about to frame and O how many how exceeding many or innumerable are they yet God saw not onely some or many but every one of them It was said by one of the Ancients upon this place Profundum mâ—ris deuâ— ingreditâ—r quâ—ndo visitare mentes etiam pressâ—â— sceleribus non dedignatur Greg. l. 29. c. 7 God goes to the depth of the sea as often as he goeth into the depth of mans heart and beholds what is there And there â—e beholds not onely the great but small beasts as the Psalmist calls the fish of the sea that is not onely great but small lusts and foolish imaginations the huge multitudes and shoals of vain thoughts which swim and play in that wide sea of mans heart are distinctly seen and as distinctly judged as if but one were there Thirdly From the scope of this place note That seeing we cannot search into the depth of the sea it should stay our curiosity in searching into and stay us from discontent when we cannot find the depth of Gods Counsels concerning us and of his Providences towards us There is a dutiful search into the Works of God David speaks of it Psal 111.2 The works of the Lord are great sought out of all those that have pleasure in them They are sought out that is they who have pleasure in them do and will endeavour soberly to search them out as much as may be but let all take heed of searching them wantonly or presumptuously that is either to satisfie their curiosity or with an opinion that they can reach the depth of them The Lord would have us satisfie our selves in the ignorance or rather nescience of those natural things which he hath not made known to us Surely then which is as hath been said the scope of this Chapter we should be satisfied though we in some cases know not nor can perceive the reason of Gods providential dealings either towaâ—ds particular persons and families or his Church in general Will any wise or sober man vex and disquiet himself will he be angry and pettish because he knows not all the secrets of the earâ—h and sea as some say Aristotle the Philosopher was to death and drowning because he could not find out the reason why the sea in one place ebbed and slowed seven times in one day Why then should we be impatient because the reason of Gods proceedings with the sons of men or of the strange ebbings and slowings of things in the sea of this world is secreted and hidden fâ—om us And therefore when we are not able to enter into the springs of this sea nor to walk in the search of this depth let it not trouble us but humble us as it did Job to whom the Lord put these questions and proceeded to put more and more hard questions if harder can be in the next words Vers 17. Have the gates of death been opened or revealed unto thee Or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death Here is another strange question Who among the living hath had the gates of death opened to him Oâ— hath viewed the doors of the shadow of death We read often in Scripture of the gates of death Psal 9.13 Num illius profunda quae verè dixirim mortis regiam c. rimatus es Bez. Psal 107.18 and which is all one of the gates of the grave Isa 38.10 but who knows what these gates are yet we may say something towards the clearing of this question A gate in strict sense is that by which we are admitted into any place and so the gates of death are That whatsoever it is by which we enter into death or go into the black hall of the grave Again The gates of death are any great and eminent danger Then we may be said to be at the gates of death when our lives are in great hazard to be lost either by the violence of enemies or by any violent sickness In the former sense David spake in way of supplication Psal 9.13 Have mercy on me O Lord consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me thou that liftest me up from the gates of death that is from deadly danger In the latter he spake by way of narration in his elegant description of the sick Psal 107.18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat and they draw near unto the gates of death that is they are ready to die or sick unto death And thus said King Hezekiah upon his sick-bed and as he thought a little before upon his death-bed Isa 38.10 I shall go to the gates of the grave I am deprived of the residue of my years that is of those years which I might have reckoned upon as mine according to the common account of mans life or the usual course of nature These are the more general gates of death and about these all agree But there are several opinions what should be specially intended by the gates of death in this place Portae mortis sunt causae corruptionis quantum advirtutes corporum â—â—lestium Aquin. in loc First One riseth very high saying that by the gates of death we are to understand the visible heavens because the heavenly bodies send down sometimes malignant influences which have a mighty power to corrupt the bodies of men here below so causing death to carry them away Thus he imagins death issuing out of the clouds as out of opened gates upon men on earth But that 's a far fetcht interpretation Secondly Oâ—hers go to the utmost contrary point and say by the gates of death we are to understand Hell The Papists give a description of several receptacles for souls departed under the earth they make at least three distinctions First Limbus Patrum The place where they affiâ—m the souls of the Fathers were before Christ came in the flesh and had accomplished the work of our redemption here on earth Secondly Purgatory the place where the souls of all that die not in mortal sin as they distinguish are reserved to be purged by temporary punishments before they can get to heaven Thirdly The lowest of all is that which we call Hell the place of the damned whither all go say they and we too who die in sin without repentance This place of torment some take for the gates of death But seeing the Lord is here speaking of natural things not of moral actions not of the consequents of them rewards and punishments therefore though we may truly call Hell the gates or power of death yet that notion as well as the former is altogether heterogeneal in this Text. Thirdly Several expound the gates of death in connection with the former verse for the depth or bottom of the sea where many dead carcases lie rotting all such as are cast away by shipwracks or die at sea being usually thrown into the deep and therefore at last the sea shall give up her dead as well as the earth Fourthly The gates of death
a learned Author that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De cannot signifie sufficiency both the sense of the place shews and almost all interpreters agree And this also may be further confirmed by a like use of the same word as it is put after ב Judg. 6.5 and after מ Isa 66.23 The Learned Reader consulting the original will easily observe saith he that in both those places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath no special signification Yet doubtless considering that not one Iota or tittle in the Scripture is in vain that additional word hath its use and possibly is of more use than any have as yet well understood For though it be granted as Rabbi David saith in his Dictionary that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all those places is paragogical yet Paragoges may have more in them than meerly the ornament of speech Our Translators intimate as much Hab. 2.13 where they do not render barely in the fire and for vanity but in the very fire and for very vanity And therefore with the good leave of that learned Author I apprehend with the Rabbin whom he quotes but likes not for this opinion that in all places where this word is used it hath a special force declaring the greatness and continuance of the thing spoken of And so in this place we may take the meaning thus As the generous horse is alwayes forward for the battel so when the trumpet begins to sound but when the trumpet soundeth long as the Lord spake to Moses at the giving of the Law Exod. 19.13 then the horse being fully assured that