to the manner of his praier or invocation as not comming up to the height and measure of the duty as not fulfilling that Law of praier which the Lord requireth and so because his praiers were imperfect and weak therefore he would not believe that ever God had taken notice of him or hearkned to his voice As if he had said You bid me make my supplication if I doe yet I will not believe that God takes notice of my praiers Why because mine are but cold and unbelieving praiers weak and distracted praiers the praiers of a distemper'd heart the praiers of a confused spirit such I confesse mine are therefore I cannot believe God will hearken to my voice But rather in the last place take the sense thus Videtur hoc esse animi mirabiliter demissâ— atque sibi suâ—eq orationi diffidentis fidentis vero de sola divina bonitate Pined that Job in these words breaths out the humility of his spirit as if he had said I am so far from standing upon my terms with God as was shewed before as if I had hopes to carry it with him by contending that though I come in the humblest manner to invocate and call upon his Name and I finde him so gracious and mercifull to me as that he doth answer me in my requests and grant the thing I desire yet I will not believe that he hath hearkned to My voice that is that he hath done this for any worthinesse in me in my services or praiers I will not believe that the answer I receive from heaven is obtained by any value which my person hath with God Such is the coldnes and deadnes the languishment and unbelief of my heart in praier such are my praiers that the truth is Non ex diffidentia hoc dicit sed ex timore Dei reveritus judicium Drus I cannot believe I am heard when I am heard I cannot think my petition granted when I see it is granted Thus it sets forth the exceeding humility and lowlinesse of his spirit he would give all the glory unto God in granting his petitions and take nothing at all to himself in making those petitions I would not believe that he hath hearkned to my voice What voice was it then that he believ'd God hearken'd unto He hearken'd to the voice of the Mediatour to the voice of Christ He hearken'd to the voice of his own free grace He hearken'd to the sounding of his own bowels He hearken'd to the motions and intercessions of his Spirit in me to the motions and intercessions of his Sonne for me It is not my voice that hath got the answer he alone that hath granted it of his good pleasure in Christ I would not believe that he had hearkned to my voice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Credere stabile esse The word signifies both believing and establishing or to believe and establish and the reason of it is because faith settles the heart Faith is the establishment of the soul An unbeliever hath no bottom he is built without a foundation his spirit is unfixed And that act of believing I would not believe is the generall act of faith namely a firm assent to the truth of what another speaketh An assent to the truth of it two waies To the truth of it First Historically that such a thing was spoken or done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graecè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then Logically that the thing is true which is spoken When he saith I would not believe that God hath done this his meaning is I would not assent to it as done for my sake or for my voice not that he would not believe the thing was done at all He assented to the word and answer of God when he did receive it but in that restriction he would not believe it namely in reference to himself that he hath hearkned to his voice To hearken is more then to hear * Auscultare inclinationem animi denot at ad alterius dicta Cujus oppositum est auret claudere obturare ad alicujâ—s sermonem Hinc proverbâ—um Surdo natras fabulam Haec verba exactam demissi animi significationem contineÌ„t Tunc cum arriserit gratia time cum abierit time Bernard Providentia Deisaepe nobis beâ—evoâ—a est cum nulla benevolentiae externa praebet argumenta imo aliquardo quem exaudit turbine conterit malorum it notes the inclination of the minde rather then the attention of the ear As to stop the ear notes the shutting of the heart against obedience rather than of the ear against audience To tell a tale to a deaf man is to speak to one that hears but will not grant From all it appears First That Job speaks very highly of the goodnesse of God namely that God answers praier though he hath not respect to the voice of him that praieth Though he had answered me yet would I not believe that he had hearkned to my voice Secondly That he speaks exceeding humbly and submissively of himself my voice what am I a poor creature that I should think I had carried the matter with God Thirdly That he speaks very wisely and understandingly concerning the nature and efficacy of praier and the means procuring answers of praier When man praies God answers but he doth not answer because man praies Fourthly That he speaks very highly and gloriously of the providence of God though providence act darkly towards man We pray God answers and doth us good yet things may goe quite contrary in appearance If I had called and he had answered me yet would I not believe that he had hearkned unto my voice why He breaketh me with a tempest God was breaking him and hearing him at the same time God may be doing us good when the signs he gives speak evil he hears and answers us praying to him when we think we hear him thundering terribly against us Hence First We learn That Praier is calling upon God Then the heart should be very attentive upon God in praier How can we expect God should hear us when we doe not hear our selves In praier we call upon God therefore we should call upon our selves to consider how and what we pray Secondly Note Praier granted is praier answered If I had called and he had answâ—red me The Lord from heaven speaks to us in every act of his providence his speaking to us is in doing for us The works of God are answers to man God doth not answer audibly or sensibly there is a voice in his dispensations As men Prov. 6.13 So the Lord speaks to us with his feet and answers our praiers with his fingers that is his works and waies are demonstrations of his will in answer to our praiers Thirdly In that Job tels us He would not believe c. we are taught That faith is a necessary ingredient in praier This negation of his faith in praier implies the need of faith in praier
