of their hearts is to God and they love God with all their hearts which is the fulfilling of the Law So that the obedience of the Angels in Heaven is made the copy and patterne of our obedience here on earth as Christ hath taught us to pray though I say the Angels are thus perfectly righteous in reference to the Law yet there is a higher righteousnesse and holinesse in God There 's but the holinesse of obeying a Law God hath the holinesse of being a Law They have a holinesse without spot yet it is but a finite a created holinesse now what comparison is there betweene finite and infinite created and uncreated therefore though there be no blemish in the obedience of Angels none in their nature none in their lives yet God puts no trust in them he cannot lay the weight of his confidence upon them because they are creatures The next clause doubles this point And the Heavens are not cleane in his sight There is a difference among Interpreters what these Heavens are The Chaldee Paraphrast and some of the Ancients understand the Angels as in the former part of the Verse and they say the Angels are called the Heavens under a twofold consideration First Because Angels are like the Heavens in their spirituality and incorruptibility in their order and subordination among themselves as also in their power over sublunary or earthly bodies Secondly By a Synechdoche because the Angels have their habitation in Heaven that 's their dwelling place so Master Broughton translates Nor they of Heaven be cleane in his eyes that is the Inhabitants of Heaven are not cleane in his eyes Caeruleus Tibris caelo gratissimus amnis i. e. diis vel caelicolis Virg. l. 8. The Heathen Poet calls those whom he supposed dwellers in Heaven by the Name of Heaven describing a pleasant River he calls it A River pleasant to Heaven that is to those who are in Heaven Others by Heaven understand the Saints in Heaven not the Angels and that also upon a twofold reason First Because God is said to dwell in the Saints Sancti in quibus tanquam in caelis habitare dicitur Deus caeli dicuntur quae allegoria frequentissima est inter antiquos patres Pined they are his habitation and wheresoever God dwels he makes a Heaven Secondly Because the Saints not onely those in Heaven but they on earth have their conversation in Heaven Phil. 3.20 As carnall and earthly minded men are called Earth because their hearts and conversations are fixed to the earth so spirituall and heavenly minded men may be called Heaven because their hearts and conversations are fixed in Heaven Thirdly We may rather understand it in a proper sense the heavens that is The heavenly bodies are not cleare in thy sight the heavens are the most excellent and purest part of the Creation And therefore this interpretation or rather plaine construction of the words suites the scope of Eliphaz fully who as he spake before of the Angels who are the purest of all rationall creatures so here of the heavens which are the purest of all inanimate creatures Caeli qui maxÃmè sunt lucidi suas habent maculas partesque crassiores magisque opacas materiales in re igitur er fectissima vidit Deus ma ulas Pineâ— yet these are not pure in the sight of God therefore no man is The heavens have a kinde of uncleannesse in them the Moone hath her spots yea the Moone is but a spot if Philosophers may be credited who tell us that all the Stars in their sense the Moone is a Star are but as the spots of Heaven A Starre as they define being the thicker and grosser part of its Orbe The heavens themselves are so fine and liquid so thin and fluid that they cannot hold the light therefore the Lord made those Celestiall bodies the Sunne Moone and Stars more compact and grosse that so they might both receive and retaine the light as also transmit and give it out to the World here below These are spots in the Heavens and though they appeare as the glory or Beauty-spots of Heaven to our sight and are so indeed yet these are not cleane in the sight of God Againe the heavens are furthest removed from all earthly dregs and drosse In conspectu ejus Aliud est purum esse simpliciter aliud purum esse coram Deo ut justus justus coram Deo differunt Luc. 1. 6. Drus so that they are cleane not onely in regard of their nature and constitution but also in regard of their site and position being placed so far from the sinck of the World the earth they never received any staine or defilement from it yet these heavens are not cleane in his sight God doth not make that which is cleane not cleane by his seeing it but his sight is infinitely above all the cleannesse which he sees That may be cleane considered simply or in it selfe which before God or to the eye of God is as an uncleane thing Hence Note God is so clear-sighted that the cleanest creatures are uncleane in his sight the very cleannesse of the creature is uncleannesse before him much more compared to him For if one creature may be so cleane that another creature which is cleane may be sayd to have no cleannesse in comparison of it Then surely God is so cleane that the cleanest creatures have indeed no cleannesse in comparison of his The Stars are very beautifull bodies and full of light yet the Sunne hath so much light that it darkens all the Stars and causeth them to disappeare when it appeareth Now if the Stars have no light in the sight of the Sunne what light hath the Sunne in the sight of God he that puts all the perfections that the creature hath into the creature hath infinitely more perfection in himselfe Those excellencies which are divided and scattered all the Creation over are not onely contracted and united in God but unconceiveably exceeded by him Job having thus layd downe the former part of his argument he applyes it Vers 16. How much more abominable and filthy is man who drinketh iniquity like water Concerning the Saints he sayd onely God puts no trust in them and concerning the Heavens They are not cleane in his sight But now that he speakes of man he doth not say God puts no trust in him or he is not cleane in his sight but he layes load upon him He is abominable and filthy and as if that were not enough he aggravates it with How much more abominable c. If he put no trust in glorified Saints in whom yet there is no iniquity then no marvell if man be called abominable who drinketh iniquity like water The whole Verse is a description of mans sinfulnesse First of the sinfulnesse of his nature in those words He is abominable and filthy Secondly of the sinfulnesse of his life He drinketh iniquity like water How much more
enjoy more fully the presence of God Yet God himselfe sayd at the first when man was created It is not good for man to be alone There was no morall evill in that alonenesse for when God spake this word there was no such evill in the visible World but God called it evill because it was so inconvenient for the civill well-being and inconsistent with the naturall propagation of man And therefore as in reference to both these evils God sayd with his own mouth It is not good for man to be alone so in reference to the former of the two God sayd by Solomon Two is better then one and woe to him that is alone Eccles 4.9 10. Job puts his alonenesse among his woes Thou hast made desolate all my company But it may be said Had Job no company Were not his Freinds about him Did not these three come to mourn with him and to comfort him And had they not been in discourse with him all this while Yes he had company but it was not suitable company he had evill ones about him as he complaines Chap. 19. and Chap. 30. and though his three Freinds were good men yet to him they were no good company because so unpleasant in their converse with him Hence Note Some company is a burthen We say of many men Wee had rather have their roome then their company Man loves company but 't is the company of those he loves The comfort of our lives depends much upon society but more upon the suitablenesse of society It is better to dwell in the corner of a house top then with a brawling Woman in a wide house Prov. 21.9 And it is better to be in a Desert among wilde Beasts then in a populous City among beastly men This made the Prophet desire a lodging in the Wildernesse Jer. 9.2 The Countrey about Sodome was pleasant like the Garden of God yet how was the righteous soule of Lot vexed with the filthy and unrighteous conversation of the Sodomites How uneasie are our lives made to us by dwelling among either false Freinds or open Enemies In the Creation when God said It is not good for man to be alone he subjoynes Let us make him a helpe meet for him Adam had all the beasts of the earth about him but they were no company for him man knowes not how to converse with beasts or employ his reason with those that have none As it is not good for man to be alone so to be in company that is not meet for him is as bad or worse then to be alone Therefore saith God Let us make him a helpe meet for him the making of a Woman brought in meet company for mankinde yet some men are as unmeet company for men as beasts are and are therefore in Scripture called Beasts Paul fought with such beasts at Ephesus there are few places free of them and many places are full of them David cryes out Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell in Mesech c. There was company enough but it was wofull company The Primitive Saints associated themselves they continued in fellowship one with another as well as in the Apostles Doctrine or in breaking of bread and prayer Acts 2.42 They were all of one minde and were therefore fâ—t to make one body The communion and fellowship of the Saints is the lower heaven of Saints And the making of such a company desolate is the saddest desolation that can be made on earth Communion of Saints in Heaven is one great accession to the joy of Heaven And 't is a great comfort to the Saints in the midst of all the ill neighbourhood which they meet with here to remember that they shall meet with no ill neighboures there none but Freinds there none but loving Freinds There shall not be a crosse thought much lesse a crosse word or action among those many millions of glorified Saints for ever nor shall there be any among them there but Saints no tares in that feild nor chaffe in that floore no Goates in that Fold no nor any Wolves in Sheep-skins no prophane ones there no nor any Hypocrites there Uunsutable company would render our lives miserable in Heaven it self If God should say to the godly and the wicked as David once did to Mephibosheth and Ziba Thou and Ziba divide the Land divide Heaven among you might they not answer with reverence as Mephibosheth