man is of impurer eyes then to behold the glory and holiness of God in cleare manifestations of it and therefore heaven is the seate the habitation of his holinesse and of his glory Hence we may take two further inferences First That our hearts and our eyes should be lifted upwards the whole currunt of Scripture speaks of God as above in heaven And that 's the reason why the Apostle Col. 3.1 exhorts Sett you affections on things above and not on things here below And as on things above so most of all upon God who is above Sursum corda The old word was Lift up your hearts and David sayth in prayer Psal 25.1 I lift up my soule to thee And againe Psal 123.1 Vnto thee lift I up mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the heavens Yea our Lord Jesus Christ himselfe when he prayed Joh. 17.1 Lift up his eyes to heaven and said Father the houre is come glorifie thy Sonne c. The eye lift up to heaven is a signe of the heart lift up to heaven and that corporeall visible action serves to fix our most spirituall affections upon the invisible God 'T is indeed an easie thing to lift the eyes up to heaven but it is very hard yea impossible without a divine assistance to lift up the heart to heaven the heart of a prophane worldling mudds so much in the earth that he seldome lifts up so much as his eyes to heaven and how much or how often soever a hypocrite lifts up his eyes to heaven yet still his heart muds in the earth The eye lookes upward naturally but if ever the heart looke upward 't is a worke of Grace Secondly Then serve the Lord with reverence and holy feare in in all your addresses to him and appearings before him Wee reverence those who are on high on earth and shall wee not reverence him who is higher then the highest him who is in the hight of heaven While Christ bids us say Our Father which art in heaven he teacheth us as to pray with confidence because God is our father so to pray with reverence because he is a father in heaven Matth. 6.9 The Preacher Eccl. 5.2 makes this an argument why wee should be taken up in high thoughts of God why we should speak in a reverentiall manner both of him and to him Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God He puts as it were a double bridle upon man in his drawing neere to God first upon his mouth Let not thy mouth be rash and secondly upon his heart for the heart will talke at random as well as the mouth yea the heart will talke more at random then the mouth can and there is praying with the heart alone as well as with the heart and mouth together therefore sayth he Let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God Why for God is in heaven and thou art upon the earth therefore let thy words be few Here are indeed two arguments to enforce this composure of spirit first the highnes and Greatnes of God secondly the lownes and vilenes of man Consider God is above and thou art below not onely in regard of place but of state and dignitie of power and majesty The being of God in heaven notes not onely a power of soveraignty to command us but a power of ability both to punish and to provide for us to punish our rashnes and to supply all our wants wherewith we acquaint him and humbly mention before him therefore Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty c. The same Solomon in the same booke allegorically describing the declined decrepid condition of man saith of the old man that he is afraid of that which is high Eccl. 12.5 Young men will be clambering and ascending but old men are afraid of that which is high they dare not goe up a high steepe place least their strength or breath should fayle or least their braine should turne and they through giddines tumble downe Old men love to keepe upon levell or even ground and are afraid of that which is high Surely both young and old have reason to be afraid of him that is high to have reverentiall thoughts of God who is in the highâ— of heaven higher then the heavens The distance of man from God as God is in heaven and man on earth is great and the dissimilitude of man to God as God is holy and man corrupt is farre greater eyther of these Considerations single is enough but both these layd together is aboundantly enough to keepe the heart in an humble selfe-abasing frame before the Lord. 2ly Taking these words Is not God in the hight of heaven As the supposed speech of Job thou sayest God is in the hight of heaven that is confined to heaven so that he looks no further but thou art deceived God is not lockt up in heaven he looks to all things here on earth As the earth is the Lords and the fullnes of it as to right propriety so the earth is the Lords with all the fullnes of it as to care and providence Though there be a distinctnes in the manner or manifestation of his being in heaven and on earth yet he is as truly and as much on earth as he is in heaven Hence note God is omnipresent or every where Though we are to adore and worship God as in heaven yet we must not shutt up God in heaven as he is in heaven so he is upon the earth also he is with us yea he is in us he is in all places not circumscribed by any nor limited to any place God is present in all places and fills all places with his presence onely he doth not declare his presence alike in all places The Lord appeares where and as he pleaseth but he cannot be otherwise or otherwhere then he is and that is every where While the Psalmist queryed Whether shall I goe from thy presence He was so farre from imagining that any such place could be found that in the very next words he concludeth God to be every where by an enumeration of all places Psal 139.7 8. If I ascend up to heaven thou art there if I make my bed in Hel behold thou are there Hel standeth in utmost opposition to heaven as heaven in Scripture-language is the highest so hell is the lowest place now sayth David If I make my bed in hell thou art there If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the utmost parts of the sea even there shall thy hand leade me and thy right hand shall hold me That is there I shall findâ— thee efficaciously present with me The Lord having said Isa 66.1 Heaven is my throne presently adds and the earth is my footstoole So the earth is called because its scituation in nature is below the heavens his throne is there his footstoole
fulfilled or done on earth as it is in Heaven Thus we see the second Propnsition cleared for the understanding of these words That as the Lord takes pleasure in those who are righteous by the imputed righteousnesse of his Son so even in those also who are reghteous by the Implanted righteousnesse or holinesse of his spirit Thirdly God takes pleasure to see a sincere and upright person justifie himselfe or plead his owne justice against all the false accusations and suspitions of men The Lord likes it well to hear a man who is falsly accused to stand up and maintaine his own innocency yea it is our duty and we are bound in conscience to maintain our own innocency So David in the seventh Psalm and in the eighteenth Psalm justified himselfe against Saul And thus Job all along in this Book justified himselfe against the opinion of his friends in this sense God takes pleasure when we are so righteous in all our dealings and perfect in all our wayes that we dare encounter whosoever speaks the contrary and can wash off all the aspersions which either misguided and mistaken friends or professed Enemies cast upon us You have now had those three affirmative Propositions for the understanding of the Text. Take three more in the Negative First God hath no pleasure to see us justifie our selves before him or to plead our own righteousnesse with him yea he is extreamly displeased at it This some conceive the chief thing which Eliphaz aimed at Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou doest justifie thy selfe No thou dost highly provoke him in doing so to plead with or to justifie our selves before God that we are righteous is worse then all our unrighteousnesse for this overthrowes the whole design of the Gospel which is 1 Cor. 1.29 That no flesh should glory in his presence but be that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. And Rom. 3.19 20. The Law convinceth all That all the world may become guilty before God therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall be no flesh justified in his sight God will have every mouth stopped or cry guilty and therefore for any one to open his mouth and justifie himselfe before God is to overthrow the Gospel They are ignorant of the righteousnesse of God who goe about to establish their own righteousnesse Rom. 10.3 And as God hath no pleasure in them who boast of their righteousnesse to justifie themselves before him so Secondly God hath no pleasure in them who boast of their owne righteousnesse and contemne others Though a man may assert the righteousnesse of his Conversation against all them who question it yet God resents it highly when any proclaim their own righteousnesse to the despising of others Christ speaks a Parable against those in the 18th of Luke v. 9 10 11. who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others Two men went up into the Temple to pray the one a Pharisee the other a Publican The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himselfe God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners adulterers unjust or even as this Publican Here was one that advanced his owne active righteousnesse and he did it with the contempt of another I am not as this Publican The Lord takes no pleasure in this yea the Lord is highly displeased with this And Isa 65.5 the Prophet represents the Lords indignation against this pharisaicall spirit in dreadful eloquence Stand by thy selfe come not near to me for I am holier then thou Thus they pleaded their righteousnes in contempt of others These saith the Lord are a smoak in my nose that is greevous and displeasing a fire that burneth all the day Thirdly God hath no pleasure at all in any of our righteousnesse either in the righteousnesse of our Justification or the righteousnesse of our Sanctification as the least addition to his owne happiness The reason of it is because as was shewed from the former Verse God is self-sufficient and hath no dependance at all upon the Creature So that what pleasure soever the Lord hath in the righteousnesse of our Justification or of our Sanctification we cannot put it to this account that we add any thing to his happines All the pleasure which God taketh is in himselfe or in the fulfilling of his owne good pleasure in Christ And therefore the work which Jesus was to doe on Earth is called the pleasure of God Isa 53.10 Deus nullis rebus quae extra ipsum sunt tangitur aut mutatur It pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief when thou shalt make his soule an offering for sin he shall see his seed he shall prolong his dayes and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand That pleasure of the Lord was the work which the Lord put into his hand or which he gave him to doe even the bringing about his eternal purpose for the recovery of lost man that 's a work in which the Lord takes pleasure so much pleasure that the Prophet calleth it His pleasure And thus the Apostle speaks Eph. 1.5 6. Having predestinated us to the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his owne will c. The good pleasure of God is onely in his owne will that 's his pleasure The Lord delights to see his will accomplisht in the saving of sinners as well as in the obedience of Saints that 's a part of the good will of God why doth he take pleasure in the obedience of Saints even because his own will is done It 's not any thing in us that doth it So when he saves us the pleasure which he takes is in the fulfilling of his owne will rather then in our salvation Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous Vers 4. Will he reprove thee for fear of thee Or will he enter with thee into judgement The Question is to be resolved into this negative He will not reprove thee for fear of thee c. Will he reprove thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 arguit redarguit corripuit judicavit The word signifies first to argue or dispute and so to convince by the authority of reason Secondly to plead so to convince by evidence of the Law and fact Mich. 6.2 Hear yee O Mountaines the Lords Controversie and ye strong foundations of the Earth for the Lord hath a controversie with his people and he will plead with Israel The Mountaines and the strong foundations of the earth are the great men of the earth or Magistratical powers with these the Lord threatens a Controversie and that he will plead or argue his cause with them Thirdly it signifies to argue or plead not with words onely but with blowes to reprove with correction Job 5.17 Happy is the man whom thou correctest The word which here we render reprove is there rendred to correct which is reproving by blowes Fourthly
of the earth as Philosophy teacheth us though to appearance not bigger then the blase of a Candle nor broader then the palme of a hand Fourthly Consider also the difference of the Starres in their greatnesse and magnitude they are all great but not all of a greatnesse not all of one size Astronomers divide the Starres into sixe magnitudes We should likewise observe and wonder at their light which is their glory the light of the Starres is the glory of the Starres and so the more light any Starre hath the more glory it hath Thus one Starre differeth from another Starre in glory 1 Cor. 15.41 But I shall not stay upon these things having insisted somwhat largely upon them at the 9th Chapter v. 9. Whether I referre the Reader Onely note here that as the Starres of heaven are of several degrees God hath not levell'd them eyther in light or magnitude so he hath diversly distributed the light of parts and gifts of understanding and knowledge of estate and power to and among the children of men here on earth 'T is good for all that all are not alike The universe could not be eyther so beautiful or so orderly if every particular had the same beauty or were of the same order And he that cannot be content to have lesse and to be lesser then another is altogether unfit not onely to be as great or to have as much as another but to be or have any thing at all Nor is any man more fit to be more then he is then he that can rejoyce while another is more then he Secondly Note The creature leads us to God That 's the tendency and scope of all that is here asserted Eliphaz calls not Job to the meditation or contemplation of the Starres to leave him there Some study the heavens much but their lives are earthly they study the Starres yet there is nothing but dirt in their hearts and the reason is because they study the Starres for the Starres sake and not for Gods sake and make the Starres their end not their way or as Starres to lead them to God This is the reason why many Astronomers and Philosophers who busie their heads and minds much in speculation about the nature of the heavenly bodyes know not at all what it is to have their conversations in heaven or to minde the things that are above Wee should so behold the glory of the Starres as from thence to inferre that God is much more glorious yea that these things which were made glorious have no glory in comparison of that Glory which made them Plato taught his Scollers to say The earth is beautifull the heavens are more beautifull but God who made the earth and the heavens is more beautifull then both The visible creature shewes the invisible God Psal 19.1 2. The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke But O how glorious is the invisible God who hath made such visible creatures and what a work-Master is he who hath set up such a work Rom. 1.20 The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearely seene being understood by the things that are made even his eternall power and godhead The things that are made carry us to the maker of them and they tell us that none but he who hath an eternall power and godhead could possibly make them The Heathen thought the Sunne Moone and Starres to be Gods therefore certainly there is very much of God much of the glory and power of God to be seene in them And Job saith which doth plainly shew that in nature it is so Chap. 31.26 If I beheld the Sunne when it shined or the Moone walking in brightnesse and my heart hath been secretly inticed or my mouth hath kissed my hand this also were an iniquity to be punished by the Judge for I should have denyed the God that is above That is if I have been inticed to worship the Sunne or Moone as ravisht with their beauty for 't is so farre from being a sin that 't is a duty to behold the Sunne when it shineth and the Moone walking in brightnes but so to behold them as to adore them or doe obeysance to them which was the custome of the Heathen expressed it seemes among them by kissing their hand as we doe at this day in token of respect and reverence to men above us this is an iniquity even that grosse iniquity of Idolatry or worshipping the creature in stead of or more then the Creator who is blessed for evermore Now I say inasmuch as these creatures have so much of God in them that many Heathens have mistaken them for God how will it condemne us of dulness and stupidity if we be be not led to God in the knowledge and beholding of them For as to make these creatures Gods so not to see God in these creatures is to deny the God that is above Thirdly While we behold the Starres of heaven it should exceedingly both humble us and make us thankful for whose use comfort and accommodation in this life God set up those Glorious Lights God did not make them for his owne use he had no need of them he was from everlasting without any of these creatures The Starres are nothing to him The Sunne is nothing to him yea in that state of glory where we shall injoy God for ever we shall have light without Sunne so that these lights were made for our use and for ours onely while we are walking in the darke vale of this present world Now while we behold the height of the Starres how high they are and consider for whom as well as by whom they were made even for us for poore us who are but dust and ashes This should at once lay us low in humblenes looking upon them as an honour to great for us and rayse us up in thankfullnes because the benefit and comfort of them is so great to us Thus David speakes in that excellent prophecy of Christ Psal 8.3 When I consider thy heavens the worke of thy fingers the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordained what is man that thou art mindfull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him As if he had said thou hast made all these creatures for man see what a heaven what starrs God hath framed and set up for man Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him Thus behold the height of the starres how high they are as to lead thee unto God and to admire his highnes so to be humbled at thy own basenes and to be thankfull for his benefits Eliphaz having laid downe these two Propositions God is on high and the Starres are high proceeds to make an inference from both which he formeth up by way of supposition from Jobs owne mouth Vers 13. And thou sayest how doth God know As if Eliphaz had said thou art so farre from making that right improvement which thou
bounds of the people and have robbed their treasures and I have put downe the inhabitants like a valiant man he did not thinke that the Lord did it by his hand but saith he by the strength of my hand I have done it Dextera mihi deus Virg 1.10 Sanct my right hand is my God my wisdome is my God These these have removed the bounds of the people and robbed their treasures See how the Lord checks this insolency v. 15. Shall the axe boast it selfe against him that heweth therewith or shall the saw magnifie it selfe against him that shaketh it Men I grant are living instruments yet they can doe no more then instruments without life the axe and the saw unlesse God act them or act by them An axe or a saw can doe as much without man as man can doe without God yet vaine proud man is as full of boasting as if he could doe or had done all alone Fifthly Observe That the portion of wicked men lyeth all on this side heaven and heavenly things God filleth their houses with good things but they are the good things of this life they have nothing that reacheth to eternal life They have nothing that concernes pardon of sin or grace much lesse have they glory for their portion Acts 14.16 17. God did not leave himselfe without witnesse among the Heathen Nations in that he did good and gave raine from heaven and fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with food and gladnesse so much they received from God as filled them with food for their bodyes and made their lives comfortable but no more that was all they had As Abraham in the parable tells the rich man in hel Luk. 16.25 Son remember that thou in thy life time hast had thy good things And what were the good things which he formerly had We have an answer at the 19th verse He was cloathed in purple and fine linnen and fared deliciously every day As the Psalmist is expresse Psal 17.14 that the men of this world have their portion in this life so his purpose is to shew that they have their portion in the things of this life for he adds Whose bellyes thou fillest with thy hid treasures that is with those treasures of corne wine and oyle which are virtually hidden in the earth and brought forth by the earth God fills the bellyes of the wicked but he fills the Spirits of the Godly he fills the former with the hidden treasures of the earth he fills none but the latter with the hidden treasures of heaven Lastly Note That the gifts of God even in temporall things are free and undeserved Not onely are spirituall gifts and graces together with eternall life undeserved but even temporalls and the things of this life The Lord gives them unto his enemies to those that say to him depart from us and what doe these deserve at his hands but stripes and death He gave Christ to us while we were most unworthy of him when we were yet enemies Christ dyed for us sinners doe no more deserve bread then they deserve Christ wee no more deserve the comforts of this life then eternall life The one is of free Grace to the Elect and the other is of bounty and goodnesse to the wicked Quoniam moris erat in Egypto ut mensura ascendentis Niâ—i fluminis ad templum Serapidis deferretur velat ad incrementi aquarum inundationis auctorem subverso ejus simulachro ulna ipsa id est aquae mensura ad aquarum dominum coepta est in Ecclesias deferri Cassiod lib. 2. ad Euseb Histor The old Egyptians as some writers report them were carefull to confesse the undeservednesse of those outward favours the plenty and abundance of corne and cattel with which Egypt was stored in testification whereof they every yeare brought into the Temple of their Idol Serapis a measure shewing how high the river Nilus rose and overflowed its bankes for Egypt being a flatt Country is watered by the overflowings of Nilus and by the rising of those waters they could very probably prognosticate the plenty or scarsity of the yeare ensuing And they therefore tooke an exact account how many cubits high the river swell'd leaving it in the Temple of Serapis thereby acknowledging as some conceive that their Idol God was the bestower of all that plenty or as Eliphaz here speakes that he had filled their houses with Good things But the counsell of the wicked is farre from mee Wee had these words before Chap 21.16 Job made use of them there and here Eliphaz therefore I shall adde but little for explication in this place In generall know they are a proverbiall speech Puto Vulgarem esse dicendi modum quo homines aliquid execrantur a se arceri longissime Jubent Qualiasunt a page avertat Deus Pined by which the abhorrence of our spirits concerning either things or persons is set forth to the utmost as when we say to any man be gone depart from me or as Christ to Satan Get thee behinde me wee shew our vehement detestation of his person So when a man sayth such or such a thing is farre from me his meaning is he utterly detests it or that the thing is the very abomination of his soule Therefore while Eliphaz sayth The counsell of the wicked is farre from me it is as if he had sayd I cannot indure to have any thing to doe eyther with the wicked or with their counsel O my soule come not thou into their secret unto their assembly O mine honour be not thou united as dying Jacob bespake his sons Simeon and Levi Gen. 49.6 But what is the counsell of the wicked their counsell may be taken first for that dishonorable opinion which they held of God that he could doe nothing eyther for them or against them I saith Eliphaz am of another minde of another faith and perswasion Their Counsel is farre from me who eyther deny the providence of God or thinke they can hide themselves from the eye of his providence I beleeve that his eye beholdeth all and that his hand worketh whatsoever pleaseth him Secondly Others by Counsell understand the scope of wicked men so Calvin reades the intent of the wicked is farre from me I have other purposes and designes then they have The ploughing of the wicked saith Solomon Pro. 21.4 is sin that is the stirring and plotting of his minde to get his desires satisfied is sinfull I desire not saith Eliphaz to put my hand to their plough The counsell of the wicked is farre from me Thirdly As the designe and plot so the course and way of the wicked is farre from me The counsel of a man is put for the meanes by which he acteth his designes as wel as for the method in which he layeth them Wee shall not wrong the drift of the Text in which soever of these three sences we understand this protestation The counsel of the wicked is farre
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
meaning is the greatest strength of or whatsoever is strongest in heaven the heavens themselves with all their strength Metaphorice haec dicuntur non quod coelum columnas habeat quibus nitatur sed quod in vehementiori orbis concussione videatur nobis perindè ac sinutent ejus columnae Merc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contritus concussus fuit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stupeÌ„t denotat moram anamiin rei singularis consideratione ad eam cognoscendam aeâ—imandam Coc tremble at the reproofes of God So that this is onely a figurative and Rhetoricall expression not that the heaven hath any materiall pillars by which it is supported but because in those mighty concussions which God causeth in the world it is as if the pillars or powers of heaven it selfe were shaken and did Trembleth and were astonished at the reproofe of God But how may these pillars whatsoever they are be sayd to tremble and be astonished I answer 't is thus expressed in allusion to men who being severely reproved menaced and threatned tremble and are astonished Here are two termes used first they tremble which word signifyeth as it were the pounding and shattering of the heavens to peices or as if they were even ground to powder or crumbled to dust Secondly They are astonished The original word imports not a light sudden transient astonishment but an astonishment that stayeth abideth and taketh up the minde or which draweth the minde to a deepe consideration of the matter presented and thereupon to wonder and admiration Isa 29.9 Stay your selves and wonder that is sit downe and consider this thing and wonder barely to wonder is not enough you must sit downe stay and rest your selves to wonder you must take your fill of wonder at this thing But how can the heavens be astonished which are not onely without understanding but without life I grant that to be astonished is proper onely to rationall creatures yet it is attributed to beasts metaphorically yea and to things inanimate or without life and sense as here and Jer. 2.12 to the heavens for as rejoycing is attributed to the heavens and to the earth to the mountaines and to the valleys all these are sayd to rejoyce to sing so also astonishment feare and trembling are attributed to heaven and earth And as livelesse creatures are sayd to rejoyce sing and praise God when men doe it so likewise they are sayd to tremble when men tremble when God doth such things as affect men with astonishment then also heaven and earth are spoken of as affected with astonishment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 increpavit objurgavit reprehendit duâ—iâ—èr cum potestate Thirdly What is meant by the reproofe of God which causeth the pillars of heaven to shake and be astonished The word signifies a sore chiding the severest reprehension and that not a bare reproofe but a reproofe with authority and command as a father or master reproveth his son or servant Thus when Joseph told his dreame That the Sunne Moone and eleven Starrs made obeysance to him Jacob his father rebuked him and sayd unto him What is this dreame that thou hast dreamed shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow downe our selves to thee to the earth And when Joshuah the high Priest stood before the Angel of the Lord and Satan at his right hand to resist him Zeph. 3.2 The Lord said to Satan the Lord rebuke thee ô Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Hierusalem rebuke thee This rebuke had a threatening in it and was spoken as with an angry countenance in which there might be read displeasure and indignation The vulgar translates not rebuke but nod The pillars of heaven tremble at thy nod There is a reproofe in a nod Pavent ad nutum ejus Vulg Sic illud poetae natu treme-facit Olympum as it was sayd anciently He made Olympus tremble with a nod of his head A nod of the head may signifie a reproofe as well as a word of the mouth There is a twofold reproofe first verball or by words secondly reall or by action and gesture A verball reproofe may be reall but every reall reproofe is not verball Both God and man can act reproofes as well as speake them And the word here used is applyed in Scripture not onely to verball and voyce reproofes but to reproofes given by gestures and by actions for as the holy lives of Godly men who walke exactly are a reproofe to the world though they speake not a word of reproofe so the actings of God are reproofs though he doth not speake Thus David sayth Psal 9.5 Thou hast rebuked the heathen thou hast destroyed the wicked How did God rebuke the heathen even by destroying the wicked that act of thine hath been a reproofe to the heathen and shewed them their folly In the same sence 't is sayd againe Psal 68.30 Rebuke the company of speare men the multitude of bulls with the calves of the people till every one submit himselfe with peices of silver The rebuke there prayed for upon that boysterous and bloody generation was not a word but a worke of rebuke that God would doe somewhat that might be a rebuke upon them and a stop to them as if he had sayd Seing this company of speare men and multitude of the buls will not heare any of thy words seing they are not capable eyther of reproofe or counsell therefore rebuke them by some extraordinary hand and visible tokens of thy displeasure as it follows scatter the people that delight in war Thus some understand it here that God giveth a reproofe to the heavens not by a word spoken but by his providentiall actings and wonderfull workings in the world Further this reproofe is expounded by that which is indeed the voyce of God and so called in the 29th Psalme the Thunder which though it hath a naturall cause for which reason Atheists laugh at the simplicity of those who are led up to the thoughts of God and to a reverentiall aw of his power at the hearing of it yet that doth not at all hinder but that God doth in a speciall manner dispose of it as he doth of all other naturall things when he pleaseth to serve his providence in the demonstrations of his wrath among the children of men To which end we may say that God doth often send forth his voyce from the clouds and chides from heaven in thunder The voyce this reprooving voyce of the Lord is upon the waters that is upon the waters which are above the firmament the God of glory thundereth the Lord is upon many waters the voyce of the Lord is powerfull the voyce of the Lord is full of majesty the voyce of the Lord breaketh the Cedars hee breaketh the Cedars of Lebanon the voyce of the Lord divideth the flames of fire the voyce of the Lord shaketh the Wildernes the Lord shaketh the Wildernes of Kades c. Thus the pillars of
