he hath tasted in the goodness of God this is spiritualness in the very height of it but usually God is then sweetest to us when the world is bitterest to us Afflicted soules make most hast after God and it is well to doe so it is a very sad signe the worst Symptome that can appeare upon the soules of any when afflictions draw them off from God or when they grow cold in their affections towards God while the love of the world growes cold towards them The Prophet Amos 6.7 foresheweth a very great calamity that should fall upon the people of God Thou shalt goe Captive with the first that goe Captive c. And in the 8 verse The Lord God hath sworne by himselfe saith the Lord the God of hosts I abhorre the Excellency of Jacob and hate his Palaces As if he had sayd though I have invested him with excellent priviledges though he make a great profession of my name yet because of his provocations and unworthy walkings I will deliver up the City and all that is therein there 's Captivity then comes Pestilence in the 9 â—h verse And it shall come to pass if ten men remaine in one house that they shall dye and they shall not bury them after the ordinary way but burne them and the neerest relations shall doe it Ver. 10 â—h And a mans Vncle shall take him up and he that burneth him to bring the bones out of the house and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house is there yet any with thee and he shall say no then shall he say hold thy tongue for wee may not make mention of the Name of the Lrrd. As if when all these evills and plagues were come upon them they had been stopt or restrained from prayer and totally withdrawn from God by some prohibition from men who were so farre from calling the people to solicite God by prayer to take off his hand Diligentius dâ—â— irati coluntur Sen. l. 1. Declam 1. that they forbid them so much as make mention of his name As if they were eyther afraid or abhorred to mention the name of God because he had been so terrible among them in his Judgements And whereas we translate We may not make mention of the names of the Lord. Ne illâ—â— inter pelles neque illuÌ„ tuis precibus solicites illius ve nomen aut memoriam usurpes qui tibi haec mala fecit mandavit voluit Pined Our late Annotators take notice of two other readings We have not or we will not make mention of the name of the Lord Implying that the stop lay onely in their owne spirits they being eyther so generally wicked that they had no minde to call upon God or so unbeleeving that they thought their case desperate and had no hope of help if they should A Heathen hath sayd That their gods were most worshipped when most displeased but we have some Christians in name who will not worship God at all when they are under the tokens of his displeasure Thoughts of God are never more pleasing to a gratious heart nor more troublesome to a wicked then when they are in trouble Fifthly which will further cleare what was last observed Observe That The unkindnesse and trouble which a godly man findeth among his friends or others in the world drives him neerer to God Job besides the hardship he found from strangers had been hardly used by his friends The use which he made of all this was to make more use of or to get neer unto God O that I knew where I might finde him This was Davids wisdome also Psal 142.4 5. I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was no man would know mee refuge failed mee no man cared for my soule When all slighted him when none tooke care of him what doth he in this case The next words tell us what I cryed unto thee O Lord I said thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living As if he had sayd Upon these unkindnesses disrespects and slightings which I found in the world I tooke occasion yea I was stirred in my spirit to cry unto thee O Lord and to say thou art my refuge that is then I made thee my refuge more then ever Having made thee my choyce in my best times when men honoured and embraced me I am much encouraged in these evill times when men regard me not and the more because they regard mee not to make thee my refuge to shelter my weather-beaten selfe in thy name and power As the naturall spirits in the body when the aire is very sharpe cold and unkinde to the outward parts retire inwards resort to the heart keep close to the heart whereas in warmer weather the spirits are drawne forth and therefore we are more subject to faintings and swoonings in hot weather then in cold so when it is cold weather in the world when it is as it were frost and snow storme and tempest then our spirituall spirits resort and come in to God and keep close to him When we have most friends in the world or when the world is most friendly unto us then God is our best friend his favour is the most beneficiall and desireable favour when we have as much as we can desire of favour among men But when the world hates us and frownes upon us especially when as the Prophet speakes of some Isa 66.5 Our Brethren hate us and cast us out for the name sake of God himselfe saying Let the Lord be glorified When 't is thus with us I say our soules are even forced into the presence of God to renew our interests in his love and to assure our soules that we are accepted with him If under such measure from men we finde not helpe in God we must remaine for ever miserable God alone is enough All without God is nothing to a Godly man The fullnes of the creature without God cannot satisfie him and the utmost want of the creature cannot discontent him while he enjoyeth God the more he wants in the creature the more he seeketh his content in God and when he findes nothing below he cryeth out with greatest earnestnes O that I knew where I might finde him whose throane is above and who is the onely happines of man while he is below Sixthly We see how Inquisitive Job was after God as he had a desire and a minde to finde God so he layes about him for information where and how to finde him Hence observe They who truely desire to finde God are diligent in searching after him O that I knew saith Job where I might finde him This was not an Idle wish many are much in the Optative mood full of wishings and wouldings but their wishes are altogether wishes and their desires nothing but desires and such desires are killing desires as Solomon hath taught us The desire of the sloathfull killeth him Prov. 21.25 an Idle
man chafed and enraged as a man full of wrath and fury but as a man most tenderly affected and full of pity for a bruised reade shall he not breake and smoaking flax shall he not quench a bruised read and smoaking flax are emblems of the weake of the arme without strength of those who are without wisdome Christ will not deale roughly with those he will not breake the bruised read nor quench the smoaking flax that is such as are broken with the sence of sin such as are weake in faith such as are so much over-powred by corruption that they doe rather smoake and make an ill-sented smother then burne or shine in a gracious profession such as are thus low and meane in spiritualls Christ will not breake with his power nor quench with his rebukes till he send forth judgement to victory that is till he hath perfected their conversion and hightned their graces to the full and caused the better part in them to prevaile over the worse as the house of David did over the house of Saul till it arive at a blessed victory And againe Isa 61.2 The spirit of the Lord God is upon me for whâ—t because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meeke he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted to proclaime liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound Here is helping those that have no power and saving the arme that hath no strength Thus Christ handles those who through temptation affliction or any trouble are brought low For the neglect of this duty the Lord reproves the Shepheards Ezek. 34.2 3 4. Son of man prophesie against the Shepheards of Israel prophecy and say unto them thus saith the Lord God unto the Shepheards Woe be to the Shepheards of Israel that doe feed themselves should not the Shepheards feed the flockes That is should they not be more intent upon the feeding of their flocke with spiritualls then upon the feeding of themselves with temporalls should they not labour more to feed the peoples soules then their owne bellyes surely they ought But what did the Shepheards of Israel The next words shew us both what they did and what they did not Ye eate the fat and ye cloath you with the wool ye kill them that are fed These things they were forward enough to doe But see what they did not ye feed not the flock That 's a general neglect of duty then followeth their neglect of particular duties The diseased have ye not strengthened neyther have ye healed that which is sicke neyther have ye bound up that which was