but it is the duty of every man to strive that he may be lifted up not onely above the wormes but above the heavens Wee may quickly sin in seeking our owne exaltation in a worldly But the more we seeke our exaltation in a heavenly state the more holy yea the more humble we are Wee never act as those who know they are but wormes here on earth till we have an ambition to be like the Angels who are in heaven Thus I have opened and done with this third and that a very short discourse of Bildad in this Chapter wherein he hath spoken Excellently as to the generall truth in exalting God and humbling man yet he is upon the old mistake Concluding Job a selfe-Justifier yea a contender with God Whereas indeed his thoughts were as low as his state or person in reference to any conceit of righteousnesse in himselfe or of any boldnes in charging God with the least unrighteousnesse though there was much severity in his dealings with him JOB CHAP. 26. Vers 1 2 3 4. But Job answered and said How hast thou helped him that is without power how savest thou the arm that hath no strength How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdome and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is To whom hast thou uttered words and whose spirit came from thee THis Chapter containeth Jobs answer to the third and last dispute or opposition of his second freind Bildad Non respondit ad Bildadi dicta sed eum ridet quasi ea attulerit quae parum ad rem faciant imo ab instituto aliena Merc wherein he doth two things First He complaineth of and in a manner derideth Bildads dealing with him as if what he had urged were not onely little to the purpose but very wide from it This he doth in the foure first verses of the Chapter Secondly Job gives out a large narrative of the power perfections and excellencies of God of his wonderfull works and providences which Bildad had but lightly touched this he doth in the remaining part of the Chapter Vers 1 2. But Job answered and said How hast thou helped him that is without power There is a question among Interpreters who is here meant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admirantis est haec dicit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Drus by him that is without power and who by the arme that hath no strength who by him that hath no wisedome There are three opinions about the resolving of this question First Some expound it not of a person but of a thing for the original leaves it in such words as may be determined upon eyther In qua re adjuvisti sententiam tuam de providentia dei particulari in qua nullae sunt viris Quare ex Hebraeo legit non cujus sed quid adjuvisti Vatabl and may as wel be rendred that which hath no power as him that hath no power And the thing without power which this interpretation aymes at is the opinion or tenet which Bildad and his friends had held forth in their discourse which Job is conceived to looke upon as weake and without power as having neyther strength nor wisdome in it And because Bildad made the last reply Job according to this exposition bespeaks him thus Thine owne former arguments as also those of thy friends had no power no strength of reason nor true wisdome in them and hast thou mended the matter now hast thou by what thou spakest last put any strength into what hath been weakly and feebly argued already As for my selfe I am neyther better enformed nor comforted then I was and therefore have reason to conclude that there is no more strength nor power in what is now sayd then in what was sayd before It is usuall to apply strength to a speech we say such a man made a strong speech as for such a one his speech had no strength no sinewes in it And that speech which hath no strength in it can never administer strength to those to whom it is spoken so that to say how hast thou helped him that hath no power is to say the speech by which thou hast attempted or endeavoured to helpe him that hath no power Yet I conceave that Job doth here intend a person whom his freinds supposed without power strength or wisdome Hoc de deo accipio O quam egregâ—e eum adjuvisti qui imbecillis erat invalido es patrocinatus Quasi tua defensione deus indigerit Merc Cujus adjuâ—or es num in becillis sustentas brachium ejus qui non est fortis Vulg Cui Auxiliatus es cui non potentia Mont rather then his freinds speech which himselfe judged and as his owne releife found to be so Secondly By him that hath no power and the arme that hath no strength some understand God himselfe who is indeed all power all arme who is altogether strong and onely wise As if Job had sayd O Bildad thou hast stood up in the defence of God as if he had not been able to defend himselfe thou hast been an Advocate for him who hath no need thou shouldest Hath not he power hath his arme no strength in it or is he destitute of counsel surely God hath no need of thy patronage or assistance Therefore consider whose helper hast thou been what the helper of him that is weake and hast thou sustained the armes of him that hath no strength surely no God hath strength enough to defend his own cause and wisdome enough to maintaine his own acts against me and all men else Thou oughtest indeed to have helped him that hath no power but thou hast onely given helpe to him that hath all power Thus some cary on the whole context under that frame and forme of this exposition as if Job did but rebuke Bildad for undertaking the matter on Gods part whereas he should have used his utmost endeavours for the support and comfort of him a poore weake creature labouring under heavy burdens of most sad afflictions and wanting counsel how to beare and improve them as layed upon him by the hand of God For this Job had no power and might expect helpe from his friend but he bestowed all his helpe in vindicating the honour of God against Job not in helping or advising Job how to beare up under the hand of God and therefore he thus interrogates him How hast thou helped him that hath no power But Thirdly I rather expound the words of Job himselfe as being now burdened and distressed with great affliction and under sore temptations and therefore fitly represented in these words a man without power an arme without strength and him that had no wisdome at least that he was such in the opinion and judgement of his friends As if he had sayd O Bildad Thou lookest upon me as a man without power strength or wisdome very well be it so
is here Jer. 23.23 24. Am I a God at hand saith the Lord and not afarre off Can any hide himselfe in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord doe not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord All these expostulating questions are resolved into this one position God is every where And though some reade the first not as a Qâ—estion but as an Assertion Thus I am a God at hand and not a God afarre off yet the sence is the same God therein affirming that he is ever neere us and never afarre off from us wheresoever we are Though God be in those places which are furthest off from us as well as in those that are neere at hand yet God himselfe is never afarre off from us but alwayes at hand When Solomon had set up the Temple 1 King 8.27 He was sure of the presence of God in it and therefore did not speake doubtingly but admiringly when he asked But will God indeed dwell on earth that is will God manifest himselfe gloriously on the earth behold the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot conteine thee how much lesse this house that I have builded Solomon knew that heaven could not conteine that is limit God much lesse could the house which he had builded Yet the Lord made the Temple another heaven to himselfe it was as his second heaven there the Lord had a kinde of glorious residence beyond what he had in any other part of the world Now the Assemblyes and Congregations of the Saints are in a speciall manner the dwelling place of God and his second heaven He dwells so much in the Churches that he seemes not to dwell at all in any part of the world beside 2 Cor. 6.16 17. I will dwell in them and walke in them Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the uncleane thing and I will receive you God who is in all the world dwels onely in and with his people They who separate from whatsoever is unholy have him neerest them who is altogether Holy To conclude this poynt we may make use of that distinction of the Schooles to cleare the difference how a corporall substance and a spirituall as as also how a spirituall created and uncreated substance may be sayd to be in a place All bodyes are in place circumscriptively spirituall substances created Angels and soules of men are in place definitively Wee cannot draw a line about an Angell as about the body of a man yet the Angel is so in this place as not in another but God who is a spirit and uncreated is in place repletively that is he filleth all places where he is but is not limited by any place where he is He is as some have not unfitly spoken a Spheare whose center is every where and whose circumference is no where This is a mystery which indeed we are not able to comprehend by reason but we must take it downe by faith The Lord is in the height of heaven yet so there as he is not shut up there But if any shall yet querie How is the Lord every where how is he in heaven and in earth is it so as the Sunne may be said to be every where the Sunne is seated in heaven yet is by way of communication on earth the Sunne by light heate or influence is all the world over in some degree or other yet the Sunne moves onely in his Orbe Or is God so every where as a Soveraigne Prince who though in person he reside here or there yet in power and Authority he is every where within his own Dominion I answer No These allusions are farre below this truth God is every where not onely as the Sunne by light heate and influence not onely as a Prince by his power and Authority but as we speake in person and in his Essence Further the Lords presence in all places is not as that of the aire which is more every where then the Sunne the aire is every where filling all places and so encompassing all bodies as if it made them all but one Great body yet that part of the aire that is in one place is not in another for the aire is divisible Divina essentia est tota intra omnia tota extra omnia nusquam inclusa aut exclusa omnia contineus a nullo contenta nec propterea immistu rebus aut rerum sordibus inquinata August Epist 55. ad Dard But we must not take up any such apprehensions of God for as he is every where so he is wholly every where God cannot be divided or parted as the ayre is may The Divine Essence as one of the Ancients hath expressed this astonishing mysterie is whole within all things and whole without all things no where included no where excluded conteining all things conteined of nothing yet not at all mingled with the nature of these things nor defiled with their pollutions That which the Philosopher speaks of the soule of man That it is all in the whole body and whole in every part of the body comes neerest this mystery Some quarrell at that expression about the soule yet there is a truth in it The soule is indivisiâ—le much more God wheresoever he is he is all and altogether he is every where and every where all So he is in the height of heaven and so he is on earth below But if God be every where why doth Christ teach us to pray Our father which art in heaven Mat. 6.13 And when the Heathen made that scoffing demand Where is now their God Why did David Answer Our God is in heaven Psal 115.2 3. To these and all other Texts of like import wee may answer heaven is not there spoken of as bounding the presence of God but as guiding the faith and hope of man In the morning saith David Psal 5.3 will I direct my prayer unto thee and will looke up When the eye hath no sight of any helpe on earth then faith may have the clearest visions of it in heaven And while God appeares so little in any Gratious dispensation for his people on earth that the enemy begins to scoffe Where is now your God Then his people have recourse by faith to heaven where the Lord not onely is but is glorious in his appearings From whence as he seeth how it is with us so he seemes to have a kinde of advantage to relieve us But as some Scriptures seeme to confine God to heaven so other Scriptures seem to deny that he is every where on earth Thus Moses sayd to the people of Israel Numb 14.42 Goe not up for the Lord is not among you And againe Deut. 7.21 Thou shalt not be affrighted at them for the Lord thy God is among you with some the Lord is with others the Lord is not and he is with the same persons at one time not at another How then can it be sayd that the
