wonderful effects The Apostles had a Commission from Christ like that which God gives to the Sun to carry their light or to preach the Gospel to every creature The Sun gives light and influence to every creature Psal 19.6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven and his circuit unto the ends of it and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof Nor shall any thing be hid from the light heat and influences of the Gospel Secondly The light is exceeding swift and spreads it self far and near in a moment Many can go far if you give them time but the light goes very far even to the ends of the earth upon the matter without time it goes almost in an instant in the twinkling of an eye it immediately takes hold of the ends of the earth As soon as the Sun ariseth light appeareth day breaks and with an unconceivable speed illustrates all places within its eye or which lie open to it The body of the Sun moves fast to a wonder but the beams of the Sun move faster David Psal 139.9 speaks of the wings of the morning If I take saith he the wings of the morning that is the morning light and flâ—e to the utmost parts of the earth even there shall thy hand lead me c. The morning light is winged and moves with incredible swiftness The Scripture speaks of the morning light with respect to its sudden motion as if it were a feathered or winged fowl spreading its rayes as so many feathers or plumes over all at an instant Though darkness thick darkness hath got possession of the earth in the night yet no sooner doth the light glimmer above the Horizon but darkness is suddenly scattered One would think there should be a great battel a long contest between light and darkness before light could conquer darkness and get it off the face of the earth whereas daily experience teacheth us that the morning having once opened its eye-lids light gets an easie victory and sheddeth it self abroad every where without controul Darkness is soon dispelled and driven out of the field by light Darkness cannot stand its ground before the Sun who is Lord of the day according to the appointment of God Thus the day-spring takes hold of the ends of the earth And if any ask Why doth it so I answer The day-spring is a great and a faithful servant to man There are many uses of light many services which the light doth for us I toucht some of them in opening the former Context We have one especial use or service of it expressed in the close of this verse It takes hold of the ends of the earth That the wicked may be shaken out of it This latter part of the verse seems to have little cognation with and to be of a very difficult connexion with the former for it may be said What hath this shaking of the wicked out of the earth to do with the light taking hold of the ends of the earth I answer The light that takes hold of the ends of the earth is as a Serjeant to arrest and take hold of the wicked and so is a means to shake them out of the earth The words may carry a double Metaphor Lux orat terrae tanquam pallâ—i apprehendit ita impios excutit Rab. Solom First To the shaking of a garment When dust or moths or any thing hurtful to a garment is found upon it we shake it out Thus the Lord sends forth the morning light to take hold of the ends of the earth as of the ends of a great garment that the wicked who are but as dust and vermin may be shaken out of it Secondly The metaphor or allusion may be taken from a sieve As the sieve is shaken when we would separate the chaffe or that which is vile and worthless from among the good corn so the Lord by the light takes hold of the ends of the earth and shakes the wicked like dross or darnel out of the company of honest men I saith the Lord Amos 9.9 will sift the house of Israel among all Nations like as corn is sifted in a sieve yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth that is be lost or perish But the wicked who are as chaffe shall be scattered and perish for ever when the Lord sifts them Again These words That the wicked may be shaken out of it are by some expounded actively The day-spring taketh hold of the ends of the earth that the wicked may shake sc themselves out of it For when the light cometh wicked men do as it were shake themselves out of the earth that is they hide themselves and run their heads into a corner They who in the night and darkness
go abroad doing mischief following wicked purposes when the light appears dis-appear with-draw and play as we say least in sight Job 24.13 The wicked are they that rebel against the light they hate it cannot endure it they are like the wild beasts of the earth that raven in the night but in the day couch in their dens and coverts no man can tell where to find them Psal 104.20 21 22. Thou makest darkness and it is night wherein all the beasts of the forrest do creep forth c. The Sun ariseth they gather themselves together and lay them down in their dens Thus the wild beasts are shaken out of the earth when the light appears and so are wicked beast-like men John 3.20 Every one that doth evil hateth the light And as such hate the spiritual light of the Gospel so they do not very well like the natural light of the day Wicked men decline the light and are called darkness and their works are called the works of darkness and therefore when the Sun ariseth theeves robbers and all of those wicked trades may be said to shake themselves out of the earth He that doth evil hates the light he looks upon light as an enemy Fourthly These words Mane judicia exercebantur Drus Grot. Sensus horum verborum è ut improbi die exorto trahantur ad judicia ac ita terra excutiantur Pisc That the wicked might be shaken out of it are rather to be understood of the wicked as often apprehended in the morning for evil done in the night When the day-spring appears it discovers wicked men who being taken examined and tried are by the Sentence of the Judge and Decree of the Magistrate shaken out of the earth God the Supream Judge seems to search the whole earth by the Candle of the Sun as he once threatned to search Jerusalem with candles Hence Note First Light is a discoverer Light makes all things manifest As the light of the Word discovers the evil that is in the works of wicked men and makes that manifest so the light of the Sun discovers the persons of wicked men and makes them manifest We cannot distinguish white from black nor can we see where men are nor what they are doing till light be-friend us And as the natural light makes things manifest so much more doth spiritual light the light of Law and Gospel By the power of that light wicked men are shaken and driven out of their sins by that light they see judge and condemn themselves And thus the wicked are indeed shaken out of the earth that is out of their earthly state of sin and unbelief Secondly Note Wicked men and light are at no good agreâ—ment He that will continue in any evil bears no good will to any kind of light Odit lucem qâ—i turpiter agit There is nothing more uncouth and displeasing to a man that resolves to live in sin than the light of the Word yea many times than the light which shines in the air Such say as he of old when the day begins to break Lux inimiâ—a propirquat Virg. Our enemy is coming Common day-light which is a great good much more divine light which is a far greater good is counted an evil by evil ones What communion hath light with darkness said the Apostle 2 Cor. 6.14 And as they who are light ought not to have any complying communion with darkness so they who are darkness cannot have or hold any pleasing communion with light Thirdly If we take these words as holding out one main design of the Providence of God in sending the light every morning namely that the wicked may be shaken out of the earth This shews that wicked men should be speedily proceeded with and the earth unburdened of them The ordinary use of the light is that men may go forth to their labour Psal 104.23 Now as that is one great use of light that man may see his honest labour and be guided to or in the works of his calling so another great use of it is to apprehend wicked men who do dishonest work and bring them to judgement David said Psal 101.8 I will early or in the morning destroy all the wicked of the land As soon as ever the light takes hold of the ends of the earth if I can I will take hold of evil doers that is I will not delay much less stop the course of justice against them that do wickedly This was a kingly resolve Early will I destroy the wicked of the land This was the Prophets counsel Jer. 21.3 Execute judgement in the morning that is with the first opportunity It is not good to be rash in judgement nor is it to be slack in judgement Wicked men are a burden to the earth therefore 't is fit with the first when there is no other remedy to unburden the earth of them There is yet another reading and exposition of this latter part of the verse taking the word rendred wicked not for persons Bolduc but for things and then 't is read in the Neuter gender The light takes hold of the ends of the earth to shake wicked or evil things that is those things which are noxious to the earth out of it The heat of the Sun rising upon the earth exhales and draws out hurtful vapours from the earth which abiding in the bowels of it would hinder its fruit-bearing or make it barren This sense is prosecuted all along by some Interpreters quite thorow the 14th and 15th verses but I shall not stay upon it The Lord having shewed this use of the light which he commands every morning shews in the next verse some other uses or effects of it Vers 14. It is turned as clay to the seal and they stand as a garment This verse saith a learned Expositer is so difficult Locus difficilis est quo in extricando si aliquis dixerit aliquid vorisimile a benigno lectore respuendum non est Sanct. that he not to be refused who offers any thing probable towards the opening of it I conceive it may best be understood as an Exposition of those words in the former part of the 13th verse That it might take hold of the ends of the earth it is turned as clay to the seal that is the earth is turned as clay to the seal for when the light passeth through the air it sets as it were a new stamp upon the earth And then the former part of the 15th verse may be taken as an Exposition of the latter part of the 13th verse That the wicked might be shaken out of it and from the wicked light is with-holden that is they are utterly destroyed and so shaken out of the earth It is turned as clay to the seal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sicut lutum sigilli i. e. cui sigillum imponitur Genitivus adjuncti Pisc and they stand as a garment Here are two metaphors to set
out the renewed face of the earth upon the rising of the Sun or the appearance of the morning light First From clay altered by the seal Secondly From mans putting fresh garments and ornaments upon his body It is turned as clay to the seal That is The approach of light makes a great change upon the face of the earth even as if it had received a new or fresh impression as clay doth from a seal A piece of clay is a rude lump without form or figure but if you take a seal and stamp it that clay readily receives any figure or coat of arms engraven on the seal and so 't is turned from what it was in appearance Thus the meaning seems to be this The earth before the Sun riseth is like a rude piece of clay in the night we see no more beauty in the earth than if it had no beauty at all go to a well composed garden walk there in a dark night you cannot discern the figure of any border nor the rarest beauty of any flower nor the pleasantest fruit of any tree planted there your eye cannot take in nor feast it self upon any of those delights while darkness covers the face of the earth but when the light comes Terra ad Solis exâ—ntum immutâ—ta novas infinitus rerum aspâ—ctabilium formas instâ—rluti quod siguli aâ—bitrio effirgitur recipiet quibus tanquam vesto versicolori induatur â—ez then you see the form and figure of every thing before you then the earth is turned as clay to the seal the Sun as it were stamps and impresseth a new beauty and bravery upon it and then the earth which lookt like a void or rude heap appears in its form and figure whether natural or artificial This sense is much insisted upon in opening this Scripture and 't is a good sense setting forth that benefit of the light causing the earth to appear in its propeâ— shape which night or darkness had hidden or obscured Hence Note The shining of the light puts a new face in appearance upon the face of the earth Things that appear not are as if they were not Nothing appears but by the light This is most true of spiritual light when that ariseth upon any place or people that place or people are turned as clay to the seal onely with this difference the natural light of the Sun doth only manifest what figures or stamps are already impressed upon the earth it doth not make any there which were not there before but where the Sun-shine of the Gospel comes though it were a place as rude as Barbarisme it self 't is turned into another shape the people are quite another people in their manners and conversation It was so with this Nation we were once as rude heathens as any in the world but by the light of the Gospel we were turned as clay to the seal we received the figure of Grace the figure of Christianity And at this day in those places among the Indians where the Gospel hath lately come marvelous changes are wrought upon them they have another stamp upon their tongues another kind of language another stamp both upon hand and foot another kind of working and walking than before As the light of the Gospel discovers evil persons to themselves a natural man knows not of what shape he is till he sees himself in that light so it makes them good and puts a new stamp a new figure upon them it makes them indeed new creatures new men they are turned through the mighty power of the Spirit accompanying that light as clay to the seal Such that is as bad as could be were some of you saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.11 but ye are washed c. that is ye are now other manner of men than once ye were It is turned as clay to the seal And they stand as a garment They stand Who stand as a garment The things of the earth they stand to look on as a garment All thingâ— present themselves before us in a goodly hue when the Sun riseth then they appear in their beauty the whole body of the earth is then clothed to the eye of every beholder Hoc hemistichium impersonaliter accipio Sistent sc omnes res tanquam cum vestimento i. e. ornatissina omnia lucis beneficio apparent Coc. As light it self is like a golden robe which the earth puts off every night and puts on again every morning so light shews us all those goodly things which are the earths robes or with which the earth is clothed as with a garment The earth is not onely as a thing without form but as a naked thing as a body without clothing to appearance till the light appears but as soon as the light appears then whatsoever may be called the earths clothing and apparel appears also If any would know more distinctly what the clothing apparel or garment of the earth is I answer First That may be called the earths garment which grows out of it the grass corn herbs flowers trees all these vegetables are as a garment upon the earth Secondly Not only vegetables but animals the beasts of the earth are as a garment to the earth Psal 65.13 The pastures are clothed with flocks the valleys also are covered with corn Corn is to the valleys what flocks are to the pastures their clothing Thirdly Artificial things as well as natural are also the earths garment All those fair buildings Towns and Cities all those goodly Edifices and Pallaces any where raised upon the earth are they not as a garment to the earth so then fruits and flowers growing out of the earth flocks and herds living upon the earth Vt ea mutata sicut argilla sigillari sisterentur illi velâ—â— indumento obducto Jun. i. e. ut cohiberentur improbi à pergendo sceleribus suis promovendis tanquam si obvolverentur panno vultus aut pedes ipsorum ut sequâ—ns versus amplius explicat Jun. Vt mutetur ea sicut lutum cui sigilluxi imprimitur sistentur illi tanquam velati indumento Vt moris erat velari sontes Pisc houses and dwellings built on the earth are a clothing to the earth and they appear to be so by the coming forth and appearance of the light that shews the beauty and figure of the earth the trimings and adornings of it Those things are to the earth as a rich embroidered garment and light manifests them to be so There is yet another exposition of this 14th verse They stand as a garment that is the wicked spoken of in the latter end of the former verse and are there said to be shaken out of the earth who are also spoken of in the following verse where it is said Their light is with-holden and their high arm shall be broken These wicked ones when the light shines are made to stand forth as in a garment That is saith one Author noted in the Margin the wicked
the Egyptians with all their learning could not tell the way how God parted the light then that it should be light in Goshen and darkness to feeling or darkness that might be felt in all the other parts of Egypt so who can give a reason of that distribution of Gospel light which God makes to some parts of the world while other parts of it sit in darkness and in the very shadow of death Secondly In that the Lord puts the Qâ—estion to Job Knowest thou c. for we are still to repeat those words in these questions though not exprest Knowest thou that is thou knowest not Hence Note Man is much in the dark about the light and how God distrubuteth disposeth and dispenseth forth the light Those things that are clear to our sense are often very obscure to our undeâ—standing Nothing more clear to sense than that the light is parted yet what is more obscure than this in what way and how the light is parted And as this parting of the light is marvellous so also in the effect of it held out in the latter part of the Verse Which scattereth the East-wind upon the Earth Some because the relative Which is not expressed in the Original take these words as a distinct question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ventum Orientálem seu trentem subsolanum signifiâ—at per synechdochen hic omnem ventum Sanct. Eurum ventum vehementissimum loco omnium ponit Scult Sol dicitur ventorum pater eurus dicitur subsolanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod sit sub regimine solis Knowest thou by what way the light is parted and taking up that again by what way he scattereth the East-wind upon the Earth But I shall speak of these words as intending this effect of light the scattering the East-wind The Hebrew Word signifies strictly the Eastern part of the World the Sun-rising and so the East-wind which riseth often with the Sun or upon which the Sun hath a great command and may be here put synechdechically for all the Winds Naturalists tell us that lightning which was the first interpretation doth raise the East-wind or causeth it to blow and that the light of the Sun or the Sun-rising hatâ— also an influence upon the wind or raiseth the East-wind is both the observation of Naturalists and an assertion which hath ground in Scripture The Sun is by some called the Father of the Winds and especially of the East-wind and the East-wind hath denominations both in the Greek and Latine Tongue as the Margin shews implying that it is much as it were under the dominion of the Sun It is said Jonah 4.8 that The Lord at the Sun-rising commanded or prepared a vehement East-wind to blow upon the head of Jonah As if the rising of the Sun had some power in the bâ—inging the East-wind and without all doubt the East-wind as one elegantly describes it at that time by Gods Call fought under the banner of the Sun and was confederate with him for the affliction of that angry Prophet Jonah The East-wind is a vehement wind a drying wind a scorching wind Exod. 14.21 When the Lord lead the people of Israel through the Red Sea it is said He commanded a strong East wind to blow all night and divided the Sea The East-wind it seems was the most proper instrument to serve the Providence of God in dividing or scattering and then in gathering the waters of the Sea as here the light is said to scatter the East-wind upon the Earth Mr. Broughton renders these words as expressing the natural aptitude of the wind to spread it self thus And which way the East-wind scattereth it self over the Earth That is which way it will scatter or in what Country it will blow The winds are of a most diffusive nature they scatter themselves they disperse and pass through the air with much violence and vehemence But I shall not stay upon that The main scope and purpose of the Lord in putting this question being onely this To shew that as the light take it either for the lightning or for the light of the Sun is in the hands of God so also that the wind even the East-wind is at his dispose too Hence Note Winds the most vehement and violent winds are under the power of God He who commands the light commands the winds Prov. 30.4 He gathereth the winds in his fist he comprehends them all in his hand 'Ts a wonderful expression of the power of God that he hath the loose winds as fast as a man hath that which he gripes in his fist and 't is at the opening of his hand that they pass forth Whatever natural causes there are of the winds we must look beyond them all at the power of God as the cause reigning over all other causes Christ John 3. treating with Nicodemus about that most spiritual Doctrine of Regeneration or the New Birth to shew how free an agent the Spirit of God is in it compares his workings to that of the Wind of which he saith vers 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth which yet we are not to understand as if the winds did blow at randome or were carried out by their own power and impression Christ speaks of the wind there as if it had a will or wilfulness rather but we are to understand it thus The wind bloweth where it listeth for any thing man can do or say to it let man say what he will let man do what he can the wind blows where it listeth The wind is not under the controul or command of any man no not of the mightiest Prince on Earth yet it bloweth not absolutely where it self but where God listeth The power and skill of all the men in the World cannot alter oâ— controul the wind Some indeed have traded with Witches for winds as if they had the command of them yet know it is onely the Lords chusing their delusions or his giving them up to those delusions and wickednesses which their hearts chuse if at any time any gain a breath of winâ— by trading with them We should onely look by faith and trade with him by pâ—ayer for the managing and disposing of the winds it is he that scattereth the East-wind over the Earth Knowest thou how the East-winds are scattered over the Earth or by what way the Lord scattereth the East-wind over the Earth Hence Note Secondly The way of the Wind is a secret to man as well as the way of the Light The Lord Christ sheweth mans ignorance with respect to the way of the wind John 3.8 Thou hearest the sound thereof but thou knowest not whence it cometh nor whither it goeth Which we are not to understand as if when a man perceives the wind to blow he did not know whence or out of what part of the compasse it comes or towards what point it goes We know when it comes from the East and when it comes from thence we know
