Organ of discipline Hearing is the sence of learning and the seasonable stopping of our own mouths a ready means to open our understandings To be swift to hear and flow to speak James 1. 19. is the speediest way to attain wisdom Fourthly observe He that is shewed his errour should speak no more but sit down convinced Teach me saith Job and I will hold my tongue That is I will reply no more upon you I will never stand up in maintaining an errour I wil be no pattern of evil though my self am in the fault Errour shall not be excused or a mistake apologized for by me Some wits are able to make a fair cover for and put a glosse upon the most deformed and grossest errours There was never any opinion in the world but some have seconded it and undertaken it's protection When conscience hath never a word to say wit will be very talkative and when they have ended reasoning some can wrangle everlastingly When wit and learning undertake a cause and leave conscience out of the Commission there must either be a very ill end of it or no end A subtil Sophister will despute any thing and bring probable arguments where reason alone sits judge against the most undoubted truths It is an ill office to be an Oratour for our own or others errous for our own or others sinful practises Prov. 30. 32. If thou hast done evil in lifting up thy selfe or if thou hast thought evil or maintained evil lay thine hand upon thy mouth speake no more never be an advocate in a bad cause though it be thine own when our faults are shewed us we should not open our mouths unlesse it be to renounce and disclaim them A sad account will be given of that time and of those parts which have been laid out in the patronage of our failings and mistakes It is as sinful to few figg-leaves or make fair pretexts to cover the nakednesse of our opinions as of our practises And cause me to understand wherein I have erred As if Job had said when once you bring me to see clearly that I am in an errour and cast light into my conscience you shall find me readily submitting to you A question arises here in the general whether Job doubted his Concessio est quam Quintilianus dicit esse cum aliquid iniquum videmur causae fiducia pati Apud eum dicitur confessio nihil nocitura Quin. lib. 3 cap. 2. Non submittit se errasse sed humiliter se submittit amicorum censure Bold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Hiphil intelligentem secit erudii◠cause or whether or no there were an hesitancy in his spirit about what he had done or spoken I answer this speech implies not that he had any doubt of himself or an admission that he had erred Job speaks like Oratours or Disputants who when they are sure of a point will yet grant a little doubtfulness or raise doubts about what they are able to maintain and confident to carry It is ordinary to put things by way of supposition of which we make no question When Job saith Cause me to understand wherein I have erred it is not an acknowledgement that he had a erred but a submission in case he had or a concession that he might Job was not lifted up with an opinion of his own infallibility he knew to erre was common to man and therefore he speaks of himself under the common notion of all men Not from any consciousnesse of his own errour Cause me to understand It is but one word in the Original and it signifies to convince by reason or argument Cause me to understand that is doe not think to force my opinion or to offer violence to my judgement doe not think to club me down with great words and clomorous threats but doe it by solid Arguments by evident demonstration of reason Doe it by savourie advices and counsel not by bitter reproaches and invectives Deal with my understanding not barely with my affections Cause me to understand My errour It signifies local corporal wandrings and errours and bodily erring or wandring and sometimes it signifies the wandrings of the mind judgement and affections Prov. 5. 19 20. Solomon bids the husband Rejoyce in the wife of his youth let her be as a loving Hind and pleasant Roe let her breasts satisfie thee at all times and be thou ravished alwayes with her love The Hebrew as our Translatours put in the margin is erre thou alwaies in her love that is let all thy wandring erring thoughts and affections be reduced and brought home to the wife whom God hath given thee the next words seeme to interpret so for why my sonne wilt thou be ravished with a strange woman and imbrace the bosome of a stranger That 's dangerous erring in love Therefore saith he let all thine errings and wandrings all thy delights and ravishments be chast and conjugal towards the wife of thy youth Further it signifies erring or wandring out of meer ignorance This word is often used in Leviticus for the sin of ignorance Chap. 4. 2. and Chap. 5. 18. and Chap. 22. 14. If any man hath sinned through ignorance or committed an errour then he shall offer these and these sacrifices and oblations So Psal 19. 