utmost of the depth Hast thou walked there We walk on dry land and in pleasant fields Et in novissimis abyssi deambulasti Vulg. i. e. in infimis ejus partibus Aquin. Some artificial parts of the earth are by way of eminence called walks because they are purposely fitted by art to walk in But who can walk in the searches of the depth Are there any under-water-walkes Vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat aliquid quaerere investigare usque ad fundum nâ—vissimum To clear these words a little further we may consider two other readings or translations of them First Thus Hast thou walked in the depth by search that is Hast thou found out a way to go to the bottom of the sea by curious search and diligent enquiry Hast thou by thy skill discovered how deep the sea is Hast thou let down thy line and plummet to fathom it and then descended into it I know thou hast not An ad dimetiendum abyssum ambulasti Heb. in investigatione i. e. ad investigandum Codurc Secondly Hast thou walked to search the deep that is Hast thou gone down to the bottom of the sea and there discovered the secret and hidden paths of it I know thy answer must be Thou hast not Hast thou entred into the springs of the sea or hast thou walked in the search of the depth Hence Note First There are secrets or depths in the sea beyond mens searching or finding out The sea in many parts of it may be searched Some have been at the bottom of it many have let down a line to the bottom of it yet it is usual in Scripture to speak of the sea as a thing unsearchable or so deep that none can find the depth of it The sea is so deep that it is sometimes called the depth chap. 28.1 The depth saith that is the Sea saith it that is wisdom is not in me 'T is also called the deep Luke 5.4 chap. 8.31 That is very deep which is called the deep and that 's of an unsearchable depth which is called the depth Such a depth so deep is the sea that no man knows how deep or what the depth of it is Now if we cannot reach the depth of the natural sea then which is the scope of this place surely there are depths and secrets in the ways and counsels of God which no man can earch or find out David Psal 139.9 speaking of the Omso presence of God saith Whither shall I go from thy presence If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea there shall thy hand find me There is no depth no breadth but God can find it out but how little of the depth or breadth of God can we find out Psal 36.6 Thy judgements are a great deep that is thou O Lord dost terrible things in judgement as angry yet such righteous things as just and wise that 't is very hard for any and impossible for the many or most of men to see the reason of them And doubtless it was the deep of his own divine judgements that God intended to lead Job to when he spake here of the depth of the Sea We read what the Apostle was forced to when he was but as it were dipping his feet into this sea of the Counsels and Judgements of God even to cry out O the depth Rom. 11.33 As if he had said I dare not enter into the springs of this sea nor into the search of this depth O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgements and his ways past finding out This was Davids express Confession concerning the providential way of God His way is in the sea and his path in the great waters and his footsteps are not known Psal 77.19 Goings upon the water leave no print behind them we cannot observe a track in the sea God walks sometimes as upon the land we may easily discern his footsteps and see wheâ—e he hath gone But he often walks as upon the sea where no man can see his paths nor are his footsteps known The Lord is known by the judgement which he executeth Psal 9.16 Profunditas maris rei obscurissimae ignotissimae humanae intelligentiae soli deo perspectae symbolum yet his judgements are seldome known they are a great deep a sea The sea is a clear emblem of all obscure and unknown things especially of those ways of God which are too deep for our discovery and lie beyond the reach of our knowledge And indeed as soon may we hold the sea in the hollow of our hand or lade it dry with a Cockle-shell as comprehend the deep counsels of God and the mysteries of providence by which they are acted and effected in our shallow understanding Onely what we cannot attain either by sense or reason we may understand by faith as the Apostle saith We do that the worlds were made by the Word of God Heb. 11.3 Who is able any other way than by believing to enter into those springs or walk in the search of those depths Secondly Learn this from it There is nothing a secret unto God That which here is denied to Job is to be affirmed of God Job knew not those secrets but God knew them Job himself said chap. 9.8 God treadeth upon the waves or as the Hebrew is the heights of the sea Here the Lord intimateth that he walketh in the depth of the sea Both set forth his glory God commands from top to bottom he treads upon the waves aloft he walks in the depths below nothing can escape either his Power or his Eye It is the sole priviledge of God to walk in the search of the sea that is to find out and plainly to discern the most secret things And by him the most unsearchable depths are searched out or rather are known to him without search He knoweth even the depth of mans heart which is the greatest depth in the world next to the depth of his own heart God enters into the springs of that sea the Sea of mans heart and walketh in the search of that depth There are innumerable springs in the heart of man which bubble up and send forth their streams of good or evil continually all which the Lord sees more plainly than we see any thing that is done above ground or in the open light Moses doth not onely report Gen. 6.5 That God saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth that is that his outward practises oâ— conversation was very wicked buâ— that he saw every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely evil continually Consider God saw not onely the thoughts of man but every imagination which is the least thing imaginable of mans thoughts He saw as the word which we render imigination properly signifies every figment every little creature which the thoughts of mans heart was
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
than a Whirle-wind yet Job found this storme ushering in a sweet calme and a most comfortable sunshine Job said chap. 9.16 17. If I had called and he had answered me yet would I not have beleeved that he had hearkened to my v ice for he breaketh me with a tempest or a Whirld-wind Now the Lord came in a Whirl-wind and Job finds the quite contrary God came in a Whirl-wind not to break him but to bind him up not to condemn him but to convince him not to discourage him but to comfort him comfort comes out of a storme Thus comfort hath come to many a poor soule and it comes thus sometimes to the whole Church of God When Jacob was in a stormy condition because of his brother Esau then the Lord came to him Gen. 32. but how came he to him one would have thought that Jacob being in such a condition the Lord who came to comfort him would have taken him by the hand and embraced him or walkt aside with him and told him I am come to help thee and deliver thee be of good cheer let not thy heart be troubled at the approach of thy bloody brother for I am with thee One would have thought I say the Lord should have treated him in some such manner but what saith the text v. 24 there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day Poor Jacob was tugging and swetting all night as if he would sweat his heart out here was a strange kind of greeting 't is not said the man saluted him or spake a kind word to him much less complemented with him he only wrestled with him and when he had toyled a geat while he put his thigh out of joyâ—t which was very course usage and only said Let me goe which was very course language yet the Lord came at that time with a full purpose to bless him deliver him out of the hand of Esau Then be not afraid of storms for the Lord hath sunshine in his heart when there 's nothing but a storm in his face The Lord may come to you in poverty and sickness he may chasten you with pain upon your bed Perpetuum deo est vulnerare quos vult sanare percellere quos vult consulari ostendere se maximum cum vult optimum demonstrare and the multitude of your bones with strong pains till you say as Hezekiah in his sickness Isa 38.13 I reckoned till morning that as a Lion so will he break all my bones and yet intend so much mercy that you shll say as David Ps 35.10 All my bones shall say Lord who is like unto thee which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him yea the poor and needy from him that spoileth him The Lord hath gracious purposes towards his people in saddest appearances Then the Lord answered Job out of the Whilrl-wind and said What said he His saying was as stormy as his appearing Vers 2. Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge This Verse and ths next are a Preface to what God had further to say unto his afflicted servant Job The former verse was the Historians Preface these two are the Lords Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge We have here First A check lighting somewhere Who is this Secondly We have the matter for which this person is checkt and that is for darkening counsel Thirdly We have that by which he is charged to have darkned counsel and that is By words without knowledge and his ignorance or want of knowledge is implied as discovered in speaking or rather complaining so much concerning his own sufferings and the severity of Gods dealings with him whereby he had at once cast a cloud upon the Justice and reflected upon the goodness and mercy of God Who 's is this The words may be taken First as a bare enquiry after he man Who is this what man is this as Saul spake of David after the victory which he had got over Goliah Whose son is this youth 1 Sam. 17.55 but that I conceive is too flat and lean a sense in this place as if the Lord did only make enquiry after the man Therefore Secondly These words Who is this carry in them a rebuke who is it that hath done this As if God pointing at Job had said is it you I could not have believed that my servant Job would have so much forgotten himself or have been so bold with me as to reflect upon my just though severe proceedings by his weak reasonings which faith only can make him understand aright Such Questions in Scripture often carry a rebuke in them yea Thirdly more then a rebuke they carry a slight or contempt of the person about whom the question is put As when men presume as some blasphemously have done to say Who is the Lord What is the Almighty that we should serve him they speak contemptuously and slightingly of God So when God speaks thus to man who is this he may be said to speak slightingly of man Again as when man speaking of himself saith as Psal 8.4 What is man that thou art mindful of him he slights or vilifies himself so when the Lord saith who is this or who is the other it carryeth the same sense Interrogations are quick sharp speeches and usually those speeches are quick and sharp which begin with an Interrogation and doubtless this Interrogation hath a double sharpness or two stings in it First Of rebuke or reprehension Forma ipsa interrogationis qua nullum exprimitur proprium nomen solet ad contemptum pertinere exprobrationem Secondly Of a slight or diminution Job though indeed a man of an excellent spirit had been too bold with God and therefore no wonder if God spake though he contemned him not contemningly to him Who is this Yet here it is questioned who the person was whether Job or no that is aimed at or intended in this rebuking or contemning Question There are two opinions about it and the matter is carried on both sides as one expresseth it by no inconsiderable Arguments First Some conceive Elihu was the person concerned in this Question Who is this and they give several reasons for it I shall only mention two First because he was the man that spake last we had him speaking six Chapters quite through while Job spake not a word and therefore say they it seems most probable that when God came to speak he would undertake him that spake last Who is this Secondly Because Elihu had not carryed the matter so clearly and fully with Job as he should but had failed though not as Jobs three friends had done before and that therefore as the Lord reproved and taxed them by name in the 42d Chapter so here Elihu is taxed more covertly for obsâ—uring his Counsel Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge These are the two chief Arguments which fasten the
counsel of God too he delivered his own mind and sentiments so darkly the delivering of a mans mind is his counsel about the counsel of God that he rather obscured both than cleared either And there are several things wherein Job may be charged to have spoken obscurely Did he not darken the counsel of God when he complained so very much and so often of his afflictions Did he not darken his own counsel and the counsel of God when as if the dispensations of God were every where alike to all he said Chap. 9.22 God destroyeth the perfect and the wicked If the scourge slay suddenly he laugheth at the trial of the innocent Did he not darken counsel when he said God dealt with him as an enemy oâ— as with an enemy Surely he did not well attend the counsel of God in afflicting him while he made such constructions of his affliction The things which Job spake were true yet Job delivered himself so darkly that his friends mis-understood him they understood him as if he meant that God dealt in his providences with the righteous as with the wicked and were to the wicked as he is to the righteous that is as if he had no more regard to any godly man than to a wicked man in afflicting him In these and some other things Job did not sufficiently explaine himself and he exceedingly stumbled or offended his friends and hearers and so might be said to darken the counsel of God that is the purpose of God or what God hath in his counsels concerning his people when under his afflicting hand All such like passages falling from Job the Lord might call a darkening of his counsel or the casting of a cloud upon his righteous dealings and at least an intimation that God had done him wrong Words of such a tenour and tendency are justly charged to be words Without knowledge Not that Job spake altogether ignorantly understanding neither what he said nor whereof he affirmed as the Apostle charged some who desired to be teachers of the Law 1 Tim. 1.7 the Text cannot be so taken but his words and affirmations were such as did not hold out a clear light of knowledge either in his own understanding or at least not to the understanding of his hearers Thus Elihu charged Job Chap. 35.16 He openeth his mouth in vain he multipileth words without knowledge To speak one word without knowledge is too many what is it then to multiply words without knowledge He multiplieth words without knowledge that is he hath not given his sense and meaning in many things clearly as he might and should Here the Lord seems to take up the same charge against Job Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge God consents with Elihu as to the matter of his reproof Elihu telling him that he had multiplied words without knowledge and God telling him that he had darkened counsel by words without kowledge Words ought to give light to the things we speak of or about what we speak should be for the clearing up both of our own counsel and the counsel of God So that it was a very great failing in Job to darken either his own counsel or the counsel of God by words without knowledge Out own counsel should be delivered plainly and so should the counsel of God much more It is sad to gather clouds or raise a mist about our hearers when we are professing to hold out the light To puzzle and amâ—â—e those whom we undertake to teach is one of the worst accidents 't is too too bad when 't is the intent of a Teacher And therefore Job though he had no intent to do it is justly reproved for doing it Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge These woâ—ds as was said being at best an enquiry after the man or a citation to appear and answer Note God will bring every man to a reckoning for what he hath done and siad God would not let his servant Job pass he censured Job that Job might censure himself and points at him that he might even see himself pointed at As if he had said What! is this my servâ—â—t Job is it he that I heard speaking at such a rate of impatience and obscurity I could not have thought that he would have uttered such words about my wayes and works either towards himself or others Every one of us saith the Apostle Rom. 14.12 shall give an account of himself to God Some have more to account for than themselves Heb. 13.17 but all must give account for than themselves Give an account of thy stewardship Luke 19.2 will be said one day to every one To be a Steward is the special office of some men in reference to men but 't is the general office of all men in reference to God They cannot stand in the day of account who have not repented of the evil they have done nor rested on Christ by faith for the doing away of that evil For the Lord will say to one who is this that hath perverted my Truth to another who is this that hath disobeyed my Commands to a third who is this that hath distrusted my Promises to a fourth who is this that hath been so unthankful for my Mercies and Favours He will also say who is this that hath oppressed his Neighbour and who is this that hath been self-proud and wanton The offender must appear and so will his offences Yea a citation will come out as against all those who have against knowledge refused to walk in the light of Gods counsel so to all those as here to Job who have darkened counsel any way for want of the light of knowledge And who can stand in any of these accounts either for not doing good or for doing evil without a Mediatour upon whose account alone we are accepted Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge Secondly Taking these words as an humbling rebuke upon Job for his over-boldness in speaking of God and his wayes Note God will humble all men his own people especially and make them know themselves God will make all men know who they are who himself is and what they have done or spoken When the Scripture saith who is this and what is man When the Scripture asketh what or who we are it is either to abase the pride of man or to convince him of his base fear of the proudest men as appears specially in these two Scriptures When good men are over-troubled at or afraid of the power of man then the Lord chides and shames them with this question Isa 51.12 Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man As if he had said what a fool art thou what an ignorant creature are thou the Lord spake there to his own people and to them altogether as is they were but one man Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall dye and of the son of man
ab omni alia cupiditatâ— reductam spem Coc. As if the Apostle had said ye can never act your hope to purpose nor your faith to purpose unless you gird up your loins Habits of grace are unprofitable to us without this actual preparation and excitation of grace It is our duty Heb. 10.24 to provoke or stir up others to love and good works much more is it our duty to provoke and stir up our selves Thirdly In that he saith Gird up thy loins like a man Note God would have us do our best our utmost in every thing we do he would have us put our selves out in every duty Solomon adviseth Eccl. 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might that is do it like a man vigorously strenuously do it with both hands Quit you like men in doing it be strong as the Apostle exhorts 1 Cor. 16.3 To do the work of the Lord negligently and slightly with half a heart or no heart with half a hand or no hand scarce with a little finger with half strength or no strength this is not to do it like a man VVe should be in doing like the Sun in moving which saith David Psal 19.5 As a Bridegroom cometh out of his chamber and rejoyceth as a strong man to run a race If we would run our race like a strong man strongly and prevailingly we must be sure to do two things First VVe must lay aside every weight and the sin thut doth so easily beset us Heb. 12.1 Secondly VVe must as here the Lord directs Job gird up our loins and buckle to it Fourthly As these words carry in them a kind of Irony or divine scorn put upon Iob by the Holy God Come let me see what a man thou art thou hast spoken often what thou wouldst do and what thou wouldst say if thou couldst have thy option thy wish now thou hast thy wish let me see what a man thou art thou wilt surely appear a brave man by the time that I have done with thee Hence Note God will make men see how unable they are to deal with him when 't is best with them or when they are at the best even when their loins are girt Every man at his best estate is altogether vanity How vain then is man at his worst Job was low and in a bad condition as to his outward man especially when God dealt with him and how did he carry it in the day when God dealt with him Did his heart endure or were his hands strong as the Prophet spake to those Ezek. 22.14 Did he carry it like a man In one sense not but like a child he had not a word to speak Once have I spoken but I will speak no more yet it must be confessed he never carried it so like a godly man as when like a child he had a word to speak God will make man see what a nothing he is in his best condition when girt and prepared when armed Cap-a-pe all over for any service for God even then man is a vain thing without the present assistance of God what is he then when he is to contend or plead with God! If the whole world should lay their forces or as we say compare notes together what could they do in dispute with God They that think they touch the clouds with their heads would moulder as dust at his feet That such was the contention to which the Lord here calls Job and bids him gird up his loins or be in a readiness for appears plainly in the next words I will demand of thee and answer thou me As if the Lord had said Thou gavest me my choice So Iob did chap. 13.22 whether I would be Opponent or Defendant well then saith God this is my choice I will oppose and do thou answer I will demand of thee That is put questions to thee and we shall see presently how thick questions or demands came upon him like hail-shot and he had not a word to answer though God required it And answer thou me Mr. Broughton renders And let me see thy skill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et notifica mihi The word is Instruct me or Make me to know Wise me as we say I would fain be informed by thee teach thou me notifie the matter to me as the word may be translated I will demand and answer thou me The Lord did not call upon him for Answers as to be informed by him Sunt quaedam interrogationes quae non fiunt ut sciatur veritas ab inâ—errogante sed ut extorqueatur a respondente vel certo prodatur ignorantia respondentis cujusmodi esse solent magistratuum magistrorum interrogationes Ironia continuatur Non enim eo interrogaturus crat ut disceret sed ut doceret vel ut Job intelligeret fateretur se ignorare Coc. Ironia sed amica â—ua Jobum vult in viam reducere Merc. but only to convince him that he could not answer him as he confessed at the fifth verse of the fortieth Chapter Once have I spoken but I will not answer nor indeed could he To all the demands which the Lord made afterwards he made no answer at all so that these words Answer me or Instruct and inform me are a gentle irony whereby the Lord would make him know himself or be sensible of his own ignorance or small attainments in knowledge and thereby convince him that he had done rashly in desiring and wishing for such a debate or hearing of his cause The Lord was pleased to rebuke him thus secretly or in a figure and not to fall upon him in plain downright terms O thou weak and ignorant creature who hast presumed to appear before me and try thy cause with me Now Go to Let me see what thou canst do shew thy best skill put forth thy utmost strength of argument in reasoning about or against my dealings with thee Thus the Lord might have confounded him but he was pleased to carry it in a milder way yet in a way as effectual to humble and meeken Jobs spirit God needs not press man by power he can do it by reason or force of argument and so stop his mouth for ever The Apostle saith Rom. 3.19 All the world shall become guilty before God and in the same Chapter he saith God shall be justified in his sayings and overcome when he is judged The Lord alwayes doth things with so much justice and speaks with so much reason that no man is able to answer a word or reply upon him And though he might silence or stop any mans mouth by his meer Command and Authority yet he condescends to do it rather by reason and demonstration lest any should say or complain they were rather over-powered by the greatness of his Majesty than cast by the right and equity of his Cause Thus we see how the Lord in this Preface prepares Job to hearken to those demands
neither foundation nor corner-stone Remember O Job and well consider that as when in the beginning I saw the earth without form and void Gen. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I by a creating word commanded it into form and fulness So when thou seest nothing but Tohu and Bohu confusion and disorder voidness and darkness in the earth even then I am laying the measures of Justice and stretching the line of Truth and Equity upon all that is done or suffered and will bring forth my work in full perfection Nothing shall be amiss or out of order when my work is finished how much soever it may seem to be amiss as to beginnings or present actings Therefore O Job leave off thy complainings and rest quietly in my dealings Some have questioned the Natural Works of God yet 't is impossible to mend any part or the least pin of them And 't is as impossible for the wit and understanding of Men or Angels to mend any thing in the Providential Works of God That 's the scope of this discourse even that the consideration of Gods power and wisdom in making the world should bâ—idle our curiosity and awe our spirits when they begin to quarrel with yea but to query about any thing that God hath done though it appear to us altogether irregular and confused or as done without either line or measure The Lords work is beautiful and glorious 't is also sure and strong As his Promise or Covenant is ordered in all things and sure 2 Sam. 23.5 So are his Providences too for they are the issues and accomplishments of his Promises oâ—dered as to means and sure as to the end They shall end oâ— issue in b inging about the things which are laid in the foundation and corner-stone of his purposes counsels and decrees all which work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 And to convince Job from the Works of Creation that he ought not only to acquiesce or rest quietly under the Works of Providence whatsoever they were but to rejoyce in them the Lord tells him in the next verse that there was great rejoycing yea shouting for joy when the foundations of the earth were fastened and the corner-stone thereof laid JOB Chap. 38. Vers 7. 7. When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy THere are two opinions among learned Interpreters concerning the general state of this verse First Some here reassuming the first words of these questions proposed at the fourth verse by God to Job Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth c. make this the second instance of Gods mighty power in the works of Creation Where wast thou when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy As if the Lord had said I have as yet questioned thee only where thou wast when I made the earth which is the most inferiour part of the world But now I purpose to rise higher in my discourse and therefore I put these questions to thee Where wast thou when I set up the morning stars those sparkling lights which shine to the earth through the firmament of heaven as also the sons of God those blessed spirits all which sang together and shouted for joy at the appearance of my power and wisdom Secondly Others connect these words in a continued sense and sentence with the verse going before Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth c. at which sight the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy Taking the words thus they carry an allusion to or are a similitude taken from noble buildings or structures whose foundations use to be laid with solemnity and their corner-stones to be set up with shouting and acclamation That it was anciently customary to make such acclamations at the laying of the foundation of some eminent building besides what is clear out of humane Authors and Histories we have several Scripture evidences The 87th Psalm throughout setting forth the structure of the Gospel Church of the spiritual Zion by way of prophesie begins thus His foundation is in the holy mountains there 's the foundation of Zion laid Then followeth as at the second verse The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou City of God! Selah As if he had said there was a great acclamation high praises at the laying the foundation of Zion with which the Psalme closeth more expresly v. 7. As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there all my Springs are in thee Again Psal 118.22 23 24. there is no sooner mention made of the corner-stone the stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner but presently we have acclamations about it This is the Lords doing it is marvelous in our eyes This is a blessed work indeed This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it That corner-stone of salvation Jesus Christ being laid as I may say all the stars sang together and the sons of God shouted for joy This is the day which the Lord hath made If we go to those material buildings which were figurative of the Church and Christ we shall find the like Ezra 3.10 When the Jewes at the return of their Captivity began to build the Temple the Text saith at the tenth verse And when the builders laid the foundation of the Temple of the Lord then they set the Priests in their apparel and with their voices with the Levits and the sons of Asaph to praise the Lord. As soon as the foundation was laid they were all in song and raised up in holy rejoycings though some of the old men who remembred the first Temple wept when the foundation of this was laid That Scripture Zach. 4.7 speaks of the same thing where the Prophet in the Spirit fore-seeing the disappointments of all the enemies of the people of God thus triumphs over them by faith Who art thou O great Mountain before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain he shall bring forth the head-stone thereof with shouting That is the building of Hierusalem or the restoring of the Temple shall be brought to perfection and then they shall cry grace grace unto it Now in allusion to the practice both of men in common and of the people of God in special at the raising of great structures the Lord tells us here that when he laid the foundations of the earth and when he fastened the corner-stone thereof there was a Triumph made Then the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy Thus we have the state of this verse either taking it for another instance of the power of God in creating the Stars and the Angels or else subjoyning it as an acclamation
Lord reduced it to a certain place Secondly To that restraint which God laid upon it after this reducement that it should no more return to overflow the Earth Both these restraints or laws put upon the Sea are contained in this Context the former of them in the eighth and ninth verses As soon as the Sea issued out of the Earth God set up its doors and made it bands The latter of these the giving of a special Law that when it was shut in it should no more break forth but according to his appointment we have in the tenth and eleventh verses where it is said I brake up for it my decreed place and set bars and doors and said hitherto shalt thou come and no further and here shall thy proud waves be stayed So then here we have First Bounds and limits assigned by God to that vast and unruly Element the Water that the Earth might be habitable and useful both for man and beast And Secondly We have the Lord restraining all power or liberty which naturally it would have had and taken to violate or break those bounds For had not God given the Waters of the Sea such a special command though bounds had been assigned them they would quickly have broken their bounds These two orders of God differ much though not in the time when they were given out yet in the nature of the thing and both suppose the Sea in being when these orders were given out For when it is said vers 8. It brake forth as if it issued out of the womb this implieth its birth and nativity and when God saith He shut it up with doors this supposeth that it not onely had a being but that it was violent and furious and would have over-flowed all and regained as large a Territory as it possessed at first when it issued out of the womb of the Earth even the face of the whole Earth if the Lord had not bridled and restrained it Yet further and more distinctly to open the words in their Order Quis Haec vox recte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repetitur â—x versu 5. 6. Drus Vers 8. Or Who shut up the Sea with doers The disjunctive particle Or succeeds those disjunctives ver 5 6. Who did this Or Who did that Or Who a third thing concerning the Earths formation Here again Or Who shut up the Sea with doors The Hebrew is onely Shut up the Sea with doors the word who is repeated out of the fifth and sixth verses The Lord by this query or question put to Job would then have him and now us know that it was himself alone that did it It was the Lord who bridled the Sea and shut it up with doors As if he said Where wast thou O Job when I did this great thing as thou gavest no assistance towards the laying of the foundations of Earth and the fastening of the corner-stone thereof so tell me what assistance didst thou give me in bringing forth and setling the vast Sea Or at least if thou canst give me an account hâ—w these things were done and how they continue as they were done by an everlasting decree who hath shut up the Sea with doors was it I or thou or any other Creature Thus the Lord still brings Job upon his knees by humbling questions knowing that he was not able to take any of that honour to himself He poor man had no more to do in this great work than he had in the former and therefore he ought to submit to the works of God in providence whatsoever he was pleased to do seeing all the works of Creation were done by God alone without his counsel or assistance Who hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saepe est protegere aliqui legunt â—bsâ—psu vel circumsepsit ac si esset a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sopio cum siâ— a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tego obiego operio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 autem per samech significat ungere Drus Shut up the Sea with doors There is a two-fold rendring of that word translated Shut up We take it from a root which signifies to hedge in or compass about as also to protect because those things which are compassed about with strong hedges are under protection and safe from danger Water being a fluid body spreads it self over all the water cannot contain it self in itâ— own bounds fluids cannot but it must be bound it must be shut in or shut up The Lord shut up the Sea as the waters of a great River are shut up by flood-gates or as the waters upon which a Mill is built some carry the allusion to that are pent for the service of it and are caused by art to run gradually or by inches as the Master of that useful engine gives direction Thus the Lord shut up the Sea The Sea is a great Convention or Assembly of Waters as Moses spake Gen. 1.10 The gathering together of waters the Lord called Sea The Sea is a confluence or meeting of waters There may be a great water yet that not the Sea the confluence of all or many waters together that is Sea The waters being thus gathered or assembled by the Lords Summons or Command he hedged them in or shut them up Secondly Others render Who anointed the doors of the Sea Quis valvat maris inunxit Codur when it brake forth as if it had issued out of the womb They who give this Translation derive the word from a root which signifies to anâ—int Some Interpreters insist much upon this sense of the word and I find one who asserts it as the onely sense of it in this place Who anointed the doors of the Sea that is the passages by which the Sea issued forth And saith he the reason why other learned Interpreters pitch upon that Translation of shutting up the Sea with doors is because they knew not what to make of anointing the doors of the Sea nor to what practice such an expression should allude that the doors of the Sea were anointed whereas indeed that notion of the Word beaâ—s the fairest allusion and proportion to the Metaphor of Child-bearing begun in this and carried on as it were professedly in the next verse under which the Spirit of God is pleased to express the coming forth and original of the Sea Now saith my Author Quaerit dominus a Jobo quae lucina praesuerit parentis naturae puerperlo quan do est enixa mare Id. it is a thing commonly known both to Physitians and Mid-wives that those parts of the body by which the Infant comes into the world uâ—e to be anointed for its more easie passage Thus saith God to Job Didst thou anoint the doers of the Sea when it brake forth as if it had issued out of the womb It was my Mid-wisery my wisdom and skill not thine that brought the Sea into the World and gave it an easie birth or delivered the Earth of it without
