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
he is a God eyther he is talking c. Thus Hierusalem is expressed Isa 37.22 when Senacherib sent up that proud threatning message the Lord sent a comfortable message to his people by Isaiah the Prophet Thus saith the Lord God of Israel whereas thou hast prayed to me against Senacherib the king of Assyria this is the word which the Lord hath spoken concerning him the virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorne the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee The daughter of Zion and the daughter of Jerusalem are but one and the same shee was called a virgin not as some have conceived because she was never taken or forced by any enemy nor was she so called because he had preserved her selfe pure and chast in the worship of the true God For she had her faylings and Idolatrous dalliances before that day but she was so called because of that speciall care which God had of her to protect and save her against the insultations of the enemy then ready to assault her even as a virgin is protected from violence in her fathers house And the Prophet to assure them that it should be so speakes of the ruine of Senacheribs Army and Jerusalems laughter as accomplisht and come to passe already The virgin daughter c. hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorne and shaken her head at thee What God saith shall be done is as good as done already The Assyrians were yet in their Jollity laughing at Jerusalem and promising themselves the spoyle of the people of God yet saith the Lord Jerusalem hath laughed thee to scorne that is assuredly she shall And as the people of God doe sometimes formally and explicitly laugh at the downfall and whitherings of the wicked so they alwayes virtually and secretly laugh them to scorne even when they stand and flourish in their greenenes and prosperity For while the Godly are not daunted with the power and splendour while they are not terrified with the threats and high lookes of the wicked but in the singlenes and simplicity of their hearts keepe close to God his wayes and truths even this though they use the duest respect to them in regard of their authority both in word and gesture is a laughing them to scorne For this is as a thorne in the sides of evill men and as a pricke in their eyes when they see they will not stoope to their greatnes in any sinfull complyance with their commands This is a truth but the former is the truth intended in this Text. Hence note That wicked men are not onely miserable but ridiculous They are the laughter of the innocent upon more accounts then one First because they doe such childish and ridiculous things such things as can never reach the ends they desire and purpose they are justly laughed at whose counsells and courses are unsuitable much more when contrary to their designes Secondly Wicked men become ridiculous while the Lord frustrates their wisest counsels and blasts those hopes which were bottom'd upon the most probable principles and foundations while he takes them in their own craft and entraps them in the snare which they layd for others Thirdly While he over-rules all that they plot or act to serve his owne ends and fullfill his owne holy counsels Hence the enemies of God are said to pine away this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feete he doth not say that they shall all be slaine but their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feete and their eyes shall consume away in their holes and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth Zech. 14.12 which as some interpret of their bodily languishment that they shall live dying continually or that their life shall be a continuall death so all interpret the cause of this consumption to arise from vexation of spirit because they shall see themselves scorn'd and laughed at or that they are become ridiculous to all the world but chiefly to Jerusalem the Church and people of God whom they shall behold in good condition notwithstanding all the opposition which they have made against them which Eliphaz also clearely expresseth in the next words Vers 20. Whereas our substance is not cut downe but the remnant of them the fire consumes There are divers readings and renderings of this verse first some with an affirmative interrogation is not their substance cut downe that is it is cut downe And then this verse is a continuation of the former discourse concerning the utter extirpation of the wicked The righteous are glad they laugh them to scorne is not their substance cut downe and doth not the fire consume the remnant of them As if Eliphaz had said Whatsoever they had of any substance or moment is cut downe and if possibly there be any small inconsiderable remainder of them fire that is some devouring Judgement will meete with it and make an utter end of it Innocens subsarnabit eos quia non fuit succisa substantia nostâ—a c. q. d. ut qui se res suas salvas illos autem penitùs igne illo divino videant jure absumptos Bez Secondly Another understands this 20 â—h verse as a reason of the former the righteous are glad when the wicked fall the innocent shall laugh them to scorne because our substance was not cut downe as if he had sayd our safety will be matter as of praise to God who hath preserved us so of holy scorne and insultation over ungodly men who longed to see our destruction and sayd in their hearts that surely our day was