When I pray I should believe but as my case stands I cannot believe clouds and darknesse are upon me Faith is the strength of praier Whatsoever ye ask in praier believing ye shall receive Mat. 21.22 Praier without faith it is like a Gun discharged without a bullet which makes a noise but doth no execution we may put out a voice in speaking but except we put out faith in speaking we doe but speak we doe not pray As the Word of God comming upon us doth us no good prevails not upon our hearts unlesse it be mixed with faith Heb. 4.2 The word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it So the word that goes out from us the word of praier prevaileth not at all with God obtaineth nothing from him unlesse it be mixed with faith All the promises are made to believers All things are possible to them that believe Mar. 9.23 Ask in faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the winde and tossed Jam. 1.6 To ask in faith is to ask resting upon the power of God whereby he is able upon his truth whereby he is faithfull and upon his goodnes in Christ whereby he is ready to make good his promises He that asks thus doth not waver Few are without doubting but all sound believers are without wavering The Greek word signifies to question or dispute a thing a degree beyond doubting as when a man is at no certainty with himself being sometime of one minde sometime of another The judgement being so carried that the man is at variance with his own brest or is between two vvaies not knowing vvhich to take We translate the word in the 4th of the Romans vers 20. by staggering Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief The similitude vvhich the Apostle James uses illustrates this sense He that wavereth is like a wave of the sea vvhich by tempestuous vvindes is sometimes carried up to heaven and anon down to the deep A man vvho is tossed with such vvaves of unbelief staggers like a drunken man in his practice and profession he is now on this side to morrow on that he doth not only stagger or halt in his vvay but he staggers and halts between two vvaies and is therefore called vers 8th A double minded man The praiers of such a man are faithlesse praiers and therefore fruitlesse praiers Let not that man think he shall receive any thing unlesse a rebuke and a deniall of the Lord vers 7. There are no promises made to such and therefore no mercies convaied to such Believing praier is gaining praier yet they vvho believe least presume most Hence the Apostles check Let not that man thinke as if he had said I know such vvill flatter themselves into a perswasion of great matters They will have high thoughts but they shall receive nothing Observe Fourthly That how strongly soever a godly man acts faith for the answer of his praiers yet he hath no faith that his praier deserves an answer I would not believe that he had hearkned to my voice Christ calleth the Spouse to praier Can. 2.14 Let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance comely Christ loves praier The praiers of the Saints upon earth are musick in heaven That invitation to the Spouse Let me hear thy voice seems to be an allusion to those vvho loving musick call upon a friend vvho hath a good voice or exquisite skill to play upon an instrument Come sing us a song play us a lesson let us have a fit of mirth Thus I say Christ speaks to the Church Come let me hear thy voice 't is sweet I know thou hast a sweet one But the Saints judge their own voices harsh and unharmonicall they are apt to thinke their praiers jarrings and discords at the best but a rude noise not a composed air in the ear of God Faith makes our praiers melodious because it carries us out of our selves A believer lives not in the sound of his own praiers but of Christs intercession What are vve that vve should expect any acceptance upon our own account or say this We have gained this We have obtained thus God hath heard us or thus vve have vvrestled it out vvith God As when we have performed all our duties we must say We are unprofitable servants so when we have obtained all our sutes we must say We are unprofitable petitioners I will not believe that God had hearkned unto My voice What 's mans voice that God should hear it Observe Fifthly That a godly man sometimes cannot believe his praier is heard when it is heard Though he cals and God answers yet like Job he believes not that God hath hearkned to his voice He cannot think his praier is heard though one should come and tell him it is heard When the Jews returned from Babylon the mercy was so great Forsan hoc dicit quia saepe prae nimia laetitia non credimus verum esse quod maxime verum esse optamus Drus that they could not believe they had it when they had it When thou didst turn our captivity we were as them that dream Psal 126.2 The deliverance was incredible they could not thinke they vvere delivered Their return to Jerusalem was suspected for a dream of it in Babylon The Church praied vvithout ceasing for Peter vvhen he was in prison Act. 12.5 yet when the Lord brought him out of prison and he vvas knocking at the door of the house where they were assembled while they vvere knocking at the door of heaven for his deliverance yet they would not believe the report of the damosell who said he stood before the gate They tell her she is mad vvhen she affirmed it with sobriety as well as vehemency then they have another help for their unbelief It was not Peter but his Angel Thus it is to this day with the Saints in their great personall sutes and petitions both about spiritual things and temporal they are so overcome astonished and amazed at the goodnesse of God that though they see the thing done yet they can scarce believe it is done As if a Prince should send a message to a poor man by some great Lord and tell him he hath bestowed honour and favour upon him the poor man is ready to say I cannot believe it the blessing is too big for him to digest and let down into his narrow heart no saith he sure it is not so Though the people of God ever preserve a high respect and esteem of the works of God towards them yet their faith is often below his workings and they cannot receive or take in mercy so fast as it commeth faith widens the vessels of the soul to receive much but God can pour in faster then faith can widen the soul to receive Sixthly Observe Faith hath it's decaies Faith doth not keep
be at the highest most violent and impetuous then the Lord will be a refuge from the storm The same God who saves many from the storms of man did himself storm Job He breaketh me with a tempest Job was storm'd yet supposes his praier was answered Hence observe Praiers may be heard and answered when greatest afflictions are upon us Doe not thinke your praiers are lost because your afflictions are not removed or that God doth not hear you Quaedam non negantur sed ut congruo tempore dentur differuntur Aug. because he doth not presently relieve you God forbears when he doth not deny He answers to our profit when he answereth not to our feeling He answereth to our spirituall interest when not to our corporall The sick man calleth to the Physician to take away the bitter loathsome potion Exaudit saepe ad profectum licet non ad votum Aquin. in loc Saevitur in vulnus ut homo sanetur Aug. and the wounded man calleth to the Chyrurgion to take away those corroding plaisters and to forbear those torturing operations But the one gives him his potion and the other lances his sores and laies corrosives to his flesh both these while they vex the patient answer him for what 's the reason why the patient would have his bitter potion taken away is it not because he would be better And why would he have those painfull operations forborn is it not because he would have ease Now for those very reasons the Masters of those professions keep him to both neither could they give him his desire but by doing contrary to his will Thus also the Lord is healing us when we think he is only wounding us and fulfilling our desires while we cry out he is crossing them Secondly Observe