signifie say others nothing else but the grave or those lower parts of the earth in which mens bodies deceased are buried and laid up to rest till the resurrection When we that are earth in our constitution Per portas mortis intâ—lliguntur loca subterraneana eò quòd ibimortui se peliuntur Pisc Dicuntur portae mortis i. e. mortuorum go out of the world by dissolution our return is into the earth into the lower parts of the earth we sleep in the dust According to this sense it is as if the Lord had said Hast thou seen the state of the dead or how it fares with them that are gone to their graves Hast thou visited the courts and palaces of the King of terrors Thus the gates of death are the gates of the dead Fifthly We may understand by the gates of death in general An nosti quae fiunt in visceribus terrae Vatabl. whatsoever is most remote and farthest off from our sight and view As if the Lord who said before Hast thou entred into the springs of the sea had said here Hast thou entred into the bowels or deepest abysses of the earth which are dark and uncomfortable as the grave or like the very gates of death Knowest thou or canst thou tell me what is done or how things go there Portae mortis umbrae mortis sunt ea loca ad quae vivus non penetrat quae nulla lux â—â—radiat c. Coc. Or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death These words are of a like intendment with the former The gates of death and the doors of the shadow of death are the same thing under a little difference of expression What the shadow of death is hath been shewed chap. 3.5 as alâ—o câ—â—p 10.21 thither I refer the Reader Hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death Surely thou hast not Thou neither desirest nor darest visit the doors leading to those dismal shadows which no light can pierce or where as Job spake chap. 10.21 The light is as darkness The scope of both the queries in this verse is the same also with those in the former even to repulse Jobs curiosity in searching into the secrets of God or to convince him that God had secrets which were no more opened to him than the gates of death and which he could see no more than the doors of the shadow of death Hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death Taking death in a proper sense Note Fiâ—st Bodyly death hath gates and doors passages and entrances into it Deadly sicknesses and extream dangers are as was shewed in opening the words those gates and doors Many have been brought to those gates and have been stepping into those shadows who yet have been recalled and brought back again as David and Hezekiah were and as the Apostle Paul was who had the sentence of death in himself yet was delivered trusting in him who raiseth the dead 2 Cor. 1.9 10. And therefore in all such cases whenever we are brought to the gates of death and to the doors of the shadow of death let us have recourse to the living God to that God to whom belong the issues from death Psal 68.20 He that is our God is the God of salvation of eternal salvation and of temporal salvation of salvation from death by sickness and of salvation from death by danger and trouble our God is the God of salvation to him belong the issues from death As God openeth the gates of death to let man in so he can open the gates of death to let man out As there is a gate to go in unto so there is a gate to go out from or an out-gate from death As the ways to so the issues from death belong to God Davids heart was full of this when having said Psal 141.7 Our bones are scattered at the graves mouth as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth that is we are ready to be cut in pieces and perish by our enemies having I say said this he presently adds vers 8 9. But mine eyes are unto thee O God the Lord in thee is my trust leave not my soul destitute keep me from the snare which they have laid for me c. It is the royal priviledge of Jesus Christ to be key-keeper of the grave Rev. 1.18 I have the keys of hell and of death that is I have power to deliver over to and to deliver or keep from both hell and death The keys are an emblem of power and authority Stewards have the keys He that hath the keys of death can deliver from death Secondly Taking death properly note No living man knoweth how or in what way he shall die The gates of death are not revealed to any man he hath no certainty by what means he shall passe out of this world to the grave he cannot tell through what gate he shall go whether through the gate of a natural death or of a violent death as Christ spake to Peter John 21.18 When thou wast young thou girdest thy self and wentest whether thou wouldest but when thou shalt be old another shall gird thee and carry thee whether thou wouldst not this spake he signifying by what death he should glorifie God Peter did not know what death he should die whether a natural or a violent death till Christ signified it to him And if man knoweth not at what kind of gate he shall enter the house of death that is whether by sickness or violence then much less doth he know the particular sicknesse or violence by which as a gate he must pass into the house of death these things the Lord keeps in his own hand And seeing we know not these gates of death we should alwayes pray that we may know the path of life Psal 16.11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life was Davids assurance as a type of Christ And though Christ should not shew any man the gate of his own temporal death yet he sheweth every godly man the path of eternal life and that 's enough for us Thirdly Note God onely knoweth when how and in what way we shall die as also what the state and condition of the dead is Death is the darkest and obscurest thing in the world The grave is a gloomy place and filled not only with natural but metaphorical darkness yet all is light to God he knows the gates of death and the state of the dead Prov. 15.11 The grave and destruction are before the Lord how much more the hearts of the children of men Fourthly Taking the gates of death generally for any secret or hidden thing Note Man knoweth no more than God revealeth to him When God puts the question Have the gates of death been opened or revealed to thee it is as if he had said thou canst not know them unless they are opened to thee And who can open them if I my self do not As all the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 generavit in Hiphil de viro tantum Merc. is applyable to either Parent man or woman in a different Conjugation as Grammarians speak but in the Conjugation here used it is proper only to the man and therefore they who translate who hath conceived wrest this Text and depart from the Original sence of the word as here expressed in which the Metaphor of or the Allusion to a Father is still continued Who hath begotten The drops of dew The Lord doth not ask who hath begotten the Dew but the drops of Dew Drops are very small things yet the great God who made the mighty waters of the Sea makes also the small drops of Dew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Guttas tantum hic extat Sunt qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exponunt quasi fluctus quod in magna abundantia fluctuum more ros effundatur c. Merc. Ros est vaporis terrae propinqui noctúque resrigerati in aquam concretio Some derive the Original word which we render drops from a Root that signifies a flood as implying that though the Dew falleth in single drops yet being fallen there is much of it even a flood of it Others deriving the word from at least judging it hath near alliance with a word signifying a drinking Cup or a Vial render who hath begotten the Cups or Vials of Dew We heard of the Dew at the 19th verse of the 29th Chapter where Job to set forth the prosperity of his former condition said The Dew lay all night upon my branches Vapours drawn up from the earth in the day by the heat of the Sun are returned in Dew by the moderate coolness and stilness of the night The remote efficient cause of Dew is the heat of Heaven raising vapours from the earth The next efficient cause of Dew is the temperate coolness and quietness of the night for if the night be windy the Dew falls not and if the night be very cold the vapours are congealed and hardned into a frost 'T is only in temperate seasons that we find those dâ—ops of Dew hanging like so many Orient Pearls upon the grass leaves and Flowers at once adorning and refreshing them Vapores sereno tempore medium aeris regionem ascendentes resolvuntur frigore in guttas tenues Arist l. de mund c. 1. Plin. l. 2. c. 60. We may take notice of two things in the falling of the Dew First It falls very silently Secondly very abundantly No man hears the Dew fall nor can any number the drops of Dew which fall Hushai used both these allusions in that piece of loyal counsel which he gave for the defeating of the counsel of Achitophel 2 Sam. 11.12 where he advised Absalom te gather all Israel from Dan to Beersheba as the sand which is by the sea for multitude and so saith he we will light upon him as the Dew falleth upon the ground that is we will come so silently upon him and in such numbers even as the drops of Dew upon the ground that he shall not be able to avoyd us no more than he can avoyd the Dew which in one and the same instant falls upon the field or Country all over An Army comes with an intent to fall upon the enemy like a storm yet it may be said to come and fall upon him like a Dew both because it comes alwayes like a multitude and because it comes somtimes very silently to surprize him at unawares Who hath begotten the drops of Dew Hence Note as before of the Rain so here of the Dew God is the father of the Dew as well as of the Rain The Dew differs not much from the Rain both are of the same nature and they have the same Father and he will be own'd in the Dew as well as in the Rain The Prophet Haggai reproving the returned Jewes Chap. 1.10 for their neglect in not building the Lords House represents the Lord thus speaking to them Because of my house that is wast and ye run every man to his own house that is you eagerly and violently running is a violent exercise pursue your private ends and interests not minding nor promoting my honour and worship Therefore the Heaven over you is stayed from Dew and the earth is stayed from her fruit The want of Dew makes many wants If we want but the Dew of Heaven we shall quickly want the fruits of the Earth We usually take notice of the want of Rain but we seldome take notice of the want of Dew or pray for the falling of it nor do we give thanks for it as for Rain when we see it fallen and sweetly filling the bosome of the earth Yet the with-holding of Dew though Dew be a less mattâ—r than Rain is a greater Judgment than the with-holding of Rain for 't is a sign that the Judgment of drought is at the height or in the perfection of it when the Lord doth not only with hold the Rain which is the greater mercy but the Dew too which is the lesser O how dry must the earth be when it hath not only no plentiful showers of Rain but not so much as a drop of Dew And therefore when the Prophet Eliah would shew the extreamity of the Famine which was coming upon Israel he made that high protest 1 Kings 1.17 As the Lord God of Israel liveth before whom I stand there shall not be Dew nor Rain these years but according to my word Not only shall ye have no Rain but no Dew and when the Heaven is stayed from giving Rain or Dew the Earth must needs be stayed from yielding fruit or food And so great is the Lords care in disposing the Dew of Heaven that Solomon tells us Prov. 3.20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up and the Clouds drop down Dew As if he had said The Dew doth not steal down upon the earth without Gods knowledge not a drop of it destils upon the earth without his orders and privity And when 't is said By his knowledg the Clouds drop down Dew it hath this in it God knows what moysture is meet for the earth whether little or much Dew or Rain though I conceive we may take the word Dew in this Text of the Proverbs synechdochically for any or all the moysture that falls from Heaven as by the breaking up of the depths in the former part of the verse we are to understand all the moysture which riseth from and is conveighed up and down in the lesser or greater Channels of the eaâ—th The Lord doth so much know how useful and beneficial the Dew is to the Earth that it is said to drop down by his knowledge as if the Lord did exercise a very special knowledg about it The Clouds are Gods Vessels which being lockt up by him keep in their precious liquoâ— and being opened by him pour it down in Rain drop and destil it down in Dew whereof Solomon in the place last cited
duly given Mat. 18.18 Whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Where man binds in Gods way God binds too and where man looses in Gods way God looses too but take it either in natural or spiritual things it is not in the power of man to bind where God looseth nor to loose where God bindeth Canst thou loose the bands of Orion If God appoint cold to bind the earth man cannot loose it and if God will bind man with the cords and cold iron of any affliction man cannot free himself In the hottest natural season of the year man may be in cold providential bands and under them he must abide till the Lord breaks the frost and set him free It is said of Joseph Psal 105.17 18 19. He was sold for a servant his feet were hurt with fetters he was laid in iron or as the Margin reads it His soul came into iron But how came he out did he himself loose the bands of that Orion who cast him into prison surely no the Text tells us otherwise he lay fast enough in bands until ver 19. the word of the Lord came the word of the Lord tryed him But what was this Word of the Lord some say it was the word of God to Pharoah in a dream concerning the seven years of plenty and famine which may be said to try Joseph none but he could interpret it that may be said to unloose his bands because it was the occasion of his deliverance and advancement But I rather conceive the word that came was the word of Gods decree and promise made to Joseph in a dream for his advancement above all his brethren Gen. 37.6 7 8. When once the time came that this Word of God must come to be fulfilled then the bands of Orion were loosed for then saith the Psalmist ver 20. The King sent and loosed him even the Ruler of the people and let him go free And as it was with Joseph so with Job and so will ever be If the cold winter blasts of any adversity bind up our comforts either in our callings or relations there is no unloosing them unâ—il the word of the Lord come Solomon giveth this counsel Eccles 7.13 14. Consider the work of God that is his working in the world The reason of this counsel follows For who can make that strait which he hath made crooked Solomon intends this specially of the dealings of God in the world not that there is any crookedness or unrighteousness any iniquity or injustice in the ways of God but he means by crooked that which is troublesom and grievous Now if God himself make a thing crooked till he himself make it strait it is not in the power of all the men in the world to do it The moral sense of that Text is the very same with the point in hand If God bind who can loose There is no striving no contending with the providences of God we must deal with and apply to God himself for the altering of them we cannot alter them our selves we must desire him to mend his work we cannot This Solomon plainly intimates in the next or 14. verse In the day of prosperity be joyful but in the day of adversity consider in a time of adversity things grow crooked and awry from what we would have and desire or from what is comfortable to us for God hath set the one over against the other to the end that man should find nothing after him Sometimes he makes things crooked sometimes strait sometimes he gives a day of prosperity sometimes of adversity that no man may be able to say directly what shall be next And seeing there is no loosing the bands of Orion till God himself loose them therefore let all who are companions in tribulation say one to another as they in a like case are represented Hosea 6.1 Come and let us return unto the Lord for he hath wounded and he will heal he hath torn and he will bind us up Oâ— as this Text speaks He hath bound us and he will loâ—sen us Thirdly From both the paâ—ts of the verse considered together these negatives upon man must be resolved into affirmatives as to God He can bind the sweet influences of Pleiades he can loose the bands of Oâ—ion Whence note God can both stop the ordinary course of our comforts and deliver us from our troubles when he pleaseth God can stop those things from comforting us and those persons from shewing us any favour whose dispositions are as benigne to us as Pleiades are to the earth and he can give us favour in their eyes who naturally are as churlish as Nabal and as sharp as Orion to the earth He can make a Wolf a Shepherd and those a safety to his servants whose hearts were to swallow them up The earth shall help the woman that is the worst of the world the Church God made Ravens feed Eliah 1 Kings 17.4 And he said of Cyrus whom he calls a ravenous Bird Isa 46.11 He is my Shepherd Isa 44.28 Thus the Lord looseth the bands of Orion And when he hardens their hearts against us who formerly were tender towards us or when he turns their hearts to hate us who formerly loved us and shewed us favour then the Lord may be said to bind the sweet influences of Pleiades What sweet influences of favour did the people of Israel receive from Pharoah and the Egyptians at their first coming thither and long after yet afterwards what grievous Task-masters were they to them their favours were all restrained and changed into yokes and bands whence was this The Psalmist answers fully Psal 105.25 He that is God turned their heart that is the heart of the Egyptians to hate his people to deal subtilly with his servants and cruelly too Thus the Power and Name of God is both wayes magnified Whenas we have the most benigne Pleiades dropping down sweet influences upon us God can stop them and when we have the hardest bands of Orion upon us the Lord is able to loose them This glory is due to God in all the changes which we meet with in this world whether from good to bad from the favours to the frowns of men or from bad to good from their frowns to their favours from their bands to their embraces all is of God And I conceive the scope of God in these questions was chiefly to bring Job to that conclusion The next verse bears the same sense Vers 32. Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season or canst thou guide Arcturus and his Sons This also is a denying Question Canst thou thou canst not bring forth Mazzaroth in his season The word rendred to bring forth is applyed First to the birth or bringing forth of children Gen. 15.4 Secondly to the earths bringing forth flowers fruits Judg. 13.14 Thirdly to the rising of the Sun or
kidneys are covered with fat But seeing all the inward parts of man are in a sense covered parts that notation of the word may very well sort with our Translation as also with that which is the exposition of the inner parts the mind or soul of man So then Who hath put wisdom into the inward parts is plainly this Who hath planted it in the mind or soul of man who hath rooted it there who hath made man wise some give the sense thus Who hath made man a reasonable creature or bestowed that rational faculty upon man whereby he is able to apprehend the truth of the works of God and to inquire into and find out many secrets in nature Thus some I say expound it specially of that rational power with which man as man is naturally endowed and not of wisdom attained in Schools and Academies by study or in the woâ—ld by experience which is but the lightning of reason Quis posuit c. insinuans se de illa sapientia lequi quae nec co-operante ratione nec industria humana nec per ullam disciplinam â—quisita est Janson or of that natural wisdom planted by God in man as a reasonable creature Taking this sense Who hath put wisdom into the inward parts is no more but this Who hath made man a rational creature who among men can take this honour to himself and say I have put this wisdom called reason into my self or any man surely none 'T is the sole prerogative of God to put wisdom in the lowest and commonest notion of it reason into the mind of man Who hath put wisdom into the inward parts Hence observe Mans natural reason is the gift of God All wisdom floweth from God the eternal and inexhaustible fountain of wisdom it is of God that all men have reason as well as that any men have grace Reason is a very great gift take it barely as unpollished and unheightned by study by Arts Sciences and experiences Wisdom as planted in nature is a high favour As grace sets one man above another so this natural wisdom sets every man above the best of bruits And as this wisdom in man which is properly called wisdom so that Analogical wisdom or that appearance of wisdom that is in many subtile bâ—uits is of Gods putting planting too And if so then much more those higher indowments the pollishings and the inrichings of mans reason are of God Reason is that ground oâ— soyl which being tilled and dress'd manured and well wrought upon brings forth those excellent fruitâ— of wiâ—dom which ennoble the mind of man James 1.17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above The good gift may be taken for natural wisdom that 's of God and the perfect gift for infused wisdom especially in spiritual things that 's more of God that 's chiefly from above and câ—mes down from the father of lights with whom there is no variableness nor shadow of turning From this point we may infer Fiâ—st Seeing wisdom both that which is planted in man as a rational creature and that also which man acquires by industry is of God Then God knoweth how wise any man is and what any mans wisdom amounts to God can easily compass the wisest man in the world The wisdom of some men is beyond the compass of many men but the wisdom of all men is infinitely within the compass of God He that hath put wisdom into man is himself wiser than all men Thus David argued Psal 94.9 He that planted the ear shall not he hear and he that formed the eye shall he not see doubtless he doth God hath made sight and hearing and therefore the seeing and the hearing powers are transcendently in God And as it followeth vers 10. He that teacheth man knowledge shall not he understand certainly he doth He understands and knows not only what men understand and know but he understands how much understanding and what knowledge any man hath God looks through all Secondly If God hath put wisdom into man then he can take wisdom from man he can destroy the wisdom of the wise he can turn the wisdom of an Achithophel into foolishness As he can make a fool wise so he can make a wise man a fool or befool the wisest men Thirdly If all wisdom be of the Lords putting in then let none be proud of their wisdom There is nothing that we are so apt to be proud of as of our wisdom If we have but better natural parts than others we are presently lifted up above others if we have better acquirements than others we are apt to be proud of our selves A little knowledge puffeth up and indeed that which puffeth up is but a little True wisdom though great doth not puff up for that leads us to him that gives us wisdom and that will keep us humble Fourthly We may infer if the Lord hath put wisdom into man then man ought to be thankful to the Lord for the wisdom he hath As man should not be pâ—oud of his wisdom because how much soever he hath he hath received it so man ought to be very thankful for wisdom because how much or how little soever it is he hath received it If all receipts from God call for thanks how much more this receipt of wisdom which next to grace is the most precious thing we receive from him and is it self sometimes put for grace Fifthly If wisdom be of Gods putting into man then let men be careful to use their wisdom for God That stock which another man hath put into our hands he expects we should use it for him especially that we should not use it against him or to his disadvantage How wicked are they who are so far from using their wisdom for God that they use it against God that is against his interest truth and servants Pharaoh said Exod. 1.10 Come on let us deal wisely with them And what was it for but to vex and enslave Gods first born the people of Israel He that imploys his wisdom to any evil purpose imployeth it against God and so armes himself with what he hath received from God to resist God Wo to those who do so Wisdom is of Gods giving use it then for him and dedicate it to him above all take heed of using it against him It had been better for that man that he had been a bruit than that he should be so brutish as to imploy his understanding and reason against God Sixthly If the Lord hath put wisdom into man Then man must be accountable to God for his wisdom as also for all the other talents which he hath received Wisdom is a great talent they who are so wise as to know what that means will use it tremblingly that they may give their account rejoycingly They are wise indeed who daily consider whence or from whom they had their wisdom and before whom they must come to a reckoning what they have
done with it even before him who hath put all their wisdome into them Who hath put wisdom into the inward parts Or who hath given understanding to the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ppâ—llatio est cordis vel mentis à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est prospicere unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 picturae quae prospiciuntur dictae metaphortcè picturae seu prospectus cordis i. e imaginationes seu species reriâ— quae veâ—uti in corde pinguntur vel à delineatione conceptuum animi Merc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thargum interpretatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cordi à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est prospicereâ— sic vocatur cor quia speculatur considerat omnia Drus Quisdedit gallo intelligentiam Vulg. This latter part of the Verse is of the same sence with the former only it is doubled to shew the certainty of the thing understanding in the heart is the same with wisdom in the inward parts Yet here is a word in the Original used for the heart different from what is commonly used and so occasions a difference among Interpreters and Translaters Grammarians derive it from a word that signifieth to look or behold to see and and foresee and the Noune signifieth a picture because pictures are pieces of art which draw all mens eyes to behold and look upon them and the heart is therefore exprest by this word because it forms and as it were by its imaginative faculty draws the picture of all things in it self or because in the heart or mind of man the forms of all things are represented Mans imagination delineates and shapes a thousand varieties within it self or man hath the picture and prospect of all matters in his heart and therefore the same word signifies the heart and a picture drawn and delineated to the life That 's the force of the word which here we render heart The Latine translation renders at a great distance from us yet the letter of the Text may bear that reading also Who hath given understanding to the Cock Interpreters following this translation conceive that here the Lord begins to question Job about irrational living creatures Having said who hath put wisdom into the inward parts to wit of man he now adds who hath given understanding to the Cock The same word that signifieth the heart signifies also a Cock as the heart foreseeth and looketh upon things afar off so the Cock foreseeth the rising of the Sun and the break of day and therefore hath his name from his fore-sight They who follow this Translation speak many things of the wonderful fore-sight of the Cock and surely God hath placed a natural wisdom in that creature constantly to understand the hours of the night A Cock is a natural clock to any family he hath his first and second and third crowings Talmundici in Judaicis precationibus dicunt at docent cum gallus canit dicendum esse Laudetur qui gallo dat intelligentiam Gallus enim haud dubio non aliunde quam à Deo didicit noctis momenta disâ—ernere proclivius tamen estut pro corde exponamus Merc. Plin l. 10 c. 21. Cantavit Galluâ— non ut tempora distingueret sed ut petrus paenitereâ— Ambros and having a kind of natural instinct concerning the course and return of the Sun he claps his wings and crows as rejoycing at his coming and willing to awaken all to entertain him and prepare themselves for labour study and business at his approach But I shall not stay upon this And the general stream of interpreters keeps in the former channel expounding this latter part of the Verse as the former with respect to man Who hath given understanding to the heart It is a truth I grant which the Jewish Talmudists teach that God is to be praised who hath given such understanding to the Cock that he is able to distinguish the hours of the night and tell us of the approaching day that it surprize us not like sluggards unawares The natural Histoâ—ian reports the useful qualities of the Cock And one of the Antients wittily takes notice of the Cocks crowing in the Gospel which awakened Peter according to Christs prediction Before the Cock crow twice thou shalt deny we thrice The Cock saith he was a Preacher to call Peter to repentance Christ made use of a Cock to press that eminenâ— Disciple into a conviction of and sorrow for his sin for at the crowing of the Cock he remembred the words of Christ went out and wept bitterly But that the question propounded to Job in this Verse concernes the wisdom given to man not to beasts or birds is plainly proved by the questions put him in the two Verses following Which shew that though God hath given man wisdom sufficient for many great purposes yet not for the purpose there expressed as not for several other purposes Vers 37 38. Who can number the clouds in wisdom or who can stay the bottles of heaven when the dust groweth into hardness and the clouds cleave fast together In these two Verses we have two questions more propounded by God to Job The first whereof is about the numbring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second though under another title about the stopping of the clouds Who can number the clouds in wisdom The word rendred clouds is sometimes translated heavens and so a learned Interpreter gives it here to which he adds this gloss Quis tam prudenter fecit caelus eo numero quo sunt Vatabl. Who hath made the heavens with such wisdom in that number wherein they are who can number them The word rendred number signifieth both to number things Arithmetically and to demonstrate them Logically and it may be taken in either or both senses here who can number the clouds in wisdom that is who hath wisdom sufficient to tell how many clouds there are Man hath not arithmetick enough to number them The clouds are many in their sorts or kinds and they are many more in their singulaâ—â— or if I may so speak individuals there are many sorts of clouds and there are many of every fort as there are many sorts of living creatures and very many of every sort so of the clouds we may as well number the waves of the sea or the stars as the clouds of heaven If we look up to one part of heaven we may see more clouds than we can number how great then is the number of the clouds in the whole circumference of the heavens Again taking the word as it signifieth to demonstrate logically or to declare the question imports thus much Who can clearly and perfectly set forth the nature of the clouds or the various effects which they produce and services which they are imployed in Who can either in the former sense or in this number the stars of heaven Hence note The wisest among men can neither exactly tell how many the clouds are nor fully demonstrate what
worldly desires as much as a man living alone in a wilderneâ—s withdraws from worldly businesses he is weaned from and mortified to the plenty and pleasures which a City life courts him with nor is he afraid of the threatnings of any who would drive him from his duty His soul searcheth after and he feeds upon the green things which every where grow upon the mountains of the holy Scriptures both for his instruction and consolation All this I grant as was said before is true of a godly man raised to any high degree of spiritualness and walking much in the Spirit He is in the world yet sits loose and free from the bands and baits of it Howbeit this warrants no man to loose himself from all bands of service in the world much less to be so gross as literally to make that his house which God hath made the house of the wilde Ass The wilderness or to take the barren Land for his dwelling As this verse hath shewed us the house and dwelling of the wilde Ass so the next shews us how he carries it in the wilderness Vers 7. He scorneth the multitude of the City neither regardeth he the crying of the driver Ansignis metaphora ad notandum indoâ—itam naturam He scorneth the Hebrew is He laugheth at or slighteth c. The Lord speaks of this wilde Ass after the manner of men who laugh at those things which they contemn despise or scorn as much below them or contrary to them The word is rendred by laughing Psal 2.4 Job 5.22 It is said also of the good woman Prov. 31.25 She shal rejoyce in time to come which others render thus She laughed at time to come that is she having so well and wisely provided for time to come is not at all burdened with cares about it There may be a double reason why this wild Ass scorns or laughs at the multitude of the City First Because it is no way pleasing to his nature he hath no desire to a City to a sociable life Secondly He may be said to scorn the multitude of the City because though a multitude should come out of a City to take him yea as great a multitude as a City can make yet he is not afraid for he knows he can shew them a fair pair of heels and by his swiftness of foot keep out of their hands and maintain his liberty Farther The words translated The multitude of the City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Copia ie opes divitiae q. d. nihil appetit ex abundantia exuperantiavò civium Malit in sterilibus locis raram malam herbam quaerere quam in urbe servire pro victu copioso Gerit ergo paupertatis imaginem cap. 24. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred The abundance or plenty of the City If there be abundance any where it is in Cities and therefore heaven is called a City because of the great abundance of all good there and all in God Thus the word is rendred Psal 37.16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked that is than all their large sums of money of gold and silver as also than their large inheritances of houses and Lands The word may bear that sense in the Text and 't is a good sense the wild Ass scorns the abundance of the City he can content himself with the barren Land he cares not though he fare hard so he may live free from hard labour he scorneth both the multitude and plenty of the City Neither regardeth he the crying of the driver The word is He heareth not that is he obeyeth not the crying of the driver This is spoken in opposition to tame beasts for such must regard the crying of the driver else they must smart for it if the driver speaks they understand his language they must mend their pace and follow their work more closely or seel the drivers lash Here then is a farther description of the liberty of the wild Ass he is not brought to work by any thing that the driver can say or do he is not afraid either of his words or blows The word which we translate Driver signifies an Oppressor so 't is rendred Job 3.18 It signifies also an Exactor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Querelam ejus qui tributum colligit Sept. The seventy translate He regardeth not the hasty call or citation of the gatherer of Taxes or of Tribute There are two sorts of Exactors First Vocatur autem Exactor non modo qui tributa exigit sed qâ—i p ras â—rget Drus those that exact Tribute Secondly those who exact Labour Now he that drives cattel urgeth them to work both by hand and tongue and so exacts labour of them Hence the word is used to express the Task-masters of the Israelites in Egypt Exod. 5.6 who indeed exacted labour of them and made them serve with rigor From these Oppressors with the Exactors of labour the wild Ass is free he is at such liberty that he regards not the cry of the driver Exactor or Oppressor nor will he be brought to work by fair means nor by foul As that was a proverbial speech to shew the tranquility of those times Isa 14.8 Since thou art laid down no feller is come up against us So this seems to be a proverbial speech shewing the liberty of the wild Ass at all times He regardeth not the crying of the Driver From the former part of the verse When 't is said He laughs at or scorns the multitude of the City Taking the word City as opposed to the wilderness or barren Land Note Cities as they are full of company so they are accompanied with all manner of outward plenty and fulness If good things are to be had any where for love or money it is in Cities and therefore they who dwell in great Cities where there is such a multitude of people and abundance of all things should remember their priviledge 't is a mercy they are not in a wilderness or in a barren Land Secondly In that it is said He scorns the multitude of the City Note No society no company pleaseth but that which is sutable What cares the wild Ass for the company of men he had rather be among the wild Asses than among the best and wisest men Bad men who are like wild beasts scorn the company of good men and it is as true of good men that they have no joy in the company of bad men yea they are often burdened with their company The content of our lives doth very much consist in our harmony with and congeniality to those whom the are engaged to converse with Thirdly Take the word in the other sense as noting the abundance or plenty that is in the City the wild Ass had rather be in his barren Land than there Hence we learn Liberty is more pleasing than plenty and a wilderness with poor fare than a City where