least able to strengthen them for the bearing of the punishment of sin And hence by way of Coralary or inference consider First If the pillars of heaven tremble before God if pillars whose nature is to stand still move at the presence of God what shall become of weake man of man who is a worme if the pillars of heaven tremble at the reproofe of God then certainly the pillars of the earth cannot stand fast at his reproofe The pillars of heaven are the stroâ—gest pillars When Jehu sent Letters to Samaria unto the rulers of Jezreel advising them to set up one of the Sons of Ahab King and fight for him the text saith 2 King 10.4 they were exceedingly affrayd and sayd Behold two Kings stood not before him how then can we stand And thus may the strongest pillars on earth cry out with feare at the displeasure and reproofes of God Behold the pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproofes how then can we be established Some men are or are esteemed to be like James Cephas and John pillars in the Church Gal. 2.9 and others are pillars in States and Common-wealths So we may expound that of Hannah in her song 1 Sam. 2.8 The pillars of the earth that is earthly powers or Magistrates are the Lords and he hath set the world upon them for indeed the world would soone fall into confusion and shatter to peices as to its civil capacity if the Lord had hot founded it upon pillars of Government and Magistracy or set up Magistrates and Governours as the pillars of it And yet how often have these pillars of the earth trembled how many of them have fallen and been broken at the rebukes of God There is a sort of pillars that shall never be moved How great an honour is it to be made such a pillar and Christ hath taught us who shall be made such a one Rev 3.12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God Such pillars shall not tremble they shall not be astonished when all the pillars of the world are cast downe with trembling and astonishment David hath a strange expression Psal 75.3 The earth and all the inhabitants of it are dissolved if so whence was it that they were not utterly ruin'd and destroyed He answers I beare up the pillars of it But how could David beare up the pillars of the earth when all was dissolved he meanes it not of a natural but civill dissolution things were out of order the bands and ligaments of government were sorely broken men were divided into partyes and factions Thus the earth and inhabitants thereof were dissolved which is the saddest condition a people can be in when it was thus when there was such a rupture among the people Then David the chiefe Governour under God laboured to heale the breaches and to be a pillar to those shaking pillars He by his great wisedome Justice moderation and faithfullnesse bore up the bearers of the people and supported their supporters whether persons or things As if he had sayd though there be much confusion in the earth yet the Lord enables me to keepe things together so that they fall not to the ground and are not utterly ruined It is a Great honour to be a pillar bearing up the building but it is a greater honour to be a pillar bearing up the pillars All good Magistrates have the former honour and all supreame Magistrates if good have the latter yet both these honours doe originally primarily belong unto God who as he maketh the pillars of heaven tremble so he can firmely setle and will while they willingly serve his ends and interests the pillars of the Earth though but earthly pillars Secondly Take this also by way of Corrolary from the text If the pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at the reproofe of God what shall we say of those men or of the hardnesse of their hearts First Who heare the reproofes of God dayly yet tremble not What doe the pillars of heaven tremble at the reproofe of God and shall not men yet thus more then bruitish are many men They heare reproofes severe reproofes against sin yet they tremble no more then the stones they stand upon nor are moved any more then the seates they sit upon let God thunder and lighten and chide and threaten they are not stirred with it The pillars of heaven shall rise up in judgement against this dedolent and obdurate generation The Prophet Jere 36.24 reports a sad story of this a threatening rolle was sent to Jehoiakim king of Judah written from the mouth of Jeremiah by Barucke the King caused it to be read as he sate at the fire and then whereas it might have been expected that he should be cut at the heart with Godly sorrow and contrition for his sin he cut it with the Pen-knife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth untill all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth yet they were not afraid nor rent their garments neither the king or any of his servants that heard all these words as if it had bin sayd what a wonderfull hardnesse was there upon the hearts of these men that they could heare such words read words so full of terrour words cloathed with such reproofes words which spake nothing but death wrath destruction ruine and desolation yet notwithstanding all this they were not afraid neither the King nor any of his servants regarded it The heart of man is more hard then hardnesse it selfe till God soften it or breaketh it man moves not he relents not let God reprove and thunder let God doe what he will and say what he will let God make as it were a hell upon the earth and in the greatest earnest cast abroad his firebrands arrows and death in the dreadfullest representations of wrath and judgement yet man trembles not nor is he any more astonished then if all this were spoken in jest Secondly What shall we say of those who as they tremble not when they heare the reproofes of God so they tremble not when they see his reproofes When God makes his reproofes visible and writes them in blood when he brings forth his reproofes in wofull effects For as all our mercyes and comforts are nothing else but the promises made visible so all the judgements which God brings upon the world are nothing but his reproofes and threatnings made visible when I say he brings forth his reproofes in wofull effects how desperately and indeed though it may seeme a contradiction how presumptuously are they hardned in sin whose ey never affects their heart who can see such reproofs of God yet never tremble It is said in the Law of Moses that punishment should be openly executed upon the presumptuous sinner Deut. 17.13 that all the people should heare and feare and doe no more presumptuously if all upon the hearing should feare and feare so as to
God made two great lights the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night he made the starres also and God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth God in Creation did with the light as he did with the waters which being made were divided the waters above the firmament were divided from the waters under the firmament and the waters under the heaven he gathered together into one place Gen. 1.9 God prepared a certaine great vessell into which the waters were called and gathered that they should not spread over the earth as they did at first which gathering together of the waters God called Seas Gen. 1.10 Thus the light which was spread and scattered through the ayre over all the earth God gathered into severall vessells Pulchritudo es ornamenta coeloruÌ„ stellae sunt sicut terrae animantia et plantae Sanct and the gathering together of light he called Sunne Moone Starrs which are as Job here calleth them the garnishing of the heavens Moses epitomiseth or briefly summs up his larger narrative of the Creation in these words Gen 2.1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them that is they were finished not onely as to their essentials but ornamentalls not only was the foundation layd the walls and pillars the beames and rafters of that goodly structure set up and perfected but all the furniture of it was brought in and the beautyes of it compleated Now as gemms minerals plants trees and all living creatures are the Garnishing of the Earth and the host of God there so the Sunne Moone and Starrs are the garnishing of heaven and the host of God there David speaketh of these distinctly Psal 33.6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth All creatures whether placed in heaven or earth are for their number their strength their order their readynes at a call or command the host of God Earthly Princes shew their power in their hosts and armyes of what power God is both his acts and his hosts aboundantly declare And as these creatures are the armyes or host of God in heaven and earth so they are the Adornings and Garnishings of heaven and earth Job in this place speaketh onely of the former By his Spirit he hath Garnished the Heavens Onely here take notice that some expound the word Spirit for the winde which bloweth in the ayre and so render the text thus By his winde hee garnisheth the heavens As if this were Jobs meaning that God sending forth the windes dispelleth and scattereth those clouds foggs and mists which often cover the face of the heavens and hinder our beholding their glory and garnishings According to this interpretation the garnishing of the heavens is nothing else but the removing of that which obscureth the Garnishing of them And it is true that when the heavens are maskt over with clouds and darknesse God by the winds cleareth the ayre and so reneweth the face of those heavenly bodyes But I passe by this and shall onely insist upon the former exposition of these words as being more sutable with Jobs scope and more expressive of the power and Glory of God in the great things which he hath wrought for us By his Spirit hee garnisheth the heavens Hence learne First We ought joyntly to acknowledge and give glory to the Father Son and Spirit in the worke of Creation Solomon in his advice to the young man sayth Eccl 12.1 Remember thy creators in the dayes of thy youth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 creatorum tuorum Mysterâ—um Sanctae Trinitatis Pisc Wee translate in the singular number creator but the Hebrew is plural Creators intimating the mystery of the Holy Trinity as Moses also is conceaved to doe in that plural expression Gen 1.26 And God sayd let us make man in our image after our likenes And though this be added in a way of Eminency when the particular creation of man is set downe yet we are to understand it so generally of the whole worke of Creation and as of the worke of Creation so of all other divine workes towards the creature Redemption is the worke of the Father and of the Spirit as wel as of the Son and sanctification is the worke of the Father and of the Son as wel as of the Spirit The three persons worke together onely they have a distinct manner of working according to which each worke is chiefely attributed to that person and so creation is specially appropriated to the Father Redemption to the Son and Sanctification to the Holy Ghost Seing then all Three worke together in all things towards us All three ought to be equally and eternally honoured worshipped loved and obeyed by us By his Spirit he hath garnished the Heavens Secondly Observe The heavens are full of beauty God hath not onely made them but adorn'd them What a rich and Royall Canopy hath God hung over the heads of poore wormes dust and ashes God did not thinke it enough to give us a house unlesse he gave us also a pleasant house he was not satisfied in setting up a large fabricke for us unlesse he also furnished and garnished it for us God hath made the world not onely usefull but contentfull to us he hath fitted it not onely for our necessity but delight The earth is beautifull but the heavens exceed in beauty The heavens are the Ceiling of our house and the Starres are like Golden studs and sparkling Diamonds in that Ceiling We may inferre three things from the Garnishing of these heavens First If the heavens which we see are so glorious what are the heavens which no eye hath seene If God hath thus discernably adorned the first and second heavens how unconceaveable are the ornaments of the third heavens If nature hath so much beauty in it how beâ—utifull a thing is Glory If God hath prepared such heavens as our eyes see for those who hate him then surely eye hath not seene eare hath not heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man to understand what those heavens are which God hath prepared for them and for them alone who love him The light of these visible heavens is but darkenes to that inheritance of the Saints in light The Moone-light if I may so speake of that state shall be better and more illustrious then the Sun-light of this and the light of the Sunne shall be sevenfold as the light of seven dayes in that Great day when the Lord shall perfectly bind up All the breaches of his people and heale the stroake of their wound God who by his Spirit hath garnished these heavens will be himselfe with his Son and Spirit the eternal Garnishing of those heavens Secondly Seing God hath been so bountifull and munificent as to Garnish the heavens for us even for us by his Spirit seing he hath provided such
a house for the comfort of our lives here who never deserved the meanest cottage how should we pray that he would Garnish our soules by the Spirit as a heaven for himselfe to dwell in or as the Apostle speakes Eph. 2.22 That we may be builded for an habitation of God through the Spirit God hath two houses an upper house and a lower house The heaven of heavens is his upper house and the heaven of an holy and humble heart is his lower God is every where but he dwelleth no where but in a heaven He dwelleth not in the heart of any man till that be made a heaven and that a heaven Garnished by the Spirit As the Sunne Moone and Starres are the garnishing of the naturall heaven so holy knowledge and the graces faith hope and love are the Garnishing of those spirituall heavens the hearts of the sons of men And untill their hearts be thus garnished they are not an heaven for God but a hell or habitation for the devill and he puts furniture and garnishings into them sutable to himselfe and fitting his owne entertainement We read in the Gospel Math 12.43 44. That when the uncleane Spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest and findeth none Then he saith I will returne into my house from whence I came out and when he is come he findeth it empty swept and garnished Lusts and corruptions unbeliefe pride wrath envy these are the Garnishings of Satans house And as he delighteth most to dwel there where he findeth most of these Garnishings so God delighteth most to dwel in that soule which is most Garnished with grace Then pray and pray earnestly that God who hath garnished the heavens by his Spirit for our use would also garnish our hearts by his Spirit for his owne use Thirdly As this should provoke us to pray that our hearts may be garnished as a house of delight that God may dwel in us So it should provoke us to garnish our lives that God may be honoured by us And as God hath not onely made a good world for us as to the matter but made it pleasant and adorn'd it for us so we should strive not onely to doe that which is good for the matter but to put ornaments upon it and make it pleasant to our utmost in the eyes of God We should garnish our workes as God hath garnished his God hath as it were polisht and engraven his workes for us by exquisite art and skill so that the workmanship is better then the matter and shall we satisfie our selves if we doe that which is good for the matter though we bestow no cost no holy skill and workmanship upon it shall we serve God onely with plaine worke when we see how curious and elaborate his workes are I grant plaine worke is best and most pleasing to God as plainenes is opposed to hypocrisie but plaine worke is not best as plainenes is opposed to exactnes God loves to see some lace and trimming in sincerity upon what we doe that is it pleaseth him when he seeth that we do our best and that we not onely doe good but garnish to his prayse the good we doe he would have us not onely walke in the truth but honour the truth by our walkings He would have us not onely obey the doctrine but as the Apostle speakes Tit 2.10 Adorne the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things or to use Jobs language Garnish it as he by his Spirit hath garnished the heavens And his hand hath formed the crooked Serpent His hand that is his power hands are ascribed to God in a figure or in allusion to men who doe all their externall workes by their hands The hand is a noble and most serviceable Organ or Instrument and therefore the Great things which God hath done especially the heavens are called the worke of his hands and his handy-worke Psal 19.1 yea the heavens are called the worke of his fingers Psal 8.3 Which notes I conceave the exactnes and curiosity of the worke for such are those things which are wrought by the fingers God being a Spirit invisible and incorporal hath no formal hands but he hath a vertuall hand That Executive power by which he performeth and bringeth about his will in every thing is his hand This hand Hath formed the crooked Serpent There are severall opinions about this crooked Serpent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Serpentem vectem Pagn Serpentem fugacem Mont Serpentem oblongum Jun who or what it should be that Job here meaneth The Hebrew is The Sepent the barre That is The serpent which is like a barre or bolt of iron Some render the flying or running serpent because as the bolt or barre of a doore runneth from side to side so that from place to place Mr Broughton translates the long serpent But what is this serpent Divers interpretens connect the sence of these words with the former part of the verse and so place this crooked serpent in the heavens as belonging to the Garnishing of them or as if Job were giving a particular instance of what God hath done towards the garnishing of the heavens His hand hath formed the crooked serpent By which they understand the coelestiall circles or spheares which are wrapt and involved one within another as a serpent wrappeth or twineth himselfe in several rounds Another following the same sence expoundeth it of that which Astronomers call the milkey way which is a beauty in heaven It being as it were the coalition of a number of little starrs Vatablus viam lacteam intelligit which because they looke white and milkish are therefore called the milkey way Which also hath somewhat of the forme of a serpent as is evident to the eye of any diligent observer A third keeping still to that sence expoundeth it yet more particularly of that speciall constellation in the heavens knowne among Astronomers by the name of the dragon or serpent Which is supposed to be spoken of here by Job synecdochically putting a part for the whole or one for all the other Constellations with which the heavens are garnished As if it had been sayd His hand hath formed the crooked serpent that is all the Starres in their severall shapes and configurations among which one representeth the forme of a Lion another of a Beare another of a Ram and among many others one appeareth in the forme of a Dragon or Crooked Serpent shooting himselfe forth or forward like the bolt of a doore I finde a fourth sort who though they keepe the crooked serpent of the Text still in the heavens yet they bring it downe to a lower heaven that is from the starry heaven or from that heaven which is the Subject of the Starres to the ayery heaven which is the subject or shop in which the meteors of all sorts are bred and formed and among them there is a meteor called by Naturalists the flying serpent As
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
AN EXPOSITION WITH Practicall Observations CONTINUED UPON The Twenty-second Twenty-third Twenty-fourth Twenty-fifth and Twenty-sixth Chapters of the Book of JOB BEING The Summe of Thirty-seven Lectures delivered at Magnus near LONDON Bridge By JOSEPH CARYL Preacher of the Word and Pastour of the Congregation there ISAYAH 40.8 The Grasse withereth the flower fadeth But the word of Our God shall stand for ever LONDON Printed by M. Simmons and are to be sould at her house in Aldersgate-streete the next dore to the Gilded Lyon 1655. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER TO Those especially of this CITIE who yet continue to promote this WORKE AS the Apostle Peter writing to all the Saints sayd This second Epistle so I may say and have learned I hope to say it without boasting or comparing This seventh Epistle Beloved I now write unto you in all which my desire is to stirre up your pure minds by way of remembrance that ye may be mindfull of the words which were spoken and of the troubles which were endured before by this Great Example of suffering Holy and patient Job And though seven being a perfect number might hint me a fayre pretence to sit downe and doe no more yet I am further from thinking what I have done perfect then I am from desisting in reference to my owne intention to perfect according to that measure of light which shall be given in what is yet to doe 'T is A General mercy that in an Age wherein the sword hath been called out to doe and hath done so much there hath been not only leysure but encouragement for The pen to doe this litle And 't is your speciall honour who still promote this or any worke of this kinde that while ye have been engaged in so great a charge for the maintaining of a Warre and the preserving of peace ye have not excused your selves in this poynt of charge And possibly it will be no dishonour to this Age in future Ages nor to This Nation in Forraine Nations to see or heare that our spirits have neyther been hurried nor skarred by warres and changes into an indisposition or incomposednes for workes of such seriousnes and retirement What Daniel prophecyed of the building of the Wall of Jerusalem whether literal or mysticall is true of this Paper-wall which is no stranger to Jerusalem it hath been built in Troublous Times Eccept the Lord build both house and wall they labour in vaine that build in calmest times and where the Lord buildeth though by weake and unskillfull hands labour shall not be vaine in stormy times it shall neyther be labour in vaine because unfinisht for use nor shall it be labour in vaine because unvsefull when 't is finisht The blessing of God and without that nothing can delivereth all our honest labours from these two vanities and his bounty delivereth them from a Third For while we are stedfast and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord as we may have a strong confidence that our labour shall not be in vaine to others so a full assurance that it shall not be in vaine to our selves Plaine-hearted Jacob labouring in the integrity of his soule for Laban onely in keeping sheepe though his wages as envying that he thrived so fast was changed ten times yet he thrived the faster and he who came over Jordan with his staffe became two bands To be sure we can never want eyther pay or reward for that worke which is a reward and can pay it selfe And though I know and cannot but thankefully acknowledge Honored Sirs that this long continued worke hath been an occasion of Considerable expence to you yet I much beleeve that it will not prove any thing of losse to any of you There is saith Solomon that scattereth and yet increaseth and there is that withholdeth more then is meete and it tendeth to poverty They that scatter to doe good sow what they scatter and that which is sowne in a right soyle increaseth to a harvest They that withhold what they have more then is meete shall not hold what they have but meete with poverty As that which is given in charity for the releife of the poore so that which is given in a due tempered liberality for the use of the publicke is lent to the Lord and he will surely repay all that he hath borrowed Therefore give a portion to seven and also to eight whether indigent persons or pious uses for ye know not what evill shall be upon the earth If evill come upon the earth they will be found the best husbands of their goods who have layd up most in heaven and if good continue upon the earth they will not finde any misse of what is so layd up I write this not as eyther fearing an abatement of my owne private interest nor as hoping or looking after an increase of it but only as a gratefull testimony of what ye have freely done for the carrying on of this worke and as an argument that in so doing ye have not done eyther unwisely or unprofitably for your selves As for this peice of the worke now given in to your hands and published to the view of others I shall only say That herein ye have an end of the Controversall or disputative part of this Booke Jobs friends have now finisht their last reply upon him and Job hath finisht his last answer to them For though he continueth speaking five whole Chapters longer yet he speaketh rather to the generall state of the Question then to any of their particular objections as may appeare hereafter if God give leave in the Explication of that large and patheticall discourse And it was well that his Opponents would make an End somewhere and leave what they had offered to the judgement of equall and indifferent moderators Which may be a just rebuke upon many in this Age who will dispute and draw the saw of contention everlastingly as if they thought it a dishonour when they have sayd all to say no more or were resolved never to be satisfyed how much or how often so ever they have been answered Moderate and modest disputing tends to healing but the itch of disputing which an Honourable and learned Knight deceased would have engraven upon his Tombe-stone leaves nothing but a scabby soarenes upon the minds of men and doth rather widen differences then compose them Abner eyther grieved or wearyed with the tedious protraction of a civill warre called to Joab Captaine Generall of Davids Army shall the sword devoure for ever knowest thou not that it will be bitternes in the end how long shall it be ere thou bid the people returne from following their brethren We have but too much cause to call and cry upon some Leaders in the Scholasticall Warre Shall your tongues and pens devoure for ever know ye not that it is unpleasant to many in the way and is like to be bitternes to more in the end When will ye returne from following your Brethren
by that brother alone whom he hath offended secondly by him and two more associated as witnesses thirdly then by the Church gathered in the name of Christ Matth. 18.16 17. But if be will not heare thee then take one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established and if he shall neglect to heare them tell it to the Church but if he neglect to heare the Church let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publicane It is dangerous enough to sin against a rule but t is more dangerous to sin against a reproofe especially against the reproofe of a whole Church Fourthly When we sinne in the sight of judgements upon our selves or others whether for the same or other sinnes This is as if a theife should steale before the Judge or under the gibbet while he seeth others arraigned or executed for stealing It is very evill to sin against judgements threatned but it is far worse to sin against Judgements executed That wrath which is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousnesse to the eare in the word of God should stop us from sin much more that which is revealed to the eye in the workes of God Fiftly When we sinne against our owne promises not to sinne when our owne words condemne us as well as the word of God this staynes every sinne with a double guilt Sixtly The greatening of a sinne is from the repeating of it after it hath been repented of To fall into any sinne out of which we have risen makes our fall the more grievous when a sinner lickes up his owne vomit when he builds againe the things which he had destroyed he makes himselfe a transgressor indeed They who repent not cannot expect mercy what remaines then for them but a certain fearefull expectation of Judgement who repent of their repentings Seventhly Sin is greatly encreased when acted with deliberation to be hurried into a sinne though great is not so great as to doe a lesse evill consultively or to advise upon it and doe it some sinne for want of advice many sinne against advice and not a few sin with advice that is advisedly T is hard to finde out a way to give them comfort who sinne with counsell They who are wise to doe evill or who doe evill as a piece of their wisdome such every deliberate action is esteemed to be will be found the greatest fooles All sin is folly but those sins have most of the foole in them which we thinke we doe wisely In all these cases we may well say to any man as Eliphaz here to Job Is not thy wickednesse great And thine iniquitie infinite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perversitas non finis iniquitatibus tuis Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70. Rebellio aeterna Vatabl. The word which we translate iniquitie implyeth perversenesse or frowardnesse in sinning Is not thine iniquity infinite The Hebrew is There is no end to thy iniquity or thou dost commit iniquity without end The Septuagint render it thus Are not thy iniquities so many that they cannot be numbred are they not innumerable Another thus Is not thy rebellion eternall And so the sence reacheth eyther the multiplication of acts or the continuation of time Our reading is comprehensive of both Is not thine iniquity infinite But how could Eliphaz make such a supposition as this seeing there is nothing infinite but God and it is altogether impossible that there should be two infinites The heavens cannot hold two Sunnes much lesse can the world hold two infinites God is The onely Infinite therefore sinne is not infinite as God is infinite First that is infinite which is without end secondly that is infinite which is without bound in both God is infinite As he had no beginning so he shall have no end or period of his being He is infinite in reference to duration or time and he is infinite in reference to place or extent He fills heaven and earth and the heaven of heavens cannot containe him The Hebrew phrase in the Text without end answers our translation infinite for infinite is that which hath no bounds or end So then in a strict and proper sence there is nothing infinite but God And infinity runneth through all the titles of God he is infinite in power infinite in wisdome justice righteousnesse and mercy It remaines then to be further considered how we may understand this question Is not thine iniquitie infinite I answer sin is not infinite properly yet in a vulgar sence sinne may be called infinite for according to common acception we call that infinite which is very great or which exceeds all ordinary bounds though not all bounds onely that is properly infinite which exceeds all bounds but we usually say that is infinite which exceeds ordinary bounds Thus some mens sins onely are infinite For though every sin be a breaking of the bounds which God hath set us eyther in excesse or in defect yet they who sin after a common rate or proportion of sinning may be said to keepe their bounds in sinning For what the Apostle speakes of some tryalls and Temptations 1 Cor. 10.13 the same may be said of some sinnes and transgressions that they are common to man But they who sin as the Prophet speakes with a high hand or with both hands greedily they who draw iniquitie with coards of vanitie and sin as i◠were with cart-ropes these doe not onely breake the everlasting bounds of the Law but the ordinary bounds of sin Their sins are not common in the act though the principle be to man They sin as few men ever sinned they sin like devills rather then like men and therefore under this notion their sin is deservedly called infinite Secondly We may say that sin hath an infinitenesse in it in reference to the object God and so not onely a great sin and many sins but small sinnes or any one sinne may be said to have an infinitenesse in it because it is committed against an infinite God And hence it is that nothing can expiate sinne but what hath an infinitenesse in it the least sin calls for the bloud of Christ to take it away which bloud hath a kinde of infinity in it for though the sufferings and bloud of Christ were not properly infinite because they were the sufferings of the humane nature yet the divine nature shed forth an infinite worth and value upon his sufferings and therefore we are sayd to be redeemed or purchased by the bloud of God Act. 20.28 that is by the bloud of that person who is God though the humane nature onely was capable of having bloud shed Thus we may say that the least sin with respect to the object is infinite God himselfe being offended and wronged by every sin Thirdly As this infinitenesse may be considered in reference to the extent of any one sinne that reaching as high as God so to the number or rather to the
