good It is not enough for a man to say he doth not judge his brother maliciously he ought not to judge him ignorantly Though to speake or judge ill of another because wee wish him ill be the greater sinne yet barely to speake or judge ill of another by whom we know no ill is very sinfull And then 't is most sinfull when wee doe it not onely as not knowing any evill they have done but because we know heare or see the evills which they suffer 'T is dangerous as well as improper to make the hardest and harshest dealings of God with any man the ground of our hard and harsh thoughts of him Thirdly Consider who they were whom Job is supposed to have oppressed they were not the great ones not the mighty men of the earth but the fatherlesse and the widow Whence note That the poore are usually the subject of oppression The greater fish in the sea of this world devoure and live upon the lesser The strong should support the weake and they who are upper-most should uphold those who are under them But because the weake and the underlings may most easily be opprest therefore they are most usually opprest As Covetousnesse is cruell so 't is cowardly and dares not meddle with its match God in reference to Spiritualls filleth the hungry with good things and the rich he sendeth empty away Luk. 1.53 Ungodly men in reference to temporals would send the rich away empty if they could but they are so farre from filling the hungry with good things that they take away all the good things they can from the hungry they care not if they starve the hungry if they make the poore poorer and take all from them who have but little Fourthly Job having been a Magistrate and so by his place a Minister of Justice is strongly pressed with the doing of injustice Whence note First That they who have power may easily though not alwayes justly be suspected for the abuse of it To have a power in our hands whereby we may doe good is a temptation to doe evill 'T is hard to keepe power within its bounds and to rule that by which others are ruled The Prophet Isa 1.10 calls the rulers of Sion rulers of Sodome because they ruled like them or rather worse then they eating up the people under their charge rather then feeding them and vexing those whom they undertooke to governe and to be a Shield unto against the vexations of others Secondly Note That as oppression is a sinne in any man so it is most sinfull in those who have power in their hands to releeve the oppressed Such act not onely contrary to a common rule but contrary to their speciall duty by how much we have the more obligation not to doe a thing by so much we sin the more if we doe it Thirdly Note That as it is very sinfull in Magistrates to wrong any man so it is most sinfull to wrong them or to deny them right who have most need of it the widow and the fatherlesse Magistrates are called Gods And God who hath honoured them by putting his name upon them expects that they should honour him by imitating or acting like unto him What a Magistrate doth he should doe like God he should doe it so that every one may be convinced that God is in him and with him of a truth As God takes care of the widow and of the fatherlesse so should he God is knowne by this Title A father of the fatherlesse and a Judge of the widow is God in his holy habitation Psal 68.5 That is in Heaven for that 's the habitation of his holines and of his glory there he dwells Judging for the widow and the fatherlesse And as that is the speciall businesse as it were of God in Heaven so they who are Gods on earth ought to make it their speciall businesse to judge for the widow and the fatherlesse Hence wee finde the widow and the fatherlesse commended by name to the care of the Magistrate The fatherlesse have no naturall parents living or none neere of kinne remaining to maintaine and defend them therefore the Magistrate who is pater patriae the common father of his Country should be their Foster-Father They who want power are the charge should be the speciall care of those in power Thus they are commanded Psa 82.3 4. Defend the poore fatherless doe justice to the afflicted needy deliver the poore and needy rid them out of the hand of the wicked Here 's their worke and the neglect of this worke how busie so ever Magistrates are about other worke is often complained of aloud in Scripture as a crying sinne as a sinne that ruines Nations and drawes downe publicke Judgements upon a people Isaiah 1.17 Cease to doe evill learne to doe well seeke Judgement relieve the oppressed Judge the fatherlesse plead for the widow And at the 23 verse They judge not the fatherlesse neither doth the Cause of the widow come unto them Againe Jer. 5.28 They judge not the Cause of the fatherlesse It is a sin not to judge any mans Cause not to judge the Cause of the richest of the greatest yet it is more sinfull not to judge the Cause of the widow and the fatherlesse And when he saith They judge not the Cause c. the meaning is they judge not the Cause of the fatherlesse impartially and righteously And indeed he that doth not judge righteously doth not judge at all and when the Prophet saith They judge not the Cause of the fatherlesse it is as if he had said Among all the Causes that lye unjudged this is the Cause that God takes most notice of and is most displeased with the neglect of it even when the Cause of the fatherlesse is not pleaded or judged All are forward enough to plead the Cause of the rich but when the Client is poore and appeares in forma pauperis his cause seld me finds any but a poore and formal pleading We read Acts 6.1 That there was a great murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrewâ—s because their widdowes were neglected in the daily Administration Church-Officers in their capacity as well as State-Officers in theirs ought to have a carefull eye upon widows that are in want And the Apostle James Cha. 1.27 summes up as it were all Religion into this one duty Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherlesse and the widow Not as if this were indeed all religion or the all of religion but as when the Spirit in Scripture hath to doe with prophane persons or meere moral honest men who place all religion in civill righteousnesse and workes of charity then he calls them to first Table duties or to the sincere worship of God so when the Spirit is speaking to those who place all their religion in worship or in first Table duties neglecting the duties of charity and righteousnes then we finde
latter part of the Verse may receive the same Exposition Will he enter with thee into judgment namely for thy feare Will God deale with thee upon the account of thy piety And when he comes to justifie thee will he impute that to thee Or when God enters into judgement with thee will he suffer thee to present thy fear thy piety or goodnesse to him and so thereby answer his plea or take away the action which he brings against thee When God enters with us into judgement we may boldly plead our interest or Faith in the Mediator but we must not plead our fear the Grace or Holinesse either of our persons or of our services Thus we see the Doctrine of the Text according to this Exposition and the Active signification of the word Feare carrieth in it the very life and spirit of the Gospel All the worth and merit of our works as to righteousnesse is nul'd and laid prostrate and we taught to glory in nothing but the free gift and grace of God by our Lord Jesus Christ Secondly As Fear is taken passively Will he reprove thee for feare of thee That is is God afraid of thee doth he pick quarrels with thee for fear of thee Or seek occasions against thee when there is none only lest thou shouldest stand in his way or be a detriment to him This appears plainly to be the sense of our Translators Whence Observe God is above the feare of the Creature As in the former Verse God is above any advantages or hopes that the Creature can give him so he is above the feare of any hurt that the creature can doe him As the goodnesse or righteousnesse of man cannot benefit the Lord so the wickednesse and sinfulnesse of man cannot at all impaire the eternall glory and happinesse of the Lord. Though the wickednesse of man be a darkening to the manifestations of his glory and for that wicked men shall be judged yet as to his essential glory all the wickednesse in the world cannot darken that nor be the least abatement to it Will he reprove thee for feare of thee No man cannot hurt the Lord by all his wickednesse and therefore The punishment which God layeth upon wicked men is not after the manner of men God doth not punish as man punisheth Eliphaz here speaks of that which is often indeed a true ground among men why they reprove or punish other men Some reprove others upon a vaine fear of them and some upon a just fear of them Why did the Jews accuse and reprove Christ Was it not for fear of him at least they pretended a fear why else were they so hasty to have Jesus Christ brought to judgement John 12.47 48. Then gathered the chief Priests and Pharisees a Councel and said what doe we for this man doth many Miracles if we let him thus alone all men will beleeve on him and the Romanes shall come and take away both our place and Nation They Crucified Christ for fear though it was but a vain fear that he would be the ruine of their state the Romanes must needs come and destroy them if they let him alone Feare makes men cruell and they are most ready to hurt others who continually suspect hurt from others It hath been an ancient Observation that Cowards are murtherous and revengefull while a man fears that such a man will be his ruine he ruines him if he can and removes that out of his way which he supposeth standing in the way of his owne safety Why did Pharaoh give Command to slay the Male-Children of the Jews and oppresse that people It was upon a vaine or cowardly fear Come let us deale wisely with them lest they multiply and it come to passe that when there falleth out any warre they joyne also with our enemyes and fight against us and so get them up out of the Land Ex. 1.10 It is sayd at the 7th verse of that Chap. that the children of Israel were fruitfull and God fullfilling herein his promise made to Abraham encreased aboundantly and multiplyed and waxed exceeding mighty and the Land was filled with them When God thus cast a gratious eye upon them Pharoah and his Councellers cast a jelous eye upon them and began to suspect their multiplying might at last diminish him that their rising might prove his ruine Therefore upon reason of state he must find out a way to suppress and keepe them under as slaves and bondmen whom his Ancestors received as welcom guests and had to that day enjoyed as faithful friends Pharoah being captivated with this feare saw no way to free himselfe but by taking away the freedome of that whole People As some through the prevalency of their owne feares dare not doe justice so others through the prevalency of feare doe that which is unjust Take one instance more why did Herod Matth. 