bring home thy seed and gather it into thy barn THe Lord still enquires after Jobs skill and knowledge in the book of the creatures In the former context Job was interrogated about the wild Ass whose freedom was there set out in opposition to the servitude of the home-bred or tame Ass Here the Lord puts the question about the Unicorn and sets forth his liberty in opposition to the servile labour of the Ox. Vers 9. Will the Vnicorn be willing to serve thee or abide by thy crib The Unicorns liberty is here described first more generally in two things First He will do no work for man Secondly He will receive no reward from man That he hath no mind to work for man is shewed in the first words of the verse Will he be willing to serve thee Will he be imployed in thy service And that he cares not to be fed or provided for by man that he looks for no reward from man is set down in the latter part of the verse Will he abide by thy crib Secondly The stubborn liberty of the Unicorn is described in this context more particularly by his refusal of that special labour which is necessary in husbandry or for the tillage of the ground in the whole compass of it and here are three parts of that labour set down all refused by the Unicorn First The ploughing of the ground in the 10th verse Canst thou bind the Vnicorn with his band in the furrow He will not go to plough The second labour with which beasts are wrought in husbandry is harrowing the ground the Unicorn will not touch that as 't is said in the close of the 10th verse Will he harrow the valleys after thee No he will neither plough nor harrow he will do none of these works though he have strength enough to do them as appears vers 11. Wilt thou trust him because his strength is great or wilt thou leave thy labour to him The third part of husbandry about which beasts are used is the bringing of the Corn in or the home-bringing of it the Unicorn will lend no help to that work neither as is shewed in the 12th verse Wilt thou believe him that he will bring home thy seed and gather it into thy barn Thus the Unicorn will neither serve in general nor do any of these particular services he will neither plough nor harrow nor bring home the seed The Unicorn is a beast unsubject to and unsubduable by man yet subject to God and by him easily subduable for as the Apostle spake in another case Phil. 3.21 He is able to subdue all things to himself We may conceive the scope and intendment of the Lord in putting these questions to Job about the Unicorn was to shew that if he could not time or reduce such a creature as the Unicorn to his Plow and Harrow then he must not think of bringing God to his bow who made both the Unicorn and man too Surely God will be at his liberty to do with man what he pleaseth do man what he can seeing the Unicorn will take liberty to do what he pleaseth notwithstanding all that man can do God will not be bound up to nor tyed by any mans dictates but remains soveraignly free for ever in all his dispensations Thus of the whole matter in general I shall now open the particulars mentioned about this unserviceable creature the Unicorn Vers 9. Will the Vnicorn be willing to serve thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod alium esso significat Monoceros unicum habet cornu sed alium unde appellatio ejus The Original word translated Vnicorn denotes an animal high and stately It comes from a root which signifies to be exalted or lifted up and hence David Psal 92.10 testifying his assurance that God would lift him up out of his troubles and deliver him from his pressures compares his hoped for exaltation to that of the Unicorn My horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an Vnicorn I shall be anointed with fresh oil that is I shall have new and sufficient supplies of grace and gifts of joy and consolation This word Reem which in the Hebrew bears only that general signification Highness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70. Vnicornu Lat. is rendred by the Seventy in Greek Monoceros and by the Latines Vnicornis both which answer our English term Vnicorn the notation of all these words in the Greek Latine and English imports a beast with one horn whereas I say the Hebrew word imports only the highness or nobleness of that animal or beast intended under it Arist l. 2. de Hist Animal c. 1. Plin. l. 8. c. 21. l. 11. c. 37. Natural Historians in their descriptions of and discourses about the beasts of the earth make report of an Indian Ass with one horn as also of Indian Oxen with one horn which may therefore according to the sence of the word be called Vnicorns Our late Annotators seem to incline that by the word Reem here rendred Vnicorn is meant the wild Bull rather than the Unicorn because as the wild Ass is here oppos'd to the tame so the wild Bull seems to be oppos'd to the Oxe which is a tame creature And fitted for the service of man Numquid volet Rhinoceros servire tibi Vulg 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aquil. The Vulgar Latine translation reads it the Rhinoceros and so doth one of the Greek interpreters and in our English translation Isa 34.7 we put the word Vnicorns in the Text and Rhinocerots in the Margin The notation of which word Rhinocerot imports a beast with a horn of his nose or snout The Rhinoceros is a large beast near in bigness say some to the Elephant Basil in Psal 29.6 only shorter in his legs And the description or character which one of the Ancients gives of the Rhinoceros is very sutable to and doth fully correspond with that which the Lord gives here in this Text of that savage beast Reem by us rendred the Vnicorn For saith my Author The Rhinoceros is a proud imperious animal such as will not not be subject to man nor be brought to obedience living perpetually in desart places and securing himself from danger by his horn Further It is said of this Rhinoceros First That he is a mortal enemy to the Elephant Cornu ad saxa limato praeparat e pugnae Plin. l. 8. c. 20. whom he assaults fiercely and having sharpen'd or as it were whetted his horn at a ragged rock that his weapon may be fit for the bloody battle he wounds him under the belly where he knows the Elephant is most in danger that being his softest part Secondly Some to carry the sense of the word Vnicorn to this other creature say the Rhinoceros hath but one horn Namque gravem gemino cornu sic extulit ursum Jactat ut impositas taurus in astra
man The sin of man loosed the creatures from that bond of service to man in which and to which they were created Will the Vnicorn be willing to serve thee Observe Sixthly Those Creatures which will not do service unto man but live meerly to themselves are wild or fierce These clearly resemble the condition of those men who live only to themselves or who serve none but themselves Whatever some men do they serve themselves only they respect no mans good either spiritual or temporal besides their own were it not that they had a chief respect to their private ends and interests in serving they would never serve A gracious spirit is willing to serve his neighbour to serve his brother as well as or with himself Christ tells us his Disciples should be so far from serving themselves only that they should not serve themselves at all he that will be my Disciple saith our Lord Jesus Christ Mat. 16.24 Let him deny himself that is not serve nor seek himself either contrary to the good of others or with a neglect of their good Therefore they who in all they do do all for themselves live upon no better terms nor to any nobler ends than the Unicorn or wild Ass who are not willing to serve any man Let others sink or swim say such they care not they will look to their own Seventhly and Lastly Though God hath made a sort of creatures that as the case stands will not serve man nor contribute any help to him yet these creatures live not in vain to God nor are they altogether unserviceable to man though they have no will to serve him For First They declare the power and wisdome of God both in making and governing them and in that they declare his praise God would not give any creature a being that did not one way or other set forth his praise in the world there 's much of God shining in those creatures which man hath no service by Psal 148. Praise him ye Dragons and all Deeps Dragons praise God they raise up a revenue of glory to God though man get no service from them Secondly Such creatures adorn the universe the world is beautified with their variety Thirdly Even such creatures serve man when they are dead though they will not while they live some parts of them are Medicinal and many useful to man The Unicorn who will serve no man living while he lives yet his horn is accounted a great Antidote against Poyson and so is a means to prevent the death or prolong the life of many men So then there is no creature but is serviceable to God and man some way or other And though it may be truly said of some men as of the Unicorn with respect to man they will not serve God yet God hath service by them Will the Vnicorn be willing to serve thee Or abide by thy Crib A Crib is that in which an Oxe or an Ass feeds Isa 1.3 The Oxe knoweth his Owner and the Ass his Masters Crib that is the vessel in which he useth to be fed Solomon saith Prov. 14.4 Where no Oxen are the Crib is clean that is the Crib is not used and so remains clean If none come into a Room the Room is clean In one sense where Oxen are the Crib is clean that is they eat up all the fodder put into it But in Solomons sense where no Oxen are the Crib is clean because no fodder is put into it The Lord having said the Unicorn will do no work adds also he will not abide by thy Crib As he will do thee no service so he will put thee to no charge that 's a piece of ingenuity in the Unicorn as he does no work for man so he looks for no wages nor reward from man which may be a reproof to those men who are very unwilling to serve others yet are very willing to abide by their Crib they like it well to eat and drink upon you as long as you will and possibly whether you will or no but will not do a stroke of work Such a one we call proverbially a Lurdane from the lazy Danes who long since Lording it in this Kingdom would eat and drink in a good well-stored house but refused all labour The Unicorn is to be commended above such idle drones who use their teeth more than their hands as if they were born only to feed their bellies or to live upon the sweat of other mens brows for he hath a kind of honesty in him as he doth you no work so he will not trouble your Crib Hence note Some creatures will rather run the adventure of starving than work for their living They will rather indure hunger and thirst than be put upon labour There is much of this also in some mens spirits 't is so with all those whom Solomon calls sluggards they prefer hunger and ease which some calls a dogs life before plenty with industry and a thred-bare back before a sweating brow Secondly From the connexion in that the Text saith will he serve thee will be abide by thy Crib Note Whomsoever we call to our service we should provide a Crib for him We ought to feed those that do our work If the Unicorn would labour he should not want a Crib nor should any labouring man want a Table It were a most unrighteous thing in the sight of God and Man if he should As the Apostle gives the rule 2 Thess 3.10 He that will not work let him not eat so on the contrary he that doth work all the reason in the world he should eat therefore the Apostle James Chap. 5.4 denounceth a wo against rich men for detaining or keeping back either in whole or in part the hire of the labourers who had cut down their harvest Hire kept back crieth for what for wrath and vengeance upon them that detain or keep it back The law of God given by Moses Deut. 24.15 commanded that the labourers hire should be paid him presently his hire was not to be kept from him no not for a night As if the Lord had said he hath been willing to serve thee all the day therefore let him carry his wages home at night to comfort his Wife and Children The Lord is very jealous in this thing if a beast serve he must have a Crib Moratur ad praesepe Dâ—mini qui verbo Dei audiendo indesinenter dâ—t operam August and shall not man One of the Ancients applies this in a spiritual sense to hearing the Word of God The wicked will not serve God nor will they abide by his Crib they will not come where their souls may be fed to eternal life where they may have clean Provender as the Prophet speaks Isa 30.24 that is sound and wholesome doctrine directing them both what to believe and how to live that they may be saved and live for ever The Lord having in this 9th verse set forth the lawless
alone will not do it For that there may be an increase these five things must concur First The skill and industry of the Husband-man Secondly The strength and labour of the Ox or Horse Thirdly The vertue and fatness of the earth Fourthly The showers and influences of heaven Fifthly And above all the blessing of God Old Isaac said of his Son Jacob Gen. 27.27 See the smell of my Son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed As there is no increase without the blessing of God how much soever men or oxen labour so there is great increase the Lord adding his blessing by the labour of men and oxen Labour and increase usually go together and where no labour is there except by miracle is no increase Where no labour is the barn is empty the crib is empty the belly is empty the purse is empty Of doing nothing comes nothing but want and misery 'T is said when the Ox is weariest he treads surest To be sure they who are most wearied by honest pains-taking tread surest upon honest profit Secondly observe Seed sown is not lost but returns and comes home again That which was scattered abroad in the field is gathered into the barn Some may think when they see the Husbandman cast his seed into the ground that he casts it away but by the labour of the Ox by the skill of the Husbandman and the blessing of God upon all the seed cometh home again Thus the Apostle spake in a spiritual sense He that ploweth should plow in hope and he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope 1 Cor. 9.10 It should be so according to the ordination of God as to the faithful Ministers of God of whose labour in plowing up souls by the word and sowing those souls with the word the Apostle there treats And it is so through the benediction of God as to laborious Husband-men and their cattel in plowing and sowing the soyl of the earth Yea thus it is in all we do our actions good or bad are as seed sown which will certainly come again they will not be lost Good done will assuredly turn to good and evil done and not undone by repentance will as surely turn to evil The Apostle gives us this double assurance Gal. 6.7 8. Whatsoever a man soweth that not numerically but specifically shall he also reap For He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting And thus in special works of charity or our distributions to the necessities of others are more significantly called sowing Psal 112.9 He hath dispersed he hath given to the poor That is he hath sowed his alms abundantly what then It followeth His righteousness endureth for ever his horn shall be exalted with honor To give to the poor especially to Gods poor to the godly poor or to those that are made poor for Gods sake is sowing good seed and he that soweth thus shall receive a fruitful crop Grain sowed in the field may yield a good increase but that which is rightly sowed in the bowels of the poor shall certainly yield a better What we give is like seed sowed in the field which increaseth thirty sixty an hundred fold What we keep by us is like corn stored up in the garner which we bring forth and spend and there 's an end of it Here 's great encouragement to do good yea to abound in doing good to others What we so part with is not lost but sowed it will come back to the barn it will come home again and that with a great increase And doubtless where there hath been a plowing up of the heart by a work of grace there will be a free sowing in every good work And though we are not to do good works meerly eying a return or our personal advantage yet we may have an eye to it as Moses had in his holy sufferings and services to the recompence of reward yea and take incouragement from the Lords bounty to be more in duty more in charity even unto bounty We may consider the harvest while we are diligent in sowing yea to make us more diligent in sowing Having thus opened the several properties of this creature here called the Vnicorn properly taken and given out some meditations upon them it will not be I conceive either unuseful or unacceptable to the Reader if for the conclusion of the whole matter in hand I shew how the holy Scriptures together with some of the Ancients make use of this creature tropically or in a figure to resemble and represent First The state of the Church and people of God Thus Moses reports Balaam shadowing the power and blessedness of Israel when he came and was hired to curse them Numb 23.22 God saith he brought them that is the children of Israel out of Egypt he hath as it were the strength of an Vnicorn Most expound the word He collectively concerning that whole people as one body He that is Israel hath as it were the strength of an Vnicorn that is he is exceeding strong Some expound it of God He that is God who brought them out of Egypt the mighty God of Jacob hath as it were the strength of an Unicorn God is indeed infinitely strong stronger than the Unicorn That which is most eminent in any creature or for which any creature is most eminent the Scripture often ascribes in a way of super-eminency unto God The Lord hath strength like the strongest and how strong soever he is he is strong for his Israel yea he is the strength of his Israel So that if we take the word in this latter sense it reaches the same thing setting forth the power and strength of Israel by the strength of the Unicorn for the Lord who is their strength will make them strong like Unicorns Balaam spake thus again Numb 24.8 God brought him all Israel as one man out of Egypt he hath as it were the strength of an Vnicorn he shall eat up the Nations his enemies and shall break their bones and pierce them through with his arrows Thus also Moses spake or prophecyed of the Tribe of Joseph Deut. 33.17 His glory is like the firstling of his Bullock and his horns are like the horns of Vnicorns with them shall he push the people or peoples the word is plural together to the ends of the earth and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim and they are the thousands of Manasseh Moses sets out the fruitfulness of Ephraim beyond that of Manasseh ten for one and in both joyntly shews how powerful how prevailing they shall be even as if they pusht their enemies with horns like those of Unicorns In all these Scriptures the Lord fore-shewed the wonderful force of the Jewish Church of old his portion and peculiar people by that of the Unicorn David also as was said before expresseth his assurance of
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erga foetum suum Pia Ciconia pietatis cultrix Ciconia Petronius Solinus yet is sometimes taken to signifie the fowl it self or a feathered fowl and because the Ostrich hath the richest and most beautiful feathers therefore it is here translated the Ostrich The feathers of the Ostrich being that for which she is most famous the Ostrich her self may not inelegantly be expressed by a word which properly and strictly taken signifies nothing but a feather but most interpreters taking that word in its proper sense to signifie a feather take the former word which firstly and properly signifies a Stork for the Ostrich Gavest thou wings and feathers to the Ostrich The reason I conceive why that word Chasidah which properly signifieth a Stork is here rendred an Ostrich is because the description given of the bird here intended in the five verses following doth no way agree with the Stork but fairly with the Ostrich for the Stork say Naturalists is of a very good and pittiful nature and hath its name from a root in the Hebrew which signifies kindness pitty and tenderness whereas the creature here described is void of all these as will appear in opening this context And therefore Grammarians tell us that the Ostrich is so called by the rule of contraries merciful or kind for unkind and cruel which way of speaking is usual in the Hebrew as also in other languages Thus the Hebrew word for a Harlot signifies one that is holy Harlots being most unholy filthy and unclean women prostituting their bodies to the lusts of others and inviting them to unlawful pleasures And that we are not here to understand the Stork properly taken but the Ostrich is plain for these three reasons the first of which hath been already intimated the bird here intended being of a quite contrary nature to the stork Secondly The Stork hath no such beautiful feathers as seem to be given to the bird here spoken of yet we must not believe that all those beautiful colours in which Ostriches feathers are seen and worn are natural to them for she hath no feathers of note of any colour growing on her but black and white all others are died and artificial Thirdly The Stork doth not lay her eggs on the ground but builds on high in trees Psal 104.17 As for the Stork the Firr-trees are her house whereas the bird here mentioned goes upon the ground though she hath wings yet not wings able to lift her up to a tree Struthio est avis quaedam appropinquans ad genus bestiarum unde licet habâ—at pennas ad modum animalium altè volantium non tamen se potest in alium elevare Aquin. Struthio est in confinio volucrum reptilium pennas quippe habet ut avis sed è terra non tollitur ut reptile Mirum animal alatum ut volucria neque tamen volucre or take any lofty flight in the air Naturalists describing the Ostrich tell us that she is such a bird as is also a kind of beast Some creatures are of two kinds in one living partly upon the earth and partly in the water here the Ostrich may upon another account be numbred among these he using the wing to slutter a little in the air like a bird yet mostly like a beast moving upon the earth And hence a learned Author placeth the â—strich between fowls that flie in the air and things that breath or move upon the earth Pliny reports the Ostriches of Africa and Arabia to be very big bodied as tall in stature as a horse and his rider and more swift of foot than any horse being helped by their wings which yet are not strong enough to raise their bulkie bodies above the earth Upon these grounds and considerations it is that all these Interpreters who will have but one fowl of the air to be intended in this part of the Text fix upon the Ostrich not upon the Stork though the word Chasidah which they translate Ostrich doth properly signifie the Stork Howbeit some see no cogent reason why we may not expound the word Chasidah properly by the Stork and yet salve all the former objections by rendring the word Notsa an Ostrich There is a necessity that we find the Ostrich in this verse because as was said before the description given in the five following verses is not applicable to the Stork but Ostrich notwithstanding if while we apply the word Chasidah to the Stork the word Notsa may serve as well if not better to signifie the Ostrich Why may we not say they take in both and so render the Text thus Who gave wings to the Stork and the Ostrich and so all difficulties will be removed and the word Renanim reserved free for the Peacock But forasmuch as our translation puts the Ostrich alone into the Text I shall not add any thing concerning the nature of the Stork but only of the Ostrich Gavest thou wings and feathers to the Ostrich 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Robustus fortis hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 penna ola quod in alis robur avium sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plumo â—inchid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Volavit deducit sed malim à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 effloruit quod in avibus plumae enascantur ut flores herbae è terra Merc. The word rendred wings signifies strength the strength of birds is in their wings as of man in his arms and some birds are exceeding strong of wing The word rendred by us feathers signifies in the root to flie because feathers are the instruments of flying yet others derive it from a word which signifies to grow or flourish because feathers grow and flourish upon fowls as herbs and flowers out of and upon the ground And the reason why some conceive the Ostrich is meant by this word Notsa which we translate feathers is because the feathers of the Ostrich are so like beautiful flowers or a goodly garland of flowers Great Princes in all ages having adorned their hats or hair with the plumes of the Ostrich set in ouches of gold and bespangled with the rarest gems or precious stones What the nature the customs and qualities of the Ostrich are will appear in opening the latter part of this context All that I shall add here is First To set down more fully the description which the natural Historian gives of her The African and Ethiopian Ostriches saith he are the greatest of birds even as big as a beast Plin. l. 10 c. 1. in height they are taller than a horse and his rider sitting on his back they also exceed the horse in swiftness of foot their wings seeming to be given them only to help them in running for they can scarcely flie at all or lift themselves much above ground They are cloven-footed or hoof-forked like a Hart their hoofs or claws serving them to gather up stones which in their flight or retreat they throw
backward upon such as hunt them They have an admirable concoction digesting the hardest things which they swallow down nor is their folly less admirable thinking themselves sufficiently hid when their heads are Their eggs serve for cups to drink in and their feathers adorn the crests and helmets of the Warrior And besides the beauty of her feathers their equality or evenness is so remarkable that among the Egyptians the feather of an Ostrich was taken for the symbol of equity so that when they would signifie a man of an equal spirit and conversation towards all men and in all things they used to paint the feather of an Ostrich Secondly I shall add this also That as in the Peacock we had the representation of a proud person so in the Ostrich the lively image or picture of an Hypocrite which may be held out and made good in these five particulars First The Ostrich is a kind of middle creature as was said between a bird that flies in the air and a beast that goes upon the ground having somewhat of both yet is properly neither Thus it is with the Hypocrite or false-hearted Christian He stands between a godly man and a profane man Sunt animalia amphiâ—ia quae non facile statuas an aquatilia sint an terrestria volatilia an terrestria ut vespertilio qui est mus pennatus Struthicamelus qui est quasi Camelus alatus utriusque naturae participes expertes Sanct. he is neither he is not profane in strict sense though really he be so as the Hebrew word for a Hypocrite imports yet I say in strict sense he is not profane because he makes a profession and appears to men in a form of godliness yet he is not godly because he only makes a profession and appears in a form of godliness either denying or at least not having any power of godliness A Hypocrite hangs as I may say between God and man between the wayes of holiness and the ways of sin he either halts between two Religions as Elijah told the Jews 1 King 18.21 or takes not one right step in that one which he pretends to he is as it was said of the Church of Laodicea neither hot nor cold but between both luke-warm As the Ostrich is a creature between two something like a fowl of the air and something like a beast of the earth or as the Latine word for an Ostrich implies A Camel winged a winged Camel so is a Hypocrite a kind of a middle-man between a good man and a bad in appearance very good but in truth and reality stark naught and by so much worse than the worst of profane ones by how much he had a mind to appear better than the best at least among the best of holy ones Secondly This Ostrich as he is described is a creature without natural affection and so the Hypocrite and false-hearted professor is alwayes without spiritual Christian gracious affections and very often without natural and meer humane affections That 's one part of the character which the Apostle gives of those who have a form of godliness but deny the power 2 Tim. 3.3 Thirdly the Ostrich hath feathers but cannot flie the Ostrich spreads her wings as if she would flie aloft yet cannot make a lofty flight she raiseth her self no higher above the earth than a man may hop or leap her body or earthly part is so ponderous that her wings cannot raise her far into the air much less bear her up long there It is so with the Hypocrite he hath wings and he seems to spread them as if he had strong desire and great designes heaven-wards he would make you believe he is both from and for above yet he cannot get off the earth he is an earthly minded man as the Apostle speaks of such Coelestia se quaerere simulantes terrenis adhaerem though as to an outward profession and some formal actions he seems to soar aloft and live above the world yet he ever drives an earthly trade and hath some base carnal aime or other in his highest services The earth is every natural mans center and therefore though as any heavy body a stone or clod of clay he may be forced upward yet when that impression is spent he falls down again to earthly things which only are connatural to him Fourthly The Ostrich is a creature of a mighty digestion of a hot stomack and therefore is painted and figured with a piece of iron in her mouth implying she digests iron Omnia digerere potest Struthio Thus the hypocrite can digest the hardest things even that which is harder than iron sin that which lieth upon the stomack of a godly man as heavy as a stone that is which burdens his conscience that the hypocrite can swallow it goes down easily with him and is as easily digested he can swallow this and that sin without trouble especially if he can but do it unseen or in secret he makes no bones as we say of any thing which may but feed some lust he hath a conscience wide enough and hot enough and strong enough to digest iron any unlawful deed if it serve his turn or may tuâ—n to his worldly advantage That which a man truly fearing God and strongly resolved to do his known will and nothing else knowingly cannot will not do nor touch with for a world that he can do and will do for some poor pittances much more for the great things of the world Fifthly Pliny saith the Ostrich being a very tall creature Tanta eorum stoliditas ut cum colla frutice occulta berint latere se existimant Plin. l. 10. c. 1. is yet so foolish that if she hide her head she thinks herself all hid and safe from danger she concludes no man sees her if she sees no man Thus it is with the hypocrite if he can but be out of sight himself he thinks none see him no not God himself Psal 94.6 7. They slay the widdow and the stranger and murther the fatherless yet they say the Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Jacob regard it They think they do all in such secrecy that as men do not so God shall not behold it Lastly The Ostrich hath very gay feathers of much more worth than the Peacock yet the Ostrich hath no more wit than the Peacock one is the embleme of a proud man the other of a hypocrite both bravely clothed yet with nothing but feathers From both I would infer these two or three things which may hold out much of the mind of God in this discourse with Job and which some Interpreters conceive God chiefly aimed at in this place by telling Job or minding him that he had given goodly wings and gay feathers to Peacocks and Ostriches We see those creatures which have little worth in themselves have very goodly ornaments put upon them by the hand of God Hence we may infer First God
though women should turn Ostriches and forget their own issue yet will I not forget thee that is I will have thee in everlasting remembrance as it followeth in the next words of the Prophet vers 16. Behold I have graven thee upon the palmes of my hands thy walls are continually before me And as the Lord will not forget his Sion the Church nor leave her to the danger of being crusht by every foot so whatever is left to hazard or danger whether First by any unreasonable creature as here in the Text Or secondly by unreasonable and foolish men from whom to be delivered the Apostle begged earnestly 2 Thes 3.2 Or Thirdly which the wisest men with all their care and power and diligence cannot secure from danger and hazzard there is a wakeful eye of providence that will take care in all such cases especially in the last For when men have done their utmost to keep the foot from crushing us and the wild beasts from destroying us but cannoâ— then the care of God appears most in doing it And in the case of that double necessity when good men have done their best to keep us safe but cannot and bad men have done their worst to expose us unto and leave us in danger we may and must leave all to God who naturally takes care of all creatures and is the Saviour of all men both as to temporal and eternal salvation 1 Tim. 4.10 especially of them that believe Thus we have the first part of the description of the Ostrich who being so very foolish not to discharge her duty to her eggs God himself doth it his providence orders the Sun to warm them and the Sand to bring them forth And as the Ostrich is careless of her eggs before they are hatcht so she neglects her young ones as much when they are hatcht as is shewed in the next verse Vers 16. She is hardened against her young ones as if they were not hers This verse gives us a farther description of that Bird-beast the Ostrich by her unnaturalness to her off-spring having left her eggs carelessly to hatch or perish in the dust she is as careless of her brood when they are hatched when the heat of the Sun say some by the providence of God hath done one part of her duty to bring them forth she neglects the other part of her duty which is to bring them up and so the pains that she took in laying so many great eggs one tells us her nest is usually stoâ—ed with fourscore eggs others say with twenty the least say with twelve or ten seems to be in vain she taking no care of them not having any regard to them This the Spiâ—it of God expresseth in the beginning of the 16th verse She is hardened against her young ones she is as forgetful of her chickens if I may so call them as she was of her eggs Rabbie Abraham reads thus God hath hardened her against her young ones and the reason that he gives for it is because the word is in the Masculine Gender which cannot well agree with the Feminine her And we find it in an active signification ascribed to God Isa 63.17 Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non alibi quam hic Isa 63.17 occurrit ac penè idem valet quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hiphil obduravit Merc. O Lord said the Church there why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy fear Nor is it any where else found in the whole Bible but in this place of Job in this sence the Rabbin expounds it here nor is it either an impertinent or an unprofitable sense For as God sometimes judicially hardens the hearts of men so he doth also naturally harden the hearts of some beasts and birds and makes them of a cruel disposition against their own kind and then they l t them sink or swim and expose them to the greatest danger without any the least provision for them The Septuagint or Greek Interpreters do not read as we She is hardned against her young ones but taking the same active signification of the ve b say thus She hardneth her young ones that is she doth not bring them up tenderly nor delicately but leaves them to shift for themselves and so hardneth them And the reason of that rendring may be this because there is no particle in the Hebrew expressing the word against we say She is hardned against her young ones but the preposition commonly rendred against is not in the Hebrew that saith only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conâ—ra non habeturin fonte ideo malui duriter habet aut tractat filios suos potius quam indurat se contra filios suos Drus She hardneth her young ones or She is hardning her young ones but the sense riseth much to the same point whether we read She hardneth her young ones or is hardned against her young ones for by being hardned against them or by using them hardly she hardneth them Many parents harden their children by being hard to them If we put the sense of both readings together it will make the matter more compleat she hardneth her young ones by hardning her self against them Our reading is full and clear She hardneth her self against her young ones or children so the word strictly taken signifies As though they were not hers Implying that the consideration of them as hers should have made her more tender of them yet she carrieth it as if she had no relation to them The Hebrew is For that they were not hers which here as in other parallel Scriptures is rightly sensed in our Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Videtur hic positum esse pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut saepe alias Lamed pro Caph usurpatur sic erunt in carnem unaÌ„ i.e. quasi caro una Drus As though they were not hers As if it had been said she could not do otherwise nor worse by them if they were meer strangers to her or such as she had no title to She deals no better with them than as if they either were not hers or as if they were nothing to her and she no way concerned in them Such is that complaint of the Church Lam. 1. Is it nothing to you all ye that pass by and see my sorrow is it nothing to you are you not at all concerned am I to you meerly as a stranger that you pass by and take no notice of my sufferings Thus the holy Ghost describes the Ostrich she is hardned against her young ones as though they were none of hers or as if she had nothing to do with them Hence note First They that deal hardly with others are hardened against them When Pharoah dealt so extream hardly with the people of Israel when he increased their number of bricks and denied them straw and made them serve with rigor he was extreamly hardned against them That spiritual judgement hardness of heart was deeply