are is a secret to man Knowest thou them saith God to Job There are some Ordinances of heaven or some things for which heaven is ordained which are easily and commonly known such are the changes of seasons with the division of night and day of winter and summer There are also sec et Ordinances and Orders given to the heavens according to which they produce many unexpected and extraordinary â—ffects here on earâ—h as Drought and the consequent of it Famine Infection in the air and the consequent of it Pestilential diseases and Mortality Who knows these ordinances of heaven and if these are so unknown then we may conclude First If man know not such like secret Ordinances of heaven surely he is much less able to understand the secret counsels of heaven We know but litle of those things that are commonly seen and felt among us but there are reserves which we cannot know at all Secondly We may hence also conclude If the heavens have their statutes and Ordinances as to their motion c. then much more hath man statutes and ordinances according to which he should move The heavens never move but according to ordinances Let us be sure that whatever we do à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praefectus ideo non nemo praefecturam vertit Drus. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod Augustinus interpretatur commutationes coeâ—i we have an ordinance or word of God for it either express or consequential If the heavens be under such a rule shall we think God hath left man at random or without a rule how to speak and think and do in this world It is dangerous to move without an ordinance much more to move against an ordinance we should take heed of acting besides a Law much more of acting against a Law Knowest thou the Ordinances of heaven and as it followeth Canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth Cast thou set his force upon the earth Ponere dominium est facere ut dominetur quasi dominum constituere Hoâ— homo non facit sed solus Deus Drus. So Mr. Broughton translates To set the dominion is to make one have dominion and as it were to appoint a Lord or Governour in the earth This is not mans work but Gods As if God had said to Job Canst thâ—u give power to or impower the Stars to rule day and night to cause diversity of weathers and of seasons to which all things here below must submit or with which they must needs comply The word which we read Dominion signifies an under dominion an inferior dominion it signifies a Magistracy or power under a Power The Hebrew language hath two words the one signifying the power of a Judge who gives the rule of the Law and the other Qui simplicitèr judicat sententiam pronunciat dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sed executor qui judicatum exequitur cogit refractarios obedire sententiâ—â— judicis dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used signifying the power of a Sheriff who sees execution done A person may be in power and have great command yet not the first or chief command The Heavens have not a supream or an absolute command over the earth but a dominion by way of administration they have and that a large and great one Heaven hath a dominion so far as to execute and fulfil that which God the supream Judge orders determines and gives forth both concerning persons and things here on earth The heavens have a ministerial dominion respecting most changes wrought in this world Their ministry respects not only the constant and usual changes of times and seasons barely considered but they have also a ministry with respect to those usual and rare changes which according to the appointment of God befal the persons and conditions of men in this world Canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth Thou canst not but I can and have I have set and determined what dominion the Heavens shall have upon the earth or how they shall exercise their dominion Hence observe The Heavens have a power on the earth Some Astrologers give them a power of doing all on the earth as if both our lives and livelihoods depended wholly upon the Aspects of Planets It is not this mans endeavour say they nor that mans skill but all flows from the Stars These make or put the Heavens which are Gods work into the place of God himself they put the heavens into the place of the God of Heaven All things are in the hand of Heaven say they We say All things even the Planets themselves are in the hand and at the dispose of God We grant and this Text proves that the Heavens have a great power upon the earth we cannot but see and feel what the Sun doth upon the earth we see it distributes the year into four seasons Summer and Winter Spring and Autumn we see it makes Equinoxes twice in the year when days and nights are of an even length and as many Solstices in one of which dayes are of greatest length and nights in the other We see how the Sun brings forth several effects in those several seasons even the generation or corruption of natural things We know also that as the North draws the Magnete or Load-stone so the Sun the Heliotrope a flower so called because it follows the motion of the Sun It is said also that the Sun hath a great power upon the Cock who therefore croweth about midnight as if he did then congratulate or welcom the return of the Sun from the Antipodes to our Hemisphear Though these instances are not demonstrative or concluding yet they are probable evidences of the Heavens dominion in the earth Further 't is generally agreed that the Moon hath a great Power upon the waters causing the ebbing and flowing of the Sea as also upon those inhabitants of the Sea Shelfish because they are observed to increase with the increase of the Moon and to decrease at the wane of it Nor may we deny the heavens have a dominion upon the bodies of men for though we subscribe not to those fancies of Astronomers who have fixed a special star as ruling the special parts of mans body as you see in Almanacks who tell us also That in the body of man the Sun answers the heart Mars the gall Jupiter the liver Mercury the mouth and tongue Saturn the head though I say we subscribe not to these no nor to those other sentiments of theirs who ascribe a special dominion to the seven Planets over the seven ages or stages into which the course of mans life is commonly divided that is First Infancy to the dominion of the Moon Secondly Childhood to Mercury Thirdly You h to Venus Fourthly Adolescency or the young mans state to the Sun Fifthly Compleat manhood to Mars Sixthly Old age to Jupiter Seventhly extream or decrepid old age to Saturn yet doubtless
of him will honour him with what they have even with their substance and with the first fruits of all their increase Prov. 3.9 Thirdly We may infer Seing God founded the earth He is also the Ruler of it And that the Lord rules the earth is a mercy to all men on the earth The Lord reigns let the earth rejoyce Psal 97.1 That is men of the earth have cause to rejoyce because they have God who is infinitely both wise and good to rule them The Lord is King over all the earth sing ye praises with understanding Psal 47.7 And surely they who understand what a King he is will praise him Fourthly We may be encouraged to go unto God or apply our selves to God about all things here on earth seeing â—e hath laid the fouâ—dations of the earth The Lord having invited his people to ask him things to come concerning his sons and concerning the work of his hands to command him Isa 45.11 adds this in the next words as an encouragement to do so I have made the earth and created man upon it As if he had said Ask of me whatever you would have me do or would have done on earth for I am he that created the earth It may help our faith much when as David expresseth it Psal 11.3 the very foundations of earthly things are destroyed to consider that God laid the foundations of the earth In such a case it may be said as it followeth there in the Psalme What can the righteous do but may it not be said even in that hard case when foundations are destroyed What cannot the Lord do who laid the foundations of the earth This argument the Psalmist also useth Psal 124.8 Our help stands in the Name of the Lord who made heaven and earth Though earth and heaven shake and seem to be confounded or mingled together yet he who made heaven and earth without help can give us help or be our helper If our help stood in the best of men made of earth they might fail us but while our help stands in him that made the earth he will never fail us for he hath said he will not Heb. 13.5 and their experience who have trusted the Lord hath said it too Psal 9.10 This is the great priviledge of all that believe they may address to God by Christ for any thing in this earth because he is the Maker of it and having made it by a word speaking what cannot he do for them if he speak the word Fifthly Let us be much in praising the Lord for his wisdom power and greatness all which gloriously appear and shine forth in his laying the foundations of the earth David makes this a special part of Divine praise Psal 136.6 VVe should not onely praise the Lord for the great things he hath done on the earth but for this that he hath made the earth The work of God in laying the foundations of the earth calls as loudly for our praise as any thing except our redemption from the earth Rev. 5.9 chap. 14.3 which ever God wrought upon the face of the earth The making of the earth calls us to praise the Lord First Because he hath made so vast a body as this earth is or because he hath made such a large house for us Secondly Because he hath founded it so miraculosly hanging upon nothing that appears but in the ayre yet standing more firmly than any house built upon a rock Thirdly VVe should praise the wisdom of God that hath formed it so exactly and adorned it so richly It 's not a house huddled and clapt up together without skill or art though it was made word a word speaking in six days yet it was made with infinite wisdom as is more particularly held out v. 5. where the Lord speaks of laying the measures thereof and stretching the line upon it as also of fastning the foundations and laying the câ—rner-stone thereof all which â—â—ew it is not a house clapt up in haste but made with admirable exactness so that as 't is usual when great houses are built there were great acclamations made at the building of it as we have it the seventh verse of this Chapter then the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy to see such a magnificent pile reared up Lastly Take this inference If the visible world be such a building what is the invisible world the City having foundations which God hath prepared for those that love him Thus much of the first part of Jobs Conviction he had nothing to do in laying the foundations of the earth and he had as little in setting up and finishing that goodly structure as will appear in that which followeth Yet before the Lord proceeded any further to question Job about this great work of Creation he requires or calls for his answer in the close of this fourth verse to the question propounded in the former part of it Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth Declare if thou hast understanding God challengeth Job to answer The Hebrew is If thou knowest understanding And so the word is used Isa 29.24 where we render They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding or as the Margin hath it shall know understanding Again Huram said 2 Chron. 2.12 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel that made heaven and earth who hath given to David the King a wise son endued with prudence and understanding The Original is thus strictly read Knowing prudence and understanding Daniel spake in the same forme chap. 2.21 He giveth wisdom to the wise and knowledge to them that know understanding To know is a work of the understanding No man knoweth any thing but by the help of his understanding The understanding is the first or Master-wheel in that noble engine the soul of man and when rightly informed and inlightned all the other wheels or faculties of the soul move aright unless over-poized by passions and self-ends Every rational creature hath an understanding yet every rational creature doth not know understanding that is doth not is not able to speak knowingly or to use and act his understanding knowingly about every matter The Lord supposeth Job might be defective here and therefore bespeaks him thus Declare if thou hast understanding or knowest understanding As if he had said The things which I question thee about may possibly be too high or too big for thy understanding Si perituâ— sis tantarum rerum Vatab. such as possibly thou canst not reach And hence some render or rather paraphrase the Text thus Declare if thou art skilful in such great things as I now speak of If thou art so wise as thou seemest to be by thy former contesting with my provideâ—ces declare thy wisdom in this point wherein I know thou wilt but declare thy ignorance thy infancy or inability to speak as one speaks Thou wilt shew thy self but a child while thou
neither foundation nor corner-stone Remember O Job and well consider that as when in the beginning I saw the earth without form and void Gen. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I by a creating word commanded it into form and fulness So when thou seest nothing but Tohu and Bohu confusion and disorder voidness and darkness in the earth even then I am laying the measures of Justice and stretching the line of Truth and Equity upon all that is done or suffered and will bring forth my work in full perfection Nothing shall be amiss or out of order when my work is finished how much soever it may seem to be amiss as to beginnings or present actings Therefore O Job leave off thy complainings and rest quietly in my dealings Some have questioned the Natural Works of God yet 't is impossible to mend any part or the least pin of them And 't is as impossible for the wit and understanding of Men or Angels to mend any thing in the Providential Works of God That 's the scope of this discourse even that the consideration of Gods power and wisdom in making the world should bâ—idle our curiosity and awe our spirits when they begin to quarrel with yea but to query about any thing that God hath done though it appear to us altogether irregular and confused or as done without either line or measure The Lords work is beautiful and glorious 't is also sure and strong As his Promise or Covenant is ordered in all things and sure 2 Sam. 23.5 So are his Providences too for they are the issues and accomplishments of his Promises oâ—dered as to means and sure as to the end They shall end oâ— issue in b inging about the things which are laid in the foundation and corner-stone of his purposes counsels and decrees all which work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 And to convince Job from the Works of Creation that he ought not only to acquiesce or rest quietly under the Works of Providence whatsoever they were but to rejoyce in them the Lord tells him in the next verse that there was great rejoycing yea shouting for joy when the foundations of the earth were fastened and the corner-stone thereof laid JOB Chap. 38. Vers 7. 7. When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy THere are two opinions among learned Interpreters concerning the general state of this verse First Some here reassuming the first words of these questions proposed at the fourth verse by God to Job Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth c. make this the second instance of Gods mighty power in the works of Creation Where wast thou when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy As if the Lord had said I have as yet questioned thee only where thou wast when I made the earth which is the most inferiour part of the world But now I purpose to rise higher in my discourse and therefore I put these questions to thee Where wast thou when I set up the morning stars those sparkling lights which shine to the earth through the firmament of heaven as also the sons of God those blessed spirits all which sang together and shouted for joy at the appearance of my power and wisdom Secondly Others connect these words in a continued sense and sentence with the verse going before Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth c. at which sight the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy Taking the words thus they carry an allusion to or are a similitude taken from noble buildings or structures whose foundations use to be laid with solemnity and their corner-stones to be set up with shouting and acclamation That it was anciently customary to make such acclamations at the laying of the foundation of some eminent building besides what is clear out of humane Authors and Histories we have several Scripture evidences The 87th Psalm throughout setting forth the structure of the Gospel Church of the spiritual Zion by way of prophesie begins thus His foundation is in the holy mountains there 's the foundation of Zion laid Then followeth as at the second verse The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou City of God! Selah As if he had said there was a great acclamation high praises at the laying the foundation of Zion with which the Psalme closeth more expresly v. 7. As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there all my Springs are in thee Again Psal 118.22 23 24. there is no sooner mention made of the corner-stone the stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner but presently we have acclamations about it This is the Lords doing it is marvelous in our eyes This is a blessed work indeed This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it That corner-stone of salvation Jesus Christ being laid as I may say all the stars sang together and the sons of God shouted for joy This is the day which the Lord hath made If we go to those material buildings which were figurative of the Church and Christ we shall find the like Ezra 3.10 When the Jewes at the return of their Captivity began to build the Temple the Text saith at the tenth verse And when the builders laid the foundation of the Temple of the Lord then they set the Priests in their apparel and with their voices with the Levits and the sons of Asaph to praise the Lord. As soon as the foundation was laid they were all in song and raised up in holy rejoycings though some of the old men who remembred the first Temple wept when the foundation of this was laid That Scripture Zach. 4.7 speaks of the same thing where the Prophet in the Spirit fore-seeing the disappointments of all the enemies of the people of God thus triumphs over them by faith Who art thou O great Mountain before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain he shall bring forth the head-stone thereof with shouting That is the building of Hierusalem or the restoring of the Temple shall be brought to perfection and then they shall cry grace grace unto it Now in allusion to the practice both of men in common and of the people of God in special at the raising of great structures the Lord tells us here that when he laid the foundations of the earth and when he fastened the corner-stone thereof there was a Triumph made Then the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy Thus we have the state of this verse either taking it for another instance of the power of God in creating the Stars and the Angels or else subjoyning it as an acclamation
to the former instance of the power of God the Stars and Angels rejoycing at the laying of the foundations of the earth And the general reason why the Lord bâ—ings in the stars and the sons of God rejoycing at the laying the foundations of the earth and finishing that work we may conceive to be this that the Lord would thereby convince Job of his murmuring and complaining or of the unquietness of his spirit under the works of his providence As if he had said The stars and all the sons of God rejoyced at the founding of the Earth extolling the work Monetur Jobus ut exemplo angelorum dei opera miretur laudet non sugillet Scult and congratulating the appearances of my power and glory in it Now who art thou that when I have put forth my power and wisdom in this work of my providence towards thee thou shouldst complain and find fault with what I have done instead of resting and rejoycing in it Surely O Job thou thinkest my works of providence are imperfect though my work of Creation was not but consider was the Creation in the very first part of it such as caused all the sons of God to rejoyce and wilt thou who sayest thou art a son of God sit unsatisfied with any of my works Thus the Lord handles Job and from that testimony which the stars and his sons gave of the Works of Creation reproves him for his unquietness under his Works of Providence So much for the general state of the words Yet to clear them farther in general before I come to the particulars there are three veins of interpretation opened about them First Some interpret this whole verse concerning the stars or the heavenly bodies not only taking the first part of the verse literally for the stars in heaven but by the sons of God in the latter part of the verse they understand the stars in a figure as I shall shew more fully when I come to the opening of those words Thus they expound the whole verse concerning the glory and praise which the stars in heaven gave to God for the Work of Creation at the laying of the foundations of the Earth Hieronymus Gregorius Beda A second sort of Interpreters expound the whole verse of the Angels and not of the Stars properly at all they suppose the morning Stars to be Angels in a figure and the Sons of God to be Angels in the letter and so expound the whole verse of the Angels as if the words were a description only of that joy which the Angels of Heaven only expressed when they saw God beginning the Work of Creation or laying the foundations of the Earth The third sort of Interpreters divide the sense expounding the first part of the verse properly for the Stars those studs of light with which the Heavens are adorned whâ—ch in their kind are brought in singing at the Creation of the Earth and by the Sons of God in the latter part of the verse they understand the Angels those spiritual substances who are the Native Inhabitants of Heaven they especially are represented shouting for joy when that work was begun I cannot adhere to the first sort of Interpreters giving all to the Stars nor to the second giving all to the Angels though that hath many learned Authors who press it hard but following the middle way shall take the former part of this verse for the Stars of Heaven and the latter for the Angels in Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sunt steâ—â—ae quaedam singulares quae non aliis admistae solae feruntur Sydora vero quae in aliquod signum stellarum plurium composita feruntur Macrob. l. 1. c. 14. Matutinas nominat meo judicio quod sub auroram magis splendere videantur Merc. When the morning Stars sang together There are single Stars and Stars as I may say in a combination commonly called a Constellation There is an Evening Star and a Morning Star which yet are but one called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the Latines Lucifer The light bringer because that Star appears very bright immediately before day-break or before the Sun riseth and the same Star which ushered or led in the Sun in the morning comes behind the Sun in the evening and is then called Hesperus The Evening Star Here the Lord speaks in the plural number of the morning Stars not in the singular of a morning Star And the Lord calls them morning Stars say some because the Stars appear most clearly and shine most brightly near the approach of the morning or break of the day Secondly Others conceive them so called Sydera summo mundi mane lucentia mequâ— suo formoso splendore landantia because they were created or formed in the very morning of the World they were early made For though as I shall touch afterward as to their perfection the Stars were made the fourth day yet their Creation is comprehended in the work of the first day under those general words Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth the Heavens contained all the Stars in their materiality though not yet formally produced for the Stars being but the thicker part of the Heavenly Orb when the Heavens were made the Stars were also made and may therefore be called Morning Stars as being made in the Morning of the World early made Thirdly They may be called Morning Stars because they according to their manner exprest their joy early or betimes in the Morning of the World or as soon as the Lord had laid the foundations of the Earth Those things which are done early Qui mane aliquid aggrediuntur opus Matutini dicuntur Nec minus Aeneas se matutinus agebat Virg l. 8. Idem est matutina astra laudant atque mane laudant Sanct. are done in the morning and they who do things in the morning have the denomination of the morning upon them The Poet anciently said Aeneas was Matutinus A Morning Man because he was early at his work so these may be called Morning Stars because they were early at work singing the praise of God Thus the reason why the Wolf hath this Epithite An Evening Wolf is because he doth his work he comes forth for his prey in the evening Hab. 1.8 Zeph. 3.3 In the former Prophet the Chaldean Horse-men are compared to Evening Wolves for fierceness and in the latter the Judges of Israel are set under the same comparison for blood-sucking cruelty And as thus upon different accounts some are called Morning Men others Evening Men so 't is upon no good account that any are called Night-men though the general reason of it be the same with the former because they do their bad work or works of darkness under the shadow and favour of the Night The Thief the Murderer the Adulterer are Night-men all these are wont to do their work in the Night Job 24 13 14 15 16.
