wise may he profitable to himself The Lord hath designed all our wisdom and obedience to our own benefit So Moses spake to the people of Israel Deu. 6.24 The Lord commanded us to doe all these statutes to feare the Lord our God for our good alwayes that he might preserve us alive as it is at this day It is not for the Lords good but it is for our good that he commands and we obey And as the Lord commanded all things in the Law for our good not for his own so he commands us to believe the Gospel not for his good but for our own he is not to be saved by it it is we that are to be saved by it He doth not call us to work as men do their servants that he might play the good husband and get some profit by keeping us hard at labour Indeed the Lord keepeth his servants hard at labour night and day they must be continually upon duty But he doth it not as I may say to play the good husband to encrease his stock by it but it is for our profit That which Christ speaks Mar. 2.27 about the Sabboth is true of all other the commands of God we are apt to think that God requires a seaventh day because it is for his profit and advantage no saith Christ the Lord hath not an eye to himselfe but to man The Sabboth was made for man that is for mans advantage that he might look heaven ward that he might worke in the things which concern his owne blessednesse therefore hath the Lord appointed him a resting day The Sabboth was made for man and not man for the Sabboth Sixtly Then our disobedience cannot hurt God our sinnâ— cannot disadvantage him impaire his blessednesse oâ— diminish his glory As mans obedience is no profit so his disobedience is no disprofit to God Sinners shall be punished as they who have wronged and dishonoured God they shall be dealt with as such But really all the sinnes of the world doe not bring any damage or disadvantage to God Elihu is expresse to this point in the 35. Chap. of this Book vers 6 7. If thou sinnest what dost thou against him Every sin is against the mind of God but no sinn is against the happinesse of God or if thy transgressions be multiplyed what dost thou unto him is God impair'd by it Surely no God doth not loose a pinn from his sleeve as I may say by all the sinnes committed in the world He hath no dependance at all upon our obedience for his blessedness our sins cannot hurt him as our obedience cannot help him which Elihu shews in the next verse If thou be righteous what givest thou him or what receiveth he of thine hand Seventhly hence see the honour of God that hath made so many creatures and man especially of whom himselfe hath no need that hath so many to serve him and yet needs none of their services Give God this glory Wee think those men are very glorious and honouurable who have but as much of the creature as will serve thier turn all creatures are the Lords yet he is not necessitated to serve his turn by any of them Eightly then see what an obligation lyeth upon us continually to blesse God to be thankfull to him to walk humbly with him who gives us so many profits when as we doe not profit him at all God prizeth that highly by which himself hath no benefit hee prizes the actings of faith and holinesse highly but he hath no advantage by them God gives us profit by these though himselfe be not profited though he is not the better by any thing we do yet we are the better The Lord binds himself by promise that the least good we do in sincerity shall have a good reward He that gives but a cup of cold water to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple shall not lose his reward But if we give thousands of Gold and Silver to poore Disciples what profit hath God by it And yet though none of the profit comes to his hand yet he reckons it as if all were put into his hand All the charity and compassion shewed to his people Christ taketh to himself Matth. 25. In that yee have done it unto these ye have done it unto me Christ had no need of alms of visiting or cloathing yet he counts it as done to himselfe when we do it to any of his Can a man be profitable to God as he that is wise may be profitable to himselfe Some give the meaning of the words thus Doth it follow that a man can be profitable unto God because a wise man may be profitable to himselfe our reading reaches the same sense Can a man be profitable unto God as he that is wise may be profitable to himself It doth not follow because A man may profit another man or profit himselfe that therefore he may profit God That 's the summe of the argument 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intellexit prudens fuit per Metonymiam faelix prosper fuit quod prudentibus omnia feliciter cedant prudentiam faelicitas fere sequitur As he that is wiâ—e The word in the root of it signifies to Understand to be Prudent and by a Metonymie to be happy or to prosper because usually affaires succeed well and prosper in the hands of wise men and happinesse usually followes wisedome therefore to be wise and to be profitable are signified by one and the same word in the Hebrew So in this Text He that is wise is profitable to himselfe that is his affaires shall prosper We finde this Title prefixt to divers Psalms Maschil Maschil intelligens prudens carmen erudiens ode didascalica In titulis Psalmorum ter decies legitur which is as much as A teaching Psalme a Psalm making wise a Psalm for Instruction This Title is given those Psalms which as they have some extraordinary matter so usually they are Psalmes of complaint under affliction and the reason of that is because there is much instruction in correction much light of holy knowledge is to be had in the School of the Crosse therefore usually those Psalms that describe the afflictions of the Church are called Maschil Psalms of Instruction Schola crucis Schola lucis Luth. He that is wise and instructs or he that is wise as having received instruction may be profitable to himselfe All wisedome is not profitable to man for there is a wisedome of which the Scripture saith that God will destroy it a man cannot profit himselfe by that and there is a wisedome which is earthly sensuall and devillish Jam. 3.15 A man be he never so wise according to this wisedome shall not profit himselfe by it There are a sort of wise men whom the Lord will take in their craftinesse 1 Cor. 3.19 and how can such profit themselves by their wisedome There are wise men whose thoughts the Lord knoweth to be but vaine that
flock and brought in a Kid to make the savoury meat for Isaac Now the Apostle Paul to advance the freenes of grace doth not only instance in those two persons but useth a phrase of speech which savours so much of that passage that though he had not named the men yet every man who knew the Scriptures must needs understand both of whom and of what he meant it It is not of him that willeth c. that is it was neyther Rebeckaes will to have it so nor Jacobs hast which appeared in his running to the flock to have it so that gave him the Blessing but it was of God that shewed mercy And as it was then so it is now though a man be as willing as Rebeckah or though he make as much speed as Jacob for his blessing yet all comes freely by the grace of God Thus the frequent usage of Scripture shewes us how much the Spirit of God delights to lead our thoughts by the light of some one word a great way back into the consideration of what hath been done and written of old for our instruction The words of the text now under discussion Whose foundation was overflowne with a flood are surely an allusion to some particular persons or action in the dayes of old and they may be applyed three wayes First To the drowning of the whole world in the time of Noah by a flood when the Lord opened the windowes of heaven and overwhelmed both man and beast in those mighty waters which universal judgement is by way of eminence called The Deluge or The Flood unto this very day Secondly They may have respect to the overthrow of Sodome and Gomorrah which Cities though they were destroyed by fire yet it was with a flood of fire The Text saith expresly Gen. 19.24 Then the Lord rayned upon Sodome and upon Gemorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven and he overthrew the Cities all the plaine c. They were overflowne with a flood of fire Thirdly Hunc locum a v. 15. ad v 20. omnino respicere ad dimersionem Pharaones Egyptiorum non levibus suadeor conjecturis Pined The allusion may be carried to the destruction of Pharaoh and the Egyptians in the red Sea They also were overflowne with a flood The waters of the red Sea which stood up as a wall for Israell to passe thorow at the Command of God returning upon the Egyptians swallowed them up them and their Chariots and their horses The enemy sayd thus Moses describes that fatal overthrow Exod. 15.9 10. I will pursue I will overtake I will divide the spoyle my lust shall be satisfied upon them I will draw my sword my hand shall destroy them Thus the enemy raged foamed with revenge like a tempestuous Sea and had opened all the sluces of his will to overflow them And when the enemy had thus breathed out his wrath in a foure times repeated I will Then the Lord did blow with his wind the Sea covered them They sanke as lead in the mighty waters So then the words may relate to any of those three signall Judgements to the drowning of the old world with a flood of water to the destruction of Sodome and Gomorrah with a flood of fire or to the overthrow of Pharaoh and his Egyptian host in the red Sea But more particularly for the explication of these words whose foundation was overflowne with a flood Whose foundation This word foundation taken in a proper sence referres to a materiall building And the foundation of any building is the stability and strength of it by foundation in a metaphorical sence Ea omnia quae illis velur fundamenti loco erant in quibus spem praesidium ponebant c. Merc wee are to understand all those things by which the state of persons or things is upheld and here whatsoever wicked men support beare up themselves by as a building is borne up by the foundation is to be understood as their foundation So their power their riches their councell their wisdome their friends and confederates whatsoever I say is the support of their worldly State that 's their foundation And thus it is here said their foundation was overflowne With a flood In two of the former Instances to which the allusion was made their foundation was overflowne by a flood properly taken If wee take it more generally for all wicked men who at any time have been