Even while we are praying the Lord may be thundering he may be breaking us when we are beseeching him We must learn to keep to our duty whatsoever the dealings of God be whether it be fowl weather or fair pray still whether it be storm or calm go on in praier still Pray still though God break still It is our duty to pray and it is Gods priviledge to break Thirdly Observe from the loftinesse of the language That the Lord laies very sore afflictions upon those that are very dear to him Job expresseth his afflictions by breaking with a tempest Strokes from the clouds are most terrible The same afflictions and scourges which he laies upon his enemies he laies in the matter yea and often in degree upon his best friends What can the Lord doe to his greatest enemies but break them with a tempest He doth not only chasten with a rod but sometimes scatter with a storm He hath not only a sword but a thunder-bolt for his servants He hath terrible stroaks and blows for them who lie in his arms and live in his embraces Therefore we cannot distinguish men by the matter no nor by the measure of their afflictions That which is a judgement to one is but a chastening to another with the same weapon he wounds a friend and destroies an enemy Fourthly Observe That afflictions continued cause us to suspect that our praiers are not answered Why doth Job thinke that God hearkned not to him I would not believe saith he that God had hearkned unto my voice why because still he continues to break me Faith is put hard to it at such a time Licet Deus verè exaudiat tamen homo in miseriu constitutu◠se exaudiri non credit Aquin. and this is the thing which stumbled Job he could not tell how to make it out that God had heard his praier for him because he heard so great a noise of tempests and storms against him It is very difficult for faith to see mercy thorow clouds of trouble It is a hard thing for faith to look upon the pleased face of God thorow a lowring tempest or to believe the calmnes of Gods heart to us in troublesome dispensations Therefore he speaks here as if his faith were even master'd The providences of God are often too hard for man And with this temptation Satan helps on unbelief If he come to a soul in affliction which keepeth close to his interests in Christ Yea saith he you may doe so though afflictions were upon you but yours are more then afflictions yours are tempests and storms God dealeth with you as with an enemy yours are no ordinary matters yours are like the portion he gives to those he hates I would not weaken your faith because of a chastening rod but you are beaten with scorpions and will you still believe Can God love you and deal thus with you Thus the serpent whispers in those louder tempests of affliction Fifthly Observe That Afflictions continued cause us to suspect that our praiers shall not be answered And so I finde some rendering the former verse in connexion with this If I have called and he hath answered me yet will I not believe that he will hearken to my voice As if he had said I know God hath heard me heretofore but I fear he will hear me no more because I finde his hand so heavy upon me Surely then he hath forgotten to be gracious and hath shut up his tender mercies Former experiences can hardly keep faith whole while we are under present breakings Lastly If we take the words as importing a calling to God for answer in a way of provocation as was shewed before then the sense is If I had an ambition to contend with God and he had answered me by condescending to that course yet I could not believe he had hearkned to my voice that is I could not believe that he had yeelded the cause to me why because he goes on still to break me with tempests he follows me with trouble still he shews he hath done me no wrong in my former afflictions by his going on to afflict me still he is so farre from acknowledging the least injustice in what is past of my sufferings that I suffer more He breaks me with a tempest and Multiplies my wounds without cause But is not this injustice to multiply wounds without cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gratis Is not this a charge of blasphemy upon God May we not think that now Satan had his wish and that Job cursed God indeed The Hebrew word which we translate Vulnera sine causa sunt mala flagella quae non ob aliquod mittuntur peccatum without cause hath been opened Chap. 1.9 and Chap. 2.3 and it hath occurred elsewhere Here He multiplies my wounds without cause is not a charge of injustice upon God Jobs heart was farre from the least thought of that as you may see in all the dispute But it is an acknowledgement of the soveraignty and power of God Though he hath wounded me already yet he may wound me still without giving me a reason or though I have given him no cause What Doe
of worldly Kingdoms is not meat and drink but righteousnesse When Kingdoms are holy habitations they will soon be quiet habitations In Isa 26.2 Open ye the gates that the righteous Nation which keepeth the truth may enter in thou shalt keep him in perfect peace God will give and preserve the peace of the righteous Righteousnesse is the pillar of a State and the parent of peace The mountains Psal 72.3 shall bring peace to the people and the little hils by righteousnesse Plant righteousnesse upon barren hils and mountains and peace will flourish there I might hence inferre a corollary by the rule of contrarie That Vnrighteousnesse makes unprosperous and unpeacefull habitations An habitation of idolatry and false worship an habitation of cruelty and hard dealing shall be an habitation for owls and shreech-owls a dwelling place for every unclean bird and beast these shall take up their lodgings within such wals and make their nests in such chambers Whilst we are fil'd as the Apostle characterizeth the Gentiles Rom. 1. with all unrighteousnesse it is no marvell if we are fill'd with all trouble The Prophet Malachi brings in Edom thus reflecting upon himself Chap. 1.4 whereas Edom saith I am impoverished c. Edom began to be sensible all was not well with him Hereupon he advises upon a way to help himself and concludes thus We will return and build the desolate places This was their resolve but what saith God to it Even this Will ye build ye shall build I will give you leave to build but I will throw it down again I will spoyl your work Why would the Lord be thus severe The next words give a reason They shall call thee the border of wickednes the people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever Wickednesse is a large word and takes in all unrighteousnesse towards man as well as impiety towards God That building cannot stand long where unrighteousnes lies between the timber and the stones God will pull down by night what such men build by day If then we would have buildings stand and our habitations prosperous let us labour to build with justice and make ours the habitations of righteousnesse Look upon it in families that which withers the comfort of a family in children in servants is the unrighteousnesse found in a family if there be unrighteousnesse there no wonder if there be decaies and discontents there too If there be unrighteousnesse in Cities If Psal 55.11 deceit and guile go not out of our streets no marvell if complainings goe not out of our streets We call for peace and prosperity O that peace would come but if our hearts were set upon this if we laboured every one with himself and every one with his brother and every one with the publike to the uttermost of his line that we may in our persons in our families in our policies be an habitation of righteousnesse how soon should we all be a prosperous habitation an habitation of peace Two things make a Nation an habitation of righteousnesse First When right is done speedily Secondly When right is done impartially Tedious delaies make Courts prisons of righteousnesse not habitations of righteousnesse Partiall distributions shew a place to be a market of righteousnesse where he shall have it that bidâ— most for it not an habitation of righteousnesse where every one ought to have it that comes for it Ye shall do no unrighteousnesse in judgement saith the Law Levit. 