broken neyther have ye brought againe that which was driven away by force of Satans temptation neyther have ye sought that which was lost through selfe-folly and corruption Here is a large enditement against the Shepheards All which may be summed up in Jobs language to Bildad They did not helpe those who had no power they did not save the arme without strength nor counsel those who had no wisdome See againe how the Prophet describes the compassionatenesse of God to his people in an afflicted condition Isa 27.8 In measure that is moderately when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it he stayeth his rough winde in the day of the East winde that is when affliction like an East winde blowes feircely upon his from the world then he stayeth his rough winde he will not bring his rough winde out of his treasures to joyn with the East-winde God will deale gently with his when they are hardly dealt with by men And thus it is our duty when it is a day of the East winde a day of trouble and temptation upon any soule to stay the rough winde to breath gently to give refreshment and ease to the weary soule How hast thou helped him that hath no power how savest thou the arme that hath no strength Secondly Observe The manner how we performe any duty is to be attended as well as the matter Bildads businesse was to comfort the sorrowfull to strengthen the infirme how did he performe this his strengthening was a weakning his helping was a grieving of Job already weake and grieved and the reason was because he failed in the manner or mannaging of this worke we must be carefull as to doe good for the matter so to doe it effectually which cannot be unlesse it be done rightly Some goe with an honest purpose to helpe who yet administer no helpe at all to every such helper it may be sayd with rebuke How hast thou helped him that is without power how unhandsomely hast thou done it what worke hast thou made of it Thou hast but entangled the poore soule worse then before This runs through all duties We may say to some How have you prayed and called upon God They onely speake a few words present a few petitions but without a heart without faith without a sense of the presence of God or of their owne wants how have such prayed call ye this prayer we may say to others how have you heard the word of God is this to heare what to reâ—eive the sound or the sense of the word and never to minde it more never to digest nor turne what is heard into practice is this hearing We may say to others how have you fâ—sted and humbled your soules before God Is this a fast that God hath chosen a day for a man to hang downe his head like a bullrush Is this fasting to God even to God No This is but a mock-fast a No-fast God hates such formality in praying hearing fasting with a perfect hatred A body exercised and a soule sitting still is not worship God is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth In the truth or according to the rule of his owne word as also in the truth or according to the sincerity of our owne hearts unlesse we worship God in this twofold truth we worship him not at all as he will be worshipped how much soever we seeme to have a will to worship him As Job here puts a question mixt with admiration and indignation to his helper How hast thou helped him that hath no power How ilfavordly how bunglingly hast thou done it So the Lord will put such a question to many of his worshippers How have ye worshipped him that hath all power how slightly how formally how hypocritically have ye done it Therefore in all duties looke to the manner as well as to the matter and labour to doe them well as well as to doe them To neglect the doing of a duty or the doing of it negligently are alike offensive unto God and he will say to the latter with as much displeasure How hast thou done what I commanded as he will to the latter Why hast thou not done what I commanded yea Thirdly Observe That which is not done as it ought is to be judged as if not done That which we strive not
of thick clouds seclude his sight Nor is this the onely reason why thou art overcome with this ignorant perswasion Thou hast a second which though possibly thou wouldest conceale yet will not I and this is it Thou also sayest He walketh in the circuit of heaven As if thou hadst sayd suppose God can see through the thick cloud and so my former reason should fayle yet I know well enough that the Great God of heaven hath other matters to meddle with other affaires to busie himselfe about then to trouble himselfe with me He walketh in the circuit of heaven we are not to take walking as a meere motion but as walking notes imployment he walkes in the circuit of heaven that is he is wholly taken up there When the Lord asked of Satan Whence comest thou he answered Hoc verbo videtur connotari studium inquirendi Pisc From going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and downe in it Now what doth Satan when he walks up and downe the world doth he walke like an idle vagrant that hath nothing to doe doth he walke with his hands in his pockets as having no businesse doth he walke meerly to take the aire or to take his pleasure to see and be seene no when Satan walks about the world his walking is working he goeth about to tempt to try to lay snares and baits to catch and captivate the soules of men So here when it is sayd God walketh in the circuit of heaven the meaning is his businesse yea even his whole busines lyes there He hath enough to doe in heaven and therefore hath no leysure to attend what is done on earth That 's the scope and tendency of these words which Eliphaz fastens upon Job He walketh in the circuit of heaven We are sure enough of him The words carry the same sence with that speech of the whorish woman Pro. 7.18 19 20. Come saith shee let us take our fill of love till the morning let us solace our selves with loves But the young man might possibly object your husband will come home and that will spoyle all No saith she never feare it he is farre enough out of the way The good man is not at home he is gone a long journey He hath taken a bag of money with him and will come home at the day appointed That is he will not come home till the day appointed he hath great busines abroad and he hath carried money enough with him to beare his charges till he hath don his busines He is riding and running in a farre Country and minds not home nor hath he the least suspition of what we doe at home Thus when the sinner is about to depart farre from his duty he puts or conceives God farre from him He walketh in the Circuit of heaven From the Generall scope of Eliphaz in the 13th and 14th verses Observe First Carnal men frame conceptions of God like themselves Thus the hypocrite is described Psal 50.21 Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy selfe Not that he thought God was a man but that God had such thoughts of good and evill as man hath As if what is right in mans eyes were so in the eyes of God also or as if what did not displease man were pleasing or not much displeasing unto God When the Lord sayth Esay 55.8 My thoughts are not your thoughts nor your wayes my wayes he doth plainly intimate that they did begin to frame thoughts of God like their owne but saith God as the heavens are higher then the earth so are my thoughts then your thoughts and my wayes then your wayes That is as my thoughts have a vastnes in them to all things beyond yours so especially in this thing the performance of my promise for the pardon of sinne O how unlike is God to man in this God is not more unlike man in his absolute freedome from the least inclination to commit any the least sin then he is in the admirable freenes of his inclination to pardon any even the greatest sinne Men are commonly not onely unmercifull to those who wrong them but revengefull and when once offended are hardly drawne to a reconcilement and seldome so fully reconciled but that somwhat of offence stayeth behinde But the thoughts of God are not so He is slow to wrath and ready to forgive He quickly pardons the offence and receives the offender into favour no more retaining the memory of his offence as to his hurt then if he had never offended Thus the Lord would assure sinners that his thoughts in pardoning sinne are not as theirs And it is but need he should doe so For when sinners begin to be awakened they frame such thoughts of God as to pardon of sin as they have in themselves when they looke upon their sinnes as too bigg to be pardoned by man they conclude presently the Lord cannot or will not pardon them And as many under temptation frame thoughts of God like their owne about the pardon of sinne so it is the constant course of wicked men which is indeed the worst of their sinnes to frame thoughts of God like unto themselves while they commit and continue in sinne Man should not dare to Imagine