made strong even forgetting God who hath made him strong That people thought themselves strong enough with horses without the strong God and therefore the Lord told them at the third verse The Egyptians are men and not God and their horses are flesh and not spirit that is they are weak and not strong not that they were weak in themselves but weak to save and deliver them or to give them victory in battel they are but flesh and not spirit flesh notes weakness and spirit notes strength so that though a horse hath a mighty strength yet if you trust to him he is but flesh that is he is weak And some conceive this was the reason why the Lord commanded Joshua in his war with the Canaanites to hough their horses as the rule is given Josh 11.6 Thou shalt hough their horses and burn their chariots with fire that is cut their nerves or as we say their ham-strings Why did the Lord command him to hough their horses why might he not preserve them for service in his wars Doubtless it was lest he should think that horses could do the work And therefore according to this command of God when David took a thousand chariots and seven hundred horse-men from the Moabites he houghed all the chariot-horses but reserved of them for an hundred chariots 2 Sam. 8.4 He would not multiply horses to himself out of the spoyls of the enemy lest he should seem to trust their strength and numbers Fifthly Fear not the strength of horses The Prophet saith to the fearful Jer. 12.5 If thou hast run with foot-men and they have wearied thee how canst thou contend with horses When we have horses to contend with 't is a very dangerous conflict The Prophet by foot-men and horse-men intends lesser and greater oppositions when we have to deal with lesser difficulties we have to deal with foot-men but when with greater then with horse-men If then you have to do with horses either in the metaphor or in plain sense fear them not why for they are but creatures and God who hath given them their strength can take away their strength and make them useless Psal 76.6 At thy rebuke O God of Jacob both the chariot and the horse are cast into a deep sleep Suppose a multitude of chariots and horses should come against us yet at the Lords rebuke if he doth but speak the word if the God of Jacob do but give a rebuke the chariots and horses are laid in a deep sleep that is they are as nothing or as dead Death is a deep sleep therefore though horses have a mighty strength yet be no more afraid of them than of that which is dead the Lord God who hath given them their strength can defend us against their strength or disable them notwithstanding their strength to offend us Hast thou given the Horse strength Hast thou cloathed his neck with thunder To cloath with or to be cloathed with this or that is a very common Scriptural phrase metaphorically applyed to things both corporeal and incorporeal Of the first sort are all those places of Scripture where man is said to be cloathed with skin and flesh Job 10.11 The flesh with worms and clods of dust Job 7.5 The fields with flocks Psal 65.13 The earth with Sea Psal 104.6 The Sea with clouds Job 38.9 The heavens with blackness Isa 50.3 Of the second sort are all those Scriptures which say A person is cloathed with righteousness Job 39.14 Psal 132.9 With salvation Psal 132.16 With glory and beauty Job 40.10 With power or strength Psal 93.1 Isa 51.9 With the Spirit of God Judg. 6.34 2 Chron. 24.20 With desolation Ezek. 7.27 With shame Psal 71.13 Psal 109.29 And as both things and persons are said to be cloathed with these so to be cloathed with any thing notes two things either First that such have much of it Thus to be cloathed with glory is to be exceeding glorious and to be cloathed with shame is to be exceedingly ashamed and to be cloathed with pride is to be exceeding proud and to be cloathed with righteousness and honour is to be exceeding righteous and honourable and to be cloathed with humility is to be exceeding humble and lastly to be cloathed with the Spirit is to be exceeding spiritual and full of the Spirit Or Secondly to be cloathed with any thing that is good notes it to be very becoming and ornamental to us as rich and sutable garments are or if it be bad that it is very disgraceful and detrimental to us as filthy and uncomely garments are Now here in the Text when the neck of the horse is said to be cloathed with thunder it must needs note somewhat in which the horse exceeds and which is both an honour and an ornament to the horse Hast thou saith God to Job or I cloathed his neck with thunder There are various interpretations of the word which we here translate thunder First Some affirm That the word by us rendred thunder Hic tonitru est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eum tonitru alias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicatur Vestimenti nomine intelligo Jubas densas crisâ—â—antes Cajet signifies nothing less than thunder or that it doth not signifie thunder at all neither in a proper nor in a metaphorical sense but that it signifies the horses mane Nor can it be denyed but that this form of speaking is very apt and elegant to say the neck of a horse is cloathed with his mane as birds may be said to be cloathed with feathers or beasts with hair And here the mention of the horses mane is fitly brought in because the scope of the place is to set forth the chief signes and conditions of a generous stomackful War-horse For though the meanest horses have manes and that of an ancient Author be true in part of all horses That the mane is given them for an ornament Zenophon in Comment de re equestri yet generous horses have thickest and fullest manes hanging down and covering their necks as the old Poets often describe noble and warlikâ— Horses And that in this place of Job not an ordinary thin or shoâ—t mane but a thick and a deep one is intended we may collect from the word cloathed which will not well agree with those of ordinary Horses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arnol. Bootius Animad Sacrae l. 3. c. 6. sect 10. The only difficulty with which this interpretation is attended is how to make it out that the Hebrew word Ragnemah signifies the mane of a Horse it being never used in any place of Scripture but this and it is much questioned whither the word be to be found in the writings of any of the Jewish Rabbins in that sense The only answer is that it is to be reckoned among those words of which there are several in Scripture which are only once read or used and so the sense of them is to be given from the
scope of the place where they are used not from their usage in other places they not being used in any place but one This is a fair interpretation that being granted that the word Ragnemah hath no communion with the word Ragnam which properly signifies Thunder But almost all other interpreters agree that Ragnemah is the same with Ragnam and take the Hebrew letter ×” in the end of it to be only Paragogical and so not making any alteration at all in the sense Now this being the most received opinion and our translators pitching expressly upon it saying Hast thou cloathed his neck with thunder It is questioned what is here meant by the word thunder No man can imagine that it should be understood of proper thunder and in what the metaphor is couched or whence to take the allusion that 's the doubt De strepitu monilium intelligit Munsterus Instructos ostro alipedes pictisque tapetis Aurea pectoribus demisse monilia pendent Virg. l. 5. First I shall not stay upon that weak conjecture that by thunder we are to understand the sound noise or ratling which is made by the armour ornaments or trappings which are sometimes put upon the necks and breasts of war-horses when they go out to battle We read that the Camels of Zeba and Zalmunna conquered by victorious Joshua had ornaments upon their necks Judg. 8.21 But surely the word thunder sutes not with such sounds Thunder must needs relate to somewhat that is terrible not ornamental and all the sound which the rattling of a Horses armes or ornaments can make is much too low for any resemblance of thunder or to be compared with it nor will the general scope of the question comply with any such interpretation For when God saith to Job Hast thou cloathed his neck with thunder The question denies and the meaning of it is Thou hast not but I have Whereas if it were understood of artificial warlike armes of defence or ornaments Job might have answered the question affirmatively and have said Yes I or other men have cloathed the neck of the horse with them And the Lord possibly put this question in opposition to all such kind of defences and ornaments As if he had said Thou O Job hast or mayst cloath the neck of the horse with rich ornaments and strong armes to defend him but hast thou or canst thou cloath his neck with thunder That 's my work alone Therefore somewhat is here intended by thunder beyond what any man is able to cloath the neck of a Horse withall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. Numquid indues collum ejus tremore Pagn Secondly Some render thus Hast thou cloathed his neck with fear another with trembling But some may say hâ—w doth this serve to set forth the honour and commendation of the Horse yea what can be said more improperly of a brave Horse or more unsutable to the description here given of him than this that his neck is cloathed with fear and trembling I answer 't is true if we take fear as taking hold of or possessing the Horse himself But if we take it for that fear and trembling which doubtless is the sense of those translations with which the Horse affects others than to say his neck is cloathed with fear that is his appearance makes others afraid is very proper to the discourse in hand And for asmuch as thunder makes the stoutest men fear and tremble the Horse who doth so too when he rusheth fiercely into the battle and chargeth the enemy may significantly enough be said to have his neck cloathed with thunder How terrible a shock even like a thunder-clap doth a stout valiant Horse make upon his adversary with the force of his neck and breast And when Horses come galloping upon us with their full speed 't is usual to say Tonitru hic usurpatur de fremitu aut hinnitu equi Drus Num induists colâ—um ejus fremitu Bez. Numquid adornas collum ejus sonitu vehementi i. e. Hinnitu Vatabl. they come thundering upon us Thirdly Most Interpreters say confidently that by thunder cloathing the neck of the Horse the neighing of the Horse is intended And some who are not of this opinion conceive that if the Hebrew word Ragnemah signifying thunder properly be here to be taken Metaphorically for neighing then it were better to render the Text not as our last translators have done with thunder but as many have done and among them our old English translators with neighing to which effect they render this clause in our language thus Hast thou learned him to neigh couragiously For saith that learned Authour who opposeth this reading it is uncomely when a word hath two or more significations to retain that in the translation which is least commodious to hold out the meaning of the place in hand And saith he it is most certain that the word thunder is never used in the Latine tongue no not by the boldest Poets to signifie the neighing of a Horse Arnold Boot Animad Sacr. l. 3. c. 6. sect 3. Tonare intonare l. 3. c. 11. sect 8. Yet I see no cogent reason seeing the Latine words which signifie to thunder are applied to several clamours and noises much inferior to thunder why the word thunder in the Noune may not be so applyed nor do I see any reason why the neighing of a mighty Horse being usually accompanied when he is in a rage with fretting chafing and snorting may not be allusively called thunder or thundering I am sure the fretting and chafing of a woman is so expressed by the Verb in the Holy Scripture 1 Sam. 1.6 where it is said of Hannah Her adversary provoked her sore to make her fret the Hebrew is to make her thunder Now the fretting of a woman though heightned to loud brawling and if I may use so course a word scolding bears not so much proportion to the noise of thunder as the neighing snorting and fretting of a great and generous Horse When a Horse is enrâ—ged we may say sparks leap out of his eyes like lightning and a sound out of his mouth like thunder aad a breath out of his nostrils like smoke And that the snorting and neighing of Horses is dreadful even like thunder appears fully by that of the Prophet Jer. 8.16 The snorting of his Horses was heard from Dan that is from the utmost bounds of the Country the whole Land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones The neighing of Horses is a sign of their courage and boldness of their fearlesness and generosity which probably was the reason why the great Lords of Persia agreed that meeting all together in one place on Horse-back he should be chosen Emperor whose Horse neighed first after they were met they supposing it a good Omen or Sign that the Rider would prove a person of great courage and spirit whose Horse first gave that token of it Upon what occasion the
First In respect of his swiftness Secondly Of his subsaltation or bounding and leaping I conceive God had respect only to the latter in these words for seeing this whole context doth not handle the nature of the horse in general but only the marks or qualities of valiant horses therefore the mention of this namely the subsaltation of horses is much more proper than that of their swiftness or speed in running For swiftness or speed in running is not appropriate or peculiar to generous horses it being certain that as they excel the common sort of horses both in the swiftness of their course and in the continuance or lastingness of it so it is as apparent that ordinary horses will often run very swiftly or with great speed for a time But as for that other motion of their bodies in which they imitate the leaping or skipping of Grass-hoppers that is proper to them And there are two sorts of this motion proper to generous horses Bootius animad sacrae The one in which standing upon two feet only either the hinder or the forefeet the other part of their body is lifted up on high from the ground which motion being very dangerous to the Rider we call bounding or to bound The other sort of saltatory motion is that whereby the horse lifts up himself with his four feet quite off the ground and goeth as it were leaping or intermingles saltation or leaping with his going There is a twofold leaping First When a horse raiseth himself over a bar hedge or ditch this is of daily use The other is only for pompe when a horse raiseth his body upon plain ground to shew his activity this we call curveting as the proud stately gate of a horse is by us called praunsing Now of these two motions bounding and curveting the latter is rather to be understood in this place that being most like the saltation the leaping or skipping motion of a Grass-hopper â—osteriora locustae crura mediis longiora sunt ut ambulet melius ottollatur facilius de terra Arist l. 4. de part Animal c. 6. and the other to be reckoned rather among the ill qualities than the commendations of a horse which are here only taken notice of Canst thou make him leap or move like a Grass-hopper The Grass-hopper moves with a kind of leap Naturallists tells us that the hinder-legs of Grass-hoppers are much longer than their fore-legs to fit them for leaping the Horse in his leaping and curveting motion clearly represents the motion of a Grass-hopper According to this exposition the great agility and nimbleness of the horse is set forth Numquid effecisti ut equùs motitet ese instar Locustae i. e. Fecistine equum agilem sicut Locustam Vatabl Tunc illi agilitatem dare possis qualem ostendit cum Locustae modo substultat Grot. Tremesacere Jun. Pisc Locustae sunt fugacissimae facile aguntur ventis Ad levem aliquem strepitum aut motum aufugiunt Sanct. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Locusta quae magna multitudine volitat Latinis Locustae videntur dictae quod locos urant nam segates morsu erodunt tactu adurant Rivet Locustae equi cataphracti speciem habent as before his strength and courage Hast thou made the horse so agile or active that like a Grashopper he doth as it were leaping fly and flying leap A horse will do strange seats of activity if well managed This interpretation is much urged by several of the learned yet I conceive the purpose of these words is rather to set forth the boldness than the nimbleness of the horse Our Translation carries this sense clearly Canst thou make him afraid as the Grashopper The Grashopper is a weak and frightful creature he is soon scared and quickly flies away The word rendred a Grashopper signifies a multitude because they usually go by multitudes Prov. 30.27 The Locusts have no King yet go they forth all of them by bands they go as it were an Army of them together The Latine word Locusta is from an ill effect of Locusts or Grashoppers because they consume and in a manner burn up every green thing in the places where they come Hence that allusive prohibition Rev. 9.4 There came out of the smoak Locusts and it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth neither any green thing neither any Tree c. Now though the Scripture compares these creatures to a great Army Joel 2.25 because they go out in great companies and do a great deal of mischief And though Rev. 9.7 The shapes of the Locusts there spoken of were like unto horses prepared unto battel that is compleatly armed yet the Locusts are but a weak kind of Warriers they are quickly scared they are fearful creatures Canst thou make the Horse afraid like the Grashopper When the Lord saith Canst thou make him afraid like the Grashopper his meaning is The Horse is of so stout a spirit that he will not only not be afraid like the Grashopper but no more afraid than a Lion So then I conclude this part of the verse contains not a similitude but a dissimilitude between the horse and the Grashopper not a likeness between the horse and the Grashopper in nimbleness but their unlikeness in fearfulness Canst thou make him Afraid The word notes such fear as is caused by an Earth-quake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 timore terrae motum indicat Isa 13.13 Joel 2.10 Psal 109.23 Nah. 3.17 As importing that though the horse should hear a crashing or rushing sound like that of an Earth-quake when the ground under us opens and shakes yet he is not moved nor quakes as Mr. Broughton renders The horse is rather enraged than scared like a Grashopper by any noise His spirit is rather whetted and inflamed than cowed as we say and cooled by the strongest alarms as will further appear in the latter part of this description Horses are observed sometimes as also men quaking before a battel yet not for fear but with indignation Canst thou make him afraid c. Hence note First The Horse is a valiant and stout-hearted creature Not to fear is a sign of valour but not to be made afraid is much more a sign of it than not to fear When any one hath such a spirit that he doth not only fear but cannot be made afraid there 's courage to the height Such is the courage of the horse nothing can make him afraid Observe Secondly The courage as well as the strength of the Horse is from God As every creature is not strong so not couragious Some are very fearful so fearful that they are grown into a Proverb for fearfulness Such are Hares and Harts and the Ostrich before spoken of Nor hath every horse courage and boldness Horses given to start are fearful God puts such courage into some horses that nothing can make them start or fear Courage is a gift of God
bestowed upon some men and not upon others some are couragious as Lions and others are fearful as Hares and Harts or Grashoppers We cannot keep some from fear we cannot make others afraid Canst thou make him afraid as the Grashopper Note Thirdly Where God gives courage it is not in man to make afraid The courage of the horse appears yet higher in the next verse The glory of his nostrils is terrible The nostrils are very considerable in horses and the largeness or openness of them is a sign of their goodness and stoutness The glory of his nostrils is terrible or terror that is Meros terroris naribus spirat Bez. Efflat patentibus naribus ventum calentem irae auduciae indicem quo videtur ille gloriari Numquid posursti gloriam narium ejus ut sit terror i. e. num effecisti ut terreat hâ—mines fremitu narium suarum Vatabl. very terrible his breathings are meer terror This expression of the Horse is somewhat like that given of St. Paul while Saul Acts 9 1. Saul yet breathing out threatnings and slaughter Paul before his conversion breathed flames of fire as it were he breathed terror out of his mouth against the faithful people of God Thus here The glory of his nostrils is terrible But what is this glory of his nostrils Some say these words are a description of his neighing and I grant that sound proceeding from his nostrils as from a trumpet may well enough be called the glory of them nor can it be denyed but that the neighing of great horses is terrible According to which reading some say the word which we translate Nostrils signifieth in this place that sound of his nostrils called neighing and that the word by us rendred glory doth rather signifie excellency or vehemency And thus our old English Translation gives it His strong neighing is fearful or as others His vehement neighing is terrible The Hebrew as was toucht before is Terror nothing being more common in that language than to use substantive words adjectively or as if they were Adjectives Taking this sense of the words they describe generous horses neighing when they go to battle as if they would thereby at once proclaim and trumpet out their own courage and terrifie or daunt the enemy or as if they would not only shew their own fearlessness but make their opposers afraid This is a fair interpretation yet because according to one Exposition given and much received of the latter part of the former verse Hast thou cloathed his neck with thunder the neighing of the horse hath been already spoken of I rather conceive that these words The glory of his nostrils is terrible may be expounded either of these two wayes First That his wide fuming Frenoque teneri Impatiens crebras expirat naribus ignes Sil. Ital. l. 6. Ignescunt patulae nares Claud. smoaking nostrils which are the glory and commendation of a horse strike others with terror Poets describing the horse fancy him sending fire out of his nostrils or breathing fire And thus when God is angry smoak and fire are said to go out of his nostrils 2 Sam. 22.9 Some understand that Isa 2.22 of an angry furious man As if the Prophet had said fear not man make no account of him though enflamed with wrath and anger The glory of his nostrils is terrible Secondly Reading the words thus as was said The glory of his nostrils is terror they may be expounded not as implying the terror and fright which the horse strikes others with but which others would fright the horses with while they brandish their swords shake their spears sound their trumpets from all which terror Bellum quod est aliis ad terrorem naribus ab equo parceptum est ciâ—ad gloriam i. e. ad quandam animi magnitudinem Aquin. the horse is so far from running that rather his courage is encreased and his spirit heated Such noises clashings and clamours will not scare the horse as they do the Grashopper but the terror or matter of fear which is presented before him is the glory of his nostrils that is it will but provoke him to anger and rage or excite his courage which makes his nostrils smoak like fire it cannot at all put him into a fear and that 's his glory Hence note First That which any creature excels in is his glory The horse glorieth in his strength the courage fierceness of the horse appearing in his nostrils are his glory also Whatever good man excels in is his glory if he excels in knowledg or in strength or courage or in holiness it is his gloâ—y yea men who excel in evil count that their glory Phâ—l 3.19 That which God excels in is his glory what is that He blessed be his name excels in pardoning our sins in covering our iniquities and therefore It is the glory of God to conceal a thing saith Solomon Prov. 25.2 that is sin by pardoning it Kings must search out the matter but it is the glory of God to conceal a thing That which any creature excels in is his glory that which the Scriptures declare God to excel in is his glory and that is mostly his pardoning mercy Note Secondly The greatest glory which some creatures have is to be terrible to others To put others in fear is all their glory all that they glory in their glory is not to save and to deliver to comfort and to do good to others but to vex and to terrifie From the second interpretation take this Note That which is very terrible to some is a glory to others That is It occasions them to shew their glory or causeth their glory to appear the more Terror is the glory of the horse his nostrils are never so glorious as when you attempt to terrifie him When that which is terrible is put to a true believer then the glory of his soul breaks out then he shews forth his faith in God hiâ— integrity and faithfulness towards God terror is the glory of his soul as terror is the glory of the horse that is it gives him occasion to shew forth his glory Vers 21. He paweth in the valley and rejoyceth in his strength he goeth on to meet the armed men These words give a further proof of the courage of the horse or a sign of it for 't is the property of the highest metal'd and best spirited horses to do so as impatient of a check by the bâ—idle and desirous rather to be spurred upon an engagement with the enemy in battel He paweth In the valley Why in the valley because there battels especially horse battels used to be fought rather than upon hills or uneven grounds There is another reading of the verse for the word translated to paw signifies also to dig Hence some give it thus Terram ungula fodit Vulg. Cavatque tellurem Virg. 3. Georg. Nec pes officium standi tenat ungula terram crebra ferit virtusque
meet the armed men he doth not stand to receive a charge but he seeks it What any have a great mind to that they are very forward in you need not press a volunteer nor spur a free a valiant horse on to the battel you can hardly hold him in with bit bridle 'T is so in any service where there is a heart set to it with a love to it O how do we go forth to it we need not to be haled nor driven to it So in spirituals a heart of that temper answers every call Psal 27.8 When thou saidst seek my face my heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seek He presently answers the Lords call to any duty who hath a heart for it What zeal what freedom what forwardness have we to that we have a will and a mind to An up-hill way is all down-hill to a willing mind JOB Chap. 39. Vers 22 23 24 25. 22. He mocketh at fear and is not afraid neither turneth he back from the sword 23. The quiver ratleth against him the glittering spear and the shield 24. He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet 25. He cries among the trumpets Ha ha and he smelleth the battel afar off the thunder of the Captains and the shoutings THese four verses continue and compleat the description oâ— the goodly valiant War-horse in his second qualification of boldness and courage of which this Text gives as many proofs as can be imagined or expected Vers 22. He mocketh at fear And what greater argument of valour than that Fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spâ—rnit quod plenum est timoris Vataâ—l Contemnit omnia metuenda Elegans prosopopeia est qua tribuitur experti rationis animali quod hominis proprium est sc ridere arma the abstract is here put for the concrete he laughs at fear that is at those things which are most to be feared or which carry the greatest command of fear in them It is usual in Scripture to express things greatly to be feared by fear As things greatly ly hoped for are called our hope and things rejoyced in greatly are called our joy so things greatly to be feared are called our fear and in that sence above all God is called the fear of his people he is so much the object of fear that the Scripture calls him fear Jacob in his treating and contract with his Uncle Laban Gen. 31.53 Sware by the fear of his father Isaac that is he sware by God who alone hath this high honour to be sworn by in a sacred way To swear is a great part of divine worship and is sometime put for the whole of worship Jacob sware by the fear of Isaac that is by God who his father Isaac feared and in whose fear he walked all his dayes Thus spake the Prophet Isa 8.12 13. Sanctifie the Lord of Hosts in your hearts and let him be your fear which is quoted by the Apostle 1 Pet. 3.15 Now as God himself is called fear because he is so exceedingly to be feared so those things which carry in them much fear or which are much fâ—ared in Scripture sense and eloquence are called fear He scorneth or mocketh at fear Those things which make others tremble he as it were makes a sport at and plays with them So the words are an exposition of what was spoken at the close of the 21th ver He goeth on to meet the armies or the armed men who are much to be feared and dreaded In general whatsoever is or may be matter of fear that the horse mocks or laughs at that is he counts no more of it than we do of those things we laugh at Quae non curant hominis rident What men regard not care not for that they laugh at mock at We say of a valiant stout-hearted man he knows not what fear means When once a Noble person in great danger was admonished not to be afraid he laid his hand upon his breast and said Fear was never here yet and I hope shall never enter Thus the Horse is here represented as one into whose heaâ—t fear never entred he mocketh at fear And as it followeth is not affrighted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dejectus abjectus stratus metaphocè consternatus fuit mente jacuit The word which we render affrighted imports the greatest consternation of mind when the mind lyes as it were prostrate under utter dispondency breakings of spirit and discouragements Deut. 1.21 Neither any dreadful noise nor terrible sight neither the appearance nor the reallity of danger abate the spirit or prowess of the Horse He is not affrighted Hence Note Danger is the element of courage We see it in the Horse and it is much more seen in couragious men You can no more cast down true courage by representing dangers than you can drown a fish by casting it into the water it is in its element It was the speech of that great Alexander being in a most hazardous undertaking Now I see a danger sutable to my mind Jam video animo meo par periculum a match for my courage The Horse mocketh at fear Note Secondly That which is not feared is usually derided It is so with beasts and it is so with men and what more usual with some men than to mock most at those things which they should be most afraid of As there is a nobleness of courage in some men which makes a mock of fear so besides that there is a baseness of spirit a stupidness in other men that make a mock at fear Such was the spirit of Lots Sons-in-law Gen. 19.14 who when Lot reported to them the most dreadful thing that ever was in the world a shower of fire and brimstone ready to fall down from heaven upon the whole City to consume it He was to them as one that mocked the meaning is his Sons-in-law mocked at what he reported they laugh'd at his admonition Such a kind of mocking at fear we read in those hardned and debauched spirits among the ten Tribes when that good King sent and admonished them to return to the true worship of God and laid before them those dreadful judgments that would surely overtake them if they did not 2 Chron. 30.10 They laughed to scorn the messengers and mockt them As if they had said What do you tell us of the wrath of God and of his judgments if we persist in our way and course we scorn your admonition we regard not your threatnings The character given of that people 2 Chron. 36.16 when wrath was breaking out upon them without remedy was this They mockt the messengers of God and despised his words To such mockers at fear I might take occasion to say as the Prophet in a like case Isa 28.22 Be ye not mockers least your bands be made strong There are some fears that it is our honour to mock
the horse either to start or turn he flincheth not nor draweth he back at the ratling of the quiver The quiver ratleth against him There is a twofold interpretation of these words arising from the ambiguity of the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by us rendred against which others translate by super upon conceiving that here mention is made of those weapons which the horse with his Rider bear Pharâ—trae à sessore suo gestatae fragrore non terretur Bez. as if the meaning were The quivers which Archers on horse back carry at their sadles or by their sides ratle upon him But most as our translation hath it render that preposition by against and so understand the whole verse of those armes which the enemy or contrary party use in conflict And that this is the better and more proper exposition is clear from the series and tendency of the words for here the valour and generosity of the horse is painted to the life towards which the mention of those arms which the horse himself or the horse-man managing him beareth doth not contribute the least line or shadow but the mention of those ratling armes or of the ratling of those armes which the adverse party bear and brandish against him tends to a notable demonstration of his courage 'T is a great evidence of a horses boldness to rush upon or charge an enemy whose armes ratle against him and who holds out weapons purposely fitted to wound kill and slay all that come near him So that what is said ver 21. He goeth on to meet the armed men and ver 22. He mocketh at fear neither turneth he back from the sword is here further illustrated and heightned by recounting several other deadly weapons of which the horse is as dreadless When the horse moves much the quiver ratles so also do both spears and shields as it followeth in the Text. The glittering spear and the shield Well furbisht spears and shields glitter or as the Hebrew hath it flame The heads points of spears being burnished brighten'd seem like burning fire or flames yet the horse is not moved by them We read of a flaming sword in a higher sense Gen. 3.24 as here of flaming spears and shields Now as the clashing and ratling of armes so the brightness of them is terrible but neither the one nor the other neither the ratling quiver nor the glittering spear and shield trouble the couragious horse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saepe lancea reditur Mr. Broughton translates not shield but javelin which is an offensive or missive weapon the word is rendred spear Josh 8.18 1 Sam. 174 5. as also at the 29th verse of the 41th Chapter of this Book These things laid together bring in or make up a fuller proof of the horses courage the quiver ratleth against him the spear and shield ratle too yet he is not discouraged Hence Note First The confused noise of weapons in war wounds the ear and the heart or the heart at the ear as well as the sharpness of their point or edge wounds the flesh It is matter of amazement to hear the sounding the rattling the clashing of armes and other dreadful noises that the field is filled with in a day of battle Isa 9.5 Every battle of the warrior is with confused noise and 't is much that the confusion of the noise doth not make a confusion in the spirits of those that are ingag'd in battle Note Secondly Not to be terrified with noises and dreadful sounds shews strength and stoutness of spirit It is a piece of valour in the horse not to be troubled with or at the ratling of the quiver The Lord to shew that he would totally take away the spirit of courage from his own people for their sins who had been so valiant to sin against him and would run upon sin notwithstanding the ratling of his quiver his threatnings denounced against them telleth them Levit. 26.36 I will carry you into the land of your enemies What then And saith he upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the land of their enemies and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them Now as it shews an extream cowardize and faintness of spirit to shake and run at the shaking of a leaf so to stand firm to keep our ground and not be moved when there is such a noise and clattering as even shakes the earth and confounds all the elements as it were this shews a mighty courage Vers 24. He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage c. Absorbet torram poetica locutio sic vorare viam vorare literas Drus Helluones librorum Still the expressions rise higher and higher the courage of the horse transports him so far that he even swalloweth the ground We say of some hard and great students they swallow up books they make no bones of great books So here to shew the mighty courage and fierceness of the horse he is represented as if he would eat up or swallow the very ground he treads on Yet many Expositors are not satisfied that the Hebrew word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be rendred to swallow and therefore they translate He diggeth the earth with fierceness and rage and expound it of his making holes in the ground by pawing in the valley spoken of verse 21. Master Broughton gives it thus With snaking and stirring he beateth upon the earth The Chaldee Paraphrase saith â—acit foveam in terra Tharg Fodit Pagn He makes a hole in the earth The authority of the Chaldee saith Bootius gives credit to this exposition and strengthens it because it shews that the word in the Syriack tongue many of which are used in this book of Job may well signifie to dig or make a hole seeing from this Verbe a Noune is derived which in that language signifies a hole or pit And if we take this interpretation saith he the words would not be a bare much less a needless repetition of what was said ver 21. He paweth in the valley For though according to this reading the Text in both places speaks of hollowing the earth yet we may give this difference the former being to be understood of those lighter touches which wanton lusty horses with one foot give the earth but this latter of great and deep impressions which they make in the earth with all their feet while heated with a desire to charge the enemy they are restrained and held in till the signal be given Secondly Others laying a side the metaphorical sense of the word swalloweth expound it properly of his biting or gnawing the earth A generous horse Morsu terram absorbere videtur to shew how he would eat up the enemy when he comes at him before he comes at him doth not only paw in the earth with his foot but gnaws the earth with his teeth as if he would