not onely comming but hastning whereas indeed we see the day come upon them which burneth as an oven and themselves as stubble Wicked men are for the most part doubly disappointed first by their owne fall when they looked to stand secondly by the standing of the righteous when they looke yea and long for their fall This double disappointment doth at once double their sorrow and the joy of the Innocent who laugh them to scorne because their owne substance is not cut downe but the remnant of them the fire consumeth Innocens subsannabiteos dicens etsi non est succisa substantia nostra tamen excellentiam illorum consumpsit ignis Pâ—sc There is a third translation which makes these words the forme in which the innocent expresse their laughter at the wicked When The innocent laugh them to scorne they will thus bespeake them Whereas or Although our substance is not cut downe yet the remnant of them or the best the excellency of them the fire hath consumed There is a fourth reading which makes the second part of the Chapter begin with this verse For hitherto Eliphaz hath been describing the sinfulnesse of wicked men and the wrath of God upon them for their wickednes
Cum nondum abscinditur substantia nostra residuum illorum absumit ignis assuesce quaeso cum illo Jun But here he is supposed entring upon a very serious exhortation to repentance after this manner or to this effect O Job now while our substance is not quite out downe and the fire consumeth the residue or the remnant of the wicked acquaint thy selfe with God or apply thy selfe to God as if he should say before thou art cleane cut downe before thou art utterly ruined as many wicked men have been heretofore and now are humble thy selfe and seeke to God that thy sin may be forgiven and thy wound healed Some paralel this in sense with that of the Preacher Eccle. 12.1 Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth while the evill dayes come not nor the yeares draw nigh wherein thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them Thus Eliphaz is conceived exhorting Job While our substance is not cut downe while we are not totally undone Quum subsisteÌ„tia nostra non sit excisa reliquias autem istorum ignis assumpserit Tygur Ita bene ut nihil melius Bold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extantâ—a vel potius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quo subsistimus duramus vel subsistantia nostra i. e. vita qua subsistimus nam stare valet interdum superstitem esse Drus while the fire of Gods wrath is consuming the remainder of wicked men doe thou acquaint thy selfe with God and repent And though our translation makes not this connection yet it joynes fully in the sense of the Originall Whereas our substance is not cut downe So this verse is an elegant conclusion of the whole matter hitherto insisted upon by Eliphaz and he shuts it up in two parts first shewing the state of the innocent who are brought in speaking thus Our substance is not cut downe strictly That by which we stand or subsist our substance or subsistence which some expound not by goods but by life we may take it both wayes our life and that by which our life is maintained or by which we and our families subsist is not cut downe There is yet a difficulty in regard of the grammaticall sense of these words For Eliphaz having spoken before in the third person plural The righteous are glad and the innocent laugh them to scorne should as it may be thought rather have continued his speech in the same forme and have sayd Whereas Their substance is not downe but he puts it in the first person plural Whereas our substance is not cut downe c. We may answer two wayes First that it is usuall in Scripture to vary the number while the same person or persons is or are spoken of take onely one Instance Hos 12.4 He that is the Angel of the Covenant found him in Bethel that is Jacob. And there he spake with us It should according to Grammar be read thus And there he spake with him Having found Jacob in Bethel he spake with him in Bethel But we see both the person and number are varied the former words running in the third person singular being meant particularly of Jacob the latter in the first person plural There he spake with us The Spirit of God thereby signifying that what God spake at that time to Jacob personally he spake to all the spirituall seed of Jacob whether of the Circumcision or Uncircumcision virtually He so spake to Jacob as that the substance and effect of his speech reacheth downe to and hath an influence upon us beleevers who are his posterity according to the Spirit Besides this other Scriptures hold out the like variation of the number as in the Text which is the first answer Secondly Eliphaz might purposely vary the number that himselfe might put in for a share and be numbred among those who had obtained that sparing mercy not to be cut downe while others were consumed And so this reason of the change is purely spirituall much like that last opened out of Hosea Whence note That the righteous are often preserved in common calamities Psal 20.8 They are brought downe and are fallen but we are risen and stand upright our substance is not cut downe God takes speciall care of his owne people they are under a promise there can be no greater safety no better security then to be under a promise the promise is the best shelter in a storme and the best shield against the dart The Apostle Peter gives us two famous examples of this 2 Pet. 2.5 6. God spared not the old world but saved Noah c. bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly And having turned the Cities of Sodome and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow c. and delivered just Lot c. From both which examples he concludeth v. 