himself down to speak and treat with dust and ashes What a wonder is it that the Lord of Heaven and Earth should admit and enter into a parly with man who is but a well-shaped clod of Earth Solomon was in a kind of amazement at the mercy when he said at the Dedication of the Temple 1 Kings 8.22 But will God indeed dwell on Earth And may not we that God should come down to confer with an afflicted bed-rid man on Earth I know some are of opinion that the Lord spake by an Angel to Job however here was the Lords presence it was Jehovah who manifested himself to Job what Ministry soever he used Thus the Lord is pleased often to interpose in the case and cause of his afflicted servants though we see him not nor have such formal apparitions as here in the Text. The Lord the high and lofty One who dwelleth in the high and holy Place dwelleth also with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit and be dwelleth with him to revive him Isa 57.15 Therefore surely he manifests himself to him in his loving-kindness which is better than life and the very life of our lives The Lord who hath Heaven for his Throne and the Earth his footstool saith by the same prophet Isa 66.1 2. To this man will I look and lest any should take this man to be one of the mighty ones of this world he giveth us both a signal specification and clear character of this man to whom he looketh even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and that trembleth at my Word And if the Lord look to such a man if he vouchsafe him his gracious â—ye doubtless he also reveals himself graciously and freely to him Secondly The Lord came here to instruct and teach Job Several persons had dealt with him before and they very worthy good and learned persons and they came with a purpose to do him good yet all would not do All that his three friends said who undertook him first in their turns was to little purpose in appearance And though Elihu a spritely young man discours'd him with much life and heat yet neither could he do the business Jobs spirit began indeed to yeeld upon the last engagement of Elihu with him yet he did not convince him fully God came at last and he prevailed he did the deed Then the Lord answered Job Hence Note We need the teachings of God besides all the teachings of men that we may rightly know him and our selves together with the intendment of his dealings with us and our own duty under them 'T is the mercy of the New Covenant that we shall be taught of God and not by man onely nor alone As here Job had three or four so we may have thrice three men toyling with us a long time in vain The work is never well done till God comes and though we have not such appearances of God now yet he doth the same thing in effect to this day This and that man a thousand men yea a man who is an Interpreter one of a thousand as Elihu spake may be labouring upon the conscience of a sinner and never bring things home either to convince or comfort him till God is pleased to come in by the power of his blessed Spirit and then who can but be convinced and comforted Hence our Lord Christ had no sooner reported the Covenant Promise out of the Prophet They shall be all taught of God John 6.45 but presently he makes this inference from it Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me We may say to all who are savingly wrought upon as Christ to Peter upon that Confession which he made Matth. 16.16 Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God Flesh and blood hath not revealed this to you but your Father which is in Heaven Impossibile est deum discere sine deo Iraen l. 4. adversus Haret c. 10. A deo discendum quicquid de deo intelligendum Hilar. l. 5. de Trin. It was said by one of the Ancients it is impossible to know God without God And so said another We must learn all that from God which we understand of God Unless God be our Tutor we shall never be good Scholars We know neither God nor our selves any further than God teacheth us Christ saith Be not called Masters for one is your Master even Christ Matth. 23.8 There are two sorts of Masters 1. Ruling or Commanding Masters 2. Teaching Masters To the former we are Servants to the latter we are Scholars In the eighth verse Christ speaks of Teaching Masters as of Ruling Masters at the tenth verse Now when Christ would not have any man take upon him or own the Title of Master or Teacher his meaning is that no man should arrogate to himself the honour of principal Teacher which is the peculiar of God but to acknowledge that all mans teaching is nothing without Gods as the Apostle also saith 1 Cor. 3. We must learn from God whatever we know aright either of God or of our selves Eliphaz Bildad and Zophar spake much of God to Job but Job was never effectually humbled till God spake Thirdly Note As God here by his Word so alwayes the Word of God is the true determiner of controversies and resolver of doubts No question can be truly stated but by the Word of God Rectum est index sui obliqui As the statutes of the Lord are right Psal 19.8 So they shew what is right and what is not A strait Rule declares it self to be strait and detects the crookedness of whatsoever is crooked The last appeal in all things doubtful is to the Law Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no light or as the Margin hath it no morning in them The Sun of righteousness hath not risen upon them who speak and hold unrighteous things Search the Scriptures saith Christ John 5.39 or as 't is well rendred in the Indicative Mood Ye search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life Nor did they think amiss in thinking so but that which Christ secretly reproved while he said so was that they did amiss or contradicted the Scripture in their lives while they boastingly thought so Not what this or that man saith but what God saith is the true ground of mans faith Sumamus exlibris divinitus inspiratis solutionem questionum Theod. l. 1. Hist Eccles c. 7. It was a worthy speech of Constantine in the Nicene Council Let us take out of that Book divinely inspired the solution of our Questions It is not what the Fathers say nor what the Pope saith nor what Councils say but what the Word of God saith that must be heard and relied upon for salvation The Word is the Judge that is the rule of Judgement As here God was the
second of Providence in general chiefly in the Meteors from the 22d verse to the end of this Chapter the third of special Providence towards the Beast of the Earth and the Fowls of the Ayre from the first verse of the 39th Chapter to the end So that the proof of this Assumption that Job had no hand gâ—ve no counsel no furtherance no assistance in the Works of Creation and Providence I say this Assumption contains the history of the greatest things in all the parts of Nature for whatsoever belongs to true Philosophy may be reduced to it or clearly diâ—covered in it and herein we are taught the true use of Philosophy even to raise the mind of man to the contemplation of the Eternity Power and Wisdom of God as also of our own frailty weakness nothingness and so to sit down in an humble submission to whatsoever the Lord doth with us or ours in this world So much of the argument and general scope of this whole discourse The Lord begins with the Work of Creation thereby humbling Job to this Confession that he had nothing at all to do with it Vers 4. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth Quando deus interrogat ubi eras revocat in mentem Jobo quis sit ex quo quam brevis aevi Codur We have the Creation asserted in these words and God is pleased to speak of it metaphorically by a comparison drawn from Architecture or the model of a Building Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth Eliphaz put a question of a near impoâ—t with this Chap. 15.7 Art thou the first man that was born or wast thou made before the hills Here the Lord speaks the same language Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth Wast thou made before the World Antelunares There was a sort of men spoken of by the Ancients called Proselunes Men made before the Moon who boasted that they were a people before the Moon was made others said they were before the Earth The Scripture tells us that man was made out of the Earth well then might the Lord demand Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth Wast thou before the Earth Or before the Moon Where wast thou Surely thou wast no where thou wast not in being when I laid the foundations of the Earth foâ—asmuch as thy foundation is of the Earth thou art but dust of the Earth therefoâ—e where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth Thou hadst no Being then unless in my decree and purpose for the bringing of thee forth in thy season and generation We may say every man was somewhere when God laid the foundations of the Earth he was in the Purpose Decree and Counsel of God which was from Eternity Every man had a being in the mind of God when God laid the foundations of the Earth but where wast thou or any man as to any existence when I laid the foundations of the Earth Now if this be thy case thou hast no reason to be so high and big in thy own thoughts or to speak so discontentedly about my dealings with thee Do I need thy counsel in governing the World who needed it not in making the World Where wast thou c. And here we may take notice of the difference of Scripture language in this point with respect to our Lord Jesus Christ by considering the different language of the Scripture concerning Christ we have a clear argument to prove the God-head of Christ or that he is God by Nature forasmuch as he had his existence when God laid the foundation of the Earth Hear what Wisdom substantial Wisdom that is Jesus Christ spake of himself Prov. 8.22 The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way that is in the beginning of his ways of Creation before his works of old I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the Earth was Where wast thou saith God to Job when I laid the foundations of the Earth But Jesus Christ the true Wisdom saith he was before the Earth was When there was no depth I was brought forth when there was no fountain abounding with water While as yet he had not made the Earth nor the fields nâ—r the highest parts of the dust of the World When he prepared the Heavens I was there When he set a compass upon the face of the depth When he established the Clouds above when he strengthened the fountains of the deep When he gave to the Sea his decree that the waters should not pass his commandements When he appointed the foundations of the Earth Then was I by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight rejoycing alwayes before him c. You see how the Spirit speaks concerning Christ the true Wisdom the substantial Wisdom he was before God laid the foundations of the Earth therefore he is God he is eternal But when God comes to speak to Job a man he saith Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth John 1.1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God and by him all things were made Jesus Christ had a hand in making the World in laying the foundations of it the work is ascribed to him Here 's the glory of Jesus Christ above all creatures and this is an unanswerable proof of the God-head and Divinity of Jesus Christ as 't is of mans frailty when the Lord demands Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth 'T is as if the Lord had said Remember how short a time thou hast been how little a while it is since thou cam'st into the World There are two things which men should much consider First How little a while they have been in this World Secondly How little a time they have to stay in this World Where wast thou When I laid the foundations of the Earth The Hebrew is but one word Where wast thou when I founded the Earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In fundare me vel cum fundarem we say When I laid the foundations of the Earth What 's a foundation There are four things to be noted about a foundation First A foundation is the lowest part of a building The Top or Head-stone Zach. 4.7 and the foundation-stone are at utmost distance the one highest the other lowest the one first laid down the other last set up Secondly The foundation is an unseen part of the building we behold the super-structure the walls and towers when raised we behold the battlements and pinnacles but we cannot behold the foundation that 's an unseen part of the building Thirdly The foundation is the most necessary part of the building There are some parts of a building which are onely for ornament and beauty there are other parts of a building which though they are somewhat necessary yet not much necessary the building might stand
verse they confess not only their being in him throughout all generations but his most blessed Being before all generations Before Mountains were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the Earth and the World even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God The first Being is an eternal Being and therefore the Prophet saith Isa 57.15 God inhabiteth Eternity The Eternal dwells in Eternity But what is Eternity One of the Ancients calleth it Aeternitas est interminabilis vitae tota simul et perfect possessio Boeth de Consol l. 6. The perfect possession of a boundless or limitless life whole and all at once Eternity hath no terms nor bounds of beginning or ending 'T is a possession of all at once there is nothing past or to come but all is alwayes present to God Note Fourthly God is the fountain of all being he hath given a being to all things The Apostle Paul Acts 17.28 discoursing with the Athenians having said In him we live and move and have our being convinceth them further by that saying of their own Poets for we are also his off-spring We spring from him as from a root or fountain With him is the fountain of lives Psal 36.9 even of natural life as well as of spiritual and eternal Every life every being is but a stream issuing from Jehovah And as every life is from God so also is the being of all things without life The Lord gave the liveless Earth its being its beginning Some Naturalists have asserted the eternity of the World and so the eternity of the Earth They could not compass which way or how the World could have a beginning and therefore said it had none Here we have the Founder of the World God himself teaching man this Divine Philosophy about the beginning of the World and taking it to himself I laid the foundations of the Earth When the Heathen Philosopher read what Moses had written concerning the Creation of the World Thus the Heavens and the Earth were finished and all the host of them Ger. 2.1 He presently said The man speaks wonders but how doth he prove what he hath spoken Where are his demonstrations He would put Moses to his proof but Moses's proof was faith in the testimony of God Through faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear Heb. 11.3 We understand the Work of Creation yet not by the strength of natural reason but through faith which gives credit to the Word of God and perswades the heart that the report therein made is a truth Plato in Timaeo For though some Philosophers have evinced by arguments grounded upon reason that the World was made yet that it was made by the Word of God either the Essential Word the Son of God spoken of John 1.1 who is the efficient cause of it or by the Declarative Word spoken of in this place of the Hebrews which was the means or instrumental cause of making the World Gen. 1.3 6. This I say cannot at all be understood by reason but purely and only by faith because it is so revealed in the Scriptures Fifthly In that the Lord here saith I laid the foundations of the Earth Observe God hath made the Earth firm and immoveable The stability of the Earth is of God as much as the being and existence of it Psal 104.5 He laid the foundations of the Earth that it should not be removed for ever There have been many Earthquakes or movings of the Earth in several parts of it but the whole body of the Earth was never removed so much as one hairs breadth out of its place since the foundations thereof were laid Archimedes the great Mathematician said If you will give me a place to set my Engine on I will remove the Earth It was a great bâ—ag but the Lord hath laid it fast enough for mans removing Himself can make it quake and shake he can move it when he pleaseth but he never hath nor will remove it He hath laid the foundations of the Earth that it shall not be removed nor can it be at all moved but at his pleasure and when it moves at any time it is to mind the sons of men that they by their sins have moved him to displeasure There hath been or will be a shaking of the Earth in mercy for we have it in a promise Heb. 12.26 Whose voice then namely at the giving of the Law shook the Earth but now he hath promised saying yet once more I shake not the Earth only but also Heaven Some understand this promise as fulfilled at the coming of Christ in the flesh at which time indeed there were notable and amazing motions and alterations both in Heaven and Earth Others expound it of the Day of the ultimate Judgement not a few of some great providential dispensations of God which shall shake not the Earth only but also the Heavens as taken in a Metaphor for earthly and heavenly things referring to the Church of God and the Kingdomes of Men. I shall not interpose in this matter about the sense of that Text but onely say whatever the Apostle meant by Earth or Heaven and the shaking of it yet this remains as an unshaken Axiom that the Fabrick of the Earth properly taken stands fast The Lord hath laid the foundations of it that it should not be removed David to shew the stedfastness of his faith put that supposition Psal 46.2 Therefore will not we fear though the Earth be moved The Prophet also did the like to assure us of the stability of the Covenant of Grace Isa 54.10 yet we need not fear that either the Earth shall be removed or the Mountains depart Such suppositions shew indeed the immoveableness of the Word which God hath spoken not the moveableness by any natural power or natural decay of the Earth whose foundations he hath laid And hence the Psalmist argues the Lords faithfulness to his Word Psal 119.90 Non magis moveronaturaliter terra quam quiescere coelum potest Bold All earthly things move but the Earth wherein all these motions are made stands still Eccl. 1.4 The Earth can no more move than the Heavens can stand still Some modern Philosophers have turned the scale of Nature and would perswade us that the Heavens stand still and the Earth moves but 't is good for us to stand to and abide by the Scripture which tells us the Earth stands still and abideth or it abideth that is it standeth as the Margin explains it Psal 119.90 And that it standeth still or abideth not only because it hath still a being as things in motion have but because it is still or stands without moving is so much my faith as well as my sense that I see no reason to be moved from it Sixthly The Power and Will of God are the onely foundation of the Earth 'T is said by the Psalmist
our blessed Saviouâ— the light and life of the world hath counselled us Let our light shine and so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorifie our father which is in heaven Matth. 5.16 We that have light commanded for us every day how should we be lights and go forth as the Sun casting out our rays and beams in a holy and godly conversation And while we go forth and walk in such a conversation we go forth and walk as the Sun in its strength we enlighten all the world where we come and dazel the eyes of the wicked world or of the wicked in the world Sixthly How should we who have light commanded for us avoid all the works of darkness yea We should as the Apostle exhorts Rom. 13.12 13. cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light we should walk honestly as in the day As in the day which the light of the natural Sun makes and as in the day which the light of the mystical Sun our Lord Jesus Christ hath made Seventhly Remember as God hath commanded a morning for us here so he will command a light or a morning a morning light for all our actions hereafter As God hath made the the light so he will bring all things to light Many now live in the light of this world whose works are in the dark as well as theirs are works of darkness Now as the Lord hath commanded a morning to shine for us to worke by so he will have a morning wherein all our works shall be seen 1 Cor. 4.5 He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and the manifest the counsels of the heart Men may dig deep to hide their counsels from God but God knows how to bring them and their counsels to the morning and will cause a light to shine upon them though they have no light of truth or righteousness in them God will bring every work into judgement with every secret thing Eccl. 12.14 We must all appear saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.10 or we must all be manifest we must appear and so must our works too Those works of men shall be light as to their discovery which are nothing but darkness as to their impurity Those deeds which have no light in them shall come in the clearest light and be plainly seen to the bottom both by Men and Angels The Lord who hath commanded this moâ—ning light for us to do our work in will command another morning light to judge our works in and to give us the reward of them And let all the wicked of the earth to whom the morning of any day because they are in danger to be discovered by it is as the shadow of death Job 24.17 Let them I say consider how many thousand deaths that morning will be to them which will actually fully and impartially discover all their wickedness with all the secrets of it Lastly Consider if the Lord hath bestowed so great a mercy upon us in commanding the morning or in giving us light the light of the Sun then let us be minded how great a mercy the Lord hath bestowed upon us in commanding the light or morning of the Gospel to come upon us It was night with us and so it would have been for ever for any means we could have devised or used to help out selves out of it till God commanded Christ the bright Morning Star Rev. 22.16 and Sun of Righteousness to rise and shine upon us How unspeakable a mercy is it that such a light should appear to us who not only were in darkness but were darkness If we account it a mercy that God hath commanded a morning to shine to us O what a mercy is it that we have a Christ to shine upon us That the Day-Star from on high hath visited us That he who is the true light that enlightens every man that cometh into the world John 1.9 hath risen upon us both to scatter the darkness of sin and ignorance and to chear our souls with the sweet beams of his healing wings So much of the first part of the verse Hast thou commanded the mâ—rning since thy day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sâ—ir◠〈◊〉 auâ—â—râ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aurora dâ—ssâ—runt Nam prima dici 〈…〉 diâ—tum 〈…〉 hâ—c a nigri◠〈◊〉 specio ut vid tur Nam 〈◊〉 res sub diâ—â—rulo apparere inâ—pturâ— nigricâ—â—â— viâ—entur Câ—c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eâ—t nigrescâ—re bin nigrescentem lucem scil diluculum significat Sol varie nec uno loco oritur quotidie ejus loâ—â—s mutatirut sol ascendit aut descendit in signis Zodiaci Merc. And caused the day-spring to know his place That is when and where it should break forth and appear every morning The day-spring is exprest by a different word in the original from the morning light it implieth the first of the morning when the air is darkish or duskish we commonly call it the gray of the morning The word signifies to be dark or that darkness which we call twilight When the day-spring ushers in the morning there is a kind of dimness in the light Now saith the Lord Hast thou caused the day-spring to know its place hast thou taught it where to shew it self to the world The Lord speaks nere of the day-spring as if it were a rational creature that took instructions or a word of direction where to begin the morning light God not man hath taught the day-spring to know its place We have a like expression Psal 16.11 Thou wilt shew me or thou wilt cause me to know the path of life Thus the Lord makes the day-spring know the path to its own place The day never springs twice immediately in one place but is in a continual variation as Astronomers with experience teach The place of the light or Sun-rising differeth every morning and from thence we have the difference of the dayes The Sun passing through the twelve signs of the Zodiack beginning with Aries c. I shall not trouble you with their names which have been devised and are used only for learning sake the Sun I say passing every year thâ—ough these twelve Signs all which Astronomers present unto us under various forms or figures such as themselves fancied most useful to subserve the understanding of that Art according to the situation of these Signs through which the Sun runs his course in the Heavens the day-spring to us on Earth changeth its place every day appearing sometimes more southerly and sometimes more easterly as the Sun either ascends to the Summer Solstice at which time the day is at longest and the night at shortest as about the eleventh of our Moneth called June or when it descends to the Winter Solstice at which time the day is shortest and the night longest as about the eleventh of our December To which we may add the Suns coming in its
in his contemplation about so in his love to and desire of high things he doth not nakedly contemplate things above as a Philosopher may do but he hath strong affections to and longings after the enjoyment and possession of the things that are above he is as much on high in his desires and affections Non ad praeceptum hominis aut suam solius voluntatem elevatur sanctus sed â—â—gent ublevante Deâ— Jens as he is in his studies and speculations And in both respects he mounts on high in the power and at the command of God who as he hath taught the Eagle so man much more whither and how far to ascend And he therefore mightily triumphs over this lower world because his soul is lifted up as an Eagle by and upon the wings of divine support and acceptation Doth the Eagle mount up at thy command And make her nest on high The Eagle doth not only mount on high that may be from a sudden overture or occasion but she makes her nest on high The word which we render on high signifies separated because high places are places separated from ordinary concourse Eagles covet to make their nests in places furthest remote from all access both of men and beasts The best of high things spiritual things are separated from this world they are above the wisdom and way of the world and that 's the reason why the world cannot bear them I touch that only from the notation of the word The Eagle makes her nest on high But doth she so O Job at thy command dost thou direct her where to make her nest or how It seems the Lord teacheth birds to make their nests The least bird is directed by God as well as the Eagle It is by his counsel that some birds make their nests very low and that others among which the Eagle especially make their nests on high Pliny saith no man can reach or touch the Eagles nest Nidos ejsu nemo attigit indificat in excelcissimis rupibus Plin. l. 10. c. 6. We look and find birds nests in every bush but who ever found the Eagles nest such an Eagles nest as is here spoken of There are I grant some Eagles that make nests in high trees but the Eagle here intended makes her nest upon in accessible rocks When the Lord would reach the hight of mans wisdom in setting himself aboue the reach of dâ—nger it speaks thus Jerem. 49.16 Though thou shouldst make thy nest as high as the Eagle I will bring thee down from thence saith the Lord. 'T is a proverbial speech and 't is joyned with setting our nest among the stars in the 4. v. of the Prophecy of Obadiah The Idumeans with and about whom the Prophet there spake dwelt in mountanous places and slattered themselves in the strength and safety of the country as if it had all been an Eagles nest The Eagle makes her nest so high that 't is as it were next to the stars But why doth the Eagle make her nest so high there are two or three rersons given of it by the searchers of nature First For her safety high things probably are most out of danger there is a hight which is very dangerous and there is a hight that is out of the reach of danger such is the height of the Eagles nest Secondly Naturalists say the Eagle makes her nest so high because she cannot without some difficulty raise her self from the earth if she sits low she cannot easily mount up she hath a heavy body though a strong wing and therefore the wisdom of God instructs her to make her nest on high that she may with that advantage rise out of it and mount up from it The Eagle doth not as the Ostrich lay her eggs in the dust or in the sand but she makes her nest in high places that so she may be both safe in her nest and the sooner take her flight out of it Thirdly The Eagle makes her nest on high because there the air is purest and she is greatly delighted and pleased with the purity and sweetness of the air Gaudet ex hisce speculis coelum contemplari Oppian Fourthly 'T is said also the Eagle makes her nest on high because she loves from thence as from a watch-tower to behold and feed her eyes upon the fair and beautiful face of the heavens In these four respects we should be like the Eagle and make our nest on high The Eagle doth not only mount high but makes her nest on high Some men mount high that is have high notions and speculations in which they seem to be rapt up as the Apostle once truly was to the third heavens yet they make not their nest on high they do not abide there their delights are here below and so is there nest the residence and rest of their souls The nest of the rich mans soul in the Gospel was in his full barns O how many speak high discourse high profess highly heaven-high yet when all 's done their nest is upon the earth They talk as high as the Eagle mounts yet their nest is as low as that of the Oâ—trich in the dust Let us remember as to mount high so to make our nest on high The Apostle could say 1 Phil. 3.20 Our conversation is in heaven not only must we be speaking high but acting on high too we must sit and brood there as the Eagle upon her nest Let us say of God as Moses the man of God did in his prayer Psal 90.1 Lord thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations thou art so and thou shalt be so for ever Thus we are taught not to imitate the foolish Ostrich building our nest in the dust but like the noble Eagle being lifted up by the mighty power of the holy Spirit making our nest or taking up our rest in heaven which is as the highest so the safest place of all Thus far of the Eagle in two of her properties First Her high flight Secondly Her high nest The third thing spoken of in this context concerning the Eagle is the choise of her abode or habitation Vers 28. She dwelleth and abideth on the rock upon the crag of the rock and the strong place As the Eagle flyeth very high so she abideth on high places Sicut aquila motum habet in altum ita etiam in altis conversatur quod pertinet ad nobilitatem naturae suae Aquin. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à raradicè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mansit per noctem unam pernoctavit Sola sine clangore sine murmuratione conversatur in montibus Plin. l. 10. c. 3. Arist l. 9. c. 32. de naturae animal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dentem vocat preminentiam aut quod praeruptum est in rupe Drus Her abiding so high shews the nobility and generosity of her nature she doth not only mount upon high sometimes and make her nest on high in breeding time but
faint Note When God intends and purposeth to humble his people most he would not have them despair in the least When God layes them in the dust he would not have them sink in despair but be of good cheer God loves to see his people humbled but he doth not love to see them dejected As God would have us sensible so comfortable Comfort ye comfort ye my people said the Lord Isa 40.1 when he saw they were ready to sink he commanded comfort to be spoken to them He gives Cordials and Restoratives when he is speaking out of a whirlwind and therefore he said to Job Gird up thy loyns like a man But however the Lord is either counselling or comforting Job in these words he checks and reproves him in the next Verse 8. Wilt thou also disanul my Judgement wilt thou condemn me that thou mayest be righteous These are words of reproof and a very great reproof they are Here the Lord begins to chide and expostulate with Job Wilt thou 'T is a quick kind of speech Irritum facere est simplex verbum contrarium verbo confirmandi aut natum firmumque aliquid faciendi such Questions have much spirit and life in them How now Job Wilt thou disanul my Judgement But what is meant by disanulling what by the Judgement that God saith Job was about to disanul To disanul is to make void to frustrate to break a thing so as it shall not stand in any stead or be of any force it is applied to the breaking of an Oath to the breaking of a Covenant and to the disappointment of counsels and purposes Read Num. 30.14 15. 1 Kings 15.19 Jer. 35.20 Psal 33.10 11. Isa 8.10 Thus saith the Lord Wilt thou disanul or make void my Judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ne repellas judicium meum Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Numquid repelles judicium meum Symach The Septuagint render it as a Negative Command Do not thou repel or resist my Judgement An ancient Greek Translator renders it as we by way of Question What wilt thou repel or oppose my Judgement The word is applied to great sinnings Ezra 9.13 And after all this that is come upon us c. seeing our God hath given us such deliverance as this should we again break thy Commandements c. But did Ezra think that after that they should no more break the Commandements Taking a breach of the Commandements barely for sinning he could not expresse it so therefore by breaking the Commandements he means disanulling the Commandements What is that 'T is so to break the Commandements as if we would rescind and repeal them There is such a kind of sinning as if men would not onely sin against the Law but sin the Law away or out of doors as if men would sin the Bible out of the world that 's the meaning of the word there If we shall again break thy Commandements for it followeth and joyn in affinity with the people of these abominations 'T is not breaking the Commandements by any sin but to sin so as if we would make them all void and reverse the statutes of heaven Thus the word is used by David Psal 119.126 An etiam mutabis judicium meum Targ. which doth much clear the sense of this Text Lord it is time for thee to work Why for they have made void thy law 'T is the same word here in Job They have disanulled thy law 'T is high time for God to awake to bestir himself and look to men when they come to this height of sinning to make void and disanul his Law by setting up their own lusts Some would even enact their own lusts and throw down the Law of God That 's the significancy of the word here used saith God to Job Wilt thou disanul my Judgement Wilt thou make it void or break the course of it Wilt thou change it and put or introduce somewhat of thine own in the room and place of it as some glosse the words Wilt thou disanul My judgement Judgement I conceive in this place is taken for that course of administration which God uses in the World whether with particular persons or with Nations As if the Lord had said Thinkest thou thy self not only able to comprehend the reason of all my administrations towards thy self or others but wilt thou also presume to subject them to thy will and wisdom as if thou couldst administer them with more equality and righteousness or to better purpose than I have done The course or way of Gods dispensation is Gods Judgement and 't is called his Judgement First Because it proceeds upon the highest reason upon the clearest acting of Judgement and understanding and in that sense 't is alwayes Judgement For God is a God of Judgement Isa 30.18 That is of the highest reason and understanding in all matters that he doth Secondly 'T is called Judgement because oftentimes these administrations are as a sentence pronounced and given out by God whether against particular persons or Kingdomes and so have Judgement in them that is wrath and punishment Judgement is often put for punishment In this sense we are to understand it here Wilt thou disanul my Judgement particularly with thy self I have taken this course with thee I have brought all these afflictions upon thee I have broken thy estate I have broken thy body I have broken thy spirit this is the course I have taken with thee wilt thou disanul this course that I have taken with thee surely thou shouldest not I know thou canst not So then the Lord expostulates thus with Job as if he would have crossed all his proceedings and dealings with him or would have rescinded as it were the sentence and decree of God concerning him Wouldest thou have me to change either the matter manner or measure of thy chastnings No my will not thine shall be the rule of them Wilt thou disanul my Judgement Now from this sense of the words Note First It is impossible to reverse rescind or disanul the Judgement of God The Lord speaks to Job as attempting a thing beyond himself or beyond his power What saith the Lord wilt thou disanul my judgement surely thou wilt not venture at that thou wilt not offer that 't is more than thou or any man can do The Lords judgement or the way which he will take with any man no man can supersede or stop no man can hinder him in it What the Lord determines what he gives forth it shall stand Balaam could say Numb 23.20 The Lord hath blessed and I cannot reverse it The judgement of the Lord at that time towards Israel was a Judgement or Sentence of favour and mercy therefore saith Balaam The Lord hath blessed and I cannot reverse it And if the Lord gives out a Sentence of affliction or commands a crosse upon any man who shall reverse it Psal 33.10 The Counsel of the Lord shall stand and the thoughts of
charge to fear God knowing that to be the best cure of and remedy against any undue or sinful fear of man Further seeing God hath such an arm let us be much in the consideration of it let us often meditate upon the strength of his arm his almighty power The mighty God is as a weak one to us both for the doing us good and the keeping us from evil till we sit down and believingly meditate upon his almighty power and greatness As David called the faithful of old to view the strength of Sion Psal 48.12 Walk about Sion and go round her mark well her Bullwarks tell her Towers So I may call upon all to view the strength of the God of Sion and to remember his arm which is the only strength the Bullwark the Tower of Sion Be still saith the Lord Psal 46.10 and know that I am God We never truly know either that God is or what God is we know him not to be God but carry it as if he were but a man till we are still that is composed into a deep silent consideration of his eternal power and Godhead or that he is God And the godly have done so especially in two cases First When they saw little humane strength little of mans arm for them Secondly When at any time they saw the arm of man great and strong against them In both which cases we find David often in the Psalms and other good Kings wholly taken up in the thought of and in acting their faith upon the arm or power of God Thus did King Asa 2 Chron. 14.11 and thus did King Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 20.6 12. O Lord God of our Fathers art not thou God in heaven and in thy hand is there not power and might so that none is able to withstand thee O our God wilt thou not judge them for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon thee So much of the first humbling question in this verse Hast thou an arm like God A second followeth or Canst thou thunder with a voice like him To thunder may taken either properly for the sending out of that loud and terrible sound or crack which we sometimes hear from the clouds and so we may understand it here Who can make a thunder-clap like God Natural thunder is a token of Gods power and 't is a dreadful token Should I expound and prosecute the Text in the letter 't is a great truth and of useful consideration The voice of God in thunder exceeds the voices of all men But in Scripture to thunder is often taken improperly and so it signifieth any mighty speaking or speaking with mighty effect Hoc instrumento efficar Dei jussio sistens atque exhibens quicquid vult significatur Loc. Pericles olympius sic enim propter vim eloquentiae dictus est fulminabat intonabat consund bat Graeciam Plutarch Hence those two eminent Apostles James and John were called Boanerges that is Sons of Thunder because they preached so powerfully for the conversion and salvation of sinners And in the Chapter before the Text Job 39.25 we read of the thunder of the Captains that is of the Captains loud voice giving exhortations orders and commands to their Army ready for battel The power that goeth forth with the Word of God is the thunder of his voice It was said of Pericles a great Oratour among the Grecians that he did thunder and lighten upon his Auditors such was the power of his Rhetorick that he did shake as it were that whole country with his voyce Now as in the former question the Lord set forth his mighty strength in acting by his arm Hast thou an arm like God So here he seeteth forth his mighty power in speaking by thunder Canst thou thunder with a voice like him Hence Note The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice To thunder is to speak but it is no ordinary speaking that is intended by it To thunder is to speak not only weightily but powerfully somewhat passionately if not displeasedly and with a mighty impressing force as also with an extension and intention of the voice To lift up the voice like a trumpet as the Prophet was commanded Isa 58.1 hath all this in it much more to lift up the voice like thunder and such is the voice of God The strongest and most stentorean voice of man is but a whisper and cannot startle a Mouse or give me leave to say as we proverbially say the strongest and most musical-mouthed man speaks but like a Mouse in a Cheese his voice is indeed a meer silence in comparison of the thunder of Gods voice The whole 29th Psalme is a proof of it which though it be true of the natural thunder yet 't is chiefly to understood as hath been shewed of the metaphorical or spiritual thunder the power that goeth forth with the speakings of God And that there is a thunder a mighty power accompanying the Word of God may appear in these particulars First The bare saying voice of God is exceeding powerful To say a thing is as little as may be towards the effecting of it But if God do but say let such a thing be it is so yea his saying no more is exprest gave all things a Being He only said Let there be light and there was light c. Gen. 3.3 That saying was a commanding as the Apostle expounds it 2 Cor 4.6 God who commanded light to shine out of darkness c. The saying voice of God hath a commanding power in it that is every thing is done and cometh to pass as he saith Psal 33.6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the hoast of them by the breath of his mouth And if the whole world was the product of a word from God what cannot God produce in the world by speaking the word Secondly How powerful is the expressly or directly commanding voice of God if his saying voice be so powerful When the Lord gave the Law Exod. 19.16 what voices what thunderings were then heard The saying of God is a virtual command but he gives formal commands also And when he gave the Law or Ten Commandements the thunder of his voice made all the people tremble and stand afar off And if as that notion hath often been well enforc'd God thundered with such a voice at the giving of the law with what a dreadful voice will he thunder when he comes to Judge those who have broken and impenitently continu'd in the breach of the law Thirdly There is a mighty power as in the bidding so in the forbidding or restraining voice of God He by the voice of his word can put a stop to creatures when they are in their strongest career and swiftest motion What is swifter in motion than the Sun All creatures on earth or in the air are but sluggs to the Sun the Eagle upon
things their being in the beginning hath hitherto preserved their being and will to the end And not only so but Thirdly all things are his in possession the Lord hath all in his hand In whose hand soever the things of the world are they are all in the Lords hand As Abraham said in his Treaty with the King of Sodom Gen. 14.22 I have lift up my hands to the most high God the possessor of heaven and of earth Psal 24.1 The earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof the world and they that dwell therein that is they are all at his dispose And again The world is mine and the fulness thereof saith the Lord himself Psal 50.12 and therefore if I were hungry that is if I needed any thing I would not tell thee that is complain to thee or go a begging to thee who art but a beggar I can help my self and take what and where I will There is a fourth title by which all things under heaven are the Lords even by Redemption The Lord hath restored the whole world to a kind of new life by the death of his Son Jesus Christ is the Saviour of all men especially of them which believe 1 Tim. 4.10 All have some benefit by redemption and so whatsoever is under the whole heaven the whole Systome of heaven and earth is the Lords by redemption though the specialty of redemption be theirs only and intended to them only who believe who as they have a peculiar portion a Benjamins Mess in the grace of redemption so the Lord calleth them his peculiars Exod. 19.5 Ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people for all the earth is mine And they are called the Lords portion Deut. 32.9 The Lords portion is his people Jacob is the lot of his inheritance Thus as all under the whole heaven is the Lords so all is his by a fourfold title by the titles of creation and sustentation and possession and redemption All things visible and invisible have been created are sustained and possessed by him as their great Lord and all things visible have been redeemed by him from present perishing and a world of them in this world that they should never perish but have everlasting life John 3.16 From this general Assertion That whatsoever is under the whole heaven is the Lords take these following Inferences First Then the Devil is a lyar a great lyar for Mat. 4. in his last assault against Christ he boasted that he would give him all the Kingdoms of the earth and the glory of them whereas the truth is he hath not a shoe latchet at his dispose While the Devil saith all is mine the truth is nothing is his but a lye of that he is the father As he hath not given a being to the least worm so he cannot dispose of the least worm he is not worth a straw for all is the Lords Secondly Hence we learn That there is a lying spirit in most of the children of men even in all them who look upon any thing they have as their own There is a sense in which we have a right to and a propriety in what we have and may call it ours but that spirit which moves in most of the children of men is a lying spirit when they say this and that is their own David Psal 12.4 brings in the wicked saying With our tongue will we prevail our lips are our own who is Lord over us What have not we who have so many Lordships the Lordship of our selves the Lordship of that little piece of our selves our lips But were not their lips their own not in the sense they spake it as if they were accountable to none for them for their next word was Who is Lord over us Thus most do they look upon their lips and all the members of their body as their own but what saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.20 Glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods And vers 19. Ye are not your own Your body is not your own but it is the Lords then much less are the things that you have your own your Land is not your own nor your cattel your own the beasts of the earth are not your own nor the fishes of the Sea your own nor is a hair of your head your own nor a pin upon your sleeve they are all the Lords Is it not then a lying spirit which possesseth very many among the children of men who look upon themselves and what they have as their own Their houses and lands are their own their gold and silver are their own who is Lord over them or theirs O let such remember that themselves their houses and lands their gold and silver are the Lords and that the Lord saith expressly The silver is mine and the gold is mine Hag. 2.8 Thirdly If all be the Lords then the Lord is able to supply the wants of all who wait upon him and to supply them plentifully The Lord supplieth the wants of all creatures The Lord keepeth a great house he feedeth all that he hath made he provideth food for Leviathan he satisfieth every living thing Psal 145 16. and Psal 115.16 The heaven even the heavens are the Lords but the earth hath he given to the children of men that is whatsoever of the earth the children of men that is men in common or mankind have the Lord hath given it to them and seing his own children have need of it surely he will not deny it them The Lord I say hath given the earth to the children of men and if the Lord hath bestowed the earth on men as men then much more hath he the earth to bestow upon his own children Christ in his Sermon upon the mount Mat. 6.32 assureth them of it Your heavenly father knoweth that ye have need of these things Food and cloathing is in your fathers hand your father is rich he is rich indeed and therefore he can supply your wants If children do but remember that their father hath such and such lands and houses they think they shall be well provided for how much more may a godly man say my father hath a great deal of land the whole earth is his and therefore I shall be provided for The Apostle improves this position twice 1 Cor. 10. First to makâ— use of our liberty in eating whatsoever is fold in the shambles asking no question for conscience sake for saith he the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof vers 26. He makes use of it Secondly to perswade us not to abuse our liberty ver 28. But if any man say unto you this is offered in sacrifice unto idols eat not for his sake that shewed it do not offend him and for conscience sake do not offend thy self The earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof As if he had said why shouldst thou trouble thy self or others by eating such meat seing there is enough
judgment and procedure with Job and therefore they must hear of it a second time or as we say at both ears Secondly The Lord telleth them again of it that he might fasten the sense of their sin more upon them We very hardly take the impression of our follies and failings we are ready to let the thoughts of them wear off and slip from us they abide not but glide away as water from a stone or from the swans-back unless fixed by renewed mindings and for this reason the Lord repeateth the mention of sin so often in the the ears of his people by the ministry of his word that the evil of it may more fully appear to them or that they may the more clearly see and the better know how bad how base how foolish a thing it is to sin against him Thirdly I conceive the Lord repeated these words to confirm the judgment which he had given before concerning them in those woâ—ds Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right Quicquid in divino colloquiâ— reâ—etitur robustius confirmatur Greg. lib. 35. moral c. 8. As if the Lord had said that which I said before I say again I do not change my opinion either concerning you or my servant Job and therefore I say it once more the repâ—â—ting of a matter is for the confirmation of it as Joseph told Pharaoh about the doubling of his dream Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right Like my servant Job These words also are a repetition yea a triplication and more than so this is the fourth time that the Lord hath called Job his servant in the compass of two verses three times in this 8th verse and once in the 7th But what should be the meaning of this why did the Lord call Job his servant so often even four times as it were in one breath I answer First It intimates that Job was the Lords steady servant that what he was at first he was then at last and what he had been long ago he was still Some have been called the servants of God who have given it over in the plain field but here the Lord calleth Job his servant over and over four times over as being his sure servant Secondly It was to shew that as Job retained the same duty and respect to the service of God so God retained the same opinion of Job and of his service then as at first Thirdly The Lord in repeating this relational title servant so often would assure us that he knew not how if I may speak so to speak more honourably of him The Lord gave no other title to Moses Num. 12.7 nor to Caleb Num. 14.24 nor to David 2 Sam. 7.5 8. The Lord did not speak this so often because he wanted other titles to give him or because he had not variety of phrases to express himself by but as if he knew not where to find a more honourable title I grant that title of relation Son is more noble and more endearing but that is not at all spoken of in the Old Testament nor is it given to any particular person in the New Believers as to their state are all the sons of God but no one believer is spoken either to or of under this title Son The Apostle Paul still called himself only a servant of God He that is the Lords servant is the best of free-men We have enough to glory in when we are his servants The History reports of the French King That the Ambassador of the King of Spain repeating many great titles of his Master the King of France commanded this only to be mentioned of him King of France King of France implying that this single title King of France was as honourable as that large roll of titles given the King of Spain Thus the Lord calleth Job his servant his servant his servant to shew that all honour is wrapt up in this word A servant of God Fourthly This repetition may signifie That Job had been a very great good and faithful servant to the Lord not only a servant but a laborious and profitable servant to the Lord so the Scripture calls those who are laborious in his service though at best as to the Lord we are unprofitable servants nor can any be profitable unto him Fifthly The Lord multiplieth this title upon him because whatsoever a godly man doth is service to the Lord. This word service is comprehensive of all duties to hear the Word is to serve the Lord to pray to fast to give almes is to serve the Lord all is service to the Lord. Job was every way a servant of the Lord. First As he was a Ruler To rule well in a family is to serve the Lord to rule Nations is to serve the Lord much more Job was a ruler and he ruled well in both capacities as was shewed in opening the 29th 30th and 31st chapters Secondly Job was a great servant of the Lord as he was a worshipper Thirdly Job was a great servant of the Lord as he was a sacrificer he had the honour of the priest-hood Fourthly Job was a great servant of the Lord as a teacher of the truth he had instructed many as Eliphaz acknowledged chap. 4.3 And as he was a great servant of the Lord in teaching the truth so in opposing error he stood firm to his own opinion the truth against the tenent of his friends Fifthly Job served the Lord as he was a sufferer To suffer is very great service especially as he did to suffer greatly We serve the Lord as much with his cross upon our backs as with his yoke upon our necks or his burden upon our shoulders Job was a great servant of the Lords as in holding forth the doctrine of the cross or maintaining that God afflicts his choicest servants so in bearing the cross himself Sixthly Job was a great servant of the Lord in praying for his friends and in being so willing to be reconciled to them and therefore the Lord having had so many services of him and so many ways repeateth my servant Job my servant Job as if he could not say this word often enough My servant Job Thus we have the Lords command or charge given to Eliphaz and his two friends what they must do for the quenching of that fire which was kindled in his breast against them for their folly in dealing with his se vant Job How they answered that command will appear in the next words Vers 9. So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did according as the Lord commanded them the Lord also accepted Job This verse holds out the obedience of Eliphaz and his two friends to the charge and command which the Lord gave them in the eighth verse where the Lord said to these three men Take to you seven bullocks and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up for your selves a burnt offering
Job having with steddy yet trembling attention heard all these words spoken to him with irrefragable authority by the Lord himself out of the whirlwind sate down convinced that surely the great God the Creator of the ends of the earth who had so exact an eye upon all those creatures both for the continuance of their species or kinds and the preservation of their individuals or particulars could not possibly cast off the care of man-kind nor of him in particular no nor put any man to any hardship or suffering but for some great end or ends glorious always to himself and in the issue good for the wise and patient sufferer He was also convinced that himself not well understanding the mysteries of providence nor indeed could any more fully understand them than he did the mysteries of creation or the manner how God laid the foundations of the earth and shut up the sea with doors he I say not well understanding the mysteries of providence was convinced that he had done very ill to make such long and loud complaints about it that is about the severity of Gods dealings with him as if like an enemy he intended him nothing but pain and sorrow by the pains and sorrows which he endured Thus at last Job began to see that as being himself Gods creature God might do with him what he pleased and that God being his absolute Soveraign could not wrong him whatever he was pleased to do with him so that forasmuch as God was so careful of and kind to those inferior reasonless creatures there was no shadow of a reason why he should have the least jealousie of Gods kindness to him and regard of him much less make such an out-cry that God was unkind to and regardless of Him whom he had not only ennobled as the rest of mankind with reason but renewed by grace and filled with the holy fear of his great and glorious name These impressions being made upon Job by the mighty power of God speaking to him out of the whirlwind he presently cryed out as fast against himself and against his own ignorance and rashness as he had done before concerning the harshness of his sufferings under the hand of God confessing chap. 40.4 Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee And chap. 42.3 6. I have uttered that I understood not things too wonderful for me which I knew not wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Job being thus humbled and melted down Job who was lately in the dust of dishonour and almost in the dust of death being thus brought to the dust of repentance the Lord suffered him not to lye long there but quickly raised him up out of all his sufferings and passing by all his mispeakings while sufferings lay heavy upon him he The Lord passed sentence upon or gave judgment against Eliphaz and his two friends as not having spoken of him the thing that was right as his servant Job and not only so but commanded them to do him right by acknowledging that they had wronged him why else were they ordered by the Lord to go unto him as a mediator for their peace why else were they ordered by the Lord to bring their sacrifice unto him that he offering it up and praying for them the wrath of God which was kindled against them might be quenched and they received into favour All these offices of love Job freely did for them and no sooner had he done them but God heaped favours upon him doubling his former substance and causing all his former friends who had carried it unfriendly unhandsomely towards him and would not own him in the day of his distress to hasten their addresses to bring him honourable presents and redintegrate their broken friendship with him In all these things God blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning and he found by comfortable experience which was mentioned at the beginning of this prefatory Epistle out of Solomon's Ecclesiastes that the end of a thing is better than the beginning of it the latter end of his life being fuller of peace riches and honour than the former and he not ending his life in this world till he was full of days fuller of grace and fully fitted for an endless life in glory Thus as in the foregoing parts of this book we have heard of the patience of Job so in this we may see as the Apostle James saith chap. 5.11 the end of the Lord. But what was that end of the Lord Any man of ordinary capacity reading the holy story may resolve it in the common way that The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before that being restored his seven thousand sheep were multiplyed to fourteen thousand his three thousand camels to six thousand his five hundred yoke of oxen to a thousand and his five hundred she-asses to as many This end of the Lord with Job is obvious and runs in sight to every Reader nor can it be denied but that this was a very good and an honourable end yet behold the Lord made a much better and more honourable end for Job than this This was the end of Jobs cross that was not only so but also of his controversie Satan charged Job as an Hypocrite his friends joyned with Satan in that yet stayed not there they charged him likewise as Hetorodox as a man not only unsincere in his profession of religion but unsound in the principles of it The Lord made an end for Job in this matter also abetting his opinion in that great and difficult probleme of providence rather than theirs giving him the day and putting the crown of victory upon his head in that dispute while he said to Eliphaz and his two friends Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my servant Job This this was The end of the Lord. To hear this gracious determination from the mouth of the supream and infallible moderator of all controversies was without controversie a thousand times more pleasing and satisfactory to Jobs spirit not only than the double cattle which the Lord gave him but than if the Lord had given him all the cattle upon a thousand hills or than if all the fowls of the air and fishes of the sea had been given to him In this end of the Lord for Job we may see not only that the Lord is infinitely wise and just but as it followeth in that place of the Apostle James very pitiful and of tender mercy The Lord shews himself very pitiful and of tender mercy when he puts an end to the crosses of his servants by doubling their outward comforts he doth so too when he puts an end to the controversies of his servants by vindicating their credit and making it appear that they have spoken of him and of his ways the thing that is right or more rightly than their opposers and reproachers This example of the Lords pity and tender mercy in doing both
there is no darkness at all And indeed in the latter part of this Book we may well conceive God himself speaking he speaks so like himself For here the understanding Reader may perceive a wonderful copiousness of speech and largness of discourse strengthened with the exactest and weightiest reasons set forth with such variety of matter with such gravity of expressions with such pressing queries and and interrogations that it very much excells all that had been spoken either by the Disputants or the Moderator And such was the condescention of God that he seems to take the words out of Elihu's mouth and urge over his Arguments anew before he would give the final sentence in this case from which as there could be no appeal so in which there could be no mistake All this the Lord contracts into two Orations or Speeches each to of which Job Answers and subscribes by an humble submission The first of these Speeches is contained in this thirty-eighth Chapter and to the end of the thirty-ninth To which God calls for an Answer in the two first Verses of the fortieth Chapter and Job gives his Answer in the third fourth and fifth verses of that Chapter The second Speech or Discourse of God with Job begins at the sixth verse of the fortieth Chapter and is continued to the end of the one and fortieth Chapter to which we have Jobs Answer at the beginning of the forty second Chapter to the end of the sixth verse and then the Chapter closeth with Gods special and irrefragable Judgement upon or determination of the Question between Job and his Friends as also with a description of Jobs blessed restauration after his fall to a higher condition of outward prosperity and tranquility than ever he enjoyed before Thus you have the summe of what 's behind of the whole Book This Chapter with the next hold out the Lords first Argumentation or di course with Job and in it we may consider three things First The Preface or Introduction in the first second and third Verses of this Chapter Secondly The Speech it self to the end of the thirty-ninth Chapter Thirdly Gods demand of an Answer or that Job should give him an account of himself or of what he had said at the beginning of the fortieth Chapter The words under present consideration are a Preface or Introduction leading to the whole business and in them we may consider three things First The Historians transition or an Historical transition vers 1. Then the Lord answered Job out of the Whirl-wind and said This the Historian or Pen-man of this Book inserts to connect the matter of this Chapter with that which went before he connects the discourse of Elihu which ended at the thirty-seventh Chapter with the discourse of God at the beginning of this Then the Lord answered Job out of the Whirle-wind and said Secondly We have here what the Lord said in form of Preface leading in the intended matter and that First By way of reprehension or by a chiding Question about what Job had said vers 2. Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge This is it which the Lord said when he began with Job Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge As if he had said let me see the man or who is the man that speaketh thus I know there is a Question and I shall speak somewhat to it afterwards Whether these words were directed to Job or Elihu yea some Question whether this whole Chapter be not intended to Elihu rather than to Job I shall answer that Question also afterwards but I give it now in the analysis of the context as I puâ—pose God willing to state it when I come to the Answer of that Question And therefore I say the reproof falls upon Job whom God thus bespake beginning with a chiding Who is this that darkneth counsel by words without knowledge Secondly by way of provocation to answer or we have here the Lords command given Job to prepare himself for an Answer as well as he could to what himself should say vers 3. Gird up now thy loynes like a man for I will demand of thee and answer thou me As the Lord reproved and chid him for what he had said so the Lord exhorted and encouraged him to set and fit himself the best he was able to answer what himself had to say unto him Thus we have the intendment of these three Verses and if you would have in one word a Prospect of the whole following Discourse of God with Job the Sum of it may be given and taken thus That as Elihu before so now the Lord would have Job know and confess that no man must presume to be so bold with him as to question his doings that 's the great mark at which God aimed in all he said to Job And the confirmation or proof of it is taken up from this unquestionable ground No man must Question any thing which God doth to him or with him for this very reason Because God doth it or because God often alone alwayes in chief hath done and doth all things God is the alone Creator of all things he hath given all things their Being he hath put all things into the Order in which they stand and he preserves them in their standing and if any evil befal man the hand of God hath done it much more than the hand of any man what then hath any man to do to question his doings Now that God alone hath created and doth order all things he himself proves by calling Job to shew where he was When the Foundation of the Earth was laid and Bounds were set to the Sea c. and so proceeds to assert and hold forth his sole Power in furnishing the Earth with Beasts the Air with Fowls and the Sea with Fish The Lord having thus given Job to understand that the whole World is his Work and that he gave Being to all the Creatures in the World for the help of man without the help of man would have him thereby also understand and be convinced that he and all men ought to adore and quietly submit to his providential workings or the products of his Providence all the world over That 's as was said the general Point carried through this whole Discourse of God with Job the particulars whereof yeeld much matter both of Meditation and Admiration I begin with the Preface Vers 1. Then the Lord answered Job out of the Whirlwind and said In this Verse we have three things First The Person answering Secondly The Person answered Thirdly The manner of his Answer The Person answering is the Lord the Person answered is Job the manner of the Answer is out of a Whirle-wind Then the Lord answered Job out of the Whirle-wind In the first word of the Text we have that which our Translation makes emphatical an intimation of the time or season of this Divine interposition then the Lord answered
c. The Hebrew Text doth not expresse this Adverb of time there 't is onely the Lord answered but we well supply it rendering then the Lord answered as if the Penman had said at that very nick instant or juncture of time the Lord came in the words were no sooner out of the mouth of Elihu he had no sooner concluded his speech with Job but the Lord began and answered Job and if the Lord had not just then interposed possibly Job might have replyed and a new heat might have risen to the encreasing of his troubles and the inflaming of all their Spirits as was hinted before therefore the Lord to stop all further proceedings or speech between them two began presently to speak himself Then the Lord answered Take this Observation from it The Lord will appear in the fittest season It was time for the Lord to appear lest this poor man should have been utterly swallowed up with sorrows and over-whelmed with his affliction or lest he should have been drawn out too long and too far in his bitter complainings and impatiency The Lord is a God of judgement blessed are they that wait for him Isa 30.18 He is a wise God and knows how to time every action he knowes when to appear when to shew himself As he himself will not contend for ever Isa 57.16 so neither will he let others contend overlong least the Spirit should sail before him and the soules which he hath made This is a comfortable truth with respect both to Nations and Persons both to the case of the Church of God in general and of every believer in particular The Apostle Peter having counselled the afflicted to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God 1 Pet. 5.6 addes this encouragement in the next words to do so that he may exalt you in due time though not in your time nor at your day the day when you would have him do it yet he will do it in time and in due time that is when it shall be most fit and best for you Thus he appeared to and for Job in the Text when the sorrowes of his heart were enlarged and when he had most need of such an appearance The Lord knows how at any time and when 't is the most proper time to relieve his servants Then The Lord answered Job The word here used is Jehovah and several of the Learned take notice that it is here used with a special significancy for in the discourses of Job and his friends throughout this Book other names of God are if not universally yet mostly used as Elshaddai Eloah c. In the first Chapter indeed where God is spoken of by the divine Historian or sacred Penman of this History he is named Jehovah as also in some other such like places but in the body of the dispute not so And two reasons may be given of it First The name Jehovah imports the Being of God and therefore God himself being about to speak of his giving a Being to the whole Creation and to several sorts of creatures he is most properly represented by his name Jehovah which as it implyeth that he is the First Being the Fountain of his own Being or that he is of himself so that he gives a Being to all things and that in him as the Apostle told the great Philosophers of Athens Acts 17. we live and move and have our being Secondly The Lord though he came in a Whirle-wind yet manifested himself in a clearer light to Job than ever he had done before Now as in the third of Exodus when the Lord sent Moses to the people of Israel to bring them up out of Egypt to Canaan which was a great work one of the greatest that was ever done in the world and in which the Lord made the most glorious discovery of his Power Justice and Mercy when God I say sent Moses upon this service he said unto him Exod. 6.2 3. I am the Lord I am Jehovah and I appeared unto Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the Name of God Almighty but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them God being about to make himself more known in the world than he had been to that day by his dreadful plagues upon Pharaoh and the miraculous deliverance of his people out of Egypt as he said chap. 9.16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up for to shew in thee my power and that my name may be declared in all the earth The Lord I say being about to doe these great things for the manifestation of his own greatness gave this charge to Moses at the sixth verse of the sixth chapter before mentioned Wherefore say unto the children of Israel I am Jehovah and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians c. Thus in this latter part of the book of Job the Lord being about to loosen the bonds of Jobs affliction and to ease him of his burden as also to declare and manifest himself more clearly to him than formerly as he confessed chap. 42.5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but now mine eyes have seen thee he therefore assumed his great name Jehovah Then the Lord Answered Job c. But some may say Job had not spoken lately much lesse last Elihu spake out six whole Chapters since Job spake a word and though Elihu gave him the liberty yea almost provoked him to speak yet he laid his hand upon his mouth he spake not a word How then can it be said The Lord answered Job To avoid this difficulty Some render Then the Lord answered concerning or about Job And these turn the whole discourse of God in this and the next Chapter upon Elihu in favour of Job I shall touch upon that opinion and interpretation as was said afterwards but at present affirm that Job was the person to whom the Lord here directed his Answer and to take off this doubt how the Lord could be said to answer Job when Job had not spoken last but Elihu I answer as upon a like occasion it hath been elsewhere shewed in this book ch 3.2 that sometimes in Scripture a Speech begun is called an Answer where nothing had been spoken before to which that speech could be applied in way of answer Matth. 11.25 Matth. 17.4 The reason of this Hebraisme is because such as begin to speak do either answer the necessity of the matter or the desire of the hearers and so they give a real and vertual though not a formal Answer Yet there are two considerations in which we may apply the word Answer formally and strictly taken to Job First If we consider Job's wishes and requests Secondly If we consider Job's complaints and though the word be somewhat hard his murmurings The Lord may be said to answer Job as to his wish desire or request because Job had earnestly desired and requested more than once that God would take
his Cause in hand or that he would have the hearing of it Thus he spake at the third verse of the three and twentieth Chapter O that I knew where I might find him that I might come even to his Seat I would order my Cause before him and fill my mouth with arguments Zophar also one of Jobs friends made the same request concerning Job Chap. 11.2 O that God would speak and open his lips against thee As if he had said Eliphaz hath been speaking and Bildad hath been speaking and I am now about to speak but O that God would speak It was the wish of Job that God would speak and it was the wish of this his friend and now behold God appears possibly beyond their expectation though not beside their wish for 't is like they had not faith enough to beleeve that God would answer those wishes So then God may be said here to answer because as it was prayed he now took the matter into his own hand and in person as I may say argued the Case with Job and finally determined his Cause Hence Note The wishes requests and prayers of good men have sometimes been heard though they were over-bold in making them or had no clear ground to make them Job had no rule for such a Petition that he might presently have a trial at the Tribunal of God yet God was so gracious as to answer him in it not onely to his reproof but to his comfort The Name of God is O thou that hearest prayer Psal 65.2 If carnal men have their extravagant prayers and wishes granted 't is in wrath but if the Lord grant the passionate prayers and wishes of a godly man it proves though sometimes a present affliction yet alwayes upon one account or other a mercy in the issue When the lusting Israelites wisht for flesh the Lord heard their wishes take Quails your bellies full till they come out at your nostrils but while the meat was in their mouths the wrath of God fell upon them If the Lord grants what lust asketh such pay dear for what they have for the asking It hath been anciently said Multi irato deo exaudiuntur many have their prayers heard in meer anger so are all theirs who pray for what they have not in meer discontent with what they have The Lord heard Job and not in anger but in favour and condescention to him Now if some not well grounded nor warranted requests of good men may be granted and answered the Lord pitying their weakness and eyeing their uprightness in favour how much more may they be confident that their gracious and humble requests such requests as are every way sutable to the Word and Will of God shall be graciously answered Secondly The Lord answered as the Prayer and Wish so the Complaints of Job He had complained sometimes though he were a mirror of patience impatiently These complaints the Lord answered but it was with severe and sharp reproofs as we find in the next verse To conclude this query we may say God had two great ends or designs in answering both the wishes and complaints of Job First That he might humble and convince him that he might stop his mouth and silence his complainings for ever as he did most effectually Secondly That after his humiliation and repentance he might justifie and acquit him and also restore him to his former comforts and enjoyments as he did most mercifully This being the design of the Lord in speaking to Job what he said may well be called an Answer But how or in what manner did the Lord answer him Surely in such a manner as never man was answered The Lord answered Job Out of the Whirlwind He answered him as we say to some Tune A Whirlwind makes strange kind of Musick A Whirlwind is a sudden mighty loud-blustring Wind taking away or bearing down all before it A Whirlwind is a Wind which moves whirling and gyring about all the points of the Compass no man knows where to have it nor how to shelter himself from it I have had occasion to speak of the Wind and of the natural ordinary Whirlwind in the former Chapter But here 's a Whirlwind extraordinary if not supernatural There 's much questioning among some Interpreters how we are to conceive of this Whirlwind I would answer that point a little and then give some account why the Lord spake to Job out of such a Whirlwind First Some affirm that it was onely a Visional Whirlwind As if the Lord appeared as it were in a Tempest or Whirlwind to Job in a deep sleep such as was upon Adam Gen. 2.21 when the Lord took one of his ribs and made the Woman In such a deep sleep say they Job saw a Whirlwind and heard the Lord speaking to him out of it As Ezekiel who in a Vision looked and behold a Whirlwind came out of the North as we read in the first Chapter of that Prophesie verse 4. Secondly Others conceive that it was not a Visional but a Metaphorical Whirlwind or a Whirlwind in a figure and we may give you a threefold Metaphor or three things to which this passage of Providence may allude to a speaking out of a Whirlwind First God answered Job out of the Whirlwind that is when there was a great bussle or storm among the Disputants conflicting about Jobs case one moving this way another thar all being tossed about as it were with the wind of their several opinions in ventitalating his condition Out of this Whirlwind it was say some or while all were thus discomposed in their spirits and could not compose the matter in difference between them and Job during this hurry or troublesome state of things and minds the Lord arose and answered Job Secondly The Lord may be said to answer Job out of the Whirlwind because he spake to him angrily displeasedly and reprovingly Anger especially the Lords Anger or Displeasure is often in Scripture compared to a Storm or Tempest As if this Whirlwind were nothing else but a sharp angry chiding When a man chides we say The man 's in a storm and we may say with reverence when the Lord speaks chidingly as he did to Job he is in a storm or according to the Text speakes out of a Sto my Whirlwind Thus also when the Lord speaks pleasingly and gently then he may be said to speak in a calm There 's a truth in that Thirdly The Lord answered in a Whirlwind that is while Job both as to his outward condition and inward disposition or the frame of his spirit was evidently in a great storm or toss For doubtless his spirit was very stormy and tossed up and down at that time that is much troubled and disquieted upon the with-drawings of God and the unkindness of his friends Now when Job had this Stoâ—m this Whirlwind in his spirit the Lord appeared and answered him Thus some conceive it though not a Visional Whirlwind yet a
Metaphorical Whirlwind in those three senses opened But Thirdly with others I take the Whirlwind here in proper sense that is for such a Whiâ—lwind as is often heard and felt sounding blustering and making great disturbance in the ayre blowing up Trees by the roots and overthrowing Houses to the very foundation Ex nube obscura Rab. Levi. Ex Nimbo Bez. Ex procella venti turbine horrifico Eturbine i. e. e nube e qua erupit turbo seu ventus turbineus Pisc Di nube aliqua praeter naturae ordinem facta Grot. De ipsa caligine in qua sc videtur nobis Deus delitescere Vatabl. One of the Rabbins calls it a dark cloud several of the Moderns express it by a rainy or watry cloud out of which issued that dreadful Storm called a Whirlwind Doubtless some sudden extraordinary Wind exceeding the constant order and common course of Nature gathered the clouds at that time Thus God at once hid the glory of his Majesty and testified it much after the same manner as he did at the promulgation of the Law upon Mount Sinai when he answered Job out of the Whirlwind But it may be questioned why did God answer Job out of a Whirlwind First Such a way of answering was most proper to the dispensation of those Old Testament Times when the Covenant of Grace lay covered with Legal Shadows and was usually administred in a clothing or shew of terror especially as was said before at the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai Exod. 19. Deut. 4.12 when so terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake Heb. 12.21 And surely the Lord appeared and spake very dreadfully to some of the Prophets in those Elder Times especially to the Prophet Habakkuk who thus reports the consternation of his mind chap. 3.16 When I heard my belly trembled my lips quivered at the voice rottenness entred into my bones and I trembled in my self that I might rest in the day of trouble Now Gospel Times being more clear and calm Christ speaks more clearly and calmly as it was phophesied Isa 42.2 3. He shall not cry nor lift up his voice in the street Christ did not speak out of a Whirlwind A bruised reed he shall not break and the smoaking flax shall he not quench he shall bring forth Judgement unto Victory That is he shall with all tenderness condescend to the weakest souls and deal with them most sweetly gently and compassionately Secondly The Lord spake in a Whirlwind that he might shew the greater State and Majesty to awaken Job yet more or to make him more attentive as also to affect him yet more deeply with the apprehension of his Power and Glory and to leave a greater impression upon his spirit of his own vileness weakness and nothingness Job was yet too big in his own eyes the Lord would annihilate or make him nothing the Lord would beat him out of all conceit with himself out of an opinion of his own integrity and righteousness that he might see and confess there was no way but to lie at his foot abhorring himself and repenting in dust and ashes Such to this day is the pride and stupidness of mans flesh that he hardly attends the Word or Works of God unless awed by some extraordinary Ministration Thirdly We may conceive the Lord appeared and spake in this Whirlwind Aerumnoso homini conformem exhibens aspoctum Munst that he might therein suit his appearance to the state and condition of Job at that time or that he might as it were symbolize with Jobs troubled estate Job as I toucht before was in a Storm and now God declares himself in a storm and that is the reason which some give why the Lord appeared to Moses Exod. 3.2 in a burning bush it was say they that his apparition might answer their present condition The Children of Israel were then in the fire of affliction and entangled in the bush of cruel bondage they were scratcht and torn with briars and thorns and the Lord spake out of a burning bush to Moses as here to Job out of the Whirlwind Fourthly and lastly I conceive the reason why the Lord spake o him in a Storm or Whirlwind was to let him know that he was not well pleased with him but purposed to reprove and chide him De turbine indignationis indice Though Job was a precious servant of God yet God was not well pleased with many passages under his affliction and therefore he would not flatter but humble him For though Job spake from an honest heart and what he said was truth yet God did not like his manner of defence and pleading for himself He was not pleased to see him hold up the Bucklers so long when he should have laid them down rather and submitted David to shew how greatly the Lord was displeased with his enemies tells us what dreadful effects followed the hearing and granting of his prayer against them Psal 18.7 8 9 c. Then the Earth shook and trembled the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken because he was wroth there went a smoke out of his nostrils and fire out of his mouth devoured coals also were kindled by it he bowed the Heavens also and came down and darkness was under his feet c. Thus the Lord appeared in an Earthquake in smoke in fire and darknesse to make the proud opposers of his faithful Servant David know how much his anger was kindled against them Thus also when the Lord revealed himself to Elijah 1 Kings 19.11 it s said a great and strong wind rent the mountains and brake the rocks and after the wind an Earthquake and after the Earthquake a fire before the still voice was heard And why all this but to shew that the Lord was highly displeased with the doings of the Kings of Israel at that time and with that idolatrous generation therefore he appeared in such a dreadful manner while he purposed to conclude all in a still voice Though the Lord was not in the Wind in the Earthquake nor in the Fire yet these were fore-runners of his appearance and signified that the Lord would shake that people with a mighty Wind and Earthquake of Judgement yea even consume them with the fire of his wrathful jealousie for their superstitious following after Baal and deserting his appointed Worship When the lusts of wicked men grow fiery and stormy God will convince them with fire and stormes and if his own servants grow too bold with him he will make them sensible of it as here he did Job by speaking to them out of a Whirlwind though he be intended to speak to them at last as he did to Elijah in a still voice and to Job with favour and approbation Thus much for the opening of these words Then the Lord answered Job out of the Whirlwind and said Hence Observe First The great goodness of God who condescends or lets
personal Judge of this so his Word must ever be the Normal Judge of all controversies Fourthly Note The Day of Judgment is like to be a terrible day Here was a little day of Judgement here God came to determine a matter between Job and his three friends and that was a terrible day in it we have an image or representation of the last Judgement Day God appeared in a Storm in a Whirlwind what think you will be the Lords appearance when he comes to judge the whole World The Psalmist speaking of some particular day of Judgement which should fore-run the general judgement sets it forth in dreadful Metaphors Psal 50.3 4. Our God These are the words of Gods faithful servants assuring themselves of a gracious deliverance from the cruelty of wicked men by the goodness and mighty arme of God Our God say they shall come that is he shall certainly come though he seem for a while to defer and put off his coming and shall not keep silence as he hath been thought to do either in not answering the prayers of his people or in not punishing the presumption of his and their enemies as he also said he did at the 21th verse of this Psalme and then woe to the wicked for A fire shall devour before him God will then appear as a consuming fire and a mighty tempest of wrath and indignation round about him so that there can be no escape either before or behind on one side or the other And then v. 4. He shall call to the Heavens from above and to the Earth that is to the heavenly and earthly Powers as witnesses against the ungodly and as aids and assistants that they may judge his people that is assert their integrity and maintain them in it Now I say if there have been or shall be such dreadful appearances of God in this world for the vindication of his people and the avenging of them upon their enemies what will his appearance be when in the end of the world he shall come as the Apostle Jade speaks v. 14 15. of his Epistle with ten thousand of his saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him That is either directly or reflexively in letting their tongues loose to speak against them The Apostle Paul having said 2 Cor. 5.10 We must all appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things that is the fruit of the things done in his body that is while he was in the body whether it be good or bad he adds at the eleventh verse Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we perswade men As if he had said We know that will be a terrible day Christ will come and answer sinners out of a Whirlwind when he comes to Judgement and therefore We being fully perswaded of this our selves perswade men by all means to beleeve and repent and get the peace of their souls well and surely setled upon good Gospel terms in this world that so they may find peace in the great Day of Judgement which will be the commencement or beginning of another world They who know the terror of the Lord will both perswade others and be perswaded themselves to look after reconciliation with God that when Christ cometh terribly they may appear before him comfortably or that he may not be a terror unto them in that day Fifthly Forasmuch as the Lord answered Job out of the Whirlwind as was said to affect him with the awe and reverence of his great Name while he was speaking Observe The Word of God is to be heard with reverence with fear and trembling or with an holy awe of God upon our hearts Why did the Lord speak out of a Whirlwind Surely that Job might see his distance or that he was but as a feather even like a rolling thing or thistle-down before the Whirl-wind which the Lord could scatter and blow away with the least breath of his mouth as that allusion in the Prophet intimates Isa 17.13 And questionless all the wicked in the world who contemn the Word of God preached by his Ministers Locutione domini blanda dulcedo ejus ostenditur per tempestatem vero potestas ejus metuenda monstratur Greg. l. 28. c. 2. will be blown away by it as thistle-down or a rolling thing before the Whirl-wind of the Lords fierce anger and displeasure All such shall be carried away with a strong irresistable wind and cast into the bottomless pit of perdition for ever The Lord who sometimes speaks out of a Whirl-wind hath a whirl-wind alwayes at his command to scatter those like chaffe who obey not what is spoken as he threatned the enemies of Jacob Isa 41.16 Sixthly From Gods speaking out of the Whirlwind Note God is present with his in troublous dispensations 'T is no argument that God is not with us when storms and whirl-winds are up whether with respect to Nations and Churches or particular Persons Do not think God is gone because there is a storm Read Psal 18. v. 6 7 8. Psal 23.4 Psal 91.15 Isa 43.2 3. and you shall find that in the worst appearances the Lord is present The Prophet speaks it expresly Nahum 1.3 The Lord hath his way in the Whirl-wind and in the storm and the Clouds are the dust of his feet When and where it 's dark and troublesom the Lord is there and there he is most that 's the Prophets meaning also when he saith The Clouds are the dust of his feet By Clouds we may understand not so much the Clouds of the Air as cloudy Providences these are round about him while Judgment and Justice yea while Mercy and Goodness are the habitation of his Throne And these Clouds may be called the dust of his feet in a Figure we know where Travellers pass often their feet make a dust now it shews that the Lord doth act much in the Clouds that is in dark Providences because 't is said They are the dust of his feet as if he moved so much and so long in them that he raised a dust with his motion Do not think the Lord is gone when whirl-winds and storms that is outward troubles come The Lord answers out of the whirl-wind as often as he answers us by terrible things in Righteousness and thus he often answers us Psal 65.5 Seaventhly and Lastly comparing the manner of Gods coming and speaking to Job with his intent in coming and speaking to him The manner in which God came and spake was in a Whirl-wind but what was his purpose was it to blow the poor man away no it was but to himble him and then to comfort and restore him Observe The outward appearances of God are often very terrible when he intends nothing buâ— mercy and love to his people What more dreadful
than a Whirle-wind yet Job found this storme ushering in a sweet calme and a most comfortable sunshine Job said chap. 9.16 17. If I had called and he had answered me yet would I not have beleeved that he had hearkened to my v ice for he breaketh me with a tempest or a Whirld-wind Now the Lord came in a Whirl-wind and Job finds the quite contrary God came in a Whirl-wind not to break him but to bind him up not to condemn him but to convince him not to discourage him but to comfort him comfort comes out of a storme Thus comfort hath come to many a poor soule and it comes thus sometimes to the whole Church of God When Jacob was in a stormy condition because of his brother Esau then the Lord came to him Gen. 32. but how came he to him one would have thought that Jacob being in such a condition the Lord who came to comfort him would have taken him by the hand and embraced him or walkt aside with him and told him I am come to help thee and deliver thee be of good cheer let not thy heart be troubled at the approach of thy bloody brother for I am with thee One would have thought I say the Lord should have treated him in some such manner but what saith the text v. 24 there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day Poor Jacob was tugging and swetting all night as if he would sweat his heart out here was a strange kind of greeting 't is not said the man saluted him or spake a kind word to him much less complemented with him he only wrestled with him and when he had toyled a geat while he put his thigh out of joyâ—t which was very course usage and only said Let me goe which was very course language yet the Lord came at that time with a full purpose to bless him deliver him out of the hand of Esau Then be not afraid of storms for the Lord hath sunshine in his heart when there 's nothing but a storm in his face The Lord may come to you in poverty and sickness he may chasten you with pain upon your bed Perpetuum deo est vulnerare quos vult sanare percellere quos vult consulari ostendere se maximum cum vult optimum demonstrare and the multitude of your bones with strong pains till you say as Hezekiah in his sickness Isa 38.13 I reckoned till morning that as a Lion so will he break all my bones and yet intend so much mercy that you shll say as David Ps 35.10 All my bones shall say Lord who is like unto thee which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him yea the poor and needy from him that spoileth him The Lord hath gracious purposes towards his people in saddest appearances Then the Lord answered Job out of the Whilrl-wind and said What said he His saying was as stormy as his appearing Vers 2. Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge This Verse and ths next are a Preface to what God had further to say unto his afflicted servant Job The former verse was the Historians Preface these two are the Lords Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge We have here First A check lighting somewhere Who is this Secondly We have the matter for which this person is checkt and that is for darkening counsel Thirdly We have that by which he is charged to have darkned counsel and that is By words without knowledge and his ignorance or want of knowledge is implied as discovered in speaking or rather complaining so much concerning his own sufferings and the severity of Gods dealings with him whereby he had at once cast a cloud upon the Justice and reflected upon the goodness and mercy of God Who 's is this The words may be taken First as a bare enquiry after he man Who is this what man is this as Saul spake of David after the victory which he had got over Goliah Whose son is this youth 1 Sam. 17.55 but that I conceive is too flat and lean a sense in this place as if the Lord did only make enquiry after the man Therefore Secondly These words Who is this carry in them a rebuke who is it that hath done this As if God pointing at Job had said is it you I could not have believed that my servant Job would have so much forgotten himself or have been so bold with me as to reflect upon my just though severe proceedings by his weak reasonings which faith only can make him understand aright Such Questions in Scripture often carry a rebuke in them yea Thirdly more then a rebuke they carry a slight or contempt of the person about whom the question is put As when men presume as some blasphemously have done to say Who is the Lord What is the Almighty that we should serve him they speak contemptuously and slightingly of God So when God speaks thus to man who is this he may be said to speak slightingly of man Again as when man speaking of himself saith as Psal 8.4 What is man that thou art mindful of him he slights or vilifies himself so when the Lord saith who is this or who is the other it carryeth the same sense Interrogations are quick sharp speeches and usually those speeches are quick and sharp which begin with an Interrogation and doubtless this Interrogation hath a double sharpness or two stings in it First Of rebuke or reprehension Forma ipsa interrogationis qua nullum exprimitur proprium nomen solet ad contemptum pertinere exprobrationem Secondly Of a slight or diminution Job though indeed a man of an excellent spirit had been too bold with God and therefore no wonder if God spake though he contemned him not contemningly to him Who is this Yet here it is questioned who the person was whether Job or no that is aimed at or intended in this rebuking or contemning Question There are two opinions about it and the matter is carried on both sides as one expresseth it by no inconsiderable Arguments First Some conceive Elihu was the person concerned in this Question Who is this and they give several reasons for it I shall only mention two First because he was the man that spake last we had him speaking six Chapters quite through while Job spake not a word and therefore say they it seems most probable that when God came to speak he would undertake him that spake last Who is this Secondly Because Elihu had not carryed the matter so clearly and fully with Job as he should but had failed though not as Jobs three friends had done before and that therefore as the Lord reproved and taxed them by name in the 42d Chapter so here Elihu is taxed more covertly for obsâ—uring his Counsel Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge These are the two chief Arguments which fasten the
rebuke upon Elihu and there are many learned Interpreters who carry it so affirming that the whole discourse from the beginning of this 38th Chapter to the end of the 39th is directed to Elihu and that God spake not to Job till the 40th Chapter Yet some others say God reproved Elihu in this second Verse only and spake comfort to Job in the third Gird up thy loins like a man and these interpret the first words of the Chapter Then the Lord answered Job cut of the Whirl-wind thus he answered for Job not to Job as if the word Job were to be taken in the dative Case signifying favour and respect from God to him But by the favour of these learned Authors who give this Interpretation I shall rather adhere to those who affirm and they are not a few that the person here concerned and spoken to was Job himself and I shall give you three or four Reasons of it and so pass to the opening of the words First Because the first Verse tells us expresly that the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and that Interpretation which saith he answered for not to Job is a little strain to the Text. Now the Lord speaking so expresly to Job in the first Verse it is very congruous that he should speak to him in the second and not divert his speech from him to another person in the next words that he spake Secondly Job himself took these words to himself in the forty second Chapter at the third Verse where he acknowledged that indeed he had spoken darkly I have uttered things that I understood not things too wonderful for me which I knew not he took I say the reproof contained or couched in those words to himself which is a clear argument that they were directed to him Thirdly If we consider the whole frame of the Lords discourse afterwards beyond this preface we shall find that he is not speaking for Job against Elihu but for Elihu against Job that is to humble Job and therefore the Lord doth joyn in with Elihu and useth the very same Arguments in the main as will appear in opening the Chapter which Elihu had insisted upon namely from the works of God in the Creation and his wonderful wisdom in ordering those works in Providence So that the dealing of God with Job in these Chapters as to the subject matter of it very consentaneous or like to the matter which Elihu had handled and insisted upon especially in the later part of his speech to Job and therefore it doth not seem probable that God would reprove him for what he had spoken Fourthly the manner of this rebuke seems to fit Job very fully for therein he is not charged with any falsity or gross mistake he indeed having spoken of God and the things of God of his own innocency and piety with the rewards of both truly and worthily but onely with obscuring and darkning the things which he had uttered His speech bearing much of the Image of his own troubled spirit and troublesom condition was somewhat troubled and confused Therefore I conclude that the person spoken to and reproved in this second verse was Job not Elihu Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge and it being resolved that he was the man let me before I proceed to the matter of this reproof give out this brief Observation We have heard at the eighth Verse of the first Chapter how God spake of Job and now consider how God speaks to Job There the Lord approved him highly as not having his like or second on earth for well-doing here the Lord reproved him sharply for undue-speaking Hence Note As God will not conceal the praises of his servants when they do well so he will not conceal their faults nor forbear to reprove them when they either do or speak amiss When Satan came upon that solemn day and stood before the Lord God said unto him Hast that considered my servant Job that there 's none like him in all the earth a man perfect and upright so perfect and upright both in his walking with me and in his dealing with man that he hath not his fellow Thus God spake of him as to his former state But now after Job had spoken long in this dispute and had let fall some unwary and unbecoming speeches see how God speakes to him Who is this as if he had been a man scarce worth the naming or speaking to God will not flatter his Servants if they do or speak what is not right they are like to hear of it Wherein he had spoken what was not right or what his fault was appeares in the next words Who is this That darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge Words against knowledge are the worst words that can be spoken the Lord did not charge Job thus far words without knowledge are very bad and thus far the Lord charged the words of Job as also with that which is an unavoidable effect of such words The darkening of câ—unsel Counsel in the general natuâ—e of it is light desired and held out to give counsel is to give light in and about any matter And therefore surely he that darkeneth counsel commits a very great fault yea a solicisme or absurdity in morals Counsel is the election or choice of proper means to a good end or Counsel is go d advices given and ought to be received about things to be done Hence the whole directive paâ—t of the Word of God is called Counsel Psal 73.24 Prov. 1.25 30. The doctrine of Reconciliation unto God by Christ is called The Counsel of Peace Zech. 6.13 David speaking of wicked proud men saith Psal 19.6 You have shamed the Counsel of the poor because the Lord is his refuge As if it were poor counsel and such as wec may be ashamed of to advise any to put their trust in God They darken Counsel indeed who are ashamed of it or who shame it It is questioned whose counsel or what counsel Job is charged by God with darkening There are two opinions about that Quis ost ille qui sermonibus â—â—peritis offundit tenebras consilio divino Tygur First Some expound it of Jobs own counsel of that counsel which he gave or held forth about the matter under dispute that is his sence and judgement in it Secondly The Counsel which he darkened was say others the Counsel of God or his purpose and intendment in the sufferings of the righteous and in suffering the wicked to prosper for a season These works of God are a great secret and therefore may well be expressed by the word Counsel Consilium absolute positum pro consilium Dei ut sermo pro sermo Dei Drus And usually when the word Counsel is put absolutely and alone it is to be understood of the Counsel of God Yet I conceive we may very well joyn these two opinions together and say Job darkened his own counsel and the
counsel of God too he delivered his own mind and sentiments so darkly the delivering of a mans mind is his counsel about the counsel of God that he rather obscured both than cleared either And there are several things wherein Job may be charged to have spoken obscurely Did he not darken the counsel of God when he complained so very much and so often of his afflictions Did he not darken his own counsel and the counsel of God when as if the dispensations of God were every where alike to all he said Chap. 9.22 God destroyeth the perfect and the wicked If the scourge slay suddenly he laugheth at the trial of the innocent Did he not darken counsel when he said God dealt with him as an enemy oâ— as with an enemy Surely he did not well attend the counsel of God in afflicting him while he made such constructions of his affliction The things which Job spake were true yet Job delivered himself so darkly that his friends mis-understood him they understood him as if he meant that God dealt in his providences with the righteous as with the wicked and were to the wicked as he is to the righteous that is as if he had no more regard to any godly man than to a wicked man in afflicting him In these and some other things Job did not sufficiently explaine himself and he exceedingly stumbled or offended his friends and hearers and so might be said to darken the counsel of God that is the purpose of God or what God hath in his counsels concerning his people when under his afflicting hand All such like passages falling from Job the Lord might call a darkening of his counsel or the casting of a cloud upon his righteous dealings and at least an intimation that God had done him wrong Words of such a tenour and tendency are justly charged to be words Without knowledge Not that Job spake altogether ignorantly understanding neither what he said nor whereof he affirmed as the Apostle charged some who desired to be teachers of the Law 1 Tim. 1.7 the Text cannot be so taken but his words and affirmations were such as did not hold out a clear light of knowledge either in his own understanding or at least not to the understanding of his hearers Thus Elihu charged Job Chap. 35.16 He openeth his mouth in vain he multipileth words without knowledge To speak one word without knowledge is too many what is it then to multiply words without knowledge He multiplieth words without knowledge that is he hath not given his sense and meaning in many things clearly as he might and should Here the Lord seems to take up the same charge against Job Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge God consents with Elihu as to the matter of his reproof Elihu telling him that he had multiplied words without knowledge and God telling him that he had darkened counsel by words without kowledge Words ought to give light to the things we speak of or about what we speak should be for the clearing up both of our own counsel and the counsel of God So that it was a very great failing in Job to darken either his own counsel or the counsel of God by words without knowledge Out own counsel should be delivered plainly and so should the counsel of God much more It is sad to gather clouds or raise a mist about our hearers when we are professing to hold out the light To puzzle and amâ—â—e those whom we undertake to teach is one of the worst accidents 't is too too bad when 't is the intent of a Teacher And therefore Job though he had no intent to do it is justly reproved for doing it Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge These woâ—ds as was said being at best an enquiry after the man or a citation to appear and answer Note God will bring every man to a reckoning for what he hath done and siad God would not let his servant Job pass he censured Job that Job might censure himself and points at him that he might even see himself pointed at As if he had said What! is this my servâ—â—t Job is it he that I heard speaking at such a rate of impatience and obscurity I could not have thought that he would have uttered such words about my wayes and works either towards himself or others Every one of us saith the Apostle Rom. 14.12 shall give an account of himself to God Some have more to account for than themselves Heb. 13.17 but all must give account for than themselves Give an account of thy stewardship Luke 19.2 will be said one day to every one To be a Steward is the special office of some men in reference to men but 't is the general office of all men in reference to God They cannot stand in the day of account who have not repented of the evil they have done nor rested on Christ by faith for the doing away of that evil For the Lord will say to one who is this that hath perverted my Truth to another who is this that hath disobeyed my Commands to a third who is this that hath distrusted my Promises to a fourth who is this that hath been so unthankful for my Mercies and Favours He will also say who is this that hath oppressed his Neighbour and who is this that hath been self-proud and wanton The offender must appear and so will his offences Yea a citation will come out as against all those who have against knowledge refused to walk in the light of Gods counsel so to all those as here to Job who have darkened counsel any way for want of the light of knowledge And who can stand in any of these accounts either for not doing good or for doing evil without a Mediatour upon whose account alone we are accepted Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge Secondly Taking these words as an humbling rebuke upon Job for his over-boldness in speaking of God and his wayes Note God will humble all men his own people especially and make them know themselves God will make all men know who they are who himself is and what they have done or spoken When the Scripture saith who is this and what is man When the Scripture asketh what or who we are it is either to abase the pride of man or to convince him of his base fear of the proudest men as appears specially in these two Scriptures When good men are over-troubled at or afraid of the power of man then the Lord chides and shames them with this question Isa 51.12 Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man As if he had said what a fool art thou what an ignorant creature are thou the Lord spake there to his own people and to them altogether as is they were but one man Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall dye and of the son of man
else but wrest and darken the Word of God I intend not humane learning meerly in Arts and Sciences though there be great use of them but I mean especially Holy and Divine Learning They that are not taught of God nor have the light of God in them cannot but darken the things and Counsels of God how much humane learning soever they have The Prophet foretels us of Christ speaking thus of himself as the great Prophet Isa 50.4 The Lord hath given me the tongue the learned that I should kn w how to speak a word in season to him that is weary that is to those who are wearied not with bodily labours and travels but with soul-labours and travels about the pardon of their sins and the favour of God to their souls He that speaks a word effectually for the refreshing of such weary ones must open the Counsels of God to them and he that doth so must have the tongue of the learned that is a tongue taught of God how to speak else he will never be able to do it knowingly but through the darkness of his own mind will darken the Counsel of God concerning those dark souls and so rather weary them more than relieve them out of their weariness That the soul be without knowledge is not good Prov. 19.2 that is 't is very bad such Negatives in Scripture intend their contrary Affiâ—matives and as it is not good or very bad for themselves whosoever they are so it is not good for them with respect to others who are called to declare the Counsels of God to others Souls without knowledge cannot open but are apt to darken the Soul-counsels of God Sixthly Inasmuch as God reproved Job for this Note God will not take it well if we speak improperly darkly and unsafely of his Matters and Counsels though our minds be honest and our meaning good in what we speak We had need be cautious what we say and not talk at random about the things of God Job a holy and a wise man had a peal rung in his ear for speaking words without knowledge words not duly poized and placed There are some who will catch at and take hold of every slip of the tongue they will make a man an offender for a word which hath no real ground of offence in it as the Prophet spake Isa 29.11 God may justly make a man an offender for a word which he thought was without offece Lastly Consider when God came to reprove Job he did not charge him with iny ill intentions but with ill expressions He indeed had darkened his Counsel by words Without knowledge but God did not say he had a purpose and a mind to do it nor did he say that Job had spoken lastly but that he had spoken truth obscurely The Lord did not object hypocrisie or impiety against him but imbecility as not having handled the Judgements of God nor delivered his own judgement clearly and prudently enough but had hudled and put things so passionately and confusedly together that some could not tell how to distinguish them from blasphemy Hence Note God will not charge any man beyond his fault If he did it in a heat of passion God will not deal with him as if he had done it in cold blood as we sy or with a setled resolution The Lord will not call a slip of the tongue an errour of the mind much less a minded nor God knowe the intent and purpose of every man that speaks he weighs not only our actions but words he knows not only what we say but why and with what aimes we say it and therefore he never urgeth any mans sin beyond it self Job had darkned the Counsel of God only by words without knowledge therefore God would not charge him to have darkned his Counsel knowingly or against the light of knowledge Yea notwithstanding this fault the Lord having reproved him for it proceeds presently as some interpret the next verse to comfort and encourage him Vers 3. Gird up now thy loins like a man As if the Lord had said thou hast spoken thus and ths of my Counsels now give me an account of what thou hast spoken Gird up thy loins like a man Cinctus lumbonum erit pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coc. To call a man to gird up his loins is to bid him be in a readiness or to prepare himselfe for any work The strength of a man is in his loins and they who are weak are said to be loin-lesse To gird up the lions is a powerbial speech and may be used to a man who weareth the shortest garments yea to him who is naked Hence the Lord bid Job to gird up his loins who possibly was so weak that he could not stand upon his legs or possibly had no long garments at all There is a girding the lions with sack-cloth that is with sorrow implying the work of repentance and mortification Isa 22.12 In that day did the Lord God of Hosts call to weeping and to mourning and to baldness and to girding with sackcloth The two Witnesses of Christ are said to prophesie in sackcloth one thousand two hundred any sixty dayes Rev. 11.3 to note that they were in a sad or sorrowful conditoin all the dayes of their Prophesie Thus Jobs loins had been girt a long time But Again There is a girding of the loins with joy Thou hast put off from me my sackcloth and girded me with gladness Psal 30.11 Also There is a girding of the lions with strength Psal 17.39 Further we may take notice of a fourfold use in Scripture of girding up the loins Cingulum amkulaturi First There is a girding up the lions for travel or when a man is to take a journey Thus Elisha said to Gehazi 2 Kings 4.29 Gird up thy loins and take thy staffe in thy hand and go thy way c. It was a fashion in those Eastern Countreys where they wore their garments long and ordinarily loose to gird them up in travel Secondly Cingulum ministraturi There is a girding up the loins for serving or waiting so Christ expresseth it Luke 12.35 Let your loins be girded about and your lamps burning and ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord. And he saith at the 37th vcese Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching Verily I say unto you that he shall gird himself and make them to sit down to meat and will come forth and serve them that is he will be ready to do them offices of love as it were in person which is an expression of the greatest condescention For when Christ would set forth the common custom among men he saith Luke 17.7 8. Which of you having a servant plowing or feeding Cattel will say unto him by and by when he is come from the field Go and sit down to meat and will not rather say Gird thy self and serve me c. Girding is
ab omni alia cupiditatâ— reductam spem Coc. As if the Apostle had said ye can never act your hope to purpose nor your faith to purpose unless you gird up your loins Habits of grace are unprofitable to us without this actual preparation and excitation of grace It is our duty Heb. 10.24 to provoke or stir up others to love and good works much more is it our duty to provoke and stir up our selves Thirdly In that he saith Gird up thy loins like a man Note God would have us do our best our utmost in every thing we do he would have us put our selves out in every duty Solomon adviseth Eccl. 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might that is do it like a man vigorously strenuously do it with both hands Quit you like men in doing it be strong as the Apostle exhorts 1 Cor. 16.3 To do the work of the Lord negligently and slightly with half a heart or no heart with half a hand or no hand scarce with a little finger with half strength or no strength this is not to do it like a man VVe should be in doing like the Sun in moving which saith David Psal 19.5 As a Bridegroom cometh out of his chamber and rejoyceth as a strong man to run a race If we would run our race like a strong man strongly and prevailingly we must be sure to do two things First VVe must lay aside every weight and the sin thut doth so easily beset us Heb. 12.1 Secondly VVe must as here the Lord directs Job gird up our loins and buckle to it Fourthly As these words carry in them a kind of Irony or divine scorn put upon Iob by the Holy God Come let me see what a man thou art thou hast spoken often what thou wouldst do and what thou wouldst say if thou couldst have thy option thy wish now thou hast thy wish let me see what a man thou art thou wilt surely appear a brave man by the time that I have done with thee Hence Note God will make men see how unable they are to deal with him when 't is best with them or when they are at the best even when their loins are girt Every man at his best estate is altogether vanity How vain then is man at his worst Job was low and in a bad condition as to his outward man especially when God dealt with him and how did he carry it in the day when God dealt with him Did his heart endure or were his hands strong as the Prophet spake to those Ezek. 22.14 Did he carry it like a man In one sense not but like a child he had not a word to speak Once have I spoken but I will speak no more yet it must be confessed he never carried it so like a godly man as when like a child he had a word to speak God will make man see what a nothing he is in his best condition when girt and prepared when armed Cap-a-pe all over for any service for God even then man is a vain thing without the present assistance of God what is he then when he is to contend or plead with God! If the whole world should lay their forces or as we say compare notes together what could they do in dispute with God They that think they touch the clouds with their heads would moulder as dust at his feet That such was the contention to which the Lord here calls Job and bids him gird up his loins or be in a readiness for appears plainly in the next words I will demand of thee and answer thou me As if the Lord had said Thou gavest me my choice So Iob did chap. 13.22 whether I would be Opponent or Defendant well then saith God this is my choice I will oppose and do thou answer I will demand of thee That is put questions to thee and we shall see presently how thick questions or demands came upon him like hail-shot and he had not a word to answer though God required it And answer thou me Mr. Broughton renders And let me see thy skill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et notifica mihi The word is Instruct me or Make me to know Wise me as we say I would fain be informed by thee teach thou me notifie the matter to me as the word may be translated I will demand and answer thou me The Lord did not call upon him for Answers as to be informed by him Sunt quaedam interrogationes quae non fiunt ut sciatur veritas ab inâ—errogante sed ut extorqueatur a respondente vel certo prodatur ignorantia respondentis cujusmodi esse solent magistratuum magistrorum interrogationes Ironia continuatur Non enim eo interrogaturus crat ut disceret sed ut doceret vel ut Job intelligeret fateretur se ignorare Coc. Ironia sed amica â—ua Jobum vult in viam reducere Merc. but only to convince him that he could not answer him as he confessed at the fifth verse of the fortieth Chapter Once have I spoken but I will not answer nor indeed could he To all the demands which the Lord made afterwards he made no answer at all so that these words Answer me or Instruct and inform me are a gentle irony whereby the Lord would make him know himself or be sensible of his own ignorance or small attainments in knowledge and thereby convince him that he had done rashly in desiring and wishing for such a debate or hearing of his cause The Lord was pleased to rebuke him thus secretly or in a figure and not to fall upon him in plain downright terms O thou weak and ignorant creature who hast presumed to appear before me and try thy cause with me Now Go to Let me see what thou canst do shew thy best skill put forth thy utmost strength of argument in reasoning about or against my dealings with thee Thus the Lord might have confounded him but he was pleased to carry it in a milder way yet in a way as effectual to humble and meeken Jobs spirit God needs not press man by power he can do it by reason or force of argument and so stop his mouth for ever The Apostle saith Rom. 3.19 All the world shall become guilty before God and in the same Chapter he saith God shall be justified in his sayings and overcome when he is judged The Lord alwayes doth things with so much justice and speaks with so much reason that no man is able to answer a word or reply upon him And though he might silence or stop any mans mouth by his meer Command and Authority yet he condescends to do it rather by reason and demonstration lest any should say or complain they were rather over-powered by the greatness of his Majesty than cast by the right and equity of his Cause Thus we see how the Lord in this Preface prepares Job to hearken to those demands
that he had to put to him and to answer them if he could but Job alas poor man had not a word to answer any one of those demands which the Lord put to him either in the following part of this Chapter or in the next JOB Chap. 38. Vers 4 5 6. 4. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth declare if thou hast understanding 5. Who hath laid the measures thereof if thou knowest or who hath stretched the line upon it 6. Whereupon are the foundations thereof set or who laid the corner-stone thereof IN the former Verse God told Job what himself would do or in what method he would proceed with him I will demand of thee saith the Lord or I will put the Question to thee In this verse the Lord begins to make his Demands to put Questions to Job and calls for his Answer these Demands or Questions contain the confutation of Jobs former complaining speeches against or at least about the dealings of God The first Question we have in this fourth verse Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth For the clearing of this whole discourse in which the Lord puts Questions or Demands to Job I shall first consider the general scope of them all and then the special matter contained and couched in the present context The scope which God seems to have in pressing Job with these Demands or Questions may be threefold First That by arguments from the less to the greater he might shew Job that he was not able to comprehend the reason of his mysterious providential workings towards the children of men seeing he could not give a reason of his sensible and natural works Secondly That Job being put to confess his ignorance about worldly or natural things he might be brought to have low thoughts of himself and as he did indeed at last in Chapter 42. to abhor himself repenting in dust and ashes Therefore Beatus Job post interrogationem verberis discutitur interrogatione sermonis Greg. as one of the Ancienâ—s saith upon this place After God had a great while as it were debated with him and questioned him by his rod he now debated with him by word putting Questions to him Thirdly The Lord came thick and threefold as we say upon Job with these searching Questions thereby to convince him that if by his own mighty power he had made and by his wise providence had ordered the whole course of Nature and all the parts of it so exactly surely then Job might collect and conclude that God in his administrations towards him a particular single person must needs carry all things in wisdome and with justice And that if God did shew forth so much wisdome and faithfulness in making and in ordering the world which was made for man and for him among others of mankind then much more was the providence of God rightly and duly administred unto all men and him If the Lord took such care of the Earth when he had shewed his power in making of it if he took such care about the bruit beasts and other creatures of the Earth Si propter to mundus tanta fruitur providentia quanto magis ipse which are the stock of it then doubtlesse he took a due care of man and of him in particular man being the chief part of this lower creation and Job being a principal one among the sons of men More distinctly In this Context and those which follow about the works of God the conviction ariseth three wayes upon Job or God deals with him by a threefold argument and all to humble him and bring him upon his knees First By comparing the eternity of God with Jobs time who was but of yesterday therefore saith he Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth As if he had said pray how old are you that you should take upon you to contend with me about my dealings with you As the Jews said ignorantly to Christ whose day Abraham saw by faith and was glad Thou art not yet fifty years old and hast thou seen Abraham John 8.57 So the Lord might say in the fulness of his knowledge to Job Thou art not yet a hundred years old sure Where then wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth Secondly The Lord sets before Job his own Omniscience and thereby convinceth Job of his ignorance or of the little knowledge as well as experience that he had of things done long before Declare saith God if thou hast understanding at the fourth verse and if thou knowest at the fifth verse As if the Lord had said I can declare these things I know these things what 's thy knowledge about them in comparison of my knowledge thy light is but darkness and thy knowledge ignorance compared with mine therefore presume not Thirdly The Lord convinceth Job by his helplesness to him both in the Works of Creation and Providence thereby setting forth his own Omnipotency together with Jobs impotency which was such as contributed nothing either to the Creation or to the Government of the World Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth and did all these things Didst thou come to give me either counsel how to do them or lend me thy hand in the doing of them Surely no I did them alone thou wast not in being thou art not from the beginning Thy knowledge is very small and thy power and strength smaller as to the bringing about of any of these things therefore see thy vanity in speaking thus complainingly about my dealings with thee From and upon all these considerations the Lord would have Job sit down and acknowledge that it must needs be extream rashness in him to find fault with any of his Dispensations or plead with him about them The general argument may be fram'd thus He is blame-worthy that finds fault with or complains about any thing in the Government of God or will adventure to dispute and debate with him about it unless he have somewhat like the Eternity the Wisdom the Might and Power of God But Job thou hast nothing like the Eternity of God for thou art but of the other day thou hast nothing like the Omniscience of God for thou art ignorant of what God hath done and destitute of counsel what to do thy self Thou hast nothing like the Power of God the Arm of God thou art weak thou canst not make the least worm the least fly surely then thou canst do nothing towards the making of a world Therefore thou art blame worthy for finding fault with and complaining about what God hath done The first Proposition is fully implied throughout the discourse The Assumption is exprest in many sharp and cutting queries from the 4th ver of this Chapter Where wast thou c. to the 34th of the next The parts of this Assumption are many whereof the first treats of Creation from this fourth verse to the 22d the