by what title soever that right ariseth is to oppresse him Nor is it enough to give them good words which yet is more then some will give unlesse we doe them good Jam. 2.15 16. If a Brother or a Sister be naked and destitute of dayly food and one of you say unto them depart in peace be warmed and filled yet notwithstanding yee give them not those things which are needfull to the body what doth it profit Though you give them good words yet if you give them no supply what doth it profit Wee may understand it two wayes First What doth it profit the poore Can they feed upon your good words or will your good words cloath them what doth it profit them if yee say be fed and be cloathed if you give them neyther food nor rayment Secondly What profit is it to you who say so will God take it well at your hands that you have spoken kindly to the poore when you did them no kindnesse therefore withhold not thy hand c. And if it be so great a sin to withhold our bread from the hungry what is it to take their bread from them Eliphaz having thus taxed Job with neglect of the poore he proceeds in the next verse to taxe him with an undue and partiall respect to the rich As he was rigid to to them who had nothing so he was indulgent to those who had enough if not more then enough before Vers 8. But as for the mighty man he had the Earth and the honourable man dwelt in it There is a twofold Interpretation of these words Some understand them so as if this mighty man here meant had been Job himselfe and then the sence is thus rendred All these evills were done by thee and these good things not done when thou wast a man in power and so hadst no need to doe any such evill and hadst power enough in thy hand to doe good Infortitudine brachij tui possidebas terram et potentissimus obtinebas eam Vulg. The Vulgar translation reads it according to this Exposition personally of Job In thy might thou didst possesse the Earth and beeing most powerfull thou didst dwell in it That is thou wast a man in power thou hadst all in thy hand thou hadst water and bread enough when the poor wanted it thou canst not say that thou wast necessitated to keepe the pledge or strip the naked but thou in thy greatnesse and might didst oppresse them this interpretation though I assent not to it aggravates his sin exceedingly for the more power any one hath in his hand the greater is his sin as in the Evill which he doth so in the good which he doth not or leaves undone yea it may be sayd that wee doe evill more then they who doe it when wee have power in our hand to hinder them from doing it and doe not But secondly take the words as they import the partiality of Job The mighty man had the Earth thou hast been over-kinde and favourable to him how hard or churlish soever thou hast been to others The mighty man The Hebrew is The man of arme and it is usuall in Scripture to call a strong man a mighty man Vir brachij est vir dignilate opibus authoritate potens Bold or a man in Authority a man of arme Ezek. 22.6 Behold the Princes of Israel Every one of them were in thee to their power to shed bloud The Hebrew is they were to their arme that is as farre as they could reach forth their arme or to the utmost of their power to shed bloud that is to doe mischiefe and wrong to afflict and vexe others even unto death or the shedding of their bloud They who are evill know not how to bound themselves in doing evill if they want not power they seldome want will to doe it more and more Thus the Prophet reproves that perverse generation Behold thou hast spoken and done evill as thou couldest Jer. 3.5 That is to the utmost Extension of thy ability and opportunitâ— As those Princes shed bloud to their arme or as farre as they could reach out their power So did this people And as the power of man so the power of God is Exprest by his arme Job 40.9 Hast thou an arme like God Canst thou thunder like him That is hast thou power like God Esa 30.30 The Lord shall cause his glorious voyce to be heard and shall shew the lighting downe of his arme with the Indignation of his anger and with the flame of a devouring fire The revenging power of God like a bird of prey hovers over the heads of wicked men but at lâ—st it lights downe and as the word rather signifies rests upon them Againe Some understand here by the arme of the wicked man those who are his Instruments those who serve him or whom he uses to supplant or suppress others and reach his owne ends by Such may well be called the armes of mighty men the armes of the men of the Earth Evill men have their seconds or Instruments to doe evill Upon this Consideration it was said anciently An nescis longas regibus esse inanus Doe not you know that Princes have long armes the meaning is they have Agents and Servants in the severall parts of their Dominions who are their hands or armes both for protection of those who are peaceable and to take revenge upon the rebellious Wee commonly say of a Servant that is discreet and faithfull hee is his Masters right hand The mighty have many helpers many armes and hands to carry on their designes and to doe their wills As for the mighty man or the man of armes he had the Earth This stands in opposition to what was spoken before the poore man could not get a drop of water nor a crust of bread but the mighty man he had the Earth As if he had said O Job thou being in power didst passe away great possessions to the mighty thou gavest both thy sentence and assistance that they should have the Earth but thou wouldest not helpe the poore so much as to a piece of bread or a cup of water The mighty man had the Earth hee speakes Indefinitely as if all the Earth were his Wicked men are called men of the Earth Psal 10.18 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed that the men of the Earth may no more oppresse But it may be objected Is not every man a man of the Earth As Adam the first man was of the Earth Earthy so all men are of the Earth Earthy why then is it then sayd of a wicked man that he is a man of the Earth as if any man were of another Pedigree or extraction I answer A man of the Earth is put in opposition to a man of Heaven to a man that hath his Estate or hope or portion in Heaven the Saints have their Conversation in Heaven and though they live upon the Earth yet they are
Chapter wee have found Eliphaz charging Job with those hainous crimes injustice and uncharitablenesse towards man in these three verses he proceeds to charge him with a higher crime even irreligiousnesse and impiety against God as if at least Job doubted if not denied the providence of God about what is done here below or affirmed that he neither rewarded the righteous according to their good nor punisheth the wicked according to the evill which they have done That 's the scope of this context in which wee may observe First A twofold truth held forth Secondly A wrong suggestion of two errors as arising from those truths Thirdly An indeavour to prove and make good what he had wrongfully suggested The two truths are contained in the 12th verse first God is in the height of heaven secondly The Stars are very high these are cleare truths from these Eliphaz makes a wrong suggestion as if Job upon those grounds of Gods being in the height of heaven c. had pleased himselfe with this conceit that God could not at such a distance take notice of what passeth among or is acted by men in this inferior world Ver. 13. And thou sayest how doth God know can he judge through the dark cloud As if he had sayd God being in the height of heaven cannot know much lesse judge concerning the state of things here below Why what should hinder Hee tells us what in the 14th verse where which was the third thing he endeavours to prove his suggestion Thick clouds are a covering to him that he seeth not that 's the first proofe and then we have a second in the latter end of that verse God hath other things to doe then to minde what is done here he hath higher businesses and imployments then to look upon us who are creeping upon mole-hills and engaged about a heape of earth for he walketh in the circuit of heaven that is there lieth his great worke he hath enough in a nobler Spheare to imploy himselfe in and therefore surely thou thinkest that God takes no care at all or not such speciall care about the affayres and wayes of men This is the summe and scope of these three verses They are a new charge of impiety upon Job as shutting up or restraining the providence of God to the things of heaven alone and we see how Eliphaz frames arguments and proofes of the point for Job which as will appeare afterwards never came into his heart Now though Eliphaz misapplyed all this to Job yet herein he fully characters clearly paints out the spirit of carnal men for such secure themselves in their evill wayes upon this presumption that God takes no notice of them or that he hath something else to do then to trouble himselfe with what they are doing Ver. 12. Is not God in the height of heaven Nonne deus sublimior est coelo Pagni Nonne deus coelum alium tenet Tygur Nonne deus in sublimitate coelorum Mont Deus sublimitas coelorum Hebr There are divers readings of these words first thus Is not God higher then the heavens A second thus Doth not God possesse the high heaven The Originall may strictly be renderd God the height of heaven that is God is above all heavens we render well God is in the height or sublimitie of heaven This Question Is not God in the height of heaven is taken three wayes First Some read it as an Exhortation given by Eliphaz to Job to draw off the motion of his thoughts most of all the setled bent of his heart from those inferior things his losses troubles his sorrows paines and sicknesses he would divert his minde from these worldly sorrows and raise it up to heavenly enjoyments Is not God in heaven As if he had sayd Why standest thou poring upon things below Why dwellest thou so much upon thy dunghill and thy present poverty God is in the height of heaven consider him there This is both a safe and a very spirituall way to ease our minds of all the troubles and sorrowes which we meete with in this world could we but ascend in Spirit to the height where God is could we by an eye of faith looke to him live upon him and in him all burdens would be light and pressures easie to us Secondly This question may be taken as a plaine assertion or affirmation and it is of the same value signification with this God is in the height of heaven there he is and from thence he beholds all the children of men their wayes and workes Thirdly Is not God in the height of heaven May be understood not as the question of Eliphaz and so his affirmation but as the question of Job and so his supposition As if Eliphaz apprehended Job thus speaking in his heart Annon deus est inquis in altitudine coeli Jun. Is not God sayest thou in the height of heaven or doest not thou O Job say thus God is in the height of heaven I grant that he is there but I deny that he is there in thy sence or according to thy opinion He is not concluded or shut up there he is not so in the height of heaven but that he mindeth what is done upon the earth yea in the very depths of hell As if he had sayd Thy thoughts and conceptions of God are too strait and narrow Thou speakest much below God while thou sayest he is in the hight of heaven While thou confinest God to heaven thou makest him like thy selfe on earth From these words in the two former Expositions Observe That the hight of heaven or heaven above is the place of Gods speciall residence Heaven is my throne sayth the Lord Isa 66.1 the throne is the seate of a Prince there he declares his power and his state his glory shines from his throne A Prince looks like a common man when he is abroad in the world but when upon his throne then the rayes of Majesty break forth and he appeares as he is Thus the holy Prophet begs a gratious look of the Lord from heaven Isa 63.15 Looke downe from heaven the habitation of thy holinesse and of thy glory Heaven is called the habitation of Gods holinesse and of his glory because his holinesse and glory shine forth more in heaven then upon the earth little of the holinesse of God is discovered to us here though so much of it breaks forth here as causeth the heart of carnal men to quarrell with it continually Nor are any able with these eyes or rather with these hearts to beare the glory of God or endure his holines When but some extraordinary glimpses of these appeared to Esayah he cryed out Wo is me I am undone or cut off because I am a man of uncleane lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of uncleane lips for mine eyes have seene the King the Lord of Hâ—sts Isa 6.5 As God is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity 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
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
of thick clouds seclude his sight Nor is this the onely reason why thou art overcome with this ignorant perswasion Thou hast a second which though possibly thou wouldest conceale yet will not I and this is it Thou also sayest He walketh in the circuit of heaven As if thou hadst sayd suppose God can see through the thick cloud and so my former reason should fayle yet I know well enough that the Great God of heaven hath other matters to meddle with other affaires to busie himselfe about then to trouble himselfe with me He walketh in the circuit of heaven we are not to take walking as a meere motion but as walking notes imployment he walkes in the circuit of heaven that is he is wholly taken up there When the Lord asked of Satan Whence comest thou he answered Hoc verbo videtur connotari studium inquirendi Pisc From going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and downe in it Now what doth Satan when he walks up and downe the world doth he walke like an idle vagrant that hath nothing to doe doth he walke with his hands in his pockets as having no businesse doth he walke meerly to take the aire or to take his pleasure to see and be seene no when Satan walks about the world his walking is working he goeth about to tempt to try to lay snares and baits to catch and captivate the soules of men So here when it is sayd God walketh in the circuit of heaven the meaning is his businesse yea even his whole busines lyes there He hath enough to doe in heaven and therefore hath no leysure to attend what is done on earth That 's the scope and tendency of these words which Eliphaz fastens upon Job He walketh in the circuit of heaven We are sure enough of him The words carry the same sence with that speech of the whorish woman Pro. 7.18 19 20. Come saith shee let us take our fill of love till the morning let us solace our selves with loves But the young man might possibly object your husband will come home and that will spoyle all No saith she never feare it he is farre enough out of the way The good man is not at home he is gone a long journey He hath taken a bag of money with him and will come home at the day appointed That is he will not come home till the day appointed he hath great busines abroad and he hath carried money enough with him to beare his charges till he hath don his busines He is riding and running in a farre Country and minds not home nor hath he the least suspition of what we doe at home Thus when the sinner is about to depart farre from his duty he puts or conceives God farre from him He walketh in the Circuit of heaven From the Generall scope of Eliphaz in the 13th and 14th verses Observe First Carnal men frame conceptions of God like themselves Thus the hypocrite is described Psal 50.21 Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy selfe Not that he thought God was a man but that God had such thoughts of good and evill as man hath As if what is right in mans eyes were so in the eyes of God also or as if what did not displease man were pleasing or not much displeasing unto God When the Lord sayth Esay 55.8 My thoughts are not your thoughts nor your wayes my wayes he doth plainly intimate that they did begin to frame thoughts of God like their owne but saith God as the heavens are higher then the earth so are my thoughts then your thoughts and my wayes then your wayes That is as my thoughts have a vastnes in them to all things beyond yours so especially in this thing the performance of my promise for the pardon of sinne O how unlike is God to man in this God is not more unlike man in his absolute freedome from the least inclination to commit any the least sin then he is in the admirable freenes of his inclination to pardon any even the greatest sinne Men are commonly not onely unmercifull to those who wrong them but revengefull and when once offended are hardly drawne to a reconcilement and seldome so fully reconciled but that somwhat of offence stayeth behinde But the thoughts of God are not so He is slow to wrath and ready to forgive He quickly pardons the offence and receives the offender into favour no more retaining the memory of his offence as to his hurt then if he had never offended Thus the Lord would assure sinners that his thoughts in pardoning sinne are not as theirs And it is but need he should doe so For when sinners begin to be awakened they frame such thoughts of God as to pardon of sin as they have in themselves when they looke upon their sinnes as too bigg to be pardoned by man they conclude presently the Lord cannot or will not pardon them And as many under temptation frame thoughts of God like their owne about the pardon of sinne so it is the constant course of wicked men which is indeed the worst of their sinnes to frame thoughts of God like unto themselves while they commit and continue in sinne Man should not dare to Imagine any thing of God in reference eyther to his justice or mercy eyther about the punishing or pardoning of sinne but what he hath declared of himselfe all that wee Imagine beside that is the making of another God There are many false gods made with mens hands but the hearts of men make many more The heart of man makes thousands of false or strange gods Every undue every wrong Imagination of God is the forming up of a strange of a new god When we ascribe to God such a kinde of power such a kinde of knowledge such a kinde of holines such a kinde of justice such a kinde of mercy as is common to the creature in all this wee frame up a new god to our selves And thus those Gentiles of whom the Apostle speaks Rom. 1.21 25. Became vaine in their Imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened in what was their foolish heart darkened in false notions of God therefore they are said ver 29. to change the glory of the Incorruptible God into an Image made like to Corruptible man and to birds foure-footed beasts and creeping things Now as there is the changing of the glory of the Incorruptible God into the Image of a Corruptible man that is into the Externall Image of a Corruptible man for some set up false gods in the likenes of men So there is a Changing of the glory of the Incorruptible God into the Internall Image of a Corruptible man that is into such thoughts and Conceptions as are ordinarily in men Let such consider that if to make a worship of our owne for the true God be indeed to set up a false god all they worship false gods who set up a strange worship for the
true God now I say if they who do but set up a new worship for the true God make a strange God what then doe they who in their hearts set up a new God that is who frame Conceptions of God which himselfe never gave ground for in his word Such was the Conceit which Eliphaz had of Job when he presumes him saying How doth God know Can he judge through the dark cloud Secondly From the particular misapprehension of God imposed by Eliphaz upon Job And thou sayest How doth God know c. Observe Sinfull men fancie to themselves that God eyther doth not or cannot take notice of them in their sinfull wayes Thus they reason Can he see thorow the dark Cloud and conclude Thick Clouds are a Covering to him that he seeth not and he walketh in the Circuit of heaven What Eliphaz layes to Jobes charge falsely is often charged by the Holy Ghost upon wicked men truely Psal 10.11 Hee hath said in his heart God hath forgotten he hides his face he will never see it Who this He is whose heart speakes this language appeares clearely in the former part of the Psalme where he is more then once called The wicked ver 2 3. and where more then one of his wickednesses are described ver 7 8 9 10. His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud under his tongue is mischiefe and vanity he sitteth in the lurking places of the villages in the secret places doth he murder the innocent c. After all this he sayth in his heart God hath forgotten that is he hath forgotten the poore whom I have under my power therefore I may safely oppresse them He hideth his face he will never see it that is God will never take any knowledge either of my doings or of their sufferings We have a sample of the same impiety Psal 73.11 And they say how doth God know and is there knowledge in the most high behold these are the ungodly in the world c. And againe Psal 94.6 ver They slay the widdow and stranger and murther the fatherlesse here are their workes of darknesse yet they say the Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Jacob regard Not onely did they presume that the Lord did not see but that he should not The Lord shall not see As if they could stop or blinde the eyes of God as easily as they had blinded their owne Consciences Take one Instance further Ezek. 8.12 Then said he unto mee Sonne of man Seest thou what they doe hast thou seene what the Ancients of the house of Israell doe in the darke Every man in the Chambers of his Imagery for they say the Lord seeth us not he hath forsaken the Earth Much like the language here He walketh in the Circuit of heaven hee hath other busines to doe then to minde us As God is sometimes sayd to forsake the Earth in wrath to punish the sin of Man so wicked men say he alwayes forsakes the Earth in neglect both of their sin and punishment And as Idolaters who have a minde to other gods are willing to beleeve that God hath forsaken the earth as to the protection of them Wee say they are in danger God takes no care of us therefore blame us not if we betake our selves to other Gods for protection If he had not forsaken us we had not forsaken him So all sorts of resolved transgressors who have a minde to any sinfull way are willing to beleeve that God hath forsaken the earth as to any observation of them Wee may doe what we list for God doth not minde or regard what we are doing If we thought he did indeed see us we durst not thus sinne against him But seeing he doth not trouble himselfe with any care about us why should we trouble our selves with any feare about him Now this Presumption that God doth not see us in what we are doing opens a doore to the doing of all Evill Security from danger is the great encouragement unto sin Though wicked men would not be lesse sinfull yet they would not sin so much or be so full of sin did they not vainely flatter themselves out of the sight of God Every Man would faine beleeve that God doth not see him when he is doing that which he would not have seene or be seene in doing it And how do men please themselves in this false hope that God doth not see them when they doe that which is displeasing unto God! From the Intendment of Eliphaz to Convince Job that the Clouds are no Covering to God and that the Circuit of heaven doth not Confine him Observe Thirdly God is omniscient hee knowes all things Thou sayest thus How doth God know I tell thee God doth know And thou hast an argument upon thy backe if thou hast none in thy heart to prove it thy sence or feeling may teach thee if thy reason or understanding doe not and by thy suffering thou mayest see that God seeth what thou hast been doing This great truth That God is omniscient or knowes all may easily be knowne and ought to be beleeved by all When the Lord had made the world in six dayes Gen. 1.31 He saw all that he had made All was in view at once hee had a Prospect of the whole Creation in his eye And as all his own Creatures so all our Creatures are seene by God hee seeth all that himselfe hath made and hee seeth all that wee have made or are making day by day Gen. 6.5 God saw that the wickednes of man was great in the earth and that every thought of the Imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely evill Continually or every day The Lord saw that is the Lord knew fully infinitely more fully then we know those things which wee see every Imagination or figment of the thoughts of mans heart The figment of our thoughts is what the minde fashioneth or maketh up within it selfe by thinking corrupt nature keepes a constant mint of evill imaginations in the head as it hath a sinke of filthy affections in the heart The minde of man hath a formative faculty in it And the same word which the Holy Ghost useth to signifie the worke of God in making man Gen. 2.7 The Lord God formed man out of the dust of the earth or dust out of the earth the same word I say is used in the Noune Gen. 6.5 to signifie the imagination of man because that is alwayes shaping moulding or forming one sort of thoughts or other naturally none but ugly evill thoughts These are the creatures which man as fallen is the maker of and he maketh as I may say infinite creatures he is forming them continually in his imagination that 's the shop wherein there 's a dayly Creation such as it is of monstrous wickednesses till God by his new Creation changeth the frame and nature of it Now I say as God seeth his owne creatures so he seeth
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