any thing of God in reference eyther to his justice or mercy eyther about the punishing or pardoning of sinne but what he hath declared of himselfe all that wee Imagine beside that is the making of another God There are many false gods made with mens hands but the hearts of men make many more The heart of man makes thousands of false or strange gods Every undue every wrong Imagination of God is the forming up of a strange of a new god When we ascribe to God such a kinde of power such a kinde of knowledge such a kinde of holines such a kinde of justice such a kinde of mercy as is common to the creature in all this wee frame up a new god to our selves And thus those Gentiles of whom the Apostle speaks Rom. 1.21 25. Became vaine in their Imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened in what was their foolish heart darkened in false notions of God therefore they are said ver 29. to change the glory of the Incorruptible God into an Image made like to Corruptible man and to birds foure-footed beasts and creeping things Now as there is the changing of the glory of the Incorruptible God into the Image of a Corruptible man that is into the Externall Image of a Corruptible man for some set up false gods in the likenes of men So there is a Changing of the glory of the Incorruptible God into the Internall Image of a Corruptible man that is into such thoughts and Conceptions as are ordinarily in men Let such consider that if to make a worship of our owne for the true God be indeed to set up a false god all they worship false gods who set up a strange worship for the
true God now I say if they who do but set up a new worship for the true God make a strange God what then doe they who in their hearts set up a new God that is who frame Conceptions of God which himselfe never gave ground for in his word Such was the Conceit which Eliphaz had of Job when he presumes him saying How doth God know Can he judge through the dark cloud Secondly From the particular misapprehension of God imposed by Eliphaz upon Job And thou sayest How doth God know c. Observe Sinfull men fancie to themselves that God eyther doth not or cannot take notice of them in their sinfull wayes Thus they reason Can he see thorow the dark Cloud and conclude Thick Clouds are a Covering to him that he seeth not and he walketh in the Circuit of heaven What Eliphaz layes to Jobes charge falsely is often charged by the Holy Ghost upon wicked men truely Psal 10.11 Hee hath said in his heart God hath forgotten he hides his face he will never see it Who this He is whose heart speakes this language appeares clearely in the former part of the Psalme where he is more then once called The wicked ver 2 3. and where more then one of his wickednesses are described ver 7 8 9 10. His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud under his tongue is mischiefe and vanity he sitteth in the lurking places of the villages in the secret places doth he murder the innocent c. After all this he sayth in his heart God hath forgotten that is he hath forgotten the poore whom I have under my power therefore I may safely oppresse them He hideth his face he will never see it that is God will never take any knowledge either of my doings or of their sufferings We have a sample of the same impiety Psal 73.11 And they say how doth God know and is there knowledge in the most high behold these are the ungodly in the world c. And againe Psal 94.6 ver They slay the widdow and stranger and murther the fatherlesse here are their workes of darknesse yet they say the Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Jacob regard Not onely did they presume that the Lord did not see but that he should not The Lord shall not see As if they could stop or blinde the eyes of God as easily as they had blinded their owne Consciences Take one Instance further Ezek. 8.12 Then said he unto mee Sonne of man Seest thou what they doe hast thou seene what the Ancients of the house of Israell doe in the darke Every man in the Chambers of his Imagery for they say the Lord seeth us not he hath forsaken the Earth Much like the language here He walketh in the Circuit of heaven hee hath other busines to doe then to minde us As God is sometimes sayd to forsake the Earth in wrath to punish the sin of Man so wicked men say he alwayes forsakes the Earth in neglect both of their sin and punishment And as Idolaters who have a minde to other gods are willing to beleeve that God hath forsaken the earth as to the protection of them Wee say they are in danger God takes no care of us therefore blame us not if we betake our selves to other Gods for protection If he had not forsaken us we had not forsaken him So all sorts of resolved transgressors who have a minde to any sinfull way are willing to beleeve that God hath forsaken the earth as to any observation of them Wee may doe what we list for God doth not minde or regard what we are doing If we thought he did indeed see us we durst not thus sinne against him But seeing he doth not trouble himselfe with any care about us why should we trouble our selves with any feare about him Now this Presumption that God doth not see us in what we are doing opens a doore to the doing of all Evill Security from danger is the great encouragement unto sin Though wicked men would not be lesse sinfull yet they would not sin so much or be so full of sin did they not vainely flatter themselves out of the sight of God Every Man would faine beleeve that God doth not see him when he is doing that which he would not have seene or be seene in doing it And how do men please themselves in this false hope that God doth not see them when they doe that which is displeasing unto God! From the Intendment of Eliphaz to Convince Job that the Clouds are no Covering to God and that the Circuit of heaven doth not Confine him Observe Thirdly God is omniscient hee knowes all things Thou sayest thus How doth God know I tell thee God doth know And thou hast an argument upon thy backe if thou hast none in thy heart to prove it thy sence or feeling may teach thee if thy reason or understanding doe not and by thy suffering thou mayest see that God seeth what thou hast been doing This great truth That God is omniscient or knowes all may easily be knowne and ought to be beleeved by all When the Lord had made the world in six dayes Gen. 1.31 He saw all that he had made All was in view at once hee had a Prospect of the whole Creation in his eye And as all his own Creatures so all our Creatures are seene by God hee seeth all that himselfe hath made and hee seeth all that wee have made or are making day by day Gen. 6.5 God saw that the wickednes of man was great in the earth and that every thought of the Imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely evill Continually or every day The Lord saw that is the Lord knew fully infinitely more fully then we know those things which wee see every Imagination or figment of the thoughts of mans heart The figment of our thoughts is what the minde fashioneth or maketh up within it selfe by thinking corrupt nature keepes a constant mint of evill imaginations in the head as it hath a sinke of filthy affections in the heart The minde of man hath a formative faculty in it And the same word which the Holy Ghost useth to signifie the worke of God in making man Gen. 2.7 The Lord God formed man out of the dust of the earth or dust out of the earth the same word I say is used in the Noune Gen. 6.5 to signifie the imagination of man because that is alwayes shaping moulding or forming one sort of thoughts or other naturally none but ugly evill thoughts These are the creatures which man as fallen is the maker of and he maketh as I may say infinite creatures he is forming them continually in his imagination that 's the shop wherein there 's a dayly Creation such as it is of monstrous wickednesses till God by his new Creation changeth the frame and nature of it Now I say as God seeth his owne creatures so he seeth