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of temptation and to reserve the unjust unto the day of Judgement to be punished When judgement begins at the house of God what shall the end of them be that obey not the Gospel of God as the same Apostle speaks 1 Pet. 4.17 It is a sure argument to the wicked that they shall be judged when they see God bringing judgements upon his owne house and people but the wicked are many times judged while the house and people of God are preserved and untoucht and when both good and bad both the innocent and the wicked are wrapt up in the same calamity when they are as it were thrust together into the same furnace the Lord makes a difference they are not cut downe as the wicked are cut downe nor consumed as they are consumed When the righteous are cast into the fire they are purged but not consumed but as it follows in the second part of this conclusion shewing the state of the wicked The remnant of them the fire consumeth Fire in this place is not taken strictly as opposed to water God indeed hath often made fire in kinde his scourge And the Apostle Jude saith of Sodome That it suffered the vengeance of eternall fire But all the judgements of God are in Scripture compared to fire Mala. 4.1 Behold the day cometh that shall burne like an Oven and all the proud yea all that doe wickedly shall be stubble and the day that cometh shall burne them up saith the Lord of hosts that it shall leave them neither fruit nor branch There is a burning and not by fire There is so great a judgement and terror in fire let loose and breaking its bounds that it may well signifie all judgements or any thing that is terrible Isa 52.4 As the fire devoureth the stubble and the flame consumeth the chaffe so their roote shall be rottennesse and their blossome shall goe up as dust Thus here the remnant of them the fire consumeth that is the wrath of God appearing in some visible judgement consumeth the remnant But what is this remnant which the fire consumeth I answer
First we may expound it of persons The remnant of persons all that are left of their family their children and posterity their kindred and relations are taken away and consumed from off the face of the earth Secondly We may expound it of things the remnant of goods whatsoever remaines of their estate the odd ends the very gleanings and leavings of their great riches and worldly substance are all eaten up and brought to an end so that nothing of them or theirs remaineth Thirdly The remnant of them may be the remembrance of them A fire shall consume their name and memoriall they shall neveâ— be thought of nor spoken of any more with honour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat illud quo quis alium excellit ideo reliquiarum nomine impiorum excellentem supra cuÌ„ctos mortales ingentem foelicitatem intelligo Pined Fourthly The word remnant as it signifieth in the Original any thing which remaineth so especially that which remaineth in way of excellency or eminency not as we say the fagge end of a thing but even the uppermost and best of it So that after this translation the remnant of them is the excellency of them that which they thought most durable and honourable that which they looked upon as most substantiall and intrinsecall to their greatnes that very thing the fire shall consume So the word is used Psal 17.14 Deliver my soule from men which are thy hand O Lord from men of the world c. whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasures they are full of children and leave the rest or as we supply the rest of their substance to their babes the rest that is the best their bellies are full of hid treasures while they live that is they have and use abundance of the things of this life themselves and they leave the rest he doth not meane the scraps or parings after they had filled their owne bellies but by the rest or the remnant t is the word of the text he meaneth the choicest of what they had even that they leave to their babes or children when themselves must be gone and leave the world Thus we may understand the word remnant in this place not for a poore pittance but for the best the choisest things for the flower and creame of all they had even these things the fire shall consume vengeance shall pursue and follow till all be turned into smoake and ashes I have in divers other passages of this booke met with Texts shewing the utter consumption of wicked men therefore I shall not stay upon it here onely take this briefe note That the Lord hath a different fire for the righteous and the wicked He hath a fire for his owne people but it is a purging fire a cleansing a refining fire Like that Mal. 3.3 He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver The Lord also hath a fire for the wicked but it is a consuming fire He kindles many fires upon them and himselfe is a consuming fire to them But it may be said that God is a consuming fire also to his owne people for the Apostle speaking of himselfe and other beleevers saith Heb. 12.29 Our God is a consuming fire I answer First T is true the God of Beleevers is a consuming fire but he is not