all our Creatures though wee make them in the shop of our darkest imaginations And much more doth hee see all the Creatures which wee make without that is all our bodily and externall actions Jere. 17.10 I the Lord search the heart I try the reynes if he search our hearts then surely he searcheth all our wayes if he seeth our thinkings then surely he seeth our walkings Deus scientiarum phurale perfectam scientiam rerum omnium cognosibilium cognitionem indicat Therefore 't is sayd 1 Sam. 2.3 The Lord is a God of knowledge the Hebrew is The Lord is a God of knowledges that is all things fall under his knowledge he is perfect in all knowledges there is nothing knowable but the Lord knowes it and by him actions are weighed now the weighing of actions is more then the seeing of actions many see that which they cannot weigh Hee weigheth actions that is he takes not onely the action it selfe but every circumstance of it into Consideration he takes his Ballances and tryes fully how much each ingredient weighs and what it comes to Hee weighs whole States Kingdomes and Nations So it was sayd to the Babylonian Monarch Belteshazzar Dan. 5.26.27 Mene God hath numbred thy Kingdome and finished it Tekel Thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting Thy councels thy policies thy undertakings the whole compasse all the contrivances of thy Government are weighed and found too light And as God weigheth the actions of Princes so of private persons Prov. 5.21 The wayes of a man that is of every man even of the meanest man are before the Lord and he pondereth all his pathes he puts them into a Ballance and doth not onely see them but ponder or weigh them David sayth of some wicked men that they weigh the violence of their hands in the earth Psal 58.2 though they doe violence yet they doe it not violently but with a kinde of skill and deliberation They doe wrong and oppresse with a shew of Justice whereof weights are the common Embleme Now as some men doe evill not hastily rashly or all at once but give it out by weight and with a seeming gravity and zeale for justice So the Lord doth never looke over the wayes of men rashly or hastily but weighs them out even to a graine yea to the dust of the balance he pondereth all their paths That is he knowes them throughout Therefore David Psal 139. having spoken much to this poynt of the Exactnes of Gods knowledge concludes at the 6th verse Such knowledge is too wonderfull for mee it is high I cannot attaine unto it Some expound this Text not of the knowledge of God concerning us but of our knowledge concerning God Thy knowledge or the knowledge of thee is too wonderfull for mee I cannot attaine unto it Others thus This thy knowledge namely that which he had before described is more wonderfull or more exact then that I should be able to deceive it We may impose upon and deceive the most knowing man but wee cannot impose upon or deceive God I conceave our reading to be most sutable both to the Text and context Such knowledge that is Such knowledge as thou hast of mee of the least and greatest things even of all things that I or any man doth is too wonderfull for mee For though we may know some actions of men yet wee cannot know them all and wee can hardly weigh any of them to the utmost And in this acknowledgement wee may take notice of the Psalmist modesty who though he had the immediate assistance of a Propheticall Spirit yet confessed that he was not only not able to know God but not to know himselfe his thoughts words and wayes as God knew them Such knowledge of my selfe as thou O Lord hast of me is too wonderfull for me I cannot attaine unio it Some perhaps may querie upon this if the Lord knoweth all the wayes of men and pondereth all their actions is not this a trouble to God is not this a disturbance of his peace and a distraction to him I answer as I said before this is to frame a God like our selves for to him that is omniscient it is all one to know all and to know but one thing it is no more distraction no more trouble to God to know all that we doe speak or thinke then to know any thing If two or three speake to a man together he is not able to take in their sence the variety of their discourse makes such a hurry and trouble in his spirits that he looseth all that is spoken But the application of thousands or of Millions at the same time in speaking to the eare of God is no more trouble then if but one did speake an infinite eare heares all and an infinite eye sees all without any the least distraction the infinite knowledge of God takes in all the actions of all men as easily as the single action of any one man Againe Others may say Surely the Lord will not take such exact knowledge of all the actions of men especially of mean men or surely not of the meane actions of meanest men possibly of some persons in great place of some great things done by those persons hee may take notice but to stoope to small things if it be not a trouble yet it cannot but be a dishonour to and too great a Condescention for the great God The Heathens sayd their Jupiter had no leysure to deale in small matters Non vacat exiguis rebus c. And may not we Christians say It is not honorable enough for our God to have to doe with small matters I answer This also is to frame a God like our selves as it doth not weary God to behold to try and ponder all the wayes of all men which was the feare concerning Moses that hee should be tyred out with the various cases and affaires of that great People and was therefore advised by Jethro to make more Judges that so the weightier matters onely might be brought before and Judged by him So it is no dishonour at all to God no it is his honour that he takes cognisance of the smallest matters as well as of the greatest of the lowest as well as of the highest concernments of the children of men Psal 113.5 6. Who is like unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on high who humbleth himselfe to behold the things which are in Heaven and in the Earth Who is like to God in this this is the honour of the high God that he will humble himselfe to behold the lowest things the things which are in the Earth as well as things in Heaven and the lesser the least things in earth as well as the greater or the greatest Though the Lord be high yet he humbleth himselfe unto the lowly Psal 138.6 and as to lowly persons so to the lowest things Indeed the Lord doth humble himselfe to behold the things which are
let us make a breach therein for us and set a king in the midst of it even the Son of Tabeal Here was their decree we will vex this people we will set a king among them the Son of Tabeal But what saith the Lord to this Thus saith the Lord God 7 ver it shall not stand neyther shall it come to passe It is this word in the Text it shall not be established You have made a decree but you have not my consent for the Establishment of it and therefore it shall not stand it shall not come to passe Take another Scripture Esay 8.10 The Lord doth as it were give them leave to make decrees make as many decrees as you will and sit together in Councell lay your Councells as deep as you can take Councell together and it shall come to nought you may take Councell but it is in my Power whether it shall succeed or no and I have decreed concerning your decree that it shall come to nought speake the word and it shall not stand The standing or not standing the frustrating or the fullfilling of our Decrees and Councells it is from the Lord. Thirdly When he saith Thou shalt decree a thing and it shaâ—â— be established unto thee We may observe The Councells of the Godly are under a promise of good successe They have a kinde of Assurance that what they say shall come to passe though they have not an absolute Assurance yet they have much assurance though wee cannot say in every particular Case that their decree shall be Established to them yet their decrees in generall are under a promise of Establishment Christ speaketh concerning the Decrees of a Church-Assembly Math. 18.18 Verily I say unto you whatsoever yee shall binde on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever yee shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in heaven that is I will Establish your Decrees If when you meet together in my name you decree concerning a person to bind sin upon him he shall be bound if to loose or pronounce him pardon'd he shall be loosened your decree on earth shall be a decree in heaven I will binde what you binde and loose what you loose Now in proportion the Lord speakes the same concerning the decrees of any Godly man what he binds on earth the Lord doth binde in heaven and what he looseth on earth God looseth in heaven that is there is an Establishment of his decrees and as the Church there hath a promise that the Lord will joyne with her in her decrees so a Godly man hath a promise here that the Lord will joyne with him in his decrees We have also an excellent confirmation of it Esay 44.25 26. The Lord is many wayes described in Scripture but here he is described by disappointing and establishing the Councells of men He it is that frustrateth the tokens of the lyars and maketh diviners mad that turneth wise men backward and maketh their knowledge foolishnes Here is a description of God in reference to the disappoyntments which he puts upon his enemies in frustrating their Councells and decrees they boast of these and these tokens that assure them of good successe but the Lord frustrates their tokens The Diviners say O the Starrs promise good luck and tell us we shall have good fortune thus diviners boast but the Lord maketh the diviners mad how doth he make them mad by making them see things fall out quite cross to what they have foretold or prophesied Againe hee turnes wise men backward that is he turnes the Councells of wise men backward when they have resolved such a thing the Lord sets it quite another way this is the glory of God that he can give check to the Councells of the greatest Polititians and deepest Machiavells he turnes them backward Thus the Lord is set forth overthrowing the decrees of the wicked but at the 26 â—h ver He is set forth establishing the decrees of the Godly He it is that confirmeth the word of his servant and performeth the Councell of his Messengers that saith to Jerusalem thou shalt be Inhabited and to the Cities of Judah yee shall be built c God confirmeth the word of his servant which may be understood not onely of the word of Prophesie though that be the scope of that place as if it had been sayd when the Lord sendeth forth his Prophets and holy Diviners 't is not with them as with false Prophets and heathenish Diviners who making promises from the Starres of heaven not from the God of heaven are frustrated and disappoynted 't is not thus with the Lords holy Diviners for he confirmeth the word of his Servants Now I say wee may understand that Text not only of that word of prophecy which the Lord puts into the mouths of his Servants by an immediate inspiration but also of that word of prophecy or decree which any one of his faithfull servants speaketh or maketh according to his already revealed will This word of his servants the Lord confirmeth also and performeth the Councell of his Messengers And the reason is as was touched before about prayer because there is a suitablenes between such words and decrees of his servants and his owne Decrees for the designes of his servants falling in with his owne designes so their decrees with his decrees he in establishing their decrees doth indeed but establish his owne For the servants of God desiering that their decrees may be suitable to the written or revealed will of God they seldome misse of a suitablenes to the decrees of his hidden and secret will So that their decrees are as it were the Duplicate or Counterpane of the Decrees of God and therefore no wonder if they be under such a promise of successe and establishment The Lord saith concerning his owne Decrees or thoughts Surely as I have thought so shall it come to passe Isa 14.24 Now if wee thinke as God thinketh then what wee thinke shall come to passe too and as I have purposed so shall it stand If wee purpose as God purposeth then our purposes shall stand too Againe Esay 46.10 I am the Lord and there is none else I am God and there is none like meÌ„ declaring the End from the beginning and from ancient time the things that are not yet done saying my Councell shall stand and I will doe all my pleasure If then the Councells of Saints be the Councells of God he will doe all their pleasure That 's the summe of this promise to Job Thou shalt decree a thing and it shall be established unto thee Which appeares further from the last Clause And the light shall shine upon thy wayes Eliphaz in this promise might possibly have respect to Jobs former Complaint Chap. 19.8 Hee hath fenced up my way that I cannot passe and he hath set darknes in my pathes As if Eliphaz had here sayd thou didst Complaine a while agoe that God set darknes in thy pathes doe thou returne unto