overthrowne wee may say that they have all been overflowne by a flood metaphorically For so First The displeasure of God by what meanes or instrument soever put forth is called a flood whether is be by sword or by famine or by pestilence it is a flood Esa 8.7 Wee read warre Compared to a flood Now therefore behold the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river strong and many what were these waters Even the King of Assyria and all his glory the King of Assyria with his Armyes in which he gloried or which he counted his glory were the waters of the river strong and many and hee shall come up over all his channells and goe over all his hands that is the former Limits of his Dominion And he shall passe thorow Judah hee shall overflow and goe over There The Sword is Compared to a flood or to a mighty river which beares downe all before it The same Prophet speakes againe in the same Language Esa 59.19 When the enemy shall come in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard against him as if it had been said The enemy shall come rushing in like a mighty torrent but the Spirit of God like a more mighty winde shall blow and rush upon him causing him to recoile and give back or as our Margent hath it put him to flight Againe Ezek. 13. The Prophet foreshewes the approaching calamity upon those who had seduced the Jewes into a vaine security which is there called the building of a wall with untempered morter A wall he calls that prophecy because it promised safety and defence but he calls it also a wall built with untempered morter because that false prophecy was a weake prophecy and should shortly fall The manner how he gives us in the notion of the Text vers 13. Wherefore thus saith the Lord God I will even rent it with a stormy winde in my fury and there shall be as an overflowing shower in mine anger c. that is wrath shall be upon it the Babylonian Army was the special judgement in which that wrath was expressed and that shall be as an overflowing shower Great and continuall showers will try the strongest buildings and quickly overthrow the weake A wall of untempered morter is no match for a storme As our Saviour also assures us in the close of his Sermon on the Mount Matth. 7.27 where all those evills troubles afflictions sorrowes and persecutions whether sent upon such as are really
vulgar and improper sence even those things that never had life may be called dead Mr Broughton renders strictly not dead things but things without life are formed under the waters The Hebrew word may come from a twofold roote and so hath a twofold signification First to heale and cure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dolorem mitigavit sanavit transferturper MetaphoraÌ„ a corpore ad animam ut sig remittere peccata and in Scripture it is transferred from the healing of the body to the healing of the soule in the remission of sins because as the wound of the body is healed by the salve so is the soules wound namely sinne healed by remission or forgivenesse The word is used in this sence Isa 6.10 Make the heart of this people fat and make their eares heavy and shut their eyes least they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and understand with their heart and convert and be healed that is pardoned Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 debitis dissolutus laxus languidus it signifies to be dissolved or loosened to be weake and languishing wee translate it dead because things that are dead are weakened and dissolved and therefore death is called a dissolution As Paul sayd Phil. 1.23 I desire to depart or to be dissolved that is to dye and the same phrase is used for death 2 Cor 5.1 Wee know that when the earthly house of this Tabernacle shall be dissolved c. Againe by the figure Antiphrasis frequent in Scripture this word as it signifies dead and weake things so also strong and lively things yea those that are strongest or most lively and therefore Gyants who are the strongest of men are expressed by this word Deut. 2.11 The Enims dwelt therein in times past Ecce Gigantes gemunt sub aquis Vulg a people great and many and tall as the Anakims which also were accounted Giants c. And the vulgar translates so here Behold The Giants groane under the waters Giants are called Rephaim in the Hebrew which word in the roote signifies to weaken not from their nature but from their effects not because they are weake but because they weaken others Giants are so strong that the very sight of them makes others weake and faint or pulls downe men of strength and might It is sayd that Saul and the whole Army of Israel were dismayed when they saw Goliah and greatly afraid they were weake before the Giant There is much labouring to make out this sence of the word here some understand it of the Giants before the flood Behold the Giants groane from under the flood Those Giants were indeed overthrowne by the waters and so they conceave that Job alluded unto them but I shall not stay upon that interpretation Others expound the text of those Gyants whose proper element is water the mighty fishes of the Sea the Whale the Leviathan spoken of in this booke of Job Leviathan is a Sea-monster a Sea-gyant of huge dimensions Naturall Historians and travellers describe the vastnes of the Whale or Leviathan to wonder and amazement And 't is granted that in these Gods power is much seene But I shall lay by this exposition also because I conceive fishes are spoken of in the next words where they are called the inhabitants thereof that is of the Sea or waters Againe this word Rephaim is often put for the dead or those that are departed this life Psal 88.10 Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead shall the dead arise and praise thee There are two words used for the dead in that verse one is the ordinary word the other is that of the Text. Solomon Pro. 2.18 shewing how dangerous it is to have to doe with the adulteresse sayth Her house inclineth unto death and her paths unto the Rephaim or the dead The house of Adultery and uncleanenes is the Gatehouse to death it is not a house raysed up but bowed downe her house enclineth unto death and she who is the governesse of rather the miss-governeness of the house will by her ill life bring thee among the dead even among those who are twice dead corporally dead at present and spiritually dead for ever But that which I shall rather pitch upon according to our translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that by these dead things are meant such things as never had any life Mr Broughton expounds his translation Things without life of those precious things that are formed under the waters Amber and pearle and goodly stones These dead things are found under the waters and there they are formed Gods providence reacheth to the furthest places even to the bottome of the Sea and lowest earth which seeme to be as cast off So he glosseth and so doe other Interpreters Incipit dei providentiam poâ—entiam describere a rebus subterraneis initio sumpâ—o Merc concluding that Job is here setting forth the power of God in forming minerals and pretious stones under the waters or in the deepes and so riseth in his discourse by degrees to higher things As if he had sayd O Bildad what doest thou shewing me the power and providence of God in the high places where he maketh peace I can tell thee that the same power and providence of God are extended to those things which are wrought in the bowels of the earth and at the bottome of the Sea and so are furthest removed from our sight And whereas we say Dead things are formed there that word properly signifies to bring forth children or any living creature Job 39.1 2. Knowest thou the time when the wilde Goates of the rock bring forth or canst thou marke when the Hindes doe calve Canst thou number the moneths that they fulfill or knowest thou the time when they bring forth yea The Eternall Word and Wisdome of God speakes of himselfe in the language of this Word Pro. 8.25 Before the mountaines were setled before the hils was I brought forth It signifieth also to be in paine and groane for paine because child-bearing causeth much paine and groaning So the word is used in a metaphoricall sence Deut 2.25 This day will I begin saith the Lord to put the dread of thee and the feare of thee upon the Nations that are under the whole heaven who shall heare report of thee and shall tremble and be in anguish because of thee they shall be in anguish as a woman travelling with child and pained to bring forth Whence that translation takes its ground The Gyants groane under the waters And as it signifies to forme and fashion the child or any living thing in the womb and then to bring forth so it is applyed to the forming of things that have no life Ps 90. â—2 Before the mountaines were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God Dead things are formed But by whom here is no power exprest Job sayth onely they are formed
swallow up his Church and people The Church blesseth God for her deliverance from troubles under this Allegorie of Waters Psal 124.2 3 4 5. If it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us they had swallowed us up quicke when their wrath was kindled against us then the waters had overwhelmed us the streame had gone over our soule then the proud waters had gone over our soule Waters streames proud waters are nothing else but the persecuting spirit and proceedings of ungodly enemyes And why did not these lay all wast God would not suffer them When the Serpent Rev 12.15 16. cast out of his mouth waters as a flood after the woman that is stirred up many troubles that he might cause her to be carryed away that is utterly ruin'd of the flood The earth helped the woman saith the text that is as is conceaved God made earthly men by the use of earthly meanes and for the attaining of earthly ends as a bound to stop those waters or as a gulfe to swallow up those waters which should have swallowed up the Church All these things doth he and we may be fully assured he can doe all these things and many more who hath compassed the waters with bounds yea we may be assured that he will continue to them because as he hath so he will compasse the waters with bounds Vntill the day and night come to an end or as our Marginal reading hath it untill the end of light with darkenes This last clause of the verse is a proverbiall speech signifying perpetuity or that such a thing eyther shall not be at all or shall be as long as the world lasteth But shall day and night light