in Heaven it is a Condescention in him to take notice of any creature yet he doth not onely humble himselfe to behold things in Heaven but things in the Earth and in this who is like unto the Lord our God this is his glory and for this he is to be glorified yea to be cryed up with this admiring Elogium Who is like unto the Lord our God None among the sons of men are like him in this yea there is no God like unto the Lord our God in this Wee have cause to say considering our vilenes What is man that thou shouldst take notice of him 'T is too Great an honour for man but it is no dishonour to God to take notice of the meanest man The greatnes of God appeares as in the making so in the governing and disposing of the smallest things The power of God is seene in making a fly or a worme as well as in making an Elephant or the vast Leviathan So also is his wisdome and providence seene in the observing and ordering of those businesses and motions of the creature which compared to others are but as a fly to an Elephant or but as a worme to Leviathan There is nothing doth more detract from the greatnes of God then the denyall or dis-beleefe of his cognisance of and care about little things And as it shewes the exactest perfection of holynes attaynable by man in this life when he taketh an account of and reproves himselfe for the least sins whether they be omissions of that good which he is commanded to doe or commissions of that evill which he is forbidden to doe So it is an undenyable argument of the exactly and absolutely perfect holynes justice goodnes and faithfulnes of God that he taketh an account of and will certainly reward or punish every man for the least good or evill which he hath done This is the glory of him who walketh in the circuit of heaven that he sees all to the center of the earth Eliphaz having thus detected and reproved as he thought those thoughts and assertions of Job which detracted so much from God as if he did not marke the wayes of men proceeds to put the question to him whether himselfe had well marked the wayes of wicked men JOB CHAP. 22. Vers 15 16. Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have troden Which were cut downe out of time whose foundation was overflowne with a flood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THe word translated to marke notes a diligent observation So it is used Chap. 10.14 If I sin then thou markest me that is thou takest exact or strict notice of mee and thou wilt not acquitt mee from mine Iniquity Psal 37.37 marke the perfect man Observare dei actiones imprimis ipsius judicia magna pars scinentiae est and behold the upright that is take speciall knowledge of him for the end of that man is peace Psal 107.43 who so is wise will observe or marke these things hee shall understand the loving kindnes of the Lord. So here Hast thou marked hast thou with diligence and seriousnes of spirit observed the old way which wicked men have troden Senitam saeculorum vel seculi aeternam aut aeternitatis nam ea omnia denotat vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rab Kimchi The Hebrew is The way of age the way of ages or as some read the Eternall way the way of Eternity David prayeth Psal 139.23 24. Lead me in the way everlasting that is Lead me in the way of holines and righteousnes which leads to eternity Which yet one of the Rabbins expounds as a periphrasis of death for death is called the way of all the earth 1 King 2.2 the way of all flesh Josh 23.14 As if David had sayd Lord if upon search thou findest that I walke in any way of wickednes that is of willfull sinning then destroy me lead me to my grave yea cast mee with the wicked to hell or to everlasting condemnation Master Broughton thus Hast thou marked the way of the old world But what was this way of the old world about which Eliphaz questions Job whether he had taken notice of it yea or no The way of the old world may be taken two wayes First For the way of their sinnes Secondly For the way of their punishment First Hast thou marked the old way of their sinne and the old way of their sinne may be Considered under a twofold notion First As it was the way of their opinion Secondly as it was the way of their practice Some restraine it here to the way of their opinion and Interpret Eliphaz as chiefly intendding that Hast thou observed the old way that is the old Erroneous opinions which were in the first ages of the world In those times there were not a few like thy selfe who eyther flatly denyed or belyed the providence of God who sayd as thou doest How doth God know Surely he hath forsaken the earth and intermeddles not with what is done here below Thus a learned Interpreter expounds the Text Ad eos opiniâ— haec referenda est qui vixeruÌ„t tempore diluvij censebantqueâ—ollendam providentiam Vatabl Gigantes religionis contemptores Berosus with reference to their ungodly opinion They saith he who lived in the time of the floud denyed Providence Hast thou O Job marked their opinion and Consider'd it And that this wicked Error did prevaile in those times may be Collected from what is reported by Berosus of the Giants of whom wee read in the 6th of Genesis ver 4th There were Giants in the earth in those dayes Among other of their abominations this saith he was one or this was a Chiefe one the roote or source of them all they blasphemed God and contemned Religion they thought there was no Supream Power none to whom man was accountable for any of his actions Hast thou marked this old way of Error In pursuance of which Interpretation Custodiendi verbum pro sequi exponitur Merc the words which we render Hast thou marked may be Expounded thus Hast thou taken up the old way art thou a follower of that Sect of that Tribe who have gone in that wicked way doest thou also maintaine their blasphemy that God takes no notice of man This notion holds faire with what he had said before Secondly As it may be referred to those abominable Atheisticall opinions which raigned in those times so to the wicked Practices to the old Customes and sinfull Courses which were followed in those times for where a wicked opinion is lodged in the heart what kinde of wickednes is there that they may not breake forth in the life And so here the old way is the way of sinne the corrupt Course and practices of that debauched generation especially the way of pride and ambition which appeared much in the titles given them Mighty men men of name or as we render Men of renowne They were men of honour and name
by the Holy Ghost was minded to put her away secretly and would not make her a publique example He was unwilling to bring her to justice or that others should see eyther her supposed sin or punishment But as God doth worke many glorious salvations for his people that the wicked may see it and be ashamed so he brings many visible destructions upon the wicked not onely that the righteous may see it and rejoyce or be glad which act follows next to be opened but that the wicked may see it and tremble to doe wickedly Hence observe First That the Lord sets up wicked men many times as examples of his wrathfull justice Not onely doe they feele wrath upon themselves but others see it The Lord sometimes chastens his owne people in the view of the world and sets them up as examples of his fatherly displeasure Thus Nathan speakes in the name of the Lord to David 2 Sam 12.12 Thou didst it secretly but I will doe this thing what thing I will afflict and chasten thee for this great offence before all Israel and before the Sâ—nne that is in plaine and cleare light Though thou hast done this evill in the darknes ot many close contrivances yet I will draw the curtaine and make the poenall effects of thy sinne as conspicuous as the actings of thy sin have been close and covert Againe Numb 25.4 when the people began to commit whoredome with the daughters of Moab and Israel had joynâ—d himselfe unto Baal peor so that the Anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel Then the Lord said to Moses take all the heads of the people that is the capital offenders or chiefe rulers who gave way or at best gave no stop to such wickednes and hang them up before the Lord against the Sunne that the feirce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel To hang them up before the Sunne is a phrase of speech importing the publicknes of their punishment as it is sayd of the seven Sons of Saul that they were hanged on the hill before the Lord 2 Sam. 21.9 for caution unto all whatsoever is done in the fight of all or so that all may see is sayd in the Language of the Jewes to be done before the Sunne To which sence also we may interpret that vision of the Prophet Zechariah Chap. 5 6. 9 10 11. at the 6th verse we reade of an Ephah and this lift up ver 9th between earth and heaven the Ephah was a measure of dry things among the Jewes and in that vision it signified that the sinne and punishment of the Jewes were measured and proportioned This Ephah being lifted up and carried I sayth the Prophet said whether doe these beare the Ephah ver 10. And he said unto me to build it an house in the land of Shinar and it shall be established and set there upon her owne base The building it a house in the land of Shinar that is in Babylon signified the lastingnes or continuance of their sinne in the sad consequents of it their punishment and banishment in strange lands not for the space of seventy yeares onely as by the Babylonians but as some of the Learned expound the vision for many seventyes by the Romanes and as this Ephah had a house built for it noting the setlednes and durâ—tion of the Judgement which should come upon them for their sinne so also it was set upon its own base to signifie the notoriousnes or conspicuousnes of the Judgement it being as a house set upon pillars for all to behold and take notice of as we see fullfilled to this day since the first overthrow of their estate by Titus Vespatianus and their final dispersion by Aelius Adrianus There are I grant other conceptions about that vision but as this suits wel with the poynt in hand so with the calamitous state of that people to this day And thus the Lord threatned the King of Tyrus Ezek. 28.17 Whose heart was lifted up because of his beauty and who had corrupted his wisdome by reason of his brightnesse Now what will the Lord doe what course will he take with him The next words enforme us I will cast thee to the ground and I will lay thee before Kings that they may behold thee He doth not say I will cast thee into the ground but to the ground and lay thee before Kings that is thou shalt he a spectacle for all the Kings of the Earth that they may behold as what thy pride and selfe-confidence have brought thee to so what their owne if they tread thy path eyther will or justly may bring them unto Thus also in the 7th verse of Jude Epistle the Apostle sayth that Sodome and Gomorrha and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of Eternal fire The Judgements of God are not onely punishments to them who went before but premonotions to them who come after The righteous see it and are glad Here is the effect which that sight wrought upon the righteous The eye affects the heart and the heart is affected sutably to the object eyther with joy or with sorrow The destruction of men is a sorrowfull object and therefore we might rather expect that the righteous beholding it should be affected with sorrow but the Text affirmes a direct contrary effect of this fight The righteous see it and are glad Hence observe The judgements of God upon the wicked are matter of joy to the righteous It is the duty of the Saints to mourne with them that mourne and to rejoyce with them that rejoyce Rom. 12.15 But then we must understand these mourners and rejoycers to be such as themselves are Saints must mourne with mourning Saints and rejoyce with rejoycing Saint The godly are not bound eyther to joy the joyes or sorrow the sorrowes of the wicked The judgements of God upon the wicked have a twofold effect eminently noted in Scripture First they cause feare and secondly they cause joy When exemplary justice was to be done according to the law of Moses upon presumptuous transgressours it is sayd Deut. 13.11 All Israel shall heare and feare and shall doe no more any such wickednes David Psal 64. having complained to God in prayer of the cruelty of his enemies and begged protection from their malicious practises growes up to much assurance that downe they must v. 7 8. But God shall shoot at them with an arrow suddenly shall they be wounded and then ver 9. All men shall feare and shall declare the worke of God for they shall wisely consider of his doings Thus feare is the issue of divine judgement And yet joy is the issue of them at the 10th verse of the same Psalme The righteous shall be glad in the Lord and trust in him and all the upright in heart shall glory Feare is a common effect All men shall
of God when he puts the mighty from their seates when the Oaks and the Cedars when the high walls and mountaines are shaken and removed by his blowes and batteries When Pharoah and his Egyptian hoast were drowned in the red Sea Then Moses magnified God in his power Exod. 15.2 The Lord is my strength and song that is I will sing of the strength of the Lord not of the strength of man he is my God and I will prepare him an habitation my fathers God and I will exalt him In these three attributes Justice truth and power God is honoured when the wicked are destroyed and therfore it cannot be uncomly for the Saints to rejoyce when they are destroyed The Lord by his Prophet assures the Church his Jacob that all the enemies thereof shall be scattered Is 41.15 Behold I will make thee a new sharpe threshing instrument having teeth thou shalt thresh the Nations beat them smal shalt make the hills as chaffe c. The mountains thâ—â—â—lls to be threshed were the mighty ones of the earth setting themselves against the wayes and designes of heaven The Instrument or flayle wherewith they were to be threshed was the worme Jacob ver 14. God did not so much make an Instrument for the worme Jacob as he made the worme Jacob his Instrument Behold I will make thee not for thee a new threshing Instrument But when the worme hath done this great worke when he hath threshed the mountaines and made the hills as chaffe What must he doe then The 16th verse tells Thou shalt rejoyce in the Lord Gaudebunt de eorum exitio non vindictae cupiditate sed zelo dei accensi qui hoc modo declarabit sibi curae esse res humanas Drus and shalt glory in the holy One of Israel Glorying is more then rejoycing Glorying is a kinde of rapture or extasie of the soule As there is an extasie of Infatuation so there is an extasie of Gratious admiration Fooles and madmen are besides themselves for want of reason the wisest and best of men are besides themselves through the aboundance of the Grace of God in them and the aboundance of the goodness of God towards them When the goodness of God acted mightily towards us meetes with the Grace of God acting mightily in us we are lifted up so farre out of our selves that we can see nothing in our selves and then in whom or in what can our rejoycing be but in the Lord the holy one of Israel This joy is not First the joy of the Epicure A sensuall joy in wine and belly-cheare in eating the fat and drinking the sweete in carnal merriments musicke nor is this secondly a cruel joy in the ruine and destruction of men which the Prophet rebukes Obad. v. 12. Thou shouldest not have rejoyced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction Nor is this thirdly a proud joy or a joy of ostentation when men spread their plumes and publish their owne wisdome greatnes and power nor is it fourthly a covetous joy such as theirs is who are glad because they have fill'd their purses enriched their familyes and their hand hath gotten much Nor is it lastly a secure joy because when evill men are cast downe we hope to fit warme and well safe and quiet upon their ruines But this joy consists first in high thoughts and valuations of God Whom have I in heaven but thee c. Psal 73.25 Who is like unto thee O Lord among the Gods Exod. 15.11 It consists secondly in a sweete rest or complacency in God Returne unto thy rest O my soule that is turâ—â—â—n to God live neerer him saith a Godly man to his soule a such a case Psal 116.7 This joy is the rest of the soule in God He who is rest to himselfe as God is may be so infinitely more to us Thus The righteous see it and are Glad And the innocent laugh them to scorne This heightens the sence of the former part of the verse not onely are the righteous glad when the wicked are destroyed but they laugh them to scorne The righteous in the former part of the verse are the same with the innocent here yet we may distinguish them The innocent are taken two wayes in Scripture first the innocent are they who are pure from sinne secondly the innocent are they who are pure or free from punishment or from trouble freedome from sin and freedome from trouble are so dependent upon one another that one word may well expresse both Thus the word is used 2 Sam. 14.9 The woman of Tekoah said to the king My Lord O king the iniquity be on me Innocens in Scriptura sumitur non solùm activè pro eo qui nemini nocet sed etiam passivè pro eo cuâ— nemo nocet and my fathers house and the king and his throne be guiltlesse or innocent that is free from all evill and trouble While she saith The iniquity be upon me her meaning is let the punishment of the iniquity be upon me let the king and his throne be guiltlesse let no punishment of iniquity fall eyther upon the king in person or upon his government In the same sense the word is read Exod. 19.21 If he that hath been smitten rise againe and walke abroad upon a staffe then he that smote him shall be quitt the Hebrew is then shall he be innocent that is free from punishment he shall not have any censure or judgement for it We have the like use of the word Numb 5.19 in the case of the woman suspected by her husband for disloyalty in breaking her marriage vow she being for her purgation to drinke the bitter water Innocens eris ab aquis istis amarissimis Heb. the Priest was to bespeake her in this manner If no man hath lien with thee and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanenes with another in stead of thy husband be thou free or innocent from this bitter water that causeth the curse that is let the water doe thee no harme as if he had sayd thou shalt feele no evill of paine by it if thou art not guilty of the evill of sinne Thus some expound the word here The innocent shall laugh them to scorne that is they who are free from those troubles with which the wicked are over-taken and undone those particular righteous men who escape the storme untouched laugh the wicked to scorne Many of the Hebrew writers fix upon a speciall person and by the Innocent understand Noah as if it were a report of what was done upon the old world Then the righteous that is as the Chaldee Paraphrase explaines it the sonnes of righteous Noah saw the flood and were glad Videbant filij Noë justi et laetabuntur Noe innocens subsaâ—nabit ees Targ and innocent Noah laught the prophane old world to scorne When Noah and his sonnes were building the Arke the old world in stead of
was the former promise Thou shalt be built up and all evill shall depart away from thy Tabernacle Iniquity which properly signifies the evill of sin is often put in Scripture for the evills of trouble and suffering and as all acknowledge this to be a truth so some judge it the truth specially intended in this place I shall therefore briefely note from it That when we truely returne to God from sin then suffering evills depart from us and ours For though the Lord be pleased to dispence variously for triall of his people and often suffers the evill of affliction to hang about their Tabernacles who desire sincerely and endeavour faithfully to put all iniquity farre from their Tabernacles yet this is the promise of God and this hath been often experienced by Godly men That God hath turned trouble out of their doores when they have humbly and zealously laboured to turne sin out of their hearts Eliphaz having incouraged Job by this generall promise he draweth it forth into particulars And that first in reference to outward things Vers 24. Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 munire Aurum lectissimum quasi ab igne munitum aut quod sit hâ—mini munimentum Then that is when thou hast acquainted thy selfe with God then when thou hast laid up his law in thy heart then when thou hast returned to the Almighty thy selfe and put away iniquity farre from thy Tabernacle Then thou shalt lay up gold as dust c. The word which we render Gold signifies to fortifie or to defend and it is translated a defence at the 25th verse Solomon saith Eccl. 7.12 not onely That wisdome is a defence but that money is a defence that is it procures defence and Gold is the chiefe of money Though Gold be not a defence formally yet virtually it is Gold defends it selfe against all the forces of fire and it is a principall meanes of defending us against the fire and fury of the Greatest dangers Thou shalt lay up Gold as dust c. But Christ sayth Math. 6.19 Lay not up treasures for your selves on earth And it was a rule given concerning the King of Israel in the Leviticall Law long before Israel had a King Deut. 17.17 He shall not greatly multiply to himselfe silver and gold How then doth Eliphaz say that he who repents shall lay up gold as the dust is that fit worke for him I answer the words are not to be understood as an exhortation to bend his endeavours to the gathering of riches but as a promise from God that he shall by a blessing from above gather store of riches here below Thou shalt lay up gold as the dust By gold here and silver in the next verse we are to understand all manner of riches because gold and silver are the chiefe riches therefore all is contained under them And when he sayth Thou shalt lay up gold as the dust the words receive variety of renderings some thus Thou shalt lay up gold above the dust as if he should say thou shalt have more gold than dust which is a straine of rhetoricke expressing aboundance Others read Thou shalt lay vp gold upon the dust As Psal 24.2 He hath founded it upon the Seas A third renders Thou shalt lay up gold by the dust Like that Psal 1.3 A tree planted by the river side A fourth thus Et pone in pulvere Aurum Coc Noli animum auro apponere nimisque illud diligere sed nihili aestima deijce in terram unde ortum est aestima ut terram lapides petrae Scull Pone ubi deus Natura posuit Coc. by way of counsell And lay gold in the dust Which two latter readings are expounded as a direction given to Job how he should lay up gold he must not lay up gold in his heart and spirit but in the dust or by the dust As if he had said Put that purer dust that better concocted and refined dust in the common dust put the dust to dust put thy gold in its proper place where God and nature put it 'T is but dust and so a fit companion for the dust yea say some 't is as if Eliphaz had sayd Doe not so much as make roome for it in thy house provide not chests for it let it lie where it had its originall It came from the dust there leave it returne it backe to its owne Country to the place of its nativity A Heathen hath this notion concerning gold and silver c. And he labours much to shew that the site position of these things in nature holds forth how we ought to receive and estimate them Nulli nos vitio natura conciliat nihil quideÌ„ quod avaritiam nostram irritaret posuit in aperto pedibus aurum argentuÌ„ sub jecit calcandum ac premendum dedit quicquid est propter quod calcamur premimur Sen ep 94. Even nature by which he meanes the ordinary course set in nature draws us off from coveting Gold and silver there is nothing which may provoke or stirre up covetousnesse which God hath advanced or set up high in the order of nature Gold and silver are the chiefe objects of Covetousnesse now both these as also whatsoever else man is pressed about and as it were trodden underfoote in the dirt for by burdensome or covetous cares God hath thrust or trodden under our feete Gold doth not fall out of the clouds of heaven hut lieth under the clods of the earth there God hath put them to be trampled and trodden under our feete that we might scorne to have our affections trampled upon and trodden underfoote by them or such things as they So then All that this interpretation or translation aymes at in saying Gold must be put in the dust is onely to shew us that our estimations should be taken off from it or that we should place it as low in our thoughts as God hath placed it in the order of nature And this is a spirituall sense suiting that of our Saviour Lay not up for your selves treasures on earth make not great preparations to keepe your earthly treasures especially let them not be kept in your heart or lie there where Christ onely and the treasures of heaven ought to be layd up Put your gold in the dust or let it be esteemed as dust seing at best it is but wel concocted dust So Gold and silver are called Amos 2.7 That paâ—t after the dust of the earth upon the head of the poore So the Prophet describes their extreame covetousnes who will be rich though it be by empoverishing those who are poorest Yet I conceive in this place Eliphaz hath another ayme And that where be saith Thou shalt lay up Gold as the dust his meaning onely is thou shalt lay up plenty of Gold or â—â—ou shalt gather much riches for the
a thing and it shall be established unto thee and the light shall shine upon thy wayes When men are cast downe then thou shalt say There is lifting up and he shall save the humble person He shall deliver the Island of the Innocent and it is delivered by the purenesse of thine hands IT hath appeared in opening the whole Context of which this is a part how Eliphaz presseth Job with promises assuring him that not onely good but great good should accrew to him by his returning to God and acquainting himselfe with the Allmighty And in the foregoing verse That great benefit was shewed The Lords hearing the prayer of such as doe so Thou shalt make thy prayer to him and he shall heare thee and thou shalt pay thy vowes Here Eliphaz gives in another excellent promise Thou shalt also c. that is moreover and beside what I have said I adde this Vers 28. Thou shalt also decree a thing and it shall be established unto thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scidit abscidit secuit divisit Metaleptice secuit lites definivit decrevit Importat hoc verbum decretum cum quadam separatione unius rei ab alia Bold Thou shalt decree The word here translated to decree signifies properly to divide to cut asunder So it is used 1 Kings 3.25 when Solomon gave sentence between the two women that were harlots concerning the living Childe he sayth Divide the Childe my decree is that the Childe shall be divided Now hence by a Trope the word signifies also to decree to descide or to determine a matter because in all decrees about or determinations of a Controversie there is as it were a Cutting off the buisines a laying aside of one thing and a sticking to another When the whole matter is debated and weighed in Councell then the result and issue of all is drawne up and given out in a decree So that to decree is to divide or separate one thing from another resolving upon that which we conceive most just and reasonable Thou shalt decree a thing The Hebrew is Thou shalt decree a word Verbum pro re frequenter per Metonymiam adjuncti it is usuall in that language to put word for thing And when he saith Thou shalt decree a thing wee are not to understand it at large as if whatsoever were decreed should be established but the meaning is thou shalt decree that which is right and good in it selfe and good for thee For the decree being made by a godly man wee cannot suppose that he should decree any thing but that which is just and good and so the signification of the former word is well applyed to this Thou shalt decree that is thou having by deliberation and serious discussion considered what is right and having cut off all evill from thy sentence thou decreeing such a thing it shall be established unto thee There are yet two opinions concerning this decree as it is an exposition of the former promises Thou shalt be heard and Poterit esse pracedentis partis expositio Decernes offerre vota et deus illa rata efficiet vel rata semper fundes verba Piâ—ed thou shalt pay thy vowes that is what thou suest for by prayer on earth shall be decreed for thee in heaven That is thy prayer shall certainly be performed thy prayers shall not be lost no They shall be as the Statutes and decrees of heaven It is said of Eliah 1 Kings 17.1 what he decreed was done and what was his decree his decree was his prayer See how he speaks as if he had the command of heaven and earth as if he had carryed the keyes of the Clouds at his girdle As the Lord God of Israel liveth before whom I stand there shall not be dew nor raine these yeares but according to my word But what was this word of Elijah the Apostle James expounds that for us he telleth us what this word was when Eliah sayd it shall be according to my word Jam. 5.17 Elias was a man subject to the like passions as wee are and he prayed earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not on the earth for the space of three yeares and six months And he prayed againe and the heavens gave raine and the earth brought forth her frruit The Apostle explaines what the word of Elijah was even a Prayer-word he prayed and sought the Lord in that thing and his prayer was as certainly performed to him as if he had the whole power of decreeing what he would have Thus here thou shalt powre out a prayer and thy prayer shall be as a decree established with God So we read Gen. 32.24 in the report of Jacobs wrestling with the Angel that the word of Jacob was as a decree I will not let thee goe except thou blesse me I will have a blessing and it is said as a Prince hast thou power with God and with men and hast prevailed Jacob had what he would in prayer he decreed a thing and it was established to him The prayers of Saints are decrees with God and 't is but reason they should be so because their prayers answer the decrees of God or they pray for that which God hath decreed and indeed there is no Saint or Godly man would pray any other prayer or aske any thing of God but what God hath determined and decreed before to give As a Godly man would doe nothing but what God hath commanded so he would aske nothing but what God hath decreed This is a comfortable truth yet I rather conceive the sence of this place more generall and not tyed up to that of prayer and therefore Secondly Thou shalt decree a thing that is thou shalt take up a resolve or a purpose thou in thy wisdome and prudence shalt say in thy heart I will doe such a thing or I would bring such a thing to pass Ordinabis per tuam providentiam facturum aliquid quasi rem non futuram incertam sed quasi divina jam voluntate constitutam illam habebis Aquin. and it shall come to pass or be established For as many men mett together in Councell make Decrees so any man in himselfe may make a decree and we alwayes make decrees in our own minds before wee joyne in any decree with others first wee speake in our mindes then we speake out our mindes Thou shalt decree a thing that is thou shalt resolve to goe such a way or to doe such a thing and it shall be done Now this Case of decreeing must be understood with a Caution suppose the thing it selfe be just and lawfull as wee touched before yet a man must not make absolute decrees that 's the priviledge of God he onely can make peremptory decrees who hath all things in his power we must decree submissively to the will of God and say if the Lord will if the Lord please wee will doe such a thing The Apostle James 4.12
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