when the ungodly fall and not fall into sin themselves I answer First The righteous rejoyce at the fall of the wicked as blessing God who hath kept their feete from those wayes in which the wicked have fallen As 't is a great mercy to be kept out of those ill wayes to be kept from fiding with those corrupt interests in the pursuit of which we see many broken so 't is a duty to rejoyce that we have not walked in their way whose end we see to be nothing els but destruction Secondly The righteous have cause to rejoyce blesse God when they see the wicked fall because themselves are saved keepe their standing because themselves have escaped the danger and the Lord hath been a banner of protection over them in the day when the wicked fell Moses after the destruction of Amaleck built an Altar and called the name of it Jehova-Nissi Exod. 17.15 that is to say The Lord is my banner And in like cases the joy of the Saints is not properly in the destruction of the wicked but in their owne deliverance through the mighty power good hand of God with them It is the presence of God with them the appearance of God for them which is the gladnes of their hearts Thirdly The righteous then rejoyce because the Church and people of God are in a fayre way to peace when the Lyons are destroyed the sheepe are in safety when the Wolves and the Beares are cut off the flock rests quietly so in this case when men of devouring cruell spirits wicked and ungodly ones are removed the flocke of God the sheepe of his pasture feed quietly none making them afrayd The fall of the enemies of Sion is the establishment of Sion yea in a great measure of mankinde As the Prophet most elegantly sets it forth Isa 14.6 7 8. He who smote the people in wrath with a continuall stroke he that ruled the Nations in anger is persecuted and none hindereth The whole earth is at rest and is quiet they breake forth into singing yea the firre-trees rejoyce at thee and the Cedars of Lebanon saying since thou art layd downe no feller is come up against us How often have wicked men in power felled not onely the Firre-trees and Cedars of the world but the goodly trees of righteousnesse in the Lords plantations have they not therefore reason to sing when such fall seing the Fellers themselves are then felled and fallen Fourthly Joy ariseth to the righteous because God is honoured in the fall of wicked men And that 's their chiefest joy That God is honoured is more joy to the righteous then that themselves are saved how much more then then that the wicked are destroyed There is a threefold honour arising to God when the wicked fall First God is honoured in his justice such a day is the day of the declaration of the righteous judgement of God as the Apostle speakes of the great day of Judgement Rom. 2.5 Thou after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest up to thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God Some doe even question the justice of God when wicked men prosper but he is vindicated in his justice when wicked men fall It cannot but please righteous men to see the righteous God exalted or God exalted in his righteousnesse They know and beleeve that God is righteous when the wicked prosper Jer. 12.1 But when the wicked are punished they proclaime his righteousnes Then they sing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lambe saying Great and marvailous are thy workes Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints Who shall not feare thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name c. for thy Judgements are made manifest Rev. 15.3 4. The Lord is alwayes alike Just but it doth not alwayes alike appeare how just he it And as that God is just is the faith and stay of the Saints so the appearances of his justice are their joy and triumph Secondly God is honoured much in the attribute of his truth in the truth of his word in the truth of his threatenings when the wicked are punished God hath spoken bloudy words concerning wicked men not onely in reference to their future estate in the next life but to their present estate in this Say to the wicked it shall be ill with him the reward of his hands shall be given him But what is this reward There are two sorts of rewards First rewards of love and favour according to the good which we have done Secondly rewards of wrath and anger poenal rewards according to the evill which we have done Now when the Lord puts these poenal rewards into the hands of the wicked or powres them upon their heads he is honoured in his truth as well as his justice for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it As the promises are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 so also are the threatnings unto the glory of God by us But as when David saw his life in danger every day he began to question the truth of God in the promise that he should live to reigne and fit upon the throne of Israel for saith he Psal 116.11 when things went thus with him I said in my hast all men are lyars even Samuel among the rest who assured me of the Kingdome by expresse message from God but surely he also is deceived and hath fed me with vaine hopes Now as these words of David according to our translation of them and the truth of the thing in frequent experiences shew that Godly men are apt to question the truth of the promise when themselves are by seemingly contradicting providences much afflicted so they are apt to question the truth of the threatnings when they see outward providences prospering the wicked Therefore when the threatnings have their actuall yea and Amen that is when they are executed upon the ungodly this also is to the glory of God by us that is God is glorified by all his people who heare of it in the truth of what he hath spoken Againe as God is magnified in the truth of his threatnings when any particular wicked man is punished so when common calamities come upon the wicked the truth of God or God in his truth is magnified two wayes First As such calamities are a fullfilling of many Prophecies secondly As they are the answer or returne of many prayers The vengeance which falls upon the Enemies of the Church of God is drawne out by prayer Luke 18.7 8. And there is nothing wherein God is more honoured then when prayer is answered For as therein he fullfills our wants so his owne word Who hath not said to the seed of Jacob seeke ye mee in vaine Thirdly When the wicked fall the Lord is honoured in the attribute of his power How great is his power who puls downe great power It argues the Almightines
with him They who are most spirituall and of the largest understanding in spiritualls can no more comprehend God then a cockle-shel can containe the Ocean and many who are spirituall are so darke in their understandings or God is so darke to their understandings that they cannot so much as apprehend or discerne him see or perceive him Thirdly When Job sayth God hideth himselfe on the right hand or in the South so that I cannot see him This teacheth us That God doth sometimes purposely withdraw and reserve himselfe from his most pretious servants The Propher hath a strange description of God Isa 45.15 Verily thou art a God that hidest thy selfe as if he had sayd it is thy use and custome to doe so O God of Israel the Saviour hee was the God and Saviour of Israel yet Israel could not see him for he hid himselfe When God will conceale himselfe his Israel cannot see him And hence wee finde in Scripture so many earnest Deprecations that God would not hide himselfe and so many vehement Expostulations when he did Wherefore hidest thou thy face saith the Church Psal 44.24 and forgettest our affliction and oppression God hides himselfe five wayes or in five things from his people First He hides his favour and the light of his Countenance from his people And when this is hid God is hid hee will not let them see the love which he hath in his heart towards them yea possibly he lets them see anger wrath displeasure hee puts on the habit of an enemy and deales with them as with enemies Job complaines more then once that God hid his favour from him and shewed him nothing but his dread and terror Secondly God hides his workes from his people hee will not let them be seen nor be seene in them O how unsearchable are thy Judgements and thy wayes past finding out God hath wayes and Judgements which man cannot reach unto Some of his workes are acted as we say above bord they are done in a cleare light hee that runs may see and read them and God in them hee that runs may read love written upon some of them in letters of Gold or with beames of light And he that runs may read wrath written upon others of them in letters of blood or with streames of darknes and the very shadowes of death but some workes of God are so curtaynd about and vailed so hidden and obscured that we cannot perceive them Though all the works of God are works of light yet many of them are in the darke to man While judgement and righteousnesse are the habitation of Gods Throne clouds and darknes are round about him Psal 97.2 Thirdly God hideth the reason of his working His works are often hid but the reason of his working is oftener hid Jeremy complaines Why doth the way of the wicked prosper Hee would know a reason of it hee saw that God let the wicked prosper but the reason he saw not Fourthly The design or end of the worke of God is a hidden thing as God doth not let men see the reason why he doth this or that so not his aime and end what he would have or what he drives at in doing it When God afflicts a Godly man whether it be for the tryal of his graces or to chasten him for his failings or for the purging out of his corruptions is often his doubt and as 't is thus in personal workings so also in publique workings Whether God hath to doe with a Nation or with a man onely hee hath his secrets Fifthly As God hides what himselfe doth so he hides from us what he would have us doe he hides his owne will from us in some things we have indeed his Letters Patents his proclaimed lawes before us in all things needfull to salvation but there are some things which concerne particular actings in our lives wherein a godly man may be very ignorant of the will of God much puzzled in his Spirit what to doe whether this or that be the course which God would have him take God hides himselfe from us in the hidings of his will from us For as when the Apostle saith Ephes 4.20 Yee have not so learned Christ wee are not to understand Christ personally but Christ according to the Revelation of himselfe in the Gospel Christ there is the will or minde of Christ so when God hideth himselfe from or doth not discover himselfe to us the meaning may be this hee doth not discover his minde and will to us what he would have us doe as to our particular case and condition God keepes some long in suspence long in the darke about this poynt so that they often cry out with that good King in his dangerous strait We know not what to doe but our eyes are towards thee 2 Chron. 