the battel will suddenly begin is mightily affected with a kind of joy which he expresseth as well and as fully as he can in his language saying Ha ha now 't is as I would have it That this Interjection ha ha imports joy and exultation Emittit exultationis vocem Aquin. Alacritèr se ad pugnam parat Scult Ad lituos hilarem intrepidumque tubarum prospiciebat Equum Statius l. 11. Theb. all agree and it may note not only that inward joy with which the horse is affected at the sound of the trumpet but also that outward expression which he makes of it by neighing which may not improperly be called his ha ha the sound which we hear in the air when a horse neigheth symbolizing much with this Interjection ha ha spoken by a man And all men know who know any thing of the qualities or customs of gallant horses that it is usual with them to neigh when they are much pleased and are upon a neer attainment of their desire or the injoyment of their pleasures Comparing the latter part of the former verse according to the second exposition of our Translation with this Observe Assurance of what we would have breeds extream joy and triumph in his spirit that would have it When the horse finds it is the battel indeed then he rejoyceth greatly Men often break out into such exclamations when having been long doubtful of a thing and fearful how it might issue they at last see its issue answering the utmost of their wishes and expectations Psal 40.15 Let them saith David be desolate for a reward of their shame that say Ah ha Ah ha that is let them be rewarded with desolation for their shameful doings in saying Ah ha Ah ha because they see me cast down To say Ah ha at what is done is as much as to say it pleaseth us well it gives us high content Thus also they cryed out Psal 35.21 Ah ha our eyes have seen it As the vision we shall have in heaven is faith perfected in the highest assurance imaginable so in any case in this world what of our desires our eyes see we take high content in It is comfortable when we have some hope of what we desire but when we once see it then we cry Ah ha if what our eyes see be to us as theirs was to them in the same Psalm where they are again brought in saying Ah ha so would we have it ver 25. now it is as it should be we have been looking for such a day a long time but now it is come Ah ha Ah ha So would we have it And consider it either in natural or spiritual things there is a time as to spiritual things when we do not believe the silver trumpet of the Gospel sounds mercy to us that sin is pardoned that God is gracious but when once there is a convincing sufficiency of the trumpets sound when once our unbelief is fully overcome and our hearts wound up to assurance then the soul is in its triumph and cryes out as the horse when he perceives the desired battel approacheth Ah ha Ah ha This content of the horse appears yet further in the next words He smells the battel afar off the thunder of the Captains and the shouting These words hold out another matter which doth much set forth and commend the honour of the horse and his desire of the combat He smells the battel To be in battel pleaseth him so well that the smell of it is to him a delightful and pleasant odour The very stink of a Camp as the Prophet calls it Amos 4.10 is a sweet perfume to his nostrils He smells a battel He smelleth the battel afar off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Odorari Olfacere The Hebrew word signifieth properly to smell or take the scent of any thing And almost all interpreters ancient and modern retain that signification here yet some there are who take smelling in this place metaphorically for perceiving fore-apprehending or presaging Sentit aut praesentiscit For the Hebrew as some very well skilled in that language assure us having no word which answers the Greek and Latine words noted in the margin signifying to perceive and feel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sentire maketh use of this word in the Text for those purposes Thus 't is said Judg. 16.9 When it that is the threed toucheth or as our old translation hath it feeleth the fire So Isa 11.3 He that is Christ the Messias shall be quick of understanding in the fear of the Lord. The Hebrew is He shall smell or be quick-scented in the fear of the Lord. His very senses shall be as it were toucht with or dipt in the fear of the Lord that is he shall religiously sense or judge all things The fear of the Lord shall be the rule or guide of all his senses as it follows in that verse He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes neither reprove after the hearing of his ears that is according to outward appearances and reports Thus we may take the word in this passage the horse smelleth that is he perceiveth or apprehendeth the battel Praesagiunt pugnam Plin. l. 8. c. 42. Naturalists report wonders about the understanding of the horses and his sagaciousness in fore-seeing or presaging battels And this he doth saith the Text Afar off Our
or rather as the Prophet there speaks will not behold it no not when it shines in the plainest demonstrations whether of wrath against wicked men or of love and mercy to the godly as clearly as the Sun at noon day Secondly As we should tremble at the majesty of the Lord so admire his excellency they that excel others especially they who excel all others in any kind are much admired The Lord is cloathed with excellency how then should we admire him and say Who is a God like unto thee This God is our God Thirdly Seeing the Lord is cloathed with glory we should glorifie him and that First in his essential glory Secondly in the glory of his acts and operations We should glorifie him for the greatness of his power especially for the greatness of his grace because the grace and mercy of God are his glory as the Apostle spake in that prayer Eph. 3.16 That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory that is of his grace and favour towards you to be strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man And as the grace and goodness of God is his glory so also is his holiness Exod. 15.11 Who is a God like unto thee glorious in holiness Let us glorifie God in and for all his glories in and for the glory of his power mercy grace and holiness Fourthly God is arrayed with beauty Beauty is a taking thing then how should our souls delight in the Lord We delight in things that are beautiful we love beauty how should this draw forth our love our affections to God! All the beauty of the world is but a blot 't is darkness and a stained thing in comparison of the Lords beauty the beauty of his holiness and therefore if we have a love to beauty let us love the Lord who is arrayed with beauty even with the perfection of beauty Lastly In general Seeing the Lord is deckt with majesty and excellency arrayed with glory and beauty let us continually ascribe all these to God What God is and hath shewed himself to be we should shew forth 1 Chron. 