There is no King saved by the multitude of an host a mighty man is not delivered by much strength a horse is a vaine thing for safety neither shall he deliver any by his great strength So we must acknowledge That if God will any King may be destroyed by the smallest host that a mighty man may be overcome by that which hath no strength that a fly is a sufficient thing for ruine and that if God say the word even that shall not onely trouble but subdue any man with its little or no strength Secondly Note The power which God can draw forth is a limitlesse power His Armyes are without number When Princes have greatest Armyes they may number them and tell you how many hundreds and how many thousands and how many hundred thousands they have We have read of many very numerous Armyes but wee never yet read of an innumerable army onely Gods army is without number and therefore onely his knowes no bounds Is there any number of his Armyes And upon whom doth not his light arise Here Bildad sets forth the glory of the goodnes De homine propriè dicit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 superquem etsi omnia similitèr lumen virtutem ab eo accipiunt Merc omniscience and omnipresence of God by his sending forth his beams of light as he in the former part of the verse sets forth the glory of the greatnesse and power of God by his sending forth the Armyes of his strength Vpon whom doth not his light arise The text may be read thus Vpon whom doth not his light stand or upon whom shall not his light stand Wee say upon whom doth not his light arise Both translations are good But what is this light of God First Wee may understand it of that common light the light of the Sunne for that is Gods light and the universall arising of it upon the world is a wonderfull worke of God For as God made the light and gathered it into that great vessel the Sunne so hee carrieth it about the world every day The light of the Sunne is the messenger of Gods care and love to man every morning Math. 5.45 Hee maketh his Sunne to rise on the Evill and on the Good that is upon all Good and Evill divide the whole world between them and while the text in Mathew saith that God maketh his Sunne to rise c. it intimates that the Sunne riseth dayly by speciall direction from God The Sunne is his and the light is his There is no creature that enjoyes the light of the Sunne but is beholding to God for it Hee that made the Sunne maketh the Sunne to rise as if the Sunne like a weary or tired traveller were unwilling to rise in a morning and renew his Journey or long stage about the world till called up by God and commanded out for the service of mankinde of Sun-light we may say Vpon whom doth not his light arise Secondly This light may be taken more strictly for the light of divine goodnesse All the good the peace the comfort which wee injoy in the world is comprehended under the name of light When the Psalmist sayth Light is sowen for the righteous his meaning is good or comfort is sowen for the righteous Psal 97.11 and Vpon whom doth not this light arise The goodnesse of God extends it selfe over all God doth good to all though he doth more good for some for as God would have us to doe good to all but specially to the houshold of faith so doth hee Hee sends forth so much light of goodnesse as will make all men eternally inexcusable who abuse it but he sends forth so much light of his goodnes to some as will make them eternally happy The light of his gooddesse riseth upon good men to cause them to rejoyce and live comfortably And unlesse some light of his goodnes did arise upon evill men even upon the worst of men they could not subsist nor live at all His light is the life of man and upon whom doth not this light of divine goodnesse arise Thirdly Wee may expound this light of the light of divine wisdome which disposeth and ordereth all things And doth not this light arise upon the whole creation doth not this light shine upon every creature doth not this light direct the wayes of man on earth yea doth not this light arise upon the Angels in heaven to direct them in all their wayes Fourthly Wee may understand this light of the light of that knowledge by which God himselfe knoweth all things As God is light essentially or as all that he is is light so we may say more especially of his knowledge it is light Knowledge is the light of man and therefore we say of an ignorant or unknowing man that he is in darkenes and thus also knowledge is the light of God and when the Apostle John saith 1 Epist 1. That in him is no darkenes at all his meaning is in him is no ignorance at all God sends forth this light of his knowledge all the world over he takes notice of all As nothing is hid in a common sence from the heate or light of the Sunne in its walke about the world so nothing is hid in any the strictest sence from the knowledge of God Vpon whom doth not this light arise wee are alwayes in the presence of God his eye is upon us and sees us hee sees where we are and what wee doe and as this light of his shines upon all things so it will at last bring all things to light Now among these foure interpretations given I conceive that the word light is to be taken here in the second sence upon whom doth not his light arise That is the light of the goodnes of God V detur potius lacis nomen ad vâ—in quam omnibus insundit pertinere per eam sunt omnia id quod sunt Merc which goodnesse is the infinite freenes and readines of his nature to doe good And this light of his goodnes arising upon the creature is five-fold First There is an upholding or preserving Goodnes by which all things are maintained in their state and being Secondly There is a quickning and refreshing goodnes whereby all things men and among them godly men especially are renewed and revived in their wel-being Thirdly There is a protecting goodnes of God whereby his are kept while they are in dangers Fourthly There is a delivering goodness whereby his are brought out of and set free from danger Fifthly There is a strengthning and supporting goodness whereby his are enabled to beare all the evills with which they are exercised in this world And upon whom yea upon what doth not the light of the goodnes of God arise every day in some one or more of these particulars Hence Observe All the light of man or the light of all men is from God If any light arise upon man it is of God and upon what
till God unlocke it Thirdly This also is wonderfull that when at the word of God the cloud rents yet the waters doe not gush out like a violent flood all at once which would quickly drowne the earth as it did Gen 7.11 When the windowes of heaven were opened but the water descends in sweete moderate showers as water through a Cullender drop by drop and streame by streame for the moystning and refreshing of the earth And God caryeth the clouds up and downe the world as the keeper of a Garden doth his watering pot and bids them distill upon this or that place as himselfe directeth The clouds are compared to bottles in the 38th Chapter of this booke v. 37th these God stops or unstops usually as our need requireth and sometime as our sin deserveth Amos 4.7 I have withholden the raine from you and he can withhold it till the heavens over us shall be as brasse and the earth under us as iron I sayth the Lord of his vineyard Isa 5.6 will also command the clouds that they raine no raine upon it The Reader may finde further discoveryes about this poynt at the 5â—h Chapter v. 10th Onely here I shall adde First That we depend upon God not onely for grace and pardon of sinne but for raine and fruitfull seasons Secondly When we have raine let us acknowledge that God hath rent the cloud and given it us that he hath loosed the Garment wherein he had bound the waters Pro. 30.4 that they may issue downe upon us Thirdly When the cloud rents not let us goe to God to doe it Are there any among the vanities of the Heathen that can cause raine Surely there are none Jer 14.22 And therefore the Prophet Zech 10.1 sends the people of God to him for it Aske ye of the Lord raine in the time of the latter raine so the Lord shall make bright clouds and give them showers of raine to every one grasse in the feild Onely he who bindeth up the waters in his clouds can unbinde the clouds and cause them to send out their waters Job having thus shewed the power of God among the clouds and upper waters riseth yet higher in his discourse and from these waters wherein as was toucht before God layeth the beames of his chambers he ascendeth to the chambers themselves even to the throane of God there Vers 9. He holdeth backe the face of his Throane and spreadeth his cloud upon it There are three things to be enquired into for the explication of the former part of this verse First What is here meant by the Throane of God Secondly What by the face of his Throane Thirdly What by holding it backe To the first Querie I answer That according to Scripture Heaven or that place above in opposition to the earth or this sublunary world is called the throne of God and that not the inferior heaven or ayre which in Scripture is more then once called heaven but the supreame or highest heavens Thus the Lord speaketh by the Prophet Isa 66.1 The heaven is my throne and the earth is my footestrole where is the house that ye build unto me c. Thus also our Saviour in his admonition against swearing Math 5.34 saith Sweare not at all that is rashly neyther by heaven for it is Gods throne nor by the earth for it is his footestoole Againe Mat 23.22 Hee that sweareth by heaven sweareth by the throne of God The reason why heaven is called the throne of God is because there he manifests himselfe as Princes doe upon their thrones in greatest glory and majesty as also because there he is more fully enjoyed by glorifyed Saints and Angels God fills heaven and earth with his presence yet he declares his presence more in heaven then here upon the earth Heaven is the throne of God but Quidam faciem esse hominis putant os tantum oculos et genas quod Graeci prosopon dicunt quando facies sit forma omnis et modus et factura quaedam totius corporis a faciendo dicta sic mentis coeli Maris facies probe dicitur Gel libâ— 13. c. 28. Secondly What is the face of his Throne I answer The face of a thing is taken for the whole outward appearance or for the appearing state of it As the face of a mans body is not onely that fore-part of the head which we strictly call so but the forme and structure of the whole body is the face of it And in that sence the word is applyed both to those great naturall bodyes the Heaven and the earth as also to a civill body or to the Body-politicke of a Citie and Common-wealth Thus whereas we render Isa 24.1 Behold the Lord maketh the earth empty and maketh it wast and turneth it upside downe c. The Hebrew is and so our translaters put it in the margin he perverteth the face thereof that is he changeth the state and outward forme of things and putteth them into a new mould or model respecting order and Government And so we commonly speake after great publicke changes The very face of things is altered or things have a new face And thus the Psalmist expresseth the gratious and favourable changes which God maketh in the things of this world Psal 104.30 Thou sendest forth thy Spirit they are created Coeli vultus est coeli superficies concavastellata quae nos respâ—cit Albert and thou renewest the face of the earth that is all things appeare in another hiew and fashion then before So then the Face of the Throane of God is that part of heaven say some which looketh towards us or which we looke upon All that Greatnes and beauty of heaven which our eye reacheth unto and which appeares to us as a vast Canopy set with spangles or studs of Gold such are the Starrs to our sight But I rather conceave The face of the throne of God to be the visible and full demonstration of that infinite light and glory wherein God dwelleth and which appeareth or is given forth to the blessed Saints and Angels who are sayd to be about his throne according to their measure and capability of receaving it The face of his throne taken thus he holdeth backe from us alwayes in this life and as the face of his throne is taken in the other sence he often holds it backe from us About which it remaines to be enquired Thirdly What is meant by holding backe the face of his throne To hold backe seemes to be the same as to hide cover Est tollere apparentiam coeli Cajet or conceale the face of his throne for when any thing is held backe it is concealed and hidden out of sight Thus God doth often hold backe or cover the face of his throne as the face of it notes the Appearances of heaven towards us with clouds as it is sayd in the report made of that terrible storme wherein Paul had almost suffered shipwracke