of him will honour him with what they have even with their substance and with the first fruits of all their increase Prov. 3.9 Thirdly We may infer Seing God founded the earth He is also the Ruler of it And that the Lord rules the earth is a mercy to all men on the earth The Lord reigns let the earth rejoyce Psal 97.1 That is men of the earth have cause to rejoyce because they have God who is infinitely both wise and good to rule them The Lord is King over all the earth sing ye praises with understanding Psal 47.7 And surely they who understand what a King he is will praise him Fourthly We may be encouraged to go unto God or apply our selves to God about all things here on earth seeing â—e hath laid the fouâ—dations of the earth The Lord having invited his people to ask him things to come concerning his sons and concerning the work of his hands to command him Isa 45.11 adds this in the next words as an encouragement to do so I have made the earth and created man upon it As if he had said Ask of me whatever you would have me do or would have done on earth for I am he that created the earth It may help our faith much when as David expresseth it Psal 11.3 the very foundations of earthly things are destroyed to consider that God laid the foundations of the earth In such a case it may be said as it followeth there in the Psalme What can the righteous do but may it not be said even in that hard case when foundations are destroyed What cannot the Lord do who laid the foundations of the earth This argument the Psalmist also useth Psal 124.8 Our help stands in the Name of the Lord who made heaven and earth Though earth and heaven shake and seem to be confounded or mingled together yet he who made heaven and earth without help can give us help or be our helper If our help stood in the best of men made of earth they might fail us but while our help stands in him that made the earth he will never fail us for he hath said he will not Heb. 13.5 and their experience who have trusted the Lord hath said it too Psal 9.10 This is the great priviledge of all that believe they may address to God by Christ for any thing in this earth because he is the Maker of it and having made it by a word speaking what cannot he do for them if he speak the word Fifthly Let us be much in praising the Lord for his wisdom power and greatness all which gloriously appear and shine forth in his laying the foundations of the earth David makes this a special part of Divine praise Psal 136.6 VVe should not onely praise the Lord for the great things he hath done on the earth but for this that he hath made the earth The work of God in laying the foundations of the earth calls as loudly for our praise as any thing except our redemption from the earth Rev. 5.9 chap. 14.3 which ever God wrought upon the face of the earth The making of the earth calls us to praise the Lord First Because he hath made so vast a body as this earth is or because he hath made such a large house for us Secondly Because he hath founded it so miraculosly hanging upon nothing that appears but in the ayre yet standing more firmly than any house built upon a rock Thirdly VVe should praise the wisdom of God that hath formed it so exactly and adorned it so richly It 's not a house huddled and clapt up together without skill or art though it was made word a word speaking in six days yet it was made with infinite wisdom as is more particularly held out v. 5. where the Lord speaks of laying the measures thereof and stretching the line upon it as also of fastning the foundations and laying the câ—rner-stone thereof all which â—â—ew it is not a house clapt up in haste but made with admirable exactness so that as 't is usual when great houses are built there were great acclamations made at the building of it as we have it the seventh verse of this Chapter then the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy to see such a magnificent pile reared up Lastly Take this inference If the visible world be such a building what is the invisible world the City having foundations which God hath prepared for those that love him Thus much of the first part of Jobs Conviction he had nothing to do in laying the foundations of the earth and he had as little in setting up and finishing that goodly structure as will appear in that which followeth Yet before the Lord proceeded any further to question Job about this great work of Creation he requires or calls for his answer in the close of this fourth verse to the question propounded in the former part of it Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth Declare if thou hast understanding God challengeth Job to answer The Hebrew is If thou knowest understanding And so the word is used Isa 29.24 where we render They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding or as the Margin hath it shall know understanding Again Huram said 2 Chron. 2.12 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel that made heaven and earth who hath given to David the King a wise son endued with prudence and understanding The Original is thus strictly read Knowing prudence and understanding Daniel spake in the same forme chap. 2.21 He giveth wisdom to the wise and knowledge to them that know understanding To know is a work of the understanding No man knoweth any thing but by the help of his understanding The understanding is the first or Master-wheel in that noble engine the soul of man and when rightly informed and inlightned all the other wheels or faculties of the soul move aright unless over-poized by passions and self-ends Every rational creature hath an understanding yet every rational creature doth not know understanding that is doth not is not able to speak knowingly or to use and act his understanding knowingly about every matter The Lord supposeth Job might be defective here and therefore bespeaks him thus Declare if thou hast understanding or knowest understanding As if he had said The things which I question thee about may possibly be too high or too big for thy understanding Si perituâ— sis tantarum rerum Vatab. such as possibly thou canst not reach And hence some render or rather paraphrase the Text thus Declare if thou art skilful in such great things as I now speak of If thou art so wise as thou seemest to be by thy former contesting with my provideâ—ces declare thy wisdom in this point wherein I know thou wilt but declare thy ignorance thy infancy or inability to speak as one speaks Thou wilt shew thy self but a child while thou
surely thou canst declare this secret Mr. Broughton hits the same sense For thou wilt be skilful that is thought skilful and taken among men for no babe a knowing man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mensurare sumitur pro mensura activa qua aliquid monsuramus aut pro re ipsa mensurata Mensuras ejus puta circumferentiam seu latitudinem diametrum sive profunditatem Pisc and therefore canst give me a good account of the measures of the earth both as to its circumference and diameter that is what the compass of it is and what the depth through the middle of the earth is Thus the words carry in them a cutting irony the matter being so much beyond Jobs knowledge of which the Lord saith to him For thou knowest which we render If thou knowest But the Hebrew particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rather and oftner I suppose used in a causal than in a conditional signification Here it may be said what difficulty is there in this Question Who laid the measures of the earth Job might easily answer God laid them Therefore I conceive not only yea not so much who laid them as how they were laid or what they are is here intended The most learned and studied Mathematicians could never give a right measure of the earth nor yet agree about that matter They measure it first as to the depth of it what the diameter of the earth is from top to bottom but they differ much in opinion what the depth or diameter of the earth is Some have reckoned it three thousand and fifty miles Oâ—hers have said it containeth six thousand and seventy miles And a third sort have concluded that it is seven thousand one hundred and seventy miles Thus they guess but could never yet come to know the true measures of the earth in deepness And if we consider the Perimiter or circumference of the earth there hath been as much variety of conjecture about that Some of the learned have reckoned the earth fifty thousand miles in compass Oâ—hers make it thirty and four thousand six hundred twenty five A third computation gives it to be thirty one thousand and five hundred miles There are who have brought it down to twenty two thousand five hundred yea to twenty thousand and four hundred miles And they who are judged most exact among the Moderns have reduced the account of the compass of the whole earth to nineteen thousand and fourscore miles Thus the learned and wise men of the world after their greatest studies know not what the measures the just measures of the earth are nor how they were laid And therefore God might well say to Job Who hath laid the measures thereof if thou knowest Who ever could say to this day without mistake what the measures of it are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sumitur pro filo quod Latomi utrirque â—ffixum extendunt in longitudinem muri Appâ—llatur linea vel quia ex lino fit vel quia figuram rectam efficit quae etiam linea dicitur Bold Artifices ne quid indecenter fiat aut sine proportione regulam adhibent ad omnia dirigenda That is one thing A second followeth Or who hath stretched the line upon it As if he had said Who hath made the earth so exactly To do a thing in print and to do it by line are proverbials of the same signification The line is an instrument of great use in building Carpenters and Masons must have their line and plummet else they cannot keep their work even Now saith the Lord to Job Who hath stretched the line upon it The Lord still pursues the allusion to a building To stretch forth the line signifies in Scripture First The exercise of power And then Who hath stretched the line upon it is Who hath ordered and governed the earth The Apostle Paul spake of the line and of stretching forth the line in this sense 2 Cor. 10.8 where having said that he had power from God a spiritual power not for destruction but for edification he presently adds vers 13. But we will not boast of things without our measure but according to the measure of the rule or line as we put in the Margin which God hath distributed unto us for we stretch not our selves beyond our measure That is we are not greedy of nor do we grasp more power than is given and allowed us of God nor will we exercise our power further than Christ hath appointed and commanded us This stretching forth of the line is the exercise of power and that 's a metaphorical sense of it Secondly To stretch the line is to build or to make preparation for building Zech. 1.16 Thus saith the Lord I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies my house shall be built in it and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem Again chap. 4.10 Who hath despised the day of small things for they shall rejoyce and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel When the Lord would assure his people that Jerusalem should be restored he doth it by promising the stretching forth of the line and the sight of the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel commanding overseeing and directing the work The line and plummet being of much and most necessary use for the right setting of a building signified that God was about to build Thirdly The stretching forth of the line upon a place with some addition notes the destruction of it or the pulling of it down 2 Kings 21.13 I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab That is I will make her desolate as Ahab and Samaria were and so the latter part of the verse expounds it and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish wiping and turning it upside down Again Isa 34.11 I will stretch forth upon it the line of confusion and the stones of emptiness That is It shall be utterly ruined And Isa 18.2 7. Wo to the land shadowing with wings c. that saith Go ye swift messengers to a Nation meted out and trodden down The Hebrew is Ad gentem quae conculcatur destruitur a deo lineatim i. e. paulatim destinitur cum modo ordine Go to a Nation of line as you have it in the Margin that is to a Nation who have the line stretched ouâ— upon them for desolation not a line stretched upon them to build them but to destroy them a Nation who are or shall be broken down as it were by line they shall come to perfect ruin or ruin shall come on them in full perfection As when the Lord will build he doth it by line that is exactly and fully even with a divine skill so when he will destroy fully he is said to mete out for destruction We have the word used both with respect to destruction and edification to building up and pulling down in that one place 2 Sam. 8.2 where
As he hath laid his measures in framing the earth so we should keep our measures in living upon the earth He hath stretched out his line upon it and we should take heed that we do not exceed our line God hath given a line by which mans conversation should be squared as exactly as any building is or can be by line As the work of God for us is beautiful so should our works be We as to our spiritual state are a Creation a new noble Creation And certainly he who made the earth this old outward Creation in such exactness hath also made the new Creation our spiritual heavenly state much more if more may be exactly he hath made it by measure and by line Let us therefore walk and speak yea and think by measure and by line let us appear and approve our selves as the building of God as the work of Gods holy Spirit fair and beautiful Many profess godliness but do they appear as Gods Workmanship as if God had stretched his line and laid the measure of the New Spiritual Creation upon them Beleevers are the Workmanship of God Eph. 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so they should appear as created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them The Apostle saith Phil. 1.27 Let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ whom ye believe in The Gospel is an exact thing ordered in all things as David spake of it 2 Sam. 23.5 under the notion of the everlasting Covenant Now saith St. Paul Let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ let it be an orderly conversation I may say also let your conversation be such as becometh the earth ye walk upon that 's an accurate frame the Lord hath made it in measure and stretched the line upon it Let us take heed we be not found walking besides that line those measures which he hath given us Fourthly If God hath been thus exact in framing the earth as it were by line and measure for us if he hath given us so perfect a piece to inhabit and dwell in while we are in this sinful state What do you think is that paradise which he hath prepared for us in our sinless state VVhat are the measures of our heavenly City VVhat the lines that have been stretched out upon those eternal Mansions If visible things which our eye seeth are so taking what are things invisible And if this earth which we tread on be a Looking-glass as indeed it is wherein we may see the wisdom and power of God what will heaven be How will that reflect the wisdom power and goodness of God If this world be a beauty and is therefore expressed by a word in the Greek signifying beauty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comeliness decency what will that world be which is to come Thus much of the exactness of the building The next verse holds out the strength and firmness of it Vers 6. Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened Or who hath laid the corner-stone thereof Two things make a building strong and firm First The fastening of the foundations Secondly The right laying of the Corner-stone VVe had the laying of the foundations at the fourth verse here we have the fastening of them If a foundation be laid loosly the building will not stand Christ in the Parable Mat. 7.27 speaks of a foundation laid in the loose sand that could not make a firm building But the house which had its foundation laid on a compacted rock or had the rock for a foundation stood fast in all winds and weathers The Lord hath not only laid the foundations of the earth lis qui nos percunctantur cuinam corpori veluti subjecto fundamento tam immensum hoc terrae pondus innitatur dicamus oportet quod in manu terrae sunt omnes fines terrae Basil in Psal 94. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Immersus infâ—ous impressus hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oâ—â—ulus quod digito vel potius digitus ei infigitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basis columna â—ui aliquid innititur imponitur atque ab ea gestatur but hath fastened the foundations he hath built upon a Rock You will say what is that rock-like thing upon which the foundations of the earth are fastened I answer it is nothing but the power and will of God The will and power of God are the pillars or bases upon which the earth is fastened and made sure for ever The word which we translate foundations is often in Scripture rendred sockets Exod. 26.19 chap. 35.11 chap. 38.27 Cant. 5.15 Now sockets are places cut in timber and stone or cast in mettal in which the several strengthning pieces of a building are fastened and such is the foundation to a house the fastening of it Foundations are laid in the ground and beams are fastened with sockets Mr. Broughton translates Whereupon are the foundations thereof sunk fast We usually say we must sink a foundation Foundations are sunk and then the Superstructure fastened on it Further Take notice The word which here we render foundations or sockets is not that which properly signifieth a foundation And from it the word Adon is derived which signifieth a Lord or Master or chief among men because Lords and Princes are or should be as the sockets and pillars of a Nation to fasten and secure all in their places and upon the fall of Princes often followeth the fall and ruin of Nations The Spanish word Don or Lord is supposed a derivative from it Per literam in fine additam praecedente Camets And from this Appellative one of the proper Names of God is formed by the addition of a letter in the end Under which royal Title he is represented to our faith as the Lord and Upholder of all things Some have observed that God is called by this Name one hundred thirty and four times in Scripture All which shew that he who is the Creator is also the Sustainer and Supporter of the whole fabrick of Nature such is the significancy of this word Now when the Lord asks Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened There 's no answer can be given to this question but what was given to the former God hath fastened them upon himself in his power and will they stand sure Or who hath laid the Corner-stone thereof Or Who hath cast her Corner-stone As if he had said Videntur obscure significari poli terrae Grot. Lapis anguli i. e. qui positus est in angulo Pisc Who made the parts of the earth to keep so close together and to keep up one another This is another very considerable part in a building As strong buildings must have a sure foundation to hold up the whole so they must have corner-stones to hold the parts together The corner-stone bindeth and strengtheneth the fabrick as well as gives beauty and ornament to it There are two sorts
Thus there are men of the Night men of the Evening and men of the Morning or Morning Men. In this sense the Stars may be called Morning Stars because they were so early at that best work the praises of God When the Morning Stars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gerundium est a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod inter aliâ— canere significat unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 câ—ntus Drus Sang together Singing is an act of the voice and as there is a natural singing that of birds so an artificial But how could Stars sing either artificially seeing they have no reason or naturally seeing they have not so much as a life of sense I answer 'T is frequent in Scripture to attribute acts of life to liveless creatures and acts of reason to those things which have no sense The Earth is somewhere said to mourn Isa 33.9 The Trees of the Forrest as also the Hills and the Valleys are said to rejoyce and sing for joy Psal 65.12 13. And in the same senâ—e the Stars are here represented singing and in what sense they may be said to sing will be further shewed afterwards Nor did they onely sing but they sang Simul unico concentu unico consensu Together There was a kind of concord and harmony in their singing they sang as I may say with one consent or in consort Some translate They sang alone That is when there were no other creatures to jâ—yn with them yet as soon as they were in being they sang alone The word sometimes signifies only as well as together chap 34.29 Ezra 4.3 They did not sing every one of them alone but they all sang alone without any other creatures to joyn with them Thus they sang both alone and together Hence Note First Singing is an act of divine worship and praise They sang to the glory of God Note Secondly Singing is an expression of joy Is any one merry saith the Apostle Jam. 5.13 let him sing Though there are mouâ—nful songs and some sing in the very heaviness of their souls yet properly singing imports rejoycing When Christ told his Church Cant. 2 1â— The time of the singing of birds is come his meaning was rejoycing time is come sorrow and mouâ—ning are fled away Thirdly In that singing is attributed to the Stars Note Liveless creatures rejoyce and set forth the praises of God as they are able David saith All thy works shall praise thee O Lord Psal 145.10 All thy works that is the very lowest and least of thy works even the clods of the earth shall praise thee how much more the Stars of Heaven We find all the creatures called to sing the praise of the Lord quite through the 148th Psalm Praise him Sun and Moon praise him all ye Stars of light There 's the special instance of the Text. The Heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy-work Psal 19.1 There is a kind of dutiful conspiration among all Creatures even among the inanimate Creatures in their places to praise God And if you ask how they praise God or how they sing I answer in general after their manner More suo as they are able or as is suitable to their condition The Stars sing not formally and yet some say there is a harmony in the motions of the Heavens which being so constant concordant and uniform hath a kind of Musick in it but though they cannot praise God formally yet First They do it Materially That is they are that matter In caelestibus corporibus amplior occurrit dei collaundandi materia ideo illis cantus seu laeta proclamatio seu ovatio figurate tribuitur Merc for which God is to be praised they being such excellent and noble creatures The work praiseth the Workman That which is well done commends the Doer of it though all tongues be silent In this sense the Stars sing the praise of God They sing the praise of God as they are the objects of his praise or as they provoke Men and Angels to praise God for making them Secondly They praise God Vertually or equivalently they shew how praise-worthy God is Thirdly When we say the Stars praise God it intimates there is so much excellency in the Works of God that if the Stars could speak they would declare and shew forth his praise When the Disciples of Christ rejoyced and praised God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen saying Blessed be the King that cometh in the Name of the Lord peace in Heaven and glory in the Highest Luke 19.37 38. The envious Pharisees did not like the Musick and therefore â—aid to him from among the multitude Master rebuke thy Disciples vers 39. To these morose Masters Christ answered vers 40. I tell you that if these should hold their peace the stones would immediately cry out As if he had said you labour in vain to suppress or hinder the testimony given me by my Disciples for if they should be silent the stones would cry shame of them for neglecting their duty and God would rather cause senseless creatures to proclaim his praise in giving me an honourable testimony than I should want it Now as there was such a worth in the work of Redemption and in all the works of the Redeemer while here on Earth that the stones would have shewed forth his praise if men had not So there is such a worth in that Work of God the Creation of the Earth that rather than God should not have the glory of it the Stars would have done it by breaking out into joyful singing Lastly As Birds praise God by their singing so Stars may be said to sing the high praises of God by their shining by their brightness by their motion by their influence for all which God is to be praised and glorified And hence we may infer If not only irrational but inanimate creatures sing the praises of God at least by giving occasion of his praise then how much more should men set forth his praise who are not only living but reasonable creatures and if creatures without life and reason should provoke mankind in general as having life and reason to praise God how much more should godly men be provoked by them to sing his praise they having not only life which Stars have not and reason which Birds and Beasts have not but grace which the most of men have not Among visible creatures Men have most reason because they have reason to praise God and among Men Godly Men have most reason to praise God because they have Grace And therefore as soon as ever David had said All thy works shall praise thee O Lord Psal 145.10 11. he adds in the next words and thy Saints shall bless thee they shall speak of the glory of thy Kingdome and talk of thy power As if he had said As all thy works O Lord praise thee so Saints who are the choicest pieces
holy so they fell not from that holiness in which they were câ—eated and therefore Christ is not to them a Redeemer for their restauration but onely a Head for their confirmation and establishment Col. 2.10 As for the Angels which fell they are reserved in chairs of darkness to the Judgement of the Great Day they have â—o share in Redemption theiâ— fall is irrecoverable Thus we see how the Angels are not the Sons of God But how then are they the Sons of God I answer Affirmatively The Angels may be called the Sons of God in a sixfold sense First As Adam is called the Son of God Luke 3.38 in his primary Constitution or by Creation so Angels are the Sons of God as they are his Creatures Secondly Angels are called the Sons of God because of Gods great affection to them as well as his creation of them Such as we much affect and love intrinsically we are ready to call our Children Sons or Daughters The Lord bears abundance of love to the Angels therefore he calls them his Sons Thirdly If we consider their place or station The Angels wait upon God they are near to him they stand about his Throne as Sons to receive his Blessing and Commands There are three things specially considerable in the Angels First Their Nature so they are Spirits or spiritual Substances Secondly Their Offices so they are the Messengers and Ministers of God Thirdly Their Dignity or nearness to God so they are his Sons Christ the onely begotten Son is in the bosome of the Father John 1.18 that is he is nearest him and hath most intimate communion with him The Angels are so near to God that though they are not in his bosome yet they alwayes behold his face Matth. 18.10 that is stand in his presence as being in high favour with him and are therefore in that respect called his Sons Fourthly Angels may be called the Sons of God because of that constant uniform obediential frame that is in them towards God A Son honoureth his father Mal. 1.6 It should be the disposition and in the heart of every Son to do so And seeing it is not only fully the disposition of Angels and in their hearts to do so but they have alwayes actually done so the holy Angels may truly say unto God as the elder brother is brought in saying to his father Luke 15.29 Lo these many years even ever since the Creation we do serve thee neither have we transgrest at any time thy commandment either by leaving undone what thou hast bidden us do or by doing what thou hast forbidden us therefore Angels having the genuine spirit of Sons towards God may in that regard also be stiled the Sons of God Fifthly They may be called the Sons of God because of their essential likeness to God or their likeness to him in Essence God is a Spirit he is incorporeal the Angels also are incorporeal they are Spirits though the difference between God and Angels be as great as can be conceived yea unconceivable God being the Creating Spirit and they but created Spirits God being an Infinite Spirit and they but finite Spirits yet the Angels bear a resemblance to God in their essence as well as in their qualifications and may upon that ground likewise be called the Sons of God Sixthly Angels are called the Sons of God because they imitate him Do good to them that hate you saith Christ Matth. 5.44 that ye may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven that is imitate God carry it towards evil men towards men that are evil to you or do you evil as God doth and this will be both an evidence that you are the Sons of God and God will honour you with the Title of his Sons The Angels imitate God in mercy and love and compassion as also in their good works their ways being all holy just and good pure and righteous Further they shew much kindness and tenderness to the children of men they doubtless are patient towards the froward and do good offices as they are called and deputed to those who deserve little good Now being like God by imitation they may be called the Sons of God Thus we have some account in these particulars why or how the Angels are called the Sons of God But what did these Sons of God the Angels when Spectators of the Worlds Creation The Text tells us Signanter astris tanquam inferioribus laudem Angelis tanquam superioribus attribuit Jubilationem Aquin. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significatur apprabatio illius operis cum gaudio They shouted for joy Some put a difference between that which is attributed to the Stars taking the Stars properly and the Angels as if here it were spoken signanter by way of excellency the Staâ—s did sing but the Angels shouted The word rendred to shout for joy signifies in general to make any great or loud cry sometimes for sorrow or consternation of mind When the army of the Mâ—dianites amazed wiâ—h Gideons stratagem of the pitchers and lamps ran and fled 't is said they cryed and their cry is expressed by this word Judges 7.21 When an army runs they make only a confused noise or shout for fear and sorrow But mostly and most properly the word signifies to shout for joy and in a way of triumph as when an army is victorious and ready to divide the spoil or as in the time of harvest or vintage when the fruits and good things of the earth are gathered in and such is the shouting here intended The Angels the Sons of God did not only sing as the Stars when the foundations of the Earth were laid but they shouted for joy It is but one word in the Hebrew which we render shouted for joy The Angels did not onely approve but applaud the works of God Further Consider the generality of this divine Plaudite or applause All the Sons of God shouted for joy As before the Lord saith The Stars sang together so here All the Sons of God not one of them was left out every one bare a part in this triumph they all with one accord with one heart and one voice joyned in it All the Sons of God there was not one dissenting voice shouted for joy Hence First I might refute their opinion who denied Angels and Spirits as the Sadduces did Acts 23.8 but I shall not stay upon that Further It being said All the Sons of God shouted for joy Note The Sons of God the holy Angels are of one mind It is a most blessed sight and hearing when all the Sons of God joyn in one thing It was not a part of the Sons of God it was not here one and there another but all of them Behold saith David Psal 133.1 how good and how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity The Angels who aâ—e Bâ—ethren the Sons of one Father did all joyn together
Lord reduced it to a certain place Secondly To that restraint which God laid upon it after this reducement that it should no more return to overflow the Earth Both these restraints or laws put upon the Sea are contained in this Context the former of them in the eighth and ninth verses As soon as the Sea issued out of the Earth God set up its doors and made it bands The latter of these the giving of a special Law that when it was shut in it should no more break forth but according to his appointment we have in the tenth and eleventh verses where it is said I brake up for it my decreed place and set bars and doors and said hitherto shalt thou come and no further and here shall thy proud waves be stayed So then here we have First Bounds and limits assigned by God to that vast and unruly Element the Water that the Earth might be habitable and useful both for man and beast And Secondly We have the Lord restraining all power or liberty which naturally it would have had and taken to violate or break those bounds For had not God given the Waters of the Sea such a special command though bounds had been assigned them they would quickly have broken their bounds These two orders of God differ much though not in the time when they were given out yet in the nature of the thing and both suppose the Sea in being when these orders were given out For when it is said vers 8. It brake forth as if it issued out of the womb this implieth its birth and nativity and when God saith He shut it up with doors this supposeth that it not onely had a being but that it was violent and furious and would have over-flowed all and regained as large a Territory as it possessed at first when it issued out of the womb of the Earth even the face of the whole Earth if the Lord had not bridled and restrained it Yet further and more distinctly to open the words in their Order Quis Haec vox recte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repetitur â—x versu 5. 6. Drus Vers 8. Or Who shut up the Sea with doers The disjunctive particle Or succeeds those disjunctives ver 5 6. Who did this Or Who did that Or Who a third thing concerning the Earths formation Here again Or Who shut up the Sea with doors The Hebrew is onely Shut up the Sea with doors the word who is repeated out of the fifth and sixth verses The Lord by this query or question put to Job would then have him and now us know that it was himself alone that did it It was the Lord who bridled the Sea and shut it up with doors As if he said Where wast thou O Job when I did this great thing as thou gavest no assistance towards the laying of the foundations of Earth and the fastening of the corner-stone thereof so tell me what assistance didst thou give me in bringing forth and setling the vast Sea Or at least if thou canst give me an account hâ—w these things were done and how they continue as they were done by an everlasting decree who hath shut up the Sea with doors was it I or thou or any other Creature Thus the Lord still brings Job upon his knees by humbling questions knowing that he was not able to take any of that honour to himself He poor man had no more to do in this great work than he had in the former and therefore he ought to submit to the works of God in providence whatsoever he was pleased to do seeing all the works of Creation were done by God alone without his counsel or assistance Who hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saepe est protegere aliqui legunt â—bsâ—psu vel circumsepsit ac si esset a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sopio cum siâ— a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tego obiego operio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 autem per samech significat ungere Drus Shut up the Sea with doors There is a two-fold rendring of that word translated Shut up We take it from a root which signifies to hedge in or compass about as also to protect because those things which are compassed about with strong hedges are under protection and safe from danger Water being a fluid body spreads it self over all the water cannot contain it self in itâ— own bounds fluids cannot but it must be bound it must be shut in or shut up The Lord shut up the Sea as the waters of a great River are shut up by flood-gates or as the waters upon which a Mill is built some carry the allusion to that are pent for the service of it and are caused by art to run gradually or by inches as the Master of that useful engine gives direction Thus the Lord shut up the Sea The Sea is a great Convention or Assembly of Waters as Moses spake Gen. 1.10 The gathering together of waters the Lord called Sea The Sea is a confluence or meeting of waters There may be a great water yet that not the Sea the confluence of all or many waters together that is Sea The waters being thus gathered or assembled by the Lords Summons or Command he hedged them in or shut them up Secondly Others render Who anointed the doors of the Sea Quis valvat maris inunxit Codur when it brake forth as if it had issued out of the womb They who give this Translation derive the word from a root which signifies to anâ—int Some Interpreters insist much upon this sense of the word and I find one who asserts it as the onely sense of it in this place Who anointed the doors of the Sea that is the passages by which the Sea issued forth And saith he the reason why other learned Interpreters pitch upon that Translation of shutting up the Sea with doors is because they knew not what to make of anointing the doors of the Sea nor to what practice such an expression should allude that the doors of the Sea were anointed whereas indeed that notion of the Word beaâ—s the fairest allusion and proportion to the Metaphor of Child-bearing begun in this and carried on as it were professedly in the next verse under which the Spirit of God is pleased to express the coming forth and original of the Sea Now saith my Author Quaerit dominus a Jobo quae lucina praesuerit parentis naturae puerperlo quan do est enixa mare Id. it is a thing commonly known both to Physitians and Mid-wives that those parts of the body by which the Infant comes into the world uâ—e to be anointed for its more easie passage Thus saith God to Job Didst thou anoint the doers of the Sea when it brake forth as if it had issued out of the womb It was my Mid-wisery my wisdom and skill not thine that brought the Sea into the World and gave it an easie birth or delivered the Earth of it without
hard labour This makes the sense of the whole Context run more clearly than our reading of it And so we have Sea-doors of two sorts in this Context In this eighth verse the doors of the Sea are the doors by which the Sea came forth and in the tenth verse we have the doors by which the Sea is kept in whereas according to our rendring the doors in both places are interpreted as keeping the Sea in and so there would be a mention of the same doors twice which though it may be admitted yet this latter seems to be the clearest as taking the first doors for those by which the Sea was let out or had its birth and the latter for those doors by which the Sea is kept within its bounds Who shut up the Sea with doors When it brake forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exivit cum impâ—tu The word which we translate to break forth signifies in other places of Scripture the breaking forth of a Child in the birth David useth it Psal 22.9 Thou art he that took me out of the womb there it is taken as Grammarians speak transitively here intransitively When it brake foterth noting a kind of rapture or violence as when Tamar was in travel Gen. 38.27 28. There were twins in her womb and it came to pass when she travelled that the one put out his hand and the Midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet threed saying this came out first and it came to pass as he drew back his hand that behold his brother came forth and she said how hast thou broken forth this breach be upon thee therefore his Name was called Pharez Thus the Sea brake forth violently as if it had issued Out of the womb Ex occulto divinae providentiae Aquin. Creavit deus terram non inanem sed gravidam aquis quae licet eodem temporis momento 〈◊〉 What Womb Some say of the Providence of God say others of the Decree or Counsel of God for that is the womb out of which all things proceed A third saith out of the Power and Omnipotence of God All these sayings are true either of these is as the womb out of which all things issue but these the Providence the Decree and Counsel the Power and Omnipotence of God are the Common Womb out of which all things issue whereas here the Lord seems to speak of some special womb out of which the Sea issued And therefore I rather adhere to that Interpretation which saith plainly that the womb out of which the Sea is said to issue was the Abysse or bowels of the Earth The Sea brake forth out of the bowels of the Earth as out of a womb The Earth is the Common Parent the Parent of the Sea the Sea was created in the bowels of the Earth or the Earth was created big with the waters of the Sea as a woman big with child and shortly after the Lord caused the earth like a woman with child to travel and bâ—ing forth the Sea So that the Lord doth here more distinctly open to us the manner of the Creation of the Sea than in the first of Genesis It is true the Element of Water hath its seat naturally above the Earth it being the lighter Element but as to the first conception of it this Scripture implies that its place was within the Earth and that it issued forth from the Earth The bowels of the Earth were the womb in which the Sea was conceived and out of which by the Word of the Lord it issued The waters were not at first created above the Earth as some have affirmed but they being created with the Earth and conceived within the Earth brake out of the Earth and invested or covered it all over and so continued in that condition till the third day and then the Lord commanded them to retire into certain vast channels now called Sea that so the dry land might appear Thus the Lord when the waters were issued forth disposed of them in their proper place According to this Interpretation we are to take these words of the time past Who is he that shut up the Sea with doors when it brake forth that is after it had broken forth after it had issued out Who was he that then shut it up with doors This description of the Nativity of the Sea may be drawn out into these concluâ—ions First The Earth and Waters were created both together Secondly The Waters were at first created within the bowels of the Earth for saith the Text They issued forth they brake forth Thirdly At the Command of God the Waters were brought forth out of the Earth as a Child out of the Mothers Womb Psal 33.7 He gathereth the waters of the Sea together as an heap he layeth up the deep in store-houses Psal 104 vers 5 9. Bless the Lord c. who laid the foundations of the Earth that it should not be removed for ever thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment the Waters stood above the Mountains Fourthly The Waters being thus brought forth did at first cover the Earth and so would have continued if God had let them alone In the method of Nature things lie thus First The earth is lowest being the grossest element Secondly The water riseth above the earth as being more pure than that Thirdly The air is above the water as being much more pure than the water Fourthly The fire gets above all as being the thinnest and purest of all the elements and therefore the water issuing out of the earth would have continually covered the face of the earth if the Lord by his power had not ordered it off and shut it up with doors when come off according to our reading the words in this verse and according to the general reading of the tenth verse where the whole earth being covered with water the Lord brake up for it his decreed place and there kept it fast Thus David Psal 104.7 8. speaking of the waters above the mountains and over-flowing all presently adds At thy rebuke they fled at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away they go up by the mountains they go down by the vallies unto the place which thou hast founded for them There the Lord by David as here by himself sets forth his mighty power in the disposal of the waters to a certain place But if we take that other reading of this verse Who hath annointed the doors of the Sea then by doors we are not to understand that which stops the Sea from over-flowing the earth as in the tenth verse but for those passages at which the waters brake out of the earth as an infant from the womb which seems most distinct and clear And because the Sea is so huge a body so great a part of the world we may not unprofitably I hope before I pass from this verse consider a three-fold representation of the Sea or the Sea as a glass
Hebrew word to interpret it of breaking up a decreed place for the sea than of establishing a decree for the sea which is a consequent of the former and therefore I understand it only of a fitting room for the sea here called a decreed place or a place determined a place not only sound out as convenient but determined and set I brake up for it my decreed place or my statuted place a place that I appointed by an ordinance of heaven that place did I break up for it that is I made a vessel or channel like a cradle big enough and broad enough and deep enough to hold the vast waters of the sea I brake up for it my decreed place Note First The Lord who made the sea made also a place for it The ordering and placing of all things is of God as well as the making of them God hath provided a place for every thing and put every thing in its place God is the God of Order And how comely and ordeâ—ly are all things while they are kept in and all persons while they keep in the place which God hath decreed for them and put them in The Elements do not ponderate are not burdensome in their place The sea troubles us not while it keeps or breaks not out from that decreed place which God at first brake up for it There is not the least worm but hath a decreed place And as God hath appointed men their time there is a decreed time for their birth and for their continuance in life they die also and go out of the world in a decreed time so there is a decreed place for every man and that two-fold First Of his habitation in what part of the world he shall live Acts 17 26. Secondly Of his station or vocation what part he shall act in the world to serve his generation or to get his living He that abides within the bounds of his calling abides in his place though he every day move or remove from place to place It is best for our selves and for others also to abide in our decreed places as it is a mercy to us all that the sea abides where God placed it If men break out of their places they may quickly do mischief like the breach of the sea To prevent which God brake up for it his decreed place and not only so but as it followeth in the close of this tenth verse Set bars and doors In the eighth verse we have only doors he hath shut up or annointed the doors of the sea but here we have bars and doors It is an allusion to strong Cities and Castles or to great mens Houses which have not only doors but doors barred and double lockt Bars strengthen doors and keep them fast and sure A strong door if not well lockt and barred may quickly be broken open therefore the Lord to make all fast tells us that when he had put the sea into his decreed place that it should no more return to cover the earth at its own pleasure or according to its natural bent for there is a desire that is a natural bent in the sea to be over-flowing all and to repossess the place from which it was at first with-drawn the Lord I say tells us that he then set doors and bars to keep it in and shut it up fast enough And if you enquire what is meant by these doors and bars with which 't is shut in Some answer The sands of the sea others the rocks clifts and banks these are bars and doors by which the sea is shut in But though these things are indeed as bars and doors to keep the sea from returning again yet that which is the great bar and door is the word of command from God as appears fully in the next verse Vers 11. And said hitherto shalt thou come Et dixi ei sc prosopopeia Dicere dei est jubere constituere quid fiat and no further The Saying of God is Gods Command and Law And said To whom To whom did the Lord speak He said it to the sea though a senseless creature a creature without reason yea without life yet the Lord said it and he said it to the sea and he spake it as angry with the sea As if he had said I see what a raging creature thou art what a froward ungovern'd child thou art like to prove therefore I say hitherto shalt thou come and no further We may take this saying of the Lord under these two notions Hebraei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro termino ponunt ut apparet Ezek. 41.15 ideo recte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vertitur hoc usque Câ—â—t First As expressing the firmness of what was done He said that is resolved determined and concluded made it a Law a Law like that of the Medes and Persians not to be reversed by any power Secondly He said as noting the facility of the work When the Lord took a course to shut up these doors and to put on these invincible bars what did he He said it and it was as soon done as said so that this word He said notes the infinite soveraignty and power of God that by a word speaking the matter was done He said Hitherto shalt thou come The Lord gives the sea line He makes it a prisoner but not a close prisoner He gives it a great scope large room to role and tumble its waves in Hitherto thou shalt come that is hitherto thou maist come It is not a Command that the sea should alwayes come so far but it is a dispensation or a permission that thus far the sea may come but no further As if the Lord had said I have drawn a line and I have set a mark I have given thee a bound so far to go hitherto shalt thou come But no further Rabbi Levi. The Hebrew is Thou shalt not add Thou shalt not go beyond the bound which I have set thee to destroy the earth A Jewish Writer gives a double exposition of this But no further First Of the waves and the waters in the midst of the sea When waves rise in the main ocean how high they may rise and toss the sailing ship we cannot tell but God knows Secondly Of the waves roaring at the sea-shore To both he saith Hitherto shall ye come and no further And here shall thy proud waves be stayed Why doth the Lord call them proud waves it is not because they are proud properly but by a Metaphor they lift up their heads as proud men do and are therefore called proud waves Thus Jethro spake of Pharaoh and his host Exod. 18.11 In the things wherein they dealt proudly the Lord was above them Pharaoh and the Egyptians like the proud waves of the sea thought to have swallowed up all Israel but God made the sea to swallow them up Proud men like mighty waves think to swallow up all but He is above them that saith to
shaken out of it 14. It is turned as clay to the seal and they stand as a garment 15. And from the wicked their light is with-holden and the high arm shall be broken THe Lord in dealing with Job had already put sundry Questions to him about the earth and about the sea as hath been shewed in the former part of this Chapter here the Lords calls his thoughts up into the ayre or bids him look to the heavens and duly consider the light of the Sun In this the Lord intends the same thing which he had done before while he was questioning Jâ—b about the Earth and the Sea namely to humble him and bâ—ing him â—o a full submission by shewing him his weakness and utter insufficiency as also to set forth his own wisdom power and greatness Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days c. We may gather up the general sense of these four verses in oâ— this brief sum As if the Lord had thus bespoken Job If thou answerest that the things I have already questioned thee about were before thy time and therefore must needs be done without either thy counsel or assistance then I ask thee farther Hast thou ever hastened or retarded hast thou quickened or stopt the rising of the Sun at any time since thou wast born or hast thou ever caused the morning light in any one of these Jew days which thou hast seen to spread it self far and near even every where to the uttermost parts of the earth that so those evil doers and night-birds who being children of darkness cannot but hate the light and love the works of darkness might by its rising be at once discovered and affrighted This seems to be the purpose and scope of God in these words More particularly Vers 12. Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days That 's the first Question Hast thou since thy days given the morning its charge to Mr. Broughton translates implying that every morning the Sun receives as it were fresh orders from some hand or other now hast thou given out orders for â—â—e morning light Doth the day-light obey thee Doth the Sun arise at such times and places as thou hast appointed Hast thou commanded it so we render The word notes commanding with fullest authority Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vâ—tâ— jubâ—re oâ—essâ— exhibere sisterâ— in actum â—oâ—spectum edâ—câ—re Imperium voluntatis efficaâ— intelligitur quod statim sequitur effâ—ctus a command to appear and be ready upon duty a command to stand forth and do what is enjoyned This word of command is most proper unto God Psal 33.9 He spake the word and it was done he commanded and it stood fast The command of God is a creating command it puts things into act his saying gives them a being his calling them to work makes them work or sets them a work Now saith God Hast thou commanded the morning Hast thou O Job such a word of command upon any câ—eature for the producing of any effect motion or action Hast thou commanded The morning Aâ—anando latine dicitur mane quâ—d cum sole manâ—t dies abâ—â—ience By the morning the Lord means the morning light As if he had said Hast th u raised the Sun out of its bed and brought forth the morning hast thou like the Master or Lord of this great family the World called up thy servants and set up thy light for them to work by hast thou commanded the morning that is caused the Sun to rise which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber and rejoyceth as a strong man to run a race Psal 19.5 No saith the Lord it was not 't is not thou that commandest the morning it is I that command the morning I commanded the first morning Gen. 1.5 I said Let there be light and there was light and the evening and morning were the first day It was I who the fourth day said Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night and let them be for signs and for seasons for days and for years It was I that made two great lights the Sun and Moon the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night Gen. 1.14 15 16. The first morning and all the mornings the light-bearer or the light-bringer came forth and appeared at my command not at thine Hast thou commanded the morning Since thy days There is somewhat special in those words Since thy days We may take them either of these two ways First As if the Lord had said Cum dixit A diebus tuis Ostendit id antequam ille nasceretur factum esse perpetuum illum naturae ordinem in manu dei esse non hominum Merc. Was there no morning before thy days Or Was there not a morning befoâ—e thou hadst a morning in the world Did the birth of the morning wait till thou wast born Did it not look forth noâ— appear till thou didst appear Surely there were mornings hundreds of years before thou hadst a morning in the world The morning did not stay for thee nor for thy day Secondly Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days That is since thou camest into the world hast thou had the honour priviledge and power to awaken and call up the morning as thou dost thy houshold servants Know O Job that as there was a morning before thou wast born or hadst a day in the world so since thy day thou hast neither made the morning nor raised up the morning light that power is now in my hand as it was before thou wast in being thou art but of yesterday of a few days there was a morning before thy days and since thy days many have continued and come forth daily yet not at thy command but at mine As I brought forth the light in the first day of the Creation so the fourth day I created the Sun into which I gathered the light and at whose rising the morning shews it self Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days 'T is a daring Question thou hast not I have done it and not thou Hence Note First What God will have done he can command to be done or it shall be done at his command The Lord needs not labour to produce the most difficult effects he can produce them as a Lord by a word speaking he needs not intreat nor treat about the bringing forth of any matter his will is enough to bring it forth What God will have done shall be done Thus it was at the beginning when God created all things and gave them a being and thus it hath been ever since for the moving of all things to their several ends and issues to this day all hath been done by a word of command David Psal 148. calling the Sun Moon and Stars to praise the Lord gives that as the reason vers 5. for he commanded and they were created Now I say as
wrath but of this City the Lord said it is wholly oppression they are given up to oppression every one is oppressing and wronging his brother now when they sinned at this rate when their arm was thus high in wickedness then it was to be broken There is a righteous God that judgeth the earth and therefore the high arm of unrighteouness shall be broken JOB Chap. 38. Vers 16 17 18. 16. Hast thou entred the springs of the Sea or hast thou walked in the search of the depth 17. Have the gates of death been opened unto thee or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death 18. Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth declare if thou knowest 〈◊〉 all IN the former Context the Lord made a short dâ—gression from those questionings with which he had begun with Job concerning his Works the occasion whereof was the mentioning of the wicked who improved not but abused his works In this Context the Lord returns to his former way of interrogating Job and having questioned him about the birth or production of the Sea the bands and bounds of the Sea at the 8th 9th 10th and 11th verses he questions him here First About the depth of the unsearchable depth of the Sea vers 16 17. Secondly About the vast breadth of the Earth vers 18. Thereby to convince Job that he not being able to reach the depth of those mighty waters nor to comprehend the breadth of the earth was much less able to comprehend the depth of those counsels or the breadth of those ways of providence in which himself had been walking towards him That 's the general scope and sum of these three verses as also of all that follow as hath been shewed formerly The last thing about which the Lord put the question was the Light whereby hidden and secret things are discovered here the question is about things that lie out of the light about hidden and secret things all which yet are more plain and obvious to more open and naked before the eye of God with whom we have to do than the Noon-day light to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Numquâ—d ingressus es vel penetrâ—stâ— Vers 16. Hast thou entred into the springs of the sea Hast thou Doubtless thou hast not nor hast thou any mind to enter into those springs Who hath Hast thou entred or penetrated the springs of the sea There is a twofold entring into the springs of the sea or into any thing that lies remote from us Fiâ—st A Local Secondly An Intellectual entring To be sure Job had not locally entred the springs of the sea and it was as sure that he was not able to make any perfect intellectual entrance thither When therefore the Lord asked Job this question Opartet judicem nosse ea de quiâ—us judicaâ—â—â— us est tu voâ—â— judicas de operibus mo is cum ea non noris â—atabl Hast thou entred into the springs of the sea it is as if he had said It becomes him that makes a judgement upon any matter to enter into it either locally to view it with the eye or intellectually to view it with his understanding but thou O Job hast neither of these ways entred into the springs of the sea and there dâ—scovered how the waters flow or rise up out of the earth how then canst thou make up a judgement about the waters and if not what judgment canst thou make up concerning my deep counsels concerning the secret springs of my judgements Hast thou entred into the springs of the sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad plorâ—ta i. e. lacrymas mâ—riâ— Drus There is an elegancy in the word rendred springs which some derive from a root which signifies to weep or shed tears Hast thoâ— entred among the tears oâ— weeping places of the sea The same word in the Hebrew signifies an eye Aliqui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fluenta non a flendo sed a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perplexâ—m esse deducunt Et reddunt perplexitates mâ—ris Sensus eodem recidit sed Grammatica magis quadrat ut a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flevit destectatur Mâ—rc as also a spring or fountain because as the eye drops yea pours out tears David saith Rivers of tears run down mine eyes so springs pour out waters and are as it were weeping continually Others derive the word from a root which signifieth to be infolden or intangled and so they render it Hast thou entred into the perplexities or intricacies of the sea Pharaoh used that word in the Verb Exod. 14.3 concerning the people of Israel They are intangled or perplexed in the land he thought he had caught them in the briars and should have had his will or satisfied his lust on them The sense is much the same whether we read the springs or the perplexities and intricate places of the sea both tending to the same purpose to shew Job his utter incompetency and inability for such an adventure Hast thou entred into the springs Of the sea The sea is a consluence of many waters the great vessel which God prepared to hold the multitude of waters as was shewed before at the eighth verse onely take notice Mâ—re dicitur Jâ—mim voce deducta à Maiim transpositis quibusdam literis that the word which signifies the sea is composed of the same letters a little transposed with that which signifies the water The sea being the gathering together of waters and water being the substance of the Sea one word in substance serves them both in the Hebrew tongue Yet others say it alludes at least to a word signifying to make a noise or to roar seas and floods make a terrible noise and roaâ—ing David ascribes a voice to the floods Psal 93.3 The floods have lifted up O Lord the floods have lifted up their voices These grammatical criticisms about words have their use giving some light about the nature and qualities of things But to the Text Hast thou entred into the springs of the sea And hast thou walked in the search of the depth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abyssus vorago altittulo expers fundi This latter part of the verse is of the same importance with the former The springs of the sea and the search of the depth have little if any difference and walking follows upon entring therefore the Lord having said Hast thou entred into the springs of the sea saith Hast thou walked c. But more distinctly what is the search and what the depth The depth is the sea where 't is deepest so deep that no bottom can be found by sounding The word rendred here search notes the last oâ— utmost of any thing and so the deepest of the depth which possibly may be called the search of the depth because how much or how long soever it is searched for it cannot be found out Mr. Broughton renders it The border of the sea the Vulgar Latine The last or
they call them Mansion Houses or Dwellings of the Sun Thirdly According to vulgar understanding we may answer these questions Where is the way where light dwelleth c. Plainly thus Light dwelleth in the Sun there light abides and from thence shines to us The Sun is the Vessel or Store-house of light the Luminary of the World by day as the Moon and Stars are by nighâ— And as for darkness that takes its place every where as soon as the Sun leaves any place As often as the Sun continuing his circular progress visits the other Hemisphere daâ—kness takes possession of this Light and darkness take their turns the one alwayes going off when and where the other enters upon the stage of the world Now though Philosophers with our own experience tell us that the reason of this is the access and recess of the Sun yet it is unknown to us how God hath thus tempered the course of nature that day and night should not be alwayes alike in any part of the World but vary in both the Hemispheres and that in the same Hemisphere there should be such a setled inequality in the length of the nights and days This dependeth wholly upon the will of God who thus stated the motions of the heavenly bodies from the very beginning If it be asked Why doth the Lord put these questions to Job Where is the way where light dwelleth Seeing every one may answer light is in the Sun light shines in and fills the Air while the Sun is up and darkness filleth the air when the Sun is gone down darkness being the privation or want of light or darkness according to the usual definition of it being the shadow of the Earth coming between us and the Sun When the opacous or thick body of the Earth interposeth between us and the Sun darkness followeth And if this be all there seemeth not to be much difficulty in knowing where the light dwelleth and where the place of darkness is therefore surely that was not the sole intendment of God in putting these questions to Job But when he saith Where is the way where light dwelleth c. It is as if he had said Dâ—st thou understand the ordering and methodizing of lâ—ght and darkness Or how it cometh to pass that one part of the World hath light while the other is covered with darkness and how light returns to that other part Hast thou made this temperament and vicissitude of light and darkness or procured that the day should be long in the same country at one season of the year and short at another Hast thou disposed the Sun to make short nights in Summer and long in Winter This the understanding of man is not well able to comprehend much less his power to effect Onely the infinite wisdom of God hath put light and darkness into this method and given them their certain seasons And that this is the meaning of the Text we may gather more clearly from the next verse for the Lord having said Where is the way where light dwelleth and as for darkness where is the place thereof presently adds Vers 20. That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof These words shew that the former questions chiefly respect the order and disposure of light and darkness That thou shouldest take it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Viâ— habet accipiendi quasi m anu The Word signifieth the taking of a thing in ones hand As if the Lord had said Dost thou every morning take the light in thy hand and bring it to the bounds or utmost limits thereof Art thou able to direct the light where it should abide till such time as it is to come forth agâ—in to thee Nihil movetur quod non deducatur ipsa dei manu potestate Si ille manum non admoveat immota iners jacebit squalebit naturae Potentissimus deus capit solem accipit tenebras ducitatque reducit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is a manuduction a divine manuduction of all the creatures by the wisdome and power of God he as it were leads the light and leads the darkness â—hither he pleaseth The creature remaineth unmoved and sluâ—â—â—sh it stirreth not till the Lord taketh it by the hand or putteth forth his hand to dispose of it as it pleaseth him to the use or place he hath appointed it Oâ— To the bound thereof The Original Word signifieth a limit or utmost point implying that the Lord brings the light to its due and proper place and that as he hath determined the bounds of mans habitation Acts 17.26 so he hath also bounded the habitation of light and darkness for the benefit and service of man As if the Lord had said Hast thou done this O Job surely no that 's my work I am he that taketh the Sun in my hand and bringeth it to the bounds thereof I direct at what point it shall rise and set It is I that know the paths to the house thereof and so can readily call for it and cause it to appear in time and place appointed Thou knowest not where tâ— have the light how to bring light forth but I do From these two verses laid and considered together Observe First Natural light and darkness have their special places their dwelling places yet they have no where aâ—y long abiding place A Tabernacle not a standing house is set for the Sun Psal 19.4 A Tabernacle is a moveable house The Sun hath a house every where but it keeps house or abides no where 'T is not only alwayes moving in its place but daily removing to other places and so consequentially is darkness As it is thus with natural light and darkness about which the question is literally proposed so with civil light and darkness about which the question also is intended These have their places their dwellings and 't is seldome that they dwell long in any one place Light and darkness are not more interchangeable in the Air than joy and sorrow are in the states and conditions of men We may likewise conclude that spiritual light and darkness have their houses and their dwellings Spiritual light both the light of knowledge and the light of comfort dwell First In Christ himself In him as Mediator all fulness dwells Col. 1.19 and of his fulness we all receive grace for grace John 1.16 I may say also light for light light of every sort and light in every degree â—â—â—â—ful for us is received from him Secondly These lights dwell in the hearts of every true believer Faith and light can never be separated Though some who have faith may be in the dark yet light is not separated it is onely clouded eclipsed or hidden from them All believers are so much in a state of light that they are called light Eph. 5.8 and many of them live in a plentiful enjoyment of light A worthy man of the former
or trouble the light or darkness of thy condition than thou canst dispose of light or darkness in the air All our changes from darkness to light from light to darkness proceed from the unchangeable God And as light and darkness have their constant turns in the air so they have very frequent turns in the life of every man Therefore they who when God causeth darkness to cover and compass them about do not acquiesce and rest in his good pleasure but murmur and are tumultuous these I say do as if they would take upon them to order the course of light and darkness in the world these do no otherwise than as if at midnight they should call for day or at mid-day for night Discomposed souls are like sick bodies they who are sick or ill at ease cannot bear either night or day in the day they desire night and in the night day so it is with them of sickly souls Such are often heard saying in the morning Would God it were evening and in the evening Would God it were morning Nothing pleaseth them Did we acknowledge the hand of God in making it night we should sit down quietly in our darkest night as to impatience even while we are most earnestly praying for the return of morning light Impatience was in a great measure Jobs failing though he had a great measure of patience He made as we say an ado in the night of his trouble as if he would have made it day when God had made it night and darkness with him O remember the way of light and the place of darkness the bounds and paths of both are in the hand or at the command of God Thirdly In that the Lord put this among his own great works and takes it out of the hand of Job or of any other creature to order light and darkness Note The work of God in ordering light and darkness is wonderful And we cannot but be convinced that it is so if we consider First The constant succession of day and night in all places As sure as the day cometh the night will come and as sure as the night is come day is coming There is an unchangeable change between light and darkness they milâ—â—or a moment in their comings or returnings Secondly If we consider light and darkness as to their increase or decrease in any place thus Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth knowledge Pâ—al 19.2 which some think was a well known Adage or Proverbial Speech among the Jews importing the power of God over and his guidance of them both God brings the light to the bound of it to day at this hour or minute of the hour to morrow at that There is a constant inconstancy an uneven evenness between light and darkness upon the face of the earth We never have light or darkness twice of the same length in the same place and season yet they ever keep their place and season all the world over where you had them the last year upon such a day there you may have them this without a moments variation though they have varied their course many moments every day since Thus exactly doth the Lord take or lead the light to it s bound and knows the paths to the house thereof And as there is a great glory coming to God in ordering light and darkness as to the outward face of things so there is a greater as to the inward state of his people their soul-state And though the Lord doth not keep such a constant course in that yet he observeth a rule in all the revolutions of it We have sometimes light and sometimes darkness in our souls Now the light of comfort increaseth towards us and anon the night of sorrow darkeneth upon us Our souls meet often with these turns and changes Let us adore the wisdom and submit to the holy will of God in all For though soul-light be alwayes desirable as well as comfortable yet soul-darkness may sometimes be useful and this use it hath as often as it comes even to try how we can trust God in the dark as also to let the world know that we are resolved through grace to keep close to the light of commandements how long soever we are kept from or are at a loss for the light of promises Lastly We may consider from this Text that as light hath its special houses or dwellings so it hath a special way to its dwelling chalked out as it were and appointed by God And is there not a way a path to spiritual to eternal light The way to these lights is Christ He is the Way the Truth and the Life John 14.6 He is the true the onely way to life to spiritual life and light yea he is the way to eternal light and life Holiness and faith in Christ are the passing way to this light but Christ himself is the way procuring light Without faith it is impossible to please God and without holiness no man can see God Christ is the meriting way faith and holiness are the qualifying way leading us to the house and dwelling of this light As sin and unbelief or the sin of Unbelief is the way leading to eternal darkness O how many go this way to the generation of their fathers where they shall never see light Psal 49.19 so faith and holiness or holy Faith is the way the path to everlasting light and life Thus much of the enquiry made about the way and path of light and darkness which as they are literally to be understood of natural light and darkness so by them God led Job and in him us to consider his disposure of all sorts of light and darkness Now That Job might be convinced of his own ignorance in and insufficiency for an answer to these questions God calls him to consider the late beginning and shortness of his life knowledge being gathered up by experience and length of days affording both time and opportunity for the gathering up of experiences Job was but of yesterday in comparison of the day wherein the interchanges of light and darkness were appointed and therefore should it be supposed that days could teach him how these things came to pass yet he could not but be much unprepared for a ready and satisfying answer to these questions Vers 21. Knowest thou it because thou wast then born Or because the number of thy days is great The question still proceeds about the natural light and darkness Knowest thou it That is what I last put to thee If thou knowest it how camest thou by thy knowledge Knowest thou it Because thou wast then born The Tygurine Translation renders the words thus Habesnè cognitum tempus quo nasceboris Tygur Dost thou know the time when thou wast born As if the Lord had argued thus with Job Thou dost not know the hour of thy own Nativity or when thou wast brought forth how much less the way or manner either of
As we took no care of our selves nor could before we were so all the care we take for our selves while we are can avail us nothing without God Which of us by taking care can add one cubit to his stature Matth. 6.25 and which of us by taking care can add one moment to his life all is in the hand of God And 't is our duty to live as free from all troublesome cares while we are in the world as we were free from any care at all before we came into the world It is enough that God hath undertaken for us and would have us sit down in his care of us Christ said Matth. 10.29 30. with respect to sufferings Fear not for are not two sparrows sold for a farthing and one of them falleth not to the ground without your Father It is God who orders and disposeth the life of a silly bird and by him the very hairs of our head worthless excressions are numbred surely then the days of your lives and all the changes of them are ordered disposed and numbred by him And if so we should in this sense be as quiet and as much at ease in our spirits concerning the things of this life as we were before we lived Light had its dwelling place appointed and darkness was disposed of without any care of ours and all our care can neither create light for us nor remove any darkness that is upon us Let us onely be careful of that duty we are called to and leave the burden of our cares to him who hath called for them Psal 55.22 and would have us rest in this assurance that he careth for us 1 Pet. 5.7 what cannot he command for us in our places who commands light and darkness to their places therefore it will be our wisdome at once to take as much pains and as little care as we can JOB Chap. 38. Vers 22 23. 22. Hast thou entred into the treasures of the snow Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail 23. Which I have reserved against the time of trouble against the day of battel and war JOB was last questioned about the habitation and interchanges of light and darkness Here the Lord questions him about those two Meteors the Snow the Hail As if he had said Possibly thou wilt confess thou knowest not how to answer the former question but perhaps thou art better skill'd in and acquainted with the matter which I shall next propose well then I ask again Vers 22. Hast thou entred into the treasures of the snow c. There is a two-fold entring into any place First In body Secondly In mind The body of Job nor of any man never entred into the treasures here spoken of nor could Jobs mind nor the mind of any man enter fully into them that is comprehend how vast how great they are We had this phrase Hast thou entred at the 16th verse of this Chapter There the question was put about his entring into the springs of the sea here about his entring into The treasures or store-houses of the snow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thesaurus Aspotheca promptuarium The word imports any place or repository where stores of any kind are laid up and kept for use The Poet calleth Bee-hives the Treasuries of honey and so may Cellars be called the Treasuries of Wine and Oil c. The Clouds are the Treasuries which contain the stores or treasures of Snow and Hail Those places out of which God is said either to bring good for the use and comfort of man or evil for his hurt and punishment are usually in Scripture expressed by this Word Thus spake Moses encouraging the people of Israel to obedience Deut. 28.12 The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure the heaven to give thee rain unto thy land in his season c. And God hath his just and righteous treasures of wrath even as men heap up and have their evil and unrighteous treasures of sin Deut. 32.34 Rom. 2.5 Thus the Apostle James tells ungodly rich men chap. 5.3 Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days Which may be understood of their getting their treasures of riches so unrighteously in their days as would prove a heaping together of wrath against themselves in the last days or day of the last Judgement Treasures of good or evil imply three things First The secrecy of what is laid up Secondly The safety of it or that it is surely laid up Thirdly That there is store or great quantities of it laid up A little is not a treasure The snow may well be called a treasure in all these respects for 't is secretly laid up no man can see it and 't is safely laid up none can reach or take it away there are also vast quantities or great abundance of it Hast thou entred into the treasures of the snow As if the Lord had said Thou O Job hast often seen the snow fall and thou mayest easily perceive that it falls out of the clouds but hast thou ascended or can any ascend unto those airy regions where snow is generated and laid up as in a treasure If not surely then no man can ascend to heaven and there search out or discover the mysteries and secrets of Wisdom and Justice in my works here below unless by the wings of faith and the light of a spiritual understanding which sits down satisfied in this conclusion that all is wisely and justly done which God doth whether in heaven or earth To bring Job to this acknowledgment was the design and purpose of God as hath been toucht before in all the questions propounded to him in this and the next Chapter Hast thou entred into the treasures of the snow What the snow is the nature and the wonders of it was spoken of and shewed at the sixth verse of the 37th Chapter All that I shall further add for the opening of this question is that when God speaks here of the treasures of snow we are not to understand it as if he had great heaps of snow formally amassed up together in any place of the air as men lay up treasures of money or corn or of any other useful matter but the words are an elegant Metaphor the meaning onely this God hath abundance of snow ready at his will and dispose at his call and command whensoever or wheresoever he is pleased to make use of it for 't is as easie with God at any time to draw out and powre down abundance of snow as if he had infinite store of it kept alwayes by him He no sooner speaks the word but the face of the earth is covered and its bosomes filled with silver showers Hast thou entred into the treasures of the snow Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail These treasures of hail are of the same nature with those of snow and so to be understood as the former but there is a difference in the form of snow and
hail though not in the matter out of which snow and hail are formed Hail say Naturalists is a hot vapour drawn up to the middle region of the air whence falling it is frozen in passage into lesser or greater stones or grains of ice These hail-stones are sometimes powred down so great in quantity and often in such great quantities that it may well be said there are treasures of them And when the Lord puts this question to Job Hast thou seen the treasures of the hail he seems to allude to those who inspect the publick treasure of any Kingdom or Common-wealth receiving in and issuing out the revenues of it as occasion requires and as they are required As if the Lord had said Hast thou O Job like some great Lord Treasurer taken a view of these stores I know thou wilt confess thou hast not seen them with thy bodily eyes I know also thou hast not reacht them clearly with the eye of thy mind or understanding even those treasures are greater than thou canst imagin All that which thou hast any way seen is less than the least part of that which thou hast not seen Hast thou seen the treasures of the hail From both the parts of the verse Note First God hath store of snow and hail Treasures are not made up with a little Christ saith Mat. 12.35 A good man hath a good treasure in his heart and an evil man an evil treasure there because the one bringeth forth good things and the other evil things out of his heart there both good and evil persons keep their store of good and evil things and there good men should have and evil men alwayes have a great deal in store For this reason also God is said to bring the wind out of his treasures Psal 135.7 He hath much wind and mighty winds at his dispose God who hath made all things by his Word or Will can have as much of every thing as he will Secondly Note God hath snow and hail ready for his service He hath them as in a Store-house or Treasury Pharaoh built Treasure Cities Exod. 1.11 or places of receit in which he kept either his publick treasure of Gold and Silver or his Artillery and Ammunition for War or great quantities of Corn and Grain against a time of need Christ saith Every scribe which is instructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a man that is an Housholder which bringeth forth out of his treasure things both new and old Matth. 13.52 that is he is not to seek he hath them in a readiness for use and so is himself ready to every good word and work when any have use of him for good We may be sure God is never to seek nor as we say out of sorts for any kind of means or instruments to carry on his service and to effect any purpose of his whether in wrath against the wicked or in favour of such as fear him Again In that the Lord saith Hast thou entred c. Hast thou seen c. Note Thirdly No man knoweth nor can any man conceive what treasures and stores what abundance either of good or evil of wrath or love God hath Psal 90.11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger I may say also who knoweth the power of thy love that is it is not known no nor knowable what powers God can put forth either in anger or love Eye hath not seen saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.9 nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him And as the preparations of God for them that love him so his preparations against them that hate him are such as no man hath so much as seen much less entred into If the treasures of snow and hail exceed our conceptions what do the treasures of fire and brimstone in the bottomless pit what is the pile of fire and much wood in Tophet which the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone kindleth Isa 30.33 But some may say why hath the Lord such vast treasures of snow and hail what are they good for or to what use do they serve What the use or usefulness of the snow is as well as the nature of it was shewed in some particulars at the sixth verse of the 37th Chapter Here God himself declares what use he hath of snow and hail or what service he puts them to in the next words Vers 23. Which I have reserved against the time of trouble against the day of battel and war As God hath made nothing in vain so he doth not reserve or lay up any thing in vain The Lord is a God of knowledge 1 Sam. 2.3 by him as our actions so his own are weighed This verse shews one use or end of his reserving stores of snow and hail and that an extraordinary one The ordinary use of snow and hail is for some good or benefit to men indifferently as the Sun shines and the rain falls whether good or bad The use here spoken of is onely for the hurt and punishment of bad men Some restrain the antecedent of this relative which in the beginning of the verse to the hail onely because no mention is made say they in Scripture of any hurt done by snow but of hurt done by hail we read more than once there â—undi calamitas grando Yet as ancient histories so later experiences have reported that both men and beasts have been not onely covered but smothered with snow and overwhelmed by floods and great inundations caused by the sudden melting of it Therefore I conceive we may take the word which referring unto both Which I have reserved c. There are other rendrings of the Hebrew Word by us rendred reserved all which may center in the same sense First The Vulgar Latine saith Which I have prepared Secondly The Septuagint Which I have stored up or which are stored up Thirdly others thus Which I have prohibited or stayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Per sin sinistrum prohibere significat Merc. retained detained or with-held so the word is used Gen. 20.6 I also with-held thee from sinning against me said God to Abimelech Such things as we prepare and store up for some special use we detain stop or with-hold from all other uses till our occasions call for that Thus we may say here the Lord having as it were stored up snow and hail in his great Magazin or Arcinal he there detains and reserves them for the uses he hath appointed them unto that is as it followeth in the Text Against the time of trouble The Word in the Hebrew here translated time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tempus opportunum occasio notes a special season of time that which we commonly call opportunity rather than time in general or as it is a space of so many hours days or years David Psal 9.9 calls God a refuge in time of trouble
that is the Lord marks and hits the fittest time to come in and help his out of trouble Thus as they who reserve things do it till a season of using them presents it self so God reserves the snow and hâ—il till he hath a season an opportunity to use them what that is himself as was said expresseth in the Text it is The time of trouble or of straits When trouble comes straits come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad tempus arctum vel Angugustiae and great troubles reduce us to great straits and compel us to say as that good King Jehosaphat did 2 Chron. 20. We know not what to do The Septuagint render The time of the enemies that is when I am resolved to punish or destroy my enemies The word signifies both trouble and an enemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in tempus hostis Sept. and both may well be comprehended under one word seeing no trouble is more troublesome nor can put us to greater straits than the appearance of a powerful enemy which was Jehosaphats case when in a time of trouble he cried out We know not what to do And this notion of the word as taken for an enemy falls in clearly with the latter clause of the verse Against the day of battel and war As if the Lord had said When my enemies come forth against me these are the Weapons this the Ammunition which I at any time can and often do make use of in the day of battel and war 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praeliuci The word rendred battel signifies to aâ—proach because in a day of battel enemies or opposites approach one to another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vesci and charge each other The word rendred war springs from a root signifying to eat because the sword of war is a great eater and devours the bodies of men Now when God breaks forth in anger against obstinate sinners his enemies and brings any sore and destroying judgement upon them he is said to have war with them or to make war against them Who would set the briars and thorns in battel against me saith the Lord Isa 27.4 So then Both the time of trouble and the day of battel and war spoken of in this Text are the time and day of the Lords wrath and vengeance declared against his implacable and incorrigible enemies Snow and hail are treasured up and reserved against this time of trouble against this day of battel and war Hence Note First God hath a check upon all creatures He reserves or stops them as and as long as himself pleaseth He can prohibit snow and hail and command them not to come As they will surely come at any time if he commands them to come so if he commands them not to come till such or such a time they will not come till then The soveraignty of God is absolute over the creature When Nebuchadnezzars understanding returned to him then he praised and honoured him that liveth for ever Dan. 4.34 whose dominion is an everlasting dominion and confessed vers 35. that he doth according to his will in the army of heaven that is the Angels the Sun Moon and Stars as also the Meteors Snow and Hail c. all or any of these are the army of heaven an army raised in the heavens in this army God doth according to his Will as well as among the inhabitants of the earth Secondly Observe God is very patient he doth not presently take vengeance nor bring trouble though he be alwayes provided for it and able to do it As he retaineth not his anger for ever so he restraineth it long because he delighteth in mercy Mic. 7.18 As mercy moves the Lord speedily to receive repenting sinners into favâ—ur so it prevails with him to be very slow in sending judgements upon those that are impenitent The Lord reserved or kept back the waters of the flood a hundred and twenty years from drowning the Old World though as they provoked and even dared him to do it every day by their presumptuous sinnings against his warnings so he was able to do it any hour or moment of the day Thirdly Note Trouble hath its time or season There is a time for every purpose under the Sun Eccl. 3.1 Men have times for their purposes and so hath God much more for his he hath his times for quietness and times for trouble And as sin is the cause and sourse of all trouble so when sin is ripe trouble is ready When men have filled up the measure of their sin then God pouts down trouble upon them or makes it a time of trouble that they may taste and see and be convinced how evil and how bitter a thing it is to sin against the Lord. The Amorites were full of iniquity when God spake to Abraham Gen. 15.16 but their iniquity was not full and therefore their time of trouble the time when their Land spewed them out to make room for the Children of Israel was not till a long time after Fourthly Note Times of trouble are specially known to and appointed by God As he reserves his stores of vengeance for those times so he knows those times Wise Princes reserve stores against that evil time of war c. yet when that evil time will be they know not but to God all times are known David said Psal 31.15 My times are in thy hand that is my times of peace and trouble of joy and sorrow are at thy dispose thou cuttest out my times not onely as to the length or shortness of them but as to the form and condition of them Now if the Lord disposeth and ordereth our times what they shall be whether troublous or prosperous then he must needs know what times will be times of trouble Fifthly Note Present impunity is no assurance of future indemnity to sinners Judgement is but reserved and the instruments of it snow and hail c. kept up for a while Prodigals and spend-thrifts may boast but the date of the bond will come out and then an arrest comes Let sinners remember the instruments of divine vengeance are only reserved they are not broken nor cast away and whosoever are found in sin their sin that is the punishment of their sin sooner or later will find them out Numb 32.23 As God sometimes defers to give out mercy to his faithful people but never denies it them so he often defers the trouble of the wicked but never they continuing to do wickedly acquits them from it The Apostle Peter prophesying of false teachers who shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and shall bring upon themselves swift destruction 2 Pet. 2.1 saith of them also v. 3. Whose judgement now of a long time lingreth not and their damnation slumbreth not Though all seems to be well with them at present and hâ—th been so a long time yet their misery is certain it neither
to sinners to be treated with for peace But if any think to make peace with God in any other way than faith and repentance by any other person than Christ Jesus at any other time than the time of this life we must receive another Gospel before we can give them any assurance shall I say or the least shadow of a hope that they shall do so JOB Chap. 38. Vers 24 25 26 27. 24. By what way is the light parted which scattereth the east wind upon the earth 25. Who hath divided a water-course for the over-flowing of waters or a way for the lightening of thunder 26. To cause it to rain on the earth where no man is on the wilderness wherein there is no man 27. To satisfie the desolate and waste ground and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth THe Lord still proceeds by way of interrogatory with Job In this Context he puts many questions First About the Light Secondly The Wind. Thirdly The Waters Fourthly The Thunder Vers 24. By what way is the light parted Job was questioned at the 19th verse concerning the light here the question is renewed or repeated yet surely no needless repetition There are many things considerable in the light chiefly these four First The Nature of it Secondly The Original or Spring of it Thirdly The Communications or Effusions of it Fourthly The Effects of it or what it works The former two were chiefly intended in the former question at the 19th verse namely the Nature of the Light and the Original of it here the Lord enquires of Job about the Communications or Effusions of light as also about the Effects of it which are the two latter As these things both singly considered and laid together aâ—e an argument of the divine power and providence so of mâ—ns weakness and ignorance who as he is not able to withstand them so not to understand fully what they are or how cau ed as this question doth imply By what way is the light parted The word which we translate parted signifies to put things into distinct portions As if the Lord did give ouâ— several portions of light to several parts of the earth or upon several occasions By what way or means saith he is this done There is a twofold interpretation concerning the light First Some understand it of the lightning Qua parte lux fulguris erumpat Tygur Qua parte erumâ—at ignis Bez. Rab. Levi. so the Tygurine Translation In what part doth the light of the lightning break forth Mr Beza renders By what way doth the fire break out Lightning breaks out like fire One of the ancient Rabbins calls the light here intended A dry and hot exhalation which saith he is therefore called light or receives the name of light because it doth easily conceive light or take fire as tinder and touchwood such a kind of light is the lightning And the lightnings come often from the East Christ assures us while he saith Matth. 24.27 As the lightning coming out of the East and shineth even unto the West so shall the coming of the Son of man be Taking light to lightning the sence is Knowest thou how it comes to pass thâ—t the lightning should so forcibly break out of the cloud in a thunder-storm and raising the East-wind Qua ratione fiunt corescationes fulgura procellae ventorum concertatione nisi per me Jun. make such a hurry such a tempestuous confusion in the air by diverting t e course of that strong Wind and suddenly scattering it all abroad into the several corners of the World Knowest thou how these mighty commotions are made unless by me by my power and orders Some insist much upon this Interpretation taking the light for the lightning of which the Lord speaks expresly afterwards at the 35th verse of this Chapter and of which Elihu had spoken before in the 37th Chapter Our Translators and many others take light here strictly for the light of the Sun Knowest thou by what way the light is parted either from the clouds or from the darkness Knowest thou how the light is parted into several Climates and Coasts of the World This parting of the light may be considered First As there is a new proportion of the light provided every day for as it was shewed before we never have the light two days together in the same state but more or less shorter or longer The light is longer in one part of the year every day and shoâ—ter in another part of the year every day This change or parting of the light is a glorious work of God who so divides the light according to the time of the year that every day hath a portion and yet no day hath the same portion Potest de luce proprie accipi quatenus illâ— sic in tempestate dividitur ut in aliqua coeli nubes luceant lux salis omicet in aliis densis tegatur nubibus Scult Secondly The light may be said to be parted by the power of God at the same time or upon the same day while in one Coast it is cloudy and in another clear yea within our own view we may behold the Sun shine in one place and not in another Some judge this the most profitable sâ—nse because so there is a clearing of this Text from what went before Nor is it an easie thing taking this meaning of the words to answer the question here put to Job How the Lord parts the light in the same day and at the same time in our view making it shine in one place and not in another But whether we understand the Text of parting light from darkness at the Sun rising or of parting the light at any time of the day after the Sun is risen the matter is not of much importance By what way is the light parted Having observed several things about the light vers 12. I shall onely give these two brief notes from the words under hand First God disposeth and dispenses the light where he willeth The light is a most sweet pleasant creature to behold and the Lord takes the guidance of it into his own hand he parts it he proportions it out as himself pleaseth And as this is true of aerial light so of a better light than that which shines in the air though that be an excellent light the light of the Gospel The work of God is as wonderful I may say much more wonderful in parting and dividing in distributing and proportioning the light of the Gospel than it is in distributing and giving forth the light of the Sun Doth he not at the same time cause that light to shine upon one place while it is darkness in another As he made aereal darkness to be a plague in the Land of Egypt while it was light in Goshen so he leaves many places under spiritual darkness while others enjoy that blessed light in a clear and constant shining And as
it goeth to the West and so when it comes from the North and goes to the South but we know not whence it comes and whither it goes as to the way of it we know not how it comes to passe or is brought about That 's done by the sole command of the Lord who hath the whole Creation at his beck and whose word every creature obeys moving and going where and when he himself gives order It is the Lord who by the light or by what means seems good unto him scattereth the East-wind or any other wind upon the Earth The next Question concerns the waters Vers 25. Who hath divided a Water-course for the over-flowing of waters The former Question was about the parting of the Light here we have a Question about the Division of the Waters Who hath divided c. The Hebrew Word for a River comes from this Root and so also doth the Latine Word Pelagus Quis dedit imbri vehementissimo cursum Vulg 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rivus Pelagus nomen habet quod ex illo dividantur deriventur flumino which signifieth the Sea out of which Rivers are derived and divided into the Land From this word also the Elder or First-born Son of Eber was called Peleg Gen. 10.25 and the Text gives us the reason why he was so called For saith Moses in his days the Earth was divided that is it was distinguished into several Coasts and Countries and by several Names which before lay all as it were in one Common There have been too many hurtful divisions in the Earth that is of men on Earth ever since in another sense and are at this day It is sad to see the spirits opinions and practices of men so much divided but it was and is useful to have both the soil of the Earth and the body of the Water divided Here we have the division of the Waters Who hath divided a Water-course for the over-flowing of waters There is a two-fold division of water We read of the former in the description of the Creation Gen. 1.7 where the Lord divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters that were above the firmament and it was so The division here intended is of the waters above theâ—e the Lord makes a division of the waters and gives them their courses The word rendred Water-courses signifies to ascend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ductus aquae or to be on high because the course of the water is from above or from on high Water moves alwayes from a higher place Water naturally floweth downward 't is a heavy body and cannot ascend naturally therefore the course of the water is from above Quis nisi ego cursum dat aquis è coelo defluentibus veluti percanales ab hominibus manu-factos Homines suos Aquae-ductus per terram efficiunt sed deus per aerem nubem distribuit Merc. Inundationem aquarum non terrestrium sed c. Merc. As men make Aqueducts Water-courses or Conveyances for water by artificial pipes of Lead or Wood as we see in this City or by Channels cut in the Earth so the Lord hath his Water-courses above he hath his Pipes his Channels in the Clouds Who hath divided a Water-course For the over-flowing of waters The Word signifies a great inundation or a pouring forth of water a Chataract Moses describing the Deluge saith Gen. 7.11 The windows of heaven were opened And when at any time it rains it may be said the Lord in some degree opens the windows of heaven We are not to understand as was toucht before this over-flowing of water of the waters flowing upon the Earth but of the waters flowing from Heaven down upon the Earth for the Lord speaks not of Floods on Earth to destroy but of plentiful and seasonable rain to nourish the fruits of the Earth as is clear from the 27th verse Now saith the Lord Who hath divided a Water-course for these waters that they might not come down as I may say in a Full-sea but as by or in pipes and channels to refresh the Earth The Lord hath his Water-works in Heaven as men have theirs on Earth This elegant Metaphor shadows out that certain Rule or Law of Nature which the Lord hath given those waters above when they are commanded to slow down for the use and service of Man and Beast here below The Lord enquires of Job for the Author of these upper Water-works Who hath divided a Water-course for the over-flowing of Waters Hence Note God makes a division of his stores and treasures of water in the clouds as himself pleaseth or the course of the water is directed by God where to fall and when As God hath divided the Earth to the Sons of men Acts 17.26 as he hath determined their times and the bounds of their habitation so he hath also divided the waters for the Earth the waters that are above and he proportions them according to his own will Amos 4.7 I caused it to rain upon one City and I caused it not to rain upon another God is so good that usually he causeth his rain to fall upon the jâ—st and upon the unjust Matth. 5.44 But he can cause the rain to fall distinguishingly and not promiscuously It was the saying of a Heathen in his fourth Book concerning the bestowing of benefits chap. 28. The gods give many benefits to unthankful persons Dii multa ingratis tribuunt sed illa bonis paraverant contingunt autem etiam malis quia separari non possunt Nec poterat lex casuris imbribus dici ne in malorum improborumque râ—ra defluerent Sen. de â—enef l. 4. c. 28. they provided them for the good but they fall to the share â—f the bad because it is impossible to divide them And instancing in rain he saith No law can be given to the falling showers or to the showers when they fall that they distill not upon the lands of wicked men Thus what that Scâ—ipture in Matthew saith God doth out of choice to shew his goodness that this Heathen said their Gods did but of necessity because they could do no otherwise If they sent rain upon the just the unjust must have it too he thought there was no avoiding of that but this Text in Job and many more up and down the Scripture teach us that God can put a law upon the showers of rain he hath his Water-courses and câ—n direct the rain to what place and persons he will he can command it to fall by his law when and where and upon whom he appoints God retains his sâ—veraignty for a distinct distribution of the wateâ—s though to declare his bounty and mercy he usually makes no difference but distributes it alike to all The Lord is so good that he feeds his enemies and nourisheth a world of wicked ones or the wicked world every day yet he retains his Empire over the clouds still and he divides a Water-course
for the over-flowing of water it falls by his appointment where-ever it falls There are four things wherein the Lords Empire and Soveraignty over these waters doth and may appear The Lord orders the course of these waters First When they shall fall And Secondly How long they shall fall Thirdly Where or upon what place they shall fall And Fourthly He orders the course of these waters in what quantity they shall fall whether there shall be a greater or a lesser rain as the rain was distinguished in the 37th Chapter into the small rain and the great rain of his strength 'T is a very spiritual duty to give God the glory of ordering these natural rains The rain falls not by fortune or by chance but hath its courses appointed by the Lord as certainly as if he had it in a Conduit or Cistern and drew out by pipes a portion for every one Who hath div ded a Water-course fâ—r the over-flowing of waters Or a way for the lightning of the thunder Here is another question Viam Tempestati Complut Et Vtam Nâ—mbo sonoro Jun Pisc Vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic tantum occurrit Zech. 10.1 Vbi est numero plurali Thunder and lightning have theiâ— way Some reâ—d A way for the Tempest because lightning and thunder câ—mes with tempest Othe s put it in the plural number Or a way for the Tempests We render fully who hath made or divided A way for the lightning of the thuâ—der Who diâ—ects the lightning which breaks foâ—th of the Thunder-cloud with such â—wift violence to go the way it takes and do the thing it eff cts Lightning is very fierce and subtile Thunder is a very violent and furious Meteor yet the Lord hath a way for them also as well as for the genâ—lest showers of rain The Lord can guide thunder-bolâ—s and teach lightning its way De pluvia fulmine conjunctim agit ea quasi miscens quia mirabile est ignem inter aquam ardere Scult Rain or water puts out fire but God can produce fire in the midst of water I shall not stay upon this matter here because we had the very same expression The way for the lightning of thunder at the 26th Chapter verse 2. Thither I refer the Reader Onely consider First How the Lord speaks of rain and lightning together and so which is wonâ—eâ—ful mingles fire with water the flashes of lightning with the over-flowings of water Secondly Consider Where the strength and stress of the question lyes and what naturally floweth from it namely that Thunder and Lightning go not their own way but in the way that God appoynts them The Water moves Gods way and so doth the Wind the Light moves Gods way and so doth the Lighâ—ning and the Thunder or the Lighâ—ning of the Thunder The Lord hath all these at moâ—e command than we have the tamest or most flow paced animals Thunder and Lightning go to the mark God sets them As a piece of Ordnance or great Gun being levelled and fired carryeth the Bullet so those Cannons being discharged from the Clouds carry their Bolts to a hairs breadth and miss not In the two next verses the Lord shewes the reason why he thus divides a water-course for the over-flowing of waters and a way for the Lightning of Thunder it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 26. To cause it to rain on the earth where no man is on the Wilderness where there is no man Rain is the usual concomitant or speedy subâ—equent of Lightning and Thunder these give warning that rain is at hand Thunder and Lightning break the Cloud and so cause it that is the cloud to rain Vpon the earth where no man is c. The Lord speaks here of a special place to which he designs the Rain where should that be Surely the pastures and till'd grounds gardens and vineyards places cultivated and inhabited by men the Lord hath Rain for them yet not all for them or not for them all Here the Cargo or lading of the clouds is consigned to places uninhabited by man He causeth it to rain on the earth where no man is Some Parts of the earth are full of men well inhabited there are other parts of the earth which are uninhabited or where no man is This Text tells us there is an earth where no man is Travellers and Navigators have found some Parts of the earth which were counted uninhabitable not only habitable but actually inhabited by many people Yet there may be some Parts of the earth habitable in their own nature wherein no man dwells or in which as the Text speaks no man is Yea possibly there are some Parts of the earth uninhabitable or wherein no man can dwel Now is it not strange that the Lord should carry his rain to such parts of the earth to places where no man is where there are neither Cities nor Towns nor Villages no nor the meanest Cottages nor a man breathing on the face of that earth or that as the latter part of the verse speaks which is but an explication of the same thing he should cause it to rain on the Wilderness where there is no man If we would know what the Lord intends by earth where no man is the Text answers The Wilderness where there is no man or where none of Adam dwelleth as Mr. Broughton translates So then this latter clause of the verse is but a repetition of the same thing yet a repetition made not onely for variety and elegancy but also to signifie the certainty of the thing that God gives rain even to such places where no man is There is a very elegant turn of the words in this verse The former part saith To cause it to rain on the earth where no man is the latter saith On the wildernesse where there is no man There are some wildernesses which are inhabited and therefore God tells us distinctly what wilderness he means There are two sorts of wildernesses First Such as are inhabited John the Baptist went and preached in a wildernesse there were Towns and many Dwellings in that wilderness Secondly There are also wildernesses uninhabited 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à peste morte q. d. etiam in locis pestiferis incultis curandum praebet se deus providentissimum God speaks here of a wildernesse where there is no man The Hebrew Word which signifies a Wildernesse signifieth also the Pestilence and so some translate here In pestilent places or in unhealthy places in places untilled or unmanured because of the unhealthfulnesse of them even in these wildernesses the Lord sends rain Again Others conceive the wilderness here stands in direct opposition to Egypt and that the Lord would intimate that as Egypt was abundantly watered by the river Nilus they making sluces from that river as hath been somewhere noted in this Book to draw the water all the Country over for Egypt is a flat Country
Lord sends his rain upon the wilderness he hath done so and he hath promised to do so still that is he hath sent and will send the rain of the Gospel upon the Heathen Some Nations are a wilderness as they live in a wilderness so they are themselves a wilderness a desert and we have a promise that the Lord will cause the rain spiritual rain to fall upon this wilderness Isa 35.1 2. The wilderness and the solitary places shall be glad for them for whom for the Church and for the sending forth of the Gospel by them and the desert shall rejoyce and blossom as the rose it shall blossom abundantly and rejoyce even with joy and singing the glory of Lebanon shall be given to it the excellency of Carmel and of Sharon That is it shall be fertile and fruitful in spirituals as those places Lebanon Câ—rmel and Sharon which was the glory and excellency of them were in temporals But how should the wilderness and solitary places attain this glory That 's shewed at the sixth and seventh verses for in the wilderness shall waters break out and streams in the desert and the parched ground shall become a pool and the thirsty land springs of water This Prophesie contains a promise of sending the Gospel and with that the Holy Spirit who is often compared in Scripture to water to those who were or are in their soul-state as a dry heath or as a barren wilderness This prophet doth not only hold out a like promise in the same Metaphors but explains it thus Isa 44.3 4 5. I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground what is meant by water and floods we may learn from the next words I will pour my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring and they shall spring up as among the grasse as willows by the water-courses that is they shall grow and flourish internally in grace and knowledge and not onely so but they shall openly professe it and avouch it as it followeth in the fifth verse One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the Name of Jacob c. That is they shall give up their Names to be enrolled and registred as our Annotators express it in Gods Church-book or among his faithful servants In deserto pluere est verbum dei gentilitatè praedicare Greg. l. 29. Moral c. 16. It was the saying of one of the Ancients with respect to this Allegory To send rain upon the desert is to preach the word of God unto the heathens And the Lord magnifies himself in the dispensation of this spiritual rain when as he sends it upon his Garden the Church so also upon the wilderness the Heathen that the wilderness may become a garden and the desert a paradise that they knowing the Lord and believing on him may be joyned to the Church Thus also the Lord divides a water-course to cause it to rain on the earth where no believing man is on the wilderness where there is no good man The reason of his so doing is given expresly in the next words Vers 27. To satisfie the desolate and waste ground and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth Here is the reason of sending rain upon the wilderness it is to satisfie the desolate and wast ground Mr. Broughton renders The wast and vast ground The Vulgar Latine renders Inviam desolatam Vulg. The unpassable ground or at least that which none passes and so being disused lies wast and desolate But in what sense soever 't is desolate or by what means soever it became desolate the Lord sends rain to satisfie it that is to water it abundantly Vt riget ad satietatem usque satisfaction is to have our fill The very wast ground shall have enough enough to allay the heat and drought of it enough to make it fruitful and enough to fructifie the trees and plants that grow there and so to feed and fatten the beasts thâ—t live there The Vulgar Latine renders Vt impleret c. Vulg. Satur dierum plenus dierum synonyma sunt Drus That he may fill the desolate and wast ground that which is filled is or should be satisfied To be full of dayes in Scripture is to be satisfied with living A man may have lived many dayes yet not be full of dayes but he who is full of dayes as 't is said of some of the Patriarchs is not hungry after more time or dayes in this world therefore to be filled and satisfied import the same thing And to be sure they who are not satisfied when they are full will not be satisfied when they are empty But however it is with man we know the earth spoken of in the Text is fully satisfied it gapes for no more when 't is filled with rain And this the Lord will send To satisfie the desolate and wast ground But why is the Lord so careful to satisfie the desolate and wast ground The ground is a senselesse thing that feels not the want of rain I answer The Lord doth not satisfie the ground for the grounds sake but for their sake who live upon and are maintained by the ground Fruit-bearing trees and grass are maintained by the moisture and fatnesse of the ground beasts are maintained by those fruits and grasse therefore the Lord satisfies the ground with rain that it may satisfie the trees and grasse and they the beasts that live upon it So then the Lord satisfieth the ground that it may satisfie all sorts of vegetables growing out of the ground and that they may satisfie all kinds of animals living upon the ground Such a gradation we find Hos 2.21 22. I will hear saith the Lord I will hear the heavens and they shall hear the earth and the earth shall hear the corn and the wine and the oil and they shall hear Jezrael that is my people We may run up the meaning of this promise backwards thus When my people whom I now call Jezrael in a way of promise as in a way of threatning chap. 1.4 being pressed with hunger and famine cry to the corn and the wine and the oil for food they shall hear them and when the corn and wine call to the earth for moisture to feed them that shall hear and when the earth calls to the heavens for rain they shall hear and when the heavens call to God for orders to carry rain he will hear them It is for mans use that God makes the earth fruitful and where there are no men 't is for the beasts sake that he satisfieth the desolate and wast ground Hence Note First God is not wanting to any of his creatures according to their state He will not let the senseless ground suffer hunger and thirst overlong that shall have food after its kind or proper for it Secondly Note Even the Earth knows when it hath enough It is
satisfied And this may be a great reproof upon the insatiableness of many men they in this are much worse than the desolate and wast ground that may be satisfied that will crave no more But whereas Solomon saith there are four things that say not it is enough Prov. 30.15 16. Of all things the desires of man are most unsatiable and say not it is enough It was a great word which Esau spake I have enough my brother Gen. 33.9 and I fear he hath but a few brethren in that saying Among the four things which in Solomons ob ervation say not it is enough the earth is one in the place last mentioned But mark It is the earth that is not filled with water For where God is pleased to fill the earth with water then as this Text in Job speaks it is satisfied He causeth it to rain on the wilderness to satisfie the desolate and wast ground Further This may also comfort us in all our wants For doubtless the Lord who takes care to satisfie the senseless ground will satisfie his believing people early with his mercy Psal 90.14 when they cry to him yea he will satisfie them not onely with good in this life but with long life will he satisfie them and shew them his salvation Psal 91.16 He will abundantly blesse Sions provision What is that The Word and Ordinances chiefly and satisfie her poor with bread with the bread of life especially Lastly God sends rain to satisfie the desolate and wast ground Hence Note God hath rain enough for all places He can spare it for waste ground and wildernesses And therefore if he supplieth not our pastures corn-fields and gardens with rain it is not because he cannot send it or hath not enough to send but it is to punish us for sin God doth not withhold rain from any place because he is sparing of his treasures is more for laying them up than giving them out but because he is provoked by the unthankfulness of man for or by his abuse of his former bounties The Lord forbids the clouds to drop down the rain upon inhabited places and bids them convey it to waste wildernesses when inhabited places have not honoured him for it nor brought forth fruits of righteousness answerable to the fruits of the earth by the blessing of rain Thus also Christ will take the kingdome that is the kingdome of the Gospel the rain of holy doctrine from an unthankful and unfruitful people and give it to a Nation that will bring forth the fruits of it as he threatned the Jewes Matth. 21.43 and afterwards fulfilled that threatning upon them Acts 13.46 Lo we turn to the Gentiles Ye having refused and abused the offers of Christ made to you by us we will now go with our rain to the wast and desolate ground or to the wilderness that is to the Gentiles and they will receive it and be thankful The scarcity of Gospel mercy which God brings upon any place Sic sterilitas agrorum divitiae fertilitas est deserti is a punishment of their barrenness under Gospel means And have not we cause to fear at this day that forasmuch as we are so like that earth spoken of Heb. 6.8 which drinketh in the rain yet instead of fruit meet for his use by whom it is dressed beareth briars and thorns have not we cause I say to fear that we are nigh to some curse and burning or that the Lord will carry away the rain to Heathens who as yet are a desolate and waste ground 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eâ—itum germinis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proprie herba renera Exitum herbae vocat herbam primúm è terra prodeuntem Drus To cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth The natural effect of rain is growth or to cause the bud of the â—ender herb to bring forth If God denies water to manured and well husbanded lands they wither and even desolate desarts and waste grounds flourish when God waters them then the bud of the tender herb springs forth Hence Note Natural causes produce proper natural effects When God sends rain on desolate places they bud and spring forth When the rain falls the herb flourishes where the Sun shines the grasse grows And surely thus it is in spirituals spiritual causes bring forth spiritual effects if the Lord sends the rain of the word upon desolate souls the soul receiving it will bud and the tender herb will bring forth Moses Deut. 32.1 2. compared his Doctrine to the small rain upon the tender herb and to the showres upon the grasse How green are the herbs after rain and the grasse after showres Herbs and grasse bear witness to the bounty and goodness of God in giving sweet showres of rain Natural rain is seen in their looks and so should spiritual in our lives And if where the rain of the word falleth they that receive it do not bud and blossome and bring forth fruit the desolate wilderness will rise up in judgement against them the waste grounds will condemn them They will say Lord you sent rain upon us and lo here are our buds and our blossomes yea here 's the fruit which we have brought forth Will not this shame our barrenness Hath the Lord divided the Water-course of the Gospel and caused it to rain on us from day to day and shall not we shew our buds and blossomes of holiness our fruits of faith and repentance that he may come into his garden and eat of his pleasant fruits How dreadful Shall the waste wildernesses and desolate grounds bring forth when the rain fâ—lls upon them and shall not the Church It is not bare professing but fruit-bearing which honours God John 15.8 It is uncomely if so much as a leaf of profession withers Psal 1.3 But how green soever the leaves of our profession are yea though they should retain their greenness under the hottest and most scorching Sun of Persecution yet what would it advantage us if our leaves are not accompanied with good fruits Now If any should ask What mean you by good fruits Or what fruits are good I shall close the point in hand with an Answer to these Questions These good fruits considered in reference to their efficient cause are called fruits of the spirit Gal. 5.22 and in reference to the matter of them they are called fruits of righteousness Phil. 1.11 but in reference to the beginning or occasion of them they are called fruits meet for repentance Matth. 3.8 In general all that is good fruit which is conformable to the Word of God whether it be the conformity of our natures to it in conversion or the conformity of our wayes to it in our daily conversation More particularly these good fruits are of two sorts First Inward fruits or those which we bring forth within that is in our hearts these are secrets and only known to God Secondly Outward fruits which we bring forth in