did to David Nay let them take it all to themselves O our soules come not into their secret and unto their assembly let not our honour be joyned if Swearers Adulterers Lyers should be our company in Heaven Heaven it selfe were unheaven'd and everlasting life would bee an everlasting death And that which further argues the burdensomness of unsutable company is that even wicked men themselves cannot but confess that they are burdned with the company of those who are good if such come in presence where they associate in any sinfull converse how weary are they of their company How do they even sweat at the sight of them And how glad are they when such turne their backs and are gone the onely reason why they like them not is because they are not like them and they are not good company because they are good All company is made desolate to us which is not made suitable to us Job had many about him yet he complaines Thou hast made desolate all my company Job goes on yet to describe his troubles he wanted desireable company about him but he had store of witnesses against him he was emptyed of his comforts but filled with sorrowes as might be seen in the symptomes and effects of sorrow Vers 8. Thou hast filled me with wrinckles which is a witnesse against me and my leannesse rising up in me beareth witnesse to my face As if he had sayd Though I hold my peace and say nothing Si vellem caelare aut verbis extenuare dolorem meum rugae meae testimonium daub c. though I doe not aggravate my griefe yea though I should extenuate and hide it yet there are witnesses enow of it my wrinkles speake my griefe and my leannesse shewes that I am feasted with the sowre hearbes of sorrow That 's the generall sense of this Verse Thou hast filled me with wrinkles It is but one word in the Hebrew we might render it Thou hast wrinkled me or as Master Broughton Thou hast made me all wrinkled The word is not found in this sense any where else in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rugas contraxit active corrugavit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corrugastime Non alibi quam in hoc libro in scriptura reperitur Quod succidisti me testimonio est Merc. but very frequently among the Rabbins There are also two other significations of it which Interpreters have taken in here First It signifies To cut off or to cut downe Chap. 22.15 16. Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have troden
Christ his being a Paraclete or an Advocate and the spirits being an Advocate John 16.7 If I goe not away saith Christ the Comforter or the Advocate will not come unto you that is The holy Ghost will not come unto you One Advocate goeth away that the other Advocate may come Christ is an Advocate by way of impetration the spirit is Advocate by way of application Christ is an Advocate vvith God to get mercy for us the spirit is an Advocate with us to prevaile on our hearts to receive that mercy Though Christ be our Advocate in Heaven pleading for us with the Father yet if we had not the spirit to plead in our hearts on earth we â—ould never receive the good that Christ hath purchased for us of his Father Christ appeares for us in Heaven Heb. 9.24 He appeares as an Atturney in Court for his Client he is gone to Heaven to appeare for us the spirit comes from Heaven and appeares in us Christ began the worke of his intercession here John 17. Hee is gone into Heaven to continue and perfect it The spirit doth both begin and perfect his intercession here he doth not plead for us but in us or the spirit makes intercession for us by stirring us up to prayer by teaching us how to word and mould or rather how to sigh and groane our prayers Christ makes intercession for us by presenting and tendering those prayers to the Father which the spirit helpes us to make or by making prayers for us himselfe to the Father Some dispute how they inquire much after the manner how Christ makes intercession or performes the office of an Advocate for us but it is enough for us to know that hee is an Advocate or that he makes intercession for us though we are not able to describe the manner how Whether it be First Onely by presenting himselfe to the Father and his appearing for us which is an equivalent if not a formall intercession Or secondly By the tendering of his righteousnesse and merits as satisfaction to the Father Or thirdly By expressing our wants and his desires for us Whether by all these or by which of these or whether by some other way is not determinable by us yet this is cleare that he performes the office of an Advocate for us and that we receive every good thing from the hand of God through his hand Further Christ may be considered First As an Advocate for the whole Church There are some causes of common concernement to all the people of God Thus he was an Advocate for Jerusalem when under bonds and captivity in Babylon Zech. 1.12 Then the Angell of the Lord not a created but the creating Angell or the Angel of the Covenant who is the Son of God answered and sayd O Lord of Hosts how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the Cities of Judah against which thou hast had indignation these three score and ten yeares And as Christ pleads for the whole Church so for every particular member of the Church and that also under a twofold notion He is Advocate first to take away our sins If any man sin saith the Apostle John 1 Epist 2.1 we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous c. Secondly Christ is an Advocate for us with the Father in our sufferings and troubles to get them taken off from us or sanctified to us Doubtlesse Job made use of Christ continually as an Advocate to take off the guilt of sin yet here he makes use of Christ as an Advocate to get off his sufferings especially these misjudgings of his Freinds who deeply censured and aspersed him because of his sufferings yea a Beleever makes use of Christ as an Advocate to get any good thing whether little or great whether for soule or for body as much as he doth for the removing of any evill whether of sin or trouble Secondly Observe The Doctrine of a Mediator betweene God and Man was knowne and beleeved in the World long before Christ came into the World Many saw Christ by Faith before he was seene in the flesh Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seene Heb. 1.1 And as it is the evidence of things so of persons that are not seen Christ tells the Jewes John 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad And when the Jewes quarrelled at this Thou art not yet fifty yeares old and hast thou seen Abraham Jesus sayd unto them Verily verily I say unto you before Abraham was I am As Abraham saw his day by Faith so David in spirit called him Lord Mat. 22.43 And as these persons with all the holy Elders saw Christ by Faith in the promise so the whole Ceremoniall Law was a representation of Christ to faith by sense Every slaine Sacrifice spake the death of Christ and the sprinkling of that blood the sprinkling of their consciences and ours for the remission of sins Yea They did all eate the same spirituall meat that is the same which we now eate and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of that spirituall Rock that followed them and least we should mistake what was meant by that Rock the Apostle expounds it himselfe And that Rock was Christ The Rock did not follow them but Christ who was signified by that Rock did follow them They who are built upon Christ the Rock shall never be moved yet Christ is a moving as well as a living Rock to those who are built upon him whither soever they move he follows them Thus Jesus Christ was meate and drinke to the Jewes as well as to us for he is the Lamb slaine from the foundation of the World Revel 13.8 that is The vertue ot his death saved all who have been saved from the foundation of the World As Christ was slaine from Eternity in the counsell of God so he was slaine from the beginning of time in the promise of God Gen. 3.15 which was the publication of his death he was then also slaine as to the heart of Beleevers whose Faith having once a word for it makes that which is absent in regard of place spiritually present and that which is not in regard of time truely to be Thirdly Observe The Mediatour betweene God and man hath beene knowne and beleeved in all Ages under a twofold nature both God and Man We have both in this profession of Jobs Faith He beleeved the Mediatour to be God for he saith Mine eye powreth teares to God There is the divine nature He beleeved that the Mediatour should be man and therefore adds The Son of man for his freind there is his humane nature so that not onely the generall Doctrine of the mediatorship of Christ but this particular about the constitution of his person as Mediator was also knowne Had not our Advocate been man he could not have suffered for us and had hee
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Denotatur in illo verbo activa provocatio indignatio irritatio Caligavit ab indignatione oculus meus Vulg. or tropically for the understanding Some interpret Job of the eye of the minde and that hath complyance with the translation vvhich is also given of the latter clause as I shall shew vvhen I come thither But I rather take it literally for the eye of the body Mine eye that is That Organ of sight which is as the Glasse or light of the vvhole body even that is dim by reason of Sorrow The word signifies more then ordinary sorrow it signifies sorrow vvith indignation or from provocation Jobs sorrow had a touch of indignation and it stirred him up to some undue provocations Sorrow is taken two wayes Actively Passively Actively for the sorrow sorrowing Passively for the sorrow sorrowed Magna cogitatio obcaecat adducto intus visu in morbo comitiali aperti nihil cernunt animo caligante Plin. lib. 11. c. 37. de oculis lachrymis Sorrow is the affliction it selfe or sorrow is that passion vvhich moves in us vvhen vve are afflicted By reason of sorrow mine eye is dim Sorrow is a wast both to the vitall and visive powers Psal 6.7 Mine eye is consumed because of greife Againe Psal 31.9 10. Have mercy on me O Lord for I am in trouble mine eye is consumed with greife yea my soule and my belly This effect of greife hath been toucht before Chap. 16.16 Mine eye is dim by reason of sorrow And all my members are as a shadow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Formavit Members That is First all the members of my body Secondly the Hebrew beares it all the creatures and imaginations of my minde are as a shadow The same word is used Gen. 6.5 The thoughts of the imaginations of mans heart