and darkenes end when the world or this frame or constitution of things endeth Will there not be day and light or an eternal day of light in the heavenly Glory is not that called An inheritance among the Saints in light Col. 1.12 And will there not be night and darkenes or an eternal night of darkenes in hellish misery is not that called outer darkenes How then is it sayd here that day and night shall come to an end I answer Though after the end of this world there shall be both day and night light and darkenes yet there shall be no vicissitude of day and night as there is in this present world and as 't is promised there shall be to the end of this world Gen 8.22 While the earth remaineth seed-time and harvest and cold and heate and summer and winter and day and night shall not cease These are called the Ordinances of the day and of the night and the stability of them is made the shadow of that stability of God to his gracious promise that the seed of Israel should not cease from being a nation before him for ever Jer. 31.35 36. In this world light and darkenes day and night are comming and going departing and returning continually And in this sence day and night shall come to an end at the worlds end Job speakes of day and night in course and succession not of day and night in being or constitution when he sayth he hath compassed the waters with bounds untill the day and night come to an end The Hebrew strictly translated makes this resolution of the doubt more cleare and doubtlesse for that doth not say absolutely that day and night light or darkenes shall come to an end but that there shall be an end of light with darkenes that is of the intercourse or change between day and night between light and darkenes Ad consummationeÌ„ lucis cum tenebris Jun or untill the consummation of light with darkenes that is untill light and darkenes have consummated or fulfilled their course one with another Hence observe First Beyond this world there are no changes of times or seasons In the world to come all is day and light to the Godly to those who dye in the Lord and all is night and darkenes to the wicked to those who dye out of the Lord. Heaven and hell a state of eternal Blessednes or wretchednes have no changes in them nor any thing that is Heterogeneall or of another kinde Heaven which hath light and joy in it hath no darkenes no sorrow at all in it Hell which hath darkenes and sorrow in it hath no light nor joy at all in it The mixtures and changes of light and darkenes of joy and sorrow of paine and pleasure are made here on earth The wine of the wrath of God and the wine of the love and consolations of God shall be powred out without any the least contrary tincture or mixture in the life which is to come Light with darkenes shall no more be heard of They who goe into light shall never see darkenes and they who goe into darkenes shall never see light Wee are now as Job speakes in the 14th Chapter of this Booke v. 14. Waiting all the dayes of our appoynted time untill our change come and when that change is once fully come we shall goe beyond all changes Day with night will then be at an end Secondly Observe What God doth he can alwayes doe As he hath hitherto compassed the waters with bounds so he can compasse them with bounds untill the day and night come to an end Men can doe that to day which they are so farre from being able to doe untill the end of dayes that possibly they cannot doe it the next day The hand of man is continually shortning in regard of naturall strength or activity and it seldome keepes long at the same length in regard of civil strength or Authority As there are many things which man cannot nor ever could doe so there are many things which once a man could doe but now he cannot He is changed or the times are changed eyther he hath not the same power in himselfe or the same powers are not continued unto him That man may be found shaking and trembling who a while before as it is sayd of the Assyrian Isa 14.16 made the earth to tremble and did shake kingdomes insomuch that all as 't is at the 10â—h verse of the same Chapter shall speake and say unto him Art thou also become weake as we art thou become like unto us Thus we see the mightiest men cannot doe what they have done they who have compassed the rage and fury of men with bounds can bound them no more bat they breake in upon them like a wide breaking in of the Sea and beare downe all before them But the power of God knowes no abatings nor his hand any shortnings as he hath bounded both the natural and mysticall waters so he can and will bound them and none shall hinder untill the day and night come to an end The Lord sayth David Psal 29.10 sitteth upon the flood yea the Lord sitteth king for ever As if he had sayd The Lord doth not onely sit upon that is
rule and governe the floods for a while but he ruleth and governeth them alwayes he sitteth upon them king for ever even untill day and night come to an end Thirdly note The waters shall never totally overflow the earth As God hath given them a bound so such a bound as shall keepe them in compasse for ever And as we have an assurance in the power of God that he can keepe or compasse the waters with bounds to the end of the world so also we have his promise and his faithfullnes engaged that he will maintaine those bankes and bounds and keepe them in such repayre that the waters shall never prevaile over them Gen. 9.8 9 10 11. And God spake unto Noah and to his sons with him saying and I behold I establish my Covenant with you and with your seed after you c. neyther shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood neyther shall there be any more a flood to destroy the earth And as mankinde is under this promise of freedome from an universal deluge so every godly man may rise up to this assurance that no waters of any sort can wet so much as the sole of his foote or the hemme of his garment but as they have leave and commission from him who hath compassed the waters with bonnds untill the day and night come to an end JOB CHAP. 26. Vers 11 12. The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproofe He divideth the Sea by his power and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud JOB still proceedeth in the enumeration and illustration of the mighty works of God what he doth in the clouds and what in the heavens was shewed from the former context Here Job tells us what the Lord doth with the heavens He who made the heavens and stretched out the North over the empty place can make these heavens totter in their place and tremble when he pleaseth The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproofe There are three things to be enquired into for the opening of this verse First What is meant by the pillars of heaven Secondly How the pillars of heaven may be said to tremble and be astonished Thirdly What we are to understand by the reproofe of God Columnae coeli i. e. Angeli contremiscunt Aquin Angelos vocat columnas coeli quia sâ—ilicet eorum officio admâ—nistratur motus coelorum Aquin when he sayth they are astonished at his reproofe The pillars of heaven tremble There are various opinions about these pillars first many of the Latins hold that these pillars of heaven are the Angells by whose assistance say some Philosophers the motions of the heavenly bodyes with their orbes or spheares are guided and maintained And doubtlesse as the Angels have great employments upon and about the earth so also in and about the heavens and therefore may not improperly be called the pillars of heaven in which sence also the Angels are called the powers of heaven as some interpret Math 24.29 where Christ prophesieth that immediatly after the tribulation of those dayes the Sunne shall be darkened and the Moone shall not give her light the starrs shall fall from heaven and the powers of heaven shall be shaken Many of the antients interpret those powers of heaven by the Angels as if the Lord would doe such things in that great day as should trouble and astonish not onely men on earth but the Angels in heaven who may be called the pillars of heaven as some eminent men for parts and power are called the pillars of the earth And wee may suppose them pillars of heaven not for the strength and sustainement of heaven Stabilitaâ—eÌ„ permanenteÌ„ in natura angelorum intelligamus nemine Columnarum Philip but for the beauty and ornament of it As we see many pillars in stately Pallaces which are not placed there to beare up the weight of those buildings but only to adorn beautifie them Or Angels may be called the pillars of heaven because of the firmenes and stability of their owne nature not as if they were any firmenes or establishment unto heaven Secondly By these pillars of heaven are conceaved to be meant the high mountaines of the earth which seeme to touch the heavens according to sence and so to sustaine and beare them up as pillars but this opinion not being grounded upon any truth in nature but onely upon a popular errour though it be a truth that even these supposed pillars of heaven tremble at the reproofes of God I shall not insist at all upon this interpretalion Thirdly These pillars of heaven say others are the ayre for as the lowest parts of the earth are called the foundations of the earth because the foundation of a building is layd lowest so the lower parts of heaven the ayre which is sometimes called heaven yea the firmament of heaven Gen. 1.20 may be called the pillar of heaven 'T is true also that the Lord maketh dreadfull combustions by stormes and tempests in the ayre insomuch that those pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproofe But I shall not give this neyther as Jobs meaning here Terra tota velut orbis totius fundamentum ac firmanentum Merc Fourthly By the pillars of heaven others understand not the ayre or the mountains but the whole body on globe of the earth Thus David speakes 2 Sam. 22.8 Then the earth shooke and trembled the foundations of heaven moved and shooke because he was wroth where the foundations of heaven in the latter part of the verse may be expounded by the earth in the former part of the verse For if we consider the whole fabricke of the world together then the earth seemes to be the foundation or pillar of heaven And frequent experiences in all ages especially in some parts of the world have felt and reported the trembling of the earth We commonly call it an Earth-quake and Philosophers teach us that the reason of it in nature is the strength of vapours included in and striving to make their way out of the bowels of the earth And as this trembling of the earth hath a reason in nature so it is often caused by speciall command from God as a reproofe of the sinfullnes of man or to awaken him from his sin yet Fifthly I rather conceive that this phrase The pillars of heaven is used onely in a generall sense and not particularly intended eyther of Angels or mountains of the ayre or of the earth but that the pillars of heaven are the strength of heaven the strength of a building consists in the pillars that beare it up take away the pillars and it falls downe as Sampson sayd to the lad that held him by the hand suffer me that I may feele the pillars whereupon the house standeth and when he had once moved them the house fell Judg. 16.26.30 so that when Job sayth the pillars of heaven tremble the