20.12 Many a man is in as great a strait what to doe in regard of the darknes of his condition as Jehosaphat was in regard of the dangerousnesse of it Fourthly Note That a Gracious soule useth all meanes to attaine what he desires especially to finde out the minde and will of God in his workings What else is the meaning of all this why else went Job forward and backward why went he on the right hand and on the left why did he thus traverse his ground and represent himselfe in these busie enquiries after God travelling in the multitude of his thoughts upon his bed from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth leaving no stone unturned as we say nor path untrodden that he might get his cause determined and his heart setled Obadiah tells Eliah after he had met him see how industrious the malice of Ahab against that holy man made him to to finde him out whom his soule hated 1 King 18.10 As the Lord thy God liveth there is no nation or kingdome whether my Lord hath not sent to seek thee c. Not that Ahab had sent Messengers into every quarter of the world but the meaning is that he had been very diligent and industrious to finde out Elijah And so saith Job there is not any Corner under heaven where I have not been seeking to finde him whom my soule loveth and longeth for Thereby importing his exceeding diligence to finde God They who have a desire after God indeed will take paines for him they will seek him East West North and South and never complaine of the length of their journey They will not stay till God comes home to their dores but out they will go to seek him For though it be a truth that no man can seek or looke after God till God hath first looked after and found him yet they whom God hath once found have such an impression left upon their hearts that when God seemes to leave them and to be as lost to them they will more then seeme to looke after and seeke him while he is absent from them that is while he hides
to the dictates of his owne will and wisdome He is one And who can turne him Or Who can turne him away Or as another renders Who can make him returne backwards that is who can make him goe back from what he hath determined and once resolved upon True repentance or conversion is the change of the minde in man Every man that is converted from his sinfull state course by the power of God becomes another man as to his morals and spiritualls then he was before but man cannot turne God and make him any other then he is God can cause man to change his minde but man cannot make God change his minde nor turn him backward The Prophet saith of God Isa 44.25 That he turneth wise men backward and maketh their knowledge foolish The turning of the wise backward is the altering of their councells When they will not alter them God can He saith Their councells shall not stand nor shall they reach the end to which they were appoynted And it is so Sed quid ego similis cum sit sibi semper idem Quis rationem ab eo facti dictivè reposcat But can the wisest of men or all wise men plotting and laying their heads together turne the most wise God backward They cannot So that these words hold forth the efficacie and stabilitie of the purposes counsells and decrees of God Who can turne him And what his soule desireth even that he doth God is not like man consisting of a soule and body Man is the result of soule and body united together A soule is not a man nor is a body a man man is a third thing rising out of both But God is a spirit Animam alicujus sumi pro eo cujus est anima res est nota quare anima dei deus est Sanct And when Job sayth What his soule desireth The meaning is what himselfe desireth The soule of a man is indeed the man because the choycest part of man though man hath another part namely a body yet the soule is he The soule of man being his best part is often put for the whole man But the soule of God is not put here for God because it is the best part of Him His soule is himselfe Further This phrase or manner of speaking what his soule desireth notes onely the intensnes and strength of his desires or what he desiereth strongly The Lord sometimes makes offers to doe that which is not in his heart or desire to doe But what ever his soule goes out upon indeed or would have done that shall be done Thus the word is used frequently to set forth the full purpose of God to doe a thing Levit. 26.30 And I will destroy your high places and cut downe your images and cast your carkases upon the carkases of your idols and my soule shall abhorre you That is extreamly abhorre you I will abhorre you with the utmost abhorrence And againe Isai 1.14 Your new moones and your appointed feasts my soule hateth That is I hate them with a perfect hatred to shew how deepe his hatred was of those things as done by them he saith my soule hateth them As if he had sayd I hate your formality in my worship from the bottome of my heart We have the same sence Jer. 6.8 Be thou instructed O Jerusalem lest my soule depart from thee That is lest I totally depart I will depart not onely by withdrawing some of your outward comforts but even those which are the more intimate and immediate discoveries of my love my soule shall depart from thee or be loosed and dis-joynted from thee as we put in the Mergin that is I will be of no more use to thee or a helpe to thee then a member of the body is to the body when it is dislocated or removed from its proper joynt Once more Jer. 32.41 I will rejoyce over them to doe them good and will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soule That is I will doe it for them entirely and affectionatly or with entirest affection What his soule desireth That is What he desireth or whatsoever pleaseth him Velle est hoc loco aliquid peculiarius expetere concupiscere solet ad rem quam piam delectabilem referri We desire onely those things which are very pleasing And those things which are most pleasing to us are to us very desirable The desire of man is love in motion as his joy is love at rest But in God desire and joy are not distinguishable in him there is no motion all is rest What his soule desireth Even that he doth The Hebrew is very concise His soule desireth and doth That is he no sooner desireth a thing but he doth it Optat tantam protinus fectum est Merc or when he desireth it is done The will of God is execution though he willeth many things which as to man are not presently no nor till a long time after executed yet as to himselfe whatsoever God willeth is executed and whensoever he pleaseth his will is actually executed among men He desireth and it is done From the words thus opened we may observe according to the first reading of the former part of the verse That God is one There is one God and but one Thus the Lord speaks of himselfe by the Prophet Isa 44.8 Is there a God besides me Yea there is no God I know not any Isai 45.5 I am the Lord and there is none else there is no God besides me He is one himselfe and he hath not a second The Heathens having many gods when they were oppressed by any one god Saepe premente deo dat deus alter opem they sought reliefe from another As Sorcerers and Witches goe to a stronger spirit for help against what a weaker spirit hath done Heathen gods were devill-gods and they are many The Jewes degenerating into Idolatry multiplyed their Gods according to the number of their Cities Jer. 2.28 But Jehovah The living God The Lord is one God We affirme from Scripture that there are three Hees or subsistences in the God-head commonly called persons Father Sonne and Spirit but these three are one not onely by consent but by nature and essence Heare O Israel sayd Moses Deut. 6.4 The Lord our God is one Lord. Secondly From our reading He is in one or as we supply He is In one minde Observe that great truth God is unchangable I the Lord change not Mal. 3.6 The unchangeablenes of God may be considered in divers things First In his essence or nature God knoweth no decay He is a spirit an eternall spirit He hath nothing mingled or mixed in him which should worke or tend to alteration God is simple He is most simple even simplicity it selfe There is no composition in him no diversitie of qualities in him Man changeth in his natural constitution because compounded and made up of