Acts 27.20 Tenere faciem throni est coelum occultare et obducere nubibus That neyther Sun nor Starrs in many dayes appeared here was a holding backe or covering of the face of the throne of God And thus our experiences have often found it held backe the face of heaven being masked or vayled over with naturall clouds and vapours Againe if we take the face of the throne of God for that eminent manifestation of himselfe as in heaven Thus also God holdeth backe the face of his throne by covering it with a Metaphoricall cloud as it is expressed Psal 97.1 2. The Lord reigneth c. clouds and darknesse are round about him that is we can see no more of his glory in reigning then we can see of a Kings throne which is covered with a Canopy and compassed about with curtaines Job gives this plainly for the interpretation of this former part of the verse in the latter part of it And spreadeth his cloud upon it That is upon the face of his throne Wee may take this cloud first properly thus God covers the heavens from the sight of our eyes Secondly improperly as clouds note onely secrecy and privacy Thus God spreadeth a cloud upon his throne to hide it from the eye of our understanding so that we can no more comprehend the glory of God in himselfe or in his wayes and workings towards man then we can see the Sunne Moone and Starres when muffled and wrapt up in thicke clouds Thus David speaketh of the Lord Psal 18.11 He made darkenes his secret place his pavilion round about him were darke waters and thicke clouds of the skyes But the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 6.16 That God dwelleth in light How then doth the Psalmist say there and elsewhere that he made clouds and darknes his secret place and his pavilion I answer As the Lord is light and hath no darkenes at all in him Joh 1.5 so as to himselfe he ever dwelleth in light and hath no clouds nor darkenes at all about him And therefore when it is sayd that he spreadeth a cloud upon his throne and maketh darkness his secret place or his secret place darke we are to understand it in reference to our selves for whensoever God hideth himselfe or the reason of his dealings and dispensations from us Then the cloud is spread upon his Throne When God is sayd to spread a cloud over us or any thing we have it noteth his care over us and his protection of us Isa 4.5 And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion and upon her assemblyes a cloud and smoake by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night what is meant both by this cloud and flaming fire is clearely expounded in the last words of the verse for upon all the glory shall be a defence or a covering Thus I say a cloud spread by God upon us implyeth that we are under his covert and defence But when God spreadeth a cloud upon or covereth himselfe with a cloud this implyeth all the Scripture over the hiding and concealing of himselfe and his workes from us And in this sence Job sayth He holdeth backe the face of his throne and spreadeth a cloud upon it Hence note First God hath a throne Kings have thrones much more hath God who is the King of kings King Solomon made himselfe a great throne of Ivory and overlayd it with the best Gold 1 Kings 10.18 Kings have formall Thrones God hath a real one Hee hath all power in his hand and this he administreth according to the pleasure of his owne will both in heaven and earth Note Secondly God manifesteth himselfe in heaven as Princes upon their thrones so heaven is the throne of God And where God acts most our affections should be most and our conversation most Where the Throne is thither the great resort is many flocke to the Court. As it will be our glory hereafter to be in heaven or about the throne of God for ever in person so it is our grace to be dayly there in Spirit while we are here The earth is Gods footestoole yet many make that their throne Heaven is Gods throne and many make that their footestoole They tread and trample upon the things of heaven while they set their hearts upon the things of the earth 'T is a sad mistake when men set their feete where they should set their hearts and prophane the throne of God not onely by levelling it with but by laying it lower then the ground Observe Thirdly God hideth his owne glory from the sight of man He holdeth backe the face of his throne he will not suffer the lustre of it to appeare but spreadeth a cloud upon it Indeed we are not able to beare the cleare discoveryes of divine Glory 1 Tim. 6.16 God dwelleth in light which no man can approach unto though he were permitted and offered the priviledge to approach unto it God dwelleth in and is possessed of that infinite perfection of light that no creature is capable of When Moses made that petition to God Exod 33.18 I beseech thee shew me thy glory The Lord answered v. 20. Thou canst not see my face for no man shall see me and live It seemes that while God spake with Moses his glory was overshadowed or that God to use Jobs language in the text held backe the face of his throne and spread a cloud upon it and therefore Moses begg'd the removall of it or that his glory might breake through it and shine unto him Wel sayth God thou canst not see my face as if he had sayd If I should grant thee that request thou art not able to enjoy it or make use of it for as my nature is altogether invisible so thou canst not beare the super-excelling brightnes which the cleare manifestations of my immediate presence would dart forth upon thee for that Glory of my presence is too great a weight for humane fraylety to stand under it would astonish rather then comfort thee and in stead of refreshing confound and make thee as a dead man No man shall see my face and live Man must dye before he can in that sence see the face of God and then he shall as the Apostle speakes 1 Cor 13.12 see face to face and know as he is knowne So that though we are much short of the happines of the next life while we see as through a glasse darkely and God holdeth backe the face of his throne yet it is a mercy to us while we are in this life that he doth so because we are not able to abide the sight of him face to face or to behold the face of his throne As Christ had many things to say to his Desciples which they were not able then to beare so Christ hath purchased such mercyes and priviledges for his people as they are not able to beare while they are on this side the grave Every state hath enjoyments suitable
rule and governe the floods for a while but he ruleth and governeth them alwayes he sitteth upon them king for ever even untill day and night come to an end Thirdly note The waters shall never totally overflow the earth As God hath given them a bound so such a bound as shall keepe them in compasse for ever And as we have an assurance in the power of God that he can keepe or compasse the waters with bounds to the end of the world so also we have his promise and his faithfullnes engaged that he will maintaine those bankes and bounds and keepe them in such repayre that the waters shall never prevaile over them Gen. 9.8 9 10 11. And God spake unto Noah and to his sons with him saying and I behold I establish my Covenant with you and with your seed after you c. neyther shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood neyther shall there be any more a flood to destroy the earth And as mankinde is under this promise of freedome from an universal deluge so every godly man may rise up to this assurance that no waters of any sort can wet so much as the sole of his foote or the hemme of his garment but as they have leave and commission from him who hath compassed the waters with bonnds untill the day and night come to an end JOB CHAP. 26. Vers 11 12. The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproofe He divideth the Sea by his power and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud JOB still proceedeth in the enumeration and illustration of the mighty works of God what he doth in the clouds and what in the heavens was shewed from the former context Here Job tells us what the Lord doth with the heavens He who made the heavens and stretched out the North over the empty place can make these heavens totter in their place and tremble when he pleaseth The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproofe There are three things to be enquired into for the opening of this verse First What is meant by the pillars of heaven Secondly How the pillars of heaven may be said to tremble and be astonished Thirdly What we are to understand by the reproofe of God Columnae coeli i. e. Angeli contremiscunt Aquin Angelos vocat columnas coeli quia sâ—ilicet eorum officio admâ—nistratur motus coelorum Aquin when he sayth they are astonished at his reproofe The pillars of heaven tremble There are various opinions about these pillars first many of the Latins hold that these pillars of heaven are the Angells by whose assistance say some Philosophers the motions of the heavenly bodyes with their orbes or spheares are guided and maintained And doubtlesse as the Angels have great employments upon and about the earth so also in and about the heavens and therefore may not improperly be called the pillars of heaven in which sence also the Angels are called the powers of heaven as some interpret Math 24.29 where Christ prophesieth that immediatly after the tribulation of those dayes the Sunne shall be darkened and the Moone shall not give her light the starrs shall fall from heaven and the powers of heaven shall be shaken Many of the antients interpret those powers of heaven by the Angels as if the Lord would doe such things in that great day as should trouble and astonish not onely men on earth but the Angels in heaven who may be called the pillars of heaven as some eminent men for parts and power are called the pillars of the earth And wee may suppose them pillars of heaven not for the strength and sustainement of heaven Stabilitaâ—eÌ„ permanenteÌ„ in natura angelorum intelligamus nemine Columnarum Philip but for the beauty and ornament of it As we see many pillars in stately Pallaces which are not placed there to beare up the weight of those buildings but only to adorn beautifie them Or Angels may be called the pillars of heaven because of the firmenes and stability of their owne nature not as if they were any firmenes or establishment unto heaven Secondly By these pillars of heaven are conceaved to be meant the high mountaines of the earth which seeme to touch the heavens according to sence and so to sustaine and beare them up as pillars but this opinion not being grounded upon any truth in nature but onely upon a popular errour though it be a truth that even these supposed pillars of heaven tremble at the reproofes of God I shall not insist at all upon this interpretalion Thirdly These pillars of heaven say others are the ayre for as the lowest parts of the earth are called the foundations of the earth because the foundation of a building is layd lowest so the lower parts of heaven the ayre which is sometimes called heaven yea the firmament of heaven Gen. 1.20 may be called the pillar of heaven 'T is true also that the Lord maketh dreadfull combustions by stormes and tempests in the ayre insomuch that those pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproofe But I shall not give this neyther as Jobs meaning here Terra tota velut orbis totius fundamentum ac firmanentum Merc Fourthly By the pillars of heaven others understand not the ayre or the mountains but the whole body on globe of the earth Thus David speakes 2 Sam. 22.8 Then the earth shooke and trembled the foundations of heaven moved and shooke because he was wroth where the foundations of heaven in the latter part of the verse may be expounded by the earth in the former part of the verse For if we consider the whole fabricke of the world together then the earth seemes to be the foundation or pillar of heaven And frequent experiences in all ages especially in some parts of the world have felt and reported the trembling of the earth We commonly call it an Earth-quake and Philosophers teach us that the reason of it in nature is the strength of vapours included in and striving to make their way out of the bowels of the earth And as this trembling of the earth hath a reason in nature so it is often caused by speciall command from God as a reproofe of the sinfullnes of man or to awaken him from his sin yet Fifthly I rather conceive that this phrase The pillars of heaven is used onely in a generall sense and not particularly intended eyther of Angels or mountains of the ayre or of the earth but that the pillars of heaven are the strength of heaven the strength of a building consists in the pillars that beare it up take away the pillars and it falls downe as Sampson sayd to the lad that held him by the hand suffer me that I may feele the pillars whereupon the house standeth and when he had once moved them the house fell Judg. 16.26.30 so that when Job sayth the pillars of heaven tremble the