swallow it up And to swallow up a thing imports in all languages at least a supposed or conceited easiness of doing it We speaking proverbially use to say we could do such or such a thing as easily as we can eat or drink The horse when he cannot come presently to wreek his rage upon the enemy doth it upon the earth in gnawing of which he seems to tell his enemies that he will tear their flesh and gnaw their bones as soon as he can come at them And I find one who by earth in this place understands men as all are made of earth but though it may bear a tolerable sense to say that a hoâ—se in his fierceness and rage would even eat or swallow up the enemy yet to expound the earth by the enemy exceeds saith a learned Author all absurdity But Thirdly I rather conceive as some of the Rabbins and not a few of our Modern Writers do that by swallowing the earth with fierceness and rage we are to understand only the swiftness of his course or motion when once he hath but the reins let loose to the battle he will run as if he would swallow the ground and that shews his courage too We say of a man that runs with speed Absorbere terram dicitur phrasi Hebraea velocissimè currere Bold he doth not feel the ground The horse is in such extream hast to be gone and to be at the battle that he runs as if he neither felt nor left any earth under him This interpretation is strongly contended for by learned Bochartus in opposition to the former and illustrated by many ancient testimonies concerning the fierceness and swiftness of the horse which the Reader may consult if he please He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage Hence note In strong and outragious passions we think we can do impossibilities Even eat up the earth and swallow the ground Neither believeth he it is the sound of the trumpet A verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere aut fidelem esse Beasts have some kind of faith they do somewhat which looks like believing The Oâ—iginal word signifieth the proper work of faith But how can the horse be said either to believe or not to believe I shall give two interpretations of the words in answer to this question First thus He believes not that it is the sound of the Trumpet that is whereas it might be thought that the sound of the trumpet should terrifie him he regards it no more than a man doth that which he doth not believe he cares not for it he is not at all troubled at it Thus our old English Translation hath it He regardeth not the noise of the trumpets Secondly thus He believes not that it is the sound of the trumpet that is he hath so great a mind to the battel that when the trumpet sounds indeed to the battel he doubts it is not so 't is too good news to be true he scarce believes his own ears or he desireth the battel so much that he believes the signal of it very little and fears it is not so but some false alarm This is a good and probable interpretation it being usual among men from whom in proportion to beasts especially to gallant horses this affection may be transferred hardly at first to believe or give credit to those things which they extreamly desire and wish yea long for In this sense it may well be said of the Horse He believes not that it is the sound of the trumpet Hence note That which is much desired is in some cases hardly believed 'T is usually said We easily believe that which we would or desire to have yet sometimes we hardly believe that which we would have that is when we hear 't is so we are full of fears and doubts that the thing is not so we are afraid that we shall not obtain so wished and longed for an enjoyment and do therefore not only question the reports of others concerning it as Jacob did the report of his other sons concerning the life and high advancement of his son Joseph in Egypt Gen. 45.26 for as soon as he heard it the Text saith His heart fainted for he believed them not Now not only do some I say in such cases hardly believe the reports of others but even that which our own eyes behold It is said of the disciples of Christ when he appeared to them after his Resurrection and shewed them his hands and his feet Luke 21.41 They believed not for joy they were so glad of the thing they could not believe their own eyes In which sense we are to understand that of Job at the 24th verse of the 29th Chapter If I laughâ—â— on them they believed it not When the Angel told Abraham in the Tent Gen 18.10 I will certainly return to thee according to the time of life and loe Sarah thy wife shall have a son Sarah over-hearing this good news Laughed within her self vers 12. Though it pleased her exceedingly that she should have a son yet she laughed also in unbelief and was therefore reproved vers 15. If she had laught as Abraham did at the day of Christ who saw Christs day and rejoyced John 8.56 that is he laughed in faith in assurance that it would come but Sarah laughed as doubting sure this will never be though might she have had her wish she would of all things in the world have desired and wished a son Once more Acts 12.15 when Peter was in prison and prayer made by the Church night and day doubtless they prayed in faith for his delivery yet when Peter was delivered and knockt at the door they said to the Maid who told them it was Peter Thou art mad vers 15. They could not believe it was so while they heard it was so and had been earnestly praying it might be so The valiant horse desires nothing more than an engagement in battel but believes not it is the sound of the trumpet Thus of the second exposition of these words Neither bâ—lâ—eveth he that it is the sound of the Trumpet Yet some conceive that though it be true that generous and brave horses are not only not affrighted at the sound of the trumpet but rather rejoyce in their kind at it as is said expresly in the next verse yet it cannot be conveniently said that he hath so great a joy as to produce this dis-belief For so to rejoyce as to be in a manner overcome with joy not to give credit to our eyes and ears never happens but as in extreamly great and extraordinary joys so in unaccustomed and unexpected joys which surely cannot well be affirmed of that joy which horses are taken with at the sound of a trumpet signalizing a battel to ensue And therefore because it avoids this difficulty I shall rather adhere to them who render the words thus Neither doth he stand still or keep his ground when the trumpet soundeth
Neque consistit firmus cum sonus tubae editur Jun. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Mr. Broughton renders expresly Neither stands he still when the sound of the trumpet is heard This interpretation suits best with the scope of the place nor doth the force of the Hebrew Verb oppose it for the Adjective which comes from the Participle of it is often used to signifie firm stable sure durable yea and the Verb it self is often taken in that sense Psal 78.37 They were not stedfast or stood not fast in his covenant So Deut. 28.59 the Lord threatned Plagues of long continuance that is standing Plagues or such as should hold long and not stir from the place Thus also it is said Exod. 17.12 The hands of Moses were steady until the going down of the Sun The same word doth elegantly signifie both to believe and to be steady or stand fast seeing it is faith or believing in God which alone makes us steady or stand fast in all occasions or temptations to the contrary and therefore in this place we may most conveniently render He standeth not firm he stands not still or keeps not his place at the sound of the trumpet but is unquiet and in motion as having an ardent desire to be in the battel as soon as ever he hears the trumpet sound Stare loco nescit Virg. One of the ancient Poets expresseth this quality of a valiant horse almost in the same words and altogether to the same sense He knows not how to keep his place or he cannot as we say for his heart stand still So that as the eagerness of the horse for the battel even before the signal given is set forth in those words vers 21. He paweth in the valley and in the former part of this verse where 't is said He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage so the same height of spirit after the signal given is further expressed in these words thus translated He standeth not still no ground will hold him he will be gone if he can get head when once he hears the sound of the trumpet Hence note What we have much mind to do we are glad of an opportunity to do it and readily embrace it The Apostle saith of the old Patriarks Heb. 11.15 Truly if they had been mindful of that is if they had had a mind to that Country from whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have returned Now as a man will not do that for which he hath an opportunity when he hath no mind to it so if a man hath a mind to do any thing how soon doth he make use of the very first opportunity to do it And doubtless it was a great trouble to the Philippians who had a true desire to shew their care of and love to the Apostle Paul that they lacked opportunity to shew it and give a real proof of it Phil. 4.10 As opportunity is a gale to carry us on to action so a willing mind is a gale to carry us to the improvement of any offered opportunity for action Let us do good saith the Apostle Gal. 6.10 as we have opportunity He that is slack to do good when he hath a fair gale of opportunity to it declares plainly that his mind is becalmed and that he hath not the least breath or gale of willingness in his mind to do good It is our duty not only to accept an opportunity to do good when it falls tight in our way but even to step out of our way so it be in a good way to seek it Davids enemies sought occasion and so did Daniels Chap. 6. to do him a mischief and shall not we seek occasions to shew mercy c. Let us like the horse in the Text no sooner hear the sound of the Trumpet a lawful call to any duty for which we have also an open door but as he rejoyce in it stand still no longer with a dull shall we shall we in our mouths but be gone up and be doing Vers 25. He saith among the trumpets ha ha and he smelleth the battel afar off the thunder of the Captains and the shouting This verse seems to give a reason of what was last said in the former especially according to the latter Translation of it As if it had been said Therefore the generous horse cannot stand still but is impatient of every moments delay when he hears the trumpet sound because he is not only not astonished at it but rejoyceth wishing for nothing more than the battel of which he knows the sounding of the trumpet to be a signal He saith among the trumpets Ha ha Some render these words not barely as we among the trumpets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Quando tubarum clangor validus intenditur vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constat praepositione Beth particula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae non est tantum adjectitia Euphonica sed copiam etiam significat Codurc but thus At the full sound of the trumpet or When the trumpet hath sounded long and sufficiently then he saith Ha ha Reading the words thus we may connect them with the latter part of the former verse Neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet that is when the trumpet begins to sound he doubts whether it be to the battel or no but when the trumpet sounds long when the sufficiency of the trumpet sounds or when it sounds sufficiently so that it manifestly appears the battel is nigh or at hand then he saith Ha ha That the word de in Bede is significative and imports sufficiency is the opinion of many interpreters and that it is of the same sense in this Text as in that Isa 40.16 Lebanon is not sufficient to burn nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering Thus here at the sufficiency of the trumpet that is when the trumpet sounds sufficiently abundantly or clearly or as our old English translation hath it when the trumpets make most noise he saith ha ha There are others of note who judge that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de is only a syllabical addition of no signification or adding nothing to the Preposition ב Be Ad tubae soninitum Trem. Inter buccinas Pag. and so render the words only thus At the sound of the trumpet or as we Among the trumpets he saith ha ha And that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De is only expletive not significative and so that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bede is no more than the Preposition ב Be put alone some would confirm by other Texts of Scripture where it is conceived to be so used Hab. 2.13 Behold is it not of the Lord that the people shall labour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the fire and the people shall weary themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for vanity Arnold Boot Animad Sac. l. 3. c. 11. These words are sound also Jer. 51.58 in both which saith
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
translation with most others take the Hebrew word as an Adverb of place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet some conclude it to be an Adverb of time So 't is used Isa 25.1 where the Prophet be speaks the Lord thus Thy counsels of old that is those counsels which thou O Lord hast had a long time ago or long before time are faithfulness and truth We also render the word by long ago 1 King 19.25 But it may be objected Though the word in those places notes time yet it cannot do so in this place of Job for in those places alleadged it signifies a vast space of time before whereas here in Job if it denotes time it is but a very short space of time no more than the space of time between giving the signal of a battel by sound of trumpet and the joyning of the battel To this the answer is That this Hebrew word may be applied to a short space of time as well as to a long one seeing both the Greek and Latine words set in the Margin of the same signification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Olim. are used to note sometimes a very long and sometimes but a short space of time Now according to this sense of the word this latter clause of the verse is thus translated He smelleth or perceiveth the battel is neer at hand or will shortly be Which gives a very fair meaning of the Text if that word which all grant signifies time as well as place doth also signifie a short as well as a long space of time for then the verse runs clearly thus At the full sound of the trumpet he saith Ha ha smelling or perceiving that the battel is at hand I leave this to the Readers judgement Our own translation is an undoubted truth both as to the signification of the word and the experiences of the thing A Gallant horse trained up and accustomed to War when he sees much stirring in an Army and hears the trumpets sounding perceives a battel will be though the armies be possibly a good distance of ground one from the other Thus he smells the battel afar off especially when he hears that which follows in the close of the verse The thunder of the Captains and the shouting This is musick to him Here are two other antecedents of a battle which the horse takes notice of First The thunder of the Captains or Princes that is of the great Commanders and Generals of the field who when they give out the word they give it with a loud voice they thunder it out 'T is no time to whisper when armies are ready to joyn battle and therefore Commanders lift up their voices like trumpets or like thunder out of the clouds that the Souldiers may hear them And when Captains or Generals give exhortation to the Souldiers they thunder out arguments to encourage them and fire their spirits to the battle The horse doth as it were hear this thunder oh it pleases him when the military oration is made and the Captain-general gives order for the battle And the shouting What 's that Surely the acclamation of the whole army when the Captain Confusus clamor exercitus Praeparantis se ad praelium â—â—quin or Commander in chief hath made his military Oration then usually the Souldiers shout and make an acclamation in token of their willingness to fight and readiness for the battle Thus the horse smells the battle afar off the thunder of the Captains and the shouting The whole verse may be read in this form At the sufficient sound of the trumpet and the exhortation of the Captains together with the acclamations of the Souldiers he saith Ah ha or rejoyceth perceiving that the battle though the armies be not yet joyned but keep their ground at a distance is at hand or will suddainly be Having opened this whole context concerning the horse and given several observations from the parts of it I shall for the close of all shew how aptly this description of the horse represents or is applicable unto two very different sorts of men First The Horse as here described is the embleme of a bold and hardened sinner The Spirit of God speaks this expressly Jer. 8.6 I harkened and heard saith the Lord but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickedness saying what have I done every one turned to his course what course his sinful course how as the horse rusheth into the battle as the horse mocks at fear and will not turn back from the sword As the horse will not be affrighted at the ratling of the quiver nor at the shaking of the spear so hardened sinners rush on though you tell them there 's deadly danger in it and that the Sword of the Word points directly at them and will cut them off Yea they will not turn back though the Lord should brandish a flaming sword as he did against Adam to keep him from the tree of life so to keep them from the tree of death they will for all this rush on as the horse to the battle The wicked man is thus described in one place of this book of Job Chap. 15.25 26. where Eliphaz saith of him He stretcheth out his hand against God here 's war with God and strengthens himself against the Almighty that is draws all his forces together and what then just as the horse in the Text He runs upon the thick bosses of his buckler even upon his neck A wicked man like the horse runs upon God even upon the thick bosses of his buckler The Lord is there represented by Eliphaz as holding out a buckler against the sinner what 's that the Law his Word of command that 's Gods buckler and this buckler hath thick bosses and sharp points especially in the middle a great boss with a pike such are all divine threatnings yet the sinner runs as a horse upon these thick bosses of Gods buckler his severest threatnings Thus the horse and a bold sinner are alike Secondly The horse is also the embleme of a bold Saint or of a faithful servant of God Such specially were all the holy Martyrs St. Austine A chief among the Ancients saith expressly that in the Horse the Martyr may be seen whom none account valiant but God himself and they who are born of God I may Parallel a holy Martyr and the Horse in every particular mentioned in this context First As the horse is said to receive his strength from God hast thou given strength to the horse so it was God who gave strength to the Martyrs to stand it out in the day of battle Secondly As God gives courage to the horse so it was God that gave courage to the Martyrs and such courage he hath sometimes given as hath made poor weak women as strong and couragious as the horse in the Text Persecuters could not make the old martyrs run like Grashoppers they have even mocked at fear and would not turn back from
the face of the sword drawn out against them no ratling of the quiver nor clashing of weapons could terrifie them they have not been affrighted with Lions Bears Tygers ready to devour them they have not been affrighted with the fiery furnace nor with the most exquisite torments that the wit or malice of man could invent Jesus Christ having instructed the Church his Spouse Cant. 1.8 what to do he at the 9th verse commends the Church in two things First For her courage Secondly For her beauty For her courage first at the 9th ver and in that respect he compares her to a Company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots But why doth he compare the Church to a Company of horses in Pharaohs Chariots I answer it is well known that the Kings of Egypt were called Pharaoh and Egypt was very famous for horses of war therefore Christ makes this comparison to shew that the Church bâ—ing directed to keep close to the shepheards tents must expect that the world or the false Church would vex and persecute her but faith Christ my spouse is like a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots that is she will be as valiant in this war in standing for the truth against all false doctrine idolatrous worship as the most valiant horses that ever were in Egypt or in any part of the world have been in any day of battle Experience we know hath made this good for the true Spouse of Christ though poor comtemptible and weak though women and even but children though helpless sheep and tender lambs yet in battles of suffering for Christ they have become as mighty as the mightiest war-horses they have withstood all the powers of the world undauntedly and made them admire their courage yea vexed and madded them with their courage Who but the Lord could arm his people with spiritual weapons with power and courage to overcome all their enemies or to over-overcome them as the word is Rom. 8.37 which we render more than conquerors over what over sword and nakedness and perils and danger and death we more then overcome all these saith the Apostle there though we are killed all the day long and counted as sheep for the slaughter as he speaks at the 36th verse And hence the Prophet said Zach. 10.3 5. that though the Church there called the house of Judah be weak like a flock yet the Lord makes them as his goodly horse in the battle Our late Annotators give the sense of the Prophet in those words expressly thus Now that the Lord hath turned his favourable countenance towards his people he hath endowed them with valour and strength so that of sheep they are become a great war-horse with which the Lord will overcome and trample down his enemies which may in part be understood of the Maccabeees victory but most perfectly of the whole Churches victories over the world and the devil This victory the Church obtains over the devil by resisting and over the world by suffering Thus far of the valiant horse The Lords discourse proceeds from this noble beast of the earth to those noble birds of the air the Hawk and the Eagle JOB Chap. 39. Vers 26 27 28 29. 26. Doth the Hawk flie by the wisdom and stretch out her wings towards the South 27. Doth the Eagle mount up at thy command and make her nest on high 28. She dwelleth and abideth on the rock upon the crag of the rock and the strong place 29. From thence she seeketh the prey and her eyes behold afar off 30. Her young ones also suck up blood and where the slain are there is she IN this context the Lord passeth from the beasts of the earth to give a further demonstration of his power and wisdom appering in the fowls of air and here we have two instances both in birds of pâ—ey The Hawk and the Eagle Job is first questioned about the Hawk in the 26th verse In which the Hawk is set forth two ways First In general by her flying Doth the Hawk flie by thy wisdom Secondly in special by the course of her flight and stretch forth her wings toward the South Secondly Job is questioned about the Eagle concerning which Queen among birds fix things are here expressly set forth or distinctly expressed First Her high flying or mounting upwards in the former part of the 27th verse Doth the Eagle mount up at thy command Secondly Her high nesting or making her nest on high in the latter part of the same verse doth she at thy command make her nest on high Thirdly She is here discribed by the choise of her abode dwelling or habitation ver 28. she dwelleth and abideth on the rock on the crag of the rock and in the strong place Fourthly We have here the sharpness of the Eagles appetite and her quick endeavour to get food for the satisfying of it in the former part of the 29th verse When she is abiding upon the rock upon the crag of the rock and in her strong place from thence she seeks her prey she is not idle there Fifthly She is described by the sharpness of her sight in the latter part of the 29th verse her eyes behold afar off As if the Lord had said though she dwells thus high upon the rock and the crag of the rock yet this doth not hinder her in the pursuit of her prey for her eyes behold afar off Sixthly and Lastly We have here the matter or nature of her own food and diet together with the food of her young ones We have here as I may say a Bill of the Eagles fare ver 30. it is blood and the flesh of the slain Her young ones suck up blood and where the slain are there is she That 's her chief food and diet the flesh and blood of the slain These are the particulars which the spirit of God layeth down in the descriptions boâ—h of the Hawk and Eagle From the whole I shall give only this general note as to the Lords purpose in speaking of these birds of prey the Hawk and the Eagle rather than of the Dove or of any other fowl of a more harmless nature I say the Lord doth this to shew that seeing his providence disposeth of and watcheth over these fowls of the air which are so able to shift for themselves and are in their kind so little useful to man then surely he will not neglect man nor any creature that is of necessary use to man Vers 26. Doth the Hawk flie by thy wisdom The word rendred Hawk comes from a root which signifies a feather or plume of feathers because feathers are the instruments by which the Hawk flyeth The same word signifies also to fly the Hawk being a fowl of such an excellent flight may well be exprest by a word which properly signifies flying The Hawk is numbred among the unclean birds in the Law of Moses which the Jews might not eat of Levit. 11.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
them Jer. 2.34 In thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents That which is in a mans skirts is easily seen and hence the Lord adds I have not found it by secret search or as the Margin hath it by digging that 's the force of the word it notes a diligent search or seeking the Eagle seeks as if she were a digging for Her prey What is her prey The Eagle hath a strong stomack and the word here used signifies any thing eatable Naturalists say she feeds upon fowls of the air the Dove c. she feeds also upon Sheep Lambs Hares and 't is said she hath a great mind to Hares they being not only meat but medicine to her Naturalists tell us also that the Eagle feeds upon fish and that in her flight she can discern the fish in the Sea and some tells us that she loves shell-fish the Crab-fish especially very much this is her prey from thence she seeks her prey whither moving in the air or upon the land or in the water she seeks her prey where-ever 't is to be had and she will have it if it be to be had above ground yea if it be to be had in the water Hence note Hunger makes active We say hunger breaks thorough stone-walls or strong-holds Whither will not the Eagle dig to satisfie her appetite I need not stay upon the general truth I would only adde this it is certainly so in spirituals Soul hunger our hunger after righteousness will make us active Those Eagles the Saints having a strong appetite to the things of God will dig for their satisfaction they will seek after food for their souls till they are satisfied Sometimes possibly there is a glut of food and then they will scarcely look after it but if once they are pinched with famine then they look after food That of the Prophet Amos 8.11 answers this of the Text I saith the Lord will send a famine among you not a famine of bread but of hearing the Word of the Lord. And what then Why then they shall wander from sea to sea and from the North even to the East they shall run to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord and shall not find it The Eagle here seeks her prey gets it but they shall seek the Word of the Lord and not have it because they were unthankful for it and unprofitable under it when they had it 'T is a sad hunger to be pincht with the want of the word which is spiritual food but that 's a blessed hunger which is not from want of but from a true and strong desire after the Word or spiritual food True believers abiding in a right frame have a great desire and hunger after spiritual food even when there is greatest plenty of it when there is as we say a glut of it they are not glutted with it the more they are satisfied with it the more they would have of it their appetites and satisfaction are interchangable they are hungry yet satisfied they are satisfied yet hungry and therefore they are always seeking their spiritual prey It is a sore judgment when they that have had much of this spiritual food and have not had a hunger after it are cut short and deprived of it The Lord often lets those hunger after it in want who have not hungred after it in enjoyment As the Eagle hath an eager appetite a sharp stomack so an excellent eye a sharp sight as it followeth Her eyes behold afar off To behold or see is the work of the eye and to behold afar off is the excellency of the eye in that work The Eagle seeks after her prey and her eyes behold afar off Some render which her eyes behold afar off that 's a good reading the conjunctive particle and is not in the Original Text and therefore we may supply it by the relative which as well as by the conjunction and Naturalists tell us that the Eagle hath so sharp a sight that when she is mounted quite out of our sight out of the sight of any man and is as it were in the clouds that even then she doth perfectly behold her prey and that is afar off indeed even at that distance she beholds the Hare in the bush and the fish in the water There are almost incredible things related as to the accuteness of the Eagles sight and the reason given by some of her quicksightedness is this in nature because her eye lieth very deep in her head and so hath a great advantage in seeing the light being the more compassed by and the rayes the more strongly gathered into her eye I shall not discuss the validity of this reason all agreeing in the thing that the Eagle sees very exactly and afar off And as she hath a very clear so a very strong sight so strong that she can steadily behold the Sun shining in its strength as it was toucht before those beams which blind us and oppress our eyes are pleasing to hers It hath been a torture which some Tyrants have used to hold open a mans eye directly to the Sun-beams and so blind him and quite extinguish the sight of his eye Now that which blinds us and puts out our eyes is pleasant delightful and as some express it healing and refreshing to the eyes of the Eagle and hence 't is said of her that she tries her young ones whether they be of a right breed or no in this manner she holds them up to the Sun and if they can bear the beams of the Sun with open eyes Phaebaea dubios explorat lampede fatus Silius Ital. they are right otherwise spurious The Eagle is so sharp-sighted that An Eagles eye is the proverb for a sharp sight Her eyes behold afar off Not in the sense we find the phrase used Psal 138.6 where it is said Though the Lord be high yet hath he respect unto the lowly but the proud he knoweth afar off that is he regards them not We put a word of that significancy in the Meeter He contemning knows them afar off that is as persons that he cannot abide to have near him The proud and lowly are alike near in place to God yet not in respect But of that only by the way The Eagles beholding things afar off is not I say like the Lords beholding persons afar off those things which are afar off in place from the Eagle she sees them as if they were at hand Thus she beholdeth afar off Hence Observe God hath given more excellent senses to some sensitive creatures than to others of that kind yea than to those of a higher kind the rational Not only doth the Eagle exceed other fowls of the air but all the men on earth in eye-sight And as an Eagle hath a natural eye-sight beyond man so a godly man hath a spiritual eye-sight beyond all other men the eye-sight of faith by which he sees not only
fault There must be a fault found else we cannot justly reprove Qui vult Deum arsuere aut cum Deo disputare respondeat ad unum aliquod eorum quae in medium attuliâ— Drus and a fault being found we may justly rebuke the fault So then to reprove God implies a finding of a fault with Gods works and then a kind of rebuking God for that fault and if all this be in a reproof rhen to reprove God for any of his works is a daring work indeed I grant the word rendred reprove may be taken in a milder sence He that argueth or pleadeth with God Our reading hightens the sense of the Hebrew word or takes it in the highest sense he that reproveth God Let him answer it That is First Let him answer the former question whether he be able to instruct God or no or according to the other reading whether he doth not deserve punishment for contending with God Secondly Let him answer it that is let him answer all those questions proposed in the two former Chapters As if God had said Job thou hast reproved my works yet canst not answer my questions So Master Broughton carrieth the sense Let the reprover saith he of the puissant speak to any one of these things Thirdly Let him answer it that is let him answer for so doing let him bear his punishment There is a two-fold answering First A Logical answering Secondly A Forinsecal answering Or there is an answer in Schools and an answer in Courts And answer in Logick is made three ways First By denying Secondly By granting Thirdly By distinguishing or limmitting the proposition and matter proposed Logicians in Schools answer by denying or by granting or by distinguishing The distinguisher grants somewhat and denies the rest An answer in Law if the matter be criminal is made by pleading guilty or not guilty to the Inditement If the matter be civil to answer is to shew our right to take off the charge or defend our title There is also an answering in Law by submitting and that two ways First By submitting to the mercy of the Court. Secondly To the penalty of the Law Now when the Lord saith in the Text Let him answer it I conceive we may take it not only in a Logical sense let him answer it if he can by reasoning but in a Court sense let him answer it by bearing the penalty of his rashness and folly as we say to one that hath wrong'd us It shall cost you dear you shall answer it I conceive as was said we may understand it here both ways Let him that reproves God answer it either as a disputant in Schools or as a defendant in Courts of Law and if he cannot answer it as a Logician by giving a reason for what he hath done he shall certainly answer it in Court by undergoing the penalty of the Law for what he hath done Some translate thus He that argues with or reproves God ought to answer it that is he must not think it enough to put in a charge or to give a reproof but he must make it good He that reproveth a man ought to give a ground of his reproof how much more he that reproveth God! The Text concludes it should be so yea that it shall be so He that reproveth God let him answer it Hence note First 'T is dangerous 't is at our peril to find fault with what God doth He that doth so must and shall answer it there 's no avoiding it There are two sorts of reproving which are our duty First The reproving of other men when we have an opportunity and a call Levit. 19.17 Gal. 6.1 As all they who reprove God shall answer it so many shall answer it because they have not reproved men Secondly It is a duty to reprove our selves and a great point of wisdom to see what is reproveable in our selves Many are quick-sighted at finding faults in others but very blind as to finding out their own I may adde it is both a great duty and a sign of much grace meekly to take and receive a reproof from others Now as it is our duty to take a reproof from others when we have failed and to see our own faults and reprove our selves for them as also wisely to reprove others for the faults we see in them so it is our sin danger and peril to reprove God in whom there is no fault nor can be And if any say we never had a thought of reproving God know if you find fault with the works of God you reprove God to find fault with what God hath done to you or your relations is to reprove God and this you must answer or answer for it Nemo in officina audet reprehendere fabrum audet homo in hoc mundo reprehendere Deum August in Psal 145. Will a Master in any Art endure that an ignorant person should find fault with his work how then will the Lord take it if men shall come into his great shop the world and find fault with this and that and the other work of his There is no temptation that Satan our great enemy doth more follow us with than this even to make us find fault with the works of God There are these two things about which Satan labours much First to keep us from finding out the faults of our own works which are almost nothing else but faults Satan would perswade us that we have done all well when we have done that which is altogether evil or stark naught for the matter of it and how doth he hinder us from seeing our faults in the manner of our doing good works he would not suffer us to have the least suspicion that we may have done evilly while we have been doing good Secondly Satans great business is to put us upon finding faults where none are in Gods works Almost all the murmurings of the sons of men arise from this misconceit in man that there is somewhat amiss in the works of God towards them or that he hath not dealt well and wisely with them This false and blasphemous principle Satan would plant and water in the hearts of all men as he did to the overthrow of mankind in the heart of the first man This this is his work and he hath got a great victory over that soul who either sees not the faults of his own works or finds fault with the works of God Further these words Let him answer it may imply the Lords gentleness and mildness in speaking to Job The Lord doth not thunder against him but saith come let me see what you can answer let me hear what you can say in favour of your self either to shew the equity of what you have said in reproving me or any iniquity in what I have done in afflicting you I give you free leave to speak for your self Some insist much upon this sense and it may yield us this note God is very