heaven proper and the pillars of heaven in a figure tremble at or are astonished at these loud reproofes Hence observe The greatest strength of the creature trembleth at the angry dispensations and appearances of God As the lifting up of the light of Gods countenance puts joy into the heart more then corn wine the best things of this world so the darkenes of Gods countenance puts more trouble and sorrow into our hearts then gall and wormewood the worst of the world can doe David describes at large in what a kinde of hudle and hurry the world was in such a day Psal 18.13 14 15. Then the earth shooke and trembled the foundations also of the hils moved and were shaken because he was wroth The Lord also thundered in the heavens and the highest gave his voyce hailestones and coales of fire he sent out his arrows and scattered them and he shot out lightnings and discomfited them then the channels of waters were seene and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke O Lord at the blast of the breath of thy nostrills What David there spake of thunder and lightning and hayle-stones hath been visibly effected for the destruction of the enemyes of the people of God and for the deliverance of his children The history of Joshuah gives us a famous instance at the 10th Chapter and though it be not recorded that David obtained victoryes by such immediate helpes from heaven yet it is not improbable considering the tenour of this Psalme that he did And we have a notable instance of a victory obtained by Thunder and lightning in the History of the Church whence that Christian Legion of Souldiers who had earnestly prayed that God would appeare for their help was called The Thundering Legion But whether we expound this context in the Psalme literally and strictly as expressing what God did for David in this kinde Or figuratively as expressing onely thus much that God did wonderfull things in one kinde or other in helping David against his enemyes or whether we understand it mystically of what God doth to and for the soules and spirituall estates of men yet it holds forth in all the utter inability of man to beare up when the Lord shewes himselfe in any terrible demonstrations of his presence Againe Psal 104.32 He looketh on the earth and it trembleth he toucheth the hills and they smoake There is a twofold looke of God First there is the looke of Gods favour and thus Saints often pray that God will looke downe from heaven upon them this looke is the releiving yea the reviving of the soule secondly there is a looke of displeasure an angry a frowning looke when clouds and stormes are seene in the brow Thus in the Psalme God is sayd to looke on the earth frowningly childingly and then it trembled he toucheth the hills and they smoak that is they are as all on-fire The natural hils smoake at Gods touch and so doe the metaphoricall hills when God toucheth the great men of the earth they smoake presently they fret and fume till they breake out into a flame of rage heating and vexing both themselves and all that are neere them Isa 50.2 Behold at my rebuke I dry up or I can dry up the Sea I am as able to doe it now with a word of my mouth as I once did it for the deliverance of your forefathers Exo 14.21.29 I make or I can make when I will with my rebuke the rivers a wildernesse that is as dry as a desert or wildernes useth to be their fish stinketh because there is no water and dyeth for thirst What strange worke doth the rebuke of God make By that he drieth the sea by that he maketh the river a wildernes and as he doth this by the power of his reproofes upon the sea and rivers natural so upon the sea and rivers mysticall He can dry up those worldly helpes which seeme as inexhaustible as the sea and as lasting and constant to us as a river which is fed with a continuall spring And when any power riseth up against us as deepe and dangerous as the sea as wel supplyed and seconded as a river yet we need not feare for God can presently dry it up and make us a passage over it or through it Yea they who are as well bottom'd and foundation'd as the earth shall quickly feele the effects of his power Psal 114.7 Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Jacob. But some may say if the earth trembleth at the presence of God then the earth must alwayes tremble for God is alwayes present or what is the presence of God there spoken of I answer as there is a presence of God that maketh all those that enjoy it to sing for joy In thy presence is fullnesse of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 so there is a presence of God that is very terrible to the creature yea that presence of God which is comfortable to his people is terrible to his enemyes for when the Psalmist had sayd ver 2. Judah was his Sanctuary and Israel his dominion that is a people sanctifyed to him and governed and protected by him presently it followeth The sea saw it and fled Jordan was driven backe The mountaines skipped like rams and the litle hils like lambs The Psalmist perceaving all things in such a trembling fit and confusion seemes to wonder what the matter was and therefore puts the question What ayled thee O thou sea that thou fleddest yea mountaines that ye skipped c And presently maketh answer Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord As if he had sayd the cause of all this terrour and trouble among the creatures was nothing else but the presence of God And if the very sence-lesse creatures were sencible of his wrathfull presence how much more must man both be sencible of it and stoop unto it This the Lord insinuates by a cutting question Ezek. 22.14 Can thy heart indure or can thy hands be strong in the day that I shall deale with thee I the Lord have spoken it and will doe it The Lord by his Prophet speakes there to a people that had a double strength they were strong hearted and they were strong handed they had much force or outward power and they had much courage or inward power but neyther hand-strength nor heart-strength neyther force nor courage shall avayle you in that day saith the Lord that I shall deale with you after the dealings of an enemy in wrath and Judgement God strengthens the hands of his servants and encourageth their hearts to endure his severest dealings with them But when he commeth to deale severely with those who are rebellious and wicked their hearts who are stoutest among them shall not be able to endure nor can they strengthen their hands They who have strengthned their hearts and hands most to commit sin shall be
God made two great lights the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night he made the starres also and God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth God in Creation did with the light as he did with the waters which being made were divided the waters above the firmament were divided from the waters under the firmament and the waters under the heaven he gathered together into one place Gen. 1.9 God prepared a certaine great vessell into which the waters were called and gathered that they should not spread over the earth as they did at first which gathering together of the waters God called Seas Gen. 1.10 Thus the light which was spread and scattered through the ayre over all the earth God gathered into severall vessells Pulchritudo es ornamenta coeloruÌ„ stellae sunt sicut terrae animantia et plantae Sanct and the gathering together of light he called Sunne Moone Starrs which are as Job here calleth them the garnishing of the heavens Moses epitomiseth or briefly summs up his larger narrative of the Creation in these words Gen 2.1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them that is they were finished not onely as to their essentials but ornamentalls not only was the foundation layd the walls and pillars the beames and rafters of that goodly structure set up and perfected but all the furniture of it was brought in and the beautyes of it compleated Now as gemms minerals plants trees and all living creatures are the Garnishing of the Earth and the host of God there so the Sunne Moone and Starrs are the garnishing of heaven and the host of God there David speaketh of these distinctly Psal 33.6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth All creatures whether placed in heaven or earth are for their number their strength their order their readynes at a call or command the host of God Earthly Princes shew their power in their hosts and armyes of what power God is both his acts and his hosts aboundantly declare And as these creatures are the armyes or host of God in heaven and earth so they are the Adornings and Garnishings of heaven and earth Job in this place speaketh onely of the former By his Spirit he hath Garnished the Heavens Onely here take notice that some expound the word Spirit for the winde which bloweth in the ayre and so render the text thus By his winde hee garnisheth the heavens As if this were Jobs meaning that God sending forth the windes dispelleth and scattereth those clouds foggs and mists which often cover the face of the heavens and hinder our beholding their glory and garnishings According to this interpretation the garnishing of the heavens is nothing else but the removing of that which obscureth the Garnishing of them And it is true that when the heavens are maskt over with clouds and darknesse God by the winds cleareth the ayre and so reneweth the face of those heavenly bodyes But I passe by this and shall onely insist upon the former exposition of these words as being more sutable with Jobs scope and more expressive of the power and Glory of God in the great things which he hath wrought for us By his Spirit hee garnisheth the heavens Hence learne First We ought joyntly