2. send out to slay all the Children It was for fear of the King of the Jewes he was afraid of Christ and therefore that he might murther him he gave that horrible sentence to slay all the Infants Again some reprove and judge upon a due fear for as Tirants and wicked men are full of fear because full of cruelty and have suspitious thoughts that others will wrong them because they have a mind to wrong every man so just and righteous Magistrates when they see evil working they must reprove and punish it lest it spread to the endangering of the publick Peace This is a just fear and such as becomes a man even a man of courage and integrity such may feare that if seditious spirits be let alone Verissimum est illud quod inter argumentādum assumit Eliphaz ex timore frequenter nasci aut vehementius accendi solere severitatem in irrogando supplicio Pined they will undermine a whole Nation and destroy thousands A Magistrate reproves and Judges Theeves and Murtherers out of fear that if they encrease no man shall live quietly Such as either openly or secretly contrive evil against a Nation the Magistrate from a just ground of fear deals with them reproves least they should disturb or infect the whole But the Lord doth not reprove any man for fear of him he is of such infinite strength and stability so far out of the reach of all the plots and contrivances of the wicked that he needs not call them to account lest they should hurt his state pull him out of his Throne spoile his Kingdome or get his Dominion from him the Lord is not afraid of any of these things but the true reason why the Lord reproves wicked men is because he hates their iniquities and is a God of truth and judgment Though Magistrates may punish not only out of the love of Righteousnesse and Judgment but because they fear a State may be ruin'd if they do it not yet the Lord hath none of this fear in regard of his State but he doth it meerly out of love to justice
eyther speaking his minde to their eares or sending it in to their consciences This light of God is not onely not pleasing but vexing They who love darknes cannot abide the light of direction much lesse the light of conviction So that if ever God be neere in their mouth neere in their eare or neere in their conscience yet as the Prophet speakes Jer. 12.2 He is farre from their reines that is though they speake heare or thinke of God yet they delight not in him they have no desirings no breathings after him yea the more he offers himselfe to them the more weary are they of him What David spake in a temptation they speake from their disposition Psal 73.3 I remembred God and was troubled It troubles them when they are put in minde of God it troubles them when God comes into their minde God is holy and they are unholy The holy God must needs be a burden to an unholy heart The Prophet puts the Question Amos 3.3 Can two walke together except they be agreed they cannot That company is alwayes unpleasant to us which is unsuitable to us They who are not at one are best pleased when they are furthest asunder The wayes of God are grievous to wicked men much more is God himselfe They say what a wearisomnesse is it to serve the Lord they say his yoake is heavy and his burden insupportable the very outside of heavenly and spirituall worke is burdensome to them how then can they maintaine communion with God in truth of spirit Who is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit and in truth Thirdly Note Naturall men are blind and foolish they know not wherein their owne happinesse doth consist they forsake and throw away the mercies offered them for lying vanities They who are not taught of God are full of mistaken and false principles among which this is a principal one They suppose they can doe well enough without God whereas indeed there is nothing can doe us good without him who is the chiefe good Now that the natural man beleeves he can doe well enough without God is plaine from this abominable and hatefull motion which such make to God in the Text Depart from us No man would desire God to depart from him if this perswasion did abide upon his heart That he could not subsist without him or that he depended upon God for his subsistence Therefore this is their opinion though possibly they are as farre from acknowledging it as they are from the true knowledge and love of God That they can do well enough alone that they can stand upon their own bottome without God yea that they are selfe-sufficient as God is for whosoever doth not see an emptinesse and insufficiency in himselfe and so place his all in God makes himselfe a God This is the way of wicked men and this their way is their folly as the Psalmist speakes Psal 49.13 Though their posterity approve their sayings Who but they they can maintaine their being yea their well-being without God they can live and live happily whether he will or no. Surely if they thought they were beholding to him eyther for being or well-being eyther for life or a happy life they had never been heard saying to God depart from us And if this be a truth that they have sayd so and say so still every day wee need not stay to prove this a truth that they shew their blindnes and foolishnes in saying so Is not he foolish who would have the Sunne depart from him which enlightens him or who would have the Sheild depart from him which protects him or who bids the fountaine be gone which gives him drinke God is all this to all men in some degree or other and he promiseth himselfe such in the highest and best degree to all such as walke uprightly even to be their Sunne their Sheild their fountaine their spring Then can folly it selfe utter more foolishnes then this To say to God depart from us Further how foolish are they to refuse that as if it were a hurt to them which Saints who have the true wisdome have prayed for and still doe pray for as the greatest blessing and priviledge The presence of God with them How foolish are they who aske and desire that as a blessing which God the onely wise God threatens as the soarest curse Jer. 6.8 Be instructed O Jerusalem lest my soule depart from thee lest I make thee a Land desolate not inhabited Utter desolation is the consequent yea the effect of the Lords departure from a Land and when he ceaseth in regard of his favourable presence to inhabit a Land eyther none shall inhabit it or none shall have a comfortable habitation in it The Lord threatens this departure as the last and soarest or as the summe of all his judgements and wicked men desire this as if to be without God were the chiefe or summe of their enjoyments See another instance of this folly among all the threatenings of God against sinfull men this is one of the greatest that he will take away his Gospel and the light of his Word from them yet this a wicked man desireth let the Gospel goe let the light of the word goe He wisheth it gone 't is but a trouble to him he is sicke of it it is a death to him The best of good things is refused and the worst of evills chosen by those that are evill As their understanding is so blinded and distempered that they call evill good and good evill that they put darknes for light and light for darknes that they put bitter for sweete and sweete for bitter Isa 5.20 So their will and affections are so perverted that they choose embrace darknes for light evill for good and that which is most bitter for that which is sweeter then the honey and the honey-combe Observe Fourthly Wicked men are not onely foolish but wild and furious See at what a rate they speake even as if they had God at their command They say to God depart As if God could not be where he pleased as if God were at their limiting and disposing Here 's madnesse like madnesse it selfe As there is madnesse in the heart of man in the enjoyment of the creature I said of laughter it is mad sayth Solomon Some are so over-acted with joy and laughter in their creature-enjoyments that whereas laughter is the proper passion of a rational creature there is nothing more irrational then their laughter 'T is plaine down-right madnesse Now I say as some carnal men are mad in their manner of enjoying the creature so they are more mad in refusing the enjoyments of God the Creator Who can tell how mad they are who desire God to depart from them They are mad to purpose who would put God from them yet they more who thinke they can Fiftly Note That the godly and the wicked have quite contrary both desires and fears What are the desires and feares