that is The figments Creata in◠ea quasiuinb a omnia Merc. Per creata alij membra alii cogitationes volunt Rab. Lev. Vocabulum illud quadrat in illa omnia quae externa figura aut interna cogitatione effigiantur hinc multi legunt cogitationes phantasias Pagn Reg. Vatabl. or features of things vvhich are formed up there are evill and onely evill continually Wee put All my thoughts in the Margine of our Translation As if he had sayd My minde is so enfeebled that I can scarse thinke or frame any solid notion my minde is so unsetled that I know not how to make up my thoughts or bring them to a rationall issue about any point Sorrow weakens the intellective part as vvell as the sensitive As if hee had sayd My minde which heretofore was apt to conceive and to bring forth the exactest Ideas and platformes of truth I who could shape and fashion excellent meditations am now so weak-headed that I can scarse put two thoughts together and all I doe is but a shadow to what I have been able to doe This is a faire sense yet considering the context I rather understand it of the members of his body vvhich vvere so decayed and poore that he look'd like a Skeleton or as vvee say of such an Anatomy nothing being left but skin and bone nothing but a pack of bones so that hee vvas rather the shadow and appearance of a man then a man Hence Observe The sorrowes of the minde breake the body as well as the minde This effect of sorrow hath been met with in other places and particularly Chap. 16.16 I shall onely add that although godly sorrow as was there shewed may worke deeply to the expence of bodily strength yet there is a very gracious promise Isa 58.11 that God will make the bones of such fat that is Fill them with marrow vvhich is the strength of the vvhole outward man And they who are weakned by the continuall exercises of godly sorrow here are in preparation to an estate vvhere they shall sorrow no more There will be no dimm eyes in Heaven nor members like a shadow Our vile body shall be fashioned like unto his glorious body and all teares and mourning shall flee away Perfect happinesse is inconsistent vvith a blubbered eye And though in Heaven a Saint may be called Adam because his body for the substance of it shall be the same that it was here on earth though extreamely refined and sublimated yea spiritualiz'd yet earth still now I say though a Saint in Heaven after the resurrection may in this sense be called Adam made of Earth yet no Saint can be there called Enosh that state being incapable of the least mixture of sorrow JOB CHAP. 17. Vers 8 9. Vpright men shall be astonied at this and the innocent shall stirr up himselfe against the Hypocrite The righteous also shall hold on his way and he that hath cleane hands shall be stronger and stronger IN the two former Verses Job shewed the greatnesse of his affliction from a twofold effect In these two Verses he shewes two reasons vvhy his afflictions vvere so great not as Eliphaz and his Associates had suggested because hee was a great sinner or had sinned beyond the common line of man but First That men even upright men might be astonied at the strangenesse of this dispensation of God and of his strength supporting a vveake creature under it and carrying him through it God will doe some things which shall at once teach and astonish his people and gives them not onely matter of instruction but cause of wonder Secondly That the innocent and righteous might be encouraged by my example to proceed vigorously in the vvayes of holinesse notwithstanding all the opposition they finde from men and the afflictions layd upon them by the hand of God for as much as the favour of God shines in upon mee through all these Clouds and I have no doubt of his love though I feele all this smart Naki non tam in conscientia purum a peccato quam ab omni passione humanoque respectu immunem virum hic significat Bold Vers 8. Vpright men shall be astonied at this Who is an upright man hath been opened before yet here the upright man is a man free from passion and prejudice as well as from hypocrisie and false-heartednesse The word which we translate Astonied signifies astonishment with admiration or such an admiration as leaves a man astonied and senselesse or puts him quite beside himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tacitu miratus est prae admiratione stupuit when naturall reason is much overpowred we act as if we had had no reason Vpright men shall be astonied Master Broughton reads it in the Imperative Mood Let upright men be astonied at this Hee carries the same forme to the end of the context Let upright men be astonished at this and let the innocent stirr up himselfe against the Hypocrite Let the righteous hold on his way and let him that hath cleane hands be stronger and stronger As if the words contained a use of exhortation or direction
our hearts and our thoughts are the writings of our hearts when our purposes and thoughts are broken the Tables of our hearts are broken Hence Observe First Right purposes are good but it is not good to live upon purposes Action must presently follow resolution and performance must be speeded after purposes else they are to little purpose When David had sayd I will confesse my transgressions unto the Lord Psal 32.5 he instantly confessed them And when he sayd I will take heed to my wayes Psal 39.1 he instantly tooke heed to them His purpose was in nature before his practice but in time they went together There is a double danger in delaying purposes First That the minde of the purposer may change and his spirit grow flat towards them Secondly that the seasons may change and though hee have a mind yet he may want means and opportunity to performe them There is danger in both wayes and much sin in the former way of breaking purposes The danger of both will be more discovered in the second Observation Secondly Observe When great afflictions come especially when death comes all our purposes are broken off As man is apt to busie himselfe about many things which he cannot know so about many things which though they are possible to be done yet he shall never doe It is in man to purpose but wee must aske leave of God before we can performe Crosse providences breake many purposes but death breakes all All our purposes concerning the World and the things of the World dye with us When the breath of great Princes goeth forth Psal 146.4 In that very day all their thoughts perish Great Princes are full of great thoughts but they who cannot keep themselves from perishing shall never keepe their thoughts from perishing The imaginary frames which they set up the contrivances plots and projects of their hearts are all swept away like the Spiders webb or broken like the Cockatrices Egge when themselves are swept away from the face of the Earth and broken by the power of death The thoughts of many Princes and Politicians dye while themselves live Achitophels purposes were broken and disappointed while himselfe looked on and he was so vexed to see it that hee executed himselfe because his purposes were not executed In these times of publick shaking how many purposes have we seen goe to wrack They who have been long laying their designes and brooding upon their counsels have had their egs broken in a moment their thoughts blown away like Chaffe before the wind or the lightest dust before the whirlwind Now as the purposes of many about gathering riches about taking their pleasure about advancing themselves to or establishing themselves in honor and high places have perished before they dyed so when such dye all their purposes shall certainly perish And as the purposes of all about worldly things perish in the approaches of death so doe the purposes of some about spirituall and heavenly things How many have had purposes to repent to amend their lives and turne to God which have been prevented and totally broken off by the extremity of paine and sicknesse but chiefly by the stroake of death when they have as they thought been about to repent and as we say turne over a new leafe in their lives they have been turned into the Grave by death and into Hell by the just wrath of God Some interpret this Text as Jobs complaint of the unsettlement of his thoughts about heavenly things and the breaking of his purposes in the pursuit of eternity He could not make his thoughts about Heaven hold or hange together even those thoughts were full of gaps and empty spaces or rather like Ropes of Sand. Many honest and gracious soules have found worke enough upon a death-bed or a sick-bed to attend the paine and infirmity of their bodyes When they have purposely set themselves the habituall bent of their hearts being alwayes set that way actually to seek God Non poterat jugi contemplatio in rerum divinarum ut quondam solebat intendere propter vim doloris Phil. to meditate upon the precious promises to put forth fresh lively workings of Faith upon the Lord Jesus Christ they have been suddenly recalled yea even forcibly fetcht back by some violent assault of paine or a previous charge of death So that those thoughts which should be and they desired that they might be like their objects most durable and steady were yet more like some odd ends or broken pot-sheards more like vanishing flashes or wandring fansies then that beautifull frame of heart or those well combined and fastned meditations which they intended For though all the troubles of this life and the approaches of death it selfe cannot breake disappoint or scatter those fixed purposes and thoughts which a Beleever hath had Propter multiplices animi motus perturbationes jam dolebat jam timebat nunc se erigebatin spem meliorem nunc iterum concidebat or those results and resolves which he hath often made in his own soule about the hopes and concernments of eternall life yet he may be pitifully puzzled amuzed and interrupted in his present motions and meditations about them Hence take this Caution Seeing not onely our worldly thoughts perish but our spirituall thoughts may be much broken by strong temptations and variety of bodily distempers in times of trouble and sicknesse let us hasten to settle our purposes and thoughts about eternall life yea to see our soules passed from death to life before we see sicknesse and sorrow much more before we see our selves ready to passe from life to death Purposes to repent or to minde heavenly things not onely may but for the most part are broken off and lost when sicknesse and sorrow finde us Beware of this deceit of the Devill who tells us we shall have leasure to seek God when wee are sick and that we shall have a faire opportunity to settle all the affaires of our souls when we are going out of the body then he tels us we shall have nothing else to doe and therefore we shall surely do it then Let not Satan deceive us with these vaine words for then he intends us most blowes then is his season to breake our thoughts into a thousand peices and to vex us with the splinters even when we lye upon our sicke beds or are bewildred with affliction There is scarse one of twenty but findes breakings and convulsions upon his thoughts at the same time when he feeles them upon his body How often have sick men been heard to say We cannot set our selves to think seriously of Heaven or to act Faith c. To suffer and be sicke is worke enough for any man at one time He had not need to have his greatest worke to doe when he hath such worke to doe They who have had brave spirits and fixed holy purposes upon their death-beds were such as had been long excercised in them before
