not have all their actions scann'd at least not by all They keep state in their works If all a mans actions be levell to the lowest his person will be so too The reason why the works of Antichrist were to be so mysterious and miraculous is because he was to be adored and Godded to be exalted above all in man that is called God or that is worshipped 2 Thes 2. 4. They who aspire to divine honour have or at least pretend to have many secrets Because secret things belong unto God things revealed unto man Deut. 29. 29. And as the Angell at once answers and reproves Manoah Judg. 13. 18. Why askest thou after my name seeing it is secret or wonderfull As if he had said thou must not enquire after my name for it is a secret Such prying into the works of God is as dangerous as prying into the Arke of God 1 Sam. 6. 19. It were more profitable for us and more honourable to God if we did search our own secret wayes more and Gods lesse There are other works of God which cannot be searched yet we may and ought to search them It is our duty to study them though we cannot finde them We may search and finde many of the workes of God with our sences there are others which we cannot finde though we search for them with our reason and understanding As some parts of the word of God 2 Pet. 3. 16. So some part of his works are so hard to be understood that unstable men wrest them to their own destruction The minde of God is legible in very many of his works and we may read them without a Comment or Interpreter Other of his works are mysterious and aenigmaticall very riddles insomuch that if an ordinary man looking on them should be questioned Vnderstandest thou what thou seest he must answer as the Eunuch did Phillip How can I except some man teach me And these works are unsearchable two ways First in regard of the manner of doing we cannot finde out the wayes and contrivances of Gods work His wayes are in the deep and his foot-steps are not known saith the Psalmist that is the way which God goes to the accomplishing of his ends are oftentimes like steps upon the water which leave no impression or track behind them Secondly his works are unsearchable in their causes or ends what it is which God aimes at or intends what moves or provokes him to such a course is usually a secret He doth such things as no man can give an account of or render a reason why Peter knew not how to construe or expound that work of Christ John 13. when he took a Towell with a bason of water to wash his feet Therefore Christ tells him What I doe thou knowest not that is thou knowest not what moves me to doe this for his eye taught him what Christ did but thou shalt know hereafter In due time this shall be interpreted to thee and thou shalt know the reason why I did this But it is said and that may be an objection against both text and Exposition Psal 111. 2. The workes of the Lord are great sought out of all those that have plesure therein To seek out notes a full discovery And in Psal 106. 7. Failing in this is charged upon the fathers and confessed by the children as a fault Our fathers understood not thy wonders that is the great things which God did for them in Aegypt How then is it said here The works of the Lord are great and unsearchable To clear this First I say there are some great works of God which are easie and plaine And it is our duty to be acquainted with and learned in these works of God as well as in the word of God Secondly those works whose text is hard we must search and labour to expound them so as to further duty but not to feed our curiosity We may search them with submission to the mind of God not for satisfaction onely to our own minds We may search with desire to honour God but not to humour our selves We may search them to make us more holy though not barely to make us more knowing Take two Corolaries from this First if the works of God are unsearchable then how unsearchable are the counsells of God the deep and secret counsels of God! The works of God are the cousells of God made visible Every work of God is the bringing of some counsell of God to light Now if we are not able to find out his counsells when they are made visible in his works how shall we find out his counsells when they lye hidden in his breast Secondly If the works of God are unsearchable then we are to submit unto the dispensations of God whatsoever they are though we are not able according to reason to give an account of them though we cannot search out either the manner how or the cause for which they were done yet we must reverence them And what we cannot believe by knowing we must know by believing It is our duty not onely to winke and believe shut our eyes and believe or believe when we cannot see but we must often believe where knowledge is shut out believe when we cannot understand Abraham by faith followed the call of God not knowing whether he went Heb. 11. 8. It is dangerous to follow men blind-fold how seeing soever those men are but it is safe and our duty to follow God blindfold how seeing soever we think our selves to be We must not be displeased as Joseph was at Jacob his Father Gen. 48. 17. when we see God laying his right hand upon Ephraim and his left upon Manasses doing things crosse to our thoughts much lesse may we take upon us to direct the hand of God as Joseph would Jacobs where we please The Lord knows as Jacob answered Joseph what he doth and it becomes us to acquiesce in what he doth though we know it not Some Romish Parasites have said of the Pope That if he should carry thousands to hell along with him there is no man must say to him Sir why doe you so They adore him so in the unsearchablenesse of his wayes and doings that it is enough for them if he doth them This abominable flattery of that Man of Sin is a sober truth concerning the holy God Though God east thousands of soules into hell no man may say to him what dost thou And though God turne Kingdomes upside down though he send great afflictions upon his own people and make them a reproach unto the Heathen though he give them up unto the power of the adversary and make all their enemies to rejoyce yet no man may say unto God why doe you thus His works are unsearchable It is beyond the line of a creature to put any question A why or A wherefore about the work of the Greatour Shall the thing formed say unto him that formes it why hast thou made me
