God made two great lights the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night he made the starres also and God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth God in Creation did with the light as he did with the waters which being made were divided the waters above the firmament were divided from the waters under the firmament and the waters under the heaven he gathered together into one place Gen. 1.9 God prepared a certaine great vessell into which the waters were called and gathered that they should not spread over the earth as they did at first which gathering together of the waters God called Seas Gen. 1.10 Thus the light which was spread and scattered through the ayre over all the earth God gathered into severall vessells Pulchritudo es ornamenta coeloruÌ„ stellae sunt sicut terrae animantia et plantae Sanct and the gathering together of light he called Sunne Moone Starrs which are as Job here calleth them the garnishing of the heavens Moses epitomiseth or briefly summs up his larger narrative of the Creation in these words Gen 2.1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them that is they were finished not onely as to their essentials but ornamentalls not only was the foundation layd the walls and pillars the beames and rafters of that goodly structure set up and perfected but all the furniture of it was brought in and the beautyes of it compleated Now as gemms minerals plants trees and all living creatures are the Garnishing of the Earth and the host of God there so the Sunne Moone and Starrs are the garnishing of heaven and the host of God there David speaketh of these distinctly Psal 33.6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth All creatures whether placed in heaven or earth are for their number their strength their order their readynes at a call or command the host of God Earthly Princes shew their power in their hosts and armyes of what power God is both his acts and his hosts aboundantly declare And as these creatures are the armyes or host of God in heaven and earth so they are the Adornings and Garnishings of heaven and earth Job in this place speaketh onely of the former By his Spirit he hath Garnished the Heavens Onely here take notice that some expound the word Spirit for the winde which bloweth in the ayre and so render the text thus By his winde hee garnisheth the heavens As if this were Jobs meaning that God sending forth the windes dispelleth and scattereth those clouds foggs and mists which often cover the face of the heavens and hinder our beholding their glory and garnishings According to this interpretation the garnishing of the heavens is nothing else but the removing of that which obscureth the Garnishing of them And it is true that when the heavens are maskt over with clouds and darknesse God by the winds cleareth the ayre and so reneweth the face of those heavenly bodyes But I passe by this and shall onely insist upon the former exposition of these words as being more sutable with Jobs scope and more expressive of the power and Glory of God in the great things which he hath wrought for us By his Spirit hee garnisheth the heavens Hence learne First We ought joyntly to acknowledge and give glory to the Father Son and Spirit in the worke of Creation Solomon in his advice to the young man sayth Eccl 12.1 Remember thy creators in the dayes of thy youth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 creatorum tuorum Mysterâ—um Sanctae Trinitatis Pisc Wee translate in the singular number creator but the Hebrew is plural Creators intimating the mystery of the Holy Trinity as Moses also is conceaved to doe in that plural expression Gen 1.26 And God sayd let us make man in our image after our likenes And though this be added in a way of Eminency when the particular creation of man is set downe yet we are to understand it so generally of the whole worke of Creation and as of the worke of Creation so of all other divine workes towards the creature Redemption is the worke of the Father and of the Spirit as wel as of the Son and sanctification is the worke of the Father and of the Son as wel as of the Spirit The three persons worke together onely they have a distinct manner of working according to which each worke is chiefely attributed to that person and so creation is specially appropriated to the Father Redemption to the Son and Sanctification to the Holy Ghost Seing then all Three worke together in all things towards us All three ought to be equally and eternally honoured worshipped loved and obeyed by us By his Spirit he hath garnished the Heavens Secondly Observe The heavens are full of beauty God hath not onely made them but adorn'd them What a rich and Royall Canopy hath God hung over the heads of poore wormes dust and ashes God did not thinke it enough to give us a house unlesse he gave us also a pleasant house he was not satisfied in setting up a large fabricke for us unlesse he also furnished and garnished it for us God hath made the world not onely usefull but contentfull to us he hath fitted it not onely for our necessity but delight The earth is beautifull but the heavens exceed in beauty The heavens are the Ceiling of our house and the Starres are like Golden studs and sparkling Diamonds in that Ceiling We may inferre three things from the Garnishing of these heavens First If the heavens which we see are so glorious what are the heavens which no eye hath seene If God hath thus discernably adorned the first and second heavens how unconceaveable are the ornaments of the third heavens If nature hath so much beauty in it how beâ—utifull a thing is Glory If God hath prepared such heavens as our eyes see for those who hate