12. who can understand his errours That is those sinnes which he commits out of ignorance and inadvertency Hence he concludes with this prayer Cleanse thou me from secret faults He doth not mean faults which he committed privately and so were secrets to others but faults which he had committed ignorantly and so were Secrets to himselfe That is they were sinnes of ignorance And I conceive he means not only such sins as he had committed ignorantly but then knew they were sins but even such sins as he was ignorant whether ever he had committed them or no That is he prayes for the pardon of all those sins which possible he might have committed though to him as yet altogether unknown and undiscovered The title of the 7th Psalm is Shiggaion of David it is the same Original word we have in the text and some translate it awandring song And the reason for it is either because of the Cantio erratica variable and wandring poetry or because of the variable or wandring tune in which that Psalm was sung and to which it was set for greater delight others makes the title sutable to the translation of the word here the Psalm of Davids errours because sets forth his fears and dangers which made him wonder in body and sometime also to go a little astray in mind this Psalm was sung to the Lord concerning the words or the business of Cush the Benjamite that is of Saul who was of Kish and of Jemini 1 Sam. 9. 1. called here Cush that is Ethiopian or Blackmore figuratively from his black and ill conditions his heart not being changed as the Blackmore changeth not his skin Saul was a bitter enemy
part of his character or commendation Thou art reported to be a man fearing God is not this thy feare Feare is taken either for the whole compasse of Gods worship or for that awfulnesse of affection with which we worship God which we ought to mingle and mix in all our actions and duties Therefore saith the Apostle Heb. 12. Let us have grace to serve him with reverence and godly feare And Psalme the second Serve the Lord with feare God is to be served in love and yet God loves no service which hath not this ingredient Holy feare Feare is the most proper affection which we creatures dust and ashes who are at such an infinite distance from God can put forth in his worship God condescends so farre as to be loved by us yea he calleth for our love as a friend or as a father as a familiar as one in neer relation but considered in his Majesty glory and greatnesse feare is the most suitable affection in our approaches unto God The name of God in some languages is derived from feare and God is expresly called Fear by Jacob Gen. 31. in that dispute with Laban where he telleth him Except the fear of his father Isaac had been with him c. Verse 42 And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac Verse 53. that is by that God whom his father Isaac feared Jacob was a man so holy that he would take nothing into his mouth to swear by but onely the holy Name of God Religious swearing is one of the highest acts of worshipping as vaine swearing is one of the highest acts of prophaning the name of God Thy confidence The word which we translate confidence signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inconstantia levitas per Antiphrasin constantia considenâ—ia also and that most properly folly inconstancy levity when the Prophet Jeremy reproveth the idolatry of those times speaks to worshippers of Idols he expresses it by this word They are altogether bruitish and foolish Jer. 10. 8. And holy David Psalme 49. 13. speaking of wicked men who make riches their portion and who lay out all their endeavours in the raising of an outward estate gives this account of their practise in the 13 Verse This their way is their folly this is the course that worldly men take and they think it is a very wise course but indeed their way is their folly Some translators reade that text this their way is their confidence as here in Job and so they make the sense out thus this way of worldly men in gathering riches in heaping up abundance of these outward things is their confidence that is they have nothing else to trust unto they have nothing beyond the world to trust unto this their way is their confidence So againe Prov. 15. 26. A foolish man or a man of folly despiseth his mother And once 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more Psal 85. 8. where the Psalmist goeth up like Habakkuk to his Watch-tower to hearken for an answer of his prayer I will hearken what the Lord will say for he will speake peace unto his people but let them not returne againe to folly So some reade it in this Text of Job is not this thy fear thy folly that is was it not meere folly for thee to bragge and boast of thy feare sc That thou didst feare God c. But the word is often taken in a contrary sense as we translate for constancy or confidence and sometimes for hope and thus Job 31. 24. If I have said to gold thou art my hope or my confidence and Chap. 8. 14. speaking of the Hypocrite whose hope shall be cut off the same word is used and Prov. 3. 26. The Lord shall be thy confidence and he shall keep thy foot from being taken and not to heape many places Psal 78. 7. That they may set their hope in God In this sense it is generally understood here Is not this thy fear and thy confidence sc all the trust thou hast placed in thy God Feare and confidence are acts of naturall worship Confidence or Trust is the resting of the soule upon another here the resting of the soule upon the Word or promises of God upon the power faithfulnesse and truth of God an act thus put forth by the soule is confidence Now saith Eliphaz is not this thy confidence thou hast spoken much of resting and trusting upon God and his Word upon his power and faithfulnesse is not this that which thou hast all this while talked of See what a goodly confidence it is Doth it look like a proper piece of grace Confidence is an act beyond faith a soule confiding walkes in a higher Region of grace and comfort than a soule only believing there may be believing where there is not this confiding As patience