Dimissus oculis est qui suo ju dicio existi matione sibi ipsi vilescit He shall save the humble person that is the person who is low in his owne eyes while in the greatest worldly heights the person that humbles himselfe and walkes humbly with God and men when most exalted Thus the Apostle James exhorts the brother of high degree or the rich brother to rejoyce in that he is made low Jam. 1.10 But if he be rich how is he made low he meanes it not of a lownes in state but of a lownes or rather lowlines of spirit The brother of high degree hath no cause to rejoyce in his highnes but when he is low in his owne eyes Lownes of eyes is more then a vertue or common modesty 't is a Grace That 's in a spirituall sence the most Grace-full looke which is the most humble looke He shall save the humble person But with what salvation I answer Salvation is eyther temporal and bodyly or eternal usually called the salvation of the soule We may expound this Text of both The Lord saveth the humble person both body and soule both temporally and eternally Where note That the Lord takes speciall Care of humble ones The Lord seemes to take so much care to save the humble as if there were none else that he tooke care to save or regarded what became or them whether saved or no. And the Lord speakes of proud persons as if he contemn'd none but under that name and notion Jam. 4.6 He resisteth the proud he that is proud of his person or parts or estate or witt or power the Lord resisteth him And he speakes of the humble as if none were saved but under that name and notion He saves the humble person◠or as that Text in James hath it He giveth grace to the humble What grace There is a twofold grace and both are given to the humble First he gives them the grace of favour or good will he is kinde to and respecteth the humble or as this text in Job hath it Hee saves the humble person Secondly He gives much grace to the humble as grace is taken for that gracious worke of the Spirit in us forming up faith love c. in our soules The Lord gives more of this grace also to the humble that is he addeth unto the graces which they have and makes them more humble more gratious a man cannot be in that sence an humble person without grace humility it selfe is a great grace and the greater our humility is the greater accession we have of other graces Thus I say we may understand the text in James both wayes He giveth grace to the humble that is he favours and respects them because they are gracious and he addeth to or encreaseth their graces We have a promise very paralel to these of Eliphaz and James Psal 18.27 Thou wilt save the afflicted people but wilt bring downe high looks The word which we translate afflicted signifies also one humbled and humble and so we might render the Psalme Thou shalt save the humbled or the humble people and that the humble are to be taken in to partake of the priviledge of that promise is plaine from the opposite Terme in the latter clause of the verse High lookes that is high lookers God will bring downe but he will save the humble person Men of low and meane estates are usually wrapt up with great ones in the same judgement as the Prophet speakes Esay 5.15 The meane man shall be brought downe and the mighty man shall be humbled the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled there we have the meane man and the mighty man under the same wrathfull dispensations of God The wicked whether high or low are farre from salvation but God knowes how to make a distinction between the humble and the proud when his wrath makes the greatest confusions in the world Humility it is not onely a sweet but a safe grace yea a saving Grace wee never goe under the Covert of God so much as when wee walke humbly with God He will save the humble person Vers 30. Hee shall deliver the Island of the Innocent and it is deliver'd by the purenes of thine hands The promise is continued to the man that returnes to God Hee shall deliver the Island of the Innocent or as some translate the Innocent shall deliver the Island The sence is the same He shall deliver the Island that is the Inhabitants of the Island All shall be safe the Island and they that dwell in it There is another reading of the Text which yet falls in fully and clearly with this whereas we reade He shall deliver the Island of the Innocent Liberabit noxium Pisc it may be read He shall deliver him that is not Innocent Now because this may seeme a very wide difference in the translation wee are to Consider the ground of it how this can be made out that the same text should be rendred the Innocent and him that is not Innocent The reason is because the word which we translate Island is taken by many of the Hebrew Doctors Vocula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae hic redditur insula idem valet quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non Pisc Ego cum veteribus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro negatione exponerē Eritque facilis sensus sc deus puritate manuum tuarum etiam nocentē vel non innocentem liberabit Merc. as also by other translators onely for a negative particle signifying not or that which is not So the word is rendred 1 Sam. 4.21 when Phineas his wife dying in travell gave the name to her Childe shee sayd Hee shall be called Ichabod There is no glory or not glory And againe Pro. 31.4 the word is used in the same sence It is not for Kings O Lemuel to drinke wine strong drinke is not for Princes So here Thou shalt deliver the nocent or the not Innocent And so the whole verse is thus translated God because of or for the purenes of thy hands will doliver the nocent or those who are not innocent Whereas we say Thou shalt deliver the Island of the Innocent or the Innocent shall deliver the Island And it is delivered by the purenes of thine hands Eliphaz spake before in the third person here in the second 't is probable he did so purposely to make Job understand that he meant him It is delivered c. That is the Island is deliver'd according to our translation how is it delivered by the purenes of thine hands The word notes the most exact purity and cleannes like that of gold when it is refined in the fire or of garments that are washed with Soape or Nitre Manus purae sunt opera inculpata quae crimine vacant Drus by this purenes it or the Island shall be deliver'd and by the purenes of his hands he meanes the purenes of his actions or administrations The
and that not onely in doing but in suffering 1 Pet. 2.21 For even hereunto are we called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps â—equere deum Epict. Christ is not onely a principle of holinesse in us or our spirituall life but he is also a patterne of holinesse according to which we ought to live And the same Apostle represents the holinesse of God both as a rule and as a motive of that holinesse which should be acted by us 1 Ep 1.15 16. As he that hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written Lev 11.14 Be ye holy for I am holy To be holy as God is in all manner of conversation is stedfastly to hold the steps of God And when as Christ exhorts Math. 5.55 Wee are mercifull as our father which is in heaven is mercifull When as the Apostle exhorts Eph. 4.32 Wee forgive as God for Christs sake hath forgiven us when we are patient and long-suffering one towards another as God is towards us all then we take hold of his steps this should be our businesse every day to follow God in his word and in his workes to follow him fully It is said of Caleb Num. 14.24 My servant Caleb hath another spirit he hath followed me fully Here some may object to follow the counsel of God fully is the dutie of all but to follow the example of God is surely beyond the attainment of any This seemes to be a hight of holinesse too high for man For if Solomon said Eccl 2.12 What can the man doe that cometh after the King even that which hath been already done or more close to the Original in those things which have been already done How much more may we say What can the man doe that comes after God the King of Kings can he doe that which hath been done already I answer no man can paralel the workes of God but all men are called to imitate him in his workes though we cannot follow him with equall steps yet we may follow the equity and holines of his steps This Job did and we through grace may doe My foote hath held his steps His way have I kept and not declined The way of God is his Law in that he will have us to walke and that is called his way because he hath prescribed it and is the author of it as that is mans way wherein he walks so that is Gods way wherein he will have man to walke Blessed is the undefiled in the way Psal 119.1 What the way is he tels us in the next words Blessed are they that keepe his testimonies and who walke in the Law of the Lord. His law and testimonies are his way now sayth Job As I have held his steps or followed his example so I have kept his way that is I have done that which he hath commanded The way of God is put sometimes in Scripture for that which himselfe hath done Ezek. 18.25 Via del hominis sumitur 1 Pro itinere gressibus 2 Pâ—o ipsa via strata Heare O house of Israel is not my way equall that is the way wherein I my selfe have gone the way of my dispensations to you both in rewarding and punishing And as the workes of providence so the worke of Creation is called the way of God Pro. 8.22 The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way that is before he came forth in the worke of Creation before his workes of old his way and his workes are the same or his workes are his way But in this Text as I touch't before we may rather take way for that which God would have us doe or for the way in which we ought to walke And so we have the compleatnes of Jobs obedience he imitated the example and he obeyed the command of God His way have I kept Yet further There is a twofold keeping of the way of God First by practice and obedience thus we keepe the way of God by submitting to it Secondly There is a keeping the way of God by protection and defence Thus we keepe the way of God when we stand up to maintaine it We may take it here in both senses and in both doubtlesse Jobs Spirit was led out to keepe the way of God Hence note A godly man keepes close to the word of God He keepes close to it by obeying it and he keepes it close by defending it and this he doth as Job did it universally for so this indefinite proposition His way have I kept is to be understood it was not this or that way but any or every way of God which he kept And thus a godly man keepes the way of God though it be a difficult and to the flesh an uneasie way though it be among men a reproachfull and ignominious way though it be as to his outward concernements a disadvantageous and dangerous way yet he keepes it he that is through with God doth not onely keepe those wayes which suit with his owne pleasure and credit with the safety of his owne interests and accommodations in the world but if the way of God lie through difficulties through dangers and disgraces he will yet keepe it And if we thus keepe the way of God we may be sure that the way of God or rather the God of this way will keepe us and keepe us in perfect peace in spirituall freedome safetie and honour though we have trouble in and from the world His way have I kept and which doth heighten his obedience care and zeale in keeping it He addes And not declined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifies to be unsteady or to move every way As if he had said I have kept his wayes stedfastly and unmoveably Job speakes both in the affirmative I have kept and in the negative I have not declined Some keepe the wayes of God a while but they keepe not on much lesse doe they keepe up in keeping them There is a twofold declining First a declining from the way of God to evill and sinfull wayes and these are of two sorts first erroneous opinions secondly wicked practices secondly there is a declining in the way of God when though we keepe the good way yet we are not so good in the way as we were but slacke our pace coole in our zeale to the good wayes of God We may expound Jobs negative in reference to both these as if he had sayd I have neither gone out of the way of God nor have I been sloathfull in it 'T is the highest commendation of man thus to keepe the way of God and not decline Hence note A godly man is or ought to be and 't is his honour to be steady in a good way Perfeverance is our Crowne The Apostle 1 Cor. 15.58 Exhorts to be steady and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord. We should