a cause to complaine Thanksgiving will be all our worke and the worke of all in heaven And by how much we are the more in thanksgiving and the lesse in complaining on earth unlesse it be of and against our selves for sinne the more heavenly we are When we are stricken we should complaine as little as we can and we should alwayes be able to say as Job here That our complaint is not greater then our stroake JOB CHAP. 23. Vers 3 4 5. Oh that I knew where I might find him that I might come even to his seate I would order my cause before him and fill my mouth with arguments I would know the words which he would answer me and understand what he would say unto me JOb having shewed in the former verse how bitter and how sad his Condition was even farre beyond his owne Complaint and that his stroake was heavier then his groaning he now turnes himselfe from earth to heaven from the creature to the Creator from man to God Job had been among his friends a great while they had debated the matter long but all in vaine and without fruit to his soule he had yet received no Comfort What will he doe next see here his address to God Vers 3. O that I knew where I might finde him that I might come even to his seat O that I knew The Hebrew is who will give me to know c. The words are a forme of wishing ordinary among the Jewes Who will give or who will grant mee this or that O that I knew c. And it Intimates or Implyes two things First A vehement and strong desire after somewhat much desierable who will give mee this or where shall I have it Secondly It Implyes selfe-Inability or selfe-Insufficiency to attaine and reach the thing desiered As if Job had said I am not able of my selfe to finde him O that I knew where I might finde him O that I eyther had the light of this knowledge in my selfe or that some body would enforme and teach mee O that I had a friend to Chalke mee out the way to lead mee by the hand and bring mee neer to God Quis mihi tribuat ut cognos cam inveni am illum Vulg. The vulgar latine Reading fixeth both those acts upon God as the Object O that some one or other would give mee to know and finde him As if his wish and longing desire were first to know God secondly to finde him or in finding to know him Our translation determines this knowing in Job and finding upon God O That I knew where I might finde him Who it is that Job would finde is not exprest in the text by name nor is there any Anticedent in the verse before with which we can Connect this relative him Yet 't is beyond question or dispute that he meanes God O that I might finde him that is God But why did he not say O that I knew where to finde God but O that I knew where to finde him I answer He doth it because his heart being full of God he supposed that those to whom he spake had their hearts full of him too and so would easily understand whom he meant or that he could mean none but God Wee finde such kinde of abrupt speeches as I may call them in other Texts of Scripture still arising from fullnes and strength of affection in the speaker See how Solomon begins his Love-song his Song of Songs The Song of Songs which is Solomons that 's the title of it How doth it begin Let him kiss mee c. Here is a strange Exordium to a Song none having been spoken of before Let him kiss mee with the kisses of his mouth by whom the Church would be kissed shee expresseth not but her heart was so full of Christ so full of love to Christ her Bridegroom her husband that shee thinks it needlesse to mention him by name when shee speakes of him whose kisses shee desiered Her love had passed through the whole Creation through men and Angels through all things here below and fixt it selfe onely upon Christ her Lord and Love Therefore shee never stood speaking personally of him but onely relatively and leaves all to understand whom she intended Thus saith Job O that I knew where I might finde him when as he had not spoken of any distinct person before in this Chapter And wee have a like passage flowing from a like abundant love to Christ in the 20 â—h of John ver 15. where Mary comes to the Sepulchre Christ being risen and the Angel seing her weepe asked her the reason of it To whom shee replyed Because they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him having thus said shee turned her selfe backe and saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus he saith unto her Woman why weepest thou whom seekest thou Shee supposing him to be the Gardiner said Sir if thou have borne him hence tell me where thou hast laid him Shee never names Christ but onely saith If thou have borne him hence c. because her heart was full of Christ shee thought his heart was full of him too and that hee understood her well enough whom she meant though shee sayd not whom shee meant Thus in the present text Job was to God at that time as Mary to Christ at a losse for him not knowing where to finde him God was as it were removed from him as Christ was risen from the Sepulchre Therefore he complainingly and affectionately enquires O that I knew where I might finde him My soule is a thirst for God my heart pants after him O that I knew where I might finde him The Hebrew word signifieth to finde Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat saepius obviam habere quemquam vel alâ—cui obvium fieri by going out to meet a man or as we say to light upon him As Ahab said to Elijah 1 King 21.20 Hast thou found or met mee O mine enemy and he answered I have found or met thee So the word is used 2 King 10.13 Jehu mett with the Brethren of Ahaziah King of Judah In the Margin wee say Jehu found the Brethren of Ahaziah that is he mett them upon the way for he went out to meet them Read also 1 Sam. 10.3 As if the sence were thus given O that I knew where I might finde him that is whither I might goe to meet him though I should not finde him by accident or as wee say stumble upon him I would goe out I would travell and take paines upon hopes to meet him Secondly That word signifies so to finde as to take hold and apprehend to take fast hold of a thing and then O that I might finde him is O that I might lay hold on him if I knew where I might have him I would lay fast hold on him and cleave close to him So the word is used Esay 10.10 As
praised and honoured him that liveth for ever whose dominion is an everlasting dominion and his kingdome is from generation to generation and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing and he doth according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand or say unto him what dost thou that is none may so much as question much lesse reprove him for any thing that he doth Though there are many who in the pride of their hearts and through the forgetfullnes of their duty will presume to question God about what he hath done and even controule his doings yet of right or according to rule none can Hence the Apostle having asserted the soveraignty of God he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth brings in some questioning his proceedings but he checks them soundly for their boldnes in questioning and instructs them by many upbrayding questions that they ought not to put that or any such question Thou wilt say then ver 18 19 20. why doth he yet finde fault for who hath resisted his will nay but who art thou ô man that repliest against God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus hath not the potter power over the clay of the same lumpe to make one vessell of honour and another of dishonour what if God were willing to shew his wrath in some as well as his grace mercy in others what have you or I to doe with it who gave you or I leave to examine God upon intergatoryes about it Thus he pleads the power or prerogative of God this must silence all our queries and satisfie all our doubts none may aske him a reason of what he doth the reason is in himselfe The will of God is his reason and there is all the reason in the world it should for his is not onely a soveraigne will but a just and a holy will Solomon saith Eccl. 8.4 Where the word of a king is there is power and who may say unto him what dost thou In all lawfull administrations it is true of kings and supream earthly powers in what forme soever none may say unto them what doe yee their word must stand much more is this true of him who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is the supream power of heaven and earth all whose wayes are equall and his dispensations righteous though we see not the equity and righteousnesse of them That is not onely great but the greatest power which none may question Fourthly This also demonstrates the greatnesse of Gods power that none can stop or hinder him in what it hath a minde to doe what he appoints he executes and none can stop it or as Nebuchadnezzar speakes in the place before mentioned Dan. 4.35 stay his hand The hand of the strongest power upon the earth may be and hath been staid kings have had a check their hands have been stayd but none can stay the hand of God I will worke saith he and none shall let it Isa 43.17 God should doe but little worke in the world if men could let it Wicked men would let or hinder God in all his workes and the godly through their mistakes would hinder him in some of his workes but none can He speaks to the Sunne and it shineth not yea he speakes to the Sunne and it moveth not This is the greatnesse and the muchnes of the power of God But saith Job Will he plead against me with this great power All this power God hath and this power he can put forth but he will not put it forth against me saith Job 1. And what was Job that he should be thus confident and rise up to such a strong assurance that God would not use his strength against him Job was a godly man a man fearing God a man perfect and upright a man full of faith even full of faith though he lived in dark times and under dark dispensations yet I say he was a man full of faith in the Redeemer Now it is no wonder if a man of this character a man thus qualified and priviledged had this confidence and was much assured that he should prosper and speed in it That God would not plead against him with his great power Hence Observe A godly man may be confident that God will deale gently and graciously with him or That God will deale with him according to the greatnes of his mercy not according to the greatnes of his power The greatnes of the power of God is an exceeding great comfort to the sincere because they know it is acted towards them in the greatnes of his mercy It is comfortable to heare that the Lord who as the Prophet describes him Nah 1.3 is great in power is also slow to anger the greatnes of mans power doth usually quicken not clogg his passions but it is more comfortable to know that God who is great in power is quick and speedy to shew mercy And hence it is that a true beleever rejoyceth in the power o◠God as well as in his mercy because he knoweth that God hath declared himselfe powerfull for him as well as mercifull He knoweth God will not put forth power alone or nothing but power towards him God doth exercise all his refreshing attributes and divine perfections in dealing with Saints Whereas upon the wicked he exerciseth his power chiefely though not onely What if God to make his power knowne endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction saith the Apostle Rom. 9.22 God pleads with the wicked according to the tenour of the Covenant of workes but with Beleevers according to the Covenant of grace in which he doth as it were uncloath himselfe of his power and cloath himselfe with love mercy goodnesse and tendernes to his people The Lord as the Psalmist speakes Psal 93.1 is cloathed with strength wherewith he hath girded himselfe he is cloathed also with mercy and with that he hath girded himselfe he pleads with his people I grant in righteousnesse as well as in mercy as the Apostle speakes Rom. 3.25 26. God hath set forth Jesus Christ to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his rightenesse for the remission or passing over of sins that are past through the forbearance of God to declare I say at this time his righteousnesse and the justifyer of him that beleeveth in Jesus The justice or righteousnesse of God was never so fully declared as in Christ for God did not spare him at all but he having taken our debt upon him discharged it to the utmost farthing God pleaded against Christ with his great power and with his perfect righteousnesse To which plea Christ made answer with as Great a power his being the power of God and with as perfect a righteousnes his being also the righteousnesse of God And hence it
Hac ratione liber evaderem ab iniquis vitae meae Judicibus calumniatoribus ut ultra mihi disceptatione contentione opus non erit all their charges shall be reprobated and rejected God who hath once Justified a person will never lay any thing to his charge and what charge soever others bring against him Gods justification will take it off The Apostles challenge is universal Who shall lay any thing c It is universal two wayes First in regard of persons accusing he excepts none in earth heaven or hell Secondly in regard of crimes he excepts no sort of sinne let them seeke and finde what they can be they sins against God or man be they sins of omission or commission be they sins never so much aggravated or sadly circumstantiated though against both light and love yet they will not doe against a person Elect and Justified Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect wipes away all charges Accused they may be though justified but condemned they cannot be because justified The best of Saints on earth have much in them and much is done by them which might be matter of charge against them for he that saith he hath no sin in him hath indeed no truth in him 1 Joh. 1.8 but Justifying Grace is their full discharge Againe As the word Judge is expounded universally for all those that did or might accuse Job Observe The best and most righteous on earth meete with many harsh accusers and hard Judges David had those who layd to his charge things that he knew not Psal 35.11 The Jewes returned from Babylon to build their City and Temple were charged with sedition Jeremie was charged with treason Paul was called a pestilent fellow and the primitive Christians were generally loaded with slaunders by the Heathen Misreport and reproach are the portion of Saints from the world And how sadly Job was charged all along by his friends and how severely censured hath appeared every where in this Booke especially in the former Chapter ver 5 6 7. Is not thy wickednes great and thine iniquities infinite for thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought and stripped the naked of their cloathing c. Had not Job reason to looke upon it as a great mercy to be delivered from such a Judge And hath not every Godly man reason to make Davids choyce 2 Sam. 24.14 Let me fall into the hand of the Lord for his mercies are great and let me not fall into the hand of men Now as men are for the most part over-severe executioners of Gods sentence so they are usually over-severe Judges in giving their owne whether sence or sentence concerning others And therefore Jobs faith did prophecy this good to himselfe That God having heard him and judged him he should be delivered for euer from man his Judge And let this be the comfort of the righteous who are oppressed with the hard opinions of men That God will at last deliver them for ever from every rigorous and unrighteous Judge In that Great day as the Apostle Jude calls it the cause of every righteous man shall be disputed before God and then they shall be delivered for ever from their Judge And this did exceedingly beare up the spirit of the Apostle Paul in the midst of the various censures and judgements of men concerning him he knew their judgement should be taken off at last 1 Cor. 4.3 4. With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of mans judgement yea I judge not my owne selfe But he that judgeth me is the Lord therefore judge nothing before the time till the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and make manifest the counsells of the hearts and then shall every man have praise of God That is every righteous man though dispraised and despised though judged and condemned by men though blackt over with false reports and reproaches yet then every righteous man shall have praise from the most righteous God He will then doe all his people right who have been wronged and passe a just sentence upon those who have suffered much and long under unjust censures And so shall they be for ever delivered from their Judge JOB CHAP. 23. Vers 8 9 10. Behold I goe forward but he is not there and backward but I cannot perceive him On the left hand where he doth worke but I cannot behold him hee hideth himselfe on the right hand that I cannot see him But he knoweth the way that I take when he hath tryed mee I shall come forth as gold IN the two former verses Job exprest much Confidence of a good issue in his Cause could he but finde God and come to tryall And he reneweth this againe at the 10th verse Expressing the same Confidence When he hath tryed mee I shall come forth as gold But though he was thus Confident of a faire coming off in Case he could finde God yet he seemes in these words to cast off all Confidence of finding him forasmuch as yet he could not or had not Expressing himselfe here as a man that had travelled into all parts and quarters of the world East West North and South to finde a friend yet could not meet with him Behold I goe forward but he is not there and backward but I cannot perceive him On the left hand where he doth worke but I cannot behold him he hideth himselfe on the right hand that I cannot see him There is a threefold scope held forth about these words First As if Job did here deplore his fruitles paines in wishing for his appearing before God and in appealing to his Tribunal for as yet he saw himselfe unanswered and frustrated in his expectation God did not appeare to him in his troubles nor declare his purpose towards him Declarat Job se non posse ratione humana per res naturales quas per quatuor mundi plagas significat cognoscere certò clare rationes divinorum judiciorum Pined Secondly His scope may be to assert the hiddennes of the wayes of God or that the wayes of God are not to be found out nor understood by all the paines and industry by all the endeavours and disquisitions of man let him turne himselfe which way he will East or West North or South yet he must say I cannot behold him Thirdly Some conceive that Jobs intent is to declare his owne understanding or meaning in that earnest wish which he lately made Haec subjungit ad declarandū dei immensita tem ne quis putaret eum ex istimasse deum corporeum esse aut corporali loco circumscribi cum de illius tribunali loquutus est Id about his admittance to the Throne of God O that I knew where I might finde him that I might come even to his seat v. 3d He was not so grosse as to thinke that God was Confined to any
of what he spake in the verse immediatly foregoing here giving an account why he had kept so close to God and to his wayes My foot hath held his steps his way have I kept and not declined neither have I gone backe from the commandements of his lips c. And why all this for he is of one minde That is God will have his way there 's no resisting his commandements must be observed that which he once made a law and rule for me to walke by continueth so still He is of one minde Therefore I must keepe close to his minde It were a vaine thing for me to turne any other way when God holds the same way It were folly for me to change my practice when I finde no change at all in his precepts they being still one and the same in themselves and having the same obligation upon me Secondly These words may give an account or a reason of his afflictions As if he had thus expressed himselfe Though my conscience beareth me witnesse that I have not gone onne in any such sinfull way as ye tax me with nor defiled my selfe with such grosse iniquities as usually draw downe the visible Judgements of God upon men Yet I finde God going on still to afflict me he keeps his rod upon my backe and his burden upon my shoulders his terrors still incamp about me and his arrowes drinke up my spirit Nor will he be moved by any entreaty of mine to withdraw his hand from me What ever pleaseth him he will doe how unpleasant soever it is to me And what 's the reason of all this He is in one minde God is unalterable therefore doe not thinke that because he continueth these afflictions and burdens upon mee that therefore all must be resolved into my sinne No we may resolve all this into the soveraigntie and unchangeablenes of God he is in one minde and he will doe what his minde is and none shall turne him Egregie tuetur divinam providentiam nam cum amici illa tantum ratione pro divina providentia pugnent quod scelera puniat at Job illam agnoscit cum aerumnas ille immittit propter praeclaros fines nobis occultos soli deo notos Pined Juri libertati dei assignat afflictiones quas amici peccatis Coc Thirdly which sutes the former That Job here shewes his friends the true way of reconciling his owne innocency with the sharp afflictions and troubles which were upon him Job felt and saw and others eyther did or might that he was sorely afflicted And Job knew though others did not that he was innocent as to the charge brought against him Then how shall he reconcile the justice of divine providence with his owne innocence His friends knew not how to reconcile the innocency of an afflicted man and the Justice of an afflicting God This was a riddle which they could not unfold And therefore when they saw God thus afflicting him they concluded as strongly as if they had seene it that Job had greatly offended God But Job knew how to unlocke this secret and expound this riddle Hee knew how to maintaine and assert his owne integritie while he suffered and yet acquit the Justice of God in laying those sufferings upon him He could say God is supreame He is in one minde And what he doth he may doe because he hath a minde to doe it He hath deep purposes and designes which I am not able to reach or fathome Therefore though I complaine I doe not complaine as if God had done me wrong but because I smart because I feel such paines and so heavie a pressure upon me I am far from saying that he hath injured me though he hath thus afflicted me nor can any thing which he hath done or shall further doe be an injury to me for I confesse that he hath a right to doe whatsoever he pleaseth to doe Thus we have an excellent defence made by Job in these words to vindicate the Lords sharp dealings with him from the least suspition of injustice and to accord the assertion of his owne afflicted innocence with a beleeving reverence of the righteousnesse of God and so these words of his are the breathings of a very gracious spirit teaching us far better then his friends had done how to answer for God in his saddest dispensations towards man They knew no other way to doe it but by rendering Job a notorious hypocrite an haynous offender and these his sufferings to be the punishments of his hypocrisie and offences But Job resolves all into the unchangeablenes of Gods will and the soveraignty of his power Thus much for the generall scope of these words Vers 13. But he is of one minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These words undergoe variety of readings I will name foure First Some translate thus For he is alone That is Ipse enim solus est Vulg. he is the onely Judge there is none above him to whom I might appeale from him nor hath he any equall to ballance him There 's none to be found upon the earth no nor in heaven that can alter and controule his decrees or supercede and checke any of his proceedings He is alone Ipse unus est Pagn Aliqui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 redundare putant Merc Cum nemo absolutè sit nisi deus nemo sit absolute bonus nisi deus ita nemo unus est nisi deus Deus est unissimus Sed si ipse contra unum agit quis revocet eum Jun Et ipse in uno Mont In uno supple fixus ipse perpetuò sui similis est i. e. non mutatur ut homo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et quis averiet eum Mont Et quis redire faciet eum retrorsum Pagn i. e ab instituto vel a semel statuta sententia Secondly Others conceave there is a redundancy in the affix beth in And so in stead of He is in one the words are thus given He is one As if Jobs meaning were this There is none One but He or none One as He. As Christ saith There is none good but God or there is but one good that is absolutely good so there is none one but God that is absolutely One God is suherlatively one the one-most-one Thirdly Thus But if he act against one who can turne him And so M. Broughton Yet when he is against me who can stay him This hath a cleare truth in it and fully hits the scope of the place But I conceive a fourth reading which leads to ours to be yet more cleare and that is He is in one and who can turne him In one what one we answer in one minde noting the stabilitie of the thoughts and purposes of God his minde is one his purpose is one his decree is one he is alwayes like himselfe in all these He doth not change his minde as man doth He is constant and fixed to his owne purposes
hath powred out upon you the spirit of deepe sleepe and hath closed your eyes what or who are those eyes the next words enforme us the Prophets and Rulers the seers hath he covered The Hebrew word which we render rulers is heads Rulers are the heads of a people and what is a head without eyes or having its eyes covered God did not cover the eyes which were in the peoples personal heads but he covered the eyes which were in their publicke heads He hath closed your eyes that is those that should be as heads and eyes to you your Prophets and your rulers Thus also say some Government is expressed by an eye Deut. 33.28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone Fons vel oculus Jacob suum imperium habebit in terra Canaan Bold Apud persarum reges quidam fuerunt qui dicebantur oculi aures Zenoph the fountaine of Jacob shall be upon a land of corne and wine also his heaven shall drop dew That which we translate the fountaine of Jacob others render as well and as truely from the Original the eye of Jacob that is say they the Magistracy the ruling power as if he had sayd as the people of Israel in generall shall dwell in safety so their eye their government or their Governours in speciall shall be blessed with plenty they shall be upon a land of corne and wine It hath been observed also in antiquity that great Princes had certaine men in office whom they called their eyes Princes have their eyes and eares in every place that is their Officers Thus we may expound this Text the Adulterer sayth No eye shall see me The ruling or Magistraticall eye shall not see me and if what I doe be not seene by that eye let others see what they will and say what they please I shall not suffer at all for what I doe and then all 's well that 's as much as I care for And here we may note That As some Adulterers have their eyes abroad that is agents to espy out Beauties for them So most of them if not all are afraid of the eyes of others Thirdly No eye shall see me that is not the eye of God God himselfe shall not see me Thus the adulterer hopes to hide his sin from his eye who is indeed all eye Homines latere cupiens Dei oculum non timeus and whose eye is over all Thus the adulterer supposeth himselfe under such a vayl of darknes that he is free not onely from the eye of men on earth and from the eye of those who are gods upon earth but even from the eye of the God of heaven Hence observe First A sinner is full of vaine presumption He presumes that the sin which he commits against the light of his owne conscience shall never come to light he presumes that the sin which he commits in his owne eye shall not come to the eye of others I have elsewhere noted this ignorant confidence of carnal men and onely name it here Secondly Note It is not the act of sin but the discovery of it which a wicked man feareth He cares not what wickednesse he doth so he may goe unseene a godly man is afraid of doing evill though he could doe it with greatest secrecy or under the darkest cover he is afraid to doe evill because of the evill and unrighteousnesse of it because of the pollution and unanswerablenesse of it both to his owne duty and the goodnesse of God to him but it is the discovery not the iniquity of his worke which the hypocrite feareth Thirdly As the eye is taken for the eye of the Magistrate Observe That it is the punishment of sin at which a wicked man is troubled he is not troubled at the sin it selfe 'T is the consequence of sin not the nature of it the smart of sin and not the filth of it which the wicked would avoyd Lastly As no eye is exclusive also to the eye of God Note Wicked men presume that their sins are secret even to God himselfe They thinke sure God can see no further nor no better then man And so they have hopes to hide themselves not onely from the eyes of men but from the eyes of God as we may see plainly Jere. 23.23 Can any hide himselfe in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord This question can any shews that some had flattered themselves into such a conclusion that they could so hide themselves in secret places that God could not see them The holy Psalmist sayd Psal 139.12 The darknesse hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day the darknesse and the light to thee are both alike But a wicked man sayth the darknesse hideth from thee the night is night to thee O what beggerly apprehensions have men of God! As if he whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter then the Sunne could not see without Sunlight or as if he could not see but in the light who made the light Vanus est qui purat se in tenebris esse tutum cum lucem vitare non possit quae lucet in tenebris tenebrae eam non comprehenderunt Ambros Naturalists say of those living creatures which have fiery eyes that they can see as well in the darke as in the light the reason is because they see not by taking in the species of the object into the eye but by sending out a light from their own eye upon the object God hath fiery eyes indeed he needs no outward light to see by who is nothing else but light Vaine sinner what can be darknes to him who is light and in whom there is no darkenes at all There is nothing doth more argue the blindnes of a sinner then this simple saying of his No eye seeth me unlesse it be that simple practice of his which he useth to the same purpose and which is discovered as his last shift in the last words of this verse And he disguiseth his face The Hebrew is He setteth his face into a secret he muffles himselfe he changeth his habit he puts on a visard harlots were wont to disguise themselves Gen. 39.14 when Tamar tooke upon her the habit of an harlot the Text saith She put on a disguise so here the Adulterer puts on a disguise he puts a cozzening face upon his face and then thinkes that though he be seene yet he cannot be discerned and that though some may see where he is yet none shall see who he is He disguiseth his face One would have thought that being in the twilight and the darkenes of the night ready to compasse him about that no eye could see him he should not need to have put on a visard or a muffler yet he doth so he puts a disguise upon his face Which may teach us That when a man doth ill he never thinks he is safe or secret enough When a mans conscience tells him he sins he would not