29.11 Thine O Lord saith David is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty for all that is in heaven and in earth is thine David ascribed all to God there as also Psal 145.10 All thy works praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall bless thee they shall speak of the glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy power to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts and the glorious majesty of his Kingdom thy Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations Thus Saints are to blazon the name of God and to make his praise glorious The Apostle Jude concludes his Epistle with this Doxology To the only wise God our Saviour that is Jesus Christ be glory and majesty and dominion and power now and ever Amen Further to remember the majesty and excellency of God may and should be First an incouragement to serve him Who would not serve a Prince who is decked with majesty and excellency who is arrayed with glory and beauty who would not serve such a King as this How ambitious are men to serve those who are deckt with worldly majesty and excellency shall not we have a holy ambition to serve the Lord who is thus decked and arrayed Secondly This may exceedingly hearten and embolden us against all the danger we may meet with in the Lords service If we encounter with hardships and hazards in Gods work let us remember he that is cloathed with majesty and excellency c. can protect us in his service and reward us for it we can lose nothing by him though we should lose all for him life and all Thirdly This should fill our souls with reverential thoughts of God continually Did we know the Lord in these divine discoveries of himself in his majesty and excellency in his glory and beauty how would our hearts be filled with high thoughts of him we would neither speak nor think of God but with a gracious awe upon our spirits Fourthly This should provoke us in all holy duties to do our best The Lord reproved the Jews Mal. 1.8 when they brought him a poor lean sacrifice Offer it now unto thy Governour will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person Shall we put off God who is full of majesty and excellency of glory and beauty with poor weak and sickly services such as our Governours men in high place power will not accept from our hands but turn back with disdain upon our hands The worship and service of God consists not in a bodily exercise nor in any outward beauty he is a spirit and must be worshipped in spirit and in truth that is in truth of heart and according to the truth of his word which the Apostle calls the simplicity that is in Christ 2 Cor. 11.3 The glory and beauty of God is spiritual and the beauty that he must be served with is above all the inward beauty of faith and love and holy fear in our hearts Fifthly If God be thus deckt with majesty c. This may assure us in praying to him and calling upon him that we shall not seek him in vain It is worth the while to attend such a God and pour out our hearts before him We may safely depend upon God for all seeing majesty and excellency are his The Lords prayer by which we are to form or unto which we should conform all our prayers concludes with this thine is the kingdom power and glory all is thine and therefore we have great encouragement to ask all of thee Men can give to those that ask them according to the extent of their power There is a confluence or comprehension of all power in the majesty excellency and glory of God and therefore he can give whatsoever we ask Now as that God is thus deckt and arrayed with majesty and excellency is implied in this Text so 't is also implied that he hath thus deckt himself while he saith to Job Deck thy self with majesty and excellency Hence observe Secondly The majesty and excellency the glory and beauty of God are all of and from himself He is the fountain as of his own being so of the majesty and excellency of the glory and beauty of his being he decks and arrays himself he is not decked by others Moralists say honour is not or resides not in him that is honoured but in him that honoureth yet here honour is seated in him that is honoured We honour God and give glory to him but we cannot add any honour to him all is originally in himself he is the beginning without beginning of his own majesty And as Gods majesty is his own so of his own putting on he borroweth nothing from the creature nor needs he any creature to deck him He is not what others will make
we are well fitted for mercy alwayes before we have merited or deserved it But saith not David Psal 88.13 Vnto thee have I cryed O Lord and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee Here David seemed to be afore-hand with God Who hath prevented me saith God yet David said My prayer shall prevent thee The meaning is only this That David would pray very early and very earnestly or that David would watch unto prayer and so if possible even prevent God not that his prayers did indeed prevent God but he was resolved to set so hard to and sit so close at the duty of prayer that if such a thing could be he would even prevent him he would as we may say take God before he was awake as the Psalmist spake elsewhere Arise O God why sleepest thou Their prayer may be said to prevent God who pray early and earnestly according to that of David Psal 5.3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up And again Psal 119.140 Mine eyes prevent the night watches He was at it very early he sought the Lord very diligently That 's all we are to understand by such expressions for the Lord is then afore-hand with us in mercies when we are most early and most instant in our duties The Lord who is the beginning and the end and who knows the end of all things from the beginning often gives us our end or what we aimed at in prayer before we begin Thirdly Note God is self-sufficient he can do his whole work alone Take it in the instance of the Text he needs no help to create Leviathan nor needs he the help of any creature to destroy Leviathan what he made without help he can as I may say unmake make without help The Lord who is all-sufficient to do any work or bring what he pleaseth to pass for us is also self-sufficient or able to do any work or what he pleaseth for himself that is to please himself It is a great honour to God that he can command what he will and whom he will to help him in any of his works but it is a far greater honour to the great God that he needs not any help to do or bring about any of his works When the Apostle had said Who hath given to him and it shall be recompenced unto him again Rom. 11.35 He presently gives this reason which is the point in hand ver 36. For of him are all things that is he is the sole efficient of all things all things are from him as from the first principle or mover and he orders all things as it followeth in the same verse through him are all things Deus est omnè modo omnium rerum causa 1. Causa efficiens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Causa administrans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. Causa finalis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad quem omnia quasi in circulum redeunt As of him are all things in their constitution so through him are all things in their dispensation We have the work of creation in the first part of the verse Of him are all things and the work of providence in the latter Through him are all things that is he dispenceth and disposeth all things And thus spake the same Apostle to the great Philosophers at Athens Acts 17.28 In him we live and move and have our being As if it had been said Of him are all things and through him are all things and therefore to him are all things All creatures turn about as in a circle to their Creator all things end in him or he is the end of all as all things began in him and by him This truth is a spring of comfort and consolation to all the faithful or from this general head many streams flow which may both instruct and comfort the City of God From hence we may learn or be instructed First Creatures one or other men or Angels cannot merit any thing at the hand of God Man gives God nothing but what he first receives from him for who hath prevented him therefore there 's no merit preventing-mercy excludes and shuts it out of doors Secondly which followeth upon that God is debtor to no creature he oweth us nothing we owe him all Deus factus est debitor non aliquid à nobis accipiendo sed quod ei placuit promitiendo Aug. de verb. Dom. Ser. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nihil aliud est quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deus enim propriè non retribuit sed tribuit Who hath prevented me saith God If we have any thing we have it from him but he hath nothing from us therefore we are in his books he is not at all in ours All that God is indebted to us is by his promises which proceed freely from himself we receive no good upon the worthiness of what we have done but because he hath assured us we shall receive good if we do good so and so or are such and such God gives us much but retributes us nothing all his rewards are free gifts or pure alms Thirdly God can do no creature any wrong Man hath no right to any thing he hath inherent in or arising from himself nor hath man obliged God at all to give him any thing therefore he can do man no wrong how little soever he gives him or how much soever he takes from him So that if any man shall say he will not contend with me by right but by might and shall complain that something is taken from him which he would not or not given him which he would what right hath any man to plead with God upon who hath no right to any thing but by the gift of God Fourthly Then the grace of God to man is altogether free Many expound this Scripture as denying the fore-sight of mans works or worthiness of his faith or perseverance in grace as to the grace of Election God did not elect us because he foresaw any worthiness in us Nemo ut divina illum subsequatur gratia prius aliquid contulit Deo si ergo electi praeveniente se gratia sequuntur reprobi juxta quod merentur accipiunt de miserecordia inveniunt electi quod laudent de justitia non habent reprobi quod accusent Bene igitur dicitur quis ante dedit Greg. nor will he save us upon the desert of any thing done by us The foundation-stone of Election and the top-stone of Salvation are laid in free grace Fifthly We have no reason to be discouraged what deficiency soever we see in the creature as to any thing we desire God should do for us forasmuch as none have prevented God either with counsel or assistance in any of those great things which he hath already done either for our selves or others What cannot he do for us alone who made Heaven and
were threw down a blank and desired the Apostles to write what commands they would that tended to salvation as if they had said we are ready to do what the Lord commandeth and according as the Lord commandeth Thus being made sensible of their sins and of the wrath of God which they had provoked against themselves by crucifying the Lord of life They cried out what shall we do We will submit to any thing that is fit to be done Saul afterward Paul came out with fury to persecute the Disciples of Christ but the Lord having beaten him from his horse to the ground he trembling and astonished said Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9.6 He was fit to take any impression and to be moulded into any form by the hand of God They who have been made to know what it is to break commands are willing to obey and keep them This was the first spring of their obedience God had humbled them There was a second spring of their obedience which will yield a sixth Observation For as the Lord had convinced them of their sin so he had given them hopes of mercy in the pardon of it and of reconciliation to himself So much was intimated in that gracious counsel given them Take unto you seven Bullocks and seven Rams and go and offer up a burnt-offering for your selves c. This was a comfortable word and doubtless they understood it so and said in their own hearts God might have made us a sacrifice but he commands us to offer a sacrifice And what doth this signifie Surely that he will be gracious to us and is ready to pardon us Having these hopes of pardon they went and willingly did what the Lord commanded they went to Job they submitted to him whom they had contemned they honoured him whom they had despised before Hence note The intimations of mercy and hopes of pardon prevail mightily upon the soul of a sinner The Lord did not only shew them their sin and terrifie them with kindled wrath but shewed them a sacrifice and this presently won upon them The love of God is more constraining than his wrath and hopes of pardon and salvation than the fear of punishment and damnation both have their effects and are strong motives wrath and love but the strongest is love As when the Apostle beseeched the Romans Rom. 12.1 to present themselves a living sacrifice he besought them by the mercies of God So when the Lord commanded these men to offer up slain beasts in sacrifice hope of mercy was the motive 'T is mercy which moves most effectually to offer both our services our selves a sacrifice unto God that 's the same Apostles argument again 2 Cor. 7.1 Wherefore having these promises let us cleanse our selves that is use all means of cleansing our selves let us go to Christ for the cleansing of our selves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. The end of the Commandement is charity 1 Tim. 1.5 that is 't is charity or love which gives the Commandement its end What is the end of the Commandement it is that we should obey and fulfil it To what end doth the Lord give us Commandements it is that we should keep them Love is the end of the Commandement as it gives the Commandement a compleating end Now whence comes our love either to God or man Surely from the manifestation of Gods love to us So that when the Lord manifesteth his love to us raising and confirming our hopes by promises then our love appeareth in doing and keeping Commandements and therefore love is there joyned with faith unfeigned a faith without hypocrisie or deceit Now the work of faith in God for pardon and reconciliation is grounded upon a sacrifice Thus as Evangelical obedience is better than legal so mercy revealed in the Gospel quickens to obedience more than wrath revealed in the Law The sight of mercy and the sense of the lovâ— of God in sending his own Son to be a sacrifice for us works more upon us than if the Lord should threaten to make us a sacrifice or to consume us in the fire of his wrath for ever It was the sacrifice which made these men go to Job and humble themselves they perceived there was hope now and that though they had failed yet the Lord was ready to receâ—ve them and would not deal with them according to their folly as he told them he would if they did not according to his command go to Job with their seven Bullocks c. and offer up a burnt-offering They went and did as the Lord commanded them But what came of it how did they speed what was the issue of all The Text saith The Lord also accepted Job This may seem a strange connection they going and doing as the Lord commanded them one would have thought it should be said And the Lord accepted them whereas the Text saith only thus The Lord also accepted Job But were not Jobs friends accepted shall we think that they lost their labour not so neither without all question these three bâ—inging their sacrifice according to the command of God both for matter and manner were accepted too yet because it was at the request and prayer of Job for them therefore the Text saith not The Lord accepted but The Lord also accepted Job Accepit Jehova personam Jobi sacerdotio jungentis nomine Christi sacerdotis victimae sempiâ—â—rnae nostrae quam iste figurabant Jun. that is he offering sacrifice and praying for them they were accepted This sheweth us the great mystery or the sum of the Gospel the Lord did not accept them in themselves but he accepted Job in sacrificing for them and all in Christ And consider it is not said The Lord accepted the sacrifice or the prayer of Job but The Lord accepted Job his person was accepted in and through the sacrifice or intercession of Christ and his sacrifice and intercession for Eliphaz and his two friends were accepted also in him How the Lord testified his acceptance of Job whether by consuming his sacrifice with fire from heaven or by any other outward token of his favour is not here expressed and therefore to us uncertain only this is certain and that is enough for us to know that God accepted him What it is to accept was shewed in opening the former verse In brief to be accepted is to have favour with God our petitions answered and the things done which we move or petition for The Lord also accepted Job Rogavit Job Dominus ignavit profuit illis amicitia quibus obsuit insolentia Ambros 3 Offic. c. ult And when 't is said The Lord also accepted Job this implyeth that Job did willingly undertake the service and duty for his three friends Though it be not said that Job offered sacrifice and prayed for them yet both are wrapt up and understood in this conclusion The Lord