from their evill wayes and so his purpose for their preservation might be accomplished Thus the outward sentence is changed but the minde of God is not changed And these changeable sentences were decreed by God to bring about his unchangeable decree Fourthly I answer When God is said to repent the change is not in God but in us God is alwayes the same but wee are not God is so much the same that he never alters and man is so little the same that he is alwayes altering and when he hath done evill it is good for him that he is so God did not change but Noneveh changed by turning from sin and Hezekiah changed by improving more in prayer and therefore he dyed not at that time nor were they then destroyed The change is in the creature not in God when that is changed which God speakes concerning the creature He is still unmoveable in the same minde all the motion is in the minde of man It is in this case as with a ship putting out to Sea When a ship sets out from the harbour and sayles by the shoare the unexperienced passenger thinkes the shore moves from the ship whereas indeed the ship onely moves from or by the shore So when we thinke God changeth or is moved the change or motion is onely in our selves In one dispensation we take notice of the love of God and in another of his wrath in a third of his justice and in a fourth of his mercy These are changes upon us but not in God And these shew that God changeth his course towards us but they are no proofes of a change in God For the love of God and the wrath of God the justice of God and the mercy of God are still the same but we changing are cast sometime under the effects of his love and sometimes of his wrath we are sometimes under the saddest droppings of his justice and sometimes under the sweetest influences of his mercy As when a man changeth his aspect and turnes about his body to another poynt That part of the heaven which was before at his right hand is now at his left yet the heavens are as they were they doe not change eyther their position or their motion but the man hath changed his Thus the wrath and love the Justice and the mercy of God stand alwayes at the same poynt but man turneth sometimes Justice-ward and sometimes mercy-ward now he faces the wrath and anon the love of God And doing so he meetes with many changes in the dispensations of God toward him but there is no change in the minde of God toward him And seing God is unchangeable or in one minde take this by way of deduction from it 'T is the duty of man to submit himselfe unto and acquiesce in the minde of God Seing the mind of God rests we ought to rest in the mind of God that is we ought to resigne up our selves and to resolve our minds into the mind and our wills into the will of God What ever pleaseth God should please us He is in one minde and that one minde of his hath nothing in it but justice and righteousnes toward all nothing but goodnes and mercy nothing but loving kindnesse and faithfullnesse toward his peculiar people As the minde of God revealed in his word should be the rule of our actions so the minde of God revealed by his workes should be the rest or ease of all our passions The minde of God is that by which we are to guide our selves in all we doe and to that we must yeeld in all we suffer While we see some sorely discomposed in their spirits yea vext beyond all reason at the dispensations of God have we not reason to beleive that they have never heard or at least not well learnt and digested this great truth That God is in one minde When the minde of God is done himselfe is pleased and should not whatsoever pleaseth God please us also yea though it be in it selfe bitter and unpleasant to us A gratious heart tasts sweetnesse in Gall and Wormewood considered under this notion as it is the will and minde of God he should drinke it or feed upon it It was a strange power that David had over the people of Israel or it shewes that they had a very strong opinion of his justice and integrity when it is sayd 2 Sam. 3.36 Whatsoever the King did pleased all the people What was sayd of him we should say in the highest sence of God whatsoever he doth should be pleasing to all his people It was once the saying of a Court-flatterer That which pleaseth the King Placet mihi quod regi placet dixit Harpalus Apud Herod lib. 1. pleaseth mee We cannot flatter God in saying so It is but our duty to say so we sin if we say not and say not with our hearts Whatsoever pleaseth God pleaseth us He acts below both the duty and priviledge of a man who resolves himselfe into the will of any man how high soever or though he be King-High and he acts above both the state and proportion of a man though much below the duty of a Christian who doth not resolve himselfe into the will of the most high God who is higher then the highest of the Kings of the earth He vainely supposeth himselfe God-High who submits not to the will of the most High God Whatsoever God doth or will have done man should say Even so be it as God will have it But some may say if it be so then it seemes we may not endeavour to extricate our selves from or to get a removall of any of those evills troubles or afflictions which at any time presse and greive us For answer to this scruple I say First It is our duty in every trouble that God layeth upon us to seeke unto God and to use all good meanes for the taking of it off from us But Secondly We must not seeke unto God for the removing of any evill from us as being displeased with his laying it upon us we must be quiet under our troubles and yet we may both desire and endeavour to be quit of them Though God be in one minde yet that doth not necessitate man to one condition nor hinder him from seeking a better then that wherein he is I have insisted the longer upon this poynt because Job gives it as a general answer to all his friends queryes about him and as the best expedient for reconciling the difference between them and him He is in one minde And who can turne him Hence learne That as God is unchangeable in himselfe so none can alter or change him Some men are of a very steady spirit they are not in and out as we say forward and backward let them alone and they are true to their own principles and they will be true to others according to their promises Yet possibly these men may be turned aside and led out
And who can but feare to be under that power which hath no limits but a corrupt will But who would feare to be under the power of God acted by his will seing he willeth nothing but what is righteous just and good What can we expect but right from him who is righteousnesse what but good from him in a good cause who is goodnes it selfe how great or how unlimited soever his power is If some men might doe what they would what evill would they not doe There 's nothing stands between some men and the wronging of all men they have to doe with but the want eyther of power or of opportunity to doe it The Lord can doe what he will but he will doe nothing but what is good He is able to ruine all men but he will wrong no man no not the worst of men What his soule desireth even that he doth but it is impossible his soule should desire to any thing but what is right Lastly When it is sayd Whatsoever his soule desireth even that he doth or more close to the Originall He desireth He doth We learne That It is as easie with God to doe a thing as to desire to have it done All men would doe what their soules desire but most men desire that which they cannot doe yea though men have a desire to doe a thing and a power to doe it also yet it is not so soone done as desired there must be a preparation and the use of meanes before man can doe what he hath a power to doe so that though a man hath power proportionable to his desire yet he is not presently a partaker of his desire But God can make his power as speedy as his desire He can make the declaration of his will and the execution of it contiguous For though many things lie long in the will of God before they are done and what he willed from eternity is don in time and the time of doing it be yet a great way off yet he can doe any thing as soone as will it and whatsoever he willeth or desireth is to him as done already Psal 104.30 Thou sendest forth thy Spirit they are created The creation there spoken of is providence for that is a continued creation The first creation was the production of all things out of nothing to that being which they had but there is another work of creation which is the continuing or renewing of things in their being and of this he sayth Thou sendest forth thy Spirit that is thy power they are created And thou renewest the face of the earth Thou makest a new world And thus God makes a new world every yeare sending forth his Spirit or quickning power in the raine and Sun to renew the face of the earth And as the Lord sends forth his power in providenciall mercies so in providenciall Judgements He looketh on the earth and it trembleth He toucheth the hils and they smoake ver 32. A man can soone give a cast with his eye so soone can God shake the earth that is eyther the whole masse of the earth or the inferior sort of men on the earth When he looketh or casts an angry eye upon the earth it trembleth He toucheth the hils that is the powers and principalities of the world and they smoake If he doe but touch them they smoake that is the dreadfull effects of the power and Jugement of God are visible upon them As soone as the Lord calls all creatures readily tender their service Psal 105.31 34. He spake and there came divers sorts of flies and lice in all their coasts ver 34. He spake and the Locusts came and caterpillers and that without number