if the meaning of these words His hand hath formed the crooked serpent Draco volans were this God hath wrought and formed by his power wisdome all those fiery meteors that are often seene as it were flying and shooting in the ayre to the wonder of many and the astonishment of not a few There are the treasures of the snow and of the hayle there God prepareth a way for the lightning of the thunder Job 38.22.25 Some learned interpreters insist much upon this Exposition placing the crooked serpent in the heavens eyther the upper or lower as hath been shewed under foure distinct titles nor can it be denyed but that the hand of God hath wrought all these things much lesse can it be denyed that the working of these things is a great argument and demonstration of the power and wisedome of God which is the purpose of Job in this place therefore I shall not totally lay it aside Neyther yet will I leave it with the reader as the speciall meaning of this place for this reason because I much doubt whether those poeticall phancyes in giving such fictitious names to the Starres of heaven as The Lion the Beare the Bull the Dragon the Serpent c. of which Philosophers and Astronomers have made use were at all borne or ever so much as heard of in those elder times in which and before which Job lived For though both in the 9th Chapter of this booke v. 9. as also in the 38th Chapter v. 21 22. many Names are given to the Starres which both the Greeke and Latine translaters and we following them in the English render by those poeticall names yet The Original Hebrew words beare no allusion at all to those phancyes As for instance The Hebrew word which we render Arcturus Chap 9.9 hath nothing at all in it signifying The Tayle of a Beare But here in this text the word properly signifyeth a crooked serpent and therefore to place it in the heavens as a Starre when as in the times when this was written there is so little if any probability at all that any such apprehensions were taken up by any or any such allusive names given to the Starres seemes to me somewhat improper There is another veine of interpretation carrying the sence of these words His hand hath formed the crooked serpent to quite another poynt for 't is conceaved by the Authors of this opinion that as Job gave instance before in the workes of God above his highest workes in nature the garnishing of the heavens so hee now giveth instance in his workes below or in his lowest workes This general interpretation is delivered two wayes distinctly First That as God hath garnished the heavens so he hath made and now governeth hel too His hand hath formed the crocked serpent that is the Devill That which favoureth this opinion and hath possibly cast the thoughts of many upon it is that in Scripture the devil is often called a serpent yea a crooked serpent and that he acted a serpent as his instrument in the first temptation Gen. 3.1 Now the serpent was more subtile then any of the beasts of the feild which the Lord God had made and he sayd unto the woman that is The Devill in or by the Serpent sayd unto her c. He hath wel deserved to be called a Serpent who acted his first malice against mankinde by the helpe of a Serpent And for his thus early making use of a Serpent he is called not only a serpent but that old Serpent Rev. 12.9 The great Dragon was cast out that old Serpent called the Devill and Satan which deceiveth the whole world he was cast out into the earth and his Angells were cast out with him The hand of God hath formed this crooked serpent To cleare which some interpret the former part of the verse in complyance with this sence for the good Angells thus By his Spirit he hath Garnished the heavens Spiritus ejus ornavit coelos Vulg i. e. coelestes spiritus ornamētis scilicet spiritualium denorum Aquin Et obstetricante manu ejus eductus est coleber tortuosus Vulg that is he hath bestowed excellent gifts upon the Angels who are the great ornament of heaven and may tropically be called heaven as men are called earth And as holy wise just and faithfull men are the ornaments and garnishings of the earth so the holy Angels are the garnishings of heaven they having such mighty power and excellent gifts Now saith this interpretation as God garnished the heavens with good Angels so he brought forth the crooked serpent the Devill by his working power Not as if they who stand up for this exposition did affirme that God did make the Devill by his immediate hand as he did the good Angels and the rest of the Creatures for when God saw every thing that he had made behold it was very good and therefore the crooked-serpent as taken under this Notion for the Devill who is the Evill one could not be of his making Therefore though the Devill according to his original or general nature as an Angel was formed of God yet the crookednes of his nature as wel as of his wayes which properly and formally denominate him a Devill was of himselfe he having turned away from God and defiled that state by the freedom of his own will in which he was created pure and had society with his fellow-Angels Eduxit deus diabolum è medio Angelorum Aquin till God for his sin did as it were pull him and his Adhaerents from the midst of them and as the Apostle Jude saith v. 6. Hath reserved them together in chaines of darknesse unto the judgement of the great day But I conceave that Job is not here speaking of an Allegoricall or Metaphoricall serpent such a one as the Devill is but of a reall and proper one And therefore I lay by this exposition as unsutable to the text in hand And conclude that Job having in the former part of the verse set forth the power and wisedome of God in garnishing the heavens his meditation descendeth in this latter part of it though not so low as hel yet as low as the waters especially the waters of the Sea and there sheweth us the hand of God at worke both in making and destroying in forming and wounding the crooked serpent For the Hebrew word which we render hath formed signifyes also to wound and so we translate it Isa 51.9 Awake awake O arme of the Lord c. art not thou it which hath cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon yea it is so translated by some in this text of Job His hand hath wounded the crooked serpent Which cometh neere that of the Prophet according to the bare literal reading Isa 27.1 In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish Leviathan the peircing or as we put in the Margin the crossing like a bar serpent even Leviathan that crooked
Lord is every where present I answer when Moses sayth and many other Texts which speake in the same forme that God was sometimes with his people and somtimes not we are not to understand it at all of a local presence or absence but of a favourable presence or absence Thus God is with some persons and not with others thus he is sometime present with sometime absent from the same person It was this favourable presence for which Moses did so earnestly entreate the Lord Exod. 33.15 If thy presence goe not with us carry us no further That is unlesse thou please to be with us to prosper our way and protect us in it let us stay where we are This presence of God is a high favour indeed and God is thus present but in few places comparatively of the whole earth Once more those Scriptures may seeme to imply that God is so in heaven that he is not also upon the earth which speak of his coming downe from heaven to earth Gen. 11.5 And the Lord came downe to see the City and the Tower which the Children of men builded Whence some may inferre if he came downe to see the City then he was not there before and if so then he is not universally present in all places Againe Gen. 18.20 21. And the Lord said because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and because their sinne is very grievous I will goe downe now and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it which is come unto me and if not I will know This passage yeelds the same difficulty and objection To both which we may adde that of David Psal 14.2 The Lord looked downe from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand He doth not say God was among the children of men here below but being in heaven as a man standing upon a high place or Tower he looked downe I answer These Texts speake of God after the manner of men or they speake thus not to teach us how God knowes what is done on earth but to confirme and assure us that the Lord doth clearely and certainly know whatsoever is done by or among men on earth even as clearely certainly as a man knoweth any thing by his view upon the place God knoweth all things presently without searching though never so secret and all things certainly without enquiring though never so doubtfull God neyther ascends nor descends He doth not come downe by any motion but he comes downe to our apprehension He shewes us after our way that he knoweth because we cannot conceave his way of knowledge If I would assure another man that I certainly know such a thing I tell him I came from the place I saw it or I beheld it with my own eyes now that 's all that is intended when 't is sayd The Lord came downe from heaven to behold and see the Tower of Babell and the condition of Sodom Or it is to admonish all Magistrates and Judges that they passe no sentence of punishment eyther upon places or persons upon bare hearesay and reports but that they first enforme themselves fully of the matter of fact as Job professed his course was in all legal proceedings Chap. 29.16 The cause which I knew not I searched out Thus wee see notwithstanding all these apparances from Texts of Scripture to the contrary That this Scripture-truth standeth firme The Lord is so in the height of heaven that he is every where also here upon the earth From which take these two Deductions First Seeing the Lord is every where present we should be every where holy For where soever he is he is the holy Lord That was the charge which God gave to Abraham Walke before me and be upright As if he had sayd Wheresoever thou walkest walke as having me present with thee and be upright in my presence I saith David a type of Christ Psal 16.8 have set the Lord alwayes before me he is at my right hand I shall not be moved He that by faâ—th eyes God continually as his protector in trouble shall not be moved with any evill that he suffers and he that eyes God by faith as his patterne in holinesse shall not be moved from doing that which is good This thought The Lord is at our right hand keepes us from turning eyther to the right hand or to the left It is said of Enoch that he walked with God Gen. 5.22 and though the Historie of his life be very short yet 't is sayd of him a second time ver 24. That he walked with God He walked so much with God that he walked as God he did not walke which kinde of walking the Apostle reproves 1 Cor. 3.3 as men He walked so little like the world that his stay was little in the world He was not saith the Text for God tooke him He tooke him from the world to himselfe or as the Author to the Hebrewes reports it he was translated that he should not see death for he received this testimony that he pleased God Secondly It followeth if God be every where present That the godly are never out of the reach of God to helpe them and that the wicked are never out of the reach of God to punish them Isa 43.2 When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt The presence of God is the protection of Saints in the evill which they suffer and they who doe evill cannot be hid from his punishing presence There is no running from God It is said of Jonah Chap. 1.3 That he fled from the presence of God Whether fled he The Text saith he fled to Sea but did not God finde him there He fled from the commanding presence of God but he fell into the angry presence of God We have a large description in the 9th of Amos how carnall men hope to shift out of the hand of God I sayth the Lord will slay the last of them with the sword though they dig to hell thence shall my hand take them We read what wise counsell the servants of the King of Benhadad gave him after he had been defeated by the King of Israel 1 King 20.23 24 25. Their Gods are Gods of the hils therefore they were stronger then we but let us fight against them in the plaines and surely we shall be stronger then they Make thee an Army like the Army that thou hast lost horse for horse and Chariot for Chariot and we will fight against them in the plaine and surely we shall be stronger then they and he hearkened to their voice and did so Why did they desire to fight them upon the plaine they thought God was a God of the hills and not of the valleys but ver 28. A man of God sayd to the King of Israel thus saith the Lord because the Assyrians have said the