19.15 how shall they avoid it The next words give direction Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor nor honour the person of the mighty Righteousnesse takes not notice of the persons of men but of their causes We must not do unrighteously in charity to the poor as well as not in hopes or for gifts from the rich Again The Hebrew signifies a beautifull habitation Righteousnesse loves to dwell in a fair house It is so when first swept from bribes these are filth in the house and the corrupters of righteousnesse Secondly A beautifull house hath store of lights in it Justice and truth love not corners and close cels Justice must act clearly men cannot bear it that what fals upon their senses should not be in the light of their understandings God hath secret judgements but man must not One potsheard must shew another why he forms or breaks him thus in judgement Lastly The beauty of the house of justice arises from good Laws and good men to execute them Righteousnesse cannot act without a rule and rules cannot act themselves Good Laws without good Magistrates never made any people a habitation of righteousnesse It is not good Laws but good men which make a Kingdome happy Now as unrighteousnes makes a strong people weak a rich people poor an honourable people base a great estate to decrease and come to nothing So righteousnesse makes a weak people strong a poor people rich a mean people honourable a little estate encrease and come to much Thus Bildad assures Job with his next breath Verse 7. Though thy beginning was small yet thy later end should greatly encrease This is the third gradation God will not only awake for thee and make thee prosperous but he will greatly encrease thee Thou shalt not only be set in as good a condition as thou wast but in a far better Though thy beginning were small Though the head of thy estate so the Hebrew though the first of thy estate were small 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A quo quid incipit The word small notes a smalnesse either in quantity or in quality and it is opposed to a double greatnes Gen. 25.23 Jacob and Esau are thus distinguished the one shall be great the other small which we translate the Elder shall serve the younger the greater shall serve the lesse Though thy beginning was small The City that Lot desired Gen. 19. is called Zoar from this word Is it not a little one Though thy estate were but a Zoar a little one yet it shall be built of a larger compasse The Septuagint raises the sense of the later clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. Though thy beginning was small yet thy later end shall be ineffable such as none shall be able to tell over or describe Thy estate shall be beyond account A Question arises how we are to make this comparisâ—n between Jobs beginning and later end Whether we are to referre it to the estate he had before his affliction compared with what he should have after his affliction or whether we are to understand it of the augmentation and encrease of his estate after his affliction which at the beginning should be but small but afterwards should receive a mighty augmentation The sense is good either way First If we understand it of his estate before and after his troubles compared together Though thy beginning or the first estate which God gave thee were small yet thy later end or the estate which God will give thee
exoâ—nat Pined Assoon as Job hears a truth he falleth down before it He hath not a word to speak against the truth of God though it come from erroneous men He will be a friend to truth though brought by them who seemed his enemies If this law of disputation were well observed many disputes would be sooner ended As some out of love to men are apt to entertain their very errours so some out of hatred to men reject their truths Errours cannot be really adorned nor truths soiled by those who hold them Our judgement about both must be carried by reason not swaied by affection Willingly to embrace and receive a truth from those whose errours we most zealously oppose is the due temper of a champion for the truth Secondly I know it to be so of a truth saith Job Observe A godly man is a knowing man He is established in truths especially in great and necessary truths in the vitals and fundamentals of religion Job had been long acquainted with this principle that God is just and that every man must abase himself before him how just soever any man is Light is the first thing which God makes in the new Creation of Grace as it was in the old creation of nature He casts in a beam a ray into the soul whereby we may discern of things that differ There may be darknesse in a godly man but he dwels not in darknesse bring a truth to him and as there is somewhat in his heart that answers and is a kin to it so that apprehends and makes out his acquaintance with it often at first light alwaies after consideration unlesse he be under clouds and temptations In those cases we may bring truths to holy men which they doe not know to be so of a truth yea which they may refuse for errours But usually a good man knows truth having learnt it before or as having a likenesse to other truths he knew before Thirdly I know this to be so of a truth saith Job in the midst of his pains in the greatest troubles of his flesh he forgets not to honour God Hence observe A gracious heart gives testimony to the righteousnesse of God though severely chastened under the hand of God When God deals most hardly with the soul or with the body or with soul and body a holy heart hath not a hard thought of God I know it to be so of a truth He doth not only acknowledge that God was just when he punished others but when he afflicted him The common argument which the friends of Job took up to prove God to be just was this God is righteous for he deals with men according to their deserts but Job argues thus God is righteous however he deals with men and whatsoever those men are let men be wicked or upright holy or prophane When we see God breaking the wicked and making gall and worm-wood fire and brimstone the portion of their cup this argues his justice because he hath threatned such with wrath and vengeance But the Saints go further they proceed upon purer and sublimer principles maintaining that God is just though he afflict the justest and holiest