with the creatures Thirdly an assurance that this peace shall be continued Lastly observe All outward blessings are in themselves fading and perishing Though a man be assured that he shall enjoy outward blessings yet he can enjoy them but in the nature and condition of outward blessings Though he be sure to use and enjoy them yet he looks upon them as perishing in the using All outward things are here as frequently in other Scriptures implied under the notion of a Tabernacle a Tabernacle is a moveable habitation It is a peece of a miracle if a Tabernacle stand long that promise Isa 33. 20. imports somewhat extraordinary A Tabernacle that should not be taken downe not one of the stakes thereof removed nor any of the cords thereof be broken It is as if the holy Ghost should say Thou shalt be a Tabernacle priviledg'd above all Tabernacles They are moveable unfixed easie to be taken downe but it shall not be so with thee The Apostles conclusion takes in all creature comforts The fashion of this world passeth away 1 Cor. 7 31. The scheme the beauty of the best earthly things passe while we enjoy them and moulder away between our hands while we are using them And thou shalt visit thy habitation and shalt not sin This clause of the verse compleats mercy yet higher It is better not to sin in our habitation then to be assured of a habitation To have quietnesse in our habitation is very good but to have holinesse in it is best of all Thou shalt visit thy habitation and shalt not sin The word which we translate habitation signifies not only a house but a wife or a housewife Hence some render Thou shalt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Habitatio in soeminino genere significat Habiâ—atricem mulierem sc habitantem in domo exornantem eam Moller in Psal 68 13. visit thy beauty or thy faire and beautifull wife and shalt not sin The reason is either because a good wife is the beauty and ornament of the house or because the knowledge wisedome and diligence of the wife is a meanes to furnish and adorne the house or lastly the businesse of a wife is so much in the house that she shares names with the house she is or ought to be like a shaile living with her house upon her back The Apostles rule also being I will that the younger women marry beare children guide the house 1 Tim. 5 14. And exhort them to be discreet chast keepers at home Tit. 2. 5. Hence also probably the same word in Hebrew signifies a beautifull wife and a beautifull house We reade it in that sense Psal 68. 12. Kings of armies did fly apace and she that tarried at home divided the spoile She that tarried at home or the beauty of the house sc the wife divided the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spoile The meaning is such victory shall be obtained over the enemies of the Church that the wives and weake women shall be fill'd with those spoiles which theit triumphant husbands shall bring home to them But here we may rather take the word in the ordinary sense only with this emphasis signifying not bare walls or a numerous family but a beautifull a well furnished a well ordered house And so we have the word at the third verse of this Chapter where Eliphaz saith I saw the wicked taking root and presently I cursed his habitation or his goodly beautifull flourishing house So here thou shalt visit thy habitation that is thy house in all the beauty order riches and furniture of it Thou shalt visit The word signifies more then to see and look upon buildings and furniture To visit notes in Scripture these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Visitavit three or foure things 1. To overlooke or take care of the house To visit the house is to provide for the house Psal 8. 4. Lord what is man that thou visitest him that is that thou takest so much eare of him and hast such waking thoughts about him 2. To visit the house notes an enquirie of what is done in the house how things goe in the family 3. It imports a calling of all to an account and reckoning about what is done in their discharge of family duties 4. To visit is to order and direct to command and give precepts for what shall be done Hence frequently in the old Testament the Commandements of God are expressed by this word his precepts So then thou shalt visit thy house or thy habitation may take in all these thou shalt as a Master view and over-see direct and call to account thy house and family In this sense the word is commonly used amongst us That act of the Bishops calling their Diocesses to an account and over-looking them was called their Visitation And over Colledges Hospitals and such publicke foundations Visitors are appointed to see and take an account how the rules and statutes of those places are observed Thou shalt visit thy habitation and shalt not sin But how is it said he shall doe this and not sin Doth not sin mingle with all we doe The word here used signifies 1. Tropically to erre faile or miscarry in the generall 2. Properly to misse a speciall marke or way to shoot awry or wander instead of walking as Judg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 20. 