shaken out of it 14. It is turned as clay to the seal and they stand as a garment 15. And from the wicked their light is with-holden and the high arm shall be broken THe Lord in dealing with Job had already put sundry Questions to him about the earth and about the sea as hath been shewed in the former part of this Chapter here the Lords calls his thoughts up into the ayre or bids him look to the heavens and duly consider the light of the Sun In this the Lord intends the same thing which he had done before while he was questioning Jâ—b about the Earth and the Sea namely to humble him and bâ—ing him â—o a full submission by shewing him his weakness and utter insufficiency as also to set forth his own wisdom power and greatness Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days c. We may gather up the general sense of these four verses in oâ— this brief sum As if the Lord had thus bespoken Job If thou answerest that the things I have already questioned thee about were before thy time and therefore must needs be done without either thy counsel or assistance then I ask thee farther Hast thou ever hastened or retarded hast thou quickened or stopt the rising of the Sun at any time since thou wast born or hast thou ever caused the morning light in any one of these Jew days which thou hast seen to spread it self far and near even every where to the uttermost parts of the earth that so those evil doers and night-birds who being children of darkness cannot but hate the light and love the works of darkness might by its rising be at once discovered and affrighted This seems to be the purpose and scope of God in these words More particularly Vers 12. Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days That 's the first Question Hast thou since thy days given the morning its charge to Mr. Broughton translates implying that every morning the Sun receives as it were fresh orders from some hand or other now hast thou given out orders for â—â—e morning light Doth the day-light obey thee Doth the Sun arise at such times and places as thou hast appointed Hast thou commanded it so we render The word notes commanding with fullest authority Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vâ—tâ— jubâ—re oâ—essâ— exhibere sisterâ— in actum â—oâ—spectum edâ—câ—re Imperium voluntatis efficaâ— intelligitur quod statim sequitur effâ—ctus a command to appear and be ready upon duty a command to stand forth and do what is enjoyned This word of command is most proper unto God Psal 33.9 He spake the word and it was done he commanded and it stood fast The command of God is a creating command it puts things into act his saying gives them a being his calling them to work makes them work or sets them a work Now saith God Hast thou commanded the morning Hast thou O Job such a word of command upon any câ—eature for the producing of any effect motion or action Hast thou commanded The morning Aâ—anando latine dicitur mane quâ—d cum sole manâ—t dies abâ—â—ience By the morning the Lord means the morning light As if he had said Hast th u raised the Sun out of its bed and brought forth the morning hast thou like the Master or Lord of this great family the World called up thy servants and set up thy light for them to work by hast thou commanded the morning that is caused the Sun to rise which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber and rejoyceth as a strong man to run a race Psal 19.5 No saith the Lord it was not 't is not thou that commandest the morning it is I that command the morning I commanded the first morning Gen. 1.5 I said Let there be light and there was light and the evening and morning were the first day It was I who the fourth day said Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night and let them be for signs and for seasons for days and for years It was I that made two great lights the Sun and Moon the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night Gen. 1.14 15 16. The first morning and all the mornings the light-bearer or the light-bringer came forth and appeared at my command not at thine Hast thou commanded the morning Since thy days There is somewhat special in those words Since thy days We may take them either of these two ways First As if the Lord had said Cum dixit A diebus tuis Ostendit id antequam ille nasceretur factum esse perpetuum illum naturae ordinem in manu dei esse non hominum Merc. Was there no morning before thy days Or Was there not a morning befoâ—e thou hadst a morning in the world Did the birth of the morning wait till thou wast born Did it not look forth noâ— appear till thou didst appear Surely there were mornings hundreds of years before thou hadst a morning in the world The morning did not stay for thee nor for thy day Secondly Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days That is since thou camest into the world hast thou had the honour priviledge and power to awaken and call up the morning as thou dost thy houshold servants Know O Job that as there was a morning before thou wast born or hadst a day in the world so since thy day thou hast neither made the morning nor raised up the morning light that power is now in my hand as it was before thou wast in being thou art but of yesterday of a few days there was a morning before thy days and since thy days many have continued and come forth daily yet not at thy command but at mine As I brought forth the light in the first day of the Creation so the fourth day I created the Sun into which I gathered the light and at whose rising the morning shews it self Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days 'T is a daring Question thou hast not I have done it and not thou Hence Note First What God will have done he can command to be done or it shall be done at his command The Lord needs not labour to produce the most difficult effects he can produce them as a Lord by a word speaking he needs not intreat nor treat about the bringing forth of any matter his will is enough to bring it forth What God will have done shall be done Thus it was at the beginning when God created all things and gave them a being and thus it hath been ever since for the moving of all things to their several ends and issues to this day all hath been done by a word of command David Psal 148. calling the Sun Moon and Stars to praise the Lord gives that as the reason vers 5. for he commanded and they were created Now I say as
they were created at the first by his command so they shine forth every day by the same command Matth. 5.45 He maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and on the good He that hath power usually saith to a person that is unwilling to do a thing I will make you to do it that is you shall do it whether you will or no. And 't is said by the Evangelist He maketh his Sun to rise c. which may seem to import a kind of unwillingness in the Sun to bestow its light promiscuously upon the evil as well as good evil men are indeed unworthy that the Sun should shine or the rain fall upon them but God who is infinite in goodness and to shew that our good deeds should not be shut up or narrowed to those onely who are good layeth an irresistible and an indispensible charge upon the Sun to rise and shine with that indifferency to the good and to the bad The Sun would be ashamed to shine upon wicked men the Sun would even with-hold its beams and rays and deny them light or any comfort it would not make the earth fruitful for them had it not a command from the Lord But having a command from him it cannot with-hold nor divert its light no not from those who are children of darkness and have constant fellowship with the unfruitful works of darknesse 'T is no small matter of consolation to remember that our God is a commanding God that he can command the morning which as it is a truth with respect to the natural morning of every day so to the mystical or metaphorical morning After a dark black and stormy night of sorrow and trouble upon his Church or People then the Lord can command the morning of joy and prosperity to arise upon them and comfort them 'T is comfortable living under and obeying his commands who can command away our sorrows and by a word speaking turn midnight into morning and the shadows of death into the shining light of life and therefore saith peremptorily without ifs or ands Psal 30.5 Weeping or sorrow may endure for a night but joy or singing cometh in the morning that 's a morning in a morning We may have a morning of Sun light and no morning of joy-light as the Lord threatned his people in case of disobedience Deut. 28.6 7. In the morning thou shalt say would God it were even and at even thou shalt say would God it were morning for the fear of thy heart wherewith thou shalt fear c. Onely God can make a morning of joy or inward light to rise with the mo ning light of the natuâ—al day else we may have day without us and darkness within us Sun-light but no soul-light And such was the intendment of that dreadful threatning against the wicked last mentioned out of Moses Whereas the godly in their darkest ouâ—ward condition are under the sweet influences of that gracious promise Psal 97.11 Light is sown for the righteâ—us and gladness for the upright in heart And God can command that light to spring even in the hour and power of darkness as Christ expressed his saddest day in this world Luke 22.53 The light of every morning is called the day-spring at the latter end of this verse and the Lord can make light and gladness or the light of gladness to spring up in our hearts when and where he pleaseth Secondly Observe The course of Nature in all its turns and changes is moved by and obedient to the command of God As God commands the morning so the morning fails not to come at his command When did you ever know the morning stop or stay a moment beyond the time that God commanded it to come forth We could never say to the Chariot of the Sun as the Mother of Sisera said of his Why is his Chariot so long a coming why stay the wheels of his Charioâ— There was somewhat stopt Sisera's Chariot that it could not come and God took off the Chariot wheels of the Egyptians in the Red Sea and they drew heavily yea the Lord can take off the Chariot-wheels of any though they drive as furiously as Jehu so that they shall not come at their time but who ever knew the morning stopt a minute or a moment beyond the exact time at which it should come or was expected And as the Sun so all natural things keep their course and slack not at the command of God No creature disobeys the command of God but man who of all creatures hath most reason and is most obliged to obey it God never said of the Sun O that it had hearkned to my voice but the sons of men put him often to say so as he once did to Israel his ancient people Psal 81.13 How seldome do we keep time with God! How seldome do we come or go just at his call I have called saith Wisdome Prov. 1.24 25. and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and none regarded God never looked one day of the year for the morning and it came not but he hath come three years as the Parable of the Fig-tree shews Luke 13. to man looking for fruit and hath found none Will it not shame us that the morning is obedient to the command of God if we are not And theâ—efore as the former note was matter of comfort to us so this may be matter of conviction to us that the morning that the Sun in the firmament a liveless creature receiving a command should constantly appear at the time which the Lord appoints and that we who are living creatures that we who are reasonable creatures yea that we who have not only reason but grace all believers have should not be obedient to and observant of the Lords command to come at his time to appear at his call how may it cause us to blush for shame The Prophet saith The Stork in the heavens the Crane the Tuâ—tle and the Swallow these know the time of their coming they come in their season I may say also the Sun Moon and Stars those lights in the heavens know their season and the time of their coming they obey the command of the Lord and shall not we know the judgement of the Lord and observe the appointed times of our duty which to observe is as much our interest or benefit as it is our duty As often as we see the morning coming according to the command of God let it provoke us to make hast and not delay to keep his commandements Thirdly Hast thou commanded the morning that is the morning light to come forth No it 's I that have done it Hence Note We are to acknowledge God as the Commander yea as the Former Maker and Author of the light This command of God hath respect not onely to his bringing forth the light every morning or to his bringing forth the morning light every day into the world but to his giving the light its being
the first day of the world God is the Father not onely of spiritual light Jam. 1.17 but of natural Psal 74.16 The day is thiâ—e the night also is thine thou hast prepared the light and the Sun This glory is ascribed to God by his holy Prophet also Jer. 31.35 Thus saith the Lord which giveth the Sun for a light by day and the ordinances of the Moon and of the Stars for a light by night The Lord gives these as well as command these and who but God can do either None can command the creatures unto their daily motion but God much less could any command the creatures into their first being but God How wise how great soever men are or seem to be in their own eyes or sight they cannot make nor bring forth the least ray of light much less can they make such a world of light as God hath made for the world And surely there is no creature wherein we may see and contemplate more of God than in the light which he made the first day and now commandeth to make the morning day by day Nor is there any thing in the whole compass of Nature either more comfoâ—table or more admirable than the light The commonness of it lessens our esteem of it and because it comes so constantly and never fails we are apt to look upon it as no great matter as no great mercy whereas indeed the light is not onely useful and comfortable but admirable and that it deserves these three attributes I shall briefly shew by giving a touch at each of them That light is an admirable creature must be confessed if we consider First It s original or the way of its production The Apostle treating about spiritual light tells us whence the natural light came 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commanded light to shine out of darkness c. Light came as it were out of the womb of darkness Now that out of darkness black darkness such a beautiful child such a goodly creature as light should be brought forth is it not marvellous Yet thus it was God commanded light to shine out of darkness The History of the Creation reports There was nothing but darkness upon the face of the earth when the Lord said Let there be light Darkness is totally contrary to light 't is the privation of light Now that the habit should come forth out of the privation light out of darkness or life out of death joy out of sorrow peace out of trouble these are the wonderful works of God And we may comfortably meditate upon this when we want any kind of light Whence did the Lord bring light at first even out of darkness therefore let us not think any darkness of trouble a leâ—t to the Lords production of light When we are in spiritual darkness the state of nature is a state of darkness that doth not hinder the Loâ—d can easily bring the light of the new creatuâ—e out of it and when we are in the darkness of any trouble though it be thick darkness darkâ—ess as Job spake chap. 10.22 like darkness it self and where the light is as darkness yet this doth not hinder the Lord can bring light out of it There 's the first wonder the Lord brought light out of darkness Secondly Light is wonderful in its operation power and efficacy in that it doth so suddenly chase away conquer and overcome darkness Light gets victory over darkness in a moment There 's no darkness can abide the face of light As soon as God commands the morning let it be as da k as pitch the darkness must away and fly before it Daâ—kness cannot withstand light nor stand in the presence of it there 's no long dispute light instantly gets the hands the day of darknâ—ss Thirdly If we consider the pure nature oâ— lighâ— 't is as pure as purity it self Light hath an inseparable and an insuperable purity though it may be a while obâ—cured yet it cannot be at all polluted Philosophers have spoken much about the natuâ—e of light but none were ever able to comprehend it Some said it is a habit or quality of a light some body Lâ—x diunt Physici est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu qualitas corporis â—ucidi yet none of their definitions reach it fully They make it a quality yet we may conceive it is rather to be ranked and reckoned among substances than accidents it being a principal part of the Creation and the express subject of Gods work the first day of it Fourthly The light is very wonderful in the changes and vicissitudes of it How it passeth and repasseth how it increaseth and decreaseth how it comes and goes is an amazing consideration Fifthly Though the light be in continual changes yet there 's nothing more constant than the light to its appointed time Light never fails to come in its season Secondly That light is a most useful and beneficial creature who can deny seeing without light the whole Creation were a nothing to us What had the world been to us if God had not made light and set up lights in it The eye of the body whiâ—h is the light of the body Matth. 6.22 were of no use to us without outward light Till the Sun which is the eye of the great world shines the eye which is the Sun of the little world is no advantage to us There must be light in the aire as well as light in the eye else the most beautiful objects have no appearing beauty and therefore the Lord made light the first day that by it the beauty of the whole Creation might be seen Light discovers it self and all other things Light illustrates all the works of God and sets them in our sight And as all that God hath done would be nothing to us without light so we our selves could do nothing without light We cannot work at all or very hardly or very badly without light hence that of David Psal 104.22 23. The Sun ariseth man goeth forth to his work and to his labour until the evening John 9.4 The night cometh wherein no man can work Night of any sort is not for work because 't is dark and therefore they who work in the night get artificial light to supply the want of natural When the plague of darkness was upon the Egyptians they sate still and no man moved from the place where he was till that plague was removed Exod. 10.22 23. And as we cannot do the work of our Civil Callings without light either natural or artificial so we cannot do the work of our Christian Calling without spiritual light When Christ the Sun of righteousness ariseth with healing in his wings then we go forth to our spiritual labour as Christians and grow up as the calves of the stall Mal. 4.2 How long soever we live in this world we never go forth to that labour till the Sun of righteousness the Lord Jesus Christ ariseth upon us It was