man upon the earth The righteousnesse of God shines forth to them thorow the darkest sufferings of righteous men The righteousnes of God is not grounded upon the object about which he dealeth whether righteous or unrighteous but upon the act of his own will yea upon the pleasure of his own will His righteousnesse proceedeth from himself and his is a righteous act whatever the object be upon which he acts We need not say God is just because he punishes the guilty for God is just though he afflict the innocent We may at once maintain our own innocency and the justice of God while we bleed under his hand or smart under his severest scourges I know it to be so of a truth But how shall man be just with God Mr Broughton reads And how can man be just before the Omnipotent and so the sense runs more clear Illud cum Deo vel ante Deuma erit aliquid sorense judiciale taking the first particle for a pure copulative whereas we read it as a discretive but how shall man be just before God Namely in your sense as if he had said you discourse of justice under such a notion as renders it impossible for any man to be just before God in one sense a man may be righteous before God but in yours no man can Would you not have a man know himself to be just unlesse he know himself to be without sinne If you take just to be the same as without in-dwelling sinne then it is impossible for any man to appear just before God but man may be just and righteous before God though he have sinne dwelling in him and that 's my notion of justice in this dispute Justice is either inherent or imputed By inherent justice no man is just before God according to imputed justice man may be just and is before God So these two propositions are reconciled No man is just before God every believer is just before God Our translation using the discretive But seems to carry this intendment that no man can be just before God by inherent justice which the next verse implies For if he contend with him he cannot answer him one of a thousand The words taken in this sense are the same with the seventeenth verse of the fourth Chapter Shall mortall man be more just then God There Eliphaz speaks comparatively in a way of excesse more just or just rather then God He cannot exceed God in any thing Here Job speaks comparatively in a way of equality How should man be just with God Quisquis se authori bonorum coÌ„parat bono se quod acâ—eperat privat ea ipsa ratione qua quis se componit Deo justus esse de sinit quamvis justus suerit Greg. He cannot compare with God at all Yet the sense is the same and the deniall of mans perfect inherent righteousnesse is the subject of both A just man comparing with God deprives himself of all his justice He is not so much as man may be by aspiring to be what God is But I need not stay in any further clearing how man is not just before God or in any observations from it but shall referre the Reader back to the fourth Chapter Onely take this from it How shall man be just with God With God that is looking upon or comparing himself unto God as if he had said It will take down all the proud and high thoughts of man in regard of his own justice and righteousnesse if he will but cast his eye upon God and duly consider how just and righteous God is Hence observe The way for us to humble our selves for our own sinfulnesse is to look up and to consider the purity and holinesse of God If we set our selves before him we shall see
be any imperfection or flaw in it he will venture his soul upon it In this sense man answers God But Job speaks about inherent personall righteousnesse the righteousnesse of his waies Upon this he will not venture a hair of his head much lesse his soul and everlasting peace Though I were righteous I would not answer him Respondere verbum est forense c. Sanct. Si ille me arguet aut in me sententiam feret etsi causa mea justa fit non audebo illi respondere aliquid objicienti aut in me pronuncianti me enim rationibus obrâ—et sua opprimet majestate Mâ—rc There is somewhat further considerable for as righteous is a judiciary word so likewise is answer And it implies that Job would not only not answer God objecting or reasoning but that he would not answer him accusing or charging him judging or sentencing him I must acknowledge my self to be what God judgeth me to be and that I am worthy to suffer what he judges me to suffer Hence observe First Job having shewed the weaknesse and ignorance of the creature in his former discourse here you see whither it tended namely to prove man to be sinfull and unrighteous This teaches us That all the failings infirmities and weaknesses which are in man are the issues and effects of the sinne of man Man is an unrighteous creature therefore a weak creature Job argues from the effect to the cause from the fruit to the root Ex effectis causam declarat unde enim tanta in mentibus hominum caligo inscitia unde tanta infirmitas corporum animorum nisi ex peccato Mâ—râ— man hath infirmities upon him therefore he hath sinne in him Where there is no sin there is strength and where there is no sinne there is knowledge Perfect holinesse scatters all the clouds of darknesse and ignorance Secondly Though I were righteous I would not answer him then it follows Vnrighteous men cannot answer God If a righteous man cannot can an unrighteous No marvell if David saith in the first Psalm The wicked shall not stand in judgement for in a sense the righteous cannot stand in judgement that is they cannot plead their own righteousnesse before God Wicked men have nothing to help them no help without and none vvithin they have nothing but sinne in them and they have no Saviour vvithout them Hence the Apostle Peter argues 1 Pet. 4.18 If the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and sinner appear If Abel be not able to answer God how shall Cain If David cannot how can Saul They vvho have not the righteousnesse of Christ have nothing but unrighteousnesse of their own Thirdly Observe the vast difference that is between the spirit and temper of a godly man and of a wicked man O the humility of Jobs spirit Job vvill not justifie his own righteousnesse or justifie himself in his righteousnesse A vvicked man vvill justifie his sinne or justifie himself in his sinne A Saul vvill justifie his disobedience but a Job vvill not justifie his obedience Job vvill not take upon him to be a righteous man though God had told him he vvas perfect and upright A vvicked man vvill take upon him to be righteous though God tell him to his face a thousand times that he is vile and filthy How doe vvicked men seek for pleas and covers to make themselves appear righteous How doe they gild the base metall of their hearts and paint over those rotten posts to make them appear beautifull Christ tels the Pharisees that they vvere like filthy sepulchres full of dead mens bones yet they vvould be painted over vvith the notion of a righteous generation Job vvho had much righteousnesse and faithfulnesse in him vvould not own them and modestly blushes at the praise of God Though I were righteous yet I would not answer Fourthly Observe The righteousnesse of man is not pleadable before the righteous God Though I were righteous yet I would not answer him The Apostle 1 Cor. 4.4 gives