gracious in condescending to man He is willing we should answer for our selves and do our best to clear our selves when we have done our works amiss or have spoken amiss of his JOB Chap. 40. Vers 3 4 5. 3. Then Job answered the Lord and said 4. Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand upon my mouth 5. Once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further IN the former verse the Lord urged Job to answer He that reproveth God let him answer it Job being thus urged by the Lord to answer gave his answer and the answer which he gave was this in general That he could not answer Or we have here First An humble confession of his utter inability to answer Secondly His settled resolution not to answer His inability to answer appears at the 4th verse Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand upon my mouth His resolution not to answer or only to give this for an answer That he could not answer is expressed in the 5th verse Once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further Jobs spirit it seems was much appaled by the Lords appearance to him and immediate parlee with him his understanding also was much puzzled yea non-plust with those many and intricate questions which God had put to him and therefore he submits at once acknowledging he had done amiss in his over-free discourses before and promising that he would run that course no more Vers 3. Then Job answered the Lord and said What he said by way of answer followeth Vers 4. Behold I am vile what shall I answer Behold Job doth not conceal nor cover but calls all eyes to the view of his own vileness Behold Let God behold let Angels behold let men behold what now I my self behold that I am vile The root of the word which we translate vile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et levem vilem ac contemptum esse significat signifies three things First To be light or of little weight and because light things are lightly esteemed therefore it signifies Secondly To be contemned or that which is contemptible and Thirdly Because light things and things contemptible are also vile things therefore as we translate it signifies vile As if Job had said I am light I have no substance no solidity in me I am but as chaff or as a feather I bear no weight I deserve no esteem no respect I am vile As the Hebrew word for honour and glory is derived from a root which signifies heaviness or weightiness whence the Apostles phrase in the Greek tongue 2 Cor. 4.17 which we translate an exceeding weight of glory Glory is such a weighty thing that we must have other manner of shoulders other manner of strength than now we have before we can be able to bear the weight of it Flesh and blood as it is unrefined or meerly natural would soon sink under that weight Now I say as glory and honour are exprest by a word which signifies weightiness so that which is vile and contemptible is exprest by a word that signifies lightness or to be light Thus saith Job Behold I am light or Behold I am vile There are two other translations of these words whereof the one refers to the speeches the other to the actions of Job First The old Latine translation saith thus Qui leviter loquutus sum respondere quid possum Vulg. I have spoken lightly how shall I answer thee Ours refers to his person I am light or I am vile that to his words I have spoken lightly To speak lightly or vainly is to be vain and light Some words have a great deal of weight in them words of truth words of soberness holy words gracious words are weighty words evil words impertinent words unprofitable words specially corrupt filthy sinful words are light words how many words soever of those sorts any man speaks they are all light words they have not a grain of goodness and therefore not a grain of weightiness in them That 's a good sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecce leviter feci Aquila Secondly One of the Greek translators renders Behold I have done or acted lightly There is lightness in our actions as well as in our speeches We say such a man is of a light that is of a vain carriage and we say of another he is a grave man or there is gravity in his carriage Thus some speak and act gravely or weightily others speak and act loosely lightly When Job saith Behold I am vile it may take in both I have spoken lightly I have done lightly and therefore I am light therefore I am vile or contemptible Cum nihil siâ— Sept. Yet further The greek Septuagint translates I am nothing they carry the sense to the lowest and least imaginable There is nothing less than nothing How shall I answer thee seeing I am nothing All that I am is so light a thing that I am nothing at all that is nothing of worth nothing of value I am of so little validity that I have scarce any entity From all these readings we may fully gather up Jobs sense in this self-abasing confession Behold I am vile Lastly For the clearing of these words consider we are not to understand Job when he saith I am vile as speaking only with reference to his then present sad sorrowful deplorable condition sometimes such are accounted vile by men who are low and mean in the eye of the world Job did not count himself vile upon that consideration because stript of all his worldly greatness power and glory health and strength he did not call himself vile because of the present dispensation of God towards him but he called himself vile with respect to the common natural condition of mankind or as he was a sinful man though his providential condition had been never so good and prosperous Behold I am vile Hence observe First Man at his best estate is vile David saith he is even then altogether vanity Psal 39.5 and what is vile if that be not or what can be viler than that which is altogether vanity Man is vile First If we consider the matter of his body Was he not originally made of the dust and moulded out of the clay which we tread upon and trample undeâ— feet In which sense among others the Apostle Phil. 3.21 calls oâ—r body a vile body the materials of it being vile it iâ—â—â—so vile Secondly Man is very vile ch â—â—â—y vile through the sinfulness both of his nature and life Sin reâ—ders us vile indeed corruption makes us of no repâ—â—ation Thâ—ugh man as to the matter of his body might have bâ—en called vile iâ— the day of his creation yet he had never deserved that diminishing title if he had not sinned Sin hath degraded man and laid him low sin hath dishonoured
providence alone so here by the works of creation and providence too And this double instance is given in two great vast living creatures one of them the greatest upon the earth the other the greatest in the waters The first is Behemoth the vastest creature that breaths upon the earth who is described from the 15th vers of this Chapter to the end The second is Leviathan the vastest creature in the water who is described quite through the one and fortieth Chapter The Lord having spoken of many other creatures formerly in the forming and ordering of which his power and wisdom shine forth he reserved these two to close with that Job by the consideration of them might see what a poor thing himself was and how unable to grapple with the great God who made those great creatures for that is the general issue If God hath made such huge creatures as these then what a one is God! how mighty and powerful is God! what is the cause if the effects are such what is the fountain if we see such streams Such is the drift of God in this his last answer to Job and these are the parts of it We may sum up all in this brief here humane weakness and divine Power are compared together mans nothingness with Gods Allness or Alsufficiency that so man Job in special might be convinced and conclude that he could no more charge God with any fault than he was able to resist his power So then this whole oration or discourse tends to the confirmation of Job yet more in believing the irresistible providence of God which when he should well understand he would no more doubt of his justice nor accuse his judgements of severity nor would he any more desire to debate with God as he had done Nor can these things be pressed too often upon the holiest among men man being not only by nature altogether unbelieving but having so much unbelief mingled with his graces as sad experience teacheth him at all times especially in times of great affliction and temptation So much of the whole answer and the state of it now for the particulars Vers 6. Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said Then That is when Job said he could not or he would not answer or had no more to answer Then the Lord answered or to go a little further Then When Job had humbled himself and said he was vile even then the Lord answered him and he answered him out of the whirlwind Then the Lord answered Job Not so much to his speech as to his silence for Job resolved to say no more yet the Lord answered and the Lord answered him Out of the whirlwind At the first verse of the 38th Chapter we read of this whirlwind and of the Lord answering out of it What a whirlwind is was there opened and several points of observation given from it which I shall not now at all touch upon nor meddle with and yet though the words in this 6th verse of the 40. Chapter are the very same with those in the first verse of the 38th Chapter yet from their placing and their repeating here we may profitably take notice of some things for our instruction Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said The whirlwind being here spoken of a second time 't is questioned by some whether this were a whirlwind of greater force or of less than the former or the same The ground of the querie is from a little variation which is in the Hebrew Text. In the 38th Chapter an Article is prefixt to the word whirlwind which say some intends the sence noting it to be a very vehement whirlwind But in the 40 Chapter that article is left out upon which they collect That this latter whirlwind was not so fierce nor so vehement as the former But this is only a conjecture nor can any thing be solidly grounded upon such Grammatical differences yea some notwithstanding that defect of the Article conceive the whirlwind here in this Chapter was more vehement than that in the former Chapter But I shall not stay about that Querie nor discourse any thing concerning the nature of the whirlwind which was toucht before at the 38. Chapter but shall Observe First God hath terrible wayes of revealing himself as well as sweet and gentle wayes To speak out of a whirlwind is a dreadful manifestation The whirlwind and speaking out of it notes a legal dispensation or a ministration of terror such as the Law was published in of which we read in the 19th of Exodus which was so terrible saith the Apostle Heb. 12. that Moses himself said I exceedingly fear and quake The Lord hath his Mount Sinai dispensations in thunder and lightning and with a terrible voice and he hath also his Mount Sion dispensations in sweet and precious promises and Gospel-Ordinances he hath his beseechings his intreatings his wooings his invitings Divine dispensations vary 'T is said 1 King 1.6 in the History of Eliah that when the Lord appeared there was an Earth-quake and the Lord was not in the Earth-quake there was a mighty wind and the Lord was not in the wind there was fire and the Lord was not in the fire At last there came a still small voice and there the Lord was The Lord waved the dreadful manifestation of himself by winds tempest thunder fire Earth-quake and came only in a still voice The reason why the Lord doth thus variously dispense himself sometimes in a whirlwind sometimes in a gentle gale is to answer the several tempers and spirits of men where the spirits of men will not bow the Lord knows how to break and bring them down and where the spirits of men are already bowed and broken humbled and melted the Lord knows how to comfort and confirm them He will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax And when it is said He will not break the meaning is he will bind up and strengthen the bruised reed And when it is said he will not quench the meaning is he will blow up and kindle the smoaking flax that is weak believers or souls afflicted under the sense of their own weakness and sinfulness or sinful weaknesses ' As t is a great part of the wisdom of the Ministers of the word to divide the word aright that is to give every one a portion sutable to his condition they must speak to some as it were in a whirlwind in the whirlwind of the Law they must speak to others in a still voice that of the Gospel they must threaten and terrifie some comfort and refresh others So the Lord himself deals he hath many wayes of humbling the creature and as many wayes of comforting the creature he speaks in a whirlwind as I may say when he threatens in the Law he speaks dreadfully sometimes by his providences and judgements there 's a voice in them he speaks terribly to us in our
spare his Servants and Children when they sin he is no cockering Father he will correct his own Children he will not only sweep his house but he will shake his house and he shakes it because it is no better swept nor kept more cleanly And if for these and such like reasons we at any time see judgment beginning at the house of God we may say with astonishment What will the end of those be who obey not the Gospel What will become of the wicked and ungodly of those who openly prophane and blaspheme his Holy Name O what appearances shall they have of God and how shall they appear before God! We read in the 25th of Jeremy of a Bowl of blood given him to carry about to the Nations A terrible message he is sent about he carries a Cup of blood about and bids the Nations drink they must drink it and saith the Lord If they shall refuse to take the Cup at thy hand to drink then shalt thou say unto them thus saith the Lord of hosts ye shall certainly drink Why For lo I begin to bring evil upon the City which is called by My Name and shall ye be utterly unpunished As if the Lord had said I have brought evil upon Jerusalem upon my own people and they have drunk very deep of that bitter Cup and do you O ye uncircumcised nations think that you shall escape We may conclude the Lord hath a terrible storm to bring upon the wicked and ungodly of the world when we hear him speaking to his own people in whirlwinds Consider this ye that forget God as such are admonished Psal 50.22 lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver For our God shall come and shall not keep silence a fire shall devour before him and it shall be very tempestuous round about him as 't is said at the 3d verse of that Psalme And Then as 't is threatned Psal 2 5. shall he speak to them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure That speaking will indeed be speaking out of a whirlwind which shall hurry them away into everlasting darkness Thus far of the manner of Gods speaking to Job the second time It was still out of the whirlwind Now followeth the matter spoken or what he spake to him Vers 7. Gird up thy loins now like a man I will demand of thee and declare thou unto me I shall add but little about this verse because we have had it almost word for word Chap. 38.3 where the Lord thus bespake Job Gird up now thy loins like a man for I will demand of thee and answer thou me These words this second time spoken or repeated by God to Job fall under various apprehensions these four especially First Some look upon them meerly as a challenge sent of God Gird up now thy self like a man come stand to thy work or rather stand to thy word do thy best Secondly Others expound them as an irony or divine scorn put upon Job to humble him Come Gird up thy loinâ— like a man Don't flinch for it stand to it thou wilt surely make good the day with me Thirdly Many in a milder sense look upon these words meerly as Counsel given to Job as if the Lord had said I mean to deal further with thee Therefore come now prepare and address thy self to the business I give thee leave to make the best thou canst of thy cause Fourthly We may take these words Esto bono animo c. as spoken to Job for his Comfort and encouragement The Lord seeing him as it were sinking and refusing to speak saith to him be not troubled be of good chear man Gird up thy loins like a man As the words are taken for a challenge and under the notion of a scorn put upon Job I shall not stay upon them This phrase Gird up thy loins was opened at the 38th Chap. 't is a metaphor taken from Travellers or those that go about any business who wearing long garments used to gird them up that they might be more expeditious whether for labour or for travel Thus the words are matter of Counsel and encouragement given to Job and under that notion I shall Note two things from them First As they are words of counsel the Lord having further business with Job or more to do with him adviseth him to gird up his loins like a man Hence Observe When we have to do with God we should put out our selve to the uttermost To Gird up our loins like a man imports our best preparation and such preparation we need for every holy duty When we are to pray we had need gird up our loins like men for then we are to wrestle or strive with God we must work it out with God in the duty of prayer and if our garments hang loose that is our affections be upon the earth and our hearts in the corners of the world how can we prevail with God in prayer we must gird up our loins like men when we declare our desires and requests to God in prayer and expect that God should answer us The holy Prophet complained of the Jews failing in this Isa 64.7 There is none that calleth upon thy name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee Doubtless many called upon God in those days but they did not stir up themselves to take hold of God by faith and so their prayers went for no prayers And when we go to hear the word wherein God deals with us we had need gird up the loins of our minds else we cannot mind the word while we hear it nor remember much less practice the word which we have heard The Scripture often calls us to preparation for every duty What can discomposed persons loose-spirited persons loose-loin'd persons do with God or for God When we have any thing to do with God any thing to do for God we should do our best and be at our best we should play the men Master Broughton expresseth it well though not clear to the words in the Original Let me see thy skill or how skilfully thou canst handle the matter with me The Lord would have us shew our skill when we have any thing to do with him or to do for him we should then play the men and not the children much less should we play the fools be sloathful sluggish and careless Especially we should do this with respect to the appearing of Jesus Christ in the great day of our account Christ himself gives the rule Stand with your loyns girt and your lamps burning as those servants that wait for their Lords coming When Christ our Lord comes all must come before him but none shall be able to stand before him but they who stand with loyns girt that is who are ready and in that readiness wait for his coming Secondly Taking these words as words of encouragement Gird up thy loyns like a man Poor heart do not
faint Note When God intends and purposeth to humble his people most he would not have them despair in the least When God layes them in the dust he would not have them sink in despair but be of good cheer God loves to see his people humbled but he doth not love to see them dejected As God would have us sensible so comfortable Comfort ye comfort ye my people said the Lord Isa 40.1 when he saw they were ready to sink he commanded comfort to be spoken to them He gives Cordials and Restoratives when he is speaking out of a whirlwind and therefore he said to Job Gird up thy loyns like a man But however the Lord is either counselling or comforting Job in these words he checks and reproves him in the next Verse 8. Wilt thou also disanul my Judgement wilt thou condemn me that thou mayest be righteous These are words of reproof and a very great reproof they are Here the Lord begins to chide and expostulate with Job Wilt thou 'T is a quick kind of speech Irritum facere est simplex verbum contrarium verbo confirmandi aut natum firmumque aliquid faciendi such Questions have much spirit and life in them How now Job Wilt thou disanul my Judgement But what is meant by disanulling what by the Judgement that God saith Job was about to disanul To disanul is to make void to frustrate to break a thing so as it shall not stand in any stead or be of any force it is applied to the breaking of an Oath to the breaking of a Covenant and to the disappointment of counsels and purposes Read Num. 30.14 15. 1 Kings 15.19 Jer. 35.20 Psal 33.10 11. Isa 8.10 Thus saith the Lord Wilt thou disanul or make void my Judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ne repellas judicium meum Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Numquid repelles judicium meum Symach The Septuagint render it as a Negative Command Do not thou repel or resist my Judgement An ancient Greek Translator renders it as we by way of Question What wilt thou repel or oppose my Judgement The word is applied to great sinnings Ezra 9.13 And after all this that is come upon us c. seeing our God hath given us such deliverance as this should we again break thy Commandements c. But did Ezra think that after that they should no more break the Commandements Taking a breach of the Commandements barely for sinning he could not expresse it so therefore by breaking the Commandements he means disanulling the Commandements What is that 'T is so to break the Commandements as if we would rescind and repeal them There is such a kind of sinning as if men would not onely sin against the Law but sin the Law away or out of doors as if men would sin the Bible out of the world that 's the meaning of the word there If we shall again break thy Commandements for it followeth and joyn in affinity with the people of these abominations 'T is not breaking the Commandements by any sin but to sin so as if we would make them all void and reverse the statutes of heaven Thus the word is used by David Psal 119.126 An etiam mutabis judicium meum Targ. which doth much clear the sense of this Text Lord it is time for thee to work Why for they have made void thy law 'T is the same word here in Job They have disanulled thy law 'T is high time for God to awake to bestir himself and look to men when they come to this height of sinning to make void and disanul his Law by setting up their own lusts Some would even enact their own lusts and throw down the Law of God That 's the significancy of the word here used saith God to Job Wilt thou disanul my Judgement Wilt thou make it void or break the course of it Wilt thou change it and put or introduce somewhat of thine own in the room and place of it as some glosse the words Wilt thou disanul My judgement Judgement I conceive in this place is taken for that course of administration which God uses in the World whether with particular persons or with Nations As if the Lord had said Thinkest thou thy self not only able to comprehend the reason of all my administrations towards thy self or others but wilt thou also presume to subject them to thy will and wisdom as if thou couldst administer them with more equality and righteousness or to better purpose than I have done The course or way of Gods dispensation is Gods Judgement and 't is called his Judgement First Because it proceeds upon the highest reason upon the clearest acting of Judgement and understanding and in that sense 't is alwayes Judgement For God is a God of Judgement Isa 30.18 That is of the highest reason and understanding in all matters that he doth Secondly 'T is called Judgement because oftentimes these administrations are as a sentence pronounced and given out by God whether against particular persons or Kingdomes and so have Judgement in them that is wrath and punishment Judgement is often put for punishment In this sense we are to understand it here Wilt thou disanul my Judgement particularly with thy self I have taken this course with thee I have brought all these afflictions upon thee I have broken thy estate I have broken thy body I have broken thy spirit this is the course I have taken with thee wilt thou disanul this course that I have taken with thee surely thou shouldest not I know thou canst not So then the Lord expostulates thus with Job as if he would have crossed all his proceedings and dealings with him or would have rescinded as it were the sentence and decree of God concerning him Wouldest thou have me to change either the matter manner or measure of thy chastnings No my will not thine shall be the rule of them Wilt thou disanul my Judgement Now from this sense of the words Note First It is impossible to reverse rescind or disanul the Judgement of God The Lord speaks to Job as attempting a thing beyond himself or beyond his power What saith the Lord wilt thou disanul my judgement surely thou wilt not venture at that thou wilt not offer that 't is more than thou or any man can do The Lords judgement or the way which he will take with any man no man can supersede or stop no man can hinder him in it What the Lord determines what he gives forth it shall stand Balaam could say Numb 23.20 The Lord hath blessed and I cannot reverse it The judgement of the Lord at that time towards Israel was a Judgement or Sentence of favour and mercy therefore saith Balaam The Lord hath blessed and I cannot reverse it And if the Lord gives out a Sentence of affliction or commands a crosse upon any man who shall reverse it Psal 33.10 The Counsel of the Lord shall stand and the thoughts of
her wing is but a Snail to the Sun yet God can forbid the Suns motion Job 9.7 He commandeth the Sun and it riseth not That is if he send forth a prohibition to the Sun it will not stir forwards one foot till he takes off his prohibition and bids it fulfill its wonted course as in Joshua's dayes Chap. 10.12 and at his command it will go backward as in the dayes of Hezekiah 2 Kings 20.11 Further The Lords voice disanuls and makes void the commands of any creature Lam. 3.32 Who is he that saith it and it cometh to pass if the Lord have not commanded it They reckon as we say without their host who hope to carry on any work without Gods concurrence for he can gâ—ve a negative to all our affirmatives and make all our wheels either stand still or go backward Fourthly There is a thunder in the teaching voice of God His teaching voice is a very still voice yet 't is a very strong voice the soul falls down at the sound of it 'T is promised Isa 54.13 that we shall be all taught of God that is effectually taught so taught as to â—eceive instruction The teaching voice of God makes the ignorant knowing and the foolish wise The Lord said the Prophet Isa 8.11 spake unto me with a strong hand and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people There had need be a strong hand in the voice of that instruction which keeps us out of the common walks of the world Yet there is such a power in the teaching voice of God that like a thunder-bolt it over-throweth and so pulls down all the strong-holds of sin casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Thus God thunders against sin and batters sinners which is infinitely harder to do than to battel and level the walls of a City to the ground with thundering Cannon The weapons of our warfare for the conquest of souls to Christ are all laid up in and fetcht out of the Arcenal of the holy Scriptures or Word of God and O what work have they made in the world How many have fallen by submitting to them to their own salvation and how many more have fallen by resisting them to their own everlasting desruction Fifthly There is a mighty power in the reproving voice of God When God deals verbal rebukes to sinners as well as verberal he often makes their beauty to consume away like a moth Psal 39.11 The Lord professeth to all hardned sinners whose consciences now give them no reproofs and who presume God will give them none neither that he hath thundering reproofs ready for them Psal 50.21 I will reprove thee and set them that is thy sins in order before thine eyes O consider this as 't is advised in the next verse of the same Psalm ye that forget God lest he tear you in pieces with the thunder of his reproof Sixthly There is also a mighty power in the comforting voice of God O what a vertue is there in those secret whispers wherein God speaketh peace to his people Hosea 2.14 I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness and speak comfortably unto her or to her heart A thunder as to power goeth with this voice of God This hath a power to settle a shaking or disconsolate soul and nothing but the power of Gods voice can do that When none can comfort the Lord can To comfort the conscience is said Luther as great a work as to make a world Seaventhly There is a mighty power as in the promising or comforting voice of God so also in his threatning voice The Lord thunders reproofs against those that have sinned and he thunders threatnings to keep all from sinning and how terrible that voice iâ— the Apostle knew who said Knowing the terrour of the Lord we perswade men 2 Cor. 5.11 And as the Apostle knew it by believing it so all final unbelievers shall know it by their sense and feeling of it Eighthly There is a thunder of power in the prophesying voice of God When the Lord fore-tells what shall come to pass who can withstand it We find those prophesies which hold forth the ruin of Christs enemies and of his Church shewred in with thunder Rev. 8.15 and Rev. 11.19 which did not only shew that those prophesies should be certainly and solemnly fulfilled in their season but that they should be terribly fulfilled or fullfilled with a terror like that of thunder All prophesies shall effectually come to pass and be fulfilled therefore power is in them Ninthly What a power is there in the swearing voice of God First God swears sometimes in his wrath he did so against that people of old I sware to them in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest And so powerful was that oath that not a man of them could come into Canaan their Carcasses fell in the wilderness And as when rhe Lord swears in wrath so Secondly When he swears in love and mercy there 's irresistible power in that also Thus God sware and made oath to Abraham Heb. 6.17 Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation c. To David also God sware in love Psal 89.35 36. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lye unto David His seed shall endure forever and his throne as the Sun before me c. The oath or swearing voice of God is so strong that we have reason enough both of strong fears when he sweareth in wrath as he did against the children of Israel and of strong consolation when he sweareth in love as he did to Abraham and to David And wo to those who believe not when God swears either in wrath or in love Tenthly There is a mighty power in the Judging voice of God When he shall speak from his throne in that great day what a thunder will there be in his voice When in that Judgment-day he shall acquit his elect that voice will have a ravishing power in it And when his condemning sentence shall be pronounced against the wicked that voice will have an astonishing power in it beyond that of thunder And it is to be considered that in many places of Scripture where the eminent judgments of God are mentioned his voice or thunder is mentioned as going before or accompanying those solemn and tremendous dispensations Psal 18.13 Psal 68.33 34 35. Isa 30.30 Jer. 25.30 Joel 4.16 To conclude this point seeing there is a power like that of thunder going forth with the voice of God in the effectual ministrations of his Word let us well consider whether God hath spoken to us effectually yea or no
the wicked by besides his own yet we must trust in his alone for 't is he alone that saveth us by what hand soever our salvation is wrought or brought to us Fourthly Observe To save by a self-power is the sole prerogative of God Only he who stands upon his own bottom or subsists in and of himself alone can save or do any thing of himself alone And as none can do any thing alone or by a self-power but God so none should presume that they can do or undertake to do the least thing alone We may yea we must use our hands that is Divinitatis gloriam sibi arrogant quasi Deum agere volunt do our endeavour for the accomplishment of every work for God doth not work so as to let man stand still and be idle but we must not so much as have a thought that we can effect any thing by our hands That wise woman Abigail intimated to David 1 Sam. 25.31 that if he had gone on to avenge himself upon Nabal with his own hand it might have proved grief to him and offence of heart that is trouble of conscience Now as we must not at all use our own hand in avenging our selves nor think of avenging our selves by our own right hand for saith God Vengeance is mine and I will repay it so it is exceeding sinful to imagine that we can save our selves or do any thing effectually towards it by our own hand I may say these four things to shew the sinfulness of such an imagination First It is high presumption to think so It was the presumption of the great Assyrian Isa 10.13 to say By the strength of my hand have I done it and by my wisdom for I am prudent and I have removed the bounds of the people he had no mind to remove their bonds and have robbed their treasures and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man So we render the similitude Like a valiant man and so do most interpreters Arnold Bootius Animad sacr in vetus test lib. 3. cap. 2. both ancient and modern yet a late learned critick dissenting from them all renders I have knockt them down or slain them like a beast or bullock for slaughter or sacrifice Which exposition he confirms as by the sense of the word there used so by the custom of speaking in all languages it being usual to compare great slaughters of men to the slaughtering of beasts but of this by the way Now whether we take our reading or this either of them sets out the presumptuous boasting of the Assyrian King that the strength of his own right hand had done all those great things Secondly 'T is fleshly confidence such a confidence as God will reject Jer. 2.37 to think we can do any thing by our own hand Thirdly It is a slighting of and departing from God to think so Jer. 17.5 Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm whether his own flesh or other mens flesh what flesh soever it is that he maketh his arm cursed be he and what follows and whose heart departeth from the Lord. As if he had said every time we think to save our selves by our own right hand we do cursedly depart from the Lord. The truth is we can no more save our selves than we can make our selves we can no more preserve our being than we can give our selves a being it is from the Lord that we have a being or are preserved from a miserable being Fourthly They who think they can save themselves by their own hand put themselves into the place of God and take upon themselves to be God The King of Israel said well 2 King 5.7 when the King of Syria sent Naaman his servant to heal him of his Leprosie Am I God to kill and to make alive that this man doth send to me to recover a man of his Leprosie Whosoever thinks he can heal or save by his own power takes upon himself as if he were God Faciunt vim suam Deum suum Many make their force their God That Heathen King Hab. 1.11 ascribed his power to his god So we render the words yet some expound them as if Nebuchadnezzar in the pride of his heart refusing at that time to acknowledge any God but himself ascribed his power to himself But supposing according to the supplement of our translation and the exposition of many more that he ascribed his power not to himself but to his Idol-god how great a rebuke will that acknowledgement of his be to any who worshipping the true God shall yet ascribe their power to themselves and so take upon themselves to be God Jacob said to Rachel when she was so impatient for children Am I in the place of God To give effect is the work of God and therefore for us to think we can give effect to what we do is to take upon us to be God The King of Tyrus is therefore said To set his heart as the heart of God Ezek. 28.6 because he thought he could defend and secure himself by a self-power and strength or by a self-wisdom and policy Let us renounce our own arm and power and strength and right hand in all things let us look upon our own right hand as weak and withered unable to bring any thing to pass but as the Lord shall be pleased to put forth his right hand to strengthen ours And when we are thus sensible of our own weakness as also humbled under a sense of it then the Lord gives out most strength to us yea makes us able to do all things which are our duty and we have a call to do through Christ strengthning us Phil. 4.13 And as we shall find Christ strengthning us to do so to suffer all things when we are weak in our selves The Apostles experience taught him to say so 2 Cor. 12.10 I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake for where I am weak that is in my self there I am strong that is in the Lord. Thus the Lord hath been dealing with Job to humble him by putting him upon those things which he himself alone can do by which he taught Job and teacheth us and all men that no man can save himself by his own right hand There is no salvation in any name in any hand but in Jesus Christs much less spiritual or eternal salvation JOB Chap. 40. Vers 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 15. Behold now Behemoth which I made with thee he eateth grass as an Ox. 16. Lo now his strength is in his loins and his force is in the navel of his belly 17. He moveth his tail like a Cedar the sinews of his stones are wrapt together 18. His bones are as strong pieces of brass his bones are like bars of iron 19. He is the chief of the wayes of God he that made him can make his sword