our lives these are or may be seen of men yet they must not be brought forth that we may be seen in doing them but that men seeing our good works may glorifie our Father which is in Heaven Matth. 5.16 Our inward good fruits which are indeed our choicest and most spiritual good fruits are of three sorts First Good Thoughts To do good is best for others but to think good or to have many good thoughts is the best proof that we our selves are good Solomon saith Prov. 12.12 The root of the righteous yieldeth fruit The root of a righteous man is his heart and the first-fruits of a good heart are good thoughts He is a precious person and hath a precious heart that can say as holy David did Psal 139.17 How precious are thy thoughts unto me O God how great is the sum of them That is the thoughts which I have of thee O God are exceeding precious unto me and I have many very many of them more than I am able to sum or reckon up Secondly Good affections are good inward fruits such are godly sorrow joy in God love to God longing after God Psal 27.4 Psal 42.1 2. Isa 26.9 hatred of evil all these movings of the heart are good and precious fruits Thirdly which are the issue and result of both the former good purposes and holy resolves to cleave fast to God to stick as David expresseth it Psal 119.31 to his testimonies wayes and truths at all times especially in times of trial or to continue with Christ in his temptation these are very good inward fruits Psal 17.3 Dan. 1.8 Acts 11.23 Outward good fruits are of two sorts First Good words are good fruits The lips of the righteous feed many Prov. 10.21 Edifying words Eph. 4.29 words of exhortation to good Heb. 3.13 words of reproof as to evil Gal. 6.1 words of comfort to the sad and sorrowful 1 Thess 5.14 all these words are good fruits Secondly Good works first of holiness towards God secondly of righteousness and love towards all men thirdly of charity to the poor all these are outward good fruits and all these the Lord looks for where-ever or upon whomsoever he sends the rain of his word JOB Chap. 38. Vers 28 29 30. 28. Hath the Rain a Father or who hath begotten the drops of dew 29. Out of whose Womb came the Ice and the hoary frost of Heaven who hath gendred it 30. The Waters are hid as with a stone and the face of the deep is frozen THe Lord having questioned Job in the former context about the course of the Rain and the free dispensation of it even to those places where no man is and to the Wilderness where there is no man here he questions him about the cause and original of the Rain and not only of the Rain but of the Dew the Ice and the Frost So then in these three verses we have four Questions First about the Rain and Secondly about the Dew in the 28th verse Thirdly about the Ice and Fourthly about the Frost in the 29th verse together with the marvelous force and effects of it vers 30. Vers 28. Hath the Rain a Father The Inquiry is who is the Father of the Rain that is who is the Author what is the cause of it Not as if the cauâ—e of that or of the other Meteors here mentioned could not at all be known but to shew First That much of them all is unknown There are many things in this lower Sphear beyond mans Sphear even these are not propagated altogether according to our understanding or apprehensions of them Secondly To shew that he must be plentifully stored with all sorts of good who as a Father begets and as a Mother brings forth such useful and necessary things for the preservation of living Creatures Thirdly To shew that these creatures are not produced by causes which are constant and unvariable in nature but proceed from and daily depend upon the power and will of God who somtimes checks and stops the course of Nature and at other times impregnates it for the production of these effects or brings them forth by the Midwifery and help of second causes Fourthly When the Lord propounds the Question under this Relation of a Father he would shew or teach us that he gives Rain and Dew to the earth as a father gives food and other requisites to his children Further This seems to be the design of God in putting these Questions to Job that forasmuch as he could not fully comprehend the causation and production of these things much less was able to cause or produce them himself but must receive them from the power and according to the dispose and providence of God therefore he should refer all his concernments to the same Providence and so rest satisfied whether God sent him a sweet and refreshing Rain and Dew or a grievous and afflictive season of Ice and Fâ—ost Thus we may conceive the general scope of this Context Now to the particulars Hath the Rain a father The question may be resolved both negatively and affirmatively First Negatively the Rain hath no Father that is on earth or among men There is no creature power that can produce a drop of Rain Secondly affiâ—matively Hath the Rain a father Yes it hath God is the Father of the Rain The Rain is not fatherless there is one who will own the Rain as his child or issue The causation of Rain is a great secret in nature a secret about which though wise and learned men have discoursed much and given out much light about it yet they have not reached the utmost nor attained the full knowledge of it and the reason of that is because the Rain hath a Father whose wayes and workings as in the first constitution of Nature so in the daily motions of it exceed our knowledg Hath the Rain a father Not on earth Nor are the Heavens the Father of the Rain the God of Heaven is As not a shower no nor a drop of Rain falls on the earth at the will or by the power of man Si quis alium praeter Deum pluviae patrem quaerat is erit vapor qui ex humidis locis entractus eâ— alevatus a Solo concrescit in nebulam aut nubem et inde a Sole repefactus liquescit et solvitur Sanct. so not by the power of the Sun drawing up the vapours and dissolving the Clouds nor by the Winds scattering the Clouds The Sun may shine the Moon may change the Winds may blow and turn long enough yet no Rain till the Lord gives the Word Some and that not improperly have called the Sun The father of the Rain The Sun draws up those vapours from the earth into the Air which are the matter of Rain and there those vapours are condensed into Clouds and afterwards rarified and dissolved into Rain yet these natural causes produce these effects only as God sets them on work and he can
suspend their working as often as he will And therefore the simple and plain meaning of this question is the Rain owes its original to God and must call him father And that 's the observation which riseth out of this question Hath the Rain a Father God and God alone is the Father of the Rain Without him it had never been and that it is continued is by his power and providence that the frame of nature is so disposed that second causes are so ordered and furnished as to produce Rain proceeds from or comes to pass by the Lord alone The Prophet spake this in a time of great drought Jer. 14.22 both in the negative and in the affirmative and he proposed two questions or the question twice intending the negative First Are there any among the Vanities of the Gentiles that can cause Rain By the vanities of the Gentiles we are to understand their Idol gods Idols are vanities or nothings and can they who are nothing do this great thing give Rain That 's the first question Can Idols cause Rain surely they cannot But will it not rain of course will not the Heavens one time or other yield Rain That 's the second Question Can the Heavens give showers No As Idols or false gods cannot give Rain so neither can the Heavens if forbidden give Rain they act not their power in their own power The Heavens cannot give Rain if God gives them a command to the contrary and the God of Nature can check and countermâ—nd the course of Nature both on earth and in the Heavens when he will Though those bottles the Clouds be never so pregnant and full of Rain yet he can stop them So then neither the Idols nor the Heavens can do it if God say No yea if he give not forth a word of command if he bids not the course of Nature proceed the Heavens over our heads will be Brass and the eaâ—th under us as Iron and therefore the Prophet in the latter part of the verse tells us expresly who is the Father of the Rain Art not thou he O Lord our God Therefore will we wait upon thee for thou hast made all these things As if he had said O Lord thou hast made them and therefore thou hast both the right and the power to dispose of them What can be said more clear and full for the confirmation of this poynt Many other Scriptures say the same thing Read Deut. 28.12 Psal 147.8 Jer. 5.24 Amos 4.7 So then though there are natural causes of Rain yet God is the first cause and it is at his pleasure that these natural causes either pâ—oduce their effects or are stayed from pâ—oducing them It Rains not by accident nor by any concatenation of second causes but according to the appoyntments and pleasure of the great God 'T is no small part of our duty to eye God in causing these common things and 't is a great piece of Atheism or a disowning of God to tye them up to natural causes Now If God be the Father of the Rain we may hence infer First That God is the Father of all Creatures and the supream cause of all effects in the creatures As a Father is the second or instrumental cause of his Sons Being so God is the supream efficient cause of all Beings and Entities Not only Animals and Rationals but the very inanimates and sensless creatures are of a Divine extraction God is the Fountain of their Being And if God be and must be acknowledged as the Father of all Creatures even of the Rain then Secondly God is much more the Father of Mankind The Apostle voucheth that to the superstitious Athenians as a Divine truth out of their own Authors Acts 17.28 As certain also of your own Poets have said for we are also his off spring we are sprung from him as Branches from the Root or as Streams from the Fountain Not that we are as the Streams with the Fountain or the Branches with the Rooâ— of the same Nature with him which to imagine were highest Blasphemy but we take or receive our Nature from him that is he hath made us to be what we are and in him that is in dependance upon him we live and move and have our Being Thirdly If God own himself as a Father to all things and to all men in a general way of Nature then much more doth he own himself a Father to all his people in a way of grace What the Apostle saith of his Title Saviour 1 Tim. 4.10 He is the Saviour of all men especially of those that believe so I may say of this Relation Fatâ—er God is the Father of all men but especially of those that believe The fatherhood which stands in gâ—ace is the highest and most excellent fatherhood which God beareth to any of his Creatures As to this â—he Apostle Jam. 1.18 saith Of his own will begat he us by the Word of Truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his Creatures that is as I conceive that believers they only are begotten with the word of truth considered with all other creatures to whom God is a Father in a common way should have the honour to be called the chief of his creatures The first fâ—uits were chief among the fruits of the earth The first born both of man and of beast were the Lords portion Exod. 13.1 therefore chief This honour have all the Saints the Birth-right is theirs and theirs is the Blessing They as all holy things are dedicated to God and graciously accepted with him as a chosen Generation as a peculiar people He who is Lord over all and Father of all both things and persons as they stand in the whole compass of Nature is eminently and with endeared affections a Father to all them who believe and are actually in a state of grace Fourthly If God be a Father to all creatures and to man more than to inferiour creatures and to true Beleevers more than to other men then as his fatherhood is extended so is his fatherly care God will not be wanting to any as a Father to whom he is upon any account a Father He takes care of the fruits of the earth and of the beast of the field and of all mankind he feeds them all and cloaths them all and protects them all but they who are a kind of first-fruits of his creatures and bears the image of his holiness or his Image in holiness have a special portion and proportion of his care over them and love to them and provision for them What can he deny to us as a Father who hath vouchsafed to be our father Hath the Rain a father Or who hath begotten the drops of Dew This latter part of the verse is of the same meaning with the former The word which we translate hath begotten Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Chal et de viro et de muliere dicitur et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 generavit in Hiphil de viro tantum Merc. is applyable to either Parent man or woman in a different Conjugation as Grammarians speak but in the Conjugation here used it is proper only to the man and therefore they who translate who hath conceived wrest this Text and depart from the Original sence of the word as here expressed in which the Metaphor of or the Allusion to a Father is still continued Who hath begotten The drops of dew The Lord doth not ask who hath begotten the Dew but the drops of Dew Drops are very small things yet the great God who made the mighty waters of the Sea makes also the small drops of Dew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Guttas tantum hic extat Sunt qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exponunt quasi fluctus quod in magna abundantia fluctuum more ros effundatur c. Merc. Ros est vaporis terrae propinqui noctúque resrigerati in aquam concretio Some derive the Original word which we render drops from a Root that signifies a flood as implying that though the Dew falleth in single drops yet being fallen there is much of it even a flood of it Others deriving the word from at least judging it hath near alliance with a word signifying a drinking Cup or a Vial render who hath begotten the Cups or Vials of Dew We heard of the Dew at the 19th verse of the 29th Chapter where Job to set forth the prosperity of his former condition said The Dew lay all night upon my branches Vapours drawn up from the earth in the day by the heat of the Sun are returned in Dew by the moderate coolness and stilness of the night The remote efficient cause of Dew is the heat of Heaven raising vapours from the earth The next efficient cause of Dew is the temperate coolness and quietness of the night for if the night be windy the Dew falls not and if the night be very cold the vapours are congealed and hardned into a frost 'T is only in temperate seasons that we find those dâ—ops of Dew hanging like so many Orient Pearls upon the grass leaves and Flowers at once adorning and refreshing them Vapores sereno tempore medium aeris regionem ascendentes resolvuntur frigore in guttas tenues Arist l. de mund c. 1. Plin. l. 2. c. 60. We may take notice of two things in the falling of the Dew First It falls very silently Secondly very abundantly No man hears the Dew fall nor can any number the drops of Dew which fall Hushai used both these allusions in that piece of loyal counsel which he gave for the defeating of the counsel of Achitophel 2 Sam. 11.12 where he advised Absalom te gather all Israel from Dan to Beersheba as the sand which is by the sea for multitude and so saith he we will light upon him as the Dew falleth upon the ground that is we will come so silently upon him and in such numbers even as the drops of Dew upon the ground that he shall not be able to avoyd us no more than he can avoyd the Dew which in one and the same instant falls upon the field or Country all over An Army comes with an intent to fall upon the enemy like a storm yet it may be said to come and fall upon him like a Dew both because it comes alwayes like a multitude and because it comes somtimes very silently to surprize him at unawares Who hath begotten the drops of Dew Hence Note as before of the Rain so here of the Dew God is the father of the Dew as well as of the Rain The Dew differs not much from the Rain both are of the same nature and they have the same Father and he will be own'd in the Dew as well as in the Rain The Prophet Haggai reproving the returned Jewes Chap. 1.10 for their neglect in not building the Lords House represents the Lord thus speaking to them Because of my house that is wast and ye run every man to his own house that is you eagerly and violently running is a violent exercise pursue your private ends and interests not minding nor promoting my honour and worship Therefore the Heaven over you is stayed from Dew and the earth is stayed from her fruit The want of Dew makes many wants If we want but the Dew of Heaven we shall quickly want the fruits of the Earth We usually take notice of the want of Rain but we seldome take notice of the want of Dew or pray for the falling of it nor do we give thanks for it as for Rain when we see it fallen and sweetly filling the bosome of the earth Yet the with-holding of Dew though Dew be a less mattâ—r than Rain is a greater Judgment than the with-holding of Rain for 't is a sign that the Judgment of drought is at the height or in the perfection of it when the Lord doth not only with hold the Rain which is the greater mercy but the Dew too which is the lesser O how dry must the earth be when it hath not only no plentiful showers of Rain but not so much as a drop of Dew And therefore when the Prophet Eliah would shew the extreamity of the Famine which was coming upon Israel he made that high protest 1 Kings 1.17 As the Lord God of Israel liveth before whom I stand there shall not be Dew nor Rain these years but according to my word Not only shall ye have no Rain but no Dew and when the Heaven is stayed from giving Rain or Dew the Earth must needs be stayed from yielding fruit or food And so great is the Lords care in disposing the Dew of Heaven that Solomon tells us Prov. 3.20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up and the Clouds drop down Dew As if he had said The Dew doth not steal down upon the earth without Gods knowledge not a drop of it destils upon the earth without his orders and privity And when 't is said By his knowledg the Clouds drop down Dew it hath this in it God knows what moysture is meet for the earth whether little or much Dew or Rain though I conceive we may take the word Dew in this Text of the Proverbs synechdochically for any or all the moysture that falls from Heaven as by the breaking up of the depths in the former part of the verse we are to understand all the moysture which riseth from and is conveighed up and down in the lesser or greater Channels of the eaâ—th The Lord doth so much know how useful and beneficial the Dew is to the Earth that it is said to drop down by his knowledge as if the Lord did exercise a very special knowledg about it The Clouds are Gods Vessels which being lockt up by him keep in their precious liquoâ— and being opened by him pour it down in Rain drop and destil it down in Dew whereof Solomon in the place last cited
God is here compared to a Mother for the same reason for which he was before compared to a Father We are to note saith Aquinas upon this place that Cold is the cause of Ice which is a feminine or womanish quality but the cause of rain and dew is heat which is a masculine or manly quality And therefore the Lord speaking of the generation of rain and dew useth the word Father and about the generation of Ice and Frost he useth a word most proper to the Mother Out of whose womb came the Ice The word rendred womb signifies the whole belly yea the whole body Thus Psal 132.11 Of the fruit of thy body c. The Hebrew is belly so the word is used Gen. 15.4 2 Chron. 22.21 but according to our Translation it strictly relates to the Mother as if God would take upon him both sexes and be as the Father of the rain and dew so the Mother of the Ice and Frost The Ancients insist much upon this setting forth the glory of God in the former verse as a Father and here as a Mother out of whose womb the Ice comes and they tell us of some who never had Scripture light Clemens Alexandrinus l. 5. Strom. Docet Deum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab Orpheo vocatum that yet did speak of God according to this Notion calling him Mother-Father They looked to God and honoured him as having not onely the power of a Father but the care of a Mother conceiving nourishing nursing and educating the Creature as a Mother doth her children and therefore called God Mother-Father and so much this change of the word in the Text doth imply Out of whose womb Came the Ice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gelu Radix evulsit pilos quia gelu terram gramine arbâ—res plantasquefolits dejectis quasi glabrat Yet this manner of speaking signifies no more than this that Ice and Frost are caused and brought forth by the power of God The word rendred Ice comes from a root which signifies to make bald or to pull off the hair because when Frost and Ice come they quickly pull off the leaves from the trees and the flowers from the hearbs they mâ—ke all bare-headed and so Ice hath its denomination from that effect Out of whose womb came the Ice And the hoary frâ—st of heaven who hath gendred it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Texit operuit The word rendred hoary frost signifies to cover over because the â—oary frost covers all over The trees and hearbs all things above ground aâ—e covered with the hoary frost therefore it hath its name from covering and here the Lord calls it The hoary Frost Of Heaven Because the cold which makes the hoary Frost comes from the Air which is oâ—ten in Scripture called Heaven Hence Note The Lord will be acknowledged as the Author of Ice and Frost They are the effects of his power and declaration of his glory and therefore the Lord calls such-like meteors to praise him Psal 148.8 as evidences or pâ—â—ofs of his power and wonderous works Psal 147.16 17. He scattereth his hoar Frost like ashes he casteth forth his Ice like morsels who can stand before his cold The Lord takes the Ice and Frost and Cold to be his it is not onely his Sun but his Ice and his Frost he scatters his hoar Frost like ashes The Frost is compared to ashes in a threefold respect first Because the hoar Fâ—ost gives a little interruption to the fight Iâ— you scatter ashes into the Air it darkens the light so doth the hoaâ—y Frost Secondly hoary Frost is like ashes because near in colour to ashes Thirdly 'T is like ashes because there is a kind of burning in it Fâ—ost burns the tender buds and blossoms Vnde pruinae nomen è perurendo quod fruges perurit vocant Carbunculationem iâ— nips them and dries them up The hoary Frost hath its denomination in the Latine Tongue from burning it diffeâ—s but a very little from that word which is commonly used in Latine for a coal of fire The cold Frost hath a kind of scotching in it as well as the hot Sun Unseasonable Frosts in the Spring scorch the tender fruits which bad effect of Frost is usually exprest by Carbunculation or blasting Frost is sometimes a great benefit and sometimes a great scourge when it comes opportunely and in season 't is a great benefit but if it comes in the spring of the year if it comes when the youth of the spring buds and blossomes are put forth it proves very detrimental and kills that hopeful spring of the Earth which the warmth of a benigne Sun and wind had invited out The Frost of a few nights hath spoiled the hopes of Husbandmen and Vine-dressers for the whole year Frost is both a benefit and a scourge whether it proves the one or the other it is God who gendreth it and must therefore be acknowledged in it As in this 29th verse Goâ— declares himself the Author of the Frost and of the Ice and in opening it somewhat hath been said of their effects so in the next verse one remarkable and very forcible effect of the Frost is held forth that we may learn and 't is no more than our exâ—erience and eye-sâ—ght have often taught us what Cold or Frost can do Why what can it do It can tuâ—n water into stones Such is the power of Cold that it hardens the liquid water like a stone Ice in its very first appearance hath the resemblâ—nce of a stone and being very thick as in long Frosts 't is like a rock like a mountain of stone Thus tâ—e Text speaks Vers 30. The waters are hid as with a stone That is when extream cold freezes the waters into Ice the waters are not seen they are loâ—kt up and as it were paved over with a stone or the waters seem to suffer a strange metamorphosis and leaving their natural liquidiâ—y and softness are condensed or hardened into râ—cks such is the force of cold Some express it actively not as we The waters are hid but the waters hide themselves like a stone Thus Mr. Broughton expresseth it Naturalists tell us that in some cold Countries Nives in Chrystallum durantur Plin. l. 37. c. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Aqua frigore conâ—reta where there are great falls of snow and rain the snow and rain grow into such a hardness that you cannot reduce them into waâ—er Chrystal say they is nothing but water hardened by câ—ld And thus water is more than hid as with a stone for it becomes a stone Hence Note The Lord can make wonderful changes in Nature What is more fluid than water more moveable than water it was of old grown into a divine Proverb Gen. 49.4 Vnstable as water yet this unstable body can the Lord change into a stone and make it hard as a rock Histories are full of strange reports concerning the effects
of cold There have been such Frosts and Freezings that great waters mighty rivers yea some parts of the Sea have been turned into a stone Houses have been built upon these congealed waters and Battels have been fought upon them Strabo l. 2. The Army of King Mithridates overcame the enemy in a pitcht Battel upon the Ice And 't is fresh in memory how the late King of Sweden a few years since passed his Army over an arm of the Sea Danubius ripas golu jungit duratusque glacie ingentia tergo bella transportat Plin. in Panegyr in his wat with Denmark So fierce and violent is the cold in some parts of Muscovia that a mans spittle is frozen say some in its passage from his lips to the ground much more may it be so with cold water sprinkled in the Air. Now as the power of God is great in hardning that which is soft Concrescunt subitae currenti in flumine crustae Vndaque jam tergo ferratos sustinet orbes puppibus illa prius patulis nunc hospita plaustris Virg. l. 3. Georg. so in softning that which is hard He that turns water into a stone can turn stones into water So the Psalmist expresseth the miracle of bringing water out of the rock for Israel in the wilderness Psal 114.7 8. Tremble thou Earth at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Jacob which turned the rock into a standing water the flint into a fountain of waters This is a glorious work the turning of a visible rock into water but the work of God is more glorious in softning a hard heart or in turning the rocky heart of an impenitent sinner or the invisible rock of an impenitent sinners heart into the waters of godly sorrow working repentance not to be repented of We should much more magnifie the power of God when we see hearts of stone melted and dissolved into those spiritual waters than when though that be a mighty work of God we see the natural waters turned into or as the Text gives it hid as with a stone or when we see as it followeth in the Text that The face of the deep is frozen That is the uppermost part of the deep is frozen and I conceive the Lord puts this in the face of the deep to shew that the cold hath not only power in the shallow standing waters but in that which is deep and deep to amazement so deep that it is called The Deep as if all other waters were but shallows compared with that So then not ponds only and rivers and shallow waters but the face of the deep where one would think the Frost could have no power is frozen The Hebrew is The face of the deep is taken The word notes taking as a Captive or Prisoner is taken Quasi ligata captivata esset The Lord takes the face of the deep Capâ—ive and holds it as his Prisoner during pleasure They who inhabit or travel to the Northern Climes have so mâ—â—h experience that the face of the deep is frozen that I need not further insist upon any proof of it nor shall I further treat of these effects of Cold Frost and Ice as considered in a natural way Onely for the close of all and a little improvement of them in a moral or spiritual way we may consider them in a twofold resemblance First Ice and Frost resemble all humane things The things of this world are they not like a Sea of Ice that is First Very slippery Secondly Very Uncertain how long they will last or continue Some conceive that the Sea of glasse like unto Chrystal which was represented unto St John in Vision Rev. 4.6 15.2 signified the state of the world which is like a Sea because of the tumultuousness of it and like a Sea of glasse because of the brittleness of it and a Sea of glasse like Chrystal because of the clearness and transparency of it to God he sees quite thorow it to him all things are naked and manifest Such a thing is the world 't is a frozen Sea especially for the slipperiness and uncertainty of it For though the Sea be turned into a stone yet no man knows how soon a Thaw may dissolve it back again into water The things of this world suffer sudden changes Though men have worldly estates like to mountains of stone or rocks yet the Lord can make these mountains these rocks melt at and flow down at his presence Isa 64.2 The greatest mountains of worldly power and riches which seem to be as hard as rocks as compact as mountains of Adamant are yet but like mountains of Ice before the Lord if he let forth but a little heat of his anger and displeasure against them they melt like wax before the fire or like a heap of snow before the Sun and slow down presently like water Should we see men building upon the Ice as some have done in a proper sense we would presently say they build upon a very unsure foundation They who build their hopes upon any person or thing in this world are no wiser and do no better than they who build upon the Ice All things here below are uncertain they may yea they must soon melt and pass away from us or we from them Secondly Ice and Frost the cold season of which the Text speaketh resembles a state of affliction and adversity that 's Ice that 's Frost As warm Sun-shine resembles a state of prosperity so Cold and Frost a state of adversity and so it doth in a four-fold respect Fiâ—st Because Frost or Cold is unpleasant and pinching to the body eâ—pâ—cially to weak and tender bodies No chastening saith tâ—â— Apostle Heb. 12.11 for the present seemeth to sense and slâ—â—â— to be joyous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but grievâ—us or as the Greek strictly seemeth to be of joy but grief Secondly Ice and Frost continue not they are but for a season a â—naw will come The afflâ—cted state of a godly man is unpleasing yet not lasting to be sure not everlasting Though some Fâ—oâ—ts hold longer than others yet none hold alwayes Summer will come and usually where winter is fiercest Summer Heyl. Geog. for a recompence is pleasantest Oâ— Modern Geographer having described the sharpness of Winter in Muscovia concludes thus Sâ—ch is their Winter neither is their Summer less miraculous For the huge Seas of Ice which in a manner covered the whole surface of the Country are at first approach of the Sun suddenly d ssolved the waters quickly dried up and the Earth dressed in her Holy-day Apparel such a mature growth of fruits such flâ—urishâ—ng of he bs such chirping â—f birds aâ— if it were a peâ—petual spring And that the Church of God after a sad and cold winter of affl ction is relieved by a sweet and comfortable manner of proâ—perity is set forth in the highest stâ—ains and most beautiful slowres of divine Rhetorick
goodness who hath ordained both those causes and their products or effects for the benefit and comfort yea for the contentment and delight of man What is man that God should be thus mindful of him that for his sake and use or for the sweetning of his passage through the Wilderness of this troublesome world he should impregnate the earth by the sweet influences of heaven It hath been said Let him look to the Stars of heaven who denies the God of heaven and doubtless he will not only not deny but not so much as doubt that there is a God in heaven who duely considers the pure nature and the irresistible operations of the Stars of heaven Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades Or loose the bands of Oâ—ion We can neither bind what God lets loose Tune coeli naturae ordinem immutabis ut quod Astrum Pleiadum sol vit constringas aut quod Orion constringit solvas Merc. nor loosen what God binds What Christ affirmed of himself in regard of spirituals Rev. 3.7 These things saith he that hath the key of David that openeth and no man shutteth that shutteth and no man openeth the same is true also in regard of naturals and therefore the Lord had no sooner said to Job Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades but he adds or loose the bands of Orion There are several opinions concerning these two Constellations of heaven yet all agree in this that one of them is a benigne Constellation and very comfortable to the fruits of the earth and that the other is as sharp and churlish that the one is very friendly and favourable to all living creatures but that the other is a bitter and as it were a killing Constellation and therefore the Lord saith Canst thou loose the bands of Oâ—ion When once Orion hath and holds the earth as it were in bands and chains when Orion hath got the earth in his clutches and huggs it in appearance to death in his cold armes who can rescue it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est inconstantem varium esse quasi signum quod inconstantiam perturbationem aeris efficiat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aut attrahentia Orionis aperies Drus Aut Lora Orionis dissolves Jun. Vox Hebraea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 traxit Funes ejus sunt operationes quibus tempestates velut furibus attrabit frigore constringit terram Scult Sidus hoc oritur in principio hiemis terram tanquam loris constringit Pisc Nimbosus Orion Virg. The Pleiades open the earth and set all free they call up the quickening moisture and draw out the verdure of every growing thing But Orion holds all in bands Orion is a hard natured Constellation the Oâ—iginal word signifies to be unconstant vexatious and unquiet because under the Dominion of this Star the aire is usually troublesome and unquiet Canst thou loose c. The word imports opening what is fast shut or loosing what is fast bound When a man is in bands we say loose him from his bands Now saith the Lord Canst thou loose the bands of Orion that is canst free the aire from those colds and frosts which bind the body of the earth and all things growing out of the earth in winter season The word rendred bands comes from a root that signifies to draw hence some translate The Traces of Orion Traces are those bands by which Horses being fastned to Carts or Wagons draw them after them Which expression alludes to that natural power planted in this Star by which according to Gods appointment it draws rain storms and cold freezing winds after it and so binds up the pores of the earth Now saith the Lord to Job canst thou with all thy skill aâ—d strength loose those bands and set the earth at liberty Thou canst not Oâ— this Orion see more at the 9th Chapter ver 9. I shall only say thus much further here That these words stand in direct opposition to the former shewing that as Job could not stop those Benigne Stars the Pleiades from giving forth their vertues to the earth so he could not loose the bands of that severe and harsh Star nor divert the effects which it brings upon the earth Canst thou loose the bands of Orion Hence learn first in general Cold is a binder a great and mighty binder Winter binds the earth from bearing and it binds the hands of men from working when a man is extream cold he can make little use of his hands And as Natural so Spiritual cold is a great binder A cold heart is a bound heart When the heart hath in it no heat of love to God or hath not been heated with a sence of the love of God when the heart hath in it no heat of zeal for the glory of God nor for the good of men when these sad colds are upon the heart 't is bound indeed He that hath this cold upon him can say but little to God and will say and do less for God He is bound not only hand and foot but tongue also Take heed of cold upon your hearts it will hinder you from holy activity bind you up from duty both towards God and man He that is only luke-warm will do God little service can do none that is pleasing and acceptable unto God but he that is key-cold as we say neither will nor can do any thing at all that may be called Service The Apostle Paul Acts 20.22 was bound in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem which was a great service for Christ that is The heat of true affection which the instinct of the holy Spirit caused in him engaged him beyond all power of revocation to undertake that hazardous journey But when any are bound in spirit by the coldness of their affections to Christ they always prove hand-bound and foot-bound I may say without affectation according to the use of that word in our language hide-bound also as to any thing that is good especially if it be as it was in the Apostles case now mentioned either dangerous or costly And when a soul is in those bands of the Mystical Orion the evil spirit surely none but God can loose them seeing none but he can loose these in the Text. Canst thou loose the bands of Orion the Winter-bands Hence note Secondly It is not in the power of man to loose what God binds The Lord put the question to Job about his works that he might see his own weakness and utter inability to undo his providential workings When God had Job in bonds it was not in his power to loose his bonds by his strength and striving The providences of God were to him as Orion to the earth cold and sharp causing the frost of adversity to bind him so strongly that he could by no means loose himself Christ saith to his Disciples about Church-censures rightly laid and Church-approbation
duly given Mat. 18.18 Whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Where man binds in Gods way God binds too and where man looses in Gods way God looses too but take it either in natural or spiritual things it is not in the power of man to bind where God looseth nor to loose where God bindeth Canst thou loose the bands of Orion If God appoint cold to bind the earth man cannot loose it and if God will bind man with the cords and cold iron of any affliction man cannot free himself In the hottest natural season of the year man may be in cold providential bands and under them he must abide till the Lord breaks the frost and set him free It is said of Joseph Psal 105.17 18 19. He was sold for a servant his feet were hurt with fetters he was laid in iron or as the Margin reads it His soul came into iron But how came he out did he himself loose the bands of that Orion who cast him into prison surely no the Text tells us otherwise he lay fast enough in bands until ver 19. the word of the Lord came the word of the Lord tryed him But what was this Word of the Lord some say it was the word of God to Pharoah in a dream concerning the seven years of plenty and famine which may be said to try Joseph none but he could interpret it that may be said to unloose his bands because it was the occasion of his deliverance and advancement But I rather conceive the word that came was the word of Gods decree and promise made to Joseph in a dream for his advancement above all his brethren Gen. 37.6 7 8. When once the time came that this Word of God must come to be fulfilled then the bands of Orion were loosed for then saith the Psalmist ver 20. The King sent and loosed him even the Ruler of the people and let him go free And as it was with Joseph so with Job and so will ever be If the cold winter blasts of any adversity bind up our comforts either in our callings or relations there is no unloosing them unâ—il the word of the Lord come Solomon giveth this counsel Eccles 7.13 14. Consider the work of God that is his working in the world The reason of this counsel follows For who can make that strait which he hath made crooked Solomon intends this specially of the dealings of God in the world not that there is any crookedness or unrighteousness any iniquity or injustice in the ways of God but he means by crooked that which is troublesom and grievous Now if God himself make a thing crooked till he himself make it strait it is not in the power of all the men in the world to do it The moral sense of that Text is the very same with the point in hand If God bind who can loose There is no striving no contending with the providences of God we must deal with and apply to God himself for the altering of them we cannot alter them our selves we must desire him to mend his work we cannot This Solomon plainly intimates in the next or 14. verse In the day of prosperity be joyful but in the day of adversity consider in a time of adversity things grow crooked and awry from what we would have and desire or from what is comfortable to us for God hath set the one over against the other to the end that man should find nothing after him Sometimes he makes things crooked sometimes strait sometimes he gives a day of prosperity sometimes of adversity that no man may be able to say directly what shall be next And seeing there is no loosing the bands of Orion till God himself loose them therefore let all who are companions in tribulation say one to another as they in a like case are represented Hosea 6.1 Come and let us return unto the Lord for he hath wounded and he will heal he hath torn and he will bind us up Oâ— as this Text speaks He hath bound us and he will loâ—sen us Thirdly From both the paâ—ts of the verse considered together these negatives upon man must be resolved into affirmatives as to God He can bind the sweet influences of Pleiades he can loose the bands of Oâ—ion Whence note God can both stop the ordinary course of our comforts and deliver us from our troubles when he pleaseth God can stop those things from comforting us and those persons from shewing us any favour whose dispositions are as benigne to us as Pleiades are to the earth and he can give us favour in their eyes who naturally are as churlish as Nabal and as sharp as Orion to the earth He can make a Wolf a Shepherd and those a safety to his servants whose hearts were to swallow them up The earth shall help the woman that is the worst of the world the Church God made Ravens feed Eliah 1 Kings 17.4 And he said of Cyrus whom he calls a ravenous Bird Isa 46.11 He is my Shepherd Isa 44.28 Thus the Lord looseth the bands of Orion And when he hardens their hearts against us who formerly were tender towards us or when he turns their hearts to hate us who formerly loved us and shewed us favour then the Lord may be said to bind the sweet influences of Pleiades What sweet influences of favour did the people of Israel receive from Pharoah and the Egyptians at their first coming thither and long after yet afterwards what grievous Task-masters were they to them their favours were all restrained and changed into yokes and bands whence was this The Psalmist answers fully Psal 105.25 He that is God turned their heart that is the heart of the Egyptians to hate his people to deal subtilly with his servants and cruelly too Thus the Power and Name of God is both wayes magnified Whenas we have the most benigne Pleiades dropping down sweet influences upon us God can stop them and when we have the hardest bands of Orion upon us the Lord is able to loose them This glory is due to God in all the changes which we meet with in this world whether from good to bad from the favours to the frowns of men or from bad to good from their frowns to their favours from their bands to their embraces all is of God And I conceive the scope of God in these questions was chiefly to bring Job to that conclusion The next verse bears the same sense Vers 32. Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season or canst thou guide Arcturus and his Sons This also is a denying Question Canst thou thou canst not bring forth Mazzaroth in his season The word rendred to bring forth is applyed First to the birth or bringing forth of children Gen. 15.4 Secondly to the earths bringing forth flowers fruits Judg. 13.14 Thirdly to the rising of the Sun or
the Stars have a great power upon the bodies of men as well as upon Plants and all sorts of Vegetables subordinately to the power and appointment of God who ruleth all things and persons according to the pleasure and uncontroulable soveraignty of his own will Again Naturalists tell us and many are not far from believing them that the Planets have great power over minerals and metals They say Gold is under the dominion of the Sun Silver of the Moon Iron of Mars Lead of Saturn and that Tin and Coppar are under the dominion of that Planet by them called Jupiter Now whether or no God hath set these metals under the peculiar dominion of these stars I will not dispute not will I deny that there may be a natural sympathy and congeniality between them nor that their influences may be very operative and effectual towards their geneâ—ation production and full concoction in the bowels of the earth Only let us take heed that we be not found giving that to the Heavens which God hath not given them Remember the dominion here intended of the heavens over the earth is a ministerial not a supream dominion 't is not I dare say any such dominion as those Astrologers cry up who would perswade or make us believe First That the dispositions and manners of all men are under the dominion of the Planets and Stars Secondly That the very way and course of every mans life is ordered by the dominion of Stars and Planets Thirdly That all the successes and events good or bad of mens actions and undertakings depend upon the Stars and Planets Fourthly which some have adventured to affirm That the rise and fall of great persons and families together with the growths and declinings of whole Kingdoms and Common-wealths are under the dominion of the Stars Fifthly That the flourishings and decayings of Arts and Sciences depend upon them Yea Sixthly That the stars operate much towards the planting and progress towards the rooting up or going back of Religion But this Scripture intends not any such dominion of heaven over the earth Moses hath told us long since what this dominion is Gen. 1.14 And God said let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and for years The ordinary lights or stars of heaven are always for ordinary signes and seasons and sometimes there are extraordinary lights seen in heaven or the ordinary are seen appearing in an extraordinary manner to signifie that God is about to do extraordinary things or to bring forth extraordinary times and seasons So then they who say the heavenly bodies have no power or produce no effects upon the earth or earthly bodies oppose not only the testimony of sense and daily experience but this and other express testimonies of Scripture And as for those who ascribe all those things before mentioned or any one of them absolutely to the dominion of the heavenly bodies or luminaries they put them in the place of God himself and overthrow the common foundations of Religion which teacheth us to depend wholly upon God for all things which teacheth us also to trust in him alone and to look upon his favour not the favourable looks or aspects of the Stars as the fountain of all our good as also to fear him and his displeasure alone not the displeased looks of the Stars as the fountain of all penal evils Therefore let us in these things speak and think according to sobriety All that I shall add for the conclusion of this Point is First Let us be warned and awakened by the signes of Heaven but let us not be dismayed at them let us leave that to the Heathen who know not God Jer. 10.2 or rather let us pray that the Heathen may no longer be left under that blindness and bondage Secondly If any would know what shall come to pass or would acquaint themselves with future events whether with respect to persons or Nations let them not go to nor consult Star-gazers but the holy Scriptures the Word of God for he hath given us a written word wherein as in a glass we may see First What God would have us to do and how to order the whole course of our lives Secondly What good what blessings what successes we are like to have or may expect through his free favour to us in Christ we walking humbly holily believingly before him Thirdly What evils what crosses what curses what miseries what mischances as we speak we are subject to and may fear if we walk proudly impenitently frowardly in the way of our own hearts We need not go to the Stars if we would know what is like to befal us in this life let us consult the Promises and they will tell us what good we shall receive if we believe and obey let us go to the threatnings and they will tell us what evils will be our portion if we are unbelieving and disobedient Let us fear God not the Stars let our hope be in God not in the Stars If we are evil and do evil the most auspicious conjunctions benigne and promising appearances of the Stars in our nativity will never produce us any true good and if we are good and do good their most inauspitious harsh and threatning appearances shall do us no hurt It needs not trouble us under what Star we were born if we are new born One being told that the Stars in power or which had the dominion in his birth bare him no good will answered I care not for that I have had a second birth Do not my words saith the Lord Mic. 2.7 do good to him that walketh uprightly doubtless they do and so they will let the Stars do their worst Let us sit down quietly in this assurance That whatsoever rule or dominion Heaven hath in the earth the dominion of God is over and over-ruleth the Heavens JOB Chap. 38. Vers 34 35 36 37 38. 34. Canst thou list up thy voice to the clouds that abundance of waters may cover thee 35. Canst thou send lightnings that they may go and say unto thee Here we are 36. Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts or who hath given understanding to the heart 37. Who can number the clouds in wisdom or who can stay the bottles of heaven 38. When the dust groweth into hardness and the clods cleave fast together IN the context of these five Verses return is made to the Meteors of Heaven The Lord having questioned Job about the Stars those pure heavenly bodies the Pleiades Orion Mazzaroth and Arcturus with his Sons here puts the question afresh about the aireal bodies or the natural works of God in the Air. The first question concerns the Clouds and the effects or births of them the waters Vers 34. Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds That is canst thou do it effectually Canst thou speak so loudly that
the clouds above may hear thee and so powerfully that they will obey thee Any man the meanest man may lift up his voice toward the clouds but no man no not the mightiest man can lift up his voice to the clouds and be heard that is be obeyed by them Thou canst not command the clouds Though a man speak and speak aloud though he lift up his voice as God bid the Prophet to his people like a Trumpet to the clouds yet the clouds will be deaf at his voice as deaf as sinners commonly are at the voice of a Prophet though lifted up like a Trumpet The voice here intended is an effectual voice such a voice to the clouds is proper and peculiar to God alone Numquid descendet ad te pluvia imperio â—uâ— Vatabl. whose power and Empire is so great and large that he can stretch forth his voice to the clouds far and near all the air over and cause them both to appear at his call and presently to empty themselves and pour out their waters according to his direction upon any coast or quarter of the earth The text is singular Canst thou lift up thy voice to the cloud canst thou lift up thy voice to any one of them as it were by name We render it plurally Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds to any one or to all of them That as it followeth abundance of waters may cover thee As if the Lord had said If I lift up my voice to the clouds they presently dissolve and melt and abundance of waters flow down to cover man and beast to cover the fields the corn the grass nor is it any marvel if the clouds those thin and upon the matter liquid bodies melt and slow down at the voice of God whenâ—s at his voice the mountains flow down and the rocks themselves even the hardest rocks are melted into waters or give forth abundance of water Num. 20.8 Eliphaz said to Job at the 22. Chap. of this book and the 11. Vers Abundance of waters cover thee The words are the same there and here but the sence is very different Eliphâ—z meant it there of metaphorical waters the waters of affliction with which God covered yea almost over-whelmed and drowned Job But the Lord speaks here of natural waters Job could not call to the clouds and get abundance of those waters to cover him nor was he able in a way of command to get one drop of water from the clouds The words are plain and the scope of them obvious even to convince Job yet further of his inability and frailty or that he ought to leave God to the government of the world to the government of Persons Families and Nations for as much as himself was not able to govern a cloud nor to order out the least shower of rain Hence Note Man hath no absolute or soveraign power over any creature Clouds will not be commanded cannot be commanded by the greatest and mightiest of the sons of men Job was a great Prince himself yet he could not neither can the greatest Princes of the world command a shower nor a drop of rain to fall from the heavens Man cannot command the clouds to rain either when he will or where he will or how much he will these powers belong to God alone Yet in one sen e man may lift up his voice to the clouds and abundance of waters will cover him There is a twofold voice of man Fiâ—st A commanding voice And secondly A praying voice Let man lift up his commanding voice to the clouds as long as he will he shall get down no rain but if man by faith lift up his praying voice to the clouds that is to God in whose hand the clouds are he may get rain yea abundance of waters to cover him Zach. 10.1 A k ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain so the Lord shall make bright clouds and give them showers of rain to every one grass in the field At the voice of man humbly praying the Lord makes bright clouds or as our Margin hath it lâ—ghtenings which fore-run black clouds to those God gives showers of rain and those showers of rain give every one grass that is they cause all sorts of Vegetables to spring and flourish in the fieldâ— both for man and beast This was one of the cases which Solomon put in his prayer at the dedication of the Temple for the Lords answering of prayer 1 Kings 8.35 When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against thee if they pray towards this place and confess thy name and turn from their sins when thou afflictest them then hear thou in heaven and forgive the sin of thy servants c. and give rain upon thy land When the clouds are lockt up when they are as brass over our heads prayer moves the Lord to open them or to melt them down into showers for the refreshing and fructifying of the earth The Apostle James Chap. 5.17 18. tells us that â—lias covered the earth with abundance of rain by lifting up his voice in prayer Elias saith he was a man subject to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months And he prayed again and the heavens gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruit The holy history makes the same report 1 Kings 18 45. And it came to pass in the mean while that the heaven was black with clouds and wind and there was a great rain c. If we would have rain we must ask for it and lift up a praying voice to God who commands the clouds it is a vain thing for us to lift up a voice to the clouds in our own name to command them to give us rain in the season of it And as this is true of the clouds and rain so of all creatures Their powers and vertues their efficacies and influences are not at our command but if we look up to God and wait upon him in prayer he can command them all to give out their vertues both to serve our necessities and accommodate our delights Now as in this question God shews Job his insufficiency to command water so in the next to command fire from the clouds Vers 35. Canst thou send lightnings that they may go and say unto thee here we are What lightning is hath been shewed once or twice already in this and the former Chapter and therefore I shall not stay here in any discourse either about the nature or the wonderful effects of lightning But the Lords manner of speaking and his purpose in speaking here about the lightning is very considerable and calls for further discourse Canst thou send lightnings that they may go c. As if the Lord had said If thou canst not prevail with the clouds to send rain canst thou prevail
with them to send lightning hast thou the command of thunder and lightning will the lightnings come forth at thy bidding The words may have a double allusion 1. To the General of an Army commanding his Souldiers and they going at his word 2. To the Master of a Family who gives orders to his Se vants and they go at his word Canst thou send lightnings that they may go And say unto thee here we are or as the Hebrew is Behold us That manner of speech here we are or behold us is a description of the most ready obedience either of Souldiers to their General or of Servants to their Master Will the lightnings obey thee thus and say here we are Some expound these words as supposed to be spoken by the lightnings upon their return from some former service given them in charge by God as having dispatcht what they were sent for and were ready to go again Hence the Latine translator gives it thus Vt reverentia tibi dicent adsumus Vulg. That they being returned or after their return should say unto thee with reverence here we are 1. Ready to go whithersoever thou wilt send us 2. Ready to do whatsoever thou wilt enjoyn us As if the Lord had said Canst thou send forth the lightnings and will they return to thee and say we have done thy commands and here we are again to receive fresh commands or new orders from thee Surely as the rain will not thus obey thee so neither will the lightnings neither the one nor the other will be thy servants to go of thy errand or execute thy will The same note which I gave before concerning the rain might be taken up here again concerning the lightnings They are not under the command of man c. Secondly for as much as the Lord here denies this priviledge both respecting the rain and lightning unto man he would have us understand and know that both are in himself though you cannot yet I can command them both are under my dominion While the Lord shews Job his impotency to command these meteors he asserts his own omnipotency as he hath made them so he can rule them Hence observe All treatures even those which seem to be most out of command are fully under the command of God What to appearance is more out of command than the lightning that quick that piercing that fierce and fiery creature yet that stirs no more than a stone till the Lord commands and at his command it stirs and is gone in a moment The Lord God hath spoken saith the Prophet Amos 3.8 who can but prophesie And as a faithful Prophet cannot but prophecy so the not only faithless but senseless creatures cannot but do what God hath spoken That of the Psalmist Psal 104.4 which we read who maketh his Angels spirits his Ministers a flaming fire some render thus who maketh the winds his messengers and the flames of fire his ministers That is he useth tempestuous winds and flames of fire as his messengers and ministers The same Hebrew word that signifieth an Angel signifieth a Messenger at large and the same word that signifieth a Spirit signifieth also the Wind. And as the words so the truth will bear both translations or constructions for as those higher or highest of rational creatures the Angels so those high inanimate creatures the winds and lightnings which may properly be called flames of fire are the Ministers and messengers of God that is they go forth and Minister according to his Word they say Here we are The Lord by a call or word speaking can have whom and what he will to serve his purpose and fulfil his decrees It is said 2 King 8.1 as also Psal 105.16 The Lord called for a famine a famine of bread and he no sooner called but the famine came and said Here am I the famine presently brake the staff of bread and did eat up all the good of the Land The Prophet Haggai Chap. 1.11 represents the Lord saying I called for a drought which is the usual fore-runner of famine and the drought said Here am I it came presently as soon as the Lord commanded On the other hand when the Lord made many promises under the new Covenant among other things he said I will call for plenty Ezek. 36.29 I will call for the corn and will increase it and lay no famine upon you As in those other places he called for famine and drought so here he saith I will call for plenty and it shall say Here am I abundance of corn and grass and fruits of the earth came at that call Lamenting Jeremiah speaking of the woful captivity of the people of Israel saith Lam. 1.15 The Lord called an assembly against me that is I conceive an assembly of the Assyrians and Babylonians an assembly of men an army of men he caused them to assemble and come together he did but call and they said Here we are and we will go vex Judah and Jerusalem Thus if the Lord call for famine and drought if he call for an assembly of men for men assembled with the sword of war in their hand to punish and chastise any people for their sin they will surely come and do his pleasure whatever the Lord calls for cannot but come Take this inference from it If the Lord have such a command upon all creatures even the inanimate creatures if the lightnings answer him when he calls Here we are Then how readily should men the best of visible creatures answer his call and say Here we are When the Lord said to Abraham Gen. 12.1 Get thee out of thy Country and from thy Kindred and from thy Fathers house unto a Land that I shall shew thee he never disputed the case but saith the Apostle Heb. 11.8 Obeyed and went out not knowing whither he went He never enquired what the place was to which he was to go nor what accommodations he should find when he came thither Abraham knew he was to go whither God called him to go though whither he was to go he knew not And when long after this the Lord called to Abraham Gen. 22.1 he said Behold here I am or Behold me as if he had said Lord I am here ready to obey thy command to go of thy errand to carry whatever message thou shalt put into my mouth to do whatever work thou shalt put into my hand and that Abraham did not complement with God it appears in the same Chapter for though when God commanded him to offer up his Son his only Son Isaac whom he loved every word was enough to wound his heart the last deepest to part with a Son is hard with an only Son harder with a son dearly beloved is hardest of all especially when he must be not only passive but active in this loss his own hand must give the parting blow yet Abraham being called to this hard and hot service said Here am I and readily
done with it even before him who hath put all their wisdome into them Who hath put wisdom into the inward parts Or who hath given understanding to the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ppâ—llatio est cordis vel mentis à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est prospicere unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 picturae quae prospiciuntur dictae metaphortcè picturae seu prospectus cordis i. e imaginationes seu species reriâ— quae veâ—uti in corde pinguntur vel à delineatione conceptuum animi Merc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thargum interpretatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cordi à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est prospicereâ— sic vocatur cor quia speculatur considerat omnia Drus Quisdedit gallo intelligentiam Vulg. This latter part of the Verse is of the same sence with the former only it is doubled to shew the certainty of the thing understanding in the heart is the same with wisdom in the inward parts Yet here is a word in the Original used for the heart different from what is commonly used and so occasions a difference among Interpreters and Translaters Grammarians derive it from a word that signifieth to look or behold to see and and foresee and the Noune signifieth a picture because pictures are pieces of art which draw all mens eyes to behold and look upon them and the heart is therefore exprest by this word because it forms and as it were by its imaginative faculty draws the picture of all things in it self or because in the heart or mind of man the forms of all things are represented Mans imagination delineates and shapes a thousand varieties within it self or man hath the picture and prospect of all matters in his heart and therefore the same word signifies the heart and a picture drawn and delineated to the life That 's the force of the word which here we render heart The Latine translation renders at a great distance from us yet the letter of the Text may bear that reading also Who hath given understanding to the Cock Interpreters following this translation conceive that here the Lord begins to question Job about irrational living creatures Having said who hath put wisdom into the inward parts to wit of man he now adds who hath given understanding to the Cock The same word that signifieth the heart signifies also a Cock as the heart foreseeth and looketh upon things afar off so the Cock foreseeth the rising of the Sun and the break of day and therefore hath his name from his fore-sight They who follow this Translation speak many things of the wonderful fore-sight of the Cock and surely God hath placed a natural wisdom in that creature constantly to understand the hours of the night A Cock is a natural clock to any family he hath his first and second and third crowings Talmundici in Judaicis precationibus dicunt at docent cum gallus canit dicendum esse Laudetur qui gallo dat intelligentiam Gallus enim haud dubio non aliunde quam à Deo didicit noctis momenta disâ—ernere proclivius tamen estut pro corde exponamus Merc. Plin l. 10 c. 21. Cantavit Galluâ— non ut tempora distingueret sed ut petrus paenitereâ— Ambros and having a kind of natural instinct concerning the course and return of the Sun he claps his wings and crows as rejoycing at his coming and willing to awaken all to entertain him and prepare themselves for labour study and business at his approach But I shall not stay upon this And the general stream of interpreters keeps in the former channel expounding this latter part of the Verse as the former with respect to man Who hath given understanding to the heart It is a truth I grant which the Jewish Talmudists teach that God is to be praised who hath given such understanding to the Cock that he is able to distinguish the hours of the night and tell us of the approaching day that it surprize us not like sluggards unawares The natural Histoâ—ian reports the useful qualities of the Cock And one of the Antients wittily takes notice of the Cocks crowing in the Gospel which awakened Peter according to Christs prediction Before the Cock crow twice thou shalt deny we thrice The Cock saith he was a Preacher to call Peter to repentance Christ made use of a Cock to press that eminenâ— Disciple into a conviction of and sorrow for his sin for at the crowing of the Cock he remembred the words of Christ went out and wept bitterly But that the question propounded to Job in this Verse concernes the wisdom given to man not to beasts or birds is plainly proved by the questions put him in the two Verses following Which shew that though God hath given man wisdom sufficient for many great purposes yet not for the purpose there expressed as not for several other purposes Vers 37 38. Who can number the clouds in wisdom or who can stay the bottles of heaven when the dust groweth into hardness and the clouds cleave fast together In these two Verses we have two questions more propounded by God to Job The first whereof is about the numbring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second though under another title about the stopping of the clouds Who can number the clouds in wisdom The word rendred clouds is sometimes translated heavens and so a learned Interpreter gives it here to which he adds this gloss Quis tam prudenter fecit caelus eo numero quo sunt Vatabl. Who hath made the heavens with such wisdom in that number wherein they are who can number them The word rendred number signifieth both to number things Arithmetically and to demonstrate them Logically and it may be taken in either or both senses here who can number the clouds in wisdom that is who hath wisdom sufficient to tell how many clouds there are Man hath not arithmetick enough to number them The clouds are many in their sorts or kinds and they are many more in their singulaâ—â— or if I may so speak individuals there are many sorts of clouds and there are many of every fort as there are many sorts of living creatures and very many of every sort so of the clouds we may as well number the waves of the sea or the stars as the clouds of heaven If we look up to one part of heaven we may see more clouds than we can number how great then is the number of the clouds in the whole circumference of the heavens Again taking the word as it signifieth to demonstrate logically or to declare the question imports thus much Who can clearly and perfectly set forth the nature of the clouds or the various effects which they produce and services which they are imployed in Who can either in the former sense or in this number the stars of heaven Hence note The wisest among men can neither exactly tell how many the clouds are nor fully demonstrate what
two interpretations First Some expound it of staying the rain when there is most need of rain or when the earth wants it most or in a time of drought For then the earth groweth hard like a molten-pillar and the clods thereof cleaving one to another make clefts in the body of the earth In a time of great drought the earth at once cleaves asunder and runs closet together as it were to succour it self Who stayeth the bottles of heaven when the earth is chapt and gapes for rain to soften and cool it Surely man doth it not nor can he be said to do it unless meritoriously It is God alone who efficiently stays the clouds from rain in a time of drought or when the necessities of the earth call aloud for it Taking the words in this sense Observe God can stop any of our mercies as here the rain when we have most need of them I saith the Lord Amos 4.7 have withholden the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest and I caused it to rain upon one City and caused it not to rain upon another City one piece was rained upon and the piece whereupon it rained not withered One months drought before harvest threatens a scarsity or dearth of Corn but two yea three months drought must needs usher in a dreadful famine Voce◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—â—o sermentâ—tiâ—â—m â—erbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quâ—d â—â—gnificat â—â—rmentari atque intâ—mescere E. Pisc The second interpretation of these words seems yet more clear Who can stay the bottles of heaven when the dust groweth into hardness and the clods cleave fast together that is who but God can stop rain when there is no farther need of rain As it the Loâ—d had said When the bottles of heaven have given out so much rain as may sit the earth for fruit-bearing or when the ground hath had its fill so that the light dust is turned into lumps of earth and that dust which was raised and tossed with every breath of wiâ—d is clodded and agglutinated by water into a massie substance when I say 't is thus with the earth who can stay or stop the bottles of heaven from raining more to the spâ—il of all but my self So then the true use of rain is held forth in this 38. vers namely that the dust of the earth being moistened with rain may coalesce or be joyned close together This I conceive is the most natural and proper sense of the Text. For the earth which by drought was cruâ—bled into dust rain falling plentifully upon it is knit again into one body like meal or flower into which leven is put and so is made ready to receive Humore aquae terrae puries continentur uniuntur quae ante disjunctae fuerant Merc. Vt perfusio sit formentandae terrae ut conglutinentur glebae Jun. Trans I. e. ut terram quum pulverulenta est ab ariditate immissis pluviis sermentet ad glebarum comâ—agem rerum ex ea nascentium alimentum Jun. nourish and b ing forth whatever grain is cast into the bosome of it Rain falling upon the dust embodies it The ground moulders in a time of drought but when rain comes that hardens it The dust as we commonly say slyes before but as drought cleaves the earth so rain causeth the parts to unite anâ— then the earth which like a heap of sand would not hang together becomes solid and fit for tillage Now when so much rain hath fallen as prepares the earth and as the word imports fermentates or levens it to receive the seed cast into it then who stayeth the bottles of heaven Hence note First Rain compacts the earth As moisture loosens compacted things so it compacts or knit together loose things The earth is soon made dust by droughts and it would be a very dust-heap if it had no moisture to reunite it The Lord threatens his people in case of disobedience Deut. 28.24 to make the rain of their Land powder and dust that is they should have dust and powder instead of water Long drought turns the earth to dust In this learn how great a mercy there is in rain Secondly note The Lord knows when the earth hath had sufficient rain And therefore unless in judgement he will not let the clouds run wast he will stay his bottles from letting down one drop more when once the dust by rain falling upon it groweth into hardness and the clods cleave fast together Note Thirdly 'T is a mercy when the earth hath enough that God stops the bottles As it is a duty when we have drank enough to stop the bottle that is to give over drinking so 't is a mercy that the Lord stops the bottles when the earth hath drank enough When the earth hath enough the Lord sometimes will not stop the bottles of heaven but lets them pour down rain till the fruits of the earth are utterly spoyled and this he doth for the punishment of mans sin always and sometimes for the punishment of those special sins mans unthankfulness for and abuse of the fruits of the earth that is because he did not stay the bottle when he had taken enough Now if the Lord knows when to give rain and when to stop it with respect to husbandry and the natural fruits of the earth then doubtless he knows and will take care to give rain for the souls of his people when they have need Psal 68.2 Thou O God didst send a plentiful rain whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance when it was weary which is specially meant of spiritual rain There are bottles of heaven which water souls The Preachers of the word are those bottles or clouds which hold and destil the mystical rain the Lord will not stop them till he sees the hearts of men made fit to bring forth the fruits of righteousness holiness he will not stop I say that spiritual rain till this be effected unless in judgement to a people that have despised the rain and slighted those showers of divine doctrine against such the Lord will stop the bottles of heaven then their souls turn to dust and their hearts become hard as rocks or like the mountains upon which neither rain nor dew falls fruitless and barren of every good word and work JOB Chap. 38. Vers 39 40 41. 39. Wilt thou hunt the prey for the Lion or fill the appetite of the young Lions 40 When they couch in their dens and abide in the covert to lie in wait 41. Who provideth for the Raven his food when his young ones cry unto God they wander for lack of meat THe Lord having by a multitude of questions proposed to Job concerning inanimates or creatures without life such as are the Earth the Sea the Heavens the Clouds and Meteors having I say by these questions convinced him of his weakness and insufficiency as also of the transcendent power and wisdom which abideth
First The way how Lions live or get their liveli-hood Lions are all for prey There is no work spoken of that the Lion doth to get his living by there 's nothing spoken of any service the Lion doth all his care is for his belly he hunts his prey Wicked men in this are like Lions they are like Nimrod all for hunting all for catching the prey The Prophet Nahum Chap. 2.12 describes the oppressing power of Nineveh by a Lion tearing in pieces enough for his Whelpes and strangling for his Lionesses and filling his holes with prey and his dens with ravin Tearing and strangling filling all with prey and ravin is all that Lions do not is the work of oppressors and cruel men any other in their kind Basil Hom. 9. in Hexam Ambros Hex l. 6. c. 3. nor any whit better Some of the Antients speaking of the Lion say that when he roareth the poor Beasts that are within hearing are so amazed and affrighted that though they might escape by flight yet they stand still and yield themselves up to him for a prey Such frights are poor men often put to by the roaring throats of merciless oppressors Secondly note God provides prey for Lions God feeds not only Sheep and Lambs but Wolves and Lions This note gives us the chief scope of the whole conâ—ext which is to shew the care of God over all It is said Psal 104.21 The young Lions roar after their prey and seek their meat from God It is a strange expression that young Lions when they roar after their prey should be said to seek their meat of God implying that neither their own strength nor craft could feed them without help from God The strongest creatures left to themselves cannot help themselves As they who fear God are fed by a special providence of God so all creatures are fed and nou iâ—hed by a general providence The Lion though he be strong and subtle yet cannot get his own prey we think a Lion might shift for himself no 't is the Lord that provides for him the young Lions seek their meat of God Surely then the migâ—tiest of men cannot live upon themselves as it is of God that we receive life and breath so all things needful for the maintenance of this life The Prophet Jeremiah gives check to all flesh Chap. 9.23 Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom let not the mighty man glory in his might As if he had said neither a wise man by his wisdom nor a mighty man by his mâ—ght can bring any work to an effectual issue That is also the conclusion which the Spirit of God made by the wisest and one of the mightest men that ever was in the world King Solomon Eccles 9.11 The race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong neither yet bread to the wise nor yet riches to men of understanding nor yet favour to men of skill but time and chance happeneth to them all though men have sutable qualities and abilities for the attaining of their ends what sutes better the winning of a race than swiftness yet they cannot attain them without the power and presence of God in some kind and degree or oâ—her the strong Lions would starve did not the Lord help them to hunt their prey Thirdly If we take the Lion in the first part of the Vers for the old decreped Lion and the young Lions for such as a e not able to go abroad for their prey the Lord providing for Lions under both these considerations yields us this observation God takes care for those creatures who through infirmities being either too old or too young are not able to provide for themselves There 's a special providence of God over them that have special need The old Lion that once could but now cannot the young Lions that never could hunt the prey are yet provided for Old Lions that are strong are taught by natural instinct to get prey for their young ones while weak Leo vetulus qui viribus deficienâ—ibus non amplius Potest vonari a juvenibus praeda capta rugitu eum ad participationem praedae vocantibus alitur Aelian l. 9. de natura animal c. 1. and the natural Historian tells us that the younger Lions which are strong are taught by a like instinct to hunt the prey for the old ones that are weak Fourthly From the latter words wilt thou fill the appetite of the young Lions Note God can and doth provide for the creature to fulness or satisfaction he fills their appetite God as I may say keeps a good a bountiful house for all his creatures the young Lions that have such strong stomacks shall have their fill Hence we may inferr First If the Lord doth thus provide for Lions young or old one or other then much more will he provide and hunt the prey for his faithful people David Psal 34.10 gives us the Lords word for it The young Lions do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing That is the young Lions may lack or though the young Lions should lack and suffer hunger yet they that seek and serve the Lord shall not Lions have a good assurance that they shall not lack but the servants of God have a far better assurance that they shall not Doth God take care for Oxen was the Apostles question 1 Cor. 9.9 or saith he it altogether for our sakes for our sakes speaking of Gospel Ministers no doubt this is written ver 10. As if he had said if the Lord did not give that law to the Jews Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corn altogether for our sakes yet questionless he gave it chiefly for our sakes and had a far greater respect to us in making that law than to Oxen. Thus from the text and point in hand I may say Doth God take care for Lions Surely he hath caused this to be written that we may know he will much more take care of his sheep of all that fear him and call upon his name A Lion may come into a starving condition but those that fear God shall not Lions though they are very strong subtle cannot always get their prey but the Lord hath promised to minister to his people at least a supply of their necessities as David speaks I have been young and now am old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread Psal 37.25 Secondly Doth the Lord provide to satisfaction for the young Lions doth he fill their natural appetite then surely he will pâ—ovide for the satisfying of his people in spiritual things Luke 1.53 He filleth the hungry with good things Who are the hungry doubtless he the holy Virginmeant the spiritually hungâ—y And what are the good things he fills them with doubtless spiritual good things they shall have not only some tasts of these good things but their
fill of them he fills the hungry with good things Psal 81.10 Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it God hath much respect to fill us with outward good things but much more to fill us with spiâ—iâ—ual good things open thy mouth wide and raise up thy desires after the things of heaven growth in grace encrease in faith and love in patience and holiness and I will fill it He that fills the appetite of the young Lions with natural food will fill the appetite of his Servants with spiritual food which is best of all they shall be abundantly satisfied with the goodness of his house and he will make them drink of the river of his pleasures Psal 36.8 He that fills the appetite of the young Lions will not send hungry souls away empâ—y We may rest in much assurance that God will deal well with us both for soul and body while he questions Job whether he would do that which himself only doth Wilt thou hunt the prey for the Lion or fâ—ll the appetite of the young Lions Vers 40. When they couch in their dens and abide in the covert to lye in wait This Verse gives a further discription of the Lion whether young or old Before we had them hunting abroad in the fields here we have them couching in their dens and abiding in their covert When they couch in their dens This couching or bowing down in their dens may be upon a three-fold account and so there is a three-fold interpretation of the words First Some taking the Lion for the old Lion and the young Lions for such as are very young interpret this couching as proceeding from weakness they couch in their dens as not being able to go abroad Secondly Others say they câ—uch in their dens only for rest and ease having tired themselves in hunting for their prey 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deprimit gestus hominis insidiantis alicui Drus Thirdly That they couch in their dens upon design to catch their prey thus the latter part of the Verse seems to carry it where 't is said they lyè in wait So then this couching in their dens is either from necessity as not being able to go forth or it is a couching in policy which I rather pitch upon They couch in their dens As if they were asleep as if they minded nothing but their ease yet even then they are busily minding how to catch their prey As if the Lord had said Hast thou O Job taught the Lion that art and cunning to lye couchant in his den that he may steal upon beasts passant and surprize them unawares They couch in their dens And abide in the covert to lye in wait The word rendred Covert signifieth a Tabernacle or Tent in which men abode for a time and is therefore here opposed as some conceive to the Lions dens or houses spoken of in the beginning of the verse Beasts say they are aware of Lions dens and so avoid them but they may pass unawares by the coverts and thickets where they lye in ambush But I suppose we need not be thus critical in distinguishing between dens and coverts both words may signifie the same place and thing or at least in both places Lions do the same thing Lye in wait It is said of the Lord himself Jerem. 25.38 he hath forsaken his covert as a Lion The meaning of the Prophet was to shew the Lords purpose to come forth and tear and rend his enemies by some sore judgment as a young Lion that rangeth about for his prey We read a little before at the 34th verse of the howling of the shepherds that is of the rulers and governours and of the cry of the principal of the flock that is of the wealthiest among the people When the Lion came forth of his covert there was a howling and a cry made why so the Lion came forth to destroy both sheep and shepherds Thus the Lord comes forth even as a young Lion full of wrath and fury to destroy the wicked He is sometimes like a Lion couching in his den and abiding in his covert but he doth it as the Lion To lye in wait This expression may have a twofold allusion First To Fowlers and Hunters who in some cases keep out of sight that they may with the more advantage take birds or beasts in their snaâ—es and toils For in vain saith Solomon Prov. 1.17 the net is spread in the sight of any bird Secondly To Souldiers who lye in ambush to surprize their enemy Thus do Lions They saith the Text couch in their dens and abide in the covert to lye in wait Here First Taking that interpretation of the words which supposeth the Lion lying down in his den through age and weakness Observe The strongest creatures are tamed anâ— weakened by age The Lion is the strongest among beasts yet he cannot always range in the fields and hunt for prey he must come to his den and keep house there 'T is so with men how strong soever they have been yet old age necessitates them at last to keep house and home All must submit to time and yield to those infirmities which old age inevitably bring upon us Time is called Tempus eâ—aâ— rerum The eater of things 'T is so also of persons that great eater will eat out the strength of the eater himself that is the Lion as Sampson called him in his riddle proposed to the Philistines Judg. 14.14 Time reduceth our strength to weakness our life to death Time confines us first to our chambers then to our beds and then to our graves The Lion must give over his hunting and couch in his den Secondly Taking the Lion as politickly abiding in covert and waiting for his prey Observe As the Lord gives much strength so much craft to some creatures There are creatures of little strength which have much craft others have little craft but much strength in some both meet together and among them we may number the Lion he is a crafty one as well as a strong one he hath his covert there he waits for his prey We may parallel men with beasts in this regard among them some are strong but not crafty others are crafty but not strong and not a few are both Such David compared to a Lion Psal 10.4 8 9. The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God What will he seek after then the 8th and 9th verses tell us He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages in the secret places doth he murder the innocent his eyes are privily set against the poor he lieth in wait secretly as a Lion in his den he lyeth in wait to catch the poor he doth catch the poor when he draweth him into his net He croucheth and humbleth himself that the poor may fall by his strong ones Thus the subtle practices of a wicked man are set forth by the subtlety of the Lion He coucheth and croucheth
he waits for the innocent he draws him into his net he first entangles him and then devours him David gives a like description of evil men in another place Psal 17.11 12. They have now compassed us in our steps they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth like as a Lion that is greedy of his prey and as it were a young Lion lurking in secret places These Scriptures plainly shew the natural subtlety of the Lion waiting in his covert that he may do mischief unawares and that in this piece of mischievous policy wicked men are not behind him they shew as plainly Thirdly Whereas in the former verse the Lion is said to hunt his prey in the field and this in to abide in his covert to lye in wait for it Observe What some cannot do by strength they do by craft We say of craft or power 't is hard to say which is most dangerous or undesirable in an enemy Where these two meet where craft power ability and subtilty are joyned what will they not do We may say of men in whom these are united as the Lord said concerning the men of the new world soon after the Flood who were united in heart and tongue the people are one and they have all one language nothing will be restrained from them which they have imagined to do Gen. 11.6 The devil is alwayes like a Lion both strong and subtle He is so strong that he sometimes hunts his prey as I may say in open field and overcomes by fine force He is so crafty that at other times he knows 't is best for him to abide in his covert and lie in wait to catch souls He goeth about like a roaring Lion saith the Apostle Peter 1 Epist 5.8 but he is craftier than to roar always like a Lion when he goeth about seeking whom he may devour he often fawns and flatters he useth his wits and puts tricks upon poor souls whom he would devour We saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 2. are not ignorant of his devices Christ adviseth all his Disciples to joyn the wisdom of the Serpent with the innocency of the Dove subtilty and honesty craft and innocency working together work well or make good work But where there is the strength and craft of a Lion without a dove-like integrity what sad work do men make Godly men or men truly fearing God sometimes have the wisdom of the serpent together with their dove-like innocency and when to both the former the Lions strength is joyned what good may they not do they may do as we say a world of good in an evil world Fourthly In that the Lion coucheth in his den and retireth sometimes to his covert we may take notice of the good providence of God towards man God hath ordered it that the Lion coucheth all day in his den and is quiet that men may go out quietly to their labour The Psalmist commends the providence of God in this Psal 104.20 21 22. Thou makest darkness and it is night wherein all the beasts of the Forrest do creep forth the young Lions roar after their prey and seek their meat from God Thus they are roaring and raging for their prey all night but how is it with them or what do they in the day The next words tell us The Sun riseth they gather themselves together and lay them down in their dens Then it follows Man goeth forth to his work and to his labour until the evening Such is the care of God that he clears fields and Countries of these ravenous beasts that man may go safely to his work and not be troubled When the Lion comes forth in the day 't is usually to execute some judgement of God witness that of the Prophet who going out of Gods way God told him by another Prophet a Lion shall meet thee and tear thee and so it came to pass a Lion met him and executed the judgement of God upon him because he went beyond the command he had received from God 1 King 13.24 We read also that God sent Lions to vex the people continually when they fell to idolatry and false worship 2 King 17.26 It was of the Lord that Lions which used to keep their covert in the day time were so bold as to come by day to their houses and destroy them And such is the mighty power of God that though hungry Lions are altogether for prey yet God can stop their mouths and check their appetite Dan. 6.8 When Daniel was cast into the Lions den amongst a company of hungry Lions yet not one touched him but were as meek to him as so many lambs whereas no sooner were his enemies and accusers let down into that den but they brake their bones before they came to the ground Thus much of the Lion a King among the beasts of the earth The Lords next question concerns the Raven none of the best if not one of the worst among the birds of the Air. Vers 41. Who provideth for the Raven his food When his young ones cry unto God they wander for lack of meat As the Lion is a devourer among beasts so is the Raven among birds The Lion as was said is so curious that he will not feed upon a carcase in the way but the Raven feeds upon any dead or corrupted body and that is the reason why in many great Cities there 's a Law or custom that Raven sneer them shall not be shot at nor terrified because they eat up the filth and carrion which might infect the air and breed pestilential diseases Now the Lord puts the question Who provideth for the Raven As if he had said I provide not only for the Kingly Lion but for the carrion-eating Raven The Lord made provision of food for Lions and Ravens for all sorts of beasts and birds and creeping things in the work of Creation and in his works of providence he makes all things ready and brings them to hand for their use and sustentation He as it were dresseth and disheth out meat for all his creatures and then sets it before them that they may eat and be satisfied Who provideth for the Raven The Hebrew word rendred provideth hath two significations Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notat indulgentissimam creatoris providentiam non solum necessaria sed etiam usque ad delicias which wonderfully set forth the care of God towards this creature First the certainty of their provision for the word signifies to establish as if the Lord did give them a necessary settled or constant diet Secondly It notes the sutableness and pleasingness of their food to their nature and constitution yea to their gust and appetite as if the Lord fitted their food as we say to their tooth or palate and gave them not only meat but savoury meat to them like that which Isaac bespake of his son Esau such as they love for though the food of Ravens be unpleasant to us
the Ravens by so much is my care for you greater than for the Ravens As God is the Saviour of all especially of those that believe 1 Tim. 4.10 so he is a provider for all but especially for those that believe The Lord who alike cares for all doth not care for all aliâ—e there would be much inequality in that equality As creatures vary in their kinds and degrees so the Lord who is a God of judgement varies both the kind and degree of his care towards the creature Therefore we may conclude Doth God put forth any kind or degree of care for Ravens doubtless then he will take care of his beloved children and faithful servants There 's no temptation with which the children of God are moâ—e opprest than with this What they shall eat and what they shall drink and wherewithal shall they and theirs be cloathed nâ—r doth any thing cast them upon more dangerous rocks than these distrustful queries How shall we live and who shall provide for us especially in a hard and dear year But may we not sâ—anâ— amazed to hear such queries proceed out of their mouths who have heaâ—d of this word which once proceeded out of Ch ists mouth That God feedeth the Ravens who believing that can but beliâ—ve that God will feed him Nor doth the Lord provide for and feed the old Raven only but his young ones also As it follows When his young ones cry unto God The Raven in the former part of the veâ—se is the old one that hath young ones How can that feed the youâ—â— that cannot feed him self but by Gods pâ—oviding As if the Lord had said As it is not by thy providence O Job but by mine that the old Ravens are fed so that the young ones being early forsaken of the old and wanting skill to shift for them selves wandring here and there have their cries which nature hath taught them to put up to Goâ— in their necessity heard and answered with supply of food The Hebrew is When his children cry unto God children are properly the young ones of men yet the young ones of any câ—eature may be called children The word rendred to cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est opem salutem ingenti vociseratione postulare Clamor ob necessitatem emissus petitionem imitatur Theodoret. Non novit omnino invocare Deum nisi anima rationalis August in Psal 136. Ego haud secus exauditos pasco quam si ad me vociferentur Bez. notes a very strong cry for help for food The young ones of the Raven being pincht with hunger make a loud confused cry for food but to whom do they cry the Text saith They cry Vnto God No creature can properly be said to cry unto God but the rational creature and there 's none among the rational creatures that indeed cry unto God but those that have faith How then is it said The Ravens young ones cry unto God I answer First They are said to cry to God because man hears them not or if he do he regards them not what man regards the cry of a young Raven therefore they cry to God if to any who alone takes notice of their cry Sâ—condly They cry to God not properly but equivalently they cannot be imagined to make any formal or direct prayers to God in their necessities but their necessities which force them to cry have the force of a cry or of a prayer unto God Thirdly They may be said to cry unto God because God takes or interprets their cry when hungry as a prayer to himself And God may be said to hear their cry because he provides for them and helps them as he doth those who put up powerful prayers to him There is in all creatures a desire of that which is needful for them or proper to them and when that is wanting they cry that is make some signification of their want And as all young ones are apt to cry that being all they can do for food so the Scripture as here so elsewhere represents young Ravens crying more than other creatures Psal 147.9 He giveth to the beast his food and to the young Ravens which cry The beasts are not said to cry for food when God gives it them but the young Ravens are Crying seems to be the property of young Ravens as if the least lack of food made them cry But how come young Ravens to be in such want of food that they should cry for it and when they cry why are they not said to cry to their parents if I may so speak or to the old ones but to God for meat In answer to these queries First Some Naturalists say the Raven is a forgetful creature and leaves her young ones altogether unprovided of food and therefore as the last resort of all helpless ones they are supposed to cry unto God Chrysostomi sententia est nâ—n obullam aâ—boris speciem sed ex ipsa parentum crudelitate pullos adhuc implumes negligi deseri Illis naturae author dignam vicent rependi imperat nam filit genitores sâ—os in senectute minime alunt Vt Aelianus dixit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly Say others the Raven is not only a forgetful but an unnatuâ—al creatuâ—e Ravens have not those bowels of natural compassion to their young ones which other creatures have who will presently bestir themselves to get food for their young ones therefore some say that their young ones as it were cry to God of the impiety and unnaturalness of the old ones in not providing for them and in a manner accuse them for it The Apostle saith He that provides not for those of his own house hath denyed the faith and is worse than an infidel A beast will provide for his own and most birds provide for their young but the Raven provides not for his own young ones and therefore his young ones are brought in as crying or complaining to the Lord of their paâ—ents unnatural astorgy or want of pity And indeed parenâ—s who do not provide for their own house may justly be put among the Ravens Remember by the way the power of God who could make Ravens feed Elias and be kind to him 1 King 17.16 though naturally they are cruel to their own kind and refuse to feed their young ones Dicitur quòd corvus pullos non pascit donec suos deprehâ—ndens plumis â—â—grescere viderit unde septem diebus iis cibos non ministrat sed à Deo susteâ—tantur per naturalem vim iis indiâ—â—m Aquin. Sed apud authores historiae nâ—turalis hujus re testimonium vix invenitur Lege Arist l. 9. Hist Animal c. 31. Plin. l. 10. c. 12. Aelian l. 15. c. 39 Hieronimus ad illud Psal 147.9 ex Philosophorum sententia ait è coeli rore vivere corvorum pullos derelictos Thirdly There 's another reason given by Naturalists why Ravens feed not their young ones For when the Raven hath
wild Goats of the rock bring forth What these Goats here called wild Goats 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rupicapra à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scandit ascendit quòd montes rupes ascendit and wild Goats of the rock are is commonly known The word which we render wild Goats signifies in the Hebrew ascending or clambering because Goats are clambering creatures getting up the steepest rocks and ascending the height of hills and mountains which they do many times exceeding dangerously seeming rather to hang by their feet than to go upon them Pendentem summa capream de rupe videbis Casuram speres decipit illa canes Martial Ibices quasi avices eò quòd instar avium ardua excelsa teneant Thus the old Poet fancied them when he said You may see the wild Goat hanging upon the rock you may hope she will tumble down presently But she deceives the hunter and his hounds though she seems to hang uncertainly yet she keeps her footing steddily The Latines have a word signifying wild Goats which criticks say comes from another latine word signifying a bird or flying fowl because Goats may be said rather to fly than go upon those craggy places or rather to use wings than feet Such are the creatures here called wild Goats and that with an addition wild Goats Of the rocks Because they specially delight in rocky places or because they breed and bring forth in rocks It is said 1 Sam. 24.2 that Saul in his pursuit of David came with a select army of three thousand men to seek him and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats which Scripture fitly answers this which calls them wild Goats of the rock Saul did not seek David only in the plains and valleys where flocks of sheep feed but upon the craggy rocks and precipices where wild Goats take up their quarters or use to feed This shewed his implacable rage and revengeful spirit against an innocent person that rather than not take him and have his will on him he would undertake an expedition not only tedious but very hazardous to himself and his army Wrathful men will not only not spare others but not themselves But to the Text Knowest thou the time when the wild Goats of the rock Bring forth that is their young ones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbum ipsum quod dâ—lere significat sumâ—tur pro parturire Merc. The word translated bring forth signifies pain and sorrow There is so much pain in bringing forth that bringing forth and pain may well be signified by one word The pains of the wild Goats in bringing forth here implyed are expressely spoken of at the third Verse But why did the Lord enquire of Job here whether he knew the time the exact time of their bringing forth is that a secret I answer doubtless it is a secret and such a secret as few are acquainted with Wild Goats come little under the eye or sight of men in that work they bringing forth upon inaccessable placeâ— câ—aggy rocks and mountains men cannot without much difficulty reach that piece of knowledge And therefore the Lord might well ask of Job Knowest thou the time when the wild Goats of the rock bring forth I may say also the Lord puts this familiar question to Job that he might the more awaken him into the consideration of his own weakness and utter inability to find out the secret of his other works As if the Lord had said thou canst not discover so much as the birth of the wild Goats how then canst thou find out the births of my wonderful providences My providences bring forth wonderful births and much more unknowable by thee than the birth and bringing forth of the wild Goats Thus the Lord would check his curiosity he who was unable to give him an account concerning the state of those poor creatures must not think himself able to pry into the great and unsearchable works of God in the amazing products of his providence towards the children of men Before I pass from these words it will not be unprofitable to mind the Reader how as one of the Antients hath hinted we may moralize or spiritualize this Text Gregor l. 30. mor. c. 16. there being much of the disposition or condition of a godly man especially of a faithful Teacher typed or fairly represented in the nature and qualities of these wild Goats First As these wild Goats seek both their food and rest their repast and refuge in rocks So the godly abide and dwell in the rock that is in the Lord Jesus Christ they look to him alone both for refuge and refreshing both for comfort and safety while they are in this world Christ is the rock upon which the Church is built Mat. 16.18 And as the state of the true Church in general so of every true believer is built upon this immovable rock the Lord Jesus Christ Secondly As the rocks so the mountains are much desired by the wild Goats Psal 104.18 The high hills are a refuge for the wild Goats Thus David was eying the hills for help Psal 121.1 I will lift up mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help What were these hills Surely neither the material nor metaphorical hills of this world of which latter the people of God spake Jerem. 3.23 disclamingly Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills and from the multitude of mountains that is from the greatest power of man or men What the hills were to which David lifted up his eyes for help himself tells us at the second verse of that Psalm My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth As the affections of a godly man are set upon the things above not upon things below Col. 3.2 so his confidences are set upon God who is above not upon men here below Thirdly These wild Goats are very agil active creatures much in motion full of life full of spirits and so they resemble a godly man he is a man of motion of spiritual motion and he desires his motions and speed may be more and more speedy in the ways of God As David resolved to run the ways of Gods commandements when God should please to enlarge his heart so doubtless he prayed that God would enlarge his heart to run those ways And how often did he pray for quickning grace and liveliness that being delivered from a slow dull flegmatique spirit he might be active and full of holy fire about the things and for the things of God Fourthly Wild Goats of the rocks in those countries where they abound are much pursued and diâ—quieted by hunts-men as that passage which I before quoted from a Heathen Poet intimates so good men the best of men are often hunted and disturbed in this world there are hunters of men as well as hunters of beasts Nimrod was a mighty hunter Gen. 10.9 he was a hunter of men Saul
hunted David even as a wild Goat on the rocks or as a Partridg on the mountains Fifthly They who hunt the wild Goats are at a very dangerous pleasure they often fall upon the rocks and sometimes fall from the rocks Is it not so with those who without cause pursue good men have they not a dangerous service of it get they not many a fall The wicked saith David Psal 37.12 13. plotteth or as the Margin hath it practiseth against the righteous he gnasheth upon him with his teeth But shall it go well with him who doth this evil The next words answer The Lord shall laugh at him for he seeth that his day is coming What day surely a black day even the day of his destruction which is yet further confirmed in the 14. and 15. verses of the same Pâ—alm The wicked have drawn out the sword and have bent their bow to cast down the poor and needy and to slay such as be of upright conversation or the upright of way But shall this end well with them or shall it be well with them in the end The next words tell us what their end shall be even this which is a dreadful end Their sword shall enter into their own heart and their bows shall be broken Sixthly 'T is observed of these wild Goats that when they seem to be very near falling from the rock and high places yet they fall not and that though they fall they take little or no hurt at all Some say they have a naturall art to save themselves they know how to fall upon their feet and so escape without harm This also is applicable to the case of godly men they are often near falling yet they do not fall and when they fall they take no hurt they have a divine art to preserve themselves and 't is a truth that though they do receive hurt in the flesh yet their spirit or better part takes no hurt Though a good man fall into affliction or temptation he shall not saith David Psal 37.24 be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand Yea though he falleth saith Solomon Prov. 24.16 seven times that is often into affliction 't is true also of his falling into sin yet he riseth again out of affliction by deliverance out of sin by repentance With respect to the former the Church warned her insulting enemy Mich. 7.8 Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy when I fall I shall arise Babylon shall fall and rise no more but though Sion may fall yet she shall assuredly rise again Lastly It is said of the wild Goats that when they receive hurt they by a natural instinct seek out the herb Betany growing among the rocks and upon mountains which gives a present and perfect cure to their bruises or hurts Thus when good men receive hurt in and from the evil world they have some herb or other some comfort or other for their cure they go to the Word of God to the Scriptures there they find Medicine for all their sicknesses Betany for all theiâ— bruises and a Salve for every sore Thus we may spiritualize our meditations upon these wild creatures the Goats of the rocks in allusion to the state of godly men in this life Knowest thou the time when the wild Goats of the rock bring forth Or canst thou mark when the Hinds do calve Here 's another sort of wild ones the Hind Canst thou mark the word imports the most strict and heedful marking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solicitudinem diligent iam Connotat 'T is used by Jacob Gen. 37.11 when Joseph had told his dream his Brethren envied him but his Father observed the saying that is he marked what his Son had said The word is often used to note our dutiful keeping or heeding the commands of God which should be done with the greatest strictness care and observation Now saith the Lord to Job canst thou mark or observe when the Hinds do calve as if the Lord had said dost thou keep their reckoning exactly art thou able to tell the day and hour when they will calve The word rendred Hind comes from a root signifying strength Hinds are strong 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cerva though timorous and fearful creatures and for their fearfulness they have a help besides their strength that is their speed or swiftness and though their strength doth not serve them sufficiently to stand and make head against their pursuers yet it serves them as we may say to shew their pursuers a fair pair of heels or to run from them and escape their danger Canst thou mark when the Hinds Do calve It is the same word in the Original which in the former part of the verse is translated to bring forth Mas cum pinguerit longè secedit ut qui pondere suae corpulentiae capi se posse facile sentiat Aristot l. 9. c. 5. de natura animalium but because that special word calving is more proper to Hinds therefore we wave the general sense bringing forth which is applicable to any kind of beasts and take this not rendring as before when the Hinds bring forth but when they calve The Hind is a wild beast often spoken of in Scripture and well known in nature the male we commonly call a Stagg or Hart of which naturalists observe two things First That perceiving himself to grow fat in the latter end of summer and being conscious of his own inability to help himself by flight he retires naturally to covert in secret places that so he may be free from the pursute of hunters Cum suâ— amisâ—â—it arma cavit ne inermis reperiatur Arist ubi supra Secondly Say they when he hath cast his horn then also he retires and gets into the thicket as far from sight as he can being sensible he hath lost his armes his defence and is therefore unwilling to come abroad where danger is till his head be grown again and he furnished with weapons for his own defence The Hind in the Text is the female and the Scripture speaks of the Hind in a twofold allusion First In allusion to Christ Secondly In allusion to those that are Christs Jesus Christ himâ—elf is often alluded to under this name and that in a three-fold respect 1. For his swiftness and speediness in coming to the relief and help of his Church Cant. 28.9 Behold he cometh leaping upon the mountains and skipping upon the hills my beloved is like a Roe or young Hart or Hind 't is the same word His leaping and skipping notes 1. His chearfulness 2. His speediness in coming The mountains and hills upon which he leaps and skips note the great obstacles and difficulties which stand in his way when he comes to help his Church his beloved Spouse Again Cant. 8.13 Be thou like the young Roe or young Hart upon the mountains of spices The Church describes the gracious hast which she desires Jesus
give deliverance to his people in the very nick of time when the months of their sorrow and burdens are fulfilled for he knows the number of them The children of Israel had long and sore bondage in Egypt but no longer than the months which were appointed for as soon as they were fulfilled their bondage was ended and they delivered mark how the Spirit of God records it to a day Exod. 12.41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred aâ—d thirty years even the self-same day it came to pass that all the h sts of the Lord went out from the Land of Egypt Nor doth the sacred Record leave it thus but adds vers 42. It is a night to be much observed or according to the letter of the Hebrew A night of observations unto the Lord for bringing them out from the Land of Egypt This is that night of the Lord to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations But Moses said in the former verse It was the self-same day Why doth he say here It is a night c And this is that night of the Lord c. The reason I conceive was this The word day may be taken largely for a natural day consisting of twenty four hours now because the four hundred and thirty years were fulfilled and ended at the beginning of that day the Jewish account of dayes beginning at evening â—herefore their deliverance began then and did not stay till the morning Thus exact is the Lord keeping his word not only to a day but to a piece yea to the very hour of a day And as the Lord gave that people deliverance just when those years were fulfilled according to that ancient prophecy so doubtless when the forty two months or which is the same the thousand two hundred and threescore dayes for his witnesses prophecying in sack-cloth Rev. 11.2 3. shall be fulfilled then they also shall come out of their bondage from under mystical Egypt and Babylon Men have been long guessing at the fulfilling of those forty two months but may we not say to them concerning the birth of that prophecy in the same sense that the Lord doth here to Job concerning the particular time when the wilde Goats of the rock and the Hinds bring forth Canst thou number the months that they fulfil As the particular time of the Hinds fulfilling her months so of Sions fulfilling her months of sorrow in this world is a secret which the Lord hath reserved to himself and keeps fast lockt up in the Cabinet of his eternal counsels Knowest thou the time when they bring forth The Lord having thus questioned Job about the time of the bringing forth of these two creatures in these two verses proceeds to question him about the manner of their bringing forth or the painfulness of it Vers 3. They bow themselves c. These words are a description of the hard travel of the Hinds not of the Goats as Interpreters generally agree Bowing of the body is the posture of any creature in travel to bring forth As if the Lord had said Is it thou O Job that hast or I that have given them an instinct in nature to put their bodies as wilde as they are considerately into such a posture when their pains come upon them as may be most easeful for themselves and least hurtful to their off-spring by bowing their bodies to dilate the passages of nature and so by a natural Midwifry to deliver themselves of their burdens as followeth They bring forth their young ones The word rendred bring forth signifies to cleave asunder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propriè findo diffindo trajicio implying their extream pain in bringing forth or that it is to them as grievous as the rending and cleaving of their bodies could be So the word is translated Chap. 16.13 where Job making a lamentable complaint about his sufferings under the hand of God expresseth it thus His archers compass me round about he cleaveth my reins asunder Such torture have these poor creatures in bringing forth their young which is more plainly set down in the close of the verse They cast out their sorrows Which may be understood two ways First bowing to free themselves of their young ones their sorrows end or there is an end of their sorrows they are cast out Secondly Thus they cast out their sorrows that is their young ones are cast out which have put them to much sorrow grievous throws so may well be called their sorrows as Rachel called that child with which she had such hard travel Ben-oni The son of her sorrows Gen. 35.18 The word which we render sorrows signifies cords and bonds implying that these creatures are girded and bound about with extream pain until by the power of God in nature they receive deliverance Some are bound and girded with troubles in and from the world who yet are not sorrowful we through faith may even glory in tribulation Rom. 5.3 but they who are sorrowful are alwayes bound and therefore the same word signifieth bonds and sorrows They cast out their sorrows Hence note First Even wilde and savage creatures bring forth with pain This is part of that vanity brought by mans sin upon the creature of which the Apostle speaks Rom. 8.22 We know that the whole creation or every creature groaneth and travelleth in pain together until now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The creatures groan as bâ—ing laden with a heavy burden and they travel in pain as a woman with child to be eased and delivered of her burden even those creatures which in proper sense neither travel nor bring forth yet are said to groan and tâ—avel in pain by reason of the sin of man and therefore the Apostle â—aith They groan and travel in pain together that is all the creatures joyn in this They do not some groan others sing some travel in pain and others travel in or take their pleasure but they are all as it were sensible of their sad change and bewail it sadly and saith the Apostle they groan and travel until now or unto this now not as if their groaning did then cease when this was said but to shew that it had continued without ceasing until that instant now and so it will continue until the manifestation of the sons of God spoken of vers 19. As soon as man sinned the Lord laid that affliction on the woman In sorrow shalt thou bring forth Gen. 3.16 Now that which was first declared an affliction with respect to the woman is fallen upon all creatures in their degree they all are more or less pained in travel or travel in pain The sin of man hath brought sorrow upon the whole world even upon sinless creatures therefore man should pity poor creatures in their sorrows his sin having brought those sorrows upon them How vile then are they who meerly to satisfie their lusts encrease the sorrows of the creature
and cause them to travel more than needs in pain every day Secondly The Lord instanceth here in the Hinds for hard travel and Naturalists observe the Hind hath the sorest travel in bringing forth of any creature woman excepted And that the Hinds have very sore travel in bringing forth beside what Naturalists speak may be collected from those expressions in the Text They bow themselves they bring forth their young ones they cast out their sorrows That Scripture also intimates as much Psal 29.9 when among other wonderful effects of thunder The breaking of Cedars c. This is added The voice of the Lord maketh the Hinds to calve as if it did require the special help of God to give the Hinds ease and deliverance in the time of their travel The voice of God doth it that is Tunc officis ut cervae quae alioquin aegerrimè essent pariturae commodius pareant dum ante partum purgantur herba quadam quae Seselis dicitur faciliore ita utentes utero Jun. Plin. l. 8. c. 32. Arist l. 9 de Histor animal c. 5. Cicero l. 2 de nat Deorum either the thunder or some extraordinary power sent out for that purpose doth it And here we may consider the goodness of God even to this wilde beast in ordering her natural helps to ease her the more speedily of her grievous pains in bringing forth her young ones The natural Historian tells us concerning the Hind that she by common instinct a litle before she calves feeling her pains coming upon her seeks out a certain herb called Seselis feeding upon which doth exceedingly facilitate her pains in bringing forth Women who have understanding and reason as also the assistance of friends about them have many means for their ease in that hour of extremity but the Lord hath made this poor creature both Physician and Midwife to her self Further 't is reported of them that when they have brought forth they use the same and other herb to help themselves against their after-pains Once more Naturalists observe A partu duas habent herbas quae Aros Seselis appellamur Plin. l. 8. c. 32. that they usually bring forth at that time of the year when there is much thunder according to that before mentioned Psal 29. The voice of the Lord or thunder maketh the Hinds to calve For the Hind being of a fearful nature that dreadful noise doth so astonish her that it either makes her put out all her strength to bring forth or makes her less sensible of her pains in bringing forth That 's the second thing here considerable in Hinds their painful bringing forth They bow themselves they bring forth their young ones they cast out their sorrows Hence take this inference with respect to women who come under the like pains This should be a staff of consolation to them in the time of their travel If the Lord directs these creatures to the best posture and most proper means for their help and ease in that condition how much more will he take care of them especially of them who call upon him and trust in him We may well make that interpretation of the Apostles words 1 Tim. 2.15 She shall be saved in child-bearing if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety This early care of God for mankind is described Psal 22.9 10. Thou art he that took me out of the womb I was cast upon thee from the womb thou art my God from my mothers belly And again Psal 71.6 By thee have I been holden up from the womb thou art he that took me out of my mothers bowels my praise shall be continually of thee St. Augustine applies this matter of the Hinds bringing forth to the spiritual birth First Because the time is unknown or known only to God when any soul comes to the new birth Secondly Because every soul which travelleth with this new birth boweth and humbleth himself greatly under the sense of sin before the Lord. Thirdly Because this new birth is usually accompanied with great and grievous pangs alwayes with the truth of godly sorrow The Lord having spoken thus of the Hindes bringing forth their young ones speaks next as I may say of the education and bringing up of their young ones Vers 4. Their young ones are in good liking they grow up with Corn they go forth and return not unto them This Verse holds out three things First The good plight of their young ones They are in good liking As if it had been said Though the Hinds have much pain in bringing them forth yet they are slick and fat as soon as or soon after they are brought forth The word which we render in good liking notes a growing into health and strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat aliquando valere incolumem esse Licet matres difficilem habent partum filii tamen salvi incolumes sunt beneque valent alii pinguescunt Drus Facti sumuâ— sicut consolati melius quam ab aliis somniantes c. Bold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ager unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sera agrestis Sed hic est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod in lingua Chaldaeorum extra denotat unde Barbarus geninalis syllabis Drus Mira est providentia Dei in subulonum himulorum nutricatione qui nullo custode nullo opilione reguntur sicut vituli haedi vel agni tamen pinguescum Codrec which we call recovering Isa 38.9 16. The writing of Hezekiah King of Judah when he had been sick and was recovered c. And 't is said of Naaman 2 Kings 5.14 his flesh came to him or he recovered his flesh as the flesh of a little Child The same word is used Psal 126.1 When the Lord turned the Captivity of Sion we were like to them that dream which others translate thus and conceive it nearer the Oâ—iginal Text When the Lord turned the Captivity of Sion then we were like them that are fed and grow fat at the dugg and so are chearely or in a comfortable condition Thus the Hinds young ones grow fat lusty and strong As the Lord takes care for their bringing forth so of their bringing up he that maketh the Hinds to calve makes their calves of good liking too as he makes the Babe thrive at the Mothers breast so the Calf at the Hinds dugg And when they have a while grown fat at the dam's dugg then Secondly They grow up with Corn. They come to harder meat they soon leave sucking and feed upon corn Some read they grow up in the fields or by the field that is by that which groweth in the field Thus it is with our Children they are fed first at the breast spoon afterwards with flesh or any wholesom food According to every degree of life God provides sutable food the Infant shall have milk and when a little grown stronger meat As it is in spirituals when we are new born babes
all sorts of wild beasts and then say they in the latter part of the verse the wild Ass is especially spoken of under another tearm for though we have he wild Ass according to our translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both parts of the Text yet under different appellations by which some understand two soâ—ts of wild Asses but others take the first only in general for wild beasts of any sort and the latter for this particular sort of wild beasts the wild Ass But I conceive we need not be so curious for though we take both the former and the latter word for the same the sense is clear and the same Who hath sent out the wild Ass free Or who hath loosed the bands of the wilde Ass But was the wilde Ass here spoken of at any time in bonds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quod promde videtur aliud animal ab Onagro non tamen multum differens Grot. Aliqui vertunt Onagrum Alcen quae sunt equorum asinorum agrestium genera Distinguit inter Onagrum Alcen Plinius lib. 8. c. 15. and now set free I answer The Lord speaks thus figuratively not that the wilde Ass was ever in bonds but that because he is so untractable and will by no means be mannag'd he seems to be as one loosed from bonds even as Oxen and Horses which serve man and are under his power seem bound to his service So then as the former so this latter part of the verse is not to be expounded as if the wilde Ass had ever been under restraint and afterwards was sent forth free and loosed from his bonds but both expressions intend only that as his disposition is for freedom so in his condition he is and alwayes hath been free from bondage for not only is he free from bondage who having been in bondage is delivered as slaves and captives oftentimes are but he may be said to be free from bondage or to have his bonds loosed who was never in bonds who was either born free or who by his wit skill and policy or the help of others hath been preserved from bondage A man may be said to be free from sickness that never was sick as well as he that is restored from sickness to health and so a man that never was in bonds may be said to be free from bonds as well as he that is delivered from bondage Thus the wilde Ass in the Text is said to have his bonds loosed though he never was in bonds As the Lord hath made all creatures so he hath made some free others servile he hath set some at liberty but holds others at hard labour all their dayes in drawing travelling or bearing heavy burdens The words are plain the sum and scope of them may be thus conceived As if the Lord had asked Job by whom this natural inclination was given to the wilde Ass that he should so earnestly desire liberty as also who gave him that foâ—ce and stoutness that he should be able to live without Law to follow his own lust not at all submitting to nor guided by the will of others Who hath sent out the wilde Ass free Hence observe First That some creatures are free from and others bound to service is of Gods own appointment It would be both a vanity and a high presumption to ask the reason why the Lord hath appointed some creatures to spend the whole time of their lives in liberty and that others should be continually groaning under bondage labouring and sweating tyring and wearying themselves out in the service of men seeing we cannot change the orders of God And as we must not busie our selves with enquiring why he hath not subjected the wilde Ass to the same bonds and burdens as he hath tame Asses So we must not say unto God why hast thou made some men to serve others to rule no nor why he handles some men more gently others more grievously We must resolve all these questions into the will dominion and soveraignty of God and we may well conceive that the Lord would in this question about the wilde Asses intimate unto us as well as unto Job that he hath a power in himself which no man ought to question to free some men from the bonds of service and to bind others to free some men from the bonds of affliction sorrow and trouble in this world while others are hamper'd and held fast in them all their dayes What Job spâ—ke in reference to the various dispensation of bodily health Chap. 21.23 24 25. One dyeth in his full strength being wholly at ease and quiet his breasts are full of milk and his bones moistned with marrow and another dyeth in the bitterness of his soul and never eateth with pleasure the same may be said about the dealings of God with men as to bodily liberty one dyeth free he girded himself all the dayes of his life as Christ said to Peter of his younger dayes Joh. 21. and went whither he pleased no man asking whither goest thou or why stayest thou here another is laid by the heels or girded by others and never enjoyeth the freedom of his own person or motions he poor man is bound in fetters and holden in the cords of affliction as Elihu spake in the 36th Chapter of this book This was Jobs case he was in the bonds and cords of affliction while others enjoyed peace and liberty Now man ought no more to question the Lord why one man is afflicted and another free then why the wilde Ass is free and the tame a servant As the whole creation which was occasionally shewed at the third verse is subject unto bondage by reason of the sin of man and groaneth till it be delivered so the soveraignty of God hath laid this bondage heavier upon some parts of the creation or upon some creatures than upon others And as we should daily and deeply bewail it that our sin hath brought bondage upon the creature so we should humbly submit to whatsoever bondage or hard travel the soveraignty of God hath designed us in one kind or other while we are in this world Secondly Consider to whom 't is granted to be free and to have their bonds loosed it is to wilde Asses Then observe To be free from labour and service is but a very low priviledge It is but the priviledge of an Ass and as it is but a low priviledge to be free from service so it is a great sin to cast off service Some under pretence of liberty cast off obedience and will not bear the yoak of duty or good government this is indeed to be free as the wilde Ass is free Such are spoken of Psal 2.2 3. Come let us break their bonds and cast their cords from us They that would break the bonds and cords there spoken of desire only and look after a sinful liberty a meaner liberty than that of the wilde Ass The Prophet going to the