If the Lord speake the word it is done God spake the world into this beautie he did but say Let there be light and there was light And he can speake the world into trouble and confusion He doth but say Let there be darknes and there is darknes It was an high speech of Caesar who meeting with some opposition from that yong noble Roman Metellus sayd Let me alone lest I destroy thee And presently added It is easier for me to doe this then to speake it Such was his power that he could easier take away a mans life then give sentence of death against him This is most true concerning the great God of heaven and earth there is no more difficultie in his doing of a thing then in his desiring and willing it to be done The generall truth of this verse carryeth in it a twofold inference First Of terrour to the wicked God is in one minde the same opinion which he had of their wayes and persons heretofore the same he hath still The same curses and Judgements which he hath denounced against them formerly are in force still Is it not a terrible thing to incorrigible wicked men to remember that what the soule of God desireth he doth when his soule desireth nothing but vengeance and wrath for them Therefore tremble before the Lord ye wicked and be ye sore affraid at the remembrance of his unchangeablenes Secondly Of abundant comfort to the faithfull and righteous The mind of God is mercy to them and he is in this one minde towards them none can turne him His soule desireth to doe them good And whatsoever his soule desireth that he doth What can Saints desire more then that God should doe all that for them which he desireth and all that he will assuredly doe Therefore rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous and give thankes at the remembrance of his unchangeablenes JOB CHAP. 23. Vers 14 15 16 17. For he performeth the thing that is appoynted for mee and many such things are with him Therefore I am troubled at his presence when I consider I am afraid of him For God maketh my heart soft and the Almighty troubleth mee Because I was not cut off before the darknesse neither hath he covered the darknesse from my face IN the former verse Job exalteth God first in his unchangeablenes He is in one minde who can turne him Secondly in his Almightines What his soule desireth even that he doth In the 14th ver he speaks of God in reference to his personal experience and brings downe the generall proposition to his owne particular case As if he had sayd I indeed have found that what his soule desireth even that he doth mine owne sad experience proves and beares witnes to this truth my present state makes the Comment of this text for he performeth the thing that is appoynted for mee Vers 14. Hee performeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in primaria significatione denotat implere finire deinde in pace esse etiam solvere compensare Pined The word hath various translations but all are well summ'd up in this Hee performeth First It signifies to pay payment is performance therefore the same word is used both for performing and paying Secondly The word signifies to be at peace
to doe iniquitie is their trade of life or that which they live by and dayly set themselves about The worke of God is none of their worke nor doe they count it so being as the Apostle speakes Tit. 1.16 abominable disobedient and unto every good worke reprobate Good worke is put into the hand of man by the hand of God but they have their worke from another hand the lusts of your father yee will doe saith Christ to the Pharisees Joh. 8.44 that is ye will doe the devills worke That 's their worke and they goe forth to it as the honest labouring man goeth forth unto his worke and to his labour untill the Evening Psal 104.23 so the wicked man goeth forth to sin as to his worke And that he doth so is evident upon a foure-fold account First Because he doth not stumble upon it but intends it a godly man falls into sin but to sin is not his intendment a godly man may sin when he goeth forth but he doth not goe forth to sin he doth not make it his buisines That is properly a mans worke which he proposeth to himselfe to doe and purposeth to doe Secondly He goeth forth to it as to his worke for he delights in it he is pleased with it It is his meate and drinke yea his mirth and musicke to doe evill That is properly a mans worke which though it be painefull to him to doe it yet he is pleased in doing it Thirdly Hee goes forth to it as to his worke for he spends his spirits his strength and time in it wee doe many things which are not our worke they are but by-works or beside our worke wee bestow little of our time and strength in such things that which a man bestowes his time and strength upon that whereat he labours to sweat and wearines of body that 's his worke now the time of wicked men runs out and their strength is consumed in sinning and though they are not weary of committing iniquity yet they weary themselves as the Prophet speakes Jer. 9.5 to commit iniquitie therefore that 's their worke Fourthly Wicked men are skillfull to sin they sin with a kinde of art therefore that 's their worke that which is a mans proper worke hee hath knowledge about it and is dextrous at He doth not bungle but makes cleane worke as we say of that which is his worke A Minister should preach the Gospel like a workman that needs not be ashamed as the Apostle speakes The wicked sin like workmen though the more they doe so the more cause they have to be ashamed The Prophet Jer. 9.5 bewayling the extreame sinfullnes of those times saith They have taught their tongues to speake lies As if they had studyed the art and language of lying while they told or made grosse lies they would not make them grossely but with a kinde of finenes and neatenes As though what a Godly man doth according to the minde of God he doth by grace yet he useth a kinde of artificialnes in doing it and is therefore exhorted to walke circumspectly or accurately that is to act all his duties with exactnes so though what an ungodly man doth against the minde of God he doth it by nature or very naturally yet he useth a kind of artificiallnes in doing it and therefore he is sayd Psal 50.19 20. To give his mouth to evill and to frame deceit with his tonuge to sit as an artist at his worke and speake against his brother and slaunder his owne mothers sonne Thus they goe forth to their worke Rising betimes for a prey Whence observe A wicked man is very industrious and diligent in doing his worke To rise betimes and to doe a thing diligently are the same in Scripture ro rise betimes is to rise somewhat before the ordinary time of rising Now when a man breaks his sleepe to goe about his worke this shews that he is industrious at it As some wicked men quickly throw off their sleepe that they may doe mischiefe So which argues the same principle and spirit Others sleepe not unlesse they have done mischiefe and their sleepe is taken away unlesse they cause some to fall Prov. 4.16 Their owne sleepe is taken away unlesse they take away somewhat which is not their owne They will defraud themselves of rest rather then not defraud others of their right They goe not more unwillingly to prison after they have done evill then they goe to bed before they have done it O how are they set upon mischiefe whose sleepe departs from them unlesse they doe it and who cannot rest unlesse they trouble others The servants of God when they are up in zeale cannot sleepe unlesse they doe good as David speakes Psal 132.4 5 6. Surely I will not come into the Tabernacle of my house nor clime up to my bed I will give no sleepe to mine eyes nor slumber to mine eyelids till I have found a place for God c. hee was so zealous for God that if he could he would not sleepe hee would forbid his owne rest though hee had never so much minde to it till he had finisht that worke for God So sayth the wicked man I will give mine eyes no sleepe nor slumber to mine eyelids till I have done this or that mischeife and brought my device to passe When the wicked lye wakeing on their beds what are they about then their wakeing thoughts in the night are to doe mischiefe in the morning Michah 2.1 2. Woe to them that devise Iniquity and worke evill upon their beds How doe they worke it upon their beds they worke it in their thoughts in their inward shop there they fashion it and when the morning is light they practice it because it is in the power of their hand they hinder themselves from sleepe that they may forward themselves in sin The night is spent in Imagineing and plotting and the day in accomplishing what they have imagined and plotted Their morning light is spent in the workes of darkenes and the text sayth They practice it because it is in the power of their hand They never consider what is Just for them to doe but what they have power to doe if they have ability they want no will for the vilest practices Againe as they cannot sleepe sometimes for devising evill so when they have slept their first waking thoughts are about evill and this also is a further proofe of their extreame industriousnes in doing evill For as it is with a zealous Godly man his first wakeing thoughts are with God and Christ or about his owne soule how God may be honoured how his soule may be saved Psal 139.18 O how precious are thy thoughts that is thoughts of thee to mee O God how great is the summe of them when I awake I am still with thee that is my thoughts and meditations are with thee as soone as ever I awake here 's the diligence of the soule after God so the