the presence of the Lord shall be terrible and dreadfull even everlasting destruction to wicked men they shall at last Consider it so much that they shall feare to purpose God will powre out such a presence upon them as they shall be equally unable to hide themselves from or stand before but must lie downe and sinke under it into the bottomlesse gulfe of despaire for evermore If the Godly are sometimes afraid where shall the wicked appeare when God appeares When I consider with Job I am afraid of him Vers 16. For God maketh my heart soft and the Almighty troubleth mee Nihil opinor addit novi sed tantum versiculum praecedentem exponit Sanct This verse is neere in sence with the former Job herein further shewing both a reason why he was afraid of God as also the effect which Gods dealing with him had upon his owne heart or how he was affected with it For God maketh my heart soft The word rendred to make soft signifies the abateing of the strength of the heart But it may be enquired what was this soft heart which God made him I answer First Negatively by a soft heart here wee are not to understand a penitent heart or a heart broken with Godly sorrow at the sight eyther of sin acted or wrath threatned 2 Kings 22.19 The Lord saith by the Prophet to Josiah Because thy heart was tender soft or melted and thou hast humbled thy selfe before the Lord when thou heardest what I spake against this place therefore c. The heart of flesh promised and given in the new Covenant is a relenting and repenting heart Ezek. 36.26 I will take away the heart of stone and give you an heart of flesh that is I will make your heart soft which before was hard Job had such a heart a soft heart in this notion when he spake thus but that 's not the heart here meant God had given him that softnes of heart before for he is described Chap. 1.1 A man that feared God and a man that feareth God is a man of a soft heart Prov. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes but hee that hardneth his heart shall fall into mischiefe Where the hard heart and the feare of God are opposed For wheresoever the true feare of God is in the heart that is a soft heart Secondly By a soft heart is not here meant the patient heart that 's a soft heart in Scripture a heart which is willing to submit to and beare the burden that God layes upon it in this sence God makes the heart soft when as he accustomes his to sufferings so he fits them to suffer Man naturally is like Ephraim Jer. 31.18 As a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoake both of active and passive obedience Onely God makes man submit his stiff neck and hard heart to a suffering condition and to answer the call of his sufferings Pharaoh is sayd to have a hard heart because he did not yeeld to what God called him to by Judgements he had not a patient but an unquiet spirit under the plagues sent upon him nor did he obey what he was summoned to by the Lords voyce in those terrible plagues Now though I grant that an heart made soft in patience is an excellent frame of heart yet wee cannot understand it so here for Job had a patient heart yea he had abundance of patience before as he fully discovered at the very beginning and breaking out of his troubles he did not flinch at the Crosse but did embrace it The Apostle exhorts all Christians to Remember the patience of Job And wee must apply that Scripture to Job before he came to this poynt Therefore the softnes of heart intended in this text is somewhat besides this Thirdly Much less are wee to understand by a soft heart a fearefull or a Cowardly heart that 's a soft heart indeed but in a bad sence Wee have it so expressed Deut. 20.3 Heare ô Israel you approach this day unto Battell against your Enemies let not your hearts be faint c. The Hebrew is let not your hearts be soft or tender a soft heart is not for a sword nor for a battel How shall they stand in dangers who are fallen below them A penitent heart and a patient heart are proper in dangerous undertakings but a cowardly heart is the greatest disadvantage in the world therefore the Lord commanded this to be proclaimed to his people Let not your hearts be tender when yee goe forth against your Enemies or as it is exprest afterward Feare not neither tremble neither be yee terrified because of them Job had not such a soft heart he was no coward when he complained before that the terrors of the Almighty did encamp against him as a dreadfull Army nor while he sayd here God hath made my heart soft Fourthly A soft heart is an effeminate delicate wanton heart There are too many who have such soft hearts Men that are fit for nothing but what is worse then nothing to wallow in the sinfull delicacies and delights of this present world The Apostle useth a word 1 Cor. 6.9 which expresseth this fully Wee render it effaeminate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Molles but both the Greeke and the Latine is soft that is persons wantonly and vainely given And Moses applyes the very word of Jobs text to this kinde of softnes Deut. 28.56 The tender or soft and delicate woman that would not adventure to set the sole of her foote upon the ground for delicatenes and tendernes or softnes her eye shall be evill towards c. This is not onely a sinfull softnes of heart Liquefecit afflictionibus consumpsit Merc Haec mollitudo pertinet ad timorem vehementē quo quis corde mente cedit divinae majestati potestati cum quis facile recipit cogitationem et metum supernae magnitudinis but the worst of sinfull softnesses Jobs heart was farre from this softnes As he was at that time a man of sorrows so he had not been at any time a man of pleasure But if Jobs soft heart were none of these what was it then I conceive the soft heart proper to this place is a heart weakened and laid low through the burden of affliction A heart so worne out and spent that it can hardly beare any more God had softned and even consumed his heart with sorrow and affliction As he abhorred a hardnes of heart to resist the hand of God so now he feared that his heart was not hard enough to beare it with that chearefulnes and constancy of courage which he desiered Hard things are firme compact and knitt together those that are soft are weake and unable to beare any weight So that Jobs softnes of heart was his weaknes to beare Teneritatem imbecillitatem affert animo meo attendenti ad omnipotentiam ejus Jun And he gives this as an account why he was afraid of the power of God
wicked man when he awakes hee is still with sin And if hee cannot awake naturally soone enough to sin hee will force himselfe to awake And so he may be sayd to awake to sin before he is awake for as some nurse up and feed their sleepe when they are a little awakened like the sluggard yet a little slumber yet a little sleepe so others offers violence to or breake their sleepe that is as the text sayth they rise betimes even before the usuall time of rising that they may get a prey It is no wonder if they who sticke not at breaking the lawes of God breake also the lawes of their owne rest Diligence is good about that which is good it is good to be zealously affected alwayes in a good matter but zeale and diligence misplaced how evill are they it is better to creep in a good way then to run in a wrong way Even idlenes is better then such diligence yet they who misplace their zeale and diligence are commonly more in both then they who place them right and they who are in a false way make more hast then they who are in a true The Scripture notes the extream Intensenes of the builders of Babel upon their worke And that 's the straine of most men in such worke as theirs was the building of a Babel or in doing that which will be but a monument of their owne pride and folly or of their rebellion against and contempt of God Gen. 11.6 This they begin to doe and now nothing will be restrained from them which they have Imagined to doe if they have but a minde to it they will doe it let it cost what it will neyther difficulty nor danger shall restraine them See also how Industrious the ten Tribes were in their Idolatrous worship which Jeroboam had set up 1 Kings 12.30 And this thing became a sin for the people went to worship