there is oppression Better be sometimes in a starving condition than alwayes in a fearing condition alwayes hearing the cry of the Driver The wild Ass is content to fare hard so he may be free how much more then is he below a man who parts with his true liberty as Esau did with his Birth-right for a morsel of meat or a mess of broth Fourthly Note To be driven and forced is grievous to beasts much more to men The wild Ass regards not the crying of the Driver because he knows the Driver cannot reach him with his cry much less with his whip The tame Ass must regard and attend the cry of the Driver though he hath no will to it whether he will or no. It was said by the Moralists Man would be led not driven perswaded not compelled The disputes have been great what man may do and how far he may go to that matter but I shall not meddle with it any further than to say that when Christ in the Parable said Luke 14.23 Compel them to come in The compulsion there intended is only that of argumentation exhortation and perswasion by his Ministers whose divine Rhetorick in beseeching sinners to come in and to be reconciled unto God hath such a power in it as amounts unto and may be called a compulsion I grant many use their liberty or rather abuse it as an occasion to the flesh and turn it into wantonness these are indeed no better than wild Asses and though they are such as regard not the cry of the Driver yet they need it Thus the Lord hath shewed Job the house and dwelling as also the liberties and priviledges of the wild Ass in the next verse the Lord shews him the food or diet of the wilde Ass Vers 8. The range of the mountains is his pasture and he searcheth after every green thing This verse tells us where the Lord hath made provision for the wild Ass The Range or as some render the search of the mountains is his pasture Investigatio montium est pascuum ejus i. e. quicquid in montibus investigari potest id ei pabuli loco est Bez. that is whatsoever he searcheth and findeth out upon the mountains is his pasture Job speaketh of wicked men Chap. 24.5 after the manner of these wild Asses finding food in the wilderness for themselves and for their children The range of the mountains is his pasture Some interpret it choice things that is the best things or those things that are most savoury to the pallat of that beast those he picks up for his food Mr. Broughton translates Chosen places in the mountains are for his pasture As if it had been said Though he be wilde yet he is prudent he takes not what comes next but he chuseth what is best for him for as it followeth He searcheth after every green thing The word notes a very diligent search after every green thing Green things are his delicacies he lives upon them and delights in them he searcheth after all and feeds upon that which is best for him he looks not that man should fodder him in winter as they do tame and working cattel he looks out his own living and picks up some green thing or other all the year long Hence note Where God gives dwelling he gives feeding God hath made the wilderness and barren places for the wild Ass to dwell in yet there is something for him to feed on Secondly His food is every green thing Whence learn God gives food to all creatures convenient to their nature He gives green things grass to the beasts of the field but he doth not feed man with grass he feedeth man with the finest of the wheat and with honey out of the rock Psal 81.16 And as the Lord provides sutable food for the bodies of men so for their souls he hath spiritual green pastures for them Psal 23.1 2. The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want he maketh me to lye down in green pastures that is in his Word and Ordinances They are green pastures for his people he makes them lie down in the Promises and in the Commandments in the holy Prophecies and Histories of the written word all which are written for our instruction or learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15.4 that is that our faith having the truth of the Word especially in the promises to feed upon our hope may be said to wait for the good of the Word patiently The holy Scriptures I say are the green pastures which the Lord hath provided for the souls of men to feed in and grow fat upon The Scriptures are a bare common a dry heath to unbelievers they find nothing there which is food for them but to believers they are fat pastures and full of such green things as are most sutable to their taste and nourishing to their souls Thus spake the Prophet Isa 49.9 10. Their pastures shall be in all high places they shall not hunger nor thirst neither shall the heat nor the Sun smite them that is they shall have safe passage and sufficient food both for soul and body for their souls especially when delivered out of their soul-prisons or spiritual captivity there spoken or prophecyed of under the Gospel Thirdly Wild Asses seaâ—ch after every green thing they take pains for their living iâ— it be not neer they will travel for it and seek after it Hence note Hunger makes irrational creatures every living creature industrious They who love not labour will yet take some pains at least so much as serves them to get food and keep them alive Those beasts which are most at liberty are in a kind of bondage to their bellies The wild Asses saith the Prophet Jer. 14.6 did stand in the high places they snuffed up the wind like Dragons because there was no grass How will they search after grass who are thus afflicted for want of grass And will not spiritual hunger make us as industrious as natural hunger doth Hungry souls will be seeking after every green thing after every divine precept after very precious promise these are the green things which the soul searcheth for and is satisfied with Naturalists say of the wild Ass that he utterly refuseth to feed upon those things that are dry and dead he must have gâ—een That 's true of every believer he cannot feed upon dead and dry things upon what is chaffy and husky he must have green sappy juicy lively food such hath God provided for him and he will be satisfied with none but such JOB Chap. 39. Vers 9 10 11 12. 9. Will the Vnicorn be willing to serve thee or abide by thy crib 10. Canst thou bind the Vnicorn with his hands in the furrow or will he harrow the valleys after thee 11. Wilt thou trust him because his strength is great or wilt thou leave thy labour with him 12. Wilt thou believe him that he will
by many Scriptures that the Reem is an animal of the same kind with Bullocks forasmuch as the sense of the discourse of God about him is as if he had said Seeing among those beasts which are prepared by men to help them in their work and whose labour they ease in tilling and subduing the earth the Ox is chief as being mans most laborious helper in husbandry and which in most Countreys is more used in it than any other beast according to that Prov. 14.4 Much encrease is by the strength of the Ox. How comes it to pass that men do not make use of the Reem for those services seeing he is of the same kind with Oxen and so may seem to be made by nature for that purpose as much as other Oxen and is by so much the fitter for that service than any other Oxen or Bulls whatsoever by how much his strength is greater than theirs yet no man attempts to use him in it or if any did it were to no purpose forasmuch as I the Lord of nature have created this beast as also the wild Ass before spoken of altogether untameable This seems to be the meaning of God in his discourse about the Reem And hence also it appears that the Reem is not the Bisons seeing he as well as many other wild beasts being skilfully handled proves tame and gentle and may be formed to the use and obedience of man It remains therefore that this Reem is the beast called Vrus because this property of untameableness is ascribed to that beast Caesar in his 6th book of the Gallican war saith The Vri no not the young ones will not be tamed by men wherefore being caught in pits they are killed Pliny also saith as much of them Lib. 8. cap. 21. And as in this particular his untameable wildness there is a full agreement between the Vrus and Reem so those other things which the Scripture speaks of the Reem agree to him also as those forreign Authors witness who have written his History For Cesar writes that he is in bigness little less than an Elephant but of the kind colour and figure or shape of a Bull. And Pliny in two places lib. 8. cap. 15. lib. 28. cap. 10. names wild Oxen as the Genus with respect both to the Vri and Bisontes The learned Doctor adds many more proofs out of ancient Authors which the Reader may peruse if he please at his leisure And from all he concludeth It is not therefore to be doubted but that the Reems are the Vri and indeed so much the less because not only the Northern Regions in divers parts of which it is said by Writers that not only the Bisontes but Vri are found at this day are the proper soyl where these Animals are bred but the Eastern parts also bring them forth Pliny writes that the Indian woods are full of them and so doth Aristotle I collect also out of Diodorus lib. 3. that the Country of the Trogloditicks which is seated at the bosom of the Red-Sea opposite to Africa hath these Vri in it And though no Author doth affirm that Syria and Palestine yield these wild Oxen yet this doth not hinder but that in old times when the Israelites first inhabited those Countreys they were there since it is no new thing that the whole kind of some wild creatures should be utterly extinct in these Countreys where formerly they have abounded of which England gives us a plain testimony in Wolves Dion also reports the same of Lions which sometimes were bred in some parts of Europe but now for many ages have not appeared there And the same witnesseth Ammianus lib. 22. concerning the Hippopotami in Egypt of which none are to be found now in that Country Thus far the learned Doctor whose discourse may be of much advantage and profit to the Reader for the better understanding of this place But I find he hath a great Antagonist who though he agreeth with him in the negative part of his opinion and discourse Bochaâ—tus parte poster l. 3. c. 27. That the Reem here spoken of in Job is neither the Vnicorn nor the Rhinocerote nor the Bufalus nor the Bisons yet he doth not agree with him in the affirmative part of his opinion that the Reem is that savage beast or wild Ox called Vrus but first gives a large account why the Reem cannot be that beast called Vrus nor any of that kind and then concludes that it is a kind of Goat or of the Goatish kind by name the Oryx being an animal in colour pure white in stature tall in disposition fierce and untractable in his gate stately lifting up his head and horns on high That this beast is the Reem here spoken of he proves by various testimonies taken especially out of the ancient Arabian Chaldean and Hebrew Writers and endeavours to remove several objections arising from the seeming incompetency of any beast of the Goatish rank or kind to answer the description given of that noble animal called Reem both in the Text and in many other places of Scripture Thus the learned are much divided in opinion about this creature and upon which to determine is not easie Yet because the word Reem is every where in Scripture rendred by our Translators as also by many others of great authority Vnicorn I shall leave that matter of difference to the Readers judgement and do that reverence to our Translation as to open the Text distinctly in all that is here said by the Lord concerning the Reem under that name or title Vnicorn Will the Vnicorn be willing to serve thee In these words the Lord presents man as it were inviting wooing hiring the Unicorn to serve him But when he hath used all his skill and cunning when he hath done his best and worst too that is used all manner of means the Unicorn will not by any means be wrought upon to come under mans yoak or do his work Will the Vnicorn Be willing to serve thee To will is an act of reason and therefore to be willing is not proper to irrational Animals yet to will and to be willing may allusively be given to them They have a kind of will and an understanding befitting their kind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voluit propensa animo suit unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pater à propensa voluntate erga liberos The Hebrew word signifies to will with much readiness and propensity of mind it signifies willingness with delight and thence comes the Hebrew word for a Father because a Father is willing and ready to take care of and provide for his children though it cost him much travel and pains But Num acquiescet aut consentiet ex suapte natura ut tibi subjiciatur Will the Vnicorn be willing to serve thee will he be a ready servant to thee he will not As if it had been said The Vnicorn is an indocible and an untractable animal he will
life of the Unicorn First By his unwillingness to serve man Secondly By his independence upon man for his livelihood Proceeds to confirm and illustrate the same thing the stoutness or pride of the Unicorn and so his utter unserviceableness unto man by his refusal to be engaged in any of those labours which are necessary to husbandry First The Plowing Secondly The Harrowing of the ground Thirdly The Inning or Bringing home of the corn His refusal of the first of these services we have in the former part of the next or tenth verse Vers 10. Canst thou bind the Vnicorn with his band in the furrow Thou canst not Beasts use to be bound with cords to their work they will hardly else abide by their work Neither reason nor religion binds beasts to their work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore cords must The word here rendred to bind signifieth very fast and strong binding and such is binding with cords Moses useth the word Deut. 11.18 with respect to the Divine Law which God commanded the people of Israel to bind as frontlets between their eyes and so to hold them fast for ever The word is used also Neh. 4.6 to note the fixing of stones in a Building or Wall by Lime Cement or Morter And all the Wall was joyned together unto the half thereof that is the Wall was fastened and cemented half high Now saith the Lord Canst thou bind the Vnicorn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propriè funis densus crassus cujusmodi est lorum quo boves aut equi ad aratâ—um ligantur Drus Fune suo forte vau in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paragogicum est quâ—le in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filius aut fune suo dicit quia tunc ipsius erit cum eo Vincietur Drus Canst thou make him fast with his bands The word signifieth a thick and strong band which will hold pulling and not break A three-fold cord saith Solomon Eccles 4.12 is not easily broken Canst thou bind the Vnicorn in his band Some make the Pronoune his in the Hebrew to be only Paragogical without any necessary signification in the construction but I conceive there is somewhat peculiar in it when he saith canst thou bind the Unicorn with his band Every beast hath his special band or way of fastning to his work so that when 't is said Canst thou bind the Vnicorn with his band it seems to sound as if it had been said hast thou a proper band for the Unicorn as I know thou hast for other beasts the Horse Oxe and Ass hast thou a band which will hold him to his work I know among all thy tackling thou hast none will do it he will break thy bands and cast thy cords from him as stubborn and proud men are said to do the bands and cords that is the laws and commands of God Psal 2.2 Many beasts have their bands the Unicorn will have none he will not be bound or if he be he breaks his bands and refuseth to obey either he will not come to hand nor admit bands or cords to be put upon him or he strives against them and casts them off In a word 't is as if the Lord had said Thou canst not get the Vnicorn into his gears as the Husband man speaks thou canst not harness him as thou dost a horse nor yoke him as thou dost an Oxe to Plow or Cart he will not touch thy work Canst thou bind the Vnicorn with his band In the Furrow or for the Furrow or to the Furrow The Plough makes Furrows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 porca terra inter duos sulcos clata porcam appellant vel quòd frumenta porrigaâ— vel quòd aquam porro arceat Drus Sulcus porca lira sunt arationis partes and Furrows laid together make Ridges Both are expressed Psal 65.10 Thou waterest the Ridges thereof abundantly thou setlest the Furrows thereof Canst thou bind the Vnicorn with his band in the Furrow Or will he Harrow the Valleys after thee When the Plough hath laid the Furrows harrowing followeth The Plow leaveth the clods too gross for the reception and growth of the seed therefore the Harrow is imployed to break the Plowed ground yet more and to crumble the clods yet finer We find both these parts of Husbandry set down Isa 28.24 Doth the Plow-man Plow all day to Sow doth he open and break the clods of the ground when he hath made plain the face thereof doth he not cast abroad the fitches c Here 's a description of this work of the husbandman Plowing and Harrowing or making plain the face of the ground all in an allegory intending a very spiritual work of God in breaking and harrowing the heart of man by affliction and making it thereby fit to receive the seed of the Word Thus also spake the Prophet Hos 10.11 Judah shall plow and Jacob shall break his clods that is Jacob shall Harrow The Prophets meaning is that the Lord would bring them into a labouring state of life even into captivity where they must Plow because they had Plowed iniquity and had not Plowed up the Fallow ground of their hearts by repenting of their iniquity Will the Vnicorn Harrow The Vallies after thee Some render the word Furrows which lye like Valleys between the Ridges But the word more properly signifieth Vallies and they are most commonly Plowed and Sowed with Corn as Hills are reserved for Pasture Will he Harrow the Vallies After thee That is will the Unicorn be led by thee The Harrower goeth before the Horse or that which draweth the Harrow and the beast followeth or thus will he Harrow the Valleys After thee That is after thou hast Ploughed them As if the Lord had said will he either be driven or led thou canst not make him Harrow thou canst not lead him on in that work Thus we have the Unicorns refusal of those labours in which other beasts the Oxe and the Horse especially are very commonly used Now for as much as the Husband-mans work is described by Plowing and Harrowing Note First We cannot get our ordinary food without much labour The Husband-mans life is a painful life Plowing and Harrowing are hard labours and what is all this for but to bring forth the necessaries of mans life bread to strengthen mans heart and by consequence what ever else is food for man Adam was commanded to dress the Garden and to keep it Gen. 2.15 Adam was not put into that pleasant Garden only to take his pleasure and to eat the fruit of it but he was put into the Garden to dress it and to keep it Even Adam was to eat upon his labour though not such labour as man now eateth upon that came in by sin after the fall labour was imposed upon man not only as a duty but as a penalty It was imposed upon man before the fall as a duty but it was imposed upon man after the fall as a penalty
Gen. 3.17 18 19. Cursed is the ground for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return unto the ground Our ordinary bread is not easily come by remember the Husband-mans labour Hence the Apostle when he would shew what pains God taketh either immediately by the work of his Spirit or mediately by the labour of his Ministers to convert and build up souls in the faith he tells us 1 Cor. 3.9 That we are Gods husbandry and Gods building As if he had said great pains hath been or must be bestowed upon you that your souls may be saved and that ye may bring forth fruits of righteousness unto eternal life The Lord hath his spiritual Plow-men his Labourers his Oxen by these the faithful and industrious Ministers of the Gospel are emblem'd and set forth in the holy Scriptures 1 Cor. 9.10 Rev. 4.7 Note Secondly There is no Sowing without Plowing You must stir up and break the ground before you cast the seed into it 't is not else fit to receive the seed and improve it for a harvest The Scripture speaks first of Plowing then of Sowing Isa 28.24 c. The Plow-man opens the earth and breaks the clods before he casts in his seed the cumin the fitches and the principal wheat He doth not Plow for Plowing sake but for Sowing and when he hath Plowed he leaveth not his work till he hath Sowed what he Plowed This method doth the Lord use in his spiritual husbandry the Plow of repentance must break up the Fallow ground of the heart and the Harrow must smooth the face of the soul before it be fit to bring forth The Spirit makes frequent use of these Metaphors Jer. 4.6 Plow up the Fallow ground of your hearts read also Hosea 10.12 Further Harrowing comes after Plowing and either before or immediatly after sowing there is some variety as to husbandry in this point that the seed sown may be preserved from being devoured by the Fowls of the air it must unless sowed under Furrows be Harrowed Harrowing helps the seed to spring more freely and grow more thrivingly And thus it is also in spiritual husbandry When the seed of the Word is Sown the heart must be Harrowed else the Seed will miscarry In that Parable of the Sower Mat. 13. some seed fell upon the high-way which was neither Plowed nor Harrowed This High-way ground signifieth those careless hearers who receive the Word in a formality only the Fowls of the air evil spirits quickly picked up that because it was not covered by Harrowing Now there are two Harrows by which the Seed of the Word cast into the Vallies and Furrows of our Hearts is covered and secured that it may bring forth fruit to perfection these are meditation and prayer By meditation we hide the word in our hearts and by prayer we obtain a blessing upon it from God both for the securing of it and our fruit-bearing according to it There are two resemblances in Scripture setting forth the use of meditation and prayer about the word received The one is chewing of the cud the other is Harrowing Clean beasts under the Law chewed the cud and wise men both under Law and Gospel Harrow their land a godly man doth both in a spiritual way while he meditates in the Word and prays for a blessing upon it Thus husbandry for our daily bread teacheth us what course the Lord expects we should take for our souls that we may bring forth fruit and answer the end of receiving his Word The Unicorn will not be brought to either of these parts of the Husband-mans labour and his refusal is aggravated in the next Verse by the ability which he hath for both Vers 11. Wilt thou trust in him because his strength is great or wilt thou leave thy labour unto him The Vnicorn hath strength sufficient he is a beast stronger say Naturalists than either the Ox or the Horse but Wilt thou trust him because his strength is great The word notes trusting with much confidence and rest of the mind as 't is said Isa 12.2 I will trust and not be afraid Confidence upon a good ground leads us into a full as well as a good security I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength saith the believing soul in that place But saith the Lord here to Job Wilt thou trust this strong beast without fear or jealousie Wilt thou trust him Because his strength is great The strength or force of his body is great very great but the force or stubbornness of his will that is his wilfulness is far greater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Propriè significat vigorem illum corporis animalis qui consisit in humido radicali even so great that it will not suffer him to lay out the strength of his body for the service of man We find strength often attributed to the Unicorn in Scripture Numb 23.22 He that is God or Israel through the presence of God with him as was shewed before hath as it were the strength of an Vnicorn 'T is not said he hath as it were the strength of an Horse or of an Ox which are very strong creatures but of an Vnicorn thereby implying that the Unicorn is a creature of such great strength that he knew not where to find a stronger The Unicorn hath strength enough for his work but he hath no mind to his work and therefore wilt thou trust him because his strength is great Hence note First Great strength is required for great work There are some works that are done not so much by strength as by art or as it were by slight of hand such a work a feeble weak man may do but there are other works which require great strength all the wit and skill and learning cunning of men cannot do them unless they have a sutable that is a great portion of strength for the doing of them David Psal 144.14 describing the temporal felicity of his people makes this request for them That our Oxen be strong to labour The labour of the Ox is great and therefore he needs great strength to do his work and go through with his labour Note Secondly They who have great strength may do great works Great strength is a great advantage for service If the Unicorn would imploy and put out his strength he might do much Strength of body is a talent much may be done by that strength of mind is an excellent talent much more very much more may be done by that But when a man hath much strength of body and mind together what may not he do Let those who have much strength consider how they use it For a man to have the strength of an Unicorn much bodily strength and make no use of it is to become more beastly than the Unicorn A strong man rejoyceth to run
alone will not do it For that there may be an increase these five things must concur First The skill and industry of the Husband-man Secondly The strength and labour of the Ox or Horse Thirdly The vertue and fatness of the earth Fourthly The showers and influences of heaven Fifthly And above all the blessing of God Old Isaac said of his Son Jacob Gen. 27.27 See the smell of my Son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed As there is no increase without the blessing of God how much soever men or oxen labour so there is great increase the Lord adding his blessing by the labour of men and oxen Labour and increase usually go together and where no labour is there except by miracle is no increase Where no labour is the barn is empty the crib is empty the belly is empty the purse is empty Of doing nothing comes nothing but want and misery 'T is said when the Ox is weariest he treads surest To be sure they who are most wearied by honest pains-taking tread surest upon honest profit Secondly observe Seed sown is not lost but returns and comes home again That which was scattered abroad in the field is gathered into the barn Some may think when they see the Husbandman cast his seed into the ground that he casts it away but by the labour of the Ox by the skill of the Husbandman and the blessing of God upon all the seed cometh home again Thus the Apostle spake in a spiritual sense He that ploweth should plow in hope and he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope 1 Cor. 9.10 It should be so according to the ordination of God as to the faithful Ministers of God of whose labour in plowing up souls by the word and sowing those souls with the word the Apostle there treats And it is so through the benediction of God as to laborious Husband-men and their cattel in plowing and sowing the soyl of the earth Yea thus it is in all we do our actions good or bad are as seed sown which will certainly come again they will not be lost Good done will assuredly turn to good and evil done and not undone by repentance will as surely turn to evil The Apostle gives us this double assurance Gal. 6.7 8. Whatsoever a man soweth that not numerically but specifically shall he also reap For He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting And thus in special works of charity or our distributions to the necessities of others are more significantly called sowing Psal 112.9 He hath dispersed he hath given to the poor That is he hath sowed his alms abundantly what then It followeth His righteousness endureth for ever his horn shall be exalted with honor To give to the poor especially to Gods poor to the godly poor or to those that are made poor for Gods sake is sowing good seed and he that soweth thus shall receive a fruitful crop Grain sowed in the field may yield a good increase but that which is rightly sowed in the bowels of the poor shall certainly yield a better What we give is like seed sowed in the field which increaseth thirty sixty an hundred fold What we keep by us is like corn stored up in the garner which we bring forth and spend and there 's an end of it Here 's great encouragement to do good yea to abound in doing good to others What we so part with is not lost but sowed it will come back to the barn it will come home again and that with a great increase And doubtless where there hath been a plowing up of the heart by a work of grace there will be a free sowing in every good work And though we are not to do good works meerly eying a return or our personal advantage yet we may have an eye to it as Moses had in his holy sufferings and services to the recompence of reward yea and take incouragement from the Lords bounty to be more in duty more in charity even unto bounty We may consider the harvest while we are diligent in sowing yea to make us more diligent in sowing Having thus opened the several properties of this creature here called the Vnicorn properly taken and given out some meditations upon them it will not be I conceive either unuseful or unacceptable to the Reader if for the conclusion of the whole matter in hand I shew how the holy Scriptures together with some of the Ancients make use of this creature tropically or in a figure to resemble and represent First The state of the Church and people of God Thus Moses reports Balaam shadowing the power and blessedness of Israel when he came and was hired to curse them Numb 23.22 God saith he brought them that is the children of Israel out of Egypt he hath as it were the strength of an Vnicorn Most expound the word He collectively concerning that whole people as one body He that is Israel hath as it were the strength of an Vnicorn that is he is exceeding strong Some expound it of God He that is God who brought them out of Egypt the mighty God of Jacob hath as it were the strength of an Unicorn God is indeed infinitely strong stronger than the Unicorn That which is most eminent in any creature or for which any creature is most eminent the Scripture often ascribes in a way of super-eminency unto God The Lord hath strength like the strongest and how strong soever he is he is strong for his Israel yea he is the strength of his Israel So that if we take the word in this latter sense it reaches the same thing setting forth the power and strength of Israel by the strength of the Unicorn for the Lord who is their strength will make them strong like Unicorns Balaam spake thus again Numb 24.8 God brought him all Israel as one man out of Egypt he hath as it were the strength of an Vnicorn he shall eat up the Nations his enemies and shall break their bones and pierce them through with his arrows Thus also Moses spake or prophecyed of the Tribe of Joseph Deut. 33.17 His glory is like the firstling of his Bullock and his horns are like the horns of Vnicorns with them shall he push the people or peoples the word is plural together to the ends of the earth and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim and they are the thousands of Manasseh Moses sets out the fruitfulness of Ephraim beyond that of Manasseh ten for one and in both joyntly shews how powerful how prevailing they shall be even as if they pusht their enemies with horns like those of Unicorns In all these Scriptures the Lord fore-shewed the wonderful force of the Jewish Church of old his portion and peculiar people by that of the Unicorn David also as was said before expresseth his assurance of
though women should turn Ostriches and forget their own issue yet will I not forget thee that is I will have thee in everlasting remembrance as it followeth in the next words of the Prophet vers 16. Behold I have graven thee upon the palmes of my hands thy walls are continually before me And as the Lord will not forget his Sion the Church nor leave her to the danger of being crusht by every foot so whatever is left to hazard or danger whether First by any unreasonable creature as here in the Text Or secondly by unreasonable and foolish men from whom to be delivered the Apostle begged earnestly 2 Thes 3.2 Or Thirdly which the wisest men with all their care and power and diligence cannot secure from danger and hazzard there is a wakeful eye of providence that will take care in all such cases especially in the last For when men have done their utmost to keep the foot from crushing us and the wild beasts from destroying us but cannoâ— then the care of God appears most in doing it And in the case of that double necessity when good men have done their best to keep us safe but cannot and bad men have done their worst to expose us unto and leave us in danger we may and must leave all to God who naturally takes care of all creatures and is the Saviour of all men both as to temporal and eternal salvation 1 Tim. 4.10 especially of them that believe Thus we have the first part of the description of the Ostrich who being so very foolish not to discharge her duty to her eggs God himself doth it his providence orders the Sun to warm them and the Sand to bring them forth And as the Ostrich is careless of her eggs before they are hatcht so she neglects her young ones as much when they are hatcht as is shewed in the next verse Vers 16. She is hardened against her young ones as if they were not hers This verse gives us a farther description of that Bird-beast the Ostrich by her unnaturalness to her off-spring having left her eggs carelessly to hatch or perish in the dust she is as careless of her brood when they are hatched when the heat of the Sun say some by the providence of God hath done one part of her duty to bring them forth she neglects the other part of her duty which is to bring them up and so the pains that she took in laying so many great eggs one tells us her nest is usually stoâ—ed with fourscore eggs others say with twenty the least say with twelve or ten seems to be in vain she taking no care of them not having any regard to them This the Spiâ—it of God expresseth in the beginning of the 16th verse She is hardened against her young ones she is as forgetful of her chickens if I may so call them as she was of her eggs Rabbie Abraham reads thus God hath hardened her against her young ones and the reason that he gives for it is because the word is in the Masculine Gender which cannot well agree with the Feminine her And we find it in an active signification ascribed to God Isa 63.17 Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non alibi quam hic Isa 63.17 occurrit ac penè idem valet quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hiphil obduravit Merc. O Lord said the Church there why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy fear Nor is it any where else found in the whole Bible but in this place of Job in this sence the Rabbin expounds it here nor is it either an impertinent or an unprofitable sense For as God sometimes judicially hardens the hearts of men so he doth also naturally harden the hearts of some beasts and birds and makes them of a cruel disposition against their own kind and then they l t them sink or swim and expose them to the greatest danger without any the least provision for them The Septuagint or Greek Interpreters do not read as we She is hardned against her young ones but taking the same active signification of the ve b say thus She hardneth her young ones that is she doth not bring them up tenderly nor delicately but leaves them to shift for themselves and so hardneth them And the reason of that rendring may be this because there is no particle in the Hebrew expressing the word against we say She is hardned against her young ones but the preposition commonly rendred against is not in the Hebrew that saith only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conâ—ra non habeturin fonte ideo malui duriter habet aut tractat filios suos potius quam indurat se contra filios suos Drus She hardneth her young ones or She is hardning her young ones but the sense riseth much to the same point whether we read She hardneth her young ones or is hardned against her young ones for by being hardned against them or by using them hardly she hardneth them Many parents harden their children by being hard to them If we put the sense of both readings together it will make the matter more compleat she hardneth her young ones by hardning her self against them Our reading is full and clear She hardneth her self against her young ones or children so the word strictly taken signifies As though they were not hers Implying that the consideration of them as hers should have made her more tender of them yet she carrieth it as if she had no relation to them The Hebrew is For that they were not hers which here as in other parallel Scriptures is rightly sensed in our Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Videtur hic positum esse pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut saepe alias Lamed pro Caph usurpatur sic erunt in carnem unaÌ„ i.e. quasi caro una Drus As though they were not hers As if it had been said she could not do otherwise nor worse by them if they were meer strangers to her or such as she had no title to She deals no better with them than as if they either were not hers or as if they were nothing to her and she no way concerned in them Such is that complaint of the Church Lam. 1. Is it nothing to you all ye that pass by and see my sorrow is it nothing to you are you not at all concerned am I to you meerly as a stranger that you pass by and take no notice of my sufferings Thus the holy Ghost describes the Ostrich she is hardned against her young ones as though they were none of hers or as if she had nothing to do with them Hence note First They that deal hardly with others are hardened against them When Pharoah dealt so extream hardly with the people of Israel when he increased their number of bricks and denied them straw and made them serve with rigor he was extreamly hardned against them That spiritual judgement hardness of heart was deeply
godly men can do all things which are commanded of God as their duty through Christ strengthning of them yet some godly men cannot do some things which others can Lastly That which is conceived and may well be the design of God in questioning Job about this creature was to teach him and us in him the wisdom of God towards unwise creatures and the power of God in saving those that are exposed to danger and so to quiet both Jobs spirit and ours in staying upon his providence when we are in greatest straights What though we have not Eagles wings yet between wings and feet we shall make a shift to shuffle out of danger and if we cannot out-fly yet we may out-run the Horse and his Rider JOB Chap. 39. Vers 19 20 21. 19. Hast thou given the Horse strength hast thou cloathed his neck with thunder 20. Canst thou make him afraid as a Grashopper the glory of his nostrils is terrible 21. He paweth in the valley and rejoyceth in his strength he goeth on to meet the armed men THe Lord having occasionally mentioned the Horse the hunting Horse at the 18th verse of this Chapter questions Job â—qui generosissimi elegantissima descriptio and enters a large discourse about the Horse the war Horse or Horse for war and is pleased to give us a most elegant and rhetorical descripcion of that kind of Horses exceeding all the fancies of the old Poets and the strains of Orators The divine eloquence of this context exceeds all competition and comparison The war Horse is described two wayes in this context or with in respect to a twofold qualification Robur ejus in collo animus in naribus indicatur quibus iras efflare dicitur First With respect to his force at the 19th verse Hast thou given the Horse strength hast thou cloathed his neck with thunder Secondly To his fearlessness or courage which is described in the six verses following First By his slighting of all danger Canst thou make him afraid like a Grashopper ver 20. He mocketh at fear ver 22. Secondly His courage appears as by slighting danger so by that which is a consequent of it his forwardness to run upon danger for so doth he that goeth out to meet the armed men or armies of men ver 21. and turneth not away as he doth not from the sword ver 22. And so doth he that swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage that for joy believeth not that it is the sound of the Trumpet that saith among the Trumpets Ha ha c. ver 24 25. If any should ask a reason why God bestowed so much rhetorick upon a bruit beast upon a horse I answer God who is infinitely wise and holy will not mispend a word he will not lavish out lines vainly as men often do the Lord therefore had this design and scope in speaking so largely and rhetorically of this generous horse even thereby to set forth his own power wisdom and greatness in making him and to convince Job yet farther of his own weakness and inability as compared in some things with a Horse Vers 19. Hast thou given the Horse strength The Hebrew word which we translate Horse is Sus and thence the Latins have the word Pegasus as some conceive which is as much as The horse of the fountain and by the very same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Equus unde Pegasus quasi fontis Equus Sus Latinis Porcum Hebraeis Equâ—â— Flandris silentium significat Cornel. à Lap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 laetari Rab. Becai in sound and letters the Latines express a Swine and another language Silence One of the Rabbins saith he is so called from a word of the same or a very neer sound in the Hebrew though not of the same letters signifying to rejoyce because the Horse is a chearful beast Oâ—hers from an Arabick word signifying to govern or rule because he is a docile creature and soon submits to government Hast thou given the Horse strength What Horse The word is indefinitely put in this 19th verse and may be taken for any horse yet the subsequent description restrains it to a particular sort of horses horses of war or war horses A horse is a very useful creature and there are six several uses of the Horse First For travel which is the ordinary use we say this is a good travelling horse Secondly For burden the carrying horse Thirdly For drawing Carts and Waggons c. the draught horse Fourthly For pleasure the hunting horse Fifthly For swiftness the race horse Sixthly For war the valiant horse that 's the Horse in the Text Hast thou given the Horse Strength Every horse according to his usefulness needs strength the war horse much more Hast thou given that horse strength which needs so much strength As if the Lord had said Job thou seest the horse is a strong and stately beast a beast of great force how came he by his strength hast thou given it him or I surely not thou but I It is I who have made him strong it is I who have filled him with courage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à nomine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est vir non qualemcunque strenuitatem impartâ—t sed virilem nobilem Plin. l 8. c. 24. Homer Iliad 4. and fitted him for the battel The Hebrew word which we translate strength doth not signifie ordinary strength but manly noble strength a strength not only of outward force but vertue The Root notes a great a potent man It is not any kind of strength which is here intended but an active strength I may say a manly strength Histories report strange things concerning the manly strength of the Horse his is a generous strength Alexanders horse called Bucephalus is famous for the greatness both of his strength and spirit Hast thou given the Horse strength Hence note First The strength even of a horse is the gift of God God is infinitely strong and mighty and whatsoever might or strength is found in any creature God is the Author of it Strength in great proportion is not the portion of every creature Solomon Prov. 30.26 speaks of the Coneys as a feeble folk they have little or no strength yet that they have little strength or that little strength which they have is of God as well as that the Horse hath great strength or the great strength of the horse The strength of a beast is of God as well as the strength of man The strength of mans body is of God as well as that more excellent strength the strength of his mind or the strength of his understanding judgement and memory All strength floweth from and is to be ascribed unto the strong God As no man gives it so let no man take it to himself Glory not in strength give God the glory of all strength even of the Horses strength Secondly A Horse having received such mighty
strength yet is serviceable to man for very many and very necessary uses as was toucht before not only for pleasure for hunting and racing but for burden and for travel for draught and for war Hence note The power and goodness of God is much seen and much to be acknowledged in making a creature so strong yet subject to and useful for man Some creatures have great strength yet are noâ— nor will be subject nor serviceable to man It is said at the 10. verse of this Chapter concerning the Unicorn Canst thou bind the Vnicorn with his band in the furrow or will he harrow the valleys after thee The Unicorn hath great strength but man can get no service from him he cannot bind him in the furrow nor make him do him any other work Why is it that the Horse who is of great strength though possibly not of so great strength as the Unicorn is so serviceable surely the reason is only this Because God by his power hath subdued the strength of the Horse to and for the service of man Who could break the Horse who could handle and manage him if God himself had not brought him to hand The Elephant greater in strength than the Horse or Unicorn is yet made subject to the use of man by the power and appointment of God Take five Inferences from both these considerations That the strength of the Horse is of God and that the Horse though mighty in strength is by God subdued to the use of man First If the strength of horses be the gift of God then do not glory in their strength though they are very strong yet rejoyce not in their strength but in God who hath given them their strength David saith Psal 147.10 The Lord delights not in the strength of the Horse The Lord gives the Horse strength but he delights not in it no nor in the legs of a man The Lords delight is in them that fear him The Lord tells us he doth not delight in them to teach us that we should not delight in them The Lord delights not in the strength of a horse much less in the strength of those men who are like Horses and Mules of whom David speaks Psal 32.9 whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle lest they come neer unto us to do us a mischief Some men are strong in body and strong in mind too they have strong understandings and strong memories yet aâ—e but like strong horses that must be held in with bit and bridle else they will do more mischief with their strength than the strongest ungoverned horses In these the Lord delights not he cannot delight in the strength of any who are strong to sin and to do wickedly or to give it in the words of the Prophet Isa 5.22 Who are strong to drink wine and to mingle strong drink such a strength some men glory in but the Lord abhors all that strength which is used and issued to the darkning of his glory Secondly As we are not to delight in the strength of horses but in God who hath given them their strength so whatever strength we see in the horse or in any other creature we should give God the glory of it Do not glory in the strength of creatures but in God who gives them their strength that which he hath given or cometh from him should return unto him in daily praise or in the due acknowledgement of his power and goodness Thirdly Vse the strength of horses I say also your own strength for God and not against him We should take heed of imploying the strength which God hath given a beast against God much more should we take heed of using our own strength against him When men imploy the strength of a beast or their own against God they imploy the gift against the giver and so fight against God with his own weapons Fourthly If the strength of horses be of God or be his gift Then trust not in the strength of horses Use the strength of horses but do not trust the strength of horses If you trust that strength which God hath given to horses you make them your God How often doth God foâ—bid trusting in the strength of horses as knowing that we are apt to trust in any thing that is strong though but a beast Psal 33.17 A horse is a vain thing for safety neither shall he deliver any by his great strength As if God had said you think a horse can save you but know he is a vain thing And when the Psalmist saith A horse is a vain thing he doth not mean it of a weak horse but of such a horse as is here described a horse of the greaâ—est strength imaginable such a horse is a vain thing to save a man neither can he deliver any by his strength and therefore the Lord when he promised great deliverances to his people lest they should expect it by the strength of horses faith Hos 1.7 I will save them by the Lord their God and will not save them by bow nor by sword nor by battel by horses nor by horse-men As if he had told them do not look after creature strength to be saved by a horse will be a vain thing to save you and I can save you effectually without horses yea I will Hence the people of God Hos 14.3 when beaten off from all outward helps and trusts are brought in speaking thus Ashur shall not save us we will not ride upon horses neither will we say any more to the work of our hands ye are our gods Heretofore we thought to be saved by this and that we thought if we could have horses enough they would save us but now Ashur shall not save us nor will we ride upon horses We may collect from Psal 20.7 how the spirit of man runs out this way Some trust in chariots and some in horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God The Law of Moses gave great caution about this thing limitting even the King in this case and that Law was made for the King some hundred of years before they had a King Deut. 17.16 He shall not multiply horses to hâ—mself nor cause the people to return to Egypt to the end that he should multiply horses As if it had been said take heed you do not put your confidence upon the strength of horses though the Law deny not your King the use of horses both for civil and military affairs yet it limits him that he shall not multiply them lest having many of them he should look upon them as more than they are or can be his help and so put confidence in them Hence also is that reproof Isa 31.1 Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help and stay on horses and trust in chariots because they are many and in horse-men because they are very strong We see how the spirit of man runs out to the horse which God hath
Horse of Darius neighed first and so got his Master the Empire the Persian histories will inform the Reader But to the point in hand 'T is evident from what hath been said that 't is no uncouth nor far fetcht much less forced metaphor to express the neighing of a furious fretting Horse by thundering And as the word rendred thunder signifies in the Verbe to be moved with choler and indignation so a noble-spirited Horse charging an enemy shews a high strain of rage and indignation in which respect together with his neighing his neck may seem to be cloathed with thunder And though it be said that as the neck is not reckoned among the instruments of speaking in man so it cannot be conveniently reckoned among the instruments of neighing in a Horse that properly belonging to the throat and though I grant that when the Scripture saith Psal 75.5 Speak not with a stiff neck the word neck is not there to be taken for the means or instrument of speech but notes only the manner of speaking namely that there the Lord forbids wicked men to speak scornfully pertinaciously or as Hannah expresseth it in her Song 1 Sam. 2.3 that they should talk no more so exceeding proudly nor let arrogancy come out of their mouth Yet the throat being placed in and being a part of the neck we may by a common synecdoche of the whole for the part avoid that difficulty Nor doth the metaphor of cloathing though I confess it most sutable to the first interpretation that of the mane oppose this third of neighing For when a Horse neighs strongly the sound coming out of his mouth compasseth him his neck especially round about as with a garment David describing a wicked man saith he cloathed himself with cursing Psal 109.18 Cursing goes out of the mouth of a wicked man as neighing out of the mouth of a Horse and therefore as when a man is much in cursing he may be said to cloath himself with cursing as with a garment so a Horse which neigheth much may I conceive be said to have his neck cloathed with neighing Having thus far drawn out these expositions of this second question which the Lord put to Job about the Horse Hast thou cloathed his neck with thunder I shall submit them to the Readers judgment and only say that the first if that word Ragnemah may signifie a Horses-mane is the clearest and most literal of them all and that among the second sort of expositions the third is most received and approved From the first interpretation we learn God hath bestowed not only strength but ornaments upon the Horse The mane of a Horse is of little use and therefore some cut it quite off but it is a great ornament to the Horse From the two last interpretations Observe First The Horse in his heat and rage is very terrible Thunder is so and so must he needs be whose neck is cloathed with any thing resembling thunder Note Secondly It is of God that the Horse is terrible The Horse hath thunder about his neck but it is God who hath cloathed his neck with it If any Horse or any other creature be delightful to us God hath made it so and if any Horse or any other creature be thunder dreadful and terrible to us it is the Lord who hath made it so This we find more clearly held out in the next verse Vers 20. Canst thou make him afraid as the Grass-hopper the glory of his nostrils is terrible In the first part of this verse we have the courage of the Horse set forth That creature is full of courage that cannot be made afraid Thus the Lord speaks to Job concerning the Horse Canst thou make him afraid as the Grass-hopper The Chaldee with whom one of the Rabbins joyns rendereth Canst thou cause him to make a noise like a Grass-hopper Abenefra ut senitim edat Vehement motion causeth a sound or noise in the air When many grass-hoppers fly together they make a kind of rushing noise This exposition agrees well enough with the word which at second hand signifieth to make a noise that being caused by motion Yet other considerations hinder from resting in this interpretation For seeing the whole discourse here insists upon the descripâ—ion of a generous horse and his qualifications the noise or sound which a Horse makes in running makes nothing to that purpose for as much as it is common to all Horses even the basest sort of them to make a sound with their feet when they run And if it should be granted that great and generous horses have somewhat peculiar in this and make a greater sound than common horses in running yet to take the comparison from the sound which Grass-hoppers make in flying doth easily refute this exposition We know indeed what Pliny saith Grass-hoppers make such a sound with their wings in flying Lib. 11. cap. 29. that they may be thought some other kind of fowls Yet we cannot therefore believe that it is a proper similitude to compare the sound which horses make in running who as Poets use to phrase it make the earth tremble and groan with that crassing noise which Grass-hoppers make while they fly in the air For if the comparison may at all be taken from flying-fowls great fowls were much fitter for it who use to fly in flocks together Yet these greater fowls make no very great noise in flying much less can Grass-hoppers And therefore the Poets both Greek and Latine though they affect to shaddow great sounds and clamours by a similitude taken from flying-fowls yet they do not take the resemblance from the sound which their flying makes with their wings but from the sound or chattering which they make with their bills while they fly Bootius animad sacrae of which the Reader may find many instances given by the learned Author named in the Margin Seeing then fowls do not make any such noise in flying as may serve for a sutable resemblance of any great sound surely that small noise which Grass-hoppers make in flying cannot be a proper resemblance of it Further here is nothing said of many or of a troop and body of horses but of a single horse or of horses singly and a part considered Now that some one horse should be compared with one Grass-hopper as to the sound which the one and the other makes in their motion were no small absurdity This therefore may suffice for the laying aside of that first interpretation of the whole clause though the force of the word doth not oppose it Secondly Others read the Text thus An commovebis eum in morem locustae Drus Canst thou make him move leap or skip like the grass-hopper As if the Lord had said It is not of thee O Job but of me that the horse hath this property to move himself like a Grass-hopper The motion of a horse may be compared to that of a Grass-hopper in two respects
at but there are other fears that will be our shame and ruin to mock at Of all such that will be true which the Lord spake by wisdom Prov. 1.26 I will mock when their fear cometh They who mock when fear that is when fearful things are threatn'd in the name of the Lord the Lord will mock at their fear when fearful evils fall upon them Sinners will have little mind to mock at last Such mockers at fear are prophesied of before the coming of Christ in those two Epistles which are of a near complexion and constitution 2 Pet. 3.4 Knowing this first that there shall come in the last days mockers or scoffers walking after their own lusts saying where is the promise of his coming And in the Epistle of Jude ver 17 18. we have the same caution Beloved remember ye the words that were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time who should walk after their ungodly lusts Take heed you be not found thus like the Horse mocking at fear though there be many cases wherein it is the honour of man especially of the servants of God to be in this point like the Horse Who mocketh at fear Neither turneth he back from the sword This latter part of the verse is only a confirmation of what was said before and therefore I shall briefly pass it Those appearances or reallities of danger at which we are affrighted cause us to turn back but the horse not being affrighted with turneth not back from the sword The Hebrew is he turneth not back from the face of the sword further the Hebrew is plural from the faces of the sword The sword hath a face it hath as it were many faces and they all look very terribly therefore not to be afraid of the faces of the sword is a high expression of fearlesness Not to turn back from the face of the sword may have this sence not to fear when the sword is very near him when the sword looks the horse in the face and makes dreadful faces then he turns not back from it nor yields a foot of ground The Horse doth not only mock at fear or at things which are to be fear'd when they are afar off but when they are near even when the sword is drawn and brandished before his face To talk great words when an enemy is far from us is the cowards guize but when we see his face to stand to it is the trial of courage Plin. nat hist l. 6. c. 16. The Lioness is a very fierce and stout creature and yet it is reported that when she is fighting for her whelps at which time she is most fierce and furious she casts her eyes down to the ground as not being willing to behold the weapons or hunting arms of those who pursue her But though the natural Historian reports some kind of fear in the Lioness yet Solomon reports the courage of the Lion altogether fearless and undaunted Prov. 30.30 He turneth not away for any The Hebrew saith from the face of any we may say man or beast that is she takes not a step back for any neither man nor beast can make him afraid An ancient Writer describing the Lion tells us He never feareth nor flyeth nor hasteth away in the sight of any but though oppressed with the multitude or number of his pursuers he makes his retreat softly and gradually or by several stands to see who dares engage him as was shewed before at the 38th Chapter ver 39 40. Thus the valiant horse behaves himself at the appearance and face of the sword he doth not only not turn quite away from the sword but doth not so much as turn his eyes from it but looks it full in the face though it sheweth a dreadful and bloody face God who hath made the horse for the service of man in war hath given him a spirit sutable he is not afraid of the sword nor of any other weapon of war as will further appear from the next verse when from these words I have briefly Noted First The face or appearance of the sword is terrible The sword is one of the most terrible things which the Lord at any time threatneth against a sinful people the face of the sword makes many mens faces gather paleness and puts a palsie into their hands Note Secondly Where there is true courage not only dangers afar off but dangers at hand are not turned from It is said Psal 78.8 that the children of Ephraim being armed and carrying bows they had both offensive and defensive weapons yet turned back in the day of battle They marcht on possibly a great while very valiantly as well as any in the army and possibly made great boasts what they would do but when it came to the day of battle when they saw the face of the sword then saith the Text they turned back A man of right mettal turns not back his courage fails not no not at present danger and that 's it which we are to consider our selves in as to our spiritual courage It is an easie matter to slight dangers when they are unseen and only talked of but when it comes to the day of battle when swords are drawn and you see their terrible faces then not to turn back that 's courage indeed And so we may understand the words of the Apostle Heb. 10.38 where he brings in the Lord speaking thus If any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him If any man draw back as a coward or takes his heels in the day of battle for of that he spake in the 34th verse telling us of those Who endured a great fight of affliction even of those that took joyfully the spoiling of their goods and doubtless were ready to take joyfully the spoiling of their lives too If any man in their case turn back f om the very face of the sword My soul saith God shall have no pleasure in him he is no souldier for me he is not fit for the spiritual warfare As in this verse we have the sword so in the next there is an ennumeration of several other terrible Armes the sight whereof gives no trouble to the horse Vers 23. The quiver ratleth against him the glistering spear and the sword Yet he turns not back so we are to connect it The quiver ratles against him It was usual in those times to make much use of bows and aâ—rows in war and not only did the foot-men use the bow but the horse-men too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est pharetra unde sagittae vocantur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filii pharetrae Lam. 3. Some understand this ratling of the quiver to be either of foot or horse that come to charge but we are rather to understand the ratling of the horse-mans quivers Most creatures take fright at ratling noises but this ratling makes not
Neque consistit firmus cum sonus tubae editur Jun. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Mr. Broughton renders expresly Neither stands he still when the sound of the trumpet is heard This interpretation suits best with the scope of the place nor doth the force of the Hebrew Verb oppose it for the Adjective which comes from the Participle of it is often used to signifie firm stable sure durable yea and the Verb it self is often taken in that sense Psal 78.37 They were not stedfast or stood not fast in his covenant So Deut. 28.59 the Lord threatned Plagues of long continuance that is standing Plagues or such as should hold long and not stir from the place Thus also it is said Exod. 17.12 The hands of Moses were steady until the going down of the Sun The same word doth elegantly signifie both to believe and to be steady or stand fast seeing it is faith or believing in God which alone makes us steady or stand fast in all occasions or temptations to the contrary and therefore in this place we may most conveniently render He standeth not firm he stands not still or keeps not his place at the sound of the trumpet but is unquiet and in motion as having an ardent desire to be in the battel as soon as ever he hears the trumpet sound Stare loco nescit Virg. One of the ancient Poets expresseth this quality of a valiant horse almost in the same words and altogether to the same sense He knows not how to keep his place or he cannot as we say for his heart stand still So that as the eagerness of the horse for the battel even before the signal given is set forth in those words vers 21. He paweth in the valley and in the former part of this verse where 't is said He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage so the same height of spirit after the signal given is further expressed in these words thus translated He standeth not still no ground will hold him he will be gone if he can get head when once he hears the sound of the trumpet Hence note What we have much mind to do we are glad of an opportunity to do it and readily embrace it The Apostle saith of the old Patriarks Heb. 11.15 Truly if they had been mindful of that is if they had had a mind to that Country from whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have returned Now as a man will not do that for which he hath an opportunity when he hath no mind to it so if a man hath a mind to do any thing how soon doth he make use of the very first opportunity to do it And doubtless it was a great trouble to the Philippians who had a true desire to shew their care of and love to the Apostle Paul that they lacked opportunity to shew it and give a real proof of it Phil. 4.10 As opportunity is a gale to carry us on to action so a willing mind is a gale to carry us to the improvement of any offered opportunity for action Let us do good saith the Apostle Gal. 6.10 as we have opportunity He that is slack to do good when he hath a fair gale of opportunity to it declares plainly that his mind is becalmed and that he hath not the least breath or gale of willingness in his mind to do good It is our duty not only to accept an opportunity to do good when it falls tight in our way but even to step out of our way so it be in a good way to seek it Davids enemies sought occasion and so did Daniels Chap. 6. to do him a mischief and shall not we seek occasions to shew mercy c. Let us like the horse in the Text no sooner hear the sound of the Trumpet a lawful call to any duty for which we have also an open door but as he rejoyce in it stand still no longer with a dull shall we shall we in our mouths but be gone up and be doing Vers 25. He saith among the trumpets ha ha and he smelleth the battel afar off the thunder of the Captains and the shouting This verse seems to give a reason of what was last said in the former especially according to the latter Translation of it As if it had been said Therefore the generous horse cannot stand still but is impatient of every moments delay when he hears the trumpet sound because he is not only not astonished at it but rejoyceth wishing for nothing more than the battel of which he knows the sounding of the trumpet to be a signal He saith among the trumpets Ha ha Some render these words not barely as we among the trumpets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Quando tubarum clangor validus intenditur vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constat praepositione Beth particula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae non est tantum adjectitia Euphonica sed copiam etiam significat Codurc but thus At the full sound of the trumpet or When the trumpet hath sounded long and sufficiently then he saith Ha ha Reading the words thus we may connect them with the latter part of the former verse Neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet that is when the trumpet begins to sound he doubts whether it be to the battel or no but when the trumpet sounds long when the sufficiency of the trumpet sounds or when it sounds sufficiently so that it manifestly appears the battel is nigh or at hand then he saith Ha ha That the word de in Bede is significative and imports sufficiency is the opinion of many interpreters and that it is of the same sense in this Text as in that Isa 40.16 Lebanon is not sufficient to burn nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering Thus here at the sufficiency of the trumpet that is when the trumpet sounds sufficiently abundantly or clearly or as our old English translation hath it when the trumpets make most noise he saith ha ha There are others of note who judge that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de is only a syllabical addition of no signification or adding nothing to the Preposition ב Be Ad tubae soninitum Trem. Inter buccinas Pag. and so render the words only thus At the sound of the trumpet or as we Among the trumpets he saith ha ha And that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De is only expletive not significative and so that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bede is no more than the Preposition ב Be put alone some would confirm by other Texts of Scripture where it is conceived to be so used Hab. 2.13 Behold is it not of the Lord that the people shall labour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the fire and the people shall weary themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for vanity Arnold Boot Animad Sac. l. 3. c. 11. These words are sound also Jer. 51.58 in both which saith
a learned Author that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De cannot signifie sufficiency both the sense of the place shews and almost all interpreters agree And this also may be further confirmed by a like use of the same word as it is put after ב Judg. 6.5 and after מ Isa 66.23 The Learned Reader consulting the original will easily observe saith he that in both those places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath no special signification Yet doubtless considering that not one Iota or tittle in the Scripture is in vain that additional word hath its use and possibly is of more use than any have as yet well understood For though it be granted as Rabbi David saith in his Dictionary that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all those places is paragogical yet Paragoges may have more in them than meerly the ornament of speech Our Translators intimate as much Hab. 2.13 where they do not render barely in the fire and for vanity but in the very fire and for very vanity And therefore with the good leave of that learned Author I apprehend with the Rabbin whom he quotes but likes not for this opinion that in all places where this word is used it hath a special force declaring the greatness and continuance of the thing spoken of And so in this place we may take the meaning thus As the generous horse is alwayes forward for the battel so when the trumpet begins to sound but when the trumpet soundeth long as the Lord spake to Moses at the giving of the Law Exod. 19.13 then the horse being fully assured that the battel will suddenly begin is mightily affected with a kind of joy which he expresseth as well and as fully as he can in his language saying Ha ha now 't is as I would have it That this Interjection ha ha imports joy and exultation Emittit exultationis vocem Aquin. Alacritèr se ad pugnam parat Scult Ad lituos hilarem intrepidumque tubarum prospiciebat Equum Statius l. 11. Theb. all agree and it may note not only that inward joy with which the horse is affected at the sound of the trumpet but also that outward expression which he makes of it by neighing which may not improperly be called his ha ha the sound which we hear in the air when a horse neigheth symbolizing much with this Interjection ha ha spoken by a man And all men know who know any thing of the qualities or customs of gallant horses that it is usual with them to neigh when they are much pleased and are upon a neer attainment of their desire or the injoyment of their pleasures Comparing the latter part of the former verse according to the second exposition of our Translation with this Observe Assurance of what we would have breeds extream joy and triumph in his spirit that would have it When the horse finds it is the battel indeed then he rejoyceth greatly Men often break out into such exclamations when having been long doubtful of a thing and fearful how it might issue they at last see its issue answering the utmost of their wishes and expectations Psal 40.15 Let them saith David be desolate for a reward of their shame that say Ah ha Ah ha that is let them be rewarded with desolation for their shameful doings in saying Ah ha Ah ha because they see me cast down To say Ah ha at what is done is as much as to say it pleaseth us well it gives us high content Thus also they cryed out Psal 35.21 Ah ha our eyes have seen it As the vision we shall have in heaven is faith perfected in the highest assurance imaginable so in any case in this world what of our desires our eyes see we take high content in It is comfortable when we have some hope of what we desire but when we once see it then we cry Ah ha if what our eyes see be to us as theirs was to them in the same Psalm where they are again brought in saying Ah ha so would we have it ver 25. now it is as it should be we have been looking for such a day a long time but now it is come Ah ha Ah ha So would we have it And consider it either in natural or spiritual things there is a time as to spiritual things when we do not believe the silver trumpet of the Gospel sounds mercy to us that sin is pardoned that God is gracious but when once there is a convincing sufficiency of the trumpets sound when once our unbelief is fully overcome and our hearts wound up to assurance then the soul is in its triumph and cryes out as the horse when he perceives the desired battel approacheth Ah ha Ah ha This content of the horse appears yet further in the next words He smells the battel afar off the thunder of the Captains and the shouting These words hold out another matter which doth much set forth and commend the honour of the horse and his desire of the combat He smells the battel To be in battel pleaseth him so well that the smell of it is to him a delightful and pleasant odour The very stink of a Camp as the Prophet calls it Amos 4.10 is a sweet perfume to his nostrils He smells a battel He smelleth the battel afar off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Odorari Olfacere The Hebrew word signifieth properly to smell or take the scent of any thing And almost all interpreters ancient and modern retain that signification here yet some there are who take smelling in this place metaphorically for perceiving fore-apprehending or presaging Sentit aut praesentiscit For the Hebrew as some very well skilled in that language assure us having no word which answers the Greek and Latine words noted in the margin signifying to perceive and feel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sentire maketh use of this word in the Text for those purposes Thus 't is said Judg. 16.9 When it that is the threed toucheth or as our old translation hath it feeleth the fire So Isa 11.3 He that is Christ the Messias shall be quick of understanding in the fear of the Lord. The Hebrew is He shall smell or be quick-scented in the fear of the Lord. His very senses shall be as it were toucht with or dipt in the fear of the Lord that is he shall religiously sense or judge all things The fear of the Lord shall be the rule or guide of all his senses as it follows in that verse He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes neither reprove after the hearing of his ears that is according to outward appearances and reports Thus we may take the word in this passage the horse smelleth that is he perceiveth or apprehendeth the battel Praesagiunt pugnam Plin. l. 8. c. 42. Naturalists report wonders about the understanding of the horses and his sagaciousness in fore-seeing or presaging battels And this he doth saith the Text Afar off Our
translation with most others take the Hebrew word as an Adverb of place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet some conclude it to be an Adverb of time So 't is used Isa 25.1 where the Prophet be speaks the Lord thus Thy counsels of old that is those counsels which thou O Lord hast had a long time ago or long before time are faithfulness and truth We also render the word by long ago 1 King 19.25 But it may be objected Though the word in those places notes time yet it cannot do so in this place of Job for in those places alleadged it signifies a vast space of time before whereas here in Job if it denotes time it is but a very short space of time no more than the space of time between giving the signal of a battel by sound of trumpet and the joyning of the battel To this the answer is That this Hebrew word may be applied to a short space of time as well as to a long one seeing both the Greek and Latine words set in the Margin of the same signification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Olim. are used to note sometimes a very long and sometimes but a short space of time Now according to this sense of the word this latter clause of the verse is thus translated He smelleth or perceiveth the battel is neer at hand or will shortly be Which gives a very fair meaning of the Text if that word which all grant signifies time as well as place doth also signifie a short as well as a long space of time for then the verse runs clearly thus At the full sound of the trumpet he saith Ha ha smelling or perceiving that the battel is at hand I leave this to the Readers judgement Our own translation is an undoubted truth both as to the signification of the word and the experiences of the thing A Gallant horse trained up and accustomed to War when he sees much stirring in an Army and hears the trumpets sounding perceives a battel will be though the armies be possibly a good distance of ground one from the other Thus he smells the battel afar off especially when he hears that which follows in the close of the verse The thunder of the Captains and the shouting This is musick to him Here are two other antecedents of a battle which the horse takes notice of First The thunder of the Captains or Princes that is of the great Commanders and Generals of the field who when they give out the word they give it with a loud voice they thunder it out 'T is no time to whisper when armies are ready to joyn battle and therefore Commanders lift up their voices like trumpets or like thunder out of the clouds that the Souldiers may hear them And when Captains or Generals give exhortation to the Souldiers they thunder out arguments to encourage them and fire their spirits to the battle The horse doth as it were hear this thunder oh it pleases him when the military oration is made and the Captain-general gives order for the battle And the shouting What 's that Surely the acclamation of the whole army when the Captain Confusus clamor exercitus Praeparantis se ad praelium â—â—quin or Commander in chief hath made his military Oration then usually the Souldiers shout and make an acclamation in token of their willingness to fight and readiness for the battle Thus the horse smells the battle afar off the thunder of the Captains and the shouting The whole verse may be read in this form At the sufficient sound of the trumpet and the exhortation of the Captains together with the acclamations of the Souldiers he saith Ah ha or rejoyceth perceiving that the battle though the armies be not yet joyned but keep their ground at a distance is at hand or will suddainly be Having opened this whole context concerning the horse and given several observations from the parts of it I shall for the close of all shew how aptly this description of the horse represents or is applicable unto two very different sorts of men First The Horse as here described is the embleme of a bold and hardened sinner The Spirit of God speaks this expressly Jer. 8.6 I harkened and heard saith the Lord but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickedness saying what have I done every one turned to his course what course his sinful course how as the horse rusheth into the battle as the horse mocks at fear and will not turn back from the sword As the horse will not be affrighted at the ratling of the quiver nor at the shaking of the spear so hardened sinners rush on though you tell them there 's deadly danger in it and that the Sword of the Word points directly at them and will cut them off Yea they will not turn back though the Lord should brandish a flaming sword as he did against Adam to keep him from the tree of life so to keep them from the tree of death they will for all this rush on as the horse to the battle The wicked man is thus described in one place of this book of Job Chap. 15.25 26. where Eliphaz saith of him He stretcheth out his hand against God here 's war with God and strengthens himself against the Almighty that is draws all his forces together and what then just as the horse in the Text He runs upon the thick bosses of his buckler even upon his neck A wicked man like the horse runs upon God even upon the thick bosses of his buckler The Lord is there represented by Eliphaz as holding out a buckler against the sinner what 's that the Law his Word of command that 's Gods buckler and this buckler hath thick bosses and sharp points especially in the middle a great boss with a pike such are all divine threatnings yet the sinner runs as a horse upon these thick bosses of Gods buckler his severest threatnings Thus the horse and a bold sinner are alike Secondly The horse is also the embleme of a bold Saint or of a faithful servant of God Such specially were all the holy Martyrs St. Austine A chief among the Ancients saith expressly that in the Horse the Martyr may be seen whom none account valiant but God himself and they who are born of God I may Parallel a holy Martyr and the Horse in every particular mentioned in this context First As the horse is said to receive his strength from God hast thou given strength to the horse so it was God who gave strength to the Martyrs to stand it out in the day of battle Secondly As God gives courage to the horse so it was God that gave courage to the Martyrs and such courage he hath sometimes given as hath made poor weak women as strong and couragious as the horse in the Text Persecuters could not make the old martyrs run like Grashoppers they have even mocked at fear and would not turn back from
the face of the sword drawn out against them no ratling of the quiver nor clashing of weapons could terrifie them they have not been affrighted with Lions Bears Tygers ready to devour them they have not been affrighted with the fiery furnace nor with the most exquisite torments that the wit or malice of man could invent Jesus Christ having instructed the Church his Spouse Cant. 1.8 what to do he at the 9th verse commends the Church in two things First For her courage Secondly For her beauty For her courage first at the 9th ver and in that respect he compares her to a Company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots But why doth he compare the Church to a Company of horses in Pharaohs Chariots I answer it is well known that the Kings of Egypt were called Pharaoh and Egypt was very famous for horses of war therefore Christ makes this comparison to shew that the Church bâ—ing directed to keep close to the shepheards tents must expect that the world or the false Church would vex and persecute her but faith Christ my spouse is like a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots that is she will be as valiant in this war in standing for the truth against all false doctrine idolatrous worship as the most valiant horses that ever were in Egypt or in any part of the world have been in any day of battle Experience we know hath made this good for the true Spouse of Christ though poor comtemptible and weak though women and even but children though helpless sheep and tender lambs yet in battles of suffering for Christ they have become as mighty as the mightiest war-horses they have withstood all the powers of the world undauntedly and made them admire their courage yea vexed and madded them with their courage Who but the Lord could arm his people with spiritual weapons with power and courage to overcome all their enemies or to over-overcome them as the word is Rom. 8.37 which we render more than conquerors over what over sword and nakedness and perils and danger and death we more then overcome all these saith the Apostle there though we are killed all the day long and counted as sheep for the slaughter as he speaks at the 36th verse And hence the Prophet said Zach. 10.3 5. that though the Church there called the house of Judah be weak like a flock yet the Lord makes them as his goodly horse in the battle Our late Annotators give the sense of the Prophet in those words expressly thus Now that the Lord hath turned his favourable countenance towards his people he hath endowed them with valour and strength so that of sheep they are become a great war-horse with which the Lord will overcome and trample down his enemies which may in part be understood of the Maccabeees victory but most perfectly of the whole Churches victories over the world and the devil This victory the Church obtains over the devil by resisting and over the world by suffering Thus far of the valiant horse The Lords discourse proceeds from this noble beast of the earth to those noble birds of the air the Hawk and the Eagle JOB Chap. 39. Vers 26 27 28 29. 26. Doth the Hawk flie by the wisdom and stretch out her wings towards the South 27. Doth the Eagle mount up at thy command and make her nest on high 28. She dwelleth and abideth on the rock upon the crag of the rock and the strong place 29. From thence she seeketh the prey and her eyes behold afar off 30. Her young ones also suck up blood and where the slain are there is she IN this context the Lord passeth from the beasts of the earth to give a further demonstration of his power and wisdom appering in the fowls of air and here we have two instances both in birds of pâ—ey The Hawk and the Eagle Job is first questioned about the Hawk in the 26th verse In which the Hawk is set forth two ways First In general by her flying Doth the Hawk flie by thy wisdom Secondly in special by the course of her flight and stretch forth her wings toward the South Secondly Job is questioned about the Eagle concerning which Queen among birds fix things are here expressly set forth or distinctly expressed First Her high flying or mounting upwards in the former part of the 27th verse Doth the Eagle mount up at thy command Secondly Her high nesting or making her nest on high in the latter part of the same verse doth she at thy command make her nest on high Thirdly She is here discribed by the choise of her abode dwelling or habitation ver 28. she dwelleth and abideth on the rock on the crag of the rock and in the strong place Fourthly We have here the sharpness of the Eagles appetite and her quick endeavour to get food for the satisfying of it in the former part of the 29th verse When she is abiding upon the rock upon the crag of the rock and in her strong place from thence she seeks her prey she is not idle there Fifthly She is described by the sharpness of her sight in the latter part of the 29th verse her eyes behold afar off As if the Lord had said though she dwells thus high upon the rock and the crag of the rock yet this doth not hinder her in the pursuit of her prey for her eyes behold afar off Sixthly and Lastly We have here the matter or nature of her own food and diet together with the food of her young ones We have here as I may say a Bill of the Eagles fare ver 30. it is blood and the flesh of the slain Her young ones suck up blood and where the slain are there is she That 's her chief food and diet the flesh and blood of the slain These are the particulars which the spirit of God layeth down in the descriptions boâ—h of the Hawk and Eagle From the whole I shall give only this general note as to the Lords purpose in speaking of these birds of prey the Hawk and the Eagle rather than of the Dove or of any other fowl of a more harmless nature I say the Lord doth this to shew that seeing his providence disposeth of and watcheth over these fowls of the air which are so able to shift for themselves and are in their kind so little useful to man then surely he will not neglect man nor any creature that is of necessary use to man Vers 26. Doth the Hawk flie by thy wisdom The word rendred Hawk comes from a root which signifies a feather or plume of feathers because feathers are the instruments by which the Hawk flyeth The same word signifies also to fly the Hawk being a fowl of such an excellent flight may well be exprest by a word which properly signifies flying The Hawk is numbred among the unclean birds in the Law of Moses which the Jews might not eat of Levit. 11.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
gives them this character 2 Sam. 1.23 They were stronger than Lions and swifter than Eagles that is they were exceeding swift Our adversaries were swifter than the Eagles said the poor captivated Church when the Assyrian came in against them Lam. 4.19 Read also Deut. 28.49 Hos 8.1 Hab. 1.8 Cicero the Orator in his second book of Divination tells us that when one who was to run a race reported to an Interpreter Vicisti ista enim ave volat nulla vehementior Cicer. l. 2. de divin that he dreamed he was turned into an Eagle the Interpreter presently answered Then you shall overcome or get the mastery For the Eagle is the strongest and swiftest of all flying fowls Secondly The Eagle exceeds all as in swiftness so in the uprightness of her flying She flies right up that 's it which the Text takes notice of She mounteth up she mounts up like an arrow out of a bow Non obliquo tramite ut caeterae aves vel per gyrum ut accipiter sed recto sursum fertur Aelian lib. 14 c. 10. Aquila derem volatu superat sublimius evadit Oppian Aquila in nuhibus whereas other fowls when they flie high they do it obliquely or side-long by gyration or fetching a compass but the Eagle asceâ—ds directly not as I may say by winding stairs but in a right line Thirdly As the swiftness and uprightness of the Eagles motion so the highness of it is wonderful The Eagle mounts till she is quite out of sight no bodily creature can reach the Eagles altitude One of the Ancients saith The Eagle soars above the air he means I suppose the lower region of the air as if she would visit the starry heavens And hence it is said proverbially of any thing which we cannot easily reach or come at 'T is an Eagle in the clouds Her common attribute or epithete is The high-flying Eagle If it be questioned why doth the Eagle mount up so high these two reasons may be given of it First That she may come down or stoop with greater force upon her prey and that makes the Eagle so formidable to all the fowls of the air Aquila 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à â—oetis dictus And hence the Poets call her a Thunder bringer because she mounts up on purpose to that amazing height that she may come down upon her prey more forcibly even like a thunder-bolt And thus proud men desire to get on high that they may more easily make a prey of and crush as the Eagle doth those that are below them Secondly The Eagle mounts thus high to please her self 't is sutable to her spirit Every one would be in action as he is in disposition The Eagle hath a high spirit and she must flie high and at high things The Eagle will not catch flies she scorns that game Doth the Eagle mount up At thy command The Hebrew is At thy mouth so the word is rendred in several other Scriptures Numb 13.3 And Moses by the commandement of the Lord sent them from the wilderness of Paran that is he sent the men that were to search the Land The Hebrew is Moses by the mouth of the Lord sent them to search the Land Again 2 Kings 24.3 Surely at the commandement of the Lord came this upon Judah to remove them out of his sight for the sins of Manasseth As if it had been said When the enemy made inrodes upon the children of Israel and Judah how came this to pass surely at the command of the Lord or at the mouth of the Lord came this upon Judah It is the word in the Text Doth the Eagle mount up at thy command or at thy mouth One would think that it is not only the Eagles nature to mount up there is somewhat in that but that 's not all it is at the Lords mouth at his command and that we are specially to take notice of here What means this discourse about the Hawk and Eagle but to make us mount up our hearts to God and acknowledge him in the motion of every creature It is at Gods mouth that the Eagle mounts up but what 's the command that the Eagle receives from God Doth not the Eagle mount up by a natural instinct or according to the Law of nature planted in her I answer she doth Yet because that natural instinct of the Eagle is of God therefore we are to look upon the Eagle mounting up as by a special order and command of God And thus we are to understand the motion of all the creatures Facit hoc aquila naturali instinctu Omnis autem naturalis cursus rerum est quaedam motio creaturae ad praeceptum Dei Aquin. Dedistinè hanc naturam aquilae ut attollat se in altum Vatabl. as consequential of a command given out by God Psal 148.8 Fire and hail snow and vapour stormy wind fulfilling his word or his command Though there be a natural cause of the creatures motion of the motion of the wind of the vapour of the snow and hail yet we must not stop at the natural causes and look no farther neither rain nor snow fall nor winds blow but at the command of the Lord Not doth the Eagle mount up at the bidding or teaching of man but at the command of God acting her natural instinct in doing so Doth the Eagle mount up at thy command Hence Note The special motions of the creature are of God Mans mouth or command cannot make any creature stir foot or wing Who can make the Eagle mount the wind blow or the rain fall besides God Secondly As to the manner of this motion it s a mounting motion Note The motion of the creature upward hath much of the command of God in it Some have I know mounting motions at the command of the Devil the Lord hath the command of them though they are not commanded by him that is the proud imaginations the lofty thoughts of man these mounting motions are not at the command but against the command of the Lord the Lord suffers them but they are from Satan he puffs men up he blows them up with pride But both the natural mounâ—ings of the sensitives creatures and the gracious mountings of the new creature on high are by the command of God True believers have lowest or lowliest spirits yet highest and noblest aimes not grovelling on nor bowing to the earth but like an Eagle mounting up on high As this high flight of the soul is highly pleasing unto God so 't is made by his strength and at his command A believer flies high First In the contemplation of divine things What towering thoughts hath he concerning God and the concernments of salvation by Jesus Christ he is not mingling his soul with the dust nor mudding it upon the dunghils of this world As his conversation or trade is for things above so his mind and meditation is upon them Secondly As he flies high
them Jer. 2.34 In thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents That which is in a mans skirts is easily seen and hence the Lord adds I have not found it by secret search or as the Margin hath it by digging that 's the force of the word it notes a diligent search or seeking the Eagle seeks as if she were a digging for Her prey What is her prey The Eagle hath a strong stomack and the word here used signifies any thing eatable Naturalists say she feeds upon fowls of the air the Dove c. she feeds also upon Sheep Lambs Hares and 't is said she hath a great mind to Hares they being not only meat but medicine to her Naturalists tell us also that the Eagle feeds upon fish and that in her flight she can discern the fish in the Sea and some tells us that she loves shell-fish the Crab-fish especially very much this is her prey from thence she seeks her prey whither moving in the air or upon the land or in the water she seeks her prey where-ever 't is to be had and she will have it if it be to be had above ground yea if it be to be had in the water Hence note Hunger makes active We say hunger breaks thorough stone-walls or strong-holds Whither will not the Eagle dig to satisfie her appetite I need not stay upon the general truth I would only adde this it is certainly so in spirituals Soul hunger our hunger after righteousness will make us active Those Eagles the Saints having a strong appetite to the things of God will dig for their satisfaction they will seek after food for their souls till they are satisfied Sometimes possibly there is a glut of food and then they will scarcely look after it but if once they are pinched with famine then they look after food That of the Prophet Amos 8.11 answers this of the Text I saith the Lord will send a famine among you not a famine of bread but of hearing the Word of the Lord. And what then Why then they shall wander from sea to sea and from the North even to the East they shall run to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord and shall not find it The Eagle here seeks her prey gets it but they shall seek the Word of the Lord and not have it because they were unthankful for it and unprofitable under it when they had it 'T is a sad hunger to be pincht with the want of the word which is spiritual food but that 's a blessed hunger which is not from want of but from a true and strong desire after the Word or spiritual food True believers abiding in a right frame have a great desire and hunger after spiritual food even when there is greatest plenty of it when there is as we say a glut of it they are not glutted with it the more they are satisfied with it the more they would have of it their appetites and satisfaction are interchangable they are hungry yet satisfied they are satisfied yet hungry and therefore they are always seeking their spiritual prey It is a sore judgment when they that have had much of this spiritual food and have not had a hunger after it are cut short and deprived of it The Lord often lets those hunger after it in want who have not hungred after it in enjoyment As the Eagle hath an eager appetite a sharp stomack so an excellent eye a sharp sight as it followeth Her eyes behold afar off To behold or see is the work of the eye and to behold afar off is the excellency of the eye in that work The Eagle seeks after her prey and her eyes behold afar off Some render which her eyes behold afar off that 's a good reading the conjunctive particle and is not in the Original Text and therefore we may supply it by the relative which as well as by the conjunction and Naturalists tell us that the Eagle hath so sharp a sight that when she is mounted quite out of our sight out of the sight of any man and is as it were in the clouds that even then she doth perfectly behold her prey and that is afar off indeed even at that distance she beholds the Hare in the bush and the fish in the water There are almost incredible things related as to the accuteness of the Eagles sight and the reason given by some of her quicksightedness is this in nature because her eye lieth very deep in her head and so hath a great advantage in seeing the light being the more compassed by and the rayes the more strongly gathered into her eye I shall not discuss the validity of this reason all agreeing in the thing that the Eagle sees very exactly and afar off And as she hath a very clear so a very strong sight so strong that she can steadily behold the Sun shining in its strength as it was toucht before those beams which blind us and oppress our eyes are pleasing to hers It hath been a torture which some Tyrants have used to hold open a mans eye directly to the Sun-beams and so blind him and quite extinguish the sight of his eye Now that which blinds us and puts out our eyes is pleasant delightful and as some express it healing and refreshing to the eyes of the Eagle and hence 't is said of her that she tries her young ones whether they be of a right breed or no in this manner she holds them up to the Sun and if they can bear the beams of the Sun with open eyes Phaebaea dubios explorat lampede fatus Silius Ital. they are right otherwise spurious The Eagle is so sharp-sighted that An Eagles eye is the proverb for a sharp sight Her eyes behold afar off Not in the sense we find the phrase used Psal 138.6 where it is said Though the Lord be high yet hath he respect unto the lowly but the proud he knoweth afar off that is he regards them not We put a word of that significancy in the Meeter He contemning knows them afar off that is as persons that he cannot abide to have near him The proud and lowly are alike near in place to God yet not in respect But of that only by the way The Eagles beholding things afar off is not I say like the Lords beholding persons afar off those things which are afar off in place from the Eagle she sees them as if they were at hand Thus she beholdeth afar off Hence Observe God hath given more excellent senses to some sensitive creatures than to others of that kind yea than to those of a higher kind the rational Not only doth the Eagle exceed other fowls of the air but all the men on earth in eye-sight And as an Eagle hath a natural eye-sight beyond man so a godly man hath a spiritual eye-sight beyond all other men the eye-sight of faith by which he sees not only
give God the rule the law how to guide the world more equally in general or him in particular Whether the Contention lieth about the providence of God to the whole world or any Nation family or person it comes under the same question Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him That is Can he direct God to do and order things better or put them into a righter or more equitable course than they are disposed in No he cannot Who is the pleader saith Mr. Broughton that will instruct the Omnipotent let him come forth and try his skill Thus the Lord yet in a tender and fatherly way derides the folly of Job who would needs attempt upon the matter to teach him who is perfect in knowledge and to over-rule his decrees and determinations who is not only The Lord Chief Justice of all the World but Justice it self and the sole rule of it Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him Hence observe First There is a spirit in man in weak sinful man ready to contend with the Almighty God The question in the Text may be resolved into this position There are Contenders with God There are Contenders with the Word of God as was shewed before There are Contenders also with the Works of God or with God about his Works as I shall shew further now and this will soon appear if we do but compare the 4th verse of the 51th Psalme with the 4th verse of Rom. 3. In the Psalme David made Confession of his sin of that special enormous sin Adultery with the Murder that followed it Against thee onely have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mâ—ghtest be justified when thou speakest and clear when thou judgest As if David had said I humbly confesse my sin my adultery and my murder that when-ever the Lord shall bring any chastisement upon my person or upon my family when ever he shall afflict me or mine greatly he may be justified in so doing or that all the world may see that God had great reason to correct me and so justifie him in it For some possibly may say with wonder at the hearing of it What! the Lord correct David such a man as David so holy a man as David so just and upright a man as David Yes and the Lord is just in doing it and Dâ—vid confessed his sin that God might be justified when he should speak terrible things and be cleared when he should judge that is correct and afflict him terribly as the word is used 1 Cor. 11.31 If we would judge our selves we should not be judged that is we should not be chastened as 't is expounded vers 32. When we are judged saith the Apostle there we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world Now those words spoken by David are applied by the Apostle Rom. 3.4 to vindicate the honour of God against all aspersions whatsoever in his proceeding with man Let God be true and every man a liar as it is written that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged In the Psalme the words are active That thou mayest be clear when thou judgest But St. Paul following as I remember the Septuagint renders them passively That thou mayest overcome when thou art judged As if he had said Some take upon them to judge God they who judge him contend with him that is they judge and passe sentence upon his works now saith the Apostle Let God be true and every man a liar that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged that is that all men may see and say thou art righteous though thou afflictest the godly for they sin and though thou condemnest the wicked for they sin and repent not of their sins These two Scriptures considered either apart or compared together besides many more which might be called into this service are a clear proof that there are Contenders with God about his works Yet possibly some may say surely there are none to be found so bold and presumptuous What contend with God I answer First There are some who do it very openly avowedly and with a bare face they stick not to speak their dis-satisfaction concerning the works of God and belch out blasphemy against what he hath done or is doing in the world Such doubtlesse were they of whom it is said Isa 8.21 They shall passe through it hardly bestead and hungry and it shall come to passe that when they be hungry they shall fret themselves and curse their King and their God and look upward not in faith and patience as they who in such extremities call earnestly and humbly upon God but in passion and vexation as they who wickedly curse God and depart from him Such also are they spoken of Rev. 16.9 who being scorched with great heat at the pouring out of the fourth vial upon the Sun blasphemed the Name of God who had power over those plagues and repented not to give him glory Secondly I answer There are many who do this secretly or within their teeth they bite in their words yet 't is the language of their hearts in tumultuating thoughts arising and working there about the works of God and thus a good man a Job who was a good man of the first form may be found contending with the works of God Any discontent with the works of God is a degree of contending with God about them Any secret rising of heart against what God doth is in this sence a striving with God yea our being not fully pleased and satisfied with what God doth is in some sense a contending with God And if all this be to contend with God how many are there that contend with God! and who almost is there that doth not Who can say in this thing my heart is clean Who can say but at one time or other he hath contended with God Remember when we would have things after our mind and mode when we are not free to comply with the will of God this is to contend with God There are two Cases as to the common state of the world in which the hearts even of good men are very apt to rise against the work of God First When they see the wicked prosper and carry all before them in the world then they are ready to say Why doth God suffer this Jeremiah had much adoe to keep his heart from contending with God in this case Jer. 12.1 And David could hardly keep his from it Psal 73.2 3. As for me my feet were almost gone my steps had well nigh slipt for I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked And for this he befooled himself vers 22. So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee Thus David was and many more have been offended at the work of God in giving good to
fault There must be a fault found else we cannot justly reprove Qui vult Deum arsuere aut cum Deo disputare respondeat ad unum aliquod eorum quae in medium attuliâ— Drus and a fault being found we may justly rebuke the fault So then to reprove God implies a finding of a fault with Gods works and then a kind of rebuking God for that fault and if all this be in a reproof rhen to reprove God for any of his works is a daring work indeed I grant the word rendred reprove may be taken in a milder sence He that argueth or pleadeth with God Our reading hightens the sense of the Hebrew word or takes it in the highest sense he that reproveth God Let him answer it That is First Let him answer the former question whether he be able to instruct God or no or according to the other reading whether he doth not deserve punishment for contending with God Secondly Let him answer it that is let him answer all those questions proposed in the two former Chapters As if God had said Job thou hast reproved my works yet canst not answer my questions So Master Broughton carrieth the sense Let the reprover saith he of the puissant speak to any one of these things Thirdly Let him answer it that is let him answer for so doing let him bear his punishment There is a two-fold answering First A Logical answering Secondly A Forinsecal answering Or there is an answer in Schools and an answer in Courts And answer in Logick is made three ways First By denying Secondly By granting Thirdly By distinguishing or limmitting the proposition and matter proposed Logicians in Schools answer by denying or by granting or by distinguishing The distinguisher grants somewhat and denies the rest An answer in Law if the matter be criminal is made by pleading guilty or not guilty to the Inditement If the matter be civil to answer is to shew our right to take off the charge or defend our title There is also an answering in Law by submitting and that two ways First By submitting to the mercy of the Court. Secondly To the penalty of the Law Now when the Lord saith in the Text Let him answer it I conceive we may take it not only in a Logical sense let him answer it if he can by reasoning but in a Court sense let him answer it by bearing the penalty of his rashness and folly as we say to one that hath wrong'd us It shall cost you dear you shall answer it I conceive as was said we may understand it here both ways Let him that reproves God answer it either as a disputant in Schools or as a defendant in Courts of Law and if he cannot answer it as a Logician by giving a reason for what he hath done he shall certainly answer it in Court by undergoing the penalty of the Law for what he hath done Some translate thus He that argues with or reproves God ought to answer it that is he must not think it enough to put in a charge or to give a reproof but he must make it good He that reproveth a man ought to give a ground of his reproof how much more he that reproveth God! The Text concludes it should be so yea that it shall be so He that reproveth God let him answer it Hence note First 'T is dangerous 't is at our peril to find fault with what God doth He that doth so must and shall answer it there 's no avoiding it There are two sorts of reproving which are our duty First The reproving of other men when we have an opportunity and a call Levit. 19.17 Gal. 6.1 As all they who reprove God shall answer it so many shall answer it because they have not reproved men Secondly It is a duty to reprove our selves and a great point of wisdom to see what is reproveable in our selves Many are quick-sighted at finding faults in others but very blind as to finding out their own I may adde it is both a great duty and a sign of much grace meekly to take and receive a reproof from others Now as it is our duty to take a reproof from others when we have failed and to see our own faults and reprove our selves for them as also wisely to reprove others for the faults we see in them so it is our sin danger and peril to reprove God in whom there is no fault nor can be And if any say we never had a thought of reproving God know if you find fault with the works of God you reprove God to find fault with what God hath done to you or your relations is to reprove God and this you must answer or answer for it Nemo in officina audet reprehendere fabrum audet homo in hoc mundo reprehendere Deum August in Psal 145. Will a Master in any Art endure that an ignorant person should find fault with his work how then will the Lord take it if men shall come into his great shop the world and find fault with this and that and the other work of his There is no temptation that Satan our great enemy doth more follow us with than this even to make us find fault with the works of God There are these two things about which Satan labours much First to keep us from finding out the faults of our own works which are almost nothing else but faults Satan would perswade us that we have done all well when we have done that which is altogether evil or stark naught for the matter of it and how doth he hinder us from seeing our faults in the manner of our doing good works he would not suffer us to have the least suspicion that we may have done evilly while we have been doing good Secondly Satans great business is to put us upon finding faults where none are in Gods works Almost all the murmurings of the sons of men arise from this misconceit in man that there is somewhat amiss in the works of God towards them or that he hath not dealt well and wisely with them This false and blasphemous principle Satan would plant and water in the hearts of all men as he did to the overthrow of mankind in the heart of the first man This this is his work and he hath got a great victory over that soul who either sees not the faults of his own works or finds fault with the works of God Further these words Let him answer it may imply the Lords gentleness and mildness in speaking to Job The Lord doth not thunder against him but saith come let me see what you can answer let me hear what you can say in favour of your self either to shew the equity of what you have said in reproving me or any iniquity in what I have done in afflicting you I give you free leave to speak for your self Some insist much upon this sense and it may yield us this note God is very
providence alone so here by the works of creation and providence too And this double instance is given in two great vast living creatures one of them the greatest upon the earth the other the greatest in the waters The first is Behemoth the vastest creature that breaths upon the earth who is described from the 15th vers of this Chapter to the end The second is Leviathan the vastest creature in the water who is described quite through the one and fortieth Chapter The Lord having spoken of many other creatures formerly in the forming and ordering of which his power and wisdom shine forth he reserved these two to close with that Job by the consideration of them might see what a poor thing himself was and how unable to grapple with the great God who made those great creatures for that is the general issue If God hath made such huge creatures as these then what a one is God! how mighty and powerful is God! what is the cause if the effects are such what is the fountain if we see such streams Such is the drift of God in this his last answer to Job and these are the parts of it We may sum up all in this brief here humane weakness and divine Power are compared together mans nothingness with Gods Allness or Alsufficiency that so man Job in special might be convinced and conclude that he could no more charge God with any fault than he was able to resist his power So then this whole oration or discourse tends to the confirmation of Job yet more in believing the irresistible providence of God which when he should well understand he would no more doubt of his justice nor accuse his judgements of severity nor would he any more desire to debate with God as he had done Nor can these things be pressed too often upon the holiest among men man being not only by nature altogether unbelieving but having so much unbelief mingled with his graces as sad experience teacheth him at all times especially in times of great affliction and temptation So much of the whole answer and the state of it now for the particulars Vers 6. Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said Then That is when Job said he could not or he would not answer or had no more to answer Then the Lord answered or to go a little further Then When Job had humbled himself and said he was vile even then the Lord answered him and he answered him out of the whirlwind Then the Lord answered Job Not so much to his speech as to his silence for Job resolved to say no more yet the Lord answered and the Lord answered him Out of the whirlwind At the first verse of the 38th Chapter we read of this whirlwind and of the Lord answering out of it What a whirlwind is was there opened and several points of observation given from it which I shall not now at all touch upon nor meddle with and yet though the words in this 6th verse of the 40. Chapter are the very same with those in the first verse of the 38th Chapter yet from their placing and their repeating here we may profitably take notice of some things for our instruction Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said The whirlwind being here spoken of a second time 't is questioned by some whether this were a whirlwind of greater force or of less than the former or the same The ground of the querie is from a little variation which is in the Hebrew Text. In the 38th Chapter an Article is prefixt to the word whirlwind which say some intends the sence noting it to be a very vehement whirlwind But in the 40 Chapter that article is left out upon which they collect That this latter whirlwind was not so fierce nor so vehement as the former But this is only a conjecture nor can any thing be solidly grounded upon such Grammatical differences yea some notwithstanding that defect of the Article conceive the whirlwind here in this Chapter was more vehement than that in the former Chapter But I shall not stay about that Querie nor discourse any thing concerning the nature of the whirlwind which was toucht before at the 38. Chapter but shall Observe First God hath terrible wayes of revealing himself as well as sweet and gentle wayes To speak out of a whirlwind is a dreadful manifestation The whirlwind and speaking out of it notes a legal dispensation or a ministration of terror such as the Law was published in of which we read in the 19th of Exodus which was so terrible saith the Apostle Heb. 12. that Moses himself said I exceedingly fear and quake The Lord hath his Mount Sinai dispensations in thunder and lightning and with a terrible voice and he hath also his Mount Sion dispensations in sweet and precious promises and Gospel-Ordinances he hath his beseechings his intreatings his wooings his invitings Divine dispensations vary 'T is said 1 King 1.6 in the History of Eliah that when the Lord appeared there was an Earth-quake and the Lord was not in the Earth-quake there was a mighty wind and the Lord was not in the wind there was fire and the Lord was not in the fire At last there came a still small voice and there the Lord was The Lord waved the dreadful manifestation of himself by winds tempest thunder fire Earth-quake and came only in a still voice The reason why the Lord doth thus variously dispense himself sometimes in a whirlwind sometimes in a gentle gale is to answer the several tempers and spirits of men where the spirits of men will not bow the Lord knows how to break and bring them down and where the spirits of men are already bowed and broken humbled and melted the Lord knows how to comfort and confirm them He will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax And when it is said He will not break the meaning is he will bind up and strengthen the bruised reed And when it is said he will not quench the meaning is he will blow up and kindle the smoaking flax that is weak believers or souls afflicted under the sense of their own weakness and sinfulness or sinful weaknesses ' As t is a great part of the wisdom of the Ministers of the word to divide the word aright that is to give every one a portion sutable to his condition they must speak to some as it were in a whirlwind in the whirlwind of the Law they must speak to others in a still voice that of the Gospel they must threaten and terrifie some comfort and refresh others So the Lord himself deals he hath many wayes of humbling the creature and as many wayes of comforting the creature he speaks in a whirlwind as I may say when he threatens in the Law he speaks dreadfully sometimes by his providences and judgements there 's a voice in them he speaks terribly to us in our
own personal afflictions and when under sad dispensations All this is as it were a speaking in the whirlwind And he speaks graciously winningly and comfortably or to the hearts of his people even when he leads them into the wilderness Hos 2.14 The Apostle saith Knowing the terror of the Lord we perswade men that is we perswade men by the terror of the Lord and so knowing the goodness and the mercy of the Lord we perswade men that is we perswade them by the goodness the mercy of the Lord. I saith the Apostle Rom 12.1 beseech you by the mercies of God present your bodies c. Of some we must have compassion making a difference others save with fear Jude vers 22.23 that is we must put them in fear that they may be saved or as I may say scare and fright them to heaven Secondly Consider who it is that the Lord spake to in a whirlwind he spake to Job and who was Job surely a very godly man a man that feared God a man that had a very noble testimony from God himself and yet here God spake to Job himself in a whirlwind Hence Note The best of men may sometimes need the terrible appearances of God to humble them and to bring them to a due confession of their sins Certainly God would not have spoken to Job in a whirlwind if there had not been cause for it he would not have spoken twice in a whirlwind if there had not been double cause for it The Apostle Peter saith 1 Eph. 1.6 Ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations that is afflictions and trials if need be We should never feel any affliction from the hand of God never be in heaviness if there were not need There is need that the holiest in this world should sometimes be made heavy or that heaviness should be upon them for a time We should always have calms and fair weather never any storms nor tempests nor whirlwinds from God did not our needs call for it As we every day need bread which is therefore called by Christ our daily bread so most days we need a rod either the rod of his mouth to reprove us or the rod of his hand to chasten us And we do so especially for these reasons First To bring us into a deep sence of our own vileness to humble us to lay us low Secondly To make greater impressions upon our hearts of the power and soveraignty of God of the holiness and righteousness of God It is that we might know our selves more and that we might know God more that God speaks to us in whirlwinds in terrible dispensations Further As this is a second whirlwind as it is a second speaking to Job a good man in a whirlwind Observe God will not give over terrible dispensations and appearances till he hath brought man to his purpose God hath an end a purpose in every work and every work of his goeth on till he hath attained his purpose As the word which goeth out of the Lords mouth shall not return unto him void but shall accomplish that which he pleaseth and prosper in the thing whereto he sends it Isa 55.11 So the work which God takes in hand shall not be in vain but shall prosper to the purpose for which he undertakes it Now if any ask what is the purpose of God in whirlwind dispensations that was shewed before even to make us more humble and to have higher thoughts of God in every respect But some may say Job had very low thoughts of himself before he had said I am vile doubtless Job spake this in great humility why then doth the Lord speak to Job in a whirlwind again seeing he was truly humbled at his first speaking I answer Though Job was humbled yet he was not humbled enough he was not yet laid low enough nor melted down enough and therefore God spake to him in a whirlwind again It would not serve his turn barely to say I am vile God must have more of him than that he must make a fuller confession of his fault than that God brought him at last to say I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes which is a description of deepest humiliation Now because Job was not come to that but had only said I am vile though there was matter of great humiliation in that the Lord questions with him again in a whirlwind This should be of great consideration to us in any day of affliction For if God hath not his purpose in bringing the first affliction we shall be spoken to in a whirlwind a second time We are apt to wonder and think it strange that God should speak terribly to us so often that he should renew our afflictions and make us new crosses We think if we do but make a light confession of our sins and say we are vile presently the storm should cease and the affliction be removed Let us not deceive our selves Job had said he was vile yet God continued the storm because he was not yet low enough 'T is not enough for us that we are truly humbled As there must be truth in our humiliation so there must be depth in it for questionless when Job said before I am vile he did not dissemble with God he was hearty in it and spake his heart what he spake was from his very soul and in sincerity he did not complement with God he did not flatter God with his mouth nor lie unto him with his tongue as the Israelites did Psal 78.36 his heart was right with God as theirs was not ver 37. yet because his spirit was not come down as it should therefore he must be awakened and humbled more with another whirlwind he must be further school'd that he might give further glory to God in his own abasement And hence we may infer If the Lord spake thus to Job and may speak thus terribly to any good man once and again Then with what terror in how dreadful a whirlwind will God at last speak to all the wicked of the world If he spake out of a whirlwind to a Job a gracious godly man what will that whirlwind be out of which he will speak to a Pharoah to prophane and hard-hearted sinners As our Lord Jesus Christ said of himself in the Gospel If it be thus done to a green tree what shall be done to the dry If God hath whirlwinds for his Jobs for his own people who are as green flourishing trees in grace and holiness what will he do with the dry sticks of the world And I may argue it as the Apostle doth 1 Pet. 4.13 If judgment begin at the house of God what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel what shall their end be no man is able to say no nor to conceive how sad it will be Judgment begins at the house of God God will not spare his own house not his own houshold he will not