is hope lengthned so confidence is hope strengthned Assurance is the highest degree of faith and confidence is the highest degree of assurance It carries with it first cheerfulnesse opposite to sorrow secondly courage opposite to fear and despondency of spirit thirdly boldnesse adventurousnesse opposite to cowardice Confidence having a good cause and a good call will take a Beare by the tooth or a Lion by the beard Fourthly it notes boasting or a kinde of spirituall wise bragging opposite to sinfull modesty or concealement of what God hath done for us Or take it thus Confidence is the noblest exercise of faith which looking steadily upon God in himselfe and in Christ through the promises raises the soule above all fears and discouragements above all doubts and disquietments either about the removing of evill or the obtaining of good Hence confidence is well called the rest of the soule therefore such as attaine to confidence are said to be in peace in perfect peace Isay 26. 3. Him wilt thou establish in perfect peace whose heart doth trust upon thee And this act of confidence or trust is proper and peculiar to God no creature must share in it This is worship commanded in the first precept Thou shalt have no other Gods before mee Whatsoever we confide in unlesse it be in subordination unto God we make it our God And it is one of the highest acts of the soule not onely as we respect the taking in our own comforts but also the giving out glory unto God This confidence is well coupled with holy feare the more we feare God so the more we trust him such feare is the mother and nurse of confidence But confidence is directly contrary yea contradictory to carnall feare he that trusts God indeed leaves both soule and body temporall and eternall estate with him without ever sending a fearefull thought or a jealous looke after either It followes And the uprightnesse of thy wayes It is the word used in the description of Job Cap. 1. 1. There it is in the concrete perfect here in the abstract uprightnesse We may reade it Is not this the perfection of thy wayes
It was in the night and in that part of the night when deepe sleepe falleth on men that is in the former part or beginning of the night for the first sleepe is the deepe sleepe and we use to say that a man especially a weary hard-wrought man is in a dead sleepe when hee is in his first sleepe The word signifies an extraordinary sleepe It is used Gen. 2. 21. where it is said that God caused a deepe sleepe to fall upon Adam when he took out his rib and formed the woman The Seventy translate it extasie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some compare it to a Lethargie a man in a Lethargie can hardly be awakened Such a sleepe as Saul was in 1 Sam. 26. 12 when David came into the trench and took away the Speare and the Cruse of water from his bolster Such an one as Jonas was in while the ship was almost sunke with the tempest Jonah 1. 5. In both places we have this originall word At the time when such sleepe sals on wearied man Eliphaz had this vision And be speaks very Tempus erat quo prima quies morâ—alibus aegris Incipiâ— dono Divum gratissima seâ—pâ—t In somnis ecce ante occulos maestissimus Hector Visus adesse mihi Vâ—â—g 20. Aeniad elegantly that this deepe sleepe falleth on men because such sleepe seems to oppresse the spirits as a heavie weight the body it fals as heavie as Lead upon all a mans senses and overcomes them we say ordinarily a man fals asleepe and it is as true of sleep that it fals upon a man and fals with such a weight that man is not able to stand under it We say also a men is heavie to sleep for sleep like a heavie thing comes down upon him and then down comes he Heathen Poets tell us that at this time they had visions or delusions rather Satan imitates God in what he can that he may deceive with better successe We may abserve from hence First Seeing Eliphaz had this vision when deep sleep falleth upon men that the power of Gods Spirit works through all naturall impediments when tired nature is willing to fall or cannot stay it selfe from falling into a deep sleep then God can awaken us with his visions and make us see when we cannot hold open our eyes When God will reveale his minde to the soule he overcomes the imperfections of the body Sleepinesse is an imperfection if a man be sleepy he is unfit to hear While the eye is thus shut the eare cannot be open That sleeper in the Acts fell down dead while Paul was preaching Yet when God comes by his mighty power and Spirit though a mans eare be shut he can break through and get into his heart The Word hath taken some napping and nodding Yea God breaks in by his Almighty power in the revelations of his will not only when men are in a dead naturall sleep but when they are in a sleep of spirituall death The Word breaks open the barres of the grave and loosens John 5. 25. the bands of death Secondly for as much as Eliphaz had this vision when deep sleep falleth on men himselfe being kept awake or waking Observe That when we are most retired from the world then we are most fit to have and usually have most communion with God If a man would but abridge himselfe of sleep and wake with holy thoughts when deep sleep falleth upon sorrowful labouring men he might be entertained with visions from God though not such visions as Eliphaz and others of the Saints have had yet visions he might have Every time God communicates himself to the soul there is a vision of love or mercy or power somwhat of God in his nature or in his will is shewed unto us David shewes us divine work when we goe to rest The bed is not all for sleep Commune with your owne heart upon your bed and be still Psal 4. Be still or quiet and then commune with your hearts and if you will commune with your hearts God will come and commune with your hearts too his Spirit will give you a loving visite and visions of his love When Jacob fearing the rage of his brother had put himselfe into the best posture of defence he could and had sent his wives and children his servants and his flocks over the River the Text saith Gen. 32. 