to be borne the first of any part of the earth For the earth was covered with water it was a great deep till a word of command came from God that the waters should retire to certaine Channells and receptacles which his wisedome had assigned them now when the waters were thus gathered and put into those vast Vessells then the Hills and Mountaines Quod prius conspicuum est antiquius esse videâ—ur which are the highest parts of the earth appeared first and so the Mountaines are elder in regard of view thâ—n the Plaines and Valleys of the earth That is sayd to be first which appeareth first So then whether we take hills by a Synecdoche for the whole earth or plainely for a part of the earth both reach at highest antiquity There is an opinion I confesse which if true takes away the ground of this notion That hills and mountaines grew up or were as so many excrescencies of the earth since it was created and that they grow dayly as Naturalists expresse it by Juxtaposition But I fully adhere to their judgement under which this notion stands safe that the earth was distinguisht into hills plaines and valleys by the same immediate power which created it though I easily grant that many hills have been accidentally caused and cast up since especially in the deluge And this doth more advance the wisedome of God in the frame of this mighty masse which hath in it greater ornament and yeelds greater delight by this variety then if it had been smoothed all over into Plaines and Levels Quod longe anti suum montium collium comparatione indicari solet Further to cleare the Text consider that it is usuall in Scripture when a thing of great antiquity is spoken of to compare it to the Hills Prov. 8.23 24 25. Wisedome which is Christ speakes thus I was set up from everlasting from the beginning ere the earth was when there were no depths I was brought forth when there were no fountaines abounding with water before the mountaines were setled before the Hills was I brought forth while as yet he had not made the earth nor the fields nor the highest part of the dust of the World Where note also by the way a full confirmation of the opinion even now asserted that God made the Hills immediately which are here also called The highest part of the dust of the earth Againe Psal 90.2 O Lord thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations which he explaines in the next words Before the mountaines were brought forth from everlasting to everlasting thou art God Old Jacob speakes this Divine Philosophy upon his death-bed while he was blessing his sonne Joseph Gen. 49.26 The blessings of thy Father have prevailed above the blessings of my Progenitors above the utmost bounds of the everlasting Hills Once more Hab. 3.6 He stood and measured the earth he beheld and drove asunder the Nations and the everlasting Mountaines were scattered the perpetuall Hills did bow Now a thing is called everlasting either strictly because it shall last for ever or because it lasteth very long in this latter sense the Hills are everlasting The Hills were from the beginning and shall continue to the end As for Job he began to live but lately and he must shortly dye Wast thou made before the Hills Eliphaz proceeds to a second branch of his third reproofe Vers 8. Hast thou heard the secret of God or doest thou restraine wisedome to thy selfe As if he had sayd Possibly thou wilt wave or not stand to this plea of thy great antiquity What is it then that swells thee into such proud and daring thoughts of thy infallible knowledge Is it because Thou hast heard the secret of God The Hebrew word signifies either counsell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secretum vel consilium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 arcana indicendae Aquil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. or any thing that is secret and mysterious some render it Hast thou heard things unspeakable when the Apostle was caught up to Heaven 2 Corinth 12. He heard words unspeakable which it is not lawfull for a man to utter Hast thou heard unutterable secrets A second translates Hast thou heard the mysteries of God A third Hast thou had discourse with God or hast thou heard God discourse about the great things of wisedome The Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Constitutionem domini audivisti consiliario te usus est Deus Sept. Eadem vox quae est secretum est etiam consilium aut concilum quod in conciliis arcana tractantur consilia non nisi secretò iniri debent Pined Hast thou heard the constitutions of Heaven or knowest thou in what manner God hath setled all the affaires of mankind naturall civill and spirituall Art thou of privy counsell to the King of Heaven or art thou a member of the Celestiall conclave Thus he reproves him for arrogating to himselfe such knowledge as is not attaineable but by speciall inspiration or revelation from God himselfe The Prophet puts the question Jer. 23.18 Who hath stood in the counsell of the Lord and hath perceived and heard his word Who hath marked his word and heard it So the Apostle Rom. 11.34 Who hath knowne the minde of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellor God is able to make knowne the whole mystery of his will in a moment to the meanest soul he can let in stoods upon the understanding without our study he can make a foole wise and drawing back the curtaine of ignorance irradiate the darkest minde with the cleareest light of all things knowable But hast thou heard such secrets There are two sorts of Divine secrets First Secrets of Providence Secondly Secrets of Doctrine The former are of such things as God will doe the latter such as Man is either to doe or beleeve God reveales both to his people The ordinary way for us is by the Word written the extraordinary by a word spoken Thus God opened his secrets to the ancient Prophets and Apostles The Prophet Amos Chap. 3.7 speakes of the secrets of providence Surely the Lord will doe nothing but he revealeth his sacrets to his Servants the Prophets And the Lord himselfe saith of Abraham Shall I hide from Abraham the things that I am about to doe Now as there is a revealing of Providence or of the workes of God so there is a revealing of Doctrines and of the holy Truths of God This he promiseth Joel 2.28 I will powre out my spirit upon all flesh and your Sons and your Daughters shall prophesie your old men shall dreame dreames your young men shall see visions Young men cannot claime to be the first men they were not before the Hills yet to them the visions of Heaven are promised Yet we must not neglect that command of our attendance upon the teachings of the Word because wee have received a promise of the teachings of the Spirit The spirit
whom God comforts shall say Thou hast comforted me and I was comforted This the Apostle speaks out to the praise of God 2 Cor. 1.3 4. Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all consolations all consolation belongs to God he hath all comfort in his owne power and dispose there is not any creature in the World can give out the least dram of comfort to us without the commission or leave of God it is possible for one man to give another man riches but he cannot give him comfort man may give honour to man but he cannot give him comfort A man may have a pleasant dwelling a loving Wife sweet Children and yet none of these a comfort to him The consolation of all our possessions and relations is from God Whosoever would have comfort must trade to Heaven for it that 's a commodity can be found upon no earthly coast you may fetch in wealth from many coasts of the earth but you cannot fetch in comfort till you addresse your selves to the God of Heaven We can procure our owne sorrow quickly but God onely makes us to rejoyce our releife from outward affliction or inward griefe is the gift of God He onely can comfort us in outward afflictions who can command the creature and he onely can comfort us against our inward griefes who can convince the conscience None can doe either of these but God therefore consolations are from God Luther spake true It is easier to make a World then to comfort the conscience the Hebrew phrase to comfort used in diverse places of the old Testament is To speake to the heart Now God onely can speake to the heart man can speake to the eare he can speake words but he can goe no further Therefore the act and art of comforting belongs properly to God Christ is the true Noah Lamech saith of Noah Gen. 5.29 This man shall comfort us concerning our worke and the toyle of our hands it was not in Noah to comfort but as God made him a comfort and he was said to comfort as a type of Christ Christ is true comfort He is comfort cloathed in our flesh he is as it were comfort incarnate Noah sent a Dove out of his Arke which returned with an Olive branch Jesus Christ sends the holy Ghost who is called the Comforter with the Olive branch of true peace to our wearied souls and to shew that it is now the highest act of Christs love care as mediator to give comfort he promised to send the holy Ghost when himselfe was taking his leave of the Church in regard of any visible abode or bodily presence being ready to ascend and step into Heaven he sayd I will send the comforter When God rained fire and brimstone from Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah it is sayd by some of the Ancients that he sent a Hell out of Heaven But when he powres the holy Spirit from Heaven upon his Sion we may say he sends a heaven out of heaven Heaven above is nothing else but holy comfort and the comforts of the holy Spirit are the onely Heaven below How highly then ought we to esteeme how carefully to maintaine communion