him then surely eye hath not seene eare hath not heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man to understand what those heavens are which God hath prepared for them and for them alone who love him The light of these visible heavens is but darkenes to that inheritance of the Saints in light The Moone-light if I may so speake of that state shall be better and more illustrious then the Sun-light of this and the light of the Sunne shall be sevenfold as the light of seven dayes in that Great day when the Lord shall perfectly bind up All the breaches of his people and heale the stroake of their wound God who by his Spirit hath garnished these heavens will be himselfe with his Son and Spirit the eternal Garnishing of those heavens Secondly Seing God hath been so bountifull and munificent as to Garnish the heavens for us even for us by his Spirit seing he hath provided such
flock and brought in a Kid to make the savoury meat for Isaac Now the Apostle Paul to advance the freenes of grace doth not only instance in those two persons but useth a phrase of speech which savours so much of that passage that though he had not named the men yet every man who knew the Scriptures must needs understand both of whom and of what he meant it It is not of him that willeth c. that is it was neyther Rebeckaes will to have it so nor Jacobs hast which appeared in his running to the flock to have it so that gave him the Blessing but it was of God that shewed mercy And as it was then so it is now though a man be as willing as Rebeckah or though he make as much speed as Jacob for his blessing yet all comes freely by the grace of God Thus the frequent usage of Scripture shewes us how much the Spirit of God delights to lead our thoughts by the light of some one word a great way back into the consideration of what hath been done and written of old for our instruction The words of the text now under discussion Whose foundation was overflowne with a flood are surely an allusion to some particular persons or action in the dayes of old and they may be applyed three wayes First To the drowning of the whole world in the time of Noah by a flood when the Lord opened the windowes of heaven and overwhelmed both man and beast in those mighty waters which universal judgement is by way of eminence called The Deluge or The Flood unto this very day Secondly They may have respect to the overthrow of Sodome and Gomorrah which Cities though they were destroyed by fire yet it was with a flood of fire The Text saith expresly Gen. 19.24 Then the Lord rayned upon Sodome and upon Gemorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven and he overthrew the Cities all the plaine c. They were overflowne with a flood of fire Thirdly Hunc locum a v. 15. ad v 20. omnino respicere ad dimersionem Pharaones Egyptiorum non levibus suadeor conjecturis Pined The allusion may be carried to the destruction of Pharaoh and the Egyptians in the red Sea They also were overflowne with a flood The waters of the red Sea which stood up as a wall for Israell to passe thorow at the Command of God returning upon the Egyptians swallowed them up them and their Chariots and their horses The enemy sayd thus Moses describes that fatal overthrow Exod. 15.9 10. I will pursue I will overtake I will divide the spoyle my lust shall be satisfied upon them I will draw my sword my hand shall destroy them Thus the enemy raged foamed with revenge like a tempestuous Sea and had opened all the sluces of his will to overflow them And when the enemy had thus breathed out his wrath in a foure times repeated I will Then the Lord did blow with his wind the Sea covered them They sanke as lead in the mighty waters So then the words may relate to any of those three signall Judgements to the drowning of the old world with a flood of water to the destruction of Sodome and Gomorrah with a flood of fire or to the overthrow of Pharaoh and his Egyptian host in the red Sea But more particularly for the explication of these words whose foundation was overflowne with a flood Whose foundation This word foundation taken in a proper sence referres to a materiall building And the foundation of any building is the stability and strength of it by foundation in a metaphorical sence Ea omnia quae illis velur fundamenti loco erant in quibus spem praesidium ponebant c. Merc wee are to understand all those things by which the state of persons or things is upheld and here whatsoever wicked men support beare up themselves by as a building is borne up by the foundation is to be understood as their foundation So their power their riches their councell their wisdome their friends and confederates whatsoever I say is the support of their worldly State that 's their foundation And thus it is here said their foundation was overflowne With a flood In two of the former Instances to which the allusion was made their foundation was overflowne by a flood properly taken If wee take it more generally for all wicked men who at any time have been overthrowne wee may say that they have all been overflowne by a flood metaphorically For so First The displeasure of God by what meanes or instrument soever put forth is called a flood whether is be by sword or by famine or by pestilence it is a flood Esa 8.7 Wee read warre Compared to a flood Now therefore behold the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river strong and many what were these waters Even the King of Assyria and all his glory the King of Assyria with his Armyes in which he gloried or which he counted his glory were the waters of the river strong and many and hee shall come up over all his channells and goe over all his hands that is the former Limits