the breath whose spirit or whose breath came from thee The sense is the same And. First Some interpret Job thus Whose spirit or whose breath came from thee That is Consider O Bildad whose spirit moved thee or who breathed these things into thee whose breath or whose spirit came from thee when thou didst utter these words so 't is a rebuke of Bildads presumption as if he had conceaved himselfe wrought or acted by some extraordinary spirit while he was speaking or that the things which he uttered had been dropt into him by an immediate Revelation from heaven whose spirit came from thee what breath what gale hath filled thy sayles thou hast high conceits of thy selfe as if God had spoken to thee by his Spirit or as if thou hadst spoken these things to me from his mouth But is it not rather thy owne spirit thy owne heart which hath dictated these words unto thee Some thinke the same spirit comes from them when they speak which came from the holy Prophets and Apostles who yet are deceaved The Disciples of Christ thought the same spirit came from them which came from Eliah when they said Luk. 9.54 Lord wilt thou that we command fiâ—e to come downe from heaven and consume them as Elias did But he turned and rebuked them and sayd ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of As if he had sayd in the language of Job ye know not whose spirit comes from you ye would speake the words of Elias but ye have not the spirit of Elias you have a zeale but not according to knowledge yours is but a humane affection not a divine inspiration as Elias his was his was a pure spirit of zeale but yours is a rash spirit of revenge And therefore your motion suites not with your calling for as I am come so I send you to save not to destroy We may speake the same words and doe the same things which others have done and spoken and yet not with the same but with quite another spirit Therefore examine whose spirit comes from you This is a good and profitable sence Yet Cujus anima prodijt ex te i. e. quem consolatus es tam efficaciter sermone tuo ut anima ejus ex maerore quasi in corpore sepulta jacebat rursum è latebris prodierit seseq per corpus exserue rit Pisc Cujus animam verbis tuis vivificasti Hebraei Apud Merc Secondly Rather thus Whose spirit came from thee that is whose soule or whose minde hath been recovered out of trouble and feare out of sadnesse and sorrow by the words which thou hast spoken Thus the spirit is taken for his to whom he spake not for his spirit who spake or not for the spirit with which he spake This is a Great truth gratious and right words rightly applyed doe as it were releive the spirit and bring back the fainting yea dead soule from the grave of griefe and sorrow wherein it lay as buried Now sayth Job whose spirit came from thee Hast thou recovered or raysed any languishing soule by what thou hast sayd who hath felt life and power coming from thee I am sure I have not though I have heard thee out and heard thee attentively What the Moralist sayd of Idlenes the same may we say of sorrow or heavynes It is the buriall of a man while he liveth And therefore he that hath comforted a man and recovered him out of his sorrows may be sayd to give him a new life and that the spâ—rit of such a man is come forth from him yea he that instructeth the ignorant and bringeth them to the saving knowledge of God may be sayd to breath or put a soule into them In which sence some of the Jewish writers expound that place Gen. 12.5 where it is sayd That Abraham tooke Sarah his wife and Lot his Brothers son and all their substance that they had gathered and the soules that they had gotten in Charan c. that is all those whom by good instruction and example they had gained to God or as the Apostle speakes 1 Thes 1.9 had by their meanes turned to God from Idolls to serve the living and true God These soules they got in Charan though Abraham and Sarah were barren of naturall issue yet they had much spirituall issue many soules or the soules of many came from them And therefore when Job would put a disparagement upon what Bildad had spoken he puts him this Question Whose spirit or whose soule came forth from thee or whom hast thou resouled as the Greeke word which the Apostle useth for refreshing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth elegantly signifie Acts 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the time of refreshing or resouling shall come from the presence of the Lord. When a man faints or is very weary we say he hath lost his spirits and he is even as a man without a soule But when in the use of any meanes he is refreshed then we say his spirit or soule is come to him againe The spirit of man comes onely from God in its natural constitution he is the father of Spirits Eccl 12.7 Heb. 12.9 But the spirit of man may come from man in its refreshings and consolations And therefore sayth Job to Bildad Whose spirit came from thee or whom hast thou comforted Thou hast undertaken to comfort me but I am not comforted Hence note Holy truths or words rightly applyed have a releiving yea a reviving power in them Such words give a man his soule againe when he hath lost it and when he is as it were gone from himselfe he is brought backe to himselfe againe For as it is sayd of the repenting Prodigall he came to himselfe he was gone he was lost from himselfe his soule was departed from him his understanding was none of his he was no more Master of any spiritually rationall faculty then a dead man is of any meere rationall faculty and so his father reported him whilst in that condition this our sonne was dead but is alive he was lost but he is found Luk. 15.32 Now I say as it is in extreame sinnings so in extreame sorrowings and dejections of spirit a man is lost from himselfe he is as a dead man and so when comfort comes in againe life may be sayd to come in againe he who before was lost is found and he who was dead revives The word revives from a twofold death It revives a natural man from the death of sin and it revives a Godly man from a death in sorrow How many spirits have come forth at the voyce of the Word out of the grave of sin Christ foretold this resurrection of the soule by the preaching and publication of the Gospel Joh. 5.25 The houre is coming and now is when the dead shall heare the voyce of the son of God in the ministery of the word and they shall live And lest any
he could not make instance so many yeares before he dyed unless prophetically concerning that miraculous division of the red Sea and the destruction of the Egyptians Besides this another argument is alledged to invalidate this interpretation because all along Job instanceth in the generall works of God what he doth in the heavens in the earth in the ayre and here in the Sea so that it doth not seeme probable that Job should descend to the mention of that particular providence of God to the Israelites though that may serve for a glorious proofe illustration of the poynt upon which Job hath so long insisted The workes of God in ordering the workes of nature beare the resemblance of his workes among the children of men His repressing the raging of the Sea looketh like his repressing the rage of the wicked who are like the troubled Sea He divideth the Sea by his power We may take that act two wayes eyther first as dividing is used in an ordinary sense to cut out and part one thing or one peece of a thing from another It is a great and powerfull worke of God to divide the Sea or the whole bulke of waters to severall parts of the world and for the accommodation of severall Countries At first the waters covered the whole earth all was a great deepe and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters Gen. 1.2 Nothing was to be seene or there was no face of any thing but water And therefore as it is sayd Gen. 1.7 that the Lord separated or divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament So Gen. 1.9 God said let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place and let the dry land appeare and it was so and God called the dry land earth and the gathering together of waters he called Sea And as that Scripture in Genesis sheweth that the Sea is the Gathering together of waters so other Scriptures shew that the waters of the Sea are divided or run out in severall Divisions The 104th Psalme is a continued meditation of the mighty power of God put forth both in creation and providence where the Psalmist having sayd of God v. 5. Who layd the foundations of the earth that it should not be removed for ever he addeth v. 6 7 8. Thou coverest it that is the whole earth with the deepe as with a garment the waters stood above the mountaines that is the waters were higher then the highest mountaines But what did God then at thy rebuke they fled at the voyce of thy thunder they hasted away that is when thou didst speake powerfully and strongly to them as with the voyce of thunder they goe up by the mountaines they goe downe by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them thou hast set them bounds that they may not passe over that they returne not againe to cover the earth As the waters are now put into one great vessel so they are caryed out in severall great channels all the world over for the conveniency of trafficke and for the more easie entercourse of nation with nation Mr Broughton expounds his translation fully to this purpose Of a Generall water he made many and he translates the latter part of the verse fully to that sence And by his wisedome he parted the maine water or pride that is the proud Sea that threatneth to drowne the land So that though the Sea be but one body of waters yet it is divided into many members and receaves different names according to the differing names whether of Islands or Continents whose shoares it washeth Secondly Others expound this division of the Sea of the violent motion of the Sea So He divideth the Sea is he maketh the Sea rage and waters rise up against waters as persons or nations doe when they are divided among themselves Sometimes the Sea is as if it were all of one peice in union and concord all is calme and quiet by and by the Lord divides the Sea sets wave against wave flood against flood water against water as if the Sea were broken into a thousand factions It is sayd in that mysticall Scripture Dan 7.2 That the Prophet saw in his vision by night and Behold the foure winds of heaven strove upon the great Sea That is there were great troubles and commotions raysed in all parts of the world which vexed divided and turmoyled the nations even as the Sea is when boysterous winds especially when all the winds are let out of prison to strive and contend with one another Men make many fights at Sea and God many times makes the Seas fight Which fightings and dividings of the Sea are a cleare embleme of all the divisions and fights which arise among men and are acted eyther at Land or Sea Hence note The divisions stormes and ragings of the Sea are by the power of God The Psalmist is much upon this Psal 107.23 24 25. They that goe downe to the Sea in ships that doe busienes in great waters these see the workes of the Lord in the deepe for he commandeth and rayseth up the stormy winde which lifted up the waves thereof where note they are lifted up by Gods command they mount up to the heaven they goe downe againe to the depths their soule is melted because of trouble Jon 1.4 The Lord sent out a great winde into the Sea and there was a mighty tempest in the Sea Jere 10.13 God is said to bring the winde out of his treasure and Prov 30.4 To gather the winde in his fist The winde is sent out and the winde is gathered in 't is treasured up and 't is disbursed out by his owne appoyntment to serve his providences and designes towards men both in mercy and in Judgement We may hence inferre that As the Lord divideth the Sea so the Earth When men are all of a minde all as one man he can sever and divide their spirits and then cause them to dash against one another like the waves of a tempestuous Sea The old world was of one minde but the Lord came downe and divided them when he saw them united in that worke Gen. 11.6 The people are one and they have all one language and this they begin to doe and now nothing will be restrained from them which they have imagined to doe so the Lord confounded their language and scattered them abroad They were building a Babel to secure themselves against a second deluge and to get them a name lest they should be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth Therefore God brought their feares upon them and scattered them We lay our selves most open to that judgement which we labour most to prevent in a sinfull way As there are divisions among men which are their sin so God sends divisions among men which are their punishment And as God sends divisions among men for the punishment of some