the first day of the world God is the Father not onely of spiritual light Jam. 1.17 but of natural Psal 74.16 The day is thiâ—e the night also is thine thou hast prepared the light and the Sun This glory is ascribed to God by his holy Prophet also Jer. 31.35 Thus saith the Lord which giveth the Sun for a light by day and the ordinances of the Moon and of the Stars for a light by night The Lord gives these as well as command these and who but God can do either None can command the creatures unto their daily motion but God much less could any command the creatures into their first being but God How wise how great soever men are or seem to be in their own eyes or sight they cannot make nor bring forth the least ray of light much less can they make such a world of light as God hath made for the world And surely there is no creature wherein we may see and contemplate more of God than in the light which he made the first day and now commandeth to make the morning day by day Nor is there any thing in the whole compass of Nature either more comfoâ—table or more admirable than the light The commonness of it lessens our esteem of it and because it comes so constantly and never fails we are apt to look upon it as no great matter as no great mercy whereas indeed the light is not onely useful and comfortable but admirable and that it deserves these three attributes I shall briefly shew by giving a touch at each of them That light is an admirable creature must be confessed if we consider First It s original or the way of its production The Apostle treating about spiritual light tells us whence the natural light came 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commanded light to shine out of darkness c. Light came as it were out of the womb of darkness Now that out of darkness black darkness such a beautiful child such a goodly creature as light should be brought forth is it not marvellous Yet thus it was God commanded light to shine out of darkness The History of the Creation reports There was nothing but darkness upon the face of the earth when the Lord said Let there be light Darkness is totally contrary to light 't is the privation of light Now that the habit should come forth out of the privation light out of darkness or life out of death joy out of sorrow peace out of trouble these are the wonderful works of God And we may comfortably meditate upon this when we want any kind of light Whence did the Lord bring light at first even out of darkness therefore let us not think any darkness of trouble a leâ—t to the Lords production of light When we are in spiritual darkness the state of nature is a state of darkness that doth not hinder the Loâ—d can easily bring the light of the new creatuâ—e out of it and when we are in the darkness of any trouble though it be thick darkness darkâ—ess as Job spake chap. 10.22 like darkness it self and where the light is as darkness yet this doth not hinder the Lord can bring light out of it There 's the first wonder the Lord brought light out of darkness Secondly Light is wonderful in its operation power and efficacy in that it doth so suddenly chase away conquer and overcome darkness Light gets victory over darkness in a moment There 's no darkness can abide the face of light As soon as God commands the morning let it be as da k as pitch the darkness must away and fly before it Daâ—kness cannot withstand light nor stand in the presence of it there 's no long dispute light instantly gets the hands the day of darknâ—ss Thirdly If we consider the pure nature oâ— lighâ— 't is as pure as purity it self Light hath an inseparable and an insuperable purity though it may be a while obâ—cured yet it cannot be at all polluted Philosophers have spoken much about the natuâ—e of light but none were ever able to comprehend it Some said it is a habit or quality of a light some body Lâ—x diunt Physici est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu qualitas corporis â—ucidi yet none of their definitions reach it fully They make it a quality yet we may conceive it is rather to be ranked and reckoned among substances than accidents it being a principal part of the Creation and the express subject of Gods work the first day of it Fourthly The light is very wonderful in the changes and vicissitudes of it How it passeth and repasseth how it increaseth and decreaseth how it comes and goes is an amazing consideration Fifthly Though the light be in continual changes yet there 's nothing more constant than the light to its appointed time Light never fails to come in its season Secondly That light is a most useful and beneficial creature who can deny seeing without light the whole Creation were a nothing to us What had the world been to us if God had not made light and set up lights in it The eye of the body whiâ—h is the light of the body Matth. 6.22 were of no use to us without outward light Till the Sun which is the eye of the great world shines the eye which is the Sun of the little world is no advantage to us There must be light in the aire as well as light in the eye else the most beautiful objects have no appearing beauty and therefore the Lord made light the first day that by it the beauty of the whole Creation might be seen Light discovers it self and all other things Light illustrates all the works of God and sets them in our sight And as all that God hath done would be nothing to us without light so we our selves could do nothing without light We cannot work at all or very hardly or very badly without light hence that of David Psal 104.22 23. The Sun ariseth man goeth forth to his work and to his labour until the evening John 9.4 The night cometh wherein no man can work Night of any sort is not for work because 't is dark and therefore they who work in the night get artificial light to supply the want of natural When the plague of darkness was upon the Egyptians they sate still and no man moved from the place where he was till that plague was removed Exod. 10.22 23. And as we cannot do the work of our Civil Callings without light either natural or artificial so we cannot do the work of our Christian Calling without spiritual light When Christ the Sun of righteousness ariseth with healing in his wings then we go forth to our spiritual labour as Christians and grow up as the calves of the stall Mal. 4.2 How long soever we live in this world we never go forth to that labour till the Sun of righteousness the Lord Jesus Christ ariseth upon us It was
pride of the Assyrian put him upon other sins upon oppression especially he could not keep at home nor be contented with his own Dominion thâ—ugh a very large and vast one he must go abroad and invade other mens Territories his pride sent him to do mischief and he enlarged his desire as hell Proud men must oppress and wrong others to bring in fewel for their own lusts Pride calls in aid from many sins to serve its turn Lastly If Pride provokes God if he looketh upon every one that is proud to abase him and bring him low then how should we labour to be humble ones that the Lord may look upon us with a favourable eye and so he doth upon all them that walk humbly with him As God resisteth the proud so he giveth grace to the humble that is favour The humble shall have his favour and the proud his frowns As to do justly and to love mercy is the sum of all duty to man so to walk humbly is the sum of all duty to God Mic. 6.8 They who walk humbly walk not onely holily but safely They who are low in their own eyes are under the special protection of the high God The Lord having called upon Job to shew the effect of his wrath against one sort of bad men the proud calleth upon him in the next words to shew the effects of his wrath upon all sorts of bad men comprehended under this general word The wicked And tread down the wicked in their place The Lord bids Job do this if he could