our blessed Saviouâ— the light and life of the world hath counselled us Let our light shine and so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorifie our father which is in heaven Matth. 5.16 We that have light commanded for us every day how should we be lights and go forth as the Sun casting out our rays and beams in a holy and godly conversation And while we go forth and walk in such a conversation we go forth and walk as the Sun in its strength we enlighten all the world where we come and dazel the eyes of the wicked world or of the wicked in the world Sixthly How should we who have light commanded for us avoid all the works of darkness yea We should as the Apostle exhorts Rom. 13.12 13. cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light we should walk honestly as in the day As in the day which the light of the natural Sun makes and as in the day which the light of the mystical Sun our Lord Jesus Christ hath made Seventhly Remember as God hath commanded a morning for us here so he will command a light or a morning a morning light for all our actions hereafter As God hath made the the light so he will bring all things to light Many now live in the light of this world whose works are in the dark as well as theirs are works of darkness Now as the Lord hath commanded a morning to shine for us to worke by so he will have a morning wherein all our works shall be seen 1 Cor. 4.5 He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and the manifest the counsels of the heart Men may dig deep to hide their counsels from God but God knows how to bring them and their counsels to the morning and will cause a light to shine upon them though they have no light of truth or righteousness in them God will bring every work into judgement with every secret thing Eccl. 12.14 We must all appear saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.10 or we must all be manifest we must appear and so must our works too Those works of men shall be light as to their discovery which are nothing but darkness as to their impurity Those deeds which have no light in them shall come in the clearest light and be plainly seen to the bottom both by Men and Angels The Lord who hath commanded this moâ—ning light for us to do our work in will command another morning light to judge our works in and to give us the reward of them And let all the wicked of the earth to whom the morning of any day because they are in danger to be discovered by it is as the shadow of death Job 24.17 Let them I say consider how many thousand deaths that morning will be to them which will actually fully and impartially discover all their wickedness with all the secrets of it Lastly Consider if the Lord hath bestowed so great a mercy upon us in commanding the morning or in giving us light the light of the Sun then let us be minded how great a mercy the Lord hath bestowed upon us in commanding the light or morning of the Gospel to come upon us It was night with us and so it would have been for ever for any means we could have devised or used to help out selves out of it till God commanded Christ the bright Morning Star Rev. 22.16 and Sun of Righteousness to rise and shine upon us How unspeakable a mercy is it that such a light should appear to us who not only were in darkness but were darkness If we account it a mercy that God hath commanded a morning to shine to us O what a mercy is it that we have a Christ to shine upon us That the Day-Star from on high hath visited us That he who is the true light that enlightens every man that cometh into the world John 1.9 hath risen upon us both to scatter the darkness of sin and ignorance and to chear our souls with the sweet beams of his healing wings So much of the first part of the verse Hast thou commanded the mâ—rning since thy day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sâ—ir◠〈◊〉 auâ—â—râ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aurora dâ—ssâ—runt Nam prima dici 〈…〉 diâ—tum 〈…〉 hâ—c a nigri◠〈◊〉 specio ut vid tur Nam 〈◊〉 res sub diâ—â—rulo apparere inâ—pturâ— nigricâ—â—â— viâ—entur Câ—c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eâ—t nigrescâ—re bin nigrescentem lucem scil diluculum significat Sol varie nec uno loco oritur quotidie ejus loâ—â—s mutatirut sol ascendit aut descendit in signis Zodiaci Merc. And caused the day-spring to know his place That is when and where it should break forth and appear every morning The day-spring is exprest by a different word in the original from the morning light it implieth the first of the morning when the air is darkish or duskish we commonly call it the gray of the morning The word signifies to be dark or that darkness which we call twilight When the day-spring ushers in the morning there is a kind of dimness in the light Now saith the Lord Hast thou caused the day-spring to know its place hast thou taught it where to shew it self to the world The Lord speaks nere of the day-spring as if it were a rational creature that took instructions or a word of direction where to begin the morning light God not man hath taught the day-spring to know its place We have a like expression Psal 16.11 Thou wilt shew me or thou wilt cause me to know the path of life Thus the Lord makes the day-spring know the path to its own place The day never springs twice immediately in one place but is in a continual variation as Astronomers with experience teach The place of the light or Sun-rising differeth every morning and from thence we have the difference of the dayes The Sun passing through the twelve signs of the Zodiack beginning with Aries c. I shall not trouble you with their names which have been devised and are used only for learning sake the Sun I say passing every year thâ—ough these twelve Signs all which Astronomers present unto us under various forms or figures such as themselves fancied most useful to subserve the understanding of that Art according to the situation of these Signs through which the Sun runs his course in the Heavens the day-spring to us on Earth changeth its place every day appearing sometimes more southerly and sometimes more easterly as the Sun either ascends to the Summer Solstice at which time the day is at longest and the night at shortest as about the eleventh of our Moneth called June or when it descends to the Winter Solstice at which time the day is shortest and the night longest as about the eleventh of our December To which we may add the Suns coming in its
ascending course to the middle point of the heavens which makes the Vernal Equinox at which time the day and night are of an equal length as about the eleventh of out March as also the Suns coming in its descending course to the other middle point of the heavens which makes the Autumnal Equinox at which time the day and night are again of an equal length as about the eleventh of our September Now according to all these variations of the Suns motion the day-spring varieth its place day by day and the Lord enquires of Job how this comes to pass Hast thou caused the day-spring to know its place No 't is I that have made the day-spring to know its place I have appointed it those several stages where it shall rise to day and where to morrow and where every day throughout the year this is from my contrivement and appointment not from thine Hast thou caused the day-spring to know its place Hence Note First It is the Lord who appoints every creature its proper place The beauty of the world is from the order of the world and that every creature knows its place makes the whole creation amiable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The World is expressed in Greek by a word noting the beauty and order of it And that which renders the creatures not onely beautiful but serviceable to man is the order they are placed in The Sun keeping its appointed course makes Summer at one time and Winter at another The Sun ever moves in unless stayed by miracle as in Joshua's time but never moves out of its place As no creature is burdensome so there 's no creature unserviceable when kept in its place as was surther shewed vers 10. Note Secondly The course of times and seasons is firmly and inviolably setled by the command of God This fettlement was made in the Creation Gen. 1.14 And when the flood had made as it were a confusion of the times and seasons the Lord renewed this settlement Gen. 8.22 While the Earth remaineth seed time and harvest and cold and heat and Summer and Winter and day and night shall not cease Read this fully Jer. 31.35 36. Jer. 33.20 Sun and Moon know their time and 't is God who hath taught them this knowledge and given them this instruction The light keeps its time though it changeth its time every day Psal 104.19 He appointeth the Moon for seasons the Sun knoweth his going down The Sun is instructed as it were where to rise and where to go down The Sun follows the direction of God There is no rational creatâ—re that doth so exactly follow the conduct of God as the Sun The Sun forgets not its duty it never mistook the hour either of its rising or going down as we more largely shewed a little before it never mistook a hairs breadth for place nor a moment of its time And as it moves according to the command of God so nothing can stay its motion but the command of God And if He say Sun stand thou still it will do so again as in the days of Joshua Now if all creatures keep their station and observe their motion according to the instructions they receive from God should not this be our instruction If God hath caused the day-spring to know its place and time if the Sun rise where and when he would have it Shall not we know our place and time Shall not we be where and when God would have us As every thing so every person is most useful in his proper place and season The Sun is therefore so useful because it knows and keeps both carrying and distributing its light up and down the world to the sons of men answerably to its instructions and that commission given it from above The Lord having put questions to Job about the direction of the morning light and by whom the day-spring is taught to know its place proceeds to shew the work and effects of the day-spring and morning light Hast thou caused the day-spring to know its place Vers 13. That it might take hold of the ends of the Earth In this verse we have two things concerning the day-spring or the light First The powerful extensiveness of it The light takes hold there 's its power It takes hold of the very ends of the Earth there 's its extensiveness Secondly We have one part or point of the usefulness or beneficialness of light when it thus takes hold of the ends of the earth this good it doth or this benefit comes by it the shaking of the wicked out of it As if it had been said The day-spring takes hold of the ends of the earth for this end and purpose that the earth may be freed from the wicked That it might take hold of the ends of the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vt apprehenderet Rab Sel. Jarchi That is that the morning or the day-spring might c. Some of the Rabins refer those woâ—ds that it may take hold not to the day-spring but to Job As if the Lord had said Canst thou O Job make the day to know its place that thou mightest take hold of the ends of the earth as I do and shake the wicked out of it But rather as we That the day-spring might take hold Vt extremaâ— terrarum oras radiis quasi totidem digitis injectis prehendet Bez. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non tam phrasi poetica quam Hebraismo alae tribuuntur terrae Pined apprehend and hold fast the ends of the earth Mr. Beza expresseth it in this elegancy The Sun sends forth its rays as so many fingers to take hold of the utmost verges or ends of the earth The Hebrew is The wings of the earth and so Mr. Broughton translates To hold the wings of the earth By the wings of the earth according to an Hebraisme very frequent in Scripture we are to understand the extream or remotest parts of the earth And because the wings of a bird are stretched out to the very utmost when she flieth the Hebrews call that which is the extream or utmost bound of any thing the wings of it and hence in their language the utmost part or hem of a garment is the wing of a garment as here and elsewhere the utmost parts of the earth are the wings of the earth Isa 11.1 2. He shall set up an ensigne for the Nations and shall assemble the out-casts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners or as the Margin hath it wings of the earth Thus the Lord speaks of the light Hast thou caused the day-spring to know its place that it might take hold of the ends or wings of the earth Hence Note First The Suns light is wonderfully extensive and diffusive The Sun hath large arms or rather long wings Some hawks are called long winged The same we may say of the Sun that hath long wings indeed reaching to the utmost stretch ends
are then with-held from going on in their wickedness or from prosecuting and promoting their evil designs and puâ—poses as if their faces were wrapt or muffled quite up with a garment and their feet fast bound Another gives the sense thus That they namely the wicked may be made to stand as covered over with a garment The custome of old was to cover the faces of malefactors when found and declared guilty of horrid crimes Both these Interpretations correspond clearly with the Context both before and after the Lord giving this as a special service that the day-spring or light doth to mankind the discovery and destruction of evil men as will be seen more fully in opening the next verse Vers 15. And from the wicked their light is withholden It was shewed before that this 15th verse seems to be an Exposition of the latter part of the 13th verse There it was said The light takes hold of the ends of the earth that the wicked might be shaken out of it here it followeth From the wicked their light is with-holden that is wicked men when the light hath discovered them are with-holden from their light or their light is with-holden from them But it may be enquired What is this light called their light which is with-holden from them I answer First The light of their prosperity and peace the light of the good things of this woâ—ld Secondly The light of the Sun Deus lucem subducit impiis i. e. vita illos orbat Frangitquo eorum superbiam tyrannidem Codur even that shall be with-holden from them they shall be shut up in close and dark prisons and dungeons they shall not have the light of the Sun who have abused that light or have done such things in the dark as the Sun would even blush to look on Thirdly The light of their life or their life shall be withholden from them that is they shall be put to death for their wickedness All these may be called their light because they sometime enjoyed them and their light in all or any of these notions is said to be with-holden from them not as if they had a right to hold it longer but because they would fain have held it longer if they might Thus from the wicked their light is with-holden as if it had been said they are totally and finally deprived of all their good Now whereas light in the sense opened is called their light that is the light of the wicked Note Even the wicked have a title to light or to good things God gives light or good things to the evil as well as to the good Mat. 5.45 He maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and on the good even they who are evil and are daily doing evil enjoy the light of the Sun and the light of all outward good things thorow the patience and goodness of God Much more may the godly when they see the light or good of this world look upon it as theirs as a part of their inheritance here below As hereafter all the godly shall have an inheritance among the Saints in light so many of them have an inheritance of light here the Sun is a piece of their portion God having adopted them to be his children the Sun is a debtor to them and they may reckon it among their good things though not as their good God having provided better things for them than the light of this world or of any good thing which they hold onely in common with the world From the wicked their lâ—ght is with-holden Note Secondly Wicked men forfeit and so are deprived of the good things which God gives to them The wicked cannot long shall not alwayes enjoy the good things of this world When wicked men abuse the light especially when they resist the light of nature shining into their consciences and refuse the light of the Gospel shining in the Scriptures and Ordinances and resolve to walk on in the darkness of their minds then from them that light of comfort and prosperity is with-holden yea they are often thrust out of the light of the Sun and out of the light of this present life into that inner darkness of the grave and into that outer darkness of hell Matth. 25.30 that is into a darkness furthest remote or at greatest distance from light even out of the reach of light Doth God say to his own people when they sin Jer. 5.25 Your sins have with-holden good things from you Much more then shall the light and all good things or all the good things of light be with holden from the wicked whose whole trade and business lies in works of darkness or in sinning against God 'T is bad with man when God with-holds natural light the light of the Sun the good things of this world from him but 't is infinitely worse with man when God with-holds the light of the Gospel and the light of his countenance any spiritual light or good from him and shuts any up in the contrary darkness From the wicked light is with-holden And the high arm shall be broken Cadunt impii à foelicitate sua vires id significat brachium excelsum debilitanturâ—â— redduntur infirmae Vatabl. Brachium elatum est poâ—entia superbia impiorum Pisc Whose high arm Surely the high arm of the wicked they shall be deprived both of their light of comfort and of their arm of strength wherein Fiâ—st They prided themselves And Secondly Wherewith they oppressed others The former is the effect of their strength the latter is the use which they usually put their strength to Strength is often exprest in Scripture by the arm read Psal 10.15 Psal 37.17 Ezek. 30.22 And a high arm notes great strength The Lord is said to do his great things with a stretched out or a high arm Mans arm may here be called an high arm because the arm of man useth to be lifted up on high to strike hard and home The higher the arm is lifted up the heavier it falls and the deeper impression it makes To sin with a high hand is in Scripture language to sin presumptuously and audaciously They sin with a high hand who sin against light or in the face of counsel and reproof And as they sin mightily or with all their might who sin with a high hand so they act mightily or with all their might they lay on load as we say who resolving to do any thing have a high arm to do it wiâ—h When the arms of wicked men are high they must needs act highly in wickedness Now when any act evil to the height with heat and boldness God will take a course with them as it followeth in the close of the verse The high arm that is such a high arm Shall be broken 'T is an allusion to the punishing of malefactors Damnabitur ad mortem quidem cruciabilem qualis est in rota fractio Grot. by breaking their bodies or
utmost of the depth Hast thou walked there We walk on dry land and in pleasant fields Et in novissimis abyssi deambulasti Vulg. i. e. in infimis ejus partibus Aquin. Some artificial parts of the earth are by way of eminence called walks because they are purposely fitted by art to walk in But who can walk in the searches of the depth Are there any under-water-walkes Vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat aliquid quaerere investigare usque ad fundum nâ—vissimum To clear these words a little further we may consider two other readings or translations of them First Thus Hast thou walked in the depth by search that is Hast thou found out a way to go to the bottom of the sea by curious search and diligent enquiry Hast thou by thy skill discovered how deep the sea is Hast thou let down thy line and plummet to fathom it and then descended into it I know thou hast not An ad dimetiendum abyssum ambulasti Heb. in investigatione i. e. ad investigandum Codurc Secondly Hast thou walked to search the deep that is Hast thou gone down to the bottom of the sea and there discovered the secret and hidden paths of it I know thy answer must be Thou hast not Hast thou entred into the springs of the sea or hast thou walked in the search of the depth Hence Note First There are secrets or depths in the sea beyond mens searching or finding out The sea in many parts of it may be searched Some have been at the bottom of it many have let down a line to the bottom of it yet it is usual in Scripture to speak of the sea as a thing unsearchable or so deep that none can find the depth of it The sea is so deep that it is sometimes called the depth chap. 28.1 The depth saith that is the Sea saith it that is wisdom is not in me 'T is also called the deep Luke 5.4 chap. 8.31 That is very deep which is called the deep and that 's of an unsearchable depth which is called the depth Such a depth so deep is the sea that no man knows how deep or what the depth of it is Now if we cannot reach the depth of the natural sea then which is the scope of this place surely there are depths and secrets in the ways and counsels of God which no man can earch or find out David Psal 139.9 speaking of the Omso presence of God saith Whither shall I go from thy presence If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea there shall thy hand find me There is no depth no breadth but God can find it out but how little of the depth or breadth of God can we find out Psal 36.6 Thy judgements are a great deep that is thou O Lord dost terrible things in judgement as angry yet such righteous things as just and wise that 't is very hard for any and impossible for the many or most of men to see the reason of them And doubtless it was the deep of his own divine judgements that God intended to lead Job to when he spake here of the depth of the Sea We read what the Apostle was forced to when he was but as it were dipping his feet into this sea of the Counsels and Judgements of God even to cry out O the depth Rom. 11.33 As if he had said I dare not enter into the springs of this sea nor into the search of this depth O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgements and his ways past finding out This was Davids express Confession concerning the providential way of God His way is in the sea and his path in the great waters and his footsteps are not known Psal 77.19 Goings upon the water leave no print behind them we cannot observe a track in the sea God walks sometimes as upon the land we may easily discern his footsteps and see wheâ—e he hath gone But he often walks as upon the sea where no man can see his paths nor are his footsteps known The Lord is known by the judgement which he executeth Psal 9.16 Profunditas maris rei obscurissimae ignotissimae humanae intelligentiae soli deo perspectae symbolum yet his judgements are seldome known they are a great deep a sea The sea is a clear emblem of all obscure and unknown things especially of those ways of God which are too deep for our discovery and lie beyond the reach of our knowledge And indeed as soon may we hold the sea in the hollow of our hand or lade it dry with a Cockle-shell as comprehend the deep counsels of God and the mysteries of providence by which they are acted and effected in our shallow understanding Onely what we cannot attain either by sense or reason we may understand by faith as the Apostle saith We do that the worlds were made by the Word of God Heb. 11.3 Who is able any other way than by believing to enter into those springs or walk in the search of those depths Secondly Learn this from it There is nothing a secret unto God That which here is denied to Job is to be affirmed of God Job knew not those secrets but God knew them Job himself said chap. 9.8 God treadeth upon the waves or as the Hebrew is the heights of the sea Here the Lord intimateth that he walketh in the depth of the sea Both set forth his glory God commands from top to bottom he treads upon the waves aloft he walks in the depths below nothing can escape either his Power or his Eye It is the sole priviledge of God to walk in the search of the sea that is to find out and plainly to discern the most secret things And by him the most unsearchable depths are searched out or rather are known to him without search He knoweth even the depth of mans heart which is the greatest depth in the world next to the depth of his own heart God enters into the springs of that sea the Sea of mans heart and walketh in the search of that depth There are innumerable springs in the heart of man which bubble up and send forth their streams of good or evil continually all which the Lord sees more plainly than we see any thing that is done above ground or in the open light Moses doth not onely report Gen. 6.5 That God saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth that is that his outward practises oâ— conversation was very wicked buâ— that he saw every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely evil continually Consider God saw not onely the thoughts of man but every imagination which is the least thing imaginable of mans thoughts He saw as the word which we render imigination properly signifies every figment every little creature which the thoughts of mans heart was