24. that Jacob was left alone which is not to be understood as if his company had left or deserted him Jacobs solitarinesse was not passive but elective He having disposed of all his family withdrew himself and stayed alone and what then then he had a vision indeed Then there wrestled a man with him untill the breaking of the day he spent not the night in carking and caring what should become of him the morrow No he retires to pray for a blessing upon his former cares and a blessing he obtains It is observable also concerning Isaac Gen. 24. 36. that he went out into the fields to meditate or as others read it to pray Some foolishly glosse upon it that Isaac being delighted in Astronomy went out to contemplate on the Stars But I believe the walk of Isaac's spirit was above the Stars It is a sweet O sancta anima sola esto ut soli omnium serves reipsam quem ex omnibus tibi elâ—gisti An nescis â—e verecunduni hâ—â—ere spoâ—â—um c. Bernard expression of Bernard If thou wouldest meet Christ in speciall communion doe thou of tentimes retire thy selfe Oh chast and lovely soule doest thou not know thou hast a modest Spouse that will not come to thee in the throng of worldly company and employment Come my beloved saith the Spouse Cant. 7. 11. let us goe forth into the fields and lodge in the villages Let us get from the tumult of the Creature He loves to find his Spouse alone retired into a Chamber or into a Closet or in the fields and Groves in the Gardens and shady walks or in thoughts upon thy bed having ihe Curtains drawn and all the world shut out Some have visions in the night when deep sleep falleth upon men but what are their visions surely they are visions of darknes not of light visions of Hell rather then visions of Heaven The Proplet complains of such who devise evill upon their beds they plot and contrive mischief upon their beds or they have visions of uncleannesse visions of covetousnesse visions of oppression black infernall visions How much better is it to be blind then to have such visions to be asleep then have such waking thoughts But to lye awake in our beds with thoughts of Christ is far more sweet then the sweetest sleep And in the day could we make more vacations from the world we should have more businesse in Heaven Most men are mudding in the earth all day and if they wake in the night earthly care keeps them awake There are many thousands whom
of God in it his estate may vary and vary change and change a thousand times but the love of God towards him is unchangeable On the other side we see in the text when a wicked man takes roote and the branches of his outward estate beare fruit abundantly God curseth him when he is at ease God is angry with him That place is very observeable Zech. 1. 15. I am very sore displeased with the Heathen that are at ease the Heathen were at ease yet God was extreamely displeased with them When a wicked man is in health God curseth him when he is rich God curseth him when all men honour admire and flatter him God abhorreth hates and detests him he can be in no condition but he is sure to meet with the curse of God As a foolish man a wicked mâ—n gives God many things but he never gives God his love or his affection A wicked man may give God prayers but he doth not give him his love he may give him praises but he never gives him any love he may give God his purse but he gives not his love or his heart whether such a foole praiseth God or prayeth to God or giveth unto God he hateth God So likewise whatsoever God gives to a wicked man he hates him whatsoever he bestowes on him he curseth him This should awake men rooted in the earth to consider whether they are under the influences of Gods eternall love as well as under the influence of temporall blessings This is the ground of Davids conclusion Psal 37. 16. A little that the righteous hath is better than the ricehes of many wicked the reason is this because many ungodly ones swimming in a full sea of riches have not so much as one drop of the love of God nor one beame or ray of the light of his countenance shining upon them but a godly man if he have but a small estate he hath much love mixed with it if he have but a little purse he hath a large portion of the favour of God in it and this makes it so out-worth and out-value a wicked mans estate this puts the price and stamps an excellency upon his little The love of God doth so farre exceed the fatness of the earth in the esteeme of Saints that they in rating their estates reckon not upon earthly things at all they see nothing to value themselves by but their interests in the love of God As when God gives his people their portion he lookes upon outward things as meere additionalls or as an overplus given in by way of vantage All other things shall be added Mat. 6. 