indeed he could not that he might shew himself a competent match for God As if the Lord had said I tread down the wicked in their places do thou so too if thou canst God had said before Abase every one that is proud and bring him low now he saith Tread down the wicked Tread them down As mire in the street We tread upon vile and contemptible things To tread upon any tâ—ing a person especially notes utter contempt of him and abâ—olute conquest over him and therefore Josh 10.24 to shew the compleat victory which the Lords people had goâ— over the Kings of Canaan Joshua called for all the men of Israel and said unto the Captains of the men of war which went with him Come near put your feet upon the necks of these Kings and they came near and put their feet upon the necks of them And that 's it which the Apostle gives in way of promise as an assurance of our conquest over the evil spirit the devil Rom. 16.20 God shall bruise we put in the Margin tread the Greek word signiâ—ies to bruise by treading God shall tread Satan under your feet shortly that is God will give you a full and a final victory over the devil We have a like expression or promise Psal 91.13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet God will give his people power not onely over hurtful beasts but over men which are hurtful as those beasts and over Satan who is eminently shadowed by the Lion the Adder the young Lion and the Dragon in that evil spirit all these evil beasts are trodden under feet that is subdued and conquered When David would shew how he in case he were faulty was willing to be made a very slave to his enemies he phrases it thus Psal 7.5 Let the enemy persecute my soul and take it yea let him tread down my life upon the earth and lay mine honour in the dust that is let him have full power over me let me be at his mercy though he be mercilesse Once more saith the Church Psal 44.5 Through thee will we push down our enemies through thy name will we tread them down that rise up against us Thus the Lord bespake Job Come saith he Let me see you tread down the wicked get an absolute conquest over them that they may rise up no more in this world to do wickedly Tread down The wicked The word wicked is often taken largely so every man in a sinful state may be called a wicked man every person unconverted or unregenerate every person that hath not true grace is wicked There is no middle estate among men between good and bad converted and unconverted yet here the wicked are not to be taken onely in a large sense for sinners in common but strictly First For the proud before spoken of There the Lord said abase the proud here he saith Tread down the wicked that is the wicked who are proud To be wicked and to be proud are the same For as most wicked men are proud so all proud men are wicked for pride it self is a great wickednesse and it is pride that causeth most men to do wickedly even to rebel against God and his righteous laws to rise up against his wayes and truths When we have said of a man he is proud if we have not said all evil we have said one of the worst evils of him and that which layes him open as to suffer the worst penal evils so to do the worst sinful evils Secondly If we take the words distinctly as we may then by the wicked are meant grosse and flagitious sinners notorious sinners for though as I said before any one that hath not grace may be called wicked yet properly and in Scripture sense wicked ones are notorious presumptuous and flagitious sinners such as sin with a high hand and with a stiffe neck Thirdly By the wicked we may especially understand oppressors who are troublesome and vexatious to others As some are wicked in taking their own pleasure and in satisfying their vain desires so many are wicked in vexing afflicting and oppressing others The Hebrew word for a wicked man signifies such a one as is both unquiet himself and will not suffer others to be quiet In any of or in all these three notions we may expound the word wicked here the wicked are proud ones or notorious evil ones or oppressors of others Tread down the wicked In their place The Hebrew is Vnder them The word also signifieth as we render a proper place and that 's considerable Tread them down in their place The Lord doth not say in thy place but in their place which may note these two things First Wheresoever thou findest them tread them down Secondly In their place that is where they flourish most where they are best rooted or most strongly secured where they have the greatest advantages and strengths to save them harmlesse That is specially a mans place Non est difficile superbum hominem petentem in alieno loco superare quia in eo minus habet potentiae Sanct. where he seateth and hopes to settle himself Now saith God Tread them down in their place I do so I destroy the wicked when and where they think themselves safest where they think no hand can touch them nor arm reach them there my foot shall tread
took impression upon my heart heretofore but I never had such an impression as in this tempest I never heard God speaking thus immediately to me nor did he ever give me any such visible demonstration of his presence as he hath vouchsafed me at this time speaking out of the whirlwind And from all we may conclude that as Job had a powerful illumination of the Spirit so an outward apparition of the Glory and Majesty of God or of Gods glorious Majesty to convince and humble him So that though Job had a saving knowledge of God formerly yet this discourse of God with him and discovery of God to him had made him a better Scholar than all his earthly teachers I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear But now mine eye seeth thee That is now I have as clear a sight or knowledge of thy mind and will of thy justice and goodness of thy power and soveraignty as if I had seen thee with mine eyes and had seen or looked into thy heart Or thus Not only hast thou graciously instructed me by speaking so much to me but thou hast manifested thy self present with me by an aspectable sign Mine eye hath seen thee that is thou hast given me to see that which assures me thou art neer unto me namely the Cloud out of which thou hast been pleased to speak and make known thy mind to me who am but dust and ashes The Lord may be seen these four wayes First In his Word Secondly In his works Thirdly In outward apparitions Fourthly And above all God is seen in his Son our Lord Jesus Christ whom the Apostle calls Heb. 1.3 The brightness of his glory and the express image of his person and in whose face the light of the knowledge of God shineth 2 Cor. 4.6 And hence Christ saith John 14.9 He that hath seen me hath seen the father The invisible father is seen in his Son who was made visible in our flesh John 1.18 Thus God may be seen But in his nature God is altogether invisible he cannot be seen Moses saw him that is invisible Heb. 11.27 that is he saw him by an eye of faith who is invisible to the eye of sense I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee Hence note First It is a great mercy and much to be acknowledged that we have the word of God sounding in our ears Faith cometh by hearing Rom. 10.17 The Prophet saith Isa 55.3 Hear and your soul shall live Now if faith and life come by hearing to have the word of God sounding in our ears must needs be a great mercy Though to have the word only sounding in our ear will do no man good yet 't is good to hear that joyful sound Though that sad Prophesie mentioned by Christ Mat. 13.14 be fulfilled in many By hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand and seeing ye shall see and shall not perceive Yet he said to his faithful followers vers 16. Blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear They receive a blessing by hearing whose ears are blessed when they hear O how many souls are blessing God that ever they heard of himself and his Son our Lord Jesus Christ by the hearing of the ear To have an ear to hear is a common blessing but to have an hearing ear or to hear by the