with God who hath all comfort seeing comfort is more to us then all we have If wee have comfort let our estate be what it will we are well enough comfort is as the spring of our yeare as the light of our day as the Sun in our Firmament as the life of our lives Have we not reason then to draw yea to presse neerer unto God who hath all comfort in his hand and without whom the best things cannot comfort us Not our riches nor our relations not Wife nor Children not health nor beauty not credit nor honour none of these can comfort us without God and if God please he can make any thing comfort us he can make a crust of dry bread a feast of fat things a cup of cold water a banquet of Wine to us And as he can make our comforts crosses so our crosse a comfort as David speakes Psal 23.4 Thy rod and thy staffe comfort me not onely the supporting staffe but the correcting rod shall comfort if God command it to be a comforter Who would not maintaine communion with this God who can make a comfort of any thing who can answer every crosse with a comfort If we have a thousand crosses God hath ten thousand comforts hee can multiply comforts faster then the World can multiply crosses Againe if God be the God of all consolation then goe to God for consolation as the Angel said to the women when they came to the Sepulcher enquiring for Christ Why seek yee the living among the dead he is risen he is not here So I may say Why seek yee living comforts among dead or dying creatures Seeke them there no longer Job complaines in this Booke When I sayd my bed shall comfort me then thou scarest me with dreames Chap. 7. Job went to a wrong place when he went to his bed for comfort most soules misse of comfort because they goe to a wrong place for it one goes to his bed another to his freind for comfort a third to his wife and Children these saith he shall comfort me alas why seeke yee the living among the dead none of these can comfort though these may be meanes of comfort Who or whatsoever is the instrument God is the author of all our comfort whatsoever hand brings it God sends it God saith Paul who comforteth those who are cast downe comforted us by the comming of Titus 2 Cor. 7.6 Titus was a good man and brought good tydings yet Paul doth not say that the comming of Titus did not comfort them but saith Paul God comforted us by the comming of Titus T is not your freind who comforts you but God who comforts you by the comming of such a freind when you are in sorrow by sending in such reliefe when you are poor by sending such medicines when you are sick such salves when you are sore such counsell when you are in doubt and know not what to doe Once more It is happy for Saints that consolation is in the hand of God if it were in the hand of the creature sure they should have but little of it but it is in the hand of God There are these foure considerations which may comfort Saints that comfort is in the hand of God First Considering his nature he is willing and ready to do good he is full of compassion and to shew mercy pleaseth him more then it releeveth us Secondly Considering his relation to his people he is a Father Will a Father let a Child lye comfortlesse when he can help him he is our Husband he is our Freind all relations provoke God to give out comfort to the Saints Thirdly Considering his Omniscience and Omnipresence he knowes where the shooe wrings he knowes what comfort we want a
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est vox hoc tantum loco reperta cujus significationem Rab Mardochai dicit esse insinuationem vel indicationem Quid annuunt quid innuunt oculi tui or would not see them and that he winked at their faithfull dealings as slighting or not regarding them Yet further and more distinctly The word which we translate to winke is found onely in this text all the Bible over It properly signifies to insinuate by the eye to speak or make significant tokens by the eye there is a language of the eye as well as of the tongue here Jobs eye gave some ill language to the eye or apprehension of Eliphaz There are various opinions about it â—â—â—st Some interpret it as a note of opposition against or of dissatisfaction with the counsells which his Friends gave him as was lately hinted Shutting of the eye imports shutting of the minde or a refusall of what is spoken When God judicially closed the eyes of the Jewes Aegre qui sibi sapientes videntur ferunt sive concionentur sive disceptent non auditi cum exteruis modestiae attentionis aestimationis signis In auditione vitia sunt supercilia torvitas â—istitia vulius obtuitus vagus nulus c. Plut. lib. de Aud. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de fixis immotis intentis oculis esse interpretatar Nictu oculi prodis nos nostrasque orationes a te contemni Pined Cordis contumâ—cia ex oculis tuis emicat Nictu te ostendis elatum Merc. In oculis veteribus religio fuit siquidem in iis imago hominis est tacitus sermo mentis Bold In oculis loculis poculis homo cognoscitur Sent. Hebr. saying to the Prophet Isa 6.10 Make the heart of this people fat and make their eares heavy and shut their eyes this shewed the shutting of their minds against the truth so also doth a voluntary or an affected shutting of the eye in some men though in others it is an act of stronger attention or intention of their spirits to what is spoken which some take to be the English of Jobs winking as we shall see a little after Secondly This winking with the eye is expounded by others though not as an opposition against what he heard yet as the gesture of a negligent and carelesse hearer They who speak take it ill to have either ill lookes or not to be looked upon by their hearers The attentivenesse of the eare may be much discerned by the eye One of the old morall Philosophers in his discourse about hearing numbers winking among the vices and offensive behaviours of a Hearer When the Lord Christ Preached Luke 4.20 It is sayd That the eyes of all that were in the Synagogue were fastned on him A fastned eye is the note of a fixed heart as a wandring eye is of a wandring heart They fastned their eyes upon him as if they meant to hear with their eyes as well as with their eares A winking eye is a moveable and an unsetled eye and therefore may well be the discoverer of an unsetled Spirit Thirdly This winking with the eye is also a signe of disdaine and scorne As if Eliphaz had sayd The pride of thy heart sparkles at thine eye while wee are counselling and comforting thee thou art scorning us The Ancients were very criticall about the eye much of a man may be seen at his eye As a man sees so he is seen by his owne eyes The frame of the heart appeares much in the eye a joyfull or a sorrowfull frame of heart an humble or a proud frame of heart a contented or discontented an amicable or a scornefull frame of heart appeares at the eye As the eare and nostrills of the Horse discover him most according to the rules of Naturalists so the eye of man is the greatest discoverer of man whether we consider the constitution or the actions of it And that this action of winking is an argument of a scornefull spirit or the action of a scorner appeares from Davids Petition or deprecation Psal 35.19 Let not them that are mine Enemies wrongfully rejoyce over me neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause it may seem to be a strange piece of prayer why would not David have his enemy wink What was that to him The meaning is this let not mine Enemies have any occasion to scorne and deride me to boast and insult over me There are two sins which are very visible in the eye The first is wantonnesse Isa 3.16 Because the Daughters of Sion are haughty and walke with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes the Hebrew is Deceiving with their eye and the Apostle Peter in his second Epistle Chap. 2.14 gives this character of some They have eyes full of adultery you may perceive the filthines and uncleannesse of their hearts staring out of their eyes The second sin which is so visible in the eye is Pride Solomon speakes of a proud look Prov. 6.17 Six things ths Lord hateth yea seven are an abomination to him And the first of the seven is A proud looke the Hebrew is Haughty eyes Pride and haughtinesse are seated yea conspicuously enthroned in the eye Fourthly These words Why winkest thou with thine eye Ad simulatam quandam innocentiae significationem sanctitatis specimen quod hypocrism redolet referri potest are expounded as a reproofe of hypocrisie and seeming holynesse as if Eliphaz had sayd Thou lookest very demurely and innocently as if according to our old Proverbe Butter would not melt in thy mouth or as if thou wert speaking familiarly to God For as lifting up the eyes or looking to Heaven is a gesture of holy worship John 17.1 Then Jesus lift up his eyes to Heaven So also is winking with the eye It is very usuall with many to shut or wink with their eyes in prayer that so their spirits may be more composed and freer from distraction 'T is not unlikely that Eliphaz observed Job winking with his eyes as if he had set himselfe to seeke God this provoked him What such a one as thou a hypocrite a wicked man what thou goe to God Wilt thou wink with thy eyes as if thou wert wrapt up in some Divine meditation whereas we have ground rather to conclude that thou art devising mischiefe There are two Texts in the Proverbs which give some light to this Interpretation Prov. 6.13 He winketh with his eye he speaketh with his feet teacheth with his fingers frowardnesse is in his heart he deviseth mischiefe continually Solomon puts a winking eye and a froward mischiefe-devising heart together As if he had sayd A wicked man for of him he speakes in the former Verse winkes with the eye as if he had some high rapture whereas his minde is set upon mischeife and pursuing the worst of evills Againe Prov. 10.10 He that winketh with his eye causeth sorrow but how doth a man that winketh with the eye cause sorrow what dependence