us very great though we should have it all as ours or in our possession How little a thing is all this world and how little a part hath any one of this little The whole world is but little what then is a little part of it which yet is all that falls to the share of the greatest men in this world Philosophers say that the whole body of the earth and Sea together is but as a poynt or pricke with a pen compared to the heavens and yet there are very few of the great men of the earth who possesse so much as a mathematicall poynt or pricke with a pen in the body of the earth Wee may say that the day of the greatest man in the world is but a day of small things The Prophet to encourage the meane beginnings of Sions deliverance Zech. 4.10 sayd Who hath despised the day of small things As if he had sayd I know many doe it some hoping and others fearing that these small beginnings will have smaller endings or end in nothing but in the joy of the enemies and in the sorrow and disappoyntment of the friends of Sion But I say unto you take heed of despising the day of small things that is the least appearances of deliverance and salvation to Sion Now as we are not to despise the workes of God because they are small so we have no reason to be proud of but even to despise the things of the world for they are small Men have great thoughts and make much adoe about small things when they have to doe with the greatest things on this side heaven The greatest things that continue onely for a little while are but tittle worth then how little worth are those things which besides that they continue but a little while are themselves but little Though wicked men are exalted yet no man hath cause to be troubled at it or envy them They are not blessed because exalted for they are exalted but a little and that onely for a little while It should not be much to us what any man is as to worldly enjoyments no nor what we our selves are as those enjoyments seeing whatsoever others are or whatsoever we are in that capacity is but for a little while The Apostle saith 2 Cor. 4.18 We looke not at the things which are seene but at the things which are not seene that is we make not the things of the world our scope but the things which lye beyond this world which are seene by faith onely And the reason why he looked not at these things which are seene was because the things that are seene are temporall those things which are seene will not be long seene they are but for a while and therefore not to be much looked after The Things which are not seene shall be seene for ever they are eternal and therefore most worthy to be looked after The world hath beauty and glory in it but this staines the beauty of all earthly glory that it may be so quickly stained The evills and troubles of this world should not much trouble us nor the afflictions of this world present much afflict us because they are but for a while suppose a godly man be cast downe and laid low in reference to the world he is laid low but for a while therefore no great matter to him he hath no great reason to be troubled at it as the Apostle argueth in the same Chapter ver 16. For this cause we faint not for our light afflictions which are but for a moment c. therefore he calls them light how great and how heavy soever in their owne nature though they were as heavy as a mountaine he calls them light because as to their duration they were but for a moment We say A light thing carryed a great way or a great while becometh heavy He that puts onely a pound-stone in his pocket will be very sencible of and much burdened with the weight of it before he comes to the end of a long journey whereas a great weight is not much burdensome if it be not much borne Now as worldly evills and troubles are light because but short so are worldly comforts and honours especially the worldly comforts honours of wicked men of whom it is expressely sayd not onely by way of assertion in which sense it may be sayd of all men but also by way of commination They are exalted for a little while Againe as the profession of hypocrites hath a kinde of appearing goodlinesse and beauty but it is little worth or it is of no worth because they endure but for a little while they are but Temporyes as the word is in the parable of the Sower Or as the Lord complaineth by his Prophet Hos 6.4 O Ephraim what shall I doe unto thee O Judah what shall I doe unto thee for your goodnesse is as a morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away goodnesse it selfe is scarce good goodnesse is little worth if it be but as a morning cloud if it be but as the dew that goeth away when the heate of the Sunne commeth The worth and glory of true grace stands in this that it stands and endures for ever let the world turne which way it will true grace stands its ground and turnes not away Now if all the goodnesse and pretended holynes of hypocrites and formalists be nothing worth because it is like a cloud or a dew onely for a little while how little worth is the exaltation of wicked men which goeth away and is as quickly gone as a cloud is scattered and blowne away by the wind or a dew exhaled by the rising Sunne We may say of all the glory of the wicked as the same Prophet Hosea sayth of Ephraim Chap. 9.11 As for Ephraim their glory shall flee away like a bird from the birth and from the womb and from the conception that is it shall quickly depart by their glory some understand their children As if he had sayd Their children shall flee from the birth that is if borne alive they shall dye as soone as borne Their children shall flee from the wombe that is they shall not be borne alive they shall be abortives Their children shall flee from the conception that is they shall not be so much as conceived Wee may read the Prophet backward and beginning with the last first say Their glory that is their children or whatsoever else they glory in and make their glory shall flee from conception that is it shall not be conceaved or have any being at all and if conceived and so have a being yet it shall flee from the wombe that is it shall never come to a compleate being but shall be marr'd in the making or if it be borne and so have a perfect being yet it shall flee from the birth that is it shall dye as soone as borne and come to its grave in stead of or as soon as to a cradle Thus
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
the high places there is a difference in the reading of the words together some thus Hee worketh in peace in his high places That is what troubles soever are here on earth there is peace and quietnesse in heaven or there God worketh in peace and quietnesse Others thus The Dominion and feare which are with him make peace in his high places As if the dominion and power of God were that to which peace-making is ascribed as an effect Or as if he had sayd God hath authority enough to compose all differences yea he so orders things in heaven that there ariseth no difference in those high places his dominion and feare keepe all in peace There are no murmurings nor discontents much lesse any rebellions or open warres in heaven M. Broughton reports the Chaldee translation in a phrase very uncouth in our language Sultanship and feare be with him some Easterne Princes are called Sultans He maketh peace in his high heavens To which he adds the exposition or glosse of the Chaldee Paraphrase Michael is on his right hand and hee is of fire Gabriel is on his left hand and he is of water and the heavenly creatures be part of fire and part of water But Mr Broughton gives a good corrective such Fables St Paul forbiddeth To conclude though it be difficult which of the high places before-named are here meant yet it is a truth that all high places are his high places and that in what high place soever peace is made God maketh it He maketh peace in his high places Hence observe Peace-making is the worke of God And as God makes peace every where so he makes every kinde of peace Wee finde peace spoken of in Scripture in a five-fold opposition and God the maker of that five-fold peace First Hee maketh peace in the high places of the world as peace is opposed to any kinde of trouble or affliction Peace is usually accompanyed with prosperity and peace signifies any kinde of prosperity Peace in this extent is assumed by God himselfe as his proper worke Isa 45.7 I forme the light and create darkenesse I make peace and create evill I the Lord doe all these things that is I doe them and none can doe them without me or but by mee Secondly God maketh peace as peace is more strictly taken in opposition to warre and tumults He causeth warre to cease in all the world Psal 46.9 Hee maketh warre to cease unto the end of the earth Hee breaketh the bow and cutteth the speare in sunder hee burneth the Chariots in the fire He that destroyeth all the Instruments of warre doth surely make peace and he that maketh warre to cease doth certainly make peace begin Peace is made two wayes first by taking up the differences and reconciling the Spirits of men secondly by breaking the power and taking away all provisions of warre from men The Lord maketh peace by both these wayes or by eyther of them Thirdly God maketh peace as peace is opposed to persecution There may be no warre in a Nation and yet no peace to the people of God by reason of sore and fiery persecution yea a general peace is the very opportunity which persecuters looke for to breake the peace of particular men The most bloody times that the Church ever had have been the most peaceable times of Nations And when nations are most troubled then Churches usually get their libertyes and are most quiet Such a peace as this the Churches had though I cannot say they had it upon this occasion Acts 9.31 Then had the Churches rest or peace that is they were quiet from their cruel persecutours throughout all Judea and Galile and Samaria and were edified and walking in the feare of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost were multiplyed This peace doth God make for his Saints his little flocke that they may sometimes lye downe in Greene pastures and beside the still waters without feare of the Wolves and Lyons who would alwayes teare and worry them Thus the Lord promiseth Isa 60.17 18. I will make thy officers peace and thine exactours righteousnesse violence shall no more be heard in thy land wasting nor destruction within thy borders Fourthly God maketh peace as peace is opposed to dissention among brethren It is possible there may be no warre in a place yea no persecution none to vex the people of God and yet they may have great dissentions vexations and divisions among themselves This peace the Church of Corinth wanted when none from without troubled the Church Hence that rebuke which the Apostle gives them 1 Cor. 3.3 Whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions are ye not carnal and walke as men Thus Saints and Churches warre one with and trouble another when the world gives them no trouble at all To the keeping of this peace Christ admonisheth his Disciples Mark 9.50 Have salt in your selves and have peace one with another But why did Christ speake thus to his owne Disciples have peace one with another Were they ready to make warre one with another had they any Armyes to engage and lead out into the feild against one another surely none Therefore when Christ saith have peace one with another his meaning was onely this wrangle not with one another fall not out one with one another The Disciples were not like to run into any other warre but that of dissention amongst themselves And this warre may be in those Churches that live in the most peaceable condition And 't is God onely who makes peace as in his high places both of heaven and earth so in his holy places Fifthly and lastly God makes peace as peace is opposed to disorder for there may be consent amongst men and yet much disorder among men yea they may possibly agree consent and center together in that which is most disorderly Of this peace the Apostle speakes 1 Cor. 14.33 God is not the author of confusion but of peace as in all Churches of the Saints that is God would have every one keepe his order and his place He would not have the Prophets speak all together in the Church for that is disorderly nor would he have women speake at all in the Church for that also is disorderly That which breakes order breakes peace for there can be no true peace without order and God is not the Author of disorder or confusion in Churches but of peace Thus peace-making is the worke of God in this five-fold oppotion as peace is opposed to trouble as peace is opposed to warre as peace is opposed to persecution as peace is opposed to dissention and lastly as peace is opposed to disorder To make peace in all these kindes is as much the honour as it is onely in the power of God He maketh peace in his high places Secondly Observe Where God is most eminently there is most peace Hee makes peace on the earth but in his high places where his most glorious
appearance is there is nothing but peace And as There is nothing but peace in heaven where God declares himselfe most clearely so they to whom God declares himselfe most clearely on earth are most for peace the neerer and the liker wee are unto God the neerer wee are unto peace and the more wee like it All true peace floweth out from God and the more of a healing and peace-making spirit appeares in any man the more of God appeares in him Lastly By way of inference Take this First Seeing God makes peace in his high places or in heaven above how easily can hee when our breaches are widest make peace in these low places of the earth And because as it is his property so his promise to doe it wee should waite upon him for and urge him with the fullfilling of this promise that he who makes peace alwayes in the high places of heaven would make that five-fold peace in the low places of the earth Secondly Seeing God is able to make peace in all places hee can also make warre in all places The same power doth both and Bildad shewes the preparations of God for warre as wel as his sanctions of peace For he hath innumerable Armyes under his command as it follows in the next verse Vers 3. Is there any number of his Armies and upon whom doth not his light arise There seemes to be somewhat a strange conjunction between these two verses hee maketh peace and Is there any number of his Armies One would thinke wee should heare of nothing but warre when we heare of such numberlesse armies God hath innumerable invincible armies alwayes ready for warre yet hee is most ready to make peace yea he who is The Lord of Hosts is also stiled The Lord of peace 2 Thes 3.16 This likewise speakes the dominion power and Majesty of God in that he maketh peace and can make warre His armyes are at hand and those no contemptible ones As if Bildad had thus bespoken Job It is in vaine for thee who art a weake man to thinke of contending with God who hath numberlesse armyes to take his part against all opposers The word which wee translate Armyes properly signifies Troopes Is there any number of his troopes And this is given in name to one of the Patriarchs Gen. 30.11 And Leah sayd a Troop cometh And shee called his name Gad. A troop is a little Army and a great Army consists of many troopes Wee say Is there any number of his Armies When the Scripture sayth that God hath armies it is not to be understood as if God needed them eyther to protect himselfe or to suppresse his enemies The Lord of hosts himselfe is infinitely stronger then all the Armyes and hosts of which he is Lord. Earthly Princes have their Armyes and guards to protect their persons and dominions from danger and invasion They want armyes to helpe their friends abroad and to defend their Subjects at home Woldly Princes borrow power from others to protect themselves while they undertake to protect others But God is the guard of his guards and the strength of his owne armyes Princes are saved by their Armyes but God is the safety of his armyes The Gods of the earth are afrayd of what man may doe unto them but the God of heaven is not onely above those feares but also above all want of mans doing any thing for him So that as God is not worshipped with mans hands as the Apostle tells The Athenians Act. 17.25 as though he needed any thing so neyther is he assisted by mens hands or by any hand as if he needed any thing seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things And therefore when the Lord is sayd to have Armyes it is eyther to signifie first that he hath all things at his command and is full of power or secondly that although he can doe all things by himselfe yet he will use the agency of the creature to effect his purposes This question Is there any number of his armyes resolves it selfe into this negative There is no number of his armyes or there is no numbring of them But what are these armyes of God First The Angells are his armyes we reade of one Angel that destroyed a whole army 2 Kings 19.35 And it came to passe that night that the Angel of the Lord went out and smote in the campe of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand and when they arose early in the morning behold they were all dead corpses If one Angel destroyed an army what cannot an army of Angels doe The Angels of God are armyes without number We read them expressed by such great numbers as render their numbers inexpressible So in Daniels vision of the Glory of God Chap. 7.10 A fiery streame issued and came forth from before him thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him that is an innumerable company stood before him Christ sayd to Peter when he drew his sword and sought to rescue him from the Officers of the High-Priest that came to arrest and bring him to Judgement Put up thy sword againe into his place for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my father and he shall presently give mee more then twelve legions of Angels Math. 26.53 Here is an army of Angels Christ speaketh in the Roman phrase who reckoned their armyes by legions as we doe by regiments Six thousand six hundred sixty six was the number of a legion as some affirme and if so Then twelve legions make Seventy nine thousand nine hundred ninety two a great Army but saith Christ my father can send more then twelve legions But how many more no man can say Christ pitcheth upon a great certaine number to shew that hee might have what number hee would if hee did but call for them Secondly The Sunne Moone Starres are the Armyes of God Judges 5.20 They fought from heaven That is the heavenly or aeriall meteors wind thunder hayle did as it were joyne their confederate forces for the destruction of Israels enemies as they had done before Josh 10.11 and as they did afterward 1 Sam. 7.10 yea as it followeth in the same place the Starres in their courses fought against Sisera The Starres charged like an Army in battel array raysing stormes and dreadfull tempests by their influences and so might be sayd to fight against and ruine the whole army of Sicera By all which Rhetoricall expressions the Spirit would lead us to understand that the Lord himselfe by invisible powers did fight against Sisera while Israel fought him with a visible power Surely if the Starres be the Lords armyes wee may well say is there any number of his armyes When the Lord would shew Abraham that his seed should be an innumerable army hee brought him forth and sayd looke now towards heaven and tell the Starres if thou be
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
fayre yet she hath her spots But God is fayre without any spot and therefore the fayrenes of the Moone is no fayrenes at all to his There is another reading of the words Behold even to the Moon and it doth not extend its tents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et non expandit lumen suum in modum Tenâ—oâ—â— Complut or doth not extend its light like a tent for when the light is spread first out it is like the spreading of a tent upon the mountaines To which the Prophet Joel seemeth to allude Chap. 2.2 in that phrase As the morning spread upon the mountaines Behold to the Moone and it doth not spread out its light nor extend its tents Our translation reacheth the sence fully It shineth not Yea the Starres are not pure in his sight The Starres are supposed higher and greater then the Moone The Starres are pure and splendid bodies as hath been shewed from other places of this booke So that when Bildad saith The Starres are not pure it is not an absolute denyall of their purity but as himselfe expounds it they are not pure in the sight of God The Starres have neyther those spots nor those changes which the Moone hath they are a more cleare and a more certaine light yet Even the Starres are not pure in his sight and wee may reckon the Sunne among the Starres too though sometimes they are spoken of distinctly Sunne Moone and Starres Thus Bildad pleads the excellency of God above the most excellent creatures how much more above man who is now cast much behind many of the creatures through the corruption of his nature and is not disparaged by being compared to the meanest of them Behold even to the Moone and it shineth not and the Starres are not pure in his sight Hence Observe The glory or beauty of the most glorious and beautifull Creatures is no glory no beauty compared with the glory and beauty of God Bildad instancing in the most beautifull Creatures takes in the beauty of all the creatures all which is but a ray a beame of his infinite light but a drop of his infinite Ocean their glory is but an effect of his and though the meanest of them are perfect in their state yet the best of them are not perfect in degree It was sayd anciently Looke upon the heavens they are beautifull looke upon the earth that also is beautifull but he that made heaven and earth is infinitely more beautifull then eyther of them both or then both of them When God had finished the worke of Creation it is sayd Gen. 1.31 And God saw all that he had made and behold it was very good How then is it sayd here that the Moone shineth not and that the Starres are not pure in his sigh I answer First as before all things which God made were good as creatures but nothing was as good as the Creator Secondly I answer the creature is not now so good as it was when first created the sin of man did not onely pollute and staine the glory of man but of the whole creation and therefore the Apostle sayth Rom. 8.20 21 22. That the creature was made subject to vanity not willingly but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope because the creature it selfe also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God for we know that the whole creation groaneth and travelleth in paine together untill now From this illustrious context it appeares that God for mans sin hath put the whole creation to disgrace and suffering and that all creatures are fallen from their first perfection by the fall of the first man The very lights of heaven are made darke and the Starres impure by mans impurity Now if by the sin of man those creatures who in themselves are sinlesse even the Moone and Starres have contracted defilement and are not without blemish in the sight of God then how much lesse is man by whom they have taken this infection free from blemish or infection himselfe as Bildad inferres in the next words and close of the Chapter Vers 6. How much lesse man that is a worme and the son of man which is a worme As if he had sayd If the Sunne Moone and Starres are not pure in his sight how much lesse is man pure Nor is Bildad content to say how much less is man but he giveth a very debasing comparison of man How much lesse is man that is a worme Cum precedit sententia negativa particulae illae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commodè redduntur quanto minus Pisc and the son of man which is a worme How much lesse We may say also how much more is man impure in his sight So the original words are often rendred as the reader may see in those places Prov. 11.31 Prov. 15.11 Bildad layeth man as low as he can shewing that he is so farre below the Starres that hee is as low as a worme and if the Starres be impure in the sight of God how much more is man a worme What 's a worme what a darke dull thing is a worme to a Starre yet that is not so dull a thing to a Starre as a Starre is to God therefore if the Starres be not pure in his sight how much lesse man that is a worme A worme is one of the meanest Creatures and the word that is here used signifieth the meanest of wormes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vermis parvus in carne aut caseo nascens properly and strictly those little wormes which breed in flesh or Cheese or in any other kinde of food when it is corrupted The word is used Exod. 16.24 where it is said of the Manna that was reserved contrary to the command of God That it bred wormes such a worme is man and Bildad is not content to say this once but he saith it againe And the son of man which is a worme Here is the same thing doubled And 't is doubled by Bildad to assure us of the truth and certainty of of it as if he had said I am not afraid to averr what I have spoken I have said it and I say it againe how much lesse man who is a worme and the son of man which is a worme The son of man that is any man high or low rich or poore learned or unlearned they who are at greatest distance in themselves meete all in this They are wormes To be called the son of man imports the meanenes of man and minds man of his weaknes and frailty Ezekiel the Prophet is often spoken to by the Lord in this stile Son of man the reason given by some is this because hee was a man often rapt up in the visions of God or had the visions of God sent downe to him hee was a man that lived so much in heaven that hee might even forget that hee was of the earth therefore the
and 't is usuall in Scripture to speake that in negative words which was before spoken in affirmative As to be naked and to have no covering are the same so hell and destruction are the same and these two are often put together Pro. 15.11 Hell and destruction are before the Lord how much more the hearts of the children of men Though we know not where hel is nor what is done there though wee know not what is become of those that are destroyed nor what they suffer yet God doth and if the secrets of hel and devills are knowne to him then much more the secrets of the hearts of the children of men And as that proverb teacheth us that nothing is hid from God because hell and destruction are not so another proverb delivered in the same forme teacheth us that nothing in the creature can satisfie the desires and lustings of man even as hell and destruction can never be satisfied Prov. 27.20 Hell and destruction are never full so the eyes of men are never satisfyed The Devill who is the great executioner of the wrath of God is exprest by this word as hell is called destruction in the abstract so the Devill is called a destroyer in the concrete Revel 9.11 And they had a King over them which is the Angel of the bottomlesse pit or hell whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon but in the Greeke tongue hath his name Apollyon both the one and the other the Hebrew and the Greeke signifie the same thing a destroyer The Devill who is the Jaylour of hell is called a destroyer as hell it selfe is called destruction from the Co-incidency of these two termes Note Hell is destruction They that are once there are lost and lost for ever The reason why hell is called destruction is because they that are cast to hell are undone to eternity We read of a City Isa 19.18 which was called the City of destruction because it was to be utterly destroyed Hell may be called a City of destruction not because it shall ever be destroyed but because it shall ever be full of destruction and nothing but destruction shall be there There is no estate on earth so miserable but a man may be delivered out of it but out of hell there is no deliverance Heman saith Psal 88.11 Shall thy loving kindnesse be declared in the grave or thy faithfullnesse in destruction There grave and destruction are put together much more may hell and destruction be put together or for each other What ever comes into the grave is destroyed it rots and perisheth much more doth hell destroy all that comes thither And looke as the grave is to the body now a destroyer consuming so hell is to the soule now and will be to soule and body after the resurrection a destroyer tormenting The loving kindnesse of God shall not be declared in Hell nor any faithfullnesse of his in destruction unlesse it be his faithfullnesse according to what is threatned in the Word to destroy The Apostle Peter sayth 1 Ep 3.19 20. that Christ by the Spirit went and preached to the Spirits in prison which sometime were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah c. It is true that Christ by the Spirit in the ministery of Noah did preach to those Spirits who were disobedient in the time when Noah preached and were in prison or in hel in the time when Peter wrote But Christ did not preach by his Spirit in the ministery of Noah or any other way to Spirits who were in prison or in hel while he preached to them There are no Sermons in hel nor any salvation there The loving kindnesse of God is aboundantly declared on earth but it shall not be declared in hel As there is nothing felt in hel but destruction so there is no salvation offered to those who are in hel There 's teares enow and mourning enough in hel but there is not the least Godly sorrow in hel which onely worketh repentance to salvation August lib. 21. de Civ dei cap 17. not to be repented of 2 Cor. 7.10 One of the ancients hath reported the opinion of some in his time who thought that though there be destruction in hel yet not eternal destruction but that sinners should be punished some a lesse others a longer time and that at last all shall be freed and yet saith he Origen was more mercifull in this poynt then these men for he held that the Devill himselfe should be saved at last Of this opinion I shall say no more in this place then this one thing which he there sayd These men will be found to erre by so much the more foulely against the right words of God so much the more perversely by how much they seeme to themselves to judge more mercifully for indeed the justice of God in punishing sinners is as much above the scale of mans thoughts as his mercyes in pardoning them are let not sinners flatter themselves in a hope of salvation when they are in hel who have neglected salvation while they were on the earth For as the Apostle saith Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape that is how shall we escape falling into hel if we neglect so great salvation so I may say how shall any escape by getting out of hell who neglect so great salvation Hel is destruction and as because heaven is a place of happinesse and salvation therefore heaven and happinesse heaven and salvation mutually or reciprocally signifie one another to obtaine heaven is to obtaine salvation to obtaine heaven is to obtaine happines So because hel is a place of misery and destruction therefore hel and misery hel and destruction signifie the same thing nor can they be separated Againe when he sayth Hell is naked before him and destruction hath no covering we learne There is nothing hid from the eye or knowledge of God Philosophy and reason teach us that the vertue and force of the heavenly bodyes the Sunne Moone and Starres doe not onely act upon those parts of the earth which are uppermost but send their influences and powers to the lowest parts or bowels of the earth for as was sayd before according to the ordinance of God dead things are formed there Now I say as the power of the heavenly bodyes reacheth downe into the earth much more doth the power and light of God reach into hell it selfe I will not stay upon any curious enquiries where this hell is wheresoever it is God seeth it Hel is naked before him therefore sayth David Psal 139.8 If I ascend up into heaven thou art there if I make my bed in hell behold thou art there that is there thou art by thy power and inspection thou seest what is in hell and if so how much more doth God behold what is done heere upon the earth if hell be naked before him then the earth is naked before him if destruction have no