spare his Servants and Children when they sin he is no cockering Father he will correct his own Children he will not only sweep his house but he will shake his house and he shakes it because it is no better swept nor kept more cleanly And if for these and such like reasons we at any time see judgment beginning at the house of God we may say with astonishment What will the end of those be who obey not the Gospel What will become of the wicked and ungodly of those who openly prophane and blaspheme his Holy Name O what appearances shall they have of God and how shall they appear before God! We read in the 25th of Jeremy of a Bowl of blood given him to carry about to the Nations A terrible message he is sent about he carries a Cup of blood about and bids the Nations drink they must drink it and saith the Lord If they shall refuse to take the Cup at thy hand to drink then shalt thou say unto them thus saith the Lord of hosts ye shall certainly drink Why For lo I begin to bring evil upon the City which is called by My Name and shall ye be utterly unpunished As if the Lord had said I have brought evil upon Jerusalem upon my own people and they have drunk very deep of that bitter Cup and do you O ye uncircumcised nations think that you shall escape We may conclude the Lord hath a terrible storm to bring upon the wicked and ungodly of the world when we hear him speaking to his own people in whirlwinds Consider this ye that forget God as such are admonished Psal 50.22 lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver For our God shall come and shall not keep silence a fire shall devour before him and it shall be very tempestuous round about him as 't is said at the 3d verse of that Psalme And Then as 't is threatned Psal 2 5. shall he speak to them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure That speaking will indeed be speaking out of a whirlwind which shall hurry them away into everlasting darkness Thus far of the manner of Gods speaking to Job the second time It was still out of the whirlwind Now followeth the matter spoken or what he spake to him Vers 7. Gird up thy loins now like a man I will demand of thee and declare thou unto me I shall add but little about this verse because we have had it almost word for word Chap. 38.3 where the Lord thus bespake Job Gird up now thy loins like a man for I will demand of thee and answer thou me These words this second time spoken or repeated by God to Job fall under various apprehensions these four especially First Some look upon them meerly as a challenge sent of God Gird up now thy self like a man come stand to thy work or rather stand to thy word do thy best Secondly Others expound them as an irony or divine scorn put upon Job to humble him Come Gird up thy loinâ— like a man Don't flinch for it stand to it thou wilt surely make good the day with me Thirdly Many in a milder sense look upon these words meerly as Counsel given to Job as if the Lord had said I mean to deal further with thee Therefore come now prepare and address thy self to the business I give thee leave to make the best thou canst of thy cause Fourthly We may take these words Esto bono animo c. as spoken to Job for his Comfort and encouragement The Lord seeing him as it were sinking and refusing to speak saith to him be not troubled be of good chear man Gird up thy loins like a man As the words are taken for a challenge and under the notion of a scorn put upon Job I shall not stay upon them This phrase Gird up thy loins was opened at the 38th Chap. 't is a metaphor taken from Travellers or those that go about any business who wearing long garments used to gird them up that they might be more expeditious whether for labour or for travel Thus the words are matter of Counsel and encouragement given to Job and under that notion I shall Note two things from them First As they are words of counsel the Lord having further business with Job or more to do with him adviseth him to gird up his loins like a man Hence Observe When we have to do with God we should put out our selve to the uttermost To Gird up our loins like a man imports our best preparation and such preparation we need for every holy duty When we are to pray we had need gird up our loins like men for then we are to wrestle or strive with God we must work it out with God in the duty of prayer and if our garments hang loose that is our affections be upon the earth and our hearts in the corners of the world how can we prevail with God in prayer we must gird up our loins like men when we declare our desires and requests to God in prayer and expect that God should answer us The holy Prophet complained of the Jews failing in this Isa 64.7 There is none that calleth upon thy name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee Doubtless many called upon God in those days but they did not stir up themselves to take hold of God by faith and so their prayers went for no prayers And when we go to hear the word wherein God deals with us we had need gird up the loins of our minds else we cannot mind the word while we hear it nor remember much less practice the word which we have heard The Scripture often calls us to preparation for every duty What can discomposed persons loose-spirited persons loose-loin'd persons do with God or for God When we have any thing to do with God any thing to do for God we should do our best and be at our best we should play the men Master Broughton expresseth it well though not clear to the words in the Original Let me see thy skill or how skilfully thou canst handle the matter with me The Lord would have us shew our skill when we have any thing to do with him or to do for him we should then play the men and not the children much less should we play the fools be sloathful sluggish and careless Especially we should do this with respect to the appearing of Jesus Christ in the great day of our account Christ himself gives the rule Stand with your loyns girt and your lamps burning as those servants that wait for their Lords coming When Christ our Lord comes all must come before him but none shall be able to stand before him but they who stand with loyns girt that is who are ready and in that readiness wait for his coming Secondly Taking these words as words of encouragement Gird up thy loyns like a man Poor heart do not
God to fulfil or make good all his promises Men often out-promise themselves but God doth not Hast thou an arm like God Hence take these inferences First If the Lord hath such a mighty arm Then let us take heed we do not provoke the Lord to turn his arm against us That 's the use which the Apostle makes of this point and which naturally floweth from it 1 Cor. 10.22 Do ye provoke the Lord to anger are ye stronger than he The Apostles sense hits the language of the Text fully as if he had said Have you an arm like God There 's no comparison between yours and his He can crush you before the moth Job 4.19 that is as soon as or before a moth is crushed which crumbleth to dust with the least or lightest touch of the hand or little finger Secondly If the Lord have such an arm Then let us labour to get and engage the arm of the Lord for our help Men love to be on the stronger side and some resolve to be on the stronger side though it should be or not regarding whether or no it be the worser side Now seeing all have a natural desire to interest themselves where the greatest strength is because there probably and rationally the greatest safety and best shelter is then how should we labour to get and assure an interest in God which cannot be done but by being on Gods side that is by keeping close to him in all the duties of holiness and righteousness for doubtless he is strongest his side is not only a good but the best not only a strong but the strongest side Hath any man an arm like God can all men should they joyn all their arms in one make an arm like Gods They cannot Nor is there any arm strong but in or by the strength of Gods arm As old dying Jacob spake while he was blessing his son Joseph Gen. 49.24 The archers have sorely grieved him and shot at him and hated him but his bow abode in strength and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob. How were his arms made strong How did his bow abide in strength It was by the hands that is by the power of the mighty God of Jacob. Nothing made him strong nor to abide in strength but the arm of the mighty God In this arm of God the Church triumphed of old Psal 124.1 2 3. If it had not been the Lord who was on our side now may Israel say If it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us then they had swallowed us up quick when their wrath was kindled against us Their wrath was kindled into a burning flame yet we were not burnt much less utterly consumed because the strong God was with us or because as the Psalm concludeth Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth What help can we need at any time which he cannot give us who made heaven and earth without any help or helper It is an impregnable Tower of comfort that at what loss soever we are we may find help or help is to be had in God Thirdly If God hath such a mighty arm Then let us trust him We may trust to his strength and when his strength is indeed trusted to our trust is withdrawn from all other strengths We may use the arm or strength of creatures while we trust in the arm or strength of God but while we trust in the strength of God we must trust in no strength but his nor if we really trust him can we When Senacherib King of Assyriah invaded Judah with a mighty Host Hezekiah thus incouraged his people 2 Chron. 32.7 8. Be strong and couragious be not afraid nor dismayed for the King of Assyria nor for all the multitude that is with him for there be moe with us than with him with him is an arm of flesh but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battels and the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah King of Judah They had an arm what arm not an arm of flesh like Senacheribs but the arm of the Lord for their help and that carried the day Created power is too slight to be trusted but the power of the Creator calls all for our trust We cannot trust creatures too little as to success nor can we trust God too much Hath any man an arm like God A fourth Inference may be this If the Lord hath such an arm such power This should encourage us to the duty of prayer We are easily perswaded to seek to him for help who hath strength to help especially when we know that he hath an inclinableness of will to help us Hath not the Lord a strong arm hath he not an inclinable will Let us then in all our needs pray as the Church did Isa 51.9 Awake awake put on strength O arm of the Lord the Lord and his arm are the same awake as in the ancient dayes in the generations of old art thou not it that hath cut Rahab and wounded the dragon The Lord hath a mighty arm yet his arm or power seemeth to be sometimes as it were asleep that is not to act or not to take notice how it is or how matters go with the Church Now when at any time it is thus our duty is to awaken the Lord by earnest prayer Awake put on strength O arm of the Lord. It is a mercy when we have an heart to pray and a God to pray unto who can quickly put on strength that is give undeniable evidences that he hath a strong arm yea infinitely the strongest arm which may be A second observation taken or arising from these words as spoken comparatively Hast thou an arm like God The arm or power of the creature is nothing to the arm or power of God no creature hath an arm like Gods There is nothing in the world considered in a gradual difference so unlike another as the arm of God and the arm of man are Mans arm is so small a thing compared with Gods that it is a very nothing not so much as a candle to the Sun nor as a drop to the Ocean nor as one single dust to the globe or body of the whole earth No Rhetorick can speak diminutively enough of mans arm compared with Gods nor can any divinity uttered by men or Angels yet how apt is man to have too high thoughts of mans arm and too low of Gods Were it not that men are apt to have too high thoughts of mans arm and too low of Gods this question had never been put to Job Hast thou an arm like God Job had been a man of as big an arm as most in his dayes 'T is said of him that he was the greatest of all the men of the East Chap. 1.3 And he said of himself Chap. 29 25. That he sate
have we known the thunder of his Spirit hath there come a mighty power upon us with the voice of his Word if the voice hath not reach't our hearts and reformed our lives we have not heard the thunder of Gods voice but only the voice of man or a sound in the air beating the outward ear Naturalists say from experience that by the power of thunder and lightning the sword is sometimes melted while the scabbard is unhurt And from experience they that are spiritual can also say that the thunder of Gods voice melteth the soul while it only toucheth the ear Therefore we have reason diligently to enquire what power hath come with the word spoken have we found the commanding the promising the threatning the instructing the comforting voices of God effectual upon our hearts Blessed are they who have been thus thunder-struck And all they who have been thus strucken out of themselves and into Christ may truly say what that people said flattering and blasphemously at the Oration of Herod Acts 12.22 It is the voice of God and not of man Though the sound of the words came in mans voice yet the power of them came in Gods voice for who can thunder with a voice like him or who indeed hath any thing like such thunder in his voice but he Further the Lords design being to humble Job in putting these questions Hast thou an arm like God or canst thou thunder with a voice like him Note Man is never convinced either of his own weakness and unworthiness till he is taught to consider the power greatness and mightiness of God Till God is great and high in our thoughts we are great and high in our own And when God is great in our eyes we are little in our own and so are all things else then our power is nothing to the power of God our holiness nothing to the holiness of God our wisdom nothing to the wisdom of God ' Tiâ— good thus to compare our selves with God that we may see and be convinced how infinitely below God we are in all that we have and are David said Psal 39.5 Mine age is as nothing before thee It is so in all other things our wisdom is nothing before God our holiness is nothing before God our strength is nothing before God As those searchers of Canaan said Numb 13.33 We saw the Giants there and we were as Grashoppers in their sight We thought our selves tall men before we saw those high-statur'd Giants but having seen them we were but Pigmies yet but as Grashoppers So we think we have a great deal of power and wisdom and holiness till we look upon God and then we are convinced of our own meanness and poverty The Apostle saith in highest truth and honesty as well as modesty 2 Cor. 10.12 We dare not make our selves of the number or compare our selves with some that commend themselves but they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves amongst themselves are not wise And why not wise because they seem to be too wise or think themselves very wise We get some opinion of our own wisdom and holiness and goodness and righteousness comparing our selves with men like our selves but if we would compare our selves with God we should soon see what poor things we are What pitiful creatures do we appear when compared with our Creatour and we shall have profited well by this Scripture if we make this use of it and leave priding our selves as men by comparing our selves with men One man saith I am as good as that man and another saith I am as wise as that man and a third saith I am as holy as such a man O that we would but think what the goodness wisdom and holiness of God are such holy thoughts wrought upon the heart will free us from all high thoughts of our selves and then we shall look for our all in Jesus Christ then as the Prophet gives us the true form of Gospel-speaking Isa 45.24 Surely shall one say in the Lord I have righteousness and strength And so will every one say who seeth which is true of all men that his own strength is weakness and his righteousness a filthy rag compared with the strength and righteousness of God Our arm our voice our self-all or our all of self will vanish and disappear if once God appear to us in the glory of his arm and voice Hast thou an arm like God or canst thou thunder with a voice like him JOB Chap. 40. Vers 10 11 12 13 14. 10. Deck thy self now with majesty and excellency and array thy self with glory and beauty 11. Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath and behold every one that is proud and abase him 12. Look on every one that is proud and bring him low and tread down the wicked in their place 13. Hide them in the dust together and bind their faces in secret 14. Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee IN the former verse the Lord having questioned Job concerning his power hast thou an arm like God canst thou thunder with a voice like him seems now to put him to the use of his power If thou hast such an arm as I and canst thunder with such a voice as I then come on Deck thy self with majesty and excellency c. As if he had thus spoken to Job I who have such an arm I who thunder with such a voice can quickly deâ—k my self with such majesty and excellency I can quickly cast abroad such rage and wrath as will abase and utterly break all the proud ones of the earth and destroy the wicked Job canst thou do this canst thou deck thy self with such majesty canst thou cast abroad such a rage of thy wrath as will abase and bring down the proud and destroy the wicked if thou canst do it let me see thee do it So then as in the former verse we had a comparison between Jobs power and the power of God by way of interrogation Hast thou an arm like God so here God doth the same thing with Job by an ironical injunction jussion or command Deck thy self with majesty let us see what a man thou art put thy self into thy fairest dress and most tremendous appearance There are two things in this context in which Job is called to shew himself like God if he could First In the majesty and excellency in the glory and beauty of his person ver 10. Deck thy self with majesty c. Secondly In the mighty effects of his anger and displeasure ver 11. Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath c. And this the Lord bids him do First More particularly In abasing the proud Secondly More generally In destroying all the wicked of the earth ver 12 13. Now in case Job could approve himself thus powerful and appear like God either in the majesty of his person or in the mightiness of his displeasure against proud
and wicked men then saith the Lord ver 14. I will confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee that is I will yield thee the cause I will acknowledge that thou who canst thus bring down the pride of men in the height of their iniquity art also able to help thy self out of all thy misery yea that thou art able to contend with me who often have done and still can do these great things with ease with the turning of my hand with a word of my mouth yea then I will confess that thou art as I am that thou art God as I am But alas poor worm thou canst do none of these things therefore humble thy self and be quiet under mine afflicting hand This seems to be the general scope of the holy Ghost in these five verses even yet further to convince Job that he had not an arm like God nor could thunder with a voice like him forasmuch as he could not put forth such acts nor shew such effects of power as God both had and could put forth and shew in the face of all the world Vers 10. Deck thy self now with majesty c. Deck or adorn thy self the word signifieth to adorn to put on ornaments make as fair a shew of thy self as thou canst The Apostle Gal. 6.12 speaks of some who desired to make a fair shew in the flesh The Lord bids Job make as fair a shew of himself as he could in flesh Deck Thy self Let thy majesty proceed from thy self Thus it is with God he needs no hand to adorn and deck him to apparel him or put on his robes as the Kings and Princes of the earth need others deck them others adorn them and put on their robes but the Lord decks himself Now saith the Lord to Job Deck thy self as I do With majesty and excellency Kings and Princes are decked with majesty and excellency at all times a majestick excellency is inherent in their estate and when they shew themselves in state or shew their state they put on their Crowns and Robes Thus saith the Lord to Job Put on majesty and excellency Both words signifie highness exaltation and are often used to signifie pride because they that are high and exalted are usually proud and are alwayes under a temptation to be proud of their highness and greatness And these words which here in the abstract we translate majesty and excellency are rendred in the concrete proud vers 11 12. Behold every one that is proud vers 11. Look upon every one that is proud vers 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Majesty is proper to Kings and therefore we speak to them in that language Your Majesty Excellency belongs to persons of great dignity we say to Princes and great Commanders Your Excellency because they excel and exceed others in honour and power Moses spake so of God Exod. 15.7 In the greatness of thy Excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee In the greatness of thy Excellency or in the greatness of thy lifting up and exaltation the word notes both Gods high magnificence Psal 68.35 and mans pride or haughtiness Psal 10.2 The wicked in his pride or haughtiness of spirit persecutes the poor Deck thy self with Majesty as a King and with Excellency as a Prince put on thy Emperial robes and thy Princely garments Yea further Array thy self with glory and beauty Dicimus etiam nidui dedecore vel ignominia nam quare ornamur vel dedecoramur ea elegantèr niduâ— dicimur Diuâ— Here are two other ornamental expressions Glory and Beauty Glory is man in his best array or mans best array yea Glory is God in his best array or Gods best array The perfect happiness of man in heaven is called glory mans best suit is his suit of glory Grace Gloria est clara cum laude notitia Ambros 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Notat spendorem claritatem quae efficere potest assensum confessionem apud spectatores ad gloriam ipsius quòd omnia â—gat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deus non habet circundatum decorem quasi superadditum ejus essentiae Sed ipsa essentia ejus decor est Aquin. which is our best suit on earth is sometimes called glory 2 Cor. 3.18 We are changed from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord that is fâ—om grace to grace Mans first change is from sin to grace his second is from grace to grace or from one degree of grace to another Grace is glory begun and glory is grace perfected Now as glory is mans best suit so glory is as I may say Gods best suit He is as the God of all grace 1 Pet. 5.10 so the God of all glory for all glory is to be given unto him and his glory will he not give to any other The glory of God is twofold First Essential and internal for ever unchangeably abiding in himself indeed the very Essence of God is glory Of this we read Exod. 33.18 I will make all my goodness pass before thee I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy this kind of glory I will shew thee but thou canst not see my face and live that is my essential glory Secondly There is a providential or external glory of God the manifestations of God in his greatness goodness and power are his glory Thus 't is said at the dedication of Solomons Temple 1 King 8.11 The glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord that is there was a glorious and wonderful manifestation of the presence of the Lord in his house Whatever God manifests of himself whether his power or his goodness or his mercy or his grace or his patience or his justice is his glory The Lord often arrayeth himself with these glories that is he declares both by his word and by his works that he is powerful good merciful gracious patient and just towards the children of men The Scripture calleth God the glory of his people Psal 106.20 that is it is the glory of any people or that which they should glory in that God is known to them or that they are owned by God But the idolatrizing Jews changed their glory into the similitude of an Ox that eateth grass that is they changed God who was their glory and in whom they should have gloried into the form of an in-glorious beast while they either worshipped the image of a beast or their God in that image And it is considerable that the Apostle Rom. 1.23 at least alluding to as the reference in our Bible intimates if not quoting that place last mentioned in the Psalm whilst he speaks of the idolatrous Gentiles doth not say as there They changed their glory c. for the true God was not the glory of the Gentiles in those dayes they owned him not as their only
God having many Idol gods nor did he own them as his people and therefore the Apostle did not nor could he in truth say of the Gentiles They changed their glory c. But thus he saith They changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things The Gentiles did not change the incorruptible God their glory into an image but they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image c. And in that respect the idolatry of the Jews a people knowing the true God yea and glorying in him was worse than the idolatry of the Gentiles who knew him not nor ever gloried in him nor accounted him their glory But to the point in hand As that is Gods glory which manifests his glory So in general any thing which maketh man shine forth commendably or honourably to others or gives him a preheminence above many others as neer relation to God specially doth may be called his glory Whatsoever is best in us or to us is our glory The soul of man is his glory because it is his best part The body is a poor thing to the soul the body is but a shell the soul is the kernel the body is but the sheath as the Chaldee calls it Deut. 7.15 the soul is the sword though usually we take more pains for the body than for the soul as if we prized it more When Jacob said Gen. 49.6 O my soul come thou not into their secret unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united he meant some say the same thing by his soul and by his honour or glory because the soul is the most glorious and honourable part in man and that which men should be most careful of Thus likewise the tongue of man is called his glory Psal 57.8 Awake my glory that is my tongue The tongue being that organ or instrument whereby the wisdom and prudence of man is held forth and he made glorious in the world 't is therefore called his glory The tongue of man is also called his glory because with that he giveth glory to God by praising him and confessing his name together with his truth unto salvation And as glory is the best of man so of any other creature 1 Cor. 15.61 There is one glory of the Sun and another of the Moon and another glory of the Stars for one Star differs from another Star in glory that is there is one excellency uâ—e or operation in this Star and another in that Or One Star differs from another Star in glory that is their light influences effects differ some being more others less operative upon sublunary bodies When the Lord said to Job Array thy self with glory his meaning is shew thy best and he means the same when he adds Array thy self with beauty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beauty is the natural ornament of the body of the face or countenance especially These two words glory and beauty are often joyned together in Scripture Psal 21.5 Psal 45.3 where we render them honour and majesty We may thus distinguish between them taking the one for that which appears outwardly in vestures and gestures in actions and works and the other as importing that revâ—â—ence veneration which is given to such Verba originalia fero sunt synonima as appear in that splendor and dignity or which their splendor and dignity stirs up in others But we need not stand to distinguish them the words being often used promiscuously And here the Lord is pleased to imploy many words to the same purpose to shew what great state he had need be in that contends with him As if he had said O Job although thou didst not sit upon a dunghil or wert not bound to thy bed by the cords of thy affliction but didst sit upon a Kingly throne shining in robes of royalty couldst thou in all those ornaments equal thy self to me in majesty and excellency in glory and beauty Deck thy self with majesty and excellency c. Hence note First God himself is full of Majesty of Excellency of Glory and of Beauty I put them all together in one Observation because the tendency of them all is one The Scripture often sets forth the Lord thus adorned thus decked Psal 93.1 The Lord reigneth he is cloathed with majesty he is cloathed with strength wherewith he hath girded himself Again Psal 69.6 Honour and majesty are before him strength beauty are in his sanctuary Psal 104.1 Bless the Lord O my soul O Lord my God thou art very great thou art cloathed with honour and majesty This cloathing this array which the Lord called Job to put on is properly his own and though God will not give his glory to another yet here he bids Job take his glory and shew himself in it to the utmost if he could Many have affected or invaded Gods glory but none could ever attain or reach it God calls man really to partake of glory with him but man cannot take his glory upon him and be man The humane nature of Christ could never have received nor born that glory but as united to and subsisting in the person of the Son of God according to that prayer of his John 17.5 More distinctly If God be thus cloathed Then First We should tremble before him Majesty is dreadful The majesty of Kings who in nature are but men is very dreadful how much more the majesty of God who is King of Kings the King immortal and reigns for ever We have this trembling three times repeated with respect to the majesty of God Isa 2.10 19 21. where the mightiest and greatest of the world called there high Mountains and strong Towers Oaks and Cedars are said to go into the holes of the rocks and into the caves of the earth for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth And though the people of God have great cause to rejoyce at his majesty as 't is prophesied they shall Isa 24.14 They shall lift up their voices they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord nothing causeth the hearts of the righteous to rejoyce more than the majesty of God yet they ought to rejoyce and so they do with trembling Psal 2.11 or with a holy awe of God impressed upon their hearts for the majesty of God is a very dreadful tremendous awful majesty And the more we have truly tasted the goodness and mercy of God the more shall we tremble at his majesty yea the Lord will have his majesty not only taken notice of but trembled at and therefore he reproves those Isa 26.10 who would not behold his majesty The majesty of the Lord like himself cannot be seen or beheld in it self yet it sheweth it self many wayes though few behold it or tremble at it and the reason why they tremble not at it is because they do not
him or have him to be but what he is he is of and from himself Thirdly Observe The majesty and glory of the greatest among men is the gift of God Deck thy self with majesty saith God to Job but Job could not deck himself he could not pâ—t a clothing of majesty and excellency of glory and beauty upon himself All that man hath is received from God and is but a ray from his unconceiveable light As all our spiritual aâ—ray deckings and ornaments are put on us by God Ezek. 16.10 11. I cloathed thee with broidered work I covered thee with silk I decked thee also with ornaments I put a jewel on thy forehead c. So all civil ornaments are put on man by God I girded thee said God of Cyrus Isa 45.5 though thou hast not known me that is I gave thee all thy power and greatness thy honour and dignity though thou tookest no notice of me in doing it nor that I did it Thus it is said of Solomon 1 Chron. 29.25 The Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel And thus spake Daniel to Belshazzar concerning his father Nebuchadnezar Dan. 5.19 And for the majesty that he that is God gave him all Nations People and Languages trembled and feared before him All the majesty and excellency all the glory and beauty of the greatest Monarchs is derived from God Fourthly Observe The majesty and excellency the glory and beauty of man is nothing to Gods Christ saith Mat. 6.29 Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these Solomon was a King in the greatest majesty and excellency glory and beauty of any that ever was in the world yet saith Christ he was not decked like one of these Lillies then how far short did his glory fall of the glory of God! how doth all the glory of the world vanish and disappear at the appearance of the glory of God even as the lustre of the moon stars doth at the rising of the thrice illustrious Sun And as mans glory is nothing to Gods while it lasts or endures so it is nothing to his in the lastingness and duration of it Dominion and majesty are Gods and shall be ascribed to God everlastingly It is said of Ahasuerus Esther 1.4 that he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent Majesty many days even a hundred and fourscore days but the Lord sheweth his excellent Majesty for ever and ever for it abides for ever and if so what is the majesty of man compared with the Lords Isa 40.6 All flesh is grass and the goodliness of it as the flower of the field The majesty and excellency the glory and beauty of man is but the goodliness of flesh or the best of a fleshly earthly state and what is that but the goodliness of a fading flower or of the grass that is cut down and withers yea which sometimes withers before it is cut down as David saith Psal 129.6 7. the grass doth upon the house tops which withereth afore it groweth up wherewith the mower filleth not his hand nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosome Fourthly note The way to lay the creature low is to consider the Majesty of God Why doth the Lord call Job to deck himself with humane majesty and excellency was it not to bring him to a due consideration of his own divine majesty and excellency Job must compare himself with God in his glory that he might fall down convinced that himself had no glory Thus the Lord shewed Job his own meanness and exility by bidding him imitate the divine Majesty and excellency Secondly The Lord calls him further to imitate him if he could in the mighty effects of his power or in his powerful works against proud and wicked men Vers 11. Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath As if he had said let me see now what a man thou art or rather what a God thou art when thou art enflamed with anger Cast abroad That is furiously disperse and scatter thy rage or rages The word signifies a scattering after breaking to pieces Psal 2.9 As a Potters vessel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notat confractionem cum dispersione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indignatio à transeundo vel quod citò transeat Ira furor brevis est when it is broken is scattered abroad so saith the Lord scatter abroad the rage of thy wrath the Hebrew word is The passing of thy wrath Rage makes a speedy passage it hath a swift motion and do thou cast it abroad while 't is stirring and in motion let it not cool cast it abroad hot The word notes a violent hurrying along Scatter abroad the rage Of thy wrath Or as the Hebrew hath it of thy nostrils Raging appears by breathing or in the quick stirring of the nostrils when we breath but why would the Lord have Job shew his rage The answers is do it to the destruction of the proud Behold every one that is proud and abase him Go look upon proud ones in thine anger deal with them as they deserve The word implies more than bare beholding There is a twofold beholding of things or persons First With favour delight and pleasure Psal 33.18 and 34.15 In both places the Lord is represented beholding or casting an eye upon his people with grace and favour for their good and comfort Secondly There is a beholding with anger and displeasure that is the meaning here behold every one that is proud behold them all not only to take notice of them who they are but behold them as I do in wrath and anger Behold Every one that is proud Be they few or many great or small shew thy self against every one that is proud and Abase him Every proud man is as a mountain Go shew thy self like me behold those that are as mountains among men and make them valleys abase them that 's the Lords work and the meaning of his word here as if he had said I have a power that though proud ones are as great mountains yet I can make them as valleys The Lord speaks this again at the beginning of the Vers 12. Look on every one that is proud and bring him low Here is an elegant repetition of the same thing almost in the same words meerly to inforce the matter look on every one that is proud bend thy brows look frowningly upon him as if thou wouldst look him thorough And bring him low The Septuagint say quench him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Superbum extingue Sept. The proud man is all in a flame now saith God behold this proud man and quench him extinguish him put him out Thus the Lord calls Job to express his displeasure in these effects against proud men that he might appear in wrath like him As if the Lord had said I behold the proud man and I abase
pride of the Assyrian put him upon other sins upon oppression especially he could not keep at home nor be contented with his own Dominion thâ—ugh a very large and vast one he must go abroad and invade other mens Territories his pride sent him to do mischief and he enlarged his desire as hell Proud men must oppress and wrong others to bring in fewel for their own lusts Pride calls in aid from many sins to serve its turn Lastly If Pride provokes God if he looketh upon every one that is proud to abase him and bring him low then how should we labour to be humble ones that the Lord may look upon us with a favourable eye and so he doth upon all them that walk humbly with him As God resisteth the proud so he giveth grace to the humble that is favour The humble shall have his favour and the proud his frowns As to do justly and to love mercy is the sum of all duty to man so to walk humbly is the sum of all duty to God Mic. 6.8 They who walk humbly walk not onely holily but safely They who are low in their own eyes are under the special protection of the high God The Lord having called upon Job to shew the effect of his wrath against one sort of bad men the proud calleth upon him in the next words to shew the effects of his wrath upon all sorts of bad men comprehended under this general word The wicked And tread down the wicked in their place The Lord bids Job do this if he could indeed he could not that he might shew himself a competent match for God As if the Lord had said I tread down the wicked in their places do thou so too if thou canst God had said before Abase every one that is proud and bring him low now he saith Tread down the wicked Tread them down As mire in the street We tread upon vile and contemptible things To tread upon any tâ—ing a person especially notes utter contempt of him and abâ—olute conquest over him and therefore Josh 10.24 to shew the compleat victory which the Lords people had goâ— over the Kings of Canaan Joshua called for all the men of Israel and said unto the Captains of the men of war which went with him Come near put your feet upon the necks of these Kings and they came near and put their feet upon the necks of them And that 's it which the Apostle gives in way of promise as an assurance of our conquest over the evil spirit the devil Rom. 16.20 God shall bruise we put in the Margin tread the Greek word signiâ—ies to bruise by treading God shall tread Satan under your feet shortly that is God will give you a full and a final victory over the devil We have a like expression or promise Psal 91.13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet God will give his people power not onely over hurtful beasts but over men which are hurtful as those beasts and over Satan who is eminently shadowed by the Lion the Adder the young Lion and the Dragon in that evil spirit all these evil beasts are trodden under feet that is subdued and conquered When David would shew how he in case he were faulty was willing to be made a very slave to his enemies he phrases it thus Psal 7.5 Let the enemy persecute my soul and take it yea let him tread down my life upon the earth and lay mine honour in the dust that is let him have full power over me let me be at his mercy though he be mercilesse Once more saith the Church Psal 44.5 Through thee will we push down our enemies through thy name will we tread them down that rise up against us Thus the Lord bespake Job Come saith he Let me see you tread down the wicked get an absolute conquest over them that they may rise up no more in this world to do wickedly Tread down The wicked The word wicked is often taken largely so every man in a sinful state may be called a wicked man every person unconverted or unregenerate every person that hath not true grace is wicked There is no middle estate among men between good and bad converted and unconverted yet here the wicked are not to be taken onely in a large sense for sinners in common but strictly First For the proud before spoken of There the Lord said abase the proud here he saith Tread down the wicked that is the wicked who are proud To be wicked and to be proud are the same For as most wicked men are proud so all proud men are wicked for pride it self is a great wickednesse and it is pride that causeth most men to do wickedly even to rebel against God and his righteous laws to rise up against his wayes and truths When we have said of a man he is proud if we have not said all evil we have said one of the worst evils of him and that which layes him open as to suffer the worst penal evils so to do the worst sinful evils Secondly If we take the words distinctly as we may then by the wicked are meant grosse and flagitious sinners notorious sinners for though as I said before any one that hath not grace may be called wicked yet properly and in Scripture sense wicked ones are notorious presumptuous and flagitious sinners such as sin with a high hand and with a stiffe neck Thirdly By the wicked we may especially understand oppressors who are troublesome and vexatious to others As some are wicked in taking their own pleasure and in satisfying their vain desires so many are wicked in vexing afflicting and oppressing others The Hebrew word for a wicked man signifies such a one as is both unquiet himself and will not suffer others to be quiet In any of or in all these three notions we may expound the word wicked here the wicked are proud ones or notorious evil ones or oppressors of others Tread down the wicked In their place The Hebrew is Vnder them The word also signifieth as we render a proper place and that 's considerable Tread them down in their place The Lord doth not say in thy place but in their place which may note these two things First Wheresoever thou findest them tread them down Secondly In their place that is where they flourish most where they are best rooted or most strongly secured where they have the greatest advantages and strengths to save them harmlesse That is specially a mans place Non est difficile superbum hominem petentem in alieno loco superare quia in eo minus habet potentiae Sanct. where he seateth and hopes to settle himself Now saith God Tread them down in their place I do so I destroy the wicked when and where they think themselves safest where they think no hand can touch them nor arm reach them there my foot shall tread
them down O Job canst thou do thus or do thou thus Tread down the wicked in their place And as it followeth in the next verse to the same effect Verse 13. Hide them in the dust together and bind their faces in secret That is Bring them to utter destruction to condign punishment even to death Some expound hiding in the dust by laying in dungeons and filthy prisons Secondly Others say to hide in the dust notes death or to lay them in their graves Dust thou art said God to Adam Gen. 3.19 and to dust thou shalt return That is thou shalt die and be put in thy grave which possibly is called the dust of death Psal 22.15 Hide them in the dust of the earth let them appear no more above ground to trouble thee or others Hide them in the dust Together That is either First All at a time Thus the Lord can do he can destroy all the wicked at once at one time in one hour Or Secondly Together that is in one place God can gather the wicked all together and so make an end of them together both as to time and place Yet I conceive neither of these are here intended for God doth not usually destroy the wicked all at one time nor all in one place he hath several times and stages to act his providences in and upon so that to hide them in the dust together is but this to hide them alike to put them all into the same condition at one time or other in one place or other that they may be able to do no more mischief And bind their faces in secret That 's the last expression shewing what God doth and what he bid Job do Bind their faces in secret There may be a twofold interpretation of these words either First In allusion to men condemned whose faces use to be covered a Sentence of death being pronounced and passed upon them they were as it were hid from the light of the living Thus as soon as Ahasuerus the King had passed sentence against Haman they covered his face Esth 7.8 or Secondly This covering their faces may be an allusion to actually dead men whose faces if they die among men especially among friends are alwayes bound up and decently covered When Christ called Lazarus out of the grave the Text saith John 11.44 He came forth his face being bound about with a napkin So then to bind their faces in secret is as if it had been said bring them to death or put them to death Thus the Lord calls Job to that in three particulars which himself will certainly do First To Tread down the wicked Secondly To Hide them in the dust together Thirdly To Bind their faces in secret The Notes which I shall give from these words will be grounded upon that three-fold interpretation of the word wicked And First As the wicked are taken for the same with the proud in the former verse Observe Proud men are wicked men Behold saith the Prophet Mal. 4.1 The day of the Lord shall burn as an oven and all the proud and all that do wickedly shall be stubble The proud â—â—d they that do wickedly go together The proud do wickedly and are therefore deservedly numbred among the wicked Pride is the first of those seven things which are an abomination to the Lord Prov. 6.16 17. There are six things that the Lord hates yea seven are abomination to him A proud look that 's first and if a proud look then certainly a proud heart and a proud spirit Proud persons have not onely a chief but the first place by name among those whom the Lord abominates And in that black Catalogue of eighteen sorts of wicked ones that shall trouble the world in the latter dayes the proud are not the last nor the least 2 Tim. 3.2 3 4 5. In the last dayes perilous times shall come why what shall make them so The reason follows For men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud Now though the proud man comes in the fourth place by name yet he is in the first place as to influence for what is the reason why men over-love themselves is it not because they are proud and have too high thoughts of themselves David Psal 119.21 sheweth the wickedness of proud men or that proud men are extreamly wicked while he saith to and of God Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed which do erre from thy Commandements The proud are such as continually wander out of the wayes of truth and holinesse Pride will not let us keep Commandements 't is the humble soul which keeps them and therefore pride may be called the breach of all the Commandements and if so proud men must needs be the very first-born of the wicked and therefore David saith of them that they are not onely under the rebuke of God but under his curse which is the peculiar portion and punishment of the wicked And what the way of proud men is both in doing and speaking the same David tells us Psal 75.45 I said unto the fools deal not foolishly and to the wicked lift not up the horn lift not up your horn on high speak not with a stiffe neck that is be not proud Wicked men lift up their horn and tongue they cannot but shew their pride in word and deed The Devil is the wicked one Matth. 13.19 The high-way ground having received the seed 't is said the wicked one that is the Devil cometh and catcheth it away And when the world is said to lie in wickedness or in the wicked one 1 John 5.19 The meaning is the Devil over-rules the carnal world Now as the Devil is the wicked one so he is the proud one also Pride was that wickededness for which God trod him down and his wickedness still continueth in tempting men to or in puffing them up with pride It is the businesse of the wicked one the Devil to make men proud because he knows pride will make them wicked and do wickedly Pride hardeneth the mind as Daniel saith it did Nebuchadnezar Chap. 5.20 Now what wickednesse is there which a hardened mind will not attempt to do Pride put Herod upon seeking the bloud of Christ who came to save and wash sinners with his blood Proud men are very wicked as they despise other men a proud man thinks no man so good as himself or himself too good for all other men Some proud men are so wicked that they despise even God himself The proud man lifts up himself against the Word of God slights the promises regards not the threatnings of God his heart is lifted up against the Commandements of God nor doth he value the comforts of God he neglects the Ordinances of God nor doth he reverence the Providences of God He that doth or is ready to do all this is surely a despiser of God himself How wicked a man is he whose heart is lifted up both against God and man
Secondly Consider the wicked proud man as one whom God treadeth down Then Observe God punisheth sinners with that which is most crosse to their lusts What more crosse to a high-spirited man than to be brought low and who can be brought lower than he that is trodden down As God sometimes punisheth Drunkards with thirst and Gluttons with hunger and covetous persons with poverty There is one saith Solomon Prov. 11.29 that with-holdeth more than is meet he doubtless is a covetous man that doth so it tendeth to poverty So God punisheth proud ones by that which is most contrary to their nature he abaseth and layeth them low The Prophet tells us Isa 3.16 17. how the Lord would punish wanton women who were proud either of their natural beauty or artificial dresses and ornaments The daughters of Zion saith he are haughty and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes walking and mincing as they go and making a tinckling with their feet there 's their pride but what was their punishment the next words resolve us Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion and the Lord will discover their secret parts they were proud of that which covered their skin and therefore the Lord punisht them with scabs or covered their skin with scurfe and scabs and as there the Lord shews what he would bring upon so what he would take from them Vers 18. In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinckling ornaments about their feet and their Caules and their round tyres like the Moon And Vers 24. it shall come to pass that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink and instead of a girdle a rent and instead of well set hair baldness and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth and burning instead of beauty What could be more contrary to the pride of these women than that which the Lord brought upon them or punished them with What do proud women more desire than beauty and bravery And what do proud men look after but to be respected honoured and to have every one point the finger at them or bow the knee to them Now when the Lord blasts proud women in their beauty and bravery when he blasts proud men in their honour and estimation when he thus abaseth and treads them down he toucheth them in that which the spirit of pride prizeth most and with greatest regret parteth from Pride is a base height of spirit therefore the Lord abaseth the proud There are five words in the Text all tending directly to crosse the spirit of a proud man First He shall be abased Secondly He shall be brought low A proud man would fain be high he would sit at the upper end of the Table yea he would sit at the upper end of the World too but saith the Lord he shall be brought low Thirdly What would a proud man do He would tread upon the necks of all others but he shall be trodden under foot Fourthly Where would the proud man be He would be conspicuous in high places but he shall be hid in the dust Fifthly He would be lookt at by all men with admiration but saith God his face shall be bound in secret he loves to appear and make a fair shew in the flesh but he shall not appear at all .. Proud ones cannot get so high but God in his Justice will get above them and strip them of that wherein they have chiefly prided themselves Read Isa 14.11 12 13 14 24 25. and Isa 23.9 Those Scriptures tell us how the Lord deals with proud men according to their pride or rather contrary to their pride he gives them that which they most disgust and takes that from them which they most passionately desire Secondly Take wicked men in the common notion for those that do evil at the highest rate that draw iniquity with cords of vanity and sin as it were with cart-ropes Then Observe First Wicked men that is impenitent sinners high-handed sinners are in a very sad condition and shall come to a sad conclusion The Lord will tread them down Psal 9.16 17. The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands yea the wicked shall be turned into hell That is the utmost of sorrow and suffering shall be their portion Isa 3.11 Wo to the wicked for the reward of their doings shall be given them Isa 57.21 There is no peace saith my God to the wicked As the tumultuousness of their own spirits will not let them be at peace so neither will the righteousnesse of God Secondly From those expressions Tread down the wicked in their place hide them in the dust together bind their faces in secret Observe God will at last purge and rid the world of wicked men As wicked men would fain purge and rid the world of godly men they would destroy all the seed of the righteous so certainly God will destroy the wicked of the world and rid the world of them though not at once of every wicked man yet in their times and seasons that they shall not do the mischief which their hearts are full of The last of the Prophets speaks as much of the Lords vengeance upon all the wicked Mal. 4.1 The day of the Lord. speaking of some great day of the Lords appearance shall burn as an oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Lord of Hosts that it shall leave them neither root nor branch 'T is utter ruin to be destroyed root and branch such shall the ruin of the wicked be Thus also the Prophet Isaiah comforts the Church Chap. 52.1 Awake awake put on thy strength O Zion put on thy beautiful garments O Jerusalem the holy City for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean The wicked of the world are the uncircumcised they have not the spiritual circumcision the circumcision of the heart these shall no more trouble Jerusalem nor tread in Zions Courts Nahum 1.15 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace O Judah keep thy solemn feasts perform thy Vows for the wicked shall no more passe through thee he is utterly cut off The Hebrew is Belial shall no more passe through thee That is such as cast off the yoke of Jesus Christ shall no more bring Judah under their yoke This is also witnessed by another holy Prophet Zech. 14.21 In that day there shall be no more the Cananite in the house of the Lord of hosts they shall no more mingle themselves with the faithful servants of God much less rule over them Canaanites have often been in the house of the Lord but the Canaanite shall not always be there God will sweep them out of his house Answerable to these prophesies speaks the last prophesie Rev. 21.27 Chap. 22.15 which
some interpret of a glorious state of the Church here and 't is undoubtedly true as all agree of the Church in glory No unclean thing shall enter without shall be dogs Then indeed God will abase the proud and tread down the wicked In their place Hence note Thirdly No outward advantages and except those they have none shall stand the wicked in stead or keep them from falling God will tread them down in their place when they are where they would be upon their own ground they shall be worsted The Scripture speaks often of treading down the wicked notwithstanding their greatest advantages Union is a great advantage for preservation yet Isa 8.9 Associate your selves O ye people and ye shall be broken in pieces and give ear all ye far Countries gird your selves and you shall be broken in pieces take counsel together and it shall come to nought speak the word and it shall not stand As if the Lord had sad I will not take you at an advantage before you are gathered together before you are girded I will not surprize you unarmed and unprovided do your best to save and secure your selves from my vengeance associate your selves gird your selves take counsel together and then I will tread you down Neither strongest associations nor wisest consultations nor highest resolutions nor compleatest preparations for action though ye have spoken the word and are girt shall avail you in the day of my wrath Thus the Lord bespake Jehoiakim by his Prophet Jerem. 22.15 Shalt thou reign because thou closest thy self in Cedar As if he had said because thou dost make such provision for thy own safety dost thou think to be be safe or canst thou shelter thy self against me Again vers 23. O Inhabitant of Lebanon that makest thy nest in the Cedars Cedars are high trees and strong how gracious shalt thou be when pangs come upon thee the pain of a woman in travel The Lord puts a scorn upon them such a kind of scorn but not as hers without cause as Michal put upon David 2 Sam. 6.20 how glorious was the King of Israel to day Were not you very glorious when you danced uncovered before the ark Thus I say the Lord puts a holy scorn upon the wicked when they are in their Cedar-nests How gracious wilt thou be when pangs of sorrow come upon thee Take one Scripture more Jerem. 49.16 Thy terribleness 't is spoken of Edom hath deceived thee thou thoughtest thy self so terrible that none durst touch thee yet thy terribleness hath deceived thee and the pride of thy heart O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock and holdest the height of the hill though thou shouldst make thy nest as high as the Eagles I will bring thee down from thence saith the Lord. Thou hast all the advantages thou hast a rock for strength and thou art upon a hill for height yea upon the height of the hill thou art above all but though thy nest were as the Eagles I will pluck thee thence Thus the Lord treads down the wicked in their place in there fortifications in their mounts and towers when they have secured themselves most by counsels and friends and strong-holds then and there he treads them down even in their place Fourthly Note God is known to be God or sheweth himself to be God by abaseing the proud and by treading down wicked men I ground it thus The Lord would have Job shew himself like God or act as God doth by treading down the wicked God made himself known to be God by the Plagues which he brought upon Pharaoh as well as by the deliverance and salvation which he wrought for Israel Exod. 8.22 Exod. 9.14 I will send all my plagues upon thy heart and upon thy servants and upon thy people that thou mayst know that there is none like me in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up for to shew in thee my power and that my name may be declared throghout all the earth Thus also said David Psal 9.16 The Lord is known by the judgment that he executeth that is by punishing the wicked he is known to be the Lord. God is known by his works as well as in his word power and greatness and wisdom and justice are visible in his judgments There was a third sort of wicked men named in opening the Text which I shall but touch in this observation Such they were described to be as are unquiet themselves nor will they suffer others to be quiet by their good wills they are troubled that any live peaceably by them The Lord will tread down these unquiet wicked ones also The Scripture is full of this truth Isa 33.1 Wo to thee that spoilest and thou wast not spoiled and dealest treacherously and they dealt not treacherously with thee when thou shalt cease to spoil thou shalt be spoiled and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously they shall deal treacherously with thee Now the Lord having put Job to all these trials of his strength thereby to shew himself able to contend with him tells him plainly if thou canst do these things Vexatio verba minus limata extorsit menpia casta permansit if thou canst abase the proud if thou canst tread them down hide them in the dust and bind their faces in secret Then Vers 14. Will I confess that thine own right hand can save thee Then will I confess That is when thou hast done all these things Confessio pro laude honorifico testimonio saepe ponitur in Scriptura Palmam tibi cedam c. Bez. I will give an honourable testimony of thee I will not hide thy power and then I will acknowledge thou hast some colour to contest with me and art able to uphold thy self These mighty acts are proper and peculiar to me yet thou seemest to say thou canst do all these else surely thou hadst never offered to contend with me That 's the scope of these words Then will I confess That thine own right hand can save thee Or that thou canst be a self-saviour Hoc solius Dei est qui quod est per se est à quo omnis potestas dignitas or that thou art self-sufficient as I am and hast no dependance upon any and then thou needest not complain that I do not help thee for thou canst help thy self Thine own right hand can save thee The hand is an instrument of help especially the right hand and then the right hand saves when it either keeps us from danger or delivers us out of it Quest But did Job ever say his own right hand could save him Answ Job never said it nor thought it his mind was pure from such blasphemy yet he sometimes spake as if he had been somewhat more than a man especially when he spake of debating his matters and arguing with God First In that the Lord saith in case Job could do all those things he
to approach unto him 20. Surely the mountains bring him forth food where all the beasts of the field play 21. He lieth under the shady trees in the covert of the reeds and fens 22. The shady trees cover him with their shadow the willows of the brook compass him about 23. Behold he drinketh up a river and hasteth not he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth 24. He taketh it with his eyes his nose pierceth through snares THe Lord having spoken in the former context concerning proud men whom he alone is able to abase to lay low to tread down as 't is there exprest he presently subjoyns not only the mention but a very large and accurate description of two huge vast and as to bigness monstrous creatures the one belonging to the Land the other to the water In the making and governing of both which his mighty power and wonderful providence are clearly seen and ought to be religiously both acknowledged and adored these being such as man could not subdue nor make any use of unless God had ordered and over-ruled them for the service and benefit of man one of them he hath subdued to the service of man Behemoth and the other to the benefit of man even the great Leviathan Many of the Ancients draw this whole discourse about Behemoth Leviathan into an Allegory understanding by them First The devil Secondly Antichrist together with all the oppressive and afflictive powers of this world But though we may make some use and improvement of the Allegory yet doubtless these two creatures are here intended primarily in a proper and literal sense Nec illud nos fugit in diabolum haec dicta esse nonnullos existimasse verâ—m primò historiae danda est opera deinde utilitati succurrendum auditoris nec contemnenda Anagogia Chrysost even as the Lord before in a proper and literal sense discoursed with Job concerning the Lion the wilde Goat the wilde Ass the Unicorn the Horse and several other creatures mentioned in the 39th Chapter of this Book And therefore it was well said by an ancient Writer upon this place We are not ignorant that many have expounded this Scripture in an allegorical way of the devil but we must first attend the History and then make some use for the profit of the hearer out of the Allegory The Lord in presenting this and that other vast creature to Job seems thus to bespeak him That thou O Job mayst know the better how to take measure of thy self and how to keep thy due distance in speaking to me of which Job had not been so observant as he should I set before thee two stupendious creatures both the work of my hands both at my dispâ—se and command and by thy inability to deal with them thou mayst learn how unable thou art to strive or contend with me Or thus If thou O Job dost not yet understand what a poor creature thou art and how uncomely a thing it is for thee to murmur at and find fault about my proceedings with and providences towards thee in laying those sore afflictions upon thee or if thâ—u dost not yet understand how uncomely thou hast carried it towards me in calling me to account for my actions with thee yet learn it at least at the sight or upon consideration of these beasts Canst thou match either the Elephaâ—t or the Leviathan Canst thou find any error in their frame or constitution when thou hast viewed all their parts which I will particularly set out before thee Art thou strong as Behemoth and mighty as Leviathan Canst thou withstand their strength or might darest thou contend with them or stand before them If not how darest thou contend with me how darest thou speak words which may bear so much as the shadow of any contention with me or dissatisfaction with what I have done Thus the Lord who had exemplified his power and wisdom to Job in divers creatures of a lesser size and port now gives instance in two of the greatest the Elephant and Leviathan which may well be called The chief patterns or pieces of divine power and skill that so Job might be further convinced and more deeply humbled by these visible things of the invisible power of God or might learn how mighty that God is that made them how mighty that God is who rules and over-rules them The one would trouble all at Land and the other all at Sea if God did not binde and bridle them This doubtless or somewhat like this is the general scope of the Lords long discourse about these two famous creatures even to shew how much man is below God seeing he is so much in many things below these beasts or that man who in many things is no match for these creatures cannot possibly be a match for God who made them Thus much in general Vers 15. Behold now Behemoth We have a description of Behemoth six wayes in this context First He is described by his procreating or efficient cause God himself Behold now Behemoth which I made He is my work my workmanship Secondly He is described by his conserving cause or that which is the matter of his nourishment and preservation in the close of the 15th verse He eateth grass like an Ox. And ver 20. Surely the mountains bring him forth food Thirdly He is described by his mighty strength by the strength of his loynes and belly ver 16. by the strength of his tail and genitals ver 17. and by the strength of his bones ver 18. from all which the Lord concludes in the 19th verse which are the words I shall chiefly insist upon his excellency above all other beasts He is the chief of the wayes of God and yet how great and vast soever he is his strength is weakness in comparison of God for as 't is said God is able to tame him and subdue him in the latter end of the 19th verse He that made him can make his sword to approach unto him The former part of this 19th verse heightens all that hath been spoken before concerning the power of Behemoth which is the third thing whereby he is described Fourthly He is described by his harmlessness towards other beasts ver 20. Surely the mountains bring him forth food where all the beasts of the field play As if God had said this is no ravenous beast though a great beast for all the beasts of the field little or great one and the other play about him they do not run away they are not frighted at the sight of him as if they saw a Lion or a Tyger Fifthly He is described by the place of his repose and shelter where he delights to rest himself and take his ease ver 21 22. He lieth under the shady trees under the covert of the reeds and fens the shady trees cover him with their shadow the willows of the brook compass him about Sixthly He is described by his deep
and â—readless drinking in the two last verses of the Chapter Behold he drinketh up a River and hasteth not for fear he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth not an ordinary River but Jordan a high expression to shew the extream thirst of this creature according to our reading and how large a cask he hath to hold his liquor He trusteth that he can draw up Jordan with his mouth he taketh it with his eyes he thrusts his head into the water up to the eyes and his nose pierceth through snares By these six particulars this creature is described upon all which I shall adde somewhat distinctly and briefly Behold now Behemoth which I have made with thee God calls Job to a very attentive consideration being to enter upon a discourse about the creature Behold is a usual word of attention it also is a word which carries admiration in it it gives us warning that the matter following is of no ordinary importance and surely that which followeth here is not Behold now Behemoth Hence note The works of God especially his great works are very attentively to be considered Let 's not think it a matter of indifferency whether we consider these works of God yea or no. Here is a Behold prefixt lest we should say what should we stay our minds upon beasts upon Behemoth or Leviathan we have other more spiritual objects to think upon 'T is true we have but we must take heed of slighting these objects especially when God doth as it were travel by his Spirit to set them forth before the eye of our mind in their utmost grandure and excellency We should not pass the least work of God lightly by much less should we so pass by the great works of God We should not lightly pass by the least mercy of God but think much of little mercies little mercies are great mercies to us seeing we are less than the least of them as Jacob spake Gen. 32.10 but we must especially consider great mercies great deliverances great salvations upon them our minds must stay or make a stand and our meditations dwell We are also to consider and well to view all our sins our little sins our least failings seeing they have a greatness in them as being committed against the great God and as being able to do us great hurt and to draw down great wrath upon us if not repented of and turned from but our great sins must much more be viewed and considered And every godly man doth so he holds the eye of his soul upon the ugly face of great sins especially to discover the deformity and iniquity of them to the utmost that he may be greatly humbled for them Now as we should not lightly pass by our least mercies and sins but very deeply consider our great mercies and sins so we should not neglect the least creature the least work of God the great wisdom and power of God are visible in the least but we should seriously consider the more noble creatures and the greater works of God whether they be works of creation or woâ—ks of providence I may say as Christ Mat. 23.23 about tything mint annise and cummin these things ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone Christ used a piece of rhetoâ—ick when he said You should not leave them undone his meaning was you should do those greater things of the Law judgement righteousness and faith with greatest exactness So I say in this case you are not to leave the least pieces of Gods work in creation or providence unviewed unconsidered unmeditated but his great works his Behemoths you should behold study and admire or behold and study with admiration When I consider saith David Psal 8.3 the Heavens the work of thy hands the Sun and the Moon c. This implyeth that David did often consider the Heavens those great pieces of Gods work as also the great Luminaries there placed and moving with admired swiftness and evenness continually Though we are chiefly to behold spiritual things yet we must not think our time lost in beholding natural things though we should specially behold Gods gracious woâ—ks the works of grace the workmanship of God in framing the new creature yet we must also behold the old creation and view every piece of it especially the great pieces of it Again though we should behold and be looking to the Author and fiâ—isher of our faith though we should as the Baptist called some to do in his time and all to do in all times John 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world our eyes and our hearts the eye of our faith should be upon Christ the Lamb of God more ten thousand times more than upon Leviathan or Behemoth yet 't is our duty to behold Behemoth and Leviathan Jesus Christ saith Isa 65.1 Behold me behold me 'T is the word here in Job Jesus Christ speaks there as if he would call off our eys and hearts from all things in the world to behold himself and in comparison so we should He is the most amiable sight or spectacle in the world and therefore ought to be the desire of our eyes yet in their places there are other worthy spectacles for us to behold especially as they hold forth and as in them we may behold the power wisdom and goodness of God Let no man say we lose our time in a due meditation upon any of the creatures which God hath made for he hath made them that we should behold and meditate upon them Behold now Behemoth The word Behemoth is applicable to or may signifie any greater or great beast of the field Gen. 3.14 The Lord said unto the serpent because thou hast done this thou art cursed above all cattle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pecus majus and above every beast of the field And again Every beast of the forrest is mine saith the Lord Psal 50.10 and the cattel upon a thousand hills Hence some conceive that we are here to understand beasts in general the word Behemoth being in the plural number Behold now the beasts as if the Lord pointed at all the beasts of the field in this Behold And ' â—is a truth we are to consider them all but it is very improbable that in this place God calls Job to behold the beasts of the field in general and not rather some one in special And I may give four reasons for it First Because in the former Chapter God had spoken of divers particular beasts of the earth and therefore doubtless here also he speaks of some particular beast Secondly That creature which is joyned with Behemoth in this discourse is by most taken for a particular kind of fish in the Sea and therefore 't is most congruous that Behemoth should denote some particular kind of beast at land Thirdly and chiefly The description given here of Behemoth will not fit all sorts of beasts in the
field it will not fit a sheep nor a bullock What is said of Behemoth exceeds the proportion and constitution of all such and many other beasts Fourthly Behemoth is said to feed where all the beasts of the field do play ver 20. and therefore we cannot understand all the beasts of the field by him no nor which some of the Jewish writers insist much upon all the greater beasts of the field And therefore we may conclude that this word Behemoth though in it self a plural word is here intended of a singular beast and because there is no greater beast upon the earth than the Elephant therefore most interpreters both ancient and modern determine it upon the Elephant to whom among all the beasts of the earth those six particulars mentioned in the following description of Behemoth are supposed most fitly to agree Behemoth forma plurali nuncupatur Elephantus more Hebraeorum qui pluralibus nonnunquam pro superlativis uti solent Latini quoque historici saepe cum de Elephanto loquuntur Belluam absolutè nominant Drus And whereas 't is objected the word Behemoth is of the plural number that is easily answered and wiped off for nothing is more usual in the Hebrew language than to express great things by a plural word and so the Elephant may be called the beasts Either First with respect to the vastness of his body as if he did comprize or were a comprehension of all other beasts Or Secondly with respect to some extraordinary qualification or eminency found in him in which respect it is said at the 19th verse He is the chief of the ways of God As the Hebrew sets out excellent things by words of the superlative degree so likewise by words of the plural number or it useth the plural number to signifie the superlative degree The Elephant is the Beast the Beast of Beasts a beast above all beasts Thus Prov. 1.20 Christ is called in the plural number wisdoms because of the excellency of his wisdom Again Prov. 9.1 Wisdom so we translate but the word is wisdoms hath built her house that is Jesus Christ hath And he is exprest by a plural word to note that all sorts and degrees of wisdom meet in him according to that of the Apostle Col. 2.3 In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledg As David when he would shew how very foolish and beastly he had been in mis-judging the dispensations of God First in afflicting the godly Secondly in prospering evil men When I say he considered how foolishly he had done in envying at or in being troubled about their prosperity he concludes ver 22. So foolish was I and ignorant even as a beast before thee The Hebrew useth the word in the Text Behemoth even as beasts before thee As if he had said the beastliness of all beasts centred in me and all their ignorance while my spirit was so troubled in this matter concerning the providences of God towards my self who serve him and those who serve him not Thus David that he might fully acknowledg how very a beast he was in so speaking and so thinking calls himself Behemoth Beasts This may suffice to satisfie the Reader why we expound the Text of a particular beast and why most pitch it upon the Elephant among all beasts in special though the word be of the plural number There being no proper or peculiar name in Scripture for the Elephant it is most probable that he is here named by this Appellative word plural Yet before I step further into that large description which the Lord gives of Behemoth I cannot forbear to take notice that the same industrious and learned Author Bochartus parte poster lib. 5 c. 15. who varyeth in opinion as was there shewed about the Reem by us rendred the Vnicorn varyeth here as much in his Opinion about Behemoth intimated by our translators in the Margin and affirmed as himself confesseth by the most general voice of modern interpreters to be the Elephant I suppose it will not be unacceptable to the Reader if I here offer a brief account of those reasons which prevailed with him to turn off from the common opinion concerning this Animal which he gives as followeth In the fortieth and forty-first Chapters of the book of Job saith he Behemoth and Leviathan are so described â—hat 't is apparent they are beasts of a huge bulk Whence it comes to pass that most of the later Writers have thought Behemoth to be the Elephant and Leviathan the Whale this being without controversie the greatest Animal that lives in the waters and that the greatest that lives upon the Land To whose Judgement I should have willingly assented but that considering the matter more narrowly I saw many things spoken of them even in approved versions which no way agree with the nature of the Elephant and the Whale I shall not say that Interpreters prepossessed with this opinion have wrested some things another way which if they were rightly unfolded according to the Hebrew it would appear as clear as the light that under these names Behemoth and Leviathan two animals are characteriz'd extreamly different from the Elephant and the Whale but which they are is not easie to determine Yet it doth not a little please me that Beza and Diodate men of a most clear judgement and of no ordinary learning do conclude Leviathan to be the Crocodile of Nilus Whence I have a strong conjecture that Behemoth is an animal of the same neighbourhood even an Inhabitant of Nilus called Hippopotamus or the River-horse I would have none troubled with the newness of this opinion but first weigh my reasons whereof let this be the first That as upon the former stage in the close of the 38th and throughout the 39th Chapter only terrestrial animals were presented so it seems most congruous that upon this only aquatical or water-animals should be presented lest the course of proceeding should be disordered So that Leviathan as all agree being a creature that lives in the water 't is probable Behemoth doth so too both being described in the same series of discourse That the ancient Jews were of this opinion may be collected out of the second Book of Esdras Chap. 6. vers 47 48 49. where Behemoth is placed among the aquatical Animals created the fifth day Further the Hippopotame and the Crocodile are fitly joyned together because there is a great likeness of nature between these two for both are very big and fierce and amphibious and four-footed and both have one common habitation the River Nilus which Pliny also takes notice of lib. 28. cap. 8. and therefore most Writers handle them together Nor doth the name Behemoth unfit the Hippopotame seeing the Hebrew word Behema is appliable to all four-footed beasts to those especially which are of greater bulk as is the Hippopotame of which the Ancients speak variously because the stature of beasts of the same kind is also various None
time of Behemoths making I made him the same day with thee for all the beasts of the earth were made upon the sixth day the same day in which man was made Fourthly Which I made with thee that is I made him to be with thee I did not make Behemoth as I made Leviathan to play in the Sea but I made him to be with thee on the Land that thou shouldst behold him and take notice of him or that he should be under thy hand yea not only so but contrary to the nature of wilde beasts to love thy company and to desire converse with thee to be guided by thee and in many things to act with a kind of reason and understanding like thee or as thy self and other men do Fifthly Which I made with thee that is for thee I made him for thy use I made him to serve thee Though he be thus great and vast yet he will be thy humble servant There will be occasion afterwards to shew further how serviceable and useful Elephants are to man Sixthly I made him with thee that is I made him as nigh to thee as any of the unreasonable creatures yea nigher to thee than any of the unreasonable creatures for I have made him excel them all as thou excellest him he is above other irrational creatures as thou art above all irrationals He next to Angels and men is the chief of my wayes The word made may import this also and so it is used 1 Sam. 12.6 The Lord advanced the Hebâ—ew is Made Moses and Aaron The Lord hath so made the Elephant that he hath also advanced him above all the beasts of the field I have set him as near the seat of reason as might be and not be rational In all these respects we may understand the Lord saying to Job concerning Behemoth I made him with thee He is thy fellow-creature and how great soever he is he is my creature I made him the same day that I made thee and I made him to abide in the same place with thee or where thy abode is I made him also for thy service and that he might be a meet servant for thee I have made him almost a partaker of reason with thee so far at least a partaker of reason that he will very obsequiously submit to and follow the conduct of thine and though he be the strongest beast on earth yet thou mayest find him acting more according to thy reason than his own force or strength There is yet another interpretation of these words given by Bochartus which favours his opinion that Behemoth is the Hippopotame or River Horse Whom I have made with thee Tecum vel potius juxta te or rather near thee or hard by thee that is in thy neighbour-hood in a Countrey which borders upon thine As if saith he God had said to Job I need not fetch arguments from far to prove how powerful I am seeing I have them at hand For among the beasts which I made in Nilus which is near thy Countrey Arabia how admirable is the Hippopotame And that the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies by or near as well as with he gives many examples Josh 7.2 Judg. 9.6 Judg. 18.3 Judg. 19.11 2 Sam. 6.7 2 Sam. 20.8 which the Reader may peruse and consider Thus the Elephant was made with man But how lives he how feeds he Not like man He eateth grasse as an Oxe From these words also the Authour last mentioned collects an argument for the strengthening of his interpretation The Oxe and Elephant saith he are alike labouring beasts and therefore no wonder if they feed alike or live upon the same kind of food but that the Hippopotame which is an aquatical Animal and abides for the most part in the bottom of Nilus should eat grasse like an Oxe this is strange and matter of wonderment Nor is it for nothing that he is compared to the Oxe whom he resembles not onely in his food but in the bignesse of his body and in the shape of his head and feet whence the Italians call him Bomarin that is the Sea-Oxe Yet these words may very well be applied to the Elephant It being not onely true that his food is grasse but a merciful wonder that it is so For â—â—d this vast creature live upon prey or the spoil of other beasts what havock yea devastation would he make to satisfie his hunger So that these words He eateth grasse as an Oxe may carry this sense As if the Lord had said Though I have made this beast so great and strong yet he is no dangerous no ravenous beast he doth not live by preying upon other beasts by tearing and worrying sheep and Lambs as Lions and Bears and Wolves do this great and mighty creature eats grasse lâ—ke an Oxe Thus God would have Job take notice what way he hath provided for the subsistence of the Elephant He eateth grasse as an Oxe yet not altogether as the Oxe His food is as the food of an Oxe for the matter both eat grasse but he doth not eat in the same manner as an Oxe Why how doth an Oxe eat by licking up the grasse with his tongue into his mouth as he is described Numb 22.4 but the Elephant gathers up the grasse with his trunk and then puts it into his mouth Naturalists give these two reasons why the Elephant cannot eat like the Oxe Ne ore pascatur adminuculo linguae ut boves impedit colli brevitas linguae quoque quae illi animali perexigua est interius posita ita ut eam vix videre possis Decerptam proboscideherbam dentibus quos utrinque quatuor habet commolit Arist l. 2. de Histâ—r Animal c. 5 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pasco First Because of the shortnesse of his Neck Secondly The littlenesse of his Tongue which lies so far within his Mouth that it cannot easily be seen and therefore he crops the grasse with his trunk and putting it into his mouth grindes it with his teeth He eateth grasse like an Oxe He is like the Oxe as to what he feeds upon not as to the way of his feeding So then though the Elephant be so bulky and big-bodied yet by the Lords Ordinaâ—ion he is as harmlesse as a labouring Oxe he will not hurt any beast of the field This phrase Eating like an Oxe is used to set forth the peaceablenesse of his Nature Thus those blessed times are described when the power of the Gospel shall overcome the wrath and enmity which is in the Serpents seed against the seed of the Woman Isa 11.7 The Cow and the Bear shall feed their young ones and the Lion shall eat straw like the Oxe Lions will be quiet that is the spirits of those men who have been like Lions and Bears even they shall eat straw like the Oxe they shall not hurt the Lambs and Sheep of Christs flock and fold
for his turn And the same saith another learned interpreter Armavit illum Deus manu seu proboscide quasi gladio validi simo Jun. Pisc following this Translation God hath armed him with a Trunk as with a strong and a mighty sword There is a truth in this Translation and interpretation and it hath the suffrage of many worthy men for it as the principal if not the sole meaning of these words God who made Behemoth hath also made him a Sword to defend himself with that his vast body should not be liable to every danger and affront Take one Note from this reading As God hath given the Creatures a being so means to protect and preserve themselves in their Being He that made him hath given him a Sword he hath not left him naked or unarmed Many creatures I mean of the irrational creatures have natural weapons horns hoofs teeth and claws to defend themselves with and offend those with that trouble them Others have only defensive Arms as it were for safety against annoyance shells and thick skins Many have neither offensive nor defensive armes who yet by their natural swiftnesse shift for themselvs by flight and out-â—un their dangers There for is no creature but hath some way or other for its defence As man the chief creature God hath given him Reason to provide all sorts of lawful means for his preservation and defence Take it also spiritually God having made any man a New creature gives him a Sword and means of defence to preserve himself in his spiritual being Every godly man hath spiritual weapons the whole armour of God for his defence against the Devil his spiritual enemy The Apostle leads us into Gods Armory and shews us what weapons God hath made for the spiritual man or for the preservation of man in his spiritual state and being Eph. 6.13 14 c. The Girdle of Truth the Breast-plate of righteousness Feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace The Shield of Faith to quench the fiery darts of the Devil The Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God Thus God hath armed the New-Creature with a Sword he that made him hath made him weapons of defence and offence to save his soul from the wounds of temptation and to resist yea overcome the Tempter Thus as the Lord who made Behemoth hath made him a Sword so he hath provided weapons or means of defence for all other creatures for man especially and most specially for man in his spiritual condition that his immortal soul may be safe whatever becomes of his frail flesh or mortal body So much of and from that first Translation He that made him made his Sword to be near him Yet before I come to explain our own Translation I shall here again mind the Reader what learned Bochartus understands by the Hebrew word rendred Sword in reference to the Hippopotame He that made him saith he hath given him Harpen a sickle or crooked Sword Our Dictionaries render the word Harpe a Wood-knife as also a Sythe This crooked Sword or Sickle denotes saith he the long sharp and somwhat bowed teeth of the Hippopotame with which he doth as it were reap or cut down coâ—n and grasse when he comes on Land to feed as several Greek Poets by him named describe the manner of the Hippotame's feeding which must be granted complyeth well with the words in the next verse where 't is said of Behemoth The Mountains bring him forth food Yet I see no reason but that those great teeth of the Elephant which surely are no hurtlesse weapons as also his Promuscis or Trunk though commonly called his hand may be compared to and expressed by a Sword if that be true which good Authors say he doth with them The Second reading of the Text which Bochartus saith a very learned Interpreter perceiving the inconvenience of the former as to the Elephant took up is also ours He that made him can make his Sword to approach unto him His Sword That is his own Sword Gods Sword God hath a Sword and he can make his Sword approach Behemoth that is As strong as Behemoth is God that made him and gave him his strength can subdue him can pierce his skin though very hard and wound him to the very heart he can break his bones though they are like strong pieces of brass and bars of iron Quasi à Solo Deo sit occidendus Drus So then the meaning of the words according to our translation is plainly this As if the Lord had said Though Behemoth be very vast and big strong and torrible yet I can quickly bring him down Hanc expositionem respuere videtur verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accedere faciet applicabit quo nulla notatur hostilitas sed potius amica conjunctio Pisc and vanquish him Some oppose this translation and exposition because the Hebrew word which we render to approach is not applicable say they to an hostile approach but rather to an amicable and friendly approach Now to come upon one with a Sword is an hostile approach 't is to come as an enemy which say they that word will not well bear But I conceive this to be a mistake for in Scripture once if not oftner the word is used to denote an hostile approach or an assault 1 Sam. 17.40 where David encountring Goliah 't is said He took his staffe in his hand and chose five smooth stones out of the brook and put them in a shepherds bag which he had even in a scrip and his sling was in his hand and he drew near or approached to the Philistim Now how did David approach the Philistim Surely not to salute him as a friend but ro destroy him as an enemy as in the issue he did Though the word commonly signifieth a friendly approach yet the Scripture applyeth it also to an enemy-like or violent approach and therefore that objection is of no force to invalidate our Translation or the Interpretation given of it He that made him can make his Sword approach unto him But what is this Sword that God makes to approach unto Behemoth I answer This Sword is any thing whereby God is pleas'd to subdue or destroy Behemoth or the Elephant whatever instrument God will use that 's his Sword or whether God will use any other creature to kill the Elephant that creature is his Sword 'T is said that the Rhinoceros his sworn enemy if I may so speak gets his sharpned horn under his belly and paunches him 'T is said also that the Dragon loving to suck or drink his blood kills him Now whether the Elephant fall by these beasts and serpents or be slain in battle and war by men he may be said to fall by the sword of God or that God makes his sword approach unto him The sword of God is the power of God put forth by this or that or any means
of the Leviathan yet it is questionable what that creature is and to say the Crocodile is meant by Leviathan or the Whale is meant by Leviathan is only matter of opinion and the judgment of man Vers 1. Canst thou draw out Leviathan Our Translators say in the Margin a Whale or a Whirle-pool 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. The Septuagint render Canst thou draw out the Dragon As if by way of eminence Leviathan were the chiefest and greatest among all that are or may be called Dragons And say some the word Leviathan is the same with Thannin which in the Hebrew signifies a Dragon Insomuch that these two words Thannin and Laviathan are taken in Scripture promiscuously Psal 74.13 14. Thou breakest the heads Thanninim of the Dragons in the waters we put Whales in the Margin Arias renders the Text so then followeth in the next verse Thou breakest the heads of Leviathan in pieces c. meaning in both verses Pharaoh and his Captains who pursued Israel not only to but into the Red-sea and were drowned Thus also these two words are used Isa 27.1 where Leviathan the piercing or crossing the sea like a bar Serpent even Leviathan the crooked Serpent whom the Lord will punish with his sore and great and long sword as 't is said in the former part of the verse is the same with the dragon that is in the sea whom he will slay as 't is said in the latter part of the verse Some of the Jewish Writers distinguish these two only in growth or greatness defining Leviathan to be a great Thannin or Dragon But as the word Thannin doth so signifie a Dragon that yet it is often applied to signifie Whales and Sea-beasts because they in some sort resemble the form and flectuation of Dragons thus 't is said Gen. 1.21 that on the fifth day God created great Thanninim Whales Now I say as in Scripture the word Thannin is rendred Whale so Whales and such like great fishes are in Scripture expressed by the word Leviathan And in one place possibly in more nothing else can be understood by the word Leviathan but the Whale or fishes of the Cetacean or Whale kind The Psalmist being wrapt into an admiration of the works of God or rather of God in his works speaks thus Psal 104.24 25 26. O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them them all The earth is full of thy riches So is this great and wide sea wherein are things creeping innumerable both small and great beasts There go the ships there is that Leviathan whom thou hast made to play therein Now though it be granted that in some places of Scripture oâ—her animals and for instance the Crocodile of Nilus may be understood by Leviathan yet in this place of the Psalm the Crocodile cannot be understood For the Leviathan there spoken of abides in the great and wide sea where the ships generally go Now though Nilus may be called a Sea as Lakes and great Rivers sometimes are in Scripture yet it cannot be called the great and wide sea 't is at most but a small and a narrow sea and therefore we find the river of Egypt that is Nilus and the great sea distinctly and distinguishingly mentioned Josh 15.47 So then it appears that the Whale is somewhere meant by Leviathan And forasmuch as there is an Emphasis put upon the Leviathan spoken of in the Psalm he being there called That Leviathan as if it had been said though there are other Leviathans such as are Dragons Crocodiles in other great waters yet the chief and great Leviathan of all is an inhabitant of the great and wide sea Now seeing the Leviathan described in Job hath such characters given of him as plainly shew that he is the chief Leviathan it may with fair probability be supposed that he is the Leviathan spoken of in the Psalm and if so then the Leviathan in Job cannot be the Crocoâ—ile for the Crocodile is not an inhabitant of the great and wide sea Facetae ironicae sunt interregationes quae habentur quinque primis versibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interrogativum rectè suppletur ex collatione proximè sequentium Pisc Let that be considered as to the negative and what the whole Text in Job holds out for the affirmative I shall leave it to consideration as I pass through the several parts of iâ— Canst thou draw out Leviathan with a hook The first thing considerable in Leviathan is the greatness and vastness of his body which as was said is plainly intended in these words Canst thou draw out Leviathan with a hook or his tongue wâ—th a cord which thou lettest down As if the Lord had said Thou canst draw up some great fishes with a hook and line and if it should be told thee there is a fish so big that no man with hook and line is able to draw him out of the water thou wouldst say that must needs be a huge fish now such a one at least is Leviathan This the Lord would convince Job of in putting this question Canst thou draw out Leviathan with a hook Thou canst not Leviathan is too heavy for thy draught The interrogation is a negation Canst thou thou canst not draw out Leviathan with all thy strength if thou hadst the strength often men thou couldst not draw him out Little fishes yea very great fishes may be drawn out but Leviathan cannot he will break all thy tackling Further Canst than draw out Leviathan with a hook and line No nor with a cart-rope As if we should say to a man canst thou knock down an Oxe with a fillip of thy finger No nor with the force of thy fist And as this question Canst thou c. implyes that man cannot so it seems to intimate that God can as easily take up this huge Leviathan as any man can draw up a small even the smallest fish with hook and line or play with it in the water As he that made Behemoth can make his sword approach unto him Chap. 40.19 so he that made Leviathan hath a hook to draw him out with Canst thou draw out Leviathan with an hook Or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down If the fish bite the hook takes him by the tongue or jaws The Hebrew word is Canst thou take him with a cord which thou drownest That which is let down deep or far into the water may be said to be drowned in the water Unless the line or cord of the angle sink deep into or be drowned in the water the hook is useless and therefore the Angler hath a lead fastned upon his line to make it sink deep as well as a cork or quil to keep it from sinking too deep Canst thou draw out his tongue with a cord which thou drownest or lettest down Vnum hoc animal terrestre linguae usu caret Plin. l. 8. c. 25. The mention
great things and we should use means proportionable for the doing of every thing You cannot batter down a stone wall or a strong tower with paper-shot nor with a pot-gun no you must plant cannon for that service Again when this Scripture saith Canst thou draw out Leviathan The emphasis as was shewed before in opening the words lieth in the word thou As if the Lord had said thou canst not but I can Hence note The Lord is able to do the greatest things by smallest means Leviathan to God is but as any little fish to us which is taken with a hook and line To take up Leviathan to do the greatest thing is as easie to God as the least to man As the power of God supplyeth all the weakness of the creature to do any thing so it surpasseth all that strength and greatness of the creature which may seem to hinder him from doing any thing with it or upon it He saith the Apostle Phil. 3.21 shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body how shall he do this according to the working of his mighty power whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself The Lord can doubtless subdue Leviathan to himself by the working of that mighty power which subdueth all things to himself And it is much more easie for Christ to subdue any Leviathan than to change our vile body into the likeness of his own glorious body For as Jesus Christ was once declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection that is his own resurrection from the dead so he will again declare himself to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of power by our resurrection from the dead He that can draw our dust out of the grave with a word can soon draw Leviathan out of the deepest gulf in the Sea by his hook and cord This may comfort those and strengthen their faith who at any time see Leviathans ready to swallow them up as the Whale did Jonah As the Lord prepared that great fish to swallow up Jonah Jonah 1.17 so he commanded that great fish to deliver him back safe again or as that Scripture saith Chap. 2.10 He spake to the fish and he vomited out Jonah upon the dry land Both were acts of great power and teach us that the Lord hath a soveraign commanding power over all even the greatest creatures The Lord hath a hook for Leviathan He had hooks for Pharaoh The great Dragon in the midst of his Rivers Ezek. 29.3 4. And of him the Lord commanded the same Prophet to speak in a like notion Ezek. 32.2 Son of man take up a lamentation for Pharaoh and say to him thou art like a young Lion of the Nations and thou art as a Whale in the Seas and thou camest forth with thy Rivers and troubledst the waters with thy feet and fouledst their Rivers therefore I will spread out my net over thee and they shall bring thee up in my net I have a net for thee saith this Chapter I have hooks for thee saith that other The Prophet Isaiah to engage the Lord to do some great thing for his Church minded him of what he had formerly and anciently done for Israel Isa 51.9 Awake awake put on strength O arm of the Lord awake as in the ancient dayes as in the generations of old art thou not it that hath cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon This Rahab was Egypt and the Dragon was Pharoah as Interpreters generally agree The Psalmist reports the dealings of God with Pharoah and Egypt in language nearer that of the Text Psal 74.13 14. Thou breakest the heads of the Dragons in the waters thou breakest the heads of Leviathan in pieces and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness that is the remembrance of that mercy and of the mighty power of God in destroying Pharoah and his Egyptian Host who pursued them after their departure from Egypt to the red Sea was to be food for their faith in all the dangers and hardships which they were like to meet with in their travels through the howling wilderness to the Land of promise Take one Scripture-instance more 2 Kin. 19.28 Sennacherib was a Leviathan he came up against Hezekiah to destroy him and his people which provoked the Lord to speak thus of him Because thy rage against me is come into my ears therefore I will put my hook into thy nose and my bridle in thy lips and turn thee back by the way thou camest Thus far of the first thing in the description of Leviathan his greatness The second part of his description sheweth the stoutness and stubbornness of his spirit he will not comply he will not yield he will not any way submit This is laid down in the 3d 4th and 5th verses Vers 3. Will he make many supplications to thee The word in the Hebrew properly signifies deprecation Precamur bona deprecamur tantum mala which is prayer for the turning away of evil when evil is near then we deprecate it Will he do this not he He will not petition thee he scorns to petition thee or to cry for quarter But it may be said can fishes pray or make supplications to do so is at least the work of rational creatures I answer Per Prosopopoeian tribuit ei orationem these words are to be understood by that figure Prosopopoeia frequently used in Scripture when acts of Reason are attributed to irrational yea to senseless and lifeless creatures The very hills and valleys the Seas and waters praise God by a figure and here by a like figure Leviathan will not make supplications unto man which shews the stoutness of his spirit As some prisoners taken in war scorn to ask their lives so if Leviathan were taken with a hook he would make no supplications nor beg your favour so stout is he his heart is too great his stomack too big for any kind of submission Will he make many supplications unto thee no he will make none at all This is further expressed in the latter part of the verse Will he speak soft words to thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mollibus vel blandis vâ—rbis aut sermonibus Pisc Mr. Broughton renders or Will he speak to thee tenderly Will he flatter or humour thee that he may get loose or be freed from thee When the Gibeonites Josh 9.9 were afraid they should be taken and destroyed they came and begged peace they spake soft words There are words of two sorts Some are very hard words and hard words wound like hard blows And though no blows are given The Lord will come to execute judgement upon the ungodly for all their hard speeches Jude vers 15. Many speak words as hard as stones they throw hard words at the heads and about the
ears of others hard words of threatning and hard words of reviling for these the Lord will judge the ungodly as well as for their ungodly deeds Now as there are hard words so soft words What are they Soft words are words of intreaty words of meekness words of love words of submission these are soft words Will Leviathan make supplications or Will he speak soft words Again soft words are often flattering words which are therefore compared by the Prophet Ezek. 13.18 To pillows sowed under the arm-holes Will Leviathan flatter himself into thy favour will he lie down like a Spaniel and fawn upon thee no he is too high-spirited to bow too stiff to stoop he will speak no soft words A soft answer saith Solomon Prov. 15.1 turneth away strife 'T is good when a question is put to us to give a soft answeâ— And if when we have hard words spoken to us we return hard answers they will quickly stir up strife Solomon hath a strange expression Prov. 15.15 A soft tongue breaketh the bones The tongue naturally is a soft fleshy spungy member of the body yet there is nothing hath more hardness I may say more bones in it than the tongue but 't is the soft tongue which breaketh the bones not the bones of the body but of the mind and the meaning is this If the spirit of a man be as stiff as the bones of his body against you yet if you speak soft words you may break him and bring him to your desire whereas if you be high and stiff if you give hard for hard it turns to an exasperation It were no great loss if they could speak no more than Leviathan who like Leviathan know not how to speak soft words And usually they who are freest to speak soft words of flattery are furthest from speaking soft words of love or charity of gentleness and true ingenuity 'T is good and our wisdom in two cases to speak soft words in truth even to those who are none of the best First To avoid hard dealing from those who have us in their power and they who are afraid of hard dealing will sure enough speak soft words whereas a man that cares not how hardly others deal with him cares not to speak soft words Secondly 'T is wisdom to speak soft words when we are in expectation or under hope of receiving benefit or good from any Loqui mollia inferioris est in the power of whose hand it is to do us good They have reason to give good words who would receive any good Thus some speak soft words to divert evil others speak soft words that they may obtain good As for Leviathan he is here represented in the pride of his heart as neither fearing any hurt you can do him nor desiring you should do him any good and therefore Will he speak soft words to thee no not he Hence observe The strong and mighty will not make supplications nor use entreaties They who think they have enough in themselves will not make supplication to God himself they will not entreat his favour nor speak soft words to him There are many such proud stout-hearted Leviathans in the likeness of men Jer. 10.25 Pour out thy wrath upon the families that call not upon thy name There are whole families that will not make supplications to God What are these a company of Leviathans that think they have enough of their own and live in a self-strength or in a self-sufficiency as if they were not beholding to God for any thing they have nor desired to have any thing of him The Lord speaks of a generation of men who shame the counsel of the poor because the Lord is his refuge Psal 14.6 that is because they in all their wants dangers and distresses had recourse to God by prayer as their only refuge Of what spirit those men were who shamed or were ashamed of this counsel and course of the poor he tells us at the 4th verse of that Psalm They eat up my people as they eat bread and call not upon God We thought they have enough of our own strength enough of our own we are Leviathans we need not be beholding to God It is an argument of a wicked stout high mind not to make supplications Prov. 18.23 The poor useth entreaties or the poor speaketh supplications They that are poor in outward things will speak very humbly to those above them and if we know our own spiritual poverty that we are weak empty creatures even nothing-creatures if we are poor in spirit we will be using many entreaties to get in with God and to move him to have mercy upon us None but humble ones and such as see their wants and dangers that they are hardly bestead in this world or are convinced that all the good and great things they have yea that the greatest things they can have in this world can stand them in no stead without God will speak soft words of supplication unto God Leviathan never thinks himself in danger or in want and therefore he scorns all the world and in this he is an emblem of all carnal worldly men And as Leviathan will make no supplications nor speak soft words so Vers 4. Will he make a Covenant with thee Some who think themselves too high to make supplications to others may yet possibly make a covenant with them But Will Leviathan make a covenant with thee he will not The word which we translate a Covenant signifies two things First to chuse because a Covenant is to be made by choice persons and upon choice tearms An scindet vel secabit Heb. foedus factum erat adhibita sectione vituli Secondly it signifies to eat because they were wont to feast when covenants were made The Hebrew is Will he strike or cut a covenant with thee The reason of that was because they were wont to divide a beast and pass between the parts of it at the making of a Covenant Jer. 34.18 They did cut the calf in twain and passed between the parts thereof Will Leviathan cut a Covenant with thee As he will not speak thee fair nor endeavour to soften thy heart towards him by speaking soft words to thee were he in thy power so he will never enter covenant with thee to become thy sure friend much less thy faithful servant as it followeth in the Text. Wilt thou take him for thy servant for ever Many are Covenant-servants for a time some for ever These four things follow in order First Some for fear make supplications Secondly They speak soft words Thirdly They makes covenant or promise Fourthly They offer their service to those in whose hand they are But Leviathan will do none of these from first to last Wilt thou take him for thy servant for ever If thou wilt he will not Suppose thou hadst taken Leviathan with a hook and hadst him fast in thy power with a cord will he be thy servant as long
Sea Psal 104.26 There go the Ships there is that Leviathan whom thou hast made to play therein He is made for play not for work but where doth he play Leviathan will play in the Sea but he will not play at Land Wilt thou play with him as with a bird Wilt thou bind him for thy maidens Or for thy maid-servants or for thy litle maiden daughters Young maidens or girles delight in birds and if they get one tyed by a string they play with it Thus we see Leviathan will have no dealing with us neither in earnest nor in jest neither at work nor play he will neither serve us nor sport with us Wilt thou play with him c. Some creatures are made for play for sport others for work and service yet here is one and there are more of that temper so fierce so stout that he will be brought to neither he will not serve you as 't is said in the former verse he will not play with you nor dare you play with him In this latter verse Leviathan is somewhat like that untoward and froward generation of whom Christ spake Mat. 11.16 To whom shall I liken this generation they are like to children fitting in the market-place and calling unto their fellows saying we have piped unto you ye have not danced we have mourned unto you and ye have not lamented So we may say of this Leviathan if you mourn to him he will not lament if you pipe to him he will not dance A proud untractable spirit will not comply nor bow either way he will neither weep nor rejoyce with you fast nor feast with you work nor play with you Thus we have had the description of Leviathan First by the greatness of his body vers 1 2. Secondly by the stoutness of his spirit vers 3 4 5. The five verses following shew the great difficulty or extream danger of taking or of catching him which is the third part of his description Vers 6. Shall the companions make a banquet of him shall they part him among the merchants c. Fishermen use to go out in companies and having sped well in fishing they first eat part themselves and make merry as at a banquet the remainder they send to market or sell to Merchants for profit They shall do neither with Leviathan for they cannot take him 'T is a vain thing to talk of dividing the Bears skin before we have taken the Bear Shall the companions make a banquet of him That is either First Shall they eat him shall he be the matter of the banquet the chief dish at the feast Or Secondly Shall they rejoyce and make merry because they have catcht Leviathan and gotten such a prize Understanding the words in this latter sense Leviathan being caught is the occasion not the matter of the banquet As if it had been said Fisher-men or their societies shall never have cause to rejoyce and triumph at the captivity of Leviathan nor say they have gotten him into their hands or custody to lade their vessels and fill their ware-houses to vend him out again and fill their purses as it followeth in this verse Shall they part him among the Merchants The word rendred Merchants Causnaeorum nomen in Scriptura passio◠pro Mercatoribus usurpatur quòd ea gens negatiationi mercimoniis addicta fuerit ob maris viciniam Merc. is according to the Hebrew Canaanites Merchants were so called because there was much Merchandise used by and among the Canaanites their country lying near the Sea Shall thy companions make a banquet of him c. Hence note First That which is got by hard and perilous labour makes the labourers merry when they have got it The Text seems to say If they could but get Leviathan into their hands what feasting would there be or there would be great feasting He that by diligent search finds that blessed treasure in the field of which Christ spake in the Parable Mat. 13.44 he I say for joy of it sells all that he hath and buyeth that field And as they who have found Christ that treasure have cause to rejoyce with great joy So when any good is found or gained by hard labour 't is matter of joy But is banqueting and feasting all that Fisher-men aime at when they labour and venture so hard to catch Leviathan surely no they aime at profit more than at pleasure it is to sell off what they get to the Merchants Hence note Profit puts men upon hard and perilous labours What almost will not men do whither will they not venture for profit gain sweetens labour and the hope of a market the hardness of the undertaking Shall they part him among the Merchants Hence we may note Merchandise is of very antient use Merchants have been of old buying and selling conveighing by Land transporting by sea the commodities of one country to another as it turns to the riches so to the honour and manifold advantages of mankind Only let Merchants be wise to trade heaven-ward as well as earth-ward and be careful they make not shipwrack of a good conscience while their ships and goods escape it Let them often remember the Apostles admonition 1 Cor. 7.29 30. The time is short let them that buy be as if they possessed not and they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away Be not unwise Merchants such as mind not the true treasure the right pearl of price The Lord having in this sixth verse intimated how hard a task and how hazardous it is to take Leviathan speaks it expressly in the next Vers 7. Canst thou fill his skin with barbed Irons or his head with fish-spears Barbed irons and fish-spears are instruments in use at this day for the taking of Whales and such like Sea-monsters Now saith the Lord though thou canst not draw up Leviathan with hook and line yet possibly thou thinkest he may be conquered with barbed Irons and spears The word here rendred barbed Irons signifies thorns because such irons are sharp like thornes The skin of a well-grown Whale is extream tough and not easily penetrated so that the Lord might well say Canst thou fill his skin with barbed Irons or his head with fish-spears Yet I conceive these questions do not import an utter impossibility but the extream difficulty of taking the Leviathan what animal soever it is The learned Bochartus takes these words as much favouring his opinion for the Crocodile For saith he they who write about the manner of catching the Whale testifie that he is overcome with showers of barbed Irons cast or poured upon him by the Sea-men that compasse him about but as for the Crocodile his skin is altogether impenitrable But I shall defer any further discourse about this point which is the chief proof against the Whale till I come to the 15th verse and those which follow in a description of the scales of Leviathan And
God in our selves there is no standing before God without a Mediator and there is no Mediator but Jesus Christ who is both God and Man or God-man for man to stand before God in Thus much of the first use or inference which the Lord makes from all that he had said of Leviathan The second inference followeth in the next verse Vers 11. Who hath prevented me that I should repay him As in the former verse the Lord gave us instruction concerning his own all-sufficiency and irresistible power Who can stand before me So in this he instructs us concerning his own absolute independency Who hath prevented me that I should repay him Both which parts of the Application the Lords shuts up with an Assertion of his universal soveraignty and lordship over all creatures in the close of this 11th verse Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine Who hath prevented me that I should repay him Master Broughton renders Who gave me any thing first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quis precessit me that I may pay him again These words the Apostle Paul plainly alludes to some conceive he quotes them in the 35th verse of the 11th Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans Who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his counseller or who hath first given to him and it shall be recompensed unto him again So saith Saint Paul and here the Lord himself saith Who hath prevented me that I should repay him as much as to say Who hath first given to me and it shall be recompensed unto him again Who hath prevented me The Lord seems in these words Quis ostendit mihi viam in cretione totius mundi Vatebl to make proclamation all the world over to enquire among Angels and Men who it is or whether there be any one that can come forth and say he hath prevented him To prevent is to be aforehand with another in courtesie or kindness in help or assistance God prevents man in all these but no man hath prevented God in any one of them We may give a three-fold interpretation of this divine challenge First Who hath prevented me or who was afore-hand with me in the work of Creation who helpt me to make Leviathan you see what a piece of work he is how vast how dreadful a creature he is who helped me or who gave me any help in the forming or creating of him Several expound this question of the Lords independency in the work of creation none began to him none directed him how to create none counselled him what to create The Apostle useth that word Who hath been his counseller No man hath been the Lords counseller nor did he need any counsel in or about any of his works And as none were his counsellers to give him advice so none were his helpers to give him any assistance to bring the work about no hand hath been put to it but his own no hand was at it nor in it but his own I am he saith the Lord Isa 54.24 that maketh all things that stretcheth forth the heavens alone that spreadeth abroad the earth by my self I have done all alone all by my self the Angels did not help me As God made the Angels without help so he used not the help of Angels in making any thing else Secondly Who hath prevented me in governing and disposing the affairs of the world I have had no counsel hitherto for that And shall any now take upon them to teach me the art of government Thirdly In general Who hath prevented me that is who hath done me any good office who contributed the least benefit to me to whom am I beholding for the least mite That I should repay him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is that I should be engaged to repay him The word which we render to repay signifies properly to make peace because when debts are paid and what is due discharged then all is quiet there is no matter of difference remaining As if the Lord had said If any one can produce any bill or bond or make proof that I stand indebted to him I am ready to satisfie him and to discharge all my obligations Who hath prevented me that I should repay him Hence note First God will not be in any mans debt If any can make it good that they have prevented him that they have given him counsel or assistance in his works of creation and providence or that they have done him the least courtesie they shall receive to the full worth and value of it What we do in way of duty to the Lord he is ready to reward us for it we shall not lose our labour though God be no gainer by it And though it be through his grace strength and assistance that we do any good yet we shall be rewarded as if we had done it alone Surely then God would not be in our debt if we could do any thing alone or that did in it self oblige him Secondly Note God is afore-hand with us not we with him The Lord prevents us we do not prevent him That 's it which the Lord would then have Job and now us to understand by this question Who hath prevented me even that himself hath prevented us all and in all by his grace and goodness in any good we have received or done David waited for this preventing grace Psal 59.10 The God of my mercy shall prevent me he shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies he shall prevent not only my endeavours but even my desires and wishes Yet what in this Psalm he professed an assurance of in another Psalm to shew that our assurance of mercy must not give a stop to duty he puts into a prayer Psal 79.8 O remember not against us former iniquities let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us for we are brought very low The Lord hath preventing mercies for his people in their low estate Though we do not prevent the Lord though we are not before-hand with him by our preparations and prayers by our repentings and reformings in our low estate yet he hath mercies ready and prepared for us yea though we come forth to meet the Lord as we are advised Amos 4.12 humbling our selves before him in prayers and tears yet this doth not prevent the Lord but he prevents us by his grace and favour helping us to mourn and pray And as the Lord alwayes prevents us by helping us to pray so he sometimes prevents us with an answer to our prayers before he helps us to pray Isa 65.24 It shall come to pass that before they call I will answer and while they are yet speaking I will hear that is they shall have an answer to their prayers before they have made their prayers so that when we have made many prayers and have been long in prayer much fasting and humbling our selves yet mercy prevents us Mercy comes usually before
Earth alone The Lord can begin and finish how and when he pleaseth He is a rock and his work is perfect As in spirituals he is the Author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12.2 so in temporals he is the Author and finisher of all our comforts deliverances and salvations When we have no help at all in our selves nor in any creature there is enough to be had in God Hosea 14.3 With thee the fatherless find mercy that is they find mercy with thee and if mercy then help who are as helpless as a fatherless child they especially who look upon themselves as fatherless what help and strength what fathers or friends soever they have in this world if God be not their help and strength their friend and father When we are convinced that only God can help us when we have other helps then God alone will help us though we have no other helpers as he promised Judah Hosea 1.7 I will have mercy upon the house of Judah and will save them by the Lord their God and will not save them by bow nor by sword nor by battel by horses nor by horse-men As if the Lord had said I will do all for Judah my self alone though I could have others to do it by It is seldome that God hath as School-men speak an immediate attingence upon any effect he commonly useth instruments yet he sometimes hath and hath as often as himself pleaseth As our mercies are alwayes of grace only so sometimes they are wrought out by the power of God only And what power soever is seen working at them 't is his power that doth the work his wheel is in every wheel Sixthly What cause have we to magnifie the free grace and mighty power of God He is able to do for us though all oppose him and he is willing to do for us though none nor we our selves prevent him Such is the power of God that he can overcome all opposition in others against what he hath a mind to do for us and such is the freeness of his grace that it over-passeth or rather passeth by all those indispositions in us which might cause him to forbear doing or have no mind to do any thing for us Seventhly If none have prevented the Lord if all the good we have and all that we shall have floweth freely to us then we should be very thankful to God for every good we have received very full of purposes to praise him for whatever we shall further receive This Inference the Apostle makes in the last words of Rom. 11. Of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Let us never be found sacrificing to our own net nor burning incense to our own drag as if by them our portion in spirituals or temporals were fat and our meat plenteous Let us put praise far from our selves and say with the Psalmist Not unto us not unto us but to thy name O Lord be praise and glory Lastly Let us be very humble The Lord puts this question to Job to humble him it was shewed in the beginning of the Chapter that the design of God in presenting this vast creature Leviathan to the view or consideration of Job was to humble him for seeing the Lord hath made all things and can do all things of himself and doth them for himself let us lye in the dust before him let us take heed of pride high thoughts and boasting words in any thing we have and are let us say as the Apostle Rom. 3.27 Where is boasting where is pride he answers It is excluded But by what Law why cannot boasting come in is it kept out by the Law of works by any thing that we have done No boasting would never be shut out if we could do any thing of our selves therefore saith he this comes to pass by the Law of faith by casting our selves wholly upon God both as to our justification and salvation That God doth all things of himself should render us nothing in our selves Who hath prevented me that I should repay him The Lord having made these uses of what he had said concerning Leviathan proceeds to a general assertion as was said in the close of this 11th verse Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine Possum illi amplam mercedem si velim reddereddere cum omnia quae sub coelo uspiâ—â— gentium sunt mea sint meum est aurum These words are interpreted by several of the Jewish writers in connexion with what went before thus Who hath prevented me and I will repay him As if the Lord had said Do not think that I have not enough by me to repay you for your counsel and assistance if you dare say I have had any from you for Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine That 's a good sense shewing the Lords sufficiency to make good his offer Some make great promises of what they will do when they have not wherewithal to do it Yet rather Secondly We may expound this assertion as carrying on the former Argument or further to prove that no man can prevent the Lord seeing all is his already Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine saith he The creatures are all mine I challenge all I lay claim to all whether therefore I give to one or take from another no man hath reason to question me or to ask of me a reason why I did or do so for all is my own And when the Lord saith Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine his mean-is not only that all under heaven but that heaven it self and all that is in heaven is his also The Lords Estate or Right is not confined to the things which are under the heaven So that when he saith Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine he saith in effect all is mine Thus Moses expoundeth this assertion Deut. 10.14 Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lords thy God the earth also with all that therein is The reason why the Lord speaks here only of this estate under heaven is because he was discoursing with Job of this inferiour world and the furniture of it and it was enough for him to understand as to the present debate that all under heaven was the Lords but in truth not only is the Earth the Sea the Air with all their fulness and furniture the Lords but the Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens is the Lords with all their beauty and glory Hence note The Lord is the great proprietour of all things in this world Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is the Lords or all is the Lords First by creation he hath given all things their being Secondly all is the Lords by preservation he keepeth all things in their being Jesus Christ upholds all things by the word of his power Heb. 1.3 that is by his powerful word The same commanding word which gave all