of his Dominion And he shall passe thorow Judah hee shall overflow and goe over There The Sword is Compared to a flood or to a mighty river which beares downe all before it The same Prophet speakes againe in the same Language Esa 59.19 When the enemy shall come in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard against him as if it had been said The enemy shall come rushing in like a mighty torrent but the Spirit of God like a more mighty winde shall blow and rush upon him causing him to recoile and give back or as our Margent hath it put him to flight Againe Ezek. 13. The Prophet foreshewes the approaching calamity upon those who had seduced the Jewes into a vaine security which is there called the building of a wall with untempered morter A wall he calls that prophecy because it promised safety and defence but he calls it also a wall built with untempered morter because that false prophecy was a weake prophecy and should shortly fall The manner how he gives us in the notion of the Text vers 13. Wherefore thus saith the Lord God I will even rent it with a stormy winde in my fury and there shall be as an overflowing shower in mine anger c. that is wrath shall be upon it the Babylonian Army was the special judgement in which that wrath was expressed and that shall be as an overflowing shower Great and continuall showers will try the strongest buildings and quickly overthrow the weake A wall of untempered morter is no match for a storme As our Saviour also assures us in the close of his Sermon on the Mount Matth. 7.27 where all those evills troubles afflictions sorrowes and persecutions whether sent upon such as are really
to God As David saith Psal 25.1 Vnto thee O Lord doe I lift up my soule Equiparantia sunâ— caput vel oculos vel faciem vel animam ad deum levare Bold Eliphaz meanes not the lifting up of a heart-lesse face or head such as the hypocrite or formalist lifts up to God in worship nor the lifting up of a meere living head or face such as all men lift up to God according to the forme or frame of their natural constitution Fiduciam habebis recurrendi ad deum Aquin. but the courage and confidence of the soule and that a holy courage and confidence is here intended And there are not many who can thus lift up their face to God as is promised here to Job by way of priviledge And shalt lift up thy face to God To lift up the face is taken under a twofold notion in Scripture first Faciei elevatio orantis habitus est Pinec as a gesture or bodily position in prayer He that prayeth doth usually lift up his face to God and so to lift up the face to God is to pray unto God A corporal posture being put often in Scripture to signifie a spirituall duty Thus some understand it here Thou shalt lift up thy face to God that is thou shalt pray secondly which further complyes with the duty of prayer To lift up the face Vultum attollit qui sibi bene conscius est animoque fidenti Drus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. notes as was touched before confidence of spirit and boldnesse courage and assurance towards him before whom the face is lifted up whether God or man The Septuagint who rather paraphrase then translate this text give this sense fully Thou shalt be confident before the Lord or thou shalt act fiducially and boldly before him and behold heaven chearefully This lifting up the face is opposed to casting downe the face that is a phrase used in Scripture to signifie shame and fayling of spirit When courage is downe the countenance is down too as we say such a man hath a downe looke that is there is an appearance of guilt upon him The face is cast downe three wayes First by feare secondly by sorrow thirdly by shame Ezra 9.6 O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face unto thee for our iniquities are increased over our heads So Luk. 18.13 the Publican durst not lift up his eyes to heaven and possibly there was a complication of all these three causes why he durst not feare sorrow shame he was so much terrified so much grieved so much ashamed of himselfe that he durst not lift up his eyes to heaven It was the speech of Abner to Asahel 2 Sam. 2.22 Turne thee aside from following me why should I smite thee to the ground how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother that is if I slay thee I shall be afraid to looke him in the face nor can I have any confidence of his favour and it is well conceived that he spake thus for it is indeed a very unusuall thing for the Generall of an Army in the very heate of warre to looke after the favour of the Generall of the opposite Army but I say 't is conceived he spake thus as being convinced that he had undertaken a bad cause in upholding the house of Saul against David and therefore had misgivings that he might shortly fall into the hands of Joab Davids Generall and was therefore unwilling to provoke him by killing his brother This made him say How shall I hold up my face to thy brother Joab As if he had sayd I shall obstruct the way of my owne reconciliation to thy brother in case The turne of things in this warre cast me into his hands by killing thee Againe we may looke backe to Gen. 4.5 where it is reported of Caine That he was wrath and his countenance fell anger and sorrow and shame falling at once upon him because the Lord had respect to Abel and his offering but had no respect to him or his caused his countenance to fall which phrase stands in direct opposition to lifting up the face in all the three occasions of it For it implyeth first feare which is opposed to boldnes secondly sorrow or anger which are opposed to content and joy thirdly shame which is opposed both to freedome of approach and liberty