a parallel testimony Though I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby justified Paul knew nothing by himself that is he had not any guilt upon him that he knew of he did not allow himself in any sinne but kept his conscience void of offence both toward God and toward man yet though it vvas thus vvith him he disclaims all opinion of himself I am not hereby justified this is not the plea I have to make before God he is able to finde out failings vvhere I finde none he knows better then I vvhat I am Fifthly Observe A godly man looks upon his own righteousnesse as no righteousnesse Whom though I were righteous I would not answer His supposition hath a negation in it I am not righteous Job did not deny the vvork of the Spirit or the grace of God in him but he vvould not own them in his pleadings vvith God He could stand upon his terms vvith men and let them knovv vvho he vvas and vvhat he had done and it vvas reason he should but before God he had nothing to mention but Christ In reference to the higher degree of grace for sanctification vve must forget all that is behinde and presse on to that which is before And in reference to the whole grace of justification we must forget all our sanctification The lesse we remember our own righteousnesse the more righteous we are in Christ As vve abate in our selves vve encrease in him Christ draws the picture of an hypocrite to the life Luk. 18. in that parable of a Pharisee and a Publican going up to the Temple to pray and the design of Christ in that Parable is held forth at the ninth verse to be the conviction of such as trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others Now vvhat did this Pharisee He thanks God he was not as other men extortioners unjust adulterers or as that Publican and then he mindes God that he gave tithes and kept fasts twice a week and so makes a goodly report of himself both in the negative and in the affirmative vvhat he vvas and vvhat he vvas not Never did any good man tell God such a story of his own life as this Pharisee told The Saints love to do well more then to hear vvell from others much more then to hear well from themselves they love to do good more then to receive good much more then to speak good of themselves When Christ is represented sitting in judgement Mat. 25.35 he tels the faithfull of all their good deeds or acts of charity I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye cloathed me c. Hear how the Saints answer as if they had done no such thing when was this Lord when saw we thee hungry and fed thee c. We have forgot the time They did so little
minde the good they had done that they remembred not they ever did it The Lord keeps a faithfull record of vvhat his people doe but themselves doe not It is our duty to remember to doe good but let God alone to remember the good we have done The Lord is not unrighteous to forget our labour of love Heb. 6.10 but we lose our righteousnesse unlesse vve forget it If we much remember what we doe God will remember it but little The servants of God know well enough when they doe good to do good ignorantly is a degree of doing evil They know vvhen they doe good and they know vvhat good they doe but vvhen 't is done 't is to them as unknown Hezekiah Isa 38.3 put God in minde of his good deeds Lord saith he remember how I walked before thee with an upright heart c. Hezekiah desired the Lord to remember his uprightnes So Nehemiah in divers passages of that book Chap. 13.14.22.29.31 puts the Lord in remembrance of his righteousnesse But it is one thing to put the Lord in remembrance of vvhat vve have done historically and another thing to plead vvhat vve have done legally It s one thing to shew to the Lord the vvork of his own grace in us and another thing minde the Lord of our vvorks to obtain his grace Hezekiah vvould have God to take notice of vvhat he vvas to pity him in his sicknesse Lord I am thus remember the work of thy hands as I am thy creature remember the vvork of thy Spirit as I am a new creature as I am thy servant And Nehemiah puts all upon the score of mercy He did not say Lord remember me for vvhat I have done answer me according to vvhat I have done but Remember me O my God concerning this and spare me according to the greatnesse of thy mercy Chap. 13.22 If Saints at any time remember God of their works it is not to ground an argument of merit upon their vvorks but to shew God the vvorkings of his grace and spirit Though I were righteous I would not answer him What then What vvill Job doe What course vvill he take for himself if he vvill not answer the Lord What This course he takes and it is the best I would make supplication to my Judge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. The Septuagint render it thus I would deprecate his judgement that is I vvould sue for mercy As if he had said I am not vvithout hope because I have none in my self I am not lost because I am lost to my self I have a sure way yet left I will make supplication to my Judge or as M. Broughton reads it I would crave pity of my Judge as if he had said Though justice cast me yet mercy will relieve me Mercy will help me as well and honour God more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad facientem judicareme Mont. The word notes humblest submission as when a man begs for his life Jacob Hos 12.4 wept and made supplication The brethren of Joseph Gen. 42.21 were exceedingly afflicted at the remembrance of their hard usage toward him their brother when they sold him to the Aegyptians Fum qui me judecare facit Pagn We would not hearken when he besought us it is this vvord Think with how much submission Joseph being ready to be sold unto strangers supplicated his brethren for pity Or how a man vvill lie begging at an enemies feet vvho is ready to kill him With such submissive language Job resolved to crave pardon and pity at the hands of God Thus he obeys the counsell of Bildad in the 8th Chapter If thou seek unto God and make thy supplication unto him betimes Job seems to answer Your counsell is good friend Bildad Though I were righteous I would not answer him but according to your advice I would make supplication to my Judge The praiers of the Church in greatest straits and distresses are usually expressed by this word supplications All petitionary Prayer is supplication but because we are much abased and laid very low at such times therefore praier then put up is specially called supplication Hence Solomon at the dedication of the Temple putting cases and suppositions of many afflictions incident to that people still concludes At what time they shall confesse their sinnes and pray and make supplication then c. 1 King 8. And Esth 4.8 Mordecai sends to Esther charging her to goe in to the King What to doe To make supplication unto him The lives of the Jews being given away to satisfie the malice of Haman it was time for her to supplicate in the lowliest posture Thus Job had it in the thoughts of his heart to make supplications to his Judge as if he had said If I were to stand at the tribunall of an earthly Judge I would not supplicate but plead I would not petition his favour but stand upon my right I would not crave his pity but expect his justice I would bring forth my reasons