a consuming fire to beleevers even the hearts of beleevers ought to be over-awed with a holy feare of that in God which they shall never feele from God Secondly God is sometimes a consuming fire to beleevers but it is onely to consume their corruptions or their corruptible comforts He will never consume eyther their Graces or spirituall interests These he will not consume whatsoever he consumes But the whole of a wicked man is as combustible matter before him There went up a smoake out of his nostrills fire out of mouth devoured Psal 18.8 That is God powred out wrath which devoured them like a fire Fire I meane naturall fire is a great devourer it hath a strong stomacke there 's nothing but pure Gold too hard for its digestion but mysticall fire the fire of divine wrath is infinitely a greater devourer Wrath kindles maâ—y devouring fires but wrath it selfe is the most devouring fire who can stand before it who can abide the heate and flames of it This is the Tophet prepared of old for the wicked This fire is able to consume branch and rush the roote and top of the wicked in one day and yet it will continue consuming them to eternity The remnant of them the fire consumeth Eliphaz having thus farre prosecuted a description both of the unrighteousnes and of the ruine both of the sin and punishment of wicked men closely insinuating that Job was the man concern'd in all this large Discourse he in the latter part of this Chapter turnes his speech into a serious Exhortation to move Job to repent and seeke God giving him many assurances and promises that in case he did so it should not be in vaine JOB CHAP. 22. Vers 21 22. c. Acquaint now thy selfe with him and be at peace thereby good shall come unto thee Receive I pray thee the Law from his mouth and lay up his words in thine heart If though returne to the Almighty thou shalt be built up thou shalt-put away iniquity from thy Tabernacles c. ELiphaz having reproved Job for sin and prest him with the remembrance of the Judgements of God against sinners now turnes his speech into a serious Exhortation mooving him to seeke the favour of God and humble himselfe Acquaint now thy selfe with him and be at peace From this course and method in which Eliphaz deales with Job take this note That in dealing with sinners wee are not onely to threaten but to perswade and propose the promises of peace to them Daniel dealt so with Nebuchadnezzer yea though he had told him of a decree in heaven past against him Dan. 4.22.27 yet he gives him faithfull counsell and exhorts him to breake off his sins by righteousnesse and his iniquities by shewing mercy to the poore if it might be a lengthning of his tranquillity or as we put in the Margin a healing of his errour Hopes of mercy prevaile with many more then feare of wrath and they are sooner led then driven unto Christ Thus Eliphaz Acquaint now thy selfe with him and be at peace This 21 verse containes two generall Propositions First a Proposition concerning duty in the former part of the verse Acquaint now thy selfe c. Secondly Concerning mercy in the latter thereby good shall come unto thee This duty of acquainting himselfe with God Promissionibus invitat amplissimis quae in se verae sunt cum lege consentiunt non tamen perpetuae ut Eliphaz puâ—t Merc. and being at peace with him is explained in the 22 verse Receive I pray thee the Law from his mouth and lay up his words in thine heart That 's a good Comment upon Acquaint now
have occasion to frequent Secondly As if Job would here shew what hast men make to escape who are under guilt As if he had sayd The wicked man will be so set upon the run That he will not stay so much as to view or behold his owne vineyards formerly so delightfull and pleasant to him Thirdly It is conceaved to be a proverbiall speech according to which it was ironically sayd of Malefactors who were led forth to suffer death They Behold not the way of the vineyards No they behold onely the way to the Gibbet or place of execution Fourthly Others divide the word Cheramim which we translate Non refluet secundum consuetudinem Aliqrum ruâ—t vineyards into two that is into Chi a particle of similitude or likenes and Ramim which signifyes eyther persâ—ns or things that are high Hence Junius translates He shall not returne or flow backe againe he shall fall after the manner of things that are high And he expounds the sence of his owne translation He shall not returne to his former state as waters doe which ebbe and flow but as waters which fall from a high place cannot goe backe so shall he remaine cast downe for ever Water being a heavy body must have a descent it cannot ascend naturally therefore the water that falls from a high place is gone and commeth not againe The wicked man perisheth as waters that flow from a high place and returne no more Another following that division of the word renders the clause Non prospicit incessum sicut excelsorum i. e. non curabit incedere eo modo quo solent in cedere illi qui dignitate vel potentia alijs praesunt Bold thus He doth not looke to or provide for his way or his going as of the High ones that is he shall never goe in that pompe or equipage in which they goe who are above others in power and dignity As if he had sayd hee shall ever live in a low meane and miserable condition Hee shall no more behold the way of the high while he lives nor which the same Author cleaves to as the most genuine interpretation shall he take