of speech We have an expression which paralels much with this in that Prophecy of Christ Psal 110.7 Qâ—od legitur Exod. â—4 8 egâ—essos filios Israel in manu excelsâ— Chaldaâ—â—è dicitur capite discooperto i. e. palam confidentèr sine metu He shall drinke of the brooke in the way therefore shall he lift up his head that is he shall rise and appeare like a mighty Conquerour with boldnesse honour and triumph So Christ himselfe prophecying of the troubles which shall be in the latter dayes comforts the surviving Saints in this language When these things begin to come to passe then looke up and lift up your heads that is then take heart and boldnesse for the day of your redemption draweth nigh Luke 21.28 that is the day is at hand wherein you shall be freed from all feares and sorrowes Hence observe Holinesse hath boldnesse and freedome of spirit with God Then shalt thou lift up thy face unto God As soone as Adam sinned he hid himselfe from the presence of the Lord amongst the trees of the Garden Gen. 3.8 He ran into the thickets for shelter he durst not appeare or shew his face But when once we are reconciled to God and sinne is taken off when we are freed from the bonds of guilt then we have boldnesse reconciliation is accompanied with the spirit of adoption whereby we cry abba father we can then speake to God as a childe to his father the childe dares lift up his face to his father and speakes freely to him Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty faith the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.17 and that a threefold liberty First a liberty from sinne secondly a liberty unto righteousnes or a freenes and readines of spirit to doe good thirdly where the spirit of the Lord is there is a liberty of speech or accesse with boldnesse in all our holy Addresses unto God As the Apostle clearely sheweth at the 12 â—h verse of the same Chapter Seing then that we have such hope we use great plainnesse or boldnesse of speech as wee put in the Margin of our Bibles to expresse the significancy of the Greeke word in the full compasse of it For as because we have such hope we ought to use great plainnesse of speech towards men in preaching and dispensing the Gospel to them so great boldnesse towards God in receiving the offers and promises of the Gospel for our selves Eliphaz having thus shewed what freedome Job truely repenting might have with God in prayer proceeds in the next verse to shew what successe with
for to morrow too thus they promised themselves that their pleasures should continue in a succession of many morrows now as these sonnes of pleasure promised themselves the continuance of their delight so many of the sons daughters of sorrow have found and still finde a continuance of their troubles and have cause to say this day is even as bad as yesterday was yea our bitter cup our wine of astonishment is much more abundant our sorrow is greater this day then it was yesterday that was a blacke sad gloomy day and this is a day more blacke sad and gloomy then that was Fifthly From these words My stroake is heavier then my groaning Observe That the afflictions of some of the pretious servants of God exceed and surpasse all their complaints and groanes The groanes of some are heavier then their stroake and the stroakes of not a few are heavier then their groanes Some shew more sorrow then they have and others have more sorrows then they can shew I sayth Job cannot tell you no not so much as by the language of my groaning how heavy my stroake is As there is a peace of God a peace which he giveth to many of his people in this life which passeth all understanding Phil. 4.6 they have a sence of such peace sometimes upon their spirits as their understandings know not what to make of it they are so farre from being able to tell you what it is that they are not able to conceive what it is but must confesse that their peace is greater and larger then their understanding now I say as the peace which God gives his passeth their understandings so the troubles and sorrows of many who are deare to God exceed or surpasse all their expressions they cannot declare nor can any for them how it is with them Againe as there is in this life a joy in beleiving which is unspeakeable 1 Pet. 1.8 so there is a sorrow in suffering which is unspeakeable And which is very wonderfull these two meet sometimes in the same person who at the very instant while his sorrow is so great that he is not able to expresse it hath also sweete and ravishing joyes beyond expression Yet I conceive as to Jobs case his spirit was darke and his minde troubled as well as his body was pained and his outward estate torne and ruin'd Sixthly From these words My stroake is heavier then my groaning Observe That it is sinfull to groane and complaine beyond the stroake that is upon us or to complaine more then we have cause Job seemes here to yeeld it and confesse that if his stroake had not been so heavy his groanes had not been innocent and if it be sinfull to groane and complaine more or beyond our stroakes how sinfull is it to complaine without any stroake at all Some complaine without cause and groane before they are smitten yea some are ready to complaine when they are incompassed about with many mercies and are not satisfied when they are filled they complaine because they have not what they would or because others have more then they though themselves have enough if they knew what is enough The Oxe and the Asse are a rebuke to such For as Job speaketh Chap. 6th Will the Asse bray when he hath grasse or loweth the Oxe over his fodder Irrationall creatures will not complaine when they have the conveniences of nature Surely then