in man to desire God to strike through his pride and it is a great act of mercy to man when God doth so The more God smiteth our sins the more he declares his love to and his care of our soules The remainders of pride in the Saints shall be smitten through but sinners who remaine in their pride shall be smitten through themselves God whose power and understanding are made known by smiting through the proud waves of the Sea will at last make his Justice and his holynes knowne by smiting through the proud hearts of men or rather men of proud hearts Proud men strike at God yea kicke against him no wonder then if he strike and kicke them All the sufferings of Christ are wrapt up under that one word His humiliation implying that as he was smitten for all our sins so most of all for our pride That man whose pride is not smitten to death or mortifyed by the death of Christ shall surely be smitten to death even to eternall death for his pride As God understandeth thoroughly who are proud so by his understanding he will smite through the proud JOB CHAP. 26. Vers 13 14. By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens his hand hath formed the crooked Serpent Lo these are parts of his wayes but how little a portion is heard of him but the thunder of his power who can understand JOB hath given us a particular of many illustrious works of God what he doth in the depths below Et ut in opere ipsius pulcherrimo desinam hic ille est qui coelos illa enarrabili pulchritudine exornavit spherae illae suis giris undique coelos serpeÌ„tium instar percurreÌ„tes sunt opus manibus ipsius tornatum Bez and what in the hights above in this verse he gives another instance and that a very choyce one upon the same subject As if he had sayd After all this large discourse which I have made of the workes of God I will conclude with that which is the most remarkeable peice of them all This is he who hath adorn'd the heavens with that unutterable beauty wherewith they shine and the spheares which wind and turne round about the heavens like Serpents are smoothed and polished by his hand Vers 13. By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens The Spirit of God is taken two wayes in Scripture First q. d. visua voluntate ut nomen spiritus saepius in scriptura usurpatur sed malo ipsum dei spiritum almum accipere quo omnia deus fecit Merc for the power of God Secondly and so here for God the power as distinct from the Father and the Son By whom God wrought all things in the creation of the world Gen 1.2 The Earth was without forme and voyd and darkenes was upon the face of the deepe and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters It is a rule in Divinity That the external workes of the Trinity are undevided and so the Three Persons concurred in the making of the world God the Father created and is called Father in Scripture not onely in relation to the Eternall ineffable Generation of God the Son but also in reference to the production of the creature God the Son or the Eternal Word created Joh. 1.1 2 3. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God All things were made by him and without him was nothing made that was made God the Spirit or Holy-Ghost he likewise created and He onely is mentioned by Moses distinctly or by name as the Agent in the original constitution of all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non simplicem motionem denotat sed qualem columba perficit cum evis ad excludendum pullos incubat Rab Selom Verbum â—ranslatum ab avibus pullitiei suae incubantibus Jun. And the Hebrew word rendred in our translatioÌ„ moved the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters by which the Agency of the Spirit in that Great worke is expressed caryeth in it a very accurate significancy of that formative vertue or power which the Spirit put forth about it For it is a metaphor taken from birds who sit upon their eggs to hatch and bring forth their young ones and so importeth the effectual working of the Spirit whereby that confused masse or heape was drawne out and formed up into those severall creatures specifyed by Moses in the Historie of the Creation Among which we find the Garnishing of the heavens spoken of here by Job is reported by Moses for the worke of the fourth day Further we may consider the heavens first in their matter and being secondly in their beauty and ornaments Job speakes of the latter By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adornavit decoravit pulchrè fecit God hath not onely created but pollished and as it were painted or embroydered the heavens The originall word implyeth the making of them beautifull contentfull and pleasant unto the eye this is the Lords worke And therefore as the whole world because of the excellent order and beauty of it is exprest in the Greeke by a word that signifies beautifull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so some parts of the world have a speciall beauty and lustre put upon them beyond the rest The heavens are not like a plaine garment as we say without welt or guard but they are laced and trimmed they are enamel'd and spangled they glister and sparkle in our eyes with rayes and beames of light By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens If it be asked what is this garnishing of the heavens I answer the setting or placing in of those excellent lights Sunne Moone and Starres in the heavens are the garnishing of them Light is beautifull and the more light any thing hath the more beauty it hath Precious stones have much light in them those lights the Starres are as so many stones of beauty and glory set or moving in the heavens Light as diffused and shed abroad in the ayre is exceeding delightfull and beautifull but light as it is contracted and drawne together into the Sunne Moone and Starres is farre more beautifull light in the ayre pleaseth the eye but light in the Sunne conquers and dazzel's the eye by the excessive beauty and brightnesse of it In the first day of the Creation God sayd Let there be light and there was light but in the fourth day he sayd let there be lights that is let there be severall vessells to receave hold and containe light and then to issue it out among the inhabitants of the earth Gen. 1.14 And God sayd let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night and let them be for signes and for seasons and for dayes and for yeares and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth and it was so And
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
a house for the comfort of our lives here who never deserved the meanest cottage how should we pray that he would Garnish our soules by the Spirit as a heaven for himselfe to dwell in or as the Apostle speakes Eph. 2.22 That we may be builded for an habitation of God through the Spirit God hath two houses an upper house and a lower house The heaven of heavens is his upper house and the heaven of an holy and humble heart is his lower God is every where but he dwelleth no where but in a heaven He dwelleth not in the heart of any man till that be made a heaven and that a heaven Garnished by the Spirit As the Sunne Moone and Starres are the garnishing of the naturall heaven so holy knowledge and the graces faith hope and love are the Garnishing of those spirituall heavens the hearts of the sons of men And untill their hearts be thus garnished they are not an heaven for God but a hell or habitation for the devill and he puts furniture and garnishings into them sutable to himselfe and fitting his owne entertainement We read in the Gospel Math 12.43 44. That when the uncleane Spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest and findeth none Then he saith I will returne into my house from whence I came out and when he is come he findeth it empty swept and garnished Lusts and corruptions unbeliefe pride wrath envy these are the Garnishings of Satans house And as he delighteth most to dwel there where he findeth most of these Garnishings so God delighteth most to dwel in that soule which is most Garnished with grace Then pray and pray earnestly that God who hath garnished the heavens by his Spirit for our use would also garnish our hearts by his Spirit for his owne use Thirdly As this should provoke us to pray that our hearts may be garnished as a house of delight that God may dwel in us So it should provoke us to garnish our lives that God may be honoured by us And as God hath not onely made a good world for us as to the matter but made it pleasant and adorn'd it for us so we should strive not onely to doe that which is good for the matter but to put ornaments upon it and make it pleasant to our utmost in the eyes of God We should garnish our workes as God hath garnished his God hath as it were polisht and engraven his workes for us by exquisite art and skill so that the workmanship is better then the matter and shall we satisfie our selves if we doe that which is good for the matter