to acknowledge and give glory to the Father Son and Spirit in the worke of Creation Solomon in his advice to the young man sayth Eccl 12.1 Remember thy creators in the dayes of thy youth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 creatorum tuorum Mysterâ—um Sanctae Trinitatis Pisc Wee translate in the singular number creator but the Hebrew is plural Creators intimating the mystery of the Holy Trinity as Moses also is conceaved to doe in that plural expression Gen 1.26 And God sayd let us make man in our image after our likenes And though this be added in a way of Eminency when the particular creation of man is set downe yet we are to understand it so generally of the whole worke of Creation and as of the worke of Creation so of all other divine workes towards the creature Redemption is the worke of the Father and of the Spirit as wel as of the Son and sanctification is the worke of the Father and of the Son as wel as of the Spirit The three persons worke together onely they have a distinct manner of working according to which each worke is chiefely attributed to that person and so creation is specially appropriated to the Father Redemption to the Son and Sanctification to the Holy Ghost Seing then all Three worke together in all things towards us All three ought to be equally and eternally honoured worshipped loved and obeyed by us By his Spirit he hath garnished the Heavens Secondly Observe The heavens are full of beauty God hath not onely made them but adorn'd them What a rich and Royall Canopy hath God hung over the heads of poore wormes dust and ashes God did not thinke it enough to give us a house unlesse he gave us also a pleasant house he was not satisfied in setting up a large fabricke for us unlesse he also furnished and garnished it for us God hath made the world not onely usefull but contentfull to us he hath fitted it not onely for our necessity but delight The earth is beautifull but the heavens exceed in beauty The heavens are the Ceiling of our house and the Starres are like Golden studs and sparkling Diamonds in that Ceiling We may inferre three things from the Garnishing of these heavens First If the heavens which we see are so glorious what are the heavens which no eye hath seene If God hath thus discernably adorned the first and second heavens how unconceaveable are the ornaments of the third heavens If nature hath so much beauty in it how beâ—utifull a thing is Glory If God hath prepared such heavens as our eyes see for those who hate him then surely eye hath not seene eare hath not heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man to understand what those heavens are which God hath prepared for them and for them alone who love him The light of these visible heavens is but darkenes to that inheritance of the Saints in light The Moone-light if I may so speake of that state shall be better and more illustrious then the Sun-light of this and the light of the Sunne shall be sevenfold as the light of seven dayes in that Great day when the Lord shall perfectly bind up All the breaches of his people and heale the stroake of their wound God who by his Spirit hath garnished these heavens will be himselfe with his Son and Spirit the eternal Garnishing of those heavens Secondly Seing God hath been so bountifull and munificent as to Garnish the heavens for us even for us by his Spirit seing he hath provided such
though I confesse if God should put forth his power I were not able to hold up my head before him and that he could easily overthrow me with a breath yet I am perswaded he will take a more favourable course and deale with me in mercy not with rigour or severity Vers 6. Will he plead against me with his great power I know he is cloathed with Majesty and that the greatnes of power is his but will he plead against me with it The Hebrew text is will he plead with me to plead with and to plead against are the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contenâ—et quasi de jure suo ut illud exigat To plead is a Law terme He that pleadeth against another discovers eyther the faultines of his person when accused or the weaknes of his Title when controverted This word is used by the Prophet Isa 57.16 I will not contend or plead for ever I will not argue my owne prerogative nor will I argue thy sinfullnesse alwayes or without end why not if I should the spirit would faile before me and the soules which I have made where though spirit and soule are put synechdochically for the whole man that is for flesh and spirit for soule and body together yet the Lord mentions onely spirit and soule because of their strength to beare divine contendings beyond the body or the flesh As if he had sayd even that which is strongest in man would fayle if God should alwayes contend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Num copia sui roboris c. Will he plead against me with his great power or strictly to the Letter with the multitude of his power with the forces of his power The power of God is great yea the power of God is greatest all his power is allmighty power yet God doth not alwayes put forth the greatnes of his power He is a most free agent and so can restraine and hold in his owne power when he pleaseth and not use it to the terror of a poore creature or plead against him with it Againe The power of God may be taken two wayes First for his strength or his power of doing and executing secondly for his prerogative authority or his power of commanding and ruling we may interpret it here of the latter will God deale with me by his prerogative power thinke you will he oppresse me with his meere authority Per multaÌ„ dei fortìtudineÌ„ potentiam ejus absolutam summum jus dici solet intelliguÌ„t multi Bold I have another opinion of God surely he will not doe so For he is good and gratious and he will attemper his prerogative with pity his great power with much mercy Will he plead against me with this great power Jobs question is a confident negation such negative interrogations are frequent in Scripture will he is he will not plead against me with his great power but Job is not satisfied that his speech carrieth a negation in it and therefore lest any should not fully enough understand him so he expresseth his negative will he plead with me with his great power no His power is not nor ever will it be against me He will take some other course with me he will deale with me upon the account of goodnes and mercy not upon the account of power He will not breake me a bruised reed nor quench me who am but smoaking flax he will rather bind me up and cherish the least sparke which he perceiveth alive in me Will he plead against me with his great power Hence observe First God hath great power much power All power is his The power of men and Angels is his What power soever whether for kinde or degree is in the hand of any creature that power belongs to God Thus David a man of Great power states it God hath spoken once twice have I heard this That power belongeth unto God The power that is scattered and divided all the world over is centred and united in him God hath a greatnesse of power in commanding and disposing what and how things shall be done he also hath a greatnes of power in doing and executing what he hath commanded The commands of men are often unperformed eyther because they to whom their commands are sent have no power to performe them or because they want power to backe their owne commands Wee may consider the Greatnes of the power of God several wayes First As he can doe all things and is omnipotent there is nothing too hard for him his hand is not shortened in reference to the longest or the greatest workes and difficulties And as he can doe whatsoever he hath a will to doe so he will doe whatsoever he pleaseth to have done whatsoever he purposeth to doe whatsoever is upon his heart to doe none of his counsells ever fayled nor have any of the thoughts of his heart been frustrated Men often purpose to doe but they seldome have power to doe what they have purposed they are bigge with the conceptions of many great matters but when the children come to the birth they have no strength to bring forth God never failes in his power to doe whatsoever he hath a purpose or a mind to doe God hath power enough to backe his commands and he can supply power to those whom he calleth to execute them Secondly The greatnesse of Gods power is seene in this that He hath a right to doe all that he doth As he hath a fullnesse of strength so a fulnesse of Authority he doth not usurp or intrench upon any other power in what he doth nor upon any mans property in what he hath it is his due to doe what he doth and to have what he hath God is supream giving the Law to all receiving the Law from none his is not a tyrannicall but a just and a righteous power his is not a might without right but a might with right What the Prophet speakes of the Chaldeans Hab. 1.7 is true of God in every sence in the strictest sence His judgement and his dignity proceedeth of himselfe he is a law unto himselfe his rule is internall and his power intrinsecall All derive power from him therefore his power is altogether underived Power underived must needs be great power yea the Greatnes of power Thirdly The greatnesse of his power appeareth further in this that no man may presume to question him for what he doth He hath great power in what he doth whom none may so much as aske what doest thou Nebucadnezzar a heathen in highest earthly power confesseth as much of the power of God as soone as he regained the reason of a man Dan. 4.34 35. At the end of the dayes that is after the terme of seven yeares was accomplished when for the heart of a beast a mans heart was restored to him I Nebuchadnezzar lift up mine eyes to heaven and mine understanding returned unto me and I blessed the most high and I