His largeness of heart though like the sand of the sea will be but narrowness of heart compared with the enlargements which Saints shall have there Glorified Saints shall be in natural things exact Philosophers able to answer all the questions here put to Job In spiritual things they shall be exact Divines all dark Scriptures shall be clear to them Châ—ist will be their Comment all daâ—k questions will be clear to them Christ will be their light Those perplexed Cases and fatal Controversies which have troubled the peace of the Church and have occasioned the calling together of some hundreds of the ablest Scholars to debate and determine them shall at one view be understood shall have all their knots untied and their difficulties removed by the meanest if among them there shall be found any meaner than others of glorified understandings What sweetness the soul shall feel at this revelation of all knowledge a little knowledge will serve to judge For then not only to this challenge which the Lord made to Job about those special matters the gates of death and the breadth of the earth but also to any other Declare if thou knowest it all Every soul will readily and confidently answer Lord in thy light I know it all JOB Chap. 38. Vers 19 20 21. 19. Where is the way where light dwelleth and as for darkness where is the place thereof 20. That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof 21. Knowest thou it because thou wast then born Or because the number of thy days is great THe Lord having posed Job in the former Context about the depth of the Sea the darkness of Death and the vastness of the Earth here calleth him to an account about the light of the Sun and the darkness of the Air in these three verses As if he had said If thou knowest the breadth of the whole earth about which I enquired last of thee then tell me in what part of the earth doth the light dwell and where is the place of darkness Vers 19. Where is the way where light dwelleth The Septuagint translate In what land doth light dwell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In qua terra Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vbi via in quae habitat scil â—post viae itineris spatium emensum Or where is the land of light We say Where is the way The Hebrew word notes a trodden beaten way or as we speak a high-way Where is the way where light dwelleth That is whither light retireth and doth as it were betake it self in the night when it hath gone its journey and is past thy Horizon For every one knows where light dwells while the Sun is up with us and shines upon us But what becomes of it or whither it goes when 't is gone from us that 's a question and here say some the question The word which we translate dwelleth implieth a retirement Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est ad quietem noctem traducendam alicubicommorari a rest after long labour and travel Where is the way where light-dwelleth and as for darkness where is the place of it Here are two gâ—eat contraâ—ies which cannot agree nor dwell together in any one subject yet met together in this Text Light and darkness and there is some yea not a little darkness in this question about the light We need a great measure of Divine Light to answer this question about the Light Where is the way where light dwelleth Tell me O Job if thou canst where light lodgeth where it reposeth it self when the Sun is gone down and departed out of thy sight Tell me what way leadeth to the lodging of light The words as Interpreters give it have in them a poetâ—cal tincture as if the Sun setting retired to his chamber as we do when the light and business of the day is ended David speaks of the Sun as a Bridegroom coming out of his chamber Psal 19.5 And when his race as to us is run every day he hath a chamber ready for him not that the Sun doth at all end its motion or sit down to rest but because it seems to rest when it goeth down to us As if the Lord had said Hast thou travelled to the place of the Suns rising and setting Where is the way where the light dwelleth There may be a threefold answer given to these questions as light is taken properly for the natural light the light of the day caused by the Suns approach and as darkness is taken properly for natural darkness caused by the with-drawing of the Sun First Some because the word dwelleth notes a stay or an abode for such is a dwelling place answer the question geographically and say light dwelleth under the Poles There are two poles of the earth the Northern and the Southern under both which interchangeably light and darkness abide six moneths together and because of the long stay and abode of light and darkness there Geographers reckon and conclude the dwelling of light and the place of darkness to be there and that therefore the Sun hath two dwelling houses one in the North the other in the South Secondly When Astronomers answer these questions Where is the way where light dwelleth and where is the place of darkness They say The East is the place of light and the West the dwelling of darkness And the reason given is this Because the Sun riseth in the East and goes down in the West leaving the World Forvide Titan obitus pariter tecum Alcides vid it Ortus novitque tuas utrasque domos Sen. in Herc. Act. 4. Alludere videtur ad signorum Zodiaci spatia per quae Sol cursum suum perragit quae ab astrologis Mansiones vel Domus solent appellari Itáque Zona illa sive fascia Zodiaci in cujus medio protenditur eccliptica est via solis qui in tot habitare domus dicitur quot in illa sunt signa Bold that half of the World upon which it shined in the day over-shadowed with darkness It is by the access and recess by the rising and setting of the Sun that we enjoy light or are wrapped up in darkness And so East and West are called by the ancient Poets the houses or dwellings of the Sun Astronomers have found out according to their doctrine twelve houses or dwelling places of the Sun they imagine a girdle or bond passing quite through the heavens which they call the Zodiack and there a line which they call the Ecliptick in which the Sun moveth or which is the way of the light and in this line they place the twelve signs the first of which the Sun entreth the first moneth of the year and is called Aries the second Taurus the third Gemini c. These are onely fictions by which they represent the gradual motions of the Sun in the several seasons of the year and
they call them Mansion Houses or Dwellings of the Sun Thirdly According to vulgar understanding we may answer these questions Where is the way where light dwelleth c. Plainly thus Light dwelleth in the Sun there light abides and from thence shines to us The Sun is the Vessel or Store-house of light the Luminary of the World by day as the Moon and Stars are by nighâ— And as for darkness that takes its place every where as soon as the Sun leaves any place As often as the Sun continuing his circular progress visits the other Hemisphere daâ—kness takes possession of this Light and darkness take their turns the one alwayes going off when and where the other enters upon the stage of the world Now though Philosophers with our own experience tell us that the reason of this is the access and recess of the Sun yet it is unknown to us how God hath thus tempered the course of nature that day and night should not be alwayes alike in any part of the World but vary in both the Hemispheres and that in the same Hemisphere there should be such a setled inequality in the length of the nights and days This dependeth wholly upon the will of God who thus stated the motions of the heavenly bodies from the very beginning If it be asked Why doth the Lord put these questions to Job Where is the way where light dwelleth Seeing every one may answer light is in the Sun light shines in and fills the Air while the Sun is up and darkness filleth the air when the Sun is gone down darkness being the privation or want of light or darkness according to the usual definition of it being the shadow of the Earth coming between us and the Sun When the opacous or thick body of the Earth interposeth between us and the Sun darkness followeth And if this be all there seemeth not to be much difficulty in knowing where the light dwelleth and where the place of darkness is therefore surely that was not the sole intendment of God in putting these questions to Job But when he saith Where is the way where light dwelleth c. It is as if he had said Dâ—st thou understand the ordering and methodizing of lâ—ght and darkness Or how it cometh to pass that one part of the World hath light while the other is covered with darkness and how light returns to that other part Hast thou made this temperament and vicissitude of light and darkness or procured that the day should be long in the same country at one season of the year and short at another Hast thou disposed the Sun to make short nights in Summer and long in Winter This the understanding of man is not well able to comprehend much less his power to effect Onely the infinite wisdom of God hath put light and darkness into this method and given them their certain seasons And that this is the meaning of the Text we may gather more clearly from the next verse for the Lord having said Where is the way where light dwelleth and as for darkness where is the place thereof presently adds Vers 20. That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof These words shew that the former questions chiefly respect the order and disposure of light and darkness That thou shouldest take it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Viâ— habet accipiendi quasi m anu The Word signifieth the taking of a thing in ones hand As if the Lord had said Dost thou every morning take the light in thy hand and bring it to the bounds or utmost limits thereof Art thou able to direct the light where it should abide till such time as it is to come forth agâ—in to thee Nihil movetur quod non deducatur ipsa dei manu potestate Si ille manum non admoveat immota iners jacebit squalebit naturae Potentissimus deus capit solem accipit tenebras ducitatque reducit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is a manuduction a divine manuduction of all the creatures by the wisdome and power of God he as it were leads the light and leads the darkness â—hither he pleaseth The creature remaineth unmoved and sluâ—â—â—sh it stirreth not till the Lord taketh it by the hand or putteth forth his hand to dispose of it as it pleaseth him to the use or place he hath appointed it Oâ— To the bound thereof The Original Word signifieth a limit or utmost point implying that the Lord brings the light to its due and proper place and that as he hath determined the bounds of mans habitation Acts 17.26 so he hath also bounded the habitation of light and darkness for the benefit and service of man As if the Lord had said Hast thou done this O Job surely no that 's my work I am he that taketh the Sun in my hand and bringeth it to the bounds thereof I direct at what point it shall rise and set It is I that know the paths to the house thereof and so can readily call for it and cause it to appear in time and place appointed Thou knowest not where tâ— have the light how to bring light forth but I do From these two verses laid and considered together Observe First Natural light and darkness have their special places their dwelling places yet they have no where aâ—y long abiding place A Tabernacle not a standing house is set for the Sun Psal 19.4 A Tabernacle is a moveable house The Sun hath a house every where but it keeps house or abides no where 'T is not only alwayes moving in its place but daily removing to other places and so consequentially is darkness As it is thus with natural light and darkness about which the question is literally proposed so with civil light and darkness about which the question also is intended These have their places their dwellings and 't is seldome that they dwell long in any one place Light and darkness are not more interchangeable in the Air than joy and sorrow are in the states and conditions of men We may likewise conclude that spiritual light and darkness have their houses and their dwellings Spiritual light both the light of knowledge and the light of comfort dwell First In Christ himself In him as Mediator all fulness dwells Col. 1.19 and of his fulness we all receive grace for grace John 1.16 I may say also light for light light of every sort and light in every degree â—â—â—â—ful for us is received from him Secondly These lights dwell in the hearts of every true believer Faith and light can never be separated Though some who have faith may be in the dark yet light is not separated it is onely clouded eclipsed or hidden from them All believers are so much in a state of light that they are called light Eph. 5.8 and many of them live in a plentiful enjoyment of light A worthy man of the former
generation lying upon his death-bed a friend asked him whether the light shining into the room did not offend him he answâ—red Hic sat lucis Oecolampadius putting his hand upon his heart Here I have light enough The heart of a godly man is the house of spiritual light there he hath and holds the light of divine knowledge about the things of the Gospel and the light of divine comfort arising from that knowledge It is also reported of Mr. Deering our Countrey-man that in his last sickness and towards his end being set upright in his bed for his ease a friend requested him that he would speak something for the edification and comfort of those about him Whereupon the Sun shining in his face he took occasion to speak thus There is but one Sun in the world and there is but one Sun of righteousness which graciously shineth upon me speaking further he concluded thus I bless God I have so much light of joy and comfort in my soul that were it put to my wish or choice I had rather a thousand times die than live As the hearts of these worthies were the dwelling place of light so is the heart of every godly person in his measure and degree the light of knowledge and of joy abide there The Apostle saith 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commanded light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ And where that shine of God gives the light of knowledge the light of comfort cannot be withheld unless it be for a season that the soul may rejoyce the more in the end and at last without end For Lastly There is an eternal light the light of Glory and that hath a certain dwelling place that light dwelleth alwayes in heaven and the Saints at rest in heaven dwell alwayes in that light Eternal glory is called the inheritance of the saints in light Col. 1.12 Again Spiritual darkness hath its place and we should labour to know the place of that darkness to avoid it Ignorance is spiritual darkness and that dwells in the heart of every man by nature All that continue in that sad condition have their understanding darkened through the ignorance that is in them Eph. 4.18 and they who now are in the light were once in the dark yea they were darkness Eph. 5.8 Let it also be remembred in whomsoever this darkness of sin and ignorance abides they must abide under the darkness of wrath and judgement for ever The place where that darkness dwells is hell and there outer darkness as 't is often called in the Gospel dwells even such darkness as wherein the damned are not onely out of the possession of the least ray or glimmering of light but without any hope or expectation of it Hell is quite beyond the bound or boundaries of light there 's darkness and thick darkness nothing but darkness Thus we see light and darkness have their places natural light and darkness have theirs and so have spiritual and eternal light and darkness Secondly From the scope of these two verses Observe It is God who disposeth and ordereth light and darkness The question was put to Job whether he had disposed of them but he could not assume to himself that he had taken or laid the light to the bound thereof or knew the paths to the house thereof Light and darkness are at the dispose and under the command of God alone And as the work or power of God is wonderful in the dispose of natural light and darkness so 't is much more wonness in the dispose of civil spiritual and eternal light and darkderful these the Lord taketh to their bound and knoweth the paths to their house I form light and create darkness saith the Lord Isa 45.7 What light and darkness doth the Lord there speak of Surely of civil light and darkness as the next words import I make peace and create evil I make and create them I also direct and appoint them whither to go whether to a Nation or to a man only whether to this or that man or Nation Darkness is of me as truly as light And that not only civil but spiritual and eternal light and darkness are at Gods dispose is as evident from the Scriptures of truth Some lands may be called lands of light like Goshen others like Egypt under that three days plague may be called lands of darkness Of such lands that complaint is made Psal 74.20 The dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty All places of the earth full of ignorance not knowing God of atheisme not acknowledging God of idolatry worshipping false gods or the true God â—alsly may be called lands of darkness or the dark places of the earth Now as the Lord maketh one land a place of spiritual light so he leaveth another to be a place of darkness And he often maketh changes from darkness to light that 's mercy and from light to darkness that 's wrath in the same lands Some lands which had sate in darkness for ages and generations the Lord hath visited with Gospel light and some lands which for ages and generations had that light are now laid in darkness How sad a witness of this are the anciently famous seats of the Asian and African Churches now under Mahometan power And further as the Lord disposeth that outward spiritual light and darkness giving the knowledge of the Gospel to or taking it away from Nations as he pleaseth so he dispoâ—eth inward light or darkness to every soul Some gracious souls walk in the light of Gods countenance and under the sweet shinings of his face every day others who also as the Prophet speaks Isa 50.10 Fear the Lord and obey the voice of his servants walk in darkness and see no light Now whence cometh this difference Is it not of the Lord who hath the command of our joys and of our sorrows and who appoints this kind of light and darkness their several and special places according to the soveraignty of his own Will From all that hath been said we may draw down this conclusion which the Lord did chiefly aim at in dealing with Job That we are to own and acknowledge the hand of God in every condition be it light or be it darkness be it joy or be it sorrow 't is all of God There is nothing which concerns either the comfort or trouble of man but comes forth from God and is ordered by him like as in all ages and revolutions of time light and darkness have held their course and kept their place according to his institution and direction Job was in darkness both as to his outward and inward estate his body was pained his soul was grieved anguish â—â—llâ—d 〈◊〉 spirit and God would have him see know and acknowledge his hand in all As if he had said Thou canst no more dispose the peace