those men act much below grace who complaine when they have food convenient and health convenient yea all things convenient possibly aboundant for the support of nature who complaine when they have not so much as an akeing joynt about them or the scratch of a pin no nor the want of a pin nor of a shoe-lachet Some complaine when they have meate enough because they have not sauce yea some complaine when they have both meate and sauce enough the affluence of all things not onely for necessity but for delight What shall we say of them who are never well neyther full nor fasting who are so farre from having learned the Apostles lesson to be content in all estates that are content in none The people of Israel murmured not onely when they wanted bread but when they had it when they had Mannah they murmured for Quailes and at last they murmured at their very Mannah their soules loathed that light bread Consider how â—â—at their sinne is who complaine upon such termes as these who complaine before they are hurt yea who complaine when they have no cause but to be very thankfull Wee live in complaining times many cry out of pressures and burthens nothing pleaseth many among us because every thing is not as they please Take heed your groanings be not heavier then your stroake especially take heed yee be not found groaning without a stroake and complaining over your blessings the Lord hath healed our stroakes in a great degree but our complainings are not healed If we be found complaining when we have no cause or when we should be giving thankes wee may quickly provoke God to give us cause enough of complaining God haâ—h heavier stroakes for them whose groaning is heavier then their stroake and he hath heaviest stroakes for them who groan when they are not stricken When children cry for nothing they are usually made to feele something which will make them cry to purpose This humour is childish enough in children it is worse in men but it is worst of all in Christians who are also the children of God There are two things which God will not beare in his First when they grow wanton with a mercy secondly when they complaine without a crosse To complaine under a crosse is to act below grace To complaine of a crosse is to act against grace To complaine beyond a crosse is a defect of grace but to complaine without a crosse is a defect in nature The Apostles rule is 1 Thes 5.18 in every thing give thankes and he gives his reason for it in the words which follow for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you Now if it be the will of God that we should give thankes in every thing then it must be against his will that we should complaine in any thing Complaining is contrary to thankesgiving A godly man may see two things in the heaviest stroakes of his affliction which may provoke him to thanksgiving at least which may stop him from all immoderate complaining First That God hath a respect to his good in his heaviest afflictions and that the issue shall certainly be good to him Secondly that how heavy so ever his stroake is his sin hath deserved a heavier and that God could have made it heavier even his little finger heavier upon him then his loynes have been That our stroake might have been heavier may stop our complaining but our heaâ—â—st stroake shall turne to our benefit should stirre us up to thanksgiving In heaven there will not be the least shadow of
least work A natural man eyther makes the Law of God voyd by doing that which is against it or he lets it lie voyd by not doing it and would be glad that this talent committed to him might for ever be wrapt up in a napkin or be buryed in the earth Both these turnings whether to the right hand or to the left are evill The way of holines the good way lieth streight forward right on It hath no turning either to the right hand nor to the left All the wayes of sinne are called crooked wayes and they are our owne wayes Psal 125.5 As for such as turne aside to their crooked wayes the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquitie The Psalmist calls them Their crooked wayes that is wayes of their own devising whereas the way of holines is the Lords way To exceed or to doe more to be deficient or to doe lesse then God requires both these are crooked wayes the way of the Lord lyes streight forward right before us Pro. 28.18 Who so walketh vprightly shall be saved but he that is perverse or crooked in his wayes shall fall at once The motion of a godly man is like that of the kine that carryed the Arke 1 Sam. 6.12 Who tooke the streight way to the way of Bethshemesh and went along the high way lowing as they went and they turned not aside to the right hand or to the left But you will say Doe not good men even the best of good men decline sometimes and goe aside or doth it argue every man to be wicked who declines at any time I answer Job speakes of what he had not done not of what it was impossible for him to doe he had not declined yet he might have declined Wee finde many declinings among the godly how many are there that decline in degrees who are godly in the maine They love still but they have not the same warmth of love the same heate of affection They obey still but they have not the same strength of obedience There may be a declineing also not onely in the way but from the way to the right hand sometimes and sometimes to the left there may be an exceeding and there may be a coming short in those as to actions who as to their state are come home to God these things are possible yea common but we speake of what many godly men doe and what should be the aime and designe of every godly man that is to keepe the way of God and not to decline to keepe himselfe