different elements qualities and humours which contending and fighting one with another necessitate his change Every day brings some though insensible changes upon us And in a few yeares our changes are very visible and sensible The Psalmist speaking of the heavens which of all visible creatures are in nature most unchangeable yet calls them changeable in comparison of God Psal 102.26 The heavens are the work of thy hands They shall perish but thou shalt endure yea all of them shall wax old like a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed The heavens are the purest part of the creation and freest from elementary mixtures yet they shall wax old they shall be changed In opposition to which the Psalmist adds ver 27. But thou art the same and thy yeares shall have no end Nor are the yeares of God onely without end but himselfe is without change Indeed there is no change of time to God past present and to come are all the same to him and he is the same in all Thou art the same or more emphatically according to the strictnes of the Hebrew phrase Thou art thy selfe alwayes thy selfe As thou art thou wast and as thou art and wast thou wilt be for ever When Moses desiered to know the name of God Exod. 3.13 wee finde it at the 14th verse and God said unto Moses I am That I am And he said thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel I AM hath sent me unto you Secondly As God is unchangeable in his essence so in all his divine perfections and attributes all which are essentiall unto him God is as powerfull and strong as ever he was Isa 26.4 Isa 59.1 As high and soveraigne as ever he was Psal 92.8 as wise and omniscient as ever he was 1 Tim. 1.17 As gracious and mercifull as ever he was his mercy endureth for ever Psal 100.5 As faithfull and true as ever he was Rom. 3.3 4. And as just and righteous as ever he was he doth and will reward every man according to his workes Thirdly God is unchangeable in his purposes decrees and counsells The Medes and Persians boasted of their decrees that they alterd not Dan. 6.18 But the very unalterablenes of humane Decrees is alteration it selfe compared with the unalterablenes of divine decrees We have the Lord thus speaking in the Prophet Isai 46.16 I am God and there is none like me declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things that are not yet done saying my counsell shall stand and I will doe all my pleasure And as the Lord establisheth his owne counsel so he can unsetle the best layd counsels of the sons of men Psal 33.10 11. The Lord bringeth the counsel of the Heathen to nought he maketh the devices of the people of none effect The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever the thoughts of his heart to all generations And hence the Lord by his Prophet challengeth the deepest politicians the Oracles for counsel the Achitophels of this world 〈◊〉 straine their wits to the utmost for securing of their owne counsels from disappoyntment Isai 8.10 Gird your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces take counsel together and it shall come to nought speake the word and it shall not stand for God is with us he is with us as to protect us against your open opposition so to blast your most secret consultations against us And as the Lords counsels are immutable in themselves so he hath condescended to assure us of their immutabilitie Heb. 6.17 18. Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have strong consolation c. Oaths are sacred and the strongest confirmations between man and man and therefore though the counsel of God be immutable without an oath yet that we might have the greatest assurance that it is so God hath confirmed it by an oath That so the heyres of salvation having two immutable things to rest their soules and build their faith upon might not onely have consolation strong consolation such consolation as might master and overcome all the feare and unbeliefe of their owne hearts and the gainesayings of Satan Fourthly God is also unchangeable in his promises what ever he hath sayd he will doe for his people He is in one minde it shall be done A promise from God is the best securitie halfe a promise an it may be as he speakes to the meeke of the earth Zeph. 2.3 Seeke righteousnes seeke meeknes it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger this halfe promise I say is better security then the hand or seal yea then the oath of the faithfullest man on earth 2 Cor. 1.20 All the promises of God in him that is in Christ are yea and in him amen That is they shall certainly be performed and accomplished God doth not give promises as many men doe to rayse and then disappoynt and abuse our Hopes He doth not make promises rather for snares to catch others then for bonds to tie himselfe as some men doe which is not only a great unworthines and disingenuitie in them but a great iniquity and sin the Lords promises are our richest inheritances and that not onely because he hath promised greater and better things then are in the compasse of any mans power to make good or in the compass of any mans understanding to make but because h◠will certainly be as good to us in performance as he hath been in promise For He is in one minde concerning all that he hath promised He will be mercifull as he hath promised and pardon sin as he hath promised He will deliver us from trouble as he hath promised and sanctifie all our troubles to us as he hath promised He will give us his Spirit as he hath promised and save us eternally as he hath promised Fifthly He is also in one minde concerning his threatnings He will be as good as his word in the evill which he hath spoken against sinners as well as in the good which he hath spoken concerning his servants Zech. 1.5 Your fathers where are they and the Prophets doe they live for ever But my words and my statutes which I commanded my servants the Prophets did they not take hold of your fathers And they returned and sayd like as the Lord of hoasts thought to doe unto us according to our wayes and according to our doings so hath he dealt with us That is his threatnings have arrested us as Sergeants doe a malefactor or a debtor and carryed us away their prisoners As if the Lord had sayd Your fathers are dead and my Prophets are dead also but the words which my Prophets spake to your fathers concerning the sword famine and captivitie which should shortly come upon them these dreadfull prophesies dyed not
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
out the call of God but God hath chosen foolish things to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base things of the world and things which are dispised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are that is those things which are so foolish and weake and base and despised they seeme to have no being or are accounted as nothing even these non-entityes these poore tooles doth God chuse and take up to doe great things by and to nullifie or bring those things to nought which are all in all among or in the estimations of men Therefore so God owne the worke the matter is not much I speake not in regard of lawfullnes but likelynes I say the matter is not much what the meanes is God can over-wit wise men by fooles he can over-power mighty men by those who are weake Thus God trivmphs over humane improbabilityes yea impossibilityes and would have no flesh eyther despayre because of the smalnes of meanes or glory in his sight because of the greatnes of it How glorious was Abrahams faith in the former Chapter who was so farre from despayring that he was strong in faith giving glory to God though he saw nothing but death upon all the meanes which tended to attaine the blessing promised Rom. 4.17 18 19. As it is written I have made thee a father of many Nations before him whom he beleeved even God who was it that Abraham beleeved it was God And under what notion did his faith eye God even as he who quickeneth the dead when God is closed with under this notion as quickning the dead what can be too hard for faith but there is more in it Abrahams faith eyed God not onely as quickning the dead but as he that calleth those things which be not as though they were that is as he who maketh something of nothing when once Abraham had these apprehensions of God then nothing stucke with him his faith could digest iron and therefore as it followeth he against hope beleeved in hope c. and being not weake in faith he considered not his owne body being now dead as to the procreation of children when he was about an hundred yeares old neyther yet the deadnesse as to conception of Sarahs wombe He staggered not at the promise of God through unbeliefe that is he never made any scruples or queries how the promise should be accomplished but was strong in faith giving glory to God that is gloryfying God by beleeving that he was able to make good the promise or that it was as easie for God to create a performance as to make the promise Thirdly Then feare not when God is a working but he will cary on his worke deficiencyes in the creature are no stop to his actings his immediate or sole power is enough who hangeth the earth upno nothing Where are the pillars that sustaine this mighty masse It hangeth fast by no fastning but the order of God And his order is strong enough to hang the greatest busienes that ever was in the world upon The Jewes have a saying in reverence of the written word of God That upon or at every Iota or the least title of the Law there hangeth a mountaine of sence and 't is as true in reference to his doings as his sayings God can hang mountaines upon mole-hils and turne mountaines into mole-hils for his peoples sake and safety It is rare that we are put to the actings of faith at so high a rate There is usually somewhat in sight to encourage the actings of our faith and dependance upon God they that are in the lowest condition have somewhat to looke to but if there be nothing to be seene then doe but remember that God hangeth the earth upon nothing and faith will say I have all Although the meale in the Barrell and the oyle in the Cruse should fayle Although the fig-tree shall not blossome neyther shall there be fruit in the Vines Although the labour of the Olive shall fayle and the fields shall yeild no meate c. yet the Lord fayleth not eyther in his power for us or compassions towards us and therefore the beleever can even then rejoyce in the Lord and joy in the God of his salvation For while there is nothing in appearance there is not onely some thing but all things are that are for our good in the promise Faith may make all sorts of comfortable Conclusions to and for it selfe and not build Castles in the ayre from this one Assertion That The earth hangeth in the ayre or to give it in the words of the text That God hangeth the earth upon nothing The Constitution or syntaxe of Nature wel considered is no small advantage to our hightning and strengthning in grace JOB CHAP. 26. Vers 8 9 10. He bindeth up the waters in his thicke clouds and the cloud is not broken under him He holdeth backe the face of his throane and spreadeth his cloud upon it He hath compassed the waters with bounds untill the day and night come to an end JOB having shewed how wonderfully God upholdeth