or trouble the light or darkness of thy condition than thou canst dispose of light or darkness in the air All our changes from darkness to light from light to darkness proceed from the unchangeable God And as light and darkness have their constant turns in the air so they have very frequent turns in the life of every man Therefore they who when God causeth darkness to cover and compass them about do not acquiesce and rest in his good pleasure but murmur and are tumultuous these I say do as if they would take upon them to order the course of light and darkness in the world these do no otherwise than as if at midnight they should call for day or at mid-day for night Discomposed souls are like sick bodies they who are sick or ill at ease cannot bear either night or day in the day they desire night and in the night day so it is with them of sickly souls Such are often heard saying in the morning Would God it were evening and in the evening Would God it were morning Nothing pleaseth them Did we acknowledge the hand of God in making it night we should sit down quietly in our darkest night as to impatience even while we are most earnestly praying for the return of morning light Impatience was in a great measure Jobs failing though he had a great measure of patience He made as we say an ado in the night of his trouble as if he would have made it day when God had made it night and darkness with him O remember the way of light and the place of darkness the bounds and paths of both are in the hand or at the command of God Thirdly In that the Lord put this among his own great works and takes it out of the hand of Job or of any other creature to order light and darkness Note The work of God in ordering light and darkness is wonderful And we cannot but be convinced that it is so if we consider First The constant succession of day and night in all places As sure as the day cometh the night will come and as sure as the night is come day is coming There is an unchangeable change between light and darkness they milâ—â—or a moment in their comings or returnings Secondly If we consider light and darkness as to their increase or decrease in any place thus Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth knowledge Pâ—al 19.2 which some think was a well known Adage or Proverbial Speech among the Jews importing the power of God over and his guidance of them both God brings the light to the bound of it to day at this hour or minute of the hour to morrow at that There is a constant inconstancy an uneven evenness between light and darkness upon the face of the earth We never have light or darkness twice of the same length in the same place and season yet they ever keep their place and season all the world over where you had them the last year upon such a day there you may have them this without a moments variation though they have varied their course many moments every day since Thus exactly doth the Lord take or lead the light to it s bound and knows the paths to the house thereof And as there is a great glory coming to God in ordering light and darkness as to the outward face of things so there is a greater as to the inward state of his people their soul-state And though the Lord doth not keep such a constant course in that yet he observeth a rule in all the revolutions of it We have sometimes light and sometimes darkness in our souls Now the light of comfort increaseth towards us and anon the night of sorrow darkeneth upon us Our souls meet often with these turns and changes Let us adore the wisdom and submit to the holy will of God in all For though soul-light be alwayes desirable as well as comfortable yet soul-darkness may sometimes be useful and this use it hath as often as it comes even to try how we can trust God in the dark as also to let the world know that we are resolved through grace to keep close to the light of commandements how long soever we are kept from or are at a loss for the light of promises Lastly We may consider from this Text that as light hath its special houses or dwellings so it hath a special way to its dwelling chalked out as it were and appointed by God And is there not a way a path to spiritual to eternal light The way to these lights is Christ He is the Way the Truth and the Life John 14.6 He is the true the onely way to life to spiritual life and light yea he is the way to eternal light and life Holiness and faith in Christ are the passing way to this light but Christ himself is the way procuring light Without faith it is impossible to please God and without holiness no man can see God Christ is the meriting way faith and holiness are the qualifying way leading us to the house and dwelling of this light As sin and unbelief or the sin of Unbelief is the way leading to eternal darkness O how many go this way to the generation of their fathers where they shall never see light Psal 49.19 so faith and holiness or holy Faith is the way the path to everlasting light and life Thus much of the enquiry made about the way and path of light and darkness which as they are literally to be understood of natural light and darkness so by them God led Job and in him us to consider his disposure of all sorts of light and darkness Now That Job might be convinced of his own ignorance in and insufficiency for an answer to these questions God calls him to consider the late beginning and shortness of his life knowledge being gathered up by experience and length of days affording both time and opportunity for the gathering up of experiences Job was but of yesterday in comparison of the day wherein the interchanges of light and darkness were appointed and therefore should it be supposed that days could teach him how these things came to pass yet he could not but be much unprepared for a ready and satisfying answer to these questions Vers 21. Knowest thou it because thou wast then born Or because the number of thy days is great The question still proceeds about the natural light and darkness Knowest thou it That is what I last put to thee If thou knowest it how camest thou by thy knowledge Knowest thou it Because thou wast then born The Tygurine Translation renders the words thus Habesnè cognitum tempus quo nasceboris Tygur Dost thou know the time when thou wast born As if the Lord had argued thus with Job Thou dost not know the hour of thy own Nativity or when thou wast brought forth how much less the way or manner either of
As we took no care of our selves nor could before we were so all the care we take for our selves while we are can avail us nothing without God Which of us by taking care can add one cubit to his stature Matth. 6.25 and which of us by taking care can add one moment to his life all is in the hand of God And 't is our duty to live as free from all troublesome cares while we are in the world as we were free from any care at all before we came into the world It is enough that God hath undertaken for us and would have us sit down in his care of us Christ said Matth. 10.29 30. with respect to sufferings Fear not for are not two sparrows sold for a farthing and one of them falleth not to the ground without your Father It is God who orders and disposeth the life of a silly bird and by him the very hairs of our head worthless excressions are numbred surely then the days of your lives and all the changes of them are ordered disposed and numbred by him And if so we should in this sense be as quiet and as much at ease in our spirits concerning the things of this life as we were before we lived Light had its dwelling place appointed and darkness was disposed of without any care of ours and all our care can neither create light for us nor remove any darkness that is upon us Let us onely be careful of that duty we are called to and leave the burden of our cares to him who hath called for them Psal 55.22 and would have us rest in this assurance that he careth for us 1 Pet. 5.7 what cannot he command for us in our places who commands light and darkness to their places therefore it will be our wisdome at once to take as much pains and as little care as we can JOB Chap. 38. Vers 22 23. 22. Hast thou entred into the treasures of the snow Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail 23. Which I have reserved against the time of trouble against the day of battel and war JOB was last questioned about the habitation and interchanges of light and darkness Here the Lord questions him about those two Meteors the Snow the Hail As if he had said Possibly thou wilt confess thou knowest not how to answer the former question but perhaps thou art better skill'd in and acquainted with the matter which I shall next propose well then I ask again Vers 22. Hast thou entred into the treasures of the snow c. There is a two-fold entring into any place First In body Secondly In mind The body of Job nor of any man never entred into the treasures here spoken of nor could Jobs mind nor the mind of any man enter fully into them that is comprehend how vast how great they are We had this phrase Hast thou entred at the 16th verse of this Chapter There the question was put about his entring into the springs of the sea here about his entring into The treasures or store-houses of the snow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thesaurus Aspotheca promptuarium The word imports any place or repository where stores of any kind are laid up and kept for use The Poet calleth Bee-hives the Treasuries of honey and so may Cellars be called the Treasuries of Wine and Oil c. The Clouds are the Treasuries which contain the stores or treasures of Snow and Hail Those places out of which God is said either to bring good for the use and comfort of man or evil for his hurt and punishment are usually in Scripture expressed by this Word Thus spake Moses encouraging the people of Israel to obedience Deut. 28.12 The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure the heaven to give thee rain unto thy land in his season c. And God hath his just and righteous treasures of wrath even as men heap up and have their evil and unrighteous treasures of sin Deut. 32.34 Rom. 2.5 Thus the Apostle James tells ungodly rich men chap. 5.3 Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days Which may be understood of their getting their treasures of riches so unrighteously in their days as would prove a heaping together of wrath against themselves in the last days or day of the last Judgement Treasures of good or evil imply three things First The secrecy of what is laid up Secondly The safety of it or that it is surely laid up Thirdly That there is store or great quantities of it laid up A little is not a treasure The snow may well be called a treasure in all these respects for 't is secretly laid up no man can see it and 't is safely laid up none can reach or take it away there are also vast quantities or great abundance of it Hast thou entred into the treasures of the snow As if the Lord had said Thou O Job hast often seen the snow fall and thou mayest easily perceive that it falls out of the clouds but hast thou ascended or can any ascend unto those airy regions where snow is generated and laid up as in a treasure If not surely then no man can ascend to heaven and there search out or discover the mysteries and secrets of Wisdom and Justice in my works here below unless by the wings of faith and the light of a spiritual understanding which sits down satisfied in this conclusion that all is wisely and justly done which God doth whether in heaven or earth To bring Job to this acknowledgment was the design and purpose of God as hath been toucht before in all the questions propounded to him in this and the next Chapter Hast thou entred into the treasures of the snow What the snow is the nature and the wonders of it was spoken of and shewed at the sixth verse of the 37th Chapter All that I shall further add for the opening of this question is that when God speaks here of the treasures of snow we are not to understand it as if he had great heaps of snow formally amassed up together in any place of the air as men lay up treasures of money or corn or of any other useful matter but the words are an elegant Metaphor the meaning onely this God hath abundance of snow ready at his will and dispose at his call and command whensoever or wheresoever he is pleased to make use of it for 't is as easie with God at any time to draw out and powre down abundance of snow as if he had infinite store of it kept alwayes by him He no sooner speaks the word but the face of the earth is covered and its bosomes filled with silver showers Hast thou entred into the treasures of the snow Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail These treasures of hail are of the same nature with those of snow and so to be understood as the former but there is a difference in the form of snow and
to sinners to be treated with for peace But if any think to make peace with God in any other way than faith and repentance by any other person than Christ Jesus at any other time than the time of this life we must receive another Gospel before we can give them any assurance shall I say or the least shadow of a hope that they shall do so JOB Chap. 38. Vers 24 25 26 27. 24. By what way is the light parted which scattereth the east wind upon the earth 25. Who hath divided a water-course for the over-flowing of waters or a way for the lightening of thunder 26. To cause it to rain on the earth where no man is on the wilderness wherein there is no man 27. To satisfie the desolate and waste ground and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth THe Lord still proceeds by way of interrogatory with Job In this Context he puts many questions First About the Light Secondly The Wind. Thirdly The Waters Fourthly The Thunder Vers 24. By what way is the light parted Job was questioned at the 19th verse concerning the light here the question is renewed or repeated yet surely no needless repetition There are many things considerable in the light chiefly these four First The Nature of it Secondly The Original or Spring of it Thirdly The Communications or Effusions of it Fourthly The Effects of it or what it works The former two were chiefly intended in the former question at the 19th verse namely the Nature of the Light and the Original of it here the Lord enquires of Job about the Communications or Effusions of light as also about the Effects of it which are the two latter As these things both singly considered and laid together aâ—e an argument of the divine power and providence so of mâ—ns weakness and ignorance who as he is not able to withstand them so not to understand fully what they are or how cau ed as this question doth imply By what way is the light parted The word which we translate parted signifies to put things into distinct portions As if the Lord did give ouâ— several portions of light to several parts of the earth or upon several occasions By what way or means saith he is this done There is a twofold interpretation concerning the light First Some understand it of the lightning Qua parte lux fulguris erumpat Tygur Qua parte erumâ—at ignis Bez. Rab. Levi. so the Tygurine Translation In what part doth the light of the lightning break forth Mr Beza renders By what way doth the fire break out Lightning breaks out like fire One of the ancient Rabbins calls the light here intended A dry and hot exhalation which saith he is therefore called light or receives the name of light because it doth easily conceive light or take fire as tinder and touchwood such a kind of light is the lightning And the lightnings come often from the East Christ assures us while he saith Matth. 24.27 As the lightning coming out of the East and shineth even unto the West so shall the coming of the Son of man be Taking light to lightning the sence is Knowest thou how it comes to pass thâ—t the lightning should so forcibly break out of the cloud in a thunder-storm and raising the East-wind Qua ratione fiunt corescationes fulgura procellae ventorum concertatione nisi per me Jun. make such a hurry such a tempestuous confusion in the air by diverting t e course of that strong Wind and suddenly scattering it all abroad into the several corners of the World Knowest thou how these mighty commotions are made unless by me by my power and orders Some insist much upon this Interpretation taking the light for the lightning of which the Lord speaks expresly afterwards at the 35th verse of this Chapter and of which Elihu had spoken before in the 37th Chapter Our Translators and many others take light here strictly for the light of the Sun Knowest thou by what way the light is parted either from the clouds or from the darkness Knowest thou how the light is parted into several Climates and Coasts of the World This parting of the light may be considered First As there is a new proportion of the light provided every day for as it was shewed before we never have the light two days together in the same state but more or less shorter or longer The light is longer in one part of the year every day and shoâ—ter in another part of the year every day This change or parting of the light is a glorious work of God who so divides the light according to the time of the year that every day hath a portion and yet no day hath the same portion Potest de luce proprie accipi quatenus illâ— sic in tempestate dividitur ut in aliqua coeli nubes luceant lux salis omicet in aliis densis tegatur nubibus Scult Secondly The light may be said to be parted by the power of God at the same time or upon the same day while in one Coast it is cloudy and in another clear yea within our own view we may behold the Sun shine in one place and not in another Some judge this the most profitable sâ—nse because so there is a clearing of this Text from what went before Nor is it an easie thing taking this meaning of the words to answer the question here put to Job How the Lord parts the light in the same day and at the same time in our view making it shine in one place and not in another But whether we understand the Text of parting light from darkness at the Sun rising or of parting the light at any time of the day after the Sun is risen the matter is not of much importance By what way is the light parted Having observed several things about the light vers 12. I shall onely give these two brief notes from the words under hand First God disposeth and dispenses the light where he willeth The light is a most sweet pleasant creature to behold and the Lord takes the guidance of it into his own hand he parts it he proportions it out as himself pleaseth And as this is true of aerial light so of a better light than that which shines in the air though that be an excellent light the light of the Gospel The work of God is as wonderful I may say much more wonderful in parting and dividing in distributing and proportioning the light of the Gospel than it is in distributing and giving forth the light of the Sun Doth he not at the same time cause that light to shine upon one place while it is darkness in another As he made aereal darkness to be a plague in the Land of Egypt while it was light in Goshen so he leaves many places under spiritual darkness while others enjoy that blessed light in a clear and constant shining And as