up in spirituall strength and to keepe himselfe onne in a spirituall course yea every godly man may and can say as David did Psal 18.21 I have kept the wayes of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God Though every godly man cannot say as godly Job did I have kept his way and not declined yet every godly man may say as David I have kept his wayes and have not wickedly departed from my God we should be afraid of declineing and decaying we should strive to be alwayes advancing and encreasing And as Saints are under a command to be such so they are under a promise to be such Psal 92.12 13 14. The righteous shall flourish like a Palme tree he shall grow like a Cedar in Libanon Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God they shall still bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing Here is not onely a mention of growing but of flourishing and here 's flourishing three times mentioned and 't is growing and flourishing not onely like a tree but like a Palme-tree which flourisheth under opression and like a Cedar not growing in ordinary places but in Lebanon where were the goodliest Cedars Nor doth the Spirit promise here a flourishing in boughes ane leaves onely as some trees doe and doe no more but in fruit And this not onely fruit for once in a yeare or one yeare but they still bring forth fruit and that not onely in the yeares of their youth or beginnings in grace but in old age and that not only in the entrance of that state which is called old age threescore yeares but that which the Scripture calls the perfection of old age threescore yeares and ten as the learned Hebrewes observe upon the word used in the Psalme What a divine climax doth the Spirit of God make in this Scripture to shew that the godly man as to his state is so farre from declining that he is still climbing higher and higher And if any shall aske how comes it to passe then that some godly men are observed not onely by themselves but by others to decline often in and sometimes from the wayes of God I answer these declinings may be assigned to severall Causes First To the power of some Corruption remaining much unmortified in them as in a garden when the weeds grow high the good herbs decline And as in a field when the weeds are strong the corne is weake so it is here the prevailing or growing of Corruption is the declining of Grace in degree and by reason of it some for a time decline from the way Secondly Declinings are from the prevalency of temptation while Satan plieth some with temptation he turneth them out of the way or causeth them to walke but slowly in it As temptation is a tryall of so a hindrance unto grace yea though corruption be kept much downe yet some through a violent gust of temptation have been over-borne Thirdly Declinings are caused in the good by the example of those that are evill therefore the Apostle gives that Caution Rom. 12.2 Not to be conformable to the world A godly man is apt enough to write by a false copie and to doe as he sees the world doth What was all their way or their onely way before conversion they after conversion through neglect of their watch may be found stepping into or taking a step or two in Before conversion our whole course sayth the Apostle Ephe. 2.2 is according to the course of this world And the examples of the world have drawne many aside after they have come out from the world The fashions and vanities of the world in pride and pleasure are very drawing All examples especially evill examples like the Loadstone have an attractive vertue in them and many of the godly have been drawne aside thus and have declined with much scandal fot a while from the way of God Fourthly Declinings are sometimes from afflictions and those we may consider of two sorts personall or publique both or either of these have caused many to decline The cold frost of affliction hath nipped the graces of some and made them to turn aside from the way of God Therefore the Church having reported her great troubles speakes it as an argument of much sinceritie towards God and strength of Grace received from him Psal 44.17 18. All this
these words and therefore I shall with the more speed pass thorow them and part with them Therefore am I troubled at his presence The words probably are an answer to an objection for his friends had charged him with feare and trouble of spirit at the presence of God upon another account even because of the guiltines of his conscience or because of his great wickednes So Chap. 22. v. 10. Eliphaz having shewed him his sin thou hast sent the widdow empty away the armes of the fatherles have been broken presently adds the sad effects which were upon him therefore suddain feare troubleth thee and snares are round about thee As if he had sayd thou hast been very wicked in thy actions and therefore thou art so unquiet in thy spirit Thou hast been uncharitable and injurious to men therefore thou art troubled at the presence of God No saith Job my trouble of spirit doth not arise from my guilt though I have sin and iniquity enough about mee to deserve greater Chastenings then these which are upon me but the cause of my trouble ariseth from the knowledge and apprehensions which I have of God who is in one minde Quia ita potens est ut absolutè quicquid libet faciet hac potestate nunc in me utitur Merc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turbare accelerare and who can turne him hee performeth the thing that is appoynted for mee and many such things are with him This is the spring and ground of my trouble I am troubled both with the feeling of my present calamities and with the feare of greater The word signifies both to make haste and