before the one even unto Dan that is they went a great way to worship for howsoever Jeroboam pretended the ease and accommodation of the people in setting up those Calves ver 28. It is too much for you to goe up to Jerusalem Behold thy Gods O Israel which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt as if he had sayd thy Gods are at hand or in thine eye thou needest not toyle thy selfe in going so farre to serve them yet Jerusalem was neerer unto most of the Israelites then eyther Dan or Bethel were For Bethel one of those places of worship was in the utmost bounds of the South Josh 18.22 Dan the other place of worship was in the utmost bounds of the North Josh 19.47 so that they were willing to take more paines to follow the Idolatrous inventions of man then to keepe to the Institutions of God Jerusalem was neerer to most of the ten Tribes then either Dan or Bethel yet thither they would goe All the way to sin whether in ordinary practice or worship is downe-hill to Nature we have both the winde and tyde of the world with us will we set our faces hel-ward and to be sure Satan will never checke their diligence who are doing his worke nor take them off from their pace who are going or Galloping his way We have a cleare evidence of this in the case of the worshippers of those two Calves in Dan and Bethel and it is further observed by some that the Israelites grew so zealous in a short time in that abomination that they who dwelt neer Bethel did even disdain to worship at Bethel they disdained to serve their God at their owne dores and therefore they that dwelt at or neere Bethel would goe to Dan and worship and they that dwelt at or neer Dan would goe to Bethel to worship The heart of man is so mad upon Idolatry that he is willing to be at any cost or paines for it He scornes to serve a false God at an easie rate nor is he pleased which is the onely thing which pleaseth some who pretend to the true religion with a cheape religion You may lay what tax you will upon him eyther of paynes or purse and he is willing yea even ambitious to pay or performe it Thus the blinde votaryes among the Papists at this day will needes goe a Pilgrimage to remotest places they will travayle to Jerusalem and visit the Sepulchre c. these long Journeyes they glory in it is but a step to them hard penances not onely fastings but whippings they glory in The nature of man will carry him two miles at his owne bidding rather then one at Gods How may it shame Godly men for their sloath in doing the will of God when they heare how industrious evill men are in doing their owne how may it shame them that they should take lesse paines to keepe a righteous law then many doe to satisfie a filthy lust Who like wild Asses goe forth to their worke rising betimes for a prey And whereas it followes The wildernes yeeldeth food for them and for their Children Note Wicked men will have it if it be to be had above ground They that live by rapine will live any where every mans estate is theirs if they can but get it They finde a harvest in the wildernes and riches in the desert Againe Note Wicked men lay up for theirs as well as for themselves by the spoyle of others The light of nature teacheth parents to lay up for their children and they who get an estate by wronging others yet thinke they are bound to provide for more then themselves Nahum 11.12 Where is the dwelling of the Lyons and the feeding place of the young Lyons where the Lyon even the old Lyon walked and the Lyons whelpe and none made him afraid The Lyon did teare in peices enough for his whelps and strugled for his Lyonesses What did the Lyon the Lyon did teare in peices and how much did he teare in peices not onely enough to fill his owne belly but to feed his whelps and his Lyonesses Hee filled his holes with prey and his dens with ravine Thus the Prophet describeth wicked men providing not onely for themselves but for theirs their young Lyons and Lyonesses The wildernes yeeldeth food for them and for their Children Further Some note the Consent of the whole family in wickednesse from these words The wildernes yeeldeth food for them and for their Children that is they all agree together Master and Servants and Children all agree together to doe mischeife to spoyle and oppresse all they can Where Parents and Masters are evill Children and servants are seldome good It is rare to see hearts united about that which is good but they are often and easily united in that which is evill Thus the Lord speakes to Jeremie Chap. 7.18 Seest thou not what they doe in the Cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem The Children gather wood and the fathers kindle the fire and the woemen knead their dough to
persons not limited to this or that particular nation or person yea he hath dominion not onely over all here below but in heaven above as Bildad speakes a little after He maketh peace in his high places Christ is Prince of the Kings of the earth Rev 1.5 He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings Rev. 19.16 that is not onely a King or a Lord excelling all other Kings and Lords but also ruling them or reighning over them Kings are his Subjects Secondly His is an absolute dominion that is he governes by no law but by his owne will this kinde of dominion is proper unto God alone He doth and he onely may governe by his owne will Hee doth in heaven and earth what ever pleaseth him This was spoken of Job 23.13 Hee is in one minde and who can turne him and what his soule desireth that hee doth Hee doth not goe out of himselfe for his rule his owne desire is his rule all the desires of God are holy just and righteous and therefore his desire and will may well be his rule It is good that he should have an absolute dominion and rule according to his owne will who cannot will any thing but what is good And 't is but just that he should rule as he pleaseth who cannot be pleased with any thing but what is just Thirdly His is an everlasting dominion Psal 145.13 Psal 66.7 As men are mortall so are States Kingdomes and Empires The strongest and greatest of them have had their fates and funerals Wee see what changes there have been of dominion and power out of one hand into another but the dominion of God is subject to no change nor knoweth it any fate The Babylonian the Persian the Graecian and the Roman Monarchyes have seene their day but the dominion of Jesus Christ is an everlasting dominion Dan. 4.34 't is so acknowledged even by Nebuchadnezzar And at the end of the dayes I Nebuchad-nezzar lift up mine eyes unto heaven and mine understanding returned unto mee and I blessed the most high and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever whose dominion is an everlasting dominion and his Kingdome is from generation to generation Fourthly His is an Effectuall Dominion As he hath a right to doe what he will so he hath strength to effect what he willeth Such is the dominion of God and because it is such even an uniâ—â—rian absolute everlasting and effectuall Dominion Therefore let man remember his duty Dominion calleth for subjection That 's the Apostles rule Rom. 13.1 Let every soule be subject unto the higher powers and if every soule ought to be subject unto the higher powers among men then every soule ought to be subject much more to the power of God for his is the highest power And thus we ought to submit First Unto his lawes Legislative power is his what God sayth must be our rule We may not dispute much lesse quarrell at any of his commands but obey them naturally the heart of man rebells against the law of God Rom. 8.7 The carnall minde is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be that is it cannot be subject while it remaineth carnal onely a renewed or a spirituall minde submits to a spirituall law Secondly Submit to his workes to what he doth as wel as to what he saith and that first in the provision and allowances that he makes for you that is a part of Gods dominion to cut out a portion for every man Therefore in every estate be content secondly submit to the works of God in his afflictions and chastisements 1 Pe. 5.6 Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time When old Eli heard that terrible message concerning the destruction of his whole family for Samuel told him every whit and hid nothing from him hee sayd it is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good 1 Sam. 3.18 Thus the Church sate downe in silence not speaking a word because it was the act of God Lam. 3.28 Thirdly submit to God in the whole compasse of his government in ordering the affayres of the whole world when he breaks and when he builds when he sets up and when he pulls downe when he makes peace and when he makes warre in all these acts of dominion submit to God When the Prophet calls us to behold what desolations the Lord maketh in the earth he adds this