though we bestow no cost no holy skill and workmanship upon it shall we serve God onely with plaine worke when we see how curious and elaborate his workes are I grant plaine worke is best and most pleasing to God as plainenes is opposed to hypocrisie but plaine worke is not best as plainenes is opposed to exactnes God loves to see some lace and trimming in sincerity upon what we doe that is it pleaseth him when he seeth that we do our best and that we not onely doe good but garnish to his prayse the good we doe he would have us not onely walke in the truth but honour the truth by our walkings He would have us not onely obey the doctrine but as the Apostle speakes Tit 2.10 Adorne the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things or to use Jobs language Garnish it as he by his Spirit hath garnished the heavens And his hand hath formed the crooked Serpent His hand that is his power hands are ascribed to God in a figure or in allusion to men who doe all their externall workes by their hands The hand is a noble and most serviceable Organ or Instrument and therefore the Great things which God hath done especially the heavens are called the worke of his hands and his handy-worke Psal 19.1 yea the heavens are called the worke of his fingers Psal 8.3 Which notes I conceave the exactnes and curiosity of the worke for such are those things which are wrought by the fingers God being a Spirit invisible and incorporal hath no formal hands but he hath a vertuall hand That Executive power by which he performeth and bringeth about his will in every thing is his hand This hand Hath formed the crooked Serpent There are severall opinions about this crooked Serpent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Serpentem vectem Pagn Serpentem fugacem Mont Serpentem oblongum Jun who or what it should be that Job here meaneth The Hebrew is The Sepent the barre That is The serpent which is like a barre or bolt of iron Some render the flying or running serpent because as the bolt or barre of a doore runneth from side to side so that from place to place Mr Broughton translates the long serpent But what is this serpent Divers interpretens connect the sence of these words with the former part of the verse and so place this crooked serpent in the heavens as belonging to the Garnishing of them or as if Job were giving a particular instance of what God hath done towards the garnishing of the heavens His hand hath formed the crooked serpent By which they understand the coelestiall circles or spheares which are wrapt and involved one within another as a serpent wrappeth or twineth himselfe in several rounds Another following the same sence expoundeth it of that which Astronomers call the milkey way which is a beauty in heaven It being as it were the coalition of a number of little starrs Vatablus viam lacteam intelligit which because they looke white and milkish are therefore called the milkey way Which also hath somewhat of the forme of a serpent as is evident to the eye of any diligent observer A third keeping still to that sence expoundeth it yet more particularly of that speciall constellation in the heavens knowne among Astronomers by the name of the dragon or serpent Which is supposed to be spoken of here by Job synecdochically putting a part for the whole or one for all the other Constellations with which the heavens are garnished As if it had been sayd His hand hath formed the crooked serpent that is all the Starres in their severall shapes and configurations among which one representeth the forme of a Lion another of a Beare another of a Ram and among many others one appeareth in the forme of a Dragon or Crooked Serpent shooting himselfe forth or forward like the bolt of a doore I finde a fourth sort who though they keepe the crooked serpent of the Text still in the heavens yet they bring it downe to a lower heaven that is from the starry heaven or from that heaven which is the Subject of the Starres to the ayery heaven which is the subject or shop in which the meteors of all sorts are bred and formed and among them there is a meteor called by Naturalists the flying serpent As
and can wound Leviathan the crooked Serpent He can put a hooke in his nose and bore his jaw through with a thorne And thus God can doe also with those who are Leviathans and crooked Serpents in a figure The Devill and all cruel-minded men who doe his worke and cary on his designe against the people of God as is expressed in that lately alledged Scripture Isa 27.1 In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish Leviathan the peircing Serpent that is those enemyes and persecuters of his people who seeme to be as strong and invincible as Leviathan and as subtle and dangerous as the most peircing stinging Serpent Thus the Lord assured his faithfull ones Isa 54.16 17. That no weapon formed against them should prosper for saith he I have created the Smith that bloweth the coales in the fire and that bringeth forth an Instrument for his worke and I have created the waster to destroy Therefore I can hinder the waster from destroying and make all his weapons edgelesse poyntlesse no more able to wound then a straw or a rush How soone can God blunt and abate the keenest spirits of men and weaken their strongest armes when he seeth they will but doe mischiefe with them He that causeth motion can stop it and he that giveth power can call it in or breake it where it is While God is on our side who made all we need not feare who are made against us Though they have teeth like Lyons and stings like Serpents we are safe The hand of God can kill and wound for His Hand hath formed the crooked Serpent Vers 14. Lo these are parts of his wayes but how little a portion is heard of him but the thunder of his power who can understand Thus Job concludes after he had given an enumeration or Induction of many particulars he doth as it were hold them forth in his hand to the view of all men Behold or lo these are parts of his wayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 finem extremitatem denotat The word which we render parts signifyeth the end or extremity of a thing There is a twofold extremity first that which is utmost or furthest from us secondly that which is hithermost or neerest to us The word takes in both Ne me putetis omnia enarrasse vix enim extremam partem attigi Coc and is used for both in one text Psal 19.6 His going forth that is the going forth of the Sunne is from the end of the heaven and his circuit unto the ends of it As if he had sayd the Sunne compasseth the heaven round and visiteth both the hithermost and uttermost as to us extremityes of it In the present text of Job we are to understand it of the hithermost extremity or of that which is next us implying that there are many and much more glorious things to be spoken of God if we were able to comprehend them reach the uttermost end or extremity of them And that it is so to be understood here is plaine from the next words But how litle a portion is heard of him Ecce hae sunt orae viarum ejus Coc Licet quae dixi siensibus nostris et judicio maxima esse videantur et verè sint stupenda respectu tamen divinae potentiae non sunt nisi minutiae peripsemata minimaque particulae eorum quae fecit ac facere potest Bold Extrema viae erunt opera minora nostri captus Coc In complyance with which sence some render the text thus These are the edges or borders of his wayes as if Job had sayd I have shewed you onely the borders I have not led you into the heart of the Country or into the midst of the workes and wayes of God much lesse to the furthest extremity or outside of them I have indeed spoken of very great and wonderfull things yet all that I have sayd is but litle to what might be sayd or at least to what really is I have given you but as it were the parings and chipings of Gods workes I have not gone to the bottome nor reached the depth of them So that Job seemes to distinguish these effects and workes of God about which he had discoursed from some greater workes which he was not able to attaine unto nor make any discovery of There are not onely Celestiall but super-celestiall workes of God wee cannot well apprehend much lesse comprehend what he hath wrought under the heavens which are onely the outside of his workes much lesse those which are above the heavens For as none of the works of God appeare to us or have been found out by us in their fulnesse and utmost extent so God hath done some great works which doe not at all appeare to us And those things which appeare are but small parts or parcels in comparison of those which as yet doe not appeare to us Lo these are parts of his wayes The wayes of God are spoken of in Scripture under a twofold notion First As the wayes in which God would have us walke so the commandements and statutes of God are called the wayes of God Psal 119.33 Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keepe it unto the end Secondly The wayes of God are those wherein he comes and reveales himselfe to us Via dei illius opera sunt agendi rationes quibus ad nos ille venire dicitur quia in his prodit ad nos et progrediendo se magis magisque nostris sensibus accommodat Coc As that is a mans way wherein or whereby he is knowne so in whatsoever God manifesteth or maketh himselfe knowne to us that is the way of God Isa 55.8 My thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes saith the Lord. That is my wayes of mercy are as farre above your wayes of mercy as your dutyes are below my wayes of holynes yea what are your wayes of sinfulnes in doing evill to my wayes of graciousnes in pardoning the evills which ye have done Man hath a vast and a large heart in sinning but the vastnes and largenes of mans heart in sinning is but scantnes and narrownes to the largenes and vastnes of Gods heart in pardoning We may understand the Lord speaking in eyther of or in both these sences My wayes are not as your wayes And in general the way of God is that wherein he acteth or revealeth himselfe towards us whether it be in mercy or in Judgement in love or terrour God hath some wayes which we may call foule and troublesome wayes such are his wayes of judgement he hath other wayes which we may call fayre and delightsome wayes such are all his wayes of mercy And as God comes to us continually in one or other of these wayes of providence so he came forth of old in the way of creation Prov 8.22 The Lord possessed mee in the beginning of his way