16. it is said of those seven thousand Benjamites that they Erravit aÌ„ via vel scopo could shoot at an haires bredth and not sin so the word is or not miscarry not misse the marke And because every transgression is a wandring out of the way of Gods commandements or a shooting beside the marke of his word therefore that word in Non afficieris poena pro peccatoâ— Pâ—gn Non laedeâ—is non accpies damnum aut detrimentum Targ. Curabis res tuas domum tuam at eas procurans non fâ—ustrabeâ—is spetua cedentibus tibi rebus omnibus pro voto ex animi sententia Mer. Non aberrabis sc aÌ„ scopo fine desiderij â—ui Coc Scripture is commonly used for sinning Here the word admits of a two-fold interpretation First For the fruit or effect of sin thus thou shalt order and over looke thy family with such wisdome and discretion that thou shalt not erre or doe things beside the rule of prudence and so bring miscarriages and troubles upon thy affaires by sinne Mr Broughton translates to this sense Thou shalt visit thy habitation and shalt not misprosper And so Eliphaz may hint at Jobs former losses at the overthrow of his estate and family as if he had said heretofore thou didst visit thy habitation and didst not prosper but if thou shalt now humble thy selfe thou shalt visit thy habitation and all shall prosper things shall goe well with thee thou shalt not labour in vaine or loose thy end in the care thou takest about thy family Secondly the sense may be this thou shalt order and visit thy family
the bosome and spirit of a man Let it not trouble thee that I thus speak take my words in good part If we assay to commune with thee wilt thou be grieved Secondly observe That it is no easie thing to beare reproofe To take a reproofe well is as high a point of spirituall wisdome as to give it well When we reprove the sinne we should love the man but there are few men who can love their reprovers You know what is said in the Prophet They hate him that reproveth in the gate Reproofs are usually entertained with hatred and ill taken by evill persons reproofe is not alwayes taken in good part by those who are good It is but need to have some way made for its due entertainment by the best temper'd spirits Wilt thou be grieved it may be wearisome and troublesome unto thee but I pray let it not Thirdly observe from the Preface That in some cases it is our duty to speak and reprove whether men are troubled or no. How should I be pleased if thou wouldest receive my speech in good part but I cannot withhold my selfe from speaking though thou art displeased take it how you will I must speak these reproofs must out When we see plainly that God is dishonoured and that the soule of our brother is greatly endangered we must then speak as God chargeth the Prophet whether they will heare or whether they will forbeare In such cases we must adventure to save men by Ep. Jude v. 23 feare plucking them out of the fire Lastly observe That when the heart is full it is a very hard thing not to give it vent at the lips by speaking When the heart is full of matter the tongue will be full of words the tongue must bring forth the treasures that are laid up in the heart Who saith Eliphaz can withhold himselfe from speaking The Prophet Jeremiah Chap. 20. 9. thought to stifle the message of God in his heart I said I will not make mention of him nor speak any more in his name he began to take up a resolution to withhold himselfe from speaking but saith he his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay I could not hold it any longer So the Apostles Acts 4. 19. We cannot but speak that which we have heard and seen it is impossible for us the Lord hath spoken who can but prophesie Amos 3. 8. that is who can withhold himselfe from prophesying when once the Lord bids him speak Words are the conceptions of our mindes and when our thoughts are form'd and organized as it were and grown to perfection when those children come to the birth a little strength will bring them forth Or rather great strength cannot keepe them from being brought forth It is as possible for her that is with childe to withhold the birth as it is for those that have pregnant conceptions or an errand from God to withhold themselves from speaking When David kept silence it is a strange connexion he roared Psal 32. 3. When he held his peace from good his sorrow was stirred Psal 39. 2. Pangs took hold on him as upon a woman in travell which made him roare His heart waxt hot the fire burned till he spake with his tongue He was then delivered Our English phrase of Delivering a mans minde may hit this sense well Their hearts are barren whose mouths are alwayes shut Who can withhold himselfe from speaking But what is it that he could not forbeare He could not forbear to tell him that as he supposed he acted against his own principles Behold thou hast instructed many and thou hast strengthened the weak hands c. Behold This word is sometime used in a way of derision as Ecce doctorem egregium Ecce medicum aliorum qui seipsum curare nesciat Gen. 3. 