Why doth he yet finde fault for who hath resisted his will Nay but O man who art thou that replyest against God What wilt thou chop logick with God himself Wilt thou as the Margent saith answer againe or dispute with God Hold thy peace quiet thy selfe What 's the matter that thou turnest thy spirit against God Spirit is here put for the will thoughts and counsells Spiritus pro arrogantia Latine diciur magnos gerere animos qui superbia tumet Merc. Quid tumet adversus Deum spiritus tuus Vulg. Quid torva convertis in caelum Lumina quid in Deum refundis stomacum evocas conceptam iram Pined Animum indignatione accensum Jun. Omnem spiritum suum depromit stultus i. e. iram Aben Ezra Rege animum i. e. iram Horat of Man cloathed and elated with arrogancy stoutnesse and pride In all languages Spirit imports that which is high And to say Such a one is a man of spirit notes not onely the activenesse of that man but often his pride and haughtinesse Besides Spirit is sometimes put for indignation for fury and wrath in all which acceptions the word may be rendred here Thou turnest thy spirit that is thy anger and wrath thy fury and indignation against God So the word is used Isa 25.4 When the spirit or blast of the terrible ones is as a storme against the Wall that is while the fury of the terrible ones is in its highest march and motion God promiseth to be a strength to the poore a strength and a refuge to the needy in his distresse So Prov. 29.11 A foole uttereth all his minde or all his spirit that is all his anger he lets it out and discovers himselfe presently but a wise man if there be cause of anger keepeth it in till afterwards that is till a fit season He hath a retentive faculty which a Foole hath not Now in which sense soever of these explained we understand Spirit in the present Text the charge is as high as it can goe upon any man when 't is sayd Hee turneth his Spirit against God Hence Observe To turne the spirit against God is the very spirit of ungodlinesse there is no greater wickednesse then this A godly man may doe an act which is against God but his spirit cannot act against God that 's the character of the wicked A godly man delights in the Law of God according to the inward man whilst the outward man sins against the Law of God an ungodly man turnes his inward man against the Law of God while his outward man pretends obedience to it and as it is an act of highest disobedience so of the proudest pride to turne the spirit against God The Vulgar Latine translates it well Why doth thy spirit swell against God Thou hast an impostumation in thy spirit against God yea it is not onely an act of the proudest pride but of the maddest madnesse to turne the spirit against God Furorem erupisti ante dominum Sept. so the Septuagint gives it Thou hast caused thy fury or thy madnesse to breake forth before God he that acts against God is a mad man indeed Will yee provoke the Lord are you stronger then he is the Apostles chiding question to such mad men are you so mad after your lusts hath sin made you so foolish Have you lost both grace and reason at once that you dare thus provoke the Lord and challenge the Almighty God resists the proud and the proud assault him Grace turnes the spirit to God repentance is the returne of our spirits to God then what is the turning of our spirits against God but a cleare demonstration of a totally impenitent and gracelesse Spirit Againe when Eliphaz saith Job turned his Spirit against God he doth not meane it of a direct or professed opposition against God as if Job had openly defied him and blasphemed his Name but his meaning is that Job shewing so much impatience and unsatisfiednesse of spirit under the dealings of God with him did not submit to God as he ought Eliphaz I conceive did not so much as suspect that Job turned his spirit immediately or as wee say poynt blanke against God himselfe but onely against his dispensations Hence observe That while we speake or our hearts rise up against the dealings of God with our selves or others we may be sayd to turne our spirits against God himselfe Many who think they have not neglected Christ will be found to have neglected him because they have neglected those by whom or that wherein Christ is offered The Evangelist brings in Christ speaking thus Matth. 25. I was hungry and yee fed me not thirsty and yee gave me no drinke they to whom hee speakes wonder at this Lord say they when saw we thee hungry and gave thee no meat or thirsty and gave thee no drinke surely we have not been guilty of such a wickednesse Yea saith Christ In as much as yee did it not to one of these yee did it not to me when yee refused to feed these yee refused to feed me I was in these and these were in me Now in the same manner many will say when wee charge them with turning their spirits against God with fighting against and opposing God Who we oppose God we never opposed God as we know of yea peradventure they will say we have honoured God and doe you charge us that we have turned our spirit against God to many such God will say In as much as yee opposed my word and murmured against my workes in as much as yee were angry with my dispensations and discontented with what I have done ye have turned your spirit against me We may become guilty of this sin before we thinke of it for as there is a direct and litterall contending with God so an equivalent or constructive contending with him As some men commit plaine open Treason against a State but others commit only constructive Treason 'T is so here the God of Heaven knowes when spirits turne against him directly and when by consequence and he will take vengeance not onely of direct and avowed but also of consequentiall and constructive Treason against his Soveraignty unlesse the offender repent and be humbled before him He will judge thousands at the last day for opposing him who it may be in some things have pleaded for him yea who have in some things not onely acted but suffered for him though usually when the spirit of any man turneth against God that mans workes and words turne against him too So Eliphaz further taxeth Job in the latter clause of the Verse And lettest such words goe out of thy mouth As if he had sayd Such stuffe as thou hast in thy heart even such flowes out of thy mouth the word Such is added by most Translators the Hebrew is And lettest words goe out of thy mouth it is no fault to let words goe out of the mouth 't is no sin to speak
himselfe What the day of darknesse is learne upon the former Verse He beleeveth not that he shall returne out of darknesse there I shewed a fivefold darknesse here I shall reduce it to one of these two The day of darknesse is either the day of death or the day of affliction so 't is taken Eccles 5.17 All his dayes hee eateth in darknesse that is hee is in sorrow all his dayes Though he hath Sun light or Candle light enough at his Table yet he hath no light in his heart So the Prophet Amos 5.20 Shall not the day of the Lord be darknesse and not light Even very darke and no brightnesse in it There is a day of the Lord which is nothing but light and there is a day of the Lord which is nothing but darknesse that is of tribulation and anguish upon the soule that sins The Prophet Joel calls it A day of darknesse and of gloominesse a day of clouds and of thick darknesse He knowes that the day of darknesse is Ready at hand The word which we translate ready signifies two things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paratum firmum stabilem certum esse denotat Drus First that which is prepared Secondly that which is established or confirmed We translate to the former the day is ready or prepared others render to the latter sense the day is established and setled his day of darknesse shall certainely come upon him And whereas wee translate Ready at hand noting the neernesse of the danger Others Tygurina per manum intelligere videtur ipsa impiorunt scelera per paraphrasim sic sententiam elucidat Scit quod suis factis periculosa tempora accersierit to note the cause of the danger render He knowes that his owne hand hath made a day of darknesse that is The villanies and wickednesses which he hath committed cause the clouds of judgement to gather and look black upon him his unrighteousnesse hath hastned on his ruine and wrapt him up in darknesse He hath brought an evill day upon himselfe by his evill deeds or as the Prophet speaks His destruction is from himselfe He hath pulled downe his House with his owne hands and is the sole author or contriver of his owne sorrows This is an experienced truth but I rather take the words as we render The day of darknesse is ready at hand that is it is neer and will shortly seize upon him Hence Observe First Many a wicked man growes into an assurance of his approaching misery It is as hard to perswade some wicked men that their state is naught as it is to perswade some good men that their state is good yet as many of the Saints conquer unbeleife and come not onely to have some hopes but high assurances that there is a day of mercy at hand for them that they are in a present happy state and eternall happinesse waite for them so a wicked man after long debate may have his unbeleife conquered and though he hath been sowing pillowes under his owne elboes though he hath slighted all the Counsells Admonitions and threatnings of faithfull Freinds though notwithstanding all this he continue long speaking peace to his owne soule and saying all is well yet I say this man may have his unbeleife conquered and know at last that there is a day of darknesse ready at hand when his eyes are opened to see what he hath done and what he hath been he sees that God hath rejected all his confidences and that he shall never prosper in them Secondly Observe That for a man to be assured of his owne misery is the height of misery Eliphaz puts it here among the punishments of wicked men This assurance makes his heart shake this knowledge is full of feare and therefore full of torment As to know that a day of light and deliverance is ready at hand is light while we are in darknesse and deliverance while we are in trouble So to know that a day of darknesse and misery is ready at hand is darknesse to wicked men while they are in externall light and misery in the midst of all their mirth And as it is the highest comfort of the Saints to know that they have eternall life to know that they are in the favour and live in the love of God a man may be in it and not know it and then though he shall doe well at last yet his state is but uncomfortable and he that is an heyre of Heaven may walke as an heyre of Hell with a troubled spirit but to know that it is so this is Heaven before we come at Heaven so it is the deepest sorrow of any man in this life to know that he hath eternall death an assurance of this setled upon the spirit though I conceive a man cannot have an absolute assurance of it yet to have strong impressions upon the spirit that he shall never be saved or that Hell is prepared for him this is Hell before he is cast into Hell A soule that doubts of mercy and of the favour of God is in a very sad condition but the condition of that soule is unexpressibly sad which is assured of judgement and of the wrath of God Thirdly Observe That as a wicked man may know that he shall be miserable in the end so hee may know that his misery is neere at hand An evill conscience awakened is the worst Prophet it is full of sad presages like Micah to Ahab Haec est paenae impii pars nou modica quod cogatur ipse sibi ominari malum Pined it never Prophesied good but evill and it doth not onely Prophesie of evill afarr off but neer or ready at hand 'T is true an evill conscience usually puts the evill day farr off 2 Pet. 3.4 There shall be scoffers saying Where is the day of his comming c. The day of darknesse is farr enough off it hath been long talked of but we doe not see it say these despisers But when an evill conscience is awakened then he sees evill neer and himselfe dogg'd at the heeles or as the former Verse speakes Waited for of the Sword As a Beleever when the eye of faith is cleare sees mercy neer at hand Faith makes God neer and then all good is neer So an Unbeleever when the eye of his conscience is cleared sees misery neer Observe Fourthly The misery of a wicked man is unmoveable His day of darknesse is established by an irrevocable decree there is no getting it off he is under a Divine Fate A day of darknesse may come over the Saints but that day blows over David sayd once of his day of light It shall never be dark and of his Mountaine it shall never be removed yet he was deceived But a wicked mans day of darknesse shall never be light nor can he use any proper meanes to turne his day of darknesse into light He cannot pray and it is pâ—â—â—er that turnes darknesse into light he cannot