Elephant it cannot savour of pertinacy to give them so much respect as to lay them before the Reader and leave him to his own choice in this matter And First Let us consider that in which Bochartus joynes those four Worthies Pagnine Arias Mercer and Junius Premit fluviuÌ„ ita ut non festinet confidit quod Jordanem educet in os suum whose translation runs thus He checks a River so that it hastneth not he is confident that he can draw out Jordan into his mouth Here indeed are great Hyperbolies 'T is high language to say an Elephant by interposing his body like a bank can stay the course of a River or swallow it down at a draught yet it would be no hard labour to shew that the Scripture hath many expressions in it of as high a strain as this We read of Cities walled and fenced up to heaven Deut. 9.1 And the Evangelist John supposeth Chap. 21.25 that if all things which Jesus Christ did in the dayes of his flesh here on earth should be written that even the world it self could not contain the books which should be written But I shall not stay upon this nor doth the learned Bochartus insist upon it he could admit the Hyperbolies in that translation if the translation it self were consistent with the Hebrew Text in reference to which he takes five exceptions against that translation to every one of which I shall only give my apprehension and so pass on The first is That the Authors of this translation suppose the Hebrew word for River and that for Jordan to be of the accusative Case as Grammarians speak whereas in the Original they have no note of the accusative Case prefixed I may say to that The note of the accusative Case is not alwayes prefixt where the word is so taken especially where the word can be no otherwise taken as in the sense of these Translators it cannot be in this place for they taking Behemoth to be the agent in both parts of the verse as also the River in the former part and Jordan in the latter to be patients could not suppose any otherwise of those words than that they are of the accusative Case whereas Bochartus taking Behemoth to be the patient and the River in the former part as also Jordan in the latter part of the verse to sustain the place of Agents must needs suppose the contrary Secondly saith he Those words ita ut so that are not in the Hebrew I answer such is the conciseness of the Hebrew tongue that all Translators make use of some fitting words which they distinguish from the pure Text by a different character in printing and writing to clear up the sense of the Text in the notion of their translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly he saith The word rendred to Hasten signifieth not to hasten simply but to hasten for fear That 's yielded on all hands and in that sense I shall make use of it in opening our own translation All that I shall say to this exception is that the learned Authors of this translation who wel understand the full signification of that word might conceive that the same word is not alwayes used by the holy Ghost in the same latitude of signification and therefore render this word which signifies to hasten for fear barely to hasten Further I may add that this word which signifies to hasten for fear is rendred also barely to fear and why not then barely to hasten The one translation leaving out the former part of the full sense as the other doth the latter part of it The fourth exception respects only the phrase or manner of speech used in that translation as not yielding a commodious sense I shall say no more but this to it that when either man or beast drinks he doth both draw out and draw in he draweth the liquor out of the vessel and into his mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fifthly 'T is said the word used by Job signifies neither to educe or draw out nor to induce or draw in but to break forth as appears Job 38.8 Judg. 20.33 Dan. 7.2 It doth so in those three places now mentioned yet all the Lexicographers which I have seen render the Verb educere as well as erumpere by a word signifying the force of another drawing out a thing as well as the breaking out of a thing by its own force And so a Nowne substantive derived from this Verb is used Psal 22.9 which place we render thus Thou art he that took or drewest me out of the womb And though it be true that Infants may be said to break out of the womb yet 't is not by any power of their own but by the power of God and therefore it may much rather be said that God takes or draws them out of the womb than that they break or make their way out Thus far of this translation as also of the grounds of that learned Authors dissatisfaction with it All which objections riâ—e up also against our English translation both being neaâ— the same in words and fully the general scope and sense And I would adde this for the honour of our Translators that I am much perswaded they did not render the Text thus as persons prepossessed with an opinion that the Elephant must needs be intended here under the title Behemoth but because they then saw good ground for it in the Grammatical construction and meaning of the Hebrew Text. What they would do now were they living upon the discovery which this worthy person hath lately made I dare not say but shall proceed to the explication of this verse as they have left it Behold he drinketh up a River The word which we translate to drink up signifies to rob Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat ad se rapere per vim vel per fraudem to oppress so some render it here He robbeth a River he steals away all the water that 's a high strain of Rhetorick to express Behemoths great drought he drinks as if at a draught he meant to drink a River dry And hasteth not There is a twofold rendring of that First thus He drinketh a River that it hasteth not referring this not hasting to the River and then the meaning is He drinks so deep that he even stops the current or course of the River A River whose waters are either drawn away or neer dryed cannot run with wonted swiftness This is another hyperbolical strain as if an Elephant were able to exhaust a River Great Armies have stopped the course of Rivers with drinking they have drunk Rivers dry in allusion to which it may be said of the Elephant He drinketh a River that it hasteth not So Mâ— Broughton reads it Loe he robs a River that it hasteth not We translate He drinketh a River And hasteth not That is the Elephant doth not hast This may have a twofold reference First To his
things their being in the beginning hath hitherto preserved their being and will to the end And not only so but Thirdly all things are his in possession the Lord hath all in his hand In whose hand soever the things of the world are they are all in the Lords hand As Abraham said in his Treaty with the King of Sodom Gen. 14.22 I have lift up my hands to the most high God the possessor of heaven and of earth Psal 24.1 The earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof the world and they that dwell therein that is they are all at his dispose And again The world is mine and the fulness thereof saith the Lord himself Psal 50.12 and therefore if I were hungry that is if I needed any thing I would not tell thee that is complain to thee or go a begging to thee who art but a beggar I can help my self and take what and where I will There is a fourth title by which all things under heaven are the Lords even by Redemption The Lord hath restored the whole world to a kind of new life by the death of his Son Jesus Christ is the Saviour of all men especially of them which believe 1 Tim. 4.10 All have some benefit by redemption and so whatsoever is under the whole heaven the whole Systome of heaven and earth is the Lords by redemption though the specialty of redemption be theirs only and intended to them only who believe who as they have a peculiar portion a Benjamins Mess in the grace of redemption so the Lord calleth them his peculiars Exod. 19.5 Ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people for all the earth is mine And they are called the Lords portion Deut. 32.9 The Lords portion is his people Jacob is the lot of his inheritance Thus as all under the whole heaven is the Lords so all is his by a fourfold title by the titles of creation and sustentation and possession and redemption All things visible and invisible have been created are sustained and possessed by him as their great Lord and all things visible have been redeemed by him from present perishing and a world of them in this world that they should never perish but have everlasting life John 3.16 From this general Assertion That whatsoever is under the whole heaven is the Lords take these following Inferences First Then the Devil is a lyar a great lyar for Mat. 4. in his last assault against Christ he boasted that he would give him all the Kingdoms of the earth and the glory of them whereas the truth is he hath not a shoe latchet at his dispose While the Devil saith all is mine the truth is nothing is his but a lye of that he is the father As he hath not given a being to the least worm so he cannot dispose of the least worm he is not worth a straw for all is the Lords Secondly Hence we learn That there is a lying spirit in most of the children of men even in all them who look upon any thing they have as their own There is a sense in which we have a right to and a propriety in what we have and may call it ours but that spirit which moves in most of the children of men is a lying spirit when they say this and that is their own David Psal 12.4 brings in the wicked saying With our tongue will we prevail our lips are our own who is Lord over us What have not we who have so many Lordships the Lordship of our selves the Lordship of that little piece of our selves our lips But were not their lips their own not in the sense they spake it as if they were accountable to none for them for their next word was Who is Lord over us Thus most do they look upon their lips and all the members of their body as their own but what saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.20 Glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods And vers 19. Ye are not your own Your body is not your own but it is the Lords then much less are the things that you have your own your Land is not your own nor your cattel your own the beasts of the earth are not your own nor the fishes of the Sea your own nor is a hair of your head your own nor a pin upon your sleeve they are all the Lords Is it not then a lying spirit which possesseth very many among the children of men who look upon themselves and what they have as their own Their houses and lands are their own their gold and silver are their own who is Lord over them or theirs O let such remember that themselves their houses and lands their gold and silver are the Lords and that the Lord saith expressly The silver is mine and the gold is mine Hag. 2.8 Thirdly If all be the Lords then the Lord is able to supply the wants of all who wait upon him and to supply them plentifully The Lord supplieth the wants of all creatures The Lord keepeth a great house he feedeth all that he hath made he provideth food for Leviathan he satisfieth every living thing Psal 145 16. and Psal 115.16 The heaven even the heavens are the Lords but the earth hath he given to the children of men that is whatsoever of the earth the children of men that is men in common or mankind have the Lord hath given it to them and seing his own children have need of it surely he will not deny it them The Lord I say hath given the earth to the children of men and if the Lord hath bestowed the earth on men as men then much more hath he the earth to bestow upon his own children Christ in his Sermon upon the mount Mat. 6.32 assureth them of it Your heavenly father knoweth that ye have need of these things Food and cloathing is in your fathers hand your father is rich he is rich indeed and therefore he can supply your wants If children do but remember that their father hath such and such lands and houses they think they shall be well provided for how much more may a godly man say my father hath a great deal of land the whole earth is his and therefore I shall be provided for The Apostle improves this position twice 1 Cor. 10. First to makâ— use of our liberty in eating whatsoever is fold in the shambles asking no question for conscience sake for saith he the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof vers 26. He makes use of it Secondly to perswade us not to abuse our liberty ver 28. But if any man say unto you this is offered in sacrifice unto idols eat not for his sake that shewed it do not offend him and for conscience sake do not offend thy self The earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof As if he had said why shouldst thou trouble thy self or others by eating such meat seing there is enough
afraid Hence Note First Great dangers may put the stoutest into a fear Natural fear is a passion or perturbation of the mind raised by the appearance or our apprehension of some eminent or imminent evil ready to take hold of us or fall upon us And as some are of so fearful a nature or are made so fearful by a secret judgement of God upon them that they are afraid where no fear is Psal 53.5 and being pursued with their own guilt flee when no man pursueth Prov. 28.1 or as another Scripture speaks At the sound of a shaken leaf so it is natural to all men to fear in case of real and apparent danger especially if the danger be like a Leviathan very great or if a Leviathan raise himself against them And therefore Jesus Christ himself being in our nature and cloathed with flesh though sinless flesh began not only to be afraid but amazed Mark 14.33 a little before his passion when he saw that greatest Leviathan the Devil together with many great Leviathans raising themselves to swallow him up And if when a Leviathan raiseth up himself the mighty are afraid how shall the mighty be afraid when God raiseth up himself that 's the design of God in this passage The holy Prophet gave this caution to all men Zach. 2.13 Be silent O all flesh before the Lord for he is raised up out of his holy habitation As if it had been said the Lord now shews himself he was before as one asleep or laid down upon his bed but now the Lord is raised up What then Be silent O all flesh The mightiest have reason then to be silent How silent There 's a twofold silence First from speaking Secondly from boasting That charge in the Prophet is not to be understood of a silence from speaking but from boasting as if it had been said Be in fear and reverence for the Lord is raised up out of his holy habitation Another Prophet tells us that at the Lords appearances the mighty shall tremble and be afraid Isa 2.19 having said a little before The loftiness of man shall be bowed down and the haughtiness of man shall be made low He adds They shall go into the holes of the rocks and into the caves of the earth for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth When the Lord ariseth to shake this world by his judgements he will make the mighty tremble and run into the holes of the rocks to hide themselves from his dreadful presence If a creature a Leviathan causeth the mighty to fear when he ariseth how much more may the mightiest of the world fear when God ariseth and therefore that prayer of David Psal 68.1 Let God arise let his enemies be scattered let them that hate him flee before him may well be resolved into this conditional proposition If God ariseth his enemies shall be scattered and all that hate him shall flee before him This may teach the mean and poor of the earth to fear him who can make the mightiest afraid When God is angry the mighty cannot then much less can mean underlings stand before him When Leviathan raiseth himself the mighty are afraid And by reason of breakings they purifie themselves Mr. Broughton saith by reason of shiverings But what are these shiverings or breakings Leviathan breaks the waves and waters The waves of the Sea Confractiones vocat quando Leviathan elevando se fluctus excitat qui propterâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellantur quod se invicem frangant are expressed in the Hebrew tongue by a word which signifieth breakin gs because they break themselves one against another as also possibly because Ships are broken by the waves And when 't is here said By reason of breakings they purifie themselves the meaning may be this by reason of the waves and troubled waters which Leviathan makes when he bestirs or raiseth up himself they purifie themselves Nor doth Levithan break the waves and waters only but whatever comes neer him he breaks and shivers to pieces if a Ship be in his way he breaks it as some have been taught to their cost by sad experience By reason of breakings They purifie themselves The mighty are afraid when he raiseth himself up and seeing him make such work they purifie themselves What 's that There are various understandings and expositions of this clause Aliqui verbum purgant exponunt aberrant i. e. Ita percelluntur metu ut animis toti cancidunt nec sciunt quid agant Merl. Peccant i. e. errore se obstringunt ut nesciant quid faciant Nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut Graecè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur qui aberrat à scopo Drus First The word rendred to purifie properly signifies to erre or to wander out of the way and it notes as outward erring or wandring that of the body when we know not whither to go so inward wandring that of the mind when we know not what to do The mind or understanding wanders often and roves up and down we know not whither In this sense several understand the words By reason of breakings they wander they are struck with such a fear and amazement that they run about like men distracted and out of their wits or they suppose it of Mariners know not how to guide the Ship nor how to handle their sails and tacklings Some chiefly insist upon this interpretation By reason of breakings they wander or know not what to do next to help or save themselves from perishing A man in streights usually saith I know not what to do They who are in much fear of suffering in any kind seldom know what to do in any way for their own safety and often take the unsafest way running themselves further into danger while they endeavour to escape it This is a proper and profitable exposition and we may note this from it Great fears causeth great distractions Every worldly fear hath somewhat of distraction in it and in proportion to the fear is the distraction therefore great fear must needs cause great distraction When men in a storm mount up to heaven and go down again to the depths 't is said Psal 107.26 27. their soul is melted because of trouble they reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits end their wit cannot go a step further with them nor their reason conduct them any longer We say in the margin All their wisdom is swallowed up He that fears Leviathan will swallow him up may soon find his wisdom swallowed up Wise and mighty men may be mightily puzled in great dangers and utterly disabled to make use either of their wisdom or of their might Good Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20.12 when a great enemy was invading him cryed out O our God wilt thou not judge them for we have no might against them neither do we know what to do we are bereft
Leviathans description is taken by Bochartus as a further proof that the Leviathan here spoken of is the Crocodile whose scales are not penetrable by the force of any weapon whereas saith he the skin of the Whale gives passage to the forcible stroke or thrust of any sharp-edged or sharp-pointed instrument For answer to this I have no more to say than what hath been said at the 15th 16th and 17th verses of this Chapter concerning the scales of Leviathan to which I refer the Reader and shall pass on when I have given three or four hints by way of improvement from the whole First If the Lord hath made a creature that no weapon can hurt then surely the Lord himself is exalted above all hurt from the creature as it is said in another place of this Book Chap. 35.6 If thou sinnest what dost thou against him or if thy transgressions be multiplyed what dost thou unto him that is thou canst not hurt God with thy sin Though men by sin lay at him as with sword and spear though they throw their sling-stones of blasphemy at him they cannot hurt him Gamaliel Acts 5.39 gives warning against this take heed what ye do refrain from these men lest haply ye be found even to fight against God They fight against God who set themselves to do mischief but what mischief soever they do to men or among men they can do none to God their weapons reach him not As Solomon tells us Prov. 21.30 There is no wisdom nor counsel against the Lord so there is no weapon against the Lord Sword and spear and dart whether material or metaphorical are but stubble before him And as the Lord himself is beyond the reach of weapons and the rage of man so are they who are under the Lords protection therefore it is said of the Church Isa 54.17 No weapon formed against thee shall prosper that is it shall not have the intended effect of the Smith that made it as that Scripture speaks nor of the hand that weilds it The sword of him that layeth at the Church of God shall not hold the spear the dart nor the habergeon As none are so much assaulted as the Church so none are so well armed and defended Secondly As no offensive weapon can hurt the Lord so no defensive weapon can shelter us from hurt if under the wrath of the Lord. Though we have got an Habergeon though we have scales or bucklers like Leviathan yet the Lord hath a sword a spear a dart that can strike through them that is through all the defences of the most hardned sinners in the world There is no shelter to be found nor defence to be made against the weapons of divine wrath but only in and by Jesus Christ God is a shield and Buckler a Helmet and an Habergeon for believers against all offensive weapons of men or devils but where shall unbelievers find a shield or a buckler to secure themselves against the offensive weapons of God! Again some in allegorizing this Scripture say that Leviathan is an emblem of the Devil Now though it be a truth that no outward weapon no sword nor dart can terrifie or hurt the Devil yet the Lord hath furnished us with weapons that can pierce the Devil that Leviathan and defend us from his power Eph. 6.14 15 16. The sword of the Spirit the Word of God will wound that old Leviathan the Breast-plate of Righteousness the Helmet of Salvation the Shield of Faith will preserve us from woundings in the midst of all his fiery darts How soon would the Devil that cunning and cursed and cruel Darter and Archer wound our souls to death with his fiery darts and poysonous arrows if the Lord had not given us a shield a breast-plate and an helmet more impenetrable than the scales of Leviathan Lastly This description of Leviathan carrieth in it a fit resemblance of a hardned sinner of a sinner resolved upon his evil wayes Some sinners come at last to such a hardness that they are like Leviathan nothing will pierce them the sword of the Spirit doth not enter them Though you lay at them with all your might in the Ministry of the Word though you cast darts and shoot arrows of terrible threatnings against them they esteem them but straw and stubble sin hath so hardned them that they as we may express it are Sermon-proof threatning-proof yea judgement-proof too as to amendment by them though they are broken and perish under them Let God say what he will in his Word or do what he will in his works they regard it not they laugh at the shaking of these spears As a man that hath armour of proof cares not for sword or spears fears not an arrow nor a bullet so 't is in a spiritual sense with resolved sinners God having as a just judgement for former sins given them a shield upon their hearts as the word signifieth Lam 3.65 which we render sorrow of heart and put in the margin obstinacy that is hardness of heart they then account reproofs threats admonitions the most terrible words in all the armoury of God no more than a straw or rotten wood Woe to these Leviathans to those who harden their hearts against the Word of God Who hath hardned himself against the Word of the Lord and prospered And let all such know that as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warfare are not carnal that is weak dull edgeless pointless tools but mighty through God c. And that though now they prevail not to conversion yet they will prevail to condemnation and that while they go on to sin they are but going as Solomon speaks of the young wanton Prov. 7.22 As an Ox goeth to the slaughter or as a fool to the correction of the stocks till a dart strike through his liver God will have a dart at last which shall enter a dart which those Leviathans shall not count stubble nor find to be so The Lord proceeds to describe Leviathan and as we may conceive to give a further demonstration of the hardness of his scales and skin Vers 30. Sharp stones are under him he spreadeth sharpe pointed things upon the mire Mr. Broughton reads it His underneath-places be as sharp-sheards The word rendred Sharp stones properly signifies the sharp pieces of a pot-sâ—â—â—rd that is stones or other hard things as sharp and pricking as the pieces of a broken pot-sheard We may expound this verse two wayes First As being a proof of the hardness and firmness of Leviathans skin and flesh so hard they are that he can lye down and rest himself upon hard and sharp stones even upon the sharp tops of rocks in the Sea as we lye down upon our beds Sharp stones are under him but he feels them not which may be the meaning also of the next words He spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire That is Leviathan like some hardy man or iron-sides scorns to lye
therefore Job was specially to beware of this lest the Devil who desired to tempt him should prevail upon him by suggesting proud and high thoughts of himself and so make him a subject of his own kingdom for he is that mystical Leviathan who kings it to purpose over the children of pride As if the Lord had said to Job Lay down all thoughts and words which have any savour or tincture of pride Wilt thou be proud of this or that or any thing know that in his kind I have given more to Leviathan to be proud of than to thee And consider under whom thou art to reckon thy self if thou art lifted up in pride even under Leviathan for he is a King over all the children of pride And though Leviathan be exceeding proud and haughty yet I can quickly bring him down surely then I can bring thee down yet more than hitherto I have done Therefore O Job do not contend any more with me be not unquiet under my hand who am indeed thy King Lapsi videntur qui hoc de Leviathan vel etiam de Satana interpretati sunt Coc. Tenebras offudit interpretibus omissio relativi c. Coc. This leads me to another reading of the verse which makes the antecedent to he not Leviathan not the Devil but God himself He that beholdeth all high things is a King over all the children of pride That is God who beholdeth all high things and is higher than the highest Eccles 5.8 he is above the proudest men So then these words he beholdeth all high things having the Relative That supplyed are a circumlocution of God God indeed beholds all high things and high persons Let men be never so high God beholds them And as he beholdeth all things so he is higher than the highest things he is a King over all the children of pride who are the highest among men or high above all men in their own conceit The Lord as a King can rule and over-rule the proud he can bring down their high looks the Lord said to Job which may give some light to this interpretation when he would stir him up to consider himself what he was able to do and to do his best chap. 40.12 Look on every one that is proud and bring him low Canst thou do it canst thou look on every one that is proud and bring him low Thou canst not but I can God beholdeth all high things he hath them all before him and is a King over them he can make the proudest and stoutest and greatest that are in the world stoop to him That Great Monarch Nebuchadnezzar who lorded it over the greatest of the world in his days was at last brought to confess that the Lord was a King over all the children of pride Dan. 4.37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven all whose works are truth and his ways are judgment and those that walk in pride he is able to abase In this sence God is a King over all the children of pride Now though the words according to the sense given of this last reading may safely be applied to God yet as most among late Interpreters understand them literally of Leviathan so many of the antients who have written upon this Book turn this whole description of Leviathan into an Allegory of the Devil as was toucht before and to make it out they have run into many needless speculations But I conceive though it be true that many things spoken of Leviathan are applicable to the Devil as also to Tyrants to Antichrist and all wicked men and some who are very sparing in urging the Allegory yet grant we may when we read what is said of Leviathan reflect upon the Devil and consider what a mighty power he hath to do mischief if the goodness and power of God did not restrain him Yet 't is safest to keep to the plain sense and not to busie our selves much in transforming the holy Scriptures into Allegories in which some have been over-bold nor should any venture to draw Allegories but out of a natural meaning as the Apostle Paul did in the 4th Chapter of his Epistle to the Galathians I shall only adde that as from the nature of this Leviathan supposed to be the Whale we may receive many instructions so the Lord doth sometimes Preach or Prophesie to whole Nations by him that is he gives warning by him to Nations of some great things which shall come to pass among them 'T is the observation of an Interpreter upon this place God saith he prophesies to people and nations by the Whale or Leviathan Deus catos quasi poenitentiae precones facit dum insolitis locis apparentes bella alias clades nuncient ut homines poenitentiam agant Scult And as other places he was a Germane so we have had warnings by him for saith he in the year 1620 there was a Whale cast upon the shore of a great river far within the land twenty and five ells long and a half immediately before the great wars changes and troubles which befel Germany Hence he infers when these mighty fishes come into places which are out of their way and road or when God casts them upon unwonted shores it foreshews some unwonted thing or that God will bring guests among them that they never thought of Thus I have done with this long and large description which the Lord makes of Leviathan There remains only one chapter more which gives us the full effect and issue of all the dealings of God with Job and of his speakings to Job about Behemoth and Leviathan All was to humble him and we shall see him deeply humbled and eminently restored in the next chapter JOB Chap. 42. Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6. 1. Then Job answered the Lord and said 2. I know that thou canst do every thing and that no thought can be with-holden from thee 3. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledg therefore have I uttered that I understood not things too wonderful for me which I knew not 4. Hear I beseech thee and I will speak I will demand of thee and declare thou unto me 5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee 6. Wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes THis Chapter is the conclusion of the whole History and Book of Job it consisteth of three general parts First Of Jobs deep and sincere humiliation before the Lord in these six verses Secondly Of the reconciliation of Jobs three friends to the Lord or of their attonement and peace made with the Lord vers 7 8 9. Thirdly Of Jobs restitution by the wonderful goodness and powerful hand of the Lord to as good yea to a better estate tahn he had before from the tenth verse inclusively to the end of the Chapter The words under hand contain the first part of the Chapter and I call them Jobs
two-fold demanding First as a Disputant Secondly as a Supplicant Job would now demand as a Supplicant unto God M◠interrogantem doce benignè qui me tuae disciplinae planè submitto Merc. not as a Disputant with God We may be said to demand or enquire of God when we consult his word not humane reason It an innocent person as Job be afflicted where shall he enquire the reason of it if he only respect his affliction and compare that with his own innocency he will quickly murmure at and complain of the dealings of God with him But if he look to the Word of God which tells him that God is a Soveraign Lord and that God hath promised not only to be with his in trouble but that their troubles shall work their comforts he will not only be patient under but glory in his tribulations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interrogobo tc sc petendo orando pulsando Aquin. The Hebrew word which we translate demand may well be rendred petition or crave The common sense of the word demand seems too high for Jobs spirit and condition Master Broughton renders I will make petition unto thee or an humble suit unto thee as if he had said I will pray for and beg this favour of thee that thou wouldst teach and inform me better It is not an authoritative demand Qui regat nescit Interrogare sapientem dimidia sapientia est Apotheg Arab. which is a kind of command but a submissive demand this demanding is the asking of a question not the requiring of a right He that asks a question implyeth that he stands in need of information and that he is desirous to learn And to put questions to a wise man is half wisdom I will demand or put questions unto thee Declare thou unto me The Hebrew is make me to know make me a knowing man As if Job had said Lord if thou wilt teach me I shall soon get knowledg and understanding and therefore I resign my self wholly to thy teachings The true submission of mans will to Gods will is to hearken to the counsel or wisdom of God and not to sit down in our own But as it was questioned at the first verse how Job could answer seeing he had said I will answer no more so here it may be questioned why the Lord spake no more to Job seeing here he desired to receive further instruction from him I answer First Job made this suit to God upon this condition that God would please to enform him if he saw need or should think fit to do it Secondly Job spake this doctrinally to shew what he and others ought to desire submit to even the teachings of God Thirdly I answer that the Lord seeing his submission saw there was no need of speaking any further to him but broke up the whole disputation determining for Job and giving him the day against his three friends as will appear further in the sequel of the Chapter From this verse Observe First The sence of our wants puts us upon prayer When Job was sensible that he wanted understanding and knowledge he came to God for it Give me to understand cause me to know True and fervent prayer floweth from a sence of our wants If we see not our selves in need why should we pray And when really we shall have no need as in heaven there will be no need of prayer all will be praise and all shall be in everlasting praises Secondly The person to whom Job maketh his application for teaching being God himself Note We know nothing of God nor of our selves aright till God teacheth us till he declareth and maketh it known to us Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the father of lights c. Jam. 1.17 As no man can either make or redeem himself so no man can teach or instruct himself What we know of God we know from God 'T is in his light that we see light The light may shine round about us and we see it not unless God enlighten us as well as send us the light we are never the better As in conversion the Lord first opens the eyes and then turns from darkness to light Acts 26.18 So under every dispensation we are in the dark till God opens our eyes and give us by his own immediate or mediate teachings light about it Thirdly note If we desire God should teach us or if we would be taught of God we must ask it of him We find the godly often putting up this request to God David was much in this petition Psal 119.33 34. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keep it unto the end Give me understanding and I shall keep thy law He did not only desire God that he would teach him but give him a faculty to receive his teachings vers 35. Make me to go in the path of thy commandement See how the Psalmist joyneth these petitions together First Teach me the way of thy statutes Secondly Give me understanding as if he had said else thy teachings will do no good Thirdly Make me to go in the path of thy commandement as if he had said though I understand thy statutes yet unless thou help me I shall not be able to walk in them no nor to take one right step in them therefore Make me to go in the path of thy commandement Again Psal 143.10 Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God thy spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightness As the Lord teacheth us our way and hath promised to teach us always in all things needful for us to know and do so he hath taught us by the written practise of many as well as by his written precept that we must pray for his teaching Fourthly Job was humbling himself and now he begs of God that he would teach him Hence note Humble souls desire and give up themselves wholly to be taught by God They hang upon his mouth for instruction and renounce their own wisdom Eliphaz gave Job that advice Chap. 22.22 Acquaint thy self now with him and be at peace and good shall come unto thee Receive I pray thee thee law from his mouth and lay up his words in thy heart Fifthly In that Job prays for teaching in this form according to the Hebrew make me to know Observe The teachings of God are effectual they make us know Men may teach others knowledge but they cannot make them know God can make a very dullard quick of understanding Men may instruct the understanding but they cannot give understanding God doth both The teachings of God are effectual to all purposes First to enlighten the ignorant Secondly to convince gain-sayers Thirdly to convert sinners Fourthly to comfort those that are sorrowful Fifthly to resolve such as are doubtful Sixthly to encourage the fearful And Seventhly to raise up and recover those that are fallen Thus Job is become a