to be had without running such a hazard and thou mayst take thy choice all the world over for the earth is the Lords Fourthly This grand Assertion carrieth in it great encouragement to be much in the Lords work Why because he is able to give us a good reward We shall not need to fear any loss of labour in doing what we do for him he can recompence us fully for all is his under the whole heaven he is able to pay us well for any service we do him Saul wondered why the Benjamites followed David what 's the matter said he 1 Sam. 22.7 Hear ye Benjamites will the Son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards and make you Captains of thousands and Captains of hundreds Can the Son of Jess do these things for you It is a wonder that any should serve him that hath nothing to bestow upon them but who can wonder that the people of God should serve him and stick close to his service while they do but remember that he hath fields and vineyards the silver and the gold together with all the great offices and preferments that he hath in his hand This was the Motive which the Apostle used to edge his Exhortation 1 Cor. 15.5 8. Be ye stedfast and immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as ye know that your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. He saith as much 1 Tim. 4.8 Godliness is profitable unto all things having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come Godliness hath the promise of a comfortable portion in this life as well as of a full one in the life to come Fifthly Fear not to lose for Christ Do not fear to lose any thing under heaven for Christ for whatsoever is under the whole heaven is Christs he is able to make up all again We need not wonder at that promise which is made by Christ He that suffers loss of any thing for my name sake shall receive a hundred-fold now in this time Mark 10.36 Not only dotâ— the Lord promise a hundred fold in sweet inward contentments in this time to them who lose for him but he is able to supply a hundred fold even in this life of the things of this life and as he is able so he will surely fulfill it according to that promise when he sees it fit to give or us fit to receive such enjoyments O saith one I may lose my lands and I my trade saith another and I my liberty saith a third As many fear and fly from suffering because of the punishment of sense so not a few because of the punishment of loss they are in danger of losing all and they are not willing to lose any thing for Christ Now I may answer all who upon that account fear of loss refuse to suffer for Christ as the Prophet did that King of Judah 2 Chron. 25.9 who when he had word brought him from the Lord that he must let go the Army of Israel that he had hired against the Edomites presently objected But what shall I do for the hundred talents of silver that I have given to the Army The man of God answered The Lord is able to give thee much more than this Do thou obey the Lords command and do not trouble thy self about the hundred talents the Lord is able to give thee more than this This hath been the question of many when called to suffer What shall we do for the hundred talents what shall we do for our worldly substance and subsistence what shall we do for a lively-hood I may say as the Prophet then did the Lord is able to give you abundantly more than what you lose for him Sixthly As we should not fear to lose for the Lord's sake so let us not forbear to give for the Lords sake Some are afraid to give for the Lords sake to supply the necessities of their brethren but remember what you give to the poor you lend to the Lord and to such a Lord as hath all things under the whole heaven for his If we give the Lord is able to repay us The Apostle makes use of this very argument Phil. 4.18.19 I have all and abound I am full having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well pleasing to God What follows But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus Do not think you shall want because of the supply you give to my wants no my God shall supply your wants or needs according to his riches in glory that is according to his rich and glorious grace There is no need to be supplied in the glory of the next life but there is a glory in rich grace which readily and plentifully supplieth all our needs in this life Seventhly If all under the whole heaven be the Lords then all places are the Lords This is comfort to those who are at any time Gods out-casts he can say to any place as he did to Moab Isa 16.4 Let mine out-casts dwell with thee c. All countries are the Lords he can make room for his in any part of the world for all the world is his The Lord provided a place for the Church Rev. 12.6 14. when she was cast out The Church fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared of God The wilderness was her troublesome condition but the Lord provided a place for her then and there The Lord can command a place for his any where if not in one country yet in another because all the countries and kingdoms under heaven are his demean he is Lord over all blessed for evermore Whatsoever is under the whole heaven is his both in his possession and at his disposition Eighthly If all that is under the whole heaven be the Lords then go to God for all Phil. 4.5 Let your moderation be known unto all men the Lord is at hand he is at hand as a Judge to right you and he is at hand as a Father to provide for you therefore be careful in nothing but let your request be made known unto God by prayer and supplication If you would have any thing of the earth you must go to God for it as well as for heaven it self Ninthly If all things under the whole heaven be the Lords then whatever good things you have under the whole heaven acknowledge the Lord as the Donor and Giver of them all 1 Chron. 29.14 When David together with the Princes and People of Israel had offered so freely towards the building of the Temple he said Lord who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort for all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee He acknowledged the Lord as the giver of all that himself and
his people had given to the Lord. Tenthly Is all the Lords then use all as the Lords and not as your own Remember you are but Stewards God hath a title paramount to all you have do not use what is yours as your own but as the Lords you are but Stewards of the things you have in this world The Lord rebuked Israel Hos 2.8 9. for useing their riches their corn and wine otherwise than he had appointed they did not use them as Stewards they used all as Lords not as the Lords They thought it was their gold and their silver and their wine and their oil their wool their flax and they bestowed all upon an idol and prepared all for Baal See what the Lord saith in the next verse Therefore will I return and take away my corn in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof and will recover my wool and my flax All these are mine and you use them as your own and bestow them upon Baal Thus men bestow their gold and silver upon their lusts upon their pride and intemperance upon their revenge and uncleanness yea to adorn their idols take heed of applying your possessions to wrong uses God is the Lord of all and he will have an account of Lords as they have of their Stewards what they have done with all for they are but Stewards In the Eleventh place Then the Lord may give and take of all that is under heaven when he pleaseth and how he pleaseth to whom he pleaseth and from whom he pleaseth May not he do what he will with his own Mat. 20.15 If he gives to one he giveth but his own and if he takes from another he taketh but his own if he gives another much and you but a little you must be quiet and submit he giveth but his own If he give much of this worlds good to evil men if he adorn and beautifie them with all outward blessings who hath any thing to say against it what though men measuring things by their own reason see no reason yet let them know what he bestoweth is of his own not of any mans possession and if he bestow great things upon the unworthy he doth no wrong to those that are worthy much less to those who are as unworthy as they The benefits he bestows upon any are no wrong to others Upon this ground the Lord commanded the Nations quietly to submit to Nebuchadnezzar King of Babilon Jer. 27.4 5 6. Thus shall ye say to your Masters The Word was given by Jeremiah from the Lord to the Messengers of several Princes I have made the earth the man and the beast that are upon the ground by my out-stretched arm and by my great power and have given it unto whomsoever it seems meet unto me And now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar c. And the beasts of the field have I also given to serve him and all Nations shall serve him c. Thus if the Lord gives he giveth his own and if he takes all away from any it is but his own thus Job quieted his spirit at first The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord. In the Twelfth place If all be the Lords under the whole heaven then be sure you pay your Land-lord your rent Shall we live in the Lords house and use the Lords land and not pay him his rent let us pay the Lord his rent for we are all Tennants and Tennants at Will Pay him his rent you will say what is that It is the rent of praise and obedience the Lord hath a service due to him for all In the Thirteenth place Let all the godly rejoyce All that is under the whole heaven is Gods it is in the hand of their friend and father all their enemies are in the hand of the Lord their tongues are the Lords and their power is the Lords and all they have is in the hand of the Lord and therefore no wonder if David concluded Psal 144.15 Happy are the people that are in such a case yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord for they have him who is Lord of all of all under the whole heaven Lastly If all be the Lords under the whole heaven then let us above all things labour to assure an interest in the Lord. To be able to say the Lord is our God is the surest way to a worldly estate if we have him who hath all we have all as one said If God be mine then all is mine 'T is the happiness of all the people of God that God is theirs This God is our God we have waited for him The Lord who is our God is the God of salvation Believers appropriate God to themselves they do not stand talking of gold and of silver of houses and lands but say they God is our God Keep close to God in Christ and he will keep you You cannot but have enough when you have God who hath all things under heaven yea and all things in heaven JOB Chap. 41. Vers 12 13 14 15 16 17. 12. I will not conceal his parts nor his power nor his comely proportion 13. Who can discover the face of his garment or who can come to him with his double bridle 14. Who can open the doors of his face his teeth are terrible round about 15. His scales are his pride shut up together â—s with a close seal 16. One is so near to another that no air can come between them 17. They are joyned one to another they stick together that they cannot be sundred THe Lord having spoken both of the quantity or greatness and of the quality or stoutness of Leviathan having also made application of both in the former part of the Chapter he now proceeds to a more particular description of him Vers 22. I will not conceal his parts nor his power nor his comely proportion We have here God speaking I saith the Lord will not conceal his parts There is a two-fold opinion about the connection or dependance of this verse Some joyn it with the former the eleventh verse Who hath prevented me that I should repay him whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine Now in case any one should stand forth with that boldness as to tell the Lord he had prevented him he had been a fore-hand with God Well saith the Lord Si quis me ante vertere aut superior me esse posset ejus laudes utique celebrarem Merc. if any will undertake this if any man dares affirm that he hath prevented me I will not conceal his parts nor his power nor his comely proportion I will do him no wrong I will not shadow nor obscure his worth I will set him forth in his fairest colours or paint him to the life in all that he is in all that he can say or do or shew himself to be in such a contest with
me or in his undertaking me about this matter And when that 's done I shall easily and quickly convince him or make him both see and confess that he is a poor weakling that he is nothing or if any thing vile compared with me For if I do but oppose to him the parts powers and comliness of Leviathan he will find himself over-matched Thus I say some conceive the Lord referreth to the former words as promising to him right that should accept the challenge there made and say that he had prevented God or had been aforehand with him Alii non tacerem mendacia ita sumitur ejus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enim cap. 11.3 Merc. Others give it thus if any man shall venture to answer my challenge I will not conceal his lies so the word by us translated parts is rendred Chap. 11.3 nor his boasting words not the rhetorical ornaments nor the comely proportion of his speech in pleading and arguing with me all which will be found upon trial to be but lies vain flourishes and mear sophistical fallacies But I rather take this verse as a general Preface to that which the Lord intended further to say in the description of this mighty creature Leviathan As if he had said O Job that thou mayst be yet more fully convinced how unable thou art to deal with this mighty fish and mayst therein see yet more clearly how unable thou art to stand before my power who have given both being and power to this creature I shall go on to give thee a more lively picture a more particular narrative a fuller character of him and as it were anatomize this sea monster in all his parts powers and proportions So then in this context and forward to the end of the 32d verse we have the fourth part of the description of Leviathan even by the distinct parts of his body together with the wonderful powers effects and operations that appear in them as acted by that courage stoutness and greatness of spirit with which God have clothed him I will not conceal his parts The Hebrew is I will not be silent about his parts And when the Lord saith I will not conceal nor be silent his meaning is I will fully Meiosis celebrarem ejus membra Drus largely and evidently declare the parts the power and the comely proportion of Leviathan I will view as it were all that is most observable in and about him I will do it exactly not slightly or perfunctorily but like an Oratour declare all his excellencies I will not let slip nor omit any thing that is material or conducible to his commendation So that when the Lord saith I will not conceal he intends much more than he expresseth As the Prophet also did Isa 62.1 when he said For Zions sake will I not hold my peace meaning that he would pour out his heart and make a loud cry in prayers and supplications for Zions sake That 's the import of his words I will not hold my peace As also of those vers 6. Ye that make mention of the Lord or ye that are the Lords remembrancers in the concerns of Zion keep not silence The meaning is speak much for Zion A man doth not keep silence nor hold his peace who speaketh only a word or two But the Lords remembrancers must speak to the full much and often they must urge him with many arguments and plead hard till he bring forth salvation in Zion I urge this Scripture as parallel to the Text in hand where the Lord saith I will not conceal when his purpose was to speak copiously and largely And here the Lord setteth down three things concerning Leviathan which he will not conceal First His parts Secondly His power Thirdly His comely proportion To these three heads all that can be said of Leviathan is reducible I will not conceal his parts or members 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This creature is made up of several heterogeneal parts or members The word rendred parts properly signifieth the bar or bolt of a door as also the boughs of a tree There is a great elegancy in that metaphor because the members of the body in any creature are as so many boughs shot out from the stock of a tree I will not conceal his parts But what are the parts which the Lord mentions or would not conceal I answer The word parts in our language and common speech signifieth the inward abilities and faculties of any man We say such a one is a man of excellent parts or he hath good parts that is he is a wise man an understanding man a well-spoken man But here in this place the word parts notes only the limbs members and organs of the body or the several pieces of the whole compages or frame of the body Of these parts the Lord speaketh in the following part of the Chapter And he speaketh First Of his skin ver 13. Secondly Of his jaws and teeth ver 14. Thirdly Of his scales ver 1◠16 17. Fourthly Of his nostrils eyes and mouth ver 18 19 20 21. Fifthly Of his neck ver 22. Sixthly Of his flesh all over ver 23. Seventhly Of his heart ver 24. All these if not more particular parts the Lord mentions in this Chapter and therefore he might well say I will not conceal his parts Nor his power Parts are one thing and power is another There may be great bodily parts where there is but little power That which maketh parts excellent is when they are full of power or when outward parts are accompanied with inward parts which are the accomplishments of them I will not conceal his power Notum ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prore sumatur Drus The Hebrew is The word or matter of his power Master Broughton renders I will not conceal the speech of strength that is the matter of his strength The Hebrew word signifies not only a word but matter or thing I will not conceal the things of his power These powers are expressed afterwards First In his nostrils By his neefings a light doth shine in the former part of the 18th verse Secondly In his eyes They are like the eye-lids of the morning in the latter part of the 18th verse Thirdly In his mouth Out of his mouth go burning lamps and sparks of fire leap out ver 19. Heat riseth out of the vital power of any creature Leviathans heat is so great that it is called fire and from thence smoke goeth out of his nostrils as out of a seething-pot or cauldron ver 20. yea his breath kindleth coals and a flame goeth out of his mouth ver 21. All these expressions shew the mighty heat within him Fourthly In his neck ver 22. In his neck remaineth strength He hath not only a neck but a strong neck Fifthly In his heart ver 24. His heart is as firm as a stone yea as hard as a piece of the nether mill-stone Sixthly Such is his power
that he is terrible to others v. 25. When he raiseth up himself the mighty are afraid Yea Seventhly Such is his power That nothing can annoy him the sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold the spear the dart nor the habergeon ver 26. And Lastly Such is his power That he maketh the deep to boil like a pot he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment He maketh a path to shine after him one would think the deep to be hoary ver 31 32. Thus the Lord describes not only the parts but the power of Leviathan And in the Hebrew the word is plural powers which intimates the greatness of his power or that he is powerful in every part each part being full of power There is a two-fold power First of strength Secondly of authority Leviathan hath no power of authority though he be called a King over all the children of pride But he hath a mighty power of strength That 's here intended I will not conceal his parts nor his power Nor his comely proportion Or the grace of his disposition Non tacebo gratiam dispositionis ejus i. e. dicam quam concinnè membra ejus composita sunt That 's the emphasis of the Hebrew There is a two-fold disposition First Of the mind which we commonly call a mans disposition Secondly Of the body which consists in the right placing of the parts their symetry order and proportion Hence we translate fully His comely proportion Master Broughton renders it The grace of his frame that is the due composition and feature of all the members of his body Some expound these words Ironically Ironicè dictum cum enim horrifica sit immanissimi monstri dispositio conformatio totius corporis nihil in illo gratiae venustatis esse potest Cajetan As if when the Lord saith I will not conceal his comely proportion his meaning were his monstruous uncomliness But by their leave how great or vast soever any creature is there may be a comeliness and proportion or a due disposition of the members of his body as well as of a lesser or little one There are three things which make up the compleat natural comeliness of a creature First Distinction of members there must be parts Secondly Strength for the exercise of the parts Thirdly A due proportion of the parts one towards another that 's it which we properly call feature There may be beauty but no comeliness without a due disposition or proportion of parts and where there is a due proportion of parts there is comeliness how great soever any creature is All these concur in Leviathan First parts Secondly power Thirdly proportion and therefore he is though a Monster for bigness yet a comely creature I will not conceal his parts nor his power nor his comely proportion Hence observe First God hath bestowed excellent parts power and proportion upon all his creatures eminently upon some of them Whatsoever the Lord made he made it as 't is said in number weight and measure that is exactly The fowls of the Air the beasts and creeping things of the Earth the fishes of the Sea all of them according to their kind have excellent parts power and comeliness of proportion David speaking this in general brings it down to the particular under hand Psal 104.24 O Lord how manifold are thy works that is the works of Creation in wisdom hast thou made them all all of them even to the very Fly are wisely made in wisdome hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches vers 15. So is this great and wide Sea wherein are things creeping innumerable both small and great beasts there go the Ships there is that Leviathan whom thou hast made to play therein Leviathan is made in wisdom or wisely made the wisdom as well as the power of the great God is visible in the making and composure of him Secondly Observe God is pleased to set forth and in setting forth the particular excellencies of natural creatures I will not saith the Lord conceal his parts c. God who is without parts is seen in the parts of every creature and therefore he hath not concealed their parts Men do not light a candle saith Christ Mat. 5.15 and put it under a bushel but on a candlestick God hath lighted a candle for us to see himself by in making the parts of every creature and he hath put that light on as many candlesticks as he hath made discourses or discoveries of them in any part of the Scriptures and that he hath done eminently in the latter part of this Book of Job Now if God be thus pleased in declaring the parts of natural creatures How much more is he pleased in declaring the parts and excellencies or those most excellent and amiable parts of the new creature That is the excellencies of man in his inner man David saith Psal 147.10 11. He delighteth not in the strength of the horse he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in those that hope in his mercy and with them he is much taken He is infinitely more pleased in speaking of their parts and powers and comely proportion than in those of Leviathan or of any the most comely and beautiful creature in the world Jesus Christ could not conceal the parts the power not the comely proportion of his Spouse that is of his Church Cant. 4.1 2 3 4. Behold thou art fair my love behold thou art fair thou hast doves eyes within thy locks thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from mount Gilead thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn c. Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet thy speech is comely thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks thy neck is like the tower of David thy breasts are like two young roes that are twins which feed among the Lillies Thus Jesus Christ you see was so far from concealing that he gave his divine rhetorick full scope to depaint all the lineaments parts powers and comely proportion of his Spouse the Church Jesus Christ was so ravisht with the beauty which himself had put upon the Church that like an amorous wooer he could not if I may so speak contain himself from crying up her comely proportion The rarest bodily beauty takes the heart and affects the eye of Christ no more than the gastly appearance of a rotting carcase unless he see spiritual beauty there too and where he sees that he is highly pleased though the body where such a soul lodges hath an appearance as little attractive or desirable as that of a rotting carcase Thirdly Consider the reason why the Lord insists so much in declaring the parts and powers of Leviathan the reason was that God might declare his own power it was not for Leviathans sake that God declared his parts c. but that he
might declare himself in Leviathan Hence note The parts powers and comely proportions of the creature clearly evidence the excellencies of God The Lord chiefly proclaimed his own name when he proclaimed the name of Leviathan Rom. 1.20 The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead The unseen God hath made all things that he may be seen in them When he makes a Comment upon his own works why is it but that he may make a Comment upon himself and expound his own glory in them And as the excellencies of the Lord are seen in the works of creation so in the works of providence and he hath therefore made so many declarations of them to us that his power wisdom and justice may shine through them to us Psal 75.1 That thy name is neer thy wondrous works declare And he said to Pharaoh Exod. 9.16 For this cause have I raised thee up for to shew in thee my power and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth All that the Lord doth to or in the creature is to get himself a name and a glory therefore let us give God the glory of his power wisdom and goodness in all his works Negare Pagaganus Christum potest negare Deum omnipotentem non potest August ser 139. de Temp. It was the saying of one of the Ancients A Pagan may deny that there is a Christ but a Pagan cannot deny Almighty God A Pagan may deny Christ for that 's meerly matter of faith but sense will lead a Pagan to believe there is a God or some omnipotent power that hath wrought all these things If we see a stream that assures us there is a Spring or Fountain if we see a goodly Palace built that assures us it had a builder a maker And if the stream be full what is the fountain If the Palace built be great and magnificent how great how magnificent was the builder Every house as the Author to the Hebrews said upon another occasion Chap. 3.4 is builded by some man but he that built all things is God Fourthly Seeing the Lord is pleased to read such a natural Phylosophy Lecture upon this creature we may take this Observation from it God would have man know the parts and powers of the creatures Why doth the Lord in this book speak at large of them and of their powers but that we may take notice of them and understand them or that we should search and study them What the Psalmist speaks concerning the works of providence is true of the Lords works in nature Psal 111.2 The works of the Lord are great And vers 4. He hath made his wonderful works to be remembred that is that they should be spoken of and memoriz'd And therefore having said at the beginning of the second verse The works of the Lord are great he adds in the close of it Sought out of all them that have pleasure therein His work is honourable and glorious c. The works of God are to be searched to the bottom though their bottom cannot be found by all those that have pleasure and delight either in God or in his works and they therefore search them out also because they encrease and better their knowledge of God the Creator by encreasing and bettering their knowledge about the creature From the whole verse we may infer First If God will not conceal the parts the power and comliness of his creatures then let not us conceal the power the glory and the excellency of God Yea let us with heart and tongue declare the glorious perfections of God how holy how just how wise how merciful how patient and long-suffering a God he is When God makes the creature known to us he would much more have us know himself and make him known Davids heart was set upon this duty Psal 9.14 Thou hast lifted me up from the gates of death that I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Sion As if he had said This O Lord was thy design in lifting me up from the gates of death that is from deadly dangers or killing diseases that I might declare thy praise in Sions gates or that I might declare how praise-worthy thou art to all who come into the gates of Sion And again Psal 118.17 I shall not die but live and declare the works of the Lord. In the 40th Psalm which is a Prophecy of Christ he speaks in the words of the Text vers 10. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation I have not concealed thy loving kindness and thy truth from the great congregation As the Lord saith here concerning Leviathan I will not conceal his parts so saith the Prophet I will not conceal his loving kindness and truth c. Which as it is most true of Christ whose work it was to do so as also the end of all his works so it sheweth what we ought to do and what should be the end of all our works not to conceal the righteousness and goodness of God but declare them in the great congregation And as Christ declared the glory of the Father so should we the glory of Christ We read the Church engaged in this As I shewed before Christ could not conceal the parts of the Church so the Church could not conceal the parts of Christ Cant. 5.9 There the question is put to the Church What is thy beloved more than another beloved that thou dost thus charge us The Church being asked this question will not conceal the parts nor the power nor the comely proportion of Christ her Beloved but gives a copious Narrative of his gracious excellencies vers 10. My Beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand his head is as most fine gold his locks are bushy and black as a Raven his eyes are as the eyes of Doves by the rivers of waters washed with milk and fitly set his cheeks are as a bed of spices as sweet flowers his lips like Lillies dropping sweet smelling myrrh his hands are as gold rings set with Beryle his belly is as bright Ivory overlaid with Saphyres his legs are as pillars of marble set upon sockets of fine gold his countenance is as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars his mouth is sweet yea he is altogether lovely This is my beloved and this is my friend O daughters of Jerusalem Thus as Christ concealed not the parts of the Church so the Church concealed not the parts the power and comely proportion of Christ And did we more consider who Christ is and what he is both in himself and unto us we should be more both in admiring within our selves and in reporting to others his parts his power and comely proportion Secondly If God hath not concealed the knowledge of his creatures from us if
he hath not concealed the parts c. of Leviathan from us Then certainly he will not conceal the knowledge of himself and of his Son from us We may get to heaven or be saved though we know not the creatures thus distinctly but without the knowledge of God in Christ we know no salvation Acts 4.12 If therefore the Lord hath acquainted us thus particularly with the knowledge of the creatures which is an inferior and not so necessary a knowledge doubtless he hath acquainted us with the knowledge of himself which is altogether necessary This is life eternal to know thee the only true God Deus non deficit in necessariis and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent John 17.3 It is an useful knowledge to know the creature to know the Leviathan but it is of absolute necessity to know God the Father Son and Spirit God hath not concealed himself from us nor his will from us neither what he would have us do and believe nor what he will do for us The Apostle Paul could say to the Church at Ephesus I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God Acts 20.27 The Lord hath not shunned to declare his counsel for our direction for our instruction for our caution and for our consolation he will not conceal the knowledge of himself from us in what is needful for us to know unto salvation The Lord having thus prefaced his purpose to declare the parts c. of Leviathan comes in the next words to declare his parts Vers 13. Who can discover or uncover as some the face of his garment That is his garment The word rendred face is redundant As to flie from the face of a man is to flie from a man and to flie from the face of the sword is no more than to flie from the sword The face of any thing strictly taken is the superficies of a thing or that which is uppermost The face of the earth is the upper part of the earth not the whole earth But here the face of Leviathans garment is his whole garment But then the question is what is this garment Quis potest illam è mari in siceum adducere nudam fistere coram hominibus Jun. Pisc Indumentum ceti vocat cutem qua tanquam indumento tegitur q. d. quis detraxit ei cutem quis exâ—oriâ—vit cum Drus Merc. I may give you a fourfold answer First Some learned Interpreters are of opinion that the Sea it self is here intended by this garment because the Whale doth as it were wrap himself in the waters as we do in a garment The Sea is his garment saith Mr. Broughton who can take that from him and bring him to Land Secondly Others conceive that by this garment we are to understand the skin of the Leviathan The natural garment of every creature is his skin At first mans not only natural but only garment was his skin and afterward his artificial garment was made of skins Who can discover the skin of the Leviathan that is who can fley off his skin and so strip him of his garment De balena scribitur quod oculi ejus gravi supercilâ—orum pondere operiuntur prominentia illa quasi vestiuntur nemoque audat corium illud quod facies indumenti appellatur attollere confestim à belluo vorandus Paraph. Paraemialis locutio esse videtur q. d. quis audet vel cuticulae ejus particulam detrahere ut de homine superbo iracundo dicimus ne pilum quidem barbae audes ei extrahere Bold Thirdly Others who interpret this garment the skin yet conceive it spoken not of the skin of his whole body but the skin about his face and which hangeth over his eyes which no man is so hardy unless he be fool-hardy as to open and take away Fourthly Some take these words as a proverbial speech who can take away a piece of his skin or touch his skin As we commonly say of a proud and wrathful man who dares touch him or pull off so much as a single hair from his beard I shall pitch upon the second interpretation that by the garment of Leviathan is meant his skin which is his natural garment There are many remarkable things spoken afterwards in this Chapter about the skin of Leviathan Here 't is called his garment Whence note God hath given every creature some kind of garment or covering The Whale hath his garment he could not abide the water without it All trees and plants have a garment the rind or bark they could not abide the air without it Every beast and bird hath a garment they could not abide either heat or cold without it 'T is said of man in the state of innocency that he was naked Gen. 2.18 And the man and the woman were both naked and were not ashamed yet they were not quite naked they had a natural garment though not an artificial one their skin yea they had a better natural garment than their skin their innocency and that was the reason why they were not ashamed Since the Fall mans natural garment is not enough to keep him from either cold or shame he must have an artificial garment over that nor is any artificial garment how thick or rich or costly or fashionable soever enough to keep him from shame he must have a spiritual one he must as the Apostle exhorts Rom. 13.14 Put on the Lord Jesus Christ he must put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Eph. 4.24 else he hath reason to be ashamed All are naked till they put on this garment Christ and his Graces And they that have put on this garment shall be cloathed with the garment of joy and glory Being cloathed thus we shall not be found naked as the Apostles word is 2 Cor. 5.3 The Lord hath bestowed a garment upon every creature and upon man garments of beauty and glory Who can discover the face of his garment Or who can come to him with his double bridle There is much contending about the meaning of these words or what is meant by this double bridle but I shall not make any stay about it The text may be read thus Who can come within his double bridle The Geneva translation is near ours Who can come to him with a double bridle But what is this double bridle First Some understand this double bridle as a part of Leviathan Intelligit oâ— aut labia quae diducta fraene duplicati spâ—ciem habent Drus Who can come to his double bridle or into the doubling of his bridle As the verdure or greenness of grass is put for green grass so say some the duplicature or doubling of his bridle is nothing else but his double bridle that is his jaws or mouth which have some resemblance to a bridle when they are opened or at their end Now according to this reading the meaning is who
dares come within his lips or jaws which look like a double bridle Surely no man dares make such an adventure seeing his jaws are so vast or wide and terrible that it may even strike a man of courage with terror or into a fit of trembling to look into them Secondly Others because the jaws are spoken of afterwards understand this double bridle of any thing which man may attempt to put into his jaws to subdue him with as if it had been said who can coerce or bridle him though he have never so strong a bridle though he have a double bridle The word rendred bridle properly signifies the reine of a bridle Fraena nominantur eae partes quae utrinque ad maxillat desinunt Quis cum fraeno duplicato audeat accedere ad eum ut ejus rictui inserat sicut fit equo Sed malo parabolicè intelligere pro labiis Merc. There are two words by which a bridle is expressed the one signifying the bit which is put into the mouth of a horse the other the nead-stall and reins which a horseman holdeth in his hands Here we may take it for the whole bridle and that the strongest bridle as we render a double bridle As if it had been said who dares come neer Leviathan as we commonly do to a horse to put a bridle into his mouth who will undertake to halter or bridle him with all his skill and strength Thus the Relative His doth not respect Leviathan but the man who comes to bridle him And this is most probable because if by the double bridle we understand the jaws of Leviathan this would be the same with what is spoken plainly in the next words Vers 14. Who can open the doors of his face The Lord compareth the gaping jaws of Leviathan to doors to which also the lips are compared in Scripture Psal 141.3 Keep the door of my lips As by a Metaphor our lips are called doors so Leviathans jaws bear the similitude of a two-leav'd door which who can open This seems to carry on the allusion to a horse whose mouth must be opened before he can be bridled Who can force Leviathan to gape that he may put a bridle into his mouth That which is said of him in the latter part of the verse may make any one afraid to do so for His teeth are terrible round about or terrour is round about his teeth His teeth are not to be meddled with they are so terrible As the holy Prophet said to Pashur that false Prophet Thy name shall be called Magor Missabib terrour round about Jer. 20.2 So the teeth of the Leviathan are terrour round about Per gyrum deutium ejus formido Hieron If any one come near him he will see reason enough to be afraid His teeth are terrible Dread dwells round about his teeth and why so why are his teeth so terrible Surely because they are so hurtful he being able to tear any man to pieces with or to break a mans bones with his teeth Hence note That is terrible to us which we perceive hurtful to us The teeth of Leviathan are terrible round about because he can soon crush those that come near him with his teeth Now if that be terrible which we see can hurt us let us remember how terrible the unseen God is His teeth as I may say are terrible round about The Apostle tells us so while he saith 2 Cor. 5.11 Knowing the terrour of the Lord that is knowing how terrible the Lord is we perswade men God loves to save but he can destroy us sooner than Leviathan can crush us were we between his teeth The consideration of the terribleness that is in any creature should lead us to consider how terrible the Lord is to those who provoke him Are the teeth of a Leviathan or the teeth and paws of a Lion teâ—rible is the sting of a Serpent or the poison of Aspes terrible how terrible then is the wrath of God! As what is sweet and comfortable to us in the creature should lead us to consider how surpassing sweet and comfortable God is so that which is dreadful and terrible in the creature should lead us to consider how dreadful and terrible God is And as it is good for us often to say unto our selves O how good is God! so to say O how terrible is God! Yea David would have us say so unto God Psal 66.3 Say unto God that is acknowledge with admiration how terrible art thou in thy works And ver 5. Come and see the works of God he is terrible in his doings toward the children of men Yea God is terrible to his own people Psal 68.35 O God! thou art terrible out of thy holy places that is out of the Church and Church assemblies the Lord many times declares himself very terribly in those sacred assemblies How terrible was God in his Church when he devoured Nadab and Abihu with fire for offering strange fire before him which he commanded not Levit. 10.1 2. How terrible was the Lord out of his Church when he struck Ananias and Saphira dead Acts 5.5 10. how terrible was the Lord out of his holy place the Church to the Corinthians concerning whom the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 11.30 For this cause that is their unworthy partaking of the Lords Supper many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep God deals terribly with those who are not regardful of him who prepare not themselves with due and reverential respect to his holiness for holy duties He is a jealous God and he will not hold them guiltless that is he will hold them very guilty or deal with them as with guilty persons who take his Name in vain Exod. 20.7 When the Law was given so terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake Heb. 12.21 The Lord appeared thus terrible at the giving of the Law to shew how terrible he will be to sinners who transgress the Law and repent not of nor turn from their sins and transgressions yea the Lord for their trial shews himself very terrible to good men to broken-hearted and repenting sinners Heman had long and sad experience of this Psal 88.15 I am afflicted and ready to dye from my youth up while I suffer thy terrours I am distracted And for this Job made that grievous complaint Chap. 6.4 The arrows of the Almighty are within me the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrours of God do set themselves in array against me Now if the Lord make such a terrible war upon Saints if he terrifie them even till he hath distracted them how will he draw up his terrours as an army or his army of terrours in battle array against the wicked and ungodly How often doth the Lord express himself by terrible things against such As he sometimes destroyeth sinners secretly or without any appearare of terrour Hosea 5.12 I will be unto Ephraim as a moth So often openly
of Leviathan in opposition to Israel Herod and Pilate once no good friends laid down all their animosities and cleaved close together like the scales of Leviathan to crucifie Christ and so have evil men in all ages to hinder the progress of his kingdome It is said Revel 17.12 13. of the ten horns which are there expounded to be ten Kings these have one mind They who seldome agree in their own affairs agree all in assisting the beast as 't is there said These have one mind and shall give their power and strength unto the beast The Scripture takes notice of this their union not as a good thing but as a strange thing that ten Kings of different nations of different interests and dispositions should agree in giving their power and strength that is their civil power the power of their kingdoms to the beast that is to uphold his kingdom which is doubtless the kingdom of Antichrist How may this shame those who profess a love to and themselves subjects of the kingdom of Christ for their divisions Godly men should cleave together as the scales of the Leviathan which cannot be sundred in that which is good And are not their differences and divisions their distances and breaches to be lamented which are so very great and wide that not only the thin circumambient air but gross circumventing bodies may come between them So far are they oftentimes from cleaving together in duty to God and man like the scales of Leviathan that they hang together as we say like ropes of sand The Evangelist Luke speaks of a time Acts 4.32 When all believers were like the scales of Leviathan Then the multitude of them that believed that is all they that believed were of one heart and of one soul Here they were not only joyned like the scales of the Leviathan but they were joyned as if they were all but one scale Godly men should carry it towards one another as members of the same body and acted by the same spirit They who have relation to those seven ones mentioned Ephes 4.4 5 9. should labour to be one should be found endeavouring as 't is there said ver 3. To keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Further by way of allusion The lusts of carnal men in general are like the scales of Leviathan sticking so close to them and one to another that the Spirit of God in the Ministery of his word finds no passage between till he makes one yea hardness of heart obstinacy and impenitency are expressed by this word Lam. 3.65 Give them O Lord saith he hardness of heart thy curse unto them Give them sorrow of heart so our translation renders it The Hebrew is Give them a shield upon their heart The word is the very same which is here translated scales the scales of Leviathan being as so many shields so strong and thick that nothing can enter It is sad when we have scales on our eyes It was said of Saul when in that vision he was stricken blind that before he received his sight scales fell from his eyes Ananias being sent to him said Acts 9.17 Brother Saul the Lord even Jesus that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest hath sent me that thou mightest receive thy sight and be filled with the holy Ghost and immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales c. All men naturally have scales on their eyes It is sad to have a scale on the eye any thing that doth hinder the sight of spiritual things but how sad is it to have scales on the heart also To all impenitent persons their lusts are as so many scales and shields upon their hearts and they have so many scales upon their hearts and those such hard ones that nothing but an Almighty power can make entrance or impression None are in so much danger as they that are fenced and armed with these scales It is best for man to open a naked breast to receive every stroke which the sword of the Spirit the Word of God makes upon him JOB Chap. 41. Vers 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25. 18. By his neesings a light doth shine and his eyes are like the eye-lids of the morning 19. Out of his mouth go burning lamps and sparks of fire leap out 20. Out of his nostrils goeth smoak as out of a seething pot or caldron 21. His breath kindleth coals and a flame goeth out of his mouth 22. In his neck remaineth strength and sorrow is turned into joy before him 23. The flakes of his flesh are joyned together they are firm in themselves they cannot be moved 24. His heart is as firm as a stone yea as hard as a piece of the nether mill-stone 25. When he raiseth up himself the mighty are afraid by reason of breakings they purifie themselves IN the former context the Lord spake of the covering or skin of the jaws and teeth of the face and scales of this Leviathan In this he proceeds yet further to draw out the description of this vast creature First By his strong neesings vers 18. Secondly By his shining eyes in the latter part of that 18th verse Thirdly By his flaming mouth vers 19. Fourthly By his smoaking nostrils vers 20. Fifthly By his fiery breath vers 21. Sixthly By his stiff neck vers 22. Seventhly By the firmnness of his flesh vers 23. Eighthly By the firmness and hardness of his heart vers 24. Ninthly By a twofold effect of all these even upon the mightiest of the sons of men when he appears to them or when they behold him in his motions First He makes them afraid vers 25. Secondly He causeth them to purifie themselves in the close of that verse In these particulars we have a prospect of the whole context I shall but lightly touch at the most of them and a little insist upon the last which we shall find most useful for instruction and admonition The four first verses hold out upon the matter the same thing Est frementis irascentisque oeti descriptio Bold namely the fierce and furious spirit of Leviathan discovered in his neesings eyes mouth nostrils breath all which are expressed by elegant metaphors alluding to or by comparisons made with light and fire with lamps and sparks with smoak and flame Vers 18. By his neesings a light doth shine The first thing described in the former context Sternutatio efficitur ex subtili vapore incluso in ventriculis cerebri conante natura vehementius expelre expurgare Galen l. 2. de sympt causis c. 2 3. Inter orandum bonum est signum sternutare Sernutamentum bonum est signum aegroto Dicta Rabbinorum Merc. was Leviathans terrible head the first in this is the power of his brain Naturalists teach us that neesing is caused by the thin and subtile vapours included in the ventricles of the brain which nature striving to expel and put forth causeth that which we
Leviathan There 's a continual fire in his mouth then what is in the kitchin of his stomack for the digestion and concoction of his meat If sparks of fire leap out of his mouth as out of the mouth of a furnace then we may conclude there 's a great fire kept within Vers 20. Out of his nostrils goeth smoak We had fire before and now comes smoak We usually say Where there 's smoak there is some fire and surely where there is so great a heat there must be or hath been some smoak Out of his nostrils goeth a smoak Fumus est der adustus ex multitudine caloris Aquin. What is smoak 'T is air adust say Phylosophers Much heat draws out the airy part of the fewel and turns it into smoak Leviathan having such a fire in his bowels needs must smoak go out of his nostrils which are as a double chimney to vent it or to keep the metaphor in the Text Smoak goeth out of his nostrils As out of a seething pot or caldron The Hebrew is a blown pot because blowing makes a pot seeth quickly and fiercely A Caldron is a great vessel wherein much may be sodden or boyled at once and boyling sends out a great fume or smoak The Hebrew word rendred Caldron properly signifies a copper or brazen Kettle in which dying stuff is boyled for the colouring of cloth It signifies also a pond and so a great vessel like a pond as that in the Temple was called a Sea for its greatness Vers 21. His breath kindleth coals and a flame goeth out of his mouth This verse with the former three tend all to one purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ahenum reddidimus ex conjectura propriè ahenum magnum instar stagni quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur Drus Leviathans heat is so vehement that his breath kindleth coals The Hebrew is His soul or life kindleth coals The soul and life of irrational creatures is the same and both are but breath His breath kindleth coals that is his breath is so hot that it will even kindle dead or unkindled coals Mr. Broughton renders His breath would set coals on fire The breath of the Whale is not only compared to a great wind issuing out of a pair of bellows which soon kindleth a spark into a great fire but is it self here compared to a fire by a strong Hyperbole like that which concludes this matter And a flame goeth out of his mouth That is a heat as from a flame or such a heat as a flame giveth These four verses may be improved for our use in two things First to inform us how terrible some creatures are There is nothing which is not terrible in this His mouth sends out a burning lamp and sparks of fire smoak goeth out of his nostrils coals are kindled by his breath and a flame goeth out of his mouth What 's the meaning and import of all this not that Leviathan hath these or doth these things indeed but in his wrath for this is the description of an enraged Leviathan he appears as if he were nothing but heat and would set the very element of water on fire and turn the very billows of the Sea into burning flames Secondly If the Lord hath put such a fierceness into this creature when he is angry what is there in the Lord himself when he is angry The Lord in his anger is described like this Leviathan Psal 18.7 8. Then the earth shook and trembled the foundation also of the hills moved and were shaken because he was wroth what follows There went up a smoak out of his nostrils and fire out of his mouth devoured coals were kindled by it The words are almost word for word the same with those in the Text. The Lord is set forth as ushered by fire Psal 50.2 3. Out of Zion the perfection of beauty God hath shined Our God shall come and shall not keep silence a fire shall devour before him and it shall be very tempestuous round about him Again Psal 97.2 Clouds and darkness are round about him vers 3. A fire goeth before him and burneth up his enemies round about that is he destroyeth his enemies in his anger as if he consumed them by fire Once more Isa 33.14 The sinners in Zion are afraid fearfulness hath surprized the hypocrites who among us shall dwell in the devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings Thus the Scripture speaks of the Lord in his wrath And doubtless the flaming anger of Leviathan when provoked is but like a warm Sun-shine compared with the provoked anger and hot displeasure of God against presumptuous sinners Who is able to abide his wrath who in sin can dwell with those everlasting burnings who unpardoned can stand before the devouring fire and flames of the Lords displeasure Thus we have the discovery of Leviathans furious heat he is all in a flame Now the Lord having shewed what work Leviathan makes with his mouth and nostrils which belong to his head he comes next to his neck Vers 22. In his neck remaineth strength and sorrow is turned into joy before him Leviathans head is strongly joyned to the rest of his body by his strong neck yet some question whether the Whale hath any neck or no because no distinction which in other creatures is visible appears between his head and his body The learned Bochartus makes this another argument against the Whale and a little reflects upon Diodate who joyning fully with him in opinion that Leviathan is the Crocodile yet le ts go this hold yielding that the Crocodile hath no more neck than the Whale as the neck is taken strictly for that discernable distance between head and shoulders and though he himself grants that several other Authors by him alleadged say the Crocodile hath no neck yet he answers 't is safer to credit Aristotle who saith the Crocodile hath a neck and gives this reason for it because those animals which have no neck at all cannot move their heads whereas the Crocodile by the testimony of Pliny and others can turn his head upwards or hold it up backwards to bite his prey To this some answer and I conceive their answer may satisfie in this Point That how little or how undiscernable soever the space is between the head and the body of any animal the very joyning or coupling of them together may be called his neck and in that sense the Whale hath a neck as well as the Crocodile To this I may add that the shorter the neck of any animal is the stronger it is and that complies fully with what is here said of the neck of Leviathan In his neck remaineth strength The Hebrew is Lodgeth And so Mr. Broughton renders In his neck alwayes lodgeth strength that is he is alwayes strong very strong neckt his neck is so stiff and strong that strength it self may seem to have taken up its residence there That 's the
or turning round upon the nether stone which because it bears the weight of the work in grinding is the harder of the two though both are very hard as if it had been said if any stone be harder than another that 's most like the heart of Leviathan Now though this may have respect to the litteral or proper hardness of the flesh of Leviathans heart yet we are not to stay in that sense for there is a moral or metaphorical hardness as well as a natural or proper hardness The heart of one man is said to be hard and the heart of another soft and tender not because the natural flesh of one mans heart is hard and anothers soft but because of a moral hardness or tenderness in the heart of the one or other There is no difference between them in the body of a good and bad man as to tenderness and hardness but the soul-heart if I may so speak of the one and of the other differ exceedingly as to hardness and tenderness The heart of every good man as to the spiritual constitution of it is soft and tender but the heart of every evil man is hard and stony Again a fearful man is said to have a soft heart every little danger pierceth it or makes an impression upon it but a man of courage and boldness is said to have a hard heart or a heart of brass nothing can daunt him In this sense Leviathan hath a hard or firm heart a heart of brass The hardness of Leviathans heart Fortis intrepida est Jun. Est forti infracto corde seu animo nihil timet Merc. notes his courage boldness and stoutness he is not timerous like many other creatures his heart is as uncapable of fear as a stone and as impenetrable by any passion as the nether mill-stone So that to say his heart is as hard as a stone is all one as to say He is fearless or he is couragious So then There is a threefold moral hardness of heart spoken of in Scripture First Impenitency for sin is often called hardness of heart They who go on knowingly to sin against God are bold daring men they have hard hearts indeed Such hearts have all men by nature and therefore God makes that promise to sinners I will take away the heart of stone and give a heart of flesh Ezek. 36.26 Secondly Unmercifulness or cruelty towards men is called hardness of heart We commonly say of such a man Crudeles inclementes aut è saxo geniti aut cor habere saxeum dicuntur he is a hard-hearted man that is he is a cruel and unmerciful man Thirdly Couragiousness and stoutness in appearance of danger may be called hardness of heart A man of great courage hath a heart hardned against all fears and dangers Leviathan hath a hard heart in these two latter senses he is cruel and unmerciful he spares none he swallows down all without distinction a Jonah and all if he meet with him The Whale hath no mercy and therefore may be said to have a hard heart Again Leviathan is full of courage he fears no colours as we say therefore he may well be said to have a hard heart Cor durum signum audaciae fortitudinis Plin. l. 11. c. 37. And those creatures which have the hardest hearts in a physical sense are observed by Naturalists to be most daring and couragious Now as Leviathan is thus fearless at the appearance of the greatest dangers so when he appears all are filled with fear As he is altogether dreadless according to the interpretation given of this verse so he is altogether dreadful according to the express tenour of the next Vers 25. When he raiseth up himself the mighty are afraid by reason of breakings they purifie themselves We have had in the seven verses last opened the description of Leviathan in many things which cannot but render him an object of fear and terror surely then when he shews himself all will be in a fright even the mighty who seem best fenced against fear as the Text speaks When he raiseth up himself the mighty are afraid When he raiseth up himself Whither not out of the water but in the water or to the surface of the water sometimes the Whale swims upon the top of the water Now when he raiseth up himself or as M◠Broughton translates at his stateliness or as another both putting the word into a Noune which we put into a Verb At his excellency The mighty are afraid by reason of breakings they purifie themselves In these words as was shewed before we have a double effect of Leviathans raising himself in sight or to the view of others The first effect is The mighty are afraid The second is this By reason of breakings they purifie themselves The mighty are afraid The Lord doth not say When he raiseth up himself the weak and as we say hen-hearted cowards but the mighty are afraid the mighty of all sorts not only mighty fishes but mighty men the stoutest Sea-men and Mariners yea Captains and Warriers at Sea are afraid and not only are they afraid when he raiseth up himself like a moving mountain but amazed with fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fortes proprie pii i e. Angeli hoc nomine dicti quod robare polleant maxime pra ceteris creaturis hoc nomen etiam ad homines transfertur robore potentia valentes Timebunt Angeli Vulg. and even struck dead with astonishment The Hebrew word rendred mighty may be carried beyond mighty men even to Angels and so the vulgar Latine reads it When he lifts up himself the Angels will be afraid The word is applyed to the Angels all the Scripture over it properly signifies strong or mighty ones Angels are strong and mighty they excel all other creatures in strength Psal 103.20 If we take that translation The Angels will be afraid it is only to shew that Leviathan is so terrible that not only the fish in the Sea and men on earth but if such a thing could be the Angels of Heaven would be afraid of him As Christ when he would set forth the efficacy of seduction which shall be in the latter dayes saith False Prophets shall come and deceive if it were possible the very elect Mat. 24.24 So this Leviathan would make the Angels afraid if it were possible As Ships in a storm at Sea are said to mount up to the Heavens Psal 107.26 though they alwayes keep upon the billows of the water so by a like hyperbole we may say when Leviathan raiseth up himself the Angels of heaven are afraid But as the word often signifies an Angel so it is commonly applied to men of might strength and courage We translate indefinitely the mighty without determining it upon one or other sort of mighty ones and so we may understand it of any among the visible creatures that are mighty When he raiseth up himself the mighty are
Leviathans description is taken by Bochartus as a further proof that the Leviathan here spoken of is the Crocodile whose scales are not penetrable by the force of any weapon whereas saith he the skin of the Whale gives passage to the forcible stroke or thrust of any sharp-edged or sharp-pointed instrument For answer to this I have no more to say than what hath been said at the 15th 16th and 17th verses of this Chapter concerning the scales of Leviathan to which I refer the Reader and shall pass on when I have given three or four hints by way of improvement from the whole First If the Lord hath made a creature that no weapon can hurt then surely the Lord himself is exalted above all hurt from the creature as it is said in another place of this Book Chap. 35.6 If thou sinnest what dost thou against him or if thy transgressions be multiplyed what dost thou unto him that is thou canst not hurt God with thy sin Though men by sin lay at him as with sword and spear though they throw their sling-stones of blasphemy at him they cannot hurt him Gamaliel Acts 5.39 gives warning against this take heed what ye do refrain from these men lest haply ye be found even to fight against God They fight against God who set themselves to do mischief but what mischief soever they do to men or among men they can do none to God their weapons reach him not As Solomon tells us Prov. 21.30 There is no wisdom nor counsel against the Lord so there is no weapon against the Lord Sword and spear and dart whether material or metaphorical are but stubble before him And as the Lord himself is beyond the reach of weapons and the rage of man so are they who are under the Lords protection therefore it is said of the Church Isa 54.17 No weapon formed against thee shall prosper that is it shall not have the intended effect of the Smith that made it as that Scripture speaks nor of the hand that weilds it The sword of him that layeth at the Church of God shall not hold the spear the dart nor the habergeon As none are so much assaulted as the Church so none are so well armed and defended Secondly As no offensive weapon can hurt the Lord so no defensive weapon can shelter us from hurt if under the wrath of the Lord. Though we have got an Habergeon though we have scales or bucklers like Leviathan yet the Lord hath a sword a spear a dart that can strike through them that is through all the defences of the most hardned sinners in the world There is no shelter to be found nor defence to be made against the weapons of divine wrath but only in and by Jesus Christ God is a shield and Buckler a Helmet and an Habergeon for believers against all offensive weapons of men or devils but where shall unbelievers find a shield or a buckler to secure themselves against the offensive weapons of God! Again some in allegorizing this Scripture say that Leviathan is an emblem of the Devil Now though it be a truth that no outward weapon no sword nor dart can terrifie or hurt the Devil yet the Lord hath furnished us with weapons that can pierce the Devil that Leviathan and defend us from his power Eph. 6.14 15 16. The sword of the Spirit the Word of God will wound that old Leviathan the Breast-plate of Righteousness the Helmet of Salvation the Shield of Faith will preserve us from woundings in the midst of all his fiery darts How soon would the Devil that cunning and cursed and cruel Darter and Archer wound our souls to death with his fiery darts and poysonous arrows if the Lord had not given us a shield a breast-plate and an helmet more impenetrable than the scales of Leviathan Lastly This description of Leviathan carrieth in it a fit resemblance of a hardned sinner of a sinner resolved upon his evil wayes Some sinners come at last to such a hardness that they are like Leviathan nothing will pierce them the sword of the Spirit doth not enter them Though you lay at them with all your might in the Ministry of the Word though you cast darts and shoot arrows of terrible threatnings against them they esteem them but straw and stubble sin hath so hardned them that they as we may express it are Sermon-proof threatning-proof yea judgement-proof too as to amendment by them though they are broken and perish under them Let God say what he will in his Word or do what he will in his works they regard it not they laugh at the shaking of these spears As a man that hath armour of proof cares not for sword or spears fears not an arrow nor a bullet so 't is in a spiritual sense with resolved sinners God having as a just judgement for former sins given them a shield upon their hearts as the word signifieth Lam 3.65 which we render sorrow of heart and put in the margin obstinacy that is hardness of heart they then account reproofs threats admonitions the most terrible words in all the armoury of God no more than a straw or rotten wood Woe to these Leviathans to those who harden their hearts against the Word of God Who hath hardned himself against the Word of the Lord and prospered And let all such know that as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warfare are not carnal that is weak dull edgeless pointless tools but mighty through God c. And that though now they prevail not to conversion yet they will prevail to condemnation and that while they go on to sin they are but going as Solomon speaks of the young wanton Prov. 7.22 As an Ox goeth to the slaughter or as a fool to the correction of the stocks till a dart strike through his liver God will have a dart at last which shall enter a dart which those Leviathans shall not count stubble nor find to be so The Lord proceeds to describe Leviathan and as we may conceive to give a further demonstration of the hardness of his scales and skin Vers 30. Sharp stones are under him he spreadeth sharpe pointed things upon the mire Mr. Broughton reads it His underneath-places be as sharp-sheards The word rendred Sharp stones properly signifies the sharp pieces of a pot-sâ—â—â—rd that is stones or other hard things as sharp and pricking as the pieces of a broken pot-sheard We may expound this verse two wayes First As being a proof of the hardness and firmness of Leviathans skin and flesh so hard they are that he can lye down and rest himself upon hard and sharp stones even upon the sharp tops of rocks in the Sea as we lye down upon our beds Sharp stones are under him but he feels them not which may be the meaning also of the next words He spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire That is Leviathan like some hardy man or iron-sides scorns to lye
Egyptian Sea Isa 11.15 and quotes a Jewish Doctor who expounds it so To this I may reply That other learned men and among them the late Annotators upon our English Bible deny that exposition and are very confident that by the Egyptian Sea is meant not Nilus but the Red Sea which out of the main Ocean shoots into the Land in form and fashion of a tongue Secondly He answers that not only the River Nilus and the Lakes adjoyning to it which abound with Crocodiles but several other great Lakes both in holy Writ and by many Writers are called Seas and therefore he concludes the argument will not hold that by the name Leviathan the Crocodile cannot be signified because the Sea is here assigned as the seat or habitation of Leviathan I grant this is is not a concluding argument against the Crocodile yet from these words we may gather a probable argument for the Whale for as the word Sea is taken sometimes in a large sense for great Rivers and Lakes where Crocodiles are so in strict and proper sense it alwayes signifies the Ocean where Crocodiles are not And the Scripture tells us that the proper place appointed by God for the most proper Leviathans seat is not the Sea in a large and improper sense but in that which is most strict and proper even that which is called the great and wide Sea Psal 104.24 25. as was shewed before And that we have reason to believe that God spake to Job of and about the most proper and eminent of all those animals which by Scripture allowance may be called Leviathan was there also shewed And if so then we must necessarily understand the great and wide Sea by that Deep in the Text which Leviathan maketh to boyl like a pot and by that Sea also which he by his boysterous motion makes like a pot of ointment Thus the Lord in this verse hath told us what work Leviathan makes when he is below in the deep and raising himself towards the surface of the Sea in the next he tells us what he doth when he swims aloft Vers 32. He maketh a path to shine after him c. That is he swims with such force and violence neer the surface of the water that you may see a plain path behind him he makes a great foam or froth upon the waters which shines like a beaten way 'T is good in one sense to make a path shine after us that is by the holiness and righteousness of our lives The path of the righteous shines as the morning light Prov. 4.18 A righteous man walketh not in dark black defiled filthy pathes his are paths of light and such as lead to that blessed inheritance among the Saints in light But the path of an unrighteous man shines only like Leviathans path with an ugly foam or froth or at best 't is but like the shining of a pinching frost or of an aged head which is not whiteness Aestimabit abyssum quasi senescentem Vulg. Vsitatum est ut canum incanescere mare dicatur Haec inter tumidi late maris ibat imago Aurea sed fluctu spumabant caerula cano Virg. l. 8 Aeniad describens navale bellum Augusti atque Antonii Totaque remigio sumis incaâ—uit â—â—de Catullus but hoariness and so 't is still like Leviathans path as it followeth in the latter part of the verse One would think the deep to be hoary The word signifies the hoariness of the head of an old man When we grow old our hair changeth colour and the head is hoary Leviathan makes such a foamy path that one would think the Sea gray-headed or that a hoary frost covered the Sea That metaphor was often used by the old Poets All I shall say from this verse is to take notice of the good providence of God that this hurtful and dangerous creature Leviathan gives such warning where he is While he lies below in the Sea he can do no hurt and as often as he raiseth himself up he makes a path to shine he makes the Sea hoary by which we may the more easily discover and avoid him whereas otherwise he might do mischief unawares or easily surprize the unwary passenger 'T is mercy when they who like Leviathan are able to do much hurt make such a path shine after them as gives any an opportunity to escape them and keep out of danger Thus we have as it were the picture of Leviathan drawn by the hand of God himself And from all it appears that he is a very None-such or that his fellow is not to be found he hath no equal in the visible world such another is no where to be had Thus the Lord concludes Vers 33 34. Vpon the earth is not his like who is made without fear he beholdeth all high things he is a King over all the children of pride These two verses contain the close of all they are as it were the Epilogue the Epiphonema or closing words with which the Lord shuts up his whole discourse about this creature As if he had said Why should I wade further in a description of him by particulars I will say all I will wind up all in a word he is such a one as in the earth there is not his like Or as if the Lord had said to Job I told thee before of Behemoth that he is the chief of my ways yet he comes far short of Leviathan for upon earth there is not his like Leviathan is not only the chief in his own dominion among the fishes of the sea but also among the beasts of the earth the strongest and stoutest of which are not to be compared with him Before I proceed with the opening of these two verses according to our translation which generally holds out Leviathan to be the Whale and before I touch some other translations which bear the same interpretation I shall propose the translation and interpretation given by the learned Bochartus which accommodates these two concluding verses fully to the Crocodile His translation runs thus and so doth his interpretation as followeth There is not his like upon the dust so made Non est ei simile super pulverem ita factum ut non atteratur that he should not be bruised or broken He translates the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as we upon the earth but upon the dust thereby implying that a creeping thing is here intended by Leviathan For saith he the feet of the Crocodile are so short that he rather creepeth than goeth and therefore he may well be reckoned among creeping things And hence Serpents being creeping things are called Serpents of the dust Deut. 32.24 Now though the Crocodile be a creeping thing yet he differs from ordinary creeping things and Serpents for they may easily be trodden upon and bruised as the Lord said to Adam concerning the Serpent the Devil it that is Christ the seed of the woman shall bruise thy head
express the perfection of this creature he saith He is made without fear Hence note Thirdly The less fear the more perfection unless it be of that fear which is our perfection the fear of God then indeed the more fear the more perfection We may distinguish of fear There is godly fear and natural fear The less natural fear the more perfection but the more godly fear The more perfection the more we fear God the more perfect we are but the less of natural fear or fear of the creature we have the more perfect we are The perfection of the godly is often exprest by being above or by being delivered from fear Psal 91.5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terrour by night nor for the arrow that flyeth by day The Lord saith to many fear but there are but few of whom he saith and for whom he undertakes that they shall not fear especially in a time of such great fear as is spoken of in that 91st Psalm a time of Plague and that in the heat when the slain of the Lord are many and men fall by thousands on the one hand and on the other Trust in God is the special qualification of the person who stands under the protection of that promise in the Psalm last mentioned And the same promise is made to a man fearing God Psal 112.7 No evil tidings shall make him afraid David professed this gracious fearlessness Psal 46.2 Although the earth be removed and the hills be carried into the midst of the sea yet will not I fear And again Psal 23.4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil 'T is the perfection of a man not to fear outward dangers therefore Christ rebuked his Disciples Mat. 8.28 Wherefore did ye fear O ye of little faith Their faith was very little else their fear would not have been so great Now as it is thus in man the less of natural fear the greater is his perfection so also among other creatures it is a note of their perfection to be made without fear for it shews the greatness of their courage as also of their strength And this is absolutely the perfection of God whose infinite insuperable power and strength is answered with a most constant serenity and immutability of mind who as he wants nothing so he fears nothing Thus our translation carrieth the verse I shall touch upon a second before I part with it Non est in pulvere potestas ejus Coc. Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat dominatum potestatem quia quae dominatum habent super reliqua solent esse materia comparationum similitudinem ideo significat comparare vel assimilare His dominion is not over the dust he is made without fear The reason of this variety of translation is because the word which we render like signifies power or dominion and the reason why the same word signifies to have power as also to compare or be like is because those things which are great above others use to be the matter of comparison And hence it is that as we and others render upon earth none is like him or to be compared to him so others taking the word strictly and properly say his dominion or magistracy is not upon the earth The text thus read shews the Lords great goodness to men upon the earth that having made such a huge vast dreadful creature he hath not given him any power or dominion upon the land but by his providence hath shut him up in the sea where he can do less hurt for if Leviathan or a creature of his bigness and power should live upon the land there were no living by him either for man or beast As it is an argument of Gods care of and benignity to mankind that those land creatures Lions Tygers c. which destroy and prey upon others are so ordered that in the day time they retire to their dens Psal 104.22 and when night comes then they go abroad God shuts them up in the day time when they might do most hurt or hinder man from doing good that is the duties of his calling abroad in the open fields ver 23. 'T is also a great part of the wisdom and good providence of God to shut up the Leviathan within the bounds of the sea his power his dominion is not over the dust or upon the land The Author of this translation glosseth it thus How small a matter were it saith he to say that Leviathan hath not his like upon earth far another thing is here intended or handled Here Divine providence is hinted to us which gives laws and limits to earth and sea and to all things contained in them He hath not formed nor fitted the body of Leviathan with members of use upon the earth therefore the sea is his dominion not the land This is a truth and a useful consideration Yet I conceive the Lord doth here rather highten the power of Leviathan by saying He hath not his like on earth For it being taken for granted that he hath not his like in the sea nothing could be said more to set forth his greatness than this that he hath not his like at land And some of the Hebrew Doctors say the Lord spake thus because beasts on the land are stronger than fish in the sea and they give a reason for it upon a Philosophical ground because much moisture weakens Therefore the wonderful even preternatural strength of Leviathan appears in this that he being a water animal should yet be both bigger and stronger than any best of the earth Vpon the earth there is not his like who is made without fear Which as it is here asserted so it is demonstrated in the following words Vers 34. He beholdeth all high things he is King over all the children of pride There is a three-fold interpretation of those words in the former part of this verse He beholdeth all high things Understanding by the Relative He Leviathan for there is another reading which I shall touch in the close First These words may be expounded as an argument of the mighty courage of Leviathan He as it was said before is made without fear for he beholdeth all high things that is let things or persons be never so high never so great never so formidable he beholdeth them boldly he doth not wink and look but with open face beholds the most high and terrible things Omne sublimo videt est velut declaratio praecedentium Factus est ut nullum timeret Bold for as it is said before he is made without fear Secondly He beholdeth all high things that is he beholdeth them with disdain as if this were a signification of the matchless pride of Leviathan He looks upon high things how high soever they are as his underlings or as if they were not good enough for him to bestow a look or a cast of his eye upon He is
humiliation before the Lord and in that we may consider these two general parts First Jobs Testimony concerning God Secondly His Charge brought against himself His Testimony concerning God we have in the second verse that is twofold or he commends and exalts God in two of his most glorious attributes First About his Omnipotency That thou canst do every thing Secondly About his Omnisciency as most expound the words And that no thought can be with-holden from thee Jobs Charge or Accusation which he brought against himself hath these four things in it First The Confession of his own ignorance and rashness in the third verse Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge I have spoken saith he things which I understood not things too wonderful for me which I knew not Thus he chargeth himself with rashness and ignorance Secondly The Submission of himself to the better instruction and teaching of God or to what God should be pleased yet further to reveal unto him at the 4th verse Hear I beseech thee and I will speak I will demand of thee and declare thou unto me He begs yet a word more with God and he begs a word more from God or that God would speak a word more to him Thirdly A Thankful Acknowledgment that he had already received much more light from God than formerly he had attained to at the 5th verse I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear I had a knowledg of thee O God before but now saith he mine eye seeth thee now I have more knowledg and clearer light concerning thee than ever I had before Fourthly The Issue or Effect of all this and that is his repentance Wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Thus we have both the general parts of the whole Chapter and the more particular resolution of this first part which I call Jobs humiliation And in this manner he humbled himself before the Lord as followeth Vers 1. Then Job answered the Lord and said These are the words of the Divine Historian connecting this Chapter with the former And all that I shall say upon this first first verse shall be but to Answer this Question How came it to pass that Job answered the Lord again seing he had professed before chap. 40.5 that he would answer no more Once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further There Job seemed to take up a resolution to answer no more how is it then that here this Chapter beginneth with Then Job answered the Lord and said I shall give a three-fold answer to this doubt First Thus we may conceive Job in the former promise that he would answer no more meant it of such a kind of answer as he had given the Lord and his friends before he would answer no more in that way or after that sort and so it was not an absolute resolve not to answer but not to answer as he had done As if he had said I will answer no more justifying my self no nor so much as excusing my self or taking off the weight of any charge the Lord hath brought against me There being such a change in his answer he may very well be said to answer no more for he answered no more as once he did The best and safest way of justifying and excusing our selves is to lay our selves at the foot of God A confession of or a charging our selves with our sins is the best way of acquitting our selves before God from our sins I mean 't is the best that we can do to justifie or acquit our selves Secondly we may answer thus 'T is true Job said he would answer no more but it is as true that the Lord commanded him to answer again chap. 40.1 For when Job had said there at the fifth verse Once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further The Lord saith at the 7th verse Gird up thy loyns like a man I will demand of thee and declare thou unto me God called him forth and bad him speak I have somewhat to say to thee and do thou answer me so that the Lord took off Job or released him from that bond that he had put upon himself Thou hast said thou wilt answer no more but I will have thee answer yet more Now though we take up a resolve to do or not to do such a thing yet a word from God must over-rule us As a word from God must over-rule us not to do what we have resolved to do so a word from God must over-rule us to do that which we have resolved not to do Thirdly The Lord had not only given Job a command to answer but inclined and moved his heart to answer The reason why Job resolved not to answer was the lowness of his own spirit and the terror of the Lord that was upon him The majesty and dread of the Lord put him upon a resolve for silence but now some favour appearing and the Lord giving him hopes of a gracious acceptance he was encouraged to speak and had a freedom of speech restored to him and accordingly he answered the Lord. Thus we may salve Jobs credit from lightness much more from a lie though after he had said he would answer no more we find him answering again Then Job answered the Lord and said The Lord having set forth his own infinite power and wisdom in that long and accurate speech which he made out of the whirlwind concerning his works of creation and providence especially by his discourse about that unparallel'd pair Behemoth and Leviathan the greatest of living creatures upon the land and in the sea I say the Lord having by this discourse humbled Job he saw and was convinced there was no disputing with God nor enquiring into much less complaining of or murmuring at his secret counsels and judgments he now saw it was not for him to call God to an account about any of his dealings and proceedings as sometimes he had done but rather to adore them and therefore he submits and answers only with exalting God and abasing himself He begins with the exaltation of God Then Job answered the Lord and said Vers 2. I know that thou canst do every thing That 's his first word and it teacheth us That when we begin to have high and great thoughts of God we cannot but have low and mean thoughts of our selves Our own humiliation begins at the exaltation of God and our self-emptiness and weakness at the sight of his fulness and Almightiness Thus Job began his humiliation I know that thou canst do every thing This verse exalts God both in his omnipotency and in his omnisciency Non exigit à nobis Deus multa verba sed multam fidem 'T is a short yet a full confession of his faith in this matter and though it were short yet it pleased God much and fully because Job uttered it in
who stand in the grace of the Covenant That nothing is too hard for God is a marvelous Consolation to us in all our hardships When God promised Abraham a Son in his old age Gen. 18. what a hard task was here for God Sarah could not believe it she laughed but what saith the Lord Is any thing too hard for me he presently urgeth his own power where he had declared his will Whatsoever God hath declared to be his will either as to particular persons or the whole Church it matters not how hard it is if we have but his will for it As Christ will at last Change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself Phil. 3.21 so according to that working he is able to change and subdue all things to and according to his own will When the Jews were to be carried into captivity to Babylon the Lord commanded Jeremy to make purchase of a field in Anathoth Jer. 32.7 8 9. Now Jeremy might object behold the Chaldaeans are come to the City to take it and shall I go and buy land Is this a time to make purchases is this a time to buy land when the City is ready to be taken and the whole land like to be lost yes saith God Buy the field for money seal the evidences and take witnesses for thus saith the God of Israel vers 15. houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land Am not I able to bring you back again And therefore after Jeremy had confessed in prayer to the Lord vers 17. Nothing is too hard for thee The Hebrew is hidden from thee or wonderful to thee because hard things are hidden from us strange and wonderful to us The Prophet I say having said this to the Lord in prayer the Lord said to him vers 27. Is any thing too hard for me And to the same point the Lord spake again Zech. 8.6 Thus saith the Lord of hosts if it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people namely that Jerusalem should be restored should it also be marvellous in mine eyes saith the Lord of hosts to perform what was said ver 4. There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem and every man with his staff in his hand for very age and the streets of the City shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof Who could beleive this but it was the will of God it should be so And therefore he said If it be marvellous in your eyes should it be so in mine eyes You think this can never be brought about But must it needs be marvellous in my eyes because it is so in yours or as the margin hath it must it needs be hard or difficult to me because 't is so to you The same word which signifies marvellous signifies difficult because that which is difficult and hard we marvel at But saith the Lord because this thing is marvellous in your eyes must it be so in mine who can do every thing And we may conceive that when Job spake thus he began to have some hope of his restauration He had lost all children and health and strength and estate all was gone and he many times gave up all for gone and spake despairingly as to a restitution but now God having spoken of what he had done Jobs faith and hope revived in these words I know that thou canst do every thing and among other things thou canst restore all to me again thou canst give me as much health and strength of body as many children as full an estate as ever I had Secondly This truth is matter of great terrour to the wicked As God can strengthen the weak so he can weaken the strong and as he can raise up the godly so he can easily pull down the ungodly as he can fill up the vallies so he can level the mountains Thus the Lord spake Ezek. 17.24 All the trees of the field shall know that I the Lord have brought down the high tree have exalted the low tree have dryed up the green tree and have made the dry tree to flourish I the Lord have spoken and have done it It must needs be terrible to the wicked that God can do what he will seing his will is to destroy them except they repent and turn to him he hath power enough to do it and his will is to do it what then can hinder his doing it but their repentance for what they have done There are no sons of Zerviah too hard for him who can do every thing Again from the second notion of these words Thou canst do every thing that is thou hast right as well as might to do every thing Observe The Lord may do he hath an unquestionable right to do whatsoever he is pleased to do God gives a law to all others for their actions but he is the law to himself He can do every thing of right he willeth as well as he hath might to do what he will Then let none complain that God hath done them wrong for every thing is right which God doth Job had failed in this by speeches reflecting upon the justice of God in his dealings with him and therefore we may conceive that in this confession I know thou canst do every thing he chiefly aimed at this to give God the glory of his justice As if he had said Though thou O Lord layest thy hand heavy upon an innocent person and strippest him of all that he hath though thou O Lord makest a wicked man to flourish in this world and fillest him with outward felicity yet all ought to rest in thy will for this thou canst do of right being absolute Lord over all I said Job know that thou canst do every thing And that no thought can be with-holden from thee Master Broughton renders that no wisdom was with-holden from thee which he thus glosseth Thou hast made all things in perfect wisdom to shew thy eternal power and God-head The same word signifies both wisdom and thought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 breviavit abrupit decerpsit propriè uvas fructus vindemiavit Hinc Bozra metropolis Idumeae cum vinetis vini proventu fuit celebris nomen soâ—â—ita est Isa 63.1 Nihil cogitas quod non possis si velis efficere quid enim te prohibebit aut impediet Drus Nec avertito posse à cogitatione sc perficienda Jun. Et quòd non vindemiabitur à te cogitatio i. e. rei cogitatae atque propositae effectionem Pisc and well it may for unless we have wise thoughts in our selves we can never shew wisdom either in our words or actions towards others There is a difference amongst Interpreters whose thought we are here to understand when Job saith No thought can be with-holden from thee First Many very
worthy and learned men are of opinion that by thought we are to understand the thought of God Gods own thought and so these words are but the carrying on of the same thing or a further explication what was said before I know that thou canst do every thing that is whatsoever is in thy thought or in thy heart to do no power in the world can with-hold thee from doing it no thought that is not any one of thy thoughts can be with-holden from thee that is from thy fulfilling it or bringing it to pass what thou hast in thy mind thou wilt perform with thy hand If thou hast but a thought to do such a thing thou canst not be hindered of thy thought it shall be done The words hold out a very glorious truth concerning God if we take thought in this sense and as it is a great truth in it self so it is a very useful one to us The Observation is this Whatsoever God hath a thought to do he will do it he cannot be hindered in the effect of a thought As none of Gods thoughts are vain so none of them are in vain or ineffectual they all reach their end Isa 43.13 I will work and who shall lett it God will work if he hath but a thought to work and if all the Powers in the world set themselves against him they shall not be able to disappoint any one of his thoughts Prtv. 19.21 There are many devices in a mans heart yet the counsel of the Lord shall stand that is there are many thoughts in mans heart opposite to the counsel and thought of God Men think this and that they make up many things in their thoughts yet can make nothing of them because against the thoughts of God for all the devices that are in mans heart cannot hinder the effect of Gods counsel his counsel shall stand fast and firm without any bowing without any bending while their devices fall and are utterly broken The conclusion of wise Solomon is Prov. 21.30 There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord. Let men take or give counsel as long as they will against the Lord they cannot avoid the effect of his counsels We have both these the standing of the Lords counsel and the overthrowing of all counsels that are against him in that one Scripture 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 God never lost a thought all come to pass This sheweth the mighty efficacy of the counsel of God this is more than can be said of any man or men in the world the wisest and greatest have had many thoughts withholden from them They have thought to do this and that but could not effect it nor bring it about Psal 146.4 Their thoughts perish they have a great many plots in their heads but they prove not they often live to see their own thoughts dye Their thoughts perish not only when they dye but they live to see them perish and dye The Prophet Isa 44.25 sheweth how the Lord frustrates the counsels of men and turneth them backward he shews also that without him they cannot go forward Lamen 3.37 Who is he that saith and it cometh to pass when the Lord commandeth it not But some may object the Lord speaketh of the builders of Babel as Job here speaketh of him Gen. 11.6 Behold the people is one and they have all one language and this they begin to do and now nothing will be restrained from them which they have imagined to do as if he had said there will be no with-holding of them from their thoughts 'T is very true amongst men there was nothing to stop them they being all as one man and of one mind would have accomplished any thing that they did imagine but though there was nothing upon earth nothing among men that could restrain them yet God could do it and he did it he confounded their language and one brought morter when he should have brought brick and another brought stones when he should have brought timber they thought to build a tower that should reach as high as heaven they would be drowned no more but they and their thoughts were soon scattered and blown away This point hath in it also abundance of comfort as the former for take thought for the thought of God and it runs parallel with what I spake before of the work of God he can do every thing every thing that is in his thought to do we may take fresh comfort from it Can no thought be with-holden from God what a comfort is this to all that he hath good thoughts of or thoughts for good The heart of God is full of good thoughts to his people though he many times speaks hard words to them and doth hard things against them yet he hath good thoughts concerning them Psal 40.5 Many O Lord my God are thy wonderful works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which thou hast to us-ward Thoughts to us-ward are thoughts for us that is thoughts of good intended us Now hath the Lord many good thoughts for us and none of these shall be with-holden is not this comfort When the Church of the Jews was in Babilon the Lord dealt very hardly with them though not so hardly as they deserved But what were his thoughts Jer. 29.11 I know the thoughts that I think towards you you do not know the thoughts that I have towards you but I do what are they thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end that is the end which you expect and wait for What a mercy is this that no thought of God can be with-holden whenas he hath so many thoughts of mercy and good things to his people Again I might shew how dreadful this is to wicked men for the Lord hath nothing but thoughts of revenge and evil towards them But 't is enough to hint it Before I pass from this interpretation some may object If all the thoughts of God shall be brought to pass and none can withhold them if God will do what he hath a purpose to do then what need we trouble our selves so much in prayer For if God hath any thoughts of good to us it shall be done but if not we cannot bring it to pass by prayer And so some urge what need we repent and humble our selves the thoughts of God shall be fulfilled To this I say in general take heed of such reasonings for as they are very absurd and reasonless so they are very dangerous and leave us remediless More particularly I answer thus Though God hath thoughts and purposes of good to his people yet whatsoever good he will do for his people he will be sought unto to do it for them and therefore prayer repentance and humiliation are needful to
bring forth thoughts of good from God to us And though not man can hinder the bringing to pass of any of his thoughts yet we may help their birth and bringing forth So much of the first interpretation of these words And that no thought can be with-holden from thee Secondly no thought that is no thought of man can be withholden from thee thou knowest the thoughts of every one what they are of what kind they are The Latine translation is express There is no thought secret to thee Some read the whole verse thus Thou knowest that thou canst do thing every and no thought is hidden to thee As if Job had said O Lord as none know what thy power is better than thy self or as none know like thy self what thou canst do even that thou canst do all things so none know better than thy self not I my self what my thought or opinion or faith rather is concerning thy power and self-sufficiency to do all things Which manner of speech importeth the deep submission of himself unto God or a kind of demission or letting of himself down into God while he saith nothing expressly of himself or what his thoughts were of Gods power but refers all to God as knowing him and his mind fully and subjects himself wholly to his testimony So that he seems to call God to witness or appeals to God as a witness of the sincerity of his heart in the acknowledgment which he made of his All-sufficiency as the Apostle Peter of his love to Christ when so often pressed him even a third time with that searching question Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee John 21.17 Peter would not be confident that he loved Christ more then those but referred himself in that matter to the judgment of Christ who knew all things and himself both as to the truth and degree of his affections to him perfectly Thus said Job thou knowest and I acknowledge that no thought can be with-holden from thee therefore not mine Hence note Our very thoughts are plain to God neither is there any way of concealing our thoughts from him We cannot put our thoughts into a secret place where God cannot see them we cannot with-hold them from God as we easily may from man if we can but hold our tongues and not let our thoughts drop out of our mouths in words Psal 139.2 The Lord knoweth our thoughts afar off He knew what thoughts there were in the hearts of the Jews Jer. 4.14 O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou maist be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee These vain thoughts were thoughts about their continuance in that peaceable condition that the enemy should never come to molest them or they should never come into the hand of the enemy as others afterwards had vain thoughts that they should be speedily delivered out of their hands First They had vain thoughts that they should never go into captivity And Secondly They had as vain thoughts that they should be presently delivered out of captivity These are your vain thoughts and these I know saith God Our thoughts are as open to God as our works all our thoughts good and bad are alike known to God He knoweth our good thoughts and the thoughts which we have to do good If we have a thought of good to any man the Lord knoweth it and if we have a thought for evil to any man the Lord knoweth it The Lord knoweth not only what thoughts are evil in their own nature but what are detrimentally evil unto others Thus spake distressed Jeremy in the person of the whole Jewish Church Lament 3.60 61 62. Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations against me Thou hast heard their reproach O Lord and all their imaginations against me and their devices against me all the day long The Lord knoweth all the good thoughts that others have for us and all the evil thoughts which they have against us Now If no thought of ours can be with-holden from God then keep guard and watch over your thoughts hold your thoughts in good order for you cannot with-hold your disorderly thoughts from God bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 Secondly If the Lord knoweth all our thoughts then certainly all good thoughts shall be rewarded as well as good words yea even as well as good deeds As the Lord will not lose a good thought which was shewed in the former point so we shall not lose a good thought God will reward them fully for he knoweth them fully There was a good thought in Davids heart to build the Lord a temple and the Lord said as Solomon his Son reports it 1 Kings 8.18 Whereas it was in thy heart to build a house to my name thou didst well that it was in thine heart I take it as well as if thou hadst done it God takes notice of our thoughts And therefore this is comfort when we can do but little yet God knows what we would do what work our thoughts are at and our thoughts are our best and choicest works they are the first-born of the soul Wicked men may do works and speak words good for the matter but they cannot properly think good thoughts Thirdly if the Lord knoweth our thoughts then evil thoughts shall not go unpunished When the Lord brought the deluge upon the old world we find him speaking thus Gen. 6.5 God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually God spake not of their works but of the imagination of their hearts their thoughts The Apostle counsel'd Simon Magus to repent of his wickedness and pray God Recognoscit so interius fuisse aliquo cogitatione superba pulsatum quod Deum non latuisse cognoscit Aquin. Latini existimant loqui Jobum de suis tumultuantibus cogitationibus sive superbiae de sua sanctitate sive iniquae expostulationis cum divina providentia Accusat cogitationes suas Philip. if perhaps the thought of his heart might be forgiven him Acts 8.22 There lieth the danger take heed of evil thoughts we are in as much danger by them as by the worst evil actions Take heed First of proud thoughts though pride blossom not that is though it appear not openly nor hang out its flag in words and works yet take heed of it Secondly take heed of wanton and adulterous thoughts though you act not wantonly nor commit adultery Thirdly take heed of covetous thoughts though you proceed not to covetous practices Fourthly of envious thoughts or of being troubled at the good of your neighbours though you hinder not his good Fifthly take heed of revengeful thoughts or of devising evil against your neighbour though you hurt him not nor bring evil upon him Sixthly take heed of hard thoughts of God
whatsoever his dealings be with you Though you murmur not though you speak not hard words of his dealing with you yet if you think hardly of him and question his justice or goodness in your hearts he takes notice of it Seventhly take heed of discontentful thoughts with your own condition though sad and bitter This was Jobs sin and it is conceived that he spake thus as acknowledging that he lay open before God as knowing all his thoughts of discontent Eighthly above all take heed of blasphemous thoughts of God which the devil hoped to bring Job too Take heed of these and of every every evil thought though not acted knowing also that every evil act hath its evil thought belonging to it and that no thought can be with-holden from God Thus much for the first part of Jobs humiliation his exalting of God in his omnipotency and in his omnisciency he is omnipotent he can do every thing nor can any of his thoughts be with-holden from him by any power of man he is omniscient no man can with-hold or hide his own thoughts from God Job having made that great acknowledgement of the power and knowledge of God I know thou canst do every thing neither can any thought be with-holden from thee comes to the confession of his own weakness and ignorance Vers 3. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge therefore have I uttered that I understood not Who is he That is what manner of man is he or what is he for a man what a man hath he been That hideth counsel We had these words at the second verse of the 38th Chapter where the Lord said chidingly to Job Who is this that darkneth counsel by words without knowledge Here Job saith humbly to God Who is this that hideth counsel There is some change in the words little if any in the sense There the Lord said Who is he that darkneth Here Job saith Who is he that hideth c. both may be taken as intending the same thing darkning and hiding being of a like signification and things in the dark can no more be seen than things hidden Yet some Jewish Writers conceive that Job here doth somewhat abate what the Lord spake or did extenuate the matter as to his own faultiness and miscarriage As if he indeed granted that he had hid or concealed the counsel of God but would be excused in this that he had darkned it This is a nice difference and I doubt not but the spirit of Job was so low and graciously humbled that he spake with the most and highest fervency to humble himself when he said Who is he that hideth counsel But how had Job hid the counsel of God I answer First He had hid the counsel of God by not declaring it so much or so fully as he ought David prophecying of Christ saith Psal 40.10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation What is meant by not hiding in the former part of the verse is expressed by declaring in the latter part of it and when he saith I have declared his meaning is I have amply and clearly made known thy faithfulness So that because Job had not so clearly as he should declared the righteousness or the righteous counsels of God concerning him and his dealings with him he may be said to have hid the counsel of God While we do not magnifie God we lessen him while we do not declare to the utmost his power we hide it and therefore Job thus chargeth himself Who is he that hideth Or we may take it thus more distinctly Job hid the counsel of God First by being so much in setting forth his own innocency How much he insisted upon that argument hath been shewed before from other places of this book While we set forth our selves we obscure God Job should have been less in his own commendation and more in the praises of God Secondly Job may be said to have hid the counsel of God because he was so much in amplifying and aggravating his own sufferings not well considering the counsel of God in laying those sufferings upon him Had he duly weighed the counsel of God in afflicting him he would have proceeded as he began Chap. 1. 21. to bless God both in and for his affliction Thirdly He may be said to have hid the counsel of God because he expostulated with God as severe towards him in his afflictions as if Gods counsel had been only to put him to pain Such complainings of the living man Jeremiah chockt while he said of God Lam. 3.33 He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men As it is not in the heart or counsel of God to afflict men with his heart as the words there imports so not to break their hearts unless with godly sorrow for their sin by affliction Therefore Job speaking so much of Gods severity hid the counsel of God which was only to try his graces and his goodness and graciously to do him good in the latter end Who is this that hideth counsel Without knowledge Or for want of knowledge But was Job an ignorant man was he without knowledge No but he had not a right knowledge of the counsel of God concerning himself which though it was some excuse to him yet it did not altogether excuse nor acquit him from the fault Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge I shall not stay upon observations from this verse because I did it at the second verse of the 38th Chapter I shall only consider that difference among Interpreters about this word counsel to whom it doth refer Quis est enim qui celat à te consilium Sept. First some refer it to Job and conceive that he chargeth himself with this error that he had hid his own counsel from God or that he thought his counsel was hidden from him The Septuagint render it plainly to this sense Who is he that hideth counsel from thee No man can hide the counsels nor the most secret intendments of his soul from God all things even the thoughts of the heart are naked and manifest before his eyes with whom we have to do 'T is best for us to reveal our selves to him from whom we cannot with all our skill and cunning conceal our selves as was further shewed from the latter interpretation of those words in the former verse No thought can be with-holden from thee But we may fully discharge Job of this for he often professed that his most secret wayes were known to God yea that the way of his and every mans heart was known to God Chap. 10.19 If I sin then thou markest me Read also Chap. 16.19 Chap. 31. vers 1. And if we look back to the 5th verse of the first Chapter there 't is reported of Job that he offered sacrifice for his children after their feastings for saith he it may be that my sons have sinned and
cursed God in their hearts He knew if it were but a sin in their hearts God took notice of it and therefore doubtless he had the same apprehension of his own heart-sins Secondly others who take it for Jobs own counsel give this sense Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge As if he had said I am the man that have hid my counsel or my own meaning for want of due knowledge how to express it Many hide the truth of their own apprehensions and opinions in the darkness or confusedness of their expressions Some have a clear notion of things in their head yet cannot bring it out and so hide counsel for want of knowledge to make it known This interpretation carrieth a fair sense for Jobs excuse acquitting him of any wilful or purposed speaking amiss he had better things in his mind than he sometimes uttered or he wanted skill rightly to utter his own mind and so darkned counsel without or for want of knowledge But I rather adhere to those who take counsel here for the counsel or purpose of God in afflicting Job so grievously and leaving him entangled in the bryars of those troublesom and intricate disputes with his friends who came to comfort him Thus Job speaking in the third person intends himself which manner of speaking is frequent in Scripture Who is he c. that is I am he that have hid counsel without knowledge For doubtless Job did well attend those words of God in the 38th Chapter vers 2. Who is this that darkneth counsel by words without knowlegde And being struck with them confesseth here that God had met with him in those words And hence read these words of Job with an additional preface as if they were a repetition of Gods words Thou hast said who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge That is thou hast said that some body hideth counsel without knowledge and I acknowledge 't is I I am he and so he falls down convinced before the Lord as David before Nathan telling him in the name of the Lord Thou art the man Ego sum quē celavi i. e. tacui non decantavi non celebravi consilium tuum Joan Paraph. Qui de Deo ejusque providentia imperitè loquitur i◠ejus consilium abscondere dicitur absque scientia quippe inde gloria Dei apud homines obscuratur Drus I confess it said David I am the man I have sinned so saith Job I am the man I have hid counsel by words without knowledge Some understand this his hiding to be only his forbearing to utter and celebrate the praise of God in his counsel or the purpose of Gods providence towards him But I conceive the fault which he confesseth here is not a bare reticency or his not speaking of the counsel of God but his not speaking rightly or becomingly of his counsel which agrees fully with what followeth where Job speaks in the first person or in his own person and takes the charge home to and upon himself Therefore have I uttered that I understood not c. Mr. Broughton renders Therefore have I talked that I have not understood The Hebrew word rendred understood imports a distinct knowledge of things Prov. 14.8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way that is to know what to do and how or in what manner to do every duty in all the changes of his life Thus the Angel Gabriel was commanded concerning Daniel Dan. 8.16 Make this man to understand the vision that is whom it concerns when and in what manner it shall take effect and be fulfilled Such an understanding as this Job had not of the things which he had uttered and therefore confesseth I have uttered that I understood not I have spoken as we say I knew not what which may refer to such like passages as are in the former part of this Book Job 19.7 8. Behold I cry out of wrong but I am not heard I cry aloud but there is no judgement He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass and he hath set darkness in my paths Job did not well understand himself when he spake thus Non intelligebam quae dixi quum de tuis judiciis quererer te dicorem ex equ◠bonos malos affligere Merc and there are several other such extravagant speeches of his up and down this Book And doubtless he did not barely confess that he had erred in speaking nor did he only acknowledge that he had not used such reverence as became him in speaking to God but that he had spoken such things as were scandalous and gave just matter of offence and at which several of his friends did actually take offence At best he might well acknowledge he had rashly uttered things that he did not fully understand Thus Job who thought he had spoken wisely enough while man spake to him and he spake to men now hearing God speak and he speaking to God doth more wisely confess that himself was not wise and that his light was but darkness concerning the works of God much more concerning his counsel in those works As if he had said I have spoken many things of God and of his excellencies in this dispute with my friends yet I have hidden or not hit but slipt that which I should have most insisted upon and studied to make manifest even the soveraignty of God over me and all that I am or have as also the counsel aim and intention of God in laying his hand so sorely upon me but now being better informed about the reason of Gods dealings with me I confess I have uttered that I understood not Things too wonderful for me which I knew not Job was a man of great understanding yet here were things too wonderful for him What were they The counsel of God the nature of God these are past finding out There are wonders in God which man cannot apprehend much less comprehend Job spake of things far above his reach even of wonderful things and therefore no wonder if he spake unduly of them I saith he have uttered things too wonderful for me which I knew not Job here confesseth that he wanted knowledge and we know though he were a mirror of patience that many impatient speeches passed from him Now here we have the root of all that impatience which this good man shewed in his afflictions he had not a clear knowledge about the counsel or meaning of God in afflicting him Hence note Impatience flows from ignorance Did we understand these two things First our own sinfulness Secondly the soveraignty of God we should never be impatient Did we understand our own sinfulness that we have deserved greater evils than any the Lord hath laid upon us and did we understand the Lords soveraignty that he may lay upon us what sufferings he pleaseth though we had not sinned for we are wholly his and he may do with his own what he will did we I
two-fold demanding First as a Disputant Secondly as a Supplicant Job would now demand as a Supplicant unto God M◠interrogantem doce benignè qui me tuae disciplinae planè submitto Merc. not as a Disputant with God We may be said to demand or enquire of God when we consult his word not humane reason It an innocent person as Job be afflicted where shall he enquire the reason of it if he only respect his affliction and compare that with his own innocency he will quickly murmure at and complain of the dealings of God with him But if he look to the Word of God which tells him that God is a Soveraign Lord and that God hath promised not only to be with his in trouble but that their troubles shall work their comforts he will not only be patient under but glory in his tribulations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interrogobo tc sc petendo orando pulsando Aquin. The Hebrew word which we translate demand may well be rendred petition or crave The common sense of the word demand seems too high for Jobs spirit and condition Master Broughton renders I will make petition unto thee or an humble suit unto thee as if he had said I will pray for and beg this favour of thee that thou wouldst teach and inform me better It is not an authoritative demand Qui regat nescit Interrogare sapientem dimidia sapientia est Apotheg Arab. which is a kind of command but a submissive demand this demanding is the asking of a question not the requiring of a right He that asks a question implyeth that he stands in need of information and that he is desirous to learn And to put questions to a wise man is half wisdom I will demand or put questions unto thee Declare thou unto me The Hebrew is make me to know make me a knowing man As if Job had said Lord if thou wilt teach me I shall soon get knowledg and understanding and therefore I resign my self wholly to thy teachings The true submission of mans will to Gods will is to hearken to the counsel or wisdom of God and not to sit down in our own But as it was questioned at the first verse how Job could answer seeing he had said I will answer no more so here it may be questioned why the Lord spake no more to Job seeing here he desired to receive further instruction from him I answer First Job made this suit to God upon this condition that God would please to enform him if he saw need or should think fit to do it Secondly Job spake this doctrinally to shew what he and others ought to desire submit to even the teachings of God Thirdly I answer that the Lord seeing his submission saw there was no need of speaking any further to him but broke up the whole disputation determining for Job and giving him the day against his three friends as will appear further in the sequel of the Chapter From this verse Observe First The sence of our wants puts us upon prayer When Job was sensible that he wanted understanding and knowledge he came to God for it Give me to understand cause me to know True and fervent prayer floweth from a sence of our wants If we see not our selves in need why should we pray And when really we shall have no need as in heaven there will be no need of prayer all will be praise and all shall be in everlasting praises Secondly The person to whom Job maketh his application for teaching being God himself Note We know nothing of God nor of our selves aright till God teacheth us till he declareth and maketh it known to us Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the father of lights c. Jam. 1.17 As no man can either make or redeem himself so no man can teach or instruct himself What we know of God we know from God 'T is in his light that we see light The light may shine round about us and we see it not unless God enlighten us as well as send us the light we are never the better As in conversion the Lord first opens the eyes and then turns from darkness to light Acts 26.18 So under every dispensation we are in the dark till God opens our eyes and give us by his own immediate or mediate teachings light about it Thirdly note If we desire God should teach us or if we would be taught of God we must ask it of him We find the godly often putting up this request to God David was much in this petition Psal 119.33 34. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keep it unto the end Give me understanding and I shall keep thy law He did not only desire God that he would teach him but give him a faculty to receive his teachings vers 35. Make me to go in the path of thy commandement See how the Psalmist joyneth these petitions together First Teach me the way of thy statutes Secondly Give me understanding as if he had said else thy teachings will do no good Thirdly Make me to go in the path of thy commandement as if he had said though I understand thy statutes yet unless thou help me I shall not be able to walk in them no nor to take one right step in them therefore Make me to go in the path of thy commandement Again Psal 143.10 Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God thy spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightness As the Lord teacheth us our way and hath promised to teach us always in all things needful for us to know and do so he hath taught us by the written practise of many as well as by his written precept that we must pray for his teaching Fourthly Job was humbling himself and now he begs of God that he would teach him Hence note Humble souls desire and give up themselves wholly to be taught by God They hang upon his mouth for instruction and renounce their own wisdom Eliphaz gave Job that advice Chap. 22.22 Acquaint thy self now with him and be at peace and good shall come unto thee Receive I pray thee thee law from his mouth and lay up his words in thy heart Fifthly In that Job prays for teaching in this form according to the Hebrew make me to know Observe The teachings of God are effectual they make us know Men may teach others knowledge but they cannot make them know God can make a very dullard quick of understanding Men may instruct the understanding but they cannot give understanding God doth both The teachings of God are effectual to all purposes First to enlighten the ignorant Secondly to convince gain-sayers Thirdly to convert sinners Fourthly to comfort those that are sorrowful Fifthly to resolve such as are doubtful Sixthly to encourage the fearful And Seventhly to raise up and recover those that are fallen Thus Job is become a
petitioner to the Lord for instruction having confessed his own ignorance and weakness And that he had formerly profited under the teachings of God and was now in a further way of profiting is evident by that which followeth Vers 5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee Job had no sooner asked for teaching but God taught him though not formally and explicitely as he desired yet really and effectually as he needed For this verse seems to be a real answer to the petition he made in the former verse and in it Job asserts two things First That he had heard of God by the hearing of the ear Secondly That now his eye did see him There are two opinions about the general sense of this verse and I shall conclude in a third First Some conceive these discoveries of God to Job were only inward to his soul so that when he saith I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee we are not to understand him as if he had had any visible appearance of God but that these words may be taken First as a comparison between a slight hearing when the mind is not intent upon what the ear heareth and a serious hearing which brings the mind fully into the ear As if Job had formerly been a careless hearer but now an attentive one and so the knowledge which Job had of God formerly was little compared with his present knowledge He had a knowledge of God by hearing only before but his mind was not intent upon it he heard only with the hearing of his ear but his eye did not see that is he had not a clear sight or knowledge which is an intellectual sight of the things which he heard But doubtless Job was no slight hearer of the word in former times he did not hear the word in the dayes of his prosperity as if he had only as we say given it the hearing for had he not seriously hearkned to the voice of God in those dayes he had never obtained such a testimony as God gave of him towards the end of those dayes yea this very phrase I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear implyeth serious and attentive hearing Secondly Others who deny any visible manifestation of God to Job grant that the first part of the verse notes serious hearing and receiving of the word the latter more so that here say they is a comparison between that lesser light or knowledge which Job had of the will of God before and that fuller light which he got upon this discourse which the Lord had with him the former being but as of a matter heard this as of things seen The Scripture sometimes calls clear knowledge sight So that look how much that which we see with our bodily eyes is clearer to us than that whereof we have only heard the report by so much the knowledge which Job had now of the things of God especially about the whole mystery of Gods dealing with him was clearer and fuller than what he had before even as if he now saw what before he only heard As we say One eye-witness is better than ten ear-witnesses so one eying of the word of God the eye of the mind fully and distinctly taken in what is heard is better than ten earings of it that is when little or nothing is taken in at the ear but a sound of words For then only we may be said to know divine things by the seeing of the eye when we know them not only from without by the report of others but from experience within our selves The Apostle saith of those who took joyfully the spoyling of their goods for the truths sake They knew in themselves that they had in heaven a better and a more enduring substance Heb. 10.34 that is they had even got a sight of that heavenly enduring substance Hence in Scripture vision is applied to spiritual things heard and we are said to see the Word of God Jer. 2.31 O generation see ye the Word of the Lord have I been a wilderness c. As if the Lord had said Ye have heard it before but now see it Seeing notes the highest knowledge then we see what we hear when we fully understand what we have heard Thus they expound this Text who judge there was no outward vision at all but that Jobs seeing was only spiritual and intellectual Secondly Others affirm that Job had an outward apparition and that the eye of his sense was affected And concerning this First Some are so much of this opinion that they say Christ appeared in humane shape to Job as he did to many of the holy Patriarks and Prophets of old which apparitions are by the Ancients called preludes to his incarnation And some Jewish Writers tell us that Job upon this sight of God had a spirit of prophesie given him but they need not insist upon that for several have had apparitions who were no Prophets Secondly others say the appearance of God to Job was only in or by a cloud with the whirlwind But that he had a vision or sight of God one way or other is asserted as by many of the Jewish Writers so by most of the Christian Ancients And doubtless when the Lord spake to him out of the whirlwind he had a vision or an extraordinary manifestation of God even to his eye Not that God in himself can be seen No man hath seen God at any time 1 John 4.12 It is reported by the Jewish Writers that the Prophet Isaiah was sawn asunder by his own Nation for saying that he had seen the Lord Isa 6.1 I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up This they counted blasphemy and put him to death for it say some yet others say he was put to death for his plainness in reproving the Princes and people of Israel in those words Isa 1.10 Hear the word of the Lord ye Rulers of Sodom give ear to the Law of our God ye people of Gomorrah But of that by the way I say God in himself cannot be seen he is seen only by those visible demonstrations of his presence which he is pleased to make of himself as here he spake to Job out of the whirlwind I conceive we may take in both so that when Job speaketh of his hearing by the ear he intends that teaching which he had in former times by the Ministry of his Ancestors And that when he saith But now mine eye seeth thee he intends that teaching which he had from the present appearance of God to him for his instruction and humiliation I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee As if he had said Lord heretofore I heard of thee for I was religiously brought up I had Parents and Ancestors who declared to me who the Lord was and I heard many things of thee which