undertake the office of comforting others should consider these three things especially First The nature of the affliction whether internall or externall that which will comfort a man in bodily afflictions will not doe it in soule afflictions Secondly The degree or measure of the affliction If the Playster be too narrow for the Soare how can it heale Thirdly They should consider the temper of the Person afflicted if he be pressed in conscience for sin they should not presse his conscience with sin much lesse should they thunder out judgement and terrour against him for sin if he be very weak they should use few words if he be passionate they should use gentle words lest in stead of perswading they provoke his spirit Many a soule is cast downe and swallowed up in despaire by the ignorance or unfaithfulnesse of those who would bee called Comforters and Supporters Ezek. 13.19 They slay the soules that should not dye and save them alive that should not live Unskilfull Physitians of the body kill more then bodily diseases And though the unskilfulnesse of soule-physitians doth not indeed kill soules that should dye for 't is their owne sin that kils them nor can kill the soules that should not dye for the medicine of Christs most precious blood will heale and save such from their sins yet unskilfull soule-physitians shall be judged and dealt with as having done all this because they have done their utmost to doe it which is also the meaning of that Text 1 Cor. 8.11 And through thy knowledge shall the weake brother perish for whom Christ dyed that is an indiscreet use of that liberty which thy knowledge teacheth thee doth that which may be accounted a destroying of thy weake Brother As that knowledge so the ignorance before spoken of slayes the soules that should not dye As it requires the power so the wisedome and teachings of God to comfort and extricate poore sâ—ules in and from the Labyrinth of their sorrows The Lord hath given me the tongue of the learned What to doe That I should know how to speake a word in season to him that is weary Isa 50.4 It is a great peice of learning to speak aright to a weary soule to deale with them so as neither to flatter them in their sins nor oppresse them under their sins to deale with them so in th ir affliction as that we neither cause them to sleight the hand of God nor yet to sink under it He that can guid and steer the course of a soule that is afflicted and tossed with the tempest of sin and sorrow between this rock and gulfe the Scylla of presumption and the Charybdis of despaire he is a learned Pilot indeed This learning is the speciall gift of God Christ himselfe acknowledgeth that the Lord his Father had given him the tongue of the learned for this end This learning is not taught in the Schooles of men Philosophers and Oratours never taught such an art of consolation nor can it be attained by the bare teaching of the holyest Doctors and Preachers of Divine truths Wee may have a rich furniture of materials for this worke and yet make no worke of it nor be able to put truths and consciences rightly together unlesse the annoynting teach us As the Prophet brings in our great Master and Tutor in this heavenly science againe confessing of himselfe Isa 61.1 The spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord hath annoynted me to preach good tydings to the meek he hath sent me to binde up the broken hearted to proclaime liberty to the Captives Till we are annoynted by God we cannot speake effectually to man without the spirit who is the comforter wee prove but miserable comforters we bungle at the work and rather undoe soules then doe them any good Wee may Preach good tydings good newes from Heaven the Gospel is nothing else but good newes yet no good comes of it till the good spirit comes with it both instructing the hearts of those that heare and the tongues of those that speake duely to apply the word Master Calvin upon this place saith Some Comforters have but one song to sing and they have no regard to whom they sing it All persons all estates and all conditions are alike to them The wisedome of a comforter consists in discerning and making these differences As the Apostle Jude hints unto us Ver. 22 23. And of some have compassion making a difference and others save with feare As faith saves all so in a sense feare saves some that is they must be terrifyed and made afraid that they may be saved Jobs Freinds would needs save him with feare whereas they should have had compassion of him and have spoken kindly to him Because they could not make this difference therefore they tooke a wrong course with him and were justly taxed without distinction Miserable comforters are yee all Vers 3. Shall vaine words have an end As if he had sayd I have got no comfort I would faine get some rest your words have not refreshed me I desire you would not trouble me you have done me no good will you have done Shall vaine words have an end The Hebrew is Shall words of winde have an end That expression hath ben opened twice before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verba vervi i e. ventosa parum solidas rationes habentia How long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong East winde saith Bildad Chap. 8.2 Should a wise man utter vaine knowledge and fill his belly with the East winde saith Eliphaz Chap. 15.2 Job retorts it upon them Shall words of winde have an end You tell mee that my words are windy yours are so indeed I must hide my selfe from these blasts and stormes of your tongues unlesse you grow calmer Shall windy words have an end Words are windy First When they have no solid reason no substance in them reason is the substance of words and so is truth these two goe alwayes together and where these are not nothing goes out of the mouth but winde Projicit ampullas c. we say of all words which are not followed with action Words are but winde we may say so also of all words which are not accompanyed with reason Verba plena spiritu superbiae Secondly Words are windy when they have much pride and swelling conceitednesse in them The Scripture cals such words Swelling words of vanity That which swels our hearts will quickly swell our lips pride doth both Pride is a winde within us vaine words are a winde without us the proud man knowes not how to ease himselfe of this winde within but by breaking it out in words Thirdly Words are windy when they have much passion in them when they are angry and furious an angry man blusters rather then speakes and makes a noise rather then a discourse While David Psal 39.2 3. was dumb with silence while he held his peace from good his sorrow
Brethren may be carryed beyond their usuall course in holinesse Thus he tels the Corinthians 2. Epist 9.2 That their zeale had provoked many But to what had it provoked them Not to anger and passion towards any but to charity yea and liberality towards the poore And though the Apostle useth another word in the Greek yet he meanes the same thing when hee assures us Rom. 11.11 that the Jewes stumbled not that they should fall but that they might rise for so it followes But rather through their fall salvation is come to the Gentiles for to provoke them to jealousie The salvation of the Gentiles bred emulation in the Jewes What Shall they goe away with all the salvation Shall the Gentiles possesse Heaven alone whom wee thought the meanest people upon the Earth Come let us also put in at least for a part and get a share in Gospel-mercies and priviledges with them Thus they were provoked to emulation and this emulation was and shall be through the power of God who is wonderfull in counsell and excellent in working a help to faith in Christ and so to their rising from their fall And the Apostle was so intent upon the promoting of this designe of God that he professeth Vers 13 14. that he magnified his Office among the Gentiles not onely to save them but saith he If by any meanes I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh and might save some of them He hoped the Jewes would at last beleeve for anger or for very shame and goe to Heaven in a holy chafe Now I say as there is a provocation which heates and hightens the minde of man to an eager pursuite of the best things so there is a provocation which abates and blunts his edge which chills and flats his spirits to any thing that is good which was the ground of the Apostles dehortation Provoke not your Children lest they be discouraged And as the effect of such provocations is to some a discouragement in doing their duty so the effect of it in others is a thrusting them onn to doe that which is most contrary not onely to their duty but to their disposition Rayling speeches uncomely and uncivill language have provoked many both to speak and to doe that which they never dreamt of or which was most remote from their naturall temper and inclination For though such distempers lye in the bottome of nature yet unlesse they had been stirred and spurred up those distempers would not have appeared and broken out Moses was the meekest man upon the