care or provide to be buryed according to the way custome or manner of the high ones when he dyeth But I shall not insist upon eyther of these rendrings though they all fall into one common channel with the former which is to set forth that the wicked man is under a curse or that his portion is cursed in the earth yea that a curse is his portion Nor shall I having often observed from other texts of this booke the wofull end of wicked men for this reason I say I shall not stay to give any further observations from this clause according to any of the rendrings of it of all which I most embrace that of our owne translaters He shall not behold the way of the vineyards not onely because most of the learned Hebricians render it so but first because it makes no division of nor puts any straine at all upon any of the Original words in the text And secondly because it carryes to my thoughts so fayre a correspondence with the words which follow in the two next verses JOB CHAP. 24 Vers 19 20. Drought and heate consume the snow waters so doth the grave these which have sinned The womb shall forget him and the worme shall feed sweetly on him he shall be no more remembred and wickednesse shall be broken as a tree THere are two different translations of the 19th verse I shall propose them and then explicate our owne First thus In the drought and heate they rob and in the snow water they sin to the grave Secondly to the same sense by way of similitude like as the dry earth and heate drinke up the snow water so they sin even to the grave Both these rendrings carry in them two things generally remarkable First The obstinacy and perseverance of wicked men in sin while they live Secondly Their impunity in sin untill death In the drought and heate they rob and in the snow water That is they rob and spoyle at all times or in all the seasons of the yeare in hard times in the hardest times in the extremity of drought and in the extremity of cold They never give over they sin to the grave This reading is much insisted upon by some and as the sence is usefull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rapuit vi apertè res aut personas so the text may beare it For the verb signifies to snatch a thing openly and forceably as well as to consume secretly and so may be rendred by robbing as well as by consuming In drought and heate they rob and in the snow waters First We may consider this drought and heate with the snow water as expressing those seasons which are very troublesome to the wicked man to doe his worke in to rob and spoyle extreame heate and extreame cold are great impediments to action yet in heate and snow they rob Whence observe A wicked man will breake through all difficulties to finde a way to his beloved sin Though he be in danger of melting with heate or of freezing with cold yet he will rob or doe any other mischiefe that his heart is set upon neyther heate nor cold neyther wett or dry shall keepe him in yea though an Angel with a drawne sword in his hand stand in his way as in the way of Balaam yet when he hath a minde he will goe on We may say of every bold and presumptuous sinner that he sins in heate and cold he sins in the sight of wrath and death The threatenings which are the portion of such have the extreamity of heate and cold in them The threatenings have sword and fire in them wrath and death in them yet the wicked sin in the face of them and upon the mâ—â—ter dare them to doe their worst A godly man whose heart is bent and set heaven-ward will walke on his way though he must passe through heate and cold though he meete with dangers and difficulties though he meete many Lyons in his way yet he will not turne out of his way Paul saith of himselfe and his fellow-labourers 2 Cor. 6.4 In all things approving our selves as the Ministers of God in much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses in stripes in imprisonments c. And a little after v. 8. By honour and dishonour by evill report and good report c. Here was working in heate and cold in fire and frost in all sorts of providences from God in all sorts of aspects from men Paul and his colleagues never minded what men did to them but what the minde of God was they should doe And thus every godly man workes or doth the worke of God For though every Godly man attaines not to such a degree of zeale and holy courage as Paul had yet he hath a truth of zeale and holy courage which
Kings 7.6 7. The Lord made the host of the Syrians to heare a noise of Charets and a noise of Horses even the noise of a great host and they sayd one to another loe the King of Israel hath hired against us the Kings of the Hittites and the Kings of the Egyptians to come upon us Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight and left their tents and their horses and their asses even the campe as it was and fled for their life As a word from God makes the heart confident and bold in the greatest danger so a word from God makes the heart fearefull and cowardly where there is no danger at all This is the glory of God that he can command our passions That by a word he can make them feare who doe not at all feare his word Many men have feare belonging to them yet they cannot send out their feare they are in great place and so both dominion over men and feare are with them for unto whomsoever dominion belongs feare doth belong Rom. 13.7 Render to every man his due tribute to whom tribute is due custome to whom