unable to resist or make his party good with him with much submission takes hold of his arme or weapon endeavouring by earnest suit to stay him from smiting And indeed to take hold of the strength of God is to take hold on his mercy The strength of God to save sinners lyes in his mercy and that mercy is in his Son who is his strength to save sinners if a sinner lay hold of this strength the mercy of God in his Son that he may make-peace with God if this be his designe he shall make peace there shall not be a treaty with God in Christ for peace in vaine if a sinner should take hold of the strength of his owne righteousnes performances if he should take hold of the strength of all the Angels in heaven he could not make peace with God nor would God agree with him upon those termes Such a soule must returne re infecta without his errand God is ready to be at peace with 〈◊〉 but we must have our peace in his way not in our owne Acquaint now thy selfe with him and be at peace And this peace whether in our selves or with God is no light or unprofitable thing as Eliphaz to provoke Job to pursue and seeke after it tells him in the last words of this verse Thereby good shall come unto thee Thereby whereby or by what what is it that shall procure or produce this good The answer is at hand Thy acquaintance with God thy being at peace will procure all good things for thee Acquaint thy selfe with him and be at peace be at peace in thy own spirit be quiet be at peace with God be reconciled every way good shall come unto thee Mr Broughton renders Prosperity shall come unto thee the sence is the same Others read in stead of good shall come unto thee thy comings in shall be good thou shalt have a good revenâ—â—â—ood income Proventus tuus erit bonus Drus whereas before evill came upon thee now thy coâ—â—â—gs in shall be good This also is of the same meaning with our translation I shall not need to stay upon the opening of the words there is no difficulty in them From their dependance in that he saith Acquaint thy selfe with him and be at peace so shall good come unto thee These words are brought in by way of inference upon the former whence Observe That when wee are estranged from God good is estranged from us God can stop the Influences of all our mercies from us he can lay an embargo upon all Creatures from bringing any good to us the there be store of treasure and rich Commodity in the place yet he can barre up all that no good can come unto us yea the Lord in such cases doth often lay a stop upon the spirit of prayer in his own people and when the heart is stopt that we cannot pray then usually good is stopt and kept back from coming to us Prayer is that which fetches in mercy and good things through the love of God in Jesus Christ Prayer may have a twofold stop First prayer may have a stop in the heart secondly Prayer which comes forth of the heart may have a stop in heaven the Lord doth even shut out-prayer sometimes and when prayer is shut out no good can get out to us Prayer is sent upon a message to heaven and if our messenger be shut out of doores and not admitted in what answer can we expect by his message And the Lord as he doth stop such from the receiving of further good so from the receiving of good by what they have already Wee may have that which in the nature of it is good and yet have no good by it God can stop the creature in our hands that it shall not at all give us any Comfort as well as he can stop any creature-comfort from comming into our hands Unlesse the Lord in one sence stop the creature it quickly leakes out all the Comfort which he hath put into it and proves to us indeed what sin hath made it a broken Cistern And unlesse the Lord open the creature the creature cannot give forth that good which it hath It will be to us as a Cisterne without a vent to passe out the water for our use There 's many a one who hath enough in his hand take it in any kinde but he enjoyes nothing of it because the Lord locks up the conduit or the cisterne and then how much good soever there is in it there 's none for him It is all one to us whether we have onely a broken Cisterne for our portion or a Cisterne alwayes lockt up for as the one lets all the water run out so the other holds all the water in we are as farre from good if our Cisterne hold all as if it held nothing at all It is then not onely our duty and our holines to acquaint our selves and be at peace with God but our wisdome and our interest For it is as he pleaseth alwayes and usually as we please him that eyther we have any thing that is good comming to us or that any good commeth to us by that which we have Secondly Note which is a Corallary from the former observation That the renewing of our Communion with God and making peace with him is followed with all manner of mercies and good things So shall good come unto thee There was never any man a looser by acquaintance with God Gods acquaintance is a gainfull acquaintance Our acquaintance with God should we consider it abstractly and separate from all benefit but his very acquaintance yet that is benefit enough God is the chiefest Good and therefore when we enjoy him we enjoy all Good The enjoyment of God himselfe is infinitely more then the enjoyment of all created good things that come from God Friends are sometimes in those heights of friendship and noblenes of spirit one to another that they count the enjoyment of one another to be more then all the benefits they can heape upon or reape by one another it is your good Company saith such a friend and your acquaintance that delights me more then all the good you can bestow upon mee And is not God much more so to us Thus I say acquaintance with God alone is all good but besides as the poynt leads us to consider God gives out good things from himselfe to all his holy acquaintants temporall or bodily good comes to us by his acquaintance and so also and that chiefly doth spirituall or soule good Acquaint thy selfe with God and the dewes of grace showers of the Spirit shall fall into thy bosome Acquaint thy selfe with God and spirituall Comfort shall flow in unto thee spirituall strength shall flow in unto thee thy soule shall be filled as with marrow and fatnes And as good shall come to thee in person so to thine to thy family and posterity good shall come And as God will cause good to
Hebrew text 't is there onely when cast downe and because that word is not exprest therefore some supply out of the former clause Cum humiliatae fuerâ—nt viae tuae dicas elatio illis est i. e. mox senties conditionâ—m tuaÌ„ ex ima factam optimaÌ„ Contextus mirè concisus est ideo vaâ—ie intelligitur Merc. the word way The light shall shine upon thy way when it that is when thy way is cast downe though thou be now in a low condition and though thou shouldest hereafter be cast into a low condition againe yet thou shalt say there is a lifting up or thou shalt be lifted 〈◊〉 If at any time thy wayes be cast downe in darknes the light shall shine upon them thou shalt say in faith there is a lifting up The Apostle speakes in a language like this of himselfe and of his fellow-Apostles 2 Cor. 4.8 Wee are troubled on every side yet not distressed perplexed but not in despaire persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but not destroyed Thus here when there is a casting downe or when thy wayes are cast downe yet thou shalt say there is a lifting up Thou mayest be cast downe but not destroyed Yet I conceive that Suplement of the word men which we put into the Text is more suitable to the scope of it and then the sence is this When men are cast downe that is when sinners or ungodly men are cast downe when God comes to ruine his enemies and make them desolate then thou shalt say there is a lifting up A lifting up for me and for such as I am Thou shalt say This saying may be taken two wayes and in both 't is the voyce of faith First Thou shalt say in prayer or thou shalt pray O Lord Dices sc in tuis ad deum precibus exaltatio sit sc illi depresso i. e. exalta illum Odeus Piscaâ— let there be a lifting up Thus it is expounded as a promise to Job that when others were cast downe he should helpe them up againe by prayer thou shalt say There is a lifting up or O Lord let there be a lifting up namely of him who is cast downe lift him up O Lord. As prayer is in its owne nature a lifting up of the soule to God Psal 25.1 so prayer in the effect of it hath a mighty power and prevalency with God for the lifting up both of our owne bodyes and outward estates as also the bodyes and outward estates of others out of the deepes of misery and trouble Many a Godly man hath lifted himselfe and others out of the mire by prayer while seing a casting downe he hath sayd There is a lifting up or O Lord let there be a lifting up This sence carrieth a high priviledge but I rather conceive that intended in the next verse And therefore Secondly I shall take these words of Eliphaz as a promise When men are cast downe Pollicetur Jobo Eliphaz eximiam foelicitatem iâ—pijs alijs atque etiam hâ—stibus suis ad extâ—eâ—uÌ„ infelicitatis gradum praecipâ—tatis thou shalt say or confidently affirme this thing there is a lifting up that is I promise or assure thee O Job that when thou shalt see the Lord bringing vengeance upon the wicked when thou seest them fall on this side and on that when nothing is visible but the ruine and destruction of men and families yea of Nations that even then thou shalt sayâ— there is a lifting up that is thou shalt have faith for thy selfe that both thou and thine shall be lifted up or saved and delivered in a time when many wicked men or thine enemies fall and perish and shall never as to any worldly enjoyment rise any more Hence observe That a godly man may have much assurance when others are cast downe that yet he and others shall be preserved and lifted up When men were cast downe in Sodome when Sodome was overthrowne Lot was lifted up and assured of his preservation When all the men in the world were overwhelm'd and swept off the face of the earth with a Deluge there was a lifting up for Noah and his family he and his were safely housed in the Arke floating upon the waters Thus the Lord hath made provision for the preservation of his people when thousands have been undone and cast downe on the right hand and on the left by common calamities yea when they have been cast downe his people have been not onely preserved but exalted and lifted up Thou shalt say there is a lifting up And hee shall save the humble person That is the Lord shall save him the vulgar reads thus He that is humble shall be in glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept Interior animi fastus tumor per oculos et per omnes externos gestus se prodit The Seaventy thus Because thou hast humbled thy selfe thou shalt be saved But I shall keep to our Reading hee shall save the humble person or according to the strictnes of the Hebrew He shall save him that is low of eyes 't is frequent in Scripture to expresse an humble person in this forme A man that hath low eyes as high lookes and lofty eyes are every where in Scripture the periphrasis of pride David sayd Psal 101.5 Non enim is supeâ—biae mos est qui latere aut dâ—ssimulari possit Pined him that hath an high looke and a proud heart will I not suffer for you may see pride in the eye pride sits upon the eye therefore David puts a high looke and a proud heart both together there And againe Psal 131.1 Lord mine heart is not haughty nor mine eyes lofty So that I say an humble person and a person of low eyes is the same as a proud person and a person of lofty eyes is the same in Scripture sence and both are very significant Expressions He shall save the humble person this humble person may be taken two wayes either passively or actively Passively Non tam modestuÌ„ qui sese submittit ut v rtuteÌ„ significet intelligo quam affictum etsi illad etiam senteÌ„tiae non repugnat imo utruÌ„que recte intellexeris Merc. so 't is he that is cast downe and layd low by affliction Thus the humble person is the same with the humbled person affliction is an humiliation however the afflicted take it or carry it and usually it makes men humble at least in appearance and lowly in their lookes whereas in prosperity men lift up their eyes usually and looke softily as if they would reach heaven with their heads while their hearts are farre from it But affliction makes men stoope We may understand the Text of a person who is humble when humbled who stoopes downe quietly to take up and beare his crosse and doth not in stoutnes slight it or in wantonnes play with it but is serious under the rebukes of God Hee shall save the humble person Secondly It may be taken actively
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