took impression upon my heart heretofore but I never had such an impression as in this tempest I never heard God speaking thus immediately to me nor did he ever give me any such visible demonstration of his presence as he hath vouchsafed me at this time speaking out of the whirlwind And from all we may conclude that as Job had a powerful illumination of the Spirit so an outward apparition of the Glory and Majesty of God or of Gods glorious Majesty to convince and humble him So that though Job had a saving knowledge of God formerly yet this discourse of God with him and discovery of God to him had made him a better Scholar than all his earthly teachers I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear But now mine eye seeth thee That is now I have as clear a sight or knowledge of thy mind and will of thy justice and goodness of thy power and soveraignty as if I had seen thee with mine eyes and had seen or looked into thy heart Or thus Not only hast thou graciously instructed me by speaking so much to me but thou hast manifested thy self present with me by an aspectable sign Mine eye hath seen thee that is thou hast given me to see that which assures me thou art neer unto me namely the Cloud out of which thou hast been pleased to speak and make known thy mind to me who am but dust and ashes The Lord may be seen these four wayes First In his Word Secondly In his works Thirdly In outward apparitions Fourthly And above all God is seen in his Son our Lord Jesus Christ whom the Apostle calls Heb. 1.3 The brightness of his glory and the express image of his person and in whose face the light of the knowledge of God shineth 2 Cor. 4.6 And hence Christ saith John 14.9 He that hath seen me hath seen the father The invisible father is seen in his Son who was made visible in our flesh John 1.18 Thus God may be seen But in his nature God is altogether invisible he cannot be seen Moses saw him that is invisible Heb. 11.27 that is he saw him by an eye of faith who is invisible to the eye of sense I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee Hence note First It is a great mercy and much to be acknowledged that we have the word of God sounding in our ears Faith cometh by hearing Rom. 10.17 The Prophet saith Isa 55.3 Hear and your soul shall live Now if faith and life come by hearing to have the word of God sounding in our ears must needs be a great mercy Though to have the word only sounding in our ear will do no man good yet 't is good to hear that joyful sound Though that sad Prophesie mentioned by Christ Mat. 13.14 be fulfilled in many By hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand and seeing ye shall see and shall not perceive Yet he said to his faithful followers vers 16. Blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear They receive a blessing by hearing whose ears are blessed when they hear O how many souls are blessing God that ever they heard of himself and his Son our Lord Jesus Christ by the hearing of the ear To have an ear to hear is a common blessing but to have an hearing ear or to hear by the hearing of the ear is a special blessing Observe Secondly We should hear the Word very diligently That phrase I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear as the Hebrew Writers note signifieth a very attentive hearing Every hearing is not an hearing with the ear nor every seeing like that we intend when a man saith I saw it with my eyes One may see and not see hear and not hear The Word of God is to be heard with a hearing Such doublings in Scripture have a great emphasis in them As when the Lord saith They are cursed with a curse it notes a great and a certain curse is coming so to hear by the hearing of the ear implyeth fruitful hearing and a laying up of that in the mind which hath been heard Psal 44.1 We have heard with our ears O God our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their dayes in the times of old They who thus hear with their ears treasure up in their hearts and do with their hands what they have heard The Lord charged Ezekiel Chap. 44.5 Son of man mark well and behold with thine eyes and hear with thine ears all that I say unto thee that is mind diligently what I shew and say unto thee The Lord called for the exercise of both senses in attending to what he spake to the Prophet He did not only say Hear with thine ears but see with thine eyes that is hear as if thou didst even see that which thou hearest For though possibly the Lord presented somewhat to the eye of the Prophet as well as he spake to his ear yet the former notion may well be taken in yea and intended in that command Many hear as if they had no ears and see as if they had no eyes One of the Ancients taking notice of that saith Such kind of hearers are like Malchus in the Gospel who had his ear cut off From those words But now mine eye seeth thee taken distinctly Observe Thirdly God revealeth himself more clearly and fully at one time than at another Seeing is somewhat more than hearing though it be attentive hearing As the full and clear manifestation which we shall have of God in the next life is expressed by seeing and called vision so the fullest and clearest apprehension which we have of God and the things of God in this life is a degree of seeing both him and them 't is the sight of faith and may also be called vision A true and strong believer tasts and feels and sees the truths of the Gospel which he hath heard his faith which is the eye of his soul is the evidence of those things to him which are not seen nor can be seen by an eye of sense He by the help of the Holy Ghost looks stedfastly into heaven and with this eye seeth the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God in his measure as blessed Stephen did Acts 7.55 This sight of God and spirituals hath three things in it beyond that ordinary though real knowledge which comes in by the hearing of the ear First a surpassing clearness Secondly an undoubted certainty Thirdly a ravishing sweetness and the overflowings of consolation Fourthly Note According to the measure of Gods revealing himself to us such is the measure of our profiting in the knowledge of God The word is spoken to all in the publick Ministry of it it is scattered upon all but they only learn to know God themselves truly to whom God doth inwardly reveal it whose hearts he toucheth and openeth by
off from the heat of that long disputation as gold well refined So much of this verse which concludes the first part of the chapter Jobs humiliation the second followeth his friends reconciliation both to God and himself The Reader may here please to take notice that from the beginning of the third chapter to this place the writing is in verse the latter part of the chapter and book is prose JOB Chap. 42. Vers 7 8 9. 7. And it was so that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite my wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two friends for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my servant Job hath 8. Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up for your selves a burnt-offering and my servant Job shall pray for you for him will I accept lest I deal with you after your folly in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right like my servant Job 9. So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did according as the Lord commanded them the Lord also accepted Job THese three verses contain the second part of the chapter in which the Lord First Reproves Jobs three friends ver 7. Secondly Directs them what to do for the making up of the breach or for their reconciliation ver 8. Thirdly Accepts them that is Job praying for them the breach was healed and they reconciled ver 9. So then here God appeareth as a Judge of the cause and as a moderator of the controversie between Job and his friends and he appeared as a gracious judge ready to be reconciled to those whom he had blamed and reproved for their folly and misapprehensions of him in his afflicting providences towards Job Vers 7. And it was so that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite my wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two friends for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my servant Job hath In this verse we have the divine Judgement given in Jobs case and in it there are four things considerable First The time or season of it thus exprest And it was so that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job Secondly The manner of it The Lord said he declared his mind Thirdly The special person with whom the Lord dealt and whom he chose out to declare his mind respectively to the other two Eliphaz the Temanite Fourthly The decree or judgement it self in which we may consider two things First The matter of it My wrath saith the Lord is kindled against thee and thy two friends I am not pleased with any of you yea I am highly displeased My wrath is kindled Secondly The ground of it plainly exprest in these words For ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my servant Job hath As if the Lord had said if you would know the reason why I am so angry 't is this Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my servant Job hath Thus we have the state of these three verses and the parts of this seventh wherein God appeareth as a determiner of this long disputed controversie between Job and his three friends And it was so that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job Here is the time when the Lord gave this judgement that 's the first thing to be considered in this verse and it may be questioned whether the Lord gave this Judgement immediately after he had concluded his speech with Job and Job had made his confession to the Lord or whether there were some space of time between The word after may be either presently after or a good while after here is no express limitation of the time it being only said After the Lord had spoken these words unto Job Some conceive it was a good while after God had done with Job that he took his friends to task and they ground it upon those words in the 8th verse Take unto you seven Bullocks and seven Rams and go to my servant Job And it is said at the 9th verse That they went and did according to what the Lord had commanded Hence they collect that Jobs friends were either returned quite home or far upon their way when the Lord spake this But this reason hath no force in it to prove that Jobs friends were absent and therefore I rather conclude that God spake to and gave this judgement of Jobs friends as it were upon the place as soon as he had done with Job for 't is more than probable that Jobs friends stayed to hear both Elihu's speech and the discourse which the Lord made to Job out of the whirlwind and that as soon as he had done and Job submitted he presently passed this sentence for the comfort of Job and for the conviction of his friends So then as soon as the Lord had spoken these words and finished his business with Job when he had humbled Job when Job had repented and confessed his fault in uttering things that he understood not God proceeded presently to deal with Jobs three friends There are three things which give evidence to this First The Lord would not let them continue long in their hard opinion of Job Secondly If they had continued any long time unreproved they might possibly have gloried as if they had got the victory and had the better of Job Thirdly They might have raised some undue report of Job and have blamed him among others where they came as they had done to his face therefore the Lord to prevent their continuing in any hard opinion of Job or that they had got the better of Job or to stop their mouths from giving forth any hard words of Job presently called them to an account gave them to understand that they had spoken amiss and he as it were with the same breath comforted Job and convicted his three friends Hence note First God doth every thing in its proper season That which is seasonably done is doubly done Words in season are like apples of gold in pictures of silver and therefore the Lord who knows all seasons will do and speak in season and take the fittest season for every work and word for every thing he either doth or saith This should teach us to mind the due timing both of our actions and speeches especially of our reproofs we should not let those who have committed a fault go too long unreproved lest they think themselves faultless and that we approve them or at least that their fault is small and almost faultless We must not suffer sin upon our brother Lev. 19.17 But it may be said how shall we hinder it That Text tells us how Thou shalt in any wise rebuke him Though a man that is rebuked may
keep his sin upon him and continue in it notwithstanding our severest and discreetest rebukes yet he that rebukes a sinning brother doth not suffer sin upon him but hath done his duty and used the means appointed by God for the removing of it And as we should not let the Sun go down upon our wrath against other men nor give place to the devil in our selves Eph. 4.26.27 so we should not suffer the Sun to go down upon the sin of other men nor give place to the devil in them by our forbearance to rebuke them for their sin Thus the Lord dealt with Jobs three friends he speedily reproved them for their error in not speaking of him the thing that was right Further consider The Lord begins with Job and then proceeds to deal with his friends Job had the first reproof his friends the second Hence note The Lord reproves them first whom he respects most who are dearest to him We cannot shew our selves more friendly to any man than by an early reproof of his error or as the word is Lev. 19.17 by not suffering sin upon him 'T is a mercy when we reprove not our selves to meet with a reproof though late from others but to be soon reproved is much mercy Every good the sooner it comes to us the better it is To be helpt out of sin-evil is a great good and therefore when we are in a fault with others 't is a priviledge to be reproved before others and with all possible speed to be brought unto repentance The Apostle Peter saith 1 Pet. 4.17 Judgement begins at the house of God The Lord judgeth his own house before he judgeth the world and it is in mercy to his own house that he doth so for when God judgeth those of his house he chastneth them that they should not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 10.32 And as God usually begins to judge his own house before he judgeth the world so the neerer and dearer any of his house are to him the sooner he begins with them as here Jobs three friends Eliphaz Bildad and Zophar were of Gods house but Job was more eminent than any of them and therefore God reproved him before he reproved them It was so that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job The Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite my wrath is kindled against thee c. The Lord said These words contain the second thing to be considered in this verse to wit the manner of proceeding He said that is he openly declared it he did not whisper it in the ear of Eliphaz he did not speak it to him inwardly by his Spirit there are inward reproofs conscience-checks he did not speak to him in his sleep or in a dream that opinion of one upon this place that God reproved Eliphaz in a dream is but a dream but openly that all might hear and so the innocency of Job and the fault of his friends might be manifest to all Some are of opinion that the Lord said this to Eliphaz out of the whirlwind as he spake to Job And though I do not assert that yet it cannot be denied but that as such a manner of speaking did best suit the Majesty of God so the matter spoken which was a sore reproof in which the Lord manifested much displeasure The Lord said openly and and angerly To Eliphaz the Temanite He spake not to Bildad nor to Zophar but to Eliphaz the Temanite But why did the Lord direct his speech to him personally and by name while the business concerned them all I might answer as some do because what any one of them said to Job was as if said by them all And though their opinions differed yet their persons did not all three agreeing in this though upon several grounds to oppose Job And therefore the Lord in speaking to one spake to them all But I shall give three other Reasons for it and from each a Note First Eliphaz was the elder man the graver person as all agree and therefore God reproved him personally Note this from it The elder and greater any are the greater is their offence when they offend though others offend with them When many are in a fault the chiefs or heads of them are most faulty and deserve chiefly to hear of it When Israel had committed that great sin in Baal-peor Numb 25.4 The Lord said Hang up the heads of the people before me that is the chiefs of the people So in proportion when the Lord came to deal with these three he fell upon Eliphaz first as the more eminent or first of the three Secondly as Eliphaz was the elder or first of the three so he began first with Job he was not only the first and chief in person but he was the first and chief speaker Hence note They who are first in a fault shall be first in reproof It is dangerous to follow or be a second in a bad matter but more to begin and be leader Thirdly Eliphaz was more sharp with and violent against Job than the other two and therefore the Lord began with him Hence note The deeper any are in a fault of any kind and the more of the heart appeareth in it the worse it is the more blame-worthy are they and they shall be more blamed for it All the three friends of Job did much mistake him but the spirit of Eliphaz was hottest therefore the Lord culled him out first The Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite What said the Lord My wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two friends My wrath is kindled These words are used by Elihu Chap. 32.2 3. Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite against Job was his wrath kindled and against his three friends was his wrath kindled Here the Lord taketh up the same words concerning Eliphaz My wrath is kindled against thee thy two friends Elihu's wrath was kindled not only against Jobs friends but against Job himself but the Lords wrath was kindled only against Jobs three friends not against Job He indeed displeased God and was sharply reproved by him but the wrath of God was not kindled against him 'T is useful to consider the difference between Gods judgement and mans both as to things and persons Elihu thought Job was faulty as his friends and therefore his wrath was kindled as against his three friends so against him too but the Lord thought otherwise and therefore said to Eliphaz My wrath is kindled against thee and thy two friends he said not so to Job Again consider the Lord spake much with Job but he spake little with his friends he did not vouchsafe them any long discourse and the words he spake to them were very hot words he in few words as angry men use to do told them their own Once more consider the difference of the Lords dealing with him and them The Lord fetcht a great compass to reprove Job as
Nathan the Prophet did to reprove King David but he told his friends at first word My wrath is kindled against you Though they were good men yet not so dear to God as Job and therefore he dealt in a more fatherly and favourable way with Job than with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exarsit incensus inflammatus est Inter septem voculas Hebraeorum quae iram significant haec omnium est gravissima Scult they had only hot words My wrath is kindled against you c. I am more than angry As the coals of spiritual love spoken of Cant. 8.6 so the coals of divine wrath are coals of fire which hath a most vehement flame There are seven words in the Hebrew language which signifie anger and this notes the most vehement of them all My wrath is kindled The Latine words Ira and Irasco seem to be derived from it The word is sometimes applied to grief there is a kind of fire in grief Thus 't is said 1 Sam. 15.11 It grieved Samuel and he cryed unto the Lord all night Samuel was vehemently grieved becauâ—e of the ill performance of Saul in his expedition against the Amalakites 'T is also translated to fret Psal 37.8 9. Fret not thy self in any wise to do evil fretting hath its burning My wrath saith the Lord is kindled There is a wrath of God which is not kindled as I may say it is not blown up 't is covered in the ashes of his patience and forbearance but here saith God My wrath is kindled This is spoken by God after the manner of men God feels no change by wrath or anger no impression is made on him by any passion Wrath in God notes only his change of dispensations towards man not any in himself When he acts like a man whose wrath is greatly kindled then 't is said his wrath is kindled as when he acteth like a man that sheweth much love it may be said his love is kindled Further when God saith My wrath is kindled it implieth there is some great provocation given him by man as in the present case Eliphaz and his two friends had done The Lord threatned a sinful Land with brimstone and salt and burning like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and this being executed all Nations shall say wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this Land what meaneth the heat of this great anger Then men shall say because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers c. Deut. 29.23 24 25. The wrath of God is never kindled till blown and that which bloweth it up is mans sin nor doth the ordinary sins of man kindle the wrath of God for then it must be alwayes kindled even against the best of men Doubtless when the Lord said in the Text to Eliphaz My wrath is kindled against thee and thy two friends there was somewhat extraordinary in their sin which kindled it and therefore the Lord directed them an extraordinary way as to circumstances for the querching of it and the making of their peace But here it may be questioned why did the Lord say his wrath was kindled only against Eliphaz and his two friends had he nothing to say against Elihu he had spoken as harshly to Job as any of them yet Elihu was not at all reproved much less was the wrath of God kindled against him I answer 'T is true Elihu spake very hard words of Job yet we may say four things of Elihu which might exempt him from this blame which fell upon those three First He did not speak with nor discover a bitter spirit as they did Secondly Elihu objected not against Job his former life nor charged him as having done wickedly towards man or hypocritically towards God he only condemned him for present miscarriages under his trouble for impatience and unquietness of spirit under the cross Thirdly That which Elihu chiefly objected against Job was the justifying of himself rather than God as he speaks at the beginning of the 32d Chapter not the maintaining of his own innocency nor the justifying of himself before men Indeed Job failed while he insisted so much upon that point that he seemed more careful to clear himself than to justifie God Fourthly When Elihu spake hardly it was more out of a true zeal to defend the justice of God in afflicting him than to tax him with injustice Now because Elihu did not carry it with a bitter spirit and hit the mark much better than his friends though in some things he also shot wide and misunderstood Job therefore the blame fell only upon Jobs three friends and not upon Elihu The Lord said to Eliphaz my wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two friends but his wrath went no further Hence note First The Lord knows how to declare wrath as well as love displeasure as well as favour He hath a store of wrath as well as of love and that is kindled when he is highly displeased Secondly Note Sin causeth kindlings or discoveries of divine wrath Had it not been for sin the Lord had never declared any wrath in the world nothing had gone out from him but kindness and love favours and mercies Wrath is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness and against unrighteousness only Rom. 1.18 Unrighteousness kindleth wrath sin is the kindle-coal When we see wrath or displeasure going out we may conclude sin is gone out Moses said to Aaron Numb 16.46 Take a Censer and put fire therein from off the altar and put on incense and go quickly unto the congregation and make an atonement for them for there is wrath gone out from the Lord the plague is begun Now as in this latter part of the chapter Moses shews that wrath was gone out against that people from the Lord so in the former part of it he shews that sin and that a great sin was gone out from that people against the Lord. Thirdly Note The Lord sometimes declareth wrath even against those whom he loveth Wrath may fall upon good men such were these friends of Job All the Elect whilest they remain unconverted or uncalled are called Children of wrath Ephes 2.3 Though they are in the everlasting love of God yet they are children of wrath as to their present condition whilst in a state of nature and unreconciled to God Now as the children of God are children of wrath before their conversion so when any great sin is committed after conversion they are in some sense under wrath and the Lord declareth wrath against them till the breach be healed and their peace sued out It is dangerous continuing for a moment in any sin unrepented of or we not going unto God by Jesus Christ for pardon When once the wrath of God is kindled how far it may burn who knoweth There is no safety under guilt Therefore kiss the son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed
of his life Secondly That outward good is not always the portion of the good nor outward evil the portion of evil men always in this life Thirdly That God is not unrighteous though he exercise the righteous with grievous troubles all their days and heap worldly blessings upon the wicked all the days of this life Fourthly That we are not to take measure of nor estimate the goodness or badness of any mans person by the good or bad days which pass over his head in this life Fifthly That no mans happiness or unhappiness is to be judged by what befals him in this life Job spake right and righter of God than Eliphaz and his two friends in all these particulars And whereas he sometimes acted impatiently and spake uncomely blotting a good cause with passionate and hasty words such as ignorant and evil men might make an ill use of and draw to the patronage of their prophanity these proceeded not out of the abundance of his heart but from the abundance of his pains under the heavy hand of God And when he seemed to tax the judgment of God it was not any affirmation that God was unjust or unequal in it but an expostulation with him about it or as some express it a confession of his own ignorance and an earnest desire of clearer light and better information concerning the way of it But if we consider the sum of what Eliphaz and his two friends spake of God we shall find Eliphaz in this great mistake affirming that all the sufferings and afflictions which befal man in this world are laid upon him by God as a punishment for sin And all three joyned in two other mistakes First That all wicked men sooner or later are visibly punished for their sin in this life Secondly That though a good man may possibly suffer grievous afflictions in this life yet God always delivers him out of them before he departs this life Hence it must needs follow that if a man for long continuance of time especially if all his life long he continue in great calamity that man must be judged wicked though no apparant wickedness can be charged upon him nor proved against him Upon these unsound principles they were all confident to infer against Job that he was an hypocrite and that all those troubles which befel him were inflicted by the righteous hand of God as a punishment for his sin Now if this be the sum of what they spake we have reason enough to answer the question proposed That the Lords decisive sentence between Job and his friends respecteth what Job spake of or to God throughout the book and is not to be understood only of what he spake towards the close of it Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right As my servant Job hath There are two parts of a Judges office First To condemn the guilty Secondly To acquit the innocent God the great Judge doth both here the first in the former words the second in these Yea the Lord doth not only acquit but own Job in the close of all as his servant The Lord said to Satan in the first chapter Hast thou considered my servant Job and here he concludes after Satan had done his worst to make Job quit the service of God in the same stile my servant Job as if the Lord had said Job shall wear my livery still he is my servant still Several useful observations issue from this latter part of the verse which I shall briefly hint First Who were these that had not spoken aright they were wise grave and learned men yea they were godly men too Hence note Wise learned and good men may err They may err in judgment and in speech Jobs friends spake many truths but did not apply them truly to Jobs case The best men may not only miss but mistake their mark They who are in the light yea who are light in the Lord have yet some darkness in them and may both do and speak from that darkness such was the case of these men in the text David may be understood of good men in a degree as well as of bad men when he said Psal 62.9 Men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lie they are so both actively and passively they may be deceived and they may deceive As when the Lord of old hearkened and heard they that is all wicked men spake not aright no man repented of his wickedness saying what have I done Jer. 8.6 So when the Lord hearkens and hears at this day they that is all good men speak not aright in all things neither of him nor of what he hath done Secondly Consider who it was that God vindicated in this matter It was his servant Job Hence note God will sooner or later one time or other vindicate the credit of his faithful servants He will as we speak proverbially set the saddle upon the right horse and make it appear before men and angels who have done and spoken right yea who rightest Let patience under sufferance have its perfect work for God will give a perfect judgment of every mans word and work Psal 37.6 Thirdly Note The Lords knowledge is infinite and unerring He knoweth who hath the better who is in the right He could tell Eliphaz and his two friends that though they had spoken some things right yet not all nor so right as Job The Lord as we say can cleave a hair in any controversie and tell every one where he is out whether in opinion or practise God is light and in him is no darkness at all 1 John 1.5 Our light is but little and 't is mingled with much darkness our light is dark and will be so till we come to that inheritance among the Saints in light But Gods light is all light altogether light both concerning things and persons Fourthly What Eliphaz and his friends spake that was not right concerned Job immediately they spake very glorious things of God out of his case yet the Lord saith not Ye have not spoken of Job the thing that is right but Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right Hence note God takes himself concerned in what is spoken amiss of or concerning his servants Jobs friends looked upon themselves as strong witnesses yea as great Advocates for God and doubtless they intended no less than a plea for God in what they spake to and against Job yet because they in many things grieved and in some things wronged his servant Job therefore saith God ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right The Lord will say in the great day to the wicked about their neglects of duty to his faithful ones In-as-much as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me Mat. 25.45 In-as-much as ye have not fed and cloathed these ye have not fed nor cloathed me Now as the Lord taketh all the
neglects of good to his people to himself so the Lord taketh all that evil which any speak of his people to himself He saith God that speaketh amiss of mine speaketh amiss of me The Lord accounteth himself interested in all that good or evil which is done and spoken to his people and he is very angry when any thing is mis-spoken of or misapplied to them though with respect to himself or as a service unto himself Fifthly Consider Jobs friends spake many excellent truths yet saith the Lord ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my servant Job hath Hence note The Lord is greatly displeased when truth or that which is right in it self is wrong applied Jobs friends were mostly right in their Doctrine but often out in their Uses all their open assertions had some truth in them but so had not all their secret Inferences God will not bear it to have truths put to any ill use especially this to grieve and discourage any of his suffering servants To speak of the holiness justice and righteousness of God so as to terrifie an afflicted soul is to make a bad improvement of the best things 'T is a fly in the box of ointment Dead flies saith Solomon Eccles 10.1 cause the ointment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking savour so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour Jobs friends were in reputation for wisdom and honour yet this little folly sent forth an ill savour in the Lords nostrils and caused him to say Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right Sixthly Jobs friends certainly meant well and had a zeal for God yet God was angry and said they had not spoken right Hence note Our good intentions yea zeal for God will not bear us out when we do or speak amiss These men had a zeal for God else Job had not said as once he did Will ye lye for God Though they did not knowingly speak a lye yet a lye was in what they spake and therefore their speaking for God would not bear them out Seventhly The Lord said to Jobs friends Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my servant Job hath Though Job spake some things amiss yet the Lord did not charge him with them as he did his friends Hence note The Lord over-looketh many failings and will not upbraid his servants with them Job had his failings but the Lord took no notice of them but made a determination in his case as if he had spoken right in all things The Lord will not flatter his servants when they fail yet he is very favourable to them even when they fail he told Job plainly enough that he had darkned counsel by words without knowledge while he asked him who did it Chap. 38.2 He intimated also that Job had contended with him and reproved him that he had consequentially attempted to disannul his Judgement and condemn him Chap. 40.2 8. yet here when the Lord came to make up the matter between Job and his friends he spake as if he had forgot both his own censures of him and the occasion of them Holy David acknowledged Psal 130.3 If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand The Lord doth not mark iniquity where he seeth much integrity the Lord doth not mark every arrow that flies beside the mark when he seeth the mark was honestly aimed at We say he may be a good Archer that doth not hit the white if he come but somewhat near it he indeed is a bungler that misseth the Butt Job aimed at and came neer the mark though he did not alwayes hit it The Lord will give a good testimony of us if we aim right at though we sometimes miss the mark It is said of Zachariah and Elizabeth Luke 1.6 They were both righteous There 's not a word spoken of their failings though doubtless they had their failings both as to the Ordinances and Commandements of God Eighthly The Lords wrath being kindled against Jobs friends we might expect he would thunder upon them yet he only saith Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right Hence observe The Lord dealeth mildly with sinners He did not give wrathful words though his wrath was kindled he did not call Eliphaz and his friends Hereticks nor tell them they had belyed him and slandered his proceedings he did not aggravate their fault by grievous words he did not upbraid them particularly but without bitterness or hard reflections comprehended their all faults in one general soft word Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right This should be our pattern in dealing with an offending brother whereas many if a brother do but differ from them a little if he do not say as they say and concur with them fully in opinion are ready to censure him hardly and give him reproachful language The Apostles rule is Gal. 6.1 Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye that are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted God who is above all temptation meekly restored these faulty men yea though his wrath was kindled against them yet his speech was mild and cool only saying and what less could he say if he said any thing Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right As my servant Job Why doth the Lord call Job his servant Surely at once to put an honour upon him and to comfort him Eliphaz and his two friends were Gods servants yet because of their miscarriage in that service God did not own them at that time as such God was wont to call David his servant at every turn yet when he had numbred the people Nathan was sent to him with a hard message and is bid Go and say unto David not my servant David 2 Sam. 24.12 Hence note Ninthly God honours man much by owning him as his servant To serve the Lord is as much our priviledge as our duty and when the Lord calleth us to his service he rather puts a favour up-us than a burden The Lord is the highest master and they are highly honoured who are his servants It is an honour to serve Kings and Princes what is it then to serve the King of Kings the Prince of the Kings of the earth as Jesus Christ is called Rev. 1.5 'T is also profitable as well as honourable to serve the Lord for he is the best master his work is the best woâ—k and his wages is the best wages And not only so but 't is easie to be the Lords servant for as he expects we should do his work so we may expect help and strength hearts and hands from him to do it If the Lord doth but own us for his servants we shall not faint at his work whether it be doing or suffering work God upheld his servant Job in and carryed him through all those
commanded to offer Secondly The Lord directs Eliphaz and his two friends to apply themselves unto Job and desire his intercession for them Go to my servant Job and my servant Job shall pray for you To this direction the Lord subjoyns two things First An incouragement by a gracious promise in these words For him will I accept Secondly A threat in case they should neglect or refuse to go and perform this duty laid down in the close of the verse Lest I deal with you according to your folly in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right like my servant Job These are the particulars considerable in this 8th verse Therefore take unto you seven Bullocks and seven Rams The Lord spake this to Eliphaz and his two friends The word of illation Therefore at the beginning of the verse refers to the word For at the latter end of the former verse As if the Lord had said unto them Because ye have sinned against me and provoked me to anger so that my wrath is kindled by your not speaking of me the thing that is right therefore I advise you and be ye sure at your peril to follow my advice I advise you for the making up of this breach and the recovery of my favour to take unto you seven Bullocks and seven Rams Take unto you Some conceive that these words Vnto you are redundant yet doubtless they carry a clear sense as they stand in the Text Take unto you that is for your use and behoof in this great service Take unto you Seven Bullocks and seven Rams This was a great sacrifice and it was so under a twofold consideration First As to the matter of the sacrifice bullocks and rams were great cattle there were sacrifices of lesser matters We read in the law of Moses of a pair of turtle doves and two young pigeons for a sacrifice these the poorer sort under the law did offer with acceptation whereas rich and great men and such were these Eliphaz and his two friends in their time were commanded to bring great and richer sacrifices The rich as Solomon exhorts Prov. 3.9 were to honour the Lord with their substance and with the first fruits of their increase These rich men were to bring bullocks and rams a great sacrifice in the matter of it Jubentur septem tauros c. immolare quis perfectissimum est sacrificium Christ una expiotione omnia peccata delens Perfectus cuim uumerius septe narius est Brent Septem est numerus plentitu dinis persectionis id quod obsolutam expiationem s remissionam clpae eorum designabat Etsi interim in omnibus sacrificiis veteribus ad emicum Christi sacrificium cujus illa erant imago umbra respiciebatur Nerc Secondly It was a great sacrifice if we consider the number seven bullocks and seven rams One bullock was a sacrifice and one ram was a sacrifice but here God commanded seven of each Seven is a number of perfection and of plenitude seven is a great number and seven is a perfect number it is often used mystically or enigmatically to note perfection The Lord made all things in six days and rested the seventh seven days made up a compleat week and seven years are a week of years We read of A candlestick all of gold with a bowl upon the top of it and his seven lamps thereon and seven pipes to the seven lamps which were on the top thereof Zech. 4.2 We read also of the seven spirits Revel 1.4 and of seven golden candlesticks Rev. 1.12 These were mysterious sevens and there are many more mentioned in Scripture which to insist upon would make too great a digression from the purpose of the text under hand where we have seven bullocks and seven rams which make up and imply a great and perfect sacrifice as the law of Moses also directed in some cases Levit 23.18 And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish So 1 Chron. 15.26 When the Lord helped the Levites that bare the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord they offered seven bullocks and seven rams Again 2 Chron. 29.21 They brought seven bullocks and seven rams and seven lambs and seven he-goats for a sin-offering for the kingdom and for the sanctuary and for Judah Balaam incited and hired to curse Israel said unto Balak Num. 21.1 Build me here seven altars s prepare me here seven seven oxen and rams He would needs imitate them whom he desired to ruin and offer a full sacrifice that he might curse them fully The greatest sacrifice for number that we read of was at the dedication of the Temple where the offering of the King was two and twenty thousand oxen and an hundred and twenty thousand htep l Kings 8.63 We read also of great sacrifices 1 Chron. 29.21 2 Chron. 17.11 and Chap. 30.24 There were greater sacrifices than seven yet seven was a great sacrifice Some Interpreters conceive that every one of the three was to offr seven bullocks and seven rams that had been a very great sacrifice but in that the Text is silent The law of Moses appointed Levit. 4.3 that if a Priest committed a sin of ignorance he should bring a young bullock without blemish unto the Lord for a sin-offering Thelaw required no more for a sin of ignorance in a Priest and if the whole congregation were guilty of a sin of ignorance their ossering was no more ver 13 14. and if a Ruler had committed a sin of ignorance the law required only a kid of the goats a male without blemish ver 23. and if any one of the common people committed a sin of ignorance they were to bring a kid of the goat a female ver 28. So that whereas the law required but one bullock for the sin of ignorance in a Priest and but one bullock for the whole congregation and for a Ruler but a kid of the goats a male and for any common person but a kid of the goats a female Here Jobs friends were commanded by the Lord to offer up seven bullocks and seven rams for the expiation of their sin which doubtless was only a sin of ignorance This plainly signified that the Lord was highly displeased with them for their harsh judgment and uncharitable censures of his servant Job and to let them know that their doing so could not be excused by their good intentions and zeal for God Thus we see what the sacrifice was both for kind and number The next words tell us what they must do with their sacrifice Go to my servant Job faith God Why to Job several reasons may be given why they should go to Job I shall name five or six First Because they had wronged Job and therefore they must be reconciled to him Secondly Because God would have them understand that himself notwithstanding their ill opinion of Job approved him as a good man yea as a man far exceeding them in godliness
though they had judged him an hypocrite or an ungodly man Thus the Lord sent them to Job that they might eat their words and receive a full conviction of their error Thirdly God would have them go to his servant Job to make them sensible that the favour he intended them was very much for Jobs sake and that they must in part be beholding to Job for it Fourthly The Lord sent them to Job that he might give a high evidence of his grace especially of his charity in forgetting injuries and requiting good for evil His friends had reproached him ten times and grieved his spirit very much yet he must shew how ready he was to forgive them and pray that they might be forgiven Fifthly God would have them to go to Job that they might know that Job was reconciled to them as well as himself Sixthly God would have them go to Job that this might humble them or that they might shew their humility and submission It was a great piece of self-denial for them to go to Job after such a contest and entreat him to speak for them of whom they had spoken so hardly and with whom they had long contended so bitterly Thus the Lord tried both Job and them the Lord tried Jobs charity and their humility We are hardly brought to confess that we have wronged others or have been out and mistaken our selves 'T is no easie matter for a man to acknowledge himself overcome 't is extream hard to become a suppliant to one whom we lately despised and trampled upon All this is his hard meat and not easily digested yet Eliphaz and his two friends must digest all this before they could acceptably obey the Lords command in going to his servant Job Nor was it an easie matter for Job to forget so many affronts and unkindnesses as he had received from his friends ' T is hard for a man that hath been wronged and reproached yea condemned to pass air by and not only embrace his opposers and reproachers but pray and solicite for them Thus the Lord in sending them to Job took tryal both of Job and them The Lord commanding them to supplicate him whom they had offended and expecting that he should make suit and supplication for them who had offended him put both their graces to it and in a most sweet and gracious way at once healed the breach which had been between Job and them as also that between them and himself Who ever took up a difference more sweetly or reunited dissenting brethren thus wisely Go to my servant Job And offer up for your selves a burnt-offering That is those seven bullocks and seven rams Here as was said before was the facrifice but who was the Priest The text saith Offer up for your selves which may intimate that that as they were to offer a sacrifice for themselves so that they themselves offered it But as Interpreters generally so I conceive Job was the Priest who offered it in their behalf We read chap. 1.5 that Job offered sacrifices for his children and there it was shewed that he was the Priest Every sacrifice must be offered by a Priest the people brought the sacrifice unto him to offer for them No sacrifice is acceptable without a Priest Therefore Jesus Christ who was our sacrifice was a Priest also none could offer him but himself he was both sacrifice and Priest and Altar So then whereas the Text saith they were to offer a burnt-offering for themselves the meaning is they were to bring it unto Job and he to offer it for them The Priest offered and Israel offered that is Israel offered by the Priest they brought the matter of the sacrifice to the Priest and the Priest slew and presented the sacrifice to the Lord. It is one thing to offer another thing to slay the sacrifice They offered a sacrifice who brought it or at their cost caused it to be brought to the holy place and this any of the people might do They offer it upon the Altar to the Lord who were especially appointed thereunto These were the Priests only Before the Ceremonial law as given by God to Moses the Priest-hood lay in the eldest or father of the family upon which account Job was a Priest whereas afterwards the Priest-hood was settled in the family of Aaron and it was forbidden to any but one of hs line to offer sacrifice So that when the Lord said to Eliphaz and his two friends Go to my servant Job and offer up for your selves a burnt-offering he directed them to Job Non est hic curiousè captendo distinctio holocausti aboliis victimis cim haec ante legem contigovint Quasi latinè diceres-holocaustabitis holo caustum i.e. in solidum offeratis ut in auras totum abort officietis Merc. as having the honour of Priest-hood in him and so the power of doing it for them or in their behalf Offer up for your selves A burnt-offering That is a sacrifice wholly consumed by fire The Hebrew is very elegant make an ascentton to ascend The whole burnt-offering was the most perfect offering and therefore the Hebrews express it by a word that signifieth the perfect consumption of it in the fire and so the ascention of it to heaven in smoke and vapour as a sweet odour in the nostrils of the Lord as the Apostle speaks Ephes 5.1 and as David Psal 141.2 A part of many sacrifices was saved to feast upon afterwards as the harlot spake Prov. 7.14 I have peace-offerings with me this day have I payed my vows but the burnt-offering was wholly consumed and sent up unto the Lord. Go to my servant Job and offer up for your selves a burnt-offering Hence note First The Lord is very ready to forgive and to be at peace with those that have offended him Though the fire of his wrath be kindled as it is said in the former verse yet he is willing to have it quenched The Prophet Micah chap. 7.18 makes this report of God He retaineth not his anger for ever that is he retaineth it but a little while he is speedily pacified and forgives and sometimes as here he forgives without any higher signification of his anger than a bare rebuke The Lord did not lay the least mulâ—t the least chastning or affliction upon Eliphaz and his two friends though his wrath was kindled against them I grant it is not so always some smart sorely and pay dearly for their errors When the anger of the Lord was kindled against Aaron and Miriam Num. 12.9 for speaking against Moses as those three had against Job he was not then so easily pacified for first it is said in the close of the 9th verse he departed and ver 10. the cloud departed from off the tabernacle here was much displeasure yet not all for it followeth and behold Miriam became leprous white as snow In this case God was angry with two that had spoken against a servant of his and they felt
be collected from that in the Prophet Ezek. 14.14 where he is joyned with Noah and Daniel Job being here called to pray for his friends was put upon another piece of the Priestly Office There were two parts of the Priestly Office and Job is adorned with them both First the Priest was to offer sacrifice Secondly to pray for the people Jesus Christ filled up both these parts of the Priestly office for us First he offered himself a sacrifice for us Secondly he interceded yea he ever liveth to make intercession for us Heb. 7.25 Job as in offering up a sacrifice so in praying for his faulty friends was a type of Christ My servant Job shall pray for you But for what should he pray in their behalf Surely that their sin might be forgiven and they find favour with God The word here rendred to Pray for is elegant and significant Verbum pertinet ad rem forensem judicialem significat orare vel deprecari more ejus qui ad judidicem appellat illum supplex adit precabundus Coc. implying a forinsecal act when an advocate in Court moves the Judge in behalf of an offender so that when the Lord saith My servant Job shall pray for you his meaning is he shall deprecate the wrath and vengeance that your sin hath deserved and entreat my favour for you and seek your peace with me My servant Job shall pray for you Hence observe First It is a duty to pray for those that have wronged us Not only is it a duty to forgive them and be reconciled to them but to pray for them and heartily wish their good The Apostle James having said Chap. 5.16 Confess your faults one to another presently adds Pray for one another yea Christ commands us to pray for the good not only of those that confess they have wronged us and desire reconciliation to us but to pray for our enemies that is such as still hate us and continue to contrive all the mischief they can against us It is a duty not only to pray for them that acknowledge their fault but for theâ— also who go on in their fault against us enemies do so Bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you These are Christs not only counsels but commands Mat. 5.44 Even for them we should pray that God would pardon their sin turn their hearts and give them repentance which is the best we can pray for them Again the Lord saith My servant Job shall pray for you Hence observe Secondly God undertakes and gives his word for a good man that he will do his duty God having spoken to Job about this matter undertook for his performance My servant Job shall pray for you I will put it into his heart to do it The Lord may very well be bound for a good man that he shall do his duty because as he hath promised so he will help him to do his duty Thus the Lord engaged for Abraham Gen. 18.19 Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I am doing I know Abraham I am well enough acquainted with Abraham that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord. I know him I will be surety for him The Lord speaks with confidence concerning his people that they will do this and that they will humble themselves before him and that they will forgive and pray for their enemies he knows they will do all these things because he knows he hath given them power and a heart to do them The Apostle was confident of the obedience of the Church of Galatia Gal. 5.10 I have saith he co fidence in you through the Lord that you will be none otherwise minded When the Apostle undertook that they should do their duty he did it respectively to a divine assistance and presence with them I have confidence in you not in your selves but through the Lord c. but God undertakes absolutely My servant Job shall pray for you Thirdly Note The prayers and intercessions of the righteous prevail much with God The Lord having assured them that his servant Job should pray for them tells them in the next words Him will I accept which intimates that his pâ—ayers should have a great power with God for them James 5.16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much and it doth so in a twofold respect First For himâ—elf A godly man gets much good of God in his own case by prayer Secondly It prevails very much with God in respect of others 'T is a great honour with which the Lord crowns the prayers of his faithful servants that they prevail not only for themselves but for others Thus the Lord spake to Abimelech Gen. 20.7 Now therefore restore this man meaning Abraham his wife for he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee And his prayer was answered When the Lord had smitten Miriam with the Leprosie Moses cryed unto the Lord saying heal her now O God I beseech thee and she was healed Numb 12.13 Thus Samuels prayer prevailed 1 Sam. 7.9 And Samuel took a sucking Lamb and offered it up for a burnt-offering and Samuel cryed unto the Lord for Israel not for himself but for Israel and the Lord heard him And in the twelfth Chapter of the same Book vers 19. the people begged prayers of Samuel And all the people said unto Samuel pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God that we die not And at the 23d verse Samuel said As for me God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you but I will teach you the good and the right way and he prayed for them and the Lord spared the people at that time Not to pray for others proceeds from uncharitableness not to desire the prayers of others proceeds either from ignorance not knowing of what value the prayers of others who are godly are or from pride that we will not be beholding to others for their prayers It is a great mercy to have the prayers of good men going for us Fourthly Note The prayers of others may prevail with God when our own cannot Eliphaz and his two friends were good men yet the Lord did not give answer to them but to the prayers of Job The prayers of others may be answered when ours are not in a double respect First Others may be in a better pâ—aying frame than our selves Every one that is in a praying state is not alwayes in a praying frame especially not in such a praying frame as another may be in another may be in a better praying frame and so may prevail more for us than we for our selves Secondly Some other persons may be more accepted with God than we some are as it were favourites with God God shews favour to all his servants but all his servants are not his favourites Moses was
on earth praying for those that live on earth Job was alive in the body and so were those three men to whom the Lord said My servant Job shall pray for you The Lord having assured Eliphaz and his two friends that Job would pray for them giveth them encouâ—agement to go and desiâ—e his prayers by a gracious promise For saith he him will I accept and threatneth them in case they should forbear in the next words Lest I deal with you according to your folly in that ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right like my servant Job First Of the gracious promise him will I accept The Hebrew saith his face will I lift up Acceptation with God is the lifting up of the face of man then man lifteth up his face with boldness when he is accepted with God When God refused to accept Cain and his offering his countenaâ—ce fell or was cast down Gen. 4.5 Unless the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon us as David prayed Psal 4.6 we cannot with any comfort much less with true confidence lift up our face or countenance unto God That 's the significancy of the word Him will I accept God is no accepter of persons as the word is often used in Scripture Deut. 10.17 The Lord is a great God mighty and terrible which regardeth not persons It is the same phrase in the Hebrew with this in the Text he lifteth not up faces that is the Lord doth not accept persons upon any outward respect First The Lord doth not accept persons for their personableness as I may say the Lord doth not delight in any mans legs his delight is in them that fear him Psal 147.10 11. he doth not accept men for their goodly stature as he told Samuel when he would needs have poured the oile upon the first-born of the Sons of Jesse 1 Sam. 16.7 Look not on his countenance or on the height of his stature because I have refused him for the Lord seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart 'T is the beauty of holiness and integrity in the heart not the beauty of fairness upon the face with which God is taken 't is a lowly mind not a high stature which God accepts Secondly The Lord is no accepter of persons as to the nation or country where they were born or live Thus the Apostle Peter spake Acts 10.35 I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him God doth not prefer Jews before Gentiles Barbarians or Scythians that a man had his birth in this or that Nation neither helps nor hinders acceptation with God Thirdly The Lord accepteth no mans person for his riches Prov. 11.4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath No mans person is acceptable to God for his purse or his penny no not at all Fouâ—thly The Lord â—ccepteth no mans person for his worldly greatness honour and dignity He poureth contempt upon Princes Psal 107.40 The day of the Lord is against the hills and mountains Isa 2.14 The great God regardeth not any man meerly for greatness the Lord accepts no mans person upon these or any such like accounts He only accepts the persons of those that fear him and do his will Suscipit faciem Deus quando precantem câ—audit The Lords acceptance of any person in the sense of this promise concerning Job is First To shew favour and manifest affection to him Secondly To honour aâ—d highly esteem him Thirdly Which is here specially intended to answer his prayers and grant his requests not only for himself but for others When a person is once accepted his prayers shall not be denied nor suffer a repulse The Lord accepteth persons as a King the persons of those loyal Subjects who come to intreat his favour and pardon for those that have offended him and rebelled against him he grants their suit and treats them fairly In this sense the Lord maketh promise to Eliphaz and his two friends that he will accept Job Hence Observe First It is a very high favour and priviledge to be accepted of God Him will I accept saith the Lord of Job This was a favour beyond all the favours that follow after in the close of the book about the doubling of his estate If Jacob Gen 32.20 was so taken with a hope of acceptance by his brother Esau Peradventure he will accept me If when he was accepted by Esau he said chap. 33.10 I have seen thy face as though I had seen the face of God and thou wast pleased with me Then how much more should we rejoyce in this assurance that God hath accepted of us and that he is pleased with us If the Apostle Rom. 15.3 prayed so earnestly and desired others to strive with him in prayer to God that his service which he had for Jerusalem might be accepted of the Saints then how much more should we pray that our services may be accepted of God and rejoyce when they are accepted The Apostle made it his chief work to get acceptation with God 2 Cor. 5.9 Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent that is whether living or dying we may be accepted with him we are ambitious of divine acceptation The word which we translate labour noteth a labouring after honour which ambitious men labour much after implying that to be accepted with the Lord is a very high honour indeed the highest honour There is a two-fold acceptation First Of our persons Secondly Of our services The former is the ground of the latter and Jesus Christ is the foundation of both Ephes 1.6 He through glorious grace hath made us accepted in the beloved Jesus Christ is so dearly beloved of the father that he is called The Beloved as if only beloved The acceptation of our services is often promised in Scripture as a high favouâ— Exod. 28.38 Ezek. 20.40 41. Isa 56.7 This Moses prayed for in the behalf of the Tribe of Levy which Tribe was appointed to offer sacrifice and to pray for the people Deut. 33.11 Bless Lord his substance and accept the work of his hands What was the work of Levies hands it was to offer sacrifice to which prayer and intercession was joyned That Levi who had the priest-hoâ—d fixed in the family of Aaron should be accepted in the work of his hands was a blessing not only to himself but to many more This David prayed earnestly for Psal 19.14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer He put up a like prayer Psal 119.108 Accept I beseech thee the free-will-offerings of my mouth O Lord. This was the prayer of Araunah for David 2 Sam. 24.23 The Lord thy God accept thee So great a priviledge it is for our persons and services to be accepted with the Lord
good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God That is as he requireth of thee to exercise justice toward all men and mercy to the poor or any in misery so to walk humbly with himself that is to acknowledge thou hast need of the righteousness of a Saviour and of the mercy of a God how much righteousness and mercy soever thou hast exercised towards others When we are low in our own eyes then are we highest in Gods eye when we as it were reject our selves and all that we have done as unworthy of any acceptation then are we most accepted of the Lord. Fourthly Among Believers they are most accepted with God who are most fruitful in their lives and do most good in their places and according to their opportunities The Lord loveth a fruitful Christian Many are barren trees unfruitful ground little can be seen of good which they do these are a burden to God But when a Christian as it is said of Christ Act. 10.38 goeth about doing good when a Christian as Christ giveth the account of his own life John 17.4 Glorifieth God on earth and finisheth the work which God gives him to do O how acceptable is such a one to God! And therefore Let us labour to know and do what is acceptable to the Lord. The Apostle would have us prove what is acceptable to the Lord Eph. 5.10 that is First study the Word to find out what is acceptable to the Lord. Secondly approve and embrace with our whole hearts what we find to be so Thirdly practice and do what we have so approved or embraced And because the Scripture speaks of some duties which are specially acceptable to the Lord I shall instance the Point in a few particulars First Doing right to every one Prov. 21.3 To do justice and judgement is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice This is true or may be affiâ—med of justice both commutative and distributive To do justice in our dealings with men called commutative justice is more acceptable than sacrifice that is than any outward worship given to God without this 'T is true also of distributive justice which is done by Magistrates in rewarding good men and in punishing them that do evil these works of justice also are more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice Secondly The true worship and service of God which the Apostle calls sacrifice is highly acceptable to God Rom. 12.1 I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service These first Table-duties when in consort with those former second Table-duties are highly honourable and therefore cannot but be highly acceptable to the Lord. Sacrifice to God without justice to man is meer hypocrisie Justice to man without sacrifice to God is no better than Heathenish morality Both united are the beauty of Christianity Thirdly To serve Christ that is to aim at the honouring as well as the enjoying of Christ with our Gospel-priviledges and liberties is exceeding acceptable The Apostle having said Rom. 14.17 The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost presently adds vers 18. He that in these things that is in righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost serveth Christ is acceptable unto God that is this shews he is a person accepted with God The doing of things purely acceptable to God is a clear and strong argument of our acceptation with him Fourthly To do any good we do be it little or much with a willing mind is very acceptable to God 2 Cor. 8.12 If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath Though it be little that we have yet if the mind be free if there be much of the will in it though but little of the purse if we have no more to give or give according to what we have if there be much of the heart in it though but little of the hand if we do according to the power that is in our hand the Lord hath a very great respect to it Fifthly To be much in prayer for others especially for those that are in power over us is very acceptable to the Lord 1 Tim. 2.2 3. I exhort that supplications c. be made for all men for Kings and all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour As it is good and acceptable in the sight of God that we should lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty under Kings and all in authority so that we should pray for Kings and those that are in authority Sixthly When children do well requite their parents that saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 5.4 is acceptable unto God Seventhly To suffer patiently for well-doing is greatly pleasing unto God 1 Pet. 2.20 In a word they among good men are most acceptable of God who are most zealous in doing any thing in a right manner which for the matter is acceptable unto God Observe Thirdly As the Lord accepteth some godly men more than others so he accepteth some godly men for others The Lord doth not speak here of accepting Job strictly for himself but of his acceptation in the behalf of his friends Him will I accept that is for you I will be intreated by him I will not give you the honour to be intreated by you but to him I give it I will be intreated by him The Prophet Elisha said to the King of Israel 2 Kings 3.14 Were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the King of Judah I would not look toward thee nor see thee he would not vouchsafe that bad King a look but for the respect that he bare to good Jehoshaphat And it is a truth that God would not have so much respect to some good men were it not for the sake of some others who are better Yet that the Lord accepts one mans person more than anothers or one mans person for another is primarily and principally in and for the sake of Jesus Christ Job had acceptation with God more than his friends and for his friends he had the former by his being in Christ and the latter as he was a figure of Christ No mans person no mans work is accepted of otherwise than in relation to Christ The Apostle affirms this fully Eph. 1.6 He hath made us accepted in the Beloved Christians are beloved but Christ only is the Beloved we are accepted in him the beloved as to our selves and 't is in the beloved that any are accepted more than others or for others Take this Inference from the whole The Lord accepted Job praying for others then he will accept a good man praying upon right
grounds and for right ends against another It is dangerous to stand in the way of their prayers who are accepted of God That man is more safe against whom a thousand are acting than he against whom any one godly man upon a just ground is praying The Lord hath done great things against evil men upon the prayers of the faithful as well as he hath done great things for good men at their prayer David by one ejaculatory petition spoyled the plot of Achitophel the Lord according to that short prayer turned his counsel into foolishness and so overturned the whole design laid against his servant David Thus far of the promise which the Lord gave Eliphaz and his two friends for their encouragement to go unto Job and entreat him to offer up a burnt-offering and to pray for them for him will I accept Now followeth a threat in case they did not Lest I deal with you according to your folly As if the Lord had said Do not slight this advice that I give you no nor forslow it make hast to make your address to Job I will accept him and I tell you I will not accept you alone therefore make hast and do as I have commanded else I shall deal with you according to your folly There is some difference in the reading of these words First Some read Lest I do or act folly to you But how can the Lord do or act folly towards any We may expound this translation by that Psal 18.26 where David saith of the Lord With the pure thou wilt shew thy self pure and with the froward or perverse thou wilt shew thy self froward or perverse But how doth the Lord shew himself froward with those that are froward there is no frowardness in the Lord he is alwayes in a composed and sedate frame infinitely beyond any passion or perturbation the meaning is only this The Lord will deal with men according to what they are the actings and effects of his providence shall be towards a froward man as if he were froward If a man deal perversely with God he will deal with him as if he were perverse and with the pure God will shew himself pure that is he will carry it purely towards them they shall receive good who are and do good Thus here go saith the Lord and do as I bid you Lest I deal folly to you In the Hebrew Language to do kindness with one is the same as to exercise or shew kindness to him That form of speech is used Gen. 20.13 Gen. 24.49 Gen. 40.14 And so to do folly with one is to shew or exercise folly to to him The Lord doth folly to them that do folly that is he makes them see by his wise doing how foolishly they have done Others express it thus Lest I deal foolishly with you or folly to you that is lest I do that which may be accounted foolishness in me You having appeared Advocates in my cause and pleaded for me 't is folly to pay any man with unkindness for the service he hath done us Well saith the Lord look to it I will not accept you but deal folly to you or foolishly with you in the sense of some men possibly but wisely in my own The Lord is alwayes to be admired in his wisdom holiness and in the serenity of his spirit yet in the opinion of the wise men of this world he may seem to deal foolishly or do folly Secondly The words may be rendred Lest I do that which may be disgraceful to you Thus the Chaldee paraphrase readeth Lest I put a disgrace or an affront upon you and make it appear to your shame that you have not carried it aright in this matter but have been shamefully out The word here used is several times used in Scripture to note the defiling or disgrace of a thing Nahum 3.6 I will cast abominable filth upon thee and I will make thee vile that is I will disgrace thee and as it followeth I will set thee for a gazing stock So Micah 7.6 when the Lord would shew the exceeding sinfulness of those times he saith Trust ye not in a friend put ye not confidence in a guide keep the door of thy mouth from her that lyeth in thy bosom for the son dishonoureth the father it is this word the son disgraceth the father he dealeth with his father as if he were a Nabal a very fool When a son knoweth not his distance nor performeth his dury he dishonoureth his father The Prophet Jer. 14 21. speaks in a way of deprecation Do not abhor us for tâ—y name sake do not disgrace the throne of thy glory The Lord is â—ometimes so angry with his people that he even casteth dirt upon the throne of his glory that is upon his Church in and by which he should be glorified as upon his Throne The Lord disgraceth his Church the throne of his glory when his Church disgraceth him and dishonours his gloriâ—us name Deut. 32.15 Jesurun waxed fat and kicked that is Israel the Church was waxen fat the Lord fed Jesurun his Church to the full they had not a lean seâ—vice of it but what did Jâ—surun he forsook God wh ch made him and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation The word which we translaâ—e he lightly esteemed is the word of the Text Now when Jesurun did lightly esteem or disgrace the Lord he soon after disgraced Jesurun his Church The throne of his glory This is a good sense of the words do as I diâ—ect lest I put a disgrace upon you Thus folly is put foâ— the punishment of folly as sin often for the penal effects and fruits of sin as 't is said 1 King 13.34 This thing â—ecame sin to the house of Jeroboam even to cut it off Our reading saith Lest I deal with you according to your folly that is according to your sin and the hard censures which you have given of my servant Job and as it followeth In that you have not sp ken of me the thing that is right These things have been your folly and 〈◊〉 do not speedily repair with your sacrifice to Job and get him to pray for you what you can do your selves will not makâ— amends for your folly nor mend this breach but I will deal with you according to your folly you shall taste of the fruit of your doings the reward of your hands or of your tongues shall be given to you That 's the general sence of our translation As if the Lord had said Lest I make you understand by your sad experiences by the punishments and chastisements laid upon you that you have done very foolishly and were greatly mistaken in your apprehensions of me and of my providences concerning Job Or thus ye have declared much folly in the management of this matter with my servant Job ye have offended against the common Laws of friendship and humanity insulting over a man in misery and your folly hath been
greater while against the Laws of piety ye have judged of a mans holiness by his outward unhappiness and have censured him as a bad man because he hath in this world endured so much evil This hath been your sin ye have in this dealt foolishly with my servant Job therefore hasten to him and do as I have said Lest I deal with you ac-according to your folly Hence note First Sin is folly And not only is it simple folly which a man committeth for want of wit or because he hath little understanding what a man doth for want of wit and understanding is simple folly but sin is wicked folly which is the abuse of wit and parts and gifts yea the overflowing of lust And though we cannot charge these men that they did intentionally use their wit and parts to grieve Job yet it proved so though it was not the end or design of them that spake yet it was the issue of their speech they did him a great deal of wrong and doubtless Satan stirred much or provoked them to use their parts and gifts to imbitter the spirit of the poor man and God left them to do it This was their folly and all such actings or speakings are no better nor do they deserve better or softer language This word folly is often applied in Scripture to sin especially to great sins Another word is used in the Proverbs of Solomon but in several other places sin is expressed by this Gen 34.7 When that great affliction fell upon Jacob the ravishing of Dinah her bretâ—â—â—â— came home very wroth saying He hath committed folly in â—â—â—â—â—l So Judges 19.23 Judges 20.6 the abusing of the Levites Concubine is called the committing of folly Whoredom is expressed by folly Deut. 22.21 And this word with reference I conceive to the sin of whoredom which is spoken of in that place is translated villany Jer. 29.23 All sin is folly especially any great sin is so For First It is a folly to hurt our selves No man can hurt us if we do not hurt our selves by sin The Apostle Peter saith 1 Epist 3.13 Who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good 'T is strange that any should Though it be true enough that many have had not only a will to harm them that follow good but have actually done them many and great outward harms yet this is a great truth none can indeed harm them that follow good because all harms turn to their good Nothing can hurt us but our sin Secondly Sin is folly for in sinning we strive with one that is too hard for us Do we saith St. Paul 1 Cor. 10.23 provoke the Lord to jealousie are we so simple are we stronger than he Thirdly It is folly to do that by which we can get no good that 's the part of a fool Rom. 6.21 What fruit have ye of those things whereof ye are now ashamed What have ye got by them have ye made any gains or earnings to boast of the end of those things is death is it not folly to begin that which ends in death and that a never-ending an eternal death Fourthly It is folly to sin for by that at best we run a hazard of our best portion for fading pleasures and perishing profits If we have any pleasure by sin it is but pleasure for a season and that a very short one too What a foolish thing is it to venture things that are incorruptable for perishing things It were a great folly for a man to venture gold against grass they do infinitely more foolishly who sin against the Lord for all that they can get by it is not so much to what they hazard as grass to gold Mat. 16.26 What is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul As all flesh is grass so all that flesh lusteth after is no better What kind of Merchants what kind of Exchange-men are they that will traffick or truck away their souls for the profits or pleasures of sin and 't is for one of these that most if not all men traffick away their souls Secondly Observe When God dealeth mâ—st severely with sinners he dealeth justly with them What rod soever he layeth upon their backs what shame what poverty what sickness he affl cts them with It is but according to their folly they have but their own they have no reason to complain The Prophet told the people of Israel as one man when under grievous affl ctions Jerem. 4.18 Thy ways and thy doings have procured these things unto thee Thou hast no reason to complain for thy punishment is of thy own procurement that is thy sin is visible in thy punishment thou eatest but the fruit of thy own doings how bitter soever it is Another Scripture saith Num. 32.23 Your sin shall find you out that is you shall suffer according to what you have done and reap what ye have sowed And is it not folly to sow to the corrupt flesh when of the flesh we shall reap corruption Gal. 6.8 The flesh is a corrupt thing and can yield us no better a thing than it is the effect is like the cause corruption that is a miserable condition both here and hereafter now and for ever Thirdly Note The Lord will not pass by nor spare no not a godly man when he sinneth and repenteth not All this is included in the going of these men to Job As if the Lord had said I will punish you Eliphaz and Bildad and Zophar for your folly unless ye repent They that are in a state of grace cannot expect favour from the Lord unless they turn from their sin and give him glory by repenting and believing Good men doing evil may suffer for it as well as the worst of men The Lord will see a work of repentance and selâ—-humbling a work of faith looking to Christ the sacrifice else he will deal with them even with them as he threatned these good men according to their folly But what was the folly of Eliphaz and his two friends for which the Lord threatned to deal so severely with them The latter part of the verse tells us what God accounted and called their folly In that ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right The Lord had told them as much at the seventh verse My wrath is kindled against you because ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right Here the Loâ—d pointeth them to their sin again and layeth his finger afresh upon the soar But why doth he so Take these three reasons why Probably the Lord repeated these words First To shew that he was very sensible of their sin in speaking amiss of him and very angry with them for it They provoked the Lord much when they measured him as it were by themselves or by their own meet-wand in his ways of
c. This Text answereth that command they went and did according as the Lord commanded them Their obedience to the Lords command is described three wayes First by the speediness of it They went Secondly by the exactness of it They went and did according as the Lord commanded them Thirdly by the good issue and fruit of it The Lord also accepted Job So Eliphaz the Temanitâ— and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went These were the three persons who had to do with Job in that long contest opened in the body of this book these are the persons against whom the Lords wrath was kindled because they had not spoken of him the thing that was right as his servant Job these were the persons to whom the Lord gave command to b ing their sacrifice to Job and offer it up for themselves that reconciliation might be made theâ—e persons went all three went As all th ee were wrapt up in one fault as all three were in the same sin so they all three joyned together and agreed in their obedience to the command of God and in repentance for their sin and faultiness They went Having received a command to go they did not tarry and stay to coâ—sider whether they should go or stay they did not put in any demur to the matter but went which implyeth first as was said the speediness of their obedience they went presently secondly the willingness of their obedience their minds were in the work as well as their bodies thirdly the cheerfulness of their obedience they went as if they had been to take a pleasing or pleasant Journey They went and what did they They went And did according as the Lord commanded them Their obedience was not only speedy and willing and cheerful but exact These words They did according as the Lord commanded them yield us a great example of full of compleat obedience they not only did what was commanded but they did it as it was commanded yea and they did it because it was commanded Singulare eâ— emplum docilitatis et modestiae ut qui etiam nec improbitate nec malevolentia sed pet imprudentiam peccarunt Bez. for that must come in to make up the fulness of our obedience Here is then a great example of humility of modesty of meekness and of submission to the will of God They went and did according as the Lord commanded them What was that They brought their sacrifice first for kind and secondly for number as the Lord had commanded them The Lord commanded them to bring Bullocks and Rams they brought them The Lord commanded them to bring seven Bullocks and seven Rams they brought them as the Lord commanded both for kind and for number Secondly They brought them to Job The Lord said Go to my servant Job they went to Job according as the Lord commanded them Thirdly We must suppose they intreated Job to undertake the Office of a Reconciler of a Mediator of a Priest between God and them according as the Lord commanded Though this piece of their submission and obedience be not expressed yet it is intimated and implyed nor could it be omitted it being not only a part but the principal part of that duty which the Lord laid upon them Thus in all things they submitted and were obedient according to the command of the Lord. First In that we have all three named here in this matter of obedience Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went Observe It is very good in it self and very pleasing to God when they who have joyned in any sin or miscarriage towards himself or others joyn readily together in shewing their sorrow and repentance for it It was a blessed sight to see those three men coming as one man about this duty not one of them drawing back not one of them putting in any plea against the command of God There are three things wherein it is very pleasant to behold the people of God joyning in one First when they joyn or are one in Opinion and Judgment when they all think the same thing and are of one mind in the truth Secondly When they joyne together and are one in affection when they are all of one heart though possibly they are not all of one mind or when they meet in affection though not in opinion Psal 133.1 Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity And when David had spoken admiringly of this goodly sight he spake declaratively concerning the goodness of it vers 2. It is like the precious oyntment upon the head 'T is so first for the sweetness of it 't is so secondly for the diffusiveness of it as followeth that ran down upon the beard even Aarons beard that went down to the skirts of his garments Thirdly which is the matter in the text it is a blessed thing to see them joyning together in duty either as duty is considered First in doing that which is good or when as the Apostles word is 2 Cor. 6.1 they are among themselves workers together in any good work we say to fill up the Text workers together with God That 's a blessed sight indeed when we joyne with God and God joyneth with us in his work It is also a blessed sight when all the Ministers of Jesus Christ and any as members of Jesus Christ joyn in any good work in this especially to beseech all we have to do with that they receive not the grace of God in vain Secondly in turning from evil and putting iniquity far from them in praying for the pardon of sin and making their peace with God In this work the three in the Text joyned together 'T is a good work to turn away from evil especially when all who are concerned in it joyn in it A great mourning is prophesied Zech. 12.11 12 13. And the land shall mourn every family apart the family of the house of David apart and their wives apart the family of the house of Nathan apart and their wives apart the Family of the house of Levi apart and their Wives apart c. Here 's a great mourning with a turning from sin prophesied of as also the manner of it Every family shall mourn apart But though they shall mourn apart yet they shall all joyn in mourning a whole family shall mourn apart not a part of a family and as the whole of a family shall mourn so â—ll the Families shall mourn and repent and seek reconciliation to God as if they were but one family yea but one person As to joyn in sin and to be brethren in iniquity is the worst of unions indeed a combination against God so to joyn as Brethren in mourning for sin and repenting of our iniquities is a blessed union and highly pleasing unto God Secondly In that it is said They went and did as the Lord commanded Observe When the Lord commandeth we must speedily obey We
must make no excuse no delay we may not dispute the commands of God nor may we at all excuse our selves from doing the commands of God These men did not so much as desire to be excused they said not it is true we have failed but it was through ignorance or we had a good meaning in what we said we intended Job no hurt may we not then be spared this cost and trouble we hear of none of this but presently they did as the Lord commanded Though the command of the Lord be hard and very unpleasing to flesh and blood yet we must speedily obey it The command which these men received was to flesh and blood a hard command Is it not hard to flesh and blood First to confess that we have erred and are out Secondly Is it not hard to flesh and blood goeth it not against the grain to submit to one whom we have wronged Thirdly Is it not hard to flesh and blood to honour whom we have reproached and thought light of All these are hard meat to flesh and blood and we can hardly digest them as was toucht before yet these men without disputes and delays went about the work Abraham received a hard command from God a far harder command to flesh and blood than these men received For First they received a command to go and offer bullocks and rams in sacrifice but Abraham was commanded to offer his Son in sacrifice Secondly He was to offer his only Son that was harder Thirdly He was to offer his only Son Isaac whom he loved A man may have an only son who is a vexation and a trouble to him but as he was a son and an only son so a son whom Abraham greatly loved yet God layed this hard and grievous command upon him Go and offer up thy son thine only son Isaac whom thou lovest upon one of the mountains that I shall shew thee Gen. 22.2 When Abraham had received this command from God to offer up his son for a sacrifice as these had received a command to offer up beasts in sacrifice What did Abraham He rose up early in the morning saith the text and sadled his ass and took two of the young men with him and Isaac his son and went unto the place which God had told him As here these men went so Abraham went he did not linger nor lye long in bed but rose up early in the morning This was an amazing work of obedience to the command of God a very hard and grievous command of God Abraham had shewed an eminent act of obedience to the Lord before this offering up of his son when God called him out of Vr of the Caldees he went The Apostle saith Heb. 11.8 By faith Abraham when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance obeyed and he went out not knowing whither he went he followed God as it were blind-fold So the Apostle yeilded present obedience he made no diversions no stop When it pleased God said he who separated me from my mothers womb and called me by his grace to reveal his son in me that I might preach him amongst the heathen immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were Apostles before me but I went into Arabia c. Gal. 1.15 16 17. He conferred not with flesh and blood that is neither with his own heart or with his own interest what would be safest and best for him nor did he go to consult with other men who were flesh and blood but followed his call Whatever God commands we have nothing to do but to obey As the Centurion said Mat. 8.9 I am a man under authority and I have souldiers under me and I say to one go and he goeth and to another come and he cometh and to a third do this he doth it Such an obedience are we to yeild to the commands of God The Apostle giveth a like charge concerning servants with respect to all their masters lawful commands Tit. 2.9 Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters and to please them well in all things not answering again that is not gain-saying or not contradicting as the word may be translated When a servant receiveth a just command from his master he must not contradict he must not put in his advice thus or thus but follow the orders given him Now if Masters on earth ought to receive in all lawful commands such obedience from their servants how much more is this due to our Lord and Master in heaven especially if we consider what the commands of the Lord are under these three titles or attributes of them First They are all just and good It is impossible for God to command that which is not right to be done for his command maketh that right which is done whatsoever it is his will is righteousness it self and the rule of it Secondly His commands are not only just and good in themselves but they are good to us they are given for our profit and benefit it is our interest as well as our duty to obey them In keeping them there is great reward Psal 19.11 yea the keeping of them is a great reward Do not my words saith the Lord Mic. 2.7 do good to him that walketh uprightly Thirdly The commands of the Lord are easie That 's the Apostles meaning when he saith 1 John 5.3 His commandements are not grievous The Lord doth not put grievous things nor heavy burdens upon his people My yoke saith Christ Mat. 11.30 is easie and my burden light Easie and light to a spiritual mind to the new creature though grievous to corruption and burdensome to the flesh Hard things are easie and heavy things light to a sutable mind whereas easie things are hard and light things heavy to a mind that is not so Seing then the commands of the Lord are just in themselves good to us and not grievous he being our Soveraign we ought speedily to obey whatsoever he commands and leaving off or laying aside all disputes and excuses presently fall upon the work which he at any time calleth us unto This was commendable in Eliphaz and his two friends They went and did as the Lord commanded them Thirdly Observe The Lords commands must be done as he commandeth them We may do what the Lord commandeth yet not as he commandeth The Lords commands must be done as we say to a hair to a tittle they must be done exactly It is not enough to do what God commandeth but according as he commandeth The As is remarkable Not only must we do good but we must do it in a good way that is in Gods way First The matter must be according to his command Secondly The manner must be according to his command and this a two-fold manner First the external manner must be as the Lord hath commanded David bringing home the Arke 2 Sam. 6.3
also accepted Job This gives evidence or witness to the goodness of Job and his eminence in grace how full of love how ready to forgive was he He did not insult over Eliphaz c. nor say now I have got the day God hath determined the matter for me Amicè ut amicos illos amplexus est he did not tell them ye have wronged and abused me ye have unjustly censured and reproached me but putting their unkindnesses into oblivion and laying aside the thought of them he laid out his soul to the utmost for the healing or making up of the difference arising from their folly between God and them For the better improvement of these words First Let us compare them with those in the eighth verse Here it is said The Lord also accepted Job and there the Lord said Him will I accept there it is a promise here a performance Hence note Whatsoever the Lord promiseth to do he will certainly perform and do A word from God is as sure as his deed our hope upon promise as good as possession In hope of eternal life which God who cannot lye promised before the world began Tit. 1.2 Christ will be Amen that is performance 2 Cor. 1.20 to all the promises 2 Cor. 1.20 As they are all made in him so they shall every one of them and in every thing be made good by him unto the glory of God by us that is we shall at last have abundant cause of glorifying of God in performing and making good of all the promises upon the undertaking of Jesus Christ for us No man shall fail of acceptance that is under as Job was a promise of acceptation get under promises and you shall partake the good promised Secondly Whereas upon their doing according as the Lord commanded presently it followeth The Lord also accepted Job Note Though the Lord will surely perform what he hath promised yet if we would have the good promised we must do the duty commanded otherwise our faith is but presumption If Eliphaz and his two friends had not done as the Lord commanded them they could not rightly have expected God should do what he promised accept Job and so themselves There are promises of two sorts First of preventing grace these are made to the wicked and unconverted Secondly there are promises of rewarding grace these are made to the godly who must perform the duty commanded if they would receive the mercy promised As many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy Gal. 6.16 If you will have peace you must walk according to rule the Lord is not bound to fulfil promises if we take liberty to break Commandements or neglect to do them And they who have true faith in the truth and faithfulness of God to fulfil the one can never take liberty to break the other None are so sure to the Command as they who have fullest assurance in the Promise The Lord also accepted Job Here are but few words yet much matter and who knoweth how much mercy Here is much yea all in a little The Lord accepted Job Hence note Thirdly To be accepted of God is the answer of all our prayers and desires a full reward for all our services Acceptation with God is the happiness of man and should be his satisfaction If we are accepted in our services we are bountifully rewarded for them and if our persons are accepted we shall be everlastingly saved When the Lord accepted Job he he heard his prayer for his friends they were reconciled This good news The Lord also accepted Job was enough to make their hearts leap for joy Acceptation is a reviving word the sum of all that we can wish or pray for 't is enough enough to confirm our faith and to wind up our assurance to the very highest expectation of a supply to all our wants and of pardon for all our sins All the kindnesses of God are comprehended in this one word Acceptation Fourthly The Lord accepted Job Here is no mention at all of accepting his sacrifice yet that was accepted too Hence note The Lord having respect to our persons cannot but have respect to our services If our persons are accepted our services are and if the services of any are not respected it is because their persons are not 'T is said Gen. 4.4 5. The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering but unto Cain and his offering he had no respect Respect or no respect to what is done alwayes begins with the person of the doer Yet further Job was accepted but uâ—on what account or how was Job accepted not in himself nor for himself but in Christ the promised Messias Hence note Fifthly That any mans person is accepted is from free grace through Jesus Christ When we have done all we deserve nothing we are only accepted The Lord accepted Job not for his own sake not for the worth of his service not for the worthiness of his person but for him whom he in that action represented and in whom he believed Jesus Christ Job himself needed Christ for his acceptation 't is in and through him that any are accepted The word Acceptance plainly implieth that there is nothing of merit in us acceptation notes grace and favour This respect to us is not for any desert in us From the whole we may infer First If the Lord accepted Job when he offered sacrifice and prayed for his friends how much more doth he accept Jesus Christ who offered himself a sacrifice for sinners and ever liveth to make intercession for them whose sacrifice he is Did the Lord presently accept Job and his friends or Job for his friends then what confidence may we have that Jesus Christ who is our everlasting sacrifice and Advocate who is entred into the holiest the Sanctuary of heaven and there pleads for us with his own blood is accepted for us and we through him Christs suit shall never be refused nor shall we while we come to God through him This act of divine grace was as I may say but a shadow or figure of that great work of Jesus Christ in reconciling sinners and making them accepted with the Lord and therefore as often as we pray Christs everlasting sacrifice should come to our remembrance for the confirmation of our faith and our encouragement against fears We may argue down all our doubts about acceptation by Christ upon this account that Jobs friends were accepted at his suit and their acceptation not bottom'd on him nor in his sacrifice but as both shadowed Christ Where the Reconciler is accepted they that are in him and for whom he makes request are accepted too What the Lord spake from heaven Mat. 3.17 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased reacheth all believers to the end of the world whose head and representer Christ is Let us adore and ever be thankful that we have received such grace in Christ for though Jesus
Christ in his person is of infinite worth and his sacrifice of so great a value that it became a price sufficient for the ransom and redemption of all sinners yet it was of free grace that Christ was made a ransom for sinners and we accepted through him Secondly Take this Inference If the Lord be ready to hear a Job for his friends then the Lord will much more hear a Job for himself That the prayers and supplications which Believers put up to the Lord obtain mercy and good things for others may strengthen faith that they shall obtain for themselves Thirdly We may infer Job was become a great favourite with God after his humiliation and self-abhorrence He no sooner fell out with himself for his former miscarriages but the Lord as it were fell in love with him afresh What a favourite was he grown who could thus readily get an answer and obtain favour for those against whom the Lord said My wrath is kindled Thus much concerning the judgment and determination of God in this matter which put a period to the long continued controversie between Job and his three friends and reconciled both parties both unto God and between themselves O how blessed is the issue of the Lords Judgment and undertaking towards his servants and children When once he was pleased to appear in the case he soon silenced both sides and made them in the conclusion both of one heart and of one mind And no sooner was this humbling and reconciling work done and over but restoring and restitution work followed as will appear in opening the third and last part of this Chapter which is also the last part of the whole Book JOB Chap. 42. Vers 10. 10. And the Lord turned the Captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends Also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before THis verse begins the third part of the Chapter We have seen Jâ—b humbled before God in the first part we have seen Jobs friends reconciled to God and his anger turned away from them in the second In this third we have Job himself restored or the restitution of Job to as good yea to a better estate than he had before and this was done when he prayed for his friends The Crown is set upon the head of prayer The restitution of Job is set down two wayes First more generally in this verse where it is described three wayes First by the Author of it The Lord it was he that turned the Captivity of Job Secondly by the season of it When he prayed for his friends Thirdly by the degree and measure of it Also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before His was not a bare return or restitution but with advantage and that to a duplication And the Lord turned the captivity of Job Before I open the words as translated by us I shall briefly mind the Reader of another translation Probarem si esset 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ubi nunc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conversio paenitentia Drus Dominus quoque conversus est ad paenitentiam Job Vulg. The word which we render Captivity is by some rendred Repentance and there is a twofold interpretation of that rendring First Some refer it to God and read the words thus The Lord was turned to repentance concerning Job And then the meaning is the Lord repented or changed his dispensation with respect to the affliction of Job when he prayed for his friends The Scripture speaks of the Lords repentance two wayes First that he repenteth of the good which he hath done for or bestowed upon man Gen. 6.6 It repented the Lord that he had made man he seemed as one troubled in his mind that ever he had set up man in such a condition And as there the Lord repented of his making mankind in general in that good natural state so elsewhere he is said to repent of his doing good to some men in particular as to their civil state 1 Sam. 15.11 The Lord repented that he had made Saul King that he had set him upon a Throne to rule men on earth who had no better obeyed the Rule given from his own Throne in heaven Secondly The Lord is said to repent of the evil which he hath either actually brought upon man or threatned to bring upon him In the former sense Moses saith Deut. 32.36 The Lord shall judge his people and repent himself for his servanss when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left that is when they are in an afflicted low condition the Lord taketh the opportunity or season to restore them and then he is said to repent concerning any afflictive evil brought upon his people In the latter sense as he is said to repent of the evil threatned it is said of repenting Niniveh Jonah 3.10 The Lord repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them and he did it not Thus the Lord is turned to repentance with respect to evil either brought or threatned to be brought upon a people for which we have that remarkable promise Jer. 18.7 8. At what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdome to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy it if that Nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their evil I will repent of the evil I thought to do unto them If they turn I will turn Another word is used in the Hebrew there but it imports the same thing Repentance in God is not any change of his Will Counsel or Purpose it only notes a change in his providences and dispensations The Lord is of one mind who can turn him Job 23.13 But he is not alwayes of one way he repenteth that is he changeth his way somtimes and so he did towards Job He once cast him down and left him as a captive bound hand and foot under the power of Satan as to his outward man and worldly enjoyments but the Lord turned and repented that is turned his Captivity This sense and reading is much insisted on by several Interpreters and it is a comfortable truth yet I am not satisfied that it is the truth intended in this place Secondly Others who follow that translation refer this repentance to Job and so the sense is this The Lord turned at the repentance or upon the repentance of Job when he prayed for his friends of which repentance we read in the foâ—mer part of the Chapter The Observation which naturally ariseth from this interpretation is clear from many other Texts of Scripture When persons or Nations pray and depart from iniquity when they joyn true repentance with prayer the Lord turneth to them in mercy and turneth evil away from them The Lord turned in mercy to repenting Job when he prayed for his friends And this was promised to Gods peculiar people the Jewish Nation 2 Chron. 7.14 If my
people which are are called by my Name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked wayes then will I hear in heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land This was performed to the Ninivites a heathen Nation when they repented of the evil which they had done God repented of the evil which he threatned to do unto them or bring upon them and did it not brought it not But I shall not stay upon this useful poynt here because it is grounded upon a translation which is not as I conceive so clearly grounded upon the Original as our own The Lord turned the Captivity of Job In Hebraeo est pulchra paranomasia nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est vertere aut convertere et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 captivitas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew is very elegant He turned the turning or captivity of Job Why his Captivity Job was never lead captive in person he was not carryed away prisoner by the Chaldeans anâ— Sabeans who captivated his cattel How then is it here said The Lord turned the captivity of Job I answer These words The Lord turned the Captivity of Job may be taken two wayes First thus Jehova restituit quod captum fuerit Jobo Jun. Captivitas ponitur pro ipsis captivis Drus He turned that to Job whatsoever it was which was lead into Captivity So some translate The Lord restored that which was taken from Job His Cattel which were taken away by violent men his children which were taken away by a vehement wind were returned or restored to him again The word Captivity is elsewhere in Scripture taken tropically for things or persons captivated that which is captivated is called captivity The Lord turned the captivity of Job that is he returned that which was captivated or taken away Take a Scripture or two for that sâ—nse of the word captivity Judg. 5.12 Awake awake Deborah awake awake utter a song arise Barak and lead thy captivity captive thou son of Abinoam .. That is bring them back who were taken captives or thus lead those captive who have taken thy people captives So Psal 68.18 which is quoted by the Apostle Ephes 4.8 When he ascended up on high he lead captivity captive The Psalmist gives us a prophesie and the Apostle reports the history of the glorious ascension of Christ When he ascended up on high he lead captivity captive Which text as the formâ—r may be taken two ways First Christ ascending led those captive who had led poor soulâ—â—aptive that is the devils which the Apostle expresseth thuâ— Col. 2.15 And having spoiled principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it that is in his cross or â—ufferingâ— or as our Maâ—gin hath it in himself And as Christ spoiled those principalities and triumphed over them not only really but openly in his passion so he led them captive and triumphed over them more openly in his ascention Secondly He led those that were captives sinful men captive he brought them out of a miserable captivity into a blessed captivity that is from the capâ—ivity of sin Satan and the world into a cap iviâ—y to himself The Apostle speaks so of the mighty power of the Word in the miniâ—tery of the Gospel The weapons of our warfare that is the weapons with which we the Ministers of the Gospel mâ—ke war upon sinners to convert them are not carnal that is weak but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations c. and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Not only are our persons but our thoughts captivated to Christ by the power of the Spirit ministred in the Gospel Thus the Scripture speaks of captivity in both these notions the captivaters and the captivated are called captivity Here in this place we may take it in the latter sence the Lord turned the captivity of Job that is what was captivated or taken away the Lord as it were fetch 't back again and restored it to him In this sense Abraham when he heard that his Nephew Lot was taken captive led captivity captive Gen. 14.16 He pursued them that had taken him captive he brought back Lot and the rest of the prisoners together with the spoils Thus the Lord did not only deliver Job from all those evils which he was under but restored the good things to him which he had lost or were carried away Secondly We may take it thus The Lord turned the captivity of Job that is he took away or called in Satans commission which he had given him over Jobs estate and body and by which Satan held Job in captivity or as his captive for as we read chap. 2.6 Satan could not touch him till he had leave or a letter of license from God till God said Behold all that he hath is in thy power only upon himself put not forth thy hand chap. 1.12 Nor could he touch his person till his commission was enlarged and the Lord said again Behold he is in thine hand but or only save his life chap. 2.6 And as soon as his commission was taken away or called in by God he could trouble him no longer The Lord forbidding the devil to meddle any more with him Turned the captivity of Job Hence Observe First To be in any affliction is to be in bonds or captivity The afflicted condition of Job was a captivity Troubles in our estate troubles in our relations troubles in our bodies troubles in our souls are like bonds and prisons It is a very uneasie and an uncomfortable condition to be in prison and so it is to be in any afflicted condition considered in it self Job spake as much of himself while his affliction continued upon him strongly chap. 13.27 Thou puttest my feet in the stocks and thou lookest narrowly unto all my paths Job was not only as a man in captivity but as a man in the stocks which is a great hardship in captivity David calleth such an estate an imprisonment Psal 69.33 The Lord heareth the poor and despiseth not his prisoners Some are prisoners strictly being under restraint all are prisoners largely or as we say prisoners at large who are in any distress The Lord maketh many prisoners by sickness and weakness of body as also by poverty and the want of bodily comforts and conveniences The afflicted condition of the Church in any kind is expressed by captivity as captivity in kind is sometimes the affliction of the Church The ten tribes were led into captivity by Salmanazar Judah by Nebuchadnazzar Hence that promise Jerem. 30.18 Behold I will bring again the captivity of Jacobs tents And that prayer Psal 14.7 O that the salvation of Israel were come out of Sion When the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people Jacob shall rejoyce and Israel shall be glad This Scripture may be taken both strictly
as a prayer for their return out of proper captivity and largely for their deliverance out of any adversity So Psal 126.1 When the Lord turned the captivity of Sion we were like them that dream Read also Zeph. 2.7 Secondly From the author of this turn The Lord turned the captivity c. Observe Deliverance out of an afflicted state is of the Lord. He is the authour of these comfortable turns and he is to be acknowledged as the authour of them The Psalmist prayed thrice Turn us again Psal 80.3 7 19. The waters of affliction would continually rise and swell higher and higher did not the Lord stop and turn them did not he command them back and cause an ebb Satan would never have done bringing the floods of affliction upon Job if the Lord had not forbidden him and turned them It was the Lord who took all from Job as he acknowledged chap. 1.21 and it was the Lord who restored all to him again as we see here the same hand did both in his case and doth both in all such cases Hos 6.1 Let us return to the Lord for he hath torn and he will heal us he hath smitten and he will bind us up David ascribed both to God Psal 66.11 12. Thou broughtest us into the net thou layedst affliction upon our loins thou hast caused men to ride over our heads we went through fire and through water The hand of God led them in that fire and water of affliction through which they went but who led them out The Psalmist tells us in the next words Thou broughtest us into a wealthy place the Margin saith into a moist place They were in fire and water before Fire is the extremity of heat and driness water is the extremity of moistneâ—s and coldness A moist place notes a due temperament of â—eat and cold of driness and moistness and therefore elâ—gantly shadows that comfortable and contentful condition into which the good hand of God had brought them which is significantly expressed in our translation by a wealthy place those places flourishing most in fruitfulness and so in wealth which are neither over-hot nor over-cold neither oveâ—-dry nor over-moist And as in that Psalm David acknowledged the hand of God in this so in another he celebrated the Lords power and goodness for this Psal 68.20 He that is our God is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death that is the out-lets or out-gates from death are from the Lord he delivereth from the grave and from every grief The Lord turned the captivity of Job not only p eserving him from death but filling him with the good things and comforts of this life Thirdly Note The Lord can suddenly make a change or turn As he can quickly make a great change from prosperity to adversity and in a moment bâ—ing darkness upon those who injoy the sweetest light so he can quickly make a change from adversity to prosperity from captivity to liberty and turn the darkest night into a morning light For such a turn the Church prayed Psal 126.4 Turn again our captivity O Lord as the streams in the south that is do it speedily The south is a dry place thither streams come not by a slow constant currant but as mighty streams or land-floods by a sudden unexpected rain like that 1 Kings 18.41 45. Get thee up said Eliah to Ahab for there is a sound of aboundance of rain and presently the heaven was black with clouds and wind and there was a great rain When great rains come after long drought they make sudden floods and streams Such a sudden income of mercy or deliverance from captivity the Church then prayed for and was in the faith and hope of nor was that hope in vain nor shall any who in that condition wait patiently upon God be ashamed of their hope The holy Evangelist makes report Luke 13.16 that Satan had bound a poor woman eighteen years all that time he had her his prisoner but Jesus Christ in a moment made her free Ought not this woman being a daughter of Abraham whom Satan hath bound lo these eighteen years be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day The devil who had her in his power eighteen years could not hold her a moment when Jesus Christ would turn her captivity and loose her from that bond If the Son undertake to make any free whether from corporal or spiritual bondage they shall not only be free indeed as he spake John 8.36 at the time when he is pleased to do it but he can do it at any time in the shortest time when he pleaseth We find a like turn of captivity is described Psal 107.10 11 12 13 14. such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death being bound in affliction and iron because they rebelled against the word of the Lord c. These vers 13. cryed unto the Lord in their trouble and he saved them out of their distresses He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and brake their bands in sunder Thus far of the first particular considerable in Jobs restitution the Author of it The Lord turned the captivity of Job The second thing to be considered is the season which the Lord took for the turning of Jobs captivity the Lord did it saith the text When he prayed for his friends Some conceive the turn of his captivity was just in his prayer time and that even then his body was healed I shall have occasion to speak further to that afterwards upon another verse Thus much is clear that When he prayed That is either in the very praying time or presently upon it the Lord â—urned his captivity Possibly the Lord did not stay till he had done accorâ—ing to that Isa 65.24 It shall come to pass that before they call I will answer and while they are yet speaking I will hear Or according to that Dan. 9.20 While I was speaking and praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and presenting my supplications before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God Yea while I was speaking in prayer even the man Gabriel whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning being caused to flie swiftly touched me about the time of the evening oblation and he informed me and talked with me and said O Daniel I am come forth to give thee skill and understanding at the beginning of thy supplications the commandement came forth and I am come to shew thee c. What commandement came forth even a command for the turning of their captivity Thus here I say possibly the Lord gave out that word of command for the turning of Jobs captivity at that very time when he was praying for his friends But without question these words when he prayed for his friends note a very speedy return of his prayers that is soon after he had done that gracious office for them he
found matters mending with himself and the answers of prayer in the mercies of God coming tumbling in thick and three-fold His captivity fled far away when he had thus drawn near to God he had as a very full and satisfactory so a very speedy answer When he prayed Prayer is the making known our wants and desires to God It is a spiritual work not a meer bodily exercise it is the labour of the heart not lip-labour Jobs prayer was a fervent working or effectual prayer as the Apostle James speaks chap. 5.16 not a cold slothful sleepy prayer when he prayed he made work of prayer Many speak words of prayer that make no work of prayer nor are they at work in prayer Job prayed in the same sense that Saul afterwards Paul did Acts. 9.11 when the Lord Jesus bid Ananias go to him for Behold he prayeth implying that he was at it indeed He had been brought up after the strictest rule of the Pharisees who prayed much or made many prayers but he prayed to so little purpose before that we may well call that his first prayer and say he had never prayed before Job prayed for his friends as Paul for himself he was very earnest with God for them and prevailed Extraordinary cases call for extraordinary layings out in duty It was an extraordinary case When he prayed For his friends The Hebrew is When he prayed for his friend Singulare partitivum pro plurali Merc. It is usual in the Grammar of the holy Text to put the singular for the plural 'T is so here either First because he prayed for every one of them distinctly and by name or Secondly because he looked upon them all as one and bound them up in the same requests When he prayed For his friends They are called his friends to shew the esteem that he had of them notwithstanding all their unkindness and unfriendliness towards him He prayed for them in much love O raram singularem virtutem quae in paucissimis vel Christianis reperiatur Merc. though they had shewed little love to him and his heart was so much towards them that the Text speaks as if he had forgot himself or left himself at that time quite out of his prayers Doubtless Job prayed for himself but his great business at that time with God was for his friends Now in that Jobs prayer is said expresly to be for his friends not for himself though we cannot doubt but that he prayed and prayed much for himself Observe A godly man is free to pray for others as well as for himself and in some cases or at some times more for others than for himself He seldom drives this blessed trade with heaven for self only and he sometimes doth it upon the alone account of others 'T is a great piece of spiritualness to walk exactly and keep in with God to the utmost that so our own personal soul concerns may not take up our whole time in prayer but that we may have a freedom of spirit to inlarge for the benefit of others Many by their uneven walkings exceedingly hinder themselves in this duty of praying for friends and of praying for the whole Church Uneven walkings hinder that duty in a twofold respect First Because they indispose the heart to prayer in general which is one special reason why the Apostle Peter gives that counsel to Husband and Wife 1 Pet. 3.7 to walk according to knowledge and as being heirs together of the same grace of life that saith he your prayers be not hindred that is lest your hearts be indisposed to prayer Secondly Because uneven walkings will find us so much work for our selves in prayer that we shall scarce have time or leisure to intend or sue out the benefit of others in prayer He that watcheth over his own heart and wayes will be and do most in prayer for others And that First For the removing or preventing of the sorrows and sufferings of others Secondly For the removing of the sins of others yea though their sins have been against himself which was Jobs case He prayed for those who had dealt very hardly with him and sinned against God in doing so he prayed for the pardon of their sin God being very angry with them and having told them he would deal with them according to their folly unless they made Job their friend to him This was the occasion of Jobs travelling in prayer for his friends and in this he shewed a spirit becoming the Gospel though he lived not in the clear light of it And how uncomely is it that any should live less in the power of the Gospel while they live more in the light of it To pray much for others especially for those who have wronged and grieved us hath much of the power of the Gospel and of the Spirit of Christ in it For thus Jesus Christ while he was nailed to the Cross prayed for the pardon of their sins and out-rages who had crucified him Father forgive them for they know not what they do Luke 23.34 Even while his crucifiers were reviling him he was begging for them and beseeching his Father that he would shew them mercy who had shewed him no mercy no nor done him common justice And thus in his measure Jobs heart was carryed out in his prayer for his friends that those sins of theirs might be forgiven them by which they had much wronged him yea and derided him in a sort upon his Cross as the Jews did Christ upon his This also was the frame of Davids heart towards those that had injured him Psal 109.4 For my love they are my adversaries that 's an ill requital but how did he requite them we may take his own word for it he tells us how but I give my self unto prayer yea he seemed a man wholly given unto prayer The elegant conciseness of the Hebrew is But I prayer we supply it thus But I give my self unto prayer They are sinning against me requiting my love with hatred But I give my self unto prayer But for whom did he pray doubtless he prayed and prayed much for himself he prayed also for them We may understand those words I give my self unto prayer two wayes First I pray against their plots and evil dealings with me prayer was Davids best strength alwayes against his enemies yet that was not all But Secondly I give my self to prayer that the Lord would pardon their sin and turn their hearts when they are doing me mischief or though they have done me mischief I am wishing them the best good David in another place shewed what a spirit of charity he was cloathed with when no reproof could hinder him from praying for others in some good men reproofs stir up passion not prayer Psal 141.5 Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindness smite me how with reproof so it followeth Let him reprove me it shall be an excellent oyl which shall not break my