custome feare to whom feare honour to whom honour Yet I say many have dominion and feare belonging unto them who cannot send out their feare Their power is despised and none regards them they command and are not obeyed they promise and are not beleeved they threaten and are not feared Onely God can send out his feare and make every man fall and tremble before him When many armed men came to take Christ Christ sent out a feare upon them so that they went backward and fell to the ground Joh. 18.6 Christ gave them never an angry word he onely confessed himselfe to be the man they sought for I am he and they were as men astonished with feare Christ in speaking those words did onely let out a little ray or beame of his Deity and this struck them downe O what feare will Christ send out when he commeth to judge the world who could send forth such a feare while he yeelded himselfe up to be judged and condemned by the world Dominion and feare are with him He can make all afrayd and yet as it followeth Hee maketh peace in his high places This latter part of the verse is a continued description of the irresistible power of God as all agree in making peace yet there is some difference what should be meant by the high places where God maketh peace Hee maketh peace in his high places First Many understand these high places to be the Heavens or as the Scripture speaketh the Host of Heaven Sunne Moone and Starres There or among them peace is made through the power of God keeping them in or to order that is in their duest motions The heavenly bodies are in continuall strong motion and they are kept in their motion by the power of God The Sunne Moone and Starres are mighty bodies and they are in a perpetuall career yet they justle not one against another nor doe they fall fowle upon one another In this sence it may be sayd that God maketh peace among them They all according to his appoyntment keepe their places and stirre not out of their owne spheares No man could ever keepe his Watch or Clock in such order as God keepes the Sunne Secondly By these high places others understand that which is somewhat lower not Sunne Moone and Starres but the severall regions of the ayre God makes peace in those high places where stormes and tempests and all manner of fiery impressions are bred and wrought Naturalists say that the second region of the ayre is both the shop where those dreadfull instruments of warre Thunder lightning hayle snow are formed as also the store-house where they are layd up yet even in those high places God maketh peace If hee speake to the thunder Deus vel solo nutu tranquillat elementorum dissidia tempestatesque serenat it doth not stirre and to the lightning it doth not goe forth if he speake to the winde it bloweth not and to the storme it is husht and quiet Fire and hayle snow and vapour stormy winde and tempest fullfill his word Psal 148.8 And they fullfill it whether in going or in staying Thus God maketh peace in the high places of the ayre and upon the high waves of the Sea Christ did but rebuke the Sea and say to it when it was in its feircest rage peace be still and there was a great calme Mark 4.39 The ayre is under the Empire of God as much as Sea or Land And he maketh peace in those high places Thirdly The words are expounded of those high places which are the more proper seate of Angels And so God may be sayd to make peace in his places because hee maketh peace among the Angels that is he keepeth the Angels in peace The Angells doe not contend one with another and none of them dares contend with God Some urge this exposition as most pertinent to Bildads purpose for the conviction of Job As if he had sayd His verbis vellicatur Job quasi insolens seditiâ—sus querulus homo Pined The Angels dare not contend with God And doest thou O Job contend with God The Angels utter not a word against God and darest thou undertake to plead with him and engage him in a controversie A fourth sort by Gods making peace in his high places understand onely thus much That all is quiet in heaven or that God hath a most peaceable and quiet fruition and enjoyment of himselfe Hee hath had it from eternity and will have it unto eternity this is the blessednesse of God hee is above all trouble and disturbment And thus also Bildad seemes to reprove Job Wilt thou begin a contest with God wilt thou trouble God himselfe who maketh peace in his high places who lives in everlasting rest and quiet God doth not use to be sued and pleaded with as thou seemest over-boldly to desire Lastly These high places are expounded for the high places of the earth As if he had sayd God makes peace amongst the States Princes and powers of the world who are in high places and in Gods high places For every throne is Gods and thrones are high places As the heavens are high places in comparison of the whole earth so some places of the earth in a civil capacity as wel as in a natural are higher then the rest Now among those that are in his high places of power and authority the Lord maketh peace and this is a very glorious worke of God Thus wee see there are many high places and they are all the high places of God yet I conceave that Bilded cheifely if not onely aymes at Heaven which is more peculiarly the high place of God as being that to which though many lay claime to the high places of the earth none besides God ever did make claime or lay title Further Besides these different apprehensions about