able to number them And hee sayd unto him so shall thy seed bee Gen. 15.5 that is thy seed shall be numberlesse as the Starres are numberlesse Thirdly By these Armyes wee may understand not onely the Angells and the Sunne Moone and Starres that heavenly host but any creature yea all the creatures from the Elephant even to the worme that creepeth upon the ground or to the fly that buzzeth in the ayre or to the lice that breede out of corruption All these are the Armyes of God and by these he can doe his worke as well as by the Angells in heaven What were the armyes of God with which he made warre upon Pharaoh were they not flyes and lice and such like contemptible creatures mustred together at his command therefore the Text may well say Is there any number of his armies God can leavy an army upon the earth not onely of men but of beasts and not onely of Lyons and Elephants the stoutest and greatest beasts but of the weakest and meanest and not onely of the weakest and meanest among living creatures but of the very Inanimate creatures the stones in the feilds the winds in the ayre the waters of the Sea yea the sand of the Sea and the very dust of the earth are the armyes of God if hee give them commission and send them forth God and the weakest creature are an overmatch for the strongest creatures 'T is no matter how meane the meanes is or how inconsiderable the instrument so it be in the hand of God so it be of Gods providing and goe forth at his bidding God can leavy an army where he will and out of what he will and it shall doe the deed Now if all things or any thing may be his army no marvayle if it be sayd Is there any number of his Armyes Hence observe All creatures are the host the Armyes of God They may be called his Armyes in a threefold consideration First Because of their multitude a few cannot make an army There are many creatures of every kinde how many then are all of every kinde put together Secondly They are his Armyes because of their order The greatest many out of order doe not make an Army but a throng or heape Armyes are martiall'd and disciplin'd trayned and taught An Army is an ordered company all the creatures are in order by nature and when God calls they are in order as it were by Art Thirdly They are his Armyes because as God hath a power to command them so they are ready to obey him They as the Centurion in the Gospel sayd of his Souldiers goe when God sayth goe they come when he sayth come and if he bid them doe this or that they doe it Souldiers must neyther refuse nor dispute the commands of their General The most violent and boysterous creatures are obedient to the call of God stormy winds and tempests fullfill his word Psal 148.8 Hee speakes to the lightnings and they say heere are wee Job 38.35 The very thunder which seemes to be all voyce is all eare at the voyce of God The Angels are so ready to goe that they are sayd to fly and their readines to doe the will of God in heaven is made the patterne of our doing it here on earth The Scripture speakes often of them as of an army employed in warres eyther to destroy the wicked or to be a guard to the people of God We have an illustrious example of the latter in Jacobs case Gen. 32.2 And when Jacob saw them hee sayd this is Gods host and hee called the name of that place Mahanaim that is two hosts or companies And it might be so called because Jacobs company or little host and that company of Angels who were Gods host sent out to convoy him in safety did both encampe upon the same ground or rather because the Angels divided themselves into two companyes The one encamping and marching before him as his Vantguard the other behind him or in his Reere That so he might see himselfe every way protected and might be filled with a full assurance of safety That God hath such numerous Armyes alwayes at hand and under command is First A very comfortable hearing to all that love and feare God The Apostle sayth Rom. 8.31 If God be for us who can be against us that is none can Though many be against us opposingly yet none can be against us prevaylingly We may say also if the Lord be for us who will not be for us If God be our helper we cannot want helpers not onely because the helpe of God is enough without any more but because if he be our helper we shall have many more When we see our selves utterly destitute of all helpes and helpers yet God hath an army of helpers he hath auxiliary forces ready for us Psal 34.7 The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that feare him and delivereth them David speaketh as if one single Angel were a whole Army The Angel of the Lord sayth he encampeth he doth not say the Angels of the Lord encampe about them that feare him and indeed every Angel of the Lord is more in power then a whole Army of men yet here possibly is meant that Angel who is the Lord The Angel of the Covenant who as Captaine General with his Army of created Angels encampeth about them that feare God And if so then they need not be afrayd 2 Kings 6.16 17. When the servant of Elisha cryed out for feare Elisha answered feare not they that be with us are more then they that bee with them And Elisha prayed And sayd Lord I pray thee open his eyes that hee may see and the Lord opened the eyes of the young man and hee saw and behold the mountaine was full of horses and Charrets of fire round about Elisha And thus it is often with us though wee discerne it not Wee have many invisible succours in our visible dangers And as that the Angels are our helpers in eminent and extraordinary dangers is very comfortable so also that they are so against ordinary common or every-day-dangers Psal 91.11 12. Hee shall give his Angells charge over thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes They shall beare thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foote against a stone that is lest thou take hurt in thy dayly workes and travels Secondly These Armyes are a terrour to all those who rebell and rise up against God or are enemies to his people Hee that resists God hath as many enemyes as there are Angells in heaven or starres in the firmament or stones in the earth or beasts in the feild so many enemies hath he and if God appeare as Captaine generall none shall be able to stand before his armyes though he levy them of Grasse-hoppers or flyes or wormes or lice How should the greatest feare to provoke God who can make them fall by that which is least For as David acknowledged Psal 33.16 17.
say a worme thou art and to wormes thou shalt returne Thus wee see man is a poore thing a very poore thing and hence I shall make foure or five briefe inferences First Let no man be proud or have high thoughts of himselfe the son of man is but a worme O why doth man swel above the clouds or proudly make his nest among the Starres when as he must shortly fall among the clods and as he is a worme so be eaten up of wormes Secondly Let men take heed of adorning one another with great words and flattering titles let us take heed of having the persons of men in admiration it is as vaine a thing for any man to give great flattering titles to others as it is to have high thoughts of himselfe The titles which the Spirit of God gives to man are humbling titles a flower a shadow c. any thing which may keep downe his spirit and abate selfe-valuations we should learne as to thinke of our selves so to speake of other men as the Holy Ghost speaketh As he doth not paint man out with praises nor speake of him as Courtiers whose hearts are the shops of complements and their tongues the venters of them doe of Princes So neyther should we There are two extreames which wee should labour exceedingly to avoyd in our references to men and yet most men walke in one of these extreames towards men First we should take heed or reproaching vilifying and despising others for though it be a duty for every man to thinke meanely of himselfe and to say of himselfe I am a worme and though wee may lawfully thinke and say so of all men as to the general truth of the proposition yet it is so farre from being a duty that it is not at all lawfull to call any man worme with reproach and contempt of the meanenes of his person Secondly we should take heed of flattering and daubing others as those Tyrians did Herod crying out it is the voyce of God and not of man Acts 12.22 whereas God to shew their mistake and that he was indeed but a worme smote him and he was eaten up of wormes Elihu concludes and resolves excellently to this poynt Job 32.21 22. Let me not I pray you accept any mans person neyther let me give flattering titles unto man for I know not to give flattering titles in so doing my maker would soone take me away As God tooke away Herod for receaving flattering titles so they who give them are in danger to be taken away by God Thirdly Be not Envious at others what if another have a little more glory riches beauty strength power then thou hast what though he have a little more knowledge and be a little higher in gifts then others yet hee is but a worme still what 's man but a worme and what 's the son of man the best of men but a worme why should a worme Envy a worme what though some men are silke wormes a little better furnished and richer then others in mind and body yet they are but wormes in silke and many who appeare so are but Glow-wormes which shine a little but have no consistence Fourthly Let the sons of men take heed of vexing one another why should wormes rise up against wormes why should wormes destroy wormes cruelly bloodily Wee are all weake as wormes let us therefore engage that little strength wee have for the supporting not for the ruining of one another Wee usually have so much tendernes towards wormes in kinde that when wee see them crawling upō the ground we avoyd treading upon them yet how doe men purposely tread upon wormes in likenes All men are wormes in likenes we should not willingly tread upon or hurt any man But poore men and men of low degree are more wormes then rich men and men in high places are therefore take heed of oppressing the poore for that is indeed a treading upon wormes And though while you tread upon wormes the weake and needy they cannot as Christ speakes of swine Math. 7.6 turne againe and rent you yet if you doe so God the strong God will turne upon you and teare you while there is none to deliver Lastly Take this inference from it Man by sin is much degraded and fallen below himselfe Man by sin is become inferiour to the meanest creatures who was once above all visible creatures man in the state of Creation was the chiefe piece of the visible world hee was next to the Angels who are of the Invisible world but now man is fallen very low he is levell'd with the lowest of the Creatures a worme not onely doe the heavenly bodyes exceed him in beauty but even the earthly bodyes the beasts of the field and the worme that crawles upon the earth and lives in the bowels of it is good enough to make comparison with him See what man hath lost by sin see how hee is degraded and fallen from his state and statelynes yea I may say that man by sin is not onely fallen from that state and statelynes wherein he was created but he is fallen below the state of the lowest creature Man by sin is not onely a worme but worse then a worme A worme is not capable of morall polution a toad hath naturall poyson but man hath morall poyson in him which is worse then naturall poyson and which makes the condition of man yet more vile his moral poyson sin I meane is to him naturall It is his misery and his dishonour that he hath it and it is his greater misery and dishonour that he loves it and that it is not so much his disease as his desire and as the first sin the sin of nature hath debased all mankinde at once so every man that goeth on in and multiplyeth with desire the acts of sin debaseth himselfe yet more and maketh himselfe not onely lower then the worme which is the lowest of living things but even lower then the lowest things that have no life Sencelesse livelesse creatures are better then sinfull men such I meane as live in sin and better it had been for any never to have had a being or not to have lived at all then to dye in sin Seeing then sin hath degraded us and placed us among and below the wormes who were once next to Angels how are we engaged to Jesus Christ who by becoming a worme for us hath raised us to be heyres of blessedness with the holy Angels for ever and hath lifted us up to that hight of honour that even the holy Angels minister to us as long as we are here And how should we strive to raise our selves up higher and higher in the Improvement of all that grace which is freely offered to us in Christ even to our dayly conversation in heaven and our sitting together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus as the Apostle speakes Eph. 2.16 It is sad for any man who is but a worme to be lifted up in himselfe