earth yet when they provoked his spirit he spake unadvisedly with his lips Psal 106.33 There are three ill effects of provocations First Provoking speeches raise up hard thoughts of the speaker It is a high worke of grace to thinke well of them who speak ill of us or to us Secondly Provoking speeches blow up hard words of the speaker many excuse it when they give ill language You provoked me And though they be not to be excused who doe so when they are provoked yet their sin is the greater who provoke them Thirdly Provoking speeches are sometimes the cause of revengefull practices and very often of licentious practices Sober admonitions and grave reproofes reclaime those who goe astray but violent rebukes make them desperate Some care not what they doe when they heare others say they care not what Many Children have run ill courses by over much indulgence and neglect of discipline and so have not a few by the over mvch severity and sharpnesse of those that are over them Patience is hard put to it to keep eyther minde or tongue or hand in compasse when wee are provoked Great provocations are great temptations When God is provoked he is tempted Heb. 3.8 Harden not your hearts as in the provocation in the day of temptation in the Wildernesse when your Fathers tempted me c. Wee may expound it two wayes First That while they tempted God by questioning his power for them and presence with them they provoked him he was greatly displeased with them for it Secondly That while they provoked God they tempted him they tempted him to destroy them or to act that power against them which they did not beleeve after so many experiences able enough to deliver or protect them If then God himselfe be so tempted that as he is pleased often to expresse himselfe after the manner of men hee can scarce hold his hands or forbeare to doe that which he had no mind to doe when he is provoked how much more is weake man tempted to doe that which his corruptions are alwayes forward enough and too too much to doe when hee is provoked Againe When he saith Doth not mine eye continue in their provocation Learne thirdly Hard words stick upon the spirit They hang about the minde and are not easily gotten off Good words dwell much upon the spirit and so doe ill words when a man hath onee got a word of promise from God about any mercy set home upon his heart the eye continues in that consolation O it is a sweet word the soule lyes sucking at it night and day And when a man hath once got a word of command from God about any duty set home upon his spirit his eye continues in the direction of it O how I love thy Law saith David Psal 119.97 It is my meditation all the day he could not beate his thoughts off from it when love had fastned on it As these good words cleave to a gracious soule and dwell with it so it is hard even for a gracious soule to dislodge hard words O how doth the eye continue in those provocations And doth not experience teach us that vaine thoughts throwne into the minde by Satan will not easily be driven out How often doth the eye continue in his provocations The spirit of a man hath a strong retentive faculty it will hold the object close and as it were live and lodge in it How many make their abode in provocations and reside upon bitter words received from their Brethren How many lye downe with them at night and rise with them in the morning yea and walke with their eye upon them all the day long And here it may be questioned Was not this a sin in Job That rule of love then was in being which is now expressed Ephes 4.26 Be yee angry and sin not let not the Sun goe downe upon your wrath Then how could Job suffer his eye to continue in these provocations I answer There was an infirmity in this 't is our duty as to forgive so to forget or lay aside the thought of injuries and wrongs received And it is the Character of wicked men They sleep not unlesse they have done mischiefe Pro. 4.16 Their eye continues in their owne corruption or in the temptation of Satan till they have brough it forth For as when good men have strong impressions unto good upon their spirits they cannot sleep
are ready for us and we have made our bed in the darknesse it is not for us to looke for life here indeed to live to us is Christ but to dye is gaine A Beleever can willingly part with all his earthly possessions for heavenly hopes much more can he joyfully part with all his earthly hopes for the possession of Heaven Thirdly from these expressions The Grave is my house I have made my bed in the darknesse Note A Beleever looks upon death as a state of rest As the whole house is a place of rest compared with the World abroad so the Bed is the speciall place of rest Revel 14.14 Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from henceforth they rest from their labours and their workes follow them They shall follow their worke no more who are followed by their works The Grave is the house and bed of the body to all who dye Heaven is the house and rest of the soule to all those why dye in the Lord. Saints have here a rest in their labours they shall hereafter have a rest from their laboures Lastly Whereas the bed of death is made in darknesse Observe There is nothing desireable in death as considered in it selfe A darke condition is the worst condition Darknesse which in Scripture signifies all evill is a word good enough to expresse the state of death by What desireablenesse there is in death what pleasures in the Grave will appeare further in those arguments which death useth to invite us home to its house the Grave in the next Verse vvhich tels us our most lovely companions yea our sweetest and most endeared relations there are Corruption and Wormes Vers 14. I have sayd to corruption Thou art my Father and to the worme Thou art my Mother and my Sister Hyperbolae sunt quibus significat se omnem jam vitae cogitationem abdicasse Jun. This Verse is of the same sense with the former onely here Job breaks into an elegant variation of new metaphors and hyperbolicall expressions I have sayd That is I have as it were called to and saluted the retinue and attendants of death as my freinds and kindred As I have made my bed in the Grave and as that is my house so now I am finding out my houshold relations I say to this Thou art my Father and to that Thou art my Mother and Sister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est clamare vocare appellare per electionem nominare elegans prosopopeia per quam Job tumulum alloquitur Bold The word which we render I have sayd c. signifies not barely to say but to cry or call out I have called out to corruption so Master Broughton To the pit I cry O Father O Sister O Mother to the Worme not barely I have sayd but I cry and not barely I cry Father to the pit but he adds also a note of exclamation O Father Secondly The word imports not generally a calling or crying out to any one that comes next but to some speciall person by way of election and choice or to such as vve know vvell and are acquainted with as the termes of Father Mother and Sister imply Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat etiem occurrere alicui nam occurrentem solemus salutatione vel interrogatione aliqua proprio nomine appellare Further the word signifies not onely to call aloud and to call with election but to goe forth on purpose to call a Freind or to invite him in As when we see an acquaintance comming towards us or our dwellings we step out to meet and welcome him so the word may beare in this place As if Job seeing death drawing towards him had gone out and said O corruption my Father O wormes my Mother my Sister vvelcome vvelcome such an elegancy the word yeelds us I shall not here stay upon any anxious disquisition about the propriety of these relations how Job cals corruption his Father and the vvorme his Mother and Sister or in drawing out comparisons about them vve are to looke onely to a generall proportion not to an exact propriety in these words there 's no need to make out parallels between corruption and a Father or betweene wormes and a Mother or a Sister Onely thus much may be asserted particularly First He speakes thus to shew that he looked on death not onely not as an enemy but not as a stranger Death and he were well acquainted Secondly He speakes thus to shew that death vvas not only not a stranger to him but as one of his kindred He vvas upon as fayre termes vvith death as vvith Father and Mother Thirdly Job speakes thus to shew Vt ostendat mortem sibi in votis esse cunctis illum amicitiae necessitudinis nomininis compellat Pinet that he did not onely looke upon death as in a neere relation to him but as having a kinde of delight and contentment in death vvhat is more sweet to a man vvho hath been in a long journey and is returning home then to thinke that he is comming to his Father and Mother to his Brethren and Sisters As nature gives us kindred by blood so it is a custome to adopt and stampe to our selves kindred by kindnesse one vve call Father and another vve call Mother one is our Brother a second is our Sister a third our Cozen by the mutuall tyes or by the receits and returnes of curtesie Thus we are to take these compellations as intimating vvith vvhat spirit Job entertained the thoughts of death even with no other then if he had beene to fall into the embraces of Father and Mother and Sister He sayd to corruption as we should say to wisedome Prov. 7.4 Say unto wisedome thou art my Sister and call understanding thy Kinswoman that is Acquaint thy selfe with and be familiar vvith vvisedome so shalt thou keepe thy selfe vvhich is both thy vvisedome and thy happinesse a stranger From the strange Woman Vers 5. Further it may yet be enquired what it is which Job cals Corruption and the worme I have sayd to corruption c. What is this corruption There are two opinions about it First Some interpret him speaking to the corruption and wormes which had already seized upon his body for his diseases and ulcerous sores had bred corruption and wormes As if he had sayd I may well call corruption my Father for I am already full of corruption I may well call the worme my Mother my sister for the wormes creep in and out at my sores continually my body is as if it had layne already in the Grave full of corruption and wormes Secondly Others expound him speaking to and of the corruption and wormes which waited his comming into the Grave The vvord in the Text which wee translate Corruption signifies also the Grave because bodies doe not onely corrupt in the Grave 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fovea corruptio quod in fovea corpus corrumpitur but