33. when a man casts in a handfull of wheate after the bushell is full or gives a fingers bredth after the due measure of the cloath So it is in the case of all temporals bestowed upon the Saints Then fourthly note Outward good things are no argument of the favour of God As we shewed before that they are no evidences of the goodnesse of a person so neither are they any evidences of the grace and favour of God unto a person A man cannot find an evidence of Gods love in his purse in his land in his honour in his credit Yea a man may flourish in better things then these I speake of and yet have no evidences of Gods love to him A man may flourish in knowledge be deeply rooted in learning may have extraordinary branches of parts and wonderfull fruits of gifts yet notwithstanding all this while his habitation and his person too under a curse And therefore be sure that you looke for your evidences of the love of God in the right boxe doe not looke for evidences of the love of God in your chests or in your purses but looke into your hearts and see what Christ hath done there looke into your lives and see what light shines there from the Spirit of Christ Looke whether grace flowes from the Spirit of Christ and is rooted in your spirits If grace be rooted in thee there if it spring up and bring forth fruit in the life this is an evidence indeed They that are thus rooted God never curseth Grace and holiness were never under any curse Observe one thing further As these words hold forth the judgement or opinion of a godly man concerning the wicked in prosperity I have seen the foolish taking root and presently I cursed his habitation A godly man sees the wicked of the world to be miserable in their best and most flourishing condition When thousands stand about the great ones of the earth admiring applauding making little gods of them envying their happinesse and thinking none happy but they or such as they are then a godly man pitties them mournes over them sees them and all such as they are miserable He lookes through all their outward glory and beauty riches and honours and sees them curst through all hated of God through all He sees nakednesse through their cloathing emptiness and want through all their plenty and aboundance neither is this unhappinesse confined to their own persons but derived to all to whom they derive life or stand related So it followes His children are farre from safety and they are crushed in the gate neither is there any to deliver them c. Secundum genus calamitatis quod Deus impâ—obisimmitâ—it posteritatis exitiam deploâ—aâ—uÌ„ quidem acclamante pubâ—ico consensu These words containe a further effect of this curse I cursed his habitation and what then was it an ineffectuall curse was it but wind and words returning and doing nothing or did it spend all its strength upon this foolish man in his own person No His children are farre from safety they are crushed in the gate c. One of the Rabbins conceives that these words and the verse following are the forme wherein the curse was pronounced upon the habitation of the foolish man As if Eliphaz had said I cursed Râ—bbi Salomon forâ—am maledictionis esse vult his habitation thus Let his children be far from safety and let them be crushed in the gate neither let there be any to deliver as for his harvest let the hungry eate it up and let the robbers swallow up their substance And we find such a forme Psal 109. David pronounces the curse upon those wicked enemies in language very sutable to this ver 6 7 8 9 10 11. Set thou a wicked man over him and let Satan an adversary stand at his right hand When he shall be judged let him be condemned and let his prayer become sinne Let his children be fatherlesse and his wife a widdow let his children be continually vagabonds and beg let them seeke their bread also out of desolate places let the extortioner cath all that he hath and let the stranger spoile his labour But we may rather take it as the matter then as the forme of a curse I cursed his habitation and the curse brake forth upon his children and
chesed a reproach to any people Secondly Impiety and cruelty harshness and severity Thirdly It signifies any abhominable wickedness Levit. 20. 17. where Moses speaking of incest incest between brother and sister calls that abomination by this word Chesod A wicked thing That may have a good name the nature whereof is so ill that it is not to be named Further The word as we translate imports more than a bare act of pitty or commiseration as suppose a man see his brother in misery compassionates him but relieves him not this is not pity Such the Apostle James describes in his first Chapter vers 15. If a brother or a sister be naked and destitute of daily food and you say unto them be filled be warmed be cloathed poor creatures ye are hungry yea are naked I pitty you I am sorry to see you thus be filled be cloathed I wish it were otherwise with you and yet in the mean time he gives them nothing wherewith either to cloath or feed them Is this fulfilling the law of love Is this charity Nothing lesse The pity here spoken of is not a verbal piety Our saying to a brother in trouble be comforted or I would course were taken for you I wish you well with all my heart and so we bestow a mouth-ful of good words but not so much as a morsell of bread or a cup of cold water Good words alone are cheap charity to mans expence and they are so cheap in Gods esteem that they will not be found of any value at all in the day of reckening good words not realized if they be found any where will be found in the treasures of wrath This is not the pitty which Job teacheth us should be shewed to him that is afflicted The Apostles quesion shakes such out of all claime to this grace 1 John 3. 