22. where God saith concerning Adam Behold the man is become as one of us doe you not see what a God he is how like a God he lookes so Behold thou hast instructed many some make that the sense see now your great Teacher your learned Doctor he that hath been so forward and busie in teaching others see in what disorder how uncomposed he is himselfe he would needs physick his Neighbours but knows not how to cure his own distempers But rather take it by way of ásseveration Behold as if he should say this is a thing clear and certaine all that are about thee can witnesse it that thou hast instructed many and that thou hast strengthened the weak hands But how art thou changed thou art not like the man thou wast Here are foure speciall acts of spirituall charity so we may call and distinguish them First instructing of the ignorant secondly encouraging of the weak and sloathfull thirdly supporting of those that are ready to fall and fourthly comforting those that are ready to faint In these foure duties Job had been very conversant 1 Indoctos docere Instruction of the ignorant Behold thou hast instructed many 2 Torpentes excitare Encouragement of the weak and sloathfull Thou hast strengthned the weake hands 3 Labentes erigere Supportation of the weake Thy words have upholden him that was falling 4 Maestos consolari Consolation of those who were ready to faint Thou hast strengthned the feeble knees Here you see the four uses which Job made in his counsels First 2 Tim. 3. 16. of Instruction Secondly of Exhortation Thirdly of Admonition Fourthly of Consolation Job was a perfect Preacher he applyes the word to all the services and ends of it respecting the severall conditions tempers or distempers of those with whom he had to doe Further some take the three latter to be but as explications or branches of the first Behold thou hast instructed many namely concerning the nature of afflictions and their duty in the bearing afflction yea thou hast instructed them so farre that thou hast strengthned the weake hands upholden those that were falling and strengthned the feeble knees I come now to the opening of the severall expressions Thou hast instructed many The word which we translate instructed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eâ—udivit castigavit ut patres praeceptoris solent pueros Respondet GraecoruÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 docere verbi verberibus signifieth both to correct and to teach and the Hebrews give the reason of it because usually with instruction correction is joyned and so the same Greek word signifies both to teach and to chasten As there is a voice of the Rod instruction in correction so a Rod sometimes goes with the voice correction is helpfull to instruction In either or both the senses we may understand it here thou hast instructed many thou hast taught and directed thou hast where need was chastned and corrected many Many We have heard in the first Chapter that Job prayed for his Children
own But you shall finde in how sad a condition Saul himselfe was before the Devill had done with him for as soon as Saul heard the tydings delivered by that personated Samuel he fell into a shaking fit and was as one astonished and dead hanging upon the rack of these torments the Devill left him there was no word of comfort no sweet still musicall voice to revive and fetch him againe but away packs the wicked Spirit and leaves him overwhelm'd with sorrow And then instead of a better surely he could not have a worse the poor Witch comes to comfort and counsell him They who refuse counsell from the Prophets of God may at last be forced to receive all their comfort from a Witch a Prophet or Prophetesse of the Devill But to the point in hand we see when the Devill and wicked Angels speake terrour they leave terrour Whereas if God by good Angels speaks terrour or affrights his people with the tokens of his presence he with a sweet and still voice refreshes and comforts them before he departs And we may in that generall apply it to our selves That when God astonishes and terrifies us when he makes our bones to shake and rottennesse to enter into them wee may expect comfort and refreshing are at hand and we may build upon it that the more we tremble the more we shall be refreshed Habakkuk in the place before cited is expresse in this faith I trembled that I might have rest in the day of trouble to which he addes when he commeth up to the people he will invade or cut them to pieces with his troopes As intimating that they who will not tremble shall be made to tremble but when we actively labour to make our hearts tremble or when God makes us tremble in such a way as this we may build upon it that we shall rest in the day of trouble at least we shall rest in the end of that day God never leaves his people under a Cloud he takes off trouble and brings in a succession of comfort or conquers the trouble by mingling a prevailing portion of comfort with it If we take the Text in the latter sense we may note That silence becomes man when God speaks Speak Lord saith Samuel for thy servant heareth Heare O servant for thy Lord speaketh Silence prepares the heart to learne Pythagoras commanded his Scholers to keep silence five yeares And the Papists impose silence as a part of discipline upon their Novices Let superstition be avoided and then Silence is fittest for learners unlesse their voyce be an enquiry after learning That which the Apostle speaks respecting women in the Church is true of all in the sense I now speak of 1 Tim. 2. 12. Let the woman learn in silence so let the man learn in silence There were many among us not long since who made many teachers silent Silence is good as it is a preparative to learning but woe to that which is a hinderance to instructing They enjoyned silence on Teachers by which knowledge was suppressed we advice silence upon learners that knowledge may be encreased JOB Chap. 4. Vers 17. Shall mortall man be more just than God shall a man be more pure than his Maker IN this verse we have the argument it selfe or the matter revealed in the former vision There was silence and I heard a voyce saying What that voice said we have in these words Shall mortall man be more just than God This is the theame or subject upon which Eliphas argues and it is the maine proposition of the whole context The proofe of this proposition was given from Divine authority in the fore-going words and we have a proofe Numquid homo Dei comparatione justificabitur Vulg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. Clamabat dicebat fierme potest ut homo quam Deus â—urior sit Chald. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Miser aerumnis peccatis obnoxius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in quo sensus despe randi Eusebius à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deducit quod â—blivisci significat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interpretaâ—ur quasi animal obliviosum dicas Drus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Min est comparandi particula comparatio exprimitur per praepositienem ultimi casus justificatus ab illo ie prae illo Luk. 18. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vir quasi validus ut latine à viribus dictus from reason in the following part of this Chapter Shall mortall man be more just than God or Shall man be justified in comparison of God or Shall man be just before God The Chaldee Paraphrase is yet more quick The Spirit cryed out and said Can it possibly be that man should be more pure than God The words are propounded by way of question we may resolve them into this negative proposition Mortall man is not more just than God man is not more pure than his Maker We translate Mortall man the Hebrew is but one word yet in the propriety of that language it contains both noting man with an addition such as it is of weaknesse and frailty the meanest and lowest estate of man Enosh a poor sick weak dying creature a creature of so little hope that some derive this name in the Hebrew from desperation a creature so unworthy to be remembred by God or so ready to forget God that others derive it from a word which signifies forgetfulnesse or to forget Shall man this mortall man this weake creature be more just or be justified rather than God Such a sense the words carry When man and God are compared together shall God be esteemed lesse just or lesse pure than man Luk. 18. 14. it is said of the Publican that he went downe justified rather than the other put the Pharisee and the Publican in the ballance together and the Publican was the weightier in righteousnesse or the more just of the two That in Luke is an Hebraisme and it is the same with this Put weak man and the mighty God the word Eloha which is here used for God noteth the strong God or the mighty God put him in the ballance of consideration with weake man will he not be infinitely more weighty in justice more shining in purity more glorious in holinesse Yea not only if you take man in his obscurest notion or in this terme of extenuation Enosh for a weake man a poore creepled creeping creature but take him in his best estate as he is Geber a strong man a powerfull man a holy man yet as it followes in the text shall man be more pure than his Maker that is shall such a mighty man a wise man a learned man a gracious man a man accomplished in all naturall in all acquired endowments the chiefest and choisest the creame and flower of all the men upon the face of the earth A Worthy of the first three the First of all the Worthies A man of the first magnitude of
or as soone as ever he is a servant to it Thus without the wisdome of the world Christ overcomes the wisdome of the world And by the foolishnesse of preaching as men count foolishnesse saveth those that beleeve 1 Cor. 1. 21. the foolishnesse of God is wiser then man That is those instruments which Christ impioyes how foolish soever men account them shall foile all the wisdome of man Therefore let no man boast of his natural parts unles they be spiriualiz'd and resign'd up for such Christ commonly uses though he can make use of others to the service of Christ Consider to whom you are instrumentall with your parts and knowledge All wit out of Christs work degenerates into craft and wisdome into wickednesse It is Satans worke to sollicite the learning of men even as an Adulterer sollicites the beauty of women that he may commit folly with it and beget some monstruous birth of mischiefe and villanie For when such appeare on Satans side they are a great credit to his cause and by the reputation of their learning and parts draw others to it Doe ye not see will he suggest to inferiour ones such and such wise learned men goe this way such learned Divines such learned Lawyers such deepe Politicians and doe you scruple And how many have been caught in this snaâ—e and led aside by the noise of their abilities whom Satan abuseth to his own side what such wise men such learned men thinke thus and doe you simple ones stand off Hath he not reason then to say of wise men as it was once said of one Seeing ye are such I wish you Cum talis sis utinam noster esses Habeo Themistoclem Atheniensem would come over to me and to bragge of them as much as ever that Persian Monarch did of Themistocles whose revolting to him from the Grecians transported him so that he broke suddenly out of his sleepe with these words I have Themistocles the Athenian I remember what Augustine observes it is a very remarkable passage in an Epistle unto a young noble man of great learning who it seems had been sometimes his Schollar Augustine having received from him a Poem or copie of accurate verses but Augustinus ep 39. ad Licentium Juvenem nobilem doctuÌ„ Da Domino meo te qui tibi illud donarit ingeniuÌ„ c. Accepisti a Deo ingenium spiritualiter