and arguments my proofs and witnesses this course would I run with an earthly Judge but my cause being with God I will only put a petition into the Court and submit unto him let him doe with me what he pleaseth Hence we may observe First That there is no weapon can prevail with God but only praier and supplication Jobs thoughts had travel'd thorow all the creatures and found not one of them could stand before God Etsi opus virtutis exercuero ad vitam non ex meritis sed ad veniam convalesco Preci itaque innitendū est cum recta agimus ut omne quod justè vivimus humilitare condiamus Greg. therefore he resolves to fall down before him I will make supplication Praier overcometh when nothing else can Christ conquered by dying and we conquer by submitting And yet it is not supplication as an act of ours but supplication as it is an ordinance of Gods that prevails with him he looks upon praier as having the stamp of his own institution otherwise our greatest humblings could prevail no more then our proudest contendings The Word preached prevails upon the heart not as it is the act of a man who dispenceth it there is no strength in that but as it is an ordinance of God who hath appointed it So humble supplication obtains much with God because he hath said it shall Secondly To make supplication is to crave pity As praier prevails so no plea in praier can prevail unlesse vve plead pity pity mercy mercy a suppliant looks for all good at the hand of free grace We at any time have sinne enough to procure us evil Jer. 4.18 Thy sinnes have procured these things unto thee But we never have goodnesse enough to procure us any mercy Mercy comes for mercies sake Thirdly In that he saith I would make supplication to my Judge Observe God is the Judge of all our actions and intentions Job was in a great contest with men but
and gifts vvhat a nimble tongue vvhat sound judgements they have till they lose Christ in this croud of themselves This is a dangerous knowledge a knowledge worse then ignorance Better be without knowledge then know our knowledge thus As to reflect upon sinne to know our selves in our unbelief vanity and passions c. humble us And a soul in confessing of sinne before God looks long upon his dark part upon his wants and failings for this end that he may be humbled So to reflect upon our good deeds or graces to know our selves in those adornings of love patience humility faith c. hazards us upon pride and some stand gazing so long upon these excellencies that they are lifted up and become very proud Thus all men who are proud in spirituals Know their own souls So Job would not know his own soul Hence observe That A gracious heart rejoyceth in nothing but in the righteousnesse of Christ alone He will not know his soul in his own perfections A godly man vvould have God know him in the worst but he will not know himself in the best He vvould not have a sinne hid from God but he vvould hide all his goodnesse from himself He will know every good thing before he doth it but vvhen 't is done he cares not to know it any more So the Apostle Phil. 3.8 9 I account all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and doe count them but dung that I may winne Christ and may be found in him not having mine own righteousnesse which is of the law c. Paul the Apostle would not know Paul the Pharisee Legall righteousnesse was losse to him vvhen he had found Christ Legall righteousnesse vvas dung to him vvhen he had a sight of righteousnesse by Christ The Pharisee Luk. 18. had all upon account and he hoped to make good gain upon his accounts he knew how many alms he had given how well he paid his tithes and how often he had fasted He made a stock of those things and put them among his treasures which Paul made his losse and put among the dung He that thus knows his own soul hath no true knowledge of Jesus Christ So much of this 21th verse as it is a supposition and hath connexion with the vvords fore-going As it refers to what follows The words are rendered in the form of a position I am perfect I know not my soul I despise my life And so divers interpretations are given of it First Thus I am perfect c. that is my heart is upright and I have ever prized and valued mine own integrity at such a rate Non novi animam prae integritate mea i. e. ea integritate sum ut nunquā animae aut vitae meae ratione abduci potue rim ab integritate mea that in comparison thereof I have not at all regarded or prized my own life or soul that is the greatest comforts and sweetest enjoyments of my life My life is but a trifle to my conscience And so the meaning is like that Deut. 33.9 where the vvord know is used in this sense concerning Levi Who said to his father and mother I have not seen him neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor know his own children Levi sleighted all relations when they stood in competition vvith the discharge of that duty vvhich the Lord called him to he knew neither father nor mother nor brother nor childe one nor other he had no regard at all to them so he might doe the vvill of God This vvas the commendation of Levi and the priviledge of the Priest-hood vvas assigned to that Tribe upon this service Grace vvill not hearken to the cry of nature vvhen it hears the call of God Job is conceived to speak here at the same rate as Levi did or higher I am upright and perfect in heart toward God and such hath my perfection and uprightnesse been that I have not known my own soul I have not regarded any self-interests which have stood in the way of my obedience unto God or justice toward man His friends charged him as if he had been a corrupt Judge or an oppressour of the poor I saith he am so far from valuing vvorldly goods or riches beyond my own integrity that I doe not value my life to my integrity The Apostle Paul makes a like profession Act. 20.24 His spirit was never so free and royall as vvhen he was going bound in spirit to Jerusalem The Spirit witnessing to him that bonds and afflictions did abide him in every City None of these things saith he move me neither count I my life dear I will not know my life let it go vvhich vvay it vvill so I may finish my course with joy and the ministery which I have received of the Lord Jesus Paul vvas none of your poor merchants who are afraid of their skins Pauls life was cheap in his thoughts vvhen he vvas to make an adventure for Christ he as Job here would not know his life for the omission of a necessary known duty or the commission of a known sin This first sense yeelds this profitable meditation He whose heart is upright prefers his uprightnesse before all worldly commodities and before his own life Christ cals his Disciples to this height of resolution Luk. 14.26 If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and children yea and his own life he cannot be my Disciple That is the service of Christ and his life being put into the balance life must be a light thing vveighed vvith the service of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Absumor dolore sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aliter sumetur quam priore versiculo Nescio animam i. e. meipsum prae dolore ideo aversor vitam meam Rab. Levi. A second interpretation gives this sense I am perfect yet I know not my own soul that is I am so pressed and overwhelmed with these afflictions that I cannot feel my self I scarce know vvhether I am alive or dead I know not where I am my soul doth not act it's offices my soul is as it vvere benum'd in me or asleep there is not that vigour or activity in my spirit vvhich I have found heretofore I despise such a life as this is vvho vvould live a life vvhich is a continued death There is a truth in this For as extream and excessive joyes carry a man so farre beyond himself that he scarce knows vvhether he be alive or no some have had experience of such raptures and extasies of joy in commuion vvith God T' was so vvith Paul in a case somewhat like 2 Cor. 12. Whether in the body I cannot tell or whether out of the body I cannot tell saith he for my part I could not tell vvhat to make of my self or vvhat became of my body As I say it is