the earth which is under us goeth on to shew no lesse a wonder in his binding up those waters in clouds which are above us Whatsoever God hath done or doth in heaven above or upon the earth beneath eyther as to creation and the first constitution of tâ—ings or as to providence and the continuall motion of things is wonderfull and glorious Vers 8. He bindeth up the waters in his thicke clouds As our English word Bind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Colligavit vinxit compressit so the Original implyeth a force upon the waters to keepe them within the cloud Water would not stay there but that it must whether it will or no It would rush downe presently and disorderly to the ruine of all below but God bindeth it to its good behaviour As the mouth of a sacke is tyed or bound about that the corne put into it fall not out Or which allusion comes neerest the text as barrels are bound with hoopes lest the liquor put into them should leake out thus God bindeth up the waters What waters There are two sorts of waters first upper waters or waters in the ayre of which the Psalmist speaketh when he sayth Psal 104.3 Hee layeth the beames of his chambers in the waters that is in those upper waters which are neerest the heaven called in Scripture The habitation of his holynes and of his glory Earthly Architects must have strong walls to lay the beames of their chambers upon but the Lord who made heaven and earth can make fluid waters beare up the beames of his chambers for ever Secondly theâ—e are lower waters or waters on the earth Which distinction Moses gave long before Aristotle Gen. 1.7 And God made the firmament and it divided the waters which were under the firmament
Acts 27.20 Tenere faciem throni est coelum occultare et obducere nubibus That neyther Sun nor Starrs in many dayes appeared here was a holding backe or covering of the face of the throne of God And thus our experiences have often found it held backe the face of heaven being masked or vayled over with naturall clouds and vapours Againe if we take the face of the throne of God for that eminent manifestation of himselfe as in heaven Thus also God holdeth backe the face of his throne by covering it with a Metaphoricall cloud as it is expressed Psal 97.1 2. The Lord reigneth c. clouds and darknesse are round about him that is we can see no more of his glory in reigning then we can see of a Kings throne which is covered with a Canopy and compassed about with curtaines Job gives this plainly for the interpretation of this former part of the verse in the latter part of it And spreadeth his cloud upon it That is upon the face of his throne Wee may take this cloud first properly thus God covers the heavens from the sight of our eyes Secondly improperly as clouds note onely secrecy and privacy Thus God spreadeth a cloud upon his throne to hide it from the eye of our understanding so that we can no more comprehend the glory of God in himselfe or in his wayes and workings towards man then we can see the Sunne Moone and Starres when muffled and wrapt up in thicke clouds Thus David speaketh of the Lord Psal 18.11 He made darkenes his secret place his pavilion round about him were darke waters and thicke clouds of the skyes But the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 6.16 That God dwelleth in light How then doth the Psalmist say there and elsewhere that he made clouds and darknes his secret place and his pavilion I answer As the Lord is light and hath no darkenes at all in him Joh 1.5 so as to himselfe he ever dwelleth in light and hath no clouds nor darkenes at all about him And therefore when it is sayd that he spreadeth a cloud upon his throne and maketh darkness his secret place or his secret place darke we are to understand it in reference to our selves for whensoever God hideth himselfe or the reason of his dealings and dispensations from us Then the cloud is spread upon his Throne When God is sayd to spread a cloud over us or any thing we have it noteth his care over us and his protection of us Isa 4.5 And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion and upon her assemblyes a cloud and smoake by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night what is meant both by this cloud and flaming fire is clearely expounded in the last words of the verse for upon all the glory shall be a defence or a covering Thus I say a cloud spread by God upon us implyeth that we are under his covert and defence But when God spreadeth a cloud upon or covereth himselfe with a cloud this implyeth all the Scripture over the hiding and concealing of himselfe and his workes from us And in this sence Job sayth He holdeth backe the face of his throne and spreadeth a cloud upon it Hence note First God hath a throne Kings have thrones much more hath God who is the King of kings King Solomon made himselfe a great throne of Ivory and overlayd it with the best Gold 1 Kings 10.18 Kings have formall Thrones God hath a real one Hee hath all power in his hand and this he administreth according to the pleasure of his owne will both in heaven and earth Note Secondly God manifesteth himselfe in heaven as Princes upon their thrones so heaven is the throne of God And where God acts most our affections should be most and our conversation most Where the Throne is thither the great resort is many flocke to the Court. As it will be our glory hereafter to be in heaven or about the throne of God for ever in person so it is our grace to be dayly there in Spirit while we are here The earth is Gods footestoole yet many make that their throne Heaven is Gods throne and many make that their footestoole They tread and trample upon the things of heaven while they set their hearts upon the things of the earth 'T is a sad mistake when men set their feete where they should set their hearts and prophane the throne of God not onely by levelling it with but by laying it lower then the ground Observe Thirdly God hideth his owne glory from the sight of man He holdeth backe the face of his throne he will not suffer the lustre of it to appeare but spreadeth a cloud upon it Indeed we are not able to beare the cleare discoveryes of divine Glory 1 Tim. 6.16 God dwelleth in light which no man can approach unto though he were permitted and offered the priviledge to approach unto it God dwelleth in and is possessed of that infinite perfection of light that no creature is capable of When Moses made that petition to God Exod 33.18 I beseech thee shew me thy glory The Lord answered v. 20. Thou canst not see my face for no man shall see me and live It seemes that while God spake with Moses his glory was overshadowed or that God to use Jobs language in the text held backe the face of his throne and spread a cloud upon it and therefore Moses begg'd the removall of it or that his glory might breake through it and shine unto him Wel sayth God thou canst not see my face as if he had sayd If I should grant thee that request thou art not able to enjoy it or make use of it for as my nature is altogether invisible so thou canst not beare the super-excelling brightnes which the cleare manifestations of my immediate presence would dart forth upon thee for that Glory of my presence is too great a weight for humane fraylety to stand under it would astonish rather then comfort thee and in stead of refreshing confound and make thee as a dead man No man shall see my face and live Man must dye before he can in that sence see the face of God and then he shall as the Apostle speakes 1 Cor 13.12 see face to face and know as he is knowne So that though we are much short of the happines of the next life while we see as through a glasse darkely and God holdeth backe the face of his throne yet it is a mercy to us while we are in this life that he doth so because we are not able to abide the sight of him face to face or to behold the face of his throne As Christ had many things to say to his Desciples which they were not able then to beare so Christ hath purchased such mercyes and priviledges for his people as they are not able to beare while they are on this side the grave Every state hath enjoyments suitable
and proper to it Further as God hideth his glory from man because he is not able to beare it all so he hideth much of that from him which he is able to beare both to make him hunger and thirst the more after it and to draw him into the greater reverence and estimation of it We usually esteeme that more which is veyled and under a cloud then that which is very cleare and openly revealed and according to our present state and frame that is most reverenced by us which is most concealed from us When a cloud hath dwelt a while upon the Sunne we desire the more to see the face of it and are the more affected with the sight of it God will not hold backe the face of his throne from us in glory nor will he ever spread a cloud upon it and yet we shall have fresh desires after it and high valuations of it everlastingly But while we dwel in this corrupt and corruptible flesh wee are apt to neglect that which is alwayes with us especially if it be alwayes alike with us And therefore as the wise and gracious God will not let us see his throne here at all in the full glory of it because we cannot beare it so he will not let us see that glory of it continually which we are able to beare lest we should grow eyther carelesse of it or unthankfull for it It is even best for us that we have but a darke and imperfect sight of God in this world both in reference to what he is and to what he doth or first in reference to himselfe in his nature and Excellencyes Secondly in reference to his wayes or workes in their speciall reasons and ends As our darkenes cannot at all comprehend the light of God so God is pleased to cover much of his own light with darkenes that we should not comprehend it How many glorious truths are there the face of which he holdeth backe from many of his precious servants how often doth he spread a cloud as upon the truths which he sendeth in his Word so upon the graces which he hath wrought in us by his Spirit so that the soule is not onely hindred from beholding what is without but what is within and is so farre from beholding the glorious perfection of God and his workes abroad that it cannot so much as discerne any of the gracious workes of God at home He spreadeth his cloud upon it Vers 10. He compasseth the waters with bounds untill the day and night come to an end Job having described marvaylous acts of divine power in the heavens descends againe to shew