Spirit in it and therefore it must needs make great turns God turned the captivity of Job when he prayed Sixthly Jesus Christ presents such prayers the prayers of faith the prayers of repentance unto God his Father Christs intercession gives effect or gets answer to our supplications The Father hears the Son always John 11.42 and so he doth all them whose prayers are offered to him by the Son Revel 8.3 The angel came and stood at the altar having a golden censer and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne The angel there spoken of is the angel or messenger of the Covenant prophesied of Mal. 3.1 that is Jesus Christ 't is he he alone who offers the incense of his own prayers with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden altar which is before the throne and being there represented doing so presently as it followeth ver 5. There were voices and thunders and lightenings signifying the wonderful effects of prayer till it should come after many turnings in the world or as I may say after a world of turnings to the Lords turning of Sions captivity as here of Jobs Seventhly Jesus Christ doth not only present the prayers of believers to God but also prayeth in them when saints pray he prayeth in them for he and they are mystically one And as Christ is in believers the hope of glory Col. 1.27 so he is in them the help of duty and so much their help that without him they can do nothing John 15.5 Now a believers prayer being in this sense Christs prayer it cannot but do great things Lastly As Jesus Christ presents the prayers of believers to the Father and prayeth in them or helps them to pray by the blessed and holy Spirit sent down according to his gracious promise into their hearts so he himself prayeth for them when they are not actually praying for themselves For saith the Apostle Heb. 7.25 He ever liveth to make intercession for them The best believers do not always make supplications for themselves but Christ is always making as well as he ever lives to make intercession for them The Apostle speaking of Christs intercession useth the word in the present tense or time which denoteth a continued act Rom. 8.34 Who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us The sacrifice of Christ though but once offered is an everlasting sacrifice and this other part of his priestly-office his intercession is everlasting as being often yea always or everlastingly offered The way or manner of Christs making everlasting intercession for us is a great secret it may suffice us to know and believe that he doth it Now it is chiefly from this everlasting intercession of Christ that both the persons of the elect partake of the benefits of his sacrifice and that their prayers are answered for the obtaining of any good as also for the removal of any evil as here Jobs was for the turning of his captivity Thus I have given a brief accompt of this inference that if prayer prevails to turn the captivity of others then much more our own Prayer hath had a great hand in all the good turns that ever the Lord made for his Church And when the Lord shall fully turn the captivity of Sion his Church he will pour out a mighty spirit of prayer upon all the sons of Sion The Prophet fore-shewed the return of the captivity of the Jews out of Babilon Jerem. 29.10 After seventy years be accomplished at Babilon I will visit you and perform my good word towards you in causing you to return to this place for I know the thoughts that I think towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end But what should the frame of their hearts be at that day the 12th verse tells us And ye shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken These words may bear a two-fold sense First The sense of a command Then shall ye call upon me and then shall ye go and pray That is your duty in that day Secondly I conceive they may also bear the sense of a promise then shall your hearts be inlarged then I will pour out a spirit of prayer upon you And ye shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken We may conclude the approach of mercy when we discern the spirits of men up in and warm at this duty Many enquire about the time when the captivity of Sion shall fully end we may find an answer to that question best by the inlargement of our own hearts in prayer David speaking of that said Psal 102.17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute the meanest and lowest shrubs in grace as the word there used imports and not despise that is he will highly esteem and therefore answer their prayer How much more the prayer of the tall cedars in grace or of the strong wrestlers when they call upon him and cry unto him with all their might day and night The Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends Nor was it a bare turn As Job did not offer a lean sacrifice to God in prayer but the strength of his soul went out in it so the Lord in giving him an answer did not give him a lean or slight return but as it followeth Also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before The Hebrew is The Lord added to Job to the double Some translate too barely The Lord made an accession or an addition but that doth not reach the sense intended For a little more than he had before had been an addition to what he had before but double is more than a little or the common notion of an addition the Lord gave him twice as much or double to that great estate which he had before This doubling of his estate may be taken two ways First Strictly as four is twice two and eight twice four See the wild conceits of the Jewish Rabbins about the doubling of Jobs estate in Mercer upon the place In that strict sence it may be taken here as to his personal estate but as to persons it will not hold the number of his children was the same as before If we compare this chapter with the first chapter ver 3. we find his estate doubled in strict sence Whereas Job had then seven thousand sheep now saith this chapter ver 12. he had fourteen thousand sheep and whereas before he had three thousand camels now he had six thousand camels and whereas before he had five hundred yoke of oxen now he had a thousand yoke of oxen and lastly whereas before he had five hundred she asses now he had a thousand she asses Here was double in the letter In duplum i. e. in plurimum Quam plurimum numerus finitus pro infinito
is said ver 7. How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her Now as no man can tell nor imagine how much she hath glorified her self nor how deliciously she hath lived so no man can tell how much torment and sorrow she shall have Yea we read not only of a double and quadruble but of a seven-fold reward of wrath for evil men Psal 79.12 Render unto our neighbours seven-fold into their bosome And surely that Scripture means bad neighbours Now as the Lord doth plentifully reward the proud and evil doers in a way of wrath so he will plentifully reward well-doers and well-sufferers whether under his own hand or the hand of man in ways of mercy And if so then First Fear not to lose by God and that in a two-fold respect First When he cometh to borrow of you for the poor He that hath pity on the poor lendeth to the Lord Prov. 19.17 Every time we are asked to give to the poor upon due occasion God sends to borrow of us and he will surely repay what he hath borrowed therefore fear not to lose by God when he borrows of you for the poor Secondly Fear not to lose by God when he takes all from you and makes you poor Sometimes God doth not come a borrowing but he cometh a taking he will have all whether you will or no He will sometimes take all away by fire by losses at sea or land in these and such like cases fear not â—o be losers by God But First Trust him as Job did Secondly Be patient as Job was They that have an interest in God and a portion in the promise need not fear they shall lose a thread or a shoe-latchet by God though his providence takes all away and strips them as it did Job naked What God takes from his servants he keeps for them and will restore to them either in the same kind with much more as he did to Job at last or in some other kind which is much better as he did to Job at first While Job was deprived of his all worldly good things God gave him much patience at first so that when all was lost and gone he could say Naked came I out of my mothers womb and naked shall I return thither The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord. While this frame of heart lasted it was better than all that he had lost and though through the extremity of his pains and temptations it was somewhat abated and his patience somewhat ruffled yet it was never wholly lost and when it was worst with him his faith failed not which was best of all Now what the Apostle spake concerning those troubles which befel the Israelites in the wilderness They happened for examples 1 Cor. 10.11 So all these troubles and takings away happened to Job as our example or which the Greek word signifieth as a type that we should be patient under the Lords hand in taking and remember for the encouragement of our faith the Lords bounty in restoring For this end the Apostle James calleth us to consider this dealing of God with Job Jam. 5.11 Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord. What is that to us may some say that Job was patient Yes all the matter is to us it was written for our example and admonition and saith the Apostle ye have not only heard of the patience of Job but have seen the end of the Lord. Here is an exercise of those two noble senses Hearing and Seeing mentioned and doubtless for great purposes both But why doth he adde ye have seen the end of the Lord Some interpret these words as a second instance the Apostle mentioning Job in the former words and Christ in these Ye have seen the end of the Lord that is how it was with Christ in his sufferings The Lord Jesus Christ was well rewarded for all that he suffered God highly exalted him Phil. 2.7 because he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross 'T is a truth if we take those latter words of the verse Ye have seen the end of the Lord for the issue of Christs sufferings But I rather conceive that the whole verse relateth unto Job and so the end of the Lord in the latter part is the end which the Lord made with Job As if the Apostle James had said Hath it not been set before your eyes what end the Lord made with him or how he gave him double in the end Be not afraid to lose by God either borrowing or taking for he is a bountiful rewarder Secondly As we should not be afraid to lose by God when he comes either to borrow a part or as the case was with Job to take all from us so let us not be afraid to lose for God which was toucht before together with the former Inference upon the 11th verse of the 41 Chapter We have no ground in the world of fear when all that we have in the world is taken from us for Gods sake that is for righteousness sake seeing God who here restored to Job double all that himself had taken from him hath also promised to give his faithful servants double for all that is taken from them upon his account by men or which they lose for him That 's the meaning of the Prophet Isa 61.7 For your shame ye shall have double that is ye having suffered shame or been put to shame for Gods sake or for doing that which is honourable and commendable in it self shall receive double What double As by shame we are to understand any evil suffered so by double any good promised as a reward for suffering that evil especially such good as stands in direct opposition to that evil As if it had been said ye shall have double honour for shame and double riches for poverty and double health for sickness and and double liberty for imprisonment and captivity 'T is much to have double reparation of any loss yet this doubling is a poor matter to what is promised in another place to those who lose for God We have Christs word with an asseveration for it Mat. 19.28 29. Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel And every one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my name sake here are great sufferings but behold a greater reward followeth not like Jobs twofold but an hundred-fold so saith that Text shall receive an hundred-fold and which is ten-thousand-fold more than that shall inherit everlasting life Be not afraid to lose for God Job had double who lost by God and so may you but if ye lose
for God here is an hundred-fold for you But some may say this hundred-fold is a great way off in the next Life I answer If it be so yet do not think ye shall be losers for if ye should never see good day more in this world yet if ye are assured of everlasting life in the world to come is not that enough What pitiful spirits have they that are not willing to take their hundred-fold in the life to come Yet mark it Jesus Christ doth not put us off so neither therefore another Gospel expresseth the promise fully to meet with this objection Mark 10.29 30. when some told Christ they had left all to follow him Jesus answered and said Verily I say unto you there is no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receive an hundred-fold now in this time houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and in the world to come eternal life Jesus Christ gives present recompences as well as future in this time as well as in the time or rather eternity to come And that there is a kind of Synchronism or neer joyning in time of payment and loss of suffering and rewarding some have found in the letter they have had great worldly exaltations soon after their depressions in this world And Jesus Christ who made this promise hath made it good in spirituals to the experiences of many thousands who have lost all for him they have had that at present given into their souls which hath been to them or in their estimation an hundred-fold better than what they lost They that have indeed suffered loss for Christ never complained of their sufferings or losses they have often triumphed in them and rejoyced as the Apostle Peter speaks 1 Epist 1.8 with joy unspeakable and full of glory If any think they do foolishly who suffer worldly losses for Christs sake let them remember this return of a hundred-fold and be ashamed of their own folly in thinking so It is not foolishness but true wisdom to lose much for the gain of more Are not they wise who lose one upon good assurance to get an hundred have we not Christs word for it and is not that good assurance that it shall be so Sure no Merchant can put off his goods at a better market than he that putteth them all off for God How rich would men be if they could get an hundred for one Such a rich trade hath Christ opened and they are the wisest Merchants now who venture in it and will be so accounted in the end even by those who now call them fools and mad-men That which is lost for Christ is sown and though the seed that is cast into the ground may seem cast away yet it will spring up again Light is sown for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart Psal 97.11 And what Christ saith of the good ground is most true in this case that seed of light is sown in such ground as will bring forth to some thirty to some sixty to some an hundred-fold Therefore to conclude this Inference Be not afraid to lose for God he will not only see you indempnified but at least doubly rewarded Job who once lost by God or by the hand of God upon him was repayed by the same hand with him double in kind and if we have double in a better kind double faith in God and double love to God and double zeal for God and double peace in our own consciences this is an hundred-fold better than all we can lose for him in or of this world JOB Chap. 42. Vers 11. 11. Then came there unto him all his brethren and all his sisters and all they that had been of his acquaintance before did eat bread with him in his house and they bemoaned him and comforted him over all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him every man also gave him a piece of money and every one an ear-ring of gold IN the former verse we have the blessed turn of Jobs state in general The Lord gave him twice as much as he had before In this verse begins the particular account of Jobs restorings There were four things wherein Job suffered loss First He suffered the loss of his estate Secondly The loss of his children Thirdly The loss of his health Fourthly The loss of his friends Jobs repair begins with his last loss his friends were the last that he lost in the day of his affliction Inter adversitates Jobi quasi praecipua erat quod fuerat ab amicis suis desertus ideo hujus adversitatis primò remedium ponitur Aquin. but the first that he recovered in the day of his restoration The first budding or spring of Jobs felicity after so long and sharp a Winter of sorrow as he had gone thorough was the putting forth of fresh and fragrant acts of love from his ancient friends that of late had forsaken him and left him in the hour of his temptation This verse wherein the account is given about this first mercy I may call or intitle The address of Jobs friends and in it we may consider First How they are described or what they are called First as to their relation His brethren his sisters and acquaintance came Secondly in their quantity or number they came all Here is all all all All his brethren and all his sisters and all that had been of his acquaintance before there was not one missing not one that forbore to make this friendly address unto him Secondly As we have an account who they were that came to him so what they did when they came and that is set forth four wayes in this one verse First They did eat bread with him Secondly They bemoaned him Thirdly They comforted him Fourthly They were very bountiful and very respectful to him They gave him every one a piece of mony and every one an ear-ring of gold Thus you have the state and parts of this verse which I call The address of Jobs friends unto him Then came there unto him all his brethren and all his sisters Then The word in the Hebrew is the ordinary copulative And which hath various rendrings in Scripture according to the state of the place Here we translate it Then which may have a double reference First to the turn of his captivity Then they came Secondly to his prayer for his friends and the Lords acceptance of him when God had so eminently declared his favour to him and his friends upon his intercession Then there came unto him All his brethren and all his sisters Brethren and sisters are taken two wayes in Scripture First Strictly and so they that are of or have the same parents at least one of them are brethren and sisters Secondly Brethren and sisters are taken largely for all of the
received Sixthly There are gifts of incouragement to those that are industrious and deserve well which we may call remunerative gifts These are as oil to the wheel of ingenuous spirits in a good work it is lawful at any time and sometimes necessary to bestow such gifts Seventhly There are gifts of bribery which pervert justice and put out the eyes of Judges They are not the rewards of industry but the wages of unrighteousness such as Balack would have given Balaam he offered him great gifts I will promote thee to honour But what was it for even to hire him to curse the people of God Let all take heed of giving or taking gifts to pervert justice or to encourage any in the doing of any wickedness or unworthiness these are corruptive gifts Further Whereas they gave not only a piece of money or a lamb but every one an ear-ring of gold which we may consider not only as to the matter as it was gold but as to the form as it was an ear-ring or an artificial piece of gold that an ornamental piece of gold they might have given gold and probably they did in the pieces of money which they gave him but they gave him ear-rings also in which the fashion or use is most considerable and the workmanship more worth than the mettal Hence Note It is lawful to wear ornaments Not only may we wear that which serves for a covering to the body but that which is for the adorning of it An ear-ring is an ornament As all are to wear cloths to hide their shame and nakedness so some may wear robes to shew their state and greatness Job received ear-rings he did not cast them by as vain things When Abraham sent his servant to take a wife for his Son Isaac he stored him with cabinets of precious jewels to bestow upon her Gen. 24. and when he found Rebeccah at the well and found who she was he took a golden ear-ring of half a shekel weight and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold and gave them to Rebeccah And afterwards when her parents had given consent to the marriage then ver 53. The servant brought forth jewels of silver and jewels of gold and raiment and gave them to Rebeccah c. Abraham would not send such things to a Wife for his Son had they been vain in their own nature or sinful in their use Yet take the point with these cautions We may wear ornaments but First We must not be proud of them Secondly We must not set our affections upon them Thirdly We must beware of an affectation in wearing them Fourthly We must take heed of wastfulness we may not lavish out an estate upon ornaments nor make our selves poor to make our selves fine I grant some Scriptures speak negatively in appearance as to the use and wearing of jewels and ornaments 1 Tim. 2.9 In like manner also let women adorn themselves in modest aparel in shame fastness and sobriety not with broidened hair or gold or pearl or castly array This Scripture seems to cross the point directly and so doth that other 1 Pet. 3.3 Whose adorning speaking of women let it not be that outward adorning of plating the hair and of wearing of gold and of putting on of aparel but let it be the hidden man of the heart How then can good women wear these ornaments I answer These Scriptures do not absolutely forbid the wearing of ornaments but only as to those exceptions before given to wear them in pride or to set our affections upon them or to affect them or to wear them wastfully beyond our purse and place such wearing of ornaments is indeed unlawful Again it is not sinful to have or use ornaments but to make them our ornaments that is sinful our adorning must be the hidden man of the heart that must be grace That this is the Apostles mind is clear because he saith their adorning must not be the putting on of apparrel as well as not the plating of the hair and wearing of gold Therefore the negation is not absolute but comparative let not them count these their ornaments but grace or the hidden man of the heart As the Lord saith I will have mercy and not sacrifice that is mercy rather than sacrifice so I will have the hidden man of the heart not costly jewels and apparel your ornament that is I esteem the one much rather than the other and so ought you to esteem both your selves and others accordingly Take this caution further Times of affliction and suffering are very unseasonable to wear ear-rings of gold and ornaments When there is any great appearance of the displeasure of God against a people then how unsutable are all our pleasant things The Lord said to the people of Israel Put off your ornaments that I may know what to do with you Exod. 32. When we live in such a time in humbling days or are called to humbling duties we should be very watchful about these things and rather appear in raggs than robeâ— with dust upon our heads rather than with ornaments upon our backs Thus far of the first part of Jobs restauration the return of his friends and the significations of their friendliness towards him eating bread with him bemoaning him comforting him and presenting him with gifts of honour if not of enrichment pieces of money and earings of gold Yet all their civilities and bounties reached but a little way if at all towards that restauration which the Lord intended him the doubling of his whole estate which he soon received in full measure heaped up pressed down and running over as will appear in opening the two next verses and those which follow to the end of the chapter JOB Chap. 42. Vers 12 13. 12. So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning For he had fourteen thousand Sheep six thousand Camels and a thousand yoak of Oxen and a thousand She-Asses 13. He had also seven sons and three Daughters IN these two verses we have the second and the third part of Jobs restauration His friends were restored to him in the former verse his further restauration is set down in these two verses First generally at the beginning of the 12th verse So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning Secondly Particularly and First With respect to his Cattle of outward estate for he had saith the Text Fourteen thousand sheep and six thousand Camels c. Secondly With respect to his issue or children vers 13. He had also seven Sons and three daughters Vers 12. So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning In these words we may take notice of four things First the means or as I may call it the procuring cause of Jobs increase or of his growing and flowing prosperity it was a blessing Secondly We have here the Author or Fountain of this blessing it was the Lord. Thirdly
We have the Subject of this blessing as here exprest and that was the latter end of Job or Job in his latter end Fourthly We have the quantity or greatness of this blessing which is exprest comparatively it was more than his beginning The Lord blessed his beginning but his latter end was more blessed I shall consider the two first together the cause of his flowing prosperity a blessing and the Author or fountain of it the Lord the Lord blessed There is a twofold way of blessing First a wishing or desiring of a blessing We are not thus to understand it here as if the Lord did only wish a blessing upon Job Secondly There is a commanding of a blessing and so we are to understand it here The Lord blessed that is the Lord commanded a blessing or effectually poured out a blessing upon Job The word blessed The Lord blessed hath two things in it First It implyeth plenty and abundance a copious and a large provision of good things For as the word abundare in Latine and to abound in English Sicut abundare ab undis Latinè dicunt ita videri possunt Hebraei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi affluentiam denominare à fonte aut piscina quam appellant Berecah comes say Grammarians ab unda from water because waters abound and flow so this Hebrew word Beracah which signifieth a blessing comes from or at least is near in sound to the word Berecah which signifieth a Fish-pond where there is a great confluence of waters and a great multiplication of fishes or a Fountain from whence waters flow continually So that to bless notes the bringing in of abundance or of a great increase like the waters of a Fish-pond or Fish in the waters To increase as Fish is to increase abundantly It is said of the Children of Israel They multiplyed like fish that 's the significancy of the word used Exod. 1.12 while they were under the oppression of the Egyptians Secondly This Expression The Lord blessed Dei benedicere idem est quod benefacere Beatum non facit hominem nisi qui fecit hominem August Epist 52 ad Macedon imports a powerful effect following it The Lord blessed the latter end of Job that is he made his latter end very blessed As the Lords saying is doing as his word is operative and will work so the Lords blessing or well-saying is well-doing his saying is doing whether for good or hurt Man blesseth man by wishing or praying for a blessing upon him or that God would do him good Man blesseth God when he praiseth him for his goodness and for the good which he hath done either to himself or others But when God blesseth man he doth more than wish he makes him blessed Man blesseth man ministerially God blesseth man effectually as he also did the seventh day Gen. 2.3 And therefore the Lord is said to command the blessing Levit. 25.21 especially in Sion even life for evermore Psal 133.5 Nor was it less than a command by which The Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning Hence Note The good word or blessing of God is enough to procure the good of man Every word of God hath its effect he speaks no vain words his Word going out of the mouths of his Ministers returns not to him void but accomplisheth that which he pleaseth and prospers in the thing whereunto he sends it Isa 55.11 that is either for the conviction or conversion of those that hear it Surely then the word of blessing going out of his own mouth shall not return to him void or without effect David spake thus of or to God Psal 145.16 Thou openest thine hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing When the Lord opens his hand he also opens his heart and when his heart and hand open his mouth opens too that is he gives forth a word of blessing and he gives it forth to satisfaction Thou satisfiest every living thing And again Psal 104.28 Thou openest thine hand they are filled with good They that is whatsoever lives upon the earth or in the Sea wait upon thee as it is said vers 27. that thou maist give them their meat in due season that thou givest them they gather thou openest thy hand they are filled with good The hand of God is full of good and his blessing fills all with good out of his hand This may comfort the godly in their lowest condition What was it that raised Job from poverty to riches from weaknes to strength from the dunghil to the throne Only this The Lord blessed him Though all be lost his word of blessing will restore all again If estate be lost his blessing will make us rich if health be lost his blessing will make us well if strength be lost his blessing will renew it if credit be lost his blessing will repair it and get us honour for disgrace or reproach The blessing of the Lord is every good thing to us and doth every good thing for us As it is dreadful to stand under the droppings of a curse to be cursed is every evil so happy are they who stand under the sweet influences of a promise to be blessed is every good And if God blesseth us the matter is not much who curseth or wisheth ill to us The curse causeless shall not come nor can any curse come where God hath blessed But some may enquire who are they that the Lord will bless To be blessed is not every mans portion A man may be rich yet not blessed great yet not blessed healthful yet not blessed A man may have many blessings for the matter yet not be blessed This then is a material question Who are they that may expect a blessing from God upon their souls upon their bodies upon their estates upon their families upon their all I answer First In general They that are in a state of grace they that are in the Covenant or as the Apostle calls them Heb 6.17 Heirs of promise These are the blessed of the Lord and these both great and small the Lord will bless Eph. 1.3 Blessed be God who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ Being in Christ we are in Covenant and being there we cannot miss being blessed with all spiritual blessings and with whatever is a needful blessing in outward things to He that blesseth in the greater will not with-hold his blessing in the less according to our need Secondly As they are the general subjects of the blessing who are in the Covenant of grace or in Christ so are they more specially who act graciously and walk as they have received Christ for a person that is in a state of grace may hinder the blessing from flowing down upon his soul upon his body upon his estate upon any thing upon every thing he hath and doth by acting sinfully and walking unevenly David put the question Psal 24.3 Who shall
ascend into the hill of the Lord c. and answered it vers 4 5. He that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his soul to vanity nor sworn deceitfully he shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousness that is a righteous reward or a reward according to righteousness from the God of his salvation Solomon asserts the present performance of what is only promised in this Psalm he saith not The just shall receive the blessing but they have actually received it Prov. 10.6 Blessings are upon the head of the just By the just man we may understand First him that is in a justified state or him that is just by faith Secondly him that walks in a just way or that do justly And they who are indeed justified are not only engaged by that high act of grace to do justly but are either constantly kept in doing so or are soon brought to see they have not done so and to repentance for it Just and upright men in these two notions are so much blessed that they are a blessing Prov. 11.11 By the blessing of the upright is the City exalted As an upright man wisheth and prayeth for a blessing upon the City where he liveth so he is a blessing to it and that no small one but to the greatning enriching and exaltation of it He that is good in his person becomes a common good to Cities yea to whole Nations such are a blessing because they receive so many blessings Pro. 28.20 A faithful man shall abound with blessings This faithful man is one that acts and doth all things faithfully as appears by his opposition in the same verse to him that maketh hast to be rich of whom the Text saith he shall not be innocent that is he must needs deal unfaithfully or unrighteously for in making such post-hast to riches he usually rides as we say over hedge and ditch and cannot keep the plain way of honesty Thirdly As they who are in a state of grace and they who act graciously in that state so they who worship holily or holy worshippers have a special promise of the blessing As Sion is the seat of holy worship so there the Lord commandeth the blessing upon holy worshippers Psal 133.3 And again Psal 115.12 13. He will bless the house of Israel he will bless the house of Aaron he will bless them that fear the Lord both small and great that is the generality of holy worshippers shall be blessed The fear of the Lord is often put in Scripture for the worship of the Lord and so they that fear him are the same with them that worship him Fourthly They are the blessed of the Lord who trust the Lord for all and so make him the all of their trust Psal 34.8 O tast and see that the Lord is gracious blessed is the man that trustith in him that is in him only or alone being convinced of the utter insufficiency of the creature That man is cursed who trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm Jer. 17.5 therefore pure trust in God hath the blessing Fifthly They that are a blessing unto others shall have the blessing from the Lord. What it is to be a blessing to others read at large in the 29th Chapter of this Book vers 11. and in 31. Chapter vers 20. They that do good to others they especially who do good to the souls of others are a blessing to others Now they who do good they shall receive good themselves Prov. 11.25 The liberal shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered also himself He that watereth is a common good a blessing to the place where he lives a blessing to the rich a blessing to the poor a blessing to relations a blessing to strangers upon such the Scripture assures the blessing of the Lord. Sixthly They who promote the worship and service of God they that are friends to the Ark of God shall be blessed 2 Sam. 6.11 The Lord blessed the house of Obed-edom because he entertained the Ark shewed kindness to the Ark and was ready to do any service for the Ark of God he will be a friend to the true friends of his Church Seventhly They shall receive a blessing of God who strive in prayer for his blessing Jacob was blessed but he wâ—estled for it They that would have it must ask it with a gracious importunity they that seek it diligently shall find it These are the chief characters of the persons whom the Lord will bless And seeing his blessing is so effectual for the procurement of our good we should above all things labour to procure his blessing When Jacob wrestled with the Angel he asked nothing of him but a blessing Gen. 32.26 He did not say I will not let thee go except thou deliver me from my brother Esau he did not say I will not let thee go unless thou make me rich or great he only said I will not let thee go except thou bless me let me be blessed and let me be what thou wilt or I can be What should we desire in comparison of the blessing of God seeing his blessing strictly taken is the fruit of his fatherly love A man may be rich and great and honoured among men yet not beloved but he that is indeed blessed is certainly beloved of God Esau could not obtain the blessing Now what saith the Lord by the Prophet of him as the Apostle quotes the Prophet Rom. 9.13 Esau have I hated Esau got much riches but he could not get the blessing for he was hated of the Lord and therefore it is said Heb. 12.17 He found no place for repentance though he sought it carefully with tears that is he could not make Isaac repent of blessing Jacob though through a mistake yet according to Gods appointment he could not prevail with him no not by tears to take off the blessing from his brother Jacob and place it upon himself And the reason why the blessing remained with Jacob was because he was loved of God The blessing must go where the love goes The loved of the Lord are and shall be blessed and they who are blessed have all good with a blessing Read Gen. 24.35 Gen. 26.13 Gen. 28.3 2 Sam. 6.11 Psal 107.38 Yea as God giveth all good with a blessing so he giveth himself who is the chief good best of all and blessed for evermore to those whom he blesseth Then how should we desire the blessing of God or to be blessed by God It is wonderful how passionately and even impatiently the Votaries of Rome desire the Popes blessing they think themselves made men if they can but have his blessing I have read of a Cardinal who seeing the people so strangely desirous of his blessing Quando quidem populus hic vult decipi dicipiatur said Seeing this people will be deceived let them be deceived But we cannot be too desirous of a blessing from
the Lord if we have a blessing from him and he bless us we cannot be deceived we can never miss of comfort if he bless us But whence is it then that some look so much after creature-helps not minding the blessing of God Doubtless it slows or springs from one of these three bad fountains or bitter roots First From ignorance they know not what the blessing of God means for as Christ told the woman of Samaria Acts 4.10 If thou knewest the gift of God thou wouldst have asked c. So did they know what it is to be blessed of God they would ask it above all things It proceeds Secondly From a spirit of profaneness in many they despise God in their hearts and think it below them to call for his help or blessing Of such David speaks Psal 14.6 Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor because the Lord is his refuge or because 't is all one in effect he lives upon the blessing of God you are ashamed of this this is poor counsel think you as it is the counsel of the poor this trusting in God this making God our refuge this living upon the blessing of God is a pitiful life say you The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts or not at all in his thoughts to seek unto him and depend wholly upon him Psal 10.4 As Ezra was ashamed to require of the King a band of soldiers and horsemen to help them against the enemy in the way because he had spoken unto the King saying the hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him c. Ezra 8.22 So prophane persons are ashamed to ask help of God and his blessing at any time but then especially when they have bands of soldiers and horsemen to help them as will appear further in the next thing For Thirdly This mindlessness and regardlessness of the blessing of God proceeds in some from confidence in an arm of flesh either their own or others The Prophet reproved the Jews for this in the day of their trouble Isa 22.8 9 10 11. And he that is God discovered the covering of Judah that is what Judah covered himself with or thought himself safely sheltered by from all danger what was that the next words tell us thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the Forrest ye have seen also the breaches of the City of David that they are many ye have fortified the wall c. but ye have not looked to the maker thereof neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago The meaning of all is this ye relyed upon and put confidence in your own strength but looked not after nor sought unto me for my blessing ye thought ye should do well enough if your magazines were well stored and your City well fortified and therefore neglected me The same Prophet Chap. 31.1 shews the same reason why they neglected God why they looked not to the holy One of Israel nor sought the Lord it was because they went down to Egypt for help and stayed on horses and trusted in charets because they were many and in horsemen because they were very strong We cannot trust in God and creatures too If God alone be not trusted to he is not at all trusted and they who put their trust in any creature withdraw it from God and make that creature their God They cannot so much as mind much less seek a blessing from the true God who chuse to themselves another God Again seeing the Lords blessing is effectual then whatever our successes and increases are let us ascribe all to his blessing Do not sacrifice to your own nets nor burn incense to your own drags but say this hath God wrought the blessing of the Lord hath brought it to pass As the Apostle spake about spirituals 1 Cor. 3.6 I have planted Apollo watered but God gave the increase so 't is in temporals all our encreasings are of God Therefore let us say with the Psalmist Not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy Name be the praise Do not thank your wit for riches nor your industry for increase nor your strength for victory not any humane help for any of your attainments The race is not to the swift nor the battel to the strong neither yet bread to the wise nor yet riches to men of understanding c. Ecrl. 9.11 All is of God it is his blessing upon the means which makes the means successful But some may say are all men to ascribe all their successes and increases to the blessing of God I answer Negatively All encreases and outward successes are not to be ascribed unto nor fathered upon God A man may encrease in riches and double his estate as Jobs was yet not by the blessing of God Only that comes by a blessing from God which is got in Gods way or by good means according to the characters before hinted of the persons whom the Lord will bless for they who either make a profession of dishonesty or are dishonest in their profession let them take heed of pinning their successes upon God and of thanking him for them Many say in their hearts and some are not ashamed to say it with their mouths Honest dealers must die beggars They never came by riches in the way of a blessing who say honesty is the way to poverty much less they whose consciences know and tell them though others know it not and so cannot tell them that they have enriched themselves by the wrong or raised themselves by the ruin of others Job was enriched and raised high and the Text assures us what enriched him what raised him The Lord blessed The latter end of Job more than his beginning We have seen the Author of this blessing These words shew the subject of this blessing The latter end of Job 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prae initio ejus or Job in his latter end together with the quantity and abundance of this blessing More than his beginning The Lord blessed The latter end of Job That is Job in the latter part of his life and he blessed it more than his beginning that is than the former part of his life God blessed and greatly blessed the former part of Jobs life for he was the greatest man of all men in the East but now Job shall be greater than Job he shall be greater than himself His affliction razed down his house and all he had to the very foundation but when God would hold the plummet in his hand and rebuild him to what an amazing height did his house arise The Lord blessed his latter end more than his beginning The words are plain and need no comment From them we may observe First The latter part of a good mans life is the best part of his life It is often so I do not say it is alwayes so in
outward things God deals not with all alike but it is often so God gives them their best at last even in the things of this life As the Governour of the Feast said to the Bridegroom John 2. Thou hast kept the best wine till now So the Lord often keeps the best wine of outward comforts to the very last of our lives Bildad put it only as a supposition to Job Chap. 8.7 If thou wert pure and upright surely then he would awake for thee and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous though thy beginning was small yet thy latter end should greatly increase But we may resolve it as a Position concerning Job surely he was pure and upright for God did awake for him and made the habitation of his righteousness prosperous his beginning was comparatively small but his latter end did greatly encrease or he had a great encrease at his latter end And though this be not alwayes true as to outward things that the Lord blesseth the latter end of a good man more than his beginning yet it is always true as to spiritual things it is always true as to the best things The Lord gives his people their best soul-blessings at last though they have great good before yet greater good or their good in a greater measure then he gives them more grace more of his Spirit more of his comforts and their latter end is most blessed as it is the beginning of endless blessedness Abraham said to the rich man in the Parable Son remember thou hast had thy good things and Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented The Lord deals best with all his people at last one way or other to be sure all shall be well with them in the latter end Solomon saith Eccl. 7.8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning And he said so not because all things end better than they begin but because when things or persons end well it is then surely well with them whatever their beginning was That is well which ends well Hence let us be minded not to judge the work of God before the latter end The works of God seem cross many times to his people but he will set all right and make them amends for all at the latter end The Apostle James calls us to consider Job's latter end Chap. 5.11 Ye have heard of the patience of Job that is you have heard of his sufferings in the flesh and of his suffering spirit and ye have seen the end of the Lord that is what end the Lord made for him Some give another interpretation of these latter words as was shewed formerly but this I conceive most clear to the context Ye have seen the end of the Lord that is what end the Lord made for Job Though the middle part of his life was very grievous yet God changed the Scene of things and his end was very glorious David Psal 37.37 would have the end of upright men marked and well considered Mark the perfect man and behold the upright the end of that man is peace Possibly he hath had a great deal of trouble in his way but his end is peace Let not us be offended at the crosses which we meet with in the course of our lives but look to the promised crown at the conclusion of our lives Let us not stay in the death of Christ nor in the grave of Christ but look to the resurrection and the ascension of Christ You may see those who are Christs on the Cross and in the Grave but mark and you shall see their resurrection and ascension The two witnesses are represented slain yet raised and then ascending up to heaven in a cloud their enemies beholding them Rev. 11.11 12. Despise not the day of small things Zech. 4.10 the latter end may have a great encrease despond not in the day of sorrowful things for the latter end may be full of joy There are three things which should much comfort us in our afflictions First That they cannot last alwayes they will have an end Secondly That while they last or before theyh ave an end they are medicinal and healthful they are for our good while they continue upon us or we in them Thirdly which we have in the Text we may expect that as they shall surely have an end so that they will end comfortably No chastning for the present saith the Apostle Heb. 12.11 seemeth joyous but grievous nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby God will not only bring our troubles to an end but he will give us sweet fruit at the end of them as a recompence for all our troubles God will not only bring our sufferings to an end but to such an end as will make us gainers by them Those are even desirable and lovely losses which issue in such advantages Secondly In that the Lord gave Job so great an advance in worldly things Observe The Lord sometimes gives his people much more of this world than they desire or ever looked after Job was far from praying for such an encrease he never desired that his earthly substance should be doubled in his latter end Indeed we find him once wishing that it were with him as in his beginning but he wished not for more Chap. 29.2 O that it were with me as in the months past as in the day when the Lord preserved me when his candle shined upon my head and by his light I walked through darkness Job wished that he were in as good a condition as he once had but he never wished that all might be doubled or that his latter end should be more than his beginning yet the Lord gave him more gave him double to his beginning God exceeded his prayers and his wishes As the Lord is able to do exceeding abundantly for us above all that we ask or think Eph. 3.20 so he often doth and usually therefore moderates the desires and askings of his people as to the things of this world that he may out-give their askings and out-do their desires Thirdly The Lord made Job the greatest man in the East in his beginning but he blessed his latter end more than his beginning Hence note How much soever the Lord gives at one time he can give more at another God gave Job good measure before but now according to that expression Luke 6.38 he gave him good measure heaped up pressed down and running over Let us not say when God hath given us much or done much for us he can give or do no more for us he hath more in his treasure of temporal good things and he hath more in his treasure of spiritual good things than he hath yet given out to any he can give more faith how much faith soever he hath given he can give more patience how much patience soever he hath given and so of every grace and good thing The
Lords stock and treasure can never be drawn dry he is an ever-over-flowing fountain If you had much at the beginning you may have much more at the latter end So much of these words as they hold out the restoring of Jobs estate in general the particulars are summ'd up in the close of the verse For he had fourteen thousand Sheep and six thousand Camels and a thousand yoke of Oxen and a thousand She-Asses The encrease of his estate is here set forth in cattel only as his first estate was cattel were the riches of those times and Countreys yet doubtless his estate encreased in every thing or kind First his family and servants encreased to look to so many cattel Secondly his Lands and pastures encreased to feed them Thirdly his house and buildings encreased to receive and lodge so numerous a Family Fourthly his honour and dignity increased Some affirm that whereas before he had only some small principality under his government now he was declared King over all the Land of Vz Thus all sorts of good things were given him double but whether at once or by degrees is not exprest Some of the Rabbins have a fancy and it is a wild one that Jobs cattel which were taken from him were not carried quite away but only driven into some other Country and there kept so that when he was restored they were brought home to him again with this double encrease This may well go for a fancy for not his own cattel but cattel of the same kind were restored to him double There is no difficulty in these words The Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning giving double or twice as many Sheep Oxen Camels Asses as he had before Hence note Outward good things Sheep and Oxen Houses and Lands Gold and Silver are a blessing as they come from God unto his servants Here is nothing said of the best things all was but Sheep and Oxen yet in these Job received a blessing The Lord Deut. 28.4 made large promises of blessings to his obeying people or to his people in case of obedience and all in outward comforts Blessed shalt thou be in the City and blessed shalt thou be in the field blessed shall be the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy ground and the fruit of thy cattel the encrease of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheep blessed shall be thy basket and thy store Spiritual things are the best blessings spiritual things are not only the noblest but the most necessary blessings The favour of God the light of his countenance pardon of sin grace in our hearts these are excellent blessings and these make us exceedingly blessed and no doubt but Job did chiefly look after these blessings this good man desired the light of Gods countenance the shinings of his face upon him the workings of his grace and spirit in him the evidences of his love to him infinitely above cattel corn and wine A godly man accounts himself but in a poor condition if he were to reckon all his estate in Houses and Lands in Sheep and Oxen yet these are a blessing from the Lord upon him and so he accounts them And still it must be remembred which hath already been touched that before the coming of Christ before there was a full discovery and a clear manifestation of the grace of God in Christ to his people they in those times were much led and fed with promises of temporal blessings The faithful were allured to heaven by earthly things Jesus Christ who came down from heaven to lift us up thither who took our nature that we might partake of the divine nature who was cloathed with our flesh to shew that God dwelleth in us and hath joyned us to his glory and immortality Jesus Christ I say was known only in shadows and remote prophesies in those times and therefore it was necessary the Lord should deal with them accordingly and allure them by promises of cattel and corn and children especially by the promise of long life which hath the greatest resemblance to and bears the fairest image of eternal life and all because the heavenly life was not then so perfectly discovered as it is now in these Gospel-times For though it be a truth that all the good things of the world are not sufficient to make a love-token yet God gives those good things to his people as tokens of his love and they see love in them and these lesser good things are then best to us when we can look on them as blessings coming from the love of God which we may do First When we can say we have got and keep them with a good conscience Secondly When we use and order them with prudence Thirdly When we dispence them charitably and freely according to the needs and necessities of others When we truly and intentionally honour God with our substance in doing acts of love it shews that he hath given it us in love Fourthly When the Lord with encrease of riches gives us an encrease of grace when our souls thrive as well as our estates then we may look upon riches as coming to us in love Sheep and Oxen Gold and Silver without a just and wise and gracious possessing and using of them prove curses at last not blessings snares not favours There are none so unhappy as foolish rich men none so base as covetous rich men none so intollerable as proud rich men none so vile and despicable as sluggish voluptuous rich men none more ungodly and irreligious than they who having riches trust in them and dote upon them only when the Lord gives spiritual things with temporal grace with goods they are mercies to us When Luther received a favour from a great Prince he began to be afraid that God would put him off with such things A godly man receives a portion in earthly good things but he will not take all the good things of the earth for his portion Now as all spiritual things are better than temporal so among temporals some are better than others Job received good things when his cattel were doubled but he had better blessings of this life restored to him than those his estate restored double in cattle was nothing to his children restored single as it follows in the next words Vers 13. He had also seven sons and three daughters This is the third part of Jobs restauration sons and daughters We may consider this blessing First In the number Secondly In the sex In number his children were seven and three As to sex they were both sons and daughters he had seven sons and three daughters in all ten just the number he had before as we read at the second verse of the first chapter Some of the Jewish Rabbies before spoken of say his former children were not indeed slain but removed during the time of his affliction and that being ended were restored the same both in number and
person This is as groundless a dream as the other about his cattle and so I leave it For That his children were really slain with the fall of the house where they were feasting the history makes evident in the first chapter and that he had the same number of children not the same children restored is all that is evident in this Only here a question ariseth and some trouble themselves much about it to little purpose how to make good that of the 8th ver where 't is said The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before whenas he had but just so many sons and daughters as he had before Here is no doubling of them and it may be thought that the Lord being now blessing his latter end more than his beginning should have given him more children double children because the more children the greater is the blessing I answer First Negatively The reason why his children were not double though his cattle were was not First Out of any want of power in God he could have doubled his children as well as his cattle Nor was it Secondly For want of love or good will to Job Nor was it Thirdly As Tertul. lib. de patientia c. 14 one of the Antients Tertullian gives the reason that Job might never want something to exercise his patience with while he lived forasmuch as he saw himself shortned in that mercy Nor was it Fourthly As Aquinas conceived because if his children had been doubled as well as his estate then his children would not have had a double estate nor more than they should have had before Forty proportionably divided among twenty yields each of them no greater a portion than twenty will do to ten Nor was it Fifthly Because the Lord would not have him over-burdened with cares about their education none of these were any reason why Jobs children were not doubled to him in number as well as his cattle And therefore I answer affirmatively First For the word double or twice as much in the Text which this seems not to come up unto we may easily salve that difficulty for the Text speaks not of persons but of things or of his substance with respect to doubling or a twice as much As for his children they come in with an also as an additional blessing to all the rest He had also seven sons and three daughters Secondly Those words twice as much need not be taken strictly as was shewed before Job might and doubtless did receive a double mercy in his children though their persons were not doubled nor multiplied as will appear further afterwards Thirdly I answer it was the pleasure of the Lord to give him no more than the same number of children and that may suffice us Fourthly Some of the Ancients are much pleased with this other answer saying Job in a sence had his children doubled for his slain children were not lost but gone before and lived still in a blessed state They having immortal souls and being the seed of the righteous their father had reason to believe them safe in Abrahams bosome Those children are not lost to their parents when they dye Tibi non perit qui Deo non perit Non numero sed valore quod occultè insinuatur in filicabus quae pulcherrimae fuisse leguntur Aquin. who are not lost to God or are not themselves lost children Fifthly Though Jobs children were not doubled in number as his cattle were yet we may judge them doubled to him in goodness and vertuous qualities The beauty of his daughters is expressely noted in the following words And shall we think that God who had a blessing for Job blessed his children only with fading bodily beauty doubtless their minds were more richly indowed and their souls more beautiful than their bodies And if Jobs daughters were such we may well conceive his Sons were not inferiour to them in gracious qualifications and that they much exceeded the sons he had before his affliction Some have spoken doubtfully at least of Jobs former children as if though good yet not very good and they give two reasons for it out of this book First Because when they went to feast at each others houses Job used to offer sacrifice feaâ—ing his children had cursed God in their hearts Secondly Bildad chap. 8.4 seems to lay a blot upon his former children If thy children saith he have sinned against him and he have cast them away for their transgression c. which may intimate the sinful miscarriages of his former children in the course of their lives as well as that dreadful accident by which they dyed Yet I conceive we need not cast any such blot upon them they might be good though these were better and so a double mercy to their father He had also seven sons and three daughters Hence note Children are great blessings When the Lord told Abraham Gen. 15.2 I am thy shield and exceeding great reward Abraham said Lord what wilt thou give me seing I go childless As if he had said what is an inheritance without an heir Children are a blessing which God many times denieth his own children God denied Abraham that blessing long yet gave it him at last Abrahams servant reporting the blessings of God bestowed upon his master put this as chief Gen. 24.35 The Lord hath blessed my master greatly he is become great he hath given him flocks and herds silver and gold men servants and maid servants what follows and Sarah my masters wife bare a son to my master when she was old Abrahams servant counted this the complement of all his masters outward blessings that as the Lord had given him a great estate so a son to inherit and possess it after him And if children be a blessing let all who have them take heed of looking upon them as a burthen And seing they are a blessing of the Lord seing they come from him let all who have them be admonished to bring them up for him or as the Apostle directs In the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Whatever we receive from God we should use for him and return to him our estates should be serviceable to the Lord and above all we should labour to make our children serviceable to him Thus we have seen the three parts of Jobs restauration First His friends Secondly His wealth Thirdly His children were restored to him But Job had four losses and we hear nothing about the restoring of the fourth First He lost his substance Secondly His children Thirdly His health Fourthly His friends Here 's a restoring of three of them but nothing is spoken of the fourth which I place third the restoring of his health Now health being the chief of outward blessings better than sheep and oxen and whatever we can have in this world why was not the restoring of that mercy mentioned I answer Though the restoring of his health and strength be not exprest verbally yet it is exprest
equivalently or vertually for when it is said he offered sacrifice when it is said he did eat bread with his friends in his house these are proofs of his health and what was last spoken that he had so many children proves it much more So then though this fourth part of his mercy be not mentioned yet it is implied in all that went before But that being granted 't is further queried when his health was restored whether before he prayed for his friends or in the time of his prayer for his friends or whether after all was done Some make hot disputes about this matter which surely is not much material if we knew the certainty of it nor do I know how any should attain the certain kuowledg of it seing the Scripture is utterly silent as to any determination of it There is one question more The text saith God gave Job twice as much in cattle c. but here is nothing said of his twice as much in grace here is no mention of any amendment in his spiritual state his goods were doubled but was his goodness did Job recover only in temporals I answer First The graces of Job were never lost as his cattle and children were and therefore there needed no mention of the restoring of his graces Satan by the Lords permission put him to it and tried all his graces but could not rob him of one Secondly Jobs graces were not only not lost but doubled in that exercise or combate True grace encreaseth by the ordinary use of it much more by the extraordinary trials of it And doubtless Job who was so eminently gracious increased in every grace while he continued in this fiery trial He said of himself chap. 23.10 When he hath tried me I shall come forth as gold I shall come out better than I came in He lost dross and corruption in the trial but no grace nor any degree of grace his graces were doubled or increased A believer thrives as to the inner man in affliction how much soever he loseth and goeth backward as a man As the time of affliction is a special time for the using of grace so for the increasing of it Grace never grows more in a gracious heart than in a day of trouble And though possibly a godly man doth not sensibly or to appearance grow in grace presently yet he truly doth so and in due time it will appear that he hath done so We may take this chapter for a proof of it God himself found Job much bettered in his graces else he had not used him as a mediator for his friends which was as high a spiritual honour as could be put upon him acceptance being promised and given him in that work Nor would the Lord have used that endearing word My servant my servant Job four times in one verse had not Job improved in his service which could not be but by the improvement of his graces God called Job servant once in the first chapter surely he was become a better servant now that the Lord seemed so much delighted to call him servant in this last chapter of the book when he had taken full trial of him by suffering as formerly by doing We may well conclude Job was become a more humble servant a more profitable servant a more holy servant a more spiritual servant than ever he had been when we find the Lord insisting so much upon and so often repeating that relation to him My servant Job His sufferings had mended his service and his passive obedience had fitted him more for active God was so much pleased with his service that he took pleasure to call him servant So then we may answer the querie proposed Jobs increase was not only in cattle that had been but a poor increase his increase was also in grace and goodness and he who was a servant of the Lord before was then a more approved servant The Lord having told us in the close of this verse how many sons and daughters Job had he is pleased to give us a character or description of his daughters in the two verses following JOB Chap. 42. Vers 14 15. 14. And he called the name of the first Jemima and the name of the second Kezia and the name of the third Keren-happuch 15. And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren THe former verse gave us the account of Jobs children He had also seven sons and three daughters Nor is any thing more said of his sons but that they were seven but much more is said of his daughters in these two verses than that they were three and more is spoken of his daughters in three particulars First They are set forth by their names Secondly By the comliness of their persons Thirdly By the greatness of their dowry Their names are exprest in the 14th verse He called the name of the first Jemima and the name of the second Kezia and the name of the third Keren-happuch The comliness of their persons is shewed at the beginning of the 15th verse And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job The greatness of their dowry is set down at the close of the 15th verse And their father gave them inheritance among their brethren Some have queried why no more is said of the sons of Job than how many they were To such this answer may suffice it was the Lords pleasure to have no more spoken of them and where no more is said why should we expect more If any shall further enquire but were not his sons worthy persons that they are put off thus slightly and mention made only of their number not of their weight Were they not worthy to have so much as their names recorded which honour and much more is done their sisters the daughters of Job I answer We may upon good ground believe that Jobs seven sons were worthy persons because they were a great part yea the chief part of his restored happiness for as children are better than riches so among children sons are better than daughters as being the more worthy sex Sons if not well qualified are not only less worthy than daughters but a great cross to their father And therefore it would have been a diminishing of Jobs felicity to have had sons equal in number with the former yet inferior in vertue and man-like qualities we may for this reason safely conclude that though nothing be said of their worth that Jobs sons were worthy persons or persons of praise worthy qualities But seing we have nothing from divine authority but only from well-grounded reason to assert concerning Jobs sons I shall not stay the reader in any further discourse about them but proceed as the text doth with the daugtiters concerning whom we have many things to say from divine authority And First Their names must not be past with silence And
he called the name of the first Jemima He That is Job I say it was he Though some make a question whether it was he or no or whether Job gave the name or the people I shall determine it upon Job he Called the name of the first The Hebrew is he called the name of one Every first is one but every one is not first and therefore to distinguish who this one was we render the word First 'T is usual in Scripture to call that one which is First Thus spake Moses describing the works of creation Gen. 1.5 So the evening and the morning were the first day The Hebrew strictly is The evening was and the morning was day one Any day is one day the fift day was one day and the sixt day was one day as well as the first but the fift or sixth were not the first day therefore we translate for one day the first day Thee here he called the name of one that is of the first Jemima There is a two fold firstness First In order of time Secondly In order of honour First here is first in time The other two might equal yea exceed the first in worth and dignity but this was Jobs first-born daughter his first in time He called the name of the first Jemima Hence note First It is a duty to give names to our children 'T is not meerly matter of prudence 't is not humane invention to give names God himself gave the name to the first man God called him by the name which doubtless himself had given him when he called him Adam The proper name of the first man is a name common to all men Adam signifying red earth sheweth us of what matter all men are made And as God called the first man by that name Adam so Adam gave a name to the first woman his wife Gen. 3.20 He called his wifes name Eve because she was the mother of all living And as God gave the first man a name and he named the first woman so God appointed the first man to give names to all living creatures Gen. 2.19 The Lord brought all the beasts of the field to Adam to see what he would call them whatsoever Adam called every living creature that was the name thereof The Lord would have nothing nameless or without a name surely then he would have men and women known by their names Abraham was once called Abram a high father but God changed his name and would have him called Abraham the father of a multitude Were it not for names we should be in a great confusion both about persons and things we could not distinguish men had we not names to call them by Nomon quasi notamon Shem quasi Sham positum and therefore the Latines say the word nomen signifying a name comes from notamen a word which signifieth a mark of distinction Whatsoever God is made known by is called his name in Scripture because men and all things else are known by their names Though some in a special manner are called men of name in Scripture Gen. 6.4 which we therefore translate men of renown and men of no account or reputation among men are called men of no name yet the poorest the obscurest man hath a name by which he is known and distinguisht from other men And as by names we distinguish persons at present so we preserve the memory of persons and of their actions and of their sayings whether good or bad for hereafter How can it be cold who did or who said this of that unless we had their names who said or did it Secondly He called that is Job called the name of c. Hence note It is the fathers priviledge to give the name to his children To give a name is an act of power and therefore the Lord as I shewed before brought all the creatures to Adam as their Lord Having said Gen. 1.28 Have thou dominion over the beasts of the earth and the fowls of the air and the fish of the sea He brought them to Adam as their Lord to receive their names Gen. 2.19 It is an act of great power either to give or to change names When Saul Acts 9. was converted or changed the Lord changed his name he was no more called Saul but Paul In signum herilis potestatis being now become the Lords servant and as it were one of his menial or houshold servents he gave him a new name The Prince of the Eunuchs changed the names of Daniel and his three companions He gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar and to Hananiah of Shadrach c. Dan. 1.7 Yet we read in Scripture that women very often gave names to their children 'T is conceived that Eve gave the name to Cain I have gotten a man from the Lord Gen. 4.1 yea as some expound her meaning in those words she thought she had gotten That man the Lord even the Lord Jesus Christ the promised seed Gen. 3.15 and then she had gotten somewhat indeed a possession to purpose as the name Cain signifieth In the history of Jacob we find the mothers Leah and Rachel still giving the name Gen. 29.32 33 34 35. chap. 30.6 8. c. 1 Sam. 1.20 But as it is well distinguished though the nomination was often from the mother yet the imposition or confirmation of the name Nominatio à matre impositio nominis à patro was always from the father the mother desired the name the father ratified it as is plain in the case of John the Baptist Luke 1.59.60 61 62 63. Friends present at his circumcision called him Zacharias after the name of his father his mother answered not so but his name shall be called John How was this matter determined They made signes to his father how he would have him called he must end the matter and he called for a writing table and wrote saying his name is John There have been many nominations from the Mother but the imposition ever was from the Father and usually the Father only is mentioned in giving the name Gen. 5.3 29. as also here in the Text 't is said of Job alone He called the name of the first Jemima and the name of the second Kezia and the name of the third Keren-hapuch I shall First Consider the signification of these names in the original Language Secondly Give some account why Job gave them these names for we must not think they were given as we say at a venture nor in a fancy He called the name of the first Jemima 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. Diem Vulg. A Radicè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The root of this name in the Hebrew signifieth Day or the light of the day and so both the Septuagint and the vulgar Latine translate as if we should render it in English He called the name of the first Day He called the name of the second Kezia That in the Hebrew signifieth a Spice or
Perfume a very fragrant and pleasant spice of which Naturalists speak much and is commonly known by the name Cassia and so rendred Psal 45.8 All thy garments smell of Myrrh Aloes and Cassia as if in English Job had called his second daughters name Sweet spice or perfume And the name of the third Keren-happuch That 's a compound word from Keren which signifieth a Horn and Happuch which among the Learned hath a double signification First It signifieth a pouder of which they made a kind of ointment wherewith proud ones painted themselves called in Latine Stibium Some say it was a mineral others say it was a plant growing in the Sea which being ground to pouder was of an excellent redness in colour Here the word Keren signifying a Horn is prefixed to it because they used to preserve such painting-pouder in a horn We find this word Happuch made use of in the Verb 2 Kings 9.30 where it is said that Jezebel hearing Jehu was come to Jezreel Painted her face and tired her head c. The Prophet also maketh use of it Jer. 4.30 when he would shew how unable anything should be to do them good the Lord being provoked by their evil deeds True bodily beauty cannot much less can a painted face procure them favour with men with whom the Lord is angry for their wickedness and soul-pollutions and therefore saith the Prophet there Though thou cloathest thy self with crimson and deckest thy self with ornaments of gold though thou rentest thy face with painting in vain shalt thou make thy self fair thy lovers will despise thee they will seek thy life When he saith Though thou rentest thy self with painting it is only to shew that though they did their best and used their utmost skill to make themselves look fair though they should rub their faces with this vermillion till they crack'd their very skin yet it would do them no good the enemy would not be enamoured with them nor pity nor spare them for their fine cloaths and fair faces Secondly Others derive this word Happuch from a root which signifieth to turn and then the sence of the Text is He called the name of the third Keren-happuch that is The horn of conversion or of turning I shall give the reason of that translation by-and-by The Septuagint render it by a word which signifieth Plenty The horn of plenty But I conceive our rendring most proper He called her name Keren-happuch that is The horn of beauty alluding to the custom of proud women who to make themselves look fair and so to ensnare others with their beauty anointed or painted themselves with that tincturing stuff Thus we have the signification of these names But why did Job give his daughters such names as these First I suppose this may be given as a reason of it That he might in these names remember or be minded of his wonderful restoration God having brought him out of a low and miserable estate to a very high and comfortable one he therefore called the name of the first Jemima that is Day to signifie that he who before was in a night a dark night of sadness and sorrow of trouble and adversity was now come to a comfortable day of prosperity The Scripture saith Light is sown for the righteous They may be in the dark in a dark day in a day as dark as night and where the very light as Job spake Chap. 10. is as darkness but there is a Day coming Light is sown for the righteous Job might say I have been in the dark night of affliction but now 't is break of day with me and therefore that I may remember this goodness of God my first daughter shall be named Day that her name may help me to remember the goodness of God all my dayes Again When he called his second daughter Kezia that also might refer to his new state As if he had said My former condition of stink and filth is passed away I once sate as it were upon a dunghil being little better than dung my self full of ulcerous soars my breath savour'd so ill that my Wife could not endure me and I was an offence to all neer me but now the Lord hath renewed my flesh as the flesh of a child now I am sweet and clean my savour is like a perfume and therefore my second daughters name shall be Kezia Spice or perfume Job might also say My late affliction was a state of deformity I was black and uncomely my face was all as a scab and my body as a sore my countenance was slurr'd with tears and weeping as he complained Chap. 16.16 there was no beauty in me Job might say of himself in that state as it is said of Christ in the Prophesie When we beheld him there was no beauty no comeliness in him but now my sores are healed now I have recovered my former strength freshness and comeliness and therefore the name of this daughter shall be The horn of beauty to mind me how the Lord hath given me beauty for ashes and garments of joy for a spirit of heaviness Thus he might very well and very piously give his children these names to mind him of the blessed change which the Lord had made in his outward condition And this is the reason of that translation before mentioned of the name of the third daughter called Keren-happuch The horn of Conversion intimating how great a change the Lord had made in his horn his horn was in the dust before it was empty and had nothing in it but filth whereas now is become or turned to be a Horn of plenty Jobs estate was changed from poverty to plenty and his horn raised from the dust to honour and dignity and therefore he called the name of his third daughter Keren-happuch The horn of Conversion or The change of the Horn. Thus Job might have great reason to call his daughters by these names with respect to the change of his condition Hence observe Godly Parents do well when they give such names to their children as may be memorials of the providences of God towards them Joseph had a mighty turn in his estate as the Psalmist epitomizeth the History of Moses in Genesis concerning him Psal 105.17 18 19 20 c. He was sold for a servent his feet were hurt with fetters he was laid in irons until the time that his word came the word of the Lord tryed him The King sent and loosed him he made him Lord of his house and Ruler of all his substance c. This Joseph had two sons in the Land of Egypt after this turn of his estate but what were their names The Text answers Gen. 41.51 52. And he called the name of his first-born Manasseth which signifieth forgetfulness and he giveth this reason of it for said he God hath made me forget all my toyl and all my fathers house And the name of the second called he Ephraim which signifieth fruitful for said
1009. Inward beauty most desirable 1010 Beginning taken two ways 623 Behemoth described six wayes 606 607. Behemoth may signifie all the beasts of the field 609. Why though a word of the plural number applicable to one 609. Behemoth how the chief of the wayes of God 624 Beholding of things or persons twofold 577 Believers why called the first fruits of Gods creatures 221. A believer mounts high like the Eagle especially in two things 478. Believers do not only mount high but abide on high 480 Belief that which is much desired in some cases is hardly believed 454. Why the same word signifieth to stand fast or steddy and to believe 456. Birth new birth three things in it 322 Blessing two wayes of blessing one 977. The blessing of God effectual for the good of man 978. Seven characters of those whom the Lord will bless 979 980. They who are blessed are also loved of God 981. Three things whence it is that many mind not a blessing from God 982. All successes are not from the blessing of God 984. Temporal things are blessings but spiritual things are the best blessings 989. How we may know when temporal things are a blessing and come to us in love 990 Bochartus his opinion that Behemoth is not the Elephant but Hippopotame 611 612. Borrowing fear not to lose what God borrows of us 951 Brethren and sisters two wayes taken Scripture 956 Building two things most considerable in it both eminent in Gods building the World 59 C Canutus his answer to his flattering Courtiers 110 Captivity how taken in Scripture 931 Any affliction is a kind of captivity 932 Care to be cast upon God 177. Care of God over the beasts of the earth and fowls of the air should convince man that God will take care of him 279 288. Care of God to provide for the vilest creatures 296. Care of God for his p ople seen in two things 643 Carefulness what to be avoided 746 Carnal men judge of God by themselves 834 Causes natural causes produce natural effects and so do spiritual causes spiritual effects 214 Charity a great trial of it 880 Children not to charge their parents when able to help themselves 324. They who excel in any thing are elegantly called the children of it 781 Children a great blessing 993. Parents duty in naming them See names how it is a blessing to have many children 1023. Good children a great joy 1024 Christ his eternity 45. He is the corner-stone 69 70. Christ a light for two great ends 122. Christ compared to a Lion in four respects 283. Christ resembled by the Hind in three things 312. Why Christ is called a horn of salvation 381. Christ like the Eagle shewed in seven things 489 490. Christ a relief against all evil 648. Christ the best friend 958 Church a vain thing to oppose it 685 Church set out by Christ in her spiritual excellencies 721. God terrible in the Church 729 Cloathed to be cloathed with any thing what it imports 428 429 Cloud how a garment to the sea 101. Clouds called the Arcenal of heaven why 192. The wisest men can neither tell how many the clouds are nor fully what they are 272 Cock why crows at Mid-night 254. He is a natural clock 270 Cold whether natural or spiritual is a great binder 243 Comforting the sorrowful a great duty 967 Six cases which call us to comfort others together with so many ways of ministering comfort to them 968. Four considerations moving to this duty 969 Command of God creating 114 115 Comeliness it consisteth in three things 717 Company no company pleaseth but such as is sutable 340 Compulsion grievous to beasts much more to men 341 Condemnation of self what good 545 Confession of sin when right 525 Contending of two sorts 497. How man contendeth with the word how with the works of God 497 498. There is a spirit in weak man ready to contend with the strong God 499. In two cases we are apt to contend with God about his works 501. Four considerations moving us to beware of all contendings with God 502 503. In what way we may contend with God 503 504. They who contend with God would seem wiser than he 505 Conversion why so difficult a work 360 Covenant Hebrew word notes two things and why 670 Counsel what it is 25. The word counsel put absolutely or alone notes Gods counsel 25 Counsel of God may soon be darkned by us 30. Some do it intentionally the greatness of their sin 30 31 Courage where God gives courage man cannot make afraid 438. True courage fears not present danger 449 Craft Some creatures full of it 292. What some cannot do by strength they do by craft 292 293 Creation that work calls us to praise God 89. Four things in creation move us to praise God 90 Creatures God can make any of them hurtful to us 188. Two things shew the power of God in the creature 189. Several degrees of excellency in the creatures 625. An inference from it 626. God can easily subdue the strongest creatures 638. Two inferences from it 638 639. God to be magnified in the qualities and quantity or bigness of his creatures 663. All creatures made serviceable to man 672. Some creatures terrible to man 690. An inference from it 690. God pleased in setting forth the natural excellencies of his creatures 718. The excellencies of the creature shew the excellency of God 722. God would have man know the excellencies of the creature 723 Crocodile not tongueless 662 D Danger to leave any thing in danger and not provide against it is great folly 402. Dangers put all creatures to their utmost shifts 419. They who think themselves out of danger despise danger 420. Danger is the Element of courage 446. It is best not to do or quickly give over doing that which is dangerous 680. They are cruel to themselves who run upon danger unadvisedly 692. Great dangers may make the stoutest afraid 753. Great dangers put bad men upon repentance 758 Darkness what 166 Day of Judgment like to be a terrible day 18. It will be a discovering day 125. Days when and whose days may be said to be full 1029 1031. Day-light never riseth two days together exactly in the same place 126 Death the Gates of it what 151 152 154. No man knoweth how or in what manner he shall dye 155. Death takes all and that upon a two-fold ground 1025. Four cautions from it 1025. A good man willing to dye 1031 Deering his discourse upon his death-bed 168 Deliverance out of trouble is Gods work 933. He can soon work it 934 Demanding of two sorts 818 Desire what we most desire we would fain be at 441 444 457 Devil in bonds always 111. Devil like the Hawk 473. With what weapons we may prevail against him 766 Dew how caused 222. Two things considerable in the falling of the dew 222. God the Father of it 223. The great benefit of
dew 223 224. A three-fold allusion of the dew 226 Disdain or despising who most apt to do it 780 Disposition two-fold 717 Divisions among good men very bad 736 Don the Spanish word for a Lord whence derived 68 Double what it signifies in Scripture 948 Drinking much in bruits is from their constitution not from their lusts 653 Duty God would have us do our best in every duty 38. Two things needful to it 38. Better do duty late than not at all 961 Dwellings appointed by God to every creature sutable to his nature 334 E Eagle what the Hebrew word imports 474. Exceeds any Hawk in three things 475. Two reasons why the Eagle mounts so high 476. Fâ—ur reasons why she makes her nest on high 480. What food she most delights in 484. The quickness of the Eagles eye-sight 485. How she tryeth her young ones 486. Eagles presage or smell a battel long before 488. The similitude between the Eagle and Christ in seven particulars 489 490. The similitude between an Eagle and a true Christian â—pened in seven things 491. Two wings of a greet Eagle are said to be given the Church 493 Earth how immoveable 51 52. The earths foundations 47 52 God the maker of the earth five inferences from it 53 54. Three things in the making of the earth should stir us up to praise God 56 57. The form and firmness of the earth set forth four ways 59 60. Measures of the earth different opinions about it 61 62. Five things admirable in the frame of the earth 65. Inferences from it to thankfulness and an exact frame of life on this earth so exactly framed for us 66 67. What are the garments or clothing of the earth 137. Breadth of the earth 157 158. Two inferences from the greatness of the earth 158 Eastwind much under the dominion of the Sun 199 200 Egypt why not looking to heaven for rain 207 Election of free grace not of fore-seen works 702 Elements their natural order 98 Elephant the manner of his eating grass described 618. Twelve things for which the Elephant is eminent above other beasts 627 628. Four inferences from it 630 Encrease in the field five things needful to produce it 378 Enemy no wisdom in provoking one too strong for us 691 Enemies to be prayed for and how 941 Entreaty the strong will not use entreaties 669 Equinox when 127 Error wise and good men may erre 869 Eternity three sorts of beings 49. God only absolutely eternal 49. Eternity what 50 Exacters of two sorts 339 340 Examples of two sorts recorded in Scripture 1036 Experience experimental knowledge best 793 Eye hath a great force upon the heart in three things 688 689. The Eye called the light of the body in two respects 740 F Face binding of it in secret what 590 Failings God overlooks them in his upright servants 178 Faith the only way of understanding the worlds creation 51. Faith is the eye of the soul 689. Only faith keeps down the prevailings of fear 756. All must be done in a two-fold faith 918. Faith and repentance must go together 943 Fault God will not charge any man beyond his fault 33 Favourites God shews favour to all good men yet some only are his favourites 891 Fear of two sorts 411. A due fear puts us upon the use of means for the â—reservation of our selves and others 412. Fear put for the thing feared 445. That which is not feared is usually derided 447. Fear what it is 733. Fear disturbs reason 755 756. The less natural fear the more perfection 777 Feasting moderate lawful 963. Seven cautions about it 663 Feathers goodly feathers the gift of God to birds 387. Three inferences from it 388. All birds are not of a feather 389 Folly sin is folly shewed four ways 906 907 Food God gives food to all creatures convenient to their nature 342 641 642. Forgetfulness we may be said to forget that which we never had as well as that which once we had 413 Forgiveness God is ready to forgive 882. We should be ready to forgive one another 887 888 Foundation of a building four Attributes of it 46. What the foundations of the earth are 47. Why the earth is said to have foundations 47. What the foundations of the earth are shewed further 52. A different word in the Hebrew signifying a foundation 68. Acclamations used at the laying of the foundation of great buildings 74 Freedom some creatures are free from others bound to service by Gods appointment 328. Inference from it 328. To be free from labour and service is but a low priviledge 329. To desire freedom from duty and service is very sinful 330. A mercy to be free from three yoakes or bonds 331. To be free to serve is better than to be free from service 332. To be forced is grievous 341 Friends their loss a great loss 957. In times of afflâ—ction worldly friends will leave us and godly friends may prove unkind to us 957. Two inferences from it 958. Friends should be friendly 961 Frost and Ice from God 228. Frost compared to ashes in three respects 228. The force of frost 229 230. A two-fold resemblance of frost and ice 231 232 Fruitfulness how the Wilderness will witness against unfruitful professors 215. What spiritual good fruits are 215 216 Fullness of two sorts 1028 G Garment natural what 725. Every creature hath some kind of garment or other 726. Christ and his graces the best garment 726 Gates of death what vid. death Gifts or endowments God gives not all to any one creature and why 421 Gifts or presents a duty to send them in some cases 973. Six sorts of gifts lawful a seventh utterly unlawful 973 Glory that which any creature eâ—cels in is his glory 440 567 569. Glory of God twofold 568 Goates the signification of the word both in the Hebrew and Latine 307. Seven things wherein wild goates resemble a godly man 308 309 God is present with his in troblous dispensations 20. The outward appearances of God very terrible when he intends nothing but mercy 20 21. God is the first being 49. God an eternal being 49. God is the fountain of all being 50. None like God 54. God the proprietor and possessor of all things Inferences from it 55. All creatures are at the command of God 262. Contendings with God See contending God hath terrible ways of revealing himself 530. God hath a mighty power 547. A three-fold gradation in expressing it 547 548. God is full of majesty beauty and glory 570. Inferences from it 571. 573. God terrible to sinners 690. No standing before God four ways 694 695. God is in no mans debt 698. God self-sufficient 700. All things are his by a four-fold title 705. The excellencies of God must not be concealed 722. God terrible 728 729 God is good at any work that is good 795. God is omnipotent 796. God hath right to do whatsoever he doth 799. Not a thought of
his can be disappointed 800. Two inferences from it 802. How God may be seen shewed four ways 824 Godly man like the Hind in five things 313 314. The latter end of a godly man best 985 Goodness of God two things sheâ—â— 882 Gospel where it comes makes a great change 136 137. Gospel-rain sent upon the Heathen who are as a wilderness 210. Why God takes away the rain of the Gospel from any place 214. The Gospel only gives both liberty and ability to repent of sin 842 Grace called glory 568 Grace preventing God is aforehand with us 699. Grace received may occasion pride 734. Encrease in grace is the best encrease 995 Grass-hopper his motion 436. What the Hebrew word for a Grashopper signifieth and why 437 Great things cannot ordinarily be done by small means God can 665 H Hail what it is 180. God hath store of hail and snow 180. Hail and snow used by God as his artillery to fight against evil men 190. Five Inferences from it 192 193 Happiness of eternal life made up of three things 161 Hard dealing they that deal hardly with others are hardned against them 406. They are very hard-hearted who deal hardly with those that are young and tender 407. To be hard to neer relations is very unnatural 408 Hardned sinner how like Leviathan 767 Hardship good for Christians to inure themselves to it 769 Harmony or musick in the motion of the heavens what 273 274 Harrow spiritual twofold 368 Hawk what the Hebrew word signifies 468. Hawks flie swiftly long 468. The Hawk hath her skill in flying from God 470. Sun represented by the Hawk 472. A twofold resemblance of the Hawk 473 474 Health twofold 683 Heart hard power of God in softning it 230. Why the same word in Hebrew signifies the heart and a Picture as also a Cock 270 Heart the flesh of it harder than the flesh of any other part of the body 751. Hardness of heart threefold 751 Heaven Ordinances of heaven of two sorts 251. What Laws or Ordinances the heavens give the earth 251. The heavens under a Law in three respects 252. The Ordinances of heaven are a secret to man 252. Inference from it 253. What the dominion of heaven is in the earth 253 254. Opinion of some Astronomers about the dominion of the heavens 255 256. Caution about this 256 257 Heaven why called a City 339 Heliogabalus a chief dish at one of his great suppers 414 Heliotrope a flower why so called 254 Hermites their way of life not approvable 336. Two cases wherein we may desire solitude 336 Hinde what the Hebrew word signifies 311. A twofold allusion of the Hinde 312. How the number of their months is a secret 317. Hindes have sore pain in bringing forth their young 320 321. The help she hath in that condition 321. Inference from it with respect to women in travel 322 Hope in vain three wayes 682. Hope puts us upon action 684. It is vain to act when we see no hope of success 685. Two Inferences from it 685. Lost hope is the greatest loss 686 Hoâ—se six sorts of Horses 423. The strength of a horse Gods gift 424. The goodness of God in making so strong a creature serviceable to man 425. Five Inferences from the strength of the horse 425 426. man very apt to trust in horses 427. What meant by thunder with which his neck is said to be cloathed 429 430. The horse in his rage is terrible 434. How the motion of a horse may be compared to that of a Grashopper 436. Horse a valiant beast 438. The Horse how an emblem of a bold and hardned sinner 463. How the Horse is an emblem of a bold Saint or servant of God 464 Humble A sâ—ul truly humbled and made sensible of sin will do any thing at the command of God 920 921 Humility the better we are the lower thoughts we have of our selves 516. The dealings of God with man aim much at the humbling of him 517. God shews most favour where he sees most humility 519. Two things humble us 835. A great tryal of humility what 880 Hunger makes industrious 343 484. Hunger after the Word when sad 485 Hypocrite like the Ostrich in five particulars 395 396 I Jackal a little beast that is said to hunt the prey for the Lion 280 Ice see frost Idolatry of the Jews why worse than the idolatry of the Gentiles 569 Jehovah what it signifieth and why the Lord repeated himself to Job by that name in the latter part of this Book 7 8. Ignorance our ignorances are to be bewailed and confessed before God 814 Impatience floweth from ignorance 811 Impunity present no assurance of future indempnity 186 Intercession of Christ ever prevailing for us 945 946 Isaiah the Prophet how and why put to death 823 Issue of actions to be remembred before we act 679 Judge two parts of a Judges office 868 Judgement God will bring every one to a reckoning 28. Judgement-day will bring all things to light 125. Judgement of God why his providential dealings are so called 539. It is impossible to stop or reverse the judgement of God 539 540. When we do not submit to the judgement of God we may be said to reverse it 541. Mans pleas for his dissatisfaction with the judgement of God 541 542 Justice to be done speedily 134 Justifie he that is much in justifying himself under the afflicting hand of God seems to condemn God 544. We should justifie God in all things 544 545 K Kings resembled by the Lion in five things 282 Knowledge we know not the all of any thing or any thing fully 159 160. Perfect knowledge our happiness in the next life 161. How knowledge is said to vanish in the next life 161 162. Man by reason of his short life hath little knowledge 175. God hath given irrational creatures a knowledge of what is best for their own preservation 472. God hath not concealed the knowledge of himself and of his will from man 724. Knowledge oppâ—sed not only to ignorance but to lesser degrees of knowledge 791. Knowledge a growing thing 792. A twofold encrease in knowledge 792. Experimental knowledge best 793. Afflictions a means to encrease knowledge 794. 'T is a good degree of knowledge to confess we know little 815. Oâ—r profiting in knowledge is according to the measure of Gods revealing himself to us 827. Knowledge of our selves humbleth us 834 L Labour food not to be had without labour 366. Labour taken two wayes in Scripture 373. Labour in vain what and when 410 412 Laughing at any thing shews we slight it or fear it not 765 Leviathan what the word signifies 668. What Leviathan is 668. Leviathans greatness 664. None upon earth like him in two things 775. His pride 781 Liberty See Freedom Liberty better than plenty 341 Life of man shortness of it 46. Mans life nothing comparatively 48. Life short 176. Two things as to our life should humble us 176. Long
Christ would make to help comfort and relieve her by the speedy running of the young Hart. 2. Jesus Christ is so compared with respect to his lovingness that 's the Epithete which Solomon gives the Hind Prov. 5.19 Let her thy Wife be as the loving Hind and pleasant Râ—e Now as the Wise should be tendered by her Husband as a loving Hind so Jesus Christ is like the Hind for his exceeding lovingness to his Spouse or Wife Christ is so full of love that he is called love it self One of the Antients speaking of Christ dying said My Love was crucified 3. Jesus Christ is shadowed by the Hind with respect to his sufferings for he was hunted as a Hind with Hounds with blood-hounds with the hell-hounds of this world the worst of wicked men Therefore it is remarkable that in the 22. Psalme which is throughout a prophecy of Christ the first words being the last he spake in this world My God my God why hast thou forsaken me The title of that Psalm is To the chief musician upon Aijeleh Sahar and if you would know what that signifies look into the Maâ—gin of your larger Bibles there you shall find The Hind of the morning Hunters use to single out that special Deer Hart or Hind early in the morning which they purpose for game that day signifying that Jesus Christ who is so much spoke of in that Psalm was a Hind not only sorely and fiercely but early hunted by wicked men to death Again The Scripture speaks of the Hind with respect unto godly men First As to the freeness and cheerfulness of their spirits in the wayes and things of God The Prophet Isa 35.6 shews how it shall be with those that receive the Gospel though they have been lame impotent cripples before not able to take one step God-ward yet saith he The lame shall leap as a Hart or as a Hind that is they shall exceedingly rejoyce at the receiving of the Gospel and be very active in the obedience of it Secondly As to that exceeding thirst strong appetite or desire which true believers have to and after Jesus Christ who is the living water the water of life Thus David spake of himself Psal 42.1 As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God Some render as the she Hart that is the Hind panteth after the water brooks c. When David would express the exceeding ardency of his souls thirst after Christ he compares it to the thirst of a hunted Hart or Hind Thirdly The Hind is very swift of foot so are believers as they have strong desires so speedy pursuits after Jesus Christ David had a holy confidence that God would make him swift in spirit when he said Psal 18.33 The Lord shall make my feet like Hinds feet that is he will make me very active agile and nimble not only for the avoiding of corporal evils but also in following of spiritual good things Fâ—u thly The Hind loves high places or to be and breath in the free air Thus the Prophet Habakkuk speaks of himself Hab. 3.19 The Lord will make my feet like Hinds feet he will make me walk upon my high places He means not the high places of worldly preferment or power but of peace and safety nor either of them so much as those truly high places of a holy life and joy in spiritual meditation and conversation to which we resort by the wings of saith in and love unto God Vpon these high places thou wilt make me to walk As if the Prophet had said I shall go lightly and sweetly on in my journey to heaven having my soul supplied and suppled as it were with the oyl of spiritual joy and gladness As it is said of Jacob Gen. 29.1 after that he had that blessed vision at Bethel in the close of the 28th Chapter He weâ—t on his journey or as we put in the margin He lift up his feet his feet were like Hinds feet lithe and nimble for his journey going on in faith towards God and in the light of his countenance Fifthly It is observed by Naturalists that Hinds are very charitable and helpful one to another and they give that special instance when swimming over any River or deep water the second is supported by the first and the third by the second and so to the last they help one another over which doth excellently shadow the usefulness that should be among Christians and their helpfulness mutual they should be as Harts and Hinds always in this respect and then most when they come into the Rivers and deep waters of sorrow and trouble then they should support and bear up each one his brother The Apostles word is Gal. 6.2 Bear one anothers burdens and so fulfil the Law of Christ The burdens which he there intends are not only the infirmities which are in us but the afflictions and troubles which possibly we may at any time be in And again Phil. 2.4 Let not every man mind his own things but let him mind the things which are anothers that is let him be helpful to others in outward things much more let him be helpful to others in spiritual things Thus the Scripture speaks both of Jesus Christ and of those that are his under the similitude of the Hind From both parts of the verse in that the Lord puts the question here to Job Knowest thou the time when the wilde Goats of the rocks bring forth or canst thou mark the time when the Hinds do calve Note First The Lord himself takes special care of the wildest creatures even of those which are most remote from the help and care of man The care and tenderness of God toward beasts turns to his praise as well as the care which he hath of and the tenderness which he shews to believers And as it doth exceedingly advance the glory of God that he takes care of wilde beasts so it may exceedingly strengthen the faith of man that he will take care of him Doth the Lord take care of wilde Goats and of Hinds then certainly he takes care of those that particularly belong to him as hath been already shewed or inferred from such like instances as we have here in the Text. Secondly From the particular Point upon which the care of God is here intimated with respect to the wilde Goats and Hinds namely their bringing forth and calving we learn that There is a special providence of God towards these and such like creatures for the production of their young He if I may so speak with reverence shews his Midwifry in helping these savage beasts when their pains come upon them As the Lord takes man in an eminent manner out of the womb Psal 22.9 so in a manner he takes beasts out of the womb too Psal 29.8 9. The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness it shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh So we translate it but the word which we render shaketh is
the same with this in the Text which signifieth to bring forth And hence some very learned in the Hebrew tongue do not render as we The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness but The voice of the Lord maketh the wilderness to bring forth The Lord maketh the wilderness of Kadesh to bring forth which is not to be understood of the vegetative creatures that 's a truth the Lord makes the Trees of the Forrest to bring forth both leaves and fruit but it is meant of animals or living creatures there And then when he saith The voice of the Lord maketh the wilderness to bring forth the meaning is The Lord makes the wilde beast of the wilderness to bring forth which seems to be the clear sense of the place by that which followeth for the Psalmist having said this in general at the 8 h verse The voice of the Lord maketh the wilderness to bring forth he in the 9th verse gives the special instance of the Hind The voice of the Lord maketh the Hinds to calve So much concerning the wilde Goats bringing forth their young and the Hinds calving In the next verse the Lord enquires of Job the time how long they go with young before they bring forth and calve Vers 2. Canst thou number the mouths that they fulfil As if the Lord had said Canst thou tell how long they that is the wilde Goats or the Hinds bear their natural burdens Canst thou number their months Menses qui hic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uâ—â—antâ—r à Laina menses enim Hebraeorum Lunares crant the Hebrew is their Moons The Jews reckoned their months by Moons and we distinguish between Lunaâ—y and Solary months Moon-months consist of twenty eight dayes Sun-months of thirty Canst thou reckon the Moons or months that they fulfil To this the Prophet alludes Jer. 2.24 speaking of the wilde Ass that snuffs up the wind at her pleasure that is who takes pleasure or as the Margin reads it The desire of whose heart is to snuff up the wind in her occasion sai h he who can turn her away He compares wanton vain persons idolatrous and superstitious persons especially who of all others are the wâ—ntonnest and vainest persons to an Ass when she is in the heat of her lust and pleasure all they that seek her will not weary themselves that is they will not weary themselves to seek her while she is in that condition but in her month they shall find her that is when she is burdened with young when her sorrows and pains are neer coming upon her then she may be dealt wiâ—h Thus the Lord would shew his people that however being so lusty so wanton there was no dealing with them yet a month of sorrow was coming upon them even as upon one with young wherein they should feel and be under such sad pains as would burden them to purpose as we say and then they would be found and might be spoken with Wilde Asses have their months their months of bearing and their month of bringing forth about those and this the Lord enquires of Job Canst thou number the months that they fulfil The question is not so to be understood as if the number of the months which they fulfil were so many that they could not be numbred but the Lord speaks thus because of the uncertainty of the time as to man when those months are fulfilled David prayed Psal 39.4 Lord shew me the number of my dayes not as if the number of his dayes were so many that he could hardly find out the number of them Arithmetically but being so uncertain he needed the Lords instruction to teach him how to count the number of them spiritually So here Canst thou number the months that they fulfil that 's as great a secret as the number of any mans dayes in this world are Yet it may be objected surely it is no such hard matter to number the months which Hinds and wilde Goats fulfil For if the question be what time of their age Goats first conceive Aliquando anniculae semper binae pariunt octonis annis Plin. l. 8. c. 50. and how long they continue bearing Pliny answers Sometimes they conceive at a year old alwayes at two years old and saith he they continue bearing eight years Secondly If the question be about what time of the year they conceive and bring forth the same Author answers They conceive in November and b ing foâ—th in March so that they go burdened five months Again if the question be about the Hinds he thus resolves it They conceive about the latter end of September and bring forth about the middle of April the whole time they go Octonis monsibus serunt pâ—rtus Plin. l. 8. c. 32. being about eight months so that there seems no such difficulty in numbring the months which either wilde Goats or Hinds fulfil that is how long they go with young I answer Though the general time which they fulfil may be known or is known and set down by Writers yet the precile particular time the day of the month or hour of the day or which is the thing enquired when their months come out and are fulfilled that 's a secret Though it be commonly known that a woman goes nine months with child yet who knows or can a woman her self know exactly to a day or an hour when her pains and travel will come upon her Many women have been under great mistakes in that caâ—e and rarely do any hit the time right but reckon a day two or three over or under the just account So then though the general time is known yet the exact particular time is not known I may say in this case as our Lord Jesus Christ said about the end of the world Of that day and hour knows no man we may know the general time we may know it will not be long before the world shall end The time which the world shall go with its great birth is commonly said to be six thousand years but the day and hour of its travel and of the consummation of all things according to the decree of God no man no nor Angel knows Here the Lord questions Job about the exact particular time which himself keeps as he doth all special seasons in his own h nd or power under his own lock and key as Christ told his Disciples Act. 1.7 Canst thou number the months that they fulfil dost thou keep their reckoning Or knowest thou the time when they bring forth 'T is the same in effect that was spoken before therefore I shall not stay upon it From the whole verse observe The Lord only can give timely succour to all creatures The reason is implyed in the Text Because he only knows the certain time of their extremity None can give exact and timely help to the necessity of another but he that knows the exact time of his extremity The Lord can and will
his heart to all generations They shall stand who then shall make them fall The Sentences or Judgements of men are often disanulled by men and they may alwayes be disanulled by God Lam. 3.38 Who is he that saith and it cometh to pass when the Lord hath not commanded The Lord can disanul all the Judgements of men of the wisest men in the world but none can disanul the Lords Judgements and make them void There are but two wayes by which the Judgement that is the Sentence or the resolution and purpose of a man is disanulled First By the power of the party against whom the Judgement is given Sometimes there is a Sentence given against a man which comes to naught 't is made void why there 's no power can execute it upon him David spake much in that language Ye sons of Serviah are too hard for me Secondly Sometimes the Judgements of men are disanulled by a superiour Authority one Court recalls or takes off the Judgement of another But neither of these wayes can the Judgement of God be disanulled If God give out a Sentence against a person his power how powerful soever he is shall never hinder the execution of it though he be as it 's spoken in Amos as high as the Cedar and as strong as the Oak yet he shall not hinder the Judgement of God And as there is no man hath power of arm or of arms to hinder the Judgement of God so there is no Authority superiour to or above Gods There 's no Court above the Court of Heaven to which appeal may be made to get Gods Sentence disanulled or his Judgement reversed therefore the Judgement of God cannot be disanulled And seeing the Judgements of God as taken for the Sentence which he hath declared against sinners such as that Rom. 2.9 Tribulation and anguish upon every soul that doth evil c. cannot be disanulled what cause have we to blesse God for Christ who hath endured that Judgement in his own person which could not be disanulled nor made void and hath also as the Apostle speaks Col. 2.14 blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his Crosse Yet Observe Secondly The Judgements of God are by him accounted as disanulled or made void by us when we do not submit to them nor humble our selves as we ought under them This was Jobs Case Why doth God aske him whether he would disanul his Judgement surely because he had made many complaints as hath been shewed in this Book about the dealings of God with him The Lord interpreted this as a disanulling of his Judgement If we are not satisfied with the Judgement of God though it be a Judgement of anger and displeasure towards us we as much as in us lies disanul the Judgement of God Let us often remember this The way of Gods proceeding with us his way of administration towards us is his Judgement now if it be a way of affliction if he speak terribly to us let us take heed of complaining lest we be found disanulling his Judgement We may come under the compasse of this Charge before we are aware As for instance If we shall say we could bear any Judgement but this any affliction but this this is to disanul the Judgement of God Let us say whatever the affliction is it is best for us and God hath most righteously brought it upon us Again If we shall say we could be patient even under this Judgement of God for the matter of it but when we consider the degree of it that it goes so far and wounds so deep who can bear it Thus Job complained Chap. 6.2 Oh that my grief were throughly weighed and my calamity laid in the ballances together for now it would be heavier than the sand of the Sea therefore my words are swallowed up It was not so much the matter of his affliction as the degree or weight or extremity of it which put him to those grievous complaints Now if we are not patient and quiet under that very degree of the Judgement which God is pleased to heighten it unto this is a disanulling of his Judgement therefore let us take heed of complainings upon that account Yet further Others will say If this Crosse had been for a short time we could have born it but it hath been long upon us already and we know not how long it may continue we can see no end of it Take heed of these complainings for this also is to disanul the Judgement of God if we find fault with the length of the Crosse Though we may cry with the souls under the Altar How long Lord how long yet we must not say it is too long Lastly There is this also at which many are much troubled and so even disanul the Judgement of God for say they if it were but in some one thing that we were afflicted we could bear it but we are afflicted in body and afflicted in mind and afflicted in our children and afflicted in our estate we are afflicted in our credit and in all our comforts if it had been in some one thing we could have sat down quietly under it but now it 's affliction all over Take heed for this also is to disanul the Judgement of God And if any of these be to disanul the Judgement of God how soon may we do it And if they are not as to either free from this charge who shew some impatience and trouble of spirit under the severer dealings of God what shall we say of those who openly murmur and even rage against them Thirdly Wilt thou disanul my Judgement Note God takes it as a high affront and a dishonour when his Judgement is touched or when his Judgement is not quietly submitted to Wilt thou saith he What! disanul my Judgement The Apostle saith Let God be true and every man a liar Let the Judgement of God stand though we fall Fourthly Consider what a huge boldnesse it is in a creature to do or say any thing which may be interpreted a disanulling of the Judgement of God Fifthly Consider how sinful a thing it is for any to go about to crosse the administration of God Somewhat we may do in all the judgements or sad dispensations of God we may pray about them and we may in an humble submission expostulate with God about them but we must take heed of an unquiet spirit under them or of any risings of heart against them Pray we may about them earnestly instantly and importunately and the more the better yet still quietly submit and the more quietly we submit to them the more fit we are to pray to and wrestle with him about them that he in his own good time and in his own way would remove them from us Wilt thou disanul my Judgement Wilt thou condemn me that thou mayest be righteous These words may be taken
as an Exposition of the former As if the Lord had said Either I must be condemned that thou mayest be righteous or thou must be condemned that I may be righteous now whether it be meet that I or thou must be condemned do thou judge While thou insistest so much upon thine own innocency thou seemest to cast blame upon my Justice Either I have wronged thee by afflicting thee without just cause or thou hast wronged me by intimations that I have done so One of these must needs be true seeing there is no middle between them Consider then which is most probable that I have wronged thee or thou me These are immediate contraries so that the one being granted the other must be denied Now wilt thou accuse me of injustice in afflicting thee that thy cause may be esteemed just But did Job ever accuse or condemn the Lord I answer Not directly as hath been shewed heretofore It never came into Jobs heart to accuse God of unrighteousness but because by some misunderstood speeches of his they about him judged he had therefore the Lord put this question home to him that he might exonerate and clear himself The onely matters in which he might seem to condemn God as unrighteous was his speaking so much of his afflicting the righteous and prospering the unrighteous or his insisting so much upon the defence of his own righteousnesse before men seemed to derogate from or intrench upon the righteousnesse of God So then Job did not intentionally cast any aspersion or blot upon the Justice of God he onely intended in what he said to shew that the affliction that was upon him was not for his sin but for his trial when he spake so much of his own righteousnesse and yet because he was a little too lavish in speech and too passionate the Lord here puts this question to him Wilt thou condemn me that thou mayest be righteous 'T is I that justifie thee and wilt thou condemn me The Lord is righteous and all men are unrighteous and shall any man do that which casts a note of unrighteousnesse upon God Wilt thou condemn me that thou mayest be righteous Hence Note First He that is much in the justifying of himself when he is under the Judgement or afflicting hand of God doth upon the matter condemn God Job was much in justifying himself though not with an intention to condemn God yet the very action spake this in the opinion of others that he thought himself not righteously dealt with or at least rigorously dealt with He that maintains his own right too much in affliction chargeth God with wrong though he never meant it And therefore the Apostle saith Let God be true Deum injustitiae accusare videbatur qui justos affligerei Merc. and every man a liar A godly man in a good frame though he cannot charge himself with any crime nor is conscious of any way of wickedness that he hath lived in yet approves and justifies the Lord in all his dealings with him and therefore we must take heed it is a tender point how we justifie our selves especially under the afflicting hand of God If we justifie our selves there is somewhat of condemnation cast upon God therefore still you shall find that the holiest servants of God in their Confessions charge all upon themselves Righteousness belongs to God but to us shame and confusion of face So spake Ezra and so spake Daniel It is very dangerous to and we quickly may reflect upon the justice of God and derogate somewhat from him by our justifying of our selves Observe Secondly 'T is our duty in all things whatsoever God doth to justifie him In dubio semper adversum nos pro deo sentiendum est Merc. As it is the highest grace which God manifests to the creature to justifie man It 's God that justifies who shall condemn So it is one of the most excellent duties of man to justifie God It is a high grace of God to man to justifie man but it is onely the duty of man to justifie God in all things Let him do what he will with persons or Nations let him break them all to pieces let him lay all waste and desolate in all this we are to justifie God We should rather be willing to appear sinful and that we are punished for our sins and evil deeds than so much as in appearance to question or make the least doubt of the justice of God or give others the least shadow of an occasion to question or doubt it That of the Schoolman bears much weight in this case Aquinas If saith he two are equal and a fault is to be laid upon one of them it is not reprovable if one of them purge himself of the fault charged although he be blameable in the opinion of others because man naturally loveth himself more than another But where there is so great a distance as between God and man man should rather take the blame to himself though unjustly laid on him than cast it upon God which he cannot do but unjustly And therefore God in arguing with Job proposeth the superlative excellency of himself above man Observe Thirdly We should be much in judging our selves Wilt thou condemn me that thou mayest be righteous Thou shouldest condemn thy self and judge thy self thy judgement is upon a wrong object Self judgement is good but judging of God oh how sinful is that 1 Cor. 11.31 If we would judge our selves we should not be judged of the Lord. Our businesse is to judge our selves and for not judging of our selves it is that we meet with so many judgements from the hand of God Therefore God judgeth us because we do not judge our selves And therefore let every mouth be stopt it shall be so at last as the Apostle concludes Rom. 3.18 Every mouth shall be stopt and all the world shall become guilty before God We are self-guilty and therefore should be self-condemned 'T is a dreadful thing in one sense to be self-condemned as it is spoken of the Heretick Tit. 3.11 He is condemned of himself He is condemned of himself while he doth justifie himself 'T is the worst of condemnations to be condemned of our selves by justifying of our selves but it is good to condemn our selves in judging or in humbling our selves David was much in self-censuring and self-judging when he found himself envying the prosperity of the wicked and said he had clensed his heart in vain he soon after censures himself for both Psal 77.22 So foolish was I and ignorant even as a beast before thee As if God had said what a foolish creature am I thus to condemn God in his proceedings to talk of my own innocency Let us not boast of but as Master Calvin expresseth it upon the Text let us win our spurs by condemning our selves For that is the only way to honour and exalt God If we would get honour to our selves it must not be
therefore Job was specially to beware of this lest the Devil who desired to tempt him should prevail upon him by suggesting proud and high thoughts of himself and so make him a subject of his own kingdom for he is that mystical Leviathan who kings it to purpose over the children of pride As if the Lord had said to Job Lay down all thoughts and words which have any savour or tincture of pride Wilt thou be proud of this or that or any thing know that in his kind I have given more to Leviathan to be proud of than to thee And consider under whom thou art to reckon thy self if thou art lifted up in pride even under Leviathan for he is a King over all the children of pride And though Leviathan be exceeding proud and haughty yet I can quickly bring him down surely then I can bring thee down yet more than hitherto I have done Therefore O Job do not contend any more with me be not unquiet under my hand who am indeed thy King Lapsi videntur qui hoc de Leviathan vel etiam de Satana interpretati sunt Coc. Tenebras offudit interpretibus omissio relativi c. Coc. This leads me to another reading of the verse which makes the antecedent to he not Leviathan not the Devil but God himself He that beholdeth all high things is a King over all the children of pride That is God who beholdeth all high things and is higher than the highest Eccles 5.8 he is above the proudest men So then these words he beholdeth all high things having the Relative That supplyed are a circumlocution of God God indeed beholds all high things and high persons Let men be never so high God beholds them And as he beholdeth all things so he is higher than the highest things he is a King over all the children of pride who are the highest among men or high above all men in their own conceit The Lord as a King can rule and over-rule the proud he can bring down their high looks the Lord said to Job which may give some light to this interpretation when he would stir him up to consider himself what he was able to do and to do his best chap. 40.12 Look on every one that is proud and bring him low Canst thou do it canst thou look on every one that is proud and bring him low Thou canst not but I can God beholdeth all high things he hath them all before him and is a King over them he can make the proudest and stoutest and greatest that are in the world stoop to him That Great Monarch Nebuchadnezzar who lorded it over the greatest of the world in his days was at last brought to confess that the Lord was a King over all the children of pride Dan. 4.37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven all whose works are truth and his ways are judgment and those that walk in pride he is able to abase In this sence God is a King over all the children of pride Now though the words according to the sense given of this last reading may safely be applied to God yet as most among late Interpreters understand them literally of Leviathan so many of the antients who have written upon this Book turn this whole description of Leviathan into an Allegory of the Devil as was toucht before and to make it out they have run into many needless speculations But I conceive though it be true that many things spoken of Leviathan are applicable to the Devil as also to Tyrants to Antichrist and all wicked men and some who are very sparing in urging the Allegory yet grant we may when we read what is said of Leviathan reflect upon the Devil and consider what a mighty power he hath to do mischief if the goodness and power of God did not restrain him Yet 't is safest to keep to the plain sense and not to busie our selves much in transforming the holy Scriptures into Allegories in which some have been over-bold nor should any venture to draw Allegories but out of a natural meaning as the Apostle Paul did in the 4th Chapter of his Epistle to the Galathians I shall only adde that as from the nature of this Leviathan supposed to be the Whale we may receive many instructions so the Lord doth sometimes Preach or Prophesie to whole Nations by him that is he gives warning by him to Nations of some great things which shall come to pass among them 'T is the observation of an Interpreter upon this place God saith he prophesies to people and nations by the Whale or Leviathan Deus catos quasi poenitentiae precones facit dum insolitis locis apparentes bella alias clades nuncient ut homines poenitentiam agant Scult And as other places he was a Germane so we have had warnings by him for saith he in the year 1620 there was a Whale cast upon the shore of a great river far within the land twenty and five ells long and a half immediately before the great wars changes and troubles which befel Germany Hence he infers when these mighty fishes come into places which are out of their way and road or when God casts them upon unwonted shores it foreshews some unwonted thing or that God will bring guests among them that they never thought of Thus I have done with this long and large description which the Lord makes of Leviathan There remains only one chapter more which gives us the full effect and issue of all the dealings of God with Job and of his speakings to Job about Behemoth and Leviathan All was to humble him and we shall see him deeply humbled and eminently restored in the next chapter JOB Chap. 42. Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6. 1. Then Job answered the Lord and said 2. I know that thou canst do every thing and that no thought can be with-holden from thee 3. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledg therefore have I uttered that I understood not things too wonderful for me which I knew not 4. Hear I beseech thee and I will speak I will demand of thee and declare thou unto me 5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee 6. Wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes THis Chapter is the conclusion of the whole History and Book of Job it consisteth of three general parts First Of Jobs deep and sincere humiliation before the Lord in these six verses Secondly Of the reconciliation of Jobs three friends to the Lord or of their attonement and peace made with the Lord vers 7 8 9. Thirdly Of Jobs restitution by the wonderful goodness and powerful hand of the Lord to as good yea to a better estate tahn he had before from the tenth verse inclusively to the end of the Chapter The words under hand contain the first part of the Chapter and I call them Jobs