aureum ministras inde â—ibidiâ—ibus in illo Satanâ— proâ—inâ—s teipsum Ornari abs te diabolus quaâ—it perceiving that he abused his wit to wantonnesse or uselesse curiosity returns him answer to this effect I have read this Poem and I know not with what verses or with what lamentation to mourne over it because I see an excellent wit sparkling in every line but such an one as I cannot dedicate unto God A little after he thus exhorts him Give thy selfe unto my Lord who hath given thee this excellent wit If thou hadst found a golden Cup what wouldst thou have done with it Wouldst thou not have given it to some good publicke use God hath given thee a golden wit Thy understanding is a golden Cup and wilt thou let thy lusts drinke out of it or wilt thou drinke thy selfe to the devill in it I tell thee thus much the devill would faine make thy wit his ornament and thy parts the oredit of his Court and Cause Satan serves himselfe of the best wits and his is the worst service of wit Such shall be paid at last with crying We fooles Of all fooles the knowing wise fooles will be in the saddest condition Observe thirdly The craftie are full of hopes that their devises will succeed and full of trouble because they succeed not Otherwise it could not be said that God disappointeth the devises of the craftie Disappointment implies expectation And it is no afflicting affliction to misse of that which we never looked for These thought all sure These doubted not to over-wit and over-power all at last This brought them somewhat beyond hope even to the borders of assurance at least it so endeared them their hopes that they would rather hazzard their souls than loose their plots they were burthen'd to be delivered Having conceived mischiefe they were in travell with iniquity Psal 7. 14. As the Lord suffers his own people to feare much that when deliverance comes their joy may be full so he suffers wicked men to hope much that their sorrows may be full when they cannot be delivered A woman forgets the pains of her travell for joy that a man childe is borne into the world And these men shall remember the paines of their travell for sorrow that a monster such are their designes is not borne into the world That their mischiefe comes not in their sense to light leaves them in desperate darknesse Fourthly observe What such plot and devise they labour to act and effect Their hands cannot performe their enterprise which intimates that they put their hands to the worke as well as their heads as soone as they have layd their plot they fall to acting We should in this imitate our enemies not to stand devising and consulting this is a good way and t'others a good way and then doe neither or then sit still and moulder away in expectation love to and zeale for Christ and his truth should render us as full of action as of invention of execution as of designe Fifthly though they did attempt it with their hands yet they could not effect it with their hands Their hands did not performe their enterprise Hence note That Craftie men may devise strongly but they have not strength sufficient to accomplish their devices The Pharisees after all their confederacies against Christ were forc't without any racke but that of their owne consciences to make this confession Joh. 12. 19. Perceive ye how we prevail nothing At this day they have many fine devices and Idaeas ready framed in their heads but the hand shakes They cannot performe their enterprise They want not counsell nor craft nor skill nor will nor desires nor endeavours only they want God with them Hence it is that though they gather very proper materials and lay very strong foundations yet they cannot reare up their building And in the issue Luk. 14. 29. All that behold it shall mock saying These men began to build and were not able to finish It is the maine worke of God to stop evill men in their workes what they would doe he saith they shall not and what they would not doe he saith they shall Pharoah devised a devise against the children of Israel but his hands could not performe his enterprise Haman devised a devise against the Jewes but his hands could not performe his enterprise Achitophel gave craftie counsell against David but his hands could not performe his enterprise Herod the Fox plotted against Christ to hinder the course of his Ministerie and Mediatourship but he could not performe his
Deus conjecisse mare in carcerem atque illi pedes ac manus constrinxisie propte◠quam exquisita dry land encompassing it and it would doe both if God did not bound it if he had not said Hitherto shalt thou come but no further and here shall thy proud waves be staied did not God put an everlasting law upon it it would be lawlesse Gen. 1. 10. the text saith That the gathering together of waters God called seas God gathered them together thrust them together into one place and there set a watch upon them put them in prison bound them Deiprovidentiam dioitur Psal 95. 4. in chaines for he saw what an unruly element it was and how soone it would disturbe all if left to it 's own guidance So Job 38. 