to trouble the reason is because as some say trouble makes hast ill newes comes apace or secondly because wee are very hasty to get out of trouble and usually over-hasty he that is in trouble would faine be out of it no man loves to sticke in such a condition therefore the same word in the Hebrew elegantly signifies both to make hast and to trouble And hence one of the Ancients translates Therefore have I hastened to his presence Expounding it thus Propterea ad eum festinavi quod ipse exponit Quia me tribulavit ideo relictis temporalibus ad eum festinavi August Because he hath thus afflicted mee therefore leaving all the world I make hast to him I throw my selfe upon him and leave my cause to him that 's a good sence and very spirituall For the Saints being afflicted make hast to God because he is their father and because hee alone is able to be their deliverer who would not make hast to God upon such an interest A wicked man turnes from God by sinning against him and he runs away from God afflicting him He that delights in sin cannot delight in God who is the avenger of sin But afflictions draw Saints neerer to God therefore have I hastened saith that translation into his presence But wee have rendered it as I conceave better to the Intendment of this place Therefore am I troubled at his presence The letter is at his face or because of him that is for feare of him Therefore am I troubled Job was troubled upon a twofold account Sensu flagellorum praesentium mutu furorum Jun. First With the paine and smart of his then present sufferings Secondly With feare of further or future sufferings I am troubled at his presence The presence of God is most desireable what is it that Saints wish and rejoyce in comparatively to the presence of God My soule thirsteth for God when shall I come and appeare before God saith David Psal 42.2 How greedy was he of the presence of God how did he as it were tell the clocks and count every houre a day every day a yeare till he was restored to it And in another place how earnestly doth he deprecate his banishment from the face of God as the sorest punishment Psal 51.11 Cast me not away from thy presence Yet here Job confesseth I am troubled at his presence Hence note God can easily vary the appearances of himselfe to us He can discover himselfe so to us as that his presence shall be better to us then life better to us then ten thousand of these lower worlds or as the heaven of this lower world yea as the onely felicity of that heaven which is above What is heaven but this presence of God Thou wilt shew me the path of life In thy presence is fullnes of Joy Psal 16.11 Thus God can make himselfe knowne with a delightfull presence yet he can make himselfe knowne and often doth even to his owne with a dreadfull and an amazing presence God in whom there is no variablenes nor shadow of turning can vary the demonstrations of himselfe to us as much as light varieth from darknesse or life from the shadow of death God hath a light side and a darke side as to manifestation though in himselfe he is light and in him there is no darknes at all Sometimes his presence is sweetnes and joy even joy unspeakeable and glorious at other times his presence is bitternes and sorrow even sorrow unspeakeably grievous There is nothing so dreadfull to wicked men at any time as the presence of God As it hath been their wretched care to hide their sins from God as much as they could so they would count it their happines to have their persons hid for ever from the presence of God That which is both the sin and trouble of the wicked at all times is the trouble if not the sin of some godly men at sometimes namely the presence of God not in it selfe but with respect to the manner of his manifesting himselfe to them and dealing with them As will appeare further in the next clause of this verse I am troubled at his presence When I consider I am afraid As if he had sayd Cum diligentius considero ejus tantam potentiam cujus nunc in me specimen vides noe possum quin expavescam non quid in me sit iniquitas sed ne deinceps pergat sua potentia me affligere Merc When I seriously weigh and have deep thoughts in my minde when I set my understanding throughly on work to consider the severity of Gods proceedings with me and when I remember the wormewood and the gall those bitter tasts and sad experiences which I have had already of his dreadfull power then I am afraid And this feare ariseth not from the guilt or accusations of my own conscience but lest the Lord should againe act and put forth that his terrible power upon me But what feare is here meant or how was Job afraid upon the taking up of this consideration I answer There is first a pure filial or son-like feare when wee are afraid to sin against and displease our father This feare is a speciall grace promised in the new Covenant and the beginning of wisdome Secondly There is a pure slavish feare when wee