his marvayles in or about the Seas and mighty waters He compasseth the waters with bounds The word which we render to compasse Proprietas pecaliaris verbi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est lineam vel circulum describere quasi circino Forte etiam in dicatur eodem circumdandi verbo unum effici globuÌ„ ex terra et aqua atque unum idem utriusque elementi esse centrum Pined signifyeth properly to draw a line or make a circle as Mathematicians doe with a payre of Compasses so that it notes the shutting up or circumscribing any thing to a certaine place or measure beyond which it cannot move And thus God compasseth the waters At the 8th verse Job shewed how God compasseth the upper waters the waters in the ayre He bindeth up the waters in his thicke clouds Here he sheweth how God by the same almighty power compasseth about the lower waters the waters of the Sea The Hebrew is The face of the waters as in the former verse The face of his throne The face of the earth is the upper part of the earth Gen. 1.29 I have given you every herbe bearing or seeding seed which is upon the face of all the earth And so the face of the waters is the upper part of the waters because the upper part of the water as also of the earth lyeth open to the eye as the face of a man doth And it may therefore be sayd that he compasseth the face of the waters because though the whole body and bulke of the waters swel and rage yet the face or upper part of the waters is that which at any times breaketh over and overfloweth And therefore the face of the waters onely as to us is compassed about with bounds The word noteth a legal bound a statute or decree and is frequently used in Scripture especially in the 119th Psalme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stanuum constitutie dec câ—etum sign ficat praecepti constantiam durationem nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est insculpere seu incidere lapidi ligno vel Metallo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septu for the Law or rule which God hath given man both for his worship and continuall course of life And hence the Prophet Jeremiah speaking to the Jewes about this thing useth another word to signifie the bound of the Sea and the word which here we render Bound is there rendred Decree Jer 5.22 Feare ye not me saith the Lord will ye not tremble at my presence which have placed the sand for the bound of the Sea by a perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it And there is so much of a Law or of an appoyntment in it that the word is applicable to any thing which is put under a certaine law or appoyntment So it is put for an appoynted time in the 14th Chapter of this booke v. 13th and for appoynted foode in the 23d Chapter of this booke v. 12th as here for an appoynted space or circle within which as within a wall or with gates and barrs the waters of the Sea are kept He compasseth the waters with bounds Hence Note First The Sea is bounded by the power of God As God hath given man understanding to provide a bit and a bridle for the mouth of the horse and mule which have no understanding lest they come neere unto him Psal 32.9 that is neerer to him then they should or neere to him not to serve him or be used by him but to kicke him or tread upon him Thus God himselfe who is infinite in understanding hath put a bit or bridle into the mouth of the Sea which is further from understanding then eyther Horse or mule lest it come neere to drowne and overwhelme us Neyther shoares nor sands neyther cliffs nor rockes are the bound and bridle of the Sea but the Decree and command of God Observe Secondly It is an unanswerable argument of the glorious power and soveraignetie of God that he is able to compasse the waters with bounds Who shut up the Sea with dores was Gods humbling Question to Job in the 38th Chapter of this booke v. 8.10 11. and sayd hitherto shalt thou come and no further here shall thy proud waves be stayed The Psalmist Ps 104. having shewed how at first Gen. 1 1. the whole earth was covered with the deep as
in man to desire God to strike through his pride and it is a great act of mercy to man when God doth so The more God smiteth our sins the more he declares his love to and his care of our soules The remainders of pride in the Saints shall be smitten through but sinners who remaine in their pride shall be smitten through themselves God whose power and understanding are made known by smiting through the proud waves of the Sea will at last make his Justice and his holynes knowne by smiting through the proud hearts of men or rather men of proud hearts Proud men strike at God yea kicke against him no wonder then if he strike and kicke them All the sufferings of Christ are wrapt up under that one word His humiliation implying that as he was smitten for all our sins so most of all for our pride That man whose pride is not smitten to death or mortifyed by the death of Christ shall surely be smitten to death even to eternall death for his pride As God understandeth thoroughly who are proud so by his understanding he will smite through the proud JOB CHAP. 26. Vers 13 14. By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens his hand hath formed the crooked Serpent Lo these are parts of his wayes but how little a portion is heard of him but the thunder of his power who can understand JOB hath given us a particular of many illustrious works of God what he doth in the depths below Et ut in opere ipsius pulcherrimo desinam hic ille est qui coelos illa enarrabili pulchritudine exornavit spherae illae suis giris undique coelos serpeÌ„tium instar percurreÌ„tes sunt opus manibus ipsius tornatum Bez and what in the hights above in this verse he gives another instance and that a very choyce one upon the same subject As if he had sayd After all this large discourse which I have made of the workes of God I will conclude with that which is the most remarkeable peice of them all This is he who hath adorn'd the heavens with that unutterable beauty wherewith they shine and the spheares which wind and turne round about the heavens like Serpents are smoothed and polished by his hand Vers 13. By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens The Spirit of God is taken two wayes in Scripture First q. d. visua voluntate ut nomen spiritus saepius in scriptura usurpatur sed malo ipsum dei spiritum almum accipere quo omnia deus fecit Merc for the power of God Secondly and so here for God the power as distinct from the Father and the Son By whom God wrought all things in the creation of the world Gen 1.2 The Earth was without forme and voyd and darkenes was upon the face of the deepe and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters It is a rule in Divinity That the external workes of the Trinity are undevided and so the Three Persons concurred in the making of the world God the Father created and is called Father in Scripture not onely in relation to the Eternall ineffable Generation of God the Son but also in reference to the production of the creature God the Son or the Eternal Word created Joh. 1.1 2 3. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God All things were made by him and without him was nothing made that was made God the Spirit or Holy-Ghost he likewise created and He onely is mentioned by Moses distinctly or by name as the Agent in the original constitution of all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non simplicem motionem denotat sed qualem columba perficit cum evis ad excludendum pullos incubat Rab Selom Verbum â—ranslatum ab avibus pullitiei suae incubantibus Jun. And the Hebrew word rendred in our translatioÌ„ moved the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters by which the Agency of the Spirit in that Great worke is expressed caryeth in it a very accurate significancy of that formative vertue or power which the Spirit put forth about it For it is a metaphor taken from birds who sit upon their eggs to hatch and bring forth their young ones and so importeth the effectual working of the Spirit whereby that confused masse or heape was drawne out and formed up into those severall creatures specifyed by Moses in the Historie of the Creation Among which we find the Garnishing of the heavens spoken of here by Job is reported by Moses for the worke of the fourth day Further we may consider the heavens first in their matter and being secondly in their beauty and ornaments Job speakes of the latter By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adornavit decoravit pulchrè fecit God hath not onely created but pollished and as it were painted or embroydered the heavens The originall word implyeth the making of them beautifull contentfull and pleasant unto the eye this is the Lords worke And therefore as the whole world because of the excellent order and beauty of it is exprest in the Greeke by a word that signifies beautifull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so some parts of the world have a speciall beauty and lustre put upon them beyond the rest The heavens are not like a plaine garment as we say without welt or guard but they are laced and trimmed they are enamel'd and spangled they glister and sparkle in our eyes with rayes and beames of light By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens If it be asked what is this garnishing of the heavens I answer the setting or placing in of those excellent lights Sunne Moone and Starres in the heavens are the garnishing of them Light is beautifull and the more light any thing hath the more beauty it hath Precious stones have much light in them those lights the Starres are as so many stones of beauty and glory set or moving in the heavens Light as diffused and shed abroad in the ayre is exceeding delightfull and beautifull but light as it is contracted and drawne together into the Sunne Moone and Starres is farre more beautifull light in the ayre pleaseth the eye but light in the Sunne conquers and dazzel's the eye by the excessive beauty and brightnesse of it In the first day of the Creation God sayd Let there be light and there was light but in the fourth day he sayd let there be lights that is let there be severall vessells to receave hold and containe light and then to issue it out among the inhabitants of the earth Gen. 1.14 And God sayd let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night and let them be for signes and for seasons and for dayes and for yeares and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth and it was so And