it goeth to the West and so when it comes from the North and goes to the South but we know not whence it comes and whither it goes as to the way of it we know not how it comes to passe or is brought about That 's done by the sole command of the Lord who hath the whole Creation at his beck and whose word every creature obeys moving and going where and when he himself gives order It is the Lord who by the light or by what means seems good unto him scattereth the East-wind or any other wind upon the Earth The next Question concerns the waters Vers 25. Who hath divided a Water-course for the over-flowing of waters The former Question was about the parting of the Light here we have a Question about the Division of the Waters Who hath divided c. The Hebrew Word for a River comes from this Root and so also doth the Latine Word Pelagus Quis dedit imbri vehementissimo cursum Vulg 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rivus Pelagus nomen habet quod ex illo dividantur deriventur flumino which signifieth the Sea out of which Rivers are derived and divided into the Land From this word also the Elder or First-born Son of Eber was called Peleg Gen. 10.25 and the Text gives us the reason why he was so called For saith Moses in his days the Earth was divided that is it was distinguished into several Coasts and Countries and by several Names which before lay all as it were in one Common There have been too many hurtful divisions in the Earth that is of men on Earth ever since in another sense and are at this day It is sad to see the spirits opinions and practices of men so much divided but it was and is useful to have both the soil of the Earth and the body of the Water divided Here we have the division of the Waters Who hath divided a Water-course for the over-flowing of waters There is a two-fold division of water We read of the former in the description of the Creation Gen. 1.7 where the Lord divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters that were above the firmament and it was so The division here intended is of the waters above theâ—e the Lord makes a division of the waters and gives them their courses The word rendred Water-courses signifies to ascend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ductus aquae or to be on high because the course of the water is from above or from on high Water moves alwayes from a higher place Water naturally floweth downward 't is a heavy body and cannot ascend naturally therefore the course of the water is from above Quis nisi ego cursum dat aquis è coelo defluentibus veluti percanales ab hominibus manu-factos Homines suos Aquae-ductus per terram efficiunt sed deus per aerem nubem distribuit Merc. Inundationem aquarum non terrestrium sed c. Merc. As men make Aqueducts Water-courses or Conveyances for water by artificial pipes of Lead or Wood as we see in this City or by Channels cut in the Earth so the Lord hath his Water-courses above he hath his Pipes his Channels in the Clouds Who hath divided a Water-course For the over-flowing of waters The Word signifies a great inundation or a pouring forth of water a Chataract Moses describing the Deluge saith Gen. 7.11 The windows of heaven were opened And when at any time it rains it may be said the Lord in some degree opens the windows of heaven We are not to understand as was toucht before this over-flowing of water of the waters flowing upon the Earth but of the waters flowing from Heaven down upon the Earth for the Lord speaks not of Floods on Earth to destroy but of plentiful and seasonable rain to nourish the fruits of the Earth as is clear from the 27th verse Now saith the Lord Who hath divided a Water-course for these waters that they might not come down as I may say in a Full-sea but as by or in pipes and channels to refresh the Earth The Lord hath his Water-works in Heaven as men have theirs on Earth This elegant Metaphor shadows out that certain Rule or Law of Nature which the Lord hath given those waters above when they are commanded to slow down for the use and service of Man and Beast here below The Lord enquires of Job for the Author of these upper Water-works Who hath divided a Water-course for the over-flowing of Waters Hence Note God makes a division of his stores and treasures of water in the clouds as himself pleaseth or the course of the water is directed by God where to fall and when As God hath divided the Earth to the Sons of men Acts 17.26 as he hath determined their times and the bounds of their habitation so he hath also divided the waters for the Earth the waters that are above and he proportions them according to his own will Amos 4.7 I caused it to rain upon one City and I caused it not to rain upon another God is so good that usually he causeth his rain to fall upon the jâ—st and upon the unjust Matth. 5.44 But he can cause the rain to fall distinguishingly and not promiscuously It was the saying of a Heathen in his fourth Book concerning the bestowing of benefits chap. 28. The gods give many benefits to unthankful persons Dii multa ingratis tribuunt sed illa bonis paraverant contingunt autem etiam malis quia separari non possunt Nec poterat lex casuris imbribus dici ne in malorum improborumque râ—ra defluerent Sen. de â—enef l. 4. c. 28. they provided them for the good but they fall to the share â—f the bad because it is impossible to divide them And instancing in rain he saith No law can be given to the falling showers or to the showers when they fall that they distill not upon the lands of wicked men Thus what that Scâ—ipture in Matthew saith God doth out of choice to shew his goodness that this Heathen said their Gods did but of necessity because they could do no otherwise If they sent rain upon the just the unjust must have it too he thought there was no avoiding of that but this Text in Job and many more up and down the Scripture teach us that God can put a law upon the showers of rain he hath his Water-courses and câ—n direct the rain to what place and persons he will he can command it to fall by his law when and where and upon whom he appoints God retains his sâ—veraignty for a distinct distribution of the wateâ—s though to declare his bounty and mercy he usually makes no difference but distributes it alike to all The Lord is so good that he feeds his enemies and nourisheth a world of wicked ones or the wicked world every day yet he retains his Empire over the clouds still and he divides a Water-course
the Stars have a great power upon the bodies of men as well as upon Plants and all sorts of Vegetables subordinately to the power and appointment of God who ruleth all things and persons according to the pleasure and uncontroulable soveraignty of his own will Again Naturalists tell us and many are not far from believing them that the Planets have great power over minerals and metals They say Gold is under the dominion of the Sun Silver of the Moon Iron of Mars Lead of Saturn and that Tin and Coppar are under the dominion of that Planet by them called Jupiter Now whether or no God hath set these metals under the peculiar dominion of these stars I will not dispute not will I deny that there may be a natural sympathy and congeniality between them nor that their influences may be very operative and effectual towards their geneâ—ation production and full concoction in the bowels of the earth Only let us take heed that we be not found giving that to the Heavens which God hath not given them Remember the dominion here intended of the heavens over the earth is a ministerial not a supream dominion 't is not I dare say any such dominion as those Astrologers cry up who would perswade or make us believe First That the dispositions and manners of all men are under the dominion of the Planets and Stars Secondly That the very way and course of every mans life is ordered by the dominion of Stars and Planets Thirdly That all the successes and events good or bad of mens actions and undertakings depend upon the Stars and Planets Fourthly which some have adventured to affirm That the rise and fall of great persons and families together with the growths and declinings of whole Kingdoms and Common-wealths are under the dominion of the Stars Fifthly That the flourishings and decayings of Arts and Sciences depend upon them Yea Sixthly That the stars operate much towards the planting and progress towards the rooting up or going back of Religion But this Scripture intends not any such dominion of heaven over the earth Moses hath told us long since what this dominion is Gen. 1.14 And God said let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and for years The ordinary lights or stars of heaven are always for ordinary signes and seasons and sometimes there are extraordinary lights seen in heaven or the ordinary are seen appearing in an extraordinary manner to signifie that God is about to do extraordinary things or to bring forth extraordinary times and seasons So then they who say the heavenly bodies have no power or produce no effects upon the earth or earthly bodies oppose not only the testimony of sense and daily experience but this and other express testimonies of Scripture And as for those who ascribe all those things before mentioned or any one of them absolutely to the dominion of the heavenly bodies or luminaries they put them in the place of God himself and overthrow the common foundations of Religion which teacheth us to depend wholly upon God for all things which teacheth us also to trust in him alone and to look upon his favour not the favourable looks or aspects of the Stars as the fountain of all our good as also to fear him and his displeasure alone not the displeased looks of the Stars as the fountain of all penal evils Therefore let us in these things speak and think according to sobriety All that I shall add for the conclusion of this Point is First Let us be warned and awakened by the signes of Heaven but let us not be dismayed at them let us leave that to the Heathen who know not God Jer. 10.2 or rather let us pray that the Heathen may no longer be left under that blindness and bondage Secondly If any would know what shall come to pass or would acquaint themselves with future events whether with respect to persons or Nations let them not go to nor consult Star-gazers but the holy Scriptures the Word of God for he hath given us a written word wherein as in a glass we may see First What God would have us to do and how to order the whole course of our lives Secondly What good what blessings what successes we are like to have or may expect through his free favour to us in Christ we walking humbly holily believingly before him Thirdly What evils what crosses what curses what miseries what mischances as we speak we are subject to and may fear if we walk proudly impenitently frowardly in the way of our own hearts We need not go to the Stars if we would know what is like to befal us in this life let us consult the Promises and they will tell us what good we shall receive if we believe and obey let us go to the threatnings and they will tell us what evils will be our portion if we are unbelieving and disobedient Let us fear God not the Stars let our hope be in God not in the Stars If we are evil and do evil the most auspicious conjunctions benigne and promising appearances of the Stars in our nativity will never produce us any true good and if we are good and do good their most inauspitious harsh and threatning appearances shall do us no hurt It needs not trouble us under what Star we were born if we are new born One being told that the Stars in power or which had the dominion in his birth bare him no good will answered I care not for that I have had a second birth Do not my words saith the Lord Mic. 2.7 do good to him that walketh uprightly doubtless they do and so they will let the Stars do their worst Let us sit down quietly in this assurance That whatsoever rule or dominion Heaven hath in the earth the dominion of God is over and over-ruleth the Heavens JOB Chap. 38. Vers 34 35 36 37 38. 34. Canst thou list up thy voice to the clouds that abundance of waters may cover thee 35. Canst thou send lightnings that they may go and say unto thee Here we are 36. Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts or who hath given understanding to the heart 37. Who can number the clouds in wisdom or who can stay the bottles of heaven 38. When the dust groweth into hardness and the clods cleave fast together IN the context of these five Verses return is made to the Meteors of Heaven The Lord having questioned Job about the Stars those pure heavenly bodies the Pleiades Orion Mazzaroth and Arcturus with his Sons here puts the question afresh about the aireal bodies or the natural works of God in the Air. The first question concerns the Clouds and the effects or births of them the waters Vers 34. Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds That is canst thou do it effectually Canst thou speak so loudly that
had received the Lord Jesus Christ There are two things which we should be very much in remembering First Our duty Eccles 12.1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth Secondly Our danger or take both together what danger duty may engage us in else when danger comes we shall soon forsake our duty Many take up a profession of Christ who never thought of the danger of the tryals afflictions and temptations which might befall them for his sake they remembred not the battle and so have either presently been overcome and fallen in it or have unworthily forsaken their colours and run from it Secondly Note It is best not to do or forbear to do that which we cannot but see if we have our eyes in our heads will be dangerous to us in the doing We are not always to forbear the doing of those things that will be dangerous to our outward man for so the best things may be but those things that will be dangerous to our bodies and souls too we must always for bear to do in all such cases it is our duty to remember the battle and do no more Will any wise man engage in danger which can produce no profit There are some things which we are to do and do again though our danger be never so great yea though we lose our lives in doing them But there are many things we may not do if we fore-see danger The Apostle Paul Acts 27.9 10. being at sea said I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage not only to the lading of the ship but to our lives also therefore he tells them ver 21. Sirs ye should have harkened to me and not have loosed from Crete and to have gained this harm and loss that had been their wisdom when they were warned of the danger not to have gone on When there is danger to our bodies only and we see no benefit that may countervail the danger 't is folly to proceed I may urge this point specially in case of sin Take heed of doing any thing that is evil remember the battle that sin will bring you to Sin will bring you to a terrible battle to such a battle as no man can stand in or escape Sin brings to a battle infinitely more dangerous than that with Leviathan Sin provokes God to battle and when God is angry we may more safely contend with ten thousand Leviathans than with him When you are tempted to put your hand to sin O remember the battle remember the battle Thou possibly wilt have a sore battle in thy own conscience and that 's a dreadful Leviathan but that 's not all remember the battle with God who is greater than conscience you must come to judgment remember the battle of that day or that day of Battle with impenitent and hardned sinners and sin no more give it over as you love your lives as you love your precious souls and the everlasting peace or welfare of them You cannot sin without a great deal of danger even the danger of eternal wrath and death Thus I have touched at some things from this third part of the description of Leviathan He hath hitherto been set before us First In the huge bulk and bigness of his body Secondly In the stoutness of his spirit he will neither make supplications nor enter covenant he will neither serve you nor sport with you both which Behemoth the Elephant will do Thirdly In the difficulty and danger of taking him So much danger is in it that if you lay your hand on him it were best to remember the battle and do no more Yet the Lord speaks more concerning the danger of medling with Leviathan in the ninth verse throughout and in the former part of the tenth Vers 9. Behold the hope of him is in vain As if the Lord had said if none of these means can take Leviathan then the hope of him that goes about to take him is lost and frustrate if by these means he cannot be taken then there is no means to take him for he cannot be taken by any means The hope Of him That is of him that goes about to catch Leviathan In order of speech it should have been said thy hope will bâ— in vain Dicendum sucrat spes tua sed in genere dicere voli erit c. Merc. for God was speaking before to Job yet he doth not say thy hope but the hope of him that is the hope of any man will be in vain as if he had said not only shalt thou labour in vain to graple with this sea-monster Leviathan but all men else whosoever they are that attempt or go about to take him The hope of him is In vain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mantitas reipsa vel verbis The Hebrew is the hope of him lyeth It is usual both in the Hebrew and Latine tongue when our hopes and endeavours fail or are frustrate to say they lye or deceive us and the reason is because such a man promised himself great things and had confident expectations without success Thus 't is said Hab. 3.17 Although the labour of the Olive shall fail we put in the Margin lye The Husband-man having bestowed much labour upon the Olive and looking for much fruit may be deceived and so all that labour bestowed in dressing and looking to the Olive-tree failing and being lost the labour of the Olive or the pains taken about the Olive-tree is said to lye The hope of him shall be in vain or lye Our hope is said to be in vain three ways First When we hope for much and get but little according â—o that of the Prophet convincing the Jews of their neglect in building the Temple Hag. 1.9 Ye looked for much and behold it came to little ye hoped for a plentiful harvest ye thought to have had a great crop but it went very close together ye looked for cart-loads but had scarcely handfuls So some expound or give the meaning of that Prophesie Isa 49. 4th and 6th compared It is a Prophesie of Christ at the 4th verse Christ saith I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought and in vain Why did Christ say he had laboured in vain He tells us the reason at the 6th verse And he said that is the Lord said to him It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayst be my salvation unto the end of the earth Christ looked upon his labour as labour in vain if he had died to redeem the Jews only and therefore saith God I will give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayst be my salvation to the end of the earth and then I hope thou wilt not think thy labour in vain Now when the Lord had granted Jesus Christ that
thus Now at length O Lord I know more fully than ever that thou hast a most just right and power to command and dispose of all things and that thou both dost and mayst effect whatsoever pleaseth thee nor ought any to murmur at much less resist thy counsels or dealings seeing every thing is and cannot but be just and righteous which thou dost We conclude then Job knew this truth before but not as he knew it now Hence note First Knowledge is a growing thing And it were well if we were all found growing in knowledge That 's the Apostle Peters charge 2 Epist 3.18 Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He puts both together There is a growth in knowledge as well as in grace and in proportion to our spiritual growth in knowledge is our growth in grace for though many grow much in notional and speculative knowledge who grow little in grace yet they cannot but grow much in grace who grow much in spiritual and experimental knowledge As a godly man groweth in knowledge so in grace too Knowledge is a growing thing The rising and encreasing waters of the Sanctuary were a type of the encreasings of knowledge those waters were first to the ancles and then to the knees and then to the loyns and then to the neck And as knowledge increaseth with respect to the several times and states of the Church for so that place Ezek. 47.3 4 5. is to be be understood so it is a truth that there is an increase of knowledge with respect to the state of every particular believer his knowledge is first to the ancles and then to the knees and then to the loyns and then to the neck As some points to be known are so easie or shallow that according to that clear and common similitude a Lamb may wade through them others so difficult and deep that an Elephant may swim in them so the degree of knowledge in the same person which at one time was very small and shallow at another time may be swelled into a great deep and he called a man of deep knowledge We have a general promise of such an increase Isa 11.9 The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea that is there shall be a wonderful increase of knowledge That 's also the import of Daniels Prophesie Chap. 12.4 Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased Particular persons shall improve in knowledge and so shall the whole Church So then this increase of knowledge is of two sorts First it is a knowledge of more things and Secondly of every thing more We should labour to know more truths we must thus add to our knowledge For though it be true that every believer hath received the anointing whereby he knoweth all things that are of absolute necessity 1 John 2.20 yet he may come to the knowledge of more things which are exceeding useful and helpful to him Secondly We should labour to know every thing more as in the Text. Job knew before that God was omnipotent and could do all things but now he knew it more and so much more that the knowledge which he had before might be called ignorance compared with the knowledge which he had now received Then we increase our knowledge fully when we get the knowledge of more things and of every thing more Again we should labour to increase as in speculative so in experimental knowledge Speculative knowledge alone goes no further than the notion of what we know experimental knowledge finds and feels the power of what we know it subjects us or makes us subject to what we know the motions of the Will follow the light and dictate of the Understanding This is the best knowledge Knowledge which is felt and acted is better than that which is heard and declared What the Apostle John said of himself and his fellow Apostles who were personally present with Christ while here on earth with respect to their sensitive knowledge of him is most true of the spiritual and experimental knowledge which believers have of Christ now in heaven and they absent from him 1 John 1.1 That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life that declare we unto you we declare that unto you which we have seen and felt 'T is a blessed thing when we can say that the things which we declare to others we have felt them and even handled them our selves Many as our usual expression is handle Texts and handle truths learnedly and excellently in a discourse who never handled no nor so much as toucht them by any experience of their sweetness or efficacy either in their hearts or lives Further consider in what way Job came to this proficiency in knowledge he had been a great while in the School of affliction before he said I know and I know to purpose that thou canst do every thing Hence note Afflictions and sufferings are a special means to increase our knowledge and wise us in the things of God The godly never increase more in knowledge than under the Cross under afflictions of one kind or another David saith Psal 119.71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes Did not David know the Statutes of God before doubtless he did he was all-along trained up in the statutes of God but when God took him into the School of affliction then he leaâ—nt the Statutes of God much better Let us consider what profiting we find at any time under affliction as to the knowledge of God and of our selves if we do not better our knowledge by one cross we may expect to meet with another and another till matters mend with us Solomon saith Prov. 27.22 Though thou shouldst bray a fool in a morter among wheat with a pestle yet will not his foolishness depart from him that is an obstinate sinner he is the fool there spoken of though extreamly afflicted is not bettered but a godly man profits by his affliction both as to the departure and riddance of his folly as also to his growth in spiritual experimental knowledge Once more which will give us a third note Job was not only in affliction but God taught him in his affliction Job had not only a rod upon his back but a tutor by his side His three friends had been long with him and spoken much to him but he learnt little by them When Elihu had been speaking to him he yielded somewhat to him though not fully but when once God undertook to tutor and instruct him Job learned amain and profited greatly in knowledge Hence note Then we profit indeed under afflictions when God teacheth us in our afflictions If we have nothing but the rod we profit not by the rod yea if we have