word as from the Lord Be still and know that I am God Psal 46.10 As if the Lord had sayd Let none question mee for what I have done I am God and if ye know indeed that I am ye will not have a word to say against what I doe So Zech 2.13 Be silent O all flesh before the Lord for he is raised up out of his holy habitation He is risen to make great changes therefore be silent submit let there be no murmuring at no contending with his providences for dominion and feare are with him Some render this word feare as an adjunct or Epithete of the former Dominatus quidem formidabilis est penes illum Jun Dominion and that a terrible fearefull or formidable dominion is with him but rather distinctly as wee Dominion and feare are with him God hath no feare in him nor upon him for he is as infinitely above all feare as he is above hope But feare is with him or feare is his because he is so much to be feared Feare is with God upon this threefold account First Because many at present doe feare the Lord every Godly man is a man fearing God Secondly Because every man ought to feare dread and stand in awe of God even the Princes and powers and dominions of the earth ought to feare the Lord. Psal 2.11 Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed O ye Judges of the earth serve the Lord with feare and rejoyce with trembling Kings and Judges must serve and feare the Lord or serve the Lord with feare Who then must not Thirdly Feare is with him because all shall feare and dread him at last whether they will or no they whose proud hearts stout it against God they that goe on impudently in sinne fearelesse of the Majesty and wrath of God yet a time will come when their stomacks shall be taken downe a time will come when all the world shall tremble before the Lord. As now many doe it and as all ought to doe it so all shall doe it Isa 2.19 They shall goe into the holes of the rocks and into the tops of the ragged rocks for feare of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty when hee ariseth to shake terribly the earth Such a day is comming upon the lofty ones upon the Cedars and upon the Oakes upon the fearelesse and they shall feare and which is the greatest argument of feare run into a hole for feare It is prophecyed Revel 6.15 That the
least able to strengthen them for the bearing of the punishment of sin And hence by way of Coralary or inference consider First If the pillars of heaven tremble before God if pillars whose nature is to stand still move at the presence of God what shall become of weake man of man who is a worme if the pillars of heaven tremble at the reproofe of God then certainly the pillars of the earth cannot stand fast at his reproofe The pillars of heaven are the stroâ—gest pillars When Jehu sent Letters to Samaria unto the rulers of Jezreel advising them to set up one of the Sons of Ahab King and fight for him the text saith 2 King 10.4 they were exceedingly affrayd and sayd Behold two Kings stood not before him how then can we stand And thus may the strongest pillars on earth cry out with feare at the displeasure and reproofes of God Behold the pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproofes how then can we be established Some men are or are esteemed to be like James Cephas and John pillars in the Church Gal. 2.9 and others are pillars in States and Common-wealths So we may expound that of Hannah in her song 1 Sam. 2.8 The pillars of the earth that is earthly powers or Magistrates are the Lords and he hath set the world upon them for indeed the world would soone fall into confusion and shatter to peices as to its civil capacity if the Lord had hot founded it upon pillars of Government and Magistracy or set up Magistrates and Governours as the pillars of it And yet how often have these pillars of the earth trembled how many of them have fallen and been broken at the rebukes of God There is a sort of pillars that shall never be moved How great an honour is it to be made such a pillar and Christ hath taught us who shall be made such a one Rev 3.12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God Such pillars shall not tremble they shall not be astonished when all the pillars of the world are cast downe with trembling and astonishment David hath a strange expression Psal 75.3 The earth and all the inhabitants of it are dissolved if so whence was it that they were not utterly ruin'd and destroyed He answers I beare up the pillars of it But how could David beare up the pillars of the earth when all was dissolved he meanes it not of a natural but civill dissolution things were out of order the bands and ligaments of government were sorely broken men were divided into partyes and factions Thus the earth and inhabitants thereof were dissolved which is the saddest condition a people can be in when it was thus when there was such a rupture among the people Then David the chiefe Governour under God laboured to heale the breaches and to be a pillar to those shaking pillars He by his great wisedome Justice moderation and faithfullnesse bore up the bearers of the people and supported their supporters whether persons or things As if he had sayd though there be much confusion in the earth yet the Lord enables me to keepe things together so that they fall not to the ground and are not utterly ruined It is a Great honour to be a pillar bearing up the building but it is a greater honour to be a pillar bearing up the pillars All good Magistrates have the former honour and all supreame Magistrates if good have the latter yet both these honours doe originally primarily belong unto God who as he maketh the pillars of heaven tremble so he can firmely setle and will while they willingly serve his ends and interests the pillars of the Earth though but earthly pillars Secondly Take this also by way of Corrolary from the text If the pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at the reproofe of God what shall we say of those men or of the hardnesse of their hearts First Who heare the reproofes of God dayly yet tremble not What doe the pillars of heaven tremble at the reproofe of God and shall not men yet thus more then bruitish are many men They heare reproofes severe reproofes against sin yet they tremble no more then the stones they stand upon nor are moved any more then the seates they sit upon let God thunder and lighten and chide and threaten they are not stirred with it The pillars of heaven shall rise up in judgement against this dedolent and obdurate generation The Prophet Jere 36.24 reports a sad story of this a threatening rolle was sent to Jehoiakim king of Judah written from the mouth of Jeremiah by Barucke the King caused it to be read as he sate at the fire and then whereas it might have been expected that he should be cut at the heart with Godly sorrow and contrition for his sin he cut it with the Pen-knife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth untill all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth yet they were not afraid nor rent their garments neither the king or any of his servants that heard all these words as if it had bin sayd what a wonderfull hardnesse was there upon the hearts of these men that they could heare such words read words so full of terrour words cloathed with such reproofes words which spake nothing but death wrath destruction ruine and desolation yet notwithstanding all this they were not afraid neither the King nor any of his servants regarded it The heart of man is more hard then hardnesse it selfe till God soften it or breaketh it man moves not he relents not let God reprove and thunder let God doe what he will and say what he will let God make as it were a hell upon the earth and in the greatest earnest cast abroad his firebrands arrows and death in the dreadfullest representations of wrath and judgement yet man trembles not nor is he any more astonished then if all this were spoken in jest Secondly What shall we say of those who as they tremble not when they heare the reproofes of God so they tremble not when they see his reproofes When God makes his reproofes visible and writes them in blood when he brings forth his reproofes in wofull effects For as all our mercyes and comforts are nothing else but the promises made visible so all the judgements which God brings upon the world are nothing but his reproofes and threatnings made visible when I say he brings forth his reproofes in wofull effects how desperately and indeed though it may seeme a contradiction how presumptuously are they hardned in sin whose ey never affects their heart who can see such reproofs of God yet never tremble It is said in the Law of Moses that punishment should be openly executed upon the presumptuous sinner Deut. 17.13 that all the people should heare and feare and doe no more presumptuously if all upon the hearing should feare and feare so as to