covering then our actions heere have no covering Hypocrites put many coverings upon their actions they have many policies to vaile and screene them from the eye of man but the actions of men have no covering before God yea the hearts of men have no covering before God As Solomon in the Proverbs which place was lately toucht upon argues from this reason because hell and destruction are before him Prov. 15.11 Hell and destruction are before the Lord how much more then the hearts of the children of men As if he had sayd God who looketh into hell which is not onely darkenes but outer darkenes that is darkenes without any thing that hath the least ray or similitude of light in it God I say who looketh into this hel can looke into the hearts of men much more There are some men I grant whose hearts are a very hell a very deepe and they hope to hide themselves in the depth of their owne hearts from the sight of God as the Prophet telleth us Isai 29.15 Woe unto them that seeke deepe to hide their councell from the Lord and their workes are in the darke and they say who seeth us and who knoweth us And what doth he meane by the deeps which they seeke doe they seeke caves and dens of the earth to take counsel or consult together in no they may be in the open ayre and yet seeke deepe to hide their counsells from God so that the meaning is they seeke to keepe their counsels close lockt up in their hearts but woe unto them that digge thus deepe to hide their counsells from God for they cannot be hid for even hel is before him and destruction hath no covering how then shall these destroyers cover themselves or any of their counsels from him As the reason of all things is naked and manifest before God so are the motions and actions of all persons Thirdly When 't is sayd Hell and destruction are before him that word before doth not onely imply that God hath a view or sight of what is in hel but also that hee hath power in and over hel and can doe what he will there hell is naked before him that is hee hath hell at his dispose Hence note The power and providence of God reaches to those things that are most remote He orders all things in hell as well as upon the earth his power rules there where there seemes to be least order yea where there is no order at all They who are cast into hel kept no order while they were upon the earth nor are they in any willing order there when we see confusions in the world wee say what a hell is there or we say Hel is broken loose hell is a place of confusion yet hell is before God he keepes hell in order And when by reason of troubles and confusion among men wee are ready to say there is a hell in the world yet this hell is naked before God he disposeth and orders those places persons and things which are most confused hell and destruction are before him Before I passe from these words I shall onely take notice that there are many words in Scripture by which hell is exprest The Rabbins number seven or eight heere are two First Sheol or the grave because we lye as it were buried there in a second death Secondly Abaddon or destruction because all are there in a perishing state or as given up into the hand of destruction Thirdly Hel is called Tsalmaveth or the shadow of death and by the shadow of death is not meant a smal appearance of death as the word shadow is used Jam 1.17 where the Apostle exalts the glory of the Lord in his unchangeablenes that he is the Father of lights from whom every good gift and every perfect gift cometh downe with whom is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning that is he is not subject to any turning at all but hel is called the shadow of death as shadow is put for strength and power and so to be under the shadow of God or man is to be under their protection Thus hell is the shadow of death that is the strength and power of it Death never triumphs so much in its strength as it doth in hell Fourthly Hel is called Erets tachith which signifyes first the earth under or the lowest and most inferiour earth whence in Scripture hell is called the bottomlesse pit and the way to it is described by descending and going downe as heaven is described by ascending and hight heaven is high and the highest ascending is our ascending to heaven so hell is low and the lowest descending is descending into hel Secondly it imports feare vexation and trembling hell is a land of trembling it is a land of feare it is sayd of Caine that when he went out of the presence of God after he had murthered his brother he went into the land of Nod that is into a land of trembling which some expound not of any speciall place that he went to but that every place where he went was to him a land of trembling hee having much feare and dread upon his conscience after he had embrewed his hands in his brothers blood Hel is indeed the land of Nod a Trembling land They who have not rejoyced with trembling in this world shall sorrow with trembling for ever in the world to come Fifthly Hel is called Bershiachathith that is the piâ—â—â— corruption not that the bodyes of the damned shall corrupt in hell as they doe in the grave for though we cannot say that the bodyes of the wicked shall be raysed incorruptible as the bodyes of the Saints shall yet they shall be raysed immortall and in that sence incorruptible that is they shall never dye but they shall be corruptible that is filthines and corruption shall be upon them The bodyes of Saints onely shall be raysed so incorruptible that nothing of corruption shall be seene upon them or felt by them but the bodyes of the wicked shall ever feele corruption and beare the markes of it without total corrupting or perishing as corrupting and perishing are taken for not-being The wicked would be glad that they might perish so but they shall not hel will be a pit of corruption to them for whatsoever is painefull and grievous to the flesh shall dwell in their bodyes and therefore it is called the pit of corruption and it may also be called a pit of corruption in a morall sence because all their sins and lusts shall remaine upon them for ever hel-fire cannot purge the soule from sin nor free any man from the power of that old man who as the Apostle speakes Eph 4.22 Is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts Nothing but the blood of Christ can purge the soule from corruption Hell is for the punishment of corruption but not at all for the purging of it and therefore it is well called the pit of corruption Sixthly It is called Erets
Nesciah that is the land of forgetfulnesse as the grave so hell is called the land of forgetfulnesse where the wicked shall be remembred no more God will remember them no more to doe them any good and they are forgotten how much soever they are remembred who are not remembred for good And as God will not remember those in hell for good so they shall forget all the good they have had upon the earth or the remembrance which they have of it shall onely be to encrease their sorrow under present evills Abraham in the Parable Luk. 16.25 sayd to the rich man in hel Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and that remembrance of the good things which he once enjoyed was but an addition to all the evills and miseries which he then endured It is better never to have had any good thing then onely to remember that we have had it How miserable is their condition who shall neither be â—â—membred for good nor remember any good but to make them more miserable Seventhly Hel is called Erets choscec that is a land of darknesse a region of darknesse there is nothing but darknesse in hell The wicked goe to the generation of their fathers where they shall never see light Psal 49.19 They loved darknesse here rather then light and they shall be punished with darkenes hereafter which hath no light Darknes was their choyce in this life and it shall be their curse in the next Eightly Hel is called Gehinon whence the Greeke Gehenna from the valley of Hinnon in which the Idolatrous Israelites imitating the abomination of the Heathens were wont to sacrifice their children with horrible cruelty And hence the Scripture often makes use of that word to signifie the place of torment or the torments of that place where the damned must abide separate for ever from the favourable presence and subjected under the wrath of God This Hel is naked before God and this destruction hath no covering Vers 7. He stretcheth out the North over the empty place and hangeth the earth upon nothing In this verse Job exalts God in his Almighty power upholding the mighty fabrick of heaven and earth His discourse mounts up from the earth from the waters and from hell as high as heaven it selfe and he speakes of heaven and of the earth in their conjunction together He stretcheth out the North over the empty place Bildad had spoken of the power of God in the heavens Dominion and feare are with him hee maketh peace in his high places is there any number of his armies and upon whom doth not his light arise Job also speaks of the power of God in the creation and disposition of these things He stretcheth out the North over the empty place The word is so rendred to signifie a gracious act of God to regardlesse men Prov. 1.24 I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded God stretcheth out his hand to smite and he stretcheth it out to save but man layeth it not to heart It is used also to signifie that powerfull act of God in preparing the heavens for himselfe Ps 104.2 Who coverest thy selfe with light as with a garment who stretchest out the heavens like a curtaine As wee draw or stretch out a curtaine so God stretcheth out the heavens But why doth Job say He stretcheth out the North I answer by the North he meaneth that part of heaven that is Northward or the northerne heavens Againe the North may be taken for the whole heavens by a Synechdoche and Job might speak of the North because the North-pole was neerest the climate where he dwelt He stretcheth out the North or the northerne heavens that is the whole heavens both the North and South East and West Hee stretcheth out the North over the empty place What is this empty place First By the empty place some understand the most remote and uninhabited places of the earth Hee over-spreads them with heavens and disposeth things there as well as here hee spreads the heavens over those parts where there is no man and so may be called Empty places because un-inhabited or not fill'd with men God causeth it to raine on the earth where no man is on the Wildernes where there is no man as he speaketh of himselfe to Job in the 38â—h Chapter of this booke ver 26th Now as God raineth upon those in this sence empty places so he stretcheth out the heavens over these empty places that is he takes care of them as well as of those that are peopled or inhabited Secondly Rather by the empty place wee are to understand the ayre for in the natural disposition or systeame of the world the earth is lowest the water next the ayre is the third and the fire fourth over which God stretcheth out the heavens And because nothing is visible to us upwards on this side heaven but the ayre therefore it may wel be sayd that he stretcheth out the heavens immediately over the ayre or the empty place Super inane quod juxta communem opinioneÌ„ intelligi decet Vulgo enim totum spatium a terra usque ad coelum vacuum putatur quum plenum aere sit But is the ayre or that place which we call the ayre empty no the ayre is not empty there is no vacuity no empty place in nature and nature will put it selfe into strange courses to avoide a vacuity water will ascend to avoide vacuity and it will not descend to avoide vacuity but though the ayre be not empty or voide taking emptines strictly and philosophically for every place hath its filling yet as emptines is taken largely and vulgarly so the ayre may be called an empty place when wee come into a roome where there is no artificiall furniture wee say it is an empty roome so the space between us and the heavens in a vulgar sence is an empty place The Scripture speakes often of things according to the vulgar acceptation and understanding Mr Broughton translates thus He stretcheth out the North upon the empty And wee may conceave Job using this forme of speech the more to magnifie and shew forth the great power of God As if he had sayd The heavens have nothing to beare them up but an empty place what can the ayre beare the ayre will beare nothing yet the Lord useth no support for the whole heavens but this empty place Thirdly I conceave that this phrase may be expounded barely of the Creation For Moses sayth Gen. 1.1 2. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and the earth was without forme and voyd or empty It is the word Tohu used here in Job over this Tohu or empty place did God at the first stretch the heavens And as this was the worke of God at first in Creation so it is his worke still in providence and therefore the Lord speakes of it as of a continued worke Isa 44.24 Thus sayth the Lord thy
redeemer c. that stretcheth forth the heavens alone and spreadeth abroad the earth by my selfe Hence note As the heavens in creation so the heavens in their dayly motion are stretched out and ordered by God Isaiah 40.22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth and the inhabitants thereof are as grass-hoppers that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtaine and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in The Prophet entitles God to this with a speciall emphasis It is He that doth it as if he had sayd God doth it and none but he and in this he eminently declares that He is God Who ever stretched out such a curtaine or canopy as the heavens who ever pitched such a tent to dwell in This is a tent or a Tabernacle which though it shall be changed yet as the Prophet speakes of Sion in her beauty and glory Is 33.20 Shall not be taken downe not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed neyther shall any of the cords thereof be broken Againe Consider the heavens have no outward support They are stretched out over the empty place Which demonstration of the power of God will be more cleared and hightned in the next words And he hangeth the earth upon nothing If any say heaven is a thin body there needs no great matter to keepe that up What will they say to the earth which is a grosse and heavy body a body of an unconceivable weight who can count or cast up the weight of the earth or how much the earth weigheth God not onely stretcheth out the thinne heavens over the empty place but he hangeth the earth that mighty masse of the earth upon nothing he hath not so much as a pegge in the wall so the word signifieth to hang it upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appendit suspendit He hangeth the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est nomen compositum ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quid quasi dicas nihil quicquam Drus Philosophi rationem reddunt quod illa sit in suo centro in quo res naturalitèr quiescunt ideoque terra ponderibus librata suis quiescat When he sayth the earth we are to understand both earth and water the whole terrestiall globe This he hangeth upon nothing The Original word is a compound which in its parts may be rendred not any thing at all that is nothing But how can any thing be hung upon that which is nothing if it hang it must be upon somewhat Philosophers tell us that the earth hangeth upon its Center and so is poysed by its own waight and cannot moove which Center or imaginary point is nothing But the Scripture sayth the earth hath a foundation And David Psal 24.2 tells us expressely what that foundation is The earth is the Lords and the fullnesse thereof the world and they that dwell therein for he hath founded it upon the seas and established it upon the floods According to this Scripture the Sea is the foundation of the earth the floods are the basis of it How then doth Job affirme that He hangeth the earth upon nothing That indeed which David affirmes may seeme very strange that the earth should be founded upon the sea and established upon the floods is the sea a fit foundation for the earth and can that which is stable and unmoveable be established upon that whiâ—h is the Embleme of instability floods and waters Jacob sayth of Reubâ—n Gen. 49.4 unstable as water and can floods or waters be the whole earths establishment the earth is rather the foundation of the water and many Philosophers tell us that the sea is higher then the earth and therein is the power of God seene that hee holds in the sea as with barrs or as with a bridle lest it overwhelme the earth how is it then sayd the earth is founded upon the sea I answer the word that wee translate upon signifieth by neere together with so he hath founded it upon the sea is by the sea Super flumina est juxta vel secus flumina quis enim terram initifluminibus dixerit Drus or neare the sea that is the sea and the land are next neighbours they dwel so neere each other that the one seemes to dwel upon or be the foundation of the other There are waters within the earth whence it is sayd that at the time of the Flood Gen. 7.11 as the windows of heaven were opened so the fountaines of the great deepe were broken up and wee read of the waters as placed under the earth Exod 20.4 yet if we say the earth is upon the waters sence contradicts it and if wee consider the whole globe together wee cannot say which is uppermost for in a spheare or round figure there is neyther uppermost nor lowermost but all the parts are equall and alike being placed one by another not one upon another So that the text in the Psalme which saith the earth is founded upon the seas doth not at all dash against nor contradict this of Job which sayth He hangeth the earth upon nothing Againe There is another Scripture that seemes to oppose this and from which we may inferre that surely the earth hath somewhat to sustaine it Psal 104.5 Who layd the foundations of the earth that it should not be removed for ever Wee put in the margin Hee founded the earth upon her basis if the earth be founded upon a basis or pillar then it doth not hang upon nothing I answer the foundation or basis in the Psalme doth not oppose the earths hanging upon nothing for the foundation or basis which upholdeth the earth is not any created power without or extrinsicall to the earth God did not build the earth as wee doe houses first laying the foundation and then seting up the walls and roofe there is no such thing imaginable in the worke of God But the foundation or basis of the earth is the infinite and invisible power of God who made the earth The will and word of the Builder is the pillar which sustaineth this building The thin ayre is all the appearing foundation of the earth For as the heavens hang over the ayre so the earth hangs in the midst of the ayre What then is the basis and foundation of the earth I answer which may be the poynt of observation from these words The earth is upheld by the infinite and allmighty power of God The earth hath no pillar but hangs like a ball in the ayre we should looke upon it as a miracle did we see a little ball but of an ounce weight hanging in the ayre without support Non fundamâ—ntis suis nâ—xa subsistit terra nec sulchris sâ—isstabilis perseverat sed dominus statuit terram fundamento voluntatis suae continet Amb Hexam 6. the ayre will scarce beare a feather throw a feather up into the ayre and it will descend unlesse kept up
by a breath of winde and yet this huge vast globe of earth and water hangs as a ball in the ayre and we scarce wonder at it The Poets fained an Atlas to beare up the heavens with his shoulders God is the Atlas that beares up the heavens and the earth too the upper globe and the under globe too he made all things by himselfe out of nothing and he supports them by himselfe upon nothing We have an excellent expression of the power of God in this thing Isa 40.12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and meted out heaven with the span and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountaines in scales and the hills in a ballance God made all things in weight and measure and hee keepes the weight and measure of all things As the earth was not till his word and will gave it a being so his word and will alone is all-sufficient to uphold it in that being God hath not hanged the earth upon any thing but himselfe who is indeed infinitely more then all things Take two or three deductions from this Grand Conclusion First The same power which made the world supports and maintaines it Thus the Authour to the Hebrewes sets forth the dignity of Christ the Son of God Chap 1.2 3. Whom he hath appoynted heyre of all things by whom also he made the worlds both the naturall civill and spirituall worlds with all the changes and successions which have been in them who is also the brightnes of the glory of God and the expresse image of his person upholding all things the naturall frame of the world as wel as the civill and spirituall frame of it by the word of his power or by his powerfull word which as it once commanded all things into a being so now it commands all things into that continuance of their being in which they are Which power the Apostle attributes againe to Christ Col. 1.17 He is before all things and by him all things consist Sin made the world shake And had it not been for a second creation the first creation had been ruin'd and lost The earth and all our concernements who live upon the face of the earth hang upon nothing but the will of God If he let us goe we fall though all the powers on earth would underprop and uphold us and if he hold us up we stand fast though we have no more of any earthly power to prop us up with then the earth hath which is propt up with and hangeth upon nothing Secondly God can doe the greatest things without any visible meanes This worke of God in hanging the earth as it doth is to be numbred among the greatest workes that ever he did and thus it hangs without any the least appearing meanes to hold it up There are three arguments given in Scripture of the mighty power of God First That he workes by small even the smallest meanes wee have reason to wonder when effects exceed all visible causes as it shewes the great power of God when he stops great meanes from doing any thing when he causeth men to labour in the very fire that is to toyle and sweat themselves to the utmost for very vanity that is without any hoped for issue or advantage Some labour in the fire for very vanity because all they get by their labours is worth nothing but others may be sayd to labour in the fire for very vanity because with all their labours they can get nothing And this is of the Lord this is an effect of the Lords power to make the power of man in the use and improvement of the best and choycest meanes ineffectual So on the other side it is a great magnifying of the power of God when by a litle power put forth by the hand of a weake instrument he produceth great effects The Apostle James brings it in with a behold Chap. 3.5 Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth When great matters are done by small meanes we have reason to extoll and cry up the power of God Secondly It argues the great power of God when he doth great things by meanes that are improbable or that seeme no way sutable to such an end as Christ cured blindnesse with clay spittle which meanes had no sutablenesse to such an end the curing of blindnesse The meanes used to cure Naaman had no sutablenesse for such a cure and Naaman was so sencible of it that he was very angry with the Prophet about it as if his leprosie could be cured by so slight a thing as that was he thought he would have done it with some ceremony or in an extraordinary way yet this shewed that the cure was wrought by a divine power because it was wrought by so improbable an application As the power of God appeares in doing great things by small meanes so by doing great things by unlikely meanes Thirdly It shews the power of God much more to doe great things without the use of any meanes at all Such actings are creatings as the Apostle speakes of the Creation Heb 11.3 Through faith wee understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things that are seene were not made of things that doe appeare Nothing appeared out of which this world was created There was no pre-excistent matter out of which the world was made The world was made out of nothing That Goodly fabrick of heaven and earth which is now seene was made of that which was never seene no man can tell what were the materialls of which God made the world Now as God shewed his infinite power at first in making all things of that which did not appeare so the great power of God doth appeare now in doing great things without the appearance or external concurrence of any thing The Lord turnes whole Nations sometimes by nothing things are done and no man can tell how they were done or by what We love to have a fayre Appearance of meanes when we attempt great matters But God loves to act when and where nothing appeares We honour God most when we are sencible that the greatest meanes is nothing without him and that he himselfe is enough when no meanes at all appeares to sence It is Gods usuall way to doe things in a way which is not used and eyther to use no helpe or that which signifyeth nothing Thus the Apostle describes the dealing of God in bringing soules to himselfe by a holy calling and in removing whatsoever standeth in the way of that call 1 Cor 1.26 For yee see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called c. some wise and mighty men are called lest any thing in man should seeme too hard for the Grace of God and not many wise and mighty men are called lest any thing in man should seeme to contribute to or helpe
out the call of God but God hath chosen foolish things to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base things of the world and things which are dispised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are that is those things which are so foolish and weake and base and despised they seeme to have no being or are accounted as nothing even these non-entityes these poore tooles doth God chuse and take up to doe great things by and to nullifie or bring those things to nought which are all in all among or in the estimations of men Therefore so God owne the worke the matter is not much I speake not in regard of lawfullnes but likelynes I say the matter is not much what the meanes is God can over-wit wise men by fooles he can over-power mighty men by those who are weake Thus God trivmphs over humane improbabilityes yea impossibilityes and would have no flesh eyther despayre because of the smalnes of meanes or glory in his sight because of the greatnes of it How glorious was Abrahams faith in the former Chapter who was so farre from despayring that he was strong in faith giving glory to God though he saw nothing but death upon all the meanes which tended to attaine the blessing promised Rom. 4.17 18 19. As it is written I have made thee a father of many Nations before him whom he beleeved even God who was it that Abraham beleeved it was God And under what notion did his faith eye God even as he who quickeneth the dead when God is closed with under this notion as quickning the dead what can be too hard for faith but there is more in it Abrahams faith eyed God not onely as quickning the dead but as he that calleth those things which be not as though they were that is as he who maketh something of nothing when once Abraham had these apprehensions of God then nothing stucke with him his faith could digest iron and therefore as it followeth he against hope beleeved in hope c. and being not weake in faith he considered not his owne body being now dead as to the procreation of children when he was about an hundred yeares old neyther yet the deadnesse as to conception of Sarahs wombe He staggered not at the promise of God through unbeliefe that is he never made any scruples or queries how the promise should be accomplished but was strong in faith giving glory to God that is gloryfying God by beleeving that he was able to make good the promise or that it was as easie for God to create a performance as to make the promise Thirdly Then feare not when God is a working but he will cary on his worke deficiencyes in the creature are no stop to his actings his immediate or sole power is enough who hangeth the earth upno nothing Where are the pillars that sustaine this mighty masse It hangeth fast by no fastning but the order of God And his order is strong enough to hang the greatest busienes that ever was in the world upon The Jewes have a saying in reverence of the written word of God That upon or at every Iota or the least title of the Law there hangeth a mountaine of sence and 't is as true in reference to his doings as his sayings God can hang mountaines upon mole-hils and turne mountaines into mole-hils for his peoples sake and safety It is rare that we are put to the actings of faith at so high a rate There is usually somewhat in sight to encourage the actings of our faith and dependance upon God they that are in the lowest condition have somewhat to looke to but if there be nothing to be seene then doe but remember that God hangeth the earth upon nothing and faith will say I have all Although the meale in the Barrell and the oyle in the Cruse should fayle Although the fig-tree shall not blossome neyther shall there be fruit in the Vines Although the labour of the Olive shall fayle and the fields shall yeild no meate c. yet the Lord fayleth not eyther in his power for us or compassions towards us and therefore the beleever can even then rejoyce in the Lord and joy in the God of his salvation For while there is nothing in appearance there is not onely some thing but all things are that are for our good in the promise Faith may make all sorts of comfortable Conclusions to and for it selfe and not build Castles in the ayre from this one Assertion That The earth hangeth in the ayre or to give it in the words of the text That God hangeth the earth upon nothing The Constitution or syntaxe of Nature wel considered is no small advantage to our hightning and strengthning in grace JOB CHAP. 26. Vers 8 9 10. He bindeth up the waters in his thicke clouds and the cloud is not broken under him He holdeth backe the face of his throane and spreadeth his cloud upon it He hath compassed the waters with bounds untill the day and night come to an end JOB having shewed how wonderfully God upholdeth the earth which is under us goeth on to shew no lesse a wonder in his binding up those waters in clouds which are above us Whatsoever God hath done or doth in heaven above or upon the earth beneath eyther as to creation and the first constitution of tâ—ings or as to providence and the continuall motion of things is wonderfull and glorious Vers 8. He bindeth up the waters in his thicke clouds As our English word Bind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Colligavit vinxit compressit so the Original implyeth a force upon the waters to keepe them within the cloud Water would not stay there but that it must whether it will or no It would rush downe presently and disorderly to the ruine of all below but God bindeth it to its good behaviour As the mouth of a sacke is tyed or bound about that the corne put into it fall not out Or which allusion comes neerest the text as barrels are bound with hoopes lest the liquor put into them should leake out thus God bindeth up the waters What waters There are two sorts of waters first upper waters or waters in the ayre of which the Psalmist speaketh when he sayth Psal 104.3 Hee layeth the beames of his chambers in the waters that is in those upper waters which are neerest the heaven called in Scripture The habitation of his holynes and of his glory Earthly Architects must have strong walls to lay the beames of their chambers upon but the Lord who made heaven and earth can make fluid waters beare up the beames of his chambers for ever Secondly theâ—e are lower waters or waters on the earth Which distinction Moses gave long before Aristotle Gen. 1.7 And God made the firmament and it divided the waters which were under the firmament
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