I wished so often for death that I wooed the grave and so haâ—tily called for my return to the dust in the day of my affliction Thirdly I abhor that ever I despaired of my restauration or that I gave up my self as a man utterly lost for this world Fourthly I abhor that I used so many complaints of the severity of the Lords dealings with me Fifthly I abhor that I was so bold as to desire to plead with God Sixthly I abhor that I was so much in setting out my own righteousness and innocency Seventhly I abhor that ever I spake any word which should in the least darken or reflect upon the goodness mercy faithfulness righteousness and soveraignity of God in his dispensations towards me These are the things which had unwarily passed him in the heat of disputation with his friends and these he now abhorreth Take it either way I abhor my self or these things it comes all to one for the truth is he did abhor himself for those things which he had spoken with so much imprudence and impatience while he was under the hand of God I abhor my self neither is that all And repent Job was not only affected to abhorrence but to repentance The word translated repent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Niphal significat consolari in Piel poenitere Drus signifies two contrary things in Scripture First To grieve which is proper to repentance sorrow and repentance ought to go together Secondly To comfort or to take comfort thus it is rendered Gen. 24.67 Isaac was comforted concerning the death of his mother 2 Sam. 13.39 David was comforted concerning Amnon Psal 77.2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord my sore ran in the night and ceased not my soul refused to be comforted It may seem strange that the same word which signifies sorrow and repentance should signifie also comfort and to be comforted but sorrow and comfort meet in true repentance godly sorrow doth not hinder much less quite exclude and shut out joy in God Repentance is ushered in by godly sorrow and grief of heart for sin and it concludes with comfort and joy of heart in God who pardoneth sinners and therefore the same word which signifies to repent may well signifie both to grieve and to take comfort Repentance is a change from a bad state to a good and a turning from the worst of evils sin to the chiefest good God himself and therefore must needs be followed if not accompanied with much sweetness and comfort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et consolationem accepi in pulvere cinere A Greek translator renders it expressly so in this place Wherefore I abhor my self and take comfort in dust and ashes and doubtless while Job was repenting in floods of sorrow his comforts came flowing in There is a laughter in the midst of which the heart is sorrowful and the end of that mirth is heaviness saith Solom Prov. 14.13 and there is a sorrow that 's a blessed sorrow in the midst of which the heart laughs and the end of which heaviness is mirth To repent in the general nature of it is to change both the mind and way and so take up new principles and new practices A man that truly repenteth is not the same man he was before he repented he can say I am not I. And as in true repentance there is a change from a bad to a good mind and from a perverse to a right and righteous way so in repentance there is a change from a troubled to a quiet mind and from a painful to a pleasant and delightful way So then there is a two-fold change in repentance First A change of the mind from sin Secondly A change in the mind from sorrow Many are the griefs and gripes the troubles and perplexities with which the conscience of an awakened sinner is followeth till he hath unburdened himself by confession and repentance when once he hath truly done so how great is his peace how sweet are his consolations And therefore when the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 7.10 Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of his meaning is the repentance which it works is matter of great rejoycing or fills the soul of an humbled believing sinner with great joy I abhor my self saith Job and repent But how did Job repent his was no ordinary repentance therefore he adds I repent In dust and ashes That is either First Throwing my self upon the ground Jer. 6.26 Jer. 25.34 2 Sam. 12.16 or Secondly Sitting upon the ground in the dust as Job 2.8 Isa 58.5 Jonah 3.6 or Thirdly Casting dust upon my head Job 2.12 Dust cast upon the head was the embleme of an afflicted heart And to sit in the dust or to cast dust upon the head was anciently the ceremonial part of repentance Job doth not leave that out I repent saith he in dust and ashes Solitis ceremoniis poenitentiam agâ— and so some express it I repent with outward wonted ceremonies But I conceive we need not take it strictly to repent in dust and ashes being only a proverbial speech implying very great solemn and serious repentance There is another rendring of this latter part of the verse thus I repent as looking upon or accounting my self dust and ashes 't is an argument of much humility and humiliation to do so Abraham gave himself no higher a title before the Lord Gen. 18.27 I have begun to speak who am but dust and ashes If we take it thus I abhor my self and repent looking upon my self but as dust and ashes it is a good sence also and reacheth the purpose which Job was upon or which was upon Jobs spirit in that day and duty of repentance There is no difficulty in the words they yield many useful observations Wherefore I abhor my self First As the word wherefore refers to that signal discovery which Job had of God who did not only manifest himself to him by the hearing of the ear but by the seeing of the eye that is more fully than before Observe The clearer manifestations we have of God the greater and deeper are our humiliations Job saw more of the power more of the soveraignity more of the holiness of God in himself and more of his goodness to him Qui Deum vidit fieri non potest quin seso accuset contemnat despiciat non enim certiâ— noveris tuam impuritatem quam si divina puritas op osita fuerit Brent than he had done before and therefore he abhor'd himself That place is parallel to this Isa 6. where as soon as the Lord had declared himself in his holiness and glory the Prophet cried out ver 5. Wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of hosts that is my bodily eyes have see the signs of his presence and
grounds and for right ends against another It is dangerous to stand in the way of their prayers who are accepted of God That man is more safe against whom a thousand are acting than he against whom any one godly man upon a just ground is praying The Lord hath done great things against evil men upon the prayers of the faithful as well as he hath done great things for good men at their prayer David by one ejaculatory petition spoyled the plot of Achitophel the Lord according to that short prayer turned his counsel into foolishness and so overturned the whole design laid against his servant David Thus far of the promise which the Lord gave Eliphaz and his two friends for their encouragement to go unto Job and entreat him to offer up a burnt-offering and to pray for them for him will I accept Now followeth a threat in case they did not Lest I deal with you according to your folly As if the Lord had said Do not slight this advice that I give you no nor forslow it make hast to make your address to Job I will accept him and I tell you I will not accept you alone therefore make hast and do as I have commanded else I shall deal with you according to your folly There is some difference in the reading of these words First Some read Lest I do or act folly to you But how can the Lord do or act folly towards any We may expound this translation by that Psal 18.26 where David saith of the Lord With the pure thou wilt shew thy self pure and with the froward or perverse thou wilt shew thy self froward or perverse But how doth the Lord shew himself froward with those that are froward there is no frowardness in the Lord he is alwayes in a composed and sedate frame infinitely beyond any passion or perturbation the meaning is only this The Lord will deal with men according to what they are the actings and effects of his providence shall be towards a froward man as if he were froward If a man deal perversely with God he will deal with him as if he were perverse and with the pure God will shew himself pure that is he will carry it purely towards them they shall receive good who are and do good Thus here go saith the Lord and do as I bid you Lest I deal folly to you In the Hebrew Language to do kindness with one is the same as to exercise or shew kindness to him That form of speech is used Gen. 20.13 Gen. 24.49 Gen. 40.14 And so to do folly with one is to shew or exercise folly to to him The Lord doth folly to them that do folly that is he makes them see by his wise doing how foolishly they have done Others express it thus Lest I deal foolishly with you or folly to you that is lest I do that which may be accounted foolishness in me You having appeared Advocates in my cause and pleaded for me 't is folly to pay any man with unkindness for the service he hath done us Well saith the Lord look to it I will not accept you but deal folly to you or foolishly with you in the sense of some men possibly but wisely in my own The Lord is alwayes to be admired in his wisdom holiness and in the serenity of his spirit yet in the opinion of the wise men of this world he may seem to deal foolishly or do folly Secondly The words may be rendred Lest I do that which may be disgraceful to you Thus the Chaldee paraphrase readeth Lest I put a disgrace or an affront upon you and make it appear to your shame that you have not carried it aright in this matter but have been shamefully out The word here used is several times used in Scripture to note the defiling or disgrace of a thing Nahum 3.6 I will cast abominable filth upon thee and I will make thee vile that is I will disgrace thee and as it followeth I will set thee for a gazing stock So Micah 7.6 when the Lord would shew the exceeding sinfulness of those times he saith Trust ye not in a friend put ye not confidence in a guide keep the door of thy mouth from her that lyeth in thy bosom for the son dishonoureth the father it is this word the son disgraceth the father he dealeth with his father as if he were a Nabal a very fool When a son knoweth not his distance nor performeth his dury he dishonoureth his father The Prophet Jer. 14 21. speaks in a way of deprecation Do not abhor us for tâ—y name sake do not disgrace the throne of thy glory The Lord is â—ometimes so angry with his people that he even casteth dirt upon the throne of his glory that is upon his Church in and by which he should be glorified as upon his Throne The Lord disgraceth his Church the throne of his glory when his Church disgraceth him and dishonours his gloriâ—us name Deut. 32.15 Jesurun waxed fat and kicked that is Israel the Church was waxen fat the Lord fed Jesurun his Church to the full they had not a lean seâ—vice of it but what did Jâ—surun he forsook God wh ch made him and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation The word which we translaâ—e he lightly esteemed is the word of the Text Now when Jesurun did lightly esteem or disgrace the Lord he soon after disgraced Jesurun his Church The throne of his glory This is a good sense of the words do as I diâ—ect lest I put a disgrace upon you Thus folly is put foâ— the punishment of folly as sin often for the penal effects and fruits of sin as 't is said 1 King 13.34 This thing â—ecame sin to the house of Jeroboam even to cut it off Our reading saith Lest I deal with you according to your folly that is according to your sin and the hard censures which you have given of my servant Job and as it followeth In that you have not sp ken of me the thing that is right These things have been your folly and 〈◊〉 do not speedily repair with your sacrifice to Job and get him to pray for you what you can do your selves will not makâ— amends for your folly nor mend this breach but I will deal with you according to your folly you shall taste of the fruit of your doings the reward of your hands or of your tongues shall be given to you That 's the general sence of our translation As if the Lord had said Lest I make you understand by your sad experiences by the punishments and chastisements laid upon you that you have done very foolishly and were greatly mistaken in your apprehensions of me and of my providences concerning Job Or thus ye have declared much folly in the management of this matter with my servant Job ye have offended against the common Laws of friendship and humanity insulting over a man in misery and your folly hath been
is said ver 7. How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her Now as no man can tell nor imagine how much she hath glorified her self nor how deliciously she hath lived so no man can tell how much torment and sorrow she shall have Yea we read not only of a double and quadruble but of a seven-fold reward of wrath for evil men Psal 79.12 Render unto our neighbours seven-fold into their bosome And surely that Scripture means bad neighbours Now as the Lord doth plentifully reward the proud and evil doers in a way of wrath so he will plentifully reward well-doers and well-sufferers whether under his own hand or the hand of man in ways of mercy And if so then First Fear not to lose by God and that in a two-fold respect First When he cometh to borrow of you for the poor He that hath pity on the poor lendeth to the Lord Prov. 19.17 Every time we are asked to give to the poor upon due occasion God sends to borrow of us and he will surely repay what he hath borrowed therefore fear not to lose by God when he borrows of you for the poor Secondly Fear not to lose by God when he takes all from you and makes you poor Sometimes God doth not come a borrowing but he cometh a taking he will have all whether you will or no He will sometimes take all away by fire by losses at sea or land in these and such like cases fear not â—o be losers by God But First Trust him as Job did Secondly Be patient as Job was They that have an interest in God and a portion in the promise need not fear they shall lose a thread or a shoe-latchet by God though his providence takes all away and strips them as it did Job naked What God takes from his servants he keeps for them and will restore to them either in the same kind with much more as he did to Job at last or in some other kind which is much better as he did to Job at first While Job was deprived of his all worldly good things God gave him much patience at first so that when all was lost and gone he could say Naked came I out of my mothers womb and naked shall I return thither The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord. While this frame of heart lasted it was better than all that he had lost and though through the extremity of his pains and temptations it was somewhat abated and his patience somewhat ruffled yet it was never wholly lost and when it was worst with him his faith failed not which was best of all Now what the Apostle spake concerning those troubles which befel the Israelites in the wilderness They happened for examples 1 Cor. 10.11 So all these troubles and takings away happened to Job as our example or which the Greek word signifieth as a type that we should be patient under the Lords hand in taking and remember for the encouragement of our faith the Lords bounty in restoring For this end the Apostle James calleth us to consider this dealing of God with Job Jam. 5.11 Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord. What is that to us may some say that Job was patient Yes all the matter is to us it was written for our example and admonition and saith the Apostle ye have not only heard of the patience of Job but have seen the end of the Lord. Here is an exercise of those two noble senses Hearing and Seeing mentioned and doubtless for great purposes both But why doth he adde ye have seen the end of the Lord Some interpret these words as a second instance the Apostle mentioning Job in the former words and Christ in these Ye have seen the end of the Lord that is how it was with Christ in his sufferings The Lord Jesus Christ was well rewarded for all that he suffered God highly exalted him Phil. 2.7 because he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross 'T is a truth if we take those latter words of the verse Ye have seen the end of the Lord for the issue of Christs sufferings But I rather conceive that the whole verse relateth unto Job and so the end of the Lord in the latter part is the end which the Lord made with Job As if the Apostle James had said Hath it not been set before your eyes what end the Lord made with him or how he gave him double in the end Be not afraid to lose by God either borrowing or taking for he is a bountiful rewarder Secondly As we should not be afraid to lose by God when he comes either to borrow a part or as the case was with Job to take all from us so let us not be afraid to lose for God which was toucht before together with the former Inference upon the 11th verse of the 41 Chapter We have no ground in the world of fear when all that we have in the world is taken from us for Gods sake that is for righteousness sake seeing God who here restored to Job double all that himself had taken from him hath also promised to give his faithful servants double for all that is taken from them upon his account by men or which they lose for him That 's the meaning of the Prophet Isa 61.7 For your shame ye shall have double that is ye having suffered shame or been put to shame for Gods sake or for doing that which is honourable and commendable in it self shall receive double What double As by shame we are to understand any evil suffered so by double any good promised as a reward for suffering that evil especially such good as stands in direct opposition to that evil As if it had been said ye shall have double honour for shame and double riches for poverty and double health for sickness and and double liberty for imprisonment and captivity 'T is much to have double reparation of any loss yet this doubling is a poor matter to what is promised in another place to those who lose for God We have Christs word with an asseveration for it Mat. 19.28 29. Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel And every one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my name sake here are great sufferings but behold a greater reward followeth not like Jobs twofold but an hundred-fold so saith that Text shall receive an hundred-fold and which is ten-thousand-fold more than that shall inherit everlasting life Be not afraid to lose for God Job had double who lost by God and so may you but if ye lose
Perfume a very fragrant and pleasant spice of which Naturalists speak much and is commonly known by the name Cassia and so rendred Psal 45.8 All thy garments smell of Myrrh Aloes and Cassia as if in English Job had called his second daughters name Sweet spice or perfume And the name of the third Keren-happuch That 's a compound word from Keren which signifieth a Horn and Happuch which among the Learned hath a double signification First It signifieth a pouder of which they made a kind of ointment wherewith proud ones painted themselves called in Latine Stibium Some say it was a mineral others say it was a plant growing in the Sea which being ground to pouder was of an excellent redness in colour Here the word Keren signifying a Horn is prefixed to it because they used to preserve such painting-pouder in a horn We find this word Happuch made use of in the Verb 2 Kings 9.30 where it is said that Jezebel hearing Jehu was come to Jezreel Painted her face and tired her head c. The Prophet also maketh use of it Jer. 4.30 when he would shew how unable anything should be to do them good the Lord being provoked by their evil deeds True bodily beauty cannot much less can a painted face procure them favour with men with whom the Lord is angry for their wickedness and soul-pollutions and therefore saith the Prophet there Though thou cloathest thy self with crimson and deckest thy self with ornaments of gold though thou rentest thy face with painting in vain shalt thou make thy self fair thy lovers will despise thee they will seek thy life When he saith Though thou rentest thy self with painting it is only to shew that though they did their best and used their utmost skill to make themselves look fair though they should rub their faces with this vermillion till they crack'd their very skin yet it would do them no good the enemy would not be enamoured with them nor pity nor spare them for their fine cloaths and fair faces Secondly Others derive this word Happuch from a root which signifieth to turn and then the sence of the Text is He called the name of the third Keren-happuch that is The horn of conversion or of turning I shall give the reason of that translation by-and-by The Septuagint render it by a word which signifieth Plenty The horn of plenty But I conceive our rendring most proper He called her name Keren-happuch that is The horn of beauty alluding to the custom of proud women who to make themselves look fair and so to ensnare others with their beauty anointed or painted themselves with that tincturing stuff Thus we have the signification of these names But why did Job give his daughters such names as these First I suppose this may be given as a reason of it That he might in these names remember or be minded of his wonderful restoration God having brought him out of a low and miserable estate to a very high and comfortable one he therefore called the name of the first Jemima that is Day to signifie that he who before was in a night a dark night of sadness and sorrow of trouble and adversity was now come to a comfortable day of prosperity The Scripture saith Light is sown for the righteous They may be in the dark in a dark day in a day as dark as night and where the very light as Job spake Chap. 10. is as darkness but there is a Day coming Light is sown for the righteous Job might say I have been in the dark night of affliction but now 't is break of day with me and therefore that I may remember this goodness of God my first daughter shall be named Day that her name may help me to remember the goodness of God all my dayes Again When he called his second daughter Kezia that also might refer to his new state As if he had said My former condition of stink and filth is passed away I once sate as it were upon a dunghil being little better than dung my self full of ulcerous soars my breath savour'd so ill that my Wife could not endure me and I was an offence to all neer me but now the Lord hath renewed my flesh as the flesh of a child now I am sweet and clean my savour is like a perfume and therefore my second daughters name shall be Kezia Spice or perfume Job might also say My late affliction was a state of deformity I was black and uncomely my face was all as a scab and my body as a sore my countenance was slurr'd with tears and weeping as he complained Chap. 16.16 there was no beauty in me Job might say of himself in that state as it is said of Christ in the Prophesie When we beheld him there was no beauty no comeliness in him but now my sores are healed now I have recovered my former strength freshness and comeliness and therefore the name of this daughter shall be The horn of beauty to mind me how the Lord hath given me beauty for ashes and garments of joy for a spirit of heaviness Thus he might very well and very piously give his children these names to mind him of the blessed change which the Lord had made in his outward condition And this is the reason of that translation before mentioned of the name of the third daughter called Keren-happuch The horn of Conversion intimating how great a change the Lord had made in his horn his horn was in the dust before it was empty and had nothing in it but filth whereas now is become or turned to be a Horn of plenty Jobs estate was changed from poverty to plenty and his horn raised from the dust to honour and dignity and therefore he called the name of his third daughter Keren-happuch The horn of Conversion or The change of the Horn. Thus Job might have great reason to call his daughters by these names with respect to the change of his condition Hence observe Godly Parents do well when they give such names to their children as may be memorials of the providences of God towards them Joseph had a mighty turn in his estate as the Psalmist epitomizeth the History of Moses in Genesis concerning him Psal 105.17 18 19 20 c. He was sold for a servent his feet were hurt with fetters he was laid in irons until the time that his word came the word of the Lord tryed him The King sent and loosed him he made him Lord of his house and Ruler of all his substance c. This Joseph had two sons in the Land of Egypt after this turn of his estate but what were their names The Text answers Gen. 41.51 52. And he called the name of his first-born Manasseth which signifieth forgetfulness and he giveth this reason of it for said he God hath made me forget all my toyl and all my fathers house And the name of the second called he Ephraim which signifieth fruitful for said
garment for the sea Clouds are water condensed and they dissolve into water and here the Lord having separated the sea from the earth made the cloud which is a kind of sea a sea in the air as a garment to cover and keep it warm And because a new-born child lest the limbs should not grow right hath not the liberty of its arms and feet for a time but is wrapt up with a swadling band therefore in pursuance of the Allegory the Text speaks of a swadling band prepared for the sea as soon as it was born But what was the swadling-band of the sea As the matter of its garment is a cloud so its swadling-band is thick darkness that is say some very dark clouds making this latter part of the verse but a repetition of the former because clouds are dark in themselves they are often expressed by darkness they are called black clouds and dark clouds yea sometimes clouds are called darkness So that the cloud and the thick darkness may be the same onely it is here exprest in different terms to shew the exactness of the Lords proceeding and the accurateness of his providing for the due ordering of the unruly child the sea And that the sea had at first such a swadling-band we find Gen. 1.2 Darkness was upon the face of the deep Hence First From the purpose of the Spirit of God as we may well conceive in representing the sea in such a dress a child in swadling-bands Note God can as easily rule and bind the sea a vast bulky body as a mother or a nurse can bind a little infant in swadling-bands And surely the Spirit of God would have us to take notice that though the sea be indeed such a giant such a monster as will make a heart of oak shake or a heart of brass melt yet what is it to God but an infant he can bind it and lay it to sleep even as a little child And if the great sea be in the hand of God as a little child what is great to God! and how great is God! What is strong to God! and how strong is God! What or who is too great or too strong for God to deal with Cannot God who hath swadled the turbulent sea provide swadling-bands to wrap up the stoutest and most turbulent spirits of this world Job â—pâ—aking of himself wondered that God should deal so with him chap. 7.12 Am I a Sea or a Whale that thou settest a watch over me The sea is a boisterous creature and had need be watched Am I a Sea or a Whale said Job Though a man be as a sea or a whale God can watch him and bind him from doing mischief Therefore fear not any power of the creature though a great sea while your behaviour is good but fear the Lord who binds the sea to its good behaviour Nations are before him but as the drop of a bucket Isa 40.15 A Nation confidered in it self is a mighty sea much more The Nations which indefinite is universal taking in all Nations yet they are all but as the drop of a bucket and how easily can we dispose of the drop of a bucket Even so easily can God dispose of those who are as the sea in opinion and appearance Secondly Consider what the Lord makes the swadling-band of the sea some strong thing no doubt the Text tells us it is but a dark cloud or a mist arising from the sea these are the bands with which God binds this mighty giant the sea Hence Observe The Lord can make weak and improbable means to do and effect the greatest things One would think we should have heard of some other matter even of adamantine chains to bind the Sea with but we see mists and fogs and clouds shall do it if God will Mists are but vapours gathered up and thickened a little in the air Is it not a wonder that they should get the upper hand of and bind the sea so that as soon as a mist riseth in the air by and by the sea is still There is indeed a natural reason why as calms are seldome without mists so mists can never be without calms because mists cannot endure nor live in the wind much less in a storm but must presently be dispersed or blown away by it yet 't is much that a mist or a fog or a cloud in the air should have a binding force upon the sea This was the Lords work to keep the sea quiet in its place And having considered this we are called to consider another Work of God whereby he keeps the sea from roving out of its place in the two verses following Vers 10. And brake up for it my decreed place and set bars and doors c. Here the Lord speaks of the second state of the sea according to one reading though according to ours of the first When the Lord had said Let the waters be gathered together into one place he prepared a place to receive the waters as when a man would have a place to hold water he digs or makes an earthen vessel or receptacle for it So when the waters issued out of the earth in their nativity the Lord gathered them together into a sea and prepared a stupendious pit or as some follow the allusion here of a new-born infant wrapt in swadling-bands he provided a great bed or cradle to put it into That vast concave into which the waters are put is somewhat like a cradle those channels I say which God made for the sea are as the cradle wherein it is laid The banks and shores are those bars and doors with which the infant is kept in his cradle What can be spoken more significantly than these similitudes to express the greatness of God who keeps in the sea by his power and leads it forth gently into several creeks and bosoms for the safety of Navigaâ—iâ—n and represseth its fury and violence by the sands and shores Thus saith the Lord I brake up for it my decreed place a hollow place for the holding of the sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et fregi i. e. decidi vâ—l decreviâ—i per illâ— stâ—tutiâ—â—â—eum q. d. de iâ—â—â— decretum meum coâ—stitui cum ei limiâ—es sunt à me praefiniti Merc. Vocabulum terrâ— recte hic suppleri tum ipsa historiae veritas tum pâ—opria fignitiâ—atio vâ—rbi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evincit Itaque alii nâ—n recte cum vâ—rbo illo â—â—â—â—runt vâ—â—m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrâ—â—o defâ—â—it prepositio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pisc Cum difregi pro eo sâ—â— terraâ—â— decreto meo i. e. Alveos velut â—unas exaravi circummuâ—iâ—i Jun. Some translate And established my decree upon it for the word place is not expressed in the Text there it is only and brake up my decree but it is more clear to the general sense of the Text and to the particular sense of the
Hebrew word to interpret it of breaking up a decreed place for the sea than of establishing a decree for the sea which is a consequent of the former and therefore I understand it only of a fitting room for the sea here called a decreed place or a place determined a place not only sound out as convenient but determined and set I brake up for it my decreed place or my statuted place a place that I appointed by an ordinance of heaven that place did I break up for it that is I made a vessel or channel like a cradle big enough and broad enough and deep enough to hold the vast waters of the sea I brake up for it my decreed place Note First The Lord who made the sea made also a place for it The ordering and placing of all things is of God as well as the making of them God hath provided a place for every thing and put every thing in its place God is the God of Order And how comely and ordeâ—ly are all things while they are kept in and all persons while they keep in the place which God hath decreed for them and put them in The Elements do not ponderate are not burdensome in their place The sea troubles us not while it keeps or breaks not out from that decreed place which God at first brake up for it There is not the least worm but hath a decreed place And as God hath appointed men their time there is a decreed time for their birth and for their continuance in life they die also and go out of the world in a decreed time so there is a decreed place for every man and that two-fold First Of his habitation in what part of the world he shall live Acts 17 26. Secondly Of his station or vocation what part he shall act in the world to serve his generation or to get his living He that abides within the bounds of his calling abides in his place though he every day move or remove from place to place It is best for our selves and for others also to abide in our decreed places as it is a mercy to us all that the sea abides where God placed it If men break out of their places they may quickly do mischief like the breach of the sea To prevent which God brake up for it his decreed place and not only so but as it followeth in the close of this tenth verse Set bars and doors In the eighth verse we have only doors he hath shut up or annointed the doors of the sea but here we have bars and doors It is an allusion to strong Cities and Castles or to great mens Houses which have not only doors but doors barred and double lockt Bars strengthen doors and keep them fast and sure A strong door if not well lockt and barred may quickly be broken open therefore the Lord to make all fast tells us that when he had put the sea into his decreed place that it should no more return to cover the earth at its own pleasure or according to its natural bent for there is a desire that is a natural bent in the sea to be over-flowing all and to repossess the place from which it was at first with-drawn the Lord I say tells us that he then set doors and bars to keep it in and shut it up fast enough And if you enquire what is meant by these doors and bars with which 't is shut in Some answer The sands of the sea others the rocks clifts and banks these are bars and doors by which the sea is shut in But though these things are indeed as bars and doors to keep the sea from returning again yet that which is the great bar and door is the word of command from God as appears fully in the next verse Vers 11. And said hitherto shalt thou come Et dixi ei sc prosopopeia Dicere dei est jubere constituere quid fiat and no further The Saying of God is Gods Command and Law And said To whom To whom did the Lord speak He said it to the sea though a senseless creature a creature without reason yea without life yet the Lord said it and he said it to the sea and he spake it as angry with the sea As if he had said I see what a raging creature thou art what a froward ungovern'd child thou art like to prove therefore I say hitherto shalt thou come and no further We may take this saying of the Lord under these two notions Hebraei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro termino ponunt ut apparet Ezek. 41.15 ideo recte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vertitur hoc usque Câ—â—t First As expressing the firmness of what was done He said that is resolved determined and concluded made it a Law a Law like that of the Medes and Persians not to be reversed by any power Secondly He said as noting the facility of the work When the Lord took a course to shut up these doors and to put on these invincible bars what did he He said it and it was as soon done as said so that this word He said notes the infinite soveraignty and power of God that by a word speaking the matter was done He said Hitherto shalt thou come The Lord gives the sea line He makes it a prisoner but not a close prisoner He gives it a great scope large room to role and tumble its waves in Hitherto thou shalt come that is hitherto thou maist come It is not a Command that the sea should alwayes come so far but it is a dispensation or a permission that thus far the sea may come but no further As if the Lord had said I have drawn a line and I have set a mark I have given thee a bound so far to go hitherto shalt thou come But no further Rabbi Levi. The Hebrew is Thou shalt not add Thou shalt not go beyond the bound which I have set thee to destroy the earth A Jewish Writer gives a double exposition of this But no further First Of the waves and the waters in the midst of the sea When waves rise in the main ocean how high they may rise and toss the sailing ship we cannot tell but God knows Secondly Of the waves roaring at the sea-shore To both he saith Hitherto shall ye come and no further And here shall thy proud waves be stayed Why doth the Lord call them proud waves it is not because they are proud properly but by a Metaphor they lift up their heads as proud men do and are therefore called proud waves Thus Jethro spake of Pharaoh and his host Exod. 18.11 In the things wherein they dealt proudly the Lord was above them Pharaoh and the Egyptians like the proud waves of the sea thought to have swallowed up all Israel but God made the sea to swallow them up Proud men like mighty waves think to swallow up all but He is above them that saith to