Is there any beauty in darknes in thick darknes where there is no order in darknes where the very light is darknes One of the greatest plagues upon Egypt Nostri theologizantes ad infernum referuÌ„t sed Iob ad sepulchrum respexit Merc. was three daies darknes what then is there in death naturally considered but a plague seeing it is perpetuall darknes If death be such in it self and such to those who die in sin how should our hearts be raised up in thankfulnes to Christ who hath put other terms upon death and the grave by dying for our sins Christ hath made the grave look like a heaven to his Christ hath abolished death not death it self for even believers die but all the trouble and terrour of death the darknes and the disorder of it are taken away Christ hath mortified death kill'd death so that now death is not so much an opening of the door of the grave as it is an opening of the door of heaven Christ who is the Sun of righteousnes lay in the grave and hath left perpetuall beams of light there for his purchased people The way to the grave is very dark but Christ hath set up lights for us or caused light to shine into the way Christ hath put death into a method yea Christ hath put death into a kinde of life or he hath put life into the death of believers All the gastlinesse horrour yea the darknes and death of death is removed The Saints may look upon the grave as a land of light like light it self yea as a land of life like life it self where there is nothing but order and where the darknes is as light Jobs reply to Bildad and complaints to God have carried his discourse as far as death and the grave he gives over in a dark disordered place God still leaving him under much darknes and many disorders of spirit As his great afflictions are yet continued so his weaknesses continue too His graces break forth many times and sometimes his corruption Both are coming to a further discovery while his third friend Zophar takes up the bucklers and renews the battel upon what terms he engages with Job how Job acquits himself and comes off from that engagement is the summe of the four succeeding Chapters FINIS Errata PAg. 18. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 63. l. 5. for 29. r. 19. p. 69 l. 39. for 7. r. 29. p. 152. l. 21. for need r needs p. 201. in marg fòr Apollo r. Achilles in some copies p. 311 l 17. dele the. p. 331. l. 2. dele in p 430. l 22. for affliction r. afflictions p 361. l. 37. for Apologues r. Apologies ib. l. 38. put in to after arguments p. 366. in mâ—rg for polluerunt r. polluerent p. 401. l. 27. for an idol u r. idols are p 413. l. 22. for wearied r. weary p. 418. l. 27. dele not A TABLE Directing to some speciall Points noted in the precedent EXPOSITIONS A ABib the Jewish moneth why so called p. 73 Adamant why so called 160. Affliction A good heart give â— testimony to the righteousnesse of God in the midst of greatest afflictions p. 14 God laies very sore afflictions upon them that are very dear to him p. 279. Afflictions continued cause â—s to suspect that our praier is not answered p. 280. A godly man may be much opprest with the fears of affliction p. â—54 There was not such a spirit of rejoycing in affliction among the Saints of the old Testament as is under the New p. 358. After purgings God goes on sometimes with afflictions p. 372. It is lawfull to pray against affliction p. 399. Affliction removed three waies p. 400. Great afflictions carry a charge of wickednesse upon the afflicted p. 432. An afflicted person is very solicitous about the reason of his afflictions p. 436. Afflictions are searchers p. 469. Afflictions affect with shame p. 573. Vnder great afflictions our requests are modest p. 579. Age what meant by it taken three waies p. 55. Ancient of daies why God is so called p. 460. Angels falling why their sinne greater then mans and God so irreconcilable to them p. 506. Anger in man what it is p. 180 How God is angry p. 181. The troubles that fall upon the creature are the effects of Gods anger p. 181. It is not in the power of man to turn away the anger of God p. 247. How praier is said to do it 10. The anger of God is more grievous to the Saints then all their other afflictions p. 433. Answering of two kindes p. 250. Antiquity True antiquity gives testimony to the truth p. 58. What true antiquity is p. 59. Appearance we must not judge by it p. 360. Arcturus described p. 209. Assurance that we are in a state of grace possible and how wrought p. 479. Awake In what sense God awakes p. 37 38. His awaking and sleeping note only the changes of providence p. 39. Two things awaken God the praier of his people and the rage of his enemies p. 40. B BItternesse put for sorest affliction p. 285. The Lord sometime mixes a very bitter cup for his own people p. 286. Body of man the excellent frame of it p. 516. Five things shew this p. 517. Body of man an excellent frame p. 494. How called a viâ— body ib. Bones and sinews their use in the body of man p. 516. C CAbits a sect of babling Poets p. 7. Cause Second causes can doe nothing without the first p. 493. Chambers of the South what and why so called p. 210. Chistu the tenth moneth among the Jews why so called p. 209. Christ is the medium by which we see God p. 231 Clay that man was made of clay intimates three things p. 504. Commands God can make every word he speaks a command p. 192. Every creature must submit to his command ib. God hath a negative voice of command to stay the motion of any creature p. 193. Comfort comes only from God p. 348. Yet a man in affliction may help on his own comforts or sorrows p. 351. Comforts put off upon two ground ib. Commendation To commend our selvâ—s very unseemly p. 296 297. Conâ—emnation hath three thing in it which make it very gâ—evous p. 432. It is the adjudging a man to be wicked p. 434. Conscience A good conscience to be kept rather then our lives p. 303. God and conscience keep a record of our lives p. 540. Consent to sinne how proper to the wicked p. 478. Contention Man naturally loves it p. 150. Man is apt to contend with God p. 152. Especially about three things p. 153. Man is unable to contend with God in any thing p. 154. Counsels of wicked men not shined on by God p. 447. Custom in sin what p. 476. D DAies-man who p. 385. why so called p. 386. Five things belonging to a daies-man p. 387. A three-fold posture of the daies-man in laying on his