heaven proper and the pillars of heaven in a figure tremble at or are astonished at these loud reproofes Hence observe The greatest strength of the creature trembleth at the angry dispensations and appearances of God As the lifting up of the light of Gods countenance puts joy into the heart more then corn wine the best things of this world so the darkenes of Gods countenance puts more trouble and sorrow into our hearts then gall and wormewood the worst of the world can doe David describes at large in what a kinde of hudle and hurry the world was in such a day Psal 18.13 14 15. Then the earth shooke and trembled the foundations also of the hils moved and were shaken because he was wroth The Lord also thundered in the heavens and the highest gave his voyce hailestones and coales of fire he sent out his arrows and scattered them and he shot out lightnings and discomfited them then the channels of waters were seene and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke O Lord at the blast of the breath of thy nostrills What David there spake of thunder and lightning and hayle-stones hath been visibly effected for the destruction of the enemyes of the people of God and for the deliverance of his children The history of Joshuah gives us a famous instance at the 10th Chapter and though it be not recorded that David obtained victoryes by such immediate helpes from heaven yet it is not improbable considering the tenour of this Psalme that he did And we have a notable instance of a victory obtained by Thunder and lightning in the History of the Church whence that Christian Legion of Souldiers who had earnestly prayed that God would appeare for their help was called The Thundering Legion But whether we expound this context in the Psalme literally and strictly as expressing what God did for David in this kinde Or figuratively as expressing onely thus much that God did wonderfull things in one kinde or other in helping David against his enemyes or whether we understand it mystically of what God doth to and for the soules and spirituall estates of men yet it holds forth in all the utter inability of man to beare up when the Lord shewes himselfe in any terrible demonstrations of his presence Againe Psal 104.32 He looketh on the earth and it trembleth he toucheth the hills and they smoake There is a twofold looke of God First there is the looke of Gods favour and thus Saints often pray that God will looke downe from heaven upon them this looke is the releiving yea the reviving of the soule secondly there is a looke of displeasure an angry a frowning looke when clouds and stormes are seene in the brow Thus in the Psalme God is sayd to looke on the earth frowningly childingly and then it trembled he toucheth the hills and they smoak that is they are as all on-fire The natural hils smoake at Gods touch and so doe the metaphoricall hills when God toucheth the great men of the earth they smoake presently they fret and fume till they breake out into a flame of rage heating and vexing both themselves and all that are neere them Isa 50.2 Behold at my rebuke I dry up or I can dry up the Sea I am as able to doe it now with a word of my mouth as I once did it for the deliverance of your forefathers Exo 14.21.29 I make or I can make when I will with my rebuke the rivers a wildernesse that is as dry as a desert or wildernes useth to be their fish stinketh because there is no water and dyeth for thirst What strange worke doth the rebuke of God make By that he drieth the sea by that he maketh the river a wildernes and as he doth this by the power of his reproofes upon the sea and rivers natural so upon the sea and rivers mysticall He can dry up those worldly helpes which seeme as inexhaustible as the sea and as lasting and constant to us as a river which is fed with a continuall spring And when any power riseth up against us as deepe and dangerous as the sea as wel supplyed and seconded as a river yet we need not feare for God can presently dry it up and make us a passage over it or through it Yea they who are as well bottom'd and foundation'd as the earth shall quickly feele the effects of his power Psal 114.7 Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Jacob. But some may say if the earth trembleth at the presence of God then the earth must alwayes tremble for God is alwayes present or what is the presence of God there spoken of I answer as there is a presence of God that maketh all those that enjoy it to sing for joy In thy presence is fullnesse of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 so there is a presence of God that is very terrible to the creature yea that presence of God which is comfortable to his people is terrible to his enemyes for when the Psalmist had sayd ver 2. Judah was his Sanctuary and Israel his dominion that is a people sanctifyed to him and governed and protected by him presently it followeth The sea saw it and fled Jordan was driven backe The mountaines skipped like rams and the litle hils like lambs The Psalmist perceaving all things in such a trembling fit and confusion seemes to wonder what the matter was and therefore puts the question What ayled thee O thou sea that thou fleddest yea mountaines that ye skipped c And presently maketh answer Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord As if he had sayd the cause of all this terrour and trouble among the creatures was nothing else but the presence of God And if the very sence-lesse creatures were sencible of his wrathfull presence how much more must man both be sencible of it and stoop unto it This the Lord insinuates by a cutting question Ezek. 22.14 Can thy heart indure or can thy hands be strong in the day that I shall deale with thee I the Lord have spoken it and will doe it The Lord by his Prophet speakes there to a people that had a double strength they were strong hearted and they were strong handed they had much force or outward power and they had much courage or inward power but neyther hand-strength nor heart-strength neyther force nor courage shall avayle you in that day saith the Lord that I shall deale with you after the dealings of an enemy in wrath and Judgement God strengthens the hands of his servants and encourageth their hearts to endure his severest dealings with them But when he commeth to deale severely with those who are rebellious and wicked their hearts who are stoutest among them shall not be able to endure nor can they strengthen their hands They who have strengthned their hearts and hands most to commit sin shall be
in man to desire God to strike through his pride and it is a great act of mercy to man when God doth so The more God smiteth our sins the more he declares his love to and his care of our soules The remainders of pride in the Saints shall be smitten through but sinners who remaine in their pride shall be smitten through themselves God whose power and understanding are made known by smiting through the proud waves of the Sea will at last make his Justice and his holynes knowne by smiting through the proud hearts of men or rather men of proud hearts Proud men strike at God yea kicke against him no wonder then if he strike and kicke them All the sufferings of Christ are wrapt up under that one word His humiliation implying that as he was smitten for all our sins so most of all for our pride That man whose pride is not smitten to death or mortifyed by the death of Christ shall surely be smitten to death even to eternall death for his pride As God understandeth thoroughly who are proud so by his understanding he will smite through the proud JOB CHAP. 26. Vers 13 14. By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens his hand hath formed the crooked Serpent Lo these are parts of his wayes but how little a portion is heard of him but the thunder of his power who can understand JOB hath given us a particular of many illustrious works of God what he doth in the depths below Et ut in opere ipsius pulcherrimo desinam hic ille est qui coelos illa enarrabili pulchritudine exornavit spherae illae suis giris undique coelos serpeÌ„tium instar percurreÌ„tes sunt opus manibus ipsius tornatum Bez and what in the hights above in this verse he gives another instance and that a very choyce one upon the same subject As if he had sayd After all this large discourse which I have made of the workes of God I will conclude with that which is the most remarkeable peice of them all This is he who hath adorn'd the heavens with that unutterable beauty wherewith they shine and the spheares which wind and turne round about the heavens like Serpents are smoothed and polished by his hand Vers 13. By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens The Spirit of God is taken two wayes in Scripture First q. d. visua voluntate ut nomen spiritus saepius in scriptura usurpatur sed malo ipsum dei spiritum almum accipere quo omnia deus fecit Merc for the power of God Secondly and so here for God the power as distinct from the Father and the Son By whom God wrought all things in the creation of the world Gen 1.2 The Earth was without forme and voyd and darkenes was upon the face of the deepe and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters It is a rule in Divinity That the external workes of the Trinity are undevided and so the Three Persons concurred in the making of the world God the Father created and is called Father in Scripture not onely in relation to the Eternall ineffable Generation of God the Son but also in reference to the production of the creature God the Son or the Eternal Word created Joh. 1.1 2 3. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God All things were made by him and without him was nothing made that was made God the Spirit or Holy-Ghost he likewise created and He onely is mentioned by Moses distinctly or by name as the Agent in the original constitution of all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non simplicem motionem denotat sed qualem columba perficit cum evis ad excludendum pullos incubat Rab Selom Verbum â—ranslatum ab avibus pullitiei suae incubantibus Jun. And the Hebrew word rendred in our translatioÌ„ moved the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters by which the Agency of the Spirit in that Great worke is expressed caryeth in it a very accurate significancy of that formative vertue or power which the Spirit put forth about it For it is a metaphor taken from birds who sit upon their eggs to hatch and bring forth their young ones and so importeth the effectual working of the Spirit whereby that confused masse or heape was drawne out and formed up into those severall creatures specifyed by Moses in the Historie of the Creation Among which we find the Garnishing of the heavens spoken of here by Job is reported by Moses for the worke of the fourth day Further we may consider the heavens first in their matter and being secondly in their beauty and ornaments Job speakes of the latter By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adornavit decoravit pulchrè fecit God hath not onely created but pollished and as it were painted or embroydered the heavens The originall word implyeth the making of them beautifull contentfull and pleasant unto the eye this is the Lords worke And therefore as the whole world because of the excellent order and beauty of it is exprest in the Greeke by a word that signifies beautifull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so some parts of the world have a speciall beauty and lustre put upon them beyond the rest The heavens are not like a plaine garment as we say without welt or guard but they are laced and trimmed they are enamel'd and spangled they glister and sparkle in our eyes with rayes and beames of light By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens If it be asked what is this garnishing of the heavens I answer the setting or placing in of those excellent lights Sunne Moone and Starres in the heavens are the garnishing of them Light is beautifull and the more light any thing hath the more beauty it hath Precious stones have much light in them those lights the Starres are as so many stones of beauty and glory set or moving in the heavens Light as diffused and shed abroad in the ayre is exceeding delightfull and beautifull but light as it is contracted and drawne together into the Sunne Moone and Starres is farre more beautifull light in the ayre pleaseth the eye but light in the Sunne conquers and dazzel's the eye by the excessive beauty and brightnesse of it In the first day of the Creation God sayd Let there be light and there was light but in the fourth day he sayd let there be lights that is let there be severall vessells to receave hold and containe light and then to issue it out among the inhabitants of the earth Gen. 1.14 And God sayd let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night and let them be for signes and for seasons and for dayes and for yeares and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth and it was so And
a God yea they speake much of God as the Apostle affirmeth for the conviction of the Gentiles in their Idolatrous departures from him Rom 1.20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are cleerely seene being understood by the things that are made even his eternall power and God-head so that they are without excuse The creatures speake loud enough to stop mans mouth and leave him without all excuse Opera haec nominat susurrum sermonis ab usu et fine Sunt enim opera dei significativa indicant gloriam authoris sed non sunt clarus sermo verum submissior susurrus sc indices leviores et benigniores quasi puerorum magistri non docentes omnia sed accommodata captui Coc Quam pauca sunt quae scimus respectu corum quae nescimus yet comparatively they doe but whisper there is a thunder of God infinitely lowder then their voyce So that Job calleth those workes of God wherein he had instanced a whisper or still voyce because though they signifie to us and declare the Glory of their Author yet they are not a full declaration of it but only such a one as is accommodated to our childish capacity All that they speake or can speake of God yea all that can be spoken of God by the wisest of men is onely as a whisper to thunder or as a drop to the Ocean But I shall not say more of the elegancy of this word here it having been already opened Chap 4.12 where Eliphaz thus bespeakes Job Now a thing was secretly or as we put in the Margin by stealth brought to me and mine eare receaved a little a whisper a drop thereof in thoughts from visions of the night c. All that we know now of God and his wayes is but little to what wee know not and but little to what wee shall know hereafter every day wee heare great things reported and preached of God both to our eyes and eares and though we should have sermon upon sermon line upon line all the dayes of our lives yet at the last day of our lives wee must say How little a portion have wee heard of him The thunder of his power the lowdest and clearest speakings of it are reserved to that state when our eares shall be bored and our hearts proportionably enlarged to receave it Further Job had been long speaking of the workes and wayes of God yet concludeth how little a portion is heard of him why doth he not rather say how little a portion is heard of them the reason is because what ever is sayd of the wayes and workes of God is to discover God rather then to discover them To speake of the earth and seas of the ayre and fire of thunder and lightning of the heavens and starres is not an extolling of the workes of God but an extolling of God in and for his workes Hence note The workes of God should leade us to God himselfe Our study of the creature should be to gaine a clearer light and knowledge of the creator There are many expressions and impressions of God upon the things which he hath made and we never see them as we ought till in them we see their maker A critical eye lookes upon a picture not so much to see the colours or the paint as to discerne the skill and workmanship of the Painter or Limner yea some as the Apostle speakes in reference to spiritualls have sences so exercised about these artificialls that they will read the Artists name in the forme and exquisitenes of his art An Apelles or a Michael Angelo needs not put his name to his worke his worke proclaimes his name to those who are judicious beholders of such kinde of workes How much more as the Psalmist speakes that the name of God is neere doe his wondrous workes both of creation and providence declare to all discreete beholders that which the eye and heart of every godly man is cheifely upon is to find out and behold The name that is the wisedome power and goodnes of God in all his workes both of creation and providence It were better for us never to enjoy the creature then not to enjoy God in it and it were better for us not to see the creature then not to have a sight of God in it And yet when we have seene the most of God which the creature can shew us we have reason to say how little a portion is seene of him and when we have heard the most of God that can be reported to us from the creation we have reason to say as Job here doth how little a portion is heard of him and to conclude as he doth this verse and Chapter But the thunder of his power who can understand This thunder of his power may be taken First Strictly and in the letter for natural thunder for even that is numbred in Scripture among the wonderfull and most dreadfull workes of God The Scripture calleth it also the voyce of God Psal 29.3 The voyce of the Lord is upon the waters the God of Glory thundereth Non aliter de tonitruo loquuntur sacrae scripturae quam de dei voce magnifica atque terribâ—li plenaque minarum Thus a learned paraphrast connects these words with the former As if Job had sayd Now that I have sayd all that I can how little a thing is it in comparison of him and his greatnes as may appeare by one instance more the power and majesty which he utters in his thunder which who can sufficiently admire and therefore none can fully understand Secondly The Thunder of his power is any extraordinary worke of God especially his dreadfull and terrible workes of Judgement For by them he speakes out his infinite power and majesty in the eares of men as it were by thunder Of such a voyce we read Psal 68.32 33. Sing unto God ye kingdomes of the earth O sing prayses unto the Lord Selah Who this Lord is and how he manifests himselfe is set forth in the next words Insignibus vero illius gestis quibus non tam splendet quam cum tonitru coruscat animo percipieÌ„dis quie tandem per fuerit Bez to him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens which were of old lo he doth send out his voyce and that a mighty voyce Thus also the Prophet Isayah Chap 30.30 describes the Lord comming forth for the rescue of his people and the utter ruine of the Assyrian Army And the Lord shall cause his glorious voyce to be heard and shall shew the lightning downe of his arme with the indignation of his anger and with the flame of a deveuring fire with scattering and tempest and hailestones For though that destruction of the Assyrians was effected by the ministery of an Angel Isa 37.36 yet doubtlesse it was not done in silence but eyther with an amazing tempest mixt with thunder and lightning or with such confusion
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
which will be as so many Observations from the Text. It may seem a very Paradox to assert that it is no pleasure to the Almighty that a man makes his way perfect therefore take the sense first in three Affirmative Propositions and then in three that are Negative First The Lord hath pleasure in us as we are righteous in Christ Yea he loves to hear us boast of this righteousnesse and glory in it and the more we doe so the more pleasure he taketh in it Isa 45.25 Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousnes even to him shall men come c. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory The seed of Israel are righteous in the Lord and glory in that righteousnesse yea the Lord is pleased to hear them glorying in that righteousnesse for that 's the righteousnesse of his Son in whom he is well pleased Mat. 3. â—7 And because the Church is cloathed with this righteousnesse therefore she is called The Lords delight Isai 62.4 Thou shalt no more be called forsaken neither shall thy Land any more be termed desolate but thou shalt be called Hephzibah thy land Beulah for the Lord delighteth in thee Thou shalt be called my delight or my pleasure is in her The word of the Text the Lords pleasure is in the Church and therefore the Lords pleasure is in the Church becaus the Church is adorned and beautified with the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ this is it which causeth the Lord to call his Church Hephzibah My pleasure is in her When Eliphaz enquireth Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous We may answer the Lord hath pleasure in this righteousnesse and as he tels the Church so every perticular Believer his delight and pleasure is in him Secondly God takes pleasure also in us as we are righteous in Conversation David Psal 147.10 11. gives a clear proof of it both in the negative and in the affirmative The Lord delighteth not in the strength of a Horse he taketh not pleasure in the leggs of a man The Lords delight is neither in Horses nor in men neither in their strength nor in their beauty wherein is the Lords pleasure then The next words shew us where He takes pleasure in them that feare him and hope in his mercy This Scripture seems to speak directly contrary to Eliphaz in Job he saith Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous But David saith The Lord takes pleasure in those that feare him therefore we must not understand Eliphaz in this sense as if the Lord had no delight or contentment at all in the holinesse of his people as if it were all one to him whether they are holy or unholy There is a Generation who say that all actions are alike and that it is all one before God whether men be righteous or unrighteous whether they doe good or evil wo to them that understand this Scripture in such a corrupt sense for the Lord doth not onely hate iniquity but he is Of purer eyes then to behold any iniquity He hath no pleasure either in unrighteousnesse or in the unrighteous but both righteousnesse and the righteous are his pleasure There are three things which I shall touch for the confirmation of it First the Lord cannot but take pleasure in his own Image Now that righteousnesse which is implanted in us and put forth by us the righteousnesse of our natures and of our actions as we are regenerate is nothing else but the Image of God renewed upon us Seeing then God cannot but take pleasure in his own Image therefore it is a wickednesse to think that God takes no pleasure in a righteous man or in his righteousnesse Secondly as this righteousnesse is the image of God in us so it is the very workmanship of God upon us Ephes 2.10 For we are his workmanship we are so not only first in our naturall capacity as we are men and secondly in our civil capacity as such or such men high or low rich or poor but also which is the thing intended by the Apostle in our spiritual capacity as Saints Thus we are the workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them The same Apostle saith againe He that hath wrought us for this selfe same thing is God 2 Cor. 5.5 Is it possible that God should have no pleasure in his own works We read in the first of Genesis that when he had made the world the Lord saw all that he had made and behold it was very good God hath an All-seeing eye he alwayes beholdeth all things but when 't is said he saw all that he had made this imports a special act of God after the manner of men who strictly view and behold what they have done delighting in it Thus the Lord saw all that he had made he as it were came to view his own work he saw and behold it was very good he took pleasure in it Now if God took pleasure in that structure and fabrick of the world the first Creation how much more doth he take pleasure in that holinesse which he hath wrought in the hearts of his people which is a second creation and that 's a more curious and noble structure then this visible world is The new Creation is more excellent then the old Therfore the Lord cannot but delight in a righteous person for he is his workmanship What Job Ch. 14.15 assures himselfe of is most true in this respect Thou wilt have a desire to the worke of thine hands Job speaks there of his outward man my body he means was made by thee 't is the work of thy hands and thou wilt fetch it back again thou wilt redeem it from the dust Whatsoever hath the workmanship of God upon it he hath pleasure in it as it is his work and a speciall pleasure in that which as any work of Grace is is his speciall work Thirdly this Consideration shews that the Lord must take pleasure in a righteous person because he bears the form of his will revealed in his word Holinesse is our conformity to the will of God Now the Lord cannot but take pleasure in those who conforme to his will Samuel tels Saul 1 Sam. 15.22 and there he useth this word in the Text Hath the Lord as great delight in Burnt-offrings and sacrifices as in obeying the voyce of the Lord God gave thee a word a Command to which he expected thy conformity but thou hast thought to please the Lord with Sacrifices which he commanded thee not this was thy mistake and thy folly We honour God when we do his will surely then he must needs take pleasure in those that doe it Man takes pleasure when he can have his will though it be a corrupt and sinfull will fulfilled It cannot but be a pleasure to God when his holy will is
Lord mindes him often of his Original by calling him Son of man Son of man so here Bildad mindeth man of the meanenes of his birth he is but the son of man Some proud men have drawne their pedigree from the Gods or from the Starres Alexander the Great would be called the son of Jupiter which was to say the son of the Sunne hee did not like to be called the son of man though as he was so so he was soone after convinced and confessed that he was so And the son of man which is a worme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vermis magnus parvus qui ab omnibus teritur contunditur Wee expresse this latter branch by the same word worme in our English but the Hebrew speakes it in a different word and Master Broughtn renders it differently in the English and the son of man a vermin The word signifieth both small and great wormes all sorts of wormes or vermine here 's the state of man and how can hee who is such a worme stand before God in his purity when the Sunne Moone and Starres are impure before him Againe wee may take notice that Bildad doth not say man is like a worme but is a worme 'T is not spoken by way of similitude but of assertion Hence observe Man is a very poore thing So poore a thing that hee is twice in this Text called a worme the lowest things serve for a Comparison and beare the likenes of the highest and greatest men in the world man is but a worme and the son of man is no better a worme or vermin As it sheweth the excellency of God that nothing is so good so great so perfect that is worthy to be compared with him Isa 40.18 To whom will yee liken God or what likenes will yee compare unto him Looke over all the Excellencyes that are in the Creature is there any thing that lookes like God that hath any excellency or beauty comparatively to him And againe Isa 46.5 To whom will yee liken mee and make mee equall and compare mee that wee may be like that is there is nothing that you can compare or make mee like unto I am above all comparison Now I say as it shewes the excellency of God that there is nothing worthy to be compared to him so it shewes the meanenes of man that there is nothing so unworthy but that he may be compared to it and that without wrong or disparagement The Scripture doth as it were strive for Comparisons to set forth the weaknes the poorenes the worthlesnes of man hee is compared to yea called dust Gen. 3.19 Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne Hee is compared to the grasse of the feild that groweth to day but withereth or is cut downe to morrow Isa 40.6 Hee is compar'd unto a shadow that hath nothing of Entity or substance and therefore continueth not but vanisheth away Job 14.2 Hee is compar'd to that which is lesse then a shadow even to that which is as I may say the nothingnes of all things vanity and thus hee is called when at his best or in his best estate Psal 39.5 Further man is not onely nothing and lesse then nothing but that which is worse then nothing a ly hee is naturally under such disgrace that he is the very word of disgrace a ly Surely saith David Psal 62.9 men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a ly Nor doth the Lord speake thus of single persons onely but of Nations and not onely of this or that Nation but of all Nations take mankind in a cluster or as bundled up together not onely is this or that man this or that Nation but all men and all Nations before him are as nothing and are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity Isa 40.17 They are not onely dust but which is the lightest and most inconsiderable dust the dust of the ballance and that the smallest dust of the ballance Isa 40.15 they are not onely a drop but the drop of a bucket which is but the drop of a drop The similitude in the Text layeth man low enough He is a worme When the Lord would speake of his people at the lowest rate in reference to the opinion which they had of themselves or which others had of them hee calls them a worme Isa 41.14 Feare not thou worme Jacob and yee men of Israel God doth not speake this to the disparagement or to the discouragement of Jacob but to the comfort of Jacob As if he had said though thou art a worm though thou art thus low thus mean humbly in thy own thoughts contemptuously in the thoughts of others yet feare not yea all shall have cause to be afraid of thee for though thou art a worme yet thou shalt thresh the nations and beate them small c. As National Jacob then so personal Jacob or Jacob in person before was but a worme in his owne eyes Gen. 32.10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies or I am lesse then all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant for with my staffe I passed over this Jordan that is I came over in a very poore manner all my state was but a staffe Here Jacob in person spake of himselfe as a worme and when wee speake thus like wormes wee speake most like Saints Our Lord Jesus Christ spake thus of himselfe as for our sakes he became poore and emptyed himselfe as for our sakes he tooke upon him the forme of a servant and was made in the likenes of man Psal 22.6 I am a worme and no man a reproach of men and despised of the people O how low did Christ esteeme and set himselfe as and while he stood in the place of sinners He not onely confessed that he was a worme because a man but that he was a worme and no man How then ought every sinfull man to abase himselfe and say I am a worme and no man Man is a worme in a five-fold respect First Looke upon his original and constitution hee is from the earth as the worme is Secondly Looke upon him in his natural state and condition hee liveth upon the earth and earthly things as wormes doe Thirdly Hee is a worme because continually subject to danger every foot may crush him Fourthly As the worme is very subject to danger so likewise unable to resist or make defence the worme is a naked creature and weares no armes neyther offensive nor defensive Such a one is man a worme unable to defend himselfe unlesse the Lord be his shield and a defence to him round about Fifthly Man is a worme for hee must shortly returne into the Earth where the wormes are housed hee is going to wormes as a worme and when he comes to the grave it will be worme to worme As the Lord sayd Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne so wee may