are little worth so that take him at his best and in his best he is but trash or as a trifle Sin is a reproach both to persons and nations as honour is a mans weight in the esteeme of others so reproach abates his weight makes him light upon the balance Since thou wast precious in mine eyes thou wast honourable saith God Isa 43.4 holynes adds honour and weight to our persons sin makes us light and then we are lightest when we make light of sin sin is a weight that presseth us downe yet they who sin most weigh least in the esteeme of God and of all good men Sin will quickly sinke the soule like lead under water even to the bottome of the water yet the sinner is as a light thing that swims upon the top or face of the water This is a profitable sence of the words Thirdly Others expound these words as a description of the wicked mans shifting and running from place to place for feare of pursuers or that being conscious to himselfe or selfe-condemned in his owne conscience he is as the Lord threatned Cain Gen. 4.14 a fugitive and a vagabond upon the earth swift as the waters of a streame which glide along and never stay in one place or he is upon the earth as a light thing upon the waters continually moved and tossed up and downe But I passe from this And conclude Fourthly That wee may rather understand these words as a description of the spirit and temper of a wicked man in reference to his sinfull actings or the fulfilling of his lusts Hee is swift or light as the water or as the light things upon the water that is hee is a man very unsetled he is hurryed to and fro there is no stability eyther in his wayes or in his spirit He abides not in one place nor doth he abide in one minde He is full of Inconstancy he is constant in nothing but in his unconstancy and it must needs be so if we Consider First his lusts within How can he but be swift as the water who hath such windes blowing and striving in him A carnal man is hurryed with stormes and tempests rising in his owne minde as the winde tosseth and rolleth the waters of the Sea or light things upon the water so the lusts of evill men toss and tumble them up and downe Pride tosseth some and Covetousnesse tosseth others luxury and wantonnes tosse thousands into a thousand vanities and sinful wayes as the windes tosse the waves of the Sea Lusts are strong and boysterous lusts are many and numerous he that serveth any one of them is a slave to them all and must goe upon their errand whethersoever they will send or rather hurry him Secondly Carnal men must needs be swift as the water or light upon the water very unconstant and unsetled if we Consider the temptations that blow upon them from without For though our owne lusts are temptations and every man as the Apostle James saith Chapter 1.14 is tempted when he is drawne away of his owne lust and enticed yet our lusts also are tempted or our lusts are drawne away and enticed by temptation Man is apt enough to sin of himselfe alone if once God leave him but he is seldome left to himselfe alone to sin by the Devill and most usually he is tempted with a kinde of violence unto sinne his lusts which are a fire are blowne and kindled by Satans breath and he is driven to doe evill by vehement blasts of temptation Temptations blow upon Saints they blow strongly upon them Satan breathes out a mighty wind to make them swift as the water unto sin but they have received a power to resist and stand fast They are founded upon the rocke Jesus Christ Though the winde moves the water yet it cannot move the rock they that are founded upon Christ are in their proporion firme as Christ himselfe is firme 'T is true Saints are many times grievously shaken with temptations but the wicked are tossed and overwhelmed by them They are swift as the water or as the lightest thing upon the face of the waters when strongly moved by temptation Dying Jacob called Reuben his first-borne unstable as water Gen. 49.4 though wee will not number him among the wicked yet hee did a very wicked act and in reference to that though he was a great man and a Patriarke the head of the Tribe yet in reference to that act he received this Character unstable as water And if he was so unstable when hurryed by passion and temptation how much more are meer wicked men so when they meet with such temptatioÌ„s For as they are not fixed in any thing that is good as was touched at the 13 â—h verse They know not the wayes of light nor doe they abide in the pathes of it if at any time they stumble upon the doing of that which is right yet they abide not in the doing of it they are light as the water unstable and unsetled in all good wayes So though they are fixed as to the subject in doing that which is evill yet they are extreamly tossed and swiftly moved both to and in and after the doing of it Againe As this similitude implyes The easines of evill men to be moved by temptation unto sinne even as easily as water or the lightest things upon the face of the water are moved by the winde So it implyeth also their speedyness and activity in sinning The water moves swiftly sinners are like swift ships upon the water they make speed to doe evill or to trade upon any forbidden coast but they are very sluggs to any thing that is good or to trade upon any coast where they are bidden A learned Interpreter insists much upon the emphasis of this Expression to shew not onely the swiftnes but the feircenes of a wicked mans spirit in sinning hee is swift upon the face of those waters and is carryed on with full sayles in sinning hee runs so swiftly and treads so lightly that he might run even upon the surface of the water and not sinke Those creatures which are very swift leave little Impression behinde them they that goe slowly tread heavy and unlesse they be upon firme land fall in It is sayd in the 8th of Daniel v. 5th Concerning the hee-goate who represented Alexander the Great That he touched not the ground Alexander was extreame swift in his Conquests hee Conquered the world in as little time as another could have traveld over it His motto was Without delay or I doe all by making no delay He was swift upon the face of the earth De facilitate peccandi atque velocitate ad castanduÌ„ quamcuÌ„que sceleris occasionem intelligi posse videtur Tam leviter in terra figunt pedem ut etiam super aquas incedere passe videantur Sanct Thus wicked men are light upon the face of the water that is they are swift and fierce for the attayning of their