10. He hath set bounds to it barrs and doors to keepe it in He locks and bolts it in by his mighty power And then Jobs meaning may be this Am I an over-whelming tyrant or oppressour a swallower up of the poore c. that thou dost thus imprison and restrain me Secondly there is a wonderfull capaciousnesse in the sea the sea is so bigge and broad so extensive and vast that it takes in all the waters that come off the land into it's bosome and yet feeles no accesse And then his meaning may be thus conceived Am I able to drinke in all these flouds of sorrow and rivers of affliction which are let out and unburthen themselves upon me Thirdly the sea is of mighty strength though we say weak as water water is a weake element in one sence yet in another water is a strong element so strong that it beares all downe before it and beares all the stormes that rage upon it And so his meaning is am I able to bear continuall tempest perpetuall tossings and agitations Wilt thou ever let loose the winds and gusts of trouble to blow thus furiously upon me Or am I a whale The word signifies any great and terrible creature any monster 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vasta five stupenda quae vis animantia significat sive terrestria sive aquatilia sive aeria Quidam Thinnorum nomen binc deducunt whether of sea or land but frequently the whale so Gen. 1. 21. God created great whales and Lamen 4. 3. The sea monsters draw out their breasts which some interpret the sea calfe It is taken also for the dragon which lives partly upon the earth and partly in the water Deut. 32. 3. their wine is the poison of dragons and so Jer. 51. 37. But place it either at land or sea it notes the most fierce devouring and cruell of all living creatures Our Translations understand it of that huge stupendious sea-monster the whale or Leviathan Am I a sea or a whale That thou setteth a watch or a guard over me The word signifies to watch a thing so narrowly that it can neither escape nor doe hurt for upon these two reasons watches and guards are set we are afraid some will run from us that others will hurt us therefore we set a guard upon them In this last sence Job specially meaneth it Thou settest a watch over me as thou dost over the sea and the whale Why doth God set a watch over these It is that the sea should not hurt thc earth that whales and sea monsters should not hurt man sailing upon the sea or destory the lesser fishes swimming there In the 39th Psalme ver 2. the word is used for setting a watch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Custodire servare significat custodism undique circumclusam unde nullum patet effugium upon the tongue I have set a watch saith David upon my lips c. A man sets a watch upon his lips least he should speake a misse or least he should doe hurt or wrong in speaking so Ps 141. 3. the Psalmist desireth God to set a watch before his mouth and keepe the doore of his lips The tongue is a hurtfull instrument as the Apostle James describes it a little member which hath a world of iniquity in it Therefore the tongue being so hurtfull it is a great part of grace to keepe a watch over it and a great part of our duty to begg of God to set a watch upon it that it may doe no hurt that it may not as a sea or a whale swollow up our neighbours good name Nehemiah Chap. 4. 23. made his prayer a sweet conjunction and set a guard or a watch why was it to keep off his wicked enemies from hurting him and hindring the good work he had in hand Some translate it thus Am I a sea or a whale that thou shouldest inclose me in prison It comes to the same sence and the Circum dedisti me careere Vul. Sicut carcer latinis a coercendo sic Hebraeis a custodiendo word signifies a prison in divers texts of Scripture prisons are places of watch and guard from whence there is no escape or getting loose Job thought himselfe a man kept in prison as offenders are The sea is a prisoner shut within banks and walls as a man in prison cannot goe where he will so neither can the sea And the whale of whom it is said He takes his pastime in the sea is yet Gods prisoner there And the truth is all creatures are in the prison of providence the limits whereof they can no more goe beyond then a man that is bound as Peter with two chaines and all the doors lockt upon him Especially afflictions are imprisonments sicknes is an imprisonment A disease is sent like a Sergeant to attach a man that shuts a man within his house confines him to his chamber and then binds him upon his bed not to stirr till God give a release sorrow is often called a Cord Psal 18. 4. The sorrows of death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the cords of death as the Hebrew is compassed me about And Psal 116. 3. The sorrows of hell or the cords of hell were about me And in that sence Job speaks of himselfe why dost thou arrest and cast me into prison binding me with the cords of these sorrows and sicknesses So he complaines Chap. 13. 27. Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks and lookest narrowly to all my paths thou settest a print upon the heeles of my feet It is said of the woman Luk. 13. 16. that Satan had bound her eighteen years she was bound with the cords of that infirmity and kept as a poore prisoner those many yeares From all we may collect the sence formerly hinted that Job expostulates with God for using him after the manner of a whale or a sea as if he were a man so unruly that nothing could tame and quiet him but such a severe course as is used with beasts or as if he were a vexer and a devourer of his brethren a very enemy to man-kind Observe from hence First in that Job