17. whosoever saith he hath this worlds goods and seeth his brother in need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him how doth the love of God dwell in him Though a mans mouth be open with good words yet if he shut his bowels from good deeds there is no love to God or man hous'd in that mans heart It is no Pitty to speak of onely to speak pitty and therefore the Apostle addes verse 18 My little children let us not love in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth that 's the true meaning of this word to him that is afflicted pitty should be shewed But you my friends have not given me so much as the sound of pitty you have not bemoaned me much less have you relieved me which is the substance of pitty reall pitty You have not loved me in tongue giving me good words much less in deed and in truth Deed-pitty is both the duty and the disposition of a godly man therefore this word Chasid in the concrete is often used in Scripture to signify a godly man He is one that hath obtained much grace and pitty from the Lord and he is kind gracious and pittiful unto men The holy Proverb assures us That a good man is merciful pittiful to his beast much more to a man and most of all to a godly man who is his brother in the nearest bond And it is considerable how this word was used by way of distinction among the Jewes who cast their whole people or nation into three ranks and it is grounded upon Rom. 5 6 7. where the Apostle alludes to those three sorts First There were Reshagnim ungodlymen the prophane rabble Secondly there were the Tsadikmi righteous men And thirdly there were Chasidim good men or pittiful mâ—n scarcely saith the Apostle will one die for a righteous man for a man fair and just in his dealings peradventure for one of the Chasidim for a good man some one may chance to dy He that had been pittiful might haply find pitty and having done so much good in his life all would desire he should live still But herein God commended his love to us that while we were â—et sinners Reshagnim in the worst raâ—ke of men Christ died for us No man had either love or pitty enough to die for them who had so much impiety The farthest that the natural line oâ— mans pitty can reach is to do good to those who do him good or are good Pitty notes out such a sort of men and such a sort of actions as Antiqui vocant Ciconâ—am pietatis cultricem Ciconiis pietas eximia est Soâ— are fullest of love of bowels of brotherly kindeness and compassion Hence the Stork which by divers of the ancients was put for the Emblem of love and benignity is exprest in the Hebrew by this word Levit. 11. 19. The Storke is very tender towards her young ones and her young ones are as tender of her when she is old as naturalists have observed So then this word imports the height of all offices and affections of love from man to man especially from Christian to Christian in times of trouble and cases of extremity This Pitty you should have shewed me saith Job But he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty That is he forsakes all godlinesse goodness and religion Fear takes in all that 's good and so it is conceived that Job retorts the words of Eliphaz in the fourth chap. Is this thy fear or where is thy fear thy Religion Now Job saith Is this your fear You have forsaken the fear of the Almighty Is this your Religion to deal so harshly with a distressed friend or to give him such cold comfort Surely you have forsaken that fear of the Almighty which you charged me with Have not I reason to ask Is this thy fear or to conclude You have forsaken the fear of the Almighty These words are diversly rendred Some thus He that takes away pitty from his friend hath forsaken the fear of the Almighty And Qui tollit ab â—mico suo misericordiam timorem Domini derelinquit Vulg. that 's a truth and a good sense though not so clear to the letter of the Text. Mr. Broughton joins this with the former verse By him whose mercy is molten toward his friend and who leaveth the fear of the Almighty So referring this melting to mercy and not to the man joining it with the former thus Have not I my defence and is judgment driven away from me by him whose mercy is molten away toward his neighbour and who leaveth the fear of the Almighty As if Job had said Eliphaz doest thou thinke thou haste driven away all wisdome from me by thy dispute Doest thou think that I have lost my reason as thou hast lost thy pitty Thou thinkest wisdome and understanding have forsaken me but it appears by thy dealings that thou hast forsaken the fear of God which is the beginning of wisdome Thirdly it is rendred in the contrary sense The word Chesid An dissoluto à sodali suo convitium et quod timorem omnipotentis