precedent EXPOSITIONS A ABoundance a great tryall of Grace as wel as want 151 Abundance of worldly things not to be desired yet may lawfully be enjoyed 250 Accusation to accuse meerely upon suspition very uncharitable 83 84 Acquainting our selves with God what it is and the several steps by which Saints arise to it 207 208 209. A twofold acquaintance with God 210. The more we are acquainted with God the more like we are to him 211. No acquaintance with God but by a Mediator 211. We can have no true peace till we acquaint our selves with God 214. While wee are unacquainted or estranged from God we are estranged from Good 216. Acquaintance with God brings in all Good 218 Adams sin in eating the forbidden fruit how aggravated in one particular 57 Three things in Adams sin 706. Sin of Adam fallen upon his whole posterity three wayes 706 Adultery the kinds of it 575. The extreame wickednes of it set forth many wayes 576 577 Adulterer hath a waiting eye which implyeth three things 583 Affliction hath much instruction in it 15. God hath abundance of affliction in his hand 97. Difference between the afflictions of a Godly and a wicked man 99. Affliction doth usually vent it selfe by complaints groanes 305. Afflictions abide long upon some who are eminently godly 308 The afflictions of some exceed all their complaints 309. There are two things which a godly man may see in his greatest afflictions which are matter of thanksgiving 312. God sweetest to the soule in affliction 320. Affliction drives the godly neerer to God 322. Affliction a tryall 380. Afflictions fore-appoynted by God 444. God hath variety of afflictions in his hand to exexercise his children with 448. We deserve more and sorer afflictions then God layeth upon us 450. A godly man may be unable to beare afflictions any longer 459 Angels how in a place 109. Angels Gods Armyes or host 690. Angels how they may be called the pillars of heaven 781 Angry dispensations of God make all tremble 786 Appoyntment how all things are under a divine appointment shewed by several instances 445 446. Arke in which the Law was put typed Christ 227 Arme in Scripture notes power 71 Armyes of God what they are 690. All creatures the Armyes of God up on a threefold consideration 692 Asses or wild asses the resemblance between them and the wicked shewed in severall things 514 Assemblyes of the Saints to worship are the dwelling place of God 199 Ayre how it may be called an empty place 754 B Barren land a cursed land 607 Beasts evill men are like beasts or beastiall in their dispositions and actions 513 Beleever he hath no opinion of his owne strength 344 Boanerges why two of the Disciples called so 824 Body in what sence every sin that a man doth except adultery is without the body 580 Bodyes of the wicked shall be raysed immortall though not incorruptible 751 Booke of the living what meant by it as also what by the Booke which God hath written 628 629 Brethren of two sorts 53. To doe wrong to or not to releive a brother hightens the sin 53 Building and to be built up what it signifyes in Scripture 134 135 C Carnal men their spirits are meerely mercenary 164. They are full of unconstancy 602 Censure The best of men may fall under the hashest Censures 357 Change twofold made in a sinner by grace 701 Changes of time or season none beyond this world 779 Charity must and will make ventures 45. Charity is accepted and uncharitableness condemned in the smallest matters 63. Churlish persons sticke at small charities as wel as great 64 How charity beleeveth all things 84. Children why compared to a building 235 Christ an everlasting foundation 154 Christ how he commeth as a theife 573 Cisterns what kind of cisterne the creature is 217 Cloathing put for all good things of this life 59 Clouds and darkenes how God is sayd to dwel in them 125. Clouds what they are 764. Why appropriated unto God 764. That waters are contained in the Clouds a great wonder in three things 766. Three inferences from it 767 Comforts smal comforts are welcome to us in times of great affliction 527 Complaining to complaine more then we have cause is very sinfull 310 Condemnation God will for ever acquit the righteous from it 356 Confidence of many proceedeth onely from ignorance 454 Conscience Gods Deputy in man 597 Consideration the want of it causeth us to be so little affected with great things 115 116 Contentation it is our duty to sit downe quiet and content under the saddest dispensations of God 213 Contention about worldly things to be carefully avoyded 488 Continuance things which continue but a little while are but of little worth 658 659 Conviction most sinners have a secret conviction upon them that what they doe is not good 595 Covetousnes knoweth no bounds 531 Counsel of the wicked what 175. The excellency of good counsel 723. Good and gracious counsel should be given the weake 723 Creatures we ought to consider the several excellencyes of them 116. The creature leads us to God 118. Creature can neyther hold nor give out the good it hath but by a word from God 217. The goodness and glory of the creature is nothing compared with God 710 Creation we ought joyntly to acknowledge the Father Son and Spirit in the worke of creation 806 Cruelty of man to man boundlesse 528 Curiosity very naturall to man to be enquiring into times 471 Curse sin brings a curse with it 607 They who are generally under the curse of men are often under the curse of God too 608. Why sin doth not alwayes bring a curse 609. How the wicked are alwayes cursed even in their greatest prosperity 609 610 D Damned under endlesse sufferings one reason of it 43 Darkness twofold external internal this internal darkenes twofold 93 94 Day night in what sence they end after the end of this present world 778 Day or to day taken two wayes in Scripture 300 Dayes of God or day of God what in Scripture 474 Death when and to whom sudden 9â— The death of a wicked man is violent to him though he dye in his bed 668 Death the territory of it as large as that of sin 619 death hath more power over great sinners shewed two wayes 620. 622. Some remembred after death chiefely for the strangenes of their death 625 626 Declining in reference to the wayes of God twofold 393 394. Some decline in them others decline from them 395. Declining from the wayes of God twofold first to the right hand secondly to the left 395 396. Whether a godly man may decline or no. 396. Declinings in grace severall causes of it 398 399 All sin is a declining from the wayes of God 400 Decree by man what how he may be sayd to decree a thing and have it established 275. The successe of our decrees or counsels is a great mercy 278. The successe
of our decrees is from God 279. The decrees of Godly men are under a promise of successe 279. Decree and appoyntment of God whatsoever God doth was before appoynted and decreed 444 Degrees of excellency and dignity in the creatures God hath not levelled them 117 Delight consisteth in two things 254 Delight in God is our duty as wel as our reward and comfort 254. They who mourne for sin shall find delight in God 256. Delight in the Lord is the choycest mercy 257. Delight in the Lord exceeds all worldly delights in foure things 257 258 Deliberate sinning the way of the wicked 584 Desertion God is every where present yet often not present to the apprehension of his people 317. 319. Desires of Saints often quickest after God in a time of desertion 319 Desire they who truely desire to finde God are diligent in searching after him 323. Where God is cheifely to be found 325 326. Desire is diligent in enquiryes 370 Devill in what consideration made by God 812 Difficultyes an evill heart will breake through all difficultyes to find a way to his sin 615 Diligence good in a good way 519 Dishonour fallen upon man by sin 716 Disputers apt to make false inferences from the tenets of their opposers 122 Dividing the word of God aright what 732 Divisions among men sent as a punishment from God 796 Doctrine and divine teachings why compared to and expressed by raine and raining 220 False doctrine is worthlesse 673 Dominion of God what Three things it it 676. Dominion of God considered foure wayes 677. The Dominion of God calleth us to a twofold subjection 679 Drawing twofold 637 E Earth men of the earth why the wicked are so called 73. In what sence the earth is founded upon the Sea 756. What the foundation of the earth is 757. The earth is upheld by the infinite power of God 757 758. Inferences from it 758 759 How the earth may be called the pillar of heaven 782 Earth-quake whence it is 733 East-ward why it if called forward 360 361 Aegypt why called Rahab 793 Election the decree of Election is an unmoveable foundation 153 Empty a person may be sent away empty in a threefold sence 80. How a place may be sayd to be empty 754 Enemyes in what sence we may not or may rejoyce in their fall 187 188 Error very binding upon tâ—â— conscience as wel us truth 101. Hard to judge which is worse unsetlednes in truth or tenaciousnes in error 102. The way of error old 139 Ever The saddest or sweetest word in the whole Bible 356 Exaltation of wicked men shall not continue 656 Extasie twofold 191 Examples very drawing 398 Examples of punishment upon sinners ought to be marked 140. Examples of two sorts 141. God makes wicked men exampleâ— 182. A Godly man doth example himselfe by God 390 Eye of God upon a place or person notes his care of them 649 Eyes high or low note pride or humility 286. Eye much in adultery 582 Ezâ—kiel why so often called and spoken to by God under this name Son of man 712 F Face lifting vp the face what it imports in Scripture 259. Face cost downe three wayes 260. Face of a thing what it notes in Scripture 768 Faith the reflect act of it most sweete 254. How faith is our strength to resist temptation 349 Fatherlesse and widdow who in Scripture 81. How sinfull to wrong them 85 86 Feare taken two wayes 27. Feare makes men cruel and do unjust things as wel as hope 30 31. Feare may be a just ground of doing Justice 31 32. Feare of two sorts 90. Sudden feare surprizeth secure sinners 91. Feare threefold 453. Feare ariseth two wayes 454. God would be more feared if he were more knowne 454 Feare is with God upon a threefold consideration 680. God can strike man with feare when he pleaseth 682 Feared God is much to be feared 681. God is to he feared as great and as good 681 682 Fire put to signifie any Judgement 201. There is a different fire for the righteous and the wicked 202. How God is a consuming fire in reference to the Godly 202 Fishes of the Sea three things most considerable about them 744 Flattering and reproaching one another are two extreames to be carefully avoyded 715 Flood the Judgements of God compared to it and why 148 149 Folly the wayes of sin and unrighteousnesse are full of folly 544. Folly put in Scripture to note some notorious sin 546. Folly of sinners 597 Forgetfullnes what implyed by it 625 Foundation figuratively taken what 148. 150. Everlasting foundation what 152. The strongest foundations which the wicked lay are quickly overthrowne by God 152. A righteous man hath two foundations which shall never fayle 153 G Giants terrible why called Rephaim 741 Gifts of God which hee repenteth of what they are 424 Glory of God such as man cannot beare or behold it 771 Glorifie in what sence man may be sayd to glorifie God 9 God absolutely independent and perfect in himselfe 7. To thinke of God on high the best way to quiet our soules in any trouble here below 104 How God is every where 110. Carnal men frame coÌ„ceptions of God like themselves 127. A wrong notion of the true God is the setting up of a false God 128. The presence of God slighted by carnal men the onely Joy of Saints 159 160 161. God hath not given the worst of men any cause to be weary of him 167. Gâ—d doth good to them that are evilly two reasons of it 170 God is to be acknowledged as the fountaine of all good to us 171 172. God ready to be at peace with sinners 215. God infinitely better to the soule then all other things 218. God is the defence of his people 245. God is the riches the gold and silver of his people 246. God hath put it into the nature of all men to seeke after him 324. God is often doing great things when we see him not 366. God appeareth onely to such as himselfe pleaseth 367. God is one 419. God doth whatsoever he will 438 Godly and the wicked have quite contrary both desires and feares 161. 178. A Godly man is one of Gods acquaintants 207. He shall be guided the right way and blessed in his way 283. He shall have comfort in his way 284. A godly man is a common good 290. Godly save others three wayes 292 Godly men most likely to be acquainted with what God is doing in the world for two reasons 481 Godlines is truly profitable 17. Godlines the neerest way to worldly gaine 248. Godlines is Godlikenes or an imitation of God 390 Goodnes of God Sin hath by somuch the greater evill in it as it is committed against the greater goodnes 171 goodnes of God fivefold 693. God gives out goodnes freely 697 Good things many of them a trouble to evill men 593 Gold and silver how a defence and why put for all riches 241. How Gold is to be