care for Oxen God doth care for Oxen The Apostle having shewed the goodnesse of God to beasts providing by a law that they should not be muzled presently he questions Doth God take care for Oxen As if he had said surely there is some what more in it or saith he it altogether for our sakes Not altogether doubtlesse God had regard to Oxen But for our sakes no doubt it was written that is chiefly for our sakes That he which ploweth should plow in hope and he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope So when Christ speaks of the Lillies Mat. 6. If God so cloath the Lillies of the field how much more will he cloath you You shall have the strength of his care to provide for you to feed and cloath you thus God sets his heart upon man he lookes to his people as to his houshold to his charge he will see they shall have all things needfull for them And so not laying to heart which is the contrary signifies carelesnesse Isa 47. 7. It is reported of Babylon Thou saidst I shall be a Ladie for ever so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart that is thou didst not regard these things to take care about them And Ezek. 40. 4. the expression is very full where God cals the Prophet to attention and he calleth him all over Behold saith he with thine eyes and heare with thine eares and set thine heart on all that I shall shew thee He wakens the whole man See and see with thine eyes Heare and heare with thine eares and set thine heart upon it the sum of all is be thou very intentive and diligent about this businesse to the utmost Secondly To set the heart notes an act of the affections and desires A man sets his love upon what he sets his heart that 's the meaning of Psalm 62. 10. If riches increase set not your heart upon them That is let not your love your affections your desires close with these things when riches abound let not your desires abound too It is an admirable frame of heart to have narrow scant affections in a large plentifull estate He is the true rich man who loves his riches poorly Set your affections on things that are above Col. 3. 2. Thirdly To set the heart notes high esteeme and account this is more than bare love and affection 2 Sam. 18. 3. when a counsell of warre was held by Davids Commanders about going out to battell against Absolom they all vote against Davids person all undertaking upon this ground they will not care for us they will not set their hearts upon us or value us their hearts are set upon thee thou art the prize they looke for and therefore the heate of the battell will be against thee Againe 1 Sam. 4. 20. When the wife of Phineas was delivered of a son a son is the womans joy and glory yet the text saith when the women that stood by told her that a son was borne she answered not neither did she regard it she did not set her heart upon it because the glory was departed from Israel In either of these sences the Lord sets his heart upon man he greatly loves man The love of God to man is the spring of mercy to man yea love is the spring of love love acted springs from a decree of love Deut. 7. 7. The Lord thy God did not set his love upon you c. because ye were more in number then any other people but because the Lord loved you Love also led in that highest work of mercy the giving of Christ God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son Josh 3. 16. As love is the spring and root of all the reall duty which mans performes to God and is therefore called the fulfilling of the law Our love fulfilleth the will of God so the love of God is the root of all that good we receive his love fulfilleth our will that is whatsoever we will or ask according to the will of God the love of God fulfills it for us Our love fulfills the law of Gods command and Gods love fulfills the law of our wants and lawfull desires His heart is set upon us and then his hand is open to us Further God doth not only love man but his love is great and his esteeme of man very high and he reallizes the greatest love by bestowing the greatest mercy How did God set his heart upon us when he gave his Son who lay in his bosome for us He set his bosome upon us when he gave us his Sonne who came out of his bosome Hence let us see our duty Should not we set our heart upon God when God sets his heart upon us the soveraignty of God cals for our hearts He as Lord may use al that we have or are And there is more than a law of soveraignty why we should give God our hearts God hath given us his heart first he who calleth for our hearts hath first given us his What are our hearts to his heart The love of God infinitely exceeds the love and affection of the creature What were it to God if he had none of our hearts But woe to us if we had not the heart of God This phrase shews us the reason why God calls for our hearts he gves us his own it is but equall among men to love where we are loved to give a heart where we have received one how much more should we love God and give him our hearts when we heare he loves us and sets his heart upon us whose love heart alone is infinitely better then all the loves and hearts of all men and Angels There is yet a fourth consideration about this expression the setting of the heart Setting the heart is applied to the anger and displeasure of God so the phrase is used Job 34. 14. If he set his heart upon man all flesh shall perish together that is if God be resolved to chastise man to bring judgements upon him all flesh shall perish together none shall be able to oppose it As it is the hightest favour to have God set his heart upon us in mercy and love so it is the highest judgement to have God set his heart upon a man in anger and in wrath to set his heart to afflict and punish The Lord answers his own people Jer. 15. 1 2 3. that notwithstanding all the prayers and motions of his beloved favourites in their behalfe his heart could not be towards them Then his heart was strongly set against them or upon them in extreame anger therefore he concludes they that are for the sword to the sword and they that are for destruction to destruction c. If God set his heart to afflict he will afflict and he can doe it And there may be such a sense of the text here What is man that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him that thou shouldest come