hearing of the ear is a special blessing Observe Secondly We should hear the Word very diligently That phrase I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear as the Hebrew Writers note signifieth a very attentive hearing Every hearing is not an hearing with the ear nor every seeing like that we intend when a man saith I saw it with my eyes One may see and not see hear and not hear The Word of God is to be heard with a hearing Such doublings in Scripture have a great emphasis in them As when the Lord saith They are cursed with a curse it notes a great and a certain curse is coming so to hear by the hearing of the ear implyeth fruitful hearing and a laying up of that in the mind which hath been heard Psal 44.1 We have heard with our ears O God our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their dayes in the times of old They who thus hear with their ears treasure up in their hearts and do with their hands what they have heard The Lord charged Ezekiel Chap. 44.5 Son of man mark well and behold with thine eyes and hear with thine ears all that I say unto thee that is mind diligently what I shew and say unto thee The Lord called for the exercise of both senses in attending to what he spake to the Prophet He did not only say Hear with thine ears but see with thine eyes that is hear as if thou didst even see that which thou hearest For though possibly the Lord presented somewhat to the eye of the Prophet as well as he spake to his ear yet the former notion may well be taken in yea and intended in that command Many hear as if they had no ears and see as if they had no eyes One of the Ancients taking notice of that saith Such kind of hearers are like Malchus in the Gospel who had his ear cut off From those words But now mine eye seeth thee taken distinctly Observe Thirdly God revealeth himself more clearly and fully at one time than at another Seeing is somewhat more than hearing though it be attentive hearing As the full and clear manifestation which we shall have of God in the next life is expressed by seeing and called vision so the fullest and clearest apprehension which we have of God and the things of God in this life is a degree of seeing both him and them 't is the sight of faith and may also be called vision A true and strong believer tasts and feels and sees the truths of the Gospel which he hath heard his faith which is the eye of his soul is the evidence of those things to him which are not seen nor can be seen by an eye of sense He by the help of the Holy Ghost looks stedfastly into heaven and with this eye seeth the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God in his measure as blessed Stephen did Acts 7.55 This sight of God and spirituals hath three things in it beyond that ordinary though real knowledge which comes in by the hearing of the ear First a surpassing clearness Secondly an undoubted certainty Thirdly a ravishing sweetness and the overflowings of consolation Fourthly Note According to the measure of Gods revealing himself to us such is the measure of our profiting in the knowledge of God The word is spoken to all in the publick Ministry of it it is scattered upon all but they only learn to know God themselves truly to whom God doth inwardly reveal it whose hearts he toucheth and openeth by
sin First the greatness of the punishment laid upon the sinner Secondly the greatness of the means used for the healing of that breach which sin hath made I answer Secondly the number seven being a Symbol of perfection as was said before figured the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ who by one offering hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 A perfect number of sacrifices was fittest to shadow the infinite perfection of that one sacrifice which makes and which only makes all the comers thereunto perfect For though a person under the Law having offered his sacrifice was no more reckoned guilty of that sin by men yet his conscience did still accuse him of and charge him with sin and therefore sacrifices were renewed Heb. 10.1 2. nor could the accusings of conscience be quieted but by looking to Christ by faith whom the sacrifice shadowed and the sacrificer was to point at Fifthly In that the Lord sent Eliphaz and his two friends unto Job with their sacrifice Observe We must reconcile our selves to those we have wronged before we can look to be reconciled unto God against whom we have sinned or to be accepted of him in any service The counsel of Christ directs to this Mat. 5.23 24. If thou bringest thy gift unto the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leave there thy gift before the Altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift This general command of Christ is the same in effect with what the Lord here long before gave particularly and personally to Eliphaz and his two friends they must first go and be reconciled to Job and then offer their sacrifice This the Apostle also gave in charge 1 Tim. 2.8 I will therefore that men pray every where holding up holy hands but how without wrath and doubting There are two things required if we look to be accepted of God in any service First Faith Secondly Love or charity There must be faith else we cannot lift up holy hands without doubting There must be love else we cannot lift up holy hands without wrath They who are suing for and expecting favour and mercy from God have need to discharge themselves of all wrath and revenge towards man With what face can any expect favour from God who will not acknowledge wherein they have wronged man Sixthly Observe God is very tender of the credit of his faithful servants he will not be reconciled unless they are righted Job had been wronged no man more by the censures of his friends and God was so tender of his honour and reputation that his friends must make him reparation before God will accept their sacrifice One reason why God is so tender of the credit of his servants is because they are tender of his and will undergo any wrong rather than his Name shall be blasphemed or wronged As God will himself honour them who honour him 1 Sam. 2.30 so he will one time or other some way or other retrench and cast back upon men all that dishonor which they have received from men or cause them to take it off and wipe them clean whom they have undeservedly aspersed Observe Seventhly God will humble proud and high spirits and make them submit to those whom they have wronged There is a twofold submission which is the duty of a Christian First to God James 4.7 Secondly to man and this is twofold First To those that are over us and above us in power Rom. 13.1 Tit. 3.1 And thus not only are subjects to submit to Magistrates but all of a lower degree are to submit to their superiours servants to their Masters wives to their Husbands children to their parents Secondly There is a submission to those that are wronged by us and though they be our inferiours yet in this sense we are to submit to them that is acknowledge that we have wronged them The Apostle James intimates such a submission Chap. 5.16 and the Apostle Paul speaks it plainly Eph. 5.21 Submitting your selves to one another in the fear of God Here is a mutual submission a submission in case of wrong and doubtless that rule of Scripture is extendible to other cases not only of equals one to another but of superiours to inferiours Our spirits like not this we hardly submit to those that we have wronged but there 's no remedy we must Some say they will submit to God but they cannot submit to man they cannot stoop to that Let such remember that without this submission even to an inferiour whom we have knowingly wronged or are made to know which was the case here that we have wronged we cannot hopefully apply to God for peace and reconciliation Eighthly Observe They that are wronged by others must forgive them their wrongs God sent Eliphaz and his two friends to Job not only that they should acknowledge they had wronged him but that Job might freely and fully testifie so far as concerned him his