care for Oxen God doth care for Oxen The Apostle having shewed the goodnesse of God to beasts providing by a law that they should not be muzled presently he questions Doth God take care for Oxen As if he had said surely there is some what more in it or saith he it altogether for our sakes Not altogether doubtlesse God had regard to Oxen But for our sakes no doubt it was written that is chiefly for our sakes That he which ploweth should plow in hope and he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope So when Christ speaks of the Lillies Mat. 6. If God so cloath the Lillies of the field how much more will he cloath you You shall have the strength of his care to provide for you to feed and cloath you thus God sets his heart upon man he lookes to his people as to his houshold to his charge he will see they shall have all things needfull for them And so not laying to heart which is the contrary signifies carelesnesse Isa 47. 7. It is reported of Babylon Thou saidst I shall be a Ladie for ever so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart that is thou didst not regard these things to take care about them And Ezek. 40. 4. the expression is very full where God cals the Prophet to attention and he calleth him all over Behold saith he with thine eyes and heare with thine eares and set thine heart on all that I shall shew thee He wakens the whole man See and see with thine eyes Heare and heare with thine eares and set thine heart upon it the sum of all is be thou very intentive and diligent about this businesse to the utmost Secondly To set the heart notes an act of the affections and desires A man sets his love upon what he sets his heart that 's the meaning of Psalm 62. 10. If riches increase set not your heart upon them That is let not your love your affections your desires close with these things when riches abound let not your desires abound too It is an admirable frame of heart to have narrow scant affections in a large plentifull estate He is the true rich man who loves his riches poorly Set your affections on things that are above Col. 3. 2. Thirdly To set the heart notes high esteeme and account this is more than bare love and affection 2 Sam. 18. 3. when a counsell of warre was held by Davids Commanders about going out to battell against Absolom they all vote against Davids person all undertaking upon this ground they will not care for us they will not set their hearts upon us or value us their hearts are set upon thee thou art the prize they looke for and therefore the heate of the battell will be against thee Againe 1 Sam. 4. 20. When the wife of Phineas was delivered of a son a son is the womans joy and glory yet the text saith when the women that stood by told her that a son was borne she answered not neither did she regard it she did not set her heart upon it because the glory was departed from Israel In either of these sences the Lord sets his heart upon man he greatly loves man The love of God to man is the spring of mercy to man yea love is the spring of love love acted springs from a decree of love Deut. 7. 7. The Lord thy God did not set his love upon you c. because ye were more in number then any other people but because the Lord loved you Love also led in that highest work of mercy the giving of Christ God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son Josh 3. 16. As love is the spring and root of all the reall duty which mans performes to God and is therefore called the fulfilling of the law Our love fulfilleth the will of God so the love of God is the root of all that good we receive his love fulfilleth our will that is whatsoever we will or ask according to the will of God the love of God fulfills it for us Our love fulfills the law of Gods command and Gods love fulfills the law of our wants and lawfull desires His heart is set upon us and then his hand is open to us Further God doth not only love man but his love is great and his esteeme of man very high and he reallizes the greatest love by bestowing the greatest mercy How did God set his heart upon us when he gave his Son who lay in his bosome for us He set his bosome upon us when he gave us his Sonne who came out of his bosome Hence let us see our duty Should not we set our heart upon God when God sets his heart upon us the soveraignty of God cals for our hearts He as Lord may use al that we have or are And there is more than a law of soveraignty why we should give God our hearts God hath given us his heart first he who calleth for our hearts hath first given us his What are our hearts to his heart The love of God infinitely exceeds the love and affection of the creature What were it to God if he had none of our hearts But woe to us if we had not the heart of God This phrase shews us the reason why God calls for our hearts he gves us his own it is but equall among men to love where we are loved to give a heart where we have received one how much more should we love God and give him our hearts when we heare he loves us and sets his heart upon us whose love heart alone is infinitely better then all the loves and hearts of all men and Angels There is yet a fourth consideration about this expression the setting of the heart Setting the heart is applied to the anger and displeasure of God so the phrase is used Job 34. 14. If he set his heart upon man all flesh shall perish together that is if God be resolved to chastise man to bring judgements upon him all flesh shall perish together none shall be able to oppose it As it is the hightest favour to have God set his heart upon us in mercy and love so it is the highest judgement to have God set his heart upon a man in anger and in wrath to set his heart to afflict and punish The Lord answers his own people Jer. 15. 1 2 3. that notwithstanding all the prayers and motions of his beloved favourites in their behalfe his heart could not be towards them Then his heart was strongly set against them or upon them in extreame anger therefore he concludes they that are for the sword to the sword and they that are for destruction to destruction c. If God set his heart to afflict he will afflict and he can doe it And there may be such a sense of the text here What is man that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him that thou shouldest come