say understand and meditate upon these two things it would quiet our minds in the greatest storms of adversity and be a preservative against all impatience But if with these two we consider a third thing that the end which the Lord hath in bringing sufferings upon his people is to do them good how unreasonable a thing will impatience appear shall we be impatient at our profit If we are well instructed in this great truth that all things work together for good to them that love God and are the called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 Where is there any room for impatience in those who are effectually called and truly love God! Impatience floweth from ignorance Again in that Job confesseth himself to be the man that hid the counsels of God when he had only been speaking unadvisedly of them Note He that speaketh improperly and unskilfully of the counsel or things of God hideth them When in discourses about divine truths we do not advance the honour of God we as it were cast a vail upon it Not to do what we ought is to do what we ought not our omissions of good may be censured as commissions of evil We should display and magnifie the wisdom of God in all his dealings with us and dispensations towards us else we do unwisely Thirdly Job chargeth it upon himself as a fault that he uttered what he knew not Hence note Our words and our understandings should go both together Let us take heed of venting with our tongues what we have not in some good degree reached with our understandings The understanding should give light to the tongue nor need we any other light to speak by but that of the understanding True light cannot shine out of our mouths if there be much darkness in our minds How shall we utter knowledge if we have it not Psal 147.7 God is the King in all the earth sing ye praises with understanding In singing praises as there is an exercise of our affections so there should be of our understanding also The Apostle puts it twice in those duties of prayer and praise 1 Cor. 14.15 I will pray with the Spirit and will pray with understanding also I will sing with the Spirit and I will sing with the understanding also A word should not go out of our mouths but such as the understanding dictates and directs better not to speak than speak what we know not If we understand not what we speak we seldom edifie others never our selves As the tongues of some utter things above their experiences and affections so do the tongues of others utter words beyond their judgements Fourthly When Job spake he thought he had spoken very well yet now he is convinced of his weakness and mistakes in what he spake Hence note Good-meaning men may sometimes arrogate and pretend to more knowledg than cometh to their share They may think they know the truth in a better manner and measure than indeed they do Our opinion of our selves is often greater than our knowledg of other matters and we may soon imagine we know that which indeed we know not The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 8.2 If any man think that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know He that really knoweth any thing as he ought cannot but have thoughts that he knoweth it but he that thinketh that is is much or proudly thinking that he knoweth any thing doth only think so for he knoweth nothing as he ought that is really groundedly and effectually Fifthly Observe God will bring his servants at last to see how short they are of that knowledg which they sometimes presume to have Job thought he had more knowledg than he indeed had and God made him see it 'T is a work of great goodness in God to shew us how defective we are both in knowledge and goodness We are full of self till God convinceth us of our self-emptiness we are full of self-wisdom and self-strength and self-righteousness till the Lord convinceth us that our wisdom is folly our strength weakness our righteousness an unclean thing and sheweth us yea causeth us to recieve and take Christ for our righteousness strength and wisdom God did not leave Job till he had brought him out of and off from himself as to whatsoever he had too high an opinion of or any confidence in himself Again Job was upon his humiliation before God he had not any gross sin to charge himself with for he stood still upon his integrity as he had done before nor was Job mistaken in that point he had not lived in any gross sin That which he charged himself with was want of knowledg and his erroâ— in managing his cause towards God arising from it Hence note Sixthly Our ignorance and errors are to be confessed and bewailed before the Lord and we to be deeply humbled for them What though we have not any open wickedness to charge our selves with what though the world cannot charge us nor we our selves with any foul and black-fac'd enormities yet have we not errors have we not ignorances have we not weaknesses to confess Jobs eye had none of those beams in it but he began to see the moates in his eye and repented of his shortness in knowledg and of his rashness in language Though great sins call loudest for repentance yet the least sin even a sin of ignorance calleth us to repentance also and wo to those who knowingly neglect or stop their ears against that call When David was only stagger'd at the providence of God giving prosperity to the wicked so spake unadvisedly with his lips as Job in a parallel case did Psal 73.13 14. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency For all the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning Yet as soon as he recovered out of this temptation how deeply did he charge himself ver 22. So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee Why did he then call himself a fool a beast was it for adultery and murder which were once his sins no but for ignorance and rashness David called himself a beast in judging of the dealings of God by sense not for living in any beastly sensuality Let us remember and not lightly pass it over that though we have not which rarely we have not gross sins to confess yet we have ignorances and errors too too many The same David said and prayed Psal 19.12 Who can understand his errors cleanse thou me from secret faults that is from those faults and errors which I do not understand yea cleanse me from this fault that I have not a better understanding As he there prayed to be kept from the dominion and so from the guilt of presumptuous sins that is of sins committed against the light of knowledg so to be cleansed from the guilt of his secret sins that is of sins committed without his knowledg Thus
life a blessing 1017. Why they before the Flood lived so long 1018. Six considerations shewing that long life is a blessing 1018. Long life in prosperity is a great blessing 1020 Light God the Author of it 118. Light wonderful in five respects 119 120. What light is hard to say 120. Light how useful 121. Light how comfortable 122. Eight Inferences from it 122 123. Light of the Gospel how great a mercy 125. Light swift presently spreads it self all over the face of the earth 130 131. Wicked men hate light 133. Light discovers 133 134. Light how it makes a change in things 136 Light where it dwelleth how answered by Geograâ—hers how by Astronomers 164. Light and darkness have their bound their appointed places 167. What is the place of spiritual light and darkness 167 168. Light and darkness whether natural or figurative are at Gods dispose 169 170. The work of God in ordering light and darkness is wonderful shewed several wayes 171 172. Four things considerable in the light 196. Light how parted 197 198. God dispenceth light where he pleaseth 198 Lightning at the command of God 262 Limbus patrum what 152 Line what the stretching of it forth signifies in Scripture shewed in four things 62 63 Lion he bears four resemblaâ—ces in Scripture 282 283. Lion is greedy of prey 286. God provides prey for Lions 287. Two Inferences from it 288 289 Locusts why so called 437 Love it ariseth from likeness 301. Love all duty must be done in love to God and man 918 919 Loyns girding of them what it imports 34. A fourfold use of girding the loyns 34 35 Lurdane who and why so called 36â— Lusts of sinners stick close together like Leviathans scales 736 M Majesty proper to Kings 567. God is full of majesty 570. What that should work in man 571 573. The majesty of God is from himself mans from God 574. Majesty of man little to Gods 575 Maker God loves to be owned as a Maker 633 Man to do a thing like a man what it signifieth 36. Man is vile and how See Vile Masters of two sorts 16 Mazaroth what 247 Meats several forbidden the Jews and why 467 468 Meekness in dealing with others an imitation of God 872 Merchants in Hebrew called Canaanites and why 675 Mercy prevails with sinners more than wrath 922 Mists alwayes accompanied with calms why 103 Money why expressed in the Hebrew by a word which signifies a Lamb or Sheep 971 Months measured by the Moon or Sun their difference 316 Moon the power of it upon earthly things 254 Morning God should have morning or early praises and services 88. Morning light why the clearest light is expressed by it seeing noon light is clearer 741 Mother-Father by whom God was so called and why 227 Mouth what meant by laying the hand upon it 521 Muscovia the sudden change there in the Spring 232 Musculus a little fish the Whales guide 676 N Names it is a duty to give names to our children 999. Parents do well when they give names to their children which may mind them of the providence of God to them 1003. It is good to give names exciting to duty and vertue 1005 Nature course of nature keeps time constantly 117. Nature is content with a little 335 336. It is hard to change nature 360 Neck stiff-neck what it signifies in Scripture 745 Neesing what and how caused 739. Neesing a good sign of two things 739 Neighing of a Horse like thunder 432 New-birth see Birth O Obedience we should yeild ready obedience to all the commands of God 263. Full and compleat obedience what 913. We must obey without disputes or delays when God commands 915. The manner as well as the matter of obedience what 918 Occasion we should be watchful over that which hath been an occasion or instrument of sin 521 Oecolampadius his dying speech about light 168 Old age when a blessing 1019. Old age usually accompanied with many infirmities 1021. God can make old age comfortable 1021. Old age and death cannot be far asunder 1027. Some old men would be young again 1030 Omnipotency of God or that he can do all things how to be understood 790. Gods omnipotency limited by his will Inference from it 796. That God can do whatsoever he willeth a two-fold use of it 797 Opportunity a gate for action 457 Orion the nature of that constellation 241 242 Ornaments and Jewels may be worn 974. Four cautions about wearing them 974 Ostrich five ways described 385. Ostrich why expressed by a word which signifies a feather 393. The eveâ—ness of her feathers the embleme of justice 395. The Ostrich resembles a hypocrite in five things 395 396. That the Ostrich a foolish bird hath such fine feathers three inferences from it 398. Her eggs great and useful yet she careless of them 400. Some give two reasons why she leaves her eggs in the dust which agree not to the text 401. Her eggs many 405. How she is hardned against and hardneth her young ones 405. The Ostrich how said to be without fear though a very fearful creature 411. Ostrich hath little brain and is very deaf 414 415. Her swiftness in running a Proverb 419 P Pagan may deny Christ but cannot deny a God 722 Pain and sorrow in the creatures bringing forth young an effect of sin 320 Pambo his confession about keeping the tongue 521 Patience of God 185. Patience and quietness in every condition why 170 171. Peace hasten to make peace with God 194 Peacock beautiful and proud 386. what the Hebrew word signifieth 387. Proud men like the Peacock shewed in six things 391 392 Pegasus what 423 Pity should be shewed to the afflicted 965 Place a two-fold place of every man decreed 104. Good for all to keep their places 104 105 127 Play A playing life the life of a beast 644 Pleasure God gives man some creatures for pleasure 470. Some displease God most when they are taking their pleasure especially Falcâ—ners 470 Pleiades what 236. Their sweet influence what 237 Pliny his complaint of intemperance and luxury 183 Plowing before sowing both in a natural and spiritual sense 367 Power of God mighty 547. How far God sheweth or putteth forth his power 550. Inferences from it 552. The power of man is nothing to the power of God 554. Power of man not to be trusted for any good it can do us nor feared for any hurt it can do us 555 556. Power of God to be much meditated upon in two cases 557. Power twofold 717 Praise due to God for the work of creation upon several accounts 56 57. Liveless creatures praise God four ways 79. Then men should much more 80. God should be praised at the first appearance of any great work 88. Praise angelical work 89 Prayer obtains rain 260. We may pray for all that God hath promised 551. God gives beyond our prayers 551. The power of God should encourage us in prayer 553. Sense of wants
perfection 878 Sight spiritual of Divine truths notes three things 826. Sight of any thing which we much desire pleaseth us much 654. Sight of the eye a clearer evidence than hearing 822 Silence two-fold 754 Sin deprives us of God 140. Great sins hasten judgment 141. A good man may sin often but he will not take leave to sin once 524. Sin heartily repented of is not persisted in 525. Sin dangerous 680. It is a vain thing to sin 685. They who venture upon sin are cruel to themselves 692. No standing before God in sin 696. Sin makes God and many creatures terrible to us 730. Two things shew the greatness of sin 885. Sinners obstinate make war with God 187. Sinners punished with that which is most cross to their lusts 592 Sinning with a high hand what 141 Singing a part of worship an expression of joy 78 Smoak what it is 742 Snow by whom first used to cool his drink 188 Solitude or a solitary life when to be chosen 336 337 Solstices when 127 Soul why mans glory 569 South why the Hawk stretcheth her wings to the South 471. The Allegorical sense of it 471 472 Speaker two things the grace of a speaker 31 Spears of two sorts 762. Spirit a threefold work of the Spirit upon the soul of man 239 Stag or Hart two things observed of him by Naturalists 211 212 Stars morning-stars why so called 76. In what sence stars may be said to sing 78. Three wayes they sing 79. God hath planted a vertue in the stars 238. No man can stop the vertue or influences of the stars from falling upon the earth 239. Two Inferences from it 239 240. Influences of the stars as beneficial to man as their light 240. The stars have their seasons of appearing appointed them by God 247. An Inference from it 248. The stars have a guide 250 Stewards how all are so 28 Stork good and full of pity as her name in the Hebrew signifies 393 Strength great strength needful for great work 367. Great strength may do great work 367. Some have great strength yet not to be trusted with any work 370. How strength may be trusted 370. Three sorts of men to be considered with respect to strength 370 371. A willing mind better than great strength 375. Strength is of God 424. Great strength makes us joyful in sorrows 748 Submission twofold 887. How we must submit even to inferiours whom we have wronged 887 Suffering we have no cause to fear loss by suffering for Christ 952 Sun the light of it wonderfully extensive and diffusive 130. Sun why called the Father of the winds 199. The power of the Sun upon the earth 254. Why the Egyptians pictured a Hawk to represent the Sun five reasons of it 472 Sutableness of any thing to us is the cause of delight 295. 340 Swadling-band of the Sea what 101 Sword hath a terrible face 448. Sword of God any thing that he useth to destroy by 637 T Teaching of God necessary else mans profiteth not 16 820. Gods teaching is effectual for all purposes seven especially 821 Temptation Satan tempts us much to two things 509 Terror good men may sometimes see the terrible appearances of God 532. God will not cease them till he hath brought man to his purpose 532. The terror of God against the wicked 534 728 Thoughts of man all known to God 803. Three Inferences from it 804. Eight sorts of thoughts to be taken heed of 805 Thunder and lightning ordered by God 205. To thunder what it signifieth in Scripture 558. A thunder or mighty power goeth out in a tenfold voice of God 559 560 Time all creatures keep time better than man 118 128. Time weakens the strongest earthly creatures 291 Tongue why called the glory of man 80 569. Tongue hard to be ruled 521 522 Trees some love watry grounds others dry 645 Treasures or Treasuries of any thing what they import 178 179 Trouble hath its time 185. Times of trouble are specially known to and appointed by God 185. God can make a time of trouble either terrible or comfortable 189 Trust what may be given to strength what not 370. Three things required in those we trust with any business 374. Trust in man or in any meer creature a threefold evil issue of it 555 V Vile to be vile notes three things 511. Man at his best estate is vile 512. Man is vile in three respects 513. Four Inferences from it 513 514. The more God reveals himself to us the more our vileness appears to us 518 Visitation twofold 144 Understanding to know iâ— the work of it 57. The understanding is the master-wheel turning all the faculties of the soul 57. Understanding should go before speaking 58. How irrational creatures may be said to have understanding 414 Unicorn what the Hebrew word signifieth 346. Some deny that there is any such beast in the world 347. He is very strong 367. Unicorn by whom and in what resembled 380 381 Union a threefold union or joyning together in one very pleasing to God 914 Unity among the Ministers of the Gosspel how desirable 86 87. Unity a great means of safety 735 Voice of God a tenfold voice of God exceeding powerful 559 560 W War a day of battel and war is eminently a day of trouble 187 Water in the clouds divided to the earth as God pleaseth 203. The Lord orders the waters in four respects 204 Whales cast upon unusual coasts are a warning to them 783 Whirlwind what 11. Three opinions concerning the wâ—irlwind out of which God answered Job 11. Why God answered Job out of a whirlwind 12 13. Wicked men have a title to good things 139. They shall be broken though high and strong 142. They are like the Hawk in three things 474 Wicked who in a large sense who in a strict sense 587 588. The wicked shall come to a sad conclusion 593. God will at last rid the world of wicked men 594. No outward advantage shall secure the wicked from mischief 595 Wilderness of two sorts 207 Will a kind of will in beasts 358. Service should be done with the will 358. A willing mind doth much 375 Will of God the foundation of the earth and of all things 52 53 Will of a godly man against all sin 526 Winds under the c mmand of God 209. The way of the wind a secret 201 Wings of the morning what 129 Wisdom where the seat of it in man 267. Common wisdom is of God 268. Six Inferenceâ— from it 268 269. God makes one man differ from another in wisdom and understanding 416. A great mercy to have wisdom in six things 416 417 Wolf evening wolf why so called 77 Womb what the womb is out of which the Sea issued 96 97 Word of God is and how it is the determiner of controversies 17. Word to be heard with reverence 19. Word of God heard a great mercy 825. Word to be heard with diligence 825. A fourfold work of