forgiveness of that wrong As it is the duty of them that have wronged others to submit to them in the acknowledgement of it so they that are wronged ought to forgive receive them in that submission We must forgive as we look to be forgiven Mat. 6.12 We cannot pray believingly that God would forgive us the guilt of our iniquity committed against himself or others unless we forgive others the injury which they have done us Observe Ninthly Good men are ready to give and take satisfaction in point of wrong Jobs friends had done him wrong and as they good men were ready to give satisfaction so Job good man was as ready to take it Many wrong others but will give no satisfaction many are wronged by others and will take no satisfaction nothing will quiet or appease them Jobs friends and himself were highly to be commended that they were willing to give and he to take satisfaction The Apostle urgeth this Eph. 4.26 27. Be angry and sin not let not the Sun go down upon your wrath neither give place to the devil They give up their hearts as lodging-chambers to the devil who let the Sun go down upon their wrath therefore it followeth vers 31.32 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice and be ye kind one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christ sake hath forgiven you They that know what it is to be forgiven by God they that know what need they have continually of Gods forgiving grace mercy will be as ready to accept satisfaction as any can be to give it This was eminent in Job as will appear further in opening the next words in this verse Go to my servant Job and offer up for your selves a burnt-offering And my servant Job shall pray for you How eminent Job was in prayer and how available his prayers or intercessions were for others may
to make resistance against death and his spiritual strength was so much that it caused him to make no resistance against it or rather at once joyfully to embrace and overcome it Thirdly These words so Job dyed being full of days may have this spiritual meaning His days were full He did not live empty days or void blank days but as he was full of days so his days were full full of good works and holy duties That mans days are empty though he be full of days or how many days soever he hath lived who hath lived in vanity and done little good with his life But we have reason to say Job dyed full of days because his days were full of good done as well as of good received he had not a long being only but a long life in the world living to good yea his best in duty both to God and man Thus Job dyed being old and full of days From this latter part of the verse Observe First When a godly man dyeth he is satisfied with the time he hath lived he hath his fill of days he craves no more Though no length of this life can satisfie him yet he is satisfied with the length of his life A godly man in some cases may crave a little more time He may say as Psal 102.24 O take me not away in the midst of my days and as elsewhere O spare me a little that I may recover my strength before I go hence and be no more Psal 39.13 Yet this is a truth specially as to good old men living as Job had done when they dye they have had their fill of living A Heathen said and he spake it after a heathenish manner Si mihi quis Deus largiatur ut ex hac aetate repuerascam in cunis vagiam valdè recusem Cato If any God would give me the priviledg to be young again and to cry in a Craile I would not thank him for it I have had living enough If a vertuous Heathen hath said so by the light of reason and morality then doubtless a godly Christian may much more say so through the power of faith and grace It cannot be said of all men who dye as Job did being old that they in this notion dyed as Job did full of days For as some godly young men have been fully satisfied with a few days and have said they have lived as long as they desired and could say with Paul We desire to be desolved and to be with Christ which is far better Phil. 1.23 Yet some old men are very much unsatisfied with their many days some old men would be young again This argues they have made but little improvement of their days or that they have got little if any thing of that all their days which should be the study of every day an interest in the death of Christ and so a readiness for a better life For an old man to wish himself young again is like one who with great labour hath clamber'd up a steep hill and wisheth he were at the foot or bottome of it again 't is as if a man who having been long tost in a storm between rocks and sands is got near a safe harbour should wish himself out at sea again They have not a true tast much less a lively hope of that life which is to come who would return to this upon such hazardous and uneasie terms Secondly As these words note a readiness or a willingness to dye Observe A good man is willing to leave this world He is not thrust nor forced out of it but departs he is not pluck't off but falls off like ripe fruit from the tree His soul is not required of him as 't is said of the rich man Luke 12.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but given up and resigned by him he is not taken but goes out of the world It is said indeed Psal 57.1 Merciful men are taken away by Gods commission given to death from the evil to come but they are not taken away from as being unwilling to part with and leave any present good A gracious man hath usually a readiness to dye in a twofold notion First As readiness signifies preparedness Secondly As readiness signifies a willingness to dye And always the first readiness promotes the second The more prepared any one is to dye the more willing he is to dye That man can say Lord now let thy servant depart in peace whose eye of faith hath seen his salvation We saith the Apostle speaking of believers 2 Cor. 5.8 are willing to be absent from the body that is to dye And the word there used signifies not only the freest choice but if I may so speak the good will or good pleasure of mans will as it often signifies God's As a godly man hath a peculiar way of living so of dying and the reason of both is because he sees blessed eternity beyond time and himself by a well-grounded that is a Scriptural hope a partaker of the blessedness of it Thirdly Note They dye full of days who fill their days or whose days are full That is who fill their days with or whose days are full of the fruits of righteousness of faith and repentance of love and charitableness Stephen Acts 6.8 was full of faith and power They dye full of days in old age who as it is said Psal 92.14 bring forth such fruit in their old age Nulla dies sinelinea Apelles Diem perdidi Vespatian who dye as Dorcas Acts 9.36 full of good works and almes-deeds which they have done It was said of a famous Painter No day past him without drawing a line A Romane Emperour said I have lost a day when he did no good that day We may well reckon those days lost in which we do no good in which we draw not some white line some golden line of grace and holiness Then what account will their days come to who pass not a day but they draw black lines filthy lines of sin and wickedness or whose days are all blotted with the worst abominations of the day they live in If those days are empty and lost wherein we do no good and are not made better what then becomes of their days and where will they be found but in the Devils Almanack who do nothing but evil and daily become worse and worse So then they only dye full of days who live doing the will of God and denying their own who live mortifying corruptions and resisting temptations who live exercising their graces and answering their duties to God and man This this is to live our days and to dye full of days Again as their days are full who are full of grace in themselves and of good works towards